October 2020 Volume 21 Issue 1
Featured in this issue: l Reports l Sports News
Terrific Teachers Join Our Community By Lauren Grauer
Face masks, classroom cleanings, and a distance of at least 6 feet at all times.These are just some of the precautions all teachers must take, so imagine starting a new teaching job during this time. The Pulse interviewed new science teacher Ms. Tantillo and new mathematics teacher Mr. Scher to welcome them to the community and learn more about them.
Harvey and feel that they have made the transition great.” Ms. Tantillo and Mr. Scher have different career backgrounds. Ms. Tantillo taught at Soundview Preparatory for 12 years. Soundview was located in Yorktown Heights, New York and unfortunately closed in the 2019-2020 school year.
The Pulse asked an array of At Soundview, Ms. Tantillo questions to the two teachers about their taught chemistry, physics, and forenlife, interests, and experience starting sics. Chemistry is Ms. Tantillo’s favorat a new school during COVID-19. The ite subject, but she also loves physics. two have an extremely positive outlook. Her favorite college professor was a physics professor. When asked if Harvey made the Ms. Tantillo has transition easy, Ms. taken her love for science Tantillo answered, Ms. Tantillo. Photo courtesy of Sam Alexander. outside of the classroom and “Yes! I don’t know combined it with her love what Harvey was like for social media. She has a but after six years, he found himself not before, so I don’t feel science Instagram account enjoying his work in this field. So, he the change as much with the handle @mstantillo. and a friend started tutoring students, as returning teachers Students, go check it out! and Mr. Scher also helped his friend and students do.” Mr. coach a wrestling team. Scher stated, “Go The Pulse learned that ing to school during Mr. Scher did not originally Mr. Scher spent some time COVID-19 is hard plan on becoming a mathemattutoring high school students to prepare no matter what. I am ics teacher. Originally, Mr. them for the SAT and ACT. After this Mr. Scher. Photo courtesy of Scher was working in finance, very happy to be at Emma Galgano.
l Reviews
Terrific Teachers...cont. on inside cover.
The Woman, The Justice, The Icon While we celebrate 100 years of women’s rights, we mourn Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death. Ginsburg was a Supreme Court Justice known for fighting gender discrimination. Ginsburg died on Sept. 18, 2020 at the age of 87 years old from complications from metastatic pancreatic cancer.
By Emma Galgano
Ginsburg soon became one of the biggest influences on the Supreme Court. According to the NPR, on June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court made same-sex marriage legal in all 50 states by a 5-4 majority vote.
According to Biography.com, Ruth Bader Ginsburg was born into a family in Brooklyn, New York. Ginsburg’s mother was a garment worker, and her father was a merchant. Her household valued education. Ginsburg earned her bachelor’s degree from Cornell University in 1954. That same year, she married Martin Ginsburg. A few years later, they had their first child named Jane.
The Harvey School 260 Jay Street Katonah, NY 10536
As a new mother and law student at Harvard, Ginsburg experienced an extreme amount of gender discrimination. NBC Boston states, “Her class at Harvard Law had 552 men but just eight other women. In a story that’s become part of Ginsburg’s legend, the school’s then-dean asked those women, at a dinner party, how they justified taking a place that would have gone to a man.”
Ginsburg’s husband accepted
ish Supreme Court justice. Ginsburg represented the moderate-liberal bloc, presenting a strong voice in favor of gender equality, the rights of workers, and the separation of church and state.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg delivering a speech. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
a job at a New York firm. To join her husband in New York City, Ginsburg transferred to Columbia Law School, where she was elected to the school’s law review. She then went on to teach students about equality rights and how the law was gender blind. The Washington Post states that in 1980, Ginsburg was appointed to the U.S Appeals for the District of Columbia. Then, in 1983, she was appointed to the Supreme Court by President Bill Clinton as the first female Jew-
When Ginsburg was asked, “Since you were made a Supreme Court judge, how do you feel women’s equality and women’s rights have changed?” Ginsburg responded with, “When I became a Supreme Court justice, there were six women in the Senate, and now there are 20. I was the second woman on the Supreme Court, and when Justice O’Connor left, I was all alone. Now I have two colleagues, Justice Sonia Sotomayor and Justice Alena Kagan. People ask me, ‘but when do you think there will be enough?’ I say (laughs), well, when there are nine! And people are aghast. We’ve had nine men for most of the country’s history, and no one thought that… there was anything wrong with that.”
