January 2019

News

German Club spreads holiday cheer around school

Page 2

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

Feature The benefits and drawbacks of staying home and going away for college Page 5

Editorial

Is plastic taking over the world? How you can help contribute to save and clean the planet Page 8

The

Sports Wrestling team pins down wins as season continues

Page 11

Chief

Vol. 67– No. 2

January 18, 2019 www.thechiefonline.com

Massapequa High School’s Chief Source of News

MHS student Lexi Shaw perseveres in fight against cancer

BY MICHAEL RIGGI EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

went a surgery in which a portion of her left kidney was removed. Following the surgery and a quick biopsy, it appeared that Lexi had Wilms tumor, but after a week of waiting for the final pathology report, it was confirmed that she had Ewing’s sarcoma, which typically isn’t found in the kidney.

Following the news, Lexi immediately endured another surgery lasting over four hours, which removed the remainder of her kidney and placed a port in her chest to begin chemotherapy treatments. From here on out, Lexi’s life was altered significantly as she had to readjust her daily habits in a battle against Ewing’s sarcoma.

In order to triumph over the cancer, Lexi needs to undergo ten months of chemotherapy and miss her entire sophomore year of school. Chemo treatment has a large physical impact on her, causing Lexi’s mother, Debbie Shaw, to leave her job.

One of the side effects of the chemo treatment that would prove particularly impactful for Lexi was the loss of her hair. “I think the most challenging part of this whole journey was first finding out I was going to lose my hair

PHOTO PROVIDED BY LEXI SHAW

Skating for a cause at the Town of Oyster Bay Ice Skating rink.

because [as a girl] it’s a super scary thing,” Lexi said.

A typical day for Lexi now includes waking up at six o’clock in the morning to travel to Cohen’s Children Hospital in Queens, going through eight hours of intense chemo treatment, and returning home to work on school assignments with tutors through home instruction.

Chemotherapy for Lexi alternates on a three week schedule: the first week she attends five days of chemo, the second week she attends two days, and then she has a break for a week before the cycle repeats. During the two days of chemotherapy in particular, the process takes an immense toll on Lexi, as she can be in the hospital receiving large doses of medication for hours on end.

Despite the intense physical tolls that chemo treatment has left behind, Lexi still keeps a very optimistic mindset regarding the future and brightens the day of those around her.

With help from her friends and family, Lexi has also been able to continue to keep an active social life on top of treatments and schoolwork. Lexi has even had the chance to take a day trip into Manhattan and visit her friends at lunch during the beginning of the school year.

“It’s definitely harder to juggle school work and my social life during treatment, but they are both so important to me so I always make sure I can balance all of it,” Lexi said. “My friends have been super supportive during this whole process and I’m so lucky to have people like them in my life.”

Since Lexi was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma back in May, the Massapequa community has reached out their support to the entire Shaw family through contributions in person and over social media platforms such as GoFundMe. Through GoFundMe alone, nearly $65,000 has been raised collectively for Lexi so far.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY LEXI SHAW

The toughest people are the ones who are able to put on a smile for others during the most challenging times. MHS sophomore Alexis Shaw is a shining example of this as she has kept a courageous mindset and bright outlook on life during the battle of a lifetime against a rare type of cancer.

Life forever changed for Alexis, nicknamed Lexi, and her whole family last May when she was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma at just fourteen years old. Ewing’s sarcoma, typically found in people ages 10 to 20 years old, is an extremely rare type of cancerous tumor that grows in bones or the soft tissue around them.

There are fewer than 1,000 cases of this cancer in the U.S. every year.

After experiencing discomfort for a few days, Lexi and her family went to the doctor and discovered that she had a tumor on her kidney. Since Lexi quickly notified her parents of discomfort, it fortunatly allowed medical specialist to recognize the mass early on and stop internal bleeding, which in turn helped save her life.

Soon thereafter, Lexi under-

Lexi (right) and older sister Kristina are all smiles together.

Various fundraising events excited for the future after her have also been held for Lexi’s treatment ends in April, and to family to help support their return to MHS for her junior medical bills at locations such year of high school. Lexi is as Gino’s Pizzeria in Mass- also looking forward to upapequa and the Town of Oys- coming trips to Jamaica and ter Bay Ice Skating Center in a cruise with her friends and Bethpage. family in the beginning of this Lexi’s friends and family summer. Later in the summer are also selling #teamlexi and she will also travel to Hawaii #lexistrong bracelets in sup- through the help of the Makeport for her treatment in school A-Wish Foundation. and across town.

“The main thing that keeps “I’m honestly shocked about me motivated is knowing this how supportive everyone has will all be over in April and been to me and my family,” that I can put this behind me,” Lexi said. “Between the fund- Lexi said. raisers and Instagram posts Lexi and her family are sharing the word about my continuing to sell #teamlexi story, it has all been so heart- bracelets and plan to host warming.” more fundraisers in the local Word about Lexi and ongo- community. ing support for her during her Anyone can get involved battle with cancer has even in showing their support for been spread beyond the Mass- the Shaw family whether it be apequa community. over the internet or at future A tweet about Lexi from her fundraisers around Long Isolder sister Kristina, a sopho- land. more at The College at BrockBeyond high school Lexi port, has since received over would like to pursue a career 81,000 retweets and nearly in nursing so she can help oth207,000 likes. er kids struggling through the Kristina’s tweet even gained same type of process she is attention from famous singer currently going through.

Halsey, who showed full sup“For kids going through a port for Lexi and her family similar process my advice is and invited her to one of her that there is always a light at shows. “Bald is beautiful,” the end of the tunnel,” Lexi Halsey said. “And she is most said. “Even if you think somecertainly a shining example of thing is too hard to handle, you that.” can always get through it. As After nearly six months of long as you believe it will get chemotherapy thus far, Lexi is better, it will.”

THE CHIEF 2 NEWS Massapequa sophomores rescue family from kitchen oven fire

JANUARY 18, 2019

BY MICHAEL RIGGI EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

PHOTO PROVIDED BY MASSAPEQUA SCHOOL DISTRICT

Many often believe that superheros don’t extend beyond the world of the big screen and are just figures created for entertainment. But, as proved by courageous sophomores Thomas Lippolt and Scott Rathjen, who saved two minors and a tenant from a kitchen house fire, heroes are all around the world.

On November 15, sophomores Thomas and Scott were walking home from winter sports tryouts when the pair heard screams from a young boy on Merrick Road trying to flag down people for help. After they realized that there was a situation and nobody was stopping to help, Thomas and Scott ran over to the boy.

After analyzing the situation, the pair realized that there was a fire inside of the house the boy lived in. Lippolt and Rathjen saw the older brother of the boy, who also attends Massapequa High School, and conferred with him to find the source and type of the fire.

Discovering the source of the gas fire to be from the oven, the older brother contained the flames by dousing it with cups of water.

“We didn’t know when the fire was going to spread from the oven and to the rest of the house,” Thomas said. “Every second counted. Being calm was a necessity, not an option.”

Acting immediately, Lippolt and Rathjen conjured up a further plan of action after calling the police. Rathjen, who’s grandfather had years of experience in the New York City

Fire Department, took knowledge from both his family and prior safety education from school into account to strategize a quick plan of action in conjunction with Thomas.

“My first thought was he [the younger boy] had nothing over his mouth, so I ran over and gave him my glove so he wouldn’t be breathing in more smoke,” Scott said.

Scott and Thomas were able to figure out the layout of the house quickly, and after leading both of the brothers out of the house returned to rescue the younger brother’s hamster. After getting the boys and animals in the house out of danger, Scott’s next step was to turn off all of the power in the house and keep the main door closed so that the smoke would not travel further.

“Before opening the door that led to the main living area, I remembered the fire safety instructions from elementary school to feel the door and door knob for heat before opening it,” Scott said.

“I wasn’t scared. I mostly focused on getting everyone out and keeping the fire from spreading.”

After carefully opening the doors to the main living room and basement, Rathjen found the electricity box and turned off the power in the house.

Scott’s actions notified an upstairs tenant in his mid twenties that nobody realized was home about the fire, allowing for him to successfully escape the house.

Thomas, who after calling the police had grabbed a fire extinguisher from a house next door, returned to the scene and

Massapequa heroes Thomas Lippolt (left) and Scott Rathjen (right) pose for a victorious picture. helped put out the fire. Scott, the pair’s remarkable bravery, measures the school can take who was shining his phone’s the situation easily could have to prevent dangerous scenarios flashlight through the smoke escalated and injured many from occurring, includes both to help give Thomas a clearer both inside and outside of the various students and school view of the oven, helped guide house. faculty.

