Southern Lehigh High School 5800 Main Street, Center Valley, PA 18034 Volume 61 Issue 5
French Students and Chaperones Explore the Wonders of France and Switzerland Over Spring Break
See more from this magnifique trip on pages 8 and 9. Photo credit: Mrs. Kaytlyn Byers In this
Issue: Read about Southern Lehigh School District’s updated safety measures on pages 1-2.
Find out more about how colleges undermine campus sexual assault on pages 10-11.
What’s the controversy surrounding Facebook? Find out on pages 12-13.
Page 2
The Spotlight
News
Southern Lehigh High School 5800 Main Street Center Valley, PA 18034 (610) 282-1421 x7122 slsdspotlight@gmail.com Twitter: @SLSDspotlight Instagram: @slsdspotlight Facebook: Southern Lehigh Spotlight
Southern Lehigh Takes New Safety and Security Precautions by Saskia Van’t Hof
Faculty Adviser
Mrs. Marlo Spritzer
Editor-in-Chief Sarah Trebicka
News Editor
Danielle Alpert
Features Editor Bridgette Lang
Opinion Editor Izza Choudhry
Our World Editor Sarah Jacobson
Entertainment Editor Quinn Schmidt
Sports Editor
Townsend Colley
Staff Reporters Ben Baca Jakob Bloss Erin Noneman Kennah Salvo Griffin Schmoyer Amanda Simko Saskia Van’t Hof
Photographers Nicole Karol Karin Naktin
Pennsylvania School Press Association 2017 Gold Rating 2016 Gold Rating 2015 Gold Rating 2014 Gold Rating 2013 Silver Rating National School Press Association 2016 First Class Rating 2015 First Class Rating
Resource Officer McLaughlin is making sure that all of the students are getting to and from the buses safely. Photo Credit: Saskia Van’t Hof
The Southern Lehigh School District is currently working to update and increase security in various schools. Particular attention is being given to the entrances of Liberty Bell Elementary School, Southern Lehigh Middle School, and Southern Lehigh High School. Currently, the district is reinforcing its current practices as well as reviewing the procedures for visitor entry. Once the new plans are finalized, they will be communicated to all families as well as community members who use the school’s facilities. “Security should be a constant and ongoing thing, not just something that’s once and done. Are the changes significant? Yes. They’re going to impact people in a way that they’re not used to,” Southern Lehigh High School Resource Officer Brian McLaughlin said, “but change is not always bad. And because of the times–with everything that’s been going on–we’ve actually been very fortunate that [South-
ern Lehigh] has allowed accesses for so long. From my standpoint, a lot of these changes are just common sense procedures.” An external architectural firm began evaluating all structural aspects of the district in the beginning of April. Recommendations by the firm will be reviewed and implemented in the coming months. “My response is still going to be the same, no matter what happens,” Officer McLaughlin said. “The new restrictions actually alleviate some of the concerns I’ve had before because I don’t have to be as concerned about outside visitors walking around in the halls. It allows me to focus on other areas of my job instead.” Teachers will also receive further ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) training. Plans for the next phase of the program includes parent and student involvement. “I think our school is pretty safe,
Many school districts have been requiring teachers to complete ALICE training. Photo Credit: ALICE Trainging Institute
especially compared to other schools,” sophomore Marissa McCormick said. “I mean, there’s always something the school can do to make it safer, but I think Southern Lehigh is a really safe environment.” The update comes following to the February 14 evacuation of the high school. Although the situation was secure and revealed no threat, it brought attention to possible security issues in the district. “Are these changes a direct response to [the evacuation]? No, they’re not, but the evacuation definitely made people aware,” Officer McLaughlin said. “Whether it’s the events at our school, what happened in Florida, or some of the other recent events in the country, it makes people question if we’re doing enough. At the end of the day, our job is to make sure that the students are safe.” Communication between the district and the principals of each school will be vital in finding both short-term and long-term solutions. The district also intends on meeting with student leaders in order to gain their input on safety and security in the district. “I feel safe at school. But I think there’s a lot that could be done to make it safer,” freshman class president Cameron Hines said. “Increasing security and making restrictions on who can come in and out of the school is a good step.”
May 2018
News
Page 3
Cultural Fair Proves Enlightening for Students
by Jakob Bloss and Griffin Schmoyer
Junior Byron Miller dressed the part to show the culture. Photo Credit: Griffin Schmoyer
The U.S. is often referred to as a cultural “melting pot.” Southern Lehigh juniors from Mr. David Krial and Mr. Lee Zeisloft’s World Cultures classes applied this theme to the World Cultures “Cultural Fair.” In the gymnasium during first and
second block, students showcased their final projects about various different countries as students and staff from around the school came to see the fruits of their labor. “A lot of the reason [why we assigned this project] goes back to the
issues we had regarding diversity and the bullying or name calling that occurred early in the year,” Mr. Krial said. “There was a group of students that was formed, the Spirit Committee, and one of the things that they had recommended was they would have liked to have seen some sort of celebration of different cultures that kind of represent the student body.” Mr. Krial, and Mr. Zeisloft, along with principal Mrs. Christine Siegfried, thought that this could work well as a final project for the World Cultures course. Students coupled many physical projects with homemade meals to correspond with the culture they researched. “I think the food component added a little twist where kids were prideful … about what they made, and I know by the time the fair was over I [was] stuffed,” Mr. Zeisloft said. “I think I ate something from almost every table, but overall I think it was really good, I think the kids seemed to enjoy it.” Students and teachers alike, including those who participated, felt the display was a tremendous success. “I thought it was a good experience. It was cool to see all the different artifacts and taste some food that kids brought in for their country,” junior Jacob Dyche said. “I probably learned about different countries’ type of music the most because a lot of people choose music as one of their two choices [of examples of culture in their country
that students had to bring in] that relates to their country.” “At the end of the fair, Mr. Krial and I were both very happy with the effort and level of commitment that kids gave,” Mr. Zeisloft said. “We walked around and talked to different students at different booths, and we thought the kids were really prideful in what they did, and I think that was a really good thing.” After how well-received it was the first go around, the culture fair is surely coming back for years to come, students already feel excited to come back. “It’d be cool to see it happen again, mainly because I would want to come back as a senior and see the fair as a visitor instead of a presenter,” Dyche said. On the other hand, teachers felt like some improvements may need to be made in the coming years. “I think it’s definitely something we would like to keep doing moving forward,” Mr. Krial said, “[but] maybe [we could] do it on an evening so we can get more of the parents and community involved.” “If I would change things I’d probably have kids bring a little more from their culture to show. A lot of kids did music, which was good, but with it being so loud in there, it was hard to really hear and have that component,” Mr. Zeisloft said. “Having the music is fine, but add another component beyond food [and] the music.” In whatever form it comes back, the culture fair is sure to be a success for many years to come.
