The Wessex Wire The Student Newspaper of West Essex Regional High School
Vol. LVI No. 4
65 West Greenbrook Road, North Caldwell, N.J.
thewessexwire.com
March 2016
Fears of cancer cluster rise in Roseland By Courtney Pappas ’16
In the last eight years, there has been at least seven different teens from Roseland diagnosed with cancer. On Feb. 2, 2008, Meghan Gambichler, then 15 years old, was diagnosed with Lymphoma. Who knew that eight years later, Meghan would be one of seven teens to be diagnosed? It became an annual diagnosis, as teens from their town were consecutively given the tragic news. “I can’t believe how many kids have been harmed in our school,” senior Jake Schatz said. “It is as if this has become an annual occurrence and it almost sounds casual to people. Something should be researched.” Even after so many cases have surfaced, no investigations in Roseland have been conducted. According to the National Institute of Health, this type of situation could be a “cancer cluster.” According to the NIH, a cancer cluster is defined “as occurrence of a greater than expected number of cancer cases among a group of people in a defined geographic area over a specific time period.” The problem in researching these cases is actually finding the causes within them. In most research that has been done, the causes are from
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At some point in the last 10 years, it seems as if familiarity with cancer has continued to perpetually strike a little too close to home. —Meghan Gambichler
something in the environment such as fumes from buildings, chemical plants or toxins. “The three big environmental possibilities that come to my mind are the water supply, atmospheric conditions and types of homes in Roseland,” said Environmental Science teacher Mr. Martin. While people may claim that the increase in teen cancer diagnosis could simply be a coincidence, the situation should be further researched. Pinpointing the answer can be extremely difficult, however, when considering so many factors. According to cancer.gov, determining whether or not these situations are actually situations is the hard part. One of the hardships in following this type of research is keeping track with which residents are moving in and out of the town. According to cancer.gov, “it typically takes a long time for
cancer to develop, and any relevant exposure may have occurred in the past or in a different geographic area from where the cancer was diagnosed.” Though Roseland has not been under investigation thus far, this issue has been relevant. Residents of Roseland are aware of the high number of diagnosed teens, and they cannot help but wonder if there is more to the story. Having seven teens all between the ages of 15-20 being diagnosed of some sort of cancer is an odd occurrence and many township residents believe the solution could potentially be found through research. “At some point in the last 10 years, it seems as if this familiarity with cancer has continued to perpetually strike a little too close to home.” said survivor Meghan Gambichler. “One begins to wonder if it is truly just a coincidence or not.”
If this situation were to be investigated, it would be looked at by a local health department. From there, it would be researched in order to determine whether or not this is cancer cluster or just a tragic coincidence. If hypothetically Roseland was defined as a cancer cluster, then the research would continue to find the source. Mr. Martin suggested in seeing if Roseland has records of water quality tests. “The EPA has laws in place that make water testing mandatory
in every public water supply in the United States,” Mr. Martin said. “While no one wants to know that they are living in a cancer cluster, having Roseland investigated would be better safe than sorry.” “After my diagnosis in 2008, it goes without saying that I instantly became more aware of the prevalence of cancers all around me,” Gambichler said. “The unfortunate fact about this horrific disease is that it does not only affect you, but it affects all.
Students branch out of classroom with European tour By Anthony Gagliardi ’16
T h rou g h out t h e s u m m e r months, it is easy to spot a lot of students that tend to tune out what was learned in the classroom throughout the 10 months. Rather than retaining the knowledge learned and crammed during the 180 school days, most students look forward to relaxing and filling their time with other activities found outside the classroom. In an effort to try to grow out of that habit, students had the opportunity to join a 10 day trip provided by Education First tours in order to scope out some of Europe’s hottest sights.
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“In the old school districts I worked at, students would be going on these trips every year, exploring a different region of the world, and coming back with new experiences,” said social studies teacher Ms. Fernicola, who is the group leader for the extracurricular Europe trip. “I wanted the students at West Essex to have that opportunity as well.” The 10 day summer getaway is not a formal school function, but Education First gives students the opportunity to retain what they learned in class and apply it to the real world. Emily Miller and Margaret Ribardo, who are both signed
3-4 Opinion
up for this year’s trip, expressed their excitement. “I cannot wait to see some of these hot spots because you always hear just how spectacular they are, but I bet it’s even more exhilarating in person,” Emily Miller said. “This trip gives me the opportunity to finally experience what other countries have to offer,” Ribardo said. The 10 day itinerary, traveling to Dublin, London and Paris, hitting famous museums and taking in the European lifestyle on the way. With the help of tour guides native to each area, students will be able to experience a firsthand view of how different lifestyles and cultures ex-
FBI undermines Apple’s freedom
6-7 Health
ist. Students will depart July 11 and return on July 20. The 18 students and four adult chaperones will be surrounded and consumed within each country’s culture, pushing them to venture out into unfamiliar lifestyles and witness some of the historical sights learned in the classroom. The trip starts off with a flight landing in Dublin, Ireland, where the students will spend two days. Next is a ferry to Great Britain, with a bus transporting them through cities such as Holyhead, North Wales, Stratford and finally London. After spending a total of four days in Great Britain, students will board a Eurostar train and
Lifestyle tips for healthy living
5 & 8 Features
travel through the chunnel, which connects Great Britain and France, arriving in the capital city of Paris. Throughout the trip, students will walk through famous museums and visit tourist hot spots. While in France, students will see the Louvre, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Latin Quarter and other sights, as well as taking an exclusive trip to Versailles. “I know the common belief is that a 10 day trip with that many destinations might feel too cramped, but when you are experiencing it, time seems to fly by,” Ms. Fernicola said. “I hope this year’s trip brings back many memories.”
‘Follow’ Mr. W.E. contestants to crown
The Wessex Wire: News
March 2016
Page 2
Fashion, biotech lead new courses By Melanie Montesdeoca ’18 The start of the 2016-2017 school year brings not only new faculty and students, but also an array of elective options to choose from. Fashion Illustration, Journalism I, Big History Honors, AP Computer Science Principles and Biotechnology Honors are the new elective options. Before you finalize your schedule for the upcoming school year, you may want to check out some of these courses. Fashion Illustration Ms. Rizzi, who graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. With the use of design makers and vellum paper, students will create their own fashion illustrations. “Some of my students are very serious about pursuing careers in the fashion industry,” Ms. Rizzi said. “Students thinking of taking Fashion Illustration do not need to have any formal drawing skills in order to take this course.” Ms. Rizzi wants the course to grow and teach students about the industry. Journalism I Journalism I is taught by English teacher and The Wessex Wire adviser Mr. Hermosilla. Journalism I is currently a half year elective focusing on teaching students to write in various styles. The implementation of a full course will be a mix of the current Journ I and II classes, bringing in aspects of multimedia, photojournalism and writing online. “It builds on what’s already there, and adds more modern, updated features, since most news
is consumed online these days,” Mr. Hermosilla said. He said he wants to shake up the entire program, by expanding the website, thewessexwire.com, with more video, photos and other multimedia stories. GRAPHIC BY HEATH KALB
Big History Honors Ms. Wall is teaching Big History Honors, which educated students on the background of the Big Bang and its impact on the universe. Bob Bain, Bill Gates and Ms. Wall’s sister influenced her to create the course. Ms. Wall has an undergraduate degree in geoenvironmental science, with a minor in secondary education and a masters degree in teaching science. “Big History is an understanding of the evolution of the universe, earth, life, civilizations, technology and agriculture,” Ms. Wall said. “I hope to teach this course through a series of complex yet exciting questions relating to who we are and how we got here.” AP Computer Science Principles The course will be taught by Mr. Carchietta, who graduated with a Bachelor of Science in mathematics from Montclair State University. This course focuses on computer science and computational thinking. “The student will be engaged in activities that show how computing changes today’s world. There are three focal points: creativity, technology and society,” Carchietta said. Biotechnology Honors Sports Medicine and Anatomy teacher Dr. Bruffy, who received her undergraduate studies from Caldwell University with a de-
After 87 years, the $10 bill could be altering its image, with the potential change of Alexander Hamilton to an iconic American woman.
$10 undergoes face lift By Jaime Petrocca ’16
ILLUSTRATION COURTESY OF MS. RIZZI
One of Ms. Rizzi’s sketches from her portfolio of clothing designs.
gree in pre-med and a minor in chemistry, along with a doctorate from Northeastern in science education, will run this half year course. “Students get a feel for the biotechnology careers out there and see the connection between biology, chemistry and physics,” Dr. Bruffy said. They may even enter a few competitions sponsored by NASA.
Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew wasn’t aware that Americans have such strong opinions regarding who appears on the $10 bill, but now he is. Changing the face of the U.S. paper money is not new, but it is definitely uncommon, especially changing it to an iconic face of a woman. The change of this bill to a woman would be the first bill in more than a century. The decision will be made between four historical figures: Harriet Tubman, Eleanor Roosevelt, Rosa Parks and Susan B. Anthony. Mr. Lew wanted to inspire a national dispute regarding contributions to the nation, “to make a statement about who we are and what we stand for,” Mr. Lew said posted Jan. 26 in the New York Times. Lew missed his December deadline due to the unanticipated complaints from the public, not because the face is being changed to a woman, although some respondents responded harshly to the idea of a $10 bill with a woman’s face on it. Rather the problem is that the reform of the $10 bill was chosen before the $20 bill.
