Newspaper of Summit High School
November 2012 Volume 13 Issue 2
Population Boom Stirs the Pot in Summit School System By CARLY NYMAN
INSIDE
Photo provided by Sarina Musallam
this issue of Verve:
As new classes enter Summit High School, there seems to be an exponential growth in the number of each grade. This year 306 freshman arrived at SHS, while there are only 274 seniors, 32 less than the incoming class. Summit High School has always prided itself on its’ high academic standard. Will this reputation be tarnished by this population boom and possible larger class sizes? The answer is no; Dr. John Schnedeker, the Director of Guidance at SHS explains that, “The overall goal is not to increase class size at SHS.” However, the challenge of space is a concern for the school. While class size will not drastically change in each individual classroom, there would be an increase in the number of classes being conducted at a time. For example, there would be more sections. Therefore, the number of empty classrooms each period will lessen every year. Of course there is also the concern of having enough space for all the students during lunch. While the senior lounge seating alleviates some pressure of fitting kids into the cafeteria, if the grades continue to grow over the next few years, the school may need to find another solution. One possible answer could be implementing last year’s trial block schedule that allowed students to eat in the cafeteria as well as the gym. So what does this all mean for the average Summit High School student? Surprisingly enough, this population boom
would actually benefit students. Instead of overcrowding classrooms, the schools would have to create more periods for each subject and even possibly introduce some new electives since there will be a greater demand for classes. As a result, the individual student will ideally have a better chance of getting put into their top-choice classes since there would be more classes of that subject being taught throughout the day. The true reasoning behind the population boom is unclear but Schnedeker describes how, “This national trend is even more exaggerated in the town of Summit.” Although the direct reasoning behind this exaggeration is also ambiguous, there is usually “a high-low pattern in the population of SHS students and this seems like another high point.” At Franklin School, one of the five elementary schools in the Summit district, two temporary classroom units (TCUs) have been installed for art and music classes. Although there is no permanent solution for overcrowding at Franklin, these TCUs will provide students with space to learn in, at least for now. Although it is unclear what will happen to the size of each grade in the next few years, it is apparent that the district will not let the population problem affect the great level of education of Summit students, and that there are even some unexpected perks from this population boom.
SHS Student Band Emerges By EMME HARRIS
Cabaret
Globe...............2 Opine..............3 Buzz...........4&5 S&S.................6 Turf............7&8 Cabaret...........9 Hurricane Sandy.............10 Upcoming events: 11/8 Dunce Day 11/11 Veterans Day 11/26 Thanksgiving 11/27 Black Friday
Photo provided by Emme Harris
More Cabaret pictures on page 9!
Group Shot! The Searchlights Ryan Wilkins, Will Kaplan, Matt Mahoney, and Julia Heckelman pose for a photo in the concourse.
The Searchlights, an Indie Rock band, features the talent of four Summit High School students. The band consists of seniors Ryan Wilkins on vocals and guitar, Will Kaplan on bass, Matt Mahoney on keyboard and other instruments, and sophomore Julia Heckleman on drums and ukulele with additional vocals. Ryan founded the group in 2011 and recruited Will and then later on Matt and Julia. They started by playing covers but are now focusing more on original material. Groups like Pink Floyd, The Beatles, Grateful Dead, and The Rolling Stones are big inspirations to them. The band also incorporates instruments like the mandolin and the ukulele for a unique sound. Matt Mahoney talks about the name, “We're called ‘The Searchlights’ because everyone is searching for something, and everyone has something someone is searching for". They hope to have an album release by the summer of 2013. When asked about their goals Will Kaplan replied, “Just to play the stuff we like, if people like it we’re happy”. The Searchlights have yet to make their public debut, but according to Ryan Wilkins, “We will be playing private ‘backyard sessions’ and more publicly at MONDO in town”. Be sure to check out The Searchlights on Facebook for updates, sneak peaks on upcoming music, and to support the band.
Verve Views: What Would You Change About SHS? By TOMMY DISIBIO
Hilary Fryburg: I want to have a longer lunch period!
China and Japan Unsettling Matters By WILL LYCAN
Over the last century, the relationship between the two Asian super powers, China and Japan, has become stressed. Spanning from the first conflict of World War II, inhumane acts of war on both sides, and recently a dispute over the Senkaku Islands in the South China Sea, the two Nations seem far away from being peaceful neighbors. The Senkaku Islands (also known as the Diaoyu to the Chinese) are predicted to have more natural gas per square mile than any other region. With both countries demanding energy and resources, the Senkaku Islands are an important step forward into becoming more energy independent, but for whom? The Nation of Japan prior to October, had private sector ownership of the islands, which have now passed into the hands of the Japanese Government. However, China claims that the islands are Chinese territory, and that all Japanese claims
Summit High School 125 Kent Place Blvd. Summit, NJ 07901 Principal: Mr. Paul Sears Assistant Principals: Mr. Tony Akey Mrs. Stacy Grimaldi English Supervisor: Mr. Corey Walsh Adviser: Mrs. Anne Weisgerber
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Rob Chase: Protein shakes after gym, so I can get my beef on!
Coach Freisen: It's perfect. Summit High School is a perfect place to work and Teach!
Liam Lawler: I want to be able to purchase and eat food during class.
Ellie Galiardo: I would like to have longer study halls!
New Stem Cell Discovery Generates Excitement in the Scientific World By MIRIAM MELLER
of ownership are baseless. In one of the rare chances of allowed public assembly in China, protesters took to the streets with anti-Japanese sentiment while the Government looked away. Due to Defense Security Treaties with Japan, the United States will be responsible for defending Japan if they are attacked. If China were to launch an offensive on Japan, American forces would fight to defend the Japanese. Essentially this would begin a war with China. The big question is what would happen to our economy if the two countries begin a war?
Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that could potentially become any type of cell in the body (kidney cell, brain cell, etc.) Currently, biologists and doctors have been able to grow organs and other parts of the body out of these cells. Recently, a team of researchers in Japan has reported that it has successfully created eggs of a mouse from stems cells that eventually grew into healthy offspring. This newfound use can have a huge impact on the lives of millions around the world. If scientists were able to reproduce a mouse through a cell, it may be possible to produce a human through one cell too. There are several ways to do this. The first is extricating a stem cell through an embryo. This process kills the embryo and is considered controversial. The second option is to use a different type of stem cell that is similar to the embryonic cells but comes from adult cells such as skin or blood. Be-
EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Miriam Meller and Carly Nyman
SCREEN AND SOUND Section Editor: Gwen Rogers
FRONT PAGE Section Editor: Jamie Macpherson
BUZZ Section Editor: Tommy DiSibio and Felisa Delli Santi
Here, a young Chinese protester tells Japan to get out of the Senkaku Islands in one of the few chances for the Chinese population to take to the streets without police and/or military intervention.
GLOBE Section Editor: Alex Arias-Herrador OPINE Section Editor: Lindsay Leiter
Photos Provided by: Emma Standing
Bob Moriarty: I want some TVs in the senior lounge to watch Tiger tee off!
Amanda Bringewatt: I want it to be easier to get to the library in study hall!
Photo Provided by www.theatlantic.com
Chris Zanelli: More library spots, because it's too crowded to study!
TURF Section Editor:Stephanie Ollom
ing able to do this in humans will take a lot of research and time. The studies done on the offspring of the mouse show that “about half of the stem–cell derived [eggs] had an extra set of chromosomes. That indicates a breakdown in meiosis, the process of halving the genetic material doled out to eggs and sperm,” according to The Guardian News. The new discovery could lead to many problems of childbearing being solved including infertility. Women who have become infertile due to cancer treatments or older age would be able to have the option of raising their own healthy children. In the future, humans might be able to choose certain traits that they would like to have in their children. These include eye color, hair color, and fine motor skills. It seems as though, this new breakthrough is a door to many more possibilities and choices about a life.
Reporters:
Emily Harris, Julia Heckelman, Nic Lalicato, Carly Leiter, William Lycan, Max Macpherson, David Meyers, Sarina Musallam, Meredith Robertson, Elizabeth Schaffer, Megan Shaw, Jackson Sidebottom, Madeline Simko, Emma Standing, Xiaoying Yu
Cabaret Page: Carly Nyman
November 2012
Letters
iPhone 5 Review
Akey Responds
Some students have made their way to my office and have noticed a little something on the window of my door. It’s a simple message that reads. Blame Nobody. Expect Nothing. Do Something. It’s a philosophy I try to use in my daily life, and in the wake of Storm Sandy, it speaks volumes. I was blown away by the volunteer work of so many people. A crisis arose and it begs the question: how did you respond? Were you helpful? Were you kind? Did you lend a helping hand or at least a smile and a nod? On our first day back I went to visit Calvary Episcopal Church to see what they were offering to people without power. What an inspiring scene. There were many people making sandwiches. They were offering 3 meals a day to anyone in need. They had a nice warm, cozy environment with Internet availability. They wanted to help people without power and heat. I went up there to see Dave Murphy, one of the owners of Towne Deli. He was donating his time, expertise and supplies. He was doing all of this while his business was still without power. We shook hands and I told him how impressed I was to see what he and the volunteers were doing. I voiced my concern for his business and told him I was sorry he was still without power. He just smiled and said it would be okay, and that this was one of the best things that ever happened to him. He was thriving while helping others. He blamed no one. He didn’t expect anything. He did something. Peace, Love and the Woodstock Nation.
The innovative new iPhone 5. The iPhone 5 (right) is slimmer, lighter, and has a bigger screen than the iPhone 4 (left).
Immediately after the release date of the new iPhone 5, the halls of SHS were dotted with students who were lucky enough to have made such an extravagant purchase. Assuring instant popularity for a day, these students were surrounded by gawking friends who could be seen holding the new mobile device delicately in awe. But is this phone nothing more than a passing hype? The release of the iPhone 5 on September 21st has put the world—and many SHS students—in a craze. Being the first Apple iPhone created and released without Steve Jobs, it was a big day for the company and buyers alike. But according to many critical reviews, the technical aspects of the new device
make it no more appealing than the older generation of iPhones. Senior Will Kaplan boldly stated, “I have no problem with the iPhone 5, but really, you might as well wait for the update because this phone doesn’t have much that the regular 4S doesn’t have.” Besides the obvious change in screen size, width of the phone, and the smaller charging outlet, the iPhone 5 now offers 4G LTE. Not to mention a pair of newly improved headphones that are included with each purchase. So although there may be a few downsides to the improved design, for example the new style of charger, phone case, and dock you would need to buy, there are still many people that are pleased with their purchase. When junior, Carolyn Burns was asked what she liked about her new iPhone 5, she stated, “Other than that it’s an iPhone? Well, I do like the bigger screen because personally I think it looks better. But really, I just absolutely love it.” This new phone had previously been advertised to work faster, feel lighter, and look better—all revolutionary advances in the world of technology. Although there still remain many skeptical buyers, seeing this slim new phone may be uncommon in the future as the rates are still rocketing sky high.
