Spotlight April 2017

Southern Lehigh High School 5800 Main Street, Center Valley, PA 18034 Volume 60 Issue 4

Solehi Breaks Pennies for Patients Fundraising Record Read more on pages 2-3 and 16.

Photo Credit: Maggie Moerder

In this

Issue:

Meet Hunter Kane, a sophomore who is working to get her pilot’s license, on pages 4 - 5.

Lights, camera, prom! Check out highlights from the second annual fashion show on pages 8 - 9.

Get to know senior Andrew Rochon before he heads to Yale University this fall on pages 14

Page 2

The Spotlight

News

Solehi Color Guard Gains a New Field of View

by Bridgette Lang

Members of the Southern Lehigh Color Guard got a taste of world class winter guard at a clinic on March 18 and 19, when they spent several hours each day learning from the independent indoor color guard Field of View, in order to brush up on and improve their skills for the next season.

Field of View (FOV) is a registered Winter Guard International team. In an attempt to bring a local team to the West Chester area, FOV was formed by Todd Marcocci in 1989. One year later, they broke into finals at world championships and remained perennial world-class finalists through 1998. After a ten-year break from competition, Field of View was reformed as an open class team in 2009, under the direction of David Stillman, and was promoted to world class after winning the open class bronze medal at the Winter Guard International (WGI) World Championships in 2013. There is currently no age limit in world class, and the members of FOV are predominantly in their 20s, but range from 16-35.

Bringing both of the teams together was the effort of English teacher and coach Mrs. Marlo Spritzer. She is the director of Southern Lehigh’s color guard, and a long-time staff member with Field of View, where she serves as staff coordinator, equipment technician and member of the design team.

“I’ve been doing color guard for a very long time, since I was in high school” Mrs. Spritzer said. “When I was in my early 20’s, I actually performed with Field of View. There was an age limit at that time, which was 22. After not being able to perform anymore, I wanted to give back what I got out of it, and became an instructor.”

Mrs. Spritzer became the coach for Southern Lehigh’s color guard in the summer of 2015, when band director Mr. Larry Fisher joined the Southern Lehigh faculty. Being an instructor for both color guards gave her the opportunity to bring them together, which she describes as her “two worlds colliding.”

When Field of View was looking for a local rehearsal space to coordinate with their competition at the WGI East regional championships at the Stabler Center, Mrs. Spritzer thought it would be the perfect opportunity to expose the Southern Lehigh students to an advanced level of color guard and expand their knowledge.

Building on the basics they already knew, the Southern Lehigh color guard members refined techniques and learned new moves by working with the Field of View members and staff at a familiar location. Mrs. Spritzer paired her high

Field of View helped members of color guard mprove their skills for the next season. Photo credit: Mrs. Marlo Spritzer

school students with members of FOV who volunteered to help provide them with one-on-one feedback during the clinic. Working closely with one another under Mrs. Spritzer’s supervision allowed Field of View volunteers to address individual focus correction areas and help the Southern Lehigh students to improve their technique.

“One type of a new skill I learned with FOV was how to do the 45 toss, which was very difficult for me to do because I had never done that toss before,” junior color guard member Jessica Martin said.

Field of View has run numerous high school clinics in the past. At most of their workshops, they’ve worked on basic skills and helped to teach a portion of their routine to show high school students what they do at a normal practice. Many of the members also work as high school color guard instructors in addition to performing with Field of View.

“I’ve taught high school programs for about seven years now,” Field of View captain Brian Rosa said. “I also teach high school biology. Working with people younger than me is pretty much my career, so I’d say it is pretty natural at this point.”

Southern Lehigh students had the opportunity to learn Field of View’s warm up exercise, which is a combination of dance moves and stretches choreographed to a piece of music.

The warm up is always used at the beginning of rehearsal and before performances to ensure that members do not injure themselves and feel ready to perform.

“It was a little intimidating at first to be working with older and more experienced people,” sophomore color guard member Alyssa Kovacs said. “Once I got used to it, all of the team was really helpful and sweet.”

Unlike many high school level sports, color guard can continue for many participants even

after your formal K-12 education ends. High school color guard serves as a stepping stone to not only college marching bands, but independent A class, open class, and world class winter guards, as well as drum corps.

“The demand on my body and my mind is much higher [compared to high school guard], and every year I get to learn something that pushes me to increase my skill set,” Rosa said.

“On top of that, I have to make sure I make it look effortless. World class is about mastery and performance.”

Many Southern Lehigh color members are inspired and striving to pursue color guard beyond marching band. Currently junior Celeste Tran and freshman Nicole Schaffer are already performing with small independent winter color guards in the Lehigh Valley.

This clinic helped the Spartan color guard experience what the future may have in store for them if they continue to work their hardest in high school guard.

“If I work hard enough and move up through different class indoor color guards, I would love to be a part of a world class [team],” freshman color guard member Nicole Karol said. “I love color guard with everything I have and would do anything to do it professionally.”

Field of View captain Brian Rosa teaches a warmup to freshman Patricia Baddoo. Photo credit: Mrs. Marlo Spritzer

Orchestra Students Achieve PMEA Regional Honors

by Ashley Jann

Vezenov and Quinn moved onto regional orchestra. Photo credit: Shannon Quinn

Over the course of several months, three Southern Lehigh students auditioned for and successfully advanced in the fifth annual Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) Orchestra.

Sophomore Andrew Curtis and juniors Shannon Quinn and Maxim Vezenov all qualified for district orchestra, and both Quinn and Vezenov moved onto regional orchestra.

There are various levels of PMEA, starting at districts. Then, they move up to regions, states, and all-states. To qualify and be placed, musicians must learn and practice a piece of music on their own and then audition for a judging panel.

Quinn and Vezenov felt that they were very well-prepared for the auditions. They have both gone through the audition process before, so they knew what to be ready for.

“Last year I auditioned, but I wasn’t well-prepared, so I didn’t make it,” Vezenov said, “but this year, I practiced more.”

Band and orchestra teacher Mr. Larry Fisher knew that they were ready to play.

“They spent most of their time working with a private teacher,” Mr. Fisher said. “They knew the material.”

The regional orchestra festival takes place over a span of three days, during which the orchestra students are judged to see whether they will advance on to states.

“We have two days to rehearse with the conductor,” Quinn said. “The final day we play, we have a banquet and a concert.”

No Southern Lehigh students advanced to the state orchestra, so the 2016-17 has ended for them, and they have their sights set on next year.

April 2017

News

Page 3

NHS Smashes Pennies for Patients Goals

by Ashley Jann

Students were shocked to discover that they had surpassed their fundraising goal, and raised $5,865 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Photo credit: Maggie Moerder

On March 9, the Southern Lehigh High School community came together for the second annual Pennies for Patients pep rally, sponsored by the National Honor Society (NHS). The money that is raised goes to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS), which works to research and find a cure for blood cancer.

Senior hosts Kevin Publicover, Timothy Walter, and Sean Welsh kicked off the pep rally by highlighting the many accomplishments of Southern Lehigh’s clubs and activities.

Next, guidance counselor and NHS adviser Mrs. Lynn Kelly discussed the purpose and success of the Pennies for Patients fundraiser and intro-

duced the officers and members of the campaign along with members of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, who revealed the amount of money raised. The student body and staff aimed to raise $5,000, but they surpassed their goal and collected $5,865.

“Since last year’s goal was $4,000, we wanted to exceed that goal to raise more money,” Pennies for Patients co-president junior Vanessa Oviedo said. “During one of the meetings, we sat there and brainstormed and came up with a bunch of ideas, and we chose the best ones to do during the pep rally,” The planned events for the pep rally correlated with fundraising goals.

Starting at $1,000, six teachers got a pie in the face, and $2,000 assistant principals Mrs. Beth Guarriello and Mr. Thomas Ruhf ate gross foods. For $3,000, science teachers Mr. Edward Sinkler and Mr. Jeremy Deyton sumo wrestled in blow-up suits, and for $4,000 principal Mrs. Christine Siegfried and Student Resource Officer Brian McLaughlin got “slimed.” In a grand finale for meeting the $5,000 goal, English teacher Mr. Joseph Castagna and math teacher Mr. Ryan Haupt faced off in a rap battle.