Thomas to successfully extinStepping into the shoes of “Scott and I plan on making guish the fire. first-hand responders, Thom- our school safer in every way After having put out the as and Scott became real-life we can while on the safety oven fire on their own, author- heroes and reacted to a situ- committee. Both of us, among ities arrived on the scene. Due ation that they easily could other students on the committo the heroic efforts of the two have avoided. In addition to tee, help the school see from high schoolers, everyone was displaying impressive knowl- a student’s point of view,” able to safely get out of the edge regarding the topic, both Thomas said. house without any injuries. students’ ability to apply such Both Thomas and Scott con“If we failed to extinguish knowledge in an emergency tinue to serve on the school’s the flames, the tenant may not situation and keep calm while safety committee and shine have survived,” Thomas said. doing so shows their true stu- as a bright example of Mass“Scott and I were just helping dious personalities. apequa’s bravest heroes. someone that asked for it. If Authorities notified interim “Don’t be afraid to try and someone really needs help, it’s principal of Massapequa High help,” Scott said. “If you see everyone’s job to help them.”

School, Mr. Brian Conboy of someone going through someNot only did Thomas and the actions, who then praised thing rough, your kindness Scott notify authorities of them for their heroism and in- may be the thing that gets the action firsthand, but they vited them to join the school’s them through it and may end risked their lives to put out the safety committee. up meaning a lot more to them fire themselves and save those The safety committee, which in the long run than you imaginside of the house. Without focuses around new safety ine.”

Alumni concert brings holiday spirit to MHS community

BY RYAN PAGANO COPY EDITOR

Many people who celebrate the holiday season have special festive ways to get into the holiday spirit. For Massapequa students and alumni, many like to join together to sing festive songs to celebrate the joyful season.

On December 20, the Baldwin Auditorium was host to Massapequa High School’s annual Alumni Concert, where

students of yesteryear and beyond came together with current MHS students to spread holiday cheer.

The concert started with the girls choir performing amazing renditions of the “Sussex Carol,” “Celebration of Light,” “All is Calm,” “Sleep in Peace,” and Mariah Carey’s 1994 hit “All I Want for Christmas is You.” The show then continued with songs from the school’s

RYAN PAGANO // THE CHIEF

MHS community comes together during annual concert.

orchestra. To kick off their performance they led off with “Sarajevo,” which included an outstanding performance on the electric guitar from junior Mario Mannarino. More great songs followed afterwards as they performed a remake of “Christmas Festival” by the late Leroy Anderson.

The concert shifted back to the full choir afterwards as they performed “Carol of the Bells,” “Light the Candles,” “Sicut locutus est,” “Candlelight Carol,” and “Thixo Onothando” (Loving God as translated from the Xhosa language). This was then followed by the orchestra performance of “Sleigh Ride” before the choir and orchestra combined to perform four songs, including “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” “Hanukkah Festival Overture,” “O Holy Night” and “Hallelujah Cho-

rus” twice.

“Hallelujah Chorus” holds a special place for both current and past MHS students, as alumni are welcomed to the stage the second time the song is played to perform alongside students.

“It was amazing to see how many alumni come on to the stage and join in with the chorus and orchestra,” bass player Liam McMillin said. “It was similar to a high school reunion, only that the guests attending were of different ages.”

Many came up with their own instruments, such as the clarinet and the violin. Others came up with just their voices.

The “Hallelujah Chorus,” both the first time and second time, was a treat to listen to.

Growing in size every year, the alumni on stage are a constant reminder of the school’s

long history and that the MHS family extends beyond those just currently in the building, making the community truly feel like one big family.

All the hard work that the music students have been doing for months to make this concert as successful as possible definitely paid off in a great way. It isn’t just the students that helped, either. The organizers for the event and the music department played great roles in making this as successful and joyful as possible.

Thanks to their efforts every year, Massapequa High School’s Alumni Concert is still going strong. The performance was a great way to unite residents of both towns together, and it is certainly something that the local community will continue to appreciate for years to come.

THE CHIEF 3 NEWS Dog Rescue Club leaves its pawprints in the local community JANUARY 18, 2019

BY MACKENZIE WHITE

Club presidents Erica Hensler (left) and Jess Koester (right) gather bags for donation event. raising, and collecting treats can learn more about adoption the club members about what and toys for the dogs. For ex- and hopefully attract some po- their organizations do. Some ample, when the club began tential adopters. The adoption of these rescues include Ruff to learn about the adoption events tend to be a favorite House Rescue, Grateful Greyprocess, they discovered how with the members. “Being able hounds, and Paws of War. expensive everything can be to see first hand the dogs we Paws of War is a rescue that for these shelters. The club are trying to help get adopted helps military veterans adopt collects items such as tow- and to see people excited to and train service dogs.

During the holiday season, els, treats, toys, blankets, and take them home and make that more. These items benefit the dog a part of their family is the club also has fundraisers shelter and help to take care of definitely going to be the most planned. They put together rewarding,” Ms. Sabbiondo a toy and treat drive, which the dogs. is when students can see dog Additionally, the club vol- said.

Moreover, the club has var- house shaped boxes around unteers at adoption events and sets up stations where people ious groups come and talk to the school. Shelters tend to

go through toys and treats at an extremely fast rate because dogs who seem like they are happy will be adopted faster.

In the mind of someone who is adopting a dog, a happy dog will most likely be friendly and sweet.

After the holiday season, the club plans to start off the new year with some bake sales, a meeting dedicated to making dog toys out of tennis balls, learning to how to make dog treats for a donation, and an “Adopt Don’t Shop” campaign. This campaign will help educate people about why adoption can be a better option than buying a dog. The date for this campaign has yet to be determined.

The Dog Rescue Club has done much to help shelter dogs in need during the holiday season. “The goals for everything we do revolve around fundraising and raising awareness,” Ms. Sabbiondo said.

“For our members, it’s learning about giving back and how to educate others on the importance of adoption.”

STAFF WRITER

PHOTO PROVIDED BY JESS KOESTER

Last year at MHS, students and staff saw many changes within the school, some being both controversial and beneficial to the community. Along with Syosset High School, MHS has started the Dog Rescue Club and it has become one of the most popular clubs in the school.

Founded by MHS graduate Jenna Colucci, the club works along with Ruff House Rescue Shelter to grow and to learn what members can do for helping dogs.

“When I heard about the club last year, I thought to myself ‘that is an awesome club, why didn’t I think of it?’ So when I was asked to take it over it wasn’t even a thought.

I have rescue dogs myself, and helping animals is a passion of mine so it just fits,” club adviser Ms. Christina Sabbiondo said. This is Ms. Sabbiondo’s first year as advisor of the club, after the advisor last year had to step down.

Members of the club spend their time volunteering, fund-

COPY EDITOR

This past November, the nation lost a well respected man and former president of the United States of America: George Herbert Walker Bush.

Bush was a World War II veteran, the director of the CIA, Ronald Reagan’s vice president, but most importantly, the 41st President of the United States of America.

George H.W. Bush passed away on November 30, 2018

at the age of 94. His cause of death was Parkinson’s Disease, which forced him to use a wheelchair for the last few years of his life.

From December 3 to December 5, 2018, his remains were lain in state in the rotunda of the United States Capitol.

With that, he became the 32nd person to lie in state in the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol. He shares this honor with former presidents such as Abraham Lincoln, Ronald Reagan, John

F. Kennedy, and Senator John McCain.

President Trump called for a national day of remembrance on Wednesday, December 5, when Bush’s funeral services took place in Washington D.C. President Trump attended, as well as former presidents Obama, Clinton, and Carter.

Afterwards, he was transported to Texas where another funeral service occurred on Thursday, December 6. Mr. Bush’s final resting place is

at the George H.W. Bush Library, located on the campus of Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas.

While he was seen as a one-term President, George H.W. Bush was much more than that. He accomplished many great things as our Commander in Chief. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act into law in 1990 and helped end the Cold War one year later. In 1992, he ran for re-election but ended up losing

to his opponent Democrat Bill Clinton.

After losing his re-election, he witnessed his son, George W. Bush, become the 43rd president of the United States in 2000. Eleven years later, he received the Presidential Medal of Honor by President Barack Obama. George Herbert Walker Bush may be gone, but his legacy and commitment to put our country first will always be remembered.

to their peers after school. This holiday is celebrated mostly in Europe, and tradition calls for children to leave their shoes in front of a fireplace to wake up to them being filled with little presents the next morning.

Another fun filled meeting was held on Wednesday, De-

cember 19 when students continued their yearly tradition and decorated gingerbread houses together. The main goals of this project are “to have fun, and to craft something that students can take home to share with their families,” Ms. Kahn said.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY RYAN CASSANO

BY RYAN PAGANO

PHOTO PROVIDED BY RYAN CASSANO

A tribute to former president George. H. W. Bush

For the first time, the German Club sold advent calendars to any student in the school who wanted one. The profit went towards the holiday gift bags that they made along with the cards that they brought to the senior citizens when they visited a local retirement home.

The German Club has many other projects that they orchestrate throughout the rest of the year, including a meeting where they color Easter eggs and take part in a game of “Eierpecken.” The objective of this game is trying to destroy or smash eggs made by others.

Every March, the club also organize Sprachfest, which is a meeting of German language students from all over Long Island. The event will be held at Massapequa High School this year and all students are welcome.

German club members also visit the Plattduetsche Retirement Home in Franklin Square to talk and interact with the senior citizens living there.

According to Ms. Kahn, her favorite event that the German Club takes part in is the annual Tug-Of-War championship put on by the school. Multiple clubs participate in this event, and the German Club has been able to remain undefeated thus far.