The Woman, The Justice...cont. on page 6.
OP/ ED
Page 2
Re-Addressing the Dress Code The Pulse Staff
To say that the 2020-21 school year is different would be an understatement. Everything that we thought of as usual is unusual. There are no after-school sports, free periods aren’t what they used to be, and of course, everyone has a mask on at all times. But one thing that has had a positive and significant effect on many students is the change to the dress code. Since the founding of The Harvey School over 100 years ago, all students have to abide by the rules surrounding what to wear. While it has been altered numerous times over the years, khaki pants for males and no leggings for females have been rules that Harvey students and faculty have followed for years. However, for the 2020-21 school year, that rule was changed.
Editor-in-Chief Max Edelman
For the 2020 school year, sweatpants, leggings, shorts, and shirts with logos are all allowed and part of this new “relaxed dress code.” After just a month of experiencing this new dress code, one thing has become clear to me. In my opinion, the new relaxed dress code should be here to stay for 2020 and beyond.
Assistant Editor Lauren Grauer
There are numerous reasons that the new relaxed dress code should be permanent. Setting strict limits on what students can and cannot wear is, now more than ever, a thing of the past. In an era when expressing one’s individuality is not only accepted but encouraged, being able to dress in your own unique way is how to express yourself. The concept of having everyone look the same and dress the same way is outdated, and it is finally time to see it go.
Sam Alexander Emma Galgano Kevin Li Razi Tanksley Evan Xu
Faculty Advisor Virgina Holmes
Secondly, being able to dress comfortably just makes people feel better. For me, I find it a lot easier to wake up in the morning and throw on a pair of sweatpants, a T-shirt, and a sweatshirt. It puts me in a better mood and makes me feel ready for whatever the school day has in store for me. Also, while this may not be the case for everyone, I find that I am performing better in school when I’m relaxed dressed, and my grades show it. It’s no secret that the relaxed dress code puts students at ease and makes them more open to learning. When I tell people that I go to a private school, one of the most common questions that I am asked is if I wear a uniform. While we at Harvey don’t wear a uniform, our guidelines are significantly different from those at public schools. And for many prospective students, a strict dress code could be a turnoff. A less formal dress code could create more interest for Harvey. In my opinion, if I really liked two schools, and one school had a strict dress code and the other didn’t, I would go to the school with the more relaxed dress code, if it came down to it. With this permanent change, Harvey could set a new precedent for private schools in our area. And, in turn, many more potential students will be more inclined to come to Harvey. 2020 has changed the world more than any year in recent memory. The world is ever-changing, for the better and for the worse. But this change is one for the better. Many say that we, as humans, can come out from the other side of this pandemic stronger and smarter than we were before it began. And for Harvey, it’s time to re-address the dress code. Sincerely, Max Edelman
Fall 2020 Pulse Staff Terrific Teachers...cont. from cover.
time, he found a job working as a math substitute teacher for Hunter College Campus Schools on the Upper East Side. Now, onto these wonderful teachers’ hobbies. Ms. Tantillo and Mr. Scher both enjoy going on hikes and love all outdoor activities. Although Mr. Scher is a math teacher, he also loves to read! When COVID-19 is over, both teachers have a long list of activities at Harvey they would like to lead and coach. They both enjoy sports, and Ms. Tantillo mentioned that she would like to help with Harvey’s softball and basketball teams. Ms. Tantillo also plays the bass guitar and would love to be a part of a music club at Harvey. She also enjoys community service. What drew these two fabulous teachers to Harvey? Mr. Scher loves working with students, and he appreciates that at Harvey, we are not constrained to the Common Core and taking Regents Examinations. Ms. Tantillo loves the beauty of Harvey and the small classes. Teaching in an independent school is where Ms. Tantillo feels best. For Mr. Scher’s undergraduate education, he attended Hunter College in New York City. Ms. Tantillo went to St. Thomas Aquinas College. Mr. Scher is working on his master’s degree in mathematics, and Ms. Tantillo received her Master’s degree in Educational Technology at Pace University.