The Coffee House Brews Up Excitement by Bridgette Lang, Sarah Jacobson, and Erin Noneman
On April 6, 2018, the Literary Arts Club at Southern Lehigh High School hosted their second annual coffee house event in the high school cafeteria. The night boasted a variety of performers, including musicians, poets, a magician, and two bands, as well as a bake sale and a visual art section. Co-presidents junior Sarah Jacobson and Gianna Griffith helped organize the majority of the event, alongside club advisor and English teacher Mrs. Sheryl Ciotti. “The level of talent among our student body is exceptional. I envied their fearlessness, confidence, and ability to perform,” Mrs. Ciotti said. “I was in awe at the number of performers in attendance. Students from all grade levels participated, and the crowd in the cafeteria was packed and enthusiastic for all performances.” The food sold was homemade by members of the club. All funds from the bake sale went towards funding the yearly literary magazine, which showcases student artwork and writing. “Sarah, Mrs. Ciotti, and I had a lot of help from very willing volunteers who brought food, drinks, and utensils,” Griffith said. “The turnout this year was fabulous and we are so happy that so many people care enough about the arts to come out and support both the students and the club.” Some students performed original pieces of work, while others played popular songs that everyone could sing along to. A broad range of genres was performed, including classical, pop, and indie. “We [my duo partner Sarah Lindley and I]
[chose to perform] ‘Someone in the Crowd’ from Both co-presidents said they will be returning ‘La La Land’ because we saw it together for the to their duties next year, and they plan on hosting first time,” freshman Michelle Li said. “It was a a third coffee house sometime next spring. For pretty jazzy song, but our experience was nerve now, they are focusing on their duties as editorswracking because we only started practicing the in-chief of the literary magazine. week before.” The literary arts magazine will feature some For many participants, the experience of of the poems and art seen at the coffee house. performing on stage was nerve wracking. Some The club’s publication will be released the week students had two or three pieces that they perof May 7, and is free to all students. It will be formed, which required more memorization and available in Mrs. Ciotti’s room, the library, and the practice. Even physics teacher Mr. Dougherty felt front office. a little nervous to get up in front of everyone. “I was terrified; I think I felt so socially awkward,” Mr. David Dougherty said. “Right after we were done playing, I had never played with any other living human beings in front of an audience before. I just looked over at Nate and shook his hand. I was so awkward.” There was also a visual art section contributed to by high school students running along one wall that attendees could view. The exhibit highlighted a variety of artistic mediums including photography and pencil sketches. In the weeks leading up to the coffee house, the club made flyers to hang around the school and ads to run on the student news channel WSOL. The planning process was lengthy, but ultimately, the club ended up raising over 400 Students preformed while the sudience ate the delicious dollars. food that the Literary and Arts Club made. Photo Credit: “We started planning pretty much as soon as Sarah Jacobson the school year started,” said Jacobson, “All of the volunteers worked so hard to make sure the coffee house was as enjoyable as possible.”
Page 4
Features
The Spotlight
An Inside Look at Fellowship of Christian Athletes by Bridgette Lang
Southern Lehigh’s FCA is a part of a larger organization. Photo credit: Wheaton Academy
The Fellowship of Christian Athletes is one of Southern Lehigh High School’s newest clubs for the second semester. FCA was formed in April with the goal of providing Christian student athletes a place to grow their faith, following the four key pillars of integrity, serving, teamwork, and excellence. The club was founded by junior Rylie Hefner, who is supported by four student leaders: sophomore Maya Hamlin, juniors Caleb Munoz and Tierney Welsh, and senior Kara Irby. “Rylie Hefner was the one who approached me about [FCA]. The process [for creating FCA] is pretty informal and simple,” advisor and English teacher Mrs. Kelly Howsare said. “She asked me to be the advisor. If students ask me to do something and … I can do it, I will do it. I want to support them.”
FCA is a non-denominational international organization that public school students, teams, and other sports organizations can join. It was created in 1954 by Northeastern Oklahoma A&M basketball coach Don McClanen. Today, the organization has 17,783 certified clubs in 62 countries. “I think that having a religious organization in a public school is a good thing because it [provides] a place for Christians to meet others with the same beliefs, and provides a comfortable place to talk about situations with others,” Welsh said. In FCA’s statement of faith, they express their belief that the Bible is the word of God, without error, and that God exists in three persons, including the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Southern Lehigh’s chapter of FCA meets twice a month at 7:20 a.m. every other Thursday to empower student athletes before their games with scripture and other motivational readings. In their first meeting, on April 5, they served donuts and overviewed what club membership entails. “A few other students and I heard a lot about FCA at church from students at other schools,” Hefner said. “This year, we would like to get set up and then start doing some community outreach.” The FCA is mostly for athletes, but non-athletes are permitted to join for the opportunity to support and encourage others playing sports.
Congratulations to the 2018 Prom Court! Jessie Grewal Max Johnston Caleb Muñoz Sawyer Sargent Corey Welsh
Sana Gold McKenzie Hagenbuch Eme Sargent Marlo Stellar Tierney Welsh
The prom court was selected by their junior peers. Photo credit: Bridgette Lang
Features
May 2018
Page 5
Southern Lehigh Eagle Scouts Fly High by Sarah Jacobson
The Eagle Scout rank is considered the most prestigious award a Boy Scout can earn. In order to achieve the award, the scout has to have been a Boy Scout for six or more months, obtain a leadership role in Boy Scouts, complete a set of 21 merit badges, and design and implement a community service project. This school year, 11 students at Southern Lehigh High School received this award. They include seniors Aaron Pearre, Cameron Somers, Aaron Harley, Aiden Doyle, Steven Pastore, Caleb Strobl, and Kraig Koehnlein, and juniors Maxwell Ozanne, Nathaniel Cocco, Cawley Waters, and Shawn Mahoney. Three of them shared their experiences. Doyle, who has been a Boy Scout for 11 years, went to the Wildlands Conservancy and removed invasive species and planted native species in their place for the community service aspect of the award. “The actual work days took about seven hours of physical work each,” Doyle said. “There’s a lot of time involved with researching the area, finding out which plants were invasive, finding out which plants are native, and then ordering the plants. It probably took around 100 hours.” Waters took a different approach to the service project by designing and building a free
The scouts receive this medal along with a patch when they reach the Eagle Scout rank. Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons
library outside of his church along with a bench beside it for people to sit on and read. Community members can donate books to the library as well as take some. He has been a Boy Scout for six years. “I was determined to earn [the award] before my brother did,” Waters said. “I was able to earn it by the time I was 14. That is the one of the biggest achievements that I have.” Koehnlein has been a Boy Scout since he was six years old. For his service project, he updated the main entrance of his church by planting flowers and updating and repainting the vents. The project took about a year and half. “My grandpa and my dad both got the Eagle Scout award so it means a lot to me because I get to carry on the tradition of being an Eagle Scout,” Koehnlein said. The Eagle Scout award gives the boys who earn it a sense of pride and recognition, while also giving them the opportunity to provide a helpful service to their community and enhance their Boy Scout experience. “It’s a pretty important award; people really look up to you when you have it,” said Doyle. “[The award] is a pretty big deal. It means you’ve gotten as much as you can out of your Boy Scout experience.”
