April 2016

News

Editorial

Is the new Barbie more inclusive?

Travel the world at the Foreign Language Festival

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Massapequa High School 4925 Merrick Road Massapequa, NY 11758 mhsthechief@gmail.com

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Chief

Vol. 64 – No. 3

April 15, 2016 www.thechiefonline.com

Massapequa High School’s Chief Source of News

The NOH8 campaign makes it to Massapequa High School

BY ALEXANDRA DOULOS COPY EDITOR

The Massapequa community continually makes banning bullying and respecting the differences between people a primary goal. Students are subjected to torment for a plethora of reasons, including their sexual identity. The GSA focuses on counteracting the hate directed at those who are not considered “normal” by their peers.

The high school chapter of the GSA helps “alleviate apprehension of the membership as [Berner GSA students] move up through the secondary levels,” GSA advisor Mr. Draper said. “It’s also a wonderful way to use our upperclass members to create a support network and show empathy to our younger members.”

The NOH8 campaign attempts to raise awareness of the range of sexualities people may identify with,

and has expanded to fight bullying for all reasons.

The NOH8 campaign aims to end discrimination and bullying associated with gender and sexual identity.

The charitable organization aspires to end the discrimination which stems from the prevailing cisnormativity and heteronormativity.

According to The TransAdvocate, cisnormativity is defined as “denoting or relating to someone whose sense of personal identity corresponds with the gender assigned to them at birth.”

Heteronormativity is “practices or techniques [that] are multiple and organise categories of identity into hierarchical binaries. This means that… heterosexual as the opposite (and superior) of homosexual.”

“The reason we did [the NOH8 Campaign] was to raise awareness of homophobia and transphobia,”

senior Riley Hogan said.

In addition to focusing on sexual identity bullying, the NOH8 campaign also seeks to combat other forms of bullying. At the MHS shoot, models held up a sign with a word that has silenced them as a result of bullying. The phrase “NOH8” written on cards represents the ultimate goal of the organization.

MHS embraces this event a year after the Berner GSA’s participation in the event resulted in outrage and a brief suspension of the campaign. Administrators’ main concerns were the subject matter of the event, considering the relatively young age of middle school students, and the fact that the duct-tape across the mouth seemed to resemble a detail of terrorist episodes.

Overall, officials and parents voiced agreement with the central messag-

es promoted by the campaign— tolerance and equality— but felt that the visuals of the photoshoot were not appropriate for young teenagers. However, while certainly pertaining to the controversy of sexual identity, the GSA’s photoshoot was meant to promote acceptance of all people.

“There is a common misconception attached to GSA. Most think it is just for people of the LGBT community. In fact, nothing can be further from the truth,” Mr. Draper said.

“It is called the Gay and Straight Alliance, so it is an inclusive club for all members of our school community. In participating in the NOH8 Campaign, we focused our attention on their goal to stand against discrimination and bullying.”

In short, the GSA extends its membership to all students regardless of sex-

ual orientation and focuses on the larger-scope problem of bullying against anyone.

Already thinking ahead, “Next campaign, we will do everything in a one-week time period,” Mr. Draper said. “It was too spread out [this time] and it lost a bit of steam because of that issue.”

More cohesive organization of the event aims at the main goal of the GSA club-getting everyone in the school community involved. “With a GSA club, youth break through the isolation to find support from peers and school staff,” Mr. Draper said.

The GSA club invites all to become advocates and allies in eradicating the hurtful messages and destructive prejudice directed at those who are not society’s image of perfection.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY MR. DRAPER

Sticks and Stones | Students and teachers show immunity to hateful language by revealing a word that has silenced them in the past.

THE CHIEF 2 NEWS Board of Education votes, Berner to include 6th graders in 2017

APRIL 15, 2016

BY SAMANTHA BLASCO STAFF WRITER

The word is out— the final decision has been made on the wild debate of the sixth graders transferring to Berner Middle School. On February 9, members of the Board of Education approved the reconfiguration of our district.

Superintendent Mrs. Lucille Iconis has been advocating for this movement for many years, and now it is officially happening.

“This is an exciting and transformational time in our district,“ Mrs. Iconis said.

“Moving grade 6 to Berner will create a true middle level learning environment and open limitless opportunities to our students.”

This change will result in no negative effects to the teachers or staff members in the sixth grade. In fact, it will create more job opportunities for prospective teachers.

This will also give sixth graders the chance to take a foreign language a year earlier than what normally would have happened. After the transition, sixth graders will have the chance to take a language every other day.

These big movements will be happening September 2017, the earliest. Mr. Esposito loves the idea of welcoming more kids into the building.

“It should be a rich oppor-

tunity for our students. I think it will really better prepare students for high school.” Mr. Esposito said. “It’s overwhelmingly beneficial.”

Adding a whole new grade of children to Berner will influence all of the departments, especially the middle school music department.

“I am confident the music department at Berner will adjust very easily to the changes being made,” Jeremy Einhart,

a Berner Music teacher said. “I look forward to having more students, more music, and more performances throughout our building.”

All in all, this decision made by The Board of Education will benefit our community. “The District’s goal is to create the most outstanding middle school possible,” Mrs. Iconis said. “[by] working together we can make this aspiration a reality.”

Foreign language festival: a night of culture, travel, and food

BY KAITLYN LUCEY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Students with the desire to travel around the world did not have to look far to do it, as Massapequa High School’s Foreign Language Festival gave them the opportunity to do so.

On March 16, 2016, Massapequa’s L.O.T.E department hosted the annual Foreign Language Festival, bringing large crowds and teaching attendees about foreign culture and languages.

Equipped with “passports,” children and their parents traveled from decorated classroom to decorated classroom and participated in student-run activities in order to learn about various cultures.

They definitely had a plethora of choices that matched the district’s broad language offerings— Spanish, French, German, Mandarin, and ASL (American Sign Language) were all represented.

“I think the kids had a great time at the foreign language festival,” junior and National Art Honor Society volunteer Emily Fasano said. “It helped them learn about different cultures in a fun way.”

Want to eat delicious crepes in “France” or decorate gingerbread in “Germany”?

What about making your own Guatemalan worry doll? It was all possible at this year’s Foreign Language Festival, mainly due to the fantastic level of volunteerism provided by

MHS students.

Indeed, without student participation, it is likely that the Foreign Language Festival would not have been such a success. Each classroom was seemingly packed with costumed students teaching children about the country they were representing. Additionally, volunteers from the National Art Honor Society contributed to the spirit of international culture that was present at the event by painting flags on the faces of attendees.

Perhaps everyone’s favorite part of the Foreign Language Festival was the food.

Tables in MHS’ dual cafeterias were practically overflowing during the event. In addition to catering from Chinese and

Italian restaurants, many students chose to bring in food representing the culture of choice.

“It was amazing to see all the food at the festival,” senior Victoria Remi, who takes ASL (American Sign Language) said. “It really represented so many different cultures... which was in line with the spirit of the event.”

Although the food and arts-and-crafts were fun additions to the event, the true purpose remained clear: education and appreciation of world cultures. Many of those who attended were too young to begin learning languages— district students begin learning a language when they transition to Berner Middle School— yet

Shindig in the barn: dance if you C.A.R.E

BY DANIELLE ANZELONE COPY EDITOR

PROVIDED BY MRS. MCCARTHY

Square dancing: A physical education unit of great controversy and mixed feelings.

However, Shindig in the Barn, a school-hosted event featuring square dancing and a live caller, always seems to have a great turn out.

The Cancer Awareness Reaching Everyone Club, also known as the C.A.R.E. club, has run Shindig in the Barn for over 30 years. Each year they have raised about $1000 to donate to either a local family in need or a cancer hospital.

The club members work to create a bigger impact for their actions because they work off of donations and give the proceeds to those in the community.

“Something really important that we do that not a lot of cancer organizations do is donate directly to families. People don’t always realize how affected families are financially by cancer, not only emotionally or physically,” senior Tanner Knabe said.

This method of donation differs greatly from most organizations because “you don’t know how much these families are actually getting by the

time it goes through all the [paid] workers,” junior Lauren Mehr said.

Aside from Shindig in the Barn, the C.A.R.E. club also holds bake sales every month, sells pink hair extensions in October, runs “Make Cents of Cancer,” and hosts a 5k every November. As with Shindig, all money raised by these events is donated directly to local families or to cancer centers.

Members of the club enjoy being a part of such a great community with heart-warming goals.

“Being a part of this club just makes me feel like a better person,” senior Jackie Herer said.

