The SPOKE June Issue 2021-2022

Senior Destination Conestoga High School, Berwyn PA

Volume 72 No. 6

June 6, 2022

s M a P P a g es 6 - 7

www.spoke.news

Ben Shapiro/The SPOKE

By Hiba Samdani and George Zhang, CoEditor-in-Chief and Photography Editor “Crazy.”

“A roller coaster.”

“Emotionally-charged.” No single word could summarize the 2021-22 school year, but students used these words to describe the year.

From a new expansion project to an anti-mask walkout, Conestoga underwent significant changes and faced unexpected circumstances. The looming threat of the COVID-19 pandemic further compli-

cated students’ return from a hybrid and virtual school year, presenting an additional hurdle to the school’s path to normalcy.

For many students, the mask protest was the most divisive and notable event of the school year. Led by junior Hayden McLellan, more than 50 students gathered at the base of the atrium steps on Feb. 11 and left school grounds around lunchtime, with dozens more spectating. Some students do not regret their decision to participate in the walkout, as freshman Mikey Johnson believed he was simply protesting

for a cause about which he was passionate.

“Radnor went (mask-) optional before we did and we were one of the last schools to go (mask-)optional,” Johnson said. “We (were) just protesting our rights: what we believe in.”

Due to the disruptive nature of the walkout, many other students disapproved of this demonstration. As this group of students left the school, they banged on lockers and chanted “U.S.A.” throughout the hallways.

Junior Anish Garimidi found the rowdy behavior largely unnecessary.

“It all was so inconsequential and just a big show of defiance,” Garimidi said. “The thing that annoyed me the most was people of privilege claiming that they were oppressed for wearing a mask.”

Sophomore Hirah Ashiq agrees with this sentiment, and wished that the students used other methods to relay their opinions.

“It was very immature. I thought there were better ways of communicating their feelings, other than stating a whole protest and walking out of the school,” Ashiq said.

In response to threats made on social media toward the school and individual students, the administration made school virtual on Feb. 14 out of safety concerns. They increased police presence for the remainder of the week to ensure safety and later hosted several listening sessions to hold discussions with students.

At these meetings, school board members, school district officials and Conestoga administration answered students’ questions regarding the walkout and the district’s future decisions on

masking requirements.

Freshman Maria Stowfis thought this response was appropriate for the events that transpired.

“I think the school did as well as it could with the mask protests, and for the most part, did well in making sure something like it didn’t happen again,” Stowfis said. “It feels like school is more or less back to normal since there are fewer restrictions, and it feels like COVID isn’t as big of a part of our day-today lives.”

The student body also saw this newfound hope in the opening of the new

addition to the building.

With more than 20 new instructional rooms and a communal space added, the expansion became a useful place for collaboration and relaxation from the stress of school.

“After a year of mostly virtual school, I think the atrium was needed for the socializing aspect of high school,” sophomore Charlotte Gauthier said. “For a growing school with more students, another place to hang out is definitely for the best.”

Continued on page 3.

Parent sues school district for violating First Amendment rights Ben Shapiro News Editor

Conestoga High School parent Benjamin Auslander filed a lawsuit against the Tredyffrin/Easttown School District on April 12 claiming that the district violated his First Amendment rights to freedom of speech. The district asked to dismiss the lawsuit; however, the judge denied the request.

Among the local and national debate regarding Critical Race Theory (CRT) in schools, in January, Auslander made a Right to Know Request for all records, lesson plans and materials prepared by the Pacific Educational Group (PEG), the district’s racial equity consultant.

On Jan. 26, one week after Auslander filed his request, the district notified him that he could not obtain a copy of the PEG training materials since they are protected by copyright; however, the district informed him that he would be allowed to view the documents during an “in-camera viewing,” at which point he would not be allowed to copy or photograph the documents.

On Feb. 7, as planned by TESD Business Manager and School Board Secretary Arthur McDonell, Auslander arrived at the TESD Administrative Office to view the PEG curriculum. As stated in the plaintiff ’s complaint, Auslander began recording himself reading the documents before him, making “verbal recordings on his smart phone of what his eyes were seeing.”

“McDonnell threatened (Auslander) with criminal and civil liability if he continued to record the sound of his own voice describing what his eyes were seeing,” the complaint stated. “McDonnell threatened to hold (the) plaintiff liable under the Wiretapping and Electronic Surveillance Control Act for recording his own voice. He also threatened to hold (the) plaintiff liable under ‘copyright laws.’”

Despite McDonnell asking Auslander to stop recording himself — and telling him that if he did not stop, he would be ordered to leave the district office — Auslander continued his recording. McDonnell immediately terminated the viewing, and

afterward, Auslander contacted his lawyer and filed a lawsuit against the district and McDonnell arguing that “by threatening, coercing

and ending (Auslander’s) inspection of public documents because (he) was exercising his first amendment right to speak, (McDonnell) was vi-

olating (Auslander’s) clearly established rights.”

Auslander, his lawyer and McDonell all declined to speak on the pending litigation.

Three months after Auslander filed his lawsuit, the judge ordered that the case would go to a non-jury trial on May 18. Two days before,

Aren Framil/The SPOKE

however, the judge canceled the trial and ordered Auslander to amend his complaint to include PEG as a defendant.

On May 20, Auslander included PEG as a defendant without adding any additional claims.

One major point of contention within this case, while not relating to the alleged First Amendment violation at hand, is the subtext regarding CRT. Auslander argues that the district intertwines CRT into school curriculum.

“Defendant Tredyffrin/ Easttown School District openly maintains a CRT curriculum and indoctrination program for teachers, staff, and students,” the plaintiff ’s complaint states. The district denies the allegations.

PEG is expected to reply and take legal action within 21 days of notification of the lawsuit, and only after it files an “answer to the complaint,” will the court move forward with setting a date for a trial.

Despite the outcome of this case, PEG educational materials still remain subject to copyright laws as they are produced by a private organization and the district has made no mention of terminating its contract with PEG.

News

2 A BRIEF LOOK THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN T/E AND NATIONAL NEWS

ABSENCES REMOVED FROM 2021-2022 TRANSCRIPTS Due to the COVID-19 pandemic causing many students to face extended absences this year, school administration chose to not include an absence section on student transcripts for the 2021-2022 school year.

The goal of eliminating the absence section is that students would not be penalized for missing school due to following COVID-19 safety measures.

RISING CHESTER COUNTY COVID-19 TRANSMISSION LEVELS

As of May 19, Chester County’s COVID-19 transmission levels moved into the “high” category. As is required by TESD’s Health and Safety Plan, the district consulted the Chester County Health Department which recommended that the district maintains its mask-optional policy.

TESD TO RECOGNIZE JUNETEENTH FOR FIRST TIME

Last year, President Joe Biden instated Juneteenth as a federal holiday. This year, for the first time ever, TESD is recognizing the holiday and closing all district offices on June 20, the Monday after the holiday. June 20 will be considered a paid holiday for all 12-month employees.

Coming to a conclusion: TESD Action Teams finish meetings Rohan Anne Co-Webmaster

After 12 hours of meetings by eight teams spread over the past two months, the TESD Action Teams put forward “result statements” that they passed on to the school board on May 24. These statements will determine the school board’s focus and the district’s future for the next six years and ultimately define the district-wide school experience.

The TESD Action Teams comprised of students, teachers, parents and community members who worked together on Tuesday evenings to move the district forward through planning sessions at Conestoga. The action teams split up to cover and come up with approaches to the topics of change, curriculum, equity, mental health, safety, sustainability, engagement and faculty support. Georgia Scherer, a junior and member of the Safety Team, joined to make a difference and hear other voices.

“Students have a unique perspective since they are affected the most by school district policies and are the ones in the classroom,” Scherer said. “Once I got the email invitation to join the TESD Action Teams, I joined because I wanted to hear the perspectives of students, teachers, parents and staff, but I also thought it would be a good way to have my voice heard and make (the biggest) difference in the school district.”

Rohan Anne/The SPOKE

Group discussion: Members of the Mental Health Team break into groups during their last meeting to finalize their result statements. The Strategic Planning Committee reviewed all seven teams’ statements on May 24. The statements that passed will affect the district’s goals for the next six years.

At the end of the six planning sessions, the Action Teams came up with creative ideas and strategies regarding how the district should focus its attention for the next six years. The Curriculum Action Team nar-

rowed in on three major curriculum-focused sectors on which to improve: the academic excellence of students, pathways for student success and the inclusiveness of the curriculum. One idea the team came up with was

DESI

CLUB HOSTS PANEL WITH DIVERSITY COMMITTEE

As part of their ongoing effort to make Diwali a day off from school, the Desi Club formed a student panel that presented to the School Board’s Diversity Committee on May 11.

When the School Board finalizes the 2023-2024 school year calendar this September, it will vote on whether students will have off from school on Diwali going forward.

Read more at

NEWS

First Student Council Executive elections in nine years

For the first time in almost a decade, the Student Executive Council held elections for Executive President. The last election was during the 2013-2014 school year.

Normal procedure is that the class council decides who would be best suited for the Executive Council’s positions.

T/E LIFE

From student to dancer: Conquering the stage alone

On June 25, freshman Aratrika (Ara) Das will give a performance that she has prepared for since she was 5 years old.

She will be putting on her Arangetram, which means "ascending the stage." At Nava Nritya Dance Academy, Das practices two different types of dances.

Blast to the past: Looking back at senior pranks

After two years of radio silence, senior pranks have returned with a bang. Along with Senior Assassins, senior pranks are an unofficial ’Stoga tradition that have garnered mixed emotions during their long history. From placing dead fish in the library to putting a car on top of the gym, they have left an impression on not only the students, but also those who have been around through the years to see the good, the bad and the ugly sides of senior pranks: teachers.

Rohan Anne/The SPOKE

Final decisions: Members of the Safety Action Team provide final insight on the group’s result statements. The Action Teams’ final meeting were on April 26.

introducing mandatory electives that teach key life skills. However, most of the team’s discussion centered around bringing Advanced Placement (AP) and honors courses closer together by changing the GPA system.

“During our planning sessions, 90% of our discussion about high school curriculum was around the grading system, and the team’s plan suggested a change in the GPA system to reduce the GPA difference between the honors and AP courses,” said Anuja Mitra, parent and Curriculum Action Team member. “It seems like a lot of students are only interested in AP courses for the GPA improvement and not necessarily because they are interested in the AP subject.”

The Safety Action Team also took the approach of focusing on three themes: increasing a sense of belonging, improving forms of communication and emphasizing empathy between community members throughout the district. The team discussed the idea of creating meetings within individual schools once a month where students from different grades

can meet, talk and play games to increase the sense of community. However, Breziner believes that one of the most important creative ideas the team discussed was the implementation of a new communication system that would inform community members about what is happening within the district.

