www.eastside-online.org
Vol. 52 No. 4
Cherry Hill High School East: 1750 Kresson Road, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003
December 2018
Redefining Regular
Photo by Jiseon Lee (‘20)/ Eastside Photo Editor Art by Danny Kahn (‘20)/ Eastside Art Editor Photo Illustration by Ali Koenig (‘20)/ Eastside Managing Editor and Nafessa Jaigirdar (‘19)/ Eastside Editor-in-Chief
■ By Sophia Liang (‘19) Eastside Editor-in-Chief
Over the last two decades, the Cherry Hill Public School District has gradually reduced the variety of course levels available to its high school students. In the past, students at East and West could choose between four levels of rigor for each of their subjects — Honors/AP, Accelerated, Regular and Modified — whose first letters combined into an acronym, as Superintendent Dr. Joseph Meloche noted, spell out HARM. The district later replaced Modified with Concepts classes for students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). Around 2007 to 2010, it began to remove the Regular level (R-level) from science and history, leaving only a few R-level English and math classes. According to Meloche, the concern that R-level classes would restrict students’ future prospects was the driving factor behind the district’s decision to reduce the number it offered. “One of the questions that came about was… what were the options and opportunities if a child started in R-level in ninth grade, [and] did that limit opportunities for them in tenth grade, eleventh grade and twelfth grade?” said Meloche. “What did that mean for children when they were graduating from high school…or applying to col-
Inside This Issue
lege?” Meloche emphasized that R-level classes are designed to prepare students for college, as are East classes across the board. However, he believes that it is the negative stigma surrounding them, more so than the content of the courses themselves, that may prevent some kids from reaching their full potential. The class levels that teachers recommend to students at the end of eighth grade often guide their entire high school trajectories, he said. Teenagers’ motivation, work ethics and subsequent academic performance can drastically change as they mature, but Meloche worries that labeling someone an “R-level kid” in freshman year can create a self-fulfilling prophecy that discourages that student from aiming higher for the rest of high school. “Adults and children alike often would assign value prior to even meeting a kid,” he said. “Kids become locked into a categorical definition which often internally or externally can limit what their opportunities are as they progress through the system.” The district decided to keep R-level English and math classes after looking at the results of standardized tests and other outside measures of performance. Seven years after the level was eliminated from other subjects, Meloche believes the change was for the better. He attributes
East alum honored by election to House Features, Pg. 7
Cherry Hill’s AP Honor Roll District designation, which is given to school districts with increasing AP participation and high exam scores, to its commitment to challenging students academically and encouraging them to take high-level classes. He has also heard anecdotal reports from teachers and students about positive changes within the classroom. “It’s a more diverse population of kids in terms of learning styles and learners [in each class],” he said. “There’s been a difference in perspective… [and] in terms of dialogue and discussion.” However, after surveying 155 East students of all grade levels and interviewing 20 teachers of all departments, Eastside found that the school’s general opinion greatly differs from Meloche’s perspective. Every interviewed teacher supported reintroducing R-level courses, and 74 percent of surveyed students agreed that having a larger selection of R-level classes would be beneficial. In response, Meloche said he would be interested in communicating with East faculty and students to reevaluate whether or not the change has created the desired effect. “For me it’s always about...stretching minds and helping kids grow,” he said. The Eastside editorial board believes that Rlevel classes should be offered for more subjects. To read the editorial, go to page 14.
New homeroom policy accelerates student freedom
Opinions, Pg. 15
Regular admission concert survivial guide Culture, Pg. 20
NEWS
Page 2
EASTSIDE
December 2018
Smith joins CHPS as assistant superintendent ■ By Jakob Silvert (‘20)
Eastside Staff
New Assistant Superintendent Dr. Justin Smith, a former administrator at Cherokee High School, started his tenure in the Cherry Hill School District last month, replacing former Assistant Superintendent Dr. Joe Campisi. Superintendent Dr. Joseph Meloche made his goals for his incoming assistant superintendent clear. He hopes for Smith to build and strengthen relationships throughout the district, listening and attempting to understand the concerns of all those who want to voice them. “He will establish relationships, build upon them and foster success at all of our 19 buildings,” Meloche said. Meloche wants communication and contact through all levels, from students to administrators. He wants everyone to feel like they belong in the Cherry Hill School District, and he believes putting Smith in the role of assistant superintendent is one key step in achieving that. Smith is a Cherry Hill Public Schools graduate. He went to Thomas Paine Elementary School, Brainerd Middle School (now called Carusi Middle School) and Cherry Hill High School West. After receiving his bachelor’s degree at Williams College in Massachusetts, Smith went on to earn two master’s degrees in Germanics and fine arts and poetry. Not
yet satisfied, Smith earned students that will soon Smith will visit three to his doctorate in educational be under his leadership. four schools to address the leadership from WilmingSmith’s leadership as of variety of issues that come ton University, inspired by his former teachers to go into the teaching profession himself. “I always felt that I was in a great position to succeed,” Smith said when describing his Cherry Hill Public Schools experience. Smith taught English and social studies starting at the middle school level. Moving into Cherokee High School, he taught English and German for eight years. In his high school teaching career, Smith earned two prestigious awards for his distinguished teaching abilities: the Princeton University Distinguished Secondary Teaching Award (chosen as one of four teachers in the state of New Jersey) and the Burlington County Teacher of the Year Award. After his eight years at Cherokee, Mason Kahn (‘22)/ For Eastside Smith taught at the college level in the Smith greets students during a visit to East. U.S. and in Germany. He then returned to the the beginning of November up. In his visits, Smith South Jersey area, servmanifests in a number of meets with principals and ing in administrative roles ways. appropriate staff to faciliin the Lenape High School “One of my main roles is tate meetings, guide proDistrict, where he has overseeing and supporting gram development, help worked up until this past the principals in their roles with student issues and November. as school leaders,” said plan for upcoming events In his homecoming, he Smith. and opportunities. hopes his positive feelings On a typical day, among Smith coordinates with will be shared by the many other responsibilities, the Central Office team of
the superintendent and the directors of curriculum, technology, special services, the public information officer and others in district. “I work with all of these administrators, not exclusively, along with half of the principals daily, helping the district run as well as possible,” said Smith. Smith also meets monthly with all principals to review goals. He sees his primary roles in listening, learning, building relationships and connecting with individuals. Most of all, Smith desires to find as many ways to contribute as much as he can. He sees his ability to have an impact on many students as a privilege, and he wants to utilize the heft and weight that are the personal impact that he has felt from so many previous educators. “[I hope to further] the enduring impacts that teachers can have on students,” Smith said. Smith hopes to be approachable by all students. He may be wearing a suit when one sees him, but he wants students to know he is just a regular guy. Smith hopes that when students do see him, they are reminded that each student is “uniquely important to the quality and potential of the school” and integral in its progression. Smith wants all members of the Cherry Hill District to work, learn and grow together, and hopes to start facilitating this even in his first year.
allowed to do so because they are using separate bank accounts and emails. They are responsible for coordinating all aspects of the trip with the partnering school. “The trip is open to all
with a foreign school district, and because no one has picked up the torch passed down from Spanish teacher Mrs. Esther Alpizar, who previously organized the exchange. “It’s a big responsibility, and an even bigger one where you have to find a new school district, especially when you don’t have any support,” said Alpizar. “I’m at the end of my career and a younger or newer teacher would have to start the program again.” After the two teachers who ran the exchange program had either left or retired, another one who had helped with the process that had previously moved away came back. Alpizar reached out to her, but her emails went unanswered. With that, the exchange program was put on hold, waiting for a younger Spanish teacher to pick up the responsibility. The future does seem bright for the chance of the language exchange program returning. Mrs. Rachel Eister, another Spanish teacher, demonstrated interest in taking up the trip, so there is a chance of it returning in the future. “It is absolutely something I will be doing and I will try and get Mrs. McVeigh to do it,” said Eister. “Now is not a great year because I am pregnant, but totally in the future.”
Exchange programs: why some exist and why some don’t ■ By Liam Reilly (‘20)
Eastside Staff
East’s language exchange program is an opportunity for students in language classes to fully immerse themselves in not only the language but also the food and culture of a country. It allows students to make long-lasting relationships with their host families and a deeper appreciation for other cultures. These programs, while valuable, are not universal — as of now, they are only offered biennially to French and German students of all levels. The German trip partners with a school outside of Munich. The French trip occurs at a school named Courbevoie, which is situated just outside of the French capital, Paris. “[Exchange programs] offer a new level of learning only attainable through immersion,” said French techer Mrs. Kristen Phillips. Phillips added that one “can’t replicate the smells or tastes of food of a different country.” French teacher Mrs. Carmela Griffo said that this opportunity is not officially supported or offered by the Cherry Hill School District for any language because of liability issues. The teachers who run it are
sent over 18 students, so I brought 18 to Germany.” The French exchange program is going strong. Phillips said, “This trip is open to all French students at all levels. We have not worried about having
everything has to be done outside of the school, the responsibility for accounts for the payments and the logistics of the actual trip have to be arranged by the teachers spearheading the trip. Advertising is done by “mentioning it” because the Board of Education has not approved the trip. “I would like to do it yearly, but I am not sure if the interest would be there,” Graff said. “Since the German program is growing, there is a possibility of it occurring yearly, but for now it is [every other year].” The Spanish exchange program existed up until 2008. The death of that program occurred because teachers in Madrid, Spain who ran the exchange either retired or switched school districts and did Courtesy of Loren O’Brien (‘19) not continue the Students enjoy their time on the French exchange trip. program. The German and French levels, but if there are limtoo many kids. It’s usually exchange programs have ited slots, the seniors get been the reverse where we had long-lasting relationpriority,” said Mr. Andrew usually need to hit the minships. Graff, East German teachimum to travel.” The two biggest reasons er. “The amount of students Furthermore, there is a why there are not any SpanI bring matches the amount tremendous amount of time ish exchange trips occurof students the partner and effort that goes into ring right now are because sends, and this year they making it happen. Because of the lack of a relationship
NEWS
December 2018
EASTSIDE
Mandarin course takes off at East
■ By Defne Alpdogan (‘20)
Eastside News Editor
At the beginning of 2018, the Cherry Hill Public School District decided to run a pilot Mandarin program at both Cherry Hill East and West. The Board of Education hopes to extend the pilot program to include a Chinese 2 course for the 2019-2020 academic year. Currently, the Chinese 1 course at East is taught by Ms. Xiaowen Qiu, a native speaker of Mandarin. This pilot program is Qiu’s first teaching experience. She runs Mandarin programs at both East and West and travels between the two schools for her classes. The Chinese 1 class is open to anyone with little or no knowledge of the language. Qiu takes this into account as she tries to teach the Chinese 1 class without the use of English. “If they learned Mandarin before, they can learn how to become more confident with the language and the communication. If they are new to this language, I hope this will be a new opportunity for them to learn something about the Mandarin-speaking world and not just China itself,” said Qiu. The Chinese class runs on a similar structure as the district’s other World Language classes. However, there are more interactive parts, since the language has a more phonetic alphabet than other languages offered at East. The class is taught completely in Mandarin, so that students learn to communicate
the students’ dialect is progressing. The class follows a national schedule from the American Council on Teaching Foreign Languages (ACTFL), which deems what is supposed to be taught in the first year. “So basically for the first year of Mandarin, the students should be able to express themselves and introduce themselves to other people. We practiced about how to say your name, where are you from, what type of language you can speak, how to introduce yourself when you first meet someone new, and what are some hobbies, foods you like, and how to introduce your family,” said Qiu. To help reduce the stress of all the information, Qiu’s
pronunciation and practice with them. I would say that it is a positive thing to have them in my class,” said Qiu. In addition, the unit vocabulary is presented through photos and hand gestures besides a worksheet. Qiu believes that with her constant enforcement of the different activities and parts of the class, her students can take away the language w i t h them. A s u p dates continue, Qiu hopes te to bring m o r e culture to the class in following marking periods. “ I think t h e class is really Danny Kahn (‘19)/ Eastside Art Editor fun bebecause of the various cause…you do a bunch of sounds and characters the different activities about, Mandarin language conlike, the culture and write tains. The biggest emphasis with ink. That [calligraphy] of the class is on constantly was really cool because you practicing communication. got to write a phrase in Chi“I know my students nese,” said Matt Borrelli come from different back(‘19). grounds, and I know for the From the words the stu57 or 90 minutes in the day, dents learned in the first it is the only time for them marking period, Qiu said to speak the language,” that students are telling said Qiu. her that they can underEven though there are a stand some of the Chinese lot of native speakers in the words at restaurants like class, Qiu says the program “dumplings”. Besides the does not discriminate, no language component, Qiu matter the skill level. wants to highlight the dif“I would like to say that ferent parts of the Chinese one of the good thing[s] is culture. the native speakers because “Maybe we can celebrate they are trying to help me the Chinese New Year. At build up a healthy learnEast, there is the Chinese ing community together. Student Association and I would also say that they maybe we can do an activhelp more with their peers ity or a celebration togetharound them to check their er,” said Qiu.
as six in-school visits may be scheduled on a given day. Although students can sign up online through Naviance, they are advised to make arrangements beforehand with the teacher of the class they will be missing. They then receive a printed pass they can present to their teacher. East began hosting college information sessions to help students get an idea of the schools to which they would be interested in applying during senior year. The sessions begin with each student filling out an inquiry card, which is collected by the college representative. Similar visits are later made available at thousands of schools nationwide, as each representative canvasses his or her assigned region. Mrs. Laurie Grossman, an East guidance counselor, explained the benefits of using this practice to get involved and put your name out there. “This is a good strategy
for students,” Grossman said, “because colleges like to know that students are interested in them.” Some colleges keep a record of when a student attends one of their information sessions or visits their website, and take this longterm interest into account when evaluating applications. Ranging from 15 minutes to an hour, these sessions include a presentation about different aspects of the college, followed by a question and answer period. This allows students to inquire about campus life, intended majors, living arrangements and admissions requirements. Students are encouraged to begin attending these sessions as early as sophomore year in order to get a head start in their college search. By beginning early, students can eliminate some of the stress that comes during senior year as application deadlines loom. Depending on the level of
with each other in Chinese. “The first day, I tried to talk in the target language and give [the students] a heads up of how Mandarin looks like,” said Qiu. One specific component that the class embraces is pronunciation and group pronunciation. By calling on random students, Qiu keeps the students engaged and constantly checks how
class environment and activities helped the students take in the information. “We play games and sing sometimes. We are learning now on how to greet people and basic stuff like how to say hi to another person or respond when they ask you questions,” said Khalil Kwok (‘20). The class centers around constant communication
College visits provide students with crucial insight ■ By Claire McFadden (‘19)
Eastside Staff
Choosing the right college can be a daunting task for students. Fortunately, East offers aid in the college process — not only through guidance counselors and academic opportunities, such as SAT prep classes, but also through college information sessions during the school day. These visits allow students to leave class and attend a meeting where a college representative tells them all about a certain school. Though these visits are not unique to East, they are integral to some students’ college decisions processes, allowing them to gain a sense of a college’s environment without leaving Cherry Hill. Students can find information about upcoming visits by logging into their Naviance account. Posted dates can be found by clicking on the “Colleges” tab, and then “Visits.” As many
interest in the school, these sessions can host as many as 50 students. Hoon Kim (‘19) attended a session run by Villanova University and found the experience worthwhile. “I found it really helpful. I was able to ask any type of question about their school, and I got a pamphlet to take home with me,” he said. Even though Kim has never visited Villanova’s campus, he feels as if he received a similar extent of information as he would on a campus tour. Megan Zilberfarb (‘19) also benefited from attending a meeting run by a representative from Rowan University. “He gave us a breakdown of what their campus is like, and more information about the admission process,” she said. Every student’s journey to college is different, but the college sessions can help start the pathway into the future for East students.
