The Wessex Wire The Student Newspaper of West Essex Regional High School
Vol. XLVI No. 4
West Essex High School, 65 West Greenbrook Road, North Caldwell, N.J.
February 2013
Quiz Bowl team appears on MSG Varsity for “The Challenge” by Bryan Gallion ’15
team’s Advisers Mrs. Blanchard said. The West Essex Quiz Bowl Team has Question topics include history, music, continued to advance through rounds current events, science, art and movies. of “The Challenge,” a New York City- The team was assembled by Blanchard based knowledge competition broad- and co-adviser Mr. Rauch after receiving casted on MSG Varsity. The competition recommendations from faculty members requires team members from various this past fall. Upon receiving these recomhigh schools to answer trivial questions. mendations, the candidates were tested by The West Essex team is comprised of completing a written knowledge test as seniors Jerry Groome, Ben Gersten, well as a speed test to assess the applicants’ Tom Haversang, Erik Maher, Mark ability to handle the buzzer. From there, Mascera and junior the top six contenders Michael Caggiano. were invited to become The group commembers of the team. petes against others To practice their skills, from across the state the team answers quesin hopes of winning tions on a variety of posthe grand prize of a Photo courtesy of Mrs. Blanchard sible competition topics $2,500 donation to with buzzers to repthe school. In the fi- The Quiz Bowl team stands licate the feel of an nals, the team will ready to answer questions. actual competition. be competing against To date, the others from the tri-state. team has competed in the Princeton Quiz The questions asked can be about Bowl, the Ridgewood History Bowl and “anything and everything,” one of the the first three rounds of “The Challenge.”
Their next competition is set to take place on Feb. 27, where they hope to continue on in the pursuit of winning “The Challenge.” For many of the competitors, it is the first time they are being televised. “Being on television isn’t as scary as I thought it would be; it’s actually really
fun. I feel proud to represent West Essex, and I am confident in our team’s skills,” Caggiano said. The team continues to practice regularly. “It’s always good to see the team win, but no matter what happens I’m thrilled by their progress,” Rauch said.
Photo courtesy of Mrs. Blanchard
The Quiz Bowl team poses with their families at the conclusion of “The Challenge” competition, which was broadcasted on MSG Varsity.
Students embark on trip to Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C.
by Griffin Glenn ’13 Juniors Jacqueline Schwartz and Michael Colavita visited the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 16, 2013 as part of Morris Rubell Holocaust Remembrance Journey. The students drove to Rahway High School where they met a group of approximately 45 people, two of whom were Holocaust survivors, and took the four hour trek down to Washington. On the way the survivors each told their stories, which made the trip even more memorable. “Hearing their firsthand experience in being a part of the Holocaust was really moving, and definitely makes you start thinking about the victims who weren’t as lucky,” junior Jacqueline Schwartz said. The program was organized through the Morris Rubell Holocaust Remembrance Journeys foundation. Michael Rubell, program director and brother of West Es-
Inside This Issue:
sex teacher Mrs. Pengitore, has been tak- a self-guided tour of the United States Hoing these trips to the Holocaust Museum locaust Memorial Museum. This museum for 17 years now. The organization was is dedicated to preserving the memories formed in memory of Rubell and Pengi- of those who died during the Holocaust and contains various tore’s father, Morris exhibitions, artifacts, Rubell, who survived pictures and art exthe Holocaust. It was hibits all related to Mrs. Pengitore who the atrocities of World brought the program to War II. West Essex and made it “There are pictures available to students. and displays that defi “I think it’s impornitely stood out to me tant to incorporate the because they were youth in continuing so disturbing and my father’s legacy. Photo courtesy of Jacqueline Schwartz vivid in getting their He always believed Students visit the Holocaust messages across,” in young people. Even Memorial Museum in Schwartz said. after all he had been Washington D.C. The trip had through, he still had many personal confaith in the future,” nections to Schwartz. Pengitore said. Upon arrival, the group was free to go on As someone who has a Jewish father,
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she has an association to the Holocaust. “One of the survivors said that he was of mixed ancestry, having one parent that was Catholic and one that was Jewish. People like me were victimized during the Holocaust, which allowed me to grasp the reality of such a tragedy,” Schwartz said. After attending the museum, the group made stops at the Lincoln and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorials before returning home. The trip distinguished itself from the other perfunctory field trips taken this year by altering the perspective of the participants. “Listening to them [Holocaust survivors] describe the complete restrictions on freedom that we consider to be ‘no big deal’ really allows you to appreciate everything around you,” Schwartz said.
2013 Oscar preview