The Wessex Wire (June 2010)

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

Vol. XLIV No. 4

West Essex High School, 65 West Greenbrook Road, North Caldwell, N.J.

Bradley ’76 leads U.S. to World Cup ished in athletics. Bradley was the captain of the soccer and baseball teams his senior When the varsity soccer roster was year while also starting on the basketball posted on the bulletin board at West team. “He was very athletic, a tremendous Essex in the fall of 1972, the list of athlete,” said Albanesius. names was expected, except for one.

After graduating in 1976, Bradley went It belonged to the quiet and reserved on to Princeton University where he confreshman, who dazzled all the coach- tinued to make significant contributions to es during the summer tryouts.That the soccer club. After his college soccer was when Bob career ended, Bradley made he was named his first kind the manager of of history.

Ohio Univer“He was also sity’s soccer very intelliteam at age 22 gent. That is and continued probably why coaching at two he started as more universia freshman. It ties before bereally helped coming an ashim. He had a sistant coach for way of seeing the United States the game and under-23 team. reacting to the After holding different situthat position for ations,” said one year, Bradf o r m e r We s t ley coached four Essex facprofessional ulty member teams, managand assistant ing three, before Photo courtesy of The Milestone soccer coach Bob Bradley dominates the field as the being named Hugh Albane- Knights’ soccer captain in 1976. the manager of sius. It was that the United States unique way of approaching the game U-23 team a decade after holding an asthat allowed Bradley to become the sistant position with the squad. After two first freshman in West Essex soccer years of coaching the U-23 club, he reached history to earn a spot on the varsity the pinnacle of United States soccer coachteam. That ability to see the game in a ing, being named the men’s national team’s different way has since carried Brad- head coach in 2006 after the United States’ ley all the way through professional disappointing run in the World Cup with a soccer’s ladder up to the very top, first round loss to Germany. He has held coaching the United States national the position since. men’s soccer team in the World Cup This month, Bradley will lead the nain South Africa. tional team in a Group C that also includes Bradley, now 52, grew up in Essex Fells England, Algeria and Slovenia. His goal? and was raised by Gerry and Mary Brad- To hoist the World Cup trophy on July 11- a ley. “His whole family was a conservative feat that has never been accomplished by group,” said longtime history teacher the United States.With that, just like he did Anthony Janish. as a freshman on the West Essex soccer “His family was very important to him; fields, he will be making history. “We’re they were tremendous, from his parents to all extremely proud of him,” Albanesius his two brothers,” said Albanesius. said. “We’re not really surprised. He had It was at West Essex where Bradley flour- the background and ability.”

June 2010 Photo courtesy of Geordy Boveroux

by Geordy Boveroux ’11

Inside This Issue:

3

News

International Day News Bytes Budget Plan

6

Opinions

Summer workout Does it bother you?

Kyleigh’s Law

To see red, blonde and brunette go hair to hair, check out the battle on pg. 7

French students stranded

by Lisa Feierstein ’11

French teacher Ruth Bolger, along with Juniors Alex Cattano and Kaitlyn Falcone and Freshman Dominique Ruszala, traveled to France on April 9. After visiting the various regions of the country, including Paris, the southern region, the Chateau region, Normandy beach and the eastern region, they were scheduled to return on April 17. However, because of a volcanic eruption in Iceland, the trip was extended four more days and the group returned on April 21.

According to Bolger, the delay also postponed the French Club’s trip to the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

When the volcano in Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull glacier erupted, sending an extreme amount of ash high into the air, hundreds of airports across Europe shut down either partially or completely and thousands of flights were canceled.

“We knew when we arrived in Nice [France], that there might be a possible problem with our returning flight after hearing about the volcano on Thursday [April 8]. When we found out that our flight home was definitely canceled, I was initially a bit shocked. And then I thought, ‘Well, we’re stuck in the

8

Features

Texting and driving Retiring teachers EMT students

south of France. What could be better?’” said Bolger.

Falcone expressed a similar attitude. “When we first heard that our original flight home was cancelled, we were not upset, just mostly curious about the extent of what was going on and when we would actually be getting home,” she said. “Everyone was more than happy to spend a few extra days in France.”

The company with which the group traveled, ACIS, planned the itinerary for the next few days and covered the entire cost. “We really have to applaud them,” said Bolger. “They took us to places like Monaco and Cannes, and it was a great experience.”

After touring Barcelona, Spain, the group flew from the airport there to JFK airport in New York City and finally made it home. “The parents were unconcerned and positive, and were happy to be back with their kids,” said Bolger. “I, personally, was happy to be back with my students, whom I missed greatly, but I can’t wait to go back to France.”

Cattano agreed. “I personally had a great experience,” she said. “I got [to spend] extra time in Nice, I got to go to Spain, and I was lucky enough to get a flight home within a reasonable amount of time.”

11

Arts & Culture

Bon Jovi Lucky Bones

June 2010

Page 2

The Wessex Wire

Robert Nevius, 91, murdered in Essex Fells home

by Alyson Roseman ’10

Charged with murder, robbery, felony murder and weapon offense, Renigald Anthony, 28, and Shaun Woodson, 24, of East Orange pleaded not guilty during their arraignment held at the Superior Court of Newark on April 21 for the murder of Robert Nevius, 91, of Essex Fells. The men were in the process of robbing Nevius’s house when they murdered the World War II veteran. An autopsy released April 17 revealed the causes of death to be blunt trauma to the head, strangulation and a stab wound to the neck.

On April 14, Anthony was hired by his aunt to chauffer Nevius’s wife Janet to her co-op apartment in New York City. According to NJ.com, the police were called around 8:40 a.m. to check the Nevius household when friends and family were unable to get in touch with Robert. Police soon discovered Robert with his arms and feet bound. It was concluded that the attack occurred the previous night and

that the former member of the United States’ Army eighth artillery put up “a fierce struggle.” It was also found that there were no signs of forced entry.

“Without a number detectives and the cooperation of many agencies, there would have been no way to solve [the case] as quickly as [the police force] did” Essex Fells’ police Chief Vincent Kulik told the Wessex Wire.

Within hours of discovering the body on April 15, the police arrested Anthony at his home for the murder.

Anthony had been incarcerated in 2008 and has served two separate prison terms since 2004. Since 2003, the suspect has also been charged with aggravated assault on a policeman and myriad offenses that rose from his participation in the stealing and crashing of a stolen car from a South Orange apartment complex into a police car. In January he was released from East Jersey State Prison upon the completion of his five year sentence for robbery. Accomplice Woodson was detained the following day for this particular case.

MSG Varsity comes to W.E.

by Lacy Tell ’11

The channel Madison Square Garden Varsity (MSG Varsity) is coming to West Essex High School to film athletic events, daily activities and other special events about our school that will be likely be aired on television and will also be available online.

MSG Varsity is a channel on cable television and an online website that concentrates on high school sports and covers athletic and academic events in the following regions: New Jersey, Long Island, Westchester, Hudson Valley, Connecticut, Brooklyn and the Bronx.

Juniors Kelly Mosser, Celina DeLuca and Brittany Berman will be the reporters for West Essex MSG Varsity. Junior Alan Chelnisky and Sophomore Tom Stille will be the school’s cameramen and editing crew.

The students have been learning about broadcasts, interviews and the behindthe-scenes aspects of production. The team plans to get the first story on the website as soon as possible.

Guidance counselor Mrs. Linda Grancagnolo is responsible for bringing MSG Varsity to West Essex. MSG Varsity will give the school positive public relations

with another program for high schools involved with cablevision and Comcast networks. Also, everyone will be able to access the information online at MSGVarsity.com.

“Everything from winning athletic teams, musical productions and forensics science club events will be aired. The possibilities are endless,” said Grancagnolo.

Besides sports, MSG Varsity is planning to take an in-depth look into the high school’s music concerts and theater productions.

Therefore, a large number of West Essex students will be featured on the channel.

“West Essex students’ true talents can finally become recognized outside of the county. MSG Varsity will give the school and the athletes a great name. It will expose athletes who are looking to pursue their sport in college and give them the opportunity to make a good impression on a coach who could be watching,” said Junior Alexa Ramos.

It’s also a great opportunity for students who aspire to study journalism and communications in college.

They will get firsthand experience interviewing student athletes and academic leaders.

Bail has been set for $1.5 million for Woodson and $1 million for Anthony at their current location in the Essex County Correctional Facility.

“The investigation is still continuing [though] as we still [conduct] interviews and look for a good amount of property [taken from the Nevius house],” Kulik said. “At this point, [the police] will continue to gather evidence and information, including DNA samples. Once everything is in place, next step be to have a grand jury hear the case.”

During the trial, there will be a formal indictment in which the police hope to present an “unquestionably strong case” that would lead to the suspects either changing their plea to guilty or be found guilty by a jury.

“From here, they can be sentenced a minimum of 30 years up to life of which we would want the maximum sentence.” According to Kulik, nothing will be heard regarding this trial until next year.

Regarding the murder victim who resided in Essex Fells for approxi-

mately half a century, Essex Fells’ Mayor Edward Abbot said: “[Robert] loved our little town, and I know that Essex Fells loved him. For a town so small, a family tragically and senselessly lost a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother-in-law and uncle. The Borough also lost a soldier and veteran, successful businessman, philanthropist, van Bruncher, neighbor and friend.”

Nevius, who was referred to by his middle name “Foster,” was, according to Mayor Abbot, present on the shores of Normandy and in the forests of Ardennes Forest during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II. Since his military service, Nevius settled down at 238 Fells Road with his wife while working in Chatham as an executive for a marine engineering and electronics manufacturing firm. He participated in a multitude of organizations, such as the Now or Never Breakfast Club, and was a member of the Essex Fells Country Club, the Metropolitan Club and Saint Peter’s Episcopal Church.

Emering receives recognition he earned a degree in business management. At age 30 he decided to change Mr. Tony Emering was selected as career paths. He went back to Montclair West Essex’s nominee for the 2010 State and got his masters in counseling. He New Jersey Governor’s Teacher Rec- realized his passion for helping kids with ognition Program/Educational Services their everyday life issues. Emering has a Professionals Recognition Program. background in mental health and deals The award is one of the highest honors with the psychological and emotional a teacher, counselor or administrator health of the student body here at West Essex on a day-tocan receive and it day basis. Emering reflects Emering’s stated that sometimes dedication to the the issues are chalschool and the enlenging, yet he entire student body. joys being the person “My first reacto give the students tion when I was timely advice. “Lives nominated was of teenagers are more that I was embarcomplicated then we rassed. There are come to think about,” so many dedisaid Emering. cated staff memOther teachers bers here at our Photo courtesy of Lacy Tell who were nominated school,” said Mr. Emering for the Governor’s Emering. He did Award for the high mention how honored he was to represent our school, school were Mrs. Kirin Hart, Ms. Lynn especially in these tough economic Bailey, Mrs. Raquel Williams, Mrs. Dana times with talk of budget cuts through- Bartello, Mrs. Janice Emering and Mr. out the state. “It draws attention to the Neil Fardin. The winner of the Goverschool and encourages people to check nor’s Award nominee for the middle out our programs and all we have to school was Ms. Catherine Spinella.

“I really feel like the luckiest peroffer,” said Emering.