YOSO (You're Only a Senior Once) By EMMA STANDING
Senior year, let’s go everyone! Shout out to Lauren Fiorito for trade marking the phrase YOSO (you're only a senior once), which will hopefully soon start to trend. Let’s hope that everyone in the 2013 graduating class has finished SATS or is close to being done. They were just so fun and I’m sure everyone will be extremely upset that we’ll no longer be granted the opportunity to voluntarily wake up at 6 am to take a 5-hour test. Now let’s get into college and prove to everyone, including ourselves, that these four years have been used wisely and productively. Congrats to all of our sports teams for doing an exceptional job in their seasons. Something I will regret about high school is not taking part in a school sport. I was going to join the girls’ volleyball team this year, but I’m sure they’re glad I spared them the embarrassment of having a rookie on the team. If SHS got a goat costume I’d be more than willing to dress up in it and be the mascot… Anyway, I’ve made it out to a few sporting events to support these hard-working athletes. A lot of you have claimed not to see me on the sidelines, but I was there! I hope everyone’s seasons end on a good note, hopefully with some championship titles. Let’s talk about the Senior Superlatives! The results caused an uprising
of many angry 12th graders. I found it extremely humorous when people claimed the votes were rigged, because let’s be real, who has a better nickname than Jemma? And since when did “ratchet” become a real word? Let’s use some of that SAT vocabulary, people. Anyway, congratulations to those who won one of the various superlatives, and better luck next time to the others. I hope this doesn’t destroy anyone’s senior year…. Anyway I hope everyone continues to have an extraordinary year filled with education, new opportunities, and magical experiences. All right I sound like such a weenie, but really make this year count! Take it from Jemma, I know everything!
Photo by Lindsay Leiter
Dear Editor, The presidential race has become a sport, like baseball and football. Along with the excitement of the MLB playoffs and the halfway mark of the football season, there is a crazed amount of brainwashed fanatics on both sides. One example of this could only be the zealously mistaken Democrat from Cleveland, claiming to be recipient of a free ObamaPhone that all minorities will receive if he is kept in office. But along with bizarre bandwagon democrats and republicans, there is a large crowd of undecided voters in America. What these voters want are real answers – and they are getting zip. The perfect example of this is at the October 16 town hall debate, when a 20-yearold college student and first-time voter, Jeremy Epstein, asked for some assurance that he’d have the prospect of getting a job when he gets out of college. Mitt Romney proceeded to waste at least ten seconds of his precious 120 thanking everyone for coming, then went on to repeat the question a few times, finally wending his way to an answer. He talked about his John and Abigail Adams scholarship, which gets kids in the top 25 percent of their school a full scholarship, but never really got to Jeremy’s problem. President Obama, when he had the chance to answer Jeremy, instead attacked Romney and launched into his prepared talking points on union jobs, student loans, and green energy. Hey thanks, guys –fantastic answers. It is hard for an undecided voter to know anything about Romney and Obama’s plans for the future, besides what each thinks the other is doing wrong. Another SNAFU in these debates is the lack of a strong moderator who can keep the candidates on point. One wise character on That 70s Show, Red Forman, says, “Without rules, we might as well be up in a tree flinging our #*@! at each other!” Candy Crowley and Jim Lehrer demonstrated feeble control and little enforcement of the rules. The moderators’ time management and at times biased actions were atrocious in the debates – especially on October 16. The debates have been all over the place this year, with neither candidate revealing any evidence of how they are going to make changes. Campaign season is always interesting, but is it supposed to be this distasteful to watch? We are in the wake of one of the dirtiest campaigns ever, and why is our media—the people’s voice—resigning itself to simply rooting for a train wreck? Sincerely, Jordan Aaron
Photo by Nick Lalicato
Photo from ustoday.com
By MEREDITH ROBERTSON
Seniority! SHS Seniors with good grades and behavior get to enjoy the privilege of having an unassigned study.
Verve Editorial Policy: Verve is a publication open to opinions of its readers. Please submit all letters to shsletters2editor@gmail.com. Letters must be signed and will be subject to editing for space, grammar, and factual accuracy. However, all efforts will be made to preserve the writer's intent. Libelous and inappropriate writing will not be published in the Verve.
November 2012
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French Club
By MATTHEW MAHONEY
Lives Change with Education
Photo from tlc.com
Photo from panasonic.com
By LINDSAY LEITER
The Eiffel Tower awaits the French Club’s arrival.
In September, the French Club had its first official meeting where it discussed the exciting trips that the club would take throughout the year, including going to see Cyrano de Bergerac in New York and the voyage to Montpellier in April. The first of many great excursions this year will be to Manhattan! On Thursday, November 8th, the club will watch the critically acclaimed Broadway hit Cyrano de Bergerac, starring Tony Award winner Douglas Hodge and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 actress, Clémence Poésy (Fleur Delacour). Before the showing, the French Club members will eat French fare and discuss the exciting trip t o F r a n c e . The trip to France is an exciting thing for the entire school. The exchange in April will take American students to France to live for a week with their new companions, and the following week, the French students will come to America to stay with Summit High School students! Madame Blanton’s correspondent in France is Monsieur Whelan, and he is planning on sending 23 French students to Summit. Two years ago, there were only 15 French students who came to
Summit, but as the program has grown, so has the interest. The itinerary for the Americans going to France has yet to be officially revealed, but Madame said that a trip to Paris is obviously a must. Instead of flying into Paris, the group will fly to Barcelona and spend one night in a hotel there. The day after their arrival, the group will travel on a bus along the Mediterranean coast through the Pyrenee mountains to get to the beautiful city of Montpellier which sits in the south of France, just a short drive from the Mediterranean. Once in Montpellier, the students will meet their French friends, and will spend the rest of the stay at their houses. Day trips include Paris, Carcassonne (a city within a castle), and Nîmes (home of the best-preserved roman aqueduct, and the birthplace of Denim de Nîmes).Students from America will also get a chance to go to school with their friends for several days. The club and its adviser, Madame Blanton, have planned a tremendously thrilling year for French enthusiasts. The club turnout was the highest ever at the first meeting.
