The Spoke March 2017

NEWS

Regulations restrict food choices in 2017 Vol. 67 No. 5

March 20, 2017

Conestoga High School

Berwyn, PA

See Page 4 www.spoke.news

@thespoke

NEWS

“We still don’t think we’re gonna get caught” In the June 2016 frontpage story of The Spoke, titled “Head in the Clouds: Vaping on the rise,” we looked into the rising nationwide vaping trend and its implications. Given recent local developments, for this issue, we explored the recent popularity of vaping at Conestoga and its disciplinary consequences. *denotes students who wished to remain anonymous

T

he �ire alarm goes off, jolting the entirety of Conestoga’s student body and faculty out of the end of third period. An ambulance and several �iretrucks stream down Conestoga Road, sirens blaring. This was no scheduled �ire drill.

For the second time in three weeks, the �ire alarm had been set off, forcing the entire school to evacuate. As con�irmed by Assistant Principal Dr. Patrick Boyle, the �ire alarm-related school evacuation on Feb. 23 was caused by vaping. He said that while there

is a suspicion that the �ire alarm went off on Feb. 2 because of vaping in a bathroom, the administration is unable to con�irm the exact cause.

“We never thought we’d get caught,” said sophomore Tim Fuller*, one of the students caught in the Feb. 23 school evacuation. According to Fuller, he and roughly six other students set off the �ire alarm while vaping in the boys’ bathroom near Student Services.

According to Fuller, after one of the other students pulled out a “monster” vape, the room became so �illed with vapor that the alarm was set off. Even though Fuller had heard rumors about vaping causing the similar recent incident, he was skeptical that the �ire alarm could be set off in such a way.

For Fuller, this disruption of the school day meant a four-day suspension. He said, however, that the punishment will not keep him from vaping at school.

“We still don’t think we’re gonna get caught,” Fuller said.

See Pages 6 and 7

Photo Illustration by Adam Lockett

STUDENT LIFE

Seniors showcase AP Studio Art portfolios See Page 14

Monday, March 20, 2017

News

The Spoke is published seven times per year at Bartash Printing. It consistently receives a Gold rating from PSPA and CSPA, and it is a National Scholastic Press Association Pacemaker award-winning publication.

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2 The Spoke

Alumna awarded Navy commander rank

By Brooke Deasy Staff Reporter

On the collar of her Working Blue Uniform, Conestoga Class of 2013 alumna Shannon Johnson wears four bars, recognizing her as the leader of the 4th Battalion. Johnson is currently one of only two Class of 2017 midshipmen (seniors) in command of 750 of her peers.

“I would say that being selected was a culmination of all of my hard work at the Naval Academy,” Johnson said.

“I was persistent and when I look back now, work toward this position began my Plebe (freshman) year.”

The entire Naval Academy student body, also known as the Brigade, is organized into two regiments, six battalions and 30 companies. Johnson has been a member of the 16th Company and 4th Battalion her entire time at the academy. As the 4th Battalion Commander, she serves in one of the nine upper level command positions in which her duties range from coordinating the creation of goals for the Battalion, to representing the midshipmen chain of command at meetings with the battalion officer.

Membership in the Brigade Staff begins by being nominated by a company officer. In order to be eligible for selection, a student must be a first class midshipman of high standing who displays the qualities of a leader. Ultimately, selected students are interviewed by a panel of 15 officers and are evaluated according to their total performance at the Naval Academy.

“The Naval Academy is full of amazing people all yearning to lead and especially to be in command,” Johnson said. “Distinguishing yourself amongst others is extremely difficult and to this day, I still can’t believe I was chosen over some of the other highly qualified individuals.”

Other members of Johnson’s immediate family have attended or are currently attending the Naval Academy. Her mother graduated in the Class of 1989, serving as a Five Striper on Brigade Staff as Brigade XO (second in command of the brigade). Johnson’s sister, Kylie, is a current sophomore at the academy and third class midshipman. Her father served as a commissioned officer in the Navy and graduated from the Officer Candidate School.

Courtesy Shannon Johnson

Hitting the mark: Shannon Johnson teaches plebe students at the Navel Academy to shoot. Johnson was named the 4th Battalion Commander, only one of two 2017 midshipmen to receive the honor.

Johnson credits her family members’ involvement in the Naval Academy with making her experience there so enjoyable.

“I can’t describe enough how much I look up to my mom,” Johnson said. “She is such a hardworking individual.

She has been such a mentor to me throughout my time here.”

“The people I have met here will stick with me forever.”

-Shannon Johnson

Johnson has served in other leadership roles in addition to commanding the 4th Battalion, with her first major one being the Navy Spirit Commander. In this role, which she still maintains, she is responsible for the Navy Cheerleading, Navy Dance and Navy “Bill the Goat Mascot” Teams. She has been a member of the varsity cheerleading team for all of her years at the Naval Academy.

As a Conestoga graduate, Johnson believes that her experiences at Conestoga have helped

to prepare her for the responsibilities at the Naval Academy.

“Since I was able to be so successful my freshman year, which I 100 percent attribute to the high academic standard I was held to at Conestoga, I was actually able to become an Honors Systems Engineering Major,” Johnson said. “I also feel that my experiences on the Conestoga soccer team as well as in the music program prepared me for the Naval Academy.”

Students at the Naval Academy have many responsibilities, military and otherwise. Students must maintain, at minimum, a 15 credit hour course load. Physical requirements are also a central feature of the regime attendees undergo, as they must pass a physical readiness test and all mandatory physical education classes.

“The Naval Academy is often referred to as a ‘great place to be from’ but not always a ‘great place to be,’” Johnson said. “That is because the Naval Academy is extremely difficult on a day to day basis.”

Casey Johnson, Johnson’s mother, is very proud of the accomplishments that she has made during her time at the Naval Academy.

“I think that one of the things that I am the most proud of is the fact that (Shannon) has made the decision to serve her country,” Casey Johnson said.

“After you graduate from the Naval Academy, you serve for five years. She will be a Marine officer when she graduates, so I’m extremely proud of the fact

that she has chosen that path to serve and I think it is a wonderful civic duty. So I am very proud of her for that.”

Lieutenant Kelsey Cellon, a 16th Company Officer at the Naval Academy, believes that Johnson is excelling in her new position.

“As a leader, one must have discipline, ownership, poise, charisma and integrity,” Cellon said. “Shannon has all of these qualities in spades. She inspects what she expects, and maintains the same standards for herself.”

After graduating from the Naval Academy, Johnson will commission as a Second Lieutenant into the United States Marine Corps (USMC). After attending The Basic School in Quantico, Va. for six months, she will directly lead enlisted members of the Marine Corps.

“My main goal is to lead (members of the Marine Corps) effectively and develop them into war fighters the American people would be proud of,” Johnson said.

Johnson strives to continue upholding five values that the Naval Academy has ingrained in her: hard work, compassion, spirituality, loyalty and love.

She says that she has met the most amazing people throughout her time at the academy who have really helped to cultivate her positive stay there.

“We all push each other to be better and learn how to give each other feedback and how to better each other,” Johnson said. “The Naval Academy and the people I have met here will stick with me forever.”

Monday, March 20, 2017

News

Back to tradition: CAPCO revives for junior prom

By Jordan Liu and Lauren Gow Web Editor and Staff Reporter

After 18 years of the Junior Prom After Party and the first ever cancellation in 2016, parents from the ’Stoga community hope to bring back a post-prom tradition.

The Conestoga After Prom Celebration Organization (CAPCO), a group of parents and community members, hopes to persuade juniors into coming to the newly revamped After Prom Party, which welcomes all members of the junior class regardless of prom attendance. CAPCO has always strived for a safe, alcohol-free party, but

canceled the 2016 party due to lackluster attendance in recent years. From 2011 to 2014, party attendance declined from 368 to 105, a problem considering the hefty price tag in the tens of thousands.

Community and Volunteer Services Coordinator Jeanne Braun, who worked with CAPCO in organizing the after party for the past three years, looks forward to reviving the tradition with more support from the junior class parents.

“It’s so cool to see the kids relaxed, having fun,” Braun said. “It’s a nice opportunity to be all together as a class at an enormous party.” ’Stoga Class of 2003 alumnus Jason Handman, who attended the “World Tour” themed party in 2002, thinks the party is a good way to connect with the entire class.

“What was great about CAPCO was that, since everyone went, all of your friends and even people you aren’t super close with are all in the same place,” Handman said.

For the 2017 junior prom, junior parents decided to invest in additional attractions to reconnect with students. The Conestoga gyms will be turned into a nightclub and lounge, where students can play games and participate in Silent Discos, with the music of their choice being broadcasted to headphones instead of being blasted on speakers. Along with the nightclub atmosphere, this year’s CAPCO committee plans on including inflatable games, food from Chipotle and couches — at no cost to the students.

“It’s an easy, fun place to go, and many kids from two years ago said

they had more fun at the after party than at prom,” CAPCO Chair Raquel Hunter said. “I just want to see a bunch of kids there that are enjoying themselves.”

Junior Hadley Webster, who plans on attending junior prom, believes the CAPCO after party has limited appeal for students who prefer less adult supervision.

“For people who don’t have any solid plans for after prom, it’s a good option,” Webster said. “However, I think many people aren’t thrilled with the idea of lights on and would rather go to a friend’s house if they can.”

Senior Sam Borislow, who attended junior prom in 2016, believes that last year’s CAPCO cancellation hurt students who planned on going.

“CAPCO is easier to go to, and is open to anyone who went to junior prom,” Borislow said. “With it being canceled, I think a lot of the kids who would usually go because they lack the transportation and/or social relationships must’ve missed out on the fun of an after party.”

However, with this year’s CAPCO revival, Borislow thinks that the after party attendance will dwindle as seen in previous years, but will still provide a good experience for those who plan on going.

“Most people want to hang out with their friends doing their own thing, not in a crowded area with loud music,” Borislow said. “ For the people who don’t have those connections, I think CAPCO will make for a good opportunity for social interaction.”

Marko Djurdjevic/The SPOKE

Local chefs show chops on ‘Beat Bobby Flay’

By Maddie Lamonica Staff Reporter

Courtesy Patrick Feury

Serving up the competition: Nectar chef Patrick Feury puts the finishing touches on a signature dish in at the 2015 Mid-Atlantic Food and Wine Festival. Patrick Feury‘s interest in food began at age 14.

On an ordinary day, Patrick Fuery prepares edamame dumplings and spicy salmon rolls at the Nectar restaurant in Berwyn. However, on Jan. 19, he and his brother, Terence Fuery, cooked up some sibling rivalry on the Food Network’s hit show “Beat Bobby Flay.”

“Even though ‘Beat Bobby Flay’ was not my first appearance on television, it was definitely one of the most memorable, especially since I got to experience it with my brother,” Patrick Feury said.

Patrick and Terence Feury grew up in Middletown, N.J. Both brothers helped to raise sheep and chickens with their parents and were exposed to farm life. Throughout middle and high school, Terence Feury worked in several restaurants washing dishes. At age 14, Patrick Feury began working at the Valencia Pork Store, a local Italian butcher shop.

“I was always exposed to great cooking while growing up. My mom was born in England and she taught me how to make several traditional English dishes. But once I started working, my love for cooking really grew,” Patrick Feury said.

Both brothers enrolled in the Academy of Culinary Arts in Mays Landing, N.J. After graduating, Patrick Feury worked as a chef in New York City for 12 years.

In 2004, he co-founded Nectar, a French-infused Asian restaurant located in Berwyn, where he is currently the head chef. Nectar was named one of the “Top 50 Restaurants in Philadelphia” by Philadelphia Magazine in 2012 and “Best Asian Fusion Restaurant” by Country Lines Magazine in 2015, among other accolades.

Terence Feury also worked in New York City and Fork Bistro in Philadelphia. He is now the executive chef at the 41 North Hotel Marina Resort in Newport, R.I. The Feury brothers were first asked to appear on “Beat Bobby Flay” together last April.

“We were approached by a producer who said they were looking for sibling cooks and we knew, having seen the show before, that it would be a lot of fun,” Patrick Feury said.

“Beat Bobby Flay” consists of two rounds. In the first, two contestants must use one surprise ingredient in their dishes.

The winner gets to choose which dish they want to prepare in the

second round when they go up against the host, Bobby Flay. After 45 minutes a panel of judges do a blind taste test to decide which dish is the winner.

During the first round, the brothers created a dish using sun chokes, the root of the sunflower plant. Patrick Feury made sunchoke soup with a Vietnamese salad while Terence Feury used roasted prawns in conjunction with a sunchoke velouté.

“I wanted to win and was very nervous – my brother is a great chef and the dish he made was fantastic,” Terence Feury said.

The judges voted for Terence Feury to advance to the second round, where he cooked a surf and turf dish composed of lobster claws and steak. Unfortunately, he did not “Beat Bobby Flay.”

“It’s very different than my restaurant where I am in control, in the show everything was out of my hands,” Terence Feury said.

They enjoy competing because they bring out the best in each other.

“My brother and I always push each other to do better and better things within the cooking industry,” Patrick Feury said. “Without him, I wouldn’t be the same chef I am today.”

The Spoke 3

Monday, March 20, 2017

News

TESD confronts state and federal food regulations

By Avery Maslowsky Business Manager The lobby, though usually subdued during the school day, lit up with excitement and color during the annual Conestoga Unity Week held from Feb. 13-17. Groups of students flooded the area during their free periods to share the celebration of different world cultures, playing with a diabolo, a Chinese yoyo, or lining up to purchase culturally-themed food.

Some students, however, ended up leaving disappointed.