Reports
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The First Gigafire By Razi Tanksley
The California wildfires that have occurred this year left an enormous amount of damage and have been officially classified as the first gigafire. It earned this title after spreading one million acres across California. The fire has spread so far that it has covered more land than the state of Rhode Island. These 2020 wildfires started in August and are believed to have begun from a fire that began at a gender reveal party in El Dorado, California. A CNN report stated, “A fire sparked by a pyrotechnic device used during a gender reveal party has burned more than 10,000 acres since Saturday.” This blaze alone was only 16% contained by firefighters on Sept. 8, 2020, but that is not the worst of the total damage caused. The fire has increased due to the long heat waves from the summer along the West Coast and especially due to temperature changes from climate change. This has caused rising temperatures and longer droughts, allowing the fire to spread to plants with less moisture. Fire ecologist Jennifer Blach said, her team “predicted last year that we were living with the chance of such an extreme event under our current climate.” The flames cause smoke that is so thick, it can make breathing
difficult and sometimes even block out the sun in some areas. A new gust of high winds and dry air will allow the already blazing fire to continue to spread and cause more counteractions to be necessary. Scientists have delivered urgent warnings to the public, stating that the worst is still yet to come. Meteorologist Tom Bird stated, “By no means are we looking to end the fire season with this event.” Also, climate scientist Andrew Dessler commented, “If you don’t like all of the climate disasters happening in 2020, I have some bad news for you about the rest of your life.” Serious progress on containing the fire has been effectively made by firefighters battling the infernos. New information released by the San Bernardino National Forest states, “The hard work of crews on the ground, dozers, and aircraft have enabled a lot of great work to be accomplished as fire lines continue to be constructed around the fire in preparation for the upcoming Red Flag Santa Ana Wind event starting at noon tomorrow and lasting through Wednesday.” This news gives citizens hope that even though the blazes probably won’t end soon, efforts to stop them have been showing effec-
tive progress. However, there have been reports about Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Regional Administrator Robert J. Fenton Jr.’s request to declare “a major disaster in Fresno, Los Angeles, Madera, Mendocino, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Siskiyou A California firefighter monitors a fire near a home while counties.” battling megafire in Paradise, California. Photo Courtesy On Oct.16, 2020, the presidential administration declined the request for a disaster declaration from the wildfires that have been scorching California. “Confirming that the request for a Major Presidential Disaster Declaration for early September fires has been denied by the federal administration,” anthropologist Brian Ferguson said. Ferguson continued, “The state plans to appeal the decision and believes we have a strong case that California’s request meets the federal requirements for approval. Meantime, Cal OES continues to aggressively pursue other available avenues for reimbursement/support to help individuals and communities impacted by these fires rebuild and recover.”
of Stephen Lam/Reuters
People all over the country have helped to contribute to the efforts of stopping these wildfires by donating money to Cal Fire and relief funds that go to families affected by the blazes. The GoFundMe website states, “The centralized hub will be updated on a regular basis with new fundraisers that have been verified by our Trust & Safety team. All fundraisers are backed by the GoFundMe Guarantee, which ensures that all funds go to the right place.” The flames have caused a great amount of damage, but the problem is continually being monitored, and countermeasures have been executed with some success.
Commander-in-Chief Contracts COVID-19 By Sam Alexander
On Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, President Donald J. Trump tested positive for COVID-19. The news of the president contracting the virus caused the media to spiral out of control. In a statement, President Trump said, “I want to thank everybody for the tremendous support....I’m going to Walter Reed Hospital. I think I’m doing very well. We’re going to make sure that things work out. The first lady is doing very well. So thank you very much, I appreciate it. I will never forget it. Thank you.” This statement was made in response to how the coronavirus had been affecting him, and how thankful he was for the support he was given. One of the first people to contract the coronavirus in President Trump’s inner circle was Hope Hicks. Forbes wrote that Hicks “flew on Air Force One with the president to Tuesday night’s debate… Three hours after his [President Trump’s] Fox News appearance, Trump tweeted that he and first lady Melania Trump tested positive and will begin quarantining.” President Trump was admitted into Walter Reed Hospital the day it was announced he had the virus.
He then stated on Twitter. “I think I am doing very well. We are going to make sure things work out.” The president’s doctor, Sean Conley, told the media that President Trump was fever free Oct. 3, 2020, according to CNN. Conley reported that the only symptoms that President Trump was experiencing were a mild cough, some nasal congestion, and fatigue.
According to the BBC, other members of the Trump administration that caught coronavirus include first lady Melania Trump, counselor to the president Kellyanne Conaway, campaign adviser and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, and a few others. Chris Christie expressed his thoughts about masks. He said, “... I was wrong not to wear a mask at my multiple debate prep sessions with the president and the rest of the team.”