Blind Date:
Six is a Crowd, yet Chivalry Reigns at Friendly’s
Photo By Nic Lalicato
By NIC LALICATO
Mmm milkshakes. Our blind-daters, (L-R) Carly, Ellie, Bobby, and Nate shake it up in New Providence
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Summit High School’s newest club is SEEDS, which stands for scholars, educators, excellence, dedication, and success.Founded in 1992,SEEDS prepares and funds high-achieving, low-income students for admission to private schools and colleges across the country. The SEEDS students are handpicked from poor academic environments and sent to excellent schools in the area with SEEDS’ economic assistance. Ellie Schaffer, one of the presidents of the club, explains that “not all kids have the same educational opportunities that we do here in Summit. But they should, and we can help.” SEEDS students stand out academically in their classes and show a desire to expand their knowledge and succeed in school. These students attend school six days a week, Monday through Saturday; and once a month on Saturday club members will serve breakfast to SEEDS students at local schools. Other actions of the club include various fundraisers, some as classic as bake sales or car washes, and others more unique. For instance, one of the first fundraisers is a Bar Method class in downtown Summit where all the proceeds of the class will go to SEEDS. Although SEEDS is new to SHS, it is not entirely new to Summit. Will Schaffer, an 8th grader at Lawton C. With over 1,000 students at SHS, there are plenty of candidates to bring on a blind date. Junior Bobby Moriarty presented himself as volunteer for this month’s outing, and the Verve staff decided to match him with sophomore Ellie Schaffer. Ellie, however, said she would have nothing to do with this adventure unless she could include a friend on a double-date. Her friend Carly Leiter agreed to go along on the date, bringing Junior Nate Bowyer. The pairing set, a setting was chosen: Friendly’s in New Providence would be the spot for this blind date event. Friendly’s had the name Verve hoped would set the tone for this date. Due to the reporter-on-assignment’s driver’s license mishap, there was no way of getting to the destination without help. Senior Emma Standing agreed to be the chauffeur. During the car ride, the couples chatted in the back while Emma drove and Verve road shotgun. While jamming to
Johnson Summit Middle School, got involved in SEEDS for his bar mitzvah charity project. He sponsored a senior at Delbarton School in Morristown named Wade. Wade was a stellar student and basketball player and had been receiving aid from SEEDS for much of his educational career. Will Schaffer’s financial and moral support created a tight bond between the two boys. This year, Wade is a sophomore at Stanford, where he is attending school on a full-ride, and is a member of their revered basketball team. Wade’s success story is just one of many that has come from SEEDS, and Summit hopes to continue to fulfill the dreams of qualified, deserving, underprivileged students in New Jersey. Sophomores Ellie Schaffer and Ellie Galiardo, the co-presidents of the Summit chapter, brought this club to the high school. Their adviser, Mrs. Hough, is “excited to be part of a club with such a great cause; helping underprivileged students receive greater education opportunities.” The club meets at 7:10am on Thursdays in room 101, so if you are interested in joining this club be sure to stop by! songs like “Boyz in the Hood” and “Hollaback Girl,” the couples seemed to connect. Ellie was impressed by Bobby’s new driver’s permit, but when arriving at Friendly’s the couples knew they would actually have to sustain a conversation and it got quiet for a moment as everyone became a bit jittery. After ordering milk shakes, Ellie revealed that she only ate green mint chocolate chip ice cream. The boys ordered barbecued chicken sandwiches and the girls shared an order of fries. The conversation topics ranged from Carly being late for the date by forgetting her phone, to Bobby’s hopes and dreams of becoming a pro golfer, and then, just as it looked like they might all meet up again. Nate and Ellie indicated maybe that there was “somebody else” in their lives, (Continued page 5....)
November 2012
Students Welcome New Faces to Hilltopper Family (continued from October)
Ms. Bailey: English
Ms. Asha Bailey has joined the Summit High family as the newest English teacher. After attending Rutgers as a grad and undergrad, Ms. Bailey taught 12th grade English at Ridge High School. She has always been interested in teaching English. Following her job at Ridge, Ms. Bailey taught 8th grade English at a charter school. So far, she likes Summit High and thinks that all of the staff and students are very supportive. Ms. Bailey describes her happy moments as the times when she is eating cereal and/or watching cartoons. Put them together…she’s in heaven. Ms. Bailey informed us of her love of reading. Chuckling when we pointed out that was far from ironic for an English teacher to say this, she said, “Let’s put something cliché in there, I enjoy literature.” Summit High School is lucky to have scored another awesome English teacher!
Ms. Scozzari: Art
By ELLIE SCHAFFER and CARLY LEITER way. She says that Summit students are really friendly and outgoing and she’s enjoying her first months here. Outside of the classroom studio, she is a photographer and a painter, spending most of her time refining her art skills. Tellingly, when she first began teaching, her maiden name was Ms. Arts…ironic, eh? So for all of those interested in any kind of art, stop by room 122 and get to know Ms. Scozzari.
Ms. Rodriguez: Spanish
Joining the Summit High clan of language teachers is Ms. Karina Rodriguez. Over the summer, she received a call from SHS asking her to move from the middle school to the high school. Ms. Rodriguez grew up nearby in Sussex County where she learned to speak Spanish and English at the same time. Later she attended Farleigh Dickinson University and knew that she wanted to be a Spanish teacher. In her free time, Ms. Rodriguez loves to travel and has ventured far abroad to countless Latin American countries. The farthest country she has traveled to was Argentina and her favorite trip so far was Puerto Rico. Ms. Rodriguez proclaims, “Me gusta hablar español,” (I like to speak Spanish). So don’t hesitate to drop in and say “Hola” to SHS’s newest addition to the foreign language department.
