The Roaring Corner: Episode 2

Amanda Horak & Parker Miele
Staff Writers

Winter break is a time that almost all students look forward to. Unfortunately for most, teachers also assign work over that time that the students take to relax. After taking your responses on how you feel about homework over the break, we decide to give you tips on how to make it an easier and faster task.
   Spreading out work and choosing which days to do certain assignments is a great way to lessen stress and make the work seem so much easier. This also ensures that nobody will have multiple assignments all pushed back to Sunday night. You guys may also want to try and not do a whole assignment all at once, take a little bit of each and then it won’t feel like you have been working on something forever.
   Although some may hate not finishing an assignment when they start it, there is another option. Instead of picking a few questions from each to do one day, designate certain days for certain classes. Taking one day for a class is a great way to organize everything and make sure that you don’t miss anything.
  Good luck, and happy holidays!

2k18 New Hope Solebury Mini-THON promises to do it all FTK

Justin Horak & Devon Beacham
Staff Writers

With more than 90,000 student volunteers and 265 schools in 8 states, New Hope Solebury High School is contributing to conquer cancer. Mini-THONs are bringing hope to families in need and giving back to their community. During the 2016-2017 school year, high schools and colleges raised more than $6.46 million  for the Four Diamonds organization. This 2018, the high school’s annual participation in the Four Diamonds Mini-THON falls on Saturday, Jan. 27, from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. the next day. This year’s theme is based off the phenomenal Netflix series Stranger Things. Once again the school has teamed up with the Four Diamonds organization which amps it all up FTK-- for the kids. Every year, students raise money for childhood cancer and are a part of a team. Mini-THON begins with an exciting dance from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. After the dance, the doors are officially locked and teams are checked in for the night. From there until the morning, the teams compete against each other in a series of competitions to keep the night lively. Activities include games like handball, dodgeball, karaoke, bubble soccer, movie watching and so much more. Throughout the night, prizes will be awarded to winners of games, the top fundraisers, and more! Prizes include gift cards to favorite restaurants, apple watches, and Four Diamonds apparel! 
  Last year even after a long twelve hours of activities, too much redbull, snacks, lack of blankets, and complete exhaustion, NHS’s Mini-THON 2017 was considered a total success. Over $16,000 was raised through student donations, businesses, and from friends and family. This 2018, the goal is $18,000 but it is always great to go above and beyond! The best way to make this Mini-THON a success FTK is to start raising money now! Get creative! One day we will dance in celebration. Until then, we dance for the cure.

How to Keep Your Dog Safe This Christmas

Caroline Donado
Staff Writer

Christmas season is a dangerous time for pets. There are a multitude of risks from snow salt to turkey bones that can seriously hurt your pup. It is crucial that owners are aware of how their actions will affect their furry friends. Here are some tips to keep your dog healthy and happy this holiday.
  When decorating for Christmas, it is best to keep the traditional holiday plants far away from pets. Poinsettia flowers, holly, and mistletoe are all poisonous to dogs. It also may be a good idea to buy a fake tree instead of a real one since pine needles can be sharp and pose the danger of puncturing a dog’s intestines if swallowed. Additionally, it is essential to be mindful while decorating your Christmas tree. Put low hanging ornaments higher up on the branches so your dog will not grab them. Many ornaments have sharp or small pieces that can cause choking. Dogs can also get electrocuted or burned while chewing on light strings. 
  Many dogs enjoy the snow; however, snow salt is severely irritating to their paws. If using snow melts, opt for a formula that is not salt-based such as Safe Paw. Salt can get lodged in the pads of your dog’s paws and heat up to 170 degrees. It can even lead to gastrointestinal issues and if consumed in large quantities, can cause seizures.
  Christmas dinner is also a time filled with risks. When guests arrive, watch that your pet does not slip out the door and get harmed in the street. During and after dinner, refrain from giving your dog table scraps. Bones can be lodged in throats and get stuck in the digestive tract and fatty foods lead to irritation in the pancreas. And, of course, no chocolate--it is toxic to dogs.
  Lastly, it is important that owners pay attention to their pet’s stress levels. With all the excitement of the holidays, dogs are prone to get as anxious as their owners. Furthermore, their routine is altered which takes some getting used to on their end. The best thing you can do is to simply spend time with your pup. Dr. Leni Kaplan, a Cornell University veterinarian explained to PressConnects, “Not only will the pets be happier and more relaxed but it provides protected downtime for the owners away from the stressors of the holiday season." Stay calm and your pet will too.
  Do not hesitate to get in contact with your local veterinarians immediately if your dog is not well. The Animal Poison Control Center can be reached at (888) 426-4435.