As food was told to be put away during designated lunch periods, students and unity club members were shocked and confused by the lunchtime cutoff of food sales.

According to Conestoga administration, food sales during lunch periods have never been allowed but class of 2016 alumnus and former Asian-American Culture Society president Mark Dong stated that profits were made during lunch periods in 2016 regardless of the regulations in place at the time.

“We’re using the money we earned to donate to a good cause, and if they can’t sacrifice one week a month to allow the students to do this for their own club, then I don’t think it’s very fair,” said Asian-American Culture Society vice president Lily Zhou.

The policy enforced by Conestoga administration for Unity Week and fundraising in general extends beyond the Tredyffrin-Easttown School District (TESD). The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Smart Snack Standard bans fundraisers in which foods not in compliance with federal health regulations are sold during school at a location other than the cafeteria.

On April 21, 2016, the TESD School Board, during its triannual review, discussed and clarified TESD Policy 5402, which prohibits club food sales during lunch time as a result of the Smart Snack Standard that went into effect in the 2014-2015 school year.

“Since (school fundraising) was something that folks had mentioned in their displeasure, we took a look and realized that we had to be in compliance with these national programs to ensure that we would then be eligible for reimbursement (from the federal programs),” board member Virginia Lastner said.

In addition, Policy 8120 states that the food and nutrition services program has to comply with all applicable state and federal laws and regulations, including

4 The Spoke

federal guidelines established by the Child Nutrition Division of the USDA. Policy 8120 was revised by the TESD School Board for the first time in over 10 years on June 13, 2016 in accordance with the updated changes of the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs.

According to TESD Food and Nutrition Services Supervisor David Preston, when creating the 2017 menu for the elementary, middle and high schools, he must balance student preferences with laws and regulations that are set on the state and national level.

“We have to make sure the menu meets the federal guidelines, which got very challenging around 2012,” Preston said. Additionally, “Students feel comfortable going to Chef Jimmy, and he calls me and says, ‘Hey, can we try this?’ A lot of our items come from suggestions from the students, actually.”

But regardless of student preferences, across the district, state and national nutritional guidelines supported by the TESD School Board take precedence when creating menus and meals.

“We had to be in compliance with these national programs.”

-Virginia Lastner

In January 2012, the USDA introduced a timeline of nutritional standards for the national school lunch and school breakfast programs. The timeline began in 2012 and continues until 2023. It requires school cafeterias to have certain quantities of fruits, vegetables, grains and proteins present in each week’s menu, setting maximum limits for calories and sodium, standards schools must acheive by a predetermined date. The timeline is the basic foundation for all of the policies created by federal guidelines and enforced by the TESD School Board.

Justin Huang/The SPOKE

Dishing out culture: Vice President Lily Zhou of the Asian-American Culture Society serves students food shortly before she was forced to pause the sale. Changes to TESD policy restricted selling food during lunches.

The USDA has also established a parallel set of regulations for snack foods sold on school grounds. The Smart Snack guidelines required all foods and beverages sold separately from school meals to meet new nutrition standards by July 1, 2014. As a result, clubs no longer had the option of selling foods such as fried chicken or fried dumplings during school lunches.

But regardless, members of the Asian American Culture-Society noted the high volume of lunch sales in 2016’s Unity Week, which contributed to this year’s disappointment. Acknowledging students’ discontentment over the Unity Week situation, Lastner reassured concerned community members that the school board’s positioning on the revision of Policies 5402 and 8120 in the spring of 2016.

“It was a matter of having to get back into conformity, rather than changing a point of view,” Lastner said.

Despite the changes, some students felt that the Unity Week cutoff did not negatively affect the school. Senior Jameswell Zhang believes that the district cafeterias, even at the elementary and middle school level, produce delicious foods every day and are convenient for students who do not have the time to pack their lunches.

“There’s a lot of different options for food, (including) a decent amount of healthier food options as opposed to just pizzas and fries and all that,” Zhang said.

Preston assures that vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free students and staff can find and enjoy meals made in the cafeteria despite the school board policies constricting what it can serve.

The cafeteria staff can make accommodations according to student allergies and dietary choices.

“It’s not a vegan restaurant, so it doesn’t have the (variety) that maybe a specialized facility would have,” Preston said. “If we have a student that’s celiac and we’re made aware of it, we can accommodate them with gluten-free buns and gluten-free breads. But they have to bring it to our attention and have a doctor’s note.”

Vegan senior Kenya Carpenter enjoys the cafeteria on a regular basis and believes the regulations enforced by the board in compliance with state and national level satisfy different dietary needs accordingly.

“As far as the food in the cafeteria goes, I think that they do a

pretty good job. There’s a salad bar during lunch, and I can always make my own sandwich — obviously without cheese or meat. There are plenty of chips, fruits and veggies that are readily available, and I do appreciate that,” Carpenter said.

Meal Prices The USDA timeline, however, is not the only National Lunch and Breakfast Program guideline the School Board upholds in the TESD kitchens and cafeterias. In compliance with the updated National School Lunch Guidelines, the ala carte food items sold at Conestoga are priced at retail level so that the meal packages are always the better buy. While the daily meal, which includes an entree, a fruit or vegetable and an eight ounce milk, is priced at $3.25, ala carte entrees such as the salad bar, the deli bar or the chicken filet start at around $4.00.

Continued on Page 5

10% OFF w/ C on Stud estoga ent I D

Monday, March 20, 2017 Continued from Page 4 “The meal prices are in the control of the board. One of the things we run into—it’s part of the National School Lunch Program guidelines—is that the meal—the bread, protein, fruit, vegetable, milk—has to be the best buy,” Preston said.

The school board determines prices based on the status of the food service fund, which is by law separate from the TESD general funds. But these prices have mostly not changed due to the district cafeterias’ �inancial surplus in recent years.

“At that time (Preston comes in), if commodity prices have swung in a material way, higher or lower, he updates the board at large. If there’s any adjustment needed in the incremental prices of the meal, he advises at that time,” Lastner said.

And due to this surplus, the school board has approved of renovating district cafeterias.

All cafeterias have recently been updated, except T/E Middle School which is to be completed in the summer of 2017.

“Sometimes there’s been years when we have a pretty good surplus, and people go, ‘You should lower prices.’ Well, we have equipment replacements needs here, here and there,” Preston said.

Health Violations On Oct. 25, 2016 Conestoga High School had nine health violations, with six from mechanical issues. The others resulted from a staff member observed eating in the service line, food preparation protection and frequency of cleaning nonfood-contact surfaces. The six mechanical problems came from one machine and were �ixed within a short amount of time. Preston considers the staff’s inadequate observations of food safety measures to be the larger problem.

“One of the servers, who’s no longer here, was eating on the serving line, which is a giant nono,” Preston said. “I met with all the staff that day and told them there’ll be zero tolerance going forward.”

No comment was made on whether the employee left or was �ired.

Lastner acknowledges that national regulations are constantly changing and machines cannot keep up with the thousands of students served every day. However, both Lastner and Preston guarantee that the district cafeterias are doing their best.

Changes for 2017-2018 In the 2017-2018 school year, new sodium level requirements will come into effect; all cafeterias across the nation will have to have successfully reduced

News

Justin Huang/The SPOKE

the amount of sodium served on the weekly lunch menu by 35 percent and on the weekly breakfast menu by 15 percent from the 2012 limit. An online calorie calculator will be opened to the TESD community come September, which is provided by federal programs administered at the State level.

“Next year, every single item will have full nutritionals available on the website. You can look

up calories, fat, sodium, carbs (and allergens),” Preston said.

Preston plans to increase the number of full meal purchases by students by changing the layout of the register area.

According to Preston, in the elementary and middle schools, students are more likely to buy a full meal when there are bagged fruits and vegetables at the checkout.

Next year, he plans to place these bagged snacks next to the register

in the Conestoga cafeteria with the school board’s approval.

Despite the nutritional deparment’s successfully planned 2017-2018 year, the Food and Nutrition guidelines for schools are constantly changing.

“It’s like moving a battleship— it doesn’t happen quickly. We want to make it the best program— there’s a lot of time, money and personal effort that’s been put into what matters,” Lastner said.

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The Spoke 5

Monday, March 20, 2017

News

Meyers feels that “people should stop being so obnoxious with it, like doing it in class and in front of the teachers.”

By Betty Ben Dor Managing Editor Design by Adam Lockett Continued from Page 1 ’Stoga vape on the rise According to senior vaper Jack Genovese, the vaping trend is “really growing; it’s ridiculous. So many people have vapes.”

In fact, The Spoke’s recent survey of a random sample of roughly 10 percent of Conestoga students found that 29 percent of students report having vaped, while eight percent claimed that they have done so on school grounds.

“You could walk into the bathroom (in the) middle of the day and you’d see someone vaping,” Fuller said.

Fuller said that for him, vaping is “just something to do when you’re bored, and it’s fun to meet up with your friends and just ‘shoot the bull’ and just mess around.”

Sophomore Christian Nelson*, who was also suspended in relation to the Feb. 23 vaping-related school evacuation, said that he has vaped at school because he enjoys being able to “just walk out and go back to class.”

On the other hand, Genovese never brings his vape to school and said that students need to realize that “you’re going to get into trouble if you vape (at Conestoga).”

While she thinks that some of the students vaping at school do it because of their nicotine addictions, senior Christina

“It’s really your preference and you shouldn’t be looked down upon if you decide to vape.”

-Jack Genovese Boyle said that while there have been reports of students allegedly vaping in other parts of the building, he maintains that there have been no reports from teachers about vaping in classrooms.

However, seniors Mario Cardenuto, Sebastian Urrunaga, Caroline Brophy, Emily Luce, Christian Godfrey and Vail Finn, as well as juniors Kate Bailer, Christian Peshek, Emily Callis, Ben Dawson and Tim Wu and sophomore Sophia Mazza con�irmed that they

have witnessed students vaping in their classes. Brophy and Urrunaga said that the students they saw vaping would inhale from their vapes and then exhale the vapor into their sleeves so as to hide it from the teachers.

Meyers attributes the prevalence of these types of devices in school to their increased accessibility.

“I feel like a lot of people used to (vape) outside of school and then when the Juul became really popular, people started using it inside school, and now it’s just kind of spread,” Meyers said.

The Juul is an e-cigarette similar to a vaporizer, with a �ive percent nicotine concentration, and is considered to deliver a stronger effect than vaping. Costing roughly $50, the Juul comes with four �lavored pods that contain 0.7 milliliters of juice and a magnetic USB charging port. It is roughly the size of a �lash drive, and is much smaller than a vaporizer. Vape juices contain less nicotine, with anywhere from zero to 36 milligrams of nicotine per milliliter.

First introduced in June 2015, the Juul has recently risen to popularity alongside vaporizers, offering an experience more like smoking than other e-cigarettes, in regards to shape and effect.

“A lot of people have Juuls and things like that,” Nelson said.

“It’s been going around a lot more recently.”

Meyers noted that vaping has become more popular due to both its accessibility and its collective nature that has allowed people to make friends they normally wouldn’t.

Vaping is “kind of like a cultural thing so it’s something you can relate to with

What’s the Buzz

1.) Have you ever vaped?

I HAVE VAPED: 29% I HAVE NOT VAPED: 81%

[ALL]

6 The Spoke

I HAVE VAPED: 13% I HAVE NOT VAPED: 87%

I HAVE VAPED: 39% I HAVE NOT VAPED: 61% I HAVE VAPED: 41% I HAVE NOT VAPED: 59% I HAVE VAPED: 45% I HAVE NOT VAPED: 55%

Courtesy Jack Genovese

Jack of all vapes: Senior Jack Genovese’s display of vapes resides on his night stand. He taught himself vape tricks. everyone,” Meyers said.

In fact, of the survey respondents who said they have vaped, 92 percent said that they prefer to vape with friends.

Genovese said that he �irst started vaping when hanging out with an older friend group. He uses vape juices without nicotine.

“I just like doing tricks,” Genovese said. “I have a couple of buddies from school that come over

and we’ll vape and do tricks.”

He said that much of the stigma surrounding vaping is caused by the fact that people tend to have negative associations of the image of smoke coming out of someone’s mouth.

“It’s really your preference and you shouldn’t be looked down upon if you decide to vape,” Genovese said.

Continued on Page 7

The Spoke surveyed 252 Conestoga students (3 homerooms from each grade) asking about their vaping habits, what they have vaped, if they have ever vaped during school and the reason for doing so.

Monday, March 20, 2017

News

"fun"

"It’s cool"

"With friends...it’s fun"

"Not often, only my friends have one"

"Catch the nice buzz"

72% 13% 7% 8%

"Because it didn't seem like there was any harm to be done"

"Because it numbs the pain"

"Social occasions for fun" "I only did it once, I just wanted to try it"

"Because it feels good"

"By choice"

"Buzz, tastes good" "Why not"

3.) Have you ever vaped on Conestoga school grounds?

YES: 8% NO: 92%

"When I get extremely, extremely bored"

"I don't have a vape, so if I'm with someone who does"

"It's fun and tastes good" “It's fun and I love me some clouds”

"Just to try it “Why " not”

"B/c I can" "I'm cool"

NEVER: PAST WEEK: PAST MONTH: PAST YEAR:

"To boss up""Because it’s dank"

“For fun”

What’s the Buzz

2.) When was the last time you vaped?

"Recreation"

-Christina Meyers

5.) Why do you vape?

"Idk"

“I don’t think kids are ever going to stop (vaping).”

address incidents such as these, she does not think that using cameras is the best way to go.

“I feel like if they �ind (vaping happening) they need to do something about it, but I feel like the whole security camera use is completely a violation of our privacy,” Meyers said.

