September 2012

September 5, 2012 • Estd. 1892 • Vol. 121 • No.1• Published Monthly • www.ihstattler.com • Ithaca High School, 1401 N. Cayuga St., Ithaca, NY, 14850 • FREE

IHS Revolutionized by New Technologies and Changes

PHOTO/MANSI VOHRA

New and Improved H-Courtyard, Language Lab, Quad, and more

By MANSI VOHRA

H-Courtyard’s red sofas and raised chairs welcome collaboration between seniors.

Some schools welcome a few more courses, add a SmartBoard here and there, or edit the curricula over the summer. But at IHS, summer doesn’t mean just that; it means allowing the school to open its arms to the twenty-first century technology that’s sweeping the nation.

In just five weeks, H-Courtyard has gained 38 new iPads, and the language lab received about a dozen more than that. The quad is completely re-cemented, the tots and teens playground is now a sculpture garden, Activities is being re-furnished, the Wellness Center has new equipment installed, and in the midst of all these renovations IHS is seeing an abundance of more exciting opportunities to come.

“Powers is not playing; he doesn’t have time,” said Jarett Powers, Principal. “We’re

working really hard to make this a worldclass school.”

The old H-Courtyard has been tossed and replaced instead with one that not only has mounted iPads aligning the outer layer of the area, but also two 50 inch plasma screen TVs. Other additions include an automated drop down movie screen on the side of the courtyard with conference rooms and offices, a mounted projector across from it, chairs lined in an “S” pattern with coffee tables in between, and seating, in total, for about 40 students.

“H-Courtyard is what you find in many colleges,” Powers said. “A central area to get information, get news updates, it’s a collaboration space; our kids have to be used to that kind of thinking and that kind of approach to acquiring information.”

Powers explained that the idea to renovate the courtyard had come from kids

who kept asking for a place to print, pull up emails, or do quick referencing. Powers then met with Brown last winter to talk about a place where seniors could collaborate and do homework.

“You just use the resources you have in front of you. You work with your team, you work with Dr. Brown, you work with the Board, you work with your building budget, you work with technology and you say, ‘What can we do if we thought differently?’ and you make it happen,” he said.

There’ve been about three to four workers working on and off duty since school ended in June who’ve not only been renovating the courtyard but also restructuring the small room on the right side of the courtyard’s farthest wall, which currently houses worn out chairs and tables and an old white board. Powers is excited to refurnish this area as a conference room for continued on p. 6

September 5, 2012

2012-2013

Editorial:

Editor-in-Chief

Medeea Popescu ‘13

The Price of Cheating It’s a question we’ve all heard – “Can I borrow your homework for a second?” Or, “Have you done the math? I didn’t have time last night.” Some of us are the askers, and others have become accustomed to sharing our work. Almost every high school student would agree, however, that this isn’t really wrong, right? It’s just helping a friend, or letting someone copy a worksheet – hardly a big deal.

Wrong. The Educational Testing Service (ETS) defines cheating as “anything that gives someone an unearned advantage in an academic setting,” ranging from seemingly innocuous acts like copying homework and revealing test information to more serious infractions like bringing notes to a test. The problem is, the ETS notes, the attitude towards cheating in high school has relaxed to such an extent and the practice has become so widespread that students don’t even consider it to be harmful. A study by Rutgers University estimates that 95 percent of high school students have knowingly cheated during the course of their education, and it is clear that nearly all students are aware of the dishonesty of their actions. For example, 89 percent of respondents said glancing at someone else’s answers during a test was cheating, but 87 percent said they had done that at least once.

The message from these statistics is clear: high school students know that they’re cheating, but they don’t grasp the negative consequences and have no incentives to stop.

It is vital that students understand that if they decide to cheat, they’re not just hurting themselves; they’re harming the whole school environment by spreading the practice and encouraging dishonesty. In a Journal of Higher Education article, researchers wrote that

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student perception of peer behavior had the most influence on the decision on whether or not to cheat. Students who cheat often feel justified in what they’re doing, because they see others cheat and think they will be unfairly disadvantaged. The scenario that comes to mind is of cheaters getting 100s on the test, while the non-cheaters get only 90s, but cheating happens at every level of academic performance. Additionally, the majority of cheaters never get caught, leading to an escalation of the practice.

The solution is simple: IHS students need to be proactive about stopping academic dishonesty, and our school needs to address this issue decisively. One hopeful sign is that higher education institutions with clear Honor Codes describing academic dishonesty, outlining the penalties, and discussing student responsibility, have overall lower instances and prevalence of cheating. An experiment undertaken at Tampa Catholic High School last year in which the school introduced an Honor Code and held workshops for both students and teachers on academic dishonesty was surprisingly successful. There was a 38% drop in cheating-related disciplinary action after a year and the percentage of students who claimed they had “never” cheated increased. In terms of money and effort spent, an honor code would be easy to implement and could have a significant impact on academic dishonesty at IHS. It is undeniably difficult to speak out against someone you know, and it takes a lot of moral strength not to give in to cheating, but the payoff in terms of school environment and personal integrity is great. Don’t accept that cheating is inevitable – do something about it.

reate a post-Soviet socialist state to Boko Haram’s push for the implementation of Sharia (Islamic law) in Nigeria. Fortunately for the rest of us, most of these attempts

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I diocracy In every democracy, there are fringe groups that seek to impose their extreme views on the rest of society: from the Russian Communist Party attempting to rec-

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Mansi Vohra ‘13

are rebuffed by a vibrant and functioning democratic system through the actions of a rational and critically thinking majority. So what does it say about our democracy continued on p. 3

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IDIOCRACY

September 5, 2012 continued from p.2

and ourselves when a fringe group in our midst manages to rise to prominence and sway the national debate?

This radical group is the Tea Party.

Having already cowed the Republican establishment into taking an uncompromising anti-government, zero-tax stance, they have set their crosshairs on the last thing that could possibly oppose them: critical thinking. The recent Texas Republican Party platform outlining the groups’ core beliefs stated that they “oppose the teaching of Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) (values clarification), [and] critical thinking skills…” That’s not to say that such a disparate and unorganized movement as the Tea Party could set a single agenda. Given the unprecedented levels of conservatism in the party platform, it’s clear that this new position was a result of heavy Tea Party influence. The scary part is that in a state as conservative as Texas, the Republican Party acts essentially as the state government and any positions that it takes are likely to be imposed on the state as a whole.

But how could critical thinking possibly be a threat to the Tea Party? First of all, universities are hotbeds of liberal activity and in general, more education often correlates with more liberals. Fields deeply rooted in critical thinking and self-reflection like the humanities have two or three times the concentration of liberals as mainstream America. However, regardless of political affiliation, groups with radical ideologies are thrown out sooner or later by electorates that realize the consequences of such radical policy, as is currently happening in the case of the Tea Party.

In addition to providing skills necessary for future employment, one of the stated aims of the American education system is to create responsible citizens. One of the important responsibilities of a citizen is to protect democracy, and critical thinking stands as one of its most important pillars, serving to buffer against both radical ideas and corrupt interest groups. In contrast to the Texas Republican platform on education, our superintendent, Dr. Brown has promoted the teaching of critical thinking by organizing a summer institute for ICSD teachers designed to help them teach critical thinking skills. It’s a far cry from the Texas Republican Party trying to purge it entirely and very welcome.

Opinion: From Sophomores to Freshmen 9 Tips for 9th Grade ELISE REYNOLDS

As sophomores, we survived our first year of high school, and most of us learned a lot- academically and otherwise. Personally, I had a great year, but there are a few things I wish I’d known right off the bat.

1. (Almost) everyone is a lot friendlier than you think they are Especially as freshmen, people will be looking to make new friends, so don’t be afraid to talk to new people in and outside of your classes; chances are they don’t bite.

2. Eat lunch in the Quad whenever you can As students, we spend copious amounts of time under fluorescent lights, so take every opportunity to get outside.

3. Get involved Go to any club meeting that interests you at the beginning of the year; it’s a chance to leave your comfort zone and meet new people.

At the worst, you’ll come away with a few free cookies.

4. Swimming isn’t all that bad It is true that the swimming unit can be unpleasant, but it probably won’t be as awful as you may expect.

“It wasn’t too bad,” said Caoily Andrews ‘15. “The teachers know you don’t like it; they try to make it as fun as possible.”

5. Use the library Regardless of whether or not you like books, the library is a great place to print out that last-minute research paper, get some work done after school, and even play board games with your friends on Fridays.

