THE SPOTLIGHT May/June 2019
Southern Lehigh High School 5800 Main Street Center Valley, PA 18034
Volume 62 Issue 6
End of Year Splendors
As the end of the year approaches, the school is abuzz with various activities and sendoffs Photo Credit: Alex Lycette
In This
Issue:
2
Find out where SLHS’ senior LCTI Students are headed after graduation on page 2.
5
On page 5, read about what colleges these senior althletes will be competing for next.
12
Read some words of wisdom from SLHS teachers on page 12.
Page 2 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
The Spotlight
Students Offer Unique Regional Perspectives at Culture Fair
by Bridgette Lang
Faculty Adviser
Mrs. Marlo Spritzer
Editor-in-Chief Sarah Jacobson
News Editors Kennah Salvo Aisha Durrani
Features Editor Saskia Van’t Hof
Opinion Editor Bridgette Lang
Our World Editor Bridgette Lang
Entertainment Editor Quinn Schmidt
Sports Editor Quinn Schmidt
Social Media Editor Grffin Schmoyer
Staff Reporters Breana Grabowski Marc Ramson
Pennsylvania School Press Association 2018 Gold Rating 2017 Gold Rating 2016 Gold Rating 2015 Gold Rating 2014 Gold Rating 2013 Silver Rating National School Press Association 2018 All-American Rating 2016 First Class Rating 2015 First Class Rating
Students dressed up and displayed trifolds with information about their country. Photo credit: Bridgette Lang.
On Friday, April 26, eleventhgrade students participated in the second annual culture fair as a part of their World Cultures and AP World History course work. The goal of the culture fair is to allow students to investigate a culture of their choice, to walk out with a more informed and diversified perspective, and to effectively present what they have learned. Students taking these courses not only made poster boards covering the history and arts of their chosen country, but they also brought in cultural artifacts, like food, traditional garb, and music. Dozens of tables were set up in the gym during second block for participants to showcase their hard work and for other students to listen about and experience each country’s culture. It was an exciting day but also a nervous one for many of the juniors. The culture fair was a part of students’ final projects, and each student was interviewed for a grade. “Over the last two years, one of the biggest takeaways that Mr. Krial and I have noticed, is that students who may not display a passion for our class, really seem to get excited about this project,” World Cultures and AP World History teacher Mr. Lee Zeisloft said. “As teachers and students walk around at the culture
fair, you can see how proud and knowledgeable kids are to share about their project and for people to try their food, listen to their music, [or] explain their game.” Students were allowed to partner up with others in the course. Together, they could select which country they would like to cover, leading to many diverse regions represented in the fair. Peru, the Philippines, and India are just a few of the countries that were covered. “[I chose to do the Philippines] because my uncle married into a Filipino family,” junior Gabriella Gormas said. “And they’re some of the nicest and funniest people I’ve met. I’m going to visit the Philippines next year, so I figured I would learn more.” Some of the most popular countries this year were Germany, Ireland, France, and Italy. Many students had to think outside of the box to differentiate their project from their peers’. “We were going to choose Ireland, but we figured other people would choose Ireland too,” junior Alise Downey said. “So we chose Norway. It’s similar to Ireland, but it still has its differences.” Though a bit stressful for the teachers and students to pull off such a large and successful event,
Follow us online! Twitter & Instagram: @slsdspotlight Facebook: Southern Lehigh Spotlight Or visit our website: www.slspotlight.com
the culture fair was arguably the most fun for those who got to eat all of the food. There were cookies, crepes, taquitos, kiwis, and Japanese rice balls to try. If you walked a lap around the room and stopped at a handful of the tables, you would certainly be full. Although the culture fair was clearly a learning experience for the students, it has also made the teachers think about how to most effectively structure the final project and how to set up the fair. World Cultures teachers Mr. David Krial and Mr. Zeisloft have continuously reflected on the development of the culture fair over the past two years. “We didn’t change a lot from last year to this. We gave kids a little more flexibility to which country they wanted to choose,” Mr. Zeisloft said. “This did lead to a lot of repeats – which isn’t what we wanted, but we also want kids to embrace the country they choose and be excited about displaying their country’s culture. We hope to modify the assignment for next year to make it more diverse.” It’s exciting for students and staff to watch as the culture fair becomes integrated into Southern Lehigh tradition and as it helps our school to become a more informed place.
