December 2019

Panther

Haven

to Dr. Brown

As we near the end of an era, students and collegues of Dr. Brown reflect on his time as Strath Haven High School Principal Evelyn Meeker, ‘21 Editor-in-Chief

On November 26, Dr. Kristopher Brown announced to teachers that he will be leaving Strath Haven High School in late January for a position as District Equity Officer of Abington Township.

Dr. Brown came to Strath Haven in 2014 and served as assistant principal before becoming principal last year. As we near the end of this era, those who worked alongside him shared their thoughts.

Senior and Student Council President Anya Hooper addressed how the school may be feeling in light of Brown’s leaving.

“It’s not ideal, but it’s happening,” Hooper said. “Students are still wrapping their heads around the change, and I think we all feel it. It’s a big adjustment, but my eye is on the students, their well-being, and making sure we’re all getting better resources in place to support us.”

While at the Middle School, current Strath Haven High School Assistant Principal and District Coordinator Dr. Chris Matsanka worked with Dr. Brown, who was in charge of Keystone testing. Now, the two work closely at the High School.

“Right from the get go I always enjoyed working with him,” Matsanka said. “He’s just a very caring and intelligent man that always seems to have the well-being of the school and the kids at the forefront of everything that he does, and I picked that up from him like right when I met him. He’s very easy to work with. It was one of the reasons I came

here—because I wanted to work with Dr. Brown.”

Assistant Principal Andrea LaPira also shared her experiences working with Dr. Brown:

“Much of what he did was deal with discipline which isn’t always cut and dry. A lot of times it involves multiple students with multiple versions of a different story, and listening to everybody and trying to figure it out. So I always considered him to be fair and judicious with students. He’s enthusiastic, he’s passionate,” She said. “I’ve enjoyed working with him. I’m sad to see him go, but I think his new opportunity suits him perfectly.”

Additionally, Director of Elementary Education, Dr. Jennifer Gaudioso, will be leaving in January for a position at Lower Merion. This announcement came to the faculty on November 27, one day after Dr. Brown announced his departure.

At the school board meeting on December 9, Superintendent Lisa Palmer shared that the school hopes to find someone already working in the district to fill the position as interim principal.

Change is certainly in the mix for Strath Haven High School and the Wallingford Swarthmore School District, but Ms. LaPira hopes to reassure the community.

“I think we work in a building of committed administrators and teachers,” LaPira said. “And we hope to continue to provide a really great experience for our students from now until the time a new principal is found.”

“The hardest thing about leaving Strath Haven is leaving the connections that I have made with students.”

a farewell from Dr. Brown.

Evelyn Meeker ‘21

A brief reflection

Learning to live with the good and the bad

For most of my life it was normal to feel a constant pit in my stom ach. It was normal to spend hours analyzing my body and to plan my day around compensating for what I ate. It was normal to cry over nothing and think about dying. I couldn’t imagine it being any different. Honestly, I don’t

think I wanted it to be different. I was com fortable in my misery because it’s what I understood and I didn’t have the energy to change. My sadness gave me an excuse to stay home and be cynical about life. It was a viable excuse until I realized that I could find meaning in things that weren’t food and sad songs. I was capable of loving and being loved, of going out into the world and allow ing myself happiness, even just momentarily.

I began catching glimpses of what life could be like more and more, whether it was some simple recognition for my writing, or a compliment from a stranger, or just driving around with friends while a song I love was playing. I had to allow myself to feel good things, and when I did, happiness was such a pleas ant surprise. That’s not to say that I’ve gotten to a point where nothing is hard and I’m always happy, because that would be an absurd lie. I still get that pit in my stomach, and there are still

things I want to change about myself, and I still cry. A lot. But now, when I feel like everything’s falling apart, I remember that things have been so much worse and I’m still here.

Life is so much more than a grade. It is so much more than your body. It is so much more than a fight you had, or a mistake you made, or t=he thing that is causing you the most pain right now because pain is not the only thing that you will get to feel. You will get to feel deep laughter, and the silence when the fans go off late after school, and anger when you disagree with someone in history class, and joy when you are surrounded by friends. These feel ings will come, and then linger, and then pass. Sometimes they will be uncomfortable, some times they will be neutral, and sometimes they will be perfect. This is the elastic nature of life and it is beautiful if you let it be. The fact that change is guaranteed can be one of the hardest things to face because if nothing is constant, we will have to say goodbye. We will have to say goodbye to good things, to periods of our lives, to people that we loved. But the other side to this coin is that you won’t feel empty forever. You will find something to fill you up again. Grief will pass. Wounds will heal. You will get through today. Let yourself feel grief and emptiness, but don’t dwell on it forever because the coin will flip if you let it. Look for those glimpses. You will get through today.

EDITORS’ PICKS

SAMAH

DAVID REN

CECE OLSZEWSKI

MARIA ANDRAOS

EMMA HENRY

LUKE MANDEL

You will get through today

Scanlon launches Youth Congressional Cabinet in Delaware County

Luke Mandel ‘20, Mira Patel ‘21 Online Editor, Staff Writer

Septemeber 21 was the first day of Mary Gay Scanlon’s Youth Congressional Cabinent. Ted Deutch, the Congressman from Park land, Florida, started this cabinet to be able to communicate with the youth about the shooting. Inspired by this, Scanlon realized that her own com munity could benefit from discussion with the youth.

Teens in Delaware County with a passion for politics applied over the summer for a chance to express their ideas to Scanlon. Four Strath Haven High School students were in atten dance, and students from high schools all over the area were also well repre sented.

In the two hour meeting, a wide vari ety of issues from foreign policy to gun control were brought up, however the majority of the time was spent dis cussing the issue that students found most pressing: Climate change. Stu dents eagerly shared their views in a highly educated discussion of the larg est problems facing our country today.

In discussion afterwards, Scanlon spoke to some students individually, during which time she expressed her support for impeachment. She serves as Vice Chair of the House Judiciary Committee, which has been playing a pivotal role in the impeachment in quiry.

Congresswoman Scanlon worked as a lawyer and was president of the school board of Wallingford-Swarthmore School District from 2009-2011. In 2019 she came to Strath Haven for a town hall event for students.

There will be approximately three more Congressional Youth Cabi net meetings this school year during which many important topics will be discussed.

To the Students of Strath Haven

The Panther Press invited Dr. Brown to share some parting thoughts with our readers

Dr. Kristopher Brown

Strath Haven High School Principal

When I was in high school, I had an experience with a teacher that was really bad. That year for me was diffi cult because I didn’t want to go to that class. The story I told myself was that “my teacher didn’t like me.” I won’t go into the details of what happened in that class, but it was such a bad experi ence for me that I planned to get into teaching because I didn’t want any more kids to have an experience like the one I had.

Since then, I have spent a lot of time unpacking the “my teacher didn’t like me” statement. What I have found, was that in high school, I wasn’t equipped to have a conversation with my teacher about how uncomfortable I felt in class. I also think about the fact that maybe my teacher just didn’t recognize how I felt or get to know my perspec tive. To provide you with some context, I was the only student of color in an honors class, an experience that happened often when I was in high school. In the absence of communication, my mind went to the worst possible scenario, “my teacher didn’t care.” I am a lot more prepared to have that conversation now, many years into my educational career, but I struggled with how to deal with it then. This story is why I am who I am as an educator.

