The Wessex Wire The Student Newspaper of West Essex Regional High School 65 West Greenbrook Road, North Caldwell, N.J.
Vol. LVII No. I
October 2016
TheWessexWire.com
Sports teams unite for a greater cause By Caroline Quinn ’19 and Hayley Brener ’19
A number of West Essex’s fall sports teams dropped their equipment to lend a helping hand this past season. Their charitable deeds range from bake sales to clothing drives with the goal of educating the community on how to get involved. Girls volleyball, boys soccer, girls tennis, cheerleading and field hockey prove their athletic ability within their sport everyday, but also show that they know how to give back. Field hockey participated in a tournament in Suffern, N.Y. on Sept. 7 that supported cancer research. Only the top three teams from New Jersey were invited to compete: West Essex, Bridgewater and Eastern. Out of all the teams there, West Essex donated a total of $5,500 . “We donated more than half of the total amount of money,” sophomore varsity player, Ali Gann said. In addition to donating a signigant amount of money, West Essex faced the No. 1 team in Lakeland N.Y. Their love for the game and compassion for others drove their ambition to win and help out. The boys soccer team held a clothing drive for the less fortunate on Sept. 25. People donated gently used clothes, toys, shoes and household items. This benefitted those who are not fortunate enough to purchase these items and allowed the students to give
Photo courtesy of Karly Blume
The girls volleyball team and Mount St. Dominic at the Dig Pink Event on Oct. 7 to raise money for breast cancer research.
back to the community. “It was a rewarding experience and I was glad we got to help; giving back made me happy,” sophomore Brenden Huelbig said. The girl’s volleyball and the team at Mount St. Dominic held their Dig Pink game on Oct. 7, to raise money for breast cancer. Freshman, JV and Varsity all competed, and through raffles, a 50/50 and concessions, they managed to raise over $5,000. “We knew it would take a lot of time to get donations so we started preparing months before to get the word out,” senior Sophia Colitti
said, who was tasked with the challenge of organizing the event. Later on Oct. 17, West Essex and Montclair Kimberley Academy came together to raise awareness for the Smiles Make Miracles foundation which supports children with brain tumors and their families. The tournament featured 12 different teams, three from Puerto Rico, in remembrance of the late Valeria Reyes who was adopted by Montclair Kimberley Academy and died of a tumor. Money was raised for the foundation through T-shirts, mystery bags, and concessions.
Girls tennis held a round robin tournament to support Rett Syndrome on Sept. 24 which hit close to home for the team and Coach Albanese, whose granddaughter is affected by this genetic disorder. Rett Syndrome, is a mutation in the brain that affects girls and results in cognitive, muscular,respiratory and developmental issues. Each player picked a male partner and entered into the competition by donating $20. They had a 50/50 and a concessions stand where all proceeds were donated towards Retts.
“We raised a lot of money, over $3,000, and it was a lot of fun to play with a guy partner in a round robin format,” Madison Santaromita said, a member of the tennis team. Cheerleaders competed in “Cheer for the Cure” on Oct. 6 in support of breast cancer. The competition featured teams from all over the county. West Essex came in second place in the third and top division. “As a team it allowed us to showcase all of our skills for a good cause,” sophomore varsity cheerleader Sofia Russo said.
will be given a location to stand in the halls or around campus as the camera goes through a planned route, recording the lip syncers while also introducing the different groups. One day will be devoted to the filming of the video. “It is extremely inclusive and involves everyone,” principal Mr. Diliberto said. Student and faculty organizers have spent numerous months preparing and planning for this four hour recording day: multiple weekly meetings, dry runs and preparing the camera route. The
idea was suggested and approved last June, but starting in August, the non-stop preparation began. “From choosing music to editing to mapping out our route to choosing lip syncers to decorating the school to getting all sports and clubs involved, the lip dub requires months of preparation in order for it to be successful,” senior Jules Moskowitz said, one of the student organizers for the video. Computer graphics and multimedia teacher Ms. Jameson suggested the lip dub and is currently in charge of overseeing the project
along with Media Production teacher Mr. McGlynn, Principal Mr. Dilliberto, Vice Principal Ms. Hoebee, Seniors Jules Moskowitz, Alexandra Codella, Elizabeth Martine, Lauren Manniello, Jovianna Barteloni and Amber Tomlin. “My hope is that all the clubs and athletes get involved and embrace this. It is something we are filming and putting out there to say this is our school,” Performing and Practical Art Department teacher, Ms. Jameson said. M s . Ja m e s o n a n d Me d i a
Production teacher Mr. McGlynn’s multimedia classes are main contributers to the project and are behind-the-scenes with specific jobs to have a powerful video. The final video for 2016 will not be seen and finalized until next spring. Songs involved will be: “Let’s Get it Started” by The Black Eyed Peas, “ABC” by Michael Jackson, “Magic” by B.o.B, “Classic” by MKTO, “Can’t Stop the Feeling” by Justin Timberlake, “Everybody Talks” by Neon Trees and “I’m on Top of the World” by Imagine Dragons.
Behind the scenes of the first ever lip dub
By Danielle Tabatneck ’18
The first West Essex Lip Dub is set to be recorded on Nov. 23, featuring students and faculty throughout the high school campus within a YouTube video that will encompass all the clubs available at the school. A school lip dub is a continuous lip-sync music video starring students and faculty that tours the school and shows off the entire school, clubs and activities. In order to promote the school and the spirit West Essex has, each club
In This Issue:
4-6 Opinion
School ranking hides student success
8&9 Football
The Knights defeat Caldwell in rivalry game
12-14 Arts
Harambe: Gone but not forgotten
The Wessex Wire: News
October 2016
“In my free time, I spend most of my time involved in music. I’ve been playing the flute since I was in kindergarten.” Sarah Schiffelbein, Special Education
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West Essex welcomes new teachers to the 2016 staff By Melanie Montes ’18 Photos by Alexandra Codella ’17 and Jules Moskowitz ’17
“I love the students in my classes. I’m excited for the new school year. My plans for the future would be to make learning Mandarin fun.” Mu You,Chinese
“My free time is generally spent reading. I live close to New York so I frequently take time to go to the city. I workout, do yoga, participate in rec sports teams with my roommates.” Kira Maier, English
“I enjoy going to concerts and festivals, and my favorite band is Phish. I’ve seen them live over 100 times” Michelle Giampapa, PE/Health
“I feel like my classes are a great compliment to the stellar athletics here. Proper nutrition is so important.” Laura Richards, Family & Consumer Science
“The only time I really watch sports these days is when one of my students asks me to attend a game, but back in June I went to the United States vs. Paraguay game.” Sarah Brachfeld, Math
“I enjoy coaching and watching hockey so I am hoping to get involved with the team as well as check out a lot of other sports at the school.” Timothy Shea, HS Industrial Arts
“You’ll see me cheering for the team at football games, attending concerts, and coadvising Math League. Let me know when your team is playing!” Melissa Ayers, HS Math
“I am a HUGE sports fan! I grew up with two brothers so I’ve been surrounded with basketball and football. ” Amber Tobia, Special Education
“I don’t have a lot of free time but I love spending time with my family.We are a football family, so we like to watch games whenever we can. I am a huge NY Giants fan.” Abigail Martin, Social Studies
“I’m looking forward to teaching “My favorite season is Summer! because I enjoy the warm the subject matter that I enjoyed and have put to practice. I take weather that we only experience in New Jersey for a few short the monetary advice of Waren months.” Buffet.” Keri Georgewitz, HS Psychologist David Semaya, Business
Outside of school, students venture abroad Students experience European culture and look foward to this summer’s Italy trip. By Melanie Montes ’18 Ms. Fernicola, the coordinator of the international trips of West Essex, along with Ms. Dunphy are looking to visit Italy this following year and have planned the tour for the summer of 2017. Any student who likes to explore and travel is able to attend.“It comes down to whoever approaches me and says they’re interested in going. I usually haven’t told a student they can’t go,” Ms. Fernicola said. This past summer a small group of students took on Europe. The students who were a part of the European trip included; Sara Castro, Skye McCrone, Margaret Ribardo, Julia Miller, Deirdre Brady, Catherine DiGangi, Thomas Marano, Steven Lucero, Liam Fost,
Evan Haas, Mitchell Lanzl, RJ Maroon and Mike Centrella. Ms. Dunphy and Ms. Fernicola said they valued how they that the students were able to enjoy each other’s companionship. “I think how well the kids got along, all 17 of them. It’s sometime really hard to know what the group dynamic is going to be. It made the trip so much more memorable,” Ms. Fernicola said. Senior Deirdre Brady has advice she wants to impart with the students who are looking to go on the Italy trip. “I would recommend that students have a close friend going on the trip with them. Also I would make sure that students have a strong tolerance and close relationship with this friend. You will be spending many long hours together and sharing a room” Brady said. “I would also advise that students bring comfortable walking shoes! There is a TON of walking. Students should be prepared to walk miles each day, so drink water and eat accordingly. I also recommend students stay off
their phones as much as possible.” Senior Catherine DiGangi said she had tons of fun in Europe and likes the idea of offering future trips. “My favorite part of the trip was the free time we got to shop, eat, and roam around the city. It was awesome to tour all of the major landmarks, but the few hours we got in between allowed me to really get to know the cities. I think we should keep on offering these trips for years to come. It is truly a once in a lifetime experience and I think anybody that has the opportunity to go on one of the trips should,”DiGangi said. Sara Castro said she enjoyed her experience on the 2016 trip and that she was sad it was her last. “My favorite part was London. There we did lots of things like Jack the Ripper’s ghost tour, and the London EYE, where we got the best views of London,” Castro said. Ms. Fernicola was happy about the fact that they were able to get along so well. “You’ll never forget because you’re going with friends,” Brady said.
Photo courtesy of Ms. Fernicola
Students and chaperones tour the Eiffel tower while in Paris.
