Important Information for Seniors (p. 2) Volume 45 Issue 5
February 2012 45
Years
Freedom High School - 3149 Chester Avenue - Bethlehem, PA 18020 - www.fhsforum.com
Dues Debts Create Concern for Seniors
Experience DeXperience
By Thomas Nguyen Frankly, asking for 40 dollars over the course of four years is not a large sum. Well then, why are there so many people who have not yet paid their class dues? Senior class adviser Miss Amber Zehner is genuinely worried. Miss Zehner says, ―There has been a significant difference between our class and past classes.‖ Class dues are very important for funding school events such as prom, the class trip, and the senior breakfast. The dues also pay for caps and gowns.
“If students don’t pay their dues, student government will be unable to put on activities,” says Tyler Alicea, senior class treasurer. Senior class treasurer, Tyler Alicea, makes it clear that students need to pay their dues.
(Continued on page 3-DUES)
Inside this Issue Organizations in FHS with Commitment Phobia (p. 4) The Fascination with Hipsters (p. 4) Freedom visits Emmaus High School (p. 5) Top Reasons Why Freedom‘s Student Section is the Best (p. 6-7)
Anna Thomas / Asst. News Editor
By Courtney Barrow, Entertainment Editor and Amanda Molinaro, Pates’ Post Editor
Amanda Molinaro / Pates’ Post Editor
[Above] Student bands In Aviation and Revelation pose together. [Right] DeXperience performing at the SADD benefit concert.
Freedom High School students experienced an unforgettable night on Jan. 19 provided by none other than various talented musicians from its own school. The student-run Freedom
program Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) hosted a benefit concert featuring a recently signed reggae-rap group DeXperience and In Aviation and Revelation, two student bands at Freedom The three groups performed in the (Continued on page 2CONCERT)
Penn State Cries Blue and White By Ashley Eichlin, Features Editor Some say he died of a broken heart. However when in reality, it was lung cancer that took away Joe Paterno‘s final breaths. At age 85, Paterno accomplished more than most men at his age could ever achieve. As the head coach of Penn State Univesrity for 46 years (and on the coaching staff for more than 60 years), Paterno revolutionized Penn State‘s football team with two undefeated regular seasons (1968 and 1969), two national championships (1982 and 1986), and appearances in at least 37 bowl
games. He also taught his players the importance of balancing academics and athletics. This past season, Paterno also broke the record for the most number of wins in the division. He led the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision
For now, the Happy Valley will not be so happy. with 409 wins after his final game as head coach against Illinois. (Continued on page 2PATERNO)
Rifle Team Profile (p. 9) For more about Joe Paterno, turn to page 12. Karanda Erdman / Penn State University
New Laws Rule the Road for Teen Drivers By Courtney Barrow, Entertainment Editor As of Dec. 27, a new set of rules for teen drivers has taken affect. Act 81, as the new restrictions are called, cracks down on the number of passengers allowed in the car and increases the num-
ber of training hours logged with a learner‘s permit. According to PennDOT‘s website, the new rules state that junior license holders who have had their license for less than six months cannot have more than one passenger under the age of 18 who is not an immediate family
member. The only exception to the rule is if the driver is also accompanied by a parent or guardian. (Continued on page 2LAWS)
Online Bonus Content: For more bonus articles scan this barcode with your smart phone or visit www.fhsforum.com/ feb2012.html/.
2 News The Freedom Forum A Publication of Freedom High School Bethlehem Area School District 3149 Chester Avenue Bethlehem PA, 18020 (610) 867-5843 www.fhsforum.com
Editor-in-Chief Tyler Alicea News Editor Luisa Marin Editorial Editor Julie Boylan Features Editor Ashley Eichlin Entertainment Editor Courtney Barrow Sports Editor Mike McGinty Pates’ Post Editor Amanda Molinaro Centerspread Editor Zach Ward Layout Editor Haroon Ahmad Web Editor Krystal Domin Assistant Editors Anna Thomas Faarah Ameerally Ryan Shaikh Adam Duser
Adviser Mrs. Karla Erdman Principal Mr. Michael LaPorta Superintendent Dr. Joseph Roy For our editorial statement and corrections policy, please go to www.fhsforum.com/about.html Follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook!
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The Forum (Continued from page 1— PATERNO)
Today, sadness fills the hearts of the worldwide Penn State family. Amelia Batcha, freshmen at Penn State and Freedom graduate, agrees that there is a somber tone at University Park. ―His death was very tragic as far as timing goes,‖ said Batcha regarding Paterno‘s passing. ―[The] whole atmosphere at (Continued from page 1—LAWS)
In addition, learner‘s permit holders must have 65 hours of behind -the -wheel training logged in at least six months, an increase from the former 50 hour requirement. Ten of the extra hours are to consist of night time driving, and the other five are to be done in inclement weather. This is a significant change from the relatively relaxed restrictions held on young drivers.
(Continued from page 1— CONECERT)
school auditorium and spent the night bringing a fresh flavor of music ringing across the stage. The newly formed band In Aviation is composed of seniors Joey Volpe and Mike Romanelli, who both feature guitar and vocals, sophomore Brandon Gubich on drums, and Moravian Academy senior Ryan Manoff on bass. Volpe and Romanelli have been good friends for a while and have grown up enjoying music together. ―Mike has been my friend for ten years, and Ryan and I would just play loud music in my basement,‖ said Volpe. ―We went through about five bassists bef o r e we f o u n d R y a n . ‖ In Aviation, who identifies its style as alternative rock, performed mostly their own compositions. They began the show with ―Heart Me Too‖ and Sum 41‘s ―In Too Deep.‖ Other songs were written by Volpe himself, including ―Reaction to an Exception‖ and a guitar solo ―Beauty.‖ The band closed out the set with Adele‘s ―Rolling in the Deep.‖ After coming off the stage, the boys could not wait to get back
February 2012
Penn State has totally shifted,‖ said Batcha. ―What is known to be Happy Valley is the furthest thing from it.‖ Although the mood is unhappy, Batcha is relieved and surprised to see ―so many students join as one‖ in honor of Paterno. As for science teacher and Penn State graduate, Mr. Robert Pearson, the passing of Paterno has also hit him hard. ―I feel disappointed that his life had to end now,‖ said Pearson.
―He was Penn State, so it feels like a big part of the University is no longer there.‖ Senior Nektaria Papadopoulos, said she was ―sad to see him go.‖ In remembrance of Paterno, students, faculty, and administration gathered for a candlelight vigil at University Park. Some students even placed the candles in the shape of Paterno‘s most memorable thick rimmed glasses and the word ―Joe‖ dur-
ing the ceremony. Batcha said, ―I felt an overwhelming peace.‖ For now, the Happy Valley will not be so happy as many people will be mourn the loss of their coach. ―It‘s going to take awhile for this to pass,‖ said Pearson.
