The Merionite October 19, 2007
The official student newspaper of Lower Merion High School since 1929
Volume 79, Issue 2
C. Chou/L. Jacobs
Class of 2009 A recent Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision ends a three-year lawsuit over the services available to special needs students living within the District but enrolled in private schools. The court decided that LMSD must provide services to the child of the case’s plaintiffs, including 30 minutes of occupational therapy per week and teacher consultation. However, it left room for further interpretation by not setting a precedent for future cases regarding the District’s responsibility to provide services. In Lower Merion v. Doe, the case that prompted this ruling, the plaintiffs claimed that current laws bind the District to provide district services to private school students who are dually enrolled in district and private schools. In turn, the District argued that students must attend public school to be eligible for services. The court agreed with the parents; the attorneys representing the plaintiffs consider the decision a success for special needs families. “I think this is a great day for special needs children,” said attorney David Arnold, the representative for the parents in this case, to the Main Line Times. “There are a number of these children in private schools throughout the Commonwealth, and now they’ll be able to pick up these services.” This case originated in 2004, when the plaintiffs, parents of a special needs student who was entering kindergarten, filed a case against the District over the services it is required to provide to special needs students under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The District had evaluated that the student was ineligible for an Individualized Educational Program (IEP), part of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), but was eligible under section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 for 30 minutes of occupational therapy per week, and teacher consultations. Courts agree at this point that the two laws are much more similar than they had previously believed. The parents agreed with the assessment, but not with the District’s interpretation of who is eligible to receive district services under the Acts. Although the District did not feel that it was responsible for providing services, it has always evaluated students with district funding. One concern this decision brings up in the District is that the Rehabilitation Act is unfunded, meaning that if more extensive services must be provided for a student, the District will have to redesign the budget to accommodate without state support. “In this specific case, the student had relatively mild disabilities. The question remains as to whether or not districts will be responsible for providing more extensive services to students with greater needs when parents choose to keep them in private schools,” said District Director of Pupil Services Mike Kelly. “I think in my mind, courts realized we had a good point regarding our concern for the potential costs of providing extensive services to assist students in accessing their private school education but they chose to not address that at this time. The courts will likely need to revisit this issue in the future,” said Kelly.
The Merionite Halloween Spectacular Tips to make your October 31 extra spooktacular See Features, page 8
District sued: Six families, along with the Concerned Black Parents, Inc. and the Main Line NAACP find discrepancy in education When you talk about the nation, “ you talk about systematic racism. We’re imploring that something be done right here at home.
Sivahn Barsade
Class of 2010 In a nationally- recognized class action lawsuit, seven African-American LM families of former or current students filed a joint complaint with the Main Line branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Concerned Black Parents of Lower Merion (CBP), stating that the students all qualified for support through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) but never received district aid. Although the District filed a motion to dismiss the amended complaint, filed on September 24, on October 8, the case nevertheless brings up symbolic questions of intentional segregation and racism in the District. The plaintiffs, who filed on their own behalves as well as for “all others similarly situated”, are seeking monetary compensation for damages and a court order ensuring that LMSD provide all of the required services set forth by IDEA. “Plaintiffs assert that LMSD routinely misuses so-called below grade level programs and modified classes to remove African American students from the general education curriculum, in some instances to avoid evaluating a student’s eligibility for services under the
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PA Supreme Court rules in favor of special needs students
IDEA. Plaintiffs further assert that LMSD intentionally segregates these African American students in classes that are taught below grade level while depriving them of grade-level subject matter and materials that are provided to their Caucasian peers at all educational levels,” asserted the plaintiff’s amended complaint. IDEA, formerly known as the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, was enacted in 1975 and ensures that all eligible students are given an annual Individualized Education Program (IEP), designed to meet the needs of that child in the least restrictive environment possible. The plaintiffs claim that they were denied the special education services they were entitled to under IDEA. Furthermore, the plaintiffs assert that instead of receiving personalized education programs, they were extracted from general education curriculum classes and placed in below grade-level and modified classes, limiting their learning opportunities and impeding on their flexibility in other course selection. They claim that this kept them in a perpetual sub-par achievement level, with no chances of ever catching up. “The numbers indicate that the special education support services weren’t making the inroads necessary to
See Lawsuit, page 4
New principal search begins Liz Jacobs
Class of 2009 On October 9 and 10, the School Community Committee, comprised of separate groups of administrators, teachers support staff, parents and students, interviewed three final candidates for the position of LM school principal. District personnel hope for the Board of School Directors to appoint a principal at the November Board meeting and plan to make a selection by the beginning of the second semester. They hope that the Board of School Directors will appoint a principal at the November Board meeting. The post was announced this past July and Superintendent Jamie Savedoff, Director of Pupil Relations Mike Kelly and Director of Human Resources Marty Yoder began a preliminary paper screening in August. Savedoff, Yoder, Kelly and Supervisor of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment for Humanities Jack Maguire selected final candidates in September and met with the School Commu-
What to wear this fall Maddie Bailis picks out the top fall fashions See A&E, page 13
nity Committee in early October. The group then reviewed the candidates. “Lower Merion is an exceptional school and we are searching for a principal who will be an instructional leader as well as a person who will connect with the students and staff to create a collaborative and positive environment,” said Savedoff. “The next principal must also take the school through the construction process and be able to oversee and interact with staff, contractors and our professionals to insure a timely completion of the project while minimizing the disruptions to the educational and co-curricular programs. This means a good problem solver who thinks clearly and can respond quickly to problems as they arise.” “We are pleased to have members of the school community assist us with such an important process. We hope to be able to recommend a candidate to the board who will be able to carry on Lower Merion School District’s history of excellence,” said Yoder.
Girls tennis Central League champs
After ninth straight championship, girls tennis looks for postseason success See Sports, page 15
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October 19, 2007
NEWS
The Merionite
School Board candidates prepare for November elections Local voters will elect five new members of the LMSD Board of Directors on November 6. Elections are held every odd year and each of the nine members serve a four-year term. The School Board of Directors hires personnel, administers finances and creates district policies. Five of the nine board seats are up for election this year. The Democrats, who hold all five of these seats, currently have a six
to three advantage. Five Democrats and five Republicans are running; all were elected in primaries last spring. The Republican candidates plan to timely construct a well-built new high school, improve communication with the community and control excessive spending. The Democrats’ platform includes plans to provide good educational programs to all students, effectively
use tax dollars, increase community-School Board communication, and finish construction on Harriton and LM. The individual board members are chosen through a community election, but the President and Vice President of the board are elected through a Board Member election. The president is then responsible for picking chairs of the Facilities, Policy, Human
Democrats look to maintain majority
Marianna Kozak
Class of 2010 A longtime resident of Lower Merion, Diane DiBonaventuro has served as a School Director in Lower Merion since December 1999. During her previous terms on the School Board, she headed the Facilities, Finance and Policy Committees and has helped plan and initialize the construction of Penn Valley, Gladwyne and Merion Elementary schools. As a graduate of University of Pennsylvania, DiBonaventuro worked at Friends’ Central, Bryn Mawr College and Immaculata University before entering the Lower Merion School Board. In addition to her teaching criteria, she is the executive director of the MLGBA. Candidate Linda DoucetteAshman is an environmental attorney who graduated from
Mount Holyoke College and received her law degree from the New England School of Law. In addition to her successful career, she is involved in various Home and School Association committees, including the Inter School Council, and was a Board Member of the Committee for Special Education. Doucette-Ashman is also very involved in a non-profit organization known as the Newcomers Club of Bryn Mawr. A resident of Bryn Mawr, David Ebby spent most of his life in Lower Merion. He attended Episcopal Academy, graduated from Amherst College, and later received his J.D. from Villanova University School of Law. Currently a partner in the Drinker Biddle & Reath law firm, Ebby previously taught English and History at the Bullis School in
Photo courtesy lmsdvote.net
Potomac, Maryland. Former economist and graduate of University of California Susan Guthrie was a principal at the economic consulting firm The Brattle Group. She has expertise in labor economics, along with many other branches of economics. Currently, she is a homeroom parent at Merion Elementary School, where her two children attend school. An alumna of LM and Tufts University, Lisa Fair Pliskin has served as a School Director since 2003. Currently, she is the chair of the Finance Committee, and has served on the Policy, Facilities, Communications and Audit committees. In addition to her extensive work with the school, Pliskin serves as Vice President of Kravco Simon Company, which is a management and development company.
Resources, Finance, Communications, Curriculum, Legislative, Audit, and Development departments. The Democratic candidates are: Diane DiBonaventuro, Linda Doucette-Ashman, Susan Guthrie, David Ebby, and Lisa Fair Pliskin. Republican contenders are: Phil Zuzelo, Shelly Marine, Larry Holin, Sheryl Bartos and Bill Duffy.
Republicans hope to take lead
Liz Jacobs
Photo courtesy lowermerionvote.org
Class of 2009 Mother of two district children, Sheryl Bartos served as PTA co-president for the Gateway School and has a Masters in Education from the University of Virginia. She lives in Merion with her husband. B i l l D u ff y ’s 4 0 y e a r s i n education give him experience in administration and teaching. He has PA certifications that include General Science, Supervisor of Curriculum and Instruction and Secondary Principal. He has a granddaughter that attends Penn Valley Elementary. Larry Hollin has a strong background in economy and finance, earning a JD from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, a degree in economics from the University of Pennsylvania’s Whar-
ton School of Business and a degree from the College of Arts and Sciences. He lives in Bala Cynwyd with his wife and two district-bound daughters. Like many other candidates, Shelly Marine went to Penn Wynne Elementary School, Ardmore Junior High and LMHS. With a degree in accounting from Villanova University, she is the president of the Cynwyd Elementary HSA and co-president of BCMS HSA. Both her son and daughter attend LM. Also a product of LM public schools, Phil Zuzelo has a BS in Economics and a Masters of Business Administration from University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business. He heads a contracting company and lives in Bryn Mawr with his wife and three children, who attend district schools.
New district program succeeds in increasing African American enrollment in language classes Liz Jacobs
Class of 2009 After LMSD Language Departments introduced the World Language Initiative to Better Serve Minority Students last year, foreign language classes saw a 20% increase in African American enrollment this year. To attract African American students to the program, foreign language teachers presented the Initiative to the Committee to Address Race in Eduation and talked to guidance counselors about college language requirements, which they conveyed to parents and students during course registration. This voluntary program groups consenting African American students in the same level of the same class, but classes are still integrated. The primary focus of the Initiative this year will be on French and Spanish 2 Honors and College Prep classes, and next year Latin classes and level 3 French and Spanish classes will be added as well. All African American students in French 2 College Prep as well as those in French or Spanish 2 Honors are in the same section of the course. In Spanish 2 College Prep, however, the students are spread cross three sections.
LM Foreign Language Department Chair Maryeileen Kirchner attributes this increase in enrollment to the welcoming message the Initiative sent to African American students. “The number of African-American students in language classes has increased by 20% just by us saying that we want everyone in language and that language study is important for the future,” said Kirchner. “I am extremely pleased with the increase, particularly in the senior class where we jumped from 20% of African-American seniors enrolled in language to 51% in language classes in one year’s time. We spread the word in the community and school about the changes in college requirements after the Department of Defense US Critical Language Initiative was issued and we obviously got the reaction we were hoping for with the seniors.” Last year, district foreign language teachers noticed a disproportionately low number of African American students enrolled in language classes. They worried about how not taking a language could hurt students on college applications, where most colleges look for two years of
language study and more competitive colleges seek four consistent years of language classes. “We, as a department, are dedicated to the mission of educating each and every student in language and we will continue to reach out to all students through our program,” said Kirchner.
October 19, 2007
The Merionite Community meeting to combat racism Carolyn Chou
Class of 2009 The first of three Main Line community meetings on racial unity occurred on Saturday, October 13 at Villanova University. Sponsored by the Interfaith Coalition for Inclusive Community (ICIC), the goal of the meeting was to induce discussion about racial issues in the community and establish a common ground as a community. Participants discussed their racial experiences on the Main Line both in groups with others of the same race and in mixed race groups. Two consultants, Carole Cohn and Dolores Davis, ran the meeting, which they put together along with a group of ICIC members. Among these members are Maryam Phillips, an LM Township Commissioner, and one of the six plaintiff families in the Class Action lawsuit against LMSD (see front page). “[The] workshop was interesting
Class of 2009 Although the annual testing of the PSAT normally falls on a Saturday, for the first time, the PSATs were administered on Wednesday, October 17, from 7:30 to 10:00 in the morning. Seniors and freshman came into school after sophomores and juniors completed the exam. The issue of switching test taking days has been debated over the last few years. In the past, testing on the weekend allowed students and teachers to avoid wasting any instructional time. Although class time was lost while sophomores and juniors took the PSAT, the School Board found a myriad of positive reasons why the weekday test benefits students: by moving the test to a weekday, sophomores and juniors will not have to pay the standard fee of about $20 that students paid in the past. “I think it’s a good idea for us to take a practice test [for the SAT] and [it is good] that it doesn’t cost us extra” said junior Esther Hoffman. Another advantage to holding the test on Wednesday was that every student had access to the exam. Things such as weekend sport games and ex-
NEWS IN BRIEF Candidates for junior class president tie; co-presidents elected
Photo by Dot Goldberger/ Staff
Residents from throughout the Main Line participated in the ICIC forum on racial unity to discuss racial issues facing the community. and enlightening; it really exposed the reality that we have lots of work to do with great love and increased understanding of all of the people in our communities,” said Shirley Richardson, a resident of Berwyn and member of the ICIC who attended the meeting. Sponsoring the event along with the ICIC were the Concerned Black Parents of Lower Merion, the National
Association for the Advancement of Colored People of the Main Line, Martin Luther King Jr. Association of the Main Line, and the Concerned Black Parents of Conestoga. A second meeting to decide on priorities to address and action options will be held in early 2008, with a third meeting to confirm the actions to be taken and plan on a long and short term scale will be held in the spring.
