October 2010 Vol. 27No. 2
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Soft news TV show revised, not censored by Rebecca Seidel Although many factors resulted in the infrequency and revised content of the Election Simulation's soft news television shows, administrators said 路 that censorship was not among them. Speculation about the show had been circulating among Harris students. The second show aired schoolwide departed dramatically in content from the first, leaving viewers wondering whether the show had been censored. "All I said was that it has to be appropriate," said Principal Kenneth Bonamo. "There's no need for me to be this heavy-handed censor. The students ... will monitor themselves." Students working on the softmedia show affirmed that the edits they made were based on group decisions. All of the revisions to the show were by consent of the group and under the supervision of their teacher, Chris Hackney. Though the administration did not explicitly demand the removal of content, both Mr. Bonamo and Assistant Principal of Humanities Susan Getting said that students' rights of expression are limited in a _ classroom setting. continued on Page 3
Townsend Harris High School at Queens路 College
Mock arrest stirs support for prisoner on death row
Senior "police officers" lead Alice in handcuffs to the courtyard for a mock trial.
by Lory Martinez "Alice Kim, you are under arrest." A "police officer" handcuffed Alice, senior, who struggled and repeated, "I didn't do anything wrong!" as she was taken into the courtyard for a student-run "trial." Supporters cheered, "Save, save Alice Kim!" and drew a large crowd ofHarrisites to the courtyard, where the qlitck trial resulted in her death sentence. Aquib Yacoob, president of the Townsend Harris chapter of Amnesty International, organized the mock arrest to raise awareness about the fight to abolish the death penalty and save a man named Troy Davis from an unjust death sentence. Troy Davis was accused of committing murder at a convenience store in Georgia. He was sentenced to death after nine witnesses said that he had committed the murder. Soon after, seven out of the nine witnesses retracted their testimonies. Amnesty International has created a global campaign to abolish the death penalty and save innocent people like him. "I'd been mobilizing since the summer after his trial, and once Alice said she wanted to do something about it in school, I jumped on the opportunity and presented it to Ms. Fee and Mr. Bonamo," Aquib said. continued on Page 3
Special Interest Rally educates voters on party issue~ by Hayley Desmond With parodies, politicians in tutus and talking ballot boxes, seniors comprising the Election Simulation's special interest groups vied for the votes of underclassmen at the Special Interest Rally on October 20. Teacher and organizer Franco Scardino's AP Government classes aimed to entertain, inform and sway the select classes that came to the auditorium to watch the skits. The function of a special interest group is to get the candidates who best support its issues elected. Seniors from Democratic and Republican
groups presented differing viewpoints on topics such as health care, finance and education, drawing mixed reactions. "Both the Democrats and Republicans did a phenomenal job,'' said senior Stephanie Gergoudis of the Democratic group PSC-CUNY Professors. "I think it's going to be a close election; just like in real life." "It was very informative and helped clarify each candidate's objectives. Not only was the information useful, but entertaining as well. I thoroughly enjoyed all of the skits," said sophomore Catherine Moskos. Alexis Martinez, sophomore, continued on Page 5
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INSIDE: Rachel's Challenge SING previews
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OPINION sound off! Craving Cold Pizza Since the Election Simulation began in 1996, there have been guidelines for candidates and media classes to follow. The 2010 Teacher's Manual for the Election Simulation, available online and in classrooms, states the following under the "Media" category: "Each media outlet needs to develop a particular style of reportage; however, the primary focus must remain substantive. The substantive focus of all media, including soft media, is the election and the issues surrounding it." That leaves us with just one question: Whatever happened to Cold Pizza? If you're reading this and thinking of cafeteria food, you're not a senior. But if you are a member of the Class of 2011, the phrase will bring you way back to the days of freshman year. In 2007, Cold Pizza was the name of the Election Simulation's soft news television show. It featured lighthearted interviews with candidates, mostly conducted by host "Andrew Last-name-too-hard-to-pronounce." It doesn't sound all that extraordinary, nor do specific features or interviews stand out at this point. But mention Cold Pizza or Andrew to any senior, and chances are that he or she will smile instant with instant recognition. Both Cold Pizza and this year's interpretation of soft news ultimately have a sense of humor driving them forward. But the drastic difference between the two shows, spaced only four years apart, showcases just one more way that the Election Simulation has evolved - and not for the better. What will this year's freshmen remember- or not? Well, there was the Amazing Show Show, which ultimately morphed into the Sunshine Happy Show, with some other name-changes in between. The show marginally involved candidates, but ultimately turned into a medium for addressing and satirizing student grievances unrelated to the candidates or their campaigns. If the purpose of all Election Simulation media is to focus on "the election and the issues surrounding it," then the soft news show has gone way too far astray. One could argue that the elections themselves are not inherently interesting. However, there is plenty of potentially humorous material in the real election; for an example, just l()ok at the recent gubernatorial debates 路at Hofstra. Similarly, it would be relatively simple to poke fun at some of the simulated candidates here at Harris. The show's main object of satire should be the election itself, not the problems occurring behind the show's curtain. In the end, humor is a matter oftaste. But in a television show geared towards the election, the focus should not be on testing the limits of the administration, nor should the content stray out of its intended context. There's no doubting that producing a television show is grueling work, and we commend the entire media class for working so hard - especially with the unfortunate timing of the studio renovation. However, future seniors should keep in mind what the television shows are supposed to accomplish. The soft news show is meant to entertain, but in a way that keeps in character with the Election Simulation as a whole. It's time to reconsider priorities and go back to the manual- or at least, back to the days of Cold Pizza.
