L OV E C O N N E C T I O N S Conestoga students profess their love on p. 14.
THE
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CONESTOGA HIGH SCHOOL, BERWYN, PA
VOLUME 63 NO. 4
FEBRUARY 12, 2013
STOGANEWS.COM
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tarting on Monday, Feb. 4, all doors at each school in the district were locked after the day started—Conestoga’s at 7:25 a.m., the middle schools’ at 7:50 and the elementary schools’ at 8:50. The lobby greeter and main lobby staff can watch anyone wishing to enter the school after that time on a camera focused on the main doors. The lobby greeter will electronically buzz-in any immediately recognizable visitors and ask all other visitors to state their information. The buzz-in’s use during events held during the day will be at the administration’s discretion. Assistant principal and coordinator of the district safety committee Andrew Phillips said the Dec. 14 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., in which 20 children and six adults were killed, forced the Tredyffrin/Easttown School District to reconsider its safety policy and implement the buzz-in system, along with several other security measures. “I think the community in general had a feeling that we had to act and just be more aware,” Phillips said.
Securing the schools The intercom system is just one of the new security measures that the district has implemented. Teachers are now required to the front windows have been reinforced with expects to spend $250,000 toward improving school security. The district hired former Tredyffrin police superintendent Andy Chambers as a security consultant to examine the district’s current practices and make recommendations for how to improve them. In addition, administrators held a public meeting on Jan. 9 at Valley Forge Middle School to inform the public of the changes and answer any questions residents may have. The Newtown shooting “provided schools with an opportunity to look at what they were doing—it just brings it to your current practices,” principal Dr. Amy Meisinger said. Margot Field and Karolis Panavas/The SPOKE
See SECURITY, p. 4
PAGE 2 THE SPOKE
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013
NEWS
Senior wins international programming competition President sworn in for second term Jenna Spoont Managing Editor
Suproteem Sarkar Convergence Editor Senior Drew Gottlieb received a grand prize award in the Google Code-in 2012, an international programming competition for pre-college students aged 13-17. Competitors contributed to open source organizations and completed
tion selected two students to be named grand prize winners.
constant communication with the Computer science teacher Bill
organizations. Out of the 334 students from 36 countries that competed in the Code-in, 20 were named grand prize winners. Gottlieb was one of the four grand prize winners from the United States.
achievement.
of Service, held in a big white tent on the National Mall. That evening,
prize finish represents a great op-
Dr. Jill Biden co-hosted the Kids
Photos: Jenna Spoont/
Katy Perry performs at the Kids Inaugural Concert on Jan. 19. National Mall to witness the SwearJoe Biden.
Suproteem Sarkar/
Gottlieb said he became more involved with the project as the competition progressed.
In If {F
The streets of D.C. were conwith one of 10 open source organiza-
Senior Drew Gottlieb received a grand prize award in the Google Code-in 2012, an international programming competition.
Gottlieb will travel to the Google headquarters in San Francisco in late
zation. On Jan. 21, a crowd of about 800,000 people gathered on the
Jenna Spoont can be reached at jspoont@stoganews.com.
Gottlieb contributed to the user interface for Hedgewars, a game de-
in the competition just to win a free t-shirt with no intention of attempting
ing able to get a feel for the Google
competition ended Jan. 14.
Suproteem Sarkar can be reached at ssarkar@stoganews.com.
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Around 800,000 people gather in the National Mall Jan. 21 to celebrate the inauguration of President Barack Obama and Vice-President Joe Biden.
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Save the date: Upcoming in community
Read the entire story, along with opinion pieces, photo galleries and a video report, on Stoganews.com.
Sports Superstars
Unity Week
Kim Gagnon
Peer Mediation is holiding Unity Week from Feb. 11-14. The team will sponsor spirit activities and hold competitions between grades. Student Council encourages students to wear green Feb. 14 to honor the victims in the Sandy Hook shooting. The African American Student Union will host African American Culture Day Feb. 22 in the main lobby. Club members will present African American food and music.
Sport: Squash Years playing: 6 Pump-up song: Anything by Taylor Swift Role Model: Sabrina Sobhy Favorite sports beverage: Glacier Freeze Gatorade
The Pajama Game
Brian Kane
’Stoga Music Theater will hold its spring musical, “The Pajama Game,” from Feb. 26-March 2.The Feb. 26 performance will be held at10 a.m. Performances from Feb. 27-March 2 will be held at 7:30 p.m.There will also be a performance March 2 at 2 p.m.
Sport: Crew Years rowing: 4 Pump-up song: “Wide Awake” by Katy Perry Role Model: Tiger Woods Favorite sports beverage: Water
African American Culture Day
Career Week Student Services will hold Career Week from March 5-7. Career professionals will dicsuss their occupatons with students interested in pursuing specialized careers.
Photos: Karolis Panavas/
Full interviews on Stoganews.com.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013
Jenna Spoont Managing Editor The winter season correlates with runny noses, fevers, stomach viruses and absent students. According to Conestoga attendance data, as of Jan. 22, an average of 97 students were absent per day in the month of January. In January 2012, an average of 52 students were absent per day. edentedly peaked in early December, according to Elizabeth Walls, Bureau Director of Personal Health Services at the Chester County Health Department cally tend to spike around midDecember, January and February. Walls said the CCHD offers every school district in Chester County an opportunity in the fall to pro-
may be more of a situation where people feel like they’re getting it taken care of; it’s part of either their yearly check-ups or they just do it at their discretion.”
scores dropped because I wasn’t able to keep up with everything as much as I usually would,” Crowley said. Crowley had not been vaccinat-
shot every year and considers the vaccine as the easiest option to
sick. He planned on getting vaccinated in January, but the virus hit him early. Walls suggests getting vaccinated in the fall, when plenty of
the district should consider proit more convenient to get the vaccine. “If it’s free and the people want it, then I think by all means they should have access to a vaccine that could save them from a very powerful illness,” Shipp said. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Pennsylconsidered “widespread,” meaning “there was an increase in inthe state.” In Chester County spe-
school, with parental permission. Tredyffrin/Easttown School District has never chosen to participate in this service. Dr. Delvin Dinkins, Director of Assessment and Accountability and the Curriculum Supervisor, said that the school district is not necessarily opposed to the CCHD ty has not considered the topic as an issue of “substantial interest.” “I don’t imagine that there is any liability that the district would be concerned about,” Dinkins said. “I think at this point it
PAGE 3 THE SPOKE
NEWS
rus between Oct. 2, 2012 and Feb. 2. The trend is evident at Conestoga, causing schoolwide stress among students and teachers. Sophomore Owen Crowley ing in Disney World with the music department in December. He ended up staying home for a his absence caused him stress in school. “A lot of my test grades and
widespread amount of people con-
aware of it. We have to weather the storm.” Crowley said he wishes that the administrators had moved the testing January average 97 center before the students absent 2013 per day
began to escalate. “When I came back after break and I had to take a good four or
January 2012
average 52 students absent per day
“People say, ‘I’m going to get said. “Not true. If you’re sick with weeks [from the vaccination], I have to tell you, you already had vaccine takes at least two weeks to protect you. If you get sick, you’re already exposed without protection.” Senior Meredith Frost does not
[the testing center was] pretty packed the entire time. We would have to wait an extra ten minutes just to be allowed into the testing center,” Crowley said.
has she ever been vaccinated for
soon taper down, nurse coordinator Dawn Zrebiec suggests that students continue to stay vigilant in their hand washing and sanitary habits. “Get as much sleep as you can, wash your hands often, stay away
“My mom doesn’t believe in
virus type illnesses,” Zrebiec said.
from her why,” Frost said. “Most of her life, she’s been a big activist on homeopathics, and always
make an extra effort to clean mid-
don’t have side effects.” For the people who are allergic to the vaccine because of egg allergies, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is developing a vaccine called Flublok, using recombinant DNA technology. The FDA ran an evaluated study of 2,500 people and injected them with Flublok. “If [the experiment] goes well and these people get the same level of protection as people like myself who got the egg-based vaccine, then next year, in addition to they would have this engineered Although some students deadministrators recognize that the winter season affects the school’s population. Assistant principal Kevin Fagan took initiative and temporarily moved the cramped testing center in Room 297 to Room 268, a large group room, in order to accommodate the crowds of students trying to make up tests. “We will do whatever we can do through a case by case basis,”
Sophie Bodek/The SPOKE
day. We wash off doorknobs and we wash the pen that people sign in [with].” Shipp said he will continue to
“Just because something’s never happened to you doesn’t mean it will never happen to you in the future, and if all you need to do is take one little shot to prevent it from happening, then why not?” Jenna Spoont can be reached at jspoont@stoganews.com.