Waterbois Search for the Best Water Fountain at SLHS by Townsend Colley, Quinn Schmidt, and Ben Baca Water is Earth’s most precious resource. Over 70 percent of the planet is covered in water, while only 2 percent of that water is drinkable. Therefore, humans must be efficient in their consumption of water. When it comes to water fountains, thirsty people want a fountain that quickly gushes water; they don’t want to stand at the fountain for minutes waiting for their thirst to be quenched. But the traits of a superior water fountain must go beyond pressure. The perfect fountain must have a premier location in the school, and most importantly, the water must be as cold as the ice that runs through Steph Curry’s veins. Here at Southern Lehigh High School, three students have made the ultimate sacrifice, and endured a journey to determine which water fountain rises above the rest. What started as a simple question has elaborated into a schoolwide discussion. “My favorite water fountain in the school is the one in the lifting room,” senior Will McGlone said. “It’s the best. It’s super cold and it has good water pressure.” The results of our informal student poll yielded that people prefer the weight room water fountain over all other fountains in the school. However, this evidence is not the final word. Only
a handful of students were sampled, so it cannot be labeled as the consensus of the entire school. Overall, a variety of other answers were provided. The water fountain in the cafeteria seemed to be the next popular water fountain behind the weight room fountain, but, unfortunately for all of the participants, they’re wrong. However, it isn’t their fault. A hidden gem of a water fountain is located in Mr. Fisher’s band room, the former cafeteria of Southern Lehigh. Since the performing arts wing of the school is isolated from most students, the water fountain never gets the proper accolades that it deserves. This water fountain has coldest water in the school by far, and it also has a consistent, powerful stream that quenches the user’s thirst in just seconds. Of course, there are alternative sources that students could use if they don’t want to make the trek to Mr. Fisher’s room every time their throat becomes dry. “I don’t use a water fountain in the school,” Spanish teacher Mrs. Joan Imms said. “I’m all about reusable water bottles. I bring my Hydroflask to school every day, I only drink water out of [that].” Mrs. Imms, along with many other students at the school, make use of reusable water bottles in-
A student using the water bottle refiller located in the cafeteria. Photo Credit: Townsend Colley
stead of using the sub par water fountains that litter the halls of Southern Lehigh. But those of you looking for optimum hydration should venture to the band room in order to satisfy your thirst.
Check out the video supplement on slspotlight.com! Did you know?
The Spotlight has an Instagram! Follow us at @slsdspotlight
Page 6
Sports
The Spotlight
The Hoff Brothers Have Opponents Seeing Double by Townsend Colley
Colin and Kyle high five together on the field. Photo credit: Gretchen Hoff
The NFL has the Mannings, the MLB has the Griffeys, and the NBA has the Currys. While Southern Lehigh doesn’t have any families quite on that level, we do have, among other notable sibling athletes, the Hoffs. Throughout the 2017-18 school year, brothers Colin Hoff, a senior, and Kyle Hoff, a sophomore, have started alongside each other in three different sports: soccer, basketball, and lacrosse. Together, these brothers have proven to be some of the best players on the field and the court, and when coupled together, they just become that much more dangerous. From the opening minute of the first soccer game to the final whistle of the last lacrosse game, the Hoff brothers will have each other’s backs, because they always have. Colin and Kyle began competing with and against each other from an early age. Growing up, they played the same sports. As soon as Colin picked something up, Kyle would pick it up a year later, and a new outlet for competition would begin. “I feel like to a point he’s always been looking up to me, but at the same time he’s always been competing with me and my friends at a younger age,” Colin said. “So he’s been able to better himself along with making me better as well.” Since the beginning of time, older brothers have always led the way and tried to stay a little ahead of their younger brothers, who try to do what the older brother could never do; that classic cliche holds true with the Hoffs. This constant jockeying for position has only helped the two become the best they can be. However, from youth lacrosse tournaments to varsity lacrosse games against elite teams, Colin and Kyle’s favorite memories are in competing alongside each other, not against each other, knowing that someone has their back in these pressure-packed situations. “Sometimes he gets on me for making mistakes and stuff, but I think overall that really improves how good I can become,” Kyle said. “Like, last year when I was playing soccer with him, he’d always get on me for not shooting the ball enough. Like a coach. Things like that really help improve my game.”
The years of playing with and against each other have given the Hoff brothers a connection that most could never understand. On the surface, the two have similar play styles influenced by years of watching and coaching one another. But the connection goes deeper than what you can see on film. Together, Colin and Kyle have created a bond that allows them to predict what the other can do before they even do it. This act of near clairvoyance has helped both to become not just starters, but team leaders in all three of their sports. Colin led the soccer team in goals during the 2017 season, when he was a captain of the team, with many of those goals being assisted by Kyle, who became known for his skilled playmaking through the midfield. Following in his brother’s footsteps, Kyle has already been named a captain for the boys soccer team for the 2018 season. “Our movement off ball together is really good. One time I picked up a ground ball around midfield, and I spun around a guy to beat him, and then Kyle’s defender slid to me,” Colin said. “So I passed the ball to Kyle and then without even a thought, he saw me running back for a give and go, so he [quickly] gave me the ball faster than most other people could if they didn’t know I was gonna make that cut. But he saw what was gonna happen and made the play happen.” Ultimately, the connection between the Hoff brothers has been paramount for the success of each team they have played on together. This season, the soccer team finished the season with a 9-2 record and a berth in the District XI semifinals. With Colin as one of only two seniors on the roster, the basketball team managed a slightly disappointing 10-8 record in the regular season, but they came in strong during the Colonial League tournament where they pulled off two consecutive upsets to make it to the championship game. “Sports are definitely a big deal among our interests,” Colin said. “We've grown up doing the same things together for years and it would feel abnormal if weren't together doing it.”
