Southern Lehigh High School 5800 Main Street, Center Valley, PA 18034 Volume 59 Issue 6
Solehi “Steels� the Night Turn to Page 4 for more.
Photo Credit: Christmas City Studios
In this
Issue:
Say a fond farewell to these teachers on pages 4 and 5.
70 students are traveling to the other side of the world this summer! Read more on 10 and 11.
Looking for a summer video game? Check out Heart Machine on pages 12 and 13.
Page 2
The Spotlight
News
Seniors Snag Scholastic Awards by Talia Trackim
Each year, students from all over the globe have the opportunity to submit art and writing works to be judged in the Scholastic Art and Writing awards. This year, Southern Lehigh boasted 11 regional award winners. Out of these students, seniors Pete Natkin and Jocelyn Burns received national awards for works from their art portfolios. “They have to come up with eight pieces that are connected in some way,” art teacher Mrs. Anne Sikorski-Schneider said. “They have to be original, something no one else has done.” Scholastic Art and Writing Awards is an intense and rigorous competition with participants from all over the world. Out of the 330,000 pieces entered, only 19,000 receive regional recognition. Following that, 2,000 pieces are nationally awarded. Naktin received a gold medal for his piece, entitled, “The Center of the Pecking Order.” The piece was part of a kinesthetic drawing portfolio. The kinesthetic technique is defined as art that revolves around movement. “It is a picture of one of our chickens, but I used kinesthetic techniques to make it,” Naktin said. “I wanted to integrate one of the
drawings we did earlier this year into an otherwise realistic drawing. We did kinesthetic pieces earlier this year in portfolio [class] and that’s what inspired me to try that new style.”
Burns received a silver medal for her photo, “August Ambience.” The photo was of her aunt’s backyard in Portland Oregon during sunset. “Taking the picture is hard
The two award winners are both going to college to study the arts at Temple. Photo credit: www.artandwriting.org
Naktin started his portfolio in the summer and spent thousands of hours working on the piece. “He finished them and brought them to me and asked if they were finished,” Mrs. Sikorski-Schneider said.”I said no, and he did reworking. [After that] he said, ‘But are they gold?’ I said, ‘Well, you could still do more.’ Getting finished is one thing, moving it to a great level is another, and making it award winning is where it sets the student apart.”
because you have to be in the right place, and you have to have the right eye,” Burns said. “After you take it, you have to look at it on the computer. That one didn’t need much editing. I just did some color boosting. Printing is hard because you have to make sure the printing preset matches the picture preset. It is very tedious. You have to get it to print the same way it looks on the computer and on the camera.” Burns began working on her two portfolios 11 months before
they were due. She shot, reshot, and edited dozens of photos before selecting photos that worked together to make a wholistic body of art. Both Naktin and Burns started making art when they were children and are both will attend Temple University next fall to study fine arts in Tyler School of Art. Naktin will also be studying biology. “I want to pursue graphic design or photography, or both,” Burns said. “I want to work in the field and eventually wanna get my Master’s so I can become a professor. If I could work in a magazine or something, I’d be super excited.” For aspiring artists, Naktin, Burns, and Mrs. Sikorski-Schneider all recommend hard work, dedication, and practice. “They have to do their passion,” Mrs. Sikorski-Schneider said. “They can’t just make a piece of art and throw it in. They have to really reach inside [themselves] and look at what they’re doing and strive to make it even better. Good isn’t good enough if they want this.” Both Naktin’s and Burns’ artwork will spend a year travelling around the country with the other nationally awarded works.
The Spartechs Stand Proud at FIRST Competition by Townsend Colley
The battlefield was riddled enough balls were thrown into the be very precise. For example, the with obstacles and castles. Robots tower, the tower was then “caparms must reach a certain length or littered the area, the fortunate ones tured.” the robot will not qualify. crossed the battlefield and hurled The six-week period of design“When planning this we had to huge balls at the enemies castle. No, ing and planning the robot can be not only get all the stuff we needed this isn’t a new video game, it’s not the most stressful time for teams. for the robot to function, but we also the new Captain America movie, nor “The last two nights were rehad to figure out like how can we is it World War Three. It’s the FIRST World Championships, a robotics competition that gathered for the finals in Saint Louis, Missouri. It was attended by 600 of the top robotics teams in the world, all the way from Israel to Southern Lehigh’s own, Team 834, better known as the Spartechs. FIRST is an organization devoted to immersing students into real world STEM jobs and issues. Every year it hosts a robotics competition for students. The season begins with a kickoff video that outlines the challenge and resources students are allowed to use on their robot in order to accomplish the task. From there, the teams have six weeks before the competition to plan and build the robot. The teams will then The Spartechs placed 121st out of over 3,700 teams. Photo credit: mililanirobotics.org go to district competitions and the winners of those will attend nationals. ally hectic, and we stayed here till stay within the size and regulation,” This year’s competition was like ten at night fixing the robot and unior Mitchell Johnson said. known as “Stronghold.” It combined making sure it actually worked,” Once it’s time for the competielements of dodgeball and capture sophomore Jeanne Haverhill said.’ tion to begin, the team has differthe flag. Each team set up different After three wild fortnights, ent roles and positions just like in defenses, and the robots and their the team is done, for better or for sports such as basketball or soccer. drivers had to devise schemes to worse, and must send out the robot The team has a human player who cross these defenses and throw balls to be inspected to make sure no will stand next to the playing field into the opposing team’s tower. If rules were broken. Everything must and will walk up and down the side-
line, directing his teammates who cannot see the other side of the field using hand signals. Then there is the driver who will control the robot and all its moving parts. The Spartechs left The Gateway City very successfully, finishing the championship 121st out of the over 3,700 teams worldwide. However this is made even more impressive by the fact that the team did not make the World Championships right out of the district competition, instead, they were put on a waitlist and were put in when another team couldn’t go due to financial reasons or other complications. Despite their success in the tournament and finishing 4th in their division at the championships, the team was not selected to move on to the final championship round. “We weren’t well known enough. Pretty much, most teams are like really big name teams,” Haverhill said. Despite not making the championships, the team still had an overwhelmingly positive outlook on the week in Saint Louis, chalk full of seminars and complex machines going head to head in battle. “You got to experience a new city, and see a lot of unique designs that I’ve never seen before; and you also got to meet a bunch of different kids from around the world,” senior Patrick Mackenzie said.
