Classic newspaper Volume 21 Issue no. 5 by The Classic

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Vol. 21, No.5 June 2005

asstc Townsend Harris High School at Queens College

Language_awards honor achievement

149-11 Melbourne Avenue, Flushing, NY 11367

Prom! Seniors dance night away ·

in classics, Japanese by Devon Wright The National Japanese, Latin, and Attic Greek awards were presented on Friday, May 20, to recognize students who showed exemplary talent in Japanese, classical Latin , and classical Greek. The Japanese Honor Society's Inductees were also commended for their dedication to learning Japanese and using their influence to better the world around them. Students in their first or second year of classical languages received awards based on their high achievement in the subjects. Twe~ty-two of them out of 120 worldwide received a perfect score on the level one Latin exam, ranking Townsend Harris as one of the top secondary schools in the world for teaching beginners Latin. One hundred percent who had taken three years of Latin were given medals of achievement. Still being awaited are the results of the Medusa mythology exam. The Japanese National Honor Society (JNHS) held its second induction this year, welcoming members whose names were announced in Ochirase. The Director of JNHS presented these students with certificates of excellence and letters of appreciation. The JNHS works to unite teachers and administrators in crafting and maintaining high standards of Japanese language in education, and promoting charitable behavior through various activities . Some of these activities include fundraising and supporting the Anime Club by constructing and selling origami cranes and other paper figures.

Have a wonderful, safe summer! From The Classic

Jomaire Crawford enjoys a dance in the arms of her date at Senior Prom 2005.

by Alyssa Chase The Senior Prom held at Floral Terrace on Thursday, June 2 gathered the class of 2005 for a night of memories and celebration of their high sc;hool experience. Students and teachers generally enjoyed the ambience, dance, and dessert options and appreciated the efforts of Senior Advisor Franco Scardino and members of the prom committee, seniors Eunie Park, Minjie Song, Nessa French and Rachel Smith, who organized the event. The prom was hosted in an elegant multi-tloored party hall. Upon arriving , students were ushered into a cocktail room and later entered the main party room which had a large dance floor encircled by tables . According to Gail Goldspiel, "It was gorgeous! The dancetloor was nice. It felt like we were on a cloud because it was elevated and there were clouds and cherubs on the ceiling. They even made smoke. The floor itself was bouncing [as people danced]." Seniors honored their teachers by appointing faculty members to the prom court. Math teachers John Brown and English teacher Raquel Chung were the prom king and queen . Classical language teacher Andrew Hagerty was named prom prince while Spanish teacher Amelia Betancourr Continued on p. 9

Apathy bug infests Spirit Week by Alyssa Chase and Samia Ullaq Spirit Week encouraged students to wear '80s clothing, th~ir pajamas to school, and rally for the return of Harold, the dinosaur made of recycled cans that was once in the lobby. Spirit, however, atrophied after Pajama Day on May 17, with little participation after thi s first event. On Retro Day, the day after Pajama Day, students dressed in clothes of the recent past such as leather jackFreshman Caroline Raak makes some noise on Pajama Day. ets, neon spandex pants, and polka dot dresses . The following day was Hat Day, when st_udents Harold Day, in tribute to the dinosaur were allowed to wear any hat of a sports that advocated recycling and was reteam. Spirit Week concluded withSave cently moved to the courtya-rd.

Election results p.3

Arts pullout section pp. 5-8

New clubs p. 10

According to ninth grader Ann Arackal, "Honestly, the second Spirit Week [of the year] was not as good as the first. The advertising was not great, and no one was really excited ...[In the fall, ~ I felt] a rush ...of people 0) 6 participating ." Tracey ~ Barretto, sophomore, ~ added, "Not everyone had ~ a lot of spirit, but I partici~ pated for Pajam a Day." ] Coordinator of student o. affairs Adam Stonehill, who organized Spirit Week, attributed the lack of participation to the pressures that accompany the end of the school year, such asAP exams, finals, and col laterals.

Sports p. 11-12

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'Th'e'crassic June 2005

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Assignments will desecrate summer The summer is a sacred season for Harrisites. Well, at least it used to be. Thanks to the Humanities department, instead of tans, students will be developing theses over the summer break. The summer reading and writing assignments given to next year's sophomores and juniors will be at the expense of students' mental well-being and the school's image. After the last finals and Regents have been administered and report cards have been given out, students should be free to do as they please and have time to do things that, although they may not be school-related, are equally meaningful. Summer is a time to travel or to learn a new sport or practice an old one. It is when students can enrich their experiences with art or books they want to read. Even the ones who spend their summer cultivating their tan value July and August as a time when they are free from extra work. This break from work is crucial for the sake of everyone's sanity. Everybody needs a vacation from the directed thinking of the school year. The summer is a creative time- a time when we can pursue and develop our own talents and hobbies without a having to follow a grading rubric. During the summer, we can explore art, literature, and poetry without being told what to focus on or think about. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein might be an enjoyable read, but having to write a I 0-entry journal and three essays about it will take the fun out of it. , Although Assistant Principal of Humanities Susan Getting assures students that these assignments are easy and will not take too much time, they will still loom over students the entire summer, putting a damper on the worry-free feeling of vacation. Harrisites are notorious for their desire to do their assignments '>'(ell and also for their procrastination. No matter how short and easy the assignment is, it will nevertheless take away from our well-deserved, work- and worry-free break. Ms. Getting also pointed out that giving summer assignments is a common practice at some of the best high schools in America. But these schools are misguided. They're sending the wrong message to both prospective and current students: school will domininate your life- there's no room for free time for personal expression. Townsend Harris should _continue working its students hard during the year and then rewarding them with a work-free summer. It's not like the old way was failing.

Stereotyping teenagers by Alyssa

Chas~

On prom night, our limo was stopped arbitrarily not once but twice by the police, who proceeded to search the car and our belongings. While I understand that the police must be on high alert during this "age of terrorism," I hardly believe that our anti-gravitational hairdos and our flashy dresses incited concern about our nation's security. · We were singled out in the 3 AM traffic and illegally searched simply because we were teenagers. If we fit the stereotypical "teen" mold, then it seemed unlikely to the police who searched us that we could enjoy prom night without the influence of drugs or alcohol. We were victims of age discrimination. The first time we were pulled over, the cops peered into the limo and searched for alcohol, finding instead only empty water bottles and Pepsi cans. One then preceded to comment, "This isn't a real prom." The second time, the driver was pulled over for an illegal tum, and then the police peered through our bags of clothes in the trunk, most likely searching for evidence of substance abuse. I was insulted that we had been regarded as destructive teenagers and outraged that the police attempted to sabotage us during prom night. The stigmatizing of an entire age group as potential criminals is a severe breech of civil liberties. This issue must be addressed if the nation's newest voters are to have faith in the Justice Department.

LIVE STRONG: Supporting

acause or a fad?

by Rookminie Behari Perhaps Lance Armstrong was not looking to create the next "fad" with his yellow LIVE STRONG bracelets, but that's exactly what he did. Armstrong, the six-time Tour de France winning bicyclist and cancer survivor, created the rubber br;:tcelets as a fundraiser for the Lance Armstrong Foundation. The foundation raises money for cancer treatment and educational programs; it is a resource for cancer survivors and people living with cancer. Although_the bracelet itself, which costs a dollar, represents the millions who pass away from cancer and the millions who fight to stop this disease today, some students wear it. .. well, because it's popular. Some students don't even know what issue it supports. Celebrities, politicians, and athletes have been seen sporting LIVE STRONG bracelets. Actor Ben Stiller, former presidential candidate John Kerry, and many others have supported the LIVE STRONG phenomenon. What's more glamorous to a student than wearing something that an idol wears? The fact that students around the school are wearing LIVE STRONG bracelets does not demonstrate their unity against cancer. It merely reveals the latest trend- and it's going on all over the country. All this raises the question: how can you support a cause you really don't care about? The Lance Armstrong Foundation, however, has very little to complain about. They've sold millions of bracelets to consumers willing to follow the fad, and this of is, of course, all for a good cause. Students, though, should take the time out of their day to think about the causes they do care about, and the reasons they support LIVE STRONG.

