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It is not uncommon for someone to look at one of their fellow classmates and think, “They are ready for college.” Most times, the option of early graduation is not feasible because certain credits need to be obtained or certain classes need to be taken. However, some people are looking to change that. The National Center on Education and the Economy, or NCEE, hopes to improve the nation’s educational system. Currently, high school seniors graduate after they have fulfilled a certain number of requirements in each major subject area, including math, science, and English. Many people object to this system because, according to the NCEE, more than half of all students in community colleges currently must take remedial courses. By advancing students ready for college and helping those who are not with courses tailored to the areas they struggle in, the NCEE hopes to reduce the number of remedial courses college students have to take. The NCEE has therefore designed a program that would allow some high school sophomores to graduate early. The program, which will be piloted in eight different states, including Pennsylvania, was announced on February 17, 2010. The system works similarly to educational programs found in other frank vitale news Early graduation proposed Benvenuto...arrivederci maya sabin news Continued on Page 9 Continued on Page 5 What’s Inside Iran p. 2 Mr. Gottesman p. 3 PSSAs p. 4-5 Project Prom Dress p. 6 Harriton Laptops p. 6-7 Alice in Wonderland p. 8 Shutter Island p. 8 The Wizard of Oz p. 9 April 1 p. 10 April Fools p. 11 Shamrock Shakes p. 12 Rib Roast p. 12 \ This March not only played host to such events as March Madness and the school play, but also a foreign exchange of massive proportions. Mr. Max Malossini and his AP Calculus classes’ hard work and planning came to fruition on March 22 when 39 students and five teachers flew across the Atlantic to visit our very own Springfield Township High School. Unlike most of the exchanges that have taken place at Springfield, this trip was not run through Rotary. Instead, the exchange was part of e-Twinning, an organization supported by the European Union. e- Twinning is government-run and pays for most of the students’ expenses, which allows trips to be more frequent and affordable for the countries involved. “It is something I wish our school could do more often. It’s always great to meet new people from different places,” says Senior Mark Vido. The teachers from the school in Italy said that they like these Twinning programs and that they participate in them often with other European schools. Although e-Twinning is not as popular in the United States, being from Italy and having previously participated in exchanges like this one, Mr. Malossini had prior knowledge about the program. Thus, planning was smoother because of Mr. Malossini’s expertise. Along with being familiar with e-Twinning, Mr. Malossini is also quite familiar with Liceo Maffei, the Italian school that our guests attend. He actually taught there before his relocation to the United States. He describes Liceo Maffei as “very similar to Springfield,” in terms of the size of the school and surrounding community. However, he did mention some of the differences that can be found when Italian students gather in the libary to report on their data. photo | Josh Sehnert comparing the two schools. “High school in Italy is different from in America,” Mr. Malossini says. It lasts for five years, and although students are allowed to leave after their third year, Mr. Malossini says that “no one does.” Another difference between high schools in the United States and those in

April - May 2010

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Page 1: April - May 2010

It is not uncommon for someone tolook at one of their fellow classmates andthink, “Theyare ready forc o l l e g e . ”Most times,the option of early graduation is not feasiblebecause certain credits need to be obtainedor certain classes need to be taken. However,some people are looking to change that.

The National Center on Educationand the Economy, or NCEE, hopes toimprove the nation’s educational system.Currently, high school seniors graduate afterthey have fulfilled a certain number ofrequirements in each major subject area,including math, science, and English. Manypeople object to this system because,

according to the NCEE, more than half ofall students in community collegescurrently must take remedial courses. Byadvancing students ready for college andhelping those who are not with coursestailored to the areas they struggle in, theNCEE hopes to reduce the number ofremedial courses college students have totake.

The NCEE has therefore designeda program that would allow some highschool sophomores to graduate early. Theprogram, which will be piloted in eightdifferent states, including Pennsylvania,was announced on February 17, 2010.

The system works similarly toeducational programs found in other

frank vitale news

Early graduation proposed

Benvenuto...arrivederci

maya sabin news

Continued on Page 9

Continued on Page 5

What’s InsideIran p. 2Mr. Gottesman p. 3PSSAs p. 4-5Project Prom Dress p. 6Harriton Laptops p. 6-7Alice in Wonderland p. 8Shutter Island p. 8The Wizard of Oz p. 9April 1 p. 10April Fools p. 11Shamrock Shakes p. 12Rib Roast p. 12

\ This March not only played hostto such events as March Madness and theschool play, but also a foreign exchange ofmassive proportions. Mr. Max Malossini andhis AP Calculus classes’ hard work andplanning came to fruition on March 22 when39 students and five teachers flew acrossthe Atlantic to visit our very own SpringfieldTownship High School. 

Unlike most of the exchanges thathave taken place at Springfield, this trip wasnot run through Rotary. Instead, theexchange was part of e-Twinning, anorganizationsuppor t edby theE u r o p e a nUnion. e-Twinning is government-run and pays formost of the students’ expenses, which allowstrips to be more frequent and affordable forthe countries involved.

“It is something I wish our schoolcould do more often. It’s always great tomeet new people from different places,” saysSenior Mark Vido. 

The teachers from theschool in Italy said that they likethese Twinning programs andthat they participate in themoften with other Europeanschools. Although e-Twinning isnot as popular in the UnitedStates, being from Italy andhaving previously participated inexchanges like this one, Mr.Malossini had prior knowledgeabout the program. Thus,planning was smoother becauseof Mr. Malossini’s expertise.

Along with beingfamiliar with e-Twinning, Mr.Malossini is also quite familiarwith Liceo Maffei, the Italianschool that our guests attend. He actuallytaught there before his relocation to theUnited States. He describes Liceo Maffeias “very similar to Springfield,” in terms ofthe size of the school and surroundingcommunity.

However, he did mention some ofthe differences that can be found when

Italian students gather in the libary to report on theirdata. photo | Josh Sehnert

comparing the two schools. “High schoolin Italy is different from in America,” Mr.Malossini says. It lasts for five years, andalthough students are allowed to leave aftertheir third year, Mr. Malossini says that “noone does.”            Another difference between highschools in the United States and those in

Page 2: April - May 2010

EDITORIAL MISSIONThe Chronicle is theofficial voice of thestudents of SpringfieldTownship High School andprovides them with aquality, thought-provoking, andresponsible student publication thatvalues the exchange of thoughts, ideas,and opinions.Because self-improvement is an ongoingtask, our staff is committed to reflectingand assessing its impact as a publicationin an attempt to achieve the highestjournalistic standards. The Chronicle has earned aColumbia Scholastic Press Associationbronze medalist distinction and is aPennsylvania Scholastic KeystonePress Association Award winner, takingFirst Place for Cartoons and SecondPlace for Ongoing News and Editorialsin 2010.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFAndrew Seredinski

ENTERTAINMENT EDITORJosh Sehnert

SPORTS EDITORStephen Pileggi

FEATURES EDITORRay Chappetta

BUSINESS EDITORMaya Sabin

NEWS EDITORFrank Vitale

STAFFTyler Adams | Evan CowderySimon Davner | Nina Huenke

Rafiat Kasumu | Nathan Kosmin Christina Manero | James Miller

MJ Moyer-Fittipaldi | Emma MorascoDylan Vizzachero | Matt Wetmore

ADVISORSMs. Laurie Shirley | Mr. Ken Rodoff

SEND US AN E-MAIL!E-mail feedback to [email protected].

