The Classic newspaper Volume 14 Issue no. 2

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Vol. 14, No. 2. December, 1997

aSSlC Townsend Harris High School at Queens College

149-11 Melbourne Avenue. Flushing, NY 11367

New credit system requires community service

by Beth Citron quirements. Other types of service will " ...To leave my city no less but rather need a guidance counselor's approval. greater that I found it." The Ephebic This year, freshmen, sophomores, and Oath, recited each year by freshmen and juniors will be expected to complete 20 incoming sophomores, is a pledge made hours of service to their communities, by all Harrisites to better their commu- as well as participate in one school exnities. Until now, this pledge has often tracurricular activity of choice, such as been neglected by students harried with school publications, teams, or clubs. homework, tests, and collaterals. How- Seniors will still adhere to the current ever, new service regulations, which will system for the remainder of this year. be implemented in February, 1998, will Next year, all students will complete 40 require that all students participate in hours of community service and particicommunity service and school pate in one extracurricular activity. extracurriculur activities.

Those who participate on teams will Students will now have to complete receive reductions in the hours of coma specified number of hours of com- munity service they must do. "If a perm unity service in order to receive a son is a member of a team, the coach Townsend Harris endorsed diploma. will decide how many hours a student According to the new guidelines, com- will actually [complete]," said Malcolm munity service is defined as"any service Largmann, principal. He said, however, activity that will benefit an outside non- that "there is no reason why a student profit organization or agency, without can't find some time to [do direct reward, financial or promotional, service]." There will also be exemptions made for those who have extenuating to the school or the person involved."

Examples of acceptable service will in- circumstances, such as great financial clude "volunteering at an after-school hardships. center, a hospital, a nursing home, areMs. Garcia recalled former student habilitation or developmental center, Shamir Khan (see June '97 issue of the community center, a library, a civic or Classic) who performed 1,000 hours of political association, or a religious or- service during his four years in high ganization." Students will also be able school. "If he could do that, there's no to use participation in walk-a-thons, run- reason why [Harrisites] can't in 40 hours a-thons, bowl-a-thons, cleanup or beau- of service a year - it's not enormous at tification projects in the community, or all; its really nothing," she said. · to fulfill their · service · re· peer tutonng These new reqmrements come aft er

a two-year struggle by a committee comprised of team captains, club presidents, the Archon executive board, and Ms. Garcia to find a better system than the current one of receiving credits for particpation in activities. Both the current Student Union Executive Board and last years' overwhelmingly voted to approve the new credit system. Until now, students have received their credits for trivial service, such as erasing the blackboard, or taking attendance for a teacher.

According to Eleanor Levy, Senior President of Archon, "The new service system will definitely be more efficient.

We're going to monitor people's activities better and not give credits for anything of little importance." In addition, service will not be measured in terms of credits. Rather, participation in extracurriculur activities will be recorded on a scale of one through three on the Student Union card, with a one indicating participation in that activity, a two denoting average participation, and a three signifying superior participation. Eventually, this system will be computerized.

The selection processes for Archon and Arista will be affected too. "Requiremen~s for Archon and A~i~ta ~ill be chan~mg, but are not ~eftmte JUSt yet," satd Eleanor. They Will be dete~mined by senates of the two honor soc Ie t'Ies.

Dr. Largmann believes that requiring community service will teach students to enjoy it. "Education is about trying thi~gs .... We hope to actually give some kind of instruction about what [community service] is and where it is needed," he said. He hopes that students will be able to gain insight and grow from their service experiences. Ms. Garcia agrees.

"By doing service, you get a vision not only about the outside world, but about yourself as well.... There's much more joy in giving back; you grow so much more," she said.

In random interviews with about 50 students, initial reactions to the new requirements were varied, but tended to be mostly negative. Kim Parrett, senior, said, "How will one person stand out from another? It doesn't make anyone special, if everyone has the same eredentials." Doris Ortega, freshman, added, "It bothers me that [the administration] will make us do service."

Ms. Garcia responded to this negativism by quoting poet Ralph Waldo Emerson: "To know even one \ife has breathed easier because you have lived - this is to have succeeded." She also said, "There a~e many o_f us w~o ~ould not have b_een, mvolv~d ~~ s~rvtce, tfthe syste~ dtdn t reqmre It. . Fr~~h~an ~elam Sherman agreed, s_a~m_g, I thmk It s exce~lent...because It s Imp?rt~,nt that we give back to the commumty.

Holiday cheer spread through gift-giving

by Natalka Palczynski The holiday season often brings out the best in people, and according to

Odile Garcia, Coordinator of Student Activities, Harris has embodied this holiday spirit.

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Adorned gift baskets wait in the COSA office to be delivered to Mercy Center.

14th annual Founders' Day page 6

Harris participa~es in severa~ gift-giving programs dunng the holiday seasons. For teenagers_a~ D:--YTOP, an adolescent drug rehabilitatiOn center, each student senator will purchase a holiday gift with the donations from students in their history classes. Some of these teenagers asked for things as simple as socks and t-shirts. "Most of the students at Harris have families that support them, but the kids at DAYTOP don't have that," Ms. Garcia said.

The senior class carried on a sevenyear tradition this season by purchasing holiday presents for special needs students at Public School 224 in Bellerose .

The students range in ages from 5-10 years old, and as the letter from the Assistant Principal of the school, Joan Cabamos, indicates, many of them "receive only the presents and the gift of

Pull out section:

The Visual Arts at Harris pages 9- 12

l?ve from the s.~hool staff and people like yourselves. . . .

B~~ore the Thanksgivmg "holiday, Hams1tes made more than 30 Thanksgiving" baskets to be taken to Mercy Center, a family center that aids people with financial difficulties. Each second / band class created one basket. Harrisites donated money and canned food for the baskets, which contained all the basics for a Thanksgiving meal. Ms. Garcia rented a truck and delivered the baskets three days before Thanksgiving.

Harris also is participating in a toy drive for the Red Cross and an eye;;, glasses drive for the poor in Cambodia.

In addition, Ms. Garcia will accompany a group of students to Silfin House, a home for mentally handicapped adults, in January, where they hold a party and interact with the residents.

Mock election wrap-up _ page 13

Sports:

PSAL fencing champions page 20

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The Classic December 1997

With Largmann as chief, teachers don many caps, Rarely settling down for a well-deserved nap 'Tis long after two-thirty, and all through the school Not a teacher is stirring, to go home and refuel.

Landry is small, but her impact is large The pennies she's counted could fill up a barge.

Tiffen sits at his keyboard, until very late Between teaching and 'teching' he's got a full plate.

Scarnati leads fencing and handball to win, Thank goodness the Westinghouse projects are in!

Garcia still packs up more gifts for the drive Gloves, glasses, toys, canned food, how does she survive?

Blier, Mosko and Wagner help send us to college Writing letters to capture the scope of our knowledge.

Nix coaches the girls' team when they start to volley "Toughen up ladies, you must look more jolly!"

Schwartz guides the seniors in planning their trip, While Chung and Boulanger make programs real hip.

APs Curran and Greenfield, Walsh, and Rattien Long after hours still can be seen.

Lustig is still tooting his golden trombone And all you can hear is the band's jazzy tone.

Vita's still there on the Yearbook's first floor It's Friday and she can't get out the front door.

Marcus as always is busy with SPAA An{l during the day she's been heard crying "Baaah!"

Thank God for Polansky who's still pretty new And without Ceraulo, what would our teams do?

Rizzuto keeps writing all day and all night The Phoenix is ready: Almost- but not quite.

Ferguson's voice can be still heard upstairs Lessons for juniors he stays to prepare.

Horn runs Girls' Track all the year through When he's not in a classroom, "Carefulez-vous!"

Hanson cries "Faster !"to boys on the track, The fall means Boys' B-Ball, in spring, soccer's back.

Cowen and staff put the paper to bed, While all those revisions still spin in their heads.

Carbone and Ruisi spend May on the courts They've got Math team and Speech team besides all the sports.

Every day that we're here some new project is born, A position to fill, a new hat to be worn.

We know someone always will put on the hat, Many thanks to the staff, we are grateful for that.

Happy Holidays!

The Editors the Earth (SPE) and Shakespeare's Sisters are forums for students interested in their respective goals and purposes. It would be ludicrous to force students to join SPE, or Shakespeare's Sisters, or any .other school-related club. However, in requiring service to the extent this new system mandates, in essence every single student is being Performing required amounts of service has always been among the responsibili- forced to perform up to the current service standards of Archon, a club dedicated to ties of each student at Townsend Harris . And though there were those who bemoaned community service, when in fact, every student is not dedicate9 to community serhaving to obtain the I 0 annual credits needed for graduation, the ease with which vice.

The problem with the new system, however, has nothing to do with its provithese credits could be obtained squelched most complaints. The flexibility of the service system allowed for those who participated on teams, partook in club meet- sions, which require that students perform 40 hours of community service annually. ings, or even took the time out of their busy schedules to erase a chalkboard to fulfill The problem lies not in the amount of time required, whether it is two hours or 200, the mandated "service." It is only now, after the service system has been revamped but rather in the basic premise of a system that makes service mandatory. Service to require actual community service, that the true problem with mandating any ser- should certainly be encouraged as something which could prove a worthwhile envice is coming to light. deavor for many students. But just because something may better society if everyVoluntary used to be a word that meant "of one's own volition," and the act of one became involved with it does not mean that everyone should be forced to becommunity service, excepting such sentences in court, used to implicitly mean ser- come involved. We still live in a democracy, a system of government that should not vice that is done by choice, not force. As much of a benefit as service to society may stop at the steps ofTowsend Harris. If a student for any reason, be it pure selfishness, be to everyone, as much as individuals might learn from such an experience, as much or lack of time, or just indifference, does not want to perform service, he should not as serving in a hospital or a soup kitchen might make everyone feel warm and won- have to .

It is wonderful that this school cares so much about our well-being and derful, it should not be forced on anyone. For whatever reason students perform service, whether they want to make a difference in the world, or just on their college about our lives outside of school that it should structure so much of our extracurricuapplications, they should be doing so because they choose to, and not because their Jar time. Besides the community service requirement, students are mandated to join at least one school activity to boost school spirit and morale. It is just so considerate school, or anyone else for the matter, requires it.

Some may say that help is help, no matter what the motivys behind the assistance that the school administration is looking out for our best interests and helping us to may be. But how much "help" is a person who does not want to be "volunteering" become better people. In fact, we could use more mandated activities and requirehis or her time in the first place? How much will people really appreciate someone ments to force us into becoming the "best that we can be." Every studenton a sports who serves until the minimum 40 hours .are fulfilled, then; required papers and certi- team- think of the improved physical fitness of students! Required study and tufication in tow, rides off into the sunset, never to return again until next year, when toring sessions~ we would all have better grades and learn more! Calibrated, nutritional, and lowfat lunches to complement our physical education and maintain health! those hours are needed again?

Supporters of school service requirements argue that introducing individuals to The vision of a better society! The evolution of a superior species of student! Welservice will spark their interest in and enjoyment of such work. It seems doubtful, come to a brave new world at Townsend Harris . however, that kids who are bent against performing service will sudddenly, when •· they are forced to engage in the activity, be miraculously transformed. Work, even if N atalka Palczynski Townsend Harris High School at Queens College fun or worthwhile or beneficial, becomes an unpleasant chore when mandated. It is Editor-in-Chief 149 ~ 11 Melbourne Avenue, Flushing, N.Y. 11367 only when students are allowed to make their own decisions, to consciously choose Beth Citron Kate Rube Hope Villella Readers are invited to submit letters to the to perform service, that this service will be truly appreciated by both those who are Sports Editor News Editor Feature Editor editor. Letters should be placed in Ms. Cowen 's performing it, and those who are receiving its benefits. mailbox in the general office. The Classic reJeannemarie Hendershot Erika Zwetkow serve the right to edit all letters. Letters must Our school already offers ample opportunities for individuals to get involved with Editor at large Photography Editor include name and official class. Names will be community service, and many already take advantage of these chances. Service reRomina Perrone Julia Kohen withheld upon request.

Circulation editor Business Manager quirements , therefore, could be abolished without diminishing the central role service plays in our school. It is not the requirement of service which furthers the goals News Staff: Boscdc Adcnekan, Afton BaiT, Dominika Bednarska, Andrew Goldberg, Karen Halperin, Helen Haritos, Christina Lesica, Stefan Muehlbauer, Mark Von Ohlc n, Ancuc OrLCchowski, AleXa Stein berg, Maggie Yuan inherent in our Ephebic Oath, but rather, it is the encouragement and attitude the Feature Staff: Rudy Ash, Paul Bruno, Noreen Bukhari, Surahhi Jain, Lorraine Kapovich , Danielle Lord, Adam Mingionc, Chrh school takes towards such service which should prompt students to become involved Munde, Aliza Nadi , Rachel Nobel, Lauren Paley, Ramsey Peele, Carol Pruss, Catherine Santos, Steven Scidenfcld of their own volition .

Sports Staff: Justin Fox, Brian Griffimg, Tabitha Hsi , Jarvis Lagman, Mark Yon Ohlen, Sara Yun There is nothing wrong with community service. In fact, there is a lot of good that Photography Staff: Laura Ba.<.;silino, Frank Cherena, Ja.,on Freedman, Ariclle Freeman, Sara Gruss. Alice. Iofescu , Athena Lcdakis , Nam:y Luo, Sofia Panagiotakis, Karen Parado, Jose ph Pasoa, Lisa Schapira, Eric Trager, Marco Trauzzi, Audley Wilson, can and does come from it. But just like saving the whales or fighting for women's Henry Wong, Duwn Wing, Young Yoon rights, service is not for everyone. That is exactly why clubs like Archon and Arista Artists: Vivien Chang, Lucy Hong, Rachel Sperling, Melissa Tinio have been established in this school, to act as an umbrella organization for people Advisor· lisa Cowen Principal • Dr. Malcolm Largmann who perform and enjoy community service, just as Students for the Preservation of

Service, but without the smile

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The Classic December 1997

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Op-ed:

Letters to the Editor:

Required service will benefit all

Electio-n electrifies Harris opinion

by Alan Fu Much controversy has arisen among the underclassmen concerning a very touchy issue - new service requirements, which include community service. It has only been one year since this idea was introduced to students.

This year, the requirements have become official. Beginning next term, freshmen, sophomores, and juniors will be expected to perform 40 hours of community service each year, which could include the summer, and to join at least one club or team, which will be based not on the present credit system but rather a system of recognition to be recorded on one's permanent record. I was first informed of all of this two months ago by my student senators. As all the students in my history class passionately complained about the new requirements, I remained silent, for it is my firm belief that requiring community service will be a positive change for all Harrisites and their communities.

On October 17, I attended a United Nations meeting which celebrated a holiday not known to many, the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. Delegates, the press, and other important figures, such as actor Danny Glover, author Nadine Gordimer, and Reverend AI Sharpton, gathered to discuss the problem of poverty and to honor those who fight to end it. During the two hours of the program, I was bom_barded by much depressing information about poverty, including the fact that today, 1.3 billion human beings are impoverished and live on less than $1 a day; as a result, poverty kills thousands of people every day and compromises the future of our entire planet.

