Editorial: Students should take holidays as an opportunity to connect with loved ones
Family
traditions will create memories for the holidays that schoolwork can’t.
Editorial Board
The spectrum of family traditions for the holidays at Haven is wide. From holiday movies to gingerbread house competitions, the holidays allow us to check back in with the people we love.
Whatever your family traditions are, nowadays, the holidays are less about family and more about the break. It looks like recovery from school, sleeping in, and often staying in your room during big family dinners.
But the holidays aren’t just a break from school. They should be a time to reconnect with your family—not talk about college or academics, because that doesn’t really count—and to have fun (which, according to Merriam-Webster, is something that provides entertainment, amusement, or enjoyment, and academics often provide very little of that).
scares us.
No teenager wants to be alone, especially not on the holidays. Recovery from school shouldn’t be in the form of your room when you can be with family instead.
We should enjoy the times we have now. We are not done being kids yet, and we should act like it despite a world that scares us.
Family can mean a lot of things to a lot of different people. Maybe it’s your siblings, grandparents, cousins, or friends. Whatever you define family as, take this time as an opportunity to reach out first. Lay down your textbooks and college essays. Allow yourself to make the memories that you’ll actually care about in ten years.
world in just a year or four. You might be away from your home. These are the memories that you’ll carry on your first day in an unfamiliar place, and these are the memories that will also make you hopelessly homesick.
Create new family traditions: watch new movies, hang out with new people, or go to new places. We live right next to a city with an awesome Christmas Market and an ice skating rink. Make pillow forts. Eat an atrocious amount of whipped cream directly from the can. You’re not too old to do these things and not too old to be happy.
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We forget to have fun on the holidays. So instead of reminiscing about better times from our childhood, we should enjoy the times we have now. That childhood you might think of so fondly isn’t over.
We are not done being kids yet, and we should act like it despite a world that
Take Five:
1: What is one of your favorite holiday traditions?
2: Do you feel like in the past few years you have felt a decline in holiday spirit?
Dyllan Leaf ‘28 Reporter
1: “My family is kind of basic, like we do everything that everyone does. I’d say my favorite is just my stockings, because I usually get like stuff I wouldn’t want as a gift, like a ‘mini gift.’
2: “I do feel that way...I guess it’s also because a lot of people aren’t like together anymore in my immediate family and not my whole family is together.”
Having fun isn’t just for the intrinsic joy behind it. Taking time for enjoyable activities has been proven to lessen stress by having a role in reducing cortisol alongside higher levels of positive psychological states. When these benefits of having fun are combined with the value that friendships and close relationships provide, namely those of preventing loneliness and depression, this provides a fantastic way to improve your life while still having a good time.
Continue the family traditions, or bring back ones you’ve missed. It’s scary to think that you might be anywhere in the
1: “I just like visiting with my family and a lot of people that I don’t see very often come down for Christmas so I get to interact with my family more than I usually do.”
2: “I feel like as a kid, holidays were all I focused on. But now that I have other things on my mind, they’ve taken less attention from me, but they’re still pretty important to me.”
1: “One of my favorite traditions is, during Christmas time, it’s when my whole family gets to sit around the fire.”
2: “I definitely think it has declined, because my spirit is declining, but my homework is not.”
1: “Well, my family, we love to cook and bake just all the time. So we make just a bunch of holiday cookies.”
2: “I personally don’t think I’ve lost a lot of holiday spirit, but I do think, in general, people have. Over COVID, everybody was isolated and we couldn’t really go out and socialize. So I feel like a lot of people just forgot about their community.”
1: “My family celebrates Christmas, so one of my favorite things is just spending time with my family, and I get to see my grandparents and stuff.”
2: “I definitely have felt that a little bit. I don’t know, but as I’ve gotten older it doesn’t hit the same. I still love Christmas, and I still decorate in snow, but not in the same way.”*
Seniors end up making most of their conversations with their parents about post-high school plans. Try setting a rule, like putting aside an allotted ten-minute slot per day for talking about those topics. Even if you’re not a senior, block out some time this break to be with your family more. Play board games or go on walks with siblings. Sometimes, even when you have a huge pile of stuff to do, putting it aside to hang out with the people you love can help you feel less stressed later. Being a teenager, especially in this generation, can feel so isolating. Don’t let yourself drift away.*
>P 12 | HOLIDAY TRADITIONS BRING NOSTALGIA
REPORT CARD
A-
SLEEP IN FOR KEYSTONE DAYS (for non-testers)
+ Oh, sleep, you lovely, elusive soul…
+ Gives seniors time to recover from early decision round 1.
- Many underclassmen need to take the exam.
B
C+
WINTER IS HERE
+ There was snow!
- The snow did not stay, very sad.
+ Not too cold, though this could also be a negative.
SPONTANEOUS PJ DAYS
+ Love any opportunity to wear PJs to school!
- Short notice.
- Few people actually wore pajamas.
D-
TEACHERS LOADING UP ON TESTS BEFORE BREAK
- Week before winter break is not a real week.
- Tests on Thursday, two days before break, are hard to study for.
- If people leave school early, they have to take tests a week after they learned the material.
LONGER WINTER BREAK
A-
+ 12 days of break!!!
+ More time with family and friends.
- Some classes are giving homework over break.
Editors
The Panther Press extends our condolences to the family and friends of junior Ada Johnson who passed away in December.
All content published in the newspaper and on the Panther Press website is created by Strath Haven students for a primary audience of students, with the understanding that our publication also reaches a broader audience that includes teachers and staff, families, and community members.
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Editors in Chief Evelynn Lin ’25 Matteo Ventresca ’25
Managing Editor, Web Matthew Ramirez ’26
Managing Editor, Print Kaitlyn Ho ’26
Haven Happenings Editors Evie Fernandez ’27 Clark Kerkstra ’27
Sports Editor Lavanya Dixit ’27
Haven Arts Editor Josie Wieland ’26
Health & Sciences Editor Mia Fagone ’26
Detours & Opinions
Franklin Griffin ‘27
Sebastian Reed ‘25
Thandiwe Jemwa ‘26
Charlotte Davis ‘28
Adviser
Ms. Kate Plows
Elizabeth Iversen ‘28
Staff discusses effects of possible US Department of Education dismantlement
On January 20, when President Donald Trump takes office for his second term, some policies and protections may change.
Darcey Strachan ‘28, Morgan Matthews ‘28
Reporters
Following the results of the 2024 election, the U.S. Department of Education is at risk of elimination with the approaching presidency of Donald Trump.
Trump announced on the campaign trail that he plans to close the Department of Education and shift responsibility back to the states.
Trump believes it could allow some states to do a better job at education than the federal government.
Removing the U.S. Department of Education brings concerns about how Strath Haven’s and other schools’ day-to-day operations could be negatively impacted.
The United States Department of Education (DOE) was founded under President Jimmy Carter on October 17, 1979. Each state also has its state education department that controls many factors inside schools and oversees public school systems.
Congress would have to approve the bill with a majority vote to eliminate the DOE at a federal level. This means that 213 of the 435 people in Congress would have to endorse this change. Due to the need for congressional approval, some doubt the bill will be approved soon.
“Getting Congress to agree on anything is near impossible these days. I’ve got some skepticism,” social studies teacher Mr. Patrick Clancy said.
If Trump does not get congressional approval, there are other ways he can impact and possibly limit the influence that the DOE has on schools.
eliminating the DOE is what would happen to schools that accommodate large numbers of lowincome families, currently protected by Title I. Title I is a federal program that provides additional funding to school systems with a large percentage of low-income families.
Currently, over half of American public schools nationwide qualify for Title I funding. WallingfordSwarthmore School District gets $140,000 from Title I funding, so removing Title I funding wouldn’t make a huge financial difference on Haven. With the removal of the DOE, underfunded public schools could be left with insufficient financial resources depending on what happens to Title I funding.
Without these additional resources, children from low-income families could receive an inadequate education, special learning services, financial aid, and other resources that could be significantly underfunded or outright eliminated, depending on the school. Historically, low-income areas are home to many minority students, which could create racial inequity in terms of quality of education.
If Trump does not get congressional approval to end the U.S. Department of Education, there are other ways he can impact and possibly limit the influence that the federal department has on schools.
“I don’t know if it’s going to be a reality in terms of dismantling it,” Interim Superintendent Dr. James Scanlon said. “Now, he can certainly appoint people to work in the DOE, and those people can have an influence on policy.”
So what exactly would happen if the DOE were to be abolished or had its budget cut?
One of the DOE’s main roles is allocating funding to public schools. From a local standpoint, Strath Haven will not be significantly impacted regarding funding.
Only 1.4% of the WallingfordSwarthmore School District’s budget comes from the federal government. That’s about $1.4 million out of a $102 million budget. In less wealthy areas, schools could face a large impact depending on how the government would choose to move forward with federal funding.
“I really worry that in an impoverished area, if you get rid of some type of governing body, that could have some type of impact in a way,” history teacher Mr. Tom Babcock said.
One of the major concerns of
who are part of the LGBTQ+ community, often fall victim to civil rights violations. With eliminating the DOE, it is unclear what will happen to these violations.
“Typically, you see with more low-income families, a higher ratio of black and brown students [in Title 1 schools]. So there would be some indirect effect for some of those places if the funding wasn’t reallocated elsewhere,” Scanlon said.
Along with the possibility of negatively impacting students from impoverished areas, removing the DOE could harm other minority group students.
“Students with special education needs, a lot of that comes from federal guidance as well. What changes in terms of interpretations of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act could occur?” Clancy said.
Students placed in special education programs could see changes in their daily school lives. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a law currently enforced by the DOE.
If the DOE were to be eliminated, IDEA would remain on the books even if the DOE ends. It’s not clear where the responsibilities of enforcement or funding would end up.
“One thing I’m concerned about is that the Department of Education does provide a certain oversight. It acts as a sort of unifying agency in providing standards and other guidelines,” history teacher Ms. Xaras Collins said.
The DOE also investigates civil rights violations. Many marginalized groups, such as minorities, women, people with disabilities, and those
Could the Department of Justice significantly change how civil rights investigations are carried out? Maybe not, but it is putting historically marginalized groups at higher risk of being treated unfairly.
“A lot of people hear civil rights and they automatically think about race, but a lot of the work of that legislation is more about disability, gender equity, and those sorts of things,” Collins said.
The DOE currently provides resources for LGBTQ+ students, including protections for transgender students under Title IX. Trump has pledged to eliminate those Title IX protections enacted during the Biden administration
With potential elimination, it could be left up to states to make their own decisions about LGBTQ+ resources in school.
“I look at my students that are transgender or questioning,” Collins said. “I see the immediate fear in their eyes and sitting there like, ‘I didn’t do anything to anybody.’”
As for the school curriculum itself, presumably, not too much would change drastically. The school curriculum is already heavily produced by the states themselves.
The DOE does not create a school curriculum, but it does regulate the curriculum by contributing to education research. This ensures the same quality of education across the country. Without this federal safeguard, states would have slightly more flexibility in their individual curriculum.
“I think of Alabama or Mississippi who, even in the 1960s, were fighting for segregation,” Babcock said. “I worry that without a federal agency, you would have more of a chance for a state to remove something and make it an absolute lie.”*
Haven Helps conducts school-wide food drive
Competition supported local food bank.
Joya Nath ’28 Reporter
From November 4 to November 15, 2024, students had the opportunity to bring donations to their first block classroom, with all proceeds going to the Media Food Bank.
Haven Helps collected over 5,000 food items in their annual drive, setting a new record.
Haven Helps has been passionate about pursuing food scarcity. According to the activities website, the club is focused on volunteer service in the Wallingford-Swarthmore community.
“The best way we can give back to the community, in our minds, is by helping with something like food insecurity,” senior Haven Helps leader Samantha Czaplicki said.
The club was especially pleased with this year’s turnout, the overall donations having more than tripled from years past.
“Ms. [Kirste] Tanzosh’s class had 1,600 cans. That was a record,” Czaplicki said. “Last year, the highest number of cans we had was 500 something. This year, the top three, if not four, classrooms beat that number. We’re really happy with how the community showed up.”
The total collection in fall 2023 was 3,112 cans and $686.00, according to an email from Haven Helps adviser Mrs. Beth Benzing.
These results may be due to a competition the club put in place: the first block classroom with the most cans collected was to be rewarded with a breakfast.
“We like to have some healthy competition between classes because that makes it more fun and encourages people to bring in as many cans as they can,” Czaplicki said.
Pancakes and waffles proved a motivating incentive, and Tanzosh took the competition a step further.
“Because there’s 32 [students], I divided them up into four teams of eight so they were competing against each other to see who was going to win,” Tanzosh said. “Since whoever wins is supposed to get a breakfast, the group that was bringing in the most was supposed to get to go first when they got the breakfast.”
Consequently, Tanzosh and her Linear Algebra students won in a landslide. Much of their win was also due to the students’ sheer excitement and resourcefulness around bringing in donations.
“I saw ramen packets, and it was 30 cents a packet, so I called Madison Benzing, who runs Haven Helps, and asked, ‘Hey, can we do ramen?” senior Christina Si said. “When she said yes, I texted everybody. The entire Linear [Algebra] class found out, and we just started bringing in so much ramen.”
Senior Tianyue Wang was excited about the class’ win but even more amazed to see how people showed up.
“If we lost with 1,647, I’d just be proud of our school,” Wang said.
Haven Helps members loaded up and dropped all the proceeds off at the Media Food Bank, where they will be directly distributed to the community.
“They take our food, all 5,000 cans, or items that we collect, and they distribute them to the families in need that they attend to,” Czaplicki said.
Czaplicki and the whole of Haven Helps couldn’t be happier with how the drive went, and the possibility of future food drives is significant.
“Based on the success and how it’s just been continuing to grow over the years that I’ve been here, I think we’ll definitely do another one,” Czaplicki said.*
TEAM EFFORT • Haven Helps holds donated food as they load up for Media Food Bank delivery. PHOTO: NOAH HENDERSON
President Donald Trump addresses the crowd at Target Center in Minneapolis, MN, for his 2020 presidential campaign rally on October 10, 2019.
PHOTO: NIKOLAS LIEPINS
Haven students get involved in politics
Students and young people have a crucial role in politics. How are Strath Haven’s very own doing their part, and why is it important to take it even further?
Fiona Seale ‘28 Reporter
Youth involvement in politics has always been a tricky issue to tackle. Despite young voters being such a catalyst in major elections, some feel that their voice doesn’t matter. In the 2024 election, only 42% of people aged 18-29 voted, a decrease from the 2020 election statistics. Youth votership can be greatly unreliable and shaky, Strath Haven students have aimed to tackle this problem as well as get involved in more political opportunities.
Perhaps more student interest is important and beneficial.
Students and young people have taken a role in recent political landscapes. However, it can be hard for students to feel a connection to anything going on in D.C.
that,” Harvey said. “Historically, in this country, younger voters don’t turn out to vote because they don’t feel like they’re being represented, or the things they care about are on the table. That has to change because your vote does matter, even though it is a single one.”
With a new party entering the White House, new legislation may follow suit, potentially leading to policy changes that could affect Strath Haven students.
“Historically, in this country, younger voters don’t turn out to vote because they don’t feel like they’re being represented, or the things they care about are on the table. That has to change because your vote does matter, even though it is a single one.”
Ms. Alissa Harvey
“I think it’s really hard to engage students at this age with politics because they don’t necessarily feel like it touches them,” civics teacher Ms. Alissa Harvey said. “Or they maybe don’t see themselves as part of the process, or they don’t see their issues reflected in what some of our candidates are pushing or championing.”
While young men in 2020 voted 56% Democratic, the year where the Democratic candidate won, in 2024, the same youth demographic voted 56% Republican, the party of the winning candidate. Young voters can sway elections.
“We saw in the 2022 midterms just how younger people showed up in higher numbers than they typically do, and we saw that there’s a lot of strength in
“A lot of those things do impact you, right? They’re talking about making massive changes to the Department of Education. And so for me, it’s really making that connection: you may feel that these things don’t impact you, but they 100% do,” Harvey said.
Voting registration seemed to pique Harvey’s interest as well as senior Lucy Hewitt’s. Hewitt worked alongside other students with Harvey as their supervisor to make voter registration accessible for Strath Haven students. They set up a table with poster boards and information in the cafeteria, helping and encouraging anyone who approached to register if they could.
“I helped run the voter drive at the high school during lunch. We asked high school seniors to sign up to vote, and we helped them get registered to vote,” Hewitt said.
Harvey noted the purpose and mission of the drive was to educate and inform students, making registering as easy as possible.
“There seems to be a lot of mystery around the voter registration process,” Harvey said. “Everybody thinks it’s really
difficult, and it’s not. And so part of the reason we wanted to run the voter drive was to have it easily accessible during lunches and put it in kids’ faces and say, ‘Look, do you want to register?’”
Both Hewitt and senior classmate Linden Corbett took it a step further, applying to and working with Representative Mary Gay Scanlon’s Congressional Youth Cabinet. Pennsylvania students can gather to discuss their thoughts on legislation and policy’s regarding global issues. Groups can also travel to D.C. to see the Capitol and learn about the processes Congress goes through to pass laws. They get to meet and connect with other politician’s as well.
“My role, and a couple other students’ roles as well, is just to show up and have conversations about current issues,” Corbett said. “So [we talked about] voting rights, immigration, book banning, and gun ownership. It’s been really constructive and a really good opportunity to get to talk within the community.”
Scanlon’s program aims to gain a student perspective on certain policies and information she will bring back to D.C. Each month, the students in the program meet and discuss selected topics with Scanlon and her peers working on those issues.
“For example, in October, she brought in her person that’s working on immigration, helping families in Afghanistan, and so we got to meet some of the people on her team and learn about what it’s like to work in D.C,” Hewitt said.
