April 2019

News

Prom

MHS seniors in AP Government classes tackle new bill project

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

Highlighting the best of promposal season

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A&E

MHS Music Department meets Mickey Mouse and others on Disney trip

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The

Chief

Sports Girls track team excels and wins conference championship

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Vol. 67– No. 3

April 18, 2019 www.thechiefonline.com

Massapequa High School’s Chief Source of News

Unqua students begin their careers as future high school journalists

BY LAURA FRANCAVILLA MANAGING EDITOR

SABRINA ALBERTI SPORTS EDITOR

Schools collide | MHS students team up with fifth graders to educate about journalism.

Students came up with their “I really enjoyed learning fifth graders a new writing own headlines, article ideas, about journalism. One day I technique, students learned interview questions, and inter- want to join the Berner Bea- other valuable lessons. Stuviewed their peers to add sub- con,” fifth grader Sofia Dalton dents and teachers learned stance to their articles. said. “I also had lots of fun about the decline of the newsOne of the most important writing my own article then paper media, and how in totopics the fifth graders were reading it out loud.” day’s world getting factual taught about was how to idenA popular topic that news isn’t always easy. tify credible news sources and sparked the students’ interests “I learned a lot about jourwhy nothing on the internet was the basketball game that nalism because I never had a should be taken at face value. featured the Harlem Wizards chance to learn about it,” fifth In a world where “fake news” and the Unqua teachers. This grader Vincent Cappello said, and strong divides have rooted topic was a favorite among the “Such as giving only the most themselves in society, young students due to the fact that important facts about the spestudents can benefit from students were able to interview cific topic.” learning about what consti- their own friends and teachers, Through their visit to Untutes a good source of news. which gave them insight about qua Elementary School, high The fifth grade teachers interviewing techniques. school journalists were able were also educated on journalTeachers and students to spread their knowledge of ism techniques as the students were not the only ones im- the newspaper to younger stuwere creating their own arti- pressed by the student news- dents. cles. Journalism allows stu- paper. According to Mrs. CataThe Chief staff hopes to dents to expand their thinking pano, one student’s father was encourage students entering and put their own literary twist “surprised that high schoolers Berner Middle School and on their articles, unlike regular wrote the newspaper.”

MHS to join the school newsessay assignments, which they Even though the main pur- paper in order to keep journalare required to write for the pose of the trip was to teach ism alive in Massapequa. curriculum.

“The children they taught were excited to write and share their own articles,” fifth grade teacher Mrs. Carolyn Magliochetti said. “It opened up their eyes to the opportunities available to them and the benefits of joining this club, or any clubs for that matter.”

The students picked all different kinds of genres to write about that represented them in some way, from spending time with their friends over the past weekend to baseball’s upcoming opening day.

Catchin’ up on school news | Unqua students read MHS news.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY ANDREW HACKMACK

PHOTO PROVIDED BY ANDREW HACKMACK

A helping hand | Staff writer Sophia helps a fifth grader write.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY ANDREW HACKMACK

Eyes bulged and faces smiled as the fifth graders at Unqua Elementary School searched through the newspapers in disbelief at the amount of dedication and hard work put into each and every article.

In an effort to spread the message about the importance of journalism to the local youth, on Tuesday, March 26, members of the Massapequa High School newspaper, The Chief, visited students to teach them the ins and outs of journalism and how a newspaper works.

Working with Unqua’s principal, Mrs. Deanna Catapano, The Chief staff members conducted a presentation in each of the fifth grade classrooms covered everything from article writing to the staff’s publishing process.

“The slide show presentation was detailed and informative, and the confidence of the MHS students was evident in each classroom,” Mrs. Catapano said. “Overall, this was a beneficial and positive experience for all.”

The presentation spread lasting influence on the stu-

dents as they got a chance to look inside the newspaper and read the articles firsthand. The online edition of The Chief was also presented to the classes as a different way of displaying the noteworthy news to the community. The students were particularly amazed at how the staff is able to produce an array of articles and finish an entire issue in less than six weeks.

Students also learned about each section of the newspaper, including News, Features, Editorial/OP-ED, Arts and Entertainment, the Double Truck, and Sports.

Many were surprised and intrigued with how many different genres are included in one newspaper issue.

The staff walked the students through the writing process, which showed them the five steps in writing their very first article.

“I enjoyed learning about a new writing strategy because I got to write as if I was watching the event, but I was actually participating in the event,” one student said.

After the presentation, students were encouraged to open a document shared with their teachers which helped them write their own articles.

THE CHIEF NEWS MHS’s Team ECHO tackles climate change on Long Island

APRIL 18, 2019

BY MICHAEL RIGGI EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

sentation that highlighted the brutal reality of the planet’s future.

“Different parts of the world don’t always respond the same way,” Dr. Black said.

“Our climate can change substantially on shorter time spans than we previously thought.”

