Pilot's Log Fall 2016

Kaepernick’s protest sparks conversation and debate

for which it stands

[pilot’s log] Hasbrouck Heights High School

Editors in Chief Maddy Kalmowitz Vanita Patel Bharadwaj Chirravuri

Editorial Board

Kudos

•Five-time NSPA Pacemaker •Pacemaker Finalist - Indianapolis News Editor •Columbia Scholastic Press Kayla Bosque Gold Crown Feature Editor •1st Place Best in Show St. Louis •1st Place Best Show Nashville Charles Elmo •1st Place Best in Show Sports Editor Kansas City •1st Place Best in Show Boston Mercedes Calabro •1st Place NSPA Design & Layout Student Life Editor •1st Place Quill & Scroll In-Depth Reporting, Sports Writing Danicka Capuli & Sienna Morales and News Illustrators •NSPA Five Star All American Status Kayla Lisa & Juliet Zonzini •GSSPA Best Overall •Ten-time American Scholastic Press Photographers Most Outstanding Newspaper William Thorne •Nine-time Garden State Scholastic Adviser Press Association 1st Place Overall Excellence Lora Geftic Honorable Mention NSPA Special Consultant Sports Story, Infographic •NY Daily News 1st Place Overall Excellence, Special Pilot’s Log Recognition is committed to fair, accurate and Zack Weisser

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for which it stands

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Front Cover: Colin Kaepernick’s actions has brought about important conversations amongst Americans regarding their role and what it means to be patriotic.

Photo and Design by Sienna Morales

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CONTENTS

ethical reporting while embracing and promoting the voice of the students.

It serves as a champion of First Amendment rights fostering public discourse essential to democracy. The Pilot’s Log will not print any material that is obscene or libelous; or that which substantially disrupts the school day, or invades the rights to privacy.

The Pilot’s Log reserves the right to refuse advertisements.

Pilot’s Log Hasbrouck Heights High School 365 Boulevard, Hasbrouck Heights, N.J. 07604

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colin Kaepernick has ignited a difficult conversation in the country and in our classrooms Page 10-14

The Terror within

model student

A history of u.s. terror

hailey king and yeezy season

on guard

techknowledgy chromebooks, google, and TCI

testing, testing high school drug tests

mindful or mind full? mindfulness practices in school

Pilot’s Log

A look at height’s favorite crossing guard

the path less taken the life of a xc athlete

tackling barriers lamarie schuler becomes height’s second female football player

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OP-ED: The Voice of the students - Pages 16-17 Hasbrouck Heights High School

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By Paul Nichols, Kyle Ratkowski, Mary Barsoum, Jessica Tawil, staff

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hmad Khan Rahami, 28, was arrested after he was accused in the string of pipe bombings in the Tri-State Area between Saturday, September 17 and Sunday, September 18. While the media is hesitant to tie Rahimi's allegiance to a specific faction, his actions have again brought about the issue of domestic terrorism onto home soil.

“Right now, it’s difficult to determine whether or not these people are from specific organizations, or if they are just other people that are terrorizing the area. However, we are sure that every incident has a thread of consistency even though they have other components that make them different; the one thread of consistency is their inclination to instill fear into civilians,” Elizabeth McGinty, sociology teacher, said.

Rahami’s bombings in New York City's Chelsea neighborhood and New Jersey’s Elizabeth and Seaside Park again illuminated that common thread of instilling fear into the civilian population. In Seaside Park, a pipe bomb, planted in a trash can, exploded at the starting line of a Marine Corps charity race, however no injuries were reported. On the same day, at approximately 8:30 p.m, another bomb exploded in New York City's Chelsea neighborhood, leaving twenty-nine with non-lethal injuries. A second explosive device was found four blocks from the explosion - this device never detonated and was removed by the police. On September 18th, at 8:45 p.m, two men found a bag containing five explosive devices in a trash can outside of a train station in Elizabeth, NJ. The contents of the bag consisted of wires and a pipe protruding from the bag.

“I was in my shore house in Seaside Park , which was about two blocks away, around the time of the explosion. It shook my entire house. Everyone thought it was fireworks, but I later found out that it was due to a pipe bomb. It just comes to show how the influence of domestic terrorism is increasing, and the fact that you don’t know where or when it will happen next,” Joseph Ferreri, sophomore, said.

These bombings are far from the first case of domestic terrorism. Even in the country’s infancy, two rebellions: Shays’, in 1786 and the Whiskey in 1791 shook the young nation as citizens took to violent protests against the country’s new taxes. Labor protestors detonated a bomb in Haymarket Square, Chicago, in 1886 in what would later become known as the Haymarket Af-

fair - 12 died. In 1910, another labor dispute culminated in the bombing of the Los Angeles Times building where 21 were killed.

Just six years later, anti-war protestors set off a suitcase bomb during the San Francisco’s Preparedness Day Parade - killing 10.

Wall Street was the focus on an attack in 1920 when a cart bomb exploded outside of the JP Morgan building, 30 were killed and over 300 were injured. In one of the most startling attacks to date, Andrew Kehoe, school treasurer, set off explosives throughout the Bath Consolitated School in Michigan. 45 died, including 38 children. For 15 years between 1940-1956, in an effort to protest an injury that occured at his workplace in Con Edison Energy , the ‘Mad Bomber’, placed explosive devices around New York City - 15 were injured. The 1960’s saw a plethora of terrorist attacks on banks, and universities, all tied to anti-war protests ongoing at the time.

In 1975, only four days after Christmas, a bomb exploded in LaGuardia Airport’s main terminal, 11 were killed. This occured shortly after another bomb was detonated in Los Angeles by the ‘Alphabet Bomber’. The Statue of Liberty and the US Senate were targeted by immigrant groups in the 1980’s. Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols placed a truck bomb in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, OK, killing 168 and injuring 680 - the building was destroyed by the blast.

Ted Kaczynski, known as the Unabomber, sent the last of his 16 mail bombs om 1995, three were killed in his string of attacks.

The Atlanta Olympics were pipe-bombed in 1996. Although only one person died, the attack echoed the tradition of American citizens using violence to promote a ‘cause’. Between May 3 and May 8 of 2002, Luke Helder sent pipe bombs accross the Midwest, injuring six. In a strange parallel to the most recent example of domestic terrorism, the Boston Marathon Bombing also included home-made bombs set off at a public race. While their causes may have been varied, all of the attacks shared a common thread - the desire to bring fear to the civilain population.

“Someone who tries to disrupt the lives of average people by instilling fear into them is what I think a terrorist really is.

Basically, those people don’t have to be part of some violent organization to terrorize an area and that’s what they are doing,” Brandon Sturm, senior, said.

While these types of attacks are nothing new, the manner in which they are covered in the press has drastically changed. Between press and online media, and the proliferation of ‘personal accounts’ of the attacks on everything from YouTube to twitter, the possibility of repeat attacks has become a real concern as news of the attacks spread.

“When one person does something, you’re going to have a lot of copycats. Many are copying these violent tactics and setting them as their own,” Brian Donohue, police officer, said.

With organizations such as ISIS and Al-Qaeda dominating international headlines, many have wrongly been led to the assumption that these suspects are tied to larger groups.

“It doesn’t necessarily have to go to ISIS; there are other organizations, small groups and large groups that are evidently on the rise. I can’t be led to believe it’s all one entity,” Laura Czekaj, English teacher, said.

Further, some believe that the prevalence of domestic terrorism is not connected to any violent organizations at all.

Instead, it could possibly be immature delinquents and hostile members of the society who look to inflict harm upon others in localized areas. In a 2016 article, the New York Times summed up this confusion rather bluntly in an article entitled - “In the Age of ISIS, Who’s a Terrorist, and Who’s Simply Deranged?”

Daniel Benjamin, former State Deparment coordinator and professor at Dartmouth college explains the seemingly blurred lines.

“A lot of this stuff is at the fringes of what we would historically think of as terrorism...the Islamic State and jihadism has become a kind of refuge for some unstable people who are at the end of their rope and decide they can redeem their screwed-up lives,” Benjamin, said.

The FBI’s definition of domestic terrorism simply states that the terroristic act [Appear intended (i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population; (ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination. or kidnapping] needs to occur on American soil.

“Even if an American citizen was to plan a school shooting, for example, that's still terrorism. They're still terrorizing our people and causing destruction; you don't need to fit into

the stereotypical idea of a terrorist or be part of an organization to be one,” McGinty, said.

