December 2022

“FRESHMEN”

FACULTY

New teachers—some from nearby high schools, some right out of college—find their footing in the Haven community.

FISH VS. BEE

Strath Haven’s greatest internal rivalry fights it out on paper.

FOOTBALL FRENZY

Senior football captains share their experiences on and off the field.

Students need cell service

Matthew Chen ‘23, Julia Gray ‘23, Rhys Hals ‘23

Editors-in-Chief, Haven Happenings Editor

When lockdown procedures were initiated on Dec. 8, our first thoughts were to text our family and friends.

When we sent our messages, however, few were delivered or received.

Sitting with our classmates, waiting for updates, we were in the dark. Not only were the classroom lights turned off— but without dependable cell service, we couldn’t confirm the safety of our loved ones, and we couldn’t access reliable information on the situation.

The few students who could access the internet sometimes turned to rumors to make sense of the incident.

Texts with inaccurate information circulated, and social media went wild.

According to security consulting firm National School Safety and Security Services, rumors spread by texts and social media during an emergency may create more anxiety and panic than the actual threats or incidents that triggered the rumors.

However, students report that the rumors weren’t what caused the general unease. It was concern about friends, and worry about not being able to assure family that we were safe.

Unreliable cell service isn’t just a problem in an emergency. Students should be able to contact their family members on a regular, non-emergency day, for all of the reasons that we want and need to stay connected.

The lack of service affects our academic experience as well. As internet usage becomes increasingly prevalent, teachers often expect us to use our phones as tools in the classroom— especially since many of our teachers now have wifi on their personal devices that lets them see the possibilities of how connection can support learning.

Many students can relate to the frustration of being expected to turn in a photo of their physical or offline work by the end of the class, but being unable to until they are home. The lack of service turns our devices into meaningless distractions.

In most classrooms a poster can be found listing ways to de-stress or access emotional support. To learn more about these resources, we are directed to scan a QR code. However, if a student actively needed to see how they could get help, they would have to type the link into their Chromebook. There is simply not enough service in the building to access the information on our phones.

We are not necessarily advocating for a student wifi network on our devices, instead, a solution that will allow students

to use their phones more constructively. We predict that phone usage will not increase with better service. Instead, the usage will change. A lack of service doesn’t deter students from using their phones to play games or draft texts that will be sent later. However, with consistent service, students could use their phones in a productive way for responsible communication and academic purposes.

We have consistent access to connection in just about every other location besides the limited service in our school building. We will receive text alerts and notifications in college and the workplace. Learning to sort through important notifications and all the distractions is part of growing up in a digital world.

Whether the answer lies in signal boosters, a limited wifi network for student devices, or another system, we urge the school district to find a way to provide consistent phone service in all areas of Strath Haven High School. Important aspects of our safety and our learning depend on this solution.*

Competitive culture breeds college elitism

Rhys Hals ‘23 Haven Happenings Editor

The college application process should be a unifying time for the senior class. Yet, at Strath Haven, an already stressful environment breeds even more competition than usual as students take on the challenge of planning their future. As more people apply to more colleges and universities, they become more selective, and name recognition, “prestige,” and low acceptance rates take priority in institution qualities.

Although some students prefer to keep their college plans private, many share their experiences, and some take it as an opportunity for competition. A process that should be very personal becomes a matter of status. Instead of ensuring that a college has the right balance of work and social life, right setting, right programs, etc., students hunt out the best names and lowest acceptance rates.

It’s not hard to find students with the mindset that public universities, or those with an acceptance rate of higher than, say, 30 percent, are “lesser-than.” Even without explicitly saying this, many students exemplify this idea in the way they compare universities to one another.

No matter how hard one tries to avoid it, this attitude is infectious. Senior Nick Cardi was impacted by these ideas, and it affected his college list.

“Part of the stress of the application process for me has been ‘are the schools I’m choosing gonna fit to the standards at my school, are the kids gonna look down on me?’” Cardi said. “The way other people perceive you at your high school has played a big role in how I’ve considered which colleges to apply to.”

Students are too quick to attach labels to schools which can then spread to the person attending that college, becoming their label. These comparisons breeds the toxic environment that

Strath Haven students often complain about.

Senior Supraja Sudarsan brought the issue of stress and college to the school board and Superintendent Dr. Marseille in her role as school board representative.

“Everything’s a competition, so if you can make the school you get into a competition, might as well. Might as well give yourself another title,” she said. “Dr. Marseille was actually kind of unaware about the amount of stress that we go through…and the fact the school board didn’t understand what seniors went through, and how long everyone feels stressed, was actually kind of shocking. So I’m glad I could put things into perspective for them.”

Sudarsan praises Strath Haven for not having a class rank or weighted GPA as it removes some competition. But the point of that is lost when students compare themselves anyway.

To make this tough time the most bearable, we need to learn to not compete with one another. Where you go to college doesn’t define you, nor make you a better or worse person or even student. Picking a college is not something that should be taken lightly and certainly not something that should happen under the influence of peers. Everyone should learn to mind their business when it comes to college application, and realize that college is ultimately what you make of it and not the name on your diploma. We need to learn to watch our language and not perpetuate harmful ideas that certain institutions are inherently better than others.

Most of all, we need to overcome our culture of competition and elitism to make Strath Haven the least stressful it can be.*

About

The Panther Press is the student-run publication of Strath Haven High School in Wallingford, PA. The Panther Press publishes 500 copies bimonthly in print and is distributed to classrooms and students at Strath Haven High School. The publication is also online at www. shpantherpress.com

The Panther Press is first and foremost a reflection of the opinions and interests of the student body. For this reason, we do not publish any anonymous or teacher-written submissions, and we do not discriminate against any ideology or political opinion. While we are bound by school policy (and funding) and we will not render any article neutral, although individual points may be edited for obscene or inflammatory content. Finally, the articles published in The Panther Press do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors or advisers.

Submissions

All Strath Haven students are welcome to learn the basics of journalism and become contributors to The Panther Press. Our 2022-2023 Google Classroom code is irwrlgv. Interested students should join the page to learn about upcoming meetings and training sessions.

Letters to the editor are encouraged. Any reader may submit a letter to the editor via email to strathhavenpantherpress@gmail.com. Anonymous letters will not be published. Editors reserve the right to contact letter writers or edit submissions for reasons of space or clarity.

Our staff also welcomes feedback in the comments section of The Panther Press online or via our social media. Each comment is subject to review by a student editor with support from the adviser. Online commenters on our website must have a verified email address, and comments are reviewed for defamation, profanity, obscenity, libel, and invasion of privacy. Not all comments are published.

Bylines

All contributors are listed in the bylines of stories that appear in print and online. Photography, graphics, art, illustrations, and other creative work will be given attribution. Unsigned editorials, when published, feature the byline of the Editorial Board

Social Media

The Panther Press maintains social media accounts on Twitter (@shpantherpress) and Instagram (@shpantherpress). The editors-inchief and social media editor manage the social media accounts in consultation with the adviser. We encourage community members to follow us on social media for online posting and discussion of student news.

Our staff members do their best to ensure that social media content is accurate and verified. Any inaccurate information will be corrected with corrections acknowledged.

Social media participants should remember that anything posted in response to The Panther Press social media is public and reflects on our publication, our school, and the poster. Social media replies and comments will be screened for defamation, profanity, or libel.

Advertising

Print and online advertising is at the discretion of our editors. The Panther Press reserves the right to refuse advertising deemed inappropriate for high school publication or not addressed to our audience of student readers.

“No

OPINION:

Haven’s students’ competitive nature has led to a hierarchy of colleges, putting pressure on students.

We need to learn to watch our language and not perpetuate harmful ideas that certain institions are inherently better than others.

With consistent service, students could use their phones in a productive way for responsible communication and academic purposes.

Meet the cafeteria staff

Casper Stockman ‘26 Contributor

Who are the cafeteria workers that cook and serve our food every day? The ones who, time after time, provide meals to get us through the end of school, and often with a smile or encouraging word?

Wallingford Swarthmore School District partners with The Nutrition Group for food service at all schools. Based out of Irwin, PA, The Nutrition Group provides food

service to K-12 schools, as well as facility management services, according to their website. The Nutrition Group staff members at WSSD are led by Food Service Director Ms. Kristen Mathieson.

We wanted to help our readers put some names to faces in the cafeteria, so we got to know some of the staff members behind the cafeteria lines.

DAILY BREAKFAST & LUNCH MENUS wssd.nutrislice.com

General Worker

Carol Konrad began working at Strath Haven eight years ago.

“It’s a nice place, I [like] the kids,” Konrad said.

Konrad loves spending time with her family, and enjoys working out and shopping.

Manager

Barbara Hance began working at Strath Haven 17 years ago.

“I just love being here with the kids,” Hance said.

Hance recently had a granddaughter named Charlie Rose, but that’s not all she does outside of school.

“I go down to the shore,” Hance said, “we have a boat… in Wildwood, New Jersey.”

Favorite Food Hoagies

Cook

Genay Costa began working at Strath Haven 19 years ago.

“I love to cook, I love to put out, hopefully, good food,” Costa said.

Costa’s children went to Strath Haven, and her grandchildren do as well.

She also enjoys walking. “I have a German Shepherd and we do a lot of hiking.”

Favorite Food Salmon and Avocados

General Worker

Cassidy Gamber began working at Strath Haven two years ago.

“I love the people here,” Gamber said.

In Gamber’s freetime, she likes to listen to music, her favorite music artist being Taylor Swift.

Favorite Food Pizza

General Worker

Paul Brooks spends much of his time doing food prep.

“I usually prep the food,” he said. “I usually put it in the oven, take it out, put it on the side.”

Brooks finds it a pleasure to serve everybody,.

“Have a great year, we’re here to help out whenever you want us.”

Favorite Food Pizza

General Worker

Rob Brown began working at Strath Haven seven years ago after graduating from college.

In Brown’s freetime he likes playing guitar, along with 3D Printing and computer animation.

“Be patient,” Brown said, “Students may end up doing this kind of work for a little while before seeing their blessing come for bigger, better opportunities. Don’t be ashamed of the job you’re working because you’re gonna move to bigger, better things.”

Favorite Food Ruffles Chips & Pepsi

Zykee Carmichael, 2002-2022

Matthew Chen ‘23 Editor-in-Chief

Senior Zykee Carmichael passed away on Monday, Dec. 5, 2022.

Zykee was born on Dec. 28, 2002 to Christine Jones and Darrel Carmichael. He was known as Teddy to his loved ones and 2sev to his friends.

He recently enrolled in the nursing program at Delaware County Community College in the hopes of becoming a registered nurse. He was passionate about working with the disabled and wanted to learn how to help his mom take care of his little brother.

Carmichael was known by his classmates for his quiet spirit and humility.

“If you get to know him, he will talk to you but if you don’t know him, he’s quiet,” said senior Nhajir Palmer, a classmate in Carmichael’s Business English class. “We played basketball at the YMCA.”

Carmichael was known for quiet spirit. Rapping, playing loud music in his bathroom, making music videos, playing video games, and spending time with his friends were some of his favorite activities, according to the service program.

Carmichael’s Janazah Service was held on Thursday Dec. 8 at the Khadijah Alderman Funeral Home in Philadelphia, PA. The student community of Strath Haven High School is deeply saddened by this tragic loss. We are keeping Zykee’s family in our thoughts. *

General Worker

Evelyn Medina began working at Strath Haven last year. At school, she enjoys both the kids and her fellow employees.

“I speak two languages,” Medina said. “Spanish, habla español.”

In her free time, Medina enjoys dancing and listening to music, specifically, Mark Anthony. “He’s a Spanish singer who sings salsa,” she said.

Favorite Food Steak

Favorite Food

Her favorite food comes straight from the kitchen.

“Actually, for breakfast, a lot of mornings, Genay [Costa], the cook, she makes us breakfast sandwiches. That’s probably my favorite,” she said.

Sophie Schlegel

Food Preparation

Sophie Schlegel began working at Strath Haven last year.

“I like being around nice people, I like my coworkers,” Schlegel said Schlegel used to go to Strath Haven. In fact, Schlegel hopes to return to Strath Haven eventually as a special needs teacher.

“[In my freetime] I do something called Kaleidoscope. It’s a special needs group,” she said.

Favorite Food European, Asian*

Green Haven initiates school recycling

Sustainability club makes recycling their top priority.

Gabriel Ball ‘24 Contributor

Strath Haven is going green. Through the environmental club Green Haven, students are working to improve and revamp the school’s recycling system.

Recycling reduces the amount of trash put out into the environment and reuses old materials. Climate change and environmental issues have become increasingly important in recent years as the effects of human induced pollution and destruction of the environment become more apparent.

Within the halls of Strath Haven, students are responding to this crisis through Green Haven, a club dedicated to making the school more environmentally friendly. French teacher and Green Haven faculty co-sponsor Mrs. Traci Dubs described the current recycling initiative.