The Wessex Wire: News
October 2016
Page 3
The Zika virus causes worry in the U.S. News
Zika’s traumatic effects alarm civilians across the nation. By Michael DiaGiacomo ’18
Late July in Miami Beach Florida, the Zika virus officially reached the United States after surfacing all around the world for a few months. There’s been 63 reported cases of people showing symptoms of serious illness throughout the United States, from what was once a “harmless” mosquito bite. Even though there has only been one reported death in Utah, the Zika virus cases are continuing to accumulate. Scientists and researchers have discovered new impacts of the virus including its harmful effects on pregnant women because it cause various birth defects. However, a number of known cases throughout the world have proven that everyone is still susceptible to obtaining the Zika virus through mosquitos. So far there are no reports of Zika in New Jersey, but the virus is still spreading. According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the most common symp-
toms are fever, rash, joint pain and red eyes. Additionally the Zika virus can remain in the bloodstream of an infected person for about a week, so everyone is recommended to visit their doctors or other healthcare providers for a blood test and a check up. “Students should now start applying bug spray on, their bodies before going outside,” school nurse Mrs. Frisch said. “Since there are no viable vaccines for the Zika virus, they must try to prevent the disease, before it’s too late.” As of right now there have been more than 23,000 confirmed Zika cases in the U.S., according to the CDC. This includes 3,300 cases in the continental U.S. and more than 19,000 cases in the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and American Samoa. New York recently surpassed Florida as the state with the most travelrelated Zika cases having 606. Cities such as Miami have been using an aerial spray of insecticide to eliminate the viral infection. Students said they are feeling nervous about the virus and their future because they really don’t know what’s going on. “When I get older, I am nervous about the birth of my children
around the world By Ally Schachtel ’19
Hurricane Matthew:
Photo courtesy of Katja Schulz CreativE Commons By 23 June 2012-cc2.0
because I don’t want them to have birth defects that could prevent them from having a successful future,” sophomore Tyler Giardina said. The United States government has still not found a viable source of treatment to the Zika virus. Doctors are currently informing their patients with Zika virus to
get plenty of rest, drink enough fluids and treat pain and fever with common medicines. Doctors think that if the symptoms worsen, people should seek medical care and advice. “From now on I will carry bug spray whenever I approach a wilderness type area,” junior Anthony Bellomo said.
Gun control debate continues to create conflict From top:“woodland mosquito “ by katja schulz (CC BY-ks 2.0)(www.flickr.com/photos/treegrow/7 From top:“rALLY TO PREVENT GUN VIOLENCE” by JAY BAKER (CC BY-JB 2.0) (www.flickr.com/photos/mdgovpics/8527413635/in/photolist-
Students and politicians share their views on nation-wide gun control. By Melanie Montes ’18 According to The Trace, a source for reporting and insight about guns in America, 301,797 people were killed by gun violence during the 2005-2015 period. Due to the risk guns impose on people’s safety, political figures have tried taking a stance on the issue. In the wake of a number of high profile mass shootings, and in a heated election cycle where gun ownership and Second Amendment rights are in debate, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have had differing viewpoints. The Second Amendment is a contributor to the belief that having access to weapons keeps our society protected. The amendment states, “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms should not be infringed.” In January 2016, President Obama hinted at looking to tighten firearm restrictions.“I get letters from responsible gun owners who grieve with us every time these tragedies happen; who share my belief that the Second Amendment guarantees a right to bear arms,” Obama said in a weekly radio address.
The New York Times reported that at least 30 people are shot every day, totaling up to 30,000 deaths per year. Clinton wants the government to be on the case of existing gun violence abuse but Trump has no care for these regulations as he feels it’s a need for all. Hillary Clinton wants the government to have stricter authority on gun sales and complete background checks on people who buy guns online or at gun shows. “For most of our history, there was a nuanced reading of the Second Amendment until the decision by the late Justice Scalia and there was no argument until then that localities and states and the federal government had a right, as we do with every amendment, to impose reasonable regulation,” Clinton said, referring to the appointing of Supreme Court justices. Republican Donald Trump said that no regulations on firearms should be enforced on the public as he feels they are a necessity for everyone. If some of those wonderful people had guns strapped right here, right to their waist or right to their ankle,” Trump said, patting his hip, “and this son of a b---- comes out and starts shooting and one of the people in that room happened to have (a gun) and goes ‘boom, boom.’ You know what, that would have been a beautiful, beautiful sight, folks.” Nora Pervizi, a junior, disagreed
Hurricane Matthew, the deadly tropical storm that became the first Category 5 Atlantic hurricane since 2007, carved a path of destruction from the Caribbean to Southeast U.S., leaving more than 1,000 dead and millions evacuated or homeless. The storm ravaged Haiti and hit more than 10 other states, with Florida and South Carolina being affected the most out of all the states. Matthew barreled along Florida’s coast all day on Friday. According to reports from Weather.com, 1.5 million people were forced to evacuate Florida and 1 million lost power. South Carolina faced a six foot storm surge and nearly 80,000 people with damages to their homes. Haiti has 1.4 million in need of humanitarian assistance. By the end of the storm, there was a total of 1,045 fatalities and an estimate of 6 million in economic damages. On Oct. 9 2016 the storm finally passed the United States coastline and became post-tropical.
Crazy Clowns:
Photo courtesy of Rally to Prevent Gun Violence. by Jay Baker at Annapolis, MD cc2.0
with Trump’s approach, acknowledging that restrictive laws should be upheld. “I don’t approve of gun violence, I believe that there should be laws enforced for it,” she said. “We’ve been experiencing so much conflict with the issue because people believe that it’s necessary to bring a rifle into public places but god forbid if a person of color did, they would get shot.” Senior Louis Galarowicz agrees with Trump’s stance on gun ownership. “Hillary has no right to ban
guns from streets,” Galarowicz said. “Trump’s stance is pretty moderate, as he is in favor of gun control for some.” Junior Grace Pavlovich said the reality of gun death numbers were shocking to her. “I feel like people should only own guns if they have a license,” she said. “I didn’t know that 30 people were shot every day. That’s tragic. I think we have been experiencing so much gun violence because people think that is the only way to get their point across and for them to be heard.”
Authorities are urging people to remain calm as reports of people dressed as unnerving “crazy clowns” and threatening people became more widespread across the United States. The first clown was spotted in Greenville, S.C. in August 2016; where civilians claimed to see clowns trying to lure children towards them and into the woods. According to reports, the clowns would tell the children, that if they joined them in the woods the clowns would give them candy or money. Since then, reports of sightings began to spread all over the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. So far the clowns have caused no serious physical injuries to anyone. Some towns are sending out emails to all residents that children are unable to dress up as clowns for Halloween. This is because there are some people who are choosing to dress up like the clowns as a joke to scare others. According to NJ.com, anyone who creates fake threats will be charged; so far six different teens have called in alleged threats and clown sightings. Authorities said they are cracking down on false reports and fake threats, since focus on these take resources away from other investigations.
Opinion
October 2016 Issue 1
The Wessex Wire Page 4
Stop clowning around West Essex’s ranking doesn’t Known for their red noses and smiling faces, clowns are supposed to bring joy to whomever they meet. However, recently, “killer clowns” have surfaced all across the United States, looking to terrorize anyone in their wake. These clowns have been the main focus of the media’s attention, and despite the back and forth over whether this trend is a hoax, it should be treated with the seriousness that any other potential danger would bring. Such figures pose an intentional threat to the safety of people, and it could be so much more than empty words. Clowns have been spotted in college towns across 10 states so far trying to lure children, women and men alike into a trap as a means to scare them at best, and harm them at worst. They have disrupted society and caused many to be on edge, concerned that their safety is in jeopardy. In Southern Alabama, authorities locked down Escambia County High School and Flomaton High School after clowns threatened students through Facebook and were spotted on the premises of both schools. Law enforcement has made a conscious effort to treat these clowns as criminals, rather than comedians. Due to the seriousness of this epidemic, anyone dressed in clown garb is at risk of being associated with wrongdoers. Especially since Halloween is right around the corner, those who attempt to joke about the clowns could find themselves in grave danger because of the media circus surrounding this story. As much fun as it is to laugh at Twitter memes and the videos that have risen in popularity due to first hand interactions with the clowns, these people should never be seeked out. Individuals willing to threaten others with weapons such as knives and machetes, should not be glorified, whether their intentions are serious or if it is simply just a hoax.
Staff Editorial
The Wessex Wire The Official Student Newspaper of West Essex High School A Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Medalist Paper 65 West Greenbrook Road, North Caldwell, New Jersey 07006 (973) 228-1200 ext. 258 The Wessex Wire 2016-2017 STAFF Masthead Managing Editor & Special Projects Editor Daniella Ignacio ‘17 News Editors Melanie Montes ‘18 Junior Editor: Grace Irwin ‘18 Features Editors Micaela Weiss ‘17 Junior Editor: Maddie Galligan ‘18 Sports Editors Michael DeFranza ‘17 Dan Laible ’18 Mia Oyama ‘17
Editors-in-Chief Jessica Cunha ‘17 Isabel Tabs ‘17 Jake Wolf ‘17
Art & Photography Director Jules Moskowitz ‘17
Junior Opinion Editors Michael DiGiacomo ‘18 Heath Kalb ‘18
Photography Editors Alexandra Codella ‘17 Alexa Dratch ‘18
Arts & Culture Editors Grace George ‘17 Olivia Ritter ‘17
Advertising & Social Media Editor Lizzy Cimilluca ’17
Online Editors Megan Boeckel ‘17
Illustrators Catherine DiGangi ’17 Sharon O’Donnell ‘ 18 Joey Ploscowe ‘18
Faculty Adviser Mr. Hermosilla
Contributing Staff Hayley Brenner ‘ 19, Alyssa Cristobal ‘19, Quinn Delehanty ‘ 19, Jordan Flusser’ 19, Emily Johnston ’18, Dylan Lepre ‘19, Sam Manuzza ‘17, Caroline Quinn ‘19, Michael Sessa ‘18, Ally Schachtel ‘19, Danielle Tabatneck ‘18, Chris Tsakonas ‘18
The Wessex Wire Editorial Policy
The national-award winning Wessex Wire is published with supplemental updates to inform, educate and entertain the approximately 1,200 students of West Essex High School, faculty and community. Unsigned editorials are the consensus opinion of the editorial board and do not always reflect the views of the adviser, staff, administration and/or board of education. Signed editorials reflect the view of the person whose name appears in the byline. The Wire serves as a forum for the expression of ideas and opinions of students, staff and community members. We urge readers to write letters to the editor on pertinent matters of concern. Letters must be signed; however, anonymity will be granted if necessary upon request. Members of the editorial board reserve the right to edit all letters to the editor for length or libelous content. Students, faculty or members of the community with an interesting experience or strong opinion on any subject are also encouraged to write or contact the Wire at thewessexwire@gmail.com. Several photos in this issue are used under various Creative Commons licenses. For more info and full licensing details, visit creativecommons.org.
truly represent student success The system relies too much on the students’ standarized test scores and their GPAs.