On the other hand, students in West Essex believe that a woman’s face should be represented on the $10 bill. “I didn’t know a change was happening but I’m excited that it is. I would definitely like to see a woman’s face on there especially if they contributed a lot to history and society today,” said junior Erica Torter. “I think it is good that a woman could potentially be represented on the $10 bill, it’s nice for a change and these four candidates had contributed a lot to how the world is today,” said senior Pat Steer. The face of the $10 was last changed in 1929 when Andrew Jackson got replaced by Alexander Hamilton. The last time a woman was featured on U.S. paper money was from 1891 to 1896 when Martha Washington was on a $1 silver certificate. Before that, Pocahontas made a brief appearance on a $20 note from 1865 to 1869. But since then, women, including Susan B. Anthony and Sacagawea, have been relegated to coins. The United States would join 10 other countries to have women appear on their paper money.
Scalia’s passing leaves position up in the air By Anthony Gagliardi ’16
Associate Judge Antonin Scalia was found dead in a Texan ranch on Feb. 13. The 79-year-old was the longest standing Justice in the Supreme Court to date. Appointed by Ronald Reagan in 1986, Scalia professed his conservative voice throughout his tenure, being considered an “originalist” when it came to deciding on cases. He believed in interpreting the Constitution as it was written in its original context. Scalia was considered one of the most vocal justices of his time, coming forward with his political views, whether in or out of the court. Holding Catholic, conservative views on topics such as abortion and gay marriage, he also believed in following a system which followed his beliefs in
society as a whole. For example, in the United States v. Virginia case of 1996, Scalia was the only justice to vote in dissent regarding the Virginia Military Institute’s policy of admitting both men and women into the state’s armed services. He believed that “if it were impossible for human beings to act autonomously in effective pursuit of a common goal, the game of soccer would not exist.” He felt that people needed put aside gender issues, so that the military could perform at its best. He was a product of his time, keeping his views more traditional than progressive. Following his death, the debate to replace the justice made headlines; President Obama vowed to nominate a justice before the end of his term. The Senate, which has a Republican majority, said that they will use their con-
gressional powers by withholding their approval of a nomination until the newly elected president assumes office in January. “I think the Senate is wrong to delay and withhold participation and consent over the President’s nomination,” said AP Government and Politics teacher Ms. Vaknin. “Senate has the right to deny a nomination but not to withhold consent over that nomination. To not even start the process should not be allowed.” President Obama has the power to change the Supreme Court from a conservative to a liberal majority. His legacy can last long after he leaves office; our nation’s policies will still be influenced by his ideologies. Whether it is the 44th or the 45th president’s nomination that fills Scalia’s position, the legacy with live on for decades.
PHOTO COURTESY OF MONA REEDER/DALLAS MORNING NEWS/TNS
The race to nominate Scalia’s successor is under way. President Obama is trying to nominate his third Justice to the Supreme Court, while Senate is withholding their consent until January, 2017.
Opinion
March 2016 Issue 4
The
Wessex Wire The Official Student Newspaper of West Essex High School
A Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Medalist 2015-2016 STAFF:
Editors-in-Chief Brianna Crummy ’16 Julia Maxman ’16 Managing Edior Tatum Pappas ’16 Art Director Courtney Pappas ’16 News Editors Anthony Gagliardi ’16 Cathryn Kessler ’16 Opinion Editors Jordan Alworth ’16 Jewels Gutowski ’16 Features Editors Julie Rosenberg ’16 Isabel Tabs ’16 Sports Editors Kirk Geller ’16 Caitlin Morrissey ’16 Arts & Culture Editor Patrick Glenn ’16 Research Editor Jake Wolf ’17
Photo Editors Maddie Gering ’16 Sammi Mazzella ’16 Jules Moskowitz ’17 Copy Editors Gianna Aktas ’16 Ceana Cuello ’16 Junior Copy Editor: Daniella Ignacio ’17 Advertising Editors Sammi Mazzella ’16 Jaime Petrocca ’ 16 Contributing Staff Jessica Cunha ’17 Heath Kalb ’18 Dan Laible ’18 Melanie Montesdeoca ’18 Sharon O’Donnell ’18 Chris Tsakonas ’18 Adviser Mr. Hermosilla
65 West Greenbrook Road, North Caldwell, New Jersey 07006 (973) 228-1200 ext. 258
The Wessex Wire Editorial Policy The national-award winning Wessex Wire is published with supplemental updates to inform, educate and entertain the approximately 1,200 students of West Essex High School, faculty and community. Unsigned editorials are the consensus opinion of the editorial board and do not always reflect the views of the adviser, staff, administration and/or board of education. Signed editorials reflect the view of the person whose name appears in the byline. The Wire serves as a forum for the expression of ideas and opinions of students, staff and community members. We urge readers to write letters to the editor on pertinent matters of concern. Letters must be signed; however, anonymity will be granted if necessary upon request. Members of the editorial board reserve the right to edit all letters to the editor for length or libelous content. Students, faculty or members of the community with an interesting experience or strong opinion on any subject are also encouraged to write or contact the Wire at thewessexwire@gmail.com.
Several photos in this issue are used under various Creative Commons licenses. For more info and full licensing details, visit creativecommons.org.
The Wessex Wire Page 3
Lockdown reaction illustrates the need for better student–staff communication Rare cafeteria lockdown drill leaves students confused and unprepared
Despite the number of drills carried out, one can never be completely ready for the reality of grave danger in a school setting. However, drills are carried out to ensure students and staff are made aware of the logistical procedures for different situations they could face in a school setting. The purpose of lockdown drills, fire drills and evacuations is to prepare the students as well as the staff for emergencies in the school. “We drill in order to find out things that don’t go as planned,” Principal Diliberto said. Throughout the course of the school year, each of these drills is conducted several times so students know what to do in case of an actual emergency. The justification for testing these drills more than one time a year is so students know the different procedures regardless of the time of the school day. Usually, when students are in a typical classroom setting, the steps to any of these drills are second nature, after having gone through the process so many times. However, on Thursday, Feb. 18, when a lockdown drill took place during the unit lunch, the first of the year in the cafeteria, students did not react with such instinct. The lack of knowledge on how to proceed in the large-sized cafeteria caused a ruckus during the lockdown. The confusion that ensued highlights a bigger issue that we see at hand: the unpreparedness of students during drills in unfamiliar settings, such as the cafeteria. As students who have been attending school since the age of 6, we take for granted that these drills have become a fluid motion. This is why when at the beginning of the year, these procedures are explained, they are often overlooked and not considered as they should be. This whole process should be a signal to the administration, as well as the students, that we need further preparation as a school to avoid complications such as this
Staff Editorial
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PHOTO BY COURTNEY PAPPAS
This is the sandwich room, in which West Essex students were instructed to take shelter in during the lockdown drill that took place during lunch late February.
one in the future. This is to ensure most importantly the safety of all in the school, and steps need to be taken to do so. When asked about how he would address better preparation, Mr. Diliberto pointed to the implementation of more practice for the students. “I would continue to run drills more frequently and create more authentic situations and vary what is going on,” Principal Diliberto said. “There are different ways that I would like to drill prior to a complete school lockdown, such as a smaller, more incremental exercise.” As opposed to only running surprise drills, the administration said they have started motions to create more rehearsals for students that are not only announcements followed by routine, but practices in which students are walked through how to quickly and efficiently prepare for a drill, especially in places of the school that are not a customary classroom setting. For example, if another procedure were to occur in one of the cafeterias, the students would be walked through the proper methods of where to go and how to get there. This will help students understand how to differentiate the steps of lockdowns in different areas of the school, so they are ready and prepared for a more serious drill. We applaud the administration’s
Nothing supersedes the obligation to keep students safe. —Mr. Diliberto
ideals, and we have a few simple suggestions. First and foremost, the students need to be more involved in the process of these drills. To maintain the idea that these drills resemble a real scenario, students are usually not told when exactly they will take place; this is valid, or else students would not react with the same urgency and would not be prepared in case it was not a drill. With that in mind, students should not be totally left in the dark in regard to the necessary cautions. For example, despite participating in a countless number of procedures, especially seniors who have gone through these motions so many times, they were initially met with confusion when a lockdown was called during the pandemonium of the unit lunch. Also, frankly, modern realities mean we have to consider a scenario where a student could be the cause for a potential lockdown. If it is feared that a student perpetrator will know too much about the drill (considering they,
as students, have participated in them), this could place the student body in serious danger. “We’re never going to broadcast what we do; we have specific reasons to disclose certain information to the students,” Mr. Diliberto said. This is a completely reasonable rationale for not telling students everything about lockdown plans. However after one single practice run, a student would already know how a drill in the cafeteria would work, negating the precaution to not prepare students beforehand with information about upcoming practices. This is why it is pertinent that information about how to react to a lockdown scenario in all places on campus—in classrooms, the gymnasium, the library and, yes, the cafeteria—must be shared more openly. If there is one thing to take from this event, it is that moving for ward and preventing problems—in drills and in real life—is of utmost importance. Communication must be facilitated between staff and students. Looking at horrific events such as the ones in Newtown and Columbine, safety and drill understanding is just too important to neglect. “Nothing supersedes the obligation to keep students safe,” Mr. Diliberto said.