Emering is the Student Assistant Coun- son ever,” said Emering, “I wake up selor at West Essex. He graduated from every day excited to go to work and Montclair State University in 1992 where do something that I love.”

by Lacy Tell ’11

June 2010

The Wessex Wire

Bytes Students celebrate diversity News

by Celina DeLuca ’11

by Ryan Towey ’12 and Michael Heller ’11

West Essex hosted its second International Day for the freshman and sophomore classes in the auditorium on May 14, 2010.

“Two years ago, I presented this vision to our principal Mrs. Longo and our school supervisors, trying to shed light on the diverse cultures within the WE community,” said Ms. Raquel Williams, a West Essex Spanish teacher who helped plan International Day. “Mrs. Longo and the supervisors loved the idea of bringing International Day to WE. A committee of wonderful teachers was formed to help bring International Day to life.” This committee included Ms. Laura Drago, Ms. Maria Fiuza, Ms. Alicia Perez, Ms. Lisa Hulse, Ms. Kelly Brophy, Mr. Jonathan Capizzi and Ms. Ada Trinidad. Together with Williams, these teachers planned International Day between January and May with the support of their sponsors.

“If it weren’t for WEFE, the PTO, Shop Rite, and Dunkin’ Donuts, we wouldn’t have funds available to make the day such a success,” said Williams.

Williams said that the flags of different nationalities were purchased by various faculty members.

International Day featured a myriad

of cultures, incorporating five of seven continents. Popular performances included Winceyco African Lineage troupe, which performed songs that originated from slavery. Another troupe performed the dances and music of Brazil. There were also guest speakers, such as Italian Consul Andrea Barbaria, who discussed the importance of diversity and studying other cultures. These portions, however, were not nearly as well received as student performances.

Sophomores Natalia Zak and Herminio Navia performed the song “We Are the World,” and many other students demonstrated their cultural skills.

“It was not only a great performance, but I learned a lot from it,” said Sophomore Lindsey Janson. “It made me realize how diverse America is.”

Mrs. Laura Drago, Supervisor for Social Studies and World Language, said, “We have a lot of talent in our community.”

Williams and Drago both plan to keep International Day a tradition at West Essex, but Drago plans for it to be shorter, saying that International Day “was just a little too long.”

Drago also hopes that even more cultures will be represented at International Day in the future. “I think the more and more kids are exposed to cultural performances, the more they appreciate that culture,” she said.

Page 3

Obama nominates Kagan

President Barack Obama has chosen Solicitor General Elena Kagan and Kelly Mosser ’11 as the United States’ 112th Supreme Court Justice. Kagan has served as a Oil spill devastaes Gulf A British Petroleum oil rig exploded in staff member in all three branches the Gulf of Mexico in April and continues of government and was the first woman to be a dean of Harvard Law to release oil despite attempts to stop the leak. The Gulf is devastated, and oil School. If elected, she would be the is expected to move toward Florida and first justice in four decades without previous justice experience. possibly up the East Coast.

Two MLB pitchers attain perfect games Roy Halladay of the Philadelphia Phillies and Dallas Braden of the Oakland Athletics both pitched perfect games in the month of May. This adds them to the short list of only 20 perfect game pitchers in the history of the MLB. Then on June 2, Armando Galarraga was stripped of a perfect game by a bad call made by first base umpire Jim Joyce in the bottom of the ninth inning with two outs.

Top Al-Queda official killed Mustafa Abu al-Yazid, one of Al Queda’s founders and top financial chief, was killed in an American missile attack in Pakistan on May 22. American intelligence believes that al-Yazid was the third most powerful leader behind Osama bin Laden. According to a senior Pakistani intelligence official, al-Yazid was the supreme commander for the terrorist organization in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

West Essex passes budget plan

by Brittany Berman ’11

The West Essex School budget was passed on April 20 by a vote of 2,120 to 1,560. More than half of the districts in New Jersey did not pass their budgets, forcing job cuts at schools across the state.

Because the budget was approved, residents in the four sending districts of West Essex will have an increase in taxes next year. It was crucial that the budget pass so that no programs or personnel were cut from the school. The West Essex staff decided to take a “pay freeze” for the 2010-2011 school year to preserve their jobs. “Now that the budget has passed we

can continue with the same education we had,” said Principal Barbara Longo. “We can now go ahead with all of the initiatives we already had.”

The approval was a relief for the district. The budget has only been overturned once in the 33 years Longo has been in the district as a resident and an employee. If it had not conceded, the school would have needed to make a few sacrifices, including personnel cuts. “If it was not passed hopefully the community would give up a little bit so we did not lose things,” said Longo.

The budget only pushes the district initiatives forward. “We have worked so hard to be where we are and we wouldn’t want to take a step back,” said Longo.

Class of 2011 HSPA scores soar

by Brittany Berman ’11

Photo courtesy of Brittany Berman

On Thurs. May 27, Mayor Cory A. Booker of Newark came to Congregation Agudath Israel in West Caldwell to meet and speak with the fourth grade students from the Dr. E. Alma Flagg Elementary School in Newark, through the Suburban Cultural Educational Enrichment Program (SCEEP). Children who attend SCEEP every week are able to eat a nutritious meal, play a fun game, get their homework done and do an art project. Many West Essex students are tutors in this program. All had an opportunity to ask Mayor Booker various questions at the meet-and-greet.

The Junior Class took the HSPA (High School Proficiency Assessment) in early March. The results were just returned and the Class of 2011 increased their scores significantly from last year.

“The Class of 2011’s scores are 4.9 points higher than the Class of 2010’s scores,” said English Department Supervisor Anna Morse, “Now 96.6 percent of our students are proficient or advanced.”

Teachers help the students get ready, and a HSPA Pep Rally was held to help prepare and excite the juniors.

“In both English and Math classes, our teachers set aside time for HSPA work. We were given packets that we often completed in class under ideal

test taking situations. By doing so, we learned strategies to help us solve problems and complete questions,” said Junior Alexa Rubinich.

All of the preparations paid off.

“Normally the scores [of the NJ ASK to the HSPA] are 1:1, [but this year there was an] 84 percent increase, which is phenomenal,” said Morse. Also, the school will receive positive publicity from the increase of test scores.

Colleges will see the school profile which contains the amount of students who passed. Also, because the school’s scores have gone up, our ranking for top schools in NJ has increased.

Mrs. Longo promised the juniors that if their scores improved even more than last year’s score, a barbeque would be given to them at the beginning of senior year. They will receive their cookout in the fall.

Opinion

June 2010 Issue 4

Editorial

Letter to the Editors

Five Wessex Wire writers sit around a sticky table in a classroom that is uncomfortably hot. Though it is only 7:55 a.m. in early June, the writers feel a stagnant heat engulfing their bodies as they ponder what to write their editorial about.

The ever-present heat in this school is becoming an issue. It seems as if there is simply no escape from the pockets of unbearably warm air. The horseshoe classrooms are easily some of the worst. The gyms and cafeterias, filled with students, are also blistering in the heat of June. Students are even beginning to jokingly entertain the possibility of breaking school rules in the hopes of being sent to room 700, which is one of the most comfortably air conditioned rooms in the building.

Not only is heat in the classroom a nuisance, but it is also becoming a distraction. It’s nearly impossible to focus on literary devices and molecules when one is too busy monitoring the drop of sweat sliding down one’s nose. We students find ourselves struggling to remain still, so as not to raise our body temperatures even slightly. We stare blankly at the sweaty head of the person in front of us, losing focus completely on the teacher’s lesson.

There must be something that can be done. To keep the temperature of the classrooms at a tolerable level, teachers can shut off one or two of the overhead lights. Students and teachers can volunteer to bring in a fan from home, or maybe even a kiddie pool for the back corner of the classroom. Perhaps teachers could even have the option of holding class outside in the shade on some of those brutal June days. Finals are just around the corner, and nobody, students and teachers alike, wants to be confined to a sweaty room for an hour and a half, feeling like they are about to faint.

The Wessex Wire The Official Student Newspaper of West Essex High School A Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Crown, Gold Medalist Paper 65 West Greenbrook Road, North Caldwell, New Jersey 07006 (973) 228-1200 ext. 258 2010-2011 STAFF:

Managing Editor Brittany Berman ‘11 News Editors Celina Deluca ‘11 Ryan Towey ‘12 Features Editors Shai Kartus ‘11 Carlye Frost ‘11 Arts and Culture Editors Nikki Maxman ‘11 Madi Berse ‘11 Layout/Graphics Editor Lacy Tell ‘11

Editors-in-Chief Geordy Boveroux ‘11 Kelly Mosser ‘11 Opinion Editors Sonia Aviv ‘11 Lisa Feierstein ‘11 Sports Editors Jackie Martorana ‘11 Tom Paranzine ‘11 Copy Editors Sarah McGrath ‘11 Erica Lieb ‘11 Adviser Ms. Lo

The Wessex Wire Page 4

Business Manager KJ Glenn ‘11 Contributing Writers Kelly Abbot ‘10 Camille D’Elia ‘10 Griffin Glenn ‘13 Mike Heller ‘11 Emily O’Neill ‘10 Joe Raimondo ‘11 Alyson Roseman ‘10

Fact Checker Chris Carragher ‘11 Publicity Chair Nikki Coniglio ‘11

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: As I’m sure everyone is aware, the budget for education in New Jersey has been severely cut to deal with the huge deficit that our state, and most of our country, is facing. I would just like to once again thank the West Essex faculty for voting to take a pay freeze so that teachers could keep their jobs and we students could maintain the same quality of education that we are lucky to have now. Students here, myself included, often complain about all the ways they feel they have been shortchanged by attending this school. It has taken a crisis like the recent budget cut for me to realize that even at our worst; we still have it better than most high schools. Aside from the fact that our district is better off financially than many, West Essex offers students access to opportunities other kids can’t even imagine. Whether your interest lies in an AP course, the

football team, or theatre, West Essex is sure to have a program to suit you. Most importantly though, we have the best staff around. By being the first district to pass a pay freeze, the West Essex staff showed the students how much they care and set an example for all the other NJ teachers who were in the same situation.

Because of our teachers’ selflessness, we will be able to maintain the small class sizes and the personal attention we are accustomed to and the money saved by the pay freeze will cover the salaries of those faculty members who otherwise would have been jobless. So next time you are tempted to bash our school or one of our teachers, guidance counselors, administrators, custodians or anyone else whose job may have been affected by the budget cut, take a minute to think about all that they do for us and how lucky we are to have them.

Sincerely, Alexis Cattano, ‘11

Students’ error in war on terror

by Madi Berse ‘11

While many people realize that from 1959-1975 American soldiers were fighting overseas in Vietnam, few recognize that there was also a war at home. Protestors filled the streets throughout the United States, opposing the war in Vietnam.

College-aged students gathered daily with signs denouncing Lyndon B. Johnson and the war. Hippies held signs proclaiming, “Make Love not War.” Singers wrote songs criticizing the war, including hits such as Edwin Starr’s “War” and John Lennon’s “Give Peace a Chance.” Throughout the entire 16 years of the Vietnam War, protestors never failed to express their disapproval.

Even when the government took a violent stance against the protestors, they did not cease to march through the streets, demanding a reason for the war.