May/June 2019
News Page 3
Lehigh Career & Technical Institute (LCTI) Students Reflect on Their Experiences by Bridgette Lang
What is one thing you wish you could change about LCTI, high school, senior classes, etc? “The only thing I would change would be to incorporate more hands-on work into high school classes because at least for me, it makes it much easier to learn that way.” - Kylee Goodin
How do you think LCTI prepared you for the real world? “LCTI gave me the opportunity to learn a skill while still [attending high] school and be able to start working in the field before I even graduated high school.”- Shawn Mahoney
What is one thing you wish you could change about LCTI, high school, senior classes, etc? “One thing I wish I would change about [LCTI] is the reputation it has… I feel like tech kids get a lot of hate due to the fact that they’re different. Some people don’t have an idea of what they want to do after high school, and that’s okay. But going to LCTI gave me an idea of the career I want to pursue; that’s one of the benefits of attending tech.” - Nate Himmelsbach
How did your classes at LCTI help you determine what career you want to pursue in the future? “My Drafting/CAD class has given me a head start in learning architectural drafting.”- Nate Himmelsbach
How do you think LCTI prepared you for the real world? “LCTI has prepared me for the real world because it helped me get a good job and and be able to know what all I had to do and prepare me for the job by showing me the basics of my career.”- Clayton Weiss
Describe your senior year in three words. “Ready to graduate.”- Shawn Mahoney
Describe your senior year in three words. How did your classes at LCTI help you determine what career you want to pursue in the future? “I knew [what career I wanted to pursue] before I went to LCTI, and then they changed the whole class of us the last year.” - Heather Brinckman
“Most amazing year.” - Clayton Weiss
Describe your senior year in three words. “Fun, relaxing, and exciting.” - Kylee Goodin
Page 4 Features
The Spotlight
The Spotlight Bids Farewell to Its Seniors by Saskia Van’t Hof, Kenna Salvo, and Aisha Durrani
Sarah Jacobson: Editor-In-Chief
Editor-in-chief is no easy gig, but Sarah Jacobson has conquered the position with style. After writing nearly 40 articles over the past three years, Sarah has certainly left big shoes to fill. “I joined the Spotlight because I always liked writing,” Sarah said. “I really liked how in high school movies there is always that one journalism character, and I wanted to be her.” After taking Introduction to Journalism as a freshman, Sarah joined the Spotlight staff in her sophomore year. She became the Our World editor in her junior year, and took over as the Editor-in-Chief as a senior. Outside of her role as editor-in-chief for the Spotlight, Sarah has also been the Art and Lit club co-president and Feminist Student Association social media officer for two years. She was also involved in color guard and NHS for three years and has been an active Girl Scout since first grade. In her free time, Sarah also enjoys reading, watching tv, knitting, playing video games, and “getting swole” at the gym. She looks forward to spending as much time as possible with Photo credit: Mellonberry Photography friends and family before graduation this June. and Mrs. Spitzer’s Newspaper Journalism. The Her two favorite classes throughout high two English classes inspired Sarah to embark school include Mr. Hershey’s Honors English 11 on a career in communications and fine tune
her writing skills. Sarah also considers Newspaper Journalism to be one of her favorites because of the tight knit community it fostered. Even though the job of editor-in-chief proved to be time consuming during her senior year, Sarah says it was the one stress she enjoyed in the school day. “I always like the end of the year parties we have,” Sarah said. “We get to look back at everything we’ve done through the whole year, and since everyone has gotten to know each so well through newspaper, it’s fun to just get to hang out. Some of my best memories are at the end of the year when you just get to celebrate what you and your peers have done.” Next year, Sarah will attend the University of Pittsburgh to pursue communications. She also hopes to double major in either political science, history, or English. “I’m excited to take the next step,” Sarah said. “You really get to be out in the world and experience new things. Everything is going to be my choice. It’s scary, but I’m really excited.” To upcoming seniors, she leaves with this piece of advice: “Listen to yourself more. I was so obsessed with listening to other people. You know more than you think you do; have a little confidence.”