PSAT date switched; fee no longer applies Samantha Hershman
NEWS
tracurricular activities overlapped with the time allotted to taking the test, so many sophomores and juniors did not register for the Saturday PSAT. “Most importantly, by moving the test to a Wednesday, every 10th and 11th grader will have the opportunity to take the PSAT,” said eleventh and twelfth grade counselor Marsha Rosen. “Going to take a test on Saturday doesn’t sound appealing. Having it on a Wednesday would be preferable because nobody would be resentful that they’re missing their weekend”, said junior Robin Schweitzer. The Wednesday test also eliminated any religious discrimination towards students who would be unable to take the test on a Saturday due to personal beliefs. “It takes up time to schedule to take standardized tests on Sunday [to avoid conflict with religious services],” said junior Jon Forstater. “Spending school hours taking the test instead of time I need to other things is helpful.” “It’s a really good idea to do it during the school day. It’s no inconvenience to anyone”, said junior Eugenia Jin. “ And I think people will be glad to miss out on class because of it.”
The College Board, the association that organizes of the SATs and PSATs, allots “two days for PSAT testing, a Saturday and a weekday,” said Rosen. It was not until this year that the Lower Merion School Board gave permission to offer the test during the school day. Some upperclassmen, however, are frustrated that they had to pay, while the test is free now to all students. Others fear that the PSATs will add unneeded stress to the school week. “We’ll have homework from the previous night”, said junior Yunica Jiang. “We’ll be up so late that we’ll fail the PSATs.” “There is no change in the importance of the test”, said Rosen. “Like previous years, the scores don’t go on transcripts. The test serves as practice for 10th graders, and as the National Merit Scholar qualifying test for 11th graders.” Each year, 1.4 million juniors take the PSAT to enter for the chance to become a National Merit Scholar. Because more Lower Merion students will now be taking the test, there will be a greater number of students who will receive the chance of winning scholarships as a result of high test scores.
In an unexpected twist, candidates for junior class President Betty Walker and Maor Woidislavsky tied with 155 votes each. They will to work together to lead the juniors, heading the Taste of LM Committee and organizing other fundraisers. Betty has experience from serving as sophmore class president last year, and Maor moved to LM from Israel two years ago. “It’s weird in that we have different views and different schedules and lifestyles and it’s hard to get together and completely agree,” said Walker. “It used to be where people would make decisions and then the president would have the overruling if there was a tie. But now if Maor and I disagree, there’s nobody up there. We just need to find a balance.” “We are working in unchartered territory this year. A tie has never happened before,” said junior class sponsor Lynne Freeland. “Hopefully it will work out; Betty and Maor have been getting along well so far. Maor moved here two years ago, so his is a learning experience for him but he seems up to task.” Juniors also elected Amy Woods as Vice President, Lauren Cohen as Secretary, and Lauren Singer as Treasurer. Amy served as Vice President freshman year. Lauren Singer has previously worked as Treasurer. Each of these elected officials will work with one another to serve juniors in Student Government for this upcoming year. --Matt Rublin/ Liz Jacobs, ‘11/‘09
Progress in LM construction after approval of PlanCon D and E When LMSD approved the paperwork for PlanCon D and PlanCon E on September 17, it made significant progress in the process to send proposals out to contractors for the new high school. There has been talk among the School Board for the past 30 years of building new high schools, and now the district is at last putting their plan into action. PlanCon is an 11-step procedure for building the schools that has parts A-K. On September 17, 2007 LMSD approved paperwork for PlanCon D and PlanCon E. At a meeting on Monday September 24th, the School Board authorized a plan to submit more documents to the Pennsylvania State Department of Education. When these papers, ‘PlanCon F’ get signed, the next stage in construction may begin. PlanCon F is a conference where the drawings and specifics of the construction are reviewed. “It authorizes the district to go out to bid for this project.” said Superintendent Jamie Savedoff. A new updated timeline for the LMHS construction project was outlined by architect Ray Swell of KCBA Architects. This will be reviewed on October 10th by the contractor. As of the most current updated high school plans, construction on the new Lower Merion will start early next year and be completed in year 2011. The new facility is on a budget of just under $110 million dollars. --Rachel Cohen, ‘10
AP French classes says Bonjour! to iPods Starting this year, AP French students will be using schoolprovided iPods to listen to French music and podcasts and watch videos. The program was pioneered last year by the Spanish 4 Honors students, who received the devices at the end of September, theirs to keep until June. The program for the French students will be similar to that of the Spanish program, with incorporating supplementary videos and podcasts into the curriculum. Spanish 4 Honors students are also using iPods this year and a Spanish 2 class may be added if supplies allow. Periodically downloaded onto the Spanish iPods are ABC News Exclusiva, a newscast in Spanish featuring issues facing Latin America and the Hispanic community in the USA, and Notes in Spanish, a podcast featuring Spanish conversations and interviews. Currently being employed are the video iPods, chosen for their ability to play a series of videos the teachers have found useful. “I think it is really important that the students have access to heritage speakers outside of the classroom- it gives them a wider variety of accents, from different sources”, said Foreign Language Department Chair Mary Eileen Kirchner. --Hannah Goldberg-Morse, ‘10
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October 19, 2007
NEWS
The Merionite
LM families criticize District education support From Lawsuit, page 1
close the achievement gap and once you were identified as learning disabled, which the majority of African Americans are, and in need of these services, students seemed to never exit indicating they did not master their academic IEP goals,” said CBP representative Loraine Carter to The Bulletin. LMSD claims it has a variety of grounds upon which to file a motion to dismiss the amended complaint. First, according to IDEA, any family that has a concern regarding IDEA and their IEP must first request a due process hearing with the administration. Only after exhausting the administrative hearing process can they appeal to the court. Of the six plaintiffs, only one requested such a hearing. As such, procedurally, each of the families filing a complaint must first request an administrative hearing, and only after the hearing do they have the right to file a complaint. This must be done within 90 days. The one family that did have a hearing waited 720 days after the hearing decision before filing their complaint. Second, LMSD is requesting that the NAACP and CBP remove themselves from the case because they were not potentially harmed by LMSD and therefore cannot be plaintiffs. The parents of the LMSD students who were suing on their own behalf are also being asked to forgo their standing as a plaintiff since they were also not perpetually harmed by LMSD. The issue of race is mentioned in the amended complaint referring to LMSD violating the Equal Protection and Due Process Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution, which prohibits discrimination against anyone on the basis of race or disability, among other things. The plaintiffs assert that LMSD misuses below grade level classes to remove African American students from the general education curriculum. They say this is based on racial discrimination, citing the disproportionately high numbers of African American students in modified classes to that of the total percentage of African Americans in LMSD. Many modified classes were 90% African American
while the overall population of African Americans at LMSD was 7.5 %. PSSA scores also demonstrate an achievement gap between African Americans and Caucasians. “When we take a deep look at data, we’re just compelled to believe that a lot of this had to do racial discrimination,” said Carter “When you talk about the nation, you talk about systematic racism. We’re imploring that something be done right here at home.” “Have Defendants discriminated against Plaintiffs and the class on the basis of their race, by routinely placing them in below grade level and/or modified classes?” asks the plaintiff’s complaint. “Have Defendants failed to ensure that Plaintiffs and the class receive access to the general education and are properly prepared to be competitive academically as are their Caucasian peers?” “[The plaintiffs] are saying kids were just passed through classes and I think it will all come out that that is not the case. The supports put in place here are extraordinary, the money and the time spent is remarkable,” said ninth grade Assistant Principal Marcia Hockfield. “But once kids get to high school it’s not the time to remedy the situation; it had to be done in elementary school and middle school.” A report published by LMSD described a variety of programs to reduce the achievement gap, such as the Committee Addressing Race in Education (CARE), Future Leader of the World (FLOW) and the Delaware Valley Minority Student Achievement Consortium. The District has also paid for additional reading and math specialists, summer programs and training in differentiated instruction to improve teaching to classes comprised of varied abilities. “Over the past four to five years in particular there have been a number of strategies, programs and curriculum
District celebrates Harriton groundbreaking
Carolyn Chou
Class of 2009 Construction at Harriton officially commenced with the groundbreaking ceremony on September 28. The ceremony took place in front of the entire student body and faculty. School board members, members of the construction team, and district administrators were among those in attendance. Alumna were also present to represent Harriton’s first graduating class. “The event ceremonially began the two years of dirt, dust, and various inconveniences that a project of this magnitude brings,” said Harriton principal Steve Kline. “The end product will more than justify the nuisances that we will encounter along the way. The legacy that Harriton has woven into the fabric of Lower Merion will continue in the new building.” While groundbreaking marks the official start of construction, Harriton construction has been going on since the spring. The next step in construction is the addition of structural steel. Currently, construction is going on behind the existing structure and
Photo courtesy lmsd.org
Interim LM Principal Nort Seaman attended Harriton’s groundbreaking ceremony on September 28. The event marks the official start of construction on the building. when the project is completed, the old school will be demolished. The new, environmentally friendly building is expected to open for the 2009-2010 school year. It will incor-
porate the use of recycled stormwater, daylight harvesting, and enhanced energy performance. A similar groundbreaking event is being planned for LM in the spring.
Data courtesy The Bulletin
revisions for the sole intent to improve the experience for underachieving students,” said District Director of School and Community Relations Doug Young. “The district has almost gone overboard to address it, in our hiring and our training, in the way we help remediate students. This is a district that is and has done a lot. The gap is closing. We are getting more minority students in higher level classes,” said Hockfield. “It’ll all come out in court. It will come out that the district has been more than diligent in addressing kids’ needs.” However, the plaintiff’s complaint suggests that such programs cut students off from other educational opportunities and do not educate them at the right level. “REACH also was a pull-out program which removed [her] and other students from the general education curriculum,” said the complaint. “Students who participated in the District’s REACH program were unable to take the language courses that were part of the general education curriculum that their peers received. Although Amber excelled in her below-grade-level REACH classes, she struggled in her regular curriculum courses.” Although a lot of confusion has arisen over the existence of modified classes, and many think they still exist, the claim against the classes is no longer an issue because the District removed all of the modified classes from the curriculum. “There was a lot of push about 6 years ago to have fewer levels in the high school and to raise the bar so the expectations would be the same for most kids,” said Hockfield. “One by one each department decided to do away with their modified classes and decided to absorb that level in the college prep level.” LMSD is also working to minimize the achievement gap through programs that attempt to raise PSSA scores and work with kids with different learning. These programs are being implemented at the middle school level in response to the No Child Left Behind Act. We are seeing the achievement gap close at the elementary level. We have hired a number of reading and math specialists at all levels in our schools. The early intervention programs seem to be gaining traction,” said Young. “There are pull-out enrichment classes geared towards helping kids reach proficiency levels in the skills tested on the government-mandated PSSA tests. The District is open to discussion regarding the achievement gap. Discussion with local community leaders has led to programs working to help close the achievement gap such as the Bethel Academy, an after school facility suggested by Reverend Johnson of Ardmore. However, district personnel are discouraged by this lawsuit. They feel they have worked hard to keep open communication and did not want the issue of achievement to lead to a lawsuit. “We need to work as a community to figure this out. Let’s work together, all of us need to participate as a part of the solution. We have always had a very strong working relationship with CPB. Unfortunately it appears that in the eyes of the current leadership the district cannot do anything right. It is very challenging and discouraging to work with an organization that appears to have no interest in supporting what you want to do,” said Young. “So, we will continue to work with representative groups like CARE and the great majority of the community who want to move the discussion forward.”
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October 19, 2007
The Merionite
EDITORIAL
A dangerous charade We would like to take a moment to talk about High School Student Government Elections. That institution supported by schools across the country, meant to embody true American values: representative government, checks and balances, democracy. Those are the kinds of things that Student Governments are supposed to uphold, right? We would now like to paint a picture of the junior class elections. Treasurer: uncontested; Secretary: uncontested; Vice President: uncontested; President: tie. Does this really represent the junior class? In what election is a tie tolerable? Why wasn’t there a revote? Why, we have to wonder, isn’t there some sort of tie-breaking system in place? When three of four positions run uncontested and the only contested position, the only one where students can actually voice their opinion, results in a tie, “election” is not the correct term. The only word that is appropriate for the event is charade. The only thing this government truly represents is the apathy of the junior class. This election reveals the point to which the aims of modern Student Governments (at least those at LM) have degenerated. They are not representative, for the student body sees no need to run, and they certainly are not democratic if positions are not voted upon. The sad truth is that our student government really performs one function—fundraising. Each class’s “representatives” fill their time with making money for their respective coffers. Case in point, see the primary event sponsored by the junior class Student Government: A Taste of Lower Merion. Not to say that the money raised by “Taste” is a bad thing, seeing as much is given to charity and the Scholarship Fund, but it is undeniable that its purpose is to acquire wealth. Some might argue that Student Government has, in the recent past, had several successful bouts with the Administration. But these have been mere squabbles, affecting no real changes in the school community. Student government gave us the auditorium lobby, but failed to obtain assignment books. Perhaps it is the lack of real issues affecting the student body that has led to this sad state of affairs. But we shudder to think what would happen should a legitimate issue arise, one where the student body needs representation. We do not mean to imply that those who currently staff our government are unqualified, or that they lack the proper spirit and abilities to defend us, but what this year’s junior class demonstrates is a general disregard for Student Government. And it’s not as though the results of the junior class elections are an isolated incident; the exact same occurred in last year’s school-wide student body elections. So, to those of you who have a passion for our representation, and are not yet jaded by age, retain that spirit. To those who do not see the importance of our governance, we urge you to open your eyes and rethink your position. Unsigned editorial on this page reflect the general opinion of student editors, not the views of individuals.