Currently, a “War on Terror” is being fought in the Middle East. Where are the protestors? Where are the songs opposing the terror and deaths of innocent soldiers? Throughout the War on Terror, the United States has definitely seen some opposition to the war - however, nothing compares to the determination

of those Vietnam protestors.

This lack of demonstration leads me to believe that students and young people are simply apathetic. Only once in my life have I seen students opposing the war, and that was in Washington D.C. two years ago. The War on Terror has been going on for nine years and the demonstrations are few and far between. As students continue to ignore the war, soldiers are dying for a cause many people don’t believe in. If more students began to protest the war, we could potentially bring our soldiers home and show the government that we students have a say, too.

While many writers and critics have compared the War on Terror to the Vietnam War, one would think young people would have the same reaction as they did to the Vietnam War to the War on Terror. Instead, the government most likely thinks that students today live in a materialistic bubble because of our lack of outrage. Although we are young, it doesn’t mean that we should act naïve. I know that students have opinions about this war, seeing as most students have an opinion about everything. However, students need to voice their opinion and hopefully the government will finally listen.

June 2010

The Wessex Wire

Getting “big” for the summer

by Joe Raimondo ‘11

When you think of getting big for the summer, you may think of the infamous “gym, tan, laundry” or “G.T.L”, but I have a different routine. Getting up for an early 5:00 a.m. run is a great way to start your day, but this habit will probably only last for a week or so. After fulfilling the immovable and beastly tradition of a Rocky -motivated half dozen raw eggs, it’s vital to go to the gym. But don’t forget bring your creatine and gallon of water to stay hydrated. As a gym rat, I seek to stick up for all those adolescents who have the same goal – not to stay in shape, but to get big, bulky and hopefully ripped for the summer.

You must have a game plan for working out. First, plan out what sort of exercises you want to do. More importantly, brainstorm workouts you think can actually work. It’s always funny when you’re at the gym watching the big guy next to you grimacing while doing some ridiculous workout that’s targeting the smaller, seemingly less useful muscles. However, those are the guys who really know what they’re doing and the ones who look like Rambo- extremely ripped.

The next thing on the list is to start looking good while at the gym. Only those who go to Retro in Fairfield can really pull that off. Repping the

Retro tees all around is how people know and understand that you mean business. Additionally, carrying energy drinks or some kind of energyboosting supplement is mandatory.

It’s all the small things that make you look good while working out. Who wouldn’t think you’re an absolute stud while you’re carrying around an Amp? Hopefully, they won’t notice that when you put it down you eventually kick it over (causing your five dollars to be wasted) because of the struggle to pick up a 100 pound plate for the leg press machine.

The last thing on the list is to never leave your house without your iPod. Unless there is some hardcore techno or gangster rap playing in the gym it’s almost certain that you will need your iPod. Also forgetting your iPod leaves time to talk, and conversation at the gym is a no-no. Conversation is just as bad as having a clock around because when you’re working out both time and people should seem to be nonexistant to you.

As far as working out for the summer goes, if you want to get bigger, then you need to follow this simple and short list. Soon, even the Situation will be jealous when you flaunt your abs at Karma this summer, or maybe even while you’re frolicking and capering to Steaks Unlimited while being completely chiseled.

Does it bother you that...

by Mike Heller ‘11

Does it bother you that it is the fourth marking period, school is coming to an end and that teachers are still giving you work? Neither teachers nor students can wait for the last day of school when the bell rings and lets everyone out to enjoy the carefree summer. Teachers do not seem to care that it is the fourth marking period and over 100 degrees in the school. We’re sticking to our chairs, sweating, as assignment after assignment is dished out.

Teachers need to take it down a notch and realize that the school year is winding down and quickly approaching its end. They should not try to cram extra lessons in to make it harder for the students in the class. They should instead help everyone do well because no one wants a bad report to start their summer off. During the last marking period students do not give it their all; they are so sick of school and just want to get it over with, so they almost do not even care anymore. It’s not a good habit but once you start going down the shore on the weekends, it’s difficult to

Page 5

The most hated church in America

by Sonia Aviv ‘11

Gay rights have been a controversial topic throughout the United States since homosexuals and bisexuals began advocating for them. However, support for things like the American troops or the nations of Sweden and Canada has never been questioned – that is, until the founding of the Westboro Baptist Church. This church is an organization that hates all of these separate groups and more, claiming that “god’s wrath will kill them all” and that “America is doomed.” The group’s activities include exclaiming that “God hates fags” on street corners to passing cars and frequenting the funerals of killed soldiers, whom they believed died solely because of their wrongful support of a country that is doomed because it allows homosexuality to exist.

On April 22, West Essex’s newly formed Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) hosted a movie night which showcased a documentary entitled “The Most Hated Family in America.” The film stepped into the lives of members of the Westboro Baptist Church. Although the crowd was not as big as it could have been, the outcome was definitely not disappointing. Along with several West Essex students, members of the Millburn GSA and the James Caldwell GSA were also in attendance.

The film documented the beliefs, daily activities and struggles of these over-the-top church members - focusing specifically on the Shirley Phelps and

Kyleigh’s Law: Targeting teens?

by Sarah McGrath ‘11

Photo courtesy of Brittany Berman

even think about going back to school Monday- let alone homework that has to be done. Teachers should feel the same way and realize that they do not want to spend their whole weekend grading papers.

The fourth marking period should be the best and should make you almost desire to stay in school because you’re having fun without having a ton of work to do every night. Thank God there are only a few days left!

her family, who are the heart and soul of the movement. T” A mother of 11 children, Phelps involves all of them in her protesting and demands they assist her in spreading the hate.

Some of the picket signs that the members of the church carry around display extremely insulting and offensive messages such as “Thank God for 9/11.” Strangely, these people claim that they are “serving God” and are the only ones that will advance to heaven. Many people are still unaware of how existent and strong hate still is today. The truth is, it’s time for America to get over the hatred, particularly for homosexuality.

We got over our racist beliefs through the civil rights movement, and gay rights should follow in its footsteps.

“I found it important to screen this film because it educates students and in one way or another, induces a sort of anger that arises pro-gay right sentiments,” said Junior Doug Overbeck, president of the West Essex GSA chapter. Calling attention to this group is simply to spread knowledge about the ridiculous hate organizations still existent in today’s society. However, as made clear by the film, there is nothing anyone can do to change these people’s minds. They know people are greatly offended and do not support their cause and they deal with harassment on a daily basis. The members of the Westboro Baptist Church are unfortunately forever brainwashed into believing that they truly are doing the right thing.

New Jersey has officially won the award for having the most restrictions placed upon teen drivers. A new set of rules, named Kyleigh’s Law after a teenage girl who was killed in a car crash with a provisional driver, went into effect on May 1. While New Jersey provisional drivers and permit holders always had restrictions, the new law took away even more of the freedom for teens who are finally getting their longawaited permits and licenses.

With the new “probationary license,” provisional drivers under 21 must place a red decal on the front and back license plate of their car, identifying them as new drivers. The new law states that provisional drivers now cannot drive between 11:01 p.m. and 5:00 a.m., and all electronic devices cannot be used. If they are caught violating these restrictions, they will receive a $100 fine that will increase with each following offense.

It’s great that our state is trying to save lives by trying to limit the amount of teens involved in accidents, but the way it is go-

ing about it is my biggest issue with the new law. These new red decals make it easy for police to profile and pull over teen drivers.

Plus, it’s not just police officers who will be able to see these decals; other drivers will know that you are between the ages of 17 and 21. I usually feel very safe in my car, but it’s not very comforting that every driver on the road will now know I’m an underage girl.

Changing the time teens can drive until to is completely pointless and I know this law will be broken. I often babysit on weekends, and most of the time parents come home between 11 p.m. and midnight.

The only way I could legally drive home from my job is if I get a work permit, but considering I don’t pay taxes it seems like I will need to start relying on my employer to drive me home.

On the roads, it is rare to see Kyleigh’s Law decals - many are protesting by not purchasing them. New Jersey senators are currently trying to get the law repealed. If you also dislike the law, then writing to these state legislators can only bring us closer to the eradication of these decals.

June 2010

The Wessex Wire

Page 6

Gingers: evil or misunderstood? A short “tall tale” on being peby KJ Glenn ‘11

With every color hair comes a different stereotype, but there is no doubt that red hair receives the worst of them.

I have no problem with gingers or their less severely redheaded counterparts.

However, the ginger population in West Essex has seemed to increase greatly, and I feel the need to comment on this apparent epidemic.

Over the past few months, not only have I seen quite a few more gingers roaming the hallway, but I have also begun to see a rather disturbing occurrence: ginger couples. Junior (and ginger) Bridget Sweeney said, “People automatically assume that two redheads are siblings. This is why people get weirded out by ginger couples. It’s happened to me before. I just respond, ‘Why yes, I kiss my brother this way.’”

Any couple groping and snuggling in the hallway is troubling, but once you add in the double ginger element, it’s just plain scary. “I hate watching couples making out and cuddling in the corners of the halls. But what causes me to be more disgusted than I’d usually be is the sight of two gingers. The red hair is simply overwhelming,” said Junior Mike Wiatrak.

In my opinion, someone can only be a full ginger if they meet certain requirements. You must have red facial hair, whether it consists eyebrows, a mustache or a beard. Also, gingers need to have a face full of freckles coupled with pasty skin. Commonly confused with gingers are “day-walkers,” who are red-haired, pale-skinned

individuals who do not possess freckles. There is no doubt in my mind that these day-walkers would love more than anything to be removed from the ginger discussion and be placed in the far less offensive redhead category.

Numerous ginger celebrities have gained prominence through their annoying and infuriating antics. The O’Doyles, from “Billy Madison,” are one of the most irritating of the ginger clans. Yes, we know that, “O’Doyle rules,” but the fact that they feel the need to tell everyone is sad. Also, what are the odds that all the O’Doyle children are gingers? I question the legitimacy of these children - they must be adopted. The freakiest ginger by far is Carrot Top, the jacked and botoxed club promoter. His face looks like it was molded out of plastic, and his arms are way too big for his miniature body.

Though I applaud his efforts to try and get a good body to counter his ginger hair, Carrot Top only makes it worse for himself.

Even worse than gingers are the people who hide their true ginger heritage and decide to dye their hair a different color. I don’t want to name names here, but I have noticed that this is especially prevalent in Fairfield, where tar black is the only acceptable hair color. Not only are these people rejecting their natural form, but they are also mismatching their pale, freckled faces with blond or brunette hair, which just isn’t working for me. Wear your color loud and proud - even if it is a bright, obnoxious red.

by Sonia Aviv ‘11

All throughout my early life I grew along the 50 percentile in height. Every visit to the doctor was the same – 50 percent of people were taller than me, 50 percent shorter. I was perfectly average. Unfortunately, when I hit age 13 I just stopped growing. Expected to be 5’5 ft. or 5’6 ft, I made it to a whopping 5’1 ft (on a good day). My parents tried to blame it on everything possible- that I chewed on pencils while I was little, that I didn’t eat enough vegetables – whatever it may be. All I know is, I’m short and I’m stuck that way.