6. Don’t be afraid to ask for help Your classes may challenge you more than they did in middle school, and teachers will be glad to give you a hand if you ask nicely and show that you’re making an effort to do well. “Most of the teachers will be really understanding,” said Keara Byron ‘15.

7.Use your locker (or not) IHS is a big place, and freshmen typically get lockers in fairly inconvenient locations, so use your locker if it works for you and your schedule. Get a backpack that is large and durable enough to hold your school supplies for a long time, and make sure it’s comfortable - your back will thank you!

8. Try your best to manage your time well It takes practice and it may be something you work on all throughout high school, but try to find a balance between school work, extracurriculars, and time with friends that works for you. “Don’t make excuses for not turning in work on time,” said Connor McAllister ‘15. “Take responsibility for your work.”

9. IHS isn’t a scary place Despite its size, the high school’s crowded hallways will quickly feel like home, if they don’t already. “After a week or so, I felt pretty comfortable and wondered what was so scary in the first place,” said Katie White ‘15.

These next four years have the potential to be even better than you might expect, so continue to have fun and be yourself. Welcome to IHS.

September 5, 2012

By ARYEH ZAX

Ccheck. ould You Ask First?

I don’t see the improvement.

Early in the year, one iPad went missing in

“Twenty-first century teaching and learning” is the go-to fluff phrase of the millenium, but I prefer the magic of second century teaching and learning – simple paper.

I was in one “lucky” global studies classes last year that received iPads. I would have preferred not to be, but the choice was never offered. After several months of delays (for what, I can’t imagine) the iPads were there, and from then on I hardly saw a piece of paper. Worksheets were scanned onto the iPads, projects were put onto the iPads, everything went onto the iPads with no justification other than shouting “technology!” and throwing money around. The iPads weren’t being used to “enhance our learning” in the slightest – the lesson plans were changed to fit the new technology.

The iPads were pieces of paper, but with touchscreen keyboards and abhorrent spell

Not everyone felt the same way I did, and I’m sure there are people who benefited from and enjoyed having an iPad. But overall, student enthusiasm was underwhelming.

And so I’m mind-boggled by the recent decision to supply H-Courtyard and the language lab with, in total, nearly 100 copies of the iPad 2. Whatever is said about the iPads, the simple truth is that they’re expensive toys. These specific toys happen to cost $400 each at retail value, and $40,000 isn’t small change – that’s the starting salary for a teacher at IHS, enough to at least partially pay for the security guards who were recently demoted, more than enough to replace ratty old textbooks, more than enough to do so much else. Regardless of whose pocket the money came from (and what it was approved to buy), this was not the best use for it.

And there are logistical problems, too.

my class, and after that they were kept under lock and key. Are the iPads in H-Courtyard going to be drilled into the table? Will someone be watching to make sure none of the iPads leave? Or will security be lax and privileges only last until one idiot messes everything up?

I’m not asking for a whole lot. When you give iPads to a class for six months of the year – could you bother to survey them afterward? I know that they weren’t a big hit among the majority of my peers.

Before you buy 38 iPads for H-Courtyard, mind seeing if there are other, better things you could buy with that money? There’s always a shortage of library computers during lunch periods. Or how about replacing the ancient, clunky netbooks? If the school is a business, the students are the customers, so why is there no system designed to receive student feedback? Before you buy iPads at all – could you ask first?

Invited Opinion:

T o the Ithaca High School Class of 2016: Welcome to the beginning of what will be one of the most exciting achieved something entirely on his or her own. One of the greatest

times of your lives! As you travel through these next four years, there are a few things I want you all to do:

1. Keep Your Head Up in the Halls Life is going to throw a lot your way during high school, both good and bad. If you keep your head up, you might be able to dodge some of the bad and you’ll never risk missing any of the good. As a bonus, you will look more confident (you’d be surprised how important that is) and will have a much easier time navigating the halls!

2. Take Risks and Try New Things High school is a chance for you to experiment freely with different things — exploit this as much as possible! I urge you to take on new hobbies and adventures, whether it be sports or music or tech club: try it all. Each of you is an extremely creative and capable young person, but you will never know your true passion or potential if you don’t start exploring new realms.

Don’t worry about being bad at something or messing up; never say no to anything you’re interested in simply because you may end up regretting it. I promise you, when you look back five, ten, fifty years from now, the biggest regret you’ll have won’t be that you tried something new and failed, it will be that you never tried that thing in the first place.

3. Never be Afraid to Ask for Help and Never Hesitate to Offer it Admitting when you need help is an extremely brave thing to do.

There isn’t a single individual, no matter how extraordinary, who ever

aspects of our differences is that they enable us to complement each other: where one person may struggle, another excels, and vice-versa.

Therefore, be willing to not only accept help, but to extend it as well.

4. Stop Worrying and Enjoy the Ride It may seem strange that I’m telling you all to stop thinking as you progress through your education. However, with over-thinking often times comes worry, and worry is one of the most limiting feelings we have. So just do it: if you want to try out for the basketball team, try out; if you want to ask a teacher a question, ask; if you want to rock that new sweater or hairdo, rock it. Ignore all of the “what ifs” in your mind and follow your heart — it’s the biggest favor you can do for yourself.

Yes, you are going to endure hardships during these next four years, and a lot of it will be unpleasant. But I am telling you, what may seem like the end of the world today will be something you laugh at tomorrow. So stop thinking and enjoy the ride; have faith that everything happens for a reason and know that in the end, it really will all be okay. It’s as cliché as it gets, but it’s true.

Face life with your head held high, try as many new things as you can, embrace the concept of help, and really, stop worrying so much. But most of all, have fun. I wish each of you nothing but the very best at IHS! Sincerely, Svante Myrick, Mayor

September 5, 2012

Class of 2013

A note from Luke Mendola, President and Marcus Costello, VP This year is our final year here at Ithaca High School and we hope to make it our best one yet!

To welcome everyone back to school we plan to host a barbecue fundraiser to benefit our grade and further our plans for the rest of the year. We want to hold a forum for discussion about the Senior Trip and Senior Week, so that everyone’s voices are heard in the decision-making process of these important events.

One of our biggest ventures for the year is to host a concert in the Quad at night for local high-school bands and singers who wish to perform.

An important issue for our class this year is fundraising and you can expect bake sales, holiday candy-grams, and various other fundraisers for our largest events: prom, graduation, Senior Week, and the heavily-anticipated Senior Trip.

Besides these events we plan to host various other fun activities such as a handball tournament and perhaps an all-school carnival. We are still brainstorming and welcome any and all opinions from our peers.

To start off our last year, come to the back-toschool barbecue and purchase Class of 2013 lanyards, shirts, and other items. We can’t wait for our most exciting year yet!

Class of 2014

A note from Emily Scarpulla, class officer The Class of 2014’s student government has had a fantastic two years and plans to have a third com-

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cartoonists,

ing into junior year.

Last year they raised over $1,000 from a series of successful fundraising and class building events including two movie events, a basketball tournament, and a football game.

This year’s officers are a mixture of new and familiar faces. Kupono Liu is President for a consecutive year, Oseoba Airewele is Vice President and Rubin Danberg-Biggs is Secretary, both for their first year, and John Whitehead is Treasurer for the third time.

When asked what he will need from our class to make success a reality, Kupono said, “Be part of the change you want to see; a person can have a dream but it can only become a reality if he has the people to make it happen.”

This year they will be attempting to break the world record for most people in a star formation at our pep rally, which must include over 450 people.

Other events will include another basketball tournament, a Halloween movie night, a badminton tournament, selling class t-shirts designed by Ina Joo, and the infamous Junior Prom.

With the whole class still on board, we can reach our fundraising goals.

New regulations are being put on the student government requiring its members to attend board meetings once a month in order to become more involved with school activities.

“I think it’s good that the officers are attending the meetings,” said Erika Uchigasaki ’14. “It shows that there will be a connection between the faculty and the students which could make a big difference.”

This will help keep the government aware of current school issues and they will continue to help the school even more with the years to come.

photographers, and most of all,

writers.

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September 5, 2012 IHS REVOLUTIONIZED BY NEW TECHNOLOGIES

Language Lab But H-Courtyard is only one of the many areas of IHS that workers and staff have sought to improve this year — the language lab in K-building among them. Nestled in the corner at the end of a long corridor and across from the entrance doors of K, the language lab is seeing its fair share of technological gadgets, too. “So you know when you show up in college and say ‘This lab isn’t as nice as my high school’s?’ That’s what we’ve been waiting for,” said Abowd.

