October 2014 Issue - Southern Lehigh Spotlight

Southern Lehigh High School 5800 Main Street Center Valley, PA 18034

OCTOBER 2014 Volume 58 Issue 1

The Spotlight

In this

Issue:

Greetings, Mrs. Guarriello!

by Dana DiGiovanni

Spartan football continues to break school records. Find out who broke which ones on page 3.

Coffee is banned from the hallways of Southern Lehigh. Turn to page 6 to get the full details.

It’s homecoming season again! See what proposals made the top 6 on Centerspread.

The New York Yankees bid farewell to Derek Jeter. Read more about it on page 15.

Want to see more?

Mrs. Guarriello makes herself at home in her new desk. Photo Credit: Dana DiGiovanni

On September 15th, the students and staff of Southern Lehigh High School welcomed the addition of new assistant principal Mrs. Beth Guarriello.

Mrs. Guarriello is not new to high school administration. She boasts an impressive résumé, and most recently worked in the Bethlehem Area School District (BASD) as an assistant principal at Liberty High School.

“My last job was a weird job. It was part assistant principal and part central of�ice for science and math,” Mrs. Guarriello said. “I wanted to be with kids more.”

She is a native of Bethlehem and an alumnus of Freedom High School, so working in the BASD is not the only experience Mrs. Guarriello has had with the district.

Two of her children have graduated from Liberty, while the youngest is currently attending as a senior.

What brought her to Center Valley?

“The job was open and Southern Lehigh has a phenomenal reputation. I’ve heard really good things about the staff and students and I wanted to come and work with them,” Mrs. Guarriello said. “I’ve always worked at really big schools and I wanted to learn about a smaller school.”

Mrs. Guarriello is not the only one excited for this upcoming year.

“We’re very excited to have her on our administration team,” principal Mrs. Christine Siegfried said. “Her background and experience will set her apart from other candidates and we are looking forward to continuous improvements at the high school.”

The position of assistant principal is no easy task. It comes with many different responsibilities. Last November, Southern Lehigh welcomed assistant principal Mr. Jason Lilly. This year, Mrs. Guarriello was added to the team.

“We used to have two assistant principals three years ago and then we lost one due to budget,” Mrs. Siegfried said. “It was very dif�icult to manage a student body of over 1,000 kids along with implementing some major initiatives like block scheduling, one-to-one [lap-

tops] and the [Pennsylvania Department of Education] teacher effectiveness model.”

Among her responsibilities, Mrs. Guarriello will be handling disciplinary issues for 9th and 10th graders, while Mr. Lilly will continue handling disciplinary issues for 11th and 12th graders.

Her �irst few days on the job have been a breeze.

“Everyone’s been really nice and welcoming and going out of their way to make me feel welcome,” Mrs. Guarriello said. “Students have been saying hello and been very respectful.”

When she is not at work, Mrs. Guarriello enjoys playing with her two beagles, reading, and watching Penn State football. In the future, she may see herself as a high school principal.

“For now I just want to �igure my way around and get to know everyone,” Mrs. Guarriello said. “I hope I can help the school and help improve everyone in this school”

2

NEWS

Southern Lehigh High School 5800 Main Street Center Valley, PA 18034 (610) 282-1421 x7122 slsdspotlight@gmail.com http://slspotlight.com

Spartan Football Breaking Records Senior quarterback, Travis Edmond, and sophomore running back, Timmy Walter broke two Spartan records on Friday, September 5th.

by Ana Burris and Townsend Colley

The Spotlight is published in print and online 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. Sponsorship rates are furnished upon request.

Senior quarterback Travis Edmond (left) and running back Timmy Walters (right). Photo Credit: Kylie Schmitt

Faculty Adviser Mrs. Marlo Spritzer

Editor-in-Chief Dana DiGiovanni

News Editor

Ashley Zamichieli

Features Editor Talia Trackim

Entertainment Editor Nicole Schroy

Opinion Editor Katie Cole

Sports Editor

Cody Heffelfinger

Our World Editor Ashley Zamichieli

In-Depth Editor Kylie Schmitt

Photo Editor Casey Asman

Video Editor Emily Kasarda

Web Editors Kylie Schmitt Robyn Somers

Copy Editor Lizzi Thom

SPOTLIGHT

It’s not everyday that a school record is broken, let alone two in the same night. In the game against Wilson early last month, senior quarterback Travis Edmond broke his own record by throwing for 358 yards. Meanwhile, sophomore running back Timmy Walter set the school record for single game reception yardage with 229 yards on 9 receptions.

The game took place on Friday, September 5th in front of the packed Southern Lehigh Middle School Stadium. The Spartans were barely hanging on to the lead at half time 1913, in a game that was supposed to be a Spartan blowout.

After half time, the Spartans came out �iring on all cylinders and had an offensive showcase to win the game 40-20.

It’s almost as if being a quarterback runs in his blood, as his dad, as well as his older brother, Ty, led the Spartans in the same position. However, the football star says that there’s no pressure or sibling rivalry when it comes to sports.

“It’s kind of like a family thing, but he never made me do anything I didn’t want to do,” senior Travis Edmond said.

Edmond said his older brother, who held the record before him, hoped he would break the record, as Travis expects his little brother to break it after him.

Attributing his record to his teammates, Edmond says he could not have done it without their help.

That same night, Timothy Walter managed to earn the school record for total reception yardage in a game. Walter caught 9 passes for 229 yards and 3 touchdowns. Travis Edmond threw all 9 of the passes.

“He just had a great game that night,” Edmond said.

“Throw a swing pass to him and he takes it down the �ield 30 yards.”

Last year, Walter earned varsity time when the team was bogged down due to injuries. This summer, Walter’s speed earned him a starting spot as a sophomore.

“It felt great [to win], it was something that was really special to me,” Walter said.

It was not a cakewalk for Walter, as Wilson’s defensive line average weight was 230 lbs.

“There was de�initely an intimidation factor, we’re not that big up front,” Walter’ said.

Despite his hesitations, the 5’6”, 140 lb, sophomore came out big this weekend, and through the past �ive weeks Walter’s has averaged 13.5 yards per carry.

Walter is optimistic for the future and hopes that if the team keeps working hard they will get to where they want to be.

“There is always room for improvement,” Walter said.

“We just have to keep getting better every week.”

The Spartans are currently 5-1 with a loss to Saucon Valley in week 3.

Backing Up to Assigned Parking Lots

by Preston Amato

In response to the negative feedback of last year’s parking policy, administration quickly changed the parking system back to the old-fashioned assigned spots. With this change comes several student concerns including the waiting process and the location of the assigned parking spots.

Last year, students were forced to adapt to a brand new parking system which entailed the assignments of parking lots, instead of spots. These lots included the soccer, tennis, and shed lots, each lot issued with a certain color to differentiate students’ parking tags.

Instead of granting students freedom, this new parking policy spurred negative reviews.

“Last year’s parking was very inconvenient to students,” senior Olivia Reichley said, “especially when you arrived at school late because it would be so dif�icult to �ind a spot in the assigned parking lot.”