I’ve let that be the guiding principle for me throughout my experience as an educator, and I hope that is the impression that I will leave at Strath Haven. With that framework, I’ve re ally just tried to commit to the community and do what I can to make school a good experience for everyone who walks through the doors.

When I first arrived at Strath Haven in 2014, I didn’t know much about the school—my roommate and teammate in college played football here, but that was about it. Man, did I get an eye open ing experience at my first football game, seeing Mr. Hontz lead the band across the bridge. This place is special. I love our commitment to the arts. Getting to hear the plethora of talented musicians and performers and enjoy the wonderful art that is produced here has been a highlight for me.

I’ve visited every classroom and seen every teacher. I love walking into the room and diving into the lesson, whether that involves do ing a lab with a student who has an absent partner or just joining a good class discussion.

As a former student-athlete, I have really enjoyed getting a chance to see our dedicated student-athletes in action. I have made it a point to get to see every team. Having such strong sports teams has made it easy to be a Strath Haven fan. What makes it even easier is knowing how great the students are as people, and learning what the game represents to them.

The hardest thing about leaving Strath Haven is leaving the con nections that I have made with students. I have tried my best to be a support system for each and every student. I hope I was able to brighten your day by playing good music on Friday mornings; each song was precisely chosen! I hope that when I stopped to talk with students and teachers in the hallway or a classroom,, it brought you as much joy as it did me. I will miss being able to just have fun with you all. Whether that’s the Chris King Game, the Turkey Bowl, or getting my face painted at the Homecoming Festival; those are the moments that I won’t be able to get back.

Being at Strath Haven has allowed me to discover more about my passion in educa tion. I’ve had the chance to work closely with many students and teachers over the years, in all kinds of circumstances. Having an opportunity, over the last six years, to slowly take the lead and engage in conversations around equity in our educational system has been inspiring to me. Listen ing to students here has been a gift. I am proud of the fact that feed back from our students has pushed us professionally to continue to find ways to improve our school. On a larger scale, feedback has al lowed us a greater opportunity to connect with students and bridge the gaps that exist.

I hope that I was able to lead a school atmosphere where all stu dents felt comfortable, felt like they had a voice, and felt cared for. For me, listening to students talk about stress and not feeling like themselves at school is part of the reason why I started to wear my Jordans a few years ago. I am not going to ask anyone to do something that I am not willing to do myself. If we ask students to relax, to be themselves, and to try to enjoy their experi ence, we have to model the same expectation. I wear my sneakers to connect with students and show them that it is alright to be who you are.

This next opportunity for me is a chance to continue this work in the community where I went to high school. I will be moving on to become the District Equity Officer in Abington School District. This is a unique position because positions like it do not exist much public school districts in Southeastern Pennsylvania. The profes sional focus of this role is closely related to the reasons I started in education, and it is a chance to follow that passion in the place where it began for me. I am excited for this opportunity, and I hope that you all understand how much you have meant to me, and how this decision to leave is not a reflection of you or any other circum stance, but more so a chance for me to continue my work in my home community.

I have always tried to be present for everyone I interact with. I hope you were all able to see and feel how much I cared. And that idea of presence is another reason that I have to leave Strath Haven. My perspective on life has shifted significantly in the last 17 months since my son Phillip was born. I realize that to be a great father, I have to be more present in my son’s life. Being so dedicated to Strath Haven has come at a great personal cost, and by working closer to home, I will have the opportunity to be more present for my family.

I am going to miss my time at Strath Haven, and I am thankful to have had the opportunity to lead this school. I have learned a lot by valuing the perspective of others. I think back to my own story and I often wonder if my experience would have been differ ent if my teacher would have asked me about it in the moment? To me, Strath Haven is amazing because our students are enthusiastic about learning and our teachers are passionate about teaching. As educators, you (students) are the reason we are here. I have always believed that. Our job is to provide a positive experience for you. Your voice helps us do that.

Hallie Jackson (2002-2019)

Hallie Jackson passed away at 16 years old on October 28, 2019.

Hallie follows her late maternal grandparents Francis and Annie Marie Ambrose, and grandfather Howard Burke. Left to honor her memory are her parents Kevin and Chris tine (Ambrose) Jackson; her brothers Scott and Matthew Jackson; her grandparents Sal ly (Swan) Schwabe and Boob Schwabe; her aunts and uncles, Michael and Jaclyn (Swee ney) Ambrose, Megan (Ambrose) and James Boyle, Christopher and Devona (Botelho) Jackson; her cousins Michael and Ryan Ambrose, Taylor and Chase Boyle, Ryan and Amanda Jackson.

Hallie grew up in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania and attended Swarthmore Rutledge School before entering Strath Haven.

Hallie was a friend to many. She will be remembered for her energy, her bright smile, and the way she made others laugh.

She was a dedicated athlete at Strath Haven, participating in track, cheerleading, field hockey, and lacrosse.

It is impossible to sum up sixteen years into a few sentences. What we can do is smile bright and use each day to show the people around us that we care.

“Being at Strath Haven has allowed me to discover more about my passion in education.”

Dr. Kris Brown / Kate Plows

Budget Cuts; Cutting Opportunities?

The Wallingford Swarthmore School District hopes to condense resources and conserve funds. What does this mean for Strath Haven?

Kai Lincke, ‘22 Staff Writer

Have you noticed a change in your classes? Here’s a hint: it’s not the new Chromebooks- even though it seems that there has been an increase in games of Snake and Tetris. It’s also not the promise of holidays and winter break making it feel impossible to concentrate. Surprisingly, it’s not even the growing number of kids fall ing asleep in class (they’re devoting all of their efforts to providing statistics for the Sleep Study).

However, you might have noticed that your hyper, holiday frenzied classmates bump into you and intrude on your space much more than they used to. Or perhaps you noticed that the kids falling asleep are falling asleep on top of each other because there are so many desks pushed together.

The largest change that has been imple mented this year is larger class sizes, which can contribute to the claustro phobic learning environments becom ing increasingly common at Haven. The cause of the cramped classrooms? Bud get cuts.

Most teenagers groan when they’re asked to consider money; savings, stocks, and state funding pale in com parison to discussions about Stranger Things or the Eagles’ slimming chance at regaining their Super Bowl title. However, the district’s budget cuts are much more relevant to SHHS student life than they appear. As boring as they sound, the school board’s meetings provide some interesting information.

During the presentation of the budget for the 19-20 school year (held during the May 13 school board meeting), dis trict Business Administrator Martha Kew stated that the district hopes to “reimagine our educational program in ways that will yield recommendations for repurposing education, fostering innovation in academic programming, supporting every student’s achievement, and containing growth in district costs.” Essentially, the district hopes to reuse, repurpose and condense what they already have to conserve as many funds as possible. District officials want to expand students’ opportunities but hope to significantly decrease the budget.

What does this mean for Haven? In an effort to conserve resources and teachers, the district has condensed classes and has not replaced sev eral teachers that have retired. This decreases the number of sections—meaning that, for example, instead of having five classes of Environmental Science, there might be four. With a similar amount of students being split into fewer classes, class sizes swell. This does not seem feasible- so is school still as effective as it used to be?

It’s hard to say. But if you look at classes like sophomore Hannah Spielman’s business class, you may find some indi cation of the impact the budget cuts have on class dynamic. Spielman reports that they have had to reposition the desks to fit all of the students into the classroom. However, it’s still very tight.