“One of the most innovative things proposed was to create a website or messaging system where parents could go and check for updates on safety issues in TESD such as criminal cases because parents would like to know what is going on in the community or any safety emergencies happening around them,” Breziner said.

The Mental Health Action Team, narrowing its focus to staff rather than the community at large, mainly focused on improving professional development for staff so they are better equipped to manage student mental health issues and enhancing lanes of communication between students, teachers and counselors. The team brainstormed the idea of creating an integrated mental health and wellbeing curricu-

lum for all grades at the middle and high schools. Senior Chloe Brooks, a member of the Mental Health Team, thought it was the most important idea the team discussed.

“During elementary school, they do a good job of balancing the day so that students have time for academics and learning as well as including multiple mental health presentations, but in middle school and high school, that balance is lost because students are focusing more on academics,” Brooks said. “We talked a lot about having allotted time or extended homerooms just so students can independently learn how to maintain their mental health so that when they encounter a stressful situation, they have a tool belt of resources to cope with the situation.”

The Action Teams presented their 25 total result statements to the school board and the Strategic Planning Committee, who develop and review the current district strategic plan, on May 24. The Strategic Planning Committee is working to take the next steps with the school board to implement the Action Teams’ ideas in TESD.

Valley Forge Park’s road renovations Mareska Chettiar Staff Reporter

Say goodbye to the bumpy roads and potholes that rudely interrupt a drive through the historic site: officials are currently renovating Valley Forge Park. The park has been busy with renovations in recent years, including rebuilding the Visitor Center and opening a new museum. Most of the changes are occurring in three phases, focusing on repaving roads for a smoother drive — especially along the parking lot outside the Washington Memorial and along the road across from the Schuylkill River.

“A lot of parks across the country are really excited for (the Revolutionary War’s 250th anniversary). So is Pennsylvania, of course, (since it had) such a major role in the revolution.

This is also systematic maintenance which the park would do whether there’s an anniversary or not,” said Adam Gresek, the park’s spokesperson.

The renovations aim for a smoother drive following the park’s most popular free audio tour.

Valley Forge is expecting a lot more visitors over the next few years with the eve of the Revolutionary War’s 250th anniversary fast approaching in 2026.

But, major changes cause slight inconveniences for people who frequently visit the park.

“I’m sure the sounds of construction aren’t the greatest, and having specific paths blocked can be annoying,” said Allie Naiva, freshman and frequenter of the park. “But, the park is massive and you could go an entire day without knowing there were renovations going on.”

The closing of major roads may dictate a slight detour and draw pedestrians’ attention, but the beauty and history of the park remain unaltered and will be easier for visitors to appreciate after the renovations are completed.

“While (repaving) causes a short-term inconvenience, being closed for a couple of weeks gives us years of high-quality roads,” Gresek said. “And it’s always better to have clean, safe roads to drive across.”

Gulph Road, which runs right across the park, is currently under construction. The Pennsylvania State Department expects to continue working on it through the fall. A new café is also opening in the Maurice Stephens house, a traditional 1700s-style house that was abandoned in the mid-1990s.

Work is expected to begin this fall and the new café will open in spring.

“We’ve been out of the game for a little while,” Gresek said.

“But we’re coming back with as much talent and ability (as) we had before COVID.”

SPORTS

Senior sports reflections

The past three years have posed obstacles for sports teams. COVID-19 limited sports seasons for the past two years, and this limitation extends to this year with restrictions on masking. Despite the pandemic’s difficulties, ’Stoga sports teams have maintained their legacy.

Senior captains will be able to look back at their high school experience and appreciate how sports impacted their lives.

Monday, June 6, 2022

Mareska Chettiar/The SPOKE

Road closed: Signs plastered around Valley Forge National Park inform passersby and motorists of current construction around the historical site.

Ben Shapiro/The SPOKE

United front: Team Dinosaur wins the first-ever ’Stoga Survivor event during Unity Fair, a day dedicated to promoting togetherness within the school community.

The challenge involved various activities including untying a knot, puzzles and a scavenger hunt. Peer Mediation hopes to continue the competition in future years.

Finding finances with returning fundraisers Maddie Pulliam Staff Reporter

Krispy Kreme doughnuts and potted plants have taken over the main lobby as Conestoga’s clubs set up fundraisers. Nearly every week for the past few months, a student group has organized a fundraiser — from doughnut sales to toy drives. Now that COVID-19 restrictions have eased and bake sales are allowed once again, clubs are taking advantage of the opportunity and raising money for their specific causes.

“Fundraising is important because it helps us give back. I think it doesn’t take a lot to organize a fundraiser and get donations, but it can mean a lot to people in the end,” said junior and president of Caring for Kids at CHOP Club Peyton Reidenbach.

Krispy Kreme doughnut sales have been very successful this year, and many clubs are using this sales tactic. However, not all clubs are following suit — and sometimes, to their benefit. Junior and president of Horticulture Club Brian Harri-

ty hosted one of the most popular fundraisers of the year according to other club presidents and students.

His club grew their own plants and then sold them, along with Krispy Kreme doughnuts, during the school day. Students walked

around the school with miniature flowers and succulents in support of the club.

“People always want to get their hands on some plants, and it was nice to see that people actually enjoy what we plant,” Harrity said.

Maddie Pulliam/The SPOKE

Doughnuts for dollars: Students buy doughnuts during the school day to support the Education for Developing Girls Everywhere Club. Many clubs and student organizations hosted a variety of fundraisers this year to raise money.

Another popular fundraiser was the Mock Trial Club’s cookie dough sale. This fundraiser sold scoops of cookie dough throughout the day, although, senior and club president, Aishwarya Gowrishankar, originally underestimated the popularity of the sale.

Gowrishankar had to drive to Target during her lunch period to restock the cookie dough supply and continue the sale. The fundraiser sold around 200 cups of cookie dough throughout the day and raised $230 in profit for the club to continue to participate in mock trials against other schools next year. Gowrishankar was satisfied with the success of her club’s sale and believes that fundraising for the benefit of other people is very important.

“I feel like fundraising is something that can draw a lot of attention to certain issues and things that people are trying to bring light to,” Gowrishankar said. “I think it’s a good way for people to give money to someone while also receiving something in return. It’s a two-way street.”

News

Monday, June 6, 2022

3

Looking back at the 2021-22 school year’s impactful events Continued from page 1.

Students have also found the atrium to be helpful for hosting school-wide events, as it provides an additional space. Specifically during Cornucopia, Peer Mediation was able to use the atrium to their advantage.

“A lot of people enjoyed having that space to talk (during Cornucopia), instead of necessarily having to go to one of the planned activities,” sophomore and Peer Mediation member Alice Richards said.

“Activities that were hosted in the atrium, like crafts, made the actual event a lot better.”

Many students agree that the atrium provides a modern feel to the school. With an array of brand new furniture, a hub of open space and synthetic trees, the area has proved to be an elevated space to hang out.

“It’s a place for me and my friends to hang out before school, and it kind of reminds me of a college campus,” freshman Rebecca Schmidt said.

This free time before school has not come without its challenges.

In hopes of alleviating the busing

shortages, the school district encouraged parents to drive their children to school. However, this push had unintended consequences: a simple drive to school turned into a prolonged period of waiting in standstill traffic. The roads were still filled with long lines of cars waiting to drop off students after the 7:50 a.m. bell signaling the start of first period rang.

Sophomore Sanveer Kashyap is frustrated with the traffic jam of cars outside that still continues. He notes that sometimes the wait in the line is longer than the drive to school itself.

“There’s people who drop their kid off and then do a full U-turn.

It’s just frustrating because it holds up the line,” Kashyap said. “You can waste like five minutes in that bus circle, watching somebody do a U-turn and then fail to figure out how to get out.”

Freshman Rebecca Schmidt feels that the traffic situation, while bad earlier this year, is getting better. While she feels the shortage situation has improved, she is still frustrated that the buses are coming much earlier in the morning.

“In the beginning of the school year, I always had a different driver, but now (I have the same one).

It’s still annoying that they had to change the times to make (the buses’ arrivals) earlier,” Schmidt said. “I remember one to two years ago, they changed it so that school would start half an hour later so the students could get more sleep, but it doesn’t help if the bus still comes at an early time.”

Sophomore Luke Palmer believes that the school should take action to address these issues. He is optimistic that it will resolve this situation and hopes to see less problems next year.

“I think the school is very capable in making changes that would help us all. Some simple, yet effective, measures that would reduce the amount of cars coming in and out at once would make it easier for all of us to come and go from the school,” Palmer said. “It all comes down to how willing the students, parents and staff are to talk to each other and make some changes.”

Getting to school is not the only stress in students’ school days. Due

Ben Shapiro/The SPOKE

New spaces: The atrium provides a space to spend free periods socializing and working in groups. The added space was very popular among the student body this year. to the academic stress students feel, the school instituted a Mental Health Week. Established by sophomore Giu Presa Vespa, this initiative aimed to give students a break from the academic stress they had to endure all year.

Mental Health Week took place from March 28 to April 1.

The first four days of the week included grade-level assemblies in which speakers from Minding Your Mind, an organization aimed to promote positive mental health

George Zhang/The SPOKE

Atrium additions: Construction workers continue to renovate the atrium, an ongoing project since last summer. Many students found the atrium boosted morale this year as it provided a modern feel to the building. The school’s extension still needs final coats of paint, but students anticipate to continue using it as an area in which they can collaborate in years to come.

Seniors struggle to find ideal internships Jui Bhatia

Managing Editor After a year of mostly virtual senior internships, the Class of ’22 was ready to end their high school careers with a bang. However, for some, that was much easier said than done.

An annual tradition for seniors, internships provide a unique opportunity for graduating students’ last month of high school. Students are encouraged to find internships in the community in which they are interested while giving them some independence and experience in possible future careers.

Many seniors this year struggled with getting the internships they wanted in their specific fields due to a variety of reasons. For many people going into STEM-related areas post-high school, searching for a company that would take them on as an intern was difficult because COVID-19 restrictions forced labs to accept a lower number of interns. Similarly, many students in fields like finance and psychology were unable to find internships because companies did not allow interns to access client information due to privacy reasons.

The number of seniors who were unable to get the internships they wanted hit a record-high this year, according to Jeanne

Braun, Coordinator of Community and Volunteer Services at Conestoga. Although she expected more companies to accept seniors this year, many retained old COVID-19 policies from last year, and, in some cases, offered only virtual internships. To remedy this, however, Braun was able to partner Conestoga with EduCere, a platform for online classes.

“More students have reported this year that they’ve heard a company or an organization will only take a college intern. I usually only hear that a little bit, but this year, my seniors heard that far more often than in the past,” Braun said. “They (EduCere) offer a four-week online course and students can choose from different (course) options, pace themselves

and work through, for example, two modules at once.”