The Merionite Published since 1929
Editors-in-Chief Jon Blistein, ‘08 David Faich, ‘08
Managing Editor Samantha Rosen, ‘08 News Editors Carolyn Chou, ‘09 Liz Jacobs, ‘09 Op-Ed Editors JC Chou, ‘09 Niklas Thompson, ‘09 Features Editors Samantha Rosen, ‘08 Emma Saltzberg, ‘09 Jessica Scolnic, ‘09 Sports Editors Lex Carlin, ‘08 Jodie Eichel, ‘08 Elie Peltz, ‘09
Arts & Entertainment Sophia Hirsch, ‘09 Editors Jenny Smolen, ‘09 Layout Editor Sam Blum, ‘09 Business Manager Marissa Presser, ‘09 Photo Editor Dot Goldberger, ‘08 Copy Editors Matt Taylor ‘08 Corinne Zucker, ‘09 Advisor Mr. Chad Henneberry Business Advisor Mr. Sean Flynn
The editors believe all facts presented in the newspaper to be accurate. The paper acknowledges that mistakes are possible and welcomes questions as to accuracy. Inquiries regarding accuracy should be directed to the editors of the paper. Editors can be contacted via e-mail at merionite@gmail.com or in Room 116. To represent all viewpoints in the school community, The Merionite welcomes all letters to the editor. Letters can be sent via e-mail or dropped off outside the Merionite office. The Merionite reserves the right to edit letters to the editor for length or clarity.
Editorials/Letters Letters to the Editor
The freshmen are people too Dear Merionite, While I agree that Lower Merion has its tacit codes for rites of passage, I do not think it is a very wise choice to be slamming the freshmen in your first Merionite article of the year. Not only are they new students at our school, but they have yet to understand their place in the LM society. By now they have discovered to move out of the way when shouts of, “FROSHIES!” coming from behind, and that a good enough excuse for everything is, “Because you’re a freshman.” But really, is it completely necessary to send them such negative vibes on their second day of school, when most of them are having heart attacks because their schedule is wrong? I still have loads of fun teasing freshman about keeping cell phones away, staying out of upperclassman’s paths, and telling them their time will come when they enter sophomore year for them to tease a new gen-
eration of freshmen, but for next year, let’s try to feel more welcoming to the Class of 2012? Beverly Johnson Class of 2009
Beverly, We appreciate your concern for the freshmen, but in no way did we intend to be genuinely mean or spiteful in last month’s “Hey Freshmen” article. After all, we were all freshmen once, no matter how much we’ve tried to repress those memories. But it’s important for freshmen to learn the rich culture and customs behind their year as well (really, we were poking fun at the lack of hazing in LM). Besides, who would we have to blame when the main stairwell stops moving or when we forget to do our homework?
—The Editorial Staff
This is your Sergeant speaking Dear Student Body, I hope that you all have had a great start to the school year. I would like to let you all know a few things that my fellow Student Government Officers and I have been doing to make our school a better place. We are currently compiling information regarding the new schedule and in particular, the A period, to ensure that students are given the opportunity to utilize all time to their benefit. If anyone has any feedback regarding the schedule please contact any officer or drop us a line at LMHSSG@gmail.com. Additionally, we have been involved in the process of interviewing the candidates for a new principal. In the coming months I hope to create a strong sense of community within LM and on that
note I encourage everyone to go see Player’s production of “Cabaret.” It’s going down on the third weekend of November. Additionally, as the winter sports season comes, everyone should join ACES NATION and go to the boys and girls basketball games. Anyone who has gone to a basketball game before will tell you that it is an incredibly fun thing to attend. This school year has started off well and I hope that we as a student body can continue this excellence. My fellow student government officers and I want to do all that we can to help make this happen. Please don’t hesitate to talk to one of us if you have an issue. Thanks, Roger Kligerman Sergeant-at-Ams
6
October 19, 2007
OP-ED
The Merionite
Recovering the Advisory Periods
What’s not connecting? Well, apparently this school isn’t the community it once was. Lower Merion High School contains a wide variety of kids, each with a different group of friends, interests, and talents. Naturally, some will become friends, while others will stir up some high school “drama.” In the face of Sam Fineman this disparity, Class of 2009 the school has come up with a plan to remedy this problem and make LM a cohesive school community. What did the administration have in mind? The Connections Advisory! In case you weren’t informed (or just weren’t listening), Connections Advisory is a 35-minute period that takes place every C Day. Students and advisory teachers participate in “engaging” activities such as “I Am Me” poems. What? Doesn’t that excite you? After all, now that classes are longer and free time shorter, what we need most is to spend potential free time playing games that remind us of our daycare days. While we’re at it, let’s replace Algebra with Apples to Apples. Each Advisory teacher has a binder full of “community building” activities. The goal of these activities is to bring the entire school community together and to have students feel more in touch with their school as a whole. But, how am I connecting with the entire school when there are only 15 kids and one teacher in the classroom? Personally, I find myself very in touch with my school already. I pass
“Open the door, HAL!” I’m in a jam, I’m in the library, I’m under surveillance. Out of my peripheral, I see it watching me. Somewhere, its central brain is computing algorithm after algorithm, plotting against me. I move the mouse and navigate to WebAssign, but always the merciless eye follows. All day, relentlessly, he watches my JC Chou every move, and Class of 2009 I his. I’ve fought to my wit’s end against this machine, this “Security Camera System”, our administration has constructed into the walls of my school. My troubles started before I even got to my first class. Television, homework, and more television kept me up well past midnight so I didn’t get to school until five
Not too short not too long— just wrong
herds of kids in the hallway, say hi to my friends, and wave to teachers that gave me A’s last year. I participate in after school activities, and I find myself spending 99.8% of my life in this building. I think I speak for most students when I say that with the time spent at school during the day, and the vast diversity of people who attend LM, it’s extremely difficult not to be connected. Sure, someone who enjoys the idea of a Connections Advisory might say: “Wow, I’m stressed today. I have a very long History outline due tomorrow, I’m behind on my WebAssign, and I had to study during my entire 12-minute lunch period. But, at least I wrote a mediocre poem about myself and got to read it to my peers!” I’m going to guess this doesn’t exactly represent the majority of students. Is the idea of students having instead a large portion of time to independently study and socialize really a bad idea? The new schedule and a closed campus already put constraints on freedoms that high school students around the country enjoy. We might as well be allowed to utilize the little open time that the schedule allows us to actually do productive work or enjoy free time, instead of doing pointless activities that aim to fix a problem that most students don’t even think exists. Of course, who knows what the future holds for our beloved friend, Connections Advisory. I hope that teachers and administrators of our school see how counter-productive this idea really is. Hopefully, our teachers can, one day, toss those Activity Binders in the trash, and make this period an Academic Advisory. After all, I’d rather finish half of my math homework than “share my special feelings with the class.” Wouldn’t you?
Thirty-five minutes. The amount of time it takes to drive to the mall in traffic or do an especially tedious French homework packet. In between a short segment of time and a long block of time. The amount of time we now have for the “Academic Recovery” period is lengthy enough to be boring but not enough to be useful in “recoverIsaac Lindy ing” academically. Class of 2010 While the Academic Recovery period is supposedly designed with the student in mind, and is a valiant effort to give students more time to meet with teachers in this novel block schedule, the premise is ridden with issues. Not only do teachers have to rush through helping students, but they also must aid multiple students from multiple classes who all have different questions. In addition, teachers must juggle students coming for Academic Recovery from various levels of the same subject, which is a common issue with the math and language teachers who may teach two or three levels in the same department. Another fault in the design of the Academic Recovery period is the complete disregard of student privacy. A student often will go to a teacher for extra help because he or she has a question he or she may feel is “stupid”. The student feels embarrassed to ask it in a class full of peers waiting to giggle and jeer at the slightest hint of a dumb inquiry. Going in for a private one-on-one conference with a teacher eliminates the mortification of asking the “stupid” question. Because students do not have as much free time to go see teachers with our new semi-block schedule, the Academic Recovery period was sup-
posed to replace the previously abundant study halls and frees when you could go meet with a teacher privately. Instead, it replaced those study halls and frees with a time when you could meet with a teacher in front of 20 or so kids, ask your “stupid” question, and get giggled and jeered at just as you would in your normal class. The entire premise of “signing up” for academic advisory does not work either. If you have an important question to ask a teacher, who’s to decide whether you or some other kid should get one of the valuable spots available in each classroom, especially if that other kid chose the teacher at random and does not have a question to ask at all? The whole competition for signing up and attaining spots in Academic Recovery adds a stressful and fully unnecessary assignment to an already assignment-filled school week. Plus, instead of being able to rotate around to several teachers to ask several questions, you are forced to stay in one room with one teacher for the duration of Academic Recovery. Truly, the Academic Recovery idea is a honest attempt to help the students in our school as we have a brand new schedule. The problem is, there is neither enough time nor enough one-on-one interaction for every student to have a worthwhile experience during that period. A solution, other than to completely abolish the Academic Recovery period, could be to make it more of a free period so that students could divide up their time during the period, rotating between various teachers and subjects. However, the administration probably cringes at the idea of a school-wide free period, envisioning rampaging students spiraling into complete anarchy. So, for now, unless you have a dire question and are completely lost in a class, I suggest signing up for a study hall so you can do a medium amount of homework in the medium amount of time allotted for our new Academic Recovery period.
minutes after the second bell. I tried to rush in through one of the side doors as I always do but the door was shut as tight as a drum. “Open the door, HAL,” I asked him politely. But, “I can’t do that Dave,” was his only emotionless reply. Already late as it was, I had no time to argue. I ran back to one of the main doors but at a heavy Calorie toll. An unexcused tardy was only the beginning of my day. The seventy-minute second block rolled around and I had a free. My eyes drooped; I knew the only thing that could kick my sleepiness in the rear was a tall Starbucks. Alright, I’ll admit leaving campus is dangerous for both the district and I. God forbid, if something happened to me during my pilgrimage, the district would get the socks sued off of them. But not getting a cup of the nectar of the gods has its consequences as well. Full of joy and with wallet in hand, I strolled inconspicuously towards the exit. I pressed the cold of the red door handle against my palm but a piercing voice suddenly sheared through my fatigue. “What are you doing, Dave?” HAL
asked “Uhh, I’m just going to get a coffee,” I replied. Could this faceless machine have emotion, I wondered? “I can’t let you do that, Dave.” Defeated, and tired, all I could do was finish the rest of my stupid homework in despair. Fifteen minutes into the second block, with still more than an hour to spare, I took a nap in one of the comfy auditorium seats. The third block bell sounded and I searched my backpack for my Spanish iPod before I headed to mi clase de español. But all my hand encountered in my backpack was cracker crumbs and eraser shavings. Where’s my friggin Spanish iPod? What, I knew I put it in my front pocket this morning! Someone must have stolen it when I was sleeping. “HAL, did you see who stole my iPod,” I asked trembling and sweating. Nothing. “HAL?” Oh wait that’s, right, HAL doesn’t have eyes in the auditorium, or the locker rooms, or anywhere stuff gets stolen. My sanctuary has become my hell. So I went to the bathroom and cried. But,
suddenly, whilst cuddled in the fetal position in the corner of one of the stalls, I felt an eerie presence. Fearing that here, too, the wandering eye dwelt, I asked, “HAL, you there?” The silence was my first relief of the day. But things didn’t improve after that. I spent 70 minutes in my 110 degree math class, melting in my shoes. “HAL, make it cooler,” I asked desperately “I can’t do that, Dave. You will need an air-conditioning unit for that.” He replied condescendingly in his expensive hightech polyphonic voice. Ugh, where did the money for getting air conditioners go anyway? And that’s how the rest of my day went by. HAL watched me, and thwarted my every desire. He is everywhere. There is no space in the hallway, I realized, where he doesn’t have a line of sight of me. A bit superfluous I think, but then again, my fear makes me biased. Even now, as I sit in the sweltering library, trying to type my answers on an outdated computer that responds slower than a tortoise, I almost wish some security breach would break out and occupy HAL so I could see this new ultraexpensive computer system in real action, or at least to get some privacy. But dreams will be dreams.