“Each month, we choose a topic, such as climate change, or education, gun rights, and we have a conversation about what’s important. And her purpose of doing it is hearing from teenagers what they’re
thinking.”
Both Hewitt and Corbett note the positive effect of working with politics on their lives. Corbett advises students looking to get involved with programs such as Scanlon’s congressional Youth Cabinet to keep updated with the political offices and representatives nearby and not to be afraid to reach out.
Hewitt also notes simpler ways to get involved if some students are not up to or don’t have the time for a full program. She volunteered in the community by working at the polls this election season, helping people who couldn’t read to cast their votes.
Harvey describes straightforward civic engagement in the community as fullproof way to stay politically involved as well.
“That could be something as simple as volunteering,” Harvey said. “Civics, to me, is really just about being an active, engaged, contributing member to your society. So that doesn’t necessarily need to just be about politics. It could be about knowing and understanding and supporting local businesses.”
Students of Strath Haven and across the nation are the future, and teens involved in politics reap the benefits of being active community members. Being politically engaged, whether pursuing programs, awards and opportunities, helping out in the community, or voting, can affect a student’s life and the world around them.
“I think it’s really important to understand what’s going on in the country and in the government because, ultimately, that will be the world you’re living in,” Hewitt said.*
FEATURED CLUB: HOSA provides healthcare career opportunities for students
New club is centered around jobs in the medical field, providing volunteer experiences and competitions.
Claire Salera ‘27
Opinions & Detours Editor
Haven’s one and only healthcare club has arrived.
HOSA, which stands for Health Occupations Students of America, is a national student-led program recognized by the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education.
According to their official website, the program was created in 1976 at a Constitutional Convention in Arlington, Texas, made up of six states with about 6000 students involved. Now, the program has grown to support an estimated 260,000 members worldwide.
club at Haven. You have to go through an external level of starting something because we have to start a chapter with the actual organization,” Dixit said.
“If you’re interested in public speaking and healthcare, there’s an event for that, if you’re interested in photography in healthcare, there’s something for that.”
Lavanya Dixit ‘27
The club was brought to Haven by sophomores Lavanya Dixit and Rheya Singh, who serve as the co-presidents.
The first meeting was on November 21 in science teacher Mr. Tim Styer’s room.
Dixit admits that bringing HOSA to Haven was time-consuming, leading to the club’s later start in the second quarter.
“It’s much harder than just starting a
The national HOSA organization provides volunteer opportunities in the healthcare field to help members become avid parts of their communities while expanding their interests and concepts of a potential career. They also sponsor several competitions where students can demonstrate their knowledge of healthcare.
Dixit and Singh hope to begin attending competitions with the club in the spring, with signups coming out in January. Dixit notes that these competitions have a category for everybody.
“There are a ton of different categories, combining healthcare with other interests.
If you’re interested in public speaking and healthcare, there’s an event for that, if you’re interested in photography in
healthcare, there’s something for that,” Dixit said.
Sophomore Ella Brook is excited to be a part of HOSA and points out that memorizing information for these competitions will help her advance in her healthcare knowledge and future career.
“I know we will be learning more about healthcare and different careers in that, and also, if I do decide to compete, that would be really helpful because I would have to study for it,” Brook said.
HOSA plans to meet on certain Mondays, usually every other week, mainly in the spring, when competition season will gear up. Students interested in joining the club can join the Schoology group.
Though HOSA strives to provide plenty of opportunities and healthcare enrichment for students, Singh stresses the overlying goal of the club.
“We want to give everyone [the] healthcare experience that wants it,” Singh said.*
NEW OPPORTUNITIES • HOSA leaders Lavanya Dixit and Rheya Singh greet students at the activities fair with a smile. The co-presidents gave out candy and explained what the new club is all about.
PHOTO: ANNA CONNELL
SEPTA fare changes, potential service cuts may leave impact on Wallingford-Swarthmore community
State Governor Josh Shapiro has postponed an impending “doom spiral” by supporting SEPTA funding. How might SEPTA changes impact community members?
Evelynn Lin ’25 Editor-in-Chief
Over 790,000 Southeast Pennsylvania residents commute for work and recreation every weekday via the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, also known as SEPTA.
However, SEPTA, the nation’s sixth biggest transit line, has recently been on a “transit death spiral,” according to SEPTA Chief Operating Officer Scott Sauer. In November, SEPTA announced it would be increasing its fare by 7.5% by December 1 and then by 21.5% in January 2025, with potential service cuts in July 2025, according to an article by the Philadelphia Inquirer.
That plan was postponed until November 23 when state governor Josh Shapiro allocated 153 million dollars in federal highway funding to SEPTA, allowing the transit line to delay drastic increases and cuts until the summer of 2025.
As of the posting of this article, SEPTA has only increased fares by 7.5%, meaning Travel Wallet, SEPTA Key Tix, and contactless fares on buses, subways, and trolleys rose from $2.00 to $2.50, and Regional Rail fares aligned with Quick Trip pricing by zone.
All daily, weekly, and monthly passes remain the same price, with seniors 65 and older and kids 12 and under allowed to ride for free.
Freshman Scarlett Rein’s father rides the SEPTA to work every morning and is thankful that the fare increases as they are now will not significantly impact her and her family.
“Thankfully, we’re pretty comfortable with our wages, so I don’t think it will affect us too much, but I could definitely see how in different households that might be a big issue, especially if they’re taking it every day,” Rein said.
Senior JJ Bohr, whose stepmom takes the SEPTA into work at CHOP, says his family will not be affected by SEPTA’s fare increases because of work benefits.
“Work’s going to compensate it,” he said. “They [CHOP] pay for her traveling fees, which includes the SEPTA fees like the card and stuff.”
In the Wallingford-Swarthmore District, residents can take the SEPTA from two main stations: Swarthmore Station and Wallingford Station.
In Wallingford, Wallingford Elementary School (WES) sits close to Wallingford Station. This SEPTA route is vital for parent professional Mr. Jamal McKinney, who commutes to WES for work every weekday from North Philly.
“Even if I had a car, I wouldn’t drive because the train is just a simple commute,” McKinney said. “I don’t get lost at all. [WES] is right here.”
Beyond work, McKinney also uses the SEPTA for recreational purposes.
“I go to Eagles games. It’s super simple to hop on the train rather than drive and deal with all the sports traffic,” McKinney said. “Leaving my vehicle and having to hop on the regional to go to the airport when I have to go out of town is way better than taking my car down to the airport [also]. I can hop on the train with my suitcases and go right to the airport and be right where I need to be.”
In Swarthmore, the station is an important part of many residents’ commutes.
“We have a large proportion of commuters to University City and Center City, who use our train station. We have people who work or live in Swarthmore who also take the 109 bus to and from work, and that includes staff, faculty, and students of the college, as well as people who have other commuting patterns,” Swarthmore Council Vice President Scarlett McCahill said.
Having Swarthmore Station cut through the borough is also an economic benefit.
“We are always trying to attract people from out of town,” Swarthmore Council President Jill Gaieski said. “You can’t run a successful business if it’s based upon the local community only. This town is too small, so you have to be able to attract people from outside your community.”
SEPTA also provides a more environmentally friendly alternative to driving, which is one of the Council’s commitments to environmental sustainability.
“The idea is that [if] you encourage more people to live around the train, you will see more people riding the train. But these things have to work hand in glove.”
Jill Gaieski Swarthmore Council President
7.5%
SEPTA FARE INCREASE AS OF DEC. 1, 2024
PROPOSED INCREASE OF 21.5% POSTPONED UNTIL SUMMER 2025
“At the borough level, there is not a great deal of decision-making opportunity directly, but the local, regional, and state elected officials can express the importance of the mass transit system, which is one that we know is really valued in our community for people’s quality of life,” McCahill said.
Though the Council can’t control the turnout of SEPTA’s fare increases and potential service cuts, they encourage people to discuss the topic openly.
“I know that there’s a push to write to the governor, thanking him for putting aside these funds to help fill the gap with SEPTA. I don’t know if it’s temporary or how long that’s going to last, but certainly, we’re grateful that the stabilization dollars are in place now,” Gaieski said.
Looking forward to the future of SEPTA in the Swarthmore area, Swarthmore Station’s increasingly empty parking lots are to be part of Swarthmore’s ongoing comprehensive plan, according to Gaieski.
“There’s a push right now for the lot in Swarthmore to be developed potentially into housing that is affordable and retail spaces,” Gaieski said. “The idea is that [if] you encourage more people to live around the train, you will see more people riding the train. But these things have to work hand in glove.”
Swarthmore’s comprehensive plan, “Imagine Swarthmore,” is currently in its beginning stages and aims to improve parts of the community in the next ten years, working alongside Planning Next and SEPTA itself. Some Council members met with Planning Next and SEPTA members on December 4 to discuss a course of action further.
According to Gaieski, the SEPTA lot is a central topic in the community’s vision for the future, which is determined through comprehensive planning.
“This plan will shape Swarthmore, minimally, for ten years, but then it’s going to lead to the next comp plan in ten years, which will piggyback off of what gets done now,” she said. “So there is a lot happening, and SEPTA’s at the center of it.”*
FEATURED CLASS: Bioethics shows ethical background behind science
Madalyn Posternack ’26 Contributor
SILVER GUIDE: BIOETHICS
The study of ethical and moral issues in the fields of medicine and biology. This course is designed for students with at least two years of prior science study, which include biology and chemistry. The focus is on current biological topics in society that are considered controversial by nature, and will allow students to make responsible, informed decisions and choices through research, debates, as well as a variety of activities.
What is Bioethics? At Strath Haven, the Bioethics class created by science teacher Mr. Tim Styer has been a popular choice for those interested in the morals behind science.
The elective that has been taught by Mr. John Lincke for the past three years, is now being taken over by Styer. This class is a branch out of Styer’s other class, Biotechnology.
“Every time we do something that involves biotechnology, there’s always an ethical implication. Should we? Shouldn’t we? We’re talking about GMOs, talking about cloning, talking about it all. It had this component that was taking more and more time away from what I wanted to do and focus on Biotech so I made another class,” Styer said.
The class is designed to go deeper into Biotech—the reasons behind the experiments they do. The students go through topics like abortion, GMOs, and the right to die. Biotech is more about the actual science aspect, while Bioethics is more about ‘well, should we be doing this?’
“I want kids to be able to analyze, critique, and evaluate a topic, and be able to think for themselves. [I want them to] know where to go, to get valid, real information, and data and research and come up with conclusions to very tough questions,” Styer said.
Styer initially came up with the idea for the class off the top of his head. He went to the University of Pennsylvania with science teacher Ms. Katie Shepherd and worked with professors on developing the class.
“I’m not going to teach you what to think at all. You derive that on your own. I’m going to give you the science right down the middle,” Styer said. “I just give them the science and then they usually have an assignment. Sometimes debates, and I want them to be able to make good, solid decisions about very important topics.”
The class is designed for the people who are more into the “why” behind the science and not the chemical things. People have taken it for medical fields, because they had no interest in science, or just didn’t want to take physics.
“I hope [Bioethics] empowers them to help make change and if it’s not what they want and to help or reinforce it if it is something that they do want,” Styer said. “It is the world you’re going to inherit. I want you to have a firm understanding of what it is. And then, you take action as you want to take action.”*
CONVENIENT COMMUTES • Sophomore Kathryn Barrett takes a selfie with members of the yearbook, newspaper, and literary magazine staffs as they prepare to board SEPTA from the Wallingford station for a trip to Temple University on December 6. The one-way cash fare was $8.
PHOTO: KATHRYN BARRETT
Mr. Andrew Benzing explores role as new principal
Benzing will take the next step in his learning journey as a “community builder.”
Kaitlyn Ho ’26, Mia Fagone ‘26 Managing Editor of Print, Health & Sciences Editor
Benzing has tried on many Strath Haven roles, and he hopes to bring all of those to the table as the new principal.
On Monday, November 18, the school board recommended that Benzing assume the position of principal at Strath Haven High School effective January 2, 2025. Previously the Director of STEM Education K-12, he will replace interim principal Mrs. Andrea LaPira, effective on or about January 2, 2025.
“I couldn’t be more excited to have Mr. Benzing take on this new role at the high school,” Board Vice President Kelly Wachtman said at the November 18 board meeting.
According to Wachtman, Benzing’s enthusiasm for math and education in general can “light up a room.”
“I always wondered as you came into that, coming from the teaching side into that [administrative] role, how would that work,” Wachtman said, speaking to Benzing at the November 18 board meeting. “It’s a hard transition to make when you’re now leading your peers, and you’ve done a phenomenal job with that.”
According to his profile on the Office of Teaching, Learning, and Innovation webpage, Benzing has held the roles of “teacher, class advisor, coach, department chair and sponsored numerous clubs and activities.”
He hopes that a multifaceted background will help him in his new role.
“Now that I’m coming back to returning happily back to the building, all those perspectives are valuable and important at different times when you’re making a decision,” Benzing said.
Benzing describes the principal application process as initially a marathon but ending as a sprint, starting in August. He submitted materials like his resume
and recommendations and went through many interviews with various school community members. He was chosen out of 24 people.
“My 60-day plan and what I wanted to enter as my first idea of free ice cream sandwiches for everyone didn’t end up in the final proposal, but working through the process was worth it. I’m really excited to be here. I can’t wait for the new year. It’s a new start. I’m just excited to get back in the building again,” Benzing said.
While considering becoming principal, Benzing realized the importance of daily student interactions.
“I think the longer I was in [an admin role], I realized that I really enjoyed the daily interactions with students, and that was something I missed,” Benzing said. “I still love instruction and curriculum, but a principal is a nice blend, and I could be with students every day.”
He is eager to become more active in the community and promote more principalstudent connections.
“It’s one thing to run advisory councils and neighborhood councils where students come to the principal, but I think it’s more authentic when I go to what the students are doing, go to their activities, go to their events,” Benzing said.
One of his main goals, promoting student involvement, leans on his value in that established community.
“I’d like to think that we expand on this idea of access for all students, that there’s a place and an activity for everyone that they can really see value in, that it’s a very welcoming community, a very welcoming space for all academic levels, and that all students have a real opportunity to go as far as they possibly want,” Benzing said.
For Benzing, Strath Haven is his family. His passion and commitment are what will drive him in his new role.
“I think a true sense of identity and purpose for what Strath Haven is in moving forward, is to be really innovative, that we embrace the community aspect,” Benzing said. “I think that’s our greatest strength here, and that we expand on what that means so that everyone in our community is held up and valued. To me, that’s a primary focus.”
Benzing’s current stressor is transitioning away from the Director of STEM role and closing the projects he had previously been working on.
“I think we’ve done good work,” Benzing said. “I don’t think [the role]’s going anywhere, at least I hope it doesn’t. The position may change form but there has been a pile of work, with a lot of people
Turkey Bowl tradition returns after four years
excited about it, so hopefully it’ll stay.” Benzing hopes to join in on reviewing the cell phone policy for one of his first goals.
“I think there’s a lot going on right now and for the rest of this year that I want to work with a current admin team who’s doing an amazing job to continue what [teachers] are working towards,” he said. “I want to monitor the current projects, see how that’s going, the effectiveness of that, how we can expand or improve on that.”*
Wearing bright pinnies and avoiding tackles, students and teachers launched into Thanksgiving from the gym.
Matthew Ramirez ‘26
Managing Editor of Web
Turkey Bowl returned to Strath Haven, bringing back a tradition of friendly competition and school pride.
In a PM assembly-amended schedule on Tuesday, November 26, students participated in the revived ‘Turkey Bowl’ tradition in the Strath Haven High School Auditorium.
Turkey Bowl is a school-wide gathering of students and teachers where grade levels compete against each other in a gridiron-style touch football game in the gymnasium. At the end of the student competitions, there is a final round between students and teachers.
“It’s just a fun way for everyone to get into the gym, get excited before Thanksgiving break, and to get in the Thanksgiving spirit,” senior and student council co-vice president Madison Benzing said.
The event was organized by the student council and class cabinets alongside the high school administration. To engage the student body, the student council organized a ‘Mini Spirit Week.’ On Monday, students were encouraged to wear denim, and on Tuesday, they were asked to wear clothing in specific colors based on their grade level, all leading up to the main event.
“Our role is publicizing the event to the students, making students sign up, and getting everyone excited,” Benzing said.
The Turkey Bowl returned to Haven for the first time since the 2019-2020 school year. That year, the ‘Haven Bowl’ was delayed from November 2019 until late January 2020 due to a pertussis outbreak, also known as whooping
cough, that circulated throughout the school district.
Because of COVID-19, the tradition was shuttered completely, and it remained unclear whether it would return in later school years. In 2024, discussions of reviving the tradition spread throughout the administration and to the student council.
“We talked to the kids, and we’d like to do it,” assistant principal Tom McLaughlin said. “It’s a fun tradition, and now that we’re back full time, the student council brought it up, and we said ‘Yeah, we would love to get it going again.’”
“It was just a really exciting thing for everyone, kind of like the Chris King games,” senior and student council co-vice president Josie Tolson said. “After quarantine, it didn’t pick back up, so we wanted to get it started again this year, hopefully keeping the tradition going.”
In the weeks leading up to the event, a SignUpGenius form was sent out to students via Schoology, and students from each grade and teachers were encouraged to join and participate in the games. Only 20 students were able to sign up for each team.
“It’s open to everyone for any grade, so anyone can play,” Tolson said.
Within a couple of days of the sign-up form being posted, students began to sign up with their friends and classmates.
“There’s a lot of interest and excitement—I didn’t think people were going to sign up that fast,” Benzing said.
The games took place after the fourth block in a PM assembly schedule. The first round of games was between the freshman and junior teams, and the juniors rose victorious. In the second round, the senior team defeated the sophomores. The juniors and seniors battled each
other in the third round, in which the seniors won. In the fourth round, the senior team took on the teacher team. The teachers were declared winners against the seniors.
