The Merionite

The Merionite October 16, 2009

Volume 81, Issue 2

The official student newspaper of Lower Merion High School since 1929

Activists lose fight for La Ronda LMHS enters the next stage of construction Administrators and students gather to celebrate a milestone Eric Cohn

Class of 2012

On September 17, members of the Lower Merion community assembled in the parking lot by the school to make a lasting mark on LM history. Together, student representatives and other guests lined up to sign the last steel beam of the new school to pay homage to the hard work of the construction team and celebrate the nearing completion of a brand new school.

The ceremony began with comments by Superintendent Christopher McGinley, who recognized the uniqueness and purpose of the steel beam topping off ceremony.

“Today is a particular moment to think about the construction…and the work that has gone into this building by craftsmen and laborers, architects and engineers, and members of our own staff,” said McGinley.

Along with the Superintendent, other speakers included School Board President Lisa Fair Pliskin, construction team representative B.K. Horner, architectural representative Jay Clough, and Principal Sean Hughes. The speeches covered a wide range of subjects pertaining to the ceremony and the new school, including the school’s new features and the time, effort, and resources contributed by the taxpayers, the construction and design teams, and the LM community.

“I think it was great that the speeches recognized those hard workers that rarely receive any notice,” said senior Guy Mentel.

Following the speeches, guests eagerly lined up and, accompanied by the lively mu-

See Steel Beam, page 3

Photo by Ann Zheng/Staff

The battle for the 18,000 square foot mansion drew the attention of architectual enthusiasts from around the world to Bryn Mawr.

M. Afilalo/Z. Schlosberg

Class of 2012

The demolition of the La Ronda estate, a property that has been part of Bryn Mawr for 80 years, began on October 1. Its new owner, Joseph Kestenbaum, ignored public outrage against the destruction of the mansoin, known for its beauty and architectural significance. According to local reports, Kestenbaum plans to build a new mansion in its place.

“I’ve seen [the estate] and it’s absolutely gorgeous,” exclaimed sophomore Christine Emery of La Ronda. “I can’t believe they would even think of tearing it down.”

Built in 1929, the Mediterranean-style mansion had 51 rooms, 21 of which were bedrooms. The sprawling property covered 3.2 acres and contained many unique features of landscape and architecutre. Numerous parties, including Villanova University, once owned the estate.

Many people, such as former owner Arthur Kania, rallied against the destruction of La Ronda. After losing the fight, Kania hired a crew to salvage pieces of La Ronda and take them away from the site. Those fixtures included parts of the house like the chandeliers and doors.

“We’ve done everything we could,” Kania’s spokes man, Jay Devine, told the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Others came to the defense of La Ronda as well. Jody Marcell, a steadfast supporter and defender of La Ronda, was one of the administrators of the Facebook group “Save La Ronda,” which had over 650 members and counting.

“Early on, we started looking for rescue buyers, even a group of people who could pool money together to buy the property. Unfortunately, this didn’t materialize,” explained Marcell.

The local community activist heard about the possible destruction of La Ronda at a town meeting, and alongside friend and historical preservationist Kathleen Abplanalp, Marcell made several attempts to save the mansion.

“We used the media, we used the local papers to keep the story in the public eye, to hopefully find somebody.

And that’s when Benjamin Wohl stepped up, when he read it in Palm Beach Daily News,” stated Marcell.

Benjamin Wohl, a wealthy Palm Beach resident, was originally interested in purchasing La Ronda and relocating the mansion.

See La Ronda, page 2

Proposed switch to reusable water bottles Gabe Nathans

Graphic by Noah Zuares/Staff

Mac-simizing your laptop experience

See Features, page 11

Class of 2012

It has been proposed that starting in late October to mid November, all of the plastic water bottles in the LM cafeteria will be replaced with individual, reusable bottles. This plan, referred to as the “Tappening” movement, was proposed by LM senior Dani Rosenzweig of the Green Council, the new leading environmental organization of LMSD. In her proposal, Rosenzweig pointed out that the creation and transportation of plastic water bottles uses large amounts of fossil fuels. Additionally, the discarded bottles are placed in landfills for a long, arduous decaying process.

Instead of buying water in the manufactured plastic bottles, under the new plan students will fill up reusable water bottles from taps located around the cafeteria. Students will have the option of bringing in a water bottle from home or buying one from the school.

The school bottles will likely be stainless steel with a Green Council logo on the front.

The price of these bottles has not yet been determined, but there are plans to sell them in combination with sweatshirts and t-shirts at a lower price, or in a buy-one-get-one-free deal. Both the t-shirts and the bottles will be sold online. There will be an assembly raising awareness about the necessitiey of this initiative as well as detailing the location and price of these items.

See Green Council, page 2

What do field hockey players and bird watchers have in common?

See Sports, page 15

See Op-Ed, page 11

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October 16, 2009

NEWS

The Merionite

Teachers flood Moodles Green Council trying to with online assignments phase out plastic bottles Itai Doron

Class of 2011

Throughout Lower Merion High School, a Moodle revolution has ensued. Teachers have created 143 new pages on the website within the past few months, using them as a new classroom resource. Students are responding to this progress with mixed results.

This online forum where discussions are held, has appealed to teachers for its many properties, causing to some teachers to even base their whole class around the web site..

“I have promised myself to go 100% paperless this year,” said Spanish teacher Maryeileen Kirchner, a devoted user of Moodle. “So far I have done so in all but one course.”

Consumer sciences teacher Deborah Martin, who not only uploads homework and class work to the web site, also gives quizzes on it. For Martin, Moodle keeps students on task.

“Students can no longer say ‘I put it on your desk’,” said Martin. “They need to upload their work on the Moodle.”

A major advantage that many teachers find is that the set up of the Moodle siet is not only more organized for the students, but for teachers as well, who tend to find the site easy to work with and to design organized topics with.

Many teachers find that the most useful feature of Moodle is its availability to the students, allowing them to become more connected to the class because most resources are posted on the site itself.

The Moodle site also provides an option for online postings other than the e-boards. The e-boards also tend to be less friendly towards links to powerpoints, word documents, and websites that may be necessary for homework.

With Moodle showing a lot of promise through out the classrooms, most teachers are optimistic about improving their students. For teachers such as Martin and Kirchner, this web site leaves homework available to students who weren’t able to complete the assignments on the given due date.

Some teachers have noticed an improvement in organization through student utilization of Moodle. They also notice that many students can maneuver through the site to their assigned work faster than they could on the eboards.

Whilet the majority of teachers have had a positive reaction towards the Moodle, the responses of students in the school towards the website has been mixed.

Over the last few years, students and staff have faced changes in schedules and architecture,. “Moodle looks a little bit confusing now,” said junior Stephen Allen. “But as you get used to it it’ll be better.”

Others are not so optimistic about this new resource, pointing out that flaws with such things as navigating the site often make it difficult to use.

Students have also reported that the site tends to be “painfully slow” when multiple students are trying to access the same web page during the course of completing an assignment.

From GREEN COUNCIL, page 1

This initiative will most likely mean an end to not only plastic water bottles in LM, but a new step towards reducing the demand for and eventually eliminating plastic drinks from the vending machines. Flavored add-ins will be sold in the cafeteria so that students can change the taste of their water. These add-ins are packets of flavoring powder similar to the ones used to make Gatorade and lemonade.

Though the plan will eliminate a large amount of plastic waste, filling up personal bottles will take some getting used to. One student felt that “it could be hit or miss in terms of how the school

transitions into this new initiative.” He cited potential probleams like kids losing or forgetting their water bottles. He also mentioned that he would like juices, carbonated drinks and milk to still be sold in the cafeteria.

Director of nutritional services John P. Koser is supportive of the initiative.

However, he too foresees a difficult transition for students As far as this new plan’s impact on cafeteria sales, Koser has no qualms.

“A couple years back, when we stopped selling candy and soda, [many] kids still came to the cafeteria,” said Koser.

Koser supports this plan and said he was willing to do whatever he can to make it work.

Photo by Ann Zheng/Staff

Sophomore Adam Beardsley, one of the many who have already started to follow the recommendations of staying green, drinks from his reusable waterbottle

Historic mansion falls despite community efforts

Photo by Pete Bannan/Main Line Times

Photo by Matt Rublin/Staff

Construction equipment sits next to the rubble of La Ronda built in 1929; the demolition derby began October 1 and continues to this day.

From LA RONDA, page 1 This did not work out, although Wohl was still interested in making a purchase. Kestenbaum signed an agreement with a demolition company, and began tearing down the building on October 1.

In a separate attempt to save the mansion, Lower Merion preservationists tried to raise $6 million, enough money to purchase the mansion from Kestenbaum and save it. However, with the limited time they had to accrue such an amount, and the economic times, this possibility also failed to succeed.

However, not all people considered Kestenbaum’s plans to be negative.

“I don’t think anyone really cared about it until there was a possibility that it would be torn down,” said sophomore Ian Cohn.

La Ronda was built by famed architect Addison Mizner, who was well- known for his Mediterranean Revival style

Still, the responses of some students show that some people remain in the dark over the La Ronda controversy.

“A friend asked me to join [the Facebook] group; I don’t really know very much about the conflict,” said senior Talia Gottesman.

“It’s going to be interesting to see what happens with historic preservation in the township, because it’s really gotten people thinking,” said Marcell.

Despite the best efforts of local activists and citizens, on the morning of October 1, demolition crews began to tear down La Ronda. It took them little time to rip through the walls as they started to bring down the mansion for good. As La Ronda vacates its spot on Bryn Mawr soil once and for all, only time will tell if it is remembered for its beauty or for its controversy.

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October 16, 2009

The Merionite Remembering Nick Santalarsci

On the second day of school, September 9, the LM community was faced with the tragic loss of sophomore Nick Santalarsci.

Nick will be fondly remembered through the happiness and camaraderie that he brought to family, faculty and friends.

“Nick was a very funny young man. He could always bring a smile to my face. He enjoyed being with his friends and I know that all of them miss him very much. He will definitely be remembered for a long time to come.”

– Teacher Lisa Dennin “I just wanted to say that Nicki was a friend of mine who was a very good person and a pleasure to enjoy the company of.”

– Senior Steve Basile “Nicholas was full of love and kindness, mischievous at times, but always loving and affectionate. He loved his family and his dogs, especially Lucky, which he considered “his” dog. He liked his teachers and the administrative staff more than he actually liked school. He was a skateboarder and loved going to the Skatium with his friends. He loved driving his ATV up and down Greenhill Lane and was a great driver and a safe one. Nicky was especially close with his father and at times they were inseparable especially in the last few months preceding his death. He loved playing computer games and spent a lot of time in the house

doing that. Nick was very helpful around the house and when asked for a favor he rushed to do it. He loved chicken noodle soup, hot sausage and hot wings and could eat these every day. Mountain Dew was his favorite drink. He liked hot and spicy snacks and cookies and Pop Tarts. He had a charming and entertaining personality and was never sad or depressed. His friends describe him as kind, funny, and that he loved life. The house is empty without him and he kept us all young and for that we will never forget his sweetness.

We will never forget his sweetness. We will never stop missing “Nicky.”

- Stepmother Gayle Santalarsci

Topping-off ceremony marks new constuction period sic of the pep band, waited to sign the beam. Those who signed the beam felt a sincere connection to the new building, and more importantly, the new school.

“I thought that getting to sign the beam was so cool,” said senior Laura Sokil. “It’s so unique to be able to say that my signature is on the last piece of steel that went into this brand new high school…I’ll definitely be back to visit and look forward to seeing the final product knowing that I left my mark on the new building.”

Students were able to watch as a crane placed the signed beam at the top of the new building.

“I can point out where I signed my name every time I pass by the school from Montgomery Avenue,” said senior Bryce Friedmann. “Also, it’s really nice because the beam was painted white, so it stands out from the rest.”

At its core, the ceremony was another checkpoint passed on the road to a future school. In his speech, Hughes

reminded attendees of what lies ahead at the finish line.

“I can promise this:,” said Hughes, “once [the school is] finished and it is placed in our hands, our students’ skills and knowledge will be the benefactors of the new and limitless possibilities available to them.”

Photo by Sivahn Barsade/Staff

LMSD fights for Narberth building

Matt Rublin

Class of 2011

The borough of Narberth and LMSD are battling in court over control of the old Narberth School building, located at Sabine and Essex Avenues. The validity of a 1979 agreement is the source of debate between the parties, who are fighting for the former elementary school, which closed in 1978.

“The option-agreement is valid and it gives [the district] the right to recapture the property,” said Director of School and Community Relations Doug Young.

The agreement, written thirty years ago, said the district has the right to reclaim the building within a thirty-year period only to operate it as a public school. While Young emphasized that the district has not formulated any specific plan for the forty-six year-old building, he made clear that the district would prefer to use the building for educational purposes. “[The district] would like in the future to maintain educational services in the building,” said Young.

