June 2013

HIGHLAND THE

INSIDE The College Board and its Greed p. 4

New Fashion Trends Include Tribal Tank Tops and Maxi Skirts p. 14

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FLING

COMMENCEMENT EDITION 2013 HIGHLAND PARK HIGH SCHOOL I HIGHLAND PARK, NJ I VOLUME 101, ISSUE 8

Above: five members of the Class of 2013 who are entering the military. Clockwise from bottom left: Homero Balbuena, Ashley Lozada, Christian Feltrin, Luis Diaz, and James Webb.

The Road Less Traveled Charlotte Finegold

Next year, the majority of the class of 2013 will be entering two- or fouryear colleges; six students, however, are pursuing a markedly different path and will officially enter the military this summer and fall. Luis Diaz, James Webb, and Homero Balbuena are entering the Marine Corps; Christian Feltrin, Juan Barrientos, and Ashley Lozada are joining the Navy; and Will Callahan hopes to do ROTC at Rutgers Honors SAS. Each student began the process by taking the Armed Service Vocational Amplitude Battery (ASVAB). Around a week after receiving their test scores, they attended their Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) to test their physical eligibility for service. The results of their ASVABs determined which jobs they could apply for. Working with their recruiters, they requested their preferred fields. Then Physical Training (PT) began, which has been preparing these students for their boot camps.

No members of the Class of 2012 entered into any branch of the military.

The drastic change this year seems to have occurred inexplicably; each person joined of his/her own accord, and was not influenced by another classmate’s decision. Yet these seven students all share similar motives and visions of their futures. Explains Mr. Lobianco, “I think the decisions are based on a few variables...the economy and kids and families

feeling that financially college is not affordable for them or would cause a strain on the family’s situation. I also think that students are concerned about the job market and they see how difficult it is to get a job with the situation of today’s economy even with a college diploma and they see the military as a viable alternative. I have two students whose interests were largely based on the fact that their parents were in the military and their parents are supportive of the decision. I also think it was a bit of a snowball effect in that students were encouraging each other to do it because they were. But I must also say that James Webb, who has been involved in Marines training since last year and has been vocal about what a great experience it has been, also got students interested.” Says Mr. Yarasheski, head of HPHS’s Guidance Department, “I totally respect their decision—I believe it is an honorable choice for the right student.”

The Fling sat down with these students to discuss their paths and look at their different motives for entering.

What made you choose this in the first place (e.g., jobs, leadership, ideals, etc.)? Why did you choose this branch of the military?

Ashley Lozada: It’s a lot more diverse and their structure is more united. They travel more, and I feel like there’s a lot more opportunities in the Navy for me,

because of what I want to do, as opposed to the Army or the Marines. I want to be an intelligence specialist and go into criminal psychology, so the Navy is a perfect fit for that. In the Navy, you don’t really fight, unless you’re a Navy Seal— the Army and the Marines do that—and I don’t want to fight necessarily.

Will Callahan: Well, it’s a good way to pay for college, and they train you to be a leader. In the civilian workforce they look for those kinds of leadership skills, and it’s a guaranteed job after college. The Navy is a good service to go into because a lot of it is humanitarian-based and it requires some more intellect than other branches of the military. Also, you can travel the world for free, which is cool.

Christian Feltrin: I wanted to join the military because I wanted to be the first in my family and I wanted to do service for my country. I felt that the Navy would be the best branch for me to join because it would have the best opportunities and the most real-world jobs, because they’re really technical. The hands-on jobs are practically the same as civilian jobs; they’re just called different things.

Luis Diaz: Like what Chris said—no one in my family joined the military and I’m going to be the first. And ever since I was little, I was always interested in the military. I always said that when I continued on p. 8

JUNE 2013, THE HIGHLAND FLING

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NEWS The F-Bomb Maddie Hehir What does it mean to be a feminist in 2013? In her new book Lean In, Sheryl Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer of Facebook, offers her thoughts about the role of women in society and in leadership positions.

While some might argue that men and women in today’s culture are treated equally, others might beg to differ. In the United States, more women attend college than men. This statistic alone marks the huge change that has been made in the educational system regarding gender. Fewer women today are housewives than during the country’s past and more have entered into the working class. Working mothers are the new norm.

Lean In, a book some might consider the new Feminine Mystique, reveals that while more women are working, they still have not truly entered into the upper echelons of business, government, and more. While there are prominent women in society, from former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton to United States Representative Michelle Bachman, Sandberg points out that the majority of highly qualified women have not entered into executive or leadership roles. As such, men, who dominate in both business and government, suppress the voices of women. Males are deciding female issues each and every day. For instance the landmark Roe v.

Wade Supreme Court case, which granted women the right to have an abortion in their first trimester, was heard and decided on by nine male Supreme Court Justices.

This decision was the first of many where a group of men made decisions on women’s reproductive rights and health.

Besides the successful launching of Sandberg’s book, another issue making headlines is the phenomenon of “slut shaming.” Slut shaming is the practice of making a woman feel guilty for her personal sexual decisions that define traditional gender stereotypes. This term has recently become even more prominent

Above (from left to right): juniors Sanofar Saleem, Tabitha Lumor-Mensah, Ana Miletic, and Lydia Wang create the female gender symbol with their hands. Modern feminism is no longer as simple as this sign.

as extension of victim blaming in rape— some say victims of rape and sexual assault “ask for it” by dressing or acting like a “slut.” Slut shaming was recently in the news after a SlutWalk was held in Toronto, Canada, to protest against a police officer in Canada who told students that they could avoid sexual violence by not acting or dressing like “sluts.” His comments sparked the reintroduction of the misconception that women wearing tight

dresses or low cut shirts are just asking to be victims of assault or rape.

Over the past decades, major steps have been taken in the United States to put an end to legal and social inequalities that exist between the two genders.

Women and men can do the same things.

But in the 21st century, many still expect women to cook, clean, and take care of the children, and women who work are expected to hold job titles lower than their

male colleagues. Recently, feminism has somehow become a dirty word that many women refuse to identify with. There are women, in Highland Park, in the United States Congress who fight to free the word feminism of its negative connotation, encourage women make their mark in the workplace, and remind us all that no one is or ever should be considered a slut.

Up in Smoke

Sam Trub official buildings, certain parks, and any other property owned by the town. The ordinance was actually passed a while ago in April of 2011, but until a few weeks ago, there was no sign to officially advise people about the ordinance. It establishes yet another roadblock in the path of smokers, further discouraging people from smoking and from producing harmful secondhand smoke dangerous to others.

By June 30th, the Middlesex County Public Health Department is aiming to get at least two towns in Middlesex County to pass an ordinance similar to the one passed in Highland Park. The Public Health Department has been making progress, with Perth Amboy passing an ordinance a few weeks ago. However, their other targeted town, New Brunswick, stopped short of creating an ordinance, passing instead a resolution. It would not enforce any law against smoking on public property, but rather acknowledge the dangers associated with people Above: Councilwoman Gayle Brill Mittler, the leader of the recent town ordinance which bans smoking on municipal property. However, smoking on public property. across the state, 163 municipalities in In a constantly changing world, even Mittler, Highland Park recently passed New Jersey’s 21 counties have passed the smallest of changes can go a long an ordinance that banned smoking on smoke free ordinances, which is an way. Led by councilwoman Gayle Brill municipal property. This would affect any

L OW CTS FA FUN

encouraging sign that governments are cracking down on smoking by making it drastically more difficult to smoke.

ChangeLab Solutions, which seeks to create law and policy innovation for the common good stated, “Because the negative health effects of secondhand smoke exposure are well documented, one of the most important steps a community can take to improve the health of its residents is to create more smoke free places.” By informing people of this ordinance, people will be more aware of the dangers of what they do. Also, it will allow citizens to place pressure on county governments to continue to pressure cities to pass these ordinances and to convince the county governments to pass ordinances on county-owned parks such as Donaldson and Johnson Park. It is in the best interest of everyone to make these ordinances as widespread as possible. Now that Highland Park has been informed, it is time for us to act, make sure this is followed, and continue to pressure the county government to do more to mitigate this issue.

A group of owls is called a parliament, wisdom or study Owls don’t have eyeballs. Their eyes are long and tube-shaped, and consequently cannot turn their eyes in all directions.

O FUN WL FAC TS

The tiniest owl is the Elf Owl, which is 5 - 6 inches tall and weighs about 1 ½ ounces. (A quarter-pound hamburger, without buns, pickles or ketchup, is heavier than two Elf Owls.)

Owls don’t have teeth, so prey like mice are swallowed whole.

THE HIGHLAND FLING, JUNE 2013

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OPINION OSCAR’S PICKS

NO LIE

Oscar Lee

Eli Liebell-McLean

Keeping Up Appearances

Drones in the Morning

That girl who always sits in the front raises her hand for the umpteenth time.

A few in the back begin to snicker.

Some share sideways looks, rolling their eyes and grimacing. Others grumble, “Oh great. It’s that girl again.” No one wants to be “that girl” or “that guy,” the one who cares, who always seems a little too eager. Sometimes, even teachers appear to grow exasperated with them.

Being “into” something is lame-o and so not fetch. Stop trying so hard. Get a life.

Loser. Tryhard.

