The Spoke December 2017

Keeping Philly Warm: Conestoga collects coats

2017: Year in Review

See page 2.

See page 7.

THE Conestoga High School, Berwyn PA

Volume 68 No. 3

December 19, 2017

Spoke.news

CHARITY WATCH

Where are your donations going this holiday season?

Elizabeth Billman/The SPOKE

Giving season: Sophomores Maddie Shine and Alex Gurski drop off donations in the main lobby for the 'Stoga Big Give. The yearly collection of holiday drives and fundraisers during the holiday season first began in the 1990s.

By Claire Guo & Audrey Kim

Co-Student Life Editor & Opinion Editor

This is sophomore Claire Overton’s second year donating to the Peer Mediation’s Stocking Drive.

Additionally, Overton is organizing a Cookie Drive in community service club Key Club this winter to give cookies to those in elderly homes and to Plato’s Food Closet.

Giving to charity "lifts your heart because you know it’s going to someone who needs it,” Overton said.

“You’re helping someone out and it brings a smile to both you and who you’re helping.”

In 2017, the total charitable donations in the US peaked at $390 billion, delivered by 63 million American volunteers in one and a half

million nonprofit organizations, according to philanthropy publication Giving USA’s annual report.

As holiday season rolls in, so does the message of giving back. According to the Network for Good, an organization which distributes donations to charities through the internet, nearly one-third of nonprofit donations occur in December.

Twelve percent of annual donations are given in the last three days of the year.

The spending trend is no different in the Tredyffrin/Easttown District.

Organized by Peer Mediation since the 1990s, the ’Stoga Big Give in December brings together the fundrais-

ers and drives of different student organizations around the school, including Student Council’s Toys for Tots drive and Peer Mediation’s Salvation Army drive. And of the over 100 clubs at Conestoga, more than 40 are related to community service or tied to larger charities.

With the rise in donations, instances of fund mismanagement have also been brought to light. In 2015, the Federal Trade Commission and the Attorney General sued four self-proclaimed cancer charities, which have raised $187 million since the 1980s. However, FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection found that only 3% of donations went to help actual

Class assemblies tackle teen issues

Maddie Lamonica/The SPOKE

Creative approach: Comedian and motivational speaker Matt Bellace engages students and teachers in an interactive activity. Bellace hoped to educate students on substance abuse through the use of comedy.

Maddie Lamonica Business Manager

Within the past month, three speakers have visited Conestoga to discuss the serious subjects of substance abuse and mental health with the students.

“Anxiety and depression are on the rise and need to be addressed on all fronts,” said Misty Whelan, assistant principal and coordinator of the assemblies.

“When somebody can personally speak, hopefully we can touch the lives of students to say 'you are not alone in dealing with this.’”

On Nov. 29, comedian and motivational speaker Dr. Matt Bellace spoke to the freshmen

and sophomore classes about substance abuse prevention and the benefits of natural highs. Bellace has been traveling the United States and Canada as a professional speaker and stand-up comedian for over 20 years. He is the author of “A Better High,” a book in which he explores the four major natural highs: laughing, running, helping and loving.

In addition, he co-wrote the National Geographic Series “This or That” and appeared regularly on truTV’s “World’s Dumbest.”

“Young people are used to being lectured to and having adults use scare tactics. As a parent, I totally get why this happens. I just know from experience that the same message will reach a wider

audience with humor,” Bellace said. “It makes the message less intimidating too. Look at all the funny news shows that present heavy information through jokes.

It helps it go down a lot easier.”

The hour-long assembly consisted of Bellace sharing his family’s struggles with substance abuse and the physiological benefits of natural highs as opposed to chemical ones. He also engaged the audience through a number of activities in which students and teachers participated.

The assembly “was different than most others I have seen. I think his funny approach definitely made it more enjoyable and everyone actually listened,” freshman Patrick Hoey said.

On Dec. 7, Drew Bergan and Katya Palsi presented to the junior and senior classes on the importance of healthy relationships, as they pertain to mental health. Unlike Bellace’s humorous approach, Bergen and Palsi share their personal struggles with depression and anxiety to spread their message.

“I think there are two different ways to present this information, both are unique but both are pretty effective,” Whelan said.

Bergen and Palsi have traveled the country speaking as part of the Minding your Mind program (MYM), whose mission is to provide mental health education to youth. According to their website, through MYM’s educational programs, speakers deliver a message of inspiration and hope based on their shared journeys in coping with mental heath issues. They hope to reduce the stigma and destructive behaviors often associated with mental health issues and illnesses.

“It was really cool to see people share such intimate stories with us,” junior Erin Braxton said. “I think people are often afraid to talk about mental health issues but they shouldn’t be.”

Whelan hopes that these presentations helped to foster a safer school environment and that they encouraged students to speak up about these serious topics.

Students "are not alone in dealing with personal issues and they really need to talk about it,” Whelan said. “I hope that these presentations make that easier for them.”

cancer patients. The single family that ran all four charities spent most of the donations on multi-million dollar salaries and private vacations.

In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) website advised its readers to be “cautious of charity scams” and do research to “ensure that your donation will go to a reputable will go to a reputable organization that will use the money as promised.”

As charity-giving reaches an alltime high, The Spoke decided to look into holiday drives and charities nearby and on a national level. continued on page 3

DiLella earns doctorate degree Brooke Deasy News Editor

Assistant Principal Anthony DiLella recently received an EdD, or doctor’s degree in education, specializing in educational leadership. Inspired by a building interest in research, he started to pursue the degree in June of 2014 at Neumann University, and was recognized for his achievement on Nov. 16.

“I use a lot of data in my job (at Conestoga) and education is very data driven so I thought it would be a great opportunity for me to work in a degree program that really focused on data and research,” DiLella said.

In order to receive his doctorate, Dilella had to earn 72 credits.

He secured those credits by attending classes in areas such as educational leadership and research design. He was also required to present a study of his choosing, called a dissertation defense.

Working towards the degree furthered DiLella’s knowledge as an educator. “(The process) gave me a lot of insight into leadership behaviors and how they affect different things. It also gave me a different lens to approach situations I have (at Conestoga) with students and teachers,” DiLella said.

The information Dilella learned as part of Neumann’s program has already lended itself to his duties as asistant principal.

“Completing this degree sharpened my attention to detail and also provided different problem-solving tools, which come

Neil Goldenthal/The SPOKE

A new chapter: Assistant Principal Anthony DiLella sits in the scheduling office. On Nov. 16, DiLella received an EdD specializing in educational research from Neumann University. in handy when creating unique schedules for 2,200 students,” DiLella said.

DiLella is proud of the time and energy he devoted to the program, and of accomplishing a challenging goal.

“Like anything, the process seemed daunting at the beginning.

For me, it’s another example of how if you set a goal for yourself and you work hard for that goal, you can accomplish it regardless of anything else,” DiLella said. “I always ask kids at high school graduation how they feel about (completing high school), and they say, ‘I finished and I accomplished it and I did it.’ I think it’s that same type of feeling.”

2

News

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Winter coat drive raises donations for Philadelphia homeless Melinda Xu

Staff Reporter

Participants hand out packed lunches in white bags, offering up hugs and “how are you’s” to their homeless friends. Some simply grab their share of food and clothes and leave, while others linger. Eventually, circles of people form on the grass and conversation begins, with topics varying from African missionary work to current world politics to family.

This is the work of Youths Against Complacency and Homelessness Today (YACHT) Club from Eastern University.

This year, Conestoga teamed up with YACHT Club to help collect coats for the homeless of Philadelphia in a drive that ran through Dec. 15.

The giving opportunity started when ’Stoga alumnus Peter Wacey reached out to English teacher Michael Trainer for help in gathering winter clothes.

“I was contacted by Peter and he asked if I would help his mission to administer to homeless people. They (YACHT) rely on donations and unfortunately, there is a real need for coats at this time of year for our homeless population,” Trainer said. “He knows Conestoga likes to get involved

and he asked if I could be his contact person here.”

As a member of YACHT, Wacey goes down with fellow students to Logan Square Park in Philadelphia every Thursday from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. to distribute food and clothes, as well as converse with the homeless.

“We only bring the food just to start the conversation. It’s not really the main goal. Because people do just come out, hand out food, and leave. But we try to really talk to people, make friends, show them that we care,” said Shelby Kump, one of the leaders of the club.

The organization was founded by Eastern alumnus Shane Claiborne. According to Emily Landis, a fellow leader of YACHT, Claiborne was inspired to take action when a group of homeless living in an abandoned church in Philadelphia were being threatened with eviction. Together with a group of students, Claiborne stood at the church and protested, providing food and conversation to the church’s inhabitants.

“They would have one person at the church and whenever they saw that the police were coming they’d have someone come back to Eastern,” Landis said. “And (once

at Eastern) on a car, they’d blow the horn (to notify the others), and everyone would hop in their cars and come down and stand in front of the church in protest. It was a cool way of coming together and YACHT was born out of that.”

The semiweekly trips consist of a carpool down to the city and a short walk to the park. Once there, members are greeted with a chorus of hellos from the gathered homeless.

“Everyone knows us here,” Kump said.

Members of YACHT welcome the relationships they build through these trips.

“I think it’s awesome. You have to get out of your comfort zone and coming out of that and meeting such amazing people is just awesome,” Landis said.

Many of the homeless deeply appreciate the members for what they do.

“You are all my brothers and sisters,” said a homeless man named Marcellus. “I would protect any of you (YACHT’s members) in a heartbeat.”

In particular, there is appreciation for the fact that they are treated as humans with valuable Melinda Xu/The SPOKE opinions.

“So many times people forget Spreading smiles: A homeless man in Philadelphia wears a new coat provided to him by Eastern University stuthis,” Marcellus said. “I’m home- dents who are gathered around him. Conestoga joined the students in their efforts to collect coats for distribution less, not helpless.” during semiweekly trips.

DECA team brings home gold at regional competition Reagan Gerrity Staff Reporter

The Conestoga chapter of DECA participated in a regional competition on Nov. 29 against 12 other Pennsylvania high schools, successfully qualifying 46 out of 71 students for states.

DECA, or the Distributive Education Clubs of America, is a business competition that is divided into four categories: finance, marketing, hospitality and tourism. Participants can choose to work individually or with a partner, and they compete by taking a 100 question test on their selected category and creating a business plan to present in front of judges.

This school year, DECA officers have taken greater responsibility for the club by organizing meetings, recruiting students and preparing them for competitions.

Katie Buckley, a history teacher

Conestoga receives Civic Engagement Award Ananya Kulkarni Staff Reporter

Courtesy Suma Moolaveesala

Business breakthrough: DECA board members Suma Moolaveesala, Warren Zhao, Evan Zhou, Arjun Rao and Maggie Cao stand with their trophies after a regional business competition on Nov. 29. and chapter adviser of the club, is involved in the community. The appreciative of the students’ hard application process included writing an essay, getting a recwork and dedication.

“They’ve really organized a ommendation letter, taking a test lot of the recruiting efforts, and and giving a speech.