NEWS IN BRIEF Administation deciding which materials to bring to new LM

Students who are interested in honoring Nick’s memory are encouraged to contact the Guidance department.

From STEEL BEAM, page 1

NEWS

originally projected.

“That has absolutely nothing to do with [the case],” he said.

At risk for Narberth is a loss in substantial tax revenue, as private tenants have space within the borough-owned building.

Thus, Narberth, which did not respond to a request for comment, has attempted to convince the judge presiding over the case that points in the agreement have made it invalid.

While the district and Photo by Matt Rublin/Staff Narberth are fighting in Young noted the district’s “long-stand- court over the facility, Young stressed that ing” relationship with the facility, as the both parties have maintained a good bond. borough operated it until the combining “We have a solid relationship with the of the Lower Merion and Narberth school borough,” said Young, as he noted that districts, which then began Lower Merion’s both sides have agreed to try to limit legal utilization of the building as an elementary costs for the good of the community. school until its closing.

When a resolution to this conflict arYoung also made clear that this battle rives, Young believes both sides will be has nothing to do with the unexpected jump advantageous, no matter who the judge in enrollment in district schools this year, chooses. with about 200 more children enrolled for “We’re hopeful for both parties to benthe ’09-’10 school year than the district had efit,” he said.

If you’ve seen Assistant Principal Scott Kilpatrick walking through the hallways wheeling around a cart with packs of stickers and other assorted items, you’re not alone. Kilpatrick has undertaken the unique task of taking inventory of LM’s furniture.

“What we’re doing is we’re getting the inventory on the inside- we’re getting an inventory of how many desks we have,” affirms Kilpatrick, stating that what they’re trying to do “is get an inventory of how much furniture we’re going to take over to the new school and how much we’ll have to buy.”

The chief mission of this task is to estimate how much furniture—desks, tables, chairs and the like— will need to be purchased for use in the new school.

“Mr. Perry and I (Mr. Perry is the chief custodian) are working on it, but it’s quite a tedious process, very monotonous,” Kilpatrick says of the job.

He anticipates completing the project within a few days. He explains the sticker-color system , his method of evaluation, as “kind of like a stoplight- red means stop, yellow means wait, and green means go (to the new school).”

To the question of where the items designated “red” will go, he explains that nothing will be thrown away or wasted—the items will either be donated or sold.

--Hannah Goldberg-Morse, ‘10

FIRST team travels to Capitol Hill for Congressional caucus

Yesterday, October 15, four LM students headed to Capitol Hill. Part of LM’s FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics team, DAWGMA, they were given the honor of attending the official Congress Robotics Education Caucus Luncheon. LM’s FIRST team, along with groups from nine other secondary school institutions and three colleges, presented projects, such as robots, to members of Congress and other spectators. Delia Votsch, Alex Chambers, Brenna Ross, Kris Gjika, the captains of LM DAWGMA, represented the team, accompanied by faculty mentor and club sponsor Rich Kressly. Votsch said of the event that “I think what’s really exciting about being involved in FIRST and in this team is that you get these very unique opportunities like the one on Thursday, where you really do get a chance to have an impact on something so much bigger than yourself, especially in high school.”

The Caucus Luncheon was held in the U.S. Capitol building. The goal of the Congressional Robotics Caucus, the sponsoring institution, is for members of Congress to “learn first hand about the use of robotics in agriculture, mining, logistics, defense, education, manufacturing and healthcare,” and “focus on key issues facing the nation’s robotics industry.”

The team will be bringing seven different former senior projects to present, ranging from stair-climbing robots to robotic hands, manifestations of the club’s outreach beyond just the Technology Education curriculum. DAWGMA certainly fosters student interested in those disciplines, 92 percent of their graduates pursue “STEM” (science, technology, math, or engineering) majors in college. Says Gjika of the program, “I think robotics education and FIRST, and “STEM” in general, are essential for pushing technology to set up a better future.”

In addition to working on competitions, such as a challenge in January where they are given six weeks to build a functional robot, DAWGMA also has a strong focus on community outreach. The group has run robotics workshops for elementary school kids, worked with students in the Friendship Club, held annual book drives, and organizes bake sales for charity.

As Votsch put its, there is “just as much outreach as actual competition”.

Many DAWGMA students engage in both the afterschool club and the Technology Education courses offered at LM, like “Innovation and Invention”, a new course utilizing practical applications of engineering and physics concepts. DAWGMA has also piloted a unit for gifted students at the high school level on robotics and society, and incorporated Robotics into the 6th grade Challenge curriculum, bringing a LEGO-robotics system into the schools and training the teachers.

Said Kressly of the DAWGMA students, “integration of stem, have taken own interests adn passions of their own turn into own projects and tangible results.”

--Hannah Goldberg-Morse, ‘10

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October 16, 2009

The Merionite EDITORIAL

EDITORIAL/LETTERS

Learn beyond your laptop

The Merionite that you are holding in your hands right now is probably one of the few pieces of paper you have seen this week. Cherish it. Your Microsoft Word “Notebook Layout” probably does not feel quite the same. As we hurdle headfirst into the second month of 1:1, we must take a step back. Sometimes the drastic changes in our school’s atmosphere aren’t easy to see when one’s nose is buried in iChat.

As you may know, teachers have chosen to approach the laptop initiative in different ways. Some let students use laptops all through class to “take notes” while others prohibit laptop use all together. As you also may know, “taking notes” consists of (sometimes) actually taking notes, checking email, doing a WebAssign, perusing Powerschool, and playing Tetris. That doesn’t leave much room for formulating insightful questions or discussion contributions. In this way, students often dissociate from the class and the teacher. A nearly tangible rift forms between teachers and students. Teachers’ attempts to joke with the students are made in vain, while a few students crack a half-hearted smile and the rest remain electronically transfixed.

This rift has extended all the way from third-floor science classes to the basement where laptops have infiltrated the lunchroom. It’s a little unsettling to see a student, often surrounded by a circle of friends, more concerned with his or her Gmail inbox than with lunch table talk. This is not, unfortunately, a phenomenon unique to the cafeteria. During frees, students sit in clusters and, again, instead of looking at each other in the face, they look at their computer screens.

Our laptops have become our new best friends. They are not the wholesome type; they are the best friend who peer-pressures you into cheating. Especially in light of the new honor code, it is important to examine the effect the laptops have had on cheating. While as a community of scholars we are promoting academic integrity, we simultaneously act as a community of cheaters, easily being lured to Sparknotes and Wikipedia during in-class assessments.

But honestly, who can resist that tantalizing, bobbing icon for Mozilla Firefox? And who needs actual facial expressions when an abundance of emoticons are waiting in our Gmail inboxes? And who wants to take notes when playing Tetris is obviously a more efficient way to learn geometry? When Crayon Physics is a more efficient way to learn physics?

And really, is it any different than last year? We had laptop carts. Teachers employed technology as a “instructional” tool. Cheaters last year are still cheaters this year, as they have been since freshman year. We’re not saying the laptops are the devil incarnate. We simply encourage laptop awareness. When you feel yourself drifting away from your teachers, your peers, or your sense of academic morality, close your laptop. Take a step back. Understand that laptops are meant to be a supplement to our social and academic education, not a replacement of it.

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 Managing Editor News Editors

Op-Ed Editors Features Editors

Arts & Entertainment Editors

Sivahn Barsade, ’10 Hana Rouse, ’10 Hannah Weilbacher, ’10 Hannah Goldberg-Morse, ’10 Jenny Ma, ’10 Matt Rublin, ’11 Isaac Lindy, ’10 Leah Rosenbloom, ’11 Rachel Cohen, ’10 Bina Peltz, ’10 Emily Sorensen, ’10 Han Tran, ’11 Jake Wellens, ’11

Sports Editors

Layout/ Web Editor Business Manager

Emily Eisner, ’10 Conor Ferguson, ’11 Xinran Wang, ’10 Noah Zuares, ’10

Ben Forer, ’10

Photo Editor

Ann Zheng, ’12

Copy Editors

Avi Chatterjee, ’11 Connie Hua, ’10

Advisor Business Advisor

Mr. Chad Henneberry 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.

Letters to the Editor

A higher standard

It’s one of my favorite things about LM, the mornings when I walk into school and am greeted by a smiling student handing out Merionites. I always enjoy my first period class as everyone sits silently, their attention fixed on the latest issue, until the teacher finally makes the class put their newspapers away. On one such morning, September 11th, I sat at my desk in physics reading the Merionite. But that Friday I was surprised to see a quote attributed to me on the front page. “‘The new [grading] system will lower grades naturally,’ said Aronowitz,” the article read. I was even more surprised to see that not only was this a quote that I had never said, but it was a quote that argued the exact opposite of what I believe. Dumbfounded, I quickly looked up a video of the speech I gave, and found that I had in fact concluded: “I think in the end you will NOT see a deflation in grades.”

When I brought up the topic at lunch that day, my friend, senior Shourjo Chakravorty commiserated, telling me that he had been quoted in the same issue in the Faces of the Aces section as saying that his hobby was “studying for Mr. Kaczmar’s math tests.” He confided to me that he does not have, nor has he ever had, Mr. Kaczmar.

Sadly, it seems as though Mr. Chakravorty and I are not alone. A student who wished to remain anonymous told me that a Merionite writer sent him a quote and asked him for his permission to print it as if it were an original quotation. This is not a journalistic practice that is up to the high standards consistently set by the Merionite. It was this and several other stories of corner-cutting reporting that convinced me that I needed to bring this issue to the editor’s attention.

I would not be writing this letter if I did not enjoy and value the Merionite. But what we must all remember is that the Merionite is a student newspaper first and foremost, and what value can a student newspaper possibly have if it consistently misrepresents the views of the student body? Because of this, I suggest the following reforms: 1) that the editors check with their sources to make sure that the final edits of their quotations are accurate and acceptable, and 2) that Merionite writers simply refrain from adding quotes unless they are genuinely and entirely original. This is not about me or Mr. Chakravorty, it’s about you, the reader, and your right to the whole truth. There is a fine line between shortcuts and lies, and I for one want to make sure the Merionite continues to reside on the right side of that divide.

-Dan Aronowitz Class of 2010 Dear Dan, Thank you for your letter. The Merionite both appreciates and agrees with your thoughts. Our intention is never to misrepresent any person or his/her ideas, rather we place the highest value on truth and integrity while reporting. Unfortunately when dealing with hundreds of quotes we are susceptible to mix-ups while transcribing interviews and during layout. At times we have been overzealous in pursuing a quote but it has always been with the intention of covering all sides of the story. The Merionite has recognized this problem and we are in the midst of addressing it with a new quote-verification policy and proof-reading system. We hope that you continue to enjoy your “Merionite Mornings” as we continue to do our best in publishing a fair and accurate newspaper.

How the cookie crumbles

When I looked at the front page of the September issue, I was intrigued to see that you published a fellow student’s “Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie.” As I glanced over the recipe, I wondered how the Merionite could assert that this recipe produced the “perfect” chocolate chip cookie without any proof to back up its claims.

I understand that the author of said recipe has extensive experience as a chef and I have the utmost respect for his abilities; however, I would like to take this chance to offer my “Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie” recipe. I will take the high road

and admit that not everybody will think this is the “perfect” cookie, but the recipe was developed as a chemistry project and based off of 3 very different recipes, carefully tweaked an additional 4 times (for a total of 7 different trials) and each batch was offered to at least 5 independent testers to ensure that the cookie had the best attributes. I hope that everybody enjoys my recipe and that we all continue the never-ending search for that perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe.

-Laura Sokil Class of 2010

Check out www.themerionite.org for Laura’s “Perfect Cookie” Recipe!

For the record

The Faces of the Aces in the September 2009 issue of The Merionite erroneously claimed that Senior Shourjo Chakravorty’s hobby was “studying for Kaczmar tests,” and said that his favorite quote was “To give less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.” However, Shourjo’s real hobbies are, “running, watching movies, and watching Twilight,” and his favorite quote is, “Pain is weakness leaving the body.” The Merionite would like to apologize to Shourjo for this oversight.

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October 16, 2009

The Merionite

OP-ED

Are the printers saving paper or wasting time?

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As an English teacher, there just comes a time when you say ‘print it out. Let me show you.’ In the moment, there’s no substitute for having the physical paper. When it comes to that point, [the printers] are really inconvenient.

I don’t know what genius thought ‘maybe it would be more efficient if the school only had four printers!’

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- Danny Garfield, ’12

I would guess that somehow it’s got to be saving paper.

I know before we relegated students to four printers, some students would just go and print out…everything.

