January 2011 Vol. 27No. 4
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Townsend Harris High School at Queens College
Respect for All asselllbly addresses bullying, LGBT issues
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Alumni of all ages relate their experiences with bullying and answer students' questions in the auditorium on January 21.
by Lory Martinez In an effort to raise awareness about cyberbullying and discrimination, several alumni came to speak at a Respect for All assembly in the auditorium on January 21. Tanya Odom, Cochair of the Alumni Association, organized the assembly because of recent attention given in the media to teen suicides caused by bullying:路 - "We all realized that we wanted to connect with the high school to 'do something.' We also then received e-mail messages from some alumni
(Gus Haberstock, '89, among them,) asking what the high school was doing in connection to the topic ofLGBT awareness, and bullying overall,"said Ms. Odom. Alumni who had dealt with discrimination and bullying spoke at the Respect For All assembly. The alumni spoke openly about how --bullying has changed since they were in high school. Marla Lemonik, Class of '99 and cofounder of SAGES, told a story of a friend who came out and how difficult people made it for
her. "I knew Townsend could be doing more to create a路safe space, so we started SAGES and it was about not tolerating intolerance," she said. Tom Postilio, Class of '88, said his coming out experience was not easy either, and that though it was difficult, 20 years later, his family supports his decision. "It was a process, but it got better every passing year," he said. Ms. Lemonik also addressed the change in forms of bullying. She said, "It is far easier to bully someone when they're not in front of continued on page 3
Harris Feud to raise funds benefiting the homeless by Rupeshi Shah "On a cold rainy night this past October, a series of large boxes are tucked in the darkness on the top step of a church in midtown Manhattan. This is where Robbie lives. He is waiting for the Coalitions Grand Central Food Program van. As it arrives with hot meals, Robbie and the other men who sleep in front of the church finish putting their boxes together for the night. Their goal is to create a tight seal to keep the body heat in. " (Client Stories, Coalition for the
Homeless website) Robbie is one of the Coalition for
INSIDE: Huckleberry Finn controversy
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the Homeless' thousands of clients. With housing, job training, emergency food, crisis intervention, and youth programs, the Coalition rescues men, women, and children from poverty. The organization not only helps the homeless survive but also provides them with a support system to better their lives. The Consultative Council has selected the Coalition to be the recipient of 100% of the proceeds from Harris Feud, Harris's second annual game-show-style fundraiser. Since the recent worsening of the economic recession, the number of continued on page 3
MLIT
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New Feature: Club Spotlight see pa;ge 6
Robotics teams pageS
tde.t 'tnan rev1ew
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2 The Classic January 2011
OPINION sound off!
Boys' Bathroon1 Vandalisn1 Some people may enjoy bathroom humor, but there is nothing funny about a broken toilet. During the week of January 17, an unknown student or group of students vandalized one of the boys' bathrooms. This person tore the toilet for the disabled from the wall, creating a flood, and littered the floor with paper products. The Classic asks: what was the point? If this vandalism was a sign of hostility towards Townsend Harris, then it was ill-directed. There are appropriate channels for addressing whatever problems one may have with the school, such as Consultative Council meetings, The Classic, and the Department of Education (DOE). Damaging school property instead of utilizing these resources is the equivalent of throwing a temper tantrum like a three-year-old rather than discussing the matter like an adult. Ruining a bathroom does not prove any point, except that the perpetrator needs to return to kindergarten to learn basic respect for others' property and how to control one's emotions. Besides being an indicator of extreme immaturity, this crime is not appreciated by anyone. It adversely affected many whom it was probably not intended to harm. It caused all boys' bathrooms to be closed for several days after the incident. The male students who were unable to use the lavatories certainly did not appreciate this. The custodians, who had to clean up the mess, did not, either. Moreover, Harris students are lucky to attend a school with well-kept facilities, where crimes such as vandalism and destruction of property are usually not issues and where the bathrooms are usually fairly clean. To create difficulties where there are none is to needlessly harm the experiences of other students and to demonstrate a complete lack of thankfulness for the opportunities one has been given. Whoever is responsible can rest assured that this destruction of a perfectly good bathroom has not garnered him/her any respect or admiration from other Harrisites. All of the boys' bathrooms are now open and will remain open. The Classic commends the administration for deciding to reopen them, even while the vandal remains unknown. Thankfully, the necessary repairs will not cost Harris anything. However, they will take money out of the already too-small budget of the DOE. This senseless vandalism has been nothing but detrimental, and has served only to prove that, sadly, some students have no gratitude for what has been given to them.
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Respect for All There's no way to measure respect- or to define it, for that matter. But mere observation will tell you that at Townsend Harris, we generally respect one another. It's built into our systems. So at the Respect For All assemblies on January 21, it was easy for many to feel disconnected from the subject at hand. The alumni on stage shared touching stories about their struggles, but even they acknowledged that our school isn't a place where bullying runs rampant. Although we have all inevitably felt victimized or ostracized at some point in our lives - some of us more than others, unfortunately- we don't spend our days living in fear ofbeing who we are. Interspersed among audience members in the auditorium that day were students and faculty wearing shirts declaring, "I AM GAY." The shirts aren't declaratory; they are an expression of solidarity with the LGBT population. People at Townsend Harris barely blinked an eye when the shirts first surfaced. Would such a non-reaction happen in most other places? Probably not. We are incredibly lucky to attend such' a school - but this means that we are also incredibly sheltered. The Respect For All presentations facilitated by the alumni, and the discussions that followed in the library, were compelling reminders that respect isn't always the norm in our world. As people who embrace all cultures, religions, and sexual orientations, we need to make a lifelong commitment to celebrating our differences. We commend the Alumni Association and SAGES for this muchneeded reminder. Out of all the people in the world, we're probably among those with the smallest need for assemblies like these. But by the very_same token, we need them more than anybody else. We are the ones who can and will make acceptance the rule, not the exception.