May 2016
News
Page 3
‘Carousel’ Claims 11 Freddy Nominations by Danielle Alpert
It is that time of year again, when talented actors and actresses from high schools throughout the Lehigh Valley have the opportunity to be awarded for their spectacular performances, also known as the Freddy Awards. Southern Lehigh was nominated for 11 Freddy Awards for this year’s spring musical “Carousel.” Southern Lehigh’s nominations include Orchestra, Costumes, Small Ensemble Performance by junior Caleigh Schmid and senior Chris Smith, Actress in Supporting Role by junior Giuliana Augello, Actor in Supporting Role by senior Luke Simons, Featured Dancer by senior Madelynne Jameson, Chorus, Solo Vocal Performance by Smith, Performance by an Actress by junior Lexi Brown, Actress in a Leading Role by Schmid, and Actor in a Leading Role by Smith. “The chorus one is always one that I like,” director Mr. Matthew Wehr said. “However, I am proud
of the record number of individual students who received nominations this year.” While the whole cast of the musical will not be performing live, Smith and Schmid will be performing at the awards ceremony because they were nominated for Lead Actor and Lead Actress. “I definitely think that the passion I put into my performance got me nominated,” Smith said. “Overall, there is no real telling of why I was nominated, but I will find out when the Freddy Awards give back the notes about the show.” Wehr and Smith reflect on how it is really difficult to get nominated and tough to predict the outcome of Southern Lehigh was nominated in 11 categories for their spring musical, ‘Carousel.’ the Freddies. To be nominated for Photo credit: Freddyawards.org numerous Freddies for individual actors and actresses is impressive members were a little disappointed will be performing and hopefully for our school. that the musical was not nominated receiving awards. “It would be nice [to win] for the for Overall Production, they are Tune in to Channel 69 to watch recognition and for the students,” proud of their peers and will be the Freddy Awards and cheer on Wehr said. supporting the rest of the cast who your classmates on May 26th! Even though some of the cast
Senior Torin Vanin Crowned ‘Mr. Spartan’ by Nicole Schroy
On April 23, nine upperclassmen participated in Varsity Club’s fourth annual Mr. Spartan. Mr. Spartan is a pageant for Southern Lehigh’s male juniors and seniors. The winner of the competition received two free prom tickets and the crown which was passed down from Mr. Spartan’s 2015 winner: Jon Kanzler. Seniors Sydney Cyr and Savannah Malesky were the hosts of this event, while Mr. Matthew Cooper, Ms. Jessica Swartz, and Mrs. Kaytlyn Byers judged the contestants. Varsity Club President, Jenna Cyr, worked behind the scenes with varsity club members Leah Schaffer and Olivia Muscarella, who made sure everything went smoothly. The contestants consisted of seniors Robert Bloss and Torin Vanin and juniors Garret Cwalina, Kevin Publicover, Ben Becker, Lucas Hudson, Noah Hakim, Garrett DeMars, and Isaac Santiago. Ms. Jessica Swartz choreographed the two dances that the contestants
performed, starting off with the song, “Do It Like Me” by DLOW. “The most difficult part was probably getting the dance down and getting everyone ready for it,” junior Kevin Publicover said. After the performance, the boys quickly changed into swimwear. The hosts gave short introductions of the contestants as they strutted across the stage and posed for the judges. After the beach attire competition, the boys showed off their talents in hopes to entertain the crowd. Quite a few musicians participated in Mr. Spartan this year: Becker and Cwalina both showed off their talent on the piano. However, the students had very different styles. With Becker playing the classic “Imagine” by John Lennon, Cwalina took a more modern approach by playing “Hotline Bling.” Kevin Publicover played the classic “Mary Had a Little Lamb” on the recorder. The crowd sang along to the well-known tune. Vanin, DeMars, Bloss,
Nine upperclassmen competed for the title. Photo credit: Caitlin Roth
Torin Vanin was crowed the winner at the end of the event. Photo credit: Caitlin Roth
and Hakim all utilized their voices to try to woo the crowd. Vanin rapped to Nicki Minaj’s song “Anaconda” while wearing ‘All Pink Everything’ (even a wig!). DeMars interacted with the crowd in his cover of “Bust a Move” by Young MC. Whenever he would point the microphone at the crowd, they would chant “bust a move!” Bloss brought some country twang to the event while singing Kid Rock’s “All Summer Long.” Hakim, the German exchange student at Southern Lehigh High School, performed Nena’s “99 Luftballons” in German. Isaac Santiago took a very different approach to the talent portion. He went up on the stage with a backpack full of a foam sword, a Beats Pill, a canvas picture, and a mini hockey stick. Once on stage, he spun each object.
“Well a couple months ago, I learned how to spin a pencil around my finger, and then I learned how to spin different things around my thumb,” Santiago said. Hudson showed off his basketball skills to “Black Skinhead” by Kanye West and had the ultimate finale: a promposal. He asked sophomore Mikayla Kelhart to prom and luckily, she accepted. “Many of the students are worthy of the title of Mr Spartan but unfortunately, only one person can win,” Varsity Club Advisor, Mr Lee Zeisloft said. A second promposal occurred during the personality contest. Hakim’s question was “What is the most unique way to ask someone to the prom?” He then suggested that the perfect promposal required a sign and a girl to ask. Hakim
asked sophomore Lauren Jani to come up to the stage while a sign was brought out. Fortunately, she said yes! After the swimwear competition, the talent portion, a quick personality contest corresponding with the formalwear competition, and a quick dance number, six contestants were eliminated. Santiago, Publicover, and Vanin were the last three standing. The contestants all put up a fight while responding to their final questions but Vanin took the crown. “I was really excited, mostly because I was really nervous before my performance, and I put a lot of work into my act,” Vanin said, “It felt really good to win.”
Page 4 Features
The Spotlight
Southern Lehigh 2016 Prom Court Cassie Luzenski Photo credit: Mrs. Luzenski
Amir Gold Photo credit: Mr Gold
Nicole Schroy Photocredit: Talia Trackim
Minh-Thai Nguyen Photo credit: Mr.Nguyen
King, Eric Probasco, and Queen, Jenna Cyr, pose together. Photo credit: Allison Borelli
King and Queen
Giuliana Augello Photo credit: Mrs. Augelllo
Kevin Publicover Photo credit: Mrs. Cyr
Sean Welsh Photo credit: Mrs.Welsh
Olivia Muscarella Photo credit: Mr. Gold
Five Fantastic Faculty Members Say Farewell to
by Emily Oberlender Mr.Crouse
Mr. Carl Crouse was hired by Southern Lehigh as a guidance counselor roughly 43 years ago, making him the retiree with the most seniority at Southern Lehigh. “I’ve been at Southern Lehigh since 1973, which was the year I graduated from college,” Mr. Crouse said. Throughout his 43 years, Mr. Crouse’s favorite aspect of the job has remained the students. “I think that’s why people should go into teaching,” Crouse said. “It should be because they like working with kids.” Mr. Crouse made the decision to retire due to controversy surrounding teacher retirement funding. “There are political issues regarding teacher retirement funding. It’s been an ongoing battle in Harrisburg,” Crouse said. Mr. Crouse now intends to focus on his retirement plans. “I’m going to travel. I like to fish, hunt, and I have a house where things have to get fixed,” he said. As a guidance counselor, it only makes sense that Mr. Crouse leaves SL with some guiding words of wisdom. To teachers, he advises to “Love what you do, or leave it.” In terms of students, he has a more philosophical approach. “A question I will always ask students is, ‘What do you do here?’ You only get four years of high school,” Crouse said. “Find some way to connect to your school. Do something here other than just go to class. It gives students a chance to see teachers as other people. Remember, we’re people too.”
Mr. Roncolato
He has coached 45 individual seasons among four different sports during his career as a physical education, drivers ed, and health teacher. Mr. Douglas Roncolato has been an educator for 35 years in total and says all in all, the most enjoyable aspect of his career is the students. “[The best part of teaching is the] satisfaction from seeing students succeed,” Mr. Roncolato said. While at SL, Mr. Roncolato has gained popularity from being the SADD adviser. Along with teaching and watching over SADD, he has been a dedicated coach. “I have calculated that I’ve spent 800 hours of my adult life on buses with my teams,” Mr. Roncolato said. “There’s been a lot of good memories and sore butts.” Mr. Roncolato has already planned out his retirement, noting that he is not leaving Southern Lehigh for good. “I’m going to continue to coach,” he said. “Most of my best memories come from coaching.” Mr. Roncolato also plans to “just keep busy with projects around the house,” as well as spend time with his four grandchildren. Roncolato wants to leave SL with a few words of wisdom regarding living in the moment. “Give it your best and be yourself, because there is no other you,” he said. “Pay attention to the details, and enjoy life now, because it only gets rougher.”
Features Page 5
May 2016
Teaching in China a Memorable Experience by Allison Borelli
Tucker poses with his students. Photo credit: Mr. Tucker
When looking forward to summer vacation, the beach, the sound of that final bell, and the sweet taste of ice cream on a hot afternoon all come to mind. It’s not often that one expects to hear Mandarin, throw cake, sightsee around Beijing, and help Chinese students with their English. This is what Southern Lehigh teachers have to look forward to when they participate in The International School Partnership of Hebei Province Summer Camp, or ISPHP. “I just thought [ISPHP] would be a great adventure. I absolutely know no Chinese, I really didn’t know much about the culture, and their way of schooling, so I thought it would just be an interesting and fun experience,” high school math teacher and 2015 camp participant Mrs. Beth Dottery said. “I thought it would be more authentic than just going as a typical tourist.” ISPHP is 23 days long. Participants have about a week of tourist-type adventures, like visiting the Great Wall of China, and then two weeks of teaching at the summer camp. At the end of the camp, the students and teachers can throw cake at each other in celebration of completing the camp.
