March 2017

News

Arts

MHS student to serve in the Israeli Armed Forces

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

The

Sports

Standardized exams: are they worth the high price?

Disney’s live action remake of a classic tale his theaters

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Massapequa High School

Editorial

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What to expect of the spring sports season at MHS

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Chief

Vol. 65 – No. 4

March 31, 2017 www.thechiefonline.com

Massapequa High School’s Chief Source of News

Massapequa High School’s Spring Production: Mary Poppins

BY LEAH JOHNSTON & ISABELLA ITALIANO

pianist Molly Guarton said.

Many students from Ames were a part of the show as well.

Freshmen Sarah Benedict and Adam Koch played the lead roles of Jane and Michael Banks, who, along with many of the other actors, had been involved in past productions.

“Working in MHS was definitely different but I feel like the whole cast really helped us get through and made it much easier” freshman member of ensemble one Tom Angelone said. The young actor

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At times, it was stressful knowing how big of a role I played, however it was such an amazing experience and I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.

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children, Michael and Jane.

Soon after their most recent nanny, Katie Nanna, played by Maria Leonardi, quits, Mary Poppins arrives to get the children in order. This is a magical component of the play because she claims she came due to an advertisement that George had previously destroyed.

There are many other magical events throughout the course of the show. In one scene, Mary Poppins pulls various large items out of her purse that would not normally

PHOTOS BY MRS. GALE DOMINGO

Hundreds of people filled the Baldwin auditorium onMarch 3 and 4 to watch the cast and crew of Mary Poppins put on a ‘supercalifragilisticexpialidocious’ performance.

The cast consisted of 68 students ranging from grades 9 through 12 and was directed by Ms. Kathryn Tauches. Lead actress and junior Alex Zografos was ecstatic when she found out she had been cast as Mary Poppins.

“This was my first time being the lead in the school [production], however I have had leads in shows I’ve done outside of school” she said.

“At times, it was stressful knowing how big of a role I played, however it was such an amazing experience and I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.”

The story of Mary Poppins follows the Banks, a wealthy family that has gone through many nannies. George, played

by Joseph Icart, and Winifred Banks, played by Renee Smestad, cannot get a lasting nanny for their out-of-control

A Practically Perfect Production| MHS students perform in the spring musical Mary Poppins. fit into her bag while singing the song ‘Practically Perfect’.

Other songs expertly performed by talented MHS students include ‘Step in Time,’ ‘Jolly Holiday,’ ‘Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,’ ‘Anything Can Happen’ in addition to many others.

The longer Mary Poppins stays, the better the children behave. They begin to behave better, and this is mostly because Poppins adds more fun and spontaneity in their lives; she introduces a spark of excitement into their previously dull lives.

She leaves for a short period of time and is replaced by George’s former nanny Miss Andrew, played by Bridget Rogers, who is a mean and terrifying woman. She treats the children horribly and does not have the same charismatic spirit that Mary Poppins does. Soon after the arrival of Miss Andrew, Mary Poppins makes a triumphant and long-awaited return, bringing the chaos comes to a close.

Other roles in the show that added a sense of comedy included the cook Mrs. Brill, played by Shannon Sullivan, and their odd-job man, Robertson Ay, played by Tyler Knabe.

Rehearsals for the musical started in January. At first, the actors rehearsed once or twice a week, but throughout February, they rehearsed every day from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. During the week before the play, which is called tech week, students rehearsed from 4 p.m. until 10 p.m. Although it was exhausting, everyone involved agrees that it was worth it in the long run.

With six hour rehearsals, students needed to learn time management. “I would do as much homework as I could during rehearsal when I wasn’t on stage and then finish anything I had left after school when rehearsal ended,” sophomore and ensemble member Gabby Kovaluskie said.

The play could not have been such a success without the help of many peo-

ple, such as the art students that built the sets, the stage crew, the lighting and sound technicians, and the pit musicians that set each scene with the appropriate mood.

The play could not have been such a success without the help of many people, such as the students in Drawing and Painting I and II and Technology, the stage crew, the lighting and sound technicians, and the pit musicians, who all brought the magical scenes of Mary Poppins to life. According to sophomore Allana Potash, the stage crew made all set items and moved props during the changing of scenes.

Students working in the pit put in a tremendous amount of work as well. They attended rehearsal twice a week until they started practicing with the actors. The members of the pit also took on a major responsibility, learning long songs in a short amount of time.

“I played a bit of 24 songs during the course of the show,” sophomore and

“

The best part of being in the productions is seeing friends and people you don’t always talk to, and each year it’s like a reunion again.

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played a chimney sweeper and a clerk/bank employee as well.

The show ended with the whole cast singing the song ‘Anything Can Happen’ and recapping the importance of the lessons taught by Mary Poppins. The song was harmonic and an emotional ending for the cast, especially on the night of March 4, the last showing.

All of the actors thoroughly enjoyed being part of the shows put on by MHS. “The best part of being in the productions is seeing friends and people you don’t always talk to, and each year it’s like a reunion again.” sophomore Joseph Icart said.

Alex Zografos added that throughout the production, she learned about being a performer as much as a person. She made new friends and grew closer to the ones she already had, like many of the other cast members.

Congratulations to the students and staff for their fantastic work in Mary Poppins! Some would say it was a ‘practically perfect’ show.

Everyone can’t wait to see what these talents have for MHS in the next production.