Art teache
PAGE 4 THE SPOKE
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013
NEWS
District implements security measures, strives for safety Continued from p. 1
-
At Conestoga, the district hired Vince DiMartini, a former Easttown
facilitate the comings and goings of said that she felt that it was important -
District administrators have been and Easttown police departments and
“I don’t want to limit open cam-
-
-
-
-
risk and reward for those kinds of
Karolis Panavas/The SPOKE
Lobby greeter Deirdre Della Polla prepares to buzz in a student. Della Polla is in charge of admitting people seeking to enter the building during school hours as part of district measures to ensure student safety.
there is to do those kinds of things and what’s the feeling of people who live in the neighborhood,” Phillips
we don’t keep it a secret,” Phillips
The district had considered lock-
“The most important thing is that -
-
Phillips said that he has received -
with the changes “Some people are critical of what -
promote a safe and positive school
In good company
P United States have also revamped
-
In the Upper Merion school district, Polla, who admits people into the
their children, so this effort makes Conestoga seem a lot safer, which
more of a personal [relationship],”
Reacting to change
noted that the district has maintained -
steps the district and police depart-
Phillips believes that overall, School board president Kevin
wait for the [police] response team
while maintaining the freedom that -
time is of the essence and lives are at
Feeling the difference
“We don’t want to change what’s
“T/E is one of the most open transparent districts that I’ve ever
Maintaining safety
-
Lavi Ben-Dor can be reached at lbendor@stoganews.com.
ow I ryTUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013
NEWS
PAGE 5 THE SPOKE
Hous cons to a m The b paren Tunk send For a imag
PAGE 6 THE SPOKE
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013
NEWS
Emma Purinton Staff Reporter After auditioning against hundreds of students from Pennsylvania, four Conestoga students have been chosen to participate in the Eastern Division Conference, a gathering of top student musicians from across the Northeast. Vocalists and seniors Brigida Altamirano and Linda Goldberg, violinist junior Mike Sha will travel to Hartford, Conn. from April 4-7 to play in ensembles consisting of 178 juniors and seniors. All-Easterns are hosted by a state branch of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME). Knowing that students can only apply once, Altamirano said that she felt more stressed during her audition. “I was kind of nervous because I was thinking, ‘Well, this is my [only] chance to make it and it would be such a great opportunity,’ so I was a little nervous but it was kind of exciting too,” Altamirano said. For the students accepted, the road to All-Easterns began last fall when they auditioned to participate in the
Zach Lowry for The SPOKE
Junior Mike Sha and seniors Linda Goldberg, Brigida Altamirano and will attend the National Association for Music Education Eastern Divison Conference in Hartford, Conn. from April 4-7. Pa. Music Educators’ Association gether an application for All-Easterns to accomplish before leaving high District 12 orchestra and chorus fesschool.” tivals which are made up of students accepted students in November of the Although attending All-Easterns is from Chester, Delaware and Phila- year of the festival. delphia Counties. The top singers and Altamirano said she was honored instrumentalists continued on to the to be accepted. achievement. Region VI festivals, where they were “I was so happy, because I had I am looking forward to “getting to joined by the top students from Bucks tried out for Districts my sophomore see good friends [...] and also to meet and Montgomery Counties. The top year, and I got to Regions, and that musicians that I don’t know and to musicians at Regions then advance to was fun, but it was always a goal the All-State festival. of mine to actually make it [to All- said. After a ranking audition at states, Easterns],” Altamirano said. “It Sha is most looking forward to the sophomores and juniors can put tolearning aspect of All-Easterns.
Mary Mei & Simran Singh Staff Reporters
playing off each others’ strengths; I think that’s key. The more they practice, they get more speed in
Senior Michael Bennett, captain of the Academic Competition team, sits down at his team’s table at the start of a round and prepares for a grueling session requiring him to be able to recall trivia about history, math, science, pop culture, current events and more. Bennett and the rest of Conestoga’s Academic Competition Team will have the opportunity to put their skills to the test on March 14, when they head to the county
dence with the questions,” Cruz said. Freshman Michelle Xu, a junior varsity member, explained that the team’s attitude is also important in determining its success and will continue to do so at
mediate Unit (CCIU). The team that wins the county championship receives a bid for the state championship in Harrisburg in May. Conestoga competed in the
Michael Cruz, the adviser and coach for the Academic Competition Team, said that members’ abilities to cooperate have contributed strongly to their success. “How well they work together,
“The team has done so well because everyone attends practice weekly, and we’re all extremely serious about Academic Comp. Our attitude is always very focused,” Xu said. Each match consists of three round, three teams of four players correctly answer questions about a wide range of topics. In the second part, each team individually has a minute to answer six quesSenior Ary Swaminathan, a member of the varsity team, said competing requires a variety of skills. “They’ll ask a question, and at any moment during the question,
any member of any team can buzz in and get the answer, so it rewards speed, and correctness, of course. between operating as a team, but then having the guts as an individual to go in there and take those points,” Swaminathan said. Cruz believes that the team not only needs a balance of members who are strong in the different categories, but also feels that chance is a factor in determining the success of a team. “It’s a balance of talents—having people that are good at say, math and science, but also history and also arts and literature, I think that’s helpful,” Cruz said. “And also, luck. Luck of the draw in terms of questions and those kinds of things, that always comes into play as well. It’s a combination of having fun and taking it seriously too.” Bennett said that having a strong team dynamic is also crucial for success. “A really good team has members that support each other,” Bennett said. “That’s the big thing that I’ve learn[ed] about Academic Competition. You can’t let
“All-Easterns means that I get to play good music with other good student musicians and a good conductor,” Sha said. “In a way, I’m going to a different type of school where I gain more experience playing in an orchestra with only three or four days of preparation for a concert.” Conestoga chorus director Suzanne Dickinger notes several attributes that sets these students apart from others, allowing them to reach the level of performing at All-Easterns. “They work very hard, so they have a tremendous work ethic, they have a great deal of musical talent, they practice, they prepare themselves well. The girls have good voices, and Chason and Mike are tremendous instrumentalists,” Dickinger said. “[Students have to have] the determination to do it because not everybody who has the talent wants to put in the extra time to learn another whole set of music. It’s another set of music that they have to learn primarily on their own, so they’re pretty impressive.” Emma Purinton can be reached epurinton@stoganews.com.
Suproteem Sarkar/The SPOKE
(From left) Sophomore Robert Tang, seniors Ary Swaminathan and Michael Bennett and junior Manasvi Ramanujam compete at a match on Jan. 11 at Owen J. Roberts High School. The team now prepares to compete at the Chester County Finals on March 14. your failure on one question affect our coach is Mr. Cruz, and you you on the next one. It’s got to be have to do what he asks you to do, for the team,” Swaminathan said. an independent event.” Swaminathan agrees, noting “The level of competition at the that the group operates similar to the way a sports team does. [...] But the team has had success “Academic Competition kind of runs like a sport. We don’t believe we have the people to get practice as often, but the idea [is it done again.” that] you’ve made a commitment to a team, and you’re expected to Mary Mei can be reached at work with your teammates, and mmei@stoganews.com.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013
PAGE 7 THE SPOKE
NEWS
Students earn national award for AP exam achievements Yuge Xiao Staff Reporter Every year, one boy and one girl are chosen from each state, but instead of battling to the death in the Capitol, these two high school students are awarded a college scholarship by the Siemens Foundation. For the 2012-13 school year, sen to receive the Siemens Award, a $2,000 scholarship, for Pennsylvania. This award is given to students math and science Advanced Placement (AP) tests including Biology, Calculus BC, Chemistry, Computer Science A, Environmental Science, Physics C: Mechanics, Physics C: Electrictiy and Magnetism and Statistics. If more than one student is broken by adding the composite scores of the exams. Students do not need to apply, as potential winners are contacted in early December for permission to have their names published. Thompson said he felt happy
when he received an email in December stating that he had won the award. Although he had known about the award beforehand and had taken seven of the eight AP tests, Thompson said that he did not schedule his courses in order to attain the award. “I never aim to win any awards. If they’re given to me, then I’m happy, but I don’t try to game the system to win any awards,” Thompson said. Conestoga students have been big contenders for the award, winning it four times in the past 10 years. Senior Allen Zhu received the award last year, and Conestoga alumnus Yao Zhang received it two years ago. Principal Amy Meisinger said that earning the Siemens Award “speaks to the caliber of students and the rigorous curriculum at Conestoga.” In addition, Meisinger explained that Conestoga offers a wide variety of AP courses in order to “meet the needs of our students and to adequately challenge our students” and is “something our community has been supportive of as well because they feel that it’s important that we offer this type of curriculum.” The award came as a particular
surprise to Zhu. A majority of the Siemens Award recipients are seniors. However, Zhu was a junior when he received the award, one of only two that year. He said that he was shocked when he found out he won, since he had only taken six of the eight tests. Now, after having taken all eight, Zhu believes Computer Science and Environmental Science are the two that had the greatest impact on him. “Computer Science was really helpful in that it introduced me to programming,” Zhu said. “And Environmental Science introduced to me a new mode of thinking, as in I think about my actions everyday now in a different way.” Physics teacher Robert DeSipio, who has taught both Thompson and Zhu, remarks that they have an “intrinsic interest” in math and science, which contributed to them winning the award. “They’re both diligent and conscientious students, they would do their homework and they would go through everything in the AP curriculum that was required of them,” DeSipio said. “Both of them are very much interested in outside material
Yuge Xiao/The SPOKE
Seniors Jed Thompson and Allen Zhu won the Siemens Award for Pennsylvania in 2013 and 2012, respectively. The award is given to the male and female student in each state who has scored the most fives on eight math and science Advanced Placement (AP) exams. tainly an individual honor, but it also ing up topics in physics and learning speaks about the school,” Meisinger different areas. Allen is very involved said. “There’s a big banner that [the in math competition and going out by Siemens Foundation] send[s] to the himself and learning math that they school that says ‘Your school has a don't teach in high school.” Siemens Award winner,’ so I think Meisinger said that the award is not there’s a sense of school pride that only an honor for the students, but an goes along with it as well. It’s certainhonor for the community as a whole. ly an outstanding accomplishment.” “I think as a principal it’s an honor Yuge Xiao can be reached at yxiao@stoganews.com.
District considers outsourcing, rejects Act 1 exceptions Shwetha Sudhakar & Wendy Tan Operations Director & Staff Reporter The preliminary 2013-14 budget for the district includes outsourcing aides and paraeducators and spending more on security enhancements, support staff and salary adjustments. The district is currently working on a preliminary budget for the 2013-14 school year. During a the school board considered applying for the Act 1 exception, which would allow the district to raise taxes 28 board meeting though, the board ultimately voted against the Act 1 exception. “The board believes that we can balance our budget with a tax increase that is no more than the Act 1 cap,” school board Finance Committee chair Betsy Fadem said. While the tax increase will not
homeowner. This would help combat and familiarity TENIG employees provide is “priceless.” In addition, are a “necessary evil.” “We have better schools” than have to be courteous about everybody and what they can afford.” The board is currently considering outsourcing members of the Tredyffrin/Easttown Non-Instructional Group (TENIG), aides and paraeducators. TENIG is composed of custodians, maintenance staff, cafeteria staff, secretaries and transportation secretaries. Dave Fillippo, president of TENIG, said that he has not seen good results from outsourcing. “If you get a private enterprise in
line of defense in schools. “We’re here to support our kids,” Fillippo said. “We love our community and that’s the way it’s always been.” Fillippo said that TENIG employees have made concessions in the past, working overtime without pay, and did so not because they were He added that TENIG employees do a variety of jobs that a cleaning staff does not do. “You never hear our guys saying it’s not our job because it always is,” Fillippo said. “You have to adapt. Fadem said that while nothing
said. “We’ve found that [workers from private companies] are really transient. Sometimes they only last a week.” TENIG vice president and district secretary of purchasing Mary Mini-
ager Arthur McDonnell said that a
operational expenses and have little or no impact on our educational program and our students.” “There’s no timeline for our outsourcing initiative so I don’t know if we’re going to have all of the facts
lippo retires at the end of the month, yield $1.5 million dollars and on average increase taxes by $82 to a T/E
are part of the community and care
decision for this year,” Fadem said. Fadem said that the largest in-
creases in spending would be the Public School Employees Retirement System (PSERS) and teacher salaries. Contributions to PSERS would go up $1.5 million as required by the state, and another $1.5 million would go toward salaries, of which $1.2 million is a one-time bonus agreed upon in the new contract. Fadem said it is important to address certain spending increases in the budget. “From my perspective, [important items] would be related to student safety and any support staff we would need as we update our technology and network system,” Fadem said.
