Eastside: February/March 2013

www.eastside-online.org

Vol. 47 No. 6

Cherry Hill High School East: 1750 Kresson Road, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003

February/March 2013

East DJs put a new spin on music ■ By Jenna Wilson (‘15) Eastside News/Features Editor

DJ-ing has exploded over the past few years. It quickly moved mainstream thanks to popular shows like “The Pauly D Project” and artists such as Aviccii and Swedish House Mafia. But what is often perceived as a mindless, easy activity actually requires hours upon hours of work, a lot of determination and, most of all, love.

East has seen multiple working DJs over the years, including Jack Friedberg (‘08), who DJs under the name Jackiebuhl; Noah Hinrichs (‘14); and Max Goldberger (’15), who DJs under the name Max Gold.

How it all started: Friedberg’s journey started nine years ago, not at a club, a Sweet Sixteen or a Bar Mitzvah, but at a pizza place.

“I had been to a couple of Bar Mitzvahs and I always saw my dad’s friend DJ-ing there. One day, I saw him at a pizza place and he asked me if I was interested in DJi n g and

the rest is history,” Friedberg said.

His first gig was a middle school dance, a sort of trial-run to see if he would be able to correctly interact with the crowd.

“It was something that I was good at. I have a natural rhythm inside of me, and I know what music to play to make each crowd go crazy,” said Friedberg. “When I was at East, everyone knew I was a DJ. I used to get work through my school friends.”

Friedberg started to get work through friends, DJ-ing at their Sweet Sixteen parties. Once class advisors heard about Friedberg, they hired him to DJ school dances, something he still does to this day.

When Friedberg graduated, he began to look for even more work.

“I looked at clubs and bars in Old City [Philadelphia], like Club 27,” he said. “I started establishing myself in the scene. It just clicked with me. I knew I wanted to do it forever, and here I am, almost ten years later.”

Hinrichs also got started at a young age—he was just thirteen when he learned to DJ. An entertainment company, Above and Beyond Entertainment, came to him after realizing that he had a strong interest in mixing music.

“They called me up, and asked if I wanted to take a demo course on messing around with music and that kind of stuff,” Hinrichs said. “I took their opportunity and they were the ones that got me into it. I’m hooked now.”

Hinrichs started DJ-ing Bar Mitzvahs when he was 15. “I saw that there was a lot of demand for DJ-ing parties because the music really just makes it a different party. I realized I could start doing house parties and it was

like getting paid for something that you really love to do, so I took that opportunity,” he said.

Hinrichs now DJ’s house parties and Sweet Sixteens regularly.

Goldberger started DJ-ing when he was twelve years old.

“I learned to produce [my music] by watching videos, reading online forums and getting help from EDM [Electric Dance Music] producers.”

Now, four years later, Goldberger typically DJs at EDM concerts and events in the Philadelphia and New York area.

He recently opened for Steve Angello at the Electric Factory in Philadelphia.

“It was an incredible honor to open up for such a legend,” he said. “I love it, and I plan to be involved with music for the rest of my life.”

What DJ-ing is all about: “A lot of people think that [DJing] is picking a song and pushing a button, and it sort of is, but you put it together and magically it syncs,” Friedberg said, “I like to do all that myself, to have more freedom.”

Goldberger’s approach is simpler.

“I use just my laptop and a USB stick with all my music. It’s very simple since venues provide the turntables and mixer,” he said.

Goldberger creates his own mixes, and when he produces his music, he uses FL Studio with many plug-ins as well as a midi keyboard.

As house music and the EDM scene become more mainstream, the DJs have mixed feelings about the increasing popularity.

“All these kids want to DJ; it has become more popular to DJ. It’s made everyone want to do this kind of stuff. You really see a huge connection between how popular house music has become and the amount of people who want to make that music and DJ,” Hinrichs said.

See DJs, Pg. 2

Photo by Britney Nghiem (‘13)/ Eastside Photo Editor

Jack Friedberg spins tracks at the Freshman Dance.

Inside This Issue

Camden Garden could see its last beets Community Pg. 6

Beatniks and other subcultures define eras Underground Pgs. 10-11

O’Neil beats diving competition Sports Pg. 19

NEWS/FEATURES Page 2

EASTSIDE

February/March 2013

Audience will be hooked on East’s spring musical ■ By Meghna Kothari (‘15) Eastside Staff

T h e board’s f i r s t meeting was held o n January 3, 2013.

Rebecca The disFisher (‘13) t r i c t ’ s annual Board of Education t e s t i n g Representative r e p o r t indicates that Cherry Hill students continue to perform at or above the averages of schools that are ranked by the state in the same District Factor Group, meaning a similar wealth category, in 100 percent of the testing areas, including NJASK testing, HSPA testing and Biology Proficiency exams, among others. The Cherry Hill School District was also named an honoree for the 3rd Annual Advanced Placement District Honor Roll for simultaneously increasing access to Advanced Placement coursework while increasing the percentage of students earning scores of 3 or higher on AP Exams.

School was in session for all Cherry Hill students on Monday, February 18, as a designated makeup day due to the hurricane.

In the event of future inclement weather, school will be in session on Friday, March 8, for all students and staff.

Finally, the Board of Education would like to thank all students, parents, faculty, district staff and the Cherry Hill Police Department for their cooperation as the nation mourns the devastating tragedy that occurred at Sandy Hook. Our schools are working to keep the school environment for our children as typical as possible. This incident has school districts across the country, including ours, reviewing policies, protocols and procedures to ensure that emerging issues are adequate. The Cherry Hill School District would like to ensure that students, teachers and parents feel safe in the academic community without having to worry about such an awful catastrophe.

The increased police presence at the schools is not a response to any specific threat but rather part of the multifaceted plan in place to enhance school security. Hopefully, members of the Cherry Hill academic community will recognize this adjustment as a positive change, rendering the addition to be beneficial.

BOE logo by Joel Greenspan (‘13)/ Eastside Art Director

Especially in today’s society, young children cannot wait to grow up, anticipating more independence and freedom.

Although growing up entails such privileges, adults often wish to revisit their childhoods. For at least one night, adults can reminisce about their past memories.

The Cherry Hill East Theater Department will be presenting a play which director Mr. Tom Weaver said will transport the audience “off into Neverland for [a few] hours [to provide] a healthy escape from whatever troubles [the audience] has.”

This musical tells the tale of a young boy, Peter Pan, who lives in Neverland, a land where no one grows up. He comes across three siblings, Wendy, John and Michael, and takes them on a journey to Neverland, along with his trusty fairy friend, Tinkerbell.

The play will have special effects, including ropes that will allow some of the cast to fly on stage, as well as laser lights.

Sarah Sosland (’14), who plays Peter Pan, said that both kids and adults

will enjoy watching pirates fighting and fairies flying.

We a v e r Cast List was more than happy to cast girls for White Cast Red Cast the role of Peter Pan, Patricia Irwin Peter Pan Sarah Sosland as the play Dakota Judge Wendy Alexandra Maresh was written vocally Max Hoffman John Max Yankowitz for a Dillon Rebock Captain Hook Brandon Weinberg f e m a l e Smee Ryan Berlin Damian Stuchko v o i c e .

Sosland Brittany Yesner Gaby Chapman Tiger Lily a n d Molly Nugiel Mrs. Darling Diana Faye Patricia Irwin (‘15) Evan Brody Reenan McElwee Mr. Darling fulfill the Yael Kortsarts Alyson Nothnagel Nana role.

Captain Hook, the antagonist, is played

by Dillon Kaylin Magosin (‘14)/ Eastside News/Features Editor R e b o c k (’14) and The Peter Pan cast intends to put on a great production.

Brandon “It would be nice if we Show Times: Weinberg (‘14). never completely grew Weinberg describes his up—that we left a little bit character as being “a big of our childhood in our Friday, March 1 at 7:30 p.m. R buffoon” who is “too confiadult personalities,” said Saturday, March 2 at 2 p.m. W dent in himself.”

Weaver.

Sunday, March 3 at 2 p.m. R In addition to performIn performing Peter Friday, March 8 at 7:30 p.m. W ing the play, the departPan, the Theater Saturday, March 9 at 2 p.m. R ment will also host a Picnic Department aims to whisk Sunday, March 10 at 2 p.m. W with Peter for young chilthe audience off to dren at 12 p.m. on March 2 Neverland for a few hours to spend a morning with to reminisce about the Tickets will be sold for $12, or $10 for students. the characters. adventures of childhood.

East DJs discuss the popularity of mixing But Goldberger does agree that it’s great for the artists who made it big.

Angie Pacitti (‘13)/ Eastside Photo Editor

Noah Hinrichs (‘14) DJs using mixes on his computer.

Continued from pg. 1 Goldberger agrees that the newfound popularity of Friedberg feels similarly.

EDM comes with both pros “I think it’s great for the and cons. artists, but it takes away “The scene has definitely from the DJs that have exploded in America. Big been doing it for a while,” money is flowing into the said Friedberg. “Now everyEDM market and festivals one thinks that they can and promotion companies become a DJ. I also feel bad are being bought out left for the kids I see at clubs and right by corporate that are like 15 years old.

America and big-time There’s a lot of drugs and investors. This hurts the alcohol associated with the scene a lot, but it’s all up to EDM scene and you can get the artists, agencies and in a lot of trouble if you promoters to not get don’t know what you’re greedy,” he said. dealing with.”

What’s next for these DJs: “I am really trying to take the next step by making my own song with a background track,” said Hinrichs.

Hinrichs is also expanding to DJ-ing more clubs.

“It’s mostly a hobby to me, but I am trying to expand to more clubs and I am actually playing in Chicago soon,” he said.

Friedberg is trying to DJ at bigger and better clubs.

He has regular gigs at PJ Whelihan’s in Cherry Hill and Lit UltraBar in Philly.

Goldberg plans to continue DJ-ing at festivals.

“I like doing it because it makes other people have fun, but also it’s a lot of fun for me to do it,” said Hinrichs.

As Hinrichs continues to play new venues, he is also growing as a DJ. “I saw pictures of the last house party I did and the first party that I did and there is definitely a lot of maturity and growth, with myself, the music and the equipment,” he said.

Friedberg sums up DJing by discussing the feeling it gives him.

“I live for it. When I drop a beat and the crowd goes crazy, man, that’s the best feeling in the world. And I never, ever want that to go away,” he said.

How to mix music:

Art by Madison Stern (‘13)/Eastside Staff

1. Establish a certain tempo. Make all tracks the same tempo so that the beats can mix together smoothly. You can use GarageBand, Ableton or Audacity to do so.

2. Put the tracks into the mixing program and make sure there is a desirable balance of bass and vocals in each track.

3. Sporadically place different elements from the tracks into the new production. The mashup should be a combination of two or more tracks, but with exciting new additions as well.

4.Tweak any rhythmic, vocal or instrumental imbalances that appear in the new track. The original tracks will not fit together perfectly, so manual improvements are necessary. After this, enjoy your new creation.

NEWS/FEATURES February/March 2013

EASTSIDE

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Students make All Eastern ensembles Kim flutes her way to prestigious All Eastern Band ■ By Kaylin Magosin (‘14) Eastside News/Features Editor

When most students pick an instrument to play in middle school or elementary school, many don’t expect extreme proficiency in the future with that particular instrument.

To them, playing an instrument simply fulfills a school requirement. However, for Hyerin Kim (’14), what started out as fulfilling a school requirement turned into an induction into the All Eastern Band as a flutist.

Mrs. Gia Walton, Kim’s band teacher, said, “[Making All Eastern Band is] a very big deal; you don’t get selected for that unless you’re in the top in the entire East Coast.”

Kim chose to play the flute in sixth grade and has been playing ever since. Kim did not grow up here in the Eastern United States. She moved from Korea her freshman year.