Students like senior Madeleine Tierney used the platform for their internships and chose it in part for its flexibility. The course is self-paced and offers educational options in a variety of fields.

“I was looking for an internship in business, and it was difficult to find one because companies don’t

Jui Bhatia/The SPOKE

Working with seniors: Jeanne Braun, Coordinator of Community and Volunteer Services, manages senior internships.

She saw a record high of students who were unable to find internships this year due to a variety of factors.

want to take new people,” Tierney said. “I ended up choosing Conestoga’s business course. It is a topic I’m interested in doing, and ultimately, I am doing something that I am happy with.”

Many other students also ended up looking to places like local libraries for their internships. Senior William Huang found that local libraries were more accepting, and often gave students the opportunity to do more than they could have otherwise.

“A lot of business firms (are) not going to look for high schoolers, and even if they do let you in, you’re not going to do anything finance-related,” Huang said. “I feel like I would do more things at the library than I would be (able to do) at any finance internship.

A lot of my friends are also doing their internships there, so it’s also more fun.”

Despite these challenges, most seniors, like Ahmari, leave with no regrets.

“I tried to approach this (process) open-mindedly,” Ahmari said. “It’s just a high school internship and I want to try to have fun if I can. I wanted to be okay with exploring something I don’t know much about.”

Check out page 5 for a graphic highlighting different senior internships!

amongst adolescents, gave students advice on how to deal with stress and how to seek help if they are struggling. The last day of the week featured a mental health fair in which students could participate in various activities throughout the day such as playing basketball, watching movies and enjoying the company of service dogs.

To accommodate for a week dedicated to mental health, many teachers assigned less work. However, sophomore Lily Jiang wished that there had been more of a balance in workload.

“For the most part, (mental health week had a positive effect on me) because teachers gave less homework, so I had more time to just relax after school. Plus, there were no classes and a lot of activities on the last day,” Jiang said. “One part that did not have a positive effect on my mental health was that all my classes’ work got crammed into the week prior.”

Junior Yash Iyer believes that the school should continue hosting events promoting mental health, especially because of the competitive culture at Conestoga “I think at the end of the day, some time needs to be dedicated in order for people to recover their mental stamina,” Iyer said. “I think (continuing mental health initiatives) would really increase the happiness of the Conestoga community, reduce tension, reduce the stress and it might even lead to better performance in all aspects.”

While junior Sohan Bhattarcharyya appreciated the efforts made by the school during Mental Health Week, he wished that the school did more to help with students’ mental health during the rest of the year. Next year, he is hoping the school provides more opportunities for students to communicate.

“More one-on-one sessions would be nice, and just giving people a way to talk,” Bhattarcharyya said. “Having every other Wednesday off for students to take a break and relax would also alleviate stress levels in our school and help in the long-term.”

Many other students are unsure of what to expect in the 2022-23 school year. While the T/E School District remains mask optional, the community has been in a high level of transmission since May 19. Despite this resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ashiq doesn’t think the district will return to a mask mandate next school year. However, she hopes there will be more open discussion on topics that affect students.

“I don’t really see people wearing masks any more. If (the COVID-19 pandemic) gets worse in the summer, (the mask mandate) may come back, but right now no one’s really wearing (them),” Ashiq said. “I think a lot of teachers are too afraid to talk about (the future of masks) because they are afraid of being political.”

Despite the uncertainty surrounding next school year, students hope that the district learns from the past two years. For Garimidi, learning during the pandemic was far from ideal, but he thinks the school should re-implement some of the strategies and policies implemented during the pandemic into the next school year.

“The past two years have forced our (school) board to make tough decisions — something I could never imagine. But with all the hardships came amazing changes,” Garimidi said. “I can’t wait to see how our school and district continues to adapt to a rapidly changing world and make it an even better place to learn and grow.

T/E LIFE

Monday, June 6, 2022 Julia Harris

Teacher Feature: Kirsten whitaker

Staff Reporter

Julia Harris/The SPOKE

Language lover: Latin teacher Kirsten Whitaker poses in front of her decorated classroom wall, presenting photos and posters about ancient mythology.

Whitaker studied Classics at the College of the Holy Cross. She looks to foster a passion for Latin in all of her students.

Volunteering in Thailand may not be a common pathway to teaching Latin in Pennsylvania, but that’s exactly what happened for Kirsten Whitaker. It was 2002, a year after she completed her studies at the College of the Holy Cross, when Whitaker received the unexpected job offer from Conestoga.

“When I returned (from Thailand) I wasn’t quite sure what I was going to do,” Whitaker said. “So, I thought I’d take a year to just work and apply to law school. A job was advertised for a Latin teacher, and I ended up applying for it even though I hadn’t studied education yet. And that was the beginning.”

Whitaker spent the year in Thailand teaching English, which is one correlation to her career today. However, the trip left another long-lasting impact on Whitaker’s life: a love of traveling.

“I got the chance to travel all over Southeast Asia, which was amazing. It’s not anything that I do now in terms of the

subject that I teach, but it really did give me the opportunity to see a whole different world and influence me to be open to new experiences,” Whitaker said.

Now, whenever the opportunity presents itself, Whitaker is eager to fly off to different countries and experience new cultures. Additionally, her study of Classics in college fostered an interest in ancient ways of life.

“I’ve traveled to some really interesting places during the summer that one wouldn’t traditionally think are part of Rome, but if you look at the map, the Roman Empire was huge,” Whitaker said. “So, I’ve been able to see Roman Ruins in Turkey, Jordan, and Tunisia, in addition to going to Italy many times.”

Along with traveling, some of Whitaker’s other hobbies include CrossFit, gardening, reading, and going to the beach. She is passionate about the environment and focuses on planting native plants with the intention of attracting pollinators and insects. She also enjoys quality time with her family outside of school, espe-

cially her nieces and nephews.

All of these interests, however, do not take away from Whitaker’s love for the Latin language and teaching. Her experience began in high school, because every student had to take both Latin and a modern language.

“I love teaching Latin. I think Latin has made an indelible influence on so many parts of our life that we’re not even really aware of. I like Latin, specifically, because it combines all the things I liked studying in school: the history, literature, linguistics, grammar and mythology. It’s all rolled together,” Whitaker said.

Whitaker acknowledges that many students shy away from Latin because they do not believe it will be as useful to them in today’s society as more modern languages. Whitaker’s knowledge of the many connections between Latin and present day says otherwise.

“I always tell people Latin is not dead,” Whitaker said.

“A lot of people say it’s a dead language, and to that I say, ‘it’s immortal.’”

A Starry Night

Designed by Abby Bagby and Aren Framil, T/E Life Editor and Design Editor Written by Michael Tierney and George Zhang, Business Manager and Photography Editor The 2022 Junior Prom was held at the Valley Forge Sheraton Hotel on Saturday, May 21 from 6- 10 p.m. The theme was “Starry Night”, and almost 500 students attended. There was a wide selection of food which included salads, pasta, chicken parmesan and more.

Planned by the prom committee and student council, the event included a photo booth for group photos, as well as a DJ.

George Zhang/The SPOKE

Having a blast: Juniors Charlie White, Jack Vesey, Colin McGrath and Bobby Irvine pose for a picture together at junior prom. The event saw an attendance of over five hundred students.

George Zhang/The SPOKE

Fine Dining: Attendees of Junior Prom dine together at a table. There was a wide variety of food served at the event.

George Zhang/The SPOKE

Getting down: Students at Junior Prom enjoy themselves on the dance floor to the music that the DJ was playing.

Many different songs were played that night ranging from energetic pop to classic slow dance.

P O T S George Zhang/The SPOKE

Cinderella’s Slipper: Junior Lilly Emery holds her heels while walking across the dance floor. Students removed their shoes to move around the dance floor better.

T/E Life

Monday, June 6, 2022

5

INPUT ON INTERNSHIPS Written and Designed by Raima Saha, Co-Design Editor

Elise Bermingham, senior EMT, Berwyn Fire Company “I think it’s essential to have an internship because you need to see how what you’re learning actually plays out in the real world.

The best way to learn that is just to do it and not to sit in class and learn about it, so I love that the internship program exists.”

Shrey Sitaram, senior Pharmacist, Monument Pharamacy “Just find something that you’d like to do. Don’t bother about it having to be related to exactly what you’re doing (in the future) and it can be a stretch away from it; just as long as it broadens your skillset.”

Rebecca Levin, senior Volunteer, Devon Horse Show

William Balk, senior Editor, WHYY

“I think this experience will help me because it will help me stay more organized. I’m not only doing things for myself, but I’m also helping the company, so I’ll be doing stuff that other people rely on me to have (the) correct numbers which will help me with reliability in the future.”

“Don’t wait till (the) last minute (to) set up. Think of a field that you love or that you’re interested in. With me, it’s not something I’m going to do in college. It’s just something I’m really interested in.”

Celebrating identity during pride month Abby Bagby

Abbie Preston

T/E Life Editor

Staff Reporter

It was a summer night on June 28, 1969 when police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay club in New York City.

The raid sparked demands for equal rights from members of the LGBTQ+ community, and June now stands as a time to commemorate those who have fought for LGBTQ+ rights and to celebrate minority sexual and gender orientations. Junior Camden Hadjiliadis, president of the Gender/Sexuality Alliance (GSA) at Conestoga, finds Pride month to be a time for everyone, including people both within and outside of the LGBTQ+ community.

“It is just a time of celebration and learning for people in the (LGBTQ+) community and a time for people to celebrate themselves,” Hadjiliadis said.

“For non-community members, I think it’s a time where they can learn about Pride and its history and its meaning.”

Sophomore Lucia Peña, a member of GSA, believes celebrating Pride month is a necessity if people want to recognize and confront homophobia.

“A lot of people think homophobia doesn’t exist anymore. It has died down, and I know that it’s a lot better now, so it’s important to celebrate that,” Peña said. “But, it’s also important to bring attention to the fact that (homophobia) still exists and (that) it’s still a prevalent issue. It’s important to show that we’re not going away. No matter what people

: Olive Tree Bistro

Michael Tierney/The SPOKE

Helping students: Sophomores Prisha Chaterjee and Kavya Ragothaman work on pride crafts for the Gender/ Sexuality Alliance at the Unity Fair. The annual schoolwide Unity Fair was hosted on May 27 to promote bonding. try to do, we’re still going to celebrate who we are.”

Individuals observe Pride month in varying ways, as gender and sexual orientation inclusivity are celebrated differently from person to person.

Jonas Lacer, a transgender student and sophomore member of GSA, chooses to embrace Pride month by engaging in uplifting media.

“I like to listen to my favorite country artist, Shania Twain, because her music inspires me,” Lacer said. “I

also like to watch my favorite Pride movies and TV series.