Many find it a sin to be short, especially males. They fear it and dread it, worried that they will have to struggle to become successful and may never be respected. Yet many do not realize the benefits of being petite. In 1992, the World Health Organization did a study proving that shorter people actually live longer than taller people. Bigger bodies obviously have more cells and therefore the chance of those cells becoming damaged is much greater than that of smaller bodies. But aside from this, there are significant and immediate advantages of being “squat,” “shrimpy” or whatever you choose to call it.

Let’s start off with the West Essex hallways. There are endless complaints about the traffic and congestion that occurs around the horseshoe setup of the school. However, this is no obstacle for us small travelers. It is simple to squeeze through the crowds and push

aside scattered bodies without injuring anyone. Short people also often have an advantage because they are “cute” and are able to evoke sympathy from them. For example, if a short person is late for a school assignment, he or she may give the teacher “puppy eyes” and is more likely to get away with it.

There have been many successful short people throughout history.

Woody Allen, the famous director, stands at 5’6” and Michael J. Fox, the actor and author, is a mere 5’4”. Joseph Stalin, former communist leader of the Soviet Union was also 5’6 ft”, and that’s just a brief list. The truth is, short people have just as much a chance to succeed in the world as others. So all my shorties - give me a holla and embrace your height (or lack of it)!

Photo courtesy of Sarah McGrath

AP testing takes its toll on WE students

by Jackie Martorana ‘11

For those academically talented students who made the commitment to take Advanced Placement classes, this past school year has been a whirlwind of added stress, work, studying and testing. AP courses require students to apply themselves above and beyond any other course standards outlined in the school’s curriculum.

As the school year comes to a close, one would think that the procedure for these students would follow the same routine as the other upper level classes: take the final exam and receive the appropriate credit. However, this is not the case. Each student is required to take an AP exam in the AP course subject – a task not only daunting, but costly. In order to take the test, the student must pay a fee of $80 per exam. For those

students who challenged themselves by filling their schedule with numerous AP classes, the fees begin to add up. “It’s ridiculous for students like me that take more than one AP test and don’t receive any help paying for them,” said Senior Catherine Fiore.

If a student elects not to take the exam, his or her entire year of hard work gets erased; their transcript will read “Honors” instead of “AP.” This lowered course description will remain on the transcript that gets sent with college applications. Additionally, when taking the AP exam, the student must score a four or a five out of five to receive college credits. “It’s really draining and it’s really pointless,” said Senior Alyssa Witte. “If you get a three…then what?

That’s a decent score and you don’t get anything for it.”

The courses offered at West Essex

don’t always provide students with alternative options. Some courses are not offered at each level, forcing students to choose a class level they ordinarily would not. Some classes are one of few options offered for their grade and course subject. “I feel like I’m being forced to take these exams,” said Senior Candice Travis. “There is either AP Calculus or CP Calculus; there is no Honors level or alternative Honors course. For seniors, there is no other ‘real’ History class option besides AP European History.”

This problem has recently been addressed for the 2010-2011 school year, with the addition of AP Government and Politics and Honors Calculus to the curriculum. Even so, the lack of alternatives still exists in other course subjects and grade levels. Seniors who have taken Spanish courses, for example,

since their freshman year have been locked into taking the class at an AP level if they wish to continue studying the language. For students who paid the AP test fee and scored below a four or a five, their money, as well as their time, has been wasted. These policies in the curriculum and in the AP system must be amended to better accomodate students in preparation for their futures.

Please Recycle This Paper

June 2010

The Wessex Wire

Page 7

The Wire investigates: Battle of the hair hues As told by...Kelly: Why readheads have it the best

by Kelly Mosser ‘11

I know what you’re thinking: she’s not actually going to defend redheads, is she?

To answer your question, yes. Yes I am.

I’m not writing this to wave around the “poor ginger” flag. All I’m trying to say is that we are constantly reminded that beauty “comes in all shapes and sizes,” and it’s just as important to remember that it also comes in all colors.

Ginger, carrot-top, matchstick, flame brain and a few other controversial names I will not state. These are just the beginning of an endless list of anti-redhead taunts.

We’ve heard them all. We’ve seen the “South Park” episode. We’ve heard every joke in the book. Whether redheads take digs like these personally or not, I think we can all agree that they really just get old after a while. All jokes aside, I’ve come to the conclusion that people who have a sincere dislike for redheads obviously have much bigger problems.

Lucille Ball left citizens of the 1950s with er-ending. Why? Perhaps these people owe stitches in their sides. Napoleon Bonaparte their successes to the infamous stereotype that people reigned with red o v e r hair often France in have fiery the 1800s. red temChristopers and pher Coambition lumbus disto match. covered the Some new world. people also Actress Nibelieve that cole KidPhoto courtesy of Lacy Tell redheads man was Two redheads fight back at their harrasser. are naturalchosen by ly more lustPeople Magazine as one of the 20 most beautiful people ful than brunettes or even blondes (though of all time. Olympic snowboarder Shaun they claim to have more fun). Believe it or White broke the record for the men’s half not, there is even a widespread network of people who claim to have fetishes for red pipe in the 2010 Winter games.

What do these successful celebrities hair. have in common? All are extremely acI suppose that any attempt at proving statistics concerning redhead behavior is complished, natural redheads.

The list of successful gingers seems nev- so difficult to do because only one to two

Brunettes have more fun

by Nikki Maxman ‘11

It is known that there is a long standing battle between blondes and brunettes- and well, redheads, but they are still not quite equal rivals. Despite the epic grudge today, your hair color can be easily changed just by walking into a drugstore and buying a box of dye. But, in many cases, when someone changes the physical appearance of their hair color, the way they are perceived and even the way they feel may change, too. Recently, there has been a common change from light hair to dark hair. This trend is extremely apparent in the halls of West Essex and even with A-list celebrities. And this is no coincidence - brunette is the way to be and the general public has finally caught on.

The case could be closed that brunettes are the best merely by stating that Britney Spears is a natural blonde and Lindsay Lohan is a natural ginger, and that their problems clearly stem from their lack of naturally brown hair and the common sense that comes with it. However, there is more than just that to back it up. Sophomore Lee Shearin said, “I've always preferred brunettes because they have more to offer. True blondes may have more fun, but the kind of fun they are most likely

looking for is not my scene.”

Brunettes are often stereotyped as being boring or nerdy. Even though this is not the case, I’d rather it be thought that I fit this stereotype than that I have a low IQ- or, better yet, don’t know how to spell IQ. Junior Phil Lapone thinks that half the time blondes fit the profile of being a “dumb blonde.” He also said, “I feel more comfortable in the presence of a brunette.” Junior Rob Drumm agreed and added that he prefers brunettes “because they seem more mature and trustworthy.”

Junior Kayleigh Thies was one of the many who transformed from a blonde over to the world of brilliant brunettes this year. “The best part of being a brunette was the dumb blonde jokes disappearing. My hair was also easier to match with a lot more of my winter-toned clothing,” she said.

Junior Carly Schlecker added, “Although there are so many of us, I still feel unique because there are so many different shades of brunette. I also don’t mind fitting the steryotype.”

Brunette is really the new blonde.

And so what if we are too serious?

We are serious when we say that we can have fun and know what you’re talking about. Amazing, right?

percent of the human population possesses naturally red hair. As for the validity of these temperamental and flirty stereotypes, well, you’ll just have to befriend a redhead to find out.

Frankly, I think having red hair is fantastic. If you have tough enough skin to shrug off the ginger-haters of the world, you can enjoy the compliments and attention that inevitably come with being a redhead. Nearly every person who’s ever cut my hair has said to me, “Do you know how much money people would pay to have this color?” Even though the countless nicknames, immediate sunburns and inability to wear many shades of pink and orange are enough to frustrate some people, I’ve learned to embrace my “gingerness” and everything that comes with it. Having red hair automatically sets you apart from the ever-present sea of brown and blonde.

Whether you love red hair or hate it, one thing is undeniable: it’s hard to miss, and impossible to forget.

Blondes: far-from-dumb bombshells

by Madi Berse ‘11

A brunette, a blonde and a redhead walk into a store. Let me guess, the blonde says or does something stupid and that’s the punch line of the joke.

While it may be the stereotype that blondes are dumb, this isn’t always the case. Clearly, there are some blondes who aren’t the smartest people; however, there are also redheads and brunettes with the same lack of brainpower. So why do people pick on blondes?

Obviously those with darker colored hair are simply jealous of blondes.

Blonde hair is visually attractive, reminding people of sunny days at the beach. According to hairstyle.com, “People see blondes as having more fun because blonde hair is associated with youth and can make you look younger.

Since babies and children tend to have lighter hair than adults, there tends to be a correlation between blondes and youthfulness.” Senior Thomas Martin stated, “I like blondes better because blonde hair complements sun-kissed skin in the summer.”

Although the mystery still remains as to why people insist on making fun of blondes’ stupidity, blondes still seem to play the central part in movies. Movies focus on all kinds of blondes - including dumb blondes,

witty blondes, powerful blondes, sweet blondes and even blondes as victims. In the movie “Mean Girls,” Amanda Seyfried plays Karen, the “dumb blonde.” In almost all horror movies, blondes are the first ones to be brutally murdered. Why does Hollywood insist on portaying these stereotypes of blondes?

Not only do blondes take the main role in many movies, but according to Telegraph UK News, “Those who color their hair a lighter hue experience a major confidence boost and feel less inhibited than their darker-haired counterparts.” B e ing a natural blonde, I have always been insulted by the dumb blonde stereotype. It seems other blondes do too. Junior Sam Bozzone said, “I get offended when people call me a dumb blonde. People assume I will act or think a certain way just because I have blonde hair, but the stereotypes aren’t true for everyone.” There are all types of smart and dumb people; your intellect should not be determined by how much time you spend outside in the summer, if you feel like trying a new hue at the salon or if you were born with a gene that gave you blonde hair. So here's to all hair colors…even though everyone knows that blondes still have more fun.

June 2010 Issue 4

Feature

The Wessex Wire Page 8

The outcome of texting and driving is SADD

by Carlye Frost ’11

Texting while driving has drastically increased the number of car accidents due to driver inattention over the past few years. It is becoming more popular and at the same time more deadly. Drivers are being educated to not drink and drive, but texting and driving has not been brought to their attention. Constantly people are calling, emailing and text messaging while driving. Only so much can be done to reach out to family members and friends to bring the awareness forward, and for that reason students at West Essex felt the need to express their views.

Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) believed the topic was so imperative that all students were taken out of P.E. to be educated by an Oprah special about the “No Phone Zone.” Oprah invited special guests

who experienced the effects of texting half the information around them. This makes it easier and driving to her show Photo courtesy of Carlye Frost for a driver who is not paying atand shared tention to miss a surprisingly crossing pedesdevastating trian, stop sign facts with or traffic light. the viewers.

Students inThe Oprah volved in the special reassembly, Seported that niors Chelsea nearly half DeGiacomo, a million people are Caroline Spry, Marin Schiffinjured by enhaus and Gina texting and West Essex students sign the Barretti, all took driving and pledge to not text and drive. the No Phone more than 6 , 0 0 0 a r e killed each year. Ac- Zone pledge promising not to text and cording to David Strayer, who appeared drive. “We saw Oprah’s show on TV on the show, those who send texts while and realized how dangerous it was,” said driving are eight times more likely to DeGiacomo. “We realized how many be involved in an car accident because students at West Essex probably text their brain is only able to process about and drive on a daily basis.” They en-

How they once were

by Emily O’Neill ’10

Have you ever wondered what your teachers may have looked like in high school? How about what group of people they hung out with or what sports they played? Sometimes we may think that our educators are too harsh, strict or don’t understand the pressure of being a high school student.