LOCAL NEWS A report on Mr. DiClemente’s first 100 days in office

MARCH 31, 2017

BY ALEXANDRA DOULOS CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

DANIELLE SWARTZ // THE CHIEF

Everyone can appreciate all of the positive changes that have taken place since September, from changes in the administrative team to the upcoming changes to the science wings to the changes in the athletic complex. Just as the president of the United States oversees many of the changes and additions to the nation, Principal Patrick DiClemente is integral in the changes and additions being made to MHS. Students are not the only ones looking forward to using the new facilities. “I’m excited about the construction because the students and community deserve a school building that matches the success of the programs and the students’ success,” Principal DiClemente said.

During the week of March 13, excavation of the field and tennis courts began. Sports teams that normally use the field for spring athletics will be relocated, which Mr. DiClemente admits will be an inconvenience, but definitely worth it once completed.

Among the additions will be brand new tennis courts, additional parking that will run almost the width of the school, a new baseball field, and [a] new football field[s]. The

track itself will remain unaffected until the summer so that gym classes and spring track may use it unencumbered.

As for indoor renovations, about 30 science labs are being updated and 2 new prep rooms are being installed. All of the construction will take place in the evenings and on the weekends so as to not disrupt classes.

Formerly the principal of the high school’s Ames campus, Mr. DiClemente has had a great opportunity to see past students again-some for only one year, but many for two or three. “I have enjoyed reconnecting with students from past years because, in the past, I didn’t have a chance to see students in upcoming years,” Mr. DiClemente said.

This year has been full of MHS sharing its ways with other school districts.

“I’ve gained an appreciation the for the entire community and come to appreciate that we are a dynamic place. Just this year, we’ve hosted four to five teams of people from other school districts who have come to observe the students and staff because of the reputation of MHS and they have been impressed with the students and the incredible work they have done.”

Mr. DiClemente looks forward to coming to work every

Commander-in-Chief| Mr. DiClemente is proud of MHS students.

day because of the values that MHS embodies. “I am really proud of the people, the students, the staff, and what the students and staff can do together,” he said. “I like that the place I come to everyday is a place where the people can come together and support one another in good times and hard times when people need support. That strength as a school community makes me proud.”

Mr. DiClemente encourages students to become more involved in the school and community, especially in events like Awareness Week.

“Awareness Week and being aware is something we all

have to grasp. I encourage students to sit in on assemblies and encourage students to present themselves to staff and people in the community.”

Mr. DiClemente urges students to become proactive and “stand up as leaders and advocates of themselves and causes.”

Over the summer, Mr. DiClemente said that he was looking forward to being the principal of a full-scale high school and, so far, he has taken advantage of every opportunity it has to offer.

“My family and I enjoyed the school musical.” Mr. DiClemente said. “I’ve sat in on

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classes that reflect different areas of study. I’ve seen students involved in sophisticated research partnering with the community in specific careers, and also students who have special needs that are demonstrating tremendous success.”

Mr. DiClemente anticipates the same exciting end of the year activities all students are also waiting for, including the spring recognition ceremonies, awards nights, induction ceremonies, proms, and graduation.

He looks at these fun social events as rewards for all that students have accomplished throughout the year and, for seniors, all of their years of school. “All of these events are well deserved for students to culminate a positive year and a job well done.”

With that being said, Mr. DiClemente wishes to impart some advice to students as we approach the spring: “Even though it seems late in the year, so much of your academic grade remains unresolved. You still have a chance to add to your yearly averages and you still have a chance for a great finish.”

On that motivational note, Mr. DiClemente wishes students luck for the remainder of the school year.

The Israeli Defense Forces: one student’s decision

BY ALEXANDRA DOULOS CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

and my friends back in Israel are able to live at home while completing their service, but I would not have that option.”

Perpetual unrest in the Middle East could deter many Western people from visiting, much less serving in the armed forces in the region, but Dina is not concerned about dayto-day danger. “I have been to Israel many times and have never personally experienced any violence or acts of terror.”

DANIELLE ANZELONE// THE CHIEF

While most seniors are actively awaiting college acceptance letters and making decisions about which institution they will attend for the next four years, senior Dina Bam had a much larger decision to make: an actual life and death one. Dina had to decide whether to join the Israeli Defense Forces directly after high school at the age of 18 or to defer her mandatory service.

To be able to keep doing the work it does, the IDF requires military service from all citizens, though it does provide the option of delaying the service. Dina, a dual citizen of Israel and the United States since birth, speaks fluent Hebrew and has elected to postpone her service even though her “college education would be paid for by the IDF” if she served at 18 years old.

“I will delay until after college because I plan on becoming a nurse, and I believe getting this training will benefit me because I would be able to serve as a nurse in any part of the IDF.” Though she is pursuing

a college education in the United States, Dina has considered moving to Israel. “I have considered moving to Israel permanently because of how different and more easy-going life is there. I also feel at home amongst other Israelis and Hebrew speaking people,” she said.

However, she does not plan on moving yet, which poses a challenge for when she does serve after college. “Most kids

Decision of a Lifetime| Dina Bam delays her service to the IDF.

On March 9, a Senate committee approved Donald Trump’s pick for ambassador to Israel: his own former bankruptcy lawyer, David Friedman. Despite his knowledge of, and history with, Israel and the Middle East, Friedman has made racially insensitive and unseemly comments about liberal groups and Jewish heritage in the past, which caused uncertainty regarding his approval.