“It was amazing. It was one of the neatest things I’ve ever done, if not the neatest thing I’ve ever done,” middle school teacher and 2014 participant Ms. Jackie Butler said. ”It’s so different and we’d just be walking around and be like, ‘We’re in China. This is so crazy.’ It was a really good opportunity and you learn about yourself, and as a teacher.” The camp is located in the Hebei province in Qinhuangdao, which is right next to Beijing. Most of the teachers for this program are drawn from the United Kingdom, and only two other High Schools in the United States participate in this program: Kennett High School and Downingtown High School, both from Chester County in Southeastern Pennsylvania. “Even though it’s two totally different cultures, the learning process is the same. Different methods are used but more or less it was not that hard to adapt to what they were thinking and for them to adapt to my teaching style,” high school tech ed teacher and 2013 participant Mr. Robert Gaugler said. “The learning process between two different cultures is pretty universal.” The goal of ISPHP is to help Chinese students understand English better. This is accomplished by being taught about American holidays, foods, and more in the morning, and by playing an American activity, like wiffle ball, in the afternoon using only English. “The most important thing is we’re really fortunate. To live where we live, to have the schools that we have, to have the teaching philosophies that we have,” intermediate school teacher and 2013-2014 participant Mr. Russell Tucker said. “We are certainly not perfect, but the Chinese system is not perfect either, and we just have to keep refining our craft all the time to do what’s best for students.” Although the district presents the opportunity, teacher’s spouse’s (if they’re a teacher) can also apply and attend the camp. Teachers are able to go for free since the trip is paid for by the Hebei Educational branch. Not only spouses can go,
however; teacher’s children are allowed to attend the trip and help out, as long as the parents pay for their child’s plane ticket. “That was a life changing moment for my daughter who was eight at the time. She has really developed an appreciation for China,” Mr. Tucker said. “I sense that that won’t be the last time she goes there. She really bonded with the students, they loved her and she had a really hard time saying goodbye to [them].” Superintendent Dr. Leah Christman was able to bring the ISPHP program to Southern Lehigh from connections she made during a school administrator exchange with China. She was introduced to Eddy Tang, the man in charge of ISPHP, who allowed Southern Lehigh teachers to participate. “I just made this random connection from this lady from China, and what has grown out of that, and what I think has been very rewarding is that one thing leads to another leads to another and now we have teachers having these awesome experiences for free,” Dr. Christman said. Southern Lehigh first participated in this program in 2013, although it started 12 years prior to that. The program may even expand to possibly allow students to go and assist teachers on their trip to China or even have Chinese students visit America. Although no Southern Lehigh teachers are attending this year, the school district will not stop advertising the program anytime soon. “Probably the most memorable thing was leaving. It was memorable for a good and bad reason. We were leaving so we’re coming back home to our families, but the love and sadness and disappointment that the Chinese students had seeing us leave [was hard],” Mr. Tucker said. “Seeing their faces, boys and girls just sobbing uncontrollably, just because they never had teachers like us before where they got to know us as people, they got to develop that connection, and that we were leaving was very hard for them.”
the SLHS Family as They Face their Futures Mrs.Gross
Family consumer science teacher Mrs. Linda Gross has been educating Southern Lehigh students for her entire teaching career, which reaches back to January 1980. Recently, she decided to retire. “I think I’m ready to explore other avenues in life,” Mrs. Gross said. Mrs. Gross plans on spending her retirement babysitting her grandson, Emerson, taking up yoga, and volunteering at elementary schools in inner cities. Mrs. Gross admitted that her decision was bittersweet. “[I’m going to miss] the interaction with the students,” she said. “I’ve also made some life long friends through the faculty. Weddings, the birth of our children, deaths of loved ones, we’ve been through it all together.” Gross wants to remind students of the importance of living and enjoying life. “The quality of life is about the relationships, not the things, you have,” she said. To her fellow staff members, Gross wants to reinforce what being a teacher is all about. “The job always has to be about the students,” she said. “It’s about making them better than they were when they came in.”
Mrs. Sikorski-Schneider
One word automatically pops into Mrs. Anne Sikorski-Schneider’s head when thinking about Southern Lehigh: family. The art teacher announced that she will be retiring this year after changes the school board made in the teachers’ contract. “I had no plans on leaving, and I don’t want to retire, but there’s a clause in the teacher’s contract that says if we stay, we lose 20 percent of the money that goes to our health care,” Mrs. Sikorski-Schneider said. Mrs. Sikorski-Schneider, who has been teaching art at Southern Lehigh for “35 plus years,” says her students are her main priority. “I won’t let [the students] quit, so I love to see them grow,” she said. “I learn from them everyday. I’m definitely going to miss them.” Mrs. Sikorski-Schneider plans to spend her retirement going with the flow and enjoying life as it comes. “I’m going to paint, travel, and see where life takes me,” she said. When asked whether or not she would be visiting, Mrs. Sikorski-Schneider nodded. “I may be retiring, but I’m not leaving,” she said. “Southern Lehigh will always be my family.
Mrs. Smiley
Chemistry teacher Ms. Patricia Smiley cannot deny why she adores teaching. “I enjoy working with all the unique individuals that are students,” Mrs. Smiley said. “They certainly keep me on my toes, and keep me feeling young.” While her passion is still as strong as it was 19 years ago when she started working at Southern Lehigh, a “perfect storm of circumstances” has resulted in her decision to retire. “My husband is retiring this year as well, so we’ll be able to travel and go hiking,” she said. “I’ll have time to do all of those things that I had no time for. I can read more books, and I also like to knit.” Ms. Smiley will miss working with her colleagues the most, and leaves them a with few wise words. “Enjoy the students,” she said. “They have so much to offer.”
Photo Credits: Emily Oberlender
Page 6 Opinion
The Spotlight
Take a Chance on Physics by Nicole Schroy
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
Managing Editor Nicole Schroy
News Editor Emily Oberlender
Features Editor Allison Borelli
Center Spread Editor Danielle Alpert
Opinion Editor Katie Cole
Our World Editor Sarah Trebicka
Entertainment Editor Jamie Kish
Sports Editor
Townsend Colley
Web Editor Alex Baca
Copy Editor Izza Choudhry
Photographers Maggie Moerder Caitlin Roth Devon Wolfe
Pennsylvania School Press Association 2015 Gold Rating 2014 Gold Rating 2013 Silver Rating National School Press Association 2015 First Class Rating
Physics plays a role in the development of many exciting rides at amusement parks. Photo credit: Caitlin Roth
At the beginning of the year, physics and frustration went hand-in-hand for me. I despised the class. It had nothing to do with the grade I had, but rather I was frustrated because of the spreading rumor: Physics is no longer a requirement. While some rejoiced, the majority of students complained about how unfair this change was. However, those that complained, might not have considered why this change was made. “Schedules, especially for the vo-tech students were getting locked up with remediation courses and project courses,” Mrs. Beth Guarriello said. For some, physics comes easily. For others, it is an uphill battle. When you ask about physics, it is common that you will catch an eye roll, a sigh, a scoff, and perhaps some vulgar language; physics is viewed as the enemy. However, after about halfway through the year (yes, it took that long), I found an appreciation for physics. “It is going to be very humbling because you will not get it right away. It requires you to process, think about, and look at over and over again, like a good book,” physics teacher Mr. David Dougherty said. “That’s the hardest thing. Students been told all their lives that they are being successful by studying, memorizing, and reciting, and we ask them to now comprehend and synthesize, and in truth we are the variable in that so students blame
us. You have to make decisions, you have to use logic, you have to appreciate and enjoy it.” By allowing others to influence my opinion of the class, I merely assumed that I hated the class, too. However, it is not actually as difficult as people say. There are many people that will complain about it and that will advise against the course. However, it truly is beneficial. “It is one area that our species does not have direct answers to. We still don’t know why we exist and why we are here and what does it even mean to be here and [physics] is the constant reminder of where we came from,” Mr Dougherty said. “When we look to the stars it is that humbling experience.” Additionally, physics offers more than just equations. It intertwines logic within every topic and it teaches students to think in different ways. The physics classes even get to take a field trip to Dorney Park! “You never know where your path may lead you and if you have a foundation in all three of the core sciences it will help you later on with whatever you want to do,” Mrs. Guarriello said. Though some may argue that it is pointless to take physics in a high school setting if it will be required in college, exposure to these critical thinking and problem solving skills are extremely beneficial.