Students cheered on each event up to the big finale. Mr. Haupt began the rap battle, wearing a sideways baseball cap and a huge gold chain. Mr. Castagna followed, wearing a black tank-top and getting the crowd involved in a chant that ended with screams and applause. Mr. Castagna was declared the winner of the rap battle.

“I think I gave the students their money’s worth,” Mr. Castagna said. “Mr. Haupt...not so much.”

Teachers who were involved in the events enjoyed participating in the fundraiser. Mr. Sinkler saw this as an opportunity to get the crowd excited while raising money.

“I didn’t hesitate to volunteer because it was a great cause,” business teacher Mrs. Joann Peralta said.

Students and Staff Dance for a Cure

by Danielle Alpert

Students and faculty raised a grand total of $30,700.68 for Four Diamonds. Photo credit: Danielle Alpert

When asked to spend ten hours at school on a Saturday, the responses elicited from most students would likely be unwilling groans and protests. However, when charged only $10 for food, drinks, entertainment, along with the chance to help children fight cancer, many students will jump at the opportunity. On March 25, about 250 students did just that when Southern Lehigh High School held its second annual Mini-THON. The original THON began in 1973 at Penn State University to raise money for Four Diamonds, an organization that provides money to families who have a child with cancer and to supply money for pediatric cancer research. Since its origination, THON has vastly increased in participation. Mini-THON, modeled after THON, was started in 1993 and has also been rising in participation among high school, middle school and elementary school students. Senior Justine Groeber brought the first Mini-THON campaign to Southern Lehigh last year when she was a junior.

This year, Southern Lehigh doubled the number of students participating, and about 100 community members attended as well.

“Some of the most popular events that happened at our event this year was our big capture the flag and dodgeball games. Those always get students really hyped up and excited,” Groeber said. “One of the other crowd favorites was at the end of the night when we had [live bands] Above the Mendoza and Buying Time play, and had a glow hour while we jammed out to some awesome music.”

This year Southern Lehigh students raised $30,700.68 -- two and a half times the amount raised in 2016, and $5,000 over the 2017 goal.

“I had Mr. Ruch hide the total from me until the final reveal, and that made the total reveal so much more awesome for me,” Groeber said.

“When I was finally able to really digest how much we raised for Four Diamonds, I was overwhelmed with pride and happiness that our

school was able to come together and raise so much.”

Junior Thomas Matsamura will be taking over as Mini-THON chairperson next year and plans to continue many of Groeber’s fundraising initiatives.

“The way Justine had it was incredible,” Matsamura said. “The biggest thing is to find a way to get more people to participate to be able to raise more money.”

Social studies teacher and student council adviser Mr. Troy Ruch supervises the Mini-THON committee and believes that Matsumura will do an excellent job filling Groeber’s shoes.

“Tom is very hard working,” Mr. Ruch said, “and he is willing to make it happen for a good cause.”

Page 4

Features

The Spotlight

Flying High with Sophomore Hunter Kane

by Aries Baringer

“I’m probably most excited about all the opportunities that flying offers me,” Kane said. “I don’t think I have anything to worry about.” Photo Credit: Hunter Kane

For the past few months, sophomore Hunter Kane has been training to receive her pilot’s license. She spends her time once or twice a week after school at the Lehigh Valley International Airport practicing. Ever since she was young, she knew this was something she wanted to do.

“Have you ever seen what the high school or Giant looks like from above?” Kane said. “It’s amazing how tiny we really are and how big of a world we live in.”

At the age of ten, Kane became hooked on flying when the Quakertown Airport offered free first plane rides for children to get the feel for it.

“Right away I thought it was amazing,” Kane said. “Looking out that window of a plane and seeing how small people are… I really enjoyed it.”

She now participates in a program known as ACE Pilot Training and practices flying with her assigned instructor. She generally flies a small plane, such as a Cessna 152, which has a wingspan of about 33 feet.

“The program that I do [is] a ‘go-with-the-

flow’ kind of program,” Kane said. “Often times when I fly, I will take off and fly to a practice area with an instructor and practice maneuvers until I have enough hours to get my private license and the experience needed.”

There are recreational, sport, private, commercial, instrumental, and airline transport licenses. The license Kane is working towards allows her to act as the ‘pilot-in-command’ of a private aircraft, but without getting paid for the time she flies.

“You can do so many things with a pilot’s license,” Kane said. “I could go into the military, which is something I’m leaning towards. I would get to do something I love but also protect our country at the same time.”

Kane must complete at least 60-70 hours of flying by herself as well as with an instructor and be 17 before she can qualify to get her license.

Once she receives her private license, she hopes to go on to get her instrumental certification.

Out of all of the licenses, instrumental is the hardest to receive. When flying a plane, the pilot has a “blindfold” on that makes it impossible to see outside and they can only look at the dashboard. The pilot must rely on their instruments to fly the plane.

“I don’t know a lot about acquiring a pilot license, but when I fly I would prefer a pilot that is focused and can easily overcome an obstacle,” math teacher Mrs. Erin Everett said. “I see both of these qualities in Hunter in the classroom and in conversations outside of class. It doesn’t surprise me at all that she is training for a profession with such high responsibility.”

Many of her teachers believe this experience and training gives insight towards her personality.

“Hearing that Hunter is training for her pilot’s

license does not surprise me at all. In class, she’s highly motivated and isn’t afraid to put her hand up and take risks to answer questions,” science teacher Mr. Erik Steiner said. “I think going for her pilot’s license is just another example of that aspect of her personality and I have no doubt that she’ll be very successful.”

As Kane continues to train for her license, she constantly reiterates her gratitude for the opportunity to fly and being able to experience something so rewarding and unbelievable.

“When they say, ‘the sky’s the limit,’ it really is. The biggest pro to me is that I have an unlimited amount of opportunities,” Kane said. “If I can fly a plane, I can do anything.”

Kane gets behind the controls of this Cessna plane when she takes to the skies. Photo Credit: Hunter Kane

Speech and Debate Coach Receives Prestigious Award

by Aries Baringer

Diamond Coach awards reflect excellence and longevity in Speech and Debate. These awards are handed out by the National Speech and Debate Association. Photo credit: Talia Trackim

This winter, physics teacher Mr. David Long received the prestigious Triple Diamond Award from the National Speech and Debate Association. This is Mr. Long’s 25th year of coaching the speech and debate team at Southern Lehigh High School.

“I was quite happy and proud of myself,” Mr. Long said. “When I competed in high school, my coach had only got the Double Ruby Award, and it’s cool to see that I have gone farther than my predecessor.”

When members of the team compete, they earn points depending where they place. Coaches get ten percent of what the team earns. The First Diamond award is 1,500 points, the second is 3,000, and the third is 6,000. Mr. Long has coached 60,000 points.

“Through his coaching of the team, you can really see how dedicated he is to helping us achieve and work to our fullest potential,” junior Melissa Stough said. “He really believes in the club and all it stands for, showing that he truly enjoys speech and debate and cares about the people on the team.”

Mr. Long has been interested in speech and debate since he competed on his high school’s team at J.P. McCaskey High School in Lancaster.

He also spent time coaching another high school before coming to Southern Lehigh.

“The year before I started here, I was at Lower Merion where they also had a team,” he said. “And then in my interview with the superin-

tendent here at the time, she actually mentioned the team, which helped me get back into it.”

Although coaching the speech and debate team can be very time consuming, Mr. Long is dedicated to the team and grateful that the school is supportive.

“What really makes it enjoyable is seeing [young] people learn how to communicate and express themselves well,” Mr. Long said. “We have dramatic performances, which is also an expression because you have to understand what the character is trying to get across. Another thing is watching students find their voice where they say here is my idea and here is how I want to express it.”

In addition to the 35 members already on the team, Mr. Long looks forward to continuing to coach the team and hopes more students will join and follow their passion as he does.