During the program, I was also introduced to four extraordinary individuals whom the UN honored for fighting against poverty. One of those honorees,

Lynette Cameron, lives right here in New York. With a $500 grant, she conquered the poverty that was plaguing her To the Editor: This letter is regarding the mock life and started a successful business of election that has recently been taking catering and entertainment. As I learned . place at Townsend Harris High School. what she and the other honorees had I, as well as other students, have not done for themselves, their families, and found this election to be very successtheir communities, I realized that I and ful.

We feel that much of the fake news probably all students at Harris do not media that we have been watching and do enough for our communities. )jstening to has no relevancy to the elecWhen every one of us entered this tion.

For example, on MTV News, canschool, we pledged that we would not didates performed a fake fight to decide leave our city any less but rather greater than we found it. I have realized that who would win that spot in the governmost if not all of us have forgotten this ment. In the real election, do you beidealism; the Ephebic Oath has become lieve that Rudy Giuliani and Ruth merely a set of empty words. That is Messinger will fight for office in a boxwhy requiring community service would ing rink? Also, though students who be a perfect solution for such a dilemma. watched the Saturday Night Live skits Students would be getting so much more may have found them quite amusing, from this than fulfilling their oath; they they did not inform us about the elecwould meet new people and possibly tion or candidates. I have also found new friends, they would earn recogni- some of the language and topics talked tion on their records, which works posi- about on the television and radio talk tively for any student in the future, and shows to be quite offensive. Vulgar lanthey would experience that one-of-a- guage does not seem appropriate.

I do not feel very educated about this kind feeling of pride and pleasure that mock election. I have not had the opone gets from helping others. Also, our portunity to meet the candidates. communities and those who live in them Though the posters hung around school benefit, whether a student works at a are meant to be informative, I do not senior center or a soup kitchen. understand what they are trying to say.

In Townsend Harris' case, each stuI also do not understand all the ballot dent only has to do 40 hours of commuquestions.

I, as well as other students, nity service a year; this fact makes me would have liked to be more informed. the most angry at those who complain.

Melissa Kasoff Out of the 8,760 hours of one year, we Class I 04 - sophomore are only asked to do 40 hours of service. If I were to decide to do only one hour each weekend, I would still be left To the Editor: with 12 free weekends. To all those in response to the above letter written against these new requirements, I ask by Melissa Kasoff this simple question : What is the big As a member of the soft news media deal? One hour out of a weekend will class and as the producer of Saturday not make a big dent on your study or Night Live, I feel that I should tell you your social life; instead, it will improve that I am shocked by and distressed with yourself and everyone in your commu- the comments you made about our pornity. trayal of the election. First and foremost, Saturday Night Live is, in reality, a comical show. Its primary purpose is to entertain, not to inform.

Perhaps if you examined the hard news such as Newsday and EyeBecky Yi won $1,000 for her entry in Macy's "Follow the Leader" essay contest. witness News more carefully, you Flannery Stevens and Annie Yan have been invited to attend several art and design would be a more informed voter. workshops taught by some of the city's most prominent professionals through an opSecondly, vulgar language, as portunity sponsored by The School Art League and The Art Directors Club. well as offensive topics, are ofThe Science Department has been accepted as a Partner School in the lnstitute on ten a part of the real campaign.

Climatl! and I;llanets School Research Network, which is part of NASA's Goddard InTherefore, it is no surprise that stitute for Space Studies. A $7,000 grant will allow students to monitor solar irradiance such things were found in our and weather, share data with e5ther schools, and conduct original research. mock election. Finally, you say On November 2, 56 students raised funds for the Queens Cerebral Palsy Foundation that you "do not understand what by participating in its annual walk-a-thon. Forty-two students worked at the Queens [the posters] are trying to say."

County Farm Festival on October 26.

My response is that you need to Adrien Castro, Lara Rios, and Michael Tramantinny have been honored as Natry a little harder to become intional Hispanic Scholars. formed.

Do not just rely on the Matthew Chang, Heather King, Marina.Lyaunzon, Kathryn Rube, and Jamie soft news media to gather your inTong have been selected as National Merit semi-finalists. formation about the election. You Spe.e ch team member Karen Halperin earned' fourth place in the Declamation catare a perfect example of a lazy egory and member Maureen Raphael placed fifth in the JV Extemp. ctaegory. voter.

Perhaps you should reconDebate team members were successful at the Brooklyn-Queens Forensics League sider your argument!

Tournament. Both Jennifer Shi and Vivian Intermont maintained their underfeated Danny Gold records, placing 1st and 3rd, respectively. Allison Barz and Noreen Bukhari placed Class 123 -senior fourth in a tie.

Briefly

To the Editor: As a student from Townsend Harris High School and a person who was subjected to the mock elections, I find it necessary to inform you about my reaction to this derision. First I would like to commend all the seniors for going through so much trouble to provide us with an entertaining campaign. But there lies the problem, it was only entertaining. It did not provide me or any other Harrisite that I have spoken to, with an educational or informative campaign. I was shocked to see inappropriate language used in the videos and the pointless information displayed. I was very disappointed that [the seniors] took up so much of the valuable class time for [their] campaigns which at the end made everyone go, "What the hell was that about?" .. .In spite of this, I am still going to vote because I feel that our school is very unique to actually have elections, but not because I was convinced by the ridiculous campaign.

Ajita Kundaikar Class I 04 - sophomore To the Editor: I feel compelled to respond to a series of letters written by members of the sophomore class regarding the recently concluded mayoral campaign simulation. The simulation was designed to mirror the electoral process with all of its flaws. It was never intended to be a purified, filtered version of reality.

Criticisms of the simulation's media are largely unfounded. The fact that such shows as Saturday Night Live, E!News, MTV News and The Howard Stern Show did not adequately prepare students as voters was a positive aspect of the simulation. If voters rely on that type of soft media as their primary source of political information, then they too will be ill informed to vote. The full range of media is essential to the development of a truly informed opinion. I would like to remind the sophomores of a basic civics lesson that the simulation should have made obvious: You must make an effort to become politically aware. I wonder if the 59% of the sophomores who bothered to vote were the same ones who took the time to read the outstanding publications which were produced and were attentive to shows such as 1010 WINS and NYJ? Read newspapers and news magazines. Watch the evening newscasts and the occasional public affairs shows on PBS or NY I. That is where you will find some of the information you'll need to become an informed 路 路0ter. Perhaps you need to make an effort and not blame others for your lack of political awareness.

Anthony Scarnati Teacher of Social Studies

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The Classic December 1997

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ditors' Adventures: First stop,- Chelsea Piers

"Editors' Adventures" is the first in and I split up, so that we could cover a series in which Classic editors review more terrain. (Hope wasn't able to come various places within New York City. because she had to work on her We'd like to share with you our perspec- Westinghouse project. Sorry Hope!) tives on some of the things that make Kate went to the field house to experithe Big Apple the greatest city in the ment with the gymnastics area and the world. Each of us has related a differ- small rock climbing wall (the big one is ent portion of our trip. Enjoy our ad- located inside the Sports Center), and venture and we hope you go on one of Erika and I started at the Golf Club (see your own!

Erika's review), then went to the Sports Beth - If you're going to Chelsea Center, and then over to the Sky Rink Piers Sports Complex, take the E train where we joined Jeannemarie and Beth. to 23rd Street. When you get off, first When Erika and I reached the Sports stop by Krispy Kreme, on 8th Avenue Center, we couldn't wait to walk around and~3rd Street. The dozen glazed do- _ and see everything we had read about most-x··~<>fn.:,_tl}e__brochure: the six lane swimming ~~\sun deck, 1/4 mile indoor track,

_ .cilities were just as beautiful as the broi chure described, but I wouldn't dare step through the gate without my $200 limited edition Nikes and $60 Speedo exPiers, Erika, Beth, Kate, Jeannemarie, elusive sports bra. Do you get my drift?

Driver Education at Martin Luther High School Spring Session 1998 If you have reached the age of 16 by February 2, 1998, you are eligible to take a course in driver education at Martin Luther High School.

The course consists of24 hours of classroom instruction and 24 hours of road training in dual controlled car.

My you should take Diver Ed at Martin Luther • • • •

Get your senior license at 17.

Receive reduced auto insurance rates from most companies. ~earn from State Certified Instructors.

Course approved by NYS Education Department.

Registration - Friday January 9, 2 PM to 5 PM ~ at Martin Luther High School .......

Lecture and Labs ...

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Erika - The Golf Club on Pier 59 at Chelsea Piers makes golf seem easy. If you've got time to kill, and about $20 in your pocket, this quadruple-decker driving range/pro-shop/golf school can provide everything you'll need for loads of fun. A 300 yard astro-turf field suspended over the Hudson River is enclosed with a netting to keep the passing yachts safe from your stray balls (yes, no one can hit'em all perfect), and it allows you to see the breath-taking view. If you don't bring your own clubs, rental clubs are $2, and starting at $15, you can buy a pre-paid ball card which entitles you to about 100 balls. When you step up to hit, the balls "magically" pop up from under the ground, on a tee ready for you. Once the ball is hit or removed, another pops up . Upstairs on the third floor, the Jim Mclean Golf Academy welcomes you to an indoor sand trap, putting and hitting facility, as well as an entire floor of stalls. Lesson prices range from $35 to $120 depending on length, who your teacher is, and whether it is a private, or group lesson.

Once you're done hitting all those balls, a snack bar and pro-shop await you with overpriced items. Regripping and repair services are available, as well as special discount rates for different days of the week. The complex is open from 6A.M. to midnight every day of the week. For more information call (212) 336-6400, or for lesson information, call (212) 336-6444.

Kate - Ninety minute sessions for kids 18 and under allow you to try out a smaller climbing wall and gymnastics equipment including bars, vaults, beams, and trampolines. Though most of the participants tend to be younger than high school age, this is a great option if you're not sure you want to dedicate the time or money for a full climbing session at the Sports Center. The gymnastics facilities available are terrific, too - and you don't have to be an Olympic athlete to have a ton of fun, just someone who doesn't mind jumping around in your socks and looking like a

five-year-old . If you'd like to try the large rock climbing wall, the Sports Center offers "Friday Rocks" to nonmembers every Friday night from 6 P.M. to 10 P.M. Climbers may try out the 10,000 square feet of climbing space for . a $25fee.

Jeannemarie - Beth and I decided that since there were so few choices of things for us to do because we're non-

Four things we all agreed on: 1) overpriced 2) service varied depending on area within sports complex 3) facilities were very clean 4) piers offer magnificent views of the harbor members, we would go ice skating at the famed "Sky Rink" on Pier 61.

Chelsea Piers prides itself on having the only rooftop ice skating rink overlooking Manhattan, but the rink itself doesn't actually overlook much. It was small in comparison to places like Iceland in New Hyde Park, but there were two rinks instead of one (6'ne for figure skating, the other for hockey and scheduled events). Rental skates were clean, as was the entire facility (even the bathrooms), but tended to be faulty. Mine left a gash in my leg and a dull blade on Erika's skate propelled her face down on the ice more than once. For the price of skating ($9.50) and renting skates ($4.00), for only about an hour and a half session, trekking up to the Sky Rink is not all it's cracked up to be.

Other things offered at Chelsea Piers: a spa within the Sports Center, kayaking on the Hudson River, roller rinks, an outside park on the pier, Spirit cruises, a variety of shops, three restaurants, Silver screen studios (where "Law and Order" and "Spin City" are filmed - you can get tickets for their live studio audience), Pier 59 studios (the world's largest fashion/entertainment photography studios - we ran into a couple of runway models as we passed by), and the bowling alley which features "glow in the dark" bowling every Saturday night. A few of us went to a Z 100 (radio station) sponsored concert at the bowling alley ("Aqua") and we will vouch that it was super cool! For more information about the Chelsea Piers Sports Complex, call (212) 336-6666.

Do you need a math tutor?

Why not call the math teacher who recently ('96) retired from Townse·nd Harris?

See Mr. Rattien for details.

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The Classic

! December1997

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-currently at the Council: winter carnival, newsletter, back doors

by Catherine Santos While the Consultative Council convenes bi-monthly,few are ab-le to attend these meetings. In an effort to keep students better informed about the issues discussed and student government events, The Classic will publish a "Cur- · rently at the Council" column in each issue.

The latest buzz throughout Townsend Harris is the Winter Carnival, to be held January' 28. "It is rolling!" exclaimed Odile Garcia, Coordinator of Student Activities. Students will be invited to bring an immediate family members.

Ms. Garcia explained that there will be "music, demonstrations by the fencing and volleyball teams, games ... and maybe even a palm-reader." The carnival is scheduled for the end of the term when' there are no classes, so that stu-

dents will be able to attend. _newsletter about school activities. Class warned students and faculty to "make The last school dance drew a crowd senators will distribute it to their class- sure that the door is locked behind of 280 people. Most said they enjoyed mates. Submissions to teh newsletter are you" to guard against intruders. the dance, but there were complaints requested. You can place them in the School treasurer Annette about the lack of variety in the music. manila envelope outside the door to the Delabarbata addressed the fact that the The next dance, scheduled to take place COSA offcie. trophy cases in the center of the lobby in March, may be held in the cafeteria Concerning use ofthe school's back are empty, saying that to fill them instead of the gym, so that students can doors,~ an issue raised in an editorial in "would increase school spirit." "Sports wear shoes rather than sneakers. the October, 1997 Classic, next term, trophies are too tall and do not always Principal Malcolm Largmann ex- when new program cards are issued, se- fit in the cases," explained Dr. pressed concern about the lack of cour- niors only will be allowed to exit Largmann. tesy Harrisites have been displaying. through the back door. Seniors' cards Student Union President Vicki "How come when I come in in the morn- will be a different color so as to distin- Realmuto requested that the library and ing, I only get two good mornings?" Dr. guish them from the rest of the student computer lab be kept open for a longer Largmann asked. He suggests that com- body. Because of previous incidents in amount of time before and after school. mon courtesies be extended, such as which strangers entered through the The budget report in February will deholding the door for someone and say- back door and were found roaming the termine if this happens because staff ing "hello" and "thank you." building, seniors will not be allowed to members need to be in the labs while Paper donated by Kaplan Inc. has en- enter through the back door. Ms. Garcia they are in use. abled the creation of Townsend Talk, founded by Julia Kohen, a monthly While declining Latin nouns and disseo.fing earthworms, yau CaJl often hear llumor :underlying your teachers' lessons. Here .is what bas been

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"The. proof and nothing but the proof."

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- Anthony Scarnati, fencing coach, before the PSAL championship fencing match "Did you say something naughty?"

- Richard Russo, Latin teacher, to a mumbling Latin student "That just toml'ly went over my head."

Senior Gina Hayes collects some spare change from senior Lia Schofield for the Arista Penny Harvest.. Gina filled up the entire canister above on her own.ln addition to the canisters that were placed at the security guards' desk and the pennies that were collected in attendance band classes, Gina collected bags of pennies from the CUNY Law School and the Queens College library. Arista surpassed their original goal of $1,250 by collecting over $1,500 .. Gina collected several hundred dollars in coins for the harvest.

- Orli Sharaby, senior, to John Brown, math teacher, about a difficult math concept "WeH maybe you should stand up."