One thing that is certain is that in the past decade, attacks on American soil have increased. This year alone, our nation has witnessed nearly 59 shootings and bombings that have either killed or injured the civilian population. ASIS International, an organization for security professionals published a 2015 report that states that domestic terrorism is on the rise, and, to make matters more confusing, the report explains that, attacks, like that of Dylan Roof, the 19 year old who shot and killed nine people at a historically black church in South Carolina in 2015 have become more common. The report states:

“The past 15 years has also seen an increase in activities carried out by individuals like Roof—during the 1990s, 17 percent of attacks were carried out by unaffiliated individuals, compared to 31 percent since 2000. In fact, in 2012 and 2013, half of the 28 attacks carried out were attributed to unaffiliated individuals.”

The report concludes that Islamic extremism is “hardly the only form of extremism that poses a threat.”

“There has never been a time of more shootings, bombings, and overall threats than the last few years. It's hard to think about how many innocent people are being hurt or killed,” Mina Habib, sophomore, said.

Domestic terrorism may continue to increase, but it is nothing new to our nation. The attacks that occured this past September in our backyard are just another footnote in a long line of violence perpetuated at home, all in the name of a cause - imagined or not. The complications inherent in the the issue: What is terrorim? Who is a terrorist? What constitutes domestic terrorism? These questions have made the issue more relevent than ever.

One common thread in this confusing concept is that safety remains a top concern amongst most Americans.

“Personally, precautions such as more stringent and strict gun laws could play a role in preventing more shootings or acts of terrorism in our country, but it is still extremely important that we, as a country, are well informed of imminent threats on our homeland from these attacks,” Catherine Cassidy, history teacher, said.

TERROR WITHIN

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A Look At america’s history of terror in a time where its definition is changing Pilot’s Log

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Illustration: Danicka Capuli

TECH KNOWLEDGEY

Heights Classrooms Begin a Three Year Transformation through Technology

By Zack Weisser, News Editor, Rei Vaka, Antionio Tucci & Kevin Owens , staff

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s time advances, the traditional school classroom is confronted with more and more technology and educational software. From TCI to Google Chromebooks, the rising prevalence of these new products is undeniable.

Intended to streamline the teaching process and arm students with new tools to enhance their education experience, they have the potential to transform the traditional learning environment.

“It’s an adjustment period, some students are uncomfortable stepping out of their comfort zone, using pen and paper, and have trouble with the new technology. So far the kids are getting used to it and are willing to learn about it and test these new things,” Kailey MacDonald, history teacher, said.

The school district has implemented 3 major changes for students during the 2016-2017 school year. At the core of these changes is the introduction of Google Chromebooks to the classroom. The Chromebooks, laptops that run with the Google Chrome operating system, are now present in fifth grade classrooms in Lincoln and Euclid Schools, eighth grade classrooms in the Middle School, and all Social Studies and English classrooms in the High School. This year marks the first year in a three year plan with the intention of bringing the Chromebooks to all classrooms. The second change is the gradual transition into the Google Classroom and the use of Google Applications such as the Google

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Drive and Google Docs. The entire suite of Google Applications is available to all teachers and students in the district and can be accessed simply by logging in with your school-issued email.

Social studies classrooms throughout the district now have access to the TCI Social Studies software, which is a fully inclusive online textbook with notes, reading, writing, and organizing software, and, for teachers - a plethora of interative acivities and lessons, all complete with multimedia packages. The rollout has been spearheaded by Mike Warren, Google Teacher-Coach, Tom Matty, tech department, and Nicole De Bonis, curriculum supervisor for the district.

“It’s been a big change but I think it’s a good change. The combination of Chromebooks and the Google Classroom brings a new level of accountability to the students. It streamlines the learning experience and makes all of our students’ documents available almost anywhere, even on their phones. As of right now, (October), the initial stage of the rollout is complete. All of the HS/MS classrooms have been introduced to the incredible tech options available to them. We hace visited the elemntary schools and are ongoing with teaching them about all of the possibilites in their classrooms. All of our teachers received Google training over the summer during one of our in-services,” Warren, said.

In truth, new products including the Google Classroom and TCI are only the latest in a history of efforts to improve the classroom. For example, Google Classroom shares its basic premise and function with applications such as Edmodo, created several years prior in 2008 (Google Classroom having been released in 2014). And the computers which make all these new developments possible have been a part of schools for much longer, with models such as the Apple I first being utilized for this role in the 1970s.

“While Google Classroom is simple and has an an easy to use interface, Edmodo already does more than Google Classroom. It’s a good alternative though,” Joseph DeGuzman, senior, said.

The Google Classroom, in conjunction with Google Docs and Google Drive is intended to make document writing, sharing, and editing a much simplier process.

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“The idea is that a student can type an essay on any computer as long as they are signed into their Google account, and have access to that document with no need to save or email their work. We expect students to have 21st century learning skills - they can now edit and upload from anywhere, they can share their work with a teacher and receive feedback right on that document. They can submit their work right from their phone into their teacher’s Google Classroom. These are not only school skills, but life skills. We want to prepare our students for scenarios that they will face in the workforce,” Warren, said.

TCI, short for Teacher Curriculum Institute is intended to echo Warren’s thoughts on 21st century learning.

“TCI changes the way that students take notes. They can do their reading on their computer and instead of simply copying words into a notebook, they are answering questions about their reading in their online notebook, all with feedback from the teacher. I can see what they’ve learned - TCI takes the idea of an exit slip and amplifies it,” MacDonald, said.

TCI also provides a means for student learning differentiation and may allow students of different learning styles to succeed based on the ability to tailor lessons to students’ strengths.

“This program has helped me to understand history and English better. I speak Spanish so the Chromebooks and TCI are awesome because students like myself can now read and write in both languages and it helps us to get better at our English while we learn about history,” Michelle Flores, sophomore, said.

This feature is part of a broad effort in education to create more cross-curricular lessons and classes. Meaning, students who are utilizing the translation feature in a history class can now display their ELL and language arts skills all in one place.

“From what I’ve seen with the program, it’s good. It allows students to read in their native language but requires them to respond in English. This is key to understanding the language. This is great because the majority of our teachers are not bilingual and TCI makes it so students who are learning English are not at a disadvantage in the class,” Nicole Pede, ELL Supervisor and foreign language teacher, said.

English speaking students can also benefit from the program.

“It has picture prompts as well as writing activities; it can highlight main ideas, and asks students to prove their understanding through a variety of means, everything from drawing to making charts, and role-playing,” MacDonald, said.

Not many years ago, the Smart Board, a brand of interactive whiteboards, was seen as an unusual piece of equipment in the classroom. Its proliferation throughout schools was rapid and it soon became a staple in many classes in school. The new technologies we are seeing implemented today, could come to follow a very similar path, as many students continue to acclimate to their presence.

“With technology, it makes learning a lot easier, especially from a paper standpoint. Teachers can take more time with their lessons instead of making copies, it’s more regularly available at home for the students. So it allows the class to not only take place during the school day. Everything that the students have available at school, they now have available at home,” MacDonald said.

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With the continued progress of educational programs and technologies, it is a not uncommon belief that paper textbooks could soon be obsolete. Interestingly, the change may not come as quickly as many anticipate.

“Textbooks are the foundation to learning, and although we may have online versions of them which get updated frequently the good old textbook will stay with us for a while,” Warren, said.

Still, these new technologies seem to be heralding a decline in the use of pen-and-paper methods of completing assignments. One area of concern regarding this is that some elements of old methods may be lost in the transition to new ones. Many students, however, do not feel that much is jeopardized in the new shift.

“I don’t really feel as though anything significant is lost by doing our work on the computer. If anything, it’s a way to become more familiar with technology and computers,” Timothy Victori, senior, said.

There may be much interest in the new, digitized classroom tools, but for now they are here to stay. With standardized tests having becoming digital too, it looks as though digital classrooms could become the future of the education system.

“Technology makes things easier, but at the same time, makes things difficult as well, especially during the learning process. It’s a learning process for both the teachers and students, and so far it has been running smoothly,” MacDonald said.

All three additions to the classroom are just that, additions, and are not meant to replace teachers.

“These new things are great, but, at the core of learning is still good students and good teachers. We should think of these things are supplements, not replacements. They can add to and change parts of the classroom but the classroom, at its core, is still the same,” James Muska, social studies teacher, said.