“If you don’t put your book bag away there’s going to be no room to walk in certain areas of the class,” Spielman said. Cramped classrooms may not seem like a predominant concern, but they certainly have an impact on your learn ing—and your teachers’ ability to hold your attention.

Sophomore Owen Burk’s German class has thirty students, the result of the combination of the honors and CP course. He expresses his frustration in the class dynamic. He feels that by combining the two classes, “there’s barely any chal lenge. So for the people like myself, and some other kids who have already learned it, or it just comes quickly to us, I spend most of the class sitting there doing homework for math or something else, just because there’s nothing to do.”

Combinations like this have forced teachers to re-evaluate their teaching. It is very difficult to split instruction be tween students who understand the material, and students who need more help. As shown in Burk’s class, it can be im possible to find the perfect balance for every student, which can significantly impact their learning.

This is one of the many reasons why budget cuts have be

come most stressful for teachers, who have to devote even more of their time and energy to managing, planning, and grading for their classes. The extra workload has a signifi cant impact on their home life, in addition to their time at school.

“The grading has been really difficult. It has definitely put a strain on the time that I have here at school and then it’s taking up more time at home than it has in the past,” Mrs. Amanda Lawson said. Lawson’s AP Psychology classes have grown to 27-28 students in the past two years.

Teachers understand the impact that large classes have on their students. While they try their best to reach out to the entirety of their classes, it can be difficult. They feel that smaller classes often make it easier to help their stu dents.

“I’d say that the optimal class size for teaching high schoolers is in the 16 to 22 range,” history teacher Mr. TJ Ad ams said. “Less than that, and it be comes difficult to stimulate conversa tion. More than that and run into class management issues, just space issues.” Lawson, also a history teacher, agrees.

“I have one class this year of 17, in my 12th grade Honors Government class, which is what I used to have pretty frequently—I would say, five, seven, ten years ago,” Lawson said. “And I’m finding that I can give a lot of quality feedback. I can really gauge the room as to who’s paying attention or who’s understanding.”

Students frequently have trouble learning in larger classes. If they are confused in class, their teachers might not de tect their confusion because they have so many students to monitor. It is more difficult to receive help after school because there are so many other students that need one on one instruction. These factors can limit students’ success in the classroom.

In addition to these challenges, many students discovered during the summer that the classes that they applied to take are inaccessible. With the limited num ber of classes available for each subject, maneuvering schedules to ensure that all of a student’s desired classes fit can be impossible.

Guidance counselor Mrs. Kristin Dun ning said that scheduling classes has become more challenging. She noted that students have seen the impact of scheduling problems when selecting their classes.

“Students are getting the classes they need,” Dunning said, “but not necessar ily the classes that they were their first choice of classes or not necessarily when they want them.”

This has been frustrating for some students, especially for upperclassmen. Several upperclassmen who need to fill graduation credits have been forced to prioritize those classes and forego the other classes that they hoped to take.

The frustration, though more severe for seniors, extends to all students. Many students who have signed up to take a class or an elective have been forced to choose another class after the classes they hoped to take were dropped due to low enrollment. Many teachers fear that their electives will be cut in the future.

Madame Suzanne Stadnicki, whose French Studies class has come dangerously close to being cut for the past few years, understands the stress of not knowing whether her class will run. Her French Studies class is a rewarding class for upperclassmen who have pursued the language throughout high school, and she fears that they will not be able to com plete their French journey in the future.

“Students like to be able to take the full program that we offer. A lot of times they start out from Freshman year, and they look forward to being able to take these advanced level

classes,” Stadicki said. “And we don’t know from one year to the next if they’re going to run—if there’s enough enroll ment. We’re fortunate that French students are very moti vated and typically do stay through the whole program, but it’s something we really have to work toward to keep them and with the budget cuts, it makes the job harder.”

Beyond the classroom struggles, extracurriculars have also had difficulties with funding. One of the most notable examples of this is the cheer team. Many cheerleaders are frustrated with the lack of funding that their team receives. Their uncoordinated uniforms, lack of mats to practice with, and shortage of equipment makes it challenging for them to execute their routines appropriately.

Sophomore Andrei Gustafson said that more funding could significantly improve team morale. “With the appropri ate amount of mats, and safety strips, we would have a lot less injuries. So then there’d be more consistency in who’s going where because we keep getting mixed up whenever people get hurt and then we have to change our routine,” Gustafson said. “And then I think matching uniforms are just much nicer and represent the school better.”

Gustafson acknowledges that these conditions have forced his teammates to work together to find solutions and brought them closer together. However, he believes that for his teammates considering professionally pursuing the sport, there are not enough resources to help them be suc cessful.

“They’re not really given the proper setting,” he said. “They’re not given the proper materials to be able to work up to that.”

Similarly, art students may find that their opportunities are limited by the art department’s available resources. Art Teacher Mrs. Jennifer Rogers said that in addition to class es that have been rearranged, the art department’s budget has limited the growth of the department. The budget has not changed in ten years, which has significantly affected the opportunities that the art teachers can provide for their students.

“Art supplies cost a lot more than they did ten or fifteen years ago,” Rogers said. “We’re at the same amount of mon ey, trying to do different things. And that makes it chal lenging.”

Though nothing has been cut from the program, the art department is still struggling to provide opportunities for students with their current budget. Art teachers work hard to ensure that their students feel supported and have the freedom and ability to express them selves through their art.

Rogers stresses that she is not con cerned about the supplies. She is wor ried for her students.

“Our money that we get for our de partment, is specifically used for our students—to support them and their dreams and desires,” she says. “We want to support them to the best of our ability.”

In the end, though budget cuts are stressful and upset ting for teachers, they are most concerning for students. Every student has the ability to grow and flourish, when provided with the right setting and materials. As math teacher Mrs. Sweeney describes, there is no easy answer to the budget cuts.

“I think it’s challenging for the people who have to set the budget who are working within the financial constraints. But I think it’s also challenging for people who have to then work with the budget that’s been set and try to, you know, still do everything that they want to do,” she explains. “So I would say for everybody involved, it’s challenging.”

These conditions may be challenging, but if Haven students have proved anything this year, it is their resilience. The future of our school is impossible to determine- but Haven students have the power to persist.

“The grading has been really difficult. It has definitely put a strain on the time that I have here at school and then it’s taking up more time at home than it has in the past.” -Mrs. Amanda Lawson

“We’re at the same amount of money, trying to do different things. And that makes it challenging.” -Mrs. Jennifer Rodgers

How Fantasy Football Ruined My Life

Colwyn Hals, ‘21 Staff Writer

There are few things in this world that can consis tently ruin or make someone’s day, end friendships or revive them, and win or lose you hundreds (sometimes thousands) of dollars. Fantasy football is one of these things. It’s intoxicating. I look forward to fan tasy football draft day more than any other day in my life, including getting married (sorry Charlize Theron), the birth of my first child, and my free medium coffee from Wawa on my birthday.

With each draft comes a year bursting with promise. Every July and August I spend hours upon hours study ing sleepers and busts. While everyone else was reading Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close for English, I was reading Lindy’s Guide to Fantasy Football 2019. While everyone else rewatched The Office, I watched Mat thew Berry and Field Yates complain about committee backfields and fawn over Jameis Winston. I did the math and I spent roughly 168 hours this year preparing for the draft. In that time I could’ve watched Magic Mike XXL seventy-seven and a half times. I could’ve listened to “Who Let the Dogs Out” on repeat well over 3,000 times. I could’ve had 168 extra hours of sleep. But no. My record is currently 2-6, and I’m getting desperate.

