by John Stampfli The Common Core’s purpose is to promote literacy in English and understanding in Mathe-matics. In order to achieve this, some topics have become man-dated and stressed more within teachers’ lessons. This is not a strict curriculum for teachers; it is a list of items that must be addressed. In addressing Mathe-matics, the Common Core State Standards incorporate whole numbers, operations, fractions and decimals at basic levels. For more advanced math taught in middle schools and high schools, the Common Core promotes an understanding of the material and the ability to ap-ply the material to life. These subjects are more funda-mental and can be applied to a broad range of studies. The Common Core incorporates the best standards from across the US and several states. Despite the optimistic hope held by those who support the Common Core State Standards, the standards have received a large amount of hesitant or negative feedback. “Most of the curriculum focuses on the preparation for tests that compare them (stu-dents) to others. As an educator, and as a parent, I don’t believe that a test is the most credible way to measure students’ prog-ress nor should it be used as a

comparison,” said Jennifer Ker-rane, Trustee of the New Hyde Park-Garden City Park Board of Education. Many others would agree that one test at the end of the year is not a sufficient way to judge students’ capabilities. About 40% of a teacher’s evalu-ation is derived from how well students do on both final ex-ams and new Common Core Regents exams. “It’s like jumping in the ocean and not knowing how to swim,” said Italian teacher Mrs.

Maniscalchi, “Learn how to swim.” In other words, teachers have no prior experience deal-ing with the Common Core, and it is unfair for both stu-dents and teachers to be sent into this blind. It is a common response that teachers should be given lessons on how to imple-ment Common Core into their lessons, rather than be told to do something they are uncom-fortable and unfamiliar with. “Any time you start some-thing new, there are issues that need to be worked out,” said So-

cial Studies teacher Mr. Laugen. It’s just too early to tell if the new Common Core State Standards will achieve the great-ness it boasts to bring to our education systems. However, if it is continued in schools across the country, the current issues it gives rise to must be addressed. Students here at New Hyde Park Memorial High School have voiced their own opinions on the Common Core State Standards and what they bring to the school. “In Spanish it’s harder because there’s a lot more

reading comprehen-sion,” said Sopho-more Thomas Daily. A lot of students would agree that the work is becoming more difficult. “It makes school a little more advanced, and for the people who aren’t as good, it will make it harder,” said junior, Daniel Donahue. Plenty of other students, par-ents, and even teach-

ers feel the same way regard-ing the new standards. Making school more challenging and difficult is not the best way to promote literacy, understand-ing, and overall better learning. “The work is harder now, and so are the tests,” said junior, Ki-era Ward. Clearly, the Common Core is unappealing to many students of all grade levels. They feel un-derrepresented; they have no say in what affects them more than anyone else.

A “Core” Conundrum

Dear Student Body, Warm welcomes to our new students, welcome back to our returning students, and congrat-ulations to my fellow seniors; we’re close to graduation! During the summer, the Student Council worked very diligently to come up with new and exciting plans for this school year. A big change so far has been the updated and improved G.O. Card discount list. The G.O. Card now has very appealing discounts that have caught students’ eyes this year, and our sales have been better than ever! If you would still like to buy one you are in luck! G.O. Cards are sold all year. Please see your social stud-ies teacher or a student council representative. In late October, the Student Council met with the Superin-tendent Dr. Ferrie to discuss the district’s Bond Referendum vote. The Bond Referendum is money laid out to fix all schools in the district. Major improvements to New Hyde Park coming within the next 2 years concern the artificial turf football, soccer, and baseball fields. There will also be new 2013 quality water fountains, heating systems, se-curity systems. For our school to receive all of these great new changes, the Bond Referendum must be passed by your parents, neighbors, grandparents, etc. On December 4th, don’t for-get to remind your parents and spread the word to vote YES to changes to make New Hyde Park Memorial a better learn-ing environment. To my senior classmates: The end is so close but not yet here. There is still a lot to until June 29th, 2014. Yes

graduation day! Tips to remem-ber: stay on top of all deadlines, constantly check in with your guidance counselors, complete community service and research papers, talk to your parents, net-work with different people and colleges, and don’t slack off! This year still counts! Make the absolute best of it, it will go by fast. June 29th, 2014 is closer than you think. Until then, we have a lot to look forward to! My sug-gestion is to join clubs, make new friends, leave positive and lasting impressions on teachers, and maintain good grades by paying attention and complet-ing assignments. Now that the first quarter has come to an end, it is impor-tant to reflect on how you did and what you did, so that you can see what you can do bet-ter and what you want to now do. It is always important to set goals to effectively accomplish them. Manage your time wisely so that you can have a better turn out next marking period. All students have a clean slate during the second marking pe-riod and it is important to get off to a great start. At New Hyde Park, you have the opportunity to reach for the stars, and the amazing thing is that there are people here who can help you with that and even achieve more than that. I wish all students a very successful and optimistic 2013-2014 school year! Have fun throughout the year and most importantly, enjoy yourselves!

With Peace Always,Samantha LongoStudent Council President

President’s Letter In This Issue News.............................................1-4 Editorial........................................5 Student Life..................................6-7 Features........................................9-12 Homecoming................................13 Entertainment.............................14-16 Sports...........................................18-20

StaffEditors-in-Chief:

Harvinder Bassi, Renjini Antony

Copy Editors:

Afrin Bhuiyan, Zayneb Almiggabber

News Editors:

Christopher Pak, Fabiha Khalid,Justin Varughese

Features Editors:

Eve Kaczmarczyk, Shannon Thomas

Sports Editors:

Jerryl Abraham, Samip Delhiwala,Shawn Abraham

Entertainment Editors:

Christina Lorper, Divia Joseph

Student Life Editors:

Krupa Patel, Teena Thomas

Web/Layout Managers:

Fredy Monis George, Mathews Thankachan

Staff Photographers:

Eamonn Lennon, James Treadwell,Marvin Pak

Cartoonist:

Priyanka Algu

Adviser:

Mr. Stencel

Reporters:

Ancy Alexander, Jennifer Blandeburgo, James Colgan, Jana Cruz,

Christina Formica, Ciara Gallagher, Jasmine Garcia, Vishruth Girish,

Shaianne Hugh, Gregory Kothesakis, Serena Malhotra, Joshua Mathew,

Shreya Menon, Jennifer Miter, Julissa Osorno, Christina Panouis

Danielle Petricca, Joshua Rajan, Nadia Sharif, Saumya Sharma,

Nicholas Sieban, Millena Skugor, John Stampfli

Shanon Thomas, Christian Tse, Claudia Vlakanic,

Jaclyn Williams, Jordan Williams, Victoria Yee

by Joshua Mathew From interstate highways to crowded city streets, cars make their way to reach every driver’s destination. The gasoline that runs cars has always caused is-sues because of its availability and pricing at gas stations. Due to the fact that oil companies obtain petroleum from under-ground reserves, we will run out of fossil fuels which could throw the world off balance. However, one company has in-vented an effective method of using trash to produce gas. Yes, turning icky leftovers in to a valuable commodity. Sierra Energy has developed a waste-to-energy system that could have promising effects on the modern world. FastOx Path-finder is basically a blast fur-nace about the size of a shower stall. This impressive design al-lows any form of trash to be put inside the chamber and heats it to extreme temperatures. The most significant feature is that there is no combustion, mean-ing no pollution. The products are hydrogen and carbon mon-oxide which together create syn-thetic gas, or syngas, which can be burned to create electricity or used to form ethanol or diesel. “FastOx Pathfinder is envi-ronmentally friendly because the gas being produced doesn’t linger around, but is then uti-lized to create electricity. My only concern is if it would be efficient enough to be imple-mented in more places,” said senior, Dana Wizel. One organi-zation has already invested and implemented this: the United States Army. As one of the nation’s larg-est consumers of energy, the US Defense Department is imple-