But as it turns out, they do. They sat at desks, took tests and dealt with the same high school drama that still exists today. Here is a look into the past of a few West Essex teachers.

History teacher Mr. Christopher Benacquista graduated from our very own high school in 1993. He was an athlete and also took many honors classes.

Benacquista was a three-season athlete, playing football and baseball as a fighting Knight as well as running track in the winter. He was also a part of SADD, the Italian Club and National Honor Society. When asked what his favorite thing about high school was Benacquista answered, “Being with friends and representing our school through sports.” And his least favorite thing about high school? The amount of work given in high level classes, which is an answer that many students would have to agree with. “As tough as [high school] may seem at times, enjoy every minute of it because it

goes by quickly and when it’s over you’ll look back fondly on it.” When asked to pick a student who he thinks resembles him most when he was a high school student, Benacquista said, “John LoCascio, even though he’s a better athlete than I was.”

History teacher Ms. Beth Vaknin graduated as a Colonial from Morristown High School in 1987.She was not affiliated with just one “clique,” but floated between them, hanging out with both new and old friends from elementary school. Vaknin was a part of the color guard, the student government and was the photographer for the school’s yearbook. Vaknin’s favorite part about high school was her friends. “My school was big and in the middle of town so we could do things like leave during lunch. It was very independent,” Vaknin said.

Her least favorite part of high school, which teachers and students alike can agree on, was waking up early. “I would tell kids to make the most of your high school years. I know it’s cliché, but it’s worth it.”

It is interesting to see how similar our teachers’ high school experiences were to the students’ today. Remember that all the teachers at West Essex are here to help you and to make you a better person. Who better for the job than someone who has been through it all before?

couraged other students by passing out the same pledge, hoping the shocking statistics would catch their classmates’ eyes. Numerous students were moved by the clip shown and signed the pledge immediately, joining the 343,986 other people across the country who have already signed it.

People from all over are working together to stop people from texting while driving. Twenty-four states have already banned texting while driving, seven have banned the use of hands free devices while driving and seven have banned the use of cell phones in general, New Jersey being an advocate of all three. SADD is strongly expressing their feelings on this topic and has made it very clear that all students should be aware of the dangers you not only are placing on yourself but on others as well when you pick up that phone. “Don’t tempt f8, that txt can w8.”

Emergency medical… students?

by Celina DeLuca ’11

Emergency. 911. Ambulance. The situation is being taken care of, but wait - isn’t that Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) in your Math class? Many students at West Essex High School have been taking part in voluntary First Aid Squad work.

Some students involved in this work are Juniors Kristen McClain, Jillian Sandler, Lynnli Wang and Nicholas George. Each technician has a separate set of hours when they are “on call.” During this time, they are either dispatched by a pager system or stay at the Essex County First Aid Squad building. George and Sandler are certified EMTs. Because the students are under 18, they are restricted from participating in some ambulance responsibilities. However, the students do get to experience many hands-on circumstances and help out when needed at the Essex County Squad.

In order to be an EMT, a rigorous college course has to be taken with multiple exams, and each exam must be passed with a grade above a 70.

Sandler and George completed their classes at Passaic County Community College. After passing the class, a state test then needs to be taken. “I was very interested in the course and

the information came very easy to me.

Now I am able to do what I enjoy and help people in need along with the rest of the First Aid Squad,” said Sandler.

After the course work, hands-on training begins as students learn the inner-workings of the squad.

George and the rest of the students have experienced some gruesome and eye-opening situations such as seizures, fires, car accidents and multiple applications of CPR. McClain has not achieved the status of an EMT but has been participating and working towards her future goal. On Tuesdays, McClain goes to the first aid squad building for six hours after school. “I dedicate a lot of my time to the squad, but I enjoy every aspect of it,” said McClain.

Because she is not an EMT, she usually rides on the second string of ambulances to report to a call.

“My next goal is to become an EMT. I have already seen many interesting situations and hope to help and see more as my first aid squad career moves forward.”

The students who participate in the squad really love what they do and don’t see the long hours of work as a burden. “The first aid squad is a great experience where you meet great people and see the world beyond the walls of everyday life in the West Essex area,” said George.

June 2010

The Wessex Wire

Page 9

Mirror images: West Essex Knights’ celebrity lookalikes compiled by Shai Kartus ’11, Carlye Frost ’11, Celina DeLuca ’11, Madi Berse ’11 and Sonia Aviv ’11

Freddie Prinze, Jr. & Matthew Freda ’10

Jaime Lynn Sigler & Ms. Mondadori

Matt Damon & Jamie Graham ’11

Jordan Knight & Mr. Benacquista

Photos courtesy of Facebook.com, imageshack.us, thestarceleb.com, celebrities.gearlive.com, chineseamericanprincess.com and the 1993 Milestone

Editors’ picks: best dressed at prom 2010

by Kelly Mosser ’11 and Lacy Tell ’11

Pat Farrell: Best Dressed Male: Pat carried on the Farrell the family tradition of wearing a kilt to prom very well. Farrell proudly represented his Irish heritage through his outfit.

Sydney Karp: Lacy Tell’s Pick for Best Dressed: I loved Sydney’s dress. Even though her dress was not the “typical” prom dress, it was very fashion forward. The dress gave off a beachy feel.

Photos courtesy of Facebook.com

Kathryn Picardo: Kelly Mosser’s Pick for Best Dressed: Kathryn’s dress was very classic and elegant. The color contrast was bold and the tiered bottom was a nice touch. It reminded me of something Grace Kelly would have worn.

Cristina Lombardi: Best Patterned Dress: Cristina dared to be different and wore a print dress to prom. It really worked in her favor. The blue colors all meshed well and the design was unique and different.

Alexa Rubinich, Alexa Ramos, Annie Ward and Samantha Bernstein: Best Color: Wearing a metallic color to prom was a bold move, yet all these girls pulled it off. The gold highlighted the girls’ tans well and they all sparkled and shined!

This Hollywood trend has made its way to the high school level, and these ladies all attempted the style well. We love how different all these dresses are!

June 2010

The Wessex Wire

Page 10

West Essex says a heartfelt Things I wish I knew When I was a freshman Goodbye to three veteran educators

by Camille D’Elia ’10

1. Always have a back-up plan. Have every base covered. Always print out an assignment yourself even if a teacher says they’ll do it for you. Always ask that question that you’re not sure if you should ask. Do not rely on anyone else. Always bring that “thing” to school that you “don’t think you’ll need.” You will.

2. There will never be a time when getting good grades doesn’t pay off. Good grades earn you a place in impressive extracurricular clubs (like National Honor Society) and when it comes time to apply for college, they’ll be crucial in getting you scholarships.

3. Doing your homework always pays off. It can get you that 100 percent “homework grade” to boost your average, and it also helps reinforce information. Also, many teachers include homework problems on tests!

4. Never burn any bridges, whether it be with classmates you don’t get along with, or teachers.

5. Procrastination is like a degenerative disease. If you start, you’ll never stop, and your habits will get significantly worse. The consequences are severe. Your computer will choose to freeze at 12:15 a.m. when you’re working on your paper the night before. Everything that can possibly go wrong will magically go wrong if you choose to wait.

6. Study really hard for the AP exams or don’t study at all. There’s no use in getting a middle ground grade on these tests. Most colleges (especially the more competitive ones) won’t give you any credit for a score of a three.

7. Even if you don’t think you’re that good, always invite your parents to your games, performances, recitals, etc. I never invited my parents to my swim meets last year because I felt I had nothing to show for a season’s worth of practices. I was wrong. I’ll never have another sporting event for my parents to attend and that makes me sad.

8. Sometimes memorization is the only way to learn something.

9. Always change for P.E. Getting an A is easy as long as you try and it will help boost your GPA. Not getting an A is careless.

10. Send your typed assignments to yourself on your school email account. You’ll never know when you’ll need an extra copy available or when you’ll need to have something from home available to you on the computer at school. Additionally, always save your work periodically while working on the computer. You never know when your computer will crash.

cator. “Mrs. Devisser is always around to help. She really wants her students The West Essex school district has to succeed,” said Senior Jon Miller. been fortunate enough to feature some extremely intelligent, influential and inspirational educators throughout the years. In virtually every department, there are standout teachers who have dedicated their careers to bolstering the academic prestige of the school and who have given their students the tools they need to succeed. Unfortunately for us, three of our school’s finest educators have declared that the year 2010 will be their last at West Essex.

Mrs. Susan Leonard has taught Physical Education and Health Education for 38 years. “Mrs. Leonard is such a wonderful teacher and person.

Mrs. Devisser She’s also extremely innovative and Nationally renowned History teachcompassionate,” said Senior Ryan So- er Mr. Jeffrey Boyd will also be retirroka. Leonard recently displayed this ing this year. Over the years, Boyd compassion by allowing a stranded has instructed courses such as US British family to stay at her home dur- History I and II, Criminology, Vieting the volcanic eruptions in Iceland. nam, Genocide, US AP I and II and Leonard said she will miss the West European History. Boyd recalls the Essex students and her fellow teach- 1996 Holocaust Symposium as one ers when she retires. “I plan to do of the many highlights of his teaching some traveling,” said Leonard. “Now career. He is recognized among West I can take trips during the off season, Essex’s most notable faculty for his when places aren’t as crowded.” specialization in genocide studies, according to PublicSchoolReview.com.

Boyd’s popularity among students has become quite apparent over the years.

“Mr. Boyd makes every class interesting and captures every single person’s attention,” said Senior Jackie Branco, “I took Euro because of the great things I had heard about his teaching.”

by Kelly Mosser ’11

11. Get enough sleep. Trust me. Being sleep-deprived impacts nearly every aspect of your being: academically, socially, mentally, physically and metabolically.

13. Don’t ever try to change for someone else. There will be people who love you for who you already are. If you start changing yourself, you’ll never stop.

14. In the process of becoming a cool teenager, don’t forget about your parents and siblings (or anyone else who loves you). Spend time with them. I always made time for my family and I’m so happy I did. Your relationship with these people will change, and you may not have them in your life forever. I’ll never forget the moments I shared with my sister when we were 18 and 14.

15. Work on your writing skills. Being a good writer helps you in every class.

16. Being a teenager is rarely like it is in the movies. Don’t be disappointed. But that doesn’t mean your own story isn’t worth telling.

Mrs. Leonard The Math department will be losing 30 year veteran Mrs. Barbara Devisser from the teaching staff next year. Devisser has taught high school Geometry, Algebra and Pre-Calculus in her career. She has taught all levels of Math and also spent a year in the middle school. Devisser says that she will mostly miss her students and all the people she has met over the years.

“My plans for retirement are all the things I’ve been putting off for the past 30 years,” said Devisser. Students have regarded her as a consistently challenging but extremely helpful edu

Photos courtesy of The Milestone

12. Surround yourself with people who care about you, treat you with respect and value what you have to say. This does not mean people who tell you what you want to hear all day. Cut out those who make you miserable or with whom keeping a friendship is a job. You will not miss these people.