“Our mission is to make Strath Haven more green,” Dubs said. “Our current initiative is to focus on recycling as it is something all of the students care about. We talked about other initiatives but this is something we jumped on.”

There are multiple challenges facing the school recycling program, including the lack of collections of the classroom recycling bins and the contamination of recycling with trash and other materials.

“From what I understand, the school has two recycling dumpsters that take glass, aluminum, cardboard, paper, and plastic,” Dubs said.

The incorrect placement of non-recyclable trash, such as food and chip bags, prevents materials in their respective bins from being recycled. Everything, including the recycling, has to be thrown out as a result of this.

According to Dubs, contamination is a common problem for recycling initiatives.

It is important to put trash and recycling in the correct bin. Students should be especially aware of this at lunch, where the recycling is often unsalvageable due to the amount of food and trash mixed in with the recycling.

“We put up signs to alert students as to what can be recycled,” junior Joseph Tracy said. “We emailed teachers to let them know about the issue, and have students make the right decision with their trash.”

Green Haven has also been rounding up recycling from classrooms in order to help keep the school clean. Club members sign up to pick up recycling from green recycling bins in classrooms each week.

If you have interest in helping out with Green Haven, you can contact Dubs or co-adviser Ms. Gianna Harris, or visit the Green Haven Google Classroom (code yvqgokx) where announcements and sign-ups are available for recycling collections and other events. Service hours are available for recycling pickups, according to an announcement posted to the Activities Google Classroom.*

PHOTO: RHYS HALS

Carol Konrad

Barbara Hance

Genay Costa

Cassidy Gamber

Paul Brooks

Rob Brown

Evelyn Medina

ZYKEE CARMICHAEL

PHOTO: BARKSDALE STUDIO FOR HAVEN YEARBOOK

Independent studies present alternative options

The independent study option allows junior and senior students to choose what they wish to learn, at their own pace.

Kaitlyn Ho ‘26 Reporter

The independent study option gives students the chance to explore their own interests within school hours, sometimes even for credit.

Although independent study is not a replacement for schoolmandated courses like math and language arts, it does permit students to study subjects from French films to knitting, or to take online courses.

Senior Erich Boerth is knitting as his independent study, which he does fourth block with Special Education Teacher Ms. Sarah Holt as his adviser.

If you are thinking about doing an independent study, Boerth advises you to seize your chance.

“I would say go for it,” Boerth said. “If you really have a passion to learn about something, or… it’s something that really piques your interest that you can’t explore with the school’s programs, I think that it’s a really helpful way to further develop yourself and you can kind of explore more.”

In order to propose an independent study, students must submit a detailed proposal to the administration that is co-authored

with the advising teacher, who must be certified in the area of study. Students can choose to take the independent study for pass-fail or for a letter grade. Those who opt for the letter grade must complete a 10-15 minute presentation to a team of three or more faculty members, one of which must be a department chair, counselor, or administrator.

Senior Ella Grossman has a strong interest in film, and last year her independent study involved creating a 5-minute short movie.

This year, she is analyzing French films, and next semester, she will be filming a documentary on a small organic farm in Pennsylvania.

Grossman agrees with Boerth about taking the chance for an independent study, but advises that students should ensure they have some concrete plans.

“I think that I would just say, do it…I have had such an amazing experience,” she said. “But I think that it’s important that you know exactly what you want to accomplish and set a true set of goals. And so really use the time you have and really

Students advocate for career readiness

set those goals for yourself so that you’re able to accomplish something because last year, being able to finish a short film in a semester, that felt really amazing.”

Grossman had thought about potential guilt about taking an independent study as opposed to a more traditionallystructured class.

“There were times I was like, ‘I could be doing something else’,” Grossman said. “But in retrospect, I have intentionally chosen the studies to be something that I’m really interested in. And I think that there’s no reason to feel guilty about actively pursuing your passions and working hard towards something.

“Because [although] it may be really rewarding to get a five on an AP exam, being able to have work of your own that you’ve created and that you’ve worked really hard on, I think that there’s something even more fulfilling about that,” Grossman said. “I think that has helped me sort of understand and…just feel more at ease about maybe taking something that isn’t as rigorous.”

The nature of her independent studies allowed her to work freely, though she still had a significant amount of support from her advisers.

“I feel like personally, I didn’t need a

Recent conference sparks ideas for stronger vocational opportunities.

Matthew Chen ‘23 Editor-in-Chief

On Sept. 29 and 30, seniors Anjali Robinson-Leary, Annie Tolson, and Collin Woodland attended The Big Thing Summit, a conference hosted by the educational nonprofit organization Children First.

This conference convened more than 200 advocates to investigate the next “big thing” that will change young lives, according to the Children First website.

After hearing from speakers at the conference like Kyle Hartung, Associate Vice President at Jobs for The Future, and Luke Rhine, Director of the Career and Technical Education at Delaware Department of Education, the students presented their findings at the WSSD Boarding Meeting on Oct. 25, where they discussed how Strath Haven might implement better ways to prepare students for life after high school.

“We want to make sure that students are not so harshly thrown into the world of work or the world of academia as soon as their school career is over,” RobinsonLeary said.

To bridge the gap between high school and entering the labor market, the students offered several suggestions to consider: partnerships with local businesses to boost youth employment, apprenticeship programs, and strategic work-based learning.

“If our school was able to collaborate with local industries and local businesses, having that connection and sort of an apprenticeship would be very beneficial to both the businesses in our changing labor market, and also students just in terms of gaining exposure, connection, networking, things like that,” Tolson said.

With the Auto Lab class recently halted and students limited to attending the Delaware County Technical School, Tolson and Robinson-Leary express that students are dissatisfied with the current opportunities available to them.

“If you’re not going to college, no one is really feeling ready. We don’t have any sort of career readiness program aside from Vo-tech,” Robinson-Leary said.

“And we also have students who just don’t know what they’re interested in or what they want to do, because the system of education here is just so blanketed and standardized that it really doesn’t allow students to tailor their education.”

Not only are career readiness programs limited, but Robinson-Leary expresses there is also a stigma around students interested in technical careers.

“We live in a very affluent neighborhood, so because of that a lot of the district parents are well educated, a lot of them are in really special and niche careers that have been a product of a lot of schooling,” Robinson-Leary said. “So in conjunction with how competitive our high school is, in general, this creates this sort of expectation that all students should want to go to college, especially because we don’t have any programs that are actively voicing that there are other options.”

Counselor Mrs. Robin Smith is the liaison between the Delaware County Technical School (DCTS) and Strath Haven. She explains that while school culture leans towards the traditional four-year college route, ultimately students have the opportunity to pursue their personal interests, whether that be a trade or academic endeavor.

“One of the big things about Strath Haven is that we look to give you opportunities for things that we don’t offer in our curriculum,” Smith said. “That’s why we have co-op field career dual enrollment. So if a student has an interest that we don’t have a class for, we work with them to get that opportunity.”

Current options at DCTS include programs in construction technology, hospitality and human services, health and bioscience, logistics and

transportation, and engineering and computer science, according to the Silver Guide. DCTS also offers the Medical Careers course, a one-year program that allows students to take classes at a local hospital where they shadow medical staff and observe procedures.

So how do students feel about Strath Haven’s current vocational opportunities?

Senior Noah Romanowski is currently a welding student at the DCTS. He said that attending the program was “100% worth it,” but that not many students are aware of it.

“[DCTS] is a really big opportunity,” Romanowski said. “It’s a really good opportunity for people that want a ‘blue collar working job.’ There’s a lot of employers looking for people that do those and are willing to pay a lot of money, and you can make a good living.”

Senior Aashna Pandey, a student in the Medical Careers program, appreciates that the program offers opportunities to immerse herself in a potential career.

“Joining [MedCareers] allowed me to be introduced to the field early on,” she said. “Just two weeks ago, we received an actual blood pressure monitor that we can use. There are devices people normally wouldn’t get until they’re actually in the field.”

Students at DCTS can not only earn elective credits towards post-secondary education, they can also be inducted into honor societies and selected for scholarships.

“It’s also good if you are going to college, but you would like knowledge and a trade for the future depending on what you’re going to college for,” Romanowski said.

According to an email from Smith, the DCTS application for current students opened on Thursday, Dec. 15. She encourages students who are curious about DCTS opportunities to contact her for more information.*

lot of assistance, it was just really great to have an adult. Someone there as a backbone, if I ever did need any help or if I ever needed any feedback, they were there. And they’ve always just been very supportive, letting me do what I need to do and checking in when they see fit,” Grossman said.

But advisers aren’t needed for every independent study. Some, like senior Jai Rastogi, are taking courses online, which don’t require an adviser.

Rastogi also warns against getting sidetracked. He notes that with eighty minutes daily, five days a week, distractions can be tempting.

“Since there is no teacher who’s there to make sure that you’re doing what you’re supposed to be doing, it can be easy to get distracted talking to friends,” Rastogi said. “I’ve spent many, many blocks just working on college essays and some other classes and things of the like.”

“I think this amount of time is a gift that not many people really have when they’re taking a college class,” he said. “They won’t really have 80 minutes allotted for the class just to work each day—so use it well.”*

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO JOIN MEDCAREERS?

Amelia Andrews-Sullivan ‘23

“Since I was young, I’ve been thinking about pursuing a career in the medical field. I really wanted to get into maternity medicine, especially with all of the problems arising about it.

I really like it. So far, we haven’t really had to get into the hospital for hospital experience. Right now we’re just learning the logistics of the hospital and abbreviations and terms and stuff. But it’s still what I thought it would be so I’m really happy with it so far.”

Mia Tran ‘23

“I decided to do it because I wanted to see if I was actually interested in medicine as a career before I invested any money into it. I really like it. I think it’s a super fun class. Super hands-on. It’s a nice break away from just sitting in class at school.”

Aashna Pandey ‘23

“I wanted a career in medicine. I think getting exposure in senior year was an amazing opportunity because not many people get that option.

I would definitely recommend this program to anyone who’s interested in biology or biomedical science, even if you’re not sure about a career in medicine, even if it’s just something like medical research, chemistry or biochemistry, anything related to that. I think it’s a great way to get involved because not only do you learn about medical science, or get to do clinical rotations, all the different sides of the hospital. It’s a really great opportunity to get introduced to science and healthcare. The classes are so collaborative. I’ve never been stressed about medical terms or anything like that. It’s genuinely so interesting to me. I learn something new every day that I think I’m definitely going to be using as a future healthcare worker.”

“I think that there’s no reason to feel guilty about actively pursuing your passions and working hard towards something.”

Ella Grossman ’23

Dance Haven showcases creativity, collaboration, and calamity Student

Julia Gray ‘23 Editor-in-Chief

Dance Haven members lit up the stage at the Dec. 16 performance. With dances ranging in style from Irish to ballet, it was an opportunity for students to showcase their talent and try new things.

For senior Mia Tran, it was both her first time dancing with Dance Haven and performing hip hop on stage.

“It was my first time performing hip hop on stage and not ballet so it was so cool to get outside of my comfort zone,” Tran said.

Tran didn’t choreograph this time, but she is excited to get more involved for the spring show.

“I didn’t choreograph because I wasn’t sure what it would be like,” she said. “I’m hoping to be in as many dances as possible and choreograph.”

Junior Sasha Binder choreographed for the showcase.

“It was super fun, definitely stressful and time consuming, but I love choreographing,” Binder said.

This showcase, hosted by seniors Jessica Farhat and Colin McLaughlin, featured 16 dances and moments of audience participation.

The hosts also included fun between dances with a Phineas and Ferb dancethemed skit.

Dance Haven is a fully student-led performance that takes place twice each year. The show is free and open to the public.

The next Dance Haven performance will be in the spring of 2023.*

WHAT DOES [EARLY] MEAN?

EARLY DECISION (ED)

BINDING. A student who is accepted as an ED applicant must attend the college.

EARLY ACTION (EA)

NON-BINDING. Students receive an early application response, but do not have to commit to the college until the normal reply date, usually May 1.

ED Applicants

• Apply early (usually November) to firstchoice college.

• Receive an admission decision from the college well in advance of the usual notification date (usually by December).

• Agree to attend the college if accepted and offered a financial aid package that is considered adequate by the family.

• Apply to only one college early decision.

• Apply to other colleges under regular admission plans.

• Withdraw all other applications if accepted by ED.

• Send a nonrefundable deposit well in advance of May 1.

EA Applicants

• Apply early.

• Receive an admission decision early in the cycle (usually January or February).

• Consider acceptance offer; do not have to commit upon receipt.

• Apply to other colleges under regular admission plans.

• Give the college a decision no later than the May 1 national response date.