The bake sales held each month take place in the gym lobby, yet the dates vary. What makes the bake sales unique is that they correlate with the type of cancer assigned to the month. Each month, the club aims to raise awareness of a different type of cancer, and baked goods sold will often be the colors of a certain cancer’s awareness colors. The money raised is gathered and donated to a family within Massapequa dealing with cancer.

Yee-haw | Students square dance for a cause.

During the month of Oc“Run because you tober, breast cancer aware- C.A.R.E.” is a 5k walk/run ness month, pink hair exten- held in November that welsions are sold to students and comes the whole community. teachers in order to raise both The 2015-2016 school year’s awareness and funds for can- event was the first, but due to cer victims. Money raised its success, members plan on from this event goes to “Mak- continuing it for many years ing Strides,” a walk for breast to come. Runners are providcancer. ed with a t-shirt, free bagels “Make Cents of Cancer” and water for just $10. Baked is held in the fall and lasts for goods are also sold at the event a week. Homeroom teachers to help increase the amount of collect loose change from stu- funds raised. dents in a bucket and submit Members were very proud it to the club at the end of the of the outcome of the run and week to be donated. Which- have high hopes for next year; ever class turns in the most “I think it was really succhange by the end of said cessful considering we just week is rewarded with a bagel started planning for it in late breakfast.

September and held it in ear-

perhaps they were able to get a head start on which one they may like to take in the future.

In a world that is increasingly international, the very essence of communication— language— is vital. Giving young students the opportunity to explore different languages and cultures before they make their decision on what language they want to learn is invaluable.

Ultimately, the shining success of the Foreign Language Festival is representative of MHS’ thriving language instruction. It goes without saying that this night full of culture, language, and fun is just another stamp on Massapequa’s passport to excellence.

ly November,” Lauren Mehr said.

Although the C.A.R.E. club does a great deal of service for both MHS and those in need, participation from the MHS community is crucial to its success. One of their main concerns is attendance, as it is difficult to keep it high, especially towards the end of the year with the arrival of AP exams and prom season.

For anyone considering joining the club, “you may not know it but there are people in your community that are suffering from cancer, and by joining our club and helping with what we do, you are helping the people around [you],” Tanner Knabe said.

Members of the C.A.R.E. club are credited for community service hours and are eligible for the Hartzel scholarship.

Two seniors who actively participate in the club are selected every year to get the Hartzel scholarship, an award given in honor of Mrs. Hartzel, the P.E. teacher who faced, and defeated, cancer and started the club.

As member Jackie Herer said, “The C.A.R.E. club cares.”

THE CHIEF NEWS MHS DECA has another successful trip to state competition

APRIL 15, 2016

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BY JUSTIN MCGOWAN STAFF WRITER

year a different Massapequa group had came in first place as well and the year before that that same group came in fourth place and made it to nationals. This year their project was to expand a nutritional supplement product overseas to Finland. They had to write a 30 page paper and do a presentation to a panel of judges at the state competition.

“We’re going to Nashville, baby!” senior A.J. Mastrobuoni said.

Joining them will be Kris Kaczorowski, Lincoln Clark, and the author of this article.

These three students received a direct entry to Nationals as they wrote a 50 page paper about the Massapequa High School School Store, commonly referred to as the Trading Post. With the help of Mr. Aromando and Mr. Everitt along with business teachers Mrs. Denise Delury and Mrs. Marianne Conte, they put together a sale of Massapequa High School coffee mugs with assorted candy and sell them around Christmas time. They also participated in a sale of school spirit merchandise.

These sales raised money for the club and, at the same time, helped them write their paper.

In early January, they submitted their paper and heard back about a month later that they would be going to Nationals.

“Since I’ve never been to Nashville, I’m definitely looking forward to this experience.” Kris Kaczorowski said.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY JUSTIN MCGOWAN

In early March, the MHS DECA Club attended the state competition. DECA, or Distributive Education Clubs of America, is an international association of high school students and teachers who have taken interest in or chosen to pursue careers relating to marketing, management, entrepreneurship, finances, hospitality, sales or service. What students do is comparable to what goes on on ABC’s hit TV show Shark Tank as they present in front of a panel of judges at the regional level to make it to states and then in the state level to make it in onto the national competition. Led by advisors Mr. Edward Aromando and Mr. Charles Everitt, the students began their journey to the competition back in September when the club started meeting on Mondays after school.

Sixteen students competed at the regional level in January where they faced about 300 other students from across Nassau County. Sophomore Justin Buckenberger qualified for the state competition in the automotive sales category.

Many of the other students who competed were there to sharpen their presentation skills as they had already secured a spot in the state competition.

This is one of the many great features of DECA — there are many categories in which students write a 10-30 page paper on an assigned subject in order

to go straight to states with a chance at making nationals.

First year members also get a pass right to states.

On March 8, the students boarded a bus for an eight hour ride up to Rochester for the state competition wherein they competed in their respective categories against students from all over New York with a chance to make it on to the International Career Development Conference, which will be held in Nashville, Tennessee in late April of this year.

On Friday March 11 the students found out whether or not they would be moving on to the next round in Nashville.

Seniors Miranda McLeer, Jennie Toutoulis, and Jackie Angelo competed in the sports and entertainment marketing category and, though they didn’t make it on to Nashville, they still came in 7th place; quite the accomplishment considering it was a rather large category, consisting of over 20 other groups. Justin Buckenberger ended up coming in 5th place, one spot away from making nationals but he will still be going to Nashville to attend the DECA leadership conference, an event in which students sharpen their business skills.

For a the third straight year, Massapequa dominated the International Business plan category as a group of seniors, Mark Fedoronko, A.J. Mastrobuoni, and John Merz, came in first place in the category. Last

DECA Diamonds | 7 DECA members headed towards nationals.

“Our hard work has definitely Nationals for five of the sevpaid off.” With MHS DECA en students, they are definitely taking seven students to Na- looking forward to it. tionals, this is the most they’ve “My objective was to brought in a long time. make DECA very active this “The fact that seven stu- year and that has clearly paid dents are attending the Nation- off. Projects such as the school al competition this year shows store and the shoe drive with how much hard work and ded- the Long Island Coalition for ication the students have put the Homeless have given more in and how much progress the students the opportunity to get club has made this year,” club involved and the main reason advisor, Mr. Edward Aroman- interest has grown within the do, said. club,” Mark Fedoronko said, The International Career who is going to Nationals for Development Conference in his third year in a row and is Nashville, commonly referred the club’s presidents. to as “Nashionals” by many In Nashville, the students students, will take place from will be competing against Saturday April 23 through 18,000 other students from Tuesday April 26. across the country as well as “Since it’s my first year Mexico, Puerto Rico, Guam, I’m really looking forward to Virgin Islands, Canada, and the DECA experience, meet- China. Needless to say, these ing people from all over the successful students will repcountry, and visiting the city resent Massapequa on the inof Nashville with the many ternational stage. Good luck to sites that it has to offer,” soph- all! omore Lincoln Clark said.

With this being the first time at

Stem cell research remains contentious issue in 21st century

BY ALEXANDRA DOULOS COPY EDITOR

Science fiction became reality when Dolly the sheep was cloned and survived in 1996, sparking controversy and moral and scientific debate. The cloning of an animal opened a discussion regarding the possibility of cloning humans, or using stem cell research to remedy many of medical issues. This process of cloning in order to study the progression of diseases is known as therapeutic cloning.

Many regard Dolly as the first cloned animal, but Ian Wilmut and his co-researchers actually cloned other living beings before Dolly. Two years before Dolly, two lambs were cloned “via cell nuclear transfer cloning and gestated through birth,” according to Lifenews.com. The process Wilmut followed to clone the lambs involved taking “the cell nuclei out of sheep embryo cells, [placing] each into

a sheep egg that had had its own nucleus removed, [fusing] them, and thereby [generating] cloned sheep embryos.”

The process used in cloning Dolly was very similar, and the only difference “was that the first lambs were made asexually using cells taken from sheep embryos, while Dolly was made asexually from a cell taken from an adult ewe,” also according to Lifenews.com.

These new advances with capabilities in medical technology polarized people into two opposing groups: those who support embryonic stem cell research, and those who oppose it. Researchers and laypeople alike assumed these starkly opposite views.

Proponents of stem cell research and human cloning cite several arguments defending their position. First, they explain that embryonic cells have yet to be coded and can therefore be differentiated into

whatever the scientists need.

Through this process, the cells can be used to study and, more importantly, to treat, diseases and disorders that include “traumatic spinal cord injury, diabetes, Duchenne’s muscular dystrophy, vision and hearing loss as well as heart disease.”

