The SPOKE June Issue 2022-2023 by The Spoke

taking a stand

Jewish community responds to antisemitic vandalism in T/E

By Tanisha Agrawal, Lily Chen and Howard Kim Co-Sports Editor, Design Editor and Co-News Editor

There is rising concern among members of the Tredyffrin/Easttown community due to reports of multiple incidents of antisemitic vandalism in T/E over the last two months.

On March 25, the Tredyffrin Township police received reports of antisemitic symbols spray-painted in the Gateway Shopping Center and on township property on Valley Forge Road. The following day, a passerby discovered swastikas on signs near Valley Forge Middle School’s athletic fields and contacted the police, who discovered more graffiti in restrooms outside the school.

On the same day, TESD Superintendent Dr. Richard Gusick and Valley Forge Middle School

Principal Matthew Gibson addressed the symbols in an email sent to all T/E parents.

“We strongly condemn this and any hate speech,” Gibson and Gusick wrote. “These symbols, slurs and personal attacks do not represent the community we strive to be.”

In addition to denouncing the vandalism, they stated that the district administration was working with the police to investigate the incident and hold any person involved accountable.

“I’m very happy that (school staff and administrators) are willing to take (antisemitism) seriously because if we just ignore the problem, it’s only going to get bigger,” said Jewish sophomore Dean Rindner, a member of the Shalom ’Stoga Club.

Four days later, the police arrested a 15-year-old male on suspicion of spray-painting the graffiti on the signs and restrooms. The Chester County Juvenile Probation office charged him with ethnic intimidation and criminal mischief.

Starting on April 20, T/E residents discovered seven more acts of antisemitic graffiti throughout the district. Over the span of three days, community members reported seeing graffiti in multiple locations, including outside Jenkins Arboretum and Gardens and inside the Forge Mountain neighborhood in Chesterbrook. The police investigated the situations but, as of May 31, have not charged anyone for these acts.

Tredyffrin Township District 2 Supervisor and former

president of the Chesterbrook Civic Association David Miller was shocked when he learned of the spray-painted swastikas in Chesterbrook.

“When I saw the photographs of the swastikas painted on some of the signs in Chesterbrook, I was horrified and shocked and immediately knew that we needed, as supervisors, to put out a very, very strong statement condemning the actions of whoever did this and expressing support for victims of hate crimes in general,” Miller said.

Chesterbrook resident Howard Griffel discovered one of the first swastikas spray-painted on a neighborhood sign on Chesterbrook Boulevard. The next day, his grandson spotted another swastika near Glenhardie Golf Course. For Griffel, a Holocaust survivor who spent his early years in a displaced persons camp after World War II, these symbols evoked “shock, then sadness.”

Continued on page 3.

All-School

Scholar recognition moved to Awards Night

The Conestoga administration revised the senior graduation ceremony’s practices regarding awards announcements, starting with the Class of 2023. They moved the acknowledgements of All-School Scholars to Senior Awards Night, instead of calling them out alongside a graduate’s name during senior graduation, as it has previously done.

Students earn the All-School Scholar award after maintaining a weighted GPA of at least 4.8 by the third marking period of their senior year, completing at least 20 academic credits and earning passing grades in all subjects.

In previous years, AllSchool Scholar students received a special cup and cord alongside their high school diploma at graduation as an acknowledgement of their accomplishments. This year, the All-School Scholars will be invited to attend the Senior Awards Night on June 1, during which Conestoga will grant the students their awards.

According to Conestoga Principal Dr. Amy Meisinger, the administration wanted graduation to be “a night where the accomplishments of all graduates are celebrated, not distinguishing specific achievements.”

Senior class advisers Richard and Amy Hawkins believe

the changes will improve the awards ceremony experience for All-School Scholars. In previous years, the administration did not directly inform students if they were All-School Scholars before the ceremony, which led to some confusion amongst students as to who had received the award. Many students also misplaced their cup soon after the ceremony, and the administration had to re-identify the students to return their awards.

“It’s logistically (harder) up on stage to have the diploma, the cup and the cord (because) that’s a lot for a person to do as they go across,” Amy Hawkins said. “So, I think that it will actually be more special having an awards night where the kids get to know ahead of time and have the cord that they get to wear into graduation instead of (receiving it) on stage.”

The Senior Awards Night is held before graduation in the auditorium every year. Many different awards are granted to students, including special community service and leadership accolades. This year, more students will be in attendance for their All-School Scholar award.

“It’ll be a smaller ceremony (than graduation), but I think it’s more special,” Amy Hawkins said. “They get to have that time to enjoy (the award), and then they’ll know going into graduation the following week.”

Science curricula to change district-wide

Saktisri Gowrishankar Staff Reporter science curriculum supervisor, is in charge of transitioning staff to the new curriculum.

The Pennsylvania Department of Education has spent the last 10 years updating the state’s science curriculum standards, known as Science, Technology & Engineering, Environmental Literacy, & Sustainability standards (STEELS), and the Tredyffrin/Easttown School District has recently begun plans to adjust science curricula to these new standards.

In 2012, Pennsylvania implemented Next Generation Science Standards in various states, the result of a nationwide effort to improve science education, replacing the 1993 and 1996 standards. Pennsylvania spent an additional 10 years considering science curriculum needs, thus creating the STEELS standards. Schools will begin implementing the new standards state-wide by July 1, 2025.

TESD arranged pilots of new lesson plans and summer workshops for teachers to initiate the process. Kim Morris, the district’s

“Science and technology and engineering and math; all of those subjects work together to solve a problem,” Morris said. “There is no one content area that can solve the problems that we have in society today, in and of itself. The new science standards are reflective of that collective understanding and integrative approach.”

The elementary schools will be getting a completely new curriculum, while the middle and high schools will see a few changes. All

the changes emphasize a greater connection to the real world and incorporate more engineering and technology. Science PSSAs will move from fourth to fifth grade, and Biology Keystone exams will be updated to fit the new standards in the 2025-26 school year.

Staff are looking at the current curriculum and other districts’ changes to determine the best plan of integration. Morris hopes the new curriculum will encourage an interest in science for young students.

“My hope is that creativity will begin to come out even more (in

the elementary school students), and they will be able to see themselves as scientists,” Morris said.

“Not traditional scientists, but as someone who has a creative mind that can use all of these different content areas to come up with really viable solutions to problems that we have today.”

The Science Standing Committee, a group of teachers and staff across the district, are leading the curriculum changes across the district. Wendy Prothero, a second grade classroom teacher at Devon Elementary School and member of the committee, is a large proponent of the current lab-based and hands-on science curriculum, but recognizes that changes were necessary.

“I’m a little anxious about (the new curriculum) because change is hard. To have everything brand new in science is going to be challenging,” Prothero said. “I think it’s time for new standards. The old standards have been around for a long time, so I understand why we’re getting them, and I’m sure I’ll embrace them.”

Jake Tsang, a freshman in various science-related clubs, can still remember experiments from elementary school and said his passion for science started at a young age.

“I think science education is important because it’ll help create new future scientists who will find new technologies which help better the world,” Tsang said. “I think the more we focus on education and making it interactive and interesting, the more experience people will have and the more, hopefully, they’ll enjoy it.”

Scan the QR code below to watch an accompanying video package!

Conestoga High School,

PA, 19312 Volume 73 No. 7 June 5, 2023 www.spoke.news

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past, elementary science curricula in TESD

largely focused on the completion of

The new state-mandated

integrate other STEM

engineering and technology, into lessons. Saktisri Gowrishankar/The SPOKE

Lab layout: Science labs in Devon Elementary School are set up for various scientific experiments and activities. In the

was

labs.

changes will

fields, like

Speaking

Supervisors

on May 22 about his experience with antisemitism as a youth and his reaction to reports of

in various places in T/E.

residence,

of the vandalism on the social media app Nextdoor to inform the T/E community and joined T/E Jewish Connections, a local group founded by Lisa Schreiber to combat antisemitism.

out: Chesterbrook resident and Holocaust survivor Howard Griffel speaks at a Tredyffrin Township Board of

meeting

swastikas spray-painted

Upon finding

swastika spray-painted near his

Griffel posted photos

Mary Wolters Staff Reporter

Saktisri Gowrishankar/The SPOKE

Caterpillars in cups: Elementary science teacher Wendy Prothero gives her students caterpillars to observe as part of the district’s current lab-based science standards. TESD has developed plans to shift to the new STEELS standards by 2025.

PDE launches Disability Inclusive Curriculum Pilot Program

EPUBLICANS NEGOTIATE

FEDERAL DEBT CEILING

In ongoing debt limit negotiations, House Republicans led by Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy and President Joe Biden agreed to a compromise in principle that would li the debt limit for two years. Congress may not pass it in time before June 5 when the Treasury will likely be unable to meet payments.

TREDYFFRIN SUPERVISORS

APPROVE PUMP TRACK PLAN

Tredy rin Township supervisors unanimously approved an application for a $250,000 grant to build a bike skills and pump track at Mill Road Park on May 22. Valley Forge Middle School eighth grader Dominick Pecora and Conestoga ninth grader Ronan Lynch, who initially presented the idea, believe the location is perfect due to its proximity to the Chester Valley Trail.

T REDYFFRIN P OLICE RECEIVE ACCREDITATION

On May 22, the Tredy rin police department received a Certi cate of Law Enforcement Accreditation from the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association. In order to earn it, the association found that the department was compliant with 370 best practices in law enforcement.

P ENNSYLVANIA BILL PROPOSES AUTOMATIC FUND RETURN SYSTEM

On May 9, the Pennsylvania Senate’s Finance Committee unanimously approved a bill that aims to return unclaimed money directly to its owners by implementing a proactive system already adopted by a dozen other states. e proposed legislation focuses on automating the return of funds under $5,000 without requiring a claim.

School board furthers new outdoor athletic facilities

The Tredyffrin/Easttown School District school board and Heckendorn Shiles Architects plan to add athletic facilities on Conestoga’s campus. The construction will tentatively start early this summer and is scheduled to be completed by Aug. 21, 2024.

The developments include two multi-purpose turf fields, five tennis courts, a softball practice field, a batting cage, parking areas, a road in between the fields and a fieldhouse which will contain storage, four locker rooms, bathrooms, water filling stations, concession stands and a trainer’s office. These developments will be located around the track and in the recently acquired plot of land behind Conestoga. According to Athletic Director Kevin Pechin, this $30 million project will benefit students in various ways.

“Currently we have a lot of our teams going off-site for practices in multiple areas.

We are trying to get as many kids as we can on-site, which would reduce the busing, reduce the time (and) practice times will be shorter. (It’s) an effort to make the experience best for the kid,” Pechin said.

According to Pechin, another benefit of the plan is that no sport will be jeopardized by the construction, nor will any sport have an advantage over another. All of the fields will be oriented in the same way to hit the sun equally. Additionally, this will help T/E Middle School students who will be able to access their school’s grass fields for various sports practices instead of lending them to Conestoga. This project is curated for student athletes to have an efficient and convenient experience while playing in the district.

e TESD school board is able to execute these developments with the plot of nursery land behind Conestoga that the school purchased in late 2021. e district will also use the land to create a gated road area in which buses can line up before and a er school. is will

clear congestion around T/E Middle School and add more parking for sports events.

“We got lucky we acquired that nursery ground land and that gave us the opportunity to build the facility and not mess up any of the existing facilities that we have,” Pechin said.

These developments are intended to benefit students.

Freshman Julia Snyder, a member of the track and field team, said that the developments will make practices and meets easier.

“It will help more with storage and easier access to locker rooms and water for meets and practices,” Snyder said.

Both members of the girls’ tennis team, sophomore Anika Maganti believes that an addition of five tennis courts to Conestoga’s campus would benefit the team.