by Millena Skugor and Jana Cruz As texting while driving be-comes a larger problem in New York, “Texting Zones” have been implemented on major New York State highways. In an attempt to decrease distracted driving, these zones have been put in place in 91 different lo-cations. Drivers can pull over and park in order to check their mobile device without the fear of consequences. Later on, the government plans on imple-menting more “Texting Zones” throughout the state. “With this new effort, we are sending a clear message to drivers that there is no excuse to take your hands off the wheel and eyes off the road because your text can wait until the next Texting Zone,” said Governor Cuomo. Cuomo’s ideal goal with these texting stops is to decrease the amount of accidents caused by texting while driving. Big blue signs have been put up, with slogans such as, “It Can Wait. Text Stop in 5 Miles”. These stops will prevent drivers from receiving a $150 ticket as well as a five points on their li-cense. If a driver is faced with a second or third offense they will

menting alternatives to cut back on extreme energy consump-tion and FastOx Pathfinder is a promising solution. Shipping supplies to the front lines can be tedious, financially difficult, as well as life-threatening be-cause it makes the department a huge target. FastOx would provide fuel on-site quickly and easily. Financially, this decreases the US dependence on foreign countries for fuel and could eventually allow the US to be-come independent instead of interdependent. “This idea can decrease the amount of pollution in the world because we are burning it to make energy, which means garbage won’t pile up in dumps and will not harm the environ-ment,” supported seventh grad-er, Jonah Mathew. Taking all the waste and burning it in this chamber decreases the amount of harm trash causes to the en-vironment around us. This syngas generator can burn anything to create fuel for everyday use such as heating homes, running automobiles, and powering factories. You can burn anything from apple cores to old iPhones and MP3s. In the future, if FastOx becomes much more commonplace, you would take your garbage to a nearby generator and put the trash in or you would have your very own generator in your backyard, completely capable of producing energy on the spot, at the expense of several banana peels and rotten leftovers of course. “I think that’s an awesome idea. Trash tends to occupy useless space and cause further pollution. If it can be used for something as helpful as heating

homes and fueling cars, this can be a revolution in energy for our country,” said senior, Christa Alexander. Because syngas reduces trash in our environment and gives us energy, many people support this innovation. It’s a win-win situation. We may soon be see-ing FastOx introduced to our neighborhoods . Another one

of our daily chores may soon include taking out the trash to the FastOx Pathfinder. This would create a future where we do less harm to our environ-ment, a future where trash is a commodity, and a future where gas prices are cheaper. Who wouldn’t want cheaper gas pric-es? It’s all in a likely future.

face a ticket of up to $400 or even a license suspension. New York State has strictly enforced the illegality of texting while driving in an effort to re-duce the amount of collisions by creating a 365% increase in tickets related to distracted driv-ing. As of last summer, 21,580 tickets were issued, in com-parison to the summer of 2012 where only 5,208 tickets issued. Even in our own communi-ty, texting while driving is still a common issue. Though many drivers are aware of the dangers, they still text and drive. Accord-ing to the National Highway Safety Administration texting is six times more dangerous than driving while intoxicated. Texting while driving has mainly been an issue associated with younger generations and with over 300,000 injuries and 3,000 deaths nationwide it has surpassed drinking while in-toxicated as the leading cause of accidents and deaths for teenage drivers. “I am against texting and driving. I do believe Cuomo’s idea will work.” said senior, Natalie Miranda. So will you use the “Tex-ting Zone” to tell your BFF that you G2G or will you LOL at the next text stop sign?

Fueling the Future... With Trash?

G2G to the Z0N3

by Charleston Wong Civil War still rages on in Syria, and the reported use of chemical weapons has torn the United States between get-ting involved in the conflict or not. The use of toxic chemi-cal substances in weapons isn’t new, but they can kill tens of thousands of people. Chemi-cal warfare, missile strikes, and

by Jordan Williams Since 2011, the country of Syria has been ravaged by a deadly civil war between its au-thoritarian government and its civilians. President Bashar al-As-sad, who has controlled the gov-ernment since 2000, struggles to maintain national authority as the uprising of the Syrian people gradually strengthens. The violent clashes between As-sad’s regime and the Free-Syrian Army have hindered the growth and the development of Syr-ia’s society and economy. On August 21, 2013, the crisis in Syria drastically heightened due to the regime’s use of chemi-cal weapons against the rebels. Having meticulously observed the procedure of the attack, UN inspectors confirmed that rockets loaded with the nerve agent sarin were launched into the suburbs that surround the capital city Damascus. The at-tack killed about 1,400 inno-cent civilians, several hundreds of whom were women and chil-dren. International intervention is a controversial issue, but it must be considered as a poten-tial way to help in the effort of diminishing this deadly war. President Obama has en-couraged military action against the Syrian regime. However, after nearly a decade of war with Iraq and Afghanistan, the United States does not seek to initiate the beginning of an-other long conflict. Chemical weapons pose a legitimate threat to the safety and the security of the international community. The violence may diffuse into surrounding countries, such as Turkey and Israel. The weap-ons may fall into the hands of terrorists, tyrants, and corrupt

leaders, as they capitalize on the absence of a global community to monitor their actions. Previously ratified laws re-stricting the use of such weap-ons have gradually lost their value and purpose. Similar to the Syrian regime’s chemi-cal arsenal, countries, such as Iran and North Korea, possess clandestine nuclear programs.

A Syri-US Issue

Military intervention should be considered a way to establish a global precedent regarding the consequences of the unlawful use of such weapons. If given the chance to prevent a similar crisis from occurring in the fu-ture, why shouldn’t that chance be taken? Although such power-ful weapons threaten the overall safety of the global community, they provide countless benefits that can assist in the develop-ment of a more sustainable and efficient society. The United States, arguably the most powerful and influen-tial country of the free world, has the responsibility of pro-moting global peace and pros-perity. The United States cannot allow Syria to gas to death thou-sands of its own people.

suicide bombings are factors of the death toll. During the two years of conflict, the death toll reached 120,000. The rising death toll and the collapsing economy of the country adds to the conflict. I personally feel that the United States shouldn’t get involved in Syria’s conflict. The deployment of the military may cost billions. If the United States were to place an attack on Syria, it would most likely lead to unnecessary involvement of the U.S. military in a conflict that might not be able to be re-solved with our efforts alone. If the United States did get involved in Syria, taxes would rise in order to fund the attack. This would throw another blow to the already unstable United States economy, and can put

a tremendous weight on the already staggering national debt of $16 trillion. If things don’t go in favor of opposition groups, this can hurt the Unit-ed States’ reputation in terms of military power. If heavy spend-ing on the military were to oc-cur, gas prices and taxes may increase to our detriment. The plan to attack Syria may have a negative impact on the United States economically, but an at-tack may cause the conflict to spread to neighboring regions. Even if a limited attack would be placed in Syria, this may lead to risks of retaliation from Chi-na or Russia, two superpowers that are supporting Syria. Syria may find retaliation and attack Israel, one of the United States’ allies in the conflict. The United States’ involve-ment may launch a counter at-tack by Assad’s regime to attack Israel. If Israel were to ever be under attack, the United States would step in immediately. But because of this bond between Israel and the United States, the money that would be spent on military and humanitarian aid to relieve the damages caused by the war would be tremendous. This can cause a shift in focus from a conflict that is currently only limited to Syria, to a large scale global conflict that can cause dramatic change. These attacks will not only create an increase in death-toll of Syrians, but also increase the death-toll of military personnel, escalate war, and scale it into a larger conflict than perceived. Involvement can throw the United States into economic trouble and can instigate a glob-al conflict that can bring forth dire consequences.