Common App reports rise in early action applicants

As students experience a push to apply to college earlier, colleges

Rhys Hals ‘23 Haven Happenings Editor

Compared to the 2019-2020 college application cycle (the most recent non-COVID year), the Common App has seen a 41 percent increase in app volume for Nov. 1 deadlines, according to a report released in December by Common App. The average of colleges applied to per person rose from 3.4 to 3.8.

This rise has implications for the selectivity of schools. As more people apply to more colleges, each university will become harder to get into.

Counselor Mr. Travis Edwards has seen pushes for students to apply early, but recognizes the downside of this wave. Colleges have begun opening up their applications in August, likely due to competition with other schools for numbers.

“There has been a significant push for students to apply earlier. Students preparing earlier, focusing on taking tests earlier has created this wave of applications—you see a lot of college guidance with middle school students,” Edwards said. “Certainly that could be a benefit, but I don’t think college is the answer for everyone, either. Thinking about college earlier and earlier and earlier can cause a lot of stress.”

Counselor Mrs. Jennifer Salvage, another member of the counseling department, said she has also noticed an increasing number of colleges pulling their early action options in favor of early decision.

Senior Aïssata Koné, who applied to a total of 17 colleges, only applied to five of them as early action.

“I wanted to know sooner and I wanted to get my financial aid packages sooner. Any school that had early action available, I early actioned,” she said.

Applications from first-generation college students, those that are the first in their family to attend college, are also on the upswing, but not as much as Salvage would like to see.

“It is on the increase, but probably not as much as it should be,” she said. “I would like to help this particular group of students. They’re small but they’re mighty… and they don’t know what it looks like, and they don’t have that streamline support at home to help them with all that.”

She has established a group for first generation students to talk about their experience and barriers in the application process.

At Haven, college is the widely accepted track for students after high school. This mindset can cause an increase in college applications as students feel obligated to apply. Salvage thinks this has changed over the course of the pandemic.

“More students and more families are open to looking at [gap years] as a bridge between high school and college to do something different. I think that’s on the rise now,” she said.

become more selective.

Edwards strives to keep meeting the goals of the individual students, and that doesn’t always mean college. He’s seeing more students be conscious in their decisions surrounding college, especially when it comes to financial factors.

“Students are being thoughtful in their decisions, they’re choosing to maybe not take $50,000 in loans every year, and they’re choosing to say ‘Maybe I’ll go to the community college and save some money’, which is a great option,” Edwards said.

Although Koné had to deliberate the methods of applying, there was never a doubt about it that college was the path for her. She had wanted to apply early decision to her top choice, but opted for regular decision instead.

“I had a whole conversation with my mom about it: ‘Should I ED my top choice? Is it financially responsible?’ If I’m going to do anything after school, it made sense to me to go to school. I also have a dream career that would take college to get there,” she said.

Ultimately, Koné thinks that students shouldn’t be too anxious about the process, but should be deliberate.

“Don’t stress about the amount of colleges you’re applying to. Apply to as many as you’d be interested in going to,” she said. “Don’t apply to a college for no reason.”*

performances were simultaneously dynamic, hilarious, and poignant.

TOP • Left: Junior Anyae Poindexter performs “Press” which was choreographed by senior Emma Wei. Right: Sasha Binder, Lanie Clark, Michelle Ding, Lilly Hodges, Abby Grunseich, Zoe Likely, Riley McLaughlin perform Kill the Lights, choropgraphed by Addie Sullivan and Sydney Williams.

BOTTOM • Left: Audrey Foster, Abby Grunseich, Jaina Livingstone, Ava Manaker, Claire Ross, Mia Tran, and Emma Wei perform “Tu,” which was choreographed by Wei. Right: Emcees Jessica Farhat and Colin McLaughlin dance while in character as Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz and Perry the Platypus.

PHOTOS: MATTHEW CHEN

New faces, new experiences

Any high school freshman could tell you that adapting to a new community is challenging—sometimes exciting, sometimes scary or confusing. Our staff wanted to check in with some of the ‘freshmen’ faculty members who started at the school this year to learn about their experiences.

Evelynn Lin ‘25, Sarah Bagonis ‘25 Contributors

Ms. Grace Raskob, Special Education

Special education teacher adjusts from one Delco district to another, and from elementary to high school.

Evelynn Lin ‘25 Contributor

Ms. Grace Raskob had to upgrade her vocabulary and goals to start teaching here at Strath Haven High School.

New to the special education department at Strath Haven High School, Ms. Grace Raskob moved from teaching elementary school in the Upper Darby School District to lending assistance to high school students beyond the classroom and helping them reach their needs and goals.

“I’m really excited to be part of this community. I feel like this community has a lot to offer students, and I think that I’d like to lend a hand in making sure you guys have the best opportunities that you can have here at school and for what will prepare you for life after school here,” Raskob said.

Raskob has found a lot of similarities between Haven and Upper Darby.

“I think there are a lot of similarities in just being able to master the content and making sure you’re following school expectations, and you know, making the grades and doing the work in class as well,” she said.

Raskob also found herself feeling a bit overwhelmed with the new community here.

“Anytime you start a new job, even though I have been teaching for nine years… it’s almost like feeling like you don’t know how to do your job all over again,” she said, “So I do know how to build relationships with the students and staff and do all that right, that’s like the crux of it all, but learning all the ins and outs of new schools and new districts is definitely challenging.”

Working around students’ availability can be tricky too. Raskob noticed working with the high schoolers was less close-knit than being with the elementary schoolers.

“When I worked in the elementary school for special education, it was one group of kids that I was with all day. You can say in that aspect that [working in the high school] was probably less [intimate] because I’m working with more students who are not with me for the whole day, and I get to not only meet those students but the teachers who they’re all working with, which are all different teachers because it’s a high school,” she said.

Besides the basic school guidelines that have stayed familiar to her, Raskob added how being here and building relationships with all the staff and students has been one of the best and easiest parts, giving her a good impression of the community.

“I feel really welcomed. There’s a lot of friendly teachers here, and I really enjoy getting to meet all the new students that I get to meet throughout the day,” she said.

Raskob is looking forward to getting involved during her future years at Haven while continuing to assist as many students as she can.

“I definitely have been enjoying working with high school students. Especially because there’s a lot of motivation for what you guys are looking forward to in your futures,” she said.

Mr. Matthew Morris, English

Evelynn Lin ‘25 Contributor

Aman with little hair on his head, black rectangleframed glasses, and a well-trimmed beard strolled into Room PTE on Sept. 27, 2022, pushing a black-wheeled cart filled with papers and writing utensils. His students anticipated his arrival, watching him curiously as he stopped to finally look at his new class for the first time.

Newest of the new, Mr. Matthew Morris arrived at Strath Haven High School after being held back for a few weeks at Sun Valley High School, the school where he previously taught English. He came into school knowing that it’d be a confusing first few days, especially with trying to stay in tune with the sub’s plans. Before his arrival, students were taught by different substitutes and sometimes other English teachers to fill in for his absence.

“It was tough. That was probably the hardest part… not getting to start the year with everyone and being like ‘okay, this is how we do things in class’ and like ‘this is me’ and just getting used to picking up where the subs left off,” Morris said.

However, despite arriving late, the staff welcomed him warmly into the Haven environment.

“It was wonderful to get to meet everyone, and I feel like the teachers and students were very welcoming, and everyone really helped me learn my way around,” he said. Morris started getting involved with the school community, and he now advises the GSA club.

“I think it’s going to go great,” Morris said, “We had our first meeting yesterday (10/17), and it was really well-attended and seems like a lot of fun. It was great to meet everyone who’s involved with the club.”

As Morris continued to get adjusted to the new schedule at Strath Haven, he noticed it was much different to plan a block instead of a period and to be teaching fewer classes than when he was at Sun Valley.

“It’s more manageable in terms of keeping up with emails from students and getting to know everyone. It’s just a lot easier to get to know three classes than five,” he said. Even though life at the high school is busy, and there isn’t much time to get to hang out and have fun with the other teachers, Morris is excited to bond with all the staff. “Everyone in the English department has been really great,” Morris said. “I’m looking forward to getting to meet people that are in other departments, as we have more time to do stuff together.”

Ms. Grace Citro, Special Education

Moving from one setting into a new and unfamiliar one is hard. Doing something that you’ve never done before is hard. But it can also be thrilling to start something new.

Ms. Grace Citro is one of the new special education and social studies teachers here at Haven. Having just graduated college, Citro has had to adapt to teaching for the first time on her own in an unfamiliar environment.

Citro is continuing to learn the many aspects that come with teaching outside of college.

“I’m learning a lot. I’m learning from my students and from other teachers… what they teach you in college, they don’t cover everything,” she said, “I definitely learned a lot about our school culture and the local community, which was really great.”

In college, Citro was a student teacher. Teaching here at Haven, she has had the chance to be in charge. To her, that is the most fun.

“I enjoy that I get to make choices. For example, how I wanted to decorate my classroom. I got to choose that, you know, very exciting. Just like different rules, different classroom rules, I get to choose. And yea, it’s definitely fun,” she said.

In some ways, however, teaching is challenging, especially since Ms. Citro covers two subjects.

“I feel like I have to switch my brain sometimes. So I have to go into social studies mode, but then when I come back to the emotional support setting, I kind of have to put on that hat,” Citro said.

Sometimes though, Citro mixes both topics into one.

“It’s really cool to blend the two. So, I’m even learning about the history of special education, which is something that’s really interesting. And in my social studies class, I’m talking a lot about… history from other people’s perspectives, including students and including people with disabilities,” she said.

Citro is looking forward to the remaining school year and teaching the lessons she’s most passionate about.

“Teachers also like teaching certain things, so out of all the things I teach with social studies, I like teaching about the civil rights movement, so I’m really excited to get to that,” she said. “ [...] And I’m excited for the holidays. I don’t know why, I think it’ll just be festive and fun and happy.”

Newest English teacher adjusts to the block schedule and plans for a great rest of the school year.

New special education and social studies teacher describes what it’s like to be teaching on her own for the first time.

Evelynn Lin ‘25 Contributor

Ms. Samantha Young, Special Education

Special education teacher adjusts from a charter school in Philly to the Haven community.

Evelynn Lin ‘25 Contributor

Just a year ago, Ms. Samantha Young was attempting to beat Philadelphia’s morning rush hour and arrive at the charter school she’d been familiar with for the past nine years.

She was doing what she loved most: teaching high school students in special education and finance.

Today she is continuing to do just that, while beginning to understand her way around the Haven community.

“I asked a lot of questions, and everyone is really okay with that, so it’s been nice,” Young said, “[The reaction] was definitely positive… I think they thought it was very funny that I was nervous to ask them any questions but that always happens when you’re new.”

This kindness was helpful, especially for Young, who arrived later into the school year than most other new teachers.

More than just that, adapting and jumping right into teaching in a completely unfamiliar place can be a lot to handle. Young felt it but has managed well.

“It was very overwhelming. … But I also think, for me, as the type of person I am, that didn’t give me a chance to worry about anything. I just jumped right in and needed to figure things out,” she said.

Figuring things out can be formidable. For Young, teaching fewer students in a class and fewer varieties of subjects is strange. Young found it challenging not being able to teach kids skills in finance as she had back at her previous school.

“I miss teaching finance because I really, really enjoyed that type of math, and I think everybody should take that class because it is real-world skills,” she said. “I wish I had it in high school.”

Young has much love for this business side of her teaching job. She hopes she can incorporate finance terms into the flexible courses she teaches here at Haven and assist any students interested in knowing more about finance.

“I would love to teach any sort of finance again or just those, not even the class itself, but just those skills to students,” Young said, “It’s just that I find it interesting and exciting because again when you leave high school, you have to know how to do these things in order to be independent, to have your first intern, to own things like an apartment, things like that”

Young has found a way that the Haven community and the charter school community are similar, amidst all the differences.

“I think the one biggest thing is just the staff support. I think having been there for so long, we got to know each other very well and were supportive of each other with whatever we needed, and that is similar here at Strath Haven,” she said.

This connection has impacted how Young interacts with many of the teachers in the community, especially new ones like her.

“I think we’re all just navigating and working together to help each other if we have questions and also just be a sounding board if you’re having a bad day, and you’re venting to somebody who understands it too, and not in a negative way,” Young said.

Ms. Kelly Schmoock, Math

Contributor

Ms.Kelly Schmoock opens her door every day at 7:30 when the bell rings, giving her morning greetings to sleepy and awake students alike, and chatting with a few from her morning geometry class before the final bell rings and class starts.

Her transition from Springfield Middle School to Strath Haven has been smooth, thanks to the help of the students and staff. She is teaching Advanced Algebra 1 and Geometry this year.

This is not Schmoock’s first time at Strath Haven, as she previously worked here as a long-term substitute. “A lot of the teachers are really supportive, and we’re really good at collaborating. I feel really at home,” she said. “I was actually posted here two years ago. So I feel like I’m just right back, and it’s been really good.”