Homecoming king. Football captain. Basketball captain. Spotlight staff writer and editor Quinn Schmidt has done it all. Over the past three years, Quinn has become an irreplaceable asset to the newspaper staff, serving as a staff reporter since sophomore year, the entertainment editor in his junior year, and adding the role of sports editor in his senior year. Even though he always enjoyed telling stories, Quinn did not always plan on being part of the Spotlight staff. Before joining the newspaper in sophomore year, Quinn credited his English teachers for initially getting him “fired up about writing.” “It first started in middle school. In seventh grade I had Mrs.Sterner’s honors English, and then I had Mrs.Kleppinger in eighth grade. They were the first teachers that really made me enjoy writing,” Quinn said. “After that, Mrs. Tocci taught the Intro to Journalism class in my freshman year, and that’s when I was really captivated by the whole newspaper thing.” Out of all of his articles over the years, his favorite memory was writing the investigative piece, “Waterbois Find the Best Water Fountain at SLHS,” with 2018 graduates Townsend Colley and Ben Baca, during his junior year. Quinn remembers spending class time running around school testing every single water fountain, all for the sake of research. The biggest lesson Quinn learned as an editor was to not procrastinate. Under the guidance of advisor Mrs. Marlo Spritzer, Quinn
historian of the student council, a volunteer at Camelot for Children and member of their Junior Board. As a student athlete, Quinn has spent many memorable moments both on the field as well as in the classroom. “I’ve always been on really talented teams, but we would always come in second. We never won a football championship until senior year,” Quinn said. “Always coming in second pushed us to really work hard and come together as a team. It taught me that you really have to work hard to succeed.” In the fall, Quinn will attend the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, where he will pursue communications. After years of hard work, getting into Syracuse University was a dream come true. “I’m just excited to get into a school I’m proud of,” Quinn said. “My major is what the school is known for, so I know that I’ll be challenged academically in a way I’ve never been before. I know that in four years I’ll come out with a good education.” For rising seniors, Quinn encourages everyone to have a balance between fun and work during their last year of high school. “Definitely do stuff in your senior year. Try everything,” Quinn said. “It feels like there’s a lot of pressure in your senior year, but once you get through the college application part, it goes by really fast. Just have fun.”
Quinn Schmidt: Entertainment and Sports Editor
Photo credit: Alex Fillman
learned to work hard on his own articles and pages while helping others grow as writers. “Mrs. Spritzer is a hands-on teacher, but she definitely doesn’t do the work for us,” Quinn said. “Her criticisms are always constructive and really helpful. If this class was taught by any other teacher, it wouldn’t be the same. I owe a lot of my success to her.” Outside of the newspaper, Quinn is also the captain of the football and basketball team,
May/June 2019
Features Page 5
Bridgette Lang: Opinion and Our World Editor
When Griffin Schmoyer first joined the Spotlight staff in his junior year, he expected an outlet to prep for his future career in sports journalism. But he was pleasantly surprised to find so much more. After two faithful years with the Spotlight, he has grown to love writing versatile, captivating articles, and has also developed a passinonate enthusiasm for CNN 10 host Carl Azuz. “When I started out in journalism, my articles were really rough. But after being on the newspaper for two years, I saw a lot of personal growth in my writing,” Griffin said. “I was able to write more, write better, and get more quality interviews. Continuously seeing that improvement helped me early on.” Some of Griffin’s personal hobbies include listening to music (especially the rock band Rush), video games, anime, and all things sports. Griffin also helps run Pokemon club during spartan period on Day three. Schmoyer says that one of the biggest lessons he learned writing for the Spotlight was time management and personal responsibility. “Over the years, I’ve learned how to write better articles, but staying on time has been
most helpful for me not only in journalism, but also in life,” Griffin said. “It taught me a lot of time management, which is great because we have strict deadlines for articles.” From reviews of “Super Mario Odyssey” to coverage of both professional and local sports, Griffin is very proud of the articles he has written thus far. In the time that he has written for the Spotlight, he’s created numerous entertainment and sports-centric pieces. “I’ve always had a huge passion for sports. If I’m not doing something for class, I’m on ESPN or Bleacher,” he said. “I wanted to go into broadcast journalism and become an announcer or commentator. For me, journalism was a good outlet to really work on my writing skills and share my passion for sports.” Griffin is gearing up to attend Hofstra University for broadcast journalism, with a focus on sports broadcasting. When asked his advice for rising seniors, he stressed the importance of pursuing passion through hard work and relentless dedication. “Don’t underestimate your own potential,” Griffin said. “I know a lot of kids these days question their own self worth, and I know I
definitely had a period of time like that. But you have to follow your passion. You have to want it enough. If you’re genuinely passionate about something, you should pursue it.”