Ms. Cino: Technology Ms. Meghan Scozzari is excited to be at SHS as a new art teacher. She previously taught art for six years at DePaul Catholic High School and Wayne High School in Wayne, NJ. Ms. Scozzari says Summit is a very different from her past teaching experience, and in a good
November 2012
Ms. Michelle Cino is the newest computer lab aide at SHS this year. Previously a third-grade elementary school teacher in Bridgewater, Ms. Cino fits right in to the Summit Hilltopper family. She received her master’s degree in instructional design at Seton Hall University, along with a certificate in technology. Ms. Cino has always been “technology savvy” and is enjoying SHS thoroughly because it reminds her of her own high school experience. Teaching at a high school level is different than what she is used to, but she describes the shift in venue as “very refreshing.” Ms. Cino is most excited to participate in the high school events that she was unable to experience while teaching at the elementary level, such as Homecoming and athletic events. So next time you forget your computer password or need help logging on to your account, stop by the computer lab and introduce yourself to Ms. Cino!
Ms. Dorstek: Physics
From math to science, Ms. Angela Dorstek has got it all. She is the new freshman physics teacher at SHS and is already having a great time teaching. Last year, she taught at Hoboken High School as a math teacher and applied to Summit as a math teacher. However, she was hired as a physics teacher. Ms. Dorstek has embraced her new role and loves it here at Summit. She did research at Stevens Institute of Technology and NJIT prior to becoming a teacher, and received her degree in math and physics, Ms. Dorstek replied, “I like both, they’re both fun.” After teaching in Hoboken around those who she describes as “city kids,” Ms. Dorstek loves the SHS students’ energetic vibe, and the suburban feel of Summit. Welcome aboard, Ms. Dorstek!
Mr. D’Angelo: English
Mr. August D’Angelo is one of four new members of the SHS English department. A graduate of Middlebury in Vermont, D’Angelo studied in Alaska and Oxford, and he loves to teach, especially the freshmen and the seniors “Freshmen come to the school with wide eyes, eager to please. They are also silly and goofy.The seniors are older and you can talk about more mature topics. I like to wish them well in the next step of their lives. I like to be a part of that,” says D’angelo. He might look young but he got his tenure in the last school he taught, adding, “I worked at Pequannock High for twelve years before I came here.” Mr. D’Angelo has a lot of surprises to him, like his love for theater. “I produced a show called ‘Zabaione for Two’ in Montclair,” states D’Angelo. He hasn’t owned a television for eight years because he wants to be inspired as a writer. That’s the same reason he wants to live in New York City one day, for the i n s p i r a t i o n . Blind Date: Six is a Crowd (continued from page 4...)
and a follow-up date was not in the near and friendly future. Uh oh. The food was brought out and everyone ate his or her meals semi-awkwardly. After eating, Bobby picked up the tab in a show of chivalry. Everyone headed back to the car and began the journey back to Summit. It was thought that Ellie and Bobby seemed to have a pretty good rapport. Only their hearts can say what happens next.
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Taylor Swift Debuts New Album
25 Days of Chistmas
By FELISA DELLI SANI
Swift’s new Grammy winning album “Red” hit iTunes on October 22nd, racing to the top of U.S. album charts immediately, and didn’t budge for three consecutive weeks selling 1.74 million copies, winning the title of best selling album of the year. Generally critics love the new sound, New York Times critiJames Lachno deemed “Red” an “eloquently written transition album for the maturing starlet”. Also Summit High School’s very own country music critic senior Abby Rasweiler praised the album as well “I absolutely love “Red”, it’s a perfect combination of Swift’s old sound with a new Pop sound that adds a vibrant twist”. The album has 16 tracks, featuring the most well-known “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”, and six other upbeat Pop songs including “Starlight”, “Stay,
Stay, Stay”, “22”, “ I Knew You Were Trouble”, “Holy Ground”, and “Red”. Swift’s new album also features a song called “Everything has Changed” a first ever collaboration with British singer and song writer Ed Sheeran, and “The Last Time” featuring Gary Lightbody, unlike her other albums which were all written and sung solo. Another stand out song is “The Lucky One”, where Swift explains the details of fame, and how it doesn’t always offer an ideal life as most perceive. All stick to Swift’s classic country style with a new and refreshing flare. All and all Swift’s new CD is a hit, incorporating a new and improved sound, yet keeping the classic make up/ break up theme which has girl across the country hooked; another great accomplishment for the young singer and songwriter.
Going Medieval: When Will March 31st Arrive?
By OWEN CROWL Although the Game of Thrones solution would be futile due to the countdown website displays only lengthy production process as well 118 days until the return of the as the producers needing extra time show, it seems that March 31st is to make each episode captivating, only receding farther and farther the show has room to space out away each day. There is no feel- and nothing would become less of ing comparable to the anguish felt the show’s quality. Other top HBO during the monotonous period be- shows such as Entourage were able tween the season finale and season to space out their episodes mainpremier of a show. No such period taining high ratings and ultimately feels quite as extensive as the 284- reducing the gap between finale day break between the Season 2 fi- and premier to about 8 months. nale and Season 3 premier of Game However long a break still, Enof Thrones. Since March 31st. Over tourage showed that there is room 3 million viewers have been left to reduce the gap between premier wondering what will become of the and finale while maintaining the show in the third season after the quality of the show. Based off of second season left numerous un- Entourage’s success as one of the answered questions and suspense. top shows on television for nuWhile others might argue such a merous years, it is apparent that
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the Snowman, the original A Christmas Carol, It’s a Wonderful Life, and even A Christmas Story were all cut from the viewing list. I understand that not all classics can be included but when time slots are consumed by the likes of Willy Wonka and Harry Potter while holiday icons are sidelined; 25 Days of Christmas becomes more about viewership numbers and less about holiday cheer. It’s quite disturbing that ABC has strayed from the majesty of the winter holidays in favor of movies certain to reach a larger audience. If you love watching obscure holiday movies, fifty reruns of Home Alone, and every movie not even related to the holidays, then 25 Days of Christmas is for you.