For some unknown reason, many seem to believe that those who work hard are not actually “smart,” or at least, they are not “naturally smart”. They appear to think that intelligence comes innately, that at night it stealthily drifts into the minds of a few fortunate souls when, in fact, those “unnaturally smart” people are just the ones who do not guise their intelligence in a shroud of effortlessness. It is “social suicide,” to borrow a term from Mean Girls, to act against the countervailing peer forces that socially reinforce apathy. But really, that “whatever,” above-it-all attitude is just another form of tryhard—it’s

trying hard to not seem like a try hard.

But why? To impress future gas station attendants? (Nothing against gas station attendants, of course.)

It is easier to tear things down than it is to build them up. And it’s even easier to watch as someone else does the tearing-things-down part. I admit it.

I’ve slacked off this year. As I have said oh-so-many times while reflecting on the academic disaster this year has been, “I’ve either gotten lazier or stupider.”

And I’m more inclined to believe the former. I have allowed myself to be sucked into a vortex of external blame and indifference. Fail a test? Blame the teacher. Fall? Blame the floor. (Although, sometimes it is the floor’s fault.)

Showing that we care is difficult, because it means lowering our defenses. It means exposure, leaving us open to criticism and derision. Above all else, we are programmed to protect ourselves, from spiders, from monsters, from being hurt. To do so, we don a cloak of detachment. Take a risk. It doesn’t hurt to care once in a while. I mean, it can’t hurt that much.

Snip, Snip I had come fresh off of a string of successes. I was named the next Editor-in-Chief of The Fling. I placed 1st at the DECA State Conference in my event. I got a decent grade on the math test. Beyoncé released a new song. It seemed like things were finally going my way. I didn’t feel like an irrelevant slab of lard drying in the sun anymore.

Happiness? It was good while it lasted, I guess.

On Friday, April 5, 2013, at approximately 3:10 PM EST, coming back from school, I arrived at my house, inserted my hand in the mailbox, flipped through the junk mail, and saw it. On the top left corner, it read “NJSP: New Jersey Scholars Program, P.O. Box 6008, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648” in that awful Serif font. Clutching the letter, I rushed into my house, scrambled up the stairs, and plopped down in my room. I pulled the letter out and read: Dear Oscar: The New Jersey Scholars Program regretfully informs you… My mind blanked.

When my senses came back, I didn’t bother to finish the rest of the illogically remorseful formalities.

I was sad. I was kind of mad. But this wasn’t a total blindside. I expected this. After all, I came off as a disheveled mess during the group interview, rambling about drug policy and my love for television briefly before somehow arriving at a point when saying “I really just enjoy laying around…not doing anything” seemed logical. But deep down, I still held onto that small sliver of hope that I would be chosen for my ineloquence and lack of polish, that it might all work out. And now that vanished.

I crumbled the letter. I turned on Fiona

Apple and brooded. All those previous triumphs lost their luster. They meant nothing and this meant something. And if those accomplishments meant nothing, I must have meant nothing. I fell into a ditch of self-doubt and it seemed impossible to climb back out.

But I was approaching it—and life in general—the wrong way. I was defining my internal with my external. I looked for other people’s approval when the only approval I really needed was my own. I craved affirmation from things, when they were just that—things— things that didn’t mean anything. I could get a 2400 on the SAT. I could get into a prestigious program. I could meet Tilda Swinton. I would feel happy, but that wouldn’t last—it couldn’t. Happiness, whatever it means, is a temporary state of mind, one that would fade away with time. I used my accomplishments to give myself a faux sense of fulfillment, capable of quenching a short-term thirst, but not a long-term need. Because true satisfaction does not come from trivial earthly achievements or trinkets, but from something more permanent and enduring.

I had to cut the ties between my perception of self-worth and frivolous outside mechanisms. Why was I allowing a small letter written by a small person from a small organization to make me feel like garbage? I had to stop deriving self-meaning from my externalities and start deriving self-meaning from myself.

I deserve to be happy not because someone else said I could, but because I said I could. As Ms. Apple once said so perfectly, “Try not to let those b*****ds get us down.”

Above: an American drone taxis down an Afghan runway.

We like to imagine that America lives above the law, or rather that America represents the ultimate achievement of legality. After all, we’re so darn good at it; does it really have to apply to us? It does: no institution is above the rule of law. It is the line that separates us from apes rutting in the mud over the last banana. An anarchic society destroys itself, disregarding morality and compassion.

In 2004, the Supreme Court ruled in Hamdi v. Rumsfeld that a state of war does not guarantee a ‘blank check’ to be limited only by the sadistic imaginations of our military leaders. And what we’ve managed to dream up in these past few wars is drones. What if we took a soldier, gave him the ability to fly mostly undetected anywhere we wanted, load that soldier up with enough firepower to destroy a house, and replaced any morals or inhibitions with total control by our government? Well, that Frankensteinian freak would be a drone.

Leave behind your ‘Good Guy Bad Guy’ fairy tale perception of conflict, because what’s important here is due process of law. The most important component of the rule of law is the fundamental right to a fair trial and legal proceedings to determine guilt. By expanding our drone program and using these drones to conduct strikes on potential terrorists, even known terrorists, America is spitting on the rule of law.

Because everyone, not just the people you like, everyone, should have the right to a fair trial, not a military court, where secrets can be withheld from the public and combatants are assumed guilty until proven innocent.

But let me assume that you would prefer to disregard the law, in favor of a strong America. Because, face it, we’re more sophisticated to deal with the world’s deviants and terrorists than the rest of those savages.

Below: a crowd protests American drone strikes

Food for Thought Jana Choi

The general consensus of approaching food and diet at Highland Park High School is, to put it candidly, “YOLO.” It seems as if nutritionists, the government, and our parents can throw all of the statistics and figures around that they can dig up, but it doesn’t matter. It’s unreasonable to ask us teenagers, so attuned to the delectable flavors intermingled in a bag of Cool Ranch Doritos, to take precautions about our health when our metabolisms industriously burn through the M&M cookies and French fries we eat on a regular basis.

Senior Nathan Kjer says, “I would enjoy a short life of eating what I want vs. a long one of eating healthy,” and Sophomore Justin Melgazo says “I would prefer eating healthier, but YOLO! Eating the food you like is so good!” But why is a healthy lifestyle perceived as something to suffer through, and not something to enjoy? Favorite foods and flavors don’t have to be thrown out the window. Natural recipes, made with in-season foods and an obvious lack of preservatives, are fresh, more sustainable, and taste good. Eating well mustn’t be a drastic change. Having the mindset to treat your body well is all it takes – just a little food for thought.

JUNE 2013, THE HIGHLAND FLING

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OPINION The College Board: A Very Profitable “Nonprofit” Elena Weissmann

Above: junior Cesar Avila attempts to study, overwhelmed by all the study guides and prep books, published to get students through the College Board’s tests.

Around this time of the year, tens of thousands of high school juniors are frantically signing up for summer SAT prep classes, buying expensive AP guidebooks, and paying their registration fees for the SATs, AP exams, and SAT subject tests.

Profits for all companies involved are exorbitant, but one company in particular stands out with an enormous annual revenue of $200,000,000 dollars and a profit of $23 million in the past few years. And what company would that be? None other than the College Board, a “not-for-profit” company that capitalizes on students’ anxieties.

In 1999, the College Board was facing cash-flow problems, so it recruited Gaston Caperton, former governor of West Virginia, to transform the nonprofit company into a thriving business. Fourteen years later, the College Board holds a complete monopoly over the test-taking industry; with only one competitor, the ACT. Many students, however, are still required to take an SAT subject test in order to apply to certain schools, and all students wishing to earn college credit for an Advanced Placement class must take the corresponding AP exam, which the College Board creates. Therefore, it makes sense that its

profits are 317% of the industry average and its former President, Mr. Capteron, earned 444% of the industry average at a compensation of $1.3 million last year. It’s newly chosen President, David Coleman, will earn a base salary of $550,000, with a total compensation of nearly $750,000.

Additionally, the College Board’s twenty-three executive officers make an average salary of $355,271 per year. These high salaries are extremely suspicious: if the College Board truly wished to create “testing equality for everyone,” wouldn’t it pay its executives less and instead use those profits to lower the cost of the SAT for all? Why is this company considered a nonprofit if its motives aren’t completely altruistic?

“The College Board is capitalizing on the perceived and exaggerated importance of the SATs,” Bob Sweeney, an experienced guidance counselor, eloquently stated. Indeed, the College Board will tack on all kinds of extra fees for certain services, including the “Rush Order”, exam date changes, and the “question-and-answer” service. On the College Board website, the company even attempts to sell all sorts of products, including The Official SAT Study Guide for $31.99. Although the

Editors

Chief: Charlotte Finegold Online: Xuewei Ouyang News: Oscar Lee Feature: Amy Wang Opinion: Maddie Hehir Sports: Sylvia Marks A&E: Elena Weissmann Layout: Stefana Voicu Advisor Brett Roche Photographers Zoe Temple, Jacob Choi, Miranda Safir, Tia Wangli, Amita Shukla

THE HIGHLAND FLING, JUNE 2013

SAT registration cost itself can be waived for low-income students, the costs of these special services are not, giving high-income students an edge when preparing for the SAT and completing college applications. It’s becoming questionable whether the College Board is, in fact, dedicated to an “equity agenda” of “expanding access to higher education for the poor, African-Americans, and Hispanic.” If the College Board wanted an equal testing experience for everyone, it would offer all of these extra services for free to those who cannot afford them. Does it really seem fair that one student can afford an SAT study guide (produced by the test-maker!) while another cannot? Those students with the right amount of money reap the benefits, while the others are left in the dust.