“I strongly disagree with both Donald Trump’s involvement in Israeli affairs and the UN’s involvement in regards to Israeli settlements. I believe America is a good ally for Israel, but sometimes interferes too much with Israeli affairs” Dina said.

Traditionally, the length of compulsory service was three years for men and two years for women. In July of 2015, the Israeli Defense Forces made a major stride towards equality when they shortened the required time of service for males and increased it for females. Now, males are required to serve for 32 months while the length of required service for fe-

males remains at 24 months.

“I agree with this decision because I don’t believe males and females should be treated any differently in any regard,” Bam said.

According to the Jewish Virtual Library, the armed forces are “a highly effective equalizer” in Israeli society because “soldiers often hold ranks not necessarily corresponding with their status in civilian life.” In fact, many soldiers even extend their required term of service into a full-length career. However, Dina does not plan on pursuing this route and instead plans on working in a private practice or hospital setting.

Many military experts cited in The Jewish Chronicle acknowledge the Israeli Defense Forces as the most ethical army in the world after how they effectively handled the crisis in Gaza with minimal civilian casualties.

“I am proud of the work [the Israeli Defense Forces] have done and continue to do and have heard of many positive effects of people involved in the IDF. Other militaries should take notes.”

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Disney’s Beauty and the Beast dances into theaters

MARCH 31, 2017

BY LEAH JOHNSTON COPY EDITOR

that later turn into objects, like clocks and candlesticks. Given a peek at the beast’s old life, viewers learn that he was not a kind man and only cared about appearances, which is why he was cursed by the Enchantress, who had been turned away by the prince when disguised as a poor old woman seeking shelter. She turns him into a beast and the only way he can turn back is if someone falls in love with him despite his unappealing exterior.

The Beast is played by Dan Stevens, an English actor who has had previous roles in Downton Abbey (2010-2015) and Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014).

Belle’s father, Maurice, played by Kevin Kline, is taken prisoner by the Beast when he is caught picking a rose for Belle in his garden. Belle heroically takes his spot as prisoner out of love for her father, and she is trapped in the Beast’s castle.

Because of her beauty, Belle is placed into a scheme conjure up by the animated objects. Best friends Lumiere, a talking candlestick played

by Ewan McGregor, and Cogsworth, a talking clock played

by Ian McKellen, lead Belle

from the jail to a beautiful bedroom. There, she meets a talking wardrobe, played by Audra McDonald, who dresses Belle up. Their plan for Belle is to make her fall in love with the Beast so that everyone can escape the Enchantress’ curse and become humans again.

Back in the village, Gaston, played by Luke Evans, and LeFou, played by Josh Gad, also have plans for Belle. Gaston wants to marry Belle even though she would never agree.

As for the musical elements of the film, songs like ‘Belle’, ‘Gaston’, ‘Something

There’, and ‘Be Our Guest’ are performed with the melodic voices of the cast. The production would not be the same without the amazing music composed by Alan Menken.

The story continues with these plot alterations and additions, and eventually Belle develops feelings for the Beast. They fall in love in the end and the curse is broken.

Like in most Disney movies, they lived happily ever after.

The new film made the 1991 cartoon come to life, although there are a few differences between the original

movie and the live action remake. New songs, like ‘Evermore’ and ‘Days in the Sun’ are added as well as elements to the story, such as Belle discovering the reasoning behhind her mother’s passing and her own childhood. Additionally, there is Emma Watson’s obvious British accent and the introduction of other characters.

The extraordinary film took almost three years to create, but it’s finally here and better than anyone expected. Who knows which Disney princess will have a live action film next?

The “Beauty”ful Phenomenon | Beauty and the Beast dances its way into the hearts of millions.

Winter concerts bring warmth to hearts of the audience

BY LIAM HIGGINS BUSINESS MANAGER

Chorus Concert The Massapequa Chorus students put on quite a show. On March 15, these singers performed songs for a crowd that nearly filled up the Baldwin Auditorium.

The first act to perform was the Chordettes, whose first song was “Lean on Me,” arranged by Joey Minshall. The song started off subtly and ended with the girls and the audience clapping along with the melody.

The other song that the Chordettes performed was “Dear Future Husband” by Meghan Trainor.

The harmonies in the song worked flawlessly, and the song even featured a bit of theatrics and dancing.

“That was our first performance in front of a lot of people, so we were nervous but excited,” Chordettes singer Erin Russo said. “But the audience seemed to really like our performance and our little dancing.”

The next act to follow was the full Chorus, who performed “Flight Song” by Kim Arnesen. This song featured tranquil rises and falls in notes and involved the

exchange of the melody between the boys and the girls.

The Chorus also performed “Baba Yetu,” arranged

by Chris Kiagiri. This song, written in Swahili, featured a resounding Chorus and was one of the best songs of the night. Though the audience may not have understood the lyrics, the song attested to the fact that music can transcend lingual and cultural barriers.

“It was fun. The songs were really nice and they were all hand-picked from people from Carnegie Hall.

My personal favorite song was probably ‘Flight Song’,” Chordette and Full Chorus singer Renee Smestad said.

“The music is really wonderful, and I’m excited to perform with these wonderful people at Carnegie Hall.”

Finally, it was time for the Crooners. Their first song was “Let Me Call You Sweetheart” composed by Leo Friedman.