This horrible and embarrassing predicament is one that plagues me annually. But still, I will never quit playing fantasy football. There’s something about it that makes everyone I know keep coming back for more. Even when you’re down by 25 heading into Monday night, there’s always hope that Carlos Hyde can find his way into the endzone a couple times. Even when the crushing feeling of defeat is imminent, the sweet aroma of hope draws us back. Every Tuesday and Wednesday is spent stalking the waiver wire in the back of class. There always remains a lingering feeling that maybe if I read one more article, watch one more video, or buy one more magazine, I can improve. And year after year I don’t. And every year someone who spends no more than two hours studying beats me. And every year I sink into a pit of despair, wal lowing in self pity.

No other rational person, upon indulging in a favorite hobby, is in a worse mood than when they began. After birdwatching, middle aged fathers don’t have their vaca tions ruined. After watching the bachelor, bored teenage girls don’t want to punch everything in sight. But fantasy football is different. It eats you from the inside out, like one of those wasps on Animal Planet. It takes your team, something you have built with your own hands, and swallows it, laughing at your pain. I truly wish with all my heart that I did not love fantasy football. I wish that every time I thought we were getting along I wouldn’t catch it in bed with one of my friends. I wish that we could break up for good. I wish fantasy football hadn’t ruined my life.

Spotlight: Haven Men’s Soccer

Emma Henry, ‘20 Editor

The Strath Haven Men’s Soccer team had an amazing season. Even with a disappointing loss in the State final, the team proved its success with a display of teamwork and spirit supported wholeheartedly by the stu dent body. The Panther Press reached out to a few of the team’s senior players, Emmet Young, Tim Wright, and Pe ter Boerth, to talk about their final season on the team as well as their insight on the team moving forward.

Panther Press: What was the highlight of this season?

Emmet Young: The highlight of the season was beating Bishop Shanahan in the district semifinals. We lost to them earlier in the year 5-3, so it was a revenge game. This win made us go to the district final and clinched another state playoff game.

PP: How did it feel to have so much support from the student body?

Tim Wright: The support from the student body was great.

A lot of us weren’t sure if the school would be as excited after we came up short last year. Seeing everyone at the pep rally and then in Hershey was awesome. We were disap pointed not to give them a win but happy that we could give them a good game.

EY: It feels amazing to have the support we did through out the season. There were over 100 kids at the State final which was freezing cold and 1.5 hours away.

Peter Boerth: Support from the fans is always amazing, especially in big games like the district championship, and state playoff games. It’s like having a home field advantage and it some instances that can be the difference between winning and losing.

PP: What was the experience of playing at States like?

PB: My experience playing at States was amazing. That atmosphere and hype around the game was insane. Even though we lost, the experience was still unforgettable and something I will remember for the rest of my life.

TW: Playing at States was a very cool experience. We knew how far we could go after last year but we made sure we treated each and every game like it was our last. I was able to score in the quarterfinal, and hearing my teachers and classmates congratulating me and the rest of the team was a great experience.

PP: What do you think the future holds for the team?

EY: I think the team will do great next year. Who knows where they will end up, but they have the ability to go far in the playoffs. They’re returning 5-6 starters and some play ers who were key contributors off the bench.

PB: The future for Haven men’s soccer is definitely not clear. The team next year is moving up to AAAA which has a lot of better teams as well as a harder route to states. This being said I have confidence that the team next year will succeed, they are all amazing players.

TW: Strath Haven will be returning to the 4A division and spending the last two seasons in the 3A division, so a state

Haven Putts to Victory

final is not the expectation. However, that doesn’t mean the boys can’t produce another memorable season. Our under classmen were a huge part of our success.

PP: Who inspires you most as an athlete?

EY: A lot of professional athletes inspire me, but I would say my mom inspired me the most. My mom played division one tennis at Fordham. She didn’t have a coach like all the others because her family could not afford it when she was younger, but she worked hard and practiced whenever she could. She made the All-Ohio team and got multiple divi sion one scholarships.

TW: My father is my biggest inspiration as an athlete. He is always the first person to congratulate me after a win, and to console me after a tough loss. He always wants to talk to me about the games and encourages me to work to improve.

PP: What will you miss most about the team?

PB: I will miss everything about the team. Going to practice and playing with everyone this year was amazing. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

TW: I will miss just about everything. It will feel very strange next August when I am not getting ready for pre season. I’ll miss the small sided games in practice, talking to Styer in class about the prior day’s game, pasta dinners at Sal’s, and celebrating on the bus after a big win.

EY: I’ll miss our bond the most. Most teams say they are a “brotherhood,” but I feel like we were siblings. We would fight and roast each other and be best friends five minutes later. I’ll miss Harris’s house after our big wins and Joey’s dancing the most.

Junior Jackson Debusschere reflects on successful golf season and what’s to come

David Ren, ‘21, Kai Lincke, ‘22 Opinions Editor, Staff Writer

Inafieldthathasbeen dominated by the Main Lineforthepastseveralyears,theStrathHa ven golf team has struggled to rise above the competition. That all changed three years ago with the addition of Kevin Smith, Da vid Merz, Nick Cardow and Alex Lombard to the team. This year, the dynamic group of seniors propelled the team through an undefeated season. After becoming the first Haven golf team to remain undefeated, coach Kevin Kochersperger’s team contin ued to pave the way for future Haven teams as the high school’s first golf team to qualify for districts and centrals.

After their incredible season, the team con tinued on to the PIAA District 1 Class AAA golf championship, where they claimed the win with 304 strokes - two below Penns

bury. The Smith siblings, senior Kevin and sophomore Grace, powered the team to vic tory. Kevin shot a 72 and Grace shot a 74. The Smiths’ powerful scores were bolstered with David Merz’s 80 and junior Jackson Debusschere’s 78 strokes. The team’s amaz ing day earned them the title and secured their place in Haven Athletics history.

Recently, Panther Press editor David Ren sat down with Jackson Debusschere, one of the team’s star players, to discuss the incred ible season and the future of the team.

Panther Press: The Strath Haven High School Golf Team of 2019-2020 has ac complished a lot. What does it feel like to be part of a team that accomplished so much?

Jackson Debusschere: It feels very excit

ing. We had high expectations going into the season, but it was thrilling to go this far and still be playing at this time of the year. It also feels kind of stressful—we’ve had a couple of good matchups and it’s hard to maintain our performance through every match of the year.

PP: What would you attribute the golf team’s success to?

JD: One of the biggest factors of our success is the team camaraderie. We have very good team spirit: everyone gets along well. An other factor was the people: our team is full of a lot of very talented and committed golf ers who are led by a very encouraging and insightful coach. It also helps a lot when ev eryone in the team is a member at the home country club. All in all, team spirit and hard

work and practice.

PP: How do you feel about the perfor mance of next year’s golf team?

JD: I feel relatively confident about next year’s season, and I think that we’re going to do good (at least top three). It’s a shame that we’re losing the seniors, but that’s happened every year in every sport. And although they can’t be replaced, I think that we can make up for their absence through hard work and practice over the summer, and also by bond ing with any new golfers.

PP: Do you have any goals for postseason golf?

JD: To get better and to compete in states once again.

Panthers Play Well • Junior John Francis swerves Lower Dauphin player. The Panthers fell 2-1 at the PIAA Class 3A championship game on November 16th at the Hershey Park Stadium but put up a good fight. / EVA SWITALA

WHY ARE WE STRESS HAVEN?