After establishing himself as a champion runner and politically active student, Marc Ramson joined the Spotlight in his final year of high school. “I wanted people to have a better understanding of what I stand for,” he said. Over the years, Marc has participated in sports such as track and field, cross country, and basketball. In school, he was also a part of Junior State of America, FCCLA (Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America), as well as both the Young Conservatives and Young Democrats. “One time in JSA, they used my newspaper article on money in politics, and it made me really proud,” Marc said. “It showed that the work I did was enough to be base knowledge for someone to talk about. It was really cool because the whole idea [of that article] was to be unbiased and just informational.” Marc’s days of discussing politics are certainly not over. He plans to major in political
science at Elizabethtown College, as well as run track and cross country there. Track and cross country played a big role in Marc’s high school career. Coach Strong and Coach Kocsis have been a big influence on helping him “be the best athlete and the best person” he can be, and the sport itself was one of his more formative experiences. “Running improved my entire idea of how to succeed, taught me how important it is to work hard,” Marc said. “I met some of my best friends there.” Though there are things he will miss about high school, Marc is looking forward to the future. He is waiting to see what his future will will hold. Or, more specifically, who it will hold. “After graduation, I’m excited to hang out with the people I met in high school. You have a summer to figure who you’re going to talk to in ten years when this is all just a distant memory,” he said. “I can’t wait to figure that out.”
Griffin Schmoyer: Social Media Editor
Photo credit: Griffin Schmoyer
was gonna help me no matter what.” Next year, Bridgette will study International Affairs and Spanish at Boston University’s Honors College. She is also toying with the idea of studying abroad in Europe to learn more about international politics. “I’ve always liked politics, so that part was interesting, but I also thought it’s cool because it’s a little bit more of a wider range,” she said. “It takes a little bit more concentration and understanding as opposed to [studying] just American politics because you have to understand different political systems.” After graduation, Bridgette hopes to continue traveling and attending concerts. She also plans on spending the summer with friends and family before going to Boston. As the school year comes to a close, Bridgette leaves high school students with a piece of advice. “Don’t listen to other people so much. Like with Honors Bio everyone says ‘it’s so hard’ but I enjoyed it,” she said. “At the end of the day, you have to listen to you. You can never tell what’s gonna happen.”
Photo credit: Sweat Peas Studio
Four-year journalism student Bridgette Lang has had her hands in everything in her high school career. Besides two years as edi-
tor of the Spotlight, she is co-president and co-founder of the Junior State of America and president of the Feminist Student Association. She also participates in teen counseling, speech and debate, Aevidum, track and field, and Key Club, and she is a member of the National Honor Society. “When I first took the [old] prerequisite class ‘Intro to Journalism,’ I was planning on going into yearbook,” Bridgette said. “But I learned that I was better with the writing than the photography.” In her sophomore year, Bridgette joined the Spotlight staff as a reporter, and in her junior year she became the features editor. Now in her senior year, she is editor of both the Our World and Opinion pages. Balancing different roles taught her many valuable lessons along the way. “I learned to manage time and work with others. In the end it’s also managing others’ time too,” she said. “Journalism was a really good experience. I learned a lot. I got much more out of it than any other class. Being able to communicate with people or communicate an idea is important in any field, so I knew it
Photo credit: Marc Ramson
Marc Ramson: Staff Reporter
Page 6 Opinion/Our World
The Spotlight
Letter from the Editor I don’t think that I had any idea what I would be getting into when I first joined the Spotlight. Originally, I wanted an outlet for writing, and journalism felt like a instinctive choice. Back then, I simply saw it as a fun activity to try out on my path to becoming a writer. I never imagined that it would become my passion. A lot of who I am today has come from being part of publications. From contributing to the Art and Literary club’s annual magazine, to writing for a blog, to working my way up to editor-in-chief of the Spotlight, I can truly say that publications have played a major role in my high school experience. I was drawn to journalism specifically because I found that I could make a difference through my writing. There is a lot of unexpected power that comes from writing, and through my articles, I was able to bring awareness to topics and write about what truly inspired me. Journalism was a surprisingly natural fit. I look forward to dedicating my next four years at university to journalism and the field of communications. I am so delighted to have found something that makes me happy, and I know that no matter where I am headed in life, I am sure to find my fire. I will be passing on the role of editor-inchief to Saskia Van’t Hof, our current features
editor. She is wonderfully talented, and I know she will do an amazing job. Looking back on my years in the Spotlight, I am in awe of how many talented writers I have gotten to work with. However, one writer has been most influential.
The 2018-19 staff will branch out into different directions after June 7. Photo credit: Mrs. Marlo Spritzer.