Page 3
UPDATE
■ By Julia Langmuir (‘19)
East BOE Representative
On November 6, Cherry Hill residents voted to fill three seats on the Board of Education for the Cherry Hill School District. With the upcoming Bond Election and recent district issues regarding security and curriculum changes, this election highlighted the interest of people across the district on the issues surrounding our schools. The three memberselect – Laurie Neary, David Rossi and Sally Tong – ran a joint campaign in which they focused on Accountability, Collaboration, and Transparency, under the slogan “ACT for BOE.” Their goals for their term include holding the board accountable for making financially responsible decisions for the betterment of the staff and students, working with the entire community in the practice of decision making and utilizing internet platforms to maintain transparency in the decisions being made by the board. They finished the race with 15, 13 and 12 percent of the vote, respectively, earning the vote of over 16,000 residents. Tong, a parent of two former and two current Cherry Hill students, has experience within the school district on the Cherry Hill Fair Funding Committee, the Chinese Language Initiative Group and school PTAs. She was one of the leaders in bringing Mandarin Chinese into the curriculum at both of the high schools, an addition that was new in the 2018-2019 school year. Neary, the mother of four current Cherry Hill students, has been an active member of the Cherry Hill Fair Funding Committee along with Tong and has testified before the Senate Budget Committee to advocate for fair funding. She is also the Vice President of CHSEPTA, an advocacy organization representing special education students across all 19 schools in the district. Rossi, the father of two former and one current Cherry Hill students, is the third and final new member of the board. Within the district, he has experience as the Advocacy Chair of the Sharp PTA for this school year, and he has experience outside of the district through Volunteers of America and Gateway Community Action Partnership Head Start. Tong, Neary and Rossi will join the six additional members of the BOE and will serve for three years. Their diverse experiences and backgrounds and their goals for the district will bring a new perspective to the decisions being made by the BOE. Logo by Sam Dayton (‘19)/ Eastside Art Director
NEWS SGA re-modernizes its constitution Page 4
EASTSIDE
■ By Giana Maccarella (‘20)
Eastside News Editor
According to its own constitution, the purpose of Cherry Hill High School East’s Student Government Association (SGA) is “to serve as a representative governing body in providing a forum for student expression, to encourage good citizenship, leadership and scholarship, to work with the faculty and administration in striving to achieve the goals established for the school, and to promote the general welfare of Cherry Hill High School East and its students.” To properly govern its own schoolwide activities, SGA is currently modernizing its constitution. The last constitional alteration was in the spring of 2005. This minor alteration was concerning the issue of students running for higher positions without prior SGA involvement. Previously allowing students to run for the vice president ot president position without serving as a representative
once before. Now students must serve as a represenative first. To modernize the constitution, the members of the SGA Executive Committee are altering the cur-
rent constitution. The committee consists of the student body class officers, the
December 2018
president and vice presidents of each class, East Activities Director Mr. Charles Davis and SGA advisor Mrs. Katie Radbill. Once all agree on alterations, they will be voted upon by all SGA representatives. Once the vote is passed the new, more modern constitution will immediately take effect, rather than waiting for the new school year. “It’s a constitution governing the powers and roles of the differing members of the Student Government Association,” said Davis. To properly govern the powers and roles of the members, the constitution must reflect today’s participants. “If you look at the SGA Constitution, some of the things that are in there reflect the ways things were done 20 years ago,” Davis said. Some of the things that are being modernized are the means of voting and the way meetings are held. Today, SGA holds its meetings during the lunch breaks each school day and sends
out ballots to vote for officer and class representatve positions via Google Classrooms shared amongst each class. These meeting times and voting means are not stated in the constitution, however. “It just kind of codifies the things that we’re already doing, so we’ve changed a bunch of different things and technically those are outside the realms of the constitution,” Davis said. After 20 years, SGA decided to edit its constitution not only to make it more modern, but also to make the members of SGA more accountable. The original intent when looking back was not to make the constitution more modern or to make members more accountable, but to arrange the constitution in a more effective manner. “One of the components of this was trying to codify evaluations in there, but we kind of dropped that because we just felt like it would be too difficult to put that in there, so we focused instead on just changing some language,” Davis said. Although the original intent was not met, SGA’s constitutional remodel supports its current needs. Art by Jeffrey Kaminer (‘21)/ Eastside Staff
East implements new evacuation drill ■ By Lauren Smith (‘20)
Eastside Staff
Dating back to WWII, when schools conducted “duck and cover drills” in preparation for the dropping of bombs, safety drills in schools are far from new. Today, the situation has only intensified: schools all over the country are conducting active-shooter, bomb and fire drills in order to prepare students for the worst. “There was a period after Columbine where [East] had maybe 15-20 bomb threats a year,” said Assistant Principal Mr. Lou Papa, who coordinates the drills. This school year, East is implementing changes to improve its evacuation drill policies in order to prepare students better for potential dangers. For the past few years, East’s evacuation drill procedure for bomb scares was not compliant with state-mandated procedure concerning the distance students should be away
from the building during an evacuation. Evacuated students who lined up on the track were still too close to the school to be safe in an evacuation situation. In order to match t h i s standard, s o m e E a s t s t u dents n o w must
uations rather than simply walking to the end of the tennis courts. “We are now following through with what we should be doing,” s a i d Papa.
walk all the way to the edge of the woods beyond the track during evac-
These new evacuation drills were put into place to practice the proce-
dure for a bomb threat, or for unusual circumstances like a hazarous chemical spill from a science room that could take a long time to clean up. East Principal Dr. Dennis Perry and Papa meet as an administrative team once a week in order to discuss new measures or possible policies to ensure student safety in any given situation. After they have chosen a date for a given drill, teachers receive an email that the drill will happen during the following week. They are not, however, told the day or the time in which such a drill will commence. Additionally, Papa and Perry created a PowerPoint, which was presented to all of the
Health and Physical Education (PE) classes at East, explaining each drill. Perry and Papa are planning drills in which students will be transported from East to Richterman Field, a complex of sports fields on Cropwell Road about a mile from East. However, this drill would be time-consuming, as it would involve transporting students by bus, and then having parents pick their kids up at the designated location. This would make drills exceedingly difficult tasks, as many parents work and would not be able to pick their kids up from Richterman. Nonetheless, East students can expect many more drills and safety regulations towards the end of this school year. “In case we are out for a prolonged period, it could be bad because it makes students spend hours upon hours outside and yet you need to be away from the school,” said Papa. “The purpose is to protect [the students] away from harm.” Art by Danny Kahn (‘19)/ Eastside Art Director
Sidebar by Ali Koenig (‘20)/ Eastside Managing Editor and Aine Pipe (‘20)/ Eastside News Editor
FEATURES
December 2018
EASTSIDE
Page 5
East clubs spread holiday spirit through service From making holiday cards to Christmas caroling, East clubs are giving back through community service this holiday season. Stories by Samantha Roehl (‘20)/ Eastside Features Editor
Interact Club, whose motto is “Service Above Self,” is getting involved in multiple activities around the holidays. This is its third year as a club at East, and it will also be its third year caroling at the St. Mary’s Senior Citizen Home on Christmas Day. “We go Christmas caroling in St. Mary’s Senior Citizen Home with our Rotary Club that sponsors us, the Cherry Hill Rotary Club,” said Activities Secretary Ms. Debbie Barr, Interact Club’s advisor. “And we hand out poinsettias to all the people who are there, and then we walk around and talk to them and sing very badly, but it’s wonderful and fun.” Though not everyone from the club is able to make it to St. Mary’s on Christmas Day, those who
Interact Club
do so have a great time. “It was just really nice to see people who sometimes don’t get many visitors, and it was nice to see people [made] happy by a small little gesture on Christmas,” said club member Spencer Levy (‘19). In addition to caroling, this year Interact is doing a holiday card fundraiser. The proceeds will go to “adopting” a family to fulfil their holiday wish list through the Jewish Family & Children’s Service of Southern New Jersey. In order to make the cards to sell, Interact’s Fundraising Chair, Cynthia Cheng (‘20), taught members how to quill. Quilling is a type of paper art in which strips of paper are rolled and glued to paper to make designs. Members will also be collecting change during lunch
to use for the gifts. “These holiday cards are supposed to be pretty, and hopefully people can bring them home and share them with their parents and family members and impact their lives also,” Cheng said. “People don’t make greeting cards anymore; they just send texts, and I personally find that’s really boring… [For our fundraiser], not only are you getting a beautiful card Courtesy of Ms. Debbie Barr for your family or Students carol at St. Mary’s Senior Residence. friends, but you also get to impact other dents involved during the understand the spirit of people in the community.” holidays. giving, which is a very big Interact Club, though “One of my biggest holiday thing,” said Barr. best known at East for sellthings that I want people to “It’s about the feeling you ing chocolate bars throughget out of doing… a commuget inside when you give to out the year, gets many stunity service club is to truly others.”
Although Key Club is a branch of an international organization, it focuses more deeply on the Cherry Hill community than some of the other community service clubs. In trying to make an impact on the community, it volunteers at the South Jersey Food Bank and the Voorhees Pediatric Facility. “In previous years, along with a few weeks Courtesy of Dylan Green (‘19) ago, we went and played with children Key Club poses at the Voorhees Pediatric Facility.
Key Club
that are ill,” said Dylan Green (‘19), Co-President of Key Club, of his experience at the pediatric facility. Two years ago, Key Club made decorations for the hospital and holiday cards to give to the kids. “I reached out to the Voorhees pediatric facility and they said they could use… volunteers, or decorations, [and] because it was during the holiday season, we decided that decorations would be cute,” said Vivian Lu (‘19), Co-President of Key Club. The club had a meeting
where members made cards and decorations for the facility, working together to bring some holiday cheer to the kids. “We had a lot of cardboard paper and someone brought in crafts and stuff and we had a little work meeting where we colored and made decorations and it was really nice,” said Lu. Though the club members do not have any holiday-centric plans this year, they have December plans to volunteer at both the food bank and the pediatric facility.
Habitat For Humanity
Several years ago, the Habitat for Humanity club was searching for a fundraiser it could do in the winter season. The members came up with a gingerbread house build open to the whole community. Now in its third year, the build takes place in one of the cafeterias, and it has been expanded to include a bake sale. “There are a lot of people that come, and they come with the kids and it’s really cute and they’re building gingerbread houses to help people build [real] houses, so it’s just cute,” said Ms. Nora Smaldore, a Habitat for Humanity advisor. “It’s just a fun afternoon.”
Last year, Habitat for Humanity and Interact ran the fundraiser together. They donated the almost 300 dollars of proceeds to Covenant House of New Jersey, a housing program for homeless and runaway teenagers. This year, the proceeds will go to offset Habitat’s trip to North Carolina during spring break, in which they will go out of state to help build houses. “I feel like it is easier [to fundraise during the holidays] because people are more willing to give back,” said Lauren Covert (‘19), President of Habitat for Humanity. “We take that money and put it towards our trip so that we can go
Since the mid1980s, students from Cherry Hill East and West’s Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) clubs have worked together to throw a holiday party for kids with special needs. Around one thousand kids, both with and without disabilities, come together Courtesy of Amy Kwok (‘19) for a day of dancing. “It’s an opportuAmy Kwok (‘19) and Shermety Nguyen (‘19) chill at the party. nity for us to… help
help someone else.” Students who go on a build with Habitat for Humanity either go to the ReStore or the worksite. Those under 16 are not allowed on the worksite and instead help out at the ReStore, where they do handy jobs such as building a desk or cleaning up the store. At the worksite, students get hands-on experience, building a house that will become a home. “Habitat’s mission is everyone deserves a decent place to live, so we’re trying to make that happen. [Students] have the opportunity to experience life in another place and really see [their impact],” said Smaldore.
Courtesy of Ms. Debbie Barr
Habitat displays finished gingerbread houses.
Fraternal Order of Police (FOP)
kids that have severe mental or physical handicaps to have just a day where they’re celebrating,” said Mr. CJ Davis, the East FOP advisor. “Where we serve them, we support them; we make a fun time for them. And it allows us to view the world through a much different lens.” The party, which has secular Christmas aspects such as Santa Claus and reindeer, is in part planned by students. Chairpeople find sponsors, make T-
shirts and organize decorations. “I [think] it’s a good way to get involved in some type of community service, one that’s also a good thing for the community and the kids in the community,” said Mikey Bellino (‘19), Overall Chairperson of the holiday party. “It’s a nice thing to do in the holiday season, [because] the holiday season gets people in the mood and gives them that spirit to help out and make people feel good.”
Though some students get involved for a meeting or two, those that dedicate a lot of time and effort are invited to the party. Many of these students enjoy being able to dedicate a day in the holiday season to children with disabilities. “Throughout their lives, [these children] have had issues and disabilities, so the party is to make them feel like they are welcome and that they’re not different than everybody else,” said Bellino.
Go to www.eastside-online.org for more photos and stories about East clubs’ holiday activities.