Second, oncologists will find use for embryonic stem cell research. They can “remove the organs affected by cancer and then use the patient’s own stem cells to regrow their own organs,” reducing or even eliminating the risk of organ rejection and death. Third, embryonic stem cells are “easier to isolate, identify and can be purified easily,” making them easier for scientists to work with than adult stem cells, according to OccupyTheory.com.

On the other hand, those against stem cell research believe that life begins at conception and, because harvest-

ing the stem cells requires disassembling of the embryo, it is an immoral scientific pursuit. Supporters of embryonic stem cell research call the cells pluripotent- or “can give rise to all of the cell types that make up the body,” according to NYS Department of Health.

They use the term pluripotent to “to imply that embryonic stem cell cannot make the outer layer of the embryo that is called the trophoblast.” Those opposed to the research explain that “the stem cells that are emptied into the petri dish are able to reform the trophoblast and create an implantable embryo.” Finally, those against stem cell research are so because the process inherently involves chemical manipulation of embryonic cells- that is, cells of a human embryo.

According to National Institutes of Health, human embryonic stem cells have yielded beneficial results for

one patient suffering from AMD (age-related macular degeneration) and one patient suffering from Stargardt disease after phase I trials. “Both patients tolerated the treatment well, and both reported improved vision in the treated eye.”

On this twentieth anniversary of the cloning of mammals, the possibility of cloning humans transitions from science fiction to tangible reality. Most recently, news about Dylan the boxer dog surfaced.

According to The Guardian. com, Dylan, two weeks after his death “posthumously provided the cells for two cloned puppies” Dylan’s owners, Richard Remde and Laura Jacques, are the definitions of animal-lovers and are self-admittedly “dog-mad.” We will see how these pivotal scientific developments play out in the not so distant future as organisms closer and closer to humans are cloned.

APRIL 15, 2016

THE CHIEF 4 EDITORIAL Barbie to become more diverse and body positive

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kaitlyn Lucey MANAGING EDITORS Tim Keuchler Kalleigh Regan

KEIRA PAGANO // THE CHIEF

COPY EDITORS Alexandra Doulos Dave Marques Jackie Angelo Jennie Toutoulis Danielle Anzelone GRAPHIC ARTIST Keira Pagano ADVISOR Elyn Coyle Massapequa High School 4925 Merrick Road Massapequa, NY 11758

Editorial Policy

The Chief, the student newspaper of Massapequa High School, is an open forum to discuss the student body’s issues and concerns.

Members of The Chief will make every effort to publish following the legal definitions of libel, obscenity and invasion of privacy. Consistent with the first amendment of the United States Constitution, the staff also will refrain from printing material that may incite students, be a violation of MHS’ Student Code of Conduct or disrupt school operations.

The editorial board of The Chief welcomes and encourages submitted letters, stories, cartoons and any other feedback to the editor. Please send all submissions to mhsthechief@gmail.com. Letters sent by email may need to be verified by student signature before publishing.

• Although anonymous letters to the editor are not printed, names will be held upon request. The Chief has the right to deny publication of any editorial, column, review or comment.

• Grammatical and/or spelling corrections will be made; however, the content will not be altered.

• Corrections will be printed when mistakes are found or brought to the attention of the staff.

• Original stories will carry bylines, although stories rewritten by someone other than the original author will not receive a byline. Contributing writers will be listed at the end of an article. All bylined writers will be held accountable for their work.

• All columns, reviews or commentary are strictly the opinion of the writer and may not represent opinions held by the school board, administration, sponsors, parents, student body or advertisers.

However, all editorials reflect the viewpoint of The Chief editorial board.

Distribution: 1,700 copies 1,859 students, 194 teachers All papers are free

You can be anything | Barbies now come in four different body types.

KAITLYN LUCEY // THE CHIEF

Barbie: You Can Be Any- from consumers. Many praise increased accessibility of the the iconic doll may conjure up thing. the new shape, believing internet. the image of an idyllic childAt least this is the message that it posits a more realisAlthough this so called hood, one where a fashionable that Mattel, the company that tic body shape.They feel that “Evolution of Barbie” has doll could hang out with her produces Barbie, seeks to put the “curvy” Barbie’s thicker occurred after many years of group of equally fabulous doll forth in its marketing of a new thighs, slightly protruding bel- criticism of Barbie’s unrealis- friends, as well as her boyline of Barbies with new hair ly, and flat feet are much more tic shape, it is likely that these friend, Ken. Or, alternativeand skin colors as as well as representative of the popula- new features are an economic ly, do millennials’ memories new, more realistic body types. tion at large. response of Mattel as well. In of Barbie consist of constant For years, say the name “[The new Barbie] will fact, they may be a strategic comparison of her tiny, unat“Barbie,” and the iconic image lower the chances of self con- maneuver to save face in lieu tainable waist to their own? of a blonde, thin, and fashion- scious young girls and boys,” of declining sales. According Do children even pay atable doll would come to the one student who responded to CNBC, Barbie brand sales tention to the size of their minds of consumers around to an anonymous survey con- are currently at their lowest in doll’s waist? the world. On January 28, ducted by The Chief said. over twenty years, most like“As a kid, I never saw 2016, Mattel set Barbie on a In the age of social media, ly due to competition from Barbies in any way other than new path: one of unabashed children are exposed to new the technology sector. In fact, my really pretty friend,” sediversity and acceptance, in- experiences and people ev- according to the same report, nior Sophia DeVita said. “Alstead of one that championed ery time they open Instagram sales of Barbies peaked in the though my looks didn’t match fitting in. or Snapchat. Barbie’s new late 90s: making the genera- Barbie’s exactly, she never These new dolls, set to be shapes, according to Mattel, tion who had Barbies during made me feel less beautiful.” released throughout the year, are a reflection of what chil- the brand’s golden age eighWhatever the case, it is feature seven new skin tones, dren see every day. In terms teen, seventeen, and sixteen clear that the Barbie brand has several new hair colors and of Kardashians, the new Bar- years old. changed forever. Ultimately, different textures. While these bies cover all of the bases: Thus, it is beyond likely only time will tell how chilfeatures contribute to the more “tall” Kendall Jenner, “petite” that millennials— including dren will react to these new diverse appearance of Barbies Kourtney Kardashian, and current students of Mass- dolls. But who knows? As the brand-wide, the three new “curvy” Kim Kardashian, in- apequa High School— played saying goes, “Life in plastic, body types: “tall,” “petite,” cluded. Thus, the new line of with Barbies when they were it’s fantastic.” and “curvy,” really show a “Fashionista” Barbies has ush- younger. To anyone who marked movement away from ered in diversity to match the played with them as a child, Barbie’s previous “original” form.

Let’s break down the facts. According to Chapman University, if the “original” Barbie was a human, she would be forced to forgo walking and standing erect on two feet, and instead move around on all fours. Due to her unrealistic proportions, Barbie would be considered anorexic, and would not menstruate. In fact, Barbie would be almost five inches taller and thirty pounds lighter than the average American seventeen year old female, according to the Centers for Disease Control, if she were human.

In particular, the new “curvy” shape seems to be gaining the most attention Twitter Poll Results | @TheChiefOnline recieved 35 responses to its March 9th poll.

THE CHIEF OPINION Is the electoral college still effective in today’s society?

APRIL 15, 2016

BY LIAM HIGGINS STAFF WRITER

If one were to ask the average person whether or not citizens play a direct role in electing the President, their answer would be “yes.” However, the correct answer may be a bit more complicated than that.

Instead of agreeing upon a simple popular vote for the President, the Founding Fathers set forth a system known as the Electoral College, in which delegates from each state convene to vote for the president. The number of delegates that a state receives is based on population (although it is not entirely proportional).

However, many are unaware that they do not vote for the President; they vote for the candidate for whom they want their state’s delegates to vote.

In all states but Nebraska and Maine, this is a winner-takeall situation, in which the majority determining determines all of their state’s delegates.

This system may sound fairly reasonable, yet it can present many flaws. Though 21 states and Washington, D.C. have passed laws pro-

hibiting this, delegates are not Constitutionally required to vote in line with the majority of their state. So in the remaining 29 states, delegates can choose whichever candidate they want, effectively denying the people’s voice in the matter.

In addition, the unequal distribution of delegates between the states gives smaller states disproportionate influence over the outcome of the election. Since each state is required to have at least three delegates, two from the Senate and one from the House of Representatives, some delegates are taken away from the larger states. Because of this, each vote is worth more in states that are less populous.Here in New York, votes count less than those of many smaller states. Although highly unlikely, it is entirely possible for a candidate to win the electoral college vote having only gained approximately 21% of the popular vote by only winning small states, according to Fairvote.org.