Fadem said that the hardest part of the preliminary budget was deciding on the tax increase. Projections lowing years. “Well, our hardest decision is always our tax increase and walking away from any decision to increase [taxes] to balance our budget,” Fadem said. “We can balance the budget this year staying within the cap. The hard part is going to be what happens within the next couple of years.” Shwetha Sudhakar can be reached at ssudhakar@stoganews.com.
Opinion TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013
The Spoke is published seven times per year at Bartash Printing. It consistently receives the Gold Award from the Pennsylvania Scholastic Press Association and is a National School Press Association Pacemaker award-winning publication. The Spoke serves as a public forum for student expression. Editors-in-chief: Heather Ward, Haley Xue Managing Editor: Jenna Spoont News Editor: Lavi Ben-Dor Op/Ed Editor: Allison Kozeracki Features Editor: Natalie West Sports Editors: Amsterdam, Abby Pioch Design Editor: Photo Editor: Karolis Panavas Centerspread Editor: Noah Levine Convergence Editor: Suproteem Sarkar Business Manager: Operations Director: Shwetha Sudhakar Graphic Designers: Callum Backstrom, Sophie Bodek, Anisa Tavangar Cartoonists: Callum Backstrom, Staff: Andy Backstrom, Kelly Damle, Stephane Hardinger, Courtney Kennedy, Gabrielle Kerbel, Emily Klein, David Nicholson, Sophia Ponte, Emma Purinton, James Redmond, Shivani Sanghani, Emily Seeburger, YingYing Shang, Simran Singh, Wendy Tan, Yuge Xiao, Navin Zachariah Faculty Advisers: Susan Houseman, Cynthia Crothers-Hyatt
Ensuring security
The Spoke evaluates new security measures School is supposed to be a safe place for stu- administration has taken reasonable measures without introducing too many new security an environment that is encouraging and com- measures. fortable. However, that expectation was shatWhile the school administration has done tered after the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook its job in responding reasonably and approElementary School in Newtown, Conn. on priately to the incident at Sandy Hook, we as a student body also have to assume responsiTredyffrin/Easttown School District decided bility and do our part in fostering a positive to enact new security measures in the schools, school environment at Conestoga. Although including locking all doors during the day, in- the enhanced security will help establish a safstalling an intercom system and covering the er school, it should be kept in mind that no sefront entrance windows with impact-resistant curity system is ever impenetrable. There are always unforeseen circumstances. The new seIn light of recent events, The Spoke sup- curity installments are appropriate, but at the ports the new security measures and applauds same time, having new cameras and intercoms the school district for acting promptly to en- put in place will not alone solve the problem. sure the safety of students within the district. We cannot simply narrow our focus to a The buzz-in system seems especially appropriate, considering a 5-year-old girl was re- the causes and not just the effects. During cently kidnapped from her elementary school other school shootings at Columbine in 1999 in Philadelphia by a woman who claimed she and Virginia Tech in 2007 it was the students was taking the girl to breakfast. Therefore, the themselves who are putting others at risk. In new security measures are extremely prudent in deterring potential threats. not help. It is the students at Conestoga that Of course, increased security also means bear the responsibility of encouraging a posicurbing some freedoms that we have been ac- tive environment. customed to. The new security makes it a slight We should strive to be accepting and tolerhassle for parents and students to come into the ant and work to make everyone feel included. school. However, we strongly believe that ensuring students’ safety at school and parents’ tions help in creating a welcoming school atpeace of mind while sending their children mosphere, we must take individual action. to school every morning outweigh the inconour turn.
Reevaluating the 2nd Amendment Haley Xue Co-editor-in-chief Based on the situation back in the 1780s, it’s easy to understand why the Founding Fathers chose to include the right to bear arms in the Bill of Rights. Experts have cited that the Founders wanted to ensure citizens could have militias to defend themselves from a tyrannical leader and have the right to self-defense. However, the Founding Fathers’ rationale for the right to bear arms is becoming less and less applicable to today’s society. While I acknowledge that Americans have the right to self-defense, we cannot abuse that right offensively to harm others. Drugs and Crime, in 2010, 67.5 percent of hoU.S. has the highest gun ownership rate in the people. Even the number two country, Yemen, arms per 100 people. Furthermore, results from The Small Arms Survey show that of the 28 countries surveyed for its 2011 report on civilian And even Yemen’s government has since enacted Clearly, other countries see the dangers in having extensive freedom in the right to bear arms. The U.S. government should follow the example of countries like Canada and the U.K., where
Submissions The Spoke will print letters of general interest to the student body and community. Signed letters under 200 words may be submitted to Susan Houseman, Cynthia Hyatt, Heather Ward or Haley Xue. 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.
The reasons behind the inclusion of the Second Amendment in the Constitution have become obof the government becoming too tyrannical with the system of federalism and checks and balances tect oneself. Enacting measures to close the gunshow loophole, require background checks and restrict the sale of drum-style magazines, which can hold up to 100 rounds of ammunition, will
Contact Us
The U.S. prides itself on being the beacon of democracy and freedom, but freedom has its consequences. We have to take responsibility for those consequences, even if it means regulating some of that freedom.
Email: spoke@stoga.net The Spoke accepts paid advertisements. Email cmoran@stoganews.com. Visit The Spoke online at www.stoganews.com News Director: Suproteem Sarkar ssarkar@stoganews.com
From the Editor:
Maggie Chen/The SPOKE
Haley Xue can be reached at hxue@stoganews.com
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013
PAGE 9 THE SPOKE
OP/ED
Political apathy creates age of disengagement conveniently pretend that since some of us cannot vote, we cannot have any impact. We seem to have grown shortsighted into thinking that pieces of legislation being passed now and implemented next year have no long-term effects.
Simran Singh Staff Reporter We almost fell off the cliff last month. People started suggesting, “Maybe this is the apocalypse the Mayans were referring to,” as we teetered on the edge of economic downturn. In what was literally the eleventh hour, our beloved congressmen and women came to some primitive form of a compromise, while Americans sighed a breath of relief. This temporary relief, however, masks a much deeper issue. Congress’ approval rate is dismal compared to years past. The 2012 presidential election was incredibly close and Congressional race victories have become marginal. As the American public continues to lose faith in our democracy, we have to question what has gotten us to this point in The fundamental issue is that we, as a generation, simply don’t care. As high school students, consumed in our academic work, socialization and technology, we
we truly believe in. We need to find politicians who share our values and represent more than a political party. It is in our best interest to not only elect the right people to of-
among them about the issues that caused many of us to question the American youth faces. the competency of our representatives. Realize t h a t we get t h e government we deserve. T h e fact that it literally took a threat of economic recession and misCallum Backstrom/The SPOKE ery just to get our leaders to act suggests that Too many high school seniors our legislative system is broken across the nation that are eligible and our democracy is dysfunc- to vote choose not to exercise their tional at best. However, those right either because of a lack of who choose not to participate in information on critical policy isthe democratic process are to be sues or sheer indifference. A closer blamed for treating the American look at home, our own Conestoga future as a triviality. High School, reveals that the nuIf we want to make a differ- merous political clubs share the ence, we need to elect politicians same small number of students
as members. Those among us who cannot vote can contribute by reading up on critical matters, making peers aware of the issues and collectively reaching out to our legislators advocating action on the issues facing young Americans. We can make a significant contribution to the common good by volunteering for the candidates we believe are conscientious and capable of making this count r y great. A larger percentage of eligible young voters need to show up to the polls and vote. A greater number among us needs to partake in government affairs so that our voice is heard; that is what America is truly all about. Inaction is un-American. Simran Singh can be reached at ssingh@stoganews.com.