FEATURES
Page 6
EASTSIDE
December 2018
Future Doctors of America learn from professionals ■ By Sam Grossman (‘19)
Eastside Features Editor
At Cherry Hill East, prospective doctors don’t have to wait for medical school to start their training. Thanks to an East club, students who are interested in pursuing medicine can attend a Future Doctors of America (FDA) meeting instead. “I joined the Future Doctors of America club because I wanted to learn more about the medical field as a possible career path,” said Jack Quarry (‘19), a club officer. “I wanted to meet and interact with likeminded students looking to pursue health professions, and I wanted to explore my knowledge about health and medicine.” The club was founded many years ago by Mr. Anthony Robino, a nowretired biology teacher. Its focus is to gather and educate Cherry Hill East students who have an interest in medicine or other related careers. It often invites real health professionals to speak to the members of the club and answer questions, offering a glimpse of what a future in the field could look like. There are currently
about 65 people signed up for the club, which is advised by Dr. Kathryn Lewis and Dr. Kim Achilly. “I like using my experience from the past of being a doctor to help encourage the students at East to pursue a career in medicine,” Lewis said. “I am very hands-off. Kids contact doctors. It’s very student-run.” According to Quarry, guest speakers tell stories ranging from funny to serious. Doctors share t h e highs a n d lows of their jobs, from seeing patients die under their watch to saving lives. In addition, the club enjoys fun hands-on activities related to health. “We have sutured, or stitched up, chicken legs to simulate a real-life medi-
cal situation,” Quarry said. “We’re planning on doing a surgery simulation activity
mas and New Year’s...People are just busy and aren’t thinking about blood... but the thing is, on Christmas Day, we still need to collect the 700 units of blood in our region. It doesn’t matter that it’s Christmas.” Twenty percent of all donated blood comes from high school and college students, which explains why summers and holidays see such dangerous decreases in blood donation. Students don’t realize how vital they are when it comes to donating, including the stu-
Cross laboratory in North Carolina to be screened for any pathogens or contaminants. Once it is cleared, the blood is sent to one of the 130 hospitals in the Philadelphia region or one of the other hundreds of hospitals across the country. The Red Cross app allows donors to view the hospital where their blood ends up, so anybody can see where they are making an impact. There are thousands of people across the country who rely on blood products
soon, where people try to remove a grape from Jello using the least amount of cuts.” One of the most valuable benefits that the FDA club provides is the opportunity to work with real equip-
ment, such as suturing instruments. This provides a far more authentic and exciting experience than an ordinary classroom can. Achilly believes that another important function of the club is to educate its members about how to get on the right track for a career in the health field. FDA often hosts medical students, who can describe their own experiences throughout the graduate school application process. “We had a med student who went through it all,” Achilly said. “Most high school students don’t have any idea what’s involved in applying to med school, and they also think they have to decide now… I think we are able to clear up those misconceptions and give them some info about applying to med school.”
Although it provides plenty of resources for students looking to earn an M.D., the FDA club is inclusive of people with other health-related career goals, as well as people who just love science and want to learn. Quarry, who is planning on studying nursing in college, said, “It’s amazing to hear the various types of doctors our members plan to become one day. At the same time, however, our club isn’t limited to future doctors as the name implies. I like to think of FDA as more of a big umbrella for anyone at all interested in a health profession. Doctors, nurses, dentists — anything you can think of related to health.” This school year, the club hopes to expand and recruit more members, design T-shirts, feature more unique types of medical careers and raise more funds. Lewis is looking forward to the future of the club and its members. “I’m excited to see where the seniors end up,” Lewis said. “What matters more than anything is that they’re successful, and I think they will be.”
Art by Danny Kahn (‘19)/ Eastside Art Editor
Students’ blood saves lives throughout tri-state area
■ By Karissa Murray (‘20)
Eastside Features Editor
Everyone who doesn’t give blood has some kind of excuse, ranging from trypanophobia — a fear of needles — to “I’m just too busy.” The fact is that no matter how many excuses people make, those who are in desperate need of blood remain the same, day in and day out. The local demand in Philadelphia, South Jersey and Delaware alone amounts to 700 pints of blood per day. Across the country, 36,000 pints, or a staggering 4,500 gallons, must be collected on a daily basis to provide blood for all the people that need it. “There’s no substitute for donated blood,” said Alana Mauger, External Communications Manager for the Red Cross. “The only way a patient in a hospital can get blood is if it comes from a voluntary blood donor. There’s no alternative. When people don’t give blood, it really impacts patient care. The need for blood never stops, but unfortunately, the people who come to blood drives can. Throughout the year, there are periodic shortages in blood donation due to various external factors. “This summer we were in an emergency need for all [blood] types...and it was at the point where we were not able to fulfill all the hospitals orders that they were requesting,” Mauger said. “We see that again in the winter. A lot of things get canceled because of snow, especially in the Northeastern regions. We also have challenges around major holidays: the week of July Fourth, the week of Christ-
Rachel Cassway (‘21)/ Eastside Staff
A student gets his blood drawn during Blood Drive. dents of Cherry Hill East, who provide a significant amount of the yearly intake. The East Blood Drive has become something of a tradition, as it has been held twice a year since the late ‘70s. The drive is organized by a committee of ten student chairpeople who work to publicize the event, schedule appointment times and obtain sponsorships for food and T-shirts. When the blood leaves East, it is taken to Philadelphia to be processed. Meanwhile, the collected vials are taken to the Red
for their treatment. Cancer patients, trauma victims, burn victims and many other chronic disease sufferers desperately need not only blood, but plasma and platelets as well. “[The platelets are] a regular part of treatment for most cancer patients,” Mauger said. “There are people that get those platelet transfusion that are undergoing treatment. There’s also some components that can be drawn out of it and made into medicine. There was this little boy that I met… he receives this one
kind of injection that is a combination of proteins... that can take up to a thousand different blood donors, and he has to take that every three weeks. It’s really amazing. This little boy has no immune system, but because he gets these treatments every three weeks, he’s able to do normal kid things.” Platelets and plasma can be donated at the Red Cross fixed location in Pennsauken, NJ. Even if someone can’t donate, there are still plenty of ways for them to get involved and make an impact. Whether it be through word of mouth, creating a virtual blood drive through the Sleeves Up campaign or volunteering, any kind of action can make a huge impact in someone’s life. “I love that I get the chance to help people save lives because I personally can’t give blood,” East Blood Drive Chairperson Nicole Benson (‘20) said. It is estimated that 38 percent of the American population are able to give blood, but only 3 percent do. At East, the participation is greater than the national average, as around 300 students and staff members donate every Blood Drive, but that’s still only about half of potential donors. Activities Director Mr. CJ Davis said it best: “If you think about it, it’s 45 minutes of your life that can save someone else’s. We always talk about giving back, being a member of the community; we talk about service. This is a simple way for people to serve. There are a lot of people who are hurting, a lot of people who need our blood, so if we can give it to them, why not?”
Infographic by Samantha Roehl (‘20) and Karissa Murray (‘20)/ Eastside Features Editors
FEATURES
December 2018
EASTSIDE
Andy Kim (‘00) wins seat in Congress ■ By Aine Pipe (‘20)
Page 7
Twice the Holidays, Twice the Fun!
Eastside News Editor
In June of 2000, Andy Kim (‘00) walked the halls of Cherry Hill East for the last time as a student. Next month, nearly 19 years later, he will walk the halls of the United States Capitol for the first time as a member of the United States House of Representatives. To become the first Cougar ever elected to Congress, Kim faced one of the most hard-fought races of the midterms as he strove to unseat Republican Rep. Tom McArthur in New Jersey’s Third Congressional District. The race was defined by McArthur’s architecture of a bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act. No poll conducted in the Third Congressional District showed a candidate trailing by more than two percentage points. The race was so close that no official prediction of the race’s outcome was given until Nov. 14, eight days after Election Day. “[The campaign] was very intensive; it was nonstop because we were trying to unseat a very powerful incumbent... it was really down to when the polls closed,” said Aden Savett (‘19), who volunteered for the Kim campaign. Throughout the campaign, Kim emphasized his connection to the South Jersey area. “He’s very...genuine and honest, that was the thing that stood out about him. He didn’t seem like a bigtime candidate. He seemed very down to Earth and humble…” said Savett. “He seemed like one of us.” Though new to Congress, Kim is no stranger to government. He has served as a military advisor for the State Department under former President George W. Bush and as a national security official to former President Barack Obama. Kim says he was first inspired to run for Congress because he was concerned for the future of America’s children. “Being a dad of two little baby boys whose future I’m worried about...was what compelled me to step up and do
■ By Zoe Culver (‘19) Eastside Culture Editor
Courtesy of andykimforcongress.com
Once sworn in, Andy Kim (‘00) will become the first Democrat and second member of Congress of Korean descent. what I can to fight for their future,” said Kim. During his time at East, his classmates remember him as a quiet, but good person. “I would say he was [always a champion of others],” said former classmate Lauren Marlowe (‘00). “He was always a very kind and considerate person, always very smart, always...thinking outside the box...he was a team player.” Kim said that East was instrumental in his success, recalling the supportive community of friends and teachers that helped him throughout
his high school career. “The education I got here in South Jersey was extraordinary, it really was, whether it was helping me learn about a lot of these different issues or understand and pay attention to the politics around me,” said Kim. “The extracurricular activities that helped me pursue different interest...so absolutely I feel like [my education] played a big role in helping me get where I’m at. A lot of it was just having teachers who believed in me...who taught me that if I see a problem out there, then I should play some role in fixing it.” Kim will be sworn in on Jan 3, 2019.
Mandarin teacher impacts East students ■ By Jakob Silvert (‘20)
Eastside Staff
Approximately one-fifth of the world’s population, over one billion people, speaks some variety of Chinese as their native language, according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. As one of the most commonly spoken languages in the world, Mandarin, which falls under the umbrella of Chinese languages, has been introduced to East’s curriculum this school year. Teaching this new class is Ms. Xiaowen Qiu. Qiu grew up in Nanking, China, the capital of China during the Ming Dynasty. Nanking is famous for its mixture of northern and southern culture and food. Nanking is very close to one of the nation’s busiest cities, Shanghai, which gave Qiu a suburban hometown with urban life nearby, very similar to that of residents of Cherry Hill. Qiu earned her bachelor’s degree in China, and, in order to expand her horizons, went to a Cherry Hill East favorite, Rutgers New Brunswick, for her master’s degree in teaching. With English as her only option for foreign language in high school, Qiu learned it all of her early life. Still, she was always
uncomfortable using English — That is, until she came to the U.S. and learned that speaking practice is pivotal to the learning of a language. In her class, Qiu encourages her students to speak in Mandarin throughout class. Whether asking questions or prompting communicating between classmates, Qiu ensures that Mandarin is always being spoken. “Learning comes easier with the practice that we have every day,” said Albert Chang (‘19), one of Ms. Qiu’s students. Chang, who has a limited background in the language, explained how with the trial and error of the class, his communication skills greatly improved. Knowing that learning is a long process, Qiu “hopes for all students to feel safe and comfortable practicing and making mistakes in class.” Being new to a language means that students make mistakes every day, but Qiu and their fellow classmates work to guide each other through the learning process. Qiu’s goal is that of a facilitator, encouraging a learning community in class. “As a Language Arts teacher, I try and help [students] communicate with native speakers. I hope [they] can use the language,” Qiu said.
Whether her students are actually visiting China or simply ordering dumplings at the local Chinese spot, Qiu wants her lessons to be applicable in real life. Qiu believes “language is alive” and she hopes that the language she teaches will influence the lives of students as it once did for her. After her freshman year of college in China, Qiu worked as a volunteer teacher in the Kinmen Islands, Taiwan. After a summer of both teaching students and learning from them, Qiu was headed to the airport to return to her studies in China. At the airport, she was met with a surprise: her students. They told her about the influence she had on them and how they now hoped to explore new cultures and travel fearlessly, just as Qiu did. Two years later, Qiu received a postcard from Paris. One of her former students felt such an influence from Qiu’s summer class that they set out and explored something new. They gained not only knowledge of Chinese, mathematics and geography, but also a lesson that changed the course of their life. The best way to describe Qiu’s teaching philosophy is in her own words: “When you know your teacher really cares about you, you are willing to put in more effort.”
The holiday season is upon us. For some, this means that it is time to get out their menorahs, spin their dreidels and celebrate Hanukkah. For others, it means going to church, decorating trees and getting into the Christmas spirit. For my family, it means both. My parents grew up in different faiths — my mother is Jewish and my father is Christian. As a result, I’ve been exposed to both religions since childhood. Although my family has never really attended church or synagogue, we try to keep in touch with the cultural aspects of both religions. For Hanukkah, my mother’s side of the family gets together to celebrate. They have always been much more religious than my dad’s family, so to me there is more of a “religious” aspect to Hanukkah than to Christmas. My mom’s immediate family gathers and celebrates with gifts, games, lots of laughter and, my personal favorite, a massive amount of potato latkes. At home, my family usually observes the holiday by lighting the menorah each night, but we save the gifts for Christmas morning. On the flip side, my experience for Christmas is quite different. We put up Christmas decorations (some Hanukkah ones, too, like a menorah ornament on our Christmas tree), and buy matching pajamas for Christmas Eve. Most of my dad’s family lives far away, so we’ve recruited my mom’s sister and her family to join us in the festivities. For as long as I can remember, they have come to my house every Christmas Eve, had a nice meal, then put on Santa hats and pajamas to ride around Cherry Hill and look at the best lights on people’s houses. Even though my cousins are adults now, we still do this every year. Then, on Christmas morning, my family brews some fresh hot cocoa in Santa mugs and we unwrap presents by the tree. Getting to celebrate both Christmas and Hanukkah has been such a gift for me. By having the experience of observing the two holidays, I’ve learned the importance of understanding different cultures. I’ve been able to learn more about the various traditions of both religions and, in the process, even create some of my own. Art by Lily Cohen (‘20)/ For Eastside
SPECIAL The Man Who Came To East Page 8
EASTSIDE
December 2018
Cherry Hill East’s fall play, The Man Who Came To Dinner, opened on December 6 for a one-weekend run. The classic screwball comedy, written in 1939 by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman, featured zany characters from a Hollywoood heiress to penguins.
Ilana Arougheti (‘19)/ Eastside Editor-in-Chief
Marco Porras (‘20), as eccentric actor Beverly Carlton (Red), amuses Alicia Cosenza (‘20) (Maggie Cutler - Red) by mocking a common foe.
Ilana Arougheti (‘19)/ Eastside Editor-in-Chief
From left, Jayson Borenstein (‘19) (Sheridan Whiteside - Red), Charlie Bove (‘22) (Expressman), Kevin Naddeo (‘19) (John - Red) and John Schultz (‘20) (Expressman) examine a surprise delivery: penguins.
Haley Lopez (‘19)/ Eastside Staff
Jack Granite (‘19) (Sheridan Whiteside - White) reassures Jackie Cotter (‘19) (Lorraine Sheldon - White) after she realizes she has been tricked by a false marriage proposal.
Haley Lopez (‘19)/ Eastside Staff
Spencer Levy (‘19) (Banjo - White) enjoys a moment of pure whimsy during his visit to a recovering Sheridan Whiteside.
Ilana Arougheti (‘19)/ Eastside Editor-in-Chief
Cosenza, as Cutler. watches Cate Harding (‘20) (Lorraine Sheldon - Red) flirt with Jackson Feudtner (‘20) (Bert Jefferson - Red).
Haley Lopez (‘19)/ Eastside Staff
Granite, as Whiteside, commiserates with Amanda Kahn (‘19) (Maggie Cutler - White) shortly after the fall which confined him to the Stanley home.
Ilana Arougheti (‘19)/ Eastside Editor-in-Chief
Borenstein, as Whiteside, schemes through his pain.
Haley Lopez (‘19)/ Eastside Staff
Ensemble members perform on Sheridan Whiteside’s special Christmas broadcast.