Retraction Dear Ms. Seidel, It upsets me to find myself misquoted in the most recent edition of The Classic. What I said to the interviewer was, "I think that the mayor's barber should perform his next surgery," not "neck surgery." While my tone might have been "tongue in cheek," or harsh, I certainly did not mean that Mayor Bloomberg should be decapitated, as some readers interpreted my statement. Please make it clear to your readers that I continue to be the pacifist I have always been who is very concerned about the future of public education in the United States and particularly in New York City. Thank You! Georgette Wallace Teacher of English
iEDITOR-IN-CHIEF NEWS EDITOR FEATURE EDITOR COPY EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR A&:EEDITOR ADMINISTRATIVE EDITOR PUI'>LIC EDITOR PHOTOCRAPHY EDITOR ART EDITOR l
R~becca Seidel
Rupeshi Shah Hayley Desmond Tracey Wang Ben Ho.row:ftz Freddy Millan Jr. Lory Martinez Frank Corum. Kartm Rose IGm Richie Bonilla
The Classic goes to great efforts to ensure the accuracy of our reporting. We regret that Ms. Wallace was misquoted and offer our apologies. We also recognize that "neck" and "next" are nearly phonetically identical, especially when the prior is followed by a word beginning with "s." We hope that this error will not harm anyone's faith in the paper, and that such a mix-up won't happen again. -Rebecca Seidel Editor-in-Chief
ADVISOR Carolline Cross PRINOPAL Kenneth Bona1ililo To'WtlS~nd Harris High School 149-11 Melbourne Avenue Flushin~ NY 1136.7
We always welcome opi:Nons. Email letters to the editors at thNclassic@gm$il.com.
The Cl{JI:ssic is em open forum for the expression of stud~nt views. The opinioN expressed therein shou1d not be taken to represent those of the admi.ni'Stra,t ion or faculty, or of the student body as a whole.
Writing Staff: lndiraAbiskaroon, Candace Burton, Suswana Chowdhury, Emma Court, Chandi Ghuman, Magdalena Grabos, Fran Horowitz, Margaret Jia, Abigail Koffler, Eunice Lau, Ella Leviyeva, Katherine Maradiaga, Genna Mastellone, Salma Mohamed, Catherine Moskos, Demetra Panagiotopoulos, Yuval Solomon, Geoffrey Yip, Jeffrey Young 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 The Classic January 20 1'1
Alumni share experiences with bullying, answer questions continued from page 1 and Franco Scardino, social studies teacher and this school had to listen to the truth. It's a great your face. There's no safe space on Facebook or SAGES advisor, made sure to tell Harrisites to thing that this school isn't filled with ignorance ... Myspace." Mr. Postilio added, "[Technology] is wear their "I AM GAY" t-shirts from the cam- but the truth is, many of the students across the a platform for people to create mischief." paign organized earlier this year. country are being targeted Patricia Maloney, Class of 2000 and co- "Our main thing was to sup'eople are looking at [bul- for who they are. Besides founder of SAGES, who now studies social is- port," said Sheryl. lying] as a behavior rather the fact that we learne~ to sues, said, "people are looking at [bullying] as Junior Klaudia Koziol said, .d t•ty The thing be. thankful for . the . situa behavior rather than an identity. The thing is, "I thought the assembly was than an 1 en 1 . at10n we are m, It was a now people are paying attention." good, in that it gave a personal is, now people are paying wake-up call from the Students ·and teachers were able to speak insight into the experiences for- attention. Ephebic Oath and alumni with the visiting alumni in the library during mer Townsend Harris students -Patricia Maloney, Class of 2000 to change the situation lunch bands. had with bullying. However, I surrounding others," Current SAGES President Sheryl Rivas at- felt as though it focused on the LGBT communi"I think we all are excited that we were a part tended the sessions and spoke with the SAGES ty a bit much, and it was hard for some students of this important program, and feel good about founders. "Ms. Lemonik told me they met early to relate to." creating something that can be sustainable. We in the mornings. They made it a priority, and to "It was a great assembly ... and it was a neces- are looking forward to next year!" said Ms. me, that was amazing," she said. sary one," said senior Alice Kim. "With the rise Odom. In the spirit of Respect for All day, Sheryl of bullying and anti-gay messages, students in
Giving Back: SU to donate proceeds to Coalition for the Homeless continued from page 1
homeless families sleeping in New York City's shelters has reached its highest point. The Coalition for the Homeless is the nation's oldest advocacy and direct service organization helping these people. For over 25 years, the organization has put into action humane and cost~effective strategies to end mass homelessness in New York City. Student Union president Aquib Yacoob said, "what makes the Coalition special is that it does not simply provide basic necessities, but helps rebuild lives." Aquib found the organization through its mission statement, which he admired because of its promise "not to just sustain life but to improve it." The Coalition has developed various programs in
crisis services, youth services, and long-term solu- ter to people in developing nations. tions. The crisis services, including the Grand Central SU vice president Karina Hernandez says that Food Program, assist those requiring immediate re- teachers and students are eager to participate in these lief. Every night, 1,000 meals are served to homeless fundraisers. and low-income individuals and families throughout "When they find out where the proceeds are goManhattan and the Bronx. Youth services, including ing, they want to attend," she said. Bound For Success after-school and summer day More information on the Coalition's programs camp programs, engage homeless children in activi- and clients can be found at coalitionforthehomeless.org. ties that promote healing and empowerment. LongThe story on the website concludes: term solutions address housing and employment is"For men and women like Robbie, the food, sues by providing job skills and stable homes. clothing, and compassion of every day New Yorkers The Consultative Council chose this organization provided by the Grand Central Food Program does to keep their help within a local range. Proceeds from not just help them survive - it offers them a daily conlast year's Jeopardy fundraiser went to Charity: Water, nection to a support system offering a real chance at a non-profit organization bringing clean drinking wa- a better life. "
Barsamian earns Semifinalist title in Intel Science Talent Search