Fall 2016 Illustration: Danicka Capuli

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erasing the stigma behind high school drug testing

By Emma Nichols, Julia Prisco & Melanie Wexler, staff

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n the 2016 Rio Olympics, nearly a third of all Russian athletes were banned after being drug tested. This came after the World Anti-Doping Agency suggested a ‘blanket ban’, that is, full scale ban, of atheltes from the nation. The scandal shook the world and brought the process of drug testing to the attention of an international audience. At home, the NFL has recently struggled with a plethora of failed drug tests, many for recreational drugs. Most notably, Josh Gordon, wide receiver for the Clevland Browns, has been placed on indefinite suspension at the age of 25. For students in Heights, the idea of drug testing has become a part of their academic lives.

“Drug testing is one of the only tests that you really can’t ‘fail’. The random testing is good - if you are someone who doesn’t have the conviction to simply say no when offered drugs, the tests give you a reason, a strong reason to tell your friends that you don’t want to partake in what they are doing.

It can really help students avoid situations that they know are wrong, but may not have the courage to walk away from. If you test negative, we are very happy, if you test positive, we can get you the help that you may need. There are no losers in this situation,” Barbara Christianson, Student Activities Counselor, said.

Every major sports organization, and all NCAA atheltic programs, have drug testing protocols in place for their atheletes. This process has trickled down into schools across America, with over 20% of schools engaging in drug testing of their students, up from 14% in 2006, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2002, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of legalizing random drug testing amongst middle and high school students in a five to four vote.

The Pottawatomie County v. Earls ruling expanded the scope and magnitude of school drug testing, allowing for the random testing of all students involved in competitive or extracurriculuar activities.

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“No one should be using drugs because they are illegal, and if a drug test can help a student stay away, we are all for it,” Michael Scuila, the athletic director, said.

Schools began to implement random drug testing as early as 2000, and Hasbrouck Heights High School began the process in 2005. In the school, athletes and students who participate in extracurricular activities, such as clubs, are required to submit a form for testing. From there, the names are selected randomly, which involves a process such as generating random numbers or letting a computer program select names at random.

“The names of the students who can be tested go on a computer spreadsheet, and their corresponding numbers are chosen randomly,” Scuila, said.

In our school, the tests are administered roughly every three months, or once every sport season. Each season, the administration randomly picks about 10% of the students enrolled in extracurriculars. The process is a lengthly one. At the start of each season, atheletes and club members as given a drug testing consent form. The school then puts the names on a spreadsheet, and chooses them through a random number generator online.

Once selected, the student will be taken from class, and asked to give a signature on a waiver, allowing the administrators of the test to take a urine sample; which will later be taken by the doctor to be analyzed in a lab for drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines, PCP, and opioids--both heroin and prescription pain relievers.

“The real goal is to help the students in the school that need help, not to single out those that are ‘bad’, ” Mary Neumann, school nurse, said.

The overall goal of the test is to decrease drug use among students in their programs, and, in turn, decrease drug use aongst the school population. Repercussions have been placed in Heights which include suspension from participation of the student’s extracurricular activity or sport. While the repercussions of a neagtive test may be the most talked about aspect of the process, the main goal of the testing is to benefit the students themselves.

“No one needs to know if you test negative. We’re not here Fall 2016

to single people out, we’re here to identify a possible problem and work with the student to eliminate it,” Christianson, said.

The hope behind the procedure is to serve as a deterrent and give students a reason to resist peer pressure to take drugs.

Another facet of the test is to identify the students who already abuse the drugs being screened for. If found positive, the school steps in to assist the students with existing drug problems in ways such as early intervention or treatment.

“I really want the school to be a healthy, drug free place” Neumann, said.

In terms of student health and efficiency of the school body, Reasonable Cause testing, sometimes considered “suspicion testing” is an alternate selection method that could be used, although school officials have confirmed they do not test on solely suspicion. In this process in the school, a student could be asked to undergo testing based on a recommendation from a school official such as a teacher, administrator, or coach. Reasonable Cause testing often comes after the direct observations of a student who has demonstrated a change of behavior or academics, or any evidence that could be a result of drug use.

For some students, the line between random testing and Reasonable Cause testing may be blurred.

“It doesn’t seem like the school just picks randomly. What were the chances I got picked to be tested on the first day back after Memorial Day Weekend?” James Frazee, sophomore, said.

As with most tests, however, there is no consensus about its necessity or effectiveness. Some argue about the unreasonableness of the tests, the stress, social stigma, and suspected bias of the tests.

“I would feel uncomfortable getting chosen to be tested because being accused is scary, and makes me seem suspicious to everyone else… even though I know I would never take drugs, it still fear that I would be viewed as someone who did,” Alexa Marinelli, freshman, said.

Still, proponents for the tests argue that the random quality of the testing is what makes it most effective, and, most fair for all students.

“It’s important for the whole school to remember that in almost all cases, the tests are random. Just because you’re slected, doesn’t mean that someone is suspicious. As long as the student bodyPilot’s knows Log this, thereHasbrouck shouldn’t Heights be an issue people feeling High of School

singled out,” Vinnie Marchese, soccer coach, said.

For some, it is not the concept of the test, but the administration of the test itself that has raised concerns. Stories online, some as bizarre as the spilling of a sample, dissaperance of a sample, or even an inability to provide one, have given some students anxiety over being chosen for the test-- whether they were going to test positive or not.

“When I got called in for drug testing, they were waiting to take the sample, but I couldn’t pee. So they made me sit in the nurse’s office and drink apple juice until I could. It was really embarrassing,” an anonymous student, said.

Still, the school has put it’s support behind the tests and their effectiveness.

“Students should embrace the random drug testing program to promote a drug free environment in our school and athletic teams. All students should be proud to call themselves drug free. Athletics is about keeping your body and mind ready for peak performance at all times, and the types of drugs that the program tests for you create the opposite performance for the athletes,” Scuilla, said.

In a small district like ours, the chance of ‘cheated tests’ or mishandled samples is minimized by the efficiency of the program and the manner in which is it conduct.

“I do not see how anyone could cheat on the test since they do not know that they are being testing until immediately prior to testing...we have our school doctor come in to collect the samples,” Scuilla, said.

Random and Reasonable Cause drug testing will likely be a part of our academic culture for some time. The most recent Monitoring the Future Study, conducted in 2013 shows that although general drug use amongst eighth, tenth, and twelfth is down from 31.8 percent in 2001 to 28.4 percent, the number has seen an upward trend in recent years due largely in part to the increase of marijuana use. The study has also shed light on the prevalence of drug use amongst seniors - about 50% have admitted to using an elicit drug once in their lifetime, and 35% have admitted to using marijuana in the last year. Possibly more striking is the sharp increase in persciption drug abuse and misuse amongst high school students.

“It doesn’t help anyone for a student to cheat on a urine drug screen,” Neumann, said.

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Taking a Knee Right or Wrong Colin Kapernick’s Actions have Refreshed a Difficult Conversation in America

By Maddy Kalmowitz, Vanita Patel, Editors in Chief, Kayla Bosque, editor & Imani Fuentes, Staff

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s Colin Kaepernick took a knee during the national anthem, the world stood and watched. After pre-season protests of sitting out the national anthem, Kaepernick, along with teammate Eric Reed, kneeled before the crowd at San Diego’s Qualcom stadium, continuing San Francisco 49ers’quarterback protest of The Star Spangled Banner, a representation of Kaepernick’s recognition and disapproval of racial tensions in the United States. Emotions and reactions to Kaepernick’s actions, were, as expected, mixed. Some were outraged and disgusted with what they saw as blatant disrespect to our country, others expressed their approval - noting Kaepernick’s courage in bringing to light racial issues that many do not want to address publically. What is certain is that Kaepernick’s actions, the most recent in a long line of atheletes using sport as a form of protest, has ignited intense discourse throughout the population.

“People are so passionate about this subject because it’s a way to show their beliefs and what they stand for. It draws in attention, especially when you have such a large audience like Kaepernick. His actions got people talking,” Gabby Busacca, senior, said.

That, for many, is reason enough to applaud Kaepernick’s decision.

“Colin Kaepernick’s controversial actions have gone a long way in igniting a conversation about a very difficult issue.

Look, we’re talking about this, not just for an afternoon, but for weeks--and probably even months, and I think that, in itself, is awesome,” Suzzane Caines, English teacher, said.

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Illustration: Sienna Morales

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protest has taken place, by a professional football player, making millions of dollars in a football-crazed nation.

“He was given the opportunity to play football because he lives in America and people that are in the military are the reason why they have the freedom to play football and continue to do games and have fun. I think that’s really messed up,” Gabby Pujadas, junior, said.

Others disagree.