Christmas gifts topping the charts

Andrew Purdy
Staff Writer

iPhone X
The iPhone X is the newest Apple product on the market. This is a luxurious phone with some awesome new features. The TrueDepth front-facing camera makes unlocking your phone with Face ID a snap. A single swipe takes the user to the homescreen,  much easier than pressing a button. Plus, the biggest advance to the phone is the talking animojis. Thanks to the  combination of the camera and the A11 bionic chip, this was possible.

2)  DJI Mavic Pro
The DJI Mavic Pro ultimately is the best drone of the year. This drone is portable and powerful. Unlike other drones, this drone is capable to folding down as small as a water bottle. Many drones cut out when they fly too far but the DJI can range up to 4.3 miles, 40 mph, and 27 minutes, due to an awesome battery.

3) Madden 18
EA sports continues to produce worthwhile experiences for gamers. The front cover features Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. For the second straight year, the cover has been a Patriots player. Last year, tight end,  Rob Gronkowski was pictured on the cover. For all Madden lovers this is the next step to greatness.

4) Bluetooth Tracking Tag
If a friend is always losing their keys, this is the perfect gift for them. The Bluetooth Tracking Tag are small gadgets you attach to any item that you misplace most. Following this, there is an app that can be downloaded on your phone to locate the items. There is a tone on the tracker that will beep when the user is trying to locate the item. When the app is downloaded, there is a map on the smartphone that can be used to track the hidden item as well.

5) Samsung Gear VR Headset
For the people that want to experience the VR world, the Samsung Headset is the most affordable. This is a perfect complementary gift for someone who has a Samsung phone. The Samsung VR is very realistic, and the hardware creates what appears to be a lifesize, 3D virtual environment. When the headset is on, whatever way individuals look the immersive landscape allows you to see a complete 360 environment.

’Tis the college acceptance season

Vanessa Northrup & Charlotte Taylor
Staff Writers

As the middle of December nears, a majority of seniors are waiting with baited breath to hear back from schools. Luckily for students, The University of Scranton, Drexel University, and Boston University are just a few of the many schools that will be releasing many of their early action and early decision acceptance letters. Students are reminded to check their college portals and mailboxes frequently throughout the next two weeks for this exciting news!
 Some lucky students are already starting to hear back from schools. Senior Emily Madara, has already committed to Temple University, saying “I can’t wait to be an Owl!” Emily will be studying entrepreneurship.
 Another student, Molly Stretch, has committed to the University of Kutztown to study sports management. On her application status, she says, “It feels so good to know where I’m headed after high school.” Whether you are a student who applied early decision or regular decision, everyone at New Hope Solebury is supporting you and can’t wait to hear where you end up!

Step up your winter fashion game from last year’s styles

Stella Kelley and Chloe Miller
Staff Writers

As winter sets in and the holiday season quickly approaches, it is important to keep your wardrobe fashionable, trendy, and festive. This year’s trends are beginning to make themselves apparent, while last year’s trends are slowly disappearing.
 As skinny jeans are falling out of style, 2017 is bringing cropped, flared pants on to the fashion scene. Whether they are denim, corduroy, or fabric, cropped pants can be styled and worn in many different ways. They can be dressed down with sneakers and a sweater, or dressed up with heels and a jacket. Be sure to check out the BDG Kick Flare High-Rise Cropped Jean-Button Fly from Urban Outfitters for a trendy flare jean look.
 Along with cropped and flared pants, turtlenecks are coming back from last year. Turtleneck shirts are great for adding warmth and holiday style to a dress or sweater, and turtleneck sweaters add shape and form to an otherwise dull outfit. Turtleneck sweaters can be worn oversized with jeans for a more casual vibe, or can be tucked into a skirt or high waisted pants for a more put together look. Another huge trend being seen this winter is velvet, which can be incorporated in dresses, sweaters, shoes, and even accessories. Velvet gives off a sophisticated and formal vibe, but can also be dressed down for everyday wear. Velvet dresses and skirts are very festive while also being comfortable and easy to wear. To combine our favorite velvet and turtleneck looks into an eye catching look, try the Out From Under Kia Shimmer Mesh Mock Neck Top from Urban Outfitters with a velvet tube top layered over it. Or, for a more simple outfit, add velvet boots to provide color and texture, or a velvet scrunchie on your wrist to add something fun and youthful. Whether you’re looking for a casual yet comfy look that also keeps you warm, an outfit for a winter-themed party, or an everyday look that is guaranteed to catch some eyes, be sure to try out any of these three new trends