October 19, 2007
The Merionite Preemptive planning; Advanced student placement
It’s the most dreaded, feared, stressful, and hectic time in high school. Welcome to junior year! A year suffocated with multiple AP classes, extracurricular activConnie Hua ities, and Class of 2010 the everpresent eyes of college admissions officers. Currently as a sophomore, I guess I can’t really begin to understand everything juniors go through, but in my defense, anyone can learn an awful lot just from people complaining in the hallways and from junior friends. Conversations usually go: “I spent my weekend doing 20 hours of AP Stat homework,” “Well I had to outline an entire chapter for APUSH!” “That’s nothing- AP Physics is so much worse.” Granted, AP classes are not the only things that stress out juniors, but it’s a big part of the pressure they feel. Which is why Lower Merion High School should open AP classes to all grades, instead of limiting them to just juniors and seniors. Okay, at first this doesn’t seem to make much sense. God forbid we push the workload of an upperclassman onto the new freshmen and the puny sophomores. But when you actually sit down and think about it, it is logical. Last year when all the sophomores were going to become juniors, there seemed to be an unspoken competition among the many overachievers about who could take the most APs. Maybe I’m wrong, but there’s a lot of peer pressure to take higher-level courses to prove to yourself, and everyone else that you’re capable of doing the intense work (college credits are a big incentive as well). And if your friends are doing it, chances are you’ll want to do it too- quintessential peer pressure. Because of this, too many juniors feel overstretched and pushed into taking too many AP courses at a time. But if LM offered a limited number of AP courses to freshmen and sophomores (obviously with some prerequisites), it would pay off because come junior year, they wouldn’t feel the need to pile on as many AP course to buff up their transcripts. Besides, it’s easier to handle an AP course when you’re breezing through the life of an underclassman rather than drowning in the chaotic
surge of activities upperclassmen go through. A great improvement for the science curriculum would be to include AP Biology alongside with Biology H and Biology CP. (Chemistry is a prerequisite for AP Biology, but students could use their elective to fulfill this requirement.) Another idea would be to offer AP Chemistry in sophomore year as well. And if a particular student were extremely talented, with a teacher recommendation, they should also be allowed to progress directly into AP English language- typically a junior course. Although these classes would be intimidating to some, it would be a welcome challenge to other underclassmen, talented in certain subjects. Critics say this idea would never work. But at Conestoga High School, another top ranked high school, this idea has already been implemented. There, incoming freshman are allowed to choose between three different levels of Biology and as far as everyone can tell, Conestoga kids aren’t any less happy than LM kids. Besides, students have a few weeks after school starts to permanently make their decision about staying in their enrolled classes. If the underclassmen think they can’t deal with the college-level course, that’s fine, they can simply drop the course. But to present such a wonderful opportunity to students who feel the need to be challenged and who are able to deal with heavy workloads would be an excellent and progressive decision for the school district. It makes no sense to hold back gifted students who could excel in a more difficult course instead of sleeping through an unchallenging class. Not to mention, it would significantly reduce workloads as high school careers advance. LM should, in conclusion, offer AP classes to all grades. School administrators may argue that taking a college-level course as a ninth grader is too stressful, but from personal experience, freshman year is the least stressful year of all. There is no doubt about it, Lower Merion is filled with overachievers who all push themselves very hard. The school tries very hard to alleviate the constant scholastic pressure, but there’s only so much they can do. Holding grade “bonding” days and other similar activities are a good distraction, but they only mask the problems. Preemptive planning to reduce stress by implementing AP course as another option for underclassmen would be the most effective strategy in the long run.
OP-ED
7
Adolescents ignored This year’s November 6 Election Day is fast approaching. On this day hoards of people will line up outside of schools, churches, and libraries to determine the people who will lead our state and local governments. Hana Rouse Next Class of 2010 year the same thing will happen, though on a much larger scale as our country chooses its next president. Lines will form, the people will vote, yet one notable group will be absent: teenagers. Sure, some of the older seniors might dub a short visit to the polls an acceptable use of their time, along with some current juniors. But these few people encompass a very small portion of the millions of teenagers living in the United States. Again and again people tell us that we are the future. The elder generation has left behind a legacy of global warming and rising health care costs, and has persistently reminded us that we will one day have to confront these problems. Yet when the time arrives for America to choose its leaders, they refuse to allow anyone under the age of 18 to vote. If we truly are the future, then why is it that our leaders are being chosen by the past? Teenagers today are treated almost as an issue, rather then a legitimate group of people with genuine insights and views on politics. Rather then headlines reading “The younger demographic supports this candidate”
the media chooses to print articles on teen pregnancies or adolescent eating habits. To many, children age 14 to 18 are nothing more then a source of statistics; they are immature, and need their lives to be dictated to them. The attitude of adults toward teens mimics that toward previously ignored groups. Certain parallels can be drawn between the current treatment of teenagers and past treatment of women or African Americans. Many say that teenagers are too inferior or undeveloped to vote, the same justification for denying women and blacks suffrage, yet through the struggles and sacrifices both of these groups have received their legitimate rights. Now it is the teenager’s turn to take the torch of suffragist groups throughout the ages, and seize the right that is lawfully theirs. Consider 16 years olds. At 16 many teenagers have already entered the workforce. They pay taxes to the government. Many own cars and are driving on the streets, jeopardizing both their own lives and the lives of others each time they do so. By seventeen some teenagers have entered the army. While many are given adult responsibilities, few teenagers are treated with the same respect an adult receives. The United States was partially founded on the idea of no taxation without representation, and taxing teenagers without providing them with representation in the government is a clear violation of this principle. If 16 year olds are expected to work, pay taxes, and drive, they should also be allowed to vote. Some may argue that kids do not deserve the vote because they are neither aware of nor educated about this nation’s issues. But
just how many Americans actually devote a large portion of their time to research and investigation into a candidate’s values before forming educated political opinions? How many allow their vote to be determined by other factors, such as parents’ political views or race, gender or origin of the candidate? Teenagers should be allowed to vote simply so that they can begin forming their own opinions on American issues at an earlier age, reducing the amount of time that environmental factors can influence decisions. While ideally, the voting age would be lowered to 16 immediately, this issue has been touched upon many times. States including California, Florida, and Alaska and countries like Canada and the United Kingdom have all examined such proposals, and some German municipalities have actually lowered the limit to 16. Again and again the question arises, “If 16 year olds are considered old enough to drive, an act which endangers lives, why should they not be able to elect a leader at the same age?” The public reiterates the question, and the government refuses to respond. Perhaps this paltry response is due partially to voting rates over the previous years. In the November 2004 election only 47% of people ages 18 to 24 voted, in comparison to 72% of those ages 55 and older. While it is doubtful that the voting age will be lowered anytime soon, those who have been bequeathed with the gift of age, take advantage of it. Exercise the right that has been granted to you, and prove that teenagers do have political opinions. Vote in the upcoming elections, and represent those teenagers who have yet to be rightfully represented. The future is ours; now take it!
The Comedy Quarterpage
“Modern Technology”
Will Laren
8
October 19, 2007
The Merionite
FEATURES
Tricks not treats
Petty annoyance night
Matt Taylor
Class of 2008
While other people are obsessing over the perfect costume or moaning about the candy they’ll get trick-ortreating, others are just looking for a good laugh. For them, Mischief Night is a great opportunity to raise a little harmless mayhem. Some will have a fleeting thought about the boundless possibilities, but eventually dismiss the idea because they don’t want to risk getting in trouble (or are just too lazy). However, a select few that possess the intrinsic ability to disregard the rules will decide that this is their chance. Before planning your October 30 adventure, it is important to understand that mischief specifically means activity that causes a petty annoyance. So smashing your four-year-old neighbor’s jack-o-lantern does not qualify. Putting a false moustache on their pumpkin, however, does. While egging or toilet papering a house–or both– seems funny at first, it’s completely unoriginal. And messy. And no one appreciates a messy, unoriginal prankster. Not to worry, there is still plenty to do. Petty annoyance is highly under-
Connie Hua
rated. Having recently seen a rerun of “Scrubs”, “graveling” someone is something that comes to mind. (For those unfortunate enough to have missed out on that little tidbit of pop culture, to gravel someone is to fill their shoes with the aforementioned rocky substance.) If your friends’ shoes pose a threat to your physical or psychological wellbeing, try messing with their heads: pretend there is a big pop quiz or homework check in a class they have later, or convince them there’s a huge bug on their back (where they conveniently can’t see it). Try to express your ingenuity and creativity. It takes a lot of skill to come up with and perfectly execute a funny prank. Remember: you could gain a lot of respect from your peers, and possibly improve yourself in the process. Consider expanding your vocabulary. Some of you who might consider writing a dirty word in an obvious place, go online and find synonyms for that word. You may just find one that is funnier than the original. This way, it will not only cause a few laughs, but a bit of confusion – mischief, if you will – along the way.
10. Good and Plenty
If you’re looking to give out a colored, rod shaped, sugary candy, just give out Mike and Ikes, not oddly coated licorice.
9. Almond Joy
Unless you’re over 65, Almond Joys are the scourge of your Halloween existence. Who even puts coconut in an ALMOND bar anyway?
8. Juice Boxes
Not all trick-or-treaters are kindergarteners. And those who are probably get their daily requirement of Juicy Juice every day before naptime.
7. Dental Floss/Toothbrush and Toothpaste
We already got the “candy gives you decaying teeth” lecture. Just let us rot our gums in peace.
6. Trail Mix
While some thoughtful adults attempt to “loosen up” by adding M&Ms to their normal mix of peanuts and bran flakes, it’s still just peanuts and bran flakes.
5. Bouncy balls/paddle ball sets Lame2.
4. Pre-packaged bags of pretzels
Okay for school lunches, but when it comes to trick-or-treating, plain pretzels have much lower value than, say, chocolate covered pretzels.
3. Tulip bulbs
Yes, it’s happened. Sadly, few kids have any intention of doing some heavy-duty gardening, and the bulbs tend to die, unused. Plus, they aren’t really edible.
2. Pencils/erasers/other random school supplies
Isn’t it bad enough that Halloween falls on a school night? Please don’t remind us of the sugar hangover we’ll endure during Math class on November 1.
1. Apples
It’s Halloween. Apples are fruit. People who are too lazy to coat their apples in caramel should just turn off their lights. Also, no one really wants to bite into a razor blade.
Curing the costume conundrum outfit. It you’re going for realistic, you may want to strategically place the glow sticks to give the illusion of real bones. Otherwise,
Photos courtesy Google Images
to attach them to your arms. Make a wand out of a chopstick and some construction paper and let down your hair. Voila- magic!