“Public speaking was never something I enjoyed, and without a coach like Mr. Long, I don’t know that I would ever have become fully comfortable with it,” senior Sarah Mackin said. “Also, aside from competing, I really enjoy the discussions we have with him at practice or on rides to tournaments about absolutely everything.”

“I don’t think any other coach could make speech and debate as enjoyable as Mr. Long does,” senior Brian Smith said. “He’s very supportive and ridiculously hard working, and that effort has a positive impact on everyone who joins the team.”

Features

April 2017

Page 5

Students React to New Morning Tardy Crackdown

Tardiness is a reoccuring problem, one especially plaguing Seniors and Juniors who can drive to school. Recently, administration has started stopping students at the entrance and marking them tardy there, instead of at the main office. Administration started doing this because of students evading the main office in an attempt to not be marked tardy. In the student handbook, you can be marked tardy for arriving anywhere from 7:30 AM to 9:00 AM. Photo credits: Allison Borelli “I’m not a fan, because one time I could have booked it to class in a minute and they’re really doubting my abilities.”

-Senior Katherine George “Standing in the line is like waiting for a carnival, except instead of the anticipation of having a good time there’s this feeling of anxiety, like am I going to get a detention?”

-Senior Andrew Luvender

“I think it’s a little unfair because they’re standing and waiting at 7:38 when there’s still a minute left until I can get to class, and if I run I can easily get to my classes. And one time, this actually happened, I walk up and it’s 7:38 in the morning and there’s a line out the door because these people are already taking late people super early, way before the bell even rang. I was going to come in and wait, but I left and went to Coop D because I thought that was unfair and I could have easily gotten to class instead. If I’m going to be one minute late, I might as well be 45 minutes late.”

-Senior Timmy Walters (left)

“[The new procedures] are B.S. They come out with two, three minutes to get to class and they want to stop you. They don’t want to see us succeed in life and it’s all about trust in the process. I come to school everyday to learn and and learn how to learn and prepare myself for a better future. First thing in the morning I like to come in with a smile on my face, and it’s a vibe killer…. I know my rights as a SL senior and I think this is a little far-fetched of a policy….. They’re advertising it’s better to be late than not in aschool at all.”

-Senior Marco Spinosa (Right)

Dan Qian and the SparTechs Reign As Judges’ Favorite

by Sarah Walters and Allison Borelli

Two years. 730 days. 17,520 hours. All spent in the pursuit of one thing: robotics. Okay, not really, but a good portion of senior Dan Qian’s time since sophomore year was used to make history, when Southern Lehigh’s robotics team, the SparTechs, won the Judges Award at a March 19 competition at Bridgewater-Raritan High School in New Jersey.

The first 15 seconds of every match all robots must drive without human interaction, which is where Qian’s effort shined the most.

“When the SparTechs won the Judges Award, it was clear [it was for] Dan Qian’s autonomous program, Build an Auton 2.0.” sophomore team member Brandon Myung said.

This is the first time in the SparTechs’ 15-year history that the team received the Judge Award, which is given when the judging panel decides a team’s unique efforts, performance, or dynamics merit recognition.

The Southern Lehigh senior was motivated by need to make an application differing between two programming systems.

“I was frustrated with having to write new code every time a minor change was needed, since this would take time and wasn’t completely reliable,” Qian said.

His first try was using “a drag-and-drop” method which is similar to the Lego Mindstorm

Robots. These are the same robots used in middle school and in high school Foundations of Tech class.

Using the school robot he went through trial and error processes to eliminate minor issues.

“There were plenty of times I hit walls or almost hit people testing it,” Qian said.

Qian’s frustration is understandable, as one small error in his code could cause the entire program not to run, or fail. This application has not only bought the SparTechs more time but saves them from possibly losing a competitions due to minor issues that could throw off the whole task of the robot. “[The first time we used the program] I would honestly say I was relieved, because I wasn’t sure if it was going to work,” Qian said.

The application, called Build an Auton 2.0, has even caught attention from other teams, who used the program and have given positive feedback.

Qian said the award would not have been possible without the support of robotics team coach Mr. Robert Gaugler and the other members of the SparTechs, specifically junior Ben Zalatan who helped code the app, and senior Josh Wentling who produced an advertisement the team plays at competitions.

This is the SparTechs robot they built and used this year.

It is the robot used for every tournament, only undergoes minor tweaks between events, and uses Qian’s code.

Photo credit: Mr. Gaugler

Page 6 Opinion

The Spotlight

Staff Editorial: Prepare but Don’t Panic Southern Lehigh High School 5800 Main Street Center Valley, PA 18034 (610) 282-1421 x7122 slsdspotlight@gmail.com Twitter: @SLSDspotlight Facebook: Southern Lehigh Spotlight The Spotlight is published six times annually by the student members of its staff. Its purpose is to present news concerning Southern Lehigh High School and the Southern Lehigh School District, as well as to provide a forum for student opinion. Editorial content of The Spotlight expresses the view of the paper and not necessarily that of the Board of Education, Administration, or faculty of the Southern Lehigh School District. Bylined editorial content and letters to the editor represent the opinion of the writer only. All contents are copyrighted by The Spotlight. Advertising and subscription rates are furnished upon request.

Faculty Adviser Mrs. Marlo Spritzer

Editor-in-Chief Talia Trackim

Multimedia Editor Nicole Schroy

News Editor Izza Choudhry

Features Editor Allison Borelli

Center Spread Editor Danielle Alpert

Opinion Editors

Caitlin Roth and Rachael Borelli

Our World Editor Sarah Trebicka

Entertainment Editor Jamie Kish

Sports Editor

Townsend Colley

Staff Members Ben Baca Aries Baringer Sarah Jacobson Ashley Jann Maggie Moerder Quinn Schmidt Sarah Walters

Pennsylvania School Press Association 2016 Gold Rating 2015 Gold Rating 2014 Gold Rating 2013 Silver Rating National School Press Association 2016 First Class Rating 2015 First Class Rating

For many, high school is merely a stepping-stone to the next great adventure: college. Because of this, students may find themselves overwhelmed in the vain attempt to get perfect grades and participate in as many clubs and sports as possible, just to be accepted into the university of their dream. The problem with this is, not everyone can be the best student and know exactly where they’re headed in life, and that’s okay. You don’t have to know everything right now, or be the best at everything.

Preparation for College Throughout high school, students may feel pressured to earn high grades, hold a good GPA, and choose the hardest classes. Though it is important to achieve the most you can, it shouldn’t come to the point of sacrificing what you genuinely enjoy. Don’t make yourself play a sport if you have no interest in it, or force yourself take all Advanced Placement classes if the end result doesn’t leave you satisfied.

This all comes into consideration when choosing your electives as well. Foremost, still leave time to spend with friends and family. Your best memories from high school will most likely come from the time that you spend with your closest friends, so make room in your schedule to create memories that you can look back on. Don’t skip out on homecoming, football games, or fun Friday nights to make flashcards for a test two weeks ahead.

Picking Your Major As high school students we are often asked about our college plans. At gatherings and family reunions, we are bombarded with questions concerning our educational path for the future. The thought of having to choose a major at such a young age can be daunting. However, going off to college without having your life planned out is perfectly acceptable.

Attending college undecided gives an opportunity to

learn more about yourself by taking a variety of classes.

Freshmen in college usually take a set of required general education courses to build up their skills, regardless of their declared majors. This also allows room for a student to explore a variety of classes and make a more informed decision when choosing a major. In fact, it’s better to go undeclared than to lock yourself into a major that your parents or family members pressured you into.

Listen to yourself and don’t let others choose your major for you. The happiest life you can live will come from self-satisfaction and enjoying what you do.

Choosing Colleges We all have that one Ivy League pipe dream; you get into Harvard, or maybe Yale, study your dream major, and end up having a fulfilled life. This inflated image of your future can be damaging to the way you view yourself and others. A lot of variables come into play when colleges accept you, like race, economic status, and space in a certain program. It’s impossible to control who you are or what you look like. What many don’t realize is that just about any college can lead you to a fulfilled life.