Plans to continue hosting the Turkey Bowl event appear underway for future years.
“We definitely want to continue this,” McLaughlin said. “Next year, if they want to do this, we will get more involved with t-shirts and stuff like that.”*
FAMILIAR FACE, NEW ROLE • Mr. Andrew Benzing introduces himself and recognizes the competitors at the Hi-Q meet on December 3. PHOTO: JOYA NATH
TURKEY-BALL • Junior Brady Nangle rushes the ball down the gym, smiling alongside his classmates during the juniors-versus-freshmen match at the Turkey Bowl on Tuesday, November 26. The school-wide assembly was revived in 2024 after the COVID-19 pandemic put the tradition on hold. PHOTO: EVELYNN LIN
After a summer of chaos, WSSD searches for its next superintendent
District has employed focus groups and surveys to collect input, aiming to fill the role by the end of the school year.
Joya Nath ‘28, Clark Kerkstra ‘27 Reporter, Haven Happenings Editor
Wallingford-Swarthmore is in search of new leadership.
After 2024 saw the departure of two principals, an assistant superintendent and a superintendent, the District is looking for a new superintendent to fill the vacancy.
The search process began after the previous superintendent, Dr. Wagner Marseille, left in August amid community anger over the other departures and teacher contract negotiations.
This summer, Dr. Sharon Baddick was appointed assistant superintendent, while Dr. James Scanlon was tapped as interim superintendent. It was also recently announced that Director of STEM Teaching, Learning, and Innovation Mr. Andrew Benzing will be Strath Haven High School’s new principal.
to use to lead the search. And she also reached out to other school districts who utilized this firm and other firms,”
Communications & Community Relations Liaison Ms. Rachel Riley said.
“So there was a lot of extensive research that went into deciding it, and then she presented it to the board, and they voted on the [contract].”
The search has featured various focus groups with students, teachers, and community members. Riley has helped to coordinate the search.
Students and community members have now been invited to participate in an extensive search process for WSSD’s next superintendent.
At the September 23 school board meeting, the District approved a contract for the superintendent search with McPherson and Jacobson, an executive recruitment company.
Assistant School Board Secretary Mary Jo Witkowski Smith conducted the search for the company that was to carry out the superintendent search and decided on McPherson and Jacobson.
“She did research on several different companies to figure out who she wanted
“We had three different meetings for the individuals who work in central administration, as well as the principals and assistant principals,” Riley said. “We had three different meetings for teachers and staff across the district. We had one for the high school students, one for the middle school students, and then we had seven meetings for families and community members.”
According to Riley, the focus groups had 64 total participants, including ten high school students and 12 middle school students. Our school profile states that 1207 students are enrolled at the high school alone.
While demographics varied, feedback stayed relatively the same, with most participants looking for someone interested in connecting directly with the community and the students.
According to McPherson and Jacobson’s stakeholder analysis report posted on WSSD’s website, community members
unanimously emphasized the need for the new superintendent to be visible to the community.
“This individual must be personable and willing to make the effort to know all the faculty, staff and students throughout the district,” the report stated. “The individual should be an excellent listener, collaborative and be a strong leader. He/she must take the time to gain a thorough understanding of the district and communities prior to implementing any new changes or initiatives. An understanding of the district’s culture and signature programs is essential.”
Stakeholders also emphasized the importance of having classroom teaching experience – a sore point after the treatment of teachers was one of the main reasons for the backlash against the District this summer. Students in the focus group wished to be included more in district decisions through in-person means rather than surveys.
Many stakeholders also wanted a superintendent who prioritized equity and inclusion.
The district hopes to find a candidate to fill the position by the end of the 20242025 school year. According to Riley, a fit could be found as soon as spring break, but the District isn’t looking to rush the process.
“They could be here by the end of the year. But there is also the possibility that if they don’t find anyone, they will reopen the search process and do it all over again because their priority is making sure we find someone that’s a really good fit for the district,” Riley said.*
What are you looking for in a new superintendent?
“A really nice superintendent that cares about the students and makes school a better place.”
Gwen Satterthwaite ‘28
“[I want] somebody who’s confident in their decision making and really connected. … Hopefully the next superintendent is very connected.”
Ravneet Kaur ‘25
“The teachers [should be able to] decide what they want to do with phones in their own classroom. I want them to [not cave to parents].”
Carson Keller ‘27
“I think it’d be great to have someone who’s involved in our school community that gets to know the students and is involved [inside and outside] the school community, and who helps the teachers.”
Lane Harrington ‘27
THE WALL: CEO discusses NCAA basketball accomplishments, business career
Have you ever stopped to catch a glimpse at the Wall of Honor? We continue a series on noted alumni with a former Penn State basketball player and CEO of Logistics Fiber Network.
Mark Ball ‘26
Reporter
At Swarthmore High School, Joe Paterno visited Craig Collins, a 1981 graduate, and convinced him to play basketball for Penn State. After his senior year of college, Collins later entered the Guinness Book of World Records and became the CEO of a $100-plus million dollar business.
At Penn State, Collins received an undergraduate degree in hotel, restaurant and institution management and broke the NCAA single-season free throw shooting record during his senior year.
According to the NCAA, Collins finished his 1985 season shooting 94 of 98 from the free-throw line, setting a single-season NCAA record of 95.9%. This record lasted 19 years until it was broken by Blake Ahearn from Missouri State in 2004.
Collins later played basketball for three years in Ireland, England, Belgium, and Russia for a team called Marathon Oil.
After that, he began working at AT&T before receiving his M.B.A. in Finance from Georgetown and working at Bell Atlantic (now known as Verizon). Since then, Collins changed jobs and companies multiple times, later becoming the president of Time Warner Cable, now known as Spectrum.
“There I ran a business services unit, which was over a billion dollars, 1,000 employees, and we were growing revenue year over year at a 20% clip,” Collins said.
Alfred Binford, the Head of Customer Communications Management at CSG International, worked with Collins at Verizon, Intermedia Communications, and Sungard Availability Services and recruited him multiple times.
According to Binford, Collins had strong natural leadership tendencies, intellectual capacity, work ethic, and executive presence.
“When you give him something to do, he can drive it to growth and higher levels of performance once he gets his hands around the task,” Binford said.
Collins retired this May. His most recent role was the CEO and President of Logics Fiber Network, a company similar to Time Warner Cable that provides internet access and video and data services to businesses out of Houston, Texas.
“The company was the largest independent fiber provider in the Houston, Texas area with over 300 employees. I was asked to continue to build that business out and grow it from a fiber growth perspective,” Collins said.
Collins chose to play basketball at Penn State because of its great education, community, and basketball program.
“The cherry on the top was Joe Paterno came to my house and convinced me that Penn State was a great home for me,” Collins said.
When he arrived at Penn State during his freshman year, he was shooting pretty poorly from the free-throw
line. His brother, Chris Collins, pulled him to the side and told Craig he was wasting too much time at the free-throw line and should just take a couple of dribbles and shoot.
“In my junior year, I used that theory. And then my senior year, I actually used free-throw shooting to prepare myself for the rest of the game as well as shooting anywhere on the court and it just became second nature,” Collins said.
Collins never thought about going for the NCAA free throw single-season record. It wasn’t until late in his senior year that a publication asked if he knew he beat the record.
“It was in the Guinness Book of Records for some period of time. So it was something that I can always look back on and just think about very positively,” Collins said.
For Collins, Swarthmore was a community of fairness and education that always felt welcoming, which played a part in his life and career. It taught him to take time to treat everyone as an individual and learn about them before jumping to conclusions.
“Ultimately, the engine and backbone, from a business perspective, is always the employees. You want to make sure that you recognize and understand what people are going through in order to get the most rewards out of everyone and for the shareholders,” Collins said.*
Craig Collins.
PROVIDED BY CRAIG COLLINS
FEATURED ARTIST: Quinten Saylor shares genuine passion for music
Senior uses an array of musical outlets to express his creativity.
Kate Santee ʼ28 Reporter
Senior Quinten Saylor explores his interests in music by playing instruments, participating in various music ensembles, and completing an independent study on music software.
Saylor’s growing curiosity and dedication throughout high school helped him develop his musical knowledge.
Saylor’s love for music began when he chose the clarinet for his elementary school band. He shared that he didn’t love music then and was participating in the band to have something to do.
“Around elementary school, my parents just made me join the band,” he said. “But where my music really kind of started taking off was in high school.”
With the opportunities he was given upon entering high school, his knowledge of music blossomed.
While starting music software, Saylor contacted English teacher Mr. Robert Zakrzewski to do an independent study called “Lyrics and Music.” Zakrzewski noted how Saylor showed his musical abilities through different projects.
“Quinten had an idea about music composition, but primarily lyrics. Working with an English teacher made sense to him, and he knew from having my class that we do a lot with music,” Zakrzewski said. “So he came up with the plan, and I gave him some materials that we’re going to use.”
“Honestly, I didn’t want to do music my freshman year. And then here I am, in my senior year, basically in almost all the ensembles we have...”
Quinten Saylor ‘25
“I started playing clarinet, like normal, freshman year, and then sophomore year, my dad told me to try bass clarinet,” he said. “And then I think the process of learning a new instrument inspired me to just keep learning more and more.”
For Saylor, the experimentation with picking up new instruments was mostly independent.
“I consider myself to be mostly self-taught. I’ve never really had a private teacher. It’s really just my own curiosity that teaches me,” he said.
Saylor occasionally needed assistance from band director Mr. Nicholas Pignataro to play new instruments.
“Eventually, I started buying new instruments or asking Mr. P to lend me new ones so I could just take them home and use them,” Saylor said.
For almost over a year, Saylor has been working with music software.
“What I do with a lot of my free time is I have a little tiny studio in my room, and with music software, I create little songs or demos,” Saylor said.
For his independent study, Saylor is currently working on several projects and by January, he wants to have many songs fully done.
“I’m learning how to sing a little bit on my own and figure that whole process out and actually make full-fledged songs. I’m trying to get an EP done by the end of the class this semester,” Saylor said.
Throughout his studies, Saylor’s current favorite project he has ever done consists of a cold day at the beach with his family.
“We went to the beach over winter break. I don’t know why we did, but we were basically cooped up inside a really big room and I decided to bring all my equipment with me,” Saylor said. “I made like ten tracks over the course of two or three days just in my hotel room.”
Saylor continues to talk about music when sharing what inspires him to do music. He explains that music, like movies and weddings, can set a mood for anything. “I think music is such an interesting topic because it’s really nothing but vibrations in your ears,” Saylor said. “If you go to a wedding and there’s no music playing, it’s kind of awkward. Adding music to almost anything makes an experience so much more enjoyable or meaningful.”
When thinking about his future, Saylor would love to
see music in it.
“I’m gonna major in some field of biology for college. But I’m definitely hoping, wherever I go, I can hopefully minor in music.”
Through Saylor’s position as drum major for this year’s marching band season, band director Mr. Nicholas Pignataro sees the qualities in Saylor that made him right for a position in music leadership.
“He’s a really likable guy, you know? He’s very genuine, and I just had a feeling that people were going to respect him because I thought he was going to respect them first,” Pignataro said.
Comparing the start of high school to where he is now, Saylor shares some useful advice to anyone who wants to pursue music.
“Don’t be afraid to jump in there. Honestly, I didn’t want to do music my freshman year. And then here I am, in my senior year, basically in almost all the ensembles we have, except for anything with strings or chorus,” Saylor said.*
TEACHER CREATIONS: Mr. Robert Zakrzewski finds harmony through guitar
Freely playing the guitar has been a source of inspiration in his life at home and at school.
Josie Wieland ’26 Arts Editor
With his guitar in hand, English teacher
Mr. Robert Zakrzewski carries his love for music everywhere he goes.
Through his day-to-day life as an English teacher, playing the guitar is a creative outlet that allows Zakrzewski to put all else on pause.
“Music and my guitar have never been work for me. I love reading and writing, but it’s always been associated with work,” Zakrzewski said. “As I get older, sometimes I don’t want to read or write, but I never don’t want to play guitar. It can be very therapeutic for me.”
From a very young age, Zakrzewski has been drawn to music. Although there were no instruments at his house growing up, he found ways to enjoy it from afar.
but sharing creativity is very vulnerable,” Zakrzewski said. “I feel like it’s only fair that if I’m asking you to do it, that every once in a while I do it too.”
In assisting with Mr. James Fischer’s Introduction to Guitar class, Zakrzewski makes it a point to teach the guitar technique from a standpoint that his students can relate to.
“As I get older, sometimes I don’t want to read or write, but I never don’t want to play guitar. It can be very therapeutic for me.”
Mr. Robert Zakrzewski
“Long story short, when I graduated high school, someone finally gifted me a guitar. In some ways, I haven’t really put it down since,” Zakrzewski said. Zakrzewski has never taken a guitar lesson, but he has gradually improved his skills by observing others at inperson performances and on YouTube.
“I’m not gonna blow anyone away, but something that my hand physically couldn’t do a couple months ago, I’ve worked to be able to do it. Seeing yourself improve is very satisfying and very rewarding,” Zakrzewski said.
With music being a big part of who Zakrzewski is, he finds encouraging his students to be creative in his English class is important. In return, he shares his creativity at school by performing at events such as Coffee House and International Day.
“We’re asking kids to get up there and share their talent,
“A lot of the people in my class don’t really read notation, so he approaches teaching them from more of an angle of where the kids are coming from and where he was coming from when he was their age,” Fischer said.
Sharing and playing music with others is a meaningful form of connection that Zakrzewski has brought into his home, as his wife, Spanish teacher Ms. Pamela Kaneda, has been able to see firsthand.
“Music is probably what he gets the most enjoyment out of, and I think it is also a really beneficial thing for our kids. They just love when he will pick up the guitar and play a song from a TV show for them,” Kaneda said. Zakrzewski has grown to see the benefits of finding consistency when practicing the guitar and can attest to it never getting old, as there is always more to learn.
“Even if it’s 15 minutes a day, your fingers will start doing things you didn’t think they could do,” Zakrzewski said. “They get a little harder. They get a little more flexible. You can kind of remake yourself in certain ways. Find ways that make you love it, and just keep at it.”*
MAKING BEATS • Saylor dabbles around with music software while practicing in his at-home studio. PHOTO: QUINTEN SAYLOR
STRUMMING SONGS • English teacher Mr. Robert Zakrzewski strums his guitar at his parent’s 50th anniversary. PHOTO: MARISA MCGOVERN, MNM FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY
BAND BEAT: Students, staff explore expansion of marching band
Maintaining the Panther Marching Band’s identity as the largest high school band in the state requires a team effort.
Kate Santee ‘28 Reporter
Band director Mr. Nicholas Pignataro, assistant band director Mrs. Hayley Lombard, and drum major Cecily Heisey-Terrell provide insight into expanding the band and comparing the ensemble to previous years.
With the marching band season ending and additional bands starting again, students are reflecting on this year’s marching band.
Growing the band is an idea at the forefront of HeiseyTerrell’s reflection.
“The more people who can join us, the better,” HeiseyTerrell said. “A lot of people really enjoy the band, and it’s a great environment for a lot of incoming freshmen or new transfer students. It’s a great way to just build community within Strath Haven.”
The community is the highlight of the Panther Marching Band. Many people have found their place in the band and have built strong relationships.
“That’s what makes us special, right? That anyone can be in the band, and there’s no limit on who can be in the band or what you want to do in the band. So the bigger, the better,” Lombard said.
Comparing previous years’ marching band to this year, there has been a slow increase in numbers since the significant decrease seen through COVID.
“I joined teaching at Strath Haven, and the marching band right after COVID, and the band took a huge hit during that COVID time period because marching band looked so different,” Lombard said. “It was such a hard time for everyone to choose what to stay involved in, while also dealing with living through a pandemic.”
Many students were impacted deeply by the pandemic, which took a big toll on the marching band.
“I think that’s why we lost about 100 people,” Pignataro said. “We’re getting less and less students who are taking music classes when they’re younger and getting older.”
Pignataro also reflects on years before COVID, noticing a decline in the marching band participants since then as well.
“I think a lot of students didn’t come back to the band when I came in as the band director, because I made changes over the course of the past seven years. I enforce things like taking attendance and adding assignments, and I think there’s people that just weren’t interested in that, and that’s totally fair. I also think that this show is harder,” Pignataro said.
As they notice these changes in the marching band, student leaders are working on promoting more attendance.
“We really worked on making the band a fun place to join. We worked on smiling during performances and during band night. We really worked on getting involved with the crowd,” Heisey-Terrell said.
Lombard is reaching out to younger students as a teacher at Nether Providence. She also encourages current band members to remind the eighth graders that the marching band is an opportunity anyone can take.
“Just getting people to reach out, spreading about what a good year we had, how fun it was, and just what a great community our band is, and sharing that for the rest of the school year. Then, when the summer comes, we can get even more students,” Lombard said.
Pignataro values treating every student with respect and showing that their hard work makes the band successful.
“The number one thing we’re doing is to make it look good and sound good. People want to participate in something that looks good and sounds good,” Pignataro said. “I try to make the students who are in the band feel as good as possible, that way they are willing to ask their friends to join.”*
DISCLAIMER: Reporter is in the marching band.
Your 2024 Panther marching band, wrapped
Fifth block, Saturday parades, Friday night lights. Life moves fast, but lucky for you, we took notes.
Zoe Likely ’25
Reporter
Band director Mr. Nicholas Pignataro, better known as Mr. P, said this was a season he didn’t want to end. With new changes implemented and goals for the future, he hopes the band will only move forward.
November 8, 2024, was the last day of the Panther marching band season, with a loss against Garnet Valley ending the football playoff run.