Schmoock was also asked to help coach tennis. While she enjoyed her experience helping, she doesn’t believe she will have time in the future to continue next season. “I would if I had time, but since I’m starting my masters, I probably wouldn’t be able to,” she said.

The new teacher also explained how this job has been just a little different from her previous teaching job at Springfield, but she is still happy that she’s here at Strath Haven.

“Middle school and high school are really different,” Schmoock said. “But I feel like probably the biggest difference is just kind of normal middle school versus high school things. I feel a really good connection with the teachers here.”

Ms. Gianna Harris, Business Education

Former substitute describes how she discovered her passion for applying finance and business in the classroom.

Evelynn Lin ‘25 Contributor

At the start of last year’s second semester, Ms. Gianna Harris joined the Haven community as a long-term substitute teacher.

Going into this school year, she became a regular teacher in the business education department. She has been enjoying teaching students all about financial literacy.

“I love every single class that I teach, it’s a lot of handson project-based [learning],” she said. “I’m able to apply it to the real world and connect with the students about what they want to do after high school and kind of what they’re doing now. And then using that information and that knowledge in the classroom. So it’s a lot of fun.”

However, Harris’s career goal hasn’t always been to teach students finance. She had intended to head into the workforce when she discovered a better alternative for utilizing her financial knowledge.

“I realized that my university that I went to had a master’s program for business education. So I was able to use that finance and business background as an undergrad and apply it in a different way. And as soon as I started my education classes, I was like, ‘I absolutely love this’ the first time I stepped outside of the classroom.”

Harris believes this journey toward teaching young adults finance is meaningful and valuable, especially since it wasn’t her initial plan.

“Just because you plan on doing something doesn’t mean that you have to. It’s okay to kind of find other options and what you’re passionate about,” she said.

It’s exciting to see where life takes people. Harris has become an adviser for multiple clubs in the school community.

“I’m currently the advisor of the feminist club. I started doing that last year when I was here. I also help out with robotics for the business aspect of it. And I help advise Green Haven with Mrs. Dubs, and I also was asked to advise a new club called babysitting one on one,” she said.

Harris is not only advising clubs, she’s also finding more ways to get involved by helping to start the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) program in the spring semester. This club opens up opportunities for students interested in business and gives them the chance to go to conferences and competitions.

As the school year progresses, Harris is looking forward to continuing to teach students about finance. She recommends her classes to all interested.

“I think these classes are great for everyone, especially financial literacy, because no matter what you do after high school, everyone needs to learn how to manage their money, they need to learn how to do their taxes, because no matter what you do, you’re going to have to do that,” she said.

Evelynn Lin ‘25 Contributor

While Mrs. Traci Dubs hasn’t changed the way she greets her students every morning, she’s had to adjust to other changes as a new teacher in the Strath Haven community.

Mrs. Traci Dubs is coming from Marple Newtown High School and is now one of two French teachers at the high school.

“I was the only French teacher at Marple, so I taught level one to AP. So, it’s nice here, because I’m one of two, and I get to share the work,” she said, “[There’s] a little less courses to manage. Also with the block scheduling, you have to plan it a little longer.”

Even with the differences, Dubs has found similarities between Strath Haven and Marple Newtown.

“I think they’re [Marple and Haven] very similar… kids are kids. I get to teach a lot of awesome kids that do a lot of awesome things with clubs and sports,” she said. “And Strath Haven does have more languages, which is really cool, so I’m glad to be part of that bigger department in the languages,” Dubs said.

Dubs went on to add how teaching was, in fact, the easiest part of being new here.

“I think that’s the one thing about teaching. … Like in the classroom, this is what I’ve been doing for 12 years, so that part comes naturally. The hard part comes from finding where to park and get my mail, and things like that. But in the classroom, no, it was very smooth,” she said.

Dubs has already begun to get involved with school clubs and is helping to advise French Club and Green Haven. She believes that it’s important to partake in the variety of activities the school has to offer.

“I think that’s important when you’re new to jump in,” she said. “It helps you to meet new people and figure out then those systems like…how the school runs. Every day, the more you do, the more you see, and then it gets more comfortable.”

Dubs is glad to have been accepted so kindly into the community.

“It’s been really great so far. I think everyone is very welcoming and kids are really great and engaging in class. It’s been off to a good start,” she said.*

Mrs. Tracy Dubs, French French teacher off to a positive start in the classroom and with student activities.

Returning math teacher adapts to teaching high school, plans to start masters degree.

Sarah Bagonis ‘25

Lockdown lifted, student concerns linger

The late morning lockdown on Dec. 8 lasted approximately 45 minutes, but student reactions to the experience continue to emerge.

Julia Gray ‘23 Editor-in-Chief

Shortly before 11 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 8, the high school announced a lockdown over the PA system.

This lockdown was “a precautionary measure” according to a tweet by the Wallingford Swarthmore School District.

According to a community letter from the superintendent Dr. Wagner Marseille, “[they] received a notification from a staff member that a student may have a weapon in their backpack at approximately 10:45 a.m.”

Immediately following this notification, the school initiated lockdown procedures.

Ms. Dana McBride, the school’s Safety and Security Director, thought students did a good job staying calm during the lockdown.

“The students did a great job, they used what they have been taught for years and executed that,” McBride said.

Still, senior Luke DiBonaventura was stressed during the lockdown. He struggled to communicate with his loved ones.

and told everyone the situation. That was relieving,” he said.

For both Sharif and DiBonaventura, they struggled to find comfort after the incident.

“I think there was a weird sense that, because the situation turned out to be less of a threat than we all initially believed, that all the experiences that students had just gone through were not real,” he said.

Sharif shared similar experiences.

Lydia

According to an update from the Nether Providence Police Department, “the student was identified and, following a brief search of the building, his backpack was located in a classroom, and a replica handgun was recovered.”

“Per our policy, a replica or look-alike is considered a weapon,” Marseille stated in his community letter.

After the replica handgun was recovered, the student was taken into custody.

The appropriate charges will be filed in Juvenile Court, according to the Nether Providence Police Department update.

The lockdown lifted at 11:32 a.m., and the school resumed a regular schedule with adjusted lunch schedules.

According to the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), the perception of safety or risk, even absent of a real threat, can have an affect on students and staff. “Attending to the developmental and psychological well-being of students and staff before, during, and after lockdowns can help minimize the potential for unintended harm,” their website states.

“My biggest concern was if it was an incident in a different area in the building because of my siblings,” he said. “I couldn’t send any outgoing texts or receive any texts because of a lack of service.”

Senior Imogen Sharif also couldn’t contact her family members.

“I couldn’t even connect with my brother who was in the school building. He had lunch and I wanted to know if he was in a teacher’s room or the cafeteria. I was so worried for him.”

Sharif also struggled to contact her parents during the lockdown, causing stress both for her and for them. “They thought I died and were freaking out,” she said.

Senior Lydia Pita said she only got a couple of messages to her family because the reception was so poor. “It was scary because I wanted them to know I was okay,” she said.

The lack of reception caused fear for Pita. “It was really scary to feel very isolated and not be able to communicate with anyone,” she said.

During the lockdown, DiBonaventura received most of his information from his teacher. “I didn’t receive any communication until the announcement that told teachers to check their emails,” he said. After this announcement, some of DiBonaventura’s worries decreased.

“My teacher, Mrs. Freeman, went around

“Most teachers acknowledged that it was shocking but just continued as usual,” she said. “The communication was mostly just teachers saying that everything was okay but, honestly, it didn’t help very much.”

DiBonaventura said that public speaking teacher Mr. Kevin Haney’s approach to talking about the lockdown was helpful to him.

“Mr. Haney gave a very nice speech to my public speaking class about the incident itself and let us voice some of our concerns,” he said.

He wishes these types of conversations were happening more.

“I think it is a necessary conversation to have. I think it is easy to want to brush it under the rug, because it wasn’t the situation we originally thought it was, but it was still a situation,” DiBonaventura said.

NASP advises that schools should provide an opportunity for students and staff members to share their reactions after the experience.

Following the lockdown, a message was sent to families regarding the nature of the incident, but there was no direct communication to students from district or high school administration.

In his community letter, Marseille praised the high school’s response.

“I would like to commend our students and staff for following all safety protocols, and our law enforcement partners for their quick response,” he stated. “I would also like to thank our families for their cooperation as we responded to the incident.”*

We asked some current students: Do you feel safe at school?

Julia Gray ’23 Editor in Chief

*“I have felt safe in the past, however because of recent events, I definitely feel slightly less safe. The teachers had no idea what to do or how to help us, the lack of communication caused fear and chaos in the school, and I did not feel as though, in my experience, my teacher [a substitute] was there to actually help us or protect us like they are supposed to be trained to do.”

Jack Henry

’23

*“Pretty much, it’s a cinder block palace.”

Luke DiBonaventura ’23

*“I wouldn’t say I feel safe or unsafe. The doors aren’t as secure. You can pull open locked doors from the outside, I did it once.”

Georgia Gianopulos ’23

*“Honestly, not really. During the lockdown, I was thinking about all of the possible worstcase scenarios that could have happened, and it felt like if something terrible actually did happen, there weren’t great measures in place to protect the students.”

Lydia Pita

’23

*“Meh, if I don’t think about it too much.”

Ella Grossman

’23

*“No, I don’t feel safe at school. I am afraid that there will be a school shooting, and I’ve seen a lot of videos showing the aftermath and amount of people murdered. I just overall have a ton of anxiety about it. You never know what is going to happen.”

Nikki MacDonald ‘25

*“I think, yeah, I don’t feel unsafe but I also usually don’t find myself in fear. I only felt really scared during the lockdown.”

Imogen Sharif ‘23

*“Yeah... My teachers, knowing that there’s a lot of people [makes me feel safe].”

John Corcoran ‘26

“Most teachers acknowledged that it was shocking but just continued as usual.”

Imogen Sharif ’23

“It was really scary to feel very isolated and not be able to communicate with anyone.”

Pita ’23

SAFETY STRIPS • Students recognize the magnetic safety strips that teachers use to keep classroom doors safely locked, but also accessible to students during the school day.

Meet Dana McBride, WSSD’s new Safety and Security Director

Experienced safety professional hopes to enhance training, consistency, and community.

Sasha Binder ‘23 Reporter

In a superintendent update from June 17, 2022, Dr. Marseille announced new positions to help fill gaps within the school’s safety protocols. These newly funded positions, School Safety and Security Coordinator and a number of part-time and full-time security aides, work to maintain a healthy school climate and culture, according to the superintendent’s report at the June 27 school board meeting.

Ms. Dana McBride was welcomed as the School Safety Coordinator at the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year. According to her introduction letter on the district website, she comes to WSSD with twenty years of experience in local law enforcement, emergency management, and K-12 school safety & security.

McBride’s role is district-wide, although her office is in the high school on the third floor. Her job is to oversee everything related to safety for students and teachers in the district, and also supervises the work of our district’s seven new safety aides.

According to McBride, the safety aides— two at SHHS, two at SHMS, and one at each elementary school—are here to make sure that we have everything as far as policies, plans, and procedures all in relation to safety.

Currently, neither of the safety aide positions at the high school are filled. The other members of McBride’s team are Ms. Moseley and Mr. Carfagno at SHMS, Mr. Lechette at WES, Mr. Cunningham at SRS, and Mr. Naegle at NPE.

McBride clarified that the seven aides are not guards or officers, but rather are there to provide a daily presence of safety in the building. They have also been trained in state requirements for security training.

“They are here to, one, make sure everybody is safe; two, to provide guidance and mentoring to students as needed, to build relationships and blend

in with the culture of the school,” she said.

“To bring an understanding of security as opposed to being ‘that security guard.’”

“S afety and security have always been my passion, ever since I could remember,” McBride said.

McBride has previously worked in the Southeast Delco School District, and also as a part-time police officer for Sharon Hill Borough PD—the first female officer in the department.

“I was also called to mentor other female police officers as they came in to join departments that I worked with,” she said.

After some time she changed her position at Southeast Delco from police officer to truancy officer.

“Truancy wasn’t something I ever pictured, but I kind of fell in love with the educational side of it, which is how I ended up here,” she said.

When the opportunity opened up to work in WSSD, McBride said she knew how big an opportunity it was for her, so she took it.

McBride’s goals moving forward are to streamline safety procedures in the district. She shared that making the community more aware of different safety measures and bringing in more training are also goals.

At the beginning of each day, McBride travels to all of the district buildings to check in. Once back at her office at Haven, she said she tries to make herself visible throughout the school. She believes that being a familiar face in the building is vital so that she can become familiar with the school’s flow and community.

In addition to familiarizing herself to the environment, McBride makes sure everything is going according to schedule and to ensure that everything is okay among students and staff.

“Coming in with a fresh set of eyes to a new place is always good, because you can

see things from a different perspective and see things that somebody may have overlooked,” she said.