According to Moolaveesala, organize the club fair, and they run a lot of meetings and the she started off at a disadvantage. practice,” Buckley said. “In pre- She was competing against a stuvious years, because our students dent from Upper Merrion who didn’t have a lot of experience in is part of the largest chapter of DECA, I would run through how DECA in the state, allowing the to do the competitive events and opponent to receive more votes.

Despite the challenge, Moolawhat a role play situation may look like and get them resources veesala won the position, and to practice studying for the test was thankful for the support of Conestoga. and things.”

“I’m really happy (about beThis year, junior Suma Moolaveesala took the initiative coming district representative) to run for the district 11 repre- and it wasn’t just me,” Moolasentative position. This role in- veesala said. “I had such support cludes organizing the regional from the rest of Conestoga beand state competition, as well as cause all of (the executive board) coming up with a plan of action came, cheering me on. It just felt for the local chapters to get more good to represent ’Stoga.”

“That’s what voting does, it allows the public to speak, it allows for change to take place and we saw it happen right here in these townships,” said Andrew Dinniman, Democratic State Senator of Pennsylvania.

On Nov. 29, Conestoga became the first high school in the state to receive the Civic Engagement Award and Gold Level Distinction. The school was presented with these awards because of the efforts of the 2018 New Voters Club. The club was

created in 2017 by senior Jahnavi Rao in order to register eligible voters at Conestoga.

“I formed the club 2018 New Voters to empower and educate those who weren’t eligible to vote in the 2016 election,” Rao said. I did this “so that they could keep their members of Congress accountable and just be more civically and politically engaged.”

The organization aimed to register and engage high school students, and ultimately registered over 85 percent. For this achievement, they were recognized by Acting PA Secretary of State Robert Torres, State Sena-

Olivia Thompson/The SPOKE

Voter victory: State Representative Warren Kampf recognizes the 2018 New Voters Club for their achievement. This year, the club registered over 85 percent of the students who are eligible to vote.

tor Andrew Dinniman and State Representative Warren Kampf.

Rao was also appointed PA State Senate Clerk for the day by Senator Dinniman and Representative Kampf.

Although members of the club reached their goal for this year, they hope to see higher levels of voter turnout in those that follow. Senator Dinniman believes that this year was a successful step towards that objective.

The award “is another example of how the tradition of excellence at Conestoga shines,” Senator Dinniman said. “You’re a model not only for other schools and for the young people but also for us adults. The percentage of adults who don’t come out to vote is shameful, and a democracy only works when people are being involved.”

Principal Dr. Amy Meisinger recognizes the students’ hard work.

“I am so proud that we could be the first (school to receive the award) and that we had students that were so eager to take (the initiative) and run with it,” Dr. Meisinger said. “It was completely a student grassroots effort, and they really stepped up and made us proud.”

3

News

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Holiday spirit contributes to charity giving continued from page 1 Toys for Tots Every year, Student Council organizes a toy drive for the Marine Corps-run Toys for Tots Foundation. After students drop off new and unwrapped toys in collection bins and the drive ends, Marine Bob Lohr picks them up for storage at a local warehouse - free for use from ExxonMobil.

From there, over 50 nonprofit and governmental agencies, schools and churches come to pick up toys to distribute to children in the area.

Lohr has coordinated the local branch of Toys for Tots for about 19 years with his Marine Corps League Detachment, a group of about 10 individuals. They are all volunteers with other full-time jobs, using three to five vacation days this time of year in order to pick up toys from hundreds of locations across the two counties.

“We’re in a really good area.

There’s a lot of generous people,” Lohr said. “And everything that we collect in the area stays in the area.

Every toy we collect every year, we distribute,” Lohr said. “People donate toys because they want the children to get them, and we distribute every toy that we get.”

That’s no small feat. In 2016, the Chester County and Western Montgomery County branch of Toys for Tots collected about 42,000 toys. This year, they must fill requests for over 15,000 children in the area. With the overwhelming number of toys to pack and send out, volunteers from companies and local church groups come to help. Some volunteers have personal connections.

“We get volunteers sometimes that say when they were children, they got toys from Toys for Tots, so they’re giving back now,” Lohr said. “Toys for Tots helps put a smile on a child’s face on the holiday season, and maybe one day, it’ll help them later in life, knowing that it’s about helping somebody else.”

The national Toys for Tots foundation has about 20-30 fulltime volunteers, all of which are not paid and get their salaries through other means. Toys for Tots spends 97 cents of every dollar on toys for children, meaning volunteers must strive to use only 3 cents of every dollar to cover the cost of collection boxes, posters, renting U-Haul trucks and advertising. So every volunteer and every donation counts.

“Every year we try to improve what we do,” Lohr said. “Small things every year make (the results) a little better. (We try) to get people to donate trash bags and stuff like that, for when we’re packing up toys and distributing them. We probably go through 3,000 to 4,000 trash bags a year.”

Salvation Army drives Peer Mediation has organized the Stocking Drive since the beginning of the ’Stoga Big Give for the Salvation Army. Students grab an empty stocking, fill it with goodies for kids ages 0-18 and return it to bins around the school.

From there, they are taken to the Salvation Army’s local West Chester chapter.

To receive gifts from the Salvation Army, prospective families with children go through an interview process in October with local chapters to qualify. Salvation Army employees then consider the needs of each individual child in order to better meet them, though every family remains anonymous.

Captains Maria and Jesus Corraliza run the local West Chester chapter of the Salvation Army. Maria Corraliza believes this time of the year adds to the Army’s work.

“The purpose of the holiday season for the Salvation Army is to help those people that are less fortunate,” Maria Corraliza said.

“The purpose of the drive is for us to make sure that there’s no child out there that does not have a Christmas, that does not have a gift, that does not have a toy or

does not have something to open up during the Christmas season.”

Adults have similar heightened needs in December. Peer Mediation’s clothing drive goes to the Philadelphia chapter of the Salvation Army, where it addresses “a human need” and helps someone who might not have a coat, says Maria Corraliza.

“During the Christmas season, it’s a very difficult time for a lot of people, so our goal during the Christmas season which we stress more is to supply for those needs for those humans out there,” Maria Corraliza said.

Though it takes the maximization of resources and thorough supply accounts, the Salvation Army strives to make sure that 82 cents out of every dollar donated goes directly into the community.

“The cost of living keeps on getting higher and sometimes you lose grants. Sometimes we no longer provide some of the services.

So there are always challenges trying to manage and make sure we are good (keepers) of our money for the donations and the grants and the people that we serve.”

Pulsera Senior Madison Ross is vice-president of the Pulsera Project club, whose larger organization The Pulsera Project aims to employ artists in Nicaragua and Guatemala by selling and distributing handmade pulseras, or bracelets. Though their beneficiaries are in countries hundreds of miles away, Ross believes that buyers can still feel a personal connection to them.

“I find it to be a bit more of a personal and intimate experience,” Ross said. “When you purchase the bracelets, you’re getting that little tab with the picture of the artist and the signature of the artist. It feels a little bit more special than just giving the money.”

During the holiday season, the Pulsera Project club sells bracelets in the main lobby

Claire Guo/The SPOKE

Raise for Pulsera: Members of the Pulsera Project, sophomores Olivia Brake and Jamie Alexander, sells bracelets during the final two weeks before winter break. Last year, the national organization raised a total of $680,376 from 1,573 high schools. to support their cause for two weeks before winter break.

What donors should look for So what should donors look for? Independent organization Charity Navigator rates charities using factors such as transparency and financial health, which includes the percentage of funds that go into charitable programs.

Charity Navigator marketing manager Sara Nason encourages donors to consider what they’re passionate about helping in order to donate, as well as considering the impact and progress the organization has achieved in the past.

“Especially in terms of disasters, monetary donations are a lot easier for the organization to take in, because it gives them more flexibility to respond to the needs of their community,” Nason said.

“In-kind donations are good for

organizations that ask for them for a specific purpose, such as clothing the homeless.”

In more local, direct cases, Peer Mediation president Max Mooney explains what he sees as the value of material donations.

“First of all, a lot of the time it’s people getting rid of stuff, so sometimes they’re getting rid of old books, getting rid of clothes, so that kind of motivates it,” Mooney said. “And it’s also nice to know directly what you’re doing. If I’m putting a coat in this box, I directly know that this coat is going to be on someone else’s back that needs it. Rather than throwing in 20 dollars and not knowing how much goes to the organization.”

Nason encourages donors to research the charity they’re donating to first.

“Taking the step to contact the organization and to ask the questions to see if they’re really

working towards the cause you want to support is key to deciding to donate,” Nason said. “Ask them how your donation is used and then you can decide whether this is where you want to donate longterm or if your donation might be better served somewhere else.”

As holiday season continues to flourish, so does the message of gratefulness and giving back. According to Peer Mediation advisor Marcia Mariani, who has helped organize the ’Stoga Big Drive since its formation, the reward of giving is well worth it.

“I think that kids forget that giving can sometimes be better than receiving,” Mariani said.

“And sometimes when you feel like your life is falling apart and things aren’t going your way, sometimes if you focus on others, your life starts to turn around too.

Because your problems all of a sudden seem small.”

Of Clubs and Charities More than 40 clubs at Conestoga are related to community service or tied to larger nonprofits. The Spoke looked into how those larger nonprofit organizations spend their funds. All data and ratings are from Charity Navigator, an independent organization that monitors and rates charties. Charity Navigator uses factors such as transparency and financial health, which includes the percentage of funds that go into charitable programs.

Club SAVES

Organization

Overall Rating

WWF

83.01/100

Stogabundance

20.5%

6%

73.5%

Philabundance

85.75/100

4% 5%

91%

UNICEF

UNICEF

84.39/100

90% UN Refugee Agency

3%

UNHCR

68% Doctors without Borders

78.88/100

4%

28%

Doctors without Borders, USA

89%

7%

97.23/100

1%

10%

Source: Charity Navigator

Key % Total charitable donations % Administrative expenses % Fundraising expenses

The bar charts indicate what percent of the charity’s total expenses are spent on the programs and services it delivers, administrative fundraising costs. Information is derived from the organization’s IRS 990 forms as well as the organization’s website.

Learn more at charitynavigator.org.

Design by Ian Ong

4

Student Life

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Beyond academics: Students embrace creativity at TCHS Story and Photos by Renato DiStefano and Olivia Thompson Staff Reporters

After fourth period, junior Daniel Stuber pushes past the Conestoga doors and ventures to a different school. There, he immerses himself in an environment full of different tools, machinery and projects to fulfill, solving everyday problems.

As a part-time student in Chester County Technical College High School (TCHS), Stuber is one of many students engaged in an effective career-focused curriculum for Conestoga students to learn a specific trade of their choice.

As part of the Chester County Intermediate Unit, its mission is to act as a “dynamic educational service agency providing quality, innovative and cost-effective programs to enhance the lives of students and members of our communities.”