Fuller and Nelson felt that their disciplinary treatment was very unfair, saying that the administration practically “crafted a story” for them.

“As soon as we walked in, (the administration) pretty much told us what we were guilty of; they didn’t even give us a chance to explain,” Fuller said.

Although Fuller and Nelson admitted that they were involved, they felt singled-out and unable to share the whole story.

Boyle, however, said that students are always given a chance to express their side of the con�lict through submitting written statements about the situation. Fuller and Nelson con�irmed that they did submit statements.

Looking forward, Meisinger said that the administration is in the process of visiting homerooms in order to address the growing issue of vaping. She will also address the popularity of vaping at the class parent meetings.

“I just hope that students look at the discipline too and is it really worth vaping in the building to be suspended and if you set off the �ire alarm because you’re vaping, it’s another set of consequences on to that,” Boyle said. “I just don’t want to see students hurt themselves.”

Meyers, however, believes that students will not be deterred.

“I don’t think kids are ever going to stop (vaping),” Meyers said.

"I like the clouds"

for such incidents could result in �ines under the Tredyffrin and Easttown Townships’ false alarm Under recent federal regu- ordinances, starting at $200 after lations, minors are prohibited a �irst time warning. from purchasing vaporizers.

However there is no minimum age requirement to vape, making it legal for minors.

According to the Conestoga Code of Conduct, “Tampering with, setting or discharging falsely a �ire alarm, panic button, �ire extinguisher, or de�ibrillator device will result in the assignment of �ive days of external suspension, a parent conference and referral to police authorities.”

Tredyffrin Police Detective Sergeant Todd Bereda con�irmed that the police did come out for a �ire-alarm response to Conestoga on Feb. 23.

Principal Dr. Amy Meisinger said that the punishment for these types of incidents is assessed on a case-by-case basis.

“Well, I will say that when I started here, we didn’t hear Meisinger said that the stuabout vaping at all so it’s been in the past couple of years that dents responsible for triggering we’ve started to hear about it the �ire alarm were caught using and started to see incidents at an array of investigative methschool,” Meisinger said. “It’s de�i- ods, including looking at cameras nitely something that we see stu- outside the bathrooms and interdents experimenting with and viewing students and teachers hence, something we have to ad- who were in the area.

In order to catch the students, dress as an inappropriate behav“we use a number of things,” ior on school grounds.”

Eamon Brazunas, Fire Chief of Meisinger said. “We investigate it the Berwyn Fire Company, said to the greatest extent that we are that the Feb. 2 incident seemed able to do so.”

After the �ire alarm went off more like a “malfunction in the (alarm) system” whereas the and he sprinted away from the Feb. 23 alarm set-off was in fact bathroom, Nelson said that he attempted to cover up his face from vaping-related.

He said that depending on the camera.

While Meyers believes that how many false alarms Conestoga has had so far, the penalty the administration does need to

"Someone gives it to me"

Continued from Page 6

Disciplinary Response

"It is fun"

4.) With whom do you prefer to vape?

WITH FRIENDS: 92% ALONE: 4% BOTH: 4%

The Spoke 7

Monday, March 20, 2017

STUDENT LIFE Helping hands: Student aides assist teachers

By Justin Huang Web Editor During the school day, students are well-acquainted with the regular cycle of classes.

They walk in, sit in their seats, listen to the teacher’s lecture and then leave for the next class.

However, among the crowd is a group of students who are dedicated to helping the teachers and understanding how much preparation goes into their lessons.

Student aides are the behind-the-scenes workers who help teachers with their preparation either before or during the class. Each student aide specializes in a certain department or even a certain class, assisting their designated teacher with whatever they need done.

Starting this year, senior Lexi Dechiaro decided to become a lab aide for chemistry teacher Derrick Wood because of her interest in the subject and her desire to help.

“I heard of kids (being student aides) in the past, and I really wanted to do it last year but I couldn’t because I had no free time. This year, as a senior, I thought, ‘Well, I’m really interested in chemistry and I love helping out the teachers,’ so I thought I’d pick it up and start it,” Dechiario said.

To her, being a lab aide is an enjoyable experience because of how much interaction she has with Wood and how much she can help his classes.

“It’s a lot of fun. I definitely got to know Mr. Wood much better than I had in the past, and you get to set up labs and help out around a classroom.

It’s a different experience from a regular class setting,” Dechiario said.

Sophomore Sarah Clarke began working as an aide to Wood around the same time as Dechiario and the two often collaborate. As a lab aide, Clarke has responsibilities that she must cover everyday, including making solutions and cleaning the lab area, but sometimes she helps test experiments.

“We’ve experimented with dry ice and sometimes we make sparklers and elephant toothpaste. It’s really fun.” Clarke said.

Clarke believes that her experience in the lab also enables her to better contribute during class time.

Being a student aide “has helped me. When kids need help during the labs, it’s helped me figure things out. I know all the equipment, obviously, and I can help them with the solutions and naming things, just because I have another period working with chemistry,” Clarke said.

Wood is grateful for his aides’ assistance with lab preparation and hopes that other students know about these opportunities.

“There definitely should be students that realize that those types of opportunities exist, not just in chemistry but also in other domains,” Wood said.

Despite that, “It’s not made for every single student. You really

Justin Huang/The SPOKE

Mad scientist: Sophomore Sarah Clarke holds up a beaker from one of her experiments. Being a teacher’s aid has allowed her to explore her interest in chemistry

8 The Spoke

Justin Huang/The SPOKE

Baker’s dozen: Senior Anna Helminska helps prepare a dish during a cooking class. She enjoys baking and cooking and often helps with freshmen classes. have to be individually motivated and honestly, in chemistry, quite capable of working with the types of materials that we do under supervision.”

Some students have decided to work in elective classes to provide them ways to explore their interests. Senior Anna Helminska is the aide for Family Consumer Sciences, working side-by-side with Dr. Mary Kaye Rhude-Faust for three years.

Helminska decided to become a student aide because of her passion for baking and cooking.

“I always liked to cook. Baking’s more my specialty—in freshman year, I loved the classes I took. I already knew the (way class worked) by freshman year, so it was a really easy and fun class to (help out with),” Helminska said.

While she’s on duty, Helminska’s responsibilities include setting up lab for the next class and performing whichever tasks Dr. Rhude-Faust assigns. Usually, she works with freshman classes and enjoys assisting them.

“I like helping freshmen. I remember when I was a freshman and I was kind of vulnerable.

I help them work around the kitchen if they’re having trouble finding materials and tools. Also, I help them cook and help them bake,” Helminska said.

After working with Dr. RhudeFaust for so long, Helminska has

noticed a special connection between them.

“We can just look at each other and I know what she needs and where I can find it without communicating. We got a system down. That’s why she likes working with me because I know where everything is,” Helminska said.

Although bonds can develop between teacher and aide, there are also equally strong bonds between the aide and the students. Junior Ryan Bailey, who works as the ceramics student aide and comes in three periods per day, can attest to that.

“I’m friends with a lot of the guys and the girls. We’re able to joke around and mess

around. When I’m not necessarily working as much, I’m helping them or talking to them,” Bailey said. “They call me funny nicknames and mess with me—it’s just built a lot of good bonds and a lot of friendships that I wouldn’t have had if I didn’t put myself in this position.”

To anybody who thinks that they might want to become a student aide, Bailey strongly encourages them to reach out to their teachers and try to help out.

“It’s fulfilling and it teaches you how to work hard and help other people. Do things for others instead of yourself,” Bailey said.

Justin Huang/The SPOKE

One with the pots: Junior Ryan Bailey stands in front of some of the pieces in the pottery storage room. He appreciates the familiar atmosphere that comes with being a student aide.

Student Life

Monday, March 20, 2017

Flowering tunes: Spring music blossoms

By Matt Paolizzi Co-Student Life Editor

As we begin to see the winter months give way to spring, 2017 begins to come into its own. One thing we can anticipate for the rest of the year is exciting music that’s scheduled to drop from acclaimed and talented artists.

Here’s a quick preview of what two of indie rock’s biggest and brightest have been cooking up.

Father John Misty: “Pure Comedy” I don’t know about you, but I need some cynicism in my life. I find that you grow too complacent without a little pessimism and critical outlooks, too used to how things are. Cynic extraordinaire Josh Tillman can give you just that.

After leaving the legendary folk band Fleet Foxes, Tillman rebranded himself from edgy folk singer J. Tillman into indie rock firebrand Father John Misty.

His 2012 debut under that moniker, “Fear Fun,” gave us a promising look at an up-and-comer.

Sub Pop

Tillman’s weaving poetic lyrics and phenomenal sense for instrumentation gave listeners someone to look out for. But it was his most recent release, 2015’s “I Love You Honeybear,” that really put him on the map. It had classic songs, like the brutal and catchy tongue in cheek “The Night Josh Tillman Came To Our Apartment,” and the scathing,

politically flamethrowing duo of “Bored in the USA” and “Holy S***” With all those great tracks, Tillman put together one of the best records of the past couple years. I’m still bumping that album to this day.

“Pure Comedy,” based on the three singles that have been released so far, seems to be giving

Captured Tracks

us more of the same, albeit on a grander scale.

The lyrics range from cheery musings on eventual death on “Ballad of the Dying Man” to complete societal roasting on the previously reference title track. I’d love for him to explore a bit more with his sound, hopefully he delivers when the record comes out on April 7.

Mac DeMarco: “This Old Dog” You can’t hate Mac DeMarco.

Everyone I’ve ever introduced his music to ends up bobbing their heads, drowning themselves in his trademark guitar sound. The dude even revealed his address at the tail end of his last record, inviting his fans to stop by, say hi and have a cup of coffee. What’s there to hate?

DeMarco has been straying away from the slacker rock style he perfected on 2012’s “2” and 2014’s “Salad Days,” embracing a jangle pop synth based sound on the excellent “Another One” that came out back in 2015.

The two singles now out represent two different but equally entertaining ends of DeMarco’s range. “My Old Man” continues to build on the synth style introduced on “Another One,” placing more emphasis on the acoustic guitar with an occasional synth line, all balanced by a repeating drum machine. The title track harkens back to his older and simpler style. Look for more of the same fare when “This Old Dog” comes out on May 5.

The Spoke 9

Student Life

Monday, March 20, 2017

Senior makes his mark on fashion world

By Claire Guo and Audrey Kim Staff Reporters

In the large courtyard’s side alley, standing next to the Manifest mural, three Conestoga students stand, wearing brand t-shirts with Commonwealth’s logo. A friend snaps a picture, then uploads it on Instagram to promote Commonwealth, a fashion brand co-founded and co-owned by senior Evan Kwan from Conestoga and junior Madisen Riopel from Harriton High School.

“I’m an entrepreneur,” Kwan said. “I love to do business, I love to talk to people. And then I saw these expensive (clothing) brands, thinking ‘I can’t afford these.’ $100 for a t-shirt? No way. I wanted to make (a fashion line) affordable and appealing to people.”

At the end of summer in 2016, Kwan and Riopel created Commonwealth, which focuses on affordable and quality clothing, as well as the involvement of its customers in the design process. They distribute hoodies and t-shirts with sleek, modern designs, often using icons and celebrities on their clothing.

“I was wearing one of my t-shirts with (rapper) Lil Yachty on it, and my friend asked me if she could get one.

She had always wanted one, but graphic t-shirts are so expensive,” Kwan said. “Just having her appreciate it to that level makes me feel good. Like, wow, my hard work is really paying off.’”

Kwan first started the business his sophomore year with two friends from church. However, he soon after focused on building his own iPhone-fixing business. When the business failed to make profits, he returned to Commonwealth, getting Riopel on board last summer.

“When I started an iPhone-fixing company, I ended up losing money,” Kwan said.

“But it was a great learning experience, and when I started Commonwealth, I knew that I couldn’t do it alone. With Madisen, I don’t need to second guess myself.”

Riopel not only co-owns Commonwealth — she is also the head of design. Using Photoshop on her laptop, she aims to produce six designs every week for the business.

“A lot of people come up to me and ask if I could make a

design with the Simpsons or (some other icon) on a t-shirt,” Riopel said. “We really hope to incorporate our clients’ interests in Commonwealth.”

Unlike other businesses, Commonwealth lets customers choose the designs put out by offering surveys on social media. Once designs are chosen, Kwan and Riopel produce the t-shirts and hoodies themselves using their own printer.

“We try as hard as possible to represent our generation, as millennials,” Kwan said.

In only six months, Commonwealth has grown rapidly.

Originally securing about 15 orders a month, they now see 100 to 300 orders a month. According to Kwan, the success of the fashion line has largely been due to Conestoga students and word-of-mouth.

“Conestoga has been the biggest impact on the growth of this company, and it’s only fair to attribute that to this school,” Kwan said. “’Stoga students are great. They’re always proud to show what they’re wearing, and it’s always rewarding to see our designs on friends and people I know.”

Since Kwan will leave the state after graduation next

Claire Guo/The SPOKE

Project Stoga-way: Senior Evan Kwan displays one of his Commonwealth sweatshirts. The company has grown rapidly in six months, from 15 orders a month to between 100 to 300.

“I want our customers to year, he is unsure of the company’s future direction. How- be proud of our brand,” Kwan ever, he is sure that Common- said. “Sometimes, when I wear wealth will maintain certain certain big-shot brands, I think values. No matter where Com- it might be made in a sweatmonwealth goes, the manu- shop in a third-world country. facturing will stay in America, I don’t want our customers to the clothing will stay well- feel (that way). I want them to crafted and the company will feel proud of the brand and the remain managed by Riopel time and energy we spend to make our clothing.” and himself.

