The SPOKE Issue 5 2023-2024

Rodents spotted in ’stoga

Junior becomes first to qualify for bowling tournament Page 12

Conestoga students, staff see mice around the building

By Jui Bhatia and Aren Framil, Co-Opinion Editor and Co-News Editor

In the early morning of Jan. 29, as science teacher Dr. Derrick Wood set up for the day and began his classes, he was

greeted by an unexpected visitor — a mouse.

“I saw a student that came for some extra help before school. He paused at the door, and he said, ‘I thought I saw something,’” Wood said. “About ve minutes later, I saw a mouse come into the room from the hallway right as my rst few classes were starting.”

With help from science teacher Dr. Scott Best and junior Charlie Gawthrop, Wood captured the mouse and released it outside near the track. Wood had also previously found mouse droppings in his classroom.

Wood is not the only person to have spotted a mouse or evidence of mice in the school. Senior Anika Kotapally said that mice have

been present in the music wing for multiple years. She recently started spotting them in the upstairs atrium wing, nished in 2021, where Wood currently teaches. “I saw a mouse run across the hallway from Mr. Trainer’s room to Mrs. Wolfe’s room. It ran right out of Mrs. Wolfe’s room and right into Dr. Best’s room,” Kotapally said. “I don’t want to kill

Study

Starting

progress depending on their own curriculum. Some departments, such as English, business/technology and visual/performing arts, are leaning toward not adding any exams into their courses.

“Our major assessments are usually portfolio, project or performance based,” said Amy Cruz, visual/performing arts department chair. “In terms of curriculum, these changes will not a ect us.”

Other departments, such as world languages, science and mathematics, are planning on reintroducing cumulative exams into some classes.

“For the world languages department, we decided that we are going to give a (cumulative) exam in the courses at the halfway point through their programs,” said Stacy Katz, world languages department co-chair. “It might happen anywhere from March, April,

May, June — something toward the end of the year instead of halfway through the year a er the rst semester, and that gives teachers some exibility.”

Even within the same department, every course will adapt to the changes di erently depending on how rigorous the material is, what course level it is and whether it already has an AP or Keystone exam.

“We didn’t feel that any of our AP classes should require a nal because they’re taking AP exams in May, and just a few weeks later, they would take a nal which seems a little bit excessive,” said Allison Long, mathematics department chair. “But we did feel, for example, in (some of) our AP classes, that it would be helpful to have a cumulative assessment like a midterm.”

One of the most signi cant motives for bringing back cu-

mulative exams is to provide students with more exposure to longer, college-style exams before they graduate. As AP and Keystone exams are the only cumulative exams administered at Conestoga currently, some students do not receive much experience with such assessments.

“At rst, it’s a little bit annoying, but in reality, it’s probably a good thing because it’s better to have exposure to a large cumulative exam. Kids that don’t take AP classes are going to have no exposure to one before they go to college,” junior Brendan Crump said. “It’s de nitely a positive for people that aren’t going to be paying for AP exams because they still get some practice on the cumulative exams before college, which I’m assuming (have) midterms and nals (that) are a lot more di cult than even the AP classes.”

them — that’s not the way — but it is just insane.”

Other students have seen mice in the hallways and large spaces such as the cafeteria, atrium and library. Sophomore Shriya Bhattacharya said that she has seen mice in the cafeteria during lunch. “It was just roaming around here. en it went back in the vending machines, and then the

hiding. adults came and caught it,” Bhattacharya said.

Social studies teacher David Zimmerman has consistently seen a mouse in his room since winter break. He nicknamed the mouse “Jerry” and said it occasionally comes out during class.

good about sort of rolling with the punches. But if we were having a parent meeting or something and a mouse rolled out? at’s not what you want,” Zimmerman said. “I think (the school is) trying. I do think they’re making an e ort to try to get the mice.” Why Conestoga needs to place a cap on AP courses PagE 9

Continued on page 3.

Courses added to Program of Studies

Mareska Chettiar Photography Editor

e Program of Studies for the 2024-25 academic year includes ve new course additions: Asian American Studies, Sports and Entertainment Marketing, Journalism Foundations, Robotic Engineering and Studio Session. It also renamed the Geometry course. e social studies department has been developing the Asian American Studies course for more than ve years, led by teacher Stephanie Matula. e class will be a 0.5 credit semester elective, available to juniors and seniors.

Asian American Studies will briefly cover the history of Asia and focus on the topic of Asian immigration into America, cultural development and Asian American contributions to the United States. Matula emphasized that people who are not Asian American are also welcome to take the course.

“Wanting to take Asian American Studies and African-American Studies is a way of becoming more culturally competent,” Matula said.

Journalism Foundations will cover the basics of journalism for students interested in journalistic reporting. It is a 0.5 credit semester course o ered to all grades. Although it is helpful for prospective reporters, the course will not be a prerequisite for student publications.

“We’re hoping to appeal to a lot of younger students,” said English department chair Karen Gately. “Perhaps they may have an interest in enrolling in one of our amazing publications.”

Robotic Engineering will center learning around three robotics platforms: VEX Robotics, Dobot Robotics and Crumble. e course allows for exible instruction for students with varying levels of background knowledge in robotics. Je rey Conner, a business and technology teacher, will teach another new semester elective: Sports and Entertainment Marketing. It will focus on career opportunities within the sports and entertainment industries. e course is primarily project based, worth 0.5 credits and open to all grades. “A lot of us don’t have the ath-

letic abilities to be a professional athlete or the abilities to be a professional actor, but we still want to follow our passion, and there’s many ways to make a career in (sports and entertainment) industries,” Conner said. Studio Session is a new 0.5 credit course in which students from all grades will be able to explore di erent genres of music including pop, rock, jazz and country with opportunities to learn di erent instruments. ere will also be “jam sessions,” during which students will meet and create music.

“It’s a class that’s unlike others in the area,” said music department chair Christopher Nation. “It’s basically a class for students that just want to get together and make music.”

Sophomore Kussh Mital supports adding elective courses and believes they allow students to explore new interests and topics.

“I think it can lead people to avenues of interest that they didn’t know they had before,” Mital said. “ at could lead them to more after school activities, like the robotics team or other avenues that are just not school.”

Mareska Chettiar/The SPOKE

Conestoga High School, Berwyn

Howard Kim Co-News Editor

Mareska Chettiar/The SPOKE

Squeaky situation: A mouse runs across the oor of Room 200, shown from multiple angles. Students and sta have seen an increase in mice since winter break, and a er The Spoke learned that a mouse lived in Room 200, reporters staked out the room to lure the mouse out of

REC

CAM 2 REC CAM 3

it would not send students’ data from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to colleges until March. Colleges were originally meant to receive this data in late January. The department delayed sending data in order to fix a mistake in the 2024-25 FAFSA that made some students’ families appear to have more income than they actually do.

coUnty receiveS grant to aDDreSS homeleSSneSS

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded Chester County more than $2 million to fund programs that address homelessness for the 2023-24 fiscal year.

The grant was part of the Continuum of Care Competition Awards Program and will go toward the 12 projects Chester County officials are working on to house and provide support for homeless individuals.

oDySSeUS markS firSt commercial lUnar lanDing

Despite unforseen technical issues, Intuitive Machine’s Odysseus landed on the moon’s surface close to the south pole at 6:23 p.m. on Feb. 22. It marks the first commercial lunar landing as well as the first U.S. moon landing since the end of the Apollo missions.

mcconnell to retire aS Senate minority leaDer Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, the longest-serving Senate party leader in American history, announced on Feb. 28 that he will step down from his position this November. McConnell’s political beliefs, particularly his opinions on foreign policy, have become increasingly at odds with the rest of the Republican Party.

School board adopts $186 million preliminary budget

At the Jan. 22 TESD school board meeting, the board adopted a preliminary budget of $186 million for the 2024-25 fiscal year and decided to file for a tax rate referendum exception to the Pennsylvania Special Session Act 1 of 2006.

The district applied for permission to raise property taxes over the maximum tax rate increase for TESD, as defined in the district’s Act 1 Index, but has not yet decided if it will increase tax rates over the index.

The last time the board raised tax rates above its index was the 2019-20 fiscal year, with the special education and Pennsylvania State Employees’ Retirement System exceptions. This year, the school board applied for the same exceptions.

“The eligibility for those exceptions is determined through the State’s application process,” school board secretary and district business manager Arthur McDonnell wrote in an email. “After completing the applications, we could see that

penditures exception.”

Act 1 indexes vary between school districts and are calculated each fiscal year by the

The department adjusts a base index to be higher for lower-wealth districts.

If the department approves the exception, the school board does not necessarily have to raise tax rates above the index. Chair of the school board finance committee Dr. Roberta

Hotinski said that filing for referendum exceptions to increase tax rates is necessary to ensure flexibility in budgeting, as expenditures have increased due to capital projects such as the

Construction to begin on $28.7 million Athletic Fields Project

The TESD school board approved an additional fee letter for the now more than $28.7 million Athletic Fields Project during its Jan. 22 meeting, with plans to start construction around April.

The project includes two multi-purpose turf fields, five tennis courts, a softball practice field, a batting cage, new parking areas and a fieldhouse. The new facilities will be located on a portion of district-owned land between Cassatt and Irish roads.

TESD will make changes to the surrounding areas, such as constructing a new bus lane, building fencing in multiple locations, widening Cassatt Road, adding sidewalks, extending the high school speed limit zone and painting a crosswalk on the Conestoga and Old State roads’ intersection.

Conestoga administration and the school board began looking into the project in 2020 after receiving negative feedback from students regarding some stu-

dent-athletes’ commutes to practice facilities outside of school. The original plan had an estimated construction budget of around $24 million and a tentative construction start date in fall 2023.

“We were pushed back a little bit, and simply because of a lot of these township planning meetings, you have to be able to get on their schedule and there was some redesigning that needed to include traffic mitigation strategies,” said school board facilities committee chair Dr. Robert Singh. “It’s not that it was unexpected. It’s just the nature of these things trying to get approval.”

With the redesigns, project construction costs rose by around $4 million due to inflation and funds for new traffic design additions required by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and Tredyffrin Township. The school board is in the process of deciding how to raise and allocate funds to the project as it finalizes the 2024-25 budget.

“It’s sad to say everything costs more right now, and from

when we started to where we are now, just the supplies, getting what we need — everything’s gone up,” athletic director Kevin Pechin said. “That’s more reason to sort of get this ball rolling and get going so we can save some money. It’s not cheap, but it’s going to be worth it.”

The majority of construction will occur over the summer in order to prevent significant transportation disruptions for students. Construction will tentatively finish in summer 2025.

Singh believes that the project’s road redesigns will relieve traffic around Conestoga and may save the district money in the future as it will no longer have to rent out some outside practice facilities.

“This project, as with almost all the projects that we do, is really at the heart of providing our students with the resources they need to succeed,” Singh said. “There’s always sort of a give and take affording something and deciding if it’s worth it or not, and we certainly believe these projects are worth it for our students.”

possible addition of a sixth elementary school.