devil horns, a devil tail and a red pitchfork. For a chick magnet, find some stuffed baby Class of 2010 chickens and tape them to yourself. These Every year, leaves change color, the days punny sort of costumes are simple, and get shorter, and October rolls around. And they’re sure to get a laugh or two. There with October comes Halloween. Candy, are so many figures of speech out there; decorations, and, of course, costumes. While you’re sure to find one that’s right for you. some of the stuff in stores is ridiculous (foam Sheep: Take a black dance leotard Homer Simpson masks anyone?) we always (or t-shirt) and use a hot-glue gun to glue leave promising ourselves we’ll think of a small cotton balls all over it. Wear it over super-cool costume by October 31. But as a black long-sleeved tee and black legusual, we somehow while away the weeks gings (and maybe shorts, if you’re usuntil the day of Halloween and expect a ing a t-shirt.) Add a headband with sheep costume to just fall out of the sky. Well, that ears and go crazy with costume makeup. probably won’t happen, but fear not! There With enough creativity, this costume are dozens of simple yet effective costumes can work for any animal of your choice. available for the procrastinator in all of us. Bunch of Grapes: Unfortunately, there is one actual skill requirement for Ghost: For the mildly indifferent or this costume: lung capacity (or a balloon those who just want some free candy inflator). Wear dark sweatpants with a dark (or have a particularly strong affinity for purple or navy top. Depending on how white sheets), this is by far the best choice. many grapes you want, blow up purple balDrape a plain white bedsheet over your loons and use tape to attach them to your head and cut out two eyeholes. Not partop. Wrap a short green scarf around your ticularly impressive, but it gets the job done. throat as a stem and apply purple costume Toga: A costume for Latin lovers (or anymakeup to the face. A word of caution: it one who wants to party like it’s 99 A.D.), the is best to avoid pins, needles and other toga requires the same materials as the ghost Photo by Dot Goldberger/Staff sharp, point objects while in this costume. with just a little more elbow grease. Take the From left: Freshmen Ella Schwamm, Larz Goldsmith, Anna Murphy, Kasie Patlove, Waiter or Waitress: If you had one of those white sheet and fold it in half. Wrap it around and Emily Shepard model some sweet slacker ‘stumes. play kitchen while you were growing up, and your chest and pin it with a safety pin at your you remember where all the fake food is, this is left armpit. Swing the remaining fabric over feel free to get creative-glow sticks are fun! Have some pun with it! You’ve probably a great option. Dress in black pants, and a white your right shoulder and fasten.Awreath of laurel Fairy: Practically every girl (or daring seen various costumes that do a play on words. button down shirt. Throw on an apron, find a (or ivy from your backyard) may be included as boy) looks good in this costume. Just take a Some examples include a deviled egg (or food tray, and glue on the fake food and some a nice headband. Add a bunch of grapes to your simple pastel-colored dress (wear it over legham,) a black-eyed pea, and a chick magnet. plastic dishes. Try to get one of those restaurant ensemble and you can call yourself Bacchus. gings if you wish) and add some sparkles! A typical example of a deviled egg costume order formsmost restaurants will give away Skeleton: Wear all black and get a simple To make wings, shape wire coat hangers and requires a white shirt. Tape an oval-shaped old, unused ones for free if you eat there. Stick black mask. Then take neon yellow glow stretch gauzy fabric over them. Use elastics yellow piece of paper to your front, and add a pen behind your ear and go take some orders! sticks, crack them, and tape them to your
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October 19, 2007
The Merionite
FEATURES
The international classroom
“I know Spanish, since I’m originally from Argentina and I moved here when I was 11. I use it all the time at home and when I am talking to my friends back home [in Argentina]. I also speak Spanish to drive my friends crazy when they don’t know what I’m saying! If you find another Argentinean around here, it’s cool, because you have a lot in common and can basically talk about anything.” -Sophomore Magali Roman
“I was born in France and my parents have continued to speak French to us.It’s very difficult for my parents, but they always try to make us speak French at home, from getting French babysitters to getting Canadian French satellite TV. Knowing French is a great advantage when traveling and also academically (I took the AP French test last year) and even in Spanish and in English.” -Junior Gabrielle Loeb
“Ukrainian is actually my first language—my parents and grandparents spoke to me only in Ukrainian. My grandparents are from Ukraine, and I go to Ukrainian school every Saturday. ... It’s fun; I teach my friends Ukrainian curse words.” -- Sophomore Marianna Kozak
Bina Peltz
Class of 2010 “It’s really cool and helpful to be fluent in two languages,” says junior Yuxin Liu. Liu would know-- she grew up in China and still speaks Chinese at home with her family. LM is filled with students from many different linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Most of these multilingual students learned their native language by hearing it at home; some of them even have family members who immigrated from the countries where those languages are spoken. Other students, like sophomore Zoe Matza, learn a language by living abroad. Matza lived in Israel for five years and managed to pick up Hebrew, even though she lived in an English speaking community and attended an American International School. “I learned Hebrew from listening to people talk, especially my Israeli friends and neighbors, and taking Hebrew lessons at my school,” Matza said. Some students have a natural interest in languages and want to learn languages other than those taught in school. Junior Chris Frederick decided to teach himself Italian after trying out both Spanish and Latin. “In eighth grade I became really interested in languages all of a sudden, so the first one I started learning was Italian,” Frederick said. Frederick’s interest in languages has led him to study various other languages out of school. Even though multilingual students learn their languages for different reasons and in different ways, they agree that knowing a different language is useful
“Knowing Serbian helps me communicate with my family. Serbian is similar to many Slavic languages such as Russian and Polish so I have an easy time understanding those languages.” - Junior Igor Simic
in many aspects of their lives. “I can insult someone in their face and they wouldn’t understand,” Liu said. Although some do not have the chance to use these languages every day, knowing them still proves to be useful. “I wish I spoke Hebrew more often, but I don’t speak it in the U.S. really except to Israeli friends that I have here. But Hebrew was useful for me when studying for my Bat Mitzvah. I had to memorize and understand my Torah portion,” Matza said. Sharing a common language also helps with meeting and connecting to people around the world. “Italian is great because it’s fun to speak and it’s fairly useful; once I met some Italian tourists over the summer in Canada and I could to talk to them a little bit about their vacation,” Frederick said. Matza agrees and adds that knowing Hebrew helps her connect with Israelis anywhere. Knowing a different language brings many opportunities. Studies by the Association of Departments of Foreign Languages have proven that knowing another language improves a student’s performance and grades in school. Knowing a foreign language increases a person’s analytic and interpretative abilities. Many multilingual students credit their parents for encouraging them in their commitment and loyalty to their respective languages, and most of the students plan on maintaining their proficiency in multiple languages and using them as often as possible. “I would definitely keep the language, and I will try to teach it to my kids,” said Liu.
“I speak Hebrew; I learned it in Jewish school. When I went to Israel it was very helpful and I could hold a conversation. People like to say that I speak Jewish, but I don’t. I speak Hebrew.” --Sophomore Hannah Weilbacher
“I speak Chinese, but I pretty much only use it when I talk to my parents and their friends. It did come in handy this one time, though, when I was working in the library. I ran into a little girl and her grandfather who spoke Chinese but no English and I was able to help them out.” --Senior Tim Luo
“ It’s embarrassing sometimes to speak Chinese in public because people don’t understand it and then try to make fun of the language.” -Sophomore Xinran Wang
“I think everyone should conform to one super-language: English. That would be convenient for everyone.” --Junior Catherine Seitel
“I use Norwegian when I travel to Norway and I can talk about people without them knowing. I also can communicate in a variety of Germanic and Scandinavian languages.” -Sophomore Kelly Dougherty Images courtesy of Wikipedia.com
From France avec amor
Kyra Sutton
Class of 2009
Last year, many students proudly sported shirts that read “ACES interNATIONal”. This year the phrase has taken on a new meaning: LM is now home to French exchange students Adeline Fluteau and Clémentine Carré. The girls, who did not previously know each other, are living here through different programs. Carré’s program, Rotary International, has arranged that she stay with two host families throughout her senior year here. Next semester she will be residing at the house of the Bosins, whose children Jodi and Jake are LM students. Meanwhile, sophomore Fluteau, whose mother is American, is living with her aunt for a year and attending Lower Merion along with her cousin, senior James Margolis. Although the girls hail from different parts of France – Carré from a western city called La Rochelle, and Fluteau from a northeastern
Adeline Fluteau and Clémentine Carré Photo by Dot Goldberger/Staff
village of 500 people near a city called Troyes – they agree that our school is completely different from the schools they attended at home. Though LM students love to whine about the long day and workload, the girls consider our school to be relaxing. “The school is very, very different here than in France ... there the school is more strict and
more hard, we don’t really choose the courses that we want, we just choose the type of study. We can’t eat, drink, talk (except if it concerns what we’re studying) in class and teachers are more distant,” says Carré. The schools in France also end much later than LM – some days not until 6:00pm. Because there are fewer hours after school, extracurricular options are also limited. Fluteau feels similarly about LM’s atmosphere. “The ambiance here in class is relaxing: you can eat, go out of class whenever you like, talk with your friends, which is not the case in France! What I miss though is going out of the school when I had free time,” says Fluteau. Of course, this is a shared concern for LM students who yearn to wander off campus as well. Academically, Fluteau finds the school pretty easy. In France, it is rare that students are given A’s, so the majority of students receive C’s, which are considered fine grades. Carré finds LM to be challenging, simply due to the
language barrier. Although Fluteau has had practice speaking English with her American mother, Carré knows only what she’s picked up in her English class in school. When it comes to LM’s students, both girls see them as friendly and open. According to Carré they are more respectful than in France. The difference in style among the students is apparent to Fluteau -- it is much harder to follow the current trend in France , which is constantly changing. No longer subject to the harsh French criticism of clothing, the girls can wear whatever they choose (sweatpants, for example). Although leaving behind their homes and families was difficult, it seems that both these exchange students are enjoying themselves at our school. Says Fluteau, “I like Lower Merion a lot, there are many things going on! I imagined it would be like on TV shows, and it’s even better!”
10
October 19, 2007
The Merionite
FEATURES Simon Says...Welcome to Freshman Year Mia Vallet
A Features Commentary
Class of 2009
Lower Merion has a pretty impressive track record when it comes to turning out important alumni. Everyone from former U.S. Secretary of State Alexander Haig to Aneesa Ferreira, that ubiquitous MTV contestant, has inhabited these hallowed halls. Well, on August 18th, class of 2007 alum Alex Fleisher joined their ranks, winning the largest Simon Says competition ever held in North America. For almost half an hour, the University of Miami freshman battled for the ultimate prize: two round trip tickets, donated by American Airlines, to anywhere in the United States or Caribbean. Organized by the school’s yearbook editor, the event, which fell just 70 students short of breaking the current Guinness Book’s world record, was incorporated into freshman orientation. The last command presented to the final two students? “Play rocks, paper, scissors to determine the winner.” Although Miami might win the prize for creativity, they certainly aren’t the only school pulling out all stops to make incoming freshman feel at home. According to LM class of ’07 alum Julia Terruso, “Syracuse went crazy with orientation activities. They claim they’ve won awards for their program. In the summer they sent us a box they so cleverly termed ‘ready set,’” says Terruso. “Once we got here we had a million activities to choose from. We learned cheers in the Dome and went into the city. There were two comedians [and] a bunch of ‘mock-tail’ parties and dances.”
N o t again,” the way remarked you enLM grad visioned S a m spendBroscoe, ing those a freshpivotal man at the f i r s t school. couple People weeks at d o n ’ t college? compare AccordLM and ing to Penn State Northfor nothwestern ing. When freshman a s k e d and LM about his alum of freshman ’07 Keith experiGoldner, ence at “EveryLM, juArt by Niklas Thompson/Staff one did nior Igor ice-breaker games like going around and Simic said, “They really just threw us telling two truths and a lie. I did think it was in there. Even on your first day of work real important having that initial group of you’re given a tour. Someone trains you kids you knew,” Goldner said. and ‘shows you the ropes’ but at LM it A little strange, isn’t it? Here they are, was different. Finally, someone tells you leaving their childhoods behind, off to chase to just go to the main gym for the first two down their futures, finally “adults”...enjoy- periods.” ing activities most of us were introduced to Personally, I remember being oh, so at sleep-away camp in sixth grade. But hey, excited about that important first day of there’s nothing wrong with that. Simon Says high school. Spoiled by the comfort of the was good fun at age nine; why not now? middle school environment, I admit that I For those who don’t share that view- expected an elaborate tour of the facilities point, there’s always Penn State. and a comprehensive assembly to tell us “We had ice cream socials to introduce clueless freshmen everything we needed to chemistry majors to each other, and other know. Turned out, my advisory sat in utter than that I can’t think of anything. It was also silence for our first 45 minutes in Lower pointless and I’ve never talked to any of them Merion before we were finally handed a
piece of paper with a locker combination. Junior Lauren Singer sums up what many of us were thinking back in the day:“I feel like the bus just dropped us off and we were left to figure the rest out.” Not everyone shares this sentiment, and even for those who do, in retrospect, maybe Lower Merion’s style isn’t so bad after all. The fact remains, in ninth grade, you’re not in middle school anymore, and perhaps the time has come to just figure some stuff out without step-by-step instructions from parents and teachers. Repeatedly walking up that lovely staircase that literally leads nowhere just might be a vital aspect of the freshman experience. Even so, this past year, LM started taking some steps to make sure ninth graders feel a little less lost. Said freshman Lauren Ritterband in regards to her advisory experience: “I guess it helps. Like on the first day of school, it makes it a lot easier.” Stupid as it may seem to us upper classmen, it might have been nice to have Connections Advisory (and maybe even a game of Simon Says) around during our freshman year. Either way, we all inevitably fumble our way through, figure some stuff out and eventually forget those first couple days. Besides, on the high school or collegiate level, “the most memorable things that happened early in the year didn’t happen at those [school organized] events,” says Terruso. Of course, it’s not every freshman that walks away from a bonding event with two round-trip tickets to anywhere in the U.S. or Caribbean. Alex Fleisher, congratulations on making LM proud.
Ask Mr. and Mrs. Merionite:
We tackle every issue you may or may not have
N. Persson/L.O. Johansson
Class of 20??
We all know high school is filled with drama. Fortunately for you confused adolescents, we’re supplying this handy-dandy advice column to help ease your pain. Our team of skilled anonymous advice professionals is here around the clock (or at least once a month) to solve your problems. Feel free to email any questions to wegivegreatadvice@gmail.com. This month we have Professional Advice Givers and lovefools Nina Persson and Lars-Olof Johansson.
Dear Mrs. Merionite, Senior year is starting off very stressful. I’m applying to 15 colleges and my mom said that’s too many schools. I’m applying to them because I’m really afraid I’m not going to get into any of them. This argument is splitting my house apart and all my friends think I’m crazy. How can I convince them that it’s okay to apply to this many schools? -Over-applied in the Old Building
need to narrow this list down to about - a happy mixture of safeties, reaches, and perfect matches. If you truly think each of those 15 schools were made for you, just think: can you really apply to that many schools? Think of all the essays you have to write! All in all, I wouldn’t worry about not getting in to any college. Odds are you’ll find at least one that loves you! -Mrs. Merionite
Dear Over-applied, 15 schools!? That IS crazy! I find it hard to believe that you have a list of 15 schools, all of which you can see yourself attending and really enjoying being apart of. Did you take a good, hard look at all those schools and fall in love with each and every one? I would be really skeptical of choosing a school of which you’ve only looked at the website and haven’t truly experienced (by visiting, talking to current students, etc). I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to side with your Mom on this one. You really
Dear Mr. Merionite, Lower Merion has been a smooth change from middle school for me except for one thing. My lab partner is so obnoxious! I don’t want to hurt her feelings, but my subtle hints that she isn’t funny don’t seem to be getting into her head. She calls out wrong answers all the time and makes it really difficult for me to learn. I can’t figure out what to do to make her calm down a little, and I need to focus! -Baffled in Bio
Dear Baffled, I completely understand your problem with the annoying lab partner. Though I’m a huge fan of telling people exactly how you feel, that might not be your most comfortable plan of attack. I would ask your teacher to move your seat; staying next to her might affect your grade, and no one wants that. If you do decide to tell her to chill out, I would do it when you guys are by yourself and not around other people. You don’t want to make a scene, just make her realize that sometimes she needs to be quiet. -Mr. Merionite
11
October 19, 2007
The Merionite
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Is “Gossip Girl” worth the gossip?