Music Technology Helps Artists to Find Their Voice

Thomas Detlefsen
Staff Writer

When you think of your favorite artist, how do you think that they got started making music? When they started, they didn’t have access to fancy midi keyboards and mixers, but at New Hope-Solebury, the Music Technology class gives students access to high quality music producing technology. As of this December, Mr. Bachart has assigned a project that brings students to the core of music technology: to write a song. The song is required to be two minutes in length and contain a bridge, chorus and verse with a chord progression and lyrics. Mr. Bachart also has an array of instruments and technologies at the disposal of students to bring their song to life.
  Many of the students who have enrolled in the class chose it because of the opportunity it would provide them to express themselves. Roberto Escamilla stated that even though at some times it is difficult to express himself, he still likes the class because it challenges his creative skills. Many students in the class have also struggled with self expression and for most, it is their first time writing lyrics.
  Grant Cheung, a guitarist, has taken a different approach to the process. He has chosen to write a song about time passing by and reminiscing about the past, but with a hint of self-awareness because of how common the theme is. He states that “I wrote the lyrics to be very sarcastic, but wanted them to sound believable... Some of the lyrics make no sense, but have a meaning and some just don’t make sense.”

“Sketching a timeline on the drywall, I probably shouldn’t be
Double captured overhead and ethereal imagery
Vinyl strawberries out for some sunshine, something I wish I didn’t see
Pulsars quartered down the hinge wishing it was me”

 It is fantastic and fortunate that students at the New-Hope Solebury High School have access to these technologies and opportunities especially when many people around the world do not. Mr. Bachart is challenging students’ creativity and allowing them to express their emotions in a way that not many other classes can and that is what many high school students need.

A New Year for the Robotics Club

Thomas Detlefsen

Staff Writer

The New Hope-Solebury High School Robotics Club is off to a great start in 2017, bringing in new members and preparing for competition in the spring. This is the second year that the club is competing in a competition called Vex Robotics. In this competition, each team has to build and program a robot that will compete against other teams in a game. The competition changes each year; this year it is In the Zone, where robots have to stack cones in certain areas for points.

 The club was created in 2016 by, and mostly populated by, a group of about 10 or 15 seniors. In its first year of competition, the club placed 13th out of 30 teams. This year the club has seven members, but they are still working hard to compete against the teams with 20 or more members and with more experience than last year, the team expects to place even higher in the competition.

 Currently, the club is in the building phase where they are testing out multiple designs in order to determine which will be most effective in competition. Freshman Ben House says “For me it is always fun to think through difficult problems...It is always fun to relax from the chaotic classes, sit back and build.”

 2017 is also the first year of the Middle School Robotics Club, which is participating in the same competition. The middle school team has 20 seventh and eighth graders learning about engineering and programming. Both teams look forward to a stronger future high school club.

Peer Leadership at NHS

Stella Kelley and Chloe Miller

Staff Writers

In the first six weeks of the 2017 school year, 22 junior and senior peer leaders conducted meetings every Thursday during freshmen Exploring the Non-Western World class periods.

 During the sessions, they instructed students on adjusting to the many challenges they may face throughout their high school years. Throughout these six weeks, peer leaders covered topics from academics and activities to peer pressure and decision making. Additionally, peer leaders met once a week with their advisors, Ms. El-Turky, Mrs. Reeder, and Mr. Olszewski, to discuss any problems faced during group sessions and what worked well when addressing certain topics.

 Senior peer leader Laura Nagg noted: “Overall, even with many new peer leaders, this fall session went smoothly and the freshmen cooperated really well. During meetings, there were never any major problems or conflicts that came up, and from what I’ve heard all the peer leaders really enjoyed their groups.”

 Although groups have said goodbye and reminisced on their favorite fall session memories, it’s not over for New Hope’s peer leaders; this spring is the second session, in which meetings will take place with eighth graders. During these meetings, juniors and seniors will mentor students as they leave middle school and prepare for freshman year. The spring session is a bit shorter than the in-depth fall session of Peer Leadership, but that does not mean groups won’t be as close-knit.

 Senior and seasoned peer leader Shayna Berman remembers her spring session last year: “Despite it being shorter we were still able to create relationships with them and make the transition to high school easier.”

 Sophomores and juniors have the opportunity to apply for Peer Leadership at the end of the year.  

Holiday Season is Right Around the Corner

Devin Bock and Claudia Kolinchak

This year, Nov. 23 brought the start of the holiday season: family, friends, shopping, and great food. With Thanksgiving already behind us, the holiday season is in full-swing.

 Besides giving students and teachers a break from school and work, Thanksgiving is commonly viewed as the commencement of the Holidays. It is the time everybody’s been waiting for, when it is socially acceptable to start decorating for the holidays and, for some, even listen to Christmas music.

 Thanksgiving is well known for its hearty menu and quality time with loved ones. Families spent countless hours and even days preparing food for the upcoming Thursday to feed their families and friends. From warm mashed potatoes and savory turkey, to sweet pumpkin pie topped with whipped cream and cinnamon; the Thanksgiving Feast was sure to exceed its high expectations. People traveled miles, sometimes even cross-country, to come together to eat food and spend time with their relatives.