DECA gets down to business in state competition

By Sanjana Sanghani Staff Reporter

Fifteen students from the Conestoga High School chapter of the Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) recently competed in DECA’s annual state-level competition on Feb. 22-24 in Hershey Lodge, Pa. Of the group of 15, five qualified for nationals — among them, the team of seniors Jonathan Xu and Cahlin Pragada for the Travel and Tourism event, juniors Evan Zhou and Arjun Rao for Sports and Entertainment and sophomore Suma Moolaveesala for Apparel and Accessories.

“We were apprehensive at first because we didn’t think that we had won, since we only had gotten an award for the testing event but not the role play,” Xu said. “When they announced our name for first place we were really happy and excited.”

In DECA, students compete in five main categories of business competitions—including

10 The Spoke

Courtesy Katie Buckley

Wolves of Wall Street: The DECA team comes together for a picture after during their time at the DECA state level competition. Five of the 15 competitors ended up qualifying for nationals. business management and In each event, students they must perform a role play. administration, entrepre- participate in a testing event Students took a 100 question neurship, marketing, finance and a role play — or a one- 60-minute test in their reand hospitality and tourism. on-one interview with a qual- spective testing events.

Within these categories stu- ified judge.

“The students must play dents were able to particiDuring the first day of the the role of a CEO of a company pate in a specific competitive competition, wearing their or a person’s manager and event—individually or with a business attire, students take have to solve the situation partner. a test, while on the second day, and present it to the judge,”

DECA adviser Katie Buckley said.

In Moolaveesala’s role play, she “pretended to be someone who markets apparel and accessories” and had “10 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to present to a judge.”

Students prepared November for the state competition, according to Moolaveesala. Moolaveesala prepared by “watching a lot of Youtube videos.”

“I would look up about 15 practice exams and it was a lot of independent preparation,” Moolaveesala said.

According to Xu, the state competition test was “difficult,” but the “role plays went well.”

Buckley added that she “was proud” of Conestoga’s performance at states.

“I think (Conestoga) is definitely at a disadvantage since DECA is a class in other schools while a club in ours,” Buckley said. “These students put in a lot of effort, and I was very impressed how they were able to qualify for nationals.”

Monday, March 20, 2017

Student Life

Teacher Feature: Mike Cangi

Gym teacher Mike Cangi looks back on his time teaching at Conestoga, his plans for retirement and his wine-making hobby.

What was your childhood do home projects, remodeling

By Madison Red like? and repair work.

Staff Reporter I grew up in Delaware County in Upper Darby. I was the middle child of �ive and I grew up in a neighborhood that was very close knit. There were always kids around that wanted to play. Everything that went on in my life centered around the local playground.

We didn’t have social media, so to get together (we) went (there). That’s where everybody was and there was always a game going on.

How long have you been teaching at Conestoga?

Since 1998. That was halfway into my career. I spent 13 or 14 years in Lancaster County teaching �irst.

What inspired you to become a teacher?

The biggest thing that inspired me was that I loved being around kids and athletics. I wanted to be involved in teaching and coaching and the best avenue to (do that) was by being a phys. ed. teacher. I like games and play.

What is your favorite memory at Conestoga?

Not too long ago, the teachers used to play the winners of the �loor hockey tournament in front of the whole student body, in the gym. One year we played against the winning �loor hockey team and the teachers won.

Favorites: Movie: “The Sting” Food: Anything Italian Book: “One Minute Manager” Color: Green Quote: “Never had a bad day” Sport: Basketball or Football Animal: Dogs

What do you plan to do after you retire in June?

Sleep beyond 5 o’clock in the morning. I have some hobbies and interests that I want to continue to pursue. Speci�ically, I have a game that I created that I want to market as a business.

It’s a board game type thing, like corn hole. I want to make my tailgating game a game that everyone loves to play and enjoys.

How do you like to spend your time outside of school?

With my family, my wife.

A lot of time I spend at my happy place, the beach. I like tinkering with and working on cars. That’s one of my hobbies.

I make wine, so I’d like to continue to do that and sharing that with others. I also like to

Is there anything your students don’t know about you that you’d like to share?

Well, they probably don’t know that I make wine. It’s not hard. I share it with a lot of people. I give it as gifts to family and friends. One of the things my son requested of me was to save him 5 bottles of wine so that (he and his wife) could open one for the next 5 years to celebrate their anniversary. (My son) made the (wine) labels for me as a gift.

They have my name on them.

What inspired you to start making wine?

My brother has been making it for (many) years.

He peaked my interest and I started making it in 2011. I don’t grow the grapes. I buy juice and I make it from there.

Do you have any other children?

I have a daughter also. I have two kids and I’ve been married for 35 years.

Do you like to travel? Where to?

I do. I haven’t done a lot of it. I’ve stayed within the states.

I plan on making some travel plans once my wife retires in a couple years. She’s a social worker in schools. One of the �irst trips we’re going to make is to Europe--Italy, Ireland and Germany. There’s so much history there (because) I’m Italian and Irish.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

I’m looking forward to retirement for a lot of reasons.

Probably the biggest reason is to enjoy the time that I have doing the things that I’ve always done on the side. Now I’ll be able to focus on other things.

It’s the �irst 30 years and then the next 30 years and then the �inal 30 years. I’ve got 30 to go.

Two-thirds of my life is gone and I have another third left. I get to do all those things that I enjoy doing. It’s another stage of life and you know you’re ready for it because you get to the point where you feel like there’s something else you want to do other than what you’re doing.

The Spoke 11

Monday, March 20, 2017

Student Life

Senior selected as top Regeneron scholar

By Ian Ong Co-Student Life Editor

Data tables, research papers and experiments galore: when it comes to science competitions, Kelly Jiang is no stranger.

Last January, senior Kelly Jiang was recognized as one of the Regeneron Science Talent Search’s top 300 scholars. Regeneron STS is a nationwide science competition in which high school seniors perform original research on a topic of their choice and share their findings.

Students submit 1,800 papers yearly, with a judging committee choosing the top 300 in an extremely competitive selection process. From there, the 40 finalists are interviewed in Washington D.C., with the potential to earn medals and awards of up to $150,000.

Before her junior year, Jiang never would have believed she would find herself chosen as a Regeneron scholar.

“I never really liked science through middle school,” Jiang said.

“I just didn’t think I was good at it, I thought it was pretty boring, the kind of science we did in school.”

Jiang’s first foray into science competitions happened during the

summer of 2015, when a family friend allowed her to use a laboratory. From there, Jiang entered the Siemens Competition with two other high schoolers from the area and presented research on early detection methods for cancer. Her team placed second nationally, winning themselves a $50,000 scholarship. Jiang decided to continue this line of research into this year’s Regeneron STS competition.

Jiang’s research paper, entitled “Development of a TERT Mutation Assay for Liquid Biopsy of Hepatocellular Carcinoma,” demonstrated how liver cancer could be detected by scanning a person’s urine for the presence of a mutated enzyme.

To Jiang, the choice of topic is important to her on a personal level.

“When I was in sixth grade, my grandfather passed away from cancer,” Jiang said. “So it is obviously a topic that is really close to me and means a lot to me.”

In order to complete her project, Jiang drew from data she had been collecting for the past two summers and conducted many polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) in order to study DNA sequences.

Despite the hours she put into the research paper, Jiang entered the competition not expecting to advance to such a high level.

“I didn’t think I was going to make it to the top 300, I was kind

Science Superstar: Senior Kelly Jiang examines a beaker in chemistry teacher Scott Best’s classroom.

Jiang and her partners received national recognition from Regeneron STS for their cancer research. of just entering it to have a re- puzzle, and only after trying so we are incapable of helping her search paper written and just to many different options and all of with here at Conestoga,” Best said. see where that would take me,” them don’t work, that’s when you Jiang has high hopes of purJiang said. find the one that does.” suing her passion of the sciences One of Jiang’s greatest difficulChemistry teacher Scott Best, and maybe even a career in the ties was persevering even when who facilitated Jiang’s paperwork, field. her experiments were inconclu- commends the hard work she put “I’m planning to continue my sive or unusable. into the competition. research, and I do want to become “A lot of it is determination and “By participating in her project, a doctor,” Jiang said. “That’s kind the drive to keep going because she has basically followed her of a lot, but right now, I’m actually most of research is failure after passion for science and allowed taking EMT classes to kind of get a failure,” Jiang said. “It’s kind of a herself to excel in some ideas that jump start into that.”

things to point out from MWC 2017.

If the show didn’t show off a Steve-Jobs level of innovation, it hosted several older mobile brands that introduced modern twists of outdated products that formerly dominated the market. . Blackberry decided to come out of the shadows with the Blackberry KeyOne, a phone combining the old with the new.

Instead of Blackberry’s old operating system, the KeyOne runs Android and yes, it includes a physical keyboard. You can interact with the keyboard in new ways, almost like it’s part of the touchscreen, and it comes with a fingerprint sensor.

Nokia, the old king of mobile brands, revealed a slew of new Android devices, but its most controversial future release is the Nokia 3310. While it isn’t a smartphone, the Nokia 3310 is an updated version of its past version 17 years ago. Despite its 30-day battery life, the Nokia 3310 only contains simple features and thus isn’t really viable in this day and age, unless you need a burner. In the past, it was one of the most

reliable phones at the time, but now it serves as a reminder of the technology that got us to where we are today. The entire functionality of the phone is nostalgia.

New phones from other brands like the LG G6 and the Huawei P10 could mostly be summarized with two new features: better overall specs and less screen bezel. The latter, in particular, allowed the G6 to reach a 2:1 screen ratio, which is very impressive. Besides that, the phones have features that we’ve seen in the past, though the LG G6 was definitely the best phone unveiled at MWC 2017.

It’s the first non-Google phone with Google Assistant and has a nifty dual camera system along with the aforementioned screen.

Another thing to note is the inclusion of three promises at the show. The first was the promise of more artificial intelligence.

According to Google, their AI, Google Assistant, is being moved into Android 6.0 and 7.0 phones.

Amazon’s AI, Alexa, also made an appearance with the Moto Mods, hinting at an expansion of its wide range of abilities. Additionally,

Ian Ong/The SPOKE

New phones revealed at Mobile World Congress

By Justin Huang Web Editor

Barcelona held the annual Mobile World Congress (MWC) from Feb. 27 to March 2, a grandiose event with different products featured throughout the course of the week. Each year, big-name brands from across the world including Samsung and the Chinese Huawei unveil their newest mobile products and show the new direction they will take. It’s full of innovation that ultimately gives us a glimpse of where the world will be heading in the future.

But this year’s MWC seemed to be lacking just that.

When looking at all of the newly announced products, I saw very little that told me that something new or exciting was on its way. Last year, the HTC Vive showed us the amazing potential of virtual reality, and the LG G5 and Moto Z showed us how modular phones could be a new trend. This year didn’t have as much of that feeling, but there are definitely notable

12 The Spoke

phone companies are developing technology to move from 4G to 5G in order to have faster signal connections and interact more with the technology around us. Hardware updates in most phones seem to reflect this change, save the one that wasn’t there: Samsung. Its new phone was noticeably absent from MWC, though it did tease a reveal for March 29. Hopefully this one doesn’t explode.

It’s difficult to discern what this year of development in the mobile

Nokia

industry will lead to in the future.

Although Blackberry and Nokia displayed admirable effort, they simply cannot compete against brands like Apple and Samsung.

Mainstream brands didn’t come out with any phones that made me jump up and down, but it’s hard to blame them for not being innovative enough.

While the promise of 5G is appealing, it’ll take a couple years to develop properly. Perhaps something amazing will happen next year instead.

Student Life

Monday, March 20, 2017

By Claire Guo Staff Reporter

Assistant principal finds beauty in life

Apart from the piles of paperwork on the desk, the office is unique: a wooden mask sneers at the ceiling, small handmade gadgets bask on the windowsill and a cooler in the corner safeguards a stash of Diet Coke.

A closer look reveals Assistant Principal Jamie Bankert’s outlook on life – enjoy the simple pleasures.

Bankert has kept the eclectic collection of items in his office “for no other reason than it’s just something that makes you think.”

The several handmade gadgets on Bankert’s windowsill, items his wife calls “whimsicals,” include a solar-powered watermill and a magnetically-powered baton that floats in the air.

Though Bankert is not German himself, the sneering mask is hand-carved specifically for Fasching – carnival season – in Germany and Austria. It comes from Bankert’s small collection, brought to school for German teacher Kevin Nerz to show to his students.

“Everybody has their own interests, when you get up close, and they change over time, too,” Bankert said. “You gravitate towards different things that catch your curiosity, and a dash of curiosity and interest in something can really produce quite a lot of enjoyment and fulfillment.”

Another such source of enjoyment for Bankert has been marionette shows.

During

their frequent trips to Europe, Bankert and his wife try to catch marionette shows whenever they can, even occasionally bringing marionettes home with them. In Eastern European cities, prominent marionette theaters are quite common.

“What you’re seeing in these marionette shows is the combination of so many different kinds of craftsmanship and artistry,” Bankert said. “There’s the actual sculpting of the marionette, like the Fasching mask, and then those who manipulate them. There’s normally nine to 12 puppeteers with dozens of lines, and what they’re presenting are these really timeless stories important to those cultures, that have been passed on and passed on.”

Though Bankert takes pleasure from his unusual collections, his true passion is unquestionably gardening.

“This time of year, I couldn’t be more happy than when I’m in the garden, looking at what is blooming and what is on its way, and checking the progress of different experimental plants that I’m trying. It’s the very simple pleasure of seeing something beautiful grow, and it’s alive,” Bankert said.

