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June 2, 2015 Conestoga High School Berwyn, Pennsylvania Stoganews.com | Volume 65 No. 7
The Face of Our Education Send
‘15
INSIDE: Diversity p. 6
Summer p. 8
Senior Map p. 14
space Meninism p. 19
Playoffs p. 23
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Design: Adam Lockett/The SPOKE
News Education The Spoke is published seven times per year at Bartash Printing. It consistently receives the Gold Award from the Pennsylvania School Press Association and is a National Scholastic Press Association Pacemaker awardwinning publication. The Spoke serves as a public forum for student expression. Editors-in-Chief: Andy Backstrom, Michael Hong Managing Editor: Michael Li News Editor: Jerry Zhu Student Life Editor: Mary Mei Opinion Editor: Michelle Xu Sports Editors: Matt Paolizzi, Caleigh Sturgeon Managing Editor of Online Operations: Paula Miller Convergence Editors: Meagan O’Rourke, Eric Xue Public Relations Manager: Shivani Sanghani Business Manager: Allan Du Copy Editor: Camille Kurtz Centerspread Editor: Ian Ong Photography Editor: Betty Ben Dor Head Designer: Michael Zhang Graphic Designers: Liz Lawton, Adam Lockett Staff: Elizabeth Billman, Nour Elkassabany, Rose Kantorczyk, Cissy Ming, Kyle Nicholson, Emma Purinton, Allison Reagan, Matt Soderberg, Lyvia Yan, Warren Zhao Faculty Advisers: Susan Gregory, Cyndi Crothers-Hyatt
Submissions Letters to the editor may be submitted to Andy Backstrom or Michael Hong, or advisers Susan Gregory or Cyndi Crothers-Hyatt. Unsigned editorials represent the views of The Spoke editorial board, and not necessarily those of the administration, student body, community or advertisers. The opinions expressed in signed columns are those of the writer and not necessarily the opinion of The Spoke.
Contact Us Email: spoke@stoga.net Phone: 610-240-1046 The Spoke accepts paid advertisements. Visit The Spoke online at www.stoganews.com
2 The Spoke
After years of service to the district, Superintendent Dr. Daniel Waters and Director of Assessment and Instructional Technology Robin McConnell are retiring. As a result, Tredyffrin/Easttown School District (TESD) initiated changes to district personnel. Effective July 1, 2015, T/E Middle School (TEMS) Principal Mark Cataldi, Language Arts Supervisor Wendy Towle, ’Stoga Assistant Principals Andrew Phillips and Patrick Gately and current Octorara Senior High School Assistant Principal James Bankert will be taking new positions in TESD. Dr. Richard Gusick, the Director of Curriculum and Instruction, will become the new superintendent, creating an opening in his previous position. Towle will replace Gusick, prompting Gately to assume the position of Language Arts Supervisor. Gately says he plans on doing anything he can to advance the goals and strategic mission of the
district. He believes that this new
Because Cataldi is moving to
a plan of how we could transition
“I’ve been at both middle schools and the high school as a
will become the new principal at TEMS, allowing Bankert to replace him as assistant principal. Currently, Phillips is undergoing a transitional period with Cataldi as they prepare for their new positions. “As soon as it was official I would be moving to the position
Cataldi said. Phillips was introduced to students at lunch times and met the faculty at a staff meeting. He also went to PTO meetings, music concerts and all of TEMS’ meetings
Phillips was going to be principal
lot of hard work in this district, and
now worked as an administrator at the middle school and high school, so in a lot of ways professionally, it brings my whole career together Furthermore, Cataldi was reassigned from his role as principal of TEMS to the position of Director of Accountability and Assessment.
“What I would really want to get across is that administrators are im-
Photos by Warren Zhao/The SPOKE
Administrative switcheroo: TEMS Principal Mark Cataldi and CHS Assistant Principals Patrick Gately and Andrew Phillips will be taking new positions July 1, 2015.
Cissy Ming
members approved the motion,
During its April 27 general meeting, the Tredyffrin Easttown School Board voted to designate Chester County Regional Education Services (CCRES) as the primary vendor for the district’s aides and paraeducators. Board members Elizabeth Mercogliano and James Bruce abstained from voting, while the other seven
Scott Dorsey. Aides and paraeducators working more than 27.5 hours a week were given options to continue working with their current hours under CCRES or reduce their hours and remain employed under the district. Out of the 200 aides and paraeducators employed by the school district, only 73 work more than 27.5 hours a week.
Affected district employees had to decide prior to May 15, before the district’s new policy becomes effective in early July. According to school board member Karen Cruickshank, the outsourcing decision comes mainly as a reaction to the regulations set forth by the Affordable Care Act. “We should be able to provide the wealthiest districts. However, with Act I in place, we can’t raise Cruickshank said. “This has not School board member Kevin Buraks intends for a smooth transition for aides and paraeducators affected by outsourcing. “We have spoken with paraeducators and aides in developing
one-time $2,000 bonus under both plans to offset the cost of purchasing personal health insurance. While CCRES proposes to allows aides and paraeducators to change vendors at any time and continue working in TESD, it does not supply health care coverage. Because CCRES fails to provide health insurance for the outsourced aides and paraeducators, the school district risks incurring a $2,000 monthly fine per employee for violating the terms of the Affordable Care Act. Community members addressing the school board expressed concern about the welfare of special needs students. “The vendors being considered are subpar, and outsourcing will Betsy Grossman, speaking on behalf of a group of parents. “The board’s decision will affect our
to keep the same paraeducators In previous meetings, the board narrowed a list of potential vendors to CCRES and Delta T, which currently supplies 54 aides and paraeducators in the district. Though both vendors have employees working in the school Ian Ong/The SPOKE district, neither of the proposed Sticking around: Marybeth McGowan, who plans to continue her work contracts changed the terms of under the district, is one of many aides who will face work hour cuts. On employment. The school board April 27, school board members voted to outsource aides and paraeducators. agreed to pay affected employees a
However, School Board President Kristine Graham claimed both vendor candidates gave aides the necessary training to perform their jobs, in accordance with Pennsylvania Department of Education requirements. The school board anticipates holding an informational meeting between CCRES representatives and the district’s aides and paraeducators in the near future.
Students in the district opt to opt-out
News District
Allan Du Business Manager While hundreds of students their PSSA answer sheets, a select handful of students decided to opt out. Or, more accurately, their parents did. “[Opting out] has had little impact on the T/E Schools. To from the PSSA and none from McConnell said. According to Mark Cataldi, principal of T/E Middle School, this year from parents wishing to opt their children out of the PSSA.
Adam Lockett/The SPOKE
their children from the assessment
to the tests are often of a different nature. Some parents view the amount of time spent preparing
292 students opted out of the PSSA interferes with their religious faith, in 2014. “Parents are mostly concerned that the test takes away from classroom instruction time and
to the district superintendent, who include the ethic of reciprocity taught in Christianity, Judaism and
Supervisor of K-12 Testing in
system. That year, President Ronald of American education in the report A Nation at Risk: The Imperative for Educational Reform. Today, that same movement
on state-determined standards. In Pennsylvania, these are called the Pennsylvania Core Standards. “The Pennsylvania Core Standards allow students to think more analytically and more Pennsylvania is the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment high school. In recent years, an increasing
“[Opting out] has had little impact on the T/E Schools. To date there have been less to exempt students from the PSSA and none from the Keystone Exams.” -Robin McConnell, Director of K-12 Assesment Islam, among other world religions, as one would do to oneself. Since one would not force themselves to do something they do not wish to, parents view the tests as harmful infringes on this ethic and serves to the tests. Another commonly mentioned
the tests are harmful to the educational environment. Chapter 4, Section 4.1 of the Pennsylvania State Board of Education Regulations states, “Parents shall have the right to review a State assessment… to determine whether a State assessment conflicts with their
includes that when students perform poorly on the tests, funding to their schools is reduced, enlarging racial and social gaps in education. This interferes with many religions’ Although parents may only underlying reasons for opposition
that an emphasis on test scores limits creativity and the freedom to learn topics that truly interest their children. tests stem from the argument that without them, there is no other way to measure student mastery of course material.
to take remediation courses to improve their scores. As a result, students from other districts scored higher overall which U.S. News & World Report used to compile its national high school rankings. This resulted in the 2014-2015 school year. “Keystones are now a graduation
Patrick Gately said. a controversial facet of the educational system. Only time will tell whether less importance is placed on tests, or if parents will oppose them with greater intensity. For now, the PSSA and Keystone measuring student performance in T/E schools.