“In Korea, every student [needed to participate in] after-school activities, and I just chose flute because I thought it was easy and anyone can play,” said Kim.

She noted differences between playing flute in the U.S. and in Korea.

“Korean teachers want to improve skills, like fastfingering and technique.

But, in America, they focus on basic things, like scales and reading. [But] a lot of things are the same,” Kim said.

Although the teaching styles vary in each country, one aspect remains the same for her—her practice time. “[In Korea] I would practice until 10 p.m.,” Kim said.

Since she attended an art middle school, the emphasis was on music.

Kim would voluntarily stay after school from about 3 p.m. until 10 p.m. to improve her skills for the next audition in order to make it to the next level.

After practicing, she would do her homework, which she said is “just like here.”

Living in the U.S., Kim didn’t start out practicing for as long as she did in Korea. Here, she practices until about 9 p.m. most days. However, she noticed a difference when she did not practice every day and felt her skills were getting weaker. Now, depending on

t h e amount of homework she has, she will practice l o n g e r, until 10 p.m. or 11 p.m. Kim said that she is still trying to practice every day.

At East, Kim is part of the W i n d Ensemble, which she has auditioned for and has been a part of every Sophia Santo (‘13)/ Eastside Staff year since Kim practices for at least five hours a day. freshman y e a r . ances specific to this band.

Because she is in Wind “I play classical, but I Ensemble, she was like jazz music, too, required to audition for All because I like the rhythm, South Jersey Band. After so I am trying to play jazz she made All South Jersey flute, too,” she said.

Band, she moved up the Kim hopes to get into ranks, making All State the Curtis Institute of Band and then making All Music in Philadelphia and Eastern Band. become a flutist performer.

As part of All Eastern After making All Eastern Band, Kim will have Band, she is one step closer rehearsals and performto reaching her goal.

Vocal students sing their way to All Eastern Chorus ■ By Chloe Goldstein (‘14) Eastside Staff

“Hundreds, maybe thousands of music teachers from the Northeast gather and share information about teaching music, and several well-known conductors speak and wellknown groups perform. It’s really fascinating and fun, [but] the rehearsals are tiring and grueling,” said Elisabeth Siegel (’14).

W h a t Siegel described is the All Eastern Chorus performance, for which she, along with Seanna McCall (‘13) and Jonah Bannett (’13), recently qualified and received acceptance.

These three students sing in the East Vocal Department under the direction of Mrs. Laurie Lausi.

McCall and Siegel will perform in the All Eastern Chorus, but Bannett declined the acceptance in order to perform in Boston the same weekend for Casual Harmony.

Lausi said, “I can’t remember the last time [this] many students made it. In my 16 years at East

we only had a handful make All Eastern.”

The admission process for All Eastern Chorus involves many steps.

McCall said, “You have to fill out an application with your school director and list all your musical achievements and activities—that happens around June. You find out whether you get accepted in November.

Once

you accept, you send in the contract and the payment, the music is sent to your director in February, and you have to learn everything on your own time.”

A student must first make All State Chorus before moving on to All Eastern Chorus. Finding out if one is accepted into All Eastern Chorus does

not occur over one night or even a few weeks. The path leading up to the final acceptance takes months.

“There are auditions for All State in each state in the East Coast in the spring. The people with the highest scores are then invited to apply for All Eastern. The application includes your scores, ranking from All State, past choir experiences and a recommendation from your choir teacher,” Siegel

before the rehearsal because singers come from the entire eastern region, from Maine to Maryland.

The Conference Weekend, which will take place April 4 through April 7, will serve as the preparatory rehearsal where all participants sing together, which includes over 20 hours of rehearsal.

The mixed chorus will perform at the Bushnell Center for t h e Performing Arts in Hartford, Connecticut on April 7.

“I feel pretty honored to have gotten into this choir,” said Bannett. “I have been in the Music Department for all four years of high school and it’s nice to see not only all of the hard work I’ve put into it, but also, all of the knowledge I’ve gained from it,” he said.

Cherry Hill East recognizes Bannett, Siegel and McCall for From left to right: Seanna McCall their acceptance (‘13) and Elisabeth Siegel (‘14). into such a prestigious choir. The said.

East Vocal Department The participants receive looks forward to supportmusic to learn on their own ing McCall and Siegel in because they practice inditheir endeavors in this vidually until the large choir. rehearsal. It is crucial for Art by Jon Levine (‘13)/ every person to practice his Eastside Staff or her own singing part Photos by Brittany Nghiem (‘13)/ Eastside Photo Editor

Greg Weinstock (‘13), SGA President, answers: What have you accomplished so far this year? What would you like to accomplish?

It is amazing to think that it is already F e b r u a r y.

Looking back over the year Greg from a SGA Weinstock perspective, I (‘13) think it has SGA been quite President special so far.

There are many events and accomplishments that I am proud to have achieved. It started back on the night of October 19 when we held the first three-on-three basketball tournament in many years. With the success of this year’s tournament, we hope the groundwork has been laid for the this event to be an annual occurrence.

In November, the highly-anticipated “-ologies”themed Spirit Week flew by. As usual, with the week-long events from the Canned Food Drive to the Spirit Week Dance, all grades gave their best effort to come out on top. It proved to be healthy competition as it brought the school together to raise over 2,000 cans for the local food bank. In the end, it was the senior class that was victorious.

This past December, Student Government ended the calendar year with the annual CHOP Toy Drive. Again, the school came together to help a good cause in our community. We were able to collect a plethora of toys to donate to brighten the holiday season for kids who had to spend the holidays in the hospital.

Now that we are in the last few months of the school year, it is important that we end the year with some great events. There are many events to look forward to near the end of the year. This April, Mr. East, perhaps the most anticipated event of the year, will take place. After the unbelievable talents displayed last year, the senior boys have a lot to live up to. Also, this May, Student Government hopes to bring back the successful “Friday Night Live” sketch comedy show that debuted two years ago. Thus, the end of the year will be packed with exciting events.

Whether you are a freshman hoping to jumpstart your high school career, a senior hoping to top it all off right, or anywhere in between, I hope we can end on a high note.

SGA logo by Joel Greenspan (‘13)/Eastside Art Director

NEWS/FEATURES Page 4

EASTSIDE

February/March 2013

Club brings smiles to friends and strangers alike ■ By Angela Sun (‘16)

up, causing that person to smile as well.

This is the idea behind Sometimes it only takes the Random Acts of something small, like a Kindness Club: when peofriendly smile, to brighten ple do nice things, it can up someone’s bad day. start a chain reaction of Even if that person is a good deeds.

The club random stranger, his or her organizes and performs smile can cheer a person small acts of kindness for random people, in the hopes of spreading the goodwill. “ O u r goal is to keep on continuing acts of kindness to get people to start paying it f o r w a r d ,” said Allie Grossman (’16), one of the presidents of the club.

The club h a s already lived up to its name, handing out bags of to Photo courtsey of Random Acts of Kindness candy Ally Lazarus (‘16) gives Halloween candy bus drivers and giving to an East bus driver.

For Eastside

candy canes to teachers. In response to the Connecticut shooting, the club did 26 acts of kindness, one to honor each person who died. These included buying a movie ticket for a stranger or paying for someone’s dinner.

Although Random Acts of Kindness Club existed at East in the mid-1990s, Allie Grossman (’16), Ally Lazarus (’16), Amanda Soll (‘16) and Gabby Calder (’16) first heard about the idea for this club from a friend. The girls thought it was a great idea, so they decided to bring it back to East. These four are all copresidents of the club.

Lazarus said her favorite part of the club is “doing little things everywhere and putting a smile on people’s faces.”

In order to fund the random acts of kindness, the club holds fundraisers, which include a T-shirt sale and a lollipop sale.

All are welcome to join the club and anyone interested can go to the next meeting. Members typically meet at least once or twice a month in F087 after school. The club also has a Facebook group where they post updates about events and meetings

Culture Corner logo by Joel Greenspan (‘13)/ Eastside Art Director All art by Kaylin Magosin (‘14)/ Eastside News/Features Editor Photos by Jenna Wilson (‘15)/Eastside News/Features Editor

We asked...

Brianna Sparriow (‘16)

What I wish I would you What gives had a date My favorite like to you the with __ for red object receive as chills? Valentine’s is... a gift?

Day. Money Ice cream

Alec Silverstone (‘15) Light up accesory or clothing item

Cold weather

Chris Brown

An apple

Arianna Grande

My red Xbox controller

Nick Yannone (‘14) A puppy

Spiders

Kim Kardashian

Time

Needles

My husband

Blood

Mrs. Borrelli A heart

Photo courtesy of Random Acts of Kindness

The co-presidents pose with presents for the bus drivers. regularly.

“We’ve been really surprised and happy with the turnout we’ve gotten so far,” said Grossman. “We would love for everyone to get involved.”

Random Acts of Kindness is great for anyone who enjoys community service or just wants to make someone smile.

Background logo art by Sydney Steele (‘16)/ For Eastside

COMMUNITY February/March 2013

EASTSIDE

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It’s a good mix: Clean trails in Cherry Hill ■ Emmy Silverman (‘13) and Liza Rothkoff (‘16) Eastside Community Editor and Eastside Staff

Despite a few parks and Springdale Farm, Cherry Hill is a mainly residential area, consisting of grocery stores, restaurants and shopping malls that are necessary staples in suburban towns.

Many people are unaware of the fact that nestled within those car-condensed streets are nature trails aimed to preserve the open spaces in the area. The Cherry Hill Environmental Board is aiming to beautify the appearance of these trails.

The township has a group of volunteers that works to help clean the open spaces in areas such as Old Orchard, Kresson Road and Surrey Place.

“The volunteers mostly work on the

Kresson Road trails,” said Earle Seneres, the Cherry Hill Township liaison.

Anyone in the township can come out and participate in the beautification and cleaning of the trails.

Now that these open spaces and trails are cleaner and more userfriendly, Seneres said that people are taking advantage of walking, running and biking on the trails.

“In order to keep the grounds accessible, [the volunteers] take care of erosion issues and debris,” said Seneres.

Residents of Cherry Hill can now take advantage of the outdoors and nature without stepping outside of their town and have the ability to give back to the environment.

Art by Shari Bodofsky (‘14)/ Eastside Staff

■ By Allie Grossman (‘16) Eastside Staff

Cherry Hill is blooming with flower shops ■ By Rachel Cohen (‘15) Eastside Community Editor

Although one of the prime flower-buying holidays is over, that does not mean that the flower-buying season is over. In fact, there are plenty of times to buy assortments of flowers at a variety of different flower shops. At Nature’s Gift Flower Shop, located in Eagle Plaza, Valentine’s Day is the most popular time to buy flowers, with about 1,000 customers per week. However, tulips are a popular flower all year round, according to flower designer Joy Srat Frates. Nature’s Gift Flower Shop makes flower deliveries throughout South Jersey.

At Jacqueline’s Flowers and Gifts, located on Springdale Road, many people buy flowers “just because, with no reason,” said worker Rachel Bissland.

Bissland said that at Jacqueline’s Flowers and Gifts, more women, between the ages of 30-70, buy flowers than men. The men usually do the buying for holidays like Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day. For Valentine’s Day, the most popular flowers are roses or lilies, but for Mother’s Day, which is another popular flower-buying holiday, lilies and tulips are more popular. Jacqueline’s Flowers and Gifts makes deliveries locally, and will set customers up with a trusted florist if a delivery is needed farther away.

With spring coming, now is the perfect time to check out the local flower shops!

Art by Madison Stern (‘13)/ Eastside Staff

Community service is like a two-way street; it is rewarding for those whom you are donating your time to and rewarding for you as well.

Volunteering at the local Lion’s Gate Community on Laurel Oak Road in Voorhees, NJ, can fulfill that experience of community service.