“The addition of the tennis courts would be amazing.” Maganti said. “It would make everything so much more convenient since we wouldn’t have to rush out of school and get to the YMCA.”

decided to work with Heckendorn Shiles Architects to complete the project.

rough initiatives such as the Disability Curriculum Pilot Program, the DEE hopes to create a more inclusive environment for disabled individuals. It states on its website,“ rough bringing disability into education we believe that our next generation can grow up without the prejudice that ignorance can create. Reducing stigma and bullying thereby creating

TESD plans cell signal booster installation

Weak reception has been a problem in T/E schools for as long as many sta can remember. To solve this issue, Dr. Mike Szymendera, TESD Director of Technology, began working with a local company in March to install cell signal boosters in select T/E schools this summer.

“ is year, we worked with a third party to conduct an assessment in all eight of our buildings. As far as I know, that’s the rst assessment we’ve conducted about cell service during my time in the position. We’ve heard things in the past, (like) passing comments about (the cell service problem), but (this) was the rst real assessment we (have done),” Szymendera said. e third party is FreCom Inc., a local communications dealer based in Chester County. FreCom gave a quote totaling $47,540 on March 3 for SureCall industrial signal ampli ers in

Conestoga High School, Devon Elementary School, Hillside Elementary School and Beaumont Elementary School. e company claims the boosters improve signal strength for all major North American carriers. e reception usually varies depending on the phone carrier, but certain parts of Conestoga are known to have especially weak signal for all carriers.

“I teach in Room 155, but the entire area has notoriously poor reception,” biology teacher Dante Mucci said.

“This issue really doesn’t affect my teaching. It’s only an issue with personal cell phone reception.”

Certain areas of Conestoga have poor reception due to the building’s structural layout. The installation of the signal boosters would mitigate this problem by using an antenna on the roof to collect signal from the outside and spread it to smaller antennas inside.

“A lot of the issue with cell service inside of a school

building is related to construction. Our schools tend to have a lot of cinderblock walls (and) solid brick walls. It’s hard for the cell signal outside to permeate those walls and get inside,” Szymendera said. The school board’s Facilities Committee first discussed the concerns with Conestoga’s weak signal after a school safety drill. The problem with having a spotty cell signal is that students and teachers cannot use their cell phones effectively during emergencies. For sophomore Tanvi Bommisetti, it also interfered with her schoolwork and collaboration.

“Last year, when I had biology in the science hallway, (the lack of signal) was a pain. It’s fine during class, but when I had study hall there, it was really hard to get work done. I pretty much (couldn’t) do anything,” Bommisetti said. “I’m happy that I won’t have to worry about that (next year) and I can get work done.”

Independence Blue Cross removes select prior authorization requirements

A er a physician prescribes a scan to a patient, the patient often still has another step to worry about: prior authorization. Health insurance company Independence Blue Cross and medical center Penn Medicine are piloting a program that eliminates prior authorization requirements for ultrasound, CT and PET scans. Health insurance companies currently require health care providers or patients to fill out prior authorization — also known as pre-approvals, pre-authorizations or pre-certifications — before receiving certain medical services, treatment plans, prescriptions drugs and medical equipment. Prior authorization consists of forms that check if medical items are necessary and covered under the patient’s insurance plan. Prior authorization does not ensure that the plan will cover the cost. However, if not submitted, the provider may not pay

for the cost even if the provider would have otherwise.

“If you go to a doctor, say ‘I have back pain’ and they send you to get an MRI, in order for the insurance (provider) to cover the MRI, the doctor calls the company. (You need a) pre-authorized MRI to get a copay,” Conestoga nurse Louise Cook said. “It’s a pain in the neck, but it ensures (that) the hospital is getting paid.”

The program applies to

1,280 Penn Medicine physicians employed at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Hospital, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center and Chester County Hospital. Doctors must have a less than 2% coverage denial rate with IBX and a 12-month history of ordering scans. Meeting these requirements indicates that the physicians will most likely only order scans that are medically necessary without prior authorization. The program aims to quicken the process of receiving care and decrease

administrative duties. Although prior authorization is not required in emergencies and there are laws ensuring providers respond to prior authorizations by a certain amount of time, the process can still be inconvenient. Additionally, some patients find the process confusing.

“Sometimes it’s hard to know when (prior authorizations) are required,” said Tredy rin Township resident Allison Montalvo, who has gone through prior authorization. “As long as your doctor or the doctor’s o ce is willing to do it for you, it’s not too big of a deal.”

According to IBX chief medical officer Rodrigo Cerdá, IBX plans to apply the program to health systems other than Penn Medicine if the program is successful. The program serves as a step to lessen the time and administrative burdens of general prior authorization requirements in health insurance.

“We (the Montalvo family) had a case last year (in which my daughter) broke her ankle.

removing certain prior authorization requirements.

We needed pre-authorization to take her to a particular emergency room. In that case, it was really di cult because it was late in the day, (and) we had to call the insurance company,”

Faith Zantua/The SPOKE

Montalvo said. “So to not ever have to go through that process again would be nice.”

2 Monday, June 5, 2023 News A BRIEF LOOK THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN T/E AND NATIONAL NEWS B IDEN AND H OUSE R

Lauren Pinheiro Sta Reporter

“What the (disability inclusive) curriculum is aiming to do is change the way that

educational environments for all.” Spectacular signal: Parts of Conestoga High School’s building are known for having weak cellular reception. TESD’s Director of Technology Dr. Mike Szymendera received a quote from FreCom Inc. to install signal boosters to resolve the issue. Rowan Chetty/The SPOKE Athletic advancements: The TESD school board is planning to start constructing a multi- eld sports addition on Conestoga’s campus. The board Lauren Pinheiro/The SPOKE Mareska Chettiar/The SPOKE

Productive partnership: Chester County Hospital serves patients in Chester County as part of Penn Medicine. Penn Medicine employed physicians working at the hospital, and some of them were part of IBX and Penn Medicine’s program,

Miya Cao Sta Reporter Faith Zantua Co-Copy Editor

Jewish community responds to wave of antisemitism

As the police received more reports of antisemitic graffiti, Howard Griffel decided to take action. He posted images of the spray-painted swastikas on Nextdoor, a social media platform designed to connect neighbors, to inform the community of the vandalism.

“I didn’t (post) for 24 hours because candidly, as a Jew, a Holocaust survivor and an immigrant, I knew enough to know that I needed to be concerned and even nervous about putting myself out there because God only knows what kind of backlash I might receive,” Griffel said. “I decided that I had to take a chance because I could not do nothing.”

His posts showing photos of the vandalism and conveying his shock and sadness at the acts amassed more than 1,600 reactions and comments on Nextdoor. Rabbi Kami Knapp Schechter from the Congregation Or Shalom, a synagogue within the district, agreed with Griffel’s sentiments toward the graffiti and believes that putting a quick end to these events is crucial.

“If we’re not prepared, (and) if we’re not vigilant in stopping the hate the minute we see it, we know that (this antisemitism can) escalate. Just writing something off as ‘Oh, it was graffiti. It was no big deal. You know, let’s just move past it,’ (is) when things tend to escalate,” Schechter said.

After Griffel gained traction through his posts, he heard about a local group called T/E Jewish Connections through his daughter-in-

law, who is a member, and quickly began collaborating with the organization to fight antisemitism in the area.

On April 2, after learning about the vandalism on the property around the athletic fields of Valley Forge Middle School, Lisa Schreiber, a Jewish district resident and mother of a Conestoga student, grew concerned. She founded T/E Jewish Connections, a group dedicated to taking action against antisemitism, which now includes around 32 Jewish families.

“T/E Jewish Connections is an informal group of Jewish residents in the township who have come together in the wake of an uptick in Jewish hate in the community to support one another, share resources, and collaborate to raise awareness of and enhance responses to antisemitism in T/E,” Schreiber said.

Members of T/E Jewish Connections began discussing their concerns about the antisemitic vandalism with various authorities, including township supervisors, school district officials and political representatives.

“We can no longer say this isn’t in our backyard,” Schreiber said. “It is here, and we have to deal with it.”

T/E Jewish Connections takes legislative, community action

On May 15, T/E Jewish Connections met with Pennsylvania House Rep. Melissa Shusterman, a Jewish Legislative Caucus member in the Pa. House of Representatives. At this meeting, the group discussed the proposed Tredyffrin Township Resolution No. 2023-16 that defines antisemitism, con-

demns all forms of discrimination and endorses four Pa. House bills designed to strengthen Pennsylvania’s anti-hate crime legislation.

“I was really thrilled to hear (T/E Jewish Connections) was emerging because I think it is critical to share experiences and to make sure that (the Jewish community and its concerns are) both seen and heard throughout the community,” Shusterman said.

T/E Jewish Connections members, including Schreiber and Griffel, spoke at a Tredyffrin Township Board of Supervisors meeting on May 22, during which the board voted unanimously to pass the

Chester County funds behavioral health initiatives

Chester County received $100 million in federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act, a $1.9 trillion economic stimulus bill for pandemic recovery, in April.

An ARPA Selection Committee consisting of county officials, like County Commissioners Josh Maxwell and Michelle Kichline along with the Commissioners’ Chair Marian Moskowitz, and other officials allocated $22 million of this funding to behavioral health initiatives.

Community Volunteers in Medicine will recieve $1 million from the county over the next three years. It provides free healthcare including medical, dental and behavioral health services to low-income, uninsured workers and their families. Like The Clinic, CVIM also plans to allocate funding to accommodate its Latino community.

resolution. Additionally, on May 24, the Pa. House Judiciary Committee approved the four proposed anti-hate crime bills, clearing them for further consideration.

In addition to seeking legislative action, T/E Jewish Connections also began leading more grassroots initiatives, including starting a GoFundMe page to raise money for a public awareness campaign. This would allow the organization to fund the creation of yard signs for residents to show support for the Jewish community. As of May 31, the organization raised more than $7,000 for its cause.

On June 4, T/E Jewish Conections held a rally against antisemitism at the Forge Mountain development, the same place where Griffel found a swastika over a month earlier. The event was open to the public, and event organizers passed out free “anti-hate” yard signs to attendees, displaying messages of support for the Jewish community.

The organization also hopes for more extensive education in TESD about the Jewish community and antisemitism in order to prevent further discrimination.

“We do want to give a course of action and call for more integration of antisemitic (awareness) in our education system,” Schreiber said. “Students should have a literacy for what antisemitism is and what a swastika is and what it means. If that message can get through, that would be wonderful.”

Since the week of April 17, there have been no more reported cases of antisemitic vandalism in T/E. Rindner hopes the community has seen the last of the graffiti and heals from them through kindness and empathy.

“I think that people just really need to realize the significance of (antisemitic) events, how important they are and what they actually mean because I feel like people don’t really understand,” Rinder said. “I think that’s when people actually understand how this makes a whole group of people feel.”

TESD staff participate in lockdown drills

Lizzie Sun Staff Reporter

During the last semester of the 2022-23 academic year, the Tredyffrin/Easttown School District began conducting emergency preparedness training, or “slow motion” lockdown drills for all school staff.

Different from a regular lockdown drill, the slow motion lockdown drills had students dismissed early for a half-day, leaving the school for the teachers to operate the drill. Additionally, the district invited local authorities such as the police and EMS responders for an additional perspective in certain stimulated situations.

The district implemented the drills over several months in every school in the district. Conestoga High School biology teacher Jacqueline Gontarek, who participated in a slow motion drill, reflects on how her experiences during the drill offered new insight into how to respond during a crisis.

“I thought the (drill) was a fantastic opportunity to see the layout of each room in the hall in your particular hallway through the eyes of a police officer,” Gontarek said. “(The police) see things differently, and it was great to get their perspective.”