“Because we are considering building the new school and there’s a big cash outlay upfront with the buying of the property of $16 million — which we’ve never had to do before — we decided to keep our options open at this point,” Hotinski said.

In addition to the district’s ongoing projects, Hotinski cites increasing enrollment as a factor leading to rising school district costs.

“We’ve had increases in enrollment, so any tax increase is really going to benefit all the students,” Hotinski said. “Anything we have in terms of a tax increase is going to provide more staff and also provide better facilities in terms of the school and the elementary schools.”

The Pennsylvania Department of Education has not yet ruled on the school board’s application.

The school board will discuss the budget in upcoming workshops on March 11 and April 8, with a proposed final budget set for adoption at the April 22 school board meeting. The board will approve the final budget at the last school board meeting of the school year on June 10.

New road, bridges, roundabout planned near Paoli train station

The Paoli train station and surrounding roads will enter into phase two of the construction of the Paoli Transportation Center Plan. Designs of remodeled roads, bridges and additions of a roundabout will finalize tentatively in mid-2024. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has been finalizing renovation plans since 2019, when it completed phase one of the project.

Phase two consists of a $35 million demolition and remodeling plan that will fix traffic signals, change the intersection of East Central and West Central avenues into a roundabout and relocate the bridge overtop North Valley Road to Lancaster Avenue and Darby Road. Additionally, the mod-

ifications will allow for easier access to roadways, a parking lot expansion and sidewalks lining each road.

PennDOT civil engineer and manager of Paoli Transportation Center Plan Mirlene Saintval hopes the bridge recreation will keep local commuters safe.

“The existing North Valley Road Bridge that is over the tracks is in poor condition,” Saintval said. “It is a huge component in having people know that they are traversing over a bridge that will last at least 50 to 75 years.”

The safety of the community is PennDOT’s main motivation for the renovations.

Sophomore Suri Ahn, a Paoli resident, is in support of new renovations to improve traffic in the area and believes more sidewalks are needed.

“I think they would really help because I know that some-

times in that area, there’s a lot of traffic jams when I’m coming home from school or when I’m going to school,” Ahn said.

“There’s a lot of pedestrians and people with jobs that walk to and from the station, and improved sidewalks would make that easier.”

The roundabout connecting to the entrance of the station will allow for safer travel by setting a safe speed limit.

As the project is in its final design stages, the final locations of electrical poles and telephone lines need approval from PennDOT.

“As I see it, there’s a more modern feel to the train station because of these renovations,” Ahn said. “I saw a greater use of the train station because of these renovations. It’s easier and way more convenient for a lot of people to use.”

Penn Medicine deal to buy Brandywine Hospital falls through

On Jan. 26, Penn Medicine withdrew from its agreement to buy the currently closed Brandywine Hospital from Tower Health. Penn Medicine initially planned to repurpose the facility for veterans medical care services in an agreement with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Veterans Affairs Medical Centers in Coatesville and Philadelphia to expand inpatient care in the area.

“After an intensive due diligence process, we have determined that we would be unable to build out the infrastructure for the project in the space available on the Brandywine campus and have terminated our letter of intent with Tower to purchase the property,” a Penn Medicine spokesperson said.

Brandywine Hospital closed in January 2022 due to financial reasons, forcing residents to seek necessary care further away. Some residents saw Penn Medicine’s previous

letter of intent as an opportunity for a more stable healthcare infrastructure in the area.

Chester County Commissioners Josh Maxwell, Marian Moskowitz and Eric Roe released a statement following Penn Medicine’s announcement of its withdrawal.

“We are disappointed that the Brandywine Hospital property did not meet Penn Medicine’s requirements, but we are excited that Penn Medicine remains committed to bringing emergency and acute care back to the Coatesville area,” they wrote in a statement. The commissioners also expressed their continued hope for expanding veterans care in the area. Keith Nunnelee, a U.S. Navy veteran and gifted support teacher at T/E Middle School, believes that specialized veteran medical care is important, especially for older veterans.

“The veterans from Vietnam are getting on up there (in age), and a lot of them are requiring care, and a lot of that care can be traced back to the time that they’ve served,”

Nunnelee said. “Many of them were drafted. It was not voluntary, and I think that we owe it to veterans, especially those who saw combat and made physical and psychological contributions and sacrifices. They deserve to be taken care of when their health care requires it.”

Despite not purchasing Brandywine Hospital, Penn Medicine continues to look for a different facility to move ahead with the project. A Penn Medicine spokesperson said that the organization recognizes the importance of its efforts for veterans and community members in the Coatesville area.

“Penn Medicine is deeply committed to working with the Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure the best infrastructure for the delivery of healthcare to veterans in our region,” the spokesperson said. “We will continue to work closely with community stakeholders to listen to their ideas and feedback and share plans as these efforts continue.”

Paoli improvement: The Paoli train station is planning to add a roundabout, a new bridge and roads in phase two of a plan to ensure commuter safety in the area. Phase one occurred in 2019 and focused on improving the design of the station.

Lauren Pinheiro/The SPOKE

Veterans affairs: Penn Medicine is looking for a different facility after determining in January that Brandywine Hospital’s infrastructure was not sufficient for its veterans medical care facility plan. A Penn Medicine spokesperson stated that it would continue to work toward delivering veterans healthcare in the Coatesville area.

Sta responds to increasing mice population, possible health risks

Continued from page 1.

Administration implements rodent control measures

TESD is required by state law to abide by Integrated Pest Management (IPM) procedures, which are outlined in district Policy 8012. e policy states the district’s goal to implement pest prevention procedures that are “environmentally and economically sound and socially responsible.”

According to the policy, schools are only permitted to implement pesticides and chemical pest treatments a er considering all other alternatives.

District IPM coordinator Colm Kelly said that he has received one or two reports of mice a week from Conestoga for the past few months — an increase from previous years — but has not yet resorted to pesticide treatments. Instead, he has directed Conestoga’s custodial sta to lay out snap mouse traps, focus on reducing food waste that may attract pests and block possible building entry points for mice.

“We instruct (custodial sta ) to empty all of the garbage food containers as frequently as pos-

sible. We ask the administration to see that the students dispose of their food correctly and to report any sightings because that tells us where we can set additional traps,” Kelly said. “We have numerous times gone around the perimeter of the building and checked for any access points where they could possibly get in and made all of the repairs that we could nd, but in reality, they only need a quarter of an inch to get into a building.”

Noah Austin teaches engineering classes in the upstairs atrium wing and said that mice have eaten some of the food in his classroom and chewed through scrap PVC pipe in the fabrication lab.

“I ended up going out and getting my own mouse traps rst. I set them up, and I reported the problem to administration,” Austin said. “A er I reported the problem, there were mouse traps that were put in my room by an exterminator.”

Twel h grade assistant principal and facilities director Dr. Patrick Boyle is working with district maintenance sta as well as an outside pest control contractor company, Orkin, to manage the mice population

within the school. According to Boyle, maintenance personnel come in daily before school to check the traps and catch mice. So far, they have caught multiple mice in places where sta had reported sightings.

“When we get a report of any sightings, and if they’re new to certain areas, we continue to do the same thing: putting traps down, making sure poison’s available and trying to do the best we can,” Boyle said.

Art teacher Leanne Argonish reported a mouse sighting in the art o ce in the downstairs atrium wing on Feb. 15 a er school while meeting with some students. e next morning, Boyle contacted district maintenance sta and contractors, who arrived before school to investigate the sighting.

“Immediately, Dr. Boyle reacted and set up mouse traps and communicated with us,” Argonish said. “ en someone saw exterminators checking things out and taking care of business.”

What the presence of mice

means for Conestoga

Students and sta began to spot mice in the newest wings adjacent to the atrium in December 2023.

“It had never been an issue up here since we moved in. We had heard about issues downstairs in the old part of the building for years,” science

Tredy rin Public Library builds makerspace

At the beginning of 2024, the Tredy rin Public Library opened its doors to its newest addition, a makerspace. It is a place for people with various science, technology, engineering, arts and math-based interests to further develop their skills by using provided supplies and technologies including 3D printers, a laser cutter and a Cricut machine.

“ e makerspace is to o er a wide opportunity for people in the community to come and use machines that they are not sure about or want to learn more about,” said Amy Moscia, the library’s makerspace programs coordinator. “It is also about teaching a wide variety of skills and is just a great learning opportunity in general.”

Two grants that the library received in 2023 helped make the project possible. In June 2023, the McClain Foundation, a local organization aimed at helping educational institutions, awarded the library $25,000 to build the makerspace. e library received an additional $15,000 grant from Friends of the Tredy rin Public Library, the library’s parent organization. Moscia worked with the library’s head children’s librarian Stephanie Bragg, fundraising associate Rachel Kramer and head of reference technology Jonathan Trice to develop the makerspace. e team looked at other makerspaces and attended a convention for library educators to decide what tools would best suit the community, especially students. “It complements the education that they receive in school.

We are able to o er this to a wider age range, so we are just helping spark interest and helping people continue learning,” Trice said. “ at is the big thing: We just want people to keep on learning new things and trying new things.”

Now open to the public, the makerspace hosts weekly educational programs, which cater to interests such as crocheting, 3D printing and Lego building. In the programs, the attendees are able to learn how to use the machines available to make various crafts, such as printed socks, 3D printed toys and engraved wood coasters.

“I think that it is a positive for the community. e library is not just a space for books anymore. It is a community center,” Trice said. “ is allows us to

serve needs in the community and bring new people in or get long-time patrons excited about something else.”

Tredy rin Public Library patron and mother of two Katie Packett is excited to explore the new makerspace as a part of her visit to the library. She believes that this space will continue to have a lasting positive impact on the T/E community. “My experience is nothing short of awesome,” Packett said. “My kids love the space. It inspires them to use their imagination and bring it to life. They get to experience new technology that they would otherwise not have access to and do so under the guidance of the staff who work so well with kids and have the valuable knowledge of these new tools.”

teacher Janet Wolfe said. “We thought we were kind of in a mouse-free space up here.”

Teachers in older parts of the building have also observed an increase in mouse sightings compared to previous years. Zimmerman, who has taught at Conestoga since 1992 and has a classroom in the oldest part of the school, made similar observations. “ e mouse problem is about as bad as I’ve seen it over the years. I’ve worked here a long time. ere have been mice here and there, but there’s more this year,” Zimmerman said. “I think they’ve just taken up residence here, and it’s not so easy to get them to move out.”

According to Boyle, while there are many reasons for the increase in mice sightings, previous construction could have displaced mice living on the land where the atrium stands, causing them to seek out warmth and food inside the building, especially in the winter.

“I can only assume that, when you disturb land, you’re gonna have land that animals

live there. We are in a huge amount of land right here that we took over and built this building on,” Boyle said.

Conestoga is looking to implement a “Lunch and Learn” program next year, which includes extended lunch periods and expands areas where students can eat, which may increase litter in those areas.