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What alll I running for, again? It is hard to miss the political posters plastered on nearly every inch of available wall space throughout the school. It is harder, though, to describe the platforms of some of the candidates whose names the advertisements proclaim. Students surely can't be expected to pause in the middle of a busy hallway to read policies off the wall. Even real political advertisements generally only have a name and a slogan on them. Posters shouldn't be used as sources of large quantities of information; seniors portraying candidates, however, should be. This year's Election Simulation has produced a mixed bag of imitation politicians. While some seniors have risen to the challenge of accurately portraying candidates and their views, several others have been negligent of their duties to inform the student body. There is a lack of both knowledge and enthusiasm amongst those in the latter group. Certain candidates have responded with utter silence when asked basic questions on radio shows. One gave an incorrect explanation of transparent government. Another was stumped ~en questioned as to whether he is running for federal or state senate. Some do not even know what district they are hoping to represent. Rather than presenting students with facts, several candidates have chosen to promote themselves solely by empty slogans, gimmicks and bribery with baked goods. Although these are time-tested traditions of . the Election Simulation, they are meant to accompany, not replace, the education on politics which seniors are supposed to provide. This lack of familiarity with the politicians and their stances is most likely due to the seniors' disinterest in the Simulation, which is more than evident in their monotone voices and aloof demeanors. These candidates treat their campaign efforts as chores. . The apathetic attitude present in the 2010 Election Simulation is unfair to the underclassmen, particularly the freshmen. The performance of the senior class determines the freshmenis view and understanding of the Simulation. By setting a poor example for them, these candidates may be sabotaging the Simulations of years to come. The Classic encourages the candidates in question to strive to better educate themselves and the student body on the politicians whom they represent. Additionally, we urge underclassmen to hold seniors accountable by researching, asking questions and testing their knowledge.
Letters to the editor a:re always welcome. If you have a response to a piece we've written, or an issue you want addressed in The Classic, email your letters to thhsclassic@gmail.com.
iEDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Rebecca Seidel Hayley Desmond
!FEATURE EDUOR
NEWS EDITOR COPY EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR A&EEDITOR ADMINISTRATIVE
EDITOR
PUBLIC EDITOR IPHOTOCRAPHY EDITOR ART EDITOR
Rupes;p.i Shah Tracey Wang 13en Horowitz Freddy Millan Jr. Lory Martinez Frank Coraz.za Kal!en Rose Kim RicmeBonWa
ADVISOR Caa-oline Cross PRINCIPAL Kenneth. Bommo Townsend Harris High School 149-11 Melbourne Avenu:e Bushing, NY 11367
The aasg.ic i~S an open forum for the expres路s ion ot student views. The opimons expressed therein should not be taken to represent those ot the Cl?drnin.i:stration or faculty, or of the student body as a whole.
Writing Staff: Indira Abiskaroon, Candace Burton, Emma Court, Chandi Ghuman, Margaret Jia, Abigail Koffler, Eunice Lau, Ella Leviyeva, Genna Mastellone, Salma Mohamed, Catherine Moskos, Nicholas Lupo, Demetra Panagiotopoulos, Yuval Solomon Sports Staff: Grace Shin, Joshua Solomon Art Staff: Edward Farquharson, Alice Hung, Amy Wang Photography Staff: Indira Abiskaroon, Rebecca Chu, Nicole Godreau, Samiha Khan, Misty Kim, Demetra Panagiotopoulos, Marissa Shieh, Yuval Solomon
news
Loss of Fir·s t Amendment title
does not reflect on policy l>y Jt..e'beeea Seidel Due to an incomplete appficatio.a , Towasend Harris was not among the recipieats of the First Amendment :Press F•eednm Award for the 2'00~-2'Q 1Q school year~ th011gh it was a :Gnaliist. However, Harri;s pu@lioations stiil1 retain the rigkts that woo them the awar<l ii& the past. The award, spo11sore<i by a number of presiig4ous scholastic press orgartizations ana gra»te<d tu oDly a few schools across the coun·t ry each year, recognizes schools that stand out f<Or embrac.i ng stutients' rights to free speech under the First Amen<lment. Harris won the award six times previously, so tms year's results h:ave lelt many people undear as ttl whether the sch ool's stance on the First Amendment has chan~ed. The quick answer that i't .has not. The loss of the award was not the result o.f any policy changes regarding students' First Amendment rights, :nor does it affect students' freetiom of exp>ression in any way. "The fact that we didn 't get this honor im no way abrogates our First Amendment charter,'' said I:lsa Cowen., former BRg1ish teacher and advisor of The Classic, who pioneered the charter ailong with the newspaper staff in 2000. The charter, whioh outlines tne rreedoms, :roles, and responsibi:li:ties of the newspaper, has played a major role in the school's receiving the award in the past. The charter maintains that the paper is an "open forum for the expression of student views." It witl remain so, provided that reporters remain accurate and do not "knowingJy commit lii0el, breach tlle privacy of an individual, indte disorderly conduct, viotate copyrights, or use ohsoene lallgllage.'' Su:c.h actio11s fall under tne category of ''utlp:Fotected speech." With the pmvisi:ons it entails, The Classic legally falls uncler the ruliag ofthe Supreme Court's Tinker decision of 1969, which states that "students do not shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech at the schoo1howse gate." However, the 19:85 case New .Jersey v. TLO established that a school environment is different :firom other settings, and that students within schoo:l can't assert aH of the rights that they can elsewhere. The later Hazelwood decision of 19R8 £'urther restricted student free<ioms, stating that "educators do not offend the First Amendment by exercixing editoriaJ control over the style and co.a tent of stu<ient speech in school sponso1!ed expressive ac'liiviti:es so long a~ their actions are reasonaoly related to legitimate pedag'Ogical concerns!' Ms. Cowen sa.icl, "The charter takes The Classic away &om the domain of the Hazelwood decision and places it firmly under the prior Tinker decision stan.dar.<l. The fact that it has been signed and adhered to ail these years oy all three principals of Townsend Harris gives iit very strong legal sta:n<di:ng.'' ''By practice, the charter has always been applie<i to the yearbook & liiterary magaziae as welt," she adde<i., "though the h:istory of i'ts application to the me<lia pieces pro<luced for the Elec~<Jn Simutation, which come out of the Participatory Democracy classes, has been bumpy.'' She expd!aiaed that the provisions of the charter pan cover Th!l Clas~ic, :rhe Phoe.uix, and The Crimson & Gold beca'tlse they al1 solely express stu:dent views. Mock eleotion-me<tia simalates oover~ge of individuals and even:ts o:ntside of school, and thus doesn't fall under the same cate,gory. Also, the Election Simulation is conducted within classrooms, rather than as an extra.curriculM activity. The admiaistration has the right to look over ana cetlsor material that's in,tegrate€1 into the curriculum. Copies of Thre Classic's ch'l'trter are a>Vailable in.ltoom 112.