McBride expressed an interest in strengthening the overall awareness of how to keep the school safe, and make sure everyone feels secure. She said that she is not here to frighten anyone with the concepts of safety and security, but more to make students feel comfortable speaking up about their safety-related concerns. She used the term “see something, say something,” to describe this idea.

In terms of student behavior, McBride said she has not noticed many common issues besides students leaving class too early or wandering around when they should be in a class. She described her interactions with students friendly as cordial so far. She seemed pleased with the behavior of the student body, and also commented on how well everyone handled the lockdown on Thursday, Dec. 8.

Since she is in what she described as her introductory phase, McBride is very interested in meeting more students from the district, especially at the high school since her office resides there.

She is also open to the possibility of selfdefense classes for students and teachers in the future.

“As a woman, I’ve definitely thought about it over the years,” she said. “If enough people showed interest, then yes I would look into bringing self-defense into the school.”

OPINION: Self defense should be taught in school

Far from a ‘fight club,’ self defense training could have important benefits for students.

Luci DiBonaventura

Contributor

‘25

Students are taught how to be safe during lock downs and fires, and how to swim safely, so why aren’t simple self defense mechanisms also taught in school?

One of the school’s main jobs is to ensure the safety of its students. To do so effectively, schools should integrate some self defense training into the curriculum.

Teenagers’ situational awareness is getting worse, as they are constantly looking down at their phones. Awareness is extremely important for keeping yourself safe. Even just going over safety protocols to keep yourself and your belongings safe would have a great impact on the safe choices students make now and in the future.

Physical education teacher Mrs. Margie Garrity expressed her concerns about personal safety and situational awareness.

“I try and talk about that in my classes,” Garrity said. “When we do first aid, you talk about personal safety and I try to make people more aware, particularly in this day and age when everybody’s face is on their phone. Something that simple can make the difference between getting jumped and not getting jumped.”

According to research, the goal of modern self-defense training is to help students make good choices, recognize potentially dangerous situations, and take action to prevent a physical altercation.

There are many different options for where and when self defense can be taught in school. Self defense could be taught in physical education classes during the safety unit, as its own elective, or even as an extracurricular

option.

In the safety unit, students already learn about CPR and first aid, so why not incorporate some basic self defense with the unit?

Learning self defense in physical education or health classes would just be an introduction. It might not go into any physical hand-to-hand practices and could just go over how to stay safe, how not to make yourself a target, and what to do in a couple common dangerous situations.

Junior Katie Foca agrees that self defense should be taught in school.

“I think that self defense is a valuable skill that everyone should learn,” Foca said. “I don’t know if it should be mandatory, but I do feel like we should have an option, especially with the current state of the world. It’s just like a precaution that I feel like could be beneficial to be taught in schools.”

Sophomore Sage Baker would take advantage of a self defense course if it was offered. “I think it’s something that is really important to learn and I want to keep myself safe in dangerous situations,” she said.

Self defense might be a valuable skill, but is it realistic to teach? There could be some issues with teaching self defense. Students who might not like physical touch

M cBride wants the community to know that her door is always open to students and staff—at least figuratively.

“I can’t leave it open, because it blocks the hallway,” she said. “But my door is always open.”

She wants students to know she is here to bring positive aspects to the school community.

“You know, where it’s not just bad, or an annoyance, or [sigh] another fire drill… to make sure people understand the importance of it all,” she said.

McBride welcomes comments, suggestions, and complaints if any student has them. Her email is dmcbride@wssd. org and she is based out of room 352, near the nurse’s office.

“I’m really excited to be here and to have this opportunity,” she said.*

would find it hard to learn it. Teachers would need to develop new curriculum and enhance existing resources.

Still, there are a few options for still having self defense being taught without major problems.

Self defense could be taught just in health classes for a day and not require students to use any physical contact with one another. If it was also taught in gym classes, students could have the option to opt out if they didn’t want to participate. Self defense also would not have to be mandatory— it could be offered as an elective for students.

“I think it would be a great topic to be looked at in school but I think it would be hard to teach in school because it’s a skill that has to be practiced,’’ Garrity said. “It would have to be an elective and wouldn’t be taught in normal health or gym classes.”

Learning self defense in school doesn’t mean learning how to fight. It means learning how to make the right choices to prevent yourself from getting into danger. *

Ms. Dana McBride PHOTO: SASHA BINDER

CARTOON: LUCI DIBONAVENTURA

Café in school provides training

Panther Café teaches students in the Special Education program valuable soft skills.

Imogen Sharif ‘23 Contributor

For the past nine years, the Special Education program has been running the Panther Café, gaining crucial skills for future opportunities and employment. Started by Special Education Teacher Mrs. Sarah Holt, the cafe operates out of the third floor.

Students with disabilities work on soft skills essential for when they graduate, including technical skills, handling money, customer service, and time management.

“The purpose of it is that my students are gaining vocational skills, skills that they can transfer to having meaningful employment in the future,” Holt said.

The experience of working is something many students don’t get while in high school, and for students in the Special Education program, it’s even more difficult. The Panther Café provides that experience within the halls of the school.

“I think that without the training that we’re kind of providing for them here, they may not be able to get a job or may not be as successful in a job, because they don’t have the practice of those soft skills,” Holt said.

Various goods are sold at the Panther Café, all of which the students either make or distribute. Hot or iced coffee, hot chocolate, and sweet treats are all on the menu for a few days each week.

“We used to use a Keurig, but this year we actually started brewing coffee and adding flavors,” Holt said. “We started making iced coffee and we also sell sodas and seltzers and things like that.”

The program now uses room 319 as a space for the Café. The students set up during C lunch and sell during fourth block. Currently only teachers can make purchases. According to Holt, the cafe used to sell to students and may revisit student sales in the future.

“There was this rule a few years ago about ‘smart snacks,’” Holt said. “Well, apparently, I think that’s gone, so when the next semester starts, what we would like to do is have teachers sign up their class one day so we aren’t bombarded and overwhelmed.”

Selling to students was incredibly beneficial for the students working, as being able to interact with their neurotypical peers leads to more valuable social skills, according to Holt.

“This is giving the students who participate in it really valuable experience that’s going to help them out through their lives. So being a patron at the cafe is not just something where you’re getting a soda or a candy… it’s building skills, and its really helpful for the kids.”*

French Club savors local restaurant

First Hi-Q home match of season starts with technical issues, finishes strong

The Hi-Q team’s first home match left them in second place in the competition with almost 30 points.

Kaitlyn Ho ‘26 Reporter, Contributor

Wednesday, Dec. 6, marked the first home match of the 2022-2023 season for Strath Haven’s Delco Hi-Q team, a quiz competition for high school students.

Although the competition started with some technical difficulties, the team pulled through and were able to compete, gaining almost 30 points.

A few days before the competition, sophomore Jaden Hunter readied herself, though she was later unable to go to the match due to an illness.

“I’m so hyped, man. I have been excited since that first practice round back in November, I’ve been studying my behind off,” she said.

When it came to why she loved Hi-Q, Hunter had quite a list of reasons.

“I get to skip school, which is always a plus. I also just, like, just enriching myself in different areas of expertise, so just learning about Shakespeare, and different literature and subjects like biology,” she said. “Being able to broaden my knowledge is important to me. And I also love the community. The team is great. Mr. Rothenbach is great. I’ve got so many friends. It’s just a great experience.”

Although Hunter ended up not being able to attend the match, her prior predictions of the outcome rang unnervingly true.

“I think we’re probably going to do better than Ridley, and we’re hoping to do better than Delaware County Christian School,” she said.

The Hi-Q team did end up beating Ridley in points, but was behind Delaware County Christian School. Thankfully, in Hi-Q, it doesn’t matter where you are ranked in each

Authentic French cuisine in Media represented a return to club traditions.

Bailey Hansen ’24

Reporter

Afresh, sweet scent arose as the members of French club went to La Belle Époque in Media on Nov. 17 at 6:30 pm.

On Oct. 21, a notification popped up on the French Club Google Classroom. In the notification, was a permission slip for the La Belle Époque field trip scheduled for November 17. During the two weeks before the due date, 30 students filled out the permission slip. Each student submitted $30 and two crêpes orders: one sweet, one savory.

The night of the trip marked the first time the French club had gone on a field trip to a local restaurant in three years.

“It felt kind of like a little community,” sophomore Anya Agha said. “Going out to dinner with the French club

and having a little bonding moment.”

Student leader Winnie Kenney explained that the French club has more planned for the year, but wanted to change students’ perspective on French Club with the field trip.

“We want people when they hear French Club to not think of sitting down and studying French,” Kenney said. “There are a lot of cultures you can be part of without speaking the language, so we really wanted to make it accessible.”

According to French Club faculty co-adviser Madame Suzanne Stadnicki, the return to a previous tradition after pandemic interruptions was welcome.

“It was kind of nice to have a good old-fashioned field trip,” she said.

match. What is most important is how many points you rack up in total.

“Typical first competition for home teams and stuff is around 45 points. We got like, under 40, which was kinda like not like, bad, because it doesn’t really matter how many points you get per composition or placement,” sophomore Tanush Talekar said. “All that matters is how many points you accumulate over the three preliminary matches.”

The match started off with some technical difficulties.

“The buzzer got messed up, and the backup buzzer system also didn’t work, so Delaware County Christian School had to go to their school and get it,” Talekar said.

Founded in Delaware County in 1948, Delco Hi-Q is the oldest branch of a program that is now nationwide. Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union (FMFCU) is the primary sponsor of Delco Hi-Q, with program management and production support from the Delaware County Intermediate Unit, according to the program’s website. Subjects in Hi-Q range from biology, to Shakespeare plays, to American history and famous authors.

For the students who were tackling these lengthy subjects for the first time and for the veterans, Talekar believes all performed admirably.

“I’m proud of our team. We did really well. They worked out their nervousness on stage,” he said. “A lot of first timers, I’m pretty sure there’s only like four people that have been on the team for more than just this year, me included.”*

The field trip brought back a sense of normality to the club, but Kenney noted that there were also aspects to the experience that made it feel unique and special for members.

“I feel that a lot of high school students aren’t used to going out and eating a meal with their friends,” they said. “Most high school students will go out and eat fast food, but no one is doing a sit-down meal.”

La Belle Époque may have just been a normal field trip, but for the French Club, this trip represented a fresh start to get people involved and interested in the French club.

“When we were setting up the event what we most wanted was just to have a trip that could get everybody engaged,” Kenney said. “Not only in the culture but in the club.”*

AT YOUR SERVICE • Students serve English teacher Mrs. Kate Evans at the walkup Panther Cafe on the third floor during fourth block on Monday, Dec. 12. Teachers can purchase items at the cafe in-person or order delivery to classrooms.PHOTO:

IMOGEN SHARIF

BRAINS AT THE READY • Coached by Mr. Bill Rothenbach, the Hi-Q Team awaits competition at the Dec. 6 meet. PHOTO: JULIA GRAY

Students express bus safety concerns at middle school

Middle school bus arrival times rely on high school’s schedule, leading to some challenges.

Kaitlyn Ho ‘26 Reporter

Thirty minutes before fifth block, buses pull out of the high school driveway and a surge of students spills over the sidewalks on the back of Strath Haven Middle School at the ring of the 2:30 p.m. bell.

The high school avoids such surges because there are juniors and seniors who are able to drive. But in the wake of COVID, now that many parents are back to their workplaces, families are unable to drive their middle school kids to and from school.

On Friday, Nov. 11, a torrential pour of rain forced middle schoolers to pack into the small concrete space under the awning while waiting for their buses. Sixth grader Beatrice Roytshteyn described the chaos of the day.

“I managed to make it out of the crowd into the pouring rain because I was like, ‘you know what, being out in the pouring rain is better than being in a crowd of people’,” Roytshteyn said.

When it isn’t raining, kids sprint out of the doors and down the stairs, thrilled the day is over, only to be constricted on the sidewalk in a thick mass of backpacks.

“It’s so crowded most of the time,” Roytshteyn said. “Kids usually get pushed out into the street area, so as buses are pulling up, kids are at risk of getting run over.”

Eighth grader Juliette Lloyd also wants the bus lineup to improve.

“Maybe call the buses down,” Lloyd suggested.

On the day it rained, Lloyd was confined to the small space under the awning. “Everyone was trying not to get wet, and everyone was just crowding around the door, and I could literally not move.”

On the bus though, there are more similarities between middle schoolers’ and high schoolers’ conduct.

“A lot of the kids, they need to sit down and face

forward, because I have to stop fast if there’s an accident, don’t be just like missiles flying through the air,” Mr. John Caper, a bus driver for the school district, said. “They need to remain in their seats, keep the aisle open in case of an emergency.”

Middle school principal Dr. Christopher Matsanka aspires to find a solution to the timeliness of the buses, which he hopes will solve the rest of the problem. However, he does not see it as an immediate and pressing issue.