Colin and Kyle celebrate Colin’s 100th goal. Photo credit: Gretchen Hoff
Photo credit: Saskia Van’t Hof, Kennah Salvo, & Amanda Simko
Scan the QR code for an inside look at the Reese sisters journey in starting a new sport for their senior year.
May 2018
Sports
Page 7
Spartans Baseball Swings for the Fences (and a title) by Griffin Schmoyer April has come and gone, and for many sports fans across the United States, that is the signal that baseball season has started, and the Southern Lehigh High School varsity baseball team is poised for a strong season. The Spartans are coming off of a strong 15 to 5 season last year, sadly with no titles to show for it. However, they are coming into the 2018 season feeling confident. “I feel good. We’ve got a lot of key players from last year’s team that are returning, and are a year older and improving,” Coach Matthew Greenawald said. “The guys we have lost from last year’s team are gonna be tough to replace, but I think we have the personnel in place to replace those guys and possibly be even better.” The team’s confidence stems from a very deep pitching staff on this year’s team in juniors Jacob Stanton, Stephen Hoyer, and Andrew Lievendag; sophomores Jared Glad and Colin Houck; and senior Sam Janney, and several other athletes who can pitch if called upon. However, these players aren’t just pitchers. The team is brimming with the type of versatility required for a solid defense. “We’ve got a bunch of guys that can play in a bunch of places,” Lievendag said. “We can have a pitcher be pitching and then someone easily replacing where he plays in the field.” In the first two losses of the 2018 season, the team only gave up two runs to Notre Dame Green Pond, and one run to Palmerton, highlighting a superb defense. The consensus around the team is that these two aspects of their game are their strongest. However, despite a strong defense, the team is far from perfect. The Spartans’ offense has not been able to match the same quality of play that is exhibited on the defensive side of the ball. “We really need to hit, that’s our main focus right now,” Stanton said. “Scoring runs, getting hits, giving our pitchers run support.” Senior catcher Niko Amory echoed the same sentiment. “ We’re streaky right now, but when we get going like we know we can, it’s going to be hard to stop us,” Amory said. The most admirable trait about this team is that they are hungry for
The baseball team celebrates star catcher Niko Amory’s 100th hit. Photo credit: Chad Remaly
hardware. Coming off of the disappointing close of last season, they want more. “Oh, championship for sure,” Coach Greenawald said. “Colonial League championship, District championship, and go as far as we can in states.” The players seem to share the gold rush mindset as well. “Definitely get past where we were last year and win a League and District Championship,” Amory said. “And hopefully make a run at the State Title.” The team came out of the gates firing to open the season, winning three out of their first five games, including a 20 to 5 mauling of rival Northern Lehigh. This very talented team believes that this strong start means they could bring home a championship for Southern Lehigh.
Field Hockey Phenoms Are Rookies Once Again in Lacrosse
by Saskia Van’t Hof, Kennah Salvo, & Amanda Simko
Madison Reese during a field hockey game. Photo credit: Emily Mackin
With graduation only a few more weeks away, most seniors are ready to pack their bags and say goodbye to high school, but some are spending their last semester creating new experiences. This spring, seniors Madison and Meghan Reese are playing lacrosse: a sport neither sister has tried before. Madison and Meghan are already famed athletes. Since the young age of 13, the twins have been field hockey stars. With Meghan as a forward
and Madison as a defender, together they have brought home the title of Colonial League Champions and District XI Champions for two consecutive years in a row. By the October of their junior year, they had already committed to play at Pennsylvania State University, a Division l school, on a field hockey scholarship. “Madison and Meghan are very technically sound field hockey players,” head field hockey coach Mrs. Adrienne Searfoss said. “They know the fundamentals. They understand tactically what needs to be done on the field.” In previous years, the two played field hockey for their club team, Spooky Nook Field Hockey Club, year round. However, now that they are committed to Penn State, they decided to take the spring off to explore other activities. That’s when they started considering a new sport. “A lot of people said [lacrosse] was like field hockey, so we thought we would give it a try,” Meghan said. Many were surprised by this decision, including their field hockey teammates. Freshman Casey Krambergler-Gaglione, who plays on both the field hockey and lacrosse teams with Meghan and Madison, said that she did not expect them to try any sport besides field hockey. “So my first reaction when I heard Megan and Madison were gonna join lacrosse was surprise because I knew they were really committed to field hockey,” Kramberger-Gaglione said. “But I knew they would be really good at [lacrosse] because they're both really athletic.” The idea of trying out for a new sport did come with some hesitation. As a senior, trying to adjust into a community as tight knit as a sports team can come with its challenges. “I think it's a lot in your senior year. You’re looking ahead to college, the next phase of your life,” Director of Athletics Chad Remaly said. “So
trying something new while you have a lot of new things on the horizon can be a bit of a daunting challenge.” “[We were worried] if the girls would be accepting about [us joining] because sometimes when seniors try out, they get whiplash from the team if they’re so tight together with the group,” Meghan said. “So it’s kinda hard to put yourself right in there.” Despite their anxieties, the Reeses were met with a very welcoming lacrosse team. “Everyone was super nice,” Meghan said, “And the coaches were really awesome. We did a winter league with them, so they really tried to get us up to speed with everything. It was really cool to have everyone supporting us.” In the past few weeks, the two sisters have become one with the lacrosse team, eliminating any doubt that they would be seen as outsiders. “I think they’re adjusting really well,” sophomore Katrina Fleckenstein said. We’re all really close as a team. They have a lot of friends here [in lacrosse] and it’s a lot of fun with them.” The new experience has been incredibly beneficial to the two sisters. They both say that the team has helped them grow both as athletes and as people. “I think anytime you try something new and challenge yourself in different ways it's a good thing,” Remaly said. “To push your boundaries and get out of your comfort zone and build new relationships–that's what life's all about. You’re gonna have to try different things and put yourself out there, so personally [I] think it's a pretty good thing.” To those thinking about trying out for a new sport, Madison has some advice: “Definitely do it. It's definitely fun. It's a little intimidating, but I say it's worth it.”