Stuber, who has attended TCHS since his freshman year, is participating in the Advanced Manufacturing program, where students learn how to use robotics and machinery to manufacture products.

“It’s a great school that fulfills the half of me that likes to create, making me a better student overall,” Stuber said.

“TCHS gives the opportunity to kids to broaden what they have accessible to them in terms of education. In that respect, it is a valuable tool to have.”

Students of all grades are able to receive college credit through TCHS. Credit is given by completing projects. For Stuber, these projects can include anything from fixing a broken laptop to helping set up 3D printers.

“Because of all the different

programs you can take, I think everyone can find something they are interested in,” sophomore Quincy Brown said.

Brown is involved full-time with TCHS’s Digital Media program.

The students at TCHS can choose between a full-time program and a part-time program. Full-time students spend the entire day at TCHS. Students enrolled in the part time program, can go TCHS in either the first or second half of the school day.

Full-time junior Anna Componovo began her experience when her counselor recommended she try a “non-traditional” high school.

“School was never my thing.

I have been in and out of different schools. Public schools fit a very traditional mold. It can work really well for a lot of people, but for me it was not working that well,” Componovo said.

Componovo, an aspiring veterinarian in the Animal Studies elective, begins her day managing animals ranging from ponies to lizards.

“We have day-to-day activities with our animals on campus. We take care of the animals, do vital checks, we feed them and take care of them. We practice to make sure they’re healthy, imitating if we were to be an assistant to a vet or a vet ourselves,” Componovo said.

The Animal Studies elective offers different units for students to study. Componovo’s work in the current unit, which is on bugs and insects, is graded similarly to how it would be at Conestoga, but the material

Renato Distefano/The SPOKE

Master of his craft: Junior Daniel Stuber wrenches in part of the machinery in his project. Stuber separated his time between learning in Conestoga and working on hands-on tasks in the Chester County Technical College High School (TCHS). is more practical than textbooks and lectures.

Although Componovo does not attend Conestoga classes, she will receive a diploma from the school. Her classes take up the time and work of traditional school credit, mimicking requirements at 'Stoga so she is able to graduate. Students at TCHS still participate in our school’s sports and clubs.

“It’s kind of like I have one foot in 'Stoga and one foot in TCHS,” Componovo said.

Componovo believes that

TCHS has taken pressure off of her because she enjoys what she is studying and the environment around her.

“There are kids who are really passionate about what they are doing and there are kids who are like me who don’t fit the mold. They aren’t as typical. It was an adjustment but it made me feel more comfortable to be myself,” Componovo said.

After she has lunch, Componovo moves on to the rest of her studies, which are more standard, such as math and

history. She and her classmates remain in their classrooms while teachers rotate from class to class. Because of the length of her first elective of the day, there are limited time spaces to have other electives including languages. Languages and other electives, such as anthropology, are offered online.

In the long run, Componovo believes that she will continue to aspire to be a vet.

“Logistically, I will end up being a vet. It is most reasonable and it’s what I like to do.

I have other dreams and passions like art, which I can do anywhere, but I will probably become a vet,” Componovo said.

TCHS not only helps students focus on their passions and specific trades. Perhaps its most important feat is its ability to boost students’ confidence in themselves.

“School is still school and I’ll never be perfect at it, (but) I don’t think anyone will ever be,” Componovo said. “I am definitely doing better.”

Olivia Thompson/The SPOKE

Technical mastery: The Pickering campus of Chester County Technical College High School hosts students learning about specific programs like cosmetology, culinary arts and robotics. Founded in 1971 as part of the Chester County Intermediate Unit, their mission is to "launch (student) careers and become lifelong learners."

Fall TV wrap-up: Shows to watch over break Scott Hennessy Staff Reporter

With the flood of new TV shows during each season, it's hard to keep up with the notable and stay away from the terrible.

Looking back, consider these three shows to watch over winter break.

“Stranger Things” Created by the Duffer Brothers, “Stranger Things” has gained a cult following in the past two years. Set in the 1980s, a kid named Will Byers is captured by a mysterious

creature called the demogorgon and brought into another dimension, “the upside-down,” in the first season. Dustin, Mike and Lucas, Will’s friends, try to bring Will back with a girl named Eleven, a girl with psychic powers.

Overall, I enjoyed the first season. The actors were fun and convincing, with their realistic, down-to-earth personalities and unexpected humor. The plot was childish and horrific at the same time — who would expect a combination of tiny middle schoolers fighting off government conspiracies and dimensional terrors? The

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

special effects were some of the most immersive scenery and imagery I’ve seen from any show.

That being said, the show still had a few issues. First off, the special effects weren’t the best. While the practical effects are fantastic, certain parts of CGI are laughably bad, like the demogorgon. Some characters, sadly, weren’t developed to their fullest potential, like Eleven and Lucas Sinclair.

All of this changed in the second season, where the town is being destroyed by a network of tunnels filled with a creature that stretches out for miles. Meanwhile, Will is infected by this creature and becomes a part of it. As a result, Will’s friends and family try to save the town and Will once more.

In the second season, each episode was given $2 million extra for each episode in the budget, and it shows. Unlike before, the special effects are fantastic, including the CGI. Characters previously left unexplained, like Lucas and Eleven, were awarded better character development. The plot, tone, effects, imagery and cinematography are better in this season, making me more excited for the next.

“The Punisher” First introduced in the second season of “Daredevil,” “The Punisher” had fans of “Marvel” like myself excited for its own series on Netflix. Jon Bernthal's role as Frank Castle created a perfect portrayal of the complicated and conflicted character, acting as a perfect contrast against Daredevil.

As the plot progresses, the viewer witnesses Frank Castle's transformation into the Punisher and, partnered with the hacker Micro,

his quest for revenge against his old war battalion that murdered his family.

One of the biggest problems with the show is Frank Castle's unsatisfying debut, despite his excellent portrayal of the character. The show feels disjointed with a simple plot about justice and a surprising lack of action. One would think that a show about a character with ruthless aggression and no mercy would be fast-paced and exciting, but instead is filled with endless talking. Sadly, Frank Castle’s character doesn’t have any contrasting character, giving the show a lack of motivation or interest. However, the acting in this show is utterly fantastic and the few action scenes that are in it are crazy good. Hopefully, the directors fix their mistakes in the next season.

“Bojack Horseman” “Bojack Horseman” is the best animated show on television right now. The show’s namesake, Bojack Horseman, is a burned-out comedian who starred in a family sitcom, “Horsin’ Around.” About ten years after the show was canceled, Bojack desperately tries to become famous again while he deals with his personal issues with friends and family.

This show gives the viewer a vivid description about what it is like to suffer from depression and addiction, which all torment Bojack. Its subtle, perfect balance of comedy and drama makes watching it enjoyable. It's a case of show versus tell. Instead of directly telling the audience how drug use can ruin people’s lives, it shows you through the characters. Despite the dark plot, the character design and atmosphere are very vibrant.

Since the series takes place in a society of intelligent animals and humans, there is an abundance of interesting cynical animal puns.

The comedy is just as convincing as the drama with never-ending clever jokes about relationships and the movie industry.

Courtesy Netflix

Staff Reporter

A few lessons in Muay Thai, a type of Thai kickboxing, was all that sophomore Aaron Li needed to become addicted to a lifetime hobby. Since then, he’s been interested in mixed martial arts, or MMA-style fighting. However, the cost of his beloved hobby soon frustrated him.

“After a while, I had to stop because I was really busy and the studio was too far and expensive.

My co-founders and I decided that it would be worthwhile to try and start an MMA club at school, and that is how it started,” Li said.

Since the beginning of the school year, Li has been trying to establish the club as its president.

However, because of its risky nature, it has been a difficult journey to justify the club’s place at Conestoga.

“We’re not trying to promote fighting or emotionally charged conflict at school,” Li said. “Our sport is controlled and goes beyond violence. There is a stigma that fighters are mean, dumb people, and that just simply isn’t the case.”

In fact, Li makes the case that by teaching people self-defense, the community as a whole is made safer.

“Self-defense doesn’t advocate violence, it promotes protection and dispelling violence.

Additionally, getting used to the environment of a fight or spar allows you deal with stressful,

adrenaline-filled situations better,” Li said.

As of now, the club is permitted to have non-physical meetings on school property, and must have physical practices off campus. Assistant Principal Misty Whelan has been fundamental to the club’s growth and formation.

“We are working with Mrs. Whelan to solidify the club,” Li said. “She has been very kind and helpful towards us.”

While MMA and self-defense seems daunting, no experience is necessary to join the club. Even the club’s sponsor, History Teacher Merri Gardner, is new to the world of martial arts.

“The only fighting I’ve ever done is with my brother,” Gardner said. “Every day when I got off the bus, he’d say: ‘the beatings will now begin.’”

However, her motives for sponsoring the club go deeper than just having interest in MMA. “Part of the reason I wish my kids went to ’Stoga is that I feel like everyone has a niche,” Gardner said. “So, anytime I can help carve out a niche where a group of kids is going to feel a part of the school culture, I’m going to say yes.”

In the future, Li is uncertain where he wants to take his fighting career.

“I probably wouldn’t fight professionally, but I might become an amateur coach,” Li said.

For the time being, he is content to focus on building the MMA club to its fullest potential, one opponent at a time.

Courtesy Aaron Li

Welcome to fight club: Sophomore Aaron Li trains at the YMCA. Li created the MMA club to help the student body learn forms of self-defense.

The club has physical practices outside of school.

Teacher Feature: Valerie Cunningham

Biology and Environmental Science teacher Valerie Cunningham talks about her love for the sciences, sponsoring the Bee Aware club and her New Year’s resolutions.

Tiffany He

Staff Reporter

How did you get into teaching?

I ended up going to Villanova University for simply biology, no education involved, and I was thinking pre-med, but I wasn’t quite sure. In my senior year of college, I was applying to medical schools and I went on one interview and it was like that “gulp” moment, knowing that that’s not what I wanted to do with my life.

I ended up withdrawing all my applications. It was a crazy process and a crazy time. Senior year of college, I completely changed my path.

What made you interested in biology and environmental science?

I have a real passion for evolution. That’s where my love for biology stemmed from. In high school I had a really awesome biology teacher who was also really passionate about evolution, so I learned a lot through him.

I’m really into ecology and I like seeing how we can track history (using biology). It’s always been mind-blowingly fascinating to me. Environmental science, that’s also a passion of mine because I’m really passionate about social justice. There’s a huge ethical human piece. I just really love the ethological piece of environmental science.

As a former Villanova student how did you react to their basketball national title in 2016?

I did a one-year Master of Education program at Villanova and I graduated in 2016, so when I was a senior there, we won the national championship. It was crazy. I was in the pavilion for the student screening of the national championship and actually I was on the news. I was one of the people that they interviewed about it and I was screaming into the camera. We won and everyone ran off the bleachers, and we were all running through the streets, and I slipped and fell on my face

in the middle of the basketball court. But after I recovered from that, it was great.

What is your goal as the sponsor of the new Bee Aware club?