Over the course of his 30 year career as a marine geologist, Dr. Black has gone to great lengths to research records of past climate variability and enhance the ability for humans to predict the future of global climate patterns.

Traveling across the Atlantic Ocean to locations as close as California and as far as the coast of Africa, Dr. Black has found and studied the chemistry of various marine fossils, ocean sediments, and cave deposits to better understand the planet’s climate patterns.

Dedicated to his research, Dr. Black’s studies across the world have led him to a greater understanding of paleoclimatology, climate change, and

the troublesome future of the planet.

“Patterns of normal human life have changed disappointingly little over my course of research,” Dr. Black said. “Surveys show that most people recognize climate change but don’t think it will affect them personally. Not a lot of action will happen until it hits them in the wallet.”

In conjunction with Team ECHO, Dr. Black’s presentation discussed the harmful effects climate change will have on Long Island and beyond based off of what he has found in his research thus far.

Specifically, the future of Long Island seems to be troubling as Dr. Black predicts that in as early as the next 100-150 years, the barrier islands surrounding the South Shore will be completely sunken underwater.

“We want to let people know that climate change may not seem real, but its effect is greater than they think,” senior

PHOTO PROVIDED BY MR. HEMPEL

Massapequa takes environmental action | Team ECHO hosts seminar on climate change.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY MR. HEMPEL

Often times students find themselves wishing they were sitting on the soft sand of an endless sky-blue beach instead of the cold hard desks of school. At the hands of climate change, this fantasy may become a reality for all of the wrong reasons, though, as Massapequa High School may very likely be beachfront property in as little as the next couple hundred of years.

In an ongoing effort to inform others of the dangers of climate change and raise environmental awareness, MHS’s environmental club, Team ECHO, held the first of many planned awareness seminars in late March titled the effects of “Climate Change and Plastics in our Local Waters.”

Dr. David Black, associate professor of the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook University, spearheaded the presentation and shared insight into climate change in an interactive pre-

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Men of the hour | Dr. David Black and Mr. Hempel presenting. club president Catherine Gam- club has also planted trees in bardella said. the local community and gone Team ECHO, a student on fishing trips. team formed to raise aware“Small everyday impacts ness about the issues facing, have great effects on the enand enjoyment of, the natural vironment,” junior club memenvironment, has stepped up ber Ashley Bressingham said. to help prevent the dangerous “That is why Team ECHO effects of climate change. is doing everything it can to The members of Team help.”

ECHO, which stands for EnThe club is currently in vironmental Consciousness at the final planning stages of its Home, along with club adviser third annual “5 Alive BeneMr. Robert Hempel have tak- fit Concert” for children with en it upon themselves to help pediatric cancer, this year clean up areas across Long Is- called “The 5Alive Drive: For land and spread messages of Children with Cancer at NYU environmental awareness to Winthrop’s Cancer Center for others.

Kids.”

“The goals of the club Team ECHO plans to do are to raise awareness about more in the future to interact the effects of toxicity in the with even more people across air, water, soil, and species... Long Island. including the human species, “Massapequa is an outeven unborn children,” Mr. standing community that Hempel said. “We also appre- comes together in need, once ciate nature’s beauty and natu- made aware of problems ral rhythms, when allowed to needing a real solution,” Mr. prosper.”

Hempel said. “I hope Team In the past, Team ECHO ECHO can shed light and has held beach and area clean awareness to the problems and ups that have gathered tons areas of need so that more of of toxic refuse removed from us may enjoy the natural envibeaches, parks, and the MHS ronments so precious and immain campus grounds. The portant to our health.”

Seniors propose bills to Senator Brooks in hopes for statewide change

BY MICHAEL RIGGI EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

LAURA FRANCAVILLA MANAGING EDITOR

Sometimes it takes the voice of students to make a change. I n conju nction with Senator John Brooks, students in twelfth grade AP Government classes had the opportunity to do so this year as they proposed bills to New York State.

As pa r t of t he newly redesigned AP curriculum from the College Board, students in all AP Government classes are required to complete a civics project in order to earn college credit.

Unique to Massapequa High School, seniors were able to complete the civics project in the form of drafting their own bills and legislations for New

York State for the first time.

After drafting their bills and completing a research paper, the three AP Gover nment teachers then selected two bills from each class to be sent up to the senate floor.

Students in AP Gover n ment, a cou rse split up into two semesterbased modules, including Comparative Government and United States Government, took the infor mation they learned from the U.S. module to shape their own bills and policies.

“The bills that pertained to students and education stood out the most, probably because I am an educator,” AP Government teacher Mrs. Borger said.

Through the bill proposals, students were able to address

many important issues and raise awareness to ongoing troublesome topics. Some bill topics included curbing legislation on vaping, teaching life saving techniques in school (i.e. bleeding control), allowing students to serve on school boards, extending paid family leave, and reverting back to the old New York State license plates.