The electoral college was written into the Constitution because the Founding Fathers

were afraid of completely allowing the popular vote to occur. A less educated general public and rudimentary infrastructure led them to believe that a direct popular vote would be both impractical and dangerous, and created the Electoral College as a safeguard against the “tyranny of the masses.” Today, however, this is no longer valid.

“I think that [the Electoral College] is a very outdated system that was only in use when people didn’t know much about the candidates,” senior Michael Lazard said.

“But now with the internet and television, our votes actually do matter because we know who the candidates are and what they stand for.”

Yet, the Electoral College remains in existence, despite several elections wherein the candidate who received the most popular votes did not become president. This kind of upset occurred several times over the course of American history, in the elections of 1824, 1876, 1888, and 2000.

“The electoral college is significantly problematic because we have had several

instances in which the winner of the popular vote did not become president. Such is the case in the 2000 election in which George W. Bush won.

Also, presidents who win by a slim margin in the popular vote may appear to have a sweeping win in the electoral college,” Advanced Placement American Government and Politics teacher, Mr. Daniel Bachman, said. “Having said that, the electoral college preserves the sovereignty of the state, and until issues like gerrymandering and campaign finance reform are resolved, the electoral college is a necessary evil.”

So what can be used as an alternative to the electoral college should we decide to abolish it? We could adopt a simple majority vote, but this does not mean that the candidate is necessarily chosen by a majority rule. Instead, he or she just happens to get the most out of all candidates. In addition to this, “First Past the Post,” the name for this system, nearly always guarantees a two-party system and discontent amongst voters.

However, there is a system

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which could be more beneficial to third-party candidates and allow for more variety in presidential elections. This system is known as the Alternative Vote. Under this system, voters rank the candidates in order of preference, and votes are transferred to a candidate that is most favorable.

This makes third parties stronger and gives them a chance to be elected. Under this system, independents, the Green Party, the Libertarian party, and other smaller parties have a chance of winning. This would also decrease partisan gridlock and further diversify the ideas and opinions shaping American politics. With this option for voting, citizens are more accurately represented, and there is more variety in government.

While changing the electoral college may not seem that important as compared to other controversies surrounding American politics, opting for more democratic options would be incredibly beneficial, especially in an era when citizens feel underrepresented and dissatisfied with the current state of affairs.

Rethinking cultural appropriation in wake of controversy

BY DAVE MARQUES COPY EDITOR

Beyoncé Knowles is no stranger to controversy this year, but in a bizarre turn of events, one of her latest scandals has provoked the ire of sociologists instead of TMZ viewers.

In January, Beyoncé made a special guest appearance as a Bollywood actress in the music video for Coldplay’s latest single, “Hymn for the Weekend,” a psychedelic and exuberant depiction of the Indian color festival, Holi. Though the video featured stunning visual effects, they were not enough to defend the pop superstar from vitriolic accusations of “cultural appropriation,” a term previously unknown outside of academic and social justice circles.

Fordham Law professor Susan Scafidi was among the first to discuss the phenomenon. In her work, Scafidi defines cultural appropriation as “Taking intellectual property, traditional knowledge, cultural expressions, or artifacts from someone else’s culture without permission,” and explains that it is most harmful if the “source community is a minority group that has been oppressed” or if the appropriated object has a high degree

of historical or religious significance.

The controversy surrounding the Boston Museum of Fine Art’s 2015 exhibition of Claude Monet’s 1876 painting “La Japonaise”, which depicts the artist’s wife wearing a kimono, reveals that this interpretation of “cultural appropriation” is not universally held.

When the museum opened a special exhibit in which patrons could don replica kimonos and photograph themselves in front of the painting, mainly American protesters argued that the event constituted cultural appropriation and perpetuated “Orientalism,” or the reduction of Asian cultures to a series of exotic and mysterious stereotypes. However, several Japanese citizens and Japanese-Americans, including the Deputy Consul General of Japan in Boston, viewed the event as a positive example of cross-cultural interaction.

Though highly contentious, Scafidi’s definition of cultural appropriation has its place in modern social justice discussions. Wearing a Native American war bonnet to the Coachella music festival or depicting the Hindu god Ganesh on an Urban Outfitters T-shirt can be considered cultural appropriation, as these

actions take highly significant items and iconography out of their intended social/religious contexts and use them inappropriately. The same would be true of a Chinese retailer selling Purple Hearts as fashion accessories or Egyptian hipsters wearing Papal regalia to a rave.

That being said, the concept of cultural appropriation is often erroneously invoked, and loses its validity outside of a limited number of cases, such as those described above.

Cultural exchange (or “diffusion”) is not the same as cultural appropriation, though the two terms are sometimes used interchangeably. The former is the inevitable result of contact between two or more cultures, and such contact now occurs to an unprecedented degree with the advent of the internet and globalization. It is also now a two-way process. In the era of Imperialism, Western colonists aimed to “civilize” (read: eradicate) non-Western cultures with the imposition of their own languages, religions, and customs; today, however, global influence is no longer limited to Europe and the United States, and consequently cultural exchanges between Western and non-Western nations are much more egalitar-

ian and mutually beneficial in nature.

In the vast majority of cases, adopting elements of another culture is completely harmless. Learning to speak Arabic, tasting Ethiopian cuisine, wearing the latest Korean youth fashion, and listening to Spanish rap music are not examples of cultural theft or misuse (as the term “appropriation” implies) because the context of usage is the same in both the source culture and the adopting culture.

Furthermore, “dance...music, language… [and] cuisine,” which are among the cultural elements that Scafidi considers off-limits for non-members, are meant for use in everyday life rather than in sacred ceremonies.

Another puzzling aspect of Scafidi’s definition of cultural appropriation is the notion that culture is something “owned” and has specific owners that set the rules for its usage. Take this scenario, for example: a family consists of two grandparents who came to the US from India. Their son, who is assimilated into American culture, has his own daughter, who is half white and half Indian. Which member of the family has the strongest claim to “ownership” over Indian

culture?

Culture is fluid, intangible, and constantly changing.

If the son in this hypothetical family adds Indian seasonings to a Texas-style BBQ meal, does this devalue his own Indian culture? Of course not.

It would be absurd to assert, therefore, that a non-Indian chef fusing Indian and American flavors is degrading Indian culture, which has thrived for millennia.

The fact remains that the dynamics of culture are complex, and are bound to be become even more so as the world grows increasingly interconnected. The notion that all cross-cultural interaction is appropriation therefore runs counter to reality, and furthermore reflects a dangerous trend in modern politics and activism- the painting of issues with nuances and shades of grey as issues with concrete, black and white distinctions between right and wrong.

It is true that cultural appropriation exists and should be addressed, but in fighting for social justice one must be able to distinguish between stereotyping a culture, accidentally misusing cultural elements, and respectful cultural exchange.

THE CHIEF

APRIL 15, 2016

6

Aerify 3.6: for a be

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Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.

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Aerify means to cleanse the air, and is something that we can all do locally.

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Albert Einstein once said “Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” Such an inspirational and accurate quote should be remembered on Earth Day, April 22.

With the renowned international holiday right around the corner, you may soon feel obliged to spend some time with nature. If you really want to make a difference in your own community, joining the Aerify 3.6 team is right for you. Members of the team strive to improve the environment through small, yet effective, acts of community service.

Since the team began in the 2014 - 2015 school year, members have done a terrific job of helping the local environment.

In just one year, students organized a cleanup at our campus, planted a symbolic white dogwood tree, and hosted a picnic lunch after a cleanup at Brady Park. Although these actions may seem small, the advisor of the Aerify 3.6 team, Mr. Robert Hempel, reminds us

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We chose the white dogwood because they help cleanse the air just by being planted.

”

that “something as simple as planting a tree can help absorb CO2 emissions that are causing weird weather patterns.”

The team started when a few of Mr. Hempel’s 10th grade students took interest in a book they were reading in class— Hot, Flat, and Crowded by Thomas L. Friedman, a 2008 New York Times bestseller. After Hurricane Sandy, students began to take a real interest in Tom Friedman’s thesis on global warming and its causes and effects on the environment.

Mr. Hempel truly appreciates the authentic concerns of the Aerify team. “One of my favorite things about this team is that it came out of a book: reading, learning,and becoming more aware,” he said.

Drafting a team name was a group effort.