“Our country was founded on protest. This country has a long history of challenging itself to be better. How can we celebrate our freedom--and especially our freedom of speech--and then be angry at someone who uses this freedom to challenge his country to do better? Colin Kaepernick is not breaking windows are firebombing government offices, he is respectfully-and symbolically--asking us to think about what our country really stands for. Is America equally great for all Americans?

And if the answer to that question is no, what can we do about it? To me, this is just about the most patriotic question there is,” Caines, said.

Still, some question the perceived ‘hatred’ that Kaepernick has for the country.

“If he hated our country he wouldn’t care enough to kneel and speak out on why we need to notice racism that still exists. It’s important because people think that if racism isn’t seen in some places it doesn’t exist in other places. It exists, and people either ignore it or take it as a joke,” Emily Reyes, senior, said.

Many students, reflective of the American population, have had a difficult time pinpointing the exact reason for Kaepernick’s protest.

“Is it about the country, cops, the flag? Does he like

Muhammad Ali was on top of the boxing world. The outspoken, arrogant, fearless athlete refused to join the U.S Army after being drafted while he was still heavyweight champion of the world. He was then stripped of his title. Ali was convicted of draft evasion, sentenced to five years in prison, fined $10,000 and banned from boxing for three years. Ali stayed out of prison as his case was appealed and returned to the ring, knocking out Jerry Quarry in Atlanta.

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Peter O’Connor, an Irish long jumper, protested after his second place finish was honored by the raising of the British flag. O’Connor wished to only represent Ireland and not the whole of Britain. He decided to scale the flagpole and wave the Irish flag himself while fellow countryman Con Leahy guarded him at the foot of the pole. There were no consequences for O’Connor’s actions. Two days later, he beat his fellow countryman to win the gold medal for the hop, step, and jump competition.

Kaepernick is not the only person throughout history to peacefully protest and start a debate. On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger after it was demanded of her. She did this for herself and for other African-Americans. By taking a seat, Parks stood up against segregation. Colin Kaepernick took a knee during the national anthem to make a statement about police brutality and the oppression of black people - in that, there may be the most concrete parallel between the two protests. Both of their actions were physical, but nonviolent, and have caused people to react.

“When activists protest, everyone hates them, just like when Rosa Parks was jailed for being ‘disrespectful’ to a white person, but years later, people realized how important she was, maybe the same will happen here,” Sharmin Khan, senior, said.

The placement of the protest, however, at a televised football game, rather than on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, has introduced another element of disagreement into an already controversial subject.

Kaepernick countered the argument, saying, “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. To me, this is bigger than football, and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.”

Others echo Kaepernick’s sentiment, noting a long standing tradition of using sport as a means for protest.

“I think it’s appropriate for professional athletes to use their platforms, not only to articulate their beliefs, but also to fight against social injustice. Mohammed Ali did it. Jackie Robinson did it. We look back at them now and applaud their integrity and courage. At the time, however, many people felt about them the way people feel about Kaerpernick,” Caines, said.

With the comparison to the actions of Park, and the references to the tradition of sports has come a counterarguPilot’s Log protests Hasbrouck Heights High School

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ment from those who question the timing and manner in which the protest occured. Some students believe he’s simply trying to gain attention as a football player whose popularity was already declining since losing his starting role. Other critics of Kaepernick believe that there are more beneficial ways to get his point across.

“Kaepernick should be going to police departments and talking to the police officers. He should also be going to the protests,” Jesse Danz, senior, said.

The issue, and the protest goes far beyond Kaepernick and speaks upon some of the fundamental rights that we have as Americans.

The First Amendment says, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” Many argue that Kaepernick then exercised his rights guaranteed in the Constitution, and with this, there is no ground for legal recourse against him.

The NFL encourages its player to stand for the National Anthem, but doesn’t require it.

“It’s technically a form of free speech even though we’re not speaking. That’s one of our rights; it’s basically unconstitutional if they take that away from us, so it’s not right,”an anonymous, student, said.

Although the Constitution allows people to speak their opinion openly, some have taken offence to Kaepernick’s actions citing disrespect to servicemen, servicewomen, and the country.

“To have the right to peacefully protest is a quality that makes this country great, but when people protest the very symbol of the country that gives you that right, it can be seen as hypocritical,” Jackie DeLorenzo, junior, said.

2016 the

Even so, some take offence to the mannerFall in which

America? Does he like all of it, or does he like parts of it? Is it a protest about brutality, or is it a protest about race relations? I don’t know, - maybe that’s why it is so controversial...people might not understand the issues. If it’s a protest about cops, why was he sitting out the anthem for the whole country?” an anonymous student, said.

The impact of Kaepernick’s decision has reached our district - bringing a national story to a local level, with actions being taken by members of the student body, and that, regardless of your stance on the issue is concrete evidence that the protest has already achieved a far-reaching impact.

Every day, the Pledge of Allegiance is said over the loudspeaker. Many students simply go through the motions, standing at the sound of the first word and placing their hand over their heart-- over time the Pledge has arguably become somewhat of a routine during the homeroom portion of first period. Following Kaepernick’s actions, however, this routine has become anything but that.

“The protest has given me the courage to protest issues that are important to me. I don’t agree with everything that Kaepernick is arguing for, but I realize that there are problems in our country. I sit during the Pledge now because I feel a little like I have someone to follow,” an anonymous student, said.

With an example like Kaepernick that shares similar ideas, many are no longer afraid of the social consequences of public protesting.

“It has brought up discussion about social issues; we’ve already seen how it has made students aware of their ability and their right to protest in the school,” Michael Warren, social studies teacher, said.

In New Jersey, the debate about the impact of the pro-

2012

More recently in 2012, LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and other members of the Miami Heat wore hoodies in honor of Trayvon Martin’s death. Martin was shot after a confrontation with neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman. “It’s respectable; you can’t get upset over something like that,” Philip Clites, senior, said. The players broke the uniform policy in the NBA but were not punished. The controversial death of Martin fueled NBA players to stand up for the fallen seventeen-year-old. Nevertheless, no fines or suspensions were directed at the players involved.

1968

Olympic sprinters, Tommie Smith and John Carlo, chose to protest the Summer Olympics. Smith and Carlos each raised a black-gloved fist and kept them raised until the anthem had finished. They also stood on the podium, shoeless, wearing just their socks. Their actions were to bring attention to black poverty and discrimination against blacks in the United States. Smith stated in his biography that it was a “human rights salute.” In addition, after being booed out of the arena by the crowd, Smith and Carlos were expelled from the Pilot’s Log Hasbrouck Heights High School games by the International Olympic Committee.

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Illustration: Sienna Morales

test, and the transition to the high school level is ongoing. Private schools who are not funded publically have by and large rejected the ability for students to openly protest.

“We are not public institutions and free speech in all of its demonstrations, including protests, is not a guaranteed right,” Mary Boyle, Superintendent of Schools for the Catholic Diocese of Camden, said.

For public schools, like ours, the debate remains open to discussion. In his book, “Let The Students Speak!: A History of the Fight for Freedom of Expression in American Schools,” David L. Hudson Jr. explains that “silent or passive protests like kneeling are not disruptive and, therefore, allowed under court rulings dating back decades.”

While concrete data cannot be compiled, the general consensus amongst students in Heights is that a “small” percentage of students in the school have taken action following Kaepernick’s protest. Of all of the homerooms in the high school, only five reported having at least one student sit during the Pledge, and none of our fall sports teams have noted any incidents of student-athlete protests.

The reaction to students’ protests in the classroom in Heights has been largely mixed--some are ambivalent to their classmates actions and question their motives, while some have expressed open disdain for the actions of their peers.

“Recently, classmates were cursing out a student for supporting Colin Kaepernick and telling her that if you don’t stand up for the flag then you don’t belong in this country,” Tenzin Kunkyi, senior, said.

While a select few have chosen the route of active protest, others, even those who agree with Kaepernick’s stance, have chosen a middle ground.

“I’ll stand to show respect, but I still don’t agree with half

2014

Mindful Mind full

the stuff that’s going on in America with all the shootings and the murders,” Leeroy Casimir, senior, said.

The country is just as divided as the school population. A Reuters poll found that 72 percent of Americans found the protest unpatriotic, another 61 percent said that they do not support the stance that Kaepernick is taking. In the same poll, 64 percent felt that Kapernick has the Constitutional right to protest. A seperate poll, conducted by SurveyMonkey showed only 44 percent did not support Kaepernick, 29 percent supported Kaapernick, and the rest were unsure.

Kaepernick, hero or villian, has accomplished one thing.

From the national level to our local school district, people are talking about one of America’s most complex issues--race.

