February 2013
Volume 46 Issue 5
Freedom High School - 3149 Chester Avenue - Bethlehem, PA 18020 - www.fhsforum.com - @fhsforum
INSIDE THIS ISSUE Clinton’s Blood Clot (p. 2) Underage Drinking (p. 4) Senioritis (p. 5) Les Miserables Review (p. 10) Superbowl Results (p. 11)
President Obama appoints new CIA director Counterterrorism expert John Brennan is named CIA director.
In the aftermath of Gen. David Petraeus’ extramarital affairs, President Obama named John Brennan as the new Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. Brennan has worked at the CIA for 25 years and is, in President Obama’s words, “one of the hardest working civil servants I’ve ever known.” Since 2009, Brennan has served as the President’s Advisor for Counterterrorism and Homeland Security. He is noted for his role in the campaign of unmanned drone strikes against key al Qaeda
John Brennan, CIA Director
By Bill Leeson News Editor
operatives in Pakistan and Yemen. The drone campaign itself has drawn immense controversy and scrutiny from the entire world, and certainly from citizens and political figures in Pakistan, who assert that the drones may be responsible for civilian
deaths. In contrast, Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi expressed his support of the CIA drone strikes in an interview with the Washington Post. He acknowledged their precision and reliability in eliminating threats, saying “The drone technologically is more advanced than the human brain.” Framed by this information, it is unsurprising that CIA drone attacks have been occurring less frequently in Pakistan and more frequently in Yemen. However, as a CNN report suggests, the declining anti-terrorist activity in Pakistan may be because they have nearly been
hunted to extinction. The report says “at least 36 militant leaders have been reported killed by drones in Pakistan since Obama took office.” Keep in mind that it was John Brennan overseeing the drone campaign from the White House’s perspective that whole time. Brennan’s role in the United States’ national security is undeniably important, but already controversy is building around his appointment to an even more powerful role in potential drone campaigns. For example, some citizens in Yemen have protested a drone strike that allegedly killed seven civilians. In fact, American human rights groups have also protested some of the drone at-
tacks. A major player in al Qaeda named Anwar alAwlaki was killed in a drone strike, but so was his teenage son. Clearly there are viable ethical questions raised by pursuing this avenue toward American security. Brennan made his intentions and his perspective on drone usage clear last April: “[Never] before has there been a weapon that allows us to distinguish more effectively between an al Qaeda terrorist and innocent civilians.” That is a stance that puts American interests above all others. Time will tell if it is the right one.
Education in America: a failing grade “Students First” is trying to reform American education systems. By Kate Dawson Editorial Editor
U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. “At the edge of the fiscal cliff” article on page 2.
Q and A article about the BASD mini-THON on page 9.
Photos courtesy of wikimedia.org
Students First gave a poor review to American education policies.
Students First, an independent organization for reforming education.
It is no shocking fact that the United States' education system as a whole is lacking from a global perspective in some, if not many, areas. However, to what extreme should we be taking measures to fix this? What measures need to be taken in the first place? Many educators and students have their own opinions, and agreeing upon any specific set of variables is a controversial task. In 2010, former Chancellor of D.C. public schools, Michelle Rhee, founded the nonprofit organization "Students First" in order to advocate the types of education policies which she and many others felt would improve the U.S. school system insofar as their growth and well-being on a national level as well as their competitiveness on a global
level. Each year the organization gives every state a ranking determined by how closely their education system compares to the Students First platform by assigning grades A through F. The idealistic school system for the "graders" at Students First would be one that is working to abolish or greatly decrease the number of tenured teachers and recognize excellence in teachers, provides many schooling options aside from public, such as charter schools, and increases parent awareness and involvement.
(continued on page 2 EDUCATION)
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
Managing Editor of Print Amanda Molinaro Managing Editor of Digital Media Zachary Ward News Editor Bill Leeson Editorial Editor Kate Dawson Pates’ Post Editor Samantha Lutz Entertainment Editor Kirat Randhawa Sports Editor Greg Adams Photo Editor Trevor Watlington Assistant Editors Kristen Dalton Sabrina Castaneda Faarah Ameerally
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, like us on Facebook, and subscribe to our YouTube channel! http://fb.fhsforum.com @fhsforum, #fhsforum fhsforum@gmail.com
If a photo credit is not present, the graphic is credited to Microsoft Office ClipArt.
Upcoming Events
The Forum (continued from page 1 EDUCATION) According to the website, StudentsFirst.org, the concept is laid out as such in their mission statement: "Together, we'll demand that legislators, courts, district administrators,
and school boards create and enforce policies that put students first. We'll make sure politicians and administrators recognize and reward excellent teachers, give novice teachers the training they need, and quickly improve or
February 2013 remove ineffective educators. We'll work to ensure that every family has a number of options for excellent schools to attend..." Not many people would argue with these proposals, but with the extremely low
Hillary Clinton: on the road to recovery Rumors of Clinton’s 2016 campaign bid are quieted due to fall. By Noah Gonzalez The Freedom Forum
On Dec. 17 Secretary of State Hillary Clinton fainted after becoming dehydrated and suffered a concussion from the fall. The dehydration was most likely caused from a stomach virus Clinton was battling. Fortunately, the doctor’s examination of Clinton’s concussion allowed them to discover a more serious matter rather than let it go unnoPhoto courtesy of wikimedia.org ticed. Clinton was diagnosed with cerebral venous throm- Hillary Clinton at a press conference. bosis. Cerebral venous thrombosis is described as a discovered the clot from her situation. In addition to her blood clot on the right trans- concussion examination, current blood clot, Clinton verse venous sinus, which is which dramatically improved also suffered from a deep found on the occipital lobe, her prognosis. Her doctor vein thrombosis in Sep. 1998, or lower back on the brain. also observed how the blood which could be related to clot The transverse venous sinus clot could have easily trans- predisposition. The previous allows the brain to drain formed into a brain hemor- and present blood clot will blood, and could be life rhage or stroke, which could definitely convince Clinton’s threatening if not treated im- have been fatal. Clinton left doctors to evaluate her for mediately. It is possible to Columbia Presbyterian Hos- hypercoagulability, which is recover with the correct treat- pital on Jan. 2. defined by an abnormality of ment. Normally this blood clot is having a tendency to form In Clinton’s case, she was not formed from a skull frac- blood clots. Though, the test promptly put on blood thin- ture, and made Clinton’s doc- for hypercoagulability cannot ners after her neurologists tor question her clotting be completed until Clinton is
By Tiana Van The Freedom Forum
Bethlehem Area School District MiniTHON: April 27, 2013 at LHS Memorial Gym
completely off Coumadin, an anticoagulant that prevents blood clots from forming. On Jan. 27, Clinton appeared on CBS’s “60 Minutes” where she answered a few questions about her blood clot and her status for the 2016 election she was previously planning on bidding for. Clinton responded to a question about running with “I really don’t believe that is something I would do again.” This comment disregards her initial plan for the 2016 election, which definitely could have been finalized with her recent health conditions. Clinton also confirmed that her health issues will recede, but explained that she is wearing glasses because of “lingering effects” from the concussion and blood thinners.