Recently, I was asked in an onlinecourse if I thought the United States shouldincrease sanctions or attack Iran based ontheir continued nuclear development.Feeling the onslaught of a false dilemma,with one option (attack or invasion) beingabsolutely ridiculous, I considered the otheroptions that the United States has in itsIranian relations.

Iran is a nation with over seventymillion people. As Middle Eastern nationsgo, it is quite large. Present controversysurrounding the state deals with theirdevelopment of a nuclear program. They arenow capable of enriching uranium to twentypercent, which is an important steppingstone in the development of nuclear arms.However, that being said, Iran insists thatits nuclear ambitions are entirely designedfor peaceful purposes. Nuclear power plantsand radioactive isotopes for medicine aretwo of the applications for this technologyin which Iran expresses interest.

Presently, the United States andsome of its allies are imposing strongeconomic sanctions against Iran in anattempt to halt their development. However,seeing as China and Russia are not part ofthis effort, the trade sanctions have beenrather ineffective.

Now, the United States’ warinessof Iran is not simply because they may ormay not be developing a nuclear arsenalwhich they are not keen onhaving viewed by the rest ofthe world. Iran is a theocraticrepublic, followingsomewhat radical interpretations of ShiaIslam. The current president, MahmoudAhmadinejad, has made a number ofstatements to the effect that the 9/11 terrorattacks were planned by the CIA, and isentirely against the state of Israel.

In fact, Iran does not recognizeIsrael as a country. One might think that thisis a deal breaker for relations with Iran.However, historically, this has not been thecase. The US maintained relations with boththe People’s Republic of China (PRC) andthe Republic of China (ROC) at the same time,even though the PRC has insisted that theROC is part of their nation.

Allow me to misrepresent thesituation as an “Israel or Iran” deal for the

sake of direct comparison. Iran is oftencriticized for its suppression of free speechand other human rights, especially inrelation to disputed election results. Israelis also often criticized for its suppression ofhuman rights, especially those of thePalestinians. While Iran has not said that itis developing a nuclear weapon, Israel hasbeen quite ambiguous about its owncapabilities. This is likely simply amanifestation of deterrence (for bothnations), the idea that the threat of severeretaliation will prevent a military strikeagainst one’s nation. Israel is something akinto one-tenth the size of Iran in terms ofpopulation.

It seems that the US simply fearsthe idea of Iran having nuclear capabilities,and does not trust their assertion that theirprogram is for peace. But if I were Iran, Iwould want to have this technology. In fact,I might even go for the development ofwarheads to deter attacks. Seeing as thismakes a great deal of sense, it may be wiseto assume that Iran is indeed developingnuclear arms.

The issue is that America wants todecide what every other nation can do. Weadvocate against nuclear proliferation, andyet we refuse to disarm. We hand overdangerous technologies to our allies, andbecome incensed when any other nationseeks international clout. Iran will soon have

nuclear power plants (evenif they are developingweapons, they will still likelygo the power route as well),

just like the United States and France andso many other nations. They are a nationwith a relatively large population that hasthe potential for further modernization, andwhich has massive natural gas andpetroleum reserves. And here the US sits,allowing Russia and China to reap thebenefits of a healthy relationship with Iranwhile we make ineffective sanctions.

It is worth mentioning that Iran maybe involved presently in operations tosupply the Afghani Taliban with arms. Bythe same token, Iran has prosecuted anumber of domestic terrorists that they claimwere funded by the Americans and theIsraelis. Reconciliation would not be simple,easy, or quick, but it should be investigatedand seriously considered.

Iran and U.S.

andrew seredinski editorial

Page 3: April - May 2010

Music teacher and conductor Mr. ChuckGottesman was born in Abington, grewup in Willow Grove, and attended UpperMoreland High School. The Chronicleinterviewed him to learn more about hislife.

When did you first become interested inmusic and what was your firstinstrument?I became interested in music as a real littlekid, probably two or three years old. I likedto sing. My parents tell me stories aboutme harmonizing with them when they weresinging lullabies and stuff. I started takingpiano lessons around age six and I stuckwith that for a while. I started playingtrumpet at nine and started studying moreinstruments as I got into high school. Iwas still most serious about the trumpet.

Were you involved with music programsin high school?Absolutely, it was everything; I dideverything from musicals through all thebands and all the choirs. I was asinvolved in music as anybody could be.

Where did you go to college?I went to Temple for my undergraduatedouble-major degree. I started college as aperformance major; all I wanted to do wasplay the trumpet for a career.

How did you become truly interested inteaching?When I first started college I didn’t reallywant to have anything to do withteaching. I was kind of fed up at that pointwith the music teachers I had in highschool. I was like, “Enough! I know I can’tpicture myself doing that.” So when I gotto school and was studying trumpet full-time, I really felt like something wasmissing. I realized that even though Iresisted it, I really loved music education,and the other kids that I was friendly with,they shared that same feeling, and so Igot pulled toward music education. Lifejust sort of led me that way.

How did your teaching career start?Well, towards the end of college I wasactually hired by Walt Disney World, inFlorida, and I was playing trumpet therefor two summers. After college I came toSpringfield and I took an interview,because Mrs. Klugman at the middle

Meet Mr. Gottesman

Reported by Christina Manero

school was going onsabbatical for the entireyear. So, it was 1994-1995, I was teachingdown at the middleschool, but just for ayear, and after that Ididn’t have a job.Fortunately, the highschool position openedup in 1995-1996, and Iinterviewed for that, gotthe job, and I’ve beenhere ever since.

I have to ask, what was itlike to work at Disney?Awesome! It was reallycool. I was a young kid. I was only 22years old. They treated us really well; Iwas getting paid to play the trumpet. Igot to ride all the rides and get into theparks for free, and it was a really fun lifefor a young person.

Which instruments do you play andwhich is your favorite?Trumpet is definitely my favorite. I’vespent the most time studying it; I have aMaster’s Degree in trumpet from RowanUniversity in Glassboro, New Jersey. Ilove to play the bass; I started playingbass in high school. I love to play thedrums, and I’ve started to really enjoyplaying guitar, especially since teachingGuitar Lab here at the high school. I canplay the piano pretty well. I’m really badat the double-reed instruments like theoboes and the bassoons, and I’m not agreat flute player, [but] I do okay.

Do you have a favorite song?That’s a good question; it changes fromday to day. I can’t pick one, I like it all.