Sometimes I will write Pride and transgender poems.”

Hadjiliadis celebrates Pride month by personally reflecting on their identity.

They also hope to attend a Pride parade in New York City this year.

“I try to take the time to think about myself and my identity and what that means for me,” Hadjiliadis said. “To celebrate, I like to go to Pride (parades); just seeing all

these people that are doing what they want is a beautiful thing to see.”

For Peña, Pride month is an opportunity to display individuality freely and to demonstrate to others that it is okay to be vulnerable about one’s identity.

“I think people should celebrate (Pride month) by being open and having conversations about what being LGBTQ means,” Peña said. “To show people that it’s okay to be open is really important to me.”

It’s a sunny Monday afternoon in Paoli. On the northern side of Lancaster Avenue, in the quiet Olive Tree Bistro, the owners prepare to open for dinner service. Customers begin to roll in — some regulars, and some brand new to the restaurant’s authentic Greek cuisine.

Olive Tree Bistro, looking to open its third location in West Chester, is a family-owned business serving traditional Mediterranean dishes. The recipes originate from their native island of Crete, Greece and compose the foundations of the Mediterranean diet.

A secret family recipe is followed to create the char-grilled calamari. Differing significantly from the American version, the dish may come as unexpected with its lack of fried batter. Though, packed with flavor, it is sure to please any seafood lover looking for a taste of the Mediterranean.

Another traditional Greek feature on the menu is the tiropita. This baked dish involves a medley of various cheeses with a blend of Greek herbs, wrapped in crispy layers of phyllo dough. Its simple composition lends itself well to the less adventurous of diners who are new to traditional Greek cuisine, though I truly consider it a must-order for anyone visiting the restaurant. With each flavor and ingredient well-balanced, it’s a star of the menu.

The pastichio, available at the dinner service, is one of the restaurant’s specialties. Also known as a “Greek lasagna”, the dish involves

layers of pasta noodles, ground beef and a white bechamel sauce.

It’s served with grilled pita bread, though a side of Greek salad or soup can be added for an additional $3.50. When ordering this dish, note that it differs from the classic idea of lasagna with a tomato-based sauce. For diners looking to try a new pasta dish, the pastichio offers a variety of new elements and flavors to the traditional American pasta palate.

The restaurant’s Greek salad, another specialty, stars on the menu. Fresh cucumbers and tomatoes were not overpowered by the house-made vinaigrette. Kalamata olives and creamy feta cheese crumbles were well-incorporated throughout the salad, and a dolma (stuffed grape leaf) was added on top along with grilled pita bread.

Those who enjoy Greek salads will be very pleased with this dish.

Olive Tree offers lunch items, including burgers, sandwiches and

paninis, from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and reopens for dinner service from 4-8 p.m. Depending on your order, pricing can ring in high.

The pastichio alone costs $21 — a price tag that feels just too high for this entrée. However, the calamari and tiropitas come to $15 and $9, respectively. These two shareable plates are reasonably priced for both portion size and quality. The Greek salad costs $12, and its quality certainly makes it worth an order.

Overall, Olive Tree Bistro is a nice local spot and one I’d recommend to those looking to explore a variety of authentic Greek dishes.

Olive Tree Bistro 231 W Lancaster Ave Paoli, PA 19301 Price: $$ Rating: Phone: 610-993-9393 Hours: 11:30 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Closed Sunday

Abby Bagby/The SPOKE

Mediterranean must-have: The char-grilled calamari is one of Olive Tree Bistro’s specialties. The dish was garnished with olive oil and lemon juice.

T/E Life

6

West

Monday, November 22, 2021

Senior Destinat

Arizona ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY Theo Epelbaum

California

LOYOLA MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY Natalia Green, Ilena Mita POMONA COLLEGE Jake Cole SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY Lily Bea Krenzel STANFORD UNIVERSITY Jia Lin UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY Rachel Furtaw UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES Manas Dhawan, Rachel Jin UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SANTA BARBARA Maris Susas UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Lilly Shui

Colorado COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES Benjamin Kaylor UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO BOULDER Emily Burgess, Bridget Griffith

Hawaii

UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI’I AT MĀNOA Olivia Ashman, Cookie Jones

Oregon UNIVERSITY OF OREGON Emily Schickfus

Utah BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY Ty Sanders

WASHINGTON DIGIPEN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY Alexandra Ponomarenko

Midwest Illinois

AUGUSTANA COLLEGE Allison Roessler UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO William Balk UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS URBANA-CHAMPAIGN Pranav Sundareshwar

South Alabama AUBURN UNIVERSITY Michael Bascome, Quentin Geerlings,

Indiana

Hayden Karbiner, Maya Yarmark

INDIANA UNIVERSITY Ryaan Gowadia, Shane Harris, Ryan Mackey Jonah Stein PURDUE UNIVERSITY Drew Casparius, Cullen Jones, Stanley Kim, Harris Langston, Kate Sloan UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME Michael Dobson

Drucis, Justin Kahan, Casen Owens, Alaina Sudall

Iowa GRINNELL COLLEGE Beya Van Rheenen

Michigan

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY Jordan Lichy UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN Amy Douglas, Ryan Levy, Devon Mignone, Darian Rashid, Bella Rios

Minnesota

UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA Aidan Carew, Ben Clemson, John

Florida FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY Hailey Leon UNIVERSITY OF TAMPA Lauren Haley UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA Sophie Borrelli, Kristen Marvel UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI Maddy D’Arcy, Emily Gutsche

Georgia EMORY UNIVERSITY Gary Wang GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY Reese Wang, Yiyang Yu UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA Ava Del Viscio

Kentucky UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE Ryan Cammarata

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA, TWIN CITIES Lucy Rycyzyn

Louisiana

Missouri

LOUISIANA TECH UNIVERSITY Caroline Masson

WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS Christine Jung,

North carolina

Leena Kwak

OHIO CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY Keira Celebuski DENISON UNIVERSITY Carly Broseman KENYON COLLEGE Will Gibbs MIAMI UNIVERSITY Ragull Arumugam OBERLIN COLLEGE Evelyn Walker OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY Drew Barton, Maddie Bonus, Christopher Mendez, Lorenzo Vargas-Clarke, Lea Zlatin

Wisconsin

MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY Peter Detwiler UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN Al Han

Designed by Aren Framil and Evan Lu, Co-Design Editor and Co-Editor-in-Chief Information compiled by the editorial board and staff reporters Nishka Avunoori, Shrija Krishnan and Caius Mitlitsch.

CAMPBELL UNIVERSITY Alana Lepore ELON UNIVERSITY Lainey Acton, Matt Malarkey, Lillian McDonnell, Devon Rocke HIGH POINT UNIVERSITY Ella Lubitz, Maura Kelly UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA Elise Bermingham, Lily Warlick WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY Annie Zhou

All content on this map reflects information volunteered to The Spoke by the Class of 2022.

A total of 439 seniors responded to our requests for senior destinations. Responses were recorded via an optional survey shared to students through Schoology, email, social media and more. Among the graduating class, 115 seniors did not respond and six seniors abstained.

Tennessee

BELMONT UNIVERSITY Kendall Kemm UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE Jordan Frederick, Toby Murphy,

Pen

Reagan Taylor, Kyle Trites VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY Ethan Joslin, Audrey Solomon

Texas

ALBRIGHT COLLEGE Reilly Geus BRYN MAWR COLLEGE Aishwarya Go BUCKNELL UNIVERSITY Brennah Busc

BAYLOR UNIVERSITY Michael Bagby, Conner Stallman RICE UNIVERSITY Alejandro Lucena, Chrysamei Simbo UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN Vicente Peña

Patrick Reilly

South carolina

DELAWARE COUNTY COMMUNITY COLL DICKINSON COLLEGE Maggie Carson DREXEL UNIVERSITY Kiana Ahmari, S

CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY Natali Joshua Li, Andrew Wang, Raymond

CLEMSON UNIVERSITY Sophia Brubaker, Hailey Kanto, Shane McCullen, Owen Ridder COASTAL CAROLINA UNIVERSITY Morgan Lyons COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON Chase Kelly, Cameron Lee, Alex Sauder, Carli Trudel, Mathieu Vincke, Jacob Xander UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA Doug Andreuzzi, Michael Austin, Carly Beiter, Erik Elken, Aidan Foster, Zach Hackett, Nathalie Negrey, Ben Reed, Nicholas Rinderle, Blair Wescoe, Colin Wurth, Natalie Wright

Virginia COLLEGE OF WILLIAM AND MARY Susanne Shaw, Madeleine Tierney, Chloe Williams, Claire Youngblood JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY Maddie Barth, Joey Cantando, Mia Guralnick, Megan Thomas UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND Wyatt Ballard, Chris Erickson, Katelyn Rhatican, Michael Walz, Kallie Whitaker UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Annika Sama VIRGINIA TECH Maria Connolly, Ben Davis, Aaron Grossman, Jerome Sheehan, Collin Todd

OTHER PLANS ABROAD

EDHEC BUSINESS SCHOOL (FRANCE) Lavanya Ahluwalia MCGILL UNIVERSITY (CANADA) Julien Riviere UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX (ENGLAND) Áine Gilmartin, Sydney Tartaglio

TRINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN (IRELAND) Emma Hopkins UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW (SCOTLAND) Brooke Vallin UNIVERSITY OF NAVARRA (SPAIN) Elena Schmidt

Emma Laragione, Julian Lu, Camili Savit Tumuluri, Liam Young DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY Ashlyn Kiley, FRANKLIN AND MARSHALL COLLEGE Ry GETTYSBURG COLLEGE Sebastian Pic IMMACULATA UNIVERSITY Christophe KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY Evan Diskin LA SALLE UNIVERSITY Richard Diaz sa Hewitt LAFAYETTE COLLEGE Robbie Snyders LEHIGH UNIVERSITY Lucas Furda, Ab MILLERSVILLE UNIVERSITY Laurel Gra MISERICORDIA UNIVERSITY Haleigh W

MONTGOMERY COUNTY COMMUNITY CO PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY Wi

Arora, Anna Bakker, Michael Baum Ashley Beres, Karis Blagden, Dermo Burns, Kaitlyn Casciato, Aidan Co Hudson Denno, Marley Duda, Kat Sydney Graver, Matthew Ibarra, Is Rebecca Levin, Cooper Lewis, Mic

GAP YEAR Sally Borrowman, Sabrina Canedo, Isabelle Lacointe TEMPLE UNIVERSITY Namrta Wagle