-Mr. Brown, responding to Orli's comment

Seniors serve needy at. . P,t. Francis soup kitchen

by Helen Haritos "This one woman didn't have a ticket to get into the soup kitchen, so I helped her find one. She came later and found me outside and told me 'thank you.' It was really touching because I could-tell that she really meant it. It made me feel good," senior Matthew Chang said.

"Thank you" is a common phrase heard around the St. Francis Xavier Soup Kitchen. "Everyone was saying 'thank you' to me just for putting sugar in the coffee. It was really nice and rewarding," said David Worth, senior.

Every year the senior class participates in a volunteer program called the Senior Project. This year every senior in the class of 1998 will donate three hours of his/her time on one Sunday to serve homeless people at the St. Francis Xavier Church soup kitchen. "We don't want you [seniors] to forget why you're here. We want to encourage you to do something for others," Ellen Schwartz, Senior Coordinator, said.

St. Francis Xavier Church has been running the soup kitchen for 14 and a half years. "We usually serve seven to

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eight hundred meals a week to ·single stantly raving about how wonderful the individuals and some families," direct' 1'ownsend Harris students are. Father t~r Fat~er ~.o~n Buc~i of ~he Jes~it s_J'·-..,.·B~ki said, "~t's _great to have the ciety said. It s pounng ram outside J.:ownsend Hams kids. They're young, . . energetic and good workers." people are still coming!" he sajd.,....~ The idea for this year's projl_ctfc e The ~~SJperform a variety of acfrom Odile Garcia, Coordinator.of' . t~- tiviti,pS: they wrap plastic utensils in dent Activities, who often volu1teers at napl<i~s, ~un the coat check, pass out the soup kitchen. "Ms. Qar.ciafelt"it-was- J¥\tt);eo water, and serve food. "It was a worthy projec;.an~as very impressed /e.alfy.~ood and a lot of fun. You just with it," M,.i.'Schwartz said. { tfave to• wear comfortable shoes and Previo~!he>-~i0T ·P~~j.ect•wa's ~ .e~lM~.~-Aec~ut, you ge_t real~y tired!" held ltJ.h~~w Nursmg Home. 1._~Ber~-Fm11eran, semor, said.

1 The seni0js would prepar~ gamee-am:f. ""' The ftedback from students who other projects for th~~nior citizens have alre y served at the soup kitchen AaAe&t been ositive. "It was a wonderful there. MsfSchwartz this year ecause sh elPifrn~ xperienc · . By spending a f-ew .._hours adult ;,ion fo' it to mn woll," and n thi' p!Je. we we<e abld hCU..a lot she would be unable to oversee the of people.J will have meip~tie•sto.tast a weekly programs herself. "At the soup lifetime," 1enior 1.:-in$ f..pontts'; id. Sekitchen therf is good adult supervision nior Stac, sra~\"ar, adlle~ f41S an said. Senior Georgia all-around .vositiv,e• ~c~ . .arl.was that works,'""she "t • r •. .._. ex~· ill .~-.rw • Kalamotousak'ls;.,lhought, "The people S21Jle1rijng I 'illwq,ys .wahtet\JW> do and running it wf "Ve~)tie-e~lilMe-~~.(':&.ot t.e ~at.l'<i"tQ.,iSenio; Warren us food and d.!~~ks.a~d ~r't :, lielJ1- flargs,ti sai(i\. ·~tpt 'ot t~e people were ful.''

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Sprite. Another man asked me if it was vodka. I was really surprised that they would be in such good spirits, considering the situation they are in.''

Many seniors said they felt good going there. 'They felt appreciated by the people," Ms. Schwartz said. "The guests were very grateful. You help people and feel really good about yourself afterwards. It was nice. I also felt kind of sad because I couldn't help them more," senior Maria Panayiotou said.

However, "not everyone likes to deal with the homeless," Ms. Schwartz said.

The main complaint from seniors was that the people were dirty and smelly. "''ve never been in that kind of eryvironment before. It was sort of scpy," Maria said.

"Not everyone that goes there lives on the street," said Heather King, senior.

"Some of them just can't afford to buy food. And they were all very quick to thank us for our help. I've been there twice and I plan to go again."

For information on how you can volunteer, call Larkin Hall, of Xavier High School at' (212) 924-7900.

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6 Laughter abounds at fourteenth Founders' Day The Classic

December 1 997

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by Andrew Goldberg, Christina Lesica, and Bosede Adenekan Steak with grammar tips, served up amid cheers from the audience and surprise appearances by faculty impersonators, welcomed the school community to the opening of the Townsend Harris Cafe. Relishing the opportunity to roast administrators, ravenous comics arrived at the fourteenth annual Founders' Day Celebration on November 7 with a plethora of provisions for frying the faculty and having fun . The annual event, performed at Colden Center on the Queens College campus, both celebrated and poked fun at the school's history and future through skits, songs, and speeches.

Greetings came from Queens College Liaison, Marvin Leiner, a graduate of the "old" Townsend Harris who expressed empathy with the "noisy and wonderful students." "I was convinced that each of my teachers thought they were the only teachers I had," related Dr. Leiner.

Principal Malcolm Largmann, presented with a plaque as a "guiding leader of us all," was compared to Daniel Boone for his efforts in nurturing Townsend Harris throughout the years.

Dr. Largmann talked of "the ability to wonder that covers everything," and urged students not to "be afraid to wonder, to have a vision, a dream ."

Heather Nash, a graduate of the first class of Townsend Harris and founding editor of The Classic, spoke of the importance of becoming involved in school activities."Being active will change the way you view yourself," said the softspoken graduate in relating a psychological theory of self-esteem to the Ephebic Oath, the ancient Greek pledge that all new Harrisites take on Founders' Day. Through becoming active, "you will become a leader who has much to give back to his community," sne stated.

Other speakers included Alumni Association President Saul Grossman, and Melinda Chau, Co-President of the Parent-Teachers' Association, who read a poem she had written for the occasion.

The Founders' Day Challenge, a series of spoofs, song parodies, proverbs and top ten lists written by the winners of a school-wide contest, provided comic relief after the serious speeches.

Organized by Assistant Principal of Humanities Lynne Greenfield, with assistance from English teachers Judy Biener and Debra Michlewitz and art teacher Lois Polansky, the bounty of original songs set to familiar tunes "made for an enjoyable morning," concluded freshman John Paladino. In a skit called "The Top Ten Pick-up Lines," students offered lines from "How many service credits do you need?"; "Can I schmear your bagel for you?" and "Let me kick the juice machine for you" to "Do you want to sneak out and have a stick of gum?"; "You know not every guy can solve fractional expressions"; "Just write down your number and two or three complete sentences describing your perfect date," and "You know what they say about guys with big binders." The number one pick

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up line was "What a coincidence; I have no life either."

Seniors recollected the idiosyncrasies of the old building and expressed vivid memories of roach races held at the winter carnival. "We were warned

every day, watch for the junior high students when you're on your way," they said. Other performances included the scene at the Townsend Harris Cafe, a new alma mater, and re-worded renditions of songs from Guys and Dolls and

The Sound of Music. The finale, a parody of "I Will Survive," provided an underlying message to the freshman class as they prepared to be officially inducted into Townsend Harris by taking the Ephebic Oath.

The musical interludes included a medley of songs from Guys and Dolls written by former Harrisite Frank Loesser. Violinist Mo-ah Son and pianist Henry Wong, both seniors, met with an overwhelming reception after performing Csardas by V. Monti, and returned to the stage amidst thunderous applause for a curtain call.

Following the Townsend Harris tradition, the ceremony concluded with all new students vowing to give back to their community by taking the Ephebic Oath. Earlier in the day, a collection of canned food for the needy was generated by students who packed and decorated baskets in hope of providing the unfortunate with a Thanksgiving dinner.

(See Holiday on page 1.) The day's activities also included a special lesson taught by members of the Student Leadership class which featured trivia games based on the history of the school.

A locker decorating contest began the festivities early that morning.

Japanese opera captures romance of Townsend Harris and Okichi-san

by Maggie Yuan Look! Here comes the foreigner," cry the villagers as the American Ambassador to Japan, Townsend Harris, arrives in Shimoda. The chorus ·Starts to hum along with the music played by the orchestra and Townsend Harris appears on stage.

"Dawn of Japan," an operatic concert performed at Carnegie Hall on October 1, tells the story of Townsend Harris, the man after whom this school was named. Composed by Teroku Takagi, the opera received its United States Pt:emiere, accompanied by the St. Luke's Orchestra and the Shiwakuchars' Chorus with Seiichi Kotani as conductor.

A limited number of tickets were offered by Japanese teacher Hiroko Muchiniki to Harris students taking Japanese and selected social studies elasses. The tickets were made avail• able to the high school by the City University of New York (founded by Townsend Harris) in celebration of its 150th anniversary. Approximately 10 students from Townsend Harris went to see the performance which was a benefit concert for Boston Higashi School, Nichibei Counseling Center, and the New York Department of Aging.

For 250 years, Japan had isolated itself from the rest of the world. The opera starts with the newly appointed Consulate General of the United States, Townsend Harris, arriving in Japan. It is the year 1856 and he is there to open the doors of trade for the United States.

Accompanied by melodies from the flute, clarinet, trumpet and violin, the opera tells the story of a young Japanese woman who was Harris' companion as well as servant.

Act I opens during the summer festival in Shimada when Harris, played by David Britton, arri-ves. In the village lives a girl named Okichi, played by Chizuko Matsunami, an accomplished samisen (three-stringed instrument) player. After hearing. hex play, Harris insists that he meet her and is immediately charmed. The Bugyou, the Lord of the village, wanting to please Harris, asks Okichi to be Harris' servant. Ok1chi refuses since she is engaged to be married to Tsurumatsu, played by Tomiaki Nomura. In order to get rid of Tsurumatsu, the Lord offers him an apprenticeship in Edo. Tsurumatsu accepts the offer and asks Okichi to wait for him till he returns. Okichi consents to becoming Harris' maid for lack of anything else to do.

In Act II, 0kichi and Harris build a deep relationship. Okichi takes care of Harris when be gets sick and even gets milk for him although it is illegal for her to do so. When Harris has to return to the U.S., Okichi is devastated to lose her master. Going back to Shimoda, she finds everything is different. Tsurumatsu never returns to Shimoda. She becomes a stranger in her own home. In the final Act, driven by loneliness, Okichi becomes insane. She .r oams the streets, clutching the wedding dress she never got the chance to wear.

Hardly any props were used in the

play. The chorus, dressed in colorful kimonos, was lined up in the back. The lead opera singers sang at the front of the stage into microphones suspended from the ceiling. The narrator, Lisabeth Dolwig, eX:plained what was being sung throughout the opera since it was performed in Japanese. "Even though I couldn't understand what was being said, the main idea and emotions of the story were revealed by the way it was performed, especially through the orchestra," said junior Monika Singh.

In Japan, this story is known as "The Romance of Townsend Harris and Okichi-san," although the truth about their relationship is not known. Many think that Harris and Okichi had an affair. "I think the relationship between Harris and Okichi is a beautiful love story," said Ms. Muchiniki.

Though the story seemed to be fictitious, the events depicted in it actually did take place in Shimoda.,.,During the 80th Anniversary of the Treaty of Kanagawa which Townsend Harris signed in Japan, there was one. day in this celebration, April 30th, that was observed as Okichi Day. On this day, young men and women paraded the streets of Shimada, carrying paper lanterns. Harris was impersonated in the procession. The entire drama ofOkichi and Tsurumatsu was performed by the geisha, a alass of professional women in Japan trained to entertain men. A visit was paid to the grounds of the Hofukuji, the temple where Okichi was buried, and an exhibition of relics was held in the temple known as Ryosenji.

J 7 Egyptian·teachers seek excellence in education ,

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by Adam Mingione many questions posed by the students. have sharp bells that make you jump.

You probably saw them in your class- The visitors said that Tow~send Harris · Your school plays soft music that is very room. A small . group of men sitting in is similar to schools in Egypt in some excellent," remarked Mr. Saad. the .back, possibly listening more in- ways, but that there are significant difA typical school day in Egypt begins tently to the lesson than you were. Y6u ferences. Classes in Egypt are typically at 7:30A.M. with students lining up in might have wondered, "Who are these larger by at guys?" least 10 stuThey were visitingEgyptian teach- dents and are ers involved in an exchange program ' ·conducted in between the United States and the Egyp- more of a lectian government. There were 147 of ture style than ~ them in all, visiting various New York the interactive ~ 0 high schools for the purpose of learn- sessions be~ ing about American teaching methods tween stu..: as weir as about American culture. dents and Ji>, Twelve English, Math, and Science teachers at ~ teachers watched classes at Harris twice Townsend. In ] 0. a week in October and November, fol- .· addition, stulowed by a second group of observe(s. dents- stay in A press conference was held on Octo- one classher 29 in English teacher lisa Cowen's room the en" English teacher Nashaat Ebeid shows the journalism class a painting. on _journalism class to satisfy students' cu- tire day and papyrus after he and his Egyptian colleagues participated in a press conference. · • · ·. riosity about these foreign visitors and the teachers their country. come to them Amir Boulos, Nashaat Ebeid, Atef for each class. the playground. After some religious Saad, all English teachers, and Enaam · The teachers said they enjoyed the songs and physical exercis.es, they atShehotoBotros, a mathematics teacher, music betwe.en bands here that signals tend their first class at 8:00. ·students at wer~ enthusiastic. when answering the a period's completion. "In Egypt, we the press conference laughed when the ~

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Egyptian teachers referred to cJasses as "bands," showing that they had picked up some Harrisite lingo. Some Harris students expressed shock to hear that an Egyptian student is only given 15 minutes for lunch! "That is all that they need," explained Mr. Ebeid.

Another difference between Townsend Harris and Egyptian schools is that students in Egypt are much more dependent on their teachers. "Students expect us to ·give them everything," said Mr. Saad. "They ar-e not ready to go to a library to do research. They rely on us ."

He added, "Students in Egypt receive ' very little homework."

One thing that Harrisites noti.ced was the absence of female teachers among those visiting in the first group, though women were included in the second · group. According to the Egyptian visitors, there is an equal ratio of male to female teachers in their schools, but Mr. Ebeid said, ''Women prefer to stay home and take care of children. They don't want to come to America li'ke us." However; they said that of the 147 teachers visiting, six are women.

'Ambassador re-enforces Japanese - Harris link

by Alan Fu , throughout the entire third floor. This ter which he will return to Tokyo for five expressed his fondness for the poetry of . Cementing a histm:ic connection be- particular song had inspired him to learn to six years. He first came to the U.S. Robert Burns and demonstrated this by tween Japan and Townsend Harris High the bagpipes when he had he·ard them in 1960 while taking part in an exchange reciting his own poetic tribute to Burns: School, Japanese ambassador Seiichiro played in Scotland. He h~s been play- program from Japan to Minnesota. which he called "Ode to a Golfball."

Otsuka paid his first visit to the school ing tfie instrument for two and a half There, he had, on one Christmas morn- Aside from Japanese and English, Mr. ··- . onThursday, November 13, accompa":"·· years~ ing, what he considered his "linguistic Otsuka is also fluent in Spanish, which nied by consul Yoshihiro Katayama.

The ambassador then joined Japanese breakthrough" with a dream in which enabled him to carry on a conversation Three weeks earlier, Mr. Otsuka had met teacher Hiroko Muchinicki 's third-year his grandmother spoke to him in En~ in the language with Assistant Principal class in · mak- glish.