What’s your advice for students who wantto make a career out of their music?They really have to [find] a privateteacher. I had many private teacherswhen I was growing up, and the privateteachers are the ones who work with youone-on-one outside of school. You do allyour practicing for that private teacherand all the exercises and all the greatmethod books that have been writtenover the years. You know there’sguidance that I can’t really give students

as a music teacher. Like, if you wanted topursue a career in music playing the flute,I’m not really an expert at playing theflute. I know about music and how it allworks and I can tell you what thefingerings are, but beyond that, I don’thave the expertise. So anyone who wantsto pursue a career in music really needs agood private teacher. At least one; I hadprobably five.

Are you involved with music outside ofschool?Well, I play in a wedding band, which isfun. I get to play at people’s weddings,bar mitzvahs, and parties. I play a lot ofbass in that, and I sing a lot. You can findvideos on the internet if you look hardenough. I also play in a big band inPhiladelphia called the Bryan Pastor BigBand. I also had a group of my own for awhile that I recorded a CD with. Right nowthat’s about it; I also play polkas, and anykind of gig that comes my way I try toplay. It’s a nice way to supplement myteaching income.

Do you have a favorite memory from yourtime here at Springfield?I have a lot; I think probably the bandtrips over the years have really created alot of memories. Like our trip to Floridaback in 1994 was really remarkable. Thetrip to Nashville several years ago wassuper. Also, the Jazz Band won CavalcadeChampionships back in 2003, which wasreally exciting. I’ve had a lot of greatmemories here; Springfield is a great placeto teach.

Mr. Gottesman plays his instrument of choice. photo | Josh Sehnert

Page 4: April - May 2010

The schedule for the almighty PSSAs. graphic | ray chappetta

Everybody hates the PSSAs. Youlose class time preparing for them, and whenthe tests are finally over, you get a piece ofpaper that does not help your report cardgrades at all. So why waste time taking thesestandardized tests?

Many people argue that long testsdo not give the state an accurate idea ofhow well students are being educatedbecause many students struggle to focuson one test for hours.  And let’s face it, bythe end of the test, we are just trying to getit done. I know that reading all the passagesis important, but, unfortunately, it’s alsodreadfully dull. 

However, my neighbor AmandaTrebrowski, who is a former high schoolEnglish teacher, has a different perspectiveon the test. She feels that the math andreading assessments are important because,“English and math are applied and used themost throughout life.” She also believes that“The essayis one of thebetter partsof thePSSA.”  She feels that the essay portion ofthe test can help you prepare for taking theSATs.

I agree that the essay writing isgood practice with the SATs looming overour heads, but all of the pressure put onhigh school students about the PSSA is

unnecessary.Raising the barfrom Basic toProficient willdo little to helpstudents whoare poor test-takers tosucceed. Thispush to surpassstate standardscould alsoprevent somestudents fromgraduating withthe rest of theirclass, as thestate isimplementingnew guidelinesr e q u i r i n gjuniors whoscore less than Proficient on the math orreading assessment to prove proficiency intheir senior year.

Interestingly, my guidancecounselor informed me that the State ofPennsylvania is planning to switch tosomething akin to New York’s Regents,standardized tests in each course that arerequired for graduation. These tests, whichPennsylvania plans to call the Keystones,will work by assessing students on material

PSSA pessimism

nina huenke commentary

PSSA testing is right around thecorner. For juniors and eighth-graders, thismeans a lot of testing throughout April. Forother students, it means a few hours of extrasleep. And for the administration, it meansa concrete measure of student performance.While the testing isnecessary, students andteachers alike do havesome doubts about howthe testing and the five,three-hour delays will impact teaching,especially with the AP tests following soonafter.

“There are a lot of teachers withanxiety,” remarks Mr. Barry Weidner, whoteaches several sections of AP Psychology.

PSSAs interfere with necessaryAP class time

However, he is confident that thescheduling will not negatively impact hisstudents. Every year Mr. Weidner holdsextra class sessions after school to covermore material, but with his foresight he“started [them] earlier” this year. Plus,

“there are three options tomeet,” so if a student works,play sports, or participates inanother club, they can stillmake a meeting.

Other teachers are a bit uncertainabout how they’ll handle the time crunch,but are thinking creatively. AP ComputerScience teacher Mrs. Tammy Pirmannremarks that if some students “come in forthree hours of PSSA,” that she might bring

her students in one day for “three hours ofAP,” citing the time period as perfect for apractice AP test.

In addition to teachers, somestudents are worried. Junior Tori Reynoldsmust take the PSSAs in addition to her threeAP tests. “Some of my classes will be fine,since we’ve covered the material and arejust reviewing. In other classes, however,even missing one day can really put youbehind.”

“What the administration did wasgood at minimizing impact,” says Mr.Weidner. So, whether you view the PSSAsas necessary, a necessary evil, or just plainevil, you can rest assured that the scheduleshouldn’t affect your AP scores.

right after they complete the course. Theestimated date for Pennsylvania’s switch is2013. The Keystone approach would bemuch more reasonable than testing an 11th-grader on math they did four years ago.With Keystones, you would be tested onsomething you just learned which wouldshow how well you understand the coursematerial, not just how much you rememberyears later.  

ray chappettanews

Page 5: April - May 2010

Pennsylvania to pilot boardexam program

other countries, such as England, Ireland,Finland, parts of Canada, and evenSingapore. Students would volunteer to takethese exams at the end of their sophomoreyear. If they pass these exams, they wouldbe given their high school diploma andwould have the option of attending any two-or four- year open admissions college in thestate without having to take remedialcourses. They would also have the optionof staying in high school to take collegepreparatory courses.

If a student does not pass theexaminations, they would enter into a specificprogram in hopes of preparing them foranother exam at the end of their junior year.This program would focus only on the areasthat the student struggled in, with hopesthat by focusing on trouble areas instead ofareas of strength, graduating studentswould be less likely to have to take remedialcourses. It would also allow teachers tofocus on those students who need help.

Some examinations have alreadybeen approved by the NCEE for the program,including tests used by ACT QualityCore,the International Baccalaureate Diplomaprogram, and The College Board’sAdvanced Placement program.

Ten to twenty schools in the eightchosen states will run the pilot programbeginning in the 2011-2012 school year. Acommittee set up by the NCEE will track their

put great emphasis on the fact that it givesstudents more options for their future,something the director seemed dedicated to,saying, “I like having options for all kindsof people.”

However, Mrs. Rohrbach did pointout some of the flaws she saw in theprogram. She was concerned about the factthat students would be graduating at sixteen.“That seems awfully young to me to go tocollege,” she says, also pointing to the lossof certain high school experiences in such amove. “All of the other experiences aroundhigh school are just as important, I think, asthe academic ones.”