March 2016
Remembering prom for the wrong reasons
FBI undermines Apple’s freedom By Jewels Gutowski ’16
By Isabel Tabs ’17 Some may call junior year their worst nightmare, not because of SATs or the pressure of college coming up, but because of prom. Your parents remember it as their best high school memory, but in the 1980s, “promposals” or the need for a $1,000 dress didn’t exist. So what really is the point of prom: a high school memory or just the anticipation of it? The one thing to know about prom is that the guy has to ask the girl, right? False: They’re just social norms and preconceived notions. More important, he has to ask her in an elaborate way that probably costs more than a ticket to the actual prom. From a girl’s perspective it’s stressful anxiously waiting for a guy to ask and holding high expectations for how. “I couldn’t wait around and wait for someone to ask me; I was getting so much anxiety,” said junior Karly Blume. “I just had to be spontaneous and ask a friend from Seton Hall.” Just because it’s Junior Prom doesn’t mean you can’t ask a senior or an underclassman. Be active. It’s your prom, you can take whoever you want even if they go to West Essex or another school, but girls as well as guys shouldn’t have anxiety about a date because 1) you are not alone and 2) there are plenty of people to go with, and who says you can’t go by yourself? We have all seen the common cliche promposals. *holds up a bear and a poster that says, “Prom would be unBEARable without you”.* These promposals can be justified by the fact that people want to “gram it.” Prom season brings the most feed to my Instagram; people want to show off their extreme ways of how they got asked to prom. It’s interesting to see the couples, but the repetitive cliches aren’t necessary. “I wanted to do something original for my promposal, so I put the note inside a fortune cookies,” junior Spencer Peckman said. “I really wanted to make it good, but I didn’t stress because I knew I would be getting a date.” I can attest that there are far greater issues than finding a date and a promposal idea; it’s the fact that
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The Wessex Wire: Opinion
ILLUSTRATION COURTESY OF SHARON O’DONNELL
prom is April 1. Not that it’s on April Fool’s Day, but it’s so early. Students fail to realize the true reasoning behind because it’s not explicitly stated by administrators. Students tend to live in the past and future instead of the present during prom. In other words, they look forward to the hype of prom (getting the dress and taking pictures) and going down the shore. Since the prom occurs in the early spring when the weather still tends to be cold, the school administrators might assume that students would not be interested in going to the beach, a longstanding high school cliche that many adults would love to squash entirely. After all, who wants to sit on a beach in 50 degree weather? Yet going down the shore after prom has become a tradition, and many students don’t let the weather deter them. But the ugly truth is that this might actually have the opposite effect; what administrators may not realize is that the most stubborn students will be more likely to be cooped up in a motel room with nothing to do, which might actually elicit more risk-taking behaviors. But there are still those students who want to cherish the dance, because isn’t that what we are paying $80 for? “I just want to enjoy prom and stop hearing people complain about not getting a date or a dress,” Blume said. As much as prom is about the dress and the date, it’s simply not. It’s a high school memory you should look back on when you’re 40 years old with no regrets tearing up the dance floor.
My motto is always to be safe rather than sorry, but the recent controversy surrounding the federal order requiring Apple to help the FBI has caused me to switch to the opposing side. Privacy versus national security is a controversial issue, especially as technology and security measures advance, but when does the government overstep its boundaries? On Feb. 16, a federal ruling ordered Apple Inc. to assist the FBI in breaking into an iPhone belonging to Syed Farook, one of the shooters in the San Bernardino attack killing 14 people. The FBI wants to investigate Farook’s iPhone to determine whether the shooting he planned with his wife, Tashfeen Malik, was connected to the Islamic State. According to Apple’s website, the FBI is unable to get into Farook’s phone because of a standard feature on all iPhones: After 10 incorrect passcode attempts, the phone is wiped clean of all of its data. The court order requires Apple to bypass certain restrictions in the software, enabling the FBI to test an unlimited number of passcodes without having the contents erased. They are forcing Apple to put all of its customers at risk for personal data breach, violating our given rights to privacy as citizens. While I support keeping our country safe, I am not willing to enable the FBI, as well as future hackers, to more easily access all of the contents on my phone.
The FBI cannot do this themselves because iPhones are made to run on iOS, an encrypted software exclusive to Apple’s operating system and products. In Cook’s letter, he guarantees the company’s opposition to the agency’s request and explains the potential threat to users’ security. Thank goodness for Tim Cook. Had he been willing to assist the FBI, then all of our information could potentially be more easily accessible to hackers and identity thieves. The government argues that this would be a one time thing, limited to this case and this case alone, but they are missing a glaring hole in their reasoning. There is no way to guarantee such control of this crucial information. Once created, the technique to bypass Apple’s security system can used by anyone with the “code” and virtually any iPhone could be accessed. Despite government protests, this would probably not be the last time such a federal order would be made, especially if previously given permission. If there was some way to get into Farook’s iPhone while also guaranteeing the security and privacy of all users, then I would be completely for it. But potentially revealing a way to diminish decades of security advancements is simply not worth it. Cook said it best: “It would be wrong for the government to force us to build a backdoor into our products… Ultimately, we fear that this demand would undermine the very freedoms and liberty our government is meant to protect.”
Do you know what is underrated? Being hydrated By Pat Glenn ’16
Does it bother you that no one in this school hydrates enough? When I look around the school, and watch my peers walk by, I notice one thing above all else: barely anyone is pumping their body with some much needed fluids. I mean, c’mon guys, water is essential. While the amount of water needed to be consumed daily varies from individual to individual (depending upon body weight, physical activity and various other factors), the bottom line is that a large portion of people at West Essex are not drinking enough water. While I try to write on diverse topics for this column, some topics hit closer to home than others. In this case, the topic is very near
and dear to my heart. Personally, I discovered the wonders of hydration early in my high school career as a freshman football player. At the tender age of 14, I was struggling through the hot summer heat during the grueling summer training camp. My body felt depleted of resources at all times. After a few weeks of this, I started to take the coach’s recommendations of drinking as much as possible very seriously (Freda loves his glasses of water). Although back then I didn’t even have a rough estimate of how much to drink daily, I knew that as long as I constantly had a bottle of water in my hands, I was getting somewhere. After training camp came to a close and the school year began, I stuck to the program that I had recently adopted, and was amazed by the results. I was more alert in the classroom, energized for practice and overall felt like a (reasonably)
well-oiled machine. Although my transition to wasteful plastic bottles to my signature jug was still years in the making, I was still making some serious strides in my quest toward ultimate hydration. I understand that this may not sound like a pertinent issue or an exciting topic. Even people in this very classroom doubt the importance and relevance of hydrating. What I want to do is turn my frustration with the student population into constructive criticism that will ultimately (hopefully) lead everyone down the path of hydration prosperity. What I’m talking about is hydrating responsibly. Now, many of you may be saying to yourselves “Hey guy! Where do you get off? I drink a lot already!” My answer to you is that while many may be drinking water and “hydrating,” you are not doing so properly.
By hydrating responsibly, we are ingesting the appropriate amount of water, using reusable bottles that reduce the number of plastic bottles consumed, as well as limiting the amount of money we spend on one of our basic human necessities, which brings me to my second point: reducing plastic waste. This is one component of the disastrous hydration situation that has global environmental implications. If an individual drinks a gallon a day (128 oz.), then they would be consuming eight water bottles a day. Over the school week and through the entire school year, those bottles add up, both in your wallet and out in the environment. While recycling these plastic bottles can be effective (shame on those in the cafeteria who choose to blatantly throw away their Poland Spring bottles), it is far more environmentally sound
PHOTO BY JORDAN ALWORTH
Pat Glenn points to his jug, to show the importance of hydration.
and effective to use a BPA-free, lead-free reusable bottle. We must all hydrate adequately throughout the day and feel the positive benefits of ingesting nature’s purest resource. However, we must also remember there are good ways to do it, and bad ways to do it. If you’re gonna hydrate, then do it responsibly.
