The Wessex Wire (March 2009)

The Wessex Wire The Student Newspaper of West Essex Regional High School

Vol. XLVIII No. 3

West Essex High School, 65 West Greenbrook Road , North Caldwell, NJ

March 2009

HSPA Rally Revs up Juniors

by Lindsey Felcher ‘10

Photo courtesy of John Atura To read more about “Footloose,” starring Vito Fiore ‘12 and Courtney Searle ‘10, turn to page 9.

To Block or Not to Block?

by Celina DeLuca ‘11

Week after week, students follow the same schedule, consisting of an equal rotation of classes each day.

However, teachers and parents are considering a new type of scheduling to break the constant cycle. This new type is block scheduling, and it comes in various forms such as the Rotating Block, A/B Block, Traditional Block and Flexible Modular Block.

Ms. Susan Heinis, a librarian at West Essex, is part of the Flexible Modular Block Scheduling Committee.

“Each major class is called a discipline,” said Heinis. The committee’s hope is that lengthened instructional time in each discipline will help improve students’ abilities to learn the subject matter.

Ms. Anne Baney, a journalism and English teacher, is a member of a different block scheduling committee.

Inside This Issue:

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News

“My committee is looking at a rotating drop block,” said Baney. She is excited for the longer class periods that will enable teachers to be more creative without overwhelming their students.

“While block scheduling could be beneficial in many ways, in some instances it will be harmful for students. If you hate a certain subject now, how do you expect to get through the longer period of time that block scheduling provides?” Sophomore Kaitlyn Falcone said.

Fellow peer Kelly Mosser agreed with Falcone. “It would be nice to have classes less often but I don’t know if I could sit through such long periods every day.”

Although it prolongs d isciplines, block scheduling also gives students more free time in study and lunch periods. “This could be a good or bad thing for students. They can waste

A pep rally was held to motivate juniors and improve their High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA) scores. Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Mrs. Danielle Shanley and English teacher, Mrs. Anna Morse planned the event which took place on Feb. 27.

For the past couple of years, West Essex had the lowest scores in its division. This attributed to a drop in students reaching the Advanced Proficient level. However, Shanley and Morse believed this year’s juniors had opportunity for overall growth and an increase in advanced scores.

“We have the talent and intellect to out-perform the others. It’s just a matter of applying what we know about the test to instruction, while we also harness the energy and enthusiasm of this unique junior class,” said Morse.

The Art Department, chorus, dance team, students, faculty, PTO and the rest of the school administration contributed their time and effort to help Morse make it possible. A lot of activities occurred during the pep rally, including a game which was held to test the students’ knowledge of test taking skills and strategies.

Shanley and Morse hope the pep rally had a significant impact on the advance proficient scores of this year’s junior class. Shanley believes that not enough credit was given to the test and the students’ ability to

succeed.

“We very often start a sport’s season with a pep rally but have never been part of an academic pep rally. This makes it very unique. We should show the excellence of our students. Students take it for granted that they will pass,” Shanley said.

Though the teachers were positive about the event and its effect on the students, some students were a little skeptical of the idea. “If the students focus on the messages during the pep rally, then they could benefit more.

However, as far as raising scores, I do not think the pep rally alone can achieve this, but it can encourage students to try harder,” Junior Mitchell Lapoff said.

In contrast, other students believed that not only did the HSPA pep rally help, but what the students have learned in class benefited them as well.

“I definitely think the time in general that we’ve spent on the HSPA during class [such as] taking practice HSPA’s in math and learning about the requirements and different techniques expected in our writing during English will help to bring up the test scores from last year,” said Junior Bryan Weissbach.

Overall, Morse and Shanley hope for student achievement and a sense of community among the students. “The Pep Rally was an opportunity for the faculty, administration and parents to convey to the students how much we believe in them and their abilities to achieve. We hope to do this every year,” Morse said.

Upcoming Events at West Essex. . .

Ninth Grade Semi Formal Dance- March 28 West Essex Open House (activities) – March 28 Sophomore Class Tricky Tray- March 29 Iron Hills Math League Competition- April 1 National Honor Society Induction Ceremony- April 7 Winter Guard Competition- April 18 English Honor Society Induction- April 23 Choir Trip to Hershey Park- May1 Dorney Park Trip- May 8 Robotic Competition- May 10 High School Spring Art Show- May 14 Junior Prom- May 15

SEE TO BLOCK OR NOT PAGE3

Robotics Club Progresses Shanley Promoted

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Opinions

Does it bother you that A Human Travesty Economy at West Essex

8

Features

Tina Lane Footlose Cash-cash

14

Arts & Culture

Blink 182 Pizzeria review Notorious B.I.G.

March 2009

Page 2

News

Robotics Club Progresses to Finals with Eco-Friendly Robot

by Krista Liotti ‘12

The Robotics Club was recently welcomed into the Panasonic Design Challenge Finals, which took place on March 26 at the Performing Arts Center in Newark. To make it into the finals, the club created a robot that passed the preliminary challenge on Jan. 21. “[We are] Very, very happy and jumping for joy. We’re jubilant,” said Advisor Richard Bettini. The students in the club worked hard to create a robot that would not only wow the judges, but also complete an everyday task.

For the preliminary round, the robot had to descend to the beach via a ramp that was placed at both ends of the boardwalk. Upon reaching the beach, the robot either had to pick up two pieces of litter and place it in a recycling bin or pick up sea grass and plant it in a sand dune. Finally, the robot had to ascend to the boardwalk and cross the starting line. Each team was given 20 minutes to perform three minute trials of this action.

Sophomores Mike Yang, Mark Traverso, Matt Iannarone, Kyle Reilly and Brian Dusinberre, along with junior Jeremy Vine and senior Mike Russin created the robot for the finals. For the final challenge, teams had to ascend to

Club Bytes

the boardwalk through the original ramp taken down to the beach. Three trials were held for the competition, each five minutes long.

The purpose of the competition was for students to become more aware and active in helping the environment while becoming more coordinated with mechanics and engineering as well.

“I think it’s really cool that the club is entering a competition that has to do with preserving the environment. I hope they do well!” said freshman Valerie Tully.

Despite the result at the final competition, Bettini is proud of the team.

He hopes students “receive training for future problem solving and learn about mechanical and electrical engineering just in case they decide to go into an engineering field in the future.”

For a team of only seven, as compared to the football team’s endless rows of anticipated players, the robotics club has had some great wins this year and is sure to have many more in the future.

VOTE YES for the school budget on April 21, 2009

by Alyson Roseman’10

DECA: Members who competed in the regional competition and qualified for states competed in the state competition in Cherry Hill from Feb. 25 to Feb. 27.

The club also sold green bagels and coffee to profit the YWCA Rape Crisis Center on March 17.

KEY CLUB: The club had its monthly meeting March 11. Volunteer opportunities were discussed, along with plans to raise awareness and money for Darfur related aid programs.

FRENCH CLUB: The French Club will be holding its annual New York City field trip. This year, members will attend “The Little Mermaid” on Broadway, following a meal at La Bonne Soupe.

FBLA: Members who made it to the state competition competed on March 12 in Edison.

FIELD TRIP:Honors and Advanced Placement English students in 12th grade went to Princeton University to view the play “The Twelfth Night.”

SPANISH CLUB: The club sponsored a movie night in which members viewed “La Misma Luna.” The club will also be selling Hispanic lollypops, “chupa chups” as a fundraiser.

ITALIAN CLUB: Bake sales have been thrown to raise money for the club.

Members are looking foward to the annual dinner at an Italian restaurant in the spring.

Photo courtesy of Mrs. Zuhl Recycling day was a great success – from the cafeteria alone we collected 10 industrial sized garbage bags filled with recyclables. Dr. Dime and the mayor of North Caldwell have worked out an agreement to allow us to recycle in the cafeteria every day. This would reduce the cost to the district to remove garbage; weAgostini pay by ‘09 the Photo our courtesy Brian volume, so recycling will reduce the volume of garbage we pay the garbage company to remove it.

Submitted by Mrs. Zuhl, advisor of the WECARE club

Shanley’s New Position Assesses the Instruction of Curriculum

by Nicole Del Mauro ‘12.

Ms. Shanley, former public speaking teacher and supervisor for the English Department, was promoted to the Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment.

To be considered for this position, one must have obtained a principle’s certificate, gathered administrative experience and “demonstrated excellence as a teacher,” according to Shanley.

There are things Shanley admits she will miss as supervisor. The primary downfall was leaving the classroom and the English department. “But these are sacrifices that have to be made to help the entire district,” she said.

Though there are things she will miss, her new position has opened new doors of opportunity. “The possibilities are endless,” Shanely said.

A new job brings new responsibilities.

As supervisor for the English department, Shanley supervised only English, reading and libraries. However, her new position has handed her curricula in every content area, State and federal funding and the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB).

Now that Shanley oversees all curricula, she has found that she is encountering teachers from other departments.

She is learning about NCLB grants and state assessments as well. The new position also requires Shanley to work with the local professional developments committee, with supervisors to improve instruction, and to expand technology while working closely with

the Superintendent and the Business Administrator to promote the need to pass the budget and bond referendum.

On top of her daunting list of tasks, Shanley has set some goals for herself that she would like to complete over time for the betterment of West Essex. She is working on an internal professional development academy for teachers and on a mentoring program for new teachers in the district. In addition, she is working with supervisors to improve the current curriculum and provide help for all different types of learners.

Her biggest goal, however, is “to restore the community’s faith in West Essex [and] to provide its students with the best education.”

Photo courtesy of Colin Lyon

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News

March 2009

News Bytes

by Dylan Cascino ‘09

SkiingAccident Causes Death FARC Hostage Released After Seven Years of Actress Richardson Actress Natasha Richardson died after a skiing accident on Mar. 18.

The 45 year old was married to actor Liam Neeson. Richardson had been taking skiing lessons at Mont Tremblant Resort in Quebec, Canada prior to the accident. At first, she did not expect that the fall to be so serious, but soon experienced headaches. She was then flown to a hospital in New York City where she passed away.

Sigifredo Lopez, an American regional lawmaker who was taken hostage by Marxists in Columbia, was released after nearly seven years of captivity. The Marxist group, also known as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia (FARC), kidnapped Lopez and 11 other lawmakers in April 2002. The other lawmakers were killed in captivity in June 2007.

Mount Redoubt Ready to Rumble

AIG Executives: Busted!

The threat of Mount Redoubt erupting in Alaska is forcing Iditarod racing dogs to train for the grueling race 200 miles away from their original location.

The mountain’s ashes could potentially be dangerous and harmful for the dogs to breathe in, forcing them to move.

The volcano is expected to erupt in the upcoming days.

Only a couple days passed after large bonuses were given to AIG executives before the House of Representatives passed a measure to tax the bonuses.

The CEO of AIG, Edward Liddy, after public and federal outcry over the bonuses, urged the bonus recipients to give back at least half of the money.

However, Senate Democrats are warning that they will take away all of the bonus money if the executives do not give it back.

Chris Brown Charged with A-Rod Drops an A-Bomb Rihanna Assault Singer Chris Brown is being charged with assault and the creation of criminal threats in connection with a domestic violence incident. The singer allegedly assaulted his girlfriend, pop singer Rihanna. Brown turned himself in after a woman believed to be Rihanna went to the police and accused him of attacking her. According to police officials she had “suffered visible injuries.”

New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez admitted, in a recent interview, to taking performance enhancing drugs from 2001-2003. Rodriguez, the youngest player in MLB history to reach 500 home runs, is the first high profile baseball player to confirm the accusations of having taken performance enhancer drugs.

Sophomore Tricky Tray Mar. 29, 2009 Doors Open - 11:00 am Tickets Drawn - 1:00 pm Featuring baskets from: Bari’s Baubles, Panico, Forte, Calandra’s, Hollywood Pizza, Flair, Marra’s, Ocha and Sports University Grand Prizes: Hoodwink Tickets, Bamboozle tickets, “Mad Money” tickets, Taylor Swift tickets And much more!

Please come and support the Sophomore Class!

Field Trip reveals to Seniors “The Importance of Being Earnest”

by Ben Sunshine ‘09

The twelfth grade honors and AP English classes attended their second field trip of the year on Feb. 11. After visiting The Cloisters Museum earlier in the year, the students headed to the Paper Mill Playhouse to view a showing of

Dorian Gray,’ it was much more cheerful and comedic,” senior Michelle Bertscha said.

Many students after the performance honestly felt that they enjoyed the live performance even though most students these days do not usually frequent the theatre. “This was the first play I’ve

Photo courtesy of Genevieve Raffer Keddy The cast of “The Importance of Being Earnest” at the Paper Mill Playhouse. Student’s overall enjoyed the cast’s performance in the production of the play.

“The Importance of Being Earnest” by Oscar Wilde. This trip was a way for the students to escape the classroom for a day and have a complementary experience to the current curriculum.

“The Importance of Being Earnest” tells the story of Jack Worthing of Hertfordshire. He is the guardian of the eighteen-year-old Cecily Cardew. Secretly, Jack has been using a second identity, Ernest, in order to lead a double life in London. Jack will tell someone that his “brother” Ernest is getting into trouble in London, but he is just using this as an excuse to have exciting exploits. Jack meets a woman that he falls in love with and his hidden identity proves to be troublesome. The audience is witness to a few surprises in the end.

The play is headlined by Lynn Redgrave, a renowned actress on Broadway and on the movie screen, who plays Lady Bracknell. What truly drives this play is the use of satire, wit, and comedic dialogue for which Wilde is known. The audience can sense the criticism on the flaws of the lifestyle and personality of the people in Victorian society.

“Even though the play had much of the same style of writing as in ‘The Picture of

been to in a few years and it was just as entertaining as watching a movie or television show,” senior Brittany Odgers said.