ARMED FORCEs Keenan Cook

Vocational school

B

CHESTER COUNTY INTERMEDIATE UNIT Andrew

T/E Life

Monday, June 6, 2022

NORTHEAST

tions 2022

CONNECTICUT

CONNECTICUT COLLEGE Cate Hashemi FAIRFIELD UNIVERSITY Elli Mayock, Alex McLaughlin, Molly Ryle QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY Lily Wolfe SACRED HEART UNIVERSITY Evelyn Goodchild UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT Izzy Ramprashad YALE UNIVERSITY Jeffrey Tan, Leo Wylonis

MAINE UNIVERSITY OF MAINE Olivia Oropesa

Massachusetts BENTLEY UNIVERSITY Megan Daly BOSTON COLLEGE Maxence Bolton, Jack Dirkes, JP Small BOSTON UNIVERSITY Molly Bunting, Abby Carella, Frida Chavero-Diaz, Eileen Chen, Amanda Hess BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY Ellie Reiner, Ella Warkentine CLARK UNIVERSITY Genevieve Duska, Ian Quinn DEAN COLLEGE Graham Marshall EMERSON COLLEGE Zoe Davis HARVARD UNIVERSITY Unnati Gupta, Hyunkyung Katherine Lee, Stella Lei NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY Shreeya Gomatam, Ruhri Lee, Nikkita Pandey, Katherine Zhang TUFTS UNIVERSITY Ella Canas, Sydney Thompson UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS BOSTON Noreane Paris WELLESLEY COLLEGE Sophia Pan

New york

BARNARD COLLEGE Paige Munroe COLGATE UNIVERSITY Isabelle O’Shea, Maximillian Shah COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY Shayl Chetty CORNELL UNIVERSITY Megan Adams, Tean Lai, Libby Winters FORDHAM UNIVERSITY Aishna Gaikwad HAMILTON COLLEGE Samuel Cho HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY Leila DeJoui ITHACA COLLEGE Charlie Grant, Aidan Vartanian NEW YORK UNIVERSITY Alex Benedict, William Huang, Janelle Huck, Emily Nguyen, Sean Nissenbaum, Hannah Zhang

ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY Stephen Graver, Graham Smith ST. BONAVENTURE UNIVERSITY Jayce Tharnish SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY Kaitlin Campbell, Rylie DiMaio, Brad Kalbach, Linc Zdancewicz THE NEW SCHOOL Phoenix Berta UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY AT WEST POINT Will Preston VASSAR COLLEGE Ananya Krishnan

Rhode Island

RHODE ISLAND SCHOOL OF DESIGN Sabrina Zhang ROGER WILLIAMS UNIVERSITY Chris Fox

Vermont

nnsylvania

MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE Lillian Caldwell UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT Grace DiMassimo, Haley Godfrey

PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY (cont.) Fernando Martinez, Shawn McAveney, Sofia Montaner, Emily Moyer, Sarah Moyer, Malena Nassif, Emery O’Connell, Chanelle Ongagna, Olivia Particelli, Johnny Papadopoulos, Akshita Pothula, Peyton Quinn, Mark Robertson, Jack Semmer, Mantas Sevelis, Jack Sharkey, Ayaan Umar, Lauren Verrelli, Roy Wu, ia Braga, Aditi Dahagam, Elias Yirenkyi d Welgosh SAINT JOSEPH’S UNIVERSITY John Barausky, Natalie Margossian, Pierce Young LEGE Steph Ross SHIPPENSBURG UNIVERSITY Annie Simpson Stuti Attri, Thomas Dunlap, SWARTHMORE COLLEGE Aishi Debroy ia Sheeran, Carra Staunton, TEMPLE UNIVERSITY Kathryn Bielinski, Lucas Bishop, Aldion Bregasi, Riley Deile, Olivia Dufour, Mia Gallagher, Adam Ghabra, Matthew Holmwood, Fernando Lucena, Danny Marshall, Tessa McGarrity, Athira Menezes, Olivia Nguyen, Julia Roth, Abid Shaik, , Kristen Lavallee yan Schappell, Jason Wagner Athira Shastry, Shrey Sitaram, Wyatt Zantua THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSITY Mikaela Tyahla ccone UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA Brinina Altamirano, Arjun Arasappan, Michael Gao, er Ramones Aditya Sirohi, Ashley Zhang, Liz Zhang UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH Ledya Baci, Nick Bedwick, Sara Borni, Jack Doz, Simeon Dorsey, Melisnahue, Ashlee Epouhe, Rebecca Erwin, Bryant Fleitas, Andrew Franceski, Amanda Gauthier, Sammy Goldman, Kieran Griperay, Graham Leavitt, Kate s, Sebastian Tis Li, Jake Medica, Ashka Patel, Parth Patel, Sasha Reeder, Annie Sun, Yufan bby Klebe, Tyler Rhatican Wang, Julia Wei, Marisa Wells, Charity Xu ay UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON Philip Gumas, Elizabeth Pettit, Charles Smith Wintersteen URSINUS COLLEGE AJ Luthra OLLEGE Eli Brandschain VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY Tommy Duffy, Alex Harris, Alex Madeksza, James Manion, illiam Anstine, Varnikaa Ainsley Payne, Vincent Salvati, Alyssa Totoro mgardner, Brigette Bednarek, WASHINGTON AND JEFFERSON COLLEGE Hannah Kuryan ott Breault, Delaney WEST CHESTER UNIVERSITY Kai Blattenberger, Max Brightman, Emily Close, ourtney, Aidan Curvan, Jaden Diantonio, Abayomi Irizarry, Brooke Kennedy, Gianna Kennedy, Arin tie Faith, Kevin Graser, King, Felicia Manful, Katie McKenna, Grace McLaughlin, Jack Nudy, Camersha Jiang, Adam Khalil, on Porte, Lucas Schiff chelle Lin, Sophia Mabilais, YORK COLLEGE OF PENNSYLVANIA Joel DeFreytas

owrishankar ch, Amanda Niemeyer,

BY THE NUMBERS:

w Frech

7

MID-ATLANTIC Delaware

UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE Nicholas Bruno, Luis Campos Cruz, Alexandra Haines,

Julie Plastino, Alexa Staunton, Kacey Veeck, Caitlyn Winter

Maryland

GOUCHER COLLEGE Brendan Crawford JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY Rachael Pei LOYOLA UNIVERSITY MARYLAND Ellie Jameison, Joseph Patterer, Matt Pawlow, Justin Wurzer MCDANIEL COLLEGE Austin Nordone MOUNT SAINT MARY’S UNIVERSITY Elisha Ross TOWSON UNIVERSITY Lenora Umsted UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY Mitchell Baker UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND Holden Axel, Olivia Griffith, Declan Woods, Alan Zhang

New Jersey PRINCETON UNIVERSITY Hita Gupta, Elizabeth Ruschmann, Umar Samdani, Clara Steege STEVENS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY Adriana Bertolotti

WASHINGTON, D.C. AMERICAN UNIVERSITY Audrey Allan, Ryan Kraut CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA Claire McGee GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY Heidi Amin, Chloe Brooks, Jane DiMassimo, Alexander Hallam, Ellyn Kinkel, Lauren Nishikawa, Tamara Rushby, Deepthi Sathyanarayana, Lilya Yatim GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY Suzie Ahn, Lily Jamison, Sofia Khugaeva

8.6

$331

85%

13%

colleges APPLIED TO on average

spent on average in application fees

have a major in mind

are enrolled in an honors program

OPINION

Monday, June 6, 2022

A recipe to guide you in baking the best summer ever

Shreya Vaidhyanathan Opinion Editor

Summer: a time for catching up on sleep, the ideal opportunity to put off everything you need to do and a way for your parents to drag you to various social events.

4 cups of procrastinating summer homework Whether your assignment is to complete a cumulative math packet or to write 10 phrases in the subjunctive tense for French, putting it off until the last possible minute is sure to add the perfect amount of suspense to the end of your time off from school. The dread of having to read “1984” before walking into your AP Lang class hanging over your head for all of summer is an ideal finale to another summer full of ignoring your responsibilities.

7oz.offixingyoursleepschedule After a school year full of all-nighters to finish essays on time and study for math tests, possibly the number one reason students

look forward to summer is the chance to catch up on sleep. It’s merely the summer routine to stay in bed past noon and stay up to ungodly hours of the night.

Just prepare yourself for the absence of sleeping 10 hours every night once September rolls around.

6 tsps. of seeing f am i l y members your parents swear y o u’ v e met before Aunts and uncles you didn’t know you had have the most random stories about your childhood. While you struggle to figure out how you’re related to great-aunt Jane, or what “second

cousin twice removed” means, be prepared to dodge questions about your B+ in math, nonexis-

tent love life and, of course, whether you plan to major in engineering or take the pre-med route.

1/4 getting

cups a summer

of job

As you get older, your options for employment increase; when

you were in middle school, all you could really do was babysit your weird neighbors and pray that the

parents would remember to slip you 20 bucks at the end of the night.

Now that you’re in high school, you have way more freedom! You could work at Handel’s all summer long, making money and h av i ng to awkw ard ly serve y o u r classmates with no tips in sight, or even be waiting tables full of Main L i n e ’s a v i d golfers at Nudy’s.

No matter what y o u choose, t h e $7.25/ h o u r Mia Hamilton/The SPOKE m i n imum wage is sure to make all of this worth it.

3 tbsps. of sand in your shoes Would summer really be summer without a classic beach day?

Relaxing in the sun, playing in the water and—everyone’s favorite— finding sand in places you didn’t know sand could end up. The sunny sky and beautiful weather make sleeping in grainy sheets for the rest of summer totally worth it… right? oz. of attempting hang out with friends Between family vacations, your friend’s SAT camp and Rita’s demanding work schedule, finding time to hang out during summer is almost impossible.

During the school year, someone always has a chemistry test or paper to finish, so summer is supposed to be the end to all of that and the start of sleepovers and beach trips with your friends. Unfortunately, overbearing parents, pre-season and marching band camp result in a grand total of two days when everyone is home. to

2

Not too excited for summer after reading this? Don’t take this half-baked idea to heart (or stomach) and forget about all the good parts of your time off — destressing, sleeping in, getting to log out of Schoology — and make the most of the coming months.

It is high time to amend gun laws

Katherine Emmanuel Co-Multimedia Editor

Leon Li/The SPOKE

From the Editor: The United States of Grammarly

Evan Lu

Co-Editor-in-Chief

We may never know how it started. Some say the scourge came in 2009, from the offices of an adolescent technology from students, the community, graduates or startup. Three awkward software ecide which contributions published based come developersare from Ukraine tributions must conform to journalistic practices, up with the idea for a new techg conventions.