Lion’s Gate is a retirement community made up of independent living and continuing care facilities. Lion’s Gate always welcomes new volunteers and encourages those of all ages to get involved within the Lion’s Gate community.

The atmosphere of Lion’s Gate is very welcoming.

Smiling faces of senior citizens fill the rooms. Those smiles become even bigger when young volunteers enter the facility.

“The joy young volunteers bring to our senior citizens is overwhelming and so rewarding,” said Cookie Patterson, Activities Director at Lion’s Gate.

After playing Bingo, drawing snowmen to decorate the halls and beading bright-colored jewelry with the residents, the smiles grew on both the residents’ and volunteers’ faces.

Consider lending your helping hand. Just a little kindness goes a long way…and it’s contagious!

Zoe Greenhall (‘13)/ Eastside Art Director

If you volunteer, please tell us about it: community@eastside-online.org ■ By Rachel Cohen (‘15) Eastside Community Editor

Cook For a Friend is a program at Temple Beth Shalom. On select Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., volunteers can help cook meals for the Jewish elderly. The Jewish elders that the meals are delivered to are physically unable to cook their own meals. This program allows the elderly to have full meals without having to always go to restaurants to receive one. The volunteers make or prepare the different parts of the meal, which include meat, vegetables, a starch and a dessert. They also package and deliver the meals. Volunteers are always welcome, and no sign-up is necessary. Volunteers can just show up and help out. Other synagogues, such as Beth El, offer similar programs. This is a great and efficient way to give back to the elderly.

COMMUNITY Page 6

EASTSIDE

Paradise Lost:

February/March 2013

Camden Children’s Garden faces dissolution by the state For the unabridged version of this story, visit eastside-online.org

■ By Jack Braunstein (‘13) Eastside Editor-in-Chief

Mike Devlin, as usual, is dressed in green. A Children’s Garden sweatshirt unzipped over a weathered plaid button-up. He has a compact frame with a slight hunch.

“It’s stressful, and it’s a tremendous waste of time,” he says, grimacing.

At the Camden City Children’s Garden, there is hardly time to waste: opened to the public in July of 1999, the 4.5-acre space has served as both an outdoor center for recreation and environmental education geared toward local youth, and the nucleus for the operations of the Camden City Garden Club, which coordinates an expansive network of community gardening operations throughout the city. According to Devlin, the Garden transplants over 200,000 productive vegetable plants to 26 acres of urban farmland across the city, also providing seed, organic fertilizer, fencing and a system of support and advice for the city’s amateur gardening community.

Established in 120 of Camden’s 12,000 vacant lots, these volunteer-operated gardens are growing more than flowers: a 2011 study by the University of Pennsylvania suggests that the Camden City Garden Club is producing and distributing over two million dollars worth of food each year; the study also shows that that food is serving over 12 percent of Camden’s population.

“We’re dealing with the food crisis in a very large way,” says Devlin, proudly citing the twopage spread celebrating the Club in Michelle Obama’s American Grown.

On January 14, 2012, the State Department of Treasury sent a letter notifying the Children’s Garden that, in order to “enhance the economic development potential” of the waterfront property currently home to the Garden, the CCGC must liquidate their 4.5-acre operation by the end of March, save for the administrative office and two greenhouses, and the three-meter path separating it from the nine-car maintenance parking lot. The land would alleged be occupied by Herschend Family Entertainment, the multi-million-dollar amusement park corporation that runs the Adventure Aquarium.

The proposed razing and sale of the Garden is another move in a series of efforts by the State and its partners to further the economic redevelopment of Camden city.

“Our vision is to create Camden as a place where people want to go to live, to work and to play. We try to create the conditions in which private investment will flourish,” says Anthony J. Perno III, CEO of Cooper’s Ferry, a private nonprofit corporation that partnered with City Council in 1984.

Devlin describes CFDA as an “indispensible co-developer”; along with the Redevelopment Agency and the Garden Club, it helped secure a good deal of funding to the garden going in 1994.

In 1999, though, Cooper’s Ferry stepped away from the Garden.

The reduction, the letter from the State Treasury reads, will allow the Garden to “maintain the core benefit [it] makes available to the community” – but what is the facility’s “core benefit”?

The original City Council resolution, dating back to the project’s inception in 1994, specifies that “the purpose and goal” of the Garden is to “provide education and recreation opportunities for youth and families, as well as provide Open Green Space on the Camden Waterfront… The Children’s Garden project will enhance the beauty of this City, as well as provide a learning experience for its young citizens.”

The State and Cooper’s Ferry submit that the Garden’s greatest value lies in the projects it runs outside the gates of the property, operations which they maintain will remain feasible without the majority of the space the Garden now occupies.

Devlin dismisses this as completely untrue, pointing out a potting shed built as a co-op project by a group of local youth from Camden Vocational School carpentry program, which houses the growth of over 50,000 plants annually during the cold-weather months to be sent out to lot-gardens across town – one of the buildings to be paved over in the new deal.

He’s not alone in his outrage: an online petition to stop the eviction process has gained over 1,500 signatures, and the Save the Camden Children’s Garden Facebook group is currently pushing 6,500 members. For many of these vocal patrons of the facility, the core value of the Garden goes beyond its distance learning programs.

“To see all of the children so full of joy and light in their eyes in Camden has to pull on your heart strings. Being a Camden resident, this means so much because of the misconception portrayed about Camden and its youth,” wrote Natalie Caldwell, who grew up in the city, in the Facebook group.

Mark Doorley, an ethics professor at Villanova who serves as Director of the Center for Environmental Transformation, another nonprofit based in South Camden that focuses on urban rejuvenation, applauds the effort to refurbish the Waterfront, but maintains that the economic benefits of hosting these industries in reality do not make it back to the citizens themselves.

“They have this idea that this is going to work if we keep bringing in Ed’s and Med’s and we keep giving away tax waivers to entertainment industries and manufacturing industries, that somehow there’s going to be this magic wand and there’s going to be this race to gentrify Camden,” says the professor with a derisive laugh. “But it hasn’t worked. There’s a definition of insanity – trying the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. It’s just insane.”

Doorley says that the people of each neighborhood of Camden need to realize their own capacity to start businesses that can grow

“They have this idea that there’s going to be this magic wand and there’s going to be this race to gentrify Camden.”

upwards.

“You begin to strengthen communities by slowly but surely building these kinds of initiatives that the people feel ownership for. Then support them in identifying ways that they can

Courtesy of the State of New Jersey

A map attached to the state’s letter shows an aerial view of the property. create their own economies, where they can get their needs met through their own labor,” says Doorley. “You don’t need some big corporation to set down here and parcel, to give out its little bobbles to everybody around. You can help people to build entrepreneurial ideas – you can’t buy that, you have to work for it.”

He sees the Children’s Garden as a key piece in this citywide bottom-up economic mechanism, but he’s not the only one: another particularly vocal supporter of the Garden’s preservation has been Representative Rob Andrews.

“I refuse to accept the impending doom of the Children’s Garden,” says the congressman.

Andrews says he has sent a clear message directly to Governor Christie’s office.

“The Garden is more than just a tourist attraction, it’s a special place for the children of the region to feel some sense of peace and serenity. It represents not just a place, but a community of people who are dedicated to its success and have volunteered and feel a real personal investment,” says Andrews.

Though neither Herschend nor Cooper’s Ferry has announced any formal plans for what this new waterfront attraction might be, rumors abound, with murmurs of everything from a food court to a dolphin tank.

“You’ve got a population of 76,000 people or so: those people are suffering from hunger, malnutrition and obesity – obesity because they only have access to food that’s not good for them,” Doorley says, “We’re not providing Twinkies for people: we’re growing tomatoes and other vegetables, we’re showing them how to cook it, prepare it, store it, preserve it. We have nutrition education. These things are needed: we have one of the worst places in America for nutrition – it’s a real crisis. Violence is a real crisis; we’re trying to address that with a safe haven that’s outdoors.”

As he too browses a mental list of all the potential attractions to replace the Children’s Garden that he’s heard floating around Waterfront South, Mark Doorley shakes his head.

“The people are never asked.”

Angie Pacitti (‘13)/ Eastside Photo Editor

Two CCG workers survey the Garden’s main plaza, all of which would be paved over in the new deal.

OPINIONS February/March 2013

EASTSIDE

Page 7

BPA must be banned

Penmanship Matters

■ By Molly Schultz (‘14)

This is not to say that computers should be pushed aside.

Every student appreciates them for the relative speed of typing Many students admit that (compared with writing by they have never written in curhand) and the automatic neatsive, while others say that their ness of the words. High school print is suffering. Usually, they English classes almost always just disregard it, arguing that require written assignments to most of their work for English be typed. In the rush of modernclass needs to be typed. The day life, computers prove to be declining practice of good handuseful tools for writing, but the writing is being dismissed as act of writing by hand remains unimportant – an assumption crucial, especially for students. which, as it turns out, is not Take younger children, for even remotely true. example. The small, controlled While some may argue that movements of the fingers handwriting is archaic and involved in the art of writing unnecessary in today’s technohelp develop the fine motor logical world, it still matters in skills of the average clumsy sixhigh school and other instituyear-old. These fine motor skills tions. are critical in Research everyday life, shows that Good handwriting as they are having good handwriting should not be a lost art. needed to do things such as increases the folding clothes, complexity cutting with scissors and using and length of a written work. A a fork to eat. study conducted by Virginia Unfortunately, elementary Berninger, a professor of educaschool teachers often shrink the tional psychology at the time allotted for their handwritUniversity of Washington, ing lessons to incorporate other explains that students in the lessons that they deem more second, fourth and sixth grades valuable. Taxing curriculum communicated more ideas, standards may be a part of it. wrote faster and wrote more “In schools today, they’re when writing essays by hand teaching to the tests,” said rather than with a computer Tamara Thornton, a University keyboard. of Buffalo professor, in an inter“When [children] are taught view with TIME magazine’s to write more smoothly, the Claire Suddath. “If something quality of their prose improves isn’t on a test, it’s viewed as a as well,” writes John Tierney, a luxury.” columnist for The New York While revamping the curTimes. riculum to put more of an In short, having good handemphasis on handwriting would writing can make you a better be an overly drastic solution to writer. Improving your handthis problem, smaller measures writing could subsequently can be taken to ensure legible improve your English grade, handwriting. Even having eleand you do not have to switch mentary school teachers spend over to cursive writing for this just a few minutes each day to happen. Both have their benreviewing print and cursive efits: while many people considwould help their students er cursive to be faster and more expand their potential in the elegant-looking, some students near future. Good handwriting also find writing in print to be should not be a lost art. easier and more legible.

Eastside Staff

BPA: Whether or not you know what this term means, it connects to us all. From the canned soda in your backpack to the water bottles sitting in the vending machine, the chemical Bisphenol A, also known as BPA, is everywhere.

BPA is used primarily to harden plastics, and products made with BPA line canned foods and beverages. So when consumers drink from plastic water bottles, they are, unknowingly, dumping BPA into their bodies.

One of the most discouraging factors regarding the presence of BPA in plastic is the lack of scientific evidence from government agencies to justify the removal of the harmful toxin.

The FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) has published many studies, often funded by chemical corporations, that show harm from BPA exposure from an average diet. But what could this BPA possibly do? This is the topic that is easily avoided in the slew of politics.

Primarily, BPA affects people who plan to have children in the near future. Bisphenol A is an endocrine disruptor that inhibits the regular hormone function.

According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, Bisphenol A is associated with reproductive abnormalities such as low sperm counts, abnormal chromosome counts in eggs, enlarged prostate glands and hormonal changes.

Also, according to recent studies, it is not hard to bridge the gap between Bisphenol A exposure and cancer.

BPA is associated

with precancerous changes in the mammary and prostate glands and with contributing to the development of polycystic ovary disease.