By Isabel Tabs ’17 It’s no surprise West Essex offers students an elite educational experience. With sending kids to some of the best colleges nationwide, West Essex evidently has formed a solid foundation for a prestigious academic program. However, over the past six years, West Essex’s ranking among the New Jersey’s Top Public Schools published by New Jersey Monthly this past September has unfortunately plummeted, dropping to spot 55. The ranking previous to this year’s was in 2014 and West Essex claimed spot 25. In 2012, West Essex was ranked 16 in the state coming from 36 in 2010. Since 2012, West Essex failed to get the better recognition for its academics, falling back down to spot 25. Based on the recent history of West Essex’s placement among New Jersey’s Top Public Schools, the implication could be that our district is “just average.” But this number or label doesn’t adequately reflect the exceptional educational values West Essex instill in its students. Moreover, there is an inherent absurdity regarding the ranking system for school districts as it is completely flawed. How far can you boil down the quality of education a high school provides to just a few statistics? There are preconceived notions revolving around testing and its importance because people incessantly talk about the subject. It’s become this sort of “culture” that encourages more competition between us, but students should know that West Essex prepares us beyond a standardized tests. “Our teachers and administrators create dynamic learning experiences designed teach students how to think critically and work collaboratively to identify problems and come up with solutions,” English Supervisor Ms. Casais said. “These skills will help students do well on standardized tests, but more importantly, they will prepare students for college, the workforce, and life.” The rankings come out every two years by using data from the graduating senior class of the previous year. The methodology behind it all is relatively simple: The categories and indicators for the ratings were
Number of students enrolled Student to faculty ratio Number of APs offered Amount of students grades 11-12 enrolled in AP Amount of students taking an art class Amount of students who score a 1550+ on SAT Amount of students who score 3+ on ACT P 4-year adjusted cohort graduation rate College enrollment
250.5 11:6 23 50.7% 44.2% 54.7% 84.1% 98% 88%
Graphic by Alexa Dratch Information obtained from New Jersey Monthly
based off of the school environment, which includes the amount of rigorous courses such as Advanced Placement (AP) courses and the number of students taking a visual art, students’ performance on SATs and APs, and student outcomes including graduation rates. Some of West Essex’s notable statistics from 2016: 50 percent of all juniors and seniors were enrolled in at least one AP class, and more than 84 percent of them scored a passing grade of 3 or higher. 45 percent of the students were taking an art class, 55 percent of the class of 2015 got a 1550 or higher on SAT and the class had a graduation rate of 98 percent. Using such a simple method cannot and should not measure the relative qualities in schools. National tests as well as how any AP courses school offers should not be the bedrock of the ranking system. It seems that this culture of test taking is seemingly still a topic up for debate and how it cannot only affect people, but a whole school system. From an economic standpoint, AP exams cost money, so not every family can afford it. There could be a significant percentage of students that are smart and would have done well on the exam, but because they are so costly they were unable to take them. Additionally, students who have access to personal tutors and courses for ACTs and SATs normally have an advantage over those who don’t use these sources. People who are at a financial disadvantage cannot afford these tutors and this may result in poor testing scores. There are also a large group of students who arn’t good test takers. “People’s test scores should not determine their ranking,” sophomore Ellie Decker said “No school
or individual should be judged based on a number.” Because the ranking is exclusive to purely academics, factors like this may disrupt the results evidently making them inaccurate. In fact, there are many criticisms people lodge against AP courses: They overpower the other indicators that make a good quality school. It seems like today, students are driving College Board’s revenue instead of receiving a genuine educational benefit from these tests. So yes, recent West Essex students might have not been doing as well on standardized tests from previous years, but the school is made up of a faculty that genuinely cares about their students by devoting their time and attention to the success of the kids.Test scores have the ability to evaluate some of students’ level of intelligence, but they are definitely not a measure of character. A current study done by the National Center for Fair and Open Testing showed that ACT and SAT scores are not an accurate predictor of student success in college. “West Essex is filled with hardworking individuals from the students to the faculty and administrators to the custodial staff who all care about one another and take pride in this district,” Ms. Casais said. “Nobody can put a number on that.” There is no given degree of accuracy with rankings, which is why students shouldn’t feel ashamed of their school’s reputation. E Maybe this sparks motivation in students to study more and give West Essex the esteem it deserves. However, students, faculty and administrations know that, West Essex only intends to promote a positive learning experience.
October 2016
Page 5
The Wessex Wire: Opinion
Which candidate has been winning the debates?
“Donald Trump because he is going to make America great again.” Margaret Ribardo ’17
Photos courtesy of Gage Skidmore and Marc Nozell (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, the two main presidential candidates, are surrounded by controversey.
The lesser of two evils will replace Obama
By Heath Kalb ’18
From left Hillary “Clinton in hampton” Marc nozell https://www.flickr.com/photos/marcn/459273407/ donald trump gage skidmore https://www.flickr.com/photos/gageskidmore/25218730016/
The last eight years have gone by way too quickly for many. President Barack Obama’s time in office is coming to an end, and our future president will have large shoes to fill. Obama will leave office this January with a debatable legacy. While some still falsely believe he is a communist Muslim who loves to raise taxes for no reason and allow illegals and terrorists to enter the country, informed voters tend to think otherwise. He’s accomplished a great deal, even with a Congress that is known to not listen or collaborate with him. Among his largest achievements include the legalization of same-sex marriage, renewed relations with Cuba, millions of more citizens acquiring health care, taking a worldwide lead in combatting climate change and most notably leading America out of our worst economic downturn since the Great Depression while adding millions of jobs and lowering the unemployment rate to under 5 percent. Unfortunately, we are about to elect a new president … and America’s options are not looking too promising. Unsurprisingly, many voters are naming their choice for the 45th president the “lesser of two evils.” America’s choices for president are either an egotistical obnoxious sexist tangerine or a controversial and horribly corrupt career politician. While obviously I’m referencing Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, there are third party options. The Libertarian candidate, Gary Johnson, has some support,
usually polling around 7 percent Furthermore while he is all against nationally, although not being in radical Islam, his Islamophobic the debates and his lack of famil- statements and beliefs would serve iarity with Syrian geography has as an ISIS propaganda tool suggestderailed his chances. The only other ing that the West is waging a war noteworthy candidate is the Green against the entire religion of Islam. party’s nominee, Jill Stein, and she Another core belief among is unfortunately polling even worse Trump supporters is that his averthan Johnson. sion to politically correct vocabuThere are a plethora of rea- lary will bring up issues otherwise sons why I would never support not spoken about and will end our Republican presidential nominee culture in America of political corDonald Trump. Aside from out- rectness. This is yet another idea landish policy proposals such as that in theory sounds great but has an impractical border wall, I am no basis in reality. legitimately worried for a potential Trump’s politically incorrect Trump presidency just as mil- ramblings can often be found on lions of others are. According to his Twitter feed. He has a variety a poll run by the Associated Press of bizarre tweets and retweets. He and public opinion group GfK, has retweeted white supremacists 56 percent of Americans say they and often tweets the first thing are afraid of a that pops into his Trump presihead, regardless of Unfortunately, we dency — and factual accuracy. for good reason. are about to elect a For example Trump A common new president … and wrote in 2012 on argument for America’s options his twitter that cliTr u mp s u p mate change is a are not looking too porters is that hoax created by the he is an outsid- promising. Chinese. er who is not a Just ask yourself, politician and do you honestly that is what America needs. While think it would be good for a whole someone not in the political es- generation of kids to look up to tablishment does sound appealing a president that has mocked the to me, it doesn’t sound appealing disabled, has called Mexicans rapwhen that man is someone who ists and criminals, curses regularly says whatever he wants, is unknown and brags about grabbing female in international politics, makes de- genitals without consent? cisions based on his emotions and The Democratic presidential is considered a laughingstock to the nominee, Hillary Clinton, has majority of the world. an impressive political resume In addition to this, Trump has and is certainly qualified for the made a career of ripping off his presidency, but she herself has workers, never paying taxes and her fair share of reasons not to be outsourcing everything from his supported. In this bizarre election wives to his ties. I would vote for Clinton, although
“”
the only reason being is that she is not Donald Trump. In my opinion, she is not someone to be trusted. In fact 68 percent of people believe she isn’t honest or trustworthy, according to a CNN Poll than ran in early September. Clinton’s whole political career has been filled with controversy. While “crooked Hillary” has extensive experience, she has committed horrible acts. She has taken hundreds of thousands of dollars from special interests, was involved in Benghazi, Whitewater, her email scandal, allegdley collaborated with the DNC to rig the primaries and supposedly she has been silencing accusers of Bill Clinton for decades. Clinton has the potential to become the first female president. This sounds great and something that has been long in the waiting for an increasingly progressive country. Even though she is a self described feminist, while she was secretary of state she took thousands of dollars from nations such as Saudi Arabia that would execute women and wouldn’t allow them to be educated among other disgusting policies. Additionally she is notorious for flip flopping on policy. She used to support the Iraq war, traditional marriage and universal health care and now she doesn’t. Much has been down the last eight years to benefit the country. Sadly whoever is the next president will be replacing Barack Obama who, in my opinion, will be looked upon one day as one of our best presidents ever. His accomplishments in the White House will presumably make either Clinton’s or Trump’s presidency look abysmal.