“Some community i mprove me nt s we r e a l so mentioned, such as helping t he homeless, expa nd i ng mental health assistance, and increasing recycling efforts,” Mrs. Borger said.

While all bills were unique in their own way, 8 students were chosen to have their bills reviewed by Senator Brooks to be potentially voted on by the New York State Senate. These

students are Meghan Callaghan, Julia Greco, Kathryn Risola, Kelly Byrne, Natasha Saar, Samantha Carroll, Sarah Bentz, and Laura Francavilla.

“I had a great experience writing this bill; I got to talk about a topic I love and find interest in,” Sarah Bentz said.

Some of these students proposals included removing coroners from some counties, expanding restaurant rating systems to be consistent throughout the state, community ser v ice requ i rement s for high school graduation, and automatic gates on Long Island Rail Road platforms.

“The bills were all really great ideas and it was difficult to select. I chose the two that I felt had the best chances of being introduced (for real)-some of the bills I read were

already being considered and so I had to put them aside,” Mrs. Borger said. “A couple of the bills were more suitable for local government as opposed to the state, and so I could not choose them.”

Through writing their own bills and sending them to Senator Brooks, students have gathered a greater understanding of how government works. “This project makes students question what role legislatures play, and why there are some things the government simply can’t do,” AP Government teacher Mr. Daniel Bachman said.

Because of this project, high school seniors now have an outlet to call for change. With a direct line to the State Senate, residents from Massapequa to Albany may very well feel the impact of student voices.

FEATURES

APRIL 18, 2019

THE CHIEF

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Theatre arts students prepare to showcase their puppeteering skills

BY RYAN PAGANO COPY EDITOR

DIAMOND HENRY STAFF WRITER

Now that the class witnessed the professional puppeteers put on a great show, they are focusing on creating a puppet show of their own. On April 30 and May 1, the class hopes to share that same joy in the Little Theater while performing their very own puppet show for the nursery students in the child study class.

The class aims to go above and beyond with this show, and instead of using sock puppets they plan on creating their own muppet style puppets.

“We’ve done sock puppet shows in the past for the nursery school students in the building. Then, when I spoke with a former theatre arts student (Mahoney) and learned that he made muppet puppets and was performing at the LICM, we decided to visit the show and try to create our own muppet puppets this year,” Mrs. Curiale said.

The main lessons that the class wants their audience, the nursery students, to learn from this show include the importance of eating healthy and sharing kindness with others.

“Each year when we create a show for the nursery class, we ask our students to brainstorm positive messages to include in the script. These were a few of the ideas that they came up with,” Mrs. Curiale said.

“I am very excited to be a part of this because we will be creating our own puppets and using a popular movie that kids will enjoy,” senior Steven Corallo said.

Instead of using Aesop’s Fables, the class will

use characters from the 2001 Disney-Pixar award-winning movie “Monsters Inc.” to appeal to the young audience.

“Our students were divided into groups and wrote three original scripts. They based their stories and characters on ‘Monsters, Inc.’ because we thought it would make the nursery students more interested,” Mrs. Curiale said.

This isn’t the only major project that the theatre arts class participates in during the school year. They also create a character education show to bring awareness to mental dis-

that is about acceptance of differences and a celebration of strengths,” Ms. Nicole Junjulas said, who has served as the club adviser for two years. She works alongside Mrs. Tonia Smith, who has been the Special Education adviser since the club began at MHS. Recently, the club hosted a Valentine’s Day Dance, which was a huge success. Hosted in the upper gym, it was able

to encourage students from neighboring schools to come and celebrate. The DJ of the night, Mr. Matthew Sauter, kept the party lively with great music that left students dancing all night. Ms. Junjulas described the highlight of the night was when “everyone participated in a conga line” and she saw everyone’s smiling faces from across the gym.

Some upcoming events that the club has planned are the “Friendship Ball” and the “Friendship Walk.” The “Friendship Ball” is a sort of prom for members of Best Buddies, and was held earlier this year. There is also the “Friendship Walk,” which will be held at Marjorie Post Park on May 11, 2019.

“It is held outdoors, and there is a strong sense of community as we walk to promote inclusion and kindness,” Ms. Junjulas said.

In addition to dances, the club hosts a potluck dinner in which everyone brings food to share with everyone else. Everyone gets a chance to meet one another while they all enjoy a good meal. “I would have to say that the Pot Luck Dinner is my favorite. I really enjoy seeing our members’ families getting to know each other,” Mrs. Smith said. All of these events are great ways to meet new people, create memories, and have a wonderful time.

“We love watching as students with all different interests and abilities laugh and have fun together. It is inspiring to watch as students break down social barriers and discover the commonalities which unite us,” Ms. Junjulas and Mrs. Smith said.

They also credit much of the club’s success to the club officers, who have the responsibility of planning events, ac-

orders.