helps to teach more effectively. However, I do think multiple forms of assessment helps to assess what a student can know and do, and can help a teacher understand what their children know or do at any given scores to school funding, school curricula are sometimes narrowed to focus on the topics appearing on the test, limiting the potential for learning deeper and more varied material. “Over the past year we have to align our curriculum with the Marta said. a measure of individual student performance and more as a measure of the amount of funding a school act like machines performing an ingrained set of actions on tests to funding. Even Conestoga has adopted Beginning in April 2013, Conestoga students who did not
The Spoke 3
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News Education
College Board adds tests, makes changes to PSAT Betty Ben Dor Photography Editor Starting next year, the College Board will implement two new exams, the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT) 8/9 and the PSAT 10, alongside a redesigned PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT) and Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). Conestoga principal and T/E School District Education Committee member Dr. Amy Meisinger said that the education committee spent two months planning how T/E would enact the new test. The committee “wanted to make sure students had a good amount of fortable going into the SAT, but that we weren’t over-testing students for the sake of testing,” Meisinger said. Next year, ninth and 10th graders will take their grade’s level of the PSAT on Oct.14, although they may choose to take the PSAT/ NMSQT instead if they wish. Juniors, meanwhile, will only take the PSAT/NMSQT and are the only ones eligible for the National Merit Scholarship awards. Meanwhile,
Eric Xue Co-Convergence Editor Normally, senior Jeffrey Huang wakes up and gets ready for his internship at Eastern University, where he works with a professor on biochemical research. However, on May 18, that professor was busy. At home with little to do, Huang came upon an email from the United States of America Astronomy and Astrophysics Olympiad (USAAAO),
the district will not administer the PSAT 8/9 to eighth graders, although it may choose to add that to the schedule in future years. The administration of the exam will change; before, students paid for the PSAT on their own and took it outside of school on a Saturday, but now the district will pay for the tests and administer them on a school day. On the exam day, seniors will have a three hour delay, since they are not taking the exams, during which time Conestoga will administer the tests to the other students. Currently, the education committee expects to readminister the tests in the spring for freshmen and sophomores. “We don’t have a good sense of what the new test is like. So we want to study our fall administration for 9, 10 and 11 graders and see if it’s recommended to revisit the spring administration,” Meisinger said. The College Board has made changes to the exam itself, increasing the testing time by 35 minutes from its original two hours and 10 minutes and cutting the multiple choice question answer choices
an email that he had been waiting weeks for. The email, sent at 2:22 a.m., had congratulated him on his acceptance onto the team of six that will represent the United States at the International Olympiad of Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA) in Semarang, Indonesia in August. The U.S. IOAA team consists of the top six participants in the National Astronomy Olympiad (NAO) competition, which consisted of two rounds. According to Huang, this year’s NAO competition had
no longer penalize students for incorrect answers and will be scored out of 1600, just like the new SAT which was announced earlier this year. According to the College Board, the redesigned PSATs will more effectively prepare students for the new SAT and will be longer and more comprehensive tests. Whereas -
rizing strong vocabulary, this new one focuses more on comprehension and analytical thinking. “The new PSAT is gonna be more closely aligned to the core standards and to the types of questions that they ask in the Keystone exams so it requires a lot more critical thinking, a lot more reading skills and a lot more interpretation of material than the old PSATs which were based on just knowl-
“It is a broad spectrum of preparation. It is a change in thinking, it is a change in how you approach questions, how you answer questions, so you’re going to see that in the classroom setting,” Monaghan said.
Adam Lockett/The SPOKE
the second round. The second round test, held in April, decided the team of six, which included Huang. Huang describes how he feels about not only representing himself and his school but his country as well. “I’m pretty excited. I can barely believe this is happening--it’s pretty crazy. I know that it’ll be probably one of the hardest tests I will ever take. It’ll be tough and I’ll probably have to be pragmatic, pick out the
questions that I can actually answer. At the same time, it’ll be fun. It’s nice doing physics and math, in general, and I’m sure the observational part will be very cool,” Huang said. This year will be third time the United States sends a team to comin 2013, where they won 11th place and earned two honorable mentions. However, even before such a competition was created, Huang had found a passion in astronomy. Huang said he started reading books about grade, but did not get exposed to the material tested on the USAAAO until he started Science Olympiad after eighth grade. Huang says it’s the wide range of topics in astronomy that drew him into it.
Shooting for the stars: Senior
edge,” teacher Susan Monaghan said. Monaghan believes the shift in the approach to standardized testing
“I like the scope of astronomy-where you can have ridiculously large numbers, massive explosions, those kinds of things. It’s also pretty cool to learn about how the universe, our solar system and the Earth came to be,” Huang said. Huang also wishes to help others the way that they have helped him: through giving advice and providing motivation. “I realize that competitions and prizes are a powerful motivation— they surely have been for me—but try to keep a wider perspective than that. You should learn about a subject and do things because they grab your interest and are fun and stimulating for you. Regardless of how well you Huang said.
Yuge Xiao/The SPOKE
prepares for the IOAA competition, which will be held in In-
The Spoke 5
Story by Jerry Zhu Design by Adam Lockett Contributing Reporters: Paula Miller, Eric Xue and Meagan O’Rourke When junior Yinzhi Zhuge arrived at Newark Liberty International Airport in March 2010, he brought with him aspirations of greater opportunities and a better education. Growing up in Lianyungang, China, he was surrounded by peers of the same race, a system he describes as “uniform.” “I felt distanced. Everybody wore the same thing. We learned the same things. It was biased towards a common government theme. There was almost no connection with the students.” Walking into the halls of Tredyffrin/Easttown Middle School (TEMS), Zhuge entered public schooling with a backpack, a 3-inch notebook, a packet of No. 2 pencils and a basic understanding of English. He was unprepared for the racial and social differences. “It was intimidating, because in my whole life I’ve been seeing Asian people. Seeing people from a different culture, a different color was overwhelming.” The language barrier alienated him from his peers. People misunderstood his mannerisms that had been viewed as normal in his past school. “In class, you don’t really understand what you are learning. The teachers always see you very differently. They talk to you in a special way. They talk very nicely, but you know that they see you differently. I was isolated.” However, Zhuge’s estrangement from his peers was cast aside once he interacted with TEMS’s diverse
in
6 The Spoke
student body. Meeting other Chinese American students helped him better understand American culture. “There were a lot of Asian American kids at TEMS, and even though they didn’t speak Chinese very well, I could at least understand them so I had someone to relate,” Zhuge said. An Expanding Issue in the nation’s history, the number of minority students surpasses the number of non-Hispanic whites in U.S. classrooms. Across the country, population trends have gradually shifted, making minority students the majority in public schools. The National Center for Educational Statistics estimates that in the next 10 years, the number of Hispanic students enrolled in public education will grow to 30 percent of total enrolled students, with over three million new hispanic students nationwide. In comparison, the share of white students enrolled in public schools is projected to decrease by more than seven percent, an overall loss of nearly two million students. The reason for the shift? A combination of migration, social progress and birth rates according to a study by Pennsylvania State University. In Tredyffrin/Easttown (T/E), the Asian community has grown to make up 17.5 percent of the student body over the last four years, while the percentages of black and Hispanic students have stayed constant. Although minority students have not overtaken the share of white students, the number is growing. Guidance counselor Megan Smyth attributes the increase to Conestoga’s academic vigor and media perception. “Families do their research independently before they even reach out to us,” Smyth said. “Whether it’s from just browsing our website and school resources or through rankings, they have a good understanding of all Conestoga has to offer, and I think that that is appealing to them.” Junior Sofía IrizarryMéndez moved to the district during her sophomore year after her father landed a position at Merck. Irizarry-Méndez attended a charter school in North Carolina, where she de-
scribes the demographics as “much more diverse.” “I wasn’t too excited initially about the level of diversity at Conestoga. The kids from my charter school came from all around the world and there were a lot of exchange students. The school did a lot of activities to incorporate the cultures. There would be days where students would dress up for their holidays and the school would sponsor activities to celebrate the event. Anyone could join in. It was very open,” Irizarry-Méndez said.