News Staff: Andrea Gavora. Megan Law. Roben McCullogh. Lance Tomas. Jocelyn Wright

Francesca Pizarro Editor-in-Chief

Christopher A manna Managing Editor·

Michelle Montgoris Sport."i Editor

Alyssa Chase Mimi Chung Co·Ne"·s Editors

Eugene To Art Editor

Tanaz Talebpour Feature Editor

Ann Margaret Santa-lnes Business Editor

Feature Staff: Faith Aronowitz. Michelle Boutis, Cindy Chen, Gloria Chen. Tiffany Cheng. Annie Choi. Marissa Green. Elena Gullona.Shruti Karnawat, Sangsoo Kim. Veronica Kim. Maureen McCluskey. Donna Mordente. Stephanie Pak. Mary-Grac-e Papatheodorou. Jennifer Park. Darcy Rendon. Alexis Serra, Priti Shah. Marlene Sim. Nisha Singh. Anita Sonawane, Samia Ullah, Christine Whang. Janet Whang, Maria Wojakowski. Devon Wright. Madeleine Wright Sports Staff: Rookminie Behari. Gabriele Guelly. Lauren Korzeniewski, Maureen McCluskey: Robert McCullagh. Michelle Montgoris. Alex Rush. Lance Tomas. Wendy Yan Artists: Mitchell Bader, Darren Deoraj, Rowena Eng. Bonnie Ng

Laura D' Amato

lisa Cowen

Diana Bell

Photography Editor

Advisor

Food arid Entertainment Editor

Principal - Mr. Thomas Cunningham

Photography Staff: Diana Deng. Warren Cheng, Hannah Kang, SunMei Liu. Matthew Molina. Tabassum Rahman. Jonathan Stein, Alexandra Stergiou. Anne Tan. Patricia Tolete Business Staff: Janet Hwang. Nora O'Brien. Sorah Park. Kim Quon

Townsend Harris High School at Queens College 149-11 Melbourne Avenue, Flushing, N.Y. 11367 Tile Classic is an open forum for the expression of student views. The opinions expressed therein should not be taken to represent those of the administration or faculty or student body as a whole. Readers are invited to submit letters to the editor. Letters should be placed in Ms. Cowen's mailbox in Room 315 ore-mailed to thhsclassic@yahoo.com. The Claxsic reserves the right to edit all letters. Letters must include name and official class. Names will be withheld upon request.

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June 2005

Newly elected leaders prepare for next year by Gloria Palma . For days after the Student Government election held on May 5, candidates and voters waited patiently, then anxio!Jsly, then tormentedly for the results. The winners were an- . nounced on May 9, their fate decided by the 188 juniors, 192 sophomores, and 178 freshmen who voted. Next year's Executive Board will be comprised of Sangsoo Kim as President, Ann Mathews as SU Vice President, Joshua Budhu as Treasurer, Martha Tesfaye as Senior VP, Mary Grace Papatheodorou as Junior VP, Chelisse Headley as Freshman-Sophomore VP, Jennifer Sanchez as Secretary, Misha Jemison as Club Liaison, Rebecca Lehrman for Public Relations, Anita Sonawane for Consultative Council, and Tina

Lai and Isis sa Komada-J ohn · Tesfaye, next year's Senior VP, for RSAC (Regional Superin- explained, "I want _my senior tendent Advisory Committee). year to be great, and thus, I' II These candidates worked for. make sure to work not only for months to achieve their posi- · my fellow classmates, but also tions, gathering signatures, for myself to ensure that we all making it through primaries, have an awesome senior year." preparing speeches and trying Next year's officials hope to adamantly to prove they were reverse this year's decline in best for the jobs. student participation. Junior "I have great ide~ls for next Liya Shuster, who ran -unsuc- year and I am waiting for a cess fully for the position of SU chance to go over them with . President, stated, 'This year's Mr. Stonehill A.S.A.P.," -said [SU] had a prominent focus of ;:l 0 ·so Chelisse Headley, newly ap- .solving the problem of school ...<1l pointed Freshman-Sophomore spirit; hopefully next year's SU Ul r: Vice President. will act upon this year's press'0 c Re-elected Junior VP Mary ing o:l issue." Sophomore X <1l Grace Papatheodorou plans to Evangelos Vekios, a candidate ~ increase junior funds. "I also who ran for treasurer, sug>-, .0 0 want our grade to have a great gested, "I would like to see a 0 jun-ior banquet and a junior trip stronger advertising force -a next year that everyone has the . throughout the entire school as Juniors cast their votes at the polls on Election Day, May 5. opportunity to attend and en- well as a student government joy," she said. Junior Martha that is well in tune with the needs of the average student." without having won elections. Mr. Stonehill wants to re- SU VP candidate Jackie Dinas mind all Harrisites that the said that even though her camgreatness of their school de- paign was unsuccessful, she . President- Sangsoo Kim Freshman-Sophomore Vice President - Chelisse Headley pends on their actions as well. still intends to stay active . "I Vice President - Ann Mathews · Secretary - Jennifer Sanchez Executive Board meetings are will be participating in student Treasurer- Joshua Budhu Club Liaison- Misha Jemison held every Thursday at 7:20am government--perhaps not in as Senior Vice President- Martha Tesfaye Public Relations - Rebecca Lehrman Consultative Council -Anita Sonawane Junior Vice President- Mary Grace in the COSA office. They give vocal of a way. Maybe I'll let Papatheodorou RSAC- Tina Lai, lsissa Komada-John i!ll students the opportunity to the elected officials have a shot help the student government first."

2005-2006 Student Union

-9/11 firefighters

·off~r

new perspective on life

Fuentes was the Act- 91 II has also taught him to opportunity to speak of the Paing Battalion Chief of ''make the most of each day," triot Group, the not-for-profit the Marine Division and he and L.ieutenant Reilly organization he established and expressed the hope that the stu- runs with the help of Lt. Reilly ~ on September II, -~ 200 I. While helping dents will be able to do the and other retired colleagues to ~ to evacuate firefight- same. "Don't let anything stop - "ensure safety for the public ~ ers and civilians from you," Lt. Reilly urged "-not and emergency respond~rs the Marriott Hotel, he mistakes, no.t fear.'' through training .. . in all aspects >-, Captain Fuentes also sugbecame trapped unof planning for and managing <1l t:: der the collapsed gested to students, "Give some- crisis situations." ;:l 0 u North Tower, where thing back to your community. Captain Fuentes remains 0 o he remained for al- You'll be rewarded a hundred committed to honoring the ..c o. most an hour. times over." memory of the 343 firefighters "The experience ... was mov. who gave their lives for their Captain Fuentes told the.students of his ex- ing, and taught city on 9/11. "That morning I perience at the Oklahoma me so much saw firefighter City bombing site, as well. about life itafter firefighter It was there that he learned self," said Jen"the power of a hug" from nifer Yeh. "I salute and go into those burnthe civilians. He spoke realize now a.bou·t .other acts of kind- that I have to ing buildings. Not one of them ne.ss, those he received appreciate o hesitated," he -while recovering from the life." t:: Captain Affredo Fuentes suggests that students consider performing "random acts o:l said. An immiinjuries he incurred on N of kindness" as a regular part of their daily lives, because "each of us has the ability i:S: The school is 9/11, and said that those grant from Eco:l to change the worl.d." Inset: Fuentes on 9/11. . , individual acts changed uador, Fuentes ~ planning to cong duct a 9/11 Meby Michelle Montgoris and phy co-authored with Ms. .his life. He visited the school grew up in "' moria! Walk in ~ Francesca Pizarro Rizzuto, a neighbor and friend. on June 7, 2002 to thank stu- Woodside, E October in con• Retired Fire Department of When Captain Fuentes had dents for their cards and best Queens: " ~ junction with the New York (FDNY) Captain learned that the juniors were to .:Vishes, which he received '' Captain ..c o. Patriot Group Fuentes is the Alfredo Fuentes, and his long- read the book as part of an as- through Ms. Rizzuto. Lieutenant Jerry Reilly that will act as When asked about any last- , embodiment time friend and colleague, re- signment on the American recounts his 9/ II experience. both a memorial tired FDNY Lieutenant Jerry Dream, he donated a c;lass set ing effects of9/11 and its after- of the AmeriReilly, visited English teacher . , and suggested that he rrieet the math, the Captain, who now can Dream," Apostolos Pittas to the fallen and a fundraiser for Helen Rizzuto's fourth band students. This was his second works with Homeland Security, said. "Born of humble origins, the Patriot Group. Interested said that he continues to deal -he grew up to become our city's students and staff should coneleventh-grade class on Friday, visit to Townsend Harris. May 13. A 9/11 survivor, CapDuring the fourth-band open with "survivor guilt" and that hero that inspires courage in all tact Ms. Rizzuto or Michelle Montgoris. For more informatain Fuentes recounted the de- forum, the Captain and Lieu- he is determined to continue to of us." Many students asked what tion on the Patriot Group, visit tails of his experience and his tenanf Reilly shared their expe- work at securing tfie safety of months of recovery in Ameri- - riences of 9/11 and answered our city's and our country's first they could do to help the Cap- their website at www. The-Pacan by Choice, an autobiogra- several questions. Captain responders . The experience of _ tain in his mission. He took the triot-Group.org.