Source: Daily News

by Jaclyn Williams On October 1st, 2013, the government of the United States officially shut down. Over the last couple weeks I’m sure every-one picked up a general under-standing of our country’s cur-rent condition. But, what does this mean and how did our gov-ernment just shut down? The media painted a tortuous, con-voluted depiction of this whole thing. Yes, there were many elements that contributed to the closing of our government, but did the average American actually care, let alone know, what those infinitesimal details meant? Honestly, the whole situation could be explained without the swanky nonsense. Simple and straightforward is how we Americans like it, so let’s break it down from the be-ginning. The government shutdown can trace its roots back to the opposition between the Demo-crat and Republican parties. The government runs many organi-zations and programs and each year it must be decided how it will fund them. This decision rests primarily in the hands of the House of Congress. They must set spending priorities and settle on the bills to fund the federal agencies. If the House fails to reach an agree-ment, the government must shut down. Obviously, parties within the House didn’t see eye to eye on much. In recent years, Congress has struggled to come to a consensus with regards to passing these bills, so in order to keep the government funded it turned to stopgap budgets (better known as “continuing resolutions”). A continuing res-olution is “a measure to fund

the government at pre-approved levels without debating a new spending bill.” It’s basically a band-aid for a gunshot wound. In a perfect world, Congress would have passed another CR and our government would not have shut down. However, the Republican-controlled House and the Democratic-controlled Senate had come to terms on ev-erything except how to handle “Obamacare.” “Obamacare’s” goal is to re-form the insurance and health care industries in order to cut costs and make health insur-

ance more accessible to all Americans. The House passed a funding bill on the last weekend of September that would delay “Obamacare” for one year and repeal a tax on medical devices. Of course Senate rejected that proposition. The House and Senate went back and forth and voted a couple of more times, but to no avail. The key parts of “Obamacare” have already be-gun to take affect and were not disturbed by our government’s closing. This whole thing still felt unreal to me. Since 1976 there have been 17 government shut-

downs. The last time the gov-ernment shut down was in 1995 when Justin Timberlake was still singing with *NSYNC. That shutdown lasted 21 days start-ing on December 15, 1995. For me, this is definitely a big first and I think I can speak for my peers when I say that we have no idea what to expect. There were thousands of men and women being furloughed or temporar-ily laid-off every day the govern-ment remained shut down. While members of Congress and the President are exempt from furloughs and will con-

tinue to receive their weekly checks, some federal workers worked without pay and others stayed home. The government tried to put a positive spin on this by claiming that workers can think of the shut down as a little “vacation.” There is noth-ing enjoyable about losing your job indefinitely or being unable to pay your mortgage. Hundreds of thousands of people were out there suffering and worrying because a couple of hundred people weren’t able to make up their mind. The decision pro-cess was only prolonged because certain individuals thought that

with all the media attention the shutdown was getting, it would be the perfect time to go cru-sading. We can’t place fault on every member of Congress and the Senate; that would just be ri-diculous, considering the public can’t even name half of them. But those who are making a name for themselves out of this whole situation deserve to be criticized and condemned. They need to get over themselves and their self-importance because as they’re running around trying to campaign whatever left or right wing proposal they have, America is quickly growing im-patient. Despite all the pandemo-nium, they were able to come to a resolution, or did they re-ally? It seems to me that the politicians only “kicked the can down the road” to escape the tragic consequences of default. This issue was pushed to Febru-ary, only to be debated all over again. Failure to raise the debt ceiling before the Treasury ran out of cash was the biggest risk to financial markets because it would have forced the Trea-sury to default on short-term obligations, potentially calling into question the status of U.S. government debt as a safe-haven investment. Although the gov-ernment managed to make a “quick save”, we cannot forget all the damage they’ve caused in wake of their little spat. Politi-cians were so focused on their party’s own agenda, that they neglected their responsibility to lead and protect this nation. The government has just dem-onstrated its inability to handle itself, so how can we ever fully trust these people to take care of us?

Care for a Shutdown?

by Ancy Alexander Although technology is a great facilitator and has become an integral part of our everyday lives, it also has the ability to destroy reputations and futures. Students are constantly warned by parents and teachers to not post anything online that may be harmful to their future, however this advice is often dis-regarded. The lasting impact that digital media has on our generation can definitely not be underestimated. Many teenagers claim that what they post online can only be seen by those whom they allow to view it. Every year, seniors change their Facebook profiles to “private” and change their profile names in an at-tempt to hide their accounts from the prying eyes of poten-tial colleges. However, in this day and age where everything and anything is public informa-tion, privacy no longer exists. Students often forget that what they post online becomes a part of the World Wide Web, despite however many privacy settings are set. Everything posted on Facebook, Twitter, or any other social networking site is there for people from around the world to view. In pictures, it is possible to recognize facial structures and associate them with friends and family. As a result, the Internet has become a site for many harmful ac-tivities such as cyber bullying. Victims of cyber-bullying and sexting never assume that their personal information will be broadcast for the public to see, but these cases are common. “Kids need to be aware of the consequences of the decisions they make when putting things

online. They need to remem-ber that there is someone real behind a computer screen and that they should treat them with the same respect as if they were talking face to face,” said senior, Lydia Manchery. As technology improves, so does the reality that privacy is no longer a guarantee. Once pictures and statuses are posted, it is easy to forget the fact that even when deleted, it is still stored on the Internet and can be accessed by multiple parties. For example, hackers have baf-fled the FBI with their skills on hacking personal files and data, leading to cases in which the FBI has battled with organized crime groups to end such atroc-ities. If the simple web pages that we use on a daily basis can be tracked by such groups, then not even casual Internet users are safe from the prying eyes of the FBI, let alone colleges. The New York Times reported that cyber-attack at-tempts on college web sites have skyrocketed over the past few years. As a result, colleges have improved their technology and increased their security in order to protect their databases. With today’s technology, regardless of how many privacy settings are installed, there is no doubt that colleges and other sources can easily find a simple Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, profile. “We’ve been taught ‘think before you speak’. Now it should include, ‘think before you text, tweet, post, photograph, tape….’ The point –THINK!, If we wouldn’t want our family, col-lege admission officers, or even teachers to see it, then it’s a safe bet to assume that we shouldn’t post it,” said Mrs. Caruso.

To Post or Not to Post? by Serena Malhotra and Christian Tse In 2011, Michelle Obama implemented an anti-obesity campaign to combat the issue of childhood obesity in the United States. The resulting changes made to the lunch system are evident in the junior high cafeteria. Portion sizes have decreased and along with it, students were met with another surprise as they learned that the price of school lunch has increased. The amount of lunch that a stu-dent receives is based on a stu-dent’s grade rather than what is needed to satisfy the hunger of a student who needs energy to get through the school day. On the other hand, in the senior high cafeteria,, older stu-dents are served greater portions of food. “It is not right that the older kids get double the food than us. Meanwhile, we are still growing and need more food,” said seventh grader, Daphne Maria Siozios.

Paying More For Less Many students have expressed their discontent re-garding the new changes, how-ever, the school is required to implement them. “I don’t think it’s fair because everyone has a different body type,” said Dr. Faccio, “but we have to fol-low the district’s rule. This was something that occurred last year as well, but it is more no-ticeable this year because of the new ID card process. It is a pol-icy that has been implemented by the federal government that we have to follow.” A greater amount of stu-dents find themselves still hun-gry after lunch and go back for double lunch in order to fully satisfy themselves. By doing so, students pay even more for the same amount of lunch that they received before the adoption of Michelle Obama’s order. Does it go against Michelle Obama’s goal to reduce obesity in the United States by decreasing por-tion size? “It’s a way around it,” sympathized Dr. Faccio.