The Spoke reserves themisspellings right to nology to eliminate and grammatical mistakes from All outside contributions are bylined. the world. Hunched over a disheveled desk that’s smudged e submitted to Editors-in-Chief Evan Lu and Hiba with Cheeto dust, they pore over Ferriola and Nicole Zakorchemny. scribbled-upon napkins before releasing the first version of their s of The Spoke editorial board, not necessarily creation: Grammarly. nity or advertisers.Soon, The opinions expressed isin everyGrammarly where. ofThThe e company cessarily the opinion Spoke. of three metastasizes into a pulsing cult of 600 employees, each sworn by blood dvertisements.

Email hello@spoke.news. oath to make texting, emailing and typiing as mindless as possible.

New initiates are lured in on LinkedIn by recruiters who, just the day before, had themselves been recruited through LinkedIn. The craze spreads.

Grammarly becomes smarter, energy grid collapses under unendcockier. It develops a mind of its own. ing performance updates. America Soon, it stops underlining words is dark. Devoid of organization and with red squiggles before changing free thought, civilization crumbles.

It is now 2077, and I am a gaunt, them. It replaces “pie” with “pi” and “ice cream” with “I scream.” It writes old hermit. Looking up at the sky, I books that take over the New York remember the days of my past. I had Times bestsellers list, driving human shown great promise as a journalist during my youth, only to forget how authors to extinction.

Humans lose their grasp on to write a sentence. I want it to stop. language, forgetting the most basic I want my old life back. of tenets. The Feds try to intervene, And then I have my first serious only to discover it’s too late. When idea in decades. I will write somethe military prepares for mobili- thing real, with my own mind. This zation, the army’s highest ranked piece I pen will have a function, and five-star general confuses “attack” it will not be Grammarly-made. and “retreat. ” Congress achieves Others will see, learn and follow. www.spoke.news I jerk up from the ground, filled unprecedented bipartisan support on an anti-Grammarly bill, but with excitement. I scramble to a @thespoke it doesn’t pass because no sena- decrepit building, dropping to my tors remember how to sign their knees and searching through the names. The president delivers a rooms for something to write with. speech using the only words he I dig through a dusty wooden desk, @thespoke can still remember: “snickerdoo- frantically, stumbling across a fadle” and “aardvark.” In response, miliar yellow rod. A No. 2 TicondGrammarly /thespoke crafts its own speech, eroga pencil. I hope to make a simcomplete with historical references ple word and, with it, a better life.

But then it happens. I become and Yo Momma jokes. When put to music, itthe_spoke becomes the greatest confused. I can’t recall how to spell. diss track of all time. Grammarly I try to construct a sentence, pullrises to the top of the Billboard 100 ing at the fringes of my mind for and is namedhello@spoke.news “Hottest New Rapper the right words, but to no avail.

Why am I doing this, a human from North Menlo Park of 2033.”

By 2062, the final fragments attempting such a menial task as of society dissolve. Grammarly writing? The pencil tumbles from rewrites the Constitution. Every my hand. “I could go for some pi piece of writing is by Grammarly– or I scream,” I think to myself as I nothing human is untouched. The leave the building. All has fallen.

America was shocked once again when within just 10 days, two mass shootings occurred in two different parts of the country.

On May 14, an 18-year-old man shot 10 people dead and left three injured in what has been described as a racially motivated attack at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York. On May 24, another 18-year-old gunman opened fire on an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, killing 21 people in the deadliest school shooting in the United States in nearly a decade.

Shootings have become a regular feature of news coverage in America because they are so common. In fact, in the 148 days of 2022, there have already been 214 mass casualty events involving firearms. We have become

The Spoke is published seven times a year by Trumball Printing. It consistently receives a Gold rating from PSPA and CSPA, and is a National Scholastic Press Association Pacemaker award-winning publication. The Spoke serves as a public forum for student expression.

The

Staff

Editors-in-Chief: Evan Lu, Hiba Samdani Managing Editor: Jui Bhatia News Editor: Ben Shapiro T/E Life Editor: Abby Bagby Opinion Editor: Shreya Vaidhyanathan Sports Editors: Howard Kim, Hannah Simon Beats Editor: Maya Shah Multimedia Editors: Katherine Emmanuel, Grace Kuryan Webmasters: Rohan Anne, Soumya Sathyanarayana Business Manager: Michael Tierney Photography Editor: George Zhang Social Media Editor: Akshita Joshi

, Copy Editor: Zara Samdani Design Editors: Aren Framil, Raima Saha Cartoonists: Angie Chen, Mia Hamilton, Leon Li, Yuting Pu Staff Reporters: Mareska Chettiar, Brianna Fan, Julia Harris,

Oviya Ignaci, Shrija Krishnan, Amanda Markind, Caius Michlitsch, Abbie Preston, Madeline Pulliam, Aashita Singh, Juliana Yao

Faculty Advisers: Cyndi Crothers-Hyatt, Alison Ferriola, Nicole Zakorchemny

desensitized to these mass shootings which have been qualified by the Congressional Research Service as “multiple, firearm, homicide incidents, involving 4 or more victims at one or more locations close to one another” because they occur so frequently.

In terms of gun legislation, not enough is being done. How can we be certain that our community will remain safe if the legislation that enables mass shootings is not addressed? If we are to seek justice for the lives lost in shootings, we must advocate for change. Thoughts and prayers are insufficient. We must take action.

Guns should not be prohibited, but they should be more heavily restricted. Ordinary citizens should not be permitted to wield weapons of war on a daily basis. The lethal situations caused by these lax weapons regulations are easily avoidable with the proper limitations.

Other countries are doing a better job with gun regulations than the United States. The National Firearms Agreement is one example of such limitations in action. The Port Arthur Massacre occurred in 1996, where 35 people were shot and

killed and 23 others were injured; it was the worst shooting Australia had ever seen.

Following this tragedy, Australia increased gun regulations through the National Firearms Agreement, which prohibited the possession of automatic and semiautomatic firearms in all but “exceptional circumstances.” Since then, Australia has not seen a shooting like the Port Arthur Massacre, which is often attributed to the National Firearms Agreement’s success.

The only way to truly honor the memories of gun violence victims is to ensure that no family or individual ever experiences their pain again. We cannot bring up our children in a world where shootings are commonplace. Adopting gun control legislation is the most effective way to ensure that no more lives are lost.

Some argue that because the Second Amendment in the Bill of Rights protects the right to keep and bear arms, increased gun regulations infringe upon their rights, but the Bill of Rights is intended to be a living document. It was written 200 years ago, and much has

changed since then, including how deadly weapons are today.

While some are concerned about their right to keep and bear arms, a child’s right to feel safe at school should take precedence. No student should have to participate in active shooter drills, and no parent should be worried that their child could be the next victim of a shooting.

The other day when we were discussing the shooting in Uvalde, Texas in my history class, my teacher started the discussion with a touching sentiment. She explained that she hopes when her students walk into the school building, they each feel like they are at their home away from home. Home is a place which promises safety and security, and as such, it is vitally important that students feel this way at school.

The best thing we can do as students is to demand that our legislators amend current gun laws. Call and email; be persistent in expressing the desire to feel safe in school. Instead of reacting to these horrific situations after they occur, we must be proactive in order to prevent future tragedies.

Leon Li/The SPOKE

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

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

Editorials: Unsigned editorials represent the views of The Spoke editorial board, not necessarily those of the administration, student body, community or advertisers. The opinions expressed in signed columns are those of the writer and not necessarily the opinion of The Spoke.

Paid advertisements: The Spoke accepts paid advertisements. Email hello@spoke.news.

www.spoke.news @thespoke @thespoke /thespoke the_spoke hello@spoke.news

OP/ED

Monday, June 6, 2022

9

Unsigned: An unjust abolition of anatomical autonomy The potential overturning of Roe v. Wade could take away the people’s right to choose what happens to their own bodies regarding abortions. If the decision is overturned, state governments could place restrictions on personal autonomy, something that no government should be able to do; this decision would take away a liberty that is protected by the Constitution.

Roe v. Wade is a 1973 Supreme Court decision that falls under the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

This protects a person’s right to privacy in making the best decision for themselves — without governmental restriction — upon learning of a pregnancy.

Roe v. Wade was a landmark decision because it protected women’s rights and now that it might be taken away, what’s next? What other rights could be stripped?

The fact that people could lose their access to abortion is merely the surface of the potential decision’s consequences. This draft de-

cision can take away a fundamental right that is protected by the Constitution and sets a precedent that governments can dictate what a person does with their own body.

A n y potential outlawing of abortion will only prevent s a f e a b o rtions; people may take drastic measures and try to selfabort. A study published in 2003

by Guttmacher Institute showed that unsafe abortions were a sig-

nificant cause of death for women prior to Roe v. Wade. The study also showed that women

in racial and socio-economic minority groups were more likely to obtain illegal abortions and ex-

perienced higher mortality rates.

If Roe v. Wade is overturned, some states like Texas will lim-

it abortion laws to make them situational. Abortions may only be allowed if a person’s

to choose what is best for them when they get pregnant. It is their body, their choice.

Others argue that abortion goes against their religious beliefs. They say that abortion is murder and a moral evil.

However, one of the founding principles of this country is the separation of church and state; religious beliefs have absolutely no place in legislation.

Although this draft decision does not directly impose restrictions on abortion, it leaves it up to state governments to decide and harbors the potential for state governments to impose harsh restrictions on abortion.

If people protest, sign petitions and exercise their right to vote by electing pro-choice officials, they can prevent state governments from imposing restrictions on what people do with their bodies.

Angie Chen/The SPOKE It is our body, our choice ried or unmarried, victim or and our fundamental liberty not, no matter what a person’s to choose what happens with situation is, they have a right our body. life is at risk from childbirth.

But circumstances should not dictate people’s choice. Mar-

Doctor Strange sequel + finally some much-needed Benedict Cumberbatch content

“The fact that it’s mostly men that are talking about this and making the decisions is really upsetting, considering it’s regarding women’s bodies.”

“I don’t think that that’s something people other than women should have an opinion on.”

- Marah Walton,

Audrey Nguyen, freshman

sophomore

STUDENTS SPEAK OUT

- how did so many things happen in the span of two hours?!

B+

Harry Styles’ new album + the new summer soundtrack - when are we getting a 1D reunion again?

A-

Stranger Things Season 4 + this cast genuinely never disappoints

D

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard trial + Camila Vasquez won the case as she should!

- for being all anyone could talk about for months, the ending was such a cop out

NBA finals + Klay Thompson is back and better than ever

Q: What are your thoughts on the potential overturning of Roe v. Wade?

“I think we’re moving one step forward two steps back in this situation; we’re not progressing if we keep overturning.”

French Open + five American women reached round 16!

A-

- Naomi Osaka (absolute icon) lost in her first round

- Kristen Lavallee, senior

junior

B

- the Sixers’ finals drought continues

“It’s really complicated because of all (the) legislation and how it should be a state’s decision. I consider myself pro-life, but I think there’s also other issues we need to solve before trying to overturn this.”