Chemical and plastic corporations, as well as others, have been capitalizing off of consumers who buy products containing Bisphenol A. Since Bisphenol A is also an extremely durable and strong material, it prevents objects made with it from shattering or breaking easily. It is used to make a variety of products including CDs, children’s toys, plastic cups and bottles, canned beverages, food safety equipment, bicycle helmets and more.

Despite this, Bisphenol A poses a huge medical risk— which one would think to be enough to stop the FDA from allowing it into our products BPA can be noted for causing reproductive abnormalities, ADHD, autism, obesity, type 2 diabetes, miscarriages and many other unfavorable circumstances.

Eliminating BPA from daily life would entail the abolition of plastic, special canned products and certain glass products in order to create safer, healthier conditions for future generations. Consumers need to focus on reducing their usage of plastic and canned products while also keeping a clear line of communication with larger companies to ensure that the quality of the products will not lead to permanent bodily harm.

There is no justifiable reason for preserving BPA in plastics, given the health risks that it poses. Until the government realizes that, this generation will suffer greatly from the detrimental effects that this toxin has on the human body.

■ By Lanxi Li (‘16)

For Eastside

Caffeine at East: to sell or not to sell ■ By Shelby Goodwin (‘14) For Eastside

Sip, mmm, ahh.

The soothing sounds of enjoying a great cup of coffee. Since Aramark began offering coffee to East students last year, these sounds have been heard around school on any given day. But, should coffee be sold to high school students? Is it beneficial for students to be introduced to such a high amount of caffeine at a young age?

Although coffee is not recommended for children ages 12 and under, it is not harmful to teenagers if consumed in moderation.

In fact, the stimulating qualities of coffee can help high school students get the extra energy needed for their hectic days.

Many students are so busy juggling school, friends, work, sports and other activities that they are exhausted during the crucial hours needed for educational purposes. According to the Sleep Foundation, only 15 percent of students sleep for the recommended eight hours per night.

Coffee acts as a stimulant to help students remain focused and alert, helping them to perform

better in school.

“There’s not much harm in it and some kids could use the boost on tough days,” said Weslie Chiu (‘14).

Yet some believe that coffee should not be sold at East because of its caffeine content, without the consideration of the high amounts of caffeine from soft drinks and energy drinks consumed every day by students.

“It isn’t harmful since kids would drink it outside of school anyway,” said Katie Harris (’14).

Coffee at school would help to dissuade students from drinking energy drinks, known to be harmful to young adults, and drinking soft drinks, which contain higher amounts of sugar and calories.

“I can’t function without [coffee],” said Erika Yang (’15). “I just wish [the coffee sold in school] was a bit better quality.”

Although coffee may seem like a drink that should only be indulged in by adults, teenagers should have the opportunity to have coffee, too.

Coffee at East may have started because Aramark wanted to make more money off of students, but it has turned into a benefit for all East students.

PRO

■ By Atira Nair (‘16) Eastside Staff

For about a year now, East has been selling caffeinated coffee. Although coffee helps people stay alert, its health risks far outweigh its benefits.

Caffeine is classified as a drug.

As a stimulant, caffeine energizes the central nervous system to cause increased alertness. It boosts energy temporarily and lightens mood – not to mention it's addictive.

Getting a cup of coffee in the morning at Wawa, Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts is a regular part of people’s morning routine. It helps keep them awake and prepared for the day. However, high doses of caffeine can cause anxiety, dizziness, headaches and jitters. It can also interfere with a person's regular sleep schedule and reduce a person's fine motor coordination.

Like many drugs, caffeine can diminish one’s ability to perform simple tasks, such as holding a pen and using it to write, sorting things into different groups, and even solving simple math problems.

Under healthy conditions, these tasks can be done with little

thought or concentration. All of these skills are necessary to perform well in school. Because caffeine can impair motor skills necessary for student performance, it should not be sold in schools.

Students want coffee or soda to keep them alert, but because of its addictive nature, one cup of coffee then turns into two or three, and increases from there, multiplying its negative effects.

"Caffeine is okay, but in small amounts. It does wake one up in the morning, but overdosing can result in a crash," says Molly Bearden ('15).

Caffeine has a longer list of risks than advantages. Students need to be awake and alert in school, but healthy sleep habits–which caffeine impairs–can easily solve that.

Amrita Mitra ('15) said, "Ultimately it's the student's decision if he or she wants to buy it or not. It's not like its being forced upon us."

Although schools cannot dictate what students consume, there is no reason for them to be condoning the consumption of harmful substances by allowing them to be sold on school grounds.

CON

All art by Gilana Levavi (‘14)/ Eastside Opinions Editor

OPINIONS Page 8

EASTSIDE

February/March 2013

“Cows don’t eat dead cows!”

The modern system of industrial agriculture produces record yields and cheap, widely available food – but at what cost?

■ By Amy Myers (‘13) Eastside Opinions Editor

As the Industrial Revolution swept over Europe and the United States, new technological advancements were established that allowed the manufacturing of goods to increase in efficiency within many industries during the turn of the Nineteenth Century.

Large-scale production seemed to yield the most profits and it was very effective in accomplishing the demands of the people. The factory set-up was an ingenious, compact design and it proved to work for nearly every area of production... except for livestock.

From the ages of the gutwrenchingly unsanitary slaughterhouse practices that predated the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to the overly condensed factory “farms,” the transgression against natural farming practices has not only undermined the diets of Americans, but has also become one of the largest contributing factors of U.S. pollution.

According to the National Resources Defense Council, between 1995 and 1998, there were 1,000 spills of animal waste at animal feedlots that resulted in the death of over 13 million fish.

Two years prior to the initiation of the spills, similar water contamination ensued where the water of the city of Milwaukee, WI, was contaminated by the manure of neighboring dairy cows, which resulted in the death of over 100 residents and grossly infected about 400,000 citizens.

Now, you are probably wondering: “How could these dairy cows possibly produce enough waste to compromise an entire city’s water supply?”

Well, as the number of factory farms increases every year, so does the concentration of manure and other by-products of the maintenance of cattle. Cattle, swine, chickens and other farm animals, in a factory-farmed environment, are enclosed in small pens with many other like-animals in close

proximity to one another. The animals, enduring such tight confinement, so easily spread harmful diseases to one another that the United States Department of Agriculture notes that it claims the lives of approximately 10 percent of the animals raised for human consumption. Nearly 900 million sick animals fall victim to the hazardous diseases that arise with a severe deprivation of “personal space.”

As these millions of animals die each year because of illness, the only “logical” thing for the farmers to do is frequently inject different varieties of antibiotics into the animals to prevent further illness in the overcrowded pens. A combination of a poor diet, consisting of genetically modified corns and other dead animals, like cattle, for protein, and highly concentrated pens produce malnourished cattle that simply cannot support their immune systems. As a biological warfare ensues between the strands of viruses and the sickly animals, newer antibiotics are demanded in order to combat the resistant strands of the viruses.

The resistant strands are often the fatal viruses that any human body could not merely defend itself against because of its ability to resist antibodies and other bodily defenses.

And how does the average civilian in suburbia come into contact with contagious animal diseases?

By consuming them.

E. coli, one of the largest offenders in the culinary world, comes from the lower intestines of animals and often manages to sneak into assorted foods across the country. Poor hygienic methods used during the slaughtering of the animals leads to many crosscontaminations where the fecal matter, and the bacteria associated with said matter, reaches contact with often unrelated foods.

One could easily argue that E. coli could be found from any farm, and it is true. It could also be found in any bathroom as well. But why is there such

a widespread contamination of E. coli in unrelated foods, like lettuce? According to Discovery News, it’s because of water contamination.

The water systems in the United States are infested with strains of E. coli and Salmonella, which can only be killed if the water is heated at a hot enough temperature for a substantial amount of time. Now, how practical is that? How could small farmers possibly afford to purify their water for their crops?

Logically, the farmers should not have to do so.

Small farms have operated within the United States for hundreds of years with little contamination difficulties. Yet, with the implementation of the factory farm model, there has been rapidly increased pollution throughout the American water systems, which, in turn, continues to pollute the crops that the American people consume.

Animals are not inanimate objects that are designed to be industrialized or improved in the manner that the factory farm system endorses. Oftentimes, the animals are so artificially sustained with antibiotic cocktails within their overpopulated enclosures that even the waste that they produce is not desirable for farmers to fertilize their crops with. These animals’ manure is so unfavorable that the only means of waste removal is to pour the waste into sealed artificial lagoons that the waste will reside in should it be fortunate enough to avoid leeching into the nearby groundwater, which continues the cycle of contamination.

The impracticalities of the conventional farming system will endow heavy repercussions that will abruptly impact this generation in the near future without the implementation of sustainable farming practices. Until then, the future of a safer food system lies in the hands of the seemingly inactive government and future regulations to follow.

FRESH? Approximately 99% of all farm animals are farmed on factory farms.

About 2% of livestock farms raise 40% of all animals in the United States.

Since 1995, 1,000,000,000 fish have been killed from manure runoff in the states of North Carolina, Virginia and Maryland that emptied into the Chesapeake Bay. Hog, chicken and cattle waste from factory farming has polluted 35,000 miles of rivers in 22 states.

2 out of 3 farms in the world are factory farms.

16 million egg-laying hens in the United States are kept in battery cages, or cages that are too small for proper care for the birds.

Factory farms administer 24.6 million pounds of antibiotics to animals that are not sick annually.

A report from the USDA claims that 89% of all U.S. beef patties contain the deadly strain of E.coli (circa 2000).

650,000 Americans become sick from Salmonella-tainted factory farm eggs each year.

Statistics courtesy of: www.animalrights-action.com, www.dosomething.org, www.centerforfoodsafety.com, and www.organicconsumers.com

Courtesy of ecowatch.org

Thousands of cows and chickens are raised for meat on these farms.

Fresh meat art by Shari Bodofsky (‘14)/ Eastside Staff

OPINIONS February/March 2013

EASTSIDE

Page 9

NCLB: No Child Left Behind and high school education ■ By Alex Grayson (‘14) For Eastside

It is no secret that the fate of this far from stable country lies in the hands of education. The concept is quite simple: better schools create better jobs. Yet this seemingly rudimentary concept seems to have been lost on the men and women of Capitol Hill. Despite President Obama’s perpetual attempts at coercion, it has been 11 years since Congress churned out a new education reform bill.

The last bill, the No Child Left Behind Act, was dangerously ambitious and was greeted with appropriate skepticism. Enacted under President George W. Bush, this bipartisan bill set virtually unachievable goals, forcing schools to hold all students to the same achievement standards.

The fundamental prem-

ise of the bill was actually quite wonderful; schools could no longer hide behind the test scores of high achievers and were forced to actively improve the education of poor, minority and disabled students. The execution, though, left much to be desired.

The bill relies on an incessant stream of standardized testing. In order for schools to receive federal funding they have to consistently meet state-regulated standards. If a school does not meet the state standard, funding will be curtailed and the school will be branded with a federally mandated “failing” label.

This rash system cultivated an unhealthy learning environment that permeated classrooms across the nation.

All too aware that the fiscal future of their schools depended upon their ability to prepare

students for standardized testing, teachers were forced to teach only to the test.

The underlying notion governing “No Child Left Behind”— that states are expected to set one achievement standard for all of its schools—is blatantly preposterous and has led to a myriad of problems. Each individual school is unique and cannot be expected to perform at one uniform level. How is it fair, for example, to tell a school on the border of Texas, filled with immigrants, that in order to receive federal funding, its students must be just as proficient in English as the rest of Texas?

To compensate for this standard, states began to lower the proficiency expectations so all schools could obtain federal funding. So the pressure and ominous threats that the federal government so proudly

imposed on schools completely backfired: instead of raising the bar on education, state officials were forced to significantly lower it.