Page 8
Center Spread
The Spotlight
French Students Say “Bonjou
II
May 2018
Center Spread
ur� to France and Switzerland
Photos contributed by Izza Choudhry, Kyra Salamon, and Mrs. Kaytlyn Byers
Page 9
Page 10 Opinion
The Spotlight
Why the American Health Care System Needs Reform by Izza Choudhry and Kennah Salvo
The United States healthcare system is very different from most industrialized and developed countries, and does not have a uniform structure or universal coverage. To put it simply, healthcare should be considered a human right, and the American government must provide for their citizens and make it easier and more affordable for the everyone to have access to healthcare. “My biggest issue with [the American healthcare system is] that you have the most expensive healthcare system in the world that fails to provide care for everybody,” social studies teacher Mr. Troy Ruch said. “It’s extremely inefficient.” “I feel that hospitals are overcharging [patients] directly because they know insurance [companies] will pay certain amounts [of money,] so they charge a lot more,” senior Allie Jameson said. “Consumers get left with ridiculous bills. I feel that the cost is not letting those who need access to healthcare access it.” The 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as “Obamacare,” established a shared responsibility between the government, insurers, and individuals in ensuring that all Americans have access to affordable and high quality healthcare. However, the Trump Administration has made multiple attempts to repeal this important legislation. Furthermore, the recent tax reform legislation includes a provision that eliminates the ACA’s mandate that most Americans must have health insurance.
“My biggest issue with [the American healthcare system is] that you have the most expensive healthcare system in the world that fails to provide care for everybody,” social studies teacher Mr. Troy Ruch said. While still flawed, Obamacare is a small step towards universal health insurance coverage. There are still many uninsured Americans, but the rate has gone down. In 2016, 27.3 million individuals went uninsured, representing eight percent of the population. In 2015, nine percent of the population was uninsured. This proves
that the implementation of the ACA’s major coverage expansions in January 2014 has increased the population of insured persons. These reforms include the requirement that Americans must procure health insurance, the opening of the health insurance marketplaces which offer premium subsidies to lower and middle-income individuals, and the expansion of Medicaid in many states to increase coverage for low-income adults. Obamacare slows the rise of healthcare costs by providing insurance to a larger population of Americans and making preventive care free. It also requires insurance plans to cover the 10 essential health benefits: preventive and wellness visits, maternity and newborn care, mental and behavioral health treatment, services and devices to help those with injuries or disabilities, lab tests, pediatric care, prescription care, outpatient care, emergency room services, and hospitalization. Insurance companies also cannot deny an individual due to pre-existing conditions, which are health conditions that someone had before the date of coverage from a new healthcare provider. From a government spending perspective, Obamacare reduces the government’s healthcare costs, raises taxes on some businesses and higher-income families, and shifts cost burdens to healthcare providers and pharmacy companies. “The American Healthcare system could definitely be improved,” administrative assistant of Northampton County Children Youth and Families Susan Blasco said. “As a country of wealth, we should be offering all our citizens some type of national care.” Part of Blasco’s job is to coordinate medical coverage for foster children in the Northampton County, which borders Lehigh County. However, even with the ACA in place, the health insurance system is still corrupt. There are numerous private and public sources of health insurance and wide gaps in insured rates across the country. With the ACA, three to five million people lost their employment-based health insurance, and many insurance plans went out of business because their plans did not cover the ten required health benefits. The act also taxed those who did not purchase insurance, and four million people even chose to pay the tax rather than purchase insurance, rendering this action useless in incentivizing the purchase of health insurance. No matter how many benefits Obamacare provides, it still has not proven successful in drastically improving our problematic healthcare system. “Looking into how insurance companies actually work and making sure that the money goes
Obamacare was a small step towards the idea of universal healthcare. Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons
where it’s intended is another area for improvement,” Blasco said. “Pharmaceutical companies should be examined. [This] wouldn’t be so much a regulation issue if all businesses just did the right thing.” According to 2016 data from the Best Countries rankings, Denmark has the best health care system in the world. The Danish people happily pay higher taxes in exchange for higher quality health care. Switzerland is also known for its high quality healthcare system. There are no employer-sponsored or government-run insurance programs, so Swiss citizens purchase insurance for themselves. The government defines the minimum benefit package that is necessary, and they subsidize healthcare for the poor on a graduated basis with the goal of preventing individuals from spending more than ten percent of their income on insurance. Additionally, 99.5 percent of Swiss citizens have some form of health insurance. Since they can choose plans from nearly 100 different private insurance companies, insurers must compete on price and service, which helps to curve healthcare inflation. Switzerland and Denmark are only a few of the countries whose healthcare systems are much more affordable and beneficial to citizens than the United States’. It is known that the United States is one of the most wealthy and affluent countries in the world, so the healthcare system must improve. In such a developed country, the healthcare must be affordable and easily accessible to all citizens, as it is a basic human right.
Staff Editorial: Students Should Volunteer Year-round, there are many places in the community that are searching for volunteers. From animal shelters to libraries to schools, all kinds of organizations need people to help make the programs they run enjoyable. Volunteering is a great way to get out in the world and learn new skills, and every high school student should try and volunteer somewhere at some point during their high school career. Volunteering provides new opportunities and experiences for students that they would not normally experience in a classroom setting. It’s also the perfect opportunity to create lasting relationships with new people, or to strengthen your already existing relationships. You can volunteer with a friend or family member to create some exciting memories. By helping out in your community, you are leaving a lasting impact on those around you. When you help out an organization or group, you are also helping out everyone who uses their services or participates in their activities. Some places that often look for volunteers are the Southern Lehigh Library, Camelot for Kids, Animals in Distress, and Lehigh Valley Hospital. There are so many places and ways to volunteer, so get out there and help.