Hannah Weilbacher
Class of 2010
You know you have a guilty pleasure. Everyone has one, especially when it comes to TV shows. From “Hannah Montana” to “Flavor of Love,” everyone has that one show they love, but don’t love to tell people about. This season’s newest and hottest guilty pleasure is the new series “Gossip Girl.” But the question is, how guilty should we feel about absolutely loving this show? Should we bow our heads in shame when we feel moved by the intense soundtrack? Should we hide our faces when we get so wrapped up in Blair’s confusion about whether or not to love or hate Serena? Can we dare walk out of our houses when we feel sympathy for poor Serena, whose world is falling apart so much that she just might have to buy another pair of Jimmy Choo’s? No one can deny that this show is trashy. But that is why we love it. The fights, hook-ups, scandals, and surprises never cease to leave us hanging on the edge of our couch, waiting for the next commercial break when we can call our friends to discuss the latest development in Serena and Blair’s relationship. We are engulfed by the glamorous life that these teens live. We almost wish we could live that life! Okay, maybe not almost. We do. The fast paced city life is intoxicating. The uber-attractive cast (why is everyone in New York City so hot?!) is one that we cannot forget, as we write “Mrs. Penn Badgley” all over our notebooks, or stare in the mirror thinking, W.W.S.D.—What
Ethan Cohen
Would Serena Do? First, there’s creepy Chuck, who can’t seem to take a hint, or realize that girls just do not like to be taken advantage of. Then there is the gorgeous, quite unpleasant Blair—over privileged, slightly rude, and all together fabulous. What we wouldn’t give for her wardrobe. There is also the sweet and innocent freshman, Jenny, and her hottie brother, Dan, who is just a smart guy trying hard to fit in with the rich kids. And Nate, Blair’s boyfriend who had a little too much fun with Serena before she randomly reformed, vowing to give up her vices upon her return from boarding school. At least for now she is clean. And of course, there is our faceless narrator, the Gossip Girl, with her “whatever” attitude, touch of sass, and contentment in knowing that no one could survive without her. How she remains anonymous is a mystery to me—she seems to be everywhere and nowhere at the same time. But what ever happens, you know you love her. Sure, there’s not too much character development. So what if the scandals are a teensy bit cliché? Some parts are dumb, and some are cheesy, but we know that no matter what, we can’t get enough. We will learn to forgive the gang for their mistakes, because we love them that much. Hands down, no questions asked. Throw together drama, romance, secrets, catfights, and sleaze, and you’ve got one hot guilty pleasure we will forever be addicted to. “Gossip Girl”—too trashy or just trashy enough? I think we all know the answer.
All Joel’s loving for “Across the Universe”
Joel Rosen
which showcase the era, The Beatles, and other musicians of that period. The film does Having loved the cinematic brilliance of not only use the style of The Beatles, but “Pink Floyd’s: The Wall” and “The Who’s some other classic greats, with clear charTommy,” I walked into the theater optimis- acter references to Jimi Hendrix and Janis tic and with an open mind, excited to see the Joplin. Beatles’ rock opera. Jim Sturgess plays the lead role of Jude, When I heard the movie’s first song, the an English worker who comes to the United ballad “Girl,” I was shocked yet pleased to States to find his long lost father. His father find that the film’s soundtrack consisted sole- is a janitor at Princeton University, where he ly of cover songs. While nothing will ever also meets Max. After introducing Jude to his replace The Beatles’ versions, the cast’s ver- sister Lucy, Max quickly decides to change sions of the songs, feahis life and move to turing musical cameos New York. by Bono, Joe Cocker, They all get swept Eddie Izzard and others, up in the culture and were truly spectacular. atmosphere of music The mind-expandand art with their new ing shots and beautiroommates, Prudence, fully executed drug-inSadie, and JoJo. When duced trips make this Lucy goes to New York either off-putting or for the summer to live amazing—depending with them, Jude and on your view. Lucy’s love flourishes. In my opinion, the Unfortunately, Max acid trips add to the feel is then drafted to fight of the era, almost putin Vietnam, and Lucy ting you in the 1960s. joins the uprising of Photo courtesy movies.about.com Granted, the scenes get peace protests. The Wood and Sturgess play lovers Jude stranger and stranger as and Lucy in “Across the Universe”. times change and so do the drugs progress, but each of the characters, those were the times they lived in. as they test their personal boundaries and One of the greatest feelings this film has live the life of drugs, music, and free love. to offer is the feeling of being included in the An absolutely amazing film—I got home creativity. I felt compelled to smile and sing and downloaded the soundtrack immedialong, quietly of course, when I recognized a ately. I honestly had chills about half of the song, something that has never happened to movie. me in a movie before. It is definitely one to see... with an open There are dozens of creative subtleties mind. Class of 2008
Radioheadenomics
They are also known for rebelling against the norm when it comes to the muWith the release of their new album, sic business. When they had their tour in “In Rainbows”, Radiohead is continuing a the summer of 2006, they could have eastradition of nonconformity. ily sold out all 19,900 seats of the Tweeter Radiohead are pioneers in their music Center. Instead they chose to play small and takes it wherever they want to go. theaters like the Tower Theater in Upper Nothing constrains them. They play by Darby, which holds only 3,119 people. feel and solely by feel. Front man Thom With the announcement of their new Yorke especially likes sitting at a piano album, Radiohead has once again ignored with his back to the audience singing to the business norm and decided to play it a video camera, projecting his face to the by ear. Known for being an especially audience. Radiohead does not take into computer savvy band—Yorke’s 2006 account how the public will view them; solo album, “The Eraser”, consisted of yet this always seems to result in the pub- mostly beats from a laptop—Radiohead lic looking highly upon them. has decided to take advantage of the internet frenzy. Their new album, “In Rainbows”, is available in two formats sold solely through the band website. One format is a box set, including two vinyl albums, a book, bonus downloadable tracks, and two CD’s, and costs 40 euros, about 55 dollars. The second format, which is where the whacky Radioheadenomics kick in, is just the album which fans can download for whatever price they choose. That’s right. Legally, Photo Courtesy of www.axetopia.com the album can be bought Radiohead’s new album, “In Rainbows,” will be avail- for one cent or one milable solely through their website and has no set price. lion dollars. This brings Class of 2009
up the question—Why on earth would they do that? Won’t they lose immense amounts of money? I must say I doubt it. This business technique may very well be genius. First of all, Radiohead has a young fan base. Younger crowds are more familiar with computers and they know how to get music for free. If an album costs 20 dollars, there are a lot of fans that will save the trip to the store, and the 20 dollars, and just download that baby at home. The fact that In Rainbows is much cheaper than 20 dollars, potentially 20 dollars cheaper, and is purchasable from home will result in higher numbers of young people buying it. Another reason this will result in less illegal downloads is an issue of ethics. A popular defense of illegal downloading is that downloading music for free is not hurting the bands; it is hurting the big wig recording corporations. Now that the album is available directly from the band, the listener can trust that their money will be going to good hands. This technique is genius because the band will gain so much publicity that whatever money is lost in record sales, if money is lost at all, will be regained by ticket sales for their next show. If the album is free, chances are more people will listen to it, or at least give it a chance. Also, the publicity that has resulted from this new business technique will result in many more people hearing about the band. Curiosity can take it from there. The record was announced on October 1, and that afternoon there was already a story
about it on National Public Radio. Radiohead will not suffer losses from the new sales technique for the same reason that Trader Joe’s can sell such delicious food so cheaply: they successfully cut out the middleman. Radiohead will be reaping one hundred percent of the benefits from this album. Even if the average person buys the album for 50 cents, this will not be significantly less than what the band would make if they were being released by Sony Records or on iTunes. Now that we have come to the conclusion that this was certainly a good business idea, the final question is raised: how much should you pay them? They are wealthy beyond your imagination. They could sell out the Tweeter Center for multiple nights. They do not need the money. Still, would it be right to enjoy their art for free? So what if they have a lot of money? That doesn’t justify ripping them off! Or does it? Or are they asking to be ripped off? Do they know that all these questions will be going through your head? Ultimately the choice is yours. That is the beauty of this strategy. You could potentially learn a lot about yourself based on how much you pay. Their new business technique could result in a personal realization or awakening. You know for a fact that they do not care what you pay. That is why they did this. Or is this a survey of the generosity of human kind? If so, surely it is a skewed test because people are much less likely to give their money to rich people. Or are they? Only you will know how much you paid. The choice is yours.
12
October 19, 2007
The Merionite Jon Blistein
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
My first democracy An A&E Commentary
Class of 2008
I watch way too much TV. I don’t necessarily think that that’s a bad thing, considering how much quality programming there is these days. Personally, I’m partial to sitcoms and dramas, and I’m usually indifferent towards any reality show that’s not on VH1. But this year, CBS has introduced quite possibly the single greatest reality program ever that doesn’t involve Flava Flav—“Kid Nation.” “Kid Nation” is the harrowing journey of 40 kids in an abandoned New Mexico town who have to band together and create a functioning society in 40 days. Think Lord of the Flies but more adorable and less gruesome. With the kids divided into four districts—green, blue, red, and yellow—and a town council to help make decisions, “Kid Nation” is much more than a normal reality competition—it’s the ultimate democratic experiment. Now, there is some criticism surrounding “Kid Nation.” Negative Nancy’s, such as child labor activists, say that the show is exploiting children (which it is) in order to make a quick buck (which it has), and that someone will get hurt (which will most likely happen... keep watching to see when!). Admittedly, the show’s producers did choose New Mexico because of its lax child labor laws, but looking at the over-
all picture, that’s completely beside the point. When you stop looking at the child exploitation aspect of the show, the merit of “Kid Nation” becomes apparent quite quickly. The overall purpose of the show is, of course, to create a working democratic society—a task that many different nations have struggled with for years. Although the kids only have 40 days to complete a task that usually takes decades, the show is set up to challenge the kids to create an effective system and make intelligent decisions. To start, the aforementioned town council essentially acts as the leaders, with one member from each district serving as a representative for their team. The council is responsible for listening to the kids and making decisions that will benefit the town as a whole. These decisions range from whether or not to kill a chicken for protein (which one really annoying nine year-old protested by locking herself in a chicken coop) or which prize to choose if all the districts finish the major challenge. This brings us to the other major aspect of “Kid Nation”—the challenges. Like any reality show, the kids must compete in absurd challenges for great prizes. The catch, however, is that one prize could help the town in the long run, while the other either provides short term enjoyment or has no real value to the town as a whole. The town council is then responsible for
choosing one of the prizes, which brings up a major dilemma that every representative democracy deals with: do they listen to the general public, or take the Burkean route, and choose what they think is best. In a recent episode, the council, much to the dismay of the other kids, chose a microwave for the kitchen, instead of 40 pizzas. As a result of Photo Courtesy of www.cbs5.com their decisions, the Democracy in action! The kids in Kid Nation work with town council, like the town council to create a functioning society. in any democracy, becomes subject to the wrath of the citi- ding democracy faces. zens and faces possible recall elections. Finally, “Kid Nation” offers hope. If, For example, Taylor, the adorable, yet by the end of season, these kids are able to completely incompetent, nine-year-old create a relatively effective and efficient on the council, was criticized heavily for society, maybe, just maybe, there can be not working hard enough and not serving a working democracy in Iraq or any other the town’s best interest, which led to the country. cutest breakdown ever. While she wasn’t They say that kids are the future, and forced to give up her position, her fear of “Kid Nation” is creating a new breed of being booted from the town council mir- children who understand the importance rored practically every politician’s fear of of creating an effective government. losing his or her office. Because if children are capable of runThus, “Kid Nation” perfectly illustrates ning their own government, there’s no the concept of a representative democracy reason that adults, who act like children, and reflects the challenges that every bud- can’t do the same.
Find your way to new shows on Broadway
Emily Sorensen
Class of 2010
in July, and “Tarzan” closed after it flopped. Based on the classic Disney Theater-goers have a variety of new movie, “The Little Mermaid” will star shows to look forward to on Broadway Sierra Boggess as Ariel and Sherie Rene this year. From multi-million dollar Scott as Ursula, the sea witch. Wellmusicals to one-man shows, the Broad- known songs from the movie, like “Unway season of ‘07-08 promises to be an der the Sea,” will be included, along exciting one. with more than twenty additional numThe first large-scale production will bers. be Mel Brooks’ musical “Young FranAfter a sold-out run last year, “How kenstein,” based on the 1974 film of the the Grinch Stole Christmas,” a musisame name. Tickets are expected to be cal based on the Dr. Seuss story, will in high demand, following Mel Brooks’ return for the holiday season. It stars wildly successful “The Producers.” the same principal cast as last year, with According to the official site, “Young Patrick Page as the Grinch. Extremely Frankenstein” follows the story of Dr. kid-friendly, it ignores the usual BroadFrankenway schedule and plays 15 stein while shows per week instead of he tries eight, and features show to bring a times throughout the day corpse to so kids will not be kept up life. He late. succeeds In addition to musiwith the cals, many plays head to help of Broadway this season. “A some very Bronx Tale” is a one-man interesting show that tells the tale of characters, a boy’s rough childhood in Photo Courtesy of www.playbill.com the 1960s. It stars Chazz and with “scary and Sutton Foster, Roger Bart, and others sing Palminteri as all eighteen and dance in the new musical “Young characters. From London quite often Frankenstein.” hilarious comes the Irish drama, complications.” The star-studded cast “The Seafarer,” about Ireland, the sea, includes Roger Bart (“You’re a Good and the power of myth. Man, Charlie Brown”), Sutton Foster “Is He Dead?” is David Ives’ adapta(“Thoroughly Modern Millie”), Megan tion of a Mark Twain play. Ives’ name Mullally (Karen from “Will and Grace”), should be familiar to Players—he wrote and Shuler Hensley (“Tarzan”). last year’s comedy, “All In the Timing.” “The Little Mermaid” opens in late According to entertainment-link.com, November. It represents Disney’s latest the producers say that “Is He Dead?” Broadway extravaganza, after “Beau- “is a fast-paced play about a struggling ty and the Beast’s” 13-year run ended artist who stages his own death to drive
up the price of his paintings.” The play “Cyrano de Bergerac” is coming back to Broadway for the first time since 1984 for a limited run, starring Kevin Kline and Jennifer Garner. Playbill.com quoted the producers describing “Cyrano de Bergerac” as “a classic tale of romance and tragedy.” The title character, played by Kline, is a brilliant swordsman and poet, but has
Sophia Hirsch
that famous large nose. He loves Roxane (Garner), who has chosen the handsome, though dim, Christian de Neuvillette instead. Cyrano tries to help Christian by writing verses for him to give to Roxane, and complications ensue. These shows are just a small taste of the new shows in store for Broadway this coming season.