“By having all three of these core sciences (biology, chemistry, and physics) it keeps your options open and allows you to be able to explore to find out what you like or don’t like, which can alter your career path,” biology teacher Mrs. Adrienne Searfoss added. Really, it depends on how you look at it: is the glass half full or half empty? Look at the course as a new opportunity to learn rather than preparing yourself to scrutinize every possible mistake that you can make in the course (and trust me, there is a lot of room for mistakes). Having lots of room for mistakes, however, means plenty of room for improvement. “Physics is an overall very good course that can assist in many fields and it really utilizes problem solving skills, so it can be very helpful,” guidance counselor Mrs. Lynne Kelly said. The rumors are true: physics is no longer a graduation requirement. However, consider what you will be missing out on if you do not take the course. A new way of thinking can unlock a plethora of opportunities for your future. “If you’re enrolled in the class or planning on enrolling in the class, definitely take advantage of the Spartan periods and get extra help if you need it, because it won’t get any easier,” junior Whitney Kehley said. “It is a very tough course so be prepared to put in your best effort.”
this jesting should extend to insult or slander of the one who wrote the article or people who support the article. As this form of animosity grows, it could potentially blossom into a flame-war, or even bullying. Recently, I have seen people cross the line. Going from harmless jokes about an article, to making jokes about the author of the article, and all the way to straight up insulting the author themselves. This is entirely inappropriate. As the writers of The Spotlight are in their own right, brave. Maybe not as brave as putting their life on the line trying to put out a fire, or stepping into a ring with an opponent, maybe not even as brave as those of us who go driving with our little siblings; however they’re brave because they
try to open our minds, and because they speak up when no one else does. Sure, I don’t agree with what they say or with their ideas, but I have to respect them for sharing their ideas and signing their names to it (I say as I write an anonymous letter). I hope that The Spotlight will, in the future, accept and balance the articles from other ideologies. I hope they continue to expand the minds of the students at Southern Lehigh. I hope more students will write for The Spotlight. I hope the students of Southern Lehigh respect the writers of The Spotlight. I hope Canadians are once again accepted into our society. But most of all I hope that the writers of this school keep their heads high and keep on writing, as they may be the bravest of us all. -Anonymous SLHS Sophomore
Letter to the Editor I write this letter to you, but also to the students of Southern Lehigh High School. It has become abundantly clear that the students at our school have begun focusing entirely on negativity and are obsessed with tearing into each other. This has been due to the over abundance of opinion based articles in the paper. In the paper there have been many opinion based articles lately. It is true they have all centered around a more liberal ideology. However, I don’t feel as though it gives any student the right to tear into those who have spoken their opinion through the paper. Yes, I believe it is appropriate to have a certain level of jesting or joking around about articles you don’t agree with, or that are, due to their content, a great source of humor; however I do not believe that
May 2016
Opinion
Page 7
No More Cancer Jokes As I Was Saying by Sarah Trebicka
“Even though laughter truly is the best medicine, cancer is not funny. Good times, good humor, and laughter don’t usually come to mind when you’re dealing with cancer,” Jacobi Medical Center general physician Dr. Evia Nano said. Over eight million people worldwide are expected to die of cancer this year. To put that into perspective, New York City has a total population of 8.406 million people. On January 1, 2014, about 14.5 million living Americans had some history of cancer. Worldwide, an estimated 169.3 Spreading awareness for cancer is million years of healthy lives were an important step towards improving the lives of people suffering from lost due to cancer in 2008. Considering these statistics, it cancer, as well as their friends and family. Photo credit: Wikipedia breaks my heart to hear anyone, let alone students here at Southern Lehigh, make insensitive jokes about an illness with such devastating effects. Speaking as someone who lost her father to cancer last year, not only do I find these jokes inconsiderate, but I find them callous and extremely uncalled for. “Finding out someone you love has cancer is one of the most tragic things you could ever hear,” sophomore Maddie Arnold said. “I would tell [a person who makes cancer jokes] that someone’s life isn’t a joke.” Ranking as the second most common cause of death in the United States, only behind heart disease, cancer can be found practically anywhere you turn, and affects the lives of countless people both internationally and locally. Worldwide, around 1.6 million new cancer cases are expected to be diagnosed this year; in the United States, 1,630 people are diagnosed with cancer every day. “I think that sometimes people are not familiar with how awful [cancer] is for patients or their families,” social studies teacher Mr. Lee Zeisloft said. “It’s a terribly immature way to deal with such a serious problem.” Furthermore, it is common knowledge that chemotherapy is often administered to cancer patients as a form of treatment. Chemotherapy aims to restrain the cancer from spreading, and to kill cancer cells that have already spread throughout the body. Administered through a pill, liquid, shot, catheter, or simply by injecting the chemo directly into the spine, chest, or belly, or by rubbing it onto the skin, chemo inflicts both common side effects, such as fatigue, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, appetite loss, and hair loss, and more serious side effects, such as permanent organ damage, delirium, nerve damage, and infertility, since it cannot attack cancer cells without killing healthy cells as well. Based on my firsthand experiences, most cancer jokes seem to center around the “signature symptom” of chemotherapy: alopecia, or hair loss. Considering how already emotionally and physically damaging this toxic treatment is, I find it even more distasteful that people choose to mock chemo patients in particular. “Even though studies show that laughter can actually improve immune function, which is so important for cancer patients battling the disease and trying anything to heal their bodies during cancer treatment, the stress created by an offensive joke is definitely detrimental to physical and mental health in this particular situation,” Dr. Nano said. While Americans generally have a 1 in 5 chance of developing depression in their lifetimes, depression is twice as common in patients suffering from severe medical or neurological diseases, including cancer. Studies by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) show that between 20 and 40 percent of cancer patients will become depressed sometime throughout the course of their illness. Researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center found that 25 percent of cancer patients may experience depression that prompts evaluation or treatment. In general, both cancer patients and their loved ones are likely to deal with some type of distress, anxiety, fear, or depression as a result of the ruthless disease. “I feel that people who make jokes about cancer or cancer patients aren’t actually bad people,” Arnold said. “Most likely these people are just completely oblivious to the actual effects of and emotions involved with cancer.” I could probably sit here and write an entire novel naming every single reason why cancer jokes are cruel. Quite frankly, I’m disappointed that I have to write this article at all. Families and individuals coping with the heartache and anguish caused by what author Stephen King once called the “pitbull of diseases” deserve nothing less than the utmost love, respect, care, and support. It should be clear as day to everyone that a heart-rending illness like cancer is no laughing matter, so please, have some empathy, and don’t treat it as such.
by Emily Oberlender
Creating Campus Consent
Seniors, you’ve gotten your acceptance letter, registered for classes, and ordered your books. Now all that is left is to ensure your college provides protection for sexual assault victims. Making sure your university will enforce consent and sexual assault education should be a priority for all seniors entering secondary education, especially considering the rates at which sexual assault occurs on college campuses. Consent is as easy as understanding that “yes” means yes and “no” means no. Despite this, according to the New York Times and the Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network, 25 percent of women and three percent of men will experience rape or attempted rape in their lifetime. While the statistic is intimidating, it is important for seniors to note that in college, their chance of being assaulted is even higher. The National Sexual Violence Resource Center states that one in five women and one in sixteen men will be sexually assaulted during their college experience. These statistics prove that sexual assault on college campuses is common and a rising issue. Considering this, it is necessary for seniors to research their school to ensure victim protection in sexual assault battles. It is important to understand that sexual assault on campus has not always been so common. Unwanted sexual assault has risen 50 percent in the last three years according to The Washington Post. Note that this statistic fails to account for the estimated 80 percent of sexual assaults that go unreported according to the Department of Justice. College negligence to prioritize on-campus assault can be somewhat attributed to the involvement of alcohol at the time of the attack. Because USA Today reports that 89 percent of sexual assaults on campus include the consumption of alcohol, establishing whether or not the victim consented to the sexual activity can be arguably undeterminable. This causes many cases to be dismissed by colleges, which leaves the victim without justice and the attacker without consequences. “Despite federal laws created to protect students, colleges and universities have failed to protect women from this epidemic of sexual assault,” the Center for Public Integrity said. “Even after they've been found responsible for sexual assault, students are rarely expelled or suspended.” Despite whether the victim was intoxicated or not, no one should be subjected to sexual assault, especially in what should be a safe learning environment. Laws put in place to protect victims such as the Jeanne Clery Act and Title IX prove ineffective, considering the growing campus assault statistics. The government may write laws, but in order to lower attacks, what we need is education and awareness. Campaigns such as Creating Consent Culture and Don’t Rape Educate advocate for teaching not to rape, instead of teaching how not to get raped. In the last few years, certain colleges have made this realization and established educational sexual assault programs to teach students about consent. For example, enrolled freshman at Elon University in North Carolina are required to take an online course before they even arrive on campus. The course teaches them about relationship ethics and the effects of alcohol. Similarly, Dartmouth College is mandating that all their students take a class on preventing sexual violence for all four years of college. Other schools educate freshman at orientation; for instance, Rutgers University puts on a student-run skit detailing college parties being linked to assault. Seniors should work with their college to create consent culture, educate on sexual assault, and ensure victim protection. Students should feel safe on their college campuses. Whether your college has sexual assault prevention programs in place or not, there is always more that can be done to educate and advocate for protection against sexual assault and support for its victims. Please understand this purpose, because no one is invulnerable from sexual assault or rape.