At the edge of the fiscal cliff U. S. Congress makes last-minute economic decision.
FHSTC Production Les Misérables April 4-7
ratings given this past year, it is apparent that Students First might be setting some unreachable standards.
As the Dec. 21 Armageddon doomsday passed without disaster, another doomsday loomed on the horizon, “Taxmageddon.” More formally known as the “fiscal cliff,” the first day of this year would have sparked a series of tax hikes and deep budget cuts to many federal programs that would be altogether unfavorable if Congress had not come to a deal to organize the country’s finances. These drastic measures were a mechanism put in place two years ago at the end of Congress’s debtceiling crisis and were intended to pressure the Congress to compromise more quickly upon a new budget for the country. Indeed, the consequences if they hadn’t
would have severely impacted the fragile economy, and many predicted that if the country fell off the “cliff,” it would once again be plunged into a recession. Dire the circumstances were, however, the final agreement was approved by the Senate only hours before their New Year’s Day deadline. The primary cause for the delay was an inability for the Republicans and Democrats to come to a compromise. Among the hotly contested topics were renewing tax cuts put in place by President Bush, repositioning the debt ceiling, and allocating money to various federal programs. In the end, each political party had to make concessions. As per Republican wishes, tax cuts were renewed permanently for most
Americans. However, those earning $400,000 a year would have their tax rate increased from 35 percent to 39.6 percent, a proposal put forth by President Obama. Also in favor of the wishes of the Democratic Party, unemployment benefits were extended for a year. Other policies agreed upon include a 5year extension of tax breaks for middle- and lower- income Americans, a 9-month bill extension for farms to prevent an increase in milk price, and an increase in estate taxes from 35 percent to 40 percent, excluding the first $5 million. While many compromises were made and several budgetary issues dealt with, several large issues were altogether left out. Resolving the scheduled spending cuts, for example, has been put off for
two more months during which the debt-ceiling must also be dealt with. It was a close call, avoiding the majority of the fiscal cliff dangers. However, when the new Congress convenes, they will have an equally difficult task, and hopefully can come to a compromise with time to spare.
Editorials 3
The Forum
February 2013
Let’s talk about sex(ism), baby By Sabrina Castaneda Editorial Asst. Editor
As you may know, what is now a winter formal here at Freedom was originally going to be a Sadie Hawkins dance, which has its roots in a comic from 1937 in which an undesirable woman declared a holiday in which whomever she caught in a race was to be her spouse. The Sadie Hawkins dance often brings up a discussion of gender roles in society. That is certainly a conversation worth having, but in this article I am going to focus more on sexism as a whole and how it could feed into gender roles. Women have come a very long way since the 1930’s. They can now occupy front-line combat roles, and the number of females in college actually outnumbers that of males. Negative preconceptions about women are especially prevalent concerning education. Every student, at
one point or another, has heard that males are better at math and science while females are better at the humanities and dealing with feelings. How wrong is this? Let me count the ways. You see, multiple studies have been done by scientists and universities that debunk these myths. In one study, males and females went into separate rooms and were asked to evaluate the emotions of the face that was shown on the screen. Originally, the females did much better than the males, but when the males were offered money for correct answers, their scores ended up
matching that of females. It was concluded that the females originally did better because attention to emotion is what society expects from females. In another study, males and females in multiple high-level math classes were asked to take a standardized test. On one version of the test, the students were asked to identify their gender beforehand. On the other, the students were not. The males outperformed the females in the classrooms where the females had to remind themselves of their gender and the preconceptions that come with it. In the classrooms where the students did not have to mark their gender, the females and males performed equally. It was concluded that the labeling of themselves
as “female” dredged up stereotypes concerning women and math, causing females to do worse on the test. There is much more to write on the subject of sexism, and I have barely even scratched the surface, but the message I want to get across is very simple. Ladies, don’t let what people tell you about your gender stop you from succeeding. People have the capacity to be very ignorant. Gentlemen, instead of spending your time making kitchen jokes I suggest you take the time to work through your prejudices. If you’re interested in reading more about gender myths, I would recommend checking out “Delusions of Gender” by Cordelia Fine.