Set your goals high, but be realistic. Community colleges are an option that many students don’t consider, but can provide a quality education comparable to any other university. Ultimately, your position and progression in your future career will be based upon your work ethic, not because of which college you attended.

As adolescents, we are still discovering who we are.

It’s perfectly normal not to have ourselves figured out.

That’s what being a teenager is all about. In order to discover ourselves, and our interests, we have to spend a considerable amount of time in a fog of uncertainty.

Take your younger years as an opportunity to grow and learn, and don’t sweat it if everything isn’t all planned out yet.

Letter to The Editor: Need for Debate Dear Editor,

Many students within the Southern Lehigh community feel left out. They feel as if their voices are not being heard regarding important issues. These range from within district topics, to social, economic and of course political issues. As a result of this, I believe that students district wide feel the need to act out.

At times resulting in both physical and verbal disputes as well as silent and unseen acts of protest. How do we fix this, one might ask him or herself? To tell you the truth like most things within today’s world, there is not one singular way to come to a resolution. People are going to act the way that they feel is right for them.

Whether that way is right or wrong is up to interpretation. I do however believe that I have found a solution that might curb some of these “outbreaks”, if you can call them that. I believe these issues can be solved through organized and moderated debates. This means that students who wish for their point of view to be expressed on a slew of issues would be able to interact with others who might have the same or possibly an opposing viewpoint.

This debate group would meet during or after school

hours under adult supervision such as a qualified parent or teacher. Prior to debating topics, participants would be required to do extensive research, allowing them to form a unwavering opinion as well as to have a purely factual argument stating their side of the issue. “Why not just join the speech and debate club?” by participating within this debate group students would not be limited to a time or topic. They instead could speak their mind on an array of issues that are meaningful to them.

If there is one thing that can be taken away from this letter, let it be this. There is no possible way to truly satisfy everyone. Though, however, there is a way for every individual to come together, to become educated, as well as to raise awareness for current issues no matter how big or small. These debates won’t just effect today, in a larger sense they will pave a path to our future.

By hearing and respecting other people’s points of view we can create social acceptance and prosperity throughout our ever evolving world.

Chris Fahy Sophomore

Got an Opinion?

Feel the Need to Share it?

Want to Respond to What You See in the Newspaper?

Email the Editors at spritzerm@slsd.org with your Submission!

April 2017

Opinion

Page 7

‘Split’ Shows Unfair Representation of Mental Illness

by Sarah Jacobson

People with Dissociative Identity Disorder have Multiple Identities in the same mind. Photo credit: Geralt on Pixelbay.com

IMDb says that the estimated monetary budget to make the movie “Split” was $9,000,000.

However, the emotional cost on people affected by the mental illness shown in the movie is more than money can define.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), 2 percent of the U.S. population has the mental illness depicted in the film, known as Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), which is “characterized by alternating between multiple identities. A person may feel like one or more voices are trying to take control in their head.

Often these identities may have unique names, characteristics, mannerisms and voices.”

About half of the adult population has experienced what is known as a depersonalization or derealization episode, which is common with the disorder and other dissociative disorders like it. The Encyclopedia Britannica defines a depersonalization episode as a feeling that you or the outside world are unreal.

“I think that you have to be careful because

you can’t take what you see in a movie and take it as accurate of what a mental illness could be,” school psychologist Mr. Cotie Strong said. “My kind of concern with that is that if that’s the only understanding of what somebody has about dissociative identity disorder.”

It’s not that uncommon to experience depersonalization, and because of that, it’s important to understand illnesses like DID. However, the director of “Split”, M. Night Shyamalan, doesn’t appear to think that it’s that important to understand the disorder that his latest movie is based around.

One of the main problems with the film was the fact that the main character, Kevin, has several violent personalities, and without spoiling too much, performed several violent acts in the movie. This just simply isn’t realistic, as the US National Library of Medicine reported that people with DID are more likely to hurt themselves than other people. By showing DID as a violent illness, it creates a stereotype that simply isn’t true, but still defines the people with the illness.

“People with mental illnesses are the people who need the most help and might be the least likely to go get it,” psychology teacher Ms. Erin Laney said. “That can be because there’s always such a negative portrayal of mental illness.”

Making violence such a centerpiece of Kevin’s identities, or alters as they are sometimes called, does a terrible disservice to the DID community.

In a statement regarding the movie, The International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation reported that of 173 patients with DID observed over a six month time period, only 0.6 percent were incarcerated for a criminal offense.

They concluded from this that the features of the disorder did not lead to any of the convictions, meaning that the disorder could not have directly caused any of the criminal actions taken.

Another problem with the negative portrayal

of DID in the film is the fact that not everyone is educated on the actual symptoms of the illness.

SANE, a nonprofit research organization in Australia, conducted research that shows that movies that portray DID in a negative way can reduce the chances that an undiagnosed person with DID will seek help. It also makes people more likely to view the illness in a negative light.

SANE also explained that people with DID are not all the same. Some people can have a great number of alternate identities, while others may only have two. The differences in the alters also varies, as some peoples will be vastly different while others not so much.

“I think especially if [DID patients] are young [the movie] gives them a terrible self image and portrays them as a monster,” sophomore Erin Noneman said.

M. Night Shyamalan has defended his movie’s stance on mental illness in various interviews, stating that he feels it’s an accurate depiction of DID. Of course, this isn’t true, as the violence in the film was unrealistic and an unfair representation of the mental illness.

“I did not [find the movie offensive]. I thought it was very elaborate,” senior Alexandra McCue said. “His case was so different; half the movie plot his therapist was trying to fight for him and that it was a real illness that affects people.”

It’s important to understand that the portrayal of mental illness you are getting is not always accurate. But, it’s also important for directors to be making the decision to accurately represent these illnesses. Unfortunately, M. Night Shyamalan didn’t do this, making “Split” an exaggerated stereotype of what dissociative identity disorder actually is. Films that stigmatize mental illness are harmful to everyone; moviegoers deserve factual representation of mental health.

Letter to The Editor: Expand the Parking Lots

Parking spaces are limited to those who are lucky enough to grab them or have early birthdays in the school year. Photo credit: Martin Sanchez.

Dear Editor

In our school community, most seniors and some juniors get the luxury of driving their cars to and from school. The requirement to get a spot is a valid license, and spots are only able to be purchased during the beginning of the school year, or even in the final months of the year before. However, many people who have their own vehicle are eligible to get their license after this time frame, and are ineligible for a parking spot.

This results in students who are able to drive themselves needing to carpool with friends, take the bus, or have their parents drive the car back to their own house, but how inconvenient is it for students with their license to not be able to have a parking spot? I have many friends that are born in the spring and summer months, which means they are eligible for their license in September and later on, if they get their permit on or close to their birthday. However, these people are unable to purchase a parking spot because to obtain a parking spot at the High School, you need your valid driver’s license. There is no opportunity to actually get a parking spot,

despite having your license on September 15th for example. This provides the student no legitimate way for them to solely drive to and from school.

This however is due to the lack of parking spots in our school. In our school, we have a limited amount of parking spots, which are given to students after paying a hefty $95 fee. Despite paying thousands of dollars a year in school taxes, a fee is still needed to pay for the little plastic piece mounted on your rearview mirror?

Aside from the fee, there is the limitation of not enough parking spot.

With a school as large as our own, each senior class has generally 250 students, each with their own personal needs and array of after school activities. Currently, parking spots sell out like hot cakes, which leaves some students in the need of carpooling and having to take the bus or ride with their parents.

For students like myself, going to track after practice causes my mom to take time out of her working day to drive me. This would be solved by having a parking spot, however if I do not get my license until the winter, then my mom has to continue driving me home. This is an inconvenience for both of us, and if the fee was still implemented, having the spot would save time and give the school more revenue. There is one easy solution for this, expanding the parking lot or re angling the current lots. By expanding the lot, there is more room for more and more students to park.

This would provide a more spots for the students, allowing the school to offer parking spots throughout the year. Students who get their license in the later parts of the school year are given their fair opportunity to park at the school. Also, it provides them the opportunity to go wherever the want after school, not limiting their parents to drive them, or themselves when they have to take the bus home to get to their car.