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- Jeff Cahill, Social Studies Teacher

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If the point of this initiative is to conserve paper, wouldn’t it be better to just submit everything through email or turnitin.com?

- Magali Roman, ’10

The only reason we’re saving paper with these new printers is because they’re so confusing you literally need a tutorial to learn how to use them.

- Ella Schwamm, ’11

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The printer initiative is everything I feared it would be...

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- Joseph Myers, ’11

Saving our environment needs to be a global reform.

LMHS is moving towards a paperless system. However, students still need tangible resources to learn effectively.

- Katelin Hofmann, School Counselor

I think that the printers may be saving paper, but only because people do not want to spend the time and effort to print...I think more people are just printing at home, so is it that much of a difference?

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- Rowan MacFarlane, ’12

Bushie’s a jolly good fellow...

I have always fervently disdained former President George W. Bush. Upon further reflection, however, I’ve realized that he has been terribly misunderestimated.

As we approach the one-year mark of O b a m a ’s presiSami Wischnia Class of 2011 dency, my being is aching for an idyll of the past. Admittedly, Obama’s presidency arouses public interest. For the first time in almost fifty years, children are living in the White House. The President and his wife are the subject of much publicity; everywhere they go, they carry an air of charisma and respectability.

When it comes to entertainment value, though, I find the White House sorely lacking. After all, public interest does not equate to public belly laughs – and in that area, none shall surpass the likes of Mr. Bush.

I strain to find comic relief in this tumultuous era. The news has lost its luster without daily segments featuring the world’s cleverest comedian. During Bush’s prime, renowned humor connoisseurs could only show him up by placing the joke on him.

He proved to be excellent fodder.

David Letterman was no doubt embittered by the discontinuation of “Great Moments in Presidential Speeches.” Jay Leno, the broadchinned late night sensation, was

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- Trish Schuller, English Teacher

burdened so deeply by the Bush- Bush made to American society. less void that he left the Tonight While Obama is an undeniably Show. While Bush’s absence compelling rhetorician, we don’t broke the hearts of Americans in see him inventing his own terms. need of laughter, mine fluttered George Bush very charitably and grew fonder. added words such as “fellameriAmerica has been idealized as cans,” “mential,” and “embettera place where anyone can make ment” to our national vocabulary. dreams come true. I used to see Like a modern day Shakespeare. this as mere romanticism of a not I won’t be the first to admit that so promising reality, but Bush the big-eared GWB is a controproved me wrong. Thanks to him, versial character. Among countwe now know that anyone with de- less other things, he has received sire and the determination to lead widespread criticism and disapcan be President. Even those of us proval over the war in Iraq. Many who can’t speak good. The Ameri- Americans resented lies about can people were presumptuous weapons of mass destruction. to scrutinize his character based Embroiled in such trivial conupon his intellect. After all, as cerns, Americans have forgotten George Bush once said, “Yester- the war’s altruistic purpose. Bush day, you made a note of my—the named it the “war on terror” for a lack of my talent when it came to reason. As conscientious people, dancing. But nevertheless, I want we can all agree that terror is funyou to know I danced with joy. damentally wrong. Terrorists are And no questerrible. The bitter Obama’s election truth remains that tion Liberia has gone through was a milestone as they still thrive, very difficult and so it follows well as a historic that we should still times.”

S a d l y, t h e symbol of cultural be fighting. What American pubbetter weapon lic has short- progress. But so was against terror than c h a n g e d M r. terror? Sounds like Bush’s.

Bush; they have a plan to me. diminished the So, whether worth of his presidency. Sure, you render Bush a nuisance, a Obama’s victory represented a village idiot, or a squirrel-eating new era for millions of Americans hick, his remembrance is everlastwho had only dreamed of seeing a ing. He provided our nation with black President. Obama’s election comedy, extended vernacular, and was a milestone as well as a his- a never-ending, righteous battle. toric symbol of cultural progress. As if that weren’t enough, he’s But so was Bush’s. The stipulation just a likeable guy. He beat Kerry that presidents be completely liter- in 2004 because citizens did not ate was no more. Bush’s “tragic” vote on the grounds of merit, but election was actually a victory for on who they would rather have a those aspiring politicians inca- beer with. You might do well to pable of public speech, as well as ask him to hang out. I’m sure he’ll for equal opportunity itself. This get back to you when he’s finished is not the only contribution that playing golf.

We should get rid of all the printers. I have a fuctioning hand - two of them actually - and I also have a pen. Together, these two things are able to create words on paper.

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- Zack Zelouf, ’10

Teachers want a hard copy of assignments, and with the lines [at printers] students can’t make it to their class on time and their assignments can be marked late.

- Mara Swift, ‘13

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Unequally allocating effort As any sports player or actor or Science Olympiad member will tell you, just because you’re talented does not mean you’re going to win or land a lead.

Skills can give you an advantage, but they certainly Rachel Cohen Class of 2010 do not present victory as a guarantee. But, this mindset seems to be absent from our classrooms. And so we come to the infamous Lower Merion double standard: academic courses.

Many extra-curriculars in our school are time-consuming, but the most time consuming are probably JV/Varsity sports, and Players. Yet it’s interesting to observe that no one really feels indignant if they get home from an away game at 8 pm, or the stage manager schedules a last minute Saturday rehearsal. There’s this sort of unspoken agreement that “hey, we signed up for this.” We opted to do this club. We volunteered for this program. We knew what we were getting into, and we as Varsity athletes or theater production managers have an obligation to push through the trials and tribulations, work hard and perform.

But it’s different for honors and AP students. We find teachers “unfair” or “ridiculous” and we can’t believe they continue to pile work on us. If we have an APUSH FRQ and a Physics WebAssign due tomorrow, there’s no doubt we’ll

be whining. There is no sense of “I signed up for these courses.” I know that means I might have to put in hours of work. I’m not entitled to an A just because I’m smart.

Besides regular schoolwork, people often complain when teachers give summer assignments. They argue that it’s an encroachment on their freedom. They seem to forget that no one forced them to take their classes, and the less rigorous courses would certainly have easier workloads over the summer. If they want the higher transcript credit, it comes with a sometimes steep price.

I am not excluding myself from these observations. Of course I am guilty of the double standard too.

But I think it pays to ask ourselves, what really is unfair? I know we go to a super-competitive school, but at what point do we admit that we just pack on academically more than we can comfortably handle? Or, on the other hand, at what point are our complaints simply representative of laziness? And why do we view spending two hours at soccer practice perfectly sensible but spending two hours doing Physics homework unreasonable? After all, we voluntarily signed up for both.

I think it’s unquestionable that there is a disparity in our attitude toward extra-curriculars and toward academics. The real question is why. Is it that people are signing up for courses they don’t really want to take? Is it just that this attitude is socially accepted and therefore everyone subscribes? Some teachers certainly do merit complaints, and, sometimes, academic work certainly can be legitimately labeled unfair. The odds are, however, that some of our complaints are unwarranted and sometimes it really does just come down to personal responsibilty.

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October 16, 2009

OP-ED

The Merionite

Illegal downloading:

Piracy is an easily justifiable crime. The music industry has evolved in such a way that makes older business models, such as the sale of physical media in a b r i cka n d mortar shop, obsol e t e .

Julian Davis N o w , Class of 2011 there are two methods of making music available that match our inherent desire to have things before us as fast and as efficiently as possible. These options are as follows: DRM encoded, low bitrate MP3 files (Such as iTunes) or freely available, pirated music. I personally prefer the latter of the two for many reasons, none of which involve the money I end up saving.

My greatest reasoning for this stems from the very small margin of monetary support I’d actually be providing for the artists. For each download, an average of $0.07 goes to the record label.

After trickling down through the staff, one can only imagine how much of that money actually goes to the artist. Occasionally, smaller labels will not receive any revenue at all from digital sales (see The Flashbulb/Alphabasic records). Piracy could be, and often is, a boycott of this method, preventing money from going

innovative or immoral?

into undeserving hands.

More justification for piracy comes in an attempt to replicate a musician’s exact intention for his or her work, preserving only what the artist meant to convey to the listener and nothing more.

Only purchasing single songs as a cost-saving method, separating the artist’s works into shards, is a horrifying way to treat an artist’s work. This is a practice I would equate to cutting up an original oil painting, keeping one-twelfth of the work, and setting the remainder ablaze. Stealing an entire album, as reprehensible as it may seem, actuallymaintains the integrity of the artist’s original work. Freely downloading an album renders the listeners ears much closer to the artist’s original intention.

Often, pirates will take a “try before you buy” stance , a stance that I personally take. I download entire albums and, if I enjoy them, will go out and purchase a vinyl pressing (the purest form of music available to consumers).

Piracy also has the potential to increase exposure for an artist. If someone hears music he/ she enjoys, by any method of acquisition, then that person will become a fan of the artist. This person is then likely to support the artist some other way, such as purchasing merchandise or attending a concert.

An absolute love of music does not repulse piracy; in fact, it nearly necessitates it. In the current business model of the record industry, the artist is likely to be benefited by pirates more than they are by way of digital purchase.

Hi. My name is Jon, and I used to be addicted to downloading music illegally. A constant stream of albums continuously fed my addiction.

It began w i t h Napster, evolved into Kazaa, and matured into BitTorrent John Lubeck a n d Class of 2010 Soulseek.

Over the years, my addiction gradually became too much to handle; the addiction resulted in musical overload. I couldn’t keep pace with listening to four albums a week.

I tried to stem the flow, but I just couldn’t resist the pressure for just one more. My friends would drop names of the next best albums and I could not bear it – I knew I would download again, and then I knew I had to stop.

And I did. This summer I finally decided to cut my addiction, and furthermore, shift to only purchasing music.

I had always questioned downloading music illegally. I mainly rationalized it like everyone else I knew I was only downloading from ‘big’ companies, and really: did my download even affect anyone? I came to realize, however, that there was a major hole in my logic.

Only stealing from big companies. The first problem with my logic was that although I always told myself that I only downloaded

from ‘big’ corporations – they suck totally, dude – I was a hypocrite. I was an indiscriminate thief. When the process of clicking a mouse instantly delivers an album to our computers, it is so easy to distance ourselves from the artist, and only recognize the music involved.

For example, if you did believe that it was justifiable to download music from ‘corporate’ labels, you’d do your research. But, I’ve yet to meet someone who deliberately researches an artist, their record label, and their purchase rights to determine how ‘corporate’ they are.

But did my download even affect the artist? Even if I were the only person who stole, the effect would mean less than a $1.50 per album to artists (based on iTunes figures).

Unfortunately, that isn’t the case: others employ the same exact logic en masse. This realization reminded me of a theory developed

by Immanuel Kant, a 1700s philospher. (Ignore the pretentiousness of it; it’s a coold idea.) He proposed an interesting theory to dictate our lives: the categorical imperative.

The categorical imperative basically asserts that we should act based on the assumption that the whole world is acting in the same manner.

We can only expect from others as much we expect from ourselves.

If we apply this logic to downloading, our selfish indulgence is unsustainable. If everyone continues to download “free” music like I did, the artists receive little income besides concert revenues.

Without income, they’ll be forced to stop producing music. Instead, if everyone bought music, album prices would significantly drop and artists would ultimately benefit financially. If being a musician

became a more profitable profession, we would see lots of previously struggling artists reenter the music scene as well as the rise of sustainable independent labels, newly successful because of listeners’ legal purchasing practices.

Since I’ve made this shift to purchasing music, my listening experience has changed considerably. My current musical diet is around an album every week or two. I find that it is much easier to appreciate a good album at this pace. When I download music, I find it more difficult to absorb the music, because it is just so compelling to click and receive that instant gratification, which then gives way to unconsciously devouring stolen music. If I consciously purchase an album, however, I am more inclined to approach it in a holistic manner because I must choose which album I want carefully. Holding the album in your hands makes the album more valuable, and more time is spent listening to it and understanding it.

In the end, the main problem with downloading music is that it discourages artists from producing music. Artists deserve our money in exchange for what they give us. It’s just like when you purchase a book; in effect, you purchase the right to read and possess a copy of it. You don’t see too many people stealing books, do you?

Let’s face it though. Even now in our age of piracy, music artists will survive and evolve as they must.

But why should they be forced to involve? We, as consumers, have the ability to shift to a system that empowers the artists and rewards them, rather than one that forces them to adapt.

Your lucky SAT answers are: c, b, b, a, d, c, a

As a junior at LM, I find the SATs (Scholastic Aptitude Test) a constant topic of conversation and an overwhelming factor of stress.

To some, the SATs (or ACTs) are a looming assessment of at least 11 years of acad e m i c r i g o r.

To a l l e v i a t e some of the pressure and enhance their Jess Lebow scores, many Class of 2011 LM students, myself included, go to an SAT tutor. While the sessions are reassuring and the tutoring companies boast ample score improvement, I’m greatly conflicted on the topic of SAT tutoring.