The lab now has a narrow drop-in area to the left of the entrance door with similar-looking stools as in H-Courtyard and an array of mounted iPads. These devices already have the appropriate software needed for classroom function — French, German, Spanish and other language textbooks have been downloaded. The entrance area, Powers said, is beneficial “in case we have to drop in and work on language, listening, reading, writing comprehension.”

In the heart of the lab, past the drop-in area, are lower stools all along the walls with additional mounted technology equipment and group collaboration space off to the side. Mobile labs are also stored in this area; carts full of iPads can be pushed out and taken to language classrooms for independent use. In the center of the lab is a single SmartBoard that can be used for listening comprehension, among other things. “It’s a SmartBoard with really good hearing,” said Abowd. “You know what it’s like to be in here with such small things. This is the real deal.”

Powers was also quick to point out that such big renovations only come with big reasons.

“Kids were talking about us being a twenty-first century school.

Well, what does a twenty-first century school look like? It looks like language, it looks like being able to communicate with different cultures and different people and different societies,” he said.

“So we have to start modernizing and adapting ourselves to meet that head on.”

Quad and E-Courtyard Although no iPads, SmartBoards or TVs are being added to the

continued from p.1

quad, the area has been reconcreted, repointed, and essentially redone.

One of the things Powers and Superintendent Brown noticed last year was that because of stairs, some kids who were handicapped weren’t able to access the quad. The two men talked cement, and in the end, ramps — most noticeably, the ones closest to the main office — have been added. The masonry was also redone in order to prevent puddles in rainy seasons and ice stains in the winter. “All the concrete was taken out, it’s now been graded, and we’re getting ready to kind of push off to the next thing,” Powers said.

Back in the former home of tots and teens in the courtyard outside of E-Hallway, Powers and others are working on collaborating with Art teachers Carol Spence, Jocelyn Lutter, and Jacqueline Richardson to transform the area into a sculpture garden where kids’ artwork can be displayed. The tots and teens playground has already been removed, and as of now, the area is barren. “We want to reframe this as a kind of kid garden rather than a tots and teens playground,” said Powers.

PHOTO/MANSI VOHRA

parents, teachers, and students.

But with new technology and resources comes a new responsibility for seniors, who, as tradition goes, will be the only students allowed in H-Courtyard.

“Seniors are going to have to lead. You are leaders — this is your space; it belongs to you,” he said. “This is a gift that the community is giving to you and it’s a phenomenal gift. And the community says that we’re behind you one hundred percent, we want the best for you, so you’re going to have the best.”

This means seniors won’t be allowed to eat or drink in the vicinity or mishandle the new technology. Should problems arise, Powers said a revocation of student access to the courtyard would occur like last year.

“We all know that it takes one jerk, so we’ve got to get everybody on board,” said Janet Abowd, former AP and current mastereducator* at IHS. “What we really don’t want is for [students] to be embarrassed by someone who goes in and does a rude thing.”

Before the lunch tables have been added, the new quad stands barren, but with re-cemented sidewalks

Activities and Wellness Center “Kids need nice places to go,” Powers said.

And Activities is supposed to become one; a fresh coat of paint already lies on the walls, and Powers remarked that the school has already ordered new furniture for the building. The floors and the rest of the area have been cleaned for students and staff to enjoy the area more fully with the coming school year.

“We’re on our way,” he said. “The sky’s the limit.”

The floors of the new Health and Wellness Center across from Activities have also been improved. New equipment — yoga balls and weights — has been installed and is ready for use.

Students can come in during mornings before school and after school from 4-8 PM and use the center. However, there isn’t a supervisor to oversee students during the summer and on the weekends, and as a result the fitness rooms are inaccessible.

Regardless, Powers remains optimistic about all the changes: “We’re rockin’ and rollin’ and feeling really good,” said Powers.

“You just gotta dream it.” *A master-educator is an administrative position akin to a Dean of Students. Janet Abowd will be a master-educator at IHS and she’ll be responsible for assisting the principal with teacher observations and evaluations.

September 5, 2012

ICSD’s Summer Institute Seen As Successful

By MANSI VOHRA

PHOTO/\PROVIDED

ing into every day subjects, digitally connecting to E-Portfolios and other technologies, and designing useful assessments for data On August 6, administrators, educators, and employees from analysis. However, this year was slightly different in that the inall around the country rolled in to IHS’s front parking lot — in- stitute welcomed other districts to participate in the conference cluding 200 teachers from the district — to commence the sec- as well. ond annual four-day professional development institute hosted “People were begging — we had a waiting list — as soon as we

by ICSD in Kulp Auditorium. announced that we would do this,” said Brown. “We had educa“[Teachers] participated in all kinds of break out sessions, stu- tors going to principals asking for a spot. Hopefully in time we’ll dent learning objectives, assessment, data, teacher evalwuations, continue to grow [to] where we have every educator who wishes and discussions with the principal around the student data,” said to come, or every educator [will] have the motivation to be a part Adam Piasecki, President of the Ithaca Teachers Association , at a of this opportunity in the summer.” recent BoE meeting. “A lot came out of that and they are already Brown was also quick to point out that he wouldn’t have conworking on implementing what they learned.” tinued the idea of a summer institute this year if it didn’t have For the first two days of the event, ICSD partnered with the meaningful results.

HOPE (Harnessing Optimism and Potential through Education) “I can say from survey data that individual schools and educaFoundation — a non-profit organization — as well as TST-BO- tors [last year] felt like their professional learning communities CES. Although a panel discuswere implemented well,” he said. sion regarding College and “We have PLC time embedded Career readiness was hosted on in all schools, departments and the 5th, the institute kicked off grade level schedules.” the HOPE Foundation’s “How

Successful results Schools Work” series on the from the institute are obvious at 6th and finished up with a sesIHS as well as in the district as sion the next day. The last two a whole. Powers explained how days of the institute, August 8 one of the types of data analyzed and 9, were more of a private, at the institute last year was NYS internal conversation between test scores, more specifically in ICSD employees regarding the the field of science. Last year at implementation of the district’s IHS, 72% of students were passTeaching and Learning Frameing the Chemistry Regents, 64% work. were passing Earth Science, and Jarett Powers, Principal of 68%, Physics.

IHS, described the program this

“That’s not acceptyear as extremely collaborative able; that’s not who we are,” said and beneficial. “You meet with Dr. Brown and NY State Commissioner John King answer questions from Powers. “That’s not H-Courtteachers, you meet with adminmembers in the audience. yard, that’s not the language istrators, you do some creative thinking, you kind of say, ‘Here’s lab, that’s not world-class. Look at the data and then formulate a what I’m thinking, what are you thinking?’, you look at the data solution to make it better.” and then really use it to kind of help bring a program together.”

The school added an extra period for labs every six days and According to Superintendent Brown and others, the most in one year there were significant gains; 94% of students passed exciting event of the series was with the HOPE Foundation on the Chemistry Regents, 72% passed Earth Science, and 83%, the 6th and 7th. The two days focused on Professional Learning Physics.

Community (PLC) work within the district, featuring keynote Powers said that such improvements only came from conferspeakers such as President and CEO of the HOPE foundation ences with staff and students as well as the summer institute that Alan Blankstein, Canadian independent consultant and staff de- occurred last year. “We looked at the data from last year, created veloper Ken O’Connor and former Director of Research and De- interventions, added an extra lab period, tried it, saw what hapvelopment for Chicago Public Schools Tom Gusky. pens.”

“Because the work we’re engaged in here at ICSD is complex, “We’re seeing shifts not only in standardized test scores, but important, and contemporary, it’s attracting international atten- we’re seeing shifts in things that we value, such as student engagetion,” said Dr. Brown. “So we expanded the institute this summer ment,” said Brown. “We’re seeing shifts in enrollment patterns to invite our colleagues from all over the country to be a part of — the number of young people enrolling in co-curricular opporthe same conversation.” tunities, our attendance rates are changing, so all of the things that Since its inception last year, the summer institute has had the we measure as far as achievement, how we define achievement, goals of refining common core standards, infusing critical think- we’re seeing some significant shifts in.”

September 5, 2012

Local Briefs

tion -- informed that their services would no longer be needed at the high school; instead, they would be redistributed to other district schools as teaching aides.

As a result of the unrest brought on by the well-known Epiphany Kearney incident a couple of years ago, the IHS security staff was upgraded from five to eight members; since then, the team has gone down to six due to budget cuts, and has now been completely eliminated. The issue was discussed at an August 14 Board of Education (BoE) meeting.