“Hillary because women are really mad at Trump.” Alex Apito ’18
“Trump because he brings up the real issues.” Bardhyl Gashi ’20
“Hillary because she doesn’t lie as much.” Nico Marcou ’19
October 2016
Page 6
The Wessex Wire: Opinion
The academic gold mine that West Essex lacks Extra credit would destress students. By Emily Johnston ’18 A student sits in their room, hunched over a textbook, reading the chapter for what seems like the thousandth time. Yellow Post-It notes scatter the floor as their brows clench together trying to understand the material. In a school with no extra credit such as West Essex, the pressure is on students to ace tests, adding stress to their lives and inevitably creating a tougher time raising grades for students. Teachers in the past had taken advantage of the extra credit initiative by giving out points for bring-
ing boxes of tissues to school, giving it to students for getting questions right in class and overall misusing the program by rewarding students who did not work. Cutting the program all together made more problems than fix them at the time, but West Essex should fix their mistake by bringing extra credit back with guidelines. Teachers are divided on whether such a policy should be reinstated. English teacher Ms. Macaluso, who is strongly against extra credit, said such a policy would only complicate matters more than they already are. “Is extra credit equitable?,” she said. “If a student chooses NOT to do the extra credit work when it is offered to the entire class, is
the teacher subconsciously taking note of it? I prefer not to have to consider these questions and stick to the work as it’s assigned.” However, science teacher Dr. D’Meo sees it as a good thing when regulated. Her form of extra credit, when it was permitted, was extra questions on tests or quizzes that would raise their overall score but if answered incorrectly, no harm would come to the student. “The most common question asked when turning in their test was always ‘Did I get the bonus right?’ It was a game that challenged their higher order thinking and they struggled to work out the problem and hopefully gain a few extra points.” she said. In a school with high standards,
every option that decreases the amount of stress students are under should be utilized. We live in a time period where doing “above average” is actually considered below average, so students put themselves through the ringer trying to obtain “perfect” grades. If extra credit was brought back, choosing to do optional work would boost grades and also help students who have done poorly on exams. This initiative has become a staple high school aid, yet West Essex continues on without it. While other schools students grades are going up, up, up, often times it feels as if West Essex students’ grades are going down, down, down. This struggle often makes parents angry, but they do not realize that while
they had extra work to boost grades in school, their children do not. Giving students the opportunity to increase grades will make parents and students gleeful. Every kid has that moment where they completely bomb a test, and nothing can solve the hole left in genesis. The stress builds as they desperately try to patch up the crater. “Students should try to do their best on their own,” junior class president Julia Schmulewitz said, “but extra credit will alleviate stress when taking a test because you know there will be extra credit to fall back on.” In a time where grades are everything, extra credit is a necessary factor for students.
Goodbye, Agendas, Hello stress and missing work By Olivia Ritter ’17 Does it bother you that we weren’t provided with agendas this year? I’m finding myself more and more troubled when it comes to figuring out what I have for homework. Agendas are an institution. All throughout elementary school, middle school, and (most of ) my years of high school, I was given a fresh agenda. It was complete with all of the bare necessities that a 5th grader might need: a world map, every area formula ever and, of course, the trusty conversion chart. I could sure use all of those things right about now. Without a provided agenda, how will I know how to convert grams into liters or whatever crazy dimensional analysis I need for AP Environmental Science? How will I know how to find the area and perimeter of any given triangle? Without an agenda, I’m left with nothing. We’ve barely made a dent in the year and I have forgotten an unhealthy amount of assignments. This problem has only one cause: no agenda. Sure, I could have used one of the tools on Google Chrome or written them down on paper. But it’s not the same. Buy a planner from the local Staples, you say? Tried that. It was an outrageous $20 and both covers already came off. It also lacks the bell schedules that are a great way to distract yourself during a slow lesson, not to mention extremely helpful. I understand wanting to be
Graphic by Michael Sessa; poll of 70 students conducted in October 2016
LGBT rights and ISIS top issues for students By Michael Sessa ’18
Photo by Isabel tabs
More DIBY on thewessexwire.com: Mourning middle school’s loss of awkwardness environmentally-friendly, I really do. But, is it worth losing the cherished tradition of free, schoolpersonalized agendas? I fear for this year without the organization, the on-hand bell schedule and, no doubt, the pages upon pages of math tools. Now I know what you’re thinking: agendas are dumb anyway,
all of the homework is on Google Classroom. As true as that is, nothing is as satisfying as being able to cross off the work you’ve completed in your agenda. This feeling of accomplishment that we have known not just from our years at West Essex, but our years in elementary school, has been taken from us. As much as we don’t want to As great as Chromebooks are, they don’t replace the glory of agendas. Without them, my organization and sadly my childhood is lost.
While political figures have taken center stage in the pre-election months, West Essex students widely agree on the presidential election’s most pressing issues, according to a survey of 70 students by the Wessex Wire. Although noticeable divisions exist in how students rate the importance of topics like tax reform or the nuclear deal with Iran, numerous issues—LGBT rights, gun regulation, and ISIS to name a few—proved dominant in priority among survey respondents. At the very most top of students’ minds was the issue of LGBT rights, followed closely by concerns about the US’s approach to dealing with ISIS. Of those polled, 92 percent rated LGBT legislation a five out of five on a scale of importance, indicating that they thought issues surrounding the lesbian, gay, bisxeual and transgender community are “very important in the upcoming presidential election.” While slightly fewer students rated the threat of ISIS “very important,” when compared to polling about LGBT rights, con-
cerns about ISIS are actually more uniform. Although 90 percent of respondents rate threats stemming from the Islamic State “very important,” compared with LGBT rights’ 92 percent, not a single student called issues surrounding ISIS “minimally important” or “not important,” while up to 8 percent of students said so about LGBT issues. 86 percent of students called gun regulation a major issue in the presidential race. Immigration and minimum wage both obtained 73 percent of the “very important” vote among survey respondents. Questions on other issues, such as tax reform, drug legilazation healthcare, the nuclear deal with Iran, racial conflict and climate change yielded a vast spread of results, with similar numbers of students calling each “very important” as well as “not important at all.” Racial conflict and climate change produced “very important” rankings of 59 and 68 percent respectively, for example, up to 24 percent of students surveyed in each category said the issues were “minimally important” or “not important at all.”
October 2016 Issue 1
Features
The Wessex Wire Page 7
Seniors have bags with swag By Micaela Weiss ’17
Senior Year: The year that is overflowing with new freedoms, privileges and traditions. Buying funky senior backpacks is a long-awaited and highly anticipated tradition at West Essex. This ritual gives seniors the opportunity to ditch their typical, solid-colored Jansport bag and invest in something more exciting and expressive. Here’s the best of Class of 2017’s senior backpacks...
CATHERINE DIGANGI ’17
This isn’t your typical fuzzy, puppy-faced dog backpack. The unexpected mix of puppy and rockstar has earned DiGangi the title of “girl with the Michael Jackson Pomeranian backpack.” DiGangi was inspired by her own pomeranian, Roy, when purchasing her bag.
Super S’well By Lizzy Cimilluca ’17 Slowly replacing the notorious Dunkin’ Donuts cups, S’well bottles have become this year’s newest trend that has everyone buzzing. These insulated bottles come in a variety of colors and designs. They keep water cold for up to 24 hours and warmer beverages hot for 12. Their prices range from $35 to $50. “I love being able to make coffee in the morning and still have it hot at the end of the day,” freshman Cameron Kinsella said. In a school where coffee is prominent, it is important for it to stay the ideal temperature. The sleek, easy-to-grip shape makes it mobile. Teachers are all about the S’well bottle as well. For teachers who primarily stay in their classroom with drinks sitting around all day, there is finally a solution. S’well bottles also reduce the mess usually left by other cups on the desks. S’well bottles prevent any type of leakage through the bottle, so there are no more puddles left from dripping iced coffee. “I absolutely love my S’well because I’m not as close to the hydration station as the other teachers, so filling it up once is perfect,” science teacher Ms. Colabelli said. “I also have a smaller S’well that I fill up with hot coffee.” Most athletes would agree that there is nothing worse than drinking out of a bottle filled with warm water left out during practice. “It’s awesome to know that my water will stay cold even in the sun,” senior Jordyn Thies said. The S’well comes in multiple colors and three different sizes. The large is 25 oz. and the medium is 17 oz. which is comparable to a normal water bottle. They can also be cutomized with your own initials. “I like how you can be unique and get your own, and be able to express yourself with the design you choose,” junior Michaela Ferrentino said.
JADE MENDOLA ’17
If you’re interested in fitting in a quick pickup game between classes, Mendola has a mobile hoop ready to go. She is balling out of senior year in style.
COLE DAHLIN ’17
When it comes to senior year, Dahlin can’t quite “let it go”. Elsa and Anna are Dahlin’s best support team as he finishes out his last year of high school.
MATT RICHARDELLA ’17
There’s no doubt that seeing a 17-year-old student wearing a little girl’s backpack is comical. Richardella proudly wears his pink Shopkins backpack in the halls.
October 2016
The Wessex Wire: WE vs. Caldwell
Page 8
After two years, the rivalry returns: t Knights hand Caldwell their first loss of the 2016 season
Football team takes down the Chiefs 18-10, continues their winning streak. By Jake Wolf ’17 After a two-year break from one of the biggest football rivalries around, the West Essex Knights returned to Caldwell to beat the Chiefs by a score of 18-10. Both teams sported 3-1 records after a hard-fought, rainy game at brand-new Bonnel Field. The Knights were led by their ground-and-pound offense, rushing for 295 yards. Senior Michael Lacovara had 18 carries for 121 yards, while adding two sacks on defense. Lacovara’s sacks came on the same drive, and allowed the Knights to capture the momentum from the previously undefeated Chiefs. “The hard work that everybody put in from top to bottom led us to this win,” junior lineman Zach Zerance said. “We have done a really good job of keeping the intensity high within the team.” Caldwell was missing star defender Gage Andresky for the game after an incident from the previous week in which he punched a rival player. West Essex quarterback Zach Lemanski, still only a sophomore, completed half of his passes for an average of 9.4 yards per completion, while also rushing for a one-yard score. The Knights had two other players who topped 80 yards on the ground, senior Brian O’Neill and junior Vincent Scaglia. Scaglia added two touchdowns for the team, both coming in the fourth quarter. Seniors Lacovara and Brett Reo led the team with 10 combines tackles each, and fellow senior Drew
PHOTO COURTESY OF VINCENT SCAGLIA Players give it their all out on the field.