The spots do not needed to be in black asphalt, just a plot of land to store your car safely would do the job. The students who can’t park for a school year due to being limited by your age should not be an issue, and expanding the parking lots would be a greatly needed appreciated by all students.

Alex Fillman Sophomore

Page 8

Center Spread

The Spotlight

A Night Full of Fashion and Entertainment!

...with a special performance by...

Buying Time!

Photo Credits: Maggie Moerder

April 2017

Center Spread

2017 Prom Fashion Show

Page 9

Page 10

Our World

The Spotlight

Should the U.S. Naturalization Test Be a Graduation Requirement?

by Sarah Trebicka

Name two of the longest rivers in the United States.

Done yet?

If you can’t seem to answer this question, or if your first thought was, “Who cares?” consider this: some immigrants are required to answer this question correctly in order to become naturalized American citizens.

In 2015, over 1.05 million people received lawful permanent residence in the United States, and 730,259 people became naturalized citizens, according to the Department of Homeland Security. In total, there are 42 million foreign-born residents in the U.S., including naturalized citizens, legal noncitizens, and unauthorized immigrants.

In order to apply for naturalization, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) says an immigrant must meet several basic requirements (along with multiple other more individually specific requirements): be at least 18 years of age, be a lawful permanent resident, have resided in the U.S. as a lawful permanent resident for at least five years, have been physically present in the U.S. for at least 30 months, be a person of good moral character, be able to speak, read, write, and understand the English language, and be willing and able to take the Oath of Allegiance. They must also have a knowledge of U.S. government and history, which is where the naturalization test comes in. During the interview process, immigrants are asked up to 10 questions pertaining to U.S. civics, government, history, and geography, and must be able to answer at least six questions correctly, such as “Name a state that borders Canada,” or “During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the U.S.?”

According to USCIS, 91 percent of immigrants applying for citizenship do pass the test, while the Annenberg Public Policy Center found in a September 2014 poll that roughly 35 percent of native-born American adults fail. In fact, another poll by the same organization in the same year found that 79 percent of native-born American adults failed to answer the question, “Who was the president of the United States during World War I?” (Woodrow Wilson). Furthermore, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) found that only 25 percent of high school seniors in 2014 received a passing score on the federal government’s civics exam.

Because of these statistics, some people argue that Americans lack the capacity to exercise self-government because many fail to understand or recognize the fundamental principles underlying American civics and government. They assert that the more educated Americans are, the more likely they are to be

Newly naturalized American citizens sing “America the Beautiful” in Grand Canyon National Park. Photo credit: Michael Quinn

civically engaged.

“If the goal of making immigrants pass the naturalization test is to ensure they know enough about the country they’re living in, I feel as though citizens should also have to take the test,” English immigrant and junior Nate Morris said.

“Just because citizens are born in the U.S. and grow up there doesn’t mean they know anything about its history. If you want to make sure everyone living in your country knows and respects its history and values, nobody should be exempt from a knowledge test such as that one.”

The Civics Education Initiative (civicseducationinitiative.org), a coalition created in 2013 by grassroots activists working with state and local leaders, proposes that individual states pass legislation requiring students to pass the naturalization test in order to graduate from high school. A similar nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, the Joe Foss Institute, aimed to make the U.S. citizenship test a graduation requirement in all 50 states by 2017.

“Civics is being boxed out of the classroom today by an allconsuming focus on science, technology, English, and math (STEM).

Teachers and administrators are being incented to teach content that will be tested – tests that are being used in many cases to determine funding and a host of outcomes for schools, students and teachers,” the Civics Education Initiative website said. “While no one argued STEM isn’t important, the downside is that civics and lessons on the Bill of Rights, Constitution, and how our government works are being left by

the wayside. Students are not learning how to run our country, how government is meant to operate as outlined in the Constitution and Bill of Rights, and more importantly, the history behind how our country came to be: the philosophy behind America’s values.”

Arizona was the first to pass such a law. Starting with the class of 2017, all students are required to pass a civics test based on the 100 questions from the Naturalization Test Study Guide, and they are allowed limitless attempts as long as they pass by graduation.

Fourteen other states, including Wisconsin, Kansas, and Idaho, passed similar laws, some requiring that students score at least a 60 out of 100: the same passing percentage required for immigrants pursuing citizenship.

“I think [high school social studies] covers [the topics on the naturalization test]. They seem basic enough,” social studies teacher and gifted coordinator Mrs. Katie Quartuch said. “I hope that some of that is knowledge students have before high school so that we can do more analytical work. For example, yes, you should know that you have freedom of speech in the U.S., but in high school we look at how we define ‘freedom’ and ‘speech,’ and we question the boundaries in which that freedom exists.”

However, critics insist that such a law would be a meaningful yet empty effort. Joseph Kahne, a professor at Mills College who oversees the Civic Engagement Research Group, argued in a 2015 commentary for Education Week that a test-

ing approach to civic education is equivalent to “teaching democracy like a gameshow.” Others scrutinize the laws by arguing that it places more unnecessary stress and standardized testing on already-overwhelmed high school students.

“I don’t think American citizens should be required to pass this test to graduate high school because they have already proven their citizenship and have experienced the American life already. Requiring students to pass a naturalization test would have very little impact in the real world of the education system,” Pakistani immigrant and junior Rabia Khan said. “Also, the likelihood of anyone failing is very, very minimal considering we all went through social studies which should teach us all we need to know about American history at the very least.”

Furthermore, some argue that civics is an abstract concept, and that requiring high school students to pass a naturalization test is utilizing a one-dimensional tool to send the message that nationhood and citizenship can be summed up to a passing grade on a multiple choice exam.

“I think somewhere along their educational experience, students do learn all of this, likely forget it, and move on. I think asking students to prepare for a test that is this topical would have the same impact,” Mrs. Quartuch said. “If we want to produce more civically engaged Americans, I think we’d need to do a lot more than make them answer basic questions on a required test.”

Our World Page 11

April 2017

Where are They Now? Solehi Alumni:

Samantha Kovacs

by Sarah Jacobson

In college, Samantha Kovacs studied abroad in London, England. Photo credit: Samantha Kovacs

While hard work and long hours may deter some, Southern Lehigh alumna Samantha Kovacs is more than happy to put in the time necessary as program coordinator for the Public Leadership Education Network (PLEN).

“I love that I have a mission. All nonprofits have a mission statement, or something they’re trying to do in the world,” Kovacs said. “The mission of my organization, PLEN, is to increase the number of women in policy positions, especially policy leadership.”

The nonprofit world can feel like a jungle gym to many who pursue careers in these organizations, but with the right preparation, they can find success.

Kovacs received her bachelor degree in international affairs with a minor in women’s studies from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. The centrally-located college allowed her to find internships easily at companies such as Grieboski Global Strategies, which gave her the skills she needed to thrive no matter where her professional life went.

“My job falls a lot into project management: what’s done, what needs to be done, and being able to know different timelines,” Kovacs said. “Communication is important: being able to talk to people, being able to convey your thoughts properly, listening to other people and what they’re saying or not saying through body language.”

In high school, Kovacs was drum major in the marching band, and a cheerleader. She also participated in mock trial, Spanish Club, and the National Honor Society. Today, Kovacs continues to uphold the four pillars of NHS as she provides service and demonstrates leadership in her job.

“I think her accomplishments are truly inspiring,” gifted coordinator and social studies teacher Mrs. Katie Quartuch said. “I commend her for choosing a career that fit her passions. She didn’t just sort of take a degree and look for a job that would pay her the most money; she wanted to make a difference.”

Kovacs’ home is adorned with political posters and artifacts, showing her love for domestic and international affairs. In her free time, she enjoys watching Netflix and reading.

“I’m proud of her because her job seems very important to me, and I know that she will be able to help a lot of people with the talents and skills she has,” sophomore Alyssa Kovacs, Samantha’s youngest sister, said.

For current high school seniors, Samantha Kovacs recommends taking it easy and remembering to breathe every once in awhile.