The detrimental effects of achievement culture on adolescent mental health, and our role in the matter

Evelyn Meeker, ‘21 Editor-in-Chief

This year, the rate of deaths by suicide among adoles cents reached its highest level since 2000. To call this statistic alarming would be an understatement, and to address it is a matter of survival.

This rise could be attributed to many factors, from addic tion and social media, to family instabil ity and social pressure. Additionally, ac cording to clinical psychologist Pamela Cantor, younger generations have been “intensely programmed” for achieve ment.

The effects of this so called “achieve ment culture” are evident in the life of a modern teenager.

In a survey done by the American Psy chological Association (APA), many teenagers reported feeling irritable (40%), overwhelmed (31%), depressed (30%), or tired (36%) as a result of stress, and some reported consequential behaviors such as skipping a meal (263%). or a change in sleeping habits (26%).

However, these numbers may not fully encompass the real ity, as teenagers are more likely than adults to report that stress has little to no impact on their physical and mental health.

A problem is present. We’re just turning our backs to it.

If stress is such a common phenomenon, then what war rants a nickname (you may or may not have heard) like “Stress Haven” for our school in particular? Is the problem more prevalent here? In search of answers to this question, among others, I talked to some members of the Strath Ha ven community and got their perspectives on the issue.

“Our school has a lot of high expectations for the number of extracurricular activities and high level classes you should be taking,” junior Aimee Henderson said while studying with classmates Olivia Dumont and Jake Dougherty, also juniors.

Henderson went on to say that enriched and accelerated classes in middle school, and even gifted programs in el ementary school, instill this pressure early on.

Dumont also attested to these high expectations.“You’re considered normal if you’re in an honors class,” she said. “It’s become the norm for us.”

“I’ve talked to some of my cousins and I told them all my friends are doubled up in classes, and they’re just like ‘What? Who takes double math classes or double science classes?’” Dougherty added.

Where is this pressure coming from? According to senior Annie Mutz, parents are one potential source.

“Wallingford-Swarthmore is home to a number of intel lectuals, especially with Philadelphia colleges and our very own Swarthmore College being located nearby,” Mutz said. “Traditionally, the residents have moved here for the rigor ous curriculum, wealth of opportunities, and community. There is a large quantity of students whose parents are doc tors, professors, or lawyers, which means the quality of the

education is constantly being challenged and raised to meet the standards of the parents.”

I brought this conversation to my sister, Abigail Meeker, who graduated in 2018 and is now attending Haverford College.

“Looking back, I realize I didn’t have to be as stressed as I was,” she said. “But there’s so much community pressure over academics, and even extracurricu lars, that I felt like if I wasn’t stressed, I wasn’t doing enough.”

Sitting in class, I find that it’s common to hear classmates discussing grades from the last test or SAT scores. These constant exchanges can create a sense of inferiority for some, and false supe riority for others, which breeds com petition and an overall unhealthy en vironment.

“I go to a college where we don’t discuss grades,” Meeker added. “It’s an unwritten rule in the community so there’s not as much pressure there.”

I also talked to Mr. David Waldman, a history teacher at Strath Haven, who is quite familiar with our culture of achievement.

“I’ve been talking about this for as long as I’ve worked here because I noticed it very early on,” he said. “I think most teachers here have dedicated their lives to educa tion because we admire notions of dis covery, wonder, learning. The culture of achievement can very much get in the way of that. And of course, in a different way, it has massive consequences to the mental health of students and teachers.”

Is there a way for us to combat these mas sive consequences?

These are the suggestions given by the APA for coping with stress:

Get some sleep

• Focus on your strengths

Engage in physical activity

• Do things that make you happy

Talk to someone

In general, these are helpful tips, and though they may seem obvious, they shouldn’t be discounted. I find that when I’m overwhelmed, going on a run or a walk helps me to center myself, as does writing or (this one especially) venting to a friend or close family member. These are ways of taking ac tion to avoid spiraling as a result of stress. However, I think that for students, there is a deeper issue than how we work and spend our time individually. There is a fundamental crack in the foundation.

“It’s not just Strath Haven,” junior Molly St. Clair com mented. “It’s the entire system, and Strath Haven is just

competing.”

We are Stress Haven because we are a part of the problem. It’s not just us. There are thousands of other Stress Havens that simply go by other names.

“When I first got here, you know what they used to call it?”

Mr. Waldman asked me towards the end of our conversa tion. “Strath Heaven. Nobody calls it that anymore.”

Is it possible for us to be Strath Heaven? Or are we merely a facet of an increasingly achievement-oriented society?

According to Mutz, the pressure has always been there: we’re just less fit to cope.

“The expectations at Strath Haven have remained the same, but the generations have drastically changed,” she said.

“The mental health of teenagers has plummeted. The expe rience of teenagers today versus the experience of teenagers a mere twenty years ago is worlds apart, and neither group can comprehend the difference. There is no use in trying to explain why, because I believe there are too many factors for us to comprehend at the moment. What is important is that teenagers nowadays are lacking the coping skills to get through a society whose eyes are constantly watching.”

But in light of these circumstances, she also offered some words of wisdom for our generation.

“More than anything, I urge students to open up about how they feel to their friends and family. This issue is not just for people diagnosed with mental illness, but it is a problem for all teenagers. The experience of teen agers is changing and I don’t think anyone understands how to change alongside it. I can say with certainty that love is the greatest power we have. Love senselessly. We don’t have time for anything else anymore.”

Even with the prevalent pressure and high expectations surrounding us, members of the Strath Haven community recognize the love in our environment and are able to ar ticulate what makes our school special.

“I think that Strath Haven is a good community,” junior Caroline Bieda said. “We’ve had so many opportunities to grow and support each other.”

“There’s a lot of us here who will help you and support you in any way we can,” art teacher Ms. Jennifer Rogers added.

“Try to think about the good.”

There’s a lot to be grateful for at Strath Haven, but like anything else, there’s always room for improvement. On a larger scale, it’s time we value mental wellness just as much as we value performance. That starts here, at home, in your community.

Love senselessly. Support each other. Think about the good.

“The mental health of teenagers has

“It’s not just Strath Haven.”

Self care contributes to mental health

It’s common knowledge that exer cise and other physical self care is beneficial for your physical health, but did you know that it also plays an important role in your men tal health? Working out in a public place like a gym or park connects you with other people, and can re duce feelings of loneliness and iso lation. Exerting energy through ex ercise also releases chemicals like endorphins and serotonin, which help to improve your mood. In ad dition, if you are unhappy with your body image, exercise is a way for you to transform the way you look, boosting your self esteem and overall mental health.

While physical self care is important, mental self care is just as necessary. There are easy actions you can take to maintain your mental health. Some examples of things you can do is, listen to music, spend time off you technology, be in nature or outside, spend time with people you enjoy or alone, share how your feelings with someone else. All of these feelings will also raise your mood and improve your overall happiness.

-Forest Casey

Music and Mental Health

How can music affect mental health? Both listening and creat ing music can positively influence mood and mental health. Music can increase brain processing, mo tivation, mood, and aid relaxation. Music is a form of sensory stimula tion that provokes responses due to familiarity. Different songs are associated with distinct memories and feelings; providing a sense of security. In addition, music can serve as an outlet for one’s emo tions, temporarily draining nega tive feelings. Music provides com fort whether the lyrics are relatable or simply how it induces relief. Moreover, music can elicit expres sion. Turn to music when you’re at a loss of words and can’t commu nicate how you feel. Creating your own music or writing lyrics can en courage you to process your emo tions as well.

