The SPOKE April Issue 2022-2023

By Evan Lu and Hiba Samdani, Co-Editors-in-Chief

since graduating, has transitioned to a woman. She agreed to speak on the record under the condition that The Spoke kept her identity a secret. This article refers to her by the fictional name Megan Smith.

Wave of anti-trans legislation sweeps nation

“When trans lives are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back.”

Hundreds of protesters chanted outside the steps of Philadelphia City Hall as evening rush hour commenced on March 31. The Philadelphia rally of the March for Queer and Trans Youth Autonomy was matched by those in cities across Pennsylvania such as Pittsburgh, Oil City and Harrisburg; similar marches took place in all 50 states and Washington D.C.

Organized by Queer Youth Assemble, a youth-led non-profit working to bring autonomy to queer youth, the protests come amidst a nationwide wave of pending legislation regarding LGBTQ and transgender policy issues.

Spanning federal and state legislatures, bills and policies proposed include those regarding transgender athletic competition and censorship of LGBTQ topics in schools. Such marches are important public forums through which constituents can broadcast their

Compassionate Aid in Dying Bill proposed

Miya Cao Staff Reporter

In 1997, the first official Death with Dignity Act took effect in Oregon. Death with Dignity is a national nonprofit advocating for end-of-life policy reform. Currently, 10 states and Washington D.C. have an active statute allowing citizens to access physician assisted suicide, and Pennsylvania has plans to join them as one of 11 states with a pending bill.

The Compassionate Aid in Dying Act would allow terminally ill, mentally capable adults to hasten their dying by self-administering lethal medicine. Currently, mercy killing and euthanasia are illegal in the U.S., but Pennsylvania’s Advance Directive for Health Care Act allows patients to be taken off of life-sustaining treatment if they request.

The Death with Dignity website states, “We know some people die in horrible ways as their

terminal illness overtakes them.

In our current healthcare landscape, that is undeniable. And, it’s unacceptable. We believe individuals with terminal illness have a right to die with the same autonomy and agency in which they lived their lives. Our work arises out of deep respect and empathy for this most intimate and personal freedom.”

Medical aid in dying bills are not, however, without precedence. From 2007-2015, Pennsylvania legislators proposed seven related bills that did not advance into law. In 2017 and 2021, Pennsylvania Senators and the General Assembly sponsored official Death with Dignity Acts that also did not pass.

Pennsylvania representative, Tarik Khan, Christopher Rabb, Jose Giral, Mark Rozzi, Carol Hill-Evans and Conestoga alumna Melissa Shusterman introduced the Compassionate Aid in Dying Act on March 1.

“It’s a very common sense bill. It’s already passed in multiple states,” Shusterman said. “I could only imagine the horror it would be to know you’re in excruciating pain and (that) there is no cure and that you have less than six months to live. That’s what this bill covers.”

Some critics of the bill are fearful that it could lead to relaxation of the eligibility requirements, which occurred in Canada. On March 17, 2024, Canada’s Medical Aid in Dying (MAID) program will be expanded to allow individuals with mental illnesses without a foreseeable natural death to request MAID. Shusterman believes the legislative system will protect the bill from expanding.

opinions. Protester Lydia Jones feels that the Philadelphia community is particularly receptive to advocacy for transgender autonomy.

“I think we’re really lucky that Philly tends to have widespread support for LGBTQ rights. There are definitely places where marches like this would not have so much support and welcoming,” Jones said. “Sometimes we feel like just marching or talking to our family can’t help, but there are some really crazy bills out there,

and we need to do anything we can to prevent them from passing or staying in effect.”

Protester Alex H., who requested to go by the first intial of his last name only, originally intended to attend a different march that was canceled due to worries about counter protests causing violence.

“I thought to myself, ‘This is exactly what the anti-trans people want.’ They wanted that, they’re winning. So okay, if that one’s not going to hap -

pen, I’m just going to go to a different one,” Alex said. “So here I am.”

While Alex maintains faith in Pennsylvania’s legislature, he worries about trans rights in other states.

“I think our governor would veto all the (anti-trans) legislation, but it’s more concerning in the South. It’s government overreach and honestly a violation of human rights,” Alex said.

In the coming months, bills will be considered within the

Pennsylvania state legislature. Senior Evelyn Yu echoes the sentiment expressed by Jones and Alex.

“I think (anti-trans legislation) is a distressing trend that’s sweeping the United States,” Yu said. “I hope that it doesn’t come to fruition in our state because that’s a move backwards for the rights of historically overlooked groups.”

Continued on page 3.

Testing center staff crack down on cheating

Faith Zantua Staff Reporter

Cheating on assessments has always been a concern amongst teachers and staff. Recently, however, some staff have noticed an increase in academic dishonesty, especially in the testing centers.

The testing center staff have increased security against academic dishonesty this year.

Students take assessments in the testing centers, Rooms 202 and 204, if they missed the test date and need to make up an assessment. They are open every school day from 7:50 a.m. to 2:50 p.m. and stay open until 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays.

According to one of the testing center proctors, Barbara

DeFeo, there has been an increase in academic dishonesty in the testing centers. Spanish teacher Ann Karcewski personally experienced this increase.

“Unfortunately, these days, I feel like (cheating) is becoming more and more common,” Karcewski said.

“I’m seeing an increase of it from my colleagues, (who are) saying ‘Oh, my student got caught with a cheat sheet.’ This (use of a) cheat sheet is becoming really popular. Personally I’ve had kids cheat, (and) they’re discovered by the (testing center proctor).”

Unlike Karcewski, 10th grade assistant principal James Bankert does not believe the frequency of academic dishonesty has

changed significantly. Bankert oversees standardized testing and the testing centers.

“I don’t think (the frequency of cheating) is higher,” Bankert said. “There is a little bit more incentive because of phones.”

Students are required to put their phones in a basket at the front of the room before taking a test in the testing centers. However, electronics are not the only tools reportedly used to cheat. Karcewski has witnessed the use of notes without permission, especially in the testing centers, and believes it is associated with some students repeatedly missing school on the day of an assessment.

“I think that (using a cheat sheet in the testing center) is

a go-to plan because I feel like (the students) think they can cheat easier in a testing center,” Karcewski said. “I think because (of this) certain kids are absent every time there’s a quiz. If you’re sick, you’re sick, but when you start seeing a pattern that (the student) tends to be sick on testing days, then you get disappointed.”

To prevent cheating, the testing center staff are emphasizing stricter security. Proctors check a student’s assessment to see if their teacher wrote that notes or electronics are allowed. If there is no indication, proctors assume that the student cannot use notes and devices or they contact the teacher for further confirmation.

The testing center staff have used this process in the past, but they recently sent reminders to teachers to write the indications on the assessments. Additionally, they are paying more attention to any electronic devices that can be hidden, such as smart watches.

“The idea is that (testing) should be fair, (but) we also understand the pressure students have,” DeFeo said.

If students are caught cheating, proctors write a note on the test and give it to the student’s teacher who will pursue disciplinary action. The Code of Conduct states that the first cheating offense results in a 50% grade on the assignment and one Saturday detention. Any further offenses result in a 0% on the assignment and two Saturday detentions.

“If students are caught cheating (because they are) caught under pressure, we want them to learn from their mistakes,” Bankert said. “We want students to learn and grow.”

Editor’s note: The Spoke talked to a Conestoga alumna who,

Pageant queen: Freshman wins

G ov . J osh s hapiro addresses p a bird flu epidemic

On April 4 at the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau’s 2023 Legislative Conference, Gov. Josh Shapiro emphasized the severity of the ongoing bird flu crisis in Pennsylvania, which remains the hardest-hit state in the nation, and highlighted $25 million in funding for farmers who lose birds to the flu.

senator fetterman returns to senate

Senator John Fetterman returned to the Senate on Monday, April 17, after checking into the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for treatment for his struggle against depression on Feb. 16. Fetterman experienced a downward spiral following his midterm election victory over Republican candidate Dr. Mehmet Oz in November.

d ominion , f ox settle

false election claims

lawsuit

On April 18, Fox News and Dominion Voting Systems reached a $787.5 million settlement for a case exposing how Fox published disinformation about the 2020 election. Dominion originally demanded $1.6 billion, arguing that Fox had damaged its reputation by spreading conspiracy theories about its equipment switching votes from former President Donald Trump to President Joe Biden.

chesterbrook

boulevard bridGe

repairs completed

Loftus Construction completed emergency bridge repairs on the Chesterbrook Boulevard Bridge from April 10 through April 14, addressing issues such as cracks that allowed water to potentially reach traffic. The $123,050 project also involved reducing water penetration and removing graffiti.

Asian American Culture Club partners with Make Us Visible

Jeffrey Heng Staff Reporter

On Sept. 27, 2021, Pennsylvania Rep. Patty Kim introduced the Asian American and Pacific Islanders History Inclusion Act as H.B. 1917. The bill calls for inclusivity of AAPI history in Pennsylvania’s schools. Make Us Visible is a nationwide initiative that advocates for the integration and awareness of AAPI contributions, cultures and histories in K-12 classrooms. Two parents and a teacher established MUV in January 2021 due to an increase in anti-Asian American violence, and have since worked with legislators in New Jersey, Rhode Island and Connecticut to pass bills requiring the inclusion of AAPI history in K-12 schools.

H.B. 1917 was referred to the Education Committee in Harrisburg but expired by the end of the 2021-22 legislative session. Kenneth Hong, co-director of Pennsylvania’s branch, MUVPA, tried to negotiate with local legislators via postcards to help reintroduce the bill.

“The response rate on hearing back from the legislators (has) been low,” Hong said. “But, we have heard from three or four legislators across the couple of hundred postcards that we’ve sent. We see that as just one phase of a

multi-prong approach into raising awareness. We’re hoping to grab their attention and hopefully get some responses and meetings with them.”

In January 2023, Kim circulated a co-sponsorship memorandum to propose the act again. The document informed

legislators about the need for legislation and allowed them to sign as co-sponsors.

On March 30, Kim reintroduced the act as H.B. 779 after gaining enough support from fellow legislators. Prior to the reintroduction of the act, MUV directors collaborated with

several organizations, such as the Main Line Chinese Culture Center, to garner support. Similarly, the Asian American Culture Club has been able to get in contact with MUV officials to participate in their campaign.

“We’re hopeful we can start doing more things with

Conestoga. I’ve met with the curriculum district officers, and it sounds like there’s great plans for implementing more inclusive Asian American content into all grade levels.

We hope we can support that (and) make that a reality,” Hong said.

Conestoga’s Asian American Culture Club sponsored Hong in February as a guest speaker, who worked with club members to create postcards to send to state representatives and spread awareness of AAPI advocacy.

“I think working with Make Us Visible gives students that idea of what’s out there,” AACC club adviser and history teacher Stephanie Matula said. “We have a growing Asian American population, and it’s important there is representation and visibility in curriculum. (I’m) hoping that in the future we can try to make different steps in Conestoga to have a wider array of representation.”

The AACC plans to have more cultural activities throughout April in preparation for AAPI Heritage Month in May, including a spirit week, bake sale and guest presentation. Hong believes that normalizing the presence of Asian American culture in the community is an important cause.

Heritage Month in May. The club sponsored Hong as a guest speaker and sent postcards to state representatives to spread awareness of AAPI advocacy.

Insulin pharmaceuticals cut prices

chronic health conditions, the most well-known being Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.

Main Line Health receives Community Champions Award

On March 1, Eli Lilly and Company announced it would be reducing the prices of its prescribed insulins by 70% and “capping patient out-of-pocket costs at $35 or less a month,” according to a press release from the company.

On March 14, less than two weeks later, Novo Nordisk released a statement, announcing that “it is lowering the U.S. list prices of several insulin products by up to 75% for people living with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.”

Two days later, Sanofi announced that it will cut the list price of Lantus, its most widely-prescribed insulin in the U.S., by 78%. The company also will establish a $35 cap on out-of-pocket costs for Lantus for all patients with commercial insurance.

For both Novo Nordisk and Sanofi, these new prices will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2024.

These three companies — Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk and Sanofi — are the largest producers of insulin, a hormone used to manage blood sugar levels and help one’s body turn food into energy. For all non-diabetics, this hormone is produced naturally.

Diabetes consists of a group of

For people with diabetes, their bodies either don’t produce enough insulin or their cells stop responding to insulin. When this happens, too much blood sugar stays in their bloodstream. Over time, that can cause serious health problems, such as heart disease, vision loss and kidney disease, according to the CDC.