On the one hand, the SAT was designed by The College Board to “allow colleges to compare your college readiness with other students in a standardized way.” But the standardization of the test that allows colleges to compare students is reliant on the fact that test takers are given an equal opportunity to prepare. While SAT tutoring

is commonplace in Lower Merion, it is not the “norm” nationwide. Some see tutoring as impractical, others as financially impossible, and yet others as unjustifiable. Is it moral for students to use money to improve scores on the SATs and therefore enhance collegiate opportunities? Is it cheating? Is it dishonest? If colleges use our SAT scores as a tool to judge our academic merit, the chance of acceptance is clearly skewed by a tutor. Logically, colleges should assume lower scores without a tutor.

If students were forced to notify colleges of professional assistance, would they still use a tutor? Is tutoring an evasion of an honest intelligence assessment?

As I see it in the long term, tutoring perpetuates the cycle of poverty, and broadens the achievement gap between the wealthy and the impoverished. Indeed, money is at the heart of the cycle. Because SAT tutoring is an expensive investment, it is limited to students of certain financial means.

For those who cannot afford it, there

is a distinct disadvantage in college opportunities. If students without the financial means to afford tutoring are judged among other students who had the advantage of tutoring, and are therefore less successful on the SATs, they could be denied the education they deserve. If they are cheated out of an educational opportunity, they may consequently be cheated out of an impressive salary.

The cycle now becomes apparent. Thus emerges the below-the-SAT-poverty-line family.

So how can I feel so strongly about the injustice of SAT tutoring and still use it? Is it contradictory? Perhaps.

But herein lies my inner conflict. Couldn’t you call me proactive for using an SAT tutor? Isn’t it the sign of a dedicated student to reach out for help in order to achieve his or her fullest potential? It’s not wrong for me to want to keep my opportunities open. If I don’t use my admitted advantage, and colleges compare my scores to those of my Lower Merion peers who maximed that same advantage, I am putting

Is it moral for students to use money to improve scores on the SATs and therefore enhance collegiate opportunities?

myself at a disadvantage. Should I be ashamed that someone helped me to achieve my goals on the SAT? It’s not as if my tutor is taking the test for me.

Though money contributes to making tutoring possible, I am also putting forth a genuine effort and an emphasis on academic success.

All in all, I’m undecided. I feel a sense of inadequacy and guilt either way – I’m either using money to establish my intelligence or I’m putting myself at a disadvantage by preparing less than the peers colleges will compare me to. SAT tutoring is definitely a safety mechanism, and perhaps it prevents us from relying on our own intelligence. It will take more than one student, however, to stop the cycle of opportunistic inequity. No one will feel safe enough to stop using tutors until everyone feels safe enough to stop using tutors – and that will not happen all at once. The competition will remain unequal, as it has been for years. I, along with my Lower Merion peers, will wish for the power to change the “system” and retain our advantage at the same time. If given the option, however, we will always choose our own academic survival, and thus SAT tutoring remains unequal and inevitable.

October 16, 2009

7

The Merionite

CHEATING

Academic Dishonesty at LM

Lower Merion is one of the most acclaimed public education institutions in the state of Pennsylvania. The school and surrounding community take pride in the myriad accomplishments of its faculty and students. Despite all the wonderful things to be proud of, it must be admitted that our school appears to have a cheating problem.

Recently a new Lower Merion honor code was implemented that seeks to reaffirm the importance of academic integrity. This was an initiative set forth by Principle Sean Hughes and a committee of students worked hard with various administrators and teachers to create a policy that will help to enforce ethical learning.

Is this a good idea? What counts as cheating? Is it ever justifiable? What do students at Lower Merion think? The Merionite seeks to investigate the multitude of opinions regarding the cheating culture at Lower Merion.

Sincerely,

Hannah Weilbacher Rachel Cohen Sivahn Barsade Hana Rouse Section Editors for Special Feature on Cheating

Table of Contents

A Point/ Counterpoint of Cheating............................page 7 Student Survey Analysis............................................page 8 Pressure To Cheat......................................................page 8 A Teacher’s Perspective on Online Sources...........page 8-9 Cheating on Homework.............................................page 9 Opinions on the LM Honor Code.............................page 10 A note on anonymity: Due to the sensitive nature of academic dishonesty, the editors weighed many factors in determining how best to approach the survey results and the articles in this feature. We felt the best way to keep the feature honest was to maintain the anonymity of those who responded to the survey as well as those writers who provided articles on more sensitive topics.

Cheating in school: An atrocity? A necessity?

John Sataloff

Class of 2010

Cheating. I simply won’t hear of it. In fact, my general feeling on the subject can be summed up like this (as said by Mr. Kaczmar): “A cheater is the moral equivalent of someone who steals candy from children.” And by children, I mean the purity and innocence of the magnificent institution that is Lower Merion High School. The honor code will always be the fundamental pillar on which the integrity of the student body is upheld.

The first thing that comes to mind when someone is cheating is the injustice being done. If someone does the work and gets the grades why should someone else get the same reward for so much less work?

The fact that work is being copied makes it worth less academically but also for the student who produced it. Cheating actively fights against the pride we have in our work and through that work the pride we have as students and in Lower Merion as a whole. A school without pride

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enough to honestly do the work required is a dead school with no life.

As human beings we naturally value justice and as students which should be upholding that value to the highest.

Cheating not only kills the spirit of a school but it also physically diminishes its life. It is obvious that teachers are more suspicious of students, what with their multiple test versions, constant surveillance and ready punishments. The presence of cheating in the school makes the teachers act as if we were all potential criminals and due to this the school is transformed into more of a prison. Walking into the school, I find that I feel trapped and drained and although one might say that this phenomenon occurs at any school, I never felt it before high school.

Even though cheating may get people better grades and easy ways out of work, it effectively turns the environment of our school into one more of a prison, which only breeds cheating more. This cycle drains school and leaves it a place very few people want to attend, when it should be enjoyable.

I think people cheat because everything is about grades, you have to get good grades to go to college and so on. People don’t like seeing F’s they want A’s. I just think we’re greedy and want the best and if we are failing, we aren’t the best so people will do anything they can to get the grade they want.

--Robyn Goldberg ‘12

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Anonymous

Student Before the LM administration runs rampant with the honor code and attaches an unnecessarily harsh stigma to cheating, we must take a step back and look at what this school really teaches us. Some of us take AP and honors courses, which requires us to spend all night doing homework. We learn about the past, and science, and the fundamentals of writing a sound paper. We memorize numbers and equations like the mole and the quadratic formula so that we can apply them on tests and assessments. We learn them so we can do well on the SATs and get into college.

But what then? What will the mole and the quadratic formula mean to the average businessperson or doctor or lawyer? That’s right; absolutely nothing. So, omitting all of the information you can leave college and forget, what does school teach us?

Well, it depends on how you look at it. For some, school teaches us to respect our peers, to be moral people, and to shoulder personal responsibility. For others, school gives us the necessary skills to succeed in post-collegiate life. Skills like taking the tools we have to utilize around us and making them into something meaningful. Skills like having the guts to do whatever it takes to reach a goal.

And, as everyone that has ever seriously cheated knows, cheating well is a skill.

Because what is cheating really? Is cheating dishonoring your family name or your school, or discrediting your intelligence? No. Cheating is merely one key to success in our corrupt, dog-eat-dog world. If you really think all the

A lot of times you hear people talk about how cheating is encouraged by having students take such hard classes and by putting them under such intense pressure, but I think that that is false. Cheating (or not cheating) is a decision that comes down to a core set of ethics: do you care about academic integrity. At the end of the day, its not that much easier. It just comes down to how much you care about your personal integrity.

--Jacob Adenbaum ‘10

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success around you was achieved completely honestly, you’re naïve. Smart cheaters just use their brains in different ways. And they don’t get caught.

And teachers: if you are reading this and want me shot at sunrise, know that I have never once cheated. This is not, however, out of some misplaced pride in LM’s honor.

It is because now, at this point in my life, I would rather walk out of a test knowing that I failed miserably but honestly and study harder next time. I know that grades aren’t everything, and that I can build character out of failure.

But what happens when I have a career, and my success does not only affect myself? When I have a family to feed and a mortgage to pay? When my failure could mean a whole lot more than an F on my report card?

If you were in that situation, could you honestly say you wouldn’t do everything you could to succeed? Even if it meant cheating or plagiarizing or stealing? And wouldn’t that job be easier if you knew how to do those things without getting caught? Learning how to cheat now would certainly benefit your future endeavors, and make your adult life a whole lot less stressful.

And this skill is also something school can teach you.

Cheating is not the easy way out. Cheating is a way of life.

It is forever changing and adapting to society, and as long as mankind stays mankind, it will never vanish completely. Some may envision a world without cheating, but that just isn’t realistic. Cheating is here to stay, and those who utilize it should not be looked down upon like the scum of the earth. For the earth as we know it is a scum-covered pond, and those who do not adapt will, inevitably, drown.

I think people cheat because they overwhelm themselves with classes they don’t like. At LM there is enormous pressure to take as many high level classes as possible and do well in them. This creates a problem because people tend to do better in classes they enjoy. While in classes they force themselves to take, they are more inclined to do the minimum work needed to get a good grade. Thus people will cheat in these classes because they are not trying to get anything of value out of them. In these situations the only risk to them is getting caught, not missing out on important information. That’s why I would guess the most cheating happens in the least popular subject, math.

--Josh Zuckerman ‘10

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I think people cheat to get the benefits of good grades without actually doing the work. They think that if they copy off someone that is considered “smart” they will achieve their goal.

--Olivia Benditt ‘13

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People cheat out of apathy, stress, and pressure to get ahead in class.

--Ella Schwamm ‘11

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The Cheating Culture AT LM: What students say

October 16, 2009

Analyzing the Survey Everyone knows cheating, to some degree, occurs at LM. The goal of this survey was to determine first, what LM students consider to be cheating and second, the extent to which students partake in such practices.

Of the 572 students who responded to the survey, 87% reported that they do not consider themselves cheaters. However, it was clear from the responses that many of the students who do not consider themselves cheaters do engage in some form of academic dishonesty at school. 79% admitted to copying homework, and 70% to sharing test materials and/or questions. Considering that teachers were also polled in this survey, those numbers imply that a large majority of LM students cheat. 59% of students believe that the large percentages can be attributed to constant pressure to get good grades, not to a passion for

learning about the material.

The majority of the students (80%) who responded believe that the new Honor Code will have no effect on cheating. 3% believe that it will actually increase cheating. The majority of teacher respondents (74%) also think that the Honor Code will have no effect on cheating.

The majority of those surveyed (98%) believed that looking at someone’s work or answers during a test constituted cheating, while only 27% thought the same of using online resources like Sparknotes or Cramster.

Teachers both agree that the most effective way to prevent teaching is to make different versions of the same test.

Both groups believe that isolating tests is the next-best option. While a majority of teacher respondents believe that a student-enforced honor code can help prevent cheating, only a minority of students thought the same.

Under pressure: Don’t blame us Anonymous

Student

I never thought I’d be a cheater. Never really felt the need. Why cheat when you can study, right? Right?

Then life quickly became busy. With various extra-curriculars, a few too many AP classes, and SAT prep and college applications, now I struggle to get even six hours of sleep. The completion of homework takes precedence over studying for tests, and the urge to cheat becomes overwhelming, especially when you are sitting in class, clutching your head, staring blankly at the test, about to cry and/or fall asleep. I guess I am to blame.

After all it is my fault that I overloaded my life with unnecessary loads of work.

Yet, everyday when I go home, sitting at

the dinner table, my parents start talking about those perfectionist kids who took 10 SAT II’s for fun, received 800’s on all of them, and were accepted into six Ivies.

Then there are the class valedictorians, with 4.0 GPA and 20 AP credits who applied to ten Ivies but somehow did not get into any of them. The ridiculous overemphasis placed on perfect grades and high level classes plus the pressure from home to overachieve has forced me to, by any means necessary, get that elusive A. Those more ethical may argue that I am not learning and am simply stealing other people’s hard work. While I argue that I’m still learning, possibly more than many other students. American society needs to return the emphasis in school to learning and not to overachieving.

Students believe the honor code will...

Teachers

believe the code will...

Teachers believe students cheat because they... honor

Students speak: How will the new honor code affect cheating?

Want to

People who consider themselves to be generally moral who are cheaters

Are you a cheater?

What do you consider cheating?

49% CopyingHomework Using online resources to help 27% withwork test material / ques54% Sharing tions a cheat sheet or storing answers 87% Using on calculators for a test outside resources to write 57% Using papers and not citing sources at someone’s work 96% Looking during a test

Is Cramster cheating?