With the fact that the program isso young, along with the investment in thestate’s upcoming Keystone exams, Mrs.Rohrbach was surprised that Pennsylvaniahad even signed on to the project. Shepointed to the fact that the NCEE is not agovernment body, and so does not have asmuch support behind it. She also supposesthat if such a program were to be put in place,it would be possible that a drop inupperclassmen would cause some teachersto lose their jobs.

Overall, the program will need timebefore anything develops from it. The NCEEis encouraging other states to join theprogram, hoping to make it a national effort.In a few years’ time, however, students whoshould be juniors in high school might startshowing up on this state’s college campuses.

Continued from Page 1

In the February 2010 issue of The Chronicle, Stephen Pileggi was mistakenly credited with the photos of the swim team.Credit for these shots belongs to John O’Brien.

progress, their results, and theireffectiveness.

The National EducationAssociation, the nation’s largest teachers’union, along with the United States Chamberof Commerce and the National Associationof Manufacturers, support the program andits goals. The program will be fundedthrough a grant from the Bill and MelindaGates Foundation.

This program is just one of manythat have been suggested and talked aboutin the past few years, according toSpringfield’s Curriculum Director Mrs. CarolRohrbach. In light of these other programs,Rohrbach does not believe that this pilotprogram has as much traction as someothers do. However, she is quick to mentionthat it is still relatively new.

Other programs that will certainlybe coming, according to Mrs. Rohrbach,include the Keystone exams, which are end-of-course exams that would replace bothfinals for any given class and the 11th-gradePSSAs. The Keystone exams, by contrast,have great traction, and are set to beintroduced statewide in a couple years.

Mrs. Rohrbach saw many benefitsto the board examination program. She pointsto the fact that it may be more economicallysensible to graduate early for some students.It would also, according to her, help ineliminating the “senior slump,” or as manyaffectionately call it, “Senioritis.” She also

The smell and feel of freshly cutgrass, and the smooth leather of baseballgloves. It must be baseball season.

The big story this year is whetheror not the Phillies are able to continue thesuccess that they have enjoyed over thepast few years. Last year’s season endedon a bitter note, with the Phillies losing tothe New York Yankees in the World Series.Looking to take back the World Series titlethat they won two years ago, the Fightin’

Phils made several significant changes totheir lineup during the offseason.

To shore up their bench, the Philliessigned designated hitter Ross Gload. Gloadplayed for the Florida Marlins last year andfinished the season with a .261 battingaverage, six home runs, and thirty runsbatted in (RBI), placing him among theleague’s best designated hitters for the year.

In addition, the Phillies signedcatcher Brian Schneider, who last played for

the rival New York Mets and theWashington Nationals (previously theMontreal Expos). In the past, Schneider hasenjoyed success batting against Philliespitchers. The Phillies hope that he cancontinue that success while playing in anN.L. East division that he is very familiarwith.

With second baseman Chase Utleyand Jimmy Rollins playing nearly everygame in each of the past few seasons,

Phillies looking for phresh start

Continued on Page 7

Page 6: April - May 2010

emma morasconews

The Harriton incident

andrew seredinskieditorial

Commentary on a “Harri” issueThe suburban educational systems

in the Philadelphia area seem to be operatingunder the assumption that moretechnological integration is better. Why usea blackboard or a whiteboard when a smartboard can be installed? Why have a studentsubmit a paper in class when it can beemailed? To move toward the matter at hand– why have a student carry about a notebookwhen they can just type on a laptop? Tothis final query, the short answeris that not every student has alaptop.

The simplest remedy tosuch a situation is, of course, to have thegovernment fix it by giving every student alaptop. As an aside, let this notion not beseen as generosity on the part of a schooldistrict, but rather as a result of excessivetaxes and deficit spending. So the peoplegive their local government money to supplylaptops to the students (for many residents,their children). Makes sense. In some ways,the community has simply bought itself abunch of personal computers. No harm, nofoul. The rights of everyone are beingrespected to the extent that they always arewith public education.

So the customary user agreementforms are handed out. Nothing toounreasonable – essentially they establishthat a school laptop is for school work. Onesupposes this is ultimately in thecommunity’s best interest – they boughtthemselves laptops for their children to learn,after all, not to email their friends, or playgames. Perhaps keylogging software isplaced on these computers. One supposes

that is fine. After all, thecomputer is for schooluse. This is the line. Thisis the limit to which the

government-provided laptops can beimplemented without infringing upon therights and interests of the community.

Past this metaphorical line is adisturbing world where Big Brother iswatching. Laptops with built-in cameras arehelpful for things like conference calls or forcreating videos or images for classes.However, remote access to those cameras isa disturbing violation of rights. The schoolcomputer, while used at school, is designedto come home. This means that images canbe taken inside a student’s dwelling, oranywhere the student goes to do work.

Fundamentally, it is no business of thegovernment what a student’s room looks like,or what their kitchen looks like, or what theirfriend’s living room looks like. In fact, thecamera can amount to an infringement uponFourth Amendment rights – if somethingseen through that camera is used fordisciplinary action, it is the result of a searchwithout a warrant or invitation.

Even if such a search would bethrown out of any true legal proceedings, itis a violation of privacy, something heldrather sacred by many Americans. For aschool district to investigate the private lifeand surroundings of a student in such a wayis abominable, disgusting, voyeuristic, andquite sickening.

The government has no placeplacing cameras with undisclosed hardwareto spy. This was clearly not the intent of thepublic when they allowed the governmentto purchase laptops. In a democracy, peopledetermine what their government may do,and watch their government carefully. It isnot the other way around.

A Kanye West song, a realitytelevision series, and a male role model, theterm Big Brother has become a staple inpopular culture and modern vernacular.However, predatingeach of these is the1949 publication ofGeorge Orwell’s classicnovel 1984. Detailing a dystopia ruled bythe omnipresent figure Big Brother and anoppressive government that implementstelescreens, monitors that eavesdrop onevery household without warning, Orwell’snovel depicts a grim society. Now, recentheadlines regarding a local school districtand the surveillance of their studentsthrough laptop webcams revive thisOrwellian-themed question: Is Big Brotherwatching you?

The character of Big Brotherpersonifies a totalitarian government and therepudiation of civil liberties, such as theright to privacy. In a similar vein, the familyof Harriton High School Sophomore BlakeJ. Robbins has accused the Lower MerionSchool District, including the school board

and the superintendent, of invading theirson’s privacy and violating the FourthAmendment, the protection againstunwarranted searches and seizures.

Recently ranked as thetop-performing school in theregion by PhiladelphiaMagazine, Harriton High School

officials prided in their ability to send AppleMacBook laptops home with their students.However, the school district must nowinitiate damage control in the face of both aclass-action lawsuit filed by Robbins’parents and the launching of an FBIinvestigation.

