Vol. 2 Issue 5 June 2011

Get The Summer Job You Want!By Jackie Nikpour

Summer’s well it’s on its way, and so is the dreaded job search, but here are a few tips to make the application a little less painless and a lot more successful. Step 1: Where to apply. We all talk about where we would love to work- our favorite clothes stores, coffee shops, ice cream places, and so on. But when it comes down to it, it may take some thought when considering where to apply. Junior Dyana Baurley, who works at TCBY, says, “Go for a job that you are going to be passionate about… don’t take a job just because it’s there.” On the other hand, a job you’re not so familiar with may be better than no job at all. “A job at somewhere you don’t shop is better than no job. Very few places are hiring younger than 18, so grab a job where you can,” says senior Dan Connell, who works at Hallmark. In reality, the choice is yours. So you’re walking in the mall, and you come across a place that you’ve thought about working at. Should you pick up an application? That depends. Recently, visitors from the staff of the nearby Jimmy John’s made a major point of how first impressions are often what makes you or breaks you, so check yourself out before making yours. If you’re applying to a clothing store, try to wear some of their products. You want to seem like a customer- so while old baggy shirts and super short-shorts are obviously not a good choice, all-out formal attire isn’t your best bet either. Junior JoJo Reck, who works at XO Formals, advises, “Care about how people perceive you…look like you’re on a job search when you apply”. Also, consider the time of day. If you’re applying to Starbucks and it’s 6 PM and rush-hour traffic is pouring, they’re probably going to be too busy to notice you. Arrive during non-peak hours when picking up an app. Step 2: Filling out the application. Our Jimmy John’s visitors stressed the importance of neatness and completion. When filling out an app, filling every line shows dedication- even if your response is simply a dash or “N/A”. And neatness counts! Use your best print handwriting and triple check for any spelling or grammar mistakes. Another tip- remember the word “any” when filling out employment desired and work hours- it shows your passion for getting the job! When returning the application, the same rules go as for picking it up. According to Reck, the most important things to remember are “[not] wearing sweats or house clothes, and applying alone, not with a friend”. Applying with a friend makes things awkward, especially if you’re asked to do an on-the-spot interview. Yup, those actually happen, and more often than you think! So always be prepared. Research the company a day or two in advance so you have an idea where they came from and what they’re all about. Don’t fret, though, if you’re not asked to an interview on the spot. Simply hand the manager your app, smile, and head for the exit. And remember, dress like a customer and go during non-peak hours! Step 3: Follow-up. If the company doesn’t follow up with you in two days, it’s okay to give them a call and remind them you’ve turned in an application. Step 4: The interview. If and when you land the interview, just remember a couple things. Arrive 3-5 minutes early, look like a customer, and most importantly, stay positive! Dan Connell adds, “[During the interview] Don’t lie. Be honest and make plenty of eye contact. Sometimes it’s not about what you say, but how you say it.” When it comes to the dress code, “No Uggs whatsoever! Employers hate them!” Jojo Reck emphasizes. Want to rock your interview even more? Ask the employer a couple questions- like how he or she got started, and what is the most important aspect of the company. It shows you care about the company itself, not just getting paid there. Before leaving, thank the interviewer, smile, shake his or her hand firmly, and walk out. Don’t hang around the store any longer. So you leave the interview, and two days later you get a call- Congratulations! You just landed a summer job! Your task is over, right? Wrong. Working hard to keep the job is just as important. Show up a few minutes early, volunteer whenever possible, and as Dyana Baurley advises, “Be happy, not miserable.” Just take the job seriously, and you’ll be a rock star at work- guaranteed!

Senior-mini-EditionThe Viking Call

Spence and Bender Row Into the Future page 3 Graduating With Great Style page 2 Closing Time page 3

Save the Dates! page 4 Farewell Upper Merion page 3 .512: Kulp’s Excellence page 3 The Vi-King page 2

On May 19, 2011, one hundred and fifty honorees, twenty-four department award recipients, eighteen presenters, and three valedictorians gathered in one huge banquet hall, all to celebrate the success and achievements of Upper Merion’s most outstanding students. At this year’s awards banquet, Arjun Agrawal, Tracey Kline, and Melissa Kraus earned the title of Valedictorian, while Ali Swider won Salutatorian. The banquet started with introductions by Principal Jonathan Bauer and Superintendent of Schools, Melissa Jamula. Introductions were followed by a five-course meal. After the dinner, the high school advisers and counselors handed out the Academic awards, and department chairs presented the Department Awards. Last but not least, Mr. Bauer made his closing remarks by recognizing the Top scholars of each class and the distinguished scholars of the class of 2011, along with the Salutatorian and three Co-Valedictorians. After the ceremony, Valedictorian Arjun Argawal said, “I am glad that my efforts have been paid off and I am also very happy for everyone, as it’s a good thing that so many students can excel.” Salutatorian Ali Swider commented that her recognition, “was completely unexpected, and a really nice surprise.” In addition to recognizing the top students, the banquet also celebrated students who have mastered and advanced in a specific content area or a subject throughout their three to four years of high school through the Department Awards. Business and Marketing Award winner Julio Trejo-Campos, a senior, said, “It feels awesome to win this award because it feels like a reward for all of the work. I really didn’t expect it, but the Business and Marking Award means a lot to me.” Mrs. Rieger, who presented this year’s English

Co-Valedictorians Melissa Kraus, Arjun Agrawal, and Tracey Kline display their medals. Photos by Dana Wright.