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A perfect tune!... Check out Taylor Swift's newly released song “Red”!
December is now upon us and that means the return of ABC Family’s 25 Days of Christmas T.V. special. This year’s 25 Days features over seventy different titles, while not all are full-length films. Mediocre straight to DVD/TV movies are a staple of ABC and 25 Days of Christmas has them in abundance. However, nostalgia is guaranteed when viewing such classics as Home Alone, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Miracle on 34th Street, Little Drummer Boy, The Santa Claus, Elf, and The Family Man. Similar to last year’s special there are many beloved holiday classics excluded in favor of more family oriented films. I was very disappointed to find that Rudolph, Charlie Brown Christmas, Frosty
this solution can be executed. With over 3 million viewers watching the Game of Thrones countdown website seeming to get farther and farther away in days each day, the extensive period of anticipation must be eliminated. It
is futile to think a show would air only ten episodes in 76 days of the year. In order to amend this crisis, episodes must simply be spaced out over a longer time, or more episodes must be produced.
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By JACKSON SIDEBOTOM
November 2012
MLB Playoff: Tigers and Giants play for the Championship Title
NHL Lockout Still Looming Negotiations continue as the NHL and NHLPA try to agree on a Collective Bargaining Agreement
By JAMIE MACPHERSON
By STEPHANIE OLLOM Whether you are a football, basketball or hockey fan, lockouts have been evident in all three sports in the last two years. Although the NFL lockout never missed any games, the effects were felt by the ill-prepared teams and businesses. For the third time in Gary Bettman’s tenure as NHL Commissioner, there was a work stoppage in the National Hockey League. Eight years ago the entire 2004-2005 season was lost because the NHLPA and the NHL couldn't agree on a salary cap. Also, during the 1994-1995 season, half of the season was lost. Lockouts are confusing situations that only few understand fully. Who are the sides? What are they fighting for? Why are they willing to lose the season? For starters, neither side, the NHL, which consists of the team owners, or the NHLPA, the Players Association, which consists of the players, want a work stoppage. But they cannot agree on a solution for their problem and that is the thing that stops them from playing. What is that problem one might ask? It is how to split the revenue made by the NHL each year. During the 2004-2005 lockout the players were granted about 57% of the revenue, while the owners got 43%.
Many might ask, “Does it really matter that much? Is it worth losing a season over?” And really, there is no answer to those questions. In the players and owners mind, money is one of the, most important parts of playing or owning a hockey team, and in reality, it is just a bunch of billionaires fighting for money from millionaires. The common theme that players and owners can agree on is that ‘the fans are the ones who are suffering the most’. That may be true, but if they really felt sorry for the fans, they should give them their hockey back. All they need to do is agree on a way to split 100% fairly. Shouldn’t that just be 50-50? Donald Fehr, the current leader of the NHLPA, is not one known to get through work stoppages easily. He represented the players during the MLB strike through 19941995, where the ‘94 World Series was cancelled along with 935 games. Hockey may not be America’s typical pastime, or the most popular sport among fans, but there are many die hard hockey fans that will miss the season greatly. With Donald Fehr representing the NHLPA, don’t expect hockey anytime soon.
This years MLB playoffs included a nice new mix of teams playing for the World Series. The Washington Nationals had an outstanding season. Winning the National League East won the team their first trip to the playoffs since the move to Washington. Even Baltimore, a below average team in the past, won a wildcard spot. Despite the mix of new teams, baseball juggernauts like the Yankees and Giants made the playoffs once again. The first round of the playoffs proved to be an exciting start; all four of the first round matchups went the maximum five games, with the Giants, Cardinals, Yankees, and Tigers all advancing to their respective leagues final. The Giants and Cardinals were matched up to play in the NLCS, the final round to determine who will play for the World Series. The Tigers and Yankees were pitted against each other for the ALCS with the winner
playing the NLCS champion for the World Series. The Tigers dominated the Yankees in the ALCS, winning in a commanding four games. The NLCS on the other hand, was close to the end of the series; the St. Louis Cardinals had a 3-2 series lead over the San Francisco Giants but failed to close it out, losing game 6 by a score of 6-1. The Giants ended up winning it in game seven, with a whopping score of 9-0. Both teams will pose a threat, their strong pitching and offense has allowed them to go this far. The Giants and Tigers both have a lot of momentum, game one turned out to be a crucial turning point for the winner in the World Series. The Giants were able to gain the upper hand winning game one and two with convincing scores. The Tigers need to win both games at home or they will be in deep water come game five.
Mens' and Womens' Soccer
Persistent rain throughout the early stages of the 10/2 game would hold off on a gloomy day that would culminate into another victory for the Men's Varsity Soccer team. At 4:15, the referee's whistle blew signaling the start of the game between the 6-2-1 Hilltoppers against the Arthur L. Johnson Crusaders. After precise passing and skillful ball control by senior midfielder Alejandro Ramirez, Summit opened the scoring in the seventh minute when sophomore Eric Reyes capitalized on a through ball by Ramirez that was mishandled by ALJ's goalkeeper. With solid play from the defensive unit, Summit pushed the ball up the field and scored again in the 35th minute when junior midfielder Michael Williams lofted a through ball over the defense to a sprinting junior right wing John Burns, who slotted the ball home making it 2-0. For Burns it was his first goal of the season. Returning from an injury, senior captain Will Gerard banged a header into the back of the net in the 23rd minute of the second half sealing the door shut. When asked what he thought of Summit's performance, Michael Williams remarked, “A.L. Johnson is a good team, which we've had a close encounter with in the past, so it felt good to hold them to a 3-0 shutout this time around.” With goals from striker Eric Reyes, midfielder John Burns, and captain midfielder Will Gerard, Summit improved to 7-2-1 with a 3-0 victory.