To Block or Not to Block?

From Page 1

time during a free period, or use it to get help and get homework done. It teaches them how to structure their day,” said Heinis.

The issue of block scheduling has created collaboration between parents and teachers that may help the school decide what’s best for students.

“It’s nice working in a partnership with parents and teachers, you really learn what the students want and need,” Heinis said.

Block scheduling is supported by many people but hard to put into effect.

The earliest class to experience the block scheduling would be the class of 2011.

Opinion

March 2009 Issue 3

The Wessex Wire Page 4

Letters to the Editor

Editorial

Dear Editors of the Wire,

We have just entered the long stretch of the school year. The weather is getting warmer, the days are becoming longer and the anxiety continues to develop knowing that summer is right around the corner. Many students do just the bare minimum to get by from here on out, but the Wire has come up with a few solutions to help make your stay at WE a bit more relaxed.

1. A good strategy to help keep your composure is to humor yourself throughout the day. Maybe “buzz” in every time your teacher asks a question. Or even say “annnnnnt” when someone answers a question wrong in class.

2. Our second suggestion is to be nice to your teachers. Sucking up or becoming the teacher’s new favorite pet is not a bad thing either. Maybe an apple or day or if you’re really feeling generous, you can take them out to a nice dinner.

3. Last, we recommend that you hire your own masseuse for taking tests/ quizzes. There is nothing better than feeling relaxed while taking a hard test.

This “massager” will help you find your “happy place” and make you become more confident when usually frustrated.

Following these guidelines will show an increase in relaxation and make the rest of the school year seem not problematic. With some laughs throughout the day and a little composure, school really isn’t all that bad.

The Wessex Wire The Official Student Newspaper of West Essex High School

With college around the corner, the demand for juniors and seniors to complete their required courses becomes complicated. Students are unable to take the courses of their choice because they haven’t met the minimum requirements to graduate.

If students want to take electives of their choice, most have no option but to miss their lunch. Within the four years of high school a student must have four years of English and Physical Education, three years of Science, Math and History, one year of a world language, a visual or performing art, and a practical art. Seems impossible, right?

However, the new block scheduling proposal could change all of this.

Students, who usually have nice classes for 42 minutes every day, would have major classes like English, Science, Math, and History three times a week but for a longer time.

This would greatly benefit students for that we would have time to take more electives of our choice. The persons that would benefit the most would be those who have now have to miss lunch due to lab. Also, students could have a free period, where they could study, do homework, or listen to an iPod if they choose The Board of Education has to change the current scheduling to block scheduling. It is in the best interest of the students and the faculty who run it.

Sincerely, Madi Berse ‘11

A Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Crown, Gold Medalist Paper 65 West Greenbrook Road, North Caldwell, New Jersey 07006 (973) 228-1200 ext. 258 2008-2009 STAFF:

Managing Editor Andy Maxman, ‘09 News Editors Alyson Roseman, ‘10 Ben Sunshine, ‘09 Features Editor Victoria Gualtieri, ‘09 Arts and Culture Editor Kelly Abbot, ‘10 Design Editor Elliot Kartus, ‘09

Editor-in-chief Stephen Kinslow, ‘09 Opinion Editors Joe Russo, ‘09 Mark Walsh, ‘09

Sports Editor Jenel Conde, ‘09 Copy Editor Samira Paydar ‘09 Advisors Anne Baney-Giampoala Cassie Lo

Staff Writers Sonia Aviv, ‘11 Matt Benavente, ‘09 Brittany Berman, ‘11 Dylan Cascino, ‘09 Jenel Conde, ‘09 Celina DeLuca ‘11 Evan Elberg, ‘09 Lindsey Felcher ‘10 Carlye Frost ‘10 Michael Goldstien, ‘09 Shai Kartus ‘11 Jackie Martorana ‘11 Nikki Maxman, ‘11 Sarah McGrath ‘11 Alinoel Navia, ‘09 Emily O’Neil, ‘10 Samira Paydar, ‘09 Erin Quinn ‘11 Brittany Jacobson, ‘10 Dan Spada, ‘09 Jonathan Struss, ‘09 Joe Taylor, ‘09 Lacy Tell ‘11 Francesca York, ‘09

Wire Editorial Policy The national award winning Wessex Wire is published with supplemental updates to inform, educate, and entertain the student body, faculty, and community. Unsigned editorials are the consensus opinion of the editorial board and do not always reflect the views of the advisor, 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 free 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.

Dear Editors of The Wire: While reading the January issue of the Wessex Wire, I stumbled upon an opinion article about how Santa should be banned from school. So I asked myself “why?”

The writer’s argument stated that, “public schools are not allowed to consent to any religious setting on instructional grounds.” However, if you are familiar with the Bible, you would know that nowhere is this man “Santa Clause” mentioned.

The history of Kris Kringle comes from a political cartoonist named Thomas Nast. He portrayed a giant, jolly man who only gave presents to the good children during the Christmas season. The cartoon spread throughout the western culture and has been modified to today’s practices.

The modern day Santa is no longer a symbol of the Christian religion, but a representation of the holidays and happy spirit.

If you are one of the few who feels so strongly about not having Santa in school, then just ignore him; many students look forward to his visit.

Seeing Santa in school just puts a smile on everyone’s face. With free candy-canes and pictures with your friends, I honestly can’t see the harm in Kris Kringle coming to school for a day.

Sincerely, Kyle Kovats ‘09

March 2009

Opinions

Page 5

Does it bother you that... A Human Travesty with Evan Elberg ‘09

Does it bother you that what used to be a relaxing period and a break from the classroom or work and studies, has now turned into a stringent physical fitness test?

After a long period in the class room doing rigorous mathematical equations or going back to World War II, one has the desire to shoot some hoops, go outside or enjoy the day by throwing around a football.

Now, for gym you must spring to the locker room, before they lock it, or else you will not be able to change and will receive a zero.

If you are lucky enough to get into the locker room, you must wait for everyone to change and in a single file line, leave the locker room as one and march to your respective class.

If you come in late to gym class or have a guidance appointment and come late to gym, you now have to write an essay about a sport activity or health article. This seems like a colossal amount of fun to me. It looks like gym class is turning into a second period of English.

Warm-ups used to consist of a slow jog to loosen up and get ready for the activity. But now get ready for sore muscles and aching pain.

After your jog, you are now required to do 20 pushups and 10 crunches; not an everyday walk in the park for most students. Not only is it unfair and uncalled for,

by Joe Stigliano ‘09

The author in deep thought about what troubles him at West Essex High School. it is completely unnecessary. Why for playing volleyball must you do 10 sit ups to get warmed up? These warm-ups are simply ludicrous and preposterous.

I understand that it might not be the school forcing these activities it may be the state. So I ask, do you really think 10 sit ups are going to make an obese teen skinny? How about instead of serving ice cream sundaes you serve some fruit or healthy foods in the cafeteria at lunch?

The entire idea seems to be unproductive and a huge waste of time. And why make a change during the middle of the year. Get your act together and get this idea ready for the beginning of the school year rather than halfway through.

Prison is a place for criminals who have been charged and convicted of a crime through means of a trial by jury, but what if a prison held 775 detainees, which only three have been even charged of a crime let alone convicted?

At Guantanamo Bay, this situation is a reality. It is a place where people are held without charge, and sometimes even tortured into confessions about crimes they didn’t even commit.

Under the protections of the third Geneva Convention, prisoners of war should be guaranteed human rights just as any other prisoner would be. The Gitmo prisoners, on the other hand, are tortured daily. United States military trainers at Guantanamo Bay based an entire interrogation on a 1957 study of Chinese Communist torture technique.

Techniques such as semi-starvation, exploitation of wounds and housing prisoners in filthy, infested surroundings are explained in detail within the manual. All of these techniques intend to according to the military training manual, “reduce prisoners to animal level concerns.”

No human being deserves to be turned into an animal by means of torture, let alone people who haven’t been convicted of a crime. This is why under the new administration, President Barack Obama will attempt to close the prison for good.

Under the new administration, every case will be reviewed as a separate incident. The problem is that there is nei-

ther record as to why people have been detained nor any evidence to prove that they have even been detained for a legitimate reason. Because of their unfair holding, many people believe these prisoners should be set free.

The problem with this is that although there may be many innocent people within the prison, every person was detained for a reason. Releasing every prisoner would also mean releasing probable terrorists along with the innocent people. There are a select few detainees whose home countries are refusing to accept them back because of crimes that they have committed previously in their of country.

-photo courtesy Dylan Cascino The new administration is being pressured greatly to close the prison as soon as possible for good reason. A slow case by case process will begin.

Every case will be reviewed by a jury and based on the evidence available and crimes the person is charged for.

Every detainee will be put on trial.

This is the only way to ensure safety to Americans while granting freedom to the prisoners who truly believe it.

The Guantanamo Bay prison is one of the greatest travesties of the U.S. government. Being a country on the forefront of freedom and equality we have gone against our own constitution and treated human beings worse than we treat even our livestock. The prison has changed the world’s opinion, and it will be a difficult process to show them that we are actually a humane nation.

The Guantanamo Bay prison was a detriment to the human race and the day that it finally closes its doors for good cannot come soon enough.

For Music, the Times are A-Changin’

by Madi Berse ‘11

“Womanizer, woman-womanizer, you’re a womanizer, oh womanizer, oh you’re a womanizer, baby. You, you, you are, you, you, you are Womanizer, womanizer, womanizer.”

Brittany’s Spears’ song “Womanizer” may have made the top 10 list on ITunes, however the song can hardly be accepted as high-quality music when the chorus includes a total of four repeated words. Brittney Spears is only one of the many popular artists that lack musical talent, especially in comparison to the musical Gods of the past.

The 1950s and 1960’s were not called the Golden Age for no reason. “Rock

‘N Roll” influenced everyone during this time, and has changed the music industry ever since. Bands like The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Grateful Dead, and Led Zeppelin redefined music, and artists like Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Tom Petty, and Neil Young have made lasting impressions on music.

All of these musicians will be remembered for their unique sounds and penetrating lyrics.

Almost all musicians since have been influenced by these musical legends, but the lack of captivating music that is recorded today makes me doubtful.

Music today has changed so much since the “golden age,” it can hardly

be classified as music. Lyrics have changed from “all you need is love” to “I’m a mother f***ing P-I-M-P.” I am not saying that music today is terrible, because some bands and artists are have extremely catchy songs and produce an excellent sound. However, the overall feel of what musicians are trying to teach through their music is misguiding.

Music used to be symbol of love and unity. Lyrics used to have meaning, and people used to be able to relate with the lyrics.

They used to incorporate political, social, and philosophical, and literary influences. Now it seems like music has turned into reckless rebellion with no meaning behind it.

In the past, musicians used to have to practice their instruments and take voice lessons almost every day.

Today with all the technology, musicians can lip-sync and “instrumentsync” by pre-recording and editing their music instead of performing live. So in actuality, is the music business today about talent or about who you know?

Bob Dylan wrote, “Come writers and critics, who prophesize with your pen. And keep your eyes wide, the chance won’t come again. And don’t speak too soon, for the wheel’s still in spin and there’s no tellin’ who that it’s namin’. For the loser now will be later to win for the times they are a-changin’.” Yes, the times are changing, and so is the world of music.

March 2009

Opinions

Page 6

Economy in Effect at West Essex

by Stephen Kinslow ‘09

Almost like a free falling object in the sky, the stock market appears to be plummeting as time goes by. Every time you turn on the news, there is something about how the market took another drop from yesterday’s position.

We all know that everyone is affected by the economy, whether it is directly or indirectly. However, the student body here at WE seems to show no concern for this catastrophe at all.

Day after day, more and more seniors are getting accepted to the college of their choice and are excited to spread the news in the hallways. The next question many of them are asked is “what are you going to major in?”

The answer is usually “undecided” or “anything but business.” They also sometimes add in “First I have to make sure my parents can afford it.”

The economy is said to be its lowest point of the past decade. Many families

are struggling to put their kids through college and all these obstacles are just getting in the way. This makes me wonder, how can the economy can ever

Cartoon courtesy of Francesca York become stable again with fewer people learning about the business world?

Another story going around the area is that more and more students are applying to state schools because

Sleepy Students Aren’t Happy Students

by Sonia Aviv ‘11

How many times are you hitting that snooze button? Two, maybe even three times? After some moaning and groaning, I stumble down the stairs to eat a quick breakfast just before catching the school bus.

This has become my normal routine almost every morning. Staying up to all hours of the night trying to learn algebraic problems doesn’t work for me. The issue I have with school really is not the workload; it is the fact that I can barely keep my eyes open to read a book.

Surely many other students would agree that it would be more convenient for school to begin at 9:00 a.m. and finish at 3:30 p.m. Under these circumstances, students and teachers would be allowed an extra hour and a half of sleep.

Even though most students would not arrive home until around 4:00 p.m., the late arrival is well worth the late wake up.

In 1997, Minneapolis Public School became the first major district to alter its starting times in order to meet sleep needs. Now, the high school’s day begins at 8:40 a.m rather than 7:15 a.m.

It is for that reason, there has been a positive impact on the school. Not

they are cheaper than going to private universities. These schools will then feel the need to raise their standards, consequently making it even harder for

only are students performing more successfully, but the attendance rates have exponentially increased.

It is not a myth that lack of sleep leads to difficulty in school. Students are irritable and often have trouble concentrating. Going through a school day exhausted makes learning a dreadful process and is proven to cause a variety of moods swings, and in extreme cases, may actually lead to psychosis.

Recent research has shown a link between sleep deprivation and bad grades. In a survey of more than 3,000 high-school students, it was found that students who said they were getting Cs and Ds in school went to bed about 40 minutes later than students who were getting As and Bs. Not only would students be satisfied with their attitude, but their scores would improve in the classroom.