“I think this is what Kaepernick had intended--to start discussion amongst the population. What’s cautionary in schools is that students may make a decision or stance from a lack of information because somone so big decided to take a stand. I applaud those who are talking about the issue, I ask that all sides truly understand the stances of those involved,” John Van Dam, English teacher, said.

Kaepernick’s protest, like those that came before him, has polarized the population and has brought about a wide range of emotional reactions. Like many protests that are now seen as historical, it may take some time before the full impact of the actions are seen. For now, the conversation continues, one that should not be easily dismissed--right or wrong.

“I believe that it is incredibly important to listen to both sides of this debate so that people don’t jump to conclusions or blindly follow what you see on the surface and look deeper into current events,” Steven Byrne, junior, said.

OR

Students Turn to Meditation to Ease Daily Stress

By Eddy Diaz and James Lafaso, Staff

S

Just a few years later, in 2014, five members of the St. Louis

Rams jogged onto the field with their arms raised by their heads. Those five men were Tavon Austin, Kenny Britt, Jared Cook, Chris Givens and Stedman Bailey. This act was in honor of the shooting and death of 18-year-old Michael Brown by police officer Darren Wilson. “They have a right to do it, but I didn’t agree with the protest,” Nick Bini, senior, said. This protest came with intense scrutiny but no punishment from the NFL. A group of St. Louis police officers contacted the NFL to punish five Rams players, yet nothing fell through.

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Infograph text by Charles Elmo, Matt Di Chiara, Andrew Macera, Staff

Fall 2016 Illustration: Sienna Morales

ilence may not be the first word that

Meditation is now being used comes to mind when Americans by teachers across the country to help think about high school classrooms. alleviate students of stress and anxiety, For some students and athletes, that which have become commonplace in silence, long sought after by teachers, is beschools. When performed properly, meditacoming more commonplace. tion can be used to increase student awareness

“By just closing their eyes, remaining and attention as well as helping them become quiet and breathing, students can increase more confident and increase their ability to learn attention and awareness, reduce anxiety, and recall information. This technique can also be and improve emotional regulation,” Suzanne used by teachers to become more in touch with their Caines, English teacher, said. students, and help them create and keep safe, kind and The district has been working on more productive classrooms. ways to implement mindful practices as a

“We take this seriously; it helps us to concenmeans to relieve some of the stress and anxiety trate and have better conversations, and it has a big that seemingly goes hand-in-hand with high impact,” Gabby Torres, senior in Mrs. Caines class, school life. The practice has been used in Mrs. said.

Caines’s classes, as well as her tennis team, and

The Chopra Center, a leading institute the school’s I&RS (Intervention and Referral for wellbeing, states that mindfulness practicServices) has started research on the impact es don’t need to be anything difficult. One can: of the practice on students who may need new sit comfortably with their feet on the ground, means to help focus and succeed in school. rest your hands on your thighs, close your

“Engaging in mindfulness exercises eyes, notice how your body feels and has the ability to alter brain structures and how you are breathing, and positively alter the way we think and handle turn your attention to your situations. This can ultimately make doing breath and not your thoughts. homework, preparing for a test, applying to

Eve n t h e U n i t e d college, and other difficulty or stress-related States Army, has started to use the activities easier and more manageable for practice to reduce conditions such you to do,” Stefanie Masbeth, LAC and School as post traumatic stress disorder, Counseling Intern, said. depression, chronic pain and anxi Structured meditation is dated back ety, weight loss, improved sleep, as far as five thousand years ago, by Siddhartha lower blood pressure, reduced Guatama, better known as the Buddha. Since anger, and increased calmness. then, the art of meditation had been adopted

“It can be used anyover and over again by multiple cultures and where, by anyone and that religions, later making its way into the United is what makes it so great.

States in the early nineteen hundreds when Everyone can appreciphilosophy professors began studying both ate the benefits of the the act and its benefits. To researchers’ surpractice if they give prise, they found that meditation had many it a chance,” Mashealth benefits including reduction of stress beth, said. levels, emotional regulation, motivation for a

healthy lifestyle, improved concentration, and increased happiness. Meditation, or mindfulness, has grown away from its “religious roots” and has become secularized.

“It isn’t a religious thing; anyone can do it, it’s really just about relaxing,” Masbeth, said.

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Photo: Juliet Zonzini

Fall 2016

OPINION

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he American Flag serves as an underlying representation of our nation’s unity as a civilization. We pledge, as students, to that very flag every morning, to not only pay our respects towards the encompassing struggles that established the freedom of our nation, but to honor the prestigious pride it evokes in unifying our country as one consolidate federation. We pledge as a nation during the Star Spangled Banner to pay homage towards those who fought for the foundation of our freedom, bequeathing the rights to liberty and prosperity to future generations of American citizens. As we pledge, we stand tall as one nation, unified by the stars and stripes of the national flag.

In the media, Kaepernick justified his “kneel” during the National Anthem through the numerous attacks of police officers on the black race in the past several months, clearly epitomizing his stance on protesting injustice in the country. He chose to use his NFL spotlight as means of protest where thousands will be able to view his “silent” allegation. Although the Constitution provides the freedom of speech and right to protest, guaranteed by the First Amendment, his way of protest is downright deplorable and utterly sickening towards the American civilization.

Primarily, his way of protest is a debauched depiction of his ideals in which he fights for. Defaming the country that has given life to millions of people and slandering the flag that unites our nation as one, is by all means, a skewed approach held true in any civilization. Many scorned his actions, threatening his form of unyielding remonstration. Others have expressed statements condemning his immorality in comparison to his contradicting conformity to society. If he degenerately defaces the banner of our country for the injustice of the colored race, then why does he continue to integrate himself into the society and live as an American in our nation; Kaepernick’s harrowing distaste of this injustice demonstrates his negligence to stay true to his ideals.

He continually stoops down to the level of what he opposes by displaying similar disregard, in this case, neglecting to respect the National Anthem.

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EDITORIAL

W

Conversely, his reprehensible protest fails to ensure justice for the black community. By taking a knee, it only evokes the issue to be talked about, lacking the potential to take part in a justified and “ethical” protest where Kaepernick could stress a change to take place.

Comparably, Rosa Parks voiced her stance on the oppression of black people during her time period, nonviolently by refusing to conform to the white-supremacist without lifting a finger.

Despite her lower class caste, she made a huge difference by just standing for her own ideals, refusing to revert to the conventions of society. Furthermore, Martin Luther King Jr., who was well educated, was able to stress his movement for civil rights and equality. He nonviolently addressed his position on equality and justice of the colored race all across the country.

Similarly, Kaepernick is at the top tier of social status. In taking a knee, his protest is futile and fails to contribute to the change he wishes for. Instead he should be more vocal than just taking a knee since he has the capacity to in the public light and social class. If he wishes to see a change he should pursue it in a much more efficient way. However, his current approach fails to communicate such an intent, where he himself poses as a man who is no better than those who he has spoken out against.

What Colin Kaepernick currently “kneels” for stands alone as a feat of disgrace that places his actions no higher than those he condemns. The police are blaming the black community for unjust reasons while he blames the country and disrespects the flag. He fails to lead a righteous protest. As I speak, Kaepernick is continually stooping down to the same level that he is criticizing. Instead, he should stay with his cause righteously like MLK who followed Gandhi’s principle, “If man hits one cheek, turn and show him the other; show him what you stand for.”

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e are a country built on the backs of slaves abducted from their homes and shipped here like animals.

Of course, we wouldn’t have been able to bring them here in the first place, had we not kicked the Native Americans off their land. The Native Americans, whose lives were based entirely off the environment they had made a home in. Anyone can make a home in this country though, that’s the American Dream, right? Surely the Japanese immigrants who were thrown in internment camps in the 1940’s, for the crime of being born Japanese, knew all about what it was like to grow up in the land of opportunity. More recently, the proliferation of Islamophobia has caused an outbreak of prejudice among blue collar workers to presidential candidates alike. America may be a relatively young country, but she has witnessed countless injustices at varying degrees of atrociousness. There is only one common thread among these crimes; they are perpetuated by white people against people of color. Colin Kaepernick did not stand for the National Anthem, because he was tired of watching African Americans be killed by police, and seeing those police walk freely. Minorities have faced disrespect, humiliation, abuse, oppression and murder by the hands of white people for centuries. All Colin Kaepernick did was kneel for the National Anthem during a football game instead of standing.