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Class ·of 2006 celebrates .yea.r's end at Junio·r e·anquet by Diana Bell Juniors were finally' able to blow .off their pre-senior steam as they hit Roma View's dance floor on Aprill5 for their banquet. The event, lasting from 8 pm to midnight, featured three hours of dancing and a one~hour-long multicourse buffet. Its final arrival came after .months of planning by .the Junior Vice President Sangsoo Kim, the junior Grade Leaders, and their advisor Shari Basis. "It took many months of collecting funds, many free periods planning, many trips out to find a hall that can accommodate our class size, and many trips to drop off both the hall's and DJ's deposits," said Ms. Basis. "Obviously, a lot of planning went · into the banquet, starting from the beginning of junior year. The Grade Leaders were an immense help, especially Ms . Basis, who coordinated the banquet into a success," said Sangsoo. D.J. Music Flex provided the music needed to start the party. Mea-n while, his photographer walked around the hall taking pictures of dancing students and teachers, and posting them on a large screen. "I thought the pictures were a n'ice touch," said junior Noel Jacob. "It was great to see everyone up' on that · screen enjoying themselves." _ Decorations for the hall were pro-

vided by Nick the Balloonatic. "Nick the Balloonatic is a genius," said junior Grade Leader Jackie Dinas. "The hall looked absolutely amazing." Keeping with its Italian heritage, RomaView's menu featured meatball parmigiana, chicken francese, and schrimp scampi, among other dishes: "I liked the buffet style of serving food, and the buffet of desserts at the end was good too," said junior Francisco Cebada. In addition to Ms. Basis, faculty attendance also included Physic~! Education teachers Raymond Adamkiewicz, Robin Figelman and Keith Han_1on; Forensics teacher Philip Porzio; classical languages teachers Andrew Hagerty and Daniel Roschnotti; and English teachers Robert Babstock and Joe Canzoneri . Principal Thomas Cunningham, Assistant Principal · Dressing up for the Junior Banquet, Michael Cass Antony, Dani Zahila, Scott Sternberg, Krystine Olszewski, Steven Widom, Liya Shuster, and Sebastian Melo show their fashion sense. Howard Kwait, arid Coordinator of Student Activities Adam Stonehill also attended. fer Sheng. "The "I was happy to see that all the teach- junior class. The overall feeling about the banquet tournout was hot. It was very exciting, ers .managed to make it," said junior grade leader Melanie Friedman. "We was that it was a success. Both students said Mr. Hagerty. "But I was missing a few faces, students and teachers alike." wanted to have more chaperones, but and teachers said they had fun. "It was Pictures of the Junior Banquet can there were budget constraints ." These a wonderful opportunity for everyone to arose from the fact that many of the get together ·and celebrate the end of a be seen on the bulletin board next to room 115. chaperones' seats were paid for by the very stressful year," said junior Jenni-

- Model United Nations fundraises, sparks awareness ofglobal issues $0.10 $90

$42.50 $3.25

by Gloria Palma The Model United Nations Club 's fund-raising event did more than take in about $300; it raised many people 's global awareness with its showing of Hotel Rwanda. Presented on Aprill3 in the auditorium after school, about I 00 studen ts came to support the club and to learn about the recent conflict between the Tutsi s and the Hutus in Rwanda. Starring Don Cheadle, the movie is the true-life story of Paul Rusesabagina, a hotel manager who housed over a thousand Tutsi.refugees from the Hutu militia in Rwanda, Africa during the rebellion , which started in 1994. Though filled with' implied violence, there was no actual bloodshed shown in the depiction of the genocide, which resulted in the death of over one million Africans . , Despite the lack of brutal violence shown, students were still horrified at the reality presented. Third-year Model UN member Lemonia Stroubos stated, "The moviewas incredibly moving. I don't think any other movie could have illustrated the impact of the effects of the Rwandan genocide any more effectively." The money raised for the event will go toward Model UN costs, which include the Model UN conference the club will be attending at the United Nations building this May. Sophomore Fan Zhang, who recommended and brought the film, as well as designed the tickets, explained thauhe purpose of selecting this film was to show students the reality of the world around them. "I think Hotel Rwanda is a very important film regarding the UN and society in general because it shows not only what som~ sick people ,can do to otherhuman beings, but what happens when we don't speak up ag-ainst what is wrong and we don't' intervene," Fan stated. Overall, the Model United Nations Club felt that Hotel Rwanda was a big success. Since it had' been advertised ,for and rec~ntly shown in select New York theaters, siudents participated more than usuaL Adding to the success, most students who saw the film felt itwas deeply moving imd that it got them very concerned over the rebellion they had previously kn·o wn little about, making them interested to see any future foreign films that the Model UN plans to show. The club is in its second year of showing movies from around the world. Assistant Principal of Humanities and club advisor Susan Getting explained that it shows foreign films "both as a fund raiser and to promote interest in multiculturalism." Other movies that have been featured by .the club include Picnic at Hanging RockL The Rabbit Proof Fence, and The Red Violin. The Model UN Club meets Wednesdays after school. '·

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The Classic

June2005

Talented visual artists, musicians. take spotlight in May wjth art show, spring concert, more

I On stage, mpdels catwalk for charity. New York Fashion Institute, and some made by students themselves. Men's Warehouse donated the tuxedoes that were worn in the Business-Wear and Prom section of the show. Senior Andrea Amorillo designed and contributed clothing to the Eccen tric/Futuristic segment. Classical language teacher Andrew Hagerty joined the students, incg eluding Andrea herself, who ~ modeled her "' designs. ~ .§ Much of the show was dedi'0 cated to global ~ fashion. Stuo 15 dents showo u cased garments ~ from India and -E. Africa and per~ formed a series ~ of cultural c .S dances after the .c .E traditional ~ clothing was modeled. Seniors Ephraim Cruz and Gian(ranco Cuoco show off their young The show classical language teacher Andrew Hagerty sports an original design by senior Andrea Amorillo. was gener-

by Madeleine Wright The Fashion Show highlighted an eclectic blend of styles on May 25 from 6 to 8 pm. Seniqrs Yvonne Williams and Jomaire Crawford organized the show and intend to donate the money

raised to the Rachel Cooper Foundation, an organization dedicated to promoting pediatric cardiovascular health . About 25 students modeled over 50 outfits, some storebought, others donated by the

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ally well-received. "I think t~ey had a lot of nice clothes, said senior Elana Gray."It was creative, bright, and the cultural aspect was very nice." Senior Jamie Dula commented, "I liked the urban outfits. I thought it was a good example of what's 'in' today. Andrea's line was really good too, considering she's a student and just starting out." Lack of organization and poor timing were cited as reasons for poor attendance . Vanessa Leon, '04, said, "The effort really showed, but with more time, it could have been more polished." Lisa Mars, Assistant Principal of Art and Foreign Languages, added that she believed the show's multiple postponements this year "really hurt ticket Junior Jiwal Harrison models an outfit at the Fashion Show. sales."

Musicians rock stage at HarrisFest by Darcy Rendon and Tanaz Talebpour Eclectic beats filled Harris halls on Thursday, May 26 at the first ever HarrisFest, organized by English teacher Georgette Wallace and senior Michael Finkelstein. For five dollars , students and guests spent the night indulging in varied musical selections and original compositions. Despite its multiple postponements and the fact that it was one of four events that week, 300 people attended HarrisFest. More than five Blink 182 songs were performed by Clear, Waistina, and The Halftime Show. Freshman Chantal Lock ward, a fan of strong guitars, said, "I recognize the talent of the rock bands and greatly enjoyed the Blink 182 songs. It was an amazing turnout and I was really excited seeing all these people here jumping out of their seats and attacking the stage." She added, "It was a remarkable experience

since the music was great, even if the vocals needed work." The final performance of the night was by Playback, in which senior Devana Singh and background vocalist Andrea Amarillo, senior; sang, "Give Me One Reason," "The Way," "Wonderwall" and "Closing Time." "It was inspiring," freshman Renata Thakurdyal said . "Devana's voice was amazing. I can still hear her voice resonating in my ears." Assistant Principal of Arts and Foreign Languages Lisa Mars said, "I enjoyed HarrisFest so much. I can't wait for it to happen next year. I was surprised so many people attended." She added, "It was an amazing night." Japanese teacher Mariko Sato said, "I was really happy to see the other side of Townsend Harris. Everyone was enjoying themselves so much ... . Musically, a couple of bands were really good. Some music was too loud for my taste, but maybe that's

just because I'm getting old." Although events are planned a year in advance, HarrisFest was postponed several times. It

next couple of years, and we' II come back for its tenth-year anniversary."