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'Arrest' raises awareness about death penalty [continued from Page 1} Alice said, "I did [the mock arrest] because here's a man who we can save. It's up to us to make a change." "I am Troy Davis. Alice is Troy Davis. We are all Troy Davis. The work of Harris students helped to make a difference and saved his life," Aquib said. During each band, over half of the cafeteria flowed into the courtyard to watch the trial. · "I really have to thank everyone for the support. A lot of people came out, which surprised me," said Alice. "The thing that shocked me the most was that witnesses Amnesty president Aquib Yacoob said he did [commit discusses the plight ofTroy Davis . the crime] and then said that he didn't do it and that there was no more evidence," sophomore Nicholas Ljeskovac said as he joined his friends in signing the petition. Amnesty International gained the support of over 800 Harrisites last year in its effort to save Troy Davis froni the death penalty. "His execution [last year] was postponed because we [Harris] made noise," Aquib said. "Townsend Harris saved Troy Davis's life last year. I'm confident we can do it again this year." This year, the demonstration resulted in over 600 petition' signatures by the end of the day.
Changes to television show raise questions about censorship [continued from Page I} "The media projects of the Election Simulation are not governed by the same First Amendment rights as school publications," said Mr. Bonamo, adding that since the media are viewed in and produced by classes, "it therefore becomes curricular material." "In a classroom, you have 34 kids who can't say no," said Ms. Getting, explaining that during class time, it's the faculty's responsibility to make sure that students are comfortable with what they're seeing. The show, originally entitled the Amazing Show Show, had an introduction featuring director and anchor Michael Kaufman running down the track in a Speedo, with the title of the show superimposed on the back - making the acronym apparent. This, along with other aspects of the show that might have been deemed inappropriate, met with complaints from faculty members who aired the show in their classrooms. Michael stated that the first show was not meant to be inappropriate in any way. "I think [the reaction among faculty] reflects that the staff of Townsend Harris doesn't feel comfortable with very simple situations . . .even if the things being aired are a little bit edgy," he said. "It's not like I did a striptease and then started pouring hot
sauce on myself." He added, "The show followed the G-ratings guidelines .. .literally to the word." In response to this, Ms. Getting remarked that a single classroom has students with "different backgrounds, · cultural experiences, religious beliefs, family structures ... ," and have different perceptions on what's appropriate. In response to the negative feedback and reproaches from the administration, Michael said that he proposed a tactic change for the second show. "The second show did feature innuendo," he said. "The reason it did was that people were so offended by what wasn't meant to be provocative [in the first show]." When a tape containing a suggestive sexual innuendo was played in the editing room, some of the video editors felt uncomfortable with the material, according to one of the editors present at the time. Assistant Principal of Humanities Susan Getting was also in the editing room when the videos in question were showing, and she noticed that not everyone in the group felt soundly about the material. There's something wrong, she said, "if three-quarters of a group is forced to look at something" that makes them feel uncomfortable.
"That's not the way it works," she said. "There's something called taste; and there's something called responsibility." Mr. Hackney told his students that they couldn't air the second show as it was, and the group agreed. However, an unedited version of the show was accidentally distributed to two sophomore history classes. The edited version of the show was only aired to one senior clas§. "Since everything was taken out, there were only three minutes of material," said Michael. Getting enough footage to replace the lost material proved to be impossible - especially since renovations to the television studio delayed filming. The third episode, which was the second viewed by most students, took a completely different spin. "The show has to be so clean now that you can practically eat off of it," Michael said, commenting on the retribution his group received for the first show. To express its response to the people who initially took offense to the show, the newly-christened "Sunshine Happy Show" featured the exact opposite of"offensive" material. The introduction features three smiling seniors skipping down a school hallway. In the studio, Michael smiles at the camera, laughing and talking about how "great"
Townsend Harris is. This broadcast menvith generally negative reactions from both ~tudents and faculty. Some people, generally upperclassmen, acknowledged the point the show was trying to make but many underclassmen were unimpressed. "The students unanimously found Michael's character creepy and were disturbed by the psychotic laughing,'' said Aliza Sherman, History teacher. "Last week's show was just freaky, to be honest," said sophomore Stephanie Chen. Others liked the show the way it was originally, and didn't think its format should have been altered. "It wasn't inappropriate, as some sources say it was," said another sophomore. "It's a comedy show, and therefore there should be a giggle or laugh involved." Seniors in the media class learned about the role of satire in entertainment. "Mr. Hackney spent a week explaining this to us, showing us clips of real soft media shows in order to enforce this on us," said a senior in the soft media group, who wished to remain anonymous. "We were told to entertain, and that's what we tried to do," said Michael. "The priorities are mixed."
