Tuesday, September 27, 2016

New Faces in New Hope

Julia Coburn, Kelly Hyland and Taylor Selbst
Staff Writers

A new school year has begun and new students have arrived. These unfamiliar faces have traveled to New Hope from places such as Minnesota, New Jersey, France, and even Israel. According to the new students, the biggest differences between New Hope and their old towns are the trends of winged eyeliner, people's love for Wawa , and the level of difficulty of classes. Each of these new students is a great addition to our classrooms and sports teams, and we are excited to show them all New Hope has to offer.
 We have taken it upon ourselves to provide the new students with a list of what we consider the top five “Just New Hope” things.
 First, when in doubt, Wingdam it out. The Wingdam is located in Lambertville and is a nice place to hangout with friends and enjoy a great view of the river and town.
 Second, we recommend walking around New Hope on a Friday night; it's the best sort of nightlife around. On the first Friday of every month there are fireworks at nine p.m. and will light up your night.
 Third, go out to breakfast at the exclusive breakfast place, Fred's, before a big exam. I suggest the cinnamon bun as they are the best in town.
 Our fourth suggestion is to go to Wawa in the morning to get coffee. Disclaimer: you WILL see every teacher and student from school there.

 Fifth, you should get the apple cider donuts from Solebury Orchards; they are delicious.

Monday, September 26, 2016

Don’t Flirt With it, Cure it!


Jennifer Abele
Staff Writer
September is childhood cancer awareness month. Every day, 43 children are rushed to the ER and diagnosed with childhood cancer. One out of eight kids will not survive their childhood cancer. Fifteen thousand, seven hundred and eighty children from ages zero to 19 years old are diagnosed with childhood cancer each year. The top five cancers diagnosed each year are in order from least to greatest; Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, Hodgkin Disease, Brain and Central Nervous System, and Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL).I want everyone to support my sister and others like her who are fighting cancer by wearing gold.
  
 My little sister, Melanie, has a subgroup of AML called APML which is a curable subgroup of leukemia; she was diagnosed at 13 years old. Every three months Melanie had to have a spinal tap and bone marrow aspirations to make sure the chemo treatments were effective and that the cancer cells had not relapsed into mutations. These procedures were very painful, but recent approval by the FDA of a new blood test eliminated the need for these procedures. The DNA can be checked in that manner instead, which is a major breakthrough for all of these children. We just need more of these breakthroughs. Our drugs need to be revamped and more research is needed to minimize a child’s chemo dose so it is effective but not the same as an adult. It’s important that the treatment plans are different because the adult’s treatment plan has a higher dose with a steady pace. This approach does not work for children because the symptoms appear rapidly the longer the child is administered chemo. With a higher dose and rapid chemo session the child doesn’t have a severe reaction to the symptoms from chemo.  