“I think it’s good to have high expectations of yourself and I think it’s important to put good pressure on yourself,” she said. “Be proud of yourself and make sure you don’t have limits. Keep your mind open.”

College Applications Raise Questions Regarding Race

by Bridgette Lang

In 2010, the Department of Education mandated that all colleges and universities begin collecting additional data about race. In most variations of college applications, this new rule allows multiracial students to check off multiple boxes for their race. However, according to Diffen Research, the definition of “multiracial” varies from person to person, as race may depend on self-expression, physical appearance, family relations, and perception. The U.S. Census Bureau says the multiracial group is expected to triple by 2060.

“Colleges don’t require you to report if you are a certain percentage [of a race],” guidance counselor Mrs. Tamme Westbrooks said.

“That’s such a sensitive area, and colleges have to be very careful about how they are questioning it.”

“I feel like you have to be at least a quarter of something different [to be multiracial],” sophomore Sana Gold said. “For example, you can’t be three-fourths English and then onequarter Italian to be multiracial. That’s just two variations of white. It needs to be from totally different continents, not just different countries.”

The Common Application, which includes Hispanic or Latino, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and White (including Middle Eastern) as race options, is used by 696 schools. This means that most students will eventually encounter the same question about their race and will have to choose the boxes of the races with which they identify.

“When I fill out those boxes, I check ‘Indian,’ ‘Asian,’ ‘Middle Eastern,’ and ‘White’ if they are there, simply because it’s in my blood,” senior Amir Gold said. “I identify as part ethnically Jewish, even though I, like many of my Jewish peers, don’t necessarily believe or participate in the religion.”

What makes this issue so controversial is that if even a small number of students fabricate their race, it decreases the chances for students who are actually multiracial to get into a given college. The appeal to lie is tempting for many students because it’s so easy to check off a box. Making yourself seem like a minority may increase your chances of making it into a certain school as there is a higher acceptance rate for multiracial students and minorities because there are fewer of them applying.

Among students who identify as two races, 90 percent identify as both black and white.

According to Georgia Southern University, what makes these students so different is that “the division between black and white populations puts biracial and multiracial people in an interesting position.” They have different experiences from each culture to bring to colleges, whereas most students only have one.

Many white students will bring forth their limited Native American or Latino ancestry to make themselves more attractive. They may not identify with the culture, and these ethnicities may represent only a small percentage of their heritage, but it makes them seem different from other applicants. Checking the box takes just one second, but the cost of doing so is a load of guilt, and numerous penalties if a college figures it out.

For instance, Information about ethnicity could be transmitted on some other document such as SAT scores or a high school transcript.

If there is a discrepancy, colleges may reject you and tell other colleges about the incident, potentially preventing a person from being

admitted into any colleges.

In one example, an unnamed student had received an offer to be flown out to a college and visit the campus because he wrote down “Indian” in the “other” box on an application.

His ancestry was from the Asian subcontinent of India, and he was not Native American. The college assumed that he was Native American and accused him of lying. They revoked their original offer and told all other colleges to which he was applying that he lied. This delayed his acceptance into any college.

“You should be able to check any box that you identify or feel comfortable with. But that doesn’t mean you can be, for example, white and check off African-American because that’s the way you feel,” sophomore Hannah Grim said. “Sounds ridiculous, but it’s a real thing.”

Moreover, here are many races that don’t fit into the listed boxes. The narrow categories force students to conform or choose the “other” box, which sometimes marginalizes minority students because it creates the suggestion that they “don’t fit in” or aren’t as important as the other races. While, it’s a good option to have the “other” box, many people support adding more boxes to choose from.

“I think they should add more boxes, but not too specific because of how many races there are,” sophomore Terrell Dinkins said. “I think a separate Middle Eastern box would be a good fit.”

Multiracial students using other types of applications that only allow one race to be checked, such as the Universal Application or the Coalition Application, face a different problem: which part of their ethnicity do they choose to represent their identity?

The issue of whether or not colleges should add boxes brings up the question of whether they should exist at all. Last year, the Supreme Court upheld the decision to allow colleges to select students with consideration to race and ethnicity so that all applicants could have an equal shot. Collecting information about race allows colleges to maintain diversity on their campus. However, to many, the boxes themselves seem unnecessary because they force students to categorize themselves.

“All together we should get rid of that option on applications because chances are somewhere in our history we [have] other descendants that we might not know about,” senior Bryanne Kelly said. “A lot of people generally don’t know either what they are or what percentage of the ethnicity they are.”

Some students also feel they face discrimination when revealing their actual races. For example, Asian students are closely scrutinized because of the high number of them applying to elite schools. In order to maintain diversity on campus, colleges may select less qualified white, black, or Latino students instead of more highly qualified Asian students. Because only a given number of Asian students will be accepted, there is increased competition among them, as they have to be the best within their demographic.

The limited number of boxes, discrimination against certain races, and even having race questions on a college application creates limitations and obstacles for nearly all students. Checking off a single box, or more than one in some cases, can determine an applicant’s chances of getting into their dream school. The fine line between truth and dishonesty can be deceiving.

Page 12 Arts and Entertainment

The Spotlight

‘The Belko Experiment’ Killed 90 Minutes of My Life

by Caitlin Roth

Photo credit: Orion Pictures

There is a scene in “The Belko Experiment” where a group of trapped cubicle workers hang a banner off the side of their office building that says, “Help! We are being held hostage!” I could really relate to them, because I felt like I was in the same exact position while watching this awful

movie.

“The Belko Experiment” tells the story of 80 mundane cubicle workers in their company’s office who are told by a mysterious voice over the intercom that they must either kill their coworkers, or they will be killed by detonation of an explosive chip inside their heads disguised as “tracking devices,” which employees willingly agreed to have planted there. The workers are then faced with the ultimate moral dilemma do they kill their coworkers and have a chance to survive, or not kill anyone and face possible elimination?

Unfortunately, “The Belko Experiment” isn’t the new, exciting face of the horror genre it aspires to be. You’ve seen this movie done before, and in much better ways.

A paper thin plot just barely introduces the characters and the mysterious Belko company, just to leave way for the brutal and explicit violence. As I am trying to reflect on the movie, I can’t even remember any of the character’s names because of their rushed introduction and lack of character development. If the audience does not sympathize or care about any of the characters that are leading the movie, there is no investment or emotional impact when they’re inevitably slaughtered. The audience just waits for the next kill, but at least that’s one more death closer to the end of the movie.

The gore gets to be way too over the top after the first ten kills. While the special effects are top notch and very realistically done, it just turns

into a sort of gross-out contest to see how many audience members will squirm in discomfort from the intense violence. For instance, a few methods of death we see in “The Belko Experiment” include being burned alive, being crushed by elevators, having their heads explode, getting repeatedly stabbed in the face with an axe, and many, many more ways. And trust me, the camera doesn’t shy away from the brutal acts of violence.

You’re getting a front row seat to the killings, and that is basically all this movie is - a collection of deaths.

“The Belko Experiment” could have been a great movie. Albeit a tired premise, it still could have been at least interesting if the audience knew more about the purpose of the experiment and more time was given to character development. I also wished the film had dived more into the moral aspect of what humans will do when they are pinned against each other in the face of death, but it only slightly touches upon it.

Instead, “The Belko Experiment” drowns itself in its own pool of blood. The more I think about it, maybe the real experiment was seeing how many moviegoers left before the film was over. By the way, multiple people indeed left about halfway through the film, which is when you know you’re seeing a “quality” movie.

However, for as much as I can criticize and analyze “The Belko Experiment,” I believe my dad summed up the experience the best. Halfway through the movie, he leaned over and whispered in my ear: “Caitlin, this movie ****ing sucks.”

‘We Were Here’: A Great Free-to-play Puzzle Game

by Allison Borelli

“Free” is one of the best words in the English vocabulary. However, when it’s put in front of the words “video game,” the feeling can be a little more mixed. Luckily enough, the developers at Total Mayhem Games have given some a more positive connotation to free video games with their puzzle game, “We Were Here,” inspired by games such as “Myst,” “Amnesia: The Dark Descent,” and real-life escape rooms.