“We should be aware of our culture since everyone comes background, but yet we shouldn’t be bounded by these circumstances.” -Junior Aaliyah Rogers The Case for Diversity In their study “Who Benefits from Racial Diversity of Higher Education?” Mitchell Chang, associate dean of Loyola Marymount University, and Alexander Astin, director of the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA, found that schools with diverse populations tended to incorporate students of diverse backgrounds more readily than did racially homogeneous schools. Junior Jack Baker left T/E after middle school and attended St. Joseph’s Preparatory School, a private all-male Jesuit high school in Philadelphia, during his freshman year. “Coming back to Conestoga, I’ve experienced more diversity, which has allowed me to form better relationships with a different, wider group of people,” Baker said. “I really love that about Conestoga.” The National Education Association (NEA) found in a 2014 report called “Time for a Change: Diversity in Teaching Revisited” that in schools that were able to represent the racial, linguistic and ethnic cultures of the community, the diversity of the staff was “advantageous to the academic performance of students of all backgrounds,” especially for students of color. According to the report, teachers of color offer minority students an avenue to connect with their school
and feel welcome in their communities. By creating the framework for a more inclusive atmosphere, students are able to experience lessons and make connections that are more representative of the real world. Social Studies Department Chair David Zimmerman believes that his Asian background allows him to talk about race in a more casual way. “In some cases, white people since sometimes they feel uncomfortable about the topic. I think in my class, we could talk about it more casually and it wasn’t a big deal—people weren’t offended,” Zimmerman said. In his youth, physics teacher John Kim immigrated to the United States from Korea and attended an all-male Catholic school in Philadelphia. He believes his blended background helps him connect to students in a more personal manner. “Being an Asian student as well as being an Asian teacher bears different expectations from society. And most are positive, I think. But sometimes that could put unnecessary added pressure on Asian students. So I try to make [the atmosphere] light-hearted,” Kim said. However, for some, race has not been a major factor in their experiences at Conestoga. Before coming to the U.S., junior Kwame Bonsu lived in Ghana. He believes that while the education offered at Conestoga is more “practical,” the diversity of the school has not drastically impacted his ability to learn or connect with his teachers. “I feel like minorities have a more relatable connection. In a black community, it’s sort of a brotherhood, sisterhood sort of thing but it doesn’t really make a difference. It’s just more social interaction with people of color, but in terms of education, I think it’s all the same,” Bonsu said. Junior Aaliyah Rogers, a member of the African American Student Union, feels that ultimately, race and education should be considered separately. “Race shouldn’t be the predominate factor with how our teachers educate our students. We should be aware of our culture since everyone comes from a different background, but yet we shouldn’t be bounded by these circumstances,” Rogers said.
Continued on p. 7
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Guidance counselor Megan Smyth Photos by Betty Ben Dor, Adam Lockett and Eric Xue
The way forward: programs and people Continued from p. 6 A Growing Divide Despite changes in the racial landscape of the nation, diversity among teachers has not kept up. The NEA reported that two decades ago, 26 percent of public educators were of color. That number has since decreased to 18 percent. In Pennsylvania, the relationship between the growth of minority students and of minority teachers has been inverted. Between 1993 and 2008, a six percent gain in enrolled minority decline in the number of minority teachers. Based on the 2015 demographics released in the April 15 District Diversity Committee meeting, the distribution of faculty members included 1.7 percent Asian, 3.9 percent black, 1.5 percent Hispanic and 93.1 percent white. In comparison, the distribution of student demographics included 17.5 percent Asian, 3.1 percent black, 2.5 percent multi-racial, 2.6 percent Hispanic and 74.3 percent white. Zimmerman found that although staff diversity improved during his 23 years working in the district, the distribution has not completely modeled the demographics of students. “I think it helps for students to be able to look at either teachers or administrators who they can relate to. However, [diversity] is better than it used to be, but the district probably could do with some more diversity [in the staff],” Zimmerman said. Patricia Berry, a secretary who has worked with African American students since 1978, has seen racial tensions in the district die down over the years. However, Conestoga is “down on the end of the totem pole when it comes to diversity.” The effects of a less diverse staff can become evident with curricu-
lum based on complex social and racial issues. Berry has seen that although teachers of non-African American roots can teach issues regarding civil rights and black suffrage exceedingly well, African American students may feel uncomfortable being instructed on certain topics. “With an African American teacher teaching the [African American history course], I think students would feel much more comfortable because they feel like the white teacher has not gone through any of the experiences that their families and ancestors have. It’s a connection, a feeling that isn’t present when you have someone without the same background as the kids teaching a sensitive topic,” Berry said. Learning Support teacher and Diversity Committee member Carol Gibson believes that while ers have gone “through the things they’re teaching,” it “isn’t fair to exclude a white teacher from African American history” solely based on their race. Action Plan Last year, a study commissioned by the Tredyffrin/Easttown School District reported that over the next 10 years, total enrollment at Conestoga High School would grow by 11.1 percent with a high of 2,329 enrolled students in 2023. Out of the projected class of 2023, more than 157 students will be of color, around 25 percent of the total class of 629 students. In response to the new trends, school districts may also have to hire new staff and create programs to facilitate the academic needs of the increasing number of minority students. CBS News found that with larger and more diverse classes, schools may have to establish more
79.65% 79.65% 13.64% 13.64% 3.53% 3.53% 2.17% 2.17% 1.01% 1.01%
English language courses, renovate and expand classrooms or even taste of a more diverse student body. In some local school districts, such as Lower Merion, boards have placed mandates on hiring teachers of color. Conestoga has no such plans, but Curriculum Supervisor Dr. Oscar Torres said that the district is actively seeking a more diverse applicant pool.
“Our goal is obviously to provide the best teacher in the classroom. If we can identify teachers from various backgrounds that students can assimilate to and feel connected with, then of course we are going to take a look at those teachers as well.” -Oscar Torres Curriculum Supervisor
However, there are challenges. “Our goal is obviously to provide the best teacher in the classroom. If we can identify teachers from various backgrounds that students can assimilate to and feel connected with, then of course we are going to take a look at those teachers as well. We do our best to diversify the applicant pool as much as possible. We do reach out to colleges and attend diversity fairs to seek out applicants every year,” Torres said. The challenge in hiring minority teachers frequently extends beyond just opening new positions. In 2005, the Philadelphia Inquirer found that teachers of color tended to be more
attracted to urban school districts such as Philadelphia or Chester than more rural districts. Gibson initially believed after graduating she would teach in a more urban district. “My intent was to teach in Philadelphia, but after talking to a professor I had at Eastern University, she explained that although the minority population here is small, [the district] could use minority teachers,” Gibson said. “Teachers all have different gifts and graces, and I think that various options should be pointed out to minority candidates, but ultimately, it’s up to that person to decide how they want to fulfill their mission in education.” The dilemma in hiring teachers of color is compounded in districts with less integration in staff and student body. With more to apply. “At times, we do see candidates that do meet the process and might be about to be offered a position, but that candidate might decide that they would prefer a school where they feel is part of where they grew up. Other schools are also in the look for minority teachers, making the hiring process very competitive,” Torres said. riods of teaching in the 2015-16 school year, the district plans on hiring 15 new teachers this summer to account for increased workload. Although administrators encourage minority teachers to apply and is actively seeking to minimize the gap between minority teacher and student demographics, the hiring process will be rooted on the skills and experiences of candidates. Berry believes that in the end, no matter the race, ethnicity or background of applicants, it all comes down to their abilities.
74.25% 17.52% 3.08% 2.56% 2.59%
93.07% 1.71% 3.89% 1.52% The Spoke 7
FEATURES Roadmap To Summer Story by Paula Miller Design by Michael Zhang
Nightscape at Longwood Gardens July 1 - October 31 1001 Longwood Rd, Kennet Square
9 PM - 11 PM
Night Market June 18, August 6, October 1 Callowhill, Lancaster Ave, Frankford & Girard Aves
AUGUST JUL Y
Longwood Gardens is beautiful year-round, but this summer Nightscape offers an incredible new experience. The nighttime only display combines light, moving images and music to take the gardens to a whole new level. The group behind the display, the Klip Collective, has also designed installations for other events like the Philadelphia Flower Show and Sundance Film Festival. In July, visit from 9:30-11 p.m. and 9-11 p.m. in August, Wednesday through Saturday, with tickets priced at $17 for anyone 18 and under.
6 PM - 10 PM
The Food Trust, the organization behind Night Market, is hosting four different events this year. On June 18, Night Market is coming to Callowhill, and will be back in two different locations in August and October.
Future Sensations
This two-day festival, now in its 26th year, always draws a crowd. The 300 artists hand-picked for the festival display and sell their work, consisting of sculptures, paintings, photographs, jewelry, glass and more. Since the festival takes over Main Street, there are plenty of restaurants and shops to enjoy as well.
Radio 104.5 Block Party Series
3:45 PM - 7 PM
June 7, July 12, August 2, September 13 Festival Pier, 601 N. Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia One Sunday a month from May through September, Radio 104.5 hosts a free concert for all ages at Festival Pier. The summer block parties have been a hit in previous years, and the lineup for this summer promises to be just as exciting, with artists like A Silent Film, Misterwives, Matt and Kim, Nate Ruess, Panic! At the Disco and many more. Although the concerts are free, tickets are still required and can be downloaded from the Radio 104.5 website.
12 PM - 7 PM
May 30 - June 6 The Oval, 2451 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia For a short time this summer, Philadelphia welcomes a special exhibition that you won’t want to miss. Future Sensations, created by building material company Saint-Gobain to celebrate its 350-year anniversary, features five immersive pavilions that highlight different sensory experiences and technological innovations. The exhibition makes only three other stops—Paris, Sao Paulo and Shanghai—making this a truly unique opportunity. Tour the pavilions starting at noon each day.