German Club has brought together students from around MHS to experience firsthandGerman culture and participate in many different fun activities .

“It brings students from different grade levels together.

They really enjoy planning and executing fun activities,” Ms. Kahn said. “We love welcoming all students, not just German language learners.”

MHS German club takes to the halls to spread holiday cheer

BY MACKENZIE WHITE STAFF WRITER

This past holiday season, the German Club spread holiday cheer throughout MHS with fun activities all students could take part in. Some of these events included delivering gift bags to students after school, an opportunity to decorate gingerbread houses, and selling advent calendars.

“The German Club is a venue for German [and other] students to explore cultural topics that are unique to German-speaking countries,” Ms. Brigitte Kahn said. Ms. Kahn is a German teacher at the high school and has been the club advisor for almost three years.

While the German club is active all year long, they reach the most students during the holiday season. To celebrate St. Nikolaus Day on December 6, students delivered gift bags

German student Luke Scher and Mr. Pardue spread cheer.

THE CHIEF 4 FEATURES “Good morning MHS!”- the work of the WMHS radio team

JANUARY 18, 2019

BY LAURA FRANCAVILLA MANAGING EDITOR

Imagine walking through the crowded hallways of Massapequa High School. It is 7:25 a.m. and everyone is rushing to get to class on time. Then, a noise fills the halls. The speakers announce to the school that WMHS is ready to play their song for the day. The music starts, and the day begins.

The WMHS Radio Club has been bringing MHS students music every morning since the nineties. Each Wednes-

day after school, devoted students meet in room 131 to go through request forms and pick songs to play for the following school week.

Spearheaded by English and Broadcasting I and II teacher Mr. Terence Mulholland, the club has continued to flourish this school year.

Each day of the week is matched to a certain theme, including Top Hits Monday, R&B Tuesday, Theme Song/Cultural Appreciation Wednesday, Throwback

Thursday, and Rock ‘n’ Roll/ Request Fridays. The days, of course, are flexible to play whatever song is requested.

The radio club isn’t confined to just mornings. For holidays, the students plan all day music to celebrate the holiday spirit and play these songs in between class periods with fun scripts to go along with them.

“During Halloween and the Christmas and Hanukkah season, we add to the festive spirit by playing music between periods, but our favorite day of

LAURA FRANCAVILLA // THE CHIEF

Broadcasting club students work on radio-ready scripts with club advisor Mr. Mulholland.

the year is Valentine’s Day,” Mr. Mulholland said. “On this day, we play music between periods and sell radiograms so students can send a shout out to their sweethearts.”

Students who aren’t part of the club can get involved as well. Blank request forms are located right outside of the studio and after they are filled out, students can put them back in the folder.

One of the most attractive parts of this club is how stress free and fun it is. Music is always playing while picking songs, and students are introduced to new genres and songs by their peers.

“We listen to and talk about music; it is a stress free club.

A big benefit of the club is that we have the opportunity to choose the music that is played in the morning,” Mr. Mulholland said. “Students are also able to write scripts and go “on air,” if they like. Finally, it is a fantastic way for students to meet new friends with similar interests.”

While many students believe the club goes hand-in-hand with the Broadcasting classes, the club is open to anyone. No prior knowledge of broadcast-

ing is required, and students end up learning useful skills if they decide they want to take the class the next school year.

“The best part about being in WMHS is just the creativity and collaboration with great people. We all have such cool ideas and music tastes it all just kind of blends together,” senior and club member Chris Prystupa said. “There’s no better feeling than having a song play in the morning and having everyone jam out to it knowing ‘Hey, that was me.’”

The club will also be sending out a Google Form for students in the coming weeks to directly tell members what they do and do not want to hear in the morning.

“If someone was to ask me how to get involved in a club, I’d say come down to room 131 on Wednesday’s… I don’t know any other club that operates like this but, if you’re just looking to get into a club and find some friends, head to a meeting and see if you like it,” Chris said.

Broadcasting club is a fun filled environment that meets every week in 131 and always welcomes new members to join at anytime.

Jones Beach holiday light show lights up the South Shore

BY RYAN PAGANO COPY EDITOR

atmosphere, which provided an extra level of difficulty to the maze. Concessions such as coffee and hot chocolate were also available for purchase.

Compared to the past, the Toyota Holiday Village offered many new activities, making it much more versatile than ever before. Especially among the concerns regarding the costly admission price of nearly $30, the larger village not only adds to the experience, but adds a

true sense of Christmas magic that may have been lacking in the setting in past years.

After exiting the village, guests drove through the remainder of the show. The song “Twelve days of Christmas” was displayed by using lights of all the items that were given on the 12 days of Christmas, such as five golden rings and ten lords leaping. Shortly after this, some old fashioned, yet memorable holiday toys

were seen including Mr. Potato Head, a rocking horse, and a toy train. Reindeers could also be seen playing football, basketball, and baseball.

The show ended with signs wishing guests a Merry Christmas in different languages prior to driving through another lights tunnel. Overall, the show was phenomenal, and the staff continue do an amazing job at lighting up the faces of people of all ages every year.

“All the lights are shining” as residents drive through a spectacular holiday light show.

MRS. HORNIK // THE CHIEF

During the holiday season of 2018, many Long Islanders flocked to the south shore to check out the annual Jones Beach Holiday Lights Spectacular. The show has been a tradition for years, and it is a sight that helped light up the faces of guests throughout the holiday season.

The Holiday Lights Spectacular encompasses two and a half miles worth of light displays throughout the west end of Jones Beach every year.

After paying the entrance fee, guests could tune into a special holiday radio station to go along with the lights. The radio station played a plethora of classic holiday hits while some new favorites were added into the mix.

Over time, different light displays have been added and removed at the event, resulting in a mix of both past and present favorites at the most recent outing.

The show opened with several displays of motorcycles pointed towards a tunnel completely covered in Christmas lights. After passing through, the story of ‘“Twas the Night before Christmas” was told using different sets of lights.

Along with this Christmas classic, brightly lit holiday

treats were on display.

Afterwards, guests drove through a tropical themed area with more lights showing parrots, crabs, flamingos, and even Santa Claus doing the limbo. After ironically passing a construction site, guests viewed several public works vehicles including a Tonka-like dump truck filled with presents and a cement truck.

The show then transitions to an Egyptian theme with several camels and pyramids.

Beyond this, astronomical themes included several satellites, rocket ships, UFO’s, and asteroids. Even the planets were on display surrounding the road, resembling the planets revolving around the sun.

Following some more festive lights that include displays of igloos, Santa’s reindeers, and several snowmen, guests ould either drive through the rest of the show or check out the Toyota Holiday Village.

“The village was a nice place to unwind with many fun activities for the whole family,” The Chief advisor Mrs. Hornik said. Activities such as cooking s’mores over fire-pits, photos with Santa, and a hay maze added to the atmosphere and increased the value of the admission price. Young children especially found the hay maze fun due to its dimly lit

THE CHIEF FEATURES A look at local Italian cuisine: North Shore vs. South Shore

JANUARY 18, 2019

BY JULIA RUOCCHIO STAFF WRITER

BY NICOLE MALATINO STAFF WRITER

BY DIANA FERRARI STAFF WRITER

Food is a very significant aspect of culture, and many people use it as a vessel to explore and obtain knowledge about cultures. Restaurants can help teach people interested in new cultures.

In the United States there are approximately 19 million people that dine at restaurants per year. There are about 616,008 restaurants across America.

One such restaurant located on the North Shore is Chris and Tony’s. Paulie is the manager of this family-style italian restaurant that opened in September 2011.

The owners were motivated to open a restaurant that would provide delicious food to local neighbors as well as be a fun atmosphere for customers on the weekends.

Chris and Tony’s menu is composed of Italian dishes that are mainly family-style.

5

Their specialty dish is named Pasta Alla Chris, named after the owner, which is a homemade rigatoni with a veal bolognese sauce.

The two most popular dishes on the menu are Pasta Alla Chris and Shrimp Luciano, which is Paulie’s favorite dish.

Shrimp Luciano is a dish that is shrimp sautéed in a white wine sauce with tomatoes, garlic, and basil over spinach.

The kids menu offers chicken fingers, penne with butter or sauce, meatballs, and mozzarella sticks.

Chris and Tony’s uses a large variety of suppliers to get their ingredients. According to Paulie, the restaurant uses local purveyors to get the highest quality ingredients. The restaurant uses suppliers including Sysco and U.S. Foods to get basic ingredients used to make dishes on the menu.

Chris, the owner of the restaurant, decided to open his restaurant in Syosset because he resides there. He wanted to have his restaurant close to home in the same town that his

kids will grow up.

Paulie explained that he had thought of pursuing careers other than a manager, but he believed the the position of a manager best fit his work ethic and personality.

Furthermore, his favorite thing about being the manager of a restaurant is being able to interact with his customers.

He enjoys seeing regular customers on a weekly basis as well as seeing people happy because of their experience at Chris and Tony’s.

His advice he would give to an individual that is hoping to manage a restaurant is that they should care about what they do, and of course make good food.