Perhaps even more questionable is the accuracy of these tests in measuring one’s “aptitude.” Director of undergraduate writing at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Les Perelman, looked over around 50 sample essays from the SAT distributed by the College Board and found a very strong correlation between length and score. “If you just graded them based on length without ever reading them, you’d be right over 90 percent of

The Highland Fling Staff

the time,” he said of the controversial SAT essay. A report released a while ago by the National Council of Teachers mirrored Dr. Perelman’s criticisms; it warns that the SAT is pushing for a “formulaic” way of writing and that students don’t have time to rewrite on the 25-minute essay section – a major error when measuring one’s editing abilities. This style of testing just promotes conformity; in order to succeed on the essay, students must ignore their inner creativity and instead churn out mechanical, structured responses.

It’s quite clear that the College Board has acquired some major flaws over the past ten or so years. Not only has it given wealthier students an edge over their low-income peers, but it also doesn’t accurately test certain abilities. In short, this “nonprofit” company has gone completely downhill – and there are several things you can do to protest. For one, you can take the ACT instead – which many colleges find acceptable on its own. Some colleges, such as Bowdoin and Muhlenburg, don’t even require any standardized testing. So instead of paying all those extra charges, why not shun the College Board and promote real educational equality?

Writers Sarah Cheng, Boning Zhao, Shuhong Chen, Olivia Draper, Yang Xu, Grace Chong, Gregory Burdea, Tia Wangli, Amita Shukla, Andrea Boffice, Eli Liebell-McLean, Jana Choi, Shana Oshinskie, Jake Callahan, Maverick Lin, Zoe Temple, John Yang, Annie McCrone

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Contact thehighlandfling@gmail.com Write, draw, and take pictures for The Highland Fling!

Come to our next meeting!

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FEATURE Local Love

Commencement Edition Andrea Boffice

The last Local Love… It’s very sad, but don’t go teary eyed on me- there are plenty of ways to get local food when school is over, and I’m gone, especially at our local farmers’ market! I encourage everyone to eat at A Better World Café over the summer, which aside from always having local, fresh, organic produce and contributing to feeding those in need in Highland Park, also makes really delicious paninis. Anyways, I hope that there was at least one recipe you enjoyed this past year and that you will look for more local food opportunities in the future.

Foods in Season for June:

Asparagus Beets Broccoli

Cabbage Carrots Corn

Roasted Chickpeas

sauce and sugar in a small bowl, and stir until the sugar dissolves.

Prep time: 2 hours Cook time: 1 hour If I had to sum up my high school career with one recipe, this would be it. Roasted chickpeas became my go-to snack when I was stuck at late rehearsals and needed something crunchy and protein-filled. I can also honestly say that I ended up giving more chickpeas to my classmates than I ate myself (cough, cough, TeenPep). In my opinion, it’s a perfect recipe for Local Love; it’s healthy, organic, simple, spicy, ‘and delicious. Don’t be put off by the long time it takes to make them; it’s worth doing on your lazy Sunday because these will last you for a long time.

Ingredients:

2 bags of dried chickpeas (not the canned ones) Oil Salt Garlic salt Spices: Turmeric and cumin Or Chile powder and paprika

1. Boil chickpeas in water for 2 minutes and then turn off the water and let soak for 2 hours.

2. Boil again for 20 minutes (DO NOT add salt to the water unless you want chickpeas that will actually break your teeth) 3. Drain the chickpeas very well.

4. Preheat the oven to 200˚F 5. Coat the chickpeas with the oil, salt, garlic salt, and whatever spice combination you chose.

6. Put the chickpeas on baking sheets in a single layer.

7. Cook for one hour or until the peas are at your desired level of crunchiness.

Chinese Broccoli Cooking time: 15 minutes

I hate broccoli, so this is really the only way I’ll eat it. The title is a bit misleading because I seriously doubt actual Chinese people eat broccoli the way it is cooked in American Chinese restaurants. Either way, it’s delicious. Don’t get thrown off by the oyster sauce, which you can buy at Hmart. It is actually really delicious to put in nearly any stir-fry. I highly recommend making this with chicken or beef.

Ingredients:

2 bushels of broccoli

¼ cup of oyster sauce 1 garlic clove, crushed 1 ½ tbsp soy sauce 1 tsp sugar 1 tbsp vegetable oil 2 tsp sesame oil

1. Wash the broccoli and cut off the tips but keep the stems. Cut into chunks.

2. Combine the oyster sauce, garlic, soy

Fava Beans Garlic Kale Oregano

Peas Snow Peas Spring Onion Strawberries

3. Add the broccoli and most of the sauce to a heated pan on medium low with oil and stir occasionally. (If you desire, you can steam the broccoli first) 4. Wait until the mixture is caramelized, and then add the rest of the sauce and cover.

5. Enjoy.

Arepas Cooking time: 20 minutes

Over the summer, I met these two Venezuelan girls who taught me how to make these. They are really fantastic, similar to paninis, but denser, and I’m going to say better. It always bugs me when I see choices like arepas or polenta in expensive restaurants because it is so easy to make at home. Either way, they taste delicious.

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups of pre cooked white corn meal flour (for 2 people, you can have more just keep it equal parts flour and water) 1 ½ cups water Salt Sandwich fixings (namely meat and cheese)

1. Preheat oven to 400˚F. 2. Combine cornmeal, water and salt and mix with your hands. Adjust with flour or water until the texture is like that of wet sand.

3. Separate the mixture into four separate parts and form into spheres.

4. Start to flatten each sphere like a pancake by slowly turning and forming it while trying to keep the edge from cracking by smoothing it over with your thumb as you turn.

5. Put a pan on to medium heat. Wait until the skillet is hot before you cook each arepa for a minute and a half on each side.

6. After each arepa is cooked in the pan, put the arepas in the oven for 15 minutes.

7. Serve while hot. Hold your arepa in a napkin and use a sharp knife to cut the arepa vertically through the side to make two halves without burning yourself.

8. Add butter. I cannot recommend this highly enough. Then, add your favorite sandwich fixings and enjoy.

9. I don’t recommend making extras to save for later, as they really are best when you first make them. However, if you do find yourself with extras, to reheat, wrap the arepa in a damp paper towel and cook in the microwave.

This month, I featured a few of my personal favorite recipes. I hope you will enjoy these and that you have enjoyed all the recipes in Local Love. Don’t forget

Above (from top to bottom): roasted chickpeas, arepas, and Chinese broccoli to get you ready for summer.

that just because you’re young you can’t have a say in what you are eating, but it’s important for all of us to be conscious of our own health, the health of animals, and

the well-being of farmers. But just as importantly, I hope you have found some of these recipes delicious. Take advantage of all the local fruit that will be available in coming months and enjoy your summer!

JUNE 2013, THE HIGHLAND FLING

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2013 Superlative “Friendliest” Elvin Rivera and Florie Bicaj

2013 Superlative “Most Talented Musicians” Daniel Gittler and Emma Chant

Want to see more 2013 superlatives? Purchase the 2013 Albadome!

On sale now - quantities are limited! See Ms. Marionni in Room 106 to buy your copy today!

Be sure to join DECA when you return to school next September! See me in Room 206 to find out more about our award-winning club!

- Ms. Tracy Wilson DECA Advisor DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools across the world. But you do not have to be interested in business to join DECA. We are also a very community-oriented club. In fact, Highland Park DECA has raised thousands of dollars for various charities, including the Make-a-Wish Foundation and the New Jersey Food Bank.

DECA provides opportunities that no other club in the high school offers, including internships, travel, and more! You can work at the school store and compete in competitions at the regional, state, and international level.

Next year, for the international competition, we will be going to Atlanta, GA. In addition to the competitive events, members are also encouraged to work on projects. They can center on many different topics, like business plans, community service, and public relations.

We are looking for many new members to join and experience DECA for all it offers. Additionally, we look forward to continued success with the school store. Ms. Wilson’s classes work hard to create custom monthly themes and promotions to help promote the school store.

THE HIGHLAND FLING, JUNE 2013

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FEATURE What’s Next for the Class of 2013?