Those living with diabetes have to take insulin, but the prices created barriers for many diabetics to obtain the medication itself.

“14% of people who use insulin in the United States face what are described as a ‘catastrophic’ levels of spending on insulin, meaning they spent at least 40% of their available income after paying for food and housing on insulin,” according to Yale University researchers Baylee Bakkila, Sanjay Basu and Kasia Lipska.

However, insulin prices are a smaller issue compared to the price of supplies diabetics use to manage blood sugar levels and administer insulin.

“These changes are only for some insulins. People with diabetes need more than just insulin to survive, and those costs need

to be lowered, as well. Additionally, these changes don’t impact any new insulins coming onto the market,” said a spokesperson from T1International, a non-profit organization that advocates for people with Type 1 diabetes.

Insulin accounted for only 18% of all out-of-pocket spending for diabetes related care, which is less out-of-pocket spending than what is spent on diabetes-related supplies, including insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors, according to research done by JAMA Internal Medicine.

These insulin price cuts follow a federal bill passed in January that capped the monthly out-of-pocket cost of insulin at $35. However, the cap would only go into effect for those with Medicare or private insurance.

“These (companies’) changes mean that people without insurance, who are often the most impacted by high list prices, will have more options,” said a spokesperson from T1International. “We need these changes for all insulins and to see this kind of price lowering globally — but it’s a start. We also need federal legislation to ensure that the companies can’t decide to raise their prices again at whim.”

from the Hospital and Health system Association of Pennsylvania for its food insecurity program.

Chester County on the Move campaign starts

Whether going on runs on Chester County Trails, participating in sports, taking dance classes, going to the gym or walking your dog, the Chesco on the Move campaign encourages all people living, learning and working in Chester County to incorporate more movement into their day.

Life lessons from poker OPINION

Call, check, bet, raise and fold. These are the building blocks of poker, the popular card game associated with betting and gambling. To skeptical onlookers, poker conjures up images of Wild West saloons, smoky card tables and cigar-chewing mobsters. But does the game deserve its shady reputation? Not really.

SPORTS

Bright future: Freshmen join varsity lacrosse teams

This year, as head lacrosse coaches Amy Orcutt and Brody Bush sent out team placement emails at the end of tryouts, an invitation to play on their respective varsity teams landed in the inbox of ve highly skilled freshmen. Gunnar Flesher was the only freshman male to make varsity full time. Freshman Colin Chorin also made the team but is unable to play due to an injury during the preseason.

“A lot of times, it’s easy to think about the history side of things,” Hong said. “But there’s a lot of areas where it’s important to say, ‘Hey, Asian Americans have been making contributions in a lot of different areas to my country,’ and I think that it gives our Asian American students a greater sense of identity and belonging in the country.”

Uncovering history: FBI solves 50-year-old cold case

The FBI Art Crime Team has been in operation since 2004, recovering more than 15,000 items valued at over $800 million in total since its founding. Most recently, the team launched an investigation of a cold case from 50 years ago: the mystery of 50 stolen artifacts across five states, including Pennsylvania. FBI Art Crime

Special Agent Jake Archer calls this burglary “one of the largest of its kind that we’re aware of.”

In 2009, a cold case investigation was re-opened by detectives from Upper Merion Township and the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office. It was a 50-year-old crime which included artifacts, such as firearms from Valley Forge Historical Society and others from the French and Indian War in 1754. Many hold the stories of soldiers, such as the World War II battlefield pickup pistol from General Omar Bradley, which was stolen from the U.S. Army War College Museum.

In a display of passion for American history, U.S. History teacher Michael Palmatier often discusses topics regarding various types of artifacts with his colleagues. He believes in the importance of preserving historical artifacts. “I think artifacts are essential because they bring us so much closer to the authentic past,” Palmatier said. “Artifacts are a way of telling a story.”

In August 2022, the thief, Michael Corbett of Newark, Delaware, pleaded guilty to the possession of the stolen items, claiming that his intent was not to sell, but to collect. Corbett’s sentence was a day in jail and a $65,000 fine.

On March 13, the artifacts returned to their 17 original institutions, including the Museum of American Revolution. ZeeAnn Mason, the Chief Operating Officer of the Museum of American Revolution in Philadelphia, explains how Corbett stole the artifacts.

“When the items that were recently repatriated were stolen, security measures at many museums, especially smaller historical societies, were lax,” Mason said. “They didn’t have the type of security cameras, alarm systems and secure cases most museums have today.”

After the 2009 case reopening, anonymous sources revealed information regarding the theft until it led to Corbett, solving the burglaries that spanned from 1968 to 1979. Mason is appreciative of the effort put into the artifacts’ reclamation so they can be displayed to the public once again.

“We are grateful to the FBI’s Art Crime Team who worked diligently with other law enforcement agencies to recover and repatriate these items,” Mason said. “It is always a terrible thing to see anything stolen, especially artifacts that are often irreplaceable. Once (the artifacts) were recovered, it was no small task to determine where the items were stolen from.”

School board to replace Devon and Hillside Elementary playgrounds

For the past year, the members of the school board’s Facilities Committee discussed possible ways to make the elementary schools’ playgrounds more accessible, safe and fun for the students. During January and February, the committee created a plan to install new and accessible playground equipment. The committee planned to replace the playgrounds of Devon and Hillside Elementary Schools first since they are the most outdated, and then move on to the rest of the schools in the district.

The new playground design plan is based on input from both Devon and Hillside Elementary Schools on which aspects of the playground are in bad condition or outdated and which need to be replaced or revamped. According to Facilities Committee chair Michelle Burger, the school board created this project to provide funding and improve the playgrounds for all students.

“Playground equipment has not been part of the district’s infrastructure plan. Instead, PTOs would raise money to donate new equipment, and while they have been very generous with these donations, we knew that this current practice wasn’t sustainable or equitable,” Burger said. “We also wanted to ensure that there would be new equipment accessible to students with mobility issues.”

The new playgrounds will have a smooth rubberized surface instead of a rough mulch terrain. The schools will also be outfitted with an AstroTurf field, all-ability chairs and tables for wheelchair support. Finally, the two elementary schools will install new playground equipment and colorful paintings. For Devon Elementary School PTO President Nicole Brigham, the new playgrounds’ greater safety is the most important aspect of the replacements.

“I don’t think the kids care what the equipment or playground actually looks like, they just want to use the equipment,” Brigham said. “Safety and the new accessibility that this equip-

ment will provide is the most important thing.”

Not only will the new playgrounds allow for greater entertainment, safety and accessibility, but they will also significantly reduce the maintenance of the facilities, as well. According to Burger, the rubberized ground will reduce the annual cost and maintenance hours required with the current mulch.

“The district currently uses mulch under and around the play areas that require it, which costs approximately $60,000 per year, along with multiple labor hours to install it,” Burger said. “Replacing the mulch with a material that allows the equipment to be used more frequently — regardless of the previous day’s weather — was a goal shared by the elementary school principals and (school) board.”

According to Burger, replacing the playgrounds is a worthy investment of time and money so that all elementary students in the district can equally enjoy their recess time.

“Play is an integral part of learning at the elementary

school level. These improvements support all children regardless of their abilities allowing them equal access to

play equipment,” Burger said. “The use of rubberized surface instead of mulch removes physical barriers and allows for out-

door recess to take place more often since there won’t be mud and puddles under and around the equipment.”

Remington Vaughan Staff Reporter

Returning relics: Two flintlock pistols are shown on display at the Museum of the American Revolution. The FBI’s Art Crime Team returned stolen artifacts to the institution on March 13 after the conclusion of a 50-year-old cold case.

Lizzie

SPOKE Insulin administration: A blood sugar kit, insulin pump supplies and a vial of insulin are laid out on a counter. The three largest insulin producers announced that they would reduce the costs of the hormone.

Remington Vaughan/The SPOKE

Culture of inclusion: Members of the Asian American Culture Club create posters for AAPI

Jeffrey Heng/The SPOKE

Lizzie Sun Staff Reporter

Policies put pressure on transgender athletes, school curriculums

Legislators address transgender athletes in schools

Nationwide, conservative politicians have targeted transgender youth by introducing legislation that bars their participation in school sports that align with their gender identity. According to the National Conference of State Legislators, currently 18 states have bans in effect, primarily in K-12 schools, but sometimes extending to the collegiate level.

On April 6, the Biden administration introduced a Title IX change proposal that would prevent states and schools from enacting blanket-level bans on transgender athletes. Teams could still create limits on a case-by-case basis “when they enable the school to achieve an important educational objective,” according to the U.S. Department of Education. However, completely barring participation would violate Title IX, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in federally funded education programs.

These laws have honed in on transgender women and girls competing in women’s athletics, as some argue transgender women and girls have an unfair biological advantage over their cisgender counterparts. A 2021 study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that , at the Olympic level, transgender women performed 10% more

pushups and 6% more situps than cisgender women after one year of hormone therapy. After two years of hormone therapy, trangender women performed at the same physical level as cisgender women.

’Stoga alumna Megan Smith, a transgender woman who plays club sports at the collegiate level, feels that the length of treatment should determine one’s eligibility in the sport.

“I think it’s ridiculous to go ‘I’m trans’ one day and ‘I should immediately switch (categories in athletic competition)’ because that’s people taking advantage of the system,” Smith said.

However, after receiving treatment through transgender hormone therapy, Smith feels the differences between transgender and cisgender females are minimized.

“After a certain duration, I do not have any biological advantages people talk about. However, it doesn’t matter, because any achievement or accolade I get in a sport is diminished and just ridiculed. Because, ‘Oh, she’s trans, so she just doesn’t deserve any credits,’” Smith said.

Smith takes medication that blocks testosterone and increases levels of estrogen and progesterone. Current guidelines established by governing bodies like the International Olympic Committee state that transgender women athletes must maintain testosterone levels below 10 nanomoles/liter, although the

average for cisgender women falls between 0.3-2.4 nanomoles/liter.

From personal experience, as long as Smith’s physique aligned with her gender identity, no one questioned her participation at the collegiate club level.

“Because I ‘pass’ — I look female, I sound femme, etcetera, etcetera — no one knows (I am trans). If I still have very masculine traits, that’s when you get the discrimination,” Smith said. “It’s sort of like erasure in that I’m ‘allowed’ to be trans because I look female.”

While controversy largely surrounds transgender women in sports, transgender men may face similar challenges.

Senior Macyn Bass socially transitioned as a transgender man in July 2022, but has not medically transitioned. Bass plays for the girls rugby team as a personal choice.

“I feel more comfortable with the girls — I kind of always have — but I think it really depends on the athlete,” Bass said. “As much as there is transphobia, there’s also a misogynistic take because it’s rooted in the idea that women can’t compete. It’s completely unfair. I have met some of the strongest women in sports, and they could compete with any man that you put them up against.”

Currently in Pennsylvania, anti-trans sports bills were introduced into the state legislature, but none have been passed.

Sophomores win PennDOT innovation challenge

Lauren Pinheiro Staff Reporter

At the end of January, sophomores Faizaan Siddique and Drew Hunter submitted a proposal to solve a truck parking transportation problem to the PennDOT innovation challenge. Their proposal of a truck oasis and creation of the app TruckPark PA landed the team the first place spot in PennDOT’s Engineering District 6. The duo competed against four other teams from three different schools in District 6, which contains Chester, Montgomery, Bucks, Delaware and Philadelphia Counties. Each year, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation releases a real-world challenge for students in grades 9-12 to solve. The challenge for 2023 — released this past October — was to find a way for commercial truck drivers to park along Pennsylvania freight corridors that connect truck transport across the nation. Hunter and Siddique created their solution over the course of two months and conducted research to perfect their proposal.

“First, we started to give ideas and do research in the area, and we landed on the Lebanon County area for us to do our design. Faizaan wanted to base this off the Illinois Tollway oasis. Also, we added an application of a truck parking app where (truck drivers) can reserve spots,” Hunter said.

The challenge consisted of two stages. First, the team created a truck oasis plan for commercial

vehicles. A truck oasis would provide a designated rest area with gas stations, restrooms, food and parking options. Additionally, the TruckPark PA app allowed fatigued drivers to book parking spots in these oases.

“I am experienced with app development, so I did the app and visuals because I am also good at drawing. Drew also made sure everything was smooth,” Siddique said.

