Volume 48 Issue 1
September 2014
Freedom High School - 3149 Chester Avenue - Bethlehem, PA 18020 - www.fhsfoum.com - @fhsforum
A shot heard around the world
After effects of shooting in Ferguson, Missouri By Cassie Sedler Editorials Editor
On Aug. 9, 2014, Michael Brown, a teenager in Ferguson, Missouri, was shot and killed by police officer, Darren Wilson. The shooting, although stationed in a small town, swept the nation’s headlines, and inevitably, brought much controversy along with it. In recent weeks, the story has been set aside as other global events have occurred, but also because of the difficulty in media coverage of the case itself, leaving people uninformed, and frustrated with the anchors, and media alike, due to their inability to deliver the actual facts. What exactly went on prior to the shooting still remains unclear, however,
there seems to be two very different outlooks on what may have occurred that ultimately led to the shooting. The first scenario, according to viralglobalnews.com, leads the readers to believe that Michael Brown was an innocent, unarmed, eighteen year old, who had no history of criminal activity. The officer was said to have approached Brown, some discussion ensued, a shot was fired and then another, eventually killing Brown in the “surrender” position. On the other hand, viralglobalnews.com also gave insight to the second account of the shooting by suggesting that other media outlets described Brown as a dangerous teen, who was involved in an armed robbery just pri-
or to his killing. It is also said, in this version, that Brown approached the officer first, after being ordered to step off the sidewalk, where Brown proceeded by punching Wilson, repeatedly, and injuring the officer very severely. In the next instant, allegedly, a fatal shot was fired from the officer at Brown in an effort of self-defense, in order to protect himself from the raging teen. To make matters worse, out of this controversy sparked a new one: the seemingly, militarization of local police forces. The police force of Ferguson, MO. was heavily armed in its response to the subsequent protesters and the ultimate violence and chaos that occurred. The Ferguson police had military weapons and vehicles on sight and
many citizens were disturbed and outraged and felt it was an unreasonable use of force. Surprisingly, however, it is not uncommon, today. “Local police departments across the country deploy not just military style equipment, but actual castoffs from the U.S. military,” according to businessweek.com. This is the leading catalyst of discussion among people located around the country, and
lends itself to the question whether or not towns of relatively small sizes should hold these powerful means of weaponry. “The images and scenes we continue to see in Ferguson resemble war more than traditional police action,” Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky wrote in a column for Time, according to businessweek.com.
One of the officers armed and stationed in Ferguson, Missouri after the shooting. Source: Creative Commons
Eco disaster coming to Green Pond Local Bethlehem citizens protest on development of Green Pond housing By Megan Schupp The Freedom Forum
Anyone who has lived in Bethlehem long enough knows that it is prone to flooding from time to time. This is certainly true for Green Pond, which tends to washout when the rain is especially heavy. Many Bethlehem residences often charge into meetings and demand something be done to prevent further accidents from occurring. However, with the marshlands being
housing project consisting of 857 houses.Yet, while many under Tradition of Ameriare excited about the ca’s radar, they might be new housing, many changing their minds Bethlehem citizens soon. Planners are designare worried about the ing a 265 home housing wildlife that currently project for “active senresidences there. iors.” ”I don’t agree about Tradition of America is A picture of Green Pond featuring the wildlife that what they are doing. one of the many develop- inhabits the marshlands surrounding it. Think about the birds mental companies created that live there!” said by J.B Reilly and Timothy Source: Amy Herzog Rachel Wolf, junior. McCarthy. The company Green Pond’s specializes in creating group Tradition of America has marshlands have always procommunities for seniors who begun to focus more on the vided a habitat for birds all still live active lifestyles and Bethlehem township, even over the state. Over 160 difhas developed two projects in though construction had be- ferent bird species have been Hanover Township alone. gun on Madison Farms-a documented at the marsh-
ISIS… what is it?
A run down of ISIS and the growing Islamic nation By Michael Datz Assistant News Editor
While you are at home or at school, many others in Iraq and Syria are forced from their homes by an overwhelming group of soldiers. In the recent weeks, it seems that an organization sharing a name with a goddess has been dominating
global headlines. However, the terror group, formally known as ISIS, is still unknown to people. The name of the group is an acronym, standing for the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. The group also goes by the shortened IS, simply for “Islamic State.” The origin of ISIS began as a breakoff of al Qaeda in Iraq, or AQI. It is believed that ISIS itself was a splinter group that grew over the course of the late
2000’s. After growing and absorbing other groups, ISIS grew stronger. (CNN) Despite only forming a short time ago, ISIS is well supplied and funded from its capture of valuable territory, such as oil fields. As far as soldiers, jihadists from Iraq and Syria have joined the cause, with even citizens of the western world signing up to fight with the group. (Continued on page 2– “ISIS”)
lands, including eight kinds of birds that are classified as "threatened" or "endangered" under the Endangered Species Act. What would happen to these rare species of birds if Green Pond was removed? The chance of extinction would increase for the endangered birds and people could no longer enjoy the subtle beauty of the more elusive avians. It truly would be a great shame to see such graceful birds no longer exist.
Inside This Issue Newest apps……………………..... p.3 Pate Block………………………….p.4 Freshman rumors……..….……......p.8 “If I Stay”…………………..…...….p.10 Freedom football preview.. …….…p.12
2 News Important Upcoming Dates
September 27BASD miniTHON Color Fun Run
September 2014
The Forum (“ISIS—Continued from page 1) To accomplish the goal of a united Islamic state, both Shia Muslims and non-Muslims have been forced from their homes. At the end of June, the United Nations reported that 1.2 million Iraqis had been forced from their homes. Though, sometimes ISIS is not as kind to leave people alive. Sadly, international journalists, including Americans, have been killed to achieve this ideal state. In the recent
weeks, both James Foley and Steven Sotloff have been publicly executed. “ISIS is very a fundamentalist, extreme portion of Islam,” said Mrs. Donna Roman, social studies teacher. It also should be noted that this group is only a very radical subset of Islam. More specifically, the group is Sunni Islam. Their actions are so violent, even al Qaeda has denied involvement with the Sunni jihadists. This extremism has allowed ISIS fighters to make large
movements in the Middle East, ISIS. Whether or not these ofleading to the captures of key fensives will succeed, only cities, such as Mosul in June. time will tell. According to the BBC, the taking of Mosul puts the assets and cash of ISIS at a value of about 2 billion US dollars. To combat these rapid increases in territory, America has started to allow airstrikes on ISIS -controlled areas. Other western and Islamic Map of Iraq and Syria powers are also sup- Source: Wikimedia Commons porting offensives on
Changing the game by changing colors New nail polish designed to detect date-rape drugs
October 1Parent teacher conference
October 2PTO meeting
October 8College Night for seniors and juniors
October 17Homecoming game and pep rally
By Caitlin McCadden News Editor
Before you finish reading this article, another person will fall victim to an unwanted sexual assault. In the United States, a woman is raped on average every 2 minutes. (US Department of Justice) Luckily, a group of North Carolina State undergraduate students, Tyler Confrey-Maloney, Stephen Gray, Ankesh Madan and Tasso Von Windheim, have developed a nail polish that is designed to change color when in contact with popular date-rape drugs. "Our goal is to invent technologies that empower women to protect themselves from this heinous and quietly pervasive crime,” said the creators on the product’s Facebook page. This new drug-sensitive cosmetic has been named “Undercover Colors.” Discussion of said product and its popularity are quickly on the
Homecoming dance
college, and approximately 90% of all rape cases involve some form of alcohol. “My daughter started her first year of college this month and my hope is that she would not be in a situation that could become dangerous. But if something were to happen, I think it is nice that chemistry has become so developed that a product like this can exist for women,” said Mrs. Tara Broczkowski, FHS physics teacher. Other technologies that are used to detect date-rape drugs such as Xanax, GHB and Rohypnol are becoming increasingly popular as well. These products consist of drug detecting straws, lip glosses, and cups among other precautionary measures. “I just encourage everyone to become knowledgeable about alcohol use, date rape, and the dangers that come along with it,” said Mrs. Broczkowski.