by Christina Panouis and Cia-ra Gallagher Tenth graders Nimi and Nidhi Patel spent their summer overseas making a difference in the lives of impoverished stu-dents and families by volunteer-ing in Kenya. The opportunity arose when a relative of their cousin, who lives in Kenya, informed them about a Non-Government Orga-

nization (NGO) that helps and donates to various charities

in Kenya. They took the trip with a cousin and two

family friends, all of whom were around the ages of fifteen and seventeen. “It was a little fright-ening visiting an

unknown continent, without any adults,

but it was a fun learning experience,”

said Nimi. When Nimi and Nidhi first arrived in Kenya, they were pleasantly surprised with the different atmosphere as compared to that of the United States. Many areas, such as Nairobi, were more modern-ized than what they had initial-ly imagined. During the four weeks they worked at the Special Needs Department at an acad-emy school and volunteered at a children’s shelter, where they tutored the children, helped with homework, cooked meals, cleaned, and much more. The girls also visited the slums of Nairobi twice to help out. There, they fed over one hundred and seventy HIV posi-

tive children living in poverty. The children were fed tradition-al Kenyan food, a scarcity that is not commonplace in their lives. “We had hoped to make a difference and give back to oth-ers,” said Nidhi. Being able to interact and con-nect with the kids in Kenya was a highlight of their remarkable trip. Within a short amount of

time, the girls became emotion-ally attached to the children, who they met on their trip and had a hard time when it came time to leave. They had created new friendships and bonds with the native people. “Knowing that we made a difference in the lives of underprivileged kids, truly changed our outlook on life,” said Nimi. From the trip, Nimi and Nidhi learned valuable lessons such as the importance of ap-preciating everything all that life has to offer because there are many people around the

world who are not as fortunate. Hearing about the hardships that many of the kids they met faced reminded them of how lucky they are to have stability in our lives. “There are others in the world who are happy and satisfied no matter how little they have,” said Nidhi. “Every child we encountered always had a smile on their face no matter

how hard their life was, and that encour-aged us to be happy as well,” said Nimi. Nidhi and Nimi’s trip demonstrates the fact that leading an adventurous and al-truistic life can help change lives and can be both reward-ing and fulfilling. It was life changing for the twins to see how strong these people are despite their un-fortunate life situa-tions. They encour-age other students to take their own adventure and see how they can make a difference, whether

that is within the community or abroad. *If any students or faculty are willing to make donations to various children and homes in Kenya, please contact Nimi and Nidhi Patel. They are in connection with the NGO where they volunteered. The girls would like people to un-derstand that the money really would make a tremendous dif-ference in helping to change the children’s lives.*

Ken-ya Make a Change?by Renjini Antony The Scenici Players have outdone themselves as they brought the Halloween spirit to the halls of New Hyde Park with their fall production. Under the direction of Mr. Gary Ferrar, who previously di-rected the school musicals Guys and Dolls and The Sound of Mu-sic, the Players had their produc-tion of Horror High, which was very fitting, given the time of year. With help from the Stage Crew, lighting and sound were coordinated to give the full ef-fect of a horror show. Senior, Nicholas Sieban, took on the role of Ferdinand, a student who along with his friends try to fool the school into thinking that he is the masked and escaped Marcus Toombs, from the nearby Toombs Asylum. They initially do this to create their own hor-ror movie, only to learn the real Marcus Toombs has escaped from Asylum. Aide in finding Marcus came in the form of the Asylum Attendant “Spot,” played by freshman Julian Sisco. His character was an audience favorite only until the biggest plot twist of all was revealed; Spot is Marcus Toombs. The entire show seemed to be full of crazy characters, the only “normal” people were the housemother, Mrs. Wellington, played by eighth grader Faith Vaas, and student Audrey, por-trayed by senior Lucia Terry. They provided comic relief through their well-to-do, no nonsense personalities, clashing with the other characters. Though the show was called Horror High, the show was no horror.

“Spot” On

by Nadia Sharif and Afrin Bhuiyan You know it’s fall when you can feel the crisp breeze against your face, and you can order the overpriced Pumpkin Spiced Lattes at Starbucks! Fall means cozy and warm sweaters, maroon and burgundy textured scarves, tall boots, and wine red colors dominating your wardrobe. The neutrality of the shades in fall are easy to manipulate and create cute, comfy outfits that

Falling Into Fashion

you can wear to school, the mall, a party, or even at home. Who says you can’t look fashion-able in paja-mas? “The thing I love about fall is how you can wear something so comfortable, yet it can be so stylish,” said senior, Shreya Menon. That is definitely the paramount aspect of autumn weather. This fall, camo, mono-grams of black and white, and varsity jackets are trending. By layering on a vest and adding accessories such as a necklace, you can polish the comfy look with a pair of black suede boo-ties, or a pair of classy combat boots. Fall fashion for men in-cludes coats, jackets, cardigans, and statement scarves make a gallant appearance. “Camou-flage is a cool print to wear, I wore a camo bow tie for my senior portrait picture,” said senior Jay Shah. Polished coats

and scarves can add elements of eloquence and class. Dress shirts can always be worn to school as well, toned down with a fresh pair of casual jeans. The point of fall fashion is to stay comfy and warm, in preparation for the cold and tedious months of winter. To keep your look on the runway of life prim and proper, don’t neglect your face. Trending colors in the fall palette include red wines, rose golds, dusty or-

anges, olive greens and dusky beiges. Splashed across magazines all over the world, icons like Cara Delev-ingne, Lucy Hale and Lily Collins are brandishing full and arched brows and have brought the make-up trend back to life. Your best bet to get your own set of fabulous brows is to step away from the

tweezers, periodically get your brows professionally shaped and try some brow enhancing products. In general, the rule of thumb is to pick a brow color that is one shade lighter than your natural hair color if it is on the darker side or a color that is one shade darker if you happen to have blonde hair. The finally step in achieving your perfect set of brows is to set everything with a clear brow wax or gel to ensure that they don’t budge throughout the day. And no matter how thick or thin your eyebrows, don’t forget to flaunt them along with your crisp, new fall look!

by Zayneb Almiggabber, Vic-toria Yee, and Julissa Osorno It seems that the original spirit of Halloween has gone from spooky and fun to “naugh-ty this” and “naughty that.” Imagine walking into a store in search of a great new costume, and your only options involve too-short skirts and tightly cropped tops. Sadly, that’s the reality of several women of all ages. An innocent customer took a picture of an oddly named toddler costume, titled “naugh-ty leopard”. The photo was taken in Wal-Mart, which of-fers, regularly “naughty” toddler costumes, such as “playful cat” that caused a great controversy. Wal-Mart claimed that it never meant to offend anyone, but the damage was already done. The adult-themed “naugh-ty leopard” included a young woman with one hand placed on her hip and the other hand playing with her cat tail, reveal-ing her legs with a fishnet stock-ings, cats ears, the leopard print top and a frilly black skirt. The toddler photo received wide-spread backlash from numerous people who took offense to it, including horrified parents. It seems that it’s becoming more and more difficult for women to be able to find costumes that aren’t provocative and overly sexualized. While there’s nothing quite wrong with wanting to dress a little provocatively if one wishes to, it’s a bit frustrating to see a lack of practical costumes. It’s a challenge to want to be Bat Girl, for example, without having to wear a mini-skirt and thigh-high boots. It’s also as if most female costumes have to begin with

“sexy” or “naughty”, and the standard that’s currently held for what women “should” be on Halloween is quite unfair. It pro-vides the implication that wom-en should be conventionally attractive by current social stan-dards in order to be deemed so-cially acceptable. This standard of “attractive-ness”, unfortunately, solely con-sists of a great deal of bare skin and tight clothing. For Hallow-een, a man can easily dress up as something as simple as a fireman, an athlete, or Super-man without having to worry about how scandalous it is. “It’s like people took the innocence of Halloween and took it to a whole new extreme,” said senior Rosalia Vaglica. In relation, girls can dress however they please, but it’d only be fair if the female cos-tume options consisted of a greater variety, because if one’s costume isn’t “sexy”, it’s usually just dull. “For little girls, this just adds more pressure to them starting at an even younger age.” said senior Eve Kaczmarczyk. Until a time comes that women have more options, the best solution can be homemade costumes. “The great part about Halloween is getting to see all the creative costumes people make themselves. The best ones are always homemade!” said ju-nior, Ryan Cariaso. Hopefully, as time progresses, children’s costumes will remain children’s costumes, and women will gain a larger variety of cos-tumes to choose from without having to fit a typical standard. While gender discrimination are present in several societal as-pects, it’s not right for it to be present in an issue like this.

Breakdown on the Dress-Down

New Teachers 2013-2014

Ms. RoldanPosition: ESL Teacher.Hobbies: She enjoys learning about all languages.Quote: “It is a very rewarding career,” by helping students that are struggling to learn the English language. Interesting Fact: She has been teaching ESL for over 20 years and worked at H. Frank Carey before the ESL program moved to our school,

Ms. BagleyPosition: Band TeacherEducation:Syracuse University.Hobbies: She enjoys skiing, bik-ing, cooking, and baking. Inspiration: Her love for music helping people through inspired her to choose this career.Quote: “[Music] is something my students and I can connect on. I’m their teacher and they’re my students but when we’re all playing together, we’re all on an even playing field with our in-struments.”