Contact Information
Southern Lehigh Public Library Phone Number: (610) 282-8825 Camelot for Kids Phone Number: (610) 791-5683 Animals in Distress Phone Number: (610) 966-9383 Lehigh Valley Hospital Phone Number: (610) 402-8000
May 2018
Opinion Page 11
How Colleges Undermine Campus Sexual Assault by Sarah Trebicka
Protesters rally to stand with rape survivors. Photo credit: Fibbonaci Blue on Flickr
According to a 2016 study by the National Institute of Justice, one out of every four female undergraduates will fall victim to some type of sexual assault before graduation, yet colleges frequently fail to warn students about this risk. “It makes me sick honestly,” senior Melissa Stough said, “the fact that before we even have to enter the ‘real world,’ women have to face problems like this.” Despite the pervasive nature of this chilling fact, in 2015, 89 percent of colleges disclosed zero reported incidences of rape to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act annual data collection, according to a 2017 analysis by the Association of American Universities. This is a cause for concern, as, according to the same analysis, the disclosures plainly fail to line up with research, campus climate surveys, and widespread experiences reported by students: all of which indicate higher documentations of sexual violence than the schools chose to report. In other words, colleges and universities are epically failing to tell the full story of sexual violence on campuses. What this leads many people to believe is that these schools are deliberately misconstruing and avoiding their Clery obligations to protect their reputations as safe campuses. For years, colleges have been misclassifying sexual assaults and sweeping them under the rug to avoid reporting them. For instance, many schools wrongly categorize reports of acquaintance rape or fondling as “non-forcible” sexual offenses, which is a definition that legally applies only to statutory rape or incest. In 2008, Eastern Michigan University was fined $350,000 by the Department of Education for a plethora of violations, including miscoding rapes. In fact, the problem has grown so prevalent that the Department of Education now calls schools whenever they submit even one report of a non-forcible sexual offense. However, the problem extends even further: according to a 2014 U.S. Justice Department survey, only 20 percent of rapes and sexual assaults against college women are actually reported to law enforcement. Therefore, a new question
arises: why don’t victims go to the police? The answer comes right back to the harsh reality of schools mishandling these issues in a self-serving quest to quash any whispers of a sexual assault scandal. Colleges fail not only to properly discipline perpetrators, but to even investigate claims in the first place, thus discouraging victims to report assaults. “I think that because sexual assault often occurs at parties and other social settings, it’s wrongly taken as normalized social behavior by colleges, which is unacceptable,” senior Sean Duane said. On Dec. 7, 2012, Florida State University freshman Erica Kinsman reported to law enforcement that she had been raped by a stranger several hours earlier off campus. According to a thorough examination by the New York Times of the errors in inquiry on Kinsman’s allegations, “there was virtually no investigation at all, either by the police or the university.” Kinsman eventually identified the perpetrator as Jameis Winston, Florida State’s prized quarterback and a marquee name in college football. The police failed to interview him for two weeks, and obtained his DNA 342 days after the assault, despite the fact that a witness videotaped part of the sexual encounter, Kinsman developed bruises that indicated recent trauma, and tests found semen on her underwear. In fact, by the time the local prosecutor got the case, much of this important evidence had disappeared, and he therefore eventually decided not to prosecute Winston due to insufficient evidence. Rising from his allegations virtually unscathed, the assailant went on to win the Heisman Trophy, lead Florida State to the national championship, and be selected as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers No. 1 pick in the 2015 NFL draft. “As someone who will be attending college next year, it’s really disheartening to hear that most sexual assault cases in college go unreported or unpunished,” senior Sydney Dunbar said. “Sexual assault should never be ignored and it should never go unpunished, because someone had the audacity to hurt someone else and take advantage of them, and they should absolutely be
disciplined for that.” Unfortunately, Kinsman’s case is just one of many examples of colleges and law enforcement ineffectively addressing incidents of sexual violence. In 2014, the Huffington Post reached out to 50 colleges and universities for data on how campus sexual assaults are disciplined, and based on data provided by 32 schools, found that less than one-third of students found responsible for sexual assault are expelled. Action must be taken to address this issue. When campus environments are hostile because of sexual violence, students cannot comfortably learn, and their right to an education free of sexual discrimination as guaranteed by Title IX regulations is at considerable risk. Schools need to take an honest look at their policies and verify that they facilitate welcome reporting, as well as resources and training to support victims of sexual violence, and to make changes accordingly. They must develop procedures to guarantee proper handling of sexual violence, and to include students, faculty, staff, and community partners in these efforts. Victimization surveys, for example, can be crucial in documenting both reported and unreported incidents of sexual violence, understanding why survivors refuse to report, and assessing administrative and cultural mishaps on campus that may undermine reporting. “The majority of guys who commit these sex crimes believe that the girls are asking for it, and that that’s what gives them the right to violate someone,” Dunbar said. “It’s creating a victimblaming culture in which survivors are looked down upon. People say, ‘Oh, it’s because they dressed a certain way,’ ‘It’s because they were drinking,’ ‘They were too flirtatious,’ and it’s really hard to be a girl in this society where people say those things.” However, most importantly, we as a society must take a long, hard look at our everyday practices and ask ourselves if we’re doing enough to prevent sexual assault and support survivors, or if we’re failing to foster an environment where survivors feel comfortable coming forward and speaking out.
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.
Page 12
Our World
The Spotlight
What the Zuck is Going on with Facebook? by Izza Choudhry
During the trial, these cardboard cutouts of Zukerberg were placed on the lawn of the Capitol. Phot credit: Sarah Trebicka.
Facebook, the largest social media network in the world, has recently been accused of yet another scandal. An estimated 87 million Facebook users’ personal data was collected by Cambridge Analytica without the users’ consent. Cambridge Analytica is a political analysis firm that claims to build psychological profiles of voters to help its clients win elections. The company also has close ties to President Trump’s election campaign and right-leaning mega donors, which used data that was collected without users’ consent. Facebook permitted Aleksandr Kogan, a psychology professor at the University of Cambridge who also owns a company called Global Science Research, to collect data from Facebook users who downloaded his app. However, users who agreed
to give their information to Kogan’s app also gave up permission to harvest data on all their Facebook friends. Kogan’s infringement occurred when he sold the data he collected to Cambridge Analytica. One use that the company had with this data was political advertisement targeting. This action does not comply with Facebook’s rules, and Facebook says since then they have changed the way they allow researchers to collect data using Facebook. “Overall, I think [the controversy] is funny. It seems like people in Congress do not understand how the internet works,” senior Hannah DelSordo said. “But, it is frightening how [Cambridge Analytica] used [information] for political gain because that can have detrimental effects on society.” “My only concern [with the controversy] is that they will make politically aimed ads, because I know that Facebook has done that before,” senior Wesley DeCasere said. “I know from personal experience that they have tried to sell me political ads.” In response to widespread public distrust towards Facebook, the Federal Trade Commission announced that they would conduct an investigation on Facebook’s privacy practices. The agency intends to find out whether this incident with Facebook was a violation of a 2011 agreement that Facebook signed to settle charges over privacy concerns. “The FTC is firmly and fully committed to using all of its tools to protect the privacy of consumers. Foremost among these tools is enforcement action against companies that fail to honor their privacy promises, including to comply with Privacy Shield, or that engage in unfair acts that cause substantial injury to consumers in violation of the FTC Act... Accordingly, the FTC takes very seriously recent press reports raising substantial concerns about the privacy practices of Facebook,” Tom Pahl, Acting Director of the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, said on March 26. “Today, the FTC is confirming that it has an open non-public investigation into these practices.”