Housing the homeless in Portland Portland has its sights on building micro homes for the homeless By Linda Mao The Freedom Forum
October 18-
evaluators also stated that the nail polish takes away from the problem at hand: the aggressor who is placing the drug in the drink. “The blame is not being put on the “Undercover Colors”, a new nail polish designed women by wearing the nail polish. It is by 4 colleges students, changes color when exposed to popular date rape drugs. As seen in the just an extra safety picture to the left, it will shift from bright, vibrant precaution. It does colors into a darker shade. not at all condone Source: Creative Commons the actions of people abusing date rape rise. drugs,” said Erin McVicker, “I think it is great that girls senior. will now have that added proThe creators of “Undercover tection when going out. It is Colors” say that they decided sort of like pepper spray in a to research and patent the idea sense,” said Adrianna Mantz, due to personal experiences of senior. their classmates and coworkCritics of the product are pro- ers. This is not an odd reason testing that such an item sug- to conjure up such a product. gests the blame is placed on According to research conthe woman, and that she ducted by the University of the should not have to change her Sciences, 1 in every 4 women daily routine in order to go out is date raped or will experience and have a fun time. Some date rape during her years in
Portland, Oregon’s most populated city, has a population of over a half-million, of which an estimated 2,000 people are homeless. Many of the homeless are living in unsafe environments, such as in the streets, under bridges, and in provisional shelters. These conditions prompted housing advocate Michael Withey to propose the idea of using tiny homes designed by the company TechDwell. The mayor’s office began looking into the idea, and Josh Alpert, Director of Strategic Initiatives, according to time.com, has already met with TechDwell’s co-founder and designer, Tim Cornell, to dis-
cuss these micro homes. Despite the success of the tiny house idea so far, it still needs approval to begin construction. However, micro house communities are expected to pass, according to Alpert. He hopes that the first community will be done by Feb. 2015. The plan is to construct multiple tiny house communities in different parts of Portland, so the homeless are not clumped up in one spot. Each community will have 25 of these homes with living amenities such as laundry and administrative offices. In the prototype developed by TechDwell, the micro home will be 16 feet wide and 12 feet deep, with a sloped ceiling 12 feet high in front of the
house. It can house two people, and it provides a bathroom and kitchen. Costing $20,000 to build and only 2-4 days to assemble, the tiny home will be available to rent for $250 to $350 to rent per month, requiring people to make only $5,000 to $15,000 a year, according to huffingtonpost.com. In comparison, makeshift emergency shelters cost $16,000 per year to operate and do not have plumbing. "Before people can get back on their feet and take advantage of job training and drug and alcohol counseling, they need a place to live," said Deborah Kafoury, County Chairwoman on oregonlive.com. "This helps accomplish that.” This is not Portland’s first attempt on the matter of homelessness. In 2004, according to governing.com, Portland had pledged to end homelessness
in 10 years with the National Alliance to End Homelessness, but the plan expired this year without fulfilling its goal. The solution was to provide housing, something that was not done but now is very likely to become a reality with the micro homes. Although Withey has said, “I’ve yet to [hear] one person say this was a bad idea,” the public does not seem to agree. Users on websites such as Reddit doubt that the solution to homelessness is really that simple. What does Freedom have to say about these miniature homes? “I believe Portland’s tiny houses for the homeless is a great idea, yet a very temporary fix,” said Ashley Morales, freshman. “We have to remember why some people become homeless in the first place.”
3 News
The Forum
September 2014
Erupting with some problems Volcano Eruption in Iceland By Josh Christiansen The Freedom Forum
Footballs were not the only thing in the air on Sunday. A volcano in the Bardarbunga volcano system, located in Iceland, spewed lava into the air. According to CBC, the volcano erupted on the morning of Sunday, Aug. 31. The volcano’s ash was expected to shut down the surrounding airspace. “My dad, my step-mom, and a couple of my buddies from college went to the game,” said Mr. Steve Flad, FHS gym teacher. Mr. Flad, a Penn State alumni and major fan of Penn State’s football team, had family and friends over in Ireland, watching the Penn State game. Penn State football officials were concerned
that an ash cloud 2010. This volcano caused an would result in ash cloud that shut down the the shutting down of the air- air space across much of Euspace, therefore trapping the rope and some parts of North college football players and America, according to an articoaches over in Ireland for an cle by Forbes.com. undetermined amount of time. The present eruption was Mr. Flad’s family and expected to cause more harm friends did not experience any than it actually did. It was problems traveling by air. “[They] had no problems and if they hadn’t seen the news, they would not have any idea [about the volcano],” said Mr. Flad. The eruption was the result of thousands of earthquakes that have hit the North Atlantic Island for the past two weeks, according to CBC. For those who have not Photo: Wikimedia Commons heard, Iceland has been subject to multiple volcanic expected to shut down air eruptions in the past. The last travel just like the last volcasignificant one erupted in no had. This was not the case,
and the only after effect of the eruption was lava, but no ash cloud. The difference between this volcano’s eruption and the one in 2010, was that this one was a fissure eruption. According to Google.com, a fissure eruption is an eruption from a crack in the lithosphere. National Geographic Education defines lithosphere as the solid, outer part of the Earth. "As evidence of magma movement shallower than 10km implies increased potential of a volcanic eruption, the Bardarbunga aviation colour code has been changed to orange," said an Icelandic
meteorologist office, in an interview with The Guardian newspaper. Having been a fissure eruption, lava was about the only thing that was spewed into the air. Ash was not an after effect of this event. According to CBC, Icelandic authorities lowered the aviation warning after no ash was detected, from red to orange level. Orange level means that the quality of the air is not dangerous, but unhealthy. The volcano was not what it was predicted to be. Instead of dangerous and harmful, spewing lava and ash into the air, the volcano simply spewed lava, but barely any ash. It did not even shut down the air space. Penn State was able to safely travel home. “The eruption is considered a minor event at this point,” police said in a BBC article.