Year after year, Bankert chronicles the progress of his plants: when they were planted, when the first sprouts appear, when they bloom, when the blooms fade, and when he cuts the seed pods for a new cycle. For each stage of their growth, Bankert snaps photos to correspond.

Claire Guo/The SPOKE

Flower power: Assistant principal Jamie Bankert inspects the state of a few flowers after the heavy snow. An avid gardener, Bankert chronicles the progress of his plants throughout the year.

Claire Guo/The SPOKE

Business unlike usual: Assistant principal Jamie Bankert poses in his office, a place that exhibits his varied interests. Behind him is a traditional German Fasching mask, one of a collection. On the windowsill are small, handmade gadgets that his wife calls “whimsicals.”

“There have been people that “My wife and my friends than just an intrinsic interest,” kid (with) me because a lot Bankert said. “It’s sort of a psy- I have encountered in my life of people on their cell phones chological pay for me, walking that have exposed me to beauties that I hadn’t recognized behave pictures of themselves – around after the day is done.”

As a student in high school, fore with my own eyes,” Bankert probably the last 30 pictures that I’ve taken are different Bankert claims he would not said. “I’m very grateful for the (flower) blooms,” Bankert said. have been so insightful. Individ- people that have and continue And nature isn’t the only uals like the gas station owner to show (me) how much beauty area he finds beauty in – have helped him grow into the there is in this world – it’s really out there.

Bankert marvels at the curiosi- person he is now. ties of people just as much. He recalled an experience from 1995 he found “humbling” and “eye-opening.”

“One of my biggest inspirations is (from) a Paoli bank that used to be a gas station,” Bankert said. “The guy that used to own the gas station, pump gas and serve people, was fluent in Latin! Once I realized that people with those interests are all out there, that they don’t have this degree or that degree, that there are so many people to learn from and exchange ideas from, (I) was really inspired.”

Since then, Bankert has continued to find himself moved by people and phenomena, especially in the more subtle nuances of daily life. At Conestoga, school life after the last bell is when Bankert sees a certain hidden side of Conestoga reveal itself.

“If you walk down (the hallway) during the school day, you’re seeing what you should see – classes going on. But when Claire Guo/The SPOKE you walk down the hallway at 3 o’ clock, you’re seeing so many Planting the Ivy Tower: Assistant principal Jamie Bankstudents who are taking part ert’s home reflects his passion in gardening. He has plantin clubs for no other reason ed the Boston and English Ivy that now entwines his home.

The Spoke 13

Center Spread

Monday, March 20, 2017

A visual language

Students create art and encounter inspiration ◊◊◊

The art studios in the corner of the second floor are unlike any other classrooms, where students are busy finding the multiple solutions to variable x or concluding their literature analysis essay. In Conestoga’s art studios, students create everything from conceptual, abstract sculptures to four-foot-long portrait paintings. Here, what students essentially learn is “a visual language,” according to Amy Cruz, head of the art department.

Seniors in Studio Art “have been able to take all the skills they’ve learned over the past four years and put them together into a toolbox to find their own voice,” Cruz said.

Seniors who have been enrolled in Conestoga’s rigorous Studio Art program for three to four years finish their high school career with Studio Art 4 or AP Studio Art, the most advanced courses available.

Over the course of their high school careers, these students undertake multiple projects using elements of shape, color and design. Critiques, sessions in which peers comment on others’ work, are a common means of finding inspiration and evaluating pieces of art. Semesters of study are centered around specific areas of design, such as printmaking, sculpture and other 3D media, as well as traditional and digital forms of artwork. In the final year of Studio Art, students work on a concentration, a series of pieces centered around the same concept or theme. While Studio Art 4 students create six concentration pieces throughout the school year, AP Studio Art students are required to attach 12 concentration pieces to the portfolio they submit to the College Board in May.

Kailyn Woya

Kailyn Woyak’s father, an artist h works of animals and plants, and w when she was growing up. To both him, Woyak creates incredibly elab of flowers. Using a technique calle entire drawings of dots to indicate to distinguish different veins and p “I draw flowers because I like th said. “Nature is a lot more comple intricate it actually is in my drawing detailed nature can be.”

Emma Jiang In Emma Jiang’s concentration, she captures the concept of youth in vibrant paintings of watercolor and acrylic.

Youth “is especially interesting to me since what all of us (high schoolers) are going through now is this transition from childhood to adulthood,” Jiang said. “We’re trying to figure out who we are and often revisit the past to do so.”

In her artworks, she captures the fun and excitement of childhood, conveyed in playful and colorful depictions of childhood artifacts and toys. Heritage plays a strong influence in Jiang’s work as well: as a Chinese-Australian American, her personal perspective of youth explores how she grew up with different and unique values, and she conveys this in her work using Chinese characters and symbols in her art.

Although Jiang starts out using reference images to start her work, often the art and her imagination will take a life of its own and as she’s working, her use of color and concept will give her an idea of what she wants to portray in the work. If there’s one particular artist who influenced her, it’d “probably be Hayao Miyazaki,” Jiang said. Considered one of Japan’s greatest animation directors, Miyazaki is acclaimed for his fascinating plots, characters and beautiful animation.

“He puts a lot of thought on what he creates, and that’s the primary characteristic I want to replicate in my work,” Jiang said.

14 The Spoke

Hui-Yi Kuo In Hui-Yi Kuo’s distinctive watercolor illustrations, she takes portraits of her friends and transforms them into paintings of Greek mythological gods and goddesses.

“I match their personalities and remodel them with similar goddesses,” Kuo said, presenting works of famous Greek goddesses Persephone, Artemis and Athena. “A lot of students struggled to find their (concentration), but this was the first thing I thought of.”

In these paintings, Kuo integrates interesting skin tone colors to magnify her figures, and adds other symbols correlating with each deity. Initially, Kuo used only pen-and-ink for her first few years in Studio Art course, but gradually realized she wanted to incorporate color into the picture.

“I realized I can’t just survive on pen-and-ink alone, so I tried to expand into watercolor,” Kuo said. “I’ve gone to classes last summer, and I picked it for my concentration because I felt like I needed a challenge.”

Monday, March 20, 2017

n Woyak

father, an artist himself, creates detailed pen-and-ink and plants, and was a significant influence to Woyak wing up. To both model and distinguish herself from es incredibly elaborate, close-up pen-and-ink drawings a technique called stippling, Woyak patiently composes f dots to indicate depth and shape, even going so far as erent veins and patterns on petals and seeds. because I like the natural shape of everything,” Woyak lot more complex than people think, and I magnify how y is in my drawings so people can see how incredibly an be.”

Center Spread

Zach Wetzel Zach Wetzel, however, uses the unique medium of collage, placing strips and pieces of paper media used to create a work. He uses monochromatic, or single colored, pieces of leftover magazines to form striking works of characters and their background.

“I wanted a more abstract background mixed with a concrete, more definitive character,” Wetzel said. “I’m interested in how colors interact, and how the interaction between the background and subject give an impression on the subject’s personality.”

Textures and patterns also form strong components of Wetzel’s work. Influenced by Dada art, a rebellious movement from the 1930s that first introduced photo montage (a type of collage) to the world, Wetzel meticulously chooses pieces from clothing or furniture magazines to incorporate in his work.

“I’m planning on doing art for the rest of my life,” Wetzel said. “It’s been a huge part of my life and I think doing anything creative probably betters you as a person in general.”

Story and pictures by Audrey Kim Design by Ian Ong

Lily Cronin Lily Cronin’s work focuses on faceless women undressing, their skin decorated with uniform patterns of flowers. Using Copic markers, Cronin applies bright, vibrant colors to make her art stand out.

“Women’s bodies are very sacred,” said Cronin of her subjects.

“Undressing emphasizes how beautiful their bodies are and how they should be appreciated in life.”

After her initial drawing stages, the entire process “became easier as time went on,” according to Cronin.

“Ideas quickly came into my head, and I almost starting doing them unconsciously because I enjoyed working so much,” Cronin said.

Emily Fromhage Before moving to the United States in ninth grade, Emily Fromhage developed a passion for visual storytelling and illustration during her childhood in Germany. When she arrived in Conestoga, she enrolled the Studio Art program, where she now works on whimsical watercolor illustrations for her concentration.

These detailed illustrations depict the daily life of a witch, in which “the surreal and magical aspects of (the character’s) life are seen as seemingly normal.” In this series of vivid and detailed illustrations, the character is visiting the marketplace to buy herbs, brewing up potions and in her bedroom with her constant owl companion, among other animals.

“It’s a recycling process,” Fromhage said. “There’s a lot of ideas that I sketch and end up not using. I wanted for (my work) to have that animated quality, where you could almost imagine the witch moving in her daily routine and life.”

Leah Bernstein Leah Bernstein’s concentration focuses on being underwater, which she says has always been “a happy and safe place” for her to explore. Using acrylic on canvas, Bernstein captures the movement of swimmers in motion, which she models after hundreds of photographs she takes with her underwater camera.

Bernstein firmly believes in the power of art and its potential to change minds.

“I like making pieces that are very upfront and make a statement,” Bernstein said.

“Art is such a powerful tool because it can express emotion that words sometimes can’t, especially in a time where everything is so political.”

The Spoke 15

Monday, March 20, 2017

OPINION The good news in the bad news One of the most common notes the editorial board receives when we solicit feedback from students, teachers and community members is that the Spoke can be a little bit of a bummer. Though we do work to highlight the achievements of of ’Stoga students academically, musically, artistically and athletically, it’s true that many of our front page stories deal with negative or controversial aspects of students’ experiences in and out of the classroom.

We reflect on what to write with much deliberation. Based on timeliness, relevance to the Tredyffrin-Easttown community and audience interest, the editorial board reaches a consensus on which stories merit space in the newspaper.

We hope that by publicizing issues such as vaping, opioid addiction and eating disorders through objective, thorough coverage, we can inspire the action necessary to address them.

While student publications serve an important purpose in entertaining and uniting our classmates, as we enter adulthood, we must consider how we can become engaged citizens. Conestoga’s high numbers of National Merit Finalists, strong athletes and influential alumni may distract

from problems that affect the student body. Despite our ’Stoga pride, we recognize that we often fail to notice classmates who fall through the cracks or suffer in silence.

The first step in addressing any issue is knowing the facts, human stories behind them and perspectives offered from each side. We believe that the Spoke offers the best platform for informing students, given our widespread readership at Conestoga.

Even as national news outlets offer their own coverage of teen drug use and other issues the Spoke has featured, focusing on local impact highlights their extent. As callous as it sounds, distance makes news headlines seem irrelevant. Likewise, it’s one thing to read about poor, unemployed adults in a faraway town escaping their struggles through heroin. However, it’s another entirely to hear the voices of recovering addicts in our community, from the demographic least expected to grapple with drug abuse. Most of us acknowledge the tragedy of drug addiction everywhere, but we don’t truly comprehend it when it happens to those people in another place. We empathize more with people when we share things in common, whether we frequent

the same area hangouts or attend the same high school.

Alongside criticism of what some perceive as the Spoke’s negative tone, we have also received messages from students who appreciate that they can connect to the subjects of our stories. One anonymous student, who identifies herself as an infrequent reader, mentioned in our latest focus group survey that she related to February’s cover story about body image because she also feels insecure about her weight. The coverage the Spoke provides for students who win prominent awards brings deserved attention to those who have worked hard for their accomplishments, but it is equally important to bring recognition to those who aren’t traditionally noticed by awards panels or student journalists. To anybody who feels excluded from Conestoga because you don’t have a picture-perfect life, you’re not alone.

We would like to live in a perfect world where we don’t need to fill our pages with bad news. Because that world will never exist, we see it as our obligation to present both its ups and downs. With every story, we strive to make our community a better place for all and that’s something to smile about.

Kaitlyn Chen/The SPOKE

16 The Spoke

From the editor: Normal girl seeks roommate

Meagan O’Rourke Co-Editor-in-Chief Hello everyone at College University! I know it’s a little early to be looking for a roommate, but I thought I would start the process ahead of time so I don’t end up with some weirdo. Here’s a few things about me...if you are interested, please message me and we can talk!

I am from outside of Philly and I love music and dogs.

I’m an only child, but I love to be social and am looking to meet my sister for life!

In the morning I typically jog or do yoga, and at night before bed, I need to do a very specific judo routine so I release my anger before the night terrors come. I am a relatively tame gal, but if I leave between the hours of 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. during the peak of the lunar cycle, do not panic — I need to howl with my pack. I love to party, but I also enjoy a fun girlsnight-in, watching Netflix.

My favorite shows include “The Office,” “Parks and Rec” and the Russian-dubbed version of “The Legend of Korra.” I know that sounds really basic, but I’m interesting, I swear!

I’m very studious and plan to major in the migratory patterns of monarch butterflies. I take my craft extremely seriously and have been mapping the migration patterns of the butterflies since I was 6. I think the only reason I got into College University is because I replicated the exact markings of a monarch butterfly on my SAT bubble sheet. Only absolute dorks would not be able to identify such an obvious pattern. Also, I know this may sound super out there, but

I think I want to minor in economics.

Paper mache is my passion...I have no other hobbies.

I plan to bring a lot of decorations for our room.

I believe a strong feng shui is absolutely necessary. My aesthetic is a lot of Danny DeVito posters and incense burning all the time to ward off malignant spirits.

“I’m very studious and I plan to major in the migratory patterns of monarch butterflies.”

There has been a ghost following me for 10 years and it will most likely become our third resident, but I can teach you defense against the paranormal (I was president of the Paranormal Club in high school!).