This sweet song captivated the audience despite its brevity.

The Crooners then went on to sing the ever-iconic love song “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis Presley.

Their final song was “Coney Island Baby,” which took a comical take on marriage and included fun dances from

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COURTESY OF DISNEY.COM

Disney’s live action film of the classic tale Beauty and the Beast opened in theaters on Friday, March 17, and it already has many fans swooning.

Considering its high budget and amazing cast selections, this new movie is a work of art.

Directed by Bill Condon, the movie revolves around a young woman named Belle, played by Emma Watson, who lives in a small, provincial village in France. The people of the village, and Belle herself, believe she is peculiar different from the rest of the townspeople. She is not only beautiful, which makes sense as her name translates to “beauty” in French, but she is also loving and intelligent.

It is no surprise that Emma Watson was chosen as the role of Belle. Her previous castings in the Harry Potter films (2001-2011) and The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012) show that she adores playing bright women who dare to be different.

In the live action film, viewers are given a better look at the Beast’s life as a prince before he was cursed. The film began an extravagant ballroom scene full of many characters

THE CHIEF

the members of the group.

“I really enjoyed performing all of the songs, but one in particular, ‘Coney Island [Baby],’ was a very fun song to work on,” Crooners member Brandon Frascino said.

“It was actually the only song in the performance that had choreography which we had to make up as we went on, which was very interesting.

Overall, I thought the performance went very well, and I can’t wait to sing with the full choir at Carnegie Hall!”

Many of the members of the various choirs performed at Carnegie Hall on March 26.

Orchestra Concert On March 21, the Orchestra groups and other groups performed for an equally crowded auditorium.

First to perform was the Full Orchestra. From the moment concertmistress Michelle Fong played the note A for everyone to tune, the crowd knew the show would be wonderful.

“Being the concertmistress taught me the importance of having unity within an Orchestra because when there’s no unity, everyone’s just playing as soloists, not an Orchestra,” Michelle said.

“During our rehearsals, we worked on uniform bowing

and intonation, and I personally had to improve cueing my section. The finished product of our concert, in my opinion, demonstrated our hard work towards these goals.”

The first song they played was “Drifen” by Shirl Atwell.

The song featured fantastic crescendos and got the audience excited for the rest of the show.

They also played the song, “Night On Bald Mountain,” which was written for Disney’s animated film “Fantasia.” The song lasted nearly twelve minutes but never ceased to impress the captivated audience.

“I am so proud of not only how far I’ve gotten as a cellist, but more importantly, my group as a whole,” cellist Nicole Leonick said. “In my opinion, ‘Night on Bald Mountain’ was amazing, better than expected, and I’m glad our hard work paid off.”

“Orchestra is always one of my favorite concerts to play in, this concert especially because of the difficulty of the pieces,” bassoon player Matthew Schector said. “I’m glad that our practicing and rehearsing paid off and we put on our best performance.”

The next group to perform was Poparazzi. They first performed a medley of

popular songs by the band Queen, which featured three of their familiar hits.

The group then performed “Carry On” by the band Fun. This melodic and powerful song featured poignant lyrics, sung by senior Margaret Smith.

Poparazzi then went on to play its final song, “Sweet Child O’ Mine” by Guns N’ Roses. Like “Carry On,” this song featured singing to accompany the musical performance. Luigi Locaszio sang, in a strong, deep voice, the lyrics to the song.

The Jazz Band performed next, performing the familiar theme song from “The Odd Couple,” then “Walkin’ and Talkin’” by Mike Carubia, which had an upbeat mood.

“Playing with the jazz band was really awesome!” trumpet player Krystal Wheaton said.

“The group has such a great atmosphere and we all have fun while learning the music in rehearsals, not to mention the music is more difficult, so it’s a good experience to learn how to play it. I’m proud of how our concert went, and I can’t wait for the next one.”

THE CHIEF

MARCH 31, 2017

Surf’s up as Catch a Wave rides a new current DANIELLE ANZELONE CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

For most people, summer is the best time of year; it brings warm weather, long days, and minimal stress. For the fourth consecutive year, Catch a Wave is bringing this summertime feel to the halls of MHS; however, you may see a few changes this year.

Due to the graduation of the students who were most involved in the program, there was a lack of interest for students to put everything together at the beginning of this school year. Thankfully, senior Austin Nudelman decided to step up to the plate and take over Catch a Wave, as well as coordinate with all of the clubs involved.

“What really inspired me to revive Catch a Wave was that I was actually part of it last year and I performed with a group of people,” Austin said.

“The year before that I just attended it but had a great time.”

This year, nearly the entire staff has changed, including the teacher advisers involved. After years of working on Catch a Wave, Mrs. Gale Domingo and Mr. Bob Hempel decided to move on to other ventures.

“Mrs. Domingo and I developed “Catch a Wave” over five years, and are happy to see it has become so popular,” AP Literature and SCALE Composition teacher Mr. Hempel said. “We’re excited Austin has continued the tradition, and we will definitely be in attendance. All my time this year needed to focus on growing Team ECHO’s numerous events, to raise awareness about environmental toxicity, including causes for cancer in children. Mrs. Domingo and I still support Winthrop’s Cancer Center for Kids, in our

collaboration with Mrs. Spagnolo, and MHS musicians, in a brand new ECHO sponsored event called “Five Alive!” It will play on Friday May 5!”