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Rachel's Challenge encourages 'chain reaction' of kindness by Rupeshi Shah After speaker Kendall Clark's presentation on October 13, there were hugs and tears among students and faculty. Harrisites were asked to start a chain reaction based on the late Rachel Scott's codes of life. After her death in the 1999 Columbine High School shooting, Rachel's father started the program Rachel's Challenge to bring about positive change. Rachel believed that a small act of kindness could go a long way. The challenge itself includes looking for the best in others, daring to dream, and choosing positive influences. Mr. Clark's presentation consisted of audio and video footage of both Rachel's life and the shooting. Senior Alice Kim said, "The program is built on the cliche belief that a 'chain reaction of kindness
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can be started.' I think what makes Rachel's Challenge work is that she put it into ·action." Alice added that she "was surprised to see the shift in the entire class." Junior Shivani Mulji said, "People need to stop with the hatred and show a little bit of kindness because Rachel was right, it goes a long way." Coordinator of Student Activities and teacher Aleeza Widman found out about Rachel's Challenge from her husband, who is also a teacher. She believed it would be wonderful to present the positive message of Rachel's life to the student body, Faith Robinson, junior, worked on a speech that was read during lunch bands to publicize the presentation. She said, "I hope that when I graduate next year, I can leave our school a better place than I found it, with a community where
October's Top 5 events in world news in partnership with the Amnesty lntemational club
everyone feels accepted." Senior Karina Hernandez stated, "While the slide show may have been about Rachel Scott, October 13 was about us as well, about finding our true selves, pursuing our dreams, helping others, and opening ourselves to the world." Ms. Widman believes she has seen a change in students and faculty. She said, "Students seem really energized to do 'spin-off' events to keep the challenge alive." The new Friends of Rachel club is based on the challenge. It aims "to continue all the things we promised we'd do when we signed on to take Rachel's Challenge," according to Faith, who is a member. Sara Skoda, guidance counselor, is involved with the club. She said that members will be doing "positive and helpful things for the community and others within the school."
Aquib Yaco&b, proesident
Typhoon M:e gi devastates the Phittppilles A Category 5 typhoon battered the Phi'Hppines on October 18, leaving at least 26 dead, over 200,000 homeless and over 250,000 acres of crops damaged. The storm was the wont the country had seen in over 20 years. l:n Southern China, industrial activities came to a complete stand sdll and over 150~000 people were evacuated as a p.recaution. Typhoon damage, however, was minimal. :1:raa and Venezuela call fo,r a
new world order kan,ian president Mahmoud Abtmadinejad and Venezue'lan president Hugo Chavez created what they deemed a strategic alillance aimed towards the creation of a ''New World Order." Both leaders denounced American "imperialism'' and called for the removal ofWestern . dominance over internadonal affairs.
Ecuadorian Mine Collapse Takes Lives
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After the assembly, student audience members sign a poster that reads: "I accept Rachel's Challenge."
SAGES campaigns to end homophobic bullying by Tracey Wang As details of the suicide of Tyler Clementi came to light, members of Straight and Gay Educating Students (SAGES) developed a campaign to address homophobic bullying. TylerClementi was an 18-year-old freshman at Rutgers University who leapt from the George Washington Bridge to his death after his roommate broadcasted his intimate encounter with another male student. Senior Sheryl Rivas, SAGES president, said the news "really unsettled" her. She said, "Tyler Clementi could have been any one of us. He had dreams. The incident as a whole made me realize how important reaching out is and trying to prevent this from happening to the people around me." She added, "It was a combination of high-profile suicides, [by people] as young as 13, that made it clear to everyone that homophobic bullying is strongly affecting our communities and it needs to be dealt with." Similarly, SAGES advisor and social studies teacher Franco
Scardino said that his initial thoughts were "how easily that could have been one of [his] students and how upsetting it was to have an incident like that so close to home." Mr. Scardino held a discussion in his classes following the news of the incident. He noted that many of his students opened up about instances of bullying in Harris. He commented, "I was surprised about how prevalent it was in our school." To tackle issues like bullying and to raise awareness for LGBT (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender) issues, SAGES will host an awareness campaign in December. The club has also been implementing a program called Safe Space. Safe Space is a project developed by the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), designed to target bullying in school. "The campaign helps educators create a safe space for LGBT youth in schools," Sheryl explained. SAGES will continue to put up posters and give them to teachers who
have agreed to make their classrooms "Safe Spaces." A Safe Space poster lets students know that they can reach out to the teacher to talk about issues affecting them, especially problems regarding bullying. Mr. Scardino emphasized the importance of Safe Spaces, saying, "Teachers send the message that bullying is not going to be tolerated by the school and in their classes." The campaign also urges students to take action when they see or hear homophobic behavior. Sheryl said, "When they say 'that's so gay,' fix it. When they hear 'that's so gay,' address it." "By being silent, you are empowering the bullying. If d' . you speak out , you Wl11 1sarm them," Mr. Scardino said. He added, "The Department of Education has a zero tolerance for bullying, so you not only have the school on your side, ·but you , B have . the . ch ance11or s regu1atwn. u11ymg m the school is unacceptable. Bullying in the adult world is harassment."
A tunnel collapse in the Casa Negra mine in Portovelo, Ecuador, killed two miners. This follows the safe rescue of the 33 Chilean miners who were trapped for 69 days in the San Esteban mine near city of Copiapo, Chile. The collapse is one of an increasing number of mining disasters that have occurred in the past 'month.
Protesters take to the streets in France 1
Over three mUUom p·rotesters took to the streets of France in opposition to President S:arkozy's proposed pension reform. Protests have affected everything in the nation from transportation to busin:es.s to hospital services. Sarkozy stands firmly behind his plan, which would increase the retilrement age in the country from 60 to 62.