was originally sched- - - - - - - - - - - - - - , uled for February but coincided with SING! and the Winter Carnival. As a result, it was put off till a later date, but it contlicted with a Mets game antecedently planned . Freshman David Ferrari, vocalist and guitar player of Clear, expressing his satisfaction at the success of HarrisFest, said, "Everything turned out really welt". g 'bo I was so excited that it fi~ (/) nally happened, and I got to play. I think all the bands put in so much effort and they sounded good. This may even ?-> have been better than Battle .D <J> of the Bands." g "It was great. We couldn't .g_ have done it without Ms . Wallace and Mr. Hagerty," said Seniors Matt Rek and James Marks (inset) jam on their guitars at Michael Finkelstein. "HopeHarrisFest. fully it will continue for the

The Classic

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June2005

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On their way: Future

make their mark · MoMA showcases artwork by Yachmetz, Samalot Kara by Jocelyn Wright The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) hosted artwork created by senior Ksenia Yachmetz and juniors Amber Samalot and Ewelina Kara on the evening of May II. The exhibition was made possible by the MoMA Museum Studies Program, which reviewed the sub-

for the city and my constant need to observe it." She says that the photograph is "an example from my study and observation of the people of New York, whom I greet every day with my camera." Although she usually converses with most of her subjects, Ksenia never

is also displayed at MoMA. The photograph depicts an apartment in Brooklyn. Amber did not think much would come of the photograph until her grandmother accidentally dumped water on the picture, and when she came back, the picture looked. like an

photograph from a Harrisite . Ewelina describes her piece as "almost like a collage of watercolor and ink. 'Celestial Dreamer' shows a girl sleeping inside a crescent moon surrounded by dragon , stars, and "other weird things." When Ms .Wischerth told Ewelina about the MoMA exhibition and encouraged her to apply, Ewelina tried first to think of a title and then choose the "stuff that went with it." Ewelina was excited when her piece was chosen,

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Juniors Amber Samalot and Ewelina Kara, and senior Ksenia Yachmetz proudly stand by their artwork on display at MoM A.

missions before selecting the best for display. Art Club advisors Margherita Wischerth and Stu Yellin both encouraged the girls to display their work and helped them get it to MoMA. Ksenia's photograph, "Closed," depicts a man walking up to a 'barbecue restaurant only to find that it is closed. The title came from the sign on the restaurant door. Although "nothing truly inspiryd the photograph," Ksenia says it expresses her "love and passion

spoke with this man and never found out what he was doing, which adds to the feeling of finality that comes with the photograph . Ksenia plans to continue photography when she goes to New York University (NYU) in the fall with a double major in journalism and photography. "Photography is definitely ·a part of my life and will be in the future," she said. Amber's photograph, entitled "Brooklyn Under Water,"

accordion. When she found out that her photograph would be displayed at the MoMA, Amber was thrilled . "This was a total surprise to me .. ..I just think having your artwork exhibited so people can see different interpretations of art is just great....What you think is one piece of artwork by accident becomes so much more," she said. Ewelina's piece, "Celestial Dream~r," was the only non-

although this is not the first time her artwork has been displayed . A year ago, she showcased a piece at the Flushing Town Hall, but they never gave it back to her. Ewelina is hoping that the MoMA will return her artwork, even though "they haven't yet." Ewelina says, "I would love to do [art] as a career, but I'm not sure [what field] yet because I haven't explored all the fields. I'm going through them one at a time to decide which one I like best." As of now, Ewelina is most interested in

pursuing game and creature design because the creative part appeals to her. "It's fun thinking of new things you haven't done before," she said. Mr. Yellin and Ms . Wischerth were both thrilled by their students' success. "I think it's a wonderful experience for them .... It shows they're crafting talent and skill, and are willing to have it examined by a panel to evaluate it," said Ms . Wischerth .

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'Jane of All Trades' exce·ls on stage, court, and in _lab

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by Alyssa Chase Senior Chantal Bruno has established herself as an accomplished musician, neuroscientist, and Varsity tennis player, while still turning in her collaterals on time. The selfworth that she draws from her accomplishments foster her dedication to her activities. . "I think my role model would have to be my father," said Chantal. "From a young

age he has motivated me and She currently performs with The encouraged me to do my best Metropolitan Youth Symphony Orin whatever I set out to chestra and the New York Youth achieve." Symphony Orchestra. Chantal started violin les- · "Playing music can be seen as sons when she was three, be- a fun activity that serves as a gan viola lessons when she stress release. On the other hand, was 12, and was introduced I do feel that a great amount of to the piano two years ago . time, concentration, and determiShe has performed at Lincoln nation are needed to perfect the Center, Carnegie Hall, and music being studied ." Chantal the Saratoga Performing Arts dedicates three hours every week Center in Saratoga Springs. to the Metropolitan Youth Sym-

phony and four hours each Sunday to the New Youth Symphony. She tries to practice an hour each day. Chantal also conducts her sci- "€ ence research project at the neuro- . -B psychology lab at Queens College . . ~ She is a member of the Girls' Var- ·;::; B sity Tennis team and volunteers at ..c<1.l the Ozanam Hall Nursing Home f:!J "' ·~ in Flushing . ;>., ..D Chantal will attend CUNY Ho~- 0 ors Queens College and continue .] to study music as a hobby. o. T a~

The Classic June 2005

udding pianist enthralls Albanian audience _ Laura Schubert The spotlighi in the quiet concert hall falls on the young girl sitting at the piano. She hits the first note of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata and the silence surrenders to her soft music and skillful playing. People watch as she glides her hands over the keys to recreate the unforgettable sounds of the famous piece. The last note lingers in the air before being drowned out by the thunderous clamor of applause, while sophomore Marni Dangellia stands to take a bow. Many know Marni as the

talented pianist who has, now for the second year, performed at the Arista ceremony in December. However, when she's not entertaining the ears of people here in America, she plays over in her homeland, Albania, where she is well known as "the girl from America who came back to give her first concert in her homeland." Born in Tirana, Albania, she began playing at the age of six; following in the footsteps of her father, who is also a very wellknown musician in Albania . She explained, "He had friends in the business who always said I had the talent." Marni's first time perform-

ing proved them right. Shere- weekends . However, the Harris calls her recital in her Albanian workload has cut practice time homeland with a sense of pride. · down almost in half. Marni is "I was so happy," she said. not pleased about this . "I take "You get this feeling, like wow- playing very seriously," she exlook what I just did. Everyone plained, "I would like it to be I knew was there and after, I got prioritized higher than school , to meet with everyone. It was but the music business is risky the best experience ." This and I need something to fall brought Marni her first taste of back on ." stardom when she was featured Marni attends the Manhatin Albanian magazines after the tan School of Music and tries performance. "It was important to practice two hours a day as to me that I played my first con- she continues tci pursue her cert there; it's where I started, dream of playing as a career. it's were all of my teachers But, she adds, "if for some reason I follow a different career were.; it is my h01:neland ." To hone her skills, she con- path, I'll never stop playing." "Music," says Marni, "gives stantly practices. She used to play three hours a day every your life ... lots of good feelings weekday and even more on and pleasure."

Wang excels in music,·academics, service by Adrianna Mateo Foster Wang is a well-known figure in Townsend Harris . Despite his quie t and somewhat re-. elusive nature, he is a sort of mini-celebrity: his talent for violin, often displayed at school functions and concerts, is widely viewed as nothing short of astounding.

Foster has been playing the violin for 12 years, since he was four. Like many musicians, he was pushed into playing music by his parents, who also were his first violin teachers. He admits that he was initially "forced to [practice violin], but [he] learned to like it <\S [he] grew older." He now attends the Juilliard School's Pre-college Division, a program geared towards talented artists from eight to eighteen years of age. Through Paula Zarmon's string class,

im shares family legacy Uyssa Chase sic is something that I can portray that's really not a language. I'm not so good at [but] I can convey [emotions] through music," said violinist Sharon Lim, senior. has performed at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, and has traveled to France and a sololist on a concerto tour. She also contributes her musical talents to her church roup. on began playing the violin when she was four with the encouragement of her Her father and role model immigrated to New York to become a music major at lhattan School of Music. She says that although her parents impressed music upon is glad it is a part of her life. "If my mom forced me not to play, I still would," she I. "[When I play as] part of a symphonic orchestra, the music moves me, so I · how it affects the audience." Sharon has been a member of the Young Musicians Ensemble for nine years. She is also involved in school musical productions and the Harris orchestra, in which . she plays the cello as well as the violin. She has entranced audiences at several Founder Day performances, Arista, and Baccalaureate, receiving standing ovations for her performances. According to string ensemble teacher Paula Zarmon, "She's ver"y opinionated about the music and is very creative and original. She plays violin, cello, piano, and composes music. Sharon is versatile, and she gives confidence to the other players." Sharon also donates her time at the Ozanam Nursing Home. She hopes to continue music as a hobby and become a nurse. She will be attending the University of Pennsylvania in the fall. 1er music seriously, senior Sharon Lim plays the cello as well olin.