 Once the clock struck midnight, and a lot of the time even before that, Black Friday madness began. The best deals on the newest trends and technologies were available for a limited time only, and people camped outside or stores, like Best Buy, for hours before the doors opened.

 Traffic near shopping centers on Black Friday is even more chaotic as the malls, and this year was no exception. One New Hope shopper, Olivia Keenan, states, “Two people almost hit me trying to cut in front of me in traffic lines and it took me fifteen minutes to leave the parking lot”.

 This was prime time for the holiday gift search, but in order to get the best deals, shoppers must have the shopping endurance to spend hours store-hopping and waiting in long checkout lines. From now on, however, it’s smooth sailing until Christmas or Hanukkah, and it’s nice to be prepared with gifts which were purchased for great prices.

 It’s time to “Deck the Halls” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” because before you know it “Santa Claus is Comin’ To Town”!

"My Fault"

"My Fault"

It’s all my fault,

You did nothing wrong.

I am the reason that it fell apart.

It’s all my fault that what you said made me sad;

And it’s all my fault that your jokes make me mad.

It’s all my fault that you make me cry

It’s all my fault that you always deny,

The fact that you hurt me because how could you, right?

You tried your best and it’s all my fault that it wasn’t enough

You only said what was true and it’s all my fault that I wasn’t tough

Tough enough to handle the truth,

That I was just too complex for you.

You did nothing wrong, you’re perfect with no flaws

And it’s all my fault that you proved me wrong.

Scary nights unite the community

Bernadette del Prado

Staff Writer

New Hope-Solebury started off the Halloween weekend with the annual Haunted Woods event. The event is organized by the high school student government and gathers students from grades 9-12 to decorate the woods near the school’s track for the halloween season. The three-night fright fest was held from Oct. 26 to 28, advertised for all students, faculty, and community members to attend.

Each grade was assigned a different section of the woods, which was then decorated to fit individual themes. This year however, the students decided to collaborate together, and have the decorations follow a cohesive theme. The students embellished the forest with spray-painted ornaments, fake bones, torn tarps, and music that successfully transformed the woods into a New Hope nightmare.

“I could tell there was a lot of effort put into the event with the fog machines and the lights. I was really impressed this year.” said Junior Class President Larissa Borys.

Since the beginning of construction, planning the Haunted Woods has been under question. Rumors have circulated in the past about the woods being taken down for new campus infrastructure. Students reacted to the rumors quickly, and this became a huge upset within the community. Fortunately enough, the rumors were false. The successful event carries on its legacy with its great scares and impeccable student teamwork. The Haunted Woods continues to bring the high school together and enhances support from the local community.

Peer Leadership 2017-2018 Kicks Off

Stella Kelley

Staff Writer

 Beginning the third week in September, peer leaders began conducting meetings with freshmen during their Non-Western World class periods every Thursday. During their meetings, they will discuss navigating and coping with the social and academic pressures that often face them in high school. Some freshmen view peer leadership as just another class that they are forced to take. However, for other freshmen peer leadership can be an exciting time for underclassmen to connect with older students.

 Through weekly meetings that include team bonding games, questions, and exciting new information, peer leaders are hoping that freshmen will open up and participate in order to get the most benefit possible out of the sessions. Senior peer leader Riley Brennan stated. “It is my first year being a peer leader, and a goal of mine has been to relay information to my group that is not only informative and helpful, but realistic and relevant to them and their time in high school.”

 Peer leaders are selected through an application process with includes feedback from teachers, essay submissions, an interview with a guidance counselor, teacher, and former peer leader. Once applicants are accepted, they choose a partner to work with for the duration of the school year. These partnerships plan agendas, create fun games, and even bring snacks to their freshmen group meetings each week.

 During the first week of meetings, peer leaders met with their groups for the first time. These meetings generally involve team building and getting to know each other games, as well as discussions concerning the overview of what future meetings would be covering. In the upcoming week, most peer leadership groups will begin discussing the academic components of high school, such as; rigor of classes, homework, organization, time management, procrastination, and teachers.

Getting Involved in NHS School Clubs

Laura Nagg

Staff Writer

Clubs at New Hope Solebury high school are a big part of students’ extracurriculars. Most of the clubs have already had their first meetings, and are getting ready to start activities. Whether you’re a brand new student or 12th grade lifer, there is still time and room for you to join clubs and organizations at school. For those who don’t know where to start, here’s a list of popular clubs and their connections.

 Key Club is one of the most popular, with over 100 members this year. It is “a student-led organization whose purpose is to better the community and help those in need,” stated co-presidents Emily Madara and Michaela Park. One of their biggest events is Adopt-A-Child during the holiday season, Wear It Pink Wednesday for breast cancer awareness month in October, and the Second Hand Toy Drive.