-Brooke Mullarkey

PERSPECTIVE: Contrary to popular belief

Meds

do not make you boring. To be fair, medication isn’t for every one; some people have terrible ex periences with it. It happens, it doesn’t mean there aren’t alternatives, and it’s nothing to be ashamed of--but neither is taking meds and being completely happy and healthy, perhaps the exact same meds that made someone else feel numb or frustrated. There’s no one-sizefits-all pill (the same is true of any kind of treat ment), yet most people tend to picture the same reaction to every medication.

I’ve been that person, too: when I was about eleven, I told my doctor “I don’t want to get loaded full of pills,” in response to the sugges tion of ADHD meds. Seven years later, I take Zoloft, and it makes me a little groggy at times, but for the most part, it sits on my anxiety and doesn’t bug me. It hasn’t flattened my creative abilities as I feared it would when I started it as a freshman--in fact, it’s partially thanks to my meds that my brain stays renewed with ideas and projects instead of consumed by vast fears played on loop. This is because medication for anxiety aims to bring balance into the parts of the brain that are struggling to do their job; it doesn’t target personality, and whether or not it’s right and comfortable depends on the person.

As I said, medication doesn’t work for every one--but if a certain type works for a certain person, there’s no need to worry that they’re not their true self because of it. If anything, they are truer now than they would be with their chronic illness hovering over them.

Getting

treatment won’t destroy your life as you know it. Your career track, social life, and general happiness won’t cease to exist if your mind is struggling-in fact, if you want to keep these things with you, then seeking help when you feel off is the best thing to do. It’s a common misconception to mix the negativity of mental illness up with how to treat it, which can make pursuing help extremely scary.

As a freshman, I felt that the world would im plode if I wound up in the hospital because of my brain, but that happened, and it’s a good sign that I’m still here. On the other hand, try ing to handle a mental health issue yourself leads nowhere if not to a darker place--and that doesn’t make you weak. Mental illness is hard work that makes your brain super buff over time, but even the buffest get worn down by the wrong kind of workout. I’m sorry to use the phrase “it takes a village”, but you have friends to vent to, guidance counselors to con sult, and, if you seek treatment or just need to talk to someone, professionals to help you un derstand what’s happening--and they all truly want you to be okay. Nobody can do it alone, and that’s fine.

I consider my anxiety managed, and I still take meds, see a therapist, and have days when I need moral support--and none of this stuff is ruining my life. I can promise from experience that if you’re having a hard time right now, it does get easier and easier--but you have to rip off the band-aid of getting help for the first time, and then you have to be patient and kind towards yourself. Getting help does not make you bad or hopeless--it’s the start of hope.

-Frances Kenney

MENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES

From Mrs. Danielle Perricone-Munn’s Media Studies Students

Teen depression not the same for everyone

It’s important to keep in mind that depression isn’t the same for everyone. A person with depression could show any number of these symptoms, even none at all. It’s also possible that someone can show some of these symp toms and not be depressed. However, if you feel like you or someone you know has de pression, reach out. You never know the im pact you may have on someone’s life. (helpguide.org)

-Leah Boris

Pertussis Plagues Haven

What can be done about the whooping cough outbreak?

David Ren, ‘21 Editor

The Wallingford Swarthmore School Dis trict is currently facing a pertussis (also known as whooping cough) outbreak. As of returning from Thanksgiving break, there have been 17 confirmed cases since the beginning of the school year, all of which have been restricted to Strath Haven High School, Strath Haven Mid dle School, and Swarthmore-Rutledge School. Fortunately, all of the patients are have recieved care and are recovering.

Junior Brendan Deppen is friends with one of stu dents diagnosed with pertussis.

“It was scary when I found out that she was sick,” he said. “But I began to feel better after she began recovering. It’s good to know that the school is helping out too.”

And indeed, the Strath Haven High School Ad ministration is currently cooperating with the Pennsylvania Department of Health to tackle the pertussis outbreak.

But this outbreak is not a unique event. Just last year, someone contracted pertussis at a basketball game between Strath Haven and Marple New town. That basketball game was not the only ath letic event to be affected by pertussis—this year’s Turkey Bowl, which was supposed to be held on November 26, 2019, was cancelled and will be re scheduled as a result of the pertussis outbreak.

One angry Junior adds: “It’s weird how we had to cancel the Turkey Bowl because of the cough. It’s going to feel weird going into Thanksgiving break without the annual Turkey Bowl.”

So, what can be done by the members of the Wallingford Swarthmore School District to en sure that such an outbreak never happens again?

It’s first important to understand what pertussis is: a highly contagious bacterial disease caused by

the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. The symptoms usually begin a week after infection, and are simi lar to those of the common cold and the flu, usu ally involving a runny nose, a low fever, sneezing, and, most distinguishably, hard and persistent coughing that can cause a high-pitched “whoop” sound when breathing in (hence its name).

Since it is a bacterial disease, pertussis can be treated through antibiotics. But more impor tantly, pertussis can be avoided through basic hygiene practices and the pertussis vaccine. It is absolutely necessary for every student of Strath Haven High School to be vaccinated for pertus sis—healthier students and staff would be guaran teed, and events like the Turkey Bowl would not have to be cancelled (the Turkey Bowl was lucky to be rescheduled).

This extends to all other diseases that are ca pable of being prevented through vaccination, such as tetanus and rabies. A lack of awareness and a lack of vaccinations have already resulted in the reemergence of deadly diseases that were close to extinction, such as measles, in the 2019 Pacific Northwest Measles Outbreak. We can’t let this happen again. The more diseases that are eliminated through continued vaccinations across multiple generations (such as the smallpox virus) the better, and those vaccinations must start now, during our generation, and here, in the American public schools.

This mindset can be seen in America and other European countries, such as Germany, as an in creasing number of schools mandate more vacci nations and other health-related programs.

Hopefully, the Wallingford Swarthmore School District won’t experience any more cases of per tussis, or any other vaccine-preventable diseases, in the following years.

SNAPSHOTS OF HAVEN LIFE

Sunrise Movement Supports Youth Climate Activism

Youth activists are fighting against climate change--- you can join them.

Abby DiNardo, ‘21 Staff Writer

Climate change. Global warming. Climate Crisis. All three terms mean the same thing.

“The Earth is getting hotter and nobody cares,” ju nior Olivia Fox said.

We are at a crossroads. We’ve been here for a while, and we’ve got to make a choice. Down the road lies change for a better future. Down the other roads, Earth gets too hot and all living organisms die.

NASA reports that the overall average temperature of the Earth has increased by 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit since the 1880s. Even more disturbingly, 2/3 of this increase occurred in 1975, only 45 years ago. So what really hap pened in those 130 years, or more importantly, in those 45 years? In 1975, 4,421 million tons of carbon were emitted. In 2007, U.S. carbon emissions peaked, and 6,002 million tons of carbon were emitted by the U.S. alone. But what is the significance of these statistics? These mil lions upon millions of tons of gas, whether greenhouse gases or carbon dioxide, absorb light and radiation, trap ping heat in the Earth’s atmosphere and causing the planet to get hotter. This is what caused the Earth’s overall aver age temperature to increase by almost 1 degree Fahrenheit in just 45 years.