Looking at the raw statistics, No Child Left Behind did narrow the achievement gap. But it did so by holding a figurative gun to our nation’s teachers.

With an increasing number of schools being labeled as “failing,” President Obama has practically nullified the 11-year-old “No Child Left Behind” bill by issuing waivers to more than 33 states.

It has come time to officially nullify the dated bill. The time has come to stop threatening our schools into performing. The time has come to reform education with the respect and the decency that it deserves.

Headline art by Jon Levine (‘13)/ Eastside Staff

In the Obama administration’s “Blueprint for Reform,” Obama shared his plans to overhaul the No Child Left Behind Act and support state and local efforts to help ensure that all students graduate prepared for college and a career.

Courtesy of www.swprsc.org

The accountability system planned to set a high bar for all students graduating from high school. It will measure student growth and reward schools that accelerate student achievement.

Prepping for college a year at a time ■ By Madison Stern (‘13)

accomplish in order to meet the requirements of the colleges they wish to attend. The college preparation process would be made that much more organWhen is the right time for high school ized, as students would know a year or students to start looking at colleges? two in advance of the expectations they According to the administration at need to meet.

Cherry Hill East, the right time starts Also, starting the college junior year.

The Guidance preparation process Department offers excused college visits earlier would give stuand counselor college conferences for dents the motivation to all upperclassmen – but what try harder in school. If stuabout the underclassmen? dents know the expectations Many students at East and requirements of colwould argue that this leges, they would have policy is unfair, as the inspiration to be opportunity to start more diligent college research, in school to and thus the a c h i e v e entire college these expecpreparation tations and process, is only requireoffered to a select ments so portion of the stuthat they can dent population. secure their According to places among other US News and accepted applicants.

World Report Many students might argue Online, students that starting the college process should start looking freshman year would just cause at colleges as anxiety.

Zoe Greenhall (‘13)/ Eastside Art Director unnecessary early as freshman year.

Students should start preparing for Getting an early start, does not Most colleges college as early as freshman year. however, amplify the stress of in the United students; rather, it decreases the stress States have expectations required of of the college preparation process in the potential students to complete before the long run. Underclassmen would ultiapplication process begins. Respective mately be able to put more time and care colleges look for different grades, SAT (or into choosing colleges and completing ACT) scores, courses and extracurricular applications while minimizing the time activities throughout potential students’ typically spent stressing by upperclasshigh school careers, including freshman men in their most important years of and sophomore year. But how can a high high school. school student know what he or she To help underclassmen get a head needs to accomplish to meet these start on the college process, a singlerequirements and expectations if he or semester college preparation course she does not know which colleges he or should be made available to the entire she wishes to attend? student population at East. Students If students at Cherry Hill East were taking this course would research colto start visiting colleges during their leges and start preparing for the expecfreshman year, they would be able to tations and requirements of the many plan out their next few years of high different colleges throughout the world. school in terms of what they need to Eastside Staff

Page 10

EASTSIDE

February/March 2013

UNDERGROUND

February/March 2013

EASTSIDE

internet, Urban Outfitters The hipster: The and the void of the 21st century American counterculture ■ By Jack Braunstein (‘13) Eastside Editor-in-Chief

1920s: Flappers The Look: The flappers’ look put emphasis on youth and mobility, giving off a slender, boyish feel. Taking cues from French style, they wore their hair short and wavy and their dresses straight and loose. These women also began to wear makeup.

The Art: The lavish parties at which the flappers blossomed were always filled with the sounds of jazz – including notorious big-bands led by musicians like Duke Ellington, or witty lounge pianists like Cole Porter. For a glimpse into the flapper lifestyle, check out F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby.

The Ideal: The flappers brought about a wave of loose, flamboyant behavior in a time of rigid social conservatism. They refined the role of women in society, asserting their independence by rebelling against the prude, suppressive conventions of American social life and working hand in hand with the Voting Rights and Birth Control movements. The flappers drank alcohol, smoked cigarettes and drove automobiles – simple but taboo acts of social disobedience. We can also thank the flappers for many elements of the modern courtship process – including the popularization of what we today refer to as “making out.”

■ By Nick Mitchell (‘13) Eastside Underground Editor

1960s: Hippies The Look: Hippies repp’d a syncretic style that blended aesthetic motifs from all across the spectrum of non-western cultures with the unrestrained side of American culture. Also, they sported tie-dye.

The Art: Hippie culture centered around vibrant, psychedelic and rambling music and art, notoriously manifested in freedomfetishizing festivals, like Woodstock and Altamont. The era also gave way to the entire canon of psychedelic rock music. Check out the Jimi Hendrix Experience’s Electric Ladyland and Pink Floyd’s Piper at the Gates of Dawn.

The Ideal: Hippies operated under a mantra of “free love”—they advocated the end of the Vietnam War, the use of psychedelic drugs to expand their perception and a general abandonment of what they saw as restrictive social constraints.

It seems that revolution has been a key thread in the fabric of American history. From the Revolutionary War to the Civil Rights Movement, society and the laws that govern it have changed constantly as a result of people’s actions. Alongside these political revolutions, major cultural – or rather, countercultural – revolutions have transpired throughout the last century. From the flappers to the beatniks, from the hippies to the hipsters, people have gathered together to rebel against society’s conventions. These countercultures have produced unique pieces of art, adjusted their lifestyles and even modified the clothing on their backs: anything to keep from conforming to what society considered “acceptable behavior.”

Their great will to maintain personal freedom and individuality has survived over the years and still influences people today.

In the 1920s, flappers resisted cultural restraints by indulging in casual sexual relationships and alcohol – things that were condemned by society during that time.

During the 1950s, beatniks, such as Allen Ginsberg, openly celebrated homosexuality – which was considered a mental illness – experimented with drug use and cast off the conventions of that conservative decade through avant-garde poetry.

In the 1960s, hundreds of thousands of hippies united under their love for psychedelic rock music and hallucinogenic drugs to resist American participation in the violence overseas.

These countercultures did not agree with society and made a strong effort to change close-minded viewpoints on art, sexuality, foreign policy and the role of women in society, and they did so successfully. Nowadays, these new opinions, which were so radical in the past, have worked their way into the fabric of modern society, whether consciously or subconsciously. Without these countercultures, society could not progress and America would be a much more narrow-minded and restrictive place to live.

The internet has taken whatever impression we might have had of a 21st Century counterculture and fractured it into hundreds of thousands of niches; though the web could never smother the importance of a local culture scene, the real, aesthetically unified counterculture is an endangered species – but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Instead, the web has allowed anybody with a passion to take the DIY (Do It Yourself) movement to an accessible extreme; this means that every movement – no matter how specific or strange – gets, to some extent, a voice.

Unfortunately, though, this lack of a cohesive movement leaves the public grasping for an aesthetic generalization of the modern counter-culturist – and who comes to fill that void but the odious hipster.

When we each hear that word “hipster,” the image that pops up in all of our respective heads is probably pretty similar – heavy-set glasses sitting about a mess of ironic facial hair, swaddled in a keffiyeh and curling a lip up in disgust towards you because, ew, how do you still listen to Local Natives?

Appropriating the word hipster to yoke together a group of people of diverse taste in culture represents by no means a modern counterculture – the reality of the word falls somewhere between a slur and a tool for marketing.

The common accusation that comes along with the term goes something along the lines of “If they’re so concerned about refusing to conform to society, how come they dress like each other?” The reason why discernable aesthetic patterns seem so especially despicable for this social typecast is a great deal due to the dichotomy of individuality presented through marketing campaigns for mall stalwarts like Urban Outfitters and American Apparel. These are multi-national corporations that market what they’d like to be seen as a hip aesthetic, notorious for modeling designs after worn-down vintage clothing from thrift stores and bygone days, but jacking up the prices four-fold or more, but to dismiss someone as a hipster for fitting one’s wardrobe out of these chains is misguided and lazy – these suckers have been tricked into buying into a fully-designed lifestyle; that’s aesthetic gullibility, not an anti-conformist rebellion. Or they just like the clothes.

Therein lies the most glaring problem with the term “hipster”: though the image that it

1970s-80s: Punks

1950s: Beatniks The Look: Beatniks and their choice of appearance were a spark that would later inspire the wild styles of the ‘60s, sporting some thick-rimmed glasses, long hair, dark, earth-toned attire, a scarf and maybe the occasional beret. It was certainly not the most radical of changes, but it did succeed in setting them apart from the group, which was after all the main goal.

The Art: The main, or at least most effective, art form of the beatniks was writing – both poetry and stories – from which famous writers like Jack Kerouac, William Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg emerged. Check out On the Road, Naked Lunch, and Howl and Other Poems.

The Ideal: Beatniks showed a heavy disregard for materialism: the idea that a person needed a lot of stuff to be happy.

They also denounced censorship, racism, homophobia and conformity of any kind.

All art by Zoe Greenhall (‘13)/ Eastside Art Director All blurbs by Jack Braunstein (‘13)/ Eastside Editor-in-Chief, Maya Mintz (‘14)/ Eastside Webmaster and Nick Mitchell (‘13)/ Eastside Underground Editor Photos courtesy of GlobArtMag and Deadbeats.eu

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conjures up for most of us has become a standard modern archetype of aesthetic, the word means something different for every user. I’ve seen people in this school call one another hipsters for something as non-controversial as wearing a flannel shirt or eating a yogurt at lunch; I’ve also seen a person in North Philadelphia start an ironic taxidermy business. Everybody is somebody else’s hipster.

That’s probably because most of the basis for the epithet comes from whatever art – generally music or films – the subject enjoys. To me this is completely bogus and closed-minded: people will like pieces of art because they like them, not because they want to consider themselves more culturally advanced than anyone else. If you feel like your life is going to be enriched by driving out to an art gallery in Chinatown on a Wednesday night to hear Thurston Moore shove a screwdriver underneath the strings of an electric guitar, more power to you: what many people might dismiss as hipster-dom is really just a group of people who have to search further and deeper for something that they enjoy.

Bottom line is, the word “hipster” is nonsense, a term thrown around to question the authenticity and the motives of anybody who makes any cultural choice perceived as being in any way different or affected. But really that’s no better than the obnoxious culture snob sneering at you for not having heard the first Neu! album; instead of hurling dismissive brickbats, let’s all just flip up our own sets of giant headphones, and sit quietly together enjoying whatever makes us enjoy living, without forcing o t h e r people to justify t h e i r o w n taste.

The Look: Though we might imagine some sort of punk-rock uniform – studded and patched leather jackets, combat boots and a mohawk – the philosophy of punk is essentially to look however you want to look.

The Art: Any true piece of DIY culture can be considered punk, but for some classic American hardcore, try out Minor Threat and the Bad Brains.

The Ideal: Though it has taken infinitely many forms over the years, punk has always been about discontent. Though hundreds of local scenes germinated all over the world – with subcultures based off of ideologies as diverse as anarchism, nihilism and straight edge living (abstinence from drugs, alcohol and casual sex) – they all expressed some form of aggressive rebellion against conformity and authority. The do-it-yourself ethos to which most punks swore themselves extends way beyond just hardcore – it basically defines the current independent art landscape.

.

EDITORIAL Page 12

EASTSIDE

February/March 2013

Editorials represent the views and opinions of the Eastside Editorial Board.

Coffee House is a hot tradition at Cherry Hill East Coffee House began seven years ago with the intent of raising money for a charitable cause, giving East students opportunities to perform in front of a large audience and entertain all different members of the local community.

In the first few years, Coffee House was not regarded as a well-known school event, nor did it attract as many participants as intended. However, this event has progressed immensely every year. Based on its turnout within the past few years, Eastside would like to commend East Singers, the Thespian Society and all other contributors to Coffee House for making it a memorable, inspirational and outstanding event.