 If you have a heart for inclusive activities for all students, Athletes Helping Athletes and Changing Social Perspectives will be a great fit. These two clubs have merged this year in order to become a bigger force working in the special needs community. Activities include Hope N Soul cafe, and honorary captain days. If you want to get involved, reach out to Presidents Zoe Palau and Mathilda Scarlata, or supervisor Ms. Urkes.

 If you have a special interest in politics and foreign affairs, a passion for business, feel competitive about math, or a love for reading, you could look into Model United Nations, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), Mathletes, or Reading Olympics. Model UN is a newer club at New Hope, initiated and lead by Bernie de Prado. Here you will practice skills for global communications, and discuss politics. If you’re interested in a career in business, or want to see what all the fuss is about, check out FBLA. This club, lead by Kaylee Tao, even gets to take trips to Hershey, if students advance in the business competitions. Mathletes, advised by Mr. O’Hara, and Reading Olympics, advised by Ms. Schwander, are academic clubs here at New Hope, which involve competing in academic events, whether it be solving math problems, or answering questions regarding various books, against students from all over the local Buxmont region.

 Students who have a passion for acting, singing, or backstage work can look to Mask and Zany Theater Club. Courageously lead by Ms. Pittner for many years, talented students have put forth countless, fantastic plays and musicals for the school and community.

 A club determined to encourage positive, healthy actions is Positive Student Interactions and Choices (PSIC). Members plan different activities throughout the year with the support of NHS Cares in efforts to fight against drug and alcohol usage among students. Mr. Achenbach, the club advisor said “I don’t know if they had elections in June or if they waited until now.  I haven’t heard anything from them yet”. This concluded the club has not had its first meeting and to look out for any new announcements.

  Mr. Sorensen is the club advisor encouraging students to use their interest engineering and creative ideas to build robotic projects. The Robotics Club currently has a working robot and they are always looking for new participants.

 And if none of these activities appeal to you, look on the school website for even more clubs, as well as a variety of sports teams.

Link to clubs/activities list on school website: https://www.nhsd.org/domain/129

Homecoming 2017

Devon Beacham

Staff Writer

New Hope-Solebury annual Homecoming is quickly approaching. Homecoming week/weekend, is known to be the most exciting time for the high school students in the fall season. Last year, there was conflict on where the dance should take place. It is well-known to take place in the middle school gym every year, but, last year due to construction, it was held in the high school gym. Now that the high school gym is closed because of the renovations, everyone is excited to hear that this year it's back to old traditions! Even more exciting than the dance being held in the middle school gym this year, it also happens to be completely renovated.

 The Homecoming dance this year is taking place on Saturday, Oct.14. The game is the day before, Friday the 13th. That week, Monday is Columbus day and Tuesday is professional development day. Thus, being a short Homecoming Week, themed days leading up to the game and dance have not yet been announced on whether they exist this year or not.

 To add to the excitement, Fall Fest is also a part of the Homecoming festivities! Fall Fest being a time where clubs and sports teams create booths and put together games and raise money for their teams/club members. Sadly, last year Fall Fest was cancelled caused by the rainy forecast. Hopefully this year we will get perfect weather like previous years!

 The exciting time of season is coming up very soon and students are filled with anticipation for the fun packed weekend. In the old location, students will hopefully have an amazing time talking, singing, dancing, and snacking together from 7:00-10:00 to conclude homecoming week. Don’t forget to bring your best attitude and semi-formal attire for a great time!

Construction Plows On

Amanda Horak & Parker Miele

Staff Writers

  It is year two of construction at the New Hope-Solebury High School and some major pieces of the project are complete and already being used by students. The office has been completely redone, and has even moved to a new location. The lobby area around the office has a high ceiling with big windows above the front doors. The old office now is the new home of the Guidance Department, yet it still looks the same as before.

  The biggest change that affects the students is the new hallway, which  features work created by the art students and new glass-front cases where the school can put its trophies. Many students don’t feel the hallway is big enough for the traffic in the halls, but some staff claim that once the senior hallway is opened the halls will become less crowded. Some people say that it is difficult to just have one hallway, but the students and staff are still managing.

  A 12th grader, Olivia Keenan, said: “The school is moving in a positive direction, but it is impacting my education.”

  There are multiple places in our school that are still under construction too, like the high school gym, locker rooms, and the fitness center. The high school gym has boards up and around it along with the fitness center, which means no one can see outside the windows.

  Teacher Mr. O’Hara said ironically the “glass behind the walls [makes him] feel insignificant.”