Ms. McKeonPosition: Special Ed TeacherEducation: Bachelor’s degree in Economics from University of Albany, Master’s degree in Edu-cation from Hosftra University.Inspiration: “When I used to be in the military, I did a tour in Iraq and it changed my outlook on life. I saw how unfortunate some people were and that many of them didn’t have the opportu-nity to get an education.”Interesting Fact: Used to be a real estate appraiser.

Ms. DeLucaPosition: District ESL CoordinatorEducation: Master’s degree in teaching and administrationHobbies: Traveling, seeing shows in the cityInspiration: “I just like working with students; it’s something I’ve always to do.”Interesting fact: Has one daughter and they’re “like the Gilmore Girls.”

Photos by Renjini AntonyContributors: Jen Miter, Danielle Petricca

What is the worst treat you have ever received on Halloween?

“A really old lady said ‘I ran out of candy, hold on let me get my wallet’ I thought I’d get a dollar

but I got a penny.”-Senior, Brian Ambadjes

“One time an elderly woman opened the door and dropped something into my bag. When I

looked inside, I saw a rock. “-Sophomore, Alisa Raju

“An elderly lady gave me a piece of broccoli.”

-Junior, Ryan Cariaso

“I got a bad snowstorm. I lost my electricity.” -Mr. Zarchy

“One family gave out a can of soup and a box of macaroni. They only

had canned goods.”-Ms. Tomkiw

“An older boy sprayed Nair on all the girls. I was afraid I’d lose my

eyebrows.”-Ms. Kosmij

iPhones: Updates or Updont’s?

by Shreya Menon If fall was a flavor, it would taste like pumpkin spice. For the past few years, it seems as though fall can’t be fall without some pumpkin spice! Pumpkin spice lattes are a classic tradition of the autumn season. It has become so much of a staple fall drink that many fast-food restaurants serve it sea-sonally. The pumpkin spice latte has been a Starbucks classic ever since 2003. “I would rate the Starbucks one eight out of ten,”said senior, Anila John, “it gave me a warm, cozy and fall feeling. I would definitely recommend this drink to every-one!” However, in the past few

years, Starbucks has been facing more and more competition. McDonald’s and Dunkin Do-nuts have recently gained a lot of attention by consumers for their version of the pumpkin spice latte. “The McDonald’s pump-kin spice latte was okay. I would give it a six point five out of ten. It tasted very ‘pumpkiny’,” said senior, Blesson Shaju. Personally, my favorite is the Starbucks pumpkin spice latte. The flavor was very balanced - not too sugary and not too bit-ter. Starbucks is the only chain out of the three that offers whipped cream with the latte. The whipped cream made the latte creamier and richer which also added to the pleasing taste.

My second favorite was the McDonalds one. It tasted very sweet but it really didn’t taste like a real pumpkin spice latte, it just tasted like any other latte. Finally, I didn’t like the Dunkin Donut’s version at all. It tasted very bitter and strong. It didn’t give me the same heart-felt feeling the other lattes had given me. What is the reason behind all the popularity with the pumpkin spice latte? Could it be another fad or just another seasonal treat? If you’re asking me for a suggestion on which latte to choose, I’d say yhe Star-bucks Pumpkin Spice Latte is the one you should go to for sure.

by Jennifer Blandeburgo and Christina Formica On September 12, 2013 Ap-ple introduced its newest mem-ber of the iPhone family. The iPhone 5c is the first iPhone to be sold in 5 different colors, white, pink, yellow, blue, and green. The iPhone 5c comes pre-loaded with iOS 7. iOS 7 has a dramatic new layout that con-sumers do not find appealing. The new design creates more movement in the backgrounds of the phone. However, if you have the iPhone5c you will not be able to have iOS6 on your phone. Despite the flaws, there are some great new features in iOS7 such as iTunes Radio, AirDrop, and photo filters. “I love the new software. It’s a nice change from what I was used to. I real-ly like all the new features!” said junior, Ashley Willoughby.

The new features are the main reasons iOS7 has been a hot topic lately. “It’s a love hate re-lationship. I love certain aspects such as the format but I hate the new app designs,” said junior, Katie Bak, when she recently discussed iOS7 and its newest features. iTunes Radio is a free s e r v i c e that al-lows you to stream m u s i c f r o m wherever you are. A i r d r o p allows you to send documents and photos over Wi-Fi without having to be bothered with e-mailing. Editing apps are now a thing of the past. “I was get-ting bored with the original iP-hone layout and I’m loving the new one. It took me a while but

I finally figured it all out,” said Hailey Weihs.Apple’s next largest addition is the iPhone5S. The iPhone5S comes preloaded with iOS7. The iPhone5Ss’ price starts at $199. You no longer need to memo-rize a passcode to unlock your iPhone. Your phone will recog-

Spicing Things Up!

nize your f i n g e r s p a t t e r n to un-lock the phone it-self. The p h o n e s

news A7 chip is expected to conserve the battery of your iP-hone. Since the iPhone5S also runs on the iOS7 operating sys-tem you will have all the newest technology right at your finger-tips. Which iPhone would you choose?

Ingredients:.2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour . 1 teaspoon baking powder .1 teaspoon baking soda . 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon .1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg .1/2 teaspoon ground cloves .1/2 teaspoon salt .1/2 cup butter, softened .1 1/2 cups white sugar .1 cup canned pumpkin puree .1 egg .1 teaspoon vanilla extract .2 cups confectioners' sugar .3 tablespoons milk .1 tablespoon melted butter .1 teaspoon vanilla extract

.Directions:

.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

.Combine flour, baking pow-der, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt; set aside.In a medium bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup of butter and white sugar. Add pumpkin, egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla to butter mix-ture, and beat until creamy. .Mix in dry ingredients. Drop on cookie sheet using a table-spoon; flatten slightly..Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool cookies, then drizzle icing on with fork.

To Make Icing: Combine confectioners' sugar, milk, 1 tablespoon melted butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add milk as needed, to achieve drizzling consistency.

Iced Pumpkin Cookies!by Shaianne Hugh

Photo Credit: James Treadwell, Eamonn Lennon, and Marvin Pak

by Gregory Kothesakis The newest release in Rock-star’s Grand Theft Auto series can only be described, both in con-tent and playability, with one word: grand. Since the compa-ny’s conception of Grand Theft Auto in 1997, Rockstar has been reaping profits off its crime based games. Its latest addition, Grand Theft Auto V, is no excep-tion, making over $1 billion in the first three days of sales. The series had significant hurdles to pass after Grand Theft Auto IV, which albeit had fun gameplay and an enjoy-able setting but was too mo-notonous and contained too many glitches for true satisfac-tion. However, Rockstar has truly pulled itself out of the dirt with a game sure to be

one of the best games of 2013. The game takes place on the ironically named fictional island of Los Santos, meaning the “The Saints”, in the fiction-al state of San Andreas. Home to both the incredibly wealthy and startlingly poor, the island is more of a case of capitalism gone wrong. It is an accurate depiction of reality because you have the slums on one side and mansions on the other. While some believe this is the greatest installment yet, it has gained controversial atten-tion. One such scene is where you must “interrogate” an Azer-baijani man accused of knowing a terrorist. You get to choose from a plethora of torture methods, such as waterboard-

ing, electrocution, and pulling out teeth. Rockstar later stated that the torture scene was sat-ire on American politics, but even my own ethics felt tested. Despite such controversy, players can’t deny the improve-ments made upon the game. Any player of GTA IV will re-member the predictable mission structure and extra activities that made it completely anti immersing. GTA V radically restructures this, with quests that aim to give the player per-sonal compensation, whether it be more money, or stock in-vestments. For example, some quests might give you the op-tion to assassinate a CEO of a cigarette company, which then influences in which company

you will invest. All of these major things work together to create a flaw-less gaming experience, but the best parts for any player are the unexpected and the minor. Af-ter gaming for hours, I found myself most entertained when dashing away from cops in a stolen station wagon to the tune of Fergie’s Glamorous; it’s the little things in the game that make it worth playing. This is the most entertaining game to come out the latter half of 2013, and overall it has great replay value. Grand Theft Auto V will be remembered as the new face of the industry of the open-world genre; if all games are like this from now on there is a bright future for gaming.