A new school year allowed for administration to change this parking lot chaos: not only for the convenience of students, but for the needs of security.

“In talking with law enforcement, we did not have the option to stay with the assigned parking lot system that we had last year,” assistant principal Mr. Jason Lilly said. “We need to know where students are speci�ically parked for safety reasons.”

Instead of a brand new system, the rules reversed back to the system from years prior.

The feedback from the system change has been mixed among the student body so far. The process of requesting a parking spot has been especially frustrating for some.

“I submitted my parking pass in the �irst day that we were allowed to submit them,” senior Jillian Grammer said.

“The process took extremely long, and when I received my parking pass I was placed in the back of the parking lot, even though I submitted it �irst.”

Another concern that has brought up some contention among students is the 50 dollar parking fee.

“Our families already pay hundreds of dollars in taxes each year, and I don’t believe it is fair to have students pay to park at the school that they go to,” senior Anthony Lauer said.

The money students deposit for their parking spot does serve a purpose. Twenty percent of the money is allocated to student council funds, while the other eighty percent is put into the general fund for the district.

Some students feel the new system alleviates stress during the early morning rush to class.

“I like how there is no chaos,” senior Gabrielle Koehnlein said, “and you always know your spot will be open.”

OCTOBER 2014

NEWS

3

New Server Blocks Non-Educational Websites

In response to staff and parent concerns the district has implemented a new server which blocks websites deemed “non-educational” both at home and during school hours.

by Alex Baca

Photo Credit: Alex Baca

Over the summer, a new server, Lightspeed Systems, was installed for the school district. The server now �ilters out selected non-educational websites both at home and in school.

“As a district we decided to have the �ilter settings the way they are based on feedback that mostly came to administration from parents,” said Director of Technology Mr. Ken Jordan.

The new server was put in place because of the old server’s failure to �ilter correct categories. The Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit, who was in charge of the server last year, is not sure why their �ilter was not working.

Last year, with the old server, loopholes existed for blocked websites.

For example students could get around some blocked sites, including Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube, by putting an “s” after the http in the website’s URL. Now, with Lightspeed Systems, there is no way to get past these blocks.

Of the blocked sites, Spotify is a notable example.

“Spotify lets us listen to music while we do individual work,” junior Dylan Niedbalski said. “We should be allowed to go on Spotify.”

According to assistant principal Mr. Jason Lilly, the new server prohibits students from accessing any site that is not deemed to be appropriate for school.

“In actuality, all sites were blocked except for those that we have ‘unblocked’ because of their educational value,” Mr. Jason Lilly said. “[Spotify] speci�ically was discussed and at this time is not being recognized as having educational value.”

However, there is a process to get sites unblocked. It has been announced that if a student feels that he/or she needs to use a website that is blocked, the student will tell the teacher, and the teacher will inform the principal, Mrs. Christine Siegfried.

YouTube and Twitter used to be blocked both at home and at school, but are now unblocked, as many teachers utilize YouTube and Twitter for assignments, homework noti�ications, and other educational purposes.

“There are certain things that may still be blocked or unblocked,” Coordinator of Network and Informational Services Mr. Erik Malmberg said. “Staff and students’ �ilter categories are constantly being updated and changed based on curriculum needs.”

Dougherty Makes Switch in Science Classes

With the leave of Physics teacher, Mr. Collins, Mr Dougherty has stepped up and left his routine with Mr. Dreves in place of becoming the newest addition to the Physics staff.

by Corey Janda and Ryan Santos So you think that changing classes after a summer break is tough?

Imagine being told that you’re changing your whole subject after a �iveyear routine. That’s what happened to former learning support teacher Mr. David Dougherty when he found out just before school started that he would move to the science department to become a physics teacher Mr. Dougherty �illed the vacant position left by Mr. Greg Collins who resigned in June to continue his education at the University of Pennsylvania and to research how to increase the ef�iciency of the public school system.

“Mr. Collins had left and was grooming me to carry on his torch,” Mr. Dougherty said. “I was excited for a new adventure, as well as, somewhat sad, [to leave] my old colleague, Mr. Dreves.”

For the past �ive years, Mr. Dougherty has co-taught classes with several teachers in different subject areas, but his most notable pairing is with biology teacher Mr. Rick Dreves. The “bromance” between the two of them is considered legendary by many.

“I am happy for him,” Mr. Dreves said, “but mad at him for leaving [me], even though it’s for the good.”

Mr. Dougherty said that he misses Mr. Dreves “in the same way that an electron misses the nucleus it used to orbit.”

But he loves his new position.

“I love the new subject material, the new students, and especially this new room,” Mr. Dougherty said. “I watch the sun rise over the mountain every morning!”

Mr. Dougherty loves teaching physics. “It’s very hands on: you discover it, see it, and do it,” he said.

In the short-term, Mr. Dougherty’s goal is to ensure that every activity is bene�icial and entertaining to his students. His long term goal is to transfer passion of not just the subject material, but learning and discovering the sciences.

Spotlight On: Garrett de Mars, TSA Champion

Southern Lehigh’s Technology Student Association features a sophomore who has placed in regionals, states and nationwide competitions and has earned himeslf the spotlight.

by Preston Amato Sophomore Garrett de Mars is leading Southern Lehigh’s Technology Student Association (TSA) to higher levels after placing seventh in the nation this summer in Washington D.C. where he competed in the 2D Architectural Design CAD STEM competition.

In this competition, each competitor receives a house with certain features and is asked to draw certain speci�ications in an allotted time period.

DeMars has already participated in three competitions over the past year and has impressed many, placing second in regionals, �irst in states, and seventh in the nation. He continues to work even harder to achieve higher goals he has set for himself in this year’s competitions.

Whether or not he continues to place well, DeMars will always have the useful information that he has learned from being part of TSA. “I think learning all this is valuable information will help me because after I graduate I might want to become an architect,” De Mars said.

The Technology Student Association (TSA) is an organization that provides personal growth, leadership, and opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. They implement this by allowing students to compete in various activities and competitions.

“TSA is a great organization to be a part of,” DeMars said. “I enjoy going to competitions and competing with other students from other schools.”

4

FEATURES

SPOTLIGHT

Southern Lehigh Welcomes Ne Ms. Matthews

By Anna Esposito

Ms. Matthews is excited to share her knowledge of Spanish with her students. Photo Credit: Anna Esposito

Bienvenidos to Ms. Elizabeth Matthews, the newest faculty member in the Spanish department.

“It has been wonderful having another teacher in our Spanish program,” Spanish teacher Mrs. Joan Imms-Geiser said. “It has lowered our average class size signi�icantly across all levels and made for a much more effective language learning environment.”

Mrs. Imms-Geiser and the rest of the department are relieved with the change in the communication with their students.

“We are able to reach more students and give more direct feedback in class to those students as a result of having fewer students in each section,” Mrs. Imms-Geiser said.