So what can we do to stop this process?

Representative Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (AOC) has a plan—the Green New Deal (GND). The GND would stop the climate crisis while creating millions of jobs for a bet ter and more livable future. The goal is to have zero car bon emissions by 2030. That’s in 10 years. Will it be hard?

Yes. But will it be worth it? Yes, because our future is on the line. Jobs would be created when transitioning to clean energy sources. Those who are displaced from nonrenew able resources will be trained by the government in the

renewable energy field. All children will have access to daycare and a good education. A lot of this plan will be paid for with the extra money not going to paying for care to treat asthma or other carcinogen related illnesses that are prevalent in those exposed to nonrenewable resources. So what can YOU do?

The Sunrise Movement is a mass youth run national move ment that is stopping the climate crisis while creating mil lions of good and clean jobs. Sunrise promotes youth ac tivism and youth involvement because it’s our future that’s on the line. As Mahatma Gandhi said: “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” We, as young people, have to change the world around us if we want to see our grandchildren. We have to rally and march and show our elected officials that we want change, and that we demand change. And most importantly, if they don’t give us the change we want, we will vote them out of office and vote for someone who will give us that change.

In April, we hope that an electable democrat wins the pri mary, but, most importantly, we want a candidate that will do something about the climate crisis. Sunrise compiled a report card for the top three democratic candidates as of now. Out of 200 points available, Biden only has 75. That’s 37.5%. That’s worse than failing. Warren has 165. That’s 82.5%. Sanders has 183. That’s 91.5%. Sanders is the front runner, and with AOC’s endorsement, he’s at the top of the top when it comes to climate policy. So what about Mary Gay Scanlon? She’s not endorsing the GND. Why? Not enough of her constituents are expressing that they want the GND. But it’s our only hope to keep our Earth from burning up.

How can we show her that we want a GND? We strike, we sit in, we demand action. We escalate our actions until she has to say yes.

On December 6th, there was a national climate strike, 10 weeks after the global climate strike where 7.6 million people walked out of jobs, high schools, colleges, etc. to demand change from their elected officials. On the 6th, 1500 people striked in Philadelphia outside of City Hall. We chanted, rallied, and marched to get the attention of our elected officials. Chants about people power, the cor ruption of our politics concerning climate change, and go ing green were sung at the top of our lungs. People from 3 years old to 80 years old were there, marching through the streets holding up signs that said: “It’s not hot girl summer all year round,” or “Ok, boomer,” or “System change, not climate change.” These escalated actions are so important to our cause because it’s the only way to get people to real ize that we’re serious and we’re ready to do whatever it takes to get change in the policy.

If this sounds exciting to you, join Sunrise Strath Haven, our local hub that is demanding action. Sunrise will pull us through to a clean energy future.

A moment of recognition • Sophomore Jaiden Whitfield receives an award from teachers Mrs. Danielle Cia maichelo and Mrs. Susan Caramanico on November 5 in the Strath Haven High School library. Teachers nomi nated students who exemplified character in their classes. “We honored 40 students, but would love to raise that number for the second marking period. The theme for the second marking period is perseverance and growth,” Mrs. Caramanico said. / Alanna Brown ‘23

And-One

• Junior Robbie Guilday goes up strong against two Church Park defenders. The game, played on December 7th in Hallie Jackson’s honor, was won by Strath Haven handily 66-20. / Ben Ainslie, ‘21

Marching for Change • Strath Haven students participate in Philadelphia cli mate strike on December 6th. People of all ages left school and work to carry signs outside City Hall. / Photo provided by Abby Dinardo

Artist Spotlight: Lauren St Clair

Lauren is a junior who recently placed first for Literary Magazine Artwork at the Pennsylvania School Press Association Student Journalism Competition and will be advancing to finals at Penn State in March

How long would you say you’ve been doing art?

I started drawing during the winter break of fifth grade. I still remember the very first drawing I ever did (the first one that wasn’t for school or anything, anyway). I still have it, actually.

Do you have a favorite work you’ve created?

It changes constantly. At the moment, it’s a painting I completed over Thanksgiving break of a cat walking through the snow. I was going to try to sell it, but I was proud of it so I ultimately decided to keep it for myself.

What have you been working on most recently?

I’ve been trying to improve my back grounds and digital paintings. They don’t often come out very good yet, progress is pretty slow, but they’re a lot of fun so I don’t really mind sinking so much time into them.

Just For Today: A celebration of love, friendship, and the Haven community

A showcase of Haven’s most talented

Will Garrett, ‘21 Designer

After the cancellation of Haven’s fall drama, Romeo and Juliet, a new show was cre ated. Just For Today: A Celebration of Love, Friendship, and the Haven Commu nity featured performances from talented cast members that conveyed themes of togetherness and community.

Following junior Hallie Jackson’s death in early November, it became clear to the cast and crew that the timing was no longer appropriate for a production of Romeo and Juliet. The Shakespearean play includes the deaths of two teenagers by suicide. Instead of starting a new production from scratch, the idea of a new form of the show was brought to the table. Just for Today incorporated songs from all styles and scenes from Shakespeare’s greatest works into a sort of variety show. All cast members remained seated on the stage for each actor’s performance, showing their support for one another. Junior Flynn Nolan, who was prepar ing for the role of Friar Lawrence, performed his monologue during the performance.

“Although Romeo Juliet is a classic, I think everyone in the cast and crew can agree that the message of Just for Today was more suitable for our community,” Nolan said. “Everyone just needed to hear that things would be alright and things would get better.”

Each performance was stunning in its own way, with piano played by Jyothi Rao and Jaydyn Thurman, guitar played by Mr. Ned Baker and Leo Koncos, ukulele played by Bella Emma nouilides, and drums played by Matteo Machado. These talented musicians accompanied the singers throughout the show and many sang as well.

“The only guideline we had was to make sure that when people left the theater, they felt loved and appreciated,” Nolan said. “We wanted to leave an impact on the community. We wanted to have a positive message: that you matter.”

Just for Today was warmly received by audiences. “I loved how each person got to show their hard work and talent in one way or another, and how everyone had their turn in the spotlight.” said junior Amy Hogg. “I hope the performers are proud of themselves!”

TO THE LEFT

Sam Traverso (11th), Luke Branes-Huff (12th), Flynn Nolen (11th), Archie Bracegirdle (9th), and Matteo Machado (11th) perform For the Longest Time by Billy Joel.

Boomers,” founded by Machado, looked dapper in formal attire

showed

their

Across 1. The December holiday cel ebrated on the 25th.

6. What does Santa ride in when he delivers presents?

10. Name the holiday movie starring Macaulay Caulkin. (Hint: second word)

11. The spikes formed when wa ter drips off the roof and freezes.

14. Chest___

15. This winter beverage is made from cocoa and served while ___.

16. The impressionist who painted more than 100 snowy scenes.

17. The child waited in line and ___ on Santa’s lap.

19. The slang word for nothing.

21. Love ____

25. The upcoming Marvel mov ie starring Kumail Nanjiani.

27. “And the bells __ ringing out, for Christmas day.”

28. “__ Sports—it’s in the game”

29. The 1940 romance movie, “Remember the Night”, stars Frank MacMurray, a New York ___ who helps a shoplifting woman.

30. The last name of the fictional character that controls winter weather.

31. The abbreviation for the country that celebrates Bastille Day on July 14th.

32. The sticky substance found on trees that was once used as glue.

33. A type of bread loaf that is

CROSSWORD

eaten alongside holiday meals.