Carolina Acosta – Rutgers University Georgiana Ager – Skidmore College Mereia Alston-Torres – Montclair University Homero Balbuena – U.S. Marine Corps Juan Barrientos – U.S. Navy Aedan Bell – Rutgers University Andrew Berenguer – Middlesex County College Florie Bicaj – Borough of Manhattan Community College Lexus Blocker – New Jersey City University Andrea Boffice – Clark University Christopher Bray – Middlesex County College Carol Brown – Eugene Lang College Gregory Burdea – Rutgers University Frederick Cacace – Rutgers University William Callahan – Rutgers University Emma Chant – Massachusetts Institute of Technology George Chavarria – Berkeley College Jacob Choi – Rutgers University Paul Cronk – Warren Wilson University Elizabeth Diaz – University of Albany Luis Diaz – U.S. Marine Corps Samantha Dolan – Juniata College Jessie Dominick – Richard Stockton College Maggie Dominick – Richard Stockton College Dierra Doyle – Undecided Riley Miller-Ernest – Northeastern University Madeline Encarnacion – Everest Institute of Massage Jacob Ervin – Middlesex County College Christian Feltrin – U.S. Navy Charlotte Finegold – Yale College Belle Gabel-Frank – Barnard College John Gaertner – DeVry University Sushma Gangisetty – Rutgers University Dawn Gedamke – American Institute of Alternative Medicine Adrian Gillerman – Bard College Daniel Gittler – Berklee College of Music Ariel Glueck – gap year in Israel, Hunter College Richard Gonzalez – Missouri State University Cheyenne Goodman – Rutgers University James Griffin – Undecided Na-Dre Hepburn – Undecided Koby Hodes – Rutgers University Barry Holmes – Middlesex County College Brian Horne – gap year, then Rutgers University Thulani Hove – Caldwell College Michael Hulse – Middlesex County College Melissa Iberos – Union County College Jenna Johnson – Montclair University Tahanee Jones – Middlesex County College Joseph Kallman – Lynn University Shrishti Kaul – Middlesex County College Kalvin Kieffer – Rutgers University Rachel Kim - Rutgers University Nathan Kjer - Rutgers University Jason Klee – Montclair University Seth Lawrence – Middlesex County College Adam Leslie – Brandeis University Jordan Long – Wesley College

Ashley Lozada – U.S. Navy Jonathan Lucero – Working Jonathan Marin – Bloomfield College Sylvia Marks – Harvard College DaVanna McCarthy – Undecided Devin McDaniel - Middlesex County College Regina McManus-Smith – Undecided Jarren Miller – Undecided Rachel Miller – gap year, Rutgers University Elana Mischel – gap year in Israel Mohamed Mohamed Ali - Middlesex County College Tyler Morris - Middlesex County College Anna Nedashkivska – Middlesex County College Cynthia Novas - Middlesex County College Angelo Odato – University of Tampa Magdalin Olarra - Middlesex County College Xuewei Ouyang – Princeton University Daniel Padgett – Rutgers University Ambar Padilla - Middlesex County College Katherine Paolo – Middlesex County College Rucha Phadtare – Rutgers University Nikita Ramrekha – Caldwell College Alec Ratosyan – Rutgers University Madeleina Reid - Middlesex County College Jessica Reyes – Rutgers University Elvin Rivera - Middlesex County College Jeremy Roman - Middlesex County College Jonathan Rosario - Middlesex County College Sara Rosen – Virginia Commonwealth University Sarah Rozaidi – Virginia Technical College Diana Sanchez-Reyes – Undecided Jonathan Schissel – Other Lance Shopowich – Rutgers University Isaac Shoulson - Middlesex County College Daniel Siegel – Rutgers University Violet Simonyi – Undecided Hannah Stern – Rutgers University Suriya Suksonthisomboon - Middlesex County College Kihyun Sung – Rutgers University Daphne Szeles – SUNY – Binghamton Melshawn Taylor – Rutgers University Gabriella Tomline – Culinary Arts Alexander Vanarthos – Northeastern University Angelica Villanueva - Middlesex County College Stefana Voicu – University of Pennsylvania Amy Wang – Rutgers University Hannah Weaver – Lafayette College James Webb Jr. – U.S. Marine Corps Ehren Whitfield – Wagner College Griffin Wood – Rutgers University Dimitra Xenopoulou – New York University Yang Xu – Boston College Shuo Yan – Rutgers University Emily Yang – McGill University Xinhong Yang – Rutgers University Daniel Zendejas-Mummert – gap year Boning Zhao – Rutgers University

JUNE 2013, THE HIGHLAND FLING

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FEAT The Road Less Traveled (cont.) became older, I would pursue a career in the military. I picked the Marines because, I don’t know…I looked at all the branches and the only one that really struck me was the Marines—the way they express themselves and explain themselves and how they say that they work as a family made

trouble for here…it’s no comparison to what you’d get in trouble for in boot camp if you’re doing it wrong. Because it’s boot camp, everyone has to pay for a mistake— over here, if you do something wrong, no one’s going to say anything. There’s kids from Dunellen, Edison, Plainfield, and Highland Park. I’ve been doing PT since about January, because I just joined in February. Boot camp for me is September 12th in Great Lakes, Illinois.

SENIOR JAMES WEBB

me want to join because it’s a good feeling when you know you have a bigger family.

All the branches are good…I just decided on the Marines.

Diaz: Same thing—PT. We run, do pushups, do pull-ups, do sit-ups, and learn commands. We prepare ourselves for when we go to boot camp so we know all the necessities and don’t fall behind.

I started in junior year. We, James and I, are trying to leave July 15th for boot camp.

“

My parents, they hate it.

They’re scared because they think I’m going to come home in a box....It took me two years to get them to let me sign up, and there’s no turning back now.

James Webb: I joined the military because I always wanted to be in it since I was young, and I’d be the first in my family. I chose the Marines because it’s the best branch in the service. It’s the toughest too. I wanted to push myself to my full limits. It’s got the hardest boot camp when you go in…It’s hard-core.

Homero Balbuena: I chose the military because the values they teach you will last a lifetime and will help me succeed in the future. I want to become a state trooper so I know this will prepare me for that job and bring me more opportunities as my life goes by. I chose the Marines because I have friends who are part of the Marine Corps and with all the research I’ve done on this branch, I think that it fits me better than any other branch. I can’t wait to be a Marine.

Juan Barrientos: I chose the Navy because of its low risk. All the other branches offer the same benefits as the Navy, relating to finances and benefits, but the low risk of the Navy seemed great. It was also the first branch I found out about, because my dad was in the Navy in Peru.

What kind of training have you already done for the branch that you’ve chosen, and what kind of training are you going to do after graduating high school?

Feltrin: Right now, I’m going to PT (Physical Training, not Physical Therapy) on Thursdays, and that’s in Plainfield.

We do runs and sit-ups, push-ups, and little drills that’ll physically prepare you for boot camp. You also learn how to do salutes and other routines and drills. And stuff that you may think you’ll get in

THE HIGHLAND FLING, JUNE 2013

Webb: Pretty much the same thing—PT on Tuesdays and Thursdays: running, push-ups, and all that. It’s no cakewalk.

I’ve been doing PT since my sophomore year.

Balbuena: Right now, I’ve been going to PT, which prepares you for boot camp when you leave. I’ve been going for a month now. I leave in October.

Lozada: In the physical test you have to do a certain number of push-ups and situps. The “excellent” number is 47 pushups and 109 sit-ups in two minutes, and you have to do a 1 ½ - mile run in under 16 minutes. I’ve been running a lot. And I’ve been doing PT every week—running, doing push-ups, etc. I have boot camp in November. In between that, I’m going to be working out and looking for a job.

I also have to go to mandatory meetings every week. And then in November, I ship out to Illinois. I’ve been thinking about entering the Navy since junior year, but I changed my mind, because I was kind of nervous to leave. But now… senior year…I’m kind of anxious to leave because I don’t want to be here anymore.

I have a lot of financial problems with going to college. I got into Rutgers, but it’s a lot of money, and the Navy is going to pay for college, so that’s a really good thing, and another reason why I joined.

Barrientos: I have to study a booklet with the basic rules and ranks of the Navy.

It also explains about different kinds of ships and commanding officers. I also have to prepare physically. Boot camp lasts for two months, which is going to be hard. That starts October 8th for me. I’ve been running and doing push-ups and situps and stuff at home. Every Thursday I

do PT, and I’ve done that since April.

Where do you see yourself after your training and after the military? How could training get you there? What kind of jobs are you planning on doing in your branch?

Callahan: My dream job would be to major in computer science and then work for Google. The leadership and equipment that you work with in the Navy is multi-million dollar stuff, so that’s good training.

Lozada: Because I’m getting into intelligence, if I leave the Navy after 6 years, I could maybe work for the Pentagon or any precinct in New York City. I could become a police officer or a special agent. But who knows?

“

Barrientos: In the Navy, I’ll be able to get college credits. I can get an Associate’s degree with the five-year contract. I can also get security clearance, which means that the government will trust me with information, so I won’t be just a regular civilian when I get out of the NAVY. I’ll also be different because I’ll be a veteran; I’ll also have work experience, which will look really good to employers. After my service, I want to work on fixing computers and hardware.

Feltrin: As of now, I chose my job as a gunner’s mate, which is kind of self-explanatory. I work with all the weapons aboard a ship—I maintain them, store them, use them, fix them—everything that involves weaponry, whether it be on the ship or on shore. With the Navy, there are a lot of career opportunities. All the branches will pay for your college tuition.

When you’re in the Navy, you also get a lot of time, and you’re not in combat stress, because you’re either on the ship or on a land base, so you have a lot of time to take college classes to try and get an Associates in Criminal Justice, so that when I’m out of the military, I can get a job in the police force, whether it be State Troopers or some other government job involving police.

Diaz: Infantry. The people who really go in and fight. I picked it because I don’t really like sitting around doing nothing.

I want to see things, so I figured that the best way to see everything is to actually go there. It takes care of college tuition, going to college for Criminal Justice, and going into law enforcement and becoming a state trooper or a police officer.