Ms. Matthews loved Spanish during her four years of high school due to an in�luential teacher. Her love of the language made her decide to major in Spanish while she attended Grove City College in Pennsylvania.

Ms. Matthews started teaching at Southern Lehigh High School during the �irst week of the 2014-2015 school year. She is beginning to feel right at home.

“I really enjoy the staff; they are wonderful and very supportive,” Ms. Matthews said. “The students are great.”

This year Ms. Matthews wishes to establish a solid relationship with her students by helping each one understand the language.

“I hope the students see me as a very easy going teacher but always focused on speaking the language,” she said.

Outside of the classroom, Ms. Matthews is starting to learn the art of calligraphy. She has also been to China �ive times, and she once went to Singapore for a mission trip.

Ms. Matthews expects to keep improving her Spanish teaching skills and to become more established as time goes on. She also aspires to leave an impact on each group of students she teaches.

“I would love to see Ms. Matthews as a long term member of our department,” Mrs. Imms-Geiser said. “She has so much to offer our program and adds a nice balance to our team of Spanish teachers.”

Ms. Huang

By Allison Borelli

Ms. Huang is looking forward to her year at Southern Lehigh High School. Photo Credit: Allison Borelli

Ms. Ling Huang said hello to Southern Lehigh on August 25th, when she began her stay as the new Mandarin Chinese exchange teacher for the 2014-2015 school year.

“I know that I will have a very busy year because I have full levels and the six classes,” Ms. Huang said, “but I know that I will get along (well) this year.”

Ms. Huang has dived right into the Southern Lehigh culture, and has been seen attending some of the football games. She has said she feels very lucky to be here teaching at SLHS, and she is very glad to have this opportunity to enhance her teaching experience.

“She is a little bit more strict than the teachers we usually have,” freshman Vanessa Oveido said, “but I think she has good intentions.”

As far as teaching goes, Ms. Huang said, “I think I should take it easy and slow down my pace.”

Overall, the beginning of the school year has gone well for our new Chinese teacher.

“I’m really excited that this school is really supportive,” Ms. Huang said, “not only the school but the students as well.”

Ms. Huang was placed here through the Pittsburgh Confucius Program, which provides quali�ied volunteer teachers from China to participating Pennsylvania schools.

A graduate of Jilin University, Ms. Huang is currently working towards her master’s degree from Wuhan University in teaching Mandarin Chinese as a second language.

OCTOBER 2014

FEATURES

5

ew Members of Teaching Staff Mrs. Tocci

By Lizzi Thom

Mrs. Tocci is thrilled to share her knowledge of English and movies. Photo Credit: Lizzi Thom

The 2014-2015 school year brings new experience to Southern Lehigh High School in the form of several new faculty members.

Mrs. Lauren Tocci, who has been teaching for seven years, the last six at Dieruff High School in Allentown, is the most recent addition to the English Department.

A Bethlehem native, Mrs. Tocci began her education at Pennsylvania State University as a �ilm major before transferring to Kutztown University to pursue secondary education. She is currently studying at Kutztown to achieve her Masters of Arts degree in English.

“My high school English teacher and yearbook teacher, Mrs. Mirabella and Mrs. Walters inspired me to teach,” Mrs.Tocci said.

“They seemed like they were having fun every day, showed us that they cared, asked questions that made me think, and expected a lot from us. They were the biggest impact in my life.”

In addition to teaching English 10, and English 12, to college prep students, Mrs. Tocci has also assumed the role of yearbook adviser. She enjoys this job because she appreciates the sense someone can get from a school, and get a feel for what it is like to be a student, just from the yearbook.

So far, Mrs. Tocci is enjoying her time at Southern Lehigh.

“I like the energy the staff has, and they’ve been very helpful getting me acclimated,” she said. “I’m really excited to be here.

These few weeks have been remarkable and I’m excited for whats to come.”

Outside of teaching, Mrs. Tocci has a passion for documentaries and �ilms. In her free time she enjoys going to the movie theater. She even once played a zombie in an independent �ilm called “Exile.” Movie quotes serve as her second language, she said.

If you want to say hello or maybe you even want to discuss the new season of Doctor Who, see Mrs. Tocci in room 127.

Mr. Donnelly

By Kylie Schmitt

Mr. Donnelly is ready for a new year of Chemistry. Photo Credit: Kylie Schmitt

Taking over room 216 after the June retirement of Mr. Joseph Helinski is the most recent addition to the high school science department, Mr. Jason Donnelly.

Mr. Donnelly, the newest chemistry teacher, obtained his Bachelor of Science degree from Drexel University and his Master of Education degree from Grand Canyon University in 1998. Before coming to Southern Lehigh, he taught at Charles Carroll High School and Mastery Charter High School-Thomas Campu in the Philadelphia area. Over the years, he has taught AP chemistry, general science, biology, physics, physical science and environmental science.

“I am looking forward to sharing my love of science with all my students throughout the school year,” Mr. Donnelly said.

He believes that with a little luck following a job posting on PA REAP he ended up teaching here, and he is extremely happy with how it’s going.

“The students have been awesome: they are hard workers, dedicated, and really nice.” Mr. Donnelly said.

“I am curious to see how the year will go,” senior Kimberly Panik said. “He seems knowledgeable and ready to help us learn.”

Right after college Mr. Donnelly helped a company called Guava Technology to develop a reagent for detecting living and dead cancer cells. Since then, the reagent he developed has been patented.

In his free time, Mr. Donnelly enjoys spending time with his wife and four kids. When he’s not spending time with his family, he’s hunting or �ishing.

6

OPINION

SPOTLIGHT

A Brewed Awakening For Coffee Drinkers

by Robyn Somers

The best part of waking up is Folgers in your... trash? I don’t think that’s the right ending to that sentence, but it has been one of the main problems at the high school lately. Whether it’s Folgers from home or an iced coffee from Dunkin Donuts, tons of students are being forced to throw their coffee away.

This is not a new rule. Last year, the rule was that students could not pass the lobby with coffees, but it was not strongly enforced. Teachers were allowed to have coffee in their rooms as long as there were no problems. Now, students cannot even get into the doors without teachers hounding them about their thermoses.

“I have been drinking coffee since freshman year. My ability to do well in school and not fall asleep depends on it. My mornings are also tough enough with the morning traf�ic and getting up early,” senior Julia Bergeman said. “My regular cup of coffee is the only thing that keeps me sane.

Mrs. Yaiser told me that it only takes one student to ruin the morning coffee for everyone. If that is true, how come no one has heard about that?”

I think this rule is unnecessary in our high school environment. There is nothing wrong with kids bringing coffee or hot tea into school. Some kids use the caffeine to wake up for their classes. Or, maybe the warmth calms them after coming in from a chilly winter morning.

Another thing that is bothering students is that they are asked to throw away their drinks. This is money spent to buy their coffees. They are not happy about a money-conscious school telling them to dispose of their hard earned cash. Two bucks might not sound like a lot, but for the students who buy it everyday, it adds up.