Mrs. Spritzer has quite literally been my day one. I had her for my first block my first day of freshman year for color guard, and honestly, I thought she didn’t like me. Now, I can confidently say that is not the case. She has been a role model, a mentor, and most importantly, a friend throughout my four years working with the Spotlight. Nobody cares more about the Spotlight than her, and nobody works harder to make sure that every issue is the best it can be. I will miss her greatly, although I might be seeing her on move in day (Hail to Pitt!). Everyone on the Spotlight has had the utmost integrity and professionalism while carrying out their duties, and I am so proud of all of them and their hard work. It has been an honor to edit articles at midnight, learn way too much about AP style, and debate puns with the staff. I can not wait to see where the next four years will take me. Oh, and by the way, our paper isn’t “liberal garbage.” We’re an award winning publication with certificates (and facts) to prove it. Just saying. Sincerely, Sarah Jacobson Editor-in-Chief
Light Up Limeport Shines Light on Childhood Cancer by Bridgette Lang
On May 4, 2019, Southern Lehigh baseball faced Saucon Valley at the historic Limeport Stadium, to come together for the greater good. “Light Up Limeport” first occurred 10 years ago to support 2009 graduate Dave Ortwein, a former SLHS baseball player, and two-time cancer survivor Reagen Amand, who is the girl behind Adopta-Pig, as they battled childhood cancer. Today, they are recovered, but the anniversary game honors a new generation of those battling cancer. “We decided to do Light Up Limeport to raise money but also to raise awareness for pediatric cancer in general,” assistant baseball coach and math teacher Mr. Matthew Greenawald said. “[This year’s Light Up Limeport] of course is 10 years later, and [Dave Ortwein] is doing wonderful. However, there are many kids affected by pediatric cancer everyday, so we decided to do a tenth
Both teams formed a cancer ribbon on the field. Photo credit: Ms. Grace Zarnas-Hoyer.
anniversary of that and raise money for three local foundations.” The baseball team brought the issue back home by inviting in special guests including Ortwein, Amand, and 10-year-old Lizzy Fluck, who was recently diagnosed with leukemia, to throw the first pitches in the game. Lizzy’s father, Bob Fluck, is a current Southern Lehigh teacher at JPLIS, and a former pitcher for the Spartans. The game honored affected families, warriors (survivors), fighters (people going through cancer), and angels (those who passed away). On both teams, players and coaches Mr. Todd Miller, Mr. Matthew Greenawald, Mr. Casey Cooperman, Mr. Spencer Cameron, and Mr. Eric Boyer wore jerseys to represent someone in the community affected by cancer, including grandparents, classmates, and Southern Lehigh’s Jillian Massey, who passed away in 2017 at the age of five. Names of the honorees were printed on the back of each jersey. “The players all had jerseys sponsored by someone that had the name of a cancer survivor or someone who had cancer, so we tried to raise money [by working with the community and businesses] to get the jerseys,” senior team member John Coyle said. Southern Lehigh won the game 4-0 with help from senior pitchers Stephen Hoyer and Andrew Lievendag. Other highlights included competitions between innings such as a water balloon toss, and races with “Sparty” the mascot. Aside from the healthy competition, the team raised over $34,000 for childhood cancer research and funding. The donations were split between Sassey Massey Smiles Foundation, Adopt-a-Pig, and Angel 34. Money was raised by community donations, gift basket donations, jersey shirt purchases, and sales at the game. Sassey Massey Smiles was created by the Massey family to create fun and happy play experi-
Photo credit: Ms. Grace Zarnas-Hoyer.
ences while children are receiving treatment. Adopt-a-Pig provides families support by distributing Coping Kits that include travel supplies and funds. Angel 34, which also is connected to the Angel 34 club at SLHS, is a non-profit organization that runs fun activities for childhood cancer patients and supports families with funding and other support through their battles with cancer. Light Up Limeport was also the last home game of the season for the Southern Lehigh baseball team, so the seniors made the most of it. John Coyle, Logan Edmond, Stephen Hoyer, Andrew Lievendag, Dalton Musselman, and Jacob Stanten performed a dance routine between innings. Light Up Limeport was definitely a meaningful way for the Southern Lehigh baseball team to finish up their season before heading to districts, and a meaningful way to give back to the community.