Controlling the Second Amendment Mental test before gun rights, or no guns at all? By Kristen Dalton News Asst. Editor
Mass shootings have devastated Americans and have taken away innocent lives for far too long. The question is: What will fix this prevalent and growing problem in American culture? Since taking away an American’s right to self defense is against the second amendment, what can we expect from the government? The solution being discussed in Congress has been “stricter gun control.” Since 80 million Americans own guns, simply taking them away wouldn’t be very realistic. The stricter gun control laws being discussed involve making gun availability much more scarce and implementing a stricter process in order to obtain a weapon. In order to obtain a weapon, an individual would
Is Advanced Placement worth it? …Is that a serious question? By Bill Leeson News Editor
Juniors, seniors, and maybe a few sophomores: you can skip finals for the small fee of $89 per subject. Interested? Me too. All you have to do is take a much more rigorous course than you’re used to with unforgiving nationally enforced standards. Also, if you don’t want that $89 to go to waste, you’d better do well. I think it’s a good deal, but I’m not too concerned with skipping a final, considering I’ll have to take the AP test in its place anyway. I’m focused on the big picture. I take Advanced Placement classes because I want to give colleges all the help they need in seeing how “dedicated, academically proficient, and mature” I am. I probably ripped that awkward quote from the course description of one of the eight AP classes I’ve taken at Freedom. These Collegeboard people aren’t kidding when they say only skilled students should take
t h e s e classes. No, they are not for everyone. No, they not easy. They are not designed to be easy. How else would they be able to sell those “5 Easy Steps to AP Success” books? In fact, it was Mrs. Jennifer Cierech’s introductory spiel at the start of this semester that piqued my interest in who exactly should be taking AP classes such as hers, Spanish. Mrs. Cierech told me that AP success “depends on an individual’s ability.” No surprises there, but it’s still reassuring to know that you control your own destiny in these classes. She also reaffirmed that the monetary cost is absolutely worth it because most colleges will waive certain freshman-year courses if you have the proper AP record. Again, I’ve taken eight AP classes; I’ll get college credit for at
least five, depending on where I go. That’s almost a semester of college classes that I will not have to pay for. That’s because I have the proper AP record. I won’t count my chickens though – AP Spanish and AP English are still in progress for me. I can already tell that Spanish will be a demanding course, even compared to other AP classes. There’s a reason for that. Mrs. Cynthia Baylis, also a Spanish teacher, explained that upper-level Spanish courses have the potential to be more difficult relative to other classes because Spanish, or any foreign language really, relies on the previous year’s knowledge even more than other subjects. In other words, my experience with AP Spanish actually began way back at East Hills with Spanish 1. Mrs. Baylis told me that there are efforts to reorganize the entire Spanish curriculum across all levels, and that “it’s a work in progress.” The point of my little anecdote is that there is
overwhelming evidence these AP courses are no joke. There is a very real possibility that I could hand Collegeboard my $89 just to receive an inadequate score on their test. If that happens, when I take another language class in college, at least I’ll be heavily prepared for it. My advice to anyone who doubts their ability to handle a difficult class is this: handle it. Colleges want to see your academic proficiency and you want to save money, and AP classes are a gateway to both.
All photos courtesy of ClipArt
need multiple mental tests done, and the knowledge that this person owns a gun would have to be easily accessible. With shootings occupying half of our morning news and with the recent mass shooting in Newtown, Connecticut where innocent young children lost their lives, it is a clear concern and not many people can argue against stringent gun control. Both Great Britain and Australia, for example, have banned any sort of gun ownership. Officials in Australia wanted to prevent mass shootings that were taking place constantly in America. Prime Minister John Howard commented after mass shootings were becoming a popular trend in America that "we took action to limit the availability of guns, and we showed a national resolved that the gun culture that is such a negative in the U.S. would never become a negative in our country."
(continued on page 4 - GUN CONTROL)
4 Editorials
February 2013
Letter from the editor
It is not surprising or unknown to many people that underage drinking occurs often. In a country with the highest drinking age in the world, it is almost expected that teenagers will rebel. But, as the old saying goes, “two wrongs don’t make a
right.” Simply because teenagers are willing to break the laws and risk the consequences of underage drinking doesn’t mean their parents should encourage or allow these actions. Freedom High School’s principal, Mr. Michael LaPorta, has written the following article, “The Elephant in the Room,” to bring his con-
cerns of underage drinking to the attention of parents throughout the Bethlehem Area School District. This article first appeared in a letter from the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) of Freedom High School. The article was later quoted and discussed in a recent publication of The Express-Times and many rumors of LaPorta’s
concerns have been milling around the school and social media websites. Instead of reading this with a biased opinion and assume that your principal or your child’s principal is simply trying to crack down on an issue that will never be solved, open up your mind to the possibility that you and the people around you can
make a difference. Let’s hope that addressing the “elephant in the room” will mark the start of that change. Photo courtesy of ClipArt
By Amanda Molinaro Managing Editor of Print
The Forum
The elephant in the room
(continued from page 3 GUN CONTROL) European countries suffer low crime rates because of their restriction of fire arm
number of students who extended period of time, “pregame” before our sport- please have a plan of superviing events. These “pregame” sion for your children if you events are occurring in are leaving them home alone. homes where there are rang- Have the courage to stand up ing levels of supervision to your children and from some to none. In an- say “NO!” Nobody said parother conversation with some enting would be easy. This is of our unone of those d e r c l a s s “Together as parents times. If you are students, tempted to allow – we can make a they asked an underage me if it drinking party, difference. “ were possiplease know you ble to have run the risk of breathalyzers at the prom. destroying your family, the They stated they are con- families of others, going to cerned with the amount of jail, and being sued. drinking that is going on in One of my greatest fears is our community. They said of having to make that they are afraid somebody is dreaded morning announcegoing to get hurt or worse. ment on a morning that we To be quite honest with eve- have lost one of our very ryone, so am I. own. Please don’t be that As Principal of Freedom parent who contributed to the
High School and as a parent of a Freedom High School student, I feel compelled to expose “The Elephant in the Room.” I implore all of our parents to use common sense, good judgment, and be responsible parents to their children and their guests. To those who do, quit supplying alcohol to kids! Please don’t be that parent who says, “I will collect all of your keys and nothing will happen.” That is what the Saucon Valley family said back in 1986. If you are planning to be away from your home for an
need for me to make this announcement. If you are aware of underage drinking, don’t ignore it. If you are aware of a child, perhaps your own, who is having difficulty with alcohol or drug use contact a teacher, guidance counselor, or building administrator. We can get the Student Assistance Program (SAP) involved with your concern. And to all of those elephants that disagree with this article, don’t become an ostrich and get your head out of the sand. Together as parents – we can make a difference.