“The character-ed show is a play about mental illnesses that we perform for the ninth grade students during Mental Awareness Day,” senior Stephanie McGrath said.

In addition to creating this show for the nursery students, the class added that they enjoy doing group projects, making new friends, and participating in improvisation on Fridays.

The group is hoping that their hard work will pay off when they showcase their puppeteering skills for the nursery students this coming month.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY MRS. CURIALE

The Long Island Children’s Museum (LICM) in Garden City, New York, is home to many spectacular shows that people of all ages can enjoy. One show includes Aesop’s Fables, a puppeteering performance led under the management of Jim Packard and Jes Almeida.

Based on the various fables of storyteller Aesop and his work in ancient Greece between 620 and 564 BC, the hour long puppet show captivated museum-goers during its run in early 2019.

The show stars Austin Costello, master puppeteer and director of the show, alongside his all-star cast, featuring professional performers Liz Jeffery, Maggie Gayford, Matt Spina and Massapequa High School alumni Kyle Mahoney.

The group put on a stellar, interactive performance that Mrs. Denise Curiale’s theatre arts students had the pleasure of attending on Wednesday, February 20.

During the trip, students in Mrs. Curiale’s class learned about the art of puppeteering.

They also had the opportunity to experience the joy of the young children in the audience and their reactions to the comical, exaggerated performances.

The show’s visuals exceeded many expectations that went far beyond other similar shows as a wide range of puppets were used. Such props included shadow puppets, a tiny

mechanical mouse, and a giant, furry wolf named “Woolfy,” which was animated by Mahoney himself. The audience was even amazed to see some of the puppets walking up and down the aisles during the performance.

After the show, students had the opportunity to see the puppets up close as everyone was permitted to take pictures with the cast. They also spoke with the puppeteers and learned about the details that go into creating various styles of characters.

Types include shadow puppets, which are two-dimensional and illuminated from behind a screen, a hybrid puppet that is controlled by hands and rods, and muppet-type puppets, which are operated by hand and as seen in “Sesame Street.”

“I liked the whole performance, in addition to learning about it after the show. I was very impressed by Woolfy because it looked difficult to make and the puppet was very big, as well. One of Mahoney’s arms controlled Woolfy’s arm, the other was used to make him talk, which was very difficult,” junior Jessica Gruenfelder said.

The puppets were created and manipulated by professionals, but when compared to other shows, what made the show unique was the cast’s commitment to their craft.

Instead of mocking their characters, the performers embraced them with humor and goofiness, leaving everyone with childlike joy by the end of the show.

The puppet master | A puppeteer poses with his fuzzy co-star.

Friendships and fundraisers: Best Buddies club’s recent events

BY MACKENZIE WHITE STAFF WRITER

From fundraisers to group dinners and dances, members of the Best Buddies club are working hard and coordinating amazing events in Massapequa High School.

“Best Buddies is an international organization that seeks to promote friendship among a diverse population of students. It is an organization

PHOTO PROVIDED BY HANNAH COLEMAN

All smiles for Best Buddies | Buddies Sheila and Hannah pose.

tivities, and fundraisers they know members will enjoy.

“Forming lifelong friendships and making memories is a large part of what our students like about Best Buddies,” Ms. Junjulas and Mrs. Smith said. They described a recent event where the club members engaged in a game of musical chairs. The mood was light and captivating, and the students’ laughter could be heard over the music. Best Buddies aims to encourage fun, friendship, and having a good time, and these events have more than fulfilled the club’s purpose.

For those looking to get involved, Best Buddies meets every other Thursday in the cyber cafe. Mrs. Smith or Ms. Junjulas can be contacted for more information. Participation in Best Buddies is a great way to get involved, make friends, and make memories.

APRIL 18, 2019

PROMPOSAL HIGHLIGHTS

THE CHIEF

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Junior Riley Mueck’s prompos one of the school’s “Legally Blon plan was simple yet effective. A cided to stand in the hallway ho his prom date would pass by.

“My mom helped me come up w poster,” Mueck said. He approac with a crowd of friends and pee him as he created an unforgettab forgettable performance.

Senior Nicholas Pearl asked junior M Kratzke to prom in a unique way. Nick the letters of prom in sign language and them on a poster. He thought this was a idea, as both Nick and Marisa had take ican Sign Language together. Nick even up to school extra early to hide his poste orchestra room.

He had arranged for the Crooners, a g of talented chorus members, to sing to M during third period, which is when Nick planned to ask. With some extra help fr chorus teacher Mrs. Green, along with c students Kayla Grady, Julia Rodriguez ly Guarton, and others, Nick asked Ma prom, which was greeted with a positiv

APRIL 18, 2019

PROMPOSAL HIGHLIGHTS

sal was quite the scene after nde� performances. Mueck’s After the performance, he deolding a poster in hopes that

with the idea and create the ched Junior Abby Nocella ers behind him, supporting ble moment after an also un-

l l i W Yo u o t o G Prom With me?