Lepre had two impressive interceptions off of Chiefs quarterback Brian Clarkin. Clarkin had a solid game, throwing for 206 yards and a touchdown to Mike Cavallo, but Lepre’s interceptions, along with sacks by Lacovara and junior Carmen Cucuzza, helped keep the Chiefs out of the end zone for most of the night. The key to the game for the Knights was avoiding the distraction of this rivalry. “We focused on football and nothing else everyday leading up to the game,” senior Matt Kumar said.
Students share thoughts on the return of Caldwell rivalry
West Essex fan section pulls out all the stops for the West Essex vs. Caldwe could hear so many West Essex students screaming and cheering at the top
Students come in loud and p
By Grace Irwin ’18
“The game was absolutely absurd. It’s great when we beat our rivals.” Sam Adams ’18
“It’s 10:22 and WE is still better than Caldwell.” Matt Richardella ’17
The Wire is online! Check out SportsKnight, a new sports broadcast show hosted by Wire staffer Chris Tsakonas. To see his video preview of the Caldwell game, go to www.thewessexwire.com!
“Although it was kind of overwhelming with all the fans, it was a lot of fun finally being a part of the insane fan section.” Tommy Drago ‘20
West Essex is known for its exciting fan section at the football games, as the high school students pile onto the bleachers ready for the game. Annually, the seniors take charge and lead the underclassmen in cheers for the boys as they all watch the game. For decades, the game between James Caldwell and West Essex has been the biggest sporting event of each year. As a return to this tradition, this year’s game was no different. With a huge win for the Knights, the stands were overflowing with excited fans. The student body came together dressed in all black and chanted cheers like the color shout and “This is our house!” along with the general cheers such as “Let’s go, Knights!” and “Here we go, defense!” “The energy was unreal,” senior Joe Torter said. “I felt like I was at Metlife Stadium.” The support that the West Essex community
brought to the game the clock counted d The Knights are able games because of all them, including man and many kids from “The game was m crowd,” freshman beginning to end of ch
“The energy was unreal. I felt like I was at Metlife Stadium.” - Joe Torter ’17
sc cla or be ou cr ou Es dedicated to showing in gear from head to Painting bodies wi numbers on faces, th a focal social event
October 2016
Page 9
The Wessex Wire: WE vs. Caldwell
the hype of the WE vs. Caldwell game History of matchup creates exciting Knight for Wessex By Alexandra Codella ’17
PHOTO COURTESY OF JESSICA THIES
The rivalry is back! West Essex was able to take on Caldwell after two years due to conference changes. West Essex had a winning reputation to maintain this year for the huge game against Caldwell. The last time the two opponents played was in 2014, when West Essex won 24-14, making their winning streak 2-0 against the Chiefs. This year the West Essex boys were able to continue the streak and beat Caldwell with a win of 18-10. “It felt great to win against our rival Caldwell my senior year; the feeling was electric,” senior captain Brian O’Neill said. “The locker room after the game was the most thrilling post game ever! The emotions we felt after that game is something we will never feel again until states.” Even though this is one of the most personal games of the season for the Knights, Coach Benacquista was hopeful that the boys would play fair and not give in to other distractions. He said he was very pleased with the attitude of the players during the game as well as the
strong support from the fans. “Before, during, and after the game, our boys were very hyped,” Coach Benacquista said. “The crowd was awesome! Our student body really did a great job motivating our team and helped us win.” The stands were packed with students, teachers, parents and even alumni that came to support their team in this intense cross-town battle. Not only was this game very aggressive, it became a more personal match for both the fans and the players on the field. Knowing the other team on a first name basis makes it that much more special and even harder to play them. All of the excitement between both fan sections really added more of a competitive edge to the game. “I never got to play Caldwell in my high school career at West Essex,” said Coach Logan, who graduated West Essex in 2008. “I had friends in Caldwell and would always talk about whose team was better, but we never got to put it to the test. The first time Caldwell and West Essex played around 4,000 people came. It was easily one of the
most intense, high energy, incredible atmospheres for a high school sporting event I’d ever been to.” This game is especially big for fans as well. Cheering and school spirit becomes a competition between the opposing student stands. Not even the rain could stop these avid fans. They stood, soaked, passionately chanting every cheer, waving their school flags. “The stands this year were so fired up and chanting so loud, trying to hype the team from the sidelines,” senior Shane Smith said. “It added a whole new atmosphere to the game that we never had before.” This rivalry will continue for years to come, showing no signs of stopping. Although there is fierce competition against Caldwell in regards to sports, it is always in good fun for both sides. In fact, many students have close friends from the neighboring town. From friendships to rivalries, West Essex and Caldwell have much in common. However, the most important connection between the schools is their passion for keeping long-held traditions alive.
ell game, creating a huge turnout in order to support the boys. From the stands, you p of their lungs.
proud representing Stands 2016
e gave a more exciting vibe as down with such a tight score. e to continuously dominate in the support they have behind ny parents, sometimes teachers the middle school. more exciting because of the Dylan Murphy said. “From the game you could only hear hanting from the bleachers.” As a tradition at the high chool, every year, the upperassmen dress up in school colrs to come support the boys the est they can. Organizing “blackuts” and “redouts” among the rowd, the student body comes ut to each home game in West ssex attire. Students are very g their spirit, as they deck out o toe to support the Knights. ith black paint, writing player’s he students have made games for the high school students.
It has also become a tradition over the years that the senior girls receive black faux jerseys with the senior player of their choice’s number and last name on the back. This year, the 2017 senior class has big shoes to fill. Last year for the opening home game, the 2016 senior class orchestrated the throwing of baby powder bombs, making for a cool visual effect. “This year I plan on coming to as many home games as I can,” junior Evin Lathrop said. “It’s fun watching the student section go crazy when we score a touchdown.” The football team’s success over the past few years and legacy left by graduates in the fan section has led to a more amped student section. “We are going to have a lot of fun in this year’s fan section,” senior Jack Delehanty said. “Our grade loves to get up for our homies on the field.” As the season continues, many students plan on continuing to come support the Knights at the Friday night football games. “It’s fun to watch the games with my friends and cheer with the rest of the school,” freshman Lindsay Fusco said.
ILLUSTRATIONS BY JOEY PLOSCOWE
West Essex and Caldwell faced off at the game on Friday, Sept. 30.
October 2016
Page 10
The Wessex Wire: Features
Got sleep? Most likely not enough By Alexa Dratch ’18
Students’ average hours of sleep
Stress creates boundary between students’ academic performance and amount of sleep. Not getting enough sleep is one of the many inescapable stereotypes for teenagers. But despite popular belief, it isn’t because teens are up partying all night, constantly on their phones or just plain lazy. In reality, it’s science. For whatever chemical reasoning, teenagers need up to 10 hours of sleep compared to adults’ seven. Because of this, waking up at 5:30 to 6 a.m. for school after going to sleep anywhere between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. is so difficult. Students at West Essex know first hand how hard focusing during first period is because of the strength it takes to stay awake. You aren’t an insomniac and you aren’t unique—it’s a struggle for everyone. Students at West Essex are no stranger to sleepless nights doing procrastinated homework and projects, studying for tests or catching up on reading. The average amount of sleep a person between the ages of 14 and 18 should get a night is between eight and nine and a half hours. However, the majority of teens are not nearly this well-rested.
“ ”“ ” It’s not just homework anymore. It’s college applications and standardized tests all on top of sports too. Sleep always loses out in terms of importance. —Rachel Mintz ’17
The weeks surrounding midterms are always the worst. I end up staying up way too late and being tired the next morning for the test. —Lauren Lynch ’18
Students not receiving enough sleep
Out of 100 West Essex students only 9 percent get the recommended amount of sleep for their age.
Seniors travel to Thailand, the Land of Smiles Three students share the summer trip of a lifetime across the globe.
By Alyssa Cristobal ’18 This past summer, seniors Lindsay Feldstein, Spencer Peckman and Max Prince coincidentally ended up in Thailand together. None of them expected to spend three and a half weeks of their summer across the world washing elephants and eating bugs with their own classmates. The three toured with 24 other teenagers in July through the travel company West Coast Connection. Three advisors and a tour guide accompanied the minors on the trip. They ventured to the cities of Bangkok, Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Krabi and Mae Salak. The cities’ cultures ranged from fast-paced and American-like, to rural and beachy. “We were with native people who just got electricity a year ago [in Mae Salak],” said Prince. The only way to reach Mae Salak was by raft, and the group slept in huts while visiting. The seniors interacted with the Lahu Tribe and shared songs from America in exchange for traditional Thai dances. As part of their community service, they built a foundation for a park in Mae Salak,
took care of elephants at the Patara Elephant Farm in Chiang Mai and taught English to children at a special needs boarding school. Besides contributing to society, the seniors were able to take part in new experiences such as ziplining, scuba diving and kayaking. The group visited numerous temples and markets. They interacted with some locals and learned a few terms in Thai. The three had conflicting opinions on the meals they ate on the trip. Prince, a lover of spice, dove into all the pad thai and curry Thailand had to offer. He even indulged in a scorpion on a stick. Feldstein and Peckman weren’t so fond of the food and said there wasn’t much variety in the meals. “I basically just had watermelon and rice,” Peckman said. The group of teenagers formed close ties during the trip; Feldstein still talks to some of the group mates on a daily basis. “During the trip I realized that no matter where people are from they still love to smile,” Prince said. The seniors said their trip to the Land of Smiles was unforgettable, yet fun and rewarding, as they experienced a culture shock. “It’s crazy how different their family styles Photos courtesy of Lindsay Feldstein are… I have a new appreciation for how lucky and Max Prince we are here [in America] to have food and Above: Lindsay Feldstein with Thai children at playfresh water,” Feldstein said. “It was definitely ground. Right: Max Prince and Spencer Peckman riding an elephant. the best decision to go on that trip.”