So my goal with the bee club is to really help bring in that environmental science piece and teach them about why spreading awareness is so important, about why bees are so important to our ecosystems, the role of pollination in that, and the steps that we can take to reduce the decline in the bee population. My fiancee interns at the Brandywine Zoo, and we are working on seeing if we can contact their beekeepers.

What hobbies do you have outside of school?

I’m a pop culture junkie. It’s my guilty pleasure. I know everything there is to know about every celebrity. You could quiz me.

I’m not ashamed of it. Besides

that I go to a lot of concerts,.I dad liked to take us on a Christreally love music. It’s funny, I’m mas lights tour that they made not really into country, but I up. Kind of like the Polar Express, love Zac Brown Band. I’ve seen they would put us in our PJs, give us hot chocothem about five late , and then times. I also go we would go on to the zoo a lot. rides around the (My fiance) has I’m really into ecology a passion about it and I like seeing how we neighborhood looking for the and I have a passion about it, so can track history (using best house. we’re members biology). It’s always been What is one in the Philadelphia Zoo. We mind-blowing fascinating resolution you have for yourgo about twice self this year? a month and I to me. know about all Valerie Cunningham I need to learn how to there is to know Environmental Science Teacher cook for myself. about the aniI am such a culmals there and prit of going out, it’s really educaordering out, or eating sometional. thing my mom made. Where my What is your favorite holiday fiance makes food, I’m just so bad at it. I even asked for a crockpot memory?

I have one older brother and for Christmas because I thought when we were little, my mom and it would maybe inspire me.

“

“

Sophomore fights for mixed martial arts club Andrew Bucko

5

Student Life

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Neil Goldenthal/The SPOKE

Green teaching: Science teacher Valerie Cunningham stands in front of her students’ lab tables and a microscope. New to the school, Cunningham graduated from Villanova and began teaching biology and environmental science.

6

Student Life

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Two-way learning: Preschoolers inspire our students

Goal-setters prep for new year

By Justin Huang, Co-Student Life Editor

As we finish off the year, some students take the time to reflect and look towards the future.

Dhivya Arasappan and Matthew Fan Staff Reporters

Traditionally, Americans create New Year’s resolutions to set goals regarding whatever they wish to accomplish during the next year — though according to the University of Scranton, only 8% manage to fulfill them. Despite that, students still can create their own resolutions and think about what they want to achieve during the coming year.

Nobody expects to see preschoolers walking through high school hallways. But for the students taking the Child Development & Parenting/Preschool class, it’s become part of their routine.

Science classes have their lab periods, music classes have their rehearsals, and the child development class has the preschool.

Every Tuesday and Thursday, students meet with the preschoolers for three periods.

During the other three days, they learn about the four domains of the development of young children — cognitive, social, emotional and physical. Students observe the children and interact with them, using play to develop their four domains.

“We just have playtime with them, and we read a story and we drop them off where their parents pick them up. We learn how to be patient and how to have fun with them and we use creative ways to teach them to count, or read something or write their name,” junior Rebecca Gumas said.

Students can apply the lessons they learned in class when they interact with the preschoolers.

“We’ll learn something on Monday, like how children develop and grow, and then we get to observe those same behaviors and develop them in children

To get out of ’Stoga, go to any college, get a job — start my future.

To be the most fit I can be, so I can be positive later on before spring track.

Senior Kayoung Kim

Sophomore Brett Northeimer

To prepare myself to hike the entire Appalachian Trail.

To start a club that brings ’Stoga music producers together.

Sophomore Kevin Wu

Freshman Devin Berson

To improve as a tennis player so I can play in more competitive tournaments.

To figure out my interests so that I can figure out my major for college.

Junior Priya Aravindhan

Senior Shirley Carter

To find a friend group that I can really click well with, and hopefully find a boyfriend.

To eat breakfast every day before school.

Senior James Alvarez

Junior Fiona Kurtz

Dhivya Arasappan/The SPOKE

Building blocks: Working with the children requires people able to entertain them, and junior Rebecca Gumas stacks blocks to help. Gumas enlisted in the class, hoping to gain the experience of working with children.

on Tuesday,” junior Dylan Ward said.

Some students take the class to be able to apply what they learn in a real-world context with the preschoolers.

“I thought it would be a great opportunity for me to not only learn about how children grow and learn, but actually get to interact with the children and see their learning in action,” junior Timothy Chiles said.

Students don’t just take the

course for the credit. Some are simply intrigued by the topic.

“I took the class because I thought it would be fun to work with kids,” junior Paul Pelham said.

But others take the child development class because it aligns with potential career paths.

“I’ve always thought about being a teacher in the future.

And I babysit, so I’ve had experience working with kids,” Gumas said.

Dhivya Arasappan/The SPOKE

A tiny and very hungry caterpillar: Junior Dylan Ward reads “The Hungry Caterpillar“ out loud. Since the beginning of the year, Ward has worked with the preschoolers, watching and learning from their behaviors.

Sometimes, it’s a combination of both interest and future jobs.

“I didn’t really want to take a cooking class because I knew cooking isn’t something I’d be interested in the future,” Ward said.

“I thought child development and psychology was something that could come in use further down the road.”

By interacting with preschoolers for a semester, students taking the class are able to observe the children’s growth and development.

“I’ll see the children on Tuesday and they’ll come back on Thursday and they’ll have learned a new number, or a new word or a new favorite color,” Ward said. “And they’re changing so quickly. I just didn’t realize that.”

These students teach and spend time with the children, but at the same time, the preschoolers help them improve their leadership skills.

“We encourage them and make sure they have a chance to learn at every corner,” Chiles said.

Chiles has also applied the things he’s learned outside of school.

“During Thanksgiving, some of my family came over and a couple of my cousins are in preschool,” he said. “I could interact with them better and also kind of see what point they were at in their learning.”

Students come away with not only the course material and a better understanding of the changes children go through, but an appreciation for younger children.

“I’ve learned that the kids can be a lot smarter than you think, especially in their creativity,” Pelham said.

Stocking stuffers for the holidays

n az o Am

$9-12

People underestimate how useful a longer charging cord can really be. Picture this: you’re awake at night, lying in bed, watching YouTube on your phone. Suddenly, you receive your final low-battery notification and need to charge your phone, but your charger isn’t long enough to reach from the outlet to the bed. With a 10-foot charging cable, you can plug in your phone and keep watching YouTube. There are many types of long charging cables, and quality isn’t a huge factor with them. If you’re really struggling, a simple Amazon search will yield reliable results, or you could order Anker’s Powerline.

”Star Wars“ tickets

$12-21

Cheesy as it may be, the best gift of all is spending time with friends and family.

Conveniently, the release of ”Star Wars: The Last Jedi“ presents a perfect opportunity. Gift a ticket, standard or IMAX if you’re feeling generous, to one of your treasured ones and have a blast watching Rey and Luke fend off Kylo Ren and the First Order.

sy

If you couldn’t tell by the snow falling outside and the radio music, we’re about ready to say goodbye to 2017 with the holidays. With each passing year, we face the same dilemma of figuring out good gifts to send to friends and family. Here’s a short list of affordable gifts to help you generate ideas.

$8

Eight dollars for a single pencil? What? Hear me out.

Compared to the common mechanical pencil, the Kuru Toga blows every single one out of the water. Its knurled base offers easy grip for writing, and its metallic body feels premium and powerful, with a good amount of weight to make writing more comfortable. The Kuru Toga’s solid feel is warranted, considering its great durability, and it looks amazing. If your gift recipient knows how to hold onto things, the Kuru Toga will serve them well in school or outside of it.

te

Justin Huang Co-Student Life Editor

$26

Power banks are an amazing tool to have when you’re up and about without an available plug. If your phone or laptop ever drains its battery, you don’t have to worry about missing important texts or losing the opportunity to do work with power banks providing juice.

Anker is the absolute best brand when it comes to power banks because of their product quality and reliable guarantees — they listen if you have any complaints.

Their 10,000 mAh battery will be more than enough power for whomever you choose to send it to.

10-foot charger

Uni Kuru Toga

ur

$30

The tech world decided to heavily focus on smart homes this year. Although Apple will be joining the fray soon, there’s no question that Amazon is the current king of the hill, with the vast array of devices that they offer and how well their artificial intelligence — Alexa — can interact with other apps and services.

Then why the Google Home Mini? As a student, I can tell you right now that I don’t have the money to throw at the regular-sized Google Home and Amazon Echo, so it’s really a question between the Google Home Mini and Echo Dot. When you look at the two, the Home Mini looks more aesthetically pleasing, and Google’s simply-named artificial intelligence, Google Assistant, has a better track record in understanding human interactions. If you prefer Alexa, you can also gift the Echo Dot for the same price.

Anker PowerCore 10,000

Co

Google Home Mini

Courtesy Anker Courtesy Anker Courtesy Lucasfilm

7

Year in Review

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

YEAR in Review 2017 Eric Xue Co-Editor-in-Chief

Neil Goldenthal/The SPOKE

Meagan O’Rourke/The SPOKE

“Make America Great Again”: President Donald Trump speaks at a rally held in Aston Township on Sept. 22, 2016. Trump was sworn into office on Jan. 20.

2017 will soon be a year we’ll reminisce about. As it comes to a close, The Spoke looks back on some of the events that defined the year at Conestoga.

The hazing charges against the three former Conestoga varsity football players were dropped three days into the month of January, bringing an end to a year of investigation, legal proceedings and coach resignations. Just 17 days later, the district livestreamed President Donald Trump’s inauguration after one of the most controversial elections in US history.

Boys basketball coach Mike Troy reached his 300th career win after a match against Strath Haven on Jan. 12. Nearly one month later, the state Senate honored the boys’ soccer team for their state championship win, and boys squash competed at nationals.

Throughout February, the African American Culture Union celebrated Black History on Good Morning ’Stoga. Also

during February, students came together for the annual Culture Week to recognize the diversity of cultures and heritages at Conestoga.

In March, nine of Conestoga’s finest gentlemen competed against each other for the title of Mr. Pioneer and Mini-THON raised $24,727, nearly double the amount raised in 2016. ’Stoga theater stole the show at the annual Cappies awards in May with 11 nominations, winning Best Musical, Best Supporting Actor, Best Stage Management and Best Special Effects, for the spring musical, “The Mystery of Edwin Drood.”

Old traditions came back when graduation returned to Teamer Field in June after 26 years at the Villanova University Pavilion. The District layered Teamer with a new turf over the summer, but ripped seams created problems as the new school year started.

Conestoga no longer trailed the rest of the world by three

minutes as the administration nixed ’Stoga time. Student population levels reached an all time high with 2,201 students in August with the entrance of the freshman class, while stricter enforcement of school rules garnered criticisms, resulting in an online petition with almost 1,500 signatures by late September.

Teachers wearing TEEA pins and club meetings in the cafeteria became the norm in October as disagreements between the school board and the teacher union over a new contract continued. Meanwhile, girls tennis coach Fran Tomaselli took her 500th win.