Principal Joan Walsh during his visit.

Malcolm ing Haiku, Although the ambassador's visit has The ambassador also brought up the Largmann at the Japanese subject of his first double-date in passed, he will not be away' for long. !50th anniverthree-line po- America; which he considered a "night- Accepting an invitation from Ms. Walsh, sary celebration mare" because of the traditional prac- Mr. Otsukaagreed to attend this year's ~ ems of 17 sylof City College; ~ !abies, which tice of arranged marriages in Japan. Festival of Nations in May with the -~ g they wrote in Overall, however, he enjoyed his first Mariachi band he leads. where he . ar:;a Japanese cal- stay in America very much. "Those Aside. from the ambassador's visit, · ranged his visit . to Harris- the were the days of my own American yet another link was· formed between ~ ligraphy. As school named 50 translated into . Graffiti," Mr. Otsuka said, referring to Townsend Harris and Japan one week the 1973 film abdut the free~spirited fun later. English teacher Michiko Morita after the first ~ English by Ms. visited here from Harris's "sister" school U.S . ambass<r~ Muchinicki of the early sixties. dor to Japan Mr. Otsuka Mr. Otsuka also said that he is much in Japan, the ~himoda Kita Senior High wrote: "Ha'iku more at ease in the U.S. because he feels . School. Harris and Shimoda have been and the co· "liberated" when he speaks English; he connected ever since 1988, when their making, in founder of City place of learn- considers the Japanese language tb be sister-school relationsh ip was estabCollege.

Japanese A~bassador Seiichiro Otsuka plays ing, on an au- too formal and polite. Regarding the lished; teachers from both schools curHighlight"Amazing Grace" on his bagpipes in th.e library .

English language, the ambassador also rently keep in frequent contact. tumn day." ing the ambassador's Escorted visit were musical festivities in the li- by junior Jeffrey Polanco and senior brary, which was decorated with Japa- Selina Lee, Mr. Otsuka was taken on a nese-Townsend Harris memorabilia. tour of the school. One key stop ~as With first and third year Japanese stu- the Japanese display case on the fourth dents, Mr. Otsuka sang "It's A Small floor.

World" in Japanese. The ambassador The ambassador received an official HOWARD BEACH, NEW YORK then displayed his own musical .talent ' welcome in the principal's conference SUPER STRETCHES with the bagpipes, which he had brought · room, which had been filled with Japaalong with hini and is renowned for . nese posters, banners; and foods. J~f­ & EXOTIC CARS playing. While trying to fix a problem ·frey Polanco greeted Mr. Otsuka with a with his instrument's tuning, he enter- speech in Japanese, concert band .flute tained his large audience by discussing players performed "Sakura-CI:Ierry • Weddings • Airports • Night on Town the bagpipes, including an explanation Blossom" for him, and junior ~aea Ahn · • Proms · • Theatre • Atlantic City of its parts, a history of its invention, . presented him with a plaque. and poking fun at the loud sound it proParticipating in a question-and-anduces with a joke. swer period with students in Japanese or CALL TOLL FREE 1·800·924 ELEGANT • 1 ·800~924-3534 In the end, Mr. Otsuka was not able classes, the ambassador introduced himVIEW CARS EVERt' DAY 9 AM· 4 PM. to fix his bagpipes but played nonethe- self in greater depth-. Mr. Otsuka, 55OPEN SHOWCASE MONDAY EVENING. less. He belted out a rendition of years-old, lives in the U.S. as part of a ' 'SPECIAL APPOINTMENTS CAN BE MADE "Amazing Grace," which resounded , three-year diplomatic mission here, af;

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8 Entering the Westinghous-e:

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by Andrew Goldberg Institutional Review Board," said senior AmeriCorps, a natiortal service pro- - Culminating a year of tireless tr_ips Jennifer Silverman. Each student was gram. One article favored the Demoto the library and endless hours ofana- required to deliver an oral presentation cratic viewpoint, another favored the lyzing data, nine -seniors made before-this committee~ which was com- Republican, and the third took a neutral Townsend Harris his1ory on November · posed of Assistant Principal ofHumani- stance. Hope hypothesized that subjects 21 as members of the first social science ties Lynne Greenfield, Assistant Princi- "with a low knowledge of the subject independent research class to submit pal of Pupil-Personnel Services Sheila material will be impacted by directional entries to the Westinghouse Science Tal- Orner, and former Assistant Principal of editorializing in news reporting." "My ent Search Competition.-The annual na- - Science Susan Appel. project came from my involvement with tionwide competition for high school ' Concerned with the current violent The Classic. As an editor, I often wonstudents awards scholarships for out- - state of affairs in locations throughout dered if students were consciously standing research in various fields.

-- the world, senior Pratik Patel selected aware of news reporter bias and also if The class, created last September by the effect of violence on adolescent de- they subconsciously assumed the opin~ social studies teacher Anthony Scarnati, · velopment as his topic for the competi- ions of the reporter," sfie said. Hope's. began as ajunior elective with 34 stu- tion. "Teenage~;s exposed to violence conclusion disproved her hypothesis, dents and by this September was pared early in life will have a higher rate of - showing that bias in the news did not down to the nirie who would become Mr. maturity than those who have'not expe- affect the students' opinions in her study.

Scarnati's first "Westinghousers." The rienced such conditions," Pratik hypothJennifer believes that "people who nine social and behavioral science esized. Sending surveys to subject use names other than their given names projects will compete against those sub- groups in schools in Atlanta, Georgia, will develop a lower self-concept than mitted by students nationwide, as· will St. Louis, Missouri, Israel, and, north- those who use their original names." the 14 projects from Townsend Harris' ern Ireland, Pratik asked students to -She set out to explore the effect nickscience research class. what extent they themselves, their names have orr a person's sense of self.

To fulfill the requirements, entrants friends, or their family had been exposed "My name is one of the most common vying for a prestigious $40,000 college to violence. Then, assessing the level in the world, and it drives me crazy," scholarship must submit original re- of maturity by asking those surveyed for _Jennifer said. sear_c h discussed in reports of 5~20- information concerning their responsiDominika Bednarska compared the pages. From the 16,000 entrants, 300 be- bility and social skills, Pratik tried to reactions of different age gro1,1ps to peers come semi-finalists and 40 advance to find a correlation between these issues. with disabilities. Her interest lies in the the finals, winning at least $1,000 and a Hope Villella tried .to determine if effectiveness of mainstreaming physi- trip to Washington D.C.. ' editorializing (news reporter bias) in the cally handicapped students. ''I'm physi- Social science contestants had to re- news has any influence on high school cally handicapped and mainstreamed ceive permission to work with human students who read the newspaper. She and have always heard people argue subjects. "In order to do a project on ran her testing in four classes at three about whether kids ani more accepting people, the Westinghouse Talent Search New York City public high schools by when they're younger or older, and I demanded we receive approval from an . distributing three different articles about thought it would rriake a really interest-

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A Liberal Arts Education? Come On, Get Practical!

ing project to see what the comparison would be," she said. "I think a lot more work has to be done in this area. The studies I fou_nd didn't control for type of disability at all. They had retarded kids [mixed] in with those who were physically disabled and were looking at that as the same thing," she said. Although she concluded that socialization · increases as age increases, Dominika's sample of four people was not substantial enough to be considered statistically significant.

Sarah Sidar examined the relation~ ship between religion and liomophobia, while Joey Regen studied the motiva- . tiona! levels of children of Holocaust survivors. Michelle Wollman drew a cor·- relation betWeen time of day and student performance in yarious subjects.

- Vicki Realmuto conducted a study on cliques, and Lesley CKamnitzer investi- · gated birth order and its relationship to student achievement in academics, athletics and the arts.

Mr. Scarnati and Ms. Appel aided students in their research by advising them and critiquing their projects. It was Mr. Scarnati 's idea to have a Westinghouse social science program separate from the science research class.

Though meeting informally with stu~ dents throughout the term, Mr. Scarnati said, "I would like to see the class become more formal in the future, more like a social science s·eminar."

education you receive a~ a small You find your voice, deepen your liberal arts colk!ge, where a close - values and confidence, and community makes the participadevelop a faith in the identity you tion of each individual significant. craft, one connection, one interAt Hobart and William Smith action at -a time.

Colleges, for -example, a talented At Hobart and William Smith" faculty won't let you hide. And we believe the liberal arts are the they, not graduate students, will most practical choice you can _be your teachers, advisors, and make. Economists tell us the average American will have eight -mentors. Your-professor will know when you're fakdifferent jobs by the time ing it-and You'll · he or she is fortyknow she knows. including

A job is_j(Jst a job, but _a career is for a Iifeti;,me.

Liberal arts graduates, the executives said, have exactly the attributes tbey're looking for, as business grows more international, more competitive, and more , susceptible to technology-driven very year, more than a · change. A liberal arts background million high school stufosters a passion for learning, an dents head off to college agility of mind, confidence, looking-for a "practical" adaptability, a clear sense of ideneducation-an education that will tity, and the skills and judgment land-them a job, But four years to lead others. later many of t~em will have - There is nothing like the missed·the marie Training for a job is easy. Preparing for a career is the challenge. That's where the liberal arts come in.

If it's hard to see the "practicality" of an educational philosophy as old as Aristotle, you ~might want to consider some more recent opinions. In a nationwide study sponsored by AT & T*, the CEOs and human resources direc- tors of hundreds of America's leading corporations said they preferred to hire liberal arts ·. graduates over those from preprofessional programs. ·

E

p~ojects

arts college challenges you on every level. Maybe you don't want to get involved in school politics but you're the best person to head a task force. The college president reads your editorial in the school newspaper and asks you about it at the cafe.

dram~tic career changes. Aristotle (Tlight not recognize the world you're entering, but if you studied the liberal arts; he'd say you could handle it.

•Jt you'd like a copy of the full study, _

let us know. We'd be pleased to send itroyou.

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HOBART AND WILLIA.M SMITH COLLEGES

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The Visual Arts at Townsend Harris

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New York City reforms public school education through Arts program

by Natalka Palczynski Years of budget slashing in New York City public schools all but killed the arts in education, but now Project ARTS (Arts Restoration Throughout the Schools) is resurrecting art-enriched curriculums. Project ARTS is Chancellor Rudy Crew's initiative to include art in an interdisciplinary manner in the curriculums of all students, grades K12. This renaissance will stretch over a three-year period, incorporating additional schools each year until all have received benefits from the funding. The schools that received Project ARTS grants this year will provide students with art instruction in visual art, music, dance, and theater, conduct __ ....._ -

(See page 10.) Ms. Polansky has helped to bring the graphic arts studio in room 511 to life and is working with many different subject teachers to infuse the arts into all classrooms, be it math, science, or English. (See page 1 of the October issue of The Classic.) "I've started creating projects with individual teachers that integrate a skills-based art lesson with specific subject material," Ms. Polansky wrote in a memorandum sent to Harris teachers which encouraged them to utilize her services.

"These lessons can be

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staff and curriculum development, and purchase equipment, supplies, and cultural services necessary to further the arts.

The creation Project ARTS was greatly influenced by the enormous response of New York City public schools to the Annenberg Foundation Arts and Education Initiative, which offered grants of up to $75,000 to schools that submitted proposals demonstrating how they would incorporate the arts into their permanent curriculums. The New York City Partnerships for Arts and Education (NYCPAE) grants program, which administers the funding, reviewed over 400 proposals last year made by New York City schools that claimed they were arts starved. Townsend Harris submitted a proposal which received finalist status, but was not .chosen by the foundation to receive funding.

The foundation was designed in 1993

by Ambassador Walter Annen berg to reform education in schools nationwide by restructuring them through partnerships with arts and cultural organizations, colleges and universities.

The Annenberg Foundation reached New York City for the first time last year.

Townsend Harris and many other schools that submitted quality proposals to the Annen berg Foundation, but did not receive funding, were chosen as recipients of the Project ARTS grants. The Project ARTS grant pays the salary of an extra staff member, who is trained in the arts, for three years as well as provides cash for raw materials needed for stage productions, etc. Townsend Harris has already made use of a portion of the grant by hiring artist and Project ARTS coordinator Lois Polansky.

Held on October 23 at the Board of Education, 110 Livingston Street in Brooklyn. Chancellor Crew was joined by the executive director for Management Information Services Elspeth Taylor, special assistant for the arts and coordinator of the Project ARTS effort Sharon Dunn, and supervising superintendent for grades K-12 Larry Edwards.

Selection Schools applied to their Superintendents for the Project ARTS grants. Superintendents received allocations from 1 the Board of Education based upon the October 1996 audited register.

The Superintendents then selected one third of the schools in their districts as grant recipients.

Grant amounts varied per school and according to Chancellor were proportional to the size of the school's student

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students "neediAg" the arts in order to mold them into well-rounded students.

According to Chancellor Crew, "young people have a narrow exposure to the Arts." He feels that the New York City curriculum is not "eclectic enough" and that it should show a "greater range of values and tragedies in human life."

Before coming to Townsend Harris, Ms. Polansky worked in a Queens junior high school where she taught art to heterogeneous classes which contained many students who were recent immigrants. "They were so needy," she said. "they often fought over supplies and things. But, you know what? They didn't fight when they were listening to music or when their hands were busy doing art projects." Ms. Polansky says that it is the arts that "bring people together" in this way. "Often times, [the students] exchanged the traditional ideas they brought with them from their native countries for pop culture," she said. "For example, kids from Russia were wearing Puerto Rican flag jewelry around their necks!"

"There are about 200 high schools in the city but less than a dozen have viable arts programs," Bob Herbert wrote in the June 7, 1996 edition of the New York Times. He claims that New York City students are underdeveloped due to the lack of an adequate arts education. "Ever since the fiscal crisis of the mid70's, the official attitude of the school system has been that art is expendable, a luxury to be sacrificed at the first snorting of the budget gods rather than an important component of each student's educational experience."

Ms. Polansky agreed that this is a tragedy. "New York City is the capital of culture and it's sad to see that our kids aren't getting any," she said.

"Fewer and fewer New York City students are entering our professional art schools and they are the finest in the country!" Apparently, school officials are beginning .to notice missed opportunities for students to explore their talents and profit from the many arts-related occupations, such as advertising, stage design, television and video production, costuming, graphic imagineering, and architecture.

Arts improve education According to Barbara Kantrowitz of Newsweek, students excel when they come from a background rich in the arts.

"Research ... shows kids learn best when they are exposed to a wide range of disciplines: that means art and music Continued on page- 12

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~0(7 Project ARTS coordinator Lois Polansky worked with English teacher Victoria Adler's English 3 classes on the interpretation of their dreams after studying "Kubla Khan." Called "Dreamscapes," these works are abstractions of the students' dreams in black and white positive and negative collages. "Burning Thoughts" (top) is by Alejandro Fernandez. "Untitled" (above) is by Nicole Conroy. shaped in any number of ways; we plan the objectives together and evaluate the project jointly." This goal, to "infuse the arts" (as Ms. Polansky would say) into the curriculum, is the same objective held by Schools Chancellor Rudy Crew.

Project ARTS was the subject of Chancellor Crew's first student press conference for the '97- '98 school year.

"The Board of Education will continue to redistribute resources to insure that the schools that haven't yet received grants will get compensation," said Ms. ' Taylor.