“We Were Here” is a co-op action-adventure puzzle game with a creepy ambiance. This adventure takes place in an abandoned castle situated in a frozen wasteland, where one player is trapped in a library and the other explores the rest of the castle. Both players must work together to find the way out, and the only means of communication is through a walkie talkie.

My overall experience playing this game was very narrowly a positive one. My sister and I completed these puzzles on the first run as the librarian and explorer, respectively. Finishing the puzzles and completing them was rewarding, and they turned out to be pretty easy once we figured out what needed to be done and in what order.

The most difficult part of this game was determining what we were supposed to do in each room. I admit, that last bit provided us with some trouble, especially within the last puzzle, which led to quite a bit of strife between my sister and me. The storyline is there, but it’s weak: it’s more about the puzzles than anything else. This game

requires a great deal of communication between the two players.

The ominous soundtrack added to the ambiance of the game and generally improved the experience. The graphics and style of the game is cute and pretty good for a free game. It’s also possible to play across platforms, whether that be Mac or Windows. The game is compatible with Virtual Reality (VR) headsets if you have one. (I do not, so I can only speak for playing it on a Windows/Mac).

The spookier aspects of the game were enjoyable. There weren’t any typical jump scares, but if you’re unprepared, the game can still have scary moments.

A more mundane perk was being able to climb and jump on objects, like chandeliers, candelabras, or boxes. No invisible walls here! There was no lag while we played through both iterations. In keeping the game free-to-play there’s not a lot of server space, so there may be a little wait.

One of the biggest problems with this game was the in-game walkie-talkie mechanic.

The walkie-talkies would work in the pre-game lobby, but might not work while in game. However, this is a pretty easy fix by bypassing the walkie-talkies altogether and using a different chat service like Skype or Discord to communicate instead. The controls at times were also a little finicky and had to be clicked/dragged just

Photo credit: Total Mayhem Games

right or it wouldn’t work. Simply even trying to click the ‘retry’ screen (not a button) to continue was cumbersome and frustrating.

There are no save files, but you can restart from the midway point, an option you can reach in the pre-game lobby, in case the game is interrupted or someone crashes. The only problem where a lack of explanation or hints became a real obstacle was in the last stage, which probably took us more time to complete than all the other stages combined. There were so many ways to complete the puzzle but not a hint on the right way to do so.

Overall, I think that although “We Were Here” is certainly not the best option out there for a puzzle game, it’s pretty solid for a free-toplay game. Sometimes fun, and sometimes simply frustrating, “We Were Here” is an hour-and-a-half test of communication and teamwork between two players.

Follow The Spotlight on @SLSDSpotlight

!

April 2017

Arts and Entertainment

Page 13

Solehi’s ‘Sister Act’ Delights Audience with Comedic Genius

by Rachael Borelli

In mid-March, Southern Lehigh’s theatre department put on a fabulous performance of the U.S. National Tour version of “Sister Act” for their spring musical, directed by Mr. Matthew Wehr. The musical comedy is set in 1978 Philadelphia, and focuses on Deloris Van Cartier, a high-spirited club singer who witnesses her mobster boyfriend, Curtis Jackson, shank an employee. Deloris is spirited away to a convent under a witness protection program where she makes her mark. The two-hour musical with only two acts featured senior Giuliana Augello as Deloris, senior Lexi Brown as Mother Superior, senior Daniel Zelenkofske as Lieutenant Eddie Southern, and senior Garrison Piel as Curtis Jackson.

To start on a high note, the singing in the musical was delightful. The actors showed depth in their vocal ranges, nailing the notes to their songs, whether high or low. Throughout the musical, everyone sounded proficient at their piece.

The theatre department really put the “comedy” in musical comedy. Few jokes missed the mark, as most the quips were well acted out and amusing.

For example, when Mother Superior (Brown) reacted exasperatedly to the nuns as they sang “Take

Me to Heaven” in the first Church service, the piece was funny and the jokes landed well.

Quirky characters, like TJ, played by freshman Christian Clausnitzer, and Sister Mary Lazarus, played by junior Jill Werbisky, didn’t seem overdone, and the hilarity of the musical greatly benefitted from them. The actors brought the characters to life and each drove the musical with their personalities, taking the audience on an entertaining ride while they were at it.

One downfall of the musical is that the predictable plot of “Sister Act” is not something that will amaze or take you down a twisting path. Technical difficulties also impacted the March 18, 2pm showing I went to, as some microphone static crackled for a few scenes. Only these two issues really marred my viewing of “Sister Act,” and neither impacted my total enjoyment of the musical.

Overall, I would give “Sister Act” three out of four stars. I laughed with the musical, enjoyed the choreography, and generally had a pleasant time.

With the performance of “Sister Act” now behind them, the theatre department now looks towards the Freddy Awards to see what their effort will earn them.

Photo credit:Sloane Sexton

Dutch Uncles Soar With New Album ‘Big Balloon’

by Jamie Kish

English indie-poppers Dutch Uncles made a bombastic return to the indie music scene with their newest full-length album, “Big Balloon.”

Their fifth studio album, “Big Balloon” was released on February 17, two years after the release of their previous album, “O Shudder.”

The band first announced the new album in November when they released the title track, “Big Balloon,” an upbeat tune with a jittery bass riff, jangly Smiths-esque guitar, and the gleaming androgynous vocals of frontman Duncan Wallis. In the months leading up to the release, Dutch Uncles released two more singles from the album, “Oh Yeah” and “Streetlight.”

In comparison to their previous albums, “Big Balloon” is progressively more experimental than its predecessors. While the songs on “O Shudder” deal particularly with themes such

Photo credit: Memphis Industries

May 12 PWR BTTM Pageant

May 5 Logic Everybody

May 19 Wavves You’re Welcome

May 5 At The Drive-In in·ter a·li·a

Photo credit: Fueled by Rame

Photo credit: Atlantic Records

May 5 Mac DeMarco This Old Dog

Photo credit: Ghost Ramp Records

Photo credit: Polyvinyl Record Co.

April 28 Gorillaz Humanz

Photo credit: Rise Records

Photo credit: Def Jam

Photo credit: Captured Tracks Records

Photo credit: Parlophone Records

Upcoming Albums:

as love and sex, “Big Balloon” doesn’t follow a single narrative. Different songs on the album range in topics from antidepressants, austerity cuts in Britain, loneliness, and paranoia.

The track “Sink” even includes lyrics that were inspired by one band member’s visit to Pripyat, a city in Ukraine abandoned after the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.

Although the themes on the album seem very jumbled and random, each song has its own interesting songwriting formula as well as instrumentals that make each track unique and all the more fascinating. Bouncy, mathematically complex rhythms can be found throughout the album. Dutch Uncles is known among indie pop circles for their vast experimentation with time signatures, while maintaining a traditional indie pop vibe.

June 2 alt-J Relaxer

June 2 All Time Low Last Young Renegade

Page 14

Sports

The Spotlight

Spartan Baseball Engineers a Winning Formula

by Townsend Colley

Constructing a championship caliber team is a lot like building a house. It requires a strong foundation based on the tenets of strong coaching, experience, and leadership. After the foundation you need to add other necessities, such as windows, plumbing, and electricity, or, in terms of team building, role players, depth, and athletes. However, just as there is no one formula to building the ideal house, there is no perfect recipe for a championship team. This unique formula is what the Southern Lehigh baseball team is trying to concoct as they prepare to make a championship run, despite some clear holes left behind after the graduation of many of last year’s players.

In the 2016 baseball season, the Spartans yielded an 11-6 record and were knocked out in the second round of the Colonial League tournament by the eventual champs, Bangor. During the District XI playoffs, the Spartans won their first game against Palisades by a score of 9-2, but they would go on to face a 6-4 loss handed to them by a Lehighton team that was peaking at the right moment, after having just upset the number one seeded Northwestern Tigers. However, what happened after the final out of the 2016 baseball season was called is what would change the course of the 2017 season for Southern Lehigh.