Prior to Act 81, the only major limits set on a junior license were the curfew (no driving between the hours of 11 pm and 5 am) and one passenger per seat belt. Pennsylvania‘s laws have been comparatively less stringent than New Jersey‘s laws, which already had the ―one minor passenger‖ rule and requires junior license holders to be 17 years of age, not 16.5.
Freedom students with fresh licenses are not too happy with the rules. ―Its inconvenient,‖ said junior Olivia Kolis. ―If you‘re hanging out with a group of friends and you need to go somewhere, you can only take one other person. You either leave your friends or break the law.‖ Others, on the other hand, do nor play the law any mind. ―Honestly, I break that law eve-
ryday,‖ said junior Chris Maurer. ―Cops can‘t determine how old you are as you drive by, so as long as you don‘t mess up, you‘re fine,‖ said John Silver, junior. So depending on one‘s integrity, the new Act 81 laws will have a significant impact on student driving or not.
on; the event was their first performance in front of a live audience. ―I can‘t believe we put it together,‖ Gubich said. ―It felt amazing,‖ Volpe said. Following In Aviation, another student band, Revelation took the stage. The band is composed of junior Greg Adams on lead vocals, his freshman brother Ben Adams on
member the theater company and says Ms. Jennifer Wescoe was one of his most inspiring teachers. Although the group has recently reached a high level of success, they wanted to bring their talents back home. To accomplish this, Qbah approached Ms. Wescoe and arranged the concert. They were very excited to be back in their home town and to share their talents with the Bethlehem community. The band says their name came from their fans. People always told them their shows were ―such an experience,‖ so they decided to include that in their title. The students of Freedom High School would definitely vouch for the idea of this name. The night was quite an experience for students and brought a new twist of music to the Freedom scene. Proceeds from the concert as well as band merchandise sold afterwards went to SADD.
“I can’t believe we put it together,” Gubich said. bass and back-up vocals, junior Andy Kurtz on guitar, and junior Brett Broskowski on drums. The band has been together for about three years and has performed at numerous local events. The classic rock band has a new album being released in about a month along with a new band name not yet determined. In regards to their performance, Kurtz said, ―Expect an electrifying performance.‖ The final and long awaited act for the night was the reggae-rap group DeXperience. The lead singer, Mario ―Qbah‖ Fernandez , is a graduate of the Freedom class of 2002. He was a
Steel Level Interested in sponsoring The Freedom Forum? Stop by room 210 for a form or email our adviser at kerdman@bethsd.org.
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8-7 Liberty High School Rifle Team, Loss Wrestling, Win
Important Information for Seniors Pay your class dues! Class dues are a one time payment of 40 dollars that all high school students are required to pay. Dues help pay for student council-run activities, including graduation. If a senior does not pay his or her class dues, he or she will not be able to participate in the following events: Prom Senior Class Trip Senior Breakfast Seniors may pay their class dues before school in room 145.
Amanda Molinaro / Pates’ Post Editor
News 3
The Forum
February 2012
Sex-Ed Hotline Gives “Sexting” a Positive Meaning By Julie Boylan, Editorial Editor The sexual health education group Planned Parenthood is giving ―sexting‖ a new meaning with a surge of sex-ed
texting hotlines around the nation. The first of the sex-ed text hotlines was released of the Orange and San Bernardino Counties chapter of Planned Parenthood. Since 1999, the organization has run a telephone hotline, and in 2006, they added an online hotline for the purpose of expanding the access to sexual health information. Together, those two hotlines have serviced over 60,000 callers and chatters. In 2009, the chapter added the text hotline program ―Tech Suppo rt for Your Body,‖ where users can text their questions to a specific number to
Screenshot courtesy of Luisa Marin / News Editor
(Continued from page 1—DUES)
―If students don‘t pay their dues, student government will be unable to put on activities,‖ says Alicea. ―Even if we can hold these activities, students who don‘t pay their dues will not be able to participate.‖ The senior class held an assembly on Jan. 20, where principal Mr. Michael LaPorta, senior class president John Buchner, and even Mr. Joe Stellato urged seniors to pay their class dues. Perhaps the problem is that not many people actually realize this or, quite frankly, care. ―The use and importance of
class dues has not been stressed to me, which makes low on my list of priorities,‖ senior Mervyn Lopez says. ―Not being able to go on the class trip or to the senior breakfast does not really bother me because I can do those things on my own time.‖ Zehner also attributes the lack of payments to forgetfulness. Since students have four years to pay their class dues, it is easy to procrastinate until the last minute. There is never a sense of urgency to pay class dues until graduation time when it is too late.
receive personalized responses to their questions from a certified health educator. More recently, the Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains started ―In Case You‘re Curious‖ (ICYC), a hotline similar to ―Tech Support for Your Body,‖ where texters can send in their questions to a hotline number and within 24 hours, receive a response. In addition, the website assures that all texts
“Any time you can get information to people in their own medium is awesome,” says Ms. Lisa Pfizenmayer. are completely anonymous. However, the ICYC program makes it clear that the responders cannot diagnose conditions or give personal health advice though a text message, and that the responses are not an alternate to seeing a doctor. ―I think [the sex-ed text hot-
The repercussions for not paying class dues are rather significant. In addition to not being able to go on the class trip or to the senior breakfast, students who have not paid their class dues are prohibited from going to prom. Seniors will also have to pay for their own caps and gowns if they wish to attend graduation. Most importantly, the senior class will not be able to give the school a class gift or donate their extra money to any charities. In past years, classes have given Freedom High School gifts such as the banner from
lines are] good because the way that teenagers get information is moving towards that,‖ says Freedom High School physical education teacher Ms. Lisa Pfizenmayer. ―Any time you can get information to people in their own medium is awesome.‖ Junior Caterina Atiyeh is not so sure about the program. ―I think it‘s a little weird,‖ says Atiyeh. ―It‘s a good idea for some people but I don‘t think I would ever use it. If you have to use [the program], I think you should think more about what you‘re doing.‖ Brad McGarry, senior, agrees with Atiyeh that the hotline is ―weird.‖ ―Anyone who really needs answers from Planned Parenthood should just look them up online or go into a center themselves‖ says McGarry. ―I guess it‘s alright if it‘s a certified health instructor. Some people may want to do that for convenience, but I‘d personally stick with going into a center.‖
the class of 2011, located in the lobby, and the Freedom High School flags lining the bus channel. For whatever reason, students have not been paying their class dues. It does not matter if they are forgetful or just do not care; the senior class does not have enough money to fund all the events that are planned. It would be a shame if the events had to be cancelled, but that decision is not up to the advisers. That decision is up to the student body and whether or not they will pay their class dues.