by Nicholas Sieban Carrie, a horror story that made it through the ages, came back to the theaters on October 18th. It started out as Stephen King’s first novel that eventually went on to become a best seller. Published in the 1970s, it sold over one million copies in its first year and the numbers have been growing ever since. Carrie first became a movie in 1976, and it grossed over thirty-three million dollars since its release. Its popularity continued, evinced by its pro-duction as a TV movie in 2002. These accomplishments have set a high bar of anticipation for the release of 2013’s remake of Carrie. Chloë Grace Moretz stars in the title role as a shy teenage

girl caught up in the clutches of malicious teenage bullying. Her performance was overall impressive; the hatred and fear in the scenes shared with Portia Double-day (Chris Har-gensen), is star-tlingly realistic. Many Carrie fans say they dislike this remake because of the changes, but the changes have turned this classic into a more relatable and current story line for high school

students today. Cell phones and cyber bullying play huge rolls in Carrie’s build up to the climax of the film,

and these elements bring Carrie into the mod-ern era. The stun-ning and disturb-

ing array of special effects is what truly makes Carrie’s story come alive. Explosions are vivid, floating objects look real and houses crumble as if they were in a real-life mas-sive earthquake. After Carrie becomes the victim of a prom

prank, she loses control of her telekinesis and sets every object in the room afloat. Her gifts give her the ability to make electrical wires snap, chairs crash against the walls, and doors slam Carrie looks as if she has complete control over every single aspect of the high school gym. The origin of Carrie’s telekinetic powers is the only aspect of the movie that is not explained. This one aspect confuses the moviegoer and leads them to think that the remake left many questions unanswered. Carrie could appeal to some more than others, but has obviously achieved great mile-stones. This film will definitely satisfy the die-hard fans.

Prom Night Catastrophe

Having A Grand Old Time in Los Santos

by Shaianne Hugh

YouTube has become a huge part of today’s culture by revolutionizing entertain-ment and becoming a new forum for social change. Every day young enthusiasts are gaining the title of “YouTube celebrities”, allowing the site to become a powerhouse for social change. Louis Cole of FunFor-Louis raising over $100,000 for the Teenage Cancer Trust by driving across India in a char-ity rally. These successes have culmi-nated into many YouTube based conventions where cre-ators meet each other and interact with their viewers. The success of Vidcon has lead to the c r e a t i o n of other

YouTube based events such as Digifest in New York City and California, Summer in the City in London and Play-list Live in Orlando, Florida. This past month popular YouTubers from all over the world went on the third annual DigiTour. Headlined by the popular youtubers, Tanya Burr and Zoella, of the beauty com-munity along with the popular English based Caspar Lee, Jim Chatman, Alfie Dayes and Mar-cus Butler, Digitour was like a temporary Mecca of YouTube contemporaries everywhere. The tour went from city to city in the U.S. and Canada starting in Chicago, making stops in Toronto and Philadelphia and

ending in New York City from October 2nd to October 6th. The sold out finale to the tour in New York City generat-ed a crowd of over 5,000 people. During the show musicians such as Tiffany Alvord, Beatrice Mill-er and Luke Conard performed their original songs and covers of popular songs to the crowd. While the show was primarily meant to be a concert most of the headlining YouTuber’s were not musicians at all. The con-tent produced on their channels are mainly focused on vlogs about their lives, makeup tuto-

rials, or com-edy videos to entertain their viewers. Attendants of the DigiTour w o n d e r e d what these people would be doing on stage if they didn’t have any musical

talent. Following their meet and greet YouTubers, Zoe, Marcus, Caspar, Alfie, Tanya and Jim sat on stage and played a ques-tion and answer game with the audience. They used social media outlets such as Twitter and Instagram after asking fans to tweet them questions. One such inquiry posed to the “vloggers” was who they would want to live with most. With YouTube growing as an international enterprise, new “YouTube celebrities” are gaining global mass viewer-ship. These events are becom-ing increasingly relevant, and generating an even longer line-up out the door.

YouTubers Unite Fall TV Previews

This year’s fall season wel-comes many new promising shows, including NBC’s Black-list, ABC’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Fox’s Sleepy Hollow. Arrogant and enigmatic, master-manipulator Raymond Reddington is the heart of NBC’s The Blacklist. Reddington (James Spader) is a navy officer-turned-traitor who is famous for selling national secrets to the highest bidder. On the top of the FBI’s Most Wanted list, he turns himself in one day and uses a “blacklist” of criminal names in exchange for his im-munity. Even more mysterious is that Reddington refuses to work with anyone except for a woman named Elizabeth Keen. Played by Megan Boone, Keen is an FBI profiler, and immediately there is a relationship established be-tween the two. Both inscrutable characters keep the plot interest-ing and leave viewers wondering about Reddington’s particular interest in Keen. From the mysterious smile to the subtle emotion in his voice, we can easily appreciate the art Spader puts into creating Red-dington. He is the star of the show, and the reason the audi-ence keeps coming back for more. Despite the fact that this show focuses more on the relationship of the characters than the actual “blacklist” the series has been interesting. With a lot of mys-tery and excitement, the show appears to have a bright future on its Monday night time slot. Another show premiering on ABC that might interest superhero enthusiasts is Mar-

vel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. . The first episode picks up where the Marvel’s Avengers mov-ie leaves off. Not only are the mortal citizens left dazed and shocked, but the few people who are aware of these super humans need to work together to protect those who don’t. To accomplish this, a team of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents are put together. Every Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. has their own quirks and attributes which, tied to their professional abilities, makes them distinc-tive and necessary on the team. The drama, comedic moments, and possibilities for romance that evolve between the char-acters make the story line of the show even more appealing. The random and unpredict-able keep you coming back for more. Based on the first three episodes, there is definite po-tential for this show to become one of the best on television. Another fall show that peo-ple can’t seem to stop talking about is Fox’s Sleepy Hollow. This particular series is very different from previous attempts to re-cre-ate the original Washington Ir-ving short story. The legendary Ichabod Crane (Tom Mison), is pulled two and a half centuries through time to unravel a mystery that dates back to the Revolution-ary War. He, along with officer Abbie Mills (Nicole Beharie) are required to work to solve the conundrum of the Head-less Horseman and the occult groups of Sleepy Hallow. Both Mison and Beharie understand the spirit of their roles well and this translates on the screen. So far this show has had a promis-ing start and is likely to only get better from here.

By Saumya Sharma, Shannon Thomas & Claudia Vlakanic

Source @zozeebo (instragram

)

by Jasmine Garcia Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them will create a new and interesting perspective on the wizarding world that J.K Rowling has created. The movie will be based on a short refer-ence book put together by the fictional explorer, Newt Sca-mander. With this film, Harry Pot-ter fans can understand what life before Harry Potter’s time at Hogwarts was like. While the film itself isn’t directly based on the story-line of the writ-ten Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling will still be writing the screenplay, that which will follow the events that occurred in Newt Scamander’s life. Fans have the opportunity to find out what it was like to be a wizard in New York City almost one hundred years before Harry Potter. The film might even inter-est those who aren't necessarily Harry Potter fans. Since the film is based on a “magical creature textbook”, there will be many scenes including mythological creatures such as dragons, were-wolves, fairies and sea-serpents. Many may be disappointed that Rowling isn’t writing a new book, but it gives fans less to worry about. Viewers had high expectations for the most recent Harry Potter film that weren’t met, but now fans don’t have to wonder if some parts of the book will be in the movie or if favorite details will be left out. Senior Christian Hidalgo said "J. K. Rowling hasn't dis-appointed us yet in entertain-ing large amounts of people.” Many fans are looking forward to this spellbinding new series that continues on a new path in the wizarding world.