May/June 2019
Our World Page 7
PA Attorney General Talks Safe2Say, Mental Health with Teens by Bridgette Lang and Marc Ramson
On May 20, 2019, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro came to Southern Lehigh High School to discuss mental health, bullying, and the Safe2Say program with students from around Lehigh County. Southern Lehigh High School hosted other schools, including Dieruff High School, William Allen High School, Emmaus High School, and Parkland High School. Upon arrival, each student found a mini notebook, a lanyard, and folder from the Attorney General placed in their seats. The day’s events started in the gym, where students engaged in small group discussions and completed icebreakers with Shapiro’s staff. After getting to know each other better, discussion about sensitive issues came easier. “Today was a really great opportunity to create dialogue with not only our teachers, but with important people, like the [attorney general],” senior participant Cameron McColgan said. “[It’s about] creating dialogue in amongst different students
from different schools with different backgrounds, and understanding not only [the effects of] bullying...but also understanding the underlying issues, like mental health.” Attorney General Shapiro sat in the front of the cafeteria with five student panelists from the schools. He led the conversation and asked audience members to share their experiences and suggestions. The discussion was centered on mental health, as students explained it was the cause of bullying and other school-wide issues. Overall, each person’s experience with mental health with themselves, their peers, or their close friends varied. “I thought today was a great experience to get to learn about everyone’s point of view and to really bring that all together in one big culmination,” sophomore participant Grant Hagenbuch said. Some students suggested a peer-mentor for those who were struggling, while others suggested an adult figure, like a coach or a designated men-
tal health counselor. In our interview, Attorney General Shapiro told the Spotlight staff that he is planning to ask the PA state legislature for more funding for mental health personnel. Shapiro’s successful platform is based on combating crime, upholding individual rights, and protecting consumers. Some of his top priorities include protecting students, veterans, small businesses and consumers from scams and fraud, implementing a comprehensive integrity agenda to ensure people from across the Commonwealth are heard and have faith in the justice system In his current position, he has increased transparency by regularly publishing reports about pressing issues, and promoted diversity by hiring the office’s first Diversity and Inclusion Officer. Most recently, he launched a lawsuit that holds big pharmaceutical companies accountable for their actions in the opioid epidemic.
Q: Where do you draw inspiration from to tackle these challenges? Why do you do roundtable discussions? A: “My fundamental responsibility as the [Attorney General], the chief law enforcement offi-
cer principally, is to keep people safe. I take that responsibility very seriously, particularly when it comes to our kids. I’ve said that before, as the AG and the dad of four school-aged kids. School safety, the safety of students is really important. And so I began this listening tour thinking that the conversation would focus more around bullying and violence in school. And instead, we’ve had a number of these, it’s focused more on mental health issues. My inspiration is to try to keep people safe in their communities, in their minds, in their schools.”
Photo credit: Mrs. Beth Guarriello.
Q: Tell us more about the overlying themes of the roundtable discussions. A: “My expectation, when we did the first one, I thought for sure that students would not say a word, and I was completely wrong about that. In fact, every stop we’ve had students [do] 90% of the talking, which is the way it should be. We want to listen and learn. I’ve been amazed at how students have been able to open up, be honest. I’ve been struck by the prominence of mental health issues being discussed. I’ve also been struck by how student have articulated the need for more personnel in their schools to tackle these issues. I heard that loud and clear, and one of the things that I’m going to be asking the legislature for is… a fund established that schools can draw upon specifically to fund mental health counselors, teachers, aids to help students deal with these issues. Loud and clear I’ve heard that message, and I want to make sure that lawmakers in Harrisburg know how students are feeling, and if I can be their voice and get some resources to these schools that are need, I will.”
Q: How will these roundtable discussions affect school administration and staff? A: “The fact that your superintendents, principals, and teachers were willing to have this conversation, that’s a sign of strength on their part. And the fact is that they need to hear this stuff too, and hopefully, as they go through their summer planning for the fall, they will be incorporating what the students said into the work that they do for [their] school year.” Photo credit: Mrs. Beth Guarriello.
Q: What are the short term goals of Safe2Say? What are the long term goals? A: ““Interestingly enough, the legislature funded Safe2Say as a means to deal with school
shootings and violence in our schools. And that is no doubt critically important, but what we have found in the 25,000 calls or so that we’ve gotten… there have been a lot more calls about mental health than violence. My short-term goals were to standing it up, getting it to work, and getting students to buy in. Clearly, they have. Now, it’s taking the information that we’ve learned there not only to keep that individual student safe or that individual school safe, but now having the policy follow it, like counselors in every school district.”
Photo credit: Mrs. Beth Guarriello.
Page 8 Center Spread
Oh The Places They’ll Go by Sarah Jacobson
The Spotlight
May/June 2019
Center Spread Page 9
Page 12 Our World
The Spotlight
Words of Wisdom for the Seniors by Aisha Durrani and Breana Grabowski
Photo Credit: Mrs. Guarriello.
Photo Credit: Sra. Imms.
Mrs. Beth Guarriello “Find happiness where you are and live each day with appreciation, enthusiasm, passion, and empathy for others. Above all, work hard, never stop learning, and take care of each other.”