December 2018
COMICS EASTSIDE
Mixtape Mutation by Shir Goldfinger (‘19)/ Eastside Community Editor
First Pet by Giana Boyer (‘19)/ Eastside Staff
Button Nose by Sam Dayton (‘19)/ Eastside Art Editor
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EASTSIDE
December 2018
COMMUNITY
December 2018
EASTSIDE
Page 11
Code Ninjas introduces kids to the world of coding ■ By Tomer Goldfinger (‘22)
Eastside Staff
As our world evolves into the 21st century, computer programming is becoming more and more prevalent at a younger age. As this occurs, many institutions for learning programming tendered towards young kids have been popping up in the Cherry Hill area. Code Ninjas is a facility geared toward teaching kids coding and other critical 21st century skills, such as problem solving. Many students from Cherry Hill East also work at and have a love for Code Ninjas. These students work as Code ‘Senseis’ and serve as mentors to the student ‘ninjas’. Their goal is to create “a safe and encouraging environment to gain the skills t h e y need for a brighter future” according to Code Ninjas’ website. Code Ninjas es-
tablishes this ambiance by allowing students to play multiplayer games that integrate coding into the process of the game, causing children to gain the valuable coding experiences while still enjoying a fun game with friends. One of the East Code Ninjas Senseis, Iris Kim (‘19) said, “Many kids are already so immersed in video games and I think it's great how Code Ninjas recognizes that and they try to make the experience of coding fun through this game based curriculum.” Code Ninjas implements a drag and drop software called Scratch to produce a kid-friendly learning environment that eases kids into coding. According to the Scratch “about us” page, “Scratch helps young people learn to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively — essential skills for life in the 21st century.” Code Ninjas owner Sean Wein-
berg speaks of the most valuable part of Code Ninjas and what he cherishes the most about his job. “What I love is seeing the smiles every day… because I spend my days with happy people,” said Weinberg. Another one of these East Code Ninjas “Senseis,” Sachi Desai (‘19) describes Code Ninjas as a kid-friendly and interactive place for kids to learn. “We want the kids to have fun and be exposed to this learning atmosphere,” said Desai. By providing an enjoyable and simple way to learn, Code Ninjas encourages many young kids to get involved with coding. Even if these kids do not pursue coding in the future, the problem solving and critical thinking skills acquired are invaluable regardless of career path. Another East student and employee Saurabh Shah (‘19) describes that Code Ninjas’ objective is much more than simply teaching kids coding and computer skills. “It's not only to teach kids coding, its to make them feel a passion for it.” said Shah. Among many other activities, Code Ninjas hosts Halloween parent night out and birthday parties. Such activities get Art by Danny Kahn (‘19)/ Eastside Art Director and Vicki the kids to get excited Kahn (‘20)/ Eastside Staff about simply coming
Courtesy of
Cameron Lund (‘19)
Peter Tzimoulis is the first Code Ninja Cherry Hill student to advance to yellow belt. to Code Ninjas, which helps the kids associate STEM and coding with fun experiences. “It's all about inspiring and encouraging kids in STEM fields” said Kim. Regardless of the specific field and topic, there are priceless experiences and information to be learned from the STEM fields. At the end of the day, Code Ninjas hopes to develop a love for learning STEM in kids. And whether it is by
simply teaching the children about STEM subjects or allowing them to explore the field themselves, Code Ninjas will leave the kids with a passion for learning and a desire to explore the world around them through technology. Weinberg said, “[Code Ninjas] has a transformational effect on kids’ lives because kids love coding. They love creating and they don’t get enough opportunities to do that at school.”
South Jersey houses Little Free Libraries ■ By Aine Pipe (‘20) Eastside News Editor
Someone has knotted a small piece of lace around the door to an outdoor bookcase, adding a lighthearted touch to a reading nook smack in the middle of the Kingston neighborhood. A sign, which one can read easily through the glass, reads “take a book, leave a book,” the barterlike hallmark of Little Free Libraries - a global movement currently in 88 countries to make reading more accessible and more community-based. The Little Free Library in Kingston — named for Joseph J. Cornaglia, a late, avid reader in the Kingston community — is just one of 14 such places in
Cherry Hill. Each of the town’s libraries has its own unique story, design and community. From Old Orchard to Cardinal Lake, these literary trading posts act like arteries for the Cherry Hill Public Library (CHPL) — which holds the distinction “the heart of town”— though not all of them share a direct affiliation with the library. Most Little Free Libraries are taken up by ordinary citizens, called ‘stewards,’ who are responsible for the design and upkeep of their libraries. “We thought [Little Free Libraries] were a great way to bring little branches into the community…” said Deana Caswell, supervisor of outreach and diversity for the CHPL. “It’s a
Courtesy of Little Free Libraries Little Free Libraries are plentiful throughout the Philly-South Jersey area.
win-win for the community, for the Recreation Department and the library.” The libraries funded by the CHPL are located in Barclay, Old Orchard and on Thornhill Road; the other 11 are citizenfunded. Cherry Hill’s Little Free Libraries now stretch from the town’s border with Marlton to the borders with Maple Shade and Haddonfield. Some libraries, however, are more than just places where readers can pick up a few books. They are memorials to influential people both in the town and in the lives of those who build the libraries, like the Joeseph J. Cornaglia library in Kingston, inspired by Cornaglia’s love of reading and his knack for creative recycling. “Joe liked to procure stuff from the neighborhood for himself all the time, so we felt like if we were gonna do a library, it shouldn’t be a purchased library, it should be something that somebody trashed...and would be repainted or repurposed, and we would change it over time...,” said Denise Bauer, the Kingston library’s steward. “The library’s gonna be re-updated into a small refrigerator... which will now have chalkboard fronts.” Other libraries are dedicated to those who are still living, like the one at 1215 Forge Road built in honor of Nick Tyler, the library proprietor’s then eightyear-old child, who opened a library almost 25 years ago in his front yard, unbeknownst to his parents until they came
home from work and read the sign “Nick’s library is open”. One library - the one at 1243 Cardinal Lake Drive- was a birthday gift from one mother’s husband and two kids, according to a blurb on the official Little Free Libraries site. Yet another library on Covered Bridge Road, opened in Spring of 2017, specializes in children’s books and is dedicated to the area’s children. “It fosters that whole community of reading...we’ve seen kids come down here in the snow, trade a book here or there; at the bus stop...trading books then,” said Shelby Garbe, the steward of the children’s library. However, the function of children and teens in building these libraries go beyond just inspiring adults. One library on Thornhill Road was built by volunteers with the Cherry Hill Public Library. Aiden Simms (‘20) is the steward of a library on Brookville Drive. Another library, located at 51 Partridge Lane, was built as Spencer Levy’s (‘19) Eagle Scout project. “I would love to see more libraries...but what I would really like to see is people in the community continuing to build their own because it’s such a great way to build community,” said Caswell. “If you have your own Little Free Library in your front yard and you’re finding books or getting rid of old books, people are walking past, they’re going to be taking books and leaving books; it’s a great opportunity for... connection.” Border by Rachel Cassway (‘21)/ Eastside Staff
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EASTSIDE Art by Danny Kahn(‘19)/ Eastside Art Director
December 2018 and Shir Goldfinger (‘19)/ Eastside Community Editors
Design by Nashita Ali (‘19), Maddy Cicha (‘19)
students has developed, 25 yearsgraduate later, into a citywide haven for 1,000 patron Housed in a new, anonymously s. ters on South 16th Street, The Att funded headquaric is a community center for youth throughout Philad LGBT+ community. It is uniqueelphia who identify with the in that it is Philadelphia’s only such center in that its pro grams rely both on completely independent funding and on a boa rd of teenaged leaders. The Attic’s youth programs, during the 1990s, align with the many of which were established moting civic engagement, indepecenter’s mission statement by proFrom September to June, the Att ndence and collaborative support. Creative Action Groups. In sess ic hosts project-based seminars called ions hobbies like creative writing, life of twelve weeks, enrollees pursue skills like cooking or educationa niches like LGBT+ history. l Youth programs for LGBT+ teen categories: social, support and adv agers generally fall into three ocacy. The center maintains an active events calendar which fulfi ple, it employs several full-time lls all three goals. For examvisitors with free mental healththerapists, who provide Attic and career counseling, life coaching and mentorship opportu niti Along with the Attic’s youth pro es. sors a training institution for grams, it also sponadults. The Bryson Institute provides allies and edu guidance on how to best supporcators with t youth in their daily lives at hom LGBT+ e, in the workplace and at school.
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T he E atique
COMMUNITY
Camden is acknowledgably one of the poorest, most crimeridden cities in America. What is not as heavily publicized, however, is that over 45 percent of the city’s population is under 25. While many might overlook this, Executive Director of Hopeworks Dan Rhoton saw in that fact an undiscovered promise… a hope of a better life. “Nobody knows that Camden’s population is so young and that is an incredible resource. Any city in the country would be happy to have so many young minds,” said Rhoton. “It is our job to utilize that resource.” As an organization, Hopeworks focuses most heavily on equipping participants, who after training become employees, with technological and entrepreneurial skills by providing lessons on web development, geographic information systems (GIS) technology, professionalism as well as emotional management so as to help participants deal with any past trauma they may have experienced. And so, with Hopeworks, a charity aimed at inspiring young men and women in the Camden area to break the vicious cycle of poverty and violence, not only are participants provided with real technology services to businesses across the country, but they are simultaneously gaining invaluable work experience. Upon completing the extensive training, the participants begin working at Hopeworks as full-time employees. Hopeworks’ ultimate goal is that these employees will one day start their own businesses or move onto permanent careers in highly-demanded fields. “Not only will this change their lives, but this will also change Camden,” said Rhoton.
Neighboring South Street lies a three-story building, filled wit h absolutely anything and everyth ing you can find. At Philly AIDS Thr for everyone for lovers of quirky ift, there’s something , second-hand products. “Me and a few friends started the organization, we were long time AIDS activists and love together,” said co-founder Christirs of junk, so we put the two Since the store’s opening, it has na Kallas-Saritsoglou. raised over 2.2 million dollars for various AIDS relief organizati ons . In the past, the store has donated about $20,000 a month donates to 19 different organizatito the AIDS Fund, but the store now ons through an open grant process Philly AIDS Thrift has even . minister free HIV/AIDS testing partnered with organizations to adin store curated a private safe spa the store during the weekends. The vide emotional support and aid ce with certified counselors who proin other health care providers. “The idea behind putting someth ing like this in an unconventional space is a way to normalize it... if go, they may feel more apt to do [people] feel like a safe place to it her Although Philly AIDS Thrift doe e,” said Kallas-Saritsoglou. most of its workers are compris s have regularly paid staff, ed of volunteers who are chosen through an application process . “In our staff, we’ll have a sen cashier and the person assisti ior citizens who is a ng kid with green mohawk and the them is a young y’re amazing and you don’t really see friends...it’s where else,” said Kallas-Saritso that anyglou.
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N o t far from the Cherry Hill community de is the City of Brotherly Love, St righ taff fully named where many people are lend ing a hand. The inspiration for ons struck Lynn Margherio in 200Cradles to Cray2 while in Boston helping her niece get dressed. Margherio noticed that many piec es of the girl’s clothing were outgrown or never wor n. After her observation, she took a desperate approach to organization Cradles to Crayon help others, and launched the continued to grow through volu s. Ever since, the foundation has ellite centers based in Chicago nteers and donations, at two satand Philadelphia. Their main actions include which are then packaged at the community drives and donations, From there, packages of donatio ir warehouse, “The Giving Factory.” ns like books and school supplie distributed to underprivileged and s are “Early on there were people whoundersupplied local children. were total strangers who were showing up in our warehouse bec aus e they had heard that this was the place where you could.. . volunteer,” said Margherio. The organization works hard to connect those in need with those willing to lend a hand and hand view by allowing anyone to provides volunteers a first the children with essentials theget involved or help provide y are “What makes it possible is the englacking. and of congregations of companagement of schools kids... sharing what they have ies, families and to ence in the life of another child,”make a differsaid Margherio during a TEDTalk.
Cr
s n o ay
With the holiday season around the corner, every community begins to feel more grateful for what it has and more sympathetic for the less fortunate. In light of this giving spirit, we investigated charities and foundations in the South Jersey area that display their graciousness not just during the holidays, but year round.
December 2018
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EDITORIAL
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EASTSIDE
December 2018
Cherry Hill High School East
Editorials represent the views and opinions of the Eastside Editorial Board.
R-level course offerings must expand Eastside believes the district should reevaluate its reduction of R-level classes.
In February 2016, Eastside published an editorial criticizing East administration’s decision to reduce the number of regular-level (Rlevel) classes available to students, leaving only R-level English and math behind. Forcing R-level students to take higher-level courses deprives them of an environment equipped to support them in academic success, the piece argued — yet administration was determined to continue moving in that direction so as to “keep up” with neighboring high-ranking schools offering only Accelerated, Honors and AP courses. Almost three years later, not much has changed. Administration remains committed to lifting all boats by raising the tide, but the students and teachers who have been impacted by the change are frustrated that many kids are sinking. Thus, Eastside is once again calling for the reintroduction and revampment of R-level classes designed to challenge and assist students of all abilities. It believes that every course which currently offers more than one level should offer an R-level section as well. Under East’s current system, students are often left with only two course level options: Honors/AP and Accelerated (A-level). This is particularly problematic in core subjects such as history. Students who may be better served taking R-level history to complement their R-level English class, for instance, are instead forced to take A-level, which they might not have the skillset to handle. While it is the school’s responsibility to ensure that students are being adequately challenged, placing students in classes that are blatantly unsuitable is not the solution. In doing so, East is only lowering the rigor of its “accelerated” courses to accommodate all students. This results in a class with Platinum: The Rothkoff Family Michael L. Gentlesk Hong Fei Louis Levine Jingli Cai Donna and Michael Koenig The Hoffman Family Karin Sloan Christine and Chris Benedetto Jeanne and Joel Arougheti Paul and Shiri Arougheti Barbara Roehl Jordan and Lillian Sitnick Eric and Aimee Sitnick Tulin Budak-Alpdogan
highly disparate and largely unaddressed needs. In order to evaluate the general opinion of bringing more R-level classes to East, Eastside conducted a student survey with 155 respondents from all four grades. It found that nearly three-quarters of students believe they would benefit from a greater selection of R-level classes. It also spoke to a total of 20 teachers from a variety of departments. Some currently teach Rlevel sections, while others taught them before they were eliminated. Most preferred anonymity; all unanimously agreed that the reintroduction of R-level options into tracked classes would enhance individual students’ learning as well as the overall learning environment. One faculty member argued that when students become comfortable with language-based critical thinking skills at the Regular level, it is unfair that they should have to alter their best mode of analysis to fulfill A-level assignments in other courses. A second teacher finds that R-level classes, when they existed in greater quantities, allowed students to specialize early by taking classes in which they were uninterested at lower levels, or to try out a new academic interest without fear of immediate failure. Another common point was that it was easier to support students with mild learning disabilities and other challenges when they could receive more individualized support in the smaller, more supportive environments of R-level classes. Eastside couldn’t agree more, and it believes that teachers’ positive opinion of R-level courses should be taken into heavy consideration by administrators. According to East Principal Dr. Dennis Perry, the decline in R-level course availability in recent years is motivated by a new educational philosophy within the district and
the building. Reintroducing the classes would pose no budgetary or personnel concerns, since the number of classes would stay the same; as students shifted from A-level to R-level, a proportional number of teachers would follow. Rather, Perry and other administrators believe that all high school students are capable of achieving at a similar level and should therefore be encouraged to strive towards an Accelerated standard of work, despite varied motivation and interest levels. However, Eastside believes that if students are entrusted to learn at their own pace in a more in-depth honors course, they should be treated the same way in a more supportive R-level course. Administration maintains that it reduced R-level classes in order to challenge students and make them academically stronger in the end. Superintendent Dr. Joseph Meloche said that being labeled an “R-level kid” could cause a student to feel constrained by an unfavorable stereotype and limit him/herself from taking higher-level classes in the future. Eastside agrees that R-level classes currently have negative connotations. The “R” stands for “regular” — ordinary, usual, typical. But at a school as competitive as East, academic expectations are so warped that being designated “regular” carries unfair stigma. Yet the district’s decision to remove the majority of R-level classes is not the solution; if anything, it only feeds into the false belief that these courses are singled out and undesirable. Instead, increasing the number of R-level classes and the number of students who take them will normalize the courses and break down the stigma by making Regular more, well, regular. Eastside emphasizes that students in R-level classes are neither less intelligent nor less capable
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School Paper Express Wappingers Falls, NY people, and R-classes are designed to prepare them for college, as the school’s course selection booklet states. When bringing back R-level courses, East must also make improvements to help the students who take them. Teachers noted that under the previous system, R-level classes lumped together kids with poor disciplinary records with students looking for a more moderately paced education. No student should be made to feel like his/her class is a “dumping ground” — administration must ensure that all students feel challenged, enriched and valued in the classroom, no matter what level is printed on their schedules.