March 2016
The Wessex Wire: Features
Page 5
Your 2016 InstaFamous Mr. West Essex contestants By Julie Rosenberg ’16 and Isabel Tabs ’17 CJ “Dad” Lopez
thewessexwire Where do you see yourself in 15 years? CJ “Dad” Lopez I see myself making a profile on christianmingle.com thewessexwire Why would you make the best Mr. West Essex? CJ “Dad” Lopez Nothing says Mr. West Essex like facial hair, and I’ve got a lot of it Alec “Lord of House Premio” Cinque
thewessexwire What is your favorite love song? Alec “Lord of house Premio” Cinque “Striped Sweater” by SpongeBob thewessexwire Why would you make the best Mr. West Essex? Alec “Lord of house Premio” Cinque Because I already put it on my college application Mike “Dirty Mike” Corbosiero
Chris “Elephant in the Room” Malanga
thewessexwire Describe yourself in three words. Chris “Elephant in the Room” Malanga Make. America. Great. thewessexwire Why would you make the best Mr. West Essex? Chris “Elephant in the Room” Malanga My Ma makes the best gravy Brandon “Alec Cinque” Riotto
thewessexwire What do you do on a rainy day? Brandon “Alec Cinque” Riotto I set fire to the rain thewessexwire Why would you make the best Mr. West Essex? Brandon “Alec Cinque” Riotto I’ve already convinced myself I’ve won by telling myself in the mirror every day Rob “Silly Filly” Filipow
Evan “N.J.B.” Snerson
thewessexwire What would you do if you won $1 million? Evan “N.J.B.” Snerson I would invest it in an offshore tax-deductible hedge fund thewessexwire Why would you make the best Mr. West Essex? Evan “N.J.B.” Snerson They say they’ll impeach me if I don’t win Danny “Danaconda” Calix
thewessexwire Whom do you look to for inspiration? Danny “Danaconda” Calix Usually Guy Fieri and John Cena thewessexwire Why would you make the best Mr. West Essex? Danny “Danaconda” Calix Because it’s me, no question about it Stephen “Versace Stavi” Hunter
Alberto “berto_nastyy” Gonzalez
thewessexwire What is your favorite thing to do in your spare time? Alberto “berto_nastyy” Gonzalez Make Snapchat stories thewessexwire Why would you make the best Mr. West Essex? Alberto “berto_nastyy” Gonzalez To be honest, I won’t. Let Alec win so he can throw the after party Matt “Yones” Jones
thewessexwire What is your biggest fear? Matt “Yones” Jones Being the last man on earth or having Chipotle go out of business thewessexwire Why would you make the best Mr. West Essex? Matt “Yones” Jones I can sing, I can dance, I am 50 shades of cool and all American handsome
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AND YOUR HOST... PAT GLENN thewessexwire What is your spirit animal? Mike “Dirty Mike” Corbosiero Slippery like a snake, but quick like a giraffe thewessexwire Why would you make the best Mr. West Essex? Mike “Dirty Mike” Corbosiero So I can finally say that I peaked considering my academic and athletic career here took a turn for the worse
thewessexwire What is your favorite dance move? Rob “Silly Filly” Filipow The Carlton thewessexwire Why would you make the best Mr. West Essex? Rob “Silly Filly” Filipow I have really soft and beautiful hair
thewessexwire What would be the title of your memoir? Stephen “Versace Stavi” Hunter “How to be pissed off 24/7” thewessexwire Why would you make the best Mr. West Essex? Stephen “Versace Stavi” Hunter I have killer dance moves, extraordinary vocals, and a rocking Dad Bod
Mr. West Essex March 24 @ 7 p.m. HS Auditorium
PHOTOS BY JULIE ROSENBERG, ISABEL TABS, MADDIE GERING, SAMMI MAZZELLA AND COURTNEY PAPPAS
March 2016 Issue 4
Health
Detach from your cellular and focus on your health
PHOTO BY COURTNEY PAPPAS
Senior Tatum Pappas checks all of her social media sites before going to bed.
By Tatum Pappas ’16 I am with my best friend at all hours of the day. We go to school together, eat our meals together, watch Netflix together and actually sleep together. To clarify: My best friend is my iPhone. Like many high school students, I am constantly using my phone. Whether I am checking social media, texting or watching TV before bed, I am always with my best bud. In fact, I sleep with it in my bed, not because I need it, but because I use it as my alarm clock. Whatever the reason is, younger and even older people seem to have an addiction to their cellular device. It is not a terrible thing to use a phone all the time since it has enhanced communication opportunities immensely … or is it? The fact is, there are risks to using a phone so often. According to the National Cancer Institute, mobile devices give off radio frequency energy, otherwise known as radiation. Many have heard the rumors of this, but that has not led people from taking action against the detrimental health effects and powering down the phone. It has been suggested that it is possible that radiation relates to insomnia and effects to the brain. In a March 2015 article, geekwire.com reported that the average person spends 11 hours a day looking at some technology gadget. This means almost half a day is spent looking at some sort of screen. “Between my Chromebook, my phone and my TV, I feel like my whole day is staring at a screen,” senior Stephen Hunter said. “I won’t lie, sometimes I get sick of it.” Teenagers do not get nearly as much sleep as they should, partly from being up on their phone late at night. According to nationwidechildrens.org, the average teenager should get nine and a half hours of sleep. However, lack of sleep is not the most detrimental effect of phones. When I went to my doctor for an annual checkup she asked me various questions about my eating habits, if I wear a helmet when I ride a bike and then, surprisingly, if I sleep with my phone at night. It turns out that
not only should one not sleep with their phone in their bed, but phones should not even be in the room when sleeping at night due to the health risks that come with this habit. Yet, teenagers like myself continue this bad habit each day. “I have heard that sleeping with a phone at night is extremely bad, but, still that has not stopped me from doing it,” junior Frank Ferrante said. Teenagers try to eat healthy, work out often and do things to keep their body at its highest potential; however, with the use of mobile devices, all those steps to a healthy lifestyle are completely negated. “Sometimes I am on my phone or looking at a screen so much that I feel like my eyes are burning,” junior Nina Mazzella said. Although Mazzella’s eyes are not actually burning, her theory is correct. According to a January 2014 report from The Washington Post, the strain in one’s eyes after looking at a screen all day has an official name: Computer Vision Syndrome. CVS is an eyerelated problem that results from prolonged technology usage. Not only are there possible malfunctions to the brain from phones, but also the body. An Atlantic article from November 2014 found that the angle that a heads sits at when looking down on a phone or computer was discovered to have possible causes of stress to the spine. The weight on the neck is more than what the spine is supposed to sustain. Technology has undoubtedly enhanced communication skills and research. It h a s created a revolution of new inventions and uncomplicated many aspects of everyday life. However, these technological tools come at a price. We spend about five hours on our Chromebooks at school, three hours on our phones at home and about an hour watching TV every day. A lot of our time is spent looking at a screen and as entertaining as it may seem, the risks to this constant use of technology still remains. My advice: Everyone should cut out as much time looking at a screen as possible, it may change your life for the better (literally). “After hearing all the bad that comes from technology it almost makes me want to give up using my phone,” junior Nick Cerrigone said. “Wow, I never thought I
The Wessex Wire Page 6
March 2016
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The Wessex Wire: Health
Beginner’s guide to success at the gym Plan ahead to get the best results out of your workout By Jules Moskowitz ’17 We’re well into the new year and I’m sure most of us are probably slacking on the resolutions we once promised ourselves we’d follow. One major resolution many people plan to stick to each year is “I am going to go to the gym and eat really healthy and lose 10 pounds.” Often, though, we walk into the gym with no agenda in mind, looking to run on the treadmill for 10 minutes and do 50 crunches. Instead, you should be walking into the gym with a plan of what to accomplish during the time you spend there. It’s important to eat well before and after a workout. “Before
I go to the gym, I always eat an apple with peanut butter, it’s a healthy, good snack,” junior Gabriella Bastianelli said. Suggested foods to eat:
Before: whole wheat toast banana Greek yogurt trail mix berries After: steamed vegetables grilled chicken quinoa chocolate milk When arriving at the gym, here are some ways to organize
yourself and get an efficient workout done. YouTube’s always a good source. There are plenty of videos that focus on specific workouts, teaching and instructing each movement step by step. Some workout channels like BeFit and Blogilates are extremely popular. Both channels offer new workouts every single day and include pumpup music. Aside from YouTube videos, there are also apps that help with maintaining a diet. The most frequently downloaded diet apps are My Fitness Pal, Super Foods and My Diet Coach. Each of these applications focus on dieting and how to eat healthy. The apps are very personalized and include features that count calories, and focus on aspects that people struggle with when dieting. The struggle between wanting to work out and wanting to eat right versus actually working
Place yourself in one of these three categories... If you are active for the most part but need to intensify your workout: here’s something you could do. Try a bootcamp, health.com says the intense circuit keeps your heart rate up, burns calories, and tones your whole body. Bootcamp workouts are definitely challenging, but if you’re already in decent shape, it’s very doable.
If you’re already in decent shape, and are looking to bulk up start intensifying your workouts: Instead of curling 10 pound dumbbells, push yourself and use the heavier weight. Try an intense workout program like P90X to see results. Eat lots of protein, considering how many calories you will burn after your tough workout.
out and eating right is real. It is important to be getting fit in a way that is suitable for your specific body type. “You need to know what foods your body reacts well with” said physical education teacher Mr. Linsalato. In other words, if you know that you cramp up after eating pizza, don’t eat pizza before a big game. Depending on your body type, it is crucial to know what your body can consume and how much as well. Next time you plan on aimlessly walking into the gym, make an agenda. Eat a hearty meal, something your body reacts well with, drink a lot of water, and follow a workout you’ve formed on your own, or have seen on YouTube to make sure you’re getting the most out of your time spent working out. Keeping this advice in mind, so that your New Year’s Resolution will be more than just a resolution.
If you’re the type of person who usually grabs a snack after school and binge-=watches Netflix for hours on end: start by running outside for a half an hour. When you get home from your run, drink some water and follow an ab/oblique routine that can be found on Bodybuilding. com. Once you do this for a week or so, amp it up. Start going for longer runs and focusing on multiple parts of your body.