Webb: Infantry, too. Those are the people who you see on MSNBC and stuff. Afterwards, I’m going to try and get started on my law enforcement career and study Criminal Justice in college.

Balbuena: I’m probably going to do SENIOR ASHLEY LOZADA

I’m terrified because I’m signing my life to something...But I’m proud of myself for making this decision, because not a lot of people can do that. combat. After the four-year service, I plan on going back to college and getting my career in Criminal Justice so that I can be a state trooper.

Feltrin: Everyone wants to be a cop.

It certainly seems so. So how do you feel about what you’ll be doing? Excited?

Scared? Etc. Callahan: I don’t really feel scared because the Navy is, as of now, unmatched by any other nation, so there’s not any real threat. There’s not really a reason to be scared.

Lozada: I feel a whole bunch of emotions. I’m terrified because I’m signing my life to something. And I’m really excited because I’ve done a lot of research on the Navy and it’s really good—I like the traveling and I like the structure. And I’m proud of myself for making this decision, because not a lot of people can do that.

Feltrin: Well, the first thought that comes to mind…is that I’m really excited. But at the same time, I’m kind of sad, because I’m leaving my family around, they’re going to be worried about me, and stuff.

And I say I’m not going to be homesick, but most likely, I’m going to be homesick.

But for the most part, I’m pretty excited, and I can’t wait until September 12th.

And it’s also helped to study about the Navy in WISE. Throughout my project, I wrote about how PT was going and how my time was at MEPS (Military Entrance Processing Station). Mine was in Brooklyn. You go there during the nighttime at a hotel and stay there overnight; there’s a big buffet and it’s fun—you see people from every branch there. Then the next day, they wake you up at 4:30 to go to MEPS. You go on a bus with all these people and then they test you physically

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TURE

and see if you’re ready to enlist. They’ll do drug and blood tests on you, they’ll check your sight and your hearing, and they’ll also check your balance. For my WISE research, I looked at the history of the Navy, the stuff that they do. Things that I didn’t really have to learn, I actually did. And every time I do my journal entries I’m always like, “Ah, sweet, Navy,” so it’s always in my daily thoughts.

Diaz: For me…I’m excited and at the same time, I’m going to be homesick. I’m going to miss my family, my girlfriend, everybody. Being away for a long time… it gets to you. Maybe you’re not thinking about it now because of all the excitement, but eventually, all that fades, and reality hits, and you’re going to be thinking about all the people who were with you from the beginning.

Webb: As these months wind down, I’m excited, I’m nervous, and I’m kind of sad, because, like they said, it’s hard to leave everything here. Because you have family here, and girlfriends, but also, again, it’s what you signed up for, and you got yourself into it.

Balbuena: I’m nervous but at the same time, excited, because I feel that it’s going to benefit me a lot and bring me a lot of good opportunities.

he always tells me that he knew I could do it. But he also said, “I won’t be sad about it, because I know you’re doing what you want, and you’re happy with it.”

Lozada: My father’s really proud of me. He was the one who brought me all the pamphlets on the Navy and got me interested in the first place. My mom doesn’t want me to go, but she’ll support me no matter what I do. My grandma is terrified, and I’m not sure how the rest of my family is going to react. I’m planning to tell them after graduation, I think, and I think I’m going to get mixed reactions, especially since some of my family is in the military already.

Diaz: My family is okay with it. They’re all really more excited, since I’ll be the first one in the military. They know that the military isn’t only there for war—they also give you a good education and they help your resume out. So they know that going…it will help me later on.

Webb: My parents, they hate it. They’re scared because they think I’m going to come home in a box. But they’re trying to ease up to it. My parents are starting to realize that this is something that I really want to do. It took me two years to get them to let me sign up, and there’s no turning back now.

Barrientos: I’m a little nervous, mainly because I don’t know what to expect. My job deals with the technology of submarines, which is kept secret from the public.

So I know that I’ll be working in Submarine Electronics Computer Field, which means that I’ll be working with submarine hardware, but I don’t know much else. I chose that job because I’ve worked with computers before and I like doing that.

Balbuena: My parents are behind me 100% in everything I do, so I’ve got a lot of support.

So now that we know about your own mixed emotions about your path, how do your families feel about what you’ve signed up to do?

Feltrin: My mom, she’s the one who doesn’t really want me to go, and she’s always bugging me, “Chris, why are you going?” But my dad, he’s proud of me and

How do you think your experience will be different from those of your classmates?

Lozada: I’m trying to get into a program that will allow me to attend school while training, so that I won’t be going into only training. But as of now, it’s kind of weird not to be going to school in the fall, be-

Barrientos: My mom is okay with it, because she knows that I’ll be getting a lot of benefits from it. My dad’s the same— he was also in the Navy, and he tried for a submarine job, so he’s relieved that I got that job, which was my first choice.

cause I didn’t want a break. And although it might take me a little longer to get a job, in the long run, I think my time in the Navy is going to allow me to be really successful, and some classmates will have more trouble getting jobs that they love.

Barrientos: It will take me a longer time to get a job, because I’m going to be in the NAVY for five years, then I will have to go back to school. But it will be worth it in the end.

Do you think that it’s something that more kids here should consider doing?

Diaz: Yeah, I do. I think that the military is a good opportunity for a lot of kids who aren’t too sure about college and don’t want to go to Middlesex and aren’t going to get accepted at other places. And the military’s good because you can get college credits without even going to college.

It’s free, and I think it’s the best thing you possibly can do.

Lozada: If you’re debating whether or not to go to school, and you don’t have money, have negative things going on in your life, and don’t want a job at Walmart or something, then the military is a great option. It teaches you discipline and allows you to look for a great job that gets you excited about what you’re doing. And your work involves protecting your country, which is pretty cool. And when you get out of your service, your resume will look a lot more impressive than others if you have your service in the Navy or the other branches, because you’ve already been working for the government.

Webb: If you have no other options senior year—no money, can’t afford college—I feel like the military is your best option, because it’s free and you’ll be doing jobs that you want to do after college.

Balbuena: I agree. People just think about the negatives about going into the military, and they don’t think about the positives—they pay for your education and they give you a lot of benefits whether you’re active or reserve, and kids can get a lot of opportunities no matter where they

go in the military.

Feltrin: A lot of people always take the military as a last resort, but really, it should be a first priority because of how much it has to offer for you and the big family that it is. It just has so many opportunities and so much hands-on training.

Look at someone who graduated college and wants to be a police officer. Of course, he’s got the four-year degree, but does he have the discipline that a military person would have? Does he have the experience with weaponry or experience with actually seeing people?

Barrientos: Yes, because going straight to college and getting a bachelor’s degree doesn’t guarantee you a good job, which you need to pay off college debt. The work experience and the references that you get from working for the military are worth it.

It seems like you all considered the financial and other benefits of your decision, but if you had to choose one reason why you joined, what would it be?

Webb: I’ll give you one word…Everything. All the benefits.

Balbuena: Same as James – everything.

Feltrin: Service to my country.

Diaz: The biggest one is fighting for my country. That one got me a lot because it makes me think…I’m not saying I would be one, but I did always want to be a hero when I was younger.

Barrientos: The benefits.

Lozada: To experience life to the fullest; I didn’t want to just go to college, get a job, stay around here, then be home all the time, like a lot of other people. I want to see the world.

The paths of these six seniors will differ starkly than those of most of their fellow classmates. Their determination, bravery, and commitment are to be distinguished and admired as we part our ways.

JUNE 2013, THE HIGHLAND FLING

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FEATURE Words from the Class of 2013 Xuewei Ouyang and Amy Wang

With one foot already out the door, seniors everywhere have put down their pencils, closed their textbooks and succumbed to senioritis. In a few days, the Class of 2013 will have officially left the halls of Highland Park High School. Before they’re gone, however, The Fling asked them for their last piece of advice to underclassmen as a reflection of the last four years spent in high school.

Sarah Rozaidi “Manage your time. Don’t procrastinate, but also have fun while you’re at it. Get involved in more activities and clubs, and enjoy high school while it lasts!”

Sushma Gangisetty “Don’t be afraid to try something new even if it’s a little out of your comfort zone. High school will be over before you know it so make the best of it and just have fun!”

Alex Vanarthos “Don’t take yourself too seriously.”

Rachel Kim “Don’t be lazy!”

Davanna McCarthy “If you have the opportunity to skip class, do it!”

Elvin Rivera “Do not slack off because it will bite you in the butt.

Also, save up your money for senior year!”

Jessica Reyes “Good luck with the new benchmarks!”

Jacob Ervin

DOTFILMPHOTO

“Listen to your teachers.”

Jenna Johnson “Don’t procrastinate!”

Thulani Hove “Enjoy it while it lasts.”

Adrian Gillerman “While you shouldn’t force yourself into classes you don’t want to be in and won’t learn, always take classes whose subjects are enjoyable, regardless of the work load.”

Middle School: the Good, the Bad, and the Awkward Believe it or not, every single student and teacher in this school was at one time a middle schooler, and chances are, they all had pretty embarrassing moments, as every middle schooler must. Previously, the memories from these ages would gradually fade, never to be pondered upon or made fun of again. However, we now have social media sites that make it extremely easy to dig up our old selves: the good, the bad, and the awkward. After carefully searching through many chats and old Buzz posts, the following have been deemed the most awkward, random, and just plain weird.