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Center Spread
Oh, the Places They’ll Go! by Danielle Alpert
The Spotlight
May 2016
Center Spread Page 9
Page 10 Our World
SL Alumni: Where Are They Now? Noel LaMontagne by Danielle Alpert
Noel LaMontagne, former NFL player, plays his first game in 2000 against the Baltimore Ravens. Photo credit: LaMontagne
You may have known that NFL player Noel LaMontagne played all five positions along the offensive line, both tackles, both guards and center for the Cleveland Browns, but did you know that he is a graduate of Southern Lehigh’s class of 1995? LaMontagne started playing football in eighth grade on the freshman team. Even though he did not play when he was younger, he eventually pursued college and professional football. “My father and older brother both played in high school and college,” LaMontagne said. “I think it was almost in my blood to a degree.” The Lehigh Valley helped propel LaMontagne to earn everything he got, from little things to his highly successful professional football career. Almost everything he did growing up, going to school and playing sports, revolved around responsibility and accountability. “We were all expected to be good people, to work for what we wanted, and, ultimately, to earn what we received. Sadly, I see a lot more of people being handed things these days versus earning things, but I always loved that where I come from, that mentality was the exception and not the rule,” LaMontagne said. Once his football career ended, LaMontagne had the opportunity to become a sports agent to start working with and representing professional football players. LaMontagne has been managing for almost 14 years and helps NFL players manage their careers on and off the field. “It is an extremely competitive and demanding business,” LaMontagne said. “But the feeling that comes from helping good people realize their dreams is one
of the best you can imagine.” Throughout playing football, he had his anterior cruciate ligament, also known as the ACL, replaced in 2000, and then he re-injured the ACL replacement along the way. “I no longer play because I am an old man with the left knee of an even older man!” LaMontagne said. LaMontagne recalls that from the time that he was little, he knew he wanted to play in the NFL. He thought it was such a simple goal, that anyone could do it, but it took him until eighth grade, when LaMontagne actually started playing, to realize that it would be a lot harder than he initially thought. He describes football as “a sport that makes you earn every opportunity that you get, while making the most of that earned opportunity at the exact time.” “The challenges and the competition that you face as an individual and as a member of a team are not paralleled by any other sport. Some are close, but there is just nothing quite like the game of football,” LaMontagne said. “Sports are difficult, and the further along the path that you get to participate in them, they get more and more difficult.” When he got to play for the Cleveland Browns in the NFL against the Baltimore Ravens, he finally got to live his childhood dream. “I had a lot of great moments during my playing career, I got recognized for a few steps along the way, and I would not trade any of those experiences for anything,” LaMontagne said. “But, that moment of getting to reach the pinnacle of a sport that I worked very hard to be a part of for a very long time is something that stands out to me as special.” Along his journey to become a professional football player, he has learned so much through spending his days training. “The funny thing about football that I have learned over the years is that a lot of it is about perspective. When you are playing in high school you do not have the perspective to know how good you can be or how hard you are capable of working to get better,” LaMontagne said. “Playing in college opens up your perspective, almost overnight, and you suddenly realize that as good as you used to be, you can be so much better. The NFL takes that concept a step further, and the longer you play in the NFL, the more open your mind becomes to your expectations and, ultimately, your limitations.”
The Spotlight
SL Group to Explore South Pacific in July by Izza Choudhry
The Sydney Opera House is one of many interesting sights students will see on the South Pacific trip. Photo credit: Wikipedia
On July 13, seventy students and teachers from Southern Lehigh High School will travel to Australia, New Zealand, and the Cook Islands until July 25. Students, teachers, and staff will be accompanied by a full-time tour director who will handle local transportation, hotels, and meals while also providing their own insight into the local history and culture. “When you travel, you learn a lot,” social studies teacher and trip coordinator Mr. Matt Cooper said. “I hope students learn about different cultures and ecosystems. Having to travel is huge, so I hope students learn a lot about themselves.” The teachers and staff accompanying the students on this trip are principal Mrs. Christine Siegfried, school nurse Ms. Merrilyn Pysher, technical education teacher Mr. Robert Gaugler, school resource officer Mr. Brian McLaughlin, instructional aide Ms. Lindsay Horvath, Spanish teacher Ms. Jessica Swartz, French teacher Mrs. Kaytlyn Byers, and English teacher Mr. Michael Fay. Days one and two will be spent flying to Australia and crossing the International Date Line. Days three through six will be spent in Sydney, Australia. On day seven, students, teachers, and staff will fly to Auckland, New Zealand, and from there travel to Rotorua, New Zealand, where they will stay until day nine
when students will travel to Rarotonga. They will spend day ten in Rarotonga, and return home on day eleven. “I hope to learn just about life in these countries, like what they eat,” French teacher Mrs. Byers said. “Also if it’s really different from the U.S. or not because they still speak English.” While in Sydney, students, teachers, and staff will be able to participate in many amazing activities. There will be many opportunities, such as observing a bird’s-eye view of the city from the observation deck of Sydney Tower, taking a boat tour on Sydney Harbor, touring the Sydney Opera House, and visiting the National Opal Collection. Animal and nature lovers will also have the chance to visit Wild Life Sydney Zoo, Taronga Zoo, and Featherdale Wildlife Park. In Rotura, students, teachers, and staff will be able to board an amphibious duck boat to explore Rotura’s historic landmarks and natural wonders, ride the Skyline Gondola, and visit a Whaka Maori village. They will also go snorkeling and take a Cook Island Cultural tour. “I went into [the South Pacific trip] without knowing anything about the countries we are going to visit,” sophomore Sydney Dunbar said. “I’m on board to learn more about the people and the culture that exists in these areas.”