36. The Irving Berlin song from ‘White Christmas.’ (sing.)

38. The name of an entertain ment news website that also has a Youtube channel.

39. A certain someone will be spending Christmas in this country. (abbrev.)

40. The most common battery size for household electronic devices.

41. One of Santa’s nicknames.

42. This season, most parents __ to please their children.

44. A color commonly associ ated with Christmas.

45. When someone’s voice sounds rough and harsh.

47. A natural rock that contains

a valuable mineral within it. 49. The abbreviation for ante meridiem.

50. The abbreviation for physi cal education.

51. The highest award offered at the Cannes Film Festival

53. A type of sponge cake that uses no butter.

56. A gingerbread man’s buttons (sing.)

58. The organ in the body used to hear.

59. A shape of cake inspired by the traditional European dessert known as Gugelhupf.

60. The point at which water begins to condense.

61. The fictional Dr. Seuss char acter that stole Christmas.

Down Santa’s front door.

Blitzen, Dasher, Prancer, Donder

This is a condiment used to add flavor to food.

If your room is a ___, you’ll sure be naughty.

The mystical figure who brings children gifts on Christmas Eve.

A habitual drunkard.

8. The author of ‘Christmas Poem,’ surname Cummings.

9. If Santa didn’t wear this you’d see his bald ing head.

12. A boring gift for a little kid.

13. A northeastern state in Brazil known for its long coastline along the Atlantic.

15. ‘Home for Christmas’ is the festive al bum by John Oates & Daryl ___.

18. A cold oatmeal dish that is generally eat en for breakfast.

20. Children hoping for a snow day will be checking this.

22. What do the Silvertones sing during the holidays?

23. “___ the ancient Yuletide carol.” (12 Days of Christmas)

24. An archaic term for Christmas.

26. Where Santa asks little kids to sit.

30. The French word for cold.

32. Rudolph & friends crossed this to get to the island of misfit toys.

34. The Doyenne du Comice is a festive type of this fruit.

35. The name of Kate Winslet’s character in The Holiday who switches places with Cam eron Diaz’s character.

37. The 6th episode of VeggieTales titled, “The ___ of Christmas”.

38. The custard commonly topped with car amelized sugar in this French dessert.

41. A Central European Christmas demon

43. A sacred Jewish candelabrum.

45. What animal was sent on the third day of “The Twelve Days of Christmas” song.

46. What #6 DOWN might drink.

48. Where #6 DOWN might spend Christ mas.

50. In ‘A Christmas Carol,’ a candle-like man is the ghost of this.

51. “The boys of the NY__ choir were sing ing Galway Bay.” (A Fairytale of New York)

52. A type of haircut that is based on the bob cut, but longer.

54. An ugly sweater, light up necklace, and bauble earrings might be called festive ___. 55. ___ Christmas by Devo Spice

57. The English rock band that wrote ‘Lone ly This Christmas’

By Maria Andraos & Evelyn Blanchette, ‘21

FRESH

CAN ART INFLUENCE VIOLENCE?

Todd Phillips’ Joker is a tragic exploration of what drives a person to extreme violence. The film centers around Arthur Fleck, a mentally-ill man who was so badly mistreated and disregarded by society that he turns to murder. Before the film was even released, there was a panic in the media. Inevitable ques tions surfaced almost immediately: Would the film romanticize mental illness in a way that validates violence? Would it be powerful enough to encourage certain viewers to become violent themselves?

Many articles explored the possible implications of Joker and the issue of re leasing it during a time of so much senseless violence in America. But does art truly have the power to encourage an individual to commit an act of violence?

If so, should there be restrictions placed on art to prevent this?

A NECESSARY CONVERSATION

Cece Olszewski, ‘22 Editor

Anyone who has seen Joker can agree that it is a very R rated movie. Nobody under 17 can get into the theater without be ing accompanied by an adult. Besides the R rating, however, there is no way to prevent specific people from seeing Joker and interpreting it as an endorsement of violence. When art is misin terpreted, there really isn’t anyone in particular that we can blame. The entertainment industry should not have to alter its content just because the press is worried. But Joker is more than just a movie about murder. In Joker, we are shown how.

Arthur’s mental illness is explained within his first ten minutes of screen time. Throughout the film, he is beaten by strangers and mocked for his attempts at pursuing a career in stand-up comedy. There is a heavy focus on violence in the film, but it also covers a more familiar struggle in today’s world: access to healthcare. There is a scene in the movie where Arthur is told that due to budget cuts, he no longer has access to therapy or medication. His reaction is one of the most powerful scenes of the film. Once we see this scene, it becomes clear that Joker wasn’t made with the intention of endorsing violence. Arthur’s violent actions are not glori fied; they are graphic and disturbing to watch. Joker por trays every murder in the most gruesome way possible because it wants viewers to wince. It wants viewers to see how horrible the consequences can be when people feel isolated and alone in the world. In its simplest form, Joker comes off as a cautionary tale of what could happen when we, as a society, ne glect those of us who need the most help and care. The moment we place restrictions on art is the moment we lose our freedom of expression. Joker impacts audiences so profoundly because the fear hits close to home. Aside from the con troversy, Joker’s cinematography and score alone prove that there was deliberate care and thought put into every minute of the film. The attention it received from the media is im portant in that it starts a conversation about violence, and what actions are necessary to prevent it.

CONSIDER THE CONSEQUENCES

Archie Bracegirdle, ‘23 Staff Writer

The first thing that struck me after watching Joker was how incredibly real the film felt. During and after the movie, I was in absolute shock due to the fact that the film so closely resembled something that I felt could easily happen in real life. While this does create a gritty and gripping film, on the more serious side of things, the way it so closely resembles real life could cause violent interpretations of the things shown.

From the very beginning of the film, it is made very clear that Arthur is struggling with the state of his mental health to a point of dysfunction. As the film progresses, Arthur uses a handgun that he was given by a former co-worker to commit numerous murders. The issue with this sort of content is not the violence itself, but the depiction of gun violence in the film. The film is rated R, meaning some restrictions are in place, but it can still be perceived as incredibly realistic by audiences, which can have disastrous consequences in real life. These consequences are most apparent in one of the most prevalent and visible acts of gun violence today: school shootings.

Some of the most deadly school shooters today are said to have worshipped the two shooters involved in the 2004 shooting at Columbine High School in Columbine, Colorado. If Joker is perceived as such a real, haunting experience, what is to stop people from perceiving this extreme, uncensored depiction of gun violence as they do a real-life occurrence such as a school shooting? The film reflects real life even more closely when Fleck’s mental health is analyzed. The way mental health issues are portrayed in the film is extremely accurate and reflective of real-life problems.

What makes Joker so compelling is the way it makes the audience question their own morality. The film is slated to make the view er sympathize with Arthur Fleck, even as he commits terri ble atrocities and acts of violence. This is one of the main reasons behind the controversy and speculation sur rounding Joker. There is no such restriction placed on the film as to stop someone from empathizing with the Joker, feeling that his actions are justifi able, or considering the acts of violence portrayed in the film as appropriate in real life. Swathes of citizens are shown celebrating Arthur’s crimes and worshipping him, which further reinforces the idea that his actions are being shown as justi fied or acceptable. The possible consequences of the film could have been combated by a possibly more strict restriction on who could and could not view the film, or a possible delay of release until a more topically appropriate time.