Although these chats were the most bizarre and random, almost all follow a similar pattern. Most start with the standard, “whats up? nm. wassup with u? nm….” Then they moved into to a random topic, filled with many fun emotes, plenty of buttered grammar and spelling, and THE HIGHLAND FLING, JUNE 2013

Shana Oshinskie

Names have been removed to protect the identities of the speakers.

lotttttttttssssssss offffffff exxxxxxxtra lettttttttttters. Mild curse words were sprinkled affectionately throughout, and it all ended with a quick “g2g bby <3 .”

After finding these posts, those who donated gave comments; without exception, everyone groaned and said something similar to, “Did I actually say that?” Luckily though, it didn’t seem to bother most students. William Chen, Rasheka Krishan, and “Sandra,” all freshmen, say that they can now laugh it off; Danielle Benesch, a fellow 9th grader, however, agreed but pointed out “It’s hard not to feel at least a little ashamed.”

Oh, middle school. Although it embarrasses some, maybe the years have been looked at the wrong way.

Sure, everyone was awkward and said some regrettable things. However, it truly is something that everyone goes through, and you wouldn’t be who you are today without those important formative years. So, brush off the embarrassment and embrace your awkward, annoying, strange middle school self.

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FEATURE Letter from the Editors The Highland Fling is one of the most simultaneously rewarding and unrewarding pursuits an HPHS student can take during high school. The hours spent writing articles, editing others’, and laying out the paper have taken up countless nights and weekends. The wee hours of the morning, spent desperately trying to finish that last page; the challenges of managing a staff of 40 students, of establishing a healthy relationship with the administration, and trying to advance student journalism in the digital age have plagued our high school careers. But the final product always makes that toil worth it.

Last year, after finding out that we were going to lead The Fling, we delved deep into the stacks of the Media Center and found that our beloved paper dates back to the 1920s. The origins of its name are still unknown.

We tried to find out several times, but the closest explanation seems to be that the paper was named after a Scottish folk dance (we hypothesized that this was an inside joke at the beginning of the 20th century).

Although the name remained a mystery, seeing The Fling in its crumbling glory made us more determined than ever to produce a paper that would remain relevant for the school. That meant that we concentrated on a couple different aspects of the paper. We worked to incorporate the entire, diverse student body into our content; The Fling would no longer be a place where writers would talk to one another about school issues and pop culture. We cleaned up the layout of the paper, stressing continuity and simplicity, and we launched The Fling’s website.

To diversify student opinion represented in the paper, we enforced the rule that a member of The Fling could not be interviewed if he/she could be avoided with more gusto than before. To simplify the layout of the paper, we revamped the format over the summer and incorporated the critique gained from our trip to the Columbia Student Press Association’s annual spring conference. Layout was made much easier this year because we were lucky enough to receive two computers, complete with the Adobe Design Suite, from the HP Educational Foundation. The third endeavor – the website – was, by far, the most difficult. Two years ago, The Fling began its web career, but the cost of the upkeep of the site and the complications surrounding its maintenance rendered this first site unusable. This year, The Fling experimented with various forms of social media, including Facebook, Twitter, Google Sites, and finally, our current home, Wordpress. Along the way, we learned about the legal complications surrounding journalism via social media sites. So we had to end most of our work on Facebook and Twitter and instead focused on our administration-approved website.

Wordpress poses its own problems, but the domain is free and the layout is simple and clean. We began the process of transitioning time-sensitive articles to the

website, while reserving larger feature stories to our paper editions. The website process was probably one of the most frustrating, since we were in its pioneer stage, in part because New Jersey has stricter privacy laws

than any other state, but one. However, we learned how to be creative, relished our capacity to incorporate video and color, and anticipated the days when The Fling would be online completely. Journalism is moving in an electronic direction, and this is especially true for teenagers, so The Fling must adjust to meet the needs of students.

There is still so much to be accomplished. The Fling will never be a perfect publication. Due to the size of HPHS, and the scheduling conflicts which arise from its small size, there has not been, for more than five years, a class which teaches the basic tenets of journalism. Therefore, editors of The Fling must cope with a wide range of writing styles. In an ideal world for us, this class would run every year, and the production of the paper would be tied to this class. Also, since the paper is an extracurricular club, not a class, commitment has always been, and always will be a challenge.

To try and boost loyalty to the paper, we started picking Articles of the Month, publishing our chosen article on our bulletin board and awarding a prize to the winning writer. However, writers of The Fling should understand that the paper can only be meaningfully produced with 110% effort and commitment. We would also love

to see an improved relationship between the HPHS administration and faculty and The Fling. Each teacher at our school is an expert on something, whether their area of expertise is basketball or linear algebra, and thus, for almost every article, a member of staff should be consulted. Also, the paper and the administration should continuously support one another; not always in content, but by the promotion of student journalism.

Finally, and this wish comes with a twinge of guilt, because we neglected this aspect of the paper this year, but The Fling must become more self-sufficient by incorporating advertisements from local businesses.

The Fling still has a long way to go, but we have made progress this year, and in the past few years.

This improvement could not have happened without the ceaseless help and advice of some very important people. So there are a lot of thank-yous to dish out.

First, thanks so much to Mr. Roche, who took over this year as our full-time advisor. He has been there to mediate between the reckless editing staff and the adults who run this school, to comfort in times of frustration, and to criticize actions that harmed the reputation of the paper. Sometimes, a high schooler’s mind fails to comprehend the consequences of printing something; Mr. Roche has always been there to ask, “Are you sure you want to do that?” Thanks to the administration, for taking the time to sit in meetings and be interviewed by our staff. Thanks to Mande Younge, the quasi-Editor-in-Chief of The Fling from 2011-2012, who has always given advice and feedback on the paper. Thanks to Sam Finegold, Editor-in-Chief from 2010-2011, for helping to rework the layout. Thanks to our editors, for their passion and time spent in planning meetings, thanks to our staff, for all of their hard work and time invested in this crazy production. And final, thanks to our readers, because without you, The Fling would have no purpose. Everyone should join The Fling, because it’s an incredibly rewarding and humbling experience. As a writer, you talk to people you never would have spoken to about issues you never could have imagined writing about; as a section editor, you help your peers to improve and, in the process, improve your own writing; as a chief editor, you learn management and design skills that are inaccessible elsewhere in the high school, and you live with the pride of operating a student-run production. The Fling is one of the largest clubs in the school, but unlike other clubs, it is unique in the amount of independence it has. It teaches you how to write, how to empathize, and how to appreciate our school and our community.

Sorry for leading you on, HPHS! -Charlotte and Xuewei

Farewell, Ms. Maccarone

Best Wishes, Mr. Yarasheski

Oscar Lee At the end of this school year, Ms. Maccarone, be able to see them for lunch or dinner. Highland administrative assistant, will be retiring. The Park is very unique, in that it is such a small Highland Fling sat down with her to reflect on town. Everybody knows everybody else. years past and years to come.

Sometimes that is good and sometimes that is bad.

It is good because most people are so kind and How long have you been at this school? How helpful, but it is bad because there are few secrets does the school now compare to when you first in Highland Park. worked here?

I have been in the district since 1989. I started What do you look forward to in retirement? as a substitute paraprofessional/secretary all Are you going on any trips in the immediate over the district. I progressed from being a future? paraprofessional in the main office at Irving, After I retire, I will be getting my house here to being a paraprofessional in the High School in town ready to go on the market to be sold. I Library, to being the Attendance Secretary in the want to go to an adult community down the shore High School, to finally being in the High School either in Brick or Lakewood. The cost of living Main Office. When I worked in the library, I think is a little cheaper down there and I won’t have to the student body was a little smaller. As always, worry about yard care and snow shoveling. My you have students that are wonderful, and those brother and sister-in-law live in Brick and my that are not. The staff has always been very kind mom is in a nursing home in Lakewood. It will to me, and I will miss them very much. There are be nice to be closer to them. My daughter lives some students that I will miss as well, but I will and works in Manhattan so I can pick her up at probably see them around town for as long as I the train station in Edison, or Bay Head Junction, am here. so my moving will have no effect on her. I just want to say I wish every one good health and What will you miss the most about this school? happiness in the future.

What do you find unique about Highland Ms. Maccarone, The Highland Fling would Park? like to wish you good health and happiness in the As I said before, I will miss my friends very future as well. Thank you for your contributions much, but I will be in town for a while and I will to our school and community.

Elena Weissmann Mr. Y: Yes, I enjoyed my time At the end of the year, Mr. Yarasheski, the current head of the here. It’s a neat school.

Guidance Department, is leaving What was your favorite moment HPHS. He brightened the halls of the high school with his smile and as a guidance counselor? the help and advice he gave to stuMr. Y: In a general sense, my dents about their classes, exams, favorite moments were all the and lives. He will be missed! times that we recognized students for the unique or good things that So, I’ve heard you’re leaving they did, such as at the studentHPHS this year for a job elseof-the-month breakfasts, senior where. What is your new job award night, and student-of-thegoing to be, and where? year banquets.

Mr. Y: I will be a guidance Are you excited for your new counselor at Hillsborough High job?

School.

Why did you decide to take that job, if that’s okay for me to ask?

Mr. Y: Excited but nervous…

Mr. Y: I’m leaving because there’s an opportunity associated with that job that I wanted to access.