The Robbins family alleges that onNovember 11, 2009, the high school’sAssistant Principal Lindy Matskoapproached Robbins over his behavior athome. Matsko supposedly showed Robbinsan image of him in his own room, a piece ofevidence stored in his computer oncecaptured by the laptop’s webcam. Ironically,this image has since ostensibly incriminatedthe school district. Robbins would laterreveal that he actually consumed candy, but

the school perceived that he was takingprescription drugs.

The Lower Merion School Districtclaims that the technology department onlyactivated the tracking software to locatemissing or stolen laptops and never abusedthis power; as to why Blake was targetedand whether or not his laptop was reportedmissing or stolen remains ambiguous.

Just as our own high schoolrequires its students and parents to signUser Agreement forms, Harriton High Schoolfamilies also received similar paperwork inthe use of the MacBooks. However, theschool district withheld information aboutthe so-called spying software, and as a resultof the MacBook chicanery, the district hassince discontinued the software’s use.

While Lower Merion families andthe nation demand answers, this case isperhaps forcing society to reevaluate itsoften-overlooked basic rights to privacy andother civil liberties. Despite the nationalattention that Robbins has received, he stillcontinues to faithfully use his borrowedMacBook. Steve Jobs would approve.

Page 7: April - May 2010

Everyone knows it’s that time ofthe year again. In the hallway you will heargossip about who asked who to prom, andwhat everyone is going to wear. Yes, it isprom time. But this year the exhaustingprocess of finding the perfect dress wasmade easier by Student Council with theirfirst Project Prom Dress event. This projectnot only benefited Springfield’s frantic promdress shoppers, but cancer patients as well.

The Look Good, Feel Betterorganization gives cancer patients make-overs and fully equipped beauty kits. Thekits include everything from blush brushesto foundation, and even instructionalbooklets. They also offer support groupsfor the patients. Their goal is to help cancerpatients gain back the confidence they hadbefore they went under treatment.

You must be wondering howbuying a prom dress could benefit such agreat organization. The dresses that weredonated were sold by Student Council onMarch 18 from 7:30 to 8 p.m. at the “fashionshow of the decade.” The dresses were soldby a silent auction with starting bids of 10

dollars. The money that Student Councilraised that night was donated to the LookGood, Feel Better organization. The dressesthat were not purchased also went to goodcauses including Springfield’s own theaterdepartment.

Nine student volunteer modelsstrutted their stuff for the potential buyers.Senior Phoebe Wise tells of her modelingexperience, “At first it was nerve-rackingbecause I’ve never done it before…You startto have fun with it. All in all it was a greatexperience.”

Some of the girlswho attended said that theyhope Student Councilcontinues this project for nextyear. “It’s a good benefit forthe cancer patients and it helps our studentsfeel less stressed about the whole promsituation,” says Junior Kelly Maguire. “If ithappens again next year, I would love to goand bring more people to see it.”

Junior Eliza Birkelbach also hassimilar feelings. “I feel this is a great way toshow off the dresses and it goes to a great

cause, and it would be nice if it was doneagain next year. It was enjoyable.” Manystudents were thrilled that buying a promdress could help someone less fortunatethan themselves.

Student Council is excited to havecontributed to this great cause. “This wasthe first time I have heard about thefoundation Look Good, Feel Better and I trulythink it’s an extraordinary organization. I feelgreat about myself that Student Council wasable to contribute to help build cancerpatient’s self esteem,” says Senior and Co-

President Maggie Harkins.Brad Riddle, the

other Co-President, sharesMaggie’s sentiments.Riddle states, “I think that

[people] should think about the kids, andthe situation they are in.”

The night was an overall successto say the least. We can only hope thatevents like this one will continue to be aSpringfield tradition.

Discounted dresses draw desire

mj moyer-fittipaldifeature

general manager Ruben Amaro, Jr. saw eachplayer’s production fall off as the end of theseason approached. To prevent that fromhappening again this season, the Philliessigned utility infielder Juan Castro. Castroisn’t necessarily the best batter or theflashiest fielder, but he can give any memberof the Phillies’ infield a few days of rest inorder to keep them fresh in the long run. Inturn, Phillies fans should see an increase inthe production of their stars.

The Phillies decided not to re-signthird baseman Pedro Feliz, who they thoughtwould provide a consistent bat for a positionthat had gone through some rough patchessince Scott Rolen left for St. Louis to jointhe Cardinals several years ago. To replacehim, the Phillies welcomed back PlacidoPolanco, who had previously played thirdbase for the Phillies before joining theDetroit Tigers and making the move tosecond base.

While in Detroit, Polanco hit nearly.300 in each of his seasons there. Even

though he doesn’t really hit for power andhasn’t driven in the most runs during hiscareer, Polanco gives the Phillies a playerwith the ability to get on base and move therunners in front of him. For the season,Polanco is projected to hit second, behindleadoff man Jimmy Rollins. With Polanco inthe two-spot, centerfielder Shane Victorinoappears poised to slip down to the seven-spot, where he will provide speed at thelower end of the order.

Perhaps the most significant moveof the offseason was the acquisition of acepitcher Roy Halladay from the Toronto BlueJays, who waived his no-trade clause inorder to make the trade work. Buried in avery competitive A.L. East division thatincludes the New York Yankees and theBoston Red Sox, the Blue Jays were lookingto rebuild their team from the bottom up.When the opportunity presented itself, thePhillies jumped on it.

The terms of the deal had thePhillies sending pitcher Cliff Lee to the

Seattle Mariners. In return, the Philliesreceived six million dollars and a trio ofprospects from the Mariners: pitchersPhillippe Aumont and J.C. Ramirez andoutfielder Tyson Gillies. To complete thethree-way trade, the Phillies sent a trio oftheir own prospects to the Blue Jays: pitcherKyle Drabek, catcher Travis D’Arnaud, andoutfielder Michael Taylor. With Halladay inPhillies pinstripes, the front office tookadvantage of the presence of a Cy YoungAward winner and signed Halladay to athree-year extension.

So, with the Phillies front officebeing active participants this offseason, thePhillies appear to have the ability and themanpower to make yet another strong pushinto the Fall Classic. Don’t be surprised ifthe Phillies find themselves facing offagainst the New York Yankees again in aWorld Series matchup. However, expect themen in red pinstripes to emerge victoriousthis year.

Continued from Page 5Phillies offseason

Page 8: April - May 2010

Alice only average

Shutter Island a success

It seems that Alice in Wonderlandis destined to be remade for years to come,but does the newest attempt live up to theexpectations? With amazing visuals, apromise of mind-blowing 3-D, an A-List cast,and a timeless story, thismovie promised a lot, butdelivered little.

The new storyinvolves the 18-year-old Alice beingproposed to by your standard snobby, ugly,rich British suitor. Not happy with hisadvances, Alice runs away and falls downinto a rabbit hole, entering Wonderland. Thechange in story is, unfortunately, not a good

one. The entire plot is very predictable,seeing as Alice’s goal is set for her withinthe first 15 minutes of the movie: The redqueen has taken over, and it’s Alice’s job tostop her in a way that is so clichéd, you’d

think it was a joke. Withactors like Johnny Depp,Helen Bonham Carter,Anne Hathaway, Stephen

Fry, and Alan Rickman, the movie has somemajor talent to work off of, but the mediocrescript leaves the majority of charactersfeeling very one-dimensional.