November brought an end to negotiations, but also a wave of fresh faces to the school board as Democrats gained a 7-2 majority. Three weeks later, the students of the New Voters Club received the Civic Engagement Award, the first of its kind given, for their efforts toward getting out the vote from eligible ’Stoga students.

Picketing pioneers (above): Teachers gather outside of Conestoga at the Sept. 25 school board meeting to demand a fair contract. Negotiations ended after the school board voted 9-0 in favor of a new contract at the Nov. 8 special board meeting.

Meagan O’Rourke/The SPOKE

Neil Goldenthal/The SPOKE

Best Musical: Class of 2017 graduate Jack D’Emilio plays the role of John Jasper in the spring musical, “The Mystery of Edwin Drood.” The musical was nominated for 11 Cappies awards and won four of them, including Best Musical.

Bring home the pomp (above): The Class of 2017 throws their caps in the air at the conclusion of the graduation ceremony. Graduation was held at Teamer Field instead of the Villanova University Pavilion for the first time in 27 years.

Dancing with dragons (right): Class of 2017 graduate Jameswell Zhang leads the way as the head of the dragon for the Asian American Culture Society. Culture Week was held from Feb. 13 to Feb. 17 and celebrated the diversity at Conestoga.

Justin Huang/The SPOKE

Elizabeth Billman/The SPOKE

Double the fun-ds (above): Participants in the 2017 Mini-THON hold up numbers indicating the amount of money they raised for the Four Diamonds Fund. This year, the event raised nearly double the about of money it raised in 2016.

State champions (left): Members of the boys’ soccer team stand atop the state Senate building after being honored for their state championship victory. The boys won again this year, making it their second year in a row as state champions.

Courtesy David Zimmerman

8

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Op/ed Giving unity within the community

It’s that time of year: snow is on the ground, lights are all around, and holiday cheer is spreading faster than the flu. Aside from the gift-giving and merriment, however, perhaps one of the most notable hallmarks of the holiday season is the message of giving back to those in need. For many, the holiday season serves as an important reminder of the luxuries we have access to and that not everyone is afforded the same opportunities.

But are people really in need on the Main Line? Several in our community and in our schools are in need, and the community should be there to support them.

There are families who

have lost jobs or are struggling with the death of a family member. Others may have had natural disasters or illnesses drastically transform their day-to-day lives.

We have an obligation to give back to the community which helps us thrive in the first place. Donating helps contribute to a healthy community atmosphere, and spreads a clear message of unity within the region.

This holiday season, The Spoke asks its readers to find a cause to be passionate about. There are over one million nonprofit organizations that exist in the US. Research the progress and impact an organization has achieved. By donating, we give comfort to another in

need.

It’s true that a donor will not always know the beneficiary of their dollar or material donation. But the reward is not limited to the beneficiary: it passes on to the donor as well. Many of those who have participated in community service can attest to the self-satisfaction of helping those in need.

And this message should not just be confined to our own community. There are 1.3 billion people in the world who live in extreme poverty, including 19.4 million Americans. These months should only serve to remind how lucky many of us are, and how much thanks and kindness our family and friends deserve.

Kaitlyn Chen/The SPOKE

Surviving the college admissions season Columnists Jahnavi Rao and Elizabeth Billman take a look at how to make it through the college application season.

Interview tips

Jahnavi Rao Columnist

’Tis the season of new Christmas lights, new Starbucks cups and, if you’re a senior, college interviews. From my expert opinion of having a total of one college interview, I feel qualified to give you essential tips for a successful interview.

Before The preparation for your interview is almost as important as the actual conversation.

Make sure you wear something that really represents the best version of you, like your floor length prom dress or threepiece tuxedo. Also, to hide any sense of privilege, make sure you run to your interview so they don’t see your Jeep. As a plus, that extra sweat shine will really highlight your athletic abilities (and cheekbones!). Be sure to buy your interviewer something nice beforehand, like an expired Edible Arrangement where you could maybe slip a $100 bill into the melon balls to, you know, encourage their positive feedback.

Attack of the holiday relatives

fashionably late. Make sure you head into your interview precisely seven minutes and twenty-seven seconds after your scheduled time, to show that you have other commitments and aren’t too desperate. This is the perfect time to pull out that fruit basket, and casually bring up that your home is a mile away and it only took you seven minutes to run there.

The Interview Wing it.

Exiting While you stand up to leave, make sure you put on your biggest smile and maintain eye contact. It is vital you keep your eyes locked on your interviewer’s throughout your departure, to show that you are committed and engaged even after the conversation ends. This means, if you must, walking backwards as you leave. For ideal results, make sure you practice this beforehand--perhaps at school or your local TJ Maxx.

If you follow all these tips, you will definitely catch the eye of your college interviewer, and for sure get into their alma mater. For extra assurance, make sure you email your interviewer at least once a week, just to make sure they saw that little something-something in the fruit basket, and that they remember how incredible you are. If at the end of all of this you don’t get into that college, you clearly did something The Entrance Like all of us know, the first wrong and should really read impressions matter; there’s a over all these tips before your reason we show up to parties next interview.

Extra points if you don’t need to fake it and are panicking about what to do with your life.

Elizabeth Billman Columnist

Fight or Flight. This is the choice you have to make for the upcoming holiday season. You sense their approach. They are arriving in waves., bombarding you. Relatives --close and distant --who are armed with more questions about where you will go to college than you are prepared to handle.

No matter what you choose this season, this guide will help you win your battle and defeat the wrath of the relatives.

Deflect them onto your siblings You shouldn’t be the only one to be tortured. Start your younger siblings off early with the joy of college question bombardment and give your siblings horrible flashbacks of the interrogations they thought they escaped by going to college.

Bring up a controversial topic and leave the room Start them on a path they will never return from. Pick one of the many hot button issues or even just open Twitter and see what the latest sexual harassment scandal is. All you have to do is bring it up and then slowly fade into the background and watch the madness ensue.

Fake a mental breakdown People become uncomfortable when you show extreme emotion and if you become upset enough they will just console you.

Jennifer Lee/The SPOKE

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

The Spoke serves as a public forum for student expression.

The SPOKE Staff Editors-in-Chief: Betty Ben Dor, Eric Xue Managing Editor: Ian Ong News Editor: Brooke Deasy Student Life Editors: Claire Guo, Justin Huang Opinion Editor: Audrey Kim Sports Editor: Avery Maslowsky Centerspread Editor: Lyvia Yan Co-Web Editors: Elizabeth Billman, Jordan Liu

Fall asleep on the couch Embrace the moody and tired teenager that you are and make everyone feel bad for you that you are overworked and tired.

You can show them how stressed you are without even needing to verbalize it. Two birds with one stone.

Put in headphones The universal signal that you are busy.

Test their hearing aid efficiency When they ask you the dreaded question about your college plans just whisper some nonsense and make them think there is something wrong with them.

Declare that you are not going to college Lie and tell them you have become a self-proclaimed underachiever and that you are going to spend your time trying to make it as an internet meme instead of going to college. Scare them so bad that they realize that you are a disappointment and you are not worth their time. Good for you though.

Yell at them about their lives No one ever holds them accountable for their actions.

Where are they going with their lives? Do they have good health insurance? Can they read without their glasses on? Do they know how to use Facebook? Are they perfect at doing their taxes?

Poke holes in their life like they do to you.

No matter if you survive your relatives this holiday, deadlines and college replies are going to try to kill you either way.

Kaitlyn Chen/The SPOKE

Multimedia Editor: Neil Goldenthal Business Manager: Maddie Lamonica Staff Reporters: Dhivya Arasappan, Andrew Bucko, Aimee Buttenbaum, Emma Clarke, Henry Danon, Renato DiStefano, Matthew Fan, Reagan Gerrity, Tiffany He, Scott Hennessy, James P. Infortuna, Ananya Kulkarni, Jahnavi Rao, Sanjana Sanghani, Olivia Thompson, Melinda Xu,Warren Zhao Cartoonists: Kaitlyn Chen, Jennifer Lee Faculty Advisers: Susan Gregory, Cyndi Crothers-Hyatt

Jennifer Lee/The SPOKE

Senior skip daze

Betty Ben Dor

Co-Editor-in-Chief

That’s it.

After 12 years in the public education system, I’ve finally learned what it means to become a senior. No, it’s not the responsibility and all the fuss that comes with being a role model to the younger students in the school. No, it’s not the privileges that come with it, such as being able to drive to school and come in late. And no, silly, of course it’s not about being able to take a wider array of classes.

So what is the best part of becoming a senior?

Skip days of course!

What better way to enjoy my last year of high school than to take a day off every now and then? I’ve been studying diligently for 12 WHOLE YEARS NOW. Come on, it’s time for a break.

Let me let you in on a little secret. This final year of high school we’re forced to endure doesn’t actually have an educational purpose. Basically, all you need to do is submit those college applications. And after that? Boy oh boy, you’re home free! Colleges get sent transcripts that end after junior year, so what’s the point of even trying after that?

Now I know what you’re thinking, isn’t this going to be detrimental to later on in life when skipping class could have disastrous effects on your grades?

Nah. Not if you’re planning on partying your way through college like I am.

So sure, the information learned in many senior classes could potentially be important later on in life, setting the foundation for college courses and preparing us to go out into the world as adults.

But come on. If teachers really wanted us to learn these things, they should have just made us take the class in prior years. Don’t they know we’ve got college application stress?

And skip days aren’t all

Submissions: Letters to the editor may be submitted to Betty Ben Dor or Eric Xue, or advisers Susan Gregory or Cyndi Crothers-Hyatt. Unsigned editorials represent the views of The Spoke editorial board, not necessarily those of the administration, student body, community or advertisers. The opinions expressed in signed columns are those of the writer and not necessarily the opinion of The Spoke.

The Spoke accepts paid advertisements.

bad anyway. Just because we don’t feel like coming into school that day doesn’t mean we’re forsaking our education.

When you skip school, suddenly there’s a whole myriad of possibilities of what to do with your time.

Personally, I would recommend a day of binge-watching Netflix. With plenty of options to choose from, there’s a whole world of learning to be explored out there. When plenty of people have already put together exciting documentaries on anything from algorithms to mathematical symmetry in an easy-to-watch format, why should I even bother showing up to my Multivariable Calculus class? (Sorry Mr. Poiesz!)

And don’t worry! This day off isn’t just informative. Feeling lonely without the company of your friends? Catch up on some Keeping Up with the Kardashians! Their incessant worry about everything from their love lives to their pets will make you feel like you’re at ’Stoga anyway.

And if you get bored of TV-binging, get your friends to skip too! Who wouldn’t want to spend a day engaging in potentially illegal activities such as taking a swig of that good ol’ giggle juice? Or maybe taking a smoke of the Devil’s Lettuce?

There’s a lot more to the world than studying anyway.

Who cares that there’s an essay due that day? At Conestoga, deadlines are suggestions anyway. If college professors can understand this simple concept, why are high school teachers still struggling with it?