“If we’re going to invite students to eat in all sorts of non-traditional spaces, then my concerns would be making sure that we have a good system in place,” said English teacher Ben Smith, who has seen mice in his classroom. “ at would be more trash cans, better protocols and expectations for students and sta , and better communication about how we need to take care of our spaces in general.”

TESD has to abide by federal, state and county regulations for food safety. According to the Chester County Health Department, the county administers a Retail Food Inspection Report twice a year, which includes criteria for Prevention

of Food Contamination, requiring insects, rodents and animals to not be present. The health department last inspected Conestoga in November 2023 and found no contamination or rodent violations.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, diseases can spread from contact with mice. The presence of mice in areas that serve food can also contaminate packaged foods and potentially cause serious illness, especially in immunocompromised individuals.

If a school is found to have a presence of mice, the county would require eradication measures, such as working with a licensed pest control operator, limiting food sources and eliminating entry points, all of which the district says it is currently doing.

“We’re working on it,” Kelly said. “We have a plan: We have a maintenance person putting down additional traps, we have an outside contractor helping us and we hope to put this behind us in the very near future.”

Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturns 1985 abortion ruling, reopens 2019 lawsuit

On Jan. 29, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court dismissed Fischer v. Department of Public Welfare , a 1985 court ruling that upheld the Abortion Control Act and restricted abortion funding. The act, passed by the Pennsylvania government in 1982, banned Medicaid funding for all abortions except in cases of rape, incest or the risk of death for the patient. “I think (the Supreme Court decision) was a good way to look back on past legislation or past rulings and look at the state of the nation ages ago, and then look at the state that we are in now and recalibrate a change of needs and a change in social perspective,” said senior Jordan Jacoel, president of New/Gen ’Stoga, a womens’ rights advocacy club.

The Fischer v. Department of Public Welfare ruling issued that no law promised state funding for abortions.

In 2021, a lower Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court dismissed a case in which Planned Parenthood and other clinics challenged the Abortion Control Act. The clinics appealed the case to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. After two years, the court overturned the 1985 ruling and reopened the clinics’ case. The 1985 case does not affect the window for a person to receive an abortion, which is currently up to 24 weeks, as dictated by the 1982 Abortion Control Act. In December 2023, Pennsylvania Reps. Liz Hanbidge and Danielle Otten proposed a joint resolution, Bill 1888, that would amend the Pennsylvania constitution to reaffirm abortion as a guaranteed right. The amendment

does not specifically state any limitations on abortion, lateterm or otherwise.

“I think that an important mark of society is how it treats its most vulnerable members. And in my opinion, some of the most vulnerable are the unborn members of the human family,” said Wendy DiRico, Students For Life club adviser. “So in my opinion, this bill would take us in the opposite direction of protecting the most vulnerable.”

The Pennsylvania House Judiciary Committee heard testimony about the resolution on Dec. 18, 2023.

“A lot of people that are having abortions are financially unstable,” sophomore Kate Orr said. “All you’re doing by not funding them is making it harder for them to have an abortion and putting more people below the poverty line.”

Continuing court case: The lawsuit led by Planned Parenthood and other abortion clinics in 2019 is continuing a er a 2024 Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision to reopen the case. The Pennsylvania Commonwealth court dismissed the case in 2021 on the grounds that the clinics did not have the right to assert claims on the behalf of their patients.

Mary Wolters/The SPOKE

Snap traps: Maintenance sta lay out mouse traps around Conestoga. Alongside the traps, district maintenance sta have taken preventative measures against rodents including checking the exterior of the building for entry points and encouraging students to clean up food waste.

Aren Framil/The SPOKE

Vaishnavi Sriadibhatla Sta Reporter

Mary Wolters Sta Reporter

Crime scene: Caution tape is jokingly pinned up in English teacher Michael Trainer’s room next to a masking tape outline of a mouse and a sticky note which reads “Careful! Cuidado!“ Trainer set up the tape and outline with the help of science teacher Dr. Derrick Wood a er seeing a mouse in his classroom.

Mareska Chettiar/The SPOKE

New technologies: Amy Moscia and Jonathan Trice, Tredy rin Public Library’s makerspace programs coordinator and head of reference technology, respectively, prepare to host makerspace programs for the community. The library launched these programs at the beginning of 2024.

Vaishnavi Sriadibhatla/The SPOKE

Hope and Beyond Club raises funds to improve mental health care

It is 6 a.m. outside the Philly Pretzel Factory. Seniors Omkar Katkade and Mohit Manna, Hope and Beyond club president and vice president, respectively, go inside to pick up the 400 pretzels they plan to sell later that day. At 7:15 a.m. they bring the pretzels to school and set up tables in preparation for the morning rush. The money they make will go toward supporting mental health care.

Conestoga’s Hope and Beyond Club has held a multitude of fundraisers this year in addition to pretzel and donut bake sales. Ever since the creation of the club in September 2022, the money that it has raised goes toward helping people struggling with mental health issues.

“For a while we had been pretty passionate about mental health and knew a lot of people in the community who struggled with those kinds of issues,” Katkade said. “That was a problem pretty close to our hearts. We started fundraising and figured it was the least we could do to help money go to people in need.”

The majority of Hope and Beyond’s donations goes to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. The foundation works to improve the future of mental health care by hosting Out of the Darkness Walks, in which support-

ers walk side by side to raise awareness and funds, and by conducting academic clinical research on suicide prevention techniques.

Last year, Hope and Beyond members donated to A Path to Hope, a local mental health nonprofit. This year, they voted to donate to a larger organization instead. “A Path To Hope last year was more of a grounded thing, just helping our community speci cally,” Katkade said. “But fundraising for such a big institution like the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention allows you to have that broad, wide scale impact that can make country-wide change, which we’re excited about.” The club’s first fundraiser this school year was hosting an after-school chess tournament with the Chess Club in October. Over winter break, its most successful fundraising effort came from members going door to door asking for donations and informing others about the organization. The club also raised funds by partnering with Panera Bread. The Hope and Beyond club has raised $6,000 so far, and members hope to reach $10,000 by the end of the school year.

“Our future goals are to expand the club, get more people and have wider causes,” Manna said. “We want to expand to more than just fundraising. We want to actually educate people about mental health.”

Icing on the cake: Senior runs catering, baking business

From the comfort of her house, senior Izzy Sellig spends hours in the kitchen creating various baked goods for her business: The Midnight Bakery. Launched in 2022, The Midnight Bakery caters and delivers baked goods,with a focus on cookies. e bakery o ers chocolate chip, snickerdoodle, oatmeal chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, mint chocolate chip, peanut butter and sugar cookies on its website, themidnightbakery.org.

“Cookies are basically what my bakery is about, but I also make chocolate croissants, which are really hard to make, but they are probably one of my favorite things to make,” Sellig said. “I would

George Zhang

Co-Director of Sta Development

Who doesn’t love brunch? is classic weekend meal allows foodies to wake up late, consume pancakes at noon and save a whole meal’s worth of calories for those who are counting. EmJ’s Cafe, located along Lancaster Road, provides a nice option to do so. I went to the cafe on a Friday morning, thanks to a teacher in-service day, with an empty stomach and a heart full of hope. I had a grueling basketball workout the night before and was craving some good grub. Walking into the cafe, the rst thing I noticed was its cozy and quaint interior, perfect for a chill start to the day.

Flipping through the menu, I noticed a large selection of dishes.

ere were eggs cooked in every way possible, breakfast platters with di erent types of meat, pancakes and sandwiches.

Some dishes had peculiar names such as e Hangover, a concoction of scrambled eggs, cheese, onions, bacon and potatoes served on a long roll. It was my rst selection as the morn-

say the plain chocolate chip or mint chocolate chip cookies are the most popular.”

Sellig developed a passion for baking when she was young.

“I started baking when I was really little with my mom and my older sisters. They were always baking with my mom,” Sellig said. “I would always help her, but then I got really into it when I was around 14.”

Sellig found time to bake at night after school and soccer practices, leading her parents to call her “The Midnight Baker,” as they would wake up the next morning to trays of cookies laid out in the kitchen. From there the name of her bakery was born.

“One of the biggest orders that I recently had was for a law firm, which was 18 dozen

Cozy

ing sure felt like one — not from consuming alcohol, don’t worry. I also ended up ordering a smoked salmon platter and cinnamon roll pancakes to satisfy my sweet tooth.

e Hangover came in at $10 and appeared a little underwhelming at rst glance. With a title sharing the name of my favorite Mike Tyson movie, I had high expectations. However, once I took a bite, I understood

SAT prep that’s friendly, not factory

You, yes you, are going to have to take a summer SAT course. Our classes are small, fun, and personalized. “Theirs” are big, boring, and repetitive. It’s a pretty easy choice, right? Find out more at CrimsonReview.com

George

the meaning of the name. e warm interior of eggs and potatoes and the so exterior of the long roll gave me a sense of comfort while eating. e dish would be a perfect comfort food, no matter how bad the night before was. e cinnamon roll pancakes also came in at $10 and were well worth their price. Both pancakes were extremely u y and melted in my mouth. However, diners

cookies, and I made gift bags for a holiday party. They said it worked out really well, and everyone loved it,” Sellig said. Sellig said that she has received positive feedback from her customers, and that the thank you texts and cookie reviews on her website have become her favorite part of running the bakery.

Sellig is planning on majoring in business and entrepreneurship at the University of Richmond next fall. She hopes to keep her catering business alive in Virginia and after college.

“I’ll try and work something out and see if I can continue my business (in college),” Sellig said. “Maybe making it a real-life bakery. That’s probably my dream to do that.”

beware: is dish will ll up your stomach substantially.

Finally, my main course: the smoked salmon platter. Coming in at $16, the platter appeared a bit unusual to me. e plate consisted of an everything bagel with cream cheese, sliced salmon, onions, capers, tomatoes and a hard-boiled egg on the side. I suppose it was a do-it-yourself concept in which customers would mix the elements into one savory bite — at least that’s what I did.

Overall, I had an incredible experience brunching at EmJ’s Cafe. e service was friendly, the environment was cozy and the food was delicious. If you ever sleep past breakfast by accident, had a rough night or simply want to enjoy a nice meal, you should consider stopping by EmJ’s Cafe. You won’t regret it.

EmJ’s Cafe

814 E Lancaster Ave, Berwyn, PA 19312

Price: $$

Rating: Phone: 610-644-8275

Funding for change: (from le to right) Sophomores Rohini Akshayapatra Krtin Ashok and Krishi Harish place their orders at Panera Bread to support the Hope and Beyond Club’s fundraiser. The club partnered with Panera Bread on Feb. 17 to raise funds for mental health and suicide prevention.

Madeline Pulliam/The SPOKE

Madeline Pulliam Sta Reporter

Cake company: Senior Izzy Sellig stands next to her baked goods. Sellig’s parents nicknamed her “The Midnight Baker” a er they would wake up to trays of cookies in the kitchen that she had baked overnight.