That’s where Austin stepped in. “I went around asking teachers if they were interested and I finally got the Band teacher, Mr. Dwork, to help me run it,” he said.

This year’s event is 100% student-driven mainly due to the rough start that the club had this school year. Though Mr. Dwork is helping out the whole CAW team, he is there to just advise and direct the students while Austin takes care of the rest.

“Austin has done the work, I have just been there to assist in any way he needs me,” Mr. Dwork said.

Changes are to be expected in the concert portion of the event, as well. “Last year, there were more bands and heavier acts,” Austin said. “This year we’re focusing more on acoustic sets but we still do have some bands.”

Performance-wise, there were also changes involving who could perform and who could not. Auditions were held earlier this year

and cuts were made; meanwhile, last year everyone who tried out for CAW got in.

Although it seems that things will be quite different when compared to events of the past years, Austin is doing all he can so that Catch a Wave remains Catch a Wave.

“My goal is to maintain as much similarity to last year as possible but change whatever I must,” Austin said.

Overall, new club leaders and advisers are bringing change to Catch a Wave, but the message and intention of the event will remain: to raise awareness about childhood cancer and raise funds to save the lives of those af-

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fected. Come on down to this exciting event on March 31 at 5:30. You’ll be sure to have a whale of a time.

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MARCH 31, 2017

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Summer tides and beach vibes to come at Catch A Wave 2017 MICHAEL RIGGI LAYOUT MANAGER

The recent snow may have scared days off of spring break, but not even snow can stop a sunny MHS tradition.

After an icy cold winter, the traditional “Catch A Wave” event will bring summer rays of sunshine early to MHS students on Friday, March 31.

“Catch A Wave is a fundraiser concert that has been a tradition at MHS and gains support from many students,” senior event organizer and headliner Austin Nudelman said.

With all proceeds going to the Winthrop University Pediatric Cancer Center, this casual concert fundraiser has been a huge success for MHS and children with cancer for many years past.

2017 seems to be no exception to tradition, as a new enthusiastic group of students and teachers are running the event and have many booths and performers planned to appear.

When previewing for the event, Austin explained how there will be many new changes and continuations

with the fundraiser to appeal to students and sell tickets.

“There are a lot of interactive events planned for the night,” Austin said. “Bake sales, henna, face painting, and more will all be available on the boardwalk.”

With a new organizing staff of students coordinat-

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ing the event, the spirit of “Catch A Wave” will feel fresh yet recognizable for both sophomores and returning juniors and seniors.

The school’s ASL, German, Tri-M, WMHS, Mock Trial, and Yearbook clubs will be supporting the fundraiser with various booths along the boardwalk. With the collaboration of many talented students and clubs on

the project, this event will be sure to capture the spirit of the school in creative ways.

The decorations along the beach-themed boardwalk are sure to be a highlight for students new to the fundraiser, with hours of hard work and devotion from the staff culminating in the total transformation of the first floor main hallway of MHS. Beyond the boardwalk, there is also a great array of musicians and groups set to perform in the gym.

“I have a whole list of acoustic singers and bands ready to perform at the concert, and many with unique styles,” Austin said.

With many different vocal ranges and instruments to take over in the MHS gym, the concert will prove to be an impressive showcase of talent.

These inspirational musicians, artists, club members, and teachers will guarantee the fundraiser to be a success. The planners and event officials are hoping that this showcase of entertainment will be enough to gain student support and raise enough money for Winthrop University and children with cancer.

A truly memorable and meaningful event, the “Catch A Wave” fundraiser will crash over the MHS hallways on March 31 at 5:30 P.M. We hope to catch you there!

thony Villani, Jason Stile, Noelle Stegner, and Liam e you guys get together to start a band? “We started off ds and we kind of just conjoined because we were each rom our bands.” ost about performing? “There’s a feeling you get when u can’t describe it but it’s pretty great.”

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M “ t o fu are op Marg eing able t s also really ’ b t i “I like ople. And pe some Photos by Danielle Anzelone Illustration by Kiera Pagano

MARCH 31, 2017

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Danielle Anzelone Alexandra Doulos LAYOUT MANAGER Michael Riggi BUSINESS MANAGER Liam Higgins COPY EDITORS Laura Francavilla Isabella Italiano Leah Johnston EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS Rachelle Casement Jack Graziano ADVISOR Elyn Coyle Massapequa High School 4925 Merrick Road Massapequa, NY 11758

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The month of May is fast approaching. For some, this means blooming flowers and warm weather; but for many, this means that Advanced Placement exams are also on the horizon. To many students, this time of the year brings along great stress as AP exams are administered throughout the first two weeks of the month. While preparing for these tests, many students will wonder “is it even worth it?”

At Massapequa High School, students have the option between Regents level, college level, and AP level courses. Despite the popularity of AP classes, the question remains as to whether such courses are more beneficial than their less stressful college level counterparts. These other college level classes are known as “dual-enrollment” classes. One option for these dual-enrollment classes is the Secondary Articulated Collegiate Experience (SCALE) type of class, which is also known as the LIU High School Scholars Program.

For college and SCALE classes, there is no test that pupils must take in order to earn credit. Instead, the student must end the year with a grade of D in the class to pass, and a grade of C to receive college credit. This option is a positive alternative to AP for those who want to take a challenging course but may not necessarily be the best test takers.