Dr. Patrick Boyle, 12th-grade assistant principal and Conestoga Facilities Use Coordinator, ran and organized the emergency preparedness training drill at the school, which took place on April

26. He feels the drills helped staff learn to better prepare themselves.

“We did a safety drill in our school community for our teachers and staff members,” Boyle said. “This (safety drill) would allow them to understand how to use the building to best protect themselves and the students in case of emergency.”

The slow motion staff drill was a mock lockdown drill involving small groups of staff, school administrators and police officers. All staff including secretaries, kitchen staff, custodians and teachers rehearsed the drill, pausing for questions and group discussions regard-

ing the staff’s workspace and possible scenarios.

“We went through every single classroom along the hallway, and it was good to see different rooms because sometimes you’re going to be in a different room if something happens,” Gontarek said. “And we all identified what was the plan to keep kids safe, and how and where would we leave the room.”

Gonterak feels that the drills improve school safety and make staff more aware of what to do in emergency scenarios, and conducting them again in the future would yield positive results.

“I think everybody should have the opportunity to learn

from this,” Gontarek said. “I think it’s a good idea to do it at least once a year.”

Chris Groppe, Director of Safety and Student Services, planned TESD’s emergency preparedness training for staff and student safety several months ago in the face of national school violence to meet the district’s obligation of maintaining people’s safety.

“I think the community feels that we are doing our job of keeping students and people in this building safe,” Boyle said. “However, it’s unfortunate that we have to do these drills due to the situations that are happening outside.”

“It was a major priority for us to invest heavily in the health of our residents, especially in light of what we learned from the COVID pandemic,” said commissioners’ chairwoman Moskowitz, in an article with the Daily Local News.

One organization that received funding is The Clinic located in Phoenixville, which provides healthcare for almost 1,700 uninsured patients a year. It received $576,000 from the County and plan to use it toward upgrading its behavioral and mental health program.

“Behavioral mental health is something that I am personally passionate about,” said Christi Seidel, executive director of The Clinic. “My goal was to provide those services to people before they get to a crisis situation.”

The Clinic plans to hire licensed Spanish-speaking social workers to help the Latino community it serves, along with behavioral health specialists and psychiatrists.

“CVIM has two volunteer psychiatrists and about five volunteer counselors on our behavioral health team. The team is led by one bilingual behavioral health counselor on staff. We are using some of the ARPA funding from Chester County to add an additional Spanish-speaking counselor who is available one day a week,” Julie Rusenko, Vice President of Development at CVIM, wrote in an email.

The county also allocated funding to improve physical health in Chester County. The Melton Center, an organization in West Chester that provides educational and recreational programs for its community also received funding. It partnered with the 2Fish Community Cafe to offer nutritional dinners once a week for the community.

Along with funding behavioral health initiatives, the county plans to create mobile behavioral health response teams. A main goal of the county is to build a 24/7 crisis center for mental health services. It hopes to ensure that mental health services are always available to community members.

Aid from authorities: A Berwyn Fire Company car is parked in front of Conestoga. Local EMS responders observed the drill process while police assisted participants, assessing situations from their point of view.

Turnpike transformation: Cars drive along the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission initiated the $117.8 million expansion project with the goal of decreasing traffic and making roads safer for drivers.

Pennsylvania Turnpike expands

Vaishnavi Sriadibhatla Staff Reporter

2.4 million vehicles use the 360-mile PA Turnpike annually. Its popularity stems from its ability to connect many densely-populated cities such as Pittsburgh, Harrisburg and Philadelphia.

The turnpike also proves to be one of the most efficient routes when traveling out of state, as it connects to the turnpikes of neighboring states New Jersey and Ohio. However, its popularity does come with several setbacks including large traffic jams, a lengthy commute and a growing concern about possible accidents.

T/E parent and resident Pooja Arora uses the turnpike frequently to New Jersey and has experienced the setbacks.

“Recently I have seen a steep increase in traffic, especially after COVID-19 with everybody coming into the workplace

again. Often an additional 20 to 30 minutes are added onto my commute just because of the traffic,” Arora said.

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, an organization that has been in place since 1937, embarked upon a $117.8 million expansion project to combat the traffic. Spanning a two mile stretch of land, the project aims to widen the most used section of the turnpike between the Valley Forge Plaza and the Valley Forge Interchange — or mileposts 324 to 326, respectively.

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission plans on expanding the section by adding two additional lanes, expanding the turnpike from four to six lanes. Additionally, there are plans to reconstruct and improve a bridge currently located on this stretch of land between U.S. 422 and North Gulph Road. T/E parent and resident Theresa Madden-Pope has been using the turnpike for over

30 years and is looking forward to the changes the project will bring.

“The new project sounds extensive and expensive but is very needed,” Madden-Pope said. Several frequently-used roads in the T/E area will close during various times of the year to aid in the completion of this project. Some include Glenhardie Road, Richards Road and North Gulph Road. Glenhardie and Richards Road are both closed until July.

By undertaking this project, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission aims to decrease the amount of traffic on the turnpike and increase the overall safety of the highway. It estimates that it will complete the expansion by 2025.

“I think that the trade-offs are going to be beneficial in the long term,” Arora said. “With the new expansion projects, people’s commutes in the morning and afternoon are going to get significantly shorter.”

3 Monday June 5, 2023 News

Continued from page 1.

T/E Jewish Connections combats antisemitism

Lizzie Sun/The SPOKE

Lily Chen/The SPOKE Striking signs: T/E Jewish Connections members Howard Griffel (left) and Lisa Schreiber (right) present mockups of yard signs at a Tredyffrin Township Board of Supervisors meeting on May 22. T/E Jewish Connections designed the signs to show support for the Jewish community as part of a public awareness campaign regarding recent antisemItic vandalism in T/E.

SPOKE Clinical care: The Clinic, a health center that provides care to uninsured patients, recieved $576,000 from Chester County to fund its behavioral health program.

Soumya Sathyanarayana/The

Vaishnavi Sriadibhatla/The SPOKE

Soumya Sathyanarayana Social Media Editor

T/E LIFE

Berwyn Farmers’ Market sees successful launch

Aashita Singh Sta Reporter

Families rush toward the live music, charities and gourmet food stalls on a warm Sunday at the ultimate family-friendly shopping experience for all: the Berwyn Farmers’ Market.

e Berwyn Farmers’ Market features di erent vendors selling products, largely food and art, made by local chefs and artists. e market gives vendors an opportunity to start their own businesses. e event’s rst opening was on May 7 and will continue every Sunday from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. until October through its host organization, Culinary Harvest, an online farmers’ market. e co-owner, Carlos Luciano, was pleased with the opening of the Berwyn Farmers’ Market, as he felt it gained more attention than expected.

“I was choked up when we opened last week, when I saw a mob of people come to our market,” Luciano said. “Six whole months of planning was de nitely worth it.”

Luciano feels that the communnity needs to pay more attention to small businesses in Berwyn. He hopes that the Berwyn Farmers’ Market will play a part in directing attention to small businesses.

“I’ve always been passionate about local producers and their culinary art, and I’ve always rather supported them than a larger company or larger chain organization,” Luciano said.

A variety of vendors from small businesses plan to sell their products at the market. Chrissy Piombino-Bennet, owner of StudioFlora, a business selling pottery made by various local artists in Berwyn, believes the market can help small businesses ourish.

“ ere’s so many small businesses in Berwyn, and I believe Culinary Harvest has done a great job of supporting those businesses and bringing people together,” Piombino-Bennet said.

Many locals attended the opening of the Berwyn Farmers’ Market on May 7 and emphasized their joy at the results. Attendee Steve Arsenault, who is planning to become a vendor in September, explained that he will continue attending.

“I would like to visit the market again. It’s a great community resource,” Arsenault said. “My wife and I went there as visitors last weekend, and we bought apples, strawberries and egg rolls from the businesses that were delicious.”

e Berwyn Farmers’ Market is expected to stay every Sunday until fall in order to continue as a consistent summer event. Luciano believes that the market will continue for a couple of years.

“We are locked in for October, and we’ve made a commitment to host the market for at least three years,” Luciano said. “I’m condent in our commitment. I think this area was a zone that needed a farmers’ market, a curation of local producers to help the community.”

Seniors advance to nal round of international math competition

After 14 hours of math modeling, a group of Conestoga students advanced to the final round of the MathWorks Math Modeling Challenge (M3 Challenge), surpassing thousands of 11th and 12th graders from around the world.

Seniors James Johnson, Evan Lu, Daniel Tu, Vincent Yao and Evelyn Yu underwent two prior assessments; the first one was an online portion that took place in early March.

Mathematical modeling is the process in which math structures, such as graphs, equations and diagrams, are used to predict speci c situations. Math modeling helps create answers to problems and guides decision making. e M3 Challenge awards $100,000 in scholarship prizes to winning teams that create the best solutions to the given problems.

“It’s 14 hours of good math,” Yao said. “We didn’t really study too much, and it was all very

:Malvern Buttery

relaxed, but we tried our best. We all had a strong background in statistics and mathematical modeling. A lot of us knew how to code as well, so that helped.” is year, the competition tasked students with a threepart problem. First, they had to create a model of e-bike sales, estimating two years and ve years in the future. e second and third tasks were analyzing what factors pushed people to use e-bikes and their lasting impact, such as carbon emissions and tra c congestion.

“Traditional math competitions are a lot like doing crosswords, but the M3 competition is more like writing a book,” Yu said. “It’s a real world problem and you have to apply real-world knowledge to it. It’s much more statistical in nature, and it’s not about what quirky things you can do to play with numbers. It’s more applied, whereas traditional math competitions have been much more pure math-based.”

The final live judging round was in New York City on April 24. The finalist teams present-

ed their answers to the judges from the prior online portion. Jane Street, a trading firm, hosted the competition and also gave the students a tour of its facilities.

“We didn’t really expect anything out of (the competition) and we were really surprised when we were noti ed that we went on to the second round,” Johnson said. “I was de nitely a little nervous before we were presenting and when we were on stage. ere’s no way that any of us could have done this ourselves. We all brought to the table di erent math backgrounds, and it made the experience much more fun as well.” Conestoga’s team ended up placing top six in the country and won a $5,000 prize.

“I was just there with a ton of other really accomplished people,” Yu said. “That was insane. It was awesome but also kind of scary to meet people who had done so much with their lives. They were all gas, no breaks and meeting people was just really cool.”

Co-Managing Editor

Located in the heart of the borough, the industrially-designed Malvern Buttery provides fresh dishes and pastries, as well as a lively atmosphere, to a bustling crowd. With a rotating menu, the restaurant offers an array of selections served cafeteria-style, with pastries, sandwiches, salads and quiches lining the restaurant’s countertop. Customers make their selections and payment at the countertop in a relatively quick process considering the

busy atmosphere. Customers can order coffee from a multitude of drink types and flavors, in addition to a variety of juices and teas.

The morning bun consisted of a fresh dough base, coated in cinnamon and sugar. A hint of apple flavor gave the dough a subtle, sweet variation. A crisp, golden-brown outside surrounded the soft, fluffy center. A simple flavor combination was well-executed, providing a nice addition to a morning cup of coffee.

Malvern Buttery’s crumb cake was a delicious take on this classic breakfast sweet.

The cake offered simple vanilla flavor, which was not overpowered by the cinnamon of the crumb topping. The buttery notes of the topping gave a rich, velvety texture and were a valuable element of the dish. Additionally, the ratio of cake to topping was properly balanced. A dusting of powdered sugar topped the dish, adding to its aesthetic appeal.

The restaurant put a unique twist on a traditional breakfast dish with its corn and chorizo quiche. A soft, flavorful egg base was encased in a flaky, savory pie dough.