October 2016
The Wessex Wire: Features
Page 11
Spirit week: School pride on the rise West Essex Day
Pajama Day
Throwback TV Day
Color Day Photos courtesy of Milestone yearbook, lauren manniello, Sophie moyer and grace george
October 2016 Issue 1
&
Arts Arts
Culture
The Wessex Wire Page 12
Harambe is dead, but the memes are not By Olivia Ritter ’17 In late May, the world erupted in a fit of activism in response to the killing of Harambe, a 450-pound gorilla, after he dragged a 3-yearold boy across his enclosure at the Cincinnati Zoo. In the summer, the sensation shifted from anti-zoo activism into fanatic tributes and accolades for Harambe. Followers began the craze by collecting signatures for online petitions to build a Harambe statue, put Harambe’s face on the $50 bill and change the name of Cincinnati to “Harambe City.” Some went so far as to vote for Harambe in a presidential poll in Texas. This and many other calls for justice for the fallen gorilla made #RIPHarambe go viral. The devotion to Harambe’s memory has not excluded students at West Essex. “Obviously this was the most tragic death in the history of any American animal ever,” senior Margaret Ribardo said. Students have even decorated
their cars with the coined slogan of the Harambe movement, “Do ’17 for Harambe.” The junior class put together a petition to incorporate the gorilla into their shirt for spirit day, an idea that was quickly denied. Harambe is not the first meme to blow up during the summer. Last year, you couldn’t scroll through Twitter without seeing that “Why you always lying?” video at least 10 times. Whether it was used as a reaction gif in someone’s rant or simply honored as the summer’s featured meme, everyone knew that video of a random guy dancing and singing, “Why you always lying?” This video was not alone in the trail of memes that became phenomenons in the matter of days without good reason. Some highlights are the classic “Damn, Daniel,” and “The Harlem Shake,” which are remembered similarly to how the world is reacting to Harambe now. But all of those other memes have faded. No one references that old video of that random guy dancing.
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No one shouts “Damn Daniel!” at someone wearing white Vans anymore. No one dances unexpectedly in inappropriate settings. These memes of the past took maybe three weeks at the most to completely disappear. Harambe has lingered. The quest ion remains of Harambe’s unrelenting popularity: What makes this meme different? The events that turned the world’s attention to the gorilla occurred more than three months ago. The incessant memes and tributes have continued through the summer and into the school year. The name Harambe echoes in the school hallways and is becoming more and more of a joke. News outlets joined the push against Harambe’s ceaseless popularity. In the middle of the summer, months after Harambe’s initial call to fame, writer Abby Ohlheiser of The Washington Post wrote, “The Internet won’t let Harambe rest in peace.” It is an absolute mystery why Harambe lives on online. Brian Feldman of New York
Magazine agrees in his editorial on the unfaltering Harambe jokes when he wrote, “The meme should have died shortly after the animal did.”
Some students are getting peeved at how Harambe is the only thing anyone seems to be concerned about. “I can’t believe we’re still talking about this,” junior Alex Apito said. Is a dead gorilla re-
ally the most important thing that demands our attention? The topic that started out as a serious cry against animal cruelty has completely evolved and become a relentless sensation. Will we be talking about Harambe until Christmas?
Jewelry trend brings back the grunge of the nineties By Sam Manuzza ’17
Mon-Thurs: 5 am - 11 pm Fri: 5 am - 9 pm Sat: 7 am - 5 pm Sun: 8 pm - 5 pm
Illustration Courtesy of Catherine digangi
The underclassman may no longer be ’90s babies, but they sure do dress like they’ve lived through the decade of flannel and Dr. Martens. Each school year it seems as the fall fashion lines are walked down a runway in Paris or Milan, the female students of West Essex slowly begin to shape their wardrobe and accessory choices around some of the featured trends. One of the increasingly popular trends picked up this year is the choker necklace. In fashion news, the ’90s are back with a vengeance. Chokers have made the transition from seemingly edgy, middle school accessory to everyone’s fashion must-have. “I’ve been wearing chokers for a few years now,” said senior Lauren Manniello, “I’m happy that everyone kind of adopted the style and made it chic.” Chokers have come a long way from the stretchy basic black model of our preteen years. Beaded and handmade designs are all the rage of today. Companies and local businesses are adapting the basic design into more intricate and detailed necklaces. Part of the trend is the way people are shopping for their chokers. A popular advertising outlet
Photo BY Olivia Ritter
Students are bringing the classic ’90s choker trend back into the mainstream.
for these new necklaces is social media. Apps like Instagram and Twitter give small businesses the publicity needed to attract customers, specifically teenage girls. Several accounts on Instagram, like the handle “@summerlovedesigns”, have created a business for themselves by posting pictures of different necklaces on their account to sell rather than creating a website. The popularity of social media have launched accounts like this one into society and they have
created a mass following already. “I like the idea of using Instagram to buy things,” senior Nina Ward said, “It was cool contacting the owner through the app instead of ordering it off a website.” “You get to actually talk the maker of the necklaces rather than a computer. It’s more personable,” Ward said. The idea behind the Instagram accounts allow customers to scroll through pictures of chokers and other jewelry items and select the design they like the most or a design they want to customize. The customer can then direct message the account owner and talk to them one on one about the exact pieces they want to buy. The choker trend is rapidly spreading, more and more girls feel inclined to buy a necklace of their own. “So many girls are wearing those beaded chokers, I see them everywhere. I think I should get one,” sophomore Jayden Coldon said. Trends, like the chokers, have a tendency to attract a mass following in our school and with the help of social media, they spread even faster. Trends come and go, but not many return. Who knows when or even if the fad will die down. But, as of now, chokers are in.
October 2016
The Wessex Wire: Arts & Culture
‘Cursed Child’ fails to enchant By Daniella Ignacio ’17 Growing up, I was obsessed with “Harry Potter.” I lived for every movie release, I read the original seven books over and over on repeat, I wished I could go to Hogwarts. So when “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” came out this summer, this Ravenclaw was super hyped for what promised to be another fantastic installment into the book series that had shaped her formative years. However, I was stunned to discover that this play wasn’t everything that I had expected it to be. “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” is a play currently running on London’s West End with plans to transfer to Broadway. Written by Jack Thorne with original author J.K. Rowling’s blessing, it details life in the wizarding world nineteen years after the Battle of Hogwarts. Harry now works at the Ministry of Magic and has a strained relationship with his son, Albus; Albus is best friends with Scorpius, the son of Harry’s longtime nemesis Draco Malfoy; and a new source of darkness stirs up problems in the world of magic. The events of this play change everything you thought about the system of time travel in the “Harry Potter” canon, some of the “Harry Potter” series’ most beloved couples and Voldemort. I don’t want to give away
Photo from harrypotterthe play.com
Adult Harry in live play for “Cursed Child”
any spoilers, but you might not be able to read scenes between Bellatrix and Voldemort the same way after reading “Cursed Child.” So here comes the dilemma I constantly faced while reading this book: Do I allow the bad fanfictionlike aspects of this book to get to me and ruin the joy of experiencing what it’s like to read a new Harry Potter book - especially one that explores intriguing themes about family and friendships? Can I move past a rehashed time travel-related plot that I’ve already read a million variations of from fellow fans (and
that, by the way, does not follow J.K. Rowling’s original ideas about wizarding time travel) and revel in the possibilities that alternate realities bring to the play? Quite frankly, as a fan, I was shocked and slightly insulted that J.K. Rowling allowed this play to happen. OK, maybe that’s going a little too far. It’s not that I didn’t love some additions that “Cursed Child” brought to the “Harry Potter” canon. For one, Scorpius Malfoy is a ray of sunshine in every interaction he has with his best friend, and his father’s appearances display maturity that I’d never seen from him in the original seven books, exhibiting immense character growth since his time with the Death Eaters. Albus’s inner turmoil because of his father and how people treat him because of his father makes readers just want to give him a hug. And the trolley witch’s moment in the spotlight was a bizarrely enjoyable inclusion. But if you’re a diehard fan of the “Harry Potter” series, you may be disappointed by this new take on it. Read it for the new generation of wizards, for the opportunity to see Harry, Ron and Hermione again and for the joy of reading a new “Harry Potter” book, especially since we never thought that we would get one. Don’t read it if you miss the magic of the original J.K. Rowling books.
Page 13
Which style of Converse are you crazy for? Converse sneakers are a timeless trend. No matter what age you are, they always look good, but the question remains: hi tops or low tops?