With Siddique and Hunter’s proposal displaying a complete, innovative and well-planned proposal, the two moved onto the second stage of the challenge.

Stage two took place in February which allowed the duo to present an expanded version of their proposal to District 6 PennDOT executives and other department heads. After an evaluation of their proposal and presentation at the state level, the team obtained the District 6 title for the PennDOT innovation challenge.

The two are continuing on to compete at the statewide competition on April 25. One winning team from each of the 11 transportation districts in Pennsylvania will compete for the state title and $4,000 cash prize. Siddique feels that creating and implementing an innovation with Hunter gave him new experience in the transportation field.

“Competing in the Innovation Challenge was definitely a very fun experience,” Siddique said. “It gave me the opportunity to apply my observations and ideas through a comprehensive and innovative proposal.”

Notably, the Protect Women’s Sports Act (House Bill 972) first proposed in 2021, would prohibit transgender girls from competing in women’s sports. Critics of the legislation feel that these bills discriminate against trans athletes, as a large component of sports is belonging and well-being. Banning the participation of trans athletes subjects them to humiliation and ostracisation from their peers, which worsen mental health.

“We need to just protect our community. Students need to start seeing everybody in the community as their obligation, to choose to just be kind, accepting and affirming because the mental health of their peers is much lower than the mental health of our heterosexual cis(gender) normative population,” said Asher Rhodes, a physical education teacher at Conestoga and one of three advisers of the Gender/Sexuality Alliance. “School becomes their safe space, and our students need to open up to that and make that an even safer space for them.”

Censorship of LGBTQ discussion in schools

In October 2022, the Pennsylvania Senate introduced the Parental Bill of Rights Act (House Bill 319), which would limit conversations on sexual orientation and gender identity in certain grades. If passed, the bill would give parents more control over content taught in public schools.

“It’s really upsetting because it’s not doing anything,” said senior Cathryn Cheetham, vice-president of Conestoga’s GSA. “People aren’t being indoctrinated by the schools acknowledging that LGBTQ people exist.”

This bill is one of three major anti-trans bills that have been introduced into the Pennsylvania legislature this year. For example, House Bill 138 extends the statute of limitations for lawsuits from those who received gender affirming treatment as minors. To raise awareness for the surge of anti-LGBTQ legislation, members of the GSA have made infographics and handouts to be passed out

to teachers. However, while Cheetham finds the T/E School District to be generally supportive of the LGBTQ community, she does not feel they are always vocal about their support.

“Anytime it was proposed that the school say something about Pride Month, or display a queer flag somewhere in school, it’s been pushed off,” Cheetham said. “I kind of understand that, because there would be people that would be really upset about that.”

If such legislation passes, it will mirror laws already passed in primarily southern states like Florida, Alabama and Tennessee. These bills are sparked by fears that learning about sexual orientation and gender affirming health care could make youth more likely to identify with the LGBTQ community. Biology teacher and GSA adviser Valerie Cunningham emphasizes the importance of protecting LGBTQ topics in curriculums.

“The GSA has been fighting for a long time to be included in a part of the curriculum, to have representation through LGBTQ authors.

It means a lot to the students, and I’m fearful that any progress we have made might go backwards,” Cunningham said.

Though social studies and English courses are most likely to be affected by potential changes, other subjects may be forced to adapt too. Cunningham uses the example of 1970s environmentalist Rachel Carson.

“She was the one that inspired DDT to be banned as a pesticide, and she was gay. That’s important to talk about when we’re learning about her because it was used against her when she was trying to present her scientific concepts,” Cunningham said. “If I can’t talk about that, it takes away a critical piece of her story.” For Cheetham, such fears are all the more reason to get involved.

“The narrative that (legislators) are doing this to protect the children is not doing anything,” Cheetham said. “There’s so many things that could be done that would save a lot more lives than taking away the access that youth have to be able to feel like themselves.”

Greening ’Stoga members push for eco-friendly cutlery

Saktisri Gowrishankar Staff Reporter

Greening ’Stoga Task Force is working to find ways to replace Conestoga cafeteria cutlery with eco-friendly options after a recent survey.

Greening ’Stoga Task Force is a club dedicated to promoting sustainability and environmental awareness. The club posted a schoolwide survey on Schoology on Feb. 27 to determine if students were supportive of replacing cutlery in the cafeteria, using the results as evidence for the necessity of more environmentally friendly choices.

Senior Katie Hymel, club president and leader of the initiative, believes they can make the change.

“In 2019, Greening ’Stoga got rid of (plastic foam) in the cafeteria. It’s been done before, and I know we can do it again,” Hymel said. “I’m hopeful that we will have enough support, and we will put in enough work to make this change possible.”

As of March 28, Food Services Supervisor David Preston found that Conestoga uses 824 pounds of plastic utensils annually. Of the 434 student responses to the survey sent out by Greening ’Stoga, 84% said they were supportive of alternatives to plastic cutlery. The club had similar initiatives in the past, such as removing plastic foam from the cafeteria, putting more recycling bins in the atrium and reducing waste by recycling dried markers and pens. Principal Dr. Amy Meisinger is supportive of the club’s ventures.

“I think any efforts to conserve can only be helpful. You look at what’s happening in grocery stores with plastic bags going to brown bags, and all the things that are happening on a national scale, so I think any effort to turn the tide a little bit is certainly helpful,” Meisinger said.

The plan to replace utensils in the cafeteria is in its early stages, but Greening ’Stoga hopes to implement it at the beginning of the 2023-24 school year. The club is considering biodegradable materials, such as bamboo, as an alternative to plastic. Hymel and other club members are working with district administrators, namely Preston, to create a plan of action.

Environmental science teacher and Greening ’Stoga adviser Kevin Strogen believes this collaboration is crucial in the club’s projects.

“You always need a partnership. You always need to work with administrators and those who make the decisions, in the cafeteria or the school, to achieve these goals we have,” Strogen said. Increasing attention to climate change and pollution made communities more environmentally conscious. Students can help reduce our community’s impact by recycling, making eco-friendly choices and spreading awareness.

“Every generation, in some ways, makes better and better decisions—environmentally, at least,” Strogen said. “I think (that) at a young age, it’s important to be aware of these issues and try to enact change because I think (the next generation has) a lot more power than (they) think (they) do.”

Cutlery qualm: Freshman Arohi Nepal reaches for a spoon in a cafeteria checkout line. Greening ’Stoga released a survey in February to see if students would be supportive of replacing the plastic cutlery in the cafeteria.

Automobile oasis: Sophomores Drew Hunter and Faizaan Siddique created an app design for the PennDOT innovation challenge. They designed a truck parking app which allows truck drivers to reserve parking spots at truck stops.

Courtesy Faizaan Siddique

Powerful speech: A march organizer speaks to an assembly of protesters about the importance of trans autonomy at the March for Queer and Trans

Youth Autonomy in Philadelphia. Organizers passed out Pride flags and water bottles to those in attendance.

Powerful speech: A protester holds up a sign with “Gender affirming care saved my life” written across it, in the colors of the nonbinary Pride flag. Recent bills have targeted gender affirming care for trans children across the U.S.

Easter egg-sploration: Wilson Farm Park hosts egg hunt

Lily Chen Sta Reporter was a major reason that the park decided to host the egg hunt there.

A loudspeaker crackles to life as children line the sides of a field dotted with 1,500 plastic Easter eggs in various pastel colors. On the count of three, kids swarm the field, grabbing at eggs as parents cheer from the sidelines. Within 90 seconds, there is not a single egg left on the grass.

On Sunday, April 2, Wilson Farm Park hosted its first Easter egg hunt. Many participants brought baskets for the egg hunt and engaged in the other activities available around the park, such as face painting, music, food and games.

Originally scheduled for Saturday, April 1, coordinators postponed the event due to expected inclement weather. However, many parkgoers commented that the rescheduling had little effect on the turnout at the event. While this is the first time Wilson Farm Park has hosted an Easter egg hunt, it plans to continue doing so every year as an opportunity for the community to get together.

Hilliary Mallory, the Parks and Recreation Coordinator for Tredyffrin Township, explains that the location and demographic of families living around Wilson Farm Park

“We have a wonderful venue here in Wilson Farm Park, and we know our young family population is very large, so we thought (the egg hunt) would be really a fun event to support,” Mallory said.

Christen Simeo, a parkgoer, found that the event provided her family with a reason to get out of the house and socialize. However, she wishes that there had been better accommodations during the egg hunt for younger children, such as her 3-year-old son.

“I come (to the park) all the time. I think it’s just awesome to have an excuse to come here, meet other people, and have fun music and entertainment for my 3-year-old,” Simeo said. “It’s a fun activity for families to get out and do together, but our issue was that we got here 10 seconds late and all the eggs were gone. It would be nice if they had separate areas for the little kids and big kids, spread out a little bit more, but I think they did a great job. I’m sure it takes a lot of work to get ready for something like this.”

says that her family visits the park often on the weekends.

“We come and play (at Wilson Farm Park) on the weekends all the time. I think this event was really fun. It got a

lot of kids out in the beautiful weather and it got the Wilson Farm Park name out,” Ploppert said. “My favorite part of the event was having special eggs stuffed with gold coins.

My son, who is 5, got a gold coin, so he was pretty excited about that.”

Despite it being the first time the park has held an event like this, many believed

the event was a success. It created a reason for families to get out of the house and enjoy the playgrounds and fields that Wilson Farm Park has to offer.

“It’s always wonderful to be able to bring everybody out and have a little bit of time together as a community and enjoy something,” Mallory said. “But next year, we’ll de nitely need more eggs.”

Wilson Farm Park is a go-to location for families in the surrounding neighborhoods who are looking for playgrounds and fresh air.

Carrie Ploppert

Audacious audio: ’Stoga on Air podcast grows in popularity

Rowan Chetty Sta Reporter

ree months ago, Pakistan’s second most-listened-to podcast, according to Chartable, was being recorded from the other side of the world inside Conestoga’s very own TV Studio.

In June 2022, then-freshman Dean Rindner and then-sophomore Sanveer Kashyap launched a student-run podcast, ’Stoga on Air. Since the rst episode aired, ’Stoga on Air has become the 131st most-listened-to Entertainment News podcast in the U.S. on Apple Podcasts. e podcast is available on streaming platforms such as Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Amazon Music.

“The goal of ’Stoga on Air is for people to talk on (topics) they’re passionate about and bring their voices and perspectives to the school,” Rindner said.

e podcast features student opinions on various school and community-related events, as well as global news and trends.

Junior Lex Shah co-hosted the

Bomba Taco Bar

podcast’s second episode in November. Shah nds the listeners of the podcast not to be limited to a speci c audience.

“Each one of the episodes so far have been for all Conestoga (students). ( e episode I did) was about changes in school (this year). e next episode was about Cornucopia and (other) schoolwide events,” Shah said. “It’s interesting because everybody can connect to the topics discussed.”

e podcast has accomplished more than just reaching local listeners. ’Stoga on Air has also had a global impact.

“One of my friends, she’s Pakistani, and her family listened to (the podcast). So (our podcast) actually went number two in Pakistan, which was really unexpected,” Kashyap said.

e most recent episode of the podcast was “ e Hotseat,” inspired by the YouTube series “Hot Ones.” “ e Hotseat” was a special episode in which podcasters interviewed a guest while eating spicy hot wings. For their rst Hotseat episode,

Kashyap and Rindner interviewed 12th grade assistant principal, Patrick Boyle.

“Everybody’s familiar with (Boyle’s) speeches at the start of the year and how they’re imposing, (so) we thought it’d be interesting (to have him on the podcast) because he’s actually a really relaxed guy. A lot of people never get to see that side of him,” Kashyap said. “It was one of the more interesting experiences to learn a lot about people’s stories that you would have never expected to hear.”

Although ’Stoga on Air has been around for 10 months, Rindner and Kashyap still have many plans to improve the podcast, such as entering the NPR Student Podcast challenge. eir main goal, however, is to include more voices on the podcast.

“We really hope for other people to contact me through our Instagram and say, ‘Hey, Dean, I’d love to talk about this or that.’ at is our goal,” Rindner said. “We want people to talk about things that they’re passionate about.”

Looking for a fun atmosphere with avorful, authentic tacos? A quick trip to Malvern’s Bomba Taco Bar will satisfy your Tex-Mex craving with its elevated twist on tacos.