Although we have come a long way in creating equal laws and being a more tolerant people, the time for congratulatory remarks is not yet here. Racism manifests itself in a million different ways, whether it be virulent speech, actions provoked by hatred, subtle discrimination, or any other form of oppression based upon race. Kaepernick chose to bring attention to a serious epidemic in the United States: police brutality; his actions sparked a much needed conversation.

Some may view Colin Kaepernick's choice to not stand up for the National Anthem as disrespectful, claiming that there would have been better ways for him to make a point. Protests are not supposed to be convenient or non controversial though; they’re supposed to make people angry. They’re supposed to make

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people impassioned so that they do something! Even if Kaepernick’s actions were disrespectful, are they really more infuriating to you than the deaths of Trayvon Martin, Sandra Bland, Eric Garner, Freddie Gray and Michael Brown? These are just a few names of the victims of police brutality that made it to the mainstream media. There are many, many more. The fact that people are being murdered in a country that boasts freedom from persecution should enrage you far more than what Kaepernick did.

Minorities have been disrespected by the United States since our country’s very beginnings. There have been landmark moments for freedom and equality, such as the Emancipation Proclamation or when President Franklin D. Roosevelt rescinded Executive Order 9066, an order which cleared the way for internment camps. Another landmark moment happened when Rosa Parks refused to get up from her seat on a bus to give it to a white man. When she peacefully protested, Parks was thrown in jail. We now view her as a person of extraordinary courage, a Civil Rights icon, and above all a hero. Colin Kaepernick risked his personal reputation and livelihood for others, ask yourself why you don’t view Kaepernick the same way as you do Rosa Parks. America might be the home of the brave, but is really the land of the free?

Why should you have to stand up for a song that is the very symbol of a nation that has disrespected its people for the whole of its existence?

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By Olivia Nasuta, Staff

M

odels kicked off their shoes, the audience-- filled with celebrities and fashion icons-- sweated out unseasonably high temperatures; a few models passed out, but for Heights sophomore, Hailey King, a model in Kanye West’s Yeezy Season 4 Show, this was all part of the day.

“This was my first major show, it was one of the most talked about shows in New York Fashion Week for a variety of reasons-- a whole lot of things happened on that day,” Hailey King, said.

New York Fashion Week is a semi-annual collection events and fashion shows that makes up a quarter of the “Big 4” fashion shows: Milan, Paris, London, and New York. The week long event brings in an estimated $900 million in revenue to New York City and the surrounding areas. Some of the biggst names in the fashion world, including Kanye West himself, bring top models and high fashion to the city’s 150 shows. It may not be the place that most high school students, whose focus is usually on school work and grades, imagine making their modeling debut.

“Balancing modeling and school work is really difficult, I got signed to Muse Modeling Agency at the Kanye West Show.

It’s overwhelming, dealing with modeling and school at the same time; you never know when you’re going to get an email or when you have to run to a casting call or even you’re forced to go model for something. You have to be really strong to balance both; it’s a lot to deal with,” King, said.

King’s path to the Yeezy Season 4 show wasn’t an easy one. Even after her invite, the sheer magnitude of the show, and the desire for eager models to be seen almost ended her dream debut before it started.

“It was horrible, there were girls lined up around the block. When we got to the front of the line, this lady told us there was no more casting. I told her I’m here because I was asked to come. I got picked because of my older brother; he’s in the fashion industry. My brother came down and got my friend Emily and I, and we got in. So many girls were pushing and trying to force themselves up front,” King, said.

A$AP Bari, member of the A$AP Mob hip hop group and King’s brother, was influential to King during her big break into the show, that was, by all accounts, hectic before it even started.

“There was a girl protesting outside of the building of the casting,ss holding up a sign and bashing Kanye saying he doesn’t like white men or woman. He asked for multi-racial people for the show . There were girls there who were Russian and Polish,” King, said.

King’s day was a long one -- a 7a.m. wakeup followed by a trip to Manhattan to prepare for the show.

“We left Jack Studios around 11:15a.m, and we got to

Hailey King Lands Spot in Yeezy Season 4

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Fall 2016 Photo: Juliet Zonzini

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Roosevelt Island around 12:30pm. The show started at 3:00pm and ended around 7:00p.m,” King, said.

The show, which received critical reviews, mostly for the conditions that the models worked in, took place slightly after 3p.m. in 85 degree heat. Attendees waited hours in the heat and humidty to see West’s designs, most of which were nude colored body suits and simplistic, earth-toned outfits.

“There was one girl in front of me who fainted and two models in the front row, they fainted as well, about 5 models fainted,” King, said. “I was scared, because it was hot and I was hot too. I started feeling dizzy so I told myself to sit down,”

Although fashion is often about self-expression and individualism, the show, which served as a look into the creative mind of West, and a showcase for his work, was a very structured affair.

“All the models had to sign contracts, we weren’t allowed to have our phones out. If you had your phone out you would get fined and you weren’t allowed to leak your location. The creative director was so strict, she would tell some girls she didn’t like some types of clothes on them. She would make them put on on one thing and tell them they looked great and to move along, but then would make them come back and she would change her mind. It was so overwhelming at the same time because you’re sitting there getting criticized, there were girls who had neon or purple colored hair and the directors would tell them to shave it off or they wouldn’t be in the show. And one girl actually shaved her head, she had lavender hair. Sometimes they even critiqued things you couldn’t change, like your teeth of body shape,” King, said.

King’s first look at high fashion was a succesful one. During the show, she got to meet Amina Blue, one of fashion’s most sought after models, and, before the show, she spoke with Kanye West himself.

“He told me it was okay that I couldn’t walk in the heels.

I wouldn’t hav a walking role, and I was still going to get paid for the show, I was just going on be on the side,” King said.

West even handpicked her outfit and completed it with a headpiece.

For King, the heat, early wakeup, a behind-the-scenes madness of the event were just part of the process.

“I knew it was going to be tough but it gave me a taste of this world. Being a student makes it even harder - I’ve had to tun down other opportunities because of their location or hours, but, I wouldn’t change a thing,” King, said.

School, however, remains the priority.

“Yes I’m going to pursue modeling after school. By the time I turn 19 I’ll be on the cover of Vogue,” King, said.

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By Darren Katz and Philip Miller, staff

I

f you’ve walked to the corner of Williams Avenue and the Boulevard during school hours, you’ve seen her - the brightly dressed, sometimes dancing, crossing guard who has become a mainstay in Height’s scholastic culture. Here, at one of the most dangerous intersections in town, stands Roneta Goldberg, tasked with keeping pedestrians, mainly students, safe.

“It takes a lot, and I mean a lot of work to keep the students safe,” Roneta Goldberg, crossing guard, said.

The intersection, one of the busiest in town, has a troubled past. A prominent incident happened in 2004 when a young boy was killed in a hit and run on the intersection. Two other incidents have happened recently where a man was killed and another was seriously injured on the busy street - all in the past three years. But recently, accidents at the intersection have gone down drastically.

Especially during school hours.

“I live in the area and know how dangerous that intersection can be,” James Muska, history teacher, said

Goldberg, however, approaches this job with a constant smile and infectious personality. She’s known for her flashly outfits, amimated hand signals, and her ability to carry a conversation with almost anyone.

“She does some crazy stuff, but I feel a lot safer with her than without,” Hasan Arain, senior, said.

Crossing guards have been a mainstay in American schools since the early 1920s. They were formed because of the increasing concern of children’s safety while walking to school at a time when automobiles and traffic accidents were on the rise.

“She does some crazy stuff, like clean the leaves with her stop sign, but it’s pretty funny and she does her job well,” Daniel Vignola, senior, said.

While crossing guards are common throughout the country, New Jersey has one of the highest employment rates of crossing guards in the United States. Crossing guards in New Jersey make an average of $15.30 per hour, and nearly $32,000 per year. The New York-New Jersey Metropolitan Area employs the most crossing guards of all metropolitan areas in the United States. Just over 7,000 more crossing guards than the second highest.

While they do a critical job in keeping students safe, becoming a crossing guard isn’t exactly a dream job. For some it may be a second job, or something to do. For Goldberg, it’s bigger than that.

“I wanted to be closer to young kids since all of my kids are all around the country and I don’t get to see them a lot anymore,”

On Guard

Roneta Goldberg Combines Safety and Fun on one of Heights’ Most Dangerous Intersections - at a Time When Pedestrian Deaths are on the Rise

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Hasbrouck Heights High School

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Goldberg said.

Goldberg’s personality, and poise under pressure, comes in a job where tragedy is more common than many believe. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, there were 120 crossing guards fatalities from 1993-2008. 14 of those fatalities were in New Jersey alone.