“Should students be more politically engaged?” should be actively involved “Students “ Yes, because eventualin politics. Most of us will be voting ly people will need to use soon and, regardless, many political their political knowledge to vote.” - Freshman Jared Puzo
decisions now will affect us when we are adults because we will inherit the world left to us.” - Sophomore Dan Cancelmo
“ Yes, because decisions made at a federal, state and local level still impact us. Even if we can’t vote, our voices—no matter how small—make a difference in the long run.” - Junior Kendra Atkins
“
It is imperative that students get involved in politics because it is a privilege not afforded to many.” - Senior Audree Rueger
Report Card New Security Measures + New glass and buzzer system increase school security - Could be inconvenient for students with privileges
Valentine’s Day + Reminder to show appreciation for loved ones - Singles subjected to PDA and long lines at restaurants
February Madness + Exciting school-wide chess tournament - High level of competition threatens friendships
Second Semester Seniors + Senioritis relaxes the vibe in the classroom - Lack of ambition equals frustrated teachers
Presidents Day + Long weekend - More about vacation than honoring the presidents
Course Selection + Conestoga offers wide variety of classes - Class cap limits options
PAGE 10 THE SPOKE
YingYing Shang Columnist Close your eyes and picture your ideal romantic other. Now picture him or her as a person of a different race than you. For the majority of people, the second command still generates a difto the Washington Post, minorities make up 37 percent of the population. Yet only 8.4 percent of marriages are interracial. high, it reveals that, for most people, interracial dating is still out of the norm, an option that we typically don’t consider. For the majority of people, the dating pool is still restricted by skin color, consciously or unconsciously. Personally, I haven’t noticed many interracial couples at Conestoga, but
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013
OP/ED
Interracial dating deserves acceptance a surprising event in philosophy class triggered my interest in the relative scarcity of interracial dating. During a unit on morality, my classmates and I were asked to anonymously rate different actions “moral” or “immoral,” ranging from cheating on a test to murder. “Interracial dating” was one of the questions. I snickered at this seemingly long settled issue. But the results were surprising: two people in my small class alone, and more in the classes combined, believed that interracial dating was immoral. Not just personally unappealing, but morally wrong. But outright rejection is the minority. In my experience, the stigma of interracial dating is more unconscious, hiding behind the excuse of being “just not attracted to” a certain race. never inherently “unattractive.” More observable societal pressures also discourage interracial 360 study on race revealed that many students reported “discouragement of interracial dating from their parents, or those of their friends, with reactions ranging from wariness to outright forbiddance.” For those disapproving
parents and friends, shunning interracial dating means that they still see different races as “other.” This closed-minded attitude limits the potential for happiness for themselves and their loved ones, as well as hampering society’s surmounting of still-present racial barriers. Interracial dating and multiracial citizens are becoming more prevalent and the rest of the world. From the biracial background of President Obama to our historical reputation as responsibility of setting the example for an integrated society. Luckily, interracial marriage rates are the highest they have been in all of history. Why shouldn’t our generation’s dating scene lead the charge? Instead of letting a heritage of racism hinder our progress, we should emof acceptance and shared humanity. This Valentine’s Day, I encourage you to open your mind and be accepting of all kinds of couples, regardless of race. YingYing Shang can be reached at yshang@stoganews.com.
Sophie Bodek/The SPOKE
Police out of tickets, hall monitors hopelessly disheartened
James Redmond Columnist Think about it. Have you ever seen two ants run into each other? ting darned cocky about it. They go around building their stupid little hills feeling smugly superior, because every time they look up, it’s another human walking into a telephone pole or something. Let’s face it: we have issues getting around, both on and off the road. Tripping over ourselves and each other on frenzied journeys to often-forgotten destinations, we cling to our GPSs for dear life and pray that the almighty robotic voice will take pity and refrain Even those of us with perfectly good depth perception and a fine handle on relative locations and spatial relationships are quite frequently
derailed by people nearby doing something they’re not supposed to, whether by accident or because of narcissistic negligence. We need to get our act together as a species because this is becoming embarrassing. If we don’t want to end up as the laughingstock of the animal kingdom, there are three kinds of people we need to set straight. First is the
Racecar Driver. I like to call these the “important people,” because they are clearly far more important than the rest of us. If their desire to get to that dentist appointment gives them the right to highway in their hunks of speeding metal at roughly 1.8 tera-furlongs per fortnight, they must be royalty. Second are the Nervous Nellies. We can’t help feeling bad for these people; it’s not their fault, really, they’re just shy. They don’t like the speed limits—those numbers are way too high. Nellies sit in the left lane,
Sophie Bodek/The SPOKE
cruisin’ down the interstate at 40 mph because, odds are, they’re not going to die from being late to that knitting convention. What they don’t realize is that they’re inconveniencing the “important people” around them, which creates agitation that could erupt into some creative obstacle-dodging. I mean, hey, Mr. Sportscar needs to get his copy of Impatient People: An Ongoing Legacy signed before the lines maneuvering can lead to just the kind of accident Mrs. Pennywinkle was trying to avoid. She’ll have a rough time knitting after that. Nervous Nellies can be equally inconvenient to encounter in the halls; if you’ve ever seen that awkward side-stepping dance as two people simultaneously yield the right of way to one another, then you know what I mean. who are Just Plain Bad News. You see the stories about folks driving the wrong way up an exit ramp, piling into jammed intersections when there is no conceivable chance of getting through before the light turns red and chatting away on their cell phones as
they swerve wildly across four lanes thinking? They probably weren’t. Or if they were, they were wondering why their thoughts always seem to echo around in their heads. We have all had moments where we feel like these people; tripping up the stairs, slamming face-first into pull doors, and my personal favorite, falling sideways into a mass of people and backpacks, tipping the ensemble over like a demented game of dominoes. These are mostly isolated incidents, but some people do seem to be magnets for such disasters. There’s really nothing they can do but wear a hard hat. If you catch yourself acting like any of the aforementioned persons, just try to think of how you can make a change. Whether it means realizing that other people are just as important as you are, or employing an enchantress to rid you of your bad hallway juju, do it, for the sake of humanity. Come on, ’Stoga, let’s make those smug little ants choke on it. James Redmond can be reached at jredmond@stoganews.com.
Sophie B
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013
PAGE 11 THE SPOKE
OP/ED
25 years later, Hazelwood still threatens student expression troversial topics from the school’s newspaper. The majority opinion held that, “as a supervised learning experience for journalism students,” school
Allison Kozeracki Op/Ed Editor In Illinois, administrators removed articles about student drug use and shoplifting from a student newspaper. In Washington, students were not allowed to play an instrumental version of “Ave Maria” at graduation ceremonies. In Texas, a cheerleader was disciplined for refusing to cheer for an athlete who was later charged with sexually assaulting her. All of these decisions, which would appear to be clear violations of the First Amendment, are protected by a landmark Supreme Court case decided 25 years ago: Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier. On Jan. 13, 1988, in a 5-3 decision, the court ruled that the principal of Hazelwood East High School was entitled to remove a two-page spread about teen pregnancy and other con-
contents of the newspaper “in any reasonable manner.” Furthermore, “educators do not offend the First Amendment by exercising editorial control over the style and content of student speech in school-sponsored expressive activities so long as their actions are reasonably related to legitimate pedagogical concerns.” In short, students are not granted the same First Amendment rights as adults in the public. But all hope is not lost. Seven states—Arkansas, California, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts and Oregon—have passed laws to protect free expression and weaken the effects of Hazelwood. And some states, including Pennsylvania, have protection for student speech rights in the education code. In addition, Hazelwood does not apply to student newspapers that have been established as public forums for student expression, such as the one you’re reading right now. None of the articles found in this paper undergo
prior review from administrators or sources before going to print. What the court failed to realize is that school newspapers are so much more than “a supervised learning experience for journalism students.” Many times, it is student newspapers that provide the kind of groundbreaking stories that can’t be found in the local paper. Students bring a unique perspective and insight into the news that actually affects schools and local communities. And yes, sometimes that news is bad news. When we allow stories to be subject to censorship, most likely to protect the reputation of the school, we lose that voice. But Hazelwood has implications for more than just student journalism. It allows schools to censor other forms of student expression, as long as they are able to come up with some “legitimate pedagogical concerns.” Hazelwood of campaign posters, cheers, clubs, graduation speeches, songs, T-shirts, tattoos and even student memorials. I am so fortunate to write for a completely student-run newspaper that serves as a public forum, which is something I haven’t fully appreciated until learning about it now. Being able
Maggie Chen/The SPOKE
to provide our readers with accurate and informative stories without fear of getting censored or even shut down entirely is what allows quality journalgrateful for and inspired by my fellow student journalists, my advisers and press rights, particularly the Student Press Law Center. But there are far too many states that lack legal protection for student journalists. Now is the perfect time to look back on the 25 years since Hazelwood and the long road that lies ahead. Something as simple as a
section of a state education code can make a world of difference to statewide student expression, but passing such legislation is no easy task. So let politicians know how you feel about Hazelwood and how it could affect you; locate allies of student expression and confront its opponents. It’s been done before and we can do it again. Information about Hazelwood and efforts to stop its spread is available at splc.org and curehazelwood.org. Allison Kozeracki can be reached at akozeracki@stoganews.com.
Subtweeting displays immaturity, accomplishes nothing
Emily Seeburger Columnist Middle school, I think we can all agree, was awkward—there’s no better way to describe it. I know I had my fair share of fashion faux pas and uncomfortable encounters with friends and my mom still had to drop me off and pick me up wherever I wanted to go. However, middle school did have its up moments in between the awkwardness. But I don’t want to go back. Ever. To me, middle school seemed to be all about drama, gossip and what everyone was saying behind each other’s backs. Entering high school, I thought I would escape all that, and for the most part, I have. But there’s one element in our high school atmosphere that keeps bringing back memories of
this less than wonderful time of my life: subtweeting. Subtweeting is when someone tweets something rude or hurtful about another person without mentioning the person by name. If you use Twitter, there’s a good chance you’ve seen this before. In essence, it’s a way of channeling frustration without confrontation, other than the fact that the whole “Twitterverse” is watching. Subtweeting might be the most ineffective way to solve and/or accomplish anything. For one, it’s just plain gossip-y. Either people know who you’re talking about or they want to know who you’re talking about and will try to find out. Subtweeting is a catalyst for drama. Additionally, subtweeting has
the potential to spread false information because of people’s false assumptions. When you read a tweet, your guess of who it is about or what’s going on may not be right. And just because someone tweeted something, it doesn’t m e a n i t ’s true. Think of all the celebrity
he or she did and you have to vent to a social media outlet, your problem solving skills need a little work. Though confrontation is never easy, talk to that friend and try to actually solve the issue instead of harboring inner passive-aggressive feelings of resentment. People aren’t mind reade r s ; they can’t fix what they don’t know. And if it’s a subtweet expressing disdain over someone you don’t particularly care for, why are Maggie Chen/The SPOKE you wasting your death hoaxes that energy on him or her have become trending topics; in the first place? Justin Bieber, Morgan Freeman At the end of the day, the and Jon Bon Jovi have all been majority of your followers who victims, and clearly they’re not don’t get sucked up in the drama dead. really don’t care about whatever Subtweeting also destroys it is that you have to say about a communication skills. If you’re certain anonymous person. Evenangry at a friend over something tually, people are going to get
annoyed and fed up if you do it all the time. I’d rather see another Instagram picture of someone’s next meal. So, the next time someone gets under your skin, causes problems or just straight up infuriates you, don’t reach for your phone or computer. Talk it out with the person or just simply let it go. Do something to take your mind off of whatever irritated you. Vent about the situation to a real, live person if that makes you feel any better. Just resist the urge to jump on your Twitter account as an outlet for your anger. As part of this technologyembedded generation that’s often distracted by a glowing screen, let’s reclaim our ability to effectively communicate and deal with social situations. And if you’re still looking to bring back your middle school memories, go back and visit a favorite teacher. Tutor a kid. Do senior internship at a middle school. Just please stop the subtweeting. Emily Seeburger can be reached at eseeburger@stoganews.com.