The additions of corn and chorizo complemented each other well: the chorizo added a kick of flavor and spice while the corn provided notes of sweetness. Cheese and onion further added to the variety of flavors and textures within the dish. The quiche was certainly a standout selection of the morning. With its numerous, freshly-made dishes, Malvern Buttery is a great spot for your next breakfast or lunch endeavor. Its high-quality, well-portioned servings are sure to satisfy anyone’s morning or midday cravings.

Malvern Buttery

233 E King St, Malvern, PA 19355

Price: $$

Rating:

Phone: 610-296-2534

Monday-Sunday 8:00 a.m.- 2 p.m.

Scan the QR code to watch a package on the Unity Fair

Monday, June 5, 2023

Building business: Chrissy Piombino-Bennet sells her oral arrangements and pottery at the Berwyn Farmers’ Market. The market o ered vendors the opportunity to draw attention to their businesses. Aashita Singh/The SPOKE Abby Bagby Delicious dish: Malvern Buttery serves corn and chorizo quiche among numerous other dishes and pastries. The dish was a standout in the meal. Pastries galore: Malvern Buttery o ers various sweet breakfast treats. The crumb cake and morning bun o ered delicious cinnamon-based avors encompassed in a pretty package. Abby Bagby/The SPOKE Abby Bagby/The SPOKE Courtesy MathWorks Math Modeling Challenge Math masters: Senior Evelyn Yu explains the team’s ndings to a panel of judges. The team presented on April 24 in New York, ultimately placing top six out of thousands of competing teams and winning a $5,000 prize. Audrey Kim Sta Reporter

Teacher Feature: Brooke Eidell

Biology and environmental science enthusiast Brooke Eidell spreads her knowledge of both subjects to students at Conestoga. She teaches AP Biology to freshmen as well as accelerated environmental science to the other grades.

Eidell attended Pennsylvania State University and earned her undergraduate degree in both biology and chemistry. She furthered her

Celebrating South Asian culture: Desi Club holds Desi Night

After receiving requests to host more events representing Indian culture, leaders of Desi Club decided to organize Desi Night to raise awareness and honor South Asian culture.

“Many people came up to me (after the Holi celebration) saying that they enjoyed themselves and that it was nice to see South Asian culture being represented at Conestoga,” said junior and Desi Club president Maanasa Gogula. “They wanted more events where they could enjoy themselves and feel as part of a community.”

On Thursday, May 25, Desi Night took place from 5:30-8:30 p.m. in Conestoga’s cafeteria and small gym. Desi Club invited community members of all backgrounds to share and learn about South Asian culture, with tickets running $10 per person.

“It’s nice to address the culture and spend time with people that also are part of my culture, and get to know each other,”

junior Kavya Ragothaman said. “I think it’s really hard to do that around school.”

Traditional South Asian food, music and dance were at the forefront of the night’s festivities. Students arrived in traditional Indian attire, including lehengas, saris and kurtas. Desi Club leaders ordered food from Godavari, a local Indian restaurant that featured food from South and North Indian, Nepali and Sri Lankan culture. The most popular food was the fountain of pani puri: an Indian street food consisting of crispy, hollow dough balls filled with a mixture of potatoes and sauce.

“Everyone looked really nice tonight, especially since they wore traditional clothes. It’s fun seeing everyone’s different attire because we don’t really see it that much,” freshman Vibha Besagi said. In the dance room, attendees listened to music from Bollywood and other lm industries in India. Additionally, there was a henna station where attendees could paint intricate designs on their hands.

“It is important to hold events like these because it spreads awareness of not only South Asian culture, but other (Indian) cultures as well. These events basically create more of a community,” Gogula said. “Conestoga’s already so diverse, and it’s important that each person knows and learns about each other’s cultures so that they can understand other people as humans.”

education at both Kutztown University and University of Pennsylvania. She began her teaching career at Conestoga 21 years ago and has taught not only biology and environmental science, but also genetics in the past.

“I like teaching high school kids because (high school work is) content driven. They’re learning science at a higher level,” Eidell said.

As well as being a science teacher, Eidell also spends a lot of her time as the junior class adviser for the Student

Council. According to Eidell, she loves to see her incredibly talented former students in a completely different light during the Junior Cabaret, a talent show to raise money for junior prom.

“I see (former students) out in a creative space as opposed to an academic space, and even the students that I do not know and have not taught, I get to see so much talent. It always makes me so jealous of how talented everyone is here,” Eidell said.

With the responsibility of junior class adviser comes not

only planning the Junior Cabaret but also organizing junior prom, which she believes to be an especially time-consuming task. Eidell organizes the location of prom as well as many other aspects while advising the junior students.

“I would say it is the first real formal dance that ’Stoga students have. It’s a lot of work, but the night is always really fun,” Eidell said. Along with teaching, Eidell loves to spend time with her nieces. Her nieces are 10 and 4 years old, and they enjoy the same activities as Eidell, such as hiking, listening to music and being outside.

“They are (at) really cool ages. Actually no matter what age they are, they are really fun to be around. They like to do the same things I like to do,” Eidell said. Eidell also enjoys travelling. She has visited many European countries, including England, Italy, Amsterdam, France, Ireland and Iceland.

“I will travel anywhere. I will go anywhere with anybody. My favorite places (that) I’ve been (to) are in Europe, but my favorite place I’ve ever gone (to) was Iceland which was pretty cool,” Eidell said. With her involvement as an AP Biology teacher, the junior class adviser and an environmental science teacher, Eidell continues to push students to pursue science in their careers in the future.

“It’s exciting to see (students) work their brains and understand concepts that are challenging,” Eidell said. “They (the students) are also fun because they are at an age where (we) can joke around together, (which is why) it is always fun coming to work.”

Community honors Esther Long

Singing, crying and laughing lled Conestoga’s atrium as members of the Tredy rin/Easttown community honored 98-year-old Esther Long, the last surviving student of the 1932-34 Berwyn School Fight.

In 1932, the school district sent its white grammar students to a new and modern elementary school while sending the Black students and teachers to an old administrative building on the side of the Lincoln Highway. e policy did not go without a ght: a er two years of Black families protesting — o en by pulling their children out of school — the original state of integrated schools returned.

“ roughout our life (Long) has demonstrated an unwavering

commitment to justice, equality and human dignity. Her tireless effort has made a signi cant impact on several people and advanced the cause of civil rights in our community,” said Reverend Scott Dorsey, former T/E School Board president and one of the nine speakers who presented speeches or songs during the ceremony on Saturday, April 29.

Long, who was 7 years old at the time, was among the 200 children whose schooling was disrupted. She recalls the exact moment when she discovered that she would no longer be attending school.

During the program, the school board passed a resolution to honor Long. District superintendent Richard Gusick notes the importance of acknowledging local history.

“When we share the stories of our own community, our

students are more likely to feel connected to our past and our shared heritage,” Gusick said. “When our students explore local history, they can more easily understand how history is not only about far away places and unknown people.”

Long’s impact, however, extends beyond legislation. Senior Jaela Eaton, one of the speakers of the event, appreciates Long’s lasting impact on current African American students in the district.

“To be here in this moment with her and show her how much of an inspiration she is to me was really nice to see,” Eaton said. “Without the sacrifices of her and these other students, the Black students in the district would not be where they are today and would not be able to do the work that they do today.”

Robotics Team competes at VEX Robotics World Championships

From designing meetings to coding all night, Conestoga Robotics members dedicated nearly 30 hours of weekly preparation to finalize designs for the 2023 VEX Robotics World Championship, according to sophomore Aditya Kothari. For 6121A and 6121C, the two Conestoga teams that qualified for the world championships, the process of building a functioning robot from metal pieces and screws was an extensive, season-long endeavor.

The VEX Robotics program releases a new game each season for members across the globe to build robots to compete at its World Championships, held annually in Dallas, Texas from April 23 to 26. This

year’s theme was “Spin Up,” a frisbee golf in spired game in which teams designed a robot that shoots discs into goal posts. The robot typically goes through multiple versions throughout the season before the design is finalized.

“What we build over the summer in July might not be the best robot we build in February, a month before states. Throughout the season, we’re prototyping different things,” Kothari, co-captain of team 6121C, said.

Team 6121C designed a catapult robot, which synchronizes shooting three discs into goal posts using a “grouping” mechanism. Additionally, the team’s expansion engineers developed a string expansion mechanism through which the robot can maximize its size, a secondary objective

which awards extra points in competition. Kothari noted that integrating all of his team members’ roles was challenging, but remained his priority as co-captain.

“Having a couple people doing all the important things, and having other people do all the dirty work, (is) the model other teams have done in the past,” Kothari said. “But since we’ve involved all our members, I feel like our team is full of skilled individuals who can pitch their own ideas and help make the robot better.”

Junior William Wan, a member of team 6121A, explained that his team needed to rework its robot design due to a misunderstanding regarding one of the game’s rules. He notes that although there were initially signi cant obstacles for the team, he saw improvement in communication later in the season.

“We encountered a communication roadblock toward the middle of the season, but we were able to pinpoint that and shi our dynamic,” Wan

said. “As the season progressed, the dynamic had to evolve to become more e cient, or we would pay the price of not qualifying to where we wanted to.”

Besides strengthening the team culture, the competition also fostered a commmunity where multiple robotics teams can meet. e opportunity to

meet diverse members from different cultures around the world is a highlight for many attendees.

“Seeing people speak in their own languages, wearing their own, traditional clothing and just being themselves, is really different for us living in a very American culture. Seeing other cultures all around the world is very interesting,” Kothari said.

Wan believes that the grand scale of the World Championships makes the competition an even more exciting experience for members.

“We go from competition in a school gymnasium to a massive venue center where we get to meet teams from around the world,” Wan said. “It’s good exposure to see how we measure up to these bots that we know are the best of the best.”

T/E Life Monday, June 5, 2023 5

Hannah Simon Co-Copy Editor Let’s party: Students, dressed in traditional South Asian attire, cheer sophomore Sarah Sarwin as she dances in the center of a circle. Sarwin was one of 70 people who attended Desi Night on Thursday, May 25. Desi Club members will host a similar event in the summer. Maddie Pulliam Sta Reporter Abbie Preston and Zara Samdani Sta Reporter and Co-T/E Life Editor Maddie Pulliam/The SPOKE Emphatic emotions: Esther Long (second from right), a survivor of the Berwyn School Fight, recounts her experiences in the atrium on April 29. Long’s efforts have inspired other young African American students, such as sophomore Senae Harris (second from left) and senior Jaela Eaton (first from right). Tanisha Agrawal/The SPOKE Brilliant biologist: Science teacher Brooke Eidell teaches biology and environmental science. She attended Pennsylvania State University, where she earned her undergraduate degree in biology and chemistry. She will continue to spread her passion for these subjects to her students. Pedal to the metal: Junior David Wang (left) and sophomore Adi Kothari (right) prepare for a match at the World Championships in Dallas, Texas. Team 6121C placed amongst the top 16 teams. Courtesy Mary McDonald Zara Samdani/The SPOKE Shrija Krishnan Sta Reporter ling. She has visited many Eu- Scan the QR Code below for our package on the Devon Horse Show!