“The coffee rule is something that came up across every district. The rule is that you can only have a clear or transparent container with water in it,” vice principal Mr. Jason Lilly said. “Allergies are huge right now, and safety is part of it. Also there are new food and nutrition guidelines. Not having coffee was always a rule.”

I disagree with this because not every school in our district should have the same rules. High school students are nothing like elementary school students. Of course, not allowing little kids to bring coffee is acceptable, but teenagers?

Some of us are adults, and most of us are able to act like them. If there is not any serious reason behind not allowing us to have coffee, then why are we being so strict about it? Students should be able to have some freedom, and I think coffee is not that much to ask for.

I can understand concerns about coffee being distracting or there being spills. But seriously, how often does that happen? Last year, I drank hot tea every morning, and I never had a spill or got yelled at for not paying attention in class.

Maybe the rule could be changed to something more reasonable, such as no coffees or thermoses allowed in the hallways or classrooms after �irst period. That way, students get one block to enjoy their morning drinks, and everyone wins. Wouldn’t a compromise be better than a completely unhappy student population?

“Students should be allowed to drink coffee in school, because it helps us stay focused throughout the day,” senior Olivia Reichley said. “I want to be able to at least enjoy my coffee in the morning during announcements; there is nothing wrong with that. If you want us to behave like young adults, then treat us like them.”

Honestly, people just drink coffee because they enjoy it. Coffee is something the student body likes, and now students are ticked off. We have had coffee taken away from us when it never even caused a problem.

Coffee makes this school run; our teachers have it everyday too. On behalf of the student body, we want our coffee back by any “beans” necessary.

Balancing Health and Success

by Talia Trackim

It’s not out of the ordinary to stay up late into the hours of the night with a textbook and pencil in hand, running on nothing but coffee and four hours of sleep. Students work tirelessly to achieve their academic, athletic, and personal goals, and it is not unusual to work hard to succeed. But are we sacri�icing our health in the process?

Though I’m only a sophomore, I’m familiar with the routine of worrying about the upcoming AP U.S. History test, scrambling to get newspaper articles written and edited, and trying to �it in six hours of sleep a night, still unable to imagine how overworked the juniors and seniors must be.

I’ve become so used to hearing students left and right bragging about how late they stayed up studying for their Spanish test, or complaining about how they haven’t had time to eat all day.

"In order for people to succeed they sometimes need to sacri�ice their health; ultimately, we all end up making compromises between our success and our health,” junior Naomi Li said.

High school students are constantly faced with pressures from parents, peers, and themselves. Our perfectionist mentality has students convinced that if they don’t come out on top they will not make it into college, be able to get a job, or succeed after high school.

“I think often times there can be parental pressure; mom and dad encourage their student to take higher level classes,” English teacher Mr. Joseph Castagna said. “[Students] are also victims of their own success.

They’ve done well in honors classes and want to do more.”

However, success is not easily achieved, and many students feel as if they must overextend themselves and ignore their health in order to �ind time to achieve their goals.

“A lot of kids talk about staying up way too late, �ighting through exhaustion, [and] skipping meals; all of the stuff we teach them in elementary school that they’re not supposed to do,” Mr. Castagna said.

While good grades and test scores may follow students through life, it is very likely that bad health will follow them as well, ultimately making future success improbable.

“If you have your health, you can develop into a successful human being,” sophomore Lexi Brown said. “If you sacri�ice your health, you will sacri�ice personal gain.”

Our best option is to �ind a balance. While good grades and success are important when considering a person’s future, one must have good health in order to achieve his or her goals. Students, teachers, and schools must work to change their mentality from slaving over grades and class rank to learning and expanding students’ minds in order to bene�it their overall goals without overworking them.

“You can be a motivated, successful AP student and still live a healthy life,” Mr. Castagna said. “I think it’s a process of narrowing your goals down to the lifestyle and the post-high school path that best speaks to you.”

OCTOBER 2014

OPINION

7

Freshman Survival Guide

by Danielle Alpert and Sarah Trebicka

Freshman year. Class of 2018. Incoming freshmen are faced with maneuvering through unfamiliar hallways, adjusting to a 77-minute period, and managing far more dif�icult courses than in middle school. The transition between middle school and high school can be tough. Here are seven useful tips on how to survive the �irst year of high school.

1. Focus on meeting your academic goals �irst.

Setting goals at the beginning of the year is helpful and gives you something to work toward.

“Freshman grades are the foundation on your transcript,” principal Mrs. Christine Siegfried said. “You want to get out of your freshman year with a good solid foundation on your transcript so you’re not working your sophomore, junior, and senior years trying to recover from an awful freshman year.”

2. If you need help, don’t be afraid to ask for it.

Teachers are always willing and happy to help. Although you may not have needed the help in middle school, coursework in high school can be much more dif�icult, and it is important to get help immediately rather than fall behind.

“If you begin to struggle in a particular class, you need to get to that teacher and get some extra help,” Mrs. Siegfried advised.

3. Take advantage of having two days to complete homework. Do not wait until the day before an assignment is due to begin working on it. “[Freshmen] have to learn how to manage their time in the A-B schedule, so it’s very important that the day they are assigned homework in that class to do it that night,” Mrs. Siegfried said. “The good part about that is that if they have any struggles with that homework, they can go to that teacher the following day before they have that class again.”

Junior Madelynne Jameson agreed. “Do your homework as soon as you get home,” she said. “Don’t �iddle around or play games on the Internet. Get [homework] done �irst. Be responsible, keep after your work, and don’t procrastinate.”

4. Balance your schedule. Studying is important; however, it is also important to �ind the right combination of school and fun.

“High school should be fun. It shouldn’t be stressful. Hopefully, freshmen have balanced their schedules to allow them to have fun,” Mrs. Siegfried said. “I don’t want to see kids stressed out about their academics. You want to make sure you’re doing what you want to do, but it shouldn’t be to the point where it’s all you think about.”

5. Get involved, get involved, get involved. Being a part of clubs and sports gives you the chance to get to know people and is often a good way to maintain a balance in your schedule.

“I want to see kids be in things that interest them.

I think we have a lot of different opportunities here.

If a kid loves to bake, cake-decorating club is it! It’s a way to get involved in your school,” Mrs. Siegfried said.

“High school is a time to experience and explore those different avenues so that you �ind out what you really like, and maybe what you thought you like is something that doesn’t interest you anymore. By getting involved, you’re meeting upperclassmen and you’re doing stuff outside of school.”

6. Step out of your comfort zone. High school is an important time in building social skills and is far more enjoyable when you reach out and make friends.

“You need to take that �irst step to go out of your comfort zone and sign up for something,” Mrs. Siegfried said. “I de�initely think that kids who are more involved get to know more people and it’s an easier transition for them. If you have dif�iculty making new friends, if you �ind something small, it might be an easier setting to make friends.”

7. Some simple tips can make high school much more manageable.

“If you carry your backpack around, then you’ll have most of your things with you, and you won’t have to get a pass to go to your locker and turn in your homework,” junior Brandon Backa said.