Sra. Joan Imms “There is no script to what lies ahead. Embrace these next several years to decide who you want to be and what you want to do. Push through the difficult moments and embrace the joyous ones.”
Photo Credit: Mr. Long.
Photo Credit: Ms. Laney.
Photo Credit: Mrs. Ciotti
Mr. David Long ““Be sure to take a class or do something in life because you enjoy it, not just because you have to.”
Mrs. Sheryl Ciotti “Enjoy the triumphs, but more importantly embrace the obstacles. The aspects that stand in your way will help to shape your identity.”
Ms. Erin Laney “Take care of your family, remember your friends, remember your community, and find a group that you can attach yourself to and have at your side for as long as you can.”
Congratulations to these Seniors for the Commitment to Career and Military Endeavors! Skylar Walker Mason Wetterau Heather Brinckman Clayton Weiss Colin Gale Nathanial Tompkins Evan Myers Kylee Goodin Rianna Aucker Justin McGill Andrew Sofranko Shawn Mahoney
These students were honored at an awards ceremony on April 30th to celebrate their past and future accomplishments in their fields.
Photo credit: Southern Lehigh High School on Facebook.
Atlantic City Bethany Cape May
Chesapeake Hilton Head Martha’s Vineyard
Ocean City Outer Banks Poconos
Can You Find All of the Summer Vacation Destinations? Our World Page 13
May/June 2019
Page 12 Sports
The Spotlight
Fifteen Southern Lehigh Athletes Will Continue Ellie Cassel Sport: Basketball
School: Wheaton College
Photo Credit: Lori Mobley What the coaches say: “There is only one Ellie, she has so many good characteristics, so many great things that make her who she is. Wheaton Is definitely going to be fortunate to have her as a student, as an athlete, and just someone who is there representing them,” head basketball coach Matt Cooper said.
Nick Colasurdo Sport: Wrestling
School: Kent State University
What the coaches say:
Photo Credit: Juan Garcia
“Not only does Nick have the athletic ability and the physical tools that he needs, but he has the determination and work ethic to be able to succeed, and I’m looking forward to him having a good career at Kent State,” head wrestling Coach Matt Gorkos said.
Logan Edmond Sport: Football
School: Gettysburg College
What the coaches say:
Photo Credit: Alex Fillman
“Logan was a fierce competitor with a passion and drive for the game of football like no one else,” head football coach John Toman said.
Kristin Cocozza Sport: Soccer
School: Fordham University
What the coaches say:
Photo Credit: Alex Fillman
“The biggest thing we’re gonna miss from Kristen is her leadership. She was always the type of person that was helping her teammates and giving the extra advice to make them believe in themselves,” head soccer coach Andrew Filler said.
Alexsis Daniel Sport: Cheerleading
School: Kutztown University
What the coaches say:
Photo Credit: Alex Fillman
“She is the epitome of a team player. When I joined as coach this year, I learned that she is the type of person to include everyone. She’s what you want in a cheerleader and what you want in a person,” head cheerleading coach Michelle Riley said.
Alexander Fillman
Sport: Cross Country/Track & Field School: Franklin & Marshall College
Photo Credit: Kurt Fillman What the coaches say: “Alex’s hard work, drive and dedication has been key to our teams overall success. He’s been part of three regular season championships, two undefeated league championships, a District XI 3A team runner-up as well as a state qualifying team,” head cross country coach Justin Kocis said.
May/June 2019
Sports Page 13
Their Atheltic Careers at the Collegiate Level Steven Hoyer
Bryn Hughes
Sport: Baseball
Sport: Field Hockey
School: Moravian College
School: LaSalle University
Photo Credit: Grace Hoyer What the coaches say: “Steven broke into the starting lineup as a freshman infielder. Over his four years as a player here at Southern Lehigh he has turned into one of the better two way players in our area as he both pitches and plays the outfield,” head coach Todd Miller said.
Alyssa Lyon
Sport: Volleyball/Track & Field School: Houghton College
Photo Credit: Lori Lyon What the coaches say: “She was a great team leader this year. We won the Colonial League championship this year and last year. She was like a second mom on the team keeping everyone organized. She was always on top of things,” head volleyball coach Don West said.
Caleb Muñoz
What the coaches say:
Photo Credit: Megan Malicki
“Bryn was a very versatile player for us. Since her freshman year she’s played every position for me, except goalkeeper. And sometimes in a single game played multiple positions. That’s very difficult in terms of knowing who’s around you and adjusting to who you’re playing with,” head field hockey coach Adrienne Searfoss said.