Importance of arts curriculum "Give them what they need and they will provide a nation for you," said Chancellor Crew about New York City

The Classic

10 Renaissance man, Morales, exhibits wide range of talent December 1997

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Works of AI Creations by Harris Art

Lois Polansky's "Caidoz" (right) was inspin and 11 year- old daughter are his primary responsibility. As

by Stefan Muehlbauer cination with the zodiac. The title of the work is, He is a Renaissance man: artist, sculptor, jewelry-designer, an educator, he wants to dedicate the time to assist them with dence, "zodiac" spelled backwards. Painted on ca1 interior architect, an.d teacher. His name is Anthony Morales. their educations and offer them guidance. over carved wood, the work revolves around the nu For the present, Mr. Morales finds his art teaching at In the school community he is known as a Townsend Harris representative of the twelve signs of the zodiac, < art teacher, a serious man who articulates his speech with the Townsend Harris to be the most interesting and challenging twelve months. Images from each sign of the zoe scribed into the central part of the painting, a whee precision of a finelysubdivided into twelve sections. For a year, Ms. chiseled sculpture. lected a photograph or picture from the news th; Mr. Morales views the eye, arranging them underneath that particular z< world with clarity, and to reflect the year's occurrences. This layering effc he teaches his stupossible by the use of a transparent tapestry, whi dents to express themthe painting its almost three-dimensional appeara1 selves clearly in both their artistic renditions and their speech.

Anthony Morales "'0 ] attended Brooklyn ::E Technical High ~ School, from which ~-< he was graduated in ._ 0 1965. The curriculum "' then included En~::l 0 glish, history, science, u and math. In addition, ~ ..c: Q. he studied engineering, and he learned about the strength of materials and their rupture points. At the time, Mr. Morales inUsing a two-dimensional sheet of stainless ste{ tended to become an rales created "Elephant" (right) in 1978, a piec architect. He was esowned by a private collector. Mr. Morales began w ture without any vision in mind, as he does for m pecially interested in a Anthony Morales exhibits his "Reclining Formi' one of a series of sculptures he molded from two-dimensional metallic Instead, he chose to experiment with the texture : project where he and sheets using hammers and a lead anvil. metal by utilizing hammers and a grinding stone .. other students actually tinued, he felt certain contours within the sculpture framed and built a of the "boldness, strength and softness" of an eleph house on the high school grounds. Other students in aero- of professions. He states that "it is one in which I constantly "gentle animals," Mr. Morales pointed out the cur nautics classes helped assemble airplanes. Mr. Morales de- gain knowledge, both from my own research, and from the the metal created, curves which are representatio1 scribed these times as "very rich and rewarding educational students." Mr. Morales emphasizes teaching students how to elephant's anatomy: its ear, trunk, etc. develop unique imagery."This is the real challenge," he says. experiences."

Mr. Morales continued his education at the Pratt Institute, where he studied both art and interior architecture. He enjoyed his studies with Roy Gussow, a professor of sculpture, with whom he later worked as an assistant. Mr. Morales related an unusual expeby Christina Lesica hiding from their teachet, Ms. Craw,ford of the water. They could see tha rience he had while assisting with the construction of Bewar,~ of flames when passing by "was excited" because the blue particles large p,articles sank, while the smalE a large outdoor sculpture. "The sculpture was 10 feet tbe art studio. , Ro,pm 543. , because of chalk revealed the subtle moveniellts floated; and QbseTVe -the way the tall by 14 feet square, and was composed of stainless "sparks can flY when you are thinksteel sheets that formed hollow prisms," he said. "One ing ~ith ooth sides of the head." The of the steel sheets became dented, and I had to crawl warning comes from artist and inside the hollow block of steel to hammer the metal teacher Eli~beth Crawford, whose and remove the dent." class "Science Phenomena Through Among his professional activities has been improvArt" combines logic and imagination. ing the writing of legislation to protect artists' rights.

This new course, ''designed from The use of an Artists' Rights Bill came to light when scratch" by Ms. Crawford, encourages he had his work exhibited in a gallery and was unstudents to mix up ttre often separate able to get a sales agreement from the gallery owner categories of art and science to learn that would allow him to collect royalties if his work more about each.

This increases the was resold by a first or subsequent buyer. "I felt that "flexibility of the mind in. thinking as an artist I should be recognized and not exploited. analytically and imaginatively at the If the work was resold, I should be compensated," he same time," Ms. Crawford said. explained. To date, this legislation has not been Not all the learning that takes place passed. in the class is planned. "One of the In 1969, Mr. Morales was graduated from the Pratt best experiments," Ms. Crawford re~ Institute with a Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts. He called, was created by a spontaneous later obtained a Master's degree in sculpture. During ex:perhnent. At the end Qf their wcrter the Vietnam War, teaching became a favorable opmoveme_nt unit, she noticed students t1on, allowing Mr. Morales to avoid the draft. Later, gathered around the streap~ flow table he was admitted to Columbia University, where he "looking very nervous, like people do took education courses and completed most of the whefi they have been caught." Somerequirements for a Doctoral degree in college teachone had put blue ehalk dust into the ing. He has been an art teacher for the past 28 years. ri¥er, and the sand and water turned Mr. Morales hopes to retire from teaching and beChristina RiCkheenun, l'1,tnelal Willi~. and KiliSsiss O~eswere look on with art and bhle. Despite the initial fear of the stucome a practicing architect when his children are a Elizabeth. £raWford during ·the ,Sci~n<;e .P~nomena Tly:oogb An el~cti¥e. dents, who admitted' they had been bit older. Right now he feels that his 13-year -old son

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Polansky inspires creativity; integrates academics with art

by Beth Citron Arts. At Queens College, she participated in an independent When Lois Polansky found out the Project Arts grant art study with John Ferren, a pioneer in the Abstract Expresthat would bring her to Townsend Harris this fall actually sionist movement. She regards him as her mentor. Ms. 1lve, came through, she "literally jumped up and down," she Polansky also considers John Lidstone, Professor of Art Eduthe said. "It was God and a stroke of luck," she added. This cation, another influential figure in her artistic career. She : inyear, she has already worked with the seniors in the graphic said, "He had the vision to see it [art] as we see it now. He was arts studio to help them complete their roles in the mock believed that everything can be taught through art, before SCelection and with several social studies, English, and math this was a prevalent idea." her classes. Her job is to enhance the required arts program Ms. Polansky also studied at the School of Visual Arts, at ~bol with an interdisciplinary approach to integrate the arts into the Ruth Leaf Studio, and at Bennington College in Vermont, 1ade other subjects.

She hopes to be able to reach every student where she took a week-long course in papermaking. "When ~ave with the arts.

I came home, I just made sheets of paper and I said, 'How An untitled work by Elizabeth Crawford (left) "I really believe that you can transform how people will this be art?"' Ms. Polansky found her answer soon reflects upon her studies in water movement with think. You can take any intelligent population and make enough when she turned her handmade paper into books Harris students. By using petroleum jelly to create visual images, then brushing over them with charcoal, them look at the world the drawing was created. It depicts a typical example through an artistic prism," physicists use to examine water movement, that of an she said. "Art conveys obstacle interfering with stream flow. However, inknowledge and meaning stead of the nameless objects used in physics exthat's not conveyed in amples, Ms. Crawford personalized the drawing by ..-.... . other subjects." She thinks making the water flow around two dogs. The creation, that this knowledge is crulike much of Ms. Crawford's work, is what she calls cial in a technologically an "open-ended artistic response to specific scientific advanced society because information," a demonstration of her mission to combine science and art .curricula. art allows people to "think ~"' Q. "' creatively and perceive the ..c c. world in more than one , <U -~ way." _ » ..c Ms. Polansky's artistic ]c. talent was recognized at an but when she early age, Jny Mois now was a child, "parents didn't le sculpview creativity the way we ts wor.k. do now." Although her parre of the ents allowed her to take art ork conclasses, they did not think ggestive that she should pursue art Collages created in English classes studying Coleridge's "Kubla Khan" are displayed to students gthem as a career.

by Lois Polansky. The works represent surrealistic interpretations of students' dreams. molding However, after high rts of an which resembled old photo albums. Because she did school, she traveled daily to Queens College to earn a not yet know how to color paper, she "poured coffee Bachelor's and Master's degree in Arts Education and Fine and shoe polish Ms. Polansky considers herself a "research artist because I learn about other subjects and then make art based on my discoveries." Her interest in kimonos and Japanese art led her to make full sized kimonos out of paper, decorating and cies of charcoal drawin~s studying the the relationship:between the imagination moved an::mnd obstacles.. painting each one. Later, she discovered that hisand learning. (See The Classic, 6/91.. ) Course topics include stream flow movement ef'dogs in water. torically, the Japanese kimonos were made out of dynamics and embryolugy. The unit A nati-ve·0f Minneapolis, Minnesota, Now in Its third year, the workshop is the same fiber as paper. with water had a dauble focus: re- .Ms, CrawfordJmo:v:ed to New York City led by Richard Lewis, a well-known "My work was discovered by Alexander Milliken cording analytically anQ. respond- Yfor the arts and.excitement.'' After liv- educator whose specialty is creativity, [a contemporary artist]," she said. Her books and ing to ooservations .<:,rea,tively with ing for a few ye'afs in Colorado Springs and sponsoied by Queens College Iiaiother works were exhibited in his gallery, and in artwork. The other un-it now in where she went to Colorado Ct~Uege, son Marvin Leiner, Working with Susan many other individual and group exhibitions progress deals mostly with ctay and returning home for a little, she real- Appel, former Assis~nt Principal of Scithroughout the country. She was a finalist in the models, photogr;aphs of these mod- ized she was more likely to da things ence_, and Odile Oarc.ia, science teacher, United States I Japan Fellowship and was also the els, and drawings of embryonic de- she wanted in New Yorl< City •than her and their biology dasses, Ms. Crawfoid recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Felvelopme.nt which, as Ms. crawford hometown. "New York City offers so ''mingled'' art into science, creating ·arlowship Grant for the Visual Arts in the 1980's. "'0 put it, "[you] aan't study directly." much - even just walking down the tistic: labs. 'The transition to Harrisite "There was a Jot of money for arts then [in the 80's], teacher "happened naturally,'' Ms. cf! ''The students are so capable," streets.'' she said. and there were fabulous arts programs," she said.

Growing qp in a ''very art-based fam- Crawford said, when Ms. Appel sugw '8. Ms. Crawford said, "and have very "Then the world caught on that the artists w~re hav~ curious minds, open to ideas," an ily," Ms. Crawford enjoyed art as a child g~sied that Ms. Crawford's work be exing too much fun." ;. openness which is needed for the since it was "around the house,'' but was panded into a full course, and sne. was To supplement her career as a studio artist, Ms . .c ' s class. She eKpres~ed surprise that determined not to become an artist when hired to teach the art and science elass Polansky was an adjunct professor at SUNY Colthe students can simultaneously be she was older. Maybe it was a form of through the Queens College Preparatory lege at Old Westbury and at Adelphi University, so analytical and crea_tive. She rebellion, she admits. As an undergradu- Program. where she taught a wide variety of subjectS, includMs. Crawford wiH finish her graduno.t ed that mo.st high schools ate in college; she was·"miser:hl>le'' since ing printmaking, drawing, graphic design, color couldn't offer a program such as· she forbade herself from taking any art ate de_gree in fine arts fr0m the Pratt Intheory, and desktop publishing. Teaching has helped hers, which brings together rpany classes, Halfway through, sne changed stitute at the end of this year. She symher to understand her own work better. She says disciplines. .h er mind and never looked back. She pathize.s with students studying for fithat "artists are traditionally very receptive to new As an artist, Ms. Crawford stud- says that "things mJlke the mest sense" nals,, which coincide with her pwn. materials and ideas" and that her art skills gave her ies science for inspiration. She when she is invol•ved in art. "There was Though she teaches at: other institutions, "the ability to understand technology." draws, takes photog-raphs, and a p'art of me I couldn't deny," sl'l.e said. her "work at Townsend Harris is closest Although Ms. Polansky has had to overcome dissculpts, basing most of her artwork Ms. Crawford first came to to heart," she said:. After leaching art for approval from many people throughout her career, on science or animals, especially Townsend Hatris last year as an artist 10 years, this is the first time Ms. she "wouldn't have changed anything, even though dogs. One creation of hers that she consultant in tile "Dreamworks Work- Crawford has foc.used on science in art.

I always felt [art] wasn't important enough in socishared with. her classes was a se- shop," a faculty seminar which explares ' 'It's new territory," she said. ety today." id

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1997P~~lf:?;!§.$GJJ!J:(j 12 s·purgeon helps launch broadcasting stuld io December

by Jeannemarie Hendershot

You've heard this type of fairy tale narrative before, the one in which a teenager in a small farming community gets his big break: "I used to do announcements in church. One day, the man who was in charge of the radio station came to church and heard me. Then he asked me to come down to the radio station and audition." This seems like something you might read about in a celebrity interview in an entertainment magazine, but this real-life Cinderella story belongs to Harris' very own Jeff Spurgeon.

As an artist, Mr. Spurgeon has the ability to Jet those who cannot experience visual art see through his broadcasts by painting a picture in their minds. In what he described as the weirdest broadcast he ever did, Mr. Spurgeon broadcasted a play by play at the circus for a station on Long Island. For those who were unable to see the events, he created an audio picture.

Mr. Spurgeon, who currently works as both a freelance news broadcaster and writer on WQXR FM and WQEW AM, began his radio career when he was 17 years old after being discovered in church . Since his start at the local radio station in his small hometown in Nebraska, he has worked for a station in Omaha, WGBB in Freeport, Long Island, and WMSR, what used to be known as Mix 105 and is now FM 105.1.

Jewel, Michael MacDonald of the

Doobie Brothers, Linda Ronstadt, Harry Connick Jr., and Martha Stewart are just a few of the stars Mr. Spurgeon interviewed while working for Mix 105.

He recalled the time when he met one of his childhood heroes, Shari Lewis.

"At first there were six of us in the studio, but then she reached into this plastic bag and put Lambchop on and suddenly there were seven of us. People were sitting in the studio and talking to her arm," he said.

Radio broadcasting had never been of interest to ¥r. Spurgeon before he was "discovered," but, once exposed to it, he took to the career rather quickly.

"I liked it and I was pretty good at it," he said. Although he never completed his college education, his career did not suffer. "You don't have to do a communications curriculum to Jearn broadcasting," he said. However, he advises students who plan to enter this field to "get started in college." "I think that at college, you should try and Jearn as much as you can at the college radio station. Learning to write is really good too," said Mr. Spurgeon.

Music plays a big part in Mr. Spurgeon's life. Besides working at radio stations, he has sung in choirs for most of his life, has been tickling the ivories since he was seven years old, and is presently a member in an a Capella quartet. "We do corporate parties and we just recently had a gig at

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Starbucks," said Mr. Spurgeon. Having lation. "One of the things that made the made the switch from Mix 105, which simulation tough was that we had to played adult contemporary music, to Jearn the idiosyncrasies of the system," WQXR and WQEW, which play classi- he said. cal and big band music, he said he prePresently, his p.osition at Harris is unfers the music played by WQXR and certain. "Whether or not I stay depends WQEW. "If thrown on a desert island," on the way the Newsday grant is he said, "I would chose Bach over worked out," said Mr. Spurgeon.