Frosting nish: Senior Izzy Sellig meticulousy adds the nal touches of frosting to one of her cakes. In 2022, Sellig started a catering company through which she sells a variety of baked goods, including cookies and cakes.

Madeline Pulliam/The SPOKE

Meet Mr. S: The tutor who supports students at Conestoga

Stephen Sokolowski, known to students as Mr. S, is more than just a writing aide at Conestoga. Over the course of three years, he believes he has integrated himself into the school community through his commitment to assisting students in various subjects and through the college application process. Sokolowski has earned a reputation from students as a versatile tutor who provides thorough assistance.

“He will go outside of his normal comfort zone and keep expanding on what he’s helping people with,” said senior Sachin Blake, who rst met Sokolowski for help on his college essay. “I think at the end of the day, all he wants to do is help students with whatever they need help with.”

As a writing aid, Sokolowski assists students not only with cra ing compelling essays for classes or college but also with history, government and French assignments, describing himself as a “multipurpose tutor.” Sokolowski said that his favorite aspect of his job is its variety, and he nds ful llment in the diversity of experiences he encounters.

“I love the variety of stu I get to work with. I may be doing college interview prep with one student, and then the next time I’m doing an essay or helping students study the French Revolution. So, I am all over the place all day, (but) I enjoy what I do,” Sokolowski said. Outside of tutoring, Sokolowski enjoys reading modernist books, as well as playing video games and watching anime. He also likes to watch movies, especially foreign lms that give him a glimpse into other cultures.

“In college, I was a huge film buff, but not only for American films. I used to have a hobby where every week (I went to) a huge movie library at Temple University, I would not be allowed to choose the same movie twice in the same month, so I’d have to choose a movie from a different country every week,” Sokolowski said.

In his interactions with students, Sokolowski said that he prioritizes fostering a supportive environment that encourages creativity and exploration. He emphasizes understanding over judgment, with the idea of providing constructive feedback without the pressure of grades.

“I’m not here to grade you,” Sokolowski said. “You can bring me anything, and you have to understand (that) you’re not getting a failing or passing grade from me. I’m literally just giving you advice and necessary criticism.”

In the process of helping students, Sokolowski finds inspiration in students’ determination, particularly when helping them navigate the college application process.

“I’m inspired on a daily basis by the bravery, courage and motivation of the students,” Sokolowski said. “The amount of hardship I read about, and perseverance to achieve success after going through so much is truly inspiring.”

As he continues to tutor Conestoga students, Sokolowski looks toward the future with optimism and determination. His ultimate goal is to pursue a teaching career.

“I would like to eventually go into teaching within the English department, as much as I do have a passion for history and government,” Sokolowski said. “But that is something I am still working on. So in the meantime, I’m here for at least a little bit longer to continue to help you guys move forward in life.”

Teachers, students develop Conestoga Scheduling Assistant

The new Conestoga Scheduling Assistant on Clever is an app that allows students to plan out their academic schedule for future years. The app helps students ensure that they are not overscheduling or under scheduling themselves. It includes course descriptions as well to help students easily find courses that may be of interest.

Counselor Brian Samson came up with the idea as Conestga will implement a new school schedule next year. He wanted to create something that would help students pick courses that t into the new schedule.

“I think with the fact that we’re no longer having a sixday cycle next year, (it) just makes sense to have a different tool to help students conceptualize their schedules,” Samson said.

After developing the idea, Samson wanted to make it a

reality. He asked computer science and app development teacher Edward Sharick to code the app.

“I pitched the idea, and (Sharick) just seemed pretty enthusiastic about it and willing to help me with this project. Once I saw that he was enthusiastic about it, he really took the ball and ran with it,” Samson said.

Sharick coded the Conestoga Scheduling Assistant using multiple languages, including JavaScript, HTML and CSS. The project took him between 10 and 15 hours to code over the course of a week and a half.

Daniel Davis, a senior in Sharick’s app development class helped test the app and believes it will be helpful and make scheduling easier.

“This new tool is just very useful because it helps make this once-complex process a little bit easier,” Davis said. “Because it’s tough having to look through a 50-page book,

find the courses you want, finding which courses are required for your grade level — this kind of takes some of that stress off.”

Gavin Huang, a junior in Sharick’s app development class, also helped test the app before Sharick released it. He found a couple of minor errors and helped resolve them.

“I believe there was a problem with Multivariable Calculus. It wasn’t listed for 12th grade. ( ere were) other problems like that where the classes weren’t appearing. I just looked through it and tried to help them,” Huang said.

For Davis, exploring the real-world applications of coding shaped his outlook on the potential of app development and technology.

“Seeing his project helping to solve a real problem has been inspiring,” Davis said. “He (Sharick) is making something that’s schoolwide, that affects everyone and is really cool.”

Flower Show Club showcases works at Philadelphia Flower Show

Audrey Kim Sta Reporter

Students from Conestoga’s Flower Show Club will present their work at the Philadelphia Flower Show this year. Under the show’s theme, “United by Flowers,” the club created pressed flower mosaics through one of the show’s artistic classes. Students in grades three to 12 will compete for a blue ribbon in several entry categories while exhibiting their art at the show.

The Flower Show Club students are competing under Youth Artistic Class Category 146, “What’s your story?”, which celebrates heritage through a framed arrangement of pressed plants.

The Flower Show Club at Tredyffrin/Easttown Middle School, run by art teacher Khara Flint, helped inspire sophomores Sarah Bernholdt, Kate Khugaeva and Ada Lavelle to establish a similar club at Conestoga this year.

“This year’s competition was individual, so you got to express yourself,” Khugaeva said. “I thought that it was both good and bad. It gave so much freedom that it was hard to think of a specific thing to make.”

The process of making pressed flower mosaics and submitting art started in October and ended in January.

First, the students bought and pressed the flowers into books. After the flowers finished drying, they traced their sketches into mat boards and glued the flowers on, starting from the background of the art to the front. In January, they sent pictures of their works in progress to the Philadelphia Flower Show’s panel of judges. When their projects finished on Feb. 15, they gave the mosaics to Flint to send to the show to be displayed.

“We buy flowers and press them in books for two to three weeks,” Bernholdt said. “The theme comes out sometime in early fall, so we usually brainstorm ideas and make sketches for our projects.”

Bernholdt, Khugaeva and Lavelle made mosaics of a reading girl, a film camera and a record player, respectively. When searching for inspiration for what to make, they looked toward hobbies and interests.

“I’m really into vinyls, so (the mosaic) is my record player and a vinyl playing with things I like (that are) coming out of it,” Lavelle

said. “I thought of things I really liked and things that define me in a way.”

After deciding on a topic, the sophomores cut the dried flower petals and leaves to glue them on a canvas. While creating their mosaic, they said that they faced a few challenges along the way, such as flowers breaking and a lack of materials.

“One challenge we often faced was having enough of certain flowers,” Bernholdt said. “If we run out of a certain color, we don’t always have time to buy or press more.”

The club’s mosaics are on display at the Philadelphia Flower Show, which will run from March 2 to March 10 this year at the Philadelphia Convention Center. The club’s mosaics are displayed for attendees of the show.

Meet Mr. S: Stephen Sokolowski, a writing aide in the Conestoga library, is available to assist students during all periods. In addition to assisting students with class assignments, Sokolowski has helped multiple students with college essays, facilitating the application process.

Eva Kennedy/The SPOKE

Eva

Coding with CSS: Computer science and app development teacher Edward Sharick works on the code he wrote for the Conestoga Scheduling Assistant.

The app took him 10 to 15 hours to code. He hopes to make improvements to the app in the future.

Riddima Pandey/The SPOKE

Riddima Pandey Sta Reporter

e Li le Mermaid

A deep dive into the 2024 s ing musical

Designed

by Lily Chen and Maya Shah, Design Editor and Co-T/E Life Editor

Conestoga’s theater department made a splash with its rendition of the beloved Disney classic, “The Little Mermaid,” as the spring musical. Set under the sea, the production introduced an underwater element, setting it apart from previous performances.

“It’s a more involved musical because half of it is underwater. It has its own set of challenges because it’s not in a human world,” said senior Vivian Dong, who played a mersister and princess in the production. “We’re trying to minimize walking as much as possible, so wherever you’re traveling, you’re Heelying. It’s been a learning curve, but it’s been fun.”

To simulate the fluid movements of underwater characters, the cast had to learn how to use Heelys — shoes with wheels on the soles. Junior Kathleen Manion, assistant to the director, said that implementing this footwear came with challenges. She initially had concerns about incorporating Heelys into the musical.

“They (the cast) bought (Heelys) on their own and learned at their houses,” Manion said. “But when they came, it was really hard because the stage is much different from their houses, so they had to get used to doing it on stage but also learning different speeds.”

The use of Heelys also posed challenges for choreography, limiting the range of movements.

“They can’t do as many spins and all the dance moves we would usually do,”

Manion said. “It was hard to choreograph in the beginning because some people had learned and some people hadn’t learned, so we weren’t sure if we would even be able to use them.”

The incorporation of Heelys contributed to the authentic underwater atmosphere that was crucial to the musical. The deliberate set design ensured clear differentiation between underwater and land scenes. Teal-tinted lighting, underwater props like rocks and sea plants, and blue screens characterized underwater scenes, whereas land scenes featured typical architectures and brighter stage lighting.

The production also reused certain set pieces like reversibles, which have a different set on each side of the panel and versatile nature ele -

ments suitable for both underwater and land scenes.

“When it’s underwater, it’s dark. When it’s on land, you see the sun and Prince Eric. The audience can tell when it’s not underwater,” said senior Charlie Henderson, who played Chef Louis in the production. “We use rocks, where you can move them in different spots, but put different things on them to make it look like a different scene.”

Dong looked forward to performing the musical and watching all the various components come together on stage.

“My favorite part about musicals is seeing it all come together and being a small part of it,” Dong said. “There’s lights and there’s sound and there’s costumes, and it’s really cool to be a part of that at ’Stoga.”

A Review

A Walt Disney classic, “The Little Mermaid” follows Ariel as she struggles between her fascination with humans and her love for home. After falling in love with Prince Eric, Ariel chooses to forfeit her voice for a chance at winning his heart.

Overall, the production was a charming display of the cast’s impressive vocal talent. Despite lacking the emotional depth or theatrical technicality of past productions, it featured lovable characters and cute costumes that breathed life into a familiar tale.

Both Ariels, juniors Claire Arnault and Eve Rosenstein, were talented vocalists and assured actresses. After joining forces with senior James Korbel as Prince Eric, the pairs portrayed an endearing rendition of the fairytale couple. Senior Beatrice Duska gave a standout performance as Ursula, capturing the character’s confidence with the perfect combination of commanding stage presence and powerful vocals.