  Mr. Sherman, one of our Physical Education teachers, said that the new fitness center is to open on Oct. 19 if everything goes as planned. The machines should be delivered by Oct. 18 and the floors are being installed Oct. 9, 10, and 11. Many students, like those in Fitness for Life, are very excited.

   This is a very exciting time for our school with all the new and improved classrooms, gym, and lunch rooms we have been given. Many students are thrilled about all the new upcoming gyms and classrooms we will receive, but we still have a little bit of time to wait!

The Rise of Street Style during Fashion Week

Riley Brennan

Co-Editor In Chief

At the beginning of every September, for most people the school year begins, and for New York City, Fashion Week runs rampant. The season of shows came in a blur of designers, models,  and show stealing street style looks.

 While the motivation for this September’s fashion week was the designer’s display of their Spring/Summer 2018 collections, the people who attend the shows often stole the spotlight. It’s no secret that those lucky enough to frequent the shows throughout the week, dress to impress. Often times the looks the audience shows up in gain more attention than the actual work on display. Vogue magazine’s website even has an entire tab, featured on their homepage, dedicated to street style. In fact, there’s an article with a total of 223 photos, solely made up of “The Best Street Style from New York Fashion Week Spring’ 18.” Among the photos were common themes, warm toned colors, loose fitting jeans and trousers, flare pants, skinny stripes, plaid, pencil skirts, ruffled blouses, denim (x5), draped dresses and jackets, and a variety of fun patterns.

 Photographers line the street outside of show venues to snap photos of the attendees. This is one of the ways press is able to interact with fashion week, as not everyone will be invited to attend the shows. However, this whole concept of focusing on what the guests are wearing rather than what the models are wearing is troublesome. The concept of caring about what attendees wear to a fashion show is expected, but the line between caring and overshadowing is very blurry.

 An increasing interest in what the celebrities and bloggers are wearing to the shows seems to stem from social media, and the theory that anyone can be a celebrity in today’s pop culture. None of this is inherently bad, but with more and more focus going to the people at the fashion show, rather than the actual work on display, the fashion industry has the potential to evolve into one that is purely driven by social media stunts, instead of the artistic vision and talent. As always, it’s the masses that determine the future.

Security Cameras Added to the High School

Thomas Detlefsen

Staff Writer

At the back to school meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 1, Mr. Seier announced that a number of security cameras would be installed this coming year during renovations.

 In an interview, Mr. Seier confirmed that twenty-four cameras are to be installed, but there may be more.

 When asked why we needed these cameras, Mr. Seier responded with three main reasons: most other schools have them, they enhance the safety of the students and staff, and they are a mischief deterrent. On the cameras stopping mischief, Seier stated: “Cameras are a deterrent...people know there’s video evidence...if someone was planning something...either something serious or just mischief, they tend to not do it if they know it’s going to be on film.”

 Mr. Seier also stated the additional benefit of security cameras in conflict resolution, “If something does happen, maybe just accidental...the cameras always can give you a reference point to truth: people’s opinions, their memories, recollections can all...be different even though they lived through the same thing.”

 Mr. Seier further supported the addition of cameras, with a story from another school district.  At his old school, there was a car accident in the parking lot during a football game. The two drivers had different stories on what had happened and so the police used the security footage to determine what had happened.

 Mr. Seier seemed confident in the benefit of the installation of security cameras in the school, but the true mark of their ability will be proven later this year during the senior prank.

I did it because

I didn’t say go away because I didn’t want to see your face

I did it because seeing you is still the thing that makes my day

I didn’t stop talking to you because it put me in a bad mood

I did it because I’m still stuck in our little honeymoon

I couldn’t face the truth that I wasn’t good for you

Because I was still in love with you

Every second that passes by I wonder why I said what I did to you

And I also wonder how you could hurt me the way that you do

How you could pretend everything was nothing or act like nothing was real?

I didn’t hurt you because I hate you

I did it because I was afraid to lose someone as wonderfully incredible as you

This fear became a reality as I watched you disappear

Disappear from a life that we made that I believed was equally treasured

I didn’t move on because I wanted to

I did it because I had to

Because the decision you made was depressing and rash

And I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forgive you for something as brutal as that

But I’m happy to see you’ve found what you need, even though that something wasn’t me

-Kayla Paul-Koch

Student sociologists take a look at student life

Sociologists Thomas Detlefsen and Steven Elser, graduates from UFDDQ (TheUniversityofFreeDegreesDoneQuick.com) recently conducted a survey that found the correlation between workload and outlook on life for high school students.

 Both agreed that stress was a problem in the lives of the high school students and hypothesized that the most likely contributory factor is the amount of homework and how much time it takes them to complete it.

 With this in mind the two decided to create a survey in which students answered questions concerning stress, workload, and happiness. From this they gathered that oddly enough that most of the students were both high on the scale of 1-10 on stress as well as happiness regardless of how much homework they had.