Because President Trump Conley also contracted the coronavirus, there reported that President President Trump leaving the White House on Friday, Oct 2. was a lot of concern going into the Trump “made substantial second presidential debate. BusiPhoto courtesy of CNN. progress since diagnosis.” ness Insider wrote, “The president So, while President Trump dropped out of the second presito quarantine in the White House. was experiencing symptoms, his dential debate after it was switched health was improving very early on. from in-person to virtual following President Trump then made his positive COVID-19 diagnosis.” a video that was posted on Twitter to The next day, Oct. 4, ensure the nation that he was doing President Trump left the hospital and well. According to The New York The debate was turned into greeted supporters who stood outside Times, in the video, the president an event where each presidential canthe hospital. He waved to them while expressed that catching the virus was didate, Donald Trump and Joe Biden, sitting in a car with his security team took questions at seperate town halls. a “blessing from God.” nearby. America will have to pa He believed that getting BBC reported, “Mr. Trump tiently wait to see how this virus will COVID-19 allowed for new drugs to returned to the Oval Office on really affect the upcoming presidenbe tested, and that it provided a new Wednesday [Oct. 7], officials said, tial election. opportunity to study the coronaviless than a week after testing posirus’s effect. tive.” Five days after being tested positive for COVID-19, he was able
Reports
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How Businesses Have Made It Work During COVID-19 By Lauren Grauer
Are you available to go for dinner at 7:30 p.m.? Let’s go shopping Saturday! I heard of this new Broadway play, so let’s go see it on my birthday next month! In the COVID-19-infested world that we are living in today, these sayings do not sound familiar. Society is craving normalcy, and so are business owners, especially small-business owners and local restaurateurs. According to the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, after surveying 5,800 small businesses, 43% of them closed since the start of the pandemic. A small business closure not only affects the owners but also the people working for the business. Berkeleyside.com quotes a sound engineer who had worked for a company for 30 years. “We were all laid off, which allowed us to get unemployment, but that’s going to end at the end of this month, and then I will have no income.” The restaurant industry is one of the top small businesses that were strongly affected by COVID-19. Outdoor dining has become a new normal, but not all restaurants have the ability to allow for customers to eat outside, and if some do,
they are extremely weather dependent. A New York City restaurant owner said, “I don’t have umbrellas or a pop-up tent. So, when it does rain, we scatter to pull all of the tables and chairs inside.” Zooming in on a northern Westchester local restaurant, The Pulse staff ate at Exit 4. We dined outside at Exit 4, and the employees were able to provide excellent customer service and maintain the quality of their food. That is good news for Exit 4, but not all restaurants have been able to find success during COVID-19. In early March, ex-Mount Kisco Diner employees filed a lawsuit demanding $1 million. This lawsuit resulted in the business filing for bankruptcy. According to Lohud.com and Stacyknows.com, the employees accused the business of “veritable smorgasbord of legal violations.” On June 29, 2020, the Mount Kisco Diner announced that it resolved this deal and were able to pay the employees $900,000 for the wages they had earned in the past that were not given to them. Considering the struggles that the Mount Kisco Diner went through during COVID, the business made a strong come back and is up and ready for business.
Aside from dining, movie theaters and gyms have gone through quite the struggle. When movie theaters closed in March, there were no other solutions to keep movies playing. The warm summer weather allowed for other options. People Photo of a “closed” sign on a restaurant’s window. sat socially distanced Photo courtesy of restaurant.org. on lawns and in their cars at drive-ins. To stay fit and healthy durThis may be only a seasonal solution ing quarantine, people have turned to because when rain or snow comes, it online fitness classes. In some cases, will be hard to watch a movie in this people have used their kitchen as a way. fitness studio or bedroom carpet into a yoga mat. Some of these alterna New York State Governor tives are free, and some can be Cuomo allowed for gyms to open costly. The online fitness community Aug. 24, 2020, when positive test is growing, and it will be interesting results were consistently under 1% to see how that affects gyms. per day. The opening of gyms does not mean, however, that you can just From outdoor dining, drivewalk in and expect to get on a treadin movies, to online fitness classes, mill or lift some weights. Gyms will we are all trying to simulate normalbe opening at 33% capacity. cy. Hopefully, in the near future, life will return to how it was before the Before you go to the gym, pandemic. most expect you to make a reservation, sometimes weeks before your arrival, depending on the business of the gym that you attend. It is also mandatory that you wear a mask and follow social distancing while exercising.