Located in e Grove Shopping Center, Bomba’s motto is, “Eat Well. Live Large.” e restaurant’s dining experience did not disappoint. e eclectic restaurant features hanging lights and unique decor, and lively energy lled the eatery on

a crowded ursday night. e restaurant serves options for both kids and adults and o ers indoor and outdoor seating. Our server was upbeat and engaging, quickly delivering our drinks within a few minutes of placing the order.

In keeping with the Mexican theme, I tried a freshly prepared orange hibiscus lemonade and a mandarin Jarritos, a traditional Mexican soda. Both drinks were sweetly satisfying and avorful.

Although all of the appetizers on the menu sounded tempting, I opted for the chipotle beef and scallion queso dip. Served with plantain and malanga chips in

addition to traditional tortilla chips, this creamy dip had a rich, velvety texture and was packed with chipotle seasoned beef in its center. e three di erent chips made for a unique, tasty combination. With generous portion sizes, this queso dip was more than adequate to satisfy a table of two or three.

Shortly a er I received the dip, my taco selections arrived. Bomba’s tacos are made with fresh ingredients, giving them a bold avor. I selected three options from the menu: Carne Asada, El Gringo and the Yard Bird. e Carne Asada taco was packed with seasoned grilled

steak, cotija cheese, pico de gallo, white onions and poblanos. Topped with a garlic cilantro pesto, the avors melded together without overpowering the beef.

e El Gringo taco was more of a dish served in the U.S. with seasoned ground beef, cheese, pico de gallo, hot sauce and topped with a tangy lime crema. e lime crema was just enough to elevate the dish from the typical ground beef taco. For poultry lovers, the yard bird will satisfy your craving.

Stu ed with pickled red onion, fresh guacamole and cilantro, this taco featured tender, juicy chipotle chicken.

True to its motto, Bomba Taco Bar allows you to eat well and live large with good food and equally good service. Lively and welcoming, it is a standout space for premium tacos.

Bomba Taco Bar 30 Liberty Blvd, Malvern, PA 19355

Price: $

Rating:

Phone: 610-727-5253

Monday- ursday: 11:30 a.m.- 10 p.m.

Friday-Saturday: 11:30 a.m.11p.m. Sunday: 11:30 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Golden egg: Children run onto a eld at Wilson Farm Park to collect Easter eggs, some of which contain special gold coins. The event also o ered live music, food, games and other

activities for families.

Abby Bagby T/E Life Editor

Taco trifecta: The El Gringo and Carne Asada tacos are served with a slice of fresh lime. The restaurant o ered tacos featuring a variety of ingredients.

Cheesy choice: The chipotle beef and scallion queso dip is served alongside a variety of chips. The menu o ered numerous chip and dip options in addition to the queso.

Abby Bagby/The Spoke

Abby Bagby/The Spoke

Rowan Chetty/The Spoke

Pro podcaster: Sophomore Dean Rindner adjusts the audio for an episode of the ’Stoga on Air podcast. The podcast started last June and quickly gained popularity, even becoming the 131st most listened-to podcast in the U.S. for Entertainment News on Apple Podcasts.

Pageant queen: Freshman wins USOA Teen Pennsylvania 2023

Marching down the streets of Philadelphia during the Veterans Day parade, freshman Kelly Campbell looked at the smiling children and applauding adults and understood her in uence as United States of America Teen Pennsylvania 2023. Campbell competed for the title in October 2022 participating in events that showcased personality and style. e annual title is granted to women who “empower women, inspire others, and upli everyone,” according to United States of America Pageants. For Campbell, the title elicits a mission to foster a welcoming community.

“It’s just all about showing o to our community how strong women can be,” Campbell said.

“Especially for a teen, I think it’s di cult in the (years) that we’re in to speak out, and I think that (the pageant) gives (girls) the opportunity to really be a spokesperson for our community.”

What set Campbell apart from other candidates was her stage presence. Her connection to the judges allowed her to express her opinions in her interview, a key part of the competition.

“Onstage, the exact question was, ‘What trait about you displays a good role model?’ I said that I think that my con dence displays a good role model because I’m not afraid to get my opinion out there when it is needed,” Campbell said. “I’m not afraid to speak to adults, and I think that teens need to realize that our opinions need to be out there and when (they) are supposed to and when (they) are needed.”

As her rst pageant, Campbell did not expect to take home the crown, so when she received the title, she was lled with emotion.

Sophomores host coding workshop for girls at Easttown Library

Sophomores Pavithra Aju

Nair, Arushi Vignesh and Penelope Valenti are teaching middle school girls about coding through their workshop, Magenta Programmers.

Vignesh got the idea for the workshop a er recognizing women’s underrepresentation in STEM elds.

“ roughout middle school, I attended lots of programming courses and workshops. I found that the majority (of the attendees) were always boys with a couple girls here and there. I thought maybe we should start a workshop designed to get girls motivated to go into technology,” Vignesh said.

Although the class is now held monthly at the Easttown Library,

Magenta Programmers did not always have the luxury of an in-person location. ey started teaching over Zoom calls during the pandemic, only gaining access to rooms at the library in June of 2021.

“Since we started from scratch, it was hard to go through all the founding steps, determine how we would teach and where we were going,” Nair said. “It took a while of emailing people to find that the Easttown Library was willing to do it with us and some collaborating with the librarian so we could get on the schedule.”

Teaching a younger audience has proved to be a struggle that the girls have learned how to combat.

“Another challenging part is the fifth and sixth graders. Back when we were fifth and

sixth graders, we didn’t pay attention that well. It was hard to hone in and focus,” Nair said.“We had to be able to time out how long we can teach and how long we should do activities. We usually (hosted) twohour classes, so we had to separate that into how much time teaching them and the rest being implementation of what they’ve learned.”

Through the hardships, the members continue to love teaching girls to code because of the new ideas and information they are able to pass on.

“My favorite part of teaching these kids is the different experience levels and how they show off what they’ve learned,” Nair said. “It’s cool to see how someone reacts when they finally create a project that they didn’t know

anything about at first, but with the help and support they’ve gained they were able to create actual content.”

The Magenta Programmers workshops had a profound effect on a seventh grader from T/E Middle School, Tvisha Jani. Jani has attended workshops since 2021 and feels the classes are inspiring and helpful for young girls.

“The founders are empowering us because they’re showing us possibilities for women in STEM, and they’re doing it in a fun way so we get more interested in it,” Jani said. “Women are not usually seen as computer programmers or in the science field, so the fact that we see these people that are women help us is really cool because we see what they accomplish and realize we can do it too.”

“Mostly, I was shocked. I wasn’t expecting to go away with anything else except a (good) experience and (making) friends with the other girls,” Campbell said. “I was just extremely happy and overjoyed to be given this wonderful title because there’s a lot of bene ts, and there’s just a lot of opportunities that can come from it.”

With her new platform, “No Excuse for Animal Abuse,” Campbell has chosen to advocate against animal cruelty and

spends her time volunteering at and donating supplies to the local SPCA. Campbell is grateful that her newly acquired position has allowed her to become more involved in her community.

“I’ve done a lot for my platform, and it just shows that a lot of people are benefiting from it and a lot of the animals are benefitting from it,” Campbell said. “It just makes me feel great that I can really help a certain cause and just be passionate about it.”

FBLA: New club sees success

Nestled in a corner of the hallway is Room 245B, where students stayed a er school to take a test for an upcoming competition. From events in business management to graphic design to public speaking and more, the newly founded Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) Club gives students a place to pursue their passion and learn valuable interpersonal skills with like-minded peers.

“FBLA goes beyond business knowledge. It’s a really great opportunity to compete in a competition that has varying skills,” said junior Sanveer Kashyap, the founder and president of the club. “ e best way to describe it is diverse (because) there are so many opportunities to compete depending on what you want to do.”

Founded in 1937, the parent club’s mission is to inspire and prepare students to be leaders in their careers and society. Kashyap began coordinating with FBLA State Head Bruce Boncal and club adviser Ashley Sanei to start a chapter of the organiza-

tion at ’Stoga about a year ago. e FBLA club o cially began in October 2022, and has since grown to more than 30 participating members.

“It’s a really interesting and cool club because it’s not just one subject. You can have multiple di erent interests and skill sets, and you can all kind of shine in your own area while still being included in the club,” Sanei said.

On Dec. 14, students participated in the FBLA regional competition at Phoenixville Area High School, where members brought home 15 rst place medals. More than 25 students quali ed for the state leadership conference at Hershey Park from April 17-19, with 18 students winning nal medals. A er guiding her students, Sanei attributes their success to their hard work and dedication.

“It definitely has to do with a lot of confidence in their skills. We take a lot of time and dedication into preparing,” Sanei said. “Conestoga students are really good at having independence; I think a lot of times they know what they want. They will take the steps necessary (to succeed).”

Many regional participants were excited about their accomplishments. According to club treasurer and junior Andrew Yao, the competitions are valuable experiences for students exploring their interests.

“I feel like it’s a way for high schoolers to apply the information that they’ve been taught in class and actually experience what it’s like potentially (pursuing) a career in those topics,” Yao said. “By branching out and exploring more diverse topics and elds, (the students) can de nitely see what they’re actually passionate about.”

Following their success, Kashyap feels greatly inspired by his peers and is optimistic towards both the upcoming state competition and the overall future of FBLA. Looking ahead, he hopes to expand the club to all students.

“This is our first year, so we’re kind of figuring out what works, what doesn’t work,” Kashyap said. “Hopefully, when people see success, they’re intrigued (and) they will want to join. So if states goes well, that’d be a really good opportunity to get a lot of people for the future.”

Abbie Preston Sta Reporter

Sparkling sensation: Freshman Kelly Campbell is crowned as Miss Pennsylvania, Teen USA., an award given to young women who strive to better their community. Campbell hopes to inspire other young women to join her cause.

Sweet surprise: Freshman Kelly Campbell is shocked when receiving her award. For Campbell, this moment was unexpected, but joyful.

Courtesy Eireann Photography Courtesy Eireann Photography

Isabelle Emmanuel Sta Reporter

Cryptic coders: (Le to right) Sophomores Arushi Vignesh, Pavrita Aju Nair and Penelope Valenti work on designing their next coding workshop.

Isabelle Emmanuel/The SPOKE

Vanessa Chen Sta Reporter

Budding businesspeople: FBLA members represent Conestoga at the state competition’s opening ceremonies at the Giant Center in Hershey. Students held up FBLA’s logo, the diamond, with their hands.

Courtesy Helene Wilson

’Stoga tradition: Senior Lip Dub begins production

The annual Senior Lip Dub is in production despite being originally canceled due to filming complications. After voting, Conestoga’s Class of 2023 chose “Can’t Hold Us” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis as its final pick for the Lip Dub.

Planned and produced by Stoga Film, the Senior Lip Dub is a tradition held among the senior class to showcase the students’ identities. The grade chooses a song that they would like to lip-sync to, and representative groups of the senior class, such as clubs and sports teams, participate in the filming of different sections.

“It’s a really fun way to commemorate everything that the seniors have contributed to during their four years of high school,” said senior Jaela Eaton, who is helping prepare for the event.

To avoid disruption typically caused by the production, this year’s lming schedule was executed di erently. Rather than shooting the entire video in one shot on May 5 during Snow Day in May, the senior class record-

ed from April 17 to April 19 during periods 7 and 8, as well as a er school.

“For each group, you’re given about 30 minutes. So we will rehearse it once or twice and then give it two or three times to lm,” said senior Ahana Sinha, who oversaw production for the lm.

e ending class shot will take place at Snow Day in May which will include most or all of the grade. e nal video will be released on YouTube on the same day.

“As a way to celebrate our last day of high school, we do show the Lip Dub on that nal day,” Eaton said. “It will also be live for everybody else to watch.”

Furthermore, the seniors helping organize the Lip Dub hope that it will showcase the diverse interests of the student body and the various school resources that have made their senior year memorable.

“We appreciate everybody who will be helping and who wants to help, and who really understands that this is something that the senior class wants to do,” Eaton said. “It’s going to be a lot more monitored, serene, (and) simply just a fun video that we can shoot in order to remember our senior year.”

Brothers create app to tackle gun violence

Zara Samdani

Alarmed by a recent CAP analysis, which reported that there were more than 1,100 threats of gun violence from the past 10 years, an unassuming duo put their heads together to formulate a solution.