Friends of Eastside
Gold: Bob and Frances Lindaberry The Weinstock Family Mia Gagliardi Aimee and Rick Sitnick Sprimont Lindsay Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Fleisher Michael Fleisher Adrienne and Stephen Freidin Silver: Diane Oesan Laurie and Eric Grossman Sy and Florence Jerome Jillian Koenig Mark and Judy Hansen
Joan Hoenes Karyl Murray Sarah Zheng Jinhee An The Goldfinger Family The Cicha Family Evan Kahn David and Annie Maier Ruihe Lin Barbara Roehl The Graff Family Mehmut Budak The Rosen Family The Dashevsky Family The Shin Family Hydar and Sufia Ali Fahmida Yeasmin Sherri and Dave Culver
Gina Maccarella Harry Green Tom and Kathy Xenakis Kevin and Jennifer Lindaberry Mr. Greg Rouen Abbie Levine Sydney Brownstein Erin Levine Karen Jerome Rochelle Dashevsky Gina Briggs Loretta Geller Seung Hyun Park Gina Maccarella Bronze: Alan and Cherie Finkel-
stein Laura Mitchell Isabella Dayton Lynne Reynard Marilyn Koenig Scott Klear Lillian Halden Ms. Noreen Cunningham Tulin Budak-Alpdogan Margie and Louis Levine The Levine Family Angela DiDonato Ari Weitzman The Dutkin Family Jeff Fleisher Dale and Bonnie Carns Michael and Kristen Henry Joy and Tom Christmas
Eastside 2018-2019 Editorial Board
Managing Editor: Ali Koenig Editors-in-Chief: Ilana Arougheti, Nafessa Jaigirdar, Sophia Liang Adviser: Mr. Greg Gagliardi Photo Editors News Editors Community Editors Defne Alpdogan Nashita Ali Jiseon Lee Giana Maccarella Maddy Cicha Andrew Maier Aine Pipe Shir Goldfinger Sports Editors Adam Dashevsky Jacob Kernis Sophie Levine
Features Editors Sam Grossman Karissa Murray Samantha Roehl
Opinions Editors Julia Benedetto Jacob Graff Gregory Rothkoff
Culture Editors Zoe Culver Claire Joanson Henry Nolan
Video Editors Luke Shin Sarah Zheng
Online Editors Harry Green Sophia Sitnick
Contact the Board: Art Directors Samantha Dayton Danny Kahn Webmaster Eli Weitzman Business Managers Dakota Rosen Brandon Weinstock
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,” e.g.: zoe.culver@ eastside-online.org. (Note: There is a dash between “eastside” and “online”)
OPINIONS
December 2018
EASTSIDE
Page 15
Trump administration tariffs hurt consumers ■ By Jacob Graff (‘20)
Eastside Opinions Editor
It isn’t hard to see why President Donald Trump recently announced 12 billion dollars in relief for farmers across the United States. In fact, it was the only feasible remedy to his irresponsible and misguided attempt to impact China’s economy through a new set of tariffs and a rapidly escalating trade war. As producers of all shapes and sizes across the nation found out, trade wars hurt. While domestic manufacturers benefit from higher-priced foreign goods, all consumers lose when prices for goods rise across the board. That’s why President Trump needs to tone down his inflammatory rhetoric with China and end the dangerous trade war, the effects of which are just beginning to be realized. The escalation of economic sanctions against China and other economic blocs is a program which has recieved little support from Republicans and even less from Democrats. Similarly, most economists agree that restricting free trade kills jobs in the long run instead of growing the workforce. Yet Trump and his administration persist. It is a truly perplexing issue that Trump chooses not to listen to the world’s most distinguished economists and their unified views on
the benefits of trade, but instead to one of the few educated people who truly believes free trade hurts this country more than it benefits it, his economic advisor Peter Navarro. Navarro, the administration’s director of trade and industrial policy, is among Trump’s ever-decreasing number of economic policy allies. His status in the White House has been steadily growing in conjunction with the large number of firings and resignings in the economic advisor pool as Trump takes an increasingly hard-line stance on trade by initiating trade wars with powerful trade partners like China and the European Union. TIME Magazine has described Navarro as “the most powerful person in Washington on the most volatile issue of Trump’s presidency.” He is also referred to as the advisor “who has pushed Trump to wage an escalating trade war that pits the U.S. against not only economic adversaries like China but also allies like Canada and the European Union.” His favoring of anti-globalist economics makes him one of the blackest sheep in the economic world, and his policies put the United States at risk of a future economic contraction consisting of “rising inflation, bankrupt farms and businesses and thousands of lost jobs,” according to the same TIME
article. But he has still become Trump’s favorite economic advisor because he is one of the only people to see free trade as Trump sees it: destructive to national sovereignty and catastrophic for the American economy. It remains to be seen if the major gamble Trump is taking by cutting free trade policies will eventually pay off, in either the short term or the long term, as neither superpower has backed down yet. But it is clear that if the possible unintended consequences (as mentioned above) come into fruition, the trade war would be an unambiguous economic disaster for the United States of America. That China takes advantage of the United States economy is a widely held and little-disputed fact due to the country’s intellectual property theft, currency manipulation, and extensive government subsidies on its domestic goods. But a trade deficit is not one of those reasons; therefore, tariffs stand in the way of U.S. economic improvement by reducing individuals’ spending power and limiting cash flow. China should not be
let off the hook for years of purloining potential domestic economic growth for itself, but there are better ways to punish that nation that won’t take our country down with it. Although the sanctions
Administrators created this system to allow students to adjust their lunch break schedules based on extra help, club meetings and what their friends are doing, but it inadvertently has made the school lunch organization more restrictive. During LB1, the cafeterias are overcrowded, and as a result, the library during LB2 is overwhelmed
than in the past, students of all grade levels will experience situations in which they will be unable to eat in the cafeteria during LB1 or study for a test in the library during LB2. As a result of the new homeroom changes, students can sign into certain extra-help homerooms, which allows them to meet and see teachers. Students
partly because East does not require teachers to provide time in the morning for students to sign into Genesis and choose their lunch break activities for the day. Many teachers do not want to waste class time to do so. Additionally, the new system requires students to decide in the morning when they want to eat lunch, go to homeroom or meet with a
greatly affect the U.S. economy, Trump’s tariff package has the potential to hurt himself the most. A politician’s singular goal is to achieve election and then re-election. Trump’s tariff program puts his ability to achieve this at risk. Chinese retribution for the tariffs has been swift and largely equal in magnitude, and the products it targeted were carefully chosen. For example, China put tariffs in place in the politically valuable state of Iowa that decimated the
state’s most valuable industry, soybeans. As a result, Trump felt a need to remedy his actions with the aforementioned 12-billiondollar aid package so as not to lose his strong political support there. This all leads to China’s hidden goal: “pressure President Trump to lift tariffs he placed on Chinese products – or see the economies in red states h a r m e d , causing more voters to cast ballots for Democrats in...the 2020 elections,” according to a recent Fox News article. Trump is incentivizing a foreign actor to interfere in a United States election and violate the U.S.’s sovereignty by creating and instituting a program that will inevitably decimate the domestic economy. No one wins in this scenario, not even the architect of the plan himself. Therefore, President Trump must change course and rescind the recently launched tariff plan. In this way, every citizen in the United States will be financially better off.
Art by Danny Kahn (‘19)/ Eastside Art Director
East’s new homeroom system needs revision
As a result, Grayson Leslie (‘21) is not alone in her opinion that she “finds the new system very unorgaAt long last, students nized and chaotic.” can choose where and when Teachers also find the they go to homeroom and new system hectic. Health eat lunch. However, this and physical education new system has created teacher Ms. Kristen Hildebsome unexpected probrand said that while it is lems: students walk into good that the students have the cafeteria wanting to more freedom and choice, find a place to sit during it is harder to track down the lunch breaks students that (LBs), but there’s may have no space. Every to make up table is crammed work or a full, every nook test. Hildeband cranny of rand said space occupied. she believes Is the new systhere needs tem, flush with to be a balstudent freeance and doms, worth comhave “freepromising school dom with order and organistructure for zation? organizationCherry Hill al and planEast created ning purposthe new, widelyes”. requested lunch The new break system to system is prevent students a good first from skipping step to alhomeroom and low students to make lunch Andrew Maier (‘20)/ Eastside Photo Editor to manage periods more protheir LBs as ductive than they The new homeroom system leads to overcrowding in both the cafeterias and the library. they please. were in the past. with students who need to need a slot in their day for teacher, even if the student However, a better way to In theory, this sounds like do work or study after they extra help, and for some, doesn’t know his or her own work out the overcrowding a great solution; however, eat and before the last half the new LB system is satisplans and obligations yet. is to assign a lunch break the new system promotes of the school day. fying that need. The homeroom signingbased on grade, so only overcrowding in the cafeteThe freshman class has Kaitlyn Plefka (‘21) said, in process is in many astwo grades will be eating rias during LB1, as many only recently encountered “The new break system pects disorganized and lunch at a time. Students students prefer to eat earthis issue, as it was assgives me the opportunity unenforced. The big homewill be able to choose their lier and accomplish schoolsigned homerooms for the to get extra help much easrooms such as the gym and homerooms during their asrelated tasks during LB2. first marking period. Now ier.” library do not have a persigned break period based This makes it especially that freshmen are free to That said, the homeroom sonnel limit, allowing too on their daily needs. While hard for students who have pick their homerooms, the sign-in process still has its many students to enter at the preliminary homeroom labs or teacher meetings existing chaos during the kinks. Many students do the same, while on the othadjustment has had its isduring LB2 and need to eat lunch periods is on track not even bother signing er hand, some club homesues, it can and should be lunch in the cafeteria durto increase. Even more so into a homeroom. This is rooms do have a limit. fixed. ing LB1. ■ By Samantha Bell (‘21)
Eastside Staff
OPINIONS
Page 16
EASTSIDE
December 2018
Should Cherry Hill become a sanctuary city? YES
■ By Jacob Graff (‘20)
Eastside Opinions Editor
Almost two years ago, Eastside’s former Opinions Editor, Joshua Sodicoff (‘18), proposed a plan to Cherry Hill Mayor Chuck Cahn and the Cherry Hill Township Council. He requested that the township pass a policy restricting all police officers from requesting information regarding a person’s immigration status during citations and arrests. The issue was dropped when Cahn rejected the idea, saying that the district had never had communications regarding the possible implementation of the policy. However, in light of recent events and a new immigration culture, Cherry Hill must now reconsider its previous decision and establish itself as a sanctuary city. A lot has gone on since Sodicoff put forth his sanctuary city policy to the township. Donald Trump was elected as president and has made good on campaign promises to militarize and secure the southern border in response to desperate families searching for the American Dream. Additionally, Trump eliminated the practice of prioritizing the deportation of illegal immigrants living in the United States who committed additional crimes in favor of an all-encompassing approach of deportation of all illegal immigrants. Due to this unprecedented rise in anti-immigrant rhetoric and action, Cherry Hill must put forward all the resources it has available to protect the people who can’t protect themselves. While there is no one accepted definition of a “sanctuary city,” the America’s Voice organization generally defines it as “a city that limits its cooperation with federal immigration enforcement agents in order to protect low-priority immigrants from deportation, while still turning over those who have committed serious crimes.” Contrary to popular belief, therefore, if an illegal immigrant commits a crime in the realm of rape or murder, a sanctuary city does not protect them from the power of the judicial system. In other words, they have to go through the same process a legal citizen would in proving their defense. But illegal immigrants have an additional burden on their
backs that legal residents don’t: the threat of deportation. After an illegal immigrant is arrested, his or her data is put into a database accessed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), allowing ICE to use its discretion in deciding whether to obtain custody of the immigrant from the police in the process of deportation. Without laws restricting police ability to sound out immigration status,
■ By Jakob Silvert (‘20)
NO
Eastside Staff
Sanctuary cities walk a political tightrope. From their morality to their legality, the debate is not one that is going away. The cardinal issue which sanctuary cities address is how a police officer ought to handle an illegal immigrant who has committed a crime in the United States. When looking
Photo Illustration by Ilana Arougheti (‘19)/ Eastside Editor-in-Chief
Sanctuary city status could open doors for Cherry Hill immigrants. minor misdemeanors like speeding have the potential to cause a predominantly law-abiding person or family to get deported from the country. This is clearly inhumane and should never occur in our town. Sanctuary city policies do allow immigrants who have committed crimes to stay in this country. But citizens who do the same thing face no similar threat. Why should immigrants be held to the higher standard? Although Sodicoff’s proposal was soundly rejected, the Cherry Hill Sun reported that Mayor Cahn “emphasized the township is a very diverse community and said the township is committed to protecting all of its residents.” The strongest protection Cherry Hill can offer is not hollow words; it is putting into action legalities that express explicit support for our whole community. Cherry Hill must adapt a “sanctuary city” policy and keep the town united to the best of its ability.