As the twelfth player in the team, many band students had an emotional response to this loss. But some, specifically Pignataro, saw it as a learning experience.
routines.
With this change, the band could add four new stand songs, including “Hot to Go,” and play “Thriller” during the Halloween parade.
“This was the loudest the band has ever seen, the most difficult drill, the most difficult routine, and I think it looked the best I’ve ever seen.”
Mr. Nicholas Pignataro
“I think we learned a lot from this year,” Pignataro said. “This was the loudest the band has ever seen, the most difficult drill, the most difficult routine, and I think it looked the best I’ve ever seen.”
Pignataro and other staff involved with the band, including assistant band director Mrs. Hayley Lombard, drumline instructor Mr. Gusten Rudolph, pit instructor Mr. Richard Michael, band front director and dance line instructor Mrs. Valerie Szeliga, and dance team instructors Ms. Regina Iannello and Ms. Rosemary Iannello, worked together to make some big calls for the season, including performing four shows at halftime instead of five.
Students expressed that this slight change took a weight off their shoulders and allowed them to focus on their
“My favorite part of the season was standing in the front during stand dances,”
junior Makayla Davis said.
“But I’m definitely going to miss standing with the seniors in the stands.
They made this season unforgettable.”
Davis is on dance team and can’t wait to continue into her senior year. She hopes for an increase in communication next year.
The band marched in the Veterans Day and Halloween parades, participated in a breast cancer awareness organization fundraiser, and many others outside of just football games.
“BILB [boy I love band] for life,” senior Lucy Hewitt said. “The band built relationships for me, and while band camp was horrible, it seems pretty okay now.”
As the ends, the Strath Haven music department continues to flourish with multiple ensembles to join, leadership interviews, auditions, and tryouts are coming faster than it seems.
“Every week was really good,” Pignataro said. “I really liked the band this year, by that, I mean the students in this band. I just wasn’t ready for it to end.”*
DISCLAIMER: Reporter is in marching band.
LEADING & RECRUITING • TOP: The Haven Marching Band drum majors salute to the crowd at the home opener against Radnor on September 13 before the start of the halftime show. BOTTOM: Mrs. Hayley Lombard leads marching band members in drill during band camp. PHOTOS: MATTHEW RAMIREZ
MAKING LASTING MEMORIES • TOP: The Haven Panther Marching Band silks are all hands up as they chant along to a stand song during the game against Lower Merion on October 19. BOTTOM: Pit members hold the marching band banner as they lead the instrumentalists on November 11 for the Veterans’ Day Parade. PHOTO: MATTHEW RAMIREZ
Jazz, Modern Band arrive following end of marching band
Students prepare for the Jazz and Modern Bands in the spring semester. Nico Hopkins ‘27
Contributor
As winter approaches, Strath Haven’s Jazz and Modern Bands begin, featuring an opportunity for students to express themselves across various musical genres.
Jazz and Modern Bands begin this winter at Strath Haven High School under the direction of Jazz Band director Mr. Nicholas Pignataro and Modern Band director Mr. James McLaughlin. Jazz and Modern Bands allow students to explore more music genres and learn more about music.
“What makes it [Modern Band] special is that it’s a community of people who have a close connection to a specific type of music that they all love,” sophomore Mateo Laurent said. “Everyone can choose their specialized instrument and have a great time.”
Laurent said Modern Band is generally more fun and less stressful on students than other music ensembles like Symphonic Band and Marching Band. He also said he looked forward to playing in many concerts with the modern band this year.
“I think it [Modern Band] has pushed me to try harder and to strive to become a better keyboardist, learning harder songs and starting to do piano lessons,” Laurent said.
Like Modern Band, Haven’s Jazz Band also has much to offer.
“It’s a lot more fun than most of the other ensembles offered here,” sophomore
Matthew Traverso said.
Jazz Band has many concert locations, including the Ellington Jazz Festival in the Lincoln Center, Rehoboth Beach Festival of Jazz, and Dining under the Stars in Media. Not only does Jazz Band offer many opportunities to learn music, but it also helps musicians grow and progress in their skills.
“I joined Jazz Band in sixth grade, and I really liked it, so I’ve kind of been learning jazz, and it’s helped me with theory for improvisation,” Traverso said.
Jazz Band is not just a group, however, but a group of individuals.
“People aren’t doubling for the most part, meaning you’re the only one who has your notes in the entire band,” Pignataro said.
“It’s also improvisatory. It’s different every single time. In some cases, there’s literally no music written, so you just have to use your ear.”
A big goal for Pignataro in Jazz Band is to create a safe space where it’s okay to mess up.
“As long as you then extemporize, and as long as you continue to build on it, it can become part of the message you have,” Pignataro said.
Jazz is also more than just a genre of music. While being in this ensemble allows students to learn new music, it also allows students to learn the history of jazz.
“It [jazz] is one of the most equitable and diverse forms of music we teach,”
Pignataro said. “It was founded by black American musicians.”
Jazz as music has had a very diverse and historical background featuring many jazz musicians of color, such as Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, John Coltrane, and many others. One of the big pieces of news surrounding the Jazz band last year was the implementation of two Panther Jazz Bands. Pignataro has decided to extend that idea into this year.
“For me, the best band musically
was last year because there were two,” Pignataro said. “Jazz One developed this true authentic big band sound, and the saxophones could really hear each other listen across and developed a core jazz choir. That doesn’t happen anywhere else. Jazz Two had elements of learning, and if I can get more people to audition this year, I think Jazz Two will also be a full big band and not like a partial big band.”*
DISCLAIMER: Reporter is in jazz band.
Early development of spring musical “Mamma Mia” sparks interest
It may be cold outside, but the Haven stage will soon be warmed by stage lights and the Greek summer sun.
Dyllan
Leaf ‘28 Reporter
This spring, the Strath Haven Theater Department will perform the fanfavorite musical “Mamma Mia!” a jukebox composed of hits by the 70s band ABBA.
Auditions for the show were held on November 18 and 19, with callbacks on November 20. About 55 students auditioned on either of the two initial days. Music director Mrs. Lindsey Reinhard Silva was one of the multiple staff members present those days.
“I could kind of sense during the auditions that it was just going to be a really fun new relationship with the students,” Silva said. “It’s different from anything we do during the day, so it’s like building on our interpersonal relationships in new ways.”
making actors the best versions of themselves. She makes you feel really confident and not intimidated,” junior Sonya Blum said. “I have loved her directing decisions in years past, so I’m really excited to see what she’s going to do with this show.”
Blum will play Sophie Sheridan, one of the show’s most important roles. She is also co-dance captain alongside sophomore Leah Reece.
“It’s exciting, definitely a lot of work. I’ve been spending a lot of time this week preparing for every single thing I could think of.”
Director Mandie Banks
Silva will be directing music for the show alongside director and choreographer Mandie Banks. Banks has choreographed nine years worth of Strath Haven musicals before taking over as director this year.
“It’s exciting, definitely a lot of work. I’ve been spending a lot of time this week preparing for every single thing I can think of,” Banks said.
One of Banks’ goals in this show is collaborating with the actors and other students involved.
“I think Mandie is really good at
“I was really excited to receive the role, and a little surprised too, but mostly super excited,” Blum said.
This year’s spring musical is under some new leadership after the retirement of former director Mr. John Shankweiler at the end of the 2023-2024 school year.
Silva, new to the Strath Haven music department, worked with Shankweiler for months when transitioning into her position.
“He’s someone who’s really a special human,” Silva said. “But I think it’s really important that even with the musical [and] with choirs, I look at it all as an opportunity for me to jump in as myself and not try to fill his shoes just because he’s a different person than I am.”
Banks worked alongside Shankweiler for her previous time at Strath Haven, and she witnessed his work firsthand.
“I’m very lucky that I was here for all those years to see how he worked,” Banks
said. “I wouldn’t say I am changing things, but maybe adding some things or doing things a little bit different in terms of the way that I like to organize things.”
“Mamma Mia!” is a show that is well-known to many members of the community. A comedic yet charming story about a girl and her mother, it has reached a wide audience.
“It’s kind of an unusual story, but I think people can get into the plot very easily. It’s not hard to follow. And it’s this great story between a mom and a daughter and their dreams and aspirations,”
Banks said. Mamma Mia will run during the weekends of February 28-March 2 and March 7-March 9. Based on the success of previous shows, it is expected to be nothing short of a hit.
“It’s always been a special show to me, and I can’t wait to bring that music to people that I care about,” Silva said.*
HERE WE GO AGAIN! • Director Mandie Banks discusses rehearsal plans with sophomore and student director Caroline Boerth. PHOTO: DYLLAN LEAF
SOMETHING JAZZY • Junior (now senior) Silla Prown performs with the Jazz Band during Jazz Night on April 4, 2024 in the Strath Haven High School Auditorium. PHOTO: MATTHEW RAMIREZ
All aboard “The Polar Express”: Orchestra performs in themed hallway
The second floor transformed into a festive fifth block pop-up concert.
Matthew Ramirez ’26
Managing Editor of Web
Last year’s symphony orchestra hallway pop-up concert, “The Nutcracker”, started a new Haven tradition. The symphony orchestra returned to the second floor on Tuesday, December 10, to perform in a “The Polar Express” themed pop-up concert.
For the past several years, the second floor has always been decorated with a specific holiday theme during the month of December. This year, the secondfloor teachers, who playfully refer to themselves as the “Second Floor Council of the Arts,” agreed to theme the hallway to the hit holiday book and movie “The Polar Express.”
According to music teacher Mr. Nicholas Pignataro, the theming and music choice made last year’s “Nutcracker” concert a coincidence. This year, a more deliberate choice of theming and music was made to bring another pop-up concert to the second floor.
“I think every teacher on this floor has contributed in some way, and all I did was pick the music,” Pignataro said.
The decorating was a collaborative effort of the “Council” to help execute the theme, according to graphic design teacher Ms. Regina Iannello.
“The whole second floor really gets on in it– Herr (Alex) Paul, Mrs. (Valerie) Szeliga, Mrs. (Sheryl) Ursillo, and Ms. (Suzanne) Stadnicki really did a lot,” Iannello said. “They all came together
See more photos & video at shpantherpress.com
trying to make it special for the kids.”
The train-themed hallway came from the idea that the popular movie, set during Christmas time, would be well received by students.
“We were looking for something and [The Polar Express] seemed like it was a beloved movie that kids really liked,” French teacher Ms. Suzanne Stadnicki said. “I had never seen the movie before, but when I watched it, I got inspired and knew that we could do something that would create a whole ambiance for the whole floor.”
The symphony orchestra, also known as the Second Floor Philharmonic, crammed into the hallway and performed
“The Polar Express Medley,” which are songs from the movie soundtrack, “The Girl with the Flaxen Hair” by Debussy, and “Berceuse & Finale” by Stravinsky.
Near the end of the concert, in a lastminute decision, the Second Floor Philharmonic Festival Choir, led by choral director Mrs. Lindsey Reinhard Silva, joined the orchestra in a special encore of “The Polar Express Medley.”
“We learned the music on the day of– it was a wild fifth block,” Silva said. “It felt so warm and welcoming and it was really cool to walk in to see the orchestra in full force.”
Pignataro thought this year’s hallway concert improved from the first round.
“The orchestra was so much better than they were last year– the intonation was really good, they played really full, and they were loud,” he said.
Pignataro also notes the strong senior leadership in the orchestra, which
contributed to the success of the performance.
“They all came down and didn’t ask me tons of questions,” he said. “I think it’s a signal of really great senior leadership. A lot of the student leaders in the orchestra go above and beyond to make things work for us.”
For junior musician Emerson Choi, it was her first time performing in the hallway.
“It was definitely more chaotic than I thought it would be. It was crowded and really, really, really, really, hot,” she said.
“I could not hear myself at all but our sound was better than some of the other rehearsals we had previously.”
Sophomore musician Juliette Loyd agreed that the concert was hot but nonetheless enjoyed performing.
“My favorite part was getting to play while my teachers were there watching,” Loyd said. “I talked to them afterward.”
Some second-floor teachers arranged to provide attendees with hot chocolate and cookies during the concert. Loyd hoped there would have been more holiday music to fit the winter spirit.
“This year we played [some] concert repertoire which was not all holiday themes, compared to last year where it was mostly holiday music,” she said.
The Strath Haven Symphony Orchestra performed on Tuesday, December 17, at 7 p.m. in the Strath Haven High School auditorium.*
Riley Smith ’25 and Kaitlyn Ho ’26 contributed reporting.
Moore College awards scholarships in honor of Carson Prey-Harbaugh
To carry on a creative legacy, ten Strath Haven students will attend free classes at Moore College of Art and Design.
Darcey Strachan ‘28
Reporter
Earlier this year, on February 24, Carson PreyHarbaugh ’25 passed away from complications from the flu and pneumonia.
Prey-Harbaugh displayed creativity, a love for the arts, and a passion for art, poetry, music, and fashion. She not only attended multiple art classes at Strath Haven but also furthered her creative knowledge by attending Moore College of Art and Design’s Young Artist Workshop in Philadelphia.
After learning about her passing, Managing Director of Continuing Education Meg Wolensky at Moore contacted both art teacher Mrs. Jennifer Rodgers, who formerly taught Prey-Harbaugh, and interim principal Mrs. Andrea LaPira. To honor Prey-Harbaugh and her creative ability, Wolensky proposed offering scholarships to Moore’s Young Artist Workshop to ten creative Haven students.
On December 4, there was an awarding ceremony for the scholarship, which Carson’s family, scholarship recipients, their families, and other faculty attended. At the ceremony, Rodgers recalled an email Wolensky sent her weeks ago.
“We know that she was thriving here at Moore, and we’d like to find a special way to honor her time with us. In Carson’s honor, Moore College of Art and Design would like to fund ten full scholarships for creative students from Strath Haven High School to attend our upcoming Spring 2025 Young Artist Workshop,” the email stated.
After hearing about the scholarships, Haven art teachers looked to select students from every grade who exhibited passion and creativity for the arts, just like Prey-Harbaugh did.
“I met with three other art teachers, and we talked about artists who are not only excellent at what they do but also are just really creative and inspired and have their own vision, which was the type of artist that Carson was,” Rodgers said.
The students awarded the scholarships included senior MJ Rosenberg; juniors Eli Graves, Pearl Tweedy, Fletcher Noto, Dylan Ching, and Amelia Badura; sophomore Maeve Raffaele; and freshmen Shannon Yue, Sophia Ford, and Noa Murley.
So, how will the recipients of this scholarship move forward to attend Moore’s Youth Courses?
“They were invited on a field trip on Tuesday, December 10. They are going to travel down to Moore, get a tour, learn about their programs, and check it out and decide if they want to attend,” LaPira said.
These classes run from February 1, 2025, to April 5, 2025 [ten weeks] on Saturdays. Students can choose from various art classes such as acrylic painting, ceramics, fashion, character design, and more.
Attending one of Moore’s Youth Courses typically costs
$585, but this scholarship covers the full cost. This way, it will allow these students to gain more knowledge on art in a course they may not have been able to afford.
The generosity of Moore allows Prey-Harbaugh and her creativity to make an impact by giving other students similar creative opportunities she had. Because these scholarships were given, the Strath Haven community can work through the loss of a beloved student and turn it into something Carson would have loved to know she was a part of.
“It’s an incredibly touching, bittersweet thing,” Rodgers said. “Carson was very much part of the art department here and clearly made an impression at Moore. This opportunity is a way for us to work through our grief and loss and honor Carson’s memory by doing something that she very much loved doing, which was making art.”*
FOR A GOOD CAUSE • Ten reciepients stand outside the Moore College of Art and Design during their field trip to visit the school on December 10. Photo via @shhsart on Instagram.
BELIEVE • Junior Kaitlyn Ho and senior Sage Baker play their cellos during “The Polar Express” themed pop-up concert on the second floor during fifth block on Monday, December 10.
PHOTO: MATTHEW RAMIREZ
Discover how decorating halls and following traditions uplifts students and staff.
Kaitlyn Ho ’26, Claire Salera ’27, Evie Fernandez ’27, Evelynn Lin ’25, Josie Wieland ’26, Matteo Ventresca ’25, Luci Dibonaventura ’25, Mia Fagone ’26, Lavanya Dixit ’27, Clark Kerkstra ‘27, Matthew Ramirez ’26
The holidays can be a stressful time for students, with schoolwork and family pressures. But Haven provides traditions and conducts food and toy drives to bring joy and community back to the halls.
The traditions held at the high school, like the toy and food drives, second-floor decorations, and the secondfloor concert, provide students with inclusivity and holiday spirit to help students and staff celebrate the holidays while still in school.
Bringing fun back to our halls
The holidays are a time for joy and celebration. However, studies show that this might not be true for all students.
A poll conducted on behalf of the American Psychiatric Association found that younger adults were more likely to experience elevated stress due to the holidays, “particularly about social and family dynamics.”
Although Haven provides supportive resources, students may have more difficulties in finding mental health assistance when not in school.
On top of that, schools can add stress with major tests before the holidays. However, as Graphic Design Teacher Ms. Regina Iannello notes, school doesn’t have to induce more stress and can instead be a source of spirit itself. When she first arrived at Haven, she recalls having underestimated how all out the second-floor hallway would go for their annual decorating tradition.
“Ever since [then], we’ve been trying to get it more elaborate and more exciting and just make it fun for the kids,” she said. “Because if it’s fun for us, then it’s fun for everybody. Then, it seems to be contagious. People want to get involved and add their own little bit to it, too. It’s just something fun and keeps people interested the last couple of weeks of school.”
to see it because they really followed that same snowy, mystical vibe to it,” she said.
Her passion for “The Polar Express” allows her to be one of the many teachers transforming the second-floor hallway into a magical train ride, complete with glowing silhouettes in train windows and intricate snowflakes dangling from the ceiling.