This year, Coffee House’s attendance rate reached an all-time record of over 1,300 people. Mr. Charlie Musumeci was honored, and all proceeds were donated to the Millie Schembechler Fund for Adrenal Cancer Research.

The entrance fees, bake sale, artwork, T-shirts and apple stand totaled about $8,600, which is an impressive amount. The natural unifying factor of Coffee House

fuels school spirit. Since the tradition began, the student body has progressively become more enthusiastic about attending and supporting the event. The first year’s Coffee House occurred during a snowstorm, yet an audience was still present and an impact was still made.

This year, many singers, actors, athletes and other students deeply impacted by Musumeci sang “Come Together” by The Beatles to express their mutual love toward a very special teacher and role model. Musumeci has positively influenced so many different members of the Cherry Hill and East communities, and Coffee House honored his multiple contributions.

Although previously regarded as a D-Wing-type of event, Coffee House has recently achieved supreme eclecticism. With a variety of different performances including songs, monologues and short films, Coffee House provided its audience with a memorable night.

In just a few short years, Coffee House has grown from a casual night in which students could showcase their talents in front of a live audience into a charitable, seat-filling and inspirational highlight of the school year.

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Drop off letters to F087 or e-mail letters@eastsideonline.org Rachel Tinkelman (‘13)/ Eastside Humor Editor

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COMICS Page 13

EASTSIDE

February/March 2013

I Knew You Were Trouble When I Logged In by Joel Greenspan (‘13)/ Eastside Art Director

A Bright Idea by Joel Greenspan (‘13)/ Eastside Art Director

Date Like A Champion Today by Jon Levine (‘13)/ Eastside Staff

Expires 3/31/13

ENTERTAINMENT Page 14

EASTSIDE

February/March 2013

B oss, Bon Jovi bring brawn to benefits From Broadway to

■ By Jordan Schmidt (‘14)

Eastside Staff

On December 12, 2012, Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, Mick Jagger, Paul McCartney, Dave Grohl, Eric Clapton and countless others were sitting in the same backstage area, readying their sets for the same gig. They were all there for a reason – other than making sure every last person in the crowd sang the final chorus along with them; they were there to raise money to benefit areas badly damaged by Hurricane Sandy.

Just eleven years earlier, many of the same rockers had been in the same area to help New York City rebound from the attacks of September 11, 2001. Even before that, events like Band Aid and Live Aid benefitted various causes around the world from famine in Africa to Aids worldwide.

Still, while the Sandy benefit was no different than any of the benefit concerts that came before, it had a much larger impact than did its predecessors. The answer to why is simple: benefit concerts have gotten bigger and bigger over time.

One of the reasons lies in the big names that flock to these events.

Attracting these stars appeals to audiences and fans of every kind. Diehard fans of several acts, or even just one, will want to buy in, contributing to the live viewing audiences as well as live broadcast audiences.

Also the popularity of the rock-stars involved has also grown. At the 9/11 benefit, a lot of the same acts that were at the Sandy benefit were involved, but were then more part of the mainstream. Now, artists like McCartney, the Rolling Stones and Roger Waters are part of the ‘legends’ category, putting out albums every decade or so Courtesy of time.com and going live every once in a while. If a handful of Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi perform them, along with a bunch at benefit concert for Hurricane Sandy on 12of younger stars, join such 12-12. ever, as long as all of the acts involved a big event, people will be interested. are still huge names. The success of It all led to the success of the the Sandy benefit shows suggests that 12/12/12 concert, recordings of which if big names are involved, people will have sold well over the last two buy, people will help and people will months. This validates that the popuwant to be a part of the cause. larity of these events is higher than

The Hunger Games comes to life in the form of reality TV ■ By Rachel Cohen (‘15) and Rebecca Cohen (‘15)

severe as her Games to come to life, especially one based on her ideas of an oppressive Eastside Community Editor and Eastside Entertainment Editor society.

This show will Twelve teams of two dropped demonstrate how crazy some into the wilderness without any people can get over a cash supplies for survival. Is this The prize. It will also bring to life Hunger Games? No, this is a plot one of Collins’s main themes for a new reality TV show that The of her books: the fact that CW has ordered. These 12 teams modern society is so absorbed will be dropped into the wilderin the media and will do anyness, forced to find food, water and thing for a little fame and forshelter, and must “capture each tune. other.” What “capturing” means is As if this one is not ridicunot yet clear, but it will probably lous enough, various other be closely associated with the shows emulating the ideas of word “killing.”

The Hunger Games are set to Called “The Hunt,” this reality premier. “The Selection,” a TV show competition is set to air drama that will be similar to for a month, and the final survivor The Games, plays with the will win a cash prize. No premiere mix of ideas from The Hunger date has been set and no further Games and violent Japanese logistics have been announced. game shows.

This show, While the plots of The Hunger unlike “The Hunt,” will be less Games and “The Hunt” are similike a reality game show with lar, the circumstances and mesa prize to fight for and more sages they send are complete an ongoing story following the opposites. show’s characters and their The Hunger Games is set in a adventures through their own post-apocalyptic society. The version of The Games.

Capitol, their government, selects Shows like “The Hunt” and by lottery 12 teams of two to com“The Selection” prove that the pete in a battle to the death. The entertainment business and Hunger Games served to be a punpeople in general will do anyishment for a past rebellion against Courtesy of myhungergames.com thing for money. It supports the Capitol and to make the dis- Katniss runs through her arena in The Games. violence for the means of tricts fear their authoritarian rule. entertainment. The capturing If chosen as tribute, choosing not to down by The Hunger Games author, of people in this case means you’re compete is not an option while choosSuzanne Collins, and brings them to closer to a cash prize, not freedom. ing to compete means death. life. While writing, Collins never had This is one idea that should absolute“The Hunt” takes ideas written any intention for a game show as ly remain fictional.

“Girl Meets World”... and television ■ By Abby Hoffman (‘14) Eastside Opinions Editor

Courtesy of vibe.com

Parents Cory (Ben Savage) and Topanga (Danielle Fishel) on their wedding day from original show, Boy Meets World.

From 1993 to 2000, the sitcom “Boy Meets World” was the perfect coming-of-age program for pre-teens and teenagers alike. The show chronicled the events and everyday life lessons of Cory Matthews (Ben Savage), a boy from Philadelphia, who ultimately grows from a young boy to a married man over its seven acclaimed seasons.

Given the show’s tremen-

dous success during its run, the Disney Channel has decided to run a spinoff of the show entitled “Girl Meets World,” featuring Savage and his television wife, Topanga Matthews (Danielle Fischel).

The new series, which began taping in February of this year, is set to follow their 13-year-old daughter, Riley.

With no set air date, the highly anticipated series has fans anxiously waiting to see what has become of its beloved characters.

the big screen, Les Mis stays on top ■ By Rebecca Cohen (‘15) Eastside Entertainment Editor

As modern books are turned into movies, the fandom that surrounds them goes wild.

Seeing your favorite trilogy or series come to life has been extremely popular among all ages over the years. But when a piece of famous literature comes to life, as a play, and then a movie, does it have the same effect on audiences?

Les Misérables, written by Victor Hugo in 1862, was originally put on stage in 1985 in London, recreating Hugo’s powerful story about love and loss in relation to the French revolution.

The musical reigned as one of the best for years, with casts performing in various theaters all over the world. Though on December 25, 2012, Les Mis was once again released as a live performance in a new kind of theater: a movie theater.

Very much like the musical, all of the singing was done live; nothing was pre-recorded and lip-synched to create the perfection of a movie-musical.

I tend to agree with the common gossip comparing the two.

Because no one has the time to sit through a six-hour movie including every detail Hugo included in his first version of the book, I found that both the play and the movie told the same shortened version of the story. It seemed like the writers of the movie took the exact scenes from the play and put them behind a camera.

Although this is not a bad thing, it would have been nice to see some different aspects touched on in either of the performances to see how each of the writers could have taken their own spin of the story.

I saw the movie before the play, but something about the live performance at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia simply blew me away. I do believe the casting for the movie better portrayed the physical appearances of the characters, but the talent of the cast I saw perform was outstanding. A live show captures you in a way that a screen, and a million miles of separation, cannot. You are drawn into the show and connect better with the story.

I have come to the conclusion that, yes, although Les Misérables is a piece of classic literature and not a modern day The Hunger Games, fans will still go wild over one of their favorite stories coming to life. Whether produced in a musical or movie form, the telling of a famous tale through words and songs creates an illusion that sometimes the brain just cannot ever achieve....and maybe it’s better that way.

ENTERTAINMENT February/March 2013

EASTSIDE

Page 15

“A galaxy far, far away” closer than ever First film in new Star Wars trilogy slated for 2015 release ■ By Joe Incollingo (‘13) Eastside Entertainment Editor

bad news. “There really isn't any story to tell there,” assures Lucas. “It's been covered in the books and video games and comic books, which are things I think are incredibly creative but that I don't really

have anything to do with other than being the person who built the sandbox they're playing in.”

And yet, with the franchise in Disney’s hands and Lucas out of the picture, reconsiderations have

been made. Episode VII is now slated for a 2015 release, with Little Miss Sunshine writer Michael Arndt penning the script and LOST and Star Trek director J.J. Abrams helming the project, set to take

Call it the Empire’s greatest weapon.

When The Walt Disney Company bought George Lucas’s Lucasfilm production company, including its multi-billion dollar Star Wars franchise, late last year, it was all too clear to many that such a lucrative license would be a huge asset for the entertainment giant, regardless of Lucas’s insistence that the movies ended in 2005.

But when Disney CEO Bob Iger promised new Star Wars films every two to three years beginning in 2015 (along with Lucas’s retirement from his company), fans could not help but turn their heads.

Since 2005’s Episode III, news from the franchise has been scarce. A 3D rerelease of Episode I last year and an animated movie in 2008 came out amid rumors of a liveaction television series that has yet to come to Art by Joel Greenspan (‘13)/ Eastside Art Director fruition. As far as beginning a new trilogy, howev- Star Wars stars (from left) Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford will likely er, no news has been, well, return to the franchise in 2015.

place several decades after the events of Episode VI. With the series’ three stars, Mark Hamill (61), Carrie Fisher (56) and Harrison Ford (70), all hoping to return, the time gap is key.

According to both companies, this means Episode VII will be an original story, separate from the “Extended Universe” novel Heir to the Empire, considered by the most devoted fans to be the best possible story for a new film.

In the meantime, the rumor mill has been turning hard. Man of Steel director Zack Snyder, previously on the shortlist for Episode VII’s possible directors, has denied rumors of a stand-alone movie based on Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai.

Without a doubt, plenty of news of future Star Wars, along with that of other Lucasfilm licenses like Indiana Jones, will reveal itself in the coming months, especially given the pent-up demand.

“It’s now time for me to pass Star Wars on to a new generation of filmmakers,” says Lucas. With luck, these are the ones he’s been looking for.

HUMOR Page 16

EASTSIDE

February/March 2013

For some, lunch detention goes post-graduation Robots Segway drive from Ver Izon each day to make my detention.” stage coup, ■ By Nicole Grant (‘16) But Attentee is not an isolated case. In the Class of 2013, Lunch detention is a place that does not really appeal to 1.78 percent of students have at least one lunch detention most students, but many kids end up there anyway. This after graduation. take over has become a huge problem this past year with the new, After Josephine Sprint (‘13) got caught blasting the song stricter cell phone policies.

“Forever Young” on her Android (the fourth incident that In fact, it has week), school psychologist R. Robotics become such a probKin hypothesized that some lem that some seniors seniors are so afraid to grow Club will be attending up that they will keep getlunch detention long ting detentions to stay at For Eastside

■ By Josh Cohen (‘16)

For Eastside

It was confirmed that the robots of Robotics Club actually took over Robotics Club – and they’re not stopping there.