WHAT YOU THINK
100 students polled
24%
LOW
76%
HI
Poll compiled by Grace George
For Masquers, ‘Almost, Maine’ is almost here By Maddie Galligan ’18 Every school year, the Masquers club puts together a play and musical to be performed at school. This year’s production of “Almost, Maine” in November will be even more challenging than plays in past years because rather than a straightforward sequence of events, this production includes a variety of storylines from different character perspectives. “Almost Maine” follows a story about residents of a small town who fall in and out of love. Auditions began the second week of September and were held by club advisor Ms. Rizzo. The auditioning process is stressful for both the actor and the director. “As an actor you feel very exposed and vulnerable,” Ms. Rizzo said. “As a director, you have to make tough calls in order to get the balance of the production just right.” Although the worry of casting is over, the cast and crew still have much more to do in terms of preparation for the show’s production. “Almost, Maine” is the number one play produced in high schools over the last 10 years, according to StageAgent.com. The Masquers Club felt that their cast and crew could take on the challenge and make the play come to life. “I think that audiences and actors can really connect to the “realness” of the dialogue,” Ms. Rizzo said. “It
Photo courtesy of Jules Moskowitz
showcases all of the different aspects that relationships are made of, the good and the ugly.” “It’s an interesting format because it’s not so much of a whole plot
as it is a bunch of little different plots,” junior Paige Wasserman said. “Everyone alternates and has their own scenes of different characters.” Paige has been a crucial part of past
school productions, including spring musicals “Legally Blonde” and last year’s “The Addams Family.” The cast includes seniors Matt Uhlendorf, Daniella Ignacio and Julia Miller; juniors Sarah Candido, Paige Wasserman and Samantha Luk; and sophomore Teddy Press. Because of the dimension of the play’s storyline, each student will have to take on the role of multiple different characters. “It’s a challenge for the students in the production because they have to learn and become more than one person, and make them all unique,” Ms. Rizzo said. “It’s been a long time since we’ve done a play like this.” According to Wasserman, this play will pose a particular challenge to the Masquers. Each character has lots of dialogue, so she will need to be running lines and preparing even more than she would have for a different play. “The rehearsal process hasn’t really started but we have a super talented cast,” Wasserman said. “Everything is looking up, so we are all expecting a great show.” The cast has worked on plays together in the past and has never disappointed its audience. There is no doubt that they will impress this fall. The play’s production will take place on Nov. 4 and 5 in the high school auditorium.
WHAT WAS THE BUZZ ABOUT THIS SUMMER? Prince of Pop ‘can’t stop’ with new hit Justin Timberlake came back in style this past summer with his newest single, “Can’t Stop the Feeling.” As soon as it dropped, it shot up in the charts, debuting at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and many more. JT’s fusion of disco, funk and pop creates a feel-good atmosphere that will get your dance on. From his days with NSYNC to his ever-so-classic “Cry Me a River,” JT has still got the touch. The essence of his newest single (and pop music in general, really) is about making people feel something. Lyrics like “I got that sunshine in my pocket,” and “Got that good soul in my feet” add to the tune’s summertime appeal and positive vibes. “This song gives me good vibes,” senior Sophia Colitti said. “It makes people happy,” The song was recorded for the upcoming movie “Trolls,” set to release Nov. 4. After the song’s immediate success, it’s only a matter of time before fans will want JT to record a new album. It’s everywhere. This could be the top hit of 2016. When you hear it for the first time, it’ll be on repeat for hours on end. —Michael Bachmann ’17
Netflix gets strange with hit sci-fi show Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you have heard about Netflix’s hit “Stranger Things.” It combines ’80s nostalgia, with some fine performances and a killer plot. The show revolves around the disappearance of Will Byers and his friends’ attempt to find him. Of course things aren’t as they seem, and the boys quickly learn that their town hides many secrets. The performance by main lead Millie Bobby Brown is eerie as she teams up with the rest of the cast. The season finale both resolves plotlines and opens up new ones for the next season. The many nods to the ’80s, like Stephen King novels and Steven Spielberg movies, pay tribute to the time period. It’s great for binge-watching and is simply a fun show that’ll have you hooked from start to finish. With great performances, subtle easter eggs, gory special effects and a complex plot, “Stranger Things” is a must-watch. —Dylan Lepre ’19
October 2016
The Wessex Wire: Arts & Culture
Does West Essex jive with joggers?
Joggers have evolved from lazy Monday pants to a go-to style for a night out. As a unisex pant, joggers are seen all over the West Essex halls, but we wanted to see what the students think. WHAT YOU THINK
NAY YAY
35% 65%
100 students polled Poll compiled by Grace George
Page 14
Age is just a number for young New York singer By Jules Moskowitz ’17 Howie Mandel proudly pressed the golden buzzer after 12-year-old Grace VanderWaal sung her heart out on stage during her “America’s Got Talent” audition in front of thousands of people. Weeks later, she won the show and $1 million for her talent—but West Essex has been in love with her since day one VanderWaal began singing at the age of 3 and wrote her own music a few years after. She bought her first ukulele with her birthday money and hasn’t put it down since. Each week of auditions, VanderWaal got on the stage and she played and sang, leaving the audience in awe. Each song VanderWaal wrote and played was meaningful. From “I Don’t Know my Name” to “Beautiful Things” to “Clay” and then back to “I Don’t Know my Name,” her lyrics and melodies have touched people all over the nation. The 12 year old was thrilled when being compared to Taylor Swift. "To even have someone think about comparing me to someone like that is just truly amazing," VanderWaal
said after she won the show. Her YouTube channel now has over 500,000 subscribers and her videos have surpassed 2 million views (I definitely contributed). Her originality and raspy voice set her apart from her competitors and gained the viewers support. From the beginning, Americans gravitated towards her uniqueness. “The fact that she plays the ukulele makes her that much different from other artists” sophomore Hannah McCrone said. “I’ve never heard a voice like hers,” senior Ellie Mead said, “I watch her performances on YouTube all the time.” Students like Mead have been shocked after each performance. On Sept. 14, Grace VanderWaal sang the original song she performed during her first audition. In a pink dress, with her ukulele in hand, Grace once again wowed the audience. Shortly after her performance, she was announced as the winner of season 11 of “America's got Talent”. Avid viewers of the show expected nothing less. Grace VanderWaal is bound to do amazing things. Since w inning t he show,
Photo from NBC.com
Young singer shined on “America’s Got Talent.”
VanderWaal has been featured on talk shows like “Ellen” and “Access Hollywood.” With $1 million in her possession she wants “to buy a treehouse, actually… two, one for me and one for my sister with zip lines joining them so we can visit each other,” VanderWaal said. If you haven’t heard her name already, you will. Grace VanderWaal is living proof that age is insignificant; her voice has the power to shock the world.
Down with cable! Netflix has taken control By Grace George ’17 and Olivia Ritter ’17
Illustration by Sharon O’Donnell
Cable once reigned supreme over the television world, but streaming services continue to take the spotlight. Move aside cable; Netflix is here to stay. What first started as a cheap convenient medium for binge-watching top shows and movies has now completely altered the television game. From the start, Netflix was widely loved, but now it has broken the boundaries of T.V. Flashback to the times of Blockbuster; people had to physically leave their homes to get the movies they wanted to watch. Even when on-demand became popular, you would still have to pay anywhere from five to 15 dollars for one movie and not many TV shows were available right away. Now, Netflix has almost completely dominated the world of television. Blockbuster is long gone and on-demand is out of style. “I don’t even remember the last time I watched TV,” junior Matt Cesare said. The website not only offers new shows, but it allows nostalgic subscribers to watch their favorite reruns at their leisure. Remember the first season of “Friends,” the ’90s staple? You can relive every minute of it on Netflix, maybe even knock one season out per week, an idea that was unheard of after the show’s end. Our personal favorite facet of Netflix and a must in today’s impatient world is that the website has no aggravating commercials or advertisement eyesores. “I hate watching shows on TV,” senior Erin Foley said, “The commercials interrupt the flow of the show.” The only flaw with Netflix was the year-long wait after a show’s season premiere before you can binge-watch it, but now even that has become a non-issue. As a part of the website’s initiative to completely wipe out the cable television world,
Netflix has produced a multitude of its own original series. This began with Netflix’s first hit show, “Orange is the New Black.” Now, the website has over 50 series and movies to its name, including three foreign language films, six continuations, eight docu-series and one talk show.
Some of the new Netflix originals like “House of Cards,” “Narcos” and, the most recent, “Stranger Things,” have become the biggest hits of 2016. The docu-series “Making a Murderer” sparked a new perspective on the convicted killer, Steven Avery. Besides their accessibility, they are also high caliber shows. Netflix originals have earned over 100 Primetime and Daytime Emmy nominations, taking home 33 wins in the past three years. Netflix isn’t the only platform that people are turning away from old-school television for. HBO Go, Hulu and Amazon Primetime have gained momentum as streaming apps dominate the binge-watching trend. Like Netflix, these apps provide award-winning TV shows to viewers all at once. These apps have drawn TV watchers almost completely away from cable television with its easy access and affordability. The website puts up full seasons at once, meaning there is no more planning around showtimes or more weekly waiting for the next episode. There was once a time where streaming platforms didn’t exist and viewers had to base their schedules around when their favorite shows were on. If there was a late Wednesday, you had to rush home to catch “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit.” If dinner plans were made for Thursday night, they had to be cancelled because Thursday night is “Grey’s Anatomy” night. Hulu and Netflix take this stress away entirely. The episodes are available all of the time, not just for an hour. It won’t be long before Netflix and its accompanying streaming platforms will take cable television companies out of business entirely.This would mean no more tying contracts and wasted money for channels that you don’t even watch. Our only hope is that they never produce anything else like the atrocious last season of “Arrested Development,” but other than that, we are wholeheartedly in favor of Netflix’s takeover.
October 2016
The Wessex Wire: Sports
Kaepernick leading the kneeling protest By Michael DeFranza ’17
In Week Three of the 2016 preseason, Colin Kaepernick sat on the bench while the rest of the attendees at Levi’s Stadium in San Francisco stood in pledge for the national anthem. The former starting quarterback of the 49ers has now started a revolutionary occurrence, with fellow players from not just the NFL following in his footsteps. “I’m not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” Kaepernick told NFL Media in an exclusive interview after the game. As shocking as his actions may seem, the history of sports protests dates back decades, to when Muhammad Ali in the 1960s refused to enlist into the army. No official reason was released but he was afraid of getting hurt and damaging his boxing career. Ali was stripped of his heavyweight title and barred from boxing by the U.S. Supreme Court in the long run. One of the recent protests before the national anthem protest happened back in 2014. NBA players including the likes of LeBron James and Kyrie Irving wore warmup shirts that read “I Can’t Breathe.” This was a protest in a result of a police officer putting the unarmed Eric Garner
into a chokehold, those being his final words. The students of West Essex, thought the protest was unjustified and sitting during the national anthem is not a good way to show your pride. “People are out here dying for this country and you don’t have the honor to stand during the national anthem to commemorate them,” senior Brett Reo said. “They have the right to do what they want, but protesting the national anthem is not helping anything,” senior Ethan Wolf said. “If you’re actually concerned about then try to make a real difference “ History teacher Louis Ferrera had disagreed with the use of the football field to protest a national issue. “I think there are better ways to project your message than to not stand for the national anthem, although he has the right because of the first amendment which is what makes america such a great country,” he said. It happens to be that Kaepernick was not the first professional athlete to sit during the national anthem. Former Pro basketball player, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, sat during the national anthem in reason of his religion during the 1996 season. The league happened to almost suspend him at the time. Mentioned before, It isn’t just Kaepernick taking a stab at this protest, it has become so large
Photo courtesy of Paladin Justice
Colin Kaepernick and teammate Eric Reid kneel during the National Anthem to protest for black rights.
because it has attracted not just NFL teammates of his but players from other teams as well. The protest hasn’t worked out from some of the players as they hoped it would. Denver Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall has lost two endorsement deals since. “I feel like people want us to shut up and entertain them, shut up and play football, but we have voices as well,” Marshall said.