Bigger is better for technology Apple’s New Giant iPad By Leilani Achoe Journalism Student
With the rapidly produced technology of today’s society, Apple has been creating new products that are taking the world by storm. It is commonplace to see endless lines wrapping around Apple stores and headlines describing Apple as the leading brand for all tech products. According to Bloomberg.com, by early 2015, the
public will be able to get their hands on the new “Giant iPad.” This new iPad is going to have a shocking 12.9 inch screen. This is a big leap from the iPad Air’s 9.7- inch screen and can be compared to the Macbook Air’s 13-inch screen. Other companies have had trial-and-error with creating a bigger tablet in the past. In 2012, Toshiba launched the Android-powered Excite tablet. The problem with this tablet was the off the charts size according to Business Insider. Also, it had low-
resolution display, having a simple grey, bland hardware design and the storage. Now, the public is teeming with questions as to why Apple has decided to make such an impressive tablet. IPad sales have been down on a year-over-year basis. There are several reasons why this could be occurring. Apple's upgrade cycle has not been as frequent as it has for iPhones. People may upgrade every other year for a new iPhone but customers might keep an iPad for three years and then make the decision to
upgrade. product as the device to reWith the iPhone and Mac- place all laptops. Book combination, everything needed to get stuff done is already at one’s fingertips. Checking up on favorite social network mediums, watching movies and tv shows, typing essays, and other actions is easily accessed by almost all Apple products. Another big reason why Apple might be trying to increase revenue for iPads is because of the new hybrid devices that have merged the tablet with a Photo: Wikimedia Commons laptop. Microsoft's Surface Pro 3 has been marketing this
Newest apps on the market For Apple and Android users By Leilani Achoe Journalism Student
Apple Apps 1. Pocket The number of tabs in our browser tells us that we should use Pocket. It lets you store articles you plan to come back to and is integrated into 300+ apps. 2. FaceTune Let’s be honest, most of your photos are of you, or your friends. FaceTune is an app that will help you perfect the art of the selfie with a host of
facial-focused editing features. 3. Photo Editor by Aviary As far as editing options go, Photo Editor by Aviary is hard to beat. There’s over 100 filters and effects that can be purchased, and aesthetic touches like frames and stickers to be applied. 4. Hours Hours is a nifty little timetracking app. While anyone with a need to manage multiple timelines will find this useful, it’s perhaps more directly aimed at those working in the project management realm. At any rate,
it’s pretty slick and is beautifully designed. 5. Next Budding musicians and songwriters can use Next to record short videos from 10 seconds to 3 minutes in length. Users can view 30-second excerpts of the songs, swiping left to dismiss and swiping right to like. Andriod Apps 1. InstaShot Want to post an uncropped photo or video on Instagram? InstaShot is the perfect app for that. In two seconds you can have a perfectly cropped picture or video. You can also share your photo to Twitter and Face-
book, etc. 2. Phonegram This app is a fast, versatile, and easy-to-use Instagram app. You can view your feed in multiple columns and view photos at full size. Also, you are able to edit and upload your pictures with this app. After you use this app you'll never have to use instagram again.
choose your perfect station. 4. Dots Dots is a beautiful and addictive game that only has one task. Connect as many same-colored dots as you can in 60 seconds. You can share your stats on Twitter and Facebook and play against your friends. 5. LINE LINE is a new communication 3. MILK Music app that allows you to make Milk allows you to be in FREE voice calls and send charge of FREE messages whenever and your radio wherever you are, 24 hours a stations and day! fine tune what type of music you want to listen to unlike other radio apps. All you have to spin a dial and All logos from Apple Store and Google Play
4 Editorials 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 Anissa Vasquez News Editor Caitlin McCadden Michael Datz Editorials Editor Cassie Sedler Scott Rader Pates’ Post Editor Jack Ogozaly Julia Ingaro Entertainment Editor
Shaina Palmer Christa Eaton Center Spread Editor Aeisha Gauba Sports Editor Mitchell Coriell Chase Hoover
Web Editor Elyse Sanford Adviser Karla Erdman Principal Mr. Michael LaPorta Superintendent Dr. Joseph Roy
For our editorial statement and correction policy, please go to www.fhsforum.com/about.html Any photo that is not directly credited is from Microsoft Office. Follow us on Twitter, send us an email, and visit our website! @fhsforum, #fhsforum fhsforum@gmail.com www.fhsforum.com
September 2014
The Forum
Is PATE block hurting student’s education? The new PATE block raises concerns among the freedom family By Jack Ogozaly Pates’ Post Editor
Freedom High School has recently implemented the brand new PATE block. PATE block has initiated new changes that confuse students on whether or not it is a good change. Returning students will no doubt notice the new schedule, which has been changed in order to accommodate the new 45-minute class. PATE block promises new opportunities for students to explore new career pathways, and to allow stu-
dents time in order to go to assemblies, and time for the announcements. However, while on paper PATE block sounds like a good thing, students will soon start feeling the effect of less time. If you were to take all the time PATE block removes from the schedule all year long, it would amass to 10 days of school each semester. That’s a large amount of time for teachers to make up. “They claim that we will learn from it, that this class
holds value, but so far we've only been told to tell others how we're feeling on a scale of 1-5," said Rachel Wolff, junior. Some students are finding it hard to justify taking this much time off of classes when PATE block turns out to be circle time. That is not to say that everyone views PATE block as a negative experience, many teachers are finding PATE block a useful way for them to connect to students. Other teachers are keeping an open mind and are willing and want-
ing to see where PATE block goes. “I would love to have an AP extension; however we need to see how the year long classes work, and how the development of PATE block unfolds,” said Mrs. Kristin Pazzaglia, French teacher. Overall, no one can truly tell whether or not PATE block is an improvement, or if it will end up being a disaster. All anyone knows is that for now, PATE block is here to stay, and because of that fact, learning to live with PATE block is unavoidable.
Shape tomorrow by voting today The importance of getting involved in election day By Caitlin McCadden News Editor
“The land of the free and the home of the brave.” The famous words of Francis Scott Key still reign true even over 200 years after the founding of this country. As Americans, we are allowed to exercise one of the most beneficial and important rights bestowed upon us after turning 18: the right to vote. The first step in getting involved in having a say in the government is registering to vote. However, the window to register is slowly creeping shut as the Oct. 6 deadline is approaching. “I am going to register right
away once I turn 18. It’s important to become involved and register even if you aren’t exactly sure what your party is,” said Alanah McKelvy, senior. Often younger people follow in the footsteps of their parents when choosing a party. Deciding what party fits your ideals does not need to be a long, intricate process. Some research is required, but it is entirely based on the views and standpoints that one personally has in comparison with the political parties. “It gives you a chance to have a voice and make changes in society. We fought for that right at one point and we should exercise it,” said McKelvy. Voting serves as not only a privilege, but also an essential part of life in the United States. By taking place in national,
statewide, or local elections, your voice is heard despite whether your party prevails in the end or not. “You need to be able to have a say in society. If you don’t get involved in government, you have no possibility of choosing a leader with your interests,” said Trevor Watlington, senior. Everyday people constantly complain about the way the government is run including healthcare, financial aid, salaries, etc. However, the same people fail to take action and make choices regarding who puts these decisions into effect. The government is suppose to be “for the people and by the people;” therefore, it is the responsibility of the
American public to sustain representative control of politics. “Voting gives you a direct link to our government and a license to complain afterwards. If you start at 18, it becomes a lifelong habit,” said Mr. William Denoffa, FHS social studies teacher. General election day for the state of Pennsylvania will be held on Nov. 4, 2014.
Source: Creative Commons Flikr
Exploring the meaning of PATE Block new additions to their yearly schedules. With names like STEM, Arts and Communications Exploration, Health & Human services, and Business By The Freedom Forum Staff Finance & Law, these ‘PATE Blocks’ are 41-minute long When the end of August classes designed to help sturolled around, many Freedom dents. students were surprised to see STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and math. This course, like all of the other PATE Block courses, is built to give students an idea of what a career in that field would be like. One purpose of the new blocks is to help students out along the path of choosing what they want to do after high school. “PATE Block gives students, especially younger ones, an opportunity to explore different areas like STEM. It has a lot of
potential to help students from freshman to senior year,” said Mr. Jeffery Young, math teacher. Not only does PATE Block help with career choices, it is a break throughout the day to relax from rigorous courses and large workloads. From circles to fun activities, these 41 minutes in the middle of the day are far from “pointless.” “PATE Block has the potential to be very helpful,” said Morgana Wallace, senior. For the seniors, PATE Block has given them the opportunity to explore Naviance, a new website used for submitting college information to their counselor. PATE block has already helped seniors with connecting Naviance with their common app, getting scholarship or college visit Students practice teamwork and reading direcinformation, and retions by playing Apples to Apples during Pate questing teacher recomBlock. Photo: Anissa Vasquez mendations.