West Essex should seriously consider starting school an hour later.

Yes, an hour delay may seem like a big deal but in reality it isn’t. School would end around 3:30 p.m, leaving plenty of time for after-hour sports and activities.

Everyone would be happy to hang around a little later in order to get a little more sleep. The issue of sleep deprivation would be no more if school started earlier.

students to get into.

Most recently, during the week of the HSPA’s, almost all the schools in the area had their freshmen, sophomores

and seniors come to school late on a delayed bus. Not WE though. It seems so me that the school needed to save money due to the economy.

Last, but certainly not least, the teachers are feeling the brunt of all of this. I always hear them complaining about only having one or two pieces of chalk, or not having enough text books to give to each student. How can the teachers be expected to teach with limitations like these?

I am not trying to blame anyone here, but the student body needs to know that the economy is influencing most of the decisions made around the school concerning money. Many students have the impression that the economy is not affecting them in any way when actually it is right under their noses.

To help solve this problem, maybe more bake sales or student body functions should be held. Not just to benefit the classes, but to help refurbish the school that we go to five days out of the week.

Facebook: Not Just a Hobby

by Kelly Mosser ‘11

Logging on to the Facebook homepage, it is not uncommon to see pictures from last weekend’s parties featuring high school students with bleary looks in their eyes and dozens of empty silver cans.

Many students do not see harm in posting pictures containing controversial content. After all, Facebook is a completely private and harmless site, right? Wrong.

The incredible phenomenon of Facebook is sweeping the teenage population of Amercia. Students nationwide have become obsessed with the site, constantly checking notifications, adding pictures, and writing on their friends’ walls.

However, what seems to be innocent networking of kids has actually been proven to be the opposite, just as MySpace has.

Students using Facebook do not necessarily need to worry about stalkers and pedophiles because Facebook offers more privacy options than some other social networks. Instead of creeps, kids’ greatest fear should be the access to their pages by much more powerful people: college administrators.

Colleges are beginning to use Facebook to access further information about prospective students. before accepting a

student, some colleges check students’ profiles to look for inappropriate behavior.

Colleges are also using the site to crack down on illegal activity on campus. While some see this as an invasion of privacy, the reality of the situation is that anything posted on Facebook is out in public for anyone to read it.

Kids need to be aware of the content of the pictures they post on Facebook.

In a 2008 survey of 320 college admission officers, over 10 percent of them claim they check the Facebook accounts of regular applicants. So if you get into your first choice school, problem-free, you’re set right? Wrong again.

If students insist on posting photos that may be deemed controversial, they must think of the consequences. Students can use privacy settings that make their page invisible to users to whom they are not “friends” with. These precautions could truly help or even save a student’s chance of getting into their school of choice.

You must keep in mind that there are many people on the internet who can use Facebook as a way to discredit one’s character. Many students work too hard academically and athletically to have their shot at college ruined by a few inappropriate pictures. Several people judge a book by its cover; so let’s make sure they know the real you.

March 2009

Page 7

Opinions

Class of 2009: You Gotta Love Senioritis

by Joe Russo ‘09

There’s an epidemic sweeping through the halls of West Essex. It seeps under classroom doors, hides in backpacks and is always prevalent in the senior parking lot. It causes lateness, “sick days,” and an “I don’t care” attitude. I’m talking, of course, about Senioritis.

Nearly every senior is experiencing some form of it and has been for some time. Some friends of mine have had Senioritis since they stepped foot into the building on September 3rd, while others have just recently caught it during the February break. I myself find it a near miracle that I actually took the

or that test we failed after studying all time to write this article.

However, this epidemic shouldn’t be night for (aka studying all last period affeared or dreaded by anyone. In fact, ter checking our fantasy baseball teams Senioritis should be embraced by all, and talking to our friends). It’s really not especially teachers, who should rejoice that big of a deal. For the better majority of us, we’re at the fact that in college and they have the “Senioritis should be embraced high school privilege of by all, especially teachers, who grades really teaching seshould rejoice at the fact that they don’t matter niors. anymore.

We seniors have the privelege of teaching Another benmake it easy seniors” efit to teaching on the teachseniors is the ers by not caring much about grades. So teachers, fact that we’re the smartest kids in the don’t feel bad about giving us a C- on school. The fact that we get basically that paper we wrote twenty minutes ago no homework allows us to philosophize

Applause & Flaws Compiled by the Wire Staff

No Members = No Club

by Krista Liotti ‘12

Applause To the new vending machines To students finally getting thier college acceptance letters To the cast of footloose, who put on an outstanding show To the HSPA Pep Rally and the HSPA goody bags To the girls baskeball team, for having the best season in school history

Flaws To the new vending machines not accepting money To getting rejected by the school of your dreams To the bells not working on Mondays To not getting senior service To the school wide epidemic of detentions

in our spare time and lets us come up with insightful questions and answers in classes that we actually enjoy.

Senioritis, as mentioned before, also causes sick days. This absence causing effect should be welcomed with open arms. Absence of students relieves the stressful job of teachers having to count so many students every day and trims the number of say twenty students in a classroom to about fifteen if most of the class is seniors.

Senioritis should be loved by all, students and staff. I know personally that when I become an educator of high school minds, I cannot wait to have seniors in my classroom.

The announcement has been ringing through the intercom for weeks.

The West Essex Website Club is looking for new members, and in fact has been looking for over a month.

It seems that the search may be a wasted effort after all, because no students are responding to or even acknowledging the desperate announcement.

As a result, the Website Club was never actually developed because there were no members involved.

The question at hand is this: Why haven’t students joined the Website Club? Why isn’t West Essex getting involved?

The deterioration of the club is due to a lack of time and interest in website design. West Essex students are primarily involved with sports and other activities, and it seems that there is no time for clubs. But it is possible!

Building up a resume for college is an important part of every high school student’s career and many students are already involved in a good number of clubs to earn extra brownie points for colleges.

The lack of interest is a huge point of defeat for the website club, because students are more interested in the college basketball tournament or the newest product from Mac out on the market. However, it’s unfair to say that all students are too lazy to join the club, because a lot of the students already have jobs on top of school work and sports.

But for the rest of the students, why not try something new? The club only meets a couple times a month, not every day. You will still get to do the normal things you do everyday and be a part of something new.

Creating titles, videos, message boards, adding color and hosting your own piece of the World Wide Web are just some of the things you can do while producing your own website.

So if you’re interested in art, computer graphics or simply expressing yourself, don’t be turned off by the how “not cool” or time consuming the Website Club seems to be.

Clubs are a great way to meet new people, learn new things, and be more prepared for colleges. By joining this club, you can learn so many skills to use in the future such as proper typing, how to create a successful website and possibly even create your own famous site.

The search engine Google was created by average college students, and wasn’t expected to be much. However, it turned out to be a huge success. As the world becomes more technologically dependent, these are the skills that will be required and highlighted for jobs.

People who have these skills will most likely become an important part of our society, and become very successful.

So think about it, why not join the Website Club? Why not join any other West Essex extracurricular? These clubs were created for the students to express their creative interests, not to be unanswered announcements that take up a few minutes during homeroom.

March 2009 Issue 3

Feature

The Wessex Wire Page 8

WEHS Alum Richard Kilcoyne: A Hero Among Us

by Kelly Abbot ‘10

In some ways, Richard Kilcoyne is like many of us. He grew up in Essex Fells and attended West Essex, where he was a good student and played hockey and lacrosse. He was a normal American kid.

Although he grew up not really focusing on a military education and career, Kilcoyne applied to West Point, and quickly recognized that this was his true calling. Kilcoyne wanted to give something back to his country and was inspired by his grandfather who was in the United States Air Force.

With this inspiration, Kilcoyne applied and was accepted to West Point after he graduated from West Essex in 2003. Rightly so, Kilcoyne’s parents, Joan and Rick Kilcoyne, were incredibly proud of him.

While at West Point, Kilcoyne’s education and training were extremely demanding. His experience was not the “usual college party scene.” There were intense educational, physical and mental requirements. While he majored in Economics during the school year, in the summer months he was training

Photo courtesy of Richard Kilcoyne

West Essex 2003 alum Lieutenant Richard Kilcoyne poses with a child during his tour in Iraq. for military action.

When he graduated, Kilcoyne achieved the rank of 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Army. As such, he was committed to five years active duty and four years in the Inactive Ready Reserve, where he is not attached to any specific unit, but can be called up for duty at any time.

He then went on to Fort Benning,

Georgia where he attended Basic Officer Leadership Training, Infantry Officer Basic Course Training, United States Ranger School, and Advanced Infantry Training. He furthered his training at the Airborne School and the Air Assault School. He is now assigned to the 25th Infantry Division, based out of Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion,

Player Profiles: Lady Knights

by Joe Stigliano ‘09

Gianna D’Urso will be attending Monmouth University next year on a sports scholarship for lacrosse.

Although she had multiple offers to play elsewhere, she chose Monmouth for many reasons. She believed that the atmosphere of the college suited her and the lacrosse team’s outstanding record the past few years have impressed her. The college’s close location to the Jersey shore was another positive quality. Although playing at

a college level will bring D’Urso new challenges, she can’t wait for them.

“I’m excited for the competition.

Playing sports is what I love and [I’m fortunate that] I can go to college and do something that I love,” D’Urso said.

As captain of the West Essex Lacrosse team, D’Urso hopes to lead them to another successful season. She believes that being coached by Jill Cosse has prepared her for lacrosse on the college level because players are held to a higher standard. After D’Urso finishes with her lacrosse career she would like to

Photos courtesy of Joe Russo

be a sports broadcaster or a teacher.

Alison Cassera will be attending Northwestern University next year on a full scholarship to play lacrosse. Her decision to play there was based on the university’s annual perennial success.

The lacrosse team players are four year reigning national champions.

The idea that she could win a national championship ring in the near future was very appealing to her. She is also enthusiastic about playing at the Division I level.

Cassera spoke very highly of her coach, and stated that she is ready for upcoming challenges.

“West Essex has prepared me for college experience because if you can play for Coach Cosse, you can play for anyone,” Cassera said. “[Cosse] treats her teams like a college program and has prepared me for everything ahead of me.”

As of now, Cassera is still undecided about what she would like to do after her college career.

27th Infantry Regiment.

“Richard has always been a leader, and West Point gave him the necessary training,” his mother said.

In his last month of preparation, Kilcoyne was at the National Training Center, which is a complete mock up of the Middle East. It is used to get soldiers prepared for deployment.

Kilcoyne shortly thereafter received his orders assigning him to service in the Middle East. Needless to say, as proud as his parents were of him, they were scared and worried about his assignment.

Lieutenant Kilcoyne is currently serving in Iraq; for security reasons, his location cannot be disclosed.

“He is definitely proud of what he is doing; the people respect him, he knows that he is serving a good purpose over there,” Joan Kilcoyne said.

Kilcoyne is proud to work with the Iraqi Army, the Sons of Iraq and the people of Iraq. Having a son who serves our nation in a far away and dangerous place has also been very difficult for the Kilcoyne family.

“It’s hard. We are always worried about Richard and his safety. We are, however, extremely proud of him,” his mother said.

One of the most difficult things for Kilcoyne’s parents is the lack of communication with him. He is so busy and communications are not always available where he is.

He calls whenever he can and has Internet access at times.

Heroes and role models, these words are tossed around all too easily in our society today. Over the recent few weeks and months, it has been apparent that, in many instances, we do not find them on the sports fields, or on Wall Street, or in Washington.

Yet, they are closer than you think.

Sometimes you find that they once walked the halls of our high school, with their friends, going to class and playing on our fields. Today, however, they are patrolling the streets of Iraq, being a leader of men, and risking their lives because they believe in something bigger than themselves. Richard Kilcoyne should be, and is a role model and a hero to everyone.

Richard Kilcoyne was like most of us West Essex students. He had a normal high school experience, but he is now serving the United States Army. A small town boy turned into a big time leader.

March 2009

Everybody Cut “Footloose!”

by Shai Kartus ‘11

Are you ready to get footloose? West Essex put on a spring performance that was not only very entertaining and student friendly but also enjoyable for the entire audience and extremely relatable from the teenage eye to an adult’s perspective.

Get ready to enter into the marvelous world of “Footloose” as West Essex puts on a spring performance full of energy, excitement, and enthusiasm. On March 19, in the senior high auditorium, a cast consisting of freshman, sophomores, juniors, and seniors took the classic tale of teen rebellion and repression to a new level with an unbelievable combination of dance choreography and singing while touching upon realistic instances as well.

“Footloose” begins when a teenager named Ren (Vito Fiore ‘12), and his family move from big-city Chicago to a small town in the West. Growing up surrounded by singing and dancing, Ren has a hard time trying to fit into his new home where dancing and singing are actually illegal. However, not all is bad for Ren when he spots a troubled, but beautiful blonde, Ariel (Courtney Searle ‘10). The real life teenage drama occurs

Features when Ariel’s jealous boyfriend comes into the picture. With Senior Prom around the corner, streetwise Ren is the only senior courageous enough to initiate a battle to abolish the outmoded ban and revitalize the spirit of the repressed townspeople. With Ren, anything is possible, but he caught a slight snag when he tried to bring his musical side out into his new town.

Searle, who played the female lead Ariel, has performed in previous West Essex performances including “Damn Yankees” and “Bye Bye Birdie.” “I loved everything about working on the show; the dancing, the singing, and the acting. It was all just a lot of fun, especially getting to work on the show with my friends in the cast,” Searle said.