Cheap TKTS Class of 2009
Have you ever really wanted to see a Broadway show, and been appalled by the high prices? You aren’t alone. With tickets often costing over $100, Broadway isn’t exactly affordable for most LMers. Luckily for theater lovers, there are plenty of ways for students to buy tickets for less. If you want to buy tickets in advance, websites such as www.broadwaybox.com, www.seasonofsavings. com, and www.broadway.com boast Broadway tickets for 35-55% off original ticket prices. Sure, these seats usually have slightly obstructed views, but seeing the show from a weird angle is better than not seeing it at all. For those of you who decide at the last minute to see a play, you can buy tickets for almost all shows on the day of the show. Except for the most popular productions, half price tickets are available at TKTS booths at the South Street Seaport and in Times
Square; the lines open at 4 pm. The seats are either hit or miss; you can get great seats, or ones in the top row of the mezzanine. In addition, most shows have student rush and standing room only options. On the day of the performance you want to attend, anyone with a student ID can go to a particular show’s box office in the morning, and wait in line for a ticket. Although the box offices open at 10 am, for some popular shows you will need to be in line by 7 am or you probably won’t get the tickets. Some shows reserve great seats for rushers, while others have partial view seats, and others only have standing room options. A few popular shows have lottery rushes, in which people can submit their names, and a limited number of names are drawn for the available seats. For all of these rush seats, tickets rarely cost more than $35. Although the seats aren’t always the best, there are plenty of affordable ways to buy Broadway tickets.
13
October 19, 2007
The Merionite
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Sam Van’s Idol journey
Samantha van Adelsberg
Class of 2008
Most LM students have probably seen a few episodes of “American Idol.” From viewing the show, you would think that it is easy to show up at “Idol” auditions. Just looking at the people who walk in, they seem totally regular (or irregular depending on their voice), like they all woke up one morning thought, “Hey, why don’t I audition for ‘American Idol’ today?” Although you might think that, it is really not the case. Take it from someone who auditioned. Take it from someone who stood in line for twelve hours on the audition date alone (registration is a whole separate party – add about 5 more hours to the current twelve). Believe me, there is a lot of work involved; auditioning for American Idol is not as simple as it looks on TV, but what began as a risky and somewhat lame reality show audition, ended up being my best audition yet. My “American Idol” adventure began at 6:50 a.m. on August 25 when my dad and I waited in the Wachovia Center parking lot for about 5 and half hoursand that was just registration! After registering, I was given a blue “auditioning” wristband. I was told I had to prepare two songs for the audition, and that the process would take the entire day. So at 4:30 am on August 27, my mom and
Maddie Bailis
I drove up to the Wachovia Center to wait 3 and a half hours for the gates to open at 8 am. We were amongst twenty thousand other “American Idol” hopefuls. Finally, when the gates opened, we were herded into the Wachovia arena, overflowing with wanna-be contenders. I quickly discovered that you do not immediately audition in front of Randy, Paula, and Simon. First, you have to go through three rounds of producers. Ryan Seacrest arrived about 2 hours later, and he was filmed in the middle of the arena saying things like, “Twenty thousand people are auditioning today, the biggest number of hopefuls in Idol history!” and “American Idol starts in Philadelphia!” When the camera crew finished taping Ryan’s lines, the auditioning process began: seventeen tables were set up in the middle of the arena with curtains between them. Two chairs were set up behind each table. Soon, groups of 4 people lined up in front of the tables to sing for 2 “judges,” who were really producers, executive producers, and music directors connected to the show. I am now lucky enough to say I have heard every belt and trill imaginable. And every possible rendition of “Come What May” from the movie “Moulin Rouge.” Twelve hours later, as the arena emptied, it was finally my turn to audition! I was 10 seconds into my song, when the judge cut me off and beckoned our group
of 4 people toward her. “Thank you so much for coming down today,” she said with a sad smile, “But you’re not what we’re looking for. Please exit through the door on your left.” I have to say, I wasn’t that disappointed I didn’t make the cut—after all, in the first four hundred people to audition, only 1 person received a “Golden Ticket” to advance to the next round. Photo Courtesy of Sam van Adelsberg What I learned from this experience is that On August 27, 20,000 auditioned for American Idol at the Wachovia Center if you do not make good TV, you will not ets” and held them up to the crowd, the be considered to advance to the next level whole stadium applauded and cheered. It where you audition for Simon, Paula, and was comforting to see how genuine and Randy. I noticed that most of the people happy everyone in the crowd was when who received “Golden Tickets” were someone advanced to the next level. wearing funky costumes or doing ridicuDespite the fact that I waited for sevlous dances. In fact, from what I could enteen hours altogether, the “American hear, most people who were turned away Idol” auditions were an incredible expewere very gifted singers! rience and I’m glad I went through the Another thing I learned was that Philly process. Now I have another audition unreally is the City of Brotherly Love. As der my belt! hopefuls received their “Golden TickAnd hey, there’s always next year.
Stylin’ Out with Maddie Bailis
Class of 2009
As the seasons change, so does your wardrobe. Stumped on what to do with your floral bohemian sundresses from July? Tuck them away for next summer along with anything with fringe, ironic tee-shirts, Bermuda shorts, and flip flops. It’s time to move on. I have your ultimate fall fashion guide from head to toe. The fall runways were covered in tinsel, technicolor hues, and chunky
knits; these trends might seem overwhelming all together, but you can find a way to make them work. Metallic is key for fall, but don’t buy those American Apparel lamé leggings just yet. A little shine goes a long way, so use it sparingly. Try a simple black tunic or jumper and tie the waist with a gold belt, or top it off with a silver headband. If you are daring and want to really take this trend for a spin, be careful. You don’t want a metal detector to pick you up, right? Wear the
metallic leggings with a pair of black boots, and a dark skirt or dress and you will be ready for a chic school look. When wearing bright colors, try not to look like Rainbow Brite. To avoid the 80’s television cartoon look, just wear one vivid hue at a time with toned down darks. Another big trend for fall is stocky knits, but read on before raiding your grandmother’s sweater drawer. The thick knits should be worn with a denim skirt, skinny jeans, or leggings. Don’t go for holiday themed sweaters circa 1994 worn by your third grade music teacher; instead, search for charcoal, mustard, and raspberry when trying to find the perfect color in knitwear. An outfit is not complete without the proper footwear and accessories. A key piece of footwear this season is the bootie, a short-heeled ankle boot that averages around three inches in height. Don’t try making it up to the third floor in these because you might end up in a different type of bootie— a medical one. Heels are not meant for school, and if you want to get some height don’t go past the two inch mark; save the sky high heels for after school or weekends. Flat boots are big this fall and everything from riding to slouchy is in, but stay away from faux sneaker and fur. Three words for leg wear this fall— tights, tights, and more tights. Leg wear is a great way to make a look yours, and this fall tights come in all sorts of colors and prints, so go all out with these.
Jewelry this fall is very geometric. A piece of advice for trendy jewelry: it will most likely only be in style for one or two seasons at most, so don’t blow your budget on it. Wearing too much jewelry is a common mistake, so limit yourself to just bold earrings, instead of wearing a necklace that matches along with it. Handbags for fall are all exotic; crocodile and python are the “it” skins this season, but carry a hefty price tag. Instead of shelling out the price of a used 1990 Honda Accord, truck on over to Urban Outfitters to find an off the runway croc embossed satchel. This fall is all about a polished look, taking simple pieces and adding pizzazz with these seasons’ trends. You don’t need a new wardrobe, just some sprucing up with key pieces for fall. If you follow these hints and tricks for the season you will have no problem with looking like you walked out of the October issue of Teen Vogue.
14
October 19, 2007
The Merionite
Field hockey makes gains over last season Ethan Goldstein
Class of 2010
Overcoming obstacles for the Varsity Field Hockey Team has been a difficult task. Even for an experienced team with twelve returning seniors, nine juniors, and three sophomores, this resilient group has had to fight its way through the Central League division to achieve the big goal it set at the beginning of the season—post-season play. In addition, the team lost several key players from last season, including KK Carney, Grace Ginn, and Aubrey Mcdevitt. Despite injuries and losses to graduation, the field hockey team has managed to remain close knit and determined. “Overall, we’re a very strong, experienced team,” said senior captain Allie Weber. “We have great chemistry off the field and I see that translating on the field as well.” Add to that camaraderie the new additions to the team, including sophomore starting goalie Christina Mazzanobile, as well as consistently strong leadership from co-captains Webber, Liz Garrity, and Sarah Odorisio, and this team has the ingredients for success. In response to the team injuries,
players have filled in where needed and have stepped up their play to make up for the lost teamates. This year’s team has a new lineup that helps the players more effectively back each other up. The formation has helped them to victories over Central League rivals Upper Darby and Garnet Valley. After a tough 2-1 loss to West Chester Henderson High School in their first game, the girls came back in their next game with a win against Academy Park High School, 40. In the following game against Springside, defensive back junior Jaime Levy, a key player for the team, scored the lone penalty shot of the season, and helped the Aces to a 2-1 victory. The team, though, suffered a tough 3-2 overtime loss against Marple Newtown. “This season we’ve been building on last year’s momentum to improve our record,” said senior captain Garrity. Last year, the girls finished one game away from .500, and failed to reach the postseason. Yet the Aces surge at the end of last season has been contagious. With the playoffs in sight, the team has been working hard. The girls’ final regular season game against Penncrest on October 16 just may not be the Aces last game of the season.
Photos by Jodie Eichel/Staff
The Girls Field Hockey team had their senior day on Saturday October 13, on Maroon and White Day. They lost to Springfield 2-1. Seniors included: Liz Garrity, Sarah Odorisio, Allie Webber, Ruthie Solomon, Molly Gindin, Maddie Silber, Catherine Sullivan, Tess Sullivan, Marly Pillion, Lauren Scannapieco, and Vicky Molieri
From Tennis, page 15
work as a team player rather than just a singles player. I will always remember my LM Varsity tennis career.” It’s too soon to think about next year, but Liu knows it will be challenging to compete when you lose three seniors, including captain and number one singles player, Roth. “We will have an amazing team next year,” Liu said. “But the seniors this year [Olivia Mellman and Joey Butler] will be hard to replace.” For Roth, who plans to play tennis in college, she is only looking to the next match. Although don’t be surprised if it is tinged with a little emotion, even a few tears. “There is no doubt in my mind that the girls will keep the LM tennis legacy going,” Roth said. “After I graduate, I know that the girls will be successful. They’re determined and they know how to motivate each other. If all goes well, I am sure they will do well at Central leagues, Districts and hopefully even States.”