- Alex Singh,

c

- did they have to make the ending of the first episode that scary?

The Spoke Editorial Board voted unanimously in favor of this editorial.

-

Report Card

Is it time to end legacy admissions? Celebrate us, don’t attack us

Maya Shah Beats Editor

GPA, extracurriculars and test scores: all predictable factors in the college admissions process. Yet it is legacy admissions that prioritize students who already have long standing connections to the schools from which their parents graduated. By opening doors for the previously privileged, the legacy system shuts out both religious and racial minority students by providing an easy route to admission for well established students. While the admission of legacy students has become a tradition, the unfair results suggest it’s time to abandon the practice altogether.

After excluding people of color for hundreds of years, the country’s top schools are nothing short of an accumulation of white wealth. Legacy admissions further fuel the white foundation of higher education by disproportionately accepting students from traditionally privileged communities. As NBC News finds, roughly 70% of legacy students are white, so the initiative

does nothing to help diversify education and open up opportunities for disadvantaged students. Introduced to the Senate in February of 2022, the recent proposition of the Fair College Admissions Act is long overdue — the proposal aims to eliminate the consideration of legacy status nationwide.

The origins of legacy admissions are no better than

their present day implications.

Dating back to the 1920s, the decade marked an unprecedented quantity of applications from minority students, especially Jews. As examined

by Berkeley professor Jerome Karabel in his book, “The Chosen,” highly-ranked universities implemented a series of non-academic criteria in order to limit the number of minority students admitted

each year. Many of these criteria, including a requirement that Yale interviewers list the physical characteristics of applicants, have either died out or been banned, yet legacy admissions persist.

While some universities have made great strides toward ending legacy admissions, most recently Johns Hopkins University and Amherst College, others willfully resist the

change. As found by the Daily Princetonian, legacy students comprise a bigger portion of Princeton’s class of 2025 than Black students, despite making up only 2% of total applicants. If Princeton’s own students can recognize this flaw, why can’t the administration?

The argument made by most schools, including Princeton, is that legacy admissions help form a tighter connection

between alumni and the university. This provides schools with stronger donor bases and increased funds and connections. However, as 19 of the top 20 colleges are private, these institutions are in no crisis when it comes to money. In 2021, Harvard’s endowment hit an astounding $52 billion, continuing its reign as the wealthiest university in America. Likewise, this supposed alumni community should not be strengthened by monetary promises, but rather be earned by the quality of experience provided at the school.

While it’s hard to justify ending tradition, it is undoubtedly time for change.

As colleges more heavily consider affirmative action and first generation students, the desire to move toward equitable education is apparent.

Yuting Pu/The SPOKE However, this cannot fully be achieved until the systems that have fueled discrimination for decades are dismantled. As the college admissions process constantly evolves, it is important to call into question traditions that have passed as normal for so long. The country has changed since the 1920s and it is time colleges follow suit.

Jui Bhatia

Managing Editor Pride month is a time for celebration and enjoyment for the queer community, but it is important to recognize that legislative attacks on LGBTQ+ students are at an all time high. More than 280 bills targeting the queer community have been filed in the United States this year alone. Over half of these bills, according to NBC News, are specific attacks on transgender people for no fault of theirs and are not founded on any solid evidence.

Here in our state, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed a bill in April banning trans women from participating in sports through any state or public school sponsored sports teams or institutions. Gov. Tom Wolf has said he would veto the bill, but this is just one example of such bills being passed all around the country.

Conservatives argue that trans women have a biological

advantage over cisgender women, saying that their higher testosterone levels give them an advantage. However, a report from the National Library of Medicine proves there is no evidence for trans women having an advantage over cis women. Instead, their performance drops to a level comparable with cis women after their medical transition. Additionally, the NCAA requires trans athletes to document sport-specific levels of testosterone four weeks before their sports’ selections, eliminating any possible advantages they may have.

This holds true even in college competition. Lia Thomas, for example, is a trans woman who competed in the NCAA Division I Women’s Swimming and Diving National Championship. She won only one event, didn’t break any records or put forward a remarkable

time, but was still attacked.

Instead, it was a cis woman, Kate Douglass, who left with eight national titles. Using the excuse of protecting women’s sports falls short in light of statistics and precautions taken by the NCAA. Some states have taken a broader approach to limiting the rights of queer students, such as Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Bill, referred to as the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill. Legislators aimed to give parents control over what their children learn about sexuality, preventing teachers from teaching content if it relates to queer rights and struggles. Such bills make school an unwelcome space for queer students, defeating their point of protecting students.

Nearly 79% of Americans support laws that protect the queer community, according to a Public Religion Research survey released in March, and as more states try to pass homophobic bills, it becomes all the more important to stand up for the rights of queer people across Yuting Pu/The SPOKE the country.

Even though June is a time for celebration, there is still work to be done.

Reach out to your representatives with your support for the queer community to ensure that the measures being taken by legislators reflect public opinion.

Angie Chen/The SPOKE

Sports

10

Monday, June 6, 2022

On the attack: Alumna dominates in college lacrosse

Juliana Yao

Staff Reporter As the No. 9 ranked lacrosse recruit in the nation in 2021 and the current top freshman scorer in the country, Conestoga alumna Rachel Clark has had nothing short of an explosive entry into the college lacrosse scene.

In her Conestoga career, Clark scored a total of 238 goals, securing the position of both the top-scorer and attack player of the year twice. Her outstanding talent shined on the field, drawing the eyes of many college scouts, including those of the University of Virginia (UVA), where she now attends. Yet, her potential as a lacrosse player was not always obvious.

“It’s funny. (Clark) made JV-A as a freshman,” said Amy Orcutt, Conestoga girls lacrosse head coach. “And within a day, the first game, (we were) like, ‘Wow, we made a mistake.’”

Orcutt played a large part in shaping Clark’s game. They met at a lacrosse clinic when Clark was still in seventh grade, and since then, have developed a close relationship. Clark attributes Orcutt in turning her into a true attacker, as she had been a midfielder in middle school.

“Coach Orcutt was great because she always believed in me, even when I was just starting at ’Stoga,” Clark said. “She also helped me gain my confidence going to goal.”

The Conestoga program in

general also improved Clark’s skill. The coaching staff constantly evolved, introducing new concepts, drills and workouts, while the team built close bonds and created a learning environment for Clark.

“As a freshman, playing on the field with super talented upperclassmen was the best practice I could have asked for,” Clark said. “Just being a part of such a competitive team made me so much better.”

Clark committed to UVA after deciding it was a perfect match for her needs and has quickly adapted to the changes of playing at a collegiate level. She has described college lacrosse as being more competitive, aggressive and faster.

Training is also more demanding, with sessions being longer and year-round compared to the high school season.

“But just like high school lacrosse, the team has become my family,” Clark said. “It is quite an adjustment but so fun and very much worth it.”

Orcutt follows her former players after high school who have achieved great heights in college lacrosse. She has seen Clark’s success this season, and it has become a large source of pride for her as well as contributing to the Conestoga lacrosse legacy.

“She (Clark) is honestly one of the most hardworking girls I’ve ever coached,” Orcutt said.

“She deserves this because all the time that she’s put in on and off the field, which has obviously paid off. And I’m really,

Courtesy Matt Riley

Charging ahead: Rachel Clark (left) rushes to score at a game between the University of Virginia and the University of North Carolina on April 21. Despite the collective effort of the team, UVA lost 17-7. Clark looks forward to continuing her lacrosse career throughout college.

Taking it to the Max: Second-year stud gives Sixers a playoff push Michael Tierney Staff Reporter

Raima Saha/The SPOKE

Chants of “Maxey! Maxey!

Maxey!” rained down on the hardwood court of Wells Fargo Center on Saturday, April 16 as the Philadelphia 76ers handily defeated the Toronto Raptors 131-111 in game one of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals. Maxey dropped 38 points, including five three-pointers while shooting 66% from the field, and became the youngest player in franchise history to score over 30 points in a playoff game.

Many thought this game was an anomaly, but Maxey has proved otherwise by playing a strong, consistent and integral role for the squad each night.

The Sixers’ skilled sophomore sent the Raptors packing by scoring 25 points in game

six of the series. He also shot 80% from the field, scoring a team-leading 34 points in game two of the Sixers’ series against the Miami Heat. Maxey has significantly helped the Sixers in their transition game so far in the playoffs as well. His oncourt speed is unmatched and allows the squad to capitalize on fast breaks.

After being thrust into the starting point guard position in the aftermath of the Ben Simmons fiasco, Maxey has developed into an elite player and is thriving. Many thought the team was doomed after trading Simmons, who was the best defender on the team, but Maxey stepped up to the challenge.

He has gone from averaging only 15 minutes per game last season to 35 minutes per game this year. Now, in the playoffs, he is averaging over 40 minutes

per game. Maxey’s three-point percentage has also increased by 12% since last season and his average points per game has gone from eight to 17. He is proving that he has one of the strongest work ethics of anyone in the NBA. Maxey’s confidence has also improved along with his playing. His wide smile is contagious, and he has been described as “sunshine” by head coach Doc Rivers. Maxey’s optimism persisted throughout the season and into the playoffs and was especially noticeable during his first postseason start, where he single-handedly destroyed the Raptors.

Maxey may just be the final piece the Sixers need to have a deep title run this season. The rise of Maxey gives the Sixers one of the most exciting big threes in the NBA with him,

Joel Embiid and James Harden.

This trio poses a threat against the rest of the league and will give the Sixers the opportunity to take down the top dogs in the NBA. Unfortunately, the Sixers fell to the Heat in the Eastern Conference semifinals in six games. After dropping the first two games of the series, the squad fought back to win the next tow but couldn’t continue the momentum for the next two, ending their season. Despite this setback, the future is bright with Maxey’s steady improvement. Once James Harden starts taking more shots and Embiid recovers from his torn ligament in his thumb, orbital fracture and concussion that he sustained in the playoffs, the Sixers will be back and a strong force in the Eastern Conference.

First boys’ volleyball club-team created Akshita Joshi Staff Reporter

Sophomores Justin Chow and James Cooper spike the ball in starting the first boys’ volleyball club in Conestoga history. Juggling approval paperwork and searching for areas to practice, the club has kicked off its practices and is busy recruiting others interested in participating in the club.

Chow and Cooper have been volleyball fanatics since middle school, both watching and participating in recreational volleyball matches.

However, they wanted to take their experience and passion one step forward.

“I’ve always been interested in playing volleyball and I was really surprised as a freshman that there was no boys volleyball team since it is such a popular sport, so I started looking into how to make a boys volleyball team and found later that the process is actually quite grueling,” Chow said.