by Rebecca Seidel Senior Anthony Barsamian was one of300 Semifinalists selected from 1,744 contenders nationwide in this year's Intel Science Talent Search, a science research competition for high school seniors. He did not rank among the 40 Finalists. Anthony's research focused on programmed cell death, and involved extensive lab work conducted on the cells of mice. "By understanding how and why cells die, we can further our knowledge of the specific diseases these processes deal with," he explained. As an award for his research efforts, Anthony will receive a thousand dollars from Intel. Intel will also reward Townsend Harris with a grant of $1,000 on Anthony's behalf. The money will be put towards new lab equipment. "I am extremely proud that Anthony has won the Intel award; his research was carried out at the postgraduate level," said Susan Brustein, Assistant Principal of Math, Science, and Technology. "The findings of his research on the role ischemia plays in tumor development will inform future cancer studies." Anthony worked on his project throughout his junior year, as a member of Philip Porzio's Science Research elective class. He conducted lab research at St. John's University,
under the mentorship of Dr. Kurt Degenhardt, and concluded his research in September. "[Dr. Degenhardt] was an invaluable source of information, and he helped me throughout all stages of my project," said Anthony. "In school, Ms. Brustein and Mr. Porzio spent a lot of time helping me edit my paper. I could not have done this without the help of all these people." Anthony found out he was a Semifinalist on January 12, when the Semifinalists' names were posted on the Intel Science Talent Search website (societyforscience.org/STS). "When I came across my name on the list, I was so surprised that I checked to see if there was an error. There wasn't. At that point, I was so overcome with excitement that I could no longer sit at the computer. I had to get up and walk around the room a couple of times until I regained my senses," he recalled. The names of the 40 Finalists were announced on January 26. In March, those students' research projects will go on for final judging in Washington, D.C., competing for a total of $630,000 in awards. The top winner will receive $100,000 from the Intel Foundation. Even though he didn't move on to the final round, Anthony said it was worth the effort. "I would definitely say that the time I spent was worth-
while," he said. "I saw myself evolving over the summer from a person with little lab experience to a person with hours of training under his belt. Along the way, I gained valuable lessons of commitment, dedication, and, of course, hard work." Mr. Porzio noted that Anthony "was dedicated to writing the best paper possible for all compe.5 titions." He added, ,'!1 "I look forward to ~s:: his future success, <::! and the future suc"" ~ cess of all the senior "c~ research students, in ~;,: NYCSEF [the New 8 York City Science .2 ...,0 and Engineering ~~--~~~--------~ ._ ~ Fair] and JSHS [the Senior Arlthony Barsamian was an Intel Semifinalist this year. Junior Science and Huam also extremely proud of the work manities Symposium]." This is the 21st Intel award won of all of the members of the Science by a Harris Science Research student faculty. We continue to provide an since 2001, according to Ms. Brust- outstanding science education to all ein. In addition to her pride in the of our students, despite the severe work of Anthony and the other Sci- budget cuts we have sustained." ence Research students, she said, "I
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Today, I forgot my Latin textbook in my locker. If I went to class without it, I would have lost participation points. If I went to get it, I would have gotten a demerit. MLIT. Today, the guy at the cashier's desk thanked me by name. I spent the whole walk home figuring out how he knew it. An hour later, I realized I still had my I.D. on. MLIT. Yesterday, I took a nap at 4 PM after school. I didn't wake until 4 AM the next morning. MLIT. Today, I opened my English book. It said "Property of Gandalf' on the cover. MLIT. At 5:00 this morning, I found out that we had a snow day. More time to study for my final! MLIT. Send your MLITs to thhsclassic@gmail.com.
by Geoffrey Yip Straight and Gays Educating Students (SAGES) focused the continuing struggle of the LGBT community at a movie screening in the auditorium on January 20. The first documentary, Bullied, showed the middle and high school years of openly gay student Jamie Nabozy, who was harassed by his peers to the indifference of his school administrators. "[BulliedJ sucked. Well, not the movie. I mean, that it happens. It really made me sad," said junior Valentina Mogollon. Senior Zamantha Degula said, "I thought that it was really powerful and moving. I'm really glad that we don't have this problem in this school." SAGES president Sheryl Rivas disagreed with this sentiment, saying, "Anyone could be bullied or suicidal and you wouldn't know it. It's definitely not as extreme in our school but it still exists. I personally know some people." The second movie, The Mormon Proposition, documented the political campaign of the Mormon church to pass Proposition 8, a ballot proposition that amended the California Constitution to define marriage as solely between a man and a woman. Proposition 8 was passed in 2008, and has since been challenged in the case Perry v. Schwarzenegger, which many expect will reach the Supreme Court. , "Prop 8 is a perfect example of how money rules," junior Marcin Rozkowski
commented. Diana Malec, senior, stated, "I wasn't aware of how involved the church was in Proposition 8. I don't understand why p路eople care so much about who loves whom. Why can't the Mormon church focus on things that are truly destroying our society like murderers and real crimes?" The Amnesty International club was also present at the screening. "SAGES has taken on an issue of utmost importance that is plaguing our society. I am thrilled that they are shining a light on this issue: it is one Amnesty International spends a great deal of time on, and one the students in our Harris chapter feel very passionate about," said Aquib Yacoob, president of the Amnesty International club, regarding his club's presence at the screening. Not everyone stayed for the entire event. Most students left during the first film, when the 111'tlsic that marked the end of 1Oth band cut into the audio and prompted many to leave. "I think a lot of students had finals on their mind, and that may have kept the turnout low," said SAGES advisor Franco Scardino. "Still, I think those students who came really got a lot out of it, and after [the film about] Prop 8 there was a good discussion about the role of religion in politics." "People have commitments and work to do. It's just not a priority to people, which is unfortunate," said Sheryl. "It was a success to the people who stayed."