Reconciling one’s prowess in coding with another’s intrinsic drive, the two worked endlessly over the summer to combat the issue. The end result? An award-winning app with more than 20 features.

Two brothers — senior Adi Dora and sophomore Mike Dora — designed iHearU, an app that detects common phrases, such as “stop hurting me” or “just let me go,” signaling if the user is in danger.

When the key phrase is voiced

aloud, the app immediately sends emails to pre-inserted emergency contacts. The messages alert those sources to bring the user to safety.

“Our app is different (from other apps) because it has voice recognition. If your phone is (turned) off, and you say a key phrase, it can (still) recognize it,” Adi Dora said.

To receive an evaluation of their skills, the brothers presented their creation in several competitions. Ultimately, in March, they won first place in the Congressional App Challenge, a competition where each participating member of Congress selects a winning app from their respective districts.

According to Adi Dora, after Pennsylvania Rep. Chrissy Houlahan selected their app,

their reaction to winning was priceless.

“I got an email when I was sitting at the lunch table with my friends,” Adi Dora said. “I opened the email, and I just showed it to the person sitting next to me. He was like, ‘Yo, congrats!’ When Mike walked into the lunch room, I literally ran up to him. We were just really excited.”

Mike Dora partly attributes their success to the brotherhood, which allowed them to easily delegate each other tasks without argument. Mike created the app’s design and Adi coded many of its features. For them, nuisances of working in a team, particularly accountability, were absent because of their relationship.

“We literally sleep right next to each other,” Mike

Dora said. “We can easily walk into each other’s room and yell at each other to get the work done.”

Despite their success, both brothers see room for improvement in their app. Changing the app’s outer appearance and avoiding false alarms (where a person may use a trigger phrase as part of everyday language, for example) are some aspects they wish to perfect before advancing to the next step: releasing their apps on different platforms, such as the Google Play Store.

“I was able to see it go from just a blank screen on the phone to an actual app network that had like 20 different parts all working together,” Adi Dora said. “It was just a nice combination of everything that we’ve been working for.”

dominates: Club sees major growth, improvement in recent competitions

This year, more than 30 students joined DECA, a club that prepares high schoolers for business careers. Now, a record number of club members have qualified for the international competition, the International Career Development Conference, which was held in Orlando, Florida from April 22-25.

“Last year we only had around 15 going to (inter)nationals and this year we’ve pretty much doubled that,” junior and DECA community chair Hirah Ashiq said. “I think a lot of that is just the new people coming in. They’re really excited about it because they’ve seen the success from last year, and people were overall really motivated to make it better.”

is growth was not a huge surprise to returning members.

To gain membership, the leadership board posted on Schoology and aired GMS advertisements. Further, many students mentioned DECA competitions to friends and teachers.

“I told a bunch of my friends about it, and I think a lot of people who did well told their friends. en they joined and invited more people,” junior Lex Shah said. “It just kind of grew a very substantial amount.”

However, at the end of last year, DECA members were not sure if they would be able to continue competing this year because they needed a new teacher adviser. Spanish teacher Ashley Carter stepped up and was pleasantly surprised at how much success club members have had so far.

“I didn’t know how many were going to go to the individual competitions, so I was kind of surprised to see how well they did this year and how many students are able to move on to the next level,” Carter said.

Students believe that ICDC placements will demonstrate how much they improved this year. With over 20,000 high school students, teacher-advisers, business professionals and alumni attending, it is much more di cult to receive an award at the international level.

“ICDC is way harder than any other thing in DECA, just because there are so many people in your category,” Shah said. “You’re grouped into subgroups and then you have to be first place in the subgroup to make it to the next round. I hope it goes well, but I don’t really have the highest of hopes.”

Each competition consists of a 100-question test on business principles and at least one roleplay with a business professional. Because many students qualified for ICDC, the DECA board held a Krispy Kreme fundraiser on March 28 to purchase DECA+. DECA+ offers online resources and practice exams to help members study for the tests and roleplays.

“Since we have so many people going to ICDC this year, it would be kind of a waste to have all these people go and not place. So, we wanted to o er a little bit more materials for our members,” Ashiq said.

Although the DECA+ subscription will expire at the end of this school year, club leaders plan to purchase it again early

next year so all members can access the resources. They also hope that many more students will consider joining DECA.

“I think everyone should join the club, even if you’re not going into business. You can learn how to prepare yourself for an interview, which is just a life skill everyone should learn,” Ashiq said. “It’s just a lot of fun going to competitions and not a lot of other clubs do overnight competitions. I think we’re really a one-of-a-kind club.”

Overall, Carter and the DECA board members are pleased with how this year has been going. ey are also excited to see how the club continues to grow in upcoming years.

“I’m really happy because to have a lot more members in the club means that we are one of the biggest clubs in Conestoga, and we’re going to have a presence for years to come,” said senior and president Saj Agarwala. “I want to say congratulations to all of my DECA members. ey are really making a footprint on PA DECA .”

Julia Harris Sta Reporter

DECA

Copy Editor

Lexi Lin Sta Reporter

Supporting seniors: Senior members of the National Honor Society and Sunshine House pose for their parts of the Lip Dub video. Students from various extracurricular organizations held signs and trophies to represent the interests and accomplishments of the groups.

Team effort: Conestoga DECA members stand together at the state competition in Hershey. More than 30 students qualified for the international competition and received medals and trophies.

Courtesy Mike Dora

Brainy brothers: Sophomore Mike Dora (front le ) and senior Adi Dora (back le ) venture to the Capitol to receive their award. The boys won rst place in the Congressional App Challenge in their district for their app, iHearU. They will expand their app to di erent platforms in the coming months.

A Conestoga graduate himself, math teacher David Rubert has since returned to pursue his passion. Rubert teaches all grades, primarily focusing on 10th and 11th-grade classes, including Algebra 2 and Geometry.

After obtaining a degree in theater arts from The Pennsylvania State University, Rubert later pursued a second degree in math at West Chester University. One of his main goals as a teacher is to make math accessible to all students, even those who don’t enjoy the subject. He believes that presenting information as clearly and simply as possible is key to helping students feel welcomed in his class.

“A lot of what I end up doing in my class is trying to explain it in simple terms. Not everybody in that class finds math to be their favorite, so I try to ensure they have some level of understanding or feel safe (being) in the class,” Rubert said. “Feeling comfortable in the classroom, I think, is what I try to (promote).”

In addition to making math accessible, Rubert wants his students to see the value in what they’re learning by getting them to think critically and to understand the practical applications of math.

Rubert considers one of his main priorities as a math teacher to be “getting them into more critical thinking with math and helping them actually see some purpose to the math that they do.”

Apart from teaching math, Rubert enjoys other passions as well. He has two kids and enjoys spending time with them, as well as exploring his interest in video games.

“I like Final Fantasy, Resident Evil and right now God of War,” Rubert said.

Rubert is not just passionate about teaching math but also interested in exploring other areas of the school. He expressed a desire to become involved with the theater program.

“I definitely want to try my hand at theater and see how I can contribute to it,” Rubert said.

In the end, Rubert encourages his students to be unafraid of asking questions and making mistakes.

“You know, with math, getting it right and wrong happens a lot,” Rubert said. “(I want for my students) not to be scared to ask questions and not scared to also get things wrong.”

By creating a safe and comfortable environment and emphasizing the value of learning, Rubert helps his students see math in a new light.

Evangeline Kennedy Staff Reporter

Mareska Chettiar/The SPOKE

’Stoga pride: Math teacher David Rubert poses next to a locker. As an alumnus of Conestoga, this was his locker when he was a student.

OPINION

Overlooked effects of rising college tuition

Raima Saha Design Editor

180%. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, this is how much colleges have raised tuition rates since 1980. e total cost of college back then, including tuition, food and board, was $10,231. But these costs rose to $28,775 by the 201920 school year. With the cost of college ballooning at an alarming rate, wages have not been able to keep up, only increasing 19% since 1980. Such disparities make college students unsure of how they will be able to pay for their education when they face that rst bill, contributing to the problems of tuition costs, which impact students beyond nances.

One concern with rising college tuition is that enrollment rates are likely to decrease. To

some, a lifetime of student loan debt does not seem worth attaining what some deem the golden ticket to a prosperous and ful lled life. is includes racial and ethnic minority groups, who already see lower enrollment rates than white people due to higher education in the past. According to e Society for College and University Planning, increasing costs are more likely to negatively in uence students of underrepresented backgrounds, contributing to less diverse student composition on college campuses and to the racial gap prevalent in the United States. Additionally, an o en overlooked impact of rising college tuition is that basic needs aren’t met. For many, nances are strained, causing some students to make the choice between a meal or

a textbook, a ecting their college experience. Boise State University found that around

health and in turn inhibit academic success, hindering students’ goals and aspirations.

mental health specialists are nding that current college students experience more stress and high-

tal state due to nancial stressors could limit a student’s success.

However, colleges justify these increased costs by funding robust facilities and an endless array of resources.

one in three college students in the U.S. lack stable housing and enough to eat. Such conditions can negatively impact

Small interactions, big impact

Sometimes the people who have the least time in our lives are the ones who have the most in uence on us. Fleeting interactions with these people — from classmates at school to teammates at sporting events — have a lasting impact on our values, personalities and worldviews. ese people can be referred to as “passing people,” and although their time in our lives may be brief, their signi cance should not be underestimated.

Some of the most signi cant bene ts that passing people o er are opportunities for learning and growth. In a classroom setting, peers or even teachers challenge our previously held beliefs and offer unique perspectives on a vast range of topics. In my AP U.S. History class last year, we had many opportunities to engage in classroom debates. One particular ex-

perience that I still remember was the debate over the impact of the New Deal on American society. I always thought of the New Deal as a necessary response to the Great Depression, but as I listened to my classmates argue against it, I began to question my assumptions. ey brought up valid points about the role of government in individual liberty and the unintended consequences of government intervention. It was a challenge to hear opposing views, but ultimately, it allowed me to expand my understanding of the issue and consider di erent perspectives. Such moments of exchange can broaden our understanding of the world and enrich our lives. Passing people can also help us build a sense of community, even with those we seem to share few similarities with. With the grasp that social media has on our generation, it is common to feel a sense of isolation from others as we live much of our lives online. NPR reports that people who spend the most time on social media — more than two hours a day — had twice the odds of perceived social isolation than those who said they spent a half hour per day or less on those sites. Putting down our screens and interacting with passing people can serve as a reminder

that we are all connected in some way or another.

Five years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting a wise, elderly woman during a plane ride who shared her life experiences and stories about the wonders of technology and the many unexpected technological advancements she witnessed in her lifetime. Despite this brief encounter, her insights and advice stay with me to this day.

As we go through life, we often focus on the people who stay with us for a long time — our parents, siblings, close friends and others. While these people have tremendous impacts in our lives, they are o en the ones who a rm our previously held notions. What we o en forget is how little moments here and there with those who are only in our lives for short chapters can inspire us to think di erently and adapt new perspectives.

Recognizing the importance of passing people in our lives is not only bene cial for our personal growth but can also help us build a stronger sense of community. When we acknowledge the impact that others have on us, even if it was just for a brief moment, we can foster a sense of connection that ripples far beyond its initial impact.

Financial stress also leads to poor mental health. Krysia N. Mossakowski of the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa states that

er nancial burdens than those of previous generations. Mental health is a large factor for academic success, and a poor men-

To stay competitive and appeal to students, colleges spend millions of dollars to upgrade amenities to ensure they are current and cutting-edge. Ironically, much of this money goes into implementing resources to combat increasing mental health problems, many of which are caused by steep rates that these schools charge to enact these programs. While not an easy problem to solve, there are ways that colleges can help alleviate the burden on students, such as working with peer institutions to reduce costs. Peer institutions are a group of

schools used for comparative analysis and benchmarking, and that o en have similar goals, level of resources and student populations. ese universities are competitive with each other, so by working together, they could negotiate better pricing for students. Furthermore, some colleges o er xed tuition rates, which let students agree on a xed cost to pay with the institution for their tenure. is allows students to guarantee the cost of their education for all four years rather than having to pay according to the ebbs and ows of the economy. However, it is a gamble; if the price of tuition happens to dip, students will be stuck paying more money than what they bargained for. For some, receiving an education is the key to social mobility and a better life. It o ers many a clear path to pursue the American Dream, to achieve lifelong goals and secure a better future for themselves that may or may not have been available to their predecessors. To support this dream, it is important to keep the doors to higher education open for the expansion of our society socially, intellectually and culturally.