On a RowlBattle of the Bestiesby Renjini Antony Sometimes, all you really need to make a band is two mo-tivated people full of ideas. Twenty One Pilots is a duo that consists of Tyler Joseph and Joshua Dun. Their debut album, Vessel, came out in Janu-ary 2013, but the hype for the two began over the summer. They toured with Fall Out Boy and Panic! at the Disco, which brought in a large new fan-base. Joseph plays a plethora of instruments, including the gui-tar, piano, and ukulele, not to mention he’s also the vocalist. Dun is the drummer, providing the beats that carry the songs on the album. Something that makes them more than just any other band is the power and emotion that Joseph puts into the lyrics. The first single off of the album “Holding On To You” encourages people to fight the demons in their lives and fight the sadness. Any listener will get hooked onto the song as soon as they start listening. Joseph’s guitar skills and Dun’s gift for drumming are high-lighted in this song. “House of Gold” is a song that stands out from the rest of the album. It’s very ballad-like as Joseph sings about promises he made to his parents and highlights his talent with the ukulele. This song proves how much the duo is capable of as they have a little bit of everything for fans of any kind of mu-sic. Though they’re labeled as “Alternative Rap,” they cover everything from rap to pop, rock music to house music, and heavy songs to ballads. Even if you’re not one to get into the Alternative scene, it’s easy to get into this band.

21 Pilotsby Samip Delhiwala This summer was definitely an exciting one, with the re-lease of many popular albums by some of the most successful artists, including by Kanye West and Magna Carta Holy Grail by Jay-Z. Kanye West’s Yeezus, though peculiar, is considered “ground-breaking”. West attempted to break free from conventional rap style and his previous al-bums, such as 808’s & Heartbreak. West is ar-rogant and egotistical, but he owns up to it, especially though his music. He worked with other artists and even col-laborated with Daft Punk, producing a series of new songs that contain a contemporary, industrial sort of sound. However, it seems that he hasn’t implemented his former lyrical power of previ-ous albums such as Graduation or 808s & Heartbreak and even on Watch the Throne where he collaborated with Jay-Z. Kanye West does not really care about what others think of him, with his album standing as a testa-ment to this individuality. On the other hand, Magna Carta, Holy Grail discusses the various feelings associated with fame. Including the hit song “Holy Grail” which featured Justin Timberlake, the album features more than a handful of phenomenal songs. With the album mostly produced by Tim-baland, the steadily arranged beat is highly pleasing to the ear and definitely beats Yeezus

in this category, in my personal opinion. An example would be the steady drum beat and ap-propriate piano keys heard in “Holy Grail”. Additionally, the album ab-solutely delivers lyrically. With vocals provided by various other artists, including Beyonce, Phar-rell, and Frank Ocean. Paired with the usual poetic and pow-erful rap verses of Jay-Z, Magna Carta Holy Grail, although not Jay-Z’s best album, lives up to

its high expectations. After both rappers col-laborated on Watch the

Throne, they have diverged

on different paths and are therefore found themselves on different ends of the spectrum. It

seems that Jay-Z is continuing with his typical musical sound, ceasing to disappoint his fans, while Kanye West is constantly experimenting with new forms of sound. And although most of his music is technically not radio-appropriate, it shows that West cares more for the aesthet-ic aspect of his music. Nevertheless, it doesn’t seem like this necessarily induced a competition between the two. Instead, the albums reflect two opposing viewpoints on how rap should really sound. Wheth-er you think both albums have induced a war between the two or not, I personally believe that Magna Carta, Holy Grail over-shadowed Yeezus due to its high-er level of substance and clever lyrics, and definitely takes home a “Best Rap Album of the Sum-mer”.

by Vishruth Girish New Hyde Park has a star in Billy Stevens, a star who man-ages to live normally despite his impressive accolades. Stevens, a soccer prodigy, is a member of the Red Bull Academy team and the U-15 U.S. National Team, which is absolutely remarkable for a high school student. However, last year, Stevens suffered an ACL tear, costing him his junior season. Stevens recalls the exact moment of his tear, describing it as “the worst pain I had ever experienced.” His painful season-ending in-jury required surgery, which set up the most difficult part of his return to normalcy: rehab. In the months following, Stevens felt highly disappointed in himself. “I thought I let my team down”, he said. “I was frus-trated watching from the side-line.” Unable to physically play soccer, Billy resorted to FIFA 13. By playing soccer simulation games and watching games on TV, Stevens ensured he stayed in touch with the game. Stevens credits TV and video games to helping him “not forget his style of play.” Stevens’ rehab consisted of six painful months in physical therapy. Stevens began it the day following his surgery, beginning his journey back to the soccer field. “There were times when I would get extremely frustrated because my knee would kill me after a therapy session”, said Ste-vens.. Doubt crossed his mind on whether he would be able to regain his former play. In the words of Stevens, “Every athlete thinks their career is over when they have a major injury, espe-cially an ACL tear.” Despite the major injury, Stevens focused

A Bull That Can’t Be Tamedon coming back stronger. While he was out, Stevens committed to the University of Michigan in his junior year. He accepted a full athletic schol-arship to play soccer for the University of Michigan Wol-verines. Stevens is prepared for his college years. “I’m blessed to receive the scholarship they of-fered me,” he said. He radiates pure determination “I cannot

wait to become a Wolverine,” he said. The Wolverines are a Divi-sion I team, so Stevens will go against the country’s top teams in a sport he is a natural in. Stevens is now back, but yearns for something higher. Stevens dreams of winning the NCAA National Champion-ship when he joins the Wolver-ines. He also dreams of turning professional and playing for the Red Bulls in the future. With a mind-set like his, nothing, not even a torn ACL, can stop Billy Stevens from achieving his dreams.

Source: Billy Stevens’ Facebook

Fall Sports Overviewby Jerryl Abraham and Samip DelhiwalaVarsity Boys’ Volleyball: Led by Coach Eisermann, the boy’s volleyball team is looking to head for the playoffs for the first time since 2011. Seniors Kevin Su and Eric Priest are two of the four captains and have helped recover from a 1-2 record. Although most of the team is inexperienced, they have had a very exciting season and hope to make some noise in the playoffs.Varsity Girls’ Volleyball: Led by Coach Rizzuti and Captains Kayla Buff and Martha Keller, the girl’s volleyball team is cur-rently in the playoffs. Captain Anjali Reddy has described her team as “sisters fighting togeth-er no matter what is thrown their way.” The team has been working hard and having fun and hopes to finish with great success in the playoffs.Varsity Football: Led by Coach Dolan, the boy’s foot-ball team has input much more effort this season. Although they have struggled record-wise, the team has amazing leaders on and off the field includ-ing seniors Tommy LaBruna, Brennan Scanlon, and Matt Duglinski. Junior Olivier Sim-eon stated, “I love the team. They’re a great group and it is an honor to play with them.” The football team definitely is a group of dedicated players.Varsity Cross Country: Led by Coach Buith, the cross country team successfully accomplished their plans and goals. Senior Teresa Fallon was one of the top girls in the entire coun-try, which goes to show the team’s dedication and effort. Coach Buith said, “We really

gel together well; it is a tight team.” The cross country team has clearly had an incredible season.Varsity Girls’ Tennis: Led by Coach Stagnitta, the girl’s tennis team finished 7-3 in the regular season and went deep into the playoffs. Unfortu-nately, the team lost to Valley Stream South in the finals. The team has much to be proud of as they had new players this season and were full of confidence. Senior Dana Wizel was the captain and was a great leader to the team. Seniors Ju-dith Thomas and Keziah Babu and Junior Victoria Bialczak were a few of the players who did extremely well this season.Varsity Boys’ Soccer: Led by Coach Tloczkowski, the boys’ soccer team struggled to a 4-8 record. However, the team was successful in giving in their best effort and performance. Senior Chris Ferlazzo was the captain and led the team alongside standout players Jake Kennedy and Steve Sumba. Ju-nior Shawn Parambil said, “Mr. T was a great coach because he made everything a great learning experience.” The team was clearly successful in their endeavors.Varsity Girls’ Soccer: Led by Coach Teemsma, these underdogs were able to make it to the playoffs. They won a thrilling game to make it to the playoffs by a very late goal in a must win situation, but lost to Cold Spring Harbor in a heartbreaker by a score of 7-0. “We had a tough season but I’m proud of the girls and how far they came along. It was a season that helped us grow,” said Sabrina Balducci.