2023 Senior destinations

california

HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE (1)

SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY (2)

STANFORD UNIVERSITY (1)

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE (2)

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES (1)

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO (1)

colorado

UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ACADEMY (2)

UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO BOULDER (5)

HAWAII

UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI‘I, MĀNOA (1)

alabama

AUBURN UNIVERSITY (2)

UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA (2)

florida

EMBRY-RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY (1)

FLORIDA COLLEGE (1)

FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY (1)

RINGLING COLLEGE OF ART AND DESIGN (1)

ROLLINS COLLEGE (1)

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA (1)

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI (4)

georgia

EMORY UNIVERSITY (1)

GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (5)

UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA (1)

louisiana

TULANE UNIVERSITY (4)

north carolina

APPALACHIAN STATE UNIVERSITY (1)

DUKE UNIVERSITY (1)

ELON UNIVERSITY (5)

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA, CHAPEL HILL (4)

WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY (3)

IDAHO

IDAHO STATE UNIVERSITY (1)

OREGON

UNIVERSITY OF OREGON (1)

WASHINGTON

UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON (1)

south carolina

CLEMSON UNIVERSITY (7)

COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON (4)

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA (9)

tennessee

UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE (4)

VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY (2)

SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY (2)

UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON (1)

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, AUSTIN (1)

texas virginia

COLLEGE OF WILLIAM AND MARY (2)

JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY (2)

RANDOLPH-MACON COLLEGE (1)

UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND (2)

UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA (1)

VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE AND STATE UNIVERSITY (8)

pennsylvania

BRYN MAWR COLLEGE (1)

BUCKNELL UNIVERSITY (3)

CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY (3)

CHESTNUT HILL COLLEGE (1)

DELAWARE COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE (2)

DICKINSON COLLEGE (3)

DREXEL UNIVERSITY (9)

DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY (1)

FRANKLIN & MARSHALL COLLEGE (3)

GWYNEDD MERCY UNIVERSITY (1)

HAVERFORD COLLEGE (1)

IMMACULATA UNIVERSITY (1)

KING’S COLLEGE (1)

KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY (3)

LAFAYETTE COLLEGE (1)

LEHIGH UNIVERSITY (3)

PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY (33)

SAINT JOSEPH’S UNIVERSITY (3)

SHIPPENSBURG UNIVERSITY (1)

SLIPPERY ROCK UNIVERSITY (1)

SWARTHMORE COLLEGE (3)

TEMPLE UNIVERSITY (16)

THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSITY (5)

UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA (5)

UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH (21)

URSINUS COLLEGE (3)

VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY (7)

WEST CHESTER UNIVERSITY (7)

WIDENER UNIVERSITY (1)

illinois

LOYOLA UNIVERSITY CHICAGO (1)

NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY (1)

ROOSEVELT UNIVERSITY (1)

SCHOOL OF THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO (2)

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS URBANA-CHAMPAIGN (1)

indiana

INDIANA UNIVERSITY (5)

PURDUE UNIVERSITY (4)

CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY (1)

MCGILL UNIVERSITY (1)

UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (1)

UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO (1)

OTHER PLANS

ARMED FORCES (1)

GAP YEAR (1)

TRADE/VOCATIONAL SCHOOL (1)

T/E Life 6 Monday, June 5, 2023

midwest

INTERNATIONAL CANADA

south west

destinations map northeast

connecticut

CONNECTICUT COLLEGE (1)

FAIRFIELD UNIVERSITY (3)

SACRED HEART UNIVERSITY (1)

UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT (1)

YALE UNIVERSITY (2)

maine

BATES COLLEGE (1)

BOWDOIN COLLEGE (1)

massachusetts

BOSTON COLLEGE (3)

BOSTON UNIVERSITY (2)

midatlantic

delaware

UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE (7)

maryland

JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY (3)

LOYOLA UNIVERSITY MARYLAND (5)

MCDANIEL COLLEGE (1)

UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY (2)

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND (6)

new jersey

DREW UNIVERSITY (1)

MONMOUTH UNIVERSITY (1)

PRINCETON UNIVERSITY (5)

RUTGERS UNIVERSITY, NEW BRUNSWICK (4)

washington D.C.

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY (1)

GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY (3)

KANSAS

UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS (1)

michigan

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY (1)

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN (4)

ohio

CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY (1)

MIAMI UNIVERSITY (1)

OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY (2)

OHIO WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY (1)

IRELAND

TRINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN (1)

UNIVERSITY OF GALWAY (1)

ITALY

ISTITUTO D’ARTE APPLICATA E DESIGN (1)

UNIVERSITÀ DEGLI STUDI DI PADOVA (1)

POLAND

MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF LUBLIN (1)

Information compiled by The Spoke’s Editorial Board

All content on this map reflects information volunteered to The Spoke by the Class of 2023. Thus, it is not an exhaustive list of all seniors’ post-graduation plans.

GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY (3)

WEST VIRGINIA

WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY (2)

BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY (1)

COLLEGE OF THE HOLY CROSS (1)

NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY (9)

UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST (1)

new york

CORNELL UNIVERSITY (3)

FORDHAM UNIVERSITY (2)

HOBART AND WILLIAM SMITH COLLEGES (1)

ITHACA COLLEGE (3)

LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITY (1)

NEW YORK UNIVERSITY (6)

RENSSELAER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE (1)

ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (2)

STONY BROOK UNIVERSITY (1)

SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY (4)

UNITED STATES MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY (1)

UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY (1)

UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER (1)

rhode island

BROWN UNIVERSITY (1)

vermont

UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT (7)

A total of 400 seniors respond to The Spoke’s requests for information about their post-high school plans. Seniors submitted their responses via an optional survey shared with students through Schoology, school email, Instagram, Facebook and The Spoke’s website. Of the 400 seniors who responded, nine abstained. Roughly 150 seniors did not respond to The Spoke’s request for information.

The Spoke’s Editorial Board voted 12-10 in favor of removing student names from the Senior Destinations Map. Read a Letter From the Editor on page 9 for more information about this change.

7 Monday, June 5, 2023 T/E Life 0 1-9 10-19 20+ number of students per state 0 1-5 6-10 21+ 11-15 16-20

Jui Bhatia Co-Opinion Editor

We’ve all heard complaints about our use of technology, either in the form of a passive aggressive suggestion to maybe “get o that phone and interact with the real world,” or in the form of a lecture telling us how we’re “addicted to the screens.” e thought process behind these claims is reasonable; they genuinely do come from a place of concern, but it is the false narrative and hypocrisy behind these claims, as well as the unreasonable amount of things we are told are because of the phone, that

Parents, stop blaming the phone

make it tough for teenagers to take this advice seriously.

According to a 2020 study by the Pew Research Center, nearly 75% of parents surveyed felt that the harms of technology outweigh the bene ts.

Yet, a 2014 Boston Medical Center study that observed the behavior of parents in front of their kids found that 40 of the 55 parents observed used their phones during meals and while spending time with their kids. Even if the parents picked up their phone to do something they considered urgent or important, such as reply to an email or pick up a call about work,

Fanny packs: The underdog accessory you need

purpose. Whether it is your long-beloved 0.7-point mechanical pencil or never-ending supply of salt packets, all your essentials are within hand’s reach.

Je rey Heng Sta Reporter

Backpacks, duffel bags, satchels and purses.

Throughout Conestoga, these bags o en form the supply-carrying foundation for the student body. However, it always astounds me how many people overlook possibly one of the most versatile pieces of inventory on the shelves: the fanny pack.

Fanny packs are small, fabric pouches usually worn around the waist and secured with buckled straps. ese

“belt bags” were used since they originated in Native American bu alo pouches, an alternative to sewn pockets. Positioned in front of the body, the location of the bag provided protection from thieving bandits.

These bags resurged in popularity recently due to high-end brands, such as Gucci, which featured celebrities on runways showcasing the iconic bag. And let’s not forget about Dwayne Johnson’s incredible photo taken in the 90s — a turtleneck, a necklace, and of course, an infamous fanny pack. Johnson retook the photo in 2017 while hosting “Saturday Night Live,” engaging another push for its popularity.

Now, don’t get me wrong, the front-fastened position makes it seem like you’ve grown a kangaroo pouch. But here’s the catch: unlike kangaroos limited to one joey, you can carry multiple. In this case, the joeys are your essentials, but the pouches serve the same

In addition, fanny packs are a distinguishable sense of fashion. e North Face website, for example, features a variety of gender-neutral fanny packs, proving everyone has a selection

spine and muscles. By combining the use of a fanny pack, the weight of a he y backpack is distributed and can improve student posture. Some will argue that fanny packs, despite their multiple capabilities, are limited by their small size. is is true, and fanny packs are by no means ready to replace backpacks or eliminate their use. However, they serve as an alternative spot for small commodities. Even though they cannot hold large textbooks or laptops, they can thrive on their own by holding smaller essentials.

ey are like the lifeboats on the side of a cruise; they hold a few objects, but still are fully functional.

ogy, it really shouldn’t come as a surprise when kids are unable to recognize the extent to which they’re using their phones, especially if parents are blind to their own technology habits.

Additionally, phones provide a respite for many teenagers from the problems they see in the world around them. It is no secret that our world is more connected than ever before, and along with this comes a barrage of news and events from all around world that often focuses on negativity.

is, coupled with the stress of today’s world, make kids naturally turn to their phones for a break from the real world.

Moreover, since developers create apps to keep people occupied and addicted by using motivators such as likes, game rewards and streaks,

teens nd themselves wanting to spend more time on their phone. However, these factors are rarely, if ever, addressed when kids are being told that they shouldn’t use their phones; instead, they are blamed for their habits, as if they are una ected by these outside factors. is is not to say that our technology usage is completely harmless. Technology, especially social media apps such as TikTok that encourage quick content, have been correlated with shorter attention spans, according to a study in the Nature Communications journal. However, to actually a ect change, parents and other adults need to stop immediately criticizing their children and take a better approach to actually listen and work with their kids to get to the root of the issue. Adults must start recognizing the impact their habits and criticisms have on the children around them. Only then can we truly create change.

Spilling the beans: The bitter side effects of coffee

their waist, those wearing fanny packs di erentiate from the basic belt. Even if the bag clashes with your style, you’re still making a statement that will de nitely start conversations.

In terms of health, fanny packs can support balance. Although many students rely on a single backpack to hold their inventory, this can ultimately lead to serious back pain. An article by the Mayo Clinic Health System suggests that students carry no more than 15% of their body weight in a backpack; yet, many students report that they experience soreness in their

With the busy lives that many ’Stoga students have, fanny packs would serve a major convenience. A compact, low-waist bag holds supplies with ease that would otherwise contribute to an already heavy backpack. So, when you go back-to-school shopping in a few months, think about investing in a fanny pack, the underdog staple of the fashion industry.

Every morning when I walk into school, I have no idea what to expect. However, there is always one thing I know I can count on: co ee.

I always see students and teachers alike milling about with a co ee cup in hand, reveling in how much they love it, leaving those who happened to forget their daily cup at home to grovel in bitterness. is long-standing obsession with co ee is not new; with students packing their evenings with homework, extracurriculars and a life, and teachers tending to their personal lives, it is understandable to see how sleep may fall to the waysideand someone would need an extra boost the next day. While co ee may taste good, it is time to spill the beans on how co ee

may pose great harm to people’s health and their wallet.

Co ee can hinder sleep. McGill University found that caffeine blocks adenosine, a neuromodulator that slows down neural activity, from attaching to receptors in the central nervous system, which causes overstimulation. While this might be good to get through those days in which someone is especially tired, it can be detrimental in the long run. According to the Sleep Foundation, those who use coffee to counteract the e ects of sleep deprivation are more likely to exhibit symptoms of insomnia, leading to less quality sleep. is perpetuates the cycle of unhealthy sleep, which is especially harmful for students since their bodies and minds need that rest to develop and heal from the previous day.

Additionally, co ee can increase stress levels. A study conducted by Duke Health found

that adrenaline levels in those who drank 250 milligrams of ca eine, equivalent to four cups of co ee, rose by 32% over the course of a week and their perceived psychological and physiological stress increased greatly. Students and teachers, for whom the stressors of life never cease, can experience prolonged stress levels that can cause major problems such as high blood pressure and an elevated heart rate. Over long periods of time, they can cause serious health issues.