Students will be exploring the Cook Islands on the South Pacific trip in July. Photo credit: Wikipedia
Our World Page 11
May 2016
Technology: Mental Vice or Social Virtue? by Sarah Trebicka
Millennials are stereotypically characterized as technology-crazed teenagers who value likes and retweets more than they do face-to-face interaction. Although it’s obviously a negative generalization, there may be some truth behind this belief that many Generation Y, Generation X, Baby Boomers and beyond preach so zealously. According to a report by Common Sense Media, American teens spend an average of nine hours online each day, excluding time spent using technology in educational environments. With countless studies floating around pondering the psychological consequences of excessively using smartphones and social media, a question arises: is technology really bad for us? Although Internet Addiction Disorder may not be an official, diagnosable illness, social media has certainly been found to breed tight attachments. CNN conducted a study called “#Being13: Inside the Secret World of Teens,” which sought to observe how 13-year-olds use social media, and how it affects their social psychological adjustment. They concluded that 61 percent of teens checked social media because they wanted to make sure their online posts were Photo credit: Maggie Moerder receiving likes and comments, 36 percent were curious as to whether or not their friends were media for good despite the fact that she had over excluding them from social outings, and 21 per612,000 followers on Instagram. She felt it was cent were worried that others were saying mean “contrived perfection made to get attention,” and things about them. deleted over 2,000 photos that “served no real “I think the reason that we are so dependent purpose other than self-promotion.” All her reupon our smartphones and social media is the al- maining captions were edited to reveal the truth lure of attachment, and that this obsession stems behind her purpose for posting the photo. from our human desire to be connected,” English “Without realizing, I’ve spent [the] majority teacher Mrs. Kelly Howsare said. “Restrict your of my teenage life being addicted to social media, use of social media to a half hour a day, and use social approval, social status, and my physical it for friends or family that you don’t see everyappearance,” she said in an Instagram caption. day. Smartphones and social media are tools that “Social media, especially how I used it, isn’t real. should be our slaves; we should not be slaves to It’s contrived images and edited clips ranked them.” against each other. It’s a system based on social “Instant gratification is really what it is for approval, likes, validation in views, [and] success teens, I think,” school nurse Mrs. Merrilyn Pysher in followers. It’s perfectly orchestrated, self-absaid. “You can put something out there and imsorbed judgement. I was consumed by it.” mediately get all types of positive comments, Despite social media’s potential to prevent sometimes negative comments, and any attenself love and peace of mind, many believe that it tion that you’re seeking.” can promote and strengthen global connections Social media users’ dependence on “instant and the exchange of ideas. gratification” is, according to some, the root of “Online is a great place to express opinions the issue. According to a 2012 study by research- and interests that would otherwise be ostracized ers in the U.K., 53 percent of participants agreed in real life. Social media is also a great place to that social media changed their behavior; 51 per- make friends who have the same interests as cent revealed social media proved detrimental to you more easily, especially if your interests are their self-confidence, as they tended to compare not particularly mainstream,” sophomore Will themselves to others. Additionally, a study by the McGlone said. “Whenever you see a teenager University of Michigan found that more frequent looking down at their phone, they are reading Facebook users were generally unhappier and and seeing different people’s viewpoints from felt more dissatisfied with their lives than those around the world; whether you want to admit it who were offline more often. or not, they are learning while doing this.” Essena O’Neill, a 19-year-old Australian Research recorded in the British Psychoformer Instagram model, chose to quit social logical Society claims that people who suffer
from low self-esteem can utilize social media to connect and bond with others, thus promoting socialization and good psychological health. In this way, social media may be used to maintain and strengthen relationships, as it allows like-minded people to connect and share ideas practically instantly. “I recommend that adults monitor what types of social media their children are looking at using. I know that kids wouldn’t agree with me, but I think that as you get older you become a better judge of what is a positive form of social media and what is a negative form,” Mrs. Pysher said. “I think if social media is used to keep in touch or to maintain relationships with friends and family, then that’s positive.” Furthermore, research presented at the 119th annual American Psychological Association holds that shy teens may actually improve their socialization skills through social media. This may be due to the fact that people tend to feel more secure behind a screen. Dr. Larry D. Rosen, who presented this information, stated that teens are also improving their ability to empathize through the appropriate use of social media. Therefore, social media can stimulate both negative consequences, such as the unhealthy dependence on instant gratification, and positive gains, such as more improved socialization and empathy abilities. The responsibility lies in utilizing social media appropriately, and knowing when enough is enough.
Solehi Students to Explore China in June by Alex Baca
From June 8th to 19th, Southern Lehigh students will travel to China for an educational trip, where they plan to explore regions of Tangshan and Beijing. Southern Lehigh’s sister school, Tangshan Oriental International School, is in Tangshan, allowing students to visit the school. “I’m looking for new experiences that I really haven’t [had] before. I have went to China before, [but] I only go to my parents’ hometown,” junior Alex Huang said. “This [trip] will give me a new experience in the wonders of China.” The group will spend two days with Tangshan Oriental International School, and the rest of their time in Beijing. The Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, and the Horticultural World Exhibit in Tangshan are some of the tourist attractions they
plan to view. “I am interested in seeing all parts of the world, and I think it will be a great experience for students in the Mandarin program to be able to use their language knowledge firsthand,” trip advisor and family consumer sciences teacher Mr. Joseph Zacher said. “Seeing Asia for the first time is truly an eye opening experience.” Mr. Zacher is the group leader for the tour. He has been working with EF Educational Tours as a coordinator, and has held meetings in hopes of promoting the tour. Mr. Zacher and Mrs. Jennifer Taylor-Kindt, a business, computer and information technology teacher at the middle school will be leading the trip. “I hope to see what cultural differences are in China and expand my view of what the world is
like,” sophomore Noor Jamshed said.
The Great Wall of China is a historical site that students and staff planned to visit during their trip. Photo credit: Wikipedia
Page 12 Arts and Entertainment
The Spotlight
At the Speed of Light, Drift Into ‘Hyper Light Drifter’
by Allison Borelli
Photo credit: Heart Machine
Looking for a new video game, perhaps where death is a distant dream, or a puzzle centered game? Then Hyper Light Drifter is not your game. An indie 2D action RPG, Hyper Light Drifter is the type of game that won’t hold your hand. It is described as a combination of “Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past” and “Diablo.” The game’s creator Alex Preston developed it with eight others as a part of Heart Machine. Created “in the vein of 8-bit and 16-bit classics,” the developers took some inspiration for the story from Preston’s life-long struggle with heart disease. Hyper Light Drifter is their first video game. The story of the game revolves around the player-controlled Drifter who is afflicted with an unknown illness and searching for a cure. He, as well as the other inhabitants of the world, have access to a lost technology. There’s not much else to tell, as there is no dialogue in this game and
the plotline is a little hazy. The combat system of the game starts the Drifter off with typical long and short range attacks. As the game goes on, the player has access to other modules and upgrades for weapons and abilities. These are upgraded with rare batteries collected along the way. The game’s monsters get more numerous and tougher along the way, which require the player to hone their skills and strategies as well. As for actual combat, well, the death rate is high. Hyper Light Drifter is not merciful, and you can’t button-mash or “cheese” your way out of a fight. However, once tactics that work are found, the game becomes much easier. The bosses are hard until you figure out the best way to beat them. There’s even an achievement for winning the game without dying. Some general cons for the game was how much it crashed. There were some bugs yet to
be worked out, and the system that I played on wasn’t the best, but after the fifth time it started to get on my nerves. Other than that, the story wasn’t really clear, but that’s to be expected in a game with no dialogue. Some pros for the game was that despite being a pixel game, the art’s impressive. The attention to detail I had to pay to the game was enormous as well, and the amount of times I plastered my face over the supposed “boundaries” of the game, searching for secrets, was also immense. Finding a secret room was an awarding rush. I enjoyed playing this game despite the occasional crash, and I would rate it a 7/10. Although this game doesn’t go easy on you, it also won’t throw you into traffic. If exploration, vivid visuals, and honing your strategies is interesting, then I would recommend forking out the 20 dollars to buy Hyper Light Drifter.
second solo album “Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes” in 2014, there was much speculation as to when the band was going to start recording a ninth album. The word came in February 2015, when long-time Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich confirmed that they were in the process of recording a new album. Most expected that the album would be complete and released in the summer of 2016. While most Radiohead fans knew the ninth album was officially in the works, most were surprised when in late March, Radiohead sent ominous postcards to fans with lyrics to a thenunreleased song, titled “Burn the Witch,” and later wiped their website and all of their social media accounts completely empty. After releasing several short teaser videos through their Instagram, Radiohead released the album’s first single, “Burn the Witch,” an upbeat, albeit unsettling orchestral pop piece. Two days later, they released the second single, a spacy ambient track titled, “Daydreaming.” The music video for “Daydreaming” was released simultaneously and directed by filmmaker Paul Thomas
Anderson. “A Moon Shaped Pool” is eleven tracks in length and features songs written across many years in the past. This includes “Burn the Witch,” “Ful Stop,” “Identikit,” “Present Tense,” and fan favorite “True Love Waits,” a ballad which Radiohead have occasionally performed at live shows since at least 1995. Yorke debuted live performances of the tracks “The Numbers” and “Desert Island Disk” in Paris at the UN Climate Change Conference in December 2015. The lyrics on “A Moon Shaped Pool” deal with a variety of topics. The song “Burn the Witch” has been interpreted as a criticism of mob mentality and authoritarianism, and on the track “Present Tense,” Thom Yorke wails “As my world comes crashing down; I’ll be dancing.” I personally think that “A Moon Shaped Pool” is Radiohead’s best album since 2007’s “In Rainbows.” Despite its gloomy and depressing sound, there’s a resonance of hope that echoes from the melancholy lyrics. It’ll be hard to top “A Moon Shaped Pool” for me, and it looks like it’s going to shape out to be my album of the year for 2016.