“Aerify means to cleanse the air, and is something that we all can do locally, by planting a tree. Three point six refers to the U.N.’s measure and goal for countries and companies to roll back the ambient global temperature to 3.6, below pre-industrialization temperatures,” said Mr. Hempel. This name identifies the group’s purpose as they are an environmentally based, “student-driven team.”

Their official symbol, the white dogwood tree, was also chosen after careful research.

“We chose the white dogwood because it is among the top 10 species that are very effi-

cient [in absorbing] CO2, so, they help cleanse the air just by being planted. They are also white flowered, which symbolizes purity and cleanliness,” Mr. Hempel said.

The mission of the team is to “to raise awareness, educate, and take practical action,” according to senior Joe Prusan. Eventually, they also want to take practical actions to improve the quality of the water, and soil, as well. Addressing the air is just the start.

The tremendous amount of work done thus far includes a mass garbage cleanup at MHS main campus last April, which had a turnout of more than 50 students! They also partnered with Brady Park on this cleanup day and had a fun lunch and picnic. On top of this, students gathered a few days prior to plant a tree “which is symbolic yet also practical as it is beautiful” in Mr. Hempel’s view.

Although the Aerify 3.6 team seems to be very successful, they are in need of business partners, educational partners, and authored partners in order to grow in influence. Currently, the club is proud to call the Citizens Campaign for the Environment (CCE) in Farmingdale a partner as well as Stony Brook University. Building more relationships with local colleges will get their message across in a more formal, career-oriented way. Another partner group that would make a great addition to the Aerify team is our own environmental science students, since the purpose of the team is to grow membership of students who have calling—interested—beyond interest in booking community service hours.

The team is looking for students who would be in-

THE CHIEF

APRIL 15, 2016

etter, cleaner earth terested in joining either the planning team or field activities team, or both.

“We really need more hands in the field,” Mr. Hempel said.

These students will get community service hours for participating in field activities, which will be a win-win-win relationship supporting the needs of high school students, the Aerify team, and our natural environment.

According to junior Sarah Whelan, there is set of goals for new members. Aerify believes that it is very important to “continue the student legacy, recruit young kids, eventually spread districtwide, and be more of a presence in the field.”

Recently, the club held a fundraiser to purchase an Aerify 3.6 tree at Ames, like the one planted on the front lawn of MHS last year. The money raised will may also goes towards purchasing plaques, marking the purpose of the trees. “Trees cost around $200 because we don’t want seeds, we want saplings so you can actually see them right away,” Joe Prusan said. “We estimate a few hundred dollars should cover costs for both the plaque for the Aerify tree on our lawn and for the one to be planted at Ames.”

In regards to upcoming events, the club will be hosting a cleanup at Massapequa High School on April 16th as well as a tree planting at Ames on April 20. These events will help the students realize their goals to expand to the community. However, this can only happen if there is double the support in student involvement. To join the second clean up, look for sign-ups at

bake sales in the gym lobby, during the first two weeks of April. Continuing these events will help the Aerify team to achieve their long-term goal: to expand into the community.

“We want to make sure the student body understands it first and want to accept it into student life,” Sarah said. “At that point, we can spread out into the community.”

Mr. Hempel has a unique thesis in regards to the impact the environment has on us and what we can do to prevent toxicity: “I am also involved in Catch A Wave and it’s amazing how people can make a clear connection and give their time and money to a cancer center for children, but very few people make a connection between a toxic environment that just might be causing cancer in pregnant women as well as the children in their wombs, through environmental toxicity. Maybe some of this cancer is caused by the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat. What if we could get ahead of these illnesses, by rebirthing a cleaner Earth, so people are breathing better air, drinking cleaner water, eating safer foods: which, in effect, would lead to less cancer,” he said.

Mr. Hempel has high hopes for the future of the team, even years from now.

“There’s a long-term vision here and that’s not easy to achieve, so even though it’s probably a more difficult vi-

“ sion to achieve than Catch a Wave, it’s compelling to me,” he said.

“It sounds corny, but it’s our Earth and we need to take of it,” Mr. Hempel said.

“One of my favorite things about the team is what it stands for and the message it sends, especially because I’m really passionate about the environment,” Joe Prusan said.

“I love the people on the team.

I’ve known Mr. Hempel since 10th grade so it’s a great experience.”

The Aerify 3.6 team can really use all the help it can get, so, if you are interested, contact Mr. Hempel and he will be sure that you are invited to the next team meeting.

One hope that Mr. Hempel has is that Aerify “becomes a way of life, more of a norm rather than something new— that there’s less debate about causes for, and more concern and action.”

And, as junior Sarah Whelan put it, “It’s just a swell time.”

It sounds corny, but it’s our Earth and we need to take of it.

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Rebirth the Earth.

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R e m e m b e r, Earth Day is April 22!

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”

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THE CHIEF SCHOOL NEWS Impressive number of students “Catch a Wave for Winthrop”

APRIL 15, 2016

BY RYANN REGAN STAFF WRITER

Summer seems to be everyone’s favorite time of year. Catch a Wave, a student concert and fundraiser for Winthrop University Hospital’s Pediatric Cancer Center, brought it to the halls of MHS on March 18.

The event was crowded with students, families, and teachers admiring the beach themed hallways, listening to music, and having a great time while donating to a wonderful cause. Without a doubt, Catch A Wave was once again a major success.

The beach themed hallway, otherwise known as “The Boardwalk,” opened at 5:30pm, and featured bake sales by many Massapequa High School clubs. Some participating clubs included

Boys Track, Mock Trial, National Art Honor Society, and Visions Magazine. As people entered into the high school, many stopped to buy raffles, while others laid out their beach towels in the gymnasium, listeing to beach themed music that played live from the WMHS studio.

Attendees at the concert were amazed at the decorations provided by the National Art Honor Society, under the leadership of seniors Alison Agnew and Christopher Bal. The concert began at 7:30pm with a fantastic performance by students Gina Liguori and Lauren Schmelzle. The concert also featured MHS a cappella groups, such as the Chordettes and the Crooners. The audience listened and sang along as beach balls were thrown around the

crowd. “[Catch A Wave was] an awesome opportunity to raise money for a good cause and have fun at the same time,” senior Matt Greene, who performed in the concert, said.

Other speakers included Sadie Freifeld, an eight year old cancer survivor, who inspired Catch A Wave. She gave a heartfelt speech about what this charity meant for her. She also reminded the crowd that “there are still many kids who have to fight cancer like [she] did.” It was clear that as much fun as Catch a Wave is, it is an invaluable charity event with its grounding in supporting the fight against cancer.

Before Sadie left the stage, everybody sang her an early Happy Birthday, since her ninth birthday was a few days away.

Before evolving into a concert, Catch A Wave began as a Story Box Project, started by the Art, English, and Technology departments. A few years ago, students designed a permanent installation at Winthrop Hospital that featured games and other activities in the hope that children with cancer could forget about their medical condition, even if it were only a minute or two.

This year, Catch A Wave was planned by seniors Sydney Tamburello, Danielle Coggins, Claire Korber, Chloe Purick, and Mike Pevsner.

They certainly did a wonderful job of planning this event, and succeeded in turning the school into a tropical venue. “[Students had been] planning since June of last year,” senior Sydney Tamburello said. “...It was definitely worth

8

it because there was a huge turnout, and when you set a goal of ten thousand dollars, you have to start planning early.”

Additionally, English teacher, Mr. Robert Hempel and Art teacher, Mrs. Gale Domingo, helped oversee the project. “I was so honored to work with such a fantastic group of students who donated their time to such a great cause,” Art teacher and event organizer Mrs. Gale Domingo said.

This year’s Catch A Wave was a great success, and allowed many students, teachers, and families to have good time while supporting a good cause. The proceeds of the event will be graciously donated to Winthrop University Hospital’s Pediatric Cancer Center.

GRAPHIC DESIGN BY DAVID MILLER AND KAITLYN LUCEY / PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIDGET TIERNEY

THE CHIEF FEATURE Drama Club’s Cinderella dazzles and enchants audience

APRIL 15, 2016

BY SAMANTHA BLASCO STAFF WRITER

PROVIDED BY ISLAND PHOTOGRAPHY

The high school’s production of the well-known classic, Cinderella, directed

by Mr. Kevin F. Harrington, enchanted the audience with exceptional singing and animated acting on the evenings of March 4 and 5.

Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella brought the fairytale that everyone knows and loves to life. The musical tells the story of an unwanted peasant girl named Ella, played by senior Hannah Bentivegna, who is taken in by her evil stepmother and two stepsisters. With the help of her fairy godmother, she arrives at the ball where her true love Prince Topher, played by senior Brian Smith, will be searching for a royal bride.