weapons. Though Americans should be granted the right to protect themselves in the current culture and world we live in, there is no legitimate reason for everyone to own a
role in shootings. Gun control is an ongoing and controversial issue, but it should be clear to every American that something needs to be addressed especially with the
recent events such as Newtown, the movie theatre shooting, and more.
combat rifle that was originally created for mass destruction and for military purposes. The media also plays a key
Photoshop edit by: Sabrina Castaneda
Recently I have had numerous conversations about alcohol consumption and marijuana use with students across the four grade levels at Freedom High School. Similarly, I have had these same conversations with parents in our community, staff members of Freedom High School, and administration within the Liberty High School community. The general consensus is that these behaviors are rampant, and it is only a matter of time before our school communities experience the catastrophic loss of one of our students. Additionally, many of these conversations yielded the unthinkable notion that some parents, older siblings, and older friends or relatives are both the sources of alcohol and providers of the locations of these parties. Therefore, I feel compelled to write this article titled, “The Elephant in the Room.” Back in 1986, three years into my teaching career, in the area where I grew up, I remember the tragic ending of a Saucon Valley student’s life that shocked the community as he left an underage drinking party late one night. This young man was struck by a car and eventually died from his injuries. The days following this most unfortunate event revealed that the victim was well over the legal limit for alcohol consumption. Additionally, it was proven that the parent and homeowner knowingly, though reluctantly, supplied the alcohol. In testimony at the civil law suit, this homeowner and parent stated that he allowed the underage
party to occur because he LaPorta, the aforementioned knew that his son would have events are only a few over a found another way to host a period of time.” Now let me party of this nature. The share some of my conversamoral of this story is to un- tions and experiences with derstand that as adults and students and adults during parents, we need to stand up this school year. Over the last to our children and three years we frequently say “NO” to these requests. have had to invoke our athThe consequences are huge letic code of conduct for stuand life changing from a dent athletes who have had negative standpoint. alcohol or drug related ofOne may say, “Mr. La- fences. One conversation I Porta, that was over 25 years had with a parent shared with ago.” Let me fast forward to me that his child was at a more recent times and look at party where the parents promore unfortunate events. In a vided the alcohol for many nearby community in 2008, a underage Freedom High mother was arrested and School students. Unfortucharged with supplying alco- nately, this parent was very hol to 16 teenagers who were uncomfortable and unwilling also arrested in this situation. to share names. Additionally, She was eventually sent to these parents indicated they prison. In Palmer Township a did not want to call the pogroup of 16-year-old young- lice. sters decided to have a beer Another conversation was party in a barn. Unfortu- with one parent who stated nately, this party got out of his child was invited to a control and the barn caught party. This parent called the fire and burned down. This host parents and asked if alhistoric buildc o h o l “In all of these ing needed to would be be rebuilt. In cases...misfortune could provided our own comto the mu n i t y o f have been prevented.” children. Bethlehem The host Township, we parent have had two incidents of stated there would be no alunderage drinking leading to cohol, and adults would be injury and arrest over the past present. After the party concouple of years. The first in- cluded, the student of the cident had an adult purchas- parent with whom I was dising alcohol for a group of cussing the incident shared Freedom students. These stu- that his child said the host dents became intoxicated and parents provided alcohol. inappropriate pictures were This parent became angry taken. The second incident and confronted the host paroccurred in June 2010 result- ent. The host parent’s reing in a youngster being sponse amazes me to this stabbed. In all of these cases date. He said, “Get your head adults provided alcohol, out of the sand. All kids these parties got out of con- drink. We were supervising trol, the misfortune could the party and nobody got out have been prevented, and of control.” Another converadults were sent to prison. sation with some students Again one may say, “Mr. indicated that there are a
Photo: ClipArt
By Michael LaPorta Freedom High School Principal
Pates’ Post 5
The Forum
February 2013
Stop slackin’, seniors! By Erin Heaney Journalism Student
“Because I’m a senior” is the infamous excuse that seniors use to get out of doing their work. This fails to excuse them. Senioritis is a “disease” that strikes seniors usually after they get accepted to a college. Some cases are worse and strike right as they become a senior in high school. “I’ve stayed home from
school more this semester than my whole high school career,” Grace Liparini, senior. Some seniors decided they do not need to do school work since they have already signed to a college and their high school career is almost over. “Ever since I’ve committed to the college I’m going to, I can’t wait to graduate,” said Jennifer SantaMaria, senior. During the first semester, many seniors are very in-
volved in their school work and completion of homework; however, by the second semester, they have used all of their energy and are ready to leave. “I feel like senioritis kicks in at the end of your junior year,” said Brittany Michael, senior. However, seniors may not realize that colleges look at second semester high school grades and can still put students on academic probation for lack of attendance and
unfinished school work. “I could have gotten into the college I wanted to, but
FHS alumna. Some people claim that high school fails to prepare students for colleges, but students cause some problems for themselves by not managing their time well. Advice: Do not slack off your senior year, concentrate on your school work and remember you have been accepted to college, but you are not there yet.
instead I slacked off and was not accepted to my college choice,” said Tanya Moller,
Crossing the pond to Bethlehem Russian exchange student joins the Freedom Family (and America). By Ryan Nickol Journalism Student
Vitaliy Ignatov, an exchange student from Russia, came Freedom High School last year. He is a senior and he is currently 17 years old. He lived on the Border of Russia and Ukraine. “I came to America because my parents had better job opportunities,” said
Ignatov. In Russia, they only have 11 grades. “It’s better to have 12 grades because I can learn more,” said Ignatov. Ignatov understands how important an education is and he is grateful for the extra year in high school. He has made many friends at Freedom and
it the process was not difficult for him. “Many students have been nice to me, so it wasn’t very hard,” said Ignatov. Even though it was not his choice to come to America, he is happy with the decision. “I’m glad because my parents found good jobs and I enjoy my new friends,” said Ignatov. Ignatov has to go back to Russia, but his parents will stay here in America. He will
Making melodies at Freedom
stay with his extended family in Russia. The weather is also much different here in America than in Russia. “It was much colder back in Russia. It feels so much different here in Bethlehem,” said Ignatov. Ignatov really didn’t have a choice as to what school he attended, but he is happy he went to Freedom. “I didn’t have a choice but I’m glad I went to Freedom
instead of any other school in the area,” said Ignatov. Ignatov is happy he came to Freedom, but he knows he will not be in America much longer. “I will miss the people that I’ve met and I will miss my parents when I go back to Russia,” said Ignatov.