Lauren Malicki Sport: Lacrosse
School: Stevens Institute of Technology
What the coaches say:
Photo Credit: Megan Malicki
“It has been a pleasure to coach Lauren. She’s been a dynamite captain. She’s relentless, she’s committed, she’s focused. We are going to sorely miss her next year. But we do have a couple games left and hopefully we can win a District championship,” head lacrosse coach Kevin Cane said.
Marc Ramson
Sport: Football
Sport: Cross Country/Track & Field
School: Messiah College
School: Elizabethtown College
Photo Credit: Lewis Muñoz What the coaches say: “Caleb was a great leader for our boys swim team. His drive, dedication, demeanor, and leadership will truly be missed. I wish I had four years to coach Caleb because he was such a great member of the team. All of the team looked up to him and next years captains have big shoes to fill,” head swim coach Nick Pirrocco said.
Photo Credit: Scott Ramson What the coaches say: “Marc has been a leader on our boys track and field team for several years now, especially this year. The younger kids on the team really look up to him as a leader and as an example. The example he set for them will carry on well past the days he’s walked the halls here,” head track & field coach Cotie Strong said.
Page 14 Sports/Entertainment
The Spotlight
Collegiate Athletes Cont. Summer Blockbusters You Won’t Want to Miss Michael Smith Sport: Lacrosse
School: Chesnut Hill College
What the coaches say:
Photo Credit: Rick Kerr
“Michael may not end up on the top of any statistical charts for Southern Lehigh’s lacrosse team, but he does, in my opinion, belong at the top of the all-time hard workers list,” head lacrosse coach Lucas VanEmberg said.
Janik Wing Sport: Lacrosse
On May 24, Disney fans will finally get their liveaction version of the infamous cartoon movie Aladdin. Aladdin will enlist the help of a genie played by Will Smith. Photo Credit: Walt Disney Studios.
Over 20 years of X-Men movies culminate on June 7, when the group teams up to defeat recently empowered Jean Grey, who is using her new powers for evil. Photo Credit: 20th Century Fox.
That’s not Thor in a suit. Chris Hemsworth is Agent H in this new Men In Black movie releasing on June 14. Partnered with new Agent M, the duo battles mischievous aliens. Photo Credit: Sony Pictures.
Woody and Buzz are still going strong in Toy Story 4, set to release on June 21. The gang meets a new friend Forky on their roadtrip with their owner Bonnie. Photo Credit: Walt Disney Pictures.
On July 2, watch as Spider Man takes on new foes in an entirely different world after the results of Avengers: Endgame take effect on the universe. Photo Credit: Marvel Studios.
The long-anticipated liveaction Lion King comes to theaters on July 19. Be sure Simba and the gang rule the jungle. Photo Credit: Walt Disney Pictures.
School: Lehigh University
Photo Credit: Nick Pirrocco What the coaches say: “Janik was a role model student athlete. He was incredibly hard working in and out of the pool and extremely successful in the classroom as well. As the Athletic Director I look at a kid like that and say this is what we want everyone to kind of live up to,” athletic director Marc Zimmerman said.
Olivia Snyder Sport: Basketball
School: Georgetown University
Photo Credit: Lori Mobley What the coaches say: “Olivia is just an amazing student athlete who was able to do so many things for us as far as ball handling, obviously scoring, playing defense, rebounding. She was a complete player. She helped us in so many ways to reach the destinations and success levels that we had,” head basketball coach Matt Cooper said.
May/June 2019
Most Popular.... Teachers among seniors.
Songs among seniors.
Memes among seniors.
Books among seniors.
Sports/Entertainment Page 15
Meme Spotlight This year, the internet blessed the world with plentiful memes ranging from an all-powerful cartoon character to a major surgery on a bite-sized fruit. Here at The Spotlight, we were curious as to how Southern Lehigh Seniors ranked their favorite memes of the year. However, we didn’t stop there. After gathering our research, putting our meme knowledge to the test, we created what we believe are the first memes to be published in this iconic student newspaper. We metaphorically collected all the infinity stones, what you are about to read is the snap that will forever alter The Spotlight Universe.
Page 16 Odds and Ends
The Spotlight May/June 2019
Sunny Spring Senior Days
Morgan Dierolf: The Philadelphia Zoo
Nicolette Gallo: Shopping Spree with Friends
Kenny Chenault: Getting their cartilage pierced.
Hannah Grim: Kayaking on Lake Nockamixon
Taylor Stehlik (and friends): Exploring New York City
Mckenzie Hagenbuch (and friends): Picnicking at Lake Nockamixon