Robert Schanne

Science Department

This is a question I have been asked numerous times by my students. This question can be extended to mean the use of any website that helps students finish school assignments. My answer is always the same – how are you using the site? This is the second of two important questions. The other – what do you consider cheating?

Many people define cheating as academic dishonesty. For me, I prefer to call cheating any act that circumvents the true goal of education. But then you need to answer, what do you consider the true goal of education?

For me, high school education has two major goals. First and foremost is the intellectual exercise that high school education creates for students – exercise for the brain. Second is the learning of content material that holds some sort of value for a student’s future. The order of their importance is a topic for another day, but most people do see these as the two most important goals of high school education. So the real question is, does

Cramster allow students to finish their assignments without achieving these goals?

Let’s not pretend that Cramster is anything new. It is just the internet’s version of the student supplement that textbook companies have sold for years.

When I first started teaching and again when I began teaching AP Physics 10 years ago, these supplements were invaluable tools for me as I prepared my lessons and assignments for my students. So why would I forbid my students from using a supplement that I found so useful and educational? The true answer to the Cramster/cheating issue is a student’s use of Cramster.

Cramster is a website that shows students how to solve word problems in physics. If a student just uses Cramster to get to the final answer as quickly as possible, there is no educational value and this would fall under the title of cheating. If you use its “magic” final equation to solve a homework problem, you have gained that one WebAssign point and nothing else. However, if you actually follow along with the work and see the physics concepts involved and how they apply to this particular problem, then you may have learned

79% CopiedHomework Used online resources to help 73% withwork test material / ques60% Shared tions a cheat sheet or stored an31% Used swers on calculators for a test outside resources to write 33% Used papers and did not cite sources at someone’s work 36% Looked during a test

something, and you are putting Cramster to its proper use. Better yet, if you tried to solve it yourself, and then asked a friend, you will probably learn more.

If that fails, ask your instructor or an NHS tutor for some help and you may learn even a little more. Finally, if all else fails, turn to Cramster for help.

When you get there, do not just use that “magic” equation at the end, but read through it and learn just a little bit more.

So, if you are interested in just getting the grade, you can cheat with Cramster and get that WebAssign point. That short sighted thinking will probably cost you five points on your test for not learning the material and circumvents the true value of education – developing the most important organ in your body, your brain. If you truly want to get the most out of your education and you choose to use Cramster and other websites, use them in a way the utilizes their true education value – as a tool that students can use to understand what they are studying in class. In the end, the choice is up to you, the student. Here’s hoping you do as Mr. Hughes asks and make good decisions.

I honestly don’t think it will make a difference. at school we have to sign or complete so many things in advisory that people dont really absorb what they are signing for... although some people do, I think the majority do not.

--Lauren Leibach ‘10

I don’t think the honor code will have any effect on cheating at all, the people willing to cheat will not be the one’s who abide by a slip of paper that holds you to a contract regardless of whether you sign it or not. The solution is not giving the people a chance to sign a contract and make them feel obligated to follow it, but to change the mindset of the kids, make school less about grades and “excelling” and make it more about learning.

--Sam Raper ‘11

Which have you done?

Photo and Graphics by Noah Zuarez & Hannah Weilbacher/Staff

I think that the honor code will probably be ineffective. Our school has tried to implement many different rules and none of them have worked out. I believe the honor code will be just one more policy that could fail just like the others. I am not trying to go against anyone who made it, because I think its good, but I just doubt it will work. People will cheat if they want to cheat and the people who don’t cheat will continue to not cheat. It’s just the way it will probably go.

--Heather Paley ‘10

I think that there is no point to the honor code.

People will still cheat no matter what happens. However, the honor code is something that all people should follow because cheating won’t help you in the future.

--Sultan Shabazz ‘13

The underappreciated moral dillema: Is copying homework cheating?

Anonymous

Student

It’s Sunday night. You have an APUSH DBQ due at 12 pm on turnitin. com. You have a Pratt essay to write.

You have an AP Chem Lab to complete.

And what’s this? You have to do Geometry problems from the textbook.

You also have a Latin 1 CP worksheet to do. There’s no way you could possibly pour your heart and soul into all those assignments without pulling an all-nighter. You can, however, complete everything except for Latin and Geometry and get a decent amount of sleep.

Your Latin and Geometry teachers will only check homework for completion, and not accuracy (and homework won’t be counted for much as the lab, DBQ, and essay). What do you do? Cheat by writing gibberish or copying it from someone else—and there’s nothing wrong with that. Unfortunately, LM doesn’t seem to think so.

A lot of homework assignments are graded on completion. Teachers just look over your shoulder to see if

you made a few scribble marks. That might be stupid and counter-intuitive to learning, but that’s the way class works. In this case, you should not get in trouble for cheating on homework.

First of all, homework that doesn’t get graded for accuracy is busy work— it feels like the only point is for you is to get it done. Busy work isn’t very conducive to learning, so what does it matter if you cheat on it or not? Second, if you made an honest attempt to do the homework and failed every single problem because you don’t understand the concepts, you would get the same grade as somebody who got every problem right. Third, if you do understand the concepts but you didn’t have the time to finish the homework, there should be nothing wrong with that, because you already understand the material. It should be perfectly all right to put that homework in the backburner and work on something more important. Finally, there are other classes that actually do grade work based on accuracy, so it makes sense to spend most of your time on homework where right answers do matter.

It is true that by cheating on homework you won’t learn the material, thus you could do worse on a test because you didn’t learn. True, that’s completely your fault if you cheat and get a bad grade as a result, but that doesn’t mean you should get in trouble for it. A teacher’s only job is to give students the opportunity to learn, not to force students to learn. If a student chooses not to learn the material, they don’t deserve an A. But as long as the student doesn’t stop anybody else from learning, the student has a right not to learn. It’s also true that some teachers occasionally check homework for accuracy but not all the time. Of course, it’s the student’s fault if they get caught cheating because the student wrote gibberish on their homework thinking that it was only going to be graded for completion.

The administration is overextending their reach by prohibiting cheating on homework. There’s really no problem with it. Why should it matter? It too often doesn’t matter if you get the homework right or wrong to begin with.

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October 16, 2009

CHEATING

The Merionite

The creation of the LM Honor Code: The Honor Code: Just simply uncecessary What the committe was thinking

Olivia James

Class of 2011

The Honor Code has been a topic of discussion around school since its unveiling to the students on September 24. Based on some of the conversations I have heard from students and my friends, I feel as though it’s time to add another dimension to the conversation from the perspective of someone who participated in the planning of the Honor Code. But first, I want to reiterate a couple of things that were previously stated in the Merionite about the Honor Code. “The Honor Code is something we have always had here at Lower Merion, but now it is in document form and spelled out precisely and clearly defined so there is no confusion,’ and ‘the point of the Honor Code is not to be mean spirited, it’s not

to be punitive.” These two facts were ever present in our minds while we were coming up with the bylaws. In constructing the bylaws, we felt it was important to draw on our own experiences and that of other students in order to address the topic of cheating in all its forms.

Academic integrity, here at Lower Merion has always been paramount to the school’s educational reputation, and because of this we felt that creating clearer guidelines and instituting a student run Honor Judicial Review would emphasis our adherence to this tradition. The purpose of the student review is to give students the chance to give their side of the story in a non-judgmental environment. Hopefully, this will give the students a feeling that they are being judged fairly, accurately, and

without a bias. The committee’s goal is to remain non-partial. It was also important to us as students to have the student run Honor Judicial Review because we wanted our fellow students to have the opportunity to explain themselves and be judged by their fellow peers who could sympathize, to some degree, with their plight. After all, the members of the committee have the same challenges, stresses, and anxieties that can lead to misjudgments that would violate the Honor Code. Keeping this in mind, we felt that the consequences for violation of the Honor Code should be fair, but also deter students from cheating again. I hope this has given you another perspective to add to the conversations, negative or positive, that you have had regarding the establishment of the committee and the Code.

Becca Hafter

Class of 2010

I have a question for you, students and faculty of Lower Merion High School: was cheating permitted before the institution of the new honor code? Did math teachers encourage the storing of formulas in calculators for tests? Did history teachers promote sweatshirt concealed note cards during exams? Obviously the answer is no.

So let’s recap: we weren’t allowed to cheat before the honor code was instituted, and we still aren’t allowed to cheat after the honor code has been instituted. So why institute it? One thing comes rushing to mind: the administration’s “Respect” campaign.

It started with the removal of chairs in the cafeteria lobby, it moved to patronizing PA system given speeches centered on the “R word,” and finally, it has (uninvitedly) manifested itself into the classroom.

Now pardon me if I sound spiteful, but what are administrators doing toying with the way teachers run their classes? Every single teacher I’ve had at LM has had a stringent cheating policy. It seemed that teachers were able to effectively deal with cheating, if and when it happened.

With this honor code, and the “Respect” campaign, it’s obvious that the administration is scrambling to assert itself as supreme: better than teachers, and certainly better than students. I could respect an honor code that was completely student initiated and created, but one that functions as a political maneuver for control, and that uses students as a metaphorical chess pawn simply holds no traction in my mind.

Let’s make this clear: I will not cheat, not because of the honor code the administration has forced upon me, but because of respect for my teachers and the integrity of my work.

October 16, 2009

11

The Merionite A laptop case for just in case Danielle Moskow

their own personal cases.

New styles are appearing everywhere; Think you can survive LM? Well, some are colorful, and some are decorative. you’re going to need a sturdy backpack. Overall they are all sleek, thin, and more LM students constantly carry around their stylish than those big, black school provided backpacks since there is simply not enough cases. time to run from the tech building, back to “I got a new case that was not as bulky as your locker on the third floor, and down the school case so that I could fit my laptop to the basein my backpack. ment in five And I like it beminutes. We cause it’s orange all dread liftand it’s poppin’,” ing our bags said sophomore at the end Sarah Schwartz. of the class, You can find reaand upon arsonably priced rival to our cases at many next class we places, such as throw down Target, for as the massive little as $9.99. bag with Some cases have relief. But handles, other to our disare just sleeves, may, those and some are just 20-pound removable skins Photo by Sivahn Barsade/Staff that protect the bags just got LM students with their cheetah print and even heavitop. These cases hot pink laptop sleeves. er. come in a variety Personal laptops: LM’s newest techno- of colors and designs. You can also purchase logical advancement. But of course, these cases at the Apple store, which is convebrand-new devices can’t just be thrown into niently right in our own Suburban Square. our bags; the clutter of books still present in Though more costly, for $37.95 you can our lives and limited bag space will destroy buy a thin case sleeve designed for our exact the precious new device. So, the school gave laptops. These sleeves are available in black, us cases to keep them in. Turns out, these bright pink, light pink, gray, and orange. For cases are bulgy and twice the size of the com- even better protection, Apple also sells hard puter…so what’s a kid to do with this huge shell cases, protecting the computers from thing? Stuff it in their bag of course! This case practically anything. Any students who want not only adds weight to backpacks, but with to alleviate the immense pain in their back all of the other papers and books, the case is should definitely consider purchasing one. nearly impossible to squeeze in.

If you have a strong, healthy back, and Although the laptop initiative seems like the weight doesn’t bother you, there are other it would be a great way to reduce the weight things you can do to feel like you fit in with of backpacks, we still have to carry around this new trend. These cases are ours to keep, binders as well. which means that you can add a little flair to “The case just adds too much weight, and them or do whatever suits you. takes up way too much space in the back“I wanted to decorate mine because I pack,” said junior Zach Lemisch. So, some didn’t want it to be the same as everyone students have come up with an alternative to else’s. So I drew on it! Now it’s also easier to this problem. Some rebel and just put their tell which case is mine,” said junior Lauren caseless computer in their backpack, while Ritterband. No matter which option, make others choose to carry around the giant laptop sure that when you reach into your backpack protection armor, complicating things even to pull out your laptop in each class, your further. Many though, went out and bought beautiful case brightens up your day.

Class of 2011

FEATURES

Mac-simizing your Mac

Maggie Walker

It’s perfect if you are reading a tough article for English or using an online textbook. Or “Everyone is getting their own Mac- if you’d rather use Firefox and don’t want Book? Sweet, now I can finally vidchat!” to wait for dicitonary.com to load, there’s Perhaps that was your initial reaction to the a special dictionary/thesaurus/Apple/Wikischools’ one-to-one laptop initiative. Lucky pedia application, all in one! for us, iChat is only the beginning. The Another quick trick is taking screen thrill of having our own LMSD distributed shots. Many of you who owned laptops MacBooks is accompanied by a slew of re- prior to the one-to-one initiative probably ally cool capabilities. And while changing know this strategy already. However, for all the desktop background and moving your you MacBook novices, it is really easy to dock is a nice start, there is far, far more take a picture of anything on your screen. to discover. Learning a few simple tricks Simply click, command, shift, and 4, and can help you get organized, de-stressed and then drag the icon over whatever photo or you’ll love your new laptop even more than portion of the screen you desire. you thought imaginable!