No time for field trips?
A taste of Les Chanteurs.
Enjoy singing? Think you’re pretty good at it? If you’re in 10th, 11th or 12th grade, you should audition for Les Chanteurs. Les Chanteurs is an elite group of upperclassmen singing in concerts in many places. The only difference between the amount of practices choir and Les Chanteurs
is Tuesdays after school. “Les Chanteurs is a lot of fun times: going on all the trips and hanging out with friends. It’s just an overall good experience,” said Brady Hill, freshman. Even though Les Chanteurs is very difficult to sing the hard core songs it is worth it and the trips are amazing. One of the best trips is said to be to Christkindlmarkt because of all the fun time that
the group had there. Les Chanteurs only takes a limited amount of people so you better hurry and warm up your singing voice.
Bring the trip to the classroom. Mr. Troy Schoeneberger brought wildlife animals into Miss Marney Caffrey's class on Wed., Feb. 6. Mr. Schoeneberger volunteers at the Pocono Wildlife Center where he cares for injured wild animals until they are well enough to live on their own. Mr. Schoeneberger brought a great horned owl, a falcon, a snake, a possum and a skunk. He explained the rescue, the care the animals receive and the return of the animals into their natural environment after they are rehabilitated.
Elect to sing in and out of class. Not in any clubs? Do you enjoy singing? Well now is your chance to join choir. Choir is a group of Freedom’s talented voices all coming together to perform in concerts for the Freedom Family. The best thing about it is that all you have to do to be part of this elite crew is show up and sing well. “Choir is a great experience and something to be proud of
and it is very fun to miss first block and hang out with friends,” said Brandon Burnette, freshman. The choir practices every day during first block. The practices take up all of first block and students sing and have fun with friends during the class. Plus choir is a great way to meet new friends while doing something that you enjoy. Choir is asking for
more people to join, so now is your chance. Take hold of the opportunity.
Photos by Sydney Duffy
By Joe Rodgers Journalism Student
Thai Thai II By Caitline McCadden Thai Thai II is a relatively new restaurant located on Main Street of historic Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. As one could infer, authentic Thai food is the specialty and primary food served at this restaurant. Thai Thai II is conveniently open every day of the week except Monday which is a positive for a family who eats out a lot, for a night out with friends or for even just for take-out on any ordinary day.
Spicy food is conventional in most dishes that are served, but certain entrees, like the Royal Chicken, are flavorful in a different approach. The Royal Chicken had a saltier taste with other spices added to the appetizing experience. The names of the dishes on the menu are generally not written in English, so if one gets overwhelmed while deciding what to order, a popular go-to dish is the Drunken Noodles. Drunken Noodles are a stir fried noodle dish composed of rice noodles, soy sauce, fish sauce, garlic,
meat or tofu, bean sprouts, and various seasonings. Along with impressive cuisine, the décor of the restaurant is very casual and quaint providing a relaxed yet romantic ambiance for a date night. The atmosphere made one feel as if they were eating at a “fine dining” eatery while still preserving the comforts of a small diner.
to consider when planning your next date or even if you happen to be in Bethlehem and are in the mood for some Thai food.
Finally, the service was very satisfying. The food was served fast and in a courteous manner.
Photo courtesy of bethlehempatch.com
Overall, I would recommend Thai Thai II as a place
Revolutions Entertainment Revolutions on Route 378 in the Lower Saucon Township is an upscale bowling alley which recently opened last month. com.
Photos courtesy of Revolutions Entertainment
More information at www.revolutionsentertainmen
Steel Ice Center One of two popular ice skating rinks in the Bethlehem Area. Located on East 1st Street in South Side Bethlehem. The Ice Center hosts a Skate Party with a live DJ every Friday night. Photos courtesy of figureskating.about.com and steelcenter.com
More information at www.steelicecenter.com.
Lehigh Valley Laser Tag Located on Airport Road North, it is the area’s only multi-level high tech laser tag arena.
More information at www.palasertag.com.
Jumbars Looking for a quaint place to enjoy a delicious breakfast or lunch? Jumbars, located on Greenwhich, serves grade A cuisine for breakfast and lunch. Enjoy local favorites like the French Toast, Grilled Sticky Buns, or Jumble Berry Pie in the charming and comforting atmosphere which makes you feel like you never left home.
Chef Paul Hoffert's housemade breads, jams, and baked goods combined with the amazingly warm surrounding will leave you longing for more. Be sure to check out Jumbars next time you’re in the mood for a home-style breakfast and you will not regret it.
M o r e i n f o r ma t i o n www.jumbars.com.
Photos from of jumbars.com
By Faarah Ameerally
at
Sette Luna If you're looking for a cozy -chic twist on your classic Italian Restaurant, look no further than 219 Ferry Street, right off of the circle in downtown Easton.