Features
LOVE IN THE AIR This Vale ntine’s Day, Conestoga students share the i r lo ve for one another Dear Maybef, Dear Chelsea and Rachel, I love you more than Spongebob Thanks for being such great loves Krabby Patties. Will you be my pals. Keep on being you. valentine? Love, Love, Your Secret Admirer, Niko Sam Every time I look back on the times we’ve had together, I think how lucky I’ve been to have you all as my special friends. I thought I was alone, but soon realized all of you were there for me. Fockey Love, Yangster
Gail~ You’re the best, and I’m so glad that we’re friends! You’re also amazing at driving. What am I going to do without you next year? Friday mornings just won’t be the
Annie Medosch is so funny! Like I can’t even handle it! hahaha, yeah. - Ray-Dawg
same! - J.Lee
My dear friends, this year has been hard, but I’ve myself extremely unwilling to accept the fact that we won’t be together next year. Know that I love you all to an indescribable amount and though we are separated by miles, our shared laughs and memories will ease our aching hearts until we meet again. With greatest love, Sarky/Merm
Dear Car l, your majestic brows so bright, unfurling in the evening light, make me shudder with ecstasy. You r eyelashes extend like shooting star s into the dar k night of my heart.
Dearest Kevin Brown Bear, Though your ears are tiny, my love for you is large. Your biting comments about me being ugly can’t wait for our Valentine’s date.
Dear Wolf-Princess, Our hearts beat the same speed before we were born. -Grey
t have no e that I y e is h e is on . kle in ’s a spar gins sure g re o e C h l T il t. grea hold me man, W ggins is him to king of r a e fo p S n Will Co . a n ma ore th another thing m Quatro seen in want no I d n Quatro a ff . u s b m o r s a ong He is in his str Chloe Howard is the coolest person in the world! Dear Audree and Arena, - Ray-Dawg Happy Valentine’s Day! 01111000 01101111 01111000
01101111 Nah mean?! KK cool miss you.
To my awesom
e Spokies (y ou know who you are!) You all wor k so ha rd to make this paper aw esome! I’m so proud to call you my fr iend s, and I love each and ev issue . You’re er y all fantastic an d deserve so me special love . Never forget —you have issues. Lots of them. :) Jessica
Sometimes we felt as if our dreams were so close, tomorrow we’d be living them Yet other times they seemed so impossible that we had almost given up hope. But thank you, Andrew, for making mine with you completely and utterly real. Love, Caroline
To Anthony and Bill, I love my two sons. Dad
Lardd“There’s someone at every party who eats all the celery.” Hopefully Kim Hubbard is less of a letdown than Montaigne. Dear Anna, You danced your way into my heart. Be my valentine? Love, Chase
Dear Pickle, Thanks for making Tuesdays the best days of the week. Love, Honeypuff Kavanaughty, you dog ;) Love, Secret Admirer
To The Spoke, Prom? Lavi
Dearest Schanne, You have been such an inspiration to us all and we hope that you know that for us, you mean the world. Rock on LUMAT! Love, US
Dear Kubsy, You are perfect and I love you so much. Thanks for being in my life. Love, Aida Will Coggins, you are so cool. I admire you. Super chill! - Ray-Dawg Design: Margot Field/The SPOKE
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013
PAGE 15 THE SPOKE
FEATURES
Chess team members check into February Madness
David Kramer Staff Reporter
The knights are valiant fighters, breaching enemy lines and escaping unscathed. The queen is a giant, powerful force that destroys everything in her path. The pawns selves to protect their army. This is the chess board through the eyes of sophomore Cam Copeland, whose father taught him chess by making the game into a fairy tale with each piece having a mission. The game is now one of Copeland’s passions. “There is almost nothing more gratifying than knowing that you single-handedly defeated your opponent through sheer wit and strategy,” Copeland said. Copeland now prepares for his own mission, the chess team’s February Madness tournament. February Madness is a bracket-style competition, with the winner of a match advancing to the next round while the loser is eliminated. In total, 64 students are participating in this year’s tournament. All students are ing who they predict will win each match and take home the trophy. Sophomore Narahari Bharadwaj
won the tournament last year and is currently the top-ranked chess player in the school. “I’m not sure that winning is the really exciting part about chess. I feel it’s more about tactics and understanding strategy,” Bharadwaj said. “It is rewarding to win in the end but it’s more about the process.” Bharadwaj practices the game about one hour per day and attends the chess team meetings on Mondays and Thursdays after school. He often gets a certain feeling of nervousness and excitement when playing chess. “I really like chess because it’s a game that challenges your analytical skills,” Bharadwaj said. “In order to do well at chess, you have to really think strategically.” Meetings are held in the chess team adviser David Zimmerman’s room 207. Although Zimmerman does not play as much chess as he used to, he says he can still “beat any of [the students] with one hand tied behind [his] back.” Zimmerman rarely coaches students and feels that playing chess itself is the best teacher. “The game is the ultimate test of mental power. There is no luck, [both the players] know the rules,” Zim-
Karolis Panavas/The SPOKE
Sophomore Narahari Bharadwaj ponders his next move during one of the chess team meetings in Room 207. He won the February Madness bracket-style tournament last year and is currently the top-ranked chess player in the school. merman said. “It is simply whose brain is stronger, yours or mine. It’s a pure test of mental strength.” Competitive chess matches are usually about 45 minutes long, but the players can agree upon more time if needed. “The room is dead silent, leaving you completely alone with your thoughts,” Copeland said. “It’s like a haven for the mind where you can
peacefully think out everything in absolute silence.” Anyone can enter the February Madness tournament, regardless of ability. The tournament has two separate brackets of 32 students based advance to play against the five highest ranked players from Lower Merion, Devon Prep, Harriton, Marple Newtown and Haverford.
Junior Michael Mei is the number two ranked chess player at ’Stoga. He feels that the tournament is not all about winning and more about having fun and enjoying a great game. “It’s a really creative game,” Mei said. “It requires a lot of innovative problem solving.” David Kramer can be reached at dkramer@stoganews.com.
Anthem club brings ‘Star-Spangled Banner’ to ’Stoga sports
Jenna Spoont/The SPOKE
Jenna Spoont/The SPOKE
(From left) Seniors Carl Bligan, Alex Carré, Mary Ward, Nell Hoban and Courtney Nazaire sing the national anthem at a wrestling match. Before Anthem Club was formed, the team listened to the anthem on a boombox.
Patrick Nicholson Staff Reporter The Conestoga wrestling team and any especially hard takedown can leave a player seeing stars. Until January 2012, all the wrestling team had to play the national anthem
before matches was a CD and a boombox. That has all changed, thanks to the Anthem Club. Co-presidents and seniors Alex Carré and Mary Ward received a request a year ago to sing at a wresting meet and have been attending all the matches since. “My friend’s mom asked if I
could get a group together to sing at the wrestling meet, and so I got this little group together and we started doing it for every wrestling match,” Ward said. After having success performing for the wrestling team, Carré says the club is looking to sing for other sports teams in similar situations.
“I know boys basketball is covered, football is covered by the band, I’m pretty sure soccer is covered […] and so I’m just trying to help out the clubs that don’t have any [performers]. I’m not looking to push [other performers] out, it’s more just to get rid of that stupid little boombox,” Carré said. Carré and Ward are already looking into performing at girls’ basketball games and hope to perform at one before the season ends. As the club’s focus continues to expand, its membership has likewise increased. Initially consisting of only a few seniors, the club now has around 20 members and is still looking to take on more. “We’re starting to get more underclassmen, because last year [everyone] was [in] my grade,” Ward said. “The cool thing about the club is that anyone can join.” Although all of Anthem Club’s activities revolve around a single eight-line song, Ward says it is not all about the singing. According to Ward, the club helps music students become involved with the athletic department—a part of the school few of them are very familiar with.
“It’s fun because you get to see all these different sporting events that you normally wouldn’t get to go to, and it integrates sports more with the music program,” Ward said. The athletes enjoy having the Anthem Club sing at their meets. the wrestling team, says the club’s performances are welcome additions to team matches. “I appreciate having a live performance of the national anthem there, even if it’s just to sing the national anthem.” According to Carré, for a club with such a small focus, Anthem Club has had an important effect on the school. “It’s a really easy thing that makes a big difference. It builds a little bit of community within ’Stoga because a lot of times you’ll show up to games and it’s only the families there,” Carré said. “Students from Conestoga don’t normally go to these events, so I think it really means a lot.” Patrick Nicholson can be reached at pnicholson@stoganews.com.