And to all those teachers who have the AUDACITY to impose some kind of punishment for skipping their class, such as harder versions of make-up tests? HOW DARE YOU? So what if you come to school nearly every day without fail to impart knowledge to your students? How many college applications did YOU write? Yeah, that’s what I thought.

But why should we stop at just one skip day a month?

Why not skip every Friday?

And every Monday?

Better yet, why not skip ALL days? Who even needs an education anyway? Just look at Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates! Their lives turned out pretty good if you ask me.

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

op/ed

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

9

Holding careers accountable

Audrey Kim

Opinion Editor

From the series of sexual assault and harassment allegations among both the media and entertainment elite to a heartbreaking round of #metoo’s from family and friends, a new wave of both men and women have been stepping up to speak out against sexual misconduct within the workplace.

The abuse of power in any industry is nothing new. But only recently has widespread action and conversation about sexual misconduct been

sparked to such a degree, after reporters at The New York Times exposed film producer Harvey Weinstein on Oct. 5 of sexual misconduct allegations.

Charlie Rose, who hosted the same-name interview show on PBS, has been fired by CBS, and distribution of his show canceled. Pixar’s chief creative officer John Lasseter has taken a six-month sabbatical after admitting to “missteps” in a memo to employees on Nov. 21. Dozens of others have been suspended, fired, or resigned from their positions.

Yet almost as equally people question the line in which punishment should be drawn and the truth of the victims’ allegations. Should famed conductor James Levine’s 40-year career with the Metropolitan Opera be cut short due to sexual abuse accusations, some committed

more than three decades ago in little-known orchestras? Should Michael Oreskes, the senior vice president for news at NPR, have resigned due to sexual harassment allegations, with some dismissing them as “flirting” or “teasing?”

The answer is yes.

Some of those accused, such as Harvey Weinstein, made direct profits off of the young people they were exploiting.

And similar to how teachers or physicians found guilty of sexual misconduct with a student or patient often lose their professional licenses, those at the top of the political and cultural spheres should be held to the same standard. The message is simple: those who create uncomfortable and traumatizing experiences within the workplace should be held accountable for their actions with their own careers.

Most, if not all, of these allegations classify as abuse of power. By starting with action against the elite, we are sending the message that authority taken advantage of, in any shape or form, is no longer tolerated.

And with the outspeaking and support for action against inappropriate behavior in any environment, this message trickles down to atmospheres starting in schools. Campus sexual assault is widespread and often unspoken presence on college and university grounds. Rolling Stone Magazine’s infamous 2014 “A Rape on Campus” article on the topic tarnished and undermined the subject as the story later proved to be false and full of discrepancies.

Only time can tell how this affects relationships long-term within the workplace. Anita

Hill’s testimony in 1991 did not hamper the appointment of then-nominee Clarence Thomas to Supreme Court Justice, and neither did multiple sexual harassment accusations inhibit the election of the President of the United States.

It is up to us to continue this conversation.

The widespread movement of action and investigation has been pointing a way for people to start taking sexual misconduct seriously, starting from the very top of the political and social spheres. This is a chance for us to establish a new normal in all environments, a “normal” which should have already been the standard. But by holding the professional careers of those proven guilty on the line, we enforce this attitude for ourselves future generations after us.

Report Card Wikipedia on its way out + Students will have to do actual research.

- Students will have to do actual research.

Vine 2 + A sequel to the app that was more loved in its death than in its life.

- Nash Grier’s return.

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Q: What are your thoughts on the series of recent sexual misconduct claims?

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10

11

- Endless stress. Debilitating fatigue. No motivation.

Big Shaq

12

+ The ting goes skrrrrrrAH; pap, pap, kah kah kah.

- A fraud.

“

I hope that these sorts of instances will be stopped and that no one will have to go through this (treatment).

Ainsley McCullen

“

I don’t think anyone who has commited what they did should ever be able to reach the executive positions.

Hopefully, they will be removed from those positions.

“

I hope people are taking (the accusers) seriously, and I hope it’ll change how people act in the future.

Guy Marlowe

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia

“

I think it’s sad that this is such a widespread issue, and I hope that this will bring a cultural shift that will prevent these events from happening again.

Reese Caldwell

Georgia Hritz

The war against our political reality: Enlist today!

Ian Ong

Managing Editor

For better or for worse, we live in America: a state of satire. A place where expectations are challenged and social norms rocked with every movement, election, or Kendrick Lamar album. A country whose people have grown tired of the status quo, seemingly transforming to become parodies of themselves. From fireside tweets to gaffes galore, the news just writes itself these days. And you know what that means for us jolly satirists?

We’re gonna be outta business faster than you can say “Anthony Scaramucci.”

Why browse the Onion when you can be amazed instead by the newest NYT headline? Who needs to watch Comedy Central when Fox News is just a few remote clicks away? Why watch competent clowns at the Cirque du Soleil when you can read about even funnier ones in CNN articles?

Without a doubt, American satire is at war against our political reality. And we’re not going down without a fight. You may ask then, who on Team Satire has bravely stepped up to rally the troops?

Who is out there to prove that fiction is stranger (and much more entertaining) than the truth?

Enter the infotainers, the glorious commanders of two great factions: Republicans and Democrats.

Now, before you start to accuse me of favoritism or bias to one side or

another, let me be clear. I love and cherish both camps equally. Both have contributed to the war effort in their own special ways.

Pioneered by Jon Stewart, who mastered the art of condensing news into field rations, the liberal infotainers have spent years levying troops, amassing a nation of soldiers alive with patriotic fervor.

It is a point of pride to be part of Stephen Colbert’s live studio artillery brigade, just as it is a symbol of honor to be enlisted into John Oliver’s battalion.

Everyday, when Donald Trump’s face appears on the telescreen and the two-hours hate begins, they perform a satiric ritual, rapidly repeating a list of buzzwords, scandals, allegations, hot-button topics, accusations, and conspiracies in calculated, comedic timing. It does wonders for morale.

And that’s not to say that the conservatives haven’t been con-

servin’ up their own troops for the winter. Don’t let their talkshow-host pathos and no-nonsense demeanors fool you; they’re just as much a part of Team Satire as the liberals. The purpose of conservative talking heads is to psyche up their camps and have their collective imaginations flow. For instance, Ben Shapiro conjures up extraordinary tales of how Sesame Street’s liberal agenda is turning America gay. Oh, and I hear Alex Jones tells fantastic bedtime stories.

There’s an old saying in the journalism biz along these lines: “If ya can’t find a front page story, kiddo, then ya better go out and make one.”

And make one the satirists and talk-show hosts have. We are the soldiers of their battlefield: a moonscape of headlines and soundbites, the cascades of blood red and copper blue fire-

works eternally whizzing over our heads. Like Bill Murray in “Groundhog Day,” the American people are the unassuming stars of their very own “Fourth of July.”

Under a guise of patriotism, they have slowly yet surely turned the wholesome American bagel into a donut, filled to the brim with artificial unrest.

In the days of yore, the point of satire was to expose human vice through the use of lighthearted folly, thereby shaming society into self-improvement. But, like all other things that have adapted to this modern, fast-paced lifestyle, satire has evolved into something more noble than itself. Satire has become a glorious, self-sustaining, candy-colored machine used by our divine media warlords to entertain us with concentrated idiocy of the other guys, to have them spar against each other politically and socially, and to radicalize

+ Got a Hulu subscription.

- Why Netflix?? Why would you remove the best show on your platform?

Incredibles 2 + The next chapter of our lives!

- It’s been 13 years. more to come and join the honorable fight against the insidious nature of compromise. Repeat after me: dulce et decorum est pro factio mori. It is sweet and proper to die for your political party.

All across this great and beautiful country, our own troops are shooting insults at each other, flinging falsities and fabrication, and throwing cherry-picked bombs. From the Queen’s Dominions down to the humble Alamo, our troops duke it out in online comments, in the workplace, in our very schools!

And, like a train wreck in slow motion, it’s beautiful.

So consume more nationalistic media. Lash out at your friends for having differing opinions. Remember to use your very loudest voice, lest reason and our better judgement silence us.

Pay-to-play internet: Why we needed net neutrality to stay

Justin Huang

Co-Student Life Editor

In 2015, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) classified broadband providers as “common carriers”—providers of goods and services that charge fixed rates. Internet service providers (ISPs) and mobile plans couldn’t throttle consumer speeds or force internet companies to pay money for faster, prioritized consumer access to their sites. Those efforts supported the tenets of net neutrality—giving equal internet access speeds to all consumers.

Unfortunately,

FCC chairman and former Verizon lawyer Ajit Pai disagrees with those provisions, repealing those protections in the interests of big business and leaving users helpless to their demands.

Undoing that concept of net neutrality gives companies the power to change consumer interactions with the internet.

As a student in the 21st century, the internet contains part of my life—my entertainment, organization, social network and learning resource. Netflix, Google, Facebook and even Schoology all exist because users like us support them and appreciate their services.

That consumer-producer relationship is disrupted when ISPs force themselves into the equation, even though they have no right to interfere. Instead of acting as a bridge between two worlds, those companies can force consumers and producers alike to cough

up fee after fee to enjoy yesterday’s degree of freedom.

Proponents of revoking common carrier status argue that our voices shout nothing but hypothetical scenarios and desperate fearmongering. Sadly, they’re completely right—we’re worrying unnecessarily about lines that ISPs would never cross. It’s not like AT&T would charge more money for “high-speed” data plans and Comcast would extort Netflix into paying extra so its users could have humane playback speeds—oh, you’re saying that they did all of that before? Never mind.

The effects of allowing ISPs to bypass net neutrality’s tenets actually include the reduction of competition managed by an uncompetitive group of corporations. Larger internet businesses would have to trade money for bandwidth—like that shady Netflix deal with Comcast—but small

internet businesses might fade from existence. Because of paid prioritization, startups would have to pay more with their already-sparse coffers. Startups grow with direct-consumer relations, but if customer relationships are obstructed by slow-loading pages and images, then they’re not being properly maintained and startup growth dwindles.

The internet should foster new ideas and innovate the world through its flexibility.

Without proper regulation of ISPs, without equal bandwidth speeds to all websites and without checking paid prioritization, that growth will be hindered and stagnant—we’ll be moving backwards.

The threats against net neutrality sound trivial, yes. Who cares about changing internet speeds anyway? But this runs deeper than that. Whenever the spinning circle of death pops up with the word “buff-

Kaitlyn Chen/The SPOKE

ering,” my heart cracks in two and my patience quickly wanes. Everybody feels that way. With the power to affect internet speeds and charge them at varying costs, we will see those circles pop up more frequently. We’ve reached the point where the internet is a

crucial component of everyday life that almost nobody can live without—it shouldn’t be limited by companies manipulating common service for the people.

Control of the internet doesn’t belong in the hands of ISPs and money-hungry corporations— it belongs to us.