Photos courtesy of palasertag.com
Perfect for a romantic evening or just a fun night out with friends, Sette Luna offers everything from delicious, one-of-a-kind, hand made pizzas to a variety of agnolotti (a pasta like ravioli), salads and seafood. Expect to find zesty Mediterranean ingredients such as goat cheese, pignoli nuts and
blood oranges. All the food is extremely fresh and never lacking in flavor. The soft lighting, warm hues and exposed wood-fire oven in this Tuscan trattoria lend a rustic charm to the atmosphere. The wait staff is courteous and allows you to enjoy a well-paced and relaxing meal while taking in the decor as well as savoring the delicious food. Pricing is reasonable, but can get expensive depending on what you order. Dress is casual to upscale. The res-
taurant does not take reservations.
More information at www.setteluna.com.
Photos courtesy of setteluna.com
By Kate Dawson
8 Pates’ Post
The Forum
February 2013
Choose your electives wisely
Adopt a freshmen By Fyniss Frazier and Gabriela Wamba Journalism Students
Being a ninth grader is a difficult transition, but being an “adopted freshman” might make things easier. The goal of this idea is to help the freshman transition from 8th grade to 9th grade. The upperclassmen could relate to being freshmen and help them get through school or problems with teachers and friends. “I like to teach my freshmen friends to get involved, not let peer pressure influence them, and for them to be themselves,” said Mike Salzarulo, senior. M a n y freshmen believe that having an upperclassman as a mentor is a great idea. It will help them get through their problems be-
cause the upperclassmen have been through similar experiences. “I believe it an amazing idea because every time I have a problem concerning school and outside of school I go to my upperclassmen friends because they give me great advice on what I should and shouldn’t do,” said Brianna Brown, freshman. Some students do not have freshmen friends, but they do not look down upon having one. “I don’t have freshmen that I hang out with on a daily basis, but if I found a freshman that was up for hanging out with me, I would love to hang out with them,” said Gabrielle
Manganiello, senior. There are positives and negatives to having an upperclassman and under-
tives to having upperclassmen and underclassmen as friends, it is still great to hang out with different
Photo illustration by Gabriela Wamba
A step forward for the Freedom Family.
Mike Salzarulo, senior, and Kyle Giamportone, freshman, have started an unlikely friendship.
classman as a friend though. “A positive that I believe is that my upperclassmen friends teach me new things and help me with homework that they have already done,” said Brown. “The negatives to having a underclassman as a friend is that they are always younger than you and can’t do most things that I can do,” said Salzarulo. Even though there are some negatives and posi-
people, and it is something new for everyone to try. You never know; your best friend could be a senior or a freshman. All you have to do is be open to try new things and become more social with your fellow classmates.
To party or not to party? The scoop on political parties. By Lucas Yerger The Freedom Forum
Many people believe parties are awesome. People would love to party 24/7 if given the opportunity. Unless of course we are talking about political parties. Are you a Republican or Democrat? Which political party do you belong to? These are the age old questions that come with politics. Political parties such as, the Democratic and Republican parties have been around since before the 20th century. Although those are the prominent ones, there are many other political parties including, Whig, Libertarian, and Green parties to name a few. Another well debated topic in politics is whether we should or should not have political parties. This has been debated for just about as long as the parties have existed. Everyone has their own opinion, but my opinion is that political parties should be present. One argument against
political parties is that they cause too much argument, because each party has their own beliefs there are way too many arguments. This would occur either way. Even if you didn’t have parties people would still believe what they want and fight for what they believe. Therefore y o u w o u l d still have a r g u ments if not more because you would have more people running, simple logic. “It wouldn’t work, the way our system works, I think its inevitable,” said Frank Wiltraut, Freedom High School teacher. Wiltraut is into politics and pays a great deal attention to the current events in the political system. I firmly believe what he said is true. If we didn’t have political parties it would not work. You would still have all the same issues today. Too
many people would be running that we wouldn’t even know all the candidates and know who to vote for on their ballots. There are about 150 million registered voters in the United States. There are 63 million registered as Democrat, 47 million Republicans and 32 Independents. An independent is someone who belongs to no political party. O v e r t h r e e quarters of the United States belong to a party. Therefore people believe in political parties. I think that the only way you could get rid of them is if people didn’t belong to them. They are still popular and the main topic in elections. We have primaries and vote who to represent the party. We would have to change the whole election process. After asking many students their opinion on political parties those against it have no other argument other than saying that they
are “stupid.” After further questioning I’ve come to the conclusion that these students were not educated on the topic enough to form a valid opinion. Political parties are what drive people’s opinions and what drives the election process. If we dumped the parties, we would have to change the whole process. We would still have as much arguing, if not more. Also, we would have way too many candidates to decide.
Get to know your possibilities. By Elyse Sanford Journalism Student
It’s that time of year again when students go through the process of picking electives for next year. Students can choose from electives in many different categories. One of the English electives offered is Journalism. In Journalism there are assignments that teach students the rules of journalism and journalists’ rights. Assignments include writing articles for the school newspaper, reading, and analyzing articles. “Journalism is a good class to demonstrate and enhance your writing abilities,” said Lucas Yerger, senior. An elective offered at Freedom High School under the fine and practical arts section is Photography. This class teaches students the different angles students can use to get certain effects on a photograph. Also, students in this class learn about the history of photography. Students get take home assignments that usually use the skills that they learn in class. If students enjoy this elective, they can move on to photography II. “I like photography because you get to embrace your creativity,” said Angela Prass, freshman. Sociology is an elective under the social studies category. In Sociology, students learn about the study of human relationships. Students that take this class participate in group projects and use the textbook for written assignments. In addition, students get to look at jobs that include the study of sociology. “It is a good class to take if you are interested in mental health,” said Jenna Dobos, freshman. These are only a few of the electives offered at Freedom High School. When choosing an elective, pick a course that interests you. Talk to a guidance counselor if you need help choosing.
Find course descriptions online at http://wwwfhs.beth.k12.pa.us
Entertainment 9
The Forum
February 2013
Coffee addicts express themselves By Kirat Randhawa Entertainment Editor
that Dunkin doesn't taste nearly as good as Starbucks.