at this issue, one has to zero in on why proponents of sanctuary cities do not want illegal immigrants that are arrested for a crime to be deported. A core argument is that it will lead to less police cooperation among the immigrant community, but this has never been corroborated by any study. By making this argument, sanctuary city proponents put two very different peoples, legal and illegal immigrants, in the same category. Democrats portray Republican policy as against immigration as a whole (meaning illegal or legal). This is not true in the slightest and is a clear example of a strawman informal fallacy, an intentionally misrepresented proposition that is set up because it is easier to defeat than an opponent’s real argument. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio provided a pretty clear example of illegal immigration advocates’ position. He said in 2017, “I don’t want to deport drunk-driving illegal immigrants.” Since when are DUIs a minor offense? The orga-
nization Mothers Against Drunk Driving was even able to change laws across the country in opposition. Additionally, in 2017, 10,874 people died in crashes involving a drunk driver — driving under the influence is inexcusable. Cherry Hill should not become a sanctuary city because it would make the consequences of crimes committed, no matter by illegal immigrant or citizens, less effectual. With a lack of popular support for these policies as shown by a Harvard University online study, sanctuary city advocates are forced to make it personal: if you oppose sanctuary cities, you are an enemy to the immigrant community. They call people racist for wanting a sovereign, secure border. This is a misconception, and a dangerous one at that. America is a nation of immigrants, and people who support sanctuary cities would have you believe that opponents purposely ignore this fact. Wrong. Before illegal immigration became a partisan issue, both groups understood the value of restricting it. Back then, politicians on both sides of the aisle supported legal immigrants, not those cheating the system as sanctuary cities now promote. Even former President Barack Obama said, “You are going to go to the back of the line so that you do not get ahead of someone who is in Mexico City applying legally” in 2011 while referring to illegal immigrants. Sanctuary cities promote just the opposite. So why should Cherry Hill encourage illegal immigration and want to keep immigrants who commit crimes? Local elections. Studies show that the overwhelming majority of first-time immigrant voters vote Democrat. Cherry Hill also traditionally votes Democratic. So what are illegal immigrants to immigration advocates? Power. I believe in immigration reform that creates paths to citizenship for those here illegally, as Obama once did. But I don’t believe in letting criminals reside in our town. If the other side cannot even acknowledge that those already here illegally should not be deported upon committing another crime, then there is no middle ground to be found. Cherry Hill cannot make itself a sanctuary city.
Teachers must utilize Google Classroom more often ■ By Tomer Goldfinger (‘22)
Eastside Staff
Google Classroom is the future of Cherry Hill East’s education. As a portal which centers all of students’ assignments in one place, Google Classroom propels Cherry Hill East into a current, technologybased education. Knowing this, East’s administration must do more to integrate Google Classroom into student life by ensuring East teachers are using it to the fullest possible extent. “Some teachers do not have homework up [on Google Classroom] and use it very rarely,” said Joshua Gray (‘22). Despite being three months into the school year, Google Classroom is still not being used on a regular basis as its original integration plan intended. This is just one example of an ongoing and pervasive problem with the current system.
Of course, it will take time for the school to adjust to Google Classroom. However, a significant part of the solution is to have teachers use it as much as possible. Administrators must ensure that teachers feel comfortable with Google Classroom, as this is the only way that it will be fully integrated into the curriculum. It is important to remember that over time, Google Classroom should become the norm in the everyday student’s life, and that comfort will only come with higher usage of the platform. As Google Classroom provides an opportunity for students and teachers to communicate on a level not seen through eBoard or other learning management programs, it should be used to its full capacity to guarantee students are reaping the full benefits of the program. However, many teachers are still having difficulty adjusting to the program and are, as
a result, reluctant to use Google Classroom with their students. “There is a learning curve to [Google C l a s s room],” said math teacher Ms. Patricia Hosgood. Therefore, it is crucial that East’s administration do as much as possible to create familiarity with Google Classroom and to ensure teachers feel comfortable with it at a consis-
tently high level. The goal is to transi-
tion information from sites like eBoard to the newer and more versatile Google Classroom. While students would need to check their grades on Genesis, check t h e i r assignments on eBoard, and subm i t them in class, Google Classroom can centralize most of these things into one simple, easy-to-use website. Thus, students who use Google Classroom see increased convenience in viewing and submitting assignments. Gray said, “It’s easier to see all [assignments] in one place,” adding that
Google Classroom is not only more convenient for students, but also for teachers due to the easy grading tools and organized assignments. Students and teachers who do not use Google Classroom lose out on the aforementioned convenience of locating and submitting assignments. Hosgood added, “it allows to keep all of the information in one place.” Overall, Google Classroom undoubtedly produces an efficient, effective and centralized way to conduct a classroom in the twentyfirst century. Although Google Classroom is used to differing extents in each classroom, it is crucial that all East teachers integrate Google Classroom to the best of their ability, so as to enhance the quality of education at East. Photo Illustration by Eli Weitzman (‘20)/ Eastside Webmaster
December 2018
OPINIONS
EASTSIDE
Page 17
‘Tis the season to have opinions This or That: Winter Edition
■ By Gregory Rothkoff (‘19) Eastside Opinions Editor
Going down the slopes on a snowboard at high speeds and doing crazy tricks is just plain cool. This experience is much different from skiing, where your feet are separated on two boards and you carry metal poles. That is simply not cool. On the medical side, skiing can be very tough on the knees, and injuries while twisting can occur. However, with snowboarding, you are attached to a single surface, reducing the chance of injury. There is one special reason why snowboarding is better than skiing: Shaun White. There is no one in skiing that has comparably done what White has done, not only in terms of his sig■ By Samantha Bell (‘21) Eastside Staff
Real trees can’t help but give off the true Christmas spirit. Artificial trees simply can’t. Real trees show the importance of sticking to tradition. Every year families have the opportunity to find the perfect tree and create memories by decorating it together. Artificial trees try but cannot copy a real tree’s character. While they can be decorated with the same ■ By Defne Alpdogan (‘20) Eastside News Editor
Whether it be for a competition or for fun, ice skating provides an all-around joyful experience. In the winter, ice skating is not only present in every city but also a part of the winter culture. People can enjoy themselves skating in the middle of Rockefeller Plaza in New York or at their local ice rink. The experience brings families and significant others closer as they get to learn how to skate on ice, even getting to
■ By Ilana Arougheti (‘19) Eastside Editor-in-Chief
No festive film embodies the holiday spirit better than “Home Alone.” Billed as the “family movie without a family,” “Home Alone” has something for everyone – slapstick, montages, heartwarming morals and a plucky child protagonist. The holid a y season is not j u s t about the department store kitsch and North Pole per-
Snowboarding vs. Skiing
nificant number of awards, but also in terms of sheer skill. White is the only person to ever score a perfect score on the superpipe. The common snowboarder can’t come close to replicating what White has done, making White a successful role model for this superior sport. The next time you find yourself on a steep hill that you are just dying to make a path on, make sure you take out your snowboard. And when riding down the hill, make sure to laugh at the people with bad knees and metal poles.
■ By Tomer Goldfinger (‘22) Eastside Staff
Skiing is a historic practice dating back approximately 2,000 years. It has evolved through the years into a popular pastime and winter hobby enjoyed by people around the United States and the world. Due to its history and now common use, skiing cements itself at the top of all American winter sports. Not only is it one of the most popular winter sports, with approximately 15 million annual participants, it is also the most exciting. Skiing is very
Real Trees vs. Artificial Trees
pretty trinkets and garments, the authenticity just isn’t palpable. Real trees also have that fresh pine smell that disperses through your whole home. An artificial tree can’t accomplish that, even with the help of scented candles. Buying and decorating a real tree is not only the traditional choice, but the right choice to restore Christmas to its original roots.
■ By Julia Benedetto (‘19)
do extreme tricks. Ice skating is not only a skill; it is a n art that one can perfect. Furthermore, ice skating can be the perfect date, as both partners have to rely on each other to maintain balance. In the winter, ice skating is a perfect way to spread cheer and spend time with friends.
■ By Karissa Murray (‘20)
Eastside Opinions Editor
Having an artificial tree allows for families to decorate their tree whenever they desire. There is no need to worry about putting the tree up too early and having to watch as it slowly dies before the holidays roll around. With no strict timeline to follow, families with artificial trees
Ice Skating vs. Sledding
Eastside Features Editor
There’s no better feeling than waking up to see your neighborhood covered in a blanket of snow, deep enough to postpone school or any other responsibilities. But it’s not a true snow day unless you dust off the sled. Whether you find a hill nearby or search far and wide for the best that nature
“Home Alone” vs. “Elf ”
sonalities which more overt selections like “Elf” ram down viewers’ throats. It’s about learning how to cope when your definition of family changes, creating a cozy atmosphere and embracing your inner child. Based on these traits, Macaulay Culkin’s character Kevin beats Will Ferrell’s character of Buddy by a long shot. “Home Alone” even yielded a good sequel, which is rare. It is absolutely a Christmas classic and a must-watch.
■ By Julia Benedetto (‘19) Eastside Opinions Editor
“Elf” is one of the most well-known holiday movies, and for good reason. Heavily stressing ideas of selfacceptance and the importance of family, “Elf” successfully sprinkles lifelong lessons into a family-friendly holiday film. Will Ferrell plays a bubbly character in a harsh world who is forced to face reality and learn to accept who he is, all
Border by Sam Dayton (‘19)/ Eastside Art Director
diverse in nature, as it contains multiple different types of events such as cross-country skiing, alpine skiing, Nordic skiing and freestyle skiing. Many of these are popular and competitive Winter Olympics events which reach international popularity. Although snowboarding has high-speed races and adrenaline rushes, skiing is simply much more diverse and elegant. When skiing and suddenly hitting a flat surface, you can easily use your poles to continue on the ride. Snowboarders must take off their boards and walk the distance of the flat surface. Therefore, skiing allows for a much more diverse and ever-changing experience with the steepness and course. can decorate their homes for longer periods of time, adding to the joyous feeling that surrounds the holidays. Additionally, artificial trees don’t require maintenance since they don’t leave behind trails of prickly pine needles like real Christmas trees do. There are now also multiple ways to make artificial trees smell like real pine through the use of oils and scented ornaments. Artificial trees may seem overpriced and overrated, but in reality they are a holiday necessity that bring together families in a more convenient way. has to offer, there’s no better feeling than the anticipation of sitting at the top of the hill, waiting for that push. Sledding doesn’t even feel like exercise, but after a few hours of thrilling activity, exhaustion and exhilaration will allow you to settle into a nice, relaxing evening. No matter what age you are, nothing can make you feel more like a kid than sledding. The simplicity of sliding down a hill reminds us every year that you don’t need to go very far to spend your day doing something that makes it worthwhile. while meeting his new family along the way. This film is a staple in many households during the holiday season. Unlike “Home Alone,” “Elf” focuses on the importance of caring for one’s family and never leaving anyone behind. “Elf” will forever remain as a traditional must-see holiday movie, and if there is anything that you should remember from this heartwarming film, it’s that the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing out loud for all to hear!
Art by Julia Benedetto (‘19)/ Eastside Opinions Editor
Page 18
EASTSIDE
December 2018
CULTURE
December 2018
EASTSIDE
Illustration by Claire Joanson (‘19)/ Eastside Culture Editor
How to survive general admission concerts ■ By Zoe Culver (‘19) Eastside Culture Editor
flannel and tie it around your waist without having to put something in coat check. In the summertime, loose and light clothing is key since if it isn’t already hot and humid while you’re standing outside, it most definitely will be inside. 4. Wear lace-up, not slip-on, shoes. When in a crowd as tight as those at general admission concerts, people are
crowd is having trouble, flash your phone flashlight to get security’s attention. Those who go to general admission concerts a lot have probably seen the use of this technique before. If someone needs to get out of the crowd as soon as possible, yelling to try to get the attention of security guards may not work since these venues can be noisy.
to get separated. By picking a “buddy,” you always have at least one person with you and no one will get lost. Find a meet-up spot and tell everyone to meet there when the concert ends. This way you don’t have to worry about sticking with a huge group the whole time and you can enjoy the concert. 9. Don’t be afraid to leave the crowd.
General admission concerts, unlike concerts with set seating, have all attendees standing together in one area, on one floor. Athough this makes for a more intimate concert experience where you are close to those around you, it can also cause some problems. To combat any issues, here are 10 tips to help you out: 1. Drink water frequently and eat all meals the entire day. Before the concert starts, it’s important to keep up on your meals and water intake. Of course this is true all the time, but it is especially important before you’re going to be on your feet for hours straight since it can be extremely tiring. It can also be hard to leave the crowd to get food or water, and you might not want to miss a song. 2. Carry both a digital ticket and a physical ticket. Oftentimes when you order a ticket online, it gives you two ticket options: digital and printed. Although it is much more convenient to just have the digital ticket on your phone through apps like StubHub, Ticketmaster or Claire Joanson (‘19)/ Eastside Culture Editor Apple Wallet, sometimes there’s a bad con- The 1975 performs at BB&T Pavilion, a local outdoor general admission venue. nection in or near the venues and it’s hard to acvery close together and ofBy having a group flash General admission concess the ticket. By bringing ten accidentally slip each their phone flashlights, you certs can be overwhelmboth, you are prepared just other’s shoes off. Sounds can catch their attention. ing, and if you find yourself in case one doesn’t work. outrageous, but it does 7. If you’re small, it needing to take a step back, 3. Pick your outfit happen. Even though you might be worth splurgdon’t be afraid to move. The carefully. can sometimes find lost ing on those VIP tickets. back of venues are often When choosing what shoes once everyone leaves, When on the floor, it is less crowded, and if you to wear to a concert, one it’s not worth risking. Why easy to get swallowed by move you can still have a aspect is most important: put your mint-condition the crowd. If you buy a VIP good time. With mosh pits comfort. Even though you checkerboard slip-on Vans ticket, you are guaranteed in the center and people might want to wear that in jeopardy? a spot closer to the front. dancing all around, it’s unbrand new shirt with your 5. If you have long By staying in the front, you derstandable if you want to favorite jeans and nice hair, pull it back before. will probably be able to get step out of the crowd and shoes, it might not be the Concerts can get tight a spot on the barrier and simply enjoy the music. best idea. While you might quickly and before you you will have something to 10. HAVE FUN! look great, you might not know it, the venue is filled. hold onto if the crowd gets Although they can be feel great once the concert Once everyone piles in, it’s a little crazy. If you don’t wild at times, general adgets started. In the colder hard to move (let alone put want to pay extra for a VIP mission concerts can also months, it can be hard to up your hair). While you’re ticket, get to the concert be incredibly fun and endecide what to wear since it waiting in the line outside very early. tertaining. Unlike sitting can be freezing outside and the venue, take the time to 8. Buddy up. in an arena with your own hot inside. To combat this, put it up and make sure it’s Yes, you read that corpersonal seat, there is a try to wear some loose, secure. The last thing you rectly. Go back to your elsense of community at comfortable jeans with a want to worry about during ementary school roots and General Admission conT-shirt and thicker flana concert is hair dangling pick a buddy. When going certs with not only those nel. This way if you get hot, in your face. to a general admission conaround you, but also with you can always take off the 6. If someone in the cert with a group, it is easy the performer.