Yet another way to organize yourself The first thing to think about is, depend- and stay on track is by using the Stickies ing on what grade you’re in, this will be application. This advent has quickly beyour laptop for the next few years. So keep come popular with both students and teachit looking fresh! Buy your own case if the ers alike at LM, but in case you missed the Brenthaven (school-provided) one is too memo, Stickies allows you to bulky and get yourself an iKlear cleaning make virtual, color coded postkit. Junior Patricia Neckowicz it notes. Many kids now calls this stuff a “magic pouse Stickies as tion” and uses it to keep her their digital asMacBook clean, clear, and signment books. under control.

Social studies Do you find yourself havteacher Jill Knight ing trouble focusing with was especially exFacebook, iChat, iTunes, and cited to learn that she every other procrastination tool could stop placing acthe computer has to offer right tual sticky-notes on her in front of you? Use Spaces! computer.

Spaces is an application that al- Graphic by Noah Zuares /Staff So now you’re worklows you to have multiple desktops that you ing hard, using all these fancy applicacan easily switch between. Make a “work tions, and it’s become a bit too much to Space” where you have your homework handle. The stress is mounting. Well, and eBoards open, and a “socialize Space” your laptop has a solution for that, too! where you have iChat and Facebook. Sit back, relax, and open up Starry Granted, you can easily change back and Night High School. You can thank the forth between these desktops (go to “Spac- astronomy students for this application, es preferences” to change how you switch which allows you to star gaze at any time spaces) but at least the distractions will no of day, no matter how light polluted your longer be staring right back at you. neighborhood may be. Even better, you You may also be wondering about the can click “options” on the left side of the hidden secrets your keyboard holds. It screen, select “ambient sound” and then seems like every combination of command, choose from five different stress-relieving control, alt, shift and tab causes some new soundscapes (my personal favorite is “the phenomenon to take place. There is one meadow”). easy and very useful command on Safari Still have questions? No need to fret! (the alternative to Firefox). All you have There will be “Tech Tips” videos posted to do is put your mouse over a word and on the LMSD Web site to update students simultaneously click control, command, on any new and exciting laptop features. and D and it will define the word for you! So stay tuned, and stay organized!

Class of 2011

How to make your haunted Halloween happen Chloe Bollentin

Class of 2011

Halloween is without a doubt one of the best holidays of the year. It has everything: dressing up in crazy costumes, staying up too late, eating too much candy, and scaring strangers.

When you’re younger, trick-or-treating is definitely the highlight of Halloween--but as the years go by some begin to feel that they’re too old to dress up and stroll the neighborhood asking for candy. This is a personal choice, and many continue to trick-or-treat well into their high school years, but if you feel you are too old for this heartwarming tradition, here are a few suggestions to spice up your Halloween.

1. Throw a Halloween party!

Buy food, decorations, and lots of candy. Rent some classic Halloween movies, like the Halloween series and Rocky Horror Picture Show. Invite your friends, and don’t forget to tell everyone to dress in their spookiest costumes

to scare trick-or-treaters that come to the door!

2.

Make your house a haunted house.

3. Visit a cemetery

If you’re feeling adventurous, get a friend or two and plan an outing to a local cemetery. Play a game of hide-and-seek in the dark, or bring an Ouija board and see if you can communicate with spirits. The possibilities are endless…just don’t get too loud, or you might wake some ghosts!

As you get older one of the best things to do on Halloween is stay home and hand out candy, and it can be a lot of fun if you go all out. If you 4. Get creative have a big yard, with jack-o’-lanmake a maze or a terns. graveyard comMost people opt for plete with lots the simple jack-o’of scarecrows Photo Courtesy of AP Images lantern face: triangleand ghosts. If shaped eyes and nose the inside of your house is more suit- and a creepy smile with a couple of able, make a haunted house: cover the teeth jutting out. But if you have the downstairs area with ghosts, skeletons, time, energy and carving skills, it can and cobwebs. Turn down the lights, be fun to try out some new and crecrank up the scary music, and guide ative ideas. Start by adding some extra trick-or-treaters to the candy. features to your pumpkin face, such as

eyebrows and sharper teeth. If you’re feeling ambitious, venture away from faces and try out other designs, like a skull and crossbones or a spider. Once you’ve spent your afternoon scooping, drawing and carving, place your masterpiece on your front steps and let the neighborhood trick-or-treaters enjoy your handiwork. Then kick back, relax, and spend a nice, quiet evening toasting pumpkin seeds. Yum!

5. Take kids trick-or-treating.

If you love trick-or-treating but you’re afraid you’ll get some odd looks if you just go with your friends, going with younger kids can be a great alternative. You get all the fun of dressing up, and you can still get candy—just make sure you let the kids go first!

No matter how old you are, Halloween is a fantastic holiday and there are plenty of ways to take advantage of it.

Whether you decide to trick-or-treat, try one of the alternatives above, or do something else entirely, make sure you don’t miss out on the fun!

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October 16, 2009

FEATURES

The Merionite Mr. Levy: The man behind the accent Stephen Kent

Class of 2010 Among his history and theology students, Mark Levy is well known for his passion of the subject matter and his authentic British accent. Yes, the teacher that occupies room 206 is quite British and enjoys a good cup of tea when he can get it. After interviewing Mr. Levy, it was apparent that there is much more to this Brit then his good taste in tea flavors.

and end with the letter “p.” And no, I didn’t include the word “poop.”

Pirates or Ninjas?

Pirates.

Why? I have a pirate costume for Halloween but I don’t have a ninja costume.

What classes do you teach this year?

Two ninth grade, two tenth grade [social studies classes] and theology.

What is one thing that you really like about America that isn’t found in Britain?

America has a “We can do it!” attitude where in Britain the mentality is, “Oh, well that’s not going to work.”

How did you fare in your history courses when you were our age?

I have to admit, I did pretty well.

What is one thing you dislike in America that you didn’t have to deal with in Britain?

Photo by Ann Zheng/Staff What turned you on to history?

Obviously there is a lack of I had two teachers who really made history come alive cricket. Also, Americans don’t know how to make a for me. I know that sounds cliché, but they were ex- decent cup of tea, and they haven’t discovered the joys tremely knowledgeable and even controversial. They of baked beans on toast. made history exciting and relevant.

Could you sum up the American political system When you aren’t teaching or grading papers, what in two words? is something you enjoy doing?

Nice try.

I really enjoy Sporcle-ing. I have made six quizzes but none of them were ever published.

What are the silliest things that Americans ask you because you’re British, and how do you respond?

What was one of the quizzes you made?

Someone once asked me, “Do you know John? BeI made a quiz where one must name words that start cause I met him on my vacation and he’s British too,” to which my answer is always “Of course!”

How To: Josh Hoffman

Class of 2012

Reducing our use of resources, particularly paper, is perhaps the best deed we can do for our environment. A lot of energy is required to manufacture paper.

Most of our energy comes from oil, which releases carbon into the atmosphere when burned.

Over 90 percent of scientists agree that this carbon is causing the greenhouse effect and global warming, which are potentially globally devastating environmental problems.

Trees, a core part of our ecosystem, are cut down in huge

Print DoubleSided at School

amounts every day so that woodbased paper can be manufactured.

The production of wood-based paper causes deforestation, which in turn destroys habitats and eliminates an oxygen-producing barrier against global warming, seeing as photosynthesis makes trees take in carbon dioxide.

One easy way to cut down the amount of paper we use for school is duplex printing, which can cut paper usage in half. There are many more assignments with which paper can be saved, and, over the course of secondary school education, printing double-sided can save many trees.

On the school printer system: 1) When you go to the print screen, click on the arrow to give you more options.

2) On the third drop-down menu on the print screen, click on “Finishing.”

Photo by Esther Hoffman/Staff

The best way to start the day Lisa Li

without fuel, the body cannot site is true. People who eat breakfunction properly through the fast are more likely to maintain day. When you skip breaka healthy weight because You know the drill. After slamfast, you are more likely to they are less prone to snackming the snooze button three times, become tired as your brain ing on high calorie foods you finally wake up to the sound and body begin to run low on throughout the day. of your alarm. Only five minutes the fuel they vitally need.

Students who eat a until the bus comes. What do you “Sometimes when I don’t healthy breakfast tend eat? Maybe you grab a snack bar eat breakfast, I feel so restto concentrate better, or just decide you’ll stick it out less and by second period have better problemfor the morning, bravely not eat- I can barely concentrate on solving skills and have ing breakfast. Right now many of what the teacher is saying,” better hand-eye cooryou are nodding and smiling and said junior LeeAnn Choi. dination. In addition, thinking, “Yeah, that sounds like By mid-morning, you healthy breakfasts cause me...” might wolf Photo Courtesy of expotv.com staudents to be You’ve probdown a more alert and ably heard the sugary candy bar to more physically active. With these adage: “Breakwake up again. You factors in mind, there is no excuse fast is the most may survive a while to deprive your body of its rightful important meal on a sugar high, but nourishment. of the day.” Yes, by lunchtime you will Remember what your mother it’s a cliché; but undoubtedly be hun- has been telling you since fifth like most cligry again and grade: breakfast is the best way Photo Courtesy of canadianfamily.ca chés, there’s maybe even a to start off your day! Your stoma reason it has stuck around. bit cranky. ach will thank you for filling its The human body is no robot. It Many people believe that skip- void, and you’ll finally be able to is a complex system of energy in ping breakfast is a smart strategy focus on those head-hurting math and energy out. It’s no wonder that for weight loss. In fact, the oppo- problems.

Class of 2011

Delicious and nutritious ways to get you going Egg omelet with your favorite fillings (like peppers, onions and cheese) Whole-grain toast or English muffin with cream cheese or peanut butter

3) On the drop-down menu under “Print Style,” click on “2-sided printing.” You can subsequently click “Print.”

To find out how to do double sided printing on other printers, like the one you have at home, visit themerionite.org

Banana dog- a banana with peanut butter and raisins in a whole-grain bun Whole wheat waffles topped with fresh fruit and pecans Protein shake with berries Parfait- fresh fruit, yogurt, and granola

Is there something you want to know how to do, but you’re too lazy to research it yourself? Or is there something you just think everyone should know how to do?

E-mail your ideas to merionite@gmail.com.

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October 16, 2009

The Merionite

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

October tracks From Han and Jeremy’s infinite playlist

J. Eckstein/H. Tran

Class of 2011

Jeremy’s Pick Of The Month: “Comfortably Numb” by Pink Floyd

Gilmour plays one last guitar solo--a great ending to an almost perfect song. If you like this song, I would highly recommend this entire album. Keep listening!

Although it is hard for me to take just one song out of this album, “Comfortably Numb” from Pink Floyd’s 1989 album The Wall is one of my all-time favorite songs.

The Wall is a concept album, which means that the album tells a story through each song. “Comfortably Numb” is the climax. The start of this song is a slow buildup into the starting riff. Soon after, Roger Waters’ soft but grainy signature voice is heard. He sings from the point of view of a doctor talking to the main character of the album, Pink. After the chorus, David Gilmour plays the first clean and soulful guitar solo. The solo is almost like a continuation of the lyrics. Soon after, the lyrics continue the story of the album.

To finish off the song, David

Han’s Pick Of the Month: “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz Yes, I’m aware that “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz is overplayed, and that everybody has heard this song already, but I’m still going to write about it. As of

Photo Courtesy of Noah Zuares/Staff, Pink Floyd, and Jason Mraz

Humbug: Hit or miss?

Nicole Wang

Class of 2013

The British alternative rock band Arctic Monkeys released their third album Humbug on August 25 in the US. During its first week of release, the album climbed to number one in the UK and Ireland, number fifteen in the US, and sold over 190,000 copies world wide.

Humbug’s first single, “Crying Lightning” was released in July and peaked at number 12 on the UK single charts. Upon its release, Humbug has proven to be very different from past albums, and have made many people take the Arctic Monkeys much more seriously.

When I first heard “Crying Lightning” I was not impressed.

Although the guitar work was quite nice, it drifted away from older Arctic Monkeys songs like “I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor” or “Teddy Picker”. It was much slower and its chorus failed to arrive until almost the end of the song.

I was a bit disappointed, but still expected the rest of Humbug to be crazy and amazing.