Students and teachers explore the benefits of Pate Block
Students have either shown displeasure or a genuine liking to the new block; there is no in between. It seems that the students’ willingness to accept the class is what makes it more enjoyable. In Mrs. Nikki Guerra’s Health & Human services class, the students have been open to the lessons being taught each day. The members have connected with Naviance, and participated in class discussion. Mrs. Guerra has described her PATE block students as being “laid-back.” In all ways PATE block is a good way to get help and learn about new things. “I have PATE block with Mr. Young, and I enjoy it a lot. We have our days to be serious and work on college things, but then we also have our laidback days,” said Cayley Urenko, senior.
The Forum
September 2014
Editorials 5
Social media wildfire Millions of people around the world spread awareness for ALS By Scott Rader The Freedom Forum
Want to see a well-known teacher get a gallon of ice water dumped on their head? Then be sure to be at the next Freedom High School pep rally! Mr. Joseph Stellato, PE teacher, has accepted the #ALSicebucketchallenge to spread awareness for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). However, this is not just about how cold and funny Mr. Stellato getting drenched is, but how much power one hashtag on a social media site is. Mr. Stellato would most likely not be doing the ice bucket challenge if it were not the students of Freedom High School retweeting one individual’s tweet. In fact, this tweet needed to get more than one hundred retweets for Mr.
to muscles throughout the body. The progressive disease then shows the motor neurons start to die. However, once Stellato to do the challenge, the motor neurons degenerate which it did. they can no longer send im“As long as the tweet got pulses to the muscle fibers more than one hundred re- that normally result in muscle tweets, then I will be doing the ice bucket challenge at the next pep rally,” said Mr. Stellato. Now, some may ask what does this hashtag mean? What is it all about? Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects the nerve movement. The ice bucket cells in the brain and the spi- challenge’s purpose is to raise nal cord. Motor neurons reach awareness for ALS, while from the brain to the spinal also raising money for further cord and from the spinal cord research. According to al-
sa.org, the ALS Association has raised 15.6 million dollars. However, as of last year the ALS Association raised only 1.8 million dollars. Alternatively, because of one hashtag, ALS has developed into something on eve-
Photo: Scott Rader
hashtag that was sent out onto Twitter on July 31 and as of now, almost 2.4 million videos have been posted to Facebook, and 3.7 million have been posted on Instagram, all with the hashtag, #ALSicebucketchallenge. This hashtag launched when the ALS Association has 8,975 followers that started to do the challenge. This then branched out from there while people then “challenged” others to drench themselves with ice water. Also, the hashtag then creates more followers for the ALS Association’s twitter account. In fact, the follower count raised to more than 21,000 followers. To be correct, the challenge is still going on, including the Mr. Stellato’s challenge at the next pep rally.
ryone’s mind. In fact, because of this hashtag, many individuals around the world have come together to fight against this awful disease. The
Angry teens take to Twitter Fans tweet about just how much of a choice they have when it comes to award shows By Jada Blount-Frazier The Freedom Forum
Throughout the year, there has been many award shows going on such as the “Grammy’s”, “Academy”, “VMA”, “Teen Choice”, and even the “Kid’s Sports Choice Awards”, according to LA Times. A lot of these award shows have been rigged. There is always that one person who wants to make sure that the person they want to win, is
the person that will win. The “Teen Choice Awards” were rigged, which caused meltdowns by teens on Twitter. The producers for the “Teen Choice Awards” announced a new social media-themed category this year. Some of the celebrities who won at the award shows, are sometimes notified a few days before the voting even ends, according to the Washington Post. There were a lot of angry people on Twitter saying
that teens do not really have a “choice” to vote. There were some celebrities, including Cameron Dallas who knew that he won the “Choice Viner” award 6 days before it was announced on TV. He spoke on twitter about how he wasn’t really surprised when his named was announced. “Basically they picked the people almost 6 days before voting was done and used all of us for promotion,” said Choice Viner nominee Matthew Espinosa. The award show has official voting rules stating guidelines that confirm producers rights to choose a winner out of the
top four contestants in the category. For that, viewers were trending the hashtag #TeensDontHaveAChoiceAw ards all Sunday night. “I think it’s cheating,” said Tia Williams, freshman. This basically means that the production company does not really have to choose the contestant with the highest amount of votes, the winner just has to be one of the contestants in the top four of the category. “Absolutely not! It’s terrible,” said Kayla Starace, freshman. Some Vine stars, even some who were not even nominat-
ed, like Matt Espinosa and Carter Reynolds, were upset by all of this and were Tweeting “#TCAS is rigged,” and some adding, “TCAS 2014 used all of us for promotion. What a joke.” Many teens and fans are outraged by this, and never really expected this from the “Teen Choice Awards.” Carter Reynolds tweeted after all of this, “My childhood has been a lie. All the times I spent voting for nothing lol. #TeensDont HaveAChoiceAwards.”
Traffic in the halls of Freedom
Pushing and shoving in the hallways By Jada Blount-Frazier The Freedom Forum
In the beginning of the year, there are dazed teenagers looking for their classrooms, and even confused freshman are trying to find their way through the halls. Through all that commotion, there are cluttered hallways, and frustrated students. “This year the halls have way too many people trying to get to class; I get bumped like everyday,” said Anissa Faulcon, junior. There are all different students big, small, short, and
tall trying to push through the crowded hallways just to get to class on time. Not all the hallways are filled with tons of students, but the cafeteria, and above the main stairs are out of control. Those are the main traffic heavy places but there’s no excuse for the crowded hallways. “Maybe they should start dismissing from lunch table by table or maybe people just need to walk faster, I don’t know,” said Garrett Klein, FHS student. It is hard to fix this problem
with more and more students coming into Freedom. Last year, there were 448 students that graduated from Freedom High School, and now 471 freshmen have joined Freedom. With only the difference of 23 students, it still makes an effect on the crowded halls. “It’s ridiculous how many people are in the halls after class ends, and I hate having to rush to class, and bumping into so many kids,” said Klein. Even though we have 6 minutes to get to class, students still rush, and some even like to stand around in the halls.
“Everyone is always in my way, like move,” said Faulcon. It can be very frustrating when someone is trying to get
somewhere, and there are people in their way. With the pressure of being on time to class, it can be difficult with the filled hallways.
Source: Creative Commons
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A good way to take up some time and to get creative with your pencils! Found On: spoonful.com, Pinterest
DIY book bag with a school supplies organizer Found On: princesspartytime.blogspot.com, Pinterest
D.I.Y Styling School Supplies By Jenaiya Armand
to find one with a clear pocket in the front and printing out some pictures of you and your friends It is back to school season, and the regular school or even something that is important to you. Also, supplies that you can get from Staples, Wal-Mart or you can use stickers, tape, colored paper, and other even Target can get boring! craft items to spice up a binder. It is time to change up the old boring school sup"I have so many plain colored notebooks, and I plies and find some fun, creative, and new ideas to can't tell the difference between my subjects, so I spice up those drab supplies. used fancy tape to decorate them," said Falcon. "My supplies are pretty basic, but I never really It is always hard to differentiate notebooks unless thought about decorating them," said Anissa Fal- they have labels on them, but doing something like using colorful funky colored tape can make it easier con, junior. There are plenty of ideas for decorating school to know each notebook from another. supplies with websites like YouTube and Pinterest. For those who always miss place their pencils or are sick of having the same pencils as everyone else It is easy to find clever D.I.Y ideas. use Washi tape to cover those boring #2 pencils. One way to add a personal touch to your binder is
School is back in action, and high school is all
News By: Martha Sierocinski Journalism Student
2000 Olympics Games The Olympic Games in the year 2000 were held in Sydney, Australia. It began with an impressive opening ceremony that highlighted the Australian history from the native people to the outback. Team Australia was 4th in the entire Olympic count, following the United States, Russia, and China. Australian Aborigine Cathy Freeman captured her nation’s heart and the gold medal in the 400-meter race. Seventeen-year-old Ian Thorpe, also Australian, earned three medals in swimming. Marion Jones, a U.S. track star, vowed to win 5 events, but he came up close with only 3 wins. 10,651 athletes from each country except Afghanistan participated in the 300 event in the Summer Games.