Luckily, what saves this movie isthe visuals: Tim Burton is the perfect

director. The art is stunning and creative andit is definitely some of Burton’s best work incinema. But even the visuals have a seriousflaw, as if the movie thought, “Hey! Thevisuals are amazing, let’s ruin them withreally bad 3-D effects!” These bad 3-D effectscome from the fact that they filmed the moviewith no 3-D in mind, and then converted itafter the success of Avatar.

Overall, this movie hits and misses.The acting is phenomenal, the art directionis brilliant, but the writing and the story,which should be the strongest points in anAlice movie, unfortunately fall short.A disappointing ««

james miller entertainment

“Pull yourself together, Dylan!” Ifound myself thinking, as Martin Scorsese’s2010 thriller Shutter Island unfolded in frontof my eyes. Scorsese is awell known director, key inmany lauded movies suchas Gangs of New York, The Departed, andGoodfellas. But in his most recent directorialouting, Scorsese has truly outdone himself.Shutter Island is an intriguing andcaptivating masterpiece of a film, truly oneof, if not the, first work of true cinematic artin 2010.

Adapted from the 2003 eponymousnovel by Dennis Lehane, Scorsese was notalone in the filming of Shutter Island. Alongwith him are Leonardo DiCaprio (Titanic, TheDeparted), the most recent of Scorsese’sacting prodigies, as well as Ben Kingsley(Ghandi, Lucky Number Slevin). Despiterecognizable names, the film does not relyon celebrity appearances to make its impact(I’m looking at you Valentine’s Day), butonly uses their prodigious acting chops inits greatest favor.

The film, set in 1954, begins withTeddy Daniels (DiCaprio), and his partnerChuck Aule (Mark Rufallo), as U.S. FederalMarshals investigating the disappearanceof a patient named Rachel Solando (EmilyMortimer) from Ashecliffe Hospital for theCriminally Insane, situated on Shutter Island.Teddy and Chuck soon find that there is(obviously) more to Shutter Island than firstseen, and as they delve into its fascinating

secrets, such as “Ward C,” for the mostunstable of the unstable patients, the webof intrigue surrounding the disappearance

of a patient, Teddy’s ownhistory, and the actualgoings-on at Shutter Island,

grow thicker and thicker, until a finalastounding finale.

Aside from the considerable plot,impeccable in its attention to detail and thesubtleties that will, I predict, leave the filmnoteworthy for multiple re-watches, there aremany other shining aspects to the film.Scorsese is well known for his musicalscores, often featuring the Rolling Stonesand other classical rock. Despite the lack ofMick Jagger, the music leaves nothing to bedesired. Scorsese commissioned asoundtrack made entirely of already recordedmusic for other purposes. But despite thepredicted disparity between sound and film,the music fits perfectly, from the heart-racingsymphonic composition as the maincharacters approach the gates of the asylum,to the end credits.

Noteworthy in the same aspect isthe astounding use of silence. Scorsesecapitalizes on the most dramatic andsurprising moments of the film by aiding themwith no accompaniment. This left momentsin which I found myself noticing the fulltheater completely silent, not even thecrunch of hard candy, as we the audiencesat engrossed and engaged by the eventson screen. In the same vein of power is

Scorsese’s filming of the movie. ShutterIsland is itself beautiful, and the asylumretains an awe-inspiring magnitudethroughout that is both fearful andarchaically gorgeous. At the same time,when the movie needs to become lessappealing looking, it does in a great way.For example, the scenes imagined by Teddyuse subtle cuts of the camera that do nottotally fit together, to enhance feelings ofdisconnect. Scorsese, much like in pastfilms, does not shy away from violence andgore. But instead of laying it on too heavily,it is only in the perfect amount, whenabsolutely necessary. In the same way,typical “jump” scenes are applied, but onlyin a reserved and essential manner.

This is only a fraction of thecompliments I would like to pay to ShutterIsland. One of the most impressive moviesI’ve seen in years, the film is perhaps theapex of Scorsese’s work as of yet. DiCaprioplays one of his greatest roles to date in aoutstanding way, and the rest of the moviecomes together in an astounding andenthralling total that left me breathless andhaggard with mental fatigue from unravelingall the subtleties and intricacies. Please gosee Shutter Island. And then think about itlong and hard, because it is not a simplemovie. It will only become more impressivewith more watching, and more pondering.Final Rating: ««««

dylan vizzachero entertainment

Page 9: April - May 2010

Audience in awe over OzRecently I have realized how

peculiarly my life intersects with The Wizardof Oz: my mother’s name is Dorothy, my dogis the same breed as the 1939 film’s Toto,and my parrot expertly whistles the tunes to“If I Only Had a Brain” and “We’re Off toSee the Wizard.” (It is seriously a familyaffair.) The more I think about thesephenomena, the more embarrassed I become,but in the meantime, I can conclusively statethat I am an accidental, but passionate,Wizard of Oz aficionado.

Accordingly, the endless efforts ofThespian Troupe 1154, 8/9 Drama, andactors from the middle school combined totransport the multigenerational fans, myselfincluded, of Dorothy Gale’s classic tale toKansas, over the rainbow, and into dazzlingOz. Recounting the zany odyssey of fourperchance companions in the pursuit of aheart, the nerve, a brain, and a home, thevibrant cast not only paid homage to bothL. Frank Baum’s novel and MGM’s landmarkfilm, but they also proved that imagination

is limitless. Namely, the fluid and multiplecostume changes, picturesque backdrops,convertible Gale family home erected byMark Kobasz’s Set Design team, and thecapitalizing of the auditorium’s aisles forextended sequences, each allowed for a trulycaptivating experience.

The show’s double-casted leadactors as well as supporting cast of verticallychallenged Middle School Munchkins eachimpressively and dynamically embodiedtheir famous roles. Both main casts wereblends of talented lower- andunderclassmen headed by SeniorCaroline Podraza and JuniorAnna Morrow as the winsomeDorothy Gale. The respective roles of thefarm hands, who also doubled as theScarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion,each handled their characters with assuranceand comedic expertise. This sentiment isespecially attached to the Vizzacherobrothers who both charismatically portrayedZeke, the Cowardly Lion. From the Kansan

crew to the Dancing Jitterbugs, Trees,Winkies, Poppies, and Snowflakes, theplayers were undeniably and reliably, trulyan ensemble cast. The effervescent cast’schemistry, their handling of an actual dog,Aurora Sabin, the juggling of numerousprops, and the elaborate song and dancenumbers really merged into one effortlessproduction.