When the end of August came, I bought Humbug from the iTunes Music Store and started listening. Again, I found myself dissatisfied. At the time, I thought the album was mostly too mellow with climaxes appearing after the listener became uninterested. After only listening to the album once, “Crying Lightning”, the song I had criticized so much had become the best on the album. I backspaced Humbug from my iTunes search box and put on the classic old

Arctic Monkey’s hit, “Fluorescent Adolescent.” All caught up in the musical epiphany I updated my Facebook status to “Humbug kinda sucks.”

this issue, “I’m Yours” is probably my favorite song (that being said, the song that I label as my “favorite” changes as frequently as Mr. Elliot’s bowtie).

“I’m Yours” seems to have a universal appeal. I’ve met people from various musical back-

I had grown an admiration towards some of the songs and found myself skipping to those that I now liked. “Secret Door” was a fast favorite; its catchy tune, which starts with a cute bass melody and builds slowly to a deep, mellow sound, separated the track from the rest of the album.

The more I listened, the more I seemed to apprePhoto courtesy of stereogum.com ciate the The Arctic Monkeys have taken a new new style. musical direction with Humbug. This album seemed to Sometime the following possess more soul than past alday, on another trip to the so- bums, which were more upbeat cial networking site, I found and crazy. The song “Corneranother fellow Arctic Monkeys stone” sounded melancholy fan’s comment on the album, with crisp, soft lyrics that rewhich described Humbug as minded me of “Mardy Bum.” darker but still good. It took a Humbug is definitely one of few seconds of pondering the those albums that grows on you; word “darker,” to fully com- it just simply isn’t digestible in prehend that the album was one listen. The band stays true darker. It wasn’t really that hor- to their style but cleverly brings rible, it was just very different. out a new sort of charm. The I was so inspired by this Arctic Monkeys have definitethought that I blasted “Cry- ly showed us that they are not ing Lightning” at once. Upon just “hype”; the band has relistening, I googled the “Cry- ally matured the past five years. ing Lightning” lyrics. They Remember: give Humbug a were surprisingly meaningful; couple of listens before makdescribing a man’s desire to ing your judgment, you might find a sweet girl for a change. just eventually find yourself After a few more repeats of totally captivated by the meanthe Humbug album on my iPod, ing or melody of the songs.

grounds that have all professed to like this song. Perhaps it’s the soothing Hawaiian rhythms that evoke the image of a sandy beach. Perhaps its the simplicity, as there are only five chords within the whole song. Perhaps it’s because the chorus is so catchy and addictive to sing.

Whatever the case, this song is one of the few songs that I can listen to non-stop.

My personal favorite version of this song is the one on Mraz’s album We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things. The drums, bassline, and backing vocals turn the song from a fun little “hippie song” to a beast of its own. That being said, every version of this song is great.

When I’m bored and I don’t feel like doing my homework, I go on YouTube and look up live performances of this song--and I never get bored of the song.

Mraz seems to bring something new to this song every time he plays it.

Carnitas en la casa Nick Normile

Class of 2011 “How can I write about food and simultaneously interest the students of Lower Merion?” I thought when I first sat down to write this piece. I envisioned something seemingly inaccessible to the home cook, yet something such a person could relate to and appreciate. I went through the food at the popular eateries around LM and then I got it. What if I told you that you could quite easily make Chipotle’s carnitas, the braised pork that they stuff into the burritos, at home?

Carnitas is my favorite meat at Chipotle. It’s tender, succulent, salty, even slightly crispy, and it has a depth of flavor that neither the steak nor chicken can match.

The meat however is not predisposed to be so tasty. Carnitas requires slow, moist cooking, yet demands little effort on the part of the cook.

Carnitas comesfrom pork shoulder, a fatty cut of meat that is relatively tough due to large amounts of connective tissue.

In cooking, you must use some type of liquid so that the connective tissue can be dissolved and the meat pulled apart. My choice moistening agents are coke and orange juice; however, even just plain water works fine. The basic process is really simple—the pork is cooked in the liquid with some

spices until it is falling apart.

Here’s the recipe: Start out with a whole pork shoulder that you can buy from any supermarket and cut it into manageable pieces (roughly the size of a tennis ball). Salt the pieces thoroughly, then heat a ½ inch layer of oil over mediumhigh heat in a Dutch oven. Sear the meat in the oil, browning it thoroughly on all sides (turn on the fan too, it might get smokey in there). Remove the meat and pour in a can of coke, scraping up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan.

At this point, preheat the oven to 325°. Return the pork to the Dutch oven and cover 2/3 of it with coke and orange juice.

If you have them, throw in a few cloves of garlic, a cinnamon stick, plenty of chili powder, some ground cumin, some thyme, and a bay leaf. Place the pork in the oven for 3-4 hours until it is so tender that it is falling apart.

Remove the pork from the liquid, and when it’s cool enough to touch, heat a film of oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Shred the pork, then throw it in the pan and just let it cook. Don’t touch it for about three minutes, so that it can get nice and crispy on the bottom.

Remove the pork and stuff it in a taco, or burrito, or just a sandwich; you name it! Try it now, thank me later.

It’s tender, succulent, salty, even slightly crispy, and it has a depth of flavor that neither the steak nor chicken can match.

14

October 16, 2009

The Merionite

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Frightening flicks for fall Elliot Elbaum

Scream (1996): Just because this movie is a parody of scary movies doesn’t mean it isn’t scary!

Scream spoofs all of those 80’s horror flicks and was the first movie that told you the “rules” to surviving. A killer in a ghost costume creates his very own horror movie, involving the friends and classmates of Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) one year after her mother’s death. of esy

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.com

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984): In the fall of 1984, one of the most frightening horror villains of all time was born. His name: Freddy Kruger. Kruger wasn’t your typical killer. He never chased you with a knife. No, he haunted

ourt to c

Halloween (1978): You could reasonably call Halloween the godfather of slasher flicks, as it was the first great movie of its kind, and remains a classic to this day. Starring Jamie Lee Curtis in her first big role, the movie is about a psychopath named Michael Myers who, in 1963, brutally murdered his sister when he was only six years old. 15 years later, he escaped from an asylum and returned to his hometown. It’s up to his doctor (Donald Pleasance) to stop him! The movie may be a little outdated, and not as scary as some of the others listed here, but it has influenced every teenage slasher movie 30 years after its release!

Pho

Class of 2011 Halloween is approaching and what could be a better time for popcorn and a scary movie? Rather than shelling out cash for a ticket and overpriced water, why not rent an old, beloved classic? Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve selected some of the best horror movies that you can sit down and watch on October 31. Remember to turn out the lights and watch at night!

your dreams, literally! Freddy stalked a group of teenagers in their dreams and tried to kill them in their sleep. Written and directed by Wes Craven (Scream) and featuring Johnny Depp in his first role, homework won’t be the only thing keeping you up after watching this flick!

Event Horizon (1997): Other than science teacher Michael Stettner, most people probably don’t know what an event horizon is. There are two ways I can describe an event horizon. The dictionary definition is the outer boundary of a black hole: an astronomic object so massive that

not even light can escape once it enters.

The other definition of Event Horizon that I can tell you is the scariest movie I have ever seen! Starring Laurence Fishburne, and Sam Neill (Jurassic Park), the year is 2047 and the Event Horizon, a ship sent out to explore deep space, vanished without a trace seven years earlier.

Out of nowhere, the ship reappears, and a transmission is received. Something sounds very wrong with the voice in the transmission, and a team is sent to investigate. I’ve seen Event Horizon about 5 or 6 times, and when that movie comes on TV, it still scares me!

House on Haunted Hill (1999): A remake of the 1959 classic starring Vincent Price, the 1999 version is undoubtedly scarier. Evelyn Price (Famke Janssen - X Men), the wife of billionaire Stephen Price (Geoffrey Rush – Pirates of the Caribbean), invites a group of friends to spend the night at the House on Haunted Hill, a former mental institution, for her birthday, offering $1,000,000 each to those who survive the night. Strange things start to happen the night of the party. Why is it that the people who showed up weren’t the ones Evelyn invited? Why is the caretaker (Chris Kattan - SNL) so paranoid? Why does the house seal itself shut? All of these questions are answered during a terrifying 93 minutes of fun.

LM’s big musical three:

The many reasons behind LM’s great “Glee” spree

Emily Shepard

Class of 2011

The most recent television phenomenon that Lower Merion students are liable to hear excited young girls chattering enthusiastically about is likely to illicit one of two reactions.

Perhaps you, having faithfully tuned in at 9 pm the night before, feel compelled to augment their conversation with your own commentary about the characters’ latest outfits and scandals. Or perhaps you didn’t tune in last night, and instead wrote the show off to be childish and superficial. I would like to establish that prior to my being assigned to write this article, I would have fallen into the second category. I suppose it was my late night hulu marathon of all the episodes that did me in; I officially watch “Glee” regularly. But before you pass judgement on my pop culture inclinations – hear me out. “Glee,” an American-musical comedy drama, and the latest teenage television craze, centers around the a high school show-choir, otherwise known as a “Glee Club.”

Despite its being somewhat unoriginal and full of exhausted stereotypes, the show does ex-

York Times criticized Glee for it unoriginality and the blatant stereotypes that it seems to perpetuate, but praised the talent and showmanship of the cast, while The Daily News called it “potentially heartwarming.”

Matthew Morrison, known for his work his work on Broadway in Footloose, plays Will Schuester, a musically-inclined Spanish teacher who takes up the role of glee-club director with hopes of restoring the dilapidated club to its former glory. Lea Michelle, known and loved for her starring role in Spring Awakening, is cast as the talented and spirited albeit conceited and overwhelming star of the Glee Club, who experiences regular taunting by the school cheerleaders.

The best way that I can describe “Glee’s” appeal is by comparing it to fast food.

Eating a Big Mac, you have little consciousness of how poor quality the burger is, and can really only think about how good it tastes. Similarly, “Glee” capitalizes, for me personally, on my tendency to resign to brainless and satisfying entertainment. After an endless day of classes, I can’t help but love to become brainlessly

Introducing the talented bassist Nash Tomey and violists Niki Forman and Allie Cade Maia Wikler

rion Jazz Band, the Philadelphia Youth OrClass of 2011 chestra, taking lessons, and teaching lessons.

While hundreds of students endure the full six “The secret of music is that it never ends,” hours of school, three driven artists received permis- added Tomey. “There is never an attainable persion to leave Lower Merion after lunch and return fection, there will always be something new. home to pursue their passion and love of music, some- I fear the day when perfection is achieved.” times practicing Cade has played the up to six hours a viola since the fourth day. Seniors Allie grade. Cade has played Cade, Niki Forin the Lower Merion Orman, and Nash chestra, the Main Line Tomey realized Youth Chamber Orchesthat in order to tra, the Delaware County make their dreams Youth Orchestra, and her r e a l i t y, t h e y favorite, the Philadelphia needed to dediYouth Orchestra. She is cate their lives also participating in three to their dream. quartets this year, includTo m e y, w h o ing an advanced study plays the double scholarship quartet at bass, started playSettlement Music School. ing the electric “What I love the most bass in the third about performing is the grade, drawn in silence afterwards, that by its “binding is so meaningful, with force.” Tomey bePhoto by Ann Zheng/Staff t h e e n d o f t h e p i e c e lieves that “huechoing through everySeniors Nash Tomey, Niki Forman, and Allie Cade one’s head,” said Cade. mans possess an i n n a t e q u a l i t y, exuberantly leave LM to pursue their passions.

Forman recently switched the need to express themselves in a form of art.” to viola, which she has been playing for one year after “Music is liquid emotion; a way of expressing seven years of playing the violin. Forman also takes such intense human emotion can all occur at once half days from school to pursue her passion for muin the same musical expression,” said Tomey. “It’s sic, but often feels she doesn’t have enough free time. an abstract way of expressing something concrete.”

“The way I look at it, for every class I’m On average, Tomey practices at least 1 ½ not in school, I need to be practicing or else to 6 ½ hours each day depending on how much I would be betraying the trust of the adminishomework or energy he has. Tomey is involved tration, [which] gave me this opportunity to with the Lower Merion Orchestra, Lower Me- do what I’m passionate about,” said Forman.

Photo courtesy of daemonstv.com

With their awesome voices and dance moves, the “Glee” cast will make your life all the more gleeful. plore a variety of contemporary themes including teenage sexuality and social hierarchies.

Furthermore, it is the plot line’s existence inside these stereotypes that allows the show to do all sorts of funky things with the music and dance.

Glee was created by Ryan Murphy, best know for his work on Nip/Tuck, who derived inspiration from the show from his own childhood in the Midwest, where he was highly involved with musical theatre. Murphy described the show as “pure escapism” – in stark contrast to the heavy, tragedy and stress- laden television shows dominating the industry, all of which depict “people with guns, or sci-fi, or lawyers running around,” Glee is intended to be pure, no-rationalizations-nessecary fun. The target audience was families, and interestingly enough, Glee has a horde of teenage male followers. Glee opened to generally tepid reviews; The New

enthralled by teenagers passionately belting “Don’t Stop Believin’.” Liza Sankar-Gorton identifies this song, along with “Rehab” to be her favorite songs that the show has covered. She goes to on to describe the show as “refreshing and entertaining.” Something about it, perhaps that it incorporates music from different eras, is markedly different than High School Musical; the characters seem far more genuine, and the music, needless to say, is in an entirely different category.