Hait'i battles cholera epi:d eMi'C Haiti, still in recovery from the devastating January 12 earthquake, now faces a cholera epidemic which . has taken the. hves of over ISO people. . . Authorities ctte polluted water and limited food supply as the causes. This is the first cholera epidemic to hit a Caribbean nation in over a century. ·.•H at•t·1 ·IS th e poores. . . t coun . . t ry 1n · th· .e . . Western Hemtsphere.
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Assembly publicizes vievvs of Special Interest Groups [continued from page 1] disagreed, - saying, "All they did was say which opponent was better; they kept repeating themselves. They focused on the same few people and barely talked about the issues. Personally, it didn't affect my vote." Party rivalries flared due to limited time and competition of the for the support underclassmen. "I felt that the Democrats took up most of the time and only a few skits were given to the Republicans," stated Monica Rizkalla, sophomore. "The rally was a turning point in the simulation. Before,
it was a positive, issue-oriented campaign, but the Democrats turned it into a mud-slinging match with their booing and baseless attacks," commented one senior boy. "To add an even greater insult to their tirade, the Democrats are now claiming they did not have enough time, when it was the New York State Republican Party that was kicked offthe stage." Speaking on behalf of the New York State Democratic Party, whose skit emphasized the shortcomings of the Republican Party, senior Caroline Egan said, "We just gave them [the audience] the facts ."
Senior Matthew Collins speaks for the Fiscal Policy Institute, backed by Republican candidates.
Phoenix poetry reading 'awakens' readers and listeners by Ella Leviyeva The new Phoenix staff gathered readers and listeners for an "Awakening" for its first poetry reading of the year. Though this was the theme, students also read poems with subjects ranging from heartbreak to the agony of shaving legs. "I think there was a good turnout for a rainy Friday afternoon," said senior Kelly Cordray, co-Editor-in-Chief of the literary magazine. Sophomore audience member Cynthia Vlad said, "The poetry reading was extremely interesting and I think I might keep attending them." The meeting began with an introduction to the new Phoenix page on the school website. Created by senior Leo Mancini, the page simplifies the process of submitting poems, photos, and art to the Phoenix. It also allows readers to join the Phoenix mailing list. Leo and Rafal Olechowski, Phoenix advisor and English teacher, demonstrated how to access these new features through the Townsend Harris webpage on the library's Smart Board. Senior Zachary Temkin, co-Art Editor of the magazine, stated that "[The poetry reading] set two major precedents: it was our first recorded
reading and the online submission form was unveiled. The Phoenix is solidified, fortified, and revitalized." "Soon, you will be able to go on the Phoenix website and listen to full recordings of previous poetry readings," said Leo. "Later this year, when we release the Phoenix magazine, the website will play an important role when you purchase a copy of the magazine. Join our mailing list and you'll be the first to know about these new features." Mr. Olechowski started the reading off with one of his favorite poems, and then gave the floor to the students. English teacher Robert Babstock also attended the reading. "I loved the poetry reading, and only wish there had been more of it," he said. "Some students read comic performance pieces and others read their own formal rhyming poems. The Phoenix staffers maintain a great in-house tradition." . The Phoenix urges freshmen and newcomers to attend readings and to submit entries to the magazine. Only one freshman attended the first reading.
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Senior Brandon O'Shea, co-Editor-in-Chief of The Phoenix, reads a poem.
Directors reveal the stories of SING! perforlllances· soPHMEN I JUNIORS I !SENioR-s~
by Lory Martinez
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After a drastic change in the calendar, SING! is now in November instead of January. Additionally, there will only be two SING! performances this year, instead of the usual three. The dates of the performances "It's about two sisters who dre: are November 19 and 20. at tkey are tile paleontologists the The theme for SING! this lways hoped to be. They soon reanz. year is "Fly me to the [fill-in-the- :hat their dreams aren't what the... blank]:' ally want ... It's hard to explain; it's The Sophmen directors are omplicated script,'' said .Jona&an. The final script is a combination o sophomores Jonathan Kilom and ,e original idea the directors had, "Fl Devlin Resetar. The junior direcMe to Jurassic Park," a•d a rewrite tors are Victoria Baamonde and •pty Me to My Dreams," whic Av.alon Galioto. Catherine Wallin .noorporates that theme into a broo earn world. and Christina Mavrikis are coDirectors want to keep things CJH • directors of senior ,SING! now as they contim:re to ~ As each grade's SING! team his newly adapted script. works against the clock, the di"Just get ready for dinosaurs rectors provide a sneak peek. avemen and the wildest dreams additional reporting by Ella Leviyeva
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The jnn:iors are woJting on a S'llow at will take adenoes oa a ride fro~ tate to ga:te as a newlywed couple on their honeym.0on faces tnisfortune. Director Victoria Baamonde de oribed the pl;gt of the show, sayingf 'The audience should prepare them~ selves to ~ tile story of a neurotid Fewlywed wife and ~r pushover ~aus~· band Jetting plilt imo detainment ({)r a! rim.e they didn't cOllliTiilit, while theilj llight to Hawaii is sky high and the real htobsters are somewhere in the air~ port."
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In tkeir hal SING! protiuction., the seniors have talking animals, a venig eml tribal chief and forbidden lo:v:e running rampant in the rainforest as plane crash survivors try to make their way back to civilization. Dir.ector Catherine Wa14in explained, "'When a plane crashes in the Amazon, cha,ld:e nges are presented to the passengers as they try to get lilack home.'' Tillis show will include music ranging from jazz to hip-hop and wrtl feature a BoHywood dance number. "We're working really hard everyday so we can be the best out there," said SING! vocalist Ashley Lecaro. "'If you want to see something great at $lNG!, come see the seniors," said Catherine.