The drama programs’ revival of TheWizard of Oz was a delectable auditory andvisual treat. The cast and crew deserveample congratulations for their

professionalism andthe inspired executionof their creative

endeavor. While I mentioned my ownpersonal connections to Oz before, thestory’s legacy equally lives on in the heartsand brains of every theatergoer and fan thatwas reminded by a young girl’s enchantingjourney home to follow our hearts’ desiresdown whichever road (be it yellow brick orpavement) that we may choose.

emma morasco feature

Continued from Page 1Italy is that students get to choose theirrespective schools. Italian public schoolsare split into two different branches and fromthat, they are divided into differentsubdivisions. Students get to pick whichschool they would like to attend, includingschools that specialize in technology,literature, the fine arts, etc.

The school we exchanged with is ascientifico liceo, or science school. Thatmeans that the school has a heavy sciencecurriculum. “The Italian students have donelots of research on waves and physics,”says Junior Erica Moser.  

On Wednesday, March 24, classeswere welcome to watch presentations by ourguests who reported on the research thatthey had done throughout the year.

“We do research every year,”Italian student Erika Aloisi informed.However, she went on to say thatpresentations were prepared especially fortheir visit to Springfield.

The theme of their research wasthe way that waves work. Sound waves,volume waves, and other waves were alldiscussed. Students also found equations

and other mathematical formulas to showwave patterns and formations.

“Their research was veryimpressive,” mentions Sophomore DanMacFarland who watched a presentation onwaves in light and reflections. “The workthat they have done to come up with theirfindings seems very advanced.”

But another fact that seemedrather notable was the essence in which theypresented their findings. The presentersspoke clearly and for the most part veryconfidently about their subjects. They werewell rehearsed, and handled technologyproblems with ease. Some even cracked theoccasional joke.

Another aspect of their time herewas the various trips planned. During theweek of their visit, the students went onexcursions that would show them differentparts of the city and different culturalresources. Visits to the Morris Arboretum,the Franklin Institute, and the ItalianConsulate General of Philadelphia weretaken throughout the week along with a tourof center city.

“We like these trips,” says

Valentina, one of the Italian guests. Valentinaalso went on to say that she was very happywith her host family. “We like our Americanfriends, we went bowling with them. It wasgood.”

Michele, another Italian visitor,shared similar sentiments. He found someof the American activities that heparticipated in to be quite fun. “I likebowling,” Michele says. He had never beenbowling, “We do not have it so close in mytown. There are different facilities inAmerica.”

The trip, very extensive in itsplanning and preparation, was memorablefor all of those involved.  Erica Moserdescribes the project as a, “neat opportunityto connect with students from a differentpart of the globe… Students need to seeglobal perspectives.”

Our school got an opportunity tobridge the global gap this spring. We tookon a large number of students with the hopesof broadening their knowledge of America.In return, these students from a differentcontinent gave us something to learn from.

Italian students exchange knowledge

Page 10: April - May 2010

The district’s grade restructuringplan has been widely publicized in the lastmonths, but even though such a big changehas garnered much attention, its indirectimplications have been overlooked. Inrelation to the high school, not very muchhas been said about the development of anew curriculum now that a smaller studentbody is inevitable.

For about a dozen teachers whoteach the eighth-grade “Specials,”such as Theater, Intro to Video, andGym, the inevitable absence of theeighth grade opens up two more blockperiods a year for each teacher.Because the student population is adequateto keep these teachers, a wider range ofelective courses, some of which enablesmaller classes and others which may beseen as esoteric additions, are available.

“The art department generally runsfour Art I classes a year,” says one art

New classes attract students

ray chappettaapril 1

teacher. “These classes get pretty big, whichis hard for both class management andspace. If we can open up one of the two‘new’ blocks for another Art I, it’ll help boththe students and the teacher.”

As for the other elective, the Artdepartment is looking into a graphic designand graffiti class.

The theater department will alsohost several more elective options. To

attract more malestudents to theirprogram, they areplanning to offera one-credit stage

combat class. One theater teacher explains,“Of course we won’t be doing anythingdangerous, no real swords of course.” Sheadds, “This course will focus on handcombat and how to make it look as authenticas possible.” There are plans to incorporate

light-sabers into the curriculum and to forma Star Wars club.

The Physical Educationdepartment also has some interesting ideasup its sleeves. “We’ve been pressured bythe administration to use the pool more inour curriculum,” states one teacher, “sowe’re looking into a synchronized swimmingclass.” While it may seem silly,synchronized swimming is apparently “agreat way to build endurance, strength,teamwork, and breath control.”

“I, for one, can’t wait to take thisclass,” says Junior Elizabeth Wolf. “I loveto swim and have even convinced a few ofmy friends to sign up, too!”

So, for any rising sophomore,junior, or senior still debating courseselection, take another gander at thecurriculum guide. You may have missed oneof these great options!

April 1Springfield Township likes to boast

about its proliferation of pencil sharpenersthroughout district classrooms. Countlessboard meetings have turned into heateddebates over what brand of sharpener touse, with students and teachers alike arguingthe merits of the different tips the sharpenerscreate. One freshman told The Chronicle heprefers the pencil sharpeners that leave asomewhat dull point. Many others, however,prefer the sharp point that high-qualitysharpeners provide. The administrationdoes not have any preference, stating onlythat “our only priority is to make sure everystudent has access to a sharpened pencil.”

It’s their only priority – if you ignorethe spying. As one district high schoolstudent learned, there is a lot more to thedistrict’s pencil sharpeners than meets theeye. The student, left unnamed for hisprotection, was called to Mr. Puckett’s officefor disciplinary action. The vice principalpresented the student with a picture,

seemingly taken from the corner of aclassroom, showing the student leaningacross the aisle between desks during a test.According to the vice principal, this wasclear evidence of cheating. The studentwanted to know more about the image’ssource. With a little investigation,the school’s secret was uncovered– inside each pencil sharpenerresided surveillance equipment.

The revelation made wavesthroughout the district, in the high schoolespecially. “I just don’t know who to trust,”said one junior, adding, “between the pencilsharpener and my irrational fear of markers,I’m trapped in the center of the room.”

One sophomore tried to explain theramification. “It all makes sense!” he cried,drowned out by the din as classes changed.“The cameras go to the Smart boards, whichthen enhance and analyze the video feed.They can even get footage from reflectionson water bottles! I saw it on CSI.”

Others weren’t as worried.“Frankly, I don’t care,” said one senior, whileleaving early to go to WaWa. “I’ll be out ofhere in a few months.” Another junior sawthe cameras as a benefit. “If they can usethem in some way to make the kids who

group in the centerof the hallway andblock it ‘disappear,’then I’m all for thespying.”

In response to the news, manystudents damaged their pencil sharpeners,leaving many of the school’s sharpenersbroken. So in that regard, nothing reallychanged.