Criteria for my roommate include: -A love of pineapple pizza -An appreciation for “The Minions Movie” -A tolerance for loud noises -A fun, easy going spirit -Must adhere to my 147-page list of terms and conditions I can’t imagine any reasons why anyone would not want to room with such a fun-loving gal as myself, so I think I will do a lottery system to choose from all my offers. I can’t wait to see you at College University, future roomie!

Monday, March 20, 2017

with Matthew Soderberg

Topping off the debate: pineapple versus pizza

Opinion

Not serious ;―)

Matthew Soderberg Opinion Editor

The question has been floating through the hallways like a cloud: is vaping cool? For those looking for a medium between the supremely lame logic of not smoking anything to the blatant idiocy of cigarettes, vaping has offered an opportunity that is definitely not as stupid as Kony 2012. So after extensive research and hands on experience, it is my honor and privilege (being the absolute moral authority of this school) to offer up the answer to that important question: Yes. Indubitably. Vape is life, my dudes.

One need not look any further than Instagram for evidence of how incredibly relevant blowing clouds will make you. All you need is a few of your best pals, lots of #juice and a great name for your vape collective. Royalty related groups are very much last year, so maybe try for a reference to the female anatomy and/or any variation of the word “boys.”

Your next step is to make sure you get a video up on Instagram of a girl taking a hit off of your vape. Now everyone will know that not only has vaping made you like, really cool, but it also scores you chicks!

But too often, this important part of our lifestyle is thrown under the bus by school rules. That’s why this year, we as the ’Stoga vape movement have brought the clouds to the hallways, classrooms and bathrooms. (Rumor has it that every time you set off a fire alarm with your vape, God himself comes down from heaven to give you a pat on the back and tell you that you’ve reached the next level of cool).

Fortunately, for those of us that LITERALLY CANNOT MAKE IT THROUGH THE SCHOOL DAY WITHOUT TAKING A HIT OFF OUR VAPES, the incredible company Juul has made it possible for us to go a little bit more stealth with its more compact vape system. Now, we can blow clouds right into our clothes in the back of classes. I personally can’t make it through an Econ class without whipping out my Juul to get that sensation that lies somewhere between life-defining idiocy and a desperate plea for help. So much fun!

With covert options on the market, so many possibilities and questions have been raised. Is it a flash drive or a Juul? Is this stupid or incredibly stupid? You tell me, administration!

So for all students who have an unfortunately misplaced sense of irony or are just genuinely dumb, bring your vapes and Juuls to school and you can be a part of something special we have going on here. Two vape drills in one month was pretty rad, but if we all try our very darndest, we could go for two in one day!

Jahnavi Rao Columnist War. An endless battle between two sides unwilling to compromise, unable to see eye to eye and incapable of agreement. Battles have been waged over the acquisition of land, in the name of a god and for honor and glory. But no fight has been more vicious, more strongly believed in and more high tensioned than that over Pineapple on Pizza.

I started out my journey into the pizza world with plain cheese and tomato sauce. This quickly evolved into adding ketchup to my pizza, which really wasn’t that far a step to make, seeing as I add ketchup to everything. Then came the olives phase, a short one that I’m glad I have exited.

And then the pineapple.

Now, I almost exclusively eat pineapple on pizza. Starting with a brief stint at California Pizza Kitchen, my love for this sweet food on pizza surpasses even my love of ketchup and pizza.

All that being said, I can understand not liking the taste of this topping. I am against white pizza on principle (as there’s nothing even close to ketchup

on it), and as a vegetarian, I can’t stand the smell of meat.

But the hatred and insults that are flying about pineapple on pizza, the division among my peers, marks a point in history as the most vicious fight of our generation, the closest match being the color of The Dress.

Recently, the president of Iceland made a statement that if he could, he would ban pineapple as a pizza topping as it’s “too sweet” and “an abomination.” While it has come out that he definitely does not have any legislative authority to do so, this is one more straw of the raging feud over pizza toppings.

People say pineapple shouldn’t be allowed, that it’s a fruit and shouldn’t be on pizza and it’s against the principle

Pallavi Aakarapu/The SPOKE

of pizza! But tomato is a fruit and no one blinks an eye, and if anything is against the “principle” of pizza it’s the abomination of white pizza. Pizza is supposed to have cheese, dough and sauce, and white pizza has failed me miserably on one of those fronts.

But the moral is that we should all try new things! If we create a new age of accepting each other’s culinary choices, we can introduce people to some great and unorthodox food choices. Traditions were made to be broken, so if you don’t like eating french fries with ketchup, do it with a milkshake. Never abstain from trying something purely because it isn’t the status quo.

Put yourself out there, and you just might find something you really like.

“I’m vegan so I don’t eat pizza, but I don’t think I would like it together.”

- Audra Freiling

“Well, pineapple is a fruit, and the only fruit that should be on pizza is tomato.”

- Kate Hinmon

“While fruit on pizza may seem unnerving, pineapple on pizza is the exception. I love it.”

- Thomas Jenson

Pallavi Aakarapu/The SPOKE

“I like it. It’s the perfect combination of �lavors.”

- Chelsea Tang

17 The Spoke

Monday, March 20, 2017

Opinion

Follow the followers: leadership isn’t the only path

Cissy Ming Copy Editor

During my freshman year of high school, I joined 12 clubs, hoping to one day assume the vaunted title of “president” so I could impress the admissions officers of Harvard University with my resume. My wish eventually came true, as I joined the ranks of club president in junior year.

I admit that my leadership skills are less than college essay-worthy. Forget herding cats, herding people proved a greater challenge than performing the duties of a proverbial feline shepherd. While countless writers have tried to describe “it,” the unknown yet instantly alluring quality great leaders possess, I knew within two days that I lacked “it.”

Authors of college brochures and motivational speeches beat American teenagers with the

Caleigh Sturgeon Managing Web Editor The matrix isn’t just a futuristic sci-fi film. It’s an idea that explains human existence. And it’s in danger.

Essentially, the matrix argument entails that we are all living in a computer simulation.

Specifically, a computer simulation created by a species more advanced than the most intelligent species on Earth (humans). According to the matrix argument, we are essentially part of an experiment in which our actions are dictated by the environment that has been created for us. For the last 6,000 years or so of documented human civilization, the matrix has sustained humanity.

18 The Spoke

notion that the “it” deficient population needs to increase its “it” levels or toil in obscurity forever. Self-centered though it may seem, I realize now that the world needs people like me who don’t have “it” and prefer to devote our time to helping those who do.

I admire leaders who inspire people to act collectively for the greater good and history rightly rewards them a privileged place in our pantheon of national heroes. However, every leader needs followers who believe in his or her mission, whether loyal activists or club members working on a volunteer project.

The leadership-oriented culture of American society underchanges both leaders and followers, denying us the full benefit of everyone’s talents.

People often consider numbers a measure of legitimacy, a fact acknowledged by everyone from the president to small-scale event organizers.

Research by political scientists demonstrates that high polling numbers for a position or candidate create a positive reinforcement effect, resulting in a shift in public opinion to the popular side. No matter the justice or wisdom of someone’s vision, without followers, he or she has

only a limited impact in the face of widespread apathy. Lobbying government, staging protests and converting opponents requires the effort of numerous people, since the voices of thousands are harder to ignore than a single complaint.

The one-track emphasis on recruiting leaders runs counter to the interests of the organizations that seek them. The belief that followers always act like mindless sheep is a harmful one, a common misconception that contributes to prejudice against them. Because of upbringing, cultural background or natural disposition, not everyone feels compelled to lead and with those differences come valuable perspectives. People who normally take a backseat in discussions may temper the leaders’ more impulsive ideas, offering input that leads to better group decisions. By contrast, a group composed of all leaders would become hopelessly polarized.

In a counterintuitive sense, leaders are most accountable to their followers, whose approval they need to accomplish their aims.

When CEOs and college deans express their desire to train the leaders of tomorrow, they compel people who would

But it seems that something has gone wrong in the simulation: a glitch in the matrix.

When this year’s Oscar for Best Picture was presented to “La La Land” instead of the actual winner, “Moonlight,” the mishap should have seemed positively inconceivable: no major awards show has ever announced the wrong winner. Oh wait! Actually, a quite similar event transpired at the 2015 Miss Universe pageant when Steve Harvey announced the winner as Miss Colombia instead of Miss Philippines. This pattern of flawed results has become all too commonplace. Empirical evidence of a glitch ranges from more specific events—like the Oscars—to the more general categories of this year’s athletic competitions and even politics.

Don’t forget that nearly every poll predicting this year’s election was wrong. At 7 p.m. on election night it seemed Hillary Clinton had the election in the bag, before Florida and other crucial swing states swung right. Furthermore, the popular vote, though never the deciding factor in the American electoral system, was never

before so misrepresented. Not to say that Donald Trump himself is the glitch in the system. Rather, the unfolding of the electoral results seemed utterly mixed-up, and to this day, some Americans still find the outcome suspect as Russian connections with the Trump administration undergo further investigation.

In nearly every area of American society glitches begin to line up—even in professional sports.

Now while the Cavaliers’ and Cubs’ victories last year may have been striking comebacks, they were not unprecedented. However, this year’s Super Bowl— with its blown coverages, hail mary’s and complete turnaround of both teams’ performances— was positively shocking. It was as if in the fourth quarter, sort of like in the last rounds of the election, something in the simulation’s process failed.

It seems as though someone— or something—has hijacked the matrix. As if someone is trying to play an epic joke on us.

As if an insubordinate soul mused, “Let’s see what they do when Trump defies all of their

Kaitlyn Chen/The SPOKE

otherwise work within existing groups to strike out on their own. By a quick count of the clubs listed in the Conestoga Course Selection Book, I found at least seven focused around fundraising for cancer cures and an additional few which count cancer fundraising among their activities. I don’t doubt the good intentions behind these clubs, however, pooling their resources and manpower would bring more attention to their causes and hopefully more money. In the political world, legislators who want to be viewed as leaders by their constituents resort to

grandstanding in an attempt to impress supporters while ignoring the practical benefits of compromise.

Today’s society underestimates the importance of followers, but investing in the development of all teenagers, not just the leaders, will create a better world. Followers make up the majority of the population by any measure and top institutions of higher learning should redirect part of their focus to educating good thinkers who can challenge authority when necessary and make informed choices. More of us should learn to follow the followers.

predictions to win the presidency. It’ll be crazy, they’ve never seen anything like it before.”

And another followed suit, suggesting, “How about we wreck the most respected film awards show in the world just to see how the humans squirm.”

This sort of disruption only promises a bleak future in a malfunctioning matrix. So, whether it’s experimentation, some sort of practical joke, or a technological glitch, I can only hope that someone fixes the simulation ASAP.

There’s a glitch in the matrix

Pallavi Aakarapu/The SPOKE

Opinion

Monday, March 20, 2017

Don’t be star-ry eyed: Celebrities can have political opinions

Camille Kurtz Co-Editor-in-chief

Few people today recall Marlon Brando’s rejection of an Oscar for his performance in “The Godfather” at the 1973 Academy Awards. His refusal —delivered by Sacheen Littlefeather, then-president of the National Native American Af�irmative Image Committee— sent a strong political message about the representation and treatment of Native Americans in Hollywood. For weeks following Brando’s bold statement, both Brando and Littlefeather received scathing criticism for speaking out. At the time, many of the 85 million viewers of The Oscars believed that politics and entertainment ought to be kept separate.

By 2017, the politicization of our entertainment is still a divisive topic.

At The Academy Awards on Feb. 26, various celebrities like Jimmy Kimmel, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Emma Stone, used the occasion to make political jibes and comments or to wear pins and ribbons to stand in solidarity with political organizations. Award shows like The Screen Actors Guild Awards and The Golden Globes also have seen recent celebrity political involvement—including commentary by “Stranger Things” actor David Harbour and, infamously,

Connie Stoga

by “highly overrated” actress Meryl Streep. While many of the stars’ statements challenged the actions of newly-elected President Trump, some celebrities have used their fame to register support for Trump, like singer Joy Villa, who wore a “Make America Great Again” dress to The Grammys.

While wealthy actors and singers speak from their hearts in the limelight of the red carpet, we are left to wonder: Should celebrities offer a political opinion? Is there room for social commentary in entertainment and art?

It’s certainly not a question with a clear-cut answer. Rather, we must consider the bene�its and drawbacks of attending too closely to celebrity opinion.

Surely, celebrities have the privilege of an enthusiastic fan base conveniently within earshot. On the red carpet and on social media, stars regularly wield their in�luence to encourage fans to buy beauty products and pricey designer out�its. Thus, why should they not take advantage of this power to try and advance their political beliefs? At times, silence can be irresponsible — in the face of serious issues, a celebrity’s lack of political statement may say more than any spoken commentary. When celebrities do not take advantage of their in�luential position, remaining quiet may imply their silent nod of approval to inequities and injustices. We cannot forget that without the fame and wealth, the Hollywood socialites we idolize are simply people— people with opinions, who have just as much right as you and I do to express themselves, or not.

Yet, while celebrities have their own personal beliefs like “ordinary people,” these famous faces are hardly ordinary. Celebrities are largely removed from the daily lives and struggles of the remaining 99 percent of the country. Although it is possible that they experience serious challenges like racism or sexism, they are often out of touch with the smaller struggles of those in the middle and lower classes.

For example, when �igures like Taylor Swift and Lena Dunham speak politically about issues like feminism, they often do so with an inadequate education about the movement they are trying to represent. When such ignorance in big-name speakers overshadows the eloquence of true activists, their words can irreparably damage social movements for the public ear.

The Shakespearean question of whether to be (political)

or not to be (political) is, at best, unclear and, more realistically, a lose-lose situation.