PAGE 16 THE SPOKE
FEATURES
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013
’Stoga teachers compose original music, cultivate passions
Isha Damle Staff Reporter
since he was in the seventh grade. Although he began teaching immedi-
As a songwriter and musician, English teacher Ben Smith uses his interactions with his students as a creative stimulus. “If a student says something funny, I might steal that line from them and
cation, he decided to further pursue music when he had the opportunity to tour internationally as the drummer of the punk rock band Ten Foot Pole. “I started teaching right out of college, and as much as I enjoyed it, I had a gnawing feeling that I hadn’t fully explored my musical ambitions. When a friend told me that a band I really liked was looking for a new drummer, I decided to audition. I
it an inspiration because you work with new people every year and they come [to class] with new perspectives and see things in different ways,” Smith said. Smith played the saxophone, piano and guitar in school for personal enjoyment, and music became a passion he continued to pursue throughout his life. He was motivated to continue with music by music instructors and band directors. “Music is what I love to do. When I hear a good idea, I think, ‘Oh, that would make a great song.’ I don’t necessarily think, ‘Oh, I should paint something about that idea or write an essay,’ although I do like writing about music,” Smith said. Smith released an album of original music, “Crooked Earth,” on Sept. 16, 2011, and has released other albums with his band Missing Palmer West. According to Smith, creating the album was a natural part of the songwriting process. “That’s what songwriters do. We write songs, and then it’s fun to put them together, as a sort of a book about what was going on about your life at that particular time. You keep doing it. [Music and songwriting are] not going to stop,” Smith said. “I released the album a little ahead of schedule because of the [minor] earthquake [in the area]. Crooked Earth, earthquake? [I thought], ‘let’s do it.’” Smith also released a holiday album, “Old Man Winter, Vol. 1,” in December 2011, as well as a second installment, “Old Man Winter, Vol. 2” on Nov. 5, 2012. He estimates that an album takes him about a year to complete and expresses that songwriting is his favorite part of the process. He most recently recorded in the studio at the MilkBoy, a venue in Philadelphia. “You make all these weird creative decisions. Actually, that’s very exciting too. The recorded artifact of the song is like a different thing altogether it, but it’s also a creative thing, and collaborative,” Smith said. Smith is not the only English teacher in the district who produces original music. Kevin Ruggeri, a current English teacher at Valley Forge Middle School, has been in bands
I was supposed to focus more on music,” Ruggeri said. Ruggeri and Ten Foot Pole toured throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. “It was an awesome experience going to so many different places, seeing the sights and connecting with the people there. I remember being blown away when people in places like Barcelona, Amsterdam and Paris sang along to our songs despite the language barrier,” Ruggeri said. Ten Foot Pole’s music can be found on Amazon.com, iTunes, eMusic, Spotify and Pandora. Ruggeri also has music available on the Bandcamp website. Although he is not currently in a band, Ruggeri continues to involve himself with music. “I’m convinced I’ll always work on music in some capacity. I don’t
Karolis Panavas/The SPOKE
Ben Smith’s album “Crooked Earth” was released on Sept. 16 2011. have a regular band at the moment, but I have a recording studio at home, so that’s my creative outlet. Writing songs and having the ability to record them myself is satisfying,” Ruggeri said. “I don’t make it down to that section of the house very often during the school year, so it’s a treat to use it when we have [school] breaks.” Music teacher Anthony DiLella has also been in several bands, including Social Probation, Lima Bean Riot, The New Attraction, Color of Day and Real Diamond. According to DiLella, enced by his love of music.
Courtesy Anthony DiLella
Music teacher Anthony DiLella (center) plays the bass with his band. He uses his experience as a musician to help HS_News (4.125 x 5.843).4_Layout 1 10/23/12 4:57 PM Page 1 guide aspiring student musicians, citing that his band experience has given him a different perspective on music. “It didn’t matter what type of music or instrument I played, as long as I was playing [something]. Music was the one thing that never got old for me,” DiLella said. “I took this aspect of my life that I loved and I had to make it a job. It gives you a different perspective on music. It’s not a hobby anymore. It’s not just what you do, but who you are.” Don’t miss this opportunity with our unique College Admission Like Smith, DiLella has released Planning program. A high school senior will receive: albums with his bands and says that ■ a working list of colleges for application that fit you the work behind the scenes requires ■ a personalized college planning timeline lots of dedication. ■ a guarantee of coaching in managing deadlines “It’s not as glamorous as people think. It’s full of long days, sometimes over 12 hours in a recording studio Did you know? with no windows, playing the same We can help you construct a road map to financial aid resources available. thing over and over. Recording takes a tremendous amount of work and Our College Admission Planning program is under the Direction of David time, and most of the time you are Clark, (Ed.M., Harvard Graduate School of Education), an independent there alone,” DiLella said. college admission consultant with more than thirty-five years experience According to DiLella, his experiworking with high school students and their families. ences as a music teacher have been Appointments are available now, including evenings and Saturdays. helpful to aspiring student musicians. For more information call David Clark at 610-642-4873, ext. 52 “As a music teacher, it brings or email him at: david@collegesearchnow.net. real-world experience in the music industry to my job. I encounter a For regular and informative articles about an effective college good amount of students who want to search plan, visit Mr. Clark’s blog at www.collegesearchnow.net. become professional musicians after high school. My experience helps give them a realistic view of what that College Search Now ~ Center for Psychological Services, LLC life is,” DiLella said. 125 Coulter Avenue, Ardmore, PA 19003 ■ Tel: 610.642.4873
Last year, Mr. Clark’s seniors achieved better than an 80% college acceptance rate.
Isha Damle can be reached at idamle@stoganews.com.
Paoli Executive Green, Suite 304 ■ 41 Leopard Road, Paoli, PA 19301 Email: david@collegesearchnow.net
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013
PAGE 17 THE SPOKE
FEATURES
Brian Samson guidance counselor
Karolis Panavas/The SPOKE
The Spoke (T.S.): What do you school students with college and other aspects of their lives? Brian Samson (B.S.): It is rewarding to see growth in the students over a four-year period. Post-high school planning allows students to discover a lot about themselves.
favorites Song: “Good Times, Bad Times” by Led Zeppelin
Band: The Beatles Movie: “Hoosiers” Food: Pizza Book: “City of Thieves” by David Benioff
Super Hero: Batman Quote: “The things which hurt, instruct.” - Ben Franklin
Vacation Spot:
T.S.: How long have you been a guidance counselor? B.S.: Nine years. T.S.: Did you have any jobs before becoming a guidance counselor? B.S.: I had plenty of odd jobs during school. I was a short order cook in a breakfast restaurant, carpenter’s apprentice and I worked in sales for a sporting goods company.
Vermont
Season: Winter
T.S.: If you were not a guidance counselor, what could
you see yourself doing? B.S.: in Montana. T.S.: Why do you think guidance counselors are important? B . S . : We give students an opportunity
to talk about problems and get help.
hike, ski, play the guitar and drums, cook, watch movies and read.
T.S.: of being a counselor? B.S.: There are a lot of deadlines during college application season and it can get stressful.
T.S.: How long have you been playing the drums and what do you like about it? Have you been in any bands? B.S.: When I was in seventh grade, I broke my leg and I was in a cast for
T.S.: What would your most important piece of advice for high schoolers be? B.S.: Be honest, courageous and nice to people. T.S.: If you could go back in time and tell your high school self something, what would it be? B.S.: Read more books. [And] I should not have dropped my foreign language senior year. T.S.: What activities were you involved in during high school? B.S.: Basketball and lacrosse. T.S.: How long have you been playing lacrosse? B.S.: I started playing in sixth grade. I play a few times a year. Now I just blow a whistle and tell people to do things. T.S.: What do you like about lacrosse? B.S.: Lacrosse combines many skills from other sports. There is an exciting pace to the game. T.S.: What are your hobbies? B.S.: I ride my bike, play tennis,
to get a drum set because I wanted to be like the Van Halen drummer. I have been in a few bands over the years. Now I just play infrequently with friends for fun. I like being in a rhythm section. You’re not the main attraction, but you bring a critical piece to the music. T.S.: What kind of music do you like to play? B.S.: Rock and country. T.S.: If you could have dinner with any three people who would they be and why? B.S.: Barack Obama; I wouldn’t talk politics at the dinner table though; John Muir; to compare travel experiences; and my grandfather, who was a tail-gunner in a B-17 in World War II. He has amazing stories. T.S.: What is one of the funniest experiences you’ve had as a guidance counselor? B.S.: Every day is an adventure when you work with Mr. Mullen. He’s good for a harmless prank. He likes to put large objects like ugly I am not there. Interview by Natalie West, Features Editor Design by Anisa Tavangar
PAGE 18 THE SPOKE
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013
FEATURES
Senior internship program process brings opportunities Kelly Benning Staff Reporter Each May, Conestoga High School becomes easier to navigate and the gridlock in the stairwells dissipates as 500 students leave the school halls behind for the halls of a hospital, business or even another school. The senior internship program lasts from May 6-31 and is an opportunity for seniors to take on roles in the community involved in their area of interest. According to the director of the program, Patricia Littlewood, it is a much-anticipated learning experience, but the planning process can sometimes be confusing. “It’s sort of scary to go through this if you haven’t done it before,” Littlewood said. “Finding the internship is the hardest part but it’s the most important part in terms of the learning experience.” The planning process began in January, but some students have
known exactly what they will be doing for their internships before their senior year even began. Senior Julia Previti has been anticipating interning at family friend Eileen Devine’s “I’m really excited to not be in school and to be out in the real world learning the ropes of a business,” Previti said. All seniors were required to draft application letters, even those who already had an internship arranged. Littlewood proofread every letter in a matter of days. Littlewood recommended sending the letters out to no more than two or three possible locations initially. If these places do not respond within a week, she advised that students should call them or make some effort to contact them again. “Occasionally it helps if I contact them [when students are struggling],” Littlewood said. “But we can always go back to the drawing board and see what else we come up with. Also, in
late February or early March local people will start [informing me of companies] looking for interns, so we’re able to get that information out to kids, too, to try to match up the kids with the interests of the community.” As seniors start to hear back from the locations they have selected, they will more often than not be asked to partake in an interview. “Hopefully everyone will get a chance to have an interview,” Littlewood said. “All of the sponsors often say that they hire based on the attitude of the student and their impression of the student. They teach the skills. You’re going to be Conestoga graduates, and they can teach you anything they want you to [learn], so their hiring is based on attitude, which they interview. We talk about interview skills at the [Phase II] meeting.” After students have participated in an interview and acquired their community sponsor, they can turn in their Phase II materials. These are due on
April 10 and include the community sponsor’s agreement, a description of the proposed internship with that sponsor, a notarized parent permission form and the $2.00 course fee. “That fee includes the journal. We want to know what you’re doing during the internship, and we keep the best journals for future students to show what exactly they could be doing,” Littlewood said. “For many worked with an adult in this kind of relationship where they are a part of the team and we want to know your feelings about it and how you think you’ve contributed.” The journals are one of the components of the internship in place to hold students accountable for the month they spend outside of school. During that time, the seniors’ faculty sponsors will contact the community sponsors once or twice to check in on their students’ progress. Advanced Placement exams will
the internship, so Littlewood says it is important for students to let their community sponsors know what days they will be absent. At the end of the internship, the faculty sponsor, community sponsor, ation. The journals and evaluations will be collected at the commencement rehearsal on June 3. In order to participate in the internship, students must submit their Culminating Project by March 15. Littlewood says it is important for students to keep track of all the paperwork and forms that must be completed to be able to participate in the internship program. “I think a vast majority of students are now doing their college applications for their project but many forget that there is an actual form that needs quirement,” Littlewood said. Kelly Benning can be reached at kbenning@stoganews.com.