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Octob;e r' ~journey: Quest for the perfect Sim.buck purchase by Joshua Solomon 1bree years ago, I started my search for the optimum ~.,_,.,.._...,.....,_.,.~ way to spend a piece of paper with Ms. Getting's face on it. Unfortunately, I immediately fell for the classic Election Simulation bake sale trap. This is when the seniors sell decent food at the very beginning, in order to deceive the naive freshmen into giving them their Simbucks. This left me yearning for the better selection of food that would be sold in the next couple of weeks. Surprisingly, this was better than my decision as a sophomore. That's because, well, I still have my sophomore year's Simbucks. Yes, in my portfolios from the end of school year with my research papers, AP World History notes, math tests on which I would lose a point or two for not labeling my axes, and everything else are my Simbuck - because I was waiting for the perfect bake sale which never came. Luckily, this year I exploited my status as a member of the press. I was able to try out all that the seniors had to offer to figure out ~~ what was the best. For some reason, maybe because I was trying to find the paramount of the Simbucks food, I simply could not. Maybe it is just because this year's election simulation bake sale reflected the candidates the most out of any other year. This political savvy was evident with the NYS Democratic Committee bakesale. They attempted to fuel the underclassmen with double stuffed Oreos and Chips Ahoy. These cookies were clearly sending mixed signals. " Were the two political groups trying to tell the easily-persuaded freshmen that politics are black and white and that they should vote for the party that is double the goodness? On the other hand, are they trying to say that the candidates they support are like a Chips Ahoy cookie? They may have several blemishes on the outside, but once you drench them in milk, the problems cease to exist. Other groups were lacking transparency too; an example was Anthony Como with his slopped together, do-not-apply-for-a-job-at-Crepe-n-teria crepes along with a free cookie. This homemade cookie should have tasted superb. It was bite-sized and filled with ~s many chocolate chips as the amount of lies a politician says in a day. But it was too burnt and blackened to even attempt to indulge in. In a year where Election Simulation food is Slacking, just like seniors hit with senioritis, some groups like the Fiscal Policy Institute tried to shine. Apparently, just like with the candidates, the red velvet cake they were selling was picked by the "voters" because of its good looks and overall outer appearance. This n;:d velvet cake was a nice deep red and had icing that made you want to stick your finger in it. Sadly, the cake had an overwhehriing flavor that left a strong aftertaste - showing that it was full of empty campaign promises. It seems that no matter how hard I try to find the best food to buy with my simbucks, a wealth of mediocrity greets me - a true simulation of politics. This leaves me still waiting for that one senior with that fantastic bake sale. Possibly this will never happen, but if the seniors are going to try to pass off store-bought goods as the real deal, then maybe they should sell the ultimate toss-up. They could sell a box of chocolates in true honor of the Election Simulation. It could represent any party or group, showing that no matter who you vote for, no matter what promises they make, politics are like a box of chocolates: you never know what you are going to get.
There are many decisions one has to make while at Townsend Harris. The most important of these obviously is learning how to spend your simbucks.After three years of practice, I am finally starting to figure out the best technique.
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artwork by Edward Farquharson
And the 25 simbucks go to: Nobody for now, I'm still waiting.
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Todayl ressed as nerd for Halloween. !;)h~_wait ~second. MLIT. _ T0day,;,;Mr. .S:p~q;Hao n~nd:ed oui· ~opies of_the,C(i)W;titution printed on whit~ paper..;The eniile class gasped. MLIT. . . •, ' - .
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To:day, I barely had any h~mework. Instead of going outside and enjoying myself, I stayed inside, wondering if I had missed something. MLIT.
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Today, I was reading the Gospel of Matthew for Humanities. It said, "If you are forced to go one mile, go the second mile also." I hadn't realized that Jesus made a parable of Ms. Nix's gym class. MLIT.
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Easy A scores a solid 'B'
movie. Stone and by Tracey Wang dresses. Donning the" A" for"awesome," Byrd had excellent s a complete dork who loves Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Olive battles high school gossip in comedic timing and for a Scarlet Letter, I freaked out its most vicious form when rumors moment, it seems like everything when I saw the trailer for Easy A. of her losing her virginity spread was going to work out with just What can I say? I'm a sucker for through out the school. The once a couple of fake moans and bed literary allusions. invisible Olive now finds herself hops. Instead, everything starts In Hawthorne's novel, Hester on the receiving end of perverse Prynne is cast out from her Puritan taunting, mostly from Marianne falling apart in terms of both plot community after she is found (Amanda Bynes), who leads the and comedy. Stone is funny and gulity of adultery charges. As her school Christian club. Marianne charming as can be, but even she is writer couldn't save this movie. The punishment, she Bert V. flashes of John Hughes movies must wear a scarlet Easy A Royal's during the film just made me realize "A" on her chest, Directed by Will Gluck idea of a how badly I wanted to be watching a symbol and a Sony Pictures Puritan those movies. The literary allusions reminder of her -thatis,if I was looking forward to were "crime." Rated PG-13 Puritans disappointing and fell flat. At some I walked into had long points, I was asking myself where the movie theater it was all going. For example, there genuinely excited to see this movie. blonde hair and wore miniskirts. Olive's false reputation as, what , is a scene where the not-so-popular I thought it would be a comedic look at the sterotyping of teenage shall we call it, "a harlot" travels guys in the school pay Olive (in gift girls in a high school setting. While through the hierarchy of teenage- cards and discounts) to say that they Easy A does hint at this idea, it does dom and soon, everyone thinks had engaged in some sort of sexual the rumors are true. Meanwhile, behavior together. So the greater not expand on it nearly enough. I thought Olive (Emma Stone) tortured at school for being gay, the gift card value, the more elicit was going to be the modem version Brandon (Dan Byrd) begs Olive to the supposed act. But all this just of Hester Prynne, the stoic heroine pretend to have sex with him at a subtracts from her character and of Hawthorne's novel, but towards party thrown by the most popular adds to Olive's reputation. It seems the end I thought it was just an girl in school. As boorish as it might like the script ran out of fuel and was excuse for the stylist to put Emma sound, this faux sex scene was one trying to get by with gimmicks and Stone in , tight corsets and short ofthe most e!lt~r_t:a~},!,l$ ~senes in the . random.,moments 9f comic relief.