  There have been advancements in ALL, Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia, the most common childhood cancer. In 1975 only a quarter of ALL patients ages 15 to 19 survived for more than five years after diagnosis. Recent technology and medical updates have allowed 90 percent of patients to survive childhood cancer. Between 1975 and 2010 mortality has decreased by 50% with AML. AML, Acute Myeloid Leukemia, is the deadliest form of leukemia.
  Melanie Abele, my younger sister,  was diagnosed with APML, Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia on July 9, 2014 at CHOP: a day that changed my family’s life forever. Melanie was easily diagnosed because she showed symptoms of every single symptom known to AMPL Leukemia. Bleeding gums and rapid nose bleed are the two most common symptoms. Every year in CHOP only two cases are reported of APML Leukemia. At the time of Melanie’s ER visit to Doylestown Hospital on July 5, I was singing in Paris and Normandy with a 500 piece choir from Clarion University for the 75th anniversary of D-Day. I did not find out until I landed in Atlanta, Georgia at 3 p.m. on July 11, 2013. My grandma Judy got the call from my mom, where she asked Grandma to turn off the speakerphone because she had information to discuss. My Mother recalls that phone conversation to be one of the hardest phone calls she ever made to my Grandmother.  
  My Grandmother told me Melanie had a severe nose bleed, and I connected the dots. The previous summer I had to read “Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie” by Jordan Sonnenblick which is about a teenage boy whose brother contracts AML Leukemia.  I automatically thought it was AML Leukemia, which is the deadliest form of leukemia. I was extremely terrified, and so was Mel.  Melanie’s life had been changed forever while she was hooked up to an IV in PICU. Melanie cried when she lost her hair, and began to idolize my dirty blonde waves. She was absolutely devastated. I cried the entire flight from Atlanta to Pittsburgh because I thought I was going to lose her. After all of the fighting over the years I thought I was going to lose my little sister.
  As soon as we landed in Pittsburgh we drove all the way to CHOP running on three hours of sleep. My Mom was shocked to see  my Grandma and I arrive at Mel’s room on third floor Oncology so soon, but we had to see Mel.  The next day the diagnosis came through as  APML Leukemia. I can remember Mom saying this is the best news, because this particular kind has the highest cure rate (which is 80%) .  The nagging question of would my sister be one of that 80 percent entered my thoughts.   
  Due to her condition, Mel was moved to the PICU and was there for 28 days because of a respiratory issue. Upon release of PICU, Melanie was to have a port installed a minor surgery, but after six days the port got infected and failed so it was removed. Instead of having a new port placed immediately my Mom chose to try IV treatment for the chemo. Melanie reported the port was not right, and the nurses praised her for being so brave and forthcoming. Mel was devastated, and returned to administering chemo through an IV. Her first trip home from the hospital was Sept. 28, 2014 we all went to the beach for a getaway weekend.  
 The phases of  IV chemo had caused Mel’s hair to fall out. Then it grew back in, but it was lost again in December during the third phase of chemo.  Jan. 9, 2015 Melanie had confirmed remission and the oral chemo pills started. This past Friday, 9/9/16, Melanie started cycle eight out of nine continuing the oral chemo pills. We have six months to go and she will be a survivor!  
  Melanie had a horrible time being hooked up to an IV, but she also has amazing stories of her experiences at CHOP. Once she was out of the ICU, PICU, the cardiac floor, and into a normal oncology room she had some thrilling experiences. She met the band 5 Seconds Of Summer, and got a calendar with their signatures. Melanie met The Vamps and talked to them. Melanie also met Meghan Trainor at CHOP, before she started to get ready for Christmas and school in January. Ryan Seacrest has a radio studio in the lobby area of Chop where the children can meet and visit with celebrities.
 For the last two years Melanie and I have been going to RMC, Ronald McDonald Camp, for a week up in the Poconos.During 2015, our first year at the camp, the theme was under the sea. In 2016 the theme was Hollywood. Mel and I have made a lot of friends at RMC, and some of our friends have gone to a better place. Both of us were in the talent show this year at RMC. Melanie sang along to Centuries, and called herself “Mel Money.” I went up with my band, and sang an original song that I wrote with our guitarist Claire.
 We will travel to Los Angeles with the music department in February; both Mel and my mom are going.
We plan to celebrate Mel’s treatment ending a little early.  Mel finishes oral chemo on Mar. 9, 2017.  We haven’t planned all of the festivities yet, but a major celebration will be happening.
 Since it is Childhood Cancer awareness month our last  football game of this month is Sept. 30, 2016. The entire student body should wear gold out of school spirit as well as childhood cancer awareness. It’s important to support childhood cancer awareness because it’s a very difficult struggle to not only survive, but also live a “normal” teenage life. Show your spirit for Sept. 30,
2016!    

Made In America festival still a big success

Katie Tangradi & Mackenzie Carpenter
Editor/Staff Writer

Philadelphia spent Labor Day weekend hosting 140,000 fans at Jay-Z’s Made In America music festival. Headliners included Rihanna, Coldplay, Bryson Tiller, Chance the Rapper, Martin Garrix and more. Even though the event was sponsored by Budweiser, it attracted all ages. In case you missed it, here is your inside and outside scoop of MIA 2016.
 An anonymous person who did not attended Made In America called it “the most annoying event of the year.” Even though I (Katie)  could not attend the festival, the amount of social media posted made me feel like I was there. Though I was disappointed on the rare occasion when the footage from an act I would have liked to see was not made available to me through Snapchat stories. I was also made aware of several flaws in the festival’s security. There were holes in fences where people who did not purchase tickets were able to sneak in through. Overall, the negative feedback I've heard regarding this festival might only be a result of jealousy. Although the posts on social media were a lot, I can say I do regret not purchasing a ticket because Made in America did seem like a fun time.

 As an attendee at Made in America, I can call it “the best two days of my entire life.”

A comparison of disappointing phones

Marc Verweil 
Staff Writer

In the last few weeks, two new phones have been released: the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 and the iPhone 7, and both have been met with skepticism.
 First, the Note 7. This phone seemed fantastic, with the massive array of new tech that one would expect with a Samsung product, including a curved OLED display, an upgraded stylus, and VR compatibility and capability to name a few. The reception was fantastic, with the Samsung stock price rising over the following weeks. However, after weeks of explosive success, it was revealed that the phone was actually explosive. The battery cell in the new phone turned out to be unstable, causing many phones to be explode while charging. So, in conclusion, the Note 7 is a great phone, but wait until the updated version comes out.
 The other major phone announcement came from Apple with its new iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. The latest iteration in the line of iPhones comes with a few changes, none of which were seen as positives. Besides the comments about its similar look to the iPhone 6s, the largest story has been about the lack of headphone jack. This has lead to serious complaints about needing to use the charging port to listen to music, and the necessity of adapters, now referred to as dongles. On the tech side, the new phone is very impressive, with updated cameras, home buttons, and screen. Furthermore, the new A10 processor has been shown to beat the Note 7's Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor.

 In conclusion, both phones show a lot of promise, with each having unique advantages. However, we will need to see more user feedback before we can draw any bigger conclusions.