Y A M 8 The Spoke
11 AM - 7 PM 11 AM - 6 PM
June 20 - 21 Main St, Philadelphia
NE JU
Night Market is only five years old, but it has already gained attention from The New York Times and Philadelphia Magazine as one of the best events in the city. Its more than 300 vendors include local restaurants, but mostly food trucks, offering everything from pizza to waffles and tacos to ice cream.
Manayunk Arts Festival
Rittenhouse Square Fine Art Show June 5 - 7 18th St and Walnut St, Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia
11 PM - 7 PM
With 143 artists, the Rittenhouse Square Fine Art Show is a must for any art lover. This summer marks the show’s 84th year, making it one of the oldest outdoor art shows in the country. Browse the artwork, or “circle the square,” from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
AM - 5 PM Spruce Street Harbor Park and 95:30 - 8 PM Blue Cross RiverRink Summerfest
May 22 - September 30 121 N Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, 101 S Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia Last summer, Penn’s Landing debuted its Spruce Street Harbor Park, an urban pop-up beach that brought a taste of the boardwalk to the Delaware River Waterfront. Everything visitors loved last year—including the hammocks, colorful light display and floating restaurant—is back this year, only bigger and better, with the addition of more hammocks, more lights and more food options. Nearby along the waterfront is the Blue Cross RiverRink Summerfest, featuring an outdoor roller rink—the first of its kind in Philly. Surrounding the rink are even more food options to choose from, as well as a lodge with plenty of seating and summer-y décor. Admission to everything but the roller rink is free.
Features Faculty
Story and photos by Managing Editor Michael Li
Every year, the school says goodbye to familiar faces. The Spoke sat down with some of the retirees this year to talk about their experiences here at Conestoga, and what they are looking to do after their retirements. Patricia Littlewood
Martha Miller
Ray Carter
know her better as the coordinator Parents know her better as the coordinator for volunteer services. and she has been working in that position for 25 years. In working to ensure senior sible for the seniors—which included keeping track of hundreds of students and their individual internships—Littlewood found satisfaction in knowing that the effect on a student’s future.
After working for a total of 29 years at every single school in the
teaching Spanish that gave her great joy was “seeing those lightbulbs go off in the students when
20 years at the high school—cus-
or are pronouncing it correctly.” A teacher for 14 years in the dis-
his post. Carter valued the daily interac-
interacting with her students. It student initially uninterested in ested and involved throughout the school year. would still like to be involved knowledge for Spanish culture.
Littlewood said. She also enjoyed the relationship between her and the parents
students and staff at Conestoga. He said that one of his favorite things about the job was “working ity of people are very nice to work with.”
“Ray is one of the best I’ve worked with. He’s one of the nicest and smartest guys.” -Custodian Bill Bingham said his favorite task was lining
doing the language.” “I love working with the par-
also to places like Greece and Italy. -
ing her travels off by stopping by the Finger Lakes located in
Since starting out as an atTredyffrin-Easttown School Dissecretary Patricia Berry has worked in the district for 36 years. Berry says that in addition to her work in
colleagues with Carter in 1989 and
started as a kindergartner at Hill-
started in 1979. -
back to the district after college to teach. -
culture days—to hosting the Afannual event known as the Covered
through was the introduction of -
special dish to enjoy with one other. students and teachers. that’s when I started that lobby
-
Though she is retiring as a Consituations we had here at the high -
to not only take advantage of the recalled.
One of the things Carter will guys in the evening.”
and reading.
Susan Monaghan
“in and out of the school” to keep working with the AASU. Saying that it’s always been her passion to work with the kids
tina and learned both Spanish and through the district and graduate
Littlewood said.
Patricia Berry
way they can. “I don’t know of any other school district that does what we
and energy of the students on a forward to being a retiree. There
as an old chapter closing and a new one beginning.
said. “This is one place that you can
everything. Hasta luego or hasta
cause you have everything here.”
-
way.
not goodbye.”
a business to start.
nicest guys.”
Not included: The Spoke would like to recognize three more retirees who were not able to be featured in this piece: Karen Fad, Elaine Robinson and Peter Widmann. Fad and Robinson were cafeteria workers here at Conestoga, and Widmann was a custodian for 41 years in the district. Fad was featured in the February issue of the Spoke. Robinson and Widmann were unable to be reached for comment. Left: Cafeteria worker Karen Fad Right: Cafeteria worker Elaine Robinson Unpictured: Custodian Peter Widmann Photos courtesy of Conestoga Yearbook
The Spoke 9
Features Interests Ian Ong Centerspread Editor
Students upload their creativity to the tube
Viral sensations. Daily vlogterms all apply to an emerging -
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Ian Ong/The SPOKE
Web sensation: Sophomore Hariharan Elavarasan, creator of the YouTube channel “Harirah121,� is one student who uses the web as a platform for his creations.
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10 The Spoke
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Features Teacher
Philosophy and government teacher Social studies teacher David Anderson discusses what he likes to do outside of school, his favorite place to travel and why he would like to have dinner with FDR. Interview and photo by Public Relations Manager Shivani Sanghani Where are you originally from? Upstate New York, the Hudson Valley. It’s about 90 miles north from here. What was your major in college? My major in college was history education with a minor in political science at the University of Delaware. Why did you decide to pursue that major? My mother was a teacher. She taught for about 35 years, and growing up, I always saw that when she was teaching, it was a lot more than just a job. It was a profession. It was a lifestyle. It was something that I could tell she loved to do, and I wanted to get a lot out of the career that I chose, and so I wanted to go into teaching. One of the other major reasons was that I wanted to help more people than just myself. Do you consider yourself a political or social advocate? Do you participate in outside political activities? a government teacher, especially in the classroom, I maintain a very neutral position. I play devil’s advocate in class, in order to expose all sides and all arguments and weigh them in accordingly. I think that in my own personal life, I definitely have my own ideals and beliefs, and I try to express them as best as possible, but I am limited in the way that I can be socially active, which is unfortunate. I vote and participate with the time constraints to do all the things that we believe are right and just. convey your personal beliefs to the class? times when I would like to defend one view more strongly or advocate for a position that I feel is morally right or just. Yet, this is not the forum for my opinions and my beliefs to come through, but rather to expose all beliefs and to weigh them against one another and to represent the minority opin-
ion if it isn’t being represented, even if it’s completely contrary to my own. Do you have any favorite courses you’ve taught? I like them all. Since I’ve been at Conestoga, celerated U.S. History, Honors Government, History, and this year, Honors Philosophy ment. What are your favorite topics/lessons to teach? In philosophy class, I love talking about ethics and the idea of choices and what it means to be ethical and to act e t h i c a l l y. the other side of an argument is really this— when that light turns on and students are able to recognize the perspective of another. Is there any political topic that you consider very interesting? I find that political socialization is very interesting to I look at myself intrinsically, I -
teresting to see how my ideas have developed, whether it be through my parents, culture or through where or how I compare my political socialization to those who I ran into in college, the teachers that I’ve had and the students that I’ve come across. It’s really interesting to explore and hear the ra-
tionale behind those different perspectives. What do you like to do in your free time? side of school is to travel. I make money, I earn a living so that I can take time to travel with my wife, with my family, with my friends and by myself if I need to. Luckily, I had the opportunity to travel across the world a few different times. I’ve been to Japan, Israel, and even a few Caribbean islands. huge part of what I like to do. I also enjoy cooking new dishes. What’s your favorite place you’ve ever been to? I really enjoyed my time in Israel. I was able to travel through a sponsored trip. I went with my sister. If you are of Jewish descent, then you have the ability to apply for and acquire a paid trip to Israel. I went three years ago, and it was the most time my sister and I had spent together. It was a great opportunity to meet new people, to go and see a place that is so fought over, so desired and so important to so many people.
It’s incredible to see the power that a single location can possess. I was able to meet Israeli Defense Force soldiers, who stayed with us and people from all around the U.S. who traveled with us. I was able to explore the Jewish faith even further. I was able to hear the perspective of Israelis and what it’s like to live in Israel. It’s incredible to hear and to know If you could have dinner with one person, living or dead, who would you choose? FDR. Being a student in history, I admire FDR. [He was] the president that served for the longest time and served during what we now call the greatest had to make, whether we agree with his policies or not, truly went through, especially being someone of wealth and one suffering from the effects of polio—that straddle what he had to do with his private and public life—that is just amazing. He’s also an upstate New York kind of guy, so that does help as well. What’s the one thing you would want your students to know about you? students are human, just like all other teachers, administration, your parents, so am I. Humans make mistakes. our mistakes and to recognize that teachers, peers and those around us are all human.