Why Conestoga should follow in Wellesley’s footsteps

Recently, actions taken by students at Wellesley College, a prestigious private school in Massachusetts and part of the Seven Sisters, a group of selective liberal arts colleges that are historically all-women, show that when it comes to eliciting student voices, Conestoga has room to grow.

On March 14, around 90% of the Wellesley student body voted in favor of a gender inclusivity initiative that had previously been unanimously passed through the student government. According to e Wellesley News, this ballot included e orts to make language at the school more inclusive for transgender and nonbinary students. is includes allowing trans men and nonbinary students to apply and be accepted to the school, a shi from its traditionally all-female environment.

e students use the initiative to demonstrate to the administration how important this issue is to them and that, according to statements made by the College Government President in

e Wellesley News, how many people believe in the cause. Although Wellesley still continues its e orts to achieve the level of inclusivity that its students desire, the issue o ers a perfect example of why students’ voices are an important part of improving the educational experience. By eliciting student opinions, administrations can do more than just understand a new point of view. As studied by Harvard Graduate School of Education faculty member, Gretchen Brion-Meisles, schools are more likely to create e ective programs and policies when they involve students in the process. Like in the Wellesley case, giving students the tools to express their opinions democratically can uncover areas where schools need to make progress.

At Conestoga, students should be more heavily involved in these decision making processes. While students have the full ability to express any problems they observe, they are just as easily excluded from helping to cra the solutions. Even when students have the opportunity to participate,

like in the district’s e ort to engage the community through its Strategic Planning Committees in 2022, meetings were from 7-9 p.m., making them extremely hard for students to commit to and attend. Opportunities may be available, but it’s time to make them more accessible. Critics of further including student voices o en argue that educational decisions are best le to parents and administration due to their experience. However, when it comes to issues of identity or curriculum, no one is more directly a ected than the students themselves. When administration is making decisions, they are not fully informed about an issue before asking students. By no means should students have the nal say, but they should absolutely be more actively involved in the journey along the way.

Conestoga would do well to learn from the example set by Wellesley. Unlike the college, ’Stoga students have no way to e ectively express their views as a collective. While we have strong representative bodies, such as student coun-

SORRY, WE MISSPOKE

Editors-in-Chief: Evan Lu, Hiba Samdani

Managing Editor: Jui Bhatia

News Editor : Ben Shapiro

T/E Life Editor: Abby Bagby

Opinion Editor: Shreya Vaidhyanathan

Sports Editors: Howard Kim, Hannah Simon

Beats Editor : Maya Shah

Multimedia Editors: Katherine Emmanuel, Grace Kuryan

Webmasters : Rohan Anne, Soumya Sathyanarayana

Business Manager: Michael Tierney

Photography Editor: George Zhang

Social Media Editor : Akshita Joshi

Copy Editor: Zara Samdani

Design Editors: Aren Framil, Raima Saha

Cartoonists: Angie Chen, Hannah Gupta, Leon Li, Eden Liu, Shine Lin, Arianna Mu, Yuting Pu Sta Reporters : Prashi Agarwal, Tanisha Agrawal, Miya Cao, Alexander Carder, Vanessa Chen, Weihan Chen, Mareska Chettiar, Rowan Chetty, Abigail Chong, Ryan Ding, Isabelle Emmanuel, Saktisri Gowrishankar, Joanna Harris, Julia Harris, Je rey Heng, Evangeline Kennedy, Audrey Kim, Bailey Kreszswick, Soumya Krishna, Shrija Krishnan, Lexi Lin, Margaret Neary, Riddima Pandey, Lauren Pinheiro, Abbie Preston, Madeline Pulliam, Louisa Sandor , Emily Scheer, Sousanna Sengal, Aashita Singh, Eshan Singh, Vaishnavi Sriadibhatla, Elizabeth Sun, Remington Vaughan, Alexa Willrich, Mary Wolters, Juliana Yao, Faith Zantua

Faculty Advisers : Alison Ferriola, Laura Howard, Nicole Zakorchemny

Non-sta contributions: Non-sta contributions from students, the community, graduates or other interested parties are welcome. Editors will decide which contributions are published based on space and relevance to the community. All contributions must conform to journalistic practices, including accuracy, timeliness, purpose and writing conventions. The Spoke reserves the right to work with the contributor to meet these standards. All outside contributions are bylined.

Letters to the editor: Letters to the editor may be submitted to Editors-in-Chief Evan Lu and Hiba Samdani, or advisers Alison Ferriola, Laura Howard and Nicole Zakorchemny.

Editorials: Unsigned editorials represent the views of The Spoke editorial board, not necessarily those of the administration, student body, community or advertisers. The opinions expressed in signed columns are those of the writer and not necessarily the opinion of The Spoke. Paid advertisements: The Spoke accepts paid advertisements. Email hello@spoke.news.

cil and homeroom representatives, there is no voting system by which everyone can express their view points on a speci c issue. As a result, the voice of the entire student body is only represented through a select few individuals instead of the group as a whole. is lack of power leaves us voiceless in the face of the administration’ decisions. e solution, however, is not necessarily a straightforward one. To start, district administrators should more actively engage with students, whether through routine meetings or otherwise. ese forums should be accessible for all students who wish to participate, allowing a truly diverse group of voices to be heard. Surveys can also give students the opportunity to express their voice without any major time commitment. is would allow for a more wide scale understanding of how students view an issue, as seen in Wellesley’s case.

Ultimately, students and administration have the same goal: to improve our community. It’s time students nally have more of a voice in this process.

Katherine Emmanuel Co-Multimedia Editor

, Tanisha Agrawal’s boys swimming photo is misattributed to Abby Chong.

Dear readers,

It’s a bittersweet time of year the end of our four-year journey as high school student journalists. It seems like just yesterday that we entered Room 280 as wide-eyed freshmen, unaware of the experiences, challenges and opportunities coming our way.

As co-Editors-in-Chief, we spent much of our time in high school cooped up in the cozy Spoke production room, stressing over Oxford commas and sipping on bubble tea. Despite the countless hours we dedi-

Letter from the Editors: Over and out

cated to journalism, our enthusiasm for journalism never waned. From homeroom periods spent planning the next production cycle to the extended nights meticulously formatting pages, we committed ourselves to journalistic perfection o en sacri cing sleep and sanity along the way. Our tenure at The Spoke was marked by change. Over four years, we watched as advisers came and went, the staff doubled in size, and a global pandemic upended the standards of normalcy. This year, we welcomed our largest ever class of freshmen, whose resiliency and determination to grow as student journalists impressed us in every way. In an increasingly digital age, we expanded our social media presence, restructured our website and launched an app. We sought to build upon the foundations formed by the editors before us, to leave behind a lasting legacy for those to follow.

Just as we shaped e Spoke, we felt e Spoke shape us back. Our experiences taught us to write, take photographs, design graphics, lay out pages, edit copy, conduct interviews, woo advertisers and distribute

monthly issues across a community. A er ups and downs, we know all too well the importance of communication and time management. We exit the newsroom with a deep stash of personal experiences and senti-

mental memories journalism eld trips, mall adventures with the Editorial Board and celebratory parties at Wilson Farm Park. ese moments molded our identities and are forever imprinted into our lives.

As our time comes to a close, we wish the best of luck to the next generation of Spokies. Handing o the reins to incoming Editor-in-Chief Ben Shapiro and the new Editorial Board, we’re con dent that the paper will thrive under new leadership. We know that e Spoke will continue to deliver information that educates, informs and inspires. To our advisers, past and present, thank you for your unwavering dedication to us and the paper. To our sta , thank you for inspiring us to adapt as leaders. And to our readers, thank you for trusting us to be the voice of the community. Without you, we wouldn’t be able to ful ll our mission of serving as an unhindered outlet for expression.

For one last time, it’s been an honor and a privilege to serve as your Editors-in-Chief. Thank you for allowing us to be a part of something greater than ourselves.

Over and out, Hiba and Evan

“I think sometimes they interpret it (student opinions) wrong. Instead of just sending out a Microso form, they should go to classes and ask the students what they should do.”

STUDENTS SPEAK OUT

“When students have something they want to change, they can't really say anything. If you just report it to someone, nothing really changes.”

Matthew Fang, sophomore -

Q: How well do you think Conestoga takes into account student opinions?

“I do think that the school takes students opinions into consideration because they did host a lot of student interviews for things like schedule changes that happened a couple of weeks ago, and also previously for the equity board.”

-

The Spoke

Seniors’ advice: Words of wisdom

High school is like a never-ending game of WhackA-Mole. Just when you think you’ve whacked one obstacle into submission, another one pops out to take its place. Life is fast-paced and chaotic, especially when you’re surrounded by a swarm of moles. Yet there’s nothing like the triumph of finally whacking that one stubborn mole, and you’re sure to emerge with new skills and sharpened reflexes that’ll help defeat any new challenges coming your way. Always remember: if you find and pursue the things you love, you’ll come to love the things you find.

— Evan Lu

Co-Editor-in-Chief

Don’t Sparknotes it. It’s easy to hop online, read a quick summary and discuss in class like you actually read the chapter, but you’re only short changing yourself by taking the shortcut. Take your time to read the book and understand the essence of what it’s saying. By taking the easy way out, you may miss out on the important moments that create meaningful experiences. Remember that the process is just as important as the outcome, so savor each step and appreciate the lessons learned along the way one page at a time.

— Hiba Samdani

Co-Editor-in-Chief

Past, present, future. Before I entered my senior year. I was constantly told “everything will work out” or “everything happens for a reason.” And to be honest, while I do believe this now, it was difficult to convince myself this while in the process. So my advice is to forget the future and whatever “stars align” theory anyone tells you and focus on the present. When you look

back and realize how much you stressed or the time you wasted wondering how the near futures will unfold, you’ll regret the present you missed along the way. So cherish time with your friends and family, learn new things, and pursue exclusive highschool endeavors so when looking back in the future, your past will look so sweet.

— Akshita Joshi Social Media Editor

My biggest piece of advice for anyone starting high school or honestly any new experience is to just say yes to things. I know it can be a cliché, but the activities I loved most in high school are things I never would have done if I didn’t just go out on a limb and try. On the other hand, the things I regret the most are the things I didn’t say yes to because I was afraid of failure. So, if your friend asks you to join a new club or sport with them, even if you never pictured yourself doing it before, just give it a try. If you’re deciding between taking the lower or higher level class, just try the higher one out. I’m not saying that everything will always work out perfectly, but if you never try you’ll always be left wondering what might have been.

— Julia Harris Staff Reporter

Try not to focus on grades and AP classes and instead try out different clubs and electives that interest you. Conestoga is an incredible resource to help discover what you’re passionate about and what you want to pursue in the future. Also, teachers tend to be more understanding than you think they’ll be!

— Remington Vaughan Staff Reporter

Maanasa Gogula, junior

“One of the things that they did change was the testing days. I think maybe not just speci cally student opinions, but if it's a collective e ort, you need a group.”

Galen Wertz, senior -

Outer Banks came out with season 3

+ Season 4 was renewed before season 3 premiered - the show doesn’t really have a cohesive plot

Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn broke up

C+

The Justins are reinstated in Tennessee

+ shows the Shelby County Board of Commissioners cares about who the community wants - only reinstated temporarily; elections for seats will take place in a couple months

Jalen Hurts signs $255 million extension

+ biggest contract in average annual value signed in NFL history + keeps the star quarterback on the Eagles guaranteed for six years

Coachella has most artist diversity to date

A+

Bad Cinderella premieres on Broadway

+ praise for lighting and costumes choices

- writer Andrew Lloyd Webber criticized for being “chaotic”

Stop making fun of conspiracy theorists

ing these people as utterly foolish and not worth a single thought outside of mockery is common. However, when ridiculing them online, it is easy to forget that conspiracy theorists are awed humans deserving of respect and empathy like anyone else.