Guidance counselor, Linda Grancagnolo has worked on many West Essex performances in past years. “I enjoy my work tremendously,” she said, “I’ve been choreographing West Essex Shows for quite a while, and I still marvel at the talent we have.”

“This is a wonderful cast…they all get along, help each other out, and it is truly a bonding experience…shows are like that!”

“The best part about co-directing this musical was actually getting to have fun while moving through what we had to get done,” Co-Director Peter Tamburro said. “Being a new teacher, helping to direct “Footloose” gave me a chance to get to know students that

Page 9

Photo courtesy of John Atura

(from left to right) Gina Morello, Caitlyn Wan, Kira Monin, and Courtney Searle I do not get to see every day in my classes.”

“The most challenging part about directing the play was being able to get everyone on the cast together at one time since all of the students are so involved in other extracurricular activies and commitments here at West Essex,” Tamburro said.

Senior Brian Agostini, a member of the ensemble cast, said: “I wish I had participated in the musicals in past years because of the surrounding atmosphere the cast provides. Everyone is very accepting and friendly and I

wish this wasn’t my first and last year performing in our school play.”

With Mr. Bornonow as director along with a fabulous cast, this show set itself with high expectations and with the help of its amazing cast; the dream was able to come true.

I was personally blown away when I attended the play on Friday night.

Performances from Searle, Fiore, Gina Morrello (Class ’12), and Kira Monin (Class ’10) really stood out to me. The energy amongst the cast was outstanding. “Footloose” was a great show and was truly fun to watch!

Class Work, Clubs, Sports-Oh My! High School Stress Leads to Test Taking Anxiety

by Alyson Roseman ‘10

The nausea hits when your teacher begins to hand out the test. Your heart beats so hard and fast that you feel as if your rib cage may collapse. The sweat from your palms makes it difficult to grip the pencil correctly as you attempt to find the most logical answer.

Resounding thoughts of failure fi ll your head, combining with a sharp headache. By the time you hand in your test, the bell rings and all previous ailments disappear as you leave the classroom.

So just how often do similar scenarios occur? A survey was conducted to determine this at West Essex. Fifty students participated and about 44 percent claim to have test taking anxiety, while 38 percent say they don’t experience it.

But what about the 18 percent who aren’t accounted for? These students aren’t sure and claim that the anxiety varies, depending on the test and how much pressure they are already feeling.

“Many times between track, the musical, Spanish club and piano, I find myself not getting home until late at night, making it rather difficult to balance school work [with extracurricular activities]. This usually ends up causing additional stress,” said junior Owen Gantz.

From book club to the robotics club, there is something for every student.

Some students, on top of a rigorous academic schedule, participate in several activities, including sports. One may play on one to three teams throughout the school year. Sports include 3-5 practices, and often extend into extra hours and games that may invade students’ free time.

“Our lacrosse team is the way it is because we put in the extra hours at practice, which can really put a strain on academics. These extra hours, along with other activities I participate in, create extra unneeded stress in my life,” said junior lacrosse player Catherine Fiore.

Being involved in sports, clubs, the play and activities outside of school

can significantly decrease one’s study time. It is here that test taking anxiety can manifest itself, since one isn’t able to fully prepare for a test and may become anxious about the resulting grade. “[Before a test,] symptoms I get include stomach aches and sweaty palms, which only occur at certain times. I also have trouble sleeping depending on the test the next day,” said junior Bianca Calderone.

This anxiety may result in physical symptoms such as butterfl ies, nausea, headaches, sweaty palms, and thoughts of inadequacy.

“There are a number of different symptoms that [may] manifest,” said Student Assistant Counselor Mr. Tony Emering.

“They include difficulty with self regulation, and an inability to selfsoothe. These students have motor restlessness, difficulty with sleepwake cycles and trouble with appetite.

[Overall students will] worry to a degree that is unhealthy.”

So how does one overcome this

anxiety? Students claim the answer to this question ranges from listening to music to focusing/organizing thoughts. The most common answer is to study excessively with very little distractions. Other common answers include taking deep breaths and being confident in one’s ability to achieve success.

“To calm down, I try to listen to my iPod and/or read a book. I try to keep my mind on something other than the upcoming,” said Calderone. “For others facing test taking anxiety, I suggest trying to stay calm, and let your feelings out. Sometimes saying how you feel just might be the trick.”

Please Recycle This Paper

March 2009

Features

Page 10

Ahoy Maties! It’s Pirate Time!

by Kevin Glenn ‘11

High School: It’s a Disney World

by Alinoel Navia ‘09

“Sweet niblets!” Hearing that phrase blaring out of the television at home means somebody’s watching the Disney Channel—and it isn’t you. Right?

Recognizing Miley Cyrus’s tagline is not something an average high school student is willing to admit. The first concern would be: what would their friends think of them for watching the Disney Channel?

However, the guilty pleasure has hit West Essex from freshmen to seniors, and only 33 percent of the student body is afraid to own up to it!

Since Disney has began airing new shows, older students can no longer catch “old school” Disney shows like “Lizzie McGuire,” “Phil of the Future” or “Boy Meets World” unless they opt to watching television at 3 a.m. or catching throwback marathons. Though these shows have been greatly missed, Disney has had success with their more recent series. This includes “Hannah Montana,” “Wizards of Waverly Place” and “The Suite Life: On Deck.”

“I miss the old ‘Boy Meets World’ reruns, but ‘Wizards of Waverly Place’ is my new favorite,” senior Nikita Dolese said. “It’s so funny.”

“Wizards of Waverly Place” first premiered on the Disney Channel in Oct. 2007. Its central focus is the teenage life of Alex Russo (Selena Gomez) who must keep her family’s wizard powers a secret. From trouble in the wizard world to her family and school, Alex’s tendency to rebel against the rules and use magic outside of wizard training causes nothing but trouble.

“Hannah Montana” is currently Disney’s biggest hit. Hannah Montana (Miley Cyrus) takes on the role of a girl who lives a double-life by juggling between living as a normal teenager and celebrity rock star; she gets the “best of both worlds.”

The Hannah trend has hit high school.

Some West Essex students who aren’t ashamed of their Hannah Montana obsessions even make her songs their ringtones. Cyrus was featured in the September issue of Seventeen, which was both loved and hated by students.

“I’m not a fan of Hannah/Miley,” junior Kelly Abbot said. “From her article, she seems conceited. But I’m really into ‘High School Musical.’ I love it.”

Airing in 2006, “High School Musical” was the most watched Disney Channel Original Movie in Disney Channel history. From iPods to Halloween costumes and constantly reciting quotes, West Essex students are not afraid to flaunt their obsession.

“The dancing is fantastic,” one anonymous senior said. “I just went out and bought High School Musical 3 so I could finally watch it. Corbin Bleu is so cute!”

Disney won’t stop there; their new series “Jonas” will be airing in May. The Jonas brothers are a hit sensation and the heartthrobs of kids and young teens all over the country, and their show is bound to get millions of viewers.

“I will definitely be watching their upcoming show, and I am looking forward to it very much,” sophomore Shai Kartus said.

An anonymous freshman said, “I think the Jonas Brothers are unlike any other boys’ musical group because their music really reaches out to people… you can tell that every word was written from their hearts. They are all so talented and give off a sense of reality to others and can inspire many to follow their dreams.”

Apparently, the Disney Channel is not just for little kids; students getting ready for college just can’t live without it.

“If I go to college and don’t get Disney channel as a part of the cable package, I might die,” an anonymous senior said.

“When I went to Vanderbilt, our tour guide was psyched to inform us they were getting the Disney Channel on campus—and he was a tough-looking, big guy.”

Ahoy Maties! This is KJ Glenn reporting on the new developments in the Somali coast, otherwise known as Pirate Nation. A Russian oil tanker that had been hijacked and taken over by Somali pirates for almost four months, was finally released after a ransom of $3 million was paid to the captors. The pirates were able to escape without capture.

A Ukrainian freighter carrying grenades, guns, ammunition and tanks was recently attacked. Although the hijackers were not aware of the heavy artillery boarded on the ship, they quickly took the opportunity to secure the $ 30 million in weaponry. After telling officials numerous times that the pirates had no intention of using the artillery and were only there for “the money,” the pirates were given almost $20 million in cash from a single engine airplane that dropped the money onto the ship. The hijackers escaped again at nightfall by jumping off the boat and scuba diving to nearby speed boats.

Another news article in the New York Times reported that due to the increase in pirate hijackings of private ships and tankers off the Somalian coast, now totaling over 30 ships, a new world task force is assembling to try and

combat the pirates. This international team will include almost 50 countries, with the United States taking the lead and contributing the most funding and personnel.

Photo coutesy of Victoria Gualtieri

Armed with chalk and ambition, AP Art History students recreated masterpieces for the annual Chalk Walk competition. The students had three hours to replicate artworks of their choice that were “not famous, but recognizable,” Senior Francesca York said. The 8 foot long murals were displayed in the cafeteria where students were asked to rank their three favorite pieces. After Art History teacher Eileen Dormer found some discrepancies among the ballots, she asked the teachers to vote. The winning portrait was René Magritte’s The Lovers, rendered by seniors Shannon Curry, Victoria Gualtieri, Kara Osman,

Photo courtesy of Victoria Gualtieri

March 2009

Features

Page 10

Local Jersey Band Cash Cash Breaks Out of Small Town Mold

by Brittany Jacobsen ‘10

Have you been to the nurse’s office lately? In addition to attending to our physical and emotional needs, Mrs. Frisch has generously been handing out free downloads for her son’s band, Cash Cash.

Formerly known as The Consequence, this small-town band has been climbing higher and higher in the music industry.

And they aren’t so small anymore.

Starting out in Roseland, NJ, Jean Paul Makhlouf and Sam Frisch formed The Consequence as the two leading members. In their early career, they played small, local gigs and released five EPs. Makhlouf’s younger brother, Alex, joined after the group began having issues with other members.

About ten years ago after a long summer of working in the Makhlouf’s home recording studio, the band finally wrote and compiled new music, ready to release to the public. They started advertising themselves trying to get their name and music around the city. When their song “Party in Your Bedroom” was DJed in a New York City club, the band began their journey to fame.

After receiving offers from numerous record labels, they changed their name to Cash Cash. The combination

then released their first EP as Cash Cash.

“I like their style and the genre.

Photo coutesy of cashcashmusic.com

(from left to right) Alex Makhlouf, Jean Paul Makhlouf, Anthony Villacari, and Sam Frisch of drummer Villacari, bassist Frisch, keyboardist Alex and lead vocalist JP was the key to their record deal success in mid-January 2008 with Universal Republic Records. They

They have a cool sound and [they] are nice people,” Junior Marin Schiffenhaus said. So far, the band has completed three tours and believes their trips were a success.

“Our last tour was very interesting,” said keyboardist Alex Makhlouf, “the bands we were on tour with were very different than us…but we ended up making so many new fans.” The band members were also very happy to see dedicated fans from previous tours make trips to see them again.

“Personally, with the new album, I just want to see a lot of people owning it and enjoying every song on the record,” said drummer Anthony Villacari, “as far as the tour, it was our third… it went really well and better than we expected.”

Releasing their first album, “Take it to the Floor,” the band’s 70’s funk style is bringing them to the top.

Junior Jess McDonald said, “I like their new album a lot. They are really fun to see live.” The band has done numerous local shows, and many students have attended them to support these former West Essex students.

“For the future, we plan for world domination,” Villacari said, “Just kidding! We do plan to tour a lot; make a music video, and hopefully do a lot more than that.” The group plans to tour with Kevin Rudolff in April, make an appearance at Warped Tour and tour in the UK.

Mirror Images: West Essex Knights Celebrity Lookalikes -complied by Joe Russo-

President Barak Obama & Jon Shankman

Phylis Smith (The Office) & Mrs. Zuhl

Neil Patrick Harris (Doogie Howser) & Alan Jacobson

Ray Winstone (Beowulf) & Brian Hansen

Photos Courtesy of Joe Russo, whitehouse.gov, tbs.com, cbs.com and warnerbros.com

January 2009

Opinions

Page 14

In Memory: Tina Lane If any teacher could be considered a legend at West Essex, that legend would be Tina Lane. During her 28 years as a member of the faculty member, she not only helped the journalism students produce a widely respected and award winning newspaper, but she also touched and changed peoples’ lives. On Feb. 28, she passed away. The Wessex Wire would like to present two perspectives on her life and her effect on those she encountered as a tribute to her memory and enduring spirit. Two people would like to share their remembrances of Tina Lane: TJ Helmstetter and Mr. Scott Illiano, Lane’s former student and co-worker, respectively.

Who is This Tina Lane? A Teacher, A Mentor, A Life Saver

by TJ Helmstetter ‘00 “Who IS this T.J. Helmstetter?”

I’m sure people have been asking the question my entire life. But the first time I heard that Tina Lane had asked it, I never thought she would set me on a course to find the answer.

Tina Lane started teaching in 1978.

By the time I got to her in 2000, she had already mastered her craft.

The 1990s saw the Wessex Wire winning national accolades left and right. And The Wall Street Journal’s parent corporation named the paper’s long-time adviser Ms. Lane among the best in the country.

But the newspaper was no stranger to controversy.

In the late ‘90s, the Board of Education shut down production of the paper to censor coverage of a sexual harassment lawsuit among district administrators. The Wire didn’t back down.

Under Ms. Lane’s journalistic – and political – tutelage, editors won a hardfought battle for a new student publications policy that would prevent future censorship.

The victory couldn’t have happened w ithout Ms. Lane’s behind-the-scenes coaching. Throughout every challenge, Ms. Lane gave her students the tools to take leadership, ownership and action.

Wire editors had attorneys from the Student Press Law Center on speed-dial long before the existence of Google.