Election 2000
Photo: IMDb.com
Photo: moviepostershop.com
The presidential race looked close on Election Day. The race was between Governor George W. Bush and Vice President Al Gore. No one knew how close the election was until it became clear that Florida, with 25 electoral votes, held the kept to the White House.
Popular baby names of 2000
Girls
Boys
1. Hannah
1. Michael
2. Emily
2. Jacob
3. Sarah
3. Matthew
4. Madison
4. Nicholas
Photo: IMDb.com
Photo by: Microsoft Publisher Clipart
Movies 1. “Gladiator”
14. “Vertical Limit”
2. “American Psycho”
15. “Erin Brockovich”
3. “Requiem for a Dream”
16. “Cast Away”
1. “Totally Circus” (June 16, 2000 - September 24, 2000)
4. “X-Men”
17. “The Beach”
2. “Even Stevens” (June 17, 2000 - June 13, 2003)
5. “Snatch”
18. “The Cell”
3. “In a Heartbeat” (August 26, 2000 - March 25, 2001)
6. “Memento”
19. “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”
source: wiki
7. “The Patriot”
20. “Chocolat”
8. “Almost Famous”
21. “What Lies Beneath”
9. “Scary Movie”
22. “Gone in Sixty Seconds”
10. “Remember the Titans”
23. “Pitch Black”
11. “Charlie’s Angels”
24. “Coyote Ugly”
12. “Road Trip”
25. “The Little Vampire”
13. “Bring It On”
source: IMDb http://www.imdb.com/ year/2000/
Disney Shows
TV Series of 2000s 1. “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” (2000 TV Series) 2. “Malcolm in the Middle” (2000 TV Series)
8 Pates’ Post
September 2014
The Forum
“Is today even or odd?” Students adjust to a change in course scheduling at Freedom By Shaina Palmer Entertainment Editor
Many times throughout the day one may hear the question, “Is today even or odd?” This question is in reference to the new scheduling in which students may need to report to different classes on days 1, 3, and 5, than on days 2, 4, and 6. Rather than having a course every day for ninety minutes for an entire semester, many classes at Freedom are scheduled for only every other day, but they run all year long. So instead of having one’s hands wiped clean of a subject by just after Christmas, he or she may have to recall the information learned on the first day of school all the way at the end of the year in June. Many students are not fond of this change. “It’s an extra class that I have to worry about that
makes my life more stressful,” said Shauna Moller, senior. This system does have its perks for AP classes, as students will be better able to keep their minds tuned to the subjects in preparation for the tests in May, rather than having a 4 month gap during which all things learned start to fade. However, this also means that students will have to juggle twice as many academic classes at a time, and with the AP classes generally being the ones on the alternating schedule, the stress load may be challenging. “We already get so much homework, that to have to deal with extra classes at the same time all year is just too much,” said Alyssa Villani senior. Adding to the difficulty in getting accustomed to the change, some students and
Separating facts from fiction Freedom High School’s freshmen rumors By Elyse Sanford Web Editor
Admit it. We have all been there; it is your freshman year and you are trying to separate fact from fiction in a school filled with rumors. Throughout the years, rumors have ranged from claims of there being a pool on the roof to the most recent rumor, the 2014 senior class gift being a juice dispenser. “One day at soccer practice I heard people talking about there being a juice dispenser at Freedom,” said Katie Dalla Piazza, junior. Unfortunately, the 2014 senior class gift was not a juice dispenser, but a new water fountain that fills up water bottles. One of the most common rumors that freshmen hear about is what happens to their class at pep rallies. It is said that during pep rallies, the freshmen class gets various items thrown at them along with the chant “Freshman suck.” “I heard freshmen get stuff thrown at them,” said Julia Ackerman, freshman. There is no guarantee that the upperclassman will not chant “Freshman suck,” but the freshman do not get eggs, staplers, or batteries thrown at them
because it is physically impossible for the juniors and seniors to throw items from the left side of the gymnasium all the way over to the right side of the gymnasium, where the freshmen and sophomores are sitting. Lastly, another false claim that has been going around is the rumor that there is a bunker under the pool where students would go if there was bomb threat at Freedom. “There is not [a bomb shelter.] [There is] just a pool filter room where we control the pool,” said Mr. Quigley, head janitor at Freedom High School. Even though upperclassmen like to fill freshmen’s minds with all different kinds of rumors, most rumors that are heard at Freedom are not true.
Photo: Anissa Vasquez
teachers have found it difficult to stay organized with the varying classes. Keeping track of when assignments are due can become confusing, but this schedule does provide for some more flexibility. The day separating class times of a given subject allows students to plan to do their work on either of the two nights based on which is more convenient. This can be helpful, especially during sports seasons when games often occupy a large chunk of athletes’ time after school. Although junior Bridget Tarnowski acknowledges the negative aspects, she ultimately decides that “having an extra day to process information and finish homework is helpful.” Continuing with the upsides of the situation, if a class involves a teacher, subject, or peers one is not fond of, he or
she only has to endure it every other day. And some students, like senior Ally McCready, just find it refreshing to have some variation in their lives. “It gives me more time to do my homework. It’s
kind of nice to have a change everyday,” said McCready. Whether one finds more pros or cons, students will have to make the best of the new scheduling for the year.
Screenshot: Anissa Vasquez
Welcoming Project Lead The Way Freedom’s new engineering program this year By Aeisha Gauba Centerspread Editor
Project Lead The Way (PLTW) is a pre-engineering program Freedom High School has added to our elective courses. This class starts freshman year and progresses throughout high school years. It is a sequence of classes. Mrs. Alexandra Roscher, math teacher, is in charge of Project Lead The Way held in room 303. PLTW is a program all around the United States, this program helps students to exceed the average academic growth. “I love the program; it’s the most fun I’ve had teaching,” said Mrs. Roscher. In 9th grade the class is In-
troduction to Engineering, 10th grade is Principles of Engineering, 11th grade they have a choice of aero engineering, chemical engineering, or SIM (robotics), and 12th grade is EDD. “The program is very hands on and project based,” said Mrs. Roscher. Currently the freshman students are beginning 3D modeling software. The program is funded from Dun & Bradstreet company. They have provided a 3D printer, a stress analyzer, and a wind tunnel for the students. “We learn new things everyday with computers,” said Andrew Knerr, Freedom High School student. Freedom High School is running 2 of the classes, and
Liberty is running 6 classes. The kids also keep eportfolios and if they do well enough on the final the students can submit these files to colleges of their choice. This is the first year of Project Lead The way, and Freedom High Schools hopes to keep it running strong. “This class incorporates technology to teach us fundamentals of engineering in fun ways,” said Matthew Sabatino, FHS student.”
Photo: Alexandra Roscher
September 2014
9 Pates’ Post
The Forum
The high school experience: we are one in the same Teachers compare the different generations that have passed through Freedom. By Ellyce Nieves The Freedom Forum
It is a general belief that every person has a unique experience in high school, but is it really as individualized as it is perceived to be? After taking a glimpse at the teachers from Freedom High School, it is found that high school has not changed very much in the last 20 - 40 years. Extra-curricular activities have not dramatically changed since teachers have been in school. There are still opportunities to join band, student council, theater, sci-
ence olympiad, yearbook, a variety of sports, and many more. “I was in everything in high school,” said Mrs. Nikki Guerra, FHS PE/ health teacher and a graduate of Bethlehem Catholic. Student council, yearbook, theater, and a trainer for the boys basketball team are just a few things that Mrs. Guerra was involved in during her high school career. Generally, students have assumptions that their current classes may be either easier or more difficult compared to those from a few years ago.