Huckleberry Finn controversy triggers ongoing discussion by Emma Court The word "nigger'' is a historically and emotionally charged word, but what's causing a maelstrom of media attention right now is the absence of the n-word in a new edition of Mark Twain's classic The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The edited version, setto be released in February, changes the n-word to the word "slave." Nationwide, authors, professors, Twain scholars and just plain old opinionated people have spoken out against the new version. Townsend Harris faculty members and students are no different, in many cases condemning the revisions made to Twain's novel. The idea for an edited version of Huckleberry Finn began with Alan Gribben, an English professor at Auburn University in Montgomery, Alabama, who was concerned that the book wasn't being read enough due to the presence of the n-word. Gribben believed that readers should have a less offensive alternative, telling Publishers Weekly that "for a single word to form a barrier ... seems such an unnecessary state of affairs." Gribben worked with a publishing company called NewSouth Books to produce this edition, which also changes the word "Injun" to "Indian" and combines Huckleberry
Finn into a single volume ~ith The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. One of Gribben's motives for publishing an edited version of Huckleberry Finn was how problematic the n-word could be in the classroom. One ofhis daughter's friends was African-American, and hated Huckleberry Finn. Senior Rianne Bonito commented, "I was the only black kid in class. Hearing the word was uncomfortable." Rianne added that she still enjoyed reading Huckleberry Finn and feels the changes "degrade" the book. She feels that "nigger" is "probably the most important word in the book," saying, "I wouldn't buy the new version." Other students of all rac;es simply feel uncomfortable reading "nigger" out loud-the word appears in the book over two hundred times. Senior Alexandra Embleton remembers that when reading out-loud in class, "people skipped over [then-word]. They just got to it and didn't know what to say." "I'm not afraid to say it," she said, stating that the reluctance to do so "makes it a bigger issue." At Townsend Harris, where many juniors read the book during the first term of junior year, many English teachers discussed the edited version with their classes. Judy Biener and her classes settled upon the idea that
Huckleberry Finn has to be taught which teaches kids the wrong things," with sensitivity by a capable teacher, in Kyra said. Junior Richie BQnilla felt context. Ms. Biener herself tries to put that the 'nigger' -less Huckleberry the issue into perspective by combining Finn should be sold with some sort of the reading of Twain's novel with a indicator that it is a censored version. collateral in which her students read He noted, "The whole point is that the slave narratives. Ms. Biener noted that book is antislavery. You see how slaves although she personally hates and is are treated through that word." bothered by then-word, "We shouldn't supposed to feel "You're run away from things that upset us." uncomfortable when you read that word Susan Getting, Assistant Principal because it has a terrible history," junior of the Humanities, continued much Laurie Beckoff said. "You're supposed in the same vein: "Huckleberry Finn to remember how offensive and racist is representative of a time period and people were, and not do it again." a way of thinking. It's part of history, Paramjeet Kaur, junior, defended culture, the real world. So let kids read the edits. about it, discuss it, ' , ~ ~ ou re supposed to feel un- censor the and learn from it." "That's the comfortable when you read book, they're very definition of that word because it has a not banning the an education: to "bl hi , original copy. story: . . This gives people walk out thinking, tern e -Laune Beckoff, Junior. the option to moved," being English teacher choose one. For people who don't read it because of the Rafal Olechowski added. Students at Townsend Harris word, now they have the chance," she seemed to agree for the most part with said. ideas raised by the faculty. Junior Kyra Perhaps the controversy is Leeds equated the edits to "not learning best resolved by comedian Steven about the Holocaust in Germany" and Colbert, who addressed the censorship believes that the removal of the n-word by asking, "Why bother? It's taught "gives it more power." "It's the South in high school. As long as the n-word trying to erase their past. But you can't doesn't appear in the Cliff Notes, just erase racism, it's erasing history, you're all good."
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Robotics tea111s gear up for contes b-y Lol1 Martmez WitS fewer than four weeks left until the competition, the Gold "HAub" {Au repre-
sents the at()IJ.Iic symbol for gOO:f) aBd ibe Steel Hawks are working around the clock m send their hots to the finals at the US FIRST competition this 'March. The LOGOMOTION competition involves creating two large robots that will pick up piay pieces and place them on pegs withia an allotted ttme. At the end of' the time period, t8e hots have to deliver minihots up a pole morder to gain extra points. 1 '"It's a wt of work. but it's necessary," I said se.ni<>r team member Brandon 0 · Shea. ~ "We need to wt>tk the best [we can] wit& our
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Whea the season stans. each team rea standardized kit of parts after the j year's game is MmOOOCed. After that day, tt each team has exactly six. weeks to build a robot to play fl'1e p:ate, acoordin.g to the US FIR~'T competition website. "Students stay late every day, until at leads the teum in cvnstructing their bot. least 6 PM. ~ ~·from 19 AM to 0 PM both days,'" saUl adviSQT mad team ooack PWip Jone&,...It just shows that when people here commit. they rea11y commit They are jlilSt dymuite
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to be around." As the competition. draws closer, the two Harris teams are work.irtg on. progranunin:g their robots to send to US FlRSTby February 22, the stnpping deadline. "We've put~ a basic chassis, as~ sembled ou.r drive-train, and set -up mltr basic control system and electronics, which basically means we have a 11UlBing robot that drives but does n.~ el3e," said senior Zachary Temkin, Robotics Club president and captain of the boys' team...'T'.Ws weekend. we actually started to assemble a tower whicll wil1l have a S<.lrt of arm thing attached to rt that can mow up and down and pick things up."' This is the fus.t year that Harris bas an ail girls team. Biology teacller Sara Oberlftder is a coack for the Gold HAuks. "It's a big cballenge becatlSe it's my first year, but at the same time, it's fUll. Its nice to see tie prh. WQrk together," she said. "It's interesting because usually I'm the teacher. but io this case, I'm the studea1. 1'm learning." Sophomore Laura 0 'Shea, oo-captaill of the girl •s team, said, '1t 's a real1y big coll'lt'nitment. It's really fun. but frustrating because of the time c.onstraiws" Cfl-captain-K.laudia Kwasnik, senior, said. 'Tm realty excited about this year. It's great to have girls working on their own robot. When people think of Robotics. they thiok. of it as more of a guy tbifll. But we· re going to pro-ve them wrong.'' ske said.