East Students’ General Admissions Experience
“Being immersed in the music is an understatement; you are practically performing it. GA concerts are one of the best that you can experience.” – Gia Wizeman (‘20)
“It can feel so awkward dancing in seats. But it’s such a fun time and no one cares in general admission and you’re free to move.” – Mikey Bellino (‘19)
“Being in general admission adds more of a thrill factor to it. One time I was at one and my shoe fell off. Definitely a story to tell the kids one day.” – Angelina Witting (‘22)
“You’re free to move around in general admission and talk to people. It’s fun to make friends with people you wouldn’t expect to.” – Drew Parent (‘19)
Page 19
■ By Eli Weitzman (‘20) Eastside Webmaster
It’s that time of year again: December. Pretty soon it’ll be 2019. But before we reach that point, let’s look back at the past year in tech, since there was definitely quite a lot of change. Firstly, there was the end of net neutrality. While in my past columns I have doubled down about the calamity of its repeal, we’re still not sure what’s in store. However, on a better note, Hawaii, New Jersey, New York, Montana, Rhode Island, Vermont, Oregon and Washington have all enacted separate legislation to maintain net neutrality locally. But there have still been some notable slowdowns as a result of this repeal. Another interesting story of the year was Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s appearance before Congress and the Senate. While it sprouted quite a few humorous memes, his reason for being there was important: he was there to discuss Facebook, its role in society and how that may impact the government, considering the fact that Facebook has recently gained notoriety for its Cambridge Analytica scandal and various issues with bots and fake political ads. Facebook’s message was sort of clear after this, saying it would try to fix it. And it has tried. Recently, Facebook showed off to some journalists its “Election War Room,” where it would closely monitor any political race and ensure fair play on its platform. With Facebook out of the way, let’s also talk about Twitter. Twitter has also been making more strides to clean up its platform, removing tons of bots. It also put a new system in place for its verification program after backlash for verifying controversial figures. Now that we’ve chatted about social media, let’s talk devices. Apple announced and launched the iPhone XS and XR, as well as a new iPad, Apple Watch, MacBook Air and Mac Mini. Apple launched iOS 12, WatchOS and MacOS Mojave as well. On the Windows front, Windows 10 Spring Creators Update and Windows 10 October 2018 Update have been launched, as well as some cool new Microsoft devices, like the Surface Pro 6, Surface Laptop 2, Surface Studio 2 and the Surface Headphones. This past year, tons of awesome tech was announced and released, as well as clarified. We learned, grew and had fun along the way. Let’s see what’s next in technology in 2019...
CULTURE
Page 20
EASTSIDE
December 2018
The ultimate television showdown:
vs. ■ By Claire Joanson (‘19) Eastside Culture Editor
There are certain choices that can undoubtedly divide a nation. Democrat vs. Republican. Chocolate vs. vanilla. Dogs vs. cats. In my experience, however, nothing gets people more heated than primetime television. “Parks and Recreation” and “The Office,” two comedic sitcoms of the 2000s, often attract such controversy. As a viewer of both series, I can attest to the fact that “Parks and Recreation” is miles better than “The Office.” Although both shows had rough starts (the first season of each had more negative critical response than the ensuing ones), “Parks” maintained quality over quantity within its seven seasons. “The Office,” however, was dragged out over nine seasons, allowing for it to tarnish its own good reputation. After Steve Carell, who played the main character of Michael Scott, left, the show should have ended. Instead, the comedy continued for two additional seasons, filled with forgettable characters and jokes that just didn’t land. In contrast, after finding its groove in the second season, “Parks” remained strong until the end. Viewers of the show will find themselves laughing just as much, if not more, in the latter seasons than the early ones. This is because viewers of “Parks” feel a close camaraderie with a cast that was masterfully developed by the writers throughout its run. Iconic characters like the stern-yet-lovable Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman) and the endlessly energetic Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) define the show without being defined themselves; the characters undergo extreme growth as the series unfolds, making “Parks” feel alive where “The Office” felt stagnated. Something else that taints “The Office” is its mode of creation. It was originally a British show, but executive producer Greg Daniels thought an American imitation would do well in the United States. Although the series did eventually become a hit, its start as a British comedy trying to appeal to American humor feels like an awkward attempt to be something that it just wasn’t: funny. “Parks” employs the same “mockumentary” format as “The Office,” but branches out much sooner as its own separate entity. Both pro-
grams share many of the same creators, but the later “Parks and Recreation” was a unique opportunity to shake the flaws of “The Office” and highlight the successes into a more streamlined show (with a better theme song). “Parks” also benefits from the continuous strength of the cast and episode quality. After the second season, the main characters of the show remain consistent, allowing the viewers to submerge themselves fully into the wacky mishaps of Pawnee, the shows setting. “The Office” struggles due to the gaps left by the changing of its ensemble characters, which led to many episodes that come across as filler. Each program has its own respective highs, like the “The Fight” episode in Parks and the “Stress Relief” episode of “The Office.” However, the continuity of the former means that even the worst episodes in the show are not
as bad as the lows found in the later seasons of “The Office.” Both shows have their own charm. The awkward hilarity of “The Office,” and the ridiculous situational comedy of “Parks and Recreation,” allows each show to be enjoyed by those with different brands of humor. In that regard, liking “Parks” over “The Office” is a matter of taste, but I would much rather watch Jerry fall into a lake because of a burrito than suffer through a cringeworthy Michael Scott interaction any day of the week. Want to share your opinion on which show is better? Vote in the survey below!
unique in that he gets audiences to invest in, and appreciate, some Eastside Editor-In-Chief of the cringiest antics on television. So much of “the Office’s” “The Office” is early jokes are based around seca hilarious, poiondhand embarrassment, yet the gnant and creshow still makes people happy. ative show which This is an indication of production will always be a genius. Scott alone gets credit for must-see. By commaking millions relate to a man parison, “Parks who at first glance seems awkward and Recreation” and sad, while the ambitious and is downright skippable. caring figure that is Leslie Knope First of all, “the Office” has a betis a safer choice for audience adoter theme song and it’s more quotration. His happy ending is so able. I won’t waste any time dismuch sweeter. puting these clear facts. Instead, The side characters in “the Oflet’s talk characters. Both shows fice” are also superior in that they have satisfying friendships, but successfully represent a more di“the Office” is miles ahead when it verse set of archetypes. I love Pawcomes to romances. Jim and Pam nee’s local broadcast wino Joan are a much more satisfying main Calamezzo as much as the next couple than Leslie and Ben (and person, but I believe the majority if either of those ‘ships’ are spoilof its inhabitants can be ultimateers for you, sorry, but it’s been ly characterized as either peppy years). I like that audiences get to goofs, big-hearted grumps, simply spend more time with their chilsassy, or trashy and problematic. dren. I feel like their relationship Dunder Mifflinites have richer backstories and more dynamic personalities, from Phyllis’s romantic confidence to Oscar’s moral grey areas to the national treasure that is Kelly Kapoor. We even get to see Dunder Mifflin itself evolve and navigate a number of complex corporate shifts, while at times it feels like Pawnee local government is outgrown by its unequally dynamic constituents. Both “The Office” and “Parks and Rec” declined in quality when they changed formats near the end of their runs. “The Office” lost its most iconic character, while “Parks and Rec” lost its setting and its timeline. The latter show alone destroyed itself in the transition. Without giving too much away, when the final season of “The Office” resolves romantic subplots, brings in new faces and shifts old characters into new roles, it does so in a way that calls back to old plot points and pre-established character traits. Even Sam Dayton (‘19)/ Eastside Art Director the increase in meta reminders that the characters are willsurvived more hurdles. I like that ing subjects of a mockumentary is their love story was there from the consistent with the premise estabfirst episode, and I feel like their lished on day one. Meanwhile, the romantic compromises were based “Parks and Rec” farewell season more on personal growth than on is annoyingly self-contained, with alternating sacrifices. two-or-three episode gags (Leslie Also, although both relationvs. Grizzl!) that fail to preserve our ships started out illicit in some characters’ initial ambitions. way, I’m really not a fan of the Besides, “Parks and Rec” is less boss-employee romance trope. It successful when it deviates from creates a weird power dynamic its typical structure. The buzziest that prevented me from falling for episodes of “The Office” explore loLeslie and Ben even as I openly cales in the characters’ lives that sobbed over Jim and Pam’s rego beyond the office — Threat lationship milestones. The other Level Midnight, Scott’s Tots — but primary romantic relationships Leslie Knope and friends fade into in “The Office” were similarly suobscurity when they journey to perior – for example, Kelly and Washington or spend half an hour Ryan were consistently funny, and on the set of Johnny Karate. Dwight and Angela kept viewers Overall, “The Office” is clearly invested until the last moment. By the superior show. The real winner contrast, I think April and Andy of this debate, though, is writerwere resolved too quickly and I actor-producer Michael Schur, who still find the pairing of Chris and is responsible for both “The OfAnn artificial. fice” and “Parks and Rec.” He has I could devote thousands of secured his place as the greatest words to my appreciation for Mimind in modern sitcom television chael Scott as a character, but I’ll no matter how many foolish viewstick with the highlights. Scott is ers still prefer Pawnee to Scranton. ■ By Ilana Arougheti (‘19)
December 2018
CULTURE EASTSIDE
Students share their family cookie recipes
Page 21
Winter Holiday Music, TV and Movie Picks
■ By Eastside Culture Editors
■ By Claire McFadden (‘19) Eastside Staff
The holiday season is celebrated with family, presents and, of course, delicious desserts. East students shared their best holiday cookie recipes that are so good they have become an annual enjoyment. Alyssa Hughes (‘19) comes from a family who dedicates itself to the tradition of making a tremendous number of molasses cookies every holiday season. The Hughes family makes over 500 molasses cookies in the weeks before Christmas to give out to extended family, friends at church, classmates and coworkers. As Hughes puts it, they “go through molasses like nobody’s business.” This tasty tradition started when Hughes’s grandmother and father decided to make cookies for the holidays. They were delighted by all, and the recipe stuck. Julianna Johnson’s (’19) family has passed down a recipe for Bohemian Crescents throughout many generations. Her grandma inherited the recipe for these sugary crescents from her mother, who lived in Poland. Johnson said the recipe has survived the passage of time in an “old recipe book written in cursive that only my mom can read.” Her mother continues this family tradition by baking the crescents for a holiday party the Johnsons host at their house every year. Their large extended family rarely gathers all together, so Christmas is the perfect occasion to unite over delicious treats. Every December, Hayley Bouch’s (’19) extendTo ed family gathers to m a k e make Classic Spritz C l a s s i c Cookies in the shape Spritz Cookof small Christmas ies, combine 3½ trees. The Bouch cups flour and family adds green 1 teaspoon bakfood dye to the bating powder in a ter in order to make bowl. In anothe r the little trees look large bowl, beat 1 ½ more realistic. cup softened butter and “It’s a reason for 1 cup granulated sugar with us to all spend time an electric mixer. Mix in 1 together,” she said. egg, 2 tablespoons milk, “They are pretty 1 teaspoon vanilla exeasy to make so tract, and ½ teaspoon even the younger almond extract. cousins can help.” Gradually beat the The holiday flour mixture into season is a time butter mixture. Fill for families and cookie presses with friends to come todough and press onto gether and share an ungreased cookie their traditions. sheet. Bake 10-12 minWhat better way to celebrate this occasion utes at 350 degrees. than to bake some delicious treats?
To make B o h e m i a n Crescents cream, mix 1 cup of margarine, ½ cup of powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla together. Slowly, stir in 2 cups of cake flour and 1 cup of chopped nuts. Shape small pieces of the dough into crescents and place onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Allow them to cool before sprinkling powdered sugar over.
For the Hughes family’s recipe, begin by melting shortening in a large saucepan over low heat. Once the melted shortening has cooled, stir in 1 cup sugar, ¼ cup molasses and 1 large egg. Then in a separate large mixing bowl, add 2 ¼ cups of flour, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, ½ teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and ½ teaspoon of ground cloves. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer and gradually add the sugar mixture until blended.. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and roll them in ¼ cup of sugar. Place two inches apart on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Border by Ali Koenig (‘20)/ Eastside Managing Editor
Art by Sam Dayton (‘19)/ Eastside Art Director
Gifting guide for the last-minute shopper
“All I Want for Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey “It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas” by Michael Bublé “Holly Jolly Christmas” by Michael Bublé “Jingle Bell Rock” by Bobby Helms “Mary, Did You Know?” by Pentatonix “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” by John Lennon, The Harlem Community Choir “Christmas Coldplay
Lights” by
“It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” by Andy Williams “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” by Brenda Lee “Wonderful Christmastime” by Paul McCartney “Last Christmas” Wham!
by
“Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!” by Frank Sinatra, B. Swanson Quartet RuPaul’s Drag Race Holi-Slay Special: This year, for the first time ever, the hit reality TV show sets out to find the first “Drag Race Xmas Queen.” Doctor Who Christmas Special: Though these episodes are never quite as deep and experimental as this British classic can get, “Doctor Who” consistently turns out entertaining, light-hearted Christmas specials for an hour of fun. Star Wars Christmas Special: This special, while generally agreed to be highly misjudged, is a two-hour case of “so wrong, it’s so right.” The Year Without a Santa Claus: This holiday classic uses stop-motion animation to tell a story that is pure holiday fun for everyone. Gremlins: This movie, while not specifically holiday-themed, is like “Die Hard” in that its story can be characterized by the time it takes place: the Christmas of 1984. In this way, the movie gives a creepy story for horror-lovers while not taking it over the edge to ruin the holiday feeling.
Infographic by Henry Nolan (‘19)/ Eastside Culture Editor
The Muppets Christmas Carol: This adaptation of the Charles Dickens tale is hands down the most enjoyable, finding a perfect balance between the cheerful tone and the serious themes.
Page 22
SPECIAL
Get out of the way EASTSIDE
December 2018
Twenty-five teams battle it out for the title of Fall Dodgeball Champions
Andrew Maier (‘20)/ Eastside Photo Editor
Rachel Bliss (‘20) leads her team to a 4-0 record in Division C.
Andrew Maier (‘20)/ Eastside Photo Editor
Matt Lewis (‘19) launches a ball at his opponents.