“Our [job isn’t] just sitting around riding the golf cart,” said Daniel Wells, one of the security guards and an IHS employee

Carlan Gray, former Science Dept. chair at IHS, Liddy Allee, former Caroline Elementary School teacher, and Lynn Vanderwert, teacher on special assignment for literacy, have all been accepted to study at Teachers College, Columbia University for 18 months through a graduate program called the Summer Principals Academy.

Superintendent Brown said that the idea for such a partnership between the district and Columbia came up when some teachers began to share a particular interest in becoming administrators. The application process for such a program featured requirements such as a minimum of three years of teaching experience, a valid state teaching license, two professional recommendations, copies of undergraduate/ graduate transcripts, and a personal statement.

“They had to apply like they were going to college; they had to get in with their own merits,” said Jarett Powers, Principal.

The program consists of two summers on Columbia’s campus (roughly five weeks each) and 450 hours worth of an administrative internship during the school year with a personal mentor. In the end, students will receive certification to become principals as well as a Masters in Administration.

The district is using Professional Development grants in order to fund costs for each employee; approximately $38,000 each, not including housing with the teachers repaying the costs to the district through service.

“One of the things I found when I was doing my administrative course work was that it made me a better teacher because it got me to think about issues differently, from a different lens, from a different criteria,” said Powers.

IHS Eliminates Long-Time Security Staff On June 21, IHS’s six-person security staff was abruptly -- and without explana-

PHOTO/ED DITTENHOEFER

Three ICSD Employees Sent to Study at Columbia

IHS Security Guard Danny Wells

of 39 years. “Our [job] is to patrol the halls, encourage kids to go to classes, stop them from going up on the bridge smoking, make sure no one’s harassing or bullying.”

Both Wells and other security guard Joaquin Lira, an IHS employee for 20 years, tried to appeal to the BoE, however, they have yet to receive an explanation as to why they’re being downsized.

Lira was quick to point out that problems at IHS are only worse than they have been in the past. “We are dealing with more and more bath salts problems, marijuana laced with dangerous drugs. There’s still serious bullying in classrooms, cafeteria lines and hallways,” Lira said.

Seth Peacock, Vice President to the BoE, respected the 60 years worth of hard work the two men shared as security staff, however, he noted that it’s also important

to revise and improve positions for the benefit of the students.

“We have some ideas on how we might transition to a more effective way to secure our high school and engage with kids,” Peacock said at a BoE meeting.

Although an appeal has been made to the Board and individuals from the security team have a chance to reapply, as of now, the infamous Boone-Mobile won’t be seen patrolling the halls of IHS anymore.

Gardeners Fight To Preserve Ithaca Community Gardens Located at the West end of Ithaca across from the Farmer’s Market, the Ithaca Community Gardens, a two-acre parcel of land that has been actively used by locals for nearly 30 years, might be no longer.

Developing companies such as Building Links and Aeon Development of Ithaca are looking to sell the public land for private development. The lease between the current owners Project Growing Hope -- a non-profit organization -- and the city of Ithaca expires in December 2013, however, negotiations by Mayor Myrick and a final decision by the City Administration Committee are to be made on September 10.

The decision was originally supposed to be made on August 22 by the administration, but the committee tabled the decision due to the numerous supporters that arrived at City Hall en masse. Rallyers ranged from devout to beginning gardeners -- all of whom value the gardens as an essential resource in obtaining local food security, coming together as a community, and improving gardening methods.

Should Common Council pass Aeon’s resolution to develop on the property, Myrick and other city staff have plans to scatter gardens all over Ithaca. A working group consisting of Alderspersons Graham Kerslick and Chris Proulx will research more about both the Gardens and resolution and report back to the full Council at their meeting in September.

For more information about the ICG, visit: http://ithacacommunitygardens.org/ -MANSI VOHRA

Restaurant Review: Sumo and bamboo. It turns out that the owner had only recently moved to the United States from Japan, so that would ex I’d heard of a new Japanese restaurant opening near plain the authenticity of the decorations. the mall, and after following a steady trail of Grand Opening There was an hour and a half until noon but I was signs I found myself in the run-down Cayuga Mall across starving, so I went a bit heavy for lunch. I decided on the the street from the more familiar Ithaca Mall. I had always Salmon Teriyaki Bento Box, which came promptly because known that this mall was here, but it was so faded that I had I was the first customer there. They were very accommoto look up dating, allowing its name for me to replace this review. the California Tucked next Roll (something to T.J. Maxx I’ve never gotwas the new ten around to restaurant, a enjoying) with small JapaGyoza, a kind of nese place fried dumpling. called Sumo, The meal started at 2309 North with miso soup, Triphammer essentially the Rd. same as every Exother Japanese cept that it restaurant I’ve wasn’t small been to, so it at all. Even was hard to though its judge the meal’s storefront quality from was small, it that. The salmjust kept exon was expertly tending back. cooked, with a I was greeted lightly browned by a tradiand crispy top tional water and a tender feature and center, while the rock garden vegetables that in the enformed its bed trance room, were soft but not before headmushy. Finally, ing into the Ithaca’s newest Japanese restaurant in the Cayuga Mall the side of pinedining room. apple was a nice The friendly owner greeted me and gave me a tour of the finish to the meal. Everything was contained in one order place, since it was my first time. Though I suspected that with perfect portions. the building was long and narrow because they had to fit it The food was delicious and the price was quite in the vacant space in the mall, it actually worked out very reasonable: only twelve dollars after tip. Since that first well for them. There was a modern dining area, as well as time, I’ve gone twice more, ordering the Tempura Bento a Sushi bar and several hibachi tables, like any Japanese and later the Filet Mignon. They were both just as good restaurant. But what impressed me the most was a secluded as the salmon. If you enjoy Japanese food, then I’d cerarea off to the side that was entirely wooden and decorated tainly recommend this restaurant the next time you have like a Japanese home, with woodblock prints, carvings, the craving.

By JENSEN LO

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September 5, 2012

Living with Less

mistic views; that can be a self-fulfilling prophecy.

All across the world, people Another question is whether the are still feeling the pain from the series livelihoods of ordinary people would be of financial crises that began in 2008. In substantially improved by an economic Greece, the epicenter of the European fi- recovery. We currently live in the Infornancial crisis, protesters continue to flood mation Age; many emerging companies the streets over government cuts to ben- do their work in tech that simply don’t efits and popular programs. Germany, the hire as many people. As an extreme combedrock of the European Union, braces parison, Apple has only 60,000 employin preparation for funding another round ees compared to Walmart’s 2.2 million, of massive bailouts to its indebted neigh- even though it is worth twice as much. bors. Even in China, the driver of global In addition, recent record profits by US economic growth for the past thirty years, corporations have mostly been created by consumers face the threat of a slowing rampant cost cutting and increasing effieconomy and ciency, rather than high inflation. any significant inOf course, the novation. It looks economic crilike, the informasis originated tion revolution will in the US and hurt the average given its daily person more than it presence on the will help. news it’s clear

If that the US has “progress” is gobeen affected ing to be a steady just as much. march toward great Uner inequality and like Greece or poverty, then is our the other PIIGS tendency towards countries (Porpessimism justitugal, Ireland, fied? Economically, Italy, Greece, it is pretty clear that Spain), much the average perof America’s son will have less pain is self-inmoney than they flicted. US debt Compared to the truly disadvantaged, the economic could have earned levels are still problems and pessimism of most Americans seem if they were a part at relatively overblown of the earlier genhealthy levels eration. Perhaps it and corporations are earning boatloads of won’t be possible to afford quite as many profits, even as they continue to cut work- trips to a restaurant or as many bathrooms ers and close down factories. One impor- in a house. Yet it could also provide us a tant issue is the gridlock in the political chance to focus on things that are more system. Partisan bickering in Washington important, like happiness. A possible role has resulted in an environment where no model is the small Asian country of Bhuone is quite sure what will happen next. tan. It recently replaced all of its economic As a result of this uncertainty, even after indicators like Gross Domestic Product two major economic stimulus packages, with Gross National Happiness, a pseudobusinesses continue to sit on their mound scientific measure of happiness. Instead of of cash instead of investing it. Related assessing a policy based on its economic to this issue is American pessimism. Al- impact on the country, the Bhutanese govthough hope and the American dream are ernment judges it on its effects on people’s often mentioned, Americans actually have happiness. It’s a philosophy that we can a very strong propensity towards pessi- all live by. Don’t worry, be happy.