“Use your agenda book,” Mrs. Siegfried said. “Write your assignments down to keep track of things. When life gets busy and hectic, keeping your assignments in your agenda book de�initely helps.”

By considering some of this advice, freshmen can manage to succeed this year and throughout their high school careers. Let’s make this a good one!

Layout Credit: Dana DiGiovanni

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CENTER SPREAD

SPOTLIGHT

Top Homecoming

1. Eric Fulmer & Julia Asselin

Julia Asselin knew she wanted to ask Eric Fulmer to homecoming so she deciced to look for ideas on how to ask him online. That's when she came across the lantern idea. She bought the lanterns but realized she needed a lot of help. So, on a Sunday night around dusk she assembled eleven friend s in the field by Hopewell to light the lanterns.

Each lantern had a letter in the word "homecoming” written on it.

Each friend held one lantern and as Eric drove past Hopewell on his way home he saw the lanterns. When he pulled into the parking lot he saw Julia trying her best to keep the question mark from flying away.

The asking took a lot of work but in the end was worth it.

Photo Credit: Julia Asselin

2. Richard Sirard & Lauren Shaibley Lauren Shaibley went to pick Richard Sirard up at his house.

He answered the door with flowers and balloons. After that, she knew she was getting asked to homecoming but she didn't realize there was more. She walked in the door and a banner saying "Homecoming” fell from the balcony which was decorated with streamers and balloons. Finally, Richard's siblings and mother dumped balloons on them from above.

Photo Credit: Lauren Shaibley

3. Mitchell McColl & Sidney Boty One afternoon Sidney Boty walked outside to her driveway to find Mitch McColl laying on the ground like he was dead.

He was surrounded by caution tape and orange cones. Jacob Cassel and Mitch's brother, Jack McColl, were standing next to him with neon vests on and a sign reading "Sid I'm d ying 2 take u 2 homecoming”. Sidney thought it was very funny and she was definitely surprised.

Photo Credit: Sidney Boty

OCTOBER 2014

CENTER SPREAD

g Proposals 2014

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Contributors: Lizzi Thom, Anna Esposito, Brandyn Berean, Kylie Schmitt

4. Jacob Cassel & MacKenzie Koziel On a Saturday evening, MacKenzie Koziel was babysitting while waiting for Mad y Campbell to arrive and help her. To her surprise, Jacob Cassel showed up to the house instead with a Five Guys Burgers and Fries inspired sign that read, ‘I know you love Five Guys but will you go with just one to Homecoming?' Not only did he bring the sign, but Jacob also brought flowers and a Five Guys burger.

Photo Credit: MacKenzie Koziel

5. Connor Murtaugh & Christina Matsumura Christina Matsumura came home from school to find Kevin Patel dressed up as a monkey in his backyard. Confused, Christina also found Connor Murtaugh sitting in her backyard as well with a sign saying "I would go bananas if you would go to homecoming with me”. Both were very happy, Conner walked away with a date to homecoming and Christiana received flowers, a date, and two stuffed monkeys with cand y to make her day even more special.

Photo Credit: Christina Matsumura

6. Alex Milos & Haley Schummer After long day at a volleyball tournament, Haley Schummer was on her way home. As she approached her house, Haley's grandmother pointed to something in her driveway. Haley looked out the window to see a huge heart drawn in chalk with her name at the top of it. Surrounding the heart were boxes of her favorite cand y and standing there was Alex Milos. Alex also added a volleyball with "I would dig it if you went to homecoming with me” written on it. Incorporating two things that Haley loved, both walked away with dates to the dance and a moment they will always remember.

Photo Credit: Haley Schummer

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OUR WORLD

SPOTLIGHT

KidsPeace Helps Central American Children

A record breaking amount of unaccompanied children have traveled the thousand mile journey into the United States in hopes of finding a safer place to live their lives out.

by Ashley Zamichieli

“The Death Train” transports thousands of children from Central America into the United States.

Photo Credit: scpr.org

On September 25th, Michelle Williams, KidsPeace Executive Director of the Pennsylvania branch, spoke to seniors currently enrolled in the social studies course Contemporary Issues in Education, Immigration, Terrorism and The Environment, about the involvement KidsPeace is taking in assisting unaccompanied alien children that have entered the United States.

KidsPeace provides safe havens for non-delinquent unaccompanied alien children under the age of 18. Upon arrival at KidsPeace, the children are immediately immunized due to the lack of medical records from their home countries.

Serving as a safety net, KidsPeace is able to keep children for 30 days until a viable sponsor is found. Sponsors are then responsible for the child, and it is with their sponsors that the child will appear before a court.

Thus, KidsPeace is not concerned about the documentation of these children, nor of the sponsors. The organization is more concerned about connecting these oftentimes young children with a familiar face in an unfamiliar country.

About 88 percent of children are reunited with someone they know: 22 percent �ind their mothers and 17 percent �ind their fathers. However, seven percent return to their home countries on their own terms.

As KidsPeace aims to provide shelter care, the staff tries valiantly to communicate with the children. The staff features bicultural and multilingual people; however, due to some distinct dialects in the Mexican region, �inding a staff member who knows the exact dialect can be challenging.

There has been only one case where the dialect, of Mayan descent, was too foreign for the staff of KidsPeace.

This year was unprecedented, with a record breaking 66,000 children

crossing the border as of August 2014. In 2013, only 35,000 unaccompanied children trekked across Central America into the United States. The recent in�lux has caught media attention and brought the issue of immigration to a forefront.

Most children are leaving Central America because of the terrible conditions persisting at home: gang involvement, poverty, rape, homicides, and human traf�icking.

Guatemala boasts the highest percentage of children leaving the country with 35 percent, but El Salvador and Honduras are witnessing 27 percent and 25 percent of unaccompanied alien children in the United States, respectively.

The biggest issues persist in Honduras, which holds the highest homicide rate, and highest gang member involvement at 36,000. Honduras also ranks the fourth highest in human poverty. These numbers appear to be the most dramatic, but are re�lective of surrounding countries.

The most alarming of the commonalities between these Central American countries is the prevalence of gangs. Some gangs, such as the 13th Street Gang which has ties in Reading, are even reaching into the United States. Gangs hold enormous power because there are no �irearm restrictions whatsoever.

To escape these conditions, families are sending their children to the United States in hopes of a better and safer life. In the past, parents would typically come to the United States and send money back to their families, but the conditions have deteriorated in their home countries so signi�icantly that kids are being sent to the U.S. instead.

“The Death Train” or “Beast” transports thousands of children from Central America into the United States. This part of the journey is the most dangerous, as many children are often knocked off the trains or raped along the way.

Some families may have saved the US equivalent of four thousand dollars to pay for a “Coyote,” which can sometimes be a safer alternative than the train. However, “Coyotes”, a network of smugglers who help migrants enter the United States, can exploit families and demand more money as a price for the child’s life.

Their journey is �illed with many obstacles, and coming out unscathed is a slim chance. But, it is in the United States that these children are able to �ind some peace.