Altltnni. and parents have helped the teatM make progress by briAgiag tkeit expertise to the o~ petition. Sopftomt>re Juliet Monclova's father and ~andfatber have come in and given advice on engineering and design. "They go b.ome and they sit down, think up di&gral'BS, and help us work with primitive pr-ograms." said Juliet. James Carp.iao, a Stuyvesant graduate anti Queens Cotle1JC student, also vokmteers to help witb programming. "The robot is possible to build, but in the time~ it is extremely difficulit. We find a way to make it tippen tast." .b.e said. So tar, tile teams are entlttJSiastic abooi the prO'IfflSS they've :made, despite setbacks in previ~ oos years. The irst year they entered, the Hawks placed 50th out of 66, an.d have since risen to 17th place. "'This year. we wilt go to fiaats," said Zachary...We are aheati of where we were in the past illl terms of progress made on the bot and we are startiBg to b1n the good hamts of wil!l'll:ing teams."
Harris loses 'We the People' title by Abigail Komer we had to prepare. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough Ending a 21-year winning streak, the senior to place." Ariel described the results as surprising, Participatory Democracy classes led by Social since "we thought we did exceptionally well, Studies teacher Linda Steinmann did not advance especially since all of the judges constantly praised to the statewide championships of the "We the us." People" competition this year. Reflecting on her students' performance, Dr. The "We the People: The Citizen and the Steinmann said, "I've been doing 'We the People' Constitution" competition tests students' knowledge · for over 20 years. I thought this.was one of the best of the American constitution and government. On prepared classes I've ever had. The competition has January 7, members of Dr. Steinmann's classes been getting tougher and tougher, and that's why took part in the competition's first round, discussing we did not place this year." select constitutional issues before a panel of judges She added, "We were behind by a few at Pace University. points. We've learned from the experience that The team expected to advance to the statewide it's not enough to just know your stuff; it's about championships in Albany, to be held in March, being good performers as well. We lacked the but it did not place among the top four teams to performance skills which we will work on for next year. Hopefully this year's alumni will come back continue to the next level. Senior Ariel Prochowski described the basics and coach next year's team." of the competition. He said, "The class was divided While students expressed disappointment at into six units, each unit focusing on a different not being able to advance to the next round, the real aspect of the Constitution." takeaway for some was the growth of their political "During the competition," he added, "we were knowledge. Senior Karina Hernandez explained able to recite a four-minute speech that we prepared that her interest in political science has grown in advance. After that, we had to respond to six greatly this semester; from the "We the People" minutes' worth offollow-up questions." competition to her Queens College elective in Senior Kristin Eggers said, "We tried hard and Political Science. She is now considering the field performed well, especially given the limited time as a college major.
TheCI~ic
Janu!ll'Y 2011
On top of the world: January's Top 5 events in world news
iA part.rler'Sbip with tfleAmnestr lntemational dub Aquib Yacoob. president
Protesters in Etypt demand cbaage Followmf the overthrowing of the Tunisian govemt'MI\t, tells of thousands of Egyptians have begun to protest aAd to demand that the country's president. Hosnf Mubarak. st~p down. ln reactiOA to this upset. Muba.rak ordered his government to resign, but dkJ not step down himself, instead appointing military officials to his cabinet The government has disabled mobfle comi\TlUAications and Internet access within !Egypt iA an attempt to prevem: protesters from organizing themselves. The Egyptian police haY& used methods such as tear gas. ru&her bt~llets, afld water ca.nrtons to deter the protesters.The story C.OAtimJes to Elevelop.
Tunisian pvet"RI'Mat o"'""rown The fall of the Tumsian goverrunent forced Zine il Abidi.ne Ben Ali. dictator of the cowntry for 23 years, into me in Saudi Arabia. Human rights abuses Md economic hards,ftips contributed to the downfall of his regime. The current TunisiaA government has put out an international warrant for his arrest on charges of corruption and
emichinghimsetfatthe pubr~e eq>eue.Protenors have chtdlenged the curnmt government as well, on tbe basis that several of Ben Ali's former
officiats hold 'leadership positiORS in it. "Baby Doc" Duvaliar returns to Haiti jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Ouvalier's surprise return to Haiti earlier this month has stirred great controversy as the cotlfltry undergoes a tt~rbtltent e1ection. DuvaUer was forced into e>eile in 1986 after 15 years of dictatorship. He currend-y faces criminal charges for the practice of torture and other crimes apiRst humanity which he carried out during .Ais .-egime. Some have speculated that OuvaJier has designs <?" the presidenq, afthoush be has not announced that be wil run.
Natural disasters hit gloh lA the past month, there has he-en a sarge in the number of natural disasters across the wotitt. ln Sri lanka, ftoodwaters have risen above 18 feet due to tot1"W\dee rain, taking away scabitity and forcing many to lee.Austrafia is seeing its worst flood in recorded history. The ftoodwater has washed over much of the cooAtry and created over $20 Bilton in Elamages. Ia the outskirts of Rio de janeiro. Brazl massive m'tldstldes, brought on by heavy downpours and loodiAg. have claimed the lives of over 800 and have taken the homes of nearly 14.000 peof'le. Some scientists have tied dtese events togethet; blaming the meltinft polar ice caps. Threat to Global· FOGel Secllrtty Atwo-year..forrgjnternatiomd'ltudyGOillltllinioned by the Unitecd Kintdom reveals that the current global system of food production is"oosustainable and wift fai to end hunser unless radically redesigned.'• Based on the projected population growth for the n•t two <''ecases, the report estimates that we wil need to increase the world food supply by 40~ dun wat-er suppty by 30:%. and avalable energy by scm in order to meet the basic human needs of 8.2 billion people.