A fierce protector of the First Ame end n Amendment, Ms. Lane taught her students to stand firm in pursuit of the news, especially during times of controversy and contention.

“What I teach about the First Amendment, I have to be

able to back,” Tina Lane told a reporter for a 1995 article in Education Week magazine, a few years before the sexual harassment story broke. And she backed it with all she had. “[West Essex superintendent Gary] Vitta, whose district headquarters office is right at the high school, seems to hint that Lane’s position as newspaper adviser may be under review, but he declines to discuss it,” reported the 1995 story.

Those kinds of rumors and veiled threats would continue to circulate for the rest of Ms. Lane’s 26-year tenure as newspaper adviser, but she never backed down. Throughout every battle, she stuck by her principles with unmatched grace and charisma.

She not only taught her students the power of the pen; she also taught them how to effect real change in the world through smart politics and firm advocacy.

And years later, Ms. Lane would teach me a few other lessons as well.

In childhood, I had been confident in my young identity despite never being the athlete, class clown, or heartthrob: I was the smart kid with all the answers to last night’s homework.

But in junior high school, I started to struggle with self-identity, self-esteem and self-acceptance. And I endured the torment of peers who figured out that I was gay before I figured it out myself.

I coped by retreating. The teacher’s pet with the spelling bee trophies and science awards became the kid in the back who didn didn’tt hand in assignments. I was soo soon ffailing fa i in il i g much of the ninth grade.

Adolescence had gotten the be best of me, and I entered tenth grad grade aambivalent, am bivalent, exhausted, and stru struggling – struggling just to be b seen, to be heard, bby anyone, by ev everyone. I w was ddesperate de sperate tto find an outl outlet for self-e self-expressio pression a d val an and valid tion. da dation. star I started to

photo courtesy of TJ Helmstetter TJ and Tina pose for a picture at TJ’s Junior Prom.

think my life was over – and had it not been for the Wessex Wire, it could have been soon.

“Who is this T.J. Helmstetter?” Ms. Tina Lane asked the five senior editors of the Wessex Wire, all female, after the first time she met me. Apparently I had made a strong impression after the newspaper’s first organizational meeting of the year, held in her perpetually messy classroom.

Room 15 became my second home.

Although West Essex was a painful place during the school day, I owned the building after 3 p.m.

As we prepared for our December issue my sophomore year, Ms. Lane named me Director of Operations of the paper. The promotion made clear what she already knew: I would be next year’s Editor-in-Chief.

Once I became Editor-in-Chief, Ms. Lane empowered me to run the show, from setting deadlines to making decisions on what stories to cover and how to cover them.

(That’s not to say that we didn’t butt heads from time to time. In fact, a close friend of Tina’s recently reminded me that we were butting heads more frequently than not during those years.)

As my role in the Wessex Wire came together, so too did everything else in my life, it seemed. Things might be okay, I thought. Unbeknownst to me, my high school identity had begun to emerge: no longer the misfit, I was now the newspaper editor, and everyone knew it.

Unlike the teachers who couldn’t see beyond the lazy kid with the attitude problem, Ms. Lane recognized something deeper in me.

Whether it was by having me present lessons in journalism class or by sending me to interview the superintendent, she consistently elevated and validated my leadership. She taught me to define myself through my own actions, not through the words of others. She taught me to be who I am and not worry about anyone else.

Throughout our time together, Tina was never shy about instilling confidence in me: “T.J., why aren’t you taking my Honors English class? T.J., you put those other kids to shame. What’s holding you back?”

With her advice (and pestering), I realized that it was not too late to salvage my GPA. I worked hard over my junior year for a straight-A average. I decided to reclaim the childhood goal of success I had set aside in junior high.

With Ms. Lane at my side every step of the way, I earned acceptance into the journalism program at the school of my choice. She began her recommendation letter with the words, “Who is this T.J. Helmstetter?” Over the years, her initial question had become an expression of pride and affection.

I’ll never forget riding shotgun in Ms. Lane’s un forgettable yellow Mustang – the top down, her black hair dancing in the wind while she sang along to Destiny’s Child. Despite all our tussles over front-page copy, I relished spending time with this amazing woman.

In our long evenings in Room 15, I sat beside her as she completed her Master’s degree. I had a front-row seat as she applied – and got passed over – for two promotions within the district before she decided to move on from West Essex and begin her second career elsewhere.

I watched Tina tackle adversity in her life and win – all while serving as a role model for her students and colleagues alike. Although she left us devastatingly early, she left a legacy that most people twice her age should hope to achieve.

She led a truly remarkable life.

Brilliant and beautiful, Tina Lane was a passionate teacher determined to shape young minds. A multi-talented actress and dancer, she was a performer who commanded every stage she graced.

She was a proud mother to Kirsten, a devoted caregiver to her ailing mother, and a nurturer to everyone around her.

So much more than an adviser, a mentor or a friend, Tina was a guiding force in my life and will continue to be with me every day.

My story is just one of Ms. Lane’s success stories. Other students have gone on to become political kingmakers, successful actors, and yes, award-winning journalists. I still have a ways to go in getting to my goals, but I now have a better sense of just who this T.J. Helmstetter is.

So just who was this Tina Lane? An inspiration.

January 2009

Opinions

Page 14

She Could Barely Move Her Arms And She Handed Me A Tissue

by Scott Illiano The message was delivered during a teacher’s workshop on Martin Luther King Day. If I wanted to say goodbye to Tina, now was the time. Ms. Tina Lane was a former English teacher and Journalism expert who spent close to 30 years at West Essex. As I drove down the Parkway, I knew that saying goodbye could be one of the more difficult things that I would ever have to do. What do you say to one of your closest friends and one of the most influential people to have ever touched your life while knowing it may be the last time that you ever speak?

As my hands shook against the steering wheel, I thought back to 1995. As a substitute teacher, I stood up for the morning announcements. We were then asked to observe a moment of silence.

I falsely assumed that someone had died. Instead, the moment of silence was arranged by the Wessex Wire staff under the supervision of Ms. Lane because the Superintendent had censored the school’s paper by preventing them from publishing an investigative report related to a controversy between the Superintendent and the Vice Principal. Previously, I had only known Ms. Lane through a series of pleasantries exchanged in the staff room beginning in June of 1994, but I was compelled to learn more about her cause. Thus, I sought her out with the intention of doing so. What I got in return was the beginning of a life’s education and an irreplaceable friendship.

It was during our subsequent discussion about the moment of silence that I received one of hundreds of lessons that she would teach me over time. I asked her if she was afraid of any potential consequences for protesting the Superintendent’s decision. She explained that there are “defining moments” in one’s life when one must stand up for what one believes in especially when involving the best interests of students.

Those moments require great courage and ultimately define both who you are and what you stand for.

Over the next 14 years, there would be a number of times that Tina would again demonstrate not only the courage of her convictions, but also her amazing art of rhetoric. I used to say that she could go into a jury room with 11 other people against her and 12 people would come out seeing it her way. Her supreme understanding of words and their power provided her with the ability to sway an entire room. I credit Tina for teaching me to be more attentive to the power of words and their meanings. She was very strong-willed and unafraid to tell

you how things were. I always admired that she would tell me what I needed to hear, even if it wasn’t what I may have wanted to hear at the time.

I arrive at the hospital and check in at the counter to obtain a visitor’s pass.

On my way to the elevator, I coincidentally meet up with two of Tina’s closest friends, a woman named Mim whom Tina had met as a college student at Fairleigh Dickinson University, and former West Essex Director of Guidance, Dr. Jackie Moore. For those of you who never had the privilege of meeting or working with Dr. Moore while she was at West Essex, she recently organized a fundraiser to help care for Tina in her last months. As a result, she has now established the Tina Lane Memorial Scholarship and will be presenting the award to a West Essex student on an annual basis.

I begin to unravel, and break down like a two-year-old. Tears pour down my cheeks uncontrollably. Although she has little strength and can barely move her arms, she somehow reaches over and hands me a tissue. But, then again, why wouldn’t she?

She had already spent a lifetime serving others and her life was not yet over.

She had sacrificed numerous lucrative job opportunities with the likes of Matt Lauer and John McLaughlin. She had turned away news networks and other media outlets because she preferred a lifestyle that would enable her to raise her young daughter Kirsten. Tina always placed her large and beautiful family first and made sure to go out of her way for all of them. In fact, she had sacrificed a good part of her own social life after her mother had become too ill to take care of her. At that time, Tina moved her mother in with her and gave her the round-theclock care that she needed until her passing in the fall of 2007. She had given up Saturday mornings to teach dance to 3-5 year olds all of whom adored her as she did them in return. She cared for animals too, especially her three cats.

Tina would routinely spend endless hours teaching, mentoring, and nurturing others. There were nights I would lock up the coaches’ office and pull out of the parking lot around 9:30 p.m. For a moment, I would trick myself into thinking that I was the last staff member on campus, only to see Tina’s car still parked in her spot. On more than one occasion, Tina and her staff of the Wessex Wire would work on their paper well past midnight and then return to school the next day for a 7:30 a.m. homeroom. Tina was an excellent teacher in many different areas, including English, Creative Writing, and Theatre Arts. Of all her gifts however, perhaps her greatest was her ability and knowledge as a teacher of Journalism.

Her students would feel accomplished because they had worked toward, and inevitably earned a published piece worthy of “award-winning” quality. In the process, her students would simultaneously grow, develop, and ultimately become much better writers with a true understanding of the overall writing process. Above all, they would outwork everybody in sight and earn everything that they got.

The results of her expectations and the process were staggering. The Wessex Wire became a perennial award-winning paper winning close to 30 awards on the local, state, and national level. I implore all current and future Wessex Wire journalists and advisors to consider the history, tradition, and legacy of the paper under Ms. Lane and look to continue that standard of excellence in the future.

Tina would be the first to say that awards are not the most important thing. The student effort and level of commitment are what count most.

After Tina’s departure from West Essex, we often resorted to something that we had become accustomed to over the years, namely talking on the phone. It seemed as if every time I put groceries away or folded laundry, I called her.

Whenever she dusted or cleaned her bathroom, she called me. Even during those casual moments, she never deviated from her elegant nature. For example, she’d always say, “Okay, I need you to know that I’m going to flush the toilet now, but I’m not going to the bathroom. I’m just cleaning.” I would tell her that we’re friends so she shouldn’t bother to explain that to me. Then, as a joke, I would flush my toilet and say nothing. Regardless of where and when we spoke, she was always so bright, extremely funny and full of wisdom. She could “bottom line” things better than anybody I knew as she always seemed to have every situation already figured out.

She would give me personal advice, professional advice and essentially, counsel me in all of life’s matters. Over time, I realized that no matter what she advised, it always boiled down to one’s character and integrity. She placed an enormous emphasis on the notion of being true to yourself, just as she believed deeply that if one possessed courage then that would also cover all other important values.

As I held her hand, my sobbing and tears continued. “Scotty, I love you.

You’re my best friend.” She glances over at Mim. “My best male friend that is!” Mim is not offended. “I’m going to be fine. We’re going to have more times together. You can come see me anytime.”

I knew that wasn’t true. I knew that she was lying on her death bed or close to it,

and she was selflessly trying to console me. Although her condition was terminal, she was putting my feelings first. Her selflessness was immeasurable.

I make an attempt to speak, but no words come out. Finally, I get a hold of myself. I tell her how much I love her, how much she has meant to me, how much she has taught me, and the profound impact that she has had on my life. I explain how much it hurts me to see somebody that I love suffering. To Tina, there were no problems. There were only challenges. She squeezes my hand tighter and further demonstrates her own courage, “This is a challenge!

It’s just a test of my faith and a lesson for me to take each day one at a time.”

She then explains that she expects to be up dancing again.

Before I leave the room, I hug her tight. I kiss her cheek and then her hand. I look at her eyes. “I love you Tina. I’ll see you soon,” is all I can spit out, given my emotions. In the elevator, I am filled with grief. I contemplate how amazingly faithful and spiritual Tina is. I pray. Then, I hear her voice recite a phrase that she had used over and over. “Whatever is in keeping with God’s best interests.” I realize that no matter her fate, the lessons that I have learned from her will live with me forever. I also realize that fittingly she has just taught me another lesson because this is a test of my faith too, and I must also take it one day at a time.

As the elevator opens, I consider a variety of memories that we had shared together. Then, I contemplate the countless number of lives that Tina has positively impacted. She is a great woman, I say to myself, because knowing her has made me a better man. In fact, she left everyone and everything that she ever touched better than she found it: family, friends, boyfriends, students, colleagues, West Essex High School, The Wessex Wire, and Fairlawn High School. She was love personified. She treated everyone no matter what their status or position in society like they were royalty. She even made lasting impressions on people regardless of how much time she had spent with them.

As I walk toward the exit of the hospital, I open my phone and read a text message sent by my friend Verick’s wife ,Victoria. Although Victoria had only met Tina on a handful of occasions, that was all she needed. The text read; “In my life.. In the thousands of people that have brushed my life, there are few that have ever possessed the brilliant beauty and light that she illuminates. So bright in fact, that you have to stand back to even see her face.”

March 2009 Issue 3

&

Arts

Culture

Blink 182: The 17 Year Legacy Continues

by Vinn Bergamotto ‘09

Blink-182 members Mark Hoppus, Travis Barker, and Tom DeLonge came together on stage on Feb. 8, 2009 for the first time since December 2004. The three presented a Grammy award, but did so only after Barker made a little personal announcement: “We used to play music together, and we decided we’re going to play music together again.”

That one sentence had people asking themselves if this was really happening, if these three were coming back together to do the one thing millions of people had been waiting for them to do. After a very heated and publicized breakup four years ago, some thought this day would never come. But, after Barker’s statement, followed by three simple words from Hoppus, people around the world rejoiced over one simple thing: “Blink-182 is back.”