Whether our icons decide to make a statement or not, they are criticized. Ultimately, we cannot criticize them because they speak out. Politics will always have a valuable place in art and it is idealistic to surround ourselves with famous airheads and cushy awards shows that have no substantive references and ignore current events. However, this does not mean we should not critique the content of our stars’ commentary. It is possible to disagree without censorship.

We are lucky to live in a country that values the freedom of expression—a liberty that applies to everyone, even the famous. Let us advance past The Oscars of 40 years ago and, instead, enter an era of open listening and consideration of unexpected perspectives.

Report Card Winter Storm + That two hour delay.

- Done with snow? Then let’s be done with cold.

Get Out

+ Succesful horror satire?!?

- Falling while trying to do the running thing.

St. Patricks Day

+ Leprechauns, the fun kind.

- Leprechauns, the skeevy kind.

Fire “Drill”...pt. 2

+ Heh heh heh heh.

- Stop.

March Madness + Go ‘Nova!

Kaitlyn Chen/The SPOKE

- If we don’t get another parade...

Junior Cabaret

+ So much talent!

- Grade exclusionism and elitism. Classic.

Mr. Pioneer

+ Can someone topple Chris Kennedy?

Pallavi Aakarapu/The SPOKE

- Steve Harvey not hosting this pageant.

The Spoke 19

Monday, March 20, 2017

SPORTS SCORELINE

WLT

B Hockey

955

G Hockey

0  16  0

B Basketball

14  2  0

B Squash

16  10  0

G Squash

5 5 0

G Basketball

19  3  0

B Swimming

11  0  0

G Swimming

Wrestling

530

See More

11  0  0

Grace Lanouette p. 22  Special Edition Commitment Corner pg. 27

’Stoga football players selected for Valor Bowl squad

By Warren Zhao Staff Reporter Each year, schools from all over Chester County select a few senior players from their football squads to play in a special exhibition match called the Valor Bowl, which takes place between teams comprised of students from the eastern and western parts of the county. This year, coach Marquis Weeks selected seniors Varek Finn, Ronan Carter, Dante Gathers, Peyton Jones and Jake Irvine to participate in the game on June 1.

The head coach of the football team chooses the four or �ive seniors whom he believes best represents ’Stoga’s football program to play at the event.

“We were the leaders of the team. We were the core of the team. I guess (coach Weeks) just saw us as the best ’Stoga football has to offer,” wide receiver Gathers said.

The Valor Bowl is a showcase of the top football talent in Chester County, with players hailing from schools like Malvern Prep, Owen J. Roberts and Bishop Shanahan

High Schools. The players are divided into two teams: east and west. Conestoga has played for the eastern team in previous years. Before 2010, the game was divided into North and South.

“The Valor Bowl is committed to raising funds to bene�it the Chester County Special Olympics,” the Valor Bowl Organization said.

Started in 1999 by West Chester East head coach Joe Carroll and assistant coach Scott Allison, the game has since attracted many sponsors such as the Believe and Achieve Foundation, Kelly’s Sports and PA Helmet Project.

From 2003-2015, proceeds from ticket sales and donations going to the Chester County Special Olympics totaled over $450,000.

“Each kid on the two teams is paired with someone who participates in the (Chester County) Special Olympics,” linebacker Carter said. “It’s a good feeling, knowing that you can brighten someone’s day because they love football, or just being a friend to someone

who might not be understood by everyone else.”

After years of playing on opposite sides, players of each team get to don the same jersey for the �irst time during a practice a few weeks before the game. The teams must establish a cohesive unit in the few practices permitted to them before the game. Despite the sometimes �ierce competition between rival teams during the regular season, Carter believes the Valor Bowl unites players in service of a greater good.

“There may be some jokes back and forth (between

players from different schools) about our games, but it’ll all be in good fun. Since we’re playing for a good cause, I’m sure no one will be getting too angry about past wins or losses,” Carter said.

Even though the football season ended several months ago, players have been staying in shape in various ways.

“I know a lot of us are doing other sports. I’m playing rugby, so I’m staying in shape that way. I’m going to keep working out so I’m in the best condition possible for the game,” offensive lineman Finn said.

Scores as of 3-15

Last year, the western team secured a victory over the East.

However, the eastern team previously had a win streak lasting four years. This will be the 19th Valor Bowl game.

To some of the seniors, this game represents one last opportunity to step onto the gridiron “I want to make the most of it. I’m not going to be playing in college, so I thought that I had already played my last game (earlier) but it’s great to be able to put on the pads again and get to play the game I love one more time,” Finn said.

Elizabeth Billman/The SPOKE

Ready to go: Senior Dante Gathers prepares to run a play during the game against Haverford High School on Sept. 9. Gathers was selected by Conestoga coach Marquis Weeks to participate in this year’s Valor Bowl for high school football.

20 The Spoke

Monday, March 20, 2017

Sports

’Stoga swim laps the competition

By Elizabeth Billman Co-Sports Editor

relay race because of the teamwork involved.

“I love relays; relays are my ’Stoga swim broke records favorite part ’cause most of the for many events at the Central time, swimming is an individual League Championship Meet on sport. You are racing the clock or Feb. 17 and 18 at Radnor High the person next to you, but in a School. The ’Stoga athletes broke relay, you really act as a team. It’s meet and school records for re- really fun to be a part of a team lays and individual races. that wins,” Ledwith said.

Each relay team has four memFamous also competes in a bers. The girls 400-yard freestyle variety of races including indirelay team included freshman vidual events and all relay and Caroline Famous, senior Caroline sprint races. As part of the reApathy, junior Madison Ledwith cord-breaking relay team, she and sophomore Sophia Poeta. was happy with the outcome of The girls won first place with a the race. final time of 3:32.28. As a senior, “It’s a really good feeling inApathy enjoys her last season side. We all worked really hard on the team and feels this relay so it’s nice to see it all pay off,” allows her to leave a swimming Famous said. legacy.

During the Central League “It’s my last year so I’m having Meet, she broke the school record something to leave behind for the for the 100-backstroke and broke swim team and that relay has al- the record for the 100-freestyle ways been one of my favorite re- race after Ledwith had broken lays. I’ve been on (the relay team) it at the same meet. Though Fafor four years now,” Apathy said. mous’ back injury at the beginIn addition to participating in ning of the season prevented her the winning relay, Ledwith also from competing in many meets, broke the individual record for she still views the season posithe 100-freestyle race with a time tively and appreciates the supof 51.95 seconds. Though Led- port of her teammates. with competes in other races like “Everyone was really sup2016_HS_Newspapers (10.312 x 5.843).3_Layout 1 5/17/16 5:42 PM Page 1 the 100-butterfly, she prefers the portive and it’s really cool to go

Elizabeth Billman/The SPOKE

Proud Teamates: The girls 400-yard freestyle relay team stands with the medals earned in the Central League Meet. The team won first place in their Central League race with a time of 3:32.28. undefeated my first year,” Famous said.

The boys swim team experienced similar success during their season. The 400-freestyle relay included junior Evan Zhou, senior Brian McKenrick, junior Kevin Ryle and sophomore Brendan Burns. The boys placed first with a time of 3:09.83 and broke the league record as well as the school record. Ryle explains that this is not a new achievement for the boys team as they broke one of the same records last year.

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“Last year at the state meet, we broke the record so to do better than we did last year is really cool especially midway through the season. It gives us a lot of hope to possibly re-break it again. It was just really cool to do it at Radnor,” Ryle said.

Zhou attributes the success of the relay team and the program as a whole to a closer team chemistry than in previous years.

“Back when I was a freshman, we didn’t know the seniors at all or any of the upperclassmen. But

this year, there is a better team dynamic and everyone knows each other,” Zhou said.

Districts took place on March 1 and 2 and the boys 200 medley relay team won second and placed within the top 100 in America. The 200 freestyle relay team won seventh and the 400 freestyle relay team won fifth. *Editor’s Note: Due to the time of press, we were unable to update the results of this article. from the State Meet on March 16 to 18.

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The Spoke 21

Monday, March 20, 2017

Sports

By Henry Danon Staff Reporter When coaches told junior Grace Lanouette that she should try sprinting, she had no idea quite how far she would get. Lanouette has run for ’Stoga’s varsity track team since freshman year. She qualified for outdoor nationals in her first year, and recently qualified for indoor nationals.

“My first memory of running (was) playing baseball when in elementary school. I would steal bases and my coaches told my parents that I was fast and should run track,” Lanouette said.

After her first two years sprinting in middle school, she soon qualified for nationals for the 60 and 100-meter dashes.

“It was really awesome to go to nationals in my freshman year, and it was great experience for what was to come,” Lanouette said. “I’ve started working hard since then to try and be the best as possible.”

Lanouette credits lots of her success to her great attitude, work ethic and positivity. She can put a lot of pressure on herself, but she has improved on her self-esteem since freshman year. She has a significant

Grace against time

impact on her fellow teammates and coaches as well.

“I met (Lanouette) in freshman year, but we didn’t really talk until sophomore year.

I then realized how much she motivated me to work hard and run,” said senior Kiara Sprague, teammate and close friend of Lanouette. “She’s a great role model for the whole team.”

“She’s a great role model for the whole team.”

-Kiara Sprague Lanouette met Pat Itanyi, who became the official sprinting coach this year, as a private coach during her first year. Lanouette credits a lot of her success to her close relationship with Itanyi.

“She pushes me to my limits, and through the years, we’ve gotten really close. We spend a lot of time together at practice and meets, and she’s always helping me get better,” Lanouette said.

Itanyi said Lanouette’s change throughout the years is amazing, and she cannot wait to see where her future goes.

Itanyi “has helped me throughout my career in sprinting a great amount.

I’ve been lucky enough to be coached by her before this year like most, and we have a great relationship and she knows how to coach me,” Lanouette said.

Though Lanouette qualified for this year’s indoor nationals, she does not plan to compete.

Itanyi recommended that she rest in order to get in optimal shape for the upcoming spring season.

“Even though I’m not competing at the indoor nationals, it’s still a great honor as it has been. My short term goals are to qualify for outdoor states and nationals, which I would compete in,” Lanouette said.

Lanouette runs both the 60 and 200-meter dashes during the indoor track season, and runs the 60 and 100-meter dashes during the outdoor

season. She also occasionally runs the 400-meter dash, as well as the 4x1 100-meter dash relay.

“I did try cross-country once, but I found I was just a much better sprinter and that I enjoyed it more. (Sprinting) also led me to meet coach Pat and Kiara,” Lanouette said.

Lanouette has received offers from colleges to run, but she has not made a commitment yet because of her injury sophomore year. She plans to make her decision in her senior year, hoping to run for a Division I school.

“Going to college for sports is really new to me, because no one in my family was ever heavily involved with sports.

I’m not too focused on which college, as long as I run,” Lanouette said.

Wherever she goes, her coach has faith in her.

“Grace has unlimited potential. She is such a hard worker, she can accomplish anything she wants to,” Itanyi said.

Lanouette hopes to compete in states for both the 100 and 200-meter dashes. She looks forward both the state competition and outdoor nationals, presuming she qualifies.

“It’s really great to be sprinting on a high level like this. I always try to get better with coach Pat’s help,” Lanouette said. “I look forward for everything I’ll run, and how I get there.”

Henry Danon/The SPOKE

Elizabeth Billman/The SPOKE

Reaching the finish: Junior Grace Lanouette sprints the 60-meter dash at Ursinus College for the Bears Invitational on Jan. 15. Lanouette has been running track for Conestoga since freshman year but began her running career in middle school. She hopes to qualify for outdoor nationals this spring.

22 The Spoke

Monday, March 20, 2017

Sports

Courtesy Eric Hutchinson

Senior pins 100th win

By Neil Goldenthal Co-Sports Editor Ever since senior wrestler Eric Hutchinson was in middle school, he’s been sure of one thing; he would win 100 matches in high school.

On Wednesday, Feb. 8, Hutchinson clutched his 100th win in the final, tiebreaking match against an opponent from Ridley. Although this was Conestoga’s last match of the regular season, Hutchinson qualified for the state tournament, another impressive feat for a wrestler given the high degree of competition and large number of wrestlers in Pennsylvania.

The state tournament took place from March 9-11 in Hershey, Pa. Hutchinson wrestled in the 138 lb. weight class, placing seventh overall. “(The 100th win) was definitely a great feeling because it’s something I’ve wanted since I started wrestling in seventh grade,” Hutchinson said. “I always looked up to the high schoolers, and there were a bunch of guys that made it to states and got 100

wins and I just thought it was such a cool thing to get.”

Although he has been wrestling since elementary school, Hutchinson became more serious about wrestling when he got to ’Stoga, especially in his senior year.

“He was always destined to be a star.”

-Gary Baker

“I’ve always played baseball outside of wrestling season, and I still do, but this past summer, I wrestled about 65 matches and after baseball season, I just focused on wrestling, going to practices, duels,

different tournaments around the state,” Hutchinson said. “I won this big tournament called Super 32 in North Carolina. I’ve been really focused (on wrestling) since the beginning of high school.”

Hutchinson’s first coach, Gary Baker, has been a mentor to him since he was wrestling in Conestoga’s youth program.

Baker wrestled at the University of Pennsylvania and began coaching after his collegiate career ended.

“He’s always been really good with kids and really explains things well. My high school coaches are great too, I’ve learned a lot from them,” Hutchinson said.

Baker met Hutchinson nine years ago when he moved to the area and started coaching for Conestoga Youth Wrestling.

He still coaches Hutchinson, and was helping him get ready for states just a couple of weeks ago. Throughout his years with Hutchinson, Baker always recognized his student’s potential for achievement.