Under the Unaccompanied Alien Children Settlement of 1997, border patrol must segregate delinquents versus non-delinquents, give appropriate treatment, and release detainees in a timely manner.

KidsPeace aims to help these children, whether undocumented or not, and it is up to the legal proceedings to determine the eligibility status of the children.

“We’re not building a wall around the border,” Williams said, “so it’s a matter of how we respond to [the children's] needs.”

Scotland’s Aim at Independence is Crushed

by Rachel Rutkowski, Jeanne Haverhill, and Ashley Zamichieli

On September 18th, over eight percent of registered Scottish voters hit the polls to decide if they wanted to become an independent nation.

In the end, Scotland voted to remain part of the United Kingdom.

Just under half of voters -- 45 percent -- voted in favor of independence while 55 percent preferred to stay with the UK. “I like the fact that they stayed together. I travel there a lot and it would’ve been very hard for Scotland to pay the debt they owed,” VISA owner Frank Walsh said. “It would also take a while for them to...actually make a currency… They could not survive �inancially.”

Had Scotland split from the United Kingdom, currency problems would have occurred within because they would not be allowed to use Britain’s currency: the British Pound Sterling.

“I think there are strengths in the Union with the United Kingdom, [and] I feel Scotland is better off being a part of the UK,” social studies teacher Brian Dow said. “It makes sense economically.”

If Scotland had chosen to separate, they would have also been without a military, and thus lost protection guaranteed from the United Kingdom. In addition, Scotland’s debt and �inance would have fallen even deeper.

Photo Credit: google.maps.com

OCTOBER 2014

OUR WORLD

11

Farewell Captain: A Legacy Leaves the Field

New York Yankees shortstop, Derek Jeter, retired on September 25th after 20 years of playing baseball in the Majors, hitting a walk-off single as his last play on the field.

by Alex Baca

Derek Jeter retired from baseball in September 2014 after having one of the best shortstop careers in MLB history.

“I think he was an inspiring player,” math teacher and baseball coach Mr. Matt Greenawald said. “There’s very few people in the history of Major League Baseball that have had as much success as a player, but also as a team leader and did so with such integrity.”

Jeter played for the Yankees for 20 years and his #2 jersey will never be forgotten. In 1996, he won the AL Rookie of the Year award. Jeter led the Yankees to �ive World Series titles, the most recent in 2009. He has been named an AL All-Star fourteen times.

“I think Jeter will be a hall of famer,” junior Zach Seitz said. “He continually put up good numbers throughout his career.”

Jeter has been known for having a high batting average, especially during the postseason, where he earned his famous nickname: “Mr. November.”

“My favorite memory is when Jeter got a hit in the last at-bat I saw him,” junior Dalton Browne said.

On September 25, 2014, Jeter played his �inal home game at Yankee Stadium, leading his team to a 6-5 victory over the Baltimore Orioles. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Jeter hit a walk-off single at his last ever at bat at Yankee Stadium.

“I loved when he got the hit,” senior Michael Ouly said. “It was a great moment in my life.”

All throughout social media, the hashtag #RE2PECT was popular on the night of Jeter’s �inal game at Yankee Stadium, honoring his success. The “s” in respect is replaced with the number 2, remembering and honoring his jersey.

Photo Credit: Cody Heffelfinger

The Future of Technology Has Arrived in 3D

by Preston Amato

Imagine technology in which you can create anything you want in the comforts of your home. This type of technology is called 3D printing, and is already common for some businesses and is now becoming mainstreamed for the use for the public.

3D printing has taken great leaps and bounds over the past year and several advancements in the technology has allowed for the machinery to be seen worldwide. Producers and businesses are looking to cash in with making objects from the printers such as designer clothing, bicycles, and sneakers.

“In the future I see 3D printing evolving to be able to print entire organs in order to make organ donation obsolete,” senior Arden Stayer said.

“I want to be able to help create those organs and combine 3D printing with stem cell research in order to genetically engineer organs that could possibly cure diseases.”

Everyday people can buy personal 3D printing machines to use at home through several different companies including MakerBot, Stratasys, and 3D Systems. Consumers will be able to use these machines to make any object from a variety of materials such as wax, plastic, and several

types of metals.

“I plan on buying a cheaper 3D printing machine so that I can get to know the technology and experiment with it before buying a higher end model,” junior Zach Seitz said.

Although, in the headlines the reaction to 3D printing has been mixed.

Stories range from prosthetics and human organs being created to working �irearms being produced by entrepreneurs. The unlimited possibilities of the system and what it can create have called governments to begin enacting laws to protect what can be made and what can’t be by the average person.

“I’ve heard several different stories about entrepreneurs using these machines to make guns and this should be regulated by law,” senior Anthony Lauer said. “Although, I am also very excited for all the immense possibilities that people will be able to use this technology for.”

The overview of the technology is that it is here to stay and will be revolutionizing through the next couple of years. The printing companies will continue to look for advancements with the technology and it is sure to be one of the biggest markets in the future.

What’s IN and OUT? IN OuT Pumpkin Spice iPhone 6 Netflix Riding Boots Polaroids

School Laptops Uggs Justin Bieber 2048 Galaxy Print

12

ENTERTAINMENT

SPOTLIGHT

The Wait Is Over: The iPhone 6 Is Here

By Casey Asman

On September 9th, Apple released information about the brand new iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus which was made available to the public on September 19th. With the release of the new iPhones, there is also the new Apple Watch and iOS 8.

“I like how thin and light the new phone is,” sophomore Ben Becker said. “I’m also very excited to use the new camera because it has improved greatly since last year’s camera.”

With a screen of 4.7 inches and a total size of 5.44 inches, the iPhone 6 starts at a price of $199. The available colors for the phone will be silver, gold, and space gray.

“I like the new iPhone because it is more improved and more advanced than the previous models. I also like how sleek and thin it looks,” sophomore Mark Gianguzi said.

The biggest iPhone yet, the iPhone 6 Plus, measures 6.22 inches with a screen size 5.5 inches. With a big size comes a big price. The Plus can be purchased for $299 for 16GB, $399 for 64GB, and $499 for 128GB. In addition to the iPhones, Apple’s newest product the “Watch” was a shock to all apple fans.

“I think the new watch looks pretty cool,” junior Anthony Lauer said. “I think it’s a good addition to Apple’s line of products.”

There are three watch models: The Sport, The Casual and The Edition. The price of the watch will be listed at $349 when it is released in early 2015.

In September, Apple released its “most advanced software yet.” iOS 8 was released shortly before the new iPhones. iOS 8 features two new apps within the software: Fitness Center and iPay. Fitness Center tracks every step and workout you complete, whereas, iPay enables users to pay by the tap of your phone.

“When I updated to IOS 8, I really didnt notice much difference,” sophomore Isaac Santiago said. “But I think it’s good for the phones to have new software every now and then.”