Though no hard evidence is currently available, the most popular scientific theory is that the robots made direct physical contact with Arnold Schwarzenegger. This contact triggered a chemical reaction that caused the robots to morph into the machines from Terminator .

The first indication that something was wrong came when Mr. Joe Dawn, a teacher whose classroom is next to the Robotics Club’s room, heard metallic screeching from the lab.

The robots, apparently still learning how to use their new limbs, had destroyed thousands of dollars worth of equipment.

They pulled the tables apart and started playing limbo with the legs. They actually got a member of the Robotics Club and used him to play monkey in the middle. They began breaking entire shelves on the floor just to see which would make a louder noise when it hit the ground.

Then they made an entire game out of that with a point system.

“It really started getting out of hand when they somehow grew stereos in their chest and started making people’s ears bleed because they had the music up too loud,” said Dawn.

The public reacts: “Wait a second, slow down. When was Arnold Schwarzenegger in East High School?”

Now we get to the real question. Why did the government not cover this up?

You would think this would be something where the government is all like, “Oh, pfft.

There were…they were just doing um… some kind of experiment with… dominos. They were using a couple thousand of them.”

So why they did not do it this time beats me. They sift through deadly ruins to find the crystal wig to make sure Chris Cristie doesn’t go bald, but they don’t have time to cover up a story about Arnold Schwarzenegger robots taking over a high school.

Guess it doesn’t matter.

All we can do now is wait for the Michael Bay movie to come out next year, assuming the robots allow the population to do so.

after graduation. Bob East throughout adulthood.

Attentee (’13) recently This may explain some of was caught playing Attentee’s behavior.

Subway Surfer on his The younger generations iPhone while playing are already following in this tennis in gym class. senior’s footsteps: Some This last violation freshmen have already means that he will be acquired enough cell phonein lunch detention induced lunch detentions into the year 2014. He until they are seniors. got caught with his In fact, due to the large phone approximately amount of students in detentwenty times, leaving tion, administrators are him with four hunactually thinking of taking dred detentions. Not Cafeteria II and using it as a only will Attentee be permanent house for lunch back every day in the detentions. summer, but he will “It’s actually illegal for us also be attending to have so many kids in a lunch detention durclassroom right now,” school ing his first year of vice principal Dr. Donnie college.

Day said. “We’re running Attentee will be into the same problem we Sydney Steele (‘16)/ Eastside Staff have attending Ver Izon in upperclassmen University next fall, A student sits in the Liacouras Center’s infamous Detention English classes—too many but will be going to Chamber as the rest of his class graduates. kids, not enough desks.”

East each day. His If the school does use class schedule had to be placed correctly so he could get to Cafeteria II to house text-happy students, the freshmen detention daily. When interviewed about his detention load, and sophomores, who usually eat there, will be relegated to Attentee said, “I am excited I will be taking a two hour the breezeways between B-wing and C-wing.

A night at East ■ By Jon Levine (‘13) Eastside Staff

Last week, Eastside gave a small group of students a task – spend the night at East and record observations of anything out of the norm.

The results of the mission were shocking. Students found that materials come to life at night, plotting ways to make

life miserable for East students and teachers.

“We barely made it out – once the lights go out in the school, everything changes.

Smartboards meet to collaborate new ways to mess up calibration to delay classes.

Educational posters photocopy and hang themselves up in more locations across the school. It’s a student’s worst nightmare.”

The school, normally a dead environment, suddenly glowed with life. Vice Principal Jason Scorchs, who sleeps at the school,

cracked a smile, even a sliver of human emotion showing through his face.

The rare Valoreraptor (pictured left) stalked the halls and the DiBart Gym, roaring viciously, his silver and slowly balding scales glistening in the moonlight.

Later that night, he and a newly live basketball were spotted in the cafeteria eating by candlelight.

The remaining blackboards in the school started plotting a scheme to get the “newfangled wiseboards out,” with some blackboards brandishing canes and walkers, reminiscing about the good old days.

Catastrophe struck when the most feared part of East came alive. A giant pink ball of gum, all accumulated from one desk in a 3rd floor C-Wing classroom, clogged up some halls, causing problems in D-Wing as several pairs of nonprescription glasses and scarves tried to slink away.

“The gum was terrifying. It rolled around the hallways like the boulder from Indiana Jones. It even rolled up the down stairs – it was horrific,” said Joey Redcorridor (‘15).

School had changed completely, with no ruler, pencil or chair left untouched.

Except the food. The food stayed the same.

Art by Joel Greenspan (‘13)/ Eastside Art Director

HUMOR February/March 2013

EASTSIDE

Page 17

East celebrates a new holiday on the 14th ■ By Juliet Brooks (‘13) Eastside Editor-in-Chief

An unofficial document read out to the student body last week during Lunch Breaks One and Two declared February 14 an international holiday.

The official transcript of the proclamation reads as follows: “Hear ye, hear ye: On this day we have proclaimed February 14 an international holiday, fondly referred to as August Jones Day, in honor of our leader, August Jones.

Whoever denyeth the legitimacy of this holiday shall be forever banned from chat rooms worldwide.”

August Jones (’13), a senior at Cherry Hill High School East, said that he created the holiday when he realized that no one else was going to give him his due.

Jones said, “Yeah, I was waiting for my WoW (World of Warcraft) friends to get their act together and organize something. But they all had really big raids to go on last weekend when I came up with the idea.”

Upon realizing that he was the only person devoted enough to himself to cre-

ate the holiday, Jones sat had that many friends, but down and started everyone planning. was giving “I pulled some e a c h combinations of other months and l o l days lipops out and wearo f ing the same a colors. It’s hat,” w e i r d , he said. though.

I “I had swear he said October 31, and January 1, and I think July 4… But everyone knows that orange, but October only has 30 days in everyone it, and I hate the sound of was wearthe word ‘January.’ ing pink.”

Eventually the only combiJo n e s nation I had left was was purFebruary 14. It’s great that portednothing is going on that l y day.” happy The first August with Jones Day was celethe brated this past February 14. Jones bought cafeteria cookies for all of his friends on the Chess team.

One of his teammates, who asked to remain anonymous to prevent the advent of Jones’s wrath, said, “It’s Zoe Greenhall (‘13)/ Eastside Art Director funny. I didn’t really Official August Jones Day hat. think Gus [Jones]

turnout for his first August Jones Day. “Obviously, you can’t expect everyone to show up the first year. It’s like Earth Day. You have to build it up. But a lot of people were celebrating,” Jones said.

In fact, Jones was so impressed by his success that he thinks he will make August Jones Day a monthly event.

At press time, August Jones Day was expected to fall on February 14, March 14, April 1, May 5, June 14, July 4, August 18, September 22, October 31, the third Thursday in November and December 25.

“I’m really happy with those days,” Jones said. “I don’t think there will be much else going on to detract from August Jones Day.” August Jones Day is the first holiday created by an East student since Jeff Bridges (‘01) created Not Cheddar Cheese Day, a day on which no one eats cheddar cheese.

August Jones Day’s colors are orange and green.

Student brings scissors to senior cut day.

East basketball goes undefeated in practice.

Chess team loses match on a blown call by the ref.

E-Z Pass system installed for C-Wing.

Students who bike to East are now being tested for PEDs. Humor section’s stories are rumored to be fake.

The “News Briefs” logo was once a girl.

If you are reading this, type “LOL:#newsbriefs” on your twitter.

Incorrect spacing of original News Briefs leads to this one being typed by advisor.

Diary Entry #214: Valentines ■ By Jake Borowsky (‘16) Eastside Staff

Dear Diary, So I’ve been talking to Johnny Sosa a lot more lately – and by talking, I mean flirty, cute talking. Talking over text, video chat and in school too.

I know all boys are the same, but Sosa? I just think he’s different. When I see him, I get these fuzzies in my stomach. He’s just so caring, not to mention he looks too cute when he wears those beanies to school, wearing his hoodie and jeans like always. I know I’m not in his league, though. I know because Rochelle and LaRonda follow him all the time, and sometimes I’ll just sit there and stare. He doesn’t flirt with them, which gives me some hope, but they’re just so much easier for him. I wish I had enough courage to sit next to him, or – OMG a date with him?

Ohhh wow, I smile at the thought. I feel like if I ever did, I would either get rejected or laughed at by LaRonda or Rochelle. Diary, if I end up with Sosa by Valentine’s, I promise to go back to this entry and show him. I love Sosa. I know I do.

-Randi Person

Diary Entry #1,466 (Volume II): Valentines Dating Problems ■ By Rachel Tinkelman (‘13) Eastside Humor Editor

Dear Diary, Tomorrow is the big day. You know, the one I’ve been telling you about. The day I am finally going to ask Tara Gillespie out on a date. It’s all planned out perfectly. I’m going to put Valentine’s heart candy in her locker with a note that says, “Meet me at the school store, xoxo Brad.”

Then she’ll come in the room and I’ll be standing there with a dozen roses and a poem and my awesome hat, and it is going to look so cool.

She’s going to leap into my arms and we’re going to walk off down CWing into the dying light of those florescent bulbs… But what if she doesn’t go to her locker tomorrow, so I wait around for too long looking like a dope? What if she doesn’t like me, and that’s why she doesn’t show up? What if she doesn’t like heart candies? Or already has a Valentine?

What if she’s sick tomorrow? What if I can’t put the letter in her locker on time? What if a rabid squirrel chases her down the street and stops her from making the bus? The horrific possibilities are endless! Besides, my horoscope said February was not a month of romance for me, and that I should wait until March to make my move on that special someone. I guess I should just wait… my love for Tara can only grow stronger! Her friend Jessica is kind of hot, too.

I’ll write again before I go to bed.

-Brad

UNDERGROUND Page 18

EASTSIDE

February/March 2013

Out of the Vault: Artist Keith Haring ■ By Amy Myers (‘13) Eastside Opinions Editor

Recognized for his simplistic illustrations of people and animals, artist Keith Haring’s remarkable legacy of artwork has finally been revived after his death in 1990. This late artist, whose art can easily be recognized from shorts on television shows like “Sesame Street,” was one of the most underrated creative geniuses and activists of the latter half of the twentieth century.

Known for his involvement in spreading AIDS awareness, as he too suffered from the disease, Haring specialized in depicting artwork that encouraged other sexually active people to take precautions against contracting the HIV virus that, at the time, was very misunderstood.

His figures chanted that “Ignorance = Fear” and that “Silence = Death” in order to cast a light on the disease that cost the world many great

Logo by Joel Greenspan (‘13)/ Eastside Art Director

■ By Rachel Tinkelman (‘13) Eastside Humor Editor

Vincent Price has some pretty quirky horror flicks, but whether it’s a man swapping heads with a fly or a man coming to a dinner party he’s already been to in a dream, they are always entertaining. One movie that is particularly strange, and particularly awesome, is The Raven (1963).

This film is based on a poem by Edgar Allen Poe, and like the poem, the movie starts off with a man sighing about his lost wife Lenore. Perfectly normal so far, but when he asks the raven whether he would ever see his wife again, that’s where things get weird.

Instead of replying “nevermore,” the raven, in the familiar voice of Peter Lorre, says, “How the hell should I know? What am I, a fortune teller?”

Then the r a v e n

promptly calls for a glass of wine.

It turns out

figures, like Freddie Mercury of the band Queen and Liberace.

Although his death was a tragic example of the disease’s relentless power, The Keith Haring Fo u n d a t i o n still carries on with the preservation of his dreams and ideals by educating people about the hazards of AIDS. His art, ranging from cutesy drawings to graphically explicit illustrations, still remains one of the most visually unconventional approaches in sociopolitical activism.

Haring took a firm stance against apartheid and used his art to directly influence the world by addressing many issues at hand. His artwork also exposed otherwise clandestine details that this raven is a magician called Dr. Bedloe, who was turned into a raven by an evil sorcerer with a grudge on Price’s character.