Dive Into ‘A Moon Shaped Pool’ with Radiohead by Jamie Kish
Photo credit: XL Recordings
It’s been five years since their last album, but the wait is finally over: British alternative rock band Radiohead released their long awaited ninth studio album, titled “A Moon Shaped Pool,” on May 8 through XL Recordings. After the release of frontman Thom Yorke’s
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May 2016
Arts and Entertainment
Page 13
‘Hardcore Henry’ Induces Hardcore Nausea by Caitlin Roth
acters speak directly to you, breaking the fourth wall. But, again, the motion sickness is absolutely killer and makes “Hardcore Henry” nearly impossible to watch without your stomach churning. So, after leaving the theater, I did what any logical person would do in this situation: I went to see it again the next day. I wasn’t going to let “Hardcore Henry” beat me. Trust me when I say this, I’ve seen movies much more incompetent. Remember the “Point Break” remake I reviewed earlier this year? Exactly. So I found myself back at the movies. And to be completely honest with you, “Hardcore Henry” really isn’t that bad. Watching it a second time really made me appreciate the subtle humor, interactiveness, and just plain coolness of “Hardcore Henry.” Is it a perfect movie? No. Will you have a good time when watching it? Most likely. My only complaint is the motion sickness from the constantly shaking camera. Personally, I feel “Hardcore Henry” would succeed best if it was a series of five minute shorts released each week. It’s great in small doses, but too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. If this seems like your type of movie, give it a watch. It’s not the worst thing, but has it’s flaws. I’d say check it out for the gimmick, but that’s about it. I guarantee there will not be any more movies like “Hardcore Henry,” which for me, is a good thing.
Photo credit: STX Entertainment
Summer Movies:
June:
Ever want to be just like your favorite action movie heroes? Want to jump from rooftop to rooftop, fighting off villains with your bare fists and the highest machines of mass destruction? I haven’t, but apparently there is a market for this sort of thing. “Hardcore Henry” hit theaters (no pun intended) on April 7th, bringing a new form of entertainment to moviegoers across the nation. What makes “Hardcore Henry” unique is the way this film is shot -- exclusively from the first person point of view, placing the audience in the shoes of the main character.You are the hero of “Hardcore Henry.” Rejoice film fans, now you too can pretend you are an action movie star. Unfortunately, I walked out thirty minutes into this film. In all my seventeen years of filmgoing, I finally found my kryptonite. The first film ever that I physically could not finish. “Hardcore Henry” is an incredible concept of a movie, executed poorly. The entire film, shot in the first person perspective, leaves the camera shaking, jerking, and moving around frantically. I felt absolutely sick to my stomach from motion sickness. Also, during intense action sequences I could not keep up with what was happening by the motion blur. It is an amazing idea, and it is different to have a completely omnipotent, mute character. “Hardcore Henry” makes you experience firsthand the action seen through the main character’s eyes. It’s highly interactive, as char-
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Sports
The Spotlight
Baseball Team Fields Inconsistent Season By Townsend Colley
Photo credit: Kaylee Schmoyer Rocky would be the best way to describe the 2016 Spartan baseball team’s season. It's had its highs and its lows. It’s had blowout victories in which the defense places a vice-like grip on opposing offenses, as well as losses in which the team can barely score a single run. For every bright spot on the team, a shadow is cast upon the deficiencies in a season marred by inconsistency. “Coming into the season we had pretty high expectations considering we were expected to be one of the better teams in the Colonial League,” senior John Hendricks said. The season started out as well as anyone could have hoped with a 3-0 record including a 17-4 victory over Northern Lehigh. But as the story of the season goes, everything changed. The team then went on to compile four consecutive losses, including two shutouts and a matchup against Northwestern where the Spartan defense gave up 18 runs. However, Southern Lehigh has been surely and steadily improving since a 2014 season that saw the team go 9-10. “We've had some really good games where we’ve played quite well,” assistant baseball coach
Mr. Matt Greenawald said. “We also had some games where we had quite a bit of improvements to do.” The team boasted an experienced roster this year, including seniors Jacob Cassel, John Hendricks, Derek Barnes, and Dylan Niedbalski. All have lived up to the hype in their send-off year; however, it has not effectively translated into the wins column. For example Jacob Cassel leads the team in strikeouts with 21 and holds a 1.75 ERA to his name, but despite what looks like the key to team success based off the stats, has only lead to a 3-3 record. This inconsistency between stats and the final scoreboard is one of the leading causes of the variety of the outcomes of close games such as a 5-3 loss to Palmerton. However, there have been more close victories than defeats, leading the Spartans to a playoff berth. “We’ve got some work to do if we wanna get to that championship level,” Coach Greenawald said, “but I think our guys understand that if we play the way that we can we can beat anyone in our league.” The Spartans enter the Colonial League playoffs as the fourth seeded team in the league. However, if the team hopes to make a deep run to the championship and eventually a spot in the District XI playoffs they need to clean up their game. A championship team cannot have losses that are the likes of 13-1 but then win other matchups by stunning margins such as a 10-0 victory over Moravian Academy and then nearly squeak out victories such as a 3-2 victory over a Saucon Valley team that was 7-9 at the time of publication. Several of the Spartans blowout losses can be attributed to an offensive deficiency that was evident early on in the season where the team had 16 consecutive runless innings. “We need to work on hitting,” Hendricks said. “Our team is a decent hitting team but not quite as good as some of our competition such as Bangor and Northwestern.” However, as the saying goes, defense wins championships. This is advantageous for the Spartans who have one of the top defenses in their division, boasting ten wins where the op-
position has scored four or fewer runs, including two shutouts. The Spartans’ best victories of the season include a 2-1 win over Notre Dame Green Pond, who finished the season third in the Colonial League, a 7-3 win over Palmerton, and a 3-2 victory over 2015 Colonial League champion Saucon Valley who finished the season with six games being decided by one or two runs. All of these games are relatively low scoring, a testament to the strong defense fielded by Coach Todd Miller and his staff. Other than themselves, the biggest roadblock to winning a Colonial League title is a Bangor team who finished the season with an undefeated 20-0 record and have outscored their opponents 168-27, allowing three or more runs only twice. The problem for Southern Lehigh is the way the seeding works out, creating a situation where the Spartans have to beat number one seeded Bangor in order to even make the finals. “There are a couple of teams on top right now, Bangor, Northwestern, we've played both of them already, we've lost to both of them already, but on the flipside we did not play well in either of those games,” Coach Greenawald said, “so moving forward, our guys are optimistic that if we go out there and play the way that we can there’s nobody we can’t beat.”
Photo credit: Kaylee Schmoyer
Spring Athletic Media Day Announcements
Karlton Finkbeiner Tennis Eastern College
Dante Serra Lacrosse Westminster College
Cole Hefner Soccer Wilkes University
Elizabeth Dex Lacrosse Westminster College
Anthony Colasurdo Pole Vault West Chester University
Zoe Geis Track and Field High Point University
Erin Donnely Soccer Shenandoah University
May 2016
Sports
Page 15
Summer Does Not Stop Spartan Success By Talia Trackim
During the school year, students are found hard at work on the fields, on the track, in the gym, and on the tennis courts throughout the fall, winter, and spring seasons. But what about during the summer? The athletes at Southern Lehigh stay hard at work during the off-season by participating in summer leagues and club sports in preparation for the school year. The girls soccer team plays in the Lehigh Valley Summer Soccer League at Lehigh University from early June to mid-July. Southern Lehigh enters two of the 25 teams, a freshmen and sophomore team and a junior and senior team, with both of them playing on Monday and Wednesday nights. The league is run by former Liberty High School coach Mr. Cal Sarcozi. Last year Southern Lehigh ended the summer victoriously and finished in first place. In addition to the summer league, the girls team also trains on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. After an hour of strength training, the team heads over to the park to practice kicking, running, and skills. “During the kick arounds they are really run by the captains,” physical education teacher and girls soccer coach Mr. Doug Roncolato said. “It’s a good introduction to the ninth graders [so they learn] what the sport is all about and the level that they need to train.” Meanwhile, the swim team dives in at the Southern Lehigh Community Pool (SOLECO). Nearly all the members of the Spartans boys and girls teams participate, making Southern Lehigh one of many schools competing in the league. The team practices weekday mornings from 7:30 to 9:00 a.m., with meets weekdays in the evenings. “It’s a lot of fun,” junior Angela Burns said. “Usually, we go and warm up in the pool. They call events, so when it’s your event you go up and
Justina Mendez dribbles the ball. Photo credit Jenna Cyr
swim. Then you pretty much just hang out with friends. They have snack stands and food so you can eat and just wait for your next event.” The team competes against other community pools from all over the Lehigh Valley to bond and prepare for the winter swim season. Finally, the Southern Lehigh field hockey team can be found on the fields of Whitehall during the summer months. Approximately half of the team participates in this league, which runs from the end of May until the beginning of July. Southern Lehigh competes with talented teams throughout the EPC Conference, playing games every Tuesday night. “We prepare for upcoming season by pushing ourselves to be the best players we can be in the off-season during these games and practices,” sophomore Madeline Arnold said. “These practic-
es and games are taken seriously because we’re constantly pushing ourselves very hard towards [getting] in shape, winning, and making Coach Searfoss proud in the fall.” A typical game includes ten players and a goalie, and the athletes compete on turf, rather than the grass of the regular season. In addition to the league, the team captains hold practices every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. All of these students dedicate time to their sports this summer to prepare for the fall and winter seasons. “It just keeps you in shape,” Burns said. “It’s really good to do because you are with most of your friends from the winter season and it’s good team bonding for in between seasons.”