In this musical rendition of the classic Cinderella story, there are a few differences that distinguish it from the Disney movie. First, there are not one, but two banquets that Prince Topher cordially invites the townspeople to attend. The first ball was created to find a bride for his soon to be wedding day, and the second ball was held to find the girl of his dreams that slipped away the first night.

Second, the musical features original music written by legendary Broadway composers Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein in place of the famous Disney soundtrack.

In this version of the fairy tale, Cinderella’s main song is “In My Own Little Corner” instead of the famous “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes,” and the fairy godmother’s original song is not “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo” but rather the whimsical “Fol-De-Rol.” The performance was filled with stunning costume changes, including the magical transformation of Cinderella’s rags into a beautiful ball gown. To make this magical moment happen swiftly, Hannah Bentivegna had to quickly twirl around while untying a knot holding both dresses together. On the Friday night performance, there seemed to be a small malfunction— the swirling around and shimmering of lights came to an end but the knot wouldn’t budge.

Hannah played it off very well by turning this incident into a funny, humorous moment for the audience and for the actors on stage.

“The show must go on!

Even if there are problems that occur on stage you have to stay in character and do your

best to keep the show moving along,” Hannah Bentivegna said.

Senior David Markey took on the powerful role of Jean-Michel, a poor man who is determined to never give up on his dream—to stand by his beliefs and fight for fair treatment for all of the kingdom’s people.

Another standout actress in the musical was Maria Leonardi, who played Marie, the fairy godmother. As everyone knows, the fairy godmother not only grants Cinderella’s wish but also serves as a symbol of hope and ambition. She is characterized as a motherly figure who is optimistic and kind. In this altered fairy tale of Cinderella, Marie is known as “Crazy Marie” for her ugly appearance that prevents the other characters from taking her seriously. Halfway through the show, the audience discovers that it was all an act; she is actually beautiful with magical powers, making her the fairy godmother.

“While the tale of Cinderella is somewhat simplistic, so many life lessons are present in the text. I hope that those who saw the production understood that everyone has control over their choices in life.

And, through those choices, anything is possible,” director Mr. Kevin Harrington said.

The MHS pit orchestra dazzled the audience yet again. Several of the show’s songs, such as “Gavotte” and “Waltz for a Ball,” displayed their spectacular musical talent.

“I’m glad I was given the opportunity to join the musical and contribute my talents to the Pit Orchestra,” said senior Emily Li. “At first, playing the music seemed daunting, but in the end all of us were able to give a fantastic show.”

For some of the actors, this musical was their last performance on the MHS stage.

“I had a great experience in my last show because I got to spend it with such great people,” senior Alexia Castle, who played Madame, the evil stepmother, said.

All in all, Massapequa has put on another memorable show.

“I feel so blessed to share my passion for musical theatre with the students of Massapequa High School,” Mr. Harrington said. “To present a fully-staged Broadway musical is a complex task. I am so proud of all the students who participated in the production.”

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The Prince is Giving a Ball | MHS’ magical production of Cinderella was a success.

HEALTHY HABITS FOR SPRING THE CHIEF Cyberbullying still exists: here’s how to get rid of the bullies

APRIL 15, 2016

BY GABRIELLA DIPAOLA STAFF WRITER

person, and not worry about them. Only worry about yourself,” she said.

The worst thing to do when you are being cyberbullied is to keep it all inside. Tell someone you trust, like your parents, a teacher or a trusted adult. The hurt can build up inside and take away your self confidence. If you don’t tell anyone and keep it bottled up inside, you would ultimately be hurting yourself in the end.

Let others help you face your problems and don’t be embarrassed to let others know about what you are facing.

Mrs. Marascia also had some ideas on how cyberbullying could be avoided completely. “From a very idealistic point of view, I think that when a parent buys a child a cell phone, there needs to be conversation about that, “ she said. “About responsibil-

Hard Facts

GABRIELLA DIPAOLA // THE CHIEF

You scroll through the very long list of the comments on your last Tweet. “You’re stupid,” the first one reads.

“Stay away.” “No one likes you.” “How can someone be so ugly?” The thought of having a good day at school has suddenly disappeared as the tears stream down your face.

You are a victim of cyberbullying. Cyberbullying has become an epidemic that needs to be stopped in its tracks.

Why does it happen and what can we do to stop it?

According to stopcyberbullying.gov, examples of cyberbullying include “mean text messages or emails, rumors sent by email or posted on social networking sites, and embarrassing pictures, videos, websites, or fake profiles.”

Mrs. Diane Marascia,

social worker at MHS, gave some input on the cyberbullying. When face to face, “the irrational brain that reacts in the moment has some time where the emotions calm down and the rational brain takes over and impulsive decisions aren’t carried through. With cyberbullying, it’s instantaneous,” Mrs. Marascia said. “The thought comes, you don’t have to go and seek the person out, you don’t have to do anything but find them on your phone and boom; it’s done.”

There are many ways that this can be stopped and many ways that you can protect yourself from the harm that cyberbullying can cause. Touria Behammou, a tenth-grader at MHS, had some useful tips on how to protect yourself and how to be happy with who you are. “You can block the person, not associate with the

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Cyberbullies | Stop the hate. ity and about treating people [right.]”

Bullies: when you bully, you end up hurting more than just that one person. Your ac-

1. About 43% of kids have been cyberbullied at least once or multiple times.

2. 68% of teens believe that cyber bullying has become an epidemic and is a big problem.

3. Only 1 in 10 people have trusted an adult with their problems with cyberbullying.

4. Victims of bullying are 2 to 9 times more likely to commit suicide due to the problems they are facing.

5. 75% of students admit to bullying another student on a website or social media. tions have repercussions. Cyberbullying has been going on for too long. It’s time to end the issue and start being kind to one another.

Eat healthier this spring: take baby steps

BY SAMANTHA BLASCO STAFF WRITER

As Popeye the Sailorman would say, you have to eat your spinach in order to get stronger. Many high school students have disregarded this advice and continue to eat sugary, unhealthy treats.

Massapequa High School is taking steps to achieve students who are educated about a healthier diet.

Teens and young adults should be building healthy food and physical activity habits to help them not only with their body but to show others that a healthy routine can change someone’s life for the better. According to MyPlate. gov, the appropriate way to eat sufficiently is dependent on balance; one has to enjoy vegetables, fruits, grains, protein

foods, dairy and oils in moderation. MyPlate is a resource that teachers and students can use to interact with the lifestyles of eating healthy.

“It offers portion control along with maintaining sugar levels,” Massapequa High School Registered Nurse, Mrs. Nolan, said. “It’s a great balance of foods.”

MyPlate.gov gives children and adults the opotunity to try new ways of eating and living habits that can effect people’s lives for the better.

Massapequa students are required to take at least one health class over their four years spent as a high school student. Health class teachers encourages students to take the right path into a nourishing lifestyle. Health Teacher Mr. Draper shows students the

outcomes to healthier choices. “[MyPlate.gov] is a great tool for students. But in the end, [diet] depends on where you are from and who your family members are,” Mr. Draper said.

Massapequa School District is taking initiative in this healthy lifestyle by offering students nutritious alternatives to traditional unhealthy foods.

“We offer students the Salad Bar everyday- we only fry the french fries. We bake everything else.” Lunch Supervisor, Maria, said.

Since MHS offers an open campus, many students choose to eat out for lunch. Healthy options at nearby restaurants include salads and wraps at Bagel Cafe, Town Bagel, and Zona, or flatbreads and smoothies at Tropical Smooth-

ie Cafe. Additionally, Zim Zari offers salads and some healthy tacos.

Of course every night should end with a delicious ice cream bar or some cookies dipped in milk, but is that always the smart thing to do?

Kids would have a much more difficult time holding back from all the goodies, but this doesn’t mean yummy sugary treats they have to be ruled out altogether. Mr. Draper is a “fan of moderation.” He believes that “if you stop eating junk foods completely, then you lose motivation.”

With all the support from the Massapequa staff and websites that are provided, children and adults can continue to create a healthy lifestyle for themselves and their families, one step at a time.

Top Healthy Foods: 1. Apples are like warriors fighting off damaging substances that are in your body!

2. Almonds do a great job at maintaining healthy levels of cholesterol!

3. Broccoli fights off the enemy called heart disease!

4. Blueberries are little doctors who make sure our body is working properly!

5. Oily Fish give us gifts to provide protection for our heart and nervous system!

6. Leafy Green Vegetables protect us from getting type 2 diabetes!

7. Sweet Potatoes provide presents for our body such as Vitamins A and C! 8. Avocados decreases our blood cholesterol levels!