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Glamour Gals and Gallants bring smiles to elderly by Catherine Moskos Painting nails and sharing stories may seem like activities found at a teenage slumber party, but one club is bringing them into a different realm: community service. GlamourGals is a national nonprofit organization with a mission of giving beauty-makeovers to elderly women in senior citizen homes while offering companionship. Rachel Doyle, the founder and CEO of GlamourGals, started the foundation to honor her grandmother when she was 17 years old. Rachel has said, "Each time I visit a local makeover ... and feel the squeeze of a woman's frail hand after I say, 'you look beautiful,' I know how special this program is." Gaby Campoverde, co-president of Harris's "' ~ chapter of the GlamourGals, which is called Glamour ~ 0 Gals and Gallants, has worked to revive the club ~ after a period of inactivity. She said, "I joined this a .sclub as a freshman, but the club was canceled during c3 my sophomore year because no progress was being "C' made. During my junior year, I saw the club's name ~ on a list of the after school activities. I figured I had ~ 8 some experience, I was dedicated to the cause, and decided to take it from there." ~ ~ Glamour Gals and Gallants has raised funds to support itself by selling "boo grams" and other similar items, messages delivered to friends or staff Sophomore Glamour Gals lillian Burke and Irene Chung give a manicure. members with a free piece of candy. The proceeds go towards beauty supplies and other necessary items. students can influence their [senior citizens'] day, anything else," said Katarzyna Endler, sophomore. Anna Di Tommaso, sophomore, said, "Senior As a Valentine's Day fundraiser, the club plans to sell but a lot of them have smiles on their faces after we leave," said Androniqi Kurtezi, sophomore. "We help citizens often are abandoned and have to struggle to daisies with lollipops. live day-to-day. I can't imagine my own grandma all them and they help us, too. Listening to "I've seen these We help them their stories alone, is always interesting." so I try to do my part." girls grow and Nushrat Mostaque, freshman, said, "I get to do "You never know what to expect become more and and they help US, too." ' -Androniqi Kurtezi, sophomore when spending time with these elderly other people's nails, which I love to do, while helping more dedicated to women. You learn so much about their people out. What more in a club could you ask for?'' helping others, and lives, and they learn from you," said coGlamour Gals and Gallants meets in Room 635 I admire them for president Carolina Cabrera. on Wednesdays. The club's next event outside of that," commented English teacher Raquel Chung, the "Glamour Gals means so much to me. Most of the school is at Atria Senior Living on February 9. club's advisor. "It might not seem like a few high school people are so happy to see the Glamour Gals coming. They really love seeing the happy faces more than
Glee Club unites voices every Tuesday afternoon by Ella Leviyeva Singers gather around the piano, learn lyrics, and figure out harmonies as a group at meetings of Glee Club, the school's new a capella group. Co-founded by seniors Chelsey Pellot and Elaiza
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Santos, with science teacher Philip Porzio as advisor, the club joins singers together and provides them with a creative outlet. Sophomore Alexis Martinez, a member of the club, said, "Glee Club is somewhere I can express
:tnyself freely and be who I truly am. It's the only place that I can sing without being judged, because we are whole." With low attendance at meetings, the club encourages new members to join. Originally, Chelsey and Elaiza planned to audition each member for acceptance. Elaiza explained, "There were 60 names on our signup sheet, but because of the small amo~nt that actually attended, we accepted_them all without an audition. The members are really good, so it wasn't a problem." "This club is a means of selfexpression," said Mr. Porzio. "It helps people who have similar interests develop friendships and build confidence. A lot comes out of joining, and we encourage people to come." ~ Chelsey said, "Mr. Porzio is .)5 without a doubt the most suitable ~ advisor for the Glee Club. Most "' people don't know this, but he sings ~ ~ and plays the guitar, so it helps that 0 . ~ he actually has some expenence." Mr. Porzio was in a band as a teenager, sang in school choruses as ..(;)
a student, and took voice lessons in college. People often mistakenly associate the name "Glee Club" with the FOX hit television show Glee. However, Glee did not have any influence on the club. "It's unfortunate that we were called Glee Club; we're more of an a cappella club," said Mr. Porzio. Glee Club is working on a couple of songs to perform at Harris Feud, the school's second annual game show fundraiser. "We're focusing more on performing rather than competing," said Chelsey. "We may enter competitions in the future, but since we're a new club, I think we need more time to grow and learn together before we start competing against other groups." Elaiza added, "We are just trying to test things out for now. It will be a while before we get as far as competing, but hopefully that will be an option in the future." Glee Club meets on Tuesdays in the music room on the second floor.
Spider-Man:Turn Do·wn the Li'- AlE
Hyp"e ...