SPORTS
A brief look at the stories you may have missed in LM athletics
Girls Volleyball faces uphill battle From the start of the season the girls volleyball team was aware of the impediments it would have to overcome. With a paucity of players as well as a difficult schedule, the road to success would not be an easy one. Despite amassing a mediocre 2-10 record, the team has demonstrated continual commitment and enthusiasm, which have led to its improvement and maturity. A talented slew of players led by seniors Megan Gallagher, Natalie Gay, and Molly Engel have been instrumental to the team’s growth with their invaluable leadership and experience. The Aces garnered its two wins against Harriton and Marple Newton, while losing key games to powerhouses Ridley and Conestoga. Regardless of the team’s record, Coach Andrew Magner insists that this was a strong group of girls: “[This is] my favorite team that I’ve coached in seven seasons. They are a great group of girls.” Girls Soccer loses league championship but hopeful for distcits Despite losing several players to graduation, the girls soccer team came into the season looking to defend its 2006 Central League championship. But with tough losses against rivals Strath Haven, Radnor, and Conestoga its goal of consecutive titles seems unattainable. An 11-4 record, however, will most likely qualify them for a spot in Districts. Led by captains, junior Hannah Chamoun and seniors Ileana Betancourt and Lauren Bernstein, this year’s team thrives on an unyielding defense and a fast-paced attack. The intensive practice regiment implemented by Coach Kevin Ries allows the team to maintain its poise during grueling 80-minute games. These strengths helped the lady Aces in crucial wins against Episcopal, Harriton, and Ridley. They have also received consideration from the Southeastern Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association as one of the top teams in the area. Although the girls failed to win the much-desired league crown, with Districts in sight the team is not giving up hope. Compiled by the Sports Staff
15
October 19, 2007
SPORTS
The Merionite
G. tennis: 9 consecutive titles and looking toward states
Jodie Eichel
Class of 2008
It is a sports story that we are all used to reading. Lower Merion Girls tennis defeated Radnor, 7-0, to earn its ninth consecutive Central League title. The Aces got a win in second singles from Devi Jadeja, who defeated Olesya Kuchman, 7-5, 6-3. And it was Radnor’s first loss. Two weeks later, in the league doubles championships at the Healthplex, the top-seeded team of Lower Merion’s Kristen Roth and Jadeja earned the title with a 6-1, 6-0 win over Conestoga’s Kit Klinger and Jen Ciotti. Nine consecutive league titles is a remarkable feat. But perhaps this one comes tinged with a little bitterness. While the Aces steam rolled through the Central League with a 10 – 0 record, they lossed to nearby Harriton, 5-2, just a few days after capturing the league
crown. It represented the first regular-season defeat for the Aces in four seasons. The key win for the Rams came at third singles when Jen Krain defeated Yuxin Liu, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2. The Aces fell to 12-1, their first loss since being eliminated in the PIAA state team semifinals against Peters Township. To make matters worse, cross-town rivals Harriton continue to be on an incredible 30match winning streak and lots of attention from local media. “The loss to Harriton was very tough,” said Junior Yuxin Liu. “We haven’t lost to them in about seven years and that ruined our undefeated season. We won the central league championship the day before by beating Radnor and everyone was very excited for another victory over Harriton. We couldn’t pull it off but we’re trying to get over the loss and focus more on our upcoming districts matches.”
The Aces, though, have enough experience to understand that one of the keys to a successful championship team is to learn from a loss, get beyond it emotionally and beat the next opponent. For districts, the team will be reduced to a three singles and two doubles format. The goal, said Liu, is to focus and win it one point at a time. If the Aces are successful, the success at districts will mean a 9th consecutive championship. That’s exactly what happened—a 9th consecutive league doubles championship. Now it is on to States on October 26 and the State Doubles Championship on Nov. 2-3. This must seem like a long series of reruns for senior Kristen Roth, who is about to end her incredible four-year varsity stint on what she hopes will be the state doubles championship. “It has been remarkable,” said Roth. “Looking back, I honestly
can’t believe this will be my last month of high school tennis. I will never forget my teammates in the past few years and the friendships I’ve made. The matches, the gold medals, the tournaments, the sweaty hugs, the sobs of defeat and
finished in recent years. With a multitude of tournaments against elite opponents, the golf team needed a strong preseason. During the off-season, it was necessary for the team to revitalize its swing and other major golfing skills. They practiced putting, chipping, and played minigames with a PGA professional at McCall field in Upper Darby. During the regular season, matches consisted of eight players per team playing individual nine-hole games. At the end, the top five scores for each team are added together and the best score wins. “We match up pretty well against other teams,” says Chou. Lately a sudden streak of wins for the golf team can be credited to their top four players, seniors Stake and Chou, and sophomores Ian Bellah and Greg Jarmas. Other players have made substantial improvements as
well. As junior Seth Pollack added, “We work well together and we play well together.” The golf team does face one big problem: consistency. Whatever the day is, the four main players are capable of controlling the outcome of the game. Another problem is that some of their best players are seniors, which means that some of the younger players will have to “step it up.” There have been some high points for the team: Greg Jarmas made it to districts for the second year in a row. Plus this was Coach Dawson’s best record as a coach, 9-5 in the Central League. But just like any team, these golfers took care of the matches against weak teams, and came up a little short against some of the top Central League teams. Next year, the magic word will be consistency.
then the tears of joy... it has truly been amazing. I really thank all of the girls for making these years unbelievable. Playing tennis is a great experience, but playing on a team is unforgettable. I learned to
See Tennis, page 14
Maroon and White Day
Golfers determined to find more consistency
Itai Doron/Jodie Eichel
Class of 2009/2008
Despite playing in the most competitive conference in the state, the Aces golf team remained optimistic about their chances to clinch a spot in the post-season. With a strong returning core of players the Aces are ready to forge ahead. Senior co-captain Seth Stake illustrates the team’s confidence. “Golf is about the feel,” he said. The LM golf team this year may have “the feel.” The team, coached by Peter Dawson, has a 4-3 record. They have played tough against such powerhouse teams as Conestoga and Radnor. “They are doing better than they ever have since I started playing here four years ago,” said senior co-captain Dylan Chou. This team, says Chou, is united and hopes to place third in the Central League this year, the best they’ve
Photos by Jodie Eichel/Staff
Hannah Newman sets up to score against Agnes Irwin during the Aces’ 6-1 victory. Sam Golden runs with the ball during a punt return.
Sports: Highlight:
Varsity Soccer Basketball Lacrosse Bowl-O-Rama 2007
Sports:
Junior
Senior
Dylan Chou
Eric Stahler
Freshman
Sophomore
Sarah Spector
Caroline Meehan
Faces of the Aces
The best athletes that LM has to offer
Varsity Field Hockey Track
Sports:
Varsity Soccer Varisty Basketball
Hobbies: Favorite Scary Movie:
Highlight: Counting pinnies, sleeping Hobbies: at The Far Post, running Aces Races, and being a team leader Favorite Scary Disturbia Movie:
Starting out the season with a win Hanging out with friends, running
Highlight: Hobbies:
Winning Central League at home Eating, sleeping, playin sports
The Ring
Favorite Scary Movie:
Quote:
“Dear diary...it finally happened!” -Mr. Feeney
“Champions keep playing until they get it right.”
Quote:
Quote:
Disturbia “You have to expect things of yourself before you cand do them”
Sports:
Highlight: Hobbies:
Lieb at CL Championships Gardening, Collecting Rocks, Buying New Suits
Favorite Scary Movie: Quote:
Varsity Golf Varsity Lacrosse
Disturbia
“He who laughs last thinks last.”
16
October 19, 2007
Volume 79, Issue 2
SPORTS
The Merionite
Boys and girls cross country teams: improved times, improved seasons
Girls X-Country sprints to the finish
Xinran Wang
Class of 2010
When their top seven runners finished their very first race at a faster time than last year’s third best runner clocked all season, girls Cross Country knew they had a great team. Now with a record of 5-2, the team, led by senior captains Esther Baranov, Chrissy Kempf, and Paula Barg, is looking to improve upon last year’s record and challenge Radnor and Haverford as one of the best teams in the Central League. “We have a lot more potential to beat some of the Central League teams that we have not even come close to in the past,” said Baranov. “We’re definitely up there.” Last year, with a team composed of mostly seniors, the girls’ team had high expectations. However, at the end of the season, the team finished only fifth in the Central League. Thus going into the off-season, with seven seniors leaving, it figured to be an uphill battle. “Coach Anderson and the captains had no idea what the team would be like going into the season,” admitted Kempf. But with determined summer and preseason training, the girls have surprised everyone, including themselves, with a great start. In the off-season, Coach Dermot Anderson worked with the team and switched its training routine. The change has vastly improved the Ace’s overall conditioning. “Last year we focused on distance and mileage, but this year we have a variety of workouts. We alternate between hill workouts, speed intervals, and long runs,” said Kempf. All of their intense training is finally paying off as the team is rising to the top of the standings. Through seven meets, they have defeated Penncreast, Marple Newtown, Ridely, Conestoga, Springfield, Great Valley, and Upper Darby. And on September 30, they placed second out of 17 other schools at the Bull Run Invitational, one of
the toughest courses on their schedule. Junior Cara Piccoli led the way, placing fourth out of more than 120 other runners with a time of 21:10. “She [Piccoli] has been running at the front of every meet this year, which has given our pack a chance to win each meet,” said Anderson . It has not been an easy ride to the top, in part due to the influx of freshmen on the team. But to everyone’s surprise, many of the new team members have really stepped up and exceeded expectations. Julie and Frances Loeb, who recently transferred to LM from California, already made the varsity seven and broken the 22minute mark, a very impressive achievement. Though the team was forced to fill its top spots, captains Baranov, Barg, and Kempf realized that the seniors from last year really left them with strong team chemistry and spirit. “The spirit and encouragement from last year stays with us. They really pulled the team together, and the closer we are as a team the stronger we race as a team,” said Baranov. Barg also noted how important team chemistry has been for the team to succeed: “I truly believe our team is doing so well because we are all there for each other; our team has become really close.” The new senior captains have demonstrated great leadership. Team bonding has improved everyone’s focus. Having a great mental approach to the sport and a positive attitude going into each race have been really important for all the team members. They are able to cheer each other on and feed off of each other’s energy. And now with its increased optimism and energy, the lady Aces have a legitimate shot at competing with other top teams in pursuit of the league championship. In the next few weeks, the team will be tested with much anticipated matchups against Strath Haven, Garnet Valley , Upper Darby, and Harriton.
Boys cross country on pace for state run
Elliot Elbaum
Class of 2011
Cross country may not be as well known as some of the other fall sports such as soccer and football, but that doesn’t bother LM runners. These athletes take on an incredibly grueling 3.1 mile race through various terrains such as hills, long grass, and mud in every meet. During a race, there are no time outs or breaks of any kind, as Coach Megan Capewell says, “It is all you, 100 percent.” Do the runners get homework? No, that’s not a stupid question. But according to Coach Capewell they do. “Our team actually has tons of homework, mostly revolving around eating healthy, sleeping enough, keeping track of pain and running weeks, learning to manage the stress of everyday things, and, of course, putting in solid summers filled with mileage.” Everyone on the team will have to do their “homework” during the month of October for the upcoming Central League and District 1 Championships. Coach Capewell, in her fourth year of coaching, is optimistic about the current season. “Compared to last year, we are actually a much stronger team overall,” she said. It also doesn’t concern her that the team lost talented runners such as David Spandorfer and Richie LeDonne to graduation last year. She is confident that this year’s team has what it takes to win. “I think this surprised many people, considering we lost some incredible seniors to graduation last year,” she
said. “The team has definitely hit a new level of performance, cohesiveness, and focus this year.” The Aces have many strong returning upperclassmen: senior Andrew Switkay, juniors Ben Furcht, Neal Berman, Harry Winkler, Andrew LeDonne, and sophomore Chris Baumohl. But the team also has a strong contingent of underclassmen consisting of 13 new freshmen. “We lost a lot of seniors to graduation which has had a big affect, but there is still a lot of team unity and camaraderie,” said Furcht. The depth of the team was visible when it competed in the Manhattan Invitational on October 13. The team garnered more than twenty medals, headlined by the 5th place finish by the Varsity seven, who beat top runners from the New York and New Jersey area. This impressive output illustrated the high-quality play that has been integral to this year’s successful team. “I am very proud of the fact that we can run with top teams. We’ve been working very hard and so far the season has been a huge success,” said Furcht. Despite playing in a very competitive league, the Aces still have high expectations. “The Central League is one of the strongest leagues in the state,” Capewell said. “Currently there are three teams expecting to advance to the State Championships, so we are proud of the competition level within our league.” She added: “We have big goals this year and we plan to achieve them. This team is afraid of no one.”
Boys soccer captures league title Lex Carlin
Class of 2008
Entering the season, the boys soccer team had very high expectations for themselves. Last season the boys placed second in the Central League with a record of 9-1 behind eventual league champs Strath Haven. This year the tables have turned, as the boys were crowned Central League champions after a recent 2-1 win over Haverford High, capping a season marked by an undefeated league record. As of now the team’s only loss came at the hands of West Chester Henderson in a 2-1 overtime heartbreaker, shattering their hopes for an undefeated season. Despite this loss the Aces achieved a major accomplishment by beating
Strath Haven, once again in overtime by a score of 3-2, for the first time in several years. Recently the team lost three pivotal players who are currently serving a twoweek team suspension for an unspecified out of school incident. In spite of this loss the boys showed their depth and their cohesiveness with a 2-0 win against Conestoga under the lights on their home turf. Last week on a damp, overcast afternoon the boys hosted Haverford High School in was to be the most important game of the season to date. On the line was not just their undefeated league record but with a win they could clinch the league title. Sophomore Julien Aoyama scored the only goal of the first half. In the second half Haverford netted a goal
of their own, but it was senior Johnny Fleisher who scored the team’s second and game winning goal. With the win the boys capped off their undefeated league season and were crowned the 2007 Central League Champions. “I believe winning the Central League is a real great achievement for any team, and am happy that we as a team did it. After coming in 3rd and 2nd in the past 2 years it felt great finally taking the league, especially in the fashion that we did. With all the injuries and events that happened this season, the kids on the team really stepped up to the occasion and didn’t ask questions and believed. I feel like that is a real key part in our success so far,” said junior captain Jason Kass. With the regular season over the team
now turns their focus on to the district playoffs. Last year the boys were dealt a tough 2-0 loss to Council Rock North High School in the second round of district play. “Last year was last year, this is this year. This year is all that is on our minds right now,” said senior captain Peter Vagnoni. It is this focus and determination that the team has demonstrated throughout the entire season and look to continue in their postseason run. As teams from around the district being to wrap up the regular season, the boys will patiently wait and see what hand they are dealt in the seeding process. “We make our own destiny, and if we execute we will be there when it matters,” said Vagnoni.