By ERIN LEGOFF AND KAITLIN STEWART When the women's varsity girls soccer squad walked on to the field at game time on September 27, everyone knew they had a lot to prove. Going in to the 7 o’clock game under the lights with a previous record of 2-8, against the best team in the league, the odds were definitely against them. Summit’s opposition, Scotch Plains, led the game within the first three minutes with an early goal. Summit retaliated with a goal nearly 28 minutes in, shot by junior Holly Confalone from a corner-kick by team captain Anna Johnson (other captains are Stuart Humphrey and Jess Sanyour). Summit took the lead when junior Stephanie Ford, who was playing in her first game of the regular season, scored in the middle of the second half off of another assist by Anna Johnson. Summit’s lead would not last, when Scotch Plains scored with 10 minutes left in the game. Immediately after, when the clock wound down to nine minutes, Summit captain Stuart Humphrey scored, bringing an end to the game with a final score of 3 to 2. Callie Humphrey, freshman goalkeeper who ended up with an impressive 13 saves, summed up the team’s efforts. “We worked hard and we were really looking forward to this game. I think we proved tonight to never underestimate yourself.” When the final whistle blew, the whole team ran onto the field jumping for joy. Lauren Diaz said, We never gave up until the last whistle blew!"
Photo provided by Owen Crowl
By OWEN CROWL
Womens' Soccer
Goal! Members of the Mens' Varisty Soccer Team celebrate a goal during thier game against AL Johnson
Photo provided by Erin LeGofff and Kaitlin Stewart
Mens' Soccer
Loosen up! The Varsity Girls' Soccer Team warm up before their game against Scotch Plains
November 2012
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Mystery Marine
TURF
Friday Night Lights Recap
By JACKSON SIDEBOTTOM
By BA'SHAWN MICKENS
Photo provided by http://www.summitnjfootball.com
D.J. Stewart, who turned in a stellar performance, said before the match, “I’m pretty confident coming into this Rahway game, and I’m just overly excited to play under the lights tonight, in front of all the Summit fans.” And there were fans galore. The Friday Night Lights game was packed like a high maintenance girl’s suitcase on a vacation. Seating was scarce. Impatient teens screaming for their team to get out onto the field, their clear voices sending a clear message to the opponent that this was going to be a battle. Summit came into this game blazing hot after its big win against North Plainfield, and Rahway just couldn’t seem to get it together. Summit won the coin toss and chose to take possession from the start. Rahway’s kick was high and deep, and was returned by senior Kyr’e Negron for a first touchdown. This auspicious beginning to the game uplifted the crowd, and Rahway seemed plain baffled by their huge mistake within seconds of the opening. Mike Badgley advanced the ball for
Shhh! Coach John Liberato poses with the Mystery Marine before a game this year.
He does push-ups with the cheerleaders and works out with the football team yet nobody seems to know his name. Although the true identity of this man is not clear to all, it has been confirmed he’s a volunteer marine. Chances are if you have been to a football game this year you’ve seen him on the sidelines encouraging the team and doing push-ups. However, not even the players know his name
“I just call him Sarge,” said sophomore, Stevie Rainero, starting center for the football team. While his names a mystery he does bring quite a positive influence to the cheer squad, “He does push-ups with us and he’s funny. He encourages us and is just so nice,” exclaimed sophomore, Sara-Beth Arnold. While known by everyone he has yet to be named and is truly a mystery marine.
Mens' JV Cross Country
Fall Sports Game Reviews
By DAN PHIPPS
Junior Runner Hauls in Personal Best
The JV XC squad competed at the shootout in Jamesburg, NJ. Despite it being a cloudy and overcast morning, over 800 runners and spectators were on hand. In the meet Summit’s JV team shone, finishing 4th overall out of 24 teams. Finishing ahead of the Hilltop team were Old Bridge, Notre Dame and Middletown. The JV average for the top 5 runners who were senior Matt Casagrande (7th place 18:30), senior Adrian Hache (22nd place 19:07),
9/29/12: Competing in the Varsity C race, the SHS Women’s Varsity Cross Country team worked together earned first place at the Six Flags Wild Safari Invitational. Out of the 129 runners, Gillian McIlroy led Summit by finishing in fourth place with a time of 18:47, her personal best. Gillian admits that she “might have gone out too fast and was tired at the end, but…really wanted to get under 19.” Gillian also commented, “We did really well as a team. All the girls were just trying to stay together.” Right behind Gillian finishing in 19:38 for ninth place was senior Kirsty Gargiulo. Following close behind was
sophomore Alex Roduit (32nd place 19:28) senior Rafael Dungca (47th place 20:05) and senior Andrew Rupkey (50th place 20: 15) was 19:49. For JV cross country the runners competed in a 5 kilometer (3.1 mile) race with 149 runners. In big meets like these only the top five runners are scored. Coach Neal Sharma was very pleased with the results, and also believes that this year’s team has a lot of potential. He often tells his runners: “Pack mentality, because the pack wins.”
Photo provided by Anika Becker
By ANIKA BECKER
Run On! Junior Gillian McIlroy runs in the Varisty meet at Six Flags Wild Safari, clearly ahead of the pack.