Mike Schroepfer, Facebook’s Chief Technology Officer, published Facebook’s update on their plans to restrict data access on Facebook’s newsroom. Several of the changes are related to Facebook’s use of APIs, or application program interfaces, which are a set of routines, protocols, and tools for building software applications. Apps that use APIs will no longer have access to guest lists or posts on event walls on Facebook event pages, and only apps that agree to strict requirements will be able to use the Events API on Facebook. For Groups APIs, all third-party apps using the Group API will need approval from Facebook itself and an admin of the Facebook group to ensure that the API will benefit the group. Apps will no longer be able to access the member list of a group, and Facebook will remove any personal information attached to posts or comments that approved apps can access. For Pages APIs, Facebook will ensure that page information is only available to apps that are providing useful services to the Facebook community. “I’m surprised that there is a controversy at all because [selling data] is how companies on the internet have been making money for a long time,” DeCasere said. Regarding the Facebook Login, Facebook will approve all apps that request access to information such as check-ins, likes, photos, posts, videos, events, and groups, but they must abide by Facebook’s strict requirements before they are able to access any of this data. Facebook will no longer allow apps to ask for access to personal information such as religious or political views, relationship status, and education and work history. “The whole scandal brings the issues of sharing too much online to light,” DelSordo said. “But, I personally will continue to use [Facebook] because I do not care if they have my data.” This scandal has prompted the debate of digital privacy in the United States, as well as the necessity for regulations about how technology companies collect and transfer data on consumers for commercial purposes, to reemerge.
Where Are They Now? Sally J. Koch Keglovits by Danielle Barnes
Would you ever think that a 1975 Southern Lehigh graduate would be involved in examining one of America’s most high-profile murder cases? Well, alumna Sally J. Koch Keglovits recently spent time in Kansas looking into the original files of the Clutter family murders, a crime showcased in Truman Capote’s famous novel “In Cold Blood.” “I have been to the Clutter farm and all points related to the crime,” Keglovits said. “I’ve published several articles related to the murders and am currently consulting on a new book that re-examines the crime and its aftermath.” In high school, Keglovits was the president of Student Senate, which is now known as Student Council. She was also a member of the debate team and The Spotlight, and was the class speaker at her graduation. Influenced by her father, a police reporter, and a professor that introduced her to Truman Capote, natural leader Keglovits landed herself a spot at American University in Washington, D.C. However, she ended up transferring to Harvard University, and graduated in 1983 with a bachelor’s degree in American Government. Keglovits later moved on to Lehigh University to obtain her master’s degree
in 1997, and was hired at the United States Probation Office. “The job of supervising criminals and officers does have its ‘adrenaline moments’ which can be pretty exciting, and testifying in court will make or break you,” Keglovits said. “The downside is that there is a lot of governmental bureaucracy which can drive you crazy. Dealing with federal judges is also no picnic. There are many good ones and several whose arrogance exceeds their intelligence.” Regardless of the ups and downs, Keglovits loved working on higher level criminal cases. In fact, she was so good at her job that when she retired back in 2009, she changed her name on social media. “There were a few criminals who were not exactly fans of mine,” Keglovits said. “I figured it might be best to use a different name on social media.” She now spends her time spreading her knowledge to others by teaching Criminal Justice at DeSales University. In terms of advice for those soon entering the college and workforce? “Follow your heart,” Keglovits said. “Otherwise, you’ll probably end up breaking it.”
Photo credit: John Marquette. Keglovits was formerly a member of “The Spotlight”.
Our World Page 13
March 2018
Our World: Spring News Briefing by Sarah Jacobson
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons.
Photo credit: Pixabay.
A series of suicide bombings in Kabul, Afghanistan killed 25 people and injured dozens more. Source NPR.
On April 27, 2018, the presidents of North and South Korea met and pledged to put an end to the Korean war as well as denuclearize North Korea. Source NPR.
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons.
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons.
Ellen Stofan recently became the first female director of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. She was formerly a chief scientist at NASA. Source NPR.
Comedian Michelle Wolf made some controversial jokes at the White House Correspondants dinner on April 29, 2018. Source CNN.
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons.
Two hundred migrants from Central America traveled by caraven to the U.S. border to apply for asylum in the states. As of May 1, 2018, 8 of those migrants have been allowed into the U.S. Source NPR.
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) is warning Americans against eating romaine lettuce due to the largest multistate E. coli outbreak since 2006. 98 people have become ill as of April 28, 2018. Source NPR.
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons.
Surfer Rodrigo Koxa road a record breaking 80 foot wave in November, and on April 28, 2018, his record for surfing the biggest wave was confirmed. Source NPR.
Photo credit: Flickr.
Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Facebook, testifyed before congress on April 11, 2018 about his companies alleged misuse of user data. Source CNN.
Photo credit: PxHere. Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons.
On April 27, the House Intelligence Committee released a report regarding Russian meddling in the past U.S. presidential election. They have found no compelling evidence that the Trump campaign was involved with Russia in any way. Source New York Times.
Photo credit: National Rifle Association
The National Rifle Association is hosting their annual convention in Dallas this year stating May 3, 2018. This convention has recently received some backlash for not allowing weapons of any kind into the venue. The ban comes at the request of the Secret Service, as Vice President Mike Pence will be speaking at the convention. Source NPR.
Photo credit: Wikipedia.
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons.
Bill Cosby was found guilty of three counts of aggrevated indecent assault on April 26, 2018. He faces up to 10 years in prison for each count. and is likely to serve them concurrently. Source CNN.
A recent wave of teacher strikes across the nation is likely caused by underfunding in education. Among complaints are low pay, pension problems, and subpar classroom conditions. Many school districts have had to shut down due to the strikes. Source PBS.
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons.
Former first lady Barabara Bush passed away at age 92 on April 17. 2018. She refused medical care in her final hours so that could go peacefully surronded by her family. Source New York Times.
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons.
The new movie “Avengers: Infinity War� made an estimated $640.9 million at the worldwide box office on opening weekend. This makes the film the biggest box opening ever. Source CNN.
For the first time since World War II, the Swedish Academy will not be awarding the nobel prize for literature. Sara Danius, the former head of the body that awards the prize, stepped down last month amid sexual abuse allegations. Source NPR.