Photo Credit: apple.com

Layout Credit: Dana DiGiovanni

OCTOBER 2014

ENTERTAINMENT

The Sound Of Southern Lehigh

13

By Grace Glueck and Emily Oberlender

On November 12, Southern Lehigh High School’s production of “The Sound of Music” will have its opening night in the high school auditorium.

The story of a young woman who leaves a convent to become a governess to a brood of motherless children will follow the plotline of the original Broadway show rather than the 1965 �ilm starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, according to director Mr. Matthew Wehr.

“For me, I want the audience to come away remembering that these are real people and this is a real story,” Mr. Wehr said. “Is this �ictionalized?

Yes, but every character from the play is real. Sometimes we get so divorced from that there is truth in this story and from where it came from.”

Both the play and the �ilm are based on Maria Von Trapp’s memoir “The Von Trapp Family Singers,” published in 1949.

Many students only know one portrayal of this story. However, more than one actress has played the main character Maria. Sophomore Giuliana Augello, who plays Maria in the high school’s production, plans on using more than one source of inspiration.

“I’m trying to bring elements of my own personality into the role,” Augello explained. “I am also trying to use inspirations who have played the role in the past, like Julie Andrews and Carrie Underwood.”

Not only is the overall show different, but characters, including the nuns, are different as well. Freshman Jillian Werbisky describes the nuns as having “more diverse and challenging songs” as well as an “a cappella four-part harmony in Latin.”

When asked about his individual character, junior Chris Smith who is playing Captain Von Trapp, said that many aspects of his character do remain unchanged. However, Smith did admit one drastic distinction.

“The real difference is in Captain Von Trapp’s relationship with the Baroness,” he said. “In the musical, they are close. They have a history. In the movie, their relationship isn’t recognized.”

Audiences will spot many differences on opening night of Southern Lehigh’s production of “The Sound of Music.”

“I believe the stronger theatrical performance is the original,” Mr. Wehr said.

On November 12th, you can decide which is your favorite: the Broadway version or the popular movie.

The poster advertising the fall play. Photo Credit: Southern Lehigh Theatre Department

‘When The Game Stands Tall’ Review

By Brandyn Berean

Photo Credit: fandango.com

Football is a game �illed with emotion, pain, and sacri�ice. Every down, every snap, means something for a team’s success. It does not matter if you are a senior, junior, sophomore, or freshman, when the game stands tall, you must stand tall.

Released on August 22, 2014, “When the Game Stands Tall” takes you through the true story of the De La Salle High School football team of Concord, California, known nationwide for their 151 game winning streak under head coach Bob Ladouceur. This streak spanned from 1992 to 2004 when the team lost to Bellevue High School of Seattle, Washington.

One of the main themes of this movie is coming together as a family. As the movie progresses, the team experiences hardships, such as the death of a star teammate, T.K. Kelly, played by Stephan James.

The main characters make this story come alive on screen. Jim Caviezel plays head coach Bob Ladouceur, and Alexander Ludwig plays star running back Chris Ryan. These two characters have a relationship together that Ryan’s father, Mickey Ryan, is trying to destroy over a school record.

Mickey Ryan, played by Clancy Brown, is so incredibly concerned about his son getting the school record that he becomes oblivious to how much Coach Ladouceur means to Ryan.

Even if you are not a fan of football, this �ilm really gets people talking. There are positive and awe-inspiring events throughout the entire movie.

“When The Game Stands Tall” is inspiring and it really got me feeling some great way about football,” sophomore Calvin Hurst said.

He rated the movie eight out of ten because of its realistic story.

This movie truly presents a positive outlook by sharing another way to look at the life of an athlete and his attitude. One of the key points to success throughout the team’s winning streak was the attitude on the �ield and off the �ield.

As Coach Ladouceur put it: “life’s most impressionable reasons are when something challenging happens and confronts you.”

If attitude isn’t important, then there is no sense in trying, and the De La Salle football team made sure of that.

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SPORTS

SPOTLIGHT

Spartans Football Grind the Gridiron

by Brandyn Berean

graduated in June. Replacing Del Priore at wide receiver this year are senior Matt Watkins, junior Ethan Price, and occasionally junior Blake Levengood.

The Spartans also lost a strong core of running backs including Zac Wilson, Spencer Cobb, Christian Ricci, and Trent Sil�ies. Replacing them this year are seniors Austen Hughes and Brycen Holland, junior Dylan Niedbalski, and sophomore Timothy Walter.

The line has been revamped on both sides of the ball. Sophomore Gary Popowitz will replace Collin Kendrick at center and will also play on the defensive line to replace Troy Reppert.

Familiar faces on the offensive line this year are seniors Matt Long starting at tackle, and senior Cody Heffel�inger at tight end. Both players will also contribute some time on the defensive line along with Popowitz.

The defensive line does have some new faces. Senior Jacob Martin got some time on the defensive line last season but is now playing both offensive and defensive tackle. Senior Brandyn Berean will also get some time at offensive tackle and senior Kolbi Harding and junior Josh Mohr will be playing guard for the Spartans.

Defensively, the Spartans have lost an important linebacker core of Kendrick, Wilson, Ricci, and Dex. Replacing them are senior Nico Bonnie, and juniors Mike Riccio, Mohr, and Niedbalski.

Not only are there player changes on both sides of the ball, but there also a few new coaches added to this year’s staff. Derek Bleiler, who was the Spartans’ defensive coordinator, has left the team due to family reasons.

Replacing him will be Gene Legath, who is in his third season with the team.

JV head coach and varsity wide receiver coach TJ Seidenberger also left the team after last season. 2008 graduate Rocco Del Priore, Jacob’s older brother, will replace Seidenberger as a JV and wide receiver coach. Chuck Sonon has been named the defensive line coach.

A new schedule lineup for the team is in place as well. For years, the Spartans have played the same teams in the same order. Now, the Colonial Freshman Michael Sisselberger, sophomore Jason Garcia, and junior Trevor Silfies come League has switched to east/west divisions instead of north/south divitogether with the rest of the team after their win at Palisades. Photo Credit: Christian Tiitensor sions.

The Spartans have found themselves in a division with Palmerton, The 2014-2015 school year has started, meaning that one of Southern Northwestern Lehigh, Northern Lehigh, Catasauqua, and Salisbury. AlLehigh’s premiere fall sports is back at it: football. The 2014 Southern Lehigh football team hopes to rewrite last November’s upset when the 2013 though it’s a new set up, it should not phase the players.

“I haven’t put much thought into the new schedule lineup this year,” team lost to Bethlehem Catholic in overtime for the District XI title.

The main problem for this year’s team are the big shoes to �ill after eigh- Holland said. “We focus on one week at a time, and for the most part, we’re teen seniors graduated last year, each playing a role in the team’s overall playing the same teams.”

The only team the Spartans will not face this year is Notre Dame Green success.

One of most signi�icant returning members of the team is senior quar- Pond. Instead, they played Palmerton, whom the team had not faced since terback Travis Edmond. A three-year starter, Edmond is looking to have 2011.

Lots of changes are in place for 2014, but one thing that is certain is another successful season.