A restaurant more close to home on the South Shore is Ciao Baby located on Sunrise Highway. This family-friendly restaurant is owned by Frank Cammarata and was opened in 2003. Ciao Baby is most crowded on Saturday nights and during the holidays.

Cammarata decided to go into the restaurant business af-

ter working at a in restaurants since he was 15 years old. He worked for people that were extremely successful and he admired the work that they did.

He chose to attend the State University of Oneota and majored in food analysis and restaurant administration.

Prior to becoming an owner, Frank Cammarata was interested in the stock broking business. His love for food and restaurants overpowered his desire to become a stock broker.

Ciao Baby is also a kid-friendly restaurant and has a menu for reserved for children. This menu had a variety of foods including pizzas, penne alla vodka, chicken parmigiana, and spaghetti with meatballs.

Ciao Baby is well known for its dish named Gemelli Con Salsiccia. This type of pasta is smothered in a sundried tomato cream sauce and consists of italian sausage, mushrooms, broccoli rabe, and ricotta.

According to Frank Cam-

marata, his favorite dishes are either the rice ball, skirt steak, or any of the pasta dishes on the menu.

Ciao Baby uses multiple suppliers, but they mainly use Sysco to retrieve the ingredients that the restaurant utilizes.

While Massapequa is home to a plethora of Italian restaurants, Cammarata decided to open Ciao Baby in his hometown, which only adds to the homey feeling of the establishment.

According to Cammarata, a piece of advice for opening a restaurant is that owners should research their customers. This allows owners to learn about what their customers are looking for. One should also surround their environment with positivity and happiness.

Ciao Baby will remain a favorite of many locals for years to come.

The delicious food and the care of each detail, whether it regards the atmosphere or the food, keeps patrons coming back for more.

definitely a different experience, but it’s well worth it. Being in a different place allows you to meet different people from all over the U.S.A. and all over the world,” MHS 2018 graduate and current Fairfield University student Peter Toutoulis said. “You also have a newfound sense of freedom and responsibility which I feel will prepare you for life beyond college.”

Another benefit of going to an away school is gaining a sense of independence. Students will be forced to make their own schedules for studying and spending time with friends. Students would also be able to learn from their mistakes and grow from them.

Where there is good, there is bad. Going away for college is extremely expensive without significant scholarships. Many students will also have to face the harsh reality of missing out on family reunions and spending time with high school friends who decided to stay closer to home.

“Going to school away from home also makes you appreciate being home with your friends and family more because you are away for anywhere from six-to-nine months throughout the year,” Toutoulis said.

While dorming and going out of state may strike the fancy of some, others prefer to stay home for college. Some might argue that staying home has developed a bad reputa-

tion in recent years, as schools in New York have become increasingly more expensive than they were in the past.

However, there are many advantages to attending a college in-state that are not available to those who choose to go away.

One major perk is price. By remaining local, students can easily commute to their school, which significantly lowers the price of attendance. Students can also begin to save money by having a part time job that is close to home to save for a car or gas money, and could potentially have more flexible hours.

Another advantage of staying home is New York State residents have the benefit of SUNY schools. While they can be expensive and competitive, students within the state have an increased chance of being accepted into these schools.

One of the most attractive factors of these schools is that most students do not need to stay at the school, depending on where they live in the state, and can commute back and forth, depending on which SUNY school they attend.

“Staying home brings a huge cost savings. You are comfortable because you are living where you know. You are able to focus solely on school work,” Ms. McCormick said.

Just like away schools, staying home has some disadvantages. It is somewhat harder to meet new students outside

of classes since most stay-athome students leave after they are done.

“You would have to make a point to become involved in school activities so that you become immersed in the student life on campus,” Ms. McCormick said.

Each student should make a choice that benefits them and that is cost effective when choosing a college to attend in the future. Whether away or at home, students from Massapequa have the potential to receive a great education wherever they end up going.

Home vs. away colleges: which one will you choose?

BY LAURA FRANCAVILLA MANAGING EDITOR

PHOTO PROVIDED BY PETER TOUTOULIS

With 2019 in full swing, many seniors are anxiously checking their emails and mailboxes for letters from colleges and universities they have applied to. Many students have been waiting to branch out and go off to other states to receive their education. However, many stay home to save money and be closer to family.

There is no “right” way when it comes to deciding if one should stay home. However, many students and their families find it helpful to look at both the pros and cons of staying home or going away.

“It is a decision that should be closely discussed around the dinner table,” guidance counselor Ms. Marianne McCormick said. “I would always advise visiting some ‘away’ schools as well as some ‘home’ schools so that any decision the family makes is a fully informed one.”

Going to an away school has many advantages, such as the ability to experience new cultures and people. For example, California is the film capital of America, and for any students interested in studying film, it is the state that offers the most hands on training. While New York does have colleges that offer the opportunity to study film, being in the true heart of the film industry would be more advantageous to pursue a film career.

“Going away to school is

Fairfield student Peter Toutoulis poses for picture at the quad.

JANUARY 18, 2019

ELECTIVES

THE CHIEF

6

What Electives Should You Choose?

Broadcasting ul teacher and help-

t only a helpf Broadcasting is a class with no that shows what it is like being ce en eri exp an is it t bu s, ern ful int gy to complete recordings. olo hn tec e th ng usi d an 1 13 inside studio s Mr. Mulholland, teach student The interns and course teacher, obe Audition and how to make how to edit recordings with Ad nts . After taking this class, stude be can ey th st be e th s ing ord rec where they participate in the m, alis urn Jo t cas oad Br in l rol can en wk and create team jingles, ha ma To e th on ts en cem un no morning an their personalities to the w sho ey th as s, tro ou d an including intros a g is an opportunity to feel like entire school. Taking Broadcastin e pros record and edit. broadcaster as it shows how th

Sports Marketing

Sports Marketing is an exciting and interesting course that combines the career fields of business and sports management. In this class, students participate in several class projects related to the world of business while combining elements of sports.

For example, one project includes relocating a professional sports team and redrafting their roster while keeping three players. Other projects include drafting fantasy football and baseball teams prior to the start of those respective seasons and creating new teams and marketing campaign from them. In addition, projects involve creating a March Madness bracket, and creating a TV commercial aimed to appeal to fans watching the Super Bowl. Fans of sports will undoubtedly enjoy this course.

Journalism / Creative Writing

This full year class is divided into two segments: Journalism and Creative Writing. When taking Journalism the first half of the year, students will learn the ins and outs of working and writing for a newspaper. Students will also be able to work with the school newspaper to learn new techniques to improve their writing, and can even be featured in the school newspaper. When taking Creative Writing the second half of the year, students will learn how to craft individualized writing pieces. Students also have the opportunity to submit their work to the school’s literary magazine after learning the basics of free writing and responding to different types of prompts that spark creative thinking.

Theatre Arts I and II

For students both familiar and unfamiliar with musical theatre, Theatre Arts I and II show students the inner workings of on-stage dramas and the processes of production behind them.

In Theatre Arts I, a half year course, students learn how to become more comfortable on stage through different class activities and performances that lead to a final performance of a “Character Education” script for Berner students. In Theatre Arts II, students take the knowledge learned in Theatre Arts I to write, direct, and produce oneact plays as well as produce a scene from a movie or play throughout the spring semester. This leads to a final show that is created and performed for MHS Nursery School students.

AP Calculus AB/BC

Stemming off of the concepts learned in Pre-Calculus AB and BC, AP Calculus AB and BC offer a rigorous college level mathematics course in which students learn the theories of Calculus and apply it to solving related problems. In AP Calculus BC, students cover more topics and move at a quicker pace than students in AB, and have a double period of the class every other day accordingly.

Both AB and BC students take the AP Exam in May and a final in June that test their skills of the course and prepare them for other college level coursework.

Parenting and Child Development/Child Study

Parenting and child development isn’t about taking a robot baby home; it’s about family and growth. This elective consists of learning about the reproductive system, the development of character and being, and relationships. Throughout taking the class, students learn what it really means to be responsible for life.

It’s trully a beautiful and complex project. But, just like children, the class is worth the hard work!

ELECTIVES

JANUARY 18, 2019

THE CHIEF

Music Theory

Split into two main concepts during the course of the year, students will learn the fundamentals of musical composition and inner workings of musical scores. The first half of this full year course focuses on musical terminology and identifying the different aspects of musical scores, while the second half of the year shows students how to translate these basic skills to create musical compositions on computer programs. After completion of the course, students will become familiar with the different aspects and theories that underlie musical compositions.

Monsters in Print/Film and Graphic Novels

Everyone is scared of something for a reason they can’t explain. Monsters are usually symbolic of cultural fears, and as the years go on, society has created more modern fears that are more than just monsters that lurk in the shadows. “If you are interested in monsters, horror movies, and are curious as to what they can reveal about human nature, Monsters in Print and Film is the course for you,” course teacher Mr. Mulholland said. The second half of the year focuses on graphic novels where students learn about a type of novel not typically covered in regular English classes. “Whether you are interested in contemporary graphic novels such as V for Vendetta or Maus, or would like to examine how authors combine artistic and narrative expression to create a one of a kind reading experience, Graphic Novels is the course for you,” Mr. Mulholland said. This class covers a new perspective on the typical English class experience.