Banquet Honors Three ValedictoriansBy Karishma Purswani

Department Award to Amanda Grace and the Marie Wolfskill Award to Tracey Kline, said, “It’s inspiring to see the passion that we have for our content living on in our graduates.” Mr. Kozol, chairman of the Social Studies department, also presented three Social Studies awards, the History Award to Tracey Kline, the Social Studies Award to Suresh Rav, and the Peace Award to Clair Cundill. “My favorite part is the satisfaction on the part of the student and their parents that I witness first hand,” said Mr. Kozol. Departmental award winners are chosen based on students academic success, upstanding personalities, and hard work in specific areas of study or subjects. These awards are mostly presented to current seniors and a few juniors as they give recognition to a student’s growth and accomplishments during their four years of high school. A few other department awards include the Art Award, the Foreign Language awards, National Choral Award, Technical Education Award, Mathematics Award, and many more. According to Mrs. Harvey, one of the faculty members who has been organizing this banquet ceremony for the past twelve years, the behind-the-scenes process begins at the guidance level where the counselors identify the students who are on the distinguished honor roll, who have a high weighted average, or who have received a department award or certain scholarship awards. After this, a list of all these students is created and the honorees receive invitations, which they have to fill out and return to Mrs. Harvey. That’s when she and a few others begin coordinating the meals, the seating areas and number of awards for the evening. It is an enormous undertaking, but a worthwhile one. “Upper Merion has an abundance of talent and potential,” Mrs. Rieger adds. “It is my hope that our students continue to inspire others in their future endeavors.”

What has Upper Merion been missing? It seems like our community has everything: the mall, lots of restaurants, school spirit, renovated athletic fields. But during the hot summer months, we notice a glaring absence: Where can we go to cool off? Upper Merion has been lacking a swim club for the past several years. Fortunately, the old King of Prussia Swim Club has finally reopened. Prior to its closing, the King of Prussia Swim Club provided community members a family friendly place to cool off and have fun. It was open for nearly twenty years before it closed in 2005 due to financial issues. The facility, located off of West Valley Forge road in King of Prussia, sat idle until the Upper Merion Township bought it. While the grounds sat in disrepair earlier this year, former manager of the King of Prussia Swim Club Rich Frey passed the graffiti marked building on the way to his son’s baseball game. Immediately his curiosity took over, and he made a call to the township to inquire about what was being done with it. “I talked to Bill Jenaway, from the board of supervisors…Bill’s the one who really got the ball rolling.” Along with his experience as manager of the swim club in the late 70s and early 80s, Mr. Frey is a swim coach and owns a pool renovation company. As soon as the board approved a business plan last winter, Mr. Frey started working to renovate the deteriorating facility. “We’ve replaced all of the windows, painted the pools and the locker rooms, renovated the snack bar and the fences, added gardens and a gate for the baby pool. We also added a deep water well and upgraded the plumbing,” said Frey. Before the Memorial Day opening, “The snack bar and the locker rooms [were also] finished.” Frey plans to “continue painting and upgrading the fences throughout the summer.” Four instructional tennis courts and two large tennis courts will also be added at a later date. The new Upper Merion Swim and Tennis Club will boast three pools: a large Olympic size pool with a 12 foot diving well and spring dive, a smaller pool that ranges from 3 to 5 feet in depth, and a Spongebob-themed baby pool. The facility also includes locker rooms, two pavilions for special events, and a snack bar that will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner by July 4th. In addition, the new club will have areas for volleyball, horseshoes and shuffleboard. Swim lessons will be offered in the mornings, and the club will become home to a Schuylkill Aquatic League swim team, who will adopt a team name from earlier in the club’s history, the Stingrays. The club will host numerous events this summer, a number particularly geared for the ‘teenage’ set such as dances, local music performances and a “Battle of the Bands”. Members of the club will get a discount door fee. The snack bar is also planning special dinner nights such as Steak Night or Christmas in July, as well as food contests. The Upper Merion Swim and Tennis Club will open Memorial Day weekend and be open 11am to 8pm until schools are out; after that, they will stay open until 9pm. For more membership and swim team information, visit www.uppermerionswimandtennis.com or “Like” Upper Merion Swim and Tennis Club on Facebook.

Renovated Upper Merion Swim Club ReopensBy Elissa Salamy

We’ve all heard of it. Perhaps we have even been told to dread it, but what are all of those seniors really doing for those SGP’s? The truth about the all-mighty Senior Graduation Project is that it offers seniors an opportunity to pursue a passion or to learn more about something they might study in college. This year The Viking Call wanted to

highlight some of the diversity, variety, and hard work that goes into those projects by telling our readers about a few of them. BingYu Zhuang related her project back to her traditional Chinese culture and their delicious food. For her project she decided to explore Chinese cooking, and introduce the art of food to educate others. Bing explained that she really wanted to research the rich tradition of the native recipes. She loves the idea of being able to take care of her family instead of the other way around. One of Bing’s favorite parts of her project was the audience, and the people involved in her project. “I like the feeling when people eat my foods and smile,” Bing explained. For Bing’s application, she went all out. “I created a blog,” she said. “ I invited my friends to my house and cooked for them.” Bing then brought a variety of Chinese food to school and had her teachers and classmates taste it. Every weekend Bing cooked a meal that included 4-5 different foods, and then included them into her blog allowing people to comment. “I also searched a lot of foods on the Internet and I would cook them at home and wrote how I felt and included the recipes on my blog. I took video too,” Bing explained. When Bing’s SGP came together, it was a great success. She says, “With the more help from classmates and teachers, my project became better and better.” From Bing’s Chinese cooking we go to Joi Coleman’s project, on teen prostitution. Although not this might not seem like the typical SGP topic, Joi’s project was a great success. Joi chose her topic from watching a documentary last summer on TV about teen prostitution, and she says she “really felt for the girls and had empathy for them”. Joi did a lot of research and contacted and interviewed numerous people. Some of her interviewees