Favorites Favorite movie: “Good Will Hunting” with Robin Williams, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck Favorite books: “1984” and “Freakonomics” Favorite dish to make: Guacamole Favorite color: Green
The Spoke 11
Features Entertainment Nour Elkassabany
Summer picks from the silver screen
Best movie to relive your childhood “Moonrise Kingdom” (2012):
.
12 The Spoke
To watch with your family “The Road to El Dorado” (2000): Although it may not be one of the
Most relatable for seniors “Ghost World” (2001):
Best movie about family “Little Miss Sunshine” (2006):
Best cathartic movie “Where the Wild Things Are” (2009):
They’ve got the scoop
Features Food
Slurp-fest Review and photos by
With summer right around the corner, the heat that it brings is not far behind. Cool down with a cold drink that combines your favorite fruits, juices, yogurts and some much needed ice. Whether you need a healthy pick-me-up after a workout or have an afternoon sweet tooth, be sure to check out the following stores the next time you’re in the mood for an icy treat. Red Mango 150 E Lancaster Ave, Wayne, PA Combining frozen yogurt, fruit and fruit juice, Red Mango creates the perfect icy concoctions when you’re in the mood for something a little more drinkable rather than Strawberry Sonata and the Mango Melody, Red Mango smoothies are sure to satisfy anyone’s sweet tooth. And, if you’re looking for your daily out Red Mango’s new Apple Ginger Kale and Citrus Mango Greens
Paula Miller/The SPOKE
Super scoopers: Junior Mary Trinhtran mans the cash register at Kiwi Yogurt in Gateway Shopping Center. Trinhtran and sophomore Darian Shi are two students who work in the frozen treat industry.
Rose Kantorcyzk
wrong with a classic like the Tropical Mango. An icy blend of mango and pineapple, the Tropical Mango smoothie is a highly recommended way of escaping to a beach for just a few sips.
ring people up,” Trinhtran said. “And I liked the idea of being around kids.”
presentable and nice for people to buy them,” Trinhtran said. “If you mess it up or burn it, they’re not going to buy it.” Trinhtran, the struggles of working at an ice cream store are outweighed by the many benefits.
they’re made of cake batter, they’re so squishy all the time, and they won’t come out of the scoop.”
#9, Good Vibrations and many more fun smoothies for a healthy and refreshing treat. Raw Can Roll also offers superfood infusions like acai, maca and hemp
it’s free.”
Raw Can Roll
time,” Trinhtran said. “I go with
and there’s a specific way of how
are really annoying to scoop,” Shi said. “Chocolate cake batter and regular cake batter—I hate
options. Raw Can Roll offers a etable options, including mango,
“At Kiwi, you get 50 percent off if you work there, but if we’re throwing out the yogurt the next day, you can take as much as you want from that machine,” Trinhtran said. “I take home a lot of yogurt some nights. It might
recommendations for orders.
there were aspects to the job that she hadn’t considered.
Similarly, sophomore Darian Shi, who started working at Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream in April, also found unexpected challenges. “Scooping ice cream is harder
Raw Can Roll 767 Lancaster Ave, Wayne, PA
For Trinhtran, the most aggrabowls.
When junior Mary Trinhtran first applied to Kiwi Yogurt a year and a half ago, she assumed the job would be hassle-free. “The first thing I thought about working at a frozen yogurt place was that it would be an
Red Mango
-Junior Mary Trinhtran “You get really close with the people you work with, so you make a lot of friends,” Trinhtran said. “Also, you meet the cutest little kids. I got called the ice cream lady.” Shi and Trinhtran both get to experience the more tangible perks at working at an ice cream or frozen yogurt shop: free frozen treats. “After you finish your shift, you just get a cup and get a scoop of ice cream,” Shi said. “I try ran-
then I get graham crackers and I get hot fudge, and I put a couple strawberries in there, and I just load it up with whipped cream. It’s really simple, but it’s so good.” And at Handel’s, “Hot fudge brownie sundaes are the best. With any kind of ice cream,” Shi said. Shi also has good recommendations for the casual ice cream shop customer, regardless of what they’re planning to order.
Whirled Peace 111 Lancaster Ave, Paoli, PA Located just a few minutes from Conestoga, Whirled Peace is a frequent frozen yogurt and fruit smoothie stop for some students on the way home. At Whirled Peace, you actually get to make your own smoothie. Grab a smoothie cup and you’re free to
Although a little pricier than other smoothie shops, its organic ingredients make up for it in freshness answer. Something fruity? A Tutti Frutti of course!
and fruit you want. Choose a splash of fruit juice or milk, hand
Handel’s, tips matter a lot because we get paid minimum wage, but tips add a lot of money for us and make it worthwhile,” Shi said. “So be nice to your
with strawberries, blueberries, mango, raspberries and peach mango juice. The perfect combination of tangy and sweet, the
perfectly fine, that’s a lot of tips.”
altered based on your preference.
Whirled Peace
The Spoke 13
OPINION Is diversity an issue at T/E? The face of America’s education is undergoing a monumental shift, as the collective minority racial groups—including AfricanAmerican, Asian-American and Hispanic—become the majority in nationwide education. Likewise, in the Tredyffrin-Easttown school district, minorities are accounting for a greater and greater percentage of the student body each year, though non-Hispanic whites still make up the majority. During this time of demographic change, the word “diversity”— which seems to now revolve around characteristics like race, religion and socioeconomic status—is appearing around more and more. Is Conestoga a diverse place? And are there any issues with the school district’s diversity? From 2012 to 2015, the percentage of non-white students increased from around 20 percent of the student body to 25 percent, according to a report by the Tredyffrin-Easttown Diversity Committee. Compared to the rest of the nation, Hispanics in the school district are underrepresented, making up only 2.5 percent of students, while Asians are overrepresented, making up 17.5 percent of students. In our growth as citizens of not just the T/E community but also of the global community, interac-
tions with people of different ethnicities, religions and statuses are key. At Conestoga, it’s all too easy to settle into hanging out with students of similar backgrounds. It’s all too easy to take advantage
A person’s value to the school extends far beyond simple classifications like race, status or convictions. of culture days simply as ways to please our stomachs. The student population would benefit from being more receptive to new cultures and beliefs occasionally. The students of Conestoga have a lot of culture. Perhaps, we should begin to listen more too. To that end, the school district offers students many opportunities and experiences for diversity, which we support. From introductory lessons in elementary school to the exchange students at Conestoga, students are exposed to different ideas and cultures. There are especially many options at the high school, as in the variety of cultural clubs and events. In addition, the curriculum includes
From the Editor: Put down the phone
such mandatory courses as World History and World Literature, both of which attempt to widen a student’s global view. We agree that perhaps the faculty could be more diverse. After all, one in four students in the district is a minority while less than one in ten faculty members is a minority. We acknowledge the disparity, but we ultimately believe that the racial makeup of the faculty is not as important as its ability to teach and connect to students. We would rather have teachers hired for their teaching ability than teachers hired in the name of diversity. To say that there are no problems with diversity in the school would be to dismiss the issue too quickly. Diversity is something whose standards seem to change yearly, something that can be endlessly improved upon by members of the community. But in the end, a person’s value to the school extends far beyond simple convictions. From our colorful hobbies to our personal passions, our special quirks to our unique actions, we believe there is so much more that makes Conestoga and the Tredyffrin-Easttown community so varied and distinct— “diverse” in its most basic and true meaning, one expanded beyond race, status, and beliefs.
Editor’s Note: From 2012 to 2015, the percentage of non-white students increased from around 20 percent of the student body to 25 percent, according to a report by the Tredyffrin-Easttown Diversity Committee. Within the minority group, there are two main differences between the district and the nation. While Hispanics make up around 24 percent of students enrolled across the country according to the National the student body.
Liz Lawton/The SPOKE
16 The Spoke
Michael Hong Co-Editor-in-Chief “Sorry, what were you saying?” For the fifth time in the day, I find myself saying these words as I look up from my phone as my friend tries to speak to me. Ever since getting a phone earlier this year, I have been inseparable from it. I incessantly check my phone, in case someone sends me a text or makes a Facebook post that I just have to see. I’m not alone in this addiction—I see people with their eyes glued to their phones almost everywhere in school, whether they be watching videos, playing games or texting friends. In this modern world where we have tools like smartphones and computers and everybody is connected in some way, the distance between people has actually increased. Since getting a phone, my relationships with friends and family have deteriorated. While conversations over Facebook or text messaging do help to maintain relationships, nothing beats hanging out with someone in person. Thus, the most regrettable effect of getting a phone is the distance from my family. Once upon a time, before Facebook and phones, I would talk with my parents about my day and hang out with them. But once I had Facebook and a phone, interactions with my parents became almost nonexistent. Time that was once spent laughing with my parents is now spent messaging my friends about the latest happenings. After all, how horrible would it be if I didn’t get the latest gossip? Apparently, not bad at all. On Mother’s Day, I decided that I
would take the opportunity to connect with my family. I put away my charger and my phone for a day, and guess what? The world didn’t stop turning and my life continued without a hitch. Instead, I sat down with my mom and we talked about our lives. I learned about the friends she gained from walking in the park and learned about the vegetables she plants in our garden. My mother learned about my concerns—homework, friends, The Spoke. Sometimes we think we know everything about our families, but there’s always more to learn from them. Opportunities to talk with your parents may soon be hard
“In this modern world where we have tools like smartphones and computers and everybody is connected in some way, the distance between people has actually increased.” to come by. The seniors have already left for internship, and soon, for college. Next year, I’ll be a senior. As I’m busy with college applications, I’ll probably neglect my parents as I have all year, yet the days we have with our parents are dwindling. Whenever you can, try to talk to your parents, for there may not be many opportunities left. I encourage you to try this one day. Perhaps a good time to try this would be Father ’s Day, which is coming up soon. Put your phone down and talk to your friends, your family, your loved ones. There’s a vivid world out there beyond your phone.