What Is Happening on the Other Side of the Earth? By Evan Xu
In 2020, the sudden new type of coronavirus disrupted people’s normal lives. People had to be trapped at home and could not go to school in person. Everything was shut down, and there was nowhere to hang out with friends and families besides the beach or a park. On the other side of the earth, for international students like me, our life has been going back to normal since April. Everything is open, and you only need to wear a mask if you want to, but we weren’t able to come to America. I hope to return to school. In order to prevent us from delaying our studies, the Bureau of Education launched the “Suspension of Classes without Suspension,” that is, online classes, for the International students like me and my friends who go to Harvey from China. I met some of them and talked to them about their feelings, and tiredness and anxiety were the most frequent words that came up. A friend of mine posted at midnight, “Good morning, the day begins,” and at 2 a.m. posted again, “class ends, ready to go to bed, good night.” Rocky Zhang and Tommy Wang also go to Harvey. Zhang is in the 12th grade, and Wang graduated last year as Harvey’s valedictorian, but they are both trapped in China and cannot go back to the U.S. to start school. Wang was admitted to NYU, but he is taking his classes at their satellite campus in Shanghai. Zhang and Wang really want to return to the U.S, but because of the coronavirus, they
weren’t able to come to the U.S. Zhang, a Senior who has been at The Harvey School for four years, said, “I’m happy to be back and have the opportunity to be with my family, and I’m glad I’m with them.” He also said, “Although, due to jet lag, I’m not yet adapted to the evening internet classes. However, China’s current coronavirus outbreak control is very good. During the day, it can be appropriate to go out to exercise and then go out with friends to play, and I am still very happy about that.” Also, I met another person who just graduated from Harvey, Tommy Wang. He said, “Being at NYU Shanghai, I feel very good with my Chinese friend. We are very chatty, and I am able to eat food that I am very used to. When I was at Harvey, the days were very full, but in Shanghai, I have fewer classes, and I Tommy Wang playing basketball in enjoy having Shanghai with his friends. Photo courmore time to tesy of Joanna Yang.
make my own arrangements. I feel more independent.” Wang also misses America, too. He said, “Schools have been diligently sending mail. Sometimes a few times a day, my mailboxes are filled with emails from American schools. Sometimes they have a detailed description of an upcoming holiday, or I may receive a party invitation, but I usually don’t participate, because a ‘party on camera’ seems boring. I hope the outbreak will end soon, so I can be on the real campus and meet classmates.” The Pulse also contacted Vivian Shen, a sophomore who is also a Chinese classmate at Harvey. She is now boarding at Harvey. She said, “Being in school at this special time, I feel that it is easier than last year, because there are only six slots per day this year, but it is unusual to wear a mask in the dorm.” For these students, like me, who cannot go abroad, the day is made up of a tired night and a chaotic day. But the teachers in The Harvey School are very kind, and they are finding ways to make it easier for international students. Teachers offer to add extra help in the morning. They also record the lessons for international students when the class meets during times when we are sleeping, and we are very appreciative of that accommodation. Thanks to The Harvey School and its teachers for trying to make our life easier on the other side of the earth!
Sports News
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NFL Safety Against COVID-19 By Razi Tanksley
The National Football League (NFL) officially came back as of Sept. 6, 2020, and keeping everyone involved with the games safe and healthy remains a priority. The NFL was among many popular sports that returned while following specific guidelines and regulations because of the coronavirus pandemic.
So, the fact that there’s not a one-size-fitsall approach shouldn’t be surprising given the medical situations across the league.”
Like other sports, players had the choice of opting out of the season without losing their spot on the team for the next season. But for the players and staff of the 32 NFL teams that decided to partake in the 2020-21 season, they are following strict COVID-19 safety guidelines in order to prevent the spread of the deadly virus.