The supporting cast undoubtedly brought the production to life. Junior Orlando Cruz as Sebastian maintained sharp vocals and masterful storytelling, adding to the magic of key ensemble numbers such as “Under the Sea” and “Kiss the Girl.” Flounder, played by sophomore Izzy Abramowitz, was bright and cheerful, further lightening the mood on stage.

From fish to frogs, the ensemble played each of its parts with unbridled enthusiasm.

The six Mersisters brought welcome bouts of comedy to each of their scenes and maintained an amusing chemistry with other characters. Dance scenes were well-choreographed and precisely executed, adding to the excitement of important numbers.

The set lacked the unique physicality central to past Conestoga sets, instead more heavily relying on projections and lighting. While detailed, the projections failed to match the vivid, fun-colored costumes in the portrayal of lively Atlantica. The use of Heelys was an unexpected addition that added to the underwater component of the musical, compensating for the understated set.

“The Little Mermaid” was another impressive musical performed by ’ Stoga Music Theatre . Despite lacking a grand set or big message, the production had talent in spades, ultimately doing justice to a beloved tale.

Abbie Preston Staff Reporter

Maya Shah Co-T/E Life Editor

She’s in love (above) : Flounder, played by sophomore Izzy Abramowitz (center), sings with the Mersisters as the character discovers Ariel’s love for Prince Eric of the human world. The actresses learned how to walk, dance, sing and glide in Heelys, shoes with wheels on the soles, for this number, among others in the musical.

Unfortunate souls (left) : Senior Beatrice Duska sings her title number, “Poor Unfortunate Souls,” as Ursula. The song marked the signing of a contract in which Ariel exchanges her voice for an opportunity to be human.

Man and mermaid (right): Junior Eve Rosenstein performs as Ariel in half of ’Stoga Music Theatre’s productions of “The Little Mermaid,” including closing night on Saturday March 2. The cast performed six total shows with one exclusively for eighth graders in the district middle schools.

Part of your world (far right): Junior Claire Arnault performs as Ariel in half of ’Stoga Music Theatre’s productions of “The Little Mermaid.” In the show, she rescued Prince Eric, played by senior James Korbel , after he fell into the ocean and almost drowned. By the end of the musical, Ariel and Eric will fall in love and get married.

Under the sea (below): Junior Orlando Cruz (middle) embodied the role of crab Sebastian, adviser to King Triton. He led a band of signing and dancing sea creatures in the show’s largest all-cast number in which he attempts to convince Ariel that sea life is better than the human world.

Jamie Chung, 2003 alumnus

In what was once Conestoga’s darkroom, 2003 Conestoga alumnus Jamie Chung developed not only photos but a passion for photography.

“I really fell in love with the darkroom at Conestoga,” Chung said. “That was the initial spark: developing my own film and printing. It’s such a calm, nice space where I could be creative and experiment.”

After graduating from Conestoga, Chung attended Parsons School of Deisgn before apprenticing and assisting different photographers. He has now settled into his own freelance still-life work.

Describing himself as a “generalist,” Chung photographs various subject matters, shooting for brands ranging from Apple and Sephora to Equinox and Tiffany & Co.

“The apprenticeship system showed me what it was like in the field to be a working photographer. Then I started getting some small work, and I won some competitions and got representation. The jobs came in slowly, and I just started building little by little,” Chung said.

Photography has always been a uniquely collaborative experience for Chung, an aspect that has nurtured and strengthened his work. Working daily with people like set designers and producers to models and animal wranglers, Chung said that he appreciates every person’s role in making the creative process turn into a reality.

“I’ve made a lot of great relationships and a lot of deep friendships over the years,” Chung said. “I love that not every day is the same.”

Alumni photographers

Written by Bailey Kreszswick and Hannah Simon, Staff Reporter and Co-Copy Editor

Designed by Lily Chen, Design Editor

Jeannette McCauley, 2010 alumna

2010 Conestoga alumna Jeannette McCauley found her love for art and photography through exploring different art forms, as well as traveling abroad to southern France.

At Conestoga, McCauley enrolled in photography, jewelry making, stone sculpting, ceramics and studio art classes. One of her favorites was the course dark room photography.

“I really loved seeing the process of developing photos and what all the different chemicals would do,” McCauley said.

After high school, McCauley attended Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia, where she earned a bachelor of fine arts in photography. She discovered that some of her favorite shots are those of natural landscapes, such as ones she took on her trip to France.

After college, she worked for subscription box companies, photographing products and managing their social media pages. Later, she became an art director, which allowed her to focus on photography and design work.

Now a full-time stay-at-home mom, McCauley follows her passion for art through freelance photography and pottery.

“Art is important because it's what keeps the world interesting. It's how we initially started documenting our history and our place here on Earth as humans,” McCauley said. “I think one of the things that keeps us human is our ability to make and appreciate art.”

Jessica Ivey, 2016 alumna

Staying true to her passion for art from an early age, 2016 Conestoga alumna Jessica Ivey has found both success and happiness. She now lives in Center City, Philadelphia, where she continues to pursue her passion for art through photography, painting and drawing.

“I was into art since I could hold pencils or crayons,” Ivey said. “I really just enjoyed observing the world around me from a very young age and trying to make sense of it in a creative way.”

At Conestoga, Ivey completed the entire studio art curriculum, culminating with taking Advanced Placement in studio art in her senior year. She also took ceramics, photography and musical courses to enhance her artistic foundations.

Ivey earned a bachelor’s degree of fine arts in visual communications from the University of Delaware while taking classes that focused on graphic design, fine art and advertising. She then brought her career to Philadelphia, where she currently photographs concerts, musicals and families.

In her free time, Ivey enjoys drawing, painting and performing at local restaurants.

“I think (art) is like a break from the stress of everyday life,” Ivey said. “Art allows me to get onto paper in an abstract way — to show what I'm feeling.”

Hailey Heaton, 2015 alumna

Hailey Heaton felt like she always had the space to explore her enduring interest in photography while growing up.

“I had really cool friends that would always do weird stuff with me, like just taking photos out in the woods and whatnot,” the 2015 Conestoga alumna said. “I felt like (I was) able to explore that while I was at Conestoga. It was the only thing I ever really wanted to do.”

After Conestoga, Heaton attended the School of Visual Arts in New York City. She now works as a freelance photographer and pursues fashion and commercial work for brands such as Calvin Klein and The New York Times.

Now as a freelance photographer, Heaton’s responsibilities go beyond just taking photos. She works with creative directors, pitches ideas for shoots and makes mood boards. Heaton enjoys the flexibility of getting to do what she has always wanted while feeling comfortable in her own skin.

“With all of my work, I want to portray real life and what it really feels like to be a woman and all these different feminine spaces navigating through the world. I like to portray this realness about that,” Heaton said. “I like shooting real people who I think are interesting looking. Something I really value is not fully succumbing to the status quo of what's popular.”

Alex Schon, 2014 alumnus

After 2014 Conestoga alumnus

Alex Schon majored in mechanical and aerospace engineering at Lafayette College, photography may have seemed like a long-shot career option. But for him, the words engineering and arts were complements waiting to be matched.

“I think it's really cool that we always hear about left side brain and right side brain — analytical versus artistic. I've always thought, ‘Why can't we use both?’” Schon said. “When I was in college, I took art and neuroscience classes, and that was the first time that I saw that you can merge the two of them.”

Schon began photography as a hobby after taking the digital and advanced photography courses at Conestoga. He started with photographing the boys’ soccer team and has now worked as a wedding photographer for 12 years.

Currently sitting on the executive board of the Wedding Professionals International Association, Schon works to elevate the standards of service that wedding professionals provide across the country. He said that he believes in telling the story of a wedding day through the couple's connection. His ultimate goal is to create photos that withstand the test of time.

“Weddings have taught me to be empathetic and open, that it's okay to feel and to connect with people,” Schon said. “Wedding photography and my journey through photography have allowed me to connect with people that I never thought I would be able to on a level that I never thought I would be able to. It's really made me a more open, caring and loving person.”

Dylan Pearce, 2014 alumnus

Freelance photography allowed 2014 Conestoga alumnus Dylan Pearce to creatively explore his passion through a variety of different subjects.

“Growing up, in a lot of our free time and the activities we would do would be drawing or playing with clay, so I feel like (art) stuck with me. That's how I just started to see the world,” Pearce said.

Pearce received a bachelor’s degree of fine arts in photography from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. He currently seeks out clients and projects independently as a freelance photographer in New York City.

At Conestoga, Pearce especially enjoyed his four years of studio art classes with teacher Leanne Argonish.

“She (Argnoish) really spearheaded my career,” Pearce said. “She kind of took me under her wing, and I am really fortunate to have had that relationship and friendship.”

Currently, Pearce focuses most of his time on capturing photographs of people and fashion.

“It (art) is important to me because it gives me an outlet to express myself creatively,” Pearce said. “I love to look at inspiration and love to look at what other people are creating. I think it gives us a sense of community.”

Courtesy Hailey Heaton

Courtesy Alex Schon

Courtesy Alex Schon

Courtesy Jeannette McCauley

Courtesy Dylan Pearce

Courtesy Jamie Chung

Courtesy Jamie Chung

Courtesy Jessica Ivey

Sorry Stanleys, but Hydro Flasks are the clear winner of the “Cup War.”

Stanley, the company, was founded in 1913, marketing itself as providing durable cups. According to a Vox article, the company’s reported revenue was $73 million by 2019. Thanks to social media, this value sprung to $750 million in 2023.

One thing is for sure though: Stanley cups will never have me in a chokehold.

Stanley cups are stainless steel reusable tumblers, often

It’s time to ‘unstan’ Stanley cups

costing $35 and higher, that have risen in popularity due to social media. In January, Hydro Flask, another reusable water bottle manufacturer, stated on Instagram that it does not use lead in its sealing process. Users on the app believe this was directed at Stanley for using lead in its cups and refer to the drama as the Cup War.

Tamra Rubin, owner of Lead Safe Mama, a company providing lead poisoning education, concluded the presence of lead in Stanley cups in March 2023 using a technique that determines an element’s identity through uorescence. Stanley responded on its website that lead exists in

tles. Unless you have a large pocket in your bookbag, the cup is too large and must be carried in your hands. Many are also susceptible to leaking when knocked over with straws rather than closable lids, so you are better off with brands like Hydro Flask, Contigo and Yeti which generally cost less, are smaller in size and have efficient lids.

Even worse, Stanley cups in uence peak consumerism. On Dec. 31, Target stores across the U.S. released Stanley’s limited edition Cosmo Pink Tumbler.

TikTok videos show full lines of people waiting outside stores and then stampeding toward tumbler shelves for the rare cup.

One TikTok influencer, Carolina Kyung, posted a vid-

eo of her Stanley display in her house, and like many others, tries to sell her cups for hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of dollars. The point of a reusable bottle is so you can use one bottle repeatedly — not so you can display your collection like a trophy case.

I’d like to thank the academy for… not much?