Kaitlyn Chen/The SPOKE

Jennifer Lee/The SPOKE

Kaitlyn Chen/The SPOKE

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Sports

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Pioneers push the limits at Poly Prep Invitational Jordan Liu

Co-Web Editor

The sharp crack of the squash ball. The squeak of rubber shoes against the polished wood court.

To ’Stoga’s squash teams, it seemed like any other tournament. But this time was different.

For the first time, the Conestoga boys squash team won first place at the third annual Poly Prep invitational, a national tournament held annually in Brooklyn, New York. Two boys’ teams — varsity A and varsity B — participated, while one varsity girls’ team competed. The competi-

tion consisted of three rounds, in which each team had to win four of the seven matches to advance.

At the end of the day, the boys’ varsity A team won first place, while the girls’ team won second.

For the past two years, Conestoga had lost in the semifinals to public school rival Darien High School, placing the team at third place. Beyond Poly Prep, however, the rivalry between Conestoga and Darien extended deeper. Last year, Darien beat ’Stoga in the US Squash national tournament, effectively ending the team’s hopes at advancing where. With this rivalry in mind, the team approached Poly Prep with their

sights set on success and their rackets out for revenge.

“We were definitely in it to win it,” said boys head coach Cameron Hopkins. “We were in it to hopefully match up against Darien High School again, and beat them.

And once we got there, we played some really strong squash.”

After beating Blair Academy 5-2 in the first round and Darien High School 6-1 in the semifinals, the boys’ team advanced to the final against New Haven High School.

With the momentum from ’Stoga’s win against Darien, the team was able to dominate the finals, beating New Haven 5-2. Senior and team captain Ian Hay appreciated the

Lyvia Yan/The SPOKE

Eye on the ball: Senior Michael Mulholland swings his racket in an attempt to bring home a win for the Pioneers.

At the end of the Poly Prep Invitational on Nov. 18, the boys’ squash team took home the first place trophy.

team’s confident mentality as a key factor in their victory.

“I was very proud of the team after winning,” Hay said. “It was our first match of the year and I expected some nerves, but the team handled it well. Everyone stayed focused and played hard no matter who they were playing.”

However, given the team’s decisive victory in the semifinals, head coach Cameron Hopkins wasn’t surprised that the team won.

“Once we got to the final, I was pretty convinced that as long as we played strong, clean squash, we would be able to beat New Haven High School without too much trouble,” Hopkins said. “I was more relaxed going into the final than I was for the semifinal, because we had already surpassed my expectations and achieved the initial goal (of beating Darien High School). Win or lose in the final, I would’ve walked away equally happy because we’d never been there before.”

The boys’ team isn’t the only one that achieved unprecedented results, however. Conestoga’s girls squash team placed second in the girls’ overall tournament — another historic win.

After defeating Blair Academy with a decisive 5-2 in the semifinal round, the team competed against New Haven High School in the finals — the same school that the boys’ team faced. After a heated match, the girls’ team lost with a close score of 3-4. Regardless, senior and varsity girls captain Melissa Horan is proud of the team’s historic progress.

“Poly Prep proves what we can be and what we will be, and really makes everyone more ambitious — on and off the squash court — to become better teammates and squash players,” Horan said.

She credits the team’s achievements this year to an intensified training routine.

Girls basketball dribbles together for another year When Conaway said what she would miss most about the team as she goes off to college, Nikolic’s Staff Reporter and face immediately changed. Her Centerspread Editor eyes and pupils grew wider as she Countless sprints on waxy imagined life without her seniors. floors and gluttonous feasts of “Definitely realize when it syrupy pancakes don’t sound like comes to be our last game that a match made in heavan, but acwe’re never going to play with tually, they are. these girls again — that’s really The girls basketball team is the going to get me. Or the fact that epitome of a team — bonding offwhen I go off to college, I’m not court over breakfast on griddles, going to have my underclassmen and serving up hot wins on court. with me,” Conaway said.

“Even girls that I’ve known These relationships were evsince middle school playing ident as I witnessed the girls, basketball, the relationship varsity or junior varsity, senior has just grown exponentially or freshman convene in front of since the start of high school,” the gym. Everyone was together senior varsity player Cat Es— hugging, jumping, and gigbenshade said. gling.

Among the tight-knit group “I know I’m friends with a are the dynamic duo, senior Laubunch of the freshmen and so ren Conaway and sophomore are the best players on our team, Annie Nikolic. During the interand I can’t really tell the differview with Spoke, the girls couldn’t ence,” senior and varsity player Weiss said. “The seniors have really tried to make sure everyone feels included and have become so close because we think that it’s really important that we all are friends outside of basketball.”

Nikolic was at a loss for words when she said “I just love Conestoga basketball.”

Family, no matter how far or how much time elapses, is still family. The girls basketball team is exactly the same. No matter what college you go to, ’Stoga Elizabeth Billman/The SPOKE basketball finds a way to follow.

Pushing to victory: The girls’ basketball team talks strategy before its Recently, the team went to watch game against Haverford High School. The final score was 37 to 41 in favor of alumna Ellie Mack play for the Bucknell team. the Pioneers. Their next game is Dec. 19 at Lower Merion.

Emma Clarke and Lyvia Yan

help but smile and joke around with teammates.

“We’re one big family and there’s no one that we exclude. It’s really nice because no one’s separated,” Nikolic expressed, laughing with Conaway.

Some of the activities that the girls do outside of practice include bowling, impromptu trips to Chili’s, laser tag, and pasta parties. Outside of goofing off, hanging out, and exchanging Secret Santa gifts, the players treat each other like family.

“Personally, I’m kind of a hothead during basketball so the rest of the team starts to cheer me up when I’m in my own head,” sophomore and varsity player Emily Lortz said. “Likewise, a freshman recently has been having family issues and we have really taken her under our wing and tried to help her get through it.”

Lyvia Yan/The SPOKE

Racking up the points: Junior Lily Smith winds up to slam the squash ball at the Poly Prep Squash Invitational. The girls’ team got second place.

“This year, we focused a lot sea of faces asking you to give more on fitness and drills, be- it everything you’ve got at that cause in the past few years it’s been moment — and I think that’s more about team-building than what sets us apart from other developing good skills,” Horan teams.”

Senior and boys team memsaid. “With such a big tournament coming up early in the season, it ber Connor Fahey sees the tourwas good that we focused more on nament — their first competition this year — as a formative our foundation with fitness.”

Hopkins said that both teams’ experience for both teams.

“It was a good team-building solidarity contributed to their experience for the boys and the success.

“This team is unlike anything girls team,” Fahey said. “Poly Prep I’ve ever had. We don’t have gave us a sense of confidence and to work as hard to create team also helped new members to get chemistry; it just flows natural- into the swing of things and learn ly,” Hopkins said. “We have a lot how ‘Stoga squash works, not of very talented opponents, but only in how we play and what they’d be hard-pressed to find kind of squash we practice, but as much chemistry we have. For also in the way that we encourage Conestoga squash, you look out each other and spend time with during a match and you see a our teammates.”

Swimmer trails national record by .8 seconds James P. Infortuna Staff Reporter

Junior Brendan Burns went down in history next to Michael Phelps at the end of November.

Burns is now the 18 and under national champion in the 200 fly. He has the second-best time in the history of the event for the 15 to 16 age group, the first being Michael Phelps, who beat him by eight tenths of a second.

This was the culmination of years of practice. Burns has been swimming for as long as he can remember. His parents met through the sport and have been active in it their whole lives.

“I was just kind of raised in it. I was always around the water,” Burns said.

When his family moved here in 2009, he found swimming his

new passion.

“Starting around age ten I just started to put more time into it,” Burns said.

And it paid off, over his career at Conestoga he has routinely completed and placed in states. From Thursday, Nov. 31 to Saturday, Dec. 2, Burns swam at the AT&T winter nationals. During his best event, the 200 fly, he placed second overall.

Burns described how there was a technical discrepancy between himself and Phelps that separates them further, but concedes that it is still exciting.

Now he looks to the future and hopes to outdo himself.

“I have .8 on a sticky note above my bed now, so every day when I wake up I see that and that just gets me motivated for the day,” Burns said.

Elizabeth Billman/The SPOKE

Cheering for the ‘neers: Senior Cat Esbenshade cheers on the varsity team on their way to a three pointer. The girls’ team bonds through pasta parties, spirit days, laser tag and bowling.

Elizabeth Billman/The SPOKE

Stroking to victory: Junior Brendan Burns swims the butterfly in a match against Malvern Prep. Burns began swimming when he was eight.

COMMITMENT CORNER School: Denison University Grade: 12 Sport: Basketball

Charlie Schappell

Kevin Ryle

Why Denison?

“Denison has a big campus and good academics and facilities.”

School: George Washington University Grade: 12 Sport: Swimming Why George Washington?

“GW is located in an amazing location with amazing opportunities for the future! The team is also one big family who supports each other in and out of the pool!”

Favorite ’Stoga Basketball Memory?

“Beating Lower Merion last year in districts and going to states.”

Courtesy Nick Maier

Favorite ’Stoga Swim Memory?

“Beating Radnor sophomore year in the last relay by .1, and then again at Centrals!”

Villanova Men’s basketball ranked 1st in the Big East with an overall score of 11-0 as of Dec. 14.

Free agent and quarterback Colin Kaepernick filed a grievance against the NFL for collusion.

On Aug. 26, Floyd Mayweather Jr. versus Conor McGregor fought against one another in “The Money Fight.” Mayweather won in the 10th round.

The Juice is loose: O.J. Simpson was released from prison on Oct. 1 after serving nine years for armed robbery.

Roy Halladay, ex-Phillies player and eight-time All-Star, died after crashing his small plane on Nov. 7 at age 40.

The Conestoga boys’ soccer team won its second consecutive State Championship title on Nov. 17. #1

Russia's Olympic team was barred from the 2018 Winter Games in South Korea by the International Olympic Committee for systematic doping.

ONESTOGA

Conestoga class of 2015 alumnus Brendon Little was officially drafted by the Chicago Cubs in May.

Los Angeles is officially awarded the summer 2028 Olympic games.

Courtesy Elena Lindquist

Bleeding green: Junior Elena Lindquist and her family attend an Eagles game at Lincoln Financial Field. The Lindquist family supported the Birds even through their multiple dry seasons after 2004.

James P. Infortuna and Warren Zhao Staff Reporters

Epic orchestral music blares.

As midnight green-clad players run onto the field, the Link erupts with cheers and whoops.

Fans of the Philadelphia Eagles are notorious for their die-hard support for the team regardless of win or lose, and ’Stoga has no shortage of them.

“It’s kind of something you’re born with,” sophomore Mason Thorne said. “If you’re from the Philadelphia area, you’re just born an Eagles fan.

It’s something you grow up in.”

Junior Elena Lindquist can’t remember a time when she wasn’t a fan.

“My dad’s been taking me to games since I was little. (My family) really enjoy(s) it. We watch the games together,” Lindquist said.

Eagles fanhood may very well be genetic — Lindquist’s father has also been attending the team’s games since he was a kid. And like thousands of other Eagles fans, the Lindquists have been suffering disappointment after disappointment for many years.