Did you enjoy your time here at HPHS? JUNE 2013, THE HIGHLAND FLING

12

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Earl Sweatshirt’s Doris: Why You Should Be Excited

Playlist: Summer’s Here!

Earl’s work.

Earl Sweatshirt and Odd Future’s music offers Thebe Neruda Kgositsile, better known by his more than meets the eye. Feminist and LGBT stage name Earl Sweatshirt, is possibly the most groups have objected to its often misogynistic talented member of Odd Future, a popular rap and homophobic language and subject matter, collective based in Los Angeles (whose membut this isn’t exactly a fair way to categorize the bership includes Tyler the Creator and Frank band. When analyzing rap, most mainstream Ocean). After the release of Sweatshirt’s first music critics simply look past the technique and album, EARL, he was sent to a reform school wordplay that make certain rappers legendary, in Samoa by his mother. Finally released from and look only at subject matter – which is not Samoa on his 18th birthday in early 2012, he was the only reason people listen to music. This thrust upon a hip-hop and indie music communi- outlook on rap is a limited view of a complex ty eager for new material. While Earl has been genre, and one that imposes a standard that other in the public eye for far less time than his band genres, such as rock, aren’t subjected to. mates, he shows incredible potential as a muEarl’s other two recent songs, “Chum” and sical force. With the release of songs “Home,” “Whoa,” display distinct moods. “Chum” is a “Chum,” and “Whoa,” and much anticipation watershed moment for Earl, portraying Earl’s for his upcoming album Doris, Earl Sweatshirt thoughts about his recent fame and absent father promises to exceed expectations. with frankness and honesty. “Whoa,” on the What makes Earl Sweatshirt the best rapper other hand, is a return to form for Earl, with a in Odd Future is simple: he has the best rhymes beat reminiscent of Odd Future’s 2010 output. It and wordplay of the group, and his output is also includes his previously displayed free-form consistently excellent. For instance, in the song lyrical structure and his characteristic wordplay.

“Home,” released shortly after Earl’s return from Earl Sweatshirt has released three excellent Samoa, Earl drops this line: “Popping like the singles, and collaborations have been announced top of a bottle of hot Javascript” (“Pop” is a with the most creative minds in modern music, Javascript function that removes the object at the including BADBADNOTGOOD, Pharrell Wiltop of a stack and returns the value). This line is liams, and Flying Lotus; the upcoming album an extremely impressive way of saying that Earl Doris is one of the most highly-anticipated is the best rapper around. By relating Javascript musical projects of 2013, and may prove to be to a bottle, this line also references the popular one of the best. nickname for coffee, java. This sort of intricate, referential wordplay is displayed in much of

Zoe Temple

Gabe Trevor

Designed for blasting at full volume out of car speakers with the windows down, this upbeat playlist will surely match your joyful summer vibes. Get prepared to celebrate!

Gold on the Ceiling the Black Keys Awooga Calvin Harris Call It What You Want Foster the People I Love It Icona Pop (featuring Charli XCX) Warrior Kimbra Nishio Lemaitre Internet Killed the Video Star the Limousines The Sun Maroon 5 All of This the Naked and Famous 1983 Neon Trees

THE HIGHLAND FLING, JUNE 2013

13

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT What Are You Listening To, HPHS? Chris Zhou

Thomas Li

Caleb Aspy

Freshman Music of choice: Electronic music Why: “It pumps me up for exercise and studying.”

Sophomore Music of choice: Country music, Christian rap Why: “For country, it’s the kind of music I grew up in. Christian rap I just like to listen to because some friends recommended it over the summer.”

Christiana Fabito

Balint Balassa

Sophomore Music of choice: Pop music Why: “I don’t know… I just like pop.”

Junior Music of choice: Classical, ranging from 16th century to modern composition.

Why: “Mozart is my inspiration in life.”

John Marin

Harry Landis

Senior Music of choice: Rock, indie, alternative, some rap.

Specifics include Blink 182 and Eminem.

Why: “Well, I listen to rap as well as some rock for motivation. Others are because of the meaning of the songs. Lyrics are the most important. Also, I enjoy Eminem before games or competitions.”

THE HIGHLAND FLING, JUNE 2013

Junior Music of choice: Rock, songs on the radio until they get repetitive Why: “I play in a band and so I draw inspiration from the rock music I listen to.”

Inspire

HPHS Orchestra Concert Review Xuewei Ouyang

Inspire. That’s what the Highland Park High School and Middle School Orchestra aimed to do during their spring 2013 concert that took place on Wednesday evening, April 24th. With “Inspire” as the theme of the concert, in addition to inspiring with their music, before each piece, members of the orchestra read a related quote to inspire the audience. The middle school ensembles, Vivace and Sinfonia, began the concert with four pieces, “Afterburn” by Brian Balmages, “In the Final Analysis” by George Sweet, “Coiled!” by Bob Lipton, and “Cancion del Amor” by Tim McCarrick.

The high school ensemble, Philharmonic, then followed with two pieces. The high school soloists of the night were senior Boning Zhao, senior Jacob Choi, senior John Gaertner, junior Grace Chong, freshman Renee Delameter, and freshman Peeranat Suksucheep.

The first piece, “Introduction and Allegro”

by DeBoismortier, arranged by R. McCashin, was conducted by orchestra director, Ms. Feng’s student teacher, Christine Wang. The piece was characterized by dramatic phrases and contrast in tempo. The second piece, “Possibilities”, as its name suggests, was one of the most inspiring of the evening. Senior Hannah Stern recited the quote that the piece was based off of: “Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark. In the hopeless swamps of the not quite, the not yet, and the not at all, do not let the hero in your soul perish and leave only frustration for the life you deserved, but never have been able to reach. The world you desire can be won, it exists, it is real, it is possible, it is yours.” Reflected in the lovely piano part and moving melody, the piece’s message was aimed to encourage all students to follow their dreams despite whatever obstacles they face.

Next, the middle school Sinfonia and high school Philharmonic played, “Heart of Fire” by Lauren Bernofsky, a piece that helped them win first place superior gold at a recent competition.

For the finale, the full Highland Park Orchestra, which includes several members of the high school band, played “Ride” by Jeffery S. Bishop.

Although the orchestra once again demonstrated their skills and expertise during the course of the evening, this concert, in particular, stood out with its unifying theme, “Inspire”, a choice that will hopefully be continued in the future.

Despite being one of the many underappreciated organizations and clubs of HPHS, the orchestra continues to shine, not only putting on an excellent concert, but also winning first place superior gold at a major competition, the World Strides Heritage Competition, at Riverside Church in New York.

School from all over the country, and even from Canada, participated in this major competition.

Highland Park competed in the 1A level, which was designated for schools with a student body size of less than 600.

In her eighth year as orchestra director, Ms. Feng expressed her delight at their success this year and also shared some of their goals for next year, “We have a lot of talented incoming middle school students. Because we’re going to be so much stronger next year, I want to try to expose our ensemble outside of New Jersey, if possible, or around New Jersey through more festivals and performances.”

Next week, the orchestra plans on submitting a CD to Carnegie Hall in hopes of landing a stage at the esteemed concert hall next year.

Overall, the HPHS orchestra has had a highly successful year and shows no plans of declining.

On the contrary, the ensemble has its sights on better performances and bigger stages for the next school year. With more talented members on the way, the orchestra will definitely continue to excel and, more importantly, to inspire.

This article, along with many more, can be found at The Fling’s website: thehighlandfling.wordpress.com

14

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Summer Fashion at HPHS Hannah Weaver Springtime is a haven for those who prefer Prada to pajamas, during which warm sweatpants and winter shivers get traded in for tank tops and bright self-expression. Spring fashion is both a favorite and a burden at Highland Park High School; students excitedly anticipate the first time the thermometer surpasses 60, while faculty groan at the number of girls in shortshorts they’re forced to scold or send home. But despite the occasional courageous rule-breakers, many of the students at HPHS see spring as a time to embrace their (school-appropriate) styles and show off their favorite trends.

The universal “favorite spring trend” might seem

obvious: shorts and a t-shirt! However, the spring trends of 2013 take this basic look and spin it 1,000 different ways. The main styles this year focus on comfort – casual clothing is a huge hit this spring. Additionally, decades of fashion have reappeared on the runways: in the tea-length skirts of the ‘50s, the flowing maxi-dresses and “flower child” look of the ‘60s, the high-waisted shorts and circle skirts of the ‘70s, the neon athletic gear of the ‘80s, and the “grunge look” of the ‘90s. Spring 2013 combines elements of past decades in an unusual fusion in which comfort meets chic.

Several years ago, anybody would tell you how you shouldn’t mix patterns, how you shouldn’t wear den-

STUDENT ARTWORK Tia Wangli

Above: junior Emily Merino shows off a denim shirt, floral blouse, and skinny jeans.

im-on-denim, how you shouldn’t show too much skin at formal events. Spring 2013 fashion pushes these boundaries; denim-on-denim is “in,” no matter the wash or make of the clothes! Mix and match patterns, and nobody will judge your florals against your stripes and tribal patterns (three very popular trends this season).

Comfort is key in the warmer seasons, and both runways and cheap retailers are alive with vibrant color and casual ease.