Maya Shah Co-T/E Life Editor

Scheduled for March 10, the 96th Academy Awards marks four years until the Oscars will have been celebrating the lm industry for a century. Yet, with the academy’s declining views, aversion to light-hearted lms and struggles with representation, the prestigious award show o en feels stuck in the ways of its 1929 founding.

It is no secret the Oscars have faced its fair share of criticism — requests for a more diverse set of nominees are as old as the show itself. To this day, actresses Halle Berry and Michelle Yeoh are the only women of color to ever win best actress. More than a decade a er winning her award in 2002, Berry stated in an interview with Teen Vogue that her historic win “meant nothing” for Hollywood

diversity as no Black women have since shared the honor. Presently, lm fans have criticized the academy’s most recent nominees list for missing Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie, two major female names from 2023’s most commercially successful movie: “Barbie.”

Despite collecting a whopping $1.4 billion in the box o ce according to statistics from CBS, “Barbie” failed to crack the top three most nominated lms at the 2024 Oscars. Ranked solidly in fourth place with eight nominations, the comedy missed two major awards for best actress and best director. is year, “Barbie” joins “Past Lives” as female-directed movies that did not earn best director nominations despite being candidates for best picture. e disconnect between fan-favorite lms and those the academy recognized may be responsible for the Oscars’ decline. In response to steep viewership reductions from 43 million in 2000 to 10.3 million in 2021, e New York Times found that viewership of the Oscars increases when the academy nominates popular lms. While viewership changes drastically year to year, the trend indicates that more heavily recognizing

lms like “Barbie” may be the academy’s key to restoring its former popularity. It is, however, important to recognize the academy’s recent e orts to empower a more representative group of nominees. is year sees Lily Gladstone as the rst Native best actress nominee for her work in “Killers of the Flower Moon.”

2024 also marks the implementation of new standards that movies must meet for nomination regarding the diversity of their casts. According to the Oscars’ website, requirements include 30% of each lm’s cast identifying as part of a predetermined set of underrepresented groups. While we have yet to see the long term results of these new standards, it is clearly a well-intentioned step in the right direction.

At the end of the day, the numbers should be a wake up call to the academy — no one is watching. While the Oscars are making slow and steady progress toward nominating a more diverse group of candidates, box o ce hits still remain underrecognized. Whether by creating new categories or increasing the number of nominees, the Oscars need serious change to bring back the crowd.

Admittedly, I see the effort to reduce plastic bottles and expand to sustainable resources. Even so, Stanleys are counterproductive due to poor design, absurd price and unjustifiable chaos. If Stanley wants to improve its product, the company must consider safety precautions and find alternatives for lead. Likewise, it should stop creating an overload of designs because it encourages obsessive behavior in consumerism. With that said, do yourself a favor and avoid the Stanley cup craze. Leave it up to Hydro Flasks, the victors of the Cup War, to produce more efficient bottles rather than giant sippy cups. Karen

I started reading for fun again: Here’s why you should too

for Research in Child Development, found in a 2014 study with identical twins that the twin with early reading skills was more likely to have higher intelligence by age 7 than the twin that did not. Exposure to vocabulary and di erent kinds of stories can improve writing skills and reading comprehension which can lead to better academic performance.

International study at the University of Sussex found that reading can reduce stress by 68% and was found more e ective than taking a walk or listening to music, which reduced stress by 42% and 61%, respectively.

I used to read all the time: before bed, the moment I got up so I could squeeze in some reading time before school and during empty moments of my day. But somewhere between SAT prep and the start of junior year, I fell o the bandwagon and my voracious reader appetite faded.

It wasn’t until winter break when I was able to enjoy reading again, without looming due dates, tests and quizzes. I’ve managed to keep up with reading at least once everyday since winter break has ended, and I’ve realized how much reading bene ts my life.

For starters, reading can increase intelligence. e Society

Reading can also have immeasurable bene ts for your future self. A study conducted by professors from Case Western Reserve University found that reading can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Reading, like exercise for the body, challenges and activates the brain in di erent ways to maintain cognitive function, which slows down as we age and can lead to a longer and happier life.

Additionally, reading is a great stress reliever. A 2009 MindLab

Psychologists believe this is due to the e ort that is required to read, acting as a distraction that eases tensions in the muscles and heart. Since I’ve incorporated leisure reading back into my life again, I can attest to how calming it is to delve into a world that is not my own for a few minutes a day. While it is true that we are already forced to read a lot as students, whether it is the textbook for science class or mandatory reading for English, these texts tend to be nonfiction, save for the few classics from the literary canon.

Reading speci cally literary ction can improve your empathy for others. According to David Comer Kidd and Emanuele Castano, professors at e New School for Social Research, reading can improve “ eory of Mind,” which is the human capacity to understand other people’s desires and beliefs even if they might di er from your own.

While there are numerous bene ts to reading non ction, we should not miss out on the other genres because they are just as important to enriching our minds.

We are constantly bombarded with entertainment, whether it is social media, video games and more. Reading may seem like one of the more archaic forms out there, but we should strive to nd pleasure in reading for our current and future selves.

Je rey Heng

Sta Reporter

Why Conestoga needs to place a cap on AP courses

Ben Shapiro Editor-in-Chief

Conestoga likes to boast its wellness initiatives for students: no midterm or nal exams, a 55% grade minimum, and most recently, a new school schedule for next year. I truly believe they are all well-intentioned. But they are failing.

At best, these initiatives serve as mere Band-Aids, glossing over the deeper issue: a nationwide epidemic of escalating stress, particularly pervasive among high schoolers, according to the American Psychological Association, and especially evident among Conestoga’s student body. If Conestoga administration genuinely aims to alleviate the rising levels of student stress, a more radical approach is needed. Conestoga must put

a cap on the number of Advanced Placement classes that students are permitted to take. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Conestoga took strides to alleviate student stress by eliminating midterm andnal exams from all classes and implementing a 55% grade minimum policy. Some students, sta and parents initially celebrated these initiatives for lightening the academic load. However, these policies inadvertently provided some students with a safety net, encouraging them to take additional AP courses with reduced fear of academic repercussions. Two months ago, Conestoga approved a revamped schedule e ective next school year, featuring an hour-long “Lunch

and Learn” on Wednesdays and ursdays — an attempt, in part, to carve out designated study time. While seemingly bene cial, this schedule may unintentionally encourage

compounded with the pressure cooker that is Conestoga, they have the opposite of their intended effect: Students are taking more AP classes every year.

some students to pack their days with even more AP classes, exacerbating rather than alleviating their academic burdens.

On the surface, these initiatives seem great. But when

On its school pro le, Conestoga reported that in 2022, students took 2,027 AP exams. Just one year later, in 2023, Conestoga students took 2,511 exams — an almost 25% increase.

Take it from a student who is mere months away from graduating and took part in Conestoga’s AP culture: My transcript lists AP classes in the double digits and no doubt helped me get into the college of my dreams. But at what cost?

Throughout

high school, I knew that to stand out to colleges while at one of Pennsylvania’s best high schools, I had to be the crème de la crème. But when Conestoga o ers 29 AP classes and lets students take as many as they want, distinguishing oneself without an ever-increasing AP workload becomes daunting.

Sure, I will be entering college with a few credits to my name but not enough to drastically change my college experience. Had Conestoga imposed a cap on AP classes, I could have

distinguished myself among my peers without sacrificing sleep, social life and my general well-being.

It’s not enough to tell students to make decisions that are best for them. My fellow students and I know that a few AP classes could be the deciding factor between a college acceptance or rejection. But, if Conestoga places a cap on the number of AP classes students are permitted to take, many of these fears suddenly vanish.

If Conestoga is genuinely committed to nurturing the holistic development of its students, it must be willing to embrace change, even at the cost of its coveted rankings and temporary discontent — possibly from the students, sta and parents the changes would bene t. e true measure of Conestoga’s commitment to its students lies not in its accolades or rankings but in its willingness to prioritize their well-being above all else. e question remains: Will Conestoga follow through with its promises and reshape its educational landscape for the betterment of its students?

Conestoga unblocks The New York Times’ games

+ students can finally go back to playing these games during their free time with friends

- some people may have lost their streaks due to the ban

Sixty-sixth Grammys hosted in Los Angeles + “What Was Made For?” won song of the year - Travis Scott, Lana Del Rey and Olivia Rodrigo were

Needs to increase Should be lowered

Miya Cao Sta Reporter

For a nation as diverse as the U.S., monolingualism is more prevalent than it should be. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, only 20% of Americans can converse in two or more languages, compared to 56% of Europeans who can. Filter that statistic down to Americans born in the U.S., and the number drops to 6.5%.

English may be the most common language with 1.4 billion worldwide speakers, but Mandarin has 1.1 billion, Hindi has 602 million and Spanish has 548 million. To think that students do not need to learn other languages because they happen to live in an English-speaking country is a Eurocentric, ignorant mindset.

profit American Councils for International Education. In Oklahoma, students can opt out of foreign language classes by taking computer technology classes for two years instead.

The fact that foreign language classes are deemed so optional that they can be replaced with an unrelated elective is unacceptable. Language learning is not a waste of time or money; it is a celebration of culture and a commitment to recognizing the evolving diversity of our world.

The benefits of knowing a foreign language extend beyond acquisition

World language emphasis

efits of cultural awareness and open-mindedness.

Current American foreign language education is severely inadequate. To promote bilingualism, American schools must require foreign language classes as early as elementary school. Although there is no concrete research that explicitly supports that children are naturally more inclined to language learning, according to The New York Times, younger learners can pick up languages with less effort due to play-based learning, which is usually more immersive and relaxed than older students and adults’ rule-by-rulebased curriculum.

Jessica Li/The SPOKE

Starting language classes earlier means that students receive a drastic increase in instructional time.

Throughout the country, merely 20% of K-12 students are enrolled in foreign language classes, according to a 2017 report from the non-

and retention. According to a 2012 study, multilingual and bilingual brains have improved cognitive abilities, such as attention and task-switching, and are less prone to age-related cognitive decline. Learning a language can be likened to learning an instrument in terms of exercising the mind with the added ben-

Three years of class once a day for 42 minutes may be the maximum that a Conestoga schedule can accommodate, but it takes much longer than that to attain proficiency.

Knowing that English is the most spoken language in the world, people o en dismiss the need to know other languages. English may be the “language of business,” but it was French before English, and Latin before French. It is time for American education to recognize that the world is not monolingual and never will be.

To stay relevant, language learning must adapt to the digital age. How we learn a new language is undergoing a transformative shift as translation technologies advance. The rapid adoption of technologies like Google Translate and simultaneous translation earbuds have the potential to eliminate the need to spend years memorizing the grammatical rules of a new language. Assistive technologies can provide accurate translations in real time. e authors of an article from Phrase, a language technology company, argue that as these technologies continue to improve, aided by arti cial intelligence, computer-assisted human translation will transition to human-assisted computer translation. ese advancements will eliminate the need to learn and understand the intricacies of another language.