However, these classes come with a severe drawback: they often cost around $300 per course, depending on the college through which one would take the course and the amount of credits the course accounts for. The credits earned through these courses are transferable to a number of colleges, but transfer rates do apply depending on the college of attendance.

On the contrary, students who take AP classes must pay only to take the AP test. Prices have risen by a dollar or two per test every year for quite a while now, with the cost now being $93 for each exam. This may seem significantly cheaper, but the costs can add up if a student takes many AP classes. Moreover, taking the AP test does not guarantee that a student will earn credits; colleges and universities require certain grades on the AP tests for credit, and many do not accept certain AP credits.

AP exams are rated on a five-point scale, one being no recommendation, two being possibly qualified, three being qualified, four being well qualified and five being extremely

well qualified. Due to the manner in which the CollegeBoard grades the tests, there is an equal number of students that receive each grade, so technically test takers have the same odds in getting a one as they do receiving a five.

For students who feel as though they are strong in a subject or students who wish to attend a first- or second-tier college or university, AP courses are a crucial way to show their ability to handle rigorous college-level courses. Generally, AP classes are more difficult than dual-enrollment classes, which means they look better on a transcript than their regents-level and college-level counterparts.

“Colleges and universities accept people by region, meaning you are in direct competition with those nearby,” AP physics teacher Joseph Zanco said. “Challenging yourself by taking the most difficult courses offered is a necessity.”

Though taking AP classes is sure to stand out on transcripts and distinguish students, do they really matter if you don’t perform well in the class or on the exam? Some students may argue that they would rather have higher

grades in a less demanding course than stress over AP’s and receive lower grades.

Students like this are still going to get into college and, like with any other student, hard work will determine the success of their future.

Not only does the College Board administer AP exams, but it also hosts the SAT, a standardized test that students have been stressing over for decades. Prices for the SAT with essay have risen to $57 from last year’s cost of $54, a seemingly unreasonable price for a test that nobody actually wants to take. The College Board also has a financial aid form called the CSS Profile that compares to the FAFSA. Ironically, the application costs a pretty penny to submit with an application fee of nine dollars and a charge of sixteen dollars per school. Once we take into account the $12 students must pay in order to send their scores to colleges that they are applying to, things add up pretty quickly.

For example, if one student takes five AP exams, takes the SAT three times, and applies to eight colleges, they are giving the CollegeBoard over $700 in just that one ac-

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ademic year. Though funds must be allocated to pay for exam proctors and test makers and printers, a decent chunk of change must make it back to the “not-for-profit” organization. In fact, according to an article featured on CNN written by Carol Costello and Bob Ruff, the CEO of the College Board rakes in about $900,000 each year while “total yearly revenues hover near $600 million.” While students are paying for college before they are even admitted and, in fact, before they even apply, people at the top of the college industry are making six figure salaries.

While these exams may demonstrate students’ capacity to handle the rigors of higher education at the college level, their costs began to outweigh their advantages. Perhaps New York State could offer a program to partially or fully subsidize some of these costs, as have the departments of education Florida, Hawaii, and the New York City. If the state were able to enact such legislation, students with lower incomes could feel less burdened by the cost of these entrance exams and college placement tests and truly be able to succeed in their education.

ILLUSTRATION BY KIERA PAGANO

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EDITORIAL Standardized testing: the costs add up

$tre$$ed out | The cost of academic endeavors can really add up, thus worrying students.

THE CHIEF FEATURES Waddling on from an online phenomenon: The igloo melts

MARCH 31, 2017

BY MICHAEL RIGGI LAYOUT MANAGER

COMMENTARY

COURTESY OF CLUBPENGUIN.COM

As of March 29, the once-popular online world of Club Penguin will freeze its doors shut in order to make way for a new mobile app.

“Club Penguin Island,” the company’s answer to the gradually decreasing number of interactive players on the website, is a new smartphone app designed to cater to a “new generation” of mobile audiences.

The new app and the closure of the website itself mark a new milestone for a generation of kids and teenagers growing up in the virtual word, as the game had consumed the lives of many users and acted as an introduction to the endless limits of communication on computers.

Initially in beta testing

The Blizzard Passes | Childhood pasttime Club Penguin ends. with projects such as “Ex- personalized accounts for usperimental Penguins,” Club ers to manage and build upon Penguin later launched in that they could share with 2005 and was purchased by friends and other players.

Disney two years later. ImWith its peak of 200 milmediately, the online world lion accounts in 2013, the was a success, as it offered fanbase had generated high

STAFF WRITER

Céspedes enjoys playing for the Mets and wanted a no-trade deal.

“I’ve experienced that now several times with Oakland, Boston, Detroit and then coming here,” he said in an interview with Associated Press. “I didn’t like that feeling of just when I was starting to get comfortable with a team that I could be gone.” He wants to get used to the Mets and not get sent away like he had in the past.

Now with an overcrowded outfield, the Mets need to figure out what to do with Curtis Granderson, Juan Lagares, Jay Bruce, and Michael Conforto. To get ideas, the Mets traded pitcher Logan Verrett to the Baltimore Orioles for $50,000 in cash considerations. Verrett went 3 to 8 with a 5.20 ERA in 2016.

With Opening Day right around the corner, the Mets shall, with any luck, continue to strive, with their amazin’ young pitching staff and power lineup. Let’s hope for a World Series win, and let’s go Mets!