Opinion Commentary
Opinion Editor Conestoga High School. First in Pennsylvania and 33rd in the nation in Newsweek’s America’s Top High Schools list. First in Pennsylvania and 41st in nation in Niche.com’s Best Academics for Public High Schools list. Fifth in Pennsylvania in the Washington Post’s America’s Most Challenging High Schools list. Even the Pennsylvania Department of Education decided to get in on the fun and has named us the public school with the third highest average SAT score in the state. Our beloved ’Stoga has been garnering accolades left and right the past year, and for the last few days I couldn’t even open the T/E website without seeing something else our school has won. Then the U.S. News & World Report rankings came out—and we were nowhere to be found.
“Our school, our district, our community cares tremendously about those rankings— and that’s not as positive a thing as it seems.” There are a lot of logistical reasons that have to do with Keystones and PSSAs (remember those?) as to why we weren’t ranked in those reports. However, more reflective of Conestoga than our nonexistant rank is how we cared enough about the rankings to put an announcement on the front page of the T/E website explaining the situation. The message is loud and clear: our school, our district, our community cares tremendously about those rankings—and that’s not as positive a thing as it seems. On one hand, caring about these rankings has stimulated a lot of school pride. ’Stoga students know that our school has
always had a reputation as an academic powerhouse, and the formal recognition is rewarding. It’s nice to know that the many hours of lost sleep I’ve surrendered to the school have paid off in some way. These rankings have also reinforced Conestoga’s academic culture. Such a culture has produced an atmosphere where students genuinely respect grades and learning, which isn’t something one can come across in every high school. It’s almost worth the vague air of competitiveness that haunts our school that comes along free with academic excellence. However, the academic ’Stoga culture creates a problem larger than just competition. We’ve placed a spotlight on the things that we do well in. There’s noth-
ing wrong with pride and recognition, but with limelight comes shadow. The more we shine light on the ’Stoga stereotype, the more we neglect everything else. We forget the fact that not all of our students are at the top of their class, win awards and go through life breezily. We don’t talk about the anxiety and mental illnesses that plague teenagers and our school. We avoid the cheating, the drug culture, the teenage drinking problems. If we never put emphasis on or acknowledge the negative parts of our school, how can we even begin to solve our problems? When you look at a bright light for too long, you get blinded to everything else happening in the dark. When we look at the shiny single-digit ranking numbers of our
school, we become blinded to everything else that goes on in ’Stoga. We can take pride in our accomplishments, but remember that that’s not all we are. We are a school community, made up of not perfect Mr. Pioneers, but just pioneers. Pioneers who need to support each other through the wilderness that is life and the survival test that is our chronic sleep deprivation.
Lyvia Yan/The SPOKE
What do you think about ’Stoga’s emphasis on school rankings?
“It’s just one of those things showing that you’re in a good school.” -Freshman Reese Caldwell
harder and work together as a school to get our rankings even higher.” -Junior Corinne DiGiovanni
for excellence, but also shows we always have to look back on what others think of us. -Sophomore Lauren Harris
“There’s always been an emphasis on school itself, and I don’t think that changes with ranks.” -Junior Mischa Subhan
The Spoke 17
Opinion Commentary
Main Line meets Main Street, USA
Camille Kurtz Copy Editor
Meagan O’Rourke Co-Convergence Editor “Do you know someone who
Pallavi Aakarapu for The SPOKE
“Politics should not be
18 The Spoke
Lyvia Yan/The SPOKE
Opinion Humor
A rebuttal to the cold, hard evil of feminism
Matt Soderberg Columnist Dear Women, I am a man. And for that, I am persecuted. For my whole life, I have lived under the shadow of feminism: the violent and entitled excuse for you women to take away the rights of men. For too long, it has belittled me and all of my counterparts, so today, I make a stand for a new movement—for meninism. I consider myself very proud of my masculinity. I’m what you could call a guy’s guy—I enjoy I go to football games and rock and roll concerts. What do I get for expressing my inner manhood? Ha tred. When I tell a girl on the street she looks hot, the response I get is that I am a misogynist. (I do not know what misogyny means but I am assuming it means I am kind and like complimenting people.) To combat this nasty attitude and blatant discrimination of men,
meninism has taken hold. I plead with you, women, to understand the discrimination you have enforced on the opposite sex and the impor tance of adopting meninism for all. Feminists argue for equality of all genders. We meninists argue for what is right. Our advantage is that we understand the differences between the genders. Men are bet ter at some things, and women are better at others. For example, men are more suited for working and providing for their families, while women are better at doing the dish es and raising the children. Men are better at politics, while women are really good at party planning. It is really all basic science, but because women choose not to be scientists, it is understandable where their lack of understanding comes from. So I ask you, the women, to try to understand: some things you are just not suited for. In 1920, you were granted the right to vote, ending discrimina tion against women. It has been 95 years, and you are still campaign ing? I’ll give you points for stub bornness. Incessantly, you com plain about the wage gap. First, how
therefore losing time while the men keep working. And it is not like all women do a good job on their ap pearance either; I mean come on, at least try to look pretty. If you take away anything from this manifesto, let it be this: The most attractive thing a woman can do is have undying, unquestionable support for the men in her life. The key component to any relationship the provider; women, all the other roles. Also, it is important not to Just because you are a woman does not mean you can’t cut the grass or do work around the house. Some minded.
Another important thing to un derstand is that there is a miscon ception about the meninist move ment. We do not hate women. We are simply tired of being discrimi nated against. It really is a matter of happiness, I assure you. Women are happier in the home, and, we men, do not want to see you making the wrong choices and being unhappy. All we want is peace, resolution, and slightly more pay than you. Is that too much to ask? Oh, and try to look good, okay? Because, I mean, we need some thing to look at. Sincerely, Your Friend Matthew
“Bad Blood” Music Video +Star-studded actionpacked amazingness stories onto a car
Season Five “Game of Thrones” +MORE KHALEESI -Unnecessary changes to character plotlines
FIFA Scandal +Chasing the crooks out at last -If soccer can’t be holy in
are not economists. Second, the rea son men get paid more than women am not at all trying to be rude, but it is common knowledge that women have to spend time focusing on their
Report Card
Pallavi Aakarapu for The SPOKE
Class of the zombies: our sleeping paradox
Hackeysack Ban +No more fears of death by airborne hackeysack -’Stoga traditions disapethic in June
New SAT Format +Did they just say “optional essay”? -No calculator = rememorize multiplication tables
Summer, Finally spring
Liz Lawton/The SPOKE
The Spoke 19
SPORTS Coming home: The journey of Marquis Weeks Matt Paolizzi Co-Sports Editor People tend to end up where they social studies teacher at T/E Middle School (TEMS), Marquis Weeks, class
other ideas.
as dynamic as one that takes you to the NFL can lead you back to where you Weeks was born in Fort Ord,
“Football was what I did, not who I was. I was just ready to start my career.” -Marquis Weeks
Weeks almost played in the Canadian
Special teams is where Weeks “Football was what I did, not who I Weeks said. Philadelphia Inquirer. From the Daily
per return--the best mark in school history— students.
Courtesy Marquis Weeks
school called Camelot Academy where
Bright mind: Marquis Weeks is a guiding light for students at T/E Middle School. After playing professional football, Weeks started his teaching career right back where he started—the T/E School District.
curiosity. That team was the Seattle Seahawks. The
co-workers on Team 5A, the section impressed Cataldi.
a scout who was present Mr. Weeks, and one is that he is humble. I knew he was an NFL player; but he “When they called me
said.
wanted me to come out as a Weeks said.
school community. “Students, as I knew would happen,
Camp at Wilson Park. Weeks also
decided to submit his application to TESD. practice squad, but his second year Weeks made
was open. Matt Gibson, principal at there as well.