Each and every morning, many people travel to local coffee shops to start their day off just right. Whether it be Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks, or even McDonalds, all companies receive the same coffee rush in the morning. After asking students around Freedom High School which they prefer, Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts, it was astonishing to discover that Dunkin Donuts was more popular. Despite Starbucks good taste, the prices are quite expensive. However, students agreed
Things you didn't know about Starbucks: 1. There are over 87,000 combinations. 2. The Cinnamon Chip Scone has more calories than Mcdonald's Quarter Pounder 3. Smiling is part of the employees job description. 4. There is a secret size not on the menu. 5. The Starbucks name has a literary inspiration.
What exactly is THON? By Bridget Silk The Freedom Forum
If you have been at Freedom High school the past couple of months, you probably have heard the word “THON” bouncing around. Students and staff alike have been hearing all about THON in association with events like “Stop-the-Bop” and other activities like watching Elf in the auditorium. But what exactly is THON, and how can you get involved? I interviewed the brains behind it all, senior, Eileen Seitz, to get the scoop. Q: What is THON about? A: Since 1977, THON has raised more than $89 million for the Four Diamonds Fund at Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital. Each year there are colleges and high schools who participate in THON and miniTHON's to raise money that goes towards kids with cancer and the research needed to end cancer. The biggest THON is Penn State's which is for 46 hours. THON is about people coming together, fighting for the same cause.
Q: Where does the donated money go? A: The money we have/will raise goes towards the Four Diamonds Fund at Hershey Medical Center.Since 1977, THON has raised more than $89 million for the Four Diamonds Fund at Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital. EVERY family who has to go to Hershey Medical Center has no cost, thanks to THON. This money also goes towards the constant research in the battle to end cancer. Q: Where did the idea of THON come about from Freedom? A: In 2011 I went to Penn State's THON to see my sister Colleen dance for 46 hours. Which actually means she had to stand on her feet for 46 hours with 707 other "dancers." The instant I walked into the Bryce Jordan Center, I fell in love with the idea of everyone coming together to raise money for children with cancer. Then the following year in 2012 I attended THON again, and really felt the need to start
one at Freedom High School. I felt as if we as students needed to experience it since it was so life changing for me. And I thought if Bechai High School and Notre Dame High School can do it, so can we. So I heard how Liberty High School was having their mini-THON March 8th and had this absolutely crazy idea to do THON with them. I thought...rivals for decades coming together to raise money for children with cancer...that would be amazing. So I met with their leader at Liberty and we decided, let's do it. Q: What will the night entail? A: The motto is, "be a kid again". We have activities planned throughout the night, we will have tables with coloring and arts and crafts you can do, performances from our co-ed cheerleading teams, and a DJ with an awesome playlist. Also, we have a "line dance" that begins at each hour. The idea is to have everyone memorize it as the hours pass on and eventually everyone will sync. The "line dance" is a
recap on the past year with easy dance motions to go along with it. There are going to be many little kids there who have been affected by cancer, so we hope that everyone who comes out to THON will interact with these kids and make their night very memorable. Remember, BE A KID AGAIN. Also, the last hour to 2 hours is titled "Family Hour". This is a very emotional, moving, and inspirational time. We will be honoring many families and announcing them to everyone. Then we will have speakers who have been affected by cancer tell their stories to the crowd. These 6 hours will make you realize how grateful you should be for the life you live and that you are healthy. It will make you second guess a lot of the things you complain about when realizing what little kids with cancer have to go through each day.
Boy’s Basketball
Photo: Penn State THON
Photo: BASD Mini-THON Twitter account
Entertainment 10
The Forum
February 2013
From Broadway to Hollywood By Kate Dawson Editorial Editor
The 2012 film adaptation of Schonberg and Boubil's musical, Les Miserables, as based on the 1862 novel by Victor Hugo, has done very well at the box-office this winter, drawing musical devotees and film fanatics alike, and grossing $130 million in the U.S. alone as of mid January. Directed by Tom Hooper, the 2 hour and 38 minute film includes all but two of the songs from the original stage musical. Though various songs are either shortened or rearranged, all vocals were recorded live on set. For those who had the
great fortune to have seen the musical during its time on Broadway (where it will return in 2014), the vocals may leave something to be desired, if not the film as a whole, but when viewed purely as a major motion picture, all the elements are there: quality acting, great music, expansive and beautiful scenery, not to mention an action filled, yet heartw a r mi n g ( a n d h e a r t wrenching) story, thanks to the great Victor Hugo. The cast is lead by Hugh Jackman as the immortal protagonist, Jean Valjean, Anne Hathaway, Russel Crowe, Amanda Seyfried, Eddie Redmayne and Samantha Barks, and supported with an
Band of the Month By Faarah Ameerally Entertainment Asst. Editor
Man Overboard is an American pop punk band from Mt. Laurel and Williamstown, New Jersey that began in 2008. Members include Zac Eisenstein, Justin Collier, Wayne Wildrick, Joe Talarico, and Nick Bruzzese. Since then, they have released two EP's, an acoustic EP, a split with Boston pop punk band Transit, two song covers, and two full length albums. Taking influence from such pop punk acts as Blink-182, Saves the Day and Taking Back Sunday, Man Overboard play a brand of upbeat and poppy pop punk with the emotion of 90's emo acts such as The Promise Ring. Well known for its motto, "Defend Pop Punk," the band is currently signed to Rise Records.
Man Overboard was formed by childhood friends who started recording music to have a good time. After spending the past year touring the east coast, Man Overboard has recently released a new album in the New Year titled “Before We Met.” This pop punk band has come a long way from where they started. You can expect to see them again at this year’s Vans Warped Tour again after an exceptional run last summer. This is an extraordinarily lucky band to have a very supportive fan base which had allowed them to accomplish, record, and release these records.