However this is not the case according to several teachers who claim that classes have not altered in difficulty. “It’s just a matter of how much time you want to put into studying. I wasn’t as mature of a student to put the time in back then, but I think they’re about the same,” said Mr. Herman Wohlbach, FHS math teacher and 1981 graduate of FHS. Additionally, the majority of students have not changed either. In the past generation there were people noted as being a certain “type,” which is still the case today. Mr. Joseph Stellato, FHS PE teacher and Liberty graduate, was a jock in high school. He played football basketball and
baseball. In contrast, Miss Amy O’Connor, FHS English teacher, considered herself a class clown. “I made a calendar for my class of how to prank my chemistry teacher every day for a month,” said Miss O’Connor. Not all aspects of high school have gone unchanged, though. The biggest change is technology. The new devices kids have access to can be looked at in a negative light, as students now obsess over their cell phones, cyber bullying is escalating into a bigger issue. It is agreed by faculty members that cellphones are a huge distraction. However, the advanced technology can serve as a benefi-
cial tool. There are now computers available all over the building for students to access for school work. Even teachers use computers extensively. “We depend on computers for attendance and grades. When I was teaching in 1989, I remember using a dido machine.” said Mr. David Kleist, FHS English teacher. Although there have been advancements in technology, kids are still kids. They all are silly and unique in their own way. The teachers at FHS have proved that the more things change, the more they stay the same.
Student of the month: Tahlia Suggs Visit fhsforum.com to read more about Tahlia Suggs’ entrepreneurship
Photos: Tahlia Suggs
Welcome to the Family Freedom High School’s newest teachers By Elaina Barettino Journalism Student
The Freedom Family is expanding with several additions this school year. There are 8 new faculty members taking home at Freedom and we could not be more excited about it. Along with the new teachers, there’s one familiar face returning to Freedom. A special welcome back to Mr. David Kleist. The staff and students welcome the following with open arms. Jessica Searock is a learning support teacher here at Free-
dom, but she is also certified to teach Social Studies/ History and English. Searock attended Immaculata University and received her M.Ed. in Educational Leadership. Prior to Freedom, she was a permanent building substitute at Broughal Middle School. A little fun fact about Ms. Searock is that before becoming a teacher, she was a paralegal for 15 years. Erik Dennis teaches Integrated Technology Concepts this year at Freedom. Before coming to Freedom, Mr. Dennis taught at Bethlehem Catholic High School and has attended Penn State University and Moravian College. “I did my student teaching at Freedom and I am thrilled
to be back,” said Mr. Dennis. Something interesting about Mr. Dennis is that college football season is his favorite time of the year. Tara Charpentier currently teaches Spanish I at Freedom. She attended Penn State University and has taught at a number of different schools. Some of those include Pennridge High School, Upper Dublin High School, and most recently, New Hope Academy. “A fun fact about myself is that I can write backwards, upside down, and mirror images very quickly,” she said. Ms. Charpentier also studied Spain in college, and played rugby in high school. Mary Bianco teaches Social Studies at Freedom, which includes global studies and government and economics. Bianco attended Northampton Community College and East Stroudsburg University. Prior to teaching at Freedom, she worked in sales and marketing capacity for several years as a teacher assistant, and as a building substitute at East
Hills Middle School. A fun fact about Ms. Bianco is that she has a twin brother. Lea Kapes is taking her new position at Freedom while teaching Chemistry. Not only does she teach chemistry, but she also teaches Honors Chemistry, Honors Physics, and Physical Science. Ms. Kapes attended Penn State University and East Carolina University. Before her position at Freedom, she taught at Chapel Hill High School in North Carolina. Something truly fascinating about Ms. Kapes is that before she became a teacher, she worked on HIV and HCV research as an organic chemist. Headaches and scrapped knees might cause you to cross paths with Lynn Randall. Ms. Randall is the parttime nurse on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. She has been a school nurse for 6 years with the school district. "I have worked at Governor Wolf, Spring Garden, and numerous nonpublic buildings," she said. Something
quite impressive about Randall is she's been with the same book club for 13 years. Dave Miller teaches ESOL, which stands for English for Speakers of Other Languages. For the last 12 years, Mr. Miller taught at Broughal Middle School and before that he was a part-time Spanish teacher at Pen Argyl High School. Mr. Miller started his career as a substitute teacher for the Phillipsburg School District for a year. "I enjoy cooking, I've attempted to play guitar, I enjoy the beach, amusement parks, and traveling," Mr. Miller said. Lauren Mauro is a new French teacher here at Freedom. She taught in Virginia for several years and attended Nazareth College of Rochester in New York. Ms. Mauro loves to sing and to play the guitar. Something quite amazing is she performed on “American Idol” at Disney's Hollywood Studios.
10 Entertainment
Dancing for a cause What is miniTHON? By Juliana Maffea Journalism Student
Since 1977, THON has raised more than $89 million dollars to benefit the Four Diamonds Fund at Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital. So far, Freedom High School has around 100 kids in miniTHON. “The kids enjoy miniTHON. They’re very creative and dedicated,” said Mr. John Wallaesa, adviser. MiniTHON is one of the most popular fundraisers Freedom High School and is spoken of frequently. Most of the students have heard about miniTHON, but many don’t quite know what it encompasses. “MiniTHON is based off of Penn State’s dance marathon. We work with Liberty High School to fight off pediatric cancer,” Mr. Wallaesa described. MiniTHON’s dance marathon lasts for 12 hours. It is a year ‘round fundraiser that raised a record breaking
September 2014
The Forum
$12,374,034.46 in 2013. “MiniTHON is really popular, now. Most of my friends and I would definitely join.” Kayleigh Prebosnyak, a freshman, says about the popularity of miniTHON. Some well-recognized organizations lend themselves to the cause. On August 22, 2013, the Phillies vs. Colorado Rockies baseball game was played For The Kids. As the fans bought their tickets and used the promo code: THON, a portion of the money made was contributed toward the fight against pediatric cancer. “I love the Phillies, and hearing that the Phillies did this is great! It makes me happy that the Phillies brought even more awareness to the pediatric cancer,” said Kayleigh Prebosnyak. Freedom High School has done many fundraisers to help fight pediatric cancer, one of them being the movie night that was held outdoors near Freedom’s baseball
field. One of the upcoming fundraisers is the color run. ”I’d love to join the color run, seems like fun!” said Kayleigh Prebosnyak. One way that you can help the kids suffering from this cancer is by donating any money that you can. No amount goes unnoticed. Students can also sign up to join miniTHON in room 225. “You can join in the 9th grade, we’re always looking for new members,” said Mr. Wallaesa about anyone wanting to help. MiniTHON is a great fundraiser, and to be able to donate money or even join the group is something nobody should miss out on. “I’m probably going to sign up, we get good community service hours, plus it’s for a good cause,” said Kristina Wahba, a freshman.