by James Colgan One of the more politi-cally controversial conflicts in sports, the topic of politi-cally incorrect team names, has recently become a heated issue amongst both fans, players, and the front office. All of this is due to the recent overwhelming pres-sure to reform the name of the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. Those calling for reform are many times misinformed regarding the tradition behind the name that has generated so much controversy as well as the many reasons as to why this change is not necessary. The fact of the matter is, the ‘Skins shouldn’t have to change their name after over 70 years of existence because of an unnec-essary politically charged smear campaign against the team. There is no reason for the public to believe that in any way shape or form that the Redskins, including owner Dan Snyder, players, manage-ment, personnel and coaching, hold any animosity whatsoever towards any Native Americans or their culture, beliefs, or ideologies etc. Nor is there any evidence to state that the NFL or the Redskins organiza-tion was attempting to devalue or dehumanize the Native American race when creating both the logo and name of the Redskins. Furthermore, in today’s culture, the name “Redskins” has either connotations of Native American warriors or the prominent members of the football team behind the name, and not the so-called racist

Red Ink for Redskinsname itself. “I don’t really be-lieve that our connection and love for a team name should outweigh the fact that many people actually are offended by the name.”, said Junior Ashneel Raj. This viewpoint is valid but closed-minded towards other semi-professional and professional sports teams. For example, take the Kansas City

Chiefs of the NFL, who often have a man dressed in histori-cally incorrect Native American war attire ride across the field on a horse, sometimes also covered in feathers and mock Native American garb. Would this treatment, although with good intentions, not be as or even more disrespectful to Native Americans? We could also take the Cleveland Indians of professional baseball, who have gained heated criticism for their “Chief Wahoo” logo, which is not only historically inaccurate and refuted by the Native American commu-nity, but also generally seen as racist amongst the greater population. Yet there has been

very little done to stop the production or usage of both these team names and logos, which are both arguably more offensive than the “Redskins” name and logo. “If they want to change the Redskins name and logo, they should do it from the bottom up and all across sports. All controver-sial team names in all sports

leagues, including high school sports, college sports, the NHL, the NBA, and the MLB should undergo these name changes. The Redskins are just being used as a scapegoat and it is highly unfair.”, said New Hyde Park football coach Rotondaro. This is highly accurate, in that the Redskins have unrightfully been the center of a catalyst for change. This issue has pro-longed enough to even reach the White House. NBC’s Bob Costas ad-dressed this issue during his halftime segment in the network’s telecast of “Sunday Night Football” in what was a week 5 matchup between the Redskins and the Cowboys in

the NFL. During this contro-versial segment, he addressed a key point by stating that despite the alleged racism of the “Redskins” name, “a major-ity of Native Americans say that they are not offended.” Senior Nick Miceli had a similar belief. “Why is there such an unnecessary amount of assumptions? So many people are assuming that Native Americans are offended by this team name. In actuality, most of them are indifferent to it.”, said Miceli. If the group of people that are seen as the “victims” in this scenario are not offended by this name, why exactly is this a debate? This is not to mention that the crowds at almost every home game sing “Hail to the Redskins” or tweet the popular hashtag “#HTTR (Hail to the Redskins)”, which glorifies and respects the proud tradition behind both the team and the people behind it. The Redskins will never be like the Steelers, Pack-ers, or Seahawks where their name will be fully ridden of controversy or be interpreted in a completely clean man-ner. However, it is clearly obvious that the eradication of the proud and tradition-filled name “Redskins” is not only completely unwarranted, but would also set a precedent for the elimination of many other popular sports teams’ names. In whatever manner this issue is handled, there will be an upset party. However, it is clear that the Redskins name and logo should both stay intact.

Priyanka Algu

by Samip Delhiwala If you have felt the intensity when Mariano Rivera entered the game to close things up, relish it. Keep it in your mind forever. The all time saves leader has now retired after a tremendous career that words can’t adequately describe. Just before the end of the season, Yankee fans witnessed one of the most emotional moments in baseball history: the final appearance of Mariano Rivera. He entered in the eighth in-ning and pitched 1.3 innings until he was taken out in a fashion that would make any avid sports fan tear. Yankees manager Joe Girardi gave the substitution honors to Core 4 members Andy Pettitte and Derek Jeter. They underwent a long and tearful embrace with Rivera at the mound. Senior and Yankee fan Rafsun Alam stated, “As soon as Andy Pet-titte and Derek Jeter took the ball out of Rivera’s hand, I knew I had just witnessed the end of an extraordinary lega-cy.” A standing ovation as well as a tip of the cap followed. After the game, he visited the pitcher’s mound for the final time and grabbed a handful of

dirt as an immortal memory of his legacy. With the retirement of Mari-ano Rivera, we do not only lose a magnificent player who will undoubtedly be a Hall of Fam-

er, but a humble and selfless gentlemen of the game. There was never a time when Rivera bragged about his stellar per-formance. He simply displayed genuine happiness and excite-ment. Senior and avid Mets fan Dhaval Shah said, “Despite the fact that I dislike the Yankees, I can put those emotions away for Mariano Rivera. He is not only a legend of the game, but the epitome of a class act.” His professionalism and respect for the game make him loved by not just Yankee fans, but by fans of

rivals as well. What will happen to the Yankees and MLB now that he’s retired? The Yankees have obviously lost their best closer and one of their classiest players. However,

an adequate replacement is Da-vid Robertson. Something that is arguably more significant is Rivera’s retirement’s impact on the entire league. Rivera set the bar high for closing pitch-ers. After legend Trevor Hoff-man retired, Rivera remained as the last dominant and Hall of Fame worthy reliever in the league. With the loss of Rivera, the role of relievers remains in question. There are no relievers that have shown the dominance that existed in Rivera and Hoff-man. Many are All Star pitch-

ers or have the potential to be, but none seem like future Hall of Famers. There are currently only five relief pitchers in the Hall of Fame. This is because there are few relief pitchers that actually deserve it, so the voters had no choice but to add re-lievers whose entrance into the Hall of Fame is questionable. Rivera’s retirement results in a staff of relievers in the MLB that have been trained to just get the job done. They go out there to get three outs and allow limited runs. That is how cur-rent relievers have been trained. For example, starting pitchers are moved to the bullpen when they are injured or ineffective. The role of the relief pitcher is slowly but surely diminishing. As we bid farewell to Maria-no Rivera, we can not help but feel sadness. In the words of var-sity football coach Dolan, “In a world where professional sports are out of control with few mor-als, Rivera is a rare example of a professional.” It is not about being a Yankee or Yankee fan; it is about being a true gentle-man.” This is a valid statement, but the impact of Rivera’s re-tirement on the entire league is just as important as its impact on the New York Yankees.

National Crystal Ball Associationby Jerryl Abraham and Joshua RajanAtlantic: Knicks. The Nets are too hyped up. A first year coach and aging veterans are not enough to take down the Knicks. Boston’s era is offi-cially finished due to rebuild-ing. Philly will finish last, and Toronto will improve to third.Central: Bulls. Rose has proven in the preseason that he is at

100% and ready to go. Pacers come to a close second but can’t break the chemistry and skill of the Bulls. Look for Cleveland to improve as well with an explosive Kyrie Irving.Southeast: Miami. No brainer. No team in the Southeast has even a remote chance of con-tending against the defending champions.Pacific: Clippers. With Chris

Paul locked in and an experi-enced coach in Doc Rivers. The Clippers are en route to a deep postseason run. The Lakers will not make the playoffs with just an aging Kobe Bryant.Southwest: San Antonio. Houston is strong but the chemistry disrupting addition of Dwight Howard will prevent the Rockets from challenging the dominant Spurs. Look for

Patrick Beverly to play a bigger role as point guard. Memphis is also a threat to return to the playoffs.Northwest: Oklahoma City. The Timberwolves will improve with healthy versions of Ricky Rubio, Kevin Love, and Nikola Pekovich. The Nuggets will take a huge step back due to the loss of Andre Iguodala and the injury of Danilo Gallinari.

MeMOries of a Yankees Legend

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