Courtesy Marquis Weeks
Back home: Marquis Weeks played running the team had its best season back for ’Stoga and gained an All-American title in 1999. Now he coaches in the T/E area.
20 The Spoke
Weeks stayed and continues to be
Sports Intramural
Ultimate frisbee looking to throw even farther Matt Paolizzi Co-Sports Editor Frisbee. A simple flying disc can become the instigator of so many games. KanJam. Disc golf. Even just throwing a Frisbee with a friend gives one a pleasant feeling not many games can. But there’s one game involving the Frisbee that’s not like the rest. That game is Ultimate. The name “Ultimate” is derived from Jared Kass’ reaction to making a sweet diving catch in one of the during the summer of 1968. Kass is one of the inventors of the game and it is said that as he caught the disc, he said to himself, “This is the Ultimate game. This is the Ultimate game.” And Kass’ passion is one that many students at Conestoga share. The Ultimate Frisbee club at Conestoga has been around for almost 15 years in one form or another. In the past, social studies teacher John Koenig ran the club for many years but now, science teacher Kevin Strogen and foreign languge teacher Rossana Saldan are at the helm.
The club is an intramural sport: Conestoga students only compete with one another. Meetings consist of 10-15 minutes of warm-ups followed by one to two games. The club traditionally starts and ends each year with a tournament among Conestoga students. Some would like to see the traditional routine shaken up by offering more opportunities for competition against other schools. Sophomore Tyler DiAndrea would love to see the club be able to play teams from other schools. “It always makes sports fun when there is a certain goal that you’re trying to reach, whether it’s winning a certain amount of games or going to a certain point in a tournament,” said DiAndrea. “It brings out a competitive nature a recreational game can’t.” The area around Conestoga is home to many top notch high school Ultimate clubs such as Pennsbury, Lower Merion, Phoenixville, and the number one ranked Radnor.
The desire to expand the competition for the club is not a new one. In the past, Conestoga students who have wanted to play more competitively have created their own teams and played in the PHUEL, or the Philadelphia High School Ultimate Education League. As Strogen puts it, “There’s always been an outlet for those students (who want to play competitively) .” The only obstacle that has really been preventing the club’s ability to play other school clubs is the logistics of doing so. “As of now, Ultimate Frisbee is an intramural sport which is designated for Stoga students to play against themselves”, Strogen said. Some club members don’t seem to be worried at all about the lack of play by the club against other teams. “There was no real drive from the students until last minute, so we have to wait until next year” said DiAndrea. Strogen himself is indifferent at this point, saying “If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t.”
“It always makes sports fun when there is a certain goal that you’re trying to reach, whether it’s winning a certain amount of games or going to a certain point in a tournament. It brings out a competitive nature a recreational game can’t.” -Sophomore Tyler DiAndrea
Caleigh Sturgeon/The SPOKE
The Ultimate: Sophomore Norman Holloway gears up for a frisbee throw at Ultimate practice on Thursday. He is part of a large group of sophmores on the team.
The Spoke 21
3:17 PM
SPORTS
47%
S
@Stoga_Lax Kyle Nicholson @thespoke 15h
Scoring a name: Legendary tweets from Tommy Luce
Kyle Nicholson @thespoke 16h 3:17 PM
SPORTS
47%
@Stoga_Lax Kyle Nicholson @thespoke 15h
Scoring a name: Legendary tweets from Tommy Luce
Kyle Nicholson @thespoke 16h
Stoga Lacrosse @Stoga_Lax
April 1
Chris "Only you can prevent forest fires" Brady with a rip 2-4 stoga trails Stoga Lacrosse @Stoga_Lax April 1
Brant "It's not a purse, it's a satchel" Pittman gets the second goal of the man up 4-8 Stoga Lacrosse @Stoga_Lax April 16
Greg "Banned from Chuckie Cheese for life" Taicher cuts the lead to 6-2 stoga trails with 2:30 left in the 2nd Stoga Lacrosse @Stoga_Lax May 16
Jace “One time I wrestled a giraffe to the ground with my bare hands.” Kienzle gives stoga the lead 6-5
Stoga Lacrosse @Stoga_Lax
April 1
Chris "Only you can prevent forest fires" Brady with a rip 2-4 stoga trails Stoga Lacrosse @Stoga_Lax April 1
Brant "It's not a purse, it's a satchel" Pittman gets the second goal of the man up 4-8 Stoga Lacrosse @Stoga_Lax April 16
Greg "Banned from Chuckie Cheese for life" Taicher cuts the lead to 6-2 stoga trails with 2:30 left in the 2nd Stoga Lacrosse @Stoga_Lax May 16
Jace “One time I wrestled a giraffe to the ground with my bare hands.” Kienzle gives stoga the lead 6-5 22 The Spoke
2
BASEBALL
Story by Caleigh Sturgeon & Andy Backstrom
After winning the Central League, the baseball team advanced to District 1 playoffs as the 10 seed. on May 18, and won 9-3. The Pioneers advanced, and riton 9-5, allowing the Pioneers to move onto District
baseball team entered playbacks, and on Tuesday challenged Pennsbury. After a tough fought game with an inspiring start from senior pitcher Brendon Little, the Pioneers lost to Pennsbury 2-1 due to a walkoff double. “We were a young team and we accomplished a lot together. It was teamwork all around. The support that us on, added to the whole experience,” Jona Siegel said.
PLAYOFF PASSION Design by Michael Zhang Photos by Elizabeth Billman, Matt Paolizzi and courtesy of Steven Yang (bottom right)
GIRLS LACROSSE lead. The girls fought back, but a yellow card late in the game sealed their fate, and the girls lost 12-11. ’Stoga and advanced to the State tournament. On Wednesday The girls stayed on top the whole game, with Monica
for the Pioneers. With this upset in their back pockets,
*Note: Information as of 5/28 “Playoffs is everything that we’ve worked for so far. We just need to win a few more games to win the
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TRACK AND FIELD
this far,” Elisabeth Ingersoll said.
Conestoga had two medal winners on May 23 at the PIAA AAA State Track/Field Championships at the 3200 with a time of 9:02, and senior Andrew Diehl
BOYS LACROSSE
“Districts was a great experience being able to pull
Boys lacrosse faced second-seeded Penncrest in year. I was disappointed at states with my sixth place tied 8-8 with seven seconds left when sophomore Tommy Sopko scored, winning the game 9-8. For the
four years. I wanted to do as much as possible to get stoga track/xc on the map. But, I cannot be too upset on the medal stand last year,” Andrew Marston said.
This win sent Conestoga to the District 1 Champion-
BOYS TENNIS The Pioneers were Central League Champions and placed third in District 1. Individually, Conestoga was
boys still placed second in the District and headed to challenged Lewisburg. The Pioneers came alive after
“Making playoffs means a lot because we’re a team that has always been an underdog. Even though we have a good amount of losses this season we know that we can beat anybody,” Tommy Sopko said.
SOFTBALL
proceeded to play in the PIAA AAA State Championship Doubles Tournament. The pair made their way to
After falling short of playoffs last year, key wins team into District 1 playoffs as the 19 seed. On May
’Stoga came back in the last few innings, tying it up by the seventh. The girls went into extra innings and, after failing to drive in a run with bases loaded and two outs, lost 4-3. “Since it was our overall goal to make it into play-
“For the doubles competition I was blessed with a doubles. We got fourth place in states, which is the highest a true doubles team has ever gotten, and overall the season
off. Our team effort was there to help, and it meant a lot to the team since we didn’t make playoffs last year. It really proved to the whole team that our work helped
The Spoke 23 The Spoke 23
THE
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24 The Spoke
Sports Track/Field
Krombolz aims high, continues family tradition Caleigh Sturgeon Co-Sports Editor Sophomore Aidan Krombolz places an 8-foot-2-inch long spear between his thumb and index fingers, begins running and accelerates towards the throwing line. He pulls the spear back, plants his foot and lets the spear fly. Krombolz retrieves the javelin, and continues throwing at track and field practice. He is gearing up to attend New Balance Nationals Outdoor in North Carolina from June 1921, but his road to this national invitational meet was not typical. Before freshman year, Krombolz had never thrown a javelin. But after getting cut from freshman baseball, Krombolz joined track and field. “Aidan is a natural,” said Krombolz’s javelin coach, Aliina Ross. Krombolz threw more than 100 feet in his first meet for Conestoga, and threw a personal best of 134 feet last spring, easily qualifying for Centrals. Unfortunately, during the off-season, Krombolz hurt his throwing shoulder while snowboarding and could not practice until the end of this winter. However, he believes
Caleigh Sturgeon/The SPOKE
Hitting the mark: Sophomore Aidan Krombolz throws javelin at practice. He threw within four feet of the school record of 180 feet, and will attend New Balance Nationals Outdoor from June 19-21. his injury helped him come back of my season because of that,” stronger this season. Krombolz said. “I think the physical therapy Krombolz bounced back from for my shoulder is what made this setback to throw 154 feet in me so much better this year be- his first meet this spring. In just cause the shoulder is the main his second meet this year he threw component to throwing, and I 174 feet, only 6 feet away from worked my shoulder out so much. the New Balance Nationals cut, It worked out all of the muscles and merely four feet away from that you never work out, so it was Conestoga’s javelin record. a weird advantage. Hurting my “The steps just clicked when shoulder was kind of the best part I was throwing because I wasn’t
thinking about anything in particular that I was doing wrong. I hadn’t thrown all season so I just did what I knew I was supposed to do,” Krombolz said. Because Krombolz is an underclassman, and only missed the cut by a few feet, Krombolz’s performance qualified him for Emerging Elites— a program that allows underclassmen to attend the New Balance National invitational without throwing the qualification cut of 180 feet. “I get the experience, so that when I do qualify I won’t be as intimidated by the meet,” Krombolz said. It is no wonder that Aidan Krombolz improved quickly, because javelin is a sport with history in the Krombolz family. Krombolz’s dad, Phillip Krombolz, and Aidan’s second cousin, Ernie Krombolz, both threw javelin. Phillip threw for Conestoga and in college at Lafayette College. Ernie made the Hall of Fame at Penn State University for javelin, and threw at the 1968 Olympic Trials. Aidan says his family’s enthusiasm encourages him. “My dad got really excited when I started. He still gets excited about meets. He always comes and cheers me on,” Aidan said.