Despite the availability of these assistive technologies, students across the United States are being coerced into taking multiple years of a foreign language in high school primarily to increase their chances of college acceptance.

Colleges typically require only two years of a foreign language; however, many colleges recommend more than two years which suggests that students should continue with their foreign language to remain competitive.

Colleges must provide clarity on their requirements and remove these recommendations to allow students the opportunity to explore other courses.

While being uent in another language has become less of a necessity, studying another language can help to improve the development of students’ memory and retention. However, not only are these skills not exclusive to studying world languages, but their effectiveness is variable. According to survey data from Preply, an online language learning platform, more than 25% of students who

learned a foreign language lost their skills within a year. is outcome is especially prominent among college students, due to dropping enrollment in world language classes. A Modern Language Association census found that enrollment in college foreign language classes decreased by 16.6% between fall 2016 and fall 2021. As such, many students who studied a foreign language for multiple years in high school are forgetting their skills once they reach college. Rather than memorizing linguistic rules, foreign language classes should educate students on the countries’ cultures in the two required years with an increase in focus on grammar and conversational skills in the optional third and fourth years.

Anjali Chand/The SPOKE

According to Les Elfes, a Swiss program promoting intercultural understanding, learning about other cultures helps people develop a more complete world view. It can also reduce ethnic biases and aid learners in gaining a better sense of appreciation for various cultures. Emphasizing cultures in world language classes will allow students to be immersed in the ways of life of others. e language learning landscape is changing. By embracing these changes, students can spend less time memorizing grammatical rules and instead be prepared to navigate an increasingly interconnected world.

Rowan Chetty Co-Multimedia Editor

Girls’ rugby team plans spring break trip to Spain

Sadie Chronister Sta Reporter

The girls’ rugby team will travel abroad for the first time in program history this spring break. The team will compete against new opponents, meet the Spanish Women’s National Rugby Union Team and continue to strengthen teammates’ bonds through team activities.

The girls will play two matches while continuing to train in between. When not on the pitch, they will tour Spain, visit beaches and see local architecture. Head coach Brittany Vegso began coaching the team in spring 2021 and looks forward to spending the week with her team and exploring the country.

“It gives us the opportunity to play two new teams that we don’t usually play against and just experience a di erent style of rugby,” Vegso said.

e team will practice weekly until they leave. Senior and co-captain Elsa Burgo continues to review the basics of rugby to help new teammates.

“We’re doing a little bit more intro rugby at the beginning just to catch all the new players up — more than we would usually do. And then at the end of each practice we do little mini games just to get people ready because we only have one game before we go to Spain,” Burgo said.

Burgo appreciates the camaraderie of the opposing players off the field. She said that the teams do not stay competitive once the match is over. Instead, they enjoy a meal together.

“I am really excited to play the teams in Spain because we have never played teams like them before, and we are going to have dinners with them after. So we are going to get to talk to high schoolers

from other countries, which I think will be really cool,” Burgo said.

Senior and co-captain Sanaya Irani said that she never expected to have an opportunity like this.

“ is trip is important to me because personally I’m excited to see the girls’ rugby program grow,” Irani said. “It took a hit during COVID, but it’s been growing and growing ever since. So hearing that the girls are going to Spain is just a big thing that I never thought we could achieve.”

Vegso enjoys watching new players fall in love with the game and pick up something they enjoy. She hopes to see her team take advantage of playing together during the trip.

“My goal is not necessarily to win but more so to really get on the eld and nd that rhythm together as a team,” Vegso said. “Spending a whole week together is incredible team building.”

Junior wins diving district championship

Junior Avery Hillier won the PIAA District 1 girls diving champion on Feb. 16 at North Penn High School. Hillier won all nine of her meets this past season, including two invitationals, and previously held the title in the past year.

“It feels really good (to have won diving districts) recently. I was really happy with my performance. I think I did well, and it just felt really good to be winning competitions again,” Hillier said.

Hillier dives for Knight Diving Academy, which holds practices at the Rutgers University campus. She also hopes to perform well at states for Conestoga at Bucknell University and at a national competition for Knight Diving Academy. She practices diving six days a week for about three consecutive hours each day.

“It’s definitely been a challenge because I do diving a lot and I’m always at practice. I also like to challenge myself at school,” Hillier said. “It’s definitely been hard, but I’ve learned that I have to man-

age time really well and I just have to make sure that I’m on top of things.” Hillier also swims for Conestoga, placing on the podium for the 50-yard freestyle at the Central League championship and qualifying for districts, at which she participated in the 200-yard freestyle relay.

Hillier’s mother, Megan Hillier, is the head coach of the Conestoga girls’ diving team. She saw that her daughter was under pressure to uphold her title but felt that both of them were more comfortable at this year’s

district meet. Megan Hillier used to be a diver at Conestoga and said that she loves seeing her daughter dive and achieve so much.

“My favorite part of coaching her is seeing her do what I used to love and seeing her become more successful than I ever was. I was never even a tenth as good as she has become, so I’m proud as a mom,” Megan Hillier said. “I love watching her make the small corrections in her dives and better her score and come out of the pool with a smiling face. I love to see her so happy — she’s just always so happy when she dives.”

Junior makes history at Battle of the Buck wrestling tournament

Junior and wrestling team captain Miles Warkentine steps onto the mat before his match against his opponent from Episcopal Academy. He is suffering from a slight knee injury and is walking with a limp. The whistle blows, and after a short battle, Warkentine pins his opponent in a minute and 52 seconds, securing the victory.

On Jan. 27, the Conestoga wrestling team competed in the Battle of the Buck tournament for the rst time. It is an annual wrestling tournament

hosted by Central Bucks West High School. After a day of matches against teams from across Pennsylvania, Warkentine became the first wrestler in Conestoga history to win a first place spot in his weight class. He went into the tournament with an injury and low expectations.

“For Battle of the Buck I was slightly injured, so I chose to wrestle conservatively,” Warkentine said. “Wrestling through my injury was de nitely a leap forward. I did not think I could do it, (but) it ended up working out, which I can apply to other things in wrestling.”

Conestoga wrestling head coach Gary Baker said that the Battle of the Buck Tournament is more difficult than other comptetions Conestoga has competed in this year.

“This tournament had some private teams from different parts of the region like Episcopal, Penn Charter and Central Bucks, who we usually don’t see,” Baker said. Sophomore wrestler Ryan Kramer has known Warkentine for years and feels that the team can learn from his success at Battle of the Buck.

“We take tape of all of our matches. This way, we can look back to what Miles did

right and use it so that we can all progress,” Kramer said. Baker said that Warkentine positively influences the team and has improved exponentially over the years. He sees a bright future for Warkentine ahead.

“Miles is our captain, and he leads by example,” Baker said. “During Battle of the Buck, Miles was going full force, and he definitely made his presence known. He’s an outstanding wrestler, and I’ve coached him since he was little. I’ve watched him develop over the years into becoming the champion that he is now.”

SPORT:

GRADE: 12

Why

Pushing on: Junior Miles Warkentine wrestles against a Lower Merion High School student. Warkentine was the first wrestler in Conestoga history to win first place in the Battle of the Buck tournament.

Saktisri Gowrishankar Sta Reporter

Courtesy Megan Hillier

Playing along: The Conestoga girls’ rugby team gathers together to prepare for one of their Fall Seven’s game. The Conestoga Rugby Club was founded in 1971. This year, the girls will take their first trip abroad to Spain over spring break.

August Zangrilli Sta Reporter

Juliana Yao/The Spoke

Daring dives: Junior Avery Hillier performs a dive at the district meet on Feb. 16. She won the PIAA girls’ diving championship for the second year in a row.

Courtesy Megan Hillier

District domination: Junior Avery Hillier holds her Bux Mont Chapter 2024 PIAA District 1 Champion plaque. She placed on the podium for the 50-yard freestyle swimming at the Central League championship.

Rowan Chetty/The Spoke

Senior receives Mini Max Award for character and athletics

Senior Charlie Newhall became one of 55 students from Pennsylvania to receive the Mini Max award, an honor given to high school football athletes that show exemplary character and performance in the classroom and on the field.

Newhall is a linebacker and fullback on the varsity football team, as well as one of the team’s captains. He played on the Conestoga team all four years of high school. The example he set on and off the field led to former head coach of the football team Matt Diamond nominating him for the award.

Each school can submit one player to the Maxwell Football Club, which then rewards the selected players in December. After the nomination and the end of the season, Newhall received an email acknowledging his win.

“It was just like an invitation to the award banquet. It’s (a) somewhat special award,” Newhall said. “Now it’s not just about football but about the kind of person you are.”

The banquet, held on Feb. 4 at Drexel Hill, celebrated 155 athletes from Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey. The original Maxwell award is a national honor for college football athletes, and the Mini Max award is split regionally.

“This is another exceptional class of student-athletes who will represent the Mini Max Award very well,” said Maxwell Football Club president Mark

Dianno in his announcement of the 2023 winners. “During their high school careers, they consistently rose to meet challenges and performed extraordinary feats on the fields, in their classrooms and in their respective communities.”

Newhall’s teammate and fellow captain senior Benner Miller feels that Newhall deserves the award because of his effect on the team. He said Newhall was always leading by example and knew how to make a player the best they could be.

“I would say he’s like a natural leader. He’s a very loud and outspoken kind of guy, and he usually led more by example than he did with his voice. He is always a really hard worker in the weight room and on the field, and he set a good example for everyone around us,” Miller said. Diamond, who coached Conestoga football for 19 years before stepping down after the 2023 season, coached Newhall for all four years at ’Stoga and nominated Newhall for the award.

“I thought that (the award) was well deserved,” Diamond said. “I thought that his qualities hit the qualifications of that award: both his performance on the field, but then also, his ability to be involved with the community and things like that off the field.” Miller also said that Newhall was impactful on the field. “He is a crazy human being,” Miller said. “He’s actually a freak athlete, and he deserves the award more than anyone else I know.”

Leading the way:

HIGHLIGHT REEL

The laTesT developmenTs in sporTs news

Dribbles

The girls’ basketball team beat Garnet Valley 54-25 on Feb. 24 and advanced to the District 1 6A semifinals.

splashes

The boys’ swim team became District 1 runners-up on Feb. 24, with senior Jake Wang receiving the Swimer of the Meet award. The girls team placed third in the district.

pucks

The girls’ and boys’ ice hockey teams played against Owen J. Roberts High School on Feb. 23 for their senior nights.

rows

Junior Hudson Miller and freshman Ethan Borst of the novice crew team placed first and second, respectively, in races at the Center City Slam on Feb. 10.

Dunks

The boys’ basketball team advanced to the District 1 6A playbacks after a win against Lower Merion on Feb. 19.

swings

Students take interest in competitive fencing outside of school

ARCH

speaks on helping student athletes at ’Stoga

On Feb. 7, Area Residents Caring & Helping (ARCH) welcomed sports psychologist Dr. Mitchell Greene and high school counselor and coach Samantha Murphy as they presented “How to be a Good Sports Parent” at Conestoga.