“It is a dangerous job, but my teachers helped me stay safe, and keep the students safe,” Goldberg said.

Companies such as AAA Insurance have been involved in keeping students and guards safe. They have helped with “Safe Crossings” which is a training program founded by the MidAtlantic Foundation for Safety & Education. They teach the traits and responsibilities of a crossing guard, as well as the necessary operational procedures. However, Heights participants go to the Bergen County Police Academy.

“If you want to become a crossing guard here you have to go to the Academy and the class is one day for about two hours.

The most experienced guards get the tougher intersections,” Officer Donohue, said.

Even with necessary training programs, potentially fatal accidents can still occur. Passenger and bicyclist deaths rose 24 percent in the last year. With that, pedestrian fatalities rose to a 14-year high of 173. Preliminary figures show that pedestrian and passenger deaths are keeping pace with last year. The intersection of Williams Avenue and Boulevard, as well as Boulevard and Stanley Avenue have been notoriously dangerous. In turn, the Hasbrouck Heights Police Department needed to make some changes.

“We changed some light patterns, added turn only lanes, and it’s now a big fine if you drive through the intersection with a crossing guard allowing kids to pass,” Donohue, said.

One of the things Mrs. Goldberg has done as a crossing guard is stand out. She’s become well-known among students and faculty alike. Always being personable and having a conversation with anyone who passes by.

“I love meeting and communicating with new people, especially young people, it keeps me going,” Goldberg said.

While she is well known among the school for her likability and some of her antics, she’s keeping students safe. And that is the most important thing.

“I give a lot of credit to my teachers, they really helped me get ready for this job,” Goldberg said.

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The ‘Simple Sport’ is anything but Easy

By Kayla Lisa and Gabby Torres, staff

S

omewhere, 200,000 years ago, a man ran through the woods. He was running from something, some adversity, and, likely, no one was watching- he just ran. If he made it out of the woods on time, he was safe, a winner, but, if he was too slow, that might have been the end of him. It was a race against the clock, a race to safety, a race to freedom. 200,000 years later, people are still running from something, running through the woods, attempting to beat not only those around them, but attempting to beat something intangible, the clock, the course record. This is cross country and for a high school student, it may be the most elemental of all sports.

“Cross country is like track, but without all the extras. We just run, that’s it, we don’t need batons or tracks or other events, we just hear the start and start running like a crazy mob,” Ryan Mernin, sophomore, said.

The sport is not for everyone. Almost everything about the sport, the early morning runs, the six day-a-week schedule, the monotony of the runs, and the simplicity of the sport, makes it both accessible and dismissible.

Anyone can do it - you don’t need any special equipment, you don’t even need a special place to perform.

Yet, most high school students won’t even dare to attempt the sport.

“It’s different from any other high school sport,” Mernin said.

Cross Country is an appeal to an easier time,

The 22 path less taken

Photo: Rei Vaka

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a much easier time, and relies heavily on human instinct. You just run, you go as fast as you can with minimal equipment. In a time of new and advanced sport science and technology, there isn’t much changing in cross country because of the sport’s simplicity.

“You don’t need anything to do the sport except the ability to run and if you’re not fast, it is almost guaranteed that you will get faster just from the practices,” Joseph Canavatchel, freshman, said.

The simplicity of the sport leads to a strange push and pull between the indepedence of the sport and the team aspect.

The scoring in cross country is largely team based but, the runing itself has very inherently independent qualities. Runners are attempting to run their best time and beat their personal records, but, they are all working toward the common goal of helping their team earn valuable places and ultimately win the meet.

“Cross country is different because you are pushing yourself to the Fall 2016

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limit but you are also aware that you are trying to help your teammates. Only five runners score so every point / place can be difference between a win and a loss,” Gianna DiLascio, junior, said.

The sport then becomes both a personal battle and a team effort.

“You’re never really running for yourself, what you do impacts the six other racers on the line with you. That’s all there is to it, you go out there and run, no big crowd, just you, your teammates, and the course,” Sara Herron, junior, said.

The course is what makes cross country truly stand out from all other high school sports. At a time when high school tracks are becoming scientifically engineered to be both weather-proof and produce fast time, the tracks, or courses, for cross country are simply there - they are specified areas of grass, dirt, and rocks.

There are no bleachers, no large crowds, and, for most of the race, you are unseen by anyone except your fellow competitors, because of this, the sport takes on a mental element along with the already present physicality of the sport. The athletes are running through wooded trails, over hilly areas, and across grassy fields for little over three miles.

“You are competing with your team but when you run, you run alone. The course makes it very different, people can’t really watch you and you need to look for where you are going. You need to dig deep down to find the motivation you need to get through the course because there aren’t fans cheering you on. The course is quiet, all you hear is heavy breathing and footsteps,” Dennis Riordan, sophomore, said.

Garret Mountain Course, located in West Paterson, and home to the league championship, is described on the USA Track and Field website as a course with a “grass start, and then a rough, rocky trail, leading to loop of lake and then an 800 meter up hill finish, in rainy conditions the lake loop can be very muddy”.

“We don’t practice on these courses, we practice on the streets in town. We run all kinds of distances, sometimes way more than we need to run for a race,” Mernin, said.

This again makes cross country different from any other high school sport. There is no ‘home field’ and the runners do not practice on the fields of competition. For Height’s runners, the Boulevard, and connecting streets in Wood-Ridge, Wallington, and Carlstadt, serve as the team’s practice areas.

Cross country is a throwback to a much simplier time, a time when many prided themselves on self-reliance The sport, while simple and authentic, is not for everyone, and, even with the sucecss of a league championship and seven All-League athletes, it still remains one of the school’s smallest programs.

“This is a tough sport. You have to be confident in yourself.

It sounds a little cheesy but you can’t give up when you’re running and you can’t ask for a sub. There’s no loud crowd to cheer you on. You’re going to feel pain, you’re going to run 3 miles on a rainy afternoon when everyone else is at home. This is why a lot of students don’t want to do it. You can’t rely on anyone else but yourself and some people aren’t ready for that,” Canavatchel, said.

Fall 2016

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by Bharadwaj Chirravuri, editorin-chief, & Rei vaka, staff

O

ver one million students play high school football across the nation - only 1,561 one of them are female. This year, Heights added a name to that very small list when Lamarie Schuler, freshman, became only the second female in Heights’ history to play for the esteemed program.

“It is history for Lamari, no doubt.

She not only steps forward for her passion for the game, but takes a path to show others that if it is something they enjoy doing, they should definitely go for it,” Patrick Gabriel, freshman football coach, said.

Since her early childhood, Lamari has had a profound passion for football. Whether it be watching games alongside her family or playing the sport with her father, she had always been involved with the sport.

As an incoming freshman, Schuler took the opportunity to approach the Athletic Director and the freshman football coach to try out for the team.

“I wasn’t nervous to ask to play, I was hoping to hear a yes because it has been a dream of mine,” Schuler, said.

Schuler followed in the footsteps of Zulma Sanchez, the first player to suit up for the Aviators in 2004, a program that has been active since 1920, and holds 21 state championship banners.

“I didn’t know the history of the team but I knew that I wanted to play,” Schuler, said.

The transition into the team wasn’t an easy one. Schuler went through the drills and weightlifting sessions with the rest of the team but felt distanced, at first, from the rest of the team.

“It was hard in the beginning. I felt just as awkward as they felt. There was some opposition, but it all evened out. I see it as an opportunity to try something new,” Schuler, said.

Football brought an inherently difficult element into Schuler’s acceptance on the field - tackling.

“Early on, many of her teammates were very timid and didn’t want to hit her.

Tackling Barriers Lamarie Schuler takes on traditional gender roles as she becomes the second female player on the Heights football team

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Pilot’s Log

Hasbrouck Heights High School

Fall 2016

Pilot’s Log

photo by Melissa Morales

Photo by: Vanita Patel

Lamari is just as important of a player as anyone else is and she should be treated like any other player as well,” Gabriel, said.

Over time, the players became accustomed to playing alongside Schuler.

They began to open up more and formed a heartfelt relationship amongst themselves, united as a team.

Schuler’s entrance into the football team represents a much larger trend in sports, and society, where traditonal gender roles are continually changing and being challanged.

tions. For example, in gym class, I have seen boys and girls separated when playing certain sports such as hockey. Right now, some consider boys to be much more physical than girls and because of that, gender associations in sports are supported,” Filip Checko, junior, said.