Mr. Boyd Though we are surely sad to see these teachers leave, their legacies will inspire West Essex students for years to come. We thank them for their extensive and complete dedication to our school, and wish them pleasant retirements.

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Arts

Culture

June 2010 Issue 4

Bon Jovi brings new stadium to life

by Ryan Towey ’12

Jon Bon Jovi gave his second performance at the New Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. on Thurs., May 27, 2010. His concerts were the first major events at the new stadium since the old one was brought down by Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band. It is fitting that Bruce Springsteen of New Jersey gave the final performance at the old stadium, and Bon Jovi, also a New Jersey native, brought the new one to life.

Review I was just one of the 65,000 Bon Jovi fans at the concert. The new stadium automatically made me feel as if I were a part of something huge.

The rainy weather forced fans to wait inside or sit in ponchos to wait for the performance, but just before Bon Jovi took the stage, the rain stopped and the clouds began to clear.

The diverse crowd included teenagers and people well into their sixties, showing how Bon Jovi’s music knows no generational boundaries. When Bon Jovi began to sing, I was actually surprised at how remarkably strong his voice really was. While many artists only sound good in studio, Bon Jovi certainly sounded better live. He tried a little too hard with his dance moves, however, and this caused me to want to listen more than look.

That’s ok, though, a concert should be about the music.

Bon Jovi performed songs from all his albums, including his most recent, “The Circle.” From this album, Bon

Jovi sang “When We Were Beautiful,” a truly powerful ballad. His best songs, however, were his older ones like “Bad Medicine,” “Have a Nice Day” and “It’s My Life.”

Those had the most kick. After “It’s My Life,” the band went on a slightly boring streak in which his slowest, least known songs were played. The band brought it back to life though with some really good ones in the end, leaving “Livin’ on a Prayer” until the end of the encore.

Richie Sambora did a phenomenal job on guitar, and Tico Torres really showed his chops on the drums.

Through all the music, Bon Jovi tried to send an underlying message.

Although I prefer musicians to just play their music, this message was not the worst one to hear. Bon Jovi hoped that in light of the changes in the past 18 months, America would try to create a “Decade of We.” Corny, but cool.

Overall, the concert was pretty solid, deserving at least three out of five stars. After all, I forgot that it had even rained in the first place. photo courtesy of Ryan Towey

Final Exam Schedule Wednesday 6/23- Per. 4, 3, 9 Thursday 6/24- Per. 6,5,1 Friday 6/25- Per. 7, 2, 8

The Wessex Wire Page 11

photo courtesy of Dani Perelman

The members of Lucky Bones; Ken, Jimmy and Adam in their first official photo shoot

Band hopes their “Lucky Bones” will bring them far

by Nikki Maxman ’11

On Dec, 23, 2008 West Essex’s very own band, Cash Cash, released its debut full-length album which reached number 31 on the Billboard. com chart. Since then, they have toured with Kevin Rudolf, Metro Station and played the Warped Tour, which is pretty impressive for recent high school graduates. Juniors Kenny Wagner and Jimmy Dyer look to them as inspiration and hope that their band, Lucky Bones, will see a similarly bright future.

Wangner and his brother, Adam, who just graduated from the University of Virginia this spring, have always been involved in music. With Ken on the drums and Adam on guitar and vocals, they decided to start a band of their own. Last February, Dyer was recruited to finalize the trio as the bassist. Conveniently, they are able to practice in the Wagners’ basement, where they have a recording studio.

“We’ve recently recorded our first three-song-demo with Portrait Recording Studios, who has worked with Rock Band,” said Ken. “It’s very cool, we’ve been doing well.” . This summer Lucky Bones will travel to New York City and Charlottesville, VA to play live for the first time. Their single is called “Miles To Go” – not to be confused with Miley Cyrus’s

autobiography with the same title.

Their music, including “Miles To Go” can be heard on the website, www. purevolume.com/luckybones. Some other singles include “Down Home Girls” and “Frozen Lake.” The band is currently working on a song called “Black Holly” as well as a number of untitled works. “As for right now, were focusing on tons of writing and recording for more demos and EPs,” said Ken. Unfortunately, Adam is moving to Charlotte, N.C., effectively splitting up the band temporarily. However, Ken is looking to attend school in the south to be closer to his brother in hopes of keeping Lucky Bones together. “Everything is relatively close together in the south, so I can easily take a train or drive to Charlotte and stay at Adam’s apartment,” said Ken. Wangner classifies his band under the “rock ‘n roll” genre. He compares Lucky Bones’ style of music to The Kings of Leon, The Strokes and The White Stripes. Wangner hopes that the band will continue even after college. But Dyer said that, for now, the goal is “focusing on the sound, image, what works, what doesn’t and so forth.” Hopefully they will be lucky and, who knows, they could be the next band from West Essex to hit the Billboard charts.

June 2010

The Wessex Wire

Page 12

Fans feel “LOST” with the ending of their favorite television show

by Celina Deluca ’11

Sorry “LOST” fans, but about those answers… you’re never getting any and they don’t really matter… get over it. The show isn’t based around the answers to the great phenomenons throughout the series and the way all of the characters interact and connect.

Try to forget what you poured over and analyzed for the past six years. Take a step back and realize “LOST” is a work of art linked from beginning to end.

So here’s how I see it:

Commentary Life on the island is really happening, all of these people have something in common and they were all struggling and all doing it on their own.

Jack Shephard, whose father died, is a troubled surgeon. Kate Austen kills her mother’s boyfriend in order to protect her and has been arrested for the crime.

James “Sawyer” Ford becomes a con artist after losing his parents to another con artist at a young age. Jin and Sun Kwon’s marriage is on the rocks. Sayid Jarrah is an ex-torturer for the Iraqi Republican Guard. Claire Littleton: single mother to be. John Locke is paralyzed by his lying and cheating father. All of these people find a new life with one another on the island. Throughout the early seasons, flashbacks occur showing the personalities of many on Oceanic Flight 815. As the series progresses we all see Jack, disheveled and

haggard, back in America, outside an airport claiming, “We have to go back.”

But to whom is he speaking? He’s talking to Kate, whom he only met on the island.

And now, let the flash forwards commence. As they progressed, to be honest, I couldn’t keep track of any which way.

If they hadn’t confused us enough up to the point yet, let’s introduce the sideways world! At this point, I couldn’t have cared less about the Dharma Initiative or the creepy proceedings on the island. Honestly, for a period of time, “LOST” was a chore to watch, but it had to be done. I had faith in the writers to create an amazing series finale, and lucky for me, I was right.

The finale brought the entire series together full circle: Series Premiere, Jack’s eye opens; Series Finale, Jack’s eye closes. This represents the beginning and end of his journey, not of anyone else’s. But, let’s tackle sideways world first. These people who found each other on the island and separated over the course of time have now died.

But, contrary to many beliefs, they do not die at the same time. When Kate and crew leave on the plane in their finale, they continue their own lives.

The separate world which we viewed simultaneously with life on the island is a place the group created to be together.

In “real-life” they needed each other and have found each other yet again in the afterlife. If you can recall, Ben Linus did not meet up with everyone in the church.

Why? I’m not sure I really care. As Jack enters the church and opens his father’s casket, he once again sees his father is not there. As he turns around, of course, there’s Christian Shephard. (A very symbolic name bringing everyone together in the afterlife…it’s a Bible connection.)

If you looked behind Jack and his father as they conversed, symbols of the Catholic religion weren’t the only ones adorned in the room, a symbol of reuniting? Most likely.

In season five, at some point the Oceanic Flight was in the 1970s. We then see a picture of the 1977 Dharma Initiative featuring Hurley, the banner reads, “Namaste.” Namaste is a kind of healing which all of the characters experience by the time they get to sideways world and is also represented in the church.

Throughout “LOST” the characters have gone through the total circle of the human experience. Although they seem to just be stuck on an eerie island, this place truly has an impact on the characters’ lives. The human experience is comprised of four basic parts: feelings, beliefs, facts and ideas. Feelings are emotions without reason. Beliefs are values dictated by

others. Facts are basic reality and ideas create new realities. I think I can say as a viewer that the audience has been taken on a whirlwind ride along with the

photos courtesy of Lost-Media.com

characters on their journeys.

I could go on and on with the amazing symbolism, a fascinating aspect of wonderful writing but if you’ve taken the time to read this, you’ve seen the show, you know what happened and you’ve spent countless years trying to crack the lost code. Of course on occasion I’ll ponder over, “What about the button?” or “What was that crazy looking map with the huge question mark in the middle?” But as the finale showed us, it’s not really that important. The answers are not the foundation of the show; it’s about the journey of these people. When it comes down to summing up the show, it’s been a roller coaster ride. I believe the finale was incredible and did justice to the series as a whole. The writers had a lot to cover in two and a half hours and could have copped out like the writers of “The Sopranos” by not answering anything and just letting it end, but instead they followed through.

“LOST” has incredible insight to the human experience and the series finale truly showed it.

With its repetition & recycling, modern day music needs a breath of fresh air

by Geordy Boveroux ’11

When I get in my car, I’m scared to turn on the radio. I immediately opt for the CD button to blast my own collection of music, or pop in my cassette adaptor to use my iPod. The reason for this is simple; I just cannot stand what our generation considers “music” today. From the most popular band to the smallest of garage bands, it is hard to find innovation anymore. The entire music industry as a whole is slumping into a downward trend that needs to be reversed.

The hardest song for me to listen to is Ke$ha’s single “Tik Tok.” Practically every line in this song makes me cringe. It seems to be a giant mix of words that just happen to rhyme. I do not believe I will ever understand the perks of brushing my

teeth with Jack Daniels whiskey and why this girl is seemingly enamored with Mick Jagger is beyond me.

Throughout the entire song, Ke$ha makes herself sound like a white trash club rat and seems to take pride in it.

Another song that is painful for me to listen to is the hit song “Birthday Sex” by Jeremiah. While this song has a meaning, it has almost no substance; the entire chorus is just him repeating himself. Short of two or three lines Jeremiah just repeats the lines “girl you know I” and “birthday sex.” Is it that hard to throw in a couple of extra lines in the chorus?

Just incessantly repeating the name of the song is currently a popular thing to do and is quite annoying to constantly hear.

This dynamic is not only prevalent in hit songs, but in some of my most

beloved bands as well. The latest albums of bands I have long loved, such as Envy on the Coast and Mayday Parade, turned out to be huge disappointments. While there are a couple of songs that I still proudly keep on my iPod, most of them again lack originality. Envy on the Coast’s relaxing melodies and innovative lyrics and metaphors sprinkled throughout every song originally made me a fan of the band. Yet in their newest album “Low Country” these are almost nonexistent. They are instead replaced with mundane songs with no real effort or thought put into them. With Mayday Parade’s latest album “Anywhere but Here,” they received a new lead singer Derek Sanders. They lost their former singer Jason Lancaster, who wrote most of the lyrics and the change was very easily noticeable. “Anywhere

but Here” is littered with clichés and felt like any regular album, not something many would expect from Mayday.