Foster has played at numerous venues. He performed at the spring and winter concert for

several years as ·part of the school orchestra and has also played violin solos at several Founder Day's celebrations. According to Ms. Zarmon , when Foster plays in her class, "[the students] sit in awe. They feel that they are at a concert.'·' ro ·c Most notably, Foster has performed at ~ Wigmore Hall in Lon'0 don and the Louvre mu~ scum in Paris . ~:l Foster's favorite . 8 pieces are numerous, but @ he singled out· the "E. Sibelius Violin Concerto in D Minor, Opus 47.

Although he describes it fondly as a ~ 'very emotional and profound piece," Foster's appreciation of violin extends to other instruments as well. " I play guitar for fun," he said , "and I ' d like to learn piano, too ." He plans to do so over the summer in addition to volu nteering at a nursing home and, of course, playing violin . Music is likely to remain a top priority for Foster. "[Performing] on the violin is very time-consuming, but it is very rewarding," he said . "People can appreciate the amount of work and feeling you put into your music ."

Cadelina captivates crowd by Adrianna Mateo · Windell Cadelina is a cheerfully effervescent graduating senior. His bubbly nature is clearly shown in his style of trumpet and piano playing: his improvisations are energetic and clearly "over the top," but they are as enthralling to see as they are to hear. This past year, Windell played trumpet in music teacher Peter Lustig's Jazz Ensemble and Concert Band. He also accompanied Japanese teacher Mariko Sato's chorus class and sang at the last Spring Concert. He has perfo~med trumpet · and piano at school functions, including Harrisfest, the Winter and Spring Concerts, this year's presentation of A Midsummer Night's Dream by Shakespeare and Founder's Day. Even though he has mainly played music at school functions, Windell is by no means an inexperienced musician. He

has studied piano for II years under his current teacher Romona Arceo, and was initially taught how to play the trumpet by Mr. Garcia at I.S. 93. Windell distinctly remembers him as the "first guy who really inspired me to become a_ better musician." He not only taught Windell how to play the trumpet, but also encouraged his curiosity and ex peri mentation with the French horn, flugelhorn (an instrument akin to

knowledge of flute, clarinet, and, most recently, guitar. Next year, Windell will attend the New York Institute of Technoloy for a seven-year program to receive his B.S./ D.O. and become a doctor of osteopathy. <J)

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The Classic June 2005

'People, Places, Etc... ' draws art lovers dependent study art and photography classes. Almost every sense was entertained by viewing the works, eating the refreshments provided and listening to the soft piano music play in the background. The name of the show was developed after all the artists had set up their ideas. "People and places seemed to be in everyone's ~ work and the etc. is ~ how everyone ~ started with one ~ idea that became ~» this on-going pro~ cess," explained ] photography advio. sor Margherita Reversing black and white, junior Carolina Olszewska responds to an Wischerth. art class assigninent. For the independent study photography class, this onby Laura Schubert The lobby was transformed into a going process is part of their final evalumin iature MoMA on Tuesday, May 17 ation. They develop an idea and work after school during the art show entitled on photographs throughout the term. At "People, Places, Etc ... " Students, the end, they choose five to display and teachers, and administrators stopped by write a reflective statement about their to glimpse at the displays from the in- photos . Students were able to choose t\)

Spring Concert shower$ ethereal notes on audience Bird/and, The Man I Love, A Night in Hoping to showcase a great variety Tunisia, and Woodchopper's Ball. Of of talent, band director Peter Lustig, and the performances, junior Elizabeth String Ensemble teacher Paula Zarmon Mead said, "I was proud of the jazz enprepared the students for an evening of semble, because we all did solos. It was music on May 19. From the vocal solo awesome." Sophomore David DiTripani of Tears in Heaven, to the jazz agreed, stating, "Every band sounded ensemble's catchy tunes, "the audience great, especially the jazz band." Next the String Ensemble, led by Ms . was caught up in all the music," stated Zarmon, took the stage, performing sophomore Rowena Eng. . Durango Tango, Sabre Dance, and conThe Intermediate Band opened up the cluding with Piramida , which was acprogram with highlights from The companied by vocalists Ksenia Sound of Music and ended with Stayin' Yachmetz, senior, and Lara Torgovnik, Alive, I Will Survive, and Y.M.C.A., all junior. Ms. Zarmon said , "I wanted the arranged by Johnnie Vinson. Slyde Lustig's Tenth Band performed audience to feel he emotion of the music and make them want to dance . The String Ensemble never ceases to amaze me. " Cl The night ended with ·'g the Concert Band's ren~ dition of Berceuse and "' Finale, Procession of the ·E Nobles, and The Phafr8c: tom of the Opera medley. '0 Trumpet soloist Windell i:;' Cadelina and flute solo§ ist Linda Shum were fea80 tured. o Mi. Lustig stated, "It .c o. was one of our best concerts , and every group Musicians entertain students with their renditions of did a superb job." popular tu.nes.

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what panel they wished to display their photos on and hung them themselves . Senior Diedre Bennett commented, "I like. that each artist got their own space to display what they have done." With so much control over their work, Mrs . Wischerth says, "It helps them [the art students] understand part of being a working artist." As an addition to their final project, the students each critiqued a classmate's work . "This helps them build an aesthetic eye and learn about their own work from others. It builds a communication among the students," said Ms. Wischerth. For the independent study in art class, the show was not considered a final project, but rather a display of works that students had finished up to that point in the term. Similar to the photography class, almost all inspiration came from the artists, with the teachers serving simply as guides. Art teacher Stu Yellin explained , "I just throw ideas out. I like to give them something they aren~t used to doing." One of these ideas was the use of white on black where the students drew on black backgrounds with white color. Sophomore Marcus Ng commented on one of these works created by So~homore Ioana Onichhg, stating, "The best part about this piece is the eyes. They are deep and captivating." Many students who came to view the

show appreciated the diversity of the displays . Elizabeth Pryor, sophomore, stated, "It's interesting to see different styles and subjects in many of the photos ." Krystal Hartly added, "The photos have a great realistic tone. You can really get a sense of the person when you look into the photo." Principal Thomas Cunningham was also among the pleased viewers. He commented, "I think this is a terrific form of expression and the expertise with which it is displayed brings home the talen·t of our students." Apart from creating an interesting display, the freedom given to the students when creating their pieces allowed them to become true artists by using their imagination and creativity to the farthest extent. Hope Rice, a senior, reflected on her work, saying, "This is the show that I strayed most from what I'm comfortable with . It means more because of that." Senior Ksenia Yachmetz displayed photos with a city motif. She stated, "I consider myself a street photographer. Most of my pieces are of -people and places in the city where there is a lot of human interest." Both teachers were pleased with their students' work. "You don ' t always know how things will come out but when they are fin ished you get a pleasant surprise," said Mr. Yellin .

City-wide jazz festi·val trumpets musical feats by Alyssa Chase The Jazz Ensemble jammed at the High School Jazz Festival held in Colden Center on May II. · The festival was organized by the Colden Center Jazz Project, which sent professional musicians to instruct the Jazz Ensemble several times this year. Four high schools showcased their musical talents, and although the event was "not really a competition," music teacher Peter Lustig insisted, "We had the best band there." "There were some bands that were really awesome. It was cool to see the different guitarists and soloists and observe their different styles. It also was good for us to see how we compared to · other school bands on the city level," said guitarist Michael Finkelstein, senior. Mr. Lustig lauded the talents of all the members of the Jazz Ensemble and men tioned seniors Harrison Magee, who plays the saxophone; Junior Lara "Torgo" Torgov.nik on vocals, keyboard , and drums; senior drummer "Sammy G" Grupsm ith ; and Windell Cadelina on trumpet as key perform·o ers. He named sophomores Kashif Coppin , sax :a a player; trumpeteer "Little Dave" DiTrapani ; U'J 03 bassist "D-Ray" Reynolds on bass; and c: drummer and percussionist Calvin"Biggy" c: c:0 Bowen as "up and coming stars ." u.... The band performed a number of 0 pieces, including "Bi rdland" by ;>, Weather Report, "A Night in Tunisia" t ::l 0 by Dizzy Gillespie, and "Blues Mau 0 chine" by Count Basie ....The high0 .c light was the jam session for all four 0. high school s," said Mr: Lustig . Vl

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The Classic June 2005

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Classical language teacher Andre,w '.Pla,gerty was selected from a national applicant pool to participate in an institute sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities. The institute is called "Catullus & Horace: Poets in a Landscape," and it will meet at th.e College of Notr~ Dame in Maryland for three weeks. Twenty-five Latin educators were selected for the program and <~.warded a $2400 stipend to cover expenses. Gilbert LawaH, author of the Ecce Romani series, is. scheduled to appear as a .special guest lecturer. Mr. Hagerty is looking forward to meeting colleagues from around the country, studying two of his favorite authors, and developing further as a teacher of Latin.