Procrastinate? Here’s how to kick the habit

BY SHANNON BRUST STAFF WRITER

It’s Sunday night— past the time you should be sleeping so you can wake up on time and refreshed for school the next morning. But you can’t go to sleep yet— you still have all of your homework left to do. You’ve had days to finish it, but you never found the time or you were always distracted or maybe you just did not want to do it. All of your stress and anxiety is building up. Why? Because you waited until the last minute to complete your work.

Most students at one point or another in their lives have procrastinated, or put

off doing their work until the last minute. A study from the Huffington Post shows that at about 85% of high school students procrastinate.

Procrastination may sometimes seem like the easy way out at the time because it’s easy to promise yourself to do it all the next day. But it all catches up to you in the end.

A professor at Ohio State, Bruce Tuckman held an experiment to see how procrastination affects college students.

His studies proved that students who procrastinated more often get the lower grades and their averages dropped as low as a 2.9 out of 4.0.

Not only does procrastination negatively affect your grades, but it also hurts your health. Anybody who’s ever waited until the last minute to do all their work knows the stress and anxiety that comes along with it.

“Procrastination only increases your stress and not only the mental effects of anxiety, but it brings the physical consequences as well,” psychology teacher, Ms. Catherine Citrano, said.

Sometimes it’s a conscious choice to put off work, but other times it’s just a careless mistake. Yet, the reason why doesn’t change how you’re af-

fected by it.

“I have no self-control,” junior, Wendy Roque said. “... there’s tv shows and Netflix, and I tell myself ‘I’ll just do it later.’”

There are ways to turn yourself around. If you can learn to avoid procrastinating than you’ll be able to take some stress off yourself.

“Break up the task into smaller parts,” Ms. Citrano said. “Psychologic tests show that when you complete each small task at a time you motivate yourself more and retain more of the information.”

Students already stress over things that are out of their

control; try to avoid doing the same for something you can change. The best thing you can do to avoid procrastination is to plan out some work to do each day. That way the workload doesn’t seem as heavy and it will get done on time for its due date!

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2.

3.

4.

5.

5 Tips on how to avoid procrastination Break down the work into smaller tasks.

Isolate yourself from your phone, tv, computer, etc.

Make a to-do list of everything you need to do.

Set goals.

Stop putting it off and just get it done!

APRIL 15, 2016

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

THE CHIEF

11

#FreeKesha: explaining the social media phenomenon

BY TIM KEUCHLER MANAGING EDITOR

of time that has passed since an incidence of abuse should not be a factor in determining the validity of the accusation.

In many cases the emotional distress caused by the abuse can impede a person from coming forward sooner.”

Of course, this caused an uproar on social media, with fans and ordinary internet-goers flabbergasted that the United States Justice system failed an alleged rape victim who now has to, by law, produce six more albums with the man who made her life a living hell. The hashtag “#FreeKesha” went viral, with millions of people sending out tweets and posts while using it. Other hashtags and trends like “#SonySupportsRape” and “Drop Luke to Free Kesha” also emerged. During this time, the numerous petitions aiming to reverse the decision received more than 400,000 combined signatures.

In Kesha’s defense, Lady Gaga (who has tweeted in support of her, met with her in person, and dedicated her Oscars performance to her), and dozens of her colleagues, vocalists, producers, actors and actresses alike, rushed to her side, offering their thoughts, sympathy and help during this tough time.

“Standing with Kesha through this traumatic, deep-

TIM KEUCHLER // THE CHIEF

“We’re gonna shake the tree until that leaf that has Kesha on it falls right off,” Lady Gaga stated in a radio interview on March 7 with Carson Daly.

If you’re a mainstream Top 40 regular listener, you’ve probably realized by now that pop music is missing one of its most captivating, recognizable stars, and has been for almost four years now—Kesha.

Long periods of absence in the music business can be detrimental to one’s career. Kesha has remained “out of sight, out of mind” since 2013, when she was featured on Pitbull’s number one hit single “Timber. ” Her long hiatus has fans worried that she may not be as successful as she once was and that the general public has forgotten about her—a scary thought for any musician.

However, this seemingly random break wasn’t intentional. What artist in their prime would give up years of their youth, something so vital in staying relevant in music today, for no reason? Many people suspected that there was more to the story than just Kesha’s disappearance from the public eye, but in recent weeks the reason has finally become clear.

Back in October 2014,

Kesha sued longtime producer Lukasz Gottwald, who is mostly known by his stage name, Dr. Luke, for multiple charges including gender violence and sexual assault. Gottwald was the man who discovered Kesha and signed her to his record label Kemosabe Records. Kesha claimed that Gottwald drugged her with the powerful tranquilizer Rophynol (“roofies”) when she was 18 and raped her and in later months, she filed a preliminary injunction in attempt to escape her contract that binds her to the man she claims abused her.

On February 19, however, things did not work out in Kesha’s favor, causing a social media eruption. Her long delayed court battle with Dr. Luke finally came to an end when she was denied the right to record with other producers.

Despite the ongoing protests outside the courthouse, New York Supreme Court Justice Shirley Kornreich claimed Kesha’s contract was highly negotiated and that there wasn’t enough evidence to support her rape claims.

Many disagree with the Judge’s decision. “The propensity of society to rush to disbelief when someone openly discusses past sexual abuse is far too high,” MHS social studies teacher Mrs. Alexis Kalamaras said. “The amount

#FreeKesha | Fans rally behind singer-songwriter Kesha. ly unfair time,” singer Lorde Kesha.” tweeted. “Send good vibes her Students also have strong way everyone.” opinions on Kesha’s current Producers Zedd and Jack legal battle.

Antonoff showed their support “I think it is completely as well by offering to produce dehumanizing for Kesha,” jumusic for Kesha while mega- nior Katrina Parubleva said. star Taylor Swift quietly gave “It should be completely alher $250,000 to cover her le- lowed for her, and any sort gal fees. of artist to be allowed to not Chorus teacher and music work with someone regardless expert Mrs. Ilena Dempsey of money and contracts. Even supports the artists who are if an artist feels uncomfortable standing up for each other on with anyone they work with such big issues. or vise versa, they should be “I was happy to see such allowed to not work them and support from other artists that make the music they want to.” know the music business and “I’m pretty excited for how corrupt it can be,” Mrs. how [Kesha’s] going to inspire Dempsey said. “It seems hard others who have had similar for them to even say too much, issues as her [in her new muthey know some artists get sic],” Parubleva said. “I can themselves into a bad situation see herself reinventing herself because they want to make it and making this whole probin the music industry. It is such lem into something inspiring.” an unfortunate situation for

10 Cloverfield Lane: psychological thriller or boring cliché?

BY JACKIE ANGELO COPY EDITOR

Without a doubt, extraterrestrials have inspired countless movies. In fact, the premise of extraterrestrial infiltration has created its own cliche: otherworldly beings conquer the world and always leave survivors who end up fighting back. To many, this premise is known and has been

seen too many times. However, 10 Cloverfield Lane delves deeper into the world of aliens and creates a different kind of experience than does the typical Sci-Fi Horror film.

10 Cloverfield Lane is the second installment in the “Cloverfield” movie franchise, which tells stories about different people surviving with an alien invasion. In the first

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Extraterrestrial | 10 Cloverfield Lane is a new style of horror.

movie, Cloverfield, a group of friends in a major city tried to survive an alien attack. The entire movie was filmed from the characters’ point of view, as they used “found footage” from their video camera that they carried around amidst the chaos.

Unlike the first movie, 10 Cloverfield Lane had a rather unexpected appeal to it—its setting. The majority of the film was set in a bunker in rural Louisiana, and showed the alien invasion from a radically different perspective, as compared to the first movie. Directed by Dan Trachtenberg, the movie was based less on jump scares and running from a monster, and was more of a psychological thriller that made the audience question every move the characters made.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead played Michelle, a girl who was mysteriously taken to the safety bunker built by Howard (played by John Goodman).

She is met by Emmet (John Gallagher), who managed to

make his way into the bunker when the aliens attacked Throughout the movie, the audience is constantly questioning Howard’s true intentions, whether there really is an alien attack, and whether he rescued or kidnapped Michelle. We also see the unveiling of some of the character’s deep secrets as they spend more time in the bunker.

The overall premise was surprising, considering the first movie was based solely on aliens and fighting for survival. However, in this movie, the audience wondered if the only thing to be scared of was Howard and what his real intentions were.