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The characters themselves seem like archetypes rather than believable characters. Because seriously, Marianne's Bible crusading ways have no other purpose than to create the obstacle necessary for our protagonist to overcome. I like Amanda Bynes as an actress, but she was completely unlikable in this role. There was nothing forgiving about her at all. Also, you can spot Prince Charming in the first mention of his name. If you've ever seen a romantic comedy, you'll know who rides off into the sunset with Olive. Where The Scarlet Letter delves into the implicmtions of being an independent woman in a society plagued with restrictions and taboos, Easy A examines how a yoling girl exploits her false reputation as a means ofbeing socially visible. Easy A is slightly above average when it comes to teen movies, but just a warning: Olive is no Hester Prynne and Easy A is no Scarlet Letter.
Glee hits a high note with Season Two openers by Frank Corazza who may actually be in jeopardy of The second season of Fox's hit being second best, a title extremely show Glee returned this fall with unfamiliar to her. Sam Evans (Chord Overstreet), new characters, new songs, and new drama. Let the slushy throwing a new addition to the football team and Glee Club, brings some commence. The first season finale tied alpha male rivalry for Finn. It was up some loose ends and left fans kind of ridiculous, however, how anticipating what would happen Finn gets back on the team after next. Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch) getting kicked off. In episode three, finally softened up and recognized "Grilled Cheesus," Finn makes a the talent of New Directions, the grilled cheese sandwich and sees McKinley High School Glee Club. the face of Jesus on it. This is where Rachel (Lea Michelle) and Finn it gets crazy. Finn begins to pray to his sandwich, (Corey Monteith) began which grants '' a potentially longlasting relationship. We find out that his wish of Emma (Jayma Mays) being put him Finn cannot rap. and Mr. Schuester back on the At all." (Matthew Morrison) football team parted ways, but we all with Artie. It know there's still chemistry between was kind of stupid that Finn had to them, even if Emma keeps denying be told by Emma that it is unlikely God was communicating to him it. The premiere, "Audition," through a grilled cheese sandwich. makes it clear that even though His song choice "Losing My the Glee Club has gained some Religion" was very predictable and confidence, they are still at the not enjoyable at all. We also meet McKinley High's bottom of the high school pyramid of popularity. However, the new (female?) football coach, introduction of new characters Shannon Bieste (Dot Jones). The brings a refreshing twist to the replacement ofKen Tanaka (Patrick show. Sunshine Corazon (Charice Gallagher) was too rushed and Pempengco), a Filipino exchange the excuse that he had a nervous student, makes even Rachel look breakdown was kind of outrageous. like a bad singer. Sunshine will be He wasn't even given a proper some healthy competition for Rachel goodbye; they just plopped a new
coach in. Bieste (unsurprisingly was the most entertaining. Mike pronounced "beast") certainly does has always been the mysterious her job as football coach with her background dancer who can pull snarky remarks and tough fa9ade, off any move but no one really but Bieste shows her true colors knew who he was. This season, when she starts to tear-up in the Mike is finally getting the storyline locker room after Will and Sue bully he deserves,- even if it may, revolve her. In the around him being Asian. upcommg Sam and Quinn's (Dianna Brittany proves episodes, Agron) cover of Jason she can pop, lock, Mraz and Colbie Calliat's Bieste is definitely "Lucky" had to be one of and drop it." gomg to the strongest duets. Both retaliate, which will spark some their voices just blend and sound of Sue's witty, sarcastic comments great together. The hype over the second that we all love. The song selections were episode~ "Britney/Brittany," was definitely more modernized due to pretty high but it definitely delivered New Direction's attempt to look with Brittany (Heather Morris) more like a "cool" club to attract proving she can pop, lock and drop new members. Glee's rendition of it better than any other Cheerio. She "Empire State of Mind" by Jay-Z also looked smokin' in her Britney and Alicia Keys was awesome, but Spears outfits, pulling off all of they should stay away from the her songs with perfection. Brittany rap genre. We find out that Finn completely embodied Britney cannot rap. At all. Sam's cover of Spears with her vocals, costumes, "Billionaire" by Travie McCoy and dances. In "I'm a Slave 4 U," shows his strong vocals can bring a her imitation was an exact replica variety of songs to the Glee Club. and I even mistaken her with the When Sunshine auditions for the real Britney Spears for a second. Glee Club, she blows everyone The new season of "Glee" away with her cover of "Listen" definitely exceededmy expectations. from the Dream Girls soundtrack. I hope we can see less of the cliched The best batch of songs had to unplanned pregnancies and more of be from the fourth episode "Duets.'' Brittany's outlandish comments and I thought Mike Chang (Harry Shum) Sue's sarcastic remarks. and Tina's performance of "Sing!"