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Juniors Alexandra Stergiou and Razeem Zaman were semi-finalists in the Quality of Life competition. Senior Ethan Felder was a finalist in the New York City Science and Engineering Fair (NYCSEF) for social science research. Juniors Shruti Kamawat and Sunita Aggarwal and senior Natasha Bhagwandin received the New York Academ~ of Sciences (NYAS) Se!:!ond Award. Senior Jennifer Bhuiyan was awarded the United States Army Award for Outstanding Science Projec-t. Junior Bonnie Lee received a NYAS Honorable Mention. Senior Eunie Park was honored with the United States Navy and Marine Corps Outstanding Achievement Award. She received $50 in prize money. Senior Maria Wojakowski received the Environmental Quest Award. She also received the Jonas Salk Alumni Award for Academic Excellence in Research and Science. Seniors Anika Anam, Alyssa Chase, Danielle Drinkmann, David Joseph, Christina Tzeng, and Jason Wu were named National Merit Scholarship Program Finalists. · Senior Sharon Lim received the Bertelsmann World of Expression Award in the musical composition category, while senior Elizabeth Carrol received the same award in the literature di·vision. Senior Nikita•Patel received the Judith Gappelber:g. GlaSsman Award for Creative Writing. · · Senior Kevin Lee won the Alfred and Kari Hotvedt Communication Award; ·Senior Janiper Chae won.the.Thomas Cunningham ·. "Going the Exra Mile" Scholarship. · Kristopher Imperati received the Jennifer Wong Memorial Scholarship from Townsend _Harris High School. ·

Prom! Continued from p. I was prom princess. English teacher Joseph Canzoneri was prom don and Ms. "Bienerwitz" (English teachers Biener and Mo, look at the camera! Jared Abrahamse, Alyssa Chase, Grace Pan, Michelitz) were the prom Celine Leung, Diana Campos, and Muhammad Waqas wait for the twins. English teacher limo. Georgette Wallace was named the Lady in Waiting, L----------------------------1 history teacher John O'Malley was jester, and the prom cumadre (the mistress of the mob) was photography teacher Margherita Wischerth. Several students complained about the food that was served for dinner. Diana Campos said, "The food was awful. I had some sweet, salty sauce. There Ulcr•eNl FJ:lo,cf:vt was a bush growing out of my 179-07 Union Turnpike ch~cken , which we figured was Flushing, NY 1n66 (718)969-8836 rosemary." Many lauded the desserts, however, which included snow cones and cotton candy, ice cream, and a chocolate foun.38-15 Bell Bh·d., Suite 202 tain, which spouted chooclate B?yside, NY 11361 onto fruit and pretzels. "Oh, the Tel. 718.281.02-62 chocolate fountain!" exclaimed Kathle_en Ma. "The fact that it was flowing with six pounds of rich milk chocolate was absoFor the 5 Hour pre-licensing course, . lutely heaven(!" Point and lns11rance Reduction course "Prom was definitely and Road lesson packages. schedules/pricing visit us at: memorable," said Eunie. "I had WWW.NYAUTOSHOOL~COM a .great time. Seeing the class of 2005 all decked out in evening gowns and tuxedos' We accept Most lnsucance • .PeterJo . made me realize that we are re~ . SupetVising Pharma6is.t Medicaid & Medicare . : , ally growing up:" Open: 8:30am-7pm(Mon.-Sa:t.) · ~~} · :£ . ~ ~ · ' . . . The last song was "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" by Meatloaf. "I think it was a great "6}4~.;:song, but i,t really dragged on;" HANA PHARMACY, INC. said Brian Na. He added, 29~26 Union St. "Overall, the prom was an ideal Flushing, NY 11354 Tel : (718) 35~3373 last experience." (frl-J~~ 0 Hf-'t!) Fax: (71'8) 321-8647

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Fo·u r newly approved clubs in full swing this spring by Mary-Grace Papatheodorou and Tanaz Talebpour Several new clubs approved early this term are up and running, including the Islamic Club (Salam), the SIMPS (Students Investigating Media Portrayals in Society) Club, the Key Club, and the Hellenic Club. All w~re made official by the Consultative Council. A new Executive Board position, the Cl'ub Liaison, was also inaugurated this spring. Junior Misha Jemison, the first

Club Liaison ever elected by and disbanding clubs. "All we least twice a month and file at- Revolution (DDR) Club, comthe student body, will keep are basically doing is reinfotc- tendance in the COSA office. pete to get an approval from the track of attendance and ensure ing ideas that already exist but In addition, any person who is Consultative Council, existing that all clubs uphold their mis- have not been written down and not a student or faculty mem- clubs struggle to stay active due sion statements. . explained word for wora," said . ber may not direct, conduct, to poor student participation or The four newest clubs were senior Kris Imperati, Student control or regularly attend club a lack of creative ideas. passed after the final amend- Union President. activities. Students Against Destrucment to the School Constitution According to the amendTo establish or disband a tive Decisions (SADD) is in was approved unanimously by , ment, all clubs must have a mis- club, all school-wide positions danger of being disbanded bethe ' Student Union Executive sion statement, a faculty ad vi- and faculty present at a Consul- cause of lack of student interBoard and Consultative Coun- sor and a minimum of 10 mem- tative Council meeting must · est and too few members . Club cil late last semester. The main bers. Clubs must be open to all vot~, and a two-thirds majority advisor and economics teacher purpose of the ~mendment is to . students and perform some kind will rule whether the club is to Dr. Linda Steinmann said, clarify certain rules and regu- of service annually in order to be approved or disbanded. ''Young people don't seem to lations that the school consti- give back to the commun ity. While newly proposed see destructives decisions as as tution has regarding creating Every club must also meet at clubs, such as the Dance Dance big of a problem."

S.alam' explores.Islamic culture .

by Priti Shah . tiating conversation, you also Disturbed by the. many initiate education and under· m isconceptions about Islam, standing. Many students do not sen ior Iman Ahmed and jun- really know about Islam since ior Maryam Sultan decided to they do not have an opportunity start Salam, a new Islamic , to discuss varying aspects of the cu lture club. Salam means religion in an in-depth way." Club meetings are structured peace and is used as a greetas a semim\r to facilitate this uning. The club began as a me- derstanding . I man and Maryam dium through which co-presi- start the discussion with-a topic dents I man and Maryam that they find is commonly hoped to educate people misunderstood about Islam, about Islam. The uhimate such as the status of goal that Salam hopes to women in Islam. After the achieve is to "bring people of topic is introduced , memdiffe re nt ideologies together bers are encouraged to add to have an open conversation their thoughts and feelings. about religion , particularly In addition , the club the religion ,of Islam," said watches moyies that -provide information about IsI man . Iman believes that "by ini- lam <ind its rich history.

·Eager ·volunteers flock t~ Key Club by Annie Choi A new club devoted to community service has been established in keeping with the Tow'nsend Harris tradition of giving hack to the community. Membership in the Key Club is open to anyone interested in volunteer work . The Key Club provides access to opportunities that students might find difficult to discover on their own. Members can easily find <iut what is going on in the coimnunity and get involved. "The club is there for students to ,he more active in their community, to be i,lWare of the programs that can help them reach out to their community," said club advisor Philip Porzio. "We have a lot planned already," said sophomore Anna Gu, founder and President of the club. Some of these activities include a carnival for the AYA (Asian Youth Association), four upcoming walk-a-thons; hospital visits, participation in the City Meals on Wheels program, and fundraisers both in and outside of school. Members will receive club credit and service credit. However, they are not affiliated with the national Key Club. "We fought for it to he nationally affiliated, hut the school didn't allow it," said Anna. Coordinator of Student Activities Adam Stonehill said the reason for this is that "we don't allow outside organizations to dictate what we do for a club." Students showed much interest in the new club when more than 50 people attended the first meeting in February. According to Yolanda Hamilton, junior, many people were standing because "there were no seats." The Key Club meets every Wednesday after school in Room 531 . Its officers may start having meetings on a different day for those who cannot make it on Wednesday afternoon . Anyone interested in the Key Club may visit its website at <www.xanga.com/keyclubthhs>.