Dependence on coffee can also be expensive. According to Zippia, 62% of Americans drink coffee daily, with the average American spending about $2,130 per year on coffee. Compounded over 50 years, that is equivalent to tuition for a four-year in-state university education. Coffee can be, especially for those who find themselves particularly attached to the beverage,

SORRY, WE MISSPOKE

an expensive and frivolous habit to indulge in.

Many argue that coffee is actually beneficial to one’s health, preventing the onset of many chronic diseases.

The Harvard School of Public Health states that coffee is associated with a lower chance of heart disease and Parkinson’s disease and can reduce the chances of early death. While this may be true, coffee exacerbates the stress in someone’s life and promotes poor sleep, which can bring about these same health problems.

Co ee is the staple drink of the sleep-deprived and fatigued, consumed to rejuvenate, but this should not be the case. Instead, prioritize sleep and incorporate other healthy habits, such as good diet and exercise, to lessen attachments to co ee, and maybe, grind out co ee altogether. Trust me, your mind and body will thank you.

The Sta www.spoke.news

Editor-in-Chief: Ben Shapiro

Managing Editors: Abby Bagby, Shreya Vaidhyanathan

News Editors : Aren Framil, Howard Kim

T/E Life Editors: Zara Samdani, Maya Shah

Opinion Editors: Jui Bhatia, Raima Saha

Sports Editors: Tanisha Agrawal, Juliana Yao

Copy Editors: Hannah Simon, Faith Zantua

Design Editor: Lily Chen

Photography Editor: Mareska Chettiar

Webmaster : Rohan Anne

Multimedia Editors: Rowan Chetty, Grace Kuryan

Social Media Editor : Soumya Sathyanarayana

Sta Development Coordinators: Katherine Emmanuel, George Zhang

Business Manager: Michael Tierney Sta Reporters : Prashi Agarwal, Miya Cao, Alex Carder, Vanessa Chen, Abby Chong, Ryan Ding, Isabelle Emmanuel, Saktisri Gowrishankar, Joanna Harris, Je rey Heng, Evangeline Kennedy, Audrey Kim, Bailey Kreszswick, Sowmya Krishna, Shrija Krishnan, Lexi Lin, Maggie Neary, Riddima Pandey, Lauren Pinheiro, Abbie Preston, Maddie Pulliam, Louisa Sandor , Emily Scheer, Sosi Sengal, Aashita Singh, Eshan Singh, Vaishnavi Sriadibhatla, Lizzie Sun, Alexa Willrich, Mary Wolters

Cartoonists: Hannah Gupta, Chiho Jing, Eden Liu, Maira Usmani, Katelyn Wang

Faculty Advisers : Alison Ferriola, Laura Howard, Nicole Zakorchemny

Non-sta contributions: Non-sta contributions from students, the community, graduates or other interested parties are welcome. Editors will decide which contributions are published based on space and relevance to the community. All contributions

The Spoke.

Paid

Monday, June 5, 2023

OPINION

it showed the children that this was acceptable behavior.

Especially for children under the age of 10, who mainly only in-

Raima Saha

Co-Opinion Editor

teract with their family, the technology usage around them con-

ditions them to want to also take part in that activity. is makes it

likely that when the child does get a phone, they will want to use it of-

ten and without restrictions. With such a widespread use of technol-

@thespoke

the_spoke hello@spoke.news

@thespoke

/thespoke

must conform to journalistic practices, including accuracy, timeliness, purpose and writing conventions. The Spoke reserves the right to work with the contributor to meet these standards. All outside contributions are bylined. Letters to the editor: Letters to the editor may be submitted to Editor-in-Chief Ben Shapiro, or advisers Alison Ferriola, Laura Howard and Nicole Zakorchemny. Editorials: Unsigned editorials represent the views of The Spoke editorial board, not necessarily those of the administration, student body, community or advertisers. The opinions expressed in signed columns are those of the writer and not necessarily the opinion of

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

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

Katelyn Wang/The SPOKE

In the April issue, on page 1 and 5, Kelly Campbell’s title of Miss Teen Pennsylvania is incorrect. The correct title is USOA Teen Pennsylvania 2023. On page 9, the statement that Conestoga has not had a throwing coach since 2000 is incorrect. Eden Liu /The SPOKE

these bags many people overlook small, fabric pouchbu alo pouches, an alternative to sewn These bags reto choose from. While many lack accessories around

use. However, they serve as an alternative spot for small lifeboats on the side

students

with ease that would

erwise contribute to an already heavy backpack. a fanny pack, the underdog staple Raima Saha/The SPOKE Scan the QR code below for an accompanying video package! N N O N N O N N O N N N N O N N N N O N N

Conestoga,

their

’Stoga

plies

oth-

Katherine Emmanuel Co-Sta Development Coordinator

e term “summer vacation” inherently suggests a time of leisure and relaxation. However, in today’s competitive academic environment, students frequently view this period as an opportunity to bolster their resumes instead. With the availability of jobs, internships and summer programs, it has become crucial for us, as students, to strike a balance and nd a healthier approach to utilizing our vacation time.

By taking time to rest and recharge, students can enhance their overall productivity and performance in the academic sphere and can minimize the

Breaking down summer break

risk of burning out. e National Institutes of Health reports that nearly 20% of children and young people aged 3-17 in the United States have a mental, emotional, developmental or behavioral disorder, and suicidal tendencies among high school students increased more than 40% in the decade before 2019. By shi ing our perspective and utilizing the summer as a true break rather than solely focusing on extracurricular achievements, we can foster a healthier approach to self-care. Summer break o ers a valuable opportunity to address and im-

prove our mental health, which in turn has a positive impact on our overall well-being and academic performance for the coming school year.

demic life, it is easy to overlook the signi cance of quality time with family members. During the school year, I o en nd my schedule directly con icting

interactions during this break, students can forge deeper connections, share experiences and create lasting memories with their families.

Summertime also provides a unique chance to explore personal interests and passions. Engaging in hobbies, creative pursuits or sports activities can be incredibly fulfilling.

Additionally, the summer vacation presents an excellent occasion to strengthen family bonds and create lasting memories. Amidst the rigor of aca-

“I think fanny packs are an amazing accessory because they come in so many di erent sizes and colors, and you can put anything that you want inside of it.”

STUDENTS SPEAK OUT

Q: What is your opinion on fanny packs?

“I think fanny packs are stupid. You can just wear a backpack. I think they don’t store enough, and if you want to store stu when you’re walking around, you can just use a backpack.”

Club creation: Worth your

with that of my younger sister. Because of this, I am especially mindful to nd time during the summer to spend quality time with her. By prioritizing family

Scheduling time into my summer schedule to play tennis with friends is one way I unwind during the summertime. e camaraderie and connections formed through tennis

are immeasurable, creating a supportive community united by a shared passion. Ultimately, incorporating tennis into my summer routine allows me to nd joy, nurture friendships and cultivate valuable life skills, contributing to a well-rounded summer break experience. While the desire to enhance resumes and gain professional experiences is common, it is vital that students nd a healthy balance during the summer break. Instead of succumbing to the pressure of constant productivity, students can use the summer break to explore their interests, pursue hobbies or engage in meaningful social connections. is could involve spending quality time with friends and family, participating in outdoor activities, reading for pleasure or even taking up new creative pursuits. By valuing self-care, relaxation and personal growth, students can make the most of their summer break and set themselves up for long-term success in both their academic and personal lives.

“I think outside of school, fanny packs are ne, but in school you have backpacks, and they look really weird. ey don’t really go with any out t and you can’t really t anything important in there.”

“I think if you wear fanny packs with the right (out t), it would look good. If you have small items that won’t t in your pockets, you won’t have to carry a backpack. It’s also good to run in.”

e ort?

Taylor Swﬁt releases “Midnights” Deluxe version

+ Lana del Rey was amazing

- it was a letdown since Ice Spice’s verse felt out of place in “Karma”

Congress and White House agreed on a debt limit deal

+ they reached the deal just in time to avoid reaching the limit - the details are still unclear though the deal will be in place for the next two years

Joel Embiid wins league MVP

+ he became the ﬁrst Sixer to win MVP in more than 20 years - he did not perform as well as expected in the playo s

Writers Guild of America on strike

+ this is a great oppurtunity for the writers to negotiate higher pay - production is stalled on many shows, such as “Stranger Things”

Live-action remake of “Little Mermaid”

+ the casting is good, especially with Halle Bailey - some of the CGI is not as good as expected, and the original looked much better

“Fast & Furious 11” is out

+ Paul Walker’s daughter, Meadow Walker, is making a cameo as a tribute to him - the series feels like it has lost its plot and has gone on for too long

From the Editor: Why we removed student names from the Senior Destinations Map

What are the requirements to start a club?

At Conestoga, the process is relatively simple: all you need are 10 signatures, a sponsor and a meeting place.

While the simplicity of the process helps encourage passionate students to create clubs and explore their interests with friends, it also leaves the door open for others with misguided intentions. Why would anyone waste time creating a club they aren’t interested in? A simple answer: college admissions.

It’s no secret that colleges actively encourage students to found clubs. Take a look at any “Complete step-by-step guide to get into an Ivy” on the internet; colleges value leadership roles or commitments in their applicants, and clubs are some of the best ways to display them. It only makes sense that prospective applicants would want to increase their chances through club creation.

However, some people start clubs with the sole purpose of “founding a club,” and they lack the direction essential to the process. The entire point of college applications should not be to mold yourself to fit the applications — you should

be following your own interests and passions, not conforming them to fit specific criteria on a ridiculously long digital form. Yes, founding a club and displaying leadership help develop decision making skills, but it’s unlikely someone will put in enough time and effort to achieve desired results in an extracurricular they aren’t doing out of interest.

In fact, at Conestoga, some club applications are being turned down due to similarities shared with existing clubs. While many of these overlaps are likely unintentional, there’s a reason people want to start their own club instead of joining a related one — they think

it looks better to colleges. It doesn’t matter if they must go through the entire process of recruiting members and faculty and build everything from the ground up. It’s just another opportunity to demonstrate leadership, and leadership looks good.

If you’re looking to start a club, consider the following: will you enjoy putting in the work to achieve success? Does this seem like something you genuinely want to do? Are no similar clubs in existence? If your answer to these questions is yes, then feel free to go ahead! Clubs could be extremely valuable when created for the right reasons.

If starting a club isn’t the choice for you, there are several better alternatives to boost your college application. For those who play a sport, organizing fundraisers for your team or helping coach younger players are great ways to spice up your application. If you enjoy any hobbies, you could use them as a creative way to give back to the community.

I’m not saying that clubs themselves are inherently bad. There’s a reason that they are such a large part of high school student life. However, not only are unproductive clubs a waste of students’ time, they take up valuable time and space on faculty schedules.

Ben Shapiro Editor-in-Chief

Longtime readers of The Spoke may notice that the annual Senior Destinations Map looks different this year.

Since 1964, The Spoke has routinely published voluntarily-divulged information about where the members of Conestoga’s graduating class will spend their immediate future. The presentation of this information has changed shape over the years, transforming from a black-andwhite list of seniors planning on attending a college or university to a colorful and elaborate display of all post-high school plans — from gap years and study abroad programs to vocational schools and armed forces enlistments.

However, throughout the past six decades, one facet remained constant: The Spoke always attached graduates’ names to their post-high school plans.

This year, Tredyffrin/Easttown School District administration attempted to censor the publication of the Senior Destinations Map due to concerns that it is harmful to some students. While reasonable in intention, the district stepped beyond its legal rights.

With support from First Amendment advocacy organizations including the Student Press Freedom Initiative of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, the Student Press Law Center, the Journalism Education Association and the Pennsylvania School Press Association, The Spoke stood up for its constitutional rights to freedom of speech and of the press. TESD administration reversed course and allowed the Editorial Board to make its own journalistic decisions as it saw fit.