Last June, the team graduated all but three of its full time starters, including second team all Colonial League outfielder Dylan Niedbalski and ace pitcher Jacob Cassel. Due to attrition, the Spartans have lost one of the key pieces to a successful team: experience. Returning to the lineup the from last year’s varsity team are junior catcher Niko Amory, senior pitcher Connor Murtaugh, senior outfielder Timmy Walter, and senior first baseman Michael Miller.

In building their own formula for success, something has to take the place of experience. For the 2017 Spartan baseball team, one of their key pieces is depth.

“The pitching staff is deep, and our offense, we can hit one through nine,” Amory said. “So we should be all around good as a result of that.”

While the primary depth of this team lies in the pitching staff, the Spartans are still a very young bullpen, with Murtaugh expected to lead the way for the young pitchers. Behind Murtaugh

The baseball team gets coached up in the huddle. Photo credit: Niko Amory

are mostly sophomores and freshmen, many of whom have never pitched at the varsity level.

One of the more experienced pitchers who will be expected to increase his workload is sophomore Dalton Musselman, who pitched sparingly last year due to the experience in front of him. The youthful Spartan will look to fill the void left last year by the departure of John Hendricks, Derek Barnes, and southpaw Jacob Cassel.

“We took [the pitchers] early on in the summer just to get them used to things and start showing them the program. How the pitches operate and what they do and stuff like that,” Murtaugh said. “But the only real thing we can do is get them out there in a few actual varsity games, just because there's nothing else that can really prepare you for that unless you live it.”

“I think we’ve made a good start,” Musselman said. “The youth is really going to help us this year in the pitching staff, especially later in the season, so I think we should be fine.”

Leadership is where the Spartans stick to the traditional ideals of building a championship caliber team. The few upperclassmen play a huge role in preparing the younger players and setting them up for success.

“We have some good senior leaders that should help us and we have better leadership this year than in the last two years,” Amory said.

The role that the senior leaders play is multiplied tenfold because of the need to get a group

of young players with no varsity experience, who have sometimes have never even played together, up to speed to play at high level by opening day.

“We have Timmy Walter on the team so he leads more vocally, I try to lead by example,” Murtaugh said, “so I just try to show the young guys what it's like to pitch at the varsity level for the first time because a lot of them haven’t been there before.”

Despite the roster turnover and question marks that come with starting a largely inexperienced team, the Spartans have still managed to set themselves up for success and believe that this team can make a deep playoff run potentially extending all the way to a Colonial League and District XI title. wThe 2017 Southern Lehigh baseball team will not be traditional. They can’t be if they hope to compete with the senior-laden powerhouses of Colonial League baseball. But if you ask Frank Lloyd Wright, he would tell you that it's okay to go away from what is expected in order to get the job done. While it won’t work for everybody, the Spartans believe that they have found a formula for success.

“I expect us to finish out on top,” Murtaugh said, “Even though we are a young team, I feel like, as opposed to maybe Bangor, there's not another team talent wise that can touch what we have.”

Congratulations to the Spartan Girls Basketball Team!

- Final record of 27-2 -2017 District XI Champions -2017 Colonial League Champions - 2017 PIAA State Quarterfinalists - Produced four All-Colonial League players

Photo credits: Chad Remaly

April 2017

Sports

Page 15

Rochon Throws it all On the Line for SL Track and Field

by Quinn Schmidt

Colonial League tri-meet with a 54-3 (54 feet 3 inches). However, he was able to smash his own record at the Marine Corps Holiday Classic where he threw his personal best, 56-2.5 (56 feet 2.5 inches). He also earned a silver in the the Colonial League championship while competing in his secondary event, discus, when he threw a 156-5 (156 feet 5 inches).

Rochon’s talent stems from an untraditional way of throwing. He throws using a spin technique as opposed to the typical gliding motion. This technique is difficult to master, especially for a student athlete with a limited practice schedule.

He uses his skills to compete against some of the most prominent throwers in the state during the district and state tournaments.

“When you throw against bigger guys you throw better,” Rochon said, “Competition teaches you how be better and stay humble when you’re playing against people who are more talented than you.”

Rochon will most likely have smooth sailing in the Colonial League for his senior season, as his main rival, Cam Strohe from Bangor, graduated last year. Strohe was the only thrower in the Valley to top Rochon’s discus throw last season. His next closest Colonial League competitor was nearly 20 feet behind his discus throw, and 5 feet behind his shot put.

That being said, Rochon will have to improve for his senior year as a Spartan to set records and show the Lehigh Valley what a Division I athlete looks like.

Rochon will be throwing for Yale in college. Photo credit: Frank Rochon

Southern Lehigh is home to a championship level field hockey team, superior girls and boys lacrosse programs, one of the most talented football teams in the Colonial League, and numerous other successful sports teams.

With all that success among our high profile programs, one might overlook the triumphs of the track and field team in recent seasons. But when 6’1” 235-pound Andrew Rochon walks down the halls of the high school, it’s difficult to overlook him.

The senior has been throwing shot put and discus since seventh grade, and his hard work has paid off. He was recruited by Yale University and will be throwing for their track and field team next year.

“He never skips any reps when we work out,” senior teammate Mitchell Bauder said. “He gives 100 percent on all of his practice throws.”

Bauder has been throwing with Rochon since their freshman year and has been able to track the progress that has lead to his success in the sport.

Rochon’s success spans over a variety of events. He is one of the best allaround throwers in the Lehigh Valley. Last season, he was able to put up the second best shot put score in the area when he led Southern Lehigh in the

Rochon displays his signature spin technique during a throw. Photo credit: Patty White

Girls Lacrosse Seeks to Stay on Top With New Coach

by Quinn Schmidt

Seniors Hannah Checkeye and Mady Singley will be looked upon to provide leadership for an inexperienced team. Photo credit: Quinn Schmidt

Over the past few years, the Southern Lehigh girls lacrosse team has proved itself to be a powerhouse. The Spartans won a District XI title in 2015, and despite formidable opponents and numerous injuries, they mustered an 18-8 record in 2016. However, they are under new leadership this season as Jen Hurlburt steps up to take over the head coaching position from Kim Checkeye, who led the Spartans to district quarterfinals last year.

“Southern Lehigh has a strong history of success in girls lacrosse, based on sound fundamentals and game IQ. Our coaching staff intends to continue this tradition,” Hurlburt said. “Collectively, we have tremendous respect for everything that the previous coaches have done to develop this program and we want to keep the program on a winning trajectory.”

Hurlburt has had plenty of athletic experience with lacrosse on and off the field. She was elected to the Division III All-American team as a midfielder while attending McDaniel College, where she also played basketball. After obtaining her MBA at Penn State, she enlisted as an Army air defense officer. Recently, Hurlburt has been coaching an Emmaus middle school club team where she was honored as the 2013 Lower Macungie Athletics Coach of the Year.

Hulburt will have to use all of her talent to

rebuild a Southern Lehigh team that graduated a handful of skilled seniors last year, including Division I recruits Baleigh Bradley, Lauren Wolfe, and Bridget Cerciello, who accounted for most of the team’s offensive productivity. Filling these spots will be underclassmen who have yet to compete at the varsity level.

“I think our biggest weakness is having to all work together with all new starters and a new coaching staff,” senior midfielder Mady Singley said.

Singley will be relied upon to fill the void and become the catalyst of a young Spartan team. On the defensive end, seniors Michelle Hendricks and Hannah Checkeye will have to escalate their level of play along with many inexperienced underclassmen.

“I think we all will be able to step up,” Hendricks said, “ we have a lot of potential and a lot of good talent coming.”

Coach Hurlburt will have to prepare this youthful team before they are thrown into the gauntlet of District XI girls lacrosse. The responsibility will fall on coach Hurlburt’s shoulders to plug in the right lineup and lead the Spartans through what looks to be a difficult rebuilding year. The Spartans opened the season with a 5-4 win over Nazareth.

Page 16 Odds and Ends

The Spotlight

Pennies for Patients Pep Rally March 9, 2017

Photo credits: Maggie Moerder

April 2017