SGP: Go BigBy Rosie Owoc

Listen Up, People! Parting WordsBy Tamerah Slaughter High school…oh high school. There’s so much to say, not enough space in this entire newspaper to do so. I suppose I’ll attempt to impart some final words of wisdom on my reluctant readers. First, do NOT underestimate the SGP. I promise that you will do so, and then suddenly it’s a week until you present and you’re only half done. Don’t do that. Start it in August of your senior year, only way to go. Second, DO go to all the school sponsored events. This includes dances, proms, volleyball games, Homecoming week. Though most of the time nothing interesting ever happens, you’ll learn to appreciate that quality, which basically describes ALL of high school. Leave the studying for that big exam you have until later, and go be with your classmates. Third, take every day as it comes. As I sit here in school typing up what I hope is a profound reflection of my high school years and a firm goodbye, I can’t help but glance around at all my classmates in what could be considered fondness. I’ve spent four years with these kids, and I’m genuinely going to miss them. And believe me, no matter what you underclassmen may be thinking, you will too. To my classmates: I’m pretty sure there’s some big things up the road for each and every one of us, but in the meantime, thanks for all the good times. And keep on being.

continued on page 4

Check out page 2 for Seniors’ final

words and notable upperclassmen fashion!

Bing-Yu presents on Chinese food and culture. Photo by Michaela Kiczula

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vikingcall.com

As the seniors leave high school and move on to college, they’ll be missed in many ways. Their help, advice, and sense of humor have guided the underclassmen through the year. Some seniors, on top of all this, will be greatly missed for their amazing sense of style. After conducting a small poll, the seniors chose Tracey Kline and Greg Alfaro as their two most fashionable peers. Tracey Kline, who will be attending Boston College this fall, generally wears clothes that are a perfect “mixture between preppy and bohemian.” Tracey rocks light, flowing tops with boyfriend blazers to offset each other and achieve a balance within her outfits. Although a majority of her wardrobe comes from Urban Outfitters and H&M, Tracey is happy to shop at “other random places.” No matter where the item comes from, though, she says everything “definitely [has] to be under $20,” something most high school kids can identify with. Other than the price, Tracey admits it’s important that “it looks kind of warm. Comfort matters. Except when it comes to shoes… I’ll wear anything!” For Tracey, warmth will be even more significant since she’s going up North for college. There, she believes she “probably will dress more like the people [she’s] with.” Even though Tracey looks up to Blake Lively and Diane Kruger, she suggests you should “stay true to yourself ” and remember, “you don’t always have to follow the trends.” Unlike Tracey, Greg Alfaro doesn’t take inspiration from any celebrities’ sense of style. He does,

Graduating with Great StyleBy Lizzie Furino

however, love to shop at Urban Outfitters and H&M, as well as J. Crew and Lucky Brand. Greg, whose style is “sophisticated, earthy, and a little rugged,” constantly dresses well, even when he’s being comfy. Greg loves to wear his favorite chunky green Eddie Bauer sweater, even though his friends disapprove. Greg explains that his “Clark Dessert Boots… are [his] go-to shoe, whether [he’s] dressing up, or down. The more wear and tear, the cooler they look.” When Greg starts college in Costa Rica, he’ll go for “a cleaner look.” To do this, he will “start stocking up on some sport coats, dress shirts, and ties.” This summer, Greg will opt for linen, which is “lightweight, comfortable, and good for the warm weather down in tropical Costa Rica.” When he picks out clothes, the fit proves to be a top priority. Greg rightly believes that “things have to fit right. Baggy doesn’t look good on anyone.” Besides the fit, Greg advises that you should, “Be yourself, don’t fall into trends for the sake of being trendy, [and] try new things.” Upper Merion’s fashionable seniors show that whether you’re going to college in the chilly north of Boston, warm Costa Rica, or staying in mild-tempered King of Prussia, it’s important to dress appropriately in accordance with your surroundings. They also agree that, in order to have a great fashion taste, you have to be true to yourself in what you wear. While Tracey, Greg, and all the other stylish seniors go on, they’ll leave us remembering their fantastic sense of style.

Greg Alfaro. Photo by Pooja Parekh Tracey Kline. Photo by Pooja Parekh

The Vi-King: A closer look at Patrick Vandergeest, 2011 UMAHS senior By Colleen Sullivan

We all see and know him as the Class of 2011 unofficial leader, Homecoming winner, and the King in Viking pride; yet only a few know him as the boy who once entertained the idea of becoming a cheerleader and a mascot. With an upbeat attitude, insane school pride, and goofy demeanor, one would not be surprised to see Pat Vandergeest in the giant Viking costume, or even dressed up as the Bloomsburg Husky. But if you stopped and had a conversation with Pat, you would see a lot more than a goofball kid. Pat has changed a lot over the past four years. As a freshman, he was the chill kid who was always trying to get with the in-crowd. Even Pat remembers what he was like, “In middle school people knew me, but it wasn’t like ‘Oh, I wanna hang out with you’, which upset me. So coming into freshman year I made a promise to myself, I said ‘I’m gonna be like my cousin. I’m gonna be a smart a** guy that everyone likes to be around and is goofy and whatnot.’” So on his first day of school, Pat gave it a shot when his teacher asked him to move seats. “I don’t know why I thought it’d be funny,” Pat says, “but I picked up my backpack and I threw it over, like across the room to where my seat was. Mr. Crooks said ‘Oh that was real smart of you’ and I said, ‘Dude, I don’t care. It’s just my lunch.’ At the time I thought I was being a bad a**, and the cool kid,” Pat commented. “After a while [though] I started growing into the person I am now.” From freshman to senior year Pat changed from a teen that seemed unapproachable to the upper classman that others look to for help. After three Challenge Days and a whole lot of “What Would Rieger Do?” moments, Pat tells of what made him open his eyes to the people in need around him, to help these teens. “After Challenge Day last year it just hit me, my eyes just opened up. I said, ‘You know what, I gotta stop caring about how much people think of me and I gotta start helping out people.’…People can call me goofy and dumb. Why should I let that bother me? I just want to go out and make other people’s days better…. I realized I could do all this, I can make people smile and be goofy, and then when it comes down to it if people need me I can be there for them.”