During the four year hiatus, the three members went separate ways.

Barker and Hoppus stuck together and formed the alternative/pop punk group (+44), while DeLonge put

together an alternative rock group called Angels & Airwaves. The then rival bands exchanged some heated words, with (+44) even putting out a song entitled “No It Isn’t,” confirmed by Barker as directly related to the Blink-182 breakup. With lines like “Curse my enemies forever” and “Let’s burn down something beautiful,” the song took some cheap shots at former member DeLonge’s departure from Blink-182.

After playing a show with newest collaborator Adam Goldstein (DJ AM) on Sept. 19, 2008, Barker, along with DJ AM and four others, were involved in a plane crash, where Barker and DJ AM were the only survivors. This tragedy helped the three realize what is important, and allowed them to put their differences aside and rekindle their friendships.

After some discussion between the band members, Blink-182 officially returned from the grave.

For those unsure about whether or not Blink is back for good, Hoppus stated in

an interview with the Alternative Press that “We aren’t even calling it a reunion.

It’s more of a continuation… It’s not like we’re just gonna do a tour and then call it for a while and then do another tour and then call it for a while. We’re just continuing Blink-182 as we always have.”

Blink-182 has already started working on their new album. DeLonge mentioned in an interview that Blink will be a part of a “big event” this summer, which could possibly be the VANS Warped Tour, a summer-long, cross country tour with hundreds of different bands, but nothing is confirmed as of yet.

Hoppus also noted that the band has already recorded six songs for their newest release. As to when the record will be out, Hoppus told Ultimate-Guitar. com: “We’re still discovering. It’s been very comfortable to be back working as our band, as Blink-182... We don’t feel pressured to have an album out by a certain date. We’re just gonna record on our own terms until we have an album that we absolutely love.”

Animal Collective Meets Fan Expectations With Highly Anticipated “Merriweather Post Pavilion”

by Dan Spada ‘09

After releasing one of the most critically acclaimed and publically revered albums of 2007, “Strawberry Jam”, Animal Collective split 2008 globe-trotting and spending time in the studio recording the “Water Curses” EP and their eighth studio album, “Merriweather Post Pavilion.”

“Merriweather” plays out like a summation and condensation of the collective’s sound, in so far as they have finally created a record that is accessible, yet uncompromising.

Animal Collective was once categorized as “freak folk,” exemplified by such records as “Sung Tungs” and “Feels”, but now critics are calling their evolved sound more pop-friendly than that of their previous releases.

“Merriweather,” named after the music venue in Columbia, Maryland, seems to be greatly influenced by not only dub and hip-hop, but throbbing synth-pop and eletronica, with the frenetic keyboard intro on “Daily Routine” as a succinct example. The bass distortion in “Summertime Clothes” complements one of Avey Tare’s (Dave Portner’s alias) most memorable and poignant hooks – “And I want to walk around with you” – in a

song filled with imagery of passing cabs, sweaty humans, and trash-filled city streets. “Also Frightened” will appeal to fans of the psychedelic side of Animal Collective, with Avey lulling the listener into a lethargic state.

On Animal Collective’s first album, “Spirit They’re Gone, Spirit They’ve Vanished,” the vocals are nearly inaudible, consisting primarily of yelps and groans. On “Merriweather,” Avey has at last found a middle ground for his primal screams and delicate harmonizing. His delivery is best heard in the album-opener, “In The Flowers,” when Avey sings, “If I could just leave my body for a night,” before the joyous breakdown.

Similarly, Panda Bear (Noah Lennox’s alias) provides memorable moments during “My Girls,” a purely Animal Collective track in which Noah makes a modest proposal in economically unstable times, and the subtly affecting “Guys Eyes,” which successfully uses repetition to great effect.

It might come as sur- p r i s i n g t o

some fans that “Merriweather Post Pavilion” clocks in at nearly 55 minutes, since none of the songs exceed the six minute mark. And although there is not an epic in the same vein as “Strawberry Jam’s” ambitious and sprawling “Fireworks,” “Merriweather’s” “Brother Sport” is a close contender, with Panda begging the listener to “Open up your/Open up your/ Open up your throat” in an African tribal, call-to-arms chant.

Now that the collective’s sound is completely realized, it’s improbable that they will do any wrong, especially with a visual experiment to accompany their melodies in the works.

The Wessex Wire Page 14

Upcoming Shows The Walkmen with Beach House / Wild Light (18+) Webster Hall, Thu 4/16 $20 advance / $23 day of show Noah And The Whale with Ferraby Lionheart / Anni Rossi (18+) Bowery Ballroom, Fri 5/1 $15 The Pains of Being Pure at Heart with Suckers / Zaza (18+) Bowery Ballroom, Tue 5/12 $13 advance / $15 day of show Dan Deacon with Future Islands / Teeth Mountain (18+) Bowery Ballroom, Sat 5/16 $12 The Shins (all ages) Terminal 5, Mon 5/18 $39.50 St. Vincent with Pattern is Movement (18+) Webster Hall, Wed 5/20 $15 adv / $18 Grizzly Bear (all ages) Town Hall, Thu 5/28 and Fri 5/29 $26 The Decemberists (all ages) Radio City Music Hall, Wed 6/10 $39.50 Andrew Bird with Calexico (all ages) Radio City Music Hall, 6/18 $34.50 - $44.50 Explosions in the Sky (all ages) Central Park SummerStage, Tue 6/30 $25

Photo courtesy of animalcollective.org

March 2009

Page 15

Arts & Culture

Local Pizzerias: A Little Slice Of Heaven

by Joe Taylor ‘09

Do you ever find yourself looking for the perfect slice of pizza? Since most of us do not have the ability to fly to Italy every time this craving occurs, we have to settle for local pizzerias and restaurants. The area that we live in is known for its creative and delicious pizzas, ranging from plain or pepperoni to baked ziti or buffalo chicken. Due to the fact that there is an abundance of pizza places located nearby, the competition for local Italian restaurants is fierce. My mission was to check out the best of the local pizzerias and rate them on a scale of one (lowest quality) to five (highest quality) “slices”.

My first endeavor was Caldwell’s prize Italian restaurant, Forte’s.

Forte’s Pizzeria and Restaurant, located on Bloomfield Ave., can sure whip up a mean slice of pizza.

My order, the buffalo chicken pizza, was extremely tasty, despite the excessive globs of bleu cheese dressing on top. Once the majority of the bleu cheese was scraped off, what was left on the slice of pizza was delightful. It was not too hot or too mild, just the right amount of spice.

Forte’s is sure to be around for many more years to come.

Three and a half out of five slices.

Next on the list of pizza places was a known West Essex favorite, Lombardi’s, located in both Fairfield and Cedar Grove. Since Lombardi’s is a family owned business by the Taylor family, this restaurant

review, not the eating, was guest judge Brian Agostini’s job. The specialty pizza at Lombardi’s, the shrimp scampi pie, was excellent.

The taste was unique with garlic scampi sauce and the delectable shrimp scattered on top.

Despite the great taste of this pie, a common problem in many pizzerias was found here: the use of excessive amounts of toppings that drown out the true taste of the pizza crust.

However, aside from this slight problem, this Fairfield restaurant was voted New Jersey’s best thin crust pie by the Star Ledger’s Munch Mobile and is a sure ‘good eat’ for a reasonable price and warm atmosphere.

Four out of five slices.

Another Caldwell pizzeria that has is known for great quality at a reasonable price is the long time favorite, Frank’s Trattoria, located in the West Caldwell Plaza. Serving individual slices or full pies, similar to Forte’s, Frank’s pizza does not quite match up to other restaurants in the area.

Despite making a tasty balsamic chicken pizza, the crust was very ‘doughy’ and the pizza itself was rather dry. I needed two bottles of water just to feel comfortable digesting my slice of pizza. If you are not willing to spend a lot of money, or willing to spend your day in the bathroom, I do not recommend Frank’s Trattoria.

Two out of five slices.

Photo Courtesy of Emily O’Neill

The best part of writing a pizza review article is that we were able to test each slice! Joe Russo, a Wessex Wire staff member enjoys a few slices from local pizzerias.

Eager to venture off into a neighboring town, I decided to make my final pizza exploration to Capri Pizza in Verona. Originally Anna Capri Pizza, this long standing restaurant has been a Verona gem since the 1970’s, when most of our parents were still in high school. After trying the specialty pizzas at the previous three restaurants, I decided to go back to basics and order four simple pepperoni slices.

Surprisingly, many local pizzerias do not have what it takes to make a divine pepperoni pie. This was not the case at Capri Pizza.

Every bite was flavorful and enjoyable, and before I knew it, the entire four slices were devoured, leaving only the remains of the crust. Capri Pizza has not lost its touch since the ‘70s, or so I’ve heard. Four and a half out of five slices.

Americans eat around 350 slices of pizza each second, or 100 acres of pizza per day. This makes pizza one of the most widely eaten foods in the country.

My adventures to these local pizzerias were entertaining, filling and most importantly, delicious. If you want a little slice of heaven, I suggest getting your pizza fix from either Capri Pizza in Verona or Lombardi’s in Fairfield. These two restaurants have displayed standout quality with reasonable prices for their food.

HBO’s New Blood Infusion “True Blood” Is Undead In The First Season

by Madi Berse ‘11

Vampire obsessed or not, HBO’s new series “True Blood” has viewers crazy for more of this erratic show. Based on the popular Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris, the show is about vampires who have “come out of the coffin,” so to speak. The vampires are living among people and drink synthetic blood invented by the Japanese.

In the small town of Bon Temps, Louisiana lives the young and spunky

waitress, Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin). When vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer) moves to town, he immediately takes a liking to the perky blonde. Sookie, blessed with the “gift” of telepathy, is compatible with Bill because Sookie can’t hear the thoughts of the “undead.”

“True Blood” is rich with romance, blood, drugs and sex. The thrilling plot keeps viewers as hungry as an unfed vampire. Surrounded by close friends and family, Sookie’s life is typical, yet abnormal.

While she spends her days with her wise grandmother (Lois Smith), her randy brother Jason (Ryan Kwanten), her sincere boss Sam (Sam Trammell) and her rude but loyal friend Tara (Rutina Wesley), Sookie’s life seems only normal. But lurking underneath her daily routine is a nightlife filled with vampires and shape-shifters.

Though Sookie’s small-town life seems normal in the first few episodes, it soon becomes full of mystery when friends and family of Sookie are shockingly murdered.

The show’s script is well-written and exhilarating. Although the script strays from the book, the writing still contains just as much mystery, romance and comedy. Episodes such as “Burning House of Love” and “I Don’t Want To Know” puts Sookie in extreme situations where she finds out more about the supernatural world.

This comedy-drama is on Sunday nights at 9 p.m., however the first season is currently over. “True Blood,” which has viewers crazy for more, will resume in May 2009.

March 2009

Arts & Culture

Page 16

“The Office,” Not Always About Business

by Matt Tomsey ‘09

Season five of “The Office” has many fans talking about the antics of Michael Scott, played by Steve Carell, the ongoing relationship between Jim and Pam, played by John Krasinski and Jenna Fischer, and the unforgettable Assistant to the Regional Manager, Dwight Schrute, who is always the butt of the jokes in the office.

So far this season, fans have seen an engagement between Jim and Pam, Michael find love, then lose it, and Dwight attempt to win back Angela from her soon to be husband Andy.

Along with these major story lines, the secondary stories that take place in each episode keeps fans interested and laughing.

“The Office” has a tendency to create funny one liners that become a main stay in today’s culture, such as the ever popular “That’s what she said” and “Is it me or does it smell like updog in here?” Although season five has yet to deliver a classic one liner, the writers create hysterical situations in every episode that everyone can relate to.

These situations include office employees competing in a weight loss contest to earn more days off, Meredith sleeping with a supplier in exchange for a discount on supplies and steak coupons, Dwight attempting to destroy a $1,200 baby stroller, Michael making love to a concierge in

Winnipeg, Canada while on a business trip with Oscar and Andy, Michael attempting to frame Toby by planting drugs in his desk, and office employees trying to persuade Michael to buy either a new copier, or new chairs with their company’s surplus.

Each of these situations showcases the writer’s talent and creativity while keeping the viewers laughing and anticipating upcoming episodes.

The one staple that has held “The Office” together has been Michael Scott, the fun loving, often juvenile boss.

Viewers will find his comments hilari-

edly, showing his dislike for Toby.

Viewers also notice that Michael might not have the greatest comprehension when he needs to have the definition of a surplus explained to him first as an eight year old, then as a fi ve year old who is running a lemonade stand, who has one dollar left over after he bought all the supplies he needed to run the stand.

Along with Michael Scott, the secondary characters play a key role in the continuing hilarity and antics of the show. Some notable secondary characters are Andy Bernard, (Ed Helms), who always breaks out into song at least one time each Photo courtesy of NBC.com episode.

The opposite of Andy is the office ous mostly because they are phrases that is Stanley (Leslie David Baker) the you wouldn’t normally hear in an office. only African-American worker on such as, “I have swallowed your ideas, “The Office” who is always worknow I will digest them and see what ing on a crossword puzzle while in comes out the other end,” and “We a meeting, and just wants to do his can auction off people like they did in work and go home. the old days” as the camera flashes to Along with Stanley, Kevin (Brian Stanley, the only African American who Baurmgartner) doesn’t really help works in the office. the office do any work. He always The one scene that displays Michael’s talks in a monotone voice, and has a child side is when Toby, the company’s childish sense of humor.

HR representative, returns from Costa When you add all this together, Rico, and Michael who refuses to go season five of “The Office” has given to his cubicle for a week, then when he fans what they wanted most, jokes, finally does, he screams “NO!” repeat- loves, and more office antics.