Page 14 Arts and Entertainment
‘A Quiet Place’ is Anything But Quiet
The Spotlight
by Quinn Schmidt A typical horror movie is packed with blood curdling screams and shrieks capable of creating nightmares for weeks. However, “A Quiet Place” exhibits aspects of horror in a strange way. In this film, silence is just as frightening as screams for help. “A Quiet Place” tells the story of a family living in a post-apocalyptic world, where silent creatures hunt with the help of sound. The family fluctuates from having 5 to 6 members (I’ll leave it at that to refrain from any spoilers). They have adapted to silent life, pouring out sandy trails to walk on and using a system of lights to signal for help. But things become complicated once the mother (Emily Blunt) endures one of the most unfortunate pregnancies in cinematic history, and the family is forced to adjust their lifestyle to help her give birth without making a sound. To make matters worse, the sole protector of the family, the father (John Krasinski), is out hunting with his son (Noah Jupe), when his wife goes into labor. It becomes a race to the house as the men try to aid the daughter (Millicent Simmonds) and the mother before the monsters get to them and the newborn. Director John Krasinski does an exceptional job by slowly revealing important details regarding these mysterious creatures, without ever having characters discuss them directly. In fact, the characters rarely discuss anything with words. Only about two scenes contain any actual dialogue, with scattered screams occurring towards the end of the film. Although dialogue rarely shows up, the family communicates in a variety of ways, which is a credit to the spectacular acting. Authentic facial expressions accompanied with the use of sign language lets the viewer in on what’s happening without characters actually opening their mouths. Krasinski fills the movie with tiny sounds unnoticeable in most films: for example, the inaudible words spoken while signing with one another, and the sound of feet shuffling on sand. Noises like these build tension in the movie without characters even speaking. In the case of this movie, the eerie silence puts the viewer on the edge of their seat, waiting for the next sighting of the blind monster. The silence also engages the audience in a way that louder movies can never execute. A simple moviegoing act like eating popcorn seemed to be echoed throughout the whole theater. It was almost as if the viewers were participating in the movie itself, remaining silent for the whole film in order to keep the monsters from demolishing the family. Overall, “A Quiet Place” easily exceeds all of the expectations set by critics, considering this was Krasinski’s first film. The unique element of silence is an intricate component of horror often overlooked in most films. However, Krasinski uses the silence perfectly and has created an instant horror classic.
“A Quiet Place” has quickly become a box office hit. Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures.
Saba Releases Long Awaited Second Album by Jakob Bloss
The Chicago rapper pictured on the cover of his album. Photo Credit: Saba Pivot, LLC
Rapper Saba’s long-awaited second studio album “CARE FOR ME” was finally released on April 5, 2018 and features artist like “Chance the Rapper “and “The Mind.” The album spans over 10 songs with standouts being “Life,” “Busy / Sirens” and “Broken Girls.” It’s important to note that Saba dedicates this album to his recently deceased cousin, who passed away in Chicago from stab wounds. Before becoming a rapper, Saba used to play piano and experiment with beats while growing up in the suburbs of Chicago. Graduating from St. Joseph’s High School in Westchester, Chicago, Saba used to pass his mixtapes to students to gain recognition. With newly gained confidence and popularity, Saba began performing at open mic events for Young Chicago Authors (YCA). The Chicago rapper later received his biggest feature in 2013, rapping alongside Chance on “Everybody’s Something.” Shortly after featuring on Chance’s “Acid Rap” mixtape, Saba became an overnight success with his first debut album “Bucket List Project.” Along with receiving great reviews, the album was even being compared to Kendrick Lamar’s “Section 80.” In terms of success, Saba is nowhere near the level of Kendrick Lamar, but his potential is what made fans so eager for his next album. Saba’s first single off of “CARE FOR ME” is “Busy / Sirens,” which talks about the depression and isolation he’s been experiencing since his cousin’s death: “You sad? Tell me, how are you sad? You got all of these friends, you got all of these fans, I ain’t trust nobody new since 2012, I ain’t let nobody in.” This lyric explains how Saba felt after his cousin’s death, and how he couldn’t trust anybody anymore because of the struggles in his life. The second single off of “CARE FOR ME” is “Life,” where Saba raps about the death of a close friend, and his uncle who passed in his sleep. Saba does a great job of illustrating the crimes and daily activities he experienced growing up in Chicago by using descriptive details and words to get his point across: “Tell ‘em I’ll be okay, when he ask, How’s my day? Tell ‘em that we the same, tell ‘em that we not safe.” Personally, I feel like “CARE FOR ME” was the perfect sequel to Saba’s first album, “Bucket List Project.” Not only could you enjoy it, but you could also learn from and be inspired by it. Many people believe they are too young or not able to find success because of where they grew up. Saba, 23, manages to defy those odds by building a career out of his music.
May 2018
Arts and Entertainment
Page 15
Check Out the ‘Good Boys’ in ‘Isle of Dogs’ By Ben Baca
Director Wes Anderson, creator of “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” is back with his latest production, “Isle of Dogs,” a stop-motion picture that was given a full-theatrical release on April 13, 2018.
The film tells the story of a dystopian Japanese land where, due to the outbreak of an illness, all dogs have been banished to an island filled with garbage. This changes when a boy, Atari (Koyu Rankin), arrives on the island to search for his dog, Spots (voiced by Liev Schrieber). A canine named Chief (voiced by Bryan Cranston) decides to form a team to help Atari find Spots. For a film featuring deadpan humor, “Isle of Dogs” succeeds in painting an in-depth picture of animal abuse and lies that the government tells to its citizens. The animation depicts gorgeous and detailed sets, props, and facial expressions, and the characters, played by very talented actors, were very quirky and memorable in their own way. However, despite the positives, one of the big nitpicks I have is that there could’ve been more humor added to it. There were a few laughs, but, despite this being called a comedy, it didn’t have a lot of humorous scenes to poke fun at. Overall, this is a beautiful movie with unique stop-motion, a heartwarming story, some funny jokes, and a great focus on very deep topics. It’s not perfect, as it could’ve used some more humor, but it’s definitely worth seeing in theaters. I would rate “Isle of Dogs” an 8/10. Although it isn’t as well known, “Isle of Dogs” has been popular among viewers. Photo Credit: Indian Paintbursh.
Upcoming Movies...
This superhero sequel comes out on May 18. Photo Credit: Marvel Entertainment.
This thriller comes out on May 11. Photot Credit: Will Packer Productions.
“Incredibles 2” is sure to succeed in the box office upon it’s release on June 15. Photo Credit: Pixar Animation.
Melissa McCarthy comes back in another comedy releasing on May 11. Photo Credit: New Line Cinema.
The star packed comedy releases on May 18. Photo Credit: June Pictures
“Raazi” comes into theatres on May 11. Photo Credit: Dharma Productions.
Page 16 Odds and Ends
The Spotlight
May 2018
Student Artists Display a ‘Latte’ of Talent at the Coffee House Photo credits: Sarah Jacobson