By JENSEN LO

New Class Offerings at IHS

By MEDEEA POPESCU

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The 2012-2013 Program of Studies revealed a wealth of exciting new electives at the high school. In the Fine Arts department, “teachers wanted to focus the Studio [1 and 2] skills in areas of interest indicated by students, like crafts and fashion design,” says department head Carol Spence, “so we are starting with this new crop [of classes].” None of the classes have prerequisites, and the art department is planning to utilize community resources and partner with local professionals to enrich the electives. “We are excited about exploring art practice in more relevant and collaborative ways,” says Spence. The classes include Studio in Fashion Illustration and Design 1, an introductory course focusing on fashion illustration techniques and style development; Studio in Crafts, designed to provide students with the opportunity to explore a variety of art-making materials and craft-forms such as jewelry design and fabric batiking / tie dyeing; Studio in Digital Photography & Design 1 and 2, for learning the basics of digital camera shooting; and Studio In Sculpture, which teaches the skills necessary for working three-dimensionally in sculptural problem-solving and aesthetics.

In the Social Studies department, an initiative to offer more electives resulted in the development of a new multimedia-based course, Multicultural Studies through Film (MSF), taught by Kristina DeCicco. “I’m really excited about the content of the course and that a lot of students have signed up to take MSF,” she says, and notes, “If all goes well this coming fall, I am hoping to propose to teach the course at TC3 the following year, and then perhaps apply for it to be dual credit course.” The exact lineup of films is still undetermined, but the goal is for students to gain exposure to “diverse voices that have been historically excluded” in film and literature.

The biggest change for upperclassmen is in the English department, where the tracontinued on p. 11

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September 5, 2012

Our New Bullying Policy amended anti-bullying legislation, and this year some of the new policies are being implemented. The laws had plenty of teeth to Within the context of the school environment, bullying has them legally, but there are few changes that directly affect the been around since at least the 1800s and it’s safe to say that it student level. However, one change that might have a lot of bite has existed long before that time. For many people, bullying was is the new policy mandating teachers to act as reporters for bullysimply a routine obstacle in education that had to be overcome, ing in their classrooms, much like a previous policy on physical like learning to stay organized. To the anti-bullying movement, abuse. Prior to this, administrators relied on reports by the victim that perception was part of the problem. Aside from the obvi- or other students to uncover incidents of bullying, but the very ous negative effects of bullying on the victims’ emotional and nature of bullying discouraged victims from going to school ofphysical well-being, bullying creates ficials. The question is whether the a negative environment that reinforcmeasure will be effective. Most bules some very poor lessons. It teaches lying occurs away from the watchthe bullies that they can solve probful eye of the teachers, whether in lems through a liberal application a different part of the school or on of force and, perhaps more pressing the internet. So it seems that the law for the majority of schoolchildren, is mostly a symbolic gesture, as alit suggests that it is ultimately easier most every teacher would already and safer to say nothing. While in the try to prevent bullying in the classpast, bullying may have been “just” room. a schoolyard problem, the modern

Yet there is always world has gifted students with tools the possibility that effective mealike the internet that allow bullies to sures can be taken to end bullying. harass their targets at home too, a One idea is increasing enforcement phenomenon known as cyber-bullyby creating stricter punishments ing. and installing high-tech gadgetry These were the concerns that to catch bullies in the act. Despite the anti-bullying movement in the Stop bullying now! any number of enforcement options, United Kingdom and the United there is always a limit for how much States have brought to the attention of legislators in the previous the authorities can punish and can monitor. The answer is not decade. Initially catalyzed by several well-publicized suicides, more enforcement but more education. The problem will never the fact that there have been a string of mass shootings and sui- be solved until the bystanders of bullying can be convinced to cides made it clear that the movement’s mission was well war- report. Surveillance might not be present at every incident of bulranted. Lawmakers, seeing a popular and bipartisan opportunity, lying, but nearly always, there are bystanders. With the victims pounced on the chance. With blistering speed, a flurry of new nearly powerless to respond in an incident of severe bullying, anti-bullying legislation was passed, complete with lofty goals these bystanders are the only hope. Once we convince enough and grandiose language. bystanders that speaking up is worth it, then and only then can we

New York was one of the states that adopted or start having a meaningful conversation about ending bullying.

By JENSEN LO

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NEW CLASS OFFERINGS

ditional Regents/Honors/AP English 12 has been replaced with an “elective year.”

The first option for students is to take a full-year class, such as AP Literature, AP Language and Composition, or English 12 WISE, which incorporates a semester of independent project work. Alternatively, seniors can choose from a variety of new reading- or writing-intensive courses that are each half a year, and receive either an Honors or Regents credit. For example, new electives include Grammar, Usage and Style, and Readers’ Workshop.

According to Rebecca Gergely, the English Department head, the format

continued from p.10

changes were made for a few reasons.

Primarily, offering more classes “gives students greater choice, and hopefully, therefore also a greater degree of buyin or ownership,” she says. “In offering students the opportunity to take two semester-length classes, we hope to acknowledge that the major requirements of high school English have been met by passing the Comprehensive English Regents Exam in grade 11, and that while there’s certainly lots more to learn, students should and will have the opportunity to choose their coursework.” The requirement of taking one reading-inten-

sive and one writing-intensive course was designed “to ensure balance and excellent preparation for [students’] posthigh school lives and to ensure that each course is aligned with the Common Core State Standards.” In addition, semesterlength classes create greater flexibility in scheduling, especially for students who need to make up credits or enter school in the middle of the year. Finally, the English Department “want[s] to encourage students to choose to learn about areas of English that they may only get small tastes of in their other required courses,” Gergely notes.

Urinetown Review jumps as well as stomping helped create this dystopian mood.

The set also assisted in creating this sombre world with tall From August 17 to 19, the Running to Places Theatre platforms and dirty rags all around the stage. The characters Company (R2P) put on a production of the musical “Urinetown.” themselves helped bring the show to life as well with terrific actThe story is set sometime in the future when water shortage has ing ability- this was one of the few productions I’ve seen from become a big problem. In order to make up for this, people are a high school group where nobody broke character even once. required to pay to use restThe makeup was dirty and rooms, which are now public scary, helping to make a and owned by the megacorcreepy atmosphere. poration, UrineGoodBusiSome specific talent ness. to be pointed out would One man, Bobby Strong, include the leading man, thinks this is a terrible situaAustin Brecht. Not only tion and tries to take down the could Austin sing and company, supported by his dance beautifully, he could girlfriend Hope Cladwell. He act like a pro. The two Ofwins, but in the end, the audificers, played by Jeremy ence finds out that the rationPletter and Cole Tucker, ing actually helped fight the were also both outstanding problem. Without the rationand hilarious. As the naring system, all the water dries rator of the story, Jeremy up and everyone reaches their made the audience laugh demise. and think at the same time.

Basically, the play is a Cole was an incredible thought-provoking melodradancer and was not afraid matic tragicomedy. As opto be flamboyant and fabposed to many other R2P proThe cast of Urinetown sets the dystopic mood during a musical number ulous! Overall, it could ductions, this show included be seen that the cast had many alumni performers as well the director himself in the show. worked very hard on this production. Everybody was in sync the While all of them were absolutely terrific, it still seemed a bit odd whole time--all sounding and looking fantastic. Urinetown was to not see only high school students on the stage. The choreog- wonderful performance and one of the better R2P productions, as raphy was exciting and set the mood of the play perfectly. Many well as a great ending to their 2011-2012 season.

PHOTO/GEORGE CANNON

By ANNE BRENNA

HELP WANTED The Tattler needs

cartoonists,

photographers, and most of all,

writers.

email editor@ihstattler.com for more information

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September 5, 2012

Student Feature

By SIENA SCHICKEL

PHOTO/ELLA KAISER

Siena Schickel ’13: What musical instruments do you play?

Edan Bar ’13: Drums, a little bit of piano and a rock-solid kazoo.

Edan Bar rockin’ out on the drums

SS: How long have you been involved in music?

EB: Nine years.

SS: Can you give me a little bit of a background on the band Origin Brass?

How did you get involved with that?

EB: Origin Brass was formed by our former [band] president, Calvin Zehnder ’12. He learned to play the sousaphone and was both the base and the bass of our band. He contacted both me and Jose [Sinon] ’12 for a drumline-style

group but Jose did not end up joining in so I took over on drum set. We hosted in my basement for a few months until Cal found us some gigs. Our music was very brassy. We did covers of tunes by the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and other great musical groups. We played many gigs during my junior year and I’m sorry to say that it looks as though this year we will not be performing together as most of our members have moved on to colleges and universities. If we do end up playing again together, we will make sure to let everyone know to show up. We still have a Facebook page, and a soundcloud linked from there if you want to check out some of our covers and originals.