Marine Science

Deep in the basement of MHS there lurks a room decorated to feel as though anyone who enters has been transported into the ocean. Fish tanks are everywhere and a giant light up squid greets all students as they enter. This is the Marine Science classroom. Spearheaded by Captain Kwas, any student, familiar with our ocean environment or not, is able to learn firsthand how much the ocean impacts the everyday lives of people on Long Island and what they can do to preserve Long Island’s unique environment.

Art of Baking

Have you ever wondered where the fresh scent of chocolate chip cookies came from in the hallway? It’s probably from the Art of Baking class in room 117. In this class, students get to learn the do’s and don’ts of baking, ranging from measuring ingredients to making your treats taste a little more like magic. Students also have the opportunity to get introduced to new recipes that they can take home and share with their families.

Intro to Photoshop

Intro to Law

Have you ever thought you took the perfect picture, only to find out a yawning pedestrian or an overflowing garbage can ruined your shot? Well, look no further than Intro to Photoshop, held in room 90 in the basement of the school. Students will work on projects that will teach them the ins and outs of the program, learning how to fix up their favorite pictures in the process. In addition, any project you make can be printed out and taken home to admire on your own time.

A unique and interesting Social Studies elective offered at MHS is the Law I and II program. In this class, students get the chance to learn about the government and how laws apply to the real world. “The law class is about framing an argument and public speaking. Students develop higher order thinking by developing on the spot analytical skills in a Mock Trial competition where students argue real world cases in the MHS Courtroom,” law teacher Mr. Daniel Bachman said. The law classes have always been a popular elective choice and are beneficial for any student interested in pursuing a career in the law field, or even those enrolled in the AP U.S. and Comparative classes in senior year.

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JANUARY 18, 2019

Editorial

EDITORIAL

THE CHIEF

8

Plastic vs. paper: how MHS can ditch the plastic

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Michael Riggi MANAGING EDITOR Laura Francavilla ONLINE MANAGER Billy Boye COPY EDITOR Ryan Pagano SPORTS EDITOR Sabrina Alberti BUSINESS MANAGER Alex Carmenaty ADVISOR Melissa Hornik Massapequa High School 4925 Merrick Road Massapequa, NY 11758

Editorial Policy

Distribution: 1,800 copies 1,807 students, 194 teachers All papers are free

plastic cause any animal that eats it to starve to death since the animal feels full by the act of eating, but gains no nutrients from what they have consumed.

As we live so close to the water, it is surprising that MHS does not have a recycling program for all plastic. Bottles and cans are recycled, but many items from the cafeteria, including the extremely harmful styrofoam trays, are thrown into trash bins and part of what is thrown away will make its way into the ocean and landfills.

Students can easily get involved in ways to ditch the plastic in their everyday lives.

One easy change they can make is using a reusable water bottle instead of using throw away plastic ones. Reusable bottles have many benefits including reducing waste and

saving students money since they do not have to pay to get one throughout the day.

Another effective change is bringing lunch to school.

When staying in for lunch, students are required to take a single use a styrofoam tray and other small plastic containers containing drinks to hold a full lunch. By bringing lunch to school, students can put their food and drinks in reusable containers that they can bring to and from school. Paper bags and reusable lunch bags would also be beneficial since paper is biodegradable and reusable bags can be used many times.

Even going out to lunch, while enjoyable, can have negative effects on the planet.

Many of the resturants near the high school use single use plastic containers to put food in. While many of them have bins for plastic bottles for recy-

cling, there are none for food containers and these items go straight into the garbage.

Another planet friendly alternative includes, once again, bringing lunch if the establishment allows outside food, or finding restaurants that do not offer single use plastic.

Students can even consider talking to their favorite food places to see if they can set up all single use plastic recycling programs.

Saving our planet is something everyone who lives in Massapequa should be concerned with. By living so close to the ocean, we see first hand the effects of plastic in our waters. Simple everyday changes, from single use plastic to reusable items or paper products, can go a long way, and in the future we can see positive change in our local community, the ocean, and beyond.

Thumbs down for plastic bottles as students at MHS turn to reusable alternatives at school.

LAURA FRANCAVILLA // 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.

In the midst of all of the controversies and debates of the past year, one stood out among the rest that had the most direct impact on humans and the environment. In 2018, people finally took notice of the amount of plastic that ends up in our oceans. Considering we live on an island, and by the water, MHS should be more concerned about the high levels of plastic in our oceans.

Many everyday products we use are made of some sort of plastic. We eat and drink out of plastic and carelessly toss it into the closest garbage we can find. Most students don’t even realize where our normal garbage ends up after throwing it out. Anything that isn’t recycled or repurposed is sent to West Virginia to be buried in the ground, releasing toxins from plastic and creating large dumps full of non biodegradable products.

Like many pieces of garbage, plastic sometimes finds its way into the water. It’s most harmful when big pieces of plastic, such as a water bottle, are not removed from the water. The currents and the waves then break it down into small pieces, as current science proposes that plastic can not break down completely. As it gets smaller in size, small fish eat it and either die from starvation or are eaten by bigger animals, which carry the plastic up the food chain until it eventually comes back to humans.

Fish aren’t the only animals affected by plastic. Many birds eat plastic believing it is food or eat fish that have consumed plastic. The small pieces of

Carmenaty’s Corner: Highlighting Important Historical Figures

A man of many roles: Charlton Heston’s legacy

BY ALEX CARMENATY BUSINESS MANAGER

On April 5, 2008, the admirable Charlton Heston passed away at the age of 84. During a 60 year career as an experienced actor, Heston starred in almost 100 movies. He performed many roles which defined our popular culture, playing great figures from both history and fiction.

Heston gained fame after playing as Moses in “The Ten Commandments” and as Judah in “Ben Hur.” He starred in epic films such as “El Cid,” “Khartoum” and “The Agony & the Ecstasy,” where he portrayed Michelangelo. Both a true actor, appearing on stage as Sir Thomas More in “A Man For All Seasons,” and a Shakespearean, best known for playing Marc Antony in “Julius Caesar,” Heston had

many roles under his belt by the time he passed away.

Heston was more than just a performer. In his movies, he represented true character and integrity. “Heston was a grand, ornery anachronism, the sinewy symbol of a time when Hollywood took itself seriously, when heroes came from history books, not comic books,” critic Richard Corliss said.

Off the screen, Heston was a public citizen who lent his voice to causes he believed in. A champion of civil rights, he marched with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the March on Washington in 1963. Originally a Democrat, Heston later switched to the Republican Party, following his good friend Ronald Reagan whom he supported.

Similar to Reagan, Heston

was the president of the Screen Actors Guild and served as a five term president for the NRA (National Rifle Association). Whether in real life or in movies, Heston saw his place “in the arena” just like former president Teddy Roosevelt and was a man of many roles always up for any task.

Heston’s stardom came when director Cecil B. DeMille gave him the role of Moses in “The Ten Commandments.”

As the prophet who freed the Israelites from bondage in Pharaoh’s Egypt, he parted the Red Sea and received the Commandments from God on Mt. Sinai. This film became a classic and forever associated Heston in the public’s mind as a hero of Biblical stature.

Director Cecil B. DeMille himself recognized the talent of Heston early on, believing

that, “To transfer the Bible to the screen, you cannot cheat.

You have to believe.”

Heston worked with other great directors like Orson Welles, Sam Peckinpah, William Wyler and played opposite to stars such as Sophia Loren, Gary Cooper, and Yul Brynner. He won the Academy Award for “Ben Hur” in 1959, as well as the chariot race in the movie. In the scifi classic “Planet of the Apes,” he played Taylor, who was an astronaut held captive by a civilization run by apes. In the movie, he was the spokesman for the survival of humanity.

Charlton Heston was an icon in every role he played. There will never be another figure in Hollywood like him. Charlton Heston was a hero to many and a man that no one should ever forget.

THE CHIEF 9 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Netflix introduces revolutionary new adventure-based concept

JANUARY 18, 2019

BY MICHAEL RIGGI EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

narrative sense, but allows the audience to be more immersed in the world on screen. Although Director David Slade and the crew shot roughly 312 minutes of footage for the episode altogether, the decisions of the viewer can lead to narratives that can be as brief as 40 minutes or as long as 90 minutes.

Reception for “Bandersnatch” has been overwhelmingly positive since its release on the platform on December 28. Having well surpassed the intentions of Brooker, “Bandersnatch” has spread quickly and sparked conversation for jump-starting a new era of “control-your-own adventure” television medium.

Despite its overall success, “Bandersnatch” leaves room for improvement for future television shows of a similar nature. While the “chooseyour-own adventure” concept of the episode is enough to engage the audience alone, the plot of the episode can come off as generic at times depending on the paths taken by viewers and is comparatively less interesting than other prior episodes in the long-running series.