So, that’s what we did.

After days of discussion, in a 12-10 vote, the Editorial Board decided to remove student names from the 2023 Senior Destinations Map. The Editorial Board made this decision autonomously and without pressure from district officials.

As Editor-in-Chief, I respect and honor the outcome of this vote and all future votes

the Editorial Board takes; however, I maintain concerns about the decision.

Withholding the publication of facts — in this case, student names — falls short of the standards of journalistic integrity that the Associated Press lays out and to which The Spoke aspires.

I understand the concerns that some may misuse the information in the Senior Destinations Map to stigmatize post-graduation plans and that others may be the target of such reproach. These are valid worries and the district should do everything in its power to ensure that its students feel safe and supported. Despite this, I firmly believe that the map does not cause these problems, nor does removing student names resolve them. The media’s choice to refrain from publishing information is not the answer. As a school and community, we must focus on building adolescent resiliency and fostering a cultural shift away from judgment and toward acceptance of differences.

Until we see this shift, the misuse of facts to cause harm will continue to inhibit the media’s primary function: reporting the news.

Check out the 2023 Senior Destinations Map on pages 6 and 7!

CReport Card

C+

B+ B-

Jessica Joseph, freshman - Sayan Das, senior - Declan Brydle, junior Michael Yang, sophomore -

9 Monday, June 5, 2023 OP/ED

Katelyn Wang/The SPOKE

Chiho Jing/The SPOKE

Ryan Ding Sta Reporter

Hannah Gupta/The SPOKE

From Emerald Isle to Sunshine State: Boys rugby excels internationally

Michael Tierney Business Manager

As the nal whistle blows on the boys rugby season, the team looks back on an unforgettable journey that took them from the rolling green hills of Ireland to the sunny shores of Florida. Two of the team players represented the team in a national tournament, cementing their status as rising stars in the rugby world.

Despite an early playo loss, the team had an exceptional season. Sophomore Roman Cammarata and junior Caius Michlitsch were selected for the annual Tropical 7’s tournament, a gathering of the best rugby players in America. Meanwhile, juniors Kieran Howell, Nate Moon, Jeremy Torreson and Liam La an and seniors Charlie Bascome and Rob Lariviere ew overseas to Dublin, Ireland to play internationally.

The team trip to Ireland lasted six days and gave the players the opportunity to explore Dublin, watch professional rugby matches and compete against Irish teams. The six players teamed up with the Downingtown High School rugby team against the Irish squads. Although they did not win any matches against the approximately 150-year-old Irish programs, Howell managed to score the only try of the trip for his team.

“Scoring the only try honestly surprised me. They played really good defense, and I just pushed through them, caught some speed and ran it in,” Howell said.

Although that was the only score of the week for the team, the experience and knowledge they gained from the trip was invaluable. The strategies they learned proved to be beneficial going into the homestretch of their season.

“We brought several rugby techniques back from the trip. We were able to use some of them when we played, and the techniques really helped us out in the last game of our season,” Howell said.

In addition to playing rugby, the team watched two professional matches and explored the vibrant culture of Dublin, all while boosting team morale.

“Spending time with my teammates as a group was great because we got to learn more about each other in a different country while bonding and having a lot of fun,” Moon said.

Meanwhile, across the Atlantic Ocean, Michlitsch and Cammarata were battling it out against the top rugby players in America at the Tropical 7’s tournament. They played three matches each day, including one on the first day

against an international team from New Zealand, which Cammarata considers to be the highlight of the trip.

“Meeting players from all over the world was an amazing experience,” Cammarata said.

“The sport brought us all together as soon as we met and kept us dedicated throughout the tournament.”

This two-day event allowed Michlitsch and Cammarata to learn the more advanced mechanics of the game and expose them to what competition is like at the next level.

Using the skills they learned over spring break, the team went into the back end of the season with momentum, culminating in a playoff match against Gregory the Great Academy, who beat the team 47-7 in the first week of the season. After a shaky start, the boys were able to come back from down 20 points. They came up just short though, ending in a 29-26 loss to one of the top teams in Pennsylvania. Their valiant effort in the last match of the season serves as a beacon of hope going into next year.

“Everyone expected a blowout, but we came out and showed them the true potential we had,” Cammarata said.

“We held our heads high as we proved what our team was truly capable of.”

Girls’ lacrosse team hopes to advance in the state tournament

Bailey Kreszwick Sta Reporter the off-season, participates in the Youth Sports Center winter league games.

A er the 2022-23 regular season, the Conestoga girls’ lacrosse team is headed to states as the fourth seed, with 15 wins and three losses. Senior mid elder Kate Galica also scored her 200th career goal this season during a home game against Ridley High School. e girls hope to do well in the state tournament through their collaboration.

“As an attacking unit the seven of us definitely try to work together and form bonds between us because you can’t win the state championships if you can’t connect and pass together,” Galica said. Winning a state title does not come without significant dedication and sacrifice for these girls. The team runs drills to improve stick work throughout the season and, in

“We have really intense practices, but we also know how to have fun at the same time, which really helps,” said junior attack player Chloe Brown. “And I think we’re also a really competitive team. So just working together in practice and making each other that much better, really helps us become successful.”

Besides winning games, the girls have their personal goals. Galica, Brown, and juniors Kiki Liebeziet and Ellie Wisch made it on the rst All Central League team, and juniors Keating Hopkins and Emma Nikolic made it on the second All Central League team. Galica was named All Central League Most Valuable Player, and Piper Kienzle was awarded an honorable mention.

“It’s awesome because those are goals I’ve been working for forever, and even seeing my sophomore year — Rachel Clark getting her 200th goal — I’ve always been tracking and seeing if I could get there, and I wasn’t sure if I could,” Galica said.

Several juniors have committed to colleges to play lacrosse. Chloe Brown has verbally committed to the United States Naval Academy, Eva Stagnaro to Boston University, Cassidy Brown to Temple University, Nikolic to Drexel University, Wisch to the Pennsylvania State University, Hopkins to University of Richmond and Liebezeit to University of Notre Dame.

“I am going to miss the people and our team chemistry,” Kienzle said. We all really work well together, on and off the field.”

Identical twins succeed at cross country, track

Since they were young, freshmen Audrey and Laila Dogum have become very used to answering to “Which twin are you?” ey receive this question multiple times a day and are used to answering to the wrong name. But when it comes to cross country and track, the twins stand by their own distinct identities.

As runners for most of their lives, Audrey and Laila made double the impact on the ’Stoga cross country and track teams.

Laila competes best in the mile, and Audrey prefers the 400m or 800m. Despite training together and pushing one another to grow, in some cross country meets the twins have to race against each other.

“I try to stick to her, and she tries to stick to me, but it depends on who is going faster. I think we both have better times because of that,” Audrey Dogum said.

Whether they are mid-season or out of season, the twin’s relationship is competitive, yet supportive.

“It’s nice to have someone to encourage me in the o -season and summer and push the pace,” Laila Dogum said.

“When (Laila) is going for a run during the o season or the summer, it makes me feel like I have to,” Audrey Dogum said.

As aspiring collegiate runners, the girls’ erce attitudes do not go unnoticed. Track coach Mark Carberry, who has been coaching them since November, picked up on their tactics.

“On race day, when the starting gun goes o , they both seem to have a switch that puts them into competitor mode,” Carberry said. “Audrey tends to put her head down and race all-out, while Laila can be more cerebral and analyze the race in front of her before attacking.”

While the twins have found plenty of success in their respective events, Audrey is inspired by Laila’s ability to run the mile, while Laila wants to master the 800m like Audrey. While their competition is good natured, the twins realize there are some downsides to competing in the same sport.

“If one of us doesn’t do as well as the other, then people will point that out,” Audrey Dogum said.

Naturally, pressure to beat the other is put on both girls. And while they agree that it gets tiring and overwhelming, they still support each other relentlessly.

“I noticed they both ran neckto-neck during the fall cross country season, so I tried my best to let them both grow without being pitted against one another,” Carberry said. “ ey’re very motivating to each other and their teammates and seem to be each other’s biggest cheerleader.”

As identical twins of the same height, telling the two apart while they run is even more di cult. However, coach Carberry has found ways to tell them apart.

“Laila’s stride tends to land more on her heel while Audrey has worked to land more on her midsole. Otherwise, Laila tends to wear her hair back in a ponytail and Audrey keeps it down,” Carberry said. “I’m proud to say I haven’t mixed them up too much recently.”

A welcomed addition to the ’Stoga teams, the freshmen sisters have started with a bang, leaving their coach excited to see what the future has in store for them.

“Both are coachable, eager and willing to take on a challenge,” Carberry said. “ ey are truly a coach’s dream to work with.”

Commitment Corner Commitment Corner

Sports

10 Monday, June 5, 2023

Pulling ahead: Junior Tommy Darlington barrels through two defenders in the team’s match against St. Joe’s Preparatory School. The squad won this match, marking their single win of the season. Courtesy Kenneth Jerome Michlitsch Maggie Neary Sta Reporter

Courtesy Audrey Dogum Young runners: Laila Dogum (le ) sticks out her tongue as she races against her sister Audrey Dogum in a Healthy Kids Running Series meet. The twins started running together in elementary school. Successful sisters: Freshmen Audrey Dogum (le ) and Laila Dogum (center) pose with their teammates showcasing their award. They had a successful race, nishing second in the Six Flags Invitational. Courtesy Mark Carberry Bailey Kreszwick/The SPOKE Fighting for victory: Junior Chloe Brown (#3) tries to gain control of the ball in a game against radnor High School on May 9. The team lost 8-9.

11 Why PSU: “For me (PSU) was a great balance between academics and athletics. The way they treat their athletes is insane and the coaches there are so supportive and so nice; they reach out all the time. Also just the weather: I love the cold. So that’s why I picked it.”

Wisch

LACROSSE

PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERISTY

GRADE:

Ellie

SPORT:

THE

Athlete advice: Wise words from departing seniors

Girls Crew

Written by Louisa Sandor , Sta Reporter Designed by Rowan Chetty, Co-Multimedia Editor

Q: What is something you enjoyed While on the crew team?

A: “Morning practices are really fun because you have to wake up really early and drive down together. Everyone’s kind of sleepy but once you’re there the sunrises are really beautiful on the water. ”

Boys Basketball

BOYS TENNIS

engineering.

Q: What was the best part of being on the Varisty Boys’ Basketball team?

Kenzie Clement was on the varsity soccer team. She plans to go to McDaniel College where she will study business, marketing and sports management. She will continue playing soccer in college for the McDaniel College soccer team.

A: “The best part of being on the team was getting closer with my teammates: they became my friends.”

Seena Amin played on the junior varsity tennis team in the spring. A er graduation, he plans to attend the University of California at Los Angeles as a pre-med biochemistry major.

Q: What DOes playing on a team teach?

A: “Playing on a team teaches you accountability and having a positive attitude all the time”

Girls Soccer

Q: What’s a lesson that you learned from being part of the Girls’ Varsity Soccer team?

A: “You have to be a competitive player if you want to get on the eld. We had 30 girls on the roster this past season, and for you to even see the eld, you have to work very hard and compete for your spot.”

Leaping to victory: Girls long jump boasts strongest lineup in decades

Juliana Yao Co-Sports Editor

Boys tennis wins state title

Eshan Singh

Sta Reporter e Lower Merion Aces’ boys’ tennis team had not lost a match for two seasons. Conestoga broke its streak on May 20, when the Pioneers defeated the Aces 3-2 in the state championship nal.

A er losing the rst two matches to the Aces, ’Stoga came back to tie the score 2-2. e team was in danger of losing the deciding match in the third set, but the doubles pair senior Vincent Yao and sophomore Raphie Lubiniecki saved a championship point and ended up winning the set in tiebreakers, giving ’Stoga the state title.