In almost all music today I fi nd myself somewhat disappointed. Most songs I feel inclined to sing along to were recorded years ago and the bands have since released new albums that I just cannot find the same love for. Then songs that are considered hits are even more disappointing and I find trouble even considering most of them music. With lyrics that are all painstakingly similar and unoriginal with some computerized beat in the background, I just cannot bear to turn on the radio anymore. I yearn for a new band to come onto the scene and take the country by storm with new and innovative songs. This breath of fresh air is terribly needed in the music industry.

June 2010

The Wessex Wire

Get ready for summer with this season’s hottest trends

by Shai Kartus ’11

From dark plaids and flannels to big, bright bows, cardigans and dresses, we have definitely made it around the clock with our fashions.

With styles changing constantly, who is to know what this summer’s fashion trends will bring? Luckily, I am here to help with my predictions.

Lately, for summer 2010, West Essex hallways have been absorbed by bright colors, flowers and patterns.

I definitely don’t think these colors will fade away with the sun; they will be here for a while. Sun dresses will also stay popular, but, as we can see now, rompers are definitely making their big debut in mainstream fashion.

Big bows and long necklaces will continue to complete any outfit, and shoulder bags are on their way back in style.

Walking around the mall is like taking a blast into the past. Denim catches my eye every way I turn.

From dresses and rompers to skirts, shorts and jeans, you can’t miss out on all of the great denim fashion opportunities that are popular for the summer season.

Rain boots are definitely great to have in the summer during those late afternoon scattered showers.

Recently, they have been widely

available in adorable colors and patterns. Also, sandals are awesome to have in any color. Go for comfort… but sometimes, a girl has to suffer a little be beautiful!

For brilliant colors and moderate prices, shop American Apparel at the Short Hills Mall for the summer.

If you’re looking for a bargain and adorable matches, shop Forever 21 at the Willowbrook Mall. Looking for more sophisticated and classic looks? H&M is the summer store for you. Some other summer clothing hot spots with all sorts of styles to check out are Delia’s, Pac Sun and the Gap, at the Willowbrook Mall or Urban Outfitters in Montclair.

Summer is a prime time for fashion because every day can incorporate a new style. For a swim in the ocean or walk on the beach, bikinis, flip-flops and a casual shoulder bag would be perfect. But when the sun begins to set, you can take advantage of a whole new style. For a night on the town, why not strut a classier look with a trendy dress or black pants/ jeans and a halter.

There is no rush to get into the stores, but be on the look out for hot, new fashions as you stroll through the mall. Remember, no one can have too many pairs of shoes or sunglasses. I mean, a girl has got to be prepared for whatever comes her way.

Lions, tigers and bears...in rubber! of the many students who have hoarded and sported the rubber creatures. “I There are seahorses, flamingoes, dol- have a million of them!” she said with a phins and monkeys, along with seals, laugh. “I always play with them during ponies and pandas roaming the West class.”

The tendency of stuEssex hallways. Never before dents to play with their anihas it been possible to view this mal bracelets throughout the great a variety of animals in any school day is the main reason one location, except at perhaps why some schools across the a zoo. But now, as clearly disnation have chosen to ban played by the layers of stringy them. According to an Eyerubber that can be seen wrapped witness News report on May around students’ wrists, West Photo courtesy of Hushamanda.com 10, school administrators in Essex has become another one Long Island have banned the of those locations.

Animal bracelets, which are available bracelets because they are distracting to in a variety of bright colors, have be- students during school hours.

Although administrators, upon realcome the latest craze among students at West Essex. It has not been unusual for izing their dominating presence among one student to approach another simply students, may attempt to ban them, this to ask, “What animal are you wearing?” effort will most likely never succeed. despite the fact that the bracelets were Students now treat their rubber pets in originally manufactured for small chil- the way one might treat their real pets – with love, affection and care, and withdren to enjoy.

Junior Tiffany Wright is one example out ever letting them leave their side.

by Lisa Feierstein ’11

Page 13

“Sex and the City 2”: Abu Dhabi style

by Erica Lieb ’11

Lights, camera, action and the most lustful, provocative and brilliant women of New York City are back. You may have thought six years after the TV show ended and the release of the movie in 2008 that these middle-aged women would be out of the beloved city of sex. Well, Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker), Charlotte York (Kristin Davis), Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall) and Miranda Hobbs (Cynthia Nixon) came back for the sequel movie, “Sex and the City 2”.

Review Carrie is finally married to the infamous John Preston, better known to viewers of the hit series as “Big,” and after a devastating wedding break-up between the two in the first movie, it is a relief to see them married. However, if you know Carrie, she is, of course, not fully content with her marital status, or anything for that matter. Charlotte, now a mother of two, is struggling with motherhood and is preoccupied with the thought that her husband, Harry, is interested in her incredibly attractive new nanny. Miranda is fraught in the workplace with her overly demanding and severely critical boss. Samantha is attempting to put a halt to her menopause. With the excessive amount

of stress flowing between the four women, the only thing to match their high standards of glamour is to go on a first class vacation to Abu Dhabi in the Middle East. But of course, even though the foursome is traveling to the heart of the Arabian Desert, this didn’t stop them from bringing Chanel, Versace and Dior along for the ride.

Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha are treated like royalty when they get to Abu Dhabi. They are each given a personal butler and a car of their own complete with a driver to satisfy their every need. The movie is filmed in a luxurious paradise, if you can call it that. Jealousy and pure envy may faze you as you see the spectacular outfits and scenery. Although the women went on the trip to escape their problems, they seemed to only get worse as the tension grew. They stumbled upon an imminent disaster when Carrie runs into her former fiancé from the TV series, Aiden. With Mr. Big at home and her lost soul-mate Aiden with her in Abu Dhabi, sparks are flying.

The movie ties up the final laughs and memories of the four women that started the phenomenon of sexy women in Manhattan in the late ’90s. A “Sex and the City” addict myself, I thought the movie was the perfect mix of humor and brought back memorable moments from the TV series. Farewell Carrie, Charlotte, Samantha and Miranda, you will be truly missed.

Upcoming Concerts and Shows- Summer 2010 Lady Gaga Boardwalk Hall Arena-Atlantic City July 4 $250

Black Eyed Peas Board Walk Hall Arena-Atlantic City August 7 $125

Jack Johnson PNC Bank Arts center July 13 $85

Maroon 5 PNC Bank Arts center August 15 $75

John Mayer PNC Bank Arts center August 3 $80

Jonas Brothers PNC Bank Arts Center Auguest 16 $50

O.A.R PNC Bank Arts Center August 6 $37

Justin Beiber Madison Square Garden August 31 $82

June 2010

The Wessex Wire

WE participates in Special Olympics

by Tom Paranzine ’11

The New Jersey Special Olympics provides children and teens that have disabilities with an opportunity to participate in sports training and athletic competition. The Special Olympics allows competitors to develop their physical abilities, show courage and build lifelong friendships.

According to the New Jersey Special Olympics website, “Special Olympics is founded on the belief that people with intellectual disabilities can, with proper instruction and encouragement, learn, enjoy and benefit from participation in individual and team sports, adapted as necessary to meet the needs of those with special mental and physical limitations.”

On Tues. April 22, the regional Special Olympic Games were held at Brookdale Park in Bloomfield, N.J. West Essex High School students Adrian Carrion, Michael Jorn, Donald Gilson and Alec Reed, as well as students from other local schools, participated in the events.

Prior to the start of the games, an opening ceremony was held. All participating athletes took part in a parade. “When they were walking

out and everyone was clapping they all felt like rock stars,” said Ms. Shannon Garvey.

The Special Olympics Community puts forth a great effort to ensure that all competitors have enjoyable memories of the games.

“I had a lot of fun and it was a good time,” said Jorn.

The hard work of many volunteers made these games successful. Mr. David Drozjock has been training the athletes during gym class over the past several weeks. Juniors Rebecca Macintosh, Jessica Macintosh and Amanda Tiritilli went to the games in support of the athletes, while Juniors Owen Parr and Tim Pryor created posters.

The Knights put on quite a performance at the games. Gilson placed first in the long jump and fourth in the 50 meter dash. Carrion placed second in the 50 meter dash and fifth in the softball toss. Reed placed second in the softball toss and fourth in the 50 meter dash. Jorn placed fourth in the softball toss and fifth in the 50 meter dash.

Overall, the West Essex students did well; three out of four athletes qualified to participate in the state competition, which is hosted at The College of New Jersey in Trenton, N.J.

Page 14

Boys lacrosse sticks it to opponents and Martin, along with Junior Joe Fusco, all help to lead the Knights with goals for the The boys lacrosse team put on a stellar season, while LoCascio leads the team on performance this year, concluding their groundballs in the defensive and midfield season with a record of 14-5. They de- ends. Black was named The Star-Ledger’s feated very skilled teams including Glen “High School Top Performer of the Week” on April 15.

Ridge, Westfield “This is the and West Morris best team we Central. For the have had in first month of play, years in a sense the team stood at of chemistry an impressive 12-1, and skill and with their only loss we are hoping to Chatham, 12-7. to conclude After winning the our season the Essex County Tourright w a y … nament last year with a chamfor the first time in pionship,” said school history, the Tom Martin. boys earned the first The boys seed in this year’s went into the tournament. In the state tournaquarterfinals, the ment ranked at boys defeated Livnumber seven. ingston, 11-4. The They had a bye Knights advanced in the first round to the semifinals, and then defeatwhere they lost a ed Caldwell in devastating game the second to the Seton Antonella Rao/The Caldwells Patch round, 10-4.

Hall Prep PiOn May 20, rates, who later Teammates Tom Martin and Pete Doelp went on to win celebrate after scoring on Madison in the t h e b o y s the tournament. semi-final round of the state tournament. s h o c k e d the lacrosse The team is world when lead by four sethey beat number nior captains who are all continuing their lacrosse careers at two ranked and undefeated Mahwah by a the collegiate level. Tom Black (Bucknell score of 13-9. In the semi-final round, University), John LoCascio (Villanova the Knights suffered an upsetting University), Thomas Martin (University overtime loss, as they fell to Madison, of Vermont) and Pete Doelp (Susquehanna the tournament’s sixth seeded team.

University), are all looking to make their This ended their state championship senior season the best yet. Black, Doelp run, as they were eliminated 8-7.

by Kelly Abbot ’10

Girls lax falls in Essex County Tournament

by Griffin Glenn ’13

Photos courtesy of Ms. Garvey

Donald Gilson (left) places first in the New Jersey Special Olympics long jump competition and Alec Reed (right) places second in the softball toss.

The girls lacrosse team lost a close game to Glen Ridge on Sunday, May 16 in the Essex County Tournament Finals. The Knights were defeated 11-10, in a game that could have gone either way, as Glen Ridge became the first team other than West Essex to win the Essex County Tournament in its seven years of existence.

This was the second meeting between these two teams; the first game was won by Glen Ridge 12-10 on April 6. The second game was even closer. With the score tied 5-5, Glen Ridge went on a run in the first half that continued all the way through the second half, giving them a 9-5

advantage. West Essex would not go down without a fight; the Knights showed their tenacity and came back to tie the game with just under seven minutes to play. The comeback began with a goal from Junior attacker Nikki Maxman. After that, the goals continued to pour in, allowing the Knights to tie the game.