Sam Sedor for The SPOKE
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013
PAGE 19 THE SPOKE
FEATURES
Swinging into rhythm: spring musical challenges dancers
Emily Klein Staff Reporter
dancing in the show with a positive attitude.
“Dancing. I’m really bad at dancing, that’s caused some problems,” senior and female lead Nell Hoban chuckled while describing being thrown into the air during a dance for this year’s spring musical, “The Pajama Game.”
with, but dancing is really fun and it’s new [to me], so it’s cool,” Christner said. Because the musical was written a half century ago, the cast has also had some trouble with the cultural aspects of the show. “A couple of the slang words I had to look up because I didn’t really know what they meant, but hopefully we’ll be able to show the audience what they actually mean and convey them correctly,” Hoban said. Director and choreographer Nicole Gerenyi also saw many differences between the wording of the musical and the language people use to communicate today. “There are so many politically incorrect song lyrics, and the dialogue is very campy. It’s not the way we talk, it’s not the way we express ourselves,” Gerenyi said. “It has been a challenge not to modernize the language, but to modernize the approach to the language.” Dickinger described this year’s show as quite different from ’Stoga Theatre’s musical productions in the past few years. “We decided to do what I call the ‘happy-happy, dance-y-dance-y,
formed in 1954, follows workers at a pajama factory as they go on strike for higher wages. The story follows Hoban’s character, Babe, a factory worker who has fallen in love with the new superintendent of the factory. So far, the greatest challenge in production has been the dance numbers in the show. “There is a huge amount of dance and constant movement and a lot of chorus numbers,” music director and teacher Suzanne Dickinger said. “When you have to deal with the 50 plus kids that are in the whole show and they’re all moving, it takes longer than just singing.” While Dickinger said that some of the female cast members have dance backgrounds, others, particularly the male cast members, have little to no dance experience. Senior Stephen Christner, the male lead, has struggled through the
Karolis Panavas/The SPOKE
The cast of “Pajama Game” rehearses a dance number from the musical. Music director Suzanne Dickinger says that many cast members have little dancing experience, so the production has helped them learn. no-one-dies’ show because last year everybody drowned in ‘Titanic,’” and the year before, ‘Phantom of the Opera’ killed half the people and the year before that, the giant stepped on half the people in ‘Into the Woods,’ so we thought we needed a little happier show this year,” Dickinger said. Pit orchestra member, junior Natalie Purinton also noted the difference between this year’s musical and those of recent years.
“We’ve done some sort of depressing ones in the past couple of years so this one is cheery,” Purinton said, “It’s jazzier and happier.” Dickinger believes that the happier, lesser-known musical will still be endearing to the audience because of the quality of the production. “I think they will be very impressed with the dance and the big chorus numbers,” Dickinger said. “I think they’re just going to have so
much fun watching it and not looking for any kind of symbolism because there isn’t any.” Gerenyi feels similarly about the members will react positively. “You don’t come to this show and leave [without] a smile,” Gerenyi said. Emily Klein can be reached at eklein@stoganews.com.
Sports
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013
Squash team squished for space Despite not having its own place to practice, the Conestoga squash success competing at the local Berwyn Squash Club.
Seniors (from left) Jonathan Wilmot, Sidd Aloni and Johnny Casterline practice squash at the Berwyn Squash Club. Because the Conestoga squash team does not have its own place to practice, the team travels to Berwyn Squash Club everyday. Karolis Panavas/The SPOKE
Courtney Kennedy Staff Reporter As the bell rings at 2:20, Conestoga’s athletes begin getting ready for that afternoon’s practice or game. While many athletes only have to walk to the school’s gym, the Conestoga squash team boards a shuttle bus for a short journey down Cassatt Road. Unlike Inter-Academic (Inter-Ac) League schools like Episcopal Academy and the Haverford School, Conestoga’s team does not have its own private courts for team use. Instead, the team must rent out local courts. For the past seven years, Conestoga has been using the squash courts at the Berwyn Squash Club for practices and games. “The transportation element of our program has always been in place as we feel that it is very important for the students to safely move from Conestoga to Berwyn [Squash Club] without having to use a somewhat dangerous pedestrian route along Cassatt Road,” coach Cam Hopkins said.
“Having the shuttle bus in place actually allows our practices to start very promptly after school because so many players use that transportation resource. We believe that having the shuttle allows players to interact good thing.” Since the team rents out the space from Berwyn Squash Club, it does not have unlimited access to the courts. Hopkins said that despite the restrictions of the Club’s schedule, the team has developed a good relationship with the Club, where the team has played since it was founded. “We have developed a very clear line of communication, so we are able to use the facilities as much as we need during the season,” Hopkins said. “They do a great job of accommodating our teams for practice and match time.” However, with only three courts available to the team at a time, every second of the allotted court time must be used. “We have to cram our whole team onto three courts and we only get an hour and a half of practice time, and the boys kick
us off,” junior Lauren Banner said. “Some people get to split three people per court. We have to use doubles courts and be more creative with our practices [and time].” Unlike Conestoga, other schools in the area have their own practice courts. InterAc Schools like Episcopal and Haverford, as well as local boarding schools like The Hill School and Lawrenceville have their own private courts for team use, giving them of Conestoga’s three courts. Even though schools like Episcopal have their own courts, Conestoga is certainly not alone. No public high school program in the entire country has its own private courts. The trend is limited to private day and boarding schools, where they have the money and ability to construct private courts. Although the Conestoga squash team does not have its own courts, the team has thrived while at Berwyn Squash Club. “If I could have a dream come true, it public high school program with squash
courts in the country,” Hopkins said. “That being said, over the seven year history of our program we have learned to work very hard facility at Berwyn Squash [Club] and have achieved amazing success as a result—we’re the only public school team in the country to date to have won a national championship, not one, but two. That fact speaks volumes for our players and the program.” That success can be attributed to the hard work of the players and coaches. With less practice time and space than their private school competitors, it is a great accomplishment to be the only public school team to have won a national championship. While Conestoga is unlikely to get their own courts any time soon, the team feels comfortable with the current arrangement. “Conestoga’s probably never going to get their own squash courts,” Banner said. “Berwyn’s really nice, and it’s really nice to use their courts.” Courtney Kennedy can be reached at ckennedy@stoganews.com.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013
Navin Zachariah Staff Reporter Having a parent as a coach has their “coach” and “parent” emotions when interacting with their kids. The unique relationship can also be tough on the athlete, who has to deal with teammates potentially treating them differently because their parent is the coach. Despite the challenges of being coached by their parents, student athletes feel that it is a special relationship that is irreplaceable. Senior swimmer Allison Kirkby said that she feels lucky to have had her father as a head coach for four years. She said that her father, Rob Kirkby, has been helpful both inside and outside of the swimming environment. “The best part is that I can talk to him at home about the sport and know that he knows what he’s talking about,” Allison Kirkby said. Rob Kirkby said that coaching his daughter has been a great experience. However, he said there are
Shivani Sanghani Staff Reporter As senior Catherine DePasquale waits her turn at a cheerleading competition, she mentally visualizes her routine. She starts out with a slow opening and concludes her sequence with a fast-paced dance. DePasquale is a member of the Conestoga cheerleading squad and is a competitive cheerleader for the All-Star League. “I truly love that cheerleading is a team sport—you have to work together at [winning]. When you do well, you share the victory with your team, rather than individual glory,” DePasquale said.
PAGE 21 THE SPOKE
SPORTS
tough aspects about coaching his daugher as well. “You have the emotion of a coach there, and then you have the
emotion of a dad there too. It’s a tough battle between the two,” Rob Kirkby said. Senior basketball player Cooper
Zach Lowry for The SPOKE
’Stoga swim coach Rob Kirkby, father of senior Allison Kirkby, gets ready for swim practice. Allison Kirkby said she enjoys having her father as a coach.
Other Conestoga cheerleaders also compete in cheerleading programs around the Main Line, such as Tri-State, Cheer Tyme, State Explosion and All-American Leagues. DePasquale said that competing in leagues is not as easy as it may appear. “It’s a combination of the tumbling and stunting aspects put together. You have to maintain your balance and be really tough, especially when pushing [a cheerleader who weighs] more than 100 pounds,” DePasquale said. Senior Grace Goins is a competitive dancer who competes with the All-Star cheerleading league in Philadelphia. She said she devotes a lot of
Turley agrees with Allison Kirkby that it is convenient to have his dad around the house to turn to for advice. Cooper Turley’s father, Bill Turley, is the JV basketball coach at Conestoga as well as a coach on the varsity staff. “It’s good because I can always just shout to my dad downstairs and ask him to come to the gym with me to shoot some. Or if I just want some advice or tips, I can always go and talk to him,” Cooper Turley said. While Cooper Turley agrees that there are some advantages to having his father as a coach, he said that there are also some drawbacks. He said that one of the most conspicuous is the added pressure he feels having his father on the coaching staff. “One negative is that people are always doubting your ability just because your dad is the coach,” Cooper Turley said. “But that only makes you hungrier and makes you work harder to prove them wrong.” Besides being doubted by teammates, Cooper Turley also needs to serve as a leader on the court for his father. Bill Turley said he feels that it is easier to have his son on the
him so well. Cooper Turley “knows my mind and the way I like to play basketball, so it’s like having another coach on means that I do expect more from him and that means he has to work that much harder,” Bill Turley said. Sophomore basketball player Martin Dorsey believes that Cooper Turley is one of the most hardworking players on the team. Dorsey also believes that it is easier to talk to Cooper Turley when he wants to communicate something to Bill Turley. “It’s just a little bit easier because Cooper is always around his dad,” Dorsey said. Bill Turley also said he believes that the time he has devoted to coaching his son is time well spent. He loves how it is an opportunity to spend more time together and bond as father and son. “I wouldn’t trade this time with him for the world,” Bill Turley said. Navin Zachariah can be reached at nzachariah@stoganews.com.
time and preparation into mastering routines for dance competitions. “If you’re not practicing every day, you’re still doing endurance and going over your routine,” Goins said. “Over time, you start to think of your cheerleading team as your family, and we have to really practice to [achieve] perfection.” A choreographer composes a cheerleader’s routine, which the cheerleaders then practice and perform during competitions. Senior Emily Simon cheers competitively for Tri-State in Havertown. Simon said that for cheerleaders, slacking is not tolerated. A cheerleader, Simon said, is not someone with just a pretty face, but someone who demonstrates true effort. “Some would say that we cheerleaders simply dance around in our pretty skirts with our hair nicely done and all that make-up, but this is definitely not what makes up cheerleader,” Simon said. “We must practice hard and put in our best efforts for the success of our team, and it is our pure dedication which contributes to cheerleading qualifying as a sport.”