SS: Now that half of the band has graduated, are you planning on creating something new?

EB: I hope to start a new band this year. The first portion of senior year is stressful but I’d like to get something going before the end of my year. I would love to be a part of a group that had strings involved such as a cello or violin. I see a lot of potential in that area and its one I have never explored.

SS: What do you think your greatest musical achievement is?

EB: I can’t say I really have one achievement of which I am most proud.

Origin Brass was my most serious band

and they are a great chapter of my musical career. I get asked to play in many groups in the area and I feel it is an achievement just to be at that level. I could not have expected such wonderful attention however if it were not for Mrs. Zawel [IHS band teacher], Mr. Calhoun [former Dewitt band teacher] and Calvin Zehnder.

SS: Who is your role model in the musical world?

EB: Gabe Millman [IHS Class of ‘11] would have to be my role model.

He is a remarkable percussionist. I can’t even hope to reach his success or excellence but I definitely find myself motivated whenever I fill a position he used to play.

SS: Are you planning on continuing your musical education in college and/ or beyond?

EB: I will never let music drop from my life but it will most likely be recreational during and after college.

SS: If you could learn a new instrument this year, what would you play?

EB: I would learn the violin if I could. But I’ll let the orchestra deal with the stringed instruments. I’ll stick to my kazoo. Oh yeah and the drums. If I were born five hundred years ago I wouldn’t mind learning the lute. Just be a bard and walk around.

Superheros Invade Hollywood

By EMILY LONG

If you’ve been to the movies at all in the past few months, you probably know about the frenzy of superhero flicks that have been hitting theaters. Batman, Spiderman, and The Avengers have all hit the big screen this year, and all three movies are high on the list of the 100 top grossing movies of all time (The Avengers was ranked number three behind Titanic and Avatar).

So what’s caused this upsurge in the popularity of superhero movies, and why does Hollywood seem to need to continuously reboot them?

It’s true that the films are doing well and are extremely popular with viewers, making it worthwhile for producers to invest in them. After all, they are the perfect escapist movie- superhumans overcome the odds of whatever happens to be destroying New

York City that particular week and good always triumphs over evil. That isn’t to say all superhero movies are the same, but they each hold the same fascination for the viewer of a world where one hero who represents the ideal of humanity can overtake a villain who represents everything wrong with humanity, and usually looks fantastic doing it.

Over the years we’ve had some really great comic book movies (Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy stands out), but is there more to come? The genre is growing rapidly, and dozens of comic book movies have already been pitched for the next few years.

Some look promising, such as the Avengers franchise. Disney has announced release dates for four new movies (Iron Man 3 in May 2013, Thor: The Dark World in November 2013, Captain America: The Winter Soldier in April 2014, and The Avengers 2 in 2015). Reportedly, Tom Hiddleston (Loki from Thor) continued on p. 14

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SUPERHEROES INVADE HOLLYWOOD continued from p. 13

is signed on for a minimum of five more films. Though The Avengers looks like it will turn into a promising franchise, especially if Joss Whedon stays involved, some upcoming comic book based movies seem to be more about cashing in on the frenzy.

For example, there are already reports of a new Batman reboot tentatively entitled The Batman, which probably wouldn’t come close to rivaling Nolan’s.

Reboots are coming closer and closer together, as The Amazing Spiderman came out only 5 years after the last trilogy ended, and a sequel has already been announced. Additionally, Superman Returns came out 6 years ago, and Man of Steel is

slated to come out in June 2013. And the reboots keep coming! A Fantastic Four reboot is on the way only five years after the last one, which seems dubious. On top of all this, the X-men franchise is planning to add another Origins movie, another Wolverine movie, and a sequel to the prequel X-men: First Class (which would reportedly focus more on Magneto).

Feeling overwhelmed yet? Well, prepare to be assaulted in coming years with advertising for all of this, plus another GI Joe movie, Marvel’s Antman, Justice League, Guardians of the Galaxy, and plenty of others. Disappointingly, among all of these projects, there have yet to be

plans for a Hulkeye/Black Widow movie.

It’s easy to see why Hollywood is churning out superhero movies, as writers don’t really have to do the work of coming up with original characters and they already have mass appeal. Many of them are guaranteed to bring in plenty of money.

However, if superhero movies don’t start breaking out of the typical mold and trying something new, it’s going to get really boring really quickly. In a world of sequels, adaptations and reboots, moviegoers are finding themselves at a loss for good original screenplays and thought-provoking plots that haven’t already been beaten to death.

Snow White vs. Snow White

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By SIENA SCHICKEL In contrast, Mirror Mirror grossed $162,700,692 worldEarly this past summer, Hollywood decided to release wide, on a budget of $85 million. Overall, the general plot two different movies based on the fairy tale Snow White- of the film was similar to the first Snow White movie, but Snow White and the Huntsman, directed by Rupert Sand- with a much happier and humorous tone. The humor was in ers, and Mirror Mirror, directed by Tarsem Singh. Debate fact a little cheesy, which was clearly purposeful, making it arose because of their even more distant from similarities in origins, Snow White and the but almost everything Huntsman. The two-diabout each film besides mensional characters in that was unique in good Mirror Mirror were porand bad ways. trayed plainly, as good, Snow White and the bad, pretty, or ugly, Huntsman came first to which differed much theaters. According to differently to the other the Internet Movie Datamovie, which made each base (IMDb), the movie character seem more grossed $309,394,227 realistic with backstoworldwide, on a budries that made even the get of $170 million. The queen a little less evil. overall mood of the stoThe effects in this movie ryline was much darker relied on tricks that are than Mirror Mirror, with more common on stageintense action scenes flips, dramatic acting, that shook the theater and elaborate costumes with waves of sound. In Two views of the classic fairy tale: Disney and Hollywood were used throughout fact, everything was inthe movie. Tarsem Singh tense, down to the way the actors talked. The special effects is known for dressing characters in interesting costumes, as in the movie relied mainly on computerized magic and a well as digitally blending practical and CG effects, which colorful display of the fantasy world. It was what would were both seen in Mirror Mirror. The costumes seemed have been expected of a Hollywood remodeling of the clas- to be the only colorful part of the movie, however, which sic tale. The storyline mainly focused on the adventures of made it perhaps less visually striking as Snow White and the Snow White and the Huntsman (hence the title) and the Huntsman. increasing anger of the queen as she becomes more jealous Snow White and the Huntsman received a rating of 6.5 on of Snow White’s beauty and more corrupt with rage.

IMDb, while Mirror Mirror had a 5.6.

NFL Season Preview

By PETER FREY

This year’s NFL offseason has been full of changes and uncertainty. From record numbers of arrests, particularly on the Lions, to Tebow’s well-publicized move to the Jets, anything could happen. Returning dynasties such as the Patriots and Packers will make runs for the Lombardi trophy even as the Saints try to rebuild from a franchise-crippling scandal. The Giants will try to keep their title, despite the common perception of their championship run as a fluke. Nobody knows for sure who will come out on top, but here’s a general idea of how each division will shake out.

shape, chalk this one up to an early playoff loss by Mcfadden’s Raiders. All in all there shouldn’t be a lot of headlines coming from this division.

South: Despite the hype, Andrew Luck will at the very least need a few seasons to get into step as a pro quarterback. The Colts will make a comeback, but it will take time . Now probably wasn’t the best time to switch up their defensive scheme. Despite Maurice Jones Drew being one of very few fully-functioning backs this year, Houston’s Shaub, Foster, and Johnson combo is probably one of the best offenses in the AFC.

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NFC: AFC: East: Even after winning East: Another season, the big game last year, it’s another seventeen weeks pretty clear that the Giants just of pain, tears, and decisive had a right-place-at-the-rightblowout games for the staff time postseason run. Even and fans of the Dolphins, Jets, though with a quarterback like and Bills. With Brady’s new Eli Manning, who has proven weapon Lloyd replacing the himself to be near the top of failed Chad Johnson (formerthe league, the ceiling remains ly Ochocinco), expect records high for the champs. to be broken. Belichick, with If anybody, this division has his patented double tight end to go to the Eagles. If things front, has constructed an ofgo right for Andy Reid, Vick fensive machine comparable and his team will shut up about to Warren Moon’s legendary how they’re the dream team run and shoot championship and start scoring. The Cowassault. When it comes to it, Nobody knows for sure who will come out on top this NFL season boys are still blind to the fact the Jets’ addition of the 33rd that they need a quarterback best quarterback in the league in Tim Tebow, while being enough who doesn’t consistently roll over on them, and without a good to sell a lot of jerseys, will not be enough to propel them any- passing arm the talents of Bryant and Austin are worthless. where near the playoffs.