The protest that Kaepernick has started has brought many people together throughout the US, but a lot of people disagree with this issue. It is fine to protest something, but the national anthem is what unifies crowds during games. West Essex believes the national anthem should not be the object being protested but they do admire the national effect it has brought on several people.
playing on the field,” she said. “It is not easy saying goodbye to a sport you have been playing since second grade before the final year,” said senior Anthony Leone. He triggered an injury in his back, known as sciatica, during the last football game of the season and continued to work out which led him to get surgery and having nerve damage in his legs. “I wish I was able to play because I am a returning starter and the team relied on me to do my job.” Carly Decker tore her medial meniscus, and after a year and a half of playing tennis through the pain, she was told she was not allowed and had to have surgery. “This upset me and made me frustrated,” she said. “I was looking forward to enjoying my senior year on the team. Not being able to play is very upsetting, but my knee needs to heal instead of getting worse, which is what has been happening.” Most athletes are able to recover throughout the season from minor injuries, but these few injuries were long term and will
keep these seniors out of their last high school season. Seniors Emily Malone and Vin Salvatoriello were able to play for a part of their seasons—soccer and football—as well as recover and get back on the field. Malone missed out on a part of the season for a fractured ankle. “I hated watching my team play knowing that I couldn’t go in and help them in any way possible. It made me frustrated,” Malone said. She missed nearly a month of the season but was able to recover in time for senior night and other competitive games. Salvatoriello was out for part of the season as well due to an injury to his MCL. “It is just a minor set back,” he said. Salvatoriello was disappointed that he was unable to play in the biggest rivalry game of the season, however, he kept working hard. “It is always hard for seniors that have to miss out on their last season, but sometimes injuries are inevitable,” trainer John Mascola said.
Injuries to WE seniors clip their seasons Seniors high school careers cut short and forced to watch from the sideline. top: “Kaepernick” by paladin justice (No Copyright) (https://flic.kr/pM9jLXV)
By Mia Oyama ’17 The senior season of a sport is the time to enjoy playing with friends for the last time, have fun and play the best to finish off a high school career. Unfortunately this opportunity gets shortened for a number of athletes. Almost every year a
few seniors miss their last season of a sport and are sidelined due to a long-term injury. Most seniors are able to have quick comebacks and recover before the season ends but this year there are a few seniors are out for the season: Jules Moskowitz, Anthony Leone and Carly Decker were unable to finish off their high school careers of soccer, football and tennis. Jules Moskowitz was sidelined due to her second ACL tear and was disappointed that she would not recover in time to play. “I wish I could be spending my last year,
Photo courtesy By Alexandra Codella
Senior Ant Leone forced to watch his team play without him from the sidelines.
“” It is not easy saying goodbye to a sport you have been playing since second grade. —Ant Leone
Page 15
Cosse’s 400th win
Coach Cosse reached a milestone of 400 wins as a field hockey coach following her victory at Glen Ridge High School on Sept. 27. This is an achievement that has only been reached by an elite group of coaches and Cosse was bound to join them. “I don’t think the 400th win was different from any other wins I’ve had recently,” Cosse said. “The best part was all the relationships you make along the way and all the kids’ lives you’ve been a part of. If I have 400 stories and 400 great memories along with those wins then I’ve done something right.” Following Glen Ridge, Cosse held a 400-33-9 record in her years coaching field hockey at West Essex. Her 2016 team is currently ranked first in the Essex/Union conference, and has a 11-1 record so far this season. “My goals for field hockey are always to develop strong women athletes,” Cosse said. “If they really want to be great, they will be great, and the wins will follow.” —Jordan Flusser ’19
Volleyball review
This season the lady knights of the volleyball team were moved into a higher division than last year. “Even though we do not have the most impeccable record, we are a family and it is a lot of fun,” sophomore Serena Petullo said. This year the volleyball team held their annual Dig Pink fundraiser on Oct. 7. “It is a great team bonding activity and raises a lot of money for an amazing cause,” student ambassador Sophia Colitti said. Last year being their first year running dig pink, the volleyball team raised over $5000. This year they predict the same turnout. Every level plays at one designated time throughout the 4-9 time period. The team and coaches are very excited to see how they will finish off their 2016 season. —Quinn Delehanty ’19
Cross country recap Under the command of new head coach Mr. Cullen, the Knights cross country team battled at the SEC Conference Championships on Oct. 6. Alexia Perez had the best finish for the Knights at the tournament, finishing fourth in the SEC girls division, with a personal best of 20:26. Kouros Sadeghi-Nejad led the boys Knights with a time of 17:21, one of the best sophomore times in school history. “The team just needs to continue to work hard to put themselves in a position to compete at their absolute best,” Coach Cullen said. With a strong core and a promising future, the cross country team has a lot to look forward to. —Chris Tsakonas ’18
October 2016 Issue 1
The Wessex Wire Page 16
JV to varsity: hard work, dedication drive success Athletes normally must earn merit in JV first before moving up to a higher level. By Dan Laible ’18 High school sports can be a tough task for students while they are in season, especially on top of students. Many students have to go through the ranks and earn their merit in JV before they can move up to varsity. Some athletes need to wait until their senior year to get that opportunity because seniors are traditionally on varsity. Steven Gemma, a senior football player, hasn’t had much varsity time in his high school career, but is excited to finally be able to start at linebacker for the Football Knights. “A lot more time is required especially over the offseason,” Gemma said. “The biggest challenge would be stress because you have to be a lot more dialed in and a lot more is expected out of you.” With workouts and other training, it can become a full-time commitment, but most players agree it pays for itself when the season comes and they’re in the best shape possible. But that wait is shorter for some players than others; some athletes
Photos courtesy of Steven Gemma, Julia Schmulewitz, Zach Lemanski
(From left) Steven Gemma, Julia Schmulewitz and Zach Lemanski all have worked very hard to earn their spot on varsity for their respective teams.
go to varsity in their sophomore year after a season of playing JV. Julia Schmulewitz, a junior lacrosse player, got a chance to play defense and midfield for the Knights this past fall and felt a big jump from JV. “There’s more time commitment and more expectation during the games, practice and during the offseason,” Schmulewitz said. “There is added pressure because your games matter more.” In her junior year, Schmulewitz
still has two more seasons to play, but she said it won’t be easy without dedication to getting better. Players all agree that varsity is much tougher than JV due to the added pressure that can come with it. Varsity has a sense of needing to win every game, while on JV it is more acceptable to lose because it is a developmental level. Football is one of the biggest sports at West Essex and can be a lot of pressure for players to win every week, especially for
sophomore varsity quarterback Zach Lemanski. “The game is a lot faster and guys are a lot bigger, and I have to be more clutch in games,” Lemanski said. These athletes have to fit their sports in their schedule as well as their academic obligations. This can become very difficult with homework, practice and other extracurriculars such as clubs and extra help. Sometimes players don’t get home until 8 p.m. and it
seems as if there is no time to do any schoolwork, let alone wanting to complete that work. “I need to make sure I do a good job for my school, team and fans,” Lemanski said. Being a varsity athlete comes with work, practice and dedication, but if it is something you are willing to put in the time and do, it is well worth it. Varsity athletes have a lot on their plate, but the rewards that come with, and being able to tell yourself you made it that far can be very satisfying for many people. These players put in work everyday, on and off the field to become varsity players. Eventually that hard work payed off and led to their success on the varsity team. Everyone is always striving to get better and getting passed up is always a threat. That’s why working hard and committing a lot of time is essential.
Wise Words: Coach Glenn “It’s not about the size of the dog in the fight, it’s about the size of the fight in the dog.”
Knights bring new energy into fall season
Field Hockey Devyn Aschenbach ’18
Goals: “To win States and the TOCs.” Favorite Thing: “The team bonding and competition.”
Football Michael Locavara ’17
Cross Country Courtney Blount ’19
Position: “I play fullback and linebacker.” Favorite Thing: “Gives you a chance to compete with different people.”
Favorite Thing:“The surrounding atmosphere and the encouraging team.” Motivation:“Make my team, myself, and family proud.”
Goals: “To get into the counties for the first time since 2009.” Position: “Passer, Left back.”
Boys Soccer Mac Farrell ’19
Football Will Perez ’19
Girls Soccer Brooke Schatz ’20
Girls Tennis Caroline Ben Nathan ’19
Position: “Forward.” Goals: “I hope to win games and our league.”
Goals: “To help my team get as far as possible.” Position: “I play Second Doubles on Varsity.”
Motivation: “I grew up playing in England.” Favorite Thing: “I like the atmosphere and adrenaline you get.”
Volleyball Felicity Lac ’17
Motivation: “To win a State Championship.” Favorite Thing: “The crowd going crazy after a good play amps up the team.”
Boys Soccer Nick Cerrigone ’17
College: “I am still looking around.” Motivation: “I’m a competitor and I play for my team.”
Field Hockey
Sarah Iannuzzi ’18
Position: “Midfield.” College: “Yes, I want to continue to play as long as I can.”