Coach Ross also believes Aidan’s family helped him improve. “Aidan’s dad is very passionate about javelin and spends a lot of time learning about javelin and talking to Aidan about it,” Ross said. Aidan Krombolz carries on the family success. At Central Leagues this year Aidan placed second, trailing behind Penncrest’s nationally ranked senior Evan Sing by less than 20 feet. Other than Centrals, Aidan won all of his school meets this spring. Coach Ross thinks Aidan will continue this success at Nationals. “I think it will give him a chance to experience what it is like to really compete. There will be a lot of really good throwers that he will be competing against. It’s also a great opportunity for learning and growing and showing colleges that he’s a real competitor,” Ross said. Aidan says he likes winning, and the prospect of getting recognized, but he also likes javelin for another reason. “I like how javelin is a different sport,” Aidan said. “When I tell people that I throw javelin and that I’m good at it they think it’s cool because they’ve never really heard about it.”
The Spoke 25
Sports Opinion
four major boxing associations.
1. Unify the belts wayside.
there are four different “champi-
favor with the masses? What can be done to make it pop-
Co-Sports Editor After being a month or so removed from the Mayweatherto think about one of my favorite -
the thought of being “undisputed” why not just have one champion winners at the end of the season—it just makes things more
Many boxing pundits saw the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight
2. Eliminate pay-per-view… unless it’s worth it for the fans
swan song as a top sport in America. To
the pay-per-view system. The Mayweather-Pacquiao fight cost
respective management companies. The boxing “organizations” organizations take more consports. And the winner of a fight
boxing faces
of the purse. Mayweather got 60 percent and Pacquiao got 40 percent. Make it 80 percent and 20
it going that
you have got to pay for. This creand 10 percent. Make the money the motivation.
stay on the
the WWE is more charisma than brute strength; you need to be a
tomers pay when there are fights that deserve it. 3. Don’t let the players set the fights
many
the
to have surpassed boxing as the combat sport of choice in
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step into the ring and give this issue a haymaker:
Andy Backstrom/The SPOKE
that within the -
and the Patriots organization to kickoff but after the referees difference in pressure before the
than not” that Brady tampered
grant the Patriots a one-way road to the Lombardi
Brady gave no definitive reachis suspension for four games.
Co-Editor-in-Chief
unanswered touchdowns.
suspension. The Commissioner seems to be trying to recover from his pre-
was make Brady more comfortwhat it seems wants for its top performers. initiation of an expensive investigation to enforce a specific
hate pretty boy quarterback— deserve the best product pos-
a fourth round pick in the 2016
who just happens to be sched-
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the Michigan man to win Super
of proportion to the offense and -
Andy Backstrom/The SPOKE
posed on the organization. not resonate.
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26 The Spoke
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vantage of the situation and the ots and Brady—to take pressure ship on other occasions.
punishment is swift and without just puncture my view of the the game” is none the worse
Sports Clubs
Crew
club team and not a Conestoga varsity sport, the team’s accomplishments consistently rival their team sport counterparts. Six Conestoga boats have qualified for the Youth National Championships in Sarasota-Bradenton, Fla. on June 12-14. Rowers in those boats will continue to practice on the Schuylkill River until they depart for Nationals.
Boys Rugby At the 2015 Boys’ Rugby State Semifinals, ’Stoga boys were victorious over St. Joseph’s Prep with a final score of 37-33. Unfortunately the team lost the championship game 32-5 against Cumberland Valley. Although they did not win, junior Dondre Ross said that the semifinal was a strong win for the team. Ross explained that the boys had a big comeback in
the remaining five minutes of the St. Joseph’s game that led them to the win. “St. Joe’s wasn’t really going away after we made the big comeback, so we just had to take a deep breath, calm ourselves and prepare for the next five minutes,” Ross said. As for the championship game, Ross explained that there were a few aspects of the game that could have been fixed. “We could have improved a
The Conestoga crew team participated in the City Championships on May 3, the Stotesbury Regatta on May 15-16 and most recently the Scholastic Rowing Association of America (SRAA) Championships on May 22-23. SRAAs serves as the culminating race for several of the Conestoga boats. Crews from all over the country venture to Mercer Lake in N.J. Like most years, ’Stoga returned with the hardware. Freshmen, junior varsity and varsity boats rowed in the regatta for Conestoga. Winning their respective races for ’Stoga were the girls freshmen quad, the girls lightweight quad and the girls varsity quad. Coming in second was the boys varsity quad. Just missing the podium was the boys lightweight quad that finished in fourth. The ’Stoga Crew team ended on a high note with first Courtesy Kate Hudson and second place finishes at Pedal to the medal: Sophomore Kate Hudson and senior Amy Connell receive gold medals at SRAAs. Although crew is a
lot of things, definitely staying composed and keeping up our mentality. If we made mistakes they were going to capitalize on them because they are such a good team,” Ross said. Throughout the season and leading up to the semifinal and championship game, Coach Alex Johnson says that the team had good strategies for success. “I think the leadership and the work ethic really helped us,” Johnson said. Johnson also talked about how the team could have been better prepared for the championship and what he would have changed looking back. “I would try to prepare the kids more for adversity, when things don’t go their way, and how to adjust,” Johnson said. Even though they lost the championship game, the rugby team still beat St. Joe’s, which Ross claims was his favorite part of the season. “They were the one seed, we were the five seed and they were definitely looking down on us, not as an underdog but just as another team. We as Conestoga were unranked at the time and they were 29 in the country and it was just a great relief,” Ross said.
COMMITMENT CORNER
4 School: Towson University
School: Catholic University
Grade: 12 Sport: Lacrosse
Grade: 12 Sport: Field Hockey
Position: Defense
Position: Defense
Why Towson? “I was impressed with how nice everthing was, how much the school supports the lacrosse team and how much the team has improved.”
Why Catholic? “I went down there and loved the campus. When I met the team they were all so nice, and they included me. I just felt really welcome there and it felt like home.”
What ’Stoga Lacrosse taught him: “[It] taught me to keep working hard no matter what.” Favorite ’Stoga Lacrosse Memory: “Playoffs my sophmore year. We ended up making it to the state championship and I couldn’t have had a better time with my team during the journey to get there.”
What ’Stoga Field Hockey taught her: “To rely on your peers. When things are going tough they’re always there for you. My teammates were a family to me. ” Favorite ’Stoga Field Hockey Memory: “Probably this year when we beat Downingtown East. It was overtime. Casey Allen got the ball and just slammed it into the back of the net. It was a do or die moment for us.” The Spoke 27
SPORTS
INSIDE:
Marquis Weeks p. 20 p. 23
Road of Redemption
Despite an inconsistent regular season, Conestoga came into form just in time for the postseason, as Tournament and pushed hard for another PIAA State title.
Elizabeth Billman/The SPOKE
Senior Quinn Bridge rejoices in Conestoga’s matchup versus Haverford High School on May 12. The Pioneers won t h e g a m e 1 3 -6 . A fte r finis h in g sec on d in Dist ric t 1, ’St oga looks to c a p tu r e a n o th er PI A A S ta te C h a m p i o n s h i p . Elizabeth Billman/The SPOKE
UPDATED AS OF 5/28