After the comeback, Glen Ridge was able to shut down West Essex’s offensive momentum, only allowing one goal in seven minutes. This gave the Ridger’s offense an opportunity to take control. They regained the lead with six minutes left in the game and then sealed the deal with another goal. The loss was a huge blow to the Knights, a team that is used to dominating this tournament.

June 2010

The Wessex Wire

Top MLB prospects look to break into 2010

by Geordy Boveroux ’11

As the summer months of June and July roll in, divisional races begin to pan out and become clear. Teams begin to realize what their strengths and weaknesses are. A few teams that are obvious contenders will attempt to trade for what they believe is that one missing link in the chain. Others will go for a more conservative route and call up their top prospects from the minor leagues. Many baseball fans are enamored with prospects and are all hoping to see the next big thing. Some want to pick them up for their fantasy baseball teams, while others just want to see what all the hype is about. Either way, these are some of the big names to look for on the back of your favorite team’s jersey this summer.

Stephen Strasburg (AAA) - Pitcher - Washington Nationals: Everyone who has turned on SportsCenter in the past year has heard the name. With a fastball that peaks at 103 mph, Strasburg signed a record $15.1 million contract as last year’s top draft pick.

He skipped the early levels of the minors, only needing one month of Double-A ball. Since the Nationals have no real talent on their roster short of All-Star third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, they could really use someone to help sell tickets. Strasburg is the perfect remedy, as their minor league affiliate’s attendance triples every time he takes the mound. His first major league appearance is scheduled for June 8 against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Mike Stanton (AA) – Outfielder Florida Marlins: Stanton, Baseball America’s number three overall prospect, has one of the most powerful bats in the minors. His on-base percentage of .441 is absolutely off the charts – meaning he gets on base almost half the time he is at the plate. He has hit

21 homeruns so far this season and could prove to be far too talented for the Marlins to wait much longer before calling him up to the major leagues.

Carlos Santana (AAA) – Catcher - Cleveland Indians: Santana is a converted third baseman that became a coveted catching prospect. Acquired from the Dodgers in 2008 for Casey Blake, Santana is still in the minors to learn the nuances of working a game from behind the plate. His bat could contribute to any major league lineup today and in his prime he could hit 20-25 homers a season. With Lou Marson the only one in the way of Santana breaking into the Cleveland’s everyday lineup, you could see him tearing up the majors any day now.

Madison Bumgarner (AAA) – Pitcher - San Francisco Giants: Bumgarner is a 6’6” beast with a blazing fastball. The Giants already have one of the best pitching duos in the game with Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain, but with the addition of Bumgarner, their rotation could be downright frightening. Bumgarner had a rough start to the season at Triple-A Fresno, but he has already had Major League experience where he sported a 1.80 ERA in 10 innings for the Giants last Semptember.

In addition to these four superb young players, there is still a plethora of talent waiting for a chance to make it to the big leagues. Prospects such as the St. Louis Cardinals’ Albert Pujols and the Milwaukee Brewers’ Ryan Braun have come up in the past and contributed immediately in a big way.

When you think your team has the division locked up halfway through the season, look out for that corner infi elder with the strong bat or the pitcher with the nasty slider making his debut. Your feeling of comfort just might change.

Photo courtesy of giantstalk.com

The New Meadowlands Stadium stands next to the former home of the Giants and Jets in East Rutherford, N.J.

Page 15

Baseball crowned Group II Champs The Group II Semi-Final game against Ramsey ended in yet another win for The Knights combined a strong West Essex, by a score of 7-6 behind pitching staff and powerful offense Junior pitcher PJ Lawless. In the final to earn the second seed in the North round of the tournament, Senior third II Group II State Tournament, behind baseman Tim Perrotta delivered the goahead RBI with a double, as the Knights first seeded Hackettstown. and Junior In the pitcher State Dan GauTournatieri stood ment, victorithe boys ous over came up Audobon, against 2-1. This Lincoln, was the Caldwell first time a n d West EsMounsex baset a i n ball had Lakes in ever been the first three Joseph Stellato/The Caldwells Patch c r o w n e d Group II rounds to advance The team celebrates their 2-1 win in Tom’s River. c h a m p s .

“Our goal to the final. In a 5-0 victory over Hackettstown, was to surpass what we did last year they became the North II Group II State and we have surpassed anyone that has Sectional Champions. ever come before us.” said Gautieri.

by Jackie Martorana’11

New stadium unveiled for Giants and Jets

by Carlye Frost ’11 and KJ Glenn ’11

The new football stadium at the Meadowlands is finally completed after long months of treacherous work and $1.6 billion spent. Not only were more seats, clubs, scoreboards, TVs, elevators and escalators added, but over 2,000 parking spots and a new rail line was also constructed, giving more fans access to the stadium. The new stadium was designed to provide fans of both teams with an unforgettable experience come game day.

The stadium doesn’t only serve the purpose of presenting an unbelievable football game, but also offers pre-game activities and new and improved tailgating facilities. Mini football fi elds and stages now surround the stadium, allowing fans to participate in numerous events, such as pickup games and concerts, in order to join in on the New York spirit. Even thousands of square feet of football merchandise are now available.

Major adjustments were made both inside and outside the stadium. The stadium upgraded from two scoreboards, one on each side, to four, one in each corner. Two thousand new regular admission seats were added, as well as over 9,000 new club seats in two additional clubs. The two newly designed clubs give access to the best seats, best views, best sound, best parking and, most importantly, the best fan experience a stadium has to offer. The Mezzanine Club is located between the goal

lines on the Mezzanine level in the stadium and the Coach’s Club is located midfield on the Field level behind the Giants/Jets bench. Both offer fine dining, comfortable interiors and the ability to watch the game first-hand through the glass-enclosed walls or on high-definition TV. However, the luxuries of the club seats can’t compare to being in the stadium, experiencing the same feeling as the thousands of screaming fans surrounding you.

Recently, the New Meadowlands stadium was chosen to be the site of the 2014 Super Bowl. This decision breaks precedent to make the stadium the first cold-weather Super Bowl host. Not only is this a huge announcement for the New York-New Jersey area, but it also gives incentive to other cold-weather teams to build new stadiums in the hope of hosting a Super Bowl. With the cold-weather atmosphere, the game will surely be different than the games of the past 20 years. Giants and Jets fans alike will get to experience first hand the new trend of frigid winter Super Bowls.

The stadium opened April 10, 2010 and started giving tours to season ticket holders shortly after. Soon the stadium will allow Giants and Jets fans to see their new home and the place that they hope will be the site of a winning season. Game-day kickoff will begin at 8 p.m. Aug. 16 for the annual Giants vs. Jets pre-season extravaganza, which will be the first football game played in the new stadium. After years of effort to make the new stadium the best it could be, there is at last a new place for the Giants and Jets to call home.

June 2010 Issue 4

The Wessex Wire Page 16

Softball wins NJSIAA State Sectional Title

by Emily O’Neill ’10

With 23 wins and four losses in their 2010 season, the West Essex girls’ softball team is showing their age and experience through their play.

After losing only one senior, Michelle Bertscha, the team returned eight starters, almost completely covering the field and batting lineup with varsity veterans. Junior Jackie Martorana starts at first base, Senior Candice Travis starts at second base, Senior Alyssa Witte starts at third base and Junior Brianna Schauer starts at shortstop.

Senior Christina Galese, Senior Jackie Branco and Junior Alexa Ramos make up the outfield. Senior Austin Leigh is the Knights’ starting pitcher, with Junior Allissa Kerr behind the plate. Galese, Branco and Leigh are acting captains.

Like many West Essex teams, the conference change has placed the girls in a new, more challenging conference, loaded with very talented teams. “It’s basically like playing in a county championship every game,” said Galese.

One of the team’s biggest strengths this season is their camaraderie. “This year our team has really come together and played for each other instead of ourselves,” said Leigh. Branco added that “team spirit and attitude also contribute to the Knights’ undefeated record”, as they began their season at 10-0.

“I’m very proud of how the girls played this year. I think a lot of their off-season training has helped a ton. Their hard work

is definitely paying off,” said Coach Andrea Mondadori.

The biggest challenge the girls faced was their battle against Livingston High School on April 24. The Knights were up 3-0 and, after making several errors, fell behind 3-4 in the bottom of the sixth. In the top of the seventh with two outs, Kerr and Ramos each drove in a run to make the score 5-4.

In the bottom of the seventh, Livingston had runners on second and third, but the Knights held them to clinch the 5-4 win.

The girls’ only losses thus far were to Cedar Grove High School by a score of 4-5, to Mount Saint Dominic, as they fell to the Lady Lions 1-0 and again to the Cedar Grove Panthers in a heartbreaking 2-0 county final loss.

“Losing the county tournament was upsetting for obvious reasons, but we knew that game had only made us stronger and better prepared us for the state run. We’d rather come out with a state championship than a county title,” Branco said.

The Knights did just that. After receiving the top seed in the North II Group II State Tournament, the girls went on to become champions. In an 8-0 victory over sixth seeded Rutherford, who the Knights lost to in the 2008 state tournament, they clinched the state sectional title on May 27.

In the next round to decide which team would advance to the Group II final in Tom’s River, the Knights faced North I Group II Champs Indian Hills. In a devastating 8-2 loss, the Knights ended their season at Pulaski Park in Bloomfield.

Warren Westura/The Caldwells Patch

The softball team gathers on the mound after their 8-0 victory over Rutherford in the North II Group II State Section Final.

W.E. seniors display athletic success

by Jackie Martorana ’11

For most students, junior year begins the dreadful time of standardized tests and college applications that extend well into senior year. The application process is one that takes over the entire life of a student, piling on even more stress to the responsibilities of everyday life.

However, for some student athletes, this entire process of applying to college is not the extreme experience that most students must face. Those who are recruited and commit to playing sports at the college level reap the benefits of not having to go through the normal admissions process. Most of these college-bound athletes receive confirmation of their commitment early in their senior year, or even during the summer before, instead of having to wait until the spring like most regular applicants. This circumstance not only provides the student with an opportunity to extend their skills to the college level, but also puts them in a more secure position for the rest of their final year of high school. By knowing early on what school they are already attending, these students do not have to deal with the pressures of numerous applications to various schools or the added stress of waiting to hear back from their schools of choice. “It really helped me enjoy my senior year. I relaxed knowing my hard work from previous years had finally paid off. It was really a weight off my

shoulders,” said Senior Jackie Branco, who committed in August to play softball at Ithaca College.

Surely, taking on the commitment to play a sport in college is no easy task, when added to schoolwork and other extracurriculars. Even so, one could say that athletes already committed to playing at a school can breathe a little easier, while peers around them are still writing essays and filling out forms.

However, there are some athletes that feel there is a different kind of pressure that comes along with their athletic commitment. For these students, there is still a final year of classes to be completed and taken seriously. “You would think I could sit back and ride out the end of this year, but I actually have to maintain a really good GPA to keep myself where I am right now,” said Senior Andy Santomauro, who committed in November to playing baseball at Lafayette College.

West Essex is a school that prides itself on athletic success. This year, success can be seen in the number of seniors who will be playing a collegiate sport next year. “There are so many people from our class playing sports in college. It makes me proud to say I’m from West Essex,” said Trinity-bound Senior Christina Galese, who plans to play softball next year. This reflects on both the school’s programs and the athletes themselves, who have strived to achieve such a high level of excellence.