Notorious Hypnotizes Audiences

by Andy Maxman ‘09 Mark Walsh ‘09

Christopher “Notorious B.I.G.” Wallace changed the face of the rap industry in the mid and late ‘90s. He influenced the music, revolutionized the culture, and allowed the kids who were victimized by the inner city lifestyle to dream.

Biggie Smalls, as he was also known, grew up another product of the corner, selling dope to get by. But it was his talent for making rhymes and stringing beats, and not his illicit business affairs that got him to the top.

The problem with Biggie’s legacy is that anyone younger than their late twenties wasn’t old enough to watch him develop into a superstar rapper and change the rap industry. “Notorious,”

the box-office hit biography of Biggie’s life, tells his story and relays his influence to the younger generation. When we saw the movie, at least half of the theater was filled with kids who were born after Biggie’s reign. The other half was older fans wanting to see Biggie on the big screen.

The biopic of Biggie’s life shows his days hustling on the streets of Brooklyn to his rise to stardom. It highlights his relationships with famous performers Sean “Diddy” Comes, who got Biggie into the game, Tupac Shakur whose initial friendship and collaboration turned to betrayal and deadly feud, and Lil Kim, who played the role of Biggie’s mistress.

Jamal Woolard gives an extraordinary performance as Biggie, making the audience feel like they’re watching the

legend himself. Woolard, who made his big screen debut in the biopic, shows compassion and charisma while portraying Biggie. He is lovable throughout, always keeping the audience on his side, even though he becomes involved with drugs, women, and gang violence. His rapping was excellent, indicative of a talented young MC. The film’s secondary star is Naturi Naughton, former pop star, who played Lil’ Kim. Her performance is sexy and wellexecuted. Derek Luke, Hollywood veteran, is convincing as Puffy, and Antonique Smith is very strong as Faith Evans.

The movie is well directed: the action starts quickly and the viewer is never really released from the movie’s commanding plot and sound acting.

The infusion of music into the movie

(i.e., the inclusion of Biggie’s most famous records) also made the viewing experience very enjoyable. The writing is excellent: the one liners are crisp, the freestyles are hard-hitting, and the dialogue are fiery and passionate, but also very realistic. The fighting words between Biggie and Evans, and also between him and Lil’ Kim, seem to portray very well the actual emotion that surely spilled out in their words. The writing is realistic, but still manages to glamorize all of the action and characters.

The movie, which is set up to let down the high expectation of thousands, was hugely successful, and undoubtedly lived up to the hype. It is a must see for any fan of Biggie or rap music, but it was, nevertheless, a great movie.

March 2009

Arts & Culture

From Slums To Riches To Hollywood

by Michael Goldstein ‘09

With the recession looming over us, something everyone wants to do is see a good movie. While watching the 81st Academy Awards we find ourselves judging the best work of the year in Hollywood. With all due respect to Benjamin Button, Richard Nixon and Harvey Milk, one title in particular stands out.

That film is “Slumdog Millionaire,” which is entering its 13th week on the big screen since its release Nov. 12 of last year. The film takes place in India where the theme of the hardships of poverty resides. The main character, Jamal Malik, played by British actor Dev Patel, is given a one-shot opportunity to be a contestant on India’s version of “Who Wants to be a Millionaire.” However, he is arrested and tortured after he is accused of cheating.

The story follows a flashback format, cutting from Jamal’s past to his present and showing his travels with

Salim (Madhur Mittal), his brother, and their friend, Latika (Freida Pinto). At first, the flashbacks may seem too long and confusing, but eventually, the pieces of the puzzle start to fall into place. The game show serves as the backbone for a bigger plot, but I don’t want to reveal all of the surprises.

The cinematography of this film is a focus point of the movie. The director, Danny Boyle, uses the dark, slum-ish atmosphere of Mumbai, India in order for the audience to truly realize the environment in which the film is being made.

I think the way in which the cameras and filters are used matches the attitude and themes of the movie.

From the sand-filled areas of civilization to the brightness of a game show, the cinematography matches the mood of the scene.

The burden of stimulating the scene is placed upon Jamal, Salim and Latika.

The dialogue and attitude of the characters perfectly matches the mood of

each scene. During the game showsequences, the long periods of silence mimic the American version of the game. Anil Kapoor, who plays Prem Kumar, the host of the show, might be comparable to America’s Regis Philbin. For me, it’s hard to tell the difference. I personally couldn’t help but giggle at his accent.

I believe that this film will be one for the ages. It combines the themes you’d come to expect from a love story with a realistic vision of both just how difficult it is for people of India to get by on the basic necessities and the corruption that comes from the crime world. The music emphasizes the situation when it’s being played by bringing in songs that come from the Indian culture.

The film won eight Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Cinematography and Best Original Score. I’m personally glad Hollywood went for the film, since it seems to be much better than Benjamin Button’s reverse aging.

Gears Of War 2: Humans Versus Locusts

by Matt Benavente ‘09

When it comes to video games, all I usually need is a sports game to make me happy. Gears of War 2 is an exception. The first chapter of Gears of War is one of the best games ever produced by Microsoft for the Xbox 360. Gears of War 2, not only offers improved graphics, storylines, and new characters, but it has created different types of multiplayer modes, which greatly separate the game from its competition.

Gears of War 2 is a third person, tactical shooting video game produced by Epic Games and Microsoft. The games plot is based off a war between the human race and their enemy, the Locusts. The Locusts are fighting for control of the planet of Sera, while trying to eliminate the humans city by city. They are led by their Queen, who is ruthless in her propaganda against humans.

The main characters of the story consist of soldiers in the Coalition of Ordered Governments, which is the human army against the Locust. These characters are part of the most elite group of soldiers known as the Delta Squad. The two soldiers you are first introduced to are Marcus Fenix, the leader of Delta squad and his best friend, Dom Santiago. Later in the game, two other members of Delta are introduced. These two men are Baird, who is Delta’s mechanic and smart mouth,

and Augustus Cole, otherwise known as “Cole Train”.

In GOW 2, Delta Force is sent out on the offensive to attack the Locust on their “home turf” which is different from the first game’s defensive tactics. Delta Force needs to save Jacinto, the last standing city of the humans on Sera. The missions you get to conduct with Delta Force define a spectacular campaign mode for the game, which leaves gamers at the edge of their chair every time a checkpoint is reached.

Besides for the amazing story mode, the game offers many other fun filled features. One of the newly added modes is Horde. Horde mode allows players to play either single player, or with friends online. There are 50 waves of Locust that you have to defeat and each wave provides stronger and more Locusts. Also Horde mode allows you to fight against all the different types of Locust. Horde is definitely my favorite part of Gears of War 2 because it allows you to work as a team to defeat the Locust, while never getting bored.

Another important aspect of the game is addition of new weapons. The Locusts’ weapon of choice, Hammerburst, can still be used in the game, but it is upgraded from aburst shot to a single shot weapon.

The new weapons are definitely one of my favorite parts of the game.These new weapons add even more fun to the game’s

level of play.

“Gears of War 2” also offers a new way in which you can use the weapons. If you are revving the chainsaw of the lancer at a Locust with the same gun, you can battle that Locust in a chainsaw duel by holding down the B button. Also you can now use shields, but unfortunately if you use the shield you can only take out a handgun.

The last positive aspect of the game consists of its multiplayer online mode.

The online modes are by far the best I experience in any game. In the new online setup you can create parties in order to get all your friends into one game, or you can play a public game, which allows you to boost your online rank. Also in the online mode you can default the character you want to be identified as, personally I always use the “Cole Train”.

Epic Games has also added new types of online games to Gears. One of the other benefits of the game is five people can be on one team, which allows for more of your friends in one game.

Although the multiplayer has become better, it still has many flaws like long waiting times to find matches.

If you have the Xbox 360 and don’t have “Gears of War 2”, then you need to immediately go out and buy it, no matter what type of video games you may like. It is certainly the best game I ever played on Xbox, (much better than the first), and is completely worth the $60.00 and change.

Page 17

Fray Falls Short

by Sarah McGrath ‘11 According to tv.com, “We’re not like real rocking rockers; we’d rather write about feeling and emotion,” said Isaac Slade, lead singer of The Fray.

The Fray is the Denver-based melodic pop-rock band best known for their hit singles, “Over my Head” and “How to Save a Life.” Their sophomore, self-titled album, “The Fray” was released on Feb. 3, 2009, the first hit being “You Found Me.” The band was formed in 2002 by school friends Isaac Slade and Joe King. Currently the band consists of Slade on vocals and piano, King on vocals and guitar, Dave Welsh on guitar, and Ben Wysocki on drums and percussion.

The Fray has great sound and has catchy songs that are easy to listen to. The biggest problem with their new CD is that it seems extremely repetitive and it does not seem like the band has grown since their first album, “How to Save a Life”.

Again the songs usually start with the soft melody of the piano, a few chords from the guitar, and are continued by the playing of a symbol during the chorus. This typical formula is seen in almost every song on the band’s self-titled album, which isn’t exactly new or exciting to the listener. Also, all of the music on the new CD is light and airy, but lacks overall substance. After listening for a while, the songs begin to blend together.

“You Found Me” is easily the most catchy single on the album, but “Never Say Never,” “Syndicate,” and “Absolute” are worth a listen. If you love The Fray, then other bands you might enjoy are Coldplay, Keane, Augustana, OneRepublic, Lifehouse, and Jack’s Mannequin. All of these bands have a great pop-rock sound, but have their own unique style.

While I really like The Fray, they should definitely follow the lead of the similar band Jack’s Mannequin.

Both of the band’s albums, “Everything in Transit” and the “Glass Passenger” show great variety. The pop-rock piano band has been around since 2004 and is currently on tour, hoping to continue to gain fans across the world.

Hopefully this will not be “Where the story ends” for The Fray because I definitely want to hear more and continue to see The Fray top the charts.

March 2009

The Wessex Wire

Page 18

Fantasy Baseball Needs Real Life Strategies

by Jon Struss ‘09

After many men across America closed the books to a very exciting fantasy football season, their anticipation for the start of fantasy baseball will soon wreak havoc. The most exhilarating fantasy sport of all will once again take its reign atop the list of “Things to Do.” Every year after contending teams fall and a champion is crowned, the countdown starts until the next fantasy season begins. It is the best feeling in the world, when logging onto Yahoo! Fantasy Sports and seeing the glaring yellow button, “Sign up is now available.” A new season has begun, countless work hours as well as valuable sleeping time

will be lost; contemplating over draft strategy, lineups, and player transactions.

With many fantasy drafts set to take place, owners must now begin to brush up on their fantasy knowledge of players, teams, and the meshing of their soon-to-be lineups. Creating a fantasy team that is able to continuously produce good stats throughout the season is quite the task. It takes a ton of planning and patience to be able to construct a team with so many difficult factors coming into place.

Firstly, there is no way to determine who you are going to wind up drafting, unless in fact you receive the first pick, giving you the leisure to choose whoever you want. Other than that, the

The Yellow Flag Comes Out

by Matt Benavente ‘09

The 2009 offseason in the National Football League (NFL) is filled with many household named players moving from team to team. The reason why this NFL offseason is so unique is because of the economic atmosphere that is currently burdening the United States.

It may seem that this crisis is affecting everyone except the sports world, but it has cut deep into the spending budgets of certain NFL teams. Teams are being forced to cut down on their maximum spending, and can no longer support the huge contracts of veteran players in the NFL. There have been releases of numerous Hall of Fame caliber players and solid starters might be out of jobs by the time the 2009 season rolls around.

What are some of the specific adjustments the NFL and its teams made to adapt to the economic environment? The NFL revealed that they cut 169 jobs and Commissioner Roger Goodell announced that he will be taking a 20-25 percent pay cut on his 2010 salary. Also, teams are no longer able to give out the traditional and enormous signing bonuses to free agents and draft picks. Some teams even reported that they may have to cut down on the number of exams and private workouts that are given to potential draft picks. Furthermore, teams are less reluctant to sign free agents; instead, they would rather make key trades to bring impact players to their teams. An example of this would be the New England Patriots trading backup quarterback Matt Cassel and linebacker Mike Vrabel to the Kansas City Chiefs for only a second round draft pick. Cassel is on the rise as a star quarterback in the NFL and the Patriots could

have easily received multiple picks for his services, but did not want to potentially pay their draft choices big money.

Although these are some of the many acts of discretion, there are also teams who are spending abundant amounts of money in order to earn success in 2009. Teams such as the Washington Redskins have been very active during the offseason with record signings. The Redskins recently signed All-Pro defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth to a seven year, $100 million deal with $71 million guaranteed. They also resigned cornerback Deangelo Hall to a six year, $55 million deal, with $23 million in guaranteed money. The Redskins is just an example of a handful of teams who had the cap room to go out and spend. According to the teams’ front offices, going out and spending this much money on star players will equal instant success and allow for more marketing possibilities and greater ticket sales. Another reason why certain teams have yet to be hurt by the economy is because of the long term contracts they hold with their sponsors.

Come this September, it will be a great shame if quality starters are still not signed because of the great pay cuts they will have to take on the free agent market. Players such as Darren Sharper, Jason Taylor and Marvin Harrison are still unsigned and their time as superstar players in the NFL has definitely not ended. Hopefully teams end up coming around and signing these veteran players, but if not it will show how this crisis was able to “storm” over another type workforce in America.

draft is a complete throw-up. The key to fantasy baseball is to study and prepare yourself for anything.

If you enter a draft set on choosing a select few players, your draft is over before it started. Having a list of at least six players at each position, who you feel like would be able to contribute to your team is an excellent strategy.

Another key aspect to drafting is to have an even balance of talent between pitchers and batters. Since most leagues are constructed of anywhere from seven to eight pitching and batting statistics, an uneven balance in the two will most likely lead to a mediocre team.