So how can the holidays be converted from a stressful time back to a more fun time? The answer may lie in the traditions we’ve lost.
Importance of having traditions
Holiday traditions are significant facets of both the winter season and various holidays. Not only are they an excuse to spend time with family, but also something to look forward to when they come up.
Each school and grade level in the WallingfordSwarthmore School District celebrates holiday traditions differently. According to first-grade teacher Mrs. Marty Martorelli at Nether Providence Elementary School (NPE), in the past, the kindergarten curriculum has prioritized the happiness that comes with the holiday season, regardless of personal traditions or beliefs.
“In the kindergarten center, we did fairy tales to try to keep it fun and engaging for the kids with excitement, whatever they believed in and whatever holiday they celebrated,” Martorelli said.
In first grade, students learn about the tale of “The Gingerbread Man,” a common story heard around the holidays. Walking through the first-grade hallway, students can catch a glimpse of various gingerbread cutouts and sweet treats along the walls. Martorelli finds that this school-based tradition gives students something to look forward to.
“Diversity and culture [are important], so everyone understands different reasons why we have different holidays throughout the years.”
Decorating the hallway like “The Polar Express” and the new tradition of the symphony orchestra playing related holiday-themed music hold a special place in Iannello’s heart. In kindergarten, The Polar Express book was read aloud to her.
That single holiday moment would change Iannello’s life. Her eyes lit up as she recalled how the book inspired her future.
“I thought the illustrations were so beautiful that I just instantly wanted to be an artist when I grew up. So when the movie came out, I think I was in high school, and I knew I had
Inwhatwaysdostudentschange duringtheholidayseveryyear?
“I have the biggest collection of gingerbread books; sometimes the animals have clothes, he runs away from construction workers, musicians, he’s in the city, a cowboy one. The kids all have their favorites,” Martorelli said.
When it comes to celebrating holidays in a diverse school environment, inclusivity is a priority.
“Diversity and culture [are important], so everyone understands different reasons why we have different holidays throughout the years,” middle school health and physical education teacher Ms. Pixie Roane said. “I tell everybody they say the same thing: goodwill, joy, sharing, and caring. Whether you celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas, Yule, or Kwanzaa, be kind to each other and look out for one another.”
Parents are also part of the holiday traditions that come to life inside and outside school.
“I love when you can contact parents and have parents bring traditions in, come in and share with us,” Martorelli said.
Baking is also a common holiday tradition. Whether
WillReitmeyer’26
“Right before break, everybody’s anxious and they’re ready to go, a lot of people during break go on vacations and stuff, everybody is kind of done being at school.”
“People are generally more open to enjoying life. Not specifically that they’re happier, but they’re finding more experiences to get out with friends, go shopping, or spend time with family.”
Greg Guron ’25
Ms. Pixie Roane, Physical Education Teacher
that is Christmas cookies, latkes, or any other holiday treat, the smell of warm, sugary sweets in a snowman tin is always appetizing. This holiday commonality is something that Martorelli and her colleagues try to replicate in the classroom.
“We do a recipe that is a little gingerbread man with applesauce and cinnamon, and it’s a little decoration,” Martorelli said.
At the high school level, classes surround themselves in holiday decor. Particularly on the second floor, it is a student-involved tradition to decorate the second floor with a holiday movie theme. This year, the halls were decked out in Polar Express decorations. This holiday tradition allows students to let loose, connect with others, and experience holiday joy, even when they are stressed.
“I always think when we’re doing [decorating the second floor], I feel more like an elementary teacher because typically, that’s something you would see in elementary school,” Iannello said. “I feel like the high school kids enjoy it just as much, and they’re always adding their own little takes on it. Even when one class stops, it’s fun to see another class working on it. It really builds a sense of camaraderie between all the people that pass through this floor.”
These variations of holiday traditions all share a common theme: bringing happiness to the winter season. They bring the anticipation of celebrating traditions and enjoying them with loved ones. Even a simple craft or learning about cultural holiday traditions can unite students to celebrate the importance of having and passing on traditions.
Carrying on traditions
T here are many different ways that students can continue to carry out holiday traditions as they grow older. They may even create or incorporate new ones into their lives.
At Swarthmore Rutledge School (SRS), students have carried multiple traditions from elementary to secondary. One such tradition of making gingerbread houses has been incorporated into student-taught wintertime activities in the childhood classrooms at Haven.
“What really united you and what brought you joy years ago can also bring you joy in the future,” SRS principal Dr. Angela Tuck said. “Just like with the gingerbread houses you did here as a kindergarten student, you also brought that same joy into those in your high school class with the preschoolers.”
“It brings back all the memories that I had as a child,” Roane said. “It also gives me a reason to go back to New York City every year to watch the lighting of the [Rockefeller] Christmas tree.”
Passing on traditions has a societal impact, too—it can be a way to give back and make a difference during the big and small holidays.
“I’m thinking about all of the wonderful children that have gone through SRS and what they’re doing now,” Tuck said. “Not only are they going to Ivy League colleges, but they’re also making a difference where they are. It’s not just the end goal of trying to get into Yale or Harvard or Princeton, but it’s really, ‘What am I doing to help the world? What am I doing to help my community? What am I doing to help people outside of my community?’”
Giving back to the community
Many students also celebrate the holidays by participating in fundraisers and drives to help others in need during the winter season.
“I remember many of our students just wanting to do something, whether it’s a food drive or a COVID drive,” Tuck said. “Right now, we’re collecting pajamas and books for children who are in foster care, and they may not necessarily have the warmth of a family and warm pajamas and books to read and so forth.”
At the middle school, the three grades also participate in drives. This year, they pitched in to donate canned goods to those in need.
“The canned food drive was amazing. This time, one class alone had over 200 cans. All three grades participated, and this was one of a few years [where] all of the classes had something to put into the donation basket,” Roane said.
This holiday season, the Student Council is doing its part at the high school to give back to the community through a toy drive. They are making it a schoolwide competition to bring engagement to this project.
“Whichever grade brings in the most toys gets pretzels, just to make the incentive for people to give toys,” student council officer Anna Warley said. “This is for families and children who can’t afford or aren’t able to get their kids presents.”
“You want to help others to also experience that same joy, love, passion, and compassion that you had as a child, that someone instilled in your lives. Now, you want to bring that same experience to others.”
Dr. Angela Tuck, SRS Principal
Maintaining and continuing traditions is a way for high-school students to still get into the holiday spirit and joy, which can encourage those younger than them to have the cheery holiday season they once had.
“You want to help others to also experience that same joy, love, passion, and compassion that you had as a child, that someone instilled in your lives. Now, you want to bring that same experience to others,” Tuck said. “It’s like sowing seeds. You’re sowing seeds into someone’s life, and then pretty soon, they’ll grow into a flower or a larger plant. You have input [yourself] into others’ lives to make it a better place and experience.”
Traditions also present a way to reminisce, especially as you become an adult. This is the case for Roane, who grew up in New York City, where holiday traditions are abundant.
By working as a team to put this drive into action, the student council is bringing joy into the lives of community members while creating a heightened sense of holiday spirit within the Strath Haven halls.
“I just think it’s really great to help people give a broader outreach,” Warley said. “We do a lot for the school and work to help the community, and our leaders are doing a really great job of planning all of these fundraisers.”
Helping others during the holiday season is a significant way many community members can connect and unify with others to spread joy.
“When you’re helping others, you’re actually helping yourself,” Tuck said. “There’s a greater purpose. It’s not just about meeting my needs, but when you meet the needs of others, it’ll definitely give you that purpose.”*
“I feel like they’re more grateful for things because everyone’s outfits get a little more cheery every day.”
Daija
Bradwell ’27
“I think they’re more cheerful. They’re really grateful for being with their family, and I think that it just brightens up the dark winter and stuff.”
Olympia Fries ’27
Fueling body and mind: the power of nutrition for daily life
Learn how eating nutritional foods can fuel your body, especially if you use your body as a personal instrument.
Rebecca Knob ‘28
Contributor
Nutrition is very important when it comes to fueling your body.
Not only does having the correct amount of nutrients affect your daily life, it also affects your mental health.
Having the correct amount of nutrition in your daily life is important so you can feel your best throughout the day. Eating the right foods can have an impact on your focus and energy.
their activity.
Spanish teacher and girls soccer coach Gino Miraglia recommends different options for fueling your body in preparation for a game.
“Your nutrition affects your daily life in all aspects,
from morning to night.”
As a cooking teacher at the high school and seventhgrade girls soccer coach, Ms. Markell Reid stresses eating breakfast in the morning so you are ready to learn.
“Your nutrition affects your daily life in all aspects, from morning to night,” Reid said. “Your stress levels actually rise overnight. It's something called cortisol, and then so when you eat in the morning that helps bring it down. We actually want to eat breakfast so that you guys can be ready in class, alert, and functioning.”
Ms. Markell Reid
“Hydration is important, starting days or, at the latest, the day before a game, especially if it’s going to be hot,” Miraglia said.
“Carbs are always a great option to store up some energy for game day. Day of game, bananas, granola bars, and protein shakes are always popular. After games, I always recommend pickle juice or mustard packets to help with recovery.”
“If you eat better, you’re going to feel better, and I think if you’re feeling better, your mental health is going to be better, for sure.”
While there are many good foods to eat, you should always eat at a certain time to ensure you have the right amount of energy to perform your activity.
throughout the day. Eighth-grade math teacher and baseball coach Mr. Brian Fili believes that having good nutrition affects his athletes.
Mr. Brian Fili
Although having a healthy nutritional diet is very important for the average person, athletes and others who use their body as an instrument need to be very mindful of how many nutrients they eat in a day to feel ready and energized for
OUR Editors’ study tips
We asked our editors about mistakes to avoid.
Study tip #1: Survive for the first ten minutes by putting your phone far away. If you can survive the first ten minutes, you can study for a shorter amount of time and get more sleep.
-Kaitlyn Ho ‘26
Study tip #2: Don’t procrastinate, and study for your tests at least three days in advance. Sometimes I stay up until 3 a.m. studying and I end up doing a lot worse than if I had gone to bed at 11 or 12. Sleep is more important than anything else after midnight.
-Evelynn Lin ‘25
Study tip #3: If you’re memorizing terms and definitions, write down your flashcards rather than just using Quizlet, or just regurgitating the information on a clean page. It helps you build relationships between the words, and has helped me a lot with history.
-Matthew Ramirez ‘26
Study tip #4: Just do your work. The work that’s assigned, it’s good for you. Just do it. If you do the homework ahead of time, you don’t need to study as hard for the test the night before.
-Isaac Lothrop ‘26
Study tip #5: If I’m memorizing for languages, like Spanish, if I define a word wrong, I go back to the beginning. If teachers give you study resources, use them. They’re usually similar to the test.
-Evie Fernandez ‘27*
“ Not eating right before you're about to go on the field and giving your body time to digest whatever you ate [is important],” Reid said. “If you do need quick energy or something… that can be digested quickly, so like carbohydrates or things like Gatorade, those energy gummies.”
Not only does nutrition affect your daily life, but it can also have a major impact on your mental health and confidence
“If you eat better, you're going to feel better, and I think if you're feeling better, your mental health is going to be better, for sure,” Fili said.
Even if you do not play a sport, having a healthy diet and consuming nutrients can affect your daily life and how you feel throughout the day.
“If we don't have enough of carbohydrates
which is our key fuel for our brains, it's kind of hard to function in everyday life,” Reid said. “I do think it’s a big thing for your mental health– a good relationship with food really ties into mental health.” Although getting the proper amount of nutrients is very important for you, one more thing can affect your mental health and focus throughout the day: sleep. “I'm no scientist, but getting a good night’s rest and properly fueling your body is optimal for the mental and physical well-being of any athlete,” Miraglia said.*
Students reflect on study habits, how to improve
Studying until 2 a.m. isn’t healthy, so what is a better alternative?
Dyllan Leaf ’28
Reporter
Adequate studying is essential to having success in the classroom. However, research tells us that not all study methods are like the others. So, what do our students think works best for them?
At Strath Haven, social studies teacher Mrs. Amanda Lawson teaches AP Psychology and includes good study habits as part of the curriculum. According to Lawson, it isn’t always effective to cram all of your studying in the night before a test but rather to spread studying across many sessions.
“It’s called the Spacing Effect, and essentially you need to space out your studying,” Lawson said. “If you have a test on Thursday, you don’t want to study for all of it on Wednesday. It’s better to study a little bit each night leading up to it, as it shows a much higher rate of success.”
In an article about spaced practices, researchers and psychologists at the University of California San Diego state that research on Spacing Effects and similar methods has been taking place for “over a century,” and that hundreds of studies have come out with the same conclusion – spacing works.
The Spacing Method is practiced by many students, including senior and University of Delaware rowing commit, Emily Reilly. She took Lawson’s AP Psychology class in her junior year and has to ensure she studies efficiently to keep up with her busy schedule.
“Before an important test I usually stay up until 10:30 [p.m.] and then call it,” Reilly said. “I space out my studying and do a lot in the week leading up to it, so I don’t have to do a ton the night before.”
Lawson also teaches many other study methods in her class, including the benefits of methods like color coding and the specific structuring of notes. These methods utilize a type of memory processing called automatic encoding.
“We’re constantly encoding the way things look without realizing it. When you study, sometimes what accidentally pops into your brain is like what your notebook looks like,” Lawson said.
Many students seem to struggle with finding effective ways to study, given time constraints. Haven is known to be a competitive school, and many of our
students are constantly juggling many time-consuming activities.
“I think you need to put studying first. When you get home from school, that should be what you do immediately,”
freshman Asha Miller said.
As the school year progresses, many freshmen, such as Miller, can start to see their workloads piling up beyond what they have experienced in middle school.
“It’s definitely a little harder to manage,” Miller said.
Other students have struggled in their first year of high school to adjust to the shift in work load.
“I used to cram all my studying in the night before a test,” Reilly said. “But learning to space it out has taught me to retain more information while letting me get a good night’s sleep.”*
CAFETERIA CHOICES • Every day, students eat in the cafeteria during their lunch time. A daily salad bar provides some healthy options. PHOTO: MATTHEW RAMIREZ ‘26
STUDY SCENE • Environmental Science textbook sits open with glasses and a pen. PHOTO: DYLLAN LEAF
BLOCK BLAST game captivates student body, affects brain chemistry
What is the effect of the widespread Block Blast outburst, and how did it start?
Lavanya Dixit ’27, Claire Salera ’27 Sports Editor, Detours & Opinions Editor
According to research from the University of California, Irvine, after a slight distraction caused by your phone, it will take an average of 23 minutes to regain focus.
By now, surely, you’ve seen or played Block Blast on a phone in at least one, if not all, of your classes. It seems like every year, there’s a new app that everyone is glued to. Whether it be last year’s infamous Watermelon game, Brawl Stars, or recently, Block Blast, it’s safe to say that despite efforts at ‘Screens Off, Minds On,’ some students spend a lot of time playing games on their phones during class time.
Block Blast also triggers a dopamine release, flooding reward pathways in the brain, especially when clearing the board or getting a combo in the game, which is a draw for many players.
“It’s very fun and it gives me a sense of accomplishment whenever I get a really nice appetizing explosion when I fill them all in perfectly,” sophomore Veronica King said.
BLOCK BLAST
Produced by Hungry Studio
40 million+ daily average users
Though its prominence has spiked recently, the game was released on September 23, 2022, according to Sensor Tower. The game is a logic puzzle that involves fitting differently shaped blocks onto an 8x8 square board, clearing rows and columns to get points. The game has a 4.9 out of 5-star review on the Apple App Store and is also Apple’s number one game on the Casual games chart as of early December.
160 million monthly average users globally.
Source: pocketgames.biz
Sophomore Ryley Bergin enjoys the captivation of the game and finds herself playing it often in class.
“It really tickles my brain trying to fit all of the [blocks] in there,” Bergin said. “The game really pulls me in, but classes don’t.”
While the game may be a pleasurable experience, it is among several other apps that raise questions about their effect on brain functioning.
According to an article published on Piedmont.org, M.Ed Dennis Buttimer at Thomas F. Chapman Family Cancer Wellness in Georgia finds that constantly checking your phone can alter brain processing.
“When we check our phones, our brains release a small amount of dopamine. Dopamine motivates us to take action, and each time we hear a notification, we check our device,” Buttimer stated. “The problem is this dopamine boost is temporary and leads to a letdown.”
King started playing the game because she noticed many others playing it.
“I started playing it because I saw everyone was playing it, and I just go with the flow. If someone recommends a game, then I will start playing it. I saw it on TikTok, too,” King said.
Although these elements draw you into the game, they cause unintentional distractions and sidetrack work.
After checking your phone, whether to check a notification, respond to a text, or play Block Blast, it takes 23 minutes to regain focus on a task fully. Yet, despite this study, many find that they can focus better after playing Block Blast.
“We had thirty minutes of free time, and I needed a mind break. I started playing Block Blast, and after ten minutes, I was revived and went back in and did my project,” sophomore Roxanna Shelton said.
But, a study by the National Library of Medicine finds that regardless of how it may seem, taking a break by going on your phone does not allow the brain to recharge quickly. Though games manipulate this feeling in your brain, experiments prove this is not the true case.
“I’ve seen people play it the entirety of the class, and they don’t really get anything done,” senior Nick Bisordi said.
Although distractions can negatively impact cognitive functioning in class, games like Block Blast feed off users’ boredom and habits, which is why picking up your phone during class to play a game isn’t foreign.
“It’s satisfying and easy, something I can do mindlessly… I’m playing it right now,” junior Pearl Tweedy said.*
OPINION: College is more than its name
College is an investment that could impact your future. But college should be also enjoyable, both academically and socially.