55 yards to Rahway’s 10-yard line, and then kicked a 29-yard field goal due to Rahway’s sturdy defense. To end the first quarter, Rahway’s long snapper snapped the ball over the kicker’s head, resulting in Summit scoring a safety. To make matters worse, a vital interception from senior Will Shamim in the start of the 2nd quarter dramatically reduced Rahway’s slimming chances. Kyr’e amped up the pressure by scoring a touchdown off a 66-yard pass from senior Michael Badgley. Other notable plays: On the first snap of a 3rd quarter drive, Senior Tyler Carbone hit Negron for a 29-yard pass. Badgley completed a 50-yard pass to Shamim. Negron had an 85-yard kick return for a total of 3 touchdowns. In the end, Rahway showed another pulse of life by making its way 78-yards downfield in 6 plays to score. Even though they were hanging by the threads of their teeth, they still had a chance to put a dent in the lead, but an incredible interception from Nick Watts put an end to the comeback. No more scores from Rahway in the 4th quarter.
sophomore Amanda Brodow. Brodow came in 15th place in a time of 19:54. Other impressive times included senior Emma Olcott in 20:04, and juniors Hannah Feeney and Anna Baumeister, tying with 28th and 29th 20:38. Also contributing to the meet was senior Gabriella Quille with a time of 21:20. As a team, the average time for the 5k run was 19:47.87. Other teams that competed in the varsity C race included Harrison, which came in second place as a team, and St. Marks, placing third. Summit’s coach, Mr. Dave Field says he couldn’t be more proud of the girls’ sweep of the competition.
Varsity Cross Country By ETHAN MANDELBAUM 10/6/12 Shore Invitational. Twenty teams. Thousands in attendance + 60 degrees = perfect running conditions. Out of 137 varsity runners, Summit’s own Leland Jones came in 1st place in the biggest meet of the year before championship season, the Shore’s Invitational, which is ran at Holmdel Park, the hardest course in the state. Leland helped the team pull off a second place finish, running a phenomenal 16:50 five-kilometer race on a notoriously difficult course. Post-race, Leland said, “It felt incredible, as well as extremely painful. I won this meet [as a freshman] last year so it felt great to
come back and take first a second time. My teammates did amazingly and we all ran a great race.” The course is infamous for “The Bowl,” a half-mile of extreme decline, then turning around, immediately going into an uphill half mile. Other memorable features for runners on this course are the “Roller Coasters,” or steep rolling hills of the Holmdel woods. Also competing in this race were sophomores Mitchell Booth and Ryan Blume, junior Niko Nyktas, and seniors Neil Harkins, Sam Porter, and Matt Casagrande.
Page 7
November 2012
Cabaret Recap Article and Photos By SARINA MUSALLAM
One last time...together now! All the seniors involved in cabaret sing “Seasons of Love.”
On October 19th, Summit High School held its ninth an-
nual Cabaret. The evening started off with an introduction to
the theater program by hosts Gillian Dukoff and Chris Melka.
The first performance of the night was by Dana Goodstein who sang, “Live out Loud”. At the end of her performance she was greeted with appraising applause. Following her Will Elia sang “No More,” Brynn Johnson performed “The Steps of the Palace”, Keanan Buckley sang an Irish brogue while performing the song “Streets of Dublin.” Abby DePhillips and Isabelle Sacks followed him in the song “Freedom” and Lynsey Newsham who participated in her fourth and final cabaret at the high school sang “The Wizard and I.”
Half way through part one, a dance performance to the song
“Lay All Your Love on Me,” choreographed by Sydney Thornell, energized the crowd. Other memorable performances from act one were performed by Jack LeGeoff , Abby Beier, and Hayley Dalton and Brad Przedpelski . One of the most memorable acts of the
Singing solo! Senior Rosemary Walters belts out a solo called “Watch What Happened.”
November 2012
Duets are best. Juniors Abby DePhilips and Isabelle Sacks sing “Freedom.”
evening was “Gaston” performed by faculty members, Matthew Block, Dan King, Wayne Mallette, Francois Suhr, and Paul Sears. Mr. Sears made the crowd laugh acting as Gaston, the egotistical hunter in love with Belle. This number ended act one.
Lynsey Newsham, Christina Tsanas, Greg Archer, and Will
Elia opened act two singing “The Facebook Song”. Emily Claypoole gave a heart-warming performance singing “Someone Else’s Story” and was followed by Claire Fitzpatrick and Katie Suffern who both gave an unforgettable performance singing “If Mama Was Married”. Mr. Mallette sang “Flying Home” as one of the last acts of the evening. His strong voice had a powerful affect on the audience and at the end of his performance he was rewarded with a standing ovation. The evening wrapped up with all the seniors singing “Seasons of Love”. After the cabaret ended Anna Tselevich, one of the stage managers, exclaimed, “I thought the performances were amazing! The evening was very emotional because this was the last cabaret for the seniors. Overall everything was great!”
A romantic duet steals the show. Seniors Hayley Dalton and Brad Przedpelski
sing “The Next Ten Minutes.”
Page 9
Zap! Downed power lines were the cause of many street closings in Summit.
Photo provided by Carly Nyman
Photo provided by Maddie Simko
A destructive path. Many fallen trees damaged cars and houses across the city.
Photo provided by Maddie Simko
Photo provided by Miriam Meller
In Case You Missed It Hurricane Sandy: The Aftermath
Back to the 70s. The long gas lines were unavoidable when Sandy hit. Lines were as long as three hours in some places.
Photo provided by Carly Nyman
Photo provided by Carly Nyman
Do not cross. Police worked hard to make sure citizens were not in danger after the hurricane.
A real mess. Thousands of customers in Summit and the tri-state area lost power due to the high winds and the falling trees. Unfortunately, many still did not have power as schools began to open.
Page 10
Another one bites the dust. The city warned citizens to stay inside during the devastating storm because of the risk of downed power lines and trees.
November 2012