Republican Primaries: And Then There Were Four the primary, Newt Gingrich won the South Carolina primary, taking with him a proAs of late, the candidates jected 23 delegates while vying for the Republican Romney took two. nomination are Newt GinEven though it is still grich, Ron Paul, Mitt Romearly in the primary seaney, and Rick Santorum. son, some Freedom stuBeginning with the Jan. 3 dents have followed the Iowa caucuses, the first condebates either to gain an test of the primary season, understanding of what to former Senator Rick Santoexpect in the November rum of Pennsylvania narelections, or for the purrowly prevailed over Mitt pose of seeing the candiRomney with a margin of 34 dates argue with each votes. other. Then, in the Jan. 10 New ―All the candidates are a Hampshire primary, Romlittle quirky,‖ says junior ney came in first place with Nick Maurer. ―Although 39% of the popular vote. they all attack each other This victory won him seven publicly, it‘s an ironic of the state delegates while situation because they‘re three delegates went to Ron all essentially the same Paul and the two remaining person.‖ Gage Skidmore / flickr.com delegates went to former Senior Abhinav RangaUtah Governor Jon Hunts- Republican presidential hopeful Ron Paul at a rally. Ron Paul is currently rajan says, ―It‘s fun to man, Jr. in last place, yet he remains hopeful about his campaign as he garners the watch the Republican Having failed to garner the support of young people. debates to see how they significant support necessary bash each other. Political in the New Hampshire pri- lina primary and lent his sup- Gingrich‘s strong perform- maneuvers are always intermary, Huntsman dropped out port to Gingrich. ances in the two debates in esting to observe.‖ of the race on Jan. 16, endorsRomney was expected by South Carolina on the week of By Anna Thomas, Asst. News Editor
ing Romney in the process. Perry, after finishing fifth in Iowa and with 1% in New Hampshire, dropped out two days before the South Caro-
many to carry on this momentum going into South Carolina to win, with some speculating that he would lock up the nomination. However, after
In Case You Missed It Jan 9 Statistically speaking, this was the day that most people broke, forgot, or disregarded their New Year's resolution. This means that it only takes nine days to break a promise. Of the resolutions made this year, six out of ten people made the same promise they did the year before.
Jan 20 The United States Senate decides to call off the vote on PIPA and the House decides to slow down their initiative with SOPA. SOPA and PIPA are the drafts for anti-piracy laws in the House and Senate repsectively. On Jan. 18, Wikipedia and many other websites had a 24-hour shutdown to show their protest for both bills. Back in December the heads of companies such as Twitter, Google, and Youtube wrote a letter saying the legislation would make the U.S. like Iran and China with their censorship.
Jan 23 The Bethlehem Area School District school board voted to rename Freedom‘s gymnasium to the ―Joseph J. McIntyre Gymnasium‖ in honor of Joseph J. McIntyre, the first principal of Freedom High School.
Jan 25 A demonstration of 100,000 people took place in the Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt. The general crowd was there to commemorate the first anniversary of the Egyptian revolution and to celebrate the removal of President Hosni Mubarak. The demonstration, which consisted of Islamists activists, was also thought to be a rally against the current generals which have taken control of Egypt.
Jan 29 About two dozen, if not more, Chinese road workers were captured by Sudan rebels. The workers were at a camp frequently used by road builders, when rebel groups attacked. The camp was located in South Kordofan which has become a battlefield between Sudan and the rebel groups. The diplomats are having emergency sessions as they figure out what to do, since there is no contact on behalf of the rebel groups.
Jan 29 Syria begins to attack rebels who live in the suburbs. Tanks and soldiers lined the streets as the government hoped to squash rebel pockets in the suburbs of Damascus. Although the Arab League is not supporting the fight, there is little they can do to stop the violence. Syria refuses to accept foreign interference, and Russia has been resisting any plans brought up by the Arab League.
Throughout January Greece has been at odds with the European Union. The battle continues as Greece's economy continues to cause chaos. The country has resorted to austerity measures which limit the country's spending. However the measures might cause more of a recession and can cause more of a drop in the economy. Greece hopes to receive a second bailout from the European Union in hopes of jump-starting the economy.
4 Editorials Student Council with Commitment Phobia By Luisa Marin, News Editor Deja vu would be the best way to describe elections for student council year after year. It seems like everyone is willing to be a part. However that enthusiasm is short-lived and one by one, members fall off the face of the planet. The list of 20 representatives per class drops to 10 in a matter of weeks, and drops even lower as the year progresses. It seems that commitment is a taboo subject within our membership. Complaints are quickly made but the fact remains that students have to step up and do their job. It seems to be easier to leave it to someone else. Someone is always there to pick up the slack. In any instance, what requires the work of 15 has to be done by five because people do not show up. My experience with the class of 2012 has not necessarily been delightful. In fact hallway decorating was perhaps one of my biggest nightmares for four years. Our class size is around 500 and of those 500 if we had 15 people show up we were ecstatic. I am not saying that everything about student council is terrible, and not everyone is lazy, but I do think that people have to realize that student council is important. What happens to our school when no one is there to clean up a mess? Students cannot rely on others; they have to take responsibility. Besides, if a student willingly signs up to be a part of student council, then that student should feel obliged to help. Working with peers may be a challenge, but it is necessary to ensure that the activities flow smoothly. Things do not just appear done; they have to be completed. When elections start at the end of each school year (except for incoming freshmen), I ask that people consider whether they really do want to help. There is no point in placing false hopes in the minds of class advisers and then disappearing. The bigger our student council, the more opportunities we have to help our community. The Class of 2012 has a lot of work to do in order to finish its year in a good way. I hope that the other classes can see that it is important to start early and to plan efficiently. After all, graduation arrives before you know it.
The Forum
February 2012
The Hipster Fascination By Flannery Johnson For decades, popularity has come to not necessarily the kids who are athletic, but to the kids who have the latest and greatest clothing, technology, and tastes. That seems to be changing. Being labeled as a ―hipster‖ is now something people strive to be and slowly liking what is not popular is popular. In case one does not know, a hipster is usually someone who likes indie music, old fashioned clothing, ecofriendly technology, and is different without trying to be. Many people strive to be hipsters, be it for bragging rights or even self-confidence, and some people listen to indie artists so they can say they discovered them before they were big. It seems as if being a hipster is somehow better than just being yourself. It is not bad to like pop music, iPhones, Uggs and similar things if that is one‘s
style. Nowhere is it stated that those things are pointless or that being modern and hightech is lame. Being yourself is better than being something that is just regarded as cool for the time being. The hipster culture is taking over wherever one looks. Tumblr, an internet blogging site, is defined by some as a hipster website, but with the hundreds of thousands of people on it, it has become too mainstream to truthfully be called that. Still, the site allows one to express themselves however they want. In other words, it is a public, online diary. Naturally, some people have always been hipsters, and now many aspire to be like that. Yet, a true hipster does not long for popularity; they just are who they are. Basically, that would make all the people trying to be hipsters just wannabes. This is not to say that people should not try to be hipsters
necessarily, but people should just be who they are. High school is a time to try and figure that out. One may come in to high school loving rap music and dressing like a skater and then leave high school listening to The Kinks and The Rolling Stones, dressing in plaid shirts and wearing Wayfarers. So why is it so cool to be uncool? It could just be a trend that is in style for a year or two, or it could be a reformation of current day culture, which seems a little extreme. The hipster culture is a neat one to explore, so give it a shot, but do not feel obliged.