by Freddy Millan Jr. Numerous accidents and injuries have sparked rather large public intrigue concerning the new musical Spider-Man: Tum Off the Dark. Despite these problems, the show has been continuing nightly preview performances at the Foxwoods Theatre as its opening date on Broadway, now said to be March 15, approaches. The show itself, however, may not be worth all of the attention. The musical follows nerd Peter Parker, played by the rock band Carney's lead singer Reeve Carney, who gets bitten by ~A a spider that gives him his powers. As Spider-Man he late~ · / · ' defeats the Green Goblin, played by Patrick Page, a /.P , / '\ scientist who was mutated while trying to alter human ,.,-· , /~/ . . ~ genetics. At the same time, Spider-Man saves love . interest Mary Jane Watson, played by Next to Normal's \ ~ Jennifer Damiano. J(~~~Wd'\-1 T~e story in~olves horrible pacing, excessively \ (J ".. .: . {£, confusmg plot pomts, and tons of unnecessary and 1'f!..W ·Lt.W unwanted characters. Act I is actually entertaining, with \ . ....... high-flying acrobatics and beautiful set pieces abounding. With Act II, however, the show screeches to a halt, focusing more on Mary Jane and Peter's relationship and reducing the action, which is what most of the audience came to see, to almost nothing. Page is a great actor, obviously having a lot of fun with the show's best-written role .. On the other side is Carney. His acting is okay, if a bit overly dramatic at times, but his singing sounded like he was screaming and in pain. No wonder most of the songs involving his character are sung by other people. The character of Arachne, based off of the ancient Greek myth artwork of the first spider, is an interesting idea, but is executed so poorly that it makes by Edward Farquharson the plot unnecessarily convoluted. Her plan makes no sense, and the curse she is trying to rid herselfof(read: her entire motivation and one of the most important plot points in the show) is never explained. She also undergoes incredible villain decay, going from a mysterious, somewhat siren-like creature to a more generic comedy villain with unexplained powers and goofy-looking henchwomen. There was also a chorus of teenagers whose role in the story is quite inconsistent. At first, it seems as though they are reading Spider-Man's comic books. It later seems as though they are writing the comic books, which would still make sense. Then, they seem to take on the role of a Greek chorus, suddenly interacting with the characters. Just as quickly as we were introduced to these characters, they disappear, leaving no resolution to their role in the show. Then there is the Sinister Six, a league of villains brought together by Arachne to fight SpiderMan. They serve a role that did not need six separate characters to fill. They are marched onto the stage, introduced by the teen chorus, and then, about a half hour later, are unceremoniously dealt with. While the Sinister Six, which includes a new villain created for the show, serves to show off some of the great costumes made for the show, but this is only so much unnecessary clutter. The music, written by U2 's Bono and The Edge, was forgettable. The songs were generally unnecessary, as they rarely advanced the plot or told us something new about the characters. The only song that stood out was "The Boy Falls from the Sky", a recurring instrumental and the show's emotional centerpiece. Unfortunately, it's done no justice by Carney's inconsistent singing. Despite all of its faults, this show has one saving grace that may just be worth the price of admission: it is probably the best-looking show ever put onto a Broadway stage. Some of the stunts that they pull offaie nothing short of amazing. Spider-Man flies over the audience and actually lands in the aisles. Of particular note is the fight between him and the Green Goblin, the entirety of which occurs above the audience. The mezzanine seats are the most advantageous because those members of the audience view the stunts at eye level while still having a great view of the stage. · The costumes and sets are beautiful and intricate. As Mary Jane and Peter walk home together on a rotating treadmill set in the floor of the stage, the set literally flips open to new backgrounds with new houses, reminiscent of someone flipping through the pages of a comic book. Spider-Man: Tum Off the Dark may be worth seeing at least once, if only to see the boundaries of what can be done live on a Broadway stage pushed to its limits.
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Gas leak, take 3?
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comic by Richie Bonilla
Z'r'S AlMOST MY lUNCH '8ANI1o... ~.
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'IJNTION .AU. ST0D6NrS WID fSACUITY. WE ARE GOING TO HAlE TO MAK6 AN ORIJERI.Y NACUAI'ION DUE TO A GAS teAK IN THE IIUIUIIN9.
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Brain exhibit at m·u:se·um tickles the cerebellum by Bayley Desmond A ch.orus of "ooh:"s and ,.ahh..s arises as a crowd enters the 6mJk ro()()m. Hxactlo/ what captivates them is debatable; it could be the wir'Cs hangmg :tTom the ceiling to the floor and crackling wi'1lh bnrsts of electricl$y, or the fact that the phenomenon they axe witnessing constantly occurs within their craniums, all>eit on a smaller scale. This r-epresentation of neurons at w-Ork is enly one of many wanders that theAmericanM.useum (),:fNaturalHistory'snewest exhibit, Brain: the Inside Story, contains. As visitors continue t-O make th.eir way through the si.Qgle, winding eomdor, they wil:l encounter more eversized replicas of the brain, pieces of neU1J0lo~-themed art, atUi an abundance of interactive features. One comer of the long hall discusses, step-by-step, how the &rain has become mor-e comJ>lex. from lizards to humans, while in another nook, a video explains how its compon.ents work: together during a dance recital. The exhib,it pr-esents information about many RS}>ects of the brain in a simple way, so that anyone can comprehend. This reflects ane of the exhibit's major merits: it manages to cater to a variety of audiences. The same elements that ~b children's ·attention will also eharm teenagers an:d adults ai1K:e. The star-tracing station exelllJ)lltnes the eliliibit's wide appeal. Here, participants attempt to trace a star while looking not at their hands, but at a mirror, wi!lh the O}>erative word being "attempt." This f-eature wilt both delight and educate visitors, regar4ess 0f age, as they S'll1lll:gg;le to tkaw a basic shape and leam :first-hand about pmce.dural memory, the 1;Y:J)le dedicat-ed to remembering h0w to perform actions. Other brain teasers a:J.so present chal:l enges while demonstrating how the brain works. A simple list of wards consistentty bafllles these who try to name the c0lors ofthe words al<md. "Red" .is written in a shade ofl!>lue, "blue" in green, and so <m. This, ameng ether features, shows how vision dominates our perceptions of the world around us. Another highlight ef the exhlbit allows visit0rs to put their ace.ents to the test, as they listen to audio clips ef phrases in various lan~es ana repeat them into a microph0ne. A scFeen then display:s the sound wav'CS of the original atuio clip, as oompared with the sound w.aves pickett up by the microphone. 'l'his activity amuses visitors for €)Uite a while, but, on the flip side, one ma,y have to wait quite a while to try it. The layout, which basi~y disWibutes a bunch of di:Werent stations throu8hout a eurvy balwa.y, unfortunately sabotages the exln:"bit to some extent. linee everyone must take the same course, J>OOple t-end to crowd aroutl.d cel!tain areas, pri:}ven.til.:rg tltese behind them hm partidpa1iing. Vtsitors must have patience an:E1 be wiling to w.alk bMk and fO.rth irn order to see everythln;g the exhlb:tt has te offer. Consi'<tedng the number of featu:~JeS the exln:'bit has, however, this is not enough to min the eXJ>erience. On the way eut. visitors pass throu8h the gtf:l: shop, w:hieh sells such treasures as stu:ftlett neurons and books 0n nenr.ology. The prices are a bit hi8h f0r high schee:l stuaents, but proceeds d0 help Sllflport the museum ana enahfe it te create wondedW, e.ngaging exhibits, just Ike Brain: the Inside Story.