Zoe Likely ‘25
Reporter
Society tends to prioritize a college’s name rather than its education. So many universities go unnoticed because of a higher acceptance rate, colleges that could be perfect for someone if given the chance.
Undergraduate studies are what come after high school. This could be in the form of community college or trade school, but it most often refers to a four-year college.
Finding a college that is right for you is difficult. The decision isn’t difficult because of the many options available, but the cost and whether you’ll be accepted into any colleges you apply to.
But just because a college may not be your first choice doesn’t mean you won’t be happy wherever you end up. Forbes Magazine states that 62% of college freshmen were “happy” with their institution, and 13% reported they were “not happy.”
limited. For example, a culinary school might be the only place to get the desired education if you want to major in pastry arts. While schools may have adjacent majors like food science, it is important to study what you want.
But this leads to a larger issue. In this process, it’s hard not to compare yourself. It’s hard to be unique when everyone is taking the same path. It’s hard when we all have a different process influencing our decisions.
In this process, it’s hard not to compare yourself. It’s hard to be unique when everyone is taking the same path. It’s hard when we all have a different process influencing our decisions.
Not all 62% of students ended up at their dream school. They could’ve gone there because of cost, a rejection from their top pick, or under variables. Even if it wasn’t their first choice, students still enjoyed their time there and built students up for success.
Senior Natalie D’Onofrio, who has committed to Drew University’s honors program for field hockey, suggests looking for a location that’s best for your future career aspirations and a school whose program will fit your needs.
“Since I’m playing field hockey, I wanted my family to be able to come to watch me play at my games and stuff easily,” D’Onofrio said. “They have some really good programs for my majors, so that was a big decision for me as well.”
Location is an important variable for a lot of students. For example, the District of Columbia and New York City could be good options if you want to work in politics.
If you’re interested in a unique major, universities will be
Senior Jake Smith noted that location, programs, and price range were large components in his process. Some schools will have better programs for interactive majors like mechanical engineering, sports media, or robotics if the school has money to fund those programs. Still, for many seniors, $300,000 of debt isn’t worth it.
In the college journey, you need to recognize where you stand. This is where the school you attend for undergrad is not essential.
If your family has a limited budget for you to attend college and you want to go to medical or law school, undergrad is not where money should be spent.
If you’re unsure what you want to do and your family cannot afford most colleges, community college is a great option. You’ll get a cheaper education and find your passion while still having the option to transfer.
Not everyone is in that situation, but if you are, there are still opportunities to have an education and do great things. It doesn’t matter where your peers, neighbors, or friends are going; it matters what the right decision is for you.
We are all subject to some college elitism, but most, if not all, colleges can provide a great education. Look at it all: location, programs, networking opportunities, and price range. But be honest with yourself where you stand, and you can go anywhere with a good work ethic.*
Chill out, seniors.
Kaitlyn Ho ’26 Managing Editor of Print
It’s early decision time, and seniors might be overwhelmed with all the college talk. Instead, you should try:
Taking a walk
Fresh air is a completely underrated activity. Just going outside for 15 minutes has been proven to dramatically increase your overall mood.
Baking with loved ones
Even if you suck at it, baking will at least briefly take your mind off college. You must be otherwise focused on crafting yummy treats, and if the end product is awful, you’ll at least have some fun memories to keep with your friends and family.
Show appreciation!
Make homemade gifts for your loved ones. They don’t have to be perfect, but that’s what will mean the most. If that’s not your thing, maybe you can write a few more thank you notes to your biggest supporters.
Miscellaneous fun
Escape rooms. Laser tag. Go-karting. Paintball. Play more Block Blast. All the things that you’ve wanted to try, but haven’t because you’ve been too bogged down with college essays. Enjoy senior year!*
BLOCKING OUT THE WORLD • Sophomore Veronica King gets a sense of satisfaction from immersing herself in Block Blast during school.
PHOTO: EVIE FERNANDEZ
OPINION: Haven must more thoughtfully balance STEM, humanities
We can start by listening to our teachers – and our peers.
Kaitlyn Ho ’26 and Clark Kerkstra ’27 ManagingEditorofPrintandHavenHappeningsEditor
The death of the humanities is something long prophesied.
College enrollment numbers in the humanities have been in free fall recently amid worries about future job prospects and lower pay for humanities graduates as more students turn to STEM fields.
And nowhere is this shift more apparent than Strath Haven. Our school has become a microcosm of the shift that has happened nationally, primarily due to students perceiving humanities courses as less valuable.
This culture needs to change. The humanities remain important in too many ways for students to simply discard them as useless. But it seems many Haven students are doing exactly that.
Longtime AP Literature teacher Mr. Matthew Wood noted a declining number of students in his class, from more than 50 when he started teaching the class to only 12 this year.
“It might be an indicator of just how far the pendulum has swung to the STEM side of things,” Wood said.
The declining interest in the humanities at Haven is also apparent to students.
“Because [AP Literature] is a year-long course, some of the feedback that we get from students is that it places such constraints and a clog in their schedule, it becomes very difficult to take a full year offering,” Director of Secondary Teaching, Learning, and Innovation Dr. Leslie Pratt said at the November 6 meeting.
According to Wood, he was not consulted on the change, nor informed of it. When he did find out about the change, he voiced his opposition, yet the decision did not waver.
“I did not work with anybody on this decision,” Wood said. “The [decisions] that have impacted the English department curriculum were made on an administrative level. Teachers did not partake in those decisions...I wasn’t asked to participate in those decisions.”
Wood worries about students coming into AP Literature without fully understanding the level of commitment and passion for
Our school has become a microcosm of the shift that has happened nationally, primarily due to students perceiving humanities courses as less valuable. This culture needs to change.
“I felt much more inclined towards the STEM aspect of things by so many parts of the school,” senior Sebastian Reed said. “And some of that pressure is from myself, because I’m me, and some of that pressure is from the adults and the other students and the school culture overall, which definitely seems to push for the STEM stuff, more than [the humanities].”
While our society continues to move towards an emphasis on STEM, the humanities remain essential for developing ‘soft’ skills that many employers look for, as well as reading, writing, and understanding the world around us.
“There’s so much value in history and writing,” senior Olivia Heisey-Terrell said. “It teaches you writing skills. Even if you’re a science major, you’re still going to need those communication and writing skills that you get from an AP or a challenging history course, and just knowing things about where you came from and the literature in the world, it makes you a more well-rounded person.”
Others, like sophomore Henry Hewitt, emphasized the importance of the humanities in maintaining a strong democracy and society. Hewitt, who intends to go into law and has a passion for language learning and history, remains interested in taking advanced STEM courses.
“I think it’s important you take a good amount of both if you want to come out as a well-rounded learner,” Hewitt said. “You need to be a functioning member of our society to have some knowledge of how the world around you works and how to critically evaluate information. And I think that one of the biggest problems with America right now is people who don’t know how to critically evaluate information.”
And the humanities can better help us understand ourselves, World Religions and English Teacher Mr. Daniel Peterson says.
“It doesn’t really matter what job you have because you still have to live life,” Peterson said. “Even if you’re a chemist, you still have to go home. You still have to be happy. When you read a book like “The Odyssey” or “Hamlet,” or you’re studying history, hopefully you have some insight into who you are as a human being.”
There may be no stopping the seismic shift that is taking place in higher education. But this only makes the inclusion of the humanities in a high school student’s education more important.
When so few students are turning to the humanities in college, high school may well be the best time to learn how to think critically and understand the human condition. However, as AP Literature’s falling enrollment demonstrates, many Strath Haven students are increasingly missing out on that examination of culture.
“I try to participate as much as I can in English and history and all of that because I’m really into them, but going out of my way to take more of them just feels like a poor decision in this school,” Reed said.
Reed is writing a sequel (so far 182 pages) to his fantasy novel of 200 pages. Despite having a strong passion for creative writing and an interest in a humanities major in college, he hasn’t taken a single humanities elective at Haven.
“I just wish I’d been able to explore [novel writing] in school rather than having to find it for myself,” Reed said. “I don’t feel I know that much about the world that I live in or the culture that I live in. I know how to add two and two really well, really fast. But I don’t really know why I’m doing it or why any of it’s helpful. I just know that I’m here doing math in school.”
Mr. Andrew Benzing is the incoming Principal and current Director of STEM Teaching, Learning, and Innovation. Benzing believes that part of the problem could be solved by incorporating more interdisciplinary work into curriculums to help bridge the gap between STEM and the humanities.
“It would be wonderful to start to look at that interdisciplinary work across disciplines,” Benzing said. “Units that you could run in your class and I could run in my class, that parallel each other, that pull from both aspects of it, because our teachers are talented enough to do that.”
At the November 6 Educational Affairs school board committee meeting, the District announced that AP Literature, Wood’s class, would be shortened from two semesters to one semester. The announcement coincided with an expansion of Haven’s physics program, with the addition of AP Physics 1. Other changes include removing prerequisites to getting into advanced physics classes like taking chemistry or core physics beforehand. The changes were unanimously approved at the November 18 board meeting.
ATHLETE OF THE ISSUE: Sophomore Laila Roe brings defense, leadership to field
From soccer to field hockey, sophomore Laila Roe has built off of her past to bring her to her current success.
Lavanya Dixit ’27 Sports Editor
Being in front of the goalposts is nothing new to Roe, who had been playing as a goalkeeper in soccer since she was a child. Since 7th grade, her interest shifted to field hockey.
“Well, I quit soccer because I realized it wasn’t the sport for me,” Roe said. “I played soccer goalie, and I decided why not give field hockey a shot since I love sports. I had been playing soccer since I was really little, around five, and when I got older, it got a lot harder, so I decided to switch sports.”
However, the transition between the two sports was relatively easy for Roe due to the similarities between her roles in the two different sports.
“I was a soccer goalie for pretty much all the years I played soccer, and so it definitely helped me realize I’m not a field player and I should go straight to goalie when I joined field hockey,” Roe said.
Regardless of Roe’s minimal experience with field hockey, she quickly rose to success in her position due to her commitment and desire to improve.
“I had 300 saves and an 84% save percentage, which is a high percentage for that many shots. I had a great season, it was super fun,” Roe said.
She credits her success partly to her love for the sport and her willingness to persist and learn more about the sport.
“I think at first I really fell in love with the sport, and so I stuck with it,” Roe said. “So I started playing at a club team all year round. I do camps and clinics to build up my level. I train twice a week.”
Aside from her dedication, Roe shines a light on her growing, encouraging team.
“My team really supports me. The defense is awesome, the offense is awesome. We’re really building together as a team. We’re losing a few seniors, but we’ll have awesome new freshmen. We’re hoping to have a great
year next year, too.”
Sophomore Kasey O’Sullivan describes Roe as the glue of the field hockey team, not only doing her job as a goalkeeper but also helping lead the field both during games and practice.
“Laila is very genuine and watching her teach our new JV goalie Ella Degnan all the tips and skills shows how she’s helping everyone while also making so, so many saves in the net,” O’Sullivan said.
Roe’s ability to analyze the game and her communication skills allow her to advocate and make smart decisions during games, helping the entire team.
“She never hesitates to lift up her team and encourage others on and off the field,” senior Lucia DiPalma said. “Laila is a leader, as a goalie too she can see things on the field that we can’t, she used that to help direct us and gave us great input during games.”
Without the support of her team, coaches, and family, Roe believes she would never be able to reach her current level.
“All my coaches have supported me, and all my family has supported me,” she said. “For tournaments that we had to travel far away to and everything, they’ve shown a lot of dedication.”
Varsity field hockey coach Carly Reid praises Roe for her contribution to the team and her ability to be a leader on the field.
“Laila is the quiet force in the net that has really saved so many shots,” Reid said. “She’s a leader in the backfield with her language, always talking and supporting her teammates…She’s just a smart player out there.”
Roe’s love for field hockey was built during each camp, clinic, and training. She offers that, at the end of the day, experience builds love and talent for your sport.
“You have to keep getting better, so I started to play more, and I found that to be key,” Roe said. “Just constantly be exposed to the sport and keep playing!”*
Skimboarding rides wave of rising popularity to Strath Haven
Rising popularity of the sport is credited to accessibility and approachability for anyone seeking ways to stay active.
Morgan Matthews ’28
Reporter
Anew source of adventure has caught the attention of beachgoers all around the world.
The once niche sport, born from the beaches of California, has gained enthusiasm and traction from a wide variety of people looking to participate in a fun, beginner friendly activity.
All around the world people are grabbing their boards and heading for the ocean, hoping to accomplish something great.
The appeal of skimboarding, sometimes called skimming, is credited to the sport’s accessibility and approachability for anyone searching for ways to stay active and be part of a tight knit, supportive community. It involves running into the waves, throwing a small board in shallow water and riding a wave back to shore. Advanced athletes take the sport to a whole new level by incorporating tricks.
Skimboarding has its roots in 1920’s California. The first skimboard prototype emerged when two lifeguards needed a way to quickly get from place to place.
The sport saw extreme an extreme climb in popularity from the 1970’s to the 1990’s, and is now experiencing a resurgence. The very first competition was held less than fifty years ago in 1976. Since then, rules
have been constantly evolving to keep up with the ever changing sport.
“Skimboarding is still developing, they don’t have all the exact rules down yet,” junior Tristan Barnes said.
SkimUSA and the United Skim Tour are currently the most popular organizations for skimboarding athletes to join.
The United Skim Tour is the only professional international skimboarding tour in the world, focusing on global competitions.
SkimUSA is local, based on the East Coast. It is a youth based program targeted on promoting the sport, in addition to coordinating competitions and events.
“[Skimming] doesn’t take too long to learn, but it gets way more sophisticated as you start to progress into the harder things. If you really want to get better, boards cost around six hundred dollars, but to start out it’s not bad,” sophomore Liam Barnes said.
Skimming is a sport that requires a lot of balance.
Athletes ensure that they are able to maintain good balance by selecting the proper board.
Beginners are generally able to obtain an affordable board that will suit their needs, although as athletes become more advanced in their craft, the prices of boards tend to increase.
“It’s really welcoming. They welcome people all the time because they want to grow the community. That’s the whole goal,” Tristan said.
Social media plays a large part in the sport’s climbing popularity. Social media creates a worldwide platform for athletes to post videos or pictures of themselves skimming. This attracts attention and interest to both their unique sport and their own personal skills.
Skimboarding is known and loved for its approachability for beginners, people of all ages enjoy participating. SkimUSA caters to every age group by arranging competition with every skill level and age group in mind.
While many people begin at a young age, like Liam and his brother Tristan, who began at the ages of six and four, many adults get into the sport later in life.
“I think that the competitions are super fun, and it’s really a great place to be,”
freshman Willow Huellemeier said.
Competitions are a great way for people just starting out, or people with interest in the sport to get involved. Athletes are divided into groups and compete in front of a panel of judges.
Judges often score each athlete’s performance in points or on a scale system. SkimUSA offers plenty of community competitions which are reserved solely for amateur athletes.
“They’ll help you, they’ll come watch you, and they’ll come support you. You fall down quite a bit, but you have to just get back up and keep going,” Huellemeier said.*
Tristan Barnes ‘26
Liam Barnes ‘27
Willow Huellemeier ‘28
DAY IN THE SUN • Willow Huellemeier shares a photo from a day spent skimboarding at the beach. Dewey Beach provided the perfect weather for riding the waves. PHOTO: WILLOW HUELLMEIER
ON GUARD • Sophomore Laila Roe holds down the goal during varsity field hockey’s 4-0 win over Upper Darby on October 15. PHOTO: KATHRYN BARRETT
Laila Roe ‘27
Cheerleading team fundraises, hosts Cheer Challenge
Over 20 cheerleading teams in the region gathered to connect and compete.
Evelynn Lin ’25 Editor-in-Chief
Parents, friends, and cheerleaders packed the high school gym, the sounds of chatter and cheering audible from afar. Concessions and vendors filled the third-floor halls, with smells of food wafting in the air. Cheerleaders in different, colorful uniforms could be found warming up at the middle school, relaxing in the auditorium, or performing in the gym.
This event, hosted by Haven’s cheerleading team on Saturday, December 7, was the Haven Cheer Challenge. Other high school and recreational cheerleading teams are invited to compete against each other in various categories, like varsity game day, JV, and nontumbling game day.
Game Day categories tries to replicate spirit shown by cheerleaders at sports matches, while regular JV and small or large varsity competition aims to have well-executed stunts and choreography. Some categories may include tumbling, which can include gymnastics moves like handsprings and somersaults, while others like non-tumbling game day do not.
“It’s a way to showcase all of our skills,” senior cheerleading captain Sophia Morris said. “It’s a fundraiser for us, but it’s [also] really nice to see all of the local teams and cheer each other on while we perform our routines.”
According to head cheerleading coach Mrs. Heather Burns, it is one of the cheerleading team’s biggest fundraisers for nationals, when the cheerleaders travel to Orlando, Florida to compete in game day style and competition style categories against cheerleading teams nationwide.
Haven’s cheer members helped other teams with resources, taking them between the middle and high school for warmups and ensuring the event ran smoothly. They did not participate in the competition but were scored on their performances for feedback.
“It was very low-stress and a lot of us really focused on having fun with
it and trying our hardest without having to worry about being better than anybody else since we weren’t going against anybody,” Sophia said.
“It was a great confidence booster going into the rest of our season.”
Planning for the Haven Cheer Challenge began in June when the cheerleading coaches and parents pitched in to make the event happen.
“I take on team registration, organizing schedules, getting the DJ, the judges, and all the behind-thescenes for the competition, and then the parents take on the concessions and the vendors and stuff,” Burns said.
The day before, the team gathered to set up decorations, signs, and mats at both the high school and middle school.
“We started at 5:00 last night setting everything up. We left around 8:00, and then we were here at 7 AM just to get last-minute things and the concessions organized,” Burns said.