Due to the nature of the “choose-your-own-path” concept, the episode can oddly feel both overwhelming and underwhelming at times. The

beginning of the episode, for instance, starts relatively slow and laid back with an emphasis on world-building, while later portions of the episode move at a very heightened pace and include intense fourth-wall breaking scenarios and prompts to choose from.

Regardless of its flaws, the

sequels such as “Toy Story 4.”

Ever since drafting his first character Oswald the Lucky Rabbit and beyond, Walt Disney continued to improve upon his work with dedication to his craft and a strive to change the world. When Walt Disney passed away on December 15, 1966, animators started creating new characters like Minnie Mouse and Goofy to continue his legacy.

Today, the company continues to base itself on the high standards Disney established, and releases a stream of films to the public every year.

In one of the most anticipated Disney films for 2018, Emily Blunt exceeded all expectations in her remastered

role of Mary Poppins in “Mary Poppins Returns” when it was released this past December.

“Hamilton” writer and former star Lin-Manuel Miranda also gave new life to Burt, the chimney sweep, as a new character, Jack the lamplighter.

“Mary Poppins Returns,” for instance, acts as a successful example of the company’s continuous efforts to keep classic films and tales alive by adding on to their former legacies. Received positively from both critics and audiences, “Mary Poppins Returns” earned four nominations at the Golden Globe including Best Actress in Animated Film.

The movie competed with other major motion pictures such as “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” and Marvel’s “Black Panther” to win the Satellite Award for Best Art Direction and Production Design.

Following the success of “Mary Poppins Returns,” Disney is hoping to continue their impressive film legacy in 2019.

Fan favorites such as “Aladdin” and “The Lion King” will hit theaters later this year as live action remakes of their original films, while “Toy Sto-

ry 4” will continue the story of Woody and Buzz this summer.

Children and adults alike around the world have been looking forward to seeing some of their favorite childhood cartoon movies transform into real worlds in film.

“The Lion King” in particular has many fans excited, as computer-generated imagery (CGI) technology has the potential to enhance the original story and bring it to a new generation of young kids.

Although Disney has an impressive roster of films for the forthcoming year, many are concerned with the company’s “lack of originality” and over-reliance on recreating classic tales in recent years.

Despite inspiring new generations of movie-goers and financial stability at the box office, live action remakes such as “Cinderella” (2015) and “Beauty and the Beast” (2017) in recent years have been met with lukewarm reception from critics and fans for not enhancing the original source material to a noteworthy extent.

Fortunately, the talent behind the live-action remake films this year is abundant and promising for all three outings.

unique concept that “Bandersnatch” introduces has spurred endless potential for future interactive shows and events.

Netflix and Brooker have started something much larger than they could have ever imagined, and have forever changed the state of television for the future.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NETFLIX

As the digital age comes further into fruition, streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu continue to dominate the entertainment medium and innovate the groundwork implemented in the industry thus far.

Netflix, who has pushed the boundaries of its service with creative original shows in the past, recently took a first leap into the future with a new form of television that puts the audience in control of the characters on screen.

Taking inspiration from “choose your own adventure” books, Netflix’s latest episode of its exclusive show “Black Mirror” puts the audience in control of the fate of the main character on screen.

Modeling as a modern day “Twilight Zone,” “Black Mirror” follows different characters in a not-so-distant high tech world and the different impacts that such technology imprints on them. Within each episode, show creator Charlie Brooker focuses on the intrusiveness of modern day technology and the possible dark consequences that can stem from it in the future, often depicted through somewhat exaggerated character storylines and scenarios.

Throughout the course of the four season show, Char-

lie Brooker has been able to successfully captivate audiences with original technology-based concepts and underlying dark twists behind them.

“Bandersnatch,” the most recent episode of the show, innovates on an entirely different level by giving viewers the ability to follow their own narrative.

Set in 1984, the episode follows the life of young game programmer Stefan (Fionn Whitehead) as he develops “Bandersnatch,” a choose your own adventure novel, into a video game.

As the episode continues to progress, viewers are given the choice to pick from two on-screen prompts that display for about ten seconds and dictate the next actions of Stefan and those around him. While the episode starts out with seemingly innocent prompts, such as picking between two different brands of cereal for breakfast, the episode quickly turns dark in true “Black Mirror” fashion.

While seemingly innocent and un-consequential at first, the different outcomes embedded behind each choice grow increasingly more complex and lead to different sets of footage and prompts.

Giving the audience their own creative sense of freedom is not only groundbreaking in a

“Black Mirror” event highlights capabilities of Netflix.

2019 to feature lineup of old Disney movies with a new twist

BY SABRINA ALBERTI SPORTS MANAGER

With 2019 coming into full swing, Disney has some New Year’s resolutions of their own up their sleeve. Always striving to top themselves, Disney has a lot to live up to coming off the heels of a mostly successful 2018 featuring films such as “The Incredibles 2,” “Christopher Robin,” and “Mary Poppins Returns.”

Continuing the trend of the past few years in bringing their classic animated tales to life, Disney has a wide slate of anticipated remakes and original new films this year.

Such films include live action remakes such as “Dumbo” and “Aladdin,” in addition to

PHOTOS COURTESY OF DISNEY

Disney takes center stage with “Toy Story 4” and “Aladdin.”

Jon Favreau, famed director of the highly successful 2016 live-action remake of “The Jungle Book,” will be at the helms of the 2019 “The Lion King” remake. In addition the creative Tim Burton will be behind the live-action “Dumbo” releasing in March of this year.

The live-action “Aladdin” will also host a range of talented actors, such as Will Smith’s portrayal of the Genie, and newer actors, such as Mena Massoud’s portrayal of the title character. The ombitation of both new and old actors makes the remake promising and gives it the potential to even surpass the original.

Beyond live-action remakes, the much anticipated “Toy Story 4” is scheduled to release this June. The narrative of the fourth installment will include a new character, Forky, joining Woody and the gang on an adventure. Additionally, a sequel to 2014’s praised animated film “Frozen” is scheduled to release later this year.

Disney continues to blow their viewers away one movie at a time, and they aren’t planning on retiring the magic anytime soon.

THE CHIEF ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate” review: new challenges ahead

JANUARY 18, 2019

BY BILLY BOYE

ONLINE MANAGER

as well as out of the ballpark pick Piranha Plant, who will be joining the roster as the first downloadable fighter in February of 2019. This pushes the total roster of fighters to a mind-blowing 75 fighters to choose from.

Moving on to the game’s im-

pressive roster of stages, it features nearly every stage from the past five iterations. A new feature added into this entry in the series is Stage Morph, where players can choose two stages to play on, and the two chosen will switch out during battle. Due to this feature,

PHOTO COURTESY OF NINTENDO.COM

This past March the gaming world was changed forever.

At the end of a Nintendo Direct, a semi-monthly event where Nintendo shows off new games to release in the future, the company revealed a teaser trailer for a brand new “Super Smash Bros.” game, which was at the time unnamed. Almost exactly nine months later, on December 7, the game released to almost instantaneous praise, with the title “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.”

“Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s” tagline is “Everyone is Here,” and the game is certainly deserving of it. It’s main selling point is the addition of every character that has been in any of the games prior, namely the ones who were cut from earlier additions. This means that fan-favorites such as Young Link, Snake, and Ice

Climbers made their return to the series.

Alongside these returning veterans, some fan-favorite newcomers have joined the fray as well. These include highly requested fighters such as King K. Rool, Ridley, Isabelle, and Simon Belmont

Nintendo strikes a home-run with the latest entry in the long-running game series.

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some stages from previous entries didn’t return to this game.

The game boasts an impressive adventure mode, known as “World of Light,” in which the Smash Bros. cast unites to take on Galeem, the Lord of Light. In World of Light, players have the assistance of spirits, who give the player extra buffs and open up more paths in the overworld.

In addition to World of Light, spirits can be attained through the Spirit Board, which offer players one shot at attaining the spirit. If the player succeeds, they are taken to a minigame where they must free the spirit.

“Super Smash Bros. Ultimate” hits home in almost every aspect possible. The characters, the stages, the music, and the game modes are all masterfully blended together to create one ultimate experience that fans will enjoy for years to come.

An in-depth look at competitive “Super Smash Bros.”

BY SEAN PENTA STAFF WRITER

Lights, camera, SMASH! The spotlight’s all on you as you’re on stage for the Evolution 2019 Grand Finals for “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.” You worked hard, trained hard, and earned every right to be up on that stage against your opponent in the most explosive “Smash” game to date. But what exactly is competitive “Smash” all about? What goes into it? Why do people compete?

Competitive “Smash” can be dated all the way back to 2002 with “Super Smash Bros. Melee.” “Melee,” the second en-

try in the “Super Smash Bros.” series, featured 26 fighters and 29 versus stages.

“Super Smash Bros. Ultimate,” the most recent entry in the franchise, has 74 playable characters and over 100 stages to choose from. Additionally, even more fighters are slated to enhance the game’s roster in upcoming paid downloadable content. Therefore, not only have the games themselves changed over time, but the community as well.

The drive within the current community is a top reason the series continues to stay strong to this day. As more content is added to the games, there is

more and more reason to keep coming back to them.