Tyler Alicea / Editor-in-Chief
Senior Year: A Time for Relaxation? By Grace Mao Any senior will have you believe that they exclusively have an excuse to slack off: it is a syndrome called senioritis, they say. My two cents: You are a senior. You have worked hard for three years, taking tests, completing projects, joining clubs, and preparing for college. It is tempting to just get through the piles of college applications and relax before you head off to college, but you are forgetting that although your goals are finally in sight, school is not over yet, and colleges are still paying close attention to your performance. Senior year— the entire senior year—is actually of particular interest to colleges. Often, college acceptance letters include warnings to students such as "Your admission is contingent on your continued successful performance." High schools send colleges the final transcripts of the students they have accepted, and a senior slump will be obvious in either a weak schedule or weak grades. Imagine this scenario: you
take hard classes senior year, apply Early Decision somewhere, stupidly expect acceptance, let your grades drop, get deferred, and then proceed to panic, and try to bring up your grades, but it was too much work because your classes are too hard. You get bad grades first semester senior year and screw up yourchances at most of your dream schools. If you have the motivation then you are good, but people burn out – and it happens to the best of students. Okay, preach: senior year is your opportunity to strengthen your skills and broaden your experience, in school and out, to prepare for all the challenges ahead. A successful senior year can help launch you on the path to a successful future. Just as you would want to be in top condition for the start of an athletic season, so, too, do you want to be in top condition for the academic season. The habits you form now—your academic strength conditioning—will either help or hurt you in your transition from high school to college. So the bottom line is if you do not want to screw up your chances for college, continue taking the challenging classes
you had been taking the last three years and keep working hard. I mean, let‘s face it: I do not get much homework anyway. Having six AP classes this year, I have had on average half an hour of homework every night. Even if you are already into college, do you not want to make the most of your senior year?
Tyler Alicea / Editor-in-Chief
Senior Adam Seltzer received a full-ride scholarship from the University of Alabama back in August. Since then, he has been the epitome of senioritis.
Features 5
The Forum
February 2012
Entering the Fort Knox of Emmaus By Tyler Alicea, Editor-in-Chief I was warned that entering Emmaus High School to shadow a student would be the equivalent of breaking into Fort Knox or breaking out of Alcatraz. The amount of paperwork that had to be filled out in order to be a guest at Emmaus rivaled the amount of paperwork a lawyer‘s temps fill out in a year. Even once I arrived at the school, I was not permitted to
enter immediately due to a paperwork mishap on Emmaus‘ part. Nonetheless, when everything was sorted out and junior Terrance Cawley, the person who I was shadowing for the day, picked me up, I soon learned that Emmaus is not as scary as it sounds. Emmaus and Freedom would be fairly similar if Emmaus had block scheduling. Instead, they have a homeroom and nine periods. Each class lasts for 41 min-
utes, and there is no wasting any time. Teachers begin their lessons as soon as the bell rings and are often cut off midsentence at the end of class. Emmaus‘ cellphone policy is also considered much stricter. Out of all of the students I asked, there was only one person who said who would even dare having his cellphone out during class. Most people even said having their phones on vibrate could be problematic. In addition, Emmaus‘ class-
rooms each have a projector hanging from the ceiling that many teachers utilized, meaning that the use of overhead notes and slide shows were not uncommon during my visit. The layout of Emmaus High is close to a labyrinth, and I was told that over time, one learns the shortcuts of the school. Often, I saw myself walking through the various courtyards of Emmaus to get from one end of the building to the other. The highlight of my visit, of
course, was getting some time to know the editor‘s of Emmaus‘ school paper, The Stinger, and seeing Ms. Denise Reaman, who was formerly the adviser of The Forum before she left for Emmaus. Although Emmaus is intimidating on the outside (mostly because of the paperwork. Seriously, who enjoys paperwork?), it goes to show that you can not judge a book by its cover.
The Day in the Life of An Emmaus Student By Julie Boylan, Editorials Editor At 6:30 in the morning when Tyler and I left my house, I was not on very good terms with Emmaus High School. I mean, what school makes their students start school an ungodly 20 minutes earlier than the 7:45 Freedom students start? That‘s valuable sleeping time! By the time we made it to the school, however, the day was looking up. We only got lost in the Emmaus parking lot, and all of my paperwork (including parent permission, immunization forms, and a principal‘s note) went through successfully. Walking through the school, my first impression of Emmaus was that the place was big. At first I thought that perhaps it just seemed big since I had no idea where I was going the entire
day. But I‘m pretty sure that any school that has four gyms, a two-story cafeteria, a driving simulation lab, and its own branch of First Niagara Bank could be considered large by any reasonable standards. Not only was the school bigger, but it was also a lot more colorful. All along many of the hallways of Emmaus are murals similar to the sunset and robot mural Freedom has in the upstairs main lobby. According to my Emmaus student host, the school has a mural club that undertakes such projects. Besides the obvious physical differences, the most noticeable difference between Freedom and Emmaus is the schedule. While Freedom operates on the block schedule with four 85 minute classes, Emmaus
Tyler Alicea / Editor-in-Chief
has nine 45 minute periods, including lunch. Predictably, the classes flew by quickly (except for Trigonometry which would
nine-period system that I was mildly impressed how readily the class settled down and the teacher jumped into the lesson. Even so, at the end of the day at 2:30, I was surprisingly exhausted. It felt like the day lasted much longer than a day at Freedom – and not just because it actually did last half an hour more. I suppose that the schedule is just something you get used to at whichever school. Despite the differences in schedule and building, the environments in Emmaus and Freedom are similar. Same uncomfortable chairs, same obnoxious PDA, same ignoring of announcements. A high school, is after all, still a high school.
need nothing short of a Time Turner for it to pass by more quickly). I will say in defense of the
Mardi Gras: A Day of Celebration By Kristen Dalton Festive colors. Green. Purple. Yellow. Costumes. Masks. Beaded necklaces. New Orleans, Louisiana. Mardi Gras. New Orleans is the heart of America‘s modern day celebrations and the most well-known happens to be the Mardi Gras celebration. Mardi Gras is known as a day of celebration; however, many people do not know the reason why it is celebrated and/or the origins of this holiday. According to neworleansonline.com, historians can confirm that it once was a Roman
festival honoring one of their many gods, Lupercalia, god of fertility, agriculture, and pastoral shepherds. This Roman mid-February festival consists of continuous days of feasting and drinking. Like most of the ancient Roman and Greek festivals, Lupercalia was adopted and adapted by the Church as a way of subtly converting the local pagans to Christianity. This carnival-like celebration was somewhat of a last ―fling‖ for Christians to indulge right before the Lenten period which is when the religiously faithful refrain from indulgences for 40 days. They do not indulge in
things such as meat and give up something important to them, such as cells phones or sweets, for that time period. On the other hand others, such as those from mardigrasneworleans.com, argue that the celebration was not derived from the Roman culture, but the holiday actually originated in Louisiana by early French settlers. Each year, the French club at Freedom has kept the French culture alive through their own Mardi Gras celebrations with East Hills Middle School. The students at East Hills make fun colorful hats and venture over to Freedom to continue celebrating
the French culture through Mardi Gras. Senior and treasurer of French Club Cindy Zheng said, ―[Last year,] French Club helped host...where we planned many events such as crazy hat competitions and French bingo.‖ The East Hills students even get the chance to taste crepes (a very thin pancake that is popular in France).