North: It’s pretty clear that the Green Bay Packers are the team North: The Browns and Bengals are bottom feeders; how- to beat in this division. After a David and Goliath-like loss in the ever, this division is home to two of the AFC’s best teams. Cases postseason to the NY Giants, Aaron Rodgers is out for revenge. can be made for the Steelers, with Roethlisberger and Wallace, or Don’t be shocked if this team has a 2- or 3-loss season. Alternathe Ravens, with Flacco and Boldin. The defining points of both tively, the Lions have a very realistic chance at the wildcard slot, teams are Troy Polamalu and Ed Reed. These two safeties have and it’s very likely that Brandon Pettigrew will reveal himself as undoubtedly changed the way the game is played, operating in one of the league’s premier tight ends. Things look hopeful in the the backfield almost as a quarterback would on an offense, mak- future for Minnesota with Toby Gerhart’s serious potential, but ing option calls on every play to stop even the most well-oiled don’t expect great things this season. offensive machines. Both of these teams are headed for the playSouth: This season will prove once and for all if Cam Newton offs. What it comes down to is who will be the wild card. is good enough to take his place on the pedestal next to Vick as West: A veritable all-star graveyard, this division comes down one of very few effective running quarterbacks of all time. Drew to whether Peyton Manning, Philip Rivers, or Jamaal Charles can Brees has a struggle ahead trying to help his team recuperate get the most bones working. If none of them turn out to be in from the offseason scandal. If this team didn’t have a Top 3 quarcontinued on p. 16

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September 5, 2012

The Hipster Olympics: Where Irony Wins the Day

By KUPONO LIU

Ready, set, zen! Intensity, excitement, blood, sweat, tears, and determination are all the wrong nouns for the Hipster Olympics. The Hipster Olympics is a non-athletic, relaxing, yet competitive (yes, competitive!) outlet for the common everyday twenty-first century zen hipster. The Hipster Olympics (besides the regular summer Olympics) is the biggest event of the summer and has caught the world by storm! The Hipster Olympics has already hit the liberal hotspots of Seattle, New York, London, and Berlin (the Hipster Olympics’ birthplace). The Hipster Olympics is a compilation of hipster sports where irony (ironically) wins the day and legends are born.

The standard sprinting, swimming, and weightlifting from the regular Olympics are way overdone and it’s about time for some regular, wild, and non-athletic people to take center stage. July 21 marked the second annual Hipster Olympics in Berlin, Germany, where teams of hipsters competed (yet maintained their zen) for the Golden Club-Mate trophy. These hipsters competed in “sports”, which included: skinny jeans tug-of-wars, vinyl record spinning contests, confetti toss, bubble tea event, make-your-ownironic-mustache contests, horn rimmed glasses tossing competition, crate races, and tote sack races.

There were many crazy, quirky sports that were highlighted at this year’s Hipster Olympics. The skinny jeans tug-of-wars was one of the most notable events, because it actually required strength. This event is what it sounds like – two teams of yet-proven hipsters pulling on the opposite legs of skinny jeans until one out-muscles the other. The vinyl record spinning contests had hipsters running for their lives around a tall stack of crates while still keeping their fingers on the spinning vinyl records on top. The confetti toss had a team of hipsters who jumped over sticks propped up on crates and passed confetti on to their willing teammates. The team with the most confetti flakes won! The next event involved the preferred drink of every hipster: bubble tea! Competing hipsters sucked as much hard candy out of their bubble tea with only their straws before time was called. Possibly the most entertaining event was the make-your-own-ironic-mustache contest where hipsters used their stylish fashion knowledge and resourcefulness to construct fitting facial hair out of what was available, such as colored paper, ribbons, and scotch tape. In the horn rimmed glasses tossing competition (AKA the gun show!), hipsters flashed their guns and saw who could toss their horn rimmed glasses the farthest. In the crate race, hipsters raced one another by only running on crates. To end it all off with a bang, the hipsters raced each other to the finish line by jumping in canvas tote-bags.

Just in case you were wondering, the team Jam FM won the second annual Hipster Olympics. Some might think the Hipster Olympics is a mockery of the real Olympics (which it is), but this is what the world needs. This showcase of zen sports gets hipsters out of their busy urban lives and allows them to compete in zen activities where they can actually get excited for something! This shows that one doesn’t have to have all the physical attributes of an Olympic athlete to achieve world greatness. These quirky activities’ status as sports is debatable but they are fun for everyone! This year, 6,000 Berliners attended the Hipster Olympics, and next year millions will be watching. The Hipster Olympics already has already hit all the major liberal hotspots...is Ithaca NEXT?

NFL SEASON PREVIEW continued from p. 15

terback then it’d be safe to write it off, but with Brees behind the wheel we’ll have to see what happens.

The Falcons haven’t made big changes, and Turner’s not getting any younger, so don’t expect much.

West: It’s a strange that both Western divisions have very little to offer. The 49ers, of course, have to be the definite exception. Their runningback Frank Gore is ancient, but if Alex Smith can help Randy Moss replicate his glory days in New England then they definitely have a chance for a deep playoff run.

Backed up by Crabtree and Davis, San Francisco is the strongest they’ve been in years, and that’s not even considering their defense.

Looking Forward to the Fall

By SUNG HYUN WON

With a new season underway it’s time to look forward to this fall, but it can be tough to keep each sport straight. So to help get your head wrapped around the great number of teams that Ithaca High puts forward, I’ve put together a quick look at each team and what they will be looking to do in the coming year.

Football - The football team is looking forward to having a good season under new coach Bill Bryant. To achieve this a lot of hard work and dedication is needed and this is just what the team is doing to step up their game.

Volleyball - The volleyball team looks to have a good season this year. Expect them to do well.

Girls Swimming - The girls swim team has been doing very well for a long time. Although recently the team has lost a bunch of talented swimmers, there are even better swimmers coming in to take their place and keep their good record alive.

Soccer - After coming off a good season, our soccer teams will represent our high school and do even better than last year.

Girls Tennis - This year’s team seems very strong and is on its way to do even better than last year.

Cross Country - This year the cross country team is looking to do well. They are putting in a lot of hard work and are hoping to do as well or better than last season.

Golf - The golf team looks forward to having a season like the year before. This year a very talented group joined the roster and we expect great things out of them despite losing very strong seniors last year.

17

September 5, 2012

Bill Bryant is Setting New Standards for His Players

By LIAM CULLEN

Bill Bryant is a man who is going to help turn around the Ithaca High School football team. He has taken the reigns from the former coach, Ed Redmond, who recently accepted a position in Virginia as a head coach. Bryant has a passion for coaching, appreciates what it means to guide athletes, and knows the honor of the position he has decided to take up. Bill has set a good team to work with him this year, including Mike Johnston, a retired coach from Horseheads, and his son, Todd Bryant. Coach Bryant and Superintendent Luvelle Brown are very much on the same page in how they want to have the football team work.

The coaches want to connect with students on a personal level and teach them the fundamentals of being a team, which will include learning how to be leaders and act as a team, as well as how to act in and outside of school. Bryant will be working on conditioning the athletes as well as working on offense. He wants to take the kids to the next level and he’s going to do that by whipping them into shape, quickly. Bryant wants to prepare the team for their first match against Vestal on August 31, because he knows that they are going to want revenge for the last game IHS snagged from them last year.

Bryant knows he’s working with many talented players.

He doesn’t want to put kids on the field; he wants to put athletes who want to play out there. Coach Bryant wants to seize the golden opportunity he’s been given and prepare the players both mentally and physically for their upcoming season. Bryant is prepared to fix any weak spots in the team’s offense and defense and is very passionate about how he wants to do it, and with his experience he shouldn’t have much trouble. He wants to bring a new team onto the field, hopefully, to set new standards.

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IHS Alumni at the Olympics

By RUBIN DANBERG-BIGGS

This summer’s Olympics were captivating and spectacular, but with these larger-than-life athletes competing thousands of miles away in London it’s easy to feel somewhat disconnected from the distant excitement.