Around 5% of American adults, according to the 2021 representative PEW Research Center survey, agreed with statements con rming the at earth and faked moon landing conspiracy theories, around 20% being unsure of the claims’ validity. View-

ose who believe in conspiracies tend to do so for three reasons. According to social psychology professor Karen Douglas, one such motive is the existential, where people who feel powerless desire evidence of the contrary. I have seen some evolution-deniers see the fact that humans evolved from unicellular organisms as an unacceptable principle. rough believing they are created by a divine being, they are able to indulge in a profound sense of meaning, as

opposed to the futile dread of existing by mere chance. Another motive is the social aspect. Groups that form around conspiracies are seen as exclusive clubs that have obtained information unknown to outsiders. is gives individuals a sense of uniqueness that they may have lacked from other aspects in their lives. Turning to outlandish beliefs in order to ful ll a need to be special is an understandable failure of human nature. e nal motive results from an inherent search for knowledge. People who do not understand particular events will naturally look for explanations, but may not know how to distinguish facts from misinformation. is is especially true on social media,

where a UC Davis study found that algorithms could lead one to have polarized beliefs without being exposed to the evidence of an opposing perspective.

A refusal to listen to conspiracy theorists can cause them to burrow deeper into their own beliefs, as author of “ e Cult Phenomenon: How Groups ink”

Mike Kropveld con rms. A er all, if the other side of the argument does not even take the time to consider your own points, they have not given you any reason to concede. Merely expressing how unintelligent theorists are does not help them acknowledge the gaping aws in their logic.

Of course, many argue time spent trying to convince conspiracy theorists is time wasted. No

matter what facts and evidence are thrown at them in public debates, the theorists ignore, misconstrue and twist them to hold tight to their own beliefs.

It is important to note, though, that the few prominent conspiracy theorists could stand to lose fame and money by rejecting their own theories. It is their general audience that could bene t from a situation where their intelligence and mental capabilities are not constantly insulted.

On the internet, it is all too natural to use mockery to respond to opposing ideologies. e approach that is seen too rarely, however, is one of kindness and empathy. Reiterating the words of Robert Frost, I urge that we take the road less traveled, to make all the di erence.

Juliana Yao Sta Reporter

Evan Lu and Hiba Samdani Co-Editors-in-Chief

Advantage In Air gives back to community

Hannah Simon Co-Sports Editor

Walking the grounds of his local tennis court where dozens of lost and deflated balls lay scattered, junior Surya Namana began to wonder just how much waste tennis players produce.

“I was watching these kids hit balls into the woods. ‘Where are they going? What are they actually doing to the environment?’” Namana said.

To solve this issue, Namana founded Advantage In Air (Ad+ Air), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that empowers students to drive sustainability and inclusiveness in tennis. Its mission is to reduce tennis’ environmental impact and provide access to underprivileged communities.

“Basically, what we do is we take these old tennis balls that people normally throw away, and we nd ways of making use of the memory by repressurizing the ball. at can be done over and over until the felt of the ball is worn out as a result,” Namana said. “We then donate them to this other project called Level the Playing Field, which gives them to underserved communities in Philadelphia.”

The repressurization method, according to Ad+ Air’s

website, uses a unique process to repressurize tennis balls, ensuring they are ready to perform at their best on the court. Its system leverages the principles of thermodynamics and utilizes a series of kegs set at different pressures to equalize the pressure between the kegs and the balls.

The executive board, along with Namana as CEO, is composed of three other Conestoga juniors: Tony Xu, CFO; Katherine Emmanuel, CMO; and George Zhang, COO. All of them see tennis as uniquely positioned for growth, and as a new generation of players trying to make the sport more equitable and sustainable, aim to give back to the community.

“We are preventing tennis balls from going to landfills, but also helping kids who need their equipment to play tennis, so we’re making tennis more accessible at the same time,” Xu said. Since 2022, Ad+ Air has received and repressurized more than 2,000 tennis balls through its partnerships with tennis facilities or its drop-off locations around Philadelphia. Each month, Ad+ Air donates more than 300 tennis balls to Leveling the Playing Field Philadelphia, saving the tennis community more than

$1,000 by repressurizing and reusing old tennis balls.

“Originally, we started with a fundraiser last year where we hosted a mixed doubles tennis tournament at the YMCA. At the event, we sold food and other stu to fundraise for the initial investments needed,” Xu said.

In less than one year, Ad+ Air was selected as the United States Tennis Association Philadelphia Area District Tennis Non-Commercial Organization of the Year, a culmination of the team’s dedication and progress since its launch last May.

“This award means a lot to all of us because it shows the amount of work we put in a qualified award,” Namana said.

With chapters at Conestoga, Downingtown and Methacton High School, Ad+ Air continues to mobilize and increase. Currently, the organization works with several businesses to support its cause. Namana hopes to work with major tennis tournaments in the future.

“We have three branches in Pennsylvania. We’re getting a branch in California soon, and talking to some people in the Midwest,” Namana said.

“Hopefully, that all works out, but I think as an organization, we’re maturing a lot right now.”

Fit fasting: Students exercise during Ramadan

e sun is just starting to rise, casting a so golden glow as a group of students make their way to the gym. As they walk, they greet each other with quiet nods and murmurs of “Salaam” — Arabic for “Peace be upon you” — before settling into their workout routine. Some Muslim students are observing Ramadan, the month-long Islamic period of fasting and spiritual re ection, during which they abstain from food and drink from dawn to dusk. Despite the physical challenges that come with working out while fasting, these students are determined to maintain their tness routine and persevere to push themselves to new heights.

In junior Zane Khalil’s routine, he waits until sunset to eat a meal, goes to the gym and then eats again when he returns home.

“It’s tiring, but I have to keep pushing forward,” Khalil said. “It gives me a new outlook on life (and) makes me more appreciative of all the food and everything I have.”

“ e hardest part is getting enough sleep because I have to wake up early, and if I get home too late, I get too tired and fall asleep without doing any homework. I combat this problem by doing my

“I de nitely think this brings me and other people closer to their faith because Ramadan teaches you many things like self-control and patience,” Haloui said. “Ramadan is also a time where Muslims refrain from doing certain things like listening to music so that they can get closer to their faith and be more religious.”

Exercising during this religious observance has led students to adjust their daily routines and eating schedules, which cultivates responsibility and self-discipline and results in a rewarding experience.

Similarly, junior Ammaiza Omair typically goes to the gym later at night before she breaks her fast. is way, the sun sets during her workout, and she can drink water to avoid dehydration. However, she must also overcome other obstacles, such as waking up early to eat breakfast before sunrise.

homework during the school day and making the most of my time during Ramadan,” Omair said.

Although staying disciplined and facing obstacles during Ramadan can be di cult, it helped sophomore Yaseen Haloui deepen his religious devotion and gain a deeper understanding of himself.

“Even though it gets tiring at times, I have to remember to keep doing my daily routine (as) I would without fasting because the entire point of Ramadan is to have self-control and empathize with those who are less fortunate,” Omair said. “Even if I feel hunger or tiredness, I feel accomplished knowing I stuck through with it.”

New throws coach for track program after 20 years

Ryan Ding and Howard Kim Sta Reporter and Co-Sports Editor

The Conestoga track and field program has gained a new addition with family and consumer sciences teacher Grace Hafer joining as a new throws coach. A former high school and college thrower herself, Hafer coached for six years at Fugett Middle School and West Chester East High School prior to her arrival as ’Stoga’s first throws coach since 2000. In previous years, most students interested in throws received coaching from jumps coaches.

It was only after sophomore Bradley Younce requested a throwing coach when Conestoga athletic director Kevin Pechin began his search for one. Younce made his proposal after running into Conestoga athletic director Kevin Pechin after a football team workout. Pechin suggested throwing shot put to Younce, who wanted to try out a spring sport after the football season, believing it would suit his build. Following the athlete’s agreement, Pechin sent out an email to the faculty to gauge interest and received a response from Hafer.

“I was excited. I was glad to hear that they would have a coach again,” Hafer said. “I love track, so I was happy to do it, and I was happy to meet the kids who wanted to throw.”

Due to the previous lack of a throws team, the program doesn’t have throwers with lots of experience. To compensate for this, Hafer plans to

build the throwers’ skills from the ground up. Starting with the basics, she dedicates time to focusing on throwing dynamics and proper technique.

“ ey’ve spent a lot of time the last two weeks working on what it takes to throw,” Hafer said. “ ey’re the ones who are putting in the work, showing that they’re willing to give the e ort to become great throwers, and I’m just giving them the tools that they need.”

She also o en enlists additional assistance to develop the athletes’ skills. Hafer’s husband, who is also an experienced thrower, o en comes to Conestoga to help her work with the athletes, giving pointers and helping them improve their technique.

“A lot of the people on our team have really good builds, so it’s just a matter of unlocking the full potential with the form,” freshman Zac Costas said. “ at’s the primary thing with shot put, discus and javelin; you can have the body to throw really far but (be unable to) if you don’t know how.”

Although the team lacks veteran throwers, Costas believes they make up for it in work ethic. To improve, throwers frequently spend their free time watching YouTube videos and gather for daily workouts a er school. Senior javelin thrower Josh Penny predicts the team has a high chance of success in upcoming and future seasons.

“ ere’s a lot of ambition, there’s a lot of drive to do well, and there’s a lot of pressure to have a good rst season and to be able to continue that past this year,” Penny said. “But it’s really just for fun, just to try it out and see where it goes.”

Commitment Corner Commitment Corner

charlie bascome

WEST CHESTER UNIVERSITY

SPORT: RUGBY

GRADE: 12

Why WCU: “After exploring many options for playing at a Division I rugby school, I chose West Chester University because of their astounding rugby program. After visiting the team and playing with some of their members throughout my high school career, I truly thought WCU was a great fit for me. It also has an excellent reputation for academics.”

Ready to release: Freshman Zac Costas launches his shot put throw. Costas began throwing in seventh grade and brought his past experience to the throwing team.

Michael Tierney/The SPOKE

Michael Tierney Business Manager

Paving the way: (From le to right) Juniors George Zhang, Katherine Emmanuel, Tony Xu and Surya Namana accept the United States Tennis Association Philadelphia Area District Tennis Non-Commercial Organization of the Year award.

It’s tiring, but I have to keep pushing forward. It gives me a new outlook on life and makes me more appreciative of all the food and everything I have.

Zane Khalil Junior

Going for gold: Skyliners Junior place rst at nationals

Lights shining, ice glittering, the music slows to a crawl as the skaters skid to a stop. e crowd erupts as Skyliners Junior bring home a gold medal. is year the synchronized skating team, Skyliners Junior, won rst place at the U.S. Synchronized Junior Skating Championships in Peoria, Illinois and third at the International Skating Union World Junior Synchronized Skating Championships. e team’s performances consisted of a short program and a free skate. e short program was catered to “ e Impossible Dream” by Josh Groban, a so and dramatic piece, while the free skate’s theme was “legends,” which included performing difcult spins and elaborate partner moves. e team received 202.03 points overall at nationals and 186.63 points overall at the World Junior Championships.

Senior Catherine Tian has a skating history that goes far beyond Skyliners Junior. Tian started with the club Philadelphia Symmetry in fourth grade before switching to Skyliners Junior a er four years.

“I immediately fell in love with (the sport) — the team aspects, being able to be with people who have a similar passion and skate with some of your best friends,” Tian said. “It was really fun to just grow up in a community like that.”

With players coming from multiple states, the team practices on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Tian leaves school early on Friday to travel to Connecticut to train on the ice for an hour and o the ice for half an hour.

e team’s consistent training schedule throughout the year has led to a successful season.

“It’s such an intense level, (and) the practices are very high pressure. at was di erent from what I had experienced before and I liked being able to step up and perform when it mattered and deliver every element that we had practiced to the best of my ability,”

Tian said.

A er taking home a gold medal at nationals on March 2,

Skyliners Junior currently holds the record for most titles for a U.S.

junior team.

“We didn’t even know we had broken that record until a er nationals, but it feels really great to continue that legacy. It’s a proud moment for Skyliners and for the Skyliners Junior legacy,” Tian said.

With only an eight-day break a er nationals, Skyliners Junior advanced to ISU World Junior Synchronized Skating Champion-

ships in Angers, France. As one of two teams representing the United States, Skyliners Junior worked to improve their performance and x any mistakes that they had made at nationals.

“We all knew that it would not be handed to us, we would have to work for it. Everybody really collectively worked toward (winning), and we always put our 100% e ort into every practice,” Tian said.

One of Tian’s favorite parts of the international competi-

tion is seeing teams from all over the world.