The Freedom Forum Photo Archive
Zheng said, ―It was a lot of fun to spread around French culture.‖
Suffering Through the Novels By Amanda Molinaro, Pates’ Post Editor Summers are meant to be filled with carefree adventures, long walks, and vacations on the beach. However, for many Freedom High School students, summer is consumed by rushing through AP and honors assign-
ments and cramming to finish lengthy required reading. Although many students enrolled in AP and honors courses are willing to accept a challenge and complete academic assignments over the summer, it is safe to say that the majority of students do not begin these assignments until mid-July or
early August. Around this time, one could log onto Facebook or Twitter and see various statuses, tweets, and comments expressing student frustration and complaints with the dreaded summer work. Aside from the glorious procrastination skills exhibited by Freedom High School students,
many feel that if required reading was more enjoyable, than the assignments would be completed sooner than the last week of summer. Although many required novels are not exactly what students prefer to read, not all of them are torturous. In fact, some students claim they really enjoyed
some stories. Freedom junior Doo Park said, ―My favorite story [from the suggested reading list] was a A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini.‖ Junior Erin Ogazaly said her (Continued on page 9-BOOKS)
8 Entertainment
The Forum
February 2012
February Produces New Enticing Films By Logan Handwerk This February has an amazing line-up of films on the way for viewers. The most anticipated of them all seems to be The Vow, starring Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams. This is a classic love story about a married couple that gets into a car accident, leaving the wife with a loss of all memories of her husband. Throughout the movie, her husband (Channing Tatum) works to get his wife to fall in love with him again. Aleah Costello, a sophomore at Freedom High School, said that she was most excited to see The Vow. She says, "It reminds me of The Notebook, which is my favorite movie, and who doesn't like a cute love story?" For those who aren't looking
for a love story, there's a horror arriving at the box office called The Woman In Black. When asked about what movie she was most excited to see, sophomore Kasey Gallagher said, "The Woman In Black, because it stars David Radcliffe. Also, I love scary movies and I get scared by just watching the coming attractions!" The movie tells the story of a man that moves into an apartment and is haunted by a ghost of a small girl always dressed in all black. This movie is expected to be extremely popular among fans of the Harry Potter series, since it is Radcliffe's first starring movie after the series concluded. Another popular movie coming out is The Chronicle. This movie will satisfy those movie-
goers that are looking for some action. It is a science fiction release about a group of boys that discover they have magical powers. They are able to move, destroy, and rebuild objects by using only their minds. As they learn how to use their powers, they make up rules as to when and how they are allowed to use them, but one of the boys isn‘t willing these rules. He torments average citizens and causes mass destruction. This movie stars Michael B. Jordan, Michael Kelly, Alex Russel and Dane Dehaan. This February is jam-packed with new releases that will thrill, scare, and make audiences fall in love. It will surely be an exciting time for movie fanatics.
Karla Erdman / Adviser
Goodbye Holidays, Hello Red Carpet By Luisa Marin, News Editor Award season is back and the red carpet is full of stunning stars. The People's Choice Awards and the Golden Globes kicked off the 2012 season with many movies and shows winning various awards. The People's Choice Awards allowed the audience to choose winners for different categories. Johnny Depp, Emma Stone, and Harry Potter all won many awards. However, Katy Perry took home the top prizes, winning five awards including Favorite Female Artist and Favorite Song of the Year for ―E.T.,‖ which features Kanye West. Senior Valeria Merced said her favorite award show was probably People's Choice. Her favorite actress to look for on the red carpet is Nina Dobrev,
who won Favorite TV Drama Actress. ―[I watch the show because] I like seeing all the nice dresses and my favorite celebrities together in one place,‖ she said. It is no surprise that Emma Stone won so many awards as she has become one of comedy's leading ladies. Junior Brooke Munion says she likes Stone because ―she is so funny.‖ The Golden Globes were also a success with host Ricky Gervais, whose humor was a little toned down compared to last year. Movies like ―The Descendants‖ and ―The Artist‖ took
The Freedom Forum Photo Archive
the most awards home. ―The Artist‖ star, a lovely dog, delighted the audience with a few tricks on stage, and made the crew backstage uneasy by urinating. ―The Adventures of Tintin‖ took home the award for Best Feature Film. Hollywood heavyweights like George Clooney, Martin Scorsese, Meryl Streep, and Kate Winslet were also among the nights‘ winners. In addition, the Best TV Series-Comedy or Musical went to
―Modern Family.‖ Award season is filled with many shows, and winners are elected by different people. People's Choice allows the audience to choose, and the Screen Actors Guild (which was held January 29) allows fellow actors to choose. Furthermore, the Golden Globes are handed out by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and the Academy Awards (the Oscars) are chosen by the Academy members. All in all, the red carpet is filled with many stars and a lot of excitement. The dresses and the suits mold the latest fashion, and they are worth seeing for any movie-goer or TV aficionado.
Band Profile: Music Needs Sinclarity By Ashley Eichlin, Features Editor Alternative-rock and central Pennsylvania-based band, Sinclarity, is on its way to the top of the music charts. Former The Underwater guitarist and drummer, Matt Holmes and Pat Besecker, created Sinclarity not long after the lead singer of The Underwater quit their band. Soon after, Virginia native, Will Nealy stole the lead guitarist spot, and local teacher at The Lesson Center, Geoff Black, took on the bassist position. ―We all have known each other for a long time,‖ said Black. During the formation of Sinclarity, Black admits that he ―stalked Matt on MySpace‖ in order to get recognized and be given the opportunity to join the
band. Fortunately for Black, the stalking paid off. Unfortunately, the cost of the band was not in Black's price range; however, after he was given a job as a guitar/bass teacher at The Lesson Center, located in downtown Bethlehem, he was asked to rejoin Sinclarity. Recently, Sinclarity began and ended their tour with the band Everclear. Black said that working with EverClear has been an ―amazing privilege‖ and that the ―feelings are mutual.‖ To kick off their tour, Black and Holmes performed Sinclarity's new single ―Forgive Dreams‖ on the WFMZ morning news earlier last month. According to reverbnation.com/sinclarity, the band believes that ―being in a band is like being in a marriage.‖ There is more work involved than
playing an instrument in order to have a successful band. Black said, ―[The tour] feels like a test to see if we can take it seriously.‖ He stresses the importance of being a wellrounded and humble performer. Black tends to live by Sons of Anarchy's Kurt Sutter's famous quote, ―Work hard and be nice to people.‖ ―Do it yourself if you really want it [and] wear a lot of hats,‖ Black added. Sinclarity performed along the east coast travelling to cities such as Philadelphia, Albany, Lancaster, Charlottesville, and Bethlehem. They are ―aiming international‖ in the near future.