Salam also collects money for charitable causes. All students are welcome to join and learn more about Islam. Mathematics AP Ellen Fee acts as advisor-to the club, which meets every other Tuesday. Junior Karin Fizora says she joined Salam "to learn mor~ about my religion, thereby learn<

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SIMPS Club interests Groenings teenage fans by Donna Mordente · The newly established Simps (Students Investigating Media Portrayals in Society) Club, held every Thursday afternoon from 2:45 to 3:30, engages its members in weekly discussions of media portrayals in society through cartoon. Based on the popular FOX television program, The Simpsons, created by Matt Groening, the club applies the comedic representation of popular culture and history in the original comics and animation to an analysis of · major social and political issues. Currently advised by history teacher Chris Hackney, the Simps presents a wide variety of epi·sodes for club viewing that founder and club president Stephanie Vance believes will "educate students through an unconditional medium ." By watching various installments of Simpsons episodes that frequently incorporate controversial topics , including racism, fem inism, and class· struggle, the club hopes to serve as a catalyst for debate during each club gathering . The Simps was primarily established with the goal of granting its members a greater understanding of culture, human nature and existing conflicts within / modern society. Stephanie, a junior, suggests that students will acquire more knowledge about each social issue, as they enjoy the episode presentation while benefiting from their observations and discussions. Recognized for its reflection of varying perspectives concerning a vast array of topics, The Simpsons , an enduring series now in its sixj teenth season , has earned a favorable reputa_tion I among students and faculty. 0 The Simps Club continues to gain support and expects to increase its attendance in following years. Stephanie encourages membership and promises that "The Simps Club will make students laugh and think!"

Hellenic Club welcomes diversity by Sangsoo Kim growth. the classical Greek class." Already, the club has shown "In accordance with our misSo far, the club has held four sion, we are promoting Greek some success in promoting meetings. In addition to proaw~ireness, the classical awareGreek awareness, as many of moting Greek awareness, the ness through simple means, to the meetings were geared to- club tries to dispel several make students embrace the tra- wards preparing for th_e Festi- myths concerning the classical dition," explained classical lan- val of Nations, in which many Greek language. _ "I believe that we need to guage teacher Andrew Hagerty. performed traditional dances Mr. Hagerty and junior known as the 'Ikariotiko' imd . dispel myths that Latin helps more than Greek in taking SATs Apostolos Pittas co-founded the 'Hasaposerviko.' According to junior and such. At least half of the huddingHellenic club in order to jumpstart a journey of under- Apostolos Pittas, "The United roots are Greek," said MaryStates and American society in Grace Papatheodorou, a sophostanding Greek culture. Meeting every other Tues- · general owe their roots and . more. Another myth revolving day in room 534, the Hellenic foundation to Hellas. This club Club is open to anyone , even gives students the opportunity around the language is that it is those with6ut any experience to come in contact with Hel- hard to learn a new alphabet, . with the language or culture. lenic culture, philosophy and which as Mr. Hagerty exThe club encourages more literature. It will hopefully pro- plained, "The truth is, the lanpeople to join, since a solid at- mote love of things Greek and guage is more similar than distendance would stimulate influence more students to join similar to English.~'

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Varsity Girls score their way into playoffs by Rookminie Behari After defeating William C. Bryant to get into the playoffs just a week before,

the Girls' Varsity Softball team lost their first-round game to Walton, 7-1, on May 26. Their· effort, however, was not unnoticed. The team faced a tough foe in their final season game, a must-win against the same Bryant team that had shut them out twice r; earlier in the season . The Hawks ·~ overcame their demons and pro0 duced nine runs to back senior .[ pitcher Alyssa Wick, who allowed only two unearned runs in the '0 opening inning. ~ The game that the girls say ~ turned their season around, how8 ever, was on May I 0 against ~ Francis Lewis . The Hawks had to "E. beat Lewis, which was undefeated, and win their next two games Freshman Danielle Abatemarco anticipates a pitch against Newtown and Bryant in orduring a home game. der to qualify for the playoffs. In

Romano kicks high despite playoff loss losses, and one tie, placing them second in the Queens A division . Both losses came at the hands of Bayside, who finished first, but the Hawks did manage to procure season sweeps from Bryant, Cardozo, Francis Lewis, and Jamaica. The ninth win came against Newtown, against whom the Hawks also tied. ~ Romano was '§ the team and dio u vision leader in ~ goals scored with .g_ 16 in 10 games, including the Senior Maria Paschalidis displays her form after a kick. one playoff game. - by Robert McCullagh Senior forward midfielder Maria The Girls' Varsity Soccer season Paschalidis was second on the team, ended abruptly on May 19, when the with six goals in nine games. Hawks were defeated by Midwood, 4Freshman goaltender Diana 2, in their first round playoff match. Kokoszka was dominating between the Freshman forward/midfielder Maria posts, as she allowed only 13 of the 88 Romano scored both goals in the loss. shots she faced go for goals in I 0 games. Despite the postseason, the Hawks' The end result was a 1.3 goals against regular season was a success. They fin- average, ranking her ninth in the diviished with a record of nine wins, two siOn. 11)

the bottom of the seventh inning against think we all knew that we were good Lewis, the Hawks' future looked bleak, enough to win but actually doing it was as the score was 3-2 in Francis Lewis' like, 'Wow, we've got a shot at this ."' favor. Their unprecedented success is . Then Katherine Incantalupo stepped thanks in large part to the team's chemup to bat. . istry. From veterans like Incantalupo to With two runners on base, the senior freshmen rookies like first-year starting shortstop drove a single to right field, catcher Danielle Abatemarco, the bringing home both the tying and win- Hawks supported each other uncondining runs and handing Francis Lewis tionally, and their statistics prove it. their first and only loss of the season. Sophomore centerfielder Meaghan "I think it built up a lot of confidence Mapes led the team with a .393 batting in everyone," said sophomore third average, with Abatemarco (.386) and baseman Lauren Noble. Incantalupo (.375) not far behind. "It's a great accomplishment," On the mound, the Hawks' pitchers agreed second-year coach Howard were just as devastating. Wick posted a Furman. "It was great coming back af- 7-5 record, with a 2.88 earned run averter a tough season and beating the top age and a career best I00 strikeouts in two teams in our league." 73 innings. Junior pitcher Michelle Sophomore Jessica Graf added, Montgoris contributed a 1-2 record with "Winning the game against Francis a 2.33 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 21 inLewis really boosted our confidence. I nmgs.

Outdoor girls run circles

around competition by Rookminie Behari The.Girls' Outdoor Track team concluded. their season with the New York City PSAL Championship at Randall's Island on May 29. Sophomore Devotia Moore came in first in the 2000 Meter Steeplechase in seven minutes and 22.61 seconds. She also came in third in the 1500 Meter Run with a time of four minutes and 59.43 seconds . Moore, senior Alyssa Chase, and sophomores Kama Ogaye and Susan Wasserman came in fifth with I 0 minutes and 20.37 seconds in the 4 X 800 Meter Relay. "Winning the outdoor city championship was one of my more rewarding accomplishments this year," said Moore. "Running sub 7:30 for it was

a number I never imagined I could hit. Last year I was only able to do about 7:42 and this year it was 7:22. So it was a surprise and a relief because I got a pretty bad start in the race." ·'Tm pretty proud of the team and the accomplishments," said sophomore Rowena Eng. "We've always had strong 800 runners, which is amazing because the 800 is a pretty hard event. We have strong 800 runners because we work hard ." By winning the 2000 Meter Steeplechase, Moore was able to attend the State Championships in Syracuse recently. She came in 24 overall. "I'm still very proud of myself," she said.