This year, many students have reached out to Pat for help, and each time he has stepped up to the plate. “If people need me I can be there for them,” Pat said. “This year especially for some reason a lot of kids just randomly called, texted me or hit me up on Facebook. They would say ‘Hey, you know, I really have a problem with this.’ Or ‘Can you help me out?’ and then for some reason people always tell me, ‘Yeah dude, you really helped me out.’ I don’t see the point in saying, ‘No, I won’t help you!’ That’s kind of dumb and selfish. I’d rather help somebody else out before I help myself out of a problem.” Pat Vandergeest takes the Community of Caring Values to heart, and his caring and consideration for others has made a real difference in our Upper Merion community. Many students dub him as unofficial 2011 class leader, but Pat denies it. “Heck no! Not a chance. I haven’t done anything to deserve that, and I just don’t feel comfortable being seen as a leader…. I like just being the guy in the background that’s just along for the ride. I’m not a leader, somebody else can have that.” Creator of A.M.P, the new peer mentoring program, Mike Lewiski disagrees with Pat. “I’m thankful that I could have a friend like him who was there for me and everybody else too. For everything he has done for this school and everything that people think of him is 100% true. Pat is a great guy and I think they should give him an award, or his own day.” Luckily Mike’s wish was granted according to Mrs. Rieger, the teacher behind “Upper Merion’s Unsung Heroes”. “Not only is Pat a leader in the classroom, but has worked diligently to make our entire school and community a better place. He has been a facilitator for multiple Challenge Days, serves as a peer mentor, and makes a concerted effort to help those in need. He has recently been nominated as one of Upper Merion’s ‘unsung heroes,’ and I couldn’t agree more.” Even with these two influential people commenting on his personality and involvement Pat still upholds his modesty. For now Pat and his humble outlook are moving onto Bloomsburg University to share his pride as a Husky and continue helping students. “I’m going to continue doing what I’m doing and being that goofy guy that people can feel comfortable around.”

Last Words From Our Viking Seniors

High school has been “a fun, wild, busy, difficult, enjoyable, memorable,

experience.”-Grace Bluefeld

“I don’t have a specific favorite memory but it all comes down to

having good times with good people and making

my mom proud.”-Jasmine Sylla

“Actually, my favorite moment of high school

happened this year, when I was crowned

Homecoming Queen. I will forever cherish this.”

-Ali Swider

“High school has been a real thrill ride.”

-Zak Elarbi

What will you miss most?

“A close-knit community.”

-Arash Kalayeh

“If I could combine all the pep-rallies, final practices, and every second spent with

my friends into one moment; that would be

it.”-Carrie Davidson

Student Life

Opinion Editorial

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m SportsSpence and Bender Row Into the FutureBy Ashley Soulchin

Crew isn’t always a great spectator sport, but for a few UM seniors, crew means a lot. Crew has taught them many things over their four years participating, and has given them friends, who are more like family then teammates. Female crewmember, Brooke Spence, has been participating in crew for all four years of high school. She originally joined because her friends had joined, and she wanted to try a new activity in high school. Spence will continue participating in crew after high school, and has received a rowing scholarship at La Salle University. Spence comments that, “Crew has given me

To some people, .512 is just a number that is usually rounded to one-half. To baseball and softball players, .512 is not just a number, but an extremely good batting average, and one that Upper Merion’s very own Melissa Kulp has the honor of boasting. Kulp has been a starting player for the UM girl’s varsity softball team for three years running, and she has not failed to prove her worth. Besides her excellent batting average, Kulp has also hit three doubles and a total of five RBI’s so far this season. However, these stats are not as important to Kulp as her memories and experiences with her teammates. After she graduates this year, Kulp says she will miss her team and teammates the most: “There is always a huge connection between us girls on varsity. We laugh together, and cry together. We have a lot of fun together and we basically are inseparable.” Kulp says the people who have had the biggest influences on her during her time here at Upper Merion have been Coach Whitney and Coach Schneider, both of who have helped and wholeheartedly supported her during her years playing for the high school.

.512: Kulp’s ExcellenceBy Mitchell Derby

Track’s Shining Stars: Miles and SophiaBy Bernadette Koff

When many of us hear the word spring, we think of “April showers bring May flowers,” others might think about spring training or long for beaches and start planning vacations. However, for Sophia Liu and Miles Williams, spring means just one thing, track. These seniors have been outstanding members of the track team because of their leadership and dedication. Sophia Liu, a senior on the spring track team, discussed her time on the team over the past few years. Her favorite part of running track at Upper Merion was “the hard workouts we had. The feeling of accomplishment when you were finished was truly rewarding.” She added, “My favorite memory was [when] the team got Mr. Symonds an adult size diaper for his birthday. It was really funny since we always joke about his age.” Later, when asked what she will miss the most, she took some time, and then declared, “What I will miss the most is probably the team. We have so much fun together; we have created a great bond with each other over the years.”

Miles William’ favorite part of track was “The track meets; I love the high intensity, and everyone gets psyched for the races.” He continued, “My fondest memory of running track would have to be the track meet against my old school, Hatboro Horsham. It was amazing because I felt a sort of duality of connections between both schools. On the Hatboro side, I had all of my old friends, and with Upper Merion, I had many new and also good friends. Having both teams in the same place meant that I was surrounded by all of my friends.” Williams says he will greatly miss his fellow runners, who have become some of his closest friends. Both coaches, Joy Niemenski and Dave Symonds, wrote about how much they enjoyed coaching Williams and Liu. They explained that both runners showcased team leadership every day, and gave their all throughout the season. Indeed, the track team will be losing two shining stars as Williams and Liu graduate from Upper Merion.