Photo courtesy of Man Overboard
extremely strong ensemble, including Helena Bonham
imdb.com
Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen who perform the much needed task of comic relief in the forms of the horribly hilarious Monsieur and Madame Thenardier. As far as scenery and costuming, the the movie is a feast for the eyes. The cinematography is captivating and especially intriguing in a story which has so often been told on stage, where one cannot examine the true depth of emotion on the actors' faces. Jackman plays his part of the renewed and selfless ex-convict with great dimension and believability, which, in acting, is a simple but truly wonderful complement. The pre-battle scenes in the cafe with the students such as
Marius (Redmayne) and Enjolras (Aaron Tveit) were some of the most riveting, and capture the angst and passion of the revolutionaries, not to mention included some of the best, though perhaps under-appreciated, singers such as Tveit. So far the film has won three Golden Globes and has been nominated for eight Academy Awards. I highly recommend catching the movie on the big screen, and also bringing a box of tissues; Les Miserables, on stage, screen and book, has always been an infamous tear -jerker.
The new Facebook A new social network is on the rise, but why is it becoming so popular? By Mitchell Coriell The Freedom Forum
The social networking site, Instagram, which was released on Oct. 6, 2010, has now reached over 100 million users. For those who don’t know, Instagram is a photo sharing social networking site that can only be used with Apple products and Android products. With its recent rise of popularity, Instagram will soon be able to take a seat next to Facebook and Twitter at the throne of the most used social networking sites. “I really like it because it’s a way to show what you are doing or seeing what your friends are doing without expressing it in words. Instead you use pictures,” said junior, Rebecca Coriell, when asked what makes Instagram different from other sites. Altogether, Instagram is a mix of Twitter and Face-
book, but just more focused on pictures rather than words. You can like, comment, put hash tags, follow and unfollow on Instagram just like Facebook and Twitter. What really gives Instagram its originality and specific appeal is that it has some features that others sites cannot offer. For example, it’s very simple to use and it doesn’t make extreme changes every few months. Another reason could be that along with taking the pictures, the app offers ways of filtering photos and making them look more professional and pretty. The ultimate reason could simply be that the public is just ready for a new social networking site to use. Whether it is the photofiltering or Instagram just being the perfect blend of social networking sites, it seems that Instagram is here to stay. I have not yet seen
anyone that has gotten an Instagram account and then disliked the app. It has what a social network needs, and it is an excellent way to physically see what your friends are doing. Also it is a great way to look through your own photos just like a photo album. Its like looking down “memory lane.”
Instagram icon
The workers under the sea By Walter Ogozaly The Freedom Forum
The Disney Magic was rated the number one large cruise ship in the world by Condé Nast Traveler, but for many of its thousand employees, the lull of the ship is not luxury but easy money. The boat plays host to hundreds of workers from abroad that compete for the elusive four and a half month con-
tract to work on the boat. Workers from more than fifty countries come to the isolated environment for a job experience different from nearly every other. “We get a lot of foreign people who work in the cleaning department,” said Louisa of Youth Activities. “They work on the boat and send their paychecks back home. Some of them have built whole villages for their
families, just with the money they make here.” There are many advantages to taking a job on the cruise line. The hours are long but the work is rewarding. The food is free, the crew sleeps in small rooms beneath sea level, and foreign workers are not required to be American citizens or pay American taxes. “When we get paychecks, mine will sometimes be 20%
larger than my American counterparts,” said Arthur, who hails from Brazil. Although the wages may be low aboard the ship, the lack of expenses makes it easy to save or send what they do make. “The important thing is to work hard, and let yourself be noticed for the good things you do. I’ve been here three years and it’s really a great opportunity. I wouldn’t
change my decision to apply,” said Erin, the Manager of Youth Activities and one of the few on the ship who is American.
Photo: Disney Cruise Lines website
Sports 11
The Forum
February 2013
Ravens soar over 49ers Despite power outages, Ravens take the victory. By Sabrina Castaneda Editorial Asst. Editor
If one had to pick a word to describe Super Bowl XLVII , chances are it would probably be something like “interesting”. The game had touchdowns, technical problems, and tense moments galore. From the get go, the Ravens came out of the gate running, surprising many as the Ravens had a less than stellar record during the regular season. At the end of the first
quarter the score was 7-3, with the Ravens establishing the lead they would keep for the rest of the game. The next touchdown didn’t come until late in the 2nd quarter, helped by Baltimore’s 75 yard drive over the next 10 plays. Dennis Pitta caught a 1 yard pass to score a touchdown, making the score 14-3. However, the Ravens weren’t done yet. On the very first play of the next drive, Ed Reed intercepted a pass and Baltimore
tried to increase their lead. However, it was not meant to be. That is, it was not meant to be until Jacoby Jones ran 56 yards on the reception for a touchdown, breaking a record and bringing the score to 21-3. On the last play of the half, the 49ers kicked a field goal and brought the score to 21-6. As for the halftime show, the 49ers certainly could have used some of the energy Beyoncé was exuding during her performance. In fact, it seemed like too much energy may have been put into the performance. Almost as soon
as the second half started, the power went out. Thirty four minutes later, the lights came back to life and so did the 49ers. By the time the fourth quarter came around, the score was 28-20. On the second play of the fourth quarter, the 49ers got a field goal, and the lead shrunk once again. The score was now 28-23. Things quickly began heating up, with the Ravens raising their score by 3 and the 49ers scoring yet another touchdown. With the score now 31-29 and a lead of only two points, this game was causing people to teeter on
the edge of their seats. However with a final score of 34-31, the 49ers amazing comeback was simply not meant to be. Yet, it was a great game for Ray Lewis, who finished his 17 season career with seven tackles. Joe Flacco also stood out during the game with three touchdown passes, and of course, no one could forget Jacoby Jones and his amazing 56 yard run.
Juniors: Carnival
Seniors: Nintendo
Sophomores: The Wizard of Oz
The Band: Christmas
Freshmen: Little Tykes
February 2013
The Forum
Volume 46 Issue 5
Photos by: Amanda Molinaro, Managing Editor of Print and Ryan Bone, Special to The Freedom Forum