The process of creating a school sports team is lengthy and requires each team to start as a club, then a club sport and then finally it can become a team. In order to reach the club/team sport level, the club must demon-

strate proof of members and overall interest.

“This club is open to everyone right now, and we aren’t looking at skill level,” Cooper said. “We just want to get enough people and start playing so that anyone interested can give it a shot and hopefully in two years we can start an actual team.”

Chow, manager of the girls’ varsity volleyball team, has experience with volleyball practices with mentorship from coach Diana Felker.

“I’m happy that we were finally able to start the club. We have been trying for years, just did not have anyone that was willing to get it started,” Felker said.“The guys that show up on a regular basis are very passionate about learning the game and improving their skills.”

Despite the club having minimal members currently due to its recent creation, Chow and James hope to expand it throughout the rest of this year and aid current members in improving their volleyball skill in an inclusive environment. Alex Barton has been a member since the club’s creation in March and plans on continuing throughout his high school years.

“I love this club because it really gives anyone the oppor-

info@thedefensivedrivingacademy.com

tunity to play volleyball without needing to try out. I just want to achieve a great team that is viewed and respected by the school and my peers,” Barton said.

Along with hopes of ultimately establishing this club as an official school team, the club aims to remove negative connotations towards boys volleyball.

“People at this school specifically think only girls play volleyball and think of it as a ‘gay’ sport but really it’s not.

Anyone can pick up a volleyball and have fun so I hope this club can help some in doing that,” Chow said.

It will be at least another two years before the club will officially be named as a team sport. However, the boys are determined to earn that title.

With some additional months of training and members, the club will be able to begin playing games against teams in neighboring districts next school year.

Akshita Joshi/The SPOKE

Setting in motion: Sophomore Alex Barton practices his setting skills at an after-school practice. The boys’ volleyball club started practicing and training in preparation for tournaments this summer.

Sports

Monday, June 6, 2022

11 HIGHLIGHT REEL THE

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN SPORTS.

HONORS USA Lacrosse selected senior defender Kathryn Bielinski, junior midfielder Kate Galica and senior attacker Melissa Hewitt for the 2022 All-American team.

SERVES The boys’ varsity tennis team became the Central League Doubles champions and placed second in their district.

They had a dominant season with a score of 17-2-0.

STROKES The crew club competed at the Scholastic National Championships Regatta in Camden, NJ. Girls varsity 4x became national champions, and boys varsity 4x and girls freshman 4x placed second in the nation.

LEAPS

George Zhang/The SPOKE

Double trouble: Senior defender Kat Bielinski and sophomore midfielder Kiki Liebezeit swarm a Downingtown East player while she tries to score a goal. The efforts by the defense were a key contributing factor to Conestoga’s win as they only allowed six goals while the offense scored eight.

girls lacrosse enjoys fantastick season

Senior Kristen Lavallee competed in the AAA high jump event at the PIAA State Championships. She is also a member of the Central Athletic League All-League Second Team.

DUNKS The Boston Celtics and the Golden State Warriors will play in the NBA Finals. The Warriors defeated the Mavericks 4-1, and the Celtics beat the Heat in Game 7.

Juliana Yao

Staff Reporter Editors’ Note: This story was written before the team’s most recent game on Saturday, June 4.

Conestoga started their season in the Central League off against a strong opponent, Radnor, narrowly winning by only one point. But after the slow start, the team dominated their next games against Marple Newtown, Strath Haven, Haverford and Ridley, placing them in good shape to become Central League Champions. This was fulfilled after a slim victory against Garnet Valley and subsequent large margin wins against Upper Darby, Lower Merion, Springfield and Harriton.

After emerging undefeated in the Central League, the girls’ lacrosse team continued their winning streak against four opponents in the district playoffs. Beating WC Rustin, Downingtown East, Radnor and Springfield by 41 points in total, Conestoga took the District 1 3A champion title. They won their first States playoff match against Downingtown East on June 1. Their next match is against Radnor on Saturday, June 4 (updated as of June 1).

George Zhang/The SPOKE

Above: Senior defender Sophia Borrelli defends against an opponent’s attack. Senior goalie Alana Lepore served as the last line of defense.

RIght: Junior midfielder Kate Galica leaps for the ball after a faceoff. In part due to her winning faceoffs, the girls’ lacrosse team utilized the possessions to win the match 8-6.

George Zhang/The SPOKE

Left: Three Downingtown East defenders team up on midfielder Kate Galica. She scored three goals this match, continuing her dominant performance this season.

George Zhang/The SPOKE

Sidelined starters: Boys lacrosse bounces back after early injuries Brianna Fan Staff Reporter

After reaching the quarterfinals for the state championship last season, the Conestoga boys’ lacrosse team had set high standards for the 2022 season. During their first game against the Gilman School, one of their key players, Peter Detwiler, along with five other starters, got injured.

“I think we were all kind of upset because we didn’t want to see some really key players go down, but I think it was a next man up mentality, and we got through it. Some people rose to the occasion,” said Will Preston, one of the senior captains.

Given the number of players out due to injury, many of the underclassmen took on the responsibility of filling those spots.

“Me, Luke Montanye, Adrien Grove and Clif Hawkins (the underclassmen) — all played an integral role in the team, especially with Adrien

and Clif on the offensive side of the ball with all the offensive injuries we have had,” said sophomore and defensive midfielder Charlie Newhall.

This increase in playing time could be one of the reasons the team made it to the post-season.

injured players could not contribute on the field for the majority of the regular season, they continued to be active at practices and helped with plays on the sidelines. The coaches also implemented various adjustments to accommodate the alteration in player personnel.

It was a next man up mentality.

Charlie Newhall Defensive Midfielder

“The result is that the younger players get better, and when the injured players come back, we have a little more experience with the younger guys as well,” the boys lacrosse coach Brody Bush said.

The team has learned how to adapt to the addition of underclassmen on the field and the loss of their key players. Even though the

“We changed our schematics.

My coaches and I, we coach our players to their talents and not use a scheme they have to learn no matter what. Since then, the guys have responded really well,” Bush said.

In the latter half of the season, the team beat Garnet Valley, whose team finished fifth in the

state last year. This win attests to the flexibility of the players, the schematic changes the coaching staff has made and the leadership the injured players continue to show off the field.

“We started off slow, and we lost to some teams that we definitely could have beaten, but now I think we’re taking each game more seriously and working to improve our record,” Preston said.

“I think we have great team chemistry and great off-field attitudes. They’re student-athletes. They get the job done in the classroom, in the community and on the field, so I really like this team in terms of their personality and players we have,” Bush said.

The boys’ lacrosse team made it to the quarterfinals of the PIAA District I AAA playoffs. After two dominating wins over Haverford and Perkiomen Valley, they lost to Springfield 8-3, ending their season.

Brianna Fan/The SPOKE

Early attack: Boys’ lacrosse team celebrates after senior Michael Austin scores the second goal against Harriton, giving ’Stoga an early lead. Their season ended in the District I AAA quarterfinals.

SPORTS

The SPOKE

Commitment Corner Page 10

Opinion: Sixers second-year standout Page 10

Girls lacrosse has stellar season Page 11

Monday, June 6, 2022

Boys lacrosse bounces back Page 11

Amanda Markind/The SPOKE

Going the distance: Sophomore Ben Wolf, pictured above, runs for Conestoga in the boys 4x400 relay at the Penn Relays on Franklin Field. Wolf handed the baton off to freshman Jonah Brown, who anchored the race. They look forward to improving themselves and competing again next year.

SPRINTING FORWARD: PENN RELAYS RESUME AFTER TWO YEAR HIATUS Amanda Markind Staff Reporter

The atmosphere is electric.

Thousands of runners in a sea of color fill Franklin Field in West Philadelphia. More than 10,000 fans scream in the stands. The noise is deafening.

This is the Penn Relays. In number of participants, it is the largest track meet in the United States. The relays have been an annual tradition since 1895, and Conestoga has competed since 2007. This year, it is resuming after a two year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Conestoga competed in the girls 4x400 relay on April 28 and the boys 4x400 relay on April 30.

Neither team distinguished itself.

Each of the girls and boys teams finished in last place in their respective heats.

This disappointing finish by Conestoga could be attributed to the large amount of pressure that comes with running in this massive meet.

“As a team it (the added pressure) affected us poorly,” said sophomore and sprinter Ben Wolf. “We cracked under the pressure.”

Although the meet itself may have produced devastating finishes this year, the Penn Relays’ pressure helps prepare Conestoga athletes for competition at a higher level. It shows them some of the pressures they

will face should they choose to run in college, of which many Conestoga athletes dream.

As the Penn Relays also showcase many top collegiate and professional athletes, including many current and future olympians, it draws big crowds. This is a big contributor to the pressure runners face. However, it is also a big part of the unique experience of running in the Penn Relays. Wolf found that his first time running in front of a large crowd creates an unforgettable experience.

“I enjoyed being able to compete against high quality opponents and being able to see all the other schools,” Wolf said. “Running alongside collegiate athletes) made me think about how I could

take track into the future of my life and potentially go to school for that.”

“Overall I loved it. I want to go back and hopefully we will do better than this year,” said sophomore Tory Gauthier. “(The Penn Relays) was a once in a lifetime experience and I was just really lucky to be there.”

Compared to a normal high school track meet, The Penn Relays is an event. A typical track meet for Conestoga would be at a high school. The Penn Relays is at Franklin Field, a football stadium that seats 50,000 people. The spectators at a high school meet usually consist of just friends and family. The Penn Relays, which ran for three days, drew more than 100,000 people.

The high school meet consists of runners from the local area. The Penn Relays draws schools from all over the United States, as well as from foreign countries. In fact, the Caribbean island nation of Jamaica, which has dominated the sprint races in the recent Olympic Games, uses the Penn Relays as a showcase for its best young athletes. The meet is so important that, this year, the Prime Minister of Jamaica showed up to watch.

“I’ve never been to something like this. There’s always something going on and you always had to be somewhere.

It was just so fast-paced and chaotic,” Gauthier said.

WORDS OF WISDOM

Parting Words from Conestoga’s Best Written By: Grace Kuryan and Hannah Simon, Co-Multimedia Editor and Co-Sports Editor

CONESTOGA

CONESTOGA

7

CONESTOGA

19

“Cherish every moment, the time goes quick.”

Ryan Mackey, Basketball

“No matter your sport, don’t let yourself get stressed. Just have fun!”

Abigail Klebe, Soccer

CONESTOGA

CONESTOGA

43

Alex Harris, Football

59 toga Cones

“Practice how you want to play and wipe a clean slate every game; just because you lost one, doesn’t mean you can’t win the next one.”

15 “Work as hard as you can, and don’t be late to practice!”

Lillian Caldwell, Volleyball

CONESTOGA

“Put in the work, and have fun while you’re at it.”

Cooper Lewis, Track & Field