Despite the lack of time (and energy) in the morning required to assemble a cute outfit, the girls at HPHS are quite up-to-date on the styles this spring. Samantha Lanni, a junior, noted her love for high-waisted skirts paired with crop-tops or bralettes. Xuewei Ouyang, a senior, pointed out the prominence of cut-outs in spring dresses, while Nechama Hanoch (junior) and Amy Wang (senior) both declared their love for maxi-skirts.

Sylvia Marks (senior) brought the “boyfriend” trend to my attention: baggy “boyfriend” cardigans and cropped “boyfriend” jeans, along with boyish beanies and scarves, inhabit many girls’ closets this season. Dimitra Xenopoulou and Ashley Lozada (both seniors) displayed their matching outfits with pride; the girls’ bright red shorts and blue-and-white striped shirts nicely completed a patriotic look – another huge trend this season.

Comfort is absolutely key this spring, and that comfort comes in endless possibilities; whether you crave the couture found on the runways or prefer to wear your nicest sweats to school, spring 2013 has a trend for you!

Below: seniors Dimitra Xenopoulou (left) and Ashley Lozada (right) model striped shirts and brightly-colored shorts.

Amita Shukla

JUNE 2013, THE HIGHLAND FLING

15

SPORTS Credits Where Credit Is Due Annie McCrone

Above:senior Varsity athletes play bocce during their gym class. Clockwise from front left: Elizabeth Diaz, Rachel Miller, Sylvia Marks, Kate Yan, and Angelica Villanueva.

HPHS students have often complained about the four years they must spend in gym, and the most frequent criticisms come from our varsity athletes. Should students who are on our school sports teams be exempt from gym class while still receiving the credits for it that they need to graduate? Numerous students, coaches, and teachers support this idea.

Mr. Ruckdeschel, the girls’ soccer coach, is in favor of it: “I think that they’re getting a harder workout in varsity sports than they are in gym and I think that gym is at risk of injuring them.” Surprisingly, Mr. Nobles, a gym teacher, sees the benefits of it as well: “It’s not like you’re not getting that activity on a daily basis.” This is the argument that most people make: since students playing varsity sports are already exercising, they can do something else instead of gym.

One varsity student said they could take an AP class or elective that would help them get their requirements done. Interestingly, Nobles argues that students should only be exempt for that seasons that they play.

“For the rest of the year, you’d be in P.E.” In that case, students would only have the opportunity to fill up their time with an elective.

On the other side of the argument, there are other teachers. Unexpectedly, there are varsity students who are against the idea of varsity sports credits as well.

Ms. Washington, softball coach and gym teacher, doesn’t like the idea. “I think the varsity athletes should be our best students in phys-ed, and they’re the ones setting an athletic example.” She has a good point, which is that other kids might not be motivated to participate in gym if they didn’t have a good example. The varsity kids can encourage the other kids. One varsity student commented, “Everyone should still do gym. It teaches you to be an all-around athletic person.” This is also true, and is one of the reasons why gym is required all four years.

Despite valid arguments for establishing varsity sports credits, HPHS is not likely to instate such a policy. However it’s an interesting topic to discuss because there’s such a controversy. In addition, as a small school, it would not necessarily be guaranteed that students would be able to take AP classes instead of gym. It’s a concern that gym could potentially injure varsity kids, but there’s a reason why it’s required.

Students’ Love-Hate Relationship with Gym Sarah Cheng

Students' Favorite Subjects

Arts & Music 13%

Social Studies 15%

Sciences 10% Mathematics 18%

Technology&Finance 11%

Foreign Languages 8%

When asked to name the easiest and most enjoyable class in HP High School, 17% of the students surveyed answered, “Gym.” It is not difficult to see where these students are coming from. Gym is an active class where we can socialize with friends in a lively environment, as opposed to sitting at a desk while jotting down the notes to another lecture. It serves as a mental break between exhausting classes, designed to let students take a little time off from schoolwork to stretch and stay in shape. Surprisingly, not many students appreciate this opportunity. In fact, there is a myth circulating that gym is the most despised class in the school due to the requirement to change and actually participate in physical activities. The Fling decided to investigate this topic by interviewing fellow students on what they

THE HIGHLAND FLING, JUNE 2013

Language Arts 8% Gym&Health 17%

felt about this subject.

Indeed, when questioned, some students did strongly assert their opinion of how much they dislike gym. According to Lena Copperman, gym should be spaced out more evenly. Once in a while she gets overworked with pushups, sit-ups, and other fitness exercises that make her really sore the next day, yet there are weeks where the only thing she does is box-ball. In contrast, Jana Choi would like gym to focus more on fitness instead of short sports units, since in the end gym is about physical exercise. In addition, Jacob Rothberg feels that sometimes the gym teachers choose the wrong days to go outside, and stay inside when it’s actually nice out.

Based on the information provided, it seems that the disliked aspects of gym are

purely based upon personal preference – what pleases one student is exactly what another student wants to avoid, like the case with Lena and Jana. One would rather not have such intense fitness, whereas the other would like to focus more on it.

With such a diverse student body, there is no way for gym as a single class to satisfy the criteria of every student.

On the other end of the spectrum, some students gave overwhelming positive reviews on the class. Pavan Thella, a freshman, is amazed that nobody is hurt in his class yet! Although it is pretty chaotic, he says that it is also exciting, entertaining, and one of his favorite classes. Emily Merino, a junior, says that she loves gym because of Mr. Sclafani, who is “sweet and always makes gym fun.” Similarly, Sam Lee, a sophomore, loves gym

because, “Mr. Nobles is chill and has a perfectly-shaped head.”

Other students, however, decided to stay neutral on the subject. David Isaacson, a sophomore, says that while he likes the overall class, he prefers some portions of it over others. For example, he believes going outside is a lot more productive than focusing on specific units such as baseball or fitness, because students have more fun and accomplish more. David also said that it is normal for some students to dislike gym, just like any other class.

All in all, The Fling concluded that the myth that gym is the most hated subject as exactly what it is – a myth. Just like any other subject, some students love it, some hate it, others neither love nor hate it, and life goes on.

16

SPORTS PLAYER PROFILE

FUN & GAMES

Jacob Choi

Difficulty: Hard

Name: Joe Ambrosio Grade: 11 Sport: Track & Field

Joe Ambrosio is a track runner who runs 800m, a mile, and the 4X400 relay. He did not have as much interest in track as he did last year, but he now is a great captain of the team and always tries his best to encourage the rest of the team, as well as himself.

Ambrosio aimed to get a personal best in his mile.

What are your proudest moments from the season?

My proudest moment from this season is beating Dunellen because they’ve always been really good and the fact that we beat them speaks to all the hard work we’ve put in this year. Also, we have a really good shot at winning the Gold Division championships, which would be awesome.

How have you improved? Could you include some times?

I haven’t really been satisfied all-around with how I’ve been running. I ran a personal record in the mile against Dunellen and have been splitting times. I’m really happy with the 4x400, but I haven’t been running the times I’ve been wanting to in the 800 which is my best event. I’m hoping to break through the wall and run a personal record in the 800 at either GMCs, sectionals, or both.

What does running mean to you?

A lot of times at the end of a grueling workout I will think to myself “Why do I do this?” but running fast always makes it worth it. I really like the competition and that for the most part it’s an individual sport so at the end of the day there’s not really anywhere else to look other than yourself if you don’t run well.

So, I really like the competition and the challenge of dropping my times, which always makes the really hard workouts worth it.

How do you overcome tiredness in a race – that moment when you don’t feel like you can continue?

In practice it helps to have someone with you to push you through a workout, but if you are by

yourself it helps me to think about the times I want to run. When I want to stop, I will think about losing a close race to someone from another school, or about the specific time that I want to run in an event.

During races I don’t usually feel tired until after it is over, but it really helps me to hear splits when I’m running a race because it gives me something to think about instead of how much pain I’m in. If I hear a split when I’m running the mile, instead of thinking “this sucks” I start doing the math and calculations in my head to see what pace I am running at and this really helps to take my mind off of things.

It also helps a lot when there are people running near you because in a close race your competitive nature kicks in and you want to do everything you can to beat the guy next to you.

What are the goals for your senior year?Next year I want to drop all my times from this year (I won’t have specific times in mind until after this season) and I’d like for the team to win the Gold Division.

I’d also like to qualify for states in at least the 800 and the mile, and I would like for as many Owls runners as possible to move on to states too.

Who is your role model regarding track? Why and how does he/she help you?

I don’t really have a specific role model but having coaches and people around you really helps. Coach Davis and all the other coaches really believe in me and help push me which is great and helps me be the best runner I can be.

Ambrosio finished up his junior year track season slightly dissatisfied, but having made massive progress. He finished first in the HP 5 K, running an 18:42. His best 400 meter-run was a 52.7 (down from a 54.5), his best 800 a 2:04 (down from a 2:08), and his best 1600 (mile) a 4:52. His season record was very impressive, but Joe was disappointed with missing his spot to place in the State championships and for not lowering his 800 time to where he wanted it to be. But he has continued to make a name for the HP track program.

The Fling Congratulates the Class of 2013!

Above: Ambrosio (second from right) prepares for his 800-meter race in HP’s last home meet; below, Ambrosio comes in on the home stretch of his mile.

But if you’re not graduating on June 24th, be sure to join The Fling in September!

JUNE 2013, THE HIGHLAND FLING