Glee has established itself as America’s refreshing guilty pleasure, taking what could have been moldy, clichéd characters and bring fresh details and character to them.

Glee fufills a yearning that was never aptly satisfied by American Idol or High School musical– a yearning to guiltlessly submit to the pleasures of musical theatre with which just about anyone can identify.

15

October 16, 2009

SPORTS Field Hockey: Golf hopes to rebound from early season injuries Not just for Ornithologists The Merionite

Class of 2012

players, including the brothersister combo, freshman John and sophomore Alex Liu, have really stepped up their game this year. Bellah also stated that he’s looking forward to watching talented freshman Brian Kraman develop into a leader over the next couple of years.

Although the demeanor of the team is generally relaxed,

have some fun and enjoy themselves. “Being a leader on the LM golf team is a lot of fun without too much responsibility,” said Jarmas, who added that he really enjoys playing outside of school with some of his teammates and that having his brother, sophomore Chris Jarmas, on the team makes the experience even better.

“Golf is a gentleman’s game,

This might have been the year for the golf team at Lower Merion. Led by seniors Greg Jarmas and Ian Bellah, the golf team was supposed to dominate the Central League with Jarmas and Bellah among the top golfers in the league. Unfortunately, this came to a crashing halt early in the season when Jarmas suffered an arm injury that cost him a better part of the season. Losing the top scorer on the golf team can make winning a difficult task, according to Coach Brian Feeney, who noted that, “there were several matches that we played that, if [Jarmas] were able to play, we would’ve won.”

The good news however, is that the team is on a roll recently, having won 3 of its last 4. Furthermore, Jarmas is expected Photo courtesy of The Golf Institute of Philadelphia to return in the near Jarmas tries to swing his way out of early season adversity. future. He also put a positive spin on his injury, noting the coaches and captains know and we not only play golf serithat while he was a little upset to that they can only go as far as ously, we have a lot of fun doing miss most of his senior season, “I their effort will take them. Bel- so, and make it a social event,” am thankful that this happened af- lah said that he has taken his co- commented Jarmas. “It brings ter the summer so that I will be able captain responsibilities seriously us closer and we can know each to return to golf in plenty of time and that, “I would like to show other on a more personal level.” for Centrals, Districts, and so on. the team what hard work and With the elder Jarmas comSo in that regard, it’s not so bad.” dedication will bring to them, ing back and adding onto an In addition to Jarmas and Bel- and that everyone should perse- already strong core, the golf lah, the golf team has numerous vere through tough situations.” team is in a position to finupcoming players. Coach Scott Despite the seriousness of their ish the year strong after what Seibert mentioned that several duties, the captains really try to seemed like an inauspicious start.

Ethan Goldstein

It seems as though almost every day the Lower Merion Field Hockey team has some sort of spirit going on. Whether it is the crazy colors and outfits, or the infamous game that nobody even knows the name of, you know what I’m talking about. Remember the game in which they make faces at each other and sit down in the worst spots while clogging up the hallways? Hopefully this will help the rest of the student body understand what exactly these eccentric players are actually doing.

The game: Bird watching Started during the 2006 school year by Hannah Gardner, Bird Watching became the fad for all field hockey players. The rules are simple: if someone makes binocular signs with their hands at you, then you must sit down at exactly the spot you were “caught,” hence the random places of sitting. The only way to protect yourself from sitting down is by making a one handed telescope at the person who is showing you the glasses. If you are the unfortunate one that is “seen” and sits down, the person who “saw” you must salute you

From RITUALS, page 16

says Junior David Rosenfeld.

Many of the others included listening to the same playlist or waking up at an exact time on game day. Regardless of the type or style of superstitious, two points becomes evident.

The first is that superstitions affect the lives of athletes. They

Faces of the Aces

Halloween Costume: Quote:

The best athletes that LM has to offer

Junior

Varsity Field Hockey Varsity Indoor/Outdoor Track Win last few games Extreme stretching, jamming, running sprints in full goalie gear Cow “Why is there a pancake in the silverware drawer?”

Sports:

Varsity Football Varsity Wrestling

Goal:

Practice hard, compete harder, win

Hobbies:

Halloween Costume: Quote:

may act differently, eat different foods, or talk to different people because they believe that it makes them perform better. The second and more important idea that rings clear is that there may be a direct correlation between superstitions and self confidence, just ask the 9-2 boys soccer team, who are a good bet for a deep states run.

Senior

Darryl Seligman

Sophomore

Eliana Yankelov

Freshman

Matthew Lindheim

Goal:

Hobbies:

Sports:

To win states Goal: Eating, watching TV, Hobbies: hanging out with friends

Halloween Spongebob Costume: Success is determined by those whom prove Quote:

the impossible, possible.

Varsity Soccer

before you can stand up. There is never any winner to this seemingly never-ending game, but the players do get enjoyment from seeing the rest of the student body get frustrated over their hindering antics.

Senior captain Kylie McDevitt shared with The Merionite the inside secrets of the game, “The hardest part of the game is remembering that you are playing, and not being noticed.” While during a busy school day, the players are focused on almost everything except for Bird Watching, the game serves as a good bonding experience.

Wearing spirit outfits and playing quirky games a week before the game, the Lower Merion Field Hockey team keeps morale high, but its competitiveness even higher. So next time you see a field hockey player in the hall, just know that its part of a ritual, and they are just trying to have some fun. In a final statement from McDevitt, she states, “we know the rest of the school HATES the days we play and we are sorry if you’ve tripped over one of us or we have made you late to class because of a traffic jam, but maybe you could, just for the few days that we play, laugh with us...or at us...either one works!”

Soccer superstitions

Sports:

Class of 2010

Michelle Itkin

Danny Kane

Sports:

Varsity Tennis

Goal: Get as far as possible this

season

Hobbies: Hanging out with friends, Lifting, practicing guitar,

being on the beach, gym playing wii resort Evil Clown “Respect is earned, never given”

Halloween Costume: Quote:

Disco Ball

“Remember the past, live in the present, look forward to the future”

16

Volume 81, Issue 2 October 16, 2009

SPORTS

The Merionite

Superstitions help soccer team score Mike Buchwald

Class of 2010

Jason Terry of the Dallas Mavericks sleeps in the shorts of the opposing team the night before a game. Moises Alou of the New York Mets actually urinates on his hands in attempt to find a little extra luck.

John Henderson of the Jacksonville Jaguars has a trainer slap him across the face before the game. All of these things are extremely nonsensical and bizarre, but they may serve a purpose. Many cite their habits as a confidence booster, which leads to higher performances. It is often the case that the more successful a team or player, the more superstitious they are. It seems as though if all of

Ace’s Pre-Game Jams

Soccer Players’ Playlists:

Jordan Wolf (Senior) Ghost – Tupac Amazing – Kanye West When They Come For Me – Lil Wayne Catchin Feelings – Tupac Alex Cope (Senior) Fight Music – Tupac Sky’s the Limit – Lil Wayne Remember the Name – Fort Minor Numb/Encore – Jay-Z & Linkin Park Julien Aoyama (Senior) ‘Till I collapse – Eminem Up Up and Away – Kid Cudi In Love With My Guitar – Jason DeRulo Forever – Chris brown

Photo courtesy of www.lmacessoccer.com

Praying as a team before each game has helped the boys soccer players achieve their 13-2 record and possible a playoff berth. these professional athletes have some form of superstitious, that high school level athletes may have these odd traditions as well.

Thus I took into consideration the Lower Merion Boys Soccer Team and I wondered if the players or the team as whole did anything along these lines. Apparently, many of the players did. Upon asking several of the players if the team had any rituals, many of them came up with the same answer. Right before game time, the every member of the starting lineup kneels on his right knee and says the same prayer.

Along with this, there are many individual superstitions.

Many people believe whole-heartedly in these lucky charms. The night before their first loss

to Parkland, Senior goalie Jack Van Adelsberg shaved his beard for the first time of the season. He insinuated that this was a possible cause to the loss. He also said that he has not shaved since.

Junior Matt Bernstein has two very unique and interesting game time rituals.

“The night before a game I listen to the same song, “Hurricane” by Bob Dylan.

Also I wear two different shin guards, always a silver one on the right shin and a red one on the left shin,” says Bernstein.

Other players have similar rituals but every one has their own twist.

“I need everything to be the same on game day. If I don’t sit in the same bus seat or listen to the same music I just feel

a little off,” says Senior Johnny Dolezal.

Junior Garrett Baker has a more meticulous approach to superstition. The night before the game, he lays his uniform out next to his bed in the exact same order. First goes the right sock, then left, followed by the jersey, then finally the shorts. Also he washes his cleats the night before the game with the same cleaner. Many of these superstitions differ greatly in motivation, mood, and desired effect. Some are for inspiration, such as Bernstein, others for luck, such as Baker or van Adelsberg. There are also heart-felt superstitions, which serve a personal emotion purpose.

“I wear tape around my left wrist that says RIP AM every game,”

See Soccer, page 15

Football caps coach transition with incredible win Emily Eisner/Xinran Wang

Class of 2010

At half time, LM’s football team, the Aces, was tied against the Haverford Fords. The Aces knew that they would need to step up their play if they were going to pull through and win the game. With just two minutes left in the game, the Fords led the game by two touch downs, making the score 21-7.

As the Aces huddled facing he huge deficit, senior wide receiver Nile Thompson recalled Coach Jon Rothberg telling the players that they “needed to make something big happen.”

With less than three minutes left, facing yet another tough loss, the offense breathed life back into the game. Senior Jon Whiteman took a short pass from senior quarterback Conor Foote, broke a tackle, and outran everyone to the endzone

to narrow the score to a much closer 21-14. But with just a minute and a half left, the Aces were then forced to attempt an onside kick. With only one minute and 28 seconds left, the much-maligned team miraculously regained possession of the ball, keeping hopes alive for the comeback.

Starting at the Fords’ 40-yard line, after just four quick plays, senior quarterback Foote found Thompson in the corner of the end zone on a fade route to tie the game at 21-21.

“On the twenty-yard line going in, they were playing zone, so I looked off the safety and threw to Nile,” said Foote. “Nile just made an unbelievable catch.”

In two short minutes, the Aces, who had just scored one touchdown in the last seven quarters, had recovered

from a 14-point deficit to push into overtime.

However, the team still had to make a stand. With almost half a minute left on the game clock, there was enough time for Haverford to get into field goal range for a last second score. Foote would again step up to lead his team. As the Fords drove down the field threatening to score, Foote made a clutch interception and almost won the game on the return.

“Conor played incredibly well in the game,” praised coach Rothberg of his starting quarterback. “He is a gamer and a warrior. He is definitely a playmaker.”

In overtime, after the Fords took possession first off the coin flip, the Aces defense made a final stand, forcing three straight sacks to win back the ball. Foote again led t h e offense

down to the goal line and junior Danny Moyer capped off this extraordinary comeback with the winning field goal.

“As a player and a coach, this is the number one game in my career,” said the excited Rothberg. “I am proud of the players’ effort and how everyone played a part in the victory.”

After such a valiant game played by the Lower Merion Aces, and the second central league win of the year, ones wonder what makes this year different from the past three years, during which the team only recorded a single win?

This year, Jon Rothberg took position as new head coach. Foote extoled that “in the little amount of time that he has had, he has done a great job.” Thompson agrees, saying “…Rothberg truly understands us as a team. He knows what we are capable of and expects nothing less than the best

Photo by Noah Zuares/Staff

from us.” In addition to a new head coach, the Aces have gained a new offensive coordinator that both Foote and Thompson agree has improved their game immensely.

“Our new offensive coordinator, Coach Smith, knows all of our individual talents and is great at using them,” said Thompson.

With the new coaches and two wins behind them, Lower Merion’s football team is working hard to keep succeeding.

“The win [Friday] night just proves that we are a relentless team and that we never give up in the face of adversity. It just speaks of the character of our players and coaches,” said Foote.

Happy with the past two wins, the team is ready to work hard the rest of the season. Rothberg says, “as a player and a coach, this past game was my number one of all time, but we’re not done yet!”

Foote agrees with his coach, exclaiming with subdued enthusiasm that the team was “very excited to get the win, but there is still a lot of room for improvement and a lot more football to be played.”

With a refreshed ferocity and hunger to win, this year’s football team has already surpassed the teams of the past three years, and is looking to continue its successful season.