It is understandable that many reviews harshly criticized this movie. After the success of first movie, people flocked to theatres to see the second installment of the franchise. However, instead of an action-packed blockbuster, audiences found themselves watching a slow-moving film, filled with long pauses and intense dialogue, and almost

no sight of aliens. In fact, throughout the entire movie, it is unclear whether or not aliens are even invading, or if it’s just Howard playing mind games.

Despite this, it is a movie that one must watch with an open mind. The cinematography is absolutely incredible, as it really captures emotions and creates psychological suspense. Trachtenberg did a phenomenal job directing scenes that blurred the lines between truth and lies. At one point in the film, it seemed that the main character Michelle was crazy, and that there was going to be a twist that would turn everything upside down.

But that wasn’t the case— there was no twist, no amazing ending, and almost no aliens.

Overall, the movie had potential to become a powerhouse of a psychological alien thriller in the vein of Ridley Scott’s Alien, but unfortunately seemed to move in a straight line, never veering off the beaten path into the realm of groundbreaking cinema.

SPORTS Back in the New York groove: Mets season preview

APRIL 15, 2016

BY JUSTIN MCGOWAN STAFF WRITER

ROBERT GAUTHIER // MCT CAMPUS

Musician Ace Frehley’s words ring true for the Mets, as they are officially back in the “New York Groove.”

After many years of Yankee dominance, it is safe to say that New York is now a Mets town following the Amazin’s run to the Fall Classic in 2015.

Though they lost the world series to the Kansas City Royals in a painstaking fashion that saw the Royals celebrate on Citi Field turf, the 2015 season gave Mets fans a new hope. Others thought all hope was lost following the years of utter despair from 2007-2014 which saw one of the worst collapses in sports history a Ponzi Scheme, a horrific bullpen, domestic violence, Murphy leading the team with 12 homeruns in 2009, Jason Bay, and, of course, the infamous moment when Luis Castillo dropped the pop fly that would’ve ended a June matchup with the Yankees. With all of that in the past the Mets and their fans have a lot to look forward to.

New Acquisitions and Losses The Mets lost one of their starting pitchers, Jon Niese, this past off-season to a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates for second baseman Neil Walker.

The Mets went after Walker in order to fill a spot left by Daniel Murphy, who the Mets chose not to resign and was eventually signed by the divi-

Empire state of mind | New York Mets look to impress. sion rival, the Washington Na- oles, Red Sox, and Giants. tionals.

Projected Offense To compliment Walker, Surely many Mets fans the Mets also signed shortstop thought this would be anothAsdrubal Cabrera who spent er dead offensive season like 2015 with the Tampa Bay those preceding 2015, but the Rays. Additionally, the Mets resigning of Yoenis Cespedes resigned left-handed relief gave them a newfound hope. pitcher Jerry Blevins, who suf- Topping off the Mets lineup fered a season-ending injury will be center fielder Curtis in April of last year when he Granderson, who led the team was hit by a line drive on his in games played, runs scored, throwing arm. In efforts of re- hits, stolen bases, walks, on placing him, they signed lefty base percentage and total basAntonio Bastardo. The Mets es in 2015, guaranteeing high also resigned starting pitcher hopes for the upcoming seaBartolo Colon and outfield- son. er Yoenis Cespedes who they Behind him will be the gained at the trade deadline newly acquired second baselast year. The two key players man, Neil Walker, with the contributed a huge amount to Captain and third baseman, the Mets’ playoff run down the David Wright, following close stretch. Another new acquisi- behind him. Coming off of tion was outfielder Alejandro back injuries which will only De Aza who played 90 games let him play 38 games in 2015, in 2015, split between the Ori- Wright looks to play at least

120 games this year. Wright, now 33, if healthy, poses a huge threat to rivals of the Mets.

Next comes first baseman, Lucas Duda, who had a breakout year in 2015 which saw him become the eleventh player in Mets history to hit three home runs in a single game and the second to do so at home after Kirk Nieuwenhuis had done it earlier that year. Duda also hit his first career grand slam and 27 home runs. All in all, the Mets are definitely gearing up for the upcoming season.

Superstition 2016 is an even year so San Francisco Giants fans will definitely be tooting their horns as the Giants have won the world series in every even year since 2010. Interestingly enough, in 1985 the Kansas City Royals won the world se-

THE CHIEF

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ries. The Mets won the World Series the following year in 1986. The Royals won the World Series in 2015. Will the Mets win the World Series in 2016?

“The Mets will do better this year than last year mostly because they will have a full year from Noah Syndergaard and Yoenis Cespedes and hopefully a healthy David Wright and Travis d’Arnaud.

2016 will be a good year” sophomore Mike Grisanti said.

The Bottom Line The NL East is definitely a more challenging division this year than last year, as many are picking the Marlins to be a front runner this year. It is safe to say the the Braves and Phillies will not be competitive, so right now it looks like it will be a 3 team race. Although the Marlins and the Nationals are both bringing in new managers who are ready to revitalize their respective teams, the odds are looking good for the Mets.

The bottom line is that if the pitching staff can stay healthy, the back end of the bullpen can keep games close towards the end, and the offense produces to support the pitchers the Mets will see a first place finish for the second consecutive year, a feat they have never done.

Pasta parties: good for team morale, but are they healthy?

BY ALEXANDRA DOULOS COPY EDITOR

Pasta parties are a beloved tradition among many sports teams at Massapequa High School. They began as a method of encouraging teammate bonding and include the added bonus of providing the perfect occasion to “carbo-load” before a big game or meet.

Despite the continuing positive reception of pasta parties in Massapequa, nutritional science is beginning to disagree with the idea that the longstanding custom provides athletes with the fuel they need when they must perform at their best.

Traditional pasta parties feature a teammate, usually a captain or a co-captain, as the host. The host is to provide their hospitality, paper-goods, cutlery, condiments, and, of course, the pasta. Meatballs, though not a significant source of carbohydrates, remain a popular addition to the feast.

Bread and salad are typically provided as a side dish.

Bread, a major source of carbohydrates, functions similarly to the pasta in that the carbohydrates will provide long-term energy for the athletes continuing ideal performance the following day.

Salad aids athletes in consuming their daily servings of fruits and vegetables and contain an abundance of fiber, which will help athletes feel fuller on game day, contributing to a higher caliber of performance throughout the entire game.

Caffeine-free beverages, such as water, caffeine-free soft drinks and juice are typically provided at pasta parties.

This is perhaps due to negative stigmas surrounding athletic performance and caffeine.

Experts continue to conduct experiments, studies, and trials to ascertain if the effects of caffeine, true or perceived, are more harmful or beneficial.

On the other hand. those who oppose caffeine note three major arguments. First, caffeine consumption can lead to dehydration. Without drinking an equal quantity of water, athletes can become dehydrated during their games or meets, which will adversely impact performance.

Second, caffeine can induce a nervous stomach.

Third, consuming too much caffeine will create an addiction. The withdrawal symptoms, headaches and nausea, are more detrimental to performance than the actual effects of caffeine consumption.

Additionally, desserts, although lacking in nutritional value, are sure to make an appearance at many pasta parties. Desserts are high in simple carbohydrates and sugars, which may induce quick bursts of energy but do little to contribute to the sustained energy that would benefit athletes the next day.

Aside from being the location of energy-rich food, pasta parties play another vital role— team bonding. With the effort that goes into planning and executing a lively pasta party, teammates inadvertently begin to form the foundations of trust and respect, thus bolstering the relationships they need in place whether the team wins or loses.

“Before every game, no matter what, we had a pasta party. Rain or shine, we took the opportunity to not only eat anything and everything we saw, but also bond with our teammates,” junior Robyn Bruechert, who is on the girls soccer team, said. “None of us would ever miss a pasta party because we genuinely love each other’s company. The comradery coupled with the amazing food made for a truly unbelievable experience.

Nothing compares.” Pasta parties obviously worked for “The Tribe,” as they recently

won the State Championship on the weekend of November 13-15.

Despite these advantages to pasta parties, nutritional scientists now advocate a “lowcarb, high-fat diet” to make sure athletes may perform at their maximum level. Healthy fats include products high in unsaturated and low in saturated fat. This diet would generally include “85% fat” and next to no carbohydrates because this ration generates ketones, molecules that speed up the conversion process of “fat into fatty acids” and decreases the amount of time until the athlete may utilize the fat.

The fact remains that pasta parties are an excellent source of team morale, but holding the parties while serving healthy high-fat foods such as avocados, eggs, and nuts instead of pasta may put the team on the path to more wins and encourage healthy eating habits among student athletes.