ARCH is a group of parents and community members committed to promoting the well-being of T/E youth. It hosts various presentations and meetings to inform parents on how to best help their children. In their presentation, Greene and Murphy gave 10 tips for parents to better support their student athlete, then held a Q&A session.

According to Greene and Murphy, focusing solely on results hurts athletes more than it helps. Focusing on winning and losing puts an unnecessary pressure on the athletes instead of supporting them.

“I think parents sometimes feel as though if their son or daughter goes and plays really well, it’s almost like a sign that they are a good parent or not,” Greene said. Greene believes that having someone to talk to about sports

without any pressure, like a sports psychologist, can be beneficial for athletes. Coaches are also a resource for athletes and their parents to set expectations about how to act during games and the consequences of unsportsmanlike behavior.

“I think it’s really critical that coaches at the beginning of the season have a parent meeting and set expectations,” Murphy said. Presentations such as Greene and Murphy’s have helped some parents feel a part of a community and less alone. They also give parents a chance to talk with each other about how they can implement what they learned into their own parenting techniques.

“It was nice to hear from other parents during the question and answer part because some of their questions were similar to mine,” said Theresa Madden, a parent who attended the meeting.

ARCH has a “What Senior Parents Need to Know” presentation on March 12 to help prepare parents for the transition to college and will have its monthly meeting on March 13 where it will host an open discussion with parents about helping their children.

With swift and eye-catching displays, the sport of fencing captures a unique blend of physical prowess and calculated finesse.

Fencing is a dynamic sport in which athletes engage in strategic duels, called bouts, using three primary weapons: the épée, foil and sabre. Each weapon presents its unique set of challenges as scoring and weapon shape varies among each.

Among those captivated by fencing is sophomore Hannah Han. Han began fencing at the age of 7, using the foil before deciding to switch to the épée for around

nine years. Four months ago, Han transitioned to competing with the sabre to further her fencing experience. She appreciates the community that she gradually found within the sport.

“I remember I had so many high ranked bouts where I would be up against my friends and then one of us would win, the other was crying, and then we were just all comforting each other,” Han said. “It was really nice because fencing is very competitive, but when you find the right people, it’s just very wholesome.”

Sophomore Richie Zhang began fencing a year ago. Drawn in by the blend of physical activity and mental aspect, Zhang has grown to

like the sport’s uniqueness and complexity.

“I really enjoy the pacing. I think another thing is it’s a very individual sport,” Zhang said. “You have to focus a lot on improving yourself, figuring out what I need (and) what skill I need to practice more. There’s a lot of skills that you can implement so it’s a very reactive sport, which I enjoy.”

Fencers encounter both physical and psychological challenges while fencing. They must not only anticipate and counter their opponents’ moves but also formulate new strategies depending on how the bout changes. Opponents may also adapt throughout the match. For many, the mental aspect of the sport can

prove particularly daunting, especially for a beginner such as Zhang.

“My biggest problem is the mental challenge. Psychologically, I need to remind myself, ‘Okay, I’m fencing against amazing fencers.’ I can’t beat myself up too much for losing a bout,” Zhang said.

Zhang encourages others to follow in his footsteps and not be afraid to join a new sport.

“Go try it out. I did it a year ago. I thought, ‘I’m too old for this. There’s no way. I’m not gonna be able to catch up as much,’” Zhang said. “But I think ‘I’m doing okay.’ I feel like anybody, if you really want to (and) if you really have the passion for fencing, should at least try it out.”

Eshan Singh Staff Reporter

The boys’ tennis team will begin its season on March 19 against Harriton High School after finishing the last season as PIAA state champions. Juliana Yao/The SPOKE

Sports opinion: NASCAR is underrated

The sound of almost 40 stock cars zooming by overwhelms you with excitement. You hold

88. In comparison, according to the New York Post, the NBA lead change record is only 43. Lead changes are not the only reason why NASCAR is so exciting. One of the main appeals of football and hockey is the excitement of a big hit. Those collisions between people pale in comparison with the

massive collisions between NASCAR cars during wrecks. One would think that these violent crashes lead to many injuries, but the multitude of safety features means that NASCAR is actually much safer than other sports. According to the Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine, from July 2003 to October 2014, drivers only got injured 19 times. This means that in an average season from 2003 to 2014, a driver had about 0.02 injuries on average.

In contrast, according to the same journal, there were 4,346 injuries in the NBA from the

2015 season to the 2020 season, excluding the suspended 2019 season. This means that, according to data from Statista on the total number of NBA players that played in a specific season, one player had an average of about 1.69 injuries in an average season.

Additionally, because about 40 drivers compete in every race, winning races is rare, meaning each victory, and thus each race, is much more significant than in other sports. Because of the rarity of wins, a NASCAR driver can automatically qualify for the playoffs with one victory, fur-

ther increasing the importance of each individual race.

On the other hand, it is a lot more difficult to become invested in an individual NBA, NHL or MLB game because each game does not matter as much in the grand scheme of things due to the long seasons of those sports.

So, now that the NFL season has ended, consider watching a NASCAR race if you want something to fill your sports craving on Sunday afternoons. Pick a driver to be your favorite. I promise that you will be entertained.

Senior Charlie Newhall (#44) jogs alongside his teammates. He was one of 155 students from nearby states to receive the Mini Max Award.

George Zhang/The SPOKE

Alex Carder Staff Reporter

Courtesy Heyreoun An Han

Alexa Willrich Staff Reporter

Fencing forte: Sophomore Hannah Han fences at the North Texas Roundup Super Youth Circuit. Han attended this event when she was 13 and competed with the épée. She will compete with the sabre in the future.

Abby Chong Staff Reporter

Girls’ rugby team plans spring break trip to Spain Page 10

SPORTS

Junior wins diving district championship Page 10

Students take interest in competitive fencing Page 11

Sports opinion: NASCAR is underrated Page 11

Tuesday,

Junior Becomes first to qualify for bowling tournament

Despite a slow start, junior Marty Snyder ended a Jan. 27 wildcard qualifying tournament in third place, making him the only Conestoga student to ever qualify for the Eastern Pennsylvania Regional High School Bowling Championships.

Snyder’s accomplishment comes with a recent PIAA policy change allowing bowlers from schools without a recognized bowling program to qualify for regionals. Without a bowling team or club, any Conestoga bowler was unable to reach this level of competition prior to this year. e Wildcard Singles Eastern PA Qualifying Tournament on Jan. 27 was the rst chance for such athletes to

be eligible for the Eastern PA regional championships. “It simply isn’t popular enough here,” athletic director Kevin Pechin said. “A lot of people do it out toward the west of Pennsylvania, but there are only a total of three high school bowling teams in District 1.”

From nine schools across six PIAA districts without bowling teams, 12 male participants competed in the wildcard qualifier for four qualifying spots. Each athlete played four games, at which time the top two would immediately qualify. The rest, including Snyder, played an additional three games to determine the final two qualifiers.

“There were seven games, and after the first game, I was

dead last,” Snyder said. “So it took a bit to kind of climb back up to within the top four. It was almost a relief, and I felt pretty accomplished just because of how I started.”

Snyder first started recreational bowling when he was 4 years old at Merion Cricket Club. After joining a junior program at Sproul Lanes, he began to bowl competitively. Despite not having a coach for most of his career, Snyder found tournaments and trained himself by connecting with other bowlers. Snyder said that this network and the sport itself have positively impacted him.

“It’s always been a passion, especially in terms of community. And so it’s kind of been just an anchor in my life in

terms of how on the weekends or something, I feel like I’ll always be able to do it,” Snyder said. “It was nice to find it early in life.” Due to the relative lack of bowlers in the area, Snyder believes that many people do not know about the nuance behind the sport. For example, oil patterns refer to the way oil is laid on a lane. is changes the friction of the lane in different areas, meaning athletes must bowl di erently at each competition and as time goes on, since each bowling ball will spread the oil. rough acknowledging these intricacies, Snyder’s mindset toward bowling has changed since he rst picked up the sport. “I’ve gained more respect in terms of what it takes to be

really good. At rst glance it doesn’t really seem like it’s a very complicated sport, but the more I learned, the more I saw how complicated it was and how di cult it was to achieve some things,” Snyder said. e championships took place on March 1 in Ephrata, Pennsylvania, and the PA State High School Bowling Championships will happen on March 15 and 16. Looking forward, Snyder hopes to bowl in college and maintain a lasting connection to the sport. “I’ll probably be doing it for my whole life because it’s one of those sports you can really do at any point. So, we’ll see how it goes,” Snyder said. “I’m doing pretty well right now in terms of winning, so we’ll see what offers I’ll get in the future.”

Boys, girls squash compete at nationals with new arrivals

e boys’ and girls’ squash teams competed at the U.S. High School Team National Championships in Philadelphia on Feb. 24 and 25. e girls team placed 14th in Division 1 and the boys nished 13th in Division 2. e boys marked a memorable season by winning their 20th Central League title in a row, led by new head coach Jérémie Aissaoui-Fischer, who coached the Tredy rin/Easttown and Valley Forge middle schools’ boys’ and girls’ teams previously. He successfully led the girls’ team to win rst place in Division 1 of the 2023 U.S. Middle School National Squash Championships. A few of these middle school athletes played for the high school girls’ team this year, contributing to their success.

“I think our season went well,” said sophomore and team member Noe Rowe. “We had a lot of upsets against teams that had previously beaten us and I think we really put ourselves out there as a good team.”

Before nationals, senior and A-team player Harrison Kerr

believed the team could perform well due its hard-working nature and how supportive the players are of one another. When they play matches against other schools, they cheer each other on and display consistent e ort.

“I think we’re gonna come out with the same intensity that we always do,” Kerr said. “No matter if we’re playing the best team or the worst team, we’re going to give it our all.” Rowe has a similar perspective on the girls’ team’s chemistry and comraderie aiding its members’ mindsets during matches and beyond.

“I think our strengths are our ability to work together,” Rowe said. “A lot of the people on the team are friends outside of squash, so we’re able to upli everyone.” Junior and B-team member Je rey Wang believes that being mentally prepared to play the matches has proven to be an obstacle for the players. But, he said that they are able to overcome the challenges by motivating each other.

“Sometimes we struggle to play as well as we can, but our teammates would just help us work through that and push

ourselves no matter (what),” Wang said.

To prepare the high school boys’ team for nationals, Aissaoui-Fischer set up the general program for the team, which consisted of a warmup following the raise, activate, mobilize and potentiate protocol. He believes he prepared the players well throughout the season and enjoyed the process.

“I have the luxury of having kids that are nice (and) coachable. I work with some great assistant coaches. ey make life so easy,” Aissaoui-Fischer said. “I strongly believe that if you’re willing to listen, great things can happen. It’s great to have kids that are available to speak to (and) available to coach. ey are loving the game.”

Juliana Yao Co-Sports Editor

Rajan Saha Sta Reporter

Rowan Chetty/The