“(It) was really fun — just feeling the crowd when you’re stepping out onto the ice. Especially competing (and) just knowing that everyone’s there seeing and watching you and you’re out there competing with the best teams and the best of the best,” Tian said. “You obviously want to deliver and show everybody what you’ve done throughout the entire season.”

For Tian and other senior skaters on the team, this is the last year they are skating as they retire and head o to college.

“That was really special for me — knowing that we had so many seniors who were not going to come back and were just not going to do synchro anymore,” Tian said. “Just being with each other and remembering this moment is something that I will remember forever.”

HIGHLIGHT REEL THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN SPORTS.

SPRINTS

Junior Calvin Jordan ran a personal best of 11.21 seconds in the 100m, one of the ten fastest times in Conestoga history.

DUNKS

The Sixers overpowered the Brooklyn Nets on April 17 to take a 2-0 series lead.

BESTS

Senior lacrosse player Kate Galica notched her 200th goal against Ridley High School at Teamer Field on April 13.

SERVES

Senior Chaitanya Krishna and junior Voyin Markovic placed rst and second respectively at the Central League Tennis Singles Championship on April 15 with both players qualifying for Districts.

ANNIVERSARIES

Celebrating 50 years of Conestoga boys lacrosse, the varsity boys’ lacrosse team took on Garnet Valley High School on April 18 at home, winning 11-7.

RACES

The varsity crew team took home gold in four events at the 4th Manny Flick, one of the three major regattas at the Schuykill river.

Making upgrades: ’Stoga boys’ tennis team hopes to claim state title from rival

Playful banter, excited chatter and hyped-up crowds are telltale signs of a match between the boys’ tennis team and its longtime rival: Lower Merion Aces. With a talented lineup, the boys have seen considerable successes in the last few years, boasting impressive records and dominating victories. However, one obstacle stands in the way: the Lower Merion Aces. In the 2021-22 season, ‘Stoga played Lower Merion three times, losing all of the matches including the state championship. Many players on the team hope that this year will be di erent.

e team saw the addition of two elite players, senior Chaitanya Krishna and junior Voyin Markovic. Krishna is currently committed to play tennis at Haverford University and Markovic boasts a multitude of accolades, such as holding the Top 35 rank in the United States Tennis Association Middle States region at one point. Krishna de-

cided to join the team both to win and to have a last hurrah with his friends.

“I think it would be great to win in senior year with all my friends,” Krishna said. “I look forward to spending more time making senior year memorable. I think it’s just great everyday going out there practicing

and a mutual respect towards each other.

“Last year, we started our social media account where we frequently commented on their posts, and we had a little social media rivalry,” Yao said. “But we always knew that at the end of the day, the hardest team to beat was each other. ey knew that we were

to fall short, but players such as sophomore Raphie Lubinecki believe that the team still has a chance moving forward.

“It was unlucky, I’d say. But our scores from this year are better than last year, so hopefully in districts and states, we can beat them,” Lubinecki said.

Yao agrees, noting how the additions of Markovic and Krishna will help the team secure crucial games against Lower Merion High School. Despite losing by a close margin in the regular season, he is optimistic that ’Stoga will bounce back in the playo s in the state championships.

cause it’s one last month where we all just get to talk and spend time together.”

e team’s rivalry with Lower Merion High School started last year, as both teams battled for the top spot in the Central League, district and state. Senior doubles player Vincent Yao believes the rivalry came from lighthearted banter o the court

the hardest team to beat, and we knew that they were, too. So, from a competitive standpoint, that was where the rivalry stemmed from.”

e ’Stoga boys played the Aces on April 19 and lost 4-3. Several factors, such as a sudden cramp from senior and singles player Justin Xu, and an unexpectedly strong Lower Merion doubles pair caused the team

“I think our roster is stronger than last year’s roster, and that’s going to put us at a much larger advantage than last year,” Yao said. “In terms of beating Lower Merion, I de nitely think we have a shot. We have a total of seven di erent games — three singles and four doubles. I think we can take at least two singles games and two doubles games. I don’t want to jinx it, but we definitely have a shot.”

Triple threat: Junior excels in school, sports, community service

Sosi Sengal Sta Reporter

A busy schedule is nothing new for junior Marisa Francione, with a day full of advanced classes, double practices and community service. But that’s not all. She also plays three varsity sports: soccer, basketball and so ball.

Francione started playing sports in elementary school and has not looked back since. Her main sport is basketball, and as a captain for the 2022-23 season, she led the team into the rst round of the PIAA District 1 States Championship, nishing with a record of 21-8. She o en participates in community service clinics to help introduce younger athletes to sports with the so ball team. Outside of athletics, Francione is also a part of Conestoga’s National Honor Society and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

Conestoga sports o en present high school athletes with volunteer opportunities that introduce sports to younger athletes. Challenger’s Day was an event last year to help children with disabilities become interested in so ball and baseball. Francione participates in

these opportunities to give back to the community.

“ rough my Conestoga sports teams we’ve done a bunch of volunteer work,” Francione said. “With each of my sports, we do clinics to help younger kids and they get to see what it’s like to be on varsity teams.”

With the help of the people around her, Francione is able to handle all of her work, especially with the guidance of one of her mentors, girls’ varsity basketball coach Arnold ompson.

“I know Marisa is very busy playing multiple sports and is a serious student in the classroom as well,” ompson said. “I just try to talk to her about how things are going and be a sounding board for her if she needs someone to listen.”

Girls varsity soccer coach Deane Mariotti agrees with how communication helps Francione.

“We as a team encourage all our players to have open lines of communication with the coaches,” Mariotti said. “She communicates really well, she does a good job of balancing and communicating (her work), and she works relentlessly with the team.”

Along with the help she receives from her coaches, her parents are also a big part of her success as together, they manage the workload. With long nights full of homework and double practices, she manages it all, according to Mariotti.

“My parents help me a lot. at’s how I manage a lot of things too,” Francione said. “We come up with a schedule on where I have to be, exact times and everything.”

With all the things she must handle, Francione’s time management comes into play. Her drive

and love for the things she does fuel her to carry it all. In the future, Francione hopes to pursue basketball in college. Her communication, management skills and athletic talent makes her both a valued teammate and student, according to Thompson.

“I have been saying all season long that Marisa is the engine that makes our team go,” Thompson said. “She is the type of player that every coach hopes to have on their team.”

They (Lower Merion) knew that we were the hardest team to beat, and we knew that they were, too.

Vincent Yao Senior

Skating to victory: Senior Catherine Tian and Skyliners Junior celebrate a er nishing their short program at the U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships in Peoria, Illinois on March 2. The team nished the competition in rst place with an overall score of 202.03 points.

Abby Chong Sta Reporter

Clean sweep: Senior Chaitanya Krishna plays in a singles match in a game against Strath Haven High School at the YMCA on April 12. Krishna won his match, contributing to the nal team score of 7-0.

George Zhang Photography Editor

Courtesy Kim Devirgilio

11

Junior excels in school, sports, community service

Junior PLACES FIRST AT squash nationals

One year ago, junior Rishi Srivastava had a chance to win the squash Junior National U19 Championship, but he left the court defeated. This year, he reached the finals again. But this time, he finished the job.

Because Srivastava excelled during five smaller national tournaments, he was ranked No. 1 and was therefore the top seed going into the national championship. He advanced to the finals where he defeated the No. 2 ranked player, Hollis Robertson.

“To finally get over the (finish) line and be able to win it for me, my family and my coaches was such an amazing feeling, and I just felt so much relief,” Srivastava said.

Srivastava has been playing squash since 2015. His father played in India before they moved to the United States, which is when Srivastava started his squash career.

“When we moved to the States, there was a club in Philadelphia called Fairmont Athletic Club,” Srivastava said. “When (my father) saw some courts, he wanted me to try it. I’ve stuck with it ever since.”

Srivastava joined the squash team when he was in

seventh grade. All but two members of the team had graduated, so head coach Cam Hopkins decided to take a risk and call up six eighth graders, and Srivastava.

Hopkins recalled the moment when he understood Srivastava’s talent. Srivastava was matched up with a senior who had a top 15 national ranking and was a highly sought-after college recruit. Srivastava lost the first two games and was on his way to losing the match.

“He turned to me in the interlude between games, and he said, ‘I’ve got this, I’m gonna do this,’” Hopkins said. “And lo and behold, he went out, won the third game, won the

fourth game and won the fifth game to complete the comeback and beat the boy 3-2.”

His personal coach, Josh Simon, has been working with Srivastava since 2017 and helped him improve beyond just practices for the school team. They trained to make sure that Srivastava was ready to go when the tournament came along.

“He makes sure that I’m in the right mental headspace (and that) I’m in the best physical and mental condition that I could possibly be in before the tournament,” Srivastava said.

Srivastava normally practices five to six days a week

on the court for two to three hours, and he ramps it up leading up to a match. For nationals, he also made a lifestyle change.

“I was eating more seriously going into nationals, and I denitely think that played a role into how it went,” Srivastava said.

Now he is getting ready for his next challenge: the World Championships in July.

“I’m really going (to) try (to) train hard for that and try and get as much training in as possible to do as well as I can to get as high of a ranking,” Srivastava said. “And then next year, in March, it’ll be nationals again, and hopefully I can go back-to-back.”

Up in the air: Freshman makes name for herself in pole vaulting, hurdles

vault and hurdles coach Anecia Alexaki said. “And she has been very dedicated, consistent and (gave it) her all every practice to develop into that athlete.”

for me because I was worrying about two events at the same time at those meets.”

During the school day, freshman Melissa Guillen is often found wearing her AirPods and a white North Face backpack slung over her shoulder. Her small frame and big smile radiate warm energy as she chats with her friends and teachers before class. But don’t be fooled: with a pole in her hands or hurdles ahead, Guillen is a force to be reckoned with.

Between the fall and winter, Guillen made a name for herself as the fourth fastest freshman in the 55-meter hurdles in Pennsylvania. Guillen is also involved with pole vaulting. During the winter season, she jumped nine feet, which is one foot away from her goal at nationals.

“Pole vault and hurdles are both very technical and challenging events that take quite a few months to excel in,” pole

Alexaki has been coaching Guillen since the summer and seen her grow. Without putting specific expectations on her, Alexaki envisions a bright future for Guillen because of her work ethic.

“She has a spectacular attitude in everything that she does, it’s the mentality of ‘I will work with whatever I have, and I will give my all in everything that I’m doing,’” Alexaki said. “She doesn’t complain. She doesn’t give up. And that is not something that you can coach.” This past winter season, Guillen competed in the Ocean Breeze Invitational in Staten Island, New York. She placed second in the freshman finals for 55-meter hurdles, and sixth for pole vaulting.

“I feel pretty proud about my performance in the winter season for hurdles,” Guillen said. “And it was a struggle

Training six days a week, Guillen practices pole vaulting three of those days and hurdles only once. The remaining two are spent as “normal” track practices, including sprints and long distance. Guillen believes that the days dedicated to sprinting are helpful toward her hurdling experience, because they are similar in length and speed.

“We don’t get to practice the full length of hurdles constantly (during the winter) because the facility is not an indoor track,” Guillen said.

When Guillen joined the ’Stoga track and field program this past fall, she decided to give pole vaulting a shot.

Eventually, she developed a passion for the sport and began to excel in it. During the winter season, she was a few inches short of reaching 10 feet, the required height for nationals. She continues to train and compete this spring

Hitting new heights

Melissa

over the bar during a meet at the beginning of December. She started competing in pole vaulting this school year as a freshman. season, hoping to qualify for the National spot. “I have grown so much in winter track, there’s a high

chance I will be able to grow that extra bit to make it to those really big competitions,” Guillen said.

With the spring season underway, Guillen has many goals she hopes to accomplish this season.

“I feel pretty con dent,” Guillen said. “I’m really excited to see how it’s going to go, because I want to see how far I can make it.”

New surroundings: Junior Rishi Srivastava lunges for the ball in his quarterfinal match versus Andrew Glaser from Haverford Boys School. Srivastava won the Squash Junior National Championship on March 19, grabbing the spot of No. 1 ranked player in the country. He is getting ready for the World Championships in July and Nationals in March, with the hope of winning back-to-back.

Advantage In Air gives back to community

Boys’ tennis team hopes to claim state title from rival Page

: Freshman

Guillen jumps

Maggie Neary and Louisa Sandor Sta Reporters

Alex Carder and Eshan Singh Sta Reporters