Friday, September 23, 2016

Girls' Lacrosse Travis Manion 5K

Stella Kelley
Staff Writer

On Sunday, Sept. 25, the New Hope-Solebury Girls' Lacrosse Team will be running the Travis Manion 9/11 Heroes Run 5K. Members of the team will also be joined by field hockey and soccer players. The Travis Manion Foundation originated in Doylestown, Pennsylvania and was founded by the Manion family after their son, Travis Manion, was killed while deployed in Iraq.
 Manion attended La Salle High School and was an outstanding student and athlete. His dedication and positivity earned him the Hal Selvey Jr. Memorial Award for Unselfish Dedication and Leadership. After he graduated from La Salle, he went on to attend the United States Naval Academy and finished top of his class at The Basic School. Because of this, he was awarded commission into the Marine Corps. Two years later, Travis was selected as an experienced veteran to become part of a military transition team with 10 other marines that would partner with an Iraqi Army Battalion and deployed again in 2006. On April 29, 2007, 1st Lt. Travis Manion made the ultimate sacrifice in the Al Anbar province of Iraq. While inspecting a suspected insurgent house, Manion and his patrol were ambushed. Manion led the counterattack on enemy forces, and while attempting to draw fire away from his fellow marines he was killed by an enemy sniper. Because of his heroic actions, every other member of his patrol survived.
 When the Travis Manion Foundation began, it held one 5K in Doylestown with only 200 people participating. Currently, TMF holds 9/11 Heroes Run 5K’s nationally. Proceeds of the 5K go to foundations that help families who have lost loved ones, and foundations that assist wounded veterans. This year, a percent of proceeds will also go towards helping local police officers in need.

 If you are interested in running the 5K, you can register online at travismanion.org. If you are not a runner but want to donate to the foundation, you can visit the Travis Manion website and donate to the New Hope-Solebury Team.

Thursday, September 22, 2016

Who Has The Lead In This Election?


Laura Nagg
Staff Writer

As of this past 9/11 memorial weekend, it looks like the polls are even more unpredictable than throughout the entire election.
 This weekend marked the 15th anniversary of the September 11 terrorists attacks. In honor of these devastating events and losses, both Clinton and Trump said they would not campaign and both attended the memorial at Ground Zero in New York City. During the event, however, Hillary was seen abruptly leaving as she stumbled into her vehicle. Her condition was unknown until later when it was announced that she had pneumonia. She claimed to be feeling much better and made a brief appearance later in the day before taking a few days off from campaigning.
 Those unfortunate events that weekend, including her “basket of deplorables” comment against Trump’s supporters referring to them as racist, sexist, homophobic and/or Islamophobic, has made an effect on the polls. As of Sept. 12,  according to the USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times tracking poll and the Selzer & Co. poll in Ohio, Trump had a 5-point lead on Clinton.
 Then on Friday, Sept. 16, Trump admitted that president Obama was born in the US and stated that he was the one who finished the birther controversy that Hilary started in 2008. Yet this statement contradicts with Trump’s many statements against Obama, claiming he was a Kenyan denying he was born in Hawaii. The most recent polls at Real Clear Politics show that Clinton has a 46-point lead on the RCP electoral map.
  With the way Clinton’s “bad weekend” and Trump’s controversial comments have been swaying the polls, both candidates should feel insecure about where they stand. It remains to be seen how the upcoming debates will influence the large number of undecided voters in many of the toss up states.. The first presidential debate will take place on Monday, Sept. 26.

Friday, September 16, 2016

Take the stress out of applying to college

Adrian Roji and Matt Cabelus
Staff Writers


 We hope all seniors have finished their SAT, SAT 2’s or ACT because it is almost time to submit those college applications. Juniors have to be ready to perform at their highest level when taking these tests in the near future. These tests are a key part of the college admission process, but much more goes into being selected than just the test scores. Work experience, volunteerism, sports, and other extracurricular activities are factors that play a major role as well. The application process is much more intricate than one might think. In order to even apply, there are many components that go into the long methodical process. A common misconception among high school students is that the college search process begins and ends with completing the application. However, searching and choosing the best college for you also involves knowing when to apply, deciding whether to apply early decision, crafting college essays, and preparing for interviews with admissions officials.  
 The Common Application is the way to go when applying in any form and is available at www.commonapp.org. When applying to college the Common App is the most accessible to colleges and universities nationwide and worldwide. This site allows students to complete the entire application once and use that application for every college they wish to apply to. It is so convenient that it notifies people when important dates are on the horizon. This allows students to stay on track and not miss any deadlines. These guidelines will help provide a smooth process when applying to school and alleviate some of the stress that everyone experiences when considering colleges.

 But do not worry! Every student in New hope will go to college if they want to. Getting into college isn't as competitive as people think. Fewer than 100 colleges in the U.S. are highly selective, which means they accept less than 25 percent of applicants. Close to 500 four-year colleges accept more than 75 percent of applicants, and open admissions colleges accept all or most high school graduates. There are so many possibilities out there to the point that everyone is in good hands after high school. Even with this basic guarantee, choosing your school might be the most important decision you will make in your life so far, so make sure you have the right tools to guide you along the way.