In their 2011 essay titled “Football, it’s a man’s game: Insult and gendered discourse in The Gender Bowl” Jacqueline McDowell and Spencer Schaffner of the Univeristy of Illinois note that ‘male athletes are portrayed and perceived as tough, hard players who rarely express emotions other than aggression and anger and only smile to celebrate victory, while women play the role of cheerleaders, who are perceived by the viewer to be feminine and glamorous, exhibiting cheerful emotions and glittering smiles, demonstratively cheering on “their guys”’. Schuler, like the authors of the piece, look to challange that traditional dynamic.

“When I started out, I was just doing this for myself. Now, I’ve had little girls come up to me and tell me that they want to play now because they see what I’ve done. I didn’t plan on it, but I think I’m helping to change gender roles,” Schuler, said.

She has the support of her coaches.

“When my son played, his team had a female kicker. Football and other sports have come a long way. If a female wants to play a male sport, there is no reason why not,” Nick Delcalzo, head football coach, said.

With the rest of the season ahead of her, Lamari will continue to play alongside her teammates for the Heights Football program. She serves as a role model to others who can look up to her commitment to the sport as an influential motto to follow their own aspirations.

“If you are good at something, don’t hide behind bars, come out and try it out for yourself. Take the opportunity to show others what you can do,” Schuler, said.

“When I started out, I was just doing this for myself. Now, I’ve had little girls come up to me and tell me that they want to play now because they see what I’ve done.”

“Our society has changed a lot in recent years and it’s no surprise that some sports that are gender specific may convert into multi gender sports.

However, gender roles in the athletic field still exist where some think that there are certain sports that are attributed to specific genders,” Michael Scuilla, athletic director, said.

Football presents and interesting dynamic and is truly a case study for challanging traditional gender roles.

For a sport that is traditionally rooted in maculinity, the idea of a female player taking the field alongside male counterparts makes some uneasy.

“Gender roles are still around in sports, mainly because of safety precau-

Hasbrouck Heights High School

Fall 2016

25

by Charles Elmo and Sienna Morales, staff

G

irls Soccer and Football may not have much in common.

Other than sharing the fall sports season, the two sports are almost complete opposites. This year however, thanks to the addition of the NJIC Tournament for the girls, and the restructuring of the high school football schedule for the boys, both teams can call themselves NJIC Champions after both won the inaugural titles in the respective tournaments.

“It means a lot for our school and it shows that we have great sports programs that are built by great student athletes,” Mike Scuila, athletic director, said.

The NJIC tournament was a regular season tournament opened to all soccer teams within the North Jersey Interscholastic Conference (the boys team declined to participate).The tournament took place on consecutive Saturdays during the regular season. Nine teams entered the tournament from the conference.

The final was played on October 29 Here, after the heroics of a late free kick from senior Sydney Fontalvo and a 13 save performance from senior Emma Nichols, the Lady Aviators beat the Hawthorne Bears by a score of 1-0 and were crowned NJIC Tournament Champions.

“I think it was such an amazing opportunity to be in the tournament in general and to win was icing on the cake. This looks great for our program,”Sydney Fontalvo, senior, said.

The path to the football championship was quite a different one. The NJIC, the only conference in the state to do so, decided to run a ‘true conference championship’ in which all 28 (7 teams in 4 conferences) football playing schools would send their divisional leaders into a single-elimination championship tournament after seven weeks of playing. The Aviators, winners from the Meadowlands Division, and Pompton Lakes, winner from the Liberty Division met in the championship game.

“In my coaching a career, it was the greatest game that I’ve ever been a part of. It was a great idea to run this and great tournament overall,” Adam Baeira, assistant varsity coach, said.

After trailing 13-6 at halftime, the Aviators, propelled in part by a large contingent of traveling fans, rolled the dice after a third quarter score and went for a two point conversion mid-way through the third quarter. The gamble paid off as the Aviators took a 14-13 lead, and, after big defensive plays in the fourth quarter, took the lead to the final whistle.

“This was a great tournament. It meant so much because sometimes the games at the end of the season sort of lose their importance. This one was very, very important and it felt incredible to win and to win the first ever instance of the tournament,” Frankie Quatrone, senior, said.

This ‘double-championship’ was a first for two historically successful teams and it gives them the distinct honor of being the first champions of their respective tournaments.

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Boys Soccer Wins

by Charles Elmo and Kayla Lisa, staff

I

t took 34 years for it to happen once-- then it happened twice in two years.

The Hasbrouck Heights Boys soccer team won its second consecutive league championship on October 28th after a victory over Paterson Charter, a new addition to a league filled with state tournament regulars North Arlington and Wallington.

“It felt great to do it again. We set goals at the start of each season. For this year, we wanted to make the county tournament, and we did. We wanted to earn a home state tournament game, and we earned the number one seed. We wanted to repeat as league champs, and we did that too. It’s crazy to think that we went all those years without a league champsionship and some of these kids got to enjoy two in their career,” Vincent Marchese, head coach, said.

The championship came as a bit of a surprise to the rest of the league as this year’s team is particularly young, with 3 freshman varsity starters, and the absence of last year’s recordsetting and All-State midfielder, Ervin Gjeli.

“A lot of talk around the league was about our percieved lack of goals. Obviously losing Ervin was tough, but a lot of younger players stepped up and the seniors realized the potential that we have. Coaches asked us if Ervin was playing almost every game and when we said “no”, I always had a little smirk because that meant that they had failed to pay attention to all of the other talent that we have,” Tom Hughes, assistant coach, said.

Gjeli’s absence wasn’t due to lack of desire. The senior achieved a life-long goal in late July when he was accepted onto the Albanian U-19 national team, making him one of the top players, in the Albanian soccer system, and giving him exposure on an international stage. With his absence from Height’s preseason, and his club committment to U-18 Red Bulls, Gjeli made a difficult decision to bypass his final year of high school soccer.

“It was a tough decision to not play for the school, but I knew that I had to do this. Life is about decisions and this one was about my future. I’m really proud of the team and I wish that I was playing with them. I didn’t get back from Albania till after the halfway point of the season and I would’ve only been eligible for five or so games. As much as I wanted to do that, there was always a chance that I would mess up the team chemistry. I love those guys, I would’ve hated to see that happen,” Gjeli, senior, said.

winner winner

girls soccer and football bring home NJIC trophies Pilot’s Log

Hasbrouck Heights High School

Fall 2016

BACK TwO BACK

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Pilot’s Log

Hasbrouck Heights High School

Second League Title

The team’s 17-2 regular season record (15-1 in the divison) was achieved largely due to some shuffling that was made during the preseason. Scott LiVechi, senior, maintained his defensive midfield role but was given a bit more range to move forward into attacking positions. Emiland Elezaj, freshman, filled into a new role that was vacated by Gjeli - the two combined to lead the team’s offense. Justin Rinaldi, senior, returned to the goalkeeper position after taking the year off last year and finished the regular season with 12 shutouts. The defense in front of Rinaldi was also quite new, with Jesse Danz, senior, and Justin Flores, freshman, earing their first varsity letters, and Kevin Owens and Joseph Terreri, converted midfielders, holding the outside back positions.

“Soccer is about adapting. We don’t sub or switch positions as much as other sports, but we try to teach our kids that they need to be able to play in different spots in case the situation calls for it. This year was a good example of why that is important,” Marchese, said.

The team’s recent success is part of a long, gradual rise in soccer in the town. It took 19 years for the team to get a tenwin season. The team, which had acted as a co-op program with Wood-Ridge, split from their neighbors in 2012. Now, however, the town’s youth programs see record signups every year.

“Coach Marchese showed us a paper that had every record of every team from the very beginning. It was cool to see the history of the program and all of the players who came before us and set the stage for what we’re doing now. You can start to see trends.

Coach Marchese’s senior year was the first team to get double-digit wins. Coach Thorne’s team made it to the State Semifinals for the first time ever when he was in high school. Last year’s team got there also. The trend is slowly moving upward; things that used to be records are now seasonal goals for us,” Danz, said.

The NJIC Meadowlands division looks to continue to be a formidable one. Seven of the nine teams in the division qualified for the state tournament during this season and all of the top teams have seen a recent surge in players for their programs.

“This years team showed us that we can compete with anyone. Winning back-to-back champsionships was a huge accomplishment but I hope that its the start of a long line of them and not the peak of what we can do. The pieces are all in place,” Owens, said.

Fall 2016

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Pilot’s Log

Hasbrouck Heights High School

Evan Georgatos runs toward the endzone in the NJIC Championship Game. The Aviators won the game, Fall 2016 and the inaugural tournament, 14-13 over Pompton Lakes.

Photo: John Hale