Many people often question how deep entries in the series go and the replayability behind them. To put it into perspective, fans of other fighting series such as “Street Fighter,” “Marvel vs. Capcom,” and “Dragon Ball Fighter Z” all humbly admit that “Smash” is just about the deepest fighting game series out there due its large amount of content.

Ninja, a widely recognized Twitch figure, refers to the series as “The Chess Of Esports.” The movement, techniques, and different attacks of each character are more than

To deliver a sense of uniqueness to each of his shows, Joel changes up the songs he performs in relation as to where he is performing or what time of year it is, which was reflected in his December 19 performance.

On December 19, Billy Joel returned to the stage once again and performed at Madison Square Garden. Joel was accompanied by guitarist Tommy Burns and trumpeter Carl Fisher from the south shore of Long Island, drummer Chuck Bergee from New Jersey, and saxist Mike Rivera from Brooklyn.

The show started off with the song “Big Shot,” which comes from Joel’s sixth studio album “52 Street.” Joel continued the show with classic hit after classic hit, making the crowd go wild with each song.

Joel performed hits such as

“The Entertainer,” “New York State of Mind,” “Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song),” “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant,” “Piano Man,” “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” and “Uptown Girl” amongst other recognizable classics.

Billy Joel also performed some classic holiday tunes in time for the season. Festive tracks such as “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Silver Bells” and “Come All Ye Faithful” helped to heighten an already great performance.

One of the holiday songs that stood out from the rest was “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” which Joel performed with his oldest daughter Alexa Ray Joel. With Alexa Ray on vocals and Billy on piano, the father-daughter duo performed one of, if not, the best, songs that night.

Billy also had his middle

enough to sell the games in terms of depth, but it can go even deeper than that.

As the series progresses, “Smash Bros.” continues to introduce new complex fighting mechanics not seen in other fighting games and improve upon old ones. On a more philosophical level, the series is underlined with advanced strategies, such as “mind games,” to edge out opponents, and wacky fast paced “footsies” to trick them.

“Smash’s” in-game engine also works far differently from that of “Street Fighter” or “Marvel vs. Capcom.” Characters are able to move freely

around the stages within the game and are capable to freestyle or come up with their own combinations on the fly to a larger extent than that of the average fighting game. It is pretty visible just how deep “Smash” can get.

All of these aspects, along with the love from the community, are more than enough to show just why “Smash” has come such a long way, and is not just the button-mashing nonsense many people might think it is. “Smash’s” depth and appeal to both casual and competitive gamers shows just why it is the titan of a game series that it has become.

Billy Joel’s holiday spectacular rocks Madison Square Garden

BY ANGELO CATAPANO STAFF WRITER

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ANGELO CATAPANO // THE CHIEF

While Long Island may be famous for its food and its pizza, it contains one arguably more important asset to its popularity: Billy Joel. Billy Joel was born in the Bronx, New York in 1949 and grew up in Hicksville, Long Island.

As a Long Island native, he is a household name across the region. After dropping out of high school to continue his passion for music, Joel released his first studio album “Cold Spring Harbor” in 1971, kickstarting his career and turning him into what would eventually become one of the greatest artists in music history.

Nowadays, Billy Joel still performs in live concerts throughout the country, with the majority of his concerts taking place at Madison Square Garden.

Billy Joel rocks the house at Madison Square Garden concert. daughter, Della Rose Joel, cheered for her, regardless of come on stage to sing during this. his performance of “Don’t Ask Classic artists who still perMe Why.” During the perfor- form are a bit hard to come by mance Della Rose caught nowadays. Billy Joel, howstage fright and simply tapped ever, shows everyone that no her foot to the beat of the song matter how old you get, you instead, but the crowd still can still put on a great show.

THE CHIEF 11 SPORTS New year comes with more wins for the MHS wrestling team JANUARY 18, 2019

BY SABRINA ALBERTI

PHOTO PROVIDED BY MASSAPEQUA WRESTLING BOOSTER CLUB

SPORTS EDITOR

The Massapequa wrestling team had an unbelievable 2018 with Division I committed wrestlers bringing home wins and dominating tournaments.

The team is projected to excel as they enter the new year with tournament wins leading them to become the number one team in the state. Massapequa holds the second highest ranking in New York State as of the Colonie Dual Meet Tournament held on December 8 and 9, 2018.

Sophomore Chase Liardi has been the one to watch ever since he stepped on the mat, and at this tournament he earned seven wins and was awarded the Most Outstanding Wrestler by the professional judges at the tournament.

University of Maryland commit, Garrett Gibbons, had a rocky start when he lost his first two matches. However, he bounced back and finished the

tournament with four consecutive wins.

The heat got turned up even more when the Massapequa Wrestling Association hosted its 56th Annual Holiday Tournament on December 28, 2018. This brought the wrestling community together for a tournament like no other.

According to the Friends of Massapequa Wrestling Website, this event is the second oldest holiday tournament in New York State. The oldest tournament is held in Windsor, located in Upstate New York.

The tournament was first started by Al Bevilaqua, a legendary coach, and the Massapequa wrestling room was named in his honor.

Bevilaqua started this tournament in his second year of coaching, and it has been a tradition in the Massapequa wrestling family ever since. While the season goes beyond the holidays, Massapequa earned many wins, specifically during

Wrestling team hits hard in local and state matches on the heel of a successful season.

Their next major tourna- tournament. Some of those this past holiday season.

The new year brought ment, Eastern States, will wrestlers include Liardi, Gibnothing but good fortune to be one of the toughest in the bons, and Jeremy Scutellaro. the team as they dominated country, and the team is taking This tournament is schedHempstead on January 2 with on the challenge with determi- uled to take place on January a score of 61-18. Mike Rol- nation and grit.

12. The team will continue to lo and Angelo Petrakis even As Eastern States approach- succeed this season as they pinned their opponents in less es, the returning wrestlers make their journey to future were especially hyped for the matches, including states. than a minute.

Making moves throughout the MLB off-season

BY JULIA RUOCCHIO STAFF WRITER

Every year, fans look forward to all of the transactions that take place during the MLB off-season before the regular season starts again. With the 2018 winter meetings in the rear-view mirror, it is time to look ahead to the 2019 season.

On November 19, the New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners completed the first blockbuster trade of the off-season.

The Mariners dealt left handed pitcher (LHP) James Paxton to the Yankees in exchange for Yankees’ top prospect LHP Justus Sheffield and two lower level prospects, right handed pitcher (RHP) Erik Swanson and outfielder (OF) Dom Thompson-Williams.

James Paxton, who is nicknamed “The Big Maple,” has been a threat in the league for years and has proven he can be an ace. The 30-year-old left-hander has a career 41-26 record in six seasons with a solid 3.42 Earned Run Average (ERA). Paxton will look to continue his success in the Bronx as he begins playing in meaningful games and competes for a championship.

On December 1, the New York Mets and Seattle Mariners completed a much anticipated blockbuster deal. This would be the Mets’ biggest trade since the acquisition of Yoenis Céspedes in 2016.

Eight-time All-Star second baseman Robinson Canó and All-Star closer Edwin Díaz were shipped off to New York in exchange for OF Jay Bruce, veteran reliever Anthony Swarzak, and a trio of

prospects including OF Jarred Kelenic, RHP Justin Dunn, and RHP Gerson Bautista.

Kelenic, 19, was the Mets’ first-round pick in 2018 and the club’s number three prospect in their farm system.

Some refer to Kelenic as a “future superstar” and a potential five-tool player in the big leagues.

Similar to Kelenic, Dunn, 23, was also a first round pick.

The Mets drafted Dunn in the first round of the 2016 draft and was the Mets’ number four prospect. He grew up locally in Freeport, New York and has a bright future ahead of him.

It is clear that the Mariners are now in rebuild mode as they missed the playoffs for the seventeenth consecutive season in 2018. Seattle owns the longest postseason drought in pro American sports as they

“

With many new trades and team shakeups, the 2019 MLB season will prove to be an interesting one.

”

hope to flip the script in the upcoming years.

Left-handed starter Patrick Corbin signed a six-year, $140 million deal with the Washington Nationals on December 7.

After passing on the Yankees, who refused to give Corbin a sixth year of control, Corbin went for a deal that guaranteed him $40 million extra instead of the five-year $100 million offer he reportedly received from the Yankees.

The Yankees re-signed lefthander J.A. Happ on December 12 in order to add some stability to the rotation. Happ signed a two-year deal along with an option for a third year.

This deal is referred to as a vesting option. This means it will depend on how many innings or starts Happ makes in the next two seasons, which will decide if he stays a third season with New York. The 36-year-old made 11 starts for the Yankees in 2018 and went 7-0 with a solid 2.69 ERA. The signing will no doubt help the Yankees in their playoff push for 2019 and beyond.

Right-hander Lance Lynn signed with the Texas Rangers to a three-year, $30 million deal. The Rangers went into the winter meetings looking to add a free agent pitcher to the club as Lynn, 31, was one of their top targets. Lynn was traded from the Minnesota Twins to the Yankees in July of 2018. His strikeout and walk per nine innings rate improved dramatically. He averaged 8.8 strikeouts and 5.5 walks per nine innings with the Twins, while with the Yankees he averaged 10.1 strikeouts and 2.3 walks per nine innings. The Rangers should be excited about the signing as they look to improve in the upcoming years.