Photo courtesy of Sinclarity
Check out Sinclarity‘s Facebook page to listen to their new song, ―Forgive Dreams‖ and to
stay posted for upcoming tour dates.
Sports 9
The Forum
February 2012
Pinning and Winning By Haroon Ahmad, Layout Editor Few people have the ability to say they can juggle a sport and have straight A‘s. Even fewer people can juggle many sports and straight A‘s in all Honors classes. Junior Josh Young is one of the lucky few to be able to say that he can. After an extremely triumphant football season, Young is continuing to represent Freedom High School in wrestling and in track. While he expects to do well in track, right now Young is focusing on wrestling. While dominating at the school level is an impressive feat, Young went on to participate in last year‘s Christmas Holiday wrestling
tournament at Liberty. ―[Pennsylvania] is the most difficult state in terms of wrestlers,‖ Young said. ―And I went against all of them and got fourth place‖. For any normal athlete, ruling at one sport takes up much of one‘s time, but Young thinks he may be able to find time to join two baseball teams over the summer. He‘s been a member of both these teams for years, but this year he may put them aside for other reasons. ―I want to work on wrestling and football for college,‖ he said Even when football, wrestling, and baseball sapped all of Young‘s time, he still found a way to maintain straight As in all his classes. But Young is not
taking your run-of-the-mill Ceramic‘s class, no; he‘s taking the hardest classes he can bare. Especially with Honors Physics, Young is finding it hard to find much sleep at night. ―Sometimes I go to sleep and wake up four hours later only to find that I have to go to school,‖ Josh said. ―But I still find a reason to get up every morning.‖ But the amount of sleep did not repel Young from any extra activities; he has still found time to be the alter server at his church. The weekly activity saps another few hours from his tightly packed schedule and eats away at his waning sleep schedule. When compared to most of the students at Freedom who com-
plain about their classes taking too much time away from o ther a cti v itie s, Young has had a pretty impressive track record in dealing with his workload. ―I don‘t regret taking on this much work; I like it,‖ says Young. If Young keeps putting the amount of work he does now into his work in the future, who knows what he may be able to accomplish? Justin Alicea / The Freedom Forum
Throwing Opponents to the Mat By Justin Alicea Most kindergarteners do not give much thought to their future in high school. However junior Evan Kauffman started wrestling at that age, and the early steps he has taken molded him into the premier wrestler that he is today. ―I got into wrestling because my dad was a coach,‖ he said. For the last decade, Kauffman has honed his craft as a wrestler and is now considered one of the top wrestlers at Freedom High School. Even though Kauffman started the season injured this year, he trained hard and currently has a 7-0 record. According to strength coach Jeff Longacre,
Kauffman spent a lot of time in the weight room completing his rehabilitation. ―The harder you work in the weight room, the more prepared you are. It gives you a mental factor,‖ said Longacre. Although Kauffman spent some time on rehabilitation, his workouts were pretty similar to normal. Longacre said, ―For a big guy he is pretty agile and coordinated.‖ When asked what Kauffman‘s greatest achievement as a wrestler was, he replied that it was his performance in states. He made it to the semi-finals in the PIAA Northeast regionals in March 2011. According to Kauffman, one of the hardest parts of wrestling for him, is to
get mentally prepared. Kauffman enjoys solving problems with math, his favorite subject. Not that wrestling is like Calculus, but figuring out the best approach on how to pin another wrestler comes easy to Kauffman. ―Wrestling tends to take up so much time that it‘s usually all I do,‖ said Kauffman. Kauffman‘s training, preparation, and dedication will hopefully help him have another strong showing on the road to states.
Justin Alicea / The Freedom Forum
Rifle Team Aims to Win By Greg Adams For many years now, the rifle team has been an exciting varsity sport at Freedom High School. ―We practice as a team, but practicing individually is what really matters,‖ said junior shooter Andrew Mattei. The team consists of around 15 members and is coached by East Hills Middle School art teacher Mr. Court, who volunteers his time to help the team improve.
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favorite was Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult. A third favorite for AP English 11 students was Frank McCourt‘s Angela‘s Ashes. Despite McCourt‘s enjoyment for Angela‘s Ashes, junior Cole Donatelli felt otherwise. ―[Angela‘s Ashes] made me never want to use the word ‗excitement‘ again,‖ said Donatelli.
The rifle team‘s season started in late December, and the teams that Freedom competes against include Southern Lehigh, Liberty, East Stroudsburg North, and Berwick, just to name a few. Matches consist of five rounds, with two shooters competing per round. Although the team has been hindered by equipment disadvantages, they still put in the same if not more time into practice as the other schools in their league do. Every day, the rifle team travels by van to practice
their skills in an improvised shooting range in the Liberty High School basement. The practices often begin late and run long, which is a testament to the team‘s dedication. Although the league‘s matches are judged on points scored for accuracy, the format of the event is much different than other forms of competitive shooting. ―This kind of shooting is more recreational.‖ said Tyler Kulanko, a junior who plans on joining the military after gradua-
tion. Tyler, one of the top shooters on the team, said that the rifle team is fun and interests him as he gets closer to fulfilling his goal in having a military career. Freedom‘s rifle team is still winless this season, but their next match is against Berwick on Jan. 26 and they hope they can get their first win of the season through hard work and accurate shooting.
Overshadowing the gems previously mentioned are a variety of rather unenjoyable stories that are required to be read; these are the stories generally not read until August. Regarding these books, students and teachers alike feel there should be more flexibility within the required reading list. When asked what his opinion on the overall required reading list, English teacher ―We should have a wider range of
choices in order to interest more students,‖ Mr. David Kleist said. Mr. Kleist also said in order to create more student interest in reading, ―We should create a collaboration of student preference books and teacher preference [books].‖ Aside from these negative opinions about required reading, students need to be sure to recognize the importance of learning from classic plays, novels,
and autobiographies. Many readers and writers learn from literature that they do not necessarily prefer. However, a combination of modern-aged and classic literature would most likely inspire students to get off of Facebook and get their faces in books.
Skills as a marksman can prove especially practical in Pa.,
the state that has the most licensed resident deer hunters in the country (1,299,372) many of them under the age of 18. Schools all over Pa. even allow students off of school for the first day of deer hunting season on Nov. 28. Whether you know it or not, shooting and hunting are integral parts of Pa.‘s unique culture. Win or lose, Freedom‘s rifle team has proven this season that they are serious about their shooting.