During the competition, all teams were judged using a Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) score sheet following a basis of criteria. Criteria include things like stunt difficulty, spirit, and tumbling.
“They are getting judged by division, so we have multiple divisions, like our varsity division has a small and large division, a JV division, and game day, in the high school divisions,” Burns said. “Then, in the afternoon, they’re rec, so they’re more judged by age group. They’re judged within their divisions and then by size of teams.”
Cheerleaders also perform customized music, where many popular songs are infused into one for a specialized song routine.
“Most of the teams have choreographers, and the choreographers work closely with a music company, and we pay for our music to be customized and send them songs, and they put everything
Boys varsity basketball kicks off 2024 season after prep, coach changes
Motivation and energy are high after rigorous pre-season work.
Mia Fagone ‘26
Health & Sciences Editor
Coaching changes for the boys varsity basketball team have brought new energy to players and a positive atmosphere.
Tim Livingstone, former coach at Ridley High School, is the new head basketball coach. He has been coaching basketball for almost six years. Joining him is Mr. Kevin Haney, an English teacher at the high school who returns as an assistant coach after a year away.
Last year’s season was an especially difficult one. The team lost all but one game, going 0-16 in the conference and 1-19 overall.
After that chaotic stretch, players are glad for a fresh start and more stability.
“We were missing the one thing that brought everybody together, and everybody was trying to play for themselves,” junior swing guard Theo Jaurgei said.
Livingstone was once a high school basketball player himself when he attended school overseas. He later graduated from Penn State. He has long been obsessed with basketball.
together,” Burns said. “We have to file all the copyright and music licenses, so that’s all built into our rules and everything.”
For Haven, despite being judged, performing together was their biggest highlight.
“Getting scored is always stressful, but I think that performing together and at these events really brings us together, and it builds more character for each of us every single time we perform together,” junior base and flyer Janet Huang said. “We always learn something new.”
Their performances for junior back spot and co-ed base Gordon Morris also display their team connection.
“It’s pretty cool how we just spend almost an entire year together,” Gordon said. “Tryouts are in the early spring and we spend the summer together preparing skills to go to a week-long camp, so we just form really close bonds as a team, and that shows how close a team we are.”
Besides cheer performances and judging, Haven hosted a cheerleading Jump Off, where any cheerleader from any team could pay $5 to compete against other participants in who could perform the best jump, voted on by the audience. Huang announced for the friendly competition and encouraged the crowd to cheer on their favorite participant.
“I think that in those moments everyone just is cheering for each other, and I think that’s a big part of cheerleading is everyone is rooting for each other,” Huang said. “MCing is just nice because you are going to see everyone get along.”
The event’s success leaves many cheer team members excited for next year’s Cheer Challenge.
“I’m looking forward to seeing all these central teams and all these rec teams as I never see them, but it’s one of the highlights of my days, watching these little kids go out there, perform their best, and it’s an amazing time,” Gordon said. “I can’t wait to do this again.”*
“I knew within five minutes, I’m working for this guy,” Haney said. “I felt his passion, his enthusiasm for the game, for the kids, and for building a program.”
To prepare for the season, the team participated in spring and summer leagues and tournaments. Coaches also held open gyms that many players attended.
“Every coach wants to be successful, but I want this probably even more,” Livingstone said, explaining that his deep ties to Strath Haven, both from living in the community and seeing two of his children graduate from the high school, motivate him to win.
Before his break, Haney coached basketball at Haven for many years. As a high school teacher, he is another familiar face in the community. When describing the team atmosphere, passionate was the first word that came to mind.
“We practice, and we play with a lot of passion,” Haney said. “They’ve [the players] accepted the challenge that we need to be better in every aspect of the game.”
Haney is popular among players for his pre-game speeches that help to motivate the team. According to senior point guard Jacob Wenke, this improves the team chemistry.
“He’s a big locker-room guy,” senior point guard Jacob Wenke said. “He gets everyone hyped before games.”
Coaches hope this team energy will continue to motivate players to work hard no matter the outcome of a game and improve as a team throughout the season.
“Now that the season is officially live, it’s pretty much going to be practice, game, practice, game, etc.,” Livingstone said. “My goal is just to help them be better versions of themselves, on and off the court.”
As of our press date, the team is currently 2-2, beating Upper Merion 66-37 and Plumstead Christian 67-32, and losing to Penncrest 54-38 and Springfield 45-51.*
TEAM CHEMISTRY • Haven Cheerleading’s varsity game day team executes a lift to the crowd of parents and friends at the Haven Cheer Challenge on Saturday, December 7 at the end of the high school division’s morning ofperformances and competions.
PHOTO: EVELYNN LIN
STRATEGIZING • Head boys varsity basketball coach Tim Livingstone chats with the team during a timeout at the game against Plumstead Christian on Thursday, December 12. The Strath Haven Panthers won against the PCS Panthers with a final score of 67-32. PHOTO: MATTHEW RAMIREZ
2024 sports funding unveiled with new uniforms
Many factors go into funding Strath Haven’s many sports teams to ensure equal funding and representation.
Claire Salera ’27, Lavanya Dixit ’27 Detours & Opinions Editor and Sports Editor
Forming Haven’s 2024-2025 sports budget is a challenging task.
The way this budget is split up, accounting for the seventeen different sports Haven offers with unique equipment, uniforms, transportation, and fees, is a complicated process that roots the functioning of these sports.
Director of Athletics and Activities Ms. Lynelle Mosley finds that communication between each sports team and the athletic department is integral for a successful year of funding.
“Each year, we ask each coach what they need, so we make sure that they have whatever equipment is needed to support their team throughout the year,” Mosley said. “They give us a list of equipment and if they need new uniforms.”
The necessities of equipment allow for smooth practices and potential for growth in sports. As for the uniforms, they play a substantial role in representing Strath Haven, whether it’s on the field, court, ice, or turf.
Mosley has recently initiated a structured uniform system to ensure new uniforms for each team.
“We are starting a uniform rotation so that every three to four years, [teams] are getting new uniforms,” Mosley said. “I just got new golf shirts, I just ordered girls and boys basketball uniforms, the track got new tops and bottoms, football got new home jerseys last year. We list each year we get a different sport new uniforms so that they’re always on a rotational basis.”
Boys and girls tennis coach Mr. Andrew Perella praises the system. He finds
that it has improved upon a previously unstructured uniform distribution.
“For the longest time, the boys and girls tennis teams, we would purchase [the uniforms] individually, and you would just keep them,” Perella said. “It’s only been maybe the last five or six years where we were getting uniforms. The athletic department is bringing our uniforms up to date.”
While the budget for each sport may not look identical, many elements affect what each sport’s budget goes towards, such as the type of sport and associated equipment.
“Each year brings different scenarios, like if a team goes a little further into states and districts. Football, they have a lot more numbers and equipment. Our track teams, they do a lot of traveling for different meets, but their equipment doesn’t cost a lot,” Mosley said.
Perella agrees that equipment plays a large part in sports funding; he acknowledges that the two teams he coaches are funded evenly.
“We need tennis balls and a uniform, and that’s pretty much it. So, the boys’ and girls’ tennis teams will be evenly funded,” Perella said.
President of Strath Haven All Sports Boosters, Maresa Mahoney, further explains the two aspects of sports funding. The straightforward one is what students may directly see.
“Student-athletes pay a yearly fee of $30 if they play a sport that goes towards funding,” Mahoney said.
“During football games, we raise money by running the Pit, so all those proceeds go to funding.”
However, the funding process has a lot
Exploring the history of Haven teams
more to it than that.
“When we decide to spend money, everyone collaborates on what it should be spent on,” Mahoney said. “We try to make purchases that will benefit all the sports and gym classes.”
Other than that, Mahoney explains the recognition of ASK and Title IV in Strath Haven’s funding process, which helps kids who cannot pay for their sport(s) expenses and ensures boys’ and girls’ sports are equally funded. While each team’s sports budget provides insight, it is important to note that the numerical value does not accurately represent the amount of care the department has for each sport.
“This year, I have so many lacrosse balls, so I won’t buy any lacrosse balls. Now there’ll be minus that much money, so it’ll look like they didn’t get as much, but it’s just because we have enough of them,” Mosley said.
The allocations of funds often fluctuate year to year, but on a long-term basis, teams have consistent funding. While some sports spend more of their money on meet fees than others and some on equipment, the equal and well-thoughtout funding of the teams allows for Haven’s sports program to grow.
“Funding isn’t easy, and it’s not cookie cutter. It is very unique every year, and no year is ever exactly the same because teams always do different things and in different ways,” Mosley said.*
A quick review of the beginnings and ends of Haven’s sports teams.
Calpurnia Fries ‘27
Contributor
Over the decades, many teams have graced Strath Haven’s halls, including Women’s Ice Hockey, Women’s Rowing, and Gymnastics teams. These teams have been discontinued, and their conceptions and eventual deaths span from the 1980s to the early 2020s. Teams usually lose relevance due to either lack of funding, accessibility, or participation.
The former Gymnastics team won multiple state championships and had been an institution at the school since the merger in 1984. According to athleticbusiness.com, there has been a 75% fall in the amount of female gymnasts in the entire United States since 1977, revealing that this was not necessarily a shift in Strath Haven’s culture but a nationwide trend.
The Strath Haven women’s hockey team had a similar fate, even though it did not have as illustrious a history at Haven.
“The girls ice hockey team, from what I understand, went away because they didn’t have enough players to form the team. I think the last time we had it was PennHaven, so it was a team of both Penncrest and Strath Haven kids,” Athletic director Ms. Lynelle Mosley said. PennHaven was a competitive team,
winning a league championship in 2021. Since the team dissipated, most female hockey players have opted to focus on the Philadelphia Little Flyers Under 19 team instead.
On the other hand, teams have started out small but have grown into institutions at the school. When volleyball was first played at the school in Strath Haven’s charter year, it was a relatively unpopular and unknown sport, but it has grown into a prominent institution at the school, notably as the 2024 District One runnersup.
Funding or lack of availability is another common reason for a sport’s demise. This is a common problem in club sports and was a part of why the former girls Rowing Club was discontinued.
“There’s just more schools that support [Varsity] sports,” Mosley started. “Which is why they’re sanctioned by the PIAA. So they just have more chances to play against other people. Every school doesn’t have that club. And especially in our area, certain schools have a rowing team, certain have ultimate frisbee teams, not everybody has it.”
The Rowing Club also notably struggled due to losing their boathouse, leaving them without a major practice resource.
Congratulations to athletes recognized with ALL CENTRAL LEAGUE HONORS after the fall season.
Girls’ Cross Country
Second Team: Mara Carey
Honorable Mention: Sophie Jackson
Girls’ Soccer
First Team: Annie Dignazio
Second Team: Maddie Fanning
Honorable Mention: Tessa Dignazio, Ellie O’Connor, Alice Rieger
Boys’ Soccer
First Team: Noah Plunkett
Honorable Mention: Andre Almonte, Jacob Wenke
Volleyball
First Team: Eliza Jauregui, Lauren McGinn
Second Team: Charlotte Thase
Honorable Mention: Aislin O’Neill, Mali Rao
Girls’ Tennis
Girls Tennis Singles First Team: Abby Rappaport, Minori Saito
Girls Tennis Singles Second Team: Lena Anderson
Girls Tennis Doubles First Team: Emily Lin and Emma Olenik
Girls Tennis Doubles Second Team: Katie Lin and Lucy Hewitt
Boys Golf
First Team: Luca Kleinschmidt, Eddie Gebhardt
Second Team: Davis Fairbanks Field Hockey
Second Team: Haley Cline
Honorable Mention: Laila Roe
Football
Central League Offensive Player of the Year: James Fisher
First Team Offense: Shane Green, Nick Farabaugh
First Team Defense: Jahi Curtis
Second Team Defense: Nick Farabaugh, Shane Green, Ben Milligan
Honorable Mention: Jahi Curtis, Aleksei Gustafson, Mike Flanigan, Vince Hales, Luke Mulhern
Source: @wssdathletics Instagram
Despite club sports’ many disadvantages, one club has managed to thrive. The Ultimate Frisbee team has grown over the years, now having Boys and Girls Varsity and JV teams and a girls team that is nationally ranked.
“I think (their success) is the community.
I think we have very, very, good coaches here that pushed the sport, and they’ve
been able to get a lot of the participation out of it, and I think it’s definitely a growing sport that’s starting to grow in this area,” Mosley added.
“I think the biggest difference is just access to [resources] and the area you’re in,” Mosley said.*
HISTORICAL WINNERS • The Pennhaven girls ice hockey meets before a game in 2021. The team went on to win a league championship that year. PHOTO: KATE
TRENDS: Best of 2024 (Evie’s Version)
Recap of 2024’s pop culture standouts!
Evie Fernandez ’27
Haven Happenings Editor
What albums were on repeat? What songs could you not get out of your head? What movie could your friends not stop talking about? What book did your best friend give five stars on Goodreads? I bet I can guess.
BEST ARTIST: Chappell Roan
Anybody living through 2024 has to agree with me that Chappell Roan has absolutely become a recognizable voice in our daily lives. Songs like ‘Good Luck Babe’ and ‘Hot to Go’ are now staples at school dances, and Chappell’s grown lifelong fans in some of my friends.
BEST ALBUMS: “brat” and “Short n’ Sweet”
The album “brat,” released in 2024 by Charlie XCX, introduced ‘Brat Summer’ to many students and will be a happy addition to their memories. Songs “Apple” and “360” became the soundtrack to our lives, and people doing the accompanying TikTok dances flooded ‘for you’ pages everywhere. Neon green clothing emblazoned with words in the classic “brat” font appeared everywhere. The album was certainly a staple of this year and will remain a 2024 favorite.
Sabrina Carpenter’s Album “Short n’ Sweet,” released in 2024, was also a staple this year. It’s fun, high-energy music brought good vibes to listeners craving upbeat pop music everywhere. After the release of Carpenter’s album “Emails, I Can’t Send: fwd,” listeners were eagerly awaiting her new album, and it certainly did not disappoint, delivering fun, catchy songs like “Please Please Please” and “Taste.”
BEST MOVIE: “Wicked”
Tons of people defined gravity and flew into the theaters to see the new “Wicked” movie musical. Students decked out in pink and green attire, many enjoying the film, both music and acting. Ariana Grande-Butera and Cynthia Erivo did an incredible job recreating the iconic Broadway show, and the movie will be a memorable part of 2024 for all who went to see it.
BEST CONCERT: Billie Elish’s “HIT ME HARD AND SOFT Tour”
This is the one concert that had everybody decked out in their merch the day after–and there were a lot of students there. Billie Eilish followed through with incredible vocals, excellent special effects, and tons of energy. The hour and half long show followed through with no boring moments. The tour was fun to follow for both superfans and people who were new to her music.
BEST BOOK: “Funny Story” by Emily
Henry
This was a book that I read in a day, and then read again the next day. It was that good. Emily Henry is so good at encompassing all of the aspects of living through her writing, though she writes romance novels. You see the good, the bad, and the really ugly of all of her characters, which is a part of what makes her books so undeniably excellent. She’s funny, she’s creative, and you will cry at the end– and not because it’s sad, because it’s over and you want to read it for the first time again. This book was an excellent addition to her repertoire, and I loved it so much.*
CAR TALK: Senior shares bond with Red Mini Cooper
Although it seems tiny, to senior Anya Agha, her red Mini Cooper stands out.
Evelynn Lin ’25 Editor-in-Chief
Every school morning, it is hard to miss senior Anya Agha driving Bertha to her designated school parking spot.
Bertha, also called “The Spaceship,” is senior Anya Agha’s small, bright red Mini Cooper, which sports singular doors, a navigator-turned console, and a sunroof.
“I think it’s fun to drive because it’s so small, and it feels really zippy to me,” Agha said. “The Mini Cooper is my mom’s car, and then my dad has this big Subaru, and when I drive that, I feel like I’m driving a giant wagon. I’m so disoriented in it, but in the Mini Cooper, I feel like it’s a part of me or something.”
Agha discovered a feature with her navigator that also added to its uniqueness.
“There’s this feature on my car where you can turn the navigator pad into a video game console and use your phone as a controller to play video games on it, which is ridiculous. It’s insane,” Agha said.
Agha also notes that the car only has singular front doors because of its minuscule size, making it a silly challenge for her and her friends.
“When I’m picking up my friends, whoever’s in the front seat has to get out so the other person can come in, and sometimes there’ll be moments where we’re just sitting there, and I’m like, ‘you have to get out,’” Agha said. Besides driving to school, Agha uses the car to visit her mom, who lives in Philly.
“I drive back and forth a lot, like two or three times a week, so it makes long distances with me,” she said. “It’s nice. I’ve gotten used to the drive, and it’s only 25 minutes, 30 minutes, and I can sit in my car in the morning, drink my coffee, and listen to something.”
Agha hopes to make the most of her senior year commutes with her Mini Cooper, especially because she won’t be able to commute with it in college.
“I’m looking forward to just soaking up my last moments driving around in my red Mini Cooper,” Agha said. “I feel like it’s become my signature thing, so I think I’m going to enjoy just driving that around before I go to college. Where I’m hoping to go [is] all the way to California or somewhere far away, so I’m not going to have it there.”*
What is on your holiday wishlist?
Madalyn Posternack ’26
Contributor
The holidays are coming up, and they are always stressful. Deciding exactly what you want, asking what other people are getting, and finding out what you should get other people can be challenging.
“I think I want a new phone because why not! Mine is kind of old anyway.”
“Huh. I don’t really know what I want. I guess I didn’t think about it. I think I’m just really grateful for everything I already have.”
“Ooh, I really want a new Lego set. I like building stuff with them and also, legos are just fun.”