Michael Bolton in a heartbeat." He said Through the Taft Institute at Queens that he might have liked the other type College, $25,000, in the form of the of music better had he not listened to it Newsday grant, was allocated for the five hours a day for twenty years. simulation and all of the expenses inThe 1997 Mayoral Simulation has volved with it (e.g. extra staff, materibeen Mr. Spurgeon's major project at als, etc.).

In the meantime, Mr. Spurgeon will Harris. He learned of the position .when his wife, English teacher Judy Biener, be assisting seniors in producing a informed him about all of the unused documentary on the simulation. If a equipment in room 511 which she simulation takes place next year, Mr. thought he could put to use. Originally, Spurgeon said he would "jump at the he was only going to help the students chance" to do it again. in the media classes who were produc"I was very impressed [with the seing radio shows like 1010 WINS and "On niors]," Mr. Spurgeon said. "The stuthe Line with Gina," but when television dents were polite, cooperative, and nocoordinator, Christopher Clements, left body blew their cool." Mr. Spurgeon in early October, Mr. Spurgeon took added that the teachers also created a charge of both the television and radio · great atmosphere. studios. "Radio is what I know. I don't "It's really fun because I never saw know television," he said. Although some Ms. Biener in the classroom before," he staff members received some instruction said. After sitting in on one of his wife's in using the filming and editing equip- classes, he said, "I have even more rement, most of what Mr. Spurgeon knows spect for her now than I did before I he learned hands-on through the simu- knew what she did every day."

Project Arts reforms education (

Continued from page 9 as well as reading and science," she wrote in the April 14, 1997 issue.

"There's even some evidence that learning music can stimulate development of critical areas of the brain ... In music classes kids Jearn math by studying rhythm and can improve interpersonal skills through participation in a band or orchestra."

Program extensions Project ARTS funds are also to be used to advance, update, and even replace technology systems within some schools. At the conference, Mr. Edwards talked about additional programs created with Project ARTS . One such program is Virtual Enterprise which has expanded to 18 high schools city wide and connects these schools in an international interchange with students in Vienna, Austria through the Internet. Mr. Edwards estimates that it will take at least five years before the program reaches most of the New York City public high schools.

Funding for the program Tying schools to the Internet is estimated to cost $2.1 billion according to James Barron, who published an article about the cost in the July 10, 1997 issue of the New York Times . That figure includes payment for people's salaries, hardware I software, and the rewiring of old buildings. Chancellor Crew expects to pay that bill using the $150 milli:on the mayor promised in January and by tapping into private sector and federal funds. Ms. Taylor says "the board will apply for $100,000 a year in Federal money under the telecommunications

law that President Clinton signed last year," Barron wrote. When confronted about the tremendous cost of the proposal, but Jack of funds, Chancellor Crew responded that he had no doubt that the costs would be met, but that it would be defrayed gradually over the course of several years. "Even if I had all the money right now in front of me, I couldn't possibly use it all right now," he said at the student press conference.

Perhaps, Chancellor Crew isn't a hopeless idealist to expect the private sector to make up at least half of the costs. Recently, IBM awarded "$1 0 million in grants to a dozen school districts and state education departments, including those of New York City and New York State, to develop new ways to use technology in the classroom," reported an article in the October 23, 1997 issue of the New York Times.

IBM's chief executive, Louis Gerstner, said that other corporations "including Eastman, Kodak, Bell South, Proctor & Gamble, and Boeing ... have sought to lend their research capabilities to the task of reinventing public education," the article says.

Works Cited Barron, James. "Tying Schools to Internet Could Cost $2.1 Billion." New York Times 10 July, 1997: Metro.

Herbert, Bob. "Trashing Art Careers." New York Times 7 June 1996.

Kantrowitz, Barbara. "Read in', Writin', Rhythm." Newsweek 14April 1997.

Steinberg, Jacques. "IBM Gives More to Put Technology in Schools."

New York Times 23 Oct. 1997.

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The Classic

13

December 1997 ·

·MAYORAL SIMULATION CONCLUD-ES

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Saturday Night Live crew members Nicole. Stripjloli and Geraldine Vinci film a skit in the recording studio in room 511 . ·

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Ruth Messinger, played by Ashika Jain, kisses a baby handed to her by senior Annie Quinones

by Jeannemarie Hendershot the effect it had on the staff, students, The campaign posters are down, . and the senior class in particular." A -spangled streamers no longer grace the group of seniors was formed in early Deauditorium, the Townsend Harris edition cember and will be producing the piece, of Newsday is out of print, and the can- with the help of bwadcast stu'dies in- ~ didates .have stepped out of their roles. structor Jeff Spurgeon and Mr. Scarnati, - Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, Comptroller to be presented on January 29 at the InAlan· Hevesi and Public Advocate Mark .· augural Ball. The event will be a movie Green were all re-elected on Monday, screening/ din11er dance for the seniors November 3, concluding the New York to reward their work on the simulation.

City mayoral campaign simulation.

A commemorative issue of the mock But thanks to the $25,000 grant pro- Newsday will also be distributed . vided for the simulation by Newsday, Although most senior participants this year's simulation will be preserved were enthusiastic about the simulation, in the form of a documentary. Accord-' some underclassmen expressed negati.ve ing to social studies teacher Anthony views. An anonymous group who Scarnati, the documentary"is supp0sed called themselves the Coalition Against Rudy Giuliani, played by Matt Gottlieb, seizes a pl)oto opportunity with Scott Kent of the to show all of the different facets of the Mock Elections (CAME) used posters, United Parents' Association after a tally of the interest groups. simulation from beginning tG end and a web page and e-mail to convey their view that the simulation was unrealistic and a waste concept."People expected us to filter of time, and urge students not to vote. Despite this, out all of the flaws and have a school~ voter turnout in the school was 78%, almost double wide, unrealistic campaign . Democracy is far from perfect and so was · the actual turnout in New York City.

"The [real] candidates weren't able to galva- what transpired here; I think what hap~ · nize support and get the electorate excited, and that pened here was real," he said.

According to Mr. Moskowitz, the ~ was mirrored here," said Mr. Scarnati. However, N social studies teacher Myron Moskowitz felt that simulation was considered a "positive ' t: even if the outside campaigning is dull, the students · overall learning experience, particu~ larly for the seniors," "Some students £ are responsible for sparking up the simulation. ~ · Some students claimed that the ~ock. media-did told me that they really had no idea about the election process before this o. not do a good job of informing them, especially the "soft" media (Saturday Night Live, MTV News, - and that they really learned a lot." Mr. etc. See Letters to the Editor, page 3.) In response, Scarnati said,... This is probably the senior Nicole Strippoli, a member of the SNL cast, most valuable program in teaching said 'The soft media wasn't supposed to inform: students a whole range of things about We poked fun at the candidates and the issues; the how a democracy works. I think we'll hard !lledia is supposed to inform, and if they don't, see more of this throughout the city."

Next year's classes w)ll conduct a it is the people's responsibility to go out and get Public Advocate Mark Green, played by Brian Howell, greets his opponent, Jules Polonetsky, played by Steven Trilivas at a rally._ the information themselves." Mr. Scarnati said that simulation of the senatorial and gubermany students didn't fully understand this natorial races. ~

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Senior Dimitri Christoforou rallies support for his candidate.

Queens representatives Laura Kong, Marina Lyaunzon, and Courtney Weiser sing "Rent Control is Good for You'' at the special interests rally.

14

The Classic December 1997

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-Fashion police

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by Natalka Palczynski · Fashion offenders found themselves faced with fines for theirfaux-pas when Fashion Sergeant Jeannemarie Hendershot and fellow officers Erika Zwetkow, Kristin Candari, Natalka Palczynski, Kimberly Parrett, a~d Kate Rube patroled Harris' halls on Halloween, October 31 .

Court summonses were issued for a variety of offenses including clashing colors, mixing plaids with stripes, out of season or outdated outfits, wearing inapproriately sized clothing, or not being dressed for the spirit day at alL The - police made their grand arrest of Principal Malcolm Largmann at I :30 P:M. that afternoon, reading him the following rights :"You have the right to remain dressed.

Anything you buy or wear can and will be used against you in a court of fash ion law. You have the right to a fashion consultant and a ·credit card. You have the right to shop at Saks Fiflh Avenue or at any other acceptable store ofretail. A . designated trend setter will be appointed to those who cannot afford one." Assistant Principal of Organization Malcolm Rossma·n announced the arrest on the loudspeaker, saying that the Principal was brought to the "county jail" (darkroom) in the graphic arts studio, room 511. The inside of the "jail" was 'adorned with hanging fashion apparel and makeup counters. Some offenders underwent mandatory makeover sessions. Dr. Largmann was one of these. He was·given a. blonde wig and a gold lame blazer. (See center photoabove.)

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Fashion police officer Natalka Palczynski fills out a suJmr10ns for Norma Tineo for· failure to dress in Halloween costume while officers Jeannemarie Hendershot, -Kimberly Pa~rrett, Kristin Candan: and ~ate Rube stand by, surveying the hall for other mahifactors.

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NYU conference draws aspiring journalists Urging the inspired student journalby Andrew Goldberg David Herszenhorn told his audience to In a crowded lounge packed with view high school as a lab for real-life ist to "begin to see his work on the high ambitious high school journalists and reporting. Having covered the story of school paper as his first job," Mr. their advisors, reporters sipped orange Townsend Harris' new building as both Herszenhorn offered this advice to the aspiring reporter: "Beware of juice or coffee and perused each rules; the best writing smashes other's newspapers over pastall of them with one sweep of ries. Among them, juniors Alan the hand."

Fu and Annette Orzechowski, NYU professor Michael sophomores Andrew Goldberg Ludlum, a former head writer and Catherine Santos, and Clason Good Morning America sic advisor lisa Cowen awaited ~ and executive producer at CBS a day of workshops at the New ~ and ABC, discussed the operaYork City's Scholastic Press ~ tions of broadcast journalism Association's annual fall jour~ in a workshop called "TV nalism conference held at New § News." "I believe anyone who York University (NYU) on No8 wants to be a citizen should vember 21. follow the news," he said.

From the ethics of reporting New York Times journalist the news to the future of jourLisa Napoli, who writes for the nalism in the digital age, a "Cybertimes" on the world bounty of workshops allowed wide web, conducted a workstudents to investigate the civic shop on journalism in the digiresponsibilities of disseminattal age.

Noting that newspaing the news, while obtaining pers have to compete with the advice and encouragement from unmatched speed of 24-hour college professors and profesComparing notes on a workshop, sophomores Andrew Goldberg television news sources, she sional reporters . NYU Profes- and Catherine Santos discuss which session to attend after lunch. discussed how "The Times has sor Newclarke, greeting an autried to reorient itself by buildditorium filled with "ambitious ing a website and introducing perfect faces," urged the myriad of reporters a student and working professional, Mr. color to its traditionally black and white representing public schools throughout Herszenhorn emphasized that student the city, to "take advantage of this day reporters need not look far to find the pages." "Eventually down the road, the of opportunity." best stories. "Everybody has noses too newspaper may not exist. It's still hard At a workshop entitled "Been there close to the window pane," he said. to imagine a world in which computers Done That," New York Times reporter "There are really great stories out in and television converge to destroy the morning paper," she said. and former Classic Editor-in-chief front of you."

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Does Multiculturalism Make Sense?

Frankly, we're fed up with the PC wars. Nothing is more offensive to the people of Hobart and William Smith Colleges than the notion that·nonDWEM* cultures are not worthy of serious study.

And we'll be blunt here-we think that to reject the study of anything other than the West is racist, sexist, foolish, or all of the above. ulticulturalism's detractors seem to fear that exposing people to different value systems is really a form of brainwashing. That's like saying by studying Soviet politics, you'll become a Communist. How condescending! We take the position that most people are capable of forming their own opinions intelligently and critically.

Framing the issue as Western Civilization versus Multiculturalism is reductionist and simplistic.

The underlying issues are much more complex and interesting. It's not a matter of either/or; it's really about doing both!

As a leader in core courses in Western Civilization as well as

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! December1997

Fencing lunges to victory Continued from page 20 team to do their part when put in a position to win."

Another ingredient in the team's recipe for success was the players'neverwavering enthusiasm. When faced with a 3-1 deficit in the second round playoff match against the defending PSAL champion Bronx Science, the team came back to win 7-5, losing only one bout in 7. That match established them as a real contender for the city title and showed that they could overcome adversity.

This year, the team had several fencers who were consistent and able to perform well in clutch situations. Kevin Woo, the team's captain, was the emo- · tionalleader of the team. He motivated the team when they were down and consoled his teammates when they lost.

Senior Jon Vafiadis pulled out crucial wins for the team when they were needed; his performance was instrumental in the team's success.

Next year looks to hold a promising season for the fencers, as well. Though only four of the current team members will be returning, there are seven new fencers from the Varsity B team this year who will have a year of experience to add to next year's squad. A repeat performance next year is certainly not out of the question. But for now, the team will revel in this year's successes, a division and city championship that more than fulfilled the fencing team's dreams.

300). Buddhism (Religious Studies is as important to understand as Christianity (Keligious Studies 220). And surely the architecture of Mesoamerican cities (Anthropology 326) is at least as interesting as the architecture of New York City (Art 289).

It's a shame that there's even any controversy about studying a masterpiece such as Invisible Man (English 211}

291), Othello

gender and multicultural studies (HWS offered such programs as Asian Studies and Russian Area Studies long before it was politically correct, and we've been talking (English 226}, dassiabout gender issues for almost a cal Indian music (Music century), we think that there is 115), masculinity in America enormous value in exploring all (First-Year Seminar 196) or femininkinds of societies, histories, and ity in Japan (First-Year Seminar cultures. We believe that the history 121). Learn about a different culture of African colonial politics (History and your own comes into sharper 284) is as compelling as the story of focus-anthropologists have known the American Revolution (History this for centuries. In the process of

learning about others we learn many things about ourselves.

This type of learning can take many forms. At HWS we send a full third of our students off each year to study in places such as Vietnam, Israel, the Dominican Republic, Switzerland, the Grand Canyon, and Australia to experience firsthand a different perspective, a different physical environment, a different pattern of life.

College education should not be about limiting what achievements, cultures, and histories students can learn.

The great banquet that college is ought to include the full menu of huiT)an achievement.

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The Classic December 1997 路

Bringing British flavor:

Broadway's 'Pimpernel' sizzles

Bean comes to big screen

by Lauren Paley Imported from England, Mr. Bean has left the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in search of something bigger: America. He takes a unique journey to Los Angeles in his new movie, Bean. The title itself seems Americanthe footsteos of

better known as "Arrangement in Gray and Black." Much to the gallery's dismay, they get Bean, referred to as "Dr. Bean." After innumerable incidents

isn't for

is working lery in but sleepy, securi by -the chairman of the 'fh'tiseum but despised by the rest of the staff. The museum board sees an opportunity to get rid of the dozing nuisance when a gallery in Los Angeles requests the aid of a renowned scholar of the arts to speak at the unveiling of "Whistler's Mother,"

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~~:;:s~~~]i~~~~ a little message from the man himself.