Fake appeal of detoxes hides real risks involved By Sammi Mazzella ’16
ILLUSTRATION BY KERRI ASTORINO
With thousands of followers looking up to them, it is no surprise that companies contact celebrities to endorse their product. As soon as they post a picture with the newest product, it can be expected to sell out in seconds. This is especially true with the new cleanse and detox craze. Skinny Teatox, Tiny Teatox, Blue Print Cleanse and Master Cleanse are all in the forefront of this new trend. All celebrities have to do is claim that the product has helped them shed their last few pounds and people are immediately flocking to buy it. Detoxes seem appealing to many because of what they claim they do to benefit the body. They are said to clear your complexion, rid the body of excess fat and improve the immune system. They capitalize on flushing out toxins, but experts say that everything a detox claims to do, a body can do on its own. What they fail to mention, though, is the endless list of health risks that come with doing a detox. A detox or cleanse can last for only one day or up to a three months, consisting of only liquids. The liquids lack calories and protein, which make it seem like you are losing weight, but in reality, it is only water weight that can be easily gained back.
Because of all the nutrients a detox lacks, it can cause muscle deterioration, according to Carol Nierenberg from livescience.com. Most people want to look toned, as opposed to malnourished. To obtain the toned look, detoxing is not the route to take. Not only can your muscles begin to deteriorate but detoxes can put your body into “starvation mode” which means it will conserve calories and slow the metabolism. A slow metabolism means that once you begin to eat regularly again, your body will process the food slower, causing weight gain. It is a surprise that the detox craze has been growing because with such a low calorie diet, it is almost impossible to feel physically and mentally well. People experience lack of energy, which will cause them to not want to go to the gym, which is a key component in a healthy lifestyle. It is especially bad for the teenagers that detox companies are targeting. Although it is unhealthy for anyone to cut out food completely, teenager’s bodies need calories and protein in order to continue to grow and develop at the rapid rate that they do, according to the Neumors Center for Children’s Health Media. “With everyone doing them, I thought I might as well try it, but I couldn’t make it through even one day of the juices and not
eating,” said sophomore Julia Farese. With prom coming up, quick ways to lose weight are especially popular in the junior class. Everyone wants to have the perfect prom photos, which means they also have to get to achieve ideal weight, which they hope to do quickly, with little complication, ultimately leading to the detox. Diets aren’t viewed as the easiest way to lose weight for teenagers. We don’t want to have worry about what we eat when we’re stressing about a million different things. “I really didn’t want to have to do a full diet, so I thought a detox right before prom would be the easiest to do. I didn’t realize that they could do more harm than good,” junior Carly Menendez said. The detox craze isn’t only restricted to the junior class; all grades are starting early with their summer diets. “I’ve been trying to eat healthy, but I considered maybe doing a cleanse to help, but I’ve never fully looked into it,” senior Erica Rinsky said. Because there is so much publicity that goes along with detoxes, it is hard to tell if they are actually helpful or harmful. One has to do in depth research to find out the actual risks. Sometimes, even knowing about the risks won’t stop people, but it is still important to be informed about what you put into your body.
March 2016 Issue 4
Features
The Wessex Wire Page 8
Let’s do the math and total the damage of your usual expenses By Cathryn Kessler ’16
PHOTOS COURTESY OF MATTEL/TNS
These are a few of the new Barbies made. From left are the new curvy, petite, tall and another version of a curvy Barbie.
Life in plastic, finally fantastic By Julia Maxman ’16 “My whole philosophy of Barbie was that through the doll, the little girl could be anything she wanted to be,” said Ruth Handler, who, inspired by her daughter Barbara, created the Barbie doll in 1959 to allow girls to have a role model to be anything they want to be. Barbie always represented the fact that a woman has choices. Despite Handler’s intentions, though, the doll did not give young girls the confidence it was created for. According to Barbie.com, the formation of the original Barbie, if she were to be put in human size, had a 16’’ waist, compared to the average woman with a 35’’ waist and a 16’’ thigh compared to a normal 25’’ thigh. These unrealistic proportions of Barbie’s exterior alone lead Barbie to represent a body image young girls could never achieve, as opposed to giving girls confidence to be whatever they wanted to be, exhibited by the different occupations Barbie obtains, said Trey Sanchez of Teen Vogue. Girls began to focus on how their physique did not match Barbie’s, as opposed to viewing the doll as a symbol of feminism and the strength of women. However, in January, Mattel announced that the new Barbie, built as either petite, curvy or tall, now depicts the shapes of all girls and women, thus representing Barbie as a physical representation of the body of any girl. While the shapes of Barbie have been the most prominently in the spotlight, Barbie is now being created with different skin tones, hairstyles and clothing to portray the various looks of women. “They’ll all be called Barbie, but it’s the curvy one—with the meat on her thighs and a protruding tummy and behind—that marks the most startling change to the most infamous body in the world,” Eliana Dockterman of Time Magazine said. Barbie’s transformation is more than just about how she is progressing to represent the differences in the female gender. Barbie is now being made in a way that aims to
to teach girls that size is not as paramount as it was once perceived to be. The purpose of the new development of the iconic Barbie is to promote that a person, regardless of physical build, should be represented. Nonetheless, some believe that the reconstruction of Barbie is too politically correct. “I think changing the shape of Barbie is a nice thing to do, but I don’t think they should change the original look of the doll,” junior Briana Serpone said. “If every toy was created to fit the physical description of every person’s appearance, there would be too many toys to count. If someone does not like a toy, they don’t have to play with it. The concept is simple and should not require the recreation of dolls.” With this in mind, there is more to changing Barbie’s look than simply to please children; it could save children from serious issues as they are growing up. According to CNN Health, the “Barbie Effect” has had severe effects on this generation’s youth, leading to eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia, due to these young girls trying to fit the image of the Barbie they have grown to idolize. While the doll was created harmlessly as a toy for children, it became the basis of a young girl’s worst nightmare. “When I used to play with my Barbie, she always looked so perfect to me,” senior Dominique Del Mauro said. “It made me think growing up that being super skinny with blonde hair and blue eyes was the only acceptable way to look.” The popular Barbie doll once acted as a childhood toy, that for many girls was the basis of insecurity at a young age. Eventually the doll’s impact on girls manifested into self-esteem issues and eating disorders as girls would age. If the Barbie doll, who has been considered ideal for over 50 years, can represent four different body types as well as different skin, hair and faces, this could initiate monumental change in the future for how young girls view themselves.
My mornings always begin with a drive to Dunkin’ Donuts, and I am always searching the bottom of my backpack for loose change to cover my coffee bill. Come Friday, I pay away the last few dollars to my Disclosure: I have name. I may be broke, but on not earned any busithe bright side, I walked away ness or accounting with a coffee to keep me from degrees, but saving falling asleep throughout the money is doable! If day. you want a full walDo you ever find yourself let, the aspiration is in this predicament? within your power. Scraping together $3 for a Saving money is easy coffee is not difficult. Just look for some of us, howin your pockets or in your ever it takes some real piggy bank to cover your bill. effort for many of us. However, if you spend $3 on a Taking control of how cup of coffee each day—that is you handle money $21 a week and approximately today means you will $540 in a school year. For have more choices in teens, this is certainly a fair the future. amount of money. “Every Sunday I look forward to my paycheck. During the week, I have ambitious plans to buy something that has value. I always find myself spending all my money on food or coffee. The cycle restarts each Sunday,” senior Alexa LaBanca said. According to a 2014 survey from businessinsider.com, for the first time in a survey’s history, teens are spending as much money on food as they are on clothing. Starbucks is the most preferenced restaurant among teens for their food and drink spending. For teens without a job, birthday money and gift cards are the only source of income. “When I get gift cards for the holidays it makes me feel fat and unhealthy. However, my parents know this is what I spend my money on,” senior Parker Rakotci said. But how can we stop the temptation when we go to the food court and refuse to buy a pretzel from the famous Wetzel’s Pretzels?
Tip 1: Testing willpower
Financial decisions, whether big or small, require willpower. A good way to look at willpower is, as you exert your willpower, your temptations lose their strength. When your wallet is heavy after a workweek, this is an important time to test your willpower. Practice by walking through the food court and refusing to buy a single item. If you made it through, congratulations.
Tip 2: Save $1 more each day
Before you say, “I don’t remember the last time I held a $100 bill,” think about the last time you held a $1 bill. Try to save one dollar on Monday and two dollars on Tuesday. Each day after, save an additional dollar you saved the previous day. After two months, you’ll have saved up almost a thousand bucks already.
Tip 3: Be aware of the dangers of a debit card
That 3” by 2” piece of plastic may be the culprit of all your money troubles. If you are not tracking where and when you spend your money, you never know how much money is actually on your card. It is important to be aware of your spending habits and constantly track how much money you have in your accounts. Keep a booklet or use the notes in your phone to keep on top of your spending.