Ace in -s emis ends Boys' run by Robert McCullagh A 4-1 loss in the semi-finals to eventual champion Brooklyn Tech on May II concluded the Boys' Varsity Tennis season after a 10-2 regular season. The Hawks lost the match despite the performance of sophomore Sean Doerfler (I 0-0) at second singles. He won his match 6-0. 6-0, which would be the team's only win of the day. Senior Ari Gayer lost his first singles match to Tech standout Alex Vasin 6-3, 6-1. Gayer's loss brings his illustrious high school career to an end with a lifetime record of 34~5. This season's record of 6-2 ranked him third in New York City. Gayer went on to become the City Singles Champion, as well as being ranked 14'h overall in the Eastern Seaboard area. The win is his second in four years, as he was so honored in 2003. In addition, he was presented with the Heisman trophy at Townsend ijarris' 20' 11 Annual Sports Awards Ceremony on June 8. Doerfler is the bright light in the Hawks' future. His perfect record this year at second single~ adds to his young career record of 24-1. His current city ranking is sixth, and with two years left in high school, his potential is promising.

Undefeated season ends for Girls' Handball in 3-2 loss by Maureen McCluskey and Sara Wei to keep their playoff life team, the Hawks also performed ~ell in- years on . the team, as seen in her vetAfter an outstanding regular season · alive in the second doubles match. Af- . dividually. In the city individual cham- eran leadership on the court this season. that ended without a loss and a hot play- ter a valiant effort, the girls lost 21-17, pionships, senior captain Christina Chai went, 13-0 in her matches at first off run, the Girls' Varsity Handball team giving Fort Hamilton an overall 3-2 win. "C.C' Chai placed second in singles, singles, including playoff matches, with was stopped by Fort Hamilton in a semi: "It was a disappointing loss," said while Deng andThai placed second in 62 aces and 16 kills. Also graduating final match on May II. are Deng ( 11-1 in second doubles), coach Jim Jordan . "I know the team is doubles. Tied 2-2, the Hawks sent senior capable of beating Fort Hamilton. It was Chai is one of four seniors that are Ashley de Ia Rosa (I 0-3 in second Diana Deng and sophomore Linda Thai a tough fight, but it just wasn't our day." leaving this year. She has been one of · singles), and Min Ji Song (8-2 in secup against Fort Hamilton's Jing Yi Mo In addition to performing well as a the more instrumental players in her ond singles).

The Classic

June 2005

BOys spike way to .500 record after 0-3 start by Michelle Montgoris After a disappointing 0-3 start, the Boys' Varsity Volleyball team picked their game up to complete their season with a respectable 5-5 record in the Queens II division, including a win in their last game, a 2-1 win over John Bowne on May 5. The game was highlighted by two juniors, Jason Yeoun and Kevin Kwak. Yeoun contributed three aces and four kills, while recently-named Most Valuable Player Kwak added three aces and 16 kills. Kwak was certainly deserving of th~ MVP award, as this

The Boys' Varsity Handball team ended their season with a 4-1 loss to Benjamin Cardozo on April 21. Their final record consisted of four wins and six losses, a vast improvement from last year's season without a win. First singles junior Daniel Kim lost his match to Cardozo's Brian Chan 21-12, hut senior James Lizzul picked him up in the next singles match by defeating Milton Villagomez 21-18 . That would be their only win of the day, however, as the Hawks dropped their third singles match and both their doubles matches. "We really improved from last season ," said second year player Daniel Schwartz, sophomore. "Although we were winless, we gained a lot of ex-

by Rookminie Behari

season he registered I 0 aces and 14 kills, as well as a whopping 147 assists. His 147 assists ranked him second in the division and 151h overall in New 路York City. The team benefitted from its veteran leadership as well. Senior Ephraim Cruz totaled up 16 kills and six aces in nine matches, while fellow senior Eugene To racked up seven aces and a dominating 37 kills. With a roster consisting of three seniors, seven juniors, and only one freshman, the Hawks will be looking to recruit for the 2005-2006 team.

Improvement a Plus for Boys' Handball by Lance Tomas

Junior Varsity Softball season ends in high scoring, 1-run loss

perience and were able to use it this season." Kim's II aces and 15 kills, coupled with Lizzul's 9 aces and 16 kills, accounted for much of the veteran leadership, as the team was comprised of six sophomores and six freshmen. After starting the season 14, the team's spirit never faded. "We never stopped trying our best to win," said returning sophomore Gary Wang . "Even when our record was bad, we fought through all our games. We ended with a better record than last season and I am positive that next year, we will have an even better record ." In addition to Kim and Lizzul, Wang added 16 kills, and the first' doubles team of freshman Michael Coritsidis and senior Jonathan An contributed a combined 24 kills.

On the fast track: Boys run into city champs by Alex Rush Despite a lack of veteran leadership, the Boys ' Outdoor Track team has qualified for the New York City championships, which will take place on Sunday, June 25. Led by the sole senior, captain Matt Duelka, the Hawks will find themselves competing with arch rivals Francis Lewis and Newtown. The boys have already proven themselves in clutch races this season . In the Queens Borough Championships on May 13, Duelka placed second in the 800 Meter relay, while the 4 x 800 Meter relay teams placed first and fourth. Junior Kenneth Chang . finished eighth in the 400 Meter dash, while sophomore Samuel Ok placed fourth . .Junior Joey Rodriguez topped the day off by placing seventh in the 200 Meter dash. Junior Constantine Laskaridis is not surprised at the inexperienced team's success . He attributes it to the "successful and organized practices where everyone worked well together." The team can only hope that their chemistry can mix with a little luck to create a dangerous combination at the city championships.

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6 5 "' ~ >->

~ ] Sophomore Heather Lonks prepares to swing as o. pitch is thrown.

The last Hawks team to be in action in 路 the spring has concluded its season, as the Girls' Junior Varsity Softball team closed out the year with a 21-20 loss to Flushing on June 7 . The loss gives the team a final record of 3-3. The Hawks grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, but were unable to recover after Flushing scored 12 runs off of freshman pitcher Roxanne Martin in the third. Down 21-14 in the bottom of the seventh, the girls attempted a comeback otf of Flushing's Wisam Mohamed, but fell short as they managed only six of the seven runs they needed to tie the game . Three was the lucky number for the day as three girls, sophomores Natalie Elisha, Katelyn McFadden, and Martin, each had three hits. Freshman Lauren Foisy scored five of the Hawks' runs, and sophomores Heather Lonks and Joanna Menillo each added a home run .

Doubles match highlights 5-0 Girls' playoff loss to Midwood by Maureen McCluskey After clinching their third straight playoff berth, the Girls' Varsity Tennis team lost their second round match to Midwood in straight sets, 5-0, on May 9. Down 3-0, the first doubles match proved to be the most intense of the day. Lasting two and a half hours and continuing on for three sets, senior Chantal Bruno and sophomore Katie Chancer fell in the end to Midwood's Michelle Rach and Yu1ia Katsne1son . The loss comes after a successful season for the Hawks, which ended with an 8-4 record, second in the Queens A division behind their biggest rivals, the undefeated Cardozo. Three of the Hawks' losses were to the Cardozo Judges, while Francis Lewis accounted for their fourth . Much of' the team's success this year is attributed to their incredible chemistry. "I am proud of the girls for their outstanding team spirit and good sportsmanship," said secondyear coach Shari Basis. That spirit is shown in this year's tradition of eating team-baked goods after each match. Sophomore Laura Shubert referred to the cookies during the season as "victory cookies" because "we celebrate[d] the wins with cookies and our losses [were] made better by the cookies." Their food-after-a-match held true right up until their la~t match, when the team gathered at Prima Pasta in Howard Beach in celebration of their excellent season .

Defending baseball champs fall short by Lance Tomas The Boys ' Varsity Baseball team's hope of repeating last year's B Division title ended on May 28, as the defending champion Hawks were beaten 2-1 路 by Jane Addams in extra innings in their first round playoff match . Senior Christopher Guillou pitched all eight innings and gave up two runs , only to be outdone by opposing pitcher Angel Perez. The loss ended the season for the Hawks with a respectable I 0-6 record . "Obviously we're disappointed," said second year player Cletus Schuyler. "We tried hard. It was a great close game . It's not like we

were beaten 20-0. It was 2-1 in extra innings . Next year, we ' ll be back." The team's success can be attributed to the contribution of many of its veteran players, including seniors Guillou (4-3 record, .429 avg, II r.b.i 's, 21 hits) John Tatti (.423 avg, 15 r.b.i's, 19 runs) and Michael Badala (.417 avg, 20SB, 16 runs) and junior Nestor Serrano (4-1, .429 e.r.a's, 29Ks) . Newcomer junior Vincent Virgintino (.453 avg, 19 runs , 13 r.b.i's) also contributed. The season got off to a promising start, as Guillou threw a no-hit shutout, with 18 strikeouts . The Hawks never lost more than two games in a row, and ended the regular sea-

son with a I 0-0 shutout by Serrano.

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Senior John Tatti shows intensity during an at-bat.