The most important aspect of fantasy baseball though, is the ability to take advantage of your opposition’s weak-

nesses. If a player in your respective league is in love with the Yankees, Mets, or any other team, it is your obligation to take full advantage of that by any means necessary. Feed them false information leading them to drop a player you want, trade players on your team that they like to them, or think of any other plausible strategy to help your team gain an edge on the competition.

With the season fast approaching and managers across the U.S. fretting over draft strategy, using these tips will definitely set your team up for victory. It is still your responsibility to do research about the many players in the MLB, and have a successful draft. Remember, fantasy baseball is fun and although it may take over your life, it’s just a game.

College Athletes Are Getting a Raw Deal

by Tyler Tomea ‘09

-photo courtesy Jenel of Conde It’s Sunday in theofmiddle March 2008 and millions of people are tuned into CBS, anxiously waiting for the NCAA Tournament brackets to be released. In two weeks, over 40,000 people will pack San Antonio’s Alamodome to witness the National Championship between Kansas and Memphis. In order to increase crowds and maximize revenue, Ford Field, home to the NFL’s Detroit Lions, will host the 2009 Final Four, with crowds expected to be near 70,000.

With college sports being so popular and NCAA athletes generating money in so many different areas, shouldn’t student-athletes be rewarded for their efforts by getting paid?

Imagine how many Florida #15 football jerseys have been sold in the past three years. Tim Tebow, quarterback at the University of Florida and one of the most popular college football players, wears this jersey every Saturday in the fall.

But because NCAA rules prohibit manufacturers from using the names of college players, Tebow’s name is not on the back of his jersey, and mass amounts of money are unfairly made off of his name. While Nike, Adidas, and other clothing companies earn profits from producing the jerseys of popular players, the players who make the jerseys meaningful will never see a dollar.

A football or basketball home game at a university is a huge deal. Beaver Stadium, home to the Penn State football team, has a capacity of 107,282. Those 107,282 fans paid ticket prices, most likely bought concessions, and maybe even purchased team merchandise. Due to their success, the Penn State football

team has created this amazing atmosphere, yet the people who produced this environment are not reaping the benefits.

Instead, the school earns the money and the athletes who have worked so hard to be successful and who the fans truly come to watch are completely left out in the cold.

In season, a host of networks air all the important college sports games. In fact, the NCAA Tournament is so important to CBS that it was willing to ink an 11 year, $6 billion contract with the NCAA in 1999 to gain exclusive broadcasting rights to March Madness. And because the tournament is so widely watched, advertisers line up to promote their products during game time commercials. College athletic programs also earn millions by allowing these networks to televise their school’s games and by approving advertising contracts.

One solution is to pay revenue-producing athletes a salary equivalent to that of a minor league baseball player’s. In their first season, minor leaguers earn around $10,000. This figure is fair because it will not ruin the college’s budget and it will not overpay the athlete. College athletes should earn a fixed amount, though, as negotiations similar to those in professional sports would ruin college athletics. This is only one of many possible ways to correct a problem.

Student-athletes are being taken advantage of. NCAA coaches, athletic directors and trainers earn money, yet who the fans really come to see, the players, receive nothing. In the 20052006 college football season, the Texas Longhorns won the BCS National Championship. In total, the University of Texas earned over $40 million from football during that season. So why aren’t the athletes getting their share of the money?

March 2009

West Essex Sports Schedule Saturday, March 28 9:00 AM Boys Varsity Track @ LIVINGSTON HIGH SCHOOL Girls Varsity Track @ LIVINGSTON HIGH SCHOOL 10:00 AM *Scrimmage* Boys Varsity Tennis VS. MONTCLAIR HIGH SCHOOL *Scrimmage* Girls Varsity Softball @ West Orange, Metuchen, and North Bergen 11:00 AM *Scrimmage* Boys Varsity Baseball @ SAINT MARY’S HIGH SCHOOL *Scrimmage* Boys Junior Varsity Baseball VS. SAINT MARY’S HIGH SCHOOL *Scrimmage* Boys Varsity Lacrosse @ CRANFORD HIGH SCHOOL 12:30 AM *Scrimmage* Boys Junior Varsity Lacrosse @ CRANFORD HIGH SCHOOL

The Wessex Wire

Page 19

Girls Lacrosse Shoots For Success

by Jenel Conde ‘09

The Girl’s Lacrosse team, led by Senior Captains Alison Cassera, Gianna D’Urso and Breada Farrell, along with Junior Captain Sloane Serpe, looks to repeat last year’s success. In the 2008 season, the squad won their seventh straight Essex County Tournament title, placed third in the Iron Hills Conference and was ranked No. 5 in New Jersey.

In addition, two All Americans were named last season; Cassera was a First team All American while Farrell was granted Honorable Mention.

Despite their loss in the North Jersey, Group 2 title game last year, the girls ended their season with a respectable record of 17-3.

Coach Jill Cosse has compiled a notable career record of 179-36-3 in her 11 seasons as the Girl’s Lacrosse coach.

She was named the Star-Ledger Coach of the Year in 2002 and the NJSIAA/ NFHS New Jersey Girls Lacrosse Coach of the Year in 2005. Cosse’s achievement at West Essex can often be attributed to her own personal experience with sports. For example, she attended Trenton State College (currently The College of New Jersey) for lacrosse and made the NCAA Division III AllTournament Team in 1992 and 1993.

Cosse was somewhat frustrated with last season’s outcome.

“Last year we fell slightly below where I thought we should have ended our season,” Cosse said. She does however believe that if the team starts off on the right path, they

can be in the state final.

“We have always been a powerhouse in New Jersey, consistently ranked Top 10 for the state and in 2002, we were as high as number eight in the nation.

This season we have great leaders. I see a team that is willing to get the job done, and that decision will be made the first day of preseason. We have to be prepared to make a change the first day, and play our best game every game of our season.”

There are a number of graduating seniors this year who were offered scholarships to play lacrosse in college. Two-time All-American Lacrosse Player Cassera will attend Northwestern University next year, which has the nation’s top ranked team.

“Leaving this program will be hard, but I’ve learned so much from my coaches that I know I’m prepared for college,” Cassera said. This season, Cassera is aiming to “leave it all on the field” and will “try and get the team to win a State Championship.”

“Coming into this season, we have a strong returning group of girls,” Cassera said. “Our conference is always competitive but even this early on in the season, I have a lot of confidence in us already.”

Additional college bound lacrosse players are Farrell, who will depart for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in addition to D’Urso and Julia Miczack, both who will attend Monmouth University.

Photo courtesy of Joe Russo Girls Lacrosse captains (from left to right) Gianna D’Urso, Alison Cassera, Sloane Serpe and Breada Farrell

Fencing Looks to Improve For Next Season

by Victoria Gualtieri ‘09 Samira Paydar ‘09

Despite experiencing a string of losses, the men’s and women’s fencing teams end their year looking back on an enjoyable season and hope for improvement in the future.

Women’s epée captain Margaret Clinton commented that she was “not concerned” about the small fencing team this year. The epee squad, consisting of Katie Albulescu, Margaret Clinton, Jessica Levine, Emily Lyons, and Kristin Maher, was the highlight of the women’s team over the past season.

“We have enough people on the team to compete, but it’s small enough to allow the coaches to pay personal attention to each fencer,” Clinton said.

As a result of joint effort, the women’s

epée team accomplishments stood out as a bright spot in an overall disappointing season. The team placed in the top 16 out of 48 in the statewide tournament at Santelli. They were also fifth for district squads, and Clinton herself placed third at district individuals.

Both the men and women’s teams experienced successes at the Morris Knolls Freshman and Sophomore Invitational in December. Douglas Overbeck placed fourth in the men’s sophomore foil and freshman Devon Gardner placed seventh in women’s foil.

“Devon fences outside of school as well as at West Essex,” Clinton said.

“She really brought experience and new life to the team.”

The two new head coaches, Alumni Mike Still and Paul Maggio, both fenced in college, Brandeis and Duke

respectively. As recent graduates, the new coaches brought enthusiasm and vitality as well as updated techniques to the team, while being able to successfully work and connect with the students.

The men’s foil squad, while suffering from some difficult losses, were still able to enjoy the season and remain optimistic that they will progress in upcoming seasons. The team consists of Angelo Agrifolio, Matt Fanelli, Drew Rosen, Dan Spada, and Andrew Thierman.

With promising new coaches and camaraderie, the West Essex fencers remain positive and look towards improvement. “Both teams have come a long way and are only going up from this point,” said Coach Paul Maggia.

March 2009 Issue 3

The Wessex Wire Page 20

Lady Knights Basketball Team Makes History

by Emily O’Neill ‘10

For the first time in our school’s history, the girl’s basketball team made it to the State-Sectional final. Although their season ended there with a loss, the team’s record and progress in states will go down in the books as the first basketball team, both W.E. girls and boys, to make it that far.

The team racked up twenty-one wins this season along with seven losses; big losses came against Chatham, Summit and famous rival Hanover Park. “These three teams would be the most difficult [to beat], as well as those teams in the Essex County Tournament and the State Tournament;” Coach Tom Kenny said. “We need to play much better on both sides in order to beat those teams.” The team’s seventh loss was to University in the Essex County Tournament.

Another team who anually poses some competition for West Essex is Weequahic High School, whose team has always been known for its strong and skilled players. This year however, the Weequahic players were unable to pull through.

On Jan. 15, the Knights had their first faceoff of the season against Newark.

West Essex trailed behind Weequahic until the last seconds of regulation time when junior guard Jennifer Weissbach shot a three-pointer, tying up the score at 54 a piece, sending the game into overtime.

Junior center Jenna Sackman scored the last bucket with two seconds remaining in ovetime, resulting in a thrilling victory, West Essex 63 – Weequahic 61.

But that wasn’t the last time the Knights would face the Weequahic players. The girls played each other again in late January and West Essex came out on top once more. The teams were then notified that they will be playing each other in the second round of the Essex County Tournament.

“It’s always hard to beat a team three times in a season.” Weissbach said before their Feb. 7 game. But that Saturday night, the Lady Knights stuck to their game and pulled through with

As their regular season came to an end, the Lady Knights faced big competition in their last two games against Chatham and Summit. “We need to stay focused and play as a team, contributing our strongest individual assets,” Sackman said before the game.

West Essex was in fact able to squeeze out a 59-58 win against Chatham. The girls were not as lucky that following Thursday however, ending their series of regular season games with a loss to Summit, 52-60.

However, the season wasn’t over for the Lady Knights. With their record arguably the best team in the state, we meeting the requirements, the team knew that it would be a rough game from was matched up against Caldwell to the start,” Senior Captain Ali Cassera play in the first round of the State said. “We kept University to a low scoring tournament. West Essex defeated the first half and I was really proud of how Chiefs 62-38, sending them into the composed our team was. It was an honor second round where they would play and defeat Lincoln High School with a to have made it to the elite eight.” final score of 47-41. The Knights were now headed to the semi-finals.

Last year, the girl’s basketball team ended their season in the Rutherford High School gymnasium in the semi-finals. This year, the girls were determined to not repeat last year’s performance.

The Knights played aggressive defense for most of the game and were able to keep the lead throughout the entire 32 minutes. As the final buzzer sounded, the scoreboard read West Essex 42, Rutherford 33. The Knights had made it to the State sectional final for the first time ever in West Essex History.

The team went on to the finals, playing against Chatham at Cranford High School. The Knights played hard, but could not outscore the Cougars who took home the gold with a 60-44 victory.

Photos courtesy of Ed Leonard “We had a remarkable season,” Kenny said. We had three great captains: Colleen Caprio, Alison Cassera (Top) Coach Tom Kenny brings the girls in during a and Gianna D’Urso. The younger kids matured very quickly throughout the timeout. (Bottom) Senior Captain Alison Cassera season...This team is one that I will drives past a defender for treasure for as long as I coach.” two of her six points. a 61-47 win that propelled their team into the quarterfinals of the ECT for the first time ever.

Unfortunately for West Essex, the team lost in the next round to University, the number two seed in the state. “Playing

Words From Wallace

by Mark Walsh ‘09

There were many NFL teams with off-season needs this season. Where better for these teams to look for players than free agency? This year’s free agency period was successful for some teams.

Let’s discuss the winners. The New York Giants made a big splash in free agency this year adding key players to the defensive side of the ball. Adding defensive tackles Rocky Bernard and Chris Canty should improve their already dominant defensive line. The addition of linebacker Michael Boley adds some much needed speed to their linebacker core.

The New England Patriots also made some serious transactions by adding veteran running back Fred Taylor and signing cornerbacks Leigh Bodden and Shaun Springs.

The Taylor signing should add to a running game that ranked sixth in the league last season. The Pats also made news by trading quarterback Matt Cassel and All-Pro linebacker Mike Vrabel to the Kansas City Chiefs for draft picks. Though they didn’t receive any players in return they cleared up enough cap space to possibly trade for The Carolina Panthers’ Pro Bowl defensive end Julius Peppers.

There were several other big moves made that may or may not help teams this upcoming season. The Buffalo Bills signed wide receiver Terrell Owens just days after he was surprisingly released from the Dallas Cowboys.

The loudmouth Owens should improve the struggling Bills passing offense, but many seem to wonder if Owens’ ego will get in the way of the team and become a distraction.

The Washington Redskins made headlines yet again during free agency this season by signing two time All-Pro defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth to a record setting seven year contract worth 100 million dollars. Though Haynesworth is hands down the best defensive tackle in football, his off the field issues and on field injuries may prove to be a costly signing by the Skins’.

Free agency is always the fastest way to improve a team, but only time will tell if it will pay off.