Karolis Panavas/The SPOKE
Shivani Sanghani can be reached at sshanghani@stoganews.com.
Freshman Allie Martorana is lifted into the air while cheerleading at a basketball game. While many cheerleaders only cheer at sporting events, others participate in competitive teams outside of ’Stoga.
PAGE 22 THE SPOKE
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013
SPORTS
Bynum trade hurts on court, helps off court were not a championship-caliber team. Changes were needed. They certainly did make changes in the offseason. Gone were Elton Brand and Lou Williams, with Nick Young, Dorrell Wright and Kwame Brown replacing them. Tony DiLeo replaced Rod Thorne as the team’s general manager.
Stephane Hardinger Sports Columnist Last season, the Philadelphia Sixers had many ups and downs. They had a torrid start to the lockout-shortened season but faded down the stretch and barely held the Eastern Conference Playoffs. In the first round they were star point guard Derrick Rose of the top-seeded Chicago Bulls and pulled off an upset. They pushed the aging Boston Celtics to seven games before bowing out in the Eastern Confer-
came late in the offseason when the team got itself in the middle of a 4-team blockbuster trade with the Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets that sent Magic center Dwight Howard to Los Angeles. The Sixers sent swingman Andre Iguodala to Denver and a pick Moe Harkless and future draft picks to Orlando. In exchange, they received shooting guard Jason Richardson
points, 12 rebounds and two blocks per game, and he filled two massive holes for the team: an offensively and defensively dominant big man and a bona
his knee while out bowling with a group of friends. In his absence, the team has struggled to an 1826 record, ranking 27th in the league Yet he’s left in points scored both of those and sixteenth roles noticeably in points alvacant this lowed. y e a r, a s Meanhe has while, yet to Iguodala set foot is helpon the ing to court lead the due to surging myriad N u g g e t s ries. His while timetable Vucevfor return ic has keeps getMaggie Chen/The SPOKE blossomed ting pushed back, as it has gone from being in Orlando, currently averaging 12 ready before the season to be- points and 11 rebounds per game. By all accounts, this trade has ing ready by Christmas to now (hopefully) soon after the All-Star been an unmitigated disaster on the court. Yet, the trade was truly Game in February. Along the way he’s suffered a success for the organization. It setbacks, including the now- represented a shift in the strat-
egy of the post-Allen Iverson era Sixers, when conservative roster decisions and mediocrity have been the norm. The Sixers wanted to try to become a championship team, and they made a bold move to try to make that goal happen. The both of Bynum’s knees shouldn’t cloud the way we analyze this trade. When it comes to decisionmaking, particularly in sports, process should be emphasized over results. The “why” and “how” behind a decision are, in theory, more important than the “what” that results from it. Of course, execuon the “what,” so Doug Collins and Tony DiLeo need to do something this offseason to turn the team around. But don’t crucify them for the Bynum trade—the logic behind it
Ice Hockey
Girls
Ice Hockey
Boys
Swimming
Girls
Swimming
Boys
Girls
Basketball
Stephane Hardinger can be reached at shardinger@stoganews.com.
Losses Wins
Boys
as well as it should have.
10 1013 10 4412 10 11 13 16 11 10 9
7711 77 5 10 14 10 11 14
22 2 10 10 1111
700
33 3
331
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Ties
Wrestling
Basketball
SCOREBOARD
since Allen Iverson was leading the franchise, it was clear that the Sixers as currently constructed
of the trade, Los Angeles center Andrew Bynum. Bynum was coming off his breakout season in Los Angeles that saw him average nearly 19
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00 1 00 000 *All updates as of Feb. 11.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013
SPORTS
Senior follows dream, plays soccer at Penn State
Suproteem Sarkar Convergence Editor 2013 Conestoga graduate Salina Williford dreamed to play soccer for a Division I team ever since she was young. This January, she accomplished her goal, graduating a semester early from Conestoga to enroll at Penn State. “Back in August my [college] coach asked me if it would be possible for me to graduate early, and so we had to look into it and see if my credits were in line to do that,” Williford said. “I just had to take a couple extra classes and a full workload—I took eight classes per day—and then I had to do a community service project and an independent study.” said that enrolling in college early will give her an opportunity to get to know and practice with the soccer team before the season starts next fall. In addition to studying for her four courses, Williford said
she exercises and practices nearly every day. “I wanted to get physically in shape and ready for next year’s season,” Williford said. “I knew if I was here [at Penn State] doing the
Luke Rafferty for The SPOKE
Tanya Williford, Salina Williford’s mother, said her daughter’s early enrollment at Penn State, whose women’s soccer program was the runner-up in the National Championship last year, is the product of the work she has put in over the years. “As a young kid, she’s always dreamed of playing in a Division I program and she’s worked so hard,” Tanya Williford said. “She has developed an incredible sense of leadership and commitment, and what it takes to work hard to follow your dreams and achieve your goals.” Now that she has enrolled at Penn State, Salina Williford said she plans to take her soccer career even further. “I dream to be on the national team,” Salina Williford said. “I know that’s a lot of work, but that’s how far I want to go.”
’Stoga 2013 graduate Salina Williford (left) departed a semester early to begin playing soccer for Penn State. While at ’Stoga, Williford scored 54 total goals and had 19 games with multiple goals.
Suproteem Sarkar can be reached at ssarkar@stoganews.com.
Brogan also said that Williford is “extremely talented,” and said she is comfortable with Williford’s decision to enroll early. Williford “is an exceptional tal-
so much more to her than that,” Brogan said. “She has a strength about her that will carry her through this next chapter of her life. The coaches and I are excited to see what the future brings for her.”
as opposed to being home because I would have more of a drive to do everything.” Williford’s ’Stoga coach, Meghan Brogan, said that early enrollment can help athletes get accustomed to their college schedules. “Generally, athletes who play a fall sport have to leave home, begin a full class schedule and make all practices and workouts, and they really have no time with which to acclimate,” Brogan said. “I watched many athletes in college really so much was thrown at them at once. Early enrollment could really alleviate that overwhelming feeling and therefore give kids a better chance of success.”
PAGE 23 THE SPOKE
Trainers prevent injuries, keep athletes healthy
Andy Backstrom Staff Reporter Each season, athletes participate in a variety of sports. From basketball to lacrosse, it is inevitable that students will get injured at some point during their athletic careers. ’Stoga trainers, Jess McCloskey and Sarah Chaya show students preventative ways to avoid injury and work with students who are injured. McCloskey and Chaya teach students how to prevent injuries as well as aid students who have been injured during a game or practice.
Junior Joe Bondi said he believes that the trainers work to keep Conestoga athletes safe and healthy so they can always play their best. “I think it is pretty important [to have trainers] from the safety aspect,” Bondi said. “I guess in terms of when someone has a bad injury on the it is serious, the trainers can provide immediate aid.” McCloskey and Chaya help students with a variety of injuries, but ankle sprains seem to be most common. The trainers said they approach each of the injured athletes with a
a:
caring attitude, but both McCloskey and Chaya admitted that it is a challenge. On a busy day they see up to 20 students. “I think for both of us, you have to have a lot of compassion. It is hard to deal with injuries sometimes, especially ones that are season ending, and most of the time, [Chaya] and I would know that right away if it is,” McCloskey said. Chaya said that oftentimes athletes themselves are able to judge the gravity of an injury, whether it is a season-ending injury or a minor bruise. “I would say most kids know when they feel something serious has happened,” Chaya said. To prevent these devastating injuries, athletes need to be prepared and in shape before the sport season. McCloskey and Chaya counsel students on these methods as well. “Pre-conditioning is the big key to safety and preventing injuries,” McCloskey said. Safety is often times disregarded, according to Chaya and McCloskey. They agree that ’Stoga athletes can do a great deal to improve on both their prepraration and performance to become safer athletes. “Making sure all of their equip-
Zach Lowry for The SPOKE
Trainers Jess McCloskey and Sarah Chaya work with athletes to prevent injuries. McCloskey has worked at ’Stoga for 14 years and Chaya for seven.
the season starts, as far as conditioning and basic hygiene and nutrition
are really important,” McCloskey said. Students see the trainers as valuable resources. Bondi said he believes that the trainers offer more than just aid when athletes are injured.
in the past, and they also have been a resource for knowledge of sportsrelated injuries, and overall they are Andy Backstrom can be reached at abackstrom@stoganews.com.
Sym beg min sta exe
VOLUME 63, NO. 4
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013
Parents coach student athletes See p. 21
INSIDE
Senior begins playing soccer at Penn State See p. 23
Wrapping it up: trainers keep athletes healthy See p. 23
Jess McCloskey and Sarah Chaya, the two athletic trainers at ’Stoga, work to keep our athletes safe. Above: Chaya tapes senior Lauren Bailey before track practice. Jenna Spoont/The SPOKE Zach Lowry for The SPOKE