Andrew Maier (‘20)/ Eastside Photo Editor
Banger at Ross’ won Division B, went 4-1 in the next round, and then defeated Ball Don’t Lie in the finals to win the 2018 Fall Dodgeball Tournament.
Andrew Maier (‘20)/ Eastside Photo Editor
Saurabh Shah (‘19), Harel Tillinger (‘19), Abbrielle Lindberg (‘19) and Emma Stopek (‘19) celebrate a win.
Andrew Maier (‘20)/ Eastside Photo Editor
Jacob Manders (‘19), Mark Basehore (‘19) and Joey Wright (‘19) of Ball Don’t Lie sweep Division A with a 4-0 record.
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Andrew Maier (‘20)/ Eastside Photo Editor
Jeffrey Kaminer (‘21) coaches the Krusty Krushers to success as the Division E champions.
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SPORTS
December 2018
EASTSIDE
Hynson brings new style to Girls’ Basketball ■ By Jacob Kernis (‘20)
Eastside Sports Editor
Mr. Bernard Hynson looks to end the constant cycle of new coaches entering and leaving the Cherry Hill East Girls’ Basketball program — as its new Varsity coach, he plans to stay awhile. Hyson, a former college basketball player and immensely successful coach at Woodrow Wilson High School, brings a different coaching method than the girls previously experienced, and he has great confidence in his ability to lead a flourishing team. Hynson has been engulfed with basketball his whole life, as he played while attending Maple Shade High School. After a strong high school career, he went on to play at Virginia Wesleyan College in West Virginia. There, Hynson had many great accomplishments, including being named First Team All-Conference in his junior and senior years. Returning to New Jersey to be a substitute teacher, Hynson coached junior high in Camden, then the freshman boys’ basketball team at Woodrow Wilson. After Hynson’s second season, the athletic director at Woodrow Wilson, Mark Phillips, offered him the coaching job for the girls’ basketball program. It was
his first experience with girls’ basketball. “I took [the job] and I coached it the exact same way,” he said. “I was pretty fortunate when I started coaching that I had a bunch of girls who were very skilled. It made the transition a lot easier for me.”
and went on to win a game in the Tournament of Champions. After Woodrow Wilson, Hynson decided to leave for Cherry Hill East. “It was my time for a change,” Hynson said. “I was looking for something new.”
Maddy Costello (‘20)/ Eastside Staff
Coach Hynson performs wall sits with the girls’ team. Many of his players went on to play collegiate basketball. Hynson joined the Woodrow Wilson Girls’ Basketball program in 2011 and won three straight conference championships in 2012, 2013 and 2014. In 2014, they won the Group III State Championship
Hynson said that he found out about the opportunity shortly after leaving Woodrow Wilson. Hynson got to see most of the players during the summer league, and they are excited to implement his unique style of play. “I think he has a totally different coaching style
peting on the weekends. When Mathis joined the East bowling team as a freshman, he instantly made a noticeable impact. As one of the team’s starters, he was known for his consistency and focus. East Bowling Coach Mr. Ken Smith believes that although Mathis has an im-
cess to correct technique and a deep understanding of the game. “Each lane is different because of its oil pattern, so you want to find a sweet spot where you can have the most control over the ball,” he said. His attention to detail gives him the ability to
than our previous coaches,” said Maya Drayton (‘19). “Our coaches before have worked together and been with the East program for years. Coach Hynson is someone totally new from a totally different program.” Hynson believes in teaching the girls proper basketball technique. “I want to teach them the right way to play basketball, and I can get them all playing together,” he said. “By the end of the season, I pride myself on people coming up to us after the game saying that the girls really know what they are doing on the court.” Another key to success for the team is to have Cherry Hill players stay at East throughout their high school careers. “You get girls that come through [East] programs when they were younger, but once they get to eighth grade they decide to go to a different school,” Hynson said. “Our goal is to make sure all the girls that come up from Cherry Hill stay at East. If this happens, I believe we will be able to build a strong program and getting to win state championships.” While many coaches have gone in and out of the girls’ basketball team, Hynson hopes his new perspective, methods and playing style will bring long-term success.
Mathis returns after bowling injury strikes
leading up to his sophomore season, Mathis began experiencing back pain, Anthony Mathis (‘20) which he now attributes to has one goal in mind for overuse. the bowling season: to be As a result, Mathis was as good as he was his freshforced to sit out last season. man year. He attended physical therAt first glance, this goal apy and had to wear a back may seem overly modest. brace for eight weeks. His However, Mathis’s bowlabsence was tough on the ing career has team, who had been anything also lost three but ordinary. By senior starters the end of the from the previ2016-2017 winter ous year. season, he was Smith is opranked as the timistic about third best freshMathis’s return, man bowler in for his ability to New Jersey, and score points will he finished sevautomatically enth at the state give the team a championships. boost. He expects His sophomore Mathis to step up season was greatin big matches ly anticipated this season. after his impres“It seems like sive performance when there’s as a freshman, more pressure on but a back injury him and he has prevented him to make a shot, from continuing he finds a way his success. Now to do it,” Smith healthy, Mathis said. is ready for his In addition, comeback. Mathis’s attiMathis began tude and abilbowling with his ity will serve as family when he an example for was three years his teammates. old. He started Mathis is modcompeting when est, and lets his his mother enspeak Courtesy of Anthony Mathis (‘20) bowling rolled him in a Mathis rolls the bowling ball down the lane, hoping to get a strike. for itself. Saturday morn“It’s very nice ing bowling to have him league with his older sibpressive natural talent, his knock down three hundred back,” Smith said. “The lings at the Playdrome in drive is what makes him pins in one match, which is younger kids can just watch Cherry Hill. The bowling stand out. the equivalent of scoring a and learn.” alley became a place where “He focuses on every shot perfect game. Mathis looks forward to Mathis loved to spend his he takes,” Smith said. “He However, bowling sucanother successful season free time. He regularly wants to succeed and be the cess relies upon repetition, this winter, and he hopes to bowled with his friends and best.” which can occasionally lead lead the Cougars to a chamsiblings in addition to comMathis credits his sucto injury. In the months pionship. ■ By Claire McFadden (‘19)
Eastside Staff
Page 23
Through the lens of a sports photographer
■ By Andrew Maier (‘20)
Eastside Photo Editor
As a sports photographer, while being close to the action is normal to me, it isn’t often that an amazing moment appears right in front of my camera. But when it does, I’m left with a lasting image ingrained in my brain, and on my camera... if I’m lucky. I oftentimes have to remove my emotions from a situation and focus on taking pictures without thinking about the action in front of me. When looking back after a moment is over, I’m left thinking, “Wow! How did that just happen?” Many unbelievable things happened at the 2018 New Jersey Swimming Meet of Champions, a day split between the fastest boys in the state swimming in the morning and the fastest girls swimming at night. Destin Lasco (‘20) of Mainland High Schoolhad swum the 500 freestyle and had come less than a second away from breaking Sean Killion’s (East class of ‘86) state record. The time then came for him to shake off that disappointment and anchor Mainland’s 200 freestyle relay. I knew that he would be anchoring, and what was at stake for Mainland, so I lined up right next to the blocks, waiting to see the team’s reaction at the end of the race. Diving into the pool, Lasco had a comfortable lead over the field, but still sprinted to a blistering 19.99 anchor leg, out-splitting the field by over a full second and breaking the state record. Then came Grace Yoon’s (‘20) stellar performance. After leading East to a second place finish in the 200 medley relay, Yoon stepped on the blocks for the 200 IM, winning the event in dominant fashion, just as she had done all season. Then came the 100 breaststroke, Yoon’s signature event which she had won as a freshman. Even though she had qualified second, I knew she was the favorite for the event, and I again lined up close to the finish. Coming into the last turn it looked as if her streak of wins was over, until she lunged to the finish, tying her training partner Nora Woods (‘18) for first place. Yoon and Woods rushed to congratulate each other, and fortunately, I was there to capture the emotion of their win. I was lucky enough to get every single one of these incredible finishes on camera. Capturing these moments carries a value unlike any other, especially as the athletes look to make their mark on higher stages. It is fantastic to know how I’ve been able to capture their first big performances that they can look back on when reaching for their next goal. Check out Andrew’s photos on eastside-online.org.
SPORTS
December 2018
EASTSIDE
Page 24
Behm selected for Olympic training in Colorado ■ By Sophie Levine (‘19)
Eastside Sports Editor
If you’re looking for Annie Behm (‘21), you can most likely find her in the crystal blue water of a swimming pool. Behm has been swimming since she was less than a year old, and she has never looked back. Her parents brought her to Jersey Wahoos Swim Club to learn how to swim, which sparked her passion at such a young age. Little did Behm know that she would one day become a superstar for East swimming. “My parents put me in lessons because they thought it was a good thing for me to learn, and from there I just stuck with it,” Behm said. Behm stuck with swimming throughout elementary, middle and high school, practicing her craft until she reached perfection. Her hard work and determination paid off, as she was selected to compete in Junior Nationals last summer. In order to make the cut for Junior Nationals, she had to swim under a set time. A competitor must also be under eighteen years old, which made Behm, a fifteen-year-old, an especially young entrant. During her qualifying round, Behm ended up placing seventh in the 200-meter backstroke, a very impressive feat considering the status of the competition and her age. “Since I placed so high, I was selected to National
Select Camp,” she said. In order to attend the National Select Camp, a swimmer must finish in the top three in her event and have not attended the camp
in Colorado Springs, CO, where she was able to train and compete with some of the best swimmers in the country. She said she attended lectures about con-
try who also love to do the same thing I do,” she said. One aspect of the experience that was a little challenging for Behm was the altitude. The altitude in
Andrew Maier (‘20)/ Eastside Photo Editor
Annie Behm (‘21) swims backstroke in the Tri-County Finals last summer. in a previous year. Since many of the higher-placing qualifiers had attended the camp before, Behm was given the chance to go. She was extremely excited to have the chance to improve her technique and show off her skills at this elite camp. This past October, Behm was selected to go to the Olympic Training Center
fidence and watched videos of Olympic swimmers. Behm learned a ton from the once-in-a-lifetime experience, and she hopes to bring back her knowledge to East swimming this season. “[OlympicaTraining] was really cool, and I got to meet a lot of different girls from all over the coun-
Colorado is much higher than New Jersey, which can make it difficult to breathe, especially when swimming. “The grit and strength to get through each practice was tremendous, but when you are surrounded by all of these hardworking girls, it’s that much easier to get through it,” Behm said. Behm, who is looking to
build off her rookie season for the Cougars, is ready to help the East girls’ swim team in its pursuit of a state championship title. She mainly competes in the backstroke events. She thinks the Cougars can do very well and have a good chance of winning the state title. Behm also prioritizes demonstrating leadership for her East team. She is always trying to encourage other teammates to do their best during every practice and meet, making sure their energy levels are high. “We always have a lot of spirit in our cheers, a lot more than other teams,” she said. Behm’s love for swimming inspires her to do her best during every meet. Her teammates help keep her motivated, and she is thankful for all of the friends swimming has given her throughout the years, whether they are from East swimming or swimming for Jersey Wahoos and Old Orchard. “It’s [swimming] a lot, but you make such lifelong friends because they are with you through really tough practices and through the fun practices,” she said. Behm continues to work hard towards her goals every day to get better as an athlete. Overall, Behm looks to make a splash as she represents East this season, both in and out of the water.
Cross country, winter track, spring track: what’s different?
“Isn’t it just one sport?” “What’s even the difference?” These are the questions often asked when someone mentions East’s separate running sports: cross-country, winter track and spring track. Runners train year-round, no matter the weather, to prepare for sports they love. The boys’ and girls’ teams put in hours of work every week to be able to be achieve the success the teams have experienced in the past couple of years. With differences in training style, mentality and competitions, these three sports include their own distinct experiences that make them unique from each other. ■ By Adam Dashevsky (‘19)
Eastside Sports Editorthree
Cross-Country
Winter Track
Spring Track
Although spring track does bring fresh air, it As summer starts to come to a close and the As the weather starts to get colder and harsher, also brings the intense spring weather conditions. days leading up to the first day of school start fad- the boys and girls begin their second running seaRunners must race in the wind, rain and snow, ing away, you can find the East boys’ and girls’ son of the year: winter track. The senior boys can depending on the month. cross-country teams running throughout Cherry expect to run anywhere between 60 to 70 miles a ManisHill. During the cross-country season, both teams week this season. c a l c o will compete in the five-kilometer run, and fresh“For winter track, the workouts are said, “I men will sometimes compete in the two-mile run. primarily done on the track, as one tend to Varsity runner Dani Lazarus (‘19) said, “When would expect,” said Maniscalco. “We do longer going into a long run, most people would count- do a ton of long tempo runs in the winruns in down how many miles they have left and can’t wait ter. I consider December and January the winto be done. When going into any run, my mentality the base-building part of our season.” ter and is that I’m gonna feel good, and my team and I will Due to weather conditions, all wins e g u e finish this run together.” ter track meets take place in an indoor into the Varsity runner Oliver Adler (‘20) said, “Cross- pressurized bubble, causing the runshorter, country foners to race quicker cuses a lot on with unideal s t u f f patience. It’s air qualin the about getting ity around spring. the best out them. The It’s like of yourself at track at an winter the end of the indoor meet builds season, when is only 200 Andrew Maier (‘20)/ Eastside Photo Editor the base, it’s most immeters, while the portant.” the out- Ben Ciechon (‘19) runs at a varsity track and spring As one door track is meet at Cherry Hill East. builds the would expect, 400 meters. speed off of that base.” all crossThe distance events Varsity runner Sarah Pierce (‘19) said, “The country races that make up winter winter and track seasons follow a similar training take place in track and track are the model; however, the workouts are oriented more the outdoors, 800-meter, 1600-meter towards speedwork and explosiveness rather than rain or shine. and the 3200-meter runs. hills and trails as in cross-country.” Although In a state like New Like Pierce, Lazarus has a stable running menspring track Jersey, as springtime aptality as well. also is an outproaches, the weather is She said, “For track, I go into hard workouts door sport, still cold and dreary. This thinking that this is only to improve my race there is a difCourtesy of Oliver Adler (‘20) does not dissuade any of times, which pushes me to run faster and faster.” ference in the The boys cross-country team runs as a pack at the the runners from comRunning during the cross-country, winter track training. Meet of Champions. peting. The winter track and spring track seasons may appear to be similar G i r l s ’ runners understand that experiences on the surface. However, each sport cross-country coach and boys’ track coach Mr. An- if they keep up with their schedules, they should comes with its own challenges. These distinctions, thony Maniscalco said, “In cross-country, we try improve their times from the winter track season. help runners achieve different goals and develop to get on natural surfaces like grass and hills to Maniscalco said, “We do a lot of long-tempo different strengths. When one sports season ends, simulate some of the conditions of the cross-coun- runs in the winter. I consider December and Janua brand new one begins. try terrain.” ary the base-building part of our season.”