March 2016 Issue 4
&
Arts Arts
Culture
The Wessex Wire Page 9
Academy leave diverse performers at home By Gianna Aktas ’16
Walkin’ round with straight cash money on your wrist Say goodbye to bargain buying: More and more teenagers are spending extra on their clothing
By Jordan Alworth ’16 Walking around school with a Lululemon lunch bag comes at a cost. A cost of about $88, assuming you are buying the basic black cropped Lululemon leggings, the same ones available at Target for a quarter of the price. And if you want the bangle with an “H” on it, that’ll be $600, or the ring with a band that looks like twisted rope, that’ll be $675 at the least (otherwise known as the Hermès enamel H bracelet and David Yurman Albion ring). Oddly, or not so oddly, these are commonly worn by West Essex students and teens across the nation. This is not a criticism or a promotion, but rather a reflection on teen culture in today’s society. Designer items on the hands, wrists and bodies, of 16 year old boys and girls, go relatively unnoticed. A $675 ring has no shock value to fellow students. To me, that is actually the most shocking part of the situation. In August, Kylie Jenner posted a $10,000 Hermès Birkin bag she received for her 18th birthday on Instagram for her 50-plusmillion impressionable followers to see. Though a Birkin bag is a bit extravagant and an unrealistic
comparison to the level of designer items seen within our own school, it successfully models how social media has the power to influence the youth’s perception of what is considered normal. “My camp friends wear whatever they have everywhere they go. They all definitely care about how they look when other people are around,” senior Madi Yuran said. The truth of the matter is that people often pride themselves on how they are perceived by others. So, maybe there is more concrete and underlying reason as to why designer items have essentially become staples for teens: they are simply the new baseline for fitting in. According to Business Insider, Lululemon has been pinpointed as a brand on the rise among teens, having become 6 percent more popular in sales since spring 2015. Overwhelmingly, teens are spending the majority of their money on apparel; 21 percent of teen spending belongs solely to clothing. The luxury customer is getting increasingly younger as stores target teens with tactics like dim lighting, loud music and lesser collections to expand access to exclusive designers. I am not saying across the board, everywhere you look, high school-
ers are decked out in uber expensive, exclusive items. That would be inaccurate and naive. What I am describing is the evolution of youth culture from previous generations, not a nonexistent epidemic. I would imagine when our parents were our age they were not nearly as preoccupied with material goods. Something has shifted in our sense of what is socially acceptable, yearned for and praised, in today’s society. Whether we like it or not, we are walking advertisements. I can honestly reflect on the student body here at West Essex and say we are relatively humble. Students are not purposely showy and do not belittle others for what they may not have, especially compared to other schools and the way social media projects high school teens. What made this the new normal does not boil down to one cause. Though social media and surroundings (both geographical and social) are contributing factors, time takes precedence. The evolution of a trend or standard is not possible without time. The future will bring an even ‘newer normal’ that can’t even be grasped now. Every generation is shaped by the world around them, so instead of trying to dissect what constitutes normal, maybe we should try to understand why it is the way it is, and if necessary, change it.
PHOTO COURTESY OF GAGE SKIDMORE (CC BY 2.0)
Sylvester Stallone (top) and Michael B. Jordan both starred in critically acclaimed “Creed,” yet only Stallone was nominated for his performance.
to continuously calling the awards the White People’s Choice Awards. His monologue was filled with digs towards the Academy, which appeared to be all that he talked about. “Hollywood is sorority racist. It’s like ‘Well we like you Rhonda, but you’re not a Kappa.’ That’s how Hollywood is,” Rock said. Gil Robertson, president of the African-American Film Critics Association, told Variety news in January that he was shocked, but not entirely surprised over this Oscar nomination issue. “We have to redouble our efforts to convince them that diversity is important,” Robertson said. “They should be open to the stories of other people.”
FROM LEFT“SYLVESTER STALLONE” BY GAGE SKIDMORE (CC BY-SA 2.0) (HTTPS://WWW.FLICKR. COM/PHOTOS/GAGESKIDMORE/7588426252)/ “MICHAEL B. JORDAN” BY GAGE SKIDMORE (CC BYNC-SA 2.0) (HTTPS://WWW.FLICKR.COM/PHOTOS/GAGESKIDMORE/19747747602)/
PHOTO BY JULES MOSKOWITZ
Although it would have been unusual for a student to walk around with so much bling years ago, the practice has now become customary.
Every year when the Oscars come around, many are excited to see if their favorite actor was nominated or not. This year alone has been filled with extroadinary films and performances that will be remember long after the award season. Although many movies cast parts for white and black actors, not a single black actor received a nomination. “Creed” was up for an Oscar this year: however, only one actor, Sylvester Stallone was nominated. Stallone, who plays Rocky Balboa was nominated for actor in a supporting role, but black actor Michael B. Jordan, who plays Adonis Johnson, was not. Jordan played a more significant role in the film and did not receive any recognition. “Creed” was directed by Ryan Coogler, a black director. However the only nominee the film received went to a white man who did not have a significant role. Many of the films up for the gold or that were not nominated at all, were directed and cast by black men. Along with “Creed”, “Straight Outta Compton” cast majority of black actors for the roles. “Straight Outta Compton” was not nominated for any award, while movies with strictly white lead actors such as “The Danish Girl” were. “The Academy should start to diversify their own membership,” senior Emma Lupo said. The lack of diversity seen at the show caused many people to question if this was done on purpose or if these white actors truly deserved the awards more. This year’s awards were hosted by Chris Rock. Back in January, Rock made a comment on Twitter that called the Oscars the “White BET awards.” After Rock tweeted about the “BET” awards, #OscarsSoWhite began trending all over Twitter feeds. The minute the show started Rock was making comments on the lack of diversity. From saying how if the Academy nominated hosts he wouldn’t even be up there,
March 2016
The Wessex Wire: Arts & Culture
Page 10
A ‘Bachelor’s’ love is not eternal Reality TV consumes us By Julie Rosenberg ’16
As we approach the last episode of season 20 of “The Bachelor,” filled with love and hope, viewers look back with nostalgia on the past seasons. Many dedicated fans think of their favorite bachelor and favorite girl from this season and how in love they both were. But, is love the right word for it all? After 20 seasons of ”The Bachelor” and 10 seasons of “The Bachelorette,” making 30 seasons all together, only six couples are still together as of 2016. So tell me again, how in love were they at all? For anyone who has not been infected with the contagious addiction to “The Bachelor,” here’s a rundown on how the reality show works. One lucky man gets introduced to about 25 girls seeking to find love and marry him. Over the course of the show, the bachelor gets to know the girls at cocktail parties, on individual dates and group dates. As the season progresses, the bachelor kicks girls off the show during
“rose ceremonies” by not awarding them a red rose indicating their safety for the next week. Finally for the season finale, the bachelor proposes to one girl. People look forward to getting in their fix of two full hours of “The Bachelor.” “It’s my motivation to make it through Monday each week,” freshman Mac Farrell said. That is where some go a little overboard. People spend their entire day looking forward to watching girls flaunt their fake personalities in front of a man they barely know, yet “love” enough to know they want to marry him. These girls go into the show knowing that this is the man they want to marry before they even meet him, and we as viewers sit back to watch it all unravel. The playing of “The Bachelor” has even become a family and virtually a religious event in some places. On “Bachelor Live,” the late night show hosted by Chris Harrison, celebrity fans of the Bachelor come to talk about their opinions of the girls and the bachelor himself. Also, groups like churches and
sororities can video chat in to share their opinions on the previous episode. All of this commentary only promotes the show more. People think, “Hey, if a church group is watching, the show must be legit and not degrading at all!” The concept of judging the people on the show has become so habitual to viewers. It is not something that is frowned upon like gossiping behind the back of a girl at school. Everyone is in on it, adding to the fact that the show is completely absurd in a sense. We pick apart all of the girls’ hair (and pasts) while they pour their hearts out on television looking to find love. “I don’t even know why I watch it. I feel like a worse person after I do,” junior Lindsay Feldstein said. “I need to do something better with my life.” We are a generation looking to find everything from the comfort of our couch, including love and hope for relationships, and maybe we just should not. Maybe we should use our time to go out and look for love ourselves. Maybe we should be going on dates and getting to know people. And maybe we should... But we could also watch Olivia jump out of a cake and dance in front of the bachelor Ben Higgins. If you asked me, I would choose that.
The presence of reality television has become all encompassing By Madison Gering ’16
When sitting at my lunch table, reality TV stars are always a topic of discussion. Whether it is discussing the latest episode of “Housewives of Beverly Hills,” or Scott Disick’s recent check into rehab, it always makes its way into our conversations. It can sometimes even turn into a heated debate over what we think is best for these celebrities we feel as though we know. People are able to connect to their favorite celebrities through Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat as well as many other apps. This allows obsessive fans to connect to their favorite celebrities in numerous ways. On top of watching their favorites on TV weekly, they also can keep a 24 hour watch on social media apps. People usually become obsessed with these celebrities because their TV programs show every aspect of their life. Specifically, the Kardashians have no shame in sharing every intimate detail of their day with their fans. Episodes include everything
from videos of Kim giving birth to shopping for her favorite deodorant. Knowing the most personal things of their favorite celebrities makes fans feel like they have this connection to their favorite stars. “I really enjoy watching the Kardashians and Housewives because I love watching what is going on with the characters,” senior Sheri Astorino said. Students also follow reality TV stars because of the entertaining lives they live. Stars of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills all drive around in the fancy cars shopping and dining. There is always drama on the show whether it is someone throwing a drink in someone’s face or getting in a fistfight. “I like to watch reality TV because I am fascinated about their extravagant lives. It is very entertaining to see how they live and it always makes me laugh,” senior Isabelle Caine said. People become emotionally attached to reality stars because they feel as though they get to experience life along side them. Shows like “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette” let fans join the cast through their “journey for love.” Fans ultimately become obsessive over reality stars because they feel as though they reach a personal level with them.