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The Classic January 2011
Hawks look to finish strong after tough loss by Benjamin Horowitz
Coming off a tough defeat against arch-rival Robert F. Kennedy, the Boy's Varsity Basketball Team hosted the HS For Law Enforcement & Public Safety Leopards on January 20. The Hawks' record stood at 5-4 and they were battling the Leopards for control of fourth place in the Queens East B division. In their previous meeting, the Hawks came out with a hard-fought 53-48 road win in a game that went to overtime. The home game proved to also be a closely contested matchup. Law Enforcement took the opening tip off and guard Elijah Askew quickly scored the game's first basket on an easy lay up. The Leopards continued to control the first quarter and relied on a fast paced attack to score. After eight minutes, Law Enforcement led 16-7. The Hawks started the second quarter determined to cut into the lead. Captain David Weeks hit a three to drop the lead to six. Law Enforcement's Anthony Boothe responded with a three point shot of his own. Boothe played an important role bringing the ball up for the Leopards and he also scored three shots from behind the arc. Weeks' fellow captain~ Nicholas Nehaul cut the lead to one after scoring eight straight points. The first half ended with the Hawks trailing 25-23. Coach Frank Denunzio would have to try to correct the team's slow start, defensive rebounding,
and finishes on I mz \: 11>-'--~ "' - ·*· •• drives during the halftime break. Weeks was frustrated with the slow start. "We did not have any energy at the start of the game and we didn't . pickitupuntilthe final few minutes. We really have to work on finishing at the basket especially on breakaways. We have to capitalize on turnovers," he said. With the team only down by two at the half, they had plenty of time to tum things around. Seniors Nicholas Nehaul, Eddie Caraccioli, and David Weeks put in a team effort to rebound. The third and fourth The Hawks successfully contained Hawks' 27. quarters featured nice plays from each Law Enforcement's three biggest The Hawks shot 11-27 from the team, and the game was very close offensive threats. They held each of free throw line, forty percent as a going into the final minutes. With the Leopards' top three scorers on team for the game. less than ten seconds left the Hawks the season, Elijah Askew, William Afterthegame,Nehaulcommented, were down five. Sophomore Connor Raiford and Dymere Carson under "I think we rely too much on our height Doyle got the ball at half court and hit ten points. All three of the guards had for rebounds. We need to box out much a miraculous soaring shot from forty- been averaging eight and a half points better. And free throw shooting has five feet away. The Hawks' last stand a game or more. been a problem with us for the past came too late in the game, and as the The Hawks were out-rebounded couple of years. We are making a final buzzer sounded, the scoreboard throughout the game and the Leopards conscious effort to correct both areas read 53-50 in favor of the Leopards. finished with 50 rebounds to the in practice."
Daring enough? Track captain sets new school record by Joshua Solomon
Track captain Emmanuel Daring, senior, set a school indoor track record at the New Balance Games on January 22. At the Armory Track, Daring broke his previous time for the 200 meter race with a new time of 23.3 seconds. All members of the boys' indoor track team competed at the New Balance track meet. This track meet is one of the biggest ones the boys' team races each year. In contrast to the regular PSAL, the New York City teams they race this meet are among teams from across the Northeast. Track teams from Pennsylvania and Massachusetts, among other states, competed and cheered on their teammates. At the meet, senior Muhammad Shoaib observed, "The
competition is intense and the crowd is very loud!" Coach George Rio agrees about the high competition at the meet. He said, "We come here to compete against them and to get better." Last year, Daring tied the school's 200 meter record set by John Kim in 2003 and tied by as well by David Vaughan in 2009 with a time of 23 .9 seconds. Since Indoor Track last year, Daring has been trying to break the record he says he once thought he would never touch. Daring stated, "I always felt I was a sprinter ... But in my freshman and sophomore years, Vaughan was still Vaughan. I compared my times to his times: mine were good but his were great." Vaughan currently co-holds at least
six school varsity records, including February 13- the boys' team's next and team relays, along with one freshman · final full team race of the season. "The boys have an outside chance record and five sophomore records. Daring does hold · one freshman to finish in the Top 3. It will .take a record but no sophomore records. Now, team effort to do so, but usually we do. Historically, everyone runs their he co-holds four varsity records. "It's still hard to believe it. In my personal bests, and that's all you can mind, Vaughan will always be faster ask for," Rio concluded. than me, but now he's not," Daring Daring said, "I expect to win two said with a grin. out of my three events, the 300 and the Coach Rio also recognized his 600 [meter]. I'm hoping to break the captain's achievement, saying, "I was school record, because it might be the very glad to see Manny break the last time I run the 600." This determination has driven both record in the 200 meter. Last year he tied it, and this year he broke it." the team and Daring himself. Concerning his team's performance "I'm happy I got the record but I'm at the meet, Coach Rio stated, "The not happy with the way I got it," said freshmen and sophomores ran very Daring, referring to having a slow heat well, and it's good for the future." This to run with and having a false start by a future includes both the next few years competitor during the race, and the Queens Championship race on
2/9/11 GirlsV.sity BMketball vs. Fluming HS@ Flushing
2/10111 Boys Varsity Ba$ketba11 v~ The Scholars Academy @THHS 2/13/11 Boys & Girts Vanity Track Queens Borough Ch<mpiooships@ The Armory 2125/ll .Boys & Girls Varsity Track City Championships @The Armory 3/1111 Girls Junior Var~ity Baketball vs. Springfield Gardens @ THHS