 Although the results were not very exciting or profound. The two were still happy with the process that had been done. Thomas stated that “Although we could have edited the questions so that they were more descriptive and yielded better results, the whole process was pleasing.” (Detlefson, 2017) Performing a full experiment and interpreting the results so that it could contribute to the greater knowledge of the field of sociology.

Sources:

Detlefson, T. (2017, April 15). Personal Interview.

Netflix influences teenage relationships

Brooke Black and Skylar Sherman

Staff Writers

As we have grown up in a world of technology and social media, students and young adults have gradually changed their mindset on relationships which could be influencing pop-culture nostalgia because of Netflix. Our parents grew up watching shows in the 80’s and maybe even the early 90’s and as a result they have shared with their children how influential all of them were. Netflix became insanely popular over the past five years so they have expanded their variety of shows especially after hearing what was popular. They have added Friends, Vampire Diaries, The Carrie Diaries, Gossip Girl, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Beverly Hills 90210, That 70’s Show, and more. As a result, we believe that teenagers and young adults have started longing for the relationships portrayed in those type of shows which is old fashioned dating rather than snapchatting and “hanging out.”

 Almost every single college and high school student has an account with Netflix and admits to binge watching shows and movies over the weekend and even during the school week. And since people believe that pop-culture nostalgia comes in 20-year cycles it makes perfect sense that the 90’s would be so in right now because so many teenagers think that they missed out on that decade. We decided to create an experiment for our hypothesis that states “If you regularly watch Netflix Shows from the 1990’s to the 2000’s, then you are longing for the relationships portrayed in those shows.” Our survey consisted of questions referring to the volunteer’s age, gender, amount of netflix watched per week, what shows they watched the most, and what their ideal date was. Our results weren’t exactly what we expected to get since most of the volunteer’s were not avid Netflix watchers but we were able to take that information and still made a solid argument about how when you don’t watch a lot of netflix or show from the 1990’s-2000’s then you think that the present day dating is the “best.”

 After about 15 surveys were sent out and 12 were returned, even though the information we received wasn’t exactly what we wanted, it did still prove our hypothesis, but in the opposite way we were planning. Of the 12 people whose survey’s we received back, eight of them stated they watched little to no Netflix per week and preferred today’s dating to the dating in the 1990s- early 2000s. While this wasn’t exactly the responses we were searching for, it still proved our theory as true. The students we surveyed didn’t watch very much Netflix, so they preferred today’s dating life. These students may have not necessarily ever witnessed or watched any shows that were portrayed or created in the earlier time period, so they only know of the dating that goes on in today’s society.

 In the perfect reality, we would have received surveys from a mixture of students who do and don’t watch Netflix and proved our theory completely right; however, with the information we collected, we can still state that our theory holds true. The more shows you consume from the early 1990s to late 2000s, the more you will long for the dating lifestyle portrayed in that time period and shows. If you don’t watch Netflix or don’t watch those shows, you will prefer the dating lifestyle of current time.

Israel decriminalizes marijuana

Riley Brennan

Features and A&E editor

Israel, a country leading the world in medical marijuana research, has decriminalized the recreational use of marijuana. Rather than continue to arrest and prosecute individuals caught with the drug, they are going to fine people. However, those caught growing or selling the drug will be arrested.

 Israel already legalized medical marijuana, and according to the Prime Minister Ayelet Shaked,  "Israel cannot shut its eyes to the changes being made across the world in respect to marijuana consumption and its effects.”

 There are a recorded 25,000 people who have a license to use medical marijuana, with more to come, and only 188 arrests for the use of it recreationally this past year, which is a 56 percent drop from 2010. The goal is to reduce the number of prosecutions for recreational drug use, which decriminalizing would hopefully do. The policy would apply to those carrying up to 15 grams of the drug, and first time offenders would receive a fine of $265, but would not appear on their criminal record. With the second and third offenses the punishment would increase, the second time resulting in a doubling of their first fine, and the third offense being a punishment determined by the police.

 The Israelis believe this process will ultimately reduce the number of drug-related arrests in the country, and positively affect the country as a whole.

Mystery surrounds teh Kim Jong-nam Assassination

Deven Smith

Staff Writer

 The half-brother of Kim Jong-un, the “President” of North Korea, was mysteriously murdered on Feb. 13. There was no punctured points on his body so it is believed that he was poisoned. Two females that fled the airport in a taxi  are the leading suspects of the murder. Using many fake passports to avoid recognition he was travelling frequently to avoid detection. However he was tracke down and was murdered in Malaysia.  He had lost the respect of his family when he tried to enter Japan using a Dominican Republic passport.  He had little faith in Kim Jong Un saying he won’t last long because of his young age.  Although he has been in exile for years he is the eldest son of their shared father so it could be possible that he would’ve been able to replace Kim Jong Un as leader of North Korea.  Kim Jong Un took care of that though, it has been leaked by South Korean intelligence that Kim Jong Un did in fact order the assassination.  This is scary timing since Kim Jong Un had tested a ballistic missile just two days prior to the murder.  