Marisa k cut out d put a good en Amern showed er in the

group Marisa k had rom the chorus z, Molarisa to ve yes. *Written by Sean Penta and Angelo Catapano

THE CHIEF

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APRIL 18, 2019

Editorial

EDITORIAL

THE CHIEF

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Revamping MHS’s ultimate popularity contest EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Michael Riggi MANAGING EDITOR Laura Francavilla ONLINE MANAGER Billy Boye SPORTS EDITOR Sabrina Alberti COPY EDITORS Ryan Pagano Sophia Theodorous BUSINESS MANAGER Alex Carmenaty ADVISOR Melissa Hornik Massapequa High School 4925 Merrick Road Massapequa, NY 11758

Editorial Policy

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

sentative of the entire grade?

Senior Superlatives are meant to represent the entire student body, but if some names appeared at least twice, it can not be said that this year’s voting was fair. Superlatives have long been regarded as the ultimate school popularity contest with the underdogs, and in some cases the most deserving, not getting the recognition they deserve.

As fun as it seems to see how many categories one can win, the superlatives should be a system that allows a maximum of one win per person.

It would more accurately represent the student body and allow for the most deserving candidates of each category to win.

In addition to having the same students win multiple times in different categories, students in some schools across the country have started to dislike the categories “Best Eyes,” “Best Smile,” and “Best Looking.” These categories, while lighthearted, focus more on a student’s outward appearance rather than

Carmenaty’s Corner

his or her personality. These categories can also be argued to be put into one general category under “Best Looking.”

Changing the focus of superlatives to concentrate more on personalities and less on one’s outward appearance is an important shift, as today’s world has increasingly been focused on how all types of people are accepted.

While absorbing these two categories into an overall “Best Looking” category, the yearbook staff would find themselves with more room to add new superlatives.

Some categories such as “Best Photographer,” “Most Likely to Become a News Broadcaster,” “Most Likely to Become a Best-Selling Author,” and “Most Likely to Direct a Hit Hollywood Movie,” for instance, show off special talents that might go unrecognized during the school year.

This isn’t to say that superlatives should be removed from yearbooks, but the categories and voting process needs to be revamped in order to accurately represent stu-

dents.

For certain categories, such as “Most likely to be Famous” and “Most Involved,” the yearbook club staff may find it beneficial to interview winners to find out why they feel that they won. A quote from the students could be placed under the students’ pictures to explain why they felt their peers voted for them.

However, this solution would only work for certain categories. Interviewing students on why they feel they won a category such as “Best Looking” could come across as self centered, and not show how their outer appearance is not as important as their personalities.

Superlatives have been an icon of American high schools for decades and should remain in yearbooks. However, changes such as one win per person and more unique categories to highlight the lesser-known students in schools need to be implemented. With these changes, superlatives will become fair, and fun, for the entire graduating class.

Landmark reenactment of Meredith v. Fair case

BY ALEX CARMENATY BUSINESS MANAGER

This year marks the 90th anniversary of the birth of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who was one of the most influential figures of American history.

On January 21, 2019, which was Martin Luther King Jr. Day, some important organizations came together to create a reenactment of a civil rights case, Meredith v.

Fair. Jack and Jill, a nationwide group of African-American mothers who seek to create a positive educational and cultural environment for their children, and the Nassau County Office of Youth Services and the Diversity & Inclusion Committee of the Nassau County Bar Association put on this production at the Bar Association in Mineola. Nassau County Executive Laura Curran attended and recognized all who took part in this event by giving them citations.

The case Meredith v. Fair involves James Meredith, an African-American, who was denied admission into the University of Mississippi in 1961 because of his race. Meredith, along with his African-American lawyer, Constance Baker Motley, sued the university.

This was a fight for equality in education and race relations.

This reenactment included

ALEX CARMENATY // THE CHIEF

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.

As Massapequa High School approached its halfway mark for the 2018-19 school year, all of the seniors logged in to their Chromebooks and nominated their peers for Senior Superlatives. When voting began, many seniors decided to spread the word and ask people to vote for them in the categories they felt they deserved. Senior Superlatives, which appear in the graduating class yearbook, are supposed to be an accurate representation of the seniors with talent and particular interests and personalities.

When the winners were announced and everyone saw the same names multiple times, the question then arose—are the Senior Superlatives accurate, or has it become a rigged popularity contest?