‘Murderer’ leads fans to question U.S. criminal justice system
FROM TOP: PHOTO COURTESY OF BEKHIANN / “LOGO FOR MAKING A MURDERER” BY WIKIPEDIA (CC BY 2.0) (HTTPS://EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG/WIKI/)MAKING_A_MURDERER#)
By Jessica Cunha ’17
Imagine being sent to prison for a crime you didn’t commit. It may seem like a nightmare, but in “Making a Murderer,” the case around Wisconsin man Steven Avery’s multiple arrests raises questions over whether this is just an irrational fear. “Making a Murderer” is a Netflix 10-part documentary series released on Dec. 18, which follows the incredible story of Avery, who was arrested and convicted of sexually assaulting Penny Beerntsen, despite having an alibi. After serving 18 years in prison, he was exonerated in 2003 due to DNA evidence, only to then later be accused and convicted of murdering Teresa Halbach, who had recently started her own photography business. The series focuses on the Manitowoc County sheriff ’s department and their handling of Avery’s case, which revealed a serious conflict of interest with the county officials who participated in Halbach’s investigation. This blatant disregard for finding the truth is not as uncommon as one may think. HBO’s miniseries, “The Jinx,” which released its first episode on February 8, 2015, delves into the opposite end of the spectrum, focusing on an accused murderer who escaped conviction,
Robert Durst. It breaks down the murders that he was tied to, including interviews, reenactments, police evidence and footage. The program gained even more traction right before the series finale, when Durst was arrested on first degree murder charges. In the final moments of the episode, he incriminates himself when he thinks his microphone is off. “What the hell did I do? Killed them all, of course,” said Durst. These two cases reveal that, without going through the proper channels, the guilty could be sent free, while the innocent stay behind bars. Celebrities have also taken a strong stance on the documentary, especially on Twitter. On Jan. 17, model Gigi Hadid said, “Corruption in that law enforcement community is so obvious to me. They will clearly do anything to silence someone.” Actor Paul Wesley agreed fullheartedly with Hadid on Twitter. “I’ve just spent 10 hours watching ‘Making of a Murderer’ on Netflix,” Wesley said. “What an astounding and terrifying look at our judicial system.” “Making a Murderer” has become one of the most talked about shows in not just the entertainment industry, but with the general public. Unlike other crime dramas, such as “Law and
PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIPEDIA (CC BY 2.0)
The story of Steven Avery and his potential innocence has caught the public by storm and outraged celebrities alike.
Order,” it is one hundred percent grounded in reality. The injustices displayed within the documentary have that much more of an impact because it isn’t fiction. Junior Nicole Mellilo thinks that the reason these crime shows are so interesting is because they break down the crime and the people involved. “I love the psychological part of them,” Mellilo said. “Being able to see their mindset is entertaining.” However, not everyone agrees with the perspective presented by the documentary. Critics of the
Netflix series argue that there were crucial facts of the case left out. The New York Times reported on Jan. 5 that Ken Kratz, the prosecutor in the case, called the story “nonsense” because the film portrayed a very one sided argument. “The series really presents misinformation,” Kratz said. Junior Hailey Blum said she feels it is unrealistic to expect the law to be accurate all the time. “For the most part, I would say the justice system is objective because it has to follow cold hard facts before making a verdict,” Blum said. “But,
nothing is ever perfect.” One of the most conflicting witnesses in Avery’s case is his ex-fiancee, Jodi Stachowski. In the documentary, she advocates for him, defending his innocence. Then in January, she was interviewed by Nancy Grace, and Stachowski revealed that she believes he is guilty. “He told me once [that all women] owe him because of the one [woman] who sent him to prison the first time,” said Stachowski. The nature of the case raises serious questions over the reliability of the justice system and those who
The Wessex Wire: Sports
March 2016
Page 11
Threat of public–private sports split stirs controversy By Caitlin Morrissey ’16 Think of the things that usually separate public and nonpublic schools. Class sizes, name recognition, demographics and even sometimes academics are the common few. In the last few years, athletics and the success of several private school programs have become some of students’ factors in distinguishing and choosing between public or nonpublic school systems to attend. The separation between these two schools and their athletics has been menacing in northern New Jersey since the early 2000s. The state has been struggling to find a solution to this issue for almost a decade. The motion to separate public and nonpublic finally appeared this year, at the conclusion of the 2015 football season. This proposal was very specific, targeting the discrepancies between New Jersey football, and wrestling. The motion at first passed by a 215-128 vote of member schools of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, and satisfied the long-lasting wishes a plethora
of both public and nonpublic school coaches. But on Dec. 29, Commissioner of Education David Hespe reversed these votes, and reverted the state back to its former ruling of a non-split. At West Essex, students, like the state, remained divided on the issue. Opinions differ according to what sport one may play. Some students believe that a change is needed to level the playing field for both schools, and that this change is only fair. However, others believe that the change would forever change their seasons. “In some sports, like football, this change was needed,” sophomore Eamon Morrissey said, “it would have made for much more competitive, and enjoyable schedules for not just the smaller public schools but the private schools as well. It’s never fun to play an unfair game, on either end.” While this problem still remains prominent in the minds of all athletic officials, we can only call into question what causes this issue: recruiting. Nonpublic schools can pull from more towns, and generally a larger geographical area than nonpublic schools.
“When a school can go out and ‘recruit’ from all areas and all towns, it presents a huge disadvantage for public schools that can only draw players from one geographic area. It’s almost like the nonpublic schools can put together all-star teams of players from different towns,” head football Coach Benacquista said. And to some, that makes sense: The teams with the best players have the best records, right? Not necessarily. Some public schools remain dominant in sports like lacrosse, field hockey and soccer, but even those sports are starting to follow the current trends of football and wrestling. And if this continues, the proposal to divide public and nonpublic school sports could span all programs. For field hockey and girls’ lacrosse, it would mean no more games against archrivals, Oak Knoll and Kent Place. For football and wrestling, matches and games against Seton Hall would cease. Some students said they were devastated by this proposition. “I look forward to our Oak Knoll [match] 365 days a year, and I know that they do so as well,” sophomore
Christina Cammarata said. “If we were not able to play them, it would be a huge loss for both of us. We are the best competition each other see all season.” Billy Garofalo, a freshman wrestler and football player, disagreed however, saying the changes were necessary. “As an athlete, you want to challenge yourself against the best competition, but at the same time you want it to be fair.” Since the state cannot seem to decide on one remedy for this ongoing issue, there must be other standards and rules put into place. For example, there is now a 30 day, mandated, sit-period for any athlete that transfers schools without a bona fide reason. While this is definitely a start, and a reason to not transfer, it won’t prevent recruiting from happening, which is the main problem. “This idea of recruiting will exist forever,” junior softball player Alexa Vardiman said. “Because it will never go away, a division is definitely needed. It is simply not fair to make completely different teams play each other. It will only motivate kids to leave, aggravating
EMERING from Page 12 Mr. Emering said he enjoys combining the program’s past, present and future. “I have tried to build links to the past so our athletes understand the history of our program,” Mr. Emering said. “This summer, I set up a comprehensive history of the program. I started a Hall Of Fame four years ago, and enjoy bringing athletes back so the current team understands the great athletes before them.” Mr. Emering “genuinely cares so much for each individual that he coaches,” Cullen said. “He consistently goes above and beyond what is expected to make sure his athletes are prepared and have everything they need for success. He has engineered the greatest period of success in West Essex track history, and that is not an accident; he is the engine that makes the team go.” This all feeds into the family culture he has cultivated, led by the close-knit team that looks up to Coach Emering. “He is inspirational and never lets you believe you can’t do something.” Steets said. “He is honestly the best leader I’ve ever had, and the most influential.”