Boys Lacrosse Goes Headstrong Into Good Cause By Alex Baca
A Southern Lehigh team photo in the custom HeadStrong jerseys. Photo credits Jacob Steirer
Every year, the Southern Lehigh High School’s boys’ lacrosse team plays a game for the HEADstrong charity. HEADStrong is a charity founded by Nick Colleluori, a former lacrosse player at Ridley High School and Hofstra University who passed away in 2006. While at Hofstra, Nick was diagnosed with a type of cancer called Diffuse Large B-Cell non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, which affects the lymphatic system. “We increase awareness of the cancer and we raise a lot of money for the cause,” senior midfielder Michael Nelson said. “It’s something we enjoy every year.” Southern Lehigh beat Emmaus 13-8 on April 29. This was the first time in school history where Southern Lehigh defeated Emmaus. The theme was “Cancer Awareness Night.” Southern Lehigh wore jerseys with the colors of blue and neon green, the colors of the Headstrong Foundation. Emmaus wore purple and white jerseys supporting pancreatic cancer awareness. Before the game there was a ceremonial faceoff between two players’ fa-
thers who are cancer survivors. Emmaus goalie Kevin McGee’s father, Jerry McGee, and Southern Lehigh midfielder Jacob Steirer’s father, Steve Steirer, participated in the face-off. They are both considered “in remission” because they aren’t considered to be 100 percent cancer free yet. “The faceoff is symbolic to show two survivors of cancer to face off against each other,” Steirer said. “They both represent the message of HEADstrong: relentless.” There were raffles with big ticket items, like an Apple iWatch. T-shirts also cost 10 dollars for this event. All these proceeds from the night went to the Headstrong Foundation. April 29th was considered a historic night for the Southern Lehigh lacrosse team. Even though Southern Lehigh won a close game, the most important theme of the night was support for this worthy cause.
Page 16 Senior Favorites
The Spotlight
Class of 2016 Movies
Artists
May 2016
Favorites Teachers
TV Shows
Senior Favorites
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The Spotlight
Extras
Page 18
Find the Teachers! S B R O N F E N B R E N N E R W A R E Y
K P H S X F C H L A D N E O R G L Y E R
J S T E I N E R V T R O N C O L A T O C
Z T T A L W D I T C H C R E E K B R S A
E L T R K L S A B I N O X W R I J E Q S
I Z O F Q O V B R E I S C H E T E H O T
S T I O D D D G A U G L E R H T L G N A
BAUSHER BREISCH BUCHTER COOPER DITCHCREEK ELLIOTT GAUGLER HERSHEY ITALIANI MEAD RONCOLATO SABINO SIKORSKI-SCHNEIDER SPRITZER TRILLING ZEISLOFT
L R L S D E I N A I L A T I S O O U I G
F W E D D L E I F M O R B C A G R D S A
T S O R G A N S K I D A E M B E K J O M
E Y A F D L A W A N E E R G G L D J G G
H O W S A R E S T I P A R K S L C I A D
R E D A R H C S R E P O O C W E H V ‘ O
BEAUPRE BROMFIELD BYERS D’AGOSTINO DONNELLY FAY GREENAWALD HOWSARE JAEN ORGANSKI RUCH SCHRADER SINKLER STEINER WARE ZHANG
Good luck on finals! By Jamie Kish
O A L S N K P E R A L T A E U R B O T N
S I K O R S K I - S C H N E I D E R D N
O J R E T H C U B F I S H E R T R G S N
K E R P U A E B B V B Y E R S K S N M E
E C R E Z T I R P S X G C K Z O H A M L
BJELOBRK BRONFENBRENNER CASTAGNA DELLEGROTTI DOUGHERTY FISHER GROENDAL IMMS KERN PERALTA RUHF SEARFOSS SKRAPITS SWARTZ WLODEK
R U H F G N I L L I R T J A E N E H I L
N U R U C H X R E L K N I S J S Y Z F Y
May 2016
Extras
Teacher’s Advice to Seniors Life is a gift, and we are each only given 24 hours in a day. Treat each day as a special gift and leave it better than when you started it! - Mrs. Linda Gross
Get involved. That’s the big one. When I was in college I did marching band, and so I got involved right away. I was only on my own for like three hours and then I was with a group of people that you’re with like all the time and then become like your best friends. You really feel part of the campus when you get involved. - Mr. Paul Sabino
Find a good balance of having fun and working hard, and if you feel you’re being pulled too hard in one direction, always lean towards the side of working hard. - Mr. Lee Zeisloft
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Page 20 Odds and Ends
The Spotlight May 2016
A Fond Farewell to Our Seniors! Katie Cole - Opinion Editor Katie Cole is a four-year staff member of The Spotlight. She began working as the opinion editor her sophomore year and has continued in the position ever since. “Our staff is really great, so I have enjoyed working with them and interacting with them for the last couple of years,” Cole said. This fall, Cole will be attending Schreyers Honors College at Penn State University where she will study biochemistry. Cole plans to go to medical school after completing her undergraduate education. “I’m really excited to make new friends at college and also take really interesting classes, especially biology ones!” Cole said. Cole kept extremely busy throughout her four years in high school, as she participated in the tennis team, track and field, speech and debate, and National Honor Society. In her free time, she enjoys hiking and reading. “My fondest memory [at Southern Lehigh] was when my tennis team made it to states,” Cole said. “We had a really close team and it was awesome to have that experience with my teammates.” Katie Cole will miss chicken turnovers, as well as her teachers Mr. Cooper, Mr. Zeisloft, Mr. Sinkler, and Mr. Haupt.
Alex Baca - Web Editor
This year, as web editor, Alex Baca helped revamp our website and made sure that our online community stayed well informed on all things Southern Lehigh. Alex joined The Spotlight staff as a freshman; however, he took a break from journalism his sophomore year and rejoined his junior year as a staff reporter. “I love having informative conversations in the pub lab and interviewing people,” Baca said. Next year, Baca plans to study cartography, which is the science of drawing maps, at Northampton Community College. He would eventually like to transfer Temple University to accomplish his dream of becoming a cartographer. Outside of The Spotlight, Baca participated in wrestling for all four years of high school and played football for two years. In his free time, Baca likes to watch television, listen to music, surf the internet, and work out. “I love [wrestling] and I plan on participating in club wrestling after high school,” he said. Baca will miss seeing his friends, and his sociology class, but he looks forward to having more free time. “Freshmen and sophomores, [get ready to] push yourself,” he said. “Juniors, get ready to relax.”
Devon Wolfe - Photographer Devon Wolfe is a first-year staff member of The Spotlight where he has served as a photographer and technical assistant. Next year Devon will attend Northampton Community College where he will major in communications. Devon aims to later transfer to West Chester University and pursue a career in public relations. In addition to attending school, Wolfe will also be participating in the color guard with a top drum corps, the Reading Buccaneers, and wants to perform with other world class color guards. “I want to get into [the color guard at] Carolina Crown drum corps and get my degree,” Wolfe said. Aside from assisting with The Spotlight, Devon participates in band, color guard, and GSA, and he was previously the manager of the rifle team. This winter, Devon also expanded his color guard endeavors and learned as an apprentice with the world class winter guard team Field of View. Outside of school, Devon enjoys geocaching and playing Xbox. Out of everything in his high school career, Devon will miss the band room, as well as teachers like Mrs. Spritzer, Mr. Dougherty, Mr. Dreves, Mrs. Touma, Mr. Fisher, and Mrs. Tocci. “[I’m looking forward to] getting out of this sheltered bubble we are in and heading into the real world,” Wolfe said.