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The Classic October 2010
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Turtles beat Bulldogs at Long Island City Frosh/ soph girls wiD first place; but noted that "it's definitely swim at the LIC pool, it's always hard to swim your fastest time a challenge because the diving when everything around you is boards are so slippery and the water is really cold. Plus, their spinning and hazy." set personal records, The Turtles' performance . touchpads always tell the wrong including freshman at this meet eamyd them a time." Throughout the meet, the Maya Grodzka who ranking of fifth in the city. scoreboard displayed incorrect in seventh Maricel was proud of the team's times for the events, and often overall. She performance, but was sorry didn't stop counting even when that only the top swimmers the swimmers had finished the were allowed to swim in the whole event. Assistant Coach Sally meet, since it was so pivotal. She commented, "I wish more 0 'Keefe called the meet "a of the freshmen were able to perfect opportunity to focus on swim at the meet, but overall playoffs," and added that the ~ this season we've been very whole team "is looking forward ~s:: impressed with them. They've to competing against the top -~ really pulled their weight, and teams in the city." Coach James ~:q l'-'naxnp10nsmp race. we're proud to have them on Jordan agreed, saying, "we team's top five swam against a good team and our team." finished in Anna also expressed her we were excellent." Despite pride in her teammates, saying, some of the disadvantages of Runners on the team trek through Cunningham parkthe top six spots. by Joshua Solomon ' This includes "I could tell that they really the LIC pool mentioned by of the swimmers, Mr. The freshmen and the podium rankings of first, some pushed themselves to swim Jordan pointed out that "it's sophomores of the Girls' second, and third place. their best, and they understood Country team Judith Suzuki finished they were racing against the the only six lane high-school Cross clock. It's great that all our hard . pool with touchpads in Queens, finished in first place for first in the sophomore race both the Queens Freshman with a time of 17:25 for the work during practice paid off." so it was an advantage to be swimming there." Ms. O'Keefe Championship and the 2.5 mile race. She came into Sophomore Anne Harrison "the team is Queens Sophomore the race with confidence, observed that said the meet was "stressful Championship on October knowing that the team had because we [the swimmers] coming together, everyone's improving, and every meet we 13 at Cunningham Park. grown-- since last year's had to do our best times for the go to the times get better. The The freshmen had their second place finish. power point. Still, we all swam "We knew we were seniors are leading the team top five runners all finish well and had a good time." in spirit, and we're just very within the top seven of the going to cream everyone," Junior Jenny Hua pointed Queens freshmen runners. noted Suzuki. out some of the obstacles to enthusiastic." This includes Linda Wu, who Klaudia Gamcarz who success, noting, "Whenever we came in first place overall came in second place 'in the with a time of 11:34 in the sophomore race said "I ' ' 1.5 mile race. absolutely love being on the certain plays, including Freshman Michelle track team. The atmosphere is a powerful spike Wagner was nervous and great, filled with friends and from co-captain "afraid to get lost" on the teammates ...our successes Caroline Egan midway course but added, "I'm glad wouldn't be possible without through the second I did it, though, because I did ourtwophenomenalcoaches, set. However, they better than I thought I would Coach Connor and Coach did not execute their Benjamin." do." offensive and defensive The majority of the team strategies consistently s:: and ultimately lost the ,S1 match. ~"' Egan, the team's ~ ~ leader in kills with 61 , ..s was very upset with the ,S1 0 outcome. "We didn't ~ "'":-:::--~ exchange high-fives with the opposing team. After the game, live in the moment and was even at 6-6 but due we thought about the score by Ben H orowitz The Girls Varsity to pressure from Cardozo too much. We really wanted G~rls Volleyball team took the pressure and the Hawks' to beat them and step up floor against the Benjamin lapses on defense the Judges our game. I'm upset that we N. Cardozo Lady Judges on began to pull away. When didn't play to our level as we October 20. The Hawks lost head coach, Wanda Nix, have done before," she said. Coach Wanda Nix was 2-0 to Cardozo, making the called the match's first first set 25-13 and the second ti~eout, the Hawks trailed also disappointed with the match. However, she looks 15-10. set 25-20. Senior Milerbin Genao, forward to the remainder of Coming into the match, the Hawks trailed Cardozo the team's leader in aces the season. She noted, "To by one game for second place and digs, was disappointed secure a playoff position, we in the Queens A division. with the match. "This was have to win two of our next The Lady Judges have made our worst defensive game three games. At this point fifteen consecutive playoff of the year, partially because we will do what it takes to appearances and finished as we were intimidated by the get there. We must improve the runner up for the PSAL big-name opponent. Going our overall play and not be forward we should definitely intimidated by the moment. championship last year. The Hawks started the be more positive. We need to The girls need to not worry match off strong by winning each play our game and be so much and just play. Have Girls a long twelve shot rally, and aware of teammates around fun, do the best we can and good things will happen!" continued to .play a tight us," she said. ~Country The Hawks executed match early. The score by Emma Court At a swim meet against Long Island City High School on October 21, the Harris Turtles proved that slow and steady really does win the race, winning by a score of 51-39. The meet took place in LIC High School's pool, and doubled as the Turtles' power point meet, putting pressure on the swimmers to put in their best times so the Turtles could attain a high ranking in the playoffs. The Turtles blew the Bulldogs out of the water, winning first and second places in all the events except the 100 yard backstroke and the 400 yard freestyle relay. Co-captain Karina Hain won the 200 yard individual medley in 2 minutes and 20 seconds. Junior Maricel Fee won the 50 yard freestyle in 28 seconds, with fellow junior Emily Chao .08 seconds behind her. Freshman Amy Hao won the 100 yard butterfly in one minute and seven seconds. Junior Anna Kuo won the 100 yard freestyle in one minute, despite feeling sick and throwing up immediately before the event. Anna said she didn't perform her best in the event,
many set personal records
Girls' volleyball hits bump on road to playoffs
Games to Watcn
:I 1/ 1/1 0 Girls Varsity Voll.,eyball vs. Baysid e HS @ TH HS Gy;m
I 1/2/1 0
Varslty SwLm:mJng vs. Benjamin Cardozo H:S @Fort H:am,liton Poo:l (playoff m-e,et)
I 1/3/1 0 Girls Varsity Bow·•ing vs. Thom;as Edis.on HS @Jtb Lanes
I 1/6/1 0 Boys and Gi:rls Cross Country Frosh/Soph Cjty Cham;pionships :@Van Cortlandt Park
I 1/1 3/1 0 Boys and Cross Varsity C,ity Champiionships @Van Co:r tlandt Park