“Maybe a new phone charger because I don’t have a ton in my house. Actually, I think I’m already getting that so maybe a display shelf for my room. I have a lot of things just sitting everywhere.”*
covers/images
Laura Hazizaj ’25
Louis Lanza ’27
Bella Yang ’28 Hari Ghatpande ’26
SMALL BUT MIGHTY • TOP: Senior Anya Agha smiles with her red Mini Cooper named Bertha. BOTTOM: The Mini Cooper’s sleek black wheel. PHOTOS: EVELYNN LIN
Top five pop culture moments of 2024
As 2024 comes to a close, it’s time to unwrap the most iconic moments in this year’s media.
Joya Nath ‘28, Fiona Seale ‘28
Contributors 2024
was a year of scandal, entertainment, and memes for the books. It was hard to narrow it down; however, five memorable moments stood out.
We’re going to make this quick because knee surgery is tomorrow.
5. The Rise (and Fall) of Chappell Roan
Chappell Roan’s studio album “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” was released on September 22, 2023. Though the album didn’t garner much attention upon initial release, and the Midwest Princess herself was thinking of giving up, her smash hit “Good Luck, Babe!” hit the charts in 2024.
This brought her a supernova of fame. Chappell Roan’s influence was like a “Femininomenom” across the world. Her innovative pop music, bold music videos, touching lyrics, and unabashed sense of style (see Tiny Desk concert) inspired people to be themselves. Her “Casual” mentions of her own sexuality in her songs resonated with LGBTQ+ fans everywhere.
It’s safe to say Chappell Roan created a cultural reset. The pink pony girl began to lose support in mid-2024 when fans reported rude behavior, impolite manners on red carpets, and controversial political views that raised eyebrows. Chappel began canceling shows due to anxiety, and some even say this “Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl” can’t handle her newfound fame.
4. Liam Payne’s Death
On October 26, 2024, ex-One Direction member Liam Payne passed away after falling off the balcony of his Buenos Aires hotel room. Long-time 1-D fans were distraught at the sudden death and quickly began to wonder how the other ex-boy band members were coping after experiencing years of friendship with Payne.
Soon after the death, all four ex-band members made statements on various social media platforms, sharing their heartbreak at the news. Even national sensation Harry Styles broke his year-long social media silence to commemorate his ex-bandmate. Memorials were held nationwide, “Strip That Down” serenading in backround, and a funeral commenced on November 20, where remaining One Direction members made their first public appearance together in over a decade.
The unfortunate passing of Liam Payne just goes to show just how quickly the night can change.
3. 2024 Paris Olympics
The Summer Olympics of 2024 hit the City of Love and captured the hearts of many.
Top ten holiday movies
The best holiday movies to put you in the winter spirit.
Luci DiBonaventura ’25
Detours & Opinions Editor
Looking for some holiday movies to get into the season of joy? One excuse to hang out with your friends and family over break and make lasting memories? Instead of spending winter break struggling to come up with gift choices, enjoy these ten holiday movies.
1. Chris Peckover’s “Better Watch Out”
You better watch out when watching this movie, or you might be on the naughty list. This movie follows babysitter Ashley, who watches over 12-year-old Luke during the holidays. Ashley then finds she has to defend herself and Luke against unwanted intruders. This movie is great for horror lovers who want to get into the winter spirit.
2. Bob Clark’s “A Christmas Story”
Let me tell you a quick story about a boy who wants a BB gun for Christmas—it didn’t end well. A Christmas story follows a little boy named Ralphie who deals with dodging bullies. For Christmas, he dreams of getting the new “red rifle air rider” but faces discouragement from his cranky dad. This is a great movie to watch as a family and to get a good laugh.
3. Jon Favreau’s “Elf”
Bring a buddy along to watch this movie with. Elf is about a toddler, Buddy, who was sent to the North Pole and raised by elves until adulthood. Feeling like he does not fit in, Buddy travels to New York to find his biological father. This is a great, funny family movie.
4. Ron Howard’s “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”
This is a live-action adaptation of the beloved Dr. Suess book where the protagonist, the Grinch, is bitter about Christmas and wants to ruin it for everyone in Whoville. He then encounters a little girl, Cindy Lou, who forever changes his perspective on Christmas. This is a classic winter movie to watch this season; just don’t eat too much candy while watching this movie; you don’t want your heart to grow too much.
5. Chris Columbus’s “Home Alone”
I’d recommend not watching this movie at home alone unless you have some excellent booby traps planned. The movie takes place in a small town where eight-
The games included a few new and un-conventional events such as skateboarding, sport climbing, surfing, and break dancing, which made their iconic debut.
One of the most noteworthy moments from the 2024 Summer Games was the unusual and hysterical performance of Australian breakdancer Rachel Gunn, commonly known as “Raygun.”
Fans swooned when Swedish pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis ran straight into the arms of his girlfriend after setting a world record.
American gymnast Stephen Nedorastik had thousands rooting for him after he killed it on the pommel horse for Team USA.
Overall, people worldwide turned on their televisions to witness the world’s best athletes compete, and Paris, France, proved to be a welcoming host.
2. Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar
During the Spring of 2024, “beef” between rappers Drake and Kendrick Lamar took hold of the media. The conflict consisted of the two artists releasing a series of songs back and forth, attacking one another due to a series of disputes in past years.
Shots had been fired between the two since they first collaborated in 2012, yet the beginning of this year brought on a slew of new, next-level diss tracks.
The most famous of these works were “Push Up” by Drake and “They Not Like Us” by Kendrick. The lyrical brawling has ceased, yet problems between the two rappers do not seem to be fully resolved.
1. Beyonce and P Diddy Conspiracies
Famous Rapper P Diddy was jailed in 2024 after being charged with several accounts of sexual assault and human trafficking. People online took to conspiring about Diddy’s zone of influence, the most outrageous take being about Beyonce’s involvement in P Diddy’s crimes. Fans online began piecing together how close Beyonce was to P Diddy, seeing how she attended plenty of his events along with countless other Hollywood stars. Online sleuths noted how stars like Adele profusely thanked Beyonce at award shows, almost like they were scared of her.
Even the famous Taylor Swift-Kanye West incident at the 2013 VMAs was called into consideration. The use of J. Coles’ song “She Knows” in videos brought up some mysterious celebrity deaths, such as Left Eye, Aaliyah, and Michael Jackson, suggesting that the “She” in the song is Beyonce, and “She” knows that the deaths were not an accident.
Though these claims may seem hysterical, Beyonce’s highly critiqued album “Cowboy Carter” was nominated for Album of the Year, over prospects such as Ariana Grande. Now that doesn’t seem right, does it… Before this article wraps up, let’s thank Beyonce for making this possible.*
year-old Kevin is mistakenly forgotten when his family leaves for vacation. He then has to defend his home as he realizes two burglars plan to rob his family home. This is a classic Christmas comedy.
6. Jeremiah S. Chechik’s “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation”
Take a break from studying and watch this fun holiday movie. “Christmas Vacation” is about a family who wants a perfect Christmas, but unplanned family members show up and ruin their perfect plans. This is a fun comedy to watch this season.
7. Alexander’s Payne “The Holdovers”
Hopefully, you still have some holiday spirit left over to watch this movie. “The Holdovers” is about a harsh teacher at an English prep school who has to babysit a couple of students who have nowhere to go during the break. This good drama ignites many emotions, from laughs to tears.
8. Sergio Pablo’s “Klaus”
This is a beautifully crafted, animated movie about a postman sent to a frozen town in the north where he encounters a reclusive toymaker, Klaus. Klaus is a feel-good movie with nostalgia, comedy, and heartfelt moments.
9. Clay Kaytis’s “The Christmas Chronicles”
Siblings Kate and Teddy plan to capture Santa but instead find themselves joining forces with Santa to save Christmas. This is a great movie to watch with family.
10. John McTiernan’s “Die Hard”
If you’re a die-hard fan of holiday and action movies, then this is a must-watch. New York policeman John McClane joins his family for a holiday party but is interrupted by a group of terrorists. John realizes he’s the only one that can save the hostages.*
READING REVIEW: Students give November and December book recommendations
Hear from four school community members about their book recommendations from the beginning of Winter.
Evie Fernandez ’27
Haven Happenings Editor
Junior Eliana Hanson recommends:
“The Lake of Dead Languages” by Carol Goodman.
“I found [the book] in a weird way, but it was totally worth it. I love this book so much. It’s a murder mystery, but it’s also a coming of age. There’s this lake that a school is attached to, and there are girls who died at the lake, and people don’t think they killed themselves. They think it was foul play. I liked that it wasn’t boring and it didn’t drone on. Every page kept me hooked, and I really liked that,” Hanson said.
Sophomore Pearl Ricci-Upin recommends:
“Salt to the Sea” by Ruta Sepetys.
“It’s a historical fiction based on a true story which takes place during World War Two, and it’s multiple perspectives from four people, which is really interesting. I’ve read every other book by the author; I really like her. I’m a big history nerd, so I think that was a big selling point for me, but also, the chapters were really, really short, which I think made it really easy to get through. So I finished it in like a week,” Ricci-Upin said.
Senior Claire Lincke recommends:
“Lovely War” by Julie Berrys.
“I thought it was so good. I read it directly after ‘All Quiet on the Western Front,’ and it doesn’t really focus as much on the actual battles, but more sort of on the battles that are off of the front lines and more on the home front,” Lincke said. “It started in 1917, and it’s a split perspective between multiple different characters who tell their experiences about the war, and they’re all kind of interwoven.”
I recommend:
Infernal Devices trilogy by Cassandra Clare.
As the year comes to an end, I am constantly thinking about my favorite reads from years past, and the Shadowhunters universe was a middle school staple for me, especially the Infernal Devices. These books are set in Victorian-era England and are centered around three main characters– Will Herondale, Tessa Gray, and Jem Carstairs– as they fight demons and come to realizations about the lives that they’ve been living, as well as struggling with love, life, and betrayal. The books are an easy read: fantastical, fun, and sweet. I love all of the characters, with Will being my favorite, and I love all of their evolutions as they grow and change both in the reader’s mind and on the page.*
Foodie Friends club recommends holiday recipes
Try out some fun recipes below!
Luci DiBonaventura ’25
Detours Editor
For a recent Foodie Friends meeting, members brought in recipes from their holidays. Try some out below!
Jam Thumbprint cookie
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup jam (any flavor you prefer, such as raspberry or apricot)
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Make the Dough: In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the egg yolks and vanilla extract until smooth. Gradually add the flour and salt, mixing until a soft dough forms.
Shape the Cookies: Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
Gently press your thumb (or the back of a spoon) into the center of each ball to make a small indentation.
Spoon about ½ teaspoon of jam into each indentation.
Bake for 12–15 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden.
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Snow bark
Saltine crackers
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Heath (optional)
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
On a sheet, spread saltine crackers out. Melt butter and brown sugar in a sauce over medium heat, whisking well, and let boil for a few minutes.
Pour mixture over saltines and bake in the oven for five minutes.
Once taken out of the oven, immediately pour chocolate chips over the saltines and let it melt.
Then top it off with the heath and break into pieces.
White Italian cookies
3 sticks of imperial Margarine
2 teaspoons baking powder
4 cups flour
¼ teaspoons salt
1 cup sugar
3 teaspoons Amoretta
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
Sift flour and dry Imperial cream ingredients and sugar until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating in between. Add Amoretta and vanilla, and then beat a dry Ingridients all at once.
Roll a teaspoon of dough into small balls and place them on an ungreased baking sheet.
Bake for 10 to 20 minutes in the oven preheated at 325°.
Gingerbread cookies
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup brown sugar
1 large egg
½ cup molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves in a bowl. In a separate large bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until creamy. Add the egg, molasses, and vanilla, mixing until smooth. Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix until a firm dough forms.
Roll out the dough on a floured surface to about ¼-inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut out gingerbread shapes. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets and bake for 8–10 minutes, until set but still soft. Allow the cookies to cool completely before decorating with icing, sprinkles, or candies as desired.*
SNOWY TREAT • Snow bark from the Foodie Friends meeting on Friday, November 5.
PHOTO: LUCI DIBONAVENTURA
CHE BONTA’ • White Italian cookies from the Foodie Friends meeting on Friday, November 5.
PHOTO: LUCI DIBONAVENTURA
DECEMBER Crossword
Luci DiBonaventura ‘25 Detours
& Opinions Editor
Across
1. Dog’s name in the movie “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.”
4. Snowstorm with high winds
7. Clara’s favorite toy that comes to life
9. Santa’s helper
13. Natural wintertime light show in the artic
15. Winter berries used in holiday decorations
16. Mountain transport in snowy resorts
17. A piece of plastic used to slide down a hill
18. Winter constellation featuring three bright stars
Down
1. Score a kiss under this plant
2. Figure with a carrot nose
3. Annual festival of lights in winter
5. Frozen dripped water
6. Gift exchange during Kwanzaa often emphasizes education
8. Decorate a tree
10. Snow House
11. Sport on the snowy slopes
12. Number of days in Kwanzaa
14. Headgear for warmth
CHEESE CORNER:
French Club’s three-in-one fromage special
This is the cheesiest column you’ll see in this issue!
Roland Rennick-Zuefle ‘27
Contributor
Welcome back to the cheese corner, and get ready for thrice the cheesiness.
On November 11th, in honor of National French Week, Strath Haven’s French club offered a fifth-block cheese (fromage) tasting featuring three French cheeses. I attended and thoroughly enjoyed all three!
Starting off with Brie (hailing from the French region of the same name), the French club provided an eighth-century version that left Brie’s signature taste in my mouth long after I tried it (or at least until the other cheeses blocked it out again).
Also, an eighth-century cheese, Loire Valley Goat Cheese, was another great addition to my plate. Since it had a pretty creamy consistency, it acted as an excellent dip for the bread and crackers that the French club provided. While it didn’t have a particularly strong taste, the quality was enough to compensate for it.
Lastly, Boursin, a 1957 Normandy cheese, stood out in taste and aftertaste. Although not as creamy as the goat cheese, it also went great with the crackers and bread.
The cheeses are made in different ways. Brie comes from cow milk that is either pasteurized or raw, combined with enzymes and rennet to help with the curdling process. Its white mold is created by incorporating yeast culture. The curdles are then cut and put into molds.
The Loire Valley Goat Cheese is (unsurprisingly) made from goat milk that goes through a slower coagulation process in which it is mixed with rennet. Boursin’s creation came about through a French newspaper mistakenly claiming that its creator, Francois Boursin, had included garlic in his cheese, an idea that the French public loved so much that Boursin decided to make it into a reality, creating the garlicky Boursin cheese that is renowned and distributed today. Although every cheese I tried was great and definitely worth tasting, my personal favorite would have to be Brie. Its distinct taste and aftertaste have made it an enduring classic, and I’m always happy to try it.
Let’s hope next year’s French Week serves up more great cheese!*
CRITTER CORNER: Minka
Sophomore shares his bond with his two cats and two dogs. Lavanya Dixit ’27
Sports Editor
For this publication’s regular feature of the Critter Corner, Nico McPherson talks about his cat, Minka, and his bond with her.
Q. What’s your pet’s name?
A. Her name is Minka. She is a Russian Siberian, and her name means “Strong” in Russian.
Q. How old is Minka?
A. She is 9 years old. We have had her for nine years, so I got her when I was around 6 years old.
Q. How did you feel when you got her?
A. I was really happy because we had never had a pet before so it was something that was really exciting to me. My mom really likes cats but my dad and brother are both allergic to cats. We still ended up getting a cat though. It works out because Minka is hypoallergenic so it is not a problem for their allergies.
Q. What was she like when she was a kitten?
A. Well, when she was around three I remember the first time she caught a rabbit, she killed it and then played with it for like 20 minutes, throwing it up and hitting it, while my whole family watched.
Q. What is something you love about Minka?
A. She’s fluffy, she’s cute.
Q. What is your favorite thing to do with her?
A. I like to spend time around her, cuddle with her, and pet her.
Want to feature your pet in the next edition of Critter Corner? Stretch your paw out to strathhavenpantherpress@ gmail.com!*
DOGS AND CATS • Minka, Nico McPherson’s cat, rests on his bed.
PHOTOS: NICO MCPHERSON
FRENCH CLUB PRESENTS • A plate of the cheeses alongside crackers and bread.
PHOTO: ROLAND RENNICK-ZUEFLE
1: FOX 29’s Jenn Fred visited on Tuesday, November 19, to interview seniors and varsity girls’ soccer captains Kaia Smith and Annie Dignazio. The team had recently claimed victory in the 3A PIAA girls’ soccer state championship, defeating Lower Dauphin with a final score of 1-0. The drumline and cheerleaders brought the gym to life, showing their support and cheering on live TV during the broadcast. KATHRYN BARRETT
2: Freshman Kendal Bizzell-Brown wins her second match at the Pottstown Invitational tournament on Wednesday, December 7— the first-ever wrestling tournament for the new girls wrestling team. Bizzell-Brown went on to win fourth place in her weight class. Freshman Kai Czaplicki and sophomore Lane Harrington also brought home gold medals from the tournament, where 21 girls teams participated in a sport newly sanctioned in the 2023-2024 school year. KAI CZAPLICKI
3: Juniors Shane Fisher and Eli Price light their soapy hands on fire during their chemistry class on Tuesday, December 10. The combustion reaction to make methane bubbles requires some bubbly soap, water, and natural gas to react upon an ignition source and a little bit of burnt wrist hair.
4: Elwood P. Dowd, played by senior Emily Beck, places an arm around the invisible ‘Harvey’ as he introduces him to Lyman Sanderson, played by sophomore Jack Davies. On November 13, the cast and crew came together to present the show to an audience of students and community members. RILEY SMITH
5: Sophomore Jayden Peki throws a ball towards the cochonnet, the target ball, in a game of pétanque. Students gathered in room 202 on November 13 to play French games in celebration of National French Week. RILEY SMITH *