“You know, one of the struggles at the middle school is that the buses come… based off of the high school runs. The high school and middle school runs are kind of tight,” Matsanka said. “So depending on how the buses leave the high school, like if there’s a higher traffic pattern one day, it’s going to take longer, getting out of the parking lot.. it takes longer for those buses to get here, which means our kids wait a little bit longer.”

The timeliness of the buses, though inconvenient, is currently not one of Matsanka’s primary concerns.

“Quite honestly, it’s not a huge issue. The kids seem to get home at a reasonable time, even though it may take some of the buses a little bit longer to get from the high school,” he said. “It’s really the rainy days that are the struggle. If it’s raining really hard, we hold the students.”

In terms of safety and bus conduct at the middle school, Dr. Matsanka is mostly unbothered, as he believes in the students’ behavior.

“I think most of the kids stay on the sidewalk. We have a lot more staff out there this year than we have in past, we have two security aides, which are new to the district,” Matsanka said. “It’s been helpful to have that person out there every day before the kids even start coming out, that’s been a help. But for the most part, the kids are really good.”*

Bûche de Noël offers fierce French competition

Mackenzie Murray ‘23 Contributor

On Monday, Dec. 12, the French room was full of people crowding around the long row of desks topped with the nine log shaped cakes.

The French dessert Bûche de Noël has origins dating back to the 1870s with the traditional lighting of a Yule log. The French Club has been hosting this competition for years as a marker of the holiday season.

Club presidents, Aissata Koné, Winnie Kenney, and Emma Wei were nervous about the crowds disrupting the beauty of the cakes before the judges could evaluate, but the popularity of this competition was expected.

Precautions were taken for food safety, making sure to ask the bakers about allergens and separating the serving utensils to prevent cross contamination. One cake went unclaimed, but most bakers were open and honest about their ingredients. Many flavors were traditional chocolate and vanilla, but some were a bit more bold: hazelnut, chocolate-berry, red velvet, and matcha.

Despite the judge’s tendencies to pick traditional flavors, having a bold flavor paid off.

“This year we went with a bold, colorful cake that decided to take a risk, do things a little differently,” the judges– English teacher Ms. Mimi Drew, history teacher Mr. Richard Foulk, and German teacher Herr Alex Paul– announced.

Excited murmurs arose about the red-velvet shark-shaped cake; it certainly took a risk with

its bright blue frosting and being the only cake that had teeth. However, the winner was actually the matcha cake with its bright green frosting and red berries. It pushed the boundaries, but it didn’t go too far.

The shark cake was “too silly, like something that should be at a pool party,” according to Foulk, who has been judging the contest for 20 years.

All the judges agreed that the matcha taste was polarizing. French teacher Madame Suzanne Stadnicki even predicted that response from the judges when discussing the cakes earlier in the day. However, its detailed, fully-edible presentation could not be beat. Most cakes went with a nature theme of mushrooms and pine trees, but they were just not up to par with the

High schoolers vote for first time in midterm election

A handful of seniors voted for the first time in the midterm elections, contributing to recordsetting numbers of young voter turnout.

Rhys Hals ‘23, Imogen Sharif ‘23 Haven Happenings Editor, Contributor

On Tuesday, Nov. 8, eligible members of the class of 2023 hit the polls as first time voters. Both locally and nationally the effects of young voter turn out are being seen as a shift happens.

This midterm saw the second highest turnout of young people in the last thirty years, voters ages 18-29 making up 12 percent of the vote. These statistics were reflected locally, at polling places within the WSSD district.

Greeters at CADES, a polling place for residents living in southern Swarthmore, reported a large turnout of college aged students, presumably Swarthmore students, while Nether Providence Elementary School polling place greeters saw a larger turnout of assumed high school students and first time voters.

“A lot of young voters…especially for it not being a presidential election. For a midterm, to have that many voters coming out is very high,” a Democratic greeter at NPE said. “And we’ve been hearing that all over the county… You can tell when people go in and sign the book that they’re new voters.”

This election was hotly contested, especially in Pennsylvania which has historically been a swing state. The greeters, who stand outside the buildings, handing out sample ballots for their party, observed that almost all voters came knowing who they intended to vote for.

“People come knowing who they’re voting for…nobody even wants our literature,” said a Republican poll greeter at NPE.

At both NPE and Strath Haven Middle School, greeters noticed gender demographics. They reported seeing more young female voters than young males.

“I’ve noticed an uptick in young women voting over the past couple years,” a greeter at SHMS said.

According to a study from Harvard, up ten percentage points from a decade ago, more young Americans are likely to be politcally engaged than ever. At Strath Haven High School, social studies teachers work with students every year to expand their perspectives and create well formatted ideas. The seniors take classes covering philosophy from Plato and Socrates to modern political parties.

Part of the seniors’ curriculum is on American government and how American politics works, including elections. Social studies teacher Mr. TJ Adams emphasizes the importance of young voters in elections, believing that the future of American politics should actively participate in democracy.

“I think its important that young people vote, for the same reason why I think its important for everybody to vote,” said Adams. “But from the perspective of young people, if they are inheriting a local community, a nation, and a country they should be invested in it and one way of being invested in the future is voting,” he said.

Social Studies teacher Mrs. Alissa Harvey agrees with Adams.

“I think its really important to galvanize young voters so that they feel represented with a lot of issues that they feel strongly about,” Harvey said.

To senior Chelsea Wen, who voted for the first time on Nov. 8, these issues are women’s reproductive rights and gun control. Wen has Adams third block, and was further encouraged to participate in the election.

“He showed the campaign ads for them…and explained whether they were Republican or Democrat,” she said. “I was going to vote anyways, but it was helpful to see the contrast in campaign ads.”

To prepare to vote fully informed, Wen did research outside of Adams’s class.

“I pulled up a mock ballot on the internet with all the candidates on it and researched based on that,” Wen said.

Wen didn’t face any complications when voting, but was surprised by the voting method.

“I was a little nervous because I didn’t know what to expect,” she said. “I thought it was going to be online, because when I was younger I would go with my parents and it was electronic, but it was paper.”

“It was exciting to have my input on who’s going be the next U.S. Senator,” she said.*

meringue mushrooms adorning the first prize winner baked by Winnie Kenney, Eden Kaplinsky, Claire Lowry and Rhys Hals.

The winners of last year’s competition—juniors Jordana Jasner, Kaira Odenigbo, and Julia Gaudette—left with only third place this year.

“It was a lot harder than last year… we went in too confident and comfortable, but we’ll be back next year and plan more in advance,” the defeated champions said.

As parting words of wisdom, Foulk delved into fond memories of his all time favorite Bûche de Noël, the tiramisu flavor—hint-hint to all the hopeful bakers next year. *

Contestants had to get serious about sweetness if they wanted a shot at first place.

THE WINNING LOG • The winning Bûche de Noël was created by seniors Winnie Kenney, Eden Kaplinsky, Claire Lowry and Rhys Hals PHOTO: EVELYNN LIN

THE WALL: Alumnus John Clark recalls high school challenges

Have you ever stopped to catch a glimpse at the Wall of Honor? We launch a series of interviews with noted alumni with a profile of a noted sports broadcaster.

Matteo Ventresca ‘25 Reporter

John B. Clark is an Emmy-winning sports broadcaster for NBC Sports Philadelphia. He has covered some of the biggest stories in Philadelphia sports history, including the Eagles appearance in Super Bowl XXXIX and the 2006 NFL Hall of Fame Game.

Clark graduated from Strath Haven in 1993, and later from college at Temple University.

“I wish I could go back and redo those high school years,” Clark said. “Strath Haven is an awesome school for a lot of opportunities.”

Coming into high school was one of the most challenging parts of Clark’s life. He struggled as a student with attention deficit disorder. ADD is the term commonly used to describe a neurological condition with symptoms of inattention, distractibility and poor working memory.

“It was kind of a struggle as my high school years went on because I noticed that I was learning differently or had trouble concentrating and had trouble paying attention,” Clark said.

ADD continues to affect Clark in his adult life. To this day, he needs a constant noise in the background to concentrate on one thing at a time. ADD was not a common diagnosis when he was in high school, so it was harder to get support for it.

“I don’t think, back then, most people knew how to deal with ADD,” Clark said. “I can only concentrate on something or when I’m reading something, I can only remember it if I’m listening to music or have a constant noise that blocks out all other little noises.”

His best moment in high school was graduating. After all the struggle, he was able to finish, and the end of high school is when he felt he was at his best.

“I really had a struggle in the last couple years of high school with ADD, and it was really hard for me,” Clark said. “So being able to actually graduate was a big thrill.”

Clark tried out for the football, tennis, basketball, and baseball teams but couldn’t make any of them. Yet, he was motivated to keep sports in his life.

“I think sports is one of the most amazing things ever,” Clark said. “I think sports teach you about teamwork. It teaches you about being humble, accountable, and a team player. It’s not about you as an individual. It’s about what’s best for the team. Sports is such a good teacher of life and how to be a good team player and always looking out for your fellow man.”

On Nov. 26, 2017, Clark witnessed the Strath Haven Marching Band play at an Eagles game. Clark explains how it was a fantastic experience and how the band was one of the coolest things about the school.

“I was looking down onto the field from the press box, and I was like, wow, that is cool,” Clark said. “To see them on the field at the Linc. They took up a lot of the field.”

Even back when he was in high school, the band was a hit in Wallingford. It was powerful and could be heard from anywhere.

“I remember growing up as a kid you could hear the band from everywhere in Wallingford or Media when they were practicing, you could hear from a mile away,” Clark said.

When it comes to being on the Wall of Honor, Clark doesn’t know why he is on the wall. He thinks his success moved the school to add him.

“I think coming back home to Philadelphia, my hometown, and being a sportscaster, maybe moved them to include me in it,” Clark said. “Without that, I wouldn’t be on the wall, because I don’t think I was the most exemplary student.”

Clark is humble about his accomplishments, but proud of his alma mater. “I am very proud to have graduated from Strath Haven High School,” he said.*

Tech crew makes theatre work behind the scenes

Imogen Sharif ‘23 Contributor

On Nov. 10, the first performance of Jane Austin’s “Sense and Sensibility” was held at Strath Haven. This thrilling retelling of Austin’s novel featured freshmen and seniors alike on stage, bringing their characters to life.

The set was composed of large rotating cubes, decorated to create a variety of rooms depending on the arrangement, lights displaying different weather or moods, and music to accompany transitions or moments of interest.

Every night students manned the stage and technology that made the fall drama run smoothly.

The tech crew began their long preparations starting mid-October. Students throughout all grades learned how to work the different aspects of the stage and the equipment needed to run the show.

“I was really proud of them. From a supportive technical director perspective, it’s like, ‘guys, I’ve given you all the resources, it’s your time to make it worth it,’” Mr. Jonathan Hardy said.

Hardy, a 2012 graduate of Haven, works as a technology support specialist at the high school. He describes his role in the school as being able to learn technology quickly in order to help the staff and students. During productions of plays and musicals, he takes on the role of technical director.

“I need to support the director in their vision, while also knowing all of the equipment and capabilities of the auditorium that I’m working in,” he said.

For the most part, Hardy guided his students through the process of learning how to use lighting and sound systems. His practices are mainly carried out by upperclassmen with experience, according to junior Nick Bisordi, who worked on stage crew this year.

“John Hardy and [theatre director] Mr. John Shankweiler got us our materials and helped us set up the production. Jack Henry, Ezrin House, and Olivia Gianopulos did their jobs on lights and sound,” Bisordi said.

All students contributed heavily to the production. Senior Anna Johnson, the student stage manager of the drama, worked hard to produce a well-oiled machine out

of tech crew.

Hardy recognized her hard work and was impressed.

“Anna Johnson really turned it up and provided the communication of the builds, understanding the moves and the positions of the cubes,” he said.

Johnson has been doing tech crew every year since she was in seventh grade. This is her first year as a stage manager and she took on the role of directing all students to get the drama in full swing.

“I worked beside the director, Rodger [Ainslie], and went to every rehearsal. I choreographed stage moves, wrote down lighting and sound cues, props, and worked backstage during all the shows to make everything run smoothly,” Johnson said. “It was definitely a challenge, but it was an awesome experience and I’m excited for the musical.”

The whole process of teaching new members, building the sets, and programming the lights for Sense and Sensibility took about a month and a half. The pace increased rapidly during the week before opening night, aptly named tech week.

“The day or two before tech week, it was still a bit hectic. But as soon as tech week clicked in, it looked like it was an actual production,” Hardy said.

Hardy watched students enjoying their time working together with impressive efficiency. He describes it as his favorite part of putting together a production.

“I think the best experience to have was tech week, the week before the show, and you could start to see the click in everyone’s eyes and in their motions, like it’s go time, it’s serious time,” he said. “And all the mistakes they

might have made before, within 24 hours, it changed. It looked like a live Broadway off-Broadway production.”