The Unsung Hero of Lady Viking LacrosseBy Ally Frymoyer

Defender Tamerah Slaughter states, “not many realize this, but playing low defense is a mental game played against yourself ”. When we think of heroes on sports teams, we think of the person who took the winning shot or kicked the fifty-yard field goal. The ones that don’t usually come to mind are the girls and guys who take the brutal hits, block the other team’s goals, and ultimately set the foundation to win the game. These unsung heroes are none other then the players of the defense, and Tammy Slaughter was certainly an unsung hero of the Lady Vikings’ lacrosse team. Slaughter was one of many UM seniors on the girl’s lacrosse team, which ended with a strong season record of 10-7. She started her years at Upper Merion on JV but moved on to the varsity field as a sophomore, and every year she has improved more and more. “She grew tremendously in her 4 years,” Coach Yanocha explained, “She improved greatly each year to eventually earning First-Team All-League Honors as a senior. It didn’t necessarily always come easy for Tammy, but she worked hard to get to that place.” Slaughter ended this season with two goals, thirteen turnovers and three interceptions, she also received the Coach’s Award, in addition to the Suburban One First-Team All-League for defense. Although Slaughter excelled at defense this year, she wasn’t always a defender. “I actually played offense all throughout middle school,” Slaughter explained, “[I] was switched to low defense freshmen year by our, then JV coach, Ms. Whitman who recognized in me the potential to be a great defender, though I didn’t see it at the time. Now I wouldn’t switch positions for the world.” Slaughter will be attending Temple University in the fall to study Communications. However, she doesn’t plan on her lacrosse career ending now. “I’m pretty positive I’m going to give Temple’s club team a shot. I love lacrosse way too much to just give it up!” said Slaughter. Everyone wants to be offense because they want to score and be the hero. However, what many people don’t understand is that it is often defenders like Tammy that ultimately make the difference between a win and a loss. Slaughter has been a huge part of the Lady Vikings lacrosse team for over four years, and she will be sincerely missed by her teammates. “It’s amazing looking back and seeing how far we’ve come as a team since I was a freshmen, and the biggest reason I’ll miss them all is because I realize I couldn’t have done anything without them,” Slaughter said, “We put up a good fight this year, and I’m proud of that.”

Matt Maskarinec: A True AceBy Mitchell Derby

The Eagles have Michael Vick, the Flyers have Brier or Van Riemsdyk (depending on whom you ask), and the Upper Merion’s boys’ tennis team has Matt Maskarinec. What, you may ask, are their similarities? These players are the aces in the hole for their team. Every sports team has one; it’s their best player, their secret weapon. Maskarinec has played tennis all four years of his high school career and has started varsity each year. In addition to being varsity, for three of his four years, Maskarinec played at first singles, the top spot on the team. Not only is he successful as a singles player, but Maskarinec also has the charisma and personality to be one of two of the team’s captains, along with Ed Brosz. Kush Gupta, a fellow player, commented on Maskarinec’s willingness to help others improve, saying, “Matt has an amazing spirit and talent for tennis, but even more important than that, he is always willing to help others improve their game.” Clearly, Maskarinec is the Upper Merion tennis team’s ace in the hole. However, UM will lose this strong player next year when he leaves to attend the University of Pittsburgh, though he fully intends to continue playing the sport he loves.

so much. It’s made me more confident, and strong. It’s taught given me leadership skills, and to always strive for my personal best.” She also thanks her coaches for giving her the skills to earn her scholarship, and commends her teammates for sticking through this rough season. Terrance Bender, a male crew senior, has also participated in crew for his entire high school career. Like Spencer, Bender joined for a new experience as well as joining for a new workout. Bender explains that his favorite part of crew was, “The bond you get between boat members, [because] it’s like another family.” Bender also plans to incorporate crew into his future. Though

he will be attending ITT, he is planning to also row out of the Fairmount boathouse. “I don’t want crew to leave my life,” Bender comments. Bender believes that crew has taught him teamwork, dedication, and a great work ethic. He would like to remind his teammates to, “Never give up, and push to be the best at what you do.” Crew has taught its seniors so much. When they turn their tassels they will have gained a great deal of experience, and be taking such valuable life lessons with them to college, and beyond. Brooke Spence. Photo by Michaela Kiczula

Left- Miles Williams. Right- Sophia Liu. Photos by Michaela Kiczula

Time is of essenceSome people may say. It’s true, The hours;They’re slipping away.

Hello, folks, I’m here to say that spring has arrived. The weather is gorgeous, plants are in full bloom, and the skies are blue. So let’s not waste it sitting inside on the computer or TV or video games or whatever other technological devices occupy so much of your precious time. Life is fantastic and full and there is just so much to do! And as the world sits here just waiting for me to embrace it, I’m plugged into every possible form of device that exists. Ahh so virtual…

We are in the final stretch, folks. These are the last few days that we will all be seeing those lovely shining faces at the disgustingly early hour of 7:35 in the morning. No more rushing to our lockers or sluggishly dragging our feet to get to homeroom. It’s a vicious cycle, school spits us into the beauty of summer and then summer spits us right back into the school days that we think we can never, but somehow always do, survive. Safe to say that this is it for me, but for you other returning high schoolers…I am so sorry. I mean this in the most sincere way possible, just kidding. Actually, high school was the prime of my youth, if you omit that time I got lost practically an entire day freshman year and no one noticed. OH, and that other time when I was on the brink of eating in the bathroom, and I mean inches away from sneaking into a stall to eat my PB and J sandwich because I had no where to sit at lunch. Freshman year can be rough. Everyone always admits to his or her faults and embarrassments later on about that desperate year. To be fair let’s just give a little flashback of all the grades starting with the “freshies”. You had a bumpy road, like any other group of youngins’ would, but at least you can say you are older now and you won’t have to go through that again. Sophomores, if I could jump back to this year I would be in heaven. But take heed: Junior year can suck majorly if you don’t take it on the proper way because basically the reality of college sinks in, and you have zero time to waste. And for all you juniors out there thinking you’re hot stuff because you got through your Junior Research Project, there’s a bigger monster lurking ahead, and its name is SGP. I’m sure you’ve heard of it. I suggest finding an idea NOW, yes I mean now. Stop reading this and