Of course, Price is also a magician (cheekily named Dr. Craven). There is plenty of potion brewing with human hair and bat wings, dead people who sit up in their coffins and chat it up with the living and naturally a good deal of spellcasting. Bedloe claims to have seen Craven’s supposedly dead wife at the castle of the evil magician and Craven fears that this villain, Scarabus, has enslaved his wife’s ghost to take revenge on the house of Craven. The two go snooping around Scarabus’s house with teens Estelle and Rexford (played by a young Jack Nicholson) tagging along.

The film ends with Craven and Scarabus bashing it out in a huge epic battle of magic. For a while the two seem to be truly matched in power, but in the end, of course one triumphs over the other and smugly enjoys his victory. The only question is—which one wins, good or evil? With Victor Price it’s always a toss-up.

This movie is just so much fun to watch, and people should keep in mind when reading my description that this is not a serious movie.

It’s weird science fiction with a little goofing off and a lot of tongue-incheek remarks on the part of the cast.

Courtesy of imdb.com

Peter Lorre (left) stars as Dr. Bedloe.

of the crack cocaine epidemic that severely crippled the United States throughout the 1980s.

However, not all of Haring’s art is

2008, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade honored one of his most popular art pieces, “Figure with Heart,” to bring recognition to Keith Haring’s overall devotion to his work and to his social causes. His pieces “Radiant Baby”

limited to political action.

His pop art gave him much accreditation and, in

and “Dog” are some of his most popular images, and,

Box offices are now open!

All art courtesy of Keith Haring

fortunately enough for any Keith Haring fan, they have been reinvigorated vicariously through necklaces, T-shirts and other accessories that are now finally available for purchase. The clothing company “Obey” created a clothing line that was solely inspired by Haring’s masterpieces, which has brought new appreciation for his work.

Haring is no longer around, but his legacy, although once forgotten, has finally been revived, and his messages are now visible once again. Without a doubt, Keith Haring can easily stand as one of the most underrated and brilliant artists that the world has ever seen.

SPORTS February/March 2013

EASTSIDE

Page 19

Ethan O’Neill (‘14) is the sole member of an East team that no longer exists, but he’s the best in the state.

Now that’s something...

Courtesy of Ethan O’Neill

O’Neill leaps from the three-meter board.

To dive for.

■ By Mike Reisman (‘13)

Eastside Sports Editor

Cherry Hill East has no pool, no diving boards and no dive coach. The school’s dive team was removed in 2009 and, as far as most students are concerned, the team no longer exists.

However, Cherry Hill East is home to one of the country’s best high school divers, Ethan O’Neill (’15)—the lone member of the East dive team and the school’s only state champion in 2012.

Just a sophomore, O’Neill started diving only five years ago during the summer, competing in the South Jersey Diving Association, though it did not take long for him to realize that he was something special.

“I was beating kids that

were diving year-round and that’s when I decided to dive all year with my club team,” O’Neill said, “When I was winning meets there, that’s when I started to get good.”

But despite his natural talent, making the transition from more recreational diving in the summer to diving competitively with a club was not easy.

“At first I was scared all the time when I had to learn new dives. I thought my coach was kidding when she asked me to do the dives,” he said, “But then after a while you learn that it’s not that bad because… you learn to trust yourself and it’s not that scary.”

O’Neill dives every day for two and a half hours at The College of New Jersey,

practicing all year and competing primarily in the spring and summer.

Practices consist of perfecting dives that need to be ready for competitions and working on diving fundamentals to get ready to learn more difficult dives.

Last year, O’Neill competed in two national meets, placing first in age group nationals in the 14-15 year-old category in both the three-meter event and the ten-meter platform.

The ten-meter platform—the highest board in diving and the same height often seen in the Olympics—has O’Neill performing both a front three-and-a-half (a triple flip ending in a dive) and a back two-and-a-half (a double backflip ending in a dive) from over 30 feet off

the ground, something that scared even O’Neill at first.

“The first platform practice we ever had to do, we just had to jump off and I never thought I would be able to do a dive off of there because it was insanely high and scary,” he said, “but then last year I actually had to learn my entire dive list on tenmeter and it wasn’t that bad.”

Last year, O’Neill had the opportunity to represent East as the lone member of the school’s dive team at the NJSIAA State Championships and he represented the school well, becoming the first State Champion diver in school history. He won by j u s t e i g h t points,

defeating one of his club teammates for the title.

“It was fun, but it was kind of nerve-wracking because I had never really seen my competition … but I knew there was a pretty good kid on my [club] team against me so I knew he would be my main competition,” O’Neil said, “But it definitely felt good afterward representing my school.”

O’Neill has high aspirations for the future, looking forward to hopefully competing in college and potentially in the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials and, if he places in the top two there, the 2016 Olympics in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.

“It would be awesome to go to the Olympics. It’s hard because it’s the top two in the country, but we’ll see.”

Wolf bowls over competition ■ By Marlee Zeitz (‘16) For Eastside

The bowling alley is usually known as a place to have birthday parties or somewhere to hang out on Friday nights, but to Aaron Wolf (’13), it’s much more – it’s his second home.

Wolf has been bowling daily since the seventh grade, and it is a sport he loves because it is not only competitive, but also social. Still, just because the sport is social does not mean it is easy.

“It’s not a walk in the park,” Wolf said. “It takes a lot of practice…If people consider bowling simply as throwing a ball straight at pins, then why don’t they come out and see how they do?”

Wolf bowls for the team at Cherry Hill East, where they bowl twice a week, Tuesdays and Thursdays. In addition, Wolf is usually seen at the alley every Sunday morning when he competes in a league with people from East.

Wolf, who bowls with an abnormal two-hand technique, has been practicing as much as he can to reach all the goals he has set for himself.

“My expectation was to average 190, but I kept on practicing to the point where I reached 205,” Wolf said.

In eighth grade, Wolf scored 186; the following year he scored an impressive 205; and then on January 30, 2011, when Wolf was a sophomore, he bowled a 300, a rarity even for the most experienced bowler.

Earlier this year, Wolf bowled his second 300, proving that his first was no fluke. Even though his body gets exhausted after a while, he claims it is definitely worth it.

“It is a lot of repeated motion,” he said.

Wolf is usually bowling for hours at a time, doing the same thing, but he continues to strive and bowl at a high level every time.

Andi Leff (‘14)/ Eastside Staff

Wolf bowls with an atypical twohand technique.

SPORTS February/March 2013

EASTSIDE

Page 20

New-look boys’ track team seeks to continue success

Brittany Nghiem (‘13)/ Eastside Photo Editor

(From left to right) Ben Dillion (‘14), Kevin Barry (‘13), Mike Minion (‘13), Kyle Bryant (‘13), Jared Dashevsky (‘14) and Dan Helfand (‘15) pose in front of the wall near the locker rooms dedicated to East Track.

■ By Greg Frank (‘13) Eastside Sports Editor

Often times in sports, when a team enters a season after losing the majority of its core from the prior season, it is hard to maintain a high level of success. There needs to be time for growth and rebuilding, and in a couple of years maybe that team can return to a high level yet again. The boys’ track team has seen sprinters Alex Reber (‘12), Brian Regan (‘12), Joe Pellegrino (‘12), Brad Krell (‘12) and Marcus Phillips (‘12) all graduate, and finds itself left in a similar situation.

There were two events last season that featured these runners, events in which East had lots of success. The 4x400 team was composed of Phillips, Pellegrino, Reber and Kevin Barry (‘13), and at times Krell filled in for an injured Phillips.

The other event was the super sprint medley, which included Regan, Reber, Krell and Barry. Both teams qualified for Nationals and the super sprint team finished third in the nation.

Krell has already made a rather smooth transition from high school competition to the collegiate level, as he was recently named the Centennial Conference Athlete of the Week at Division III program Franklin & Marshall.

Replacing a group of All-American athletes is not easy, but Barry – the lone man back from both these sprint teams – is up for the task. This season, Barry will attempt to embody some of the leadership qualities he

observed in his teammates last year.

“As the only returning member of the 4x4, I feel like I need to lead the guys we have now by showing up to practice every day and working hard to improve,” said Barry. “I want to teach the younger guys as much as the guys who left taught me.”

Barry says he still expects to compete for a sectional championship and, while such stars from last year cannot be replaced, there may be enough talent to continue cultivating a winning product without taking a step backwards. While it is Barry’s turn to sit in the driver’s seat and lead this year’s group of sprinters, a task he welcomes with open arms, a new formula for success is perhaps in the works for boys’ track this year.

Jumpers Kyle Bryant (‘13) and Brandon Bryant (‘13) and distance runners Mike Minion (‘13), Jared Dashevsky (‘14), Ben Dillion (‘14) and Dan Helfand (‘15) will all see the importance of their roles enhanced this season in order for boys’ track to continue its success. Regardless of what the success is predicated upon this season, boys track will need some of its runners to step up, moving into new roles and taking the next step in their high school careers.

Whenever there is additional pressure in sports, the subject of that pressure can either embrace it – striving for higher achievements – or run away from it and underachieve as a result. In this instance, distance runners and jumpers are faced with more responsibility and hopefully will respond with lots of fire and enthusiasm and continue the winning tradition that has recently developed at East for the boys’ track team.

Former East student has bright future in shot-put ■ By Nick Ciocco (‘14)

the prestigious meet.

Days enjoys competing and is very thankful that his gift is paying for his college education.

Days did a lot of research when looking into Former East student Braheme Days Jr. has colleges, narrowing it down to four choices— managed to shot-put his way to the next level.

University of Nebraska, University of Days attended Cherry Hill East for one year California-Berkeley, Louisiana State University and then moved to Bridgeton after his freshman and University of Florida—and visiting all year. He now attends Bridgeton High four schools.

School. Days said this move was not Days committed to the University of purposeful and it was solely his parFlorida but recently decommitted and chose ents’ decision.

UCLA. “I only went on the four other visits “I got lucky,” said Days, “Bridgeton before and I felt like that wasn’t enough for has a really good shot-put coach.” me to have made my final decision. I took Days threw the discus at East, but the visit and it was the best visit I had. It it was not until he met shot-put was clean, nice, and everything was pretty coach Ray Wilks that he started much brand new,” he said. doing shot-put.

He has aspirations to one day end up in Days’s normal practice consists of the Olympics as he continues to strive for lifting, stretching, running, then bigger and better goals. practicing shot-put.

Besides shot-put, Days likes to play bas“I just show up every day and try ketball with his friends and sing along to to do better than I did yesterday,” the radio. said Days. “There are no real “One interesting thing about me is that I secrets.” wear a size 16 shoe,” said Days. “Other than At his track meets, Days goes that, I’m pretty much a normal 17-year-old through a similar routine. high school kid.”

“I run, stretch, get in the game, Days gives off good energy: with his laisand when it’s my turn to go, I go at Courtesy of Braheme Days it,” said Days.

Braheme Days, one of the best shot putters in America, winds sez-faire attitude; he is never under pressure.

Whatever Days is doing, it seems up at the 2011 World Youth Championships in France.

“I think pressure is for people who are not to be working: his longest shot-put On April 27, 2012, Days won the high school prepared,” said Days. “To me, there’s no such on record is 70’8” (21.6M), and USA Today boys shot-put event at the Penn Relays with a thing as pressure. If you go out there and give it placed him on its All-American team in 2012. shot-put of 68’8”. This event-winning shot-put everything you’ve got, even if you don’t compete Days’ stands at 6’1” tall and weighs 295 ended up being the second best in the history of well, in the end you’ll be rewarded.” pounds. Believe it or not, Days is generally the For Eastside

smallest person competing in the big shot-put events.

In 2011 Days competed in the World Youth Championships in France, throwing a 66’1’’ shot-put, which was good for the bronze medal and a personal record for Days at the time.