BY LAURA FRANCAVILLA COPY EDITOR

DANIELLE ANZELONE // THE CHIEF

Balancing academics and social life is hard. With homework, practice, and social obligations, sometimes school work goes undone or is poorly done. However, some high school students double that effort. They balance AP classes and sports every day.

AP classes are different from their regents counterparts. In AP classes, students are challenged to look more deeply into history and read and analyze more difficult articles.

These classes require hours at home to finish classwork assignments begun in class.

After-school sports also take up a great deal of time after hours. With practices starting around 3:15 pm and ending around 5:00 pm, there isn’t much time left in the day. “[I] usually [stay up] one or two hours depending on the amount of homework,” Luke Weiss, a sophomore basketball player and AP World History student said.

In AP World History, there is homework almost every night. AP Seminar, an English AP class, takes up time after school due to a project that takes weeks to finish.

But should the homework load be lessened for athletes?

“The amount of homework should remain the same; special treatment should not be given to athletes simply because they stay later,” Mr. Michael Lisa, AP Social Studies teacher and girls track coach said. “It is their choice to participate in athletics, and they need to be mature enough to take on both academics

LAURA FRANCAVILLA // THE CHIEF

After two consecutive postseason runs, the Mets continue to build their team. The “Amazin’”s have made many moves in this offseason, for the better and for the worse.

The worst thing they had done was letting fan-favorite Bartolo Colón sign with the Braves. As a long-time fan of the Mets, I was sad to see Colón go because he could either throw a perfect game or let 10 runs up in the first inning and still enjoy himself. Colón had 3 seasons with the Mets, getting close to 15 wins in each season, as well as hitting his first career home run with the team.

As the departure of Colón was sad for fans, many were comforted by some smart moves as well. Second Baseman, Neil Walker, re-signed to a one year deal and star outfielder, Yoenis Céspedes, re-signed for four years.

Walker and Céspedes were power bats last season, as each hit over 20 home runs.

the annual “Coins for Change” promotion at the December Holiday parties has donated to organizations such as “Free the Children” and the “Wildlife Conservation Network.”

Slowly losing some of its fan base and players over time, Disney has decided to end the website’s long run on a high note after compensating for their $700 million purchase of the past through memberships, toys, books, and more.

In the last celebration party leading up to March 29, those involved with Club Penguin have made sure to show appreciation for the fans and encourage them to keep the community close to them in the future. “Together, we can build an island, create a community, change the world … and even tip an iceberg. Waddle on.”

Balancing athletics and academics

The Mets are up at bat

BY RYAN STAPLETON

revenue for its parent company. Gradually, the virtual world became somewhat of an extended promotion for Disney, hosting themed parties around film releases such as “Frozen” and “Star Wars.”

Yet the website was still known for highly creative characters, games, clothing, decorations, and monthly parties that would bring an online community together and allow players to interact with one another.

Whether it be sneaking around on stealthy spy missions, battling enemies in the high mountains of a dojo, or decorating igloos with friends, Club Penguin inspired a large and unique devoted fan base over its 12 year run.

Club Penguin’s fan base has also helped change communities in the real world, as

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Hard at Work | Student-athlete Luke Weiss studies for WHAP. and athletics as a result.” studies in general, so I don’t But some athletes have know if it’s the AP class itself or a different perspective. Luke the actual history. But they’re feels that homework should both ok and will prepare me be lowered “because there are for the future,” Emily Hartimes when the work is over- ris, an AP World History and whelming.” This can stress Pre-AP English student said. out the athlete and sometimes AP classes are extremecause a bad performance ly beneficial for all students. during a game or practice. “On However, the work is hard and home game days we can be at time consuming, especially for school [until] nine,” he said. those who play sports. “I enjoy AP homework takes up my AP class and I believe it’s a good deal of time for non beneficial,” Luke said, and deathletes as well. “I don’t re- spite the hard work involved, ally get much free time after recommends taking it to othschool and homework,” Kayla ers “because this class is very Lew, a sophomore and AP stu- enjoyable and educational.” dent said. “I usually stay after The stress of sports and AP school just to hang out so I get courses may be overwhelming home around 3:30 and start but in the long run, it’s worth homework around 5ish and the effort. Students can enjoy end up finishing somewhere playing sports after school and between 10:00 and midnight.” they can prepare themselves “I have never liked social for the road ahead - college.

SPORTS MHS is springing into sports this upcoming season

MARCH 31, 2017

BY LAURA FRANCAVILLA COPY EDITOR

It’s that time of year again. Allergies, warm weather, bugs, and the start of spring sports. These sports include baseball, lacrosse, softball, track and field, boys tennis, and girls golf, which all began earlier this month.

Baseball: Varsity, JV, and JV2 baseball began their seasons on March 6 this year. The team hopes to make it far this year. and play until the very end. “I want our team to make and win the State Championship,” sophomore Kenny Galvin said.

Lacrosse (Girls and Boys): Boys Varsity, JV, and JV2 teams, as well as girls Varsity and JV teams, began their sea-

sons on March 6. The boys lacrosse team will be in the Long Island Lacrosse Showcase on June 16 at SUNY Farmingdale. “[I am most excited to be] playing on the team and getting better this season,” sophomore and varsity lacrosse player Daniel Callan said.

Softball: Softball started on March 6 this season. “I am most excited about playing with my friends again and having a lot of fun,” sophomore Courtney Runkle said.