Unplug and Get Out!.By Sarah Howell

Closing TimeBy Tamerah Slaughter

It’s odd writing this, knowing that this is my last ever opportunity to write an entirely random rant on any odd subject I happen to choose for the student body of UM to read. I’m not sure what I’d like to say, but I guess I’ll start with this: It’s been real. It’s an awkward occurrence, when you reach the end of a road that you often complained about yet secretly loved, leaving you not knowing whether to cry or leap joyfully into the air, ultimately leading you to do a combination of both that ends up looking an awful lot like the funky chicken. That’s what graduating feels like. So many mixed emotions, because YES, we’re finally out of here, and that’s the weirdest part. Our whole lives, it’s always been somebody else, and finally, after what feels like forever, or maybe more like a split second really, it’s US. So trippy. But let’s be honest, it’s always BEEN us. We brought the party to Upper Merion, and we leave this

Farewell Upper Merion By Abbie Demcher

So to all of us, I make a proposition: Let’s close up those laptops, turn off those TVs, and go enjoy some nature. Need some ideas? How about going to the always-accessible Valley Forge Park to picnic, run, or explore. There is a shocking number of splendid spots to discover in that 5-mile radius (Trust me, some good times have gone down in that park). Find a nice tree to lie under or a creek to sit by (we have loads). Read a book, make some art, or just think. There are also some cute towns to walk around close-by. My favorites include Phoenixville (Steel City and Artisans are great for those coffee fiends and there are some sick shops on the Main Street as well. And why not meet some of our Phoenixville neighbors while you’re at it?), West Chester is possibly one of the most fantastic college towns around, loaded with shops and eateries of every variety, and last but not least, our splendid Philadelphia. There is just so much to do in Philly that it’s overwhelming, and none of these options need to cost (much) money (or even gas really, there’s always the train or maybe biking). Cheap shows occur locally and daily for all the music junkies out there, there are always the under-18 nights in the clubs, free art shows, Old City, Rittenhouse Square, and loads of other places to see. No need to be in a town to enjoy the great outdoors either, how about watching a sports team while sunbathing in the grass, lying out in the backyard, spending some time with the siblings or pet, playing a game, or tossing a ball around? And if there happens to be a torrential downpour, throw on the suit and dance in the rain. Life just doesn’t get much better than that. So ladies and gents how about we utilize what we have around us? Enjoy us some nature, and go outside because the clock’s a’tickin and there is just so much to do.

The earth is ours. Let’s embrace it.

eating those delicious raisins and go! My fellow seniors, whom I love dearly, there’s so much to say. However, somehow I am at loss for words, like when you go home after a long day and you crave a large tall glass of apple juice, but when you open your fridge you notice your mom didn’t hit up the grocery store, so you slowly shut the door speechless. It’s totally that feeling. Some of us will be traveling far, some close. All of us excited to move on, but secretly deep down we are crying on the inside. To lighten the mood, in the wise words of Kiss, “schools out for summer!” So get out there and live it up; don’t waste a minute of it.

place certainly more interesting and better off than we found it four years ago. From the time we were freshmen, shoobies at Homecoming week, and even the time we were sophomores, when everyone still yelled at our class to go home at the pep rally. Take a look in your closet at all the fresh t-shirts we’ve received throughout our high school years and there’s your proof: Upper Merion Class of 2011 didn’t mess around. Especially when it came to t-shirts. There’s the sadness, of course. You’ll miss these kids: all so different, each with their own story, most of whom we’ll never get the chance to know if we don’t by now. But each sharing that one identifying mark that will unite us forever: We all went to UM. Once a Viking, ALWAYS a Viking…You have the shirt, and as you sit around wearing it in your college dorm, while you work out, or you know, just around this time next year, you’ll not only be rockin’ that shirt, you’ll be wearing those words on your soul.

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included the police department, and the GEMS organization that helps girls escape the life of commercial sexual exploitation. Joi really wanted to help the girls involved with prostitution. To do so, she did her best to spread the awareness of what she was doing and conducted a clothing drive to be sent to GEMS in New York City. Joi said she, “learned to be grateful for everything I have in my life, especially my family, friends, and teachers that are here for me and love me”. She wants her audience to be aware that “the girls in the life of sexual exploitation are victims”. She wants them to realize that the truth is: We don’t know their stories. Some are runaways, abductees, or victim to other terrible scenarios. Mike Lewiski also wanted to use his SGP as a way to help others, so he created Upper Merion’s first Peer Mentoring Program. The program helps students by providing any student with someone to talk to. He says, “even if they’re a jock, I want everyone to feel they have someone to talk to. If you’re mad one day, come and talk to us, we’re here.” Mike became motivated to create a program like this when he attended Challenge Day. “Hearing kids problems had a real effect on me. A lot of kids have a lot of problems. I just want to try to help them one at a time,” Mike explained. For Mike’s application, he visited a lot of the freshman classes and talked to them about his life and the different struggles that came along with it. The only part of his project Mike regrets is that he wishes he had more time to establish the program, but he hopes the program will keep going. “I left the program in the juniors’ hands,” he says, “and hopefully it goes well. I’ll definitely be coming back to check on it.” A little advice for the underclassmen: These three seniors agree, it’s important to start your SGP early and avoid procrastinating. Senior year should be about having fun and getting ready to move ahead. Don’t ruin yours by starting your SGP a month before it’s due! SGP’s can have a huge impact, so make yours worth it. As they say, “Go big or go home”.