The issue continues to evolve;until a decision on how to address theproblem has been made, always be wary asyou walk up to clean the board or open thewindows. You never know what could berecording you.

matt wetmoreapril 1

Spy sharpeners shock school

Page 11: April - May 2010

Evan: So who was the one who started thetradition as a regular event to look out for?

Russell:  I guess it all started when myparents told us it was snowing one morningon April Fool’s Day when I was about sevenyears old. My brothers and I all got up fastand headed straight to the window, wherewe were met with the disappointment of asunny day. It ALL escalated from there, mybrothers and I swearing revenge.

Evan: Who in your family does the mostpranks? Who in your family gets the mostpranks done to them?

Russell: Well, every year everybody getspretty involved. My parents try and get usmultiple times throughout the day. Mybrothers and I plan jokes the night beforeand sometimes stay up late to set the trapsup. Really, my parents get it the most ingeneral from us, while my brothers receivethe most from my parents. I’m smart enoughto see past their stuff so I am not included inthis. In speaking about myself solely, Isuppose I do it the most out of everyonethough, just because I’m the only one whoplans stuff to do in school, too. For mypranks, my mom and dad get it the most.

Evan: What was the best prank you’ve done?What was the “worst” prank to happen toyou?

Russell: The best one I’ve done? Simple buteasy: Rubber band on the spray faucet. Theperson’s first reaction is to block the waterrather than turn the faucet off.

Evan: And the “worst” (best) one played onyou?

Russell: Nobody dares to play pranks onme. I see through all of my parents’ stuffand there really isn’t anyone else who hastried. I challenge anyone to try and play aprank on me. Anyone.

Evan: You seem quite confident to challengethis many people. This confidence mustcome from somewhere, I assume. You musthave had quite the experience in makingpranks for your family. Which one was thebest that you’ve planned with another familymember?

Russell: The best prank that I pulled was onmy mom, through a combination of effortsfrom both my dad and me. One year, my dadand I put several things together. Rubberband on the faucet, chocolate in hercigarette, sewed one pant leg shut of hersweatpants, switched the sugar and the salt,and so many other things all in one day.

Evan: And your mom or family hasn’t triedto get you back for these pranks?

Russell: My parents try to get me, but it’sjust lame. Like, they’ll put rice in my coatpocket so that I’m pulling it all out when Iget to school. Or they’ll put it in my socksthe night before school. They put some inKiel’s binder the one year as well. They eventried the old “bucket over the door” thingwith rice; none of them were good, I pushdoors wide open before walking throughthem on April Fool’s Day.

Evan: With all these plans that require quitethe good sense of humor and strong senseof embarrassment, there certainly must besome risk involved. Has anyone ever “gonetoo far” in their joke?

Russell: No, I don’t think so. We can tellwhere the line will be crossed when we planour jokes out. For example, I only play jokesin class after discussing them with myteachers. That way, nobody gets a surpriseor gets in trouble. You have to know when“funny” becomes “embarrassing.”

Evan: And when “funny” becomes“lawsuit.”

Russell: (Laughs) Yeah, exactly. The box-joke was a bit of a risk last year. I had attacheda string to a box and would have put itunder a student’s desk and shaken itviolently in order to make it appear thatthere was a creature inside of it. I was afraidsomeone would think it was a bomb orsomething. The worse was when I[pretended to] cut my arm off and made myfamily look at it. The prank was on thembecause they thought I was going to die.

Evan: Any tips for people looking to try andprank this year?

Russell: Keep it classy. Everybody likes agood joke, whether it is old or original. Theold ones are funny because they still getpeople, [like] tying a dollar to a piece ofstring and pulling it from people. Originalsare the best, though; no one suspectsanything and those who are in on it get thebest laughs because of the success. Finally,just remember that these are jokes. Theymay be a bit embarrassing when they’replayed on you, but it’s just a joke. Nobodylikes a spoil-sport or a negative Nancy. Justtry to have fun and enjoy the prank!

Interview with local prankster

evan cowdery feature

April Fool’s Day is a holiday taken very lightly by most people. Most people take it as a day to perform outrageous pranks oneach other or use it as a scapegoat for making stupid decisions. Whether it be sticking notes onto people’s backs, lying about theweather, or saying that congress is working in bipartisan bliss, all of these are obvious jokes. Maybe even the occasional physical prankor two, say, putting flour in a blow dryer or Kool-Aid mix in the shower nozzle so it looks like blood is coming out. But to some, this is notjust a holiday that stays in the back of one’s mind. No, to families like the Souders, April Fool’s Day is a tradition. I decided to interviewSenior Russell Souders about his family and their commitment to the holiday.

So for this year’s April Fool’s Day, remember two things, ladies and gentlemen: have a good sense of humor, and don’t trustRussell Souders.

Page 12: April - May 2010

Welcome to the green parade(ode to shamrock shakes)

By Evan Cowdery

When I was a young boyMcDonald’s came out with a new milkshake.

It was green and had a taste of mint.It said, “Evan, come drink me.

Will you please purchase me for $2.69?That’s the price for a medium.”

It said, “Will you defeat them,The Frosties and all the DQ Blizzards,

The flavors that they have made?Because one day, I’ll leave you.

I’m only available till the end of March,And then I am put away.”

Sometimes I get the feelingThis drink’s too cold for my teeth,

And other times I feel like I should’ve known.And through it all, the price of the small,

The cups in the streets,And when you’re gone I want Shamrock Shakes to know...

You’ll carry on, you’ll carry on.And though you’re sold and gone, believe me

Your taste and green will carry on, you’ll carry on.And in my cup, I can’t contain it,The cashiers won’t explain it...

And while that sends you leavingFrom all McDonald’s screaming,

The minty Shamrock Shake shall leave us all.So paint it green and take it back.

Let’s shout out loud and clear,Why does March have to end?

We hear the call that Shamrock’s on, Shamrock’s on,And though you’re sold and gone, believe me

Your taste and green will carry on, will carry on.And though your cup is empty and drink depleted,

We’ll remember when March is.

On and on we’ll wait through the yearWith disappointed faces, worth every tear.

Take a look at me,If I had to I’d order small...

Green food dye? You’ll never fake me.Because the world will never take my March,

Though you try.McDonald’s will always Shamrock shake me.

I want it all, even a small is fine.

I will not change, or get a different shake.I’m unashamed, for the Shamrock’s sake.

Give a cheer for all the sold ones,For next year, because it’s all so close.

I’m just a man, I’m not a hero,Just a boy who wants to drink his drink.

Just a man, I’m not a hero.I’m just thirsty!

We hear the call that Shamrock’s on, Shamrock’s on.And though you’re sold and gone, believe me

Your taste and green will carry on, will carry on.And though your cup is empty and drink depleted,

We’ll remember when March is.

Green food dye? You’ll never fake me.Because the world will never take my March,

Though you try.McDonald’s will always Shamrock shake me.

I want it all, even a small is fine.(It’ll carry on.)