This year, many students feel that the results an inaccurate representation of the grade. Not only were students who were expected to win not the winners, but the same names were listed in three categories. Aren’t superlative awards supposed to be repre-

A victory of their own | Stars of the play bask in celebration over their stellar performance. a total of 24 parts. Each per- roles in this case, in the play who were willing to fight for former played a the role of a and in real life, especially one what was right,” participant historical figure, which repre- judge in particular. Judge John Asha Brown said. “It was a sented the way African-Amer- Minor Wisdom, an appeals really great opportunity for me icans were treated during the court judge who ruled in favor to learn about such a monudays of Jim Crow and how of Meredith, was incredibly mental case in American Hisjustice was eventually served influential. He called out the tory that my school does not for James Meredith. ways Meredith had been treat- teach me- plus it was so much The reenactment started ed unfairly and why it was fun.” off with the signing of “Lift fundamentally wrong to deny The production concluded Every Voice and Sing,” which someone a right to an educa- with the patriotic “Star Spanis also known as the black na- tion because of the color of his gled Banner.” The playing of tional anthem. The reenact- skin. the national anthem demonment consisted of trial tran“This play changed the strated the legal victory Merscripts, court decisions, and lives of these kids forever,” edith and Motley achieved as news accounts.

Hon. Linda Mejias of the Nas- it represents the country’s valWhile the performance sau Family Court, who also ues. took place, at the same time serves as the Chair of the DiThe reenactment of Merthere was a screen that dis- versity & Inclusion Commit- edith v. Fair was the experiplayed what Meredith and tee said. ence of a lifetime for those Motley were up against, and it “This play also taught all involved, and it provided the also showed the hope they had who participated about the message that despite color, for a day when segregation evils of racism and how during creed, race, or religion, one would end. a dark time, there was a bea- should not be denied the basic Many played significant con of light as there were some rights to succeed in America.

THE CHIEF ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT “Omigod!” “Legally Blonde” (bends and) snaps up a storm

APRIL 18, 2019

BY LAURA FRANCAVILLA MANAGING EDITOR

ing about more relevant topics in today’s world, such as LGBTQ+ representation on stage, with songs such as “Gay or European.”

“This play was the most modern production we have ever done at MHS,” Icart said.

“The language is more understandable to this generation and makes it all the more enjoyable!”

During her time at Harvard Law, Elle befriends hairdresser Paulette, played by senior Bridget Rodgers. Elle teaches Paulette to stand up to

her ex, to reclaim ownership of her dog, and to “bend and snap” to get the attention of Kyle, played by Maxamillion Foley.

“Paulette is such a unique and fun character. I can honestly see a lot of myself in her and I think this is part of what drew me to the character...I was so excited and put every ounce of energy into my audition because of how much I love the role of Paulette,” Rodgers said. “From the accent to the hair to the outfits, everything about her has a unique

PHOTO PROVIDED BY JOSEPH ICART

Students involved in this year’s musical “Legally Blonde” put on a fantastic performance as they bended and snapped their way through Harvard Law. The play, based on a book and movie of the same title, focuses on California fashion student, Elle Woods. She travels all the way to Harvard Law School in hopes to win back her ex-boyfriend, Warner, played by junior James Kelly.

Elle, portrayed by senior Antoinette Corigliano, then finds love, and more importantly herself, at Harvard Law. “...I’ve always admired Elle,” Ann said. “We have so many similarities, we both love pink, [are] blonde, [love] shopping, and I do mock trial and she’s a lawyer.”

At her new school, Elle enrolls in Professor Callahan’s law class with Callahan, played by senior JoJo Icart.

She and her new friend Emmett Forrest, played by junior Adam Koch, then find their way through Harvard Law.

“Professor Callahan has made me more comfortable with being stern and strong on the stage,” JoJo Icart said.

After arriving at Harvard, she also learns that her ex boyfriend has a new serious girlfriend, Vivienne, played by Julianna Mpazicos.

Elle then goes on to help win a major murder case, in which fitness guru Brook Windham, played by senior Maria Leonardi, must prove her innocence.

A major highlight of the show was seeing and hear-

The final bow | Cast of “Legally Blonde” takes their final moments on stage after a two-day run.

quality that I love.”

Not to go unnoticed are the other male students who performed important roles in the musical. Names include Jack Graziano, Luigi LoCascio, Samuel Marsh, and Tyler Knabe, among many others.

The whole ensemble gave an amazing performance in the play. Portraying different roles from Harvard Law students, to sorority girls and guys, to courtroom observers, these performers truly helped to make each scene stand out. “‘Legally Blonde’ was an amazing experience. It might have just been my favorite show I have ever done...,” junior and ensemble performer Isabelle Reed said. “I think we all worked hard and wanted to make it an amazing show and [I] feel like the cast worked so hard each rehearsal to make it as awesome as it was.”

“Legally Blonde” will go down in the school’s history as one of the most modern and relevant plays so far. Congratulations to all the cast, pit, and tech and stage crew members for their fantastic work.

MHS music program takes on the Orlando heat in Disney

BY MICHAEL RIGGI EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

techniques used in the actual field, each respective workshop culminated in a final activity that involved students professionally recording the musical scores to iconic film scenes.