10 Pates’ Post
Ask Fabio! Advice Column
We‘ve all been in this situation. You‘re in the middle of a casual chat when the person you‘re talking to decides to be distracted by a text message and types out a reply to a friend. While today‘s high exposure to technology may at first seem to make this scenario appropriate to your conversational partner, the fact of the matter is that the inappropriate use of your cell phone in a social setting makes you come across as socially inept. Nothing says ‗I‘m completely oblivious to those around me‘ louder than a person who fails to follow the rules of basic human etiquette and demonstrate respect for other people over technology. ―I hate it when people text while you‘re talking,‖ says junior Ricky Castro. ―It upsets me and I feel like they‘re not listening to me. Please stop doing it.‖ Considering the fact that there is already a large group of people who commit cell phone related social blunders, there is a definite possibility that the situation can only go from bad to worse. Take, for example, a text message with the intention of asking someone out. Should you ever be the recipient of this type of text, treat it like the deal breaker it is. ―It‘s completely inappropriate for someone to ask someone out with a text message,‖ says senior, Marissa Langley. ―If you want to have a personal relationship with someone, ask them out in person.‖ Eventually, interpersonal skills may even decay to a point where people can no longer communicate effectively in face-to-face conversations. ―People don‘t know how to socialize anymore at all,‖ says Langley. ―They don‘t know how to interact with others. Pretty soon everything will have to be done via email or text message.‖ Practice discretion when you decide when to use your cellphone. Have a real conversation, and stop texting all the time.
The Forum
February 2012
Freedom says “Au Revoir” to Madame Stanley By Julie Boylan, Features Editor It‘s been a long and fulfilling road of teaching for Stanley who began her teaching career in France forty years ago. She achieved her BA in Education in France and completed her Masters at Lehigh. ―I really wanted, always, to be in teaching,‖ says Stanley who especially likes languages. Her other option, besides teaching, was doing interpretation. After eleven years of teaching both English and French in French middle school and high schools, Stanley made the jump across the Atlantic Ocean to the United States. Before entering the Bethlehem Area School District about twenty-four years ago, Stanley taught French at Dartmouth College, Lehigh University, and Moravian Academy. After spending about twelve years teaching French at Liberty, Stanley has spent the last twelve year at Freedom.
According to Stanley, the best part of teaching is ―the interaction with students.‖ ―Even though I‘ve had ups and downs, I love teaching‖ says Stanley. ―I enjoy the challenges of interacting [with students]‖. Stanley says that she likes ―showing kids that there is
more to French than just what we learn in class.‖ ―I have great memories, not just of a particular year but students who I‘ve taught and who I‘ve kept in touch with.‖
Freedom senior Abigail Stives definitely felt the passion that Stanley had for teaching. ―Honestly, I really did like her as a teacher,‖ says Stives. ―She really cared about her students. Everyone‘s going to miss her because she was an awesome French teacher.‖
Freedom senior Derek Detweiler says that Stanley ―overall was one of the best [teachers] I ever had. She really got to know me and… she understood that it was hard but she tried to make it easier for us.‖ ―She as a teacher had a really big impact‖ says Detweiler. ―She helped me realize I could do things I thought I couldn‘t. I honestly didn‘t think I would go this far in French.‖ In regards to her retirement, Stanley says that it feels ―strange‖ to be retired and ―bittersweet‖. Though, as of her last few days in the halls of Freedom, she claims that the retirement had not sunk in yet and she had not really been thinking about it. Although Stanley is quite sure she will never play golf, like most retired people, she is looking forward to reading, sleeping in the morning and traveling in her retirement. After a good twelve years at Freedom, the school is losing a great Photo courtesy of Mrs. Maryse Stanley language teacher. Merci Madame Stanley for all Meredith Marchese, Free- you have done for your studom sophomore, agrees with dents. Stives, saying that she liked Stanley‘s teaching style and it really felt like she was learning.
“Bienvenue,” Madame Pizzaglia By Kate Dawson As any good élève de français may know, Freedom High School‘s much loved French teacher, Madame Stanley, retired at the end of the first semester. Though she will be missed, French students will now have the great opportunity to work with a new French teacher, Madame Pizzaglia, who has already stepped up to the plate and is helping the French club organize their annual Mardi Gras celebration for the French students of East Hills. It was at this French club meeting where many former French students were able meet our new Freedom Family member for the first time - by the way, French students may be interested in knowing that the new French room is 206, rather than finding out by first walking all the way to the other end of the building. Madame Pizzaglia studied French at Pennsylvania State University and also studied abroad in Nice, France at L‘Institut de Polytechnique de Nice. She has been teaching French for twelve years at schools as nearby as Broughal
Middle School, a multilingual school in Tyrone, Pennsylvania, and as far away as a school in Albuquerque, New Mexico. When asked what she was looking forward to here at Freedom, Madame Pizzaaglia
French 1, and I‘m looking forward to meeting new teachers and students, and to working with the French club, which I‘ve never had the opportunity to experience.‖ Not only has Madame Pizzaglia taught French, but also
Julie Boylan / Editorial Editor
said, ―I‘m looking forward to working with a wide variety of levels, for the past four years I‘ve just been teaching
English while she lived in Italy for a year. Both she and her family speak Italian, and she says that all three of her
children study French, if not a third language as well! To all students studying French, or any other language for that matter, Madame Pizzaglia offers this advice: ―I think it‘s really important that you study a second language, if not a third also, statistics show that those who do perform better on their SAT scores. It‘s definitely a global economy with the internet making the world so much smaller now, so it‘s really an asset to any student going to college or beyond to be able speak another language whether it be French or something different. I certainly would encourage French because that‘s my passion! But any language they choose to study is important to continue.‖ So when you get a chance, say ―hello,‖ or ―bonjour,‖ to Madame Pizzaglia! Oh, and the ―g‖ is silent.
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The Forum
February 2012
Maceo Connor: The Fan Favorite By Mike McGinty, Sports Editor If you asked most people around Freedom High School about Maceo Connor, they would say how nice of a person he is. Or go to a Freedom boys‘ basketball game and see how the riot squad reacts when he comes in the game. Throughout the season, the boys‘ basketball team has been consistent. Junior player, Maceo Connor, has been one of the team‘s key players, playing defense at an extremely high level. Team expectations were high going into the season, but Connor expected to play in the game
and contribute. He certainly has done more to contribute and has become a fan favorite. ―I‘ve really had to try not to [smile], as soon as I hear the Maceo chant start,‖ said Connor. ―But on the inside, I have the biggest smile.‖ Connor saw the most playing time he had all year against arch -rival Liberty. He also played excellent on the defensive side of the court, causing a few turnovers and changing the momentum in Freedom‘s favor. ―It was a great feeling,‖ Maceo said of his performance against Liberty. ―Especially since it was against Liberty and one of my best friends since
elementary school. I was happy to take advantage of the playing time, however nothing in basketball can be done single handily. I have to show credit to the rest of the team because they played just as hard as I did.‖ The Patriots were ranked 9th in the state at one point after surging to a 13-0 start. Maceo Connor noted that as a team they simply hate to lose, which is why the Parkland game (the team‘s first loss) was so disappointing to Connor and the rest of the team. ―They just hit a lot of shots. We knew we had to lose sometime, and we couldn‘t stay undefeated forever. That being
said we can use that game as motivation to not let it happen again,‖ Connor said. Connor may not be a starter this year on a senior-heavy roster, but many forget that he is only a Junior and has not only the rest of this year, but this offseason and next year to improve his game. ―I get to see what parts of my game need improvement and have the drive to work even harder in the offseason, so that next year can be just as successful,‖ said Connor. The Boys‘ basketball team has had a successful season thus far, and Maceo Connor has been a part of something truly special
Justin Alicea / The Freedom Forum
that will continue its year of greatness as the year progresses.