 According to CNN the murder was carried out by two assassin groups, the first group was composed of North Korean state security department member Ri Jae Nam and foreign ministry worker Ri Ji Hyon, they had recruited a Vietnamese suspect, Doan Thi Huong.  The second group also consisted a state security member, O Jong Gil, and a foreign ministry member, Hong Song Hac, they had brought on board Indonesian suspect Siti Aisyah.  These groups rubbed VX Nerve agent in Nam’s face killing him in twenty minutes.  If given in a high dose it can cause convulsions, loss of consciousness, paralysis, and death because of respiratory failure.  

Dr. Yanni shares a moment with the Lion’s Tale

Marc Verwiel & Katie Tangradi

Opinions and A&E Editors

We recently had the opportunity to sit down with Superintendent Dr. Yanni to ask about how he felt the year was going and what he had planned for the future.

 The interview immediately started with positive remarks from Dr. Yanni expressing his love for the students and families of New Hope, attributing his success to them. So far, he said that getting the renovation project underway was the highpoint of his tenure. (We asked about the hallway smell, he had no clue what it was.) As for the future, Dr. Yanni believes more great things will happen in the coming months and years. He is looking forward to the APEX project, graduation, and opportunities to continue improving the school.

 However, the thing Dr. Yanni was still the most concerned about was the bullying issues that are still present within the district. He is confident that the "No Place for Hate" initiative--the culmination of the district issues last December--will bring positive change while also showing how close the community is. The goal is not to suppress what people can and cannot say, but to have resources available for those that become uncomfortable and spread a message of unconditional respect. He hopes that the students and community will take to these ideals, allowing people to feel safe while still being able to speak their minds.

 The conversation ended with Dr. Yanni giving advice to us and the rest of the senior class. He says we shouldn't rush time. You'll have four years to be in college so enjoy this while it lasts. You are surrounded by people who care about you, so don't try to rush along to the next phase of your life. Enjoy now.

What to consider before taking AP Psych

Shayna Berman and Laura Nagg

Staff Writers

With course selection coming up, there are some things to be taken into consideration before taking certain AP classes. AP Psychology is one of the most popular and enjoyed APs to be offered at New Hope. Taught by the one-and-only Ms. Anderson, students will explore and discover why we think and act the way we do. It is a “conversation about what it means to be human” according to Anderson.  With all of these aspects in mind you must also be aware that AP Psychology is a very demanding course and you will drown if you are not fully committed. Here are a few things that you might want to keep in mind.

 To begin with, you may hear students’ complaints regarding the summer assignment. It will be assigned before the school year is over. There are three separate (but doable) assignments, and there is a check in date mid-July to make sure you are actually keeping up with your work. As long as you don’t wait until the last minute, the summer assignment should not be a problem, and Anderson checks her email often if you have any questions.

 With consideration that Ms. Anderson needs to finish content by mid-April, you must keep up and be dedicated with the note taking in class and sometimes out of class. This kind of rigour requires a certain amount of initiative which is essential to be successful in the class. They will seem tedious and long at the beginning, but just chipping away at them each night working up to the test will save you in the end.

A student’s first mistake in the class is falling behind. You don’t learn how to ride a bicycle the first time you try- you need fall a couple times. The same thing happens with AP Psych. You need to get adjusted to the class and the expectations. You need to learn how to take notes quickly, and what questions to ask at the right time, and when you should seek extra help. There are going to be nights you stay up until 2:00 am trying to finish the notorious concept maps (not as bad as you may think). There are going to be grades that don’t fit what you expected. After your first mistakes, this won’t happen any more, and the class will actually become easy.

Use other classmates; you are a team! Your classmates are studying the same stuff, making the same mistakes, confused on the same material, and want to succeed just like you. Create study groups to meet in the library before a test. FaceTime someone while working on concept maps for terms you don’t know where to put. Find people that will help you succeed in projects, as there are a few a year. Using each other for support can only be beneficial for your AP Psych success.

 The course goes by so quickly, and will be over before you know it. So make sure you absorb what you can. Make sure you take a step back from the work every once in awhile and realize that the content is actually fun and interesting. You’ll have fun in the class- listen to Anderson’s stories and share your own. Take advantage at everything given to you. Choosing AP Psychology is a gift to yourself, you will be enlightened to your world around you, how you function and behave, and how to survive in this crazy world (shout-out to the one and only Ms. Anderson!).