Ranging from films such as “Frozen,” “The Little Mermaid,” and “Beauty and the Beast,” students professionally performed and recorded music from the films at the helms of the workshop director/arranger, Julian Bond, and then inserted their recordings to play over clips from each respective movie.

“The workshop was very enlightening and informative,” Mrs. Spagnuolo said. “We always try to get students to play out with confidence, and them being excited and familiar with the pieces they were play-

MICHAEL RIGGI // THE CHIEF

From the Valley of Mo’ara to Cinderella’s Castle, students in the Massapequa High School Music Department made their mark on Walt Disney World this past March as they traveled to all four of the resort’s theme parks and engaged in professional workshops that had them play classic Disney music with a twist.

Over the course of the four-day, three-night trip students in the school’s band, orchestra, and chorus tackled all of Disney’s newest and oldest attractions and shows in the parks.

A tradition which has long been upheld in the MHS Music Department, the three-year annual trip to Disney taught students and faculty new engaging techniques for their areas of musical interest and helped to shape new magical lifetime memories.

“For many students, this was their first time away from home or perhaps on a plane without family present,” orchestra teacher Mrs. Marjorie Spagnuolo said. “The trip provided a social-emotional learning and growing experience for many students as they navigated their way through the parks, picking roommates, and through the airport.”

The 312 students in attendance, along with all of the teacher chaperones, stayed in Disney’s All-Star Music Re-

sort throughout the duration of the trip.

Each day brought about new and exciting surprises as students woke up early to tackle the resort’s theme parks, corresponding music workshops, and, of course, the long grueling trek through airport security.

“The experience both in and out of the parks was a blast,” senior Gianna Gucciardo said. “There was always something exciting going on.”

On the second day of the trip, students in all three of the ensembles had the chance to play or sing along to classic tunes from Disney films in a Disney Performing Arts Workshop.

After sight-reading various pieces and familiarizing themselves with recording

MHS meets the mouse | Students pose in the Magic Kingdom.

ing in the workshop had them do just that.”

During the workshop, students quickly realized the high pressures of the music field and how challenging it can be to record music to the high standards of the company in such short spurts of time.

For those interested in future careers in music, the workshops also helped to introduce them to many interesting techniques and practices used by professional musicians.

“I loved the workshop,” senior Molly Guarton said. “It really made us more confident players and showed me some valuable skills for when we play music in orchestra. It also showed me important lessons for when I become an educator myself.”

Beyond the workshops, students enjoyed the parks and were able to engage in other music-related performances and shows at their leisure.

All four parks offer impromptu chances to jump into musical performances with famous Disney characters.

For instance, Senior Nick Pearl became part of a Bollywood-type dance in Animal Kingdom and danced in front of a large crowd of park-goers.

“At first, I didn’t want to make a fool out of myself, but then after thinking for a few seconds I jumped right in,” Pearl said. “It was so funny to watch and I definitely put on a performance...it ended my first

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Disney World trip on a very high note, and I’m glad I did it.”

The group had many special opportunities in the parks, such as their own reserved section for Epcot’s nighttime firework show IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth and front row seats for Hollywood Studio’s Fantasmic!, a show boasting epic Disney stories, music, and visuals.

Most notably, before the park opened, students were able to enter the brand new world of Pandora from the 2008 film “Avatar”and ride the area’s main E-ticket attraction Flight of Passage twice in a row.

Flight of Passage, one of Disney’s newest and most technologically advanced rides, takes riders through Pandora on the back of flying banshee creatures. The ride typically has a wait time of over three hours, but students were able to walk through the park and onto the ride with no crowds.

Students and chaperones alike all had a great time on the trip, especially those who visited Disney for the first time.

“Yes, the trip was about the music, but what was equally important was the overall experience,” Mrs. Spagnuolo said. “It was nice to see students rise up to the challenge and all grow together in a new place outside of the classroom.”

SPORTS

APRIL 18, 2019

THE CHIEF

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Senior Kerri Radomski continues to spread lasting influence on the Chiefs

BY SABRINA ALBERTI SPORTS EDITOR

a close game, the drive to win makes me play harder and better than before.”

After the devastating loss last year at the Long Island Championship, Radomski and the team are more prepared than ever.

Kerri is ecstatic to start the season and show off what she has been working on throughout the winter. The lacrosse community is only growing, and Kerri and her teammates are the role models of future star players.

“I would tell a person to go for it. You may never know if it truly is what you want to do until you try it,” she said.

Radomski is now one of those star players, as she is committed to Virginia Commonwealth University to play lacrosse and plans to major in occupational therapy.

Kerri and the team are excited to see what the season will bring and what new opportunities await.

Going for a goal! | Radomski makes moves to win the match.