“He was always destined to be a star. From the very first day I met him, he was the one kid who would listen to everything

Neil Goldenthal/The SPOKE

and (he was) very focused, no playing around, practiced hard.

You could tell there were big things in the future,” Baker said.

The school community has been very supportive and congratulatory of Hutchinson. One of the members of the cafeteria staff, Debbie Pepper, even hung up a sign near the deli that read “Congratulations on 100 wins, Eric!”

“I met (Eric) down at Valley Forge Middle School, I used to work in the dish room back there, and he used to come talk to me. He said he was going to be a wrestler (at Conestoga) and back then, he told me that he would have 100 wins by his senior year. It just shocked me that a kid that young knew what he wanted and did it,” Pepper said.

Daniel Iredale, a former Conestoga wrestler who reached

100 wins last year as a senior, is a close friend of Hutchinson’s and was thrilled that his former teammate achieved the feat.

“I could not be happier for Eric. To win a hundred matches is a huge milestone that not many high school wrestlers ever reach,” Iredale said.

“Throughout my wrestling career, Hutch was always in the room pushing me to be the best I could be, while also being one of my greatest friends. Without him, I don’t know if I would have been able to achieve my dreams and my goals. It is really amazing to see Hutch’s hard work pay off in dividends, and I have no doubt that he can achieve anything he puts his mind to.”

Hutchinson will be attending Gettysburg College in the fall and plans to continue wrestling and playing baseball.

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Monday, March 20, 2017

Sports

Senior swimmer crushes historic record

By Betty Ben Dor Managing Editor

For many Conestoga students, senior Brian McKenrick’s name has become nearly synonymous with swimming.

But it hasn’t always been this way. Starting swimming at the Upper Main Line YMCA (UMLY) at around age 5, McKenrick was frequently the slowest, often placed in the back of the group.

“I wasn’t nearly as big as the other kids,” McKenrick said. “I wasn’t as strong, my technique wasn’t as good.”

Dedicated to becoming stronger and faster, McKenrick would work on his “underwaters,” which were underwater kicks that the kids had to practice: three on their back, three on their side and three on their stomach.

“To me (the record) wasn’t really a big deal.”

-Brian McKenrick Soon enough, he was using this technique at the district level tournaments to qualify for state championships. He says that he became known as the kid with the “really good underwaters.”

“I realized that that was the only way I was going to be able to beat those bigger kids: by working on my underwaters

and beating them underwater,” McKenrick said.

Now, McKenrick is a nationally ranked swimmer, a member of both the UMLY team and captain of Conestoga’s varsity boys swim team.

McKenrick is “one of our more versatile swimmers; he can swim any event that we need to put him in,” Conestoga swim coach Mark Tirone said.

“He doesn’t focus on himself; he focuses on the team and has done a great job the past two years as a captain.”

McKenrick has gone on to hold several records in various events. Most recently, he made history by destroying a former Olympian’s time. Three-time Olympic gold medalist and Haverford High School alumnus Brendan Hansen had held the record for the fastest 200-meter individual medley race since 1999. On Feb. 17, McKenrick broke his time by nearly three seconds at the Central League championship meet.

“I knew Brendan Hansen had the record, but to me that wasn’t really a big deal,” McKenrick said. “I think when I hit (the time), it wasn’t so much as shock or surprise; I was more happy with the time that I went rather than the fact that I took down the record.”

He attributes his drive to take down records in large part to one of his Conestoga teammates, sophomore Brendan Burns.

Burns has “been picking up my records when I break them,” McKenrick said. “I figured I need to find another race, another record to break down that he won’t get.”

Burns described McKenrick as “fiercely competitive,” yet a “good leader.”

Following the District I Boys Swimming Championships held from March 2-3, McKenrick will advance to the state competition alongside Burns, sophomore Kevin Ryle, juniors Oliver Brown, Evan Zhou and Owen

Cissy Ming/The SPOKE

Hard day’s work: At the conclusion of the District I Boys Swimming Championships, the boys’ swim team poses at the podium with coach Mark Tirone.

The boys placed second overall and advanced to states, held from March 16-19.

Neumann. From April 3-7, he will also compete in the YMCA Short Course Nationals in Greensboro, N.C. Following this, he says his high school swimming career will have come to an end.

Next year, McKenrick will be off to the United States Military Academy at West Point where he says that although he will continue swimming, he will not focus as heavily on it.

He attributes the decision not to pursue swimming professionally in part to the competitive nature of the sport. He says that even now, he feels that the pressure to constantly drop times is a challenge. He also

looks forward to dedicating himself toward serving his country.

“If you go to a military academy, you’re not there to compete in a sport, you’re there to serve the country,” McKenrick said. “After a lot of consideration, I realize that’s really what I want to do; I want to be an army officer. To me, that was the best thing I could do for myself and for my country.”

Tirone said that while there will always be someone “around the corner” picking up McKenrick’s records, he still leaves behind a proud legacy at Conestoga.

“Personally, he will be at the top of my list as far as the swimmers that I’ve coached here at Conestoga, as far as one of the best both in the water and as a leader,” Tirone said.

Reflecting back on the Conestoga teammates he is leaving behind, McKenrick is optimistic that he is leaving the team in good hands.

“Just looking into the future for Conestoga’s team, I think there’s a lot of kids who have really stepped up this season when we needed to,” McKenrick said. “I think (the boys’ swim team) will be set for a while.”

Cissy Ming/The SPOKE

For the Record: Senior Brian McKenrick swims at the District I Boys Swimming Championships. As captain of the boys’ swim team, he has built a reputation for breaking records.

24 The Spoke

Monday, March 20, 2017

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The Spoke 25

Monday, March 20, 2017

Sports

Conestoga athletics: Why so serious?

By Avery Maslowsky Business Manager As we finished our last set of “rebound” cheers before the second half of the ’Stoga girls’ basketball game against Villa Maria, I heard one of the mothers from the opposing team scream to my coach, “Are you really going to teach your kids to be so ignorant? God, let the girl shoot the ball!” and it took me a minute to process the idea that someone would have the nerve to scream at my coach for having us cheer. Or in other words, having us do our job as cheerleaders.

But no, this was not the first time I’ve been screamed at to “sit down!” or to “be quiet!” or heard the infamous “they’re so unnecessary!” at a boys or girls basketball game for simply supporting my high school team and being a cheerleader.

High school sports have become more of a serious matter

than a form of amusement.

When I’m cheerleading in the winter season, I can’t even open my mouth anymore before I get a glare from the opposing team’s parents or student section.

Today, high school sports are for those who seek competition, have a strong desire for winning and in some cases, for those who play just to get into college. High school sports should be about learning leadership, strengthening the body and mind and having fun, not about trying to constantly be the best.

And while cheerleading is a winter sport for me, seven weeks during the summer before my freshman year of high school for my fall sport, I ran two miles every Monday, a timed mile every Tuesday, 100 yard sprints every Wednesday, a mile jog every Thursday and the deadly three to four mile run every Friday. That summer, I gave up playing field hockey for the exhilarating feeling I get out on the field. I trained to be the best and to make the team, which, ultimately, I couldn’t achieve.

I was put on JVB, which was the same as being cut in the eyes of a blind-sighted freshman.

But looking back, I can’t figure out why I cried for two days

straight because of my placement. Maybe it was because of the shame I felt being placed on a lower level than all my friends or maybe it was because I didn’t want to face the embarrassment of having to respond with, “I’m on JVB” when being asked what team I made.

But high school sports at any level shouldn’t have any shame formulated around them.

A fine line needs to be drawn between high school sports and unnecessary stress. Sports were created as a form of entertainment, but at Conestoga, sometimes I look forward to sitting at a desk for six hours more than trying out for my fall sport all over again in August, because I don’t want to face the stomach crippling pressure all over again.

But despite this, Conestoga athletics bring people together in a way that is unexplainable through words on a page. We, as students at Conestoga, are lucky to have so many sports and opportunities offered. Even though we have all these opportunities, that doesn’t mean we have to be involved in a sport every season and face the pressure of school and athletics at the same time.

This is high school, so why can’t we be just high schoolers?

atop the list of American sports might be as much at risk as it ever has been.

Think about what has weakened football: controversies over concussions and traumatic brain injury (and the NFL’s attempts to downplay the issue), an unlikable commissioner, a flawed overtime model and its antifun reputation, to name a few. Of course, it’s hard to topple a sport whose championship garners 170 million viewers, and thankfully for the league, its season was saved by the most exciting Super Bowl ever. However, even if Super Bowl LI was amazing, come this fall, we’ll be back to watching the “No Fun League” in action. Yes, for the time being, football is still America’s Game, but I think the NBA is primed to challenge it for that title.

We all know that basketball is packed with action: each possession is less than 24 seconds, athletes push their bodies to the limit and teams basically always reach 100 points. In addition, basketball is easy to learn and the players make it look

especially effortless. Baseball players have to hit — or throw — 95 mph fastballs, football players get knocked silly and hockey players get knocked silly on skates.

Basketball players don’t have to memorize thick playbooks, extensive scouting reports or a multitude of situations like in football and baseball. Basketball players have to wear the least: just a tank top, shorts and sneakers that people wear for fashion purposes nowadays. I’m not saying these guys are soft — they can make such a physically demanding task look easy — but it’s almost as if they’re ballin’ at the local playground, except it happens to be in front of millions of spectators.

Not to mention, basketball has the most marketable stars.

Baseball’s brightest stars just aren’t ubiquitous. Baseball has pretty much joined hockey as a “niche” sport; a sport that is really only relevant in certain circles.

Meanwhile, football and basketball players are cultural staples. NBA players have always

Avery Maslowsky/The SPOKE

How basketball can become America’s Game

By Vik Raghupathi Guest Reporter

First, before anything, we had baseball. It was America’s first real sport, adapted from a couple of British games, refined to be enjoyable and given a head start on every other American sport. It was, as we all know, “America’s Pastime.” But then suddenly games were too long, the pace was too slow, and there just wasn’t enough action.

That’s when a new sport attracted fans’ attention: football.

Football won over fans because it’s chock-full of action, whereas a pastoral game like baseball, although relaxing, was comparatively lacking in the excitement department. Not to mention, NFL Films captured the sport beautifully through dazzling cinematography, a stirring soundtrack, and “The Voice of God” (John Facenda).

It brought poeticism to a sport like no other. Finally, of the four sports, football is the most American. However, football’s far from perfect. In fact, its spot

26 The Spoke

had cool monikers to pair with overwhelming style and high visibility: “The Doctor,” “Magic,” “MJ,” “The Answer,” and “King James,” to name a few (the Association even had “Skywalker” and “Iceman” before “Star Wars” and “Top Gun”). If you want an example of basketball’s natural showmen, just tune into TNT’s “Players Only” broadcasts on Mondays to watch Chris Webber play studio host, while every other on-air personality is also a former player.

I’m obsessed with how fun it is to watch, and it just goes to show how basketball’s colorful

Pallavi Aakarapu/The SPOKE

personalities could elevate the sport to “America’s Game” status.

Don’t get me wrong, basketball still has a long way to go before it’s ready to be the top dog among American sports, but it has all the ingredients. If the NFL is the “No Fun League,” then the NBA might as well be the “Never Boring Association.”

Since the days of Dr. J, Magic and Bird, the NBA has been on the up and up, and I don’t see why it can’t stay that way. I say that the NFL better make way, because it’s just a matter of time until basketball is king.

Monday, March 20, 2017

Sports

MAX AMSTERDAM Grade: 12 School: Columbia University Event: Men’s Varsity 4x

Why Columbia?

“The biggest aspect of Columbia that attracted me was its location in New York City, which I think will be an amazing place to learn and have fun over the next four years.”

What did ’Stoga Crew teach you? “’Stoga Crew has taught me that hard work and dedication are essential for success.”

Favorite memory?

“Spending time with everyone on the team in between our practices during those long spring break days.”

GRIFFIN HAMILTON Grade: 12 School: U.S. Naval Academy Event: Men’s Varsity 4x

Why the Naval Academy?

“I have always wanted to serve in the military and the Naval Academy has that as well as the academic and athletic options I wanted.”

What did ’Stoga Crew teach you?

“How to push past my mental walls and accomplish things I never thought I could do.”

Favorite memory?

“Finishing sixth in the country at U.S. Rowing Youth Nationals last season.”

ANNA GREEN

Grade: 12 School: La Salle University Event: Women’s Lightweight 2x Why La Salle?

“I chose La Salle because the team welcomed me with open arms and I absolutely love Philadelphia and rowing out of Boathouse Row.” What did ’Stoga Crew teach you?

“Conestoga’s crew team taught me how to be more confident in myself and how to be more of a leader.“ Favorite memory?

“When a bunch of the JV/V girls and I all went to EmJ’s Cafe in Berwyn for breakfast and we just talked.”

KATE HUDSON Grade: 12 School: Temple University Event: Women’s Varsity 4x

Why Temple?

“I chose Temple because of its amazing art program. Ever since I was little, I knew I wanted to go to art school.”

What did ’Stoga Crew teach you? “‘Stoga Crew taught me to work with others.”

Favorite memory?

“Winning Stotesbury last year.”

The Spoke 27

March 20, 2017 Conestoga High School Berwyn, PA www.spoke.news

@thespoke

Sprinting to Success Freshman sprinter Katie Billman stretches towards the finish line at Ursinus College on Jan. 15. The winter track team competed in nine invitational meets at various locations including Lehigh University, NYC Armory and Ocean Breeze in Staten Island.

Elizabeth Billman/The SPOKE

“We all worked really hard, so it’s nice to see it all pay off.”

See Page 21 Elizabeth Billman/The SPOKE