Photo: sigep-pennstate.org
Book of the month “If I Stay,” Not just another sappy story By Cayley Urenko The Freedom Forum
If you had a choice, would you decide to die with family or live without them? Filled with suspense, romance, and ultimately one choice, the best-selling book “If I Stay” by Gayle Forman will keep you flipping pages all night long. “If I Stay” is about a 17-yearold girl named Mia. Mia’s life basically revolves around her family, playing the cello, and her boyfriend named Adam. After school being cancelled because of a snowstorm one ordinary day, Mia and her family thought they would have a relaxing day spent with family friends close by, but her world changed in a matter of seconds when she and her family were hit by a truck on an icy turn. The story follows Mia’s life before the accident through flashbacks with her family and Adam and also the present time of her accident. Mia’s body is in the hospital bed hooked up to the machines keeping her alive while her mind is still aware of what is happening around her. In a way her physical being is not attached to her mental being. It is very intriguing because she can see and hear every person who comes to the hospital to visit her. She gets to hear what aunts, uncles,
grandparents, best friends and Adam say to her body, when they think they might be speaking to her for the last time. “‘If I Stay’ kept me up all night long because it is just so emotionally gripping. I became emotionally attached to Mia and wanted her to chose to live so she could stay with Adam because they were so in love,” said Sierra Kalamar, senior. “If I Stay” is not another sappy love story that was made into a box office biggie. It will truly change the way you live your life day by day and teach you to appreciate the things and people that surround you while they are still here.
Photo: amazon.com
Watching what you eat on a whole new level Certain dieting tricks can be harmful to your body By Morgan Johnson Journalism Student
Everyone wants to achieve the “perfect” body, and some people go to extreme measures to flatten their stomach or shrink their thighs. Dieting can be beneficial to your health, but it could also be detrimental. There is so much more to the world of weight loss than counting calories and avoiding carbs. Prime examples of people with unusual eating habits are huge among the women of Hollywood. A diet known as the “Cotton Ball Diet” has people soaking cotton balls in a liquid (fruit juice, smoothie, etc.) and then consuming them whole. It is said that this makes you feel fuller, so you won’t eat as much. Those who have tried this have experienced problems with their innards. The cotton balls build up and become blockages in the intestines because they cannot be bro-
ken down. There is also a risk of malnutrition. This is a form of Pica; a disorder where people eat non-edible things, according to WebMD. Mashed fruits and vegetable puree are not just for infants anymore. Celebrities such as Madonna, Jennifer Aniston, Lady Gaga, and Tracy Anderson all have been said to limit themselves to replacing one or two meals a day with baby food. Apparently, this is supposed to help keep off pounds you have already lost and feed cravings. There are some drawbacks when it comes to this diet. Baby food was designed specifically for toothless babies; not adults. The lack of chewing actual food could be inimical to your teeth, causing them to become loose over time. The vitamins and minerals in baby food are intended for small growing children; the amount of these vitamins is too little for someone who is fully developed. This leads
to vitamin deficiencies. In 2010, a documentary was released that highlights some of the downfalls of fad diets. Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead changed the way we view dieting and juicing. Some people use juicing every day with the goal of getting in necessary mix of nutrients from fruits and vegetables. This logic is flawed, however, as juicers do not utilize the whole fruit; the fiber in the fruit does not get translated into the juice. The juicers only use part of the fruit when turning the produce into liquid. It is not just the stars of the entertainment world that are obsessed with weight loss and looking slimmer. People you see everyday are struggling with their bodies. “I used to be bigger than everyone at school,” said Harry Collins, freshman. Collins is a student who has been dealing with weight problems since elementary school. He started to notice he needed to change his eating habits when his doctor
showed concern for his health. With his Celiac Disease (a disease in which gluten damages the small intestines and therefore should not be consumed), dieting and eating right have only been more difficult for him. Collins has tried eating strictly vegetables, just fruits and vegetables, and not eating anything at all. “I tried to starve myself, and that was probably the worst thing I could have ever done,” said Collins. When you do not eat anything, your body goes into
what is known as Starvation Mode. It begins storing fat to be consumed later, so your body is actually preserving more fat cells instead of getting rid of them. Dieting is different for everyone, and when done right, the results can be extremely satisfying. A basic meal should have a source of lean protein, whole grains, and vegetables. Eating right paired with exercise can only benefit your body, and that doesn’t mean you have to consume strange things to make that happen.
September 2014
The Forum
11 Entertainment
An exciting grand opening The PPL Center opened on Sept. 12 By Chuch Tichey Journalism Student
Grab your foam finger and facepaint and get ready for some great entertainment at the PPL Center in Allentown. On Sept. 12 something big came to the Lehigh Valley. The PPL Center opened in downtown Allentown. Events that take place there will range from concerts to professional bull riding to WWE wrestling to Lehigh Valley Phantoms Hockey. Talk of building the PPL Arena began in 2011, and the construction of the arena began in 2012. The location of the arena is the corner of Hamilton and 7th Street in
Allentown, Pa. The Eagles will debut the arena on September 12th. Some other concerts that will be at the arena are Cher on Sept. 15, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers on Sept. 16, and Rascal Flatts on Sept. 26. Sporting events that will go on here are the Harlem Globetrotters on Oct. 3, Professional Bull Riding on Oct. 10 and
Center will be for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms’ home arena. The Phantoms are professional hockey team that play in the American Hockey League and are affiliatPhoto: mylehigh.lehigh.edu ed with the Philadelphia 11, and the Philadelphia 76ers Flyers. Their first game in vs. the Orlando Magic on their new arena will be a preOct.18. season game against the HerThe main use of the PPL shey Bears on Oct. 1.
"I think that it will attract new people into the Lehigh Valley area." said Matt Gagnon, junior. Lots of people will now be traveling in and out of the city of Allentown to watch the events that are going on here. “This project is transformational for the City of Allentown. This area of the city is home to a state-of-the-art minor league hockey arena and a billion dollars in additional development. We are proud to be the home of the Phantoms and look forward to the dropping of the first puck and other events that will bring thousands of visitors to the city,” said Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski in an email.
Coming to theaters near you
Movies premiering this Fall By Brian Seitz Journalism Student
Grab your popcorn, soda and candy, because the place you want to be this fall is the movie theater. On Sept. 12, both “Dolphin Tale 2” and “No Good Deed” make their appearances in theaters all over America. “Dolphin Tale 2” is the sequel to the hit movie “Dolphin Tale,” where an 11 year old boy befriends a dolphin with a bionic tail named Winter. According to IMDb, the sequel will feature the coalition of people who saved the dolphin in the first movie; they gather once again to ensure Winter’s stay at the Clearwater Marine Hospital. Also coming out on Sept. 12 is the thriller “No Good
Deed.” According to IMDb, a convincing escaped convict named Colin arrives at the doorstep of an innocent family, saying that he allegedly has a car issue. After Terri, both mother and wife, offers her phone to help, she finds herself on the verge of death, fighting for her and her kid’s lives. “I watched the trailer for “No Good Deed,” and it doesn’t look that good to me,” said Mark Gutierrez, sophomore. Photo: imdb.com On Sept. 19, one of the most anticipated
movies of 2014 will be released in theaters: “The Maze Runner.” A teenager named Thomas, with his memory wiped, is dumped into a metal box rising to the surface of a giant, granite maze. The boys already there call it “the Glade”. He soon finds himself teaming up with others in the Glade, finding a way to escape the constantly-changing maze. “I saw the [TV] commercial and it looks like ‘The Hunger Games’ and that movie is awesome,” said John Volpe, sophomore. Everyone loves a suspenseful horror movie. One of the upcoming horror movies this October is “Anabelle.” In this film, husband John Form finds the “perfect” gift for his wife who is expecting a baby.
The joy of having the gift, a vintage Anabelle doll, does not last long. According to IMDb, the family’s house is invaded by a satanic cult who vehemently attack the couple. Unfortunately for the couple, more is left behind than terror and horrific memories; a sinister possession is placed on Anabelle, making the couple’s troubles even greater than anticipated. Other movies to look forward to in October include “Ouija,” “Exists,” “Dracula Untold,” and “St. Vincent.”