Girls varsity track team wins VIII Conference Championship

BY SOPHIA THEODOROUS STAFF WRITER

On Wednesday, January 30, the girls track team won the title of Section VIII Conference Championship. The team collected an astonishing total of 125.50 points, defeating Freeport by 97 points and Uniondale by 86 points.

The girls who finished in the top six for each event were granted points and given the individual title of an all-conference athlete.

Senior Tiffany-Ann Matturro placed third in the 1000-meter run, granting her the all-conference title. Matturro finished with an unbelievable time of 3:17.75, which gave her six points for the team.

Senior Josephine Alliano also ran in the 55-meter hurdle run and placed fifth overall in

the event with a time of 9.52 seconds.

Freshman Jillian Johnson ran in the 300-meter dash at the conference meet. Johnson finished with an astonishing time of 44.67 seconds. She placed fourth overall and was one of the youngest competitors in the top six for the event.

Other highlights from the night were the relays. The 4x800 relay placed first overall with a time of 10:27.83. Earning first place gave the team 10 team points and the title of all-conference for those individuals. This relay was comprised of senior Tiffany-Ann Matturro, junior Jaclyn Portogallo, and sophomores Kayla Schuler and Alexandra Stasichin.

The girls track team is not only filled with amazing runners, but also amazing race walkers. With a full sweep,

the Chiefs placed first, second, and third in the girls 1500-meter race walk.

Ashleigh Wakely finished first with a 7:48.35 time, followed by Katelyn Stealey who finished second with a time of 8:23.66, and Kelly Meyer who finished third with a time of 8:25.79. This incredible effort by the girls granted the team 24 points.

During the field events portion of the championship, the team added more points.

The Chiefs scored points in the high jump, shot put, weight throw, and long jump.

Senior Jada White jumped 4 feet 8 inches in the high jump, placing her in third overall. Josephine Alliano also competed in the high jump and finished with a height of 4 feet 6 inches, putting her in a tie for fifth place. Both high jumpers were given the all-conference

title.

In the shot put event, junior Sarah Lewis placed first and sophomore Emma Forman placed third, tallying an additional 16 points for the team.

Also, Sarah Lewis threw in the weight throw competition and finished in second place. Senior Danielle Whelan finished in first in the weight throw at conferences and at the county championships. Now she has an all-conference title and a county championship title.

The rest of the Chiefs went on to compete in the Nassau County Class A championships on Wednesday, February 5 held at St. Anthony’s High School in Huntington. They accomplished their goal and for the first time ever became County Champions as a team for MHS. Alexandra Stasichin finished in first place in the

600-meter dash, advancing her to the state level competition.

There, she broke the school record, finishing as an all-State and all Federation athlete in sixth-place.

Ashleigh Wakely also finished in first-place in the 1500-meter race walk advancing her to the state level competition. There she also broke the school record, like her teammate, finishing as an allState and all Federation athlete in fifth place.

Congratulations to all the girls on their achievements this season. All official results were recorded at just-in-timeracing.com under the indoor track and field tab.

These girls are very excited for their spring season to begin. They are hopeful that they will be able to advance their achievements during this next season.

VIII CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP MEET RESULTS (SENIORS) PHOTO PROVIDED BY JOSEPHINE ALLIANO

Fingers up for first place | Girls track team celebrates a well-deserved conference victory.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY KERRI RADOMSKI

Senior Kerri Radomski has made it clear that she is determined to be the best version of herself on and off the lacrosse field.

With spring sports in full swing, seniors on all teams are eager to make this year the best one yet.

Radomski was introduced to lacrosse in kindergarten, and it has been her passion ever since.

Kerri’s father, Mr. Timothy Radomski, a former high school and college lacrosse player himself, is the main influence in her decision to pursue lacrosse.

Mr. Radomski coached lacrosse for the boys junior varsity team at the time Kerri started playing. It is safe to say that playing lacrosse is in her blood.

Whether it’s the spring or not, Radomski always finds time to improve her defensive

skills to make sure they are perfect on the field. She trains twice a week in the offseason and twice on her own.

“Lacrosse has made me more confident in myself. It has allowed me to express who I am and to show people what I can do,” Radomski said. “It has also taught me to not care what other people think and to just play.”

When the season starts, lacrosse isn’t the only thing that requires Kerri’s focus and attention. As a student athlete, her time for homework is limited. “I know that when I get home I only have a certain amount of time to get my work done, which helps me stay focused and not on my phone,” Kerri says.

Kerri’s mindset on her performance allows her to accomplish her goals.

“My drive to win and improve motivates me best,” Radomski said. “When we are playing a good team and it is

Names: Event: - Tiffany-Ann 1,000 meter Matturro run

Results/Place: 3:17.75 minutes (3rd)

- Josie Alliano

55 meter hurdle run

9.52 seconds (5th)

- Jada White

High Jump

4’8” (3rd)

- Danielle Whelan

Weight Throw

39’1” (1st)