Well, it might interest you to know that four IHS alumni went to the Games and returned with two medals, one silver and one gold. These Ithacans are swimmer Alex Meyer and rowers Jake Cornelius, Andrew Byrnes, and Caryn Davies. Meyer was a four-time All-American swimmer while at IHS and won gold at the 2010 World Championships but unfortunately wasn’t able to medal this year. Cornelius, Byrnes and Davies all got their starts rowing at the Cascadilla Boat Club and were students at IHS. Caryn Davies won gold in London this year rowing in the women’s eight to go along with the gold she won in Beijing in 2008 and the silver she earned in Athens in 2004. Although Andrew Byrnes grew up in Ithaca, he was born in Canada and thus the silver medal that he won this year was rowing with the Canadian men’s eight. This was his second medal, the other being gold that he won in Beijing. Ithaca native Jake Cornelius rounded out the four Little Red Olympians as he rowed in the US men’s eight that came in fourth in London, just shy of medalling.

It is safe to say that IHS alumni have had a great year when it comes to sports. The Little Red has brought in two medals as well as the Stanley Cup won by the LA Kings and their captain, Ithacan Dustin Brown. There isn’t much more a school could ask for from its past athletes, and it is clear that congratulations are in order for these four athletes, Olympians, and Ithacans.

Quiz: How Should You Stay Fit During the School Year?

By: ANNELISE RAYMOND and NAOMI RAYMOND

1) Where can you be found on a Saturday night? a. With your buddies watching a Cornell hockey game b. Having a slumber party at a friend’s house c. Having a video game party d. Watching a Kitchen Theatre show e. Watching “Keeping up with the Kardashians” on TV

2) Which song gets you most psyched? a. “Hey Baby,” the pep band song b. “Want U Back” by Cher Lloyd c. “One They Fear” from the Sky rim soundtrack d. “Dancing Through Life” from Wicked e. “The Lazy Song” by Bruno Mars

3) If you could have one super power, what would it be? a. To run really fast (like the boy in The Incredibles) b. To snap your fingers to change your features and clothing c. To teleport through any TV screen d. To give everybody in the world three wishes e. To be able to stretch time so you have more than 24 hours in a day and thus more time to sleep.

4) Which would be your busi- ness? a. Under the Sea Scuba Supplies b. A La Mode Clothing Directly

from Europe c. The Computer Space d. The Painted Furniture Store e. Sleep Right, Sleep Tight

5) If you’re stuck at home alone for a day, what would you do? a. Practice your shots on the bas ketball hoop b. Chat with your friends on Face book c. Read a “Teach Yourself Arabic” book d. Get caught up on your latest art project e. Watch “The Simpsons” on TV

6) Which job can you envision yourself doing in the future? a. Sports commentator at the Olympics b. Fashion designer c. Computer scientist d. Waiter after having gotten your B.A. in English e. Taste-tester at a potato chip fac tory

What do you suggest? a. Roller skates b. A pea coat c. A 3D life-size medical poster d. The CDs to all your favorite Broadway musicals e. A pillow pet 9) You’re hosting an event to welcome new members to your club.

What do you decide to do? a. Have a Badminton tournament at Stewart Park b. Have a spa day at a club mem- ber’s house c. Have a board game night and play “Trivial Pursuit” from 1985 d. Play get-to-know-you games like Have You Ever and Charades e. Have a movie marathon Which letter did you get the most?

Mostly a’s — Join a sports team.

Everyone has a skill, whether it’s speed, strength, or endurance.

7) If you were to produce a mov- ie, what would it be about? a. A swimmer who went blind and won gold at the Olympics b. A style-less girl who meets a friend in high school who teaches her everything about being popular c. A telephone booth that’s a portal between parallel worlds d. A musical about the daily strug-gles of a budding artist e. A re-release of “Gone With the Wind” in 3D

Mostly b’s — Try out for the cheerleading squad. Have fun with your friends and show your school spirit.

8) Your grandmother asks you for gift suggestions for your birthday.

Mostly e’s — Gym every other day will suffice as exercise for you.

Mostly c’s — Get involved with Ultimate Frisbee Club. They can always use more members, and it wouldn’t take as much time out of your studying as it would to be on a sports team.

Mostly d’s — Try out for the school musical! Those dance rehearsals are sure to keep you moving.

19

PENULTIMATE September 5, 2012

Dear Danelle: Janet and I have been friends for three years now. But, since April, she has been giving me the silent treatment, and I have no idea why.

I wish things were like they used to be. What should I do?

Silent-treatmented Eileen Oooh, looks like you have the worst case of silent treatment. Fortunately, you’ve got two great options.

Your first option is to give up.

If that doesn’t work, you should probably try to discover why Janet is giving you the silent treatment.

She’s obviously upset about something, and there are many ways to find out what.

Try remembering back before Janet started giving you the silent treatment. Did you say something mean to her? Did you spread a bad rumor about her? Did you make out with her boyfriend while she was watching from the Target balcony, buying the both of you Christmas presents after you broke up with your boyfriend two days ago?

Anyway, if you can’t remember

back then, or you’re just too lazy, try bribing your friends. Tell everyone your Auntie Suzy gave you $3000 worth of designer clothes and whoever tells you gets one of the three shirts. Or give them to me. Clothes.

What was I saying? Oh, yes, so now we know why Janet doesn’t like you, but that doesn’t change anything. You need to do something about it. Try buying her friendship back! Use the same designer clothes that you gave to your friends, take them back, and give it to Janet! If you don’t have designer clothes, well it’s no surprise that Janet is giving you the silent treatment.

The end result will be a onesided friendship built on money and nothing else. The best kind of friendship!

Another option is to annoy her with your presence. Since you two used to be friends, you probably have enough information to stalk her. Then, “bump into her” all the time, and try to talk to her. Tell her how great a person she is, how great she would look with expensive designer clothes, and that she

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cares more for your non-existant friendship than herself.

Eventually, she’ll have to say something to you, and your silent treatment problem will be over.

But she still might hate you.

Your last chance is internet dating. Surprise Janet with a special date arranged by an online site, like eHarmony. Nothing says I’m sorry like a junky date with a 40-yearold man who’s desperate to not be single! If that doesn’t make up for everything, I don’t know what will.

By the way, the Target thing, it totally happened.

Always the best advice from, Danelle Agular Want useless advice that probably won’t help you? Then write a question to someone else. Danelle always gives the best possible advice. Money back guarantee!

Except for, well, you didn’t actually pay anything. Sorry. But you should pay stuff! So you can get a refund.

If you like what you see (or don’t), submit your own content! Submit cartoons, photography, questions, comments, stories, letters of complaint (or praise), or literary pieces. Hey, maybe you’ll see your name printed on this page.

Drop off your stuff at Backpage Editor E-mail: backpage@ihstattler.com So what are you waiting for? I’m waiting for my soufflé of your thoughts. Chop chop.

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Horoscopes Virgo (August 23 to September 22): Back to school! Time to catch up with friends, learn new stuff, and make Staples rich.

Libra (September 23 to October 22): Try a new club this year. Who knows you might find some of the clubs fun.

If you don’t you can just leave, never come back, and ignore everyone you met there.

Scorpio (October 23 to November 21): In a dream you see yourself walking out of Ithaca High School, done with your last test, with an awesome summer ahead of you. Isn’t it amazing? Now snap out of it, you’ve got 40 weeks to go.

Sagittarius (November 22 to December 21): Perseverance and strength flow through your veins, allowing you to continue honoring your New Year’s resolution. Wait, you broke that in December?

Capricorn (December 22 to January 19): Ugh, waking up before noon? I agree, school should be illegal.

Aquarius (January 20 to February 18): Wanting to get into a good college,

you will devote yourself to the Tattler by writing articles, taking pictures, submitting creative work, and/or encouraging other people to do the same. So I don’t have to.

Pisces (February 19 to March 20): The planetary arrangements are pushing you to embrace your dangerous side. Burst out of your shell and live free! Please submit your monthly payment ($52,300) to continue receiving horoscopes.

Aries (March 21 to April 19): Freebie! Make up your own horoscope, and it will come true, just like the rest of these...

Taurus (April 20 to May 20): Your psychic will tell you everything. I will tell you nothing.

Gemini (May 21 to June 20): You know that guy that you like? He will ask you out. *Positive horoscope alert* Cancer (June 21 to July 22): Take advantage of the equipment at IHS, especially the equipment in the weight room.

It’s really nice, even though it violates safety codes.

Leo (July 23 to August 22):Astrology is kinda broken, isn’t it?

Sudoku June Solution:

Phil Jordan H-Courtyard The beach on a hot day iPads Call Me Maybe Quantic music Hair Having to wake up before noon in summer Random Wikipedia articles Realizing two months isn’t very long AP summer assignments Unfixed bathrooms College applications End of summer