For all you die-hard "Bean" fans out there, check out Mr. Bean's official homepage on the net at http:!/ www.bean.co.uk. Information about the movie, the merchandise and the man can be found there.

'Ordinary' soundtrack sai ls, then flails five awards at the '97 Music Television

by Noreen Bukhari For anyone who has ever been in (MTV) Awards . In his musical career, love, the soundtrack to A Life Less Or- Beck has received awards for the best dinary will bring back fond memories alternative performance and the best of that special someone and help others male rock performance. His upbeat mixladies and lyrics makes listo understand the extraordinary bo- n_11~~e~ heads. love. The soundtrack, ') ~~pf~ e~~ the hearts of m"nv-f,'M

death suspense. The self-proclaimed, unmanly members of the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel depart for France amid flashes of lightning and thunderous tumult, 11 mel? against thousands, to quell the horrors of this era of execuOf course, this wouldn't be a ~~\~.~'}dway musical without a tortured roThe love story in this show is nly tortured enough to strangle the i'fl?;.lt:mm the sloU!.Jike the claws of a ..... prey. Howbecause the iantl>m-tatls work to\Qthant the aumaking even t~ost monotopernel, armed us scenes come alive. The heroine, contagious enthusiasm, c~(t~(ll'V Marguerite, played perfectly by Chrisaudience with superb songs tine Andreas, a Broadway veteran and sharp as the blade of the guillotine.

Tony nominee for Oklahoma and On A caped crusader for the innocent Toes, shares a tender moment in and downtrodden, the Pim..,P.ern""l Love" with her distant husband, old-fashioned J~~""1 stocrat disgui<lPn'Q~ resolving to France and ~bat the excesses of Robespierre and his mthless radicals, the witty Pimpernel adopts two identities: one as an effeminate man obsessed with his clothes and manners named "Percy," the other as the illustrious and implacable Scarlet Pimpernel.

As the Pimpernel's band of merry men gradually catch the fever to return to France, the Scarlet Pimpernel surprises with its unexpected juxtaposition of comedy and enthralling life-and-

design and orsword fights, humorous witt icisms and dramatic irony, the Scarlet Pimpernel prevails, putting the audience up close to Madame Guillotine- until someone, someone can save them!

Midnight in Garden spins Southern tale

by Alexa Steinberg Murder, mystery, drag queens, and the "Old South" aura of Savannah, Georgia are enough to hook anyone .

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil; a bestselling non_-fiction book by Johri Berendt, which is now also a feature film, has all of these things.

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nah itself. He storms out of houses, careens around corners in his car, acting like a child who cannot control his tem per, yet he does not take part in all the pretensions of living in Savannah: going ~<z. Christmas parties of a hated host ipating in the town's incessant, gossip. However, instead of takin~ his anger to dangerous ;s:Tti~--;;meGfre.else, one of the shooting,

substances, 45 gether. AI big hit in out in late v~u.1::I prisingly British alike. cycles of love: thJ~ 路- "_ tp)"l va ~>"'~il'.-.'hm young love exfip, .ie楼.

The CD is a ~~ jjatt that range from El on My Mind" to an in called "Oh" by Unde soundtrack begins with Bee "Deadweight." The number was the few on the CD that caught my ears.

The extraordinary music consisted of original sounds created by using nonsense words as part of the melody. The lyrics also have a special ringto them .

One line from the song is, "On a highway, unpaid, going my way. I am so alone today." However, it is no surprise to see Beck at the top of the list. He won

recommended to the songs will hold special meaning, reminding them of the unique bond of love between the two characters in the film. Although some songs will hold little meaning for those who haven't seen the movie, the CD is still worth purchasing just to hear the songs "Deadweight" and "Don't Leave." tcvc~_;ause

blis, and then be astonished at for liking her. Yet I felt more strongly attracted to Danny, the young boy who helps around the house of the town's weal_thy, sophisticated bachelor. His Mark Wahlberg-ish behavior (during Wahlberg's pant's dropping days) makes Danny the rebel ofthe story, challenging everyone in Savannah, and Savan-

why this book is number four on the bestseller list three years after publication. It is very engrossing and can be read in one sitting. However, the movie version, starring John Cusack and Kevin Spacey, is a lot slower.

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The Classic

17

j oecember1997

Pasinkoff fences into Junior Olympics

by Kate Rube

fencing champion. The weekly sessions constant motivating force for the gymnasium wall. Yet with the happiness If good things come in threes, junior at Tanya's salle, or fencing studio, team."He pointed to the championship and excitement accompanying the win Michael Pasinkoff must have a welcome helped tremendously, Michael said. The volleyball banner in the gym," Michael was a sort of sadness in reaching the top. surprise waiting just around the corner. following season he advanced to the C I remembered, "and he said that we could "We can't beat what we did this year," After qualifying for the national Junior position (fifth out of six Varsity fenc- do the same thing that the volleyball Michael said, "We could win the chamOlympics in fencing and contributing to ers). It was the summer before his jun- team had done, that we had the ability pionship again, but I don't think we the Harris fencing team's PSAL cham- ior year, however, when he attended a to win the championship." From then, could ever have that sense of family we pionship, Michael is just one accom- fencing camp at the University of Penn- Michael, along with the rest of the team, had ever again." plishment short of fulfilling As he looks forward to comthe old adage. peting in the Junior Olympics Placing fourth in the qualinext year, Michael will have to fying meet for fencers under retain the skills and discipline he 17 years of age (Cadets) in the honed during this season. "Fencgreater New York area proved ing isn't about power," he said, enough to propel Michael into "It's about outsmarting your opit: 0 the Junior Olympics, which ponent."

The combined coach' """' ~ ing of Scarnati and Adamovich will take place during the sec.. 0 ond week of February in Oak- · .<:: has assisted Michael tremen.~ land, California. In a separate ~ dously, as their styles and methqualifier open to older fenc~ ods complement each other. ers, Michael secured another ~:::1 "Tanya helps me with technique, 8 while Scarnati helps me with spot in the competition, after 0 ] strategy, showing me how to use placing fifth in the Junior Foil "" the skills I learn," he said. (under 20) division. He will . .

Adamovich will travel with fence in both categories of ' Michael to Oakland for the comcompetition, but expects to >. . petition. Michael thinks that he perform much better in the has "a good shot in the Cadet Cadet class, as most of the ~' ~ other fencers there will have ,.,.,, ·• ' competition," but "even if I lose Michael Pasinkoff stands to the right of fencing team coach Anthony Scarnati, with team members Jason Eng, Kevin every match, I will gain from the similar degrees of experience.

Woo, Michaellnwald, Henry Wong, Jon Vafiadis, John Landersman, Lyle Blackwood, Nicole Zuchelli, Maureen Sheen, experience and learn from it."

Considering the scope of and Melissa Gibilaro.

As for next year's fencing Michael's fencing accom"thinking we wouldn't even season, Michael hopes that the team can went from plishments, it is difficult to believe that sylvania, that Michael says his level of do as well as they did this year, though make the playoffs" to "thinking that no he became engaged in the sport only competition "really took off." he realizes that with the loss of several three years ago. He tried out for the This year, Michael, along with the one could beat us."

Harris team wanting to "try something rest of the the fencing team, had the The season culminated with a PSAL key seniors, this may be difficult. If the different," and served as a substitute combined talent and drive necessary to championship, the icing on the cake of other members of the team work over fencer in his rookie year. In June of that claim their first PSAL win. At the start a year that was sweetened with many the summer to increase their skill levyear, Michael began taking fencing les- of the season, however, he did not even successes for Michael. And true enough els, as Michael plans to do, the team has to Coach Scarnati's word, a fencing a good chance of a repeat victory, he sons with a private instructor, Tanya anticipate a playoff run for the team.

Coach Anthony Scarnati served as a team banner will soon be hung from the said.

Adamovich, a former United States -~ :

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Zambrotta skates winter blues away

by Sara Yun As the winter sports season rolls around, all the hoopla involved with basketball and indoor track often causes students to forget that ice hockey is an American athletic favorite-of many outside the parameters of school. Nevertheless, a rising hockey star lurks among the sophomores of Harris- Drew Zambrotta, who plays for the Bantam Major Division Stars of New York.

From his center position, Drew has already scored an impressive 20 goals since the season began in September; his ambition is to rack up another 50 points for his team by the end of the season.

Drew's passion for the sport draws from his love of excitement and speed; he points out that ice hockey plays at a much faster pace than other sports. He first became aquainted with the ice of a rink at age five, when he began ice skating. Two years later, he started playing ice hockey.

Much is expected of Drew by his coach, his teammates, and Drew himself. But though he feels the pressure of performance anxiety on him, "when I have spring in my step, it doesn't matter who I'm playing in front of," Drew said.

Though his goal contributions are certainly noteworthy, Drew identifies

·the winning ingredient in hockey to be travel times.

When the ice hockey season ends in good passes rather than individual scorMarch, Drew ing. "If you continues to don't work play roller well together, h o c ke y one person throughout can only go the summer so far," he to keep in said. shape.

D r e w Though finds himself hockey occuconstantly .. ~\ :-.. ·\' ~ pies much of practicing at .../ .·. ·] his time, his home rink ~~ ~ ~ . ~ . on Coney Is">-·" ·:. / ~ Drew constd.• • · , ,. ·· . · ~ ers academland . He usu. ·" 0 ally plays · •." • Ci ics to be his ~· ~ ~first priority. with the Stars ; ·"· · ~ ' ~ H d oes in games _,. ·' · c. ,,: t:: e ~ ~·; : · § wish, howtwice a week, >. ::..: · )#·~ · ·"' "" ·· • 20 ever' that the in addition to :·'- ~:~\. ' . -§.school ofweekly a _... "" fered tee roller hockey hockey as a game. Comwinter sport. peting For now, against teams though, Drew in Long ls_. ., is satisfied I a n d , with playing Westchester, for the Stars, and northern and enjoying New Jersey often requires Sophomore Drew Zambrotta, of the Bantam Division Stars, the status of a poses on the ice in front of his team's goal. star himself. extensive

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His most cherished memories include a game he played in the State Championships three years ago, where his assist on a goal at the end of the third period led his team to victory. His game strategy, according to Drew, is to "make the [opposing] goalie look bad, even when he's really good." He has had his share of injuries, including a broken wrist which occurred during a championship game two years ago. But though they lost the match, Drew and his team battled back to win the Championship title the following year.

Being the scholar athlete he is, Drew hopes to secure a college schol~rship for his ice hockey efforts. Though he is only a sophomore, his quest for a scholarship may be little more than a year away. By taking high school classes this year that normally a junior would take, Drew hopes to be graduated a year early.

Playing ice hockey for the N.C.A .A. is a major priority for Drew in choosing a college. His top choices as of now are the United States Naval Academy and the University of Maine, both of which have excellent programs.

When he is not on the ice, Drew likes to play baseball and lacrosse, and he enjoys watching his favorite ice hockey team, the Pittsburgh Penguins, play the sport he loves most.

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The Classic December 1997

Running the distance:

StonehHI competes in

by Kate Rube Running around the Queens College track on those mile-long gym class "jogs" in sub-freezing weather, most students could not imagine a much more physically demanding activity. Yet for years, participants in New York City's annual 26. 2 mile marathon have happily braved cold temperatures, ignored sore legs and limbs, and enjoyed the views of the run's path through all five boroughs. And despite the marathon's celebrity, most of its participants are far from the world-class athletes who win each year, but rather the normal, everyday people you might run into: the woman down the street, the middle-aged deli store owner, even perhaps your Social Studies teacher- that is, if he happens to be Adam Stonehill.

After training for months, Mr. Stonehill fulfilled a personal goal which had evolved last year, to complete the New York City Marathon on November 2.

"The main reason I did it was because I knew I could," said Mr. Stonehill . While coaching the Outdoor Boys' Track team last spring, he began working out with the team members, running six or seven miles a day- "more than I had ever done," Mr. Stonehill said. On a whim, he registered for the race in May with a friend who regularly competes in marathons. Each year, over 60,000 individuals vie for one of 32,000 spots in the race, selected by a lottery.

The story might have ended in June, after Mr. Stonehill missed the cut, while his friend, Jay Ross, gained access into the marathon competition. Yet Ross

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injured himself in July, and urged Mr. Stonehill to take his spot in the run. So he kept training, pushing himself a little further and a little further each day, running a maximum of 16 miles at a time. But 16 miles was not the 26 which the marathon would require him to run.

"It was an event - not a run, but a tour," said Mr.

'You feel every muscle in your leg - like you can count each one of them.'

Stonehill of the marathon. "Everyone's around yougospel bands, R & B bands, people from all over the country. I spent all my time looking around."

Despite this, the run was no picnic at times, as the sheer fatigue and physical stress of running more than he had ever run before set in. "When I crossed the 59th Street Bridge, I knew I would make it- everyone was screaming, and I still felt good. I felt confidentand then I hit 19 miles," Mr. Stonehill said. "You feel every muscle in your leg, like you can count each one

Holiday Icebreaker:

Ins and Outs of City Skating

by Kate Rube When skiing requires just too long a drive, and not a snowflake in sight precludes thoughts of sledding, ice-skating offers a winter activity alternative that is easily accessible, relatively inexpensive, and a lot of fun. A range of rinks in the city and on Long Island makes ice-skating a great way to spend an afternoon or evening with friends after the movies and hanging out has gotten old. The proximity of certain rinks may make them tried-and-true favorites among those Jiving in close vicinity, but there are definitely other skating places worth making the trip for and checking out.

Wolman Rink, in Central Park, cannot provide much more in the way of atmosphere or location for skaters . Situated outdoors, skating around the rink allows for views of the Manhattan skyline, as well as the surrounding park. The late hours on Fridays and Saturdays, when the arena closes ~I ~Ill at II P.M., enables skaters to 路 C ' take in the city at night as they make their rounds. The $7 admission and $3 .50 skate rental rates are more than reasonable, especially since there are no sessions , and skaters can stay on the ice for as long as they can stand to . A spacious and very clean cafe, with beautiful wooden tables next to the ice, offers skaters an escape of coffee, hot chocolate, or snacks for a moment or two .

Another Manhattan skating rink, and probably the city's most famous one of all, is the Rockefeller Celiter rink. Smaller and far more touristy than Wolman, Rockefeller Center provides the traditional experience which comes along with skating there . The facilities, while certainly adequate, are not really worth the hyped

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up prices ($11 admission, $5 rental). Skating at Rockefeller, though, is something that everyone should try, if only once, to capture the true spirit of the holiday season. The crowds, Christmas music, and towering tree above add to the experience and make the wait to skate worth it. . The Chelsea Pier Skyrink is a nice option for those days when below-zero temperatures make outside skating a less-than-welcome idea. As part of the huge sports complex on the lower West side, the ice skating facilities at Chelsea Piers offer twin rinks of comparable sizes to Rockefeller Center, though usually one is in use for a hockey practice or game. The $15 price seemed a bit high, as the rink could not compare to Wolman or even Rockefeller Center, but all the rental skates were brandnew looking. If you're interested in exploring some of the other activities available at the Piers, check out the rink, but a special trip into the city if you don't live there might be a waste of time.