“It’s great to be back for another season because being a third year they focus on being a team.

“I want this to be the hardest working and best team to ever walk the quarterback instills con�idence in both myself and my teammates,” Edmond halls of Southern Lehigh,” Edmond said. said.

Edmond, however, has lost his favorite target, Jacob Del Priore, who

Girls Field Hockey Dominates the Field

by Cody Heffelfinger

Starting off strong, the Southern Lehigh girls field hockey team started with seven straight wins, outscoring their opponents 38-3. Since then, the team has gone 10-1 while still outscoring their opponents 78-11.

“It makes me feel really happy about us scoring so many goals,” junior Paige Gehman said. “It’s a great feeling when you score, and its fun celebrating after.”

Freshman Meghan Reese is the leading goal scorer for the Spartans with nine goals, but Gehman is a close second with eight.

“It feels great being the leading scorer,” Reese said. “But I couldn’t have done it without the help of my teammates.”

As always, a new year brings new questions to the team. They had to replace the talent they lost in five seniors who graduated in June, so who stepped up?

“Elise [Ashford] has stepped in and filled a new position at center back,” head coach Mrs. Adrienne Searfoss said. “And also Meghan Reese and Madison Reese have had an extremely positive effect on the team.”

“We have clicked,” senior Elise Ashford said. “We are a lot better at scoring goals this year, and we can pass and communicate well.”

This year’s seniors have learned the ways of winning. The past three years they have won three District XI championships, and one Colonial League championship. This season their goals are the same: win the Colonial League, win District XI championship, and go as far into states as they can.

Freshman Meghan Reese dribbles the ball down field earlier this season against Salisbury Township High School. Photo Credit: Tom Decembrino

OCTOBER 2014

SPORTS

Girls Volleyball Spikes Again!

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Athletes Of The Issue

by Anna Esposito

Name: Travis Edmond Sport: Football Stats: • 1,100 passing yards • 13 touchdowns • 276 yards rushing on 56 attemps • 65 pass completions on 119 attempts Travis was selected as male athlete of the issue based on his outstanding performance against Wilson, breaking the record for most pass yards in a single game.

Senior Jenna Forrester stretches to bump the ball. Photo Credit: Carol Forrester

Returning from a remarkable 2013 season, the 2014 Southern Lehigh girls’ volleyball team is seeking another successful year. However, the graduation of Nicki Yates and Melann Amory left a void in leadership that will be hard to replace.

“Losing Nicki and Melann created the two biggest holes I ever had to replace,” head coach Mr. Donald West said. “They did so much on the court for the team as well as off the court.”

Last season, the team won the �irst-ever Colonial League title against Notre Dame. They also won the District XI tournament and made it to the �inal four of the PIAA state tournament.

Going into this season, the seniors and underclassmen had to assume leadership of the team and bond with all the other players.

“The team is working hard every day and we all have improved their all-around game to compensate for losses,” Coach West said. “They are driven by their past successes.”

Seven seniors return for their �inal high school season: Jillian Grammer, Jenna Forrester, Madyson Campbell, Leah Hantz, Ashley Zamichieli, Cassidy Gehring, and Gabrielle Koehnlein have all experienced playing on the varsity team.

“We hope to go undefeated and go far in playoffs,” Grammer said.

With a record of 11-1, the team has shown that they will be tough to beat this year. Along with leaving a strong impression on their fellow competitors, the girls want to show their community the �inished product of their hard work during preseason.

“The community should expect the team to win leagues and districts,” Campbell said.

They will also enter into a few tournaments this year where they will face opponents other than the usual Colonial League teams.

“We need to take it one game and one practice at a time,” West said.

“We have a strong tournament schedule to go along with a few tough non-league games that will help push us to play our best.”

Name: Jill Grammer Sport: Volleyball Stats: • 540 assists • 113 digs • 81 blocks • 50 kills Jill was selected as a female athlete of the issue for her impressive start to the season and early commitment to West Chester University.

Golf Team Putts Short

by Casey Asman and Ryan Santos

After the Spartans won the Colonial League Championship last year, the golf team had high expectations of being back-to-back league champions.

“As a team, our goal was to go undefeated and win the league championship again,” junior golfer Alex Albenzi said.

The Spartans �inished the season with a record of (13-2). They lost to Moravian Academy in the league championship by a score of (422-400), falling short of District XI playoff contention this season.

“With only losing three of our top eight players, we will rebound stronger than most teams in the valley,” sophomore Michael Miller said. “We are a young team that continues to improve, and we expect graduate six seniors this year: Mike Zabrecky, Noah Kandt, Will Hagan, Brad Deitch, Logan Luzenski, and Kevin McGinty.”

“Well, it was a good season, we played pretty well, we got to contend for a championship for the second year in a row which is a great feeling, even though we fell just short,” junior Brian Zinman said. “I’m winning states next year!”

The golf team has won a total of six league championship titles during Coach Matt Greenwald’s 14-year coaching career.

“I love it,” Coach Greenawald said. “I enjoy being able to help golfers who want to get better, enjoy the player-coach dynamic, most of all I enjoy being around students in an environment that they enjoy more than the school setting.”

Spartan Boys’ Soccer Hungry For Success

by Alex Baca

The Southern Lehigh boys’ soccer team kicked into gear this fall in hope of carrying on the success they’ve had in past years.

“We won leagues two years in a row, so we look to win it again this year,” senior captain and center midfielder Logan Koch said. “We lost in the Colonial League semifinals to Northwestern Lehigh [last year], so we hope to get back and win leagues this year.”

However, the Spartans so far have a 10-5-1 record. Their non-league losses include an overtime 1-0 loss against Hempfield and a 4-0 loss against State College. Their league losses include rival Salisbury (2-1), Palisades (1-0), and archrival Saucon Valley (1-0).

“I always think we can do better than we have done,” coach Terry Nevill said. “We have been pretty strong defensively thus far this year, but we have to figure out a way to score more goals.”

The Spartans held on to a victory as Northwestern Lehigh (3-1) tried to

come back in the second half. Southern Lehigh had another key victory earlier in the season against Moravian Academy (2-1).

“I think we’ve played well in the league,” junior stopper Jacob Cassel said.

“We beat the teams we were supposed to beat, and Moravian Academy was a big one.”

Southern Lehigh won close games against East Penn Conference schools Northampton (3-1) and Liberty (1-0). The Spartans also tied against league opponent Notre Dame GP (1-1).

Coach Nevill also has goals for the team this season.

“We want to be in the top four in the league, which will get us into the league playoffs.” Nevill said. “Once we are in, our goal is to win the league.”

Nevill also hopes to qualify for the District XI playoffs and make it as deep as the team can into the playoffs.

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ODDS AND ENDS

SPOTLIGHT OCTOBER 2014

Homecoming Court Brycen Holland Madison Hallman

Michael Figler

Abigail Cerciello Matthew Watkins

Kylie Schmitt Nicholas Bonnie

Jacob Martin

Mackenzie Koziel

Melody Portnoy