There have been serious consequences for In a memo, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell outlined the protocols those who for the safe reopening of team facilities. Photo courtesy of Ross D. violated the NFL’s new Franklin / Associated Press Newspaper- LA TIMES safety guidelines. Accordmask whenever possible. Also, some ing to CNN, there have already been teams are permitted to let fans into On June 7, 2020, NFL $1 million in fines given to the New the stadium, but they must do so at a Commissioner Roger Goodell delivOrleans Saints, Las Vegas Raiders, limited capacity. ered the NFL-NFL Players AssociaSeattle Seahawks, San Francisco tion Education Protocol for 2020. The NFL guidelines involve 49ers, and the Denver Broncos beThis protocol requires teams to foldifferent ways to prevent members of cause their coaches didn’t wear facelow these specific safety guidelines masks. Most of the 32 NFL teams teams from catching and/or spreadin order to allow the teams to stay have been following the guidelines ing coronavirus. These guidelines safe and play this season. Goodell very well and keeping everyone safe involve members of teams social stated in a conference, “While these from COVID. distancing, using disinfectants to protocols have been carefully develclean facilities, cleaning objects that oped and reflect best practices, they Dr. Sills also stated in an are frequently touched, and wearing can also be adapted and supplementaddress, “One of the most important face masks while in team buildings ed to ensure compliance with any things that you can do is to wear a like training facilities and stadiums. state and local public health requireface covering… Wearing a facemask ments.” is important because they have been According to NFL Chief scientifically proven to help you or Medical Officer Dr. Allen Sills, “It’s Any member of the team other people who are in your area not surprising that there are regional that wanted to be involved in the wearing a mask stop the spread of the variabilities because obviously there 2020-21 season had to sign an agree- are differences in the state of the deadly disease.” Wearing a mask was ment to the following terms. Some of pandemic and the state of the infecone of the first measures of protecthe biggest rules include wearing a tion recommended by Dr. Anthony tion as you move across the country.
Fauci, the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. NFL players expressed their thoughts on the new guidelines through their social media accounts. One of these players is Kansas City Chiefs quarterback (QB) Patrick Mahomes, who tweeted, “Getting ready to report this week hoping the @NFL will come to an agreement with the safe and right protocols so we can feel protected playing the sport we love #WeWantToPlay.” Concerned players like Cleveland Browns defensive end (DE) Myles Garret and Seattle Seahawks QB Russel Wilson used their media accounts to express how important it is that the NFL has a solid plan to keep teams safe. Garret tweeted, “If the NFL doesn’t do their part to keep players healthy there is no football in 2020. It’s that simple. #WeWantToPlay.” Wilson added, “I am concerned. My wife is pregnant. @NFL Coaching camp is about to start. And there’s still No Clear Plan on Player Health & Family Safety. We want to play football but we also want to protect our loved ones. #WeWantToPlay.” As the season continues, The Pulse and fans will continue to watch the NFL’s response to COVID-19
Magic on the Island By Max Edelman
On March 10, 2020, the New York Islanders fell to the Vancouver Canucks 5-4 in a shootout in a game that was their seventh loss in a row. Just days after suffering that loss, the NHL suspended its season due to concerns surrounding COVID-19.
They continued their dominance in game two, winning 4-2 and taking a commanding 2-0 series lead into game three. Although the Islanders lost game three, they took game four to advance past the qualifying round and into the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Despite the Islander’s struggles in the final games of the regular season, the Islanders found themselves in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. However, this would be no normal Stanley Cup Playoffs. In May 2020, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman described the new Stanley Cup Playoff’s format that would begin in early August.
However, in order to advance, the Islanders needed to take down a team they’ve had trouble with in the past, the Washington Capitals. Just five years earlier, the Capitals, led by head coach Barry Trotz, took down the Islanders in seven games. However, now Barry Trotz was the bench boss for the Islanders, and the Islanders were ready to get revenge.
Instead of a standard 16 team playoffs, the 2020 playoffs would feature 24 teams with an extra “qualifying round.” The Islanders would need to take down the Florida Panthers in this never seen before best of five qualifying round series. And after the Islanders failed to conclude the regular season, little was expected of them.
Many hockey analysts and fans believed the Islanders would have no chance of taking down the highpowered Washington Capitals team. But the Islanders proved every doubter very wrong.
The first game of the qualifying round for the Islanders took place Aug. 1, 2020, and the Islanders wasted no time taking control of the series. The Islanders took game one 2-1 after goals from Islanders forwards JG Pageau and Anthony Beauvillier.
The Islanders jumped out to a quick and stunning two-games-tonone lead over the Capitals after taking games one and two in commanding fashion. Game three saw the Islanders’ first playoff overtime action of the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Islanders ended up taking game three after an amazing goal by star center Mat Barzal on the breakaway.