The team is excited to play against new opponents this year. “Well I’m excited to go to Albany and play against teams in a different area of New York and also just being able to

play with my friends,” sophomore Elizabeth Smith said.

Varsity Track (Girls and Boys): Varsity track began on March 6. The team members are confident in their abilities for the upcoming season. “We always have high expectations going into the season, both to do great things on the team and help individuals achieve their own goals,” Girls Varsity Track and Field Coach Mr. Mike Lisa said. “Bringing back a county championship to Massapequa for the first [time] since 2010 is a primary goal but also keeping an incredible streak of consecutive wins which is currently at 104 consecutive wins dating

back to 2008.” The girls varsity team will be traveling to Virginia this season to compete as well. The boys varsity team is also having an eventful season. “[I am excited about] going to meets and improving my performance throughout the season,” boys track team member, sophomore Devin Rosmarin said.

Boys Tennis: Boys tennis started on March 13. “[I am] just excited to get back out onto the court,” junior Joe Menichini said. “We have all been waiting just to start playing again.” The team is hoping make it far this year. “All of our matches are going to be important this year since we are

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going to try to win the conference championship,” Joe said.

Girls Golf: Girls golf season began on March 13 this.

The team is looking forward to repeat this year as undefeated conference champions and have a place in the Top 5 for Nassau County. “Our biggest matches are against Oceanside and obviously our Nassau County Tournament,” Coach Michael Viola said.

Be sure to check out all the teams pages on the school website under the “Athletics” tab. The dates for all the sports teams events and games can be found there. Good luck to all the teams this season!

The high school concussion epidemic

BY SAMUEL MAHONEY STAFF WRITER

Life with a concussion

BY RACHELLE CASEMENT STAFF WRITER

Senior athlete Ryan Brandow has suffered from a severe concussion at the age of 17, meaning it has been over a year since the injury. Ryan dove for a loose ball during a basketball scrimmage whenhe was kneed to the back of the head by another teammate who was running for the ball.

It was a terrible accident.

He didn’t think it was bad until the next day when he started to feel its effects. It wasn’t until three days later when he realized that it was a concussion. “I was going to school my head was killing me, and I just couldn’t concentrate at all,” Brandow said.

There were some short term effects to his concussion and also some long term. For the short term effects, “It was really hard to do schoolwork, and I’m a national Honor Society Student so I’m in a lot of AP, college classes so it was really hard making up the work for everything,” Brandow said.

“I got constant headaches.

The first week of school I was in so much pain. So it affected my schoolwork.”

Brandow isn’t completely recovered yet. “There’s something called “return the play,” he explained. “[Return the play] is for an athlete to go back to a sport after a concussion; they have to pass return they play. It is a five-step exercise program that a physical trainer has to do with you.”

Brandow is actually starting Return the Play soon, but overall living with the concussion was a difficult experience. “It impacted a lot of aspects in my life.”

Springing into Sports | Athletes are excited for the game.

LAURA FRANCAVILLA// THE CHIEF

One moment you’re having the game of your life, the score is tied, and you have the chance to score. You put your head down and lead with it to try and get an extra push forward, but after contacting another player you did not get the distance you wanted.

There is a feeling of nausea, a massive headache, and you are too dazed to even walk straight. By hitting with your head, you are now concussed, and will have to stop playing.

Mr. Matthew Sauter, Massapequa High School’s athletic trainer defined a concussion as a “bruised brain,” one that occurs after the brain experiences a traumatic injury.

When the head is hit in a way that will cause a concussion it moves past the fluid that normally protects the brain from any impact, and makes direct contact with the skull.

Concussions are extremely difficult to properly diagnose by anyone but the victim because no one else can see what symptoms the victim is suffering from. Some of the symptoms that are most prominent are headaches, dizziness, ringing in the ears, slurred speech, fatigue, nausea, memory and concentration loss, and problems sleeping.

These symptoms are often very detrimental, but subside rather quickly. Connor Payne, a junior at Massapequa High School, and a football player for the school’s football team, received a concussion during one of their games. For the first couple of days after the game he had trouble with “sensitivity to sound, dizziness, nauseousness, trouble focusing, and balancing.” But after about four days of recovery, the

symptoms were gone, and he was ready to return to the field.

A concussion by itself is highly unlikely to cause any long term effects to brain function, but it can set up for further injury and even permanent damage. Second impact syndrome is what happens when an already concussed brain takes another major impact. The brain essentially tries to over protect itself by over swelling which could often be fatal or very easily cause long term complications.

Mr. Sauter said that the only way to truly treat a concussion is with “rest, rest, and more rest.” Avoiding any more contact to the head is also necessary, as well as rest, and proper nutrition.

When returning from a concussion it is of vital importance to come back “step by step” and not to overexert yourself.

It is also very important to keep in my mind that equipment such as helmets, mouthpieces, and chinstraps can only help to “limit the severity of a concussion”, they will rarely completely prevent a concussion, and certainly do not make the wearer invincible to them.

According to HeadCase Company, as concussion rates in school sports have doubled from 2002 to 2012 and continue to grow, it is necessary to inform and assist anyone who has a concussion, of how to properly treat themselves, and make sure to avoid pushing too far. Concussions are becoming a serious problem, and making sure student athletes are informed on how to avoid, watch out for, properly treat, and understand the effects of their concussions, is of the utmost importance for all school sports programs.