From a student perspective, tech crew is a fun and rewarding group. All students contribute in significant ways to the production and get to see the pay-off during the shows. It’s an experience that gets students together to work towards a common goal, while having a blast.

“It’s fun, basically getting to hang out with friends for hours on end. It’s good for leadership roles or graduation requirements. It’s always useful to have more hands than not enough,” Bisordi said.

Having as many people as possible to contribute to tech crew, which Hardy refers to as a “dysfunctional family,” significantly helps the efficiency of productions.

“Tech crew became my second family very quickly,” Johnson said. “I’m extremely grateful I got the experience to work and grow with these people.”

Tech crew will begin preparing for the spring musical “Grease” after break.*

John B. Clark ’93 snaps a photo with The Panther Press’s Matteo Ventresca at the Wells Fargo Center on Nov. 30.

PHOTO SUPPLIED BY MATTEO VENTRESCA

The backstage crew shares their experiences working on the production of the fall drama “Sense and Sensibility.”

FAMILY, DYSFUNCTIONAL OR NOT • Tech crew poses for a pre-show photo before closing night of “Sense and Sensibility” on Nov. 19. PHOTO: K. PLOWS

OPINION: BEE CLUB VS. FISH CLUB

Our staff is always taking note of what might be newsworthy around the school community.

We couldn’t help but notice the ongoing sign duel between two (apparently) rival clubs, Bee Club and Fish Club. We decided to invite two club enthusiasts to make the case for their club—and maybe to help us make sense of the “beef”—in roughly 250 words.

We’re not sure if the rivalry makes any more sense, but here’s what the club advocates had to say.

Bee Club strives diligently towards goals

Frank Lardieri ‘23 Contributor

Bees are the most important creatures on the planet. They are the most intelligent animals in the insect family, are responsible for 90% of all pollination of commercial produce in the United States, and one-third of all food eaten is pollinated by bees.

The number of managed bee colonies has declined by 60% over the last 70 years. “Bee club’s goal is to bring these essential pollinators to the Strath Haven campus so our local ecosystem can thrive and to teach Strath Haven about honey bees and beekeeping,” Bee Club founder Alex Falsone states.

What does Fish Club do? The few things we know they achieve are anti-bee club vandalism and suboptimal care of their namesake. Science Teacher Mr. Tim Styer, whose room is where Fish Club is held, has gone on record and stated, “Of the nine fish that have come into their care, nine have died, and they are really hardy fish.”

When asked about the state of their fish, leader Lucy Karn said that Fish Club had taken care of “6 or 7” fish, and the lack of fish is due to the Zebrafish’s inherent aggression.

Upon further research, Zebrafish only act aggressively when their tank has poor water conditions, inadequate water parameters, and unsuitable tank mates. Fish club’s lack of preparation caused their zebrafish to die.

According to Karn, Fish Club doesn’t take credit for Bee Club slander, but in posters like the one pictured, you can see Fish Club’s classroom code.

Bee Club is a group of dedicated individuals looking to learn, inform, and achieve.

Fish Club doesn’t care about fish.*

OPINION: Fighting crime with football

Charles Bogert ‘23 Contributor

In the wake of Philadelphia’s recent sports success, the city’s police departments have noted a decrease in overall crime after teams win, specifically at home.

After a commanding 24-7 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Monday, Sept.19, the Philadelphia Police Department reported zero homicides that night, something rare for a city that consistently ranks far above average in crime rates. After they beat the Cowboys, a division rival, on Oct.16, the same thing, no homicides.

Research backs this up, as a 2014 study from UC Berkeley’s school of law found similar results in the city of Chicago.

Tracking crime rates in conjunction with televised sports games from the city’s four major sports teams (NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL), it was found that from 2001 to 2013, televised games are linked to reductions in crime by up to 25 percent.

The researchers believe that sports act as a deterrence to crime.

“Potential offenders spend their time watching the game on television rather than engaging in criminal activity…”

The study suggests that sports games could almost “pacify the population,” calming citizens that would otherwise be willing to commit crimes.

While declines in drug crime rates could also be attested to a lack of activity from the police force during the game, declines in property and violent crime, however, are almost always reported to the police.

Furthermore, the study found that there was an estimated 26 percent of crimes prevented from the airing of the Super Bowl, even though the Bears only made the Super Bowl once in that timeframe while making the playoffs only three other times. The Super Bowl continually breaks viewership records, being near or at the 100 million mark every year since 2008.

When the Eagles made and eventually won the Super Bowl in 2018, crime that week dropped drastically, with total offenses in the city dropping from 1,262 the week before to 1,059. In the weeks following, though, crime total offenses went back up.

Fish Club on track to become splashing success

Quinten Saylor ‘25 Contributor

On the surface, Fish Club may only seem to be just another fifth block gathering, but in reality, the club holds a diverse community of fish enthusiasts, artists, and leaders who offer a welcoming environment to learn a bit about aquatic biology.

At first, Fish Club President CJ Chen only created the club to further pursue their fishkeeping hobbies. However, Chen soon shifted focus to making the club a sociable place to meet students while also keeping meetings educational.

“It’s really just a fun place to hang out,” Chen said. “If you’re interested in any of the science things, sometimes we’ll talk about that and we’ll do like games too.”

Fish Club often hosts fundraisers during 5th block in the form of snack sales. All the profits made go towards improving the club’s tank.

“When we have fundraisers, we usually have a meeting beforehand and we’ll decide who might bring stuff in,” Chen said. “Most of the time so far it’s just been fundraising to just have the tank.”

Because of the money raised, the club is able to have a fish tank right inside room 311. The tank allows students to

easily observe, research, and care for live specimens.

Chen plans to continue growing Fish Club with an open mind so members can impact the club’s future too.

“In the further future, hopefully, we’ll get a few underclassmen involved. Maybe get some more educational aspects,” Chen said. “It just depends on what people want to do.”

As for Bee Club, to put it in Chen’s words: “Let’s just say I’m ‘really glad’ they decided to follow in our footsteps.”*

REPORT CARD

Water fountain accessibility and usability

Crime is very costly, as Philadelphia has a $208 million antiviolence budget for 2022 alone, and this number excludes the millions more spent on crime response, prisons, and court hearings.

In the Chicago study, the researchers found that the Super Bowl alone saves the city over $300,000 in violent crime response, while a Bears game on Monday night saves upwards of $200,000.

It should be noted that these numbers are purely based on TV viewership, and the previous examples from Philadelphia and Chicago show just how great an impact sports can have on a city and its citizens.

But what does this mean for practical strategies to reduce crime in cities? Obviously, a professional sports team’s success is out of the hands of local and state governments, and collusion between the two is most definitely a bad idea. Still, specific lessons can be learned from the obvious reduction in crime as a symptom of sports success.

Influxes in crime rates have indicated that a single solution cannot solve the problem, but rather look at different ways to prevent and respond to crime more effectively.

The trends in crime concerning sports remind us that crime is reflective of the mood of the citizens. In countries where people are overall happier, like Norway, Sweden, and the Netherlands, overall crime rates are much lower.

In Sweden, specifically, the crime rates adjusted to population were much lower, even though the two countries have near identical numbers of police officers.

It is no secret that a large portion of the population pays attention to pro sports and that people feel happier when they are on. As long as Philly sports teams keep winning, the police force should expect to see a continuous decline in crime, an unexpected antidote to years of violence. *

The unending line at the barely working third floor water fountain is the culprit for my latenesses.

The Jesus fountain is so out of the way, we would probably die of dehydration before we even got there.

Fluorescent lighting

The lighting is effective, and we never have trouble seeing in class.

It keeps us awake when we have to listen to presentations.

It hurts our eyes and causes headaches. Uninspired and overdone.

When we had wifi for like a week

It was nice to actually be able to text and have access to the internet (while it lasted).

The service was still lowkey bad, which downgrades it from an A+ to a mere A.

Dance Haven’s incorporation of student journalism into their performance

Fantastic song choice.

Good promotion of this publication. All publicity is good publicity. u Outstanding performance.

Crime deterrence comes down to more than just law enforcement, Eagles suggest.

Ticketmaster is the problem, and everyone agrees

Sasha Binder ‘24 Reporter

If you didn’t already know, Taylor Swift announced her sixth concert tour, The Eras tour, on Nov. 1st closely following the release of her ninth studio album Midnights. The announcement came at the perfect time, almost four years after the conclusion of her last tour, Reputation.

While Swift has always been an incredibly popular artist, she’s gained even more traction in the last few years due to both her documentary “Miss Americana,” and her public disputes with Scooter Braun, a music executive who purchased the rights to Swift’s early albums. As a result of losing ownership of her music, Taylor rerecorded two albums (so far) and released them along with bonus “vault” tracks. She not only gained more popularity due to her new releases, but also for the release of her Taylor’s Version albums. Due to her spike in popularity, millions of people around the world made an attempt to buy Eras tickets during her Ticketmaster presale.

Because Swift is so famous, the process of buying tickets was made very tedious by Ticketmaster, one of the more popular ticket sellers. The demand for tickets was record breaking, with 14 million users and “bots” signing onto Ticketmaster on Nov. 15th to buy tickets.

The system was supposedly straightforward. Fans had a week, starting on

Nov. 9th, to sign up for presale meaning they would have a chance to buy tickets before the sale was open to the general public. On the evening of Nov. 14th, a set number of fans (sources say around 1-2 million) were sent a code to use in order to join presale at 10 a.m. the next morning. When the lobby opened at 9 a.m., the site was flooded. After joining the queue, fans had to wait until they were allowed to buy tickets. At around 10:20 a.m. the site crashed, pausing the queue and temporarily removing access to tickets. Due to an overwhelming amount of users, Ticketmaster stayed paused for over an hour, leaving fans perplexed and incredibly frustrated.

News articles came out around 12 p.m. announcing the crash and then the stream of angry fans followed shortly after. The process was claimed to be stressful, lengthy, overcomplicated, and most importantly, UNFAIR. While the site has had issues in the past, none have caused as big of an issue among buyers.

Due to the large number of bots that joined the server, some fans who received presale didn’t successfully get tickets. And by some, I mean most. Fans were left disappointed and discouraged. It wasn’t until Swift released a statement addressing the fiasco that fans gained some closure. Even still, fans continue to file complaints against and even sue the

ON THE HOLIDAY MENU

Everyone has a special recipe that holds some significance in their holiday traditions, whatever they may be. We asked faculty members for their holiday recipes, cooked them, and reviewed them as a staff.

*Visit shpantherpress.com for the full menu of all six recipes.

MRS. MIMI DREW English Teacher

What is your favorite recipe?

Turkish Borek.

What does this recipe mean to you?

It takes me back to the time when we lived in Turkey, and my friend, who is a Turkish woman and still lives there, showed me how to do this. So every time I make it, I think of those years, that were wonderful years.

Who do you make this recipe for?

Always my family. My kids love it.

Made by Jillian Thomas OUR REVIEW:

The Turkish Borek is a very good meal for all occasions. It is very buttery and light, and each of the ingredients, (the meat, vegetables, and puff pastry) do not monopolize the flavor, creating a very multi layered texture and flavor. Despite the buttery flavor it is not overwhelmingly heavy, and can be eaten in bulk easily. It could use a bit more vegetables as it’s a bit heavy on the meat side, but all in all, a perfect warm dish for a winter day.

Gabriel Ball, Rhys Hals

site. As a result of not only the chaos of presale, but the selling out of tickets, the general public sale was canceled causing even more heartbreak amongst fans.

Here at Haven, few students received tickets, and the ones who did didn’t succeed in their endeavors without struggle.

Multiple students came in late to school or skipped all together in order to buy tickets, while some had parents do the job for them. Others sat in school on their Chromebooks all day in the queue, finally getting tickets before the sell out at 3 p.m. EST.

Junior Paige Trout described the entire ticket buying experience as bittersweet. Similarly to other students, Paige herself didn’t get the tickets, even after waiting forever in the queue, but instead had her parents purchase them from home. “It was like this wave of relief came over me when my dad texted me and told me he got the tickets,” she said. Although there is nothing to be done in

order to heal the broken hearts of Swift fans, more updates and announcements about the tour will hopefully be shared by Taylor Nation, Swift’s management team, soon. For all of those who bought tickets, congratulations, but for those who didn’t—don’t give up hope. There is still a chance of tickets returning to sale, more tour dates being announced, and obvious prospect of future tours.

Hopefully, Swift picks a more reliable company to run ticket sales in the future.*

MR. NICK PIGNATARO

Band Director

What is your favorite recipe?

My favorite thing to make is this very strange and really unique local fried dough from the top of the mountain in my family’s hometown in Southern Italy. It’s not even Italian, it’s Cuddruriaddri. It’s literally fried potato dough. You mix mashed potatoes, flour, put it in a frying pan, and there you go. .

What does this recipe mean to you?

I dont know of any other family, not even Italian-American families, but Italian families that do this. I think it is really specific to my family’s 3000 population town at the top of this mountain.