The Viking CallEDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Amanda Grace

Managing Editor: Tamerah SlaughterWeb Editor: Mounika Muttineni

ADVISER Jenny Williams

NEWS Lizzie Furino*, Sabrina Carroll, Pamela Vega, Elissa Salamy

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Nir Shtuhl*, Dan Oates, Brandon Thornton

SPORTSAshley Soulchin*, Ali Swider*,Mitchell Derby, Ally Frymoyer, Bernadette Koff

OPINION EDITORIALTamerah Slaughter*, Abbie Demcher, Sarah Howell

STUDENT LIFEKaren Hranek*, Karishma Purswani, Lizzie Furino, Rosie Owoc, Colleen Sullivan, Jackie Nikpour

PHOTOGRAPHERSMichaela Kiczula*, Pooja Parekh, Dana Wright

LAYOUTSara Symoczko*

WEB MASTERDavid Galban

INTEGRITY EDITORElissa Salamy

BUSINESS MANAGERSCallie Rosenfeld, Powell Davis

Editorials reflect the view of the writer and not that of the staff.

Letters to the editor are welcomed and can be directed to The Viking Call at:

Upper Merion Area High School435 Crossfield Road

King of Prussia, PA 19406

Honoring OurThe Viking

callSeniors

Amanda GraceMounika MuttineniTamerah Slaughter

Greg AlfaroAbbie DemcherPaige MitchellSteph Palmer

Christina PhamCallie Rosenfeld

Ali SwiderColleen Sullivan

Erin VenableDan Yarnall

Thank you for your service.On behalf of the entire

staff, congratulations and best wishes!

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Go Big or Go Home(Continued article from page 1)By Rosie Owoc

A&ESave the Dates!

By Nir Shtuhl

Summer’s a-coming, and it’s time to update your iPod. In case

this is your thirty-seventh time hearing Katy Perry’s “Firework” in the past month and you just don’t think you can take another twelve,

I have compiled a list of notable albums coming out this month that will bring a little variety to

your iPod.

Death Cab For Cutie – Codes and Keys (May 31) – Seattleite indie

rockers have released six full-length albums and loads of EPs since they

formed in 1997, and apparently they aren’t done yet. Let’s all hope they can

top Transatlanticism.

Eddie Vedder – Ukulele Songs (May 31) – Even Eddie Vedder (of Pearl Jam) is catching on to the ukulele

craze. The album will feature ukulele versions of Pearl Jam songs, his solo work, and songs from the movie Into

the Wild, for which he wrote and played the music.

Battles – Gloss Drop (June 7) – As per usual with Battles, I don’t really understand the title. And, as with Battles, I don’t really care. I look

forward to the blippy, driving math rock that these multi-instrumentalists

create.

Lil Wayne – Tha Carter IV (June 21) – I really wish he would title his albums

more creatively. That said, master wordsmith Dwayne Michael Carter,

Jr. will surely impress as always.

Others releasing albums: Arctic Monkeys, Bon Iver, Junior Boys, Owl

City, Cults, They Might Be Giants

And there you go. Hopefully, it’s a detailed and extensive enough guide to music to try this summer. Remember to send me a postcard.

Bonus album—something I missed until now: Astronautalis

is experimental hip-hopper Andy Bothwell. Listen to his 2008 album Pomegranate if you like interesting rap, indie music, Beck, or a deep

baritone voice.

If you ask a dude between the ages of 13 and 30 what the funniest show on television is, most will say “Family Guy”. However, over the last few seasons it has not been as beloved. What I’m getting at here is, the new

episodes stink. A show was once renowned for its hilarious jokes and random cut away gags has been a huge disappointment in recent seasons. What used to be only semi-elaborate hilarious jokes are now lot long, drawn out, and way too elaborate jokes that don’t turn out being all that funny. They just fill time. Like when the writers showed an entire Conway Twitty song performance. I didn’t know who he was when I first saw it, and the show left me with a feeling of shear disappointment and a wasted half an hour. “The show is awful now.” one Upper Merion junior proclaimed, “I don’t want to watch it, but I still do just to see if it will actually be funny this week.” The show has always been known for its cutting edge humor. However, some of the jokes have just gone too far in the minds of some viewers. Implying that Peter (one of the show’s main characters) was one of the kids involved in the Columbine shootings, or poking “fun” at 9/11 leaves a sour taste in the mouths of viewers. The only logical explanation is the one that nobody wants to believe: The show has run its course and people are tired of it. The writers have simply run out of good ideas. They may be better off to stop making new episodes to spare us a half an hour of our lives. Leave us with the re-runs of the episodes we have come to love and were able to quote for hours on end.

The Fall of Family GuyBy Brandon Thornton

The Hard Times of RJ Berger: Bigger and Better Than EverBy Brandon Thornton

“The Hard Times of RJ Berger” tells the story of a nerdy high school teen named RJ (Paul Iacono) who has a special gift in the pants department. He, along with his generally fluffy friend Miles (Jareb Dauplaise) goes on to get into all sorts of shenanigans on their quest to get popular. Their socially awkward friend Lilly (Kara Taitz) sometimes will accompany them. However, if you are familiar at all with the show, you know she has a totally different role as of late ever since the infamous hospital bed flat-lining scene. An immensely popular show amongst people within the teenage group, the show was destined to be renewed for a second season. Especially after the season one finale left everyone hanging and begging for more. This new season seems to have more of a story line than the last one, which focused more on the mishaps of the characters, but the show is still as hilarious as ever, and the new storyline has brought the show an even greater following. Fans of the show tend to have very strong feelings about at least one of the characters. The most popular character, by far, is RJ’s dream girl, Jenny Swanson (Amber Lancaster). She is as close to perfect as any human can ever come close to being. Even if you don’t like the show (although there is really no reason not to), you could still watch just to see her and you will be left satisfied. If you haven’t tuned in to MTV on Monday nights at 10, I have no idea what you’re waiting for since it’s probably the reason you are left confused when you don’t know where all of your friends’ latest jokes have come from on Tuesday mornings. The show’s half an hour long format is perfect as it leaves people wanting more after they turn it off, but they don’t complain that it was “too long”.