The New York Mets agreed to a deal with reliever Jeurys Familia. He will be re-joining the Mets on a three-year, $30 million deal, which was announced on December 13, the final day of the 2018 winter meetings. Familia was on the Mets to start the 2018 season,

but he was later acquired by the Oakland Athletics in July.

The 2013 National League MVP, Andrew McCutchen, signed a three-year, $50 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies on December 13. McCutchen, 32, played with the New York Yankees for the last month of the 2018 season and was their starting left fielder in the postseason.

In desperate need of a catcher, the Mets chose free agent Wilson Ramos. The Mets signed Ramos to a two-year deal worth $19 million. Ramos, 31, provides a nice righty, bat that should be a great fit into the heart of the order and fills the Mets’ needs behind the plate. General Manager of the Mets, Brodie Van Wagenen, referred to Ramos as the “perfect fit” for the Mets.

The Yankees’ first move of 2019 occurred on the first day of the new year. The Yankees signed shortstop Troy Tulowitzki to a one-year deal at the league minimum $550,000.

This deal does not take the Yankees out of the Manny Machado sweepstakes, sources told ESPN. Tulowitzki will reportedly play shortstop in Didi Gregorius’ absence. Tulowitzki at the minimum salary was simply an offer that was too good to pass up.

On the afternoon of January 3, the Philadelphia Phillies added David Robertson to the bullpen on a two-year, $23 million deal. The right-hander is guaranteed $10 million in 2019 and $11 million in 2020, with a $12 million club option for 2021. Robertson, 33, has spent the last decade devastat-

ing American League hitters with both the New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox. As a result of his deal with the Phillies, he will now be facing National League batters.

The Mets continue to make solid moves this off-season with their acquisition of Keon Broxton. In their trade with the Milwaukee Brewers on January 5, the Mets let go of a trio of prospects, Bobby Wahl, Adam Hill, and Felix Valerio.

Broxton, 28, was limited to only 78 at-bats in 2018 due to the Brewers’ outfield surplus.

He will serve as outfield depth for the Mets going forward.

In need of bullpen arms, the Yankees re-signed LHP Zach Britton to a three-year deal worth $40 million. The deal includes an option for a fourth year after his second year; and if the Yankees decline, Britton can opt out. Agreement was finalized between Britton and the Yankees on January 5.

Britton, 31, had one of the best years a reliever could possibly have in 2016. He was 47/47 in save opportunities and posted a 0.54 ERA. He finished fourth in the American League (AL) Cy Young race behind Rick Porcello, Justin Verlander, and Corey Kluber.

The Mets let go of catcher Kevin Plawecki, trading him to the Cleveland Indians in exchange for a pair of prospects.

The prospects include RHP Walker Lockett and infielder (INF) Sam Haggerty. The deal was made on January 6.

With many new trades and team shakeups, the 2019 MLB season will prove to be an interesting one.

THE CHIEF 12 SPORTS Bowling with the Chiefs: one on one with Teddy Woodworth JANUARY 18, 2019

BY ALEX CARMENATY BUSINESS MANAGER

“If I ever mess up, I don’t let it get me down.

I look at my mistake and learn from it so that I do better in the future and the rest of my game.”

PHOTO PROVIDED BY THEODORE WOODWORTH

Massapequa is frequently associated with its excellence in sports, including varsity athletic teams such as football, baseball, and much more.

A lost gem in this rough of greats is the varsity bowling team, which includes dedicated members such as Theodore Woodworth.

Theodore, more commonly referred to as “Teddy,” is a junior with a wide background in school athletics. Woodworth’s experience includes running for the cross country and winter/spring track teams, as well as participation on the varsity tennis team his sophomore year.

Multiple teammates of his past and present have described Teddy as a good teammate who helps others with their form and technique to make them a better bowler.

Teddy is known to be hardworking, friendly, and consistently encouraging to other teammates in order to help them persevere. “[Teddy is] very mature and his skills have improved every year,” Varsity Bowling coach Jesse Meyer said. “Although

he’s a junior, he has been seen as a veteran and his attitude has always been even tempered as he is someone who does not get frustrated. His teammates feed off of that as they look towards his personality.”

Teddy’s attitude shows the passion he has for all of his activities and that he can get the job done.

He has performed exceptionally well with a bowling average of 191.5, the second highest on the team, in a total of 19 games. Teddy’s skills show his talents and the mentality he has for the game with continuous high scores.

“I was originally inspired to join the bowling team by my brother, Benjamin, and sister, Evelyn,” Teddy said. “Both of my siblings had been a part of the bowling team which made me decide to pick up the sport when I was in fourth grade. I was extremely competitive and was determined to make the team just like they did.

When seventh grade came I was finally able to tryout for the sport and become a part of the team.”

Teddy feels he is the bowler that he is today because of his mentality and attitude towards life, which is to keep looking forward to the good things and never get caught up over bad experiences.

“I look at bowling in the same way,” Teddy said.

“Many people have the problem where if they mess up, their mistake gets into their head which makes them do

Junior Teddy Woodworth rolls to victory on the school’s bowling team along with others. even worse. If I ever mess up, fun activity but also an intense Teddy believes he has beI don’t let it get me down. In- competition, which is why it come a great bowler on the stead, I look at my mistake and should get more attention” team because of the belief he learn from it so that I do better Teddy said. has in his teammates, coaches, in the future and the rest of my Teddy believes the team can and that the willingness to sucgame”. become even more successful ceed drives the entire team to While bowling may seem to in the future by continuing to become the best they can be. be an underrated sport, Ted- look out for one another. Often “For those people who are dy feels otherwise. “Bowling times other teams have a prob- interested in bowling, you does deserve more attention lem in which some people only should definitely give it a as a sport. As a bowler, I can care about their own score, shot,” Teddy said. “Even if say from experience that our and at the same time have oth- you have never bowled before matches can become very er people who are struggling there will still be a place for competitive and very intense. and don’t know what they are you on the team. The bowling As Coach Meyers always doing wrong. team is the perfect opportunistresses, ‘every pin matters,’” “When it comes to our team, ty to compete on an amazing he said. we all recognize when some- team and have a great time.”

Many bowling matches have body has a problem they don’t Theodore Woodworth has been determined by a single know how to fix. We help one become an up and coming throw of the ball where any another fix these problems, athlete for all of the teams he mistake could make or break and when somebody is having has competed on in the past, the team. As a spectator, bowl- a bad game, we help get their and he is currently making his ing can be a rollercoaster of head back into the game. As a mark for the bowling team. emotions which can really team we strive off of one anThrough his success and draw people into the game. other and focus on the team personality, Teddy has become “Overall, I think bowling before the individual” Teddy a stand out figure in the MHS has a great mix of being both a said. community.

Gabriella Heimbauer continues to slam dunk the competition

BY SOPHIA THEODOROUS STAFF WRITER

She’s back and better than ever! Junior, Gabriella Heim-

bauer, is coming into her varsity basketball season with lots of anticipation after months of recovery. She had been out due to an anterior cruciate

PHOTO PROVIDED BY GABRIELLA HEIMBAUER

Junior Gabriella Heimbauer shoots and scores at home game.

ligament (ACL) injury that occured back in November, 2017. This season is her first season back since her injury.

Gabriella is a very well-rounded athlete. She is not only a phenomenal basketball player, but she is also a volleyball player. She was pulled up to the Girls varsity volleyball team back in 2014 when she was just in seventh grade. She is also on the Junior U.S.A. Volleyball team, which is a prestigious volleyball team that consists of only the best players around.

During her sophomore volleyball season, Gabriella and her volleyball team made it all the way to the county finals.

Unfortunately, this was the game that her injury occurred.

Yet, Gabriella remained hopeful during her whole recovery that she would return like nothing had ever happened. “[The recovery process] its ongoing and in different stages,” Gabriella says . For every person with an ACL injury their recovery varies, but

with the help from her peers she has been able to regain her strength for this important basketball season.

When it comes to basketball, she had started at a very young age. Gabriella then began playing with varsity players early on in her career as well.

She has played on the varsity basketball team since she attended Alfred G. Berner Middle School.. Therefore, she has five years of competitive varsity level experience.

While on the basketball team, she has gone to the county finals every year, but they have not been successful.

Gabriella hopes that all of the experience the team has competing in the county finals can be beneficial for this year.

“Our team goal this season is to become conference champions,” she said, “and hopefully make a good run come playoff time.”

Leading the chiefs this season is senior captain Kate Fiola. Gabriella believes that with the team’s past experiences

“Our team goal this season is to become conference champions and hopefully make a good run come playoff time.”

playing in county championships, they could use that to achieve the title this year.

Since she is a skilled basketball and volleyball player, Gabriella will most likely play at the collegiate level for one of the two sports.

With lots of hard work, Gabriella and her team are destined to be successful. Good luck to the Chiefs with the rest of their season.

Make sure to visit The Chief’s online website for more online exclusives and sports coverage!