Falling into fall A fun filled guide to Fall By Carly Pfaff The Freedom Forum
It is that time of year again where we flip the calendar pages over from summer to fall. Although the warm weather and beach days have passed, a whole new set of opportunities come with the season. Football games, Halloween, and enjoying the crisp fall air are just a few of the many things to look forward to this fall. Football season is back. Friday nights are the perfect time to come out and support Freedom football. The team and Riot Squad are back and stronger than ever. Another appealing part of the game,
you cannot miss the band’s halftime performance and cheerleaders. Football is just one of the fall sports, and all other fall sports also need your support. Come out and support the fall athletes and show what the Freedom Family is all about. Another fun fall activity is Dorney Park’s Halloween Haunt. Beginning Sept. 12 and lasting select nights until Nov. 1, Haunt is sure to impress. Mazes, scare zones, and live shows are just a few of the many attractions offered. According to the
Park, “The haunted mazes and scare zones are not the only things that will make you scream. Our thrill rides and roller coasters will twist, turn, and plunge you through darkness.” If you are not into the thrills, scares, and haunted houses, there are plenty of other fall activities to try. Apple pick-
ing, pumpkin picking, hayrides, and corn mazes are all fun events to partake in this fall. Seiple Farms, for example, allows you to pick your own pumpkins, purchase fall treats, and also enjoy hayrides and their famous corn maze. Seiple Farms states, “ Our corn maze spans 18 acres with 3 miles of paths within.” During the weekend, you can enjoy these events and food with everyone. Lastly, if you are looking for a fun fall adventure, hiking is another activity one should consider. A popular hiking destination is The Bake Oven Knob located
along a section of the Appalachian Trail in Pennsylvania. Although it is a drive from Bethlehem, the views and crisp fall air will be worth the wait. Whether you are choosing to spend this fall by supporting fall athletes, visiting haunted houses, or just enjoying the crisp fall air, the season is sure to be filled with fun and exciting opportunities. As we turn the page from summer of 2014, one thing is for sure-faster than ever we are falling into fall just as quickly as the leaves and temperature fall with the fast arrival of the season.
12 Sports
September 2014
The Forum
The new electrifying EPC18 The new 18 team Eastern Pennsylvania Conference that is stirring up PA football By Reggie Rosario Journalism Student
The Lehigh Valley Conference is no longer your old conference it used to be for football in the valley. The conference is now the newly named Eastern Pennsylvania Conference. The new EPC18 is what is called a superconference. The new 18 team conference merges schools from the former LVC & MVC (Mountain Valley Conference). The EPC is a superconference that would make conferences like the Big Ten & Southeastern Conference
glow. “Not very different.” said Mr. Jason Roeder, Freedom football head coach when asked about his thoughts on the new EPC & its affect on his Freedom Patriots. Freedom football head coach Mr. Roeder stated that he did not think the new EPC football conference would have a big change on his team. Mr. Roeder said this because the two teams they play for crossover games they have played multiple times
games. The Patriots will see East Stroudsburg South & Louis E. Dieruff this year as their crossover games. For the Patriots the “new” schedule looks identical to an old LVC schedule. “I like the new competition, but I don’t like that we Football and Riot Squad photo: Hannah Young (Freedom) don’t play Becahi anymore.” Said before. Cordell Cotto, junior. The way the conference’s While there was indeed scheduling is set is that each change it at times is overteam will play 8 division blown, for Freedom’s division games and two crossover is really the LVC minus
Becahi & the North is just the MVC just without Lehighton & Becahi in their place. With Becahi being in the North they no longer play Freedom & Liberty every year. This means there can be no city champ every year, which according to Cotto might be one of the only downsides of the EPC18. But the conference is just in it’s infant stages; only time will tell if the EPC will mature & correct mistakes or if it immaturely trip up & falter. “I think the change is good, even though there’s problems now I think it’ll be good in the long run,” said Cotto.
Who is planning on raising the cup? NHL preview By Christa Eaton Assistant Entertainment Editor
With the 2014-2015 hockey season just around the corner, it is time to preview this year’s competitors. From teams with the best chance to win, to the teams that are unlikely to make the playoffs, it is that time of the year again to analyze each team. With training camp rapidly coming to a close, each team is looking at new changes for this year’s season. Teams like the Pittsburgh Penguins have gone through some new changes. The Penguins last won the Stanley Cup in 2009. With a new general manager and coach, the Penguins will look to come out strong. The Pen-
guins lost defenseman of the year, Matt Niskanen but gained Christian Ehrhoff from the Buffalo Sabres. If the Penguins stay healthy all year, they can be contenders again. According to CBS Sports, the Chicago Blackhawks are the favorites to win the Stanley Cup this year. Other teams that CBS Sports predicted include: the Boston Bruins, Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks and Pittsburgh Penguins. “I think the Rangers will win because they have Henrik Lundqvist and they are the best team in the league,” said Tara Hathaway, sophomore. Many questions have been circling last year’s champs, the Los Angeles Kings. One question that all Stanley Cup winners face is how they will
respond after winning it all. It is very unlikely for a team to win the Stanley Cup two years in a row. According to the Los Angeles Kings website, they are looking for Captain Dustin Brown and forward Mike Richards to have better seasons. The lineup for the Los Angeles Kings will be similar to last years. After a rough start to the season last year, the Philadelphia Flyers will look to play good hockey right from the start. The Flyers are also a team that hired a new general manager towards the end of the season. In an interview with CSNPhilly, the Flyers’ general manager talked about where his team is right now. “I will say I don’t think we are with that elite group but
that doesn’t mean we can’t win,” said Hextall. Other teams in the Eastern Conference that can compete for the cup this year include, last year’s Presidents Cup winner: Boston Bruins, Eastern Conference winners: New York Rangers, Montreal Canadians, Detroit Red Wings and maybe the Tampa Bay Lightning. When it comes to the Western Conference teams like the Anaheim Ducks, St. Louis Blues, San Jose Sharks, Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild can pose a threat.
Photo: Creative Commons
The Patriots are back and ready for redemption Freedom football preview By Tina Bui Journalism Student
The season started out with a Freedom 35-7 out of East Stroudsburg South on August 29th. Freedom football head coach Jason Roeder and his football team are looking to have a great season. “Based on week one, we are off to a great start. We have great senior leadership,” said Coach Roeder. The perspective of the football team is completely different. Some things have definitely changed from last season. Freedom’s football team looks like a whole new team this year. “We put a ton of work in during the offseason. We come with a great attitude this
whole preseason,” said Coach Roeder. “Our whole mindset has changed this season compared to last season,” said John Callahan, senior. Freedom played East Stroudsburg South on August 29th marking the start of their season. In the end, they came out on top with a big win. The team plans to carry their success from this victory onto future games. “It was a good game. We played very well. I thought we came out well,” said Callahan. Freedom’s team has lots of returning players, but also many new faces on the team. Sophomore quarterback Joe Young is coming back stronger than ever and plans to put together a great season. Jonah Gundrum, a junior, plays both quarterback
and wide receiver. “There’s so many good players. We are so well balanced, it’s hard to pinpoint 1, 2, or even 5 guys,” said Coach Roeder. Seniors Jake Young and Kylon Pretty both play wide receiver/defensive back. Junior Cordell Cotto plays tight end/ defensive end. Seniors Bryant Connor, John Callahan, and Ryan Mullen all play linebacker. A new player Alkiohn Dunkins is a junior, he plays wide receiver/defensive back.
Photos: Hannah Young