The Dark Knight and the Mets take back baseball from the Bronx Bombers By Kirk Geller ’16
As they watched the Kansas City Royals run on to their field in Queens, N.Y., to celebrate their second World Series championship in 35 years back in November, the New York Mets walked into their dugout with their heads low, but their outlook for the future high. While the Mets were competing in their fifth World series in franchise history, the Yankees were at home or playing golf, looking back on what could have been before a 3-0 loss to the Houston Astros almost a month before. “It will be interesting to see how New York baseball fans respond to that turn of events, and the apparent seismic shift in the balance of power from the once-mighty Yankees to the kid-brother Mets,” said reporter Wallace Matthews of ESPN in an observational piece about the growing Mets in January. The Mets and Yankees have shifted positions this offseason, with the Mets increasing their payroll to $134 million from a disrespectful $109 million at the start of 2015. Fred Wilpon, owner of the Mets, promised an increase in payroll if the Mets attendance went up from the past year. Before signing Cuban star Yoenis Cespedes, who came over during the 2015 MLB trade deadline, Wilpon looked like a liar, and was once again a mark of hatred for Mets fans. The Mets have had to watch the Yankees celebrate a World Series championship in 2009 and count-
less playoff appearances in that timeframe. Yet, while the Yankees were slowly becoming older and losing traction in recent years, the Mets were gearing themselves for a future that has erupted into the current squad seen today. “The Mets definitely have a better starting rotation than us, but overall, I still believe the Yankees have a better chance at winning because they have their own young talent also, like Aaron Judge and Greg Bird,” said senior and Yankees fan Andreas Georgiou. The Mets now have a pitching staff made up of what could be future all-stars and elite pitchers of the game. Steven Matz, Matt Harvey, Jacob DeGrom, Zack Wheeler and Noah Syndergaard headline what has the potential to be one of the better pitching rotations in recent history. The entire group have shown flashes of brilliance in their time with the club, especially Harvey, deGrom and Syndergaard. “The Mets pitchers are all homegrown and brought along by Mets coaching, though Syndergaard was trade for, but the Yankees have either bought their pitchers or have been unable to mold them into an elite pitching staff,” said junior and longtime Mets fan Ethan Wolf. What’s even more amazing about this group of potential elite aces is that they are all under team control for the next few seasons. Harvey is not a free agent until after the 2018 season, Wheeler and deGrom
PHOTO COURTESY OF SLGCKGC (CREATIVE COMMONS BY 2.0)
(From Left) Syndergaard, deGrom and Harvey stand as future for the Mets.
after 2020 and Syndergaard along with Matz in the beginning of the 2022 season. Harvey, deGrom and Syndergaard have all expressed interest in signing a long term extension with the team. The Yankees current pitching staff consists of Masahiro Tanaka, Michael Pineda and Nathan Eovaldi. The other two spots will most likely be filled by CC Sabathia, who is being paid $23 million to attend AA (alcoholics anonymous) meetings during this offseason after announcing his addiction, and Luis Severino, who had a somewhat impressive rookie campaign but did not show the same flashes of brilliance as the Mets staff has been able to. “[The Mets] are the ones, not
the Yankees, who are rolling the dice on 2016 and are built to win now,” Matthews said further into his investigation. While the Yankees still held a better attendance record for the past season, the Mets increased their average game attendance by over 5000, while the Yankees’
lowered by over 2500. The Yankees are built around aging and injuryprone veterans such as Mark Teixeira, Brian McCann and the always controversial Alex Rodriguez. Meanwhile in Flushing, the Mets recently re-signed their Cuban Superman Yoenis Cespedes, who is surrounded by young hitters like outfielder Michael Conforto and catcher Travis d’Arnaud. As many fans believe, the 27 championships the Yankees own are amazing and a feat that most teams may never reach, but the chances of the Mets to win the 2016 World Series have never been higher. While the Yankees have continued to fail on meeting expectations over the past decade, the Mets have never been this close nor talented since 2006, and they plan on climbing back to the moutaintop this year. “I haven’t been this upbeat about a team in a long time and I think that is exciting,” general manager of the Mets Sandy Alderson said. “It’s exciting for us, exciting for the players and I think the fans as well.”
Wise Words: Coach Cullen “Hard work doesn’t guarantee you anything, but without it you don’t stand a chance.”
March 2016 Issue 4
The Wessex Wire Page 12
Baseball coaching change brings new energy By Daniel Laible ’18 As the new head coach for varsity baseball, science teacher Mr. Johnson looks ahead to the spring season with two pieces of advice in mind: Follow your passions, and remember your roots. “I wake up in the mornings on the weekends at five because I’m studying the game of baseball,” Coach Johnson said. “I live and die it.” Mr. Johnson has been a part of Freshman, JV and Varsity in many different ways throughout his time at West Essex. He takes over this year for former Coach Illiano, and Mr. Johnson had nothing but good things to say about his predecessor. “I was losing a mentor of mine in Coach Illiano,” Mr. Johnson said. “Having a mentor like that day in and day out is comforting. And
while I was happy to take a varsity position, It is without the person who helped get me there.” He added the interviewing process was long, but well worth the wait to get the job. The seniors are very happy with Mr. Johnson becoming the head coach of the Knights. They have no doubt that he will be able to step right in and lead this time to many victories. “Coach Johnson should give this baseball program a better name than it already has, and I’m excited to get to play for him for one last season,” said senior player Joe Cucuzza. The team hopes that the addition of Coach Johnson will propel them to greater heights. “Mr. Johnson allows the program to adapt a refreshing, new mindset that can ultimately build
“” I’m excited to get to play for him for one last season. —Joe Cucuzza
off the program that Mr. Illiano had set up in his many years,” senior player Justin Capozzi said. The team does not hope to build from the ground up, simply finish what has already been started. “Our biggest challenge is trying to fill the shoes of five seniors last year,” Coach Johnson said. “While we don’t need to be exactly like they were, there is a lot of produc-
tion to make up for there,” Mr. Johnson said. “I would say the only way to make up for that production is to focus on having the right approach for the season.” Mr. Johnson is bringing the baseball team into a new era, he is very confident in the leaders on the team and has high expectations for the upcoming season. Mr. Johnson has played and coached baseball all through his life and the game has always been a part of his everyday life. The team has a new beginning with Mr. Johnson here and have the ultimate goal of winning a state championship. With Coach Johnson now at the helm, his style of leadership should create an interesting atmosphere for the team. Mr. Johnson also said he wants everyone to come out and support
PHOTO BY COURTNEY PAPPAS
Coach Johnson prepares for his first season as head baseball coach.
the Knights in the first game on April 2, the team’s first game to a new generation of Knights baseball. The energy from the crowd can only help the team. “I have so much enthusiasm,” Mr. Johnson said, “for the games, practices, and all of the work that we put in.”
Athletes express admiration and loyalty to Coach Emering By Jake Wolf ’17
Teams are often compared to families. Ask any athlete, and they will likely gush about the fantastic environment of their respective sport. However, track is a unique sport. It combines the individuality and team aspects of sports. At West Essex High School, for nine years, this has been put together by boys’ track coach Anthony Emering. Mr. Emering has been coaching for a total of 12 years, and has brought the West Essex Track program to new heights. He currently coaches the Spring team, after stepping down from the Winter team to allow Coach Cullen to take over. However, he is still involved during the winter season, and along with Coaches Russo, Cullen and MausColucci, the Winter Track team had one of the most successful seasons in the history of the West Essex track program. Mr. Emering’s favorite part of coaching, he said, is “watching athletes, regardless of level, achieving something that they once thought was unattainable. I know I still love coaching because I get as excited seeing that at JV meet as I do at championship meet.” Mr. Emering’s athletes look up to him, and he is commonly considered a great leader and coach for every member of the team. “For every single situation that the team goes through, whatever meet it is, he is there to motivate us and inspire us to do our best,” junior runner Drew Lepre said. “He is inspirational,” junior Anthony Steets said. “He always
Track team caps stellar year at Sectional Meet By Chris Tsakonas ’18
PHOTO BY JULES MOSKOWITZ
Mr. Emering decorates his office with proud pictures and memories of the track team’s success.
makes sure we are prepared, and instead of being negative, he uses constructive criticism to critique everything we do.” At the beginning of his career, Mr. Emering had very little knowledge of track, but got a call asking if he would want to coach the sport. He partnered up with a friend of his, who was also inexperienced in coaching track, but the opportunity worked out well for them, and he became the head coach of West Essex Track and Field in 2004.
“He is extremely dedicated and he loves what he does,” senior runner Isaiah Rodriguez said. “We all look at him as a daytime dad. He supports everyone as if they are his children, with no bias. He truly cares about the welfare of his athletes and he does everything to shape our character.” The family culture that Mr. Emering has created has been growing for years. Emering has helped set up the future, and new coach Mr. Cullen, already has one
extremely successful season. “It has been an amazing experience to be able to coach with Coach Emering for the last four years,” Cullen said. “He is always willing to share his wealth of knowledge that he has accumulated over the years. He knows more about motivating and managing athletes than anyone else. As much time as I have spent with him, I still learn so much from him every day.”
See EMERING on Page 11
The Knights track team, fresh off their first-ever Group 2 State Relay title, returned to the Bennett Center and won their first Winter State Sectional Championship on Feb. 6. The boys’ team dominated the 400 meter race, with Liam Fost, Anthony Steets and Isaiah Rodriguez winning a clean 1-23 sweep in that order. Steets also finished second in the high jump, won the 55 meter hurdles (which Drew Lepre won bronze in) and joined Fost, Rodriguez, and Lepre to win gold in the 4 x 400 meter relay. The girls’ team also had an impressive showing in the 400 meter race, with Reanda Richards taking first and Alexia Perez taking second. Hailey Blum broke a school record and finished third in the 55 meters event, with Karch breaking the sophomore record with a sixth place finish. Richards also set a new school record in the 800 meters, finishing first. To cap off an outstanding night, the relay team of Perez, Karch, Blum, and Richards won gold in the 4 x 400 meter event. Altogether, the boys’ and girls’ teams finished the meet with a combined score of 122 points, hammering the previous combined record of 27 points.