Has “The Voice” Found Its Voice?By Danny Oates

In the last week of April, NBC released their version of Fox’s “American Idol.” Named “The Voice,” the show lives up to its title: It is only about the voice and nothing more. NBC enlisted the help of Cee Lo Green, Blake Shelton, Adam Levine, and Christina Aguilera to judge. During the pilot, they reveal the basis for the competition. First off, contestants audition to be included in the callbacks. Those chosen will sing “in front of ” the judges. The twist of the show comes here as the four judges have their backs turned to the contestants. The judges each have a button that they can press if they want the contestant on their team. When the button is pressed, the chair spins around so that the judge will see the person singing. If only one judge pushes the button, the contestant is automatically on that judge’s team. If more than one judge pushes the button, each will try to persuade the contestant to join their team, but each judge is only allowed to have eight people on his or her team. Next, the teams go through training and a singer from one team will duke it out with a singer from a different team. Each match-up sings the same song and, in the end, four people remain on each team. Viewers then decide who stays and who goes home. As suspected, the start of the series was slow. For every one or two people who sang, the show went to a commercial break. It appeared as if half of the length of the episode consisted only of commercials. Whenever a new show premiers, they always claim and try to have limited commercials, but “The Voice” seems to only have the voice of the sponsors. If you are interested in watching “The Voice”, consider setting it to record on your DVR or finding it on demand. While it’s a fresh competition series that showcases very promising singers, the commercials take away from the general enjoyment of the program.

A Real FairytaleBy Pamela Vega

Then the girl married the prince and they all lived happily ever after… Seems easy, right? Find your prince, marry him, and live happily ever after. But how would it feel to know that your wedding day is being broadcasted to the whole world? Ecstatic? Joyful? Super-Stressed that everybody with a television set would be watching on your special day? For HRH Catherine Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, this fairy tale became a reality. On April 29th, Kate married her Prince Charming, Prince William of Wales. This royal nuptial attracted many people, including more than half of U.S. citizens. About 1,900 guests were invited, and many more waited to see that special kiss that took place at Buckingham Palace’s balcony. For many, just witnessing the one kiss made many happy, knowing they were witnesses of history’s making. The media was disappointed, and yet not disappointed at the same time, when it came time for Kate to walk down the aisle. Sarah Burton designed Kate’s dress, the talk of the day, for Alexander McQueen’s fashion house. It did not resemble in the least Lady Diana’s extreme and fancy dress, but rather fit the bride’s personality quite well. The wedding reception party took place at Buckingham Palace with all expenses paid by the Queen of England. An insider confirmed details of the wedding party to US Weekly. Best man, Prince Harry of Wales, made the honorary toast and speech. “[Harry’s speech] was hilarious,” the insider says. “Everybody laughed,” the insider told U.S Weekly. The wedding reception included the dancing and the famous eight-tier wedding cake. As of now, the newly wedded couple lives in Buckingham Palace, where Kate will adjust to her life in the fishbowl. The couple has visited New Zealand to speak to islanders after the horrible earthquake that struck the country. Afterwards, the couple will tour England in the summer months. And, hey, maybe learning about a new royal in Modern European History has a few advantages.

A Killer Captured By Sabrina Carroll

May 2nd, 2011 was a day that history was made for the United States, as well as the rest of the world. News of Osama bin Laden’s death appeared on every TV screen, newspaper cover, and was a common topic of conversation almost everywhere. Navy SEALs ambushed bin Laden at a compound in Pakistan on May 2nd. They were accompanied by rescue helicopters, and were prepared for just about anything. Adm. William McRaven, the Joint Special Operations Commander of the Navy Seals, oversaw the operation in Jalalabad, Afghanistan. President Obama also viewed the operation from the White House Situation room. The U.S. troops were granted permission to do whatever they had to do to capture Osama bin Laden, even kill him if he was not willing to surrender. After they had found bin Laden at his compound and saw he was not going to surrender, he was shot and killed. The U.S. troops knew of the risks that were at stake, but bin Laden’s terrorist attacks had to end. The killing of Osama bin Laden has brought up many questions, many difficult to answer and reports left unclear. People have been asking what Pakistan knew about the ambush. According to a “60 Minutes” interview on CBS, President Barack Obama said: “We think that there had to be some sort of support network for bin Laden inside of Pakistan. But we don’t know who or what that support network was.” Although it has been looked into, the specific answers to these questions are not certain. People have been questioning about whether even launching the attack was the correct thing to do. Mr. Campbell, a world cultures and economics teacher here at the high school, feels that “pursing such a wanted man is always the right thing to do.” Mr. Campbell feels the way President Obama launched the attack in a “capture or kill” way showed that our country was seeking justice, and not just pure revenge. Mr. Campbell also mentioned that the SEALs’ “judgment should be trusted” because they were very highly trained. He feels this attack was launched to make our country a safer place, and many agree. Even if we don’t have all of the answers as far as bin Laden’s plotting and Pakistan’s government’s knowledge of the ambush, safety has definitely been a main concern for the United States. There has been questioning of whether Al Qaeda, Osama bin Laden’s terror group, will retaliate for what we did to their leader. Many are nervous about what will happen as a result of U.S. troops killing bin Laden. However, precautions have been taken with airlines and other forms of transportation to ensure safety. Now, the people whose loved ones were killed or in jured by this man are in better spirits.

Photo by Flickr user Seth Anderson

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