However, this wildly successful season, the likes of which have not been seen since the Birds’ big win in the National Football Conference in 2004, has fans hopeful for a Super Bowl win.

“Like any true fan will tell you at the beginning of any season, we’re going to the Super Bowl. But this year, I think we actually have a chance. I definitely see (them making the) playoffs, but I think we’ve got the NFC East locked down.

Currently, the Eagles are 11-2, with the team only suffering losses to the Kansas City Chiefs and the Seattle Seahawks. With the team team’s record almost identical to that of the 2004 season, when they lost the Super Bowl to the Patriots in a heartbreaking 21-24 defeat, the Eagles have a real shot at earning their way back into football’s biggest game for the first time in over a decade.

Thorne attributes much of the Eagles’ standout success this year to Carson Wentz.

“Really, (the responsibility to win) falls on the quarterback.

I mean, (Wentz) is playing fantastic,” Thorne said.

Going into this season, though, most Eagles fans weren’t expecting anything monumental, since the team finished with the same 7-9-0 regular season record for the past two years.

“Being an Eagles fan, you have to be ready for that disappointment that comes every year,” Lindquist said.

However, with this season’s success, the Eagles have taken the first place ranking in the National Football Conference

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Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz tore his ACL in game against the Los Angeles Rams on Dec. 10.

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Picked by Avery Maslowsky, Sports Editor Design by Lyvia Yan, Centerspread Editor

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Eagle mania flies to Conestoga

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2017’s Most Memorable Sports Moments

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Sports

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

East, flying high above the Dallas Cowboys, the Washington Redskins, and the New York Giants. Since the win streak first became noticeable, approval ratings for the team have skyrocketed. Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz was given a rating of 81 percent, while Executive Vice President Howie Roseman was given an 88 percent approval rating in Bleeding Green Nation’s online poll.

Fans have become exuberant again.

Lindquist and her family have been at every single home game in this season thus far, and it’s been an experience like no other for her.

“I’d like to say I’m a good luck charm,” Lindquist said. “But it’s been really exciting. We’ve had a few close games. I was there when they kicked the field goal, at the end, 61 yards, as time expired. That was really a fun moment — we went crazy.”

According to Lindquist, if the Birds are playing a home game, then all she can think about during the day is the Eagles and how they’re going to perform that night.

With all the buzz surrounding the Eagles this season, some worry that they may be over-hyped.

“I think you saw (offensive weaknesses) last Sunday, when they went to Seattle,” Thorne said. “I mean, going to Seattle

and playing for any team is hard, but we have been challenged this year. Playing Carolina, that was a huge win. Playing Denver, was also another big win.”

And of course, not all Conestoga students are Eagles fans. Junior Shray Mehrotra, for example, supports the Dallas Cowboys, who have long been embroiled in a bitter rivalry with the Eagles.

Mehrotra sees many parallels between this season’s Eagles and last season’s Cowboys.

“When I look at the Eagles this year, they remind me of the Dallas Cowboys last year.

The Cowboys were in a similar position. We were 13-3, (with a) young quarterback, with all the confidence in the world. We took the playoffs, and lost first round,” Mehrotra said.

That comparison, and other letdowns in years past still don’t stop Eagles fans from hoping. A Super Bowl victory would simply mean the world to the Bleeding Green Nation.

“I would cry (if they won),” Thorne said. “I would actually cry. If they could win a Super Bowl, and I would never have to hear Dallas Cowboys fans or Steelers fans or Patriots fans or Redskins fans say, ‘Oh well you guys don’t have one ring,’ (again), it would be great.”

Courtesy Elena Lindquist

Filled to the brim: The Lincoln Financial Field sits a maximum of over 69,000 spectators at every football game. The field opened in August, 2003.

SPORTS

The SPOKE

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Sliding into the spotlight: dancers take athleticism to different stage Avery Maslowsky Sports Editor

The required number of hours a semester for a student to receive Extended Experience (EEPE) credit is thirty. Students stress out for weeks trying to fit in an hour to run the treadmills at the Upper Main Line YMCA or powerlift weights in the new LifeTime Athletics complex in King of Prussia, but for dancers, EEPE is nothing, as they fulfill all 30 hours in just one week.

“Dance requires sacrifice, dancers need to build and have stamina, speed, flexibility, and muscle. Dancers get scores. Dancers need patience and perserverance. Dances requires a level of discipline and strength. Dance is the only sport that requires stamina, speed, muscle and flexibility,” said Betsy Daily School of the Performing Arts (BDSOPA) owner and director Betsy Daily.

For the dancers on the BDSOPA company team the season never ends. From choreography week in the summer, to competition and recital season in late spring, there isn’t a week the girls don’t go without practicing their pliès or at minimum, stretching.

The company team will dance in a total of five holiday events, already having completed three, participating in the Philadelphia Thanksgiving day parade hosted by 6abc/ Dunkin’ Donuts, as well as the QVC Christmas parade held in West Chester on Dec. 1 and the Berwyn Tree Lighting on Dec. 3.

However, for each three-minute dance, hours are spent perfecting every move to a T. Preparation for each holiday number begins in August and ramps up closer to the performance dates.

“The month of December is one of the busiest times of the year,” said junior and dancer Bridget Bailey.

For dancers like Bailey, a member of the BDSOPA Gold Team II, there truly are no breaks to the continuous cycle of dance. As a member of Gold Team II, or the most advanced team offered at the

school, members are required to take a minimum of six classes per week, two in jazz, two in ballet and two in tap. Yet students are strongly encouraged to enroll in other offered disciplines such as lyrical, hip hop, acro, modern and pointe.

“I tend to spend 24 hours in actual class each week,” Bailey said. “I spend 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the studio on school nights and 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays.”

Promptly after the Christmas season is over, the girls move into competition preparation, crafting and reviving numbers in only a few months.

On average, the BDSOPA

company attends one convention and two dance competitions each year. A convention is instructional based and a competition is strictly for competing numbers.

But a dancer’s entire year can easily be thrown off by a single injury.

And that’s just what happened to sophomore and BDSOPA Gold Team II dancer Kelli Ruth on the Saturday of competition day last spring. After obtaining the stomach flu the night before the event, she put on a smile and completed 12 numbers without a hitch. But in the middle of her

“It frustrates me (when people say dancing is not a sport because) everything has to be so intricate. You have to always be trying your hardest or you can get hurt at anytime,” Bailey said.

back everyday to sharpen their technique. Nor does all the time and effort dancers take to perfect such a craft, change the common view of dance as more of an art rather than a competitive sport.

13th number, and after an exhausting day, Ruth leaped into the sky and landed wrong, shattering her fifth metatarsal.

“Being out of dance is very difficult emotionally and physically because all I could feel was that I was letting my team down,” Ruth said.

According to the Journal of Athletic Training, in female dancers between the ages of eight to 16, 42.4% have sustained an injury from dance, with the most common being a knee problem.

Yet the risk of injury does not discourage dancers from coming

Gliding with style (above): (From left to right) Junior Bridget Bailey, junior Kyla Weil and freshman Jane Branov share the stage with the rest of the Betsy Daily Gold Team II at the Berwyn Tree Lighting.

Dancing into the spotlight (right): Junior Bridget Bailey prepares to do a grand jeté leap in the dance “Deep in the heart”.

Finishing with a smile (left): The Betsy Daily School of the Performing Arts dance team strikes a pose at the end of their second number at the Berwyn Tree Lighting.

Photos by Avery Maslowsky/The SPOKE

Skating towards the goal: the ice-olated position Aimee Buttenbaum Staff Reporter

Hockey players slice their skates into the ice as they glide at high velocities toward the goal and prepare to fire the puck into the back of the net. The only thing standing between them and a victory is the opposing goalie, an intimidating position that takes specific training and a focused mindset.

On the boys’ varsity ice hockey team, junior Malcolm Roeder plays in goal as he protects the net from the teams they face off against in the Inter-County Scholastic Hockey League. Roeder began playing around the age of 10 and has been a goalie for much his ice hockey career.

“About two or three games into our season in elementary school, we needed a goalie for the game.

I had a friend up in Massachusetts who was a goalie, and I just thought it was the coolest thing ever,” Roeder said.

Looking at the complex game on the ice is very different through the eyes of a goalie. From behind their caged mask, they have a clear view of a large percentage of the

ice, except for the small area behind the net.

My perspective is definitely important since I can see everything on the ice that other players can’t.

It’s my job to be a big communicator with that and help out as much as I can,” Roeder said.

Roeder feels that being a goalie can sometimes be accompanied by emotions of intimidation.

“No goalie has ever not let in a goal, so I think everyone has to deal with that,” Roeder said.

How they handle this situation sets the good goalies apart from the great ones. For this reason, Roeder believes it is important to put the goal in the past and focus on getting his head back in the game.

“One thing that I usually do is take the water bottle on top of my net and squirt some water up into the air, and I focus on a drop,” Roeder said. “I watch it hit the ice so then after that, the goal kind of goes away and I stop thinking about it.”

In training, Roeder focuses mainly on plyometrics which is explosive movements and fast feet movement while his teammates concentrate on their skating technique and muscle strength.

“I think from a player perspective, (their training) is a lot more upper body for better shots,” Roeder said. “Also, the skating in general is a lot different as well as the muscles that you use.”

Outside of Conestoga, Roeder plays for the Mercer Chiefs U16 National team which plays out of Trenton, New Jersey. Roeder hopes to pursue his ice hockey career in college, playing Division One.

coaches who have really prepped me for stuff that I probably wouldn’t be as prepared for if I didn’t have them,” Roeder said. “They’ve taught me discipline and to always listen and never talk back.”

Not only have these coaches taught Roeder discipline, but they also taught him an important thing to remember when playing in the net.

“One of my coaches said to me: There is no such thing called the perfect goalie. Every goalie lets in a goal,” Roeder said.

While the apparent “perfect goalie” does not exist, Head Coach Mike Graves believes that Malcolm has come very close to his full potential as he has continued to improve ever since freshman year.

“Malcolm has worked hard to develop into the goaltender he is.

He competed as a freshman with two upperclassmen goaltenders eventually earning the starting job and has held on to it since. Currently, he is the top goalie in the central league,” Graves said.

With two seasons ahead of Roeder before his ’Stoga hockey career comes to an end, more intense goal-keeping and improvements are sure to come.

Roeder has learned some valuable lessons that contribute to his life off of the ice.

“Its definitely helped me become a better person because as I’ve gotten older I’ve had these tougher

Neil Goldenthal/The SPOKE

Defending the game: Junior Malcolm Roeder keeps his eyes on the puck in an attempt to defend the upcoming shot. Roeder plays for the Mercer Chiefs U16 National team based in Trenton, New Jersey in addition to Conestoga’s varsity team.

SCORELINE G Basketball

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Scores as of 12/14

G Hockey

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B Hockey

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G Squash

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B Squash

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G Swim

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Wrestling

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