Made by Julia Gray

OUR REVIEW:

Although the fried dough we tasted wasn’t made with authentic Italian ingredients, like Mr. Pignataro’s favorite dish, it was presented similarly. These fried dough rings were well-cooked and shaped. It had a balanced amount of air inside the dough, which means that the dough rose very well. Even though the dough wasn’t perfectly round, the uneven sides and air bubbles added texture to the dough that you can’t get in Italy. One critique we would give this dish is that there was too much oil. It was greasier than expected and the oil made it saltier. Thank you Mr. Pignataro!

Matteo Ventresca, Elise Molloy*

The selling and distribution of “Midnights” tickets on the popular site Ticketmaster caused fan distress.

HOLIDAY CROSSWORD

Kaia Smith ‘25 Contributor

ACROSS

3.Singer Michael whose name sounds like a carbonated drink

5.Home Alone robbers used this food as a cover to scope out the McAllister home

7.Jewish chocolate coin often given to kids during Hanukkah

9. Viscum album common name

13.Candy and toys are left here for children during Three Kings Day

14.With 16 down

15.A Christmas carol

18.The bullied reindeer

19.When licked, this holiday sweet can be rather sharp

21.Jovial

22.Calendar that should be opened not read

DOWN

1.Ryan who appears on television during New Years’ Eve

2.Acronym for the organization running the major tournament newly finishing around the holidays

4.Entry point for Santa Claus

6.Garment worn during the holidays, not for flattering purposes

8.Italian tradition where people eat seven of these on December 24th

10.A British holiday classic with Emma Thompson

11.Silver decorations often found on Christmas trees

12.“I made it out of clay”

16.Film technique used to make Will Ferrell large in the movie Elf with 14 across

17.What a snowman might use to smell

20. Frozen pellets that could make a winter walk dangerous

ANSWERS AT SHPANTHERPRESS.COM

Il Granaio shows its value

Il Granaio has potential, needs improvement

Matteo Ventresca ‘25 Reporter

When it comes to Italian restaurants in America, many fantastic restaurants serve authentic Italian food. During the beginning of Thanksgiving break, my father and I went to Il Granaio for lunch. I grade restaurants based on location, how the inside looks, service, menu, food, and price. Ratings are listed at the bottom.

As soon as we got there, I noticed a lot of parking space, and it was a bit isolated. There is nothing around the restaurant. But for the type of restaurant it is, it is a good place for it to be because it’s a restaurant that doesn’t work well with a lot of chaos.

The inside can be improved. It was decorated well for the holidays, and it is old-style. The only problem was that the floor was a carpet. It doesn’t seem like a big problem, but a carpet is tough to maintain, and you don’t know if it’s cleaned.

The service could have been improved. Everybody was friendly except for the owner. The owner had an attitude and wasn’t that formal at all. Usually, when you’re at a restaurant and you finish eating, the waiter asks, “May I take your plate?” The owner just said, “Give me your plate.”

When I go to an Italian restaurant, the one thing that angers me is when the menu has misspellings. I cannot stand when restaurants do this. This menu had Ragú spelled like “Ragout”.

In a traditional Italian meal, there are Antipasti, Primi Piatti, and Secondi Piatti.

The Antipasti are the traditional first course of a formal Italian meal, Usually made of small bite-size portions and served on a platter from which everyone helps themselves. The Primi Piatti are the first course of a meal, often consisting of a pasta dish, following the Antipasto, and

before the Secondo Piatto. The Secondi Piatti are a second course based on meat, fish, and dairy products such as cheese or eggs. This menu has no Antipasti, the Primi were the Antipasti, and the Secondi were everything else.

The food could have been improved. I had a Festoni Bolognese, which was liquidy and too rich. I also had Gnocchi with Guanciale, which was too creamy, but the flavors blended very well. Overall, it was a good lunch.

Finally, the price was too high. The two plates cost $18 each, which is too high for my experience. My father and I each had a Sprite that cost $4 each. In total, we spent $44 for two people. For what we ate, $44 is just too much.

Il Granaio is a restaurant that needs to be improved. There are too many flaws that could be improved that bring the value of this restaurant down.

Guanciale: A type of Italian cured pork made from the cheeks of a pig. *

WE RECOMMEND:

Nikki MacDonald’s Cookies

Sophomore’s cookies are loved by students.

Matthew Chen ‘23

Editor in Chief

Wrapped decoratively in a clear bag and her trademark ‘Thank You for Supporting this Black Owned Business’ sticker, Nikki MacDonald’s cookies are easily recognized and well-liked by many.

MacDonald started baking when she was in seventh grade after taking a cooking class where she learned to make muffins. Since then she’s fallen in love with baking and can bake everything from pies to banana bread.

She started selling cookies in ninth grade and has since then added three staple flavors: sugar cookie, chocolate chip, and cookies and cream.

“I started it because I really enjoy baking and you can express your freedom,” she said.

Baking for so many people can be complicated but with practice she’s become faster and better at baking. MacDonald bakes throughout the week so her customers can have them the next day. She hand mixes the cookie batter and uses a stand mixer for wet ingredients. With so many customers wanting cookies she often has to stay up late at night to finish orders.

“I do have trouble with saying no, I can’t like, do this,” she said. “But I usually just tell my customers that they can just wait till next week because it’s packed cookie wise and I don’t really have a lot of time.”

Despite so many orders piling up, she says she appreciates her customers dearly. “[I enjoy] seeing the excitement on my customers’ faces when they receive my [cookies].”

Senior Amelia Andrews-Sullivan found out about MacDonald’s cookies through a friend and since then became one of MacDonald’s best customers—her favorite Nikki’s cookie flavor is chocolate chip.

Andrews-Sullivan has high praise for MacDonald’s cookie capabilities.

“She is looking for more types of cookies to start selling and she has an extreme interest in baking,” she said. “She’s talked about venturing outside of just cookies and I feel like that’s what I like most about her business—that she’s like so open to trying new things, trying new recipes, trying new things outside of the scope of what she already sells.”*

Il Granaio • 711 Concord Rd. Glen Mills ilgranaiopa.com

PHOTO: MATTHEW CHEN

More than a game

Kelly Montague ‘25 Contributor

As you sit in the stands of George L. King field, you begin to hear the familiar beginning of the iconic song, “Welcome to the Jungle,” by Guns ‘N Roses play. It announces the presence of the Strath Haven Panthers, running through the tunnel, through the poster, and into the Friday night lights. Throughout the fall, there was never a dull moment within the football community. Most notably, the Panthers became the Central League Champions for the first time in over a decade. And throughout their 2022 journey, there was a lot to unpack, whether it was on the field or off the field.

it. So it’s fun to be with them. Like, even just in between school and practice. Just sitting in the locker room. There’s always something funny to discuss. So it’s like a lot of fun. We were close, but I felt like we … like, had fun together more than we have in past years,” senior captain Sam Milligan said.

While the athletes may be the stars of Haven, some people forget that they’re regular people too. There’s the stereotype that they’re “jocks” without a thought in their heads. However, this isn’t necessarily the case.

12-1

For the team, there was a lot of uncertainty in the beginning. Senior captain Bobby Fooskas commented on the unpredictable outcome of the season.

“I’d say that coming into this season, we did not know how we were going to be. We lost our whole offensive line from last year, like [Chase] Barlow ’22 and [Matt] Shuler ’22, and our running backs. So we really didn’t know how good we were going to be,” he said.

According to the players, one of the best aspects of the team were the bonds they built. The records may have shown a great game, but sometimes, the players didn’t always feel it.

“Maybe you have a down day or [you’re] just not 100%. [The team] always brought you back to

“Coach Clancy, at the beginning of every season, every year, talks about how the football players need to be sitting at the front of the classroom, paying the most attention, being the most respectful to the teachers and whatnot. I mean, as like a team, you’re all grouped together,” senior captain Ben Farabaugh said.

He explains the importance of looking good for not just yourself, but for the good of the team.

“So I mean, if I’m acting up or something, and then my teacher has Bobby or Sam the next block, like, she’s thinking, they’re probably the same type of kid,” Farabaugh said. “So having a good image is really good. It’s important, not only for you, but also for your teammates, and just really, the sport in general.”*

WSSD to upgrade King Field in spring 2023

As fall sports came to a close, Haven marked another successful season while plans to upgrade outdated King Field took shape.

Jason Zhang ‘26 Contributor

WSSD is planning on making major upgrades to King Field’s synthetic turf, with construction planned to start the spring of 2023, following a successful fall sports season.

At the Sept. 28 school board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Wagner Marseille announced the district would enter into a design services agreement with ELA Sport to replace the synthetic turf and update the King Field stadium, as well as to develop an Athletic Facilities Master Plan for the entire district.

The turf replacement agreement, contracted for $33,100, includes but is not limited to a redesign and replacement of King Field’s main turf, replacing the grass bits around the main turf area with artificial grass, and any other miscellaneous repairs.

right now, which need to be fixed. And also you can tell turf pellets are all surrounding the field and that’s not good and needs to be spread out more,” junior football player Marco Kaufman said.

Student athletes are looking forward to the updates.

“I’m very excited especially because the old turf has caused injuries in the past with things like knees and stuff like that and even myself I get really sore in my ankles and other joints,” Kaufman said. “Honestly, I don’t think it affects the performance as much. I’d say it affects more of the aftercare, and preventing injuries.”

The turf replacement agreement is contracted for $33,100 and includes a redesign.

These changes to the field will begin during the spring sports season, but the question remains of whether or not this will affect any practice schedules or competitions.

Haven basketball takes on Ireland

Elise Molloy ’24 Contributor

Members of the Haven Boys Basketball Team competed in a friendly game against a top team in Ireland this fall, giving them a sense of what they will be facing when they fly there this spring.

Coach Kevin Haney, senior Jack Edwards, and another unconfirmed member of the team will combine with other schools in Delco to travel overseas and compete in a series of tournament style games against teams from all over Ireland.

Haney is a member of an Irish society called the Ancient Order of Hibernians, or the AOH. The AOH has been running this program for a few years now, as well as working with Lafayette College to train Irish players who flew in to play somewhere in the United States.

“I’m just really looking forward to a really unique experience with a great coach and especially a great coaching staff,” he said. “Playing alongside great teammates. I’m excited to learn new things there.”

The details of the trip are still being finalized, however, the players and coaches are already planning for it.

“It’s going to be a combo of the same experience they had here in the states which is, you know, basketball, culture, food, history, just all of it,” Haney said. “And it looks like, right now tentatively, the trip is scheduled for spring break, and I just can’t wait to see what my dad always called the old country.”

This experience is going to be particularly special for Haney, as he has always hoped he would get to travel to his father’s homeland.

“Any time you upgrade your facility, [it] brings a lot of good things,” Athletic Director Patrick Clancy said. “It’s an opportunity to kind of look at some of the aesthetics of the layout and [if] we want to add more graphics or anything like that.”

Clancy said the school is also engaged in conversations about the type of carpet to identify the best type of fiber and infill for student athletes.

These changes come at the perfect time, as the field has reached its maximum useful life and should now be replaced, according to the board meeting agenda.

“There are parts of our turf that are literally ripped off and parts of the turf that are broken

“My understanding is that it is going to be about a three week process once we start just to replace the carpet,” Clancy said. “Our hope is it’s over the summer and that it has minimal impact on the actual school programming.”

Clancy said he may consider changes to the spring playoff schedule if it would help move the process forward.

“I’m very eager to get that [the new turf upgrades] started as soon as possible, to the point where I’ve said I’m willing to even possibly move the spring playoff games if needed, just to make sure that we’re not losing games in the fall,” he said.*

“So they were looking for coaches that could coach here with United States kids, kids from the US, and against them [The Irish Players],” Haney said.

The game against Ireland in September was a chance for players and coaches to get an idea of what is to come.

“It was a cool experience,” Edwards said. “The kids had a lot of skill. They can shoot the ball and it was a fun experience playing against Ireland.”

Edwards is excited to play them again and has been looking forward to the trip since Haney messaged him about it at the beginning of the school year.

“I think for me personally, it’s about connecting to my roots,” he said. “Just to feel connected to everything my father ever talked about. And my father is not with us anymore so it’s extra special emotionally to feel that sense of home that he always talked about. I think you know, outside of the game itself. That’s what I’m looking forward to.”*

The Haven Football captains talk football, academics, and the importance of image.

TEAMMATES • Senior football captains Anthony Crawford, Ben Farabaugh, Bobby Fooskas and Sam Milligan prepare for the coin toss at the Oct. 7 away game versus Ridley. Haven won 41-16. PHOTO: KELLY MONTAGUE

SAM MILLIGAN QB, DB BOBBY FOOSKAS HB, LB BEN FARABAUGH TE, LB

Boys basketball coach Kevin Haney accepts the opportunity to take a few of his players to Ireland this spring.