Although the Islanders fell in game four to the Capitals, they bounced back to shut them out in game five and earn a spot in the second round for the second straight year. The Islanders matched up against the No. 1 Islanders Head to the Locker Room. seed in the Eastern ConferPhoto courtesy of Allnysports. ence, Philadelphia Flyers. And for the second straight series, the Islanders became the under Game seven saw the Islanders dogs in the series. get off to a fiery start and never turn back. A 4-0 win for the Islanders was On Aug. 24, 2020, The their best performance of the playIslanders jumped out to a flying start, offs. The offense, defense, and goalie scoring three goals to take game one Thomas Greiss were all at their best against the Flyers. Game two saw the that night. And for the first time in 27 Islanders fall behind 3-0 after just one years, the Islanders were on their way period of action. However, the Islandto the Eastern Conference Finals. ers stormed back to tie the game at three and take the game to overtime. The Eastern Conference saw Although the Islanders lost in overtime some good hockey from the Islanders, by a score of 4-3, that loss did not halt but it wasn’t enough to take the series. their momentum. The Islanders fell to the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay The Islanders took games Lightning in six games. Although the three and four and gave themselves a Islanders didn’t take home the Stanley commanding 3-1 series lead going into Cup, they proved everyone wrong. In game five of the series. However, the the most unlikely circumstances, in Islanders dropped both games five and front of no fans, there was truly magic six in overtime to tie the series at three on the island. games apiece, sending the series to a decisive game seven.
Reviews
Page 6
Among Us Is Among Us
The Haunted Hudson Valley
A Review by Emma Galgano
A Review by Sam Alexander
The game “Among Us” has taken the world by storm with 86 million downloads worldwide. Gameindustry.biz states that it’s an online multiplayer game published by InnerSloth. The game takes place in a space-themed setting where players each take on one of two roles, most being crewmates, and a predetermined number being Impostors. The game “Among Us” was launched in 2018 but stayed under the radar (like most games do). That is, until the summer of 2020 came along! “Among Us” is an exhilarating game that you can play with your friends. It’s available on PC, iOS, and Android (making it easy to download from the App Store). Pocketgamer stated, “‘Among Us’ has proven to be most popular on Android devices, as Google Play accounts for 69.8% of all downloads with 60.4 million, meaning the App Store makes up the other 30.2% with 26 million. In terms of revenue, InnerSloth’s game has generated $3.2 million.” “Among Us” starts with four to 10 players being assigned an impostor or a crewmate. If you are given the role of the crewmate, your job is to complete tasks around the spaceship and avoid getting killed by the impostor. If you are given the part of the impostor, your job is to try to kill the crewmates without being caught secretly. If a dead body is found, all of the crewmates have to find out the identity of the killer/impostor. The player with the most votes will be kicked out of the spaceship/game and become a ghost. If the wrong person is kicked out, the game keeps going until they find the impostor. The New York Times stated, “‘Among Us’ is very different from other highly social video games like Fortnite, for instance. It’s similar to a board game like Monopoly, or a party game like Werewolf, where players need to read personalities and determine if they’re being lied to in order to win.” Once there is an equal number of imposters as crewmates, the imposters win the game, and a new game will start. Sometimes, you’ll even leave the game, making friends!
A playful image of the “Among Us” Characters. Photo courtesy of InnerSloth. Unfortunately, if a crewmate is killed, they become a ghost that floats around. I find this consequence boring and unfair. If you are killed first, you’re just floating around for the rest of the game and not able to talk to anyone. Inverse.com states, “A Twitch viewer suggested InnerSloth could allow Ghosts to open doors for living Crewmates to help them escape the clutches of an impostor. Interviewer Cassandra ‘Frisk’ proposed letting a ghost reanimate itself.” This idea would make the game more intense and exciting. InnerSloth has teased players by hinting at a new upcoming ghost setting. Rumors have been circulating about a new “guardian angel” mode. Two weeks before writing this article, I played “Among Us” for the first time. My first thoughts began with frustration. My character kept dying or being kicked out of the game. Once I got the hang of it, however, I couldn’t put it down! The game is not like most video games like Fortnite or Call of Duty. You have to know if people are lying, telling the truth, and revealing their general personality. Harvey students have started playing “Among Us” during frees and outside of school. Most people will make private games, a mode where it’s just you and your friends. This setting makes it more enjoyable. Every day, the social media game “Among Us” keeps becoming bigger and bigger. It’s an exciting game that will keep you intrigued for hours on end. Download it now!
The Woman, The Justice...cont. from cover.