“I was so relieved and proud when we won,” junior Derek Qin said. “We’d (beaten) Lower Merion for the rst time in a few years, and we did it while showing better sportsmanship than them.”

Conestoga also played Lower Merion in last year’s state nal, but lost 3-1. Despite the disappointment, head coach Brittany Aimone had a positive outlook on this year’s season.

“With only one graduating senior,” Aimone said, “We’d have most of the players back, and I knew it would be a great learning experience that they could use as fire going into this season.”

The team’s morale was unaffected by its losses to the Aces during the regular season and in the district finals.

If anything, according to Qin, the defeats gave the players extra motivation.

“Losing in the Central League and in districts wasn’t too big a deal,” Qin said. “Obviously winning would have been nice, but at the same time I don’t think our team would have worked as hard had we won before.”

When state championships nally came, Conestoga dominated. e Pioneers advanced through the rst three rounds without dropping a single match, but so did Lower Merion, setting the stage for a state title rematch.

A er the rst two matches, it looked like the Aces would win states again. However, Aimone remained con dent.

“I knew where we’d struggle, I knew where we’d be victorious, and I knew where it would be super competitive,” Aimone said.

A er senior Justin Xu won his match in straight sets, the only matches le were the doubles, which both went to three sets. A er Yao and Lubiniecki won their tiebreaker, which won the team the championship, the players exploded with joy.

“Everyone was screaming and yelling,” junior and player Basil Lubiniecki said. “It was very loud.”

e team played with more energy in the nals and hit riskier shots, which paid o .

“I’ve never seen players like Aaron (Sun) or Basil or Voyin (Markovic) get so red up before, and it was so much fun to watch,” Qin said.

Winning the championship was wonderful for everyone involved with the team.

“I was overcome with the utmost joy,” Aimone said. “I was and am so proud of those boys. ey are truly a special group, and I wanted it so (badly) for them. They deserve it.”

Sprinting down the runway, gaining momentum with each step, junior Lila Ziegler leaps forward from the take-o board, soaring through the air. As she passes the climax of her jump, she braces for the impact, landing in the sandpit at a mark of 17 feet and 5 inches. She executed the longest jump for Conestoga girls in 14 years and the second farthest in its history. Including Ziegler’s achievement, the girls have made three of the top 10 jumps in Conestoga girls track history, with junior Addison Delorefice

and freshman Nicol Bovanova placing fifth and seventh, respectively. The trio also placed first, second and third in long jump at the second Central League meet at Penncrest High School, respectively. These accomplishments are novel this year despite both Delorefice and Ziegler’s previous experience in the discipline.

“It (Ziegler’s and Delorefice’s success) has been particularly interesting simply because it kind of came out of nowhere,” coach Mark Carberry said. “We knew we had some successful athletes. We just didn’t know at what level they were going to compete.”

e addition of Bovanova has strengthened the team. She rst started the sport when she joined the local team in her hometown of Bratislava, Slovakia. In her rst track meet, her coach placed her in the long jump, a discipline she had never heard of. She proceeded to jump 12 feet, a length that would have made her ninth in ’Stoga history, at the age of 10.

“In Europe, particularly Eastern Europe, you o en see kids practicing what they would call athletics, which is just a nice way of saying all track and eld things that they do at a really young age,” Carberry said. “So she’s got an incredible athletic

background of all those events before she even got here.”

Bovanova also competes in the triple jump. A continuity for her has been the supportive nature of the sport’s community, which Delorefice has also experienced this season. Since hockey is Delorefice’s main sport, track and field serves more for her enjoyment and valuable interactions within the community.

“I really like having (the long jump girls) there,” Delore ce said. “We support each other during the meets and help calm each other’s nerves down, which is really nice.”

Another aspect that has allowed the girls to excel is the combined coaching of Carberry and Beata Artz. Artz specializes in coaching the horizontal jumps, and by being attentive to technique and being communicative, the two have contributed to the girls’ success.

“I will always say this: the coaching sta for track is the best coaching sta ,” Ziegler said. “Not only do they care about us being good runners, but they care so much more about us as people and treat us very well.”

In addition to long jump, Ziegler competes in sprints and relays, hoping to eventually compete collegiately. All three girls plan to return to the discipline next year, with goals of personal bests and qualifying for higher-level championships. Carberry’s ambititions are similar, with high hopes for the girls.

“We would be shooting for probably two girls to potentially make a state championship again, which our program hasn’t had in probably forever,” Carberry said. “ en, if Nicol keeps evolving in both long jump and triple jump, the sky’s the limit.”

Scan the QR Code to watch an accompanying video package

Willow Jacovini was on the varsity crew team. She plans to row at Monmouth University and will major in marketing. Courtesy Justin Grevious

Second to none: The boys’ tennis team poses with the PIAA 3A state trophy. The team beat two-time defending champion Lower Merion Aces a er falling short to them in both the Central League and District Championships. Zara Samdani/The SPOKE Striding to success: Freshman Nicol Bovanova jumps at the rst Central League meet on March 29 at the Conestoga track. She placed h, with juniors Lila Ziegler

second and

respectively.

and

Addison

Delore ce placing

fourth,

Monday, June 5, 2023 Sports 11

Vijayakrishnan was on the basketball team and will be attending Princeton University to major in oper-

research and nancial

Niru

ations

Identical twins succeed at cross country, track

Athlete advice: Wise words from departing seniors

Reaching New heights: FAMILY Of skiers competes nationally

Ever since the La an siblings can remember, skiing has been a vital part of their lives. Now, junior Liam La an, freshman Quinn Laffan and h grader Claire La an have succeeded at national competitions all over the United States. Stemming from their father’s love of the sport, the siblings began skiing between the ages of 4 and 5. rough lessons at Shawnee Mountain, the siblings found a love for the sport, and it eventually became a winter tradition for the family. During the COVID-19 pandemic, participation in other sports paused, so the family turned to skiing and started competing. is year, both Claire and Quinn competed in the National Group Ski Cross

competitions in Copper Mountain, Colorado. Claire placed third and Quinn placed 23rd, while Liam was unable to compete due to a shoulder injury.

Every year from December through February, the La an family travels to local mountains most weekends to hone their skills. ey o en nd themselves waking up at 6 a.m. to drive an hour and a half and make it on the slopes by around 8 a.m.

“It’s great because we’re all getting outside. We’re all skiing and doing things together, and it’s fun,” father Patrick La an said. “We all drive up together and it gives us time to talk in the car. It’s (built) a great bond.” e La an family bond stands out at competitions, especially while supporting and encouraging one another. ese shared experiences help guide

them and motivate them to grow as skiers.

“Supporting each other kind of comes with the package. Every time my sister goes, I’ll be watching,” Liam La an said. “ ere’s moments where I’ll be able to tell my little sister how she should have done it better (and) how my little brother could have done it better.”

With icy slopes and hilly terrains, the La an family faces injuries quite o en. It is not uncommon to see the siblings with broken bones, torn muscles and concussions. Because of this, they wear protective equipment under their jackets, which helps prevent injuries to their shoulders, ribs, knees and spines.

“ ey really have to put a lot into it and have (to) be willing to put their life on the line to some extent, which is scary to

say. ey really have to say, ‘No, I know what I’m doing and I’m con dent enough,’” Patrick Laffan said. “It really comes down to where if you make one wrong turn, (you could) go into the netting and almost hit a tree. It becomes scary once you get that fast, but you have to trust yourself a lot.”

Despite the potential danger while on the slopes, skiing provides a calm and peaceful ambiance for the La an family to enjoy.

“One of my favorite memories is (when) you’re sitting on the ski li , even if you’re all by yourself, and it’s snowing all around you and it’s so peaceful and quiet,” Patrick La an said.

Even amongst competitive skiers, there remains an atmosphere of respect. Not only do they support each other, the

family also supports fellow skiers, especially within their team.

“I’ve had memories where even when I fell (that) have been good memories because there is a decent amount of camaraderie,” Liam La an said. “I’ve had myself fall, and then people stopped for me. It’s been those moments (that) are really nice to see.”

e La an kids hope to continue skiing throughout their time at school and beyond.

ey have continued to surpass the goals set by their father — from when they were young and practicing on 10 degree slopes, to now skiing down mountains and ranking nationally in competitions.

“It seems like it’s crazy,” Patrick La an said. “ ey’re all becoming so much better, and it’s so much fun to watch them become better than us.”

Senior plays varsity lacrosse a er almost 4 years of injury

a full recovery and the varsity lacrosse team selected him as a mid elder this year.

Senior Boden Miller was paralyzed from his neck down as a freshman and was told he would never walk again. But against all odds, he can not only walk now, but also earned a spot to play on the varsity lacrosse team. “It (lacrosse) was a big part of me prior to my injury. So to be able to finally get some normalcy and return to the sport has helped me a bunch with friends and social aspects, but also just my well-being overall,” Miller said.

In 2019, Miller was playing catch on a trampoline and fell. He severely injured his neck and spinal cord, shattering his C4 and C5 vertebrae. Miller underwent a spine surgery at Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania, and several operations would follow to help Miller regain movement in his upper and lower body. A erward, he participated in intensive physical therapy at Magee Rehabilitation Hospital and Bryn Mawr Outpatient. Miller eventually made

Last summer, Miller informed lacrosse coach Robert Bush that he was allowed to play lacrosse again. Bush, like many others, never thought Miller would be able to play again, but he awaited a surprise, and Miller did not fail to impress him.

“Bode’s personality is infectious. He is one of the easiest players to coach and is appreciative of everything he has and what he has been through. His perspective on life is absolutely amazing,” Bush said.

Senior Drew Merschel has known Miller since he was 2 years old and plays alongside him. Having witnessed the recovery process, he nds Miller’s perseverance inspiring.

“He’s such a hard-working person that he fully learned how to walk, talk and just live life again. And to learn all that when you’re 16 years old is one of the hardest things to do as a teenager in high school,” Merschel said. “So I think he’s one of the hardest working kids I’ve ever met.”

Miller has been playing lacrosse since he was in kindergarten but the injury caused a three-year hiatus. Miller found keeping up with the speed and the ow of the game again challenging. Fortunately, he had the support of his teammates as he rediscovered the sport.

“They’re very supportive. They’re just trying to help me the best I can. But having the team is huge. It makes me feel way more invited and comfortable with being on it,”

Miller said.

rough the past four years, Miller’s life has had ups and downs, but he made it through.

Recently, he received the George Kruse award — named for a NCAA Division II Lacrosse player and coach who died in a car crash — for demonstrating resilience and excellence.

“I am so honored to be recognized for my hard work and ght to be back,” said Miller. “A lot of it is understanding you might not be able to go back this season or even next season.

But if you keep the goal and you keep hope alive within your recovery, it de nitely helps your mental attitude.”

e SPOKE Monday, June 5, 2023

Standing victorious: Fi h grader Claire La an (right) stands on the podium at the 2023 USA Snowboard and Freeski Association national championships in Copper Mountain, Colorado. She nished third in her age group.

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Boys tennis wins state title

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Commitment Corner Page 10

Courtesy Susan La an Courtesy Sukie Carpenter

SCORELINE W L T scores as of 5/29 Baseball B Rugby G Lacrosse G Rugby B Lacrosse So ball B Tennis 6 10 0 19 2 0 12 8 0 15 3 0 13 5 0 1 3 1 1 4 0

Back on the eld: Senior Boden Miller (#28) faces o against a defender in a game against Haverford High School on April 11 at Teamer Field. A er a spine injury and undergoing surgery and physical therapy, Miller joined the varsity lacrosse team to contribute to this 17-5 win, among others. Tanisha Agrawal and Emily Scheer Co-Sports Editor and Sta Reporter Abby Chong and Sosi Sengal Sta Reporters