The Final(s) Countdown—A Reflection on Finals By Navea Frazier The vision of Scantron sheets, the sound of number two pencils being meticulously sharpened, the smell of grief, anxiety, and annoyance in the air: ah, finals. That special time that comes around twice a school year where a number of students selfreflect, stating that ―frack, I never actually learned this stuff.‖ Finals have gone through a complete overhaul this year, with senior exemptions being thrown out of the window while making way for members of the student body who take Advanced Placement courses to be withheld from the final exam
Riot Squad Spirit Week
experience. While the two-day bump between first and second semester may seem like a small bump in a high-school student‘s academic road, there are many differing opinions throughout the Freedom Family centered on the hot topic of finals. Taking final exams is much like being stuck in a puddle of quicksand, and as junior Dustin Baughman says, ―The harder you worry about [final exams], the worse you do.‖ The worry and anguish that is associated with finals is the primary issue that many students have with them, and most students link the worry to the study period that does—or at times doesn‘t— come with finals.
Monday, Feb. 6 Sports Jersey Day
―My teachers made [my fellow classmates and me] prepared for finals with packets,‖ says ninth grader Patrick Davis. Materials like study packets and guides seem to be a big aid for soothing the worry of final exams, as many students state the guides are the root to their success. However, some students state that they maintain stuck in finals quicksand due to lack of study time. An eleventh grader who asked from anonymity told a personal account of how ―teachers teach [final exam material] a day before finals.‖ Along with the study period associated with final exams, many students find issue with the current deletion of senior
Tuesday, Feb. 7
Wednesday, Feb. 8
Celebrity Day
Retro Basketball Day
exemption from finals. In the past, seniors that maintained an A average throughout a semester‘s course—along with other criterion including having under a set amount of absences—was awarded the opportunity to be exempt from the course‘s final exam. The elimination of what many viewed as a senior tradition has left many students from the Class of 2012, and even some from classes beneath, disappointed. ―Seniors have no privileges anymore,‖ twelfth grader Dmitri Mitchell says. Dedrea Becker, also a senior, adds that seniors are less motivated now that senior exemption is no more.
Thursday, Feb. 9 1990’s Day
Friday, Feb. 10 Freedom Family Friday
―None of the seniors care to study for finals anymore because they worked throughout their freshmen, sophomore, and junior years of school to be exempt,‖ Becker says. Tenth grader Daniel Youngelman agrees with Becker. ―I won‘t be happy when I am a senior,‖ Youngelman states. With first semester‘s final exams done and over, students have a handful of months before their have to face another batch of final exams splendor. Whether students remain stuck in the final exam quicksand or escape unharmed is completely up to them.
FHS v. LHS Basketball Girls: 6:00pm Boys: 7:30pm @ Liberty High School
Patriot Pride: Going Back in Time By Mrs. Pat Whirl, Special to The Freedom Forum
To commemorate the 45th year of The Freedom Forum, I asked former faculty members for their most memorable moments. Below are a few excerpts.
THOMAS JORDAN - DRIVER’S EDUCATION - 33 YEARS Taught and met many wonderful students but the most famous was “The Rock” Dwayne Johnson. My grandchildren think this is awesome.
HELEN FARRELL - LIBRARIAN 13 YEARS Wondering how to get the library ready with utter chaos in the beginning stages of the construction.. After much help, and 2 ½ months later, we were able to open for the students and faculty. It really was a modern facility and a hub for all academic activity in that pre-computer age.
SHIRLEY COSNER - FINANCIAL/LIBRARY SECRETARY Spirit Week when all the halls were decorated and the theme days for the week before the FHS-LHS game.
FRED SHUNK - SOCIAL STUDIES - 24 YEARS Seeing the accomplishments of each extra curricular activity as the Patriot Band, the Chorus, the Scholastic Scrimmage Team and the teams of each sport. At graduation feeling very satisfied knowing that with the rest of the teachers I had something significant to do with the success of the graduates and hoping each of them would achieve his/her goals in the years to come.
ROSEMARY MURDY-HABER - VOCAL MUSIC DIRECTOR - 12 YEARS Traveling to Europe with the FHS Concert Choir in 2002 and singing for His Holiness Pope John Paul II in the Vatican. It was a truly a blessed and educational experience for all who participated.
12 Pates’ Post
The Forum
February 2012
Celebrating Black History Month By Navea Frazier The month of February: to many it is the time frame where roses are sold and winter is cold; but for me it is symbolized by the national observance of Black History Month. I could go on differentiating the two sides of the debate over whether Black History Month is necessary or important, but you can Google search ―black history month‖ if you want to know that. I could go on into my personal views on Black History Month, but you can ask me in person. Instead, I will tell you about what Black History Month—as its founder Carter G. Woodson intended— has taught me. Black History Month taught me that Fredrick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln‘s birthdays are in February. It taught me what an abolitionist was, and it helped me understand why a book on Lincoln was advertised in every single issue of my mom‘s Ebony magazines. Black
History Month taught me to understand the Underground Railroad in a figurative sense, and that once upon a time rope was not for jumping, stones not for skipping. Black History Month taught me that to many the primary colors were not red, yellow, and blue. It showed me that history class was right, and that states could make exceptions around the Amendments the national government set forth. Black History Month taught me that if someone wanted division to be equal, there was a strong probability that rising action would occur. Black History Month taught me that marching is not exclusive to bands. Black History Month taught me that sitting in does not mean being in front of your television at home; I learned that even fire hoses could not put out the flames of injustice. Black History Month taught me that sometimes you have to learn of the worst to understand the turmoil your
country is in. Sometimes the worst has to happen to have change. My 83 year-old tears from when a certain President was elected, Black History Month told me why. Black History Month told me that you could dream with your eyes wide awake.
Giving Thanks to an Icon By Karanda Erdman, Penn State University
Photos by Karanda Erdman / Penn State University
The afternoon of Joe Paterno‘s procession should have been a normal day, but this particular was anything but ordinary. That afternoon during work, a man came up to me and asked, "How can a university love a football coach so much?" My reply was both prompt and heartfelt. Joe Paterno wasn't just a football coach. He strove to bring athletics and academics together. That library I study in? He built it, so I would have the ability to get the best marks possible. That church I worship in? He built it so all religions had a place to worship on campus. He loved Penn State almost as much as he loved his wife, Sue. I can only hope to be half the person he was. The man and I walked outside together where we encountered the overwhelming silence that surrounded downtown State College as Joe made his final ride through his beloved hometown and university. Thank you, Joe Pa for shaping Penn State into the wonderful university it is today.