Ginsburg first received a pancreatic cancer diagnosis in 2009 but announced a recurrence last year. She also received treatment for lung and colon cancer. On Sept. 18, 2020, Ginsburg was pronounced dead. This exemplary woman died in her Washington D.C. bedroom in the arms of her granddaughter. Ginsburg affected the lives of some of the most influential figures. Hillary Clinton (former U.S Secretary of State and 2016 democratic presidential candidate) tweeted, “Justice Ginsburg paved the way for so many women, including me. There will never be another like her. Thank you RBG.”
President Donald Trump said, “She led an amazing life. What else can you say? She was an amazing woman, whether you agree or not. She was an amazing woman who led an amazing life. I’m actually sad to hear that.” The Harvey School’s CoPresidents Zachary Treseler and Tyler Wallach paid tribute to Ginsburg at Harvey’s first-ever Zoom morning meeting. They explained to the school how sorrowful her death is and how impactful she was to future generations. Ginsburg will forever go down in history as one of our nation’s strongest female leaders.
Sit back, weary reader, because The Pulse is going to enlighten your curious desire about haunted places to visit during the Halloween season. It is time to learn about the true Hudson Valley, dive deep into some of its most interesting and spooky stories, and discover some possible destinations to visit for this year’s fall season.
A mysterious grave located in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. Photo courtesy of Sam Alexander.
In 1991, the Supreme Court ruled on one of the strangest cases in history. Known as legally haunted, the Nyack House, located at One Lavetta Place, has caused intrigue all over New York because of its paranormal activity. According to the New York Post, the former owner of the home, Helen Ackley, tried selling the house in the late 1980s without disclosing the terrorizing ghost sightings she had encountered. This issue caused a legal war, and officials tried to decide whether the house was truly haunted. Ackley reported seeing ghosts that appear to be from Revolutionary War times. These spirits were known to shake beds, walk down the halls, and slam doors. However, later owners of the house did not experience a lot of paranormal activity.
mer home of Washington Irving, Sunnyside sits along the Hudson River and fills tourists with intrigue. The New York Times published an article about the enchanted mansion on Oct. 24, 2013, describing how the home remains similar to the way it was when Irving lived there. With the remaining artifacts from Irving’s past, could it be possible that spirits from earlier American times live in the house today? A few years ago, a photo appeared on the internet that showed what looked like Washington Irving working on a book. This image unleashed a strange mystery that could prove that the writer still works in his home despite having died over 100 years ago.
So, either the ghosts of the Nyack House don’t exist, or the spirits are lingering and waiting for the next moment to frighten society.
Last, but not least, on our tour of the haunted Hudson, The Pulse recommends visiting the Bannerman Castle, also known as The Bannerman Arsenal. The arsenal lives on an island right on the Hudson River.
Our next stop on our recommended list of haunted Hudson Valley spots is the infamous Sleepy Hollow. It is the birthplace of the terrifying story “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” which was written by Washington Irving. The tale is about a Headless Horseman who stalks the small New York town.
The website Medium. com wrote about how a Scottish immigrant named Francis Bannerman VI purchased an island in 1901. When the Civil War ended, his family bought a “military surplus and resorted to the island for storage.” What is now called a castle used to be a storage facility for weapons.
The town itself is a beacon of strange, mysterious energy. As soon as you enter the location, there is a big 90-acre cemetery called Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. It is so vast that a river runs through the middle of it.
The arsenal has seen its fair share of problems throughout the years. After Francis Bannerman died, about 2 tons of explosives blew up, destroying some of the complex. It does not stop there.
USA Today published an article Oct. 25, 2013, about certain ways to trigger paranormal activity. One resource it mentioned was water. Water can be considered a conductor of energy, so the fact that a small river runs through the cemetery is quite interesting.
In 1950, a cargo ship crashed into the island and also ended up exploding. The ship was named the Pollepel, and this crash was so impactful that the island is sometimes referred to by the name the Pollepel.
Washington Irving is also buried there, along with a few other famous historical figures. The cemetery holds mystery and is definitely a local, interesting place to visit while in Sleepy Hollow. Another historical sight in Sleepy Hollow is Sunnyside Manor. What was once the for-
Medium.com also writes, “The island, according to Native American tradition, is inhabited by hostile spirits.” This idea gives the location so much more intrigue. So, are you going to take on the task of visiting these haunted places? Are you going to search for the unknown? If you do, tell the ghosts and spirits that The Pulse sent you.