As for rinks in Queens and Long Island, the Flushing Meadow rink in Flushing Meadow Park and Iceland in Nassau County are both nice-sized rinks , each larger than Rockefeller or Chelsea Piers. The prices are reasonable, but the facilities are mediocre as compared to those in the city. Still, if taking a bus and train on a non-school day is not your idea of a picnic, both rinks are close. Those living in eastern Queens are much closer to Iceland, while anyone living near the school would probably be better off going to Flushing Meadow.

Marathon

of them," he explained.

One of his friends hopped the fence separating the runners from onlookers and ran with him for the last three miles, which boosted his spirits and spurred him on. His time of 3 hours 56 minutes was no small accomplishment, especially for his first ever marathon attempt, as he placed among the top quarter of participants.

Immediately after the race, Mr. Stonehill could feel nothing but the excitement and enthusiasm his family and friends shared with him following his finish . "I felt tired, but not sore the first night," said Mr. Stonehill.

"It hit me Monday, about sixth band- I felt like I couldn't walk."

"Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday- pain, that was the only word I could think about," he ruefully remembered.

Hoping to compete in additional competitions next year, Mr.Stonehill is continuing his running regimen .

He is looking forward to possibly running in a marathon in San Francisco in July, then in the Chicago Marathon in October.

Hi~ marathon run, though certainly not a lifelong dream, became one in the months leading up to the race as he realized he could truly finish a feat which many regard as impossible for themselves. "The key is consistency in training," says Mr. Stonehill, "and just have fun with it; unless you're a world class runner, who really cares what place you come in?" If anything, it will make those jogs around the track seem like a piece of cake.

Rink Rendezvous N.Y.C. Ice-skating Arenas Except for Wolman Rink, the ice-skating arenas all have sessions for skaters, most of which last from 90 minutes to two hours. Call for schedule information; many places have special holiday hours and times.

Wolman (Manhattan) Central Park, near 59th Street and 6th Avenue entrance to park (212) 396-1010 Rockefeller Center (Manhattan) 5th Avenue, between 49th and 50th Streets (2 12) 332-7654 ,, Chelsea Piers (Manhattan) 23rd Street & the Hudson River (212) 336-6100 Iceland (New Hyde Park) 3345 Hillside Avenue (516) 746-1100 World's Fair (Flushing) Flushing Meadow Park (718) 271-1996

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The Classic ~~?!;(~};1;:?J!.li;:;;,~''l.

Sports Sllorts After ne:arJy missing the play:off cuts, the Girls' Var· sityVt:tUeyball team, Which pla'eetl.third in their division, was propelled inte the quarter inals, having obtaining a wild card spot. Unfortunately, even J,he effotot'S of seniors Kristin Candan and Christine Lee could .not puB off the needed win against Bryant in or:d'eF to aclvartc.e to.the n-ex< :round.

The varsity Gi'Fls' ·c ross Conn~ team finished second in Que~ns, losing theitr final meet by t"'o pQints, but the fneshm:an, soph0moFe, and'j:unior teams all won their .resp.e.ctiYe bol.loligh ohampions:bips. Se·n i:o,rs Vicki R!'ealmuto ana LaFa Rios, so,pbomer~ Claire Marks-1 1,1nd freshman Chanelle Pearson paced-the squad in ..an exciting season," ace<mling to coach•Josep'h Hom. the Boys'''Ctoss Country te;pn hepefitted from their taf runner, senior Stephen Schuh-, who r,an a 17:27 5K time against Edison, as w:el1 as ftolri senior Alix; A:r.riaga, a-nd juniors Anthnny Prince an<J, Felipe Gamez. The ·t eam. finished fourth in Queens and lSth in the ·eity. 'fhe Boyll' Bowling team wan.the Queens Di:vision li champiOJlships with a 9-l record.;., but lost against Art & Design in the .fir-stre.u nd of the playoffs. They were paced by junior Mark Voil Ohlen who tlinish~d fm.lrth in the Queens individua1.,championships, and b.owlecl in the city individuals November 'l·SA Girls' Bew.fing missed tile playoff cut, with ·an overaU 4-6 :record. l'be t~am was. hurt by ine,xp.et;ience, according to· coach Ellen Schwartz.• as all ,elayers· except junior starter Lisa TsclternkQwitch were ·new to tbe team.

Yet, S'c hwartz added, ''The~ bowle:d better and,better as time went on. They began to realize how important each piQ wa~:· Girls' Varsity 'Basketball is off to a promising start, with a 6-3 overall record, 3-2 division record. A combitiationof new prospects and seasoned veterans adds. depth to the starting lineup. Freshmen forwards ChanellePearson, Danielle C31'1ino, and.Ang~lo DiMango complement the play of r.etutning guards Jen Gala:tioto and Flannery Stevens, juniors, and s_o phomore Kristy Von Ohlen.

Cqaeh ~eith Hanson is concentrating on building the Boys' Basketball te_a m rather than trying to propel the team into the posts~on. The bey~ have a respecta:bl'e, 33league record (4-5 overaU), but Hanson .expresses.great faith jn freshman Philip Marmon-Haltn to carry tfie team far in future years.

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December 1997

NCAA requires student athletes meet academic standards

by Kate Rube

tai n electives, including Law Seminar and Athletic requirements are not the only standards Westinghouse Independent Research courses, are students seeking to participate in the National Col- not considered valid electives by NCAA assesslegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) must meet, ment, and therefore receive no academic credit. but rather, basic core Harris electives recogacademic units must nized by the NCAA are posted in Dean Wanda be completed as Nix's office. well. And while Core Academic H.S. Requirements In most cases, says these academic refor NCAA Division I & II Eligbility quirements can be College Counselor Marilyn Blier, "students easily met by most will already have the students, problems Division I Division II have arisen in recent academic credits 3 years English 4 years needed, and there will years because the 2 years 2 years Math be no conflict." HowNCAA will not ac2 years 2 years Science ever, Ms. Nix recomcept accelerated or 2 years Soc. Science 2 years mends that students behigh school courses gin examining their taken in junior high English, Sci., course credit "as early as actual high school 1 year 2 years or Math as sophomore year" to credits.

2 years 2 years Additional* avoid any problems that The offering of could arise regarding Earth Science, Ac13 Total Units 13 eligibility. celerated English, To qualify for coland Sequential Math *(English, Math, Science, Soc. Science, lege athletics, all stucourses to eighth Language, Philosophy, Computer Science) dents must file through graders has made it the NCAA Initial-Eligipossible for high bility Clearinghouse schoolers to fulfill during their senior year the requirements in these subjects for graduation by the eleventh grade. of high school. Forms are available in the college But a student who stops taking both math and sci- office, Room 312. Students who fail to submit ence after the tenth grade, even with high school this form will be ineligible to play Division I or credit from junior high under her belt, will fall short Division II sports freshman year in college. The of the requirements needed for NCAA eligibility. applicatiqn requires that the st\,ldent's transcrip!, To compensate, she would have to take an addi- standardized test scores, proof of graduation, and tional year or two years (depending on the divi- other academic information be sent from the school to the NCAA Clearinghouse, along with an $18 sion) of English, Science, or Mathematics.

Another problem lies in the academic credit processing fee. Basic academic standards, in adgiven for elective courses. An additional two years dition to the core curriculum requirements, must of courses from a miscellaneous listing is required be met. All applicants must hold a G.P.A. of at to total the 13 sum credits for NCAA eligibility. least 2.00. For Division II, there is a minimum SAT These electives may derive from the subjects of score of 820 required. Division- I standards with English, Math, Science, Social Science, Language, standardized test scores are higher, depending on Philosophy, or Computer Science. However, cer- the G.P.A. of the applicant.

Injuries inhibit successful soccer season play of his rookies . "The freshmen did very well. We wound up with [Michael Oiacopelli and Angelo Coach James Murray and his Boys' Varsity Soccer Marino] as starters. They really helped the team," he team got off to a good start this season, but injuries said.

Murray was also happy with goal keepers John shut the door on their playoff run. "We never had the Premus and Eric Nepomuceno, both juniors. "Both starting team that we expected to have out there," said goal keepers definitely improved.

Murray. With this season in the books, They are very athletic and very agthe team can only look forward to next gressive. Right now it is still a toss fall, hoping their players remain healthy up as to who will be starting [next and eligible to play. year]," he said.

The team finished the season with a Coach Murray and his team have a league record of 3-8-3, but their record lot to expect from their next season. doesn't show how competitive they They will lose seniors Raou) Kim and were this year, even without all of their Mike Giacalone, but if the rest of the players. Eleven out of their 14 games team stays healthy, they have a chance were decided by two goals or less. Had at a winning record, and maybe even the team been healthy as a whole, playa playoff spot. Says Nepomuceno, ers feel that their season could have "Next season is going to be do or die." been all the more successful.

Sarkis added, "Next year if we can Throughout the season, three major stay healthy and keep all our players players sustained injuries, which was a we can win. We can definitely win. blow to the team's starting lineup. JunThis is not a bad team." After a crushiors Jeremy Charles and Ariful Khan, ing 5-0 defeat at the hands of Martin and senior Raoul Kim, all unable toreVan Buren, junior Sakis Grammenos cover from medical problems, were out yelled out, "Next year's our year." for the entire season. "Without Ariful, s~e us definitely being competi"I Jeremy and Raoul, the team falls apart," Senior Michael Giacalone drives t_othe goal in a match against Bayside High School. year," Murray said. tive next said junior Ian Kilpatrick. Sophomores

by Brian Griffing

Anthony McCoy and James Sarkis also endured injuries during the course of the season. Said Sarkis, "It's · been rough."

Although injuries plagued the season, there were many bright spots. Murray was very pleased with the

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The Classic December 1997

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Stars of the Faf:l Season

Though it takes a team to win, fenc~ ing team coach Anthony Scamati attributed much of the reason for the squad's championship to the consistent season performance of senior captain Kevin Woo. ·•Kevin won the two most crucial bouts a Townsend Harris fencer has ever wtm for the team," said Scamati, referring to Kevin's wins against Bronx Science and Forest Hills, ••ne stepped up and turned around those meets.'' In his third year on the team, Kevin also placed seventh in the city individually.

In her fourth year running on the Girls' Cross Country team, senior Vicki Reabnyto beeame what coach Joseph Hom called the. ..leader of the team.''

Improving each season, Vicki ran her be.st time ever this fall, 21:59, in the 3.1 mile race. She placed seventh in Queens, the top position for, her own team, and 39th in the city. "Vicki is amazingly dedicated and motivated," said Coach Hom.

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After perfecting a position she had played during last year's Varsity Volleyball season, senior Christine Lee was switched from backline defender to the team's setter. Coach Wanda Nix knew Chrjstine had what it took to play the game's "most pivotal position," but she also knew the sacrifice Christine was making. "She is an extremely unselfish player;• said Coach Nix, ''Te step into a role with the pressure of,handling the ball, to the d_e gree a setter does, is tough." Nix praised Christine's "terrific decision-making skills." ~------------------------~

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Fencing team batUes to first-ever cha.mpio·nship

by Jarvis Lagman When senior Henry Wong stood up on the fencing strip at Long Island City high school to clinch Townsend Harris' first PSAL fencing title over Forest Hills, tensions were high, the gym atmosphere charged with electricity. Yet confidence seemed to be on Harris' side of the gym. This was partially because they held a 6-4 lead, and partly because senior Jon Vafiadis had just won a crucial 5-0 bout, but most of the team's assured attitude stemmed from the fact that Wong had done it so many times before. It was Wong who clinched the win over Stuyvesant and Bronx Science in the Fencers Kevin Woo and Jason Eng spar in practice the weeks before their championship meet against Forest Hills High School. playoffs. It was Wong who had clinched the team's first win over Forin the tri-match at home involving Forest Hills earlier in the season. And in est Hills winning on touches, 43-41. the end, Wong proved once again why "The loss to Forest Hills really gave est Hills, Van Buren, and Townsend Harhe was the team's go-to-guy by enabling us a wake up call," said senior Lyle ris. In that match up, they shut out Van Harris to defeat their division rival For- Blackwood, "but there was a sense of Buren 12-0 and managed to beat Forest est Hills for the championship. satisfaction in beating the team that beat Hills 8-4.

It was fitting that Townsend Harris us."

Coach Anthony Scamati credited the beat Forest Hills for the championship.

In addition to the City Champion- team's success to their work in the off Not only were the teams division rivals, ship, the team won the Queens Divi- season, which kept the team in compebut Forest Hills handed Harris their only sional Cpampionship, the second of tition form. Another key to their sucloss· of the season by defeating them in Harris' eight-year team history. They cess was the closeness of players . "We the third round of the double-elimina- compiled an 8-0 regular season record are more like a family rather than a tion playoffs, blemishing Harris' perfect . and decimated the younger, inexperi- team," said senior Melissa Gibilaro, "We overall record. That match was very enced teams in the division_ Their only feel that we could trust anyone on the Continued on page 15 close and resulted in a 6-6 tie, with For- big match up was against Forest Hills

Swimmers lapped by Ham.ilton in playoffs

by Kate Rube After all had been swum and done, the quarter final swim meet on November 17 had corrie down to the last race and the last eight swimmers from each side. And for the first time in two years, the jubilant cheers of victory celebration following the 400 relay came not from the Harris bench, but from Fort Hamilton's. The score was close, but Harris' 51-4 7 loss precluded their advance to the semifinals and ended the swim season.

The disappointing loss, however, showed up as the only blemish on the team's otherwise flawless record. An undefeated season and seventh straight Queens Championship placed the team among the city's best, a position that the Turtles are used to holding.

After losing several valuable seniors last year, including Pegasus award winner Erica Carroll, the team had a tougher time securing the division win than in ·past seasons. The addition of talented new swimmers, along with the presence of veterans like junior Dorcas Davis and -senior Beth Citron, however, made the

team's loss an easier one.

Still, the team's wi-n over Cardozo, which clinched their division title, came only after a tension-filled meet. Tied midway through the competition, Harris gained a small lead after Beth and Laura Bassolino claimed first and second in the 500 free race.

A controversy arose, though, just before the individual backstroke, one which almost resulted in Cardozo forfeiting the entire meet. teams are required to submit cards with the names of those competing in each event serveral minutes before the race. However, the swimmer whose name appeared on Cardozo's I 00 backstroke card was not the same swimmer who came off their bench to compete.

Noticing the discrepancy, official Jackie Souliner disqualified the girl for the race, outraging the Cadozo swim team, and especially the Cardozo coach.

"I can't change the rules," proclaimed Souliner. "Once the cards are given in to the officials - that's iL" Cardozo threatened to walk out on the meet and forfeit. Reconsidering, the

team stayed to finish the competition, swimming unofficial in the backstroke race.

In the end, the stir made no difference in the outcome of the meet. Harris' 55-39 win would have been unaffected by a different ruling from officials on the fairness of Cardozo's actions _ The frenzy and excitement following the competition almost made up for the loss to Hamilton which was to come in the weeks after. Commenting on the quarterfinals, senior Tara Berg~r said, "No one can say we didn't try our best.

We came as close as we could." Losing in the early playoff round came as somewhat of a shock to a team that has seen the semifinals for the past two years. "It felt like it came out of nowhere," said senior Michelle Wolman, of the loss to Fort Hamilton.

Next year loo.ks to be a promising one for the team, even with the graduation of eight seniors . Freshmen Melani Sherman, Janine Petrovits, and Lauren Amorillo possess the talent that will prove valuable to the team in the future .

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