Page 9by Hannah Spinola

You Have Seen Her, But Who Is She?by Deidre Muirhead

Fly Further Into Magicby Krysta Parisi

Will MS Sports Be Saved?by Kelly Ackerman

What Was Your First Car?by Lauren Allen

6 11 128

SEAFORD

25

Should Seaford Athletes Pay to Play?

Page 13 by Brian Stieglitz

Issue #1 November, 2011

November, 2011

SUNDAY

1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9 10 11 12

13 14 15 16 17 18 19

20 21 22 23 24 25 26

27 28 29

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

2nd Quarter Begins

1st Quarter EndsBoard of Ed

Meeting

Board of Ed Workshop MeetingWinter Sports Begin

Open House

Election DaySCHOOLS CLOSED

Veterans DaySCHOOLS CLOSED

Thanksgiving RecessSCHOOLS CLOSED

30

Student Council Food Drive

Issue #12

Index

Kelly AckermanLauren AllenLauren ClymerCassidy Cunningham Kimberly Keating Deidre Muirhead Jessica Schnur Brian Stieglitz Krysta Parisi Hannah Spinola

Ms. SchwartzMr. Tripoli

Hannah Spinola

Editorial p.3School New p.4 - p.6Student News p.7College News p.8 - p.9Seaford News p.10World News p.11 - p.14Entertainment p.15 - p.19Sports p.20 - p.21School Sports p.22

Student Writers/Designers

Advisors

Table of Contents

Issue Editor

staff editorial

The

On September 19, 2011 Seaford High School was put into

a lock out drill. During fourth period an announcement was made, telling teachers that we were being put into a “drill”. However, unbeknownst to the students and faculty, this was not a drill. So why was the student body not informed this was no t a drill?

S tuden t s con t i nued th rough the i r no rma l school day, however, one thing was amiss, seniors were not permitted to

leave the building. Students reacted

instantly; some

seniors were determined to leave during their free periods, but the real question was why did seniors need to stay?

The lock out drill held for a duration from periods 4-8. Beginning 5th period, seniors, who have an off period on a normal day, are allowed to leave the building. As soon as students were told not to leave it was obvious that this “drill” was not a drill at all.

The students were unaware about the criminal activities taking p lace in the towns surrounding Seaford. For all we knew this drill was simply a drill and there was nothing real about it.

Beyond the doors of Seaford High School (SHS) an armed robbery was taking place in the nearby town of Bellmore. The home invasion involved four men armed with at

least one handgun and mu l t ip l e

k n i v e s (according to NBC news). T h r e e o f

the men fled the scene of the invasion and po l i c e immediately w e r e o n the chase to a r res t t h e m . With these dangerous m e n o n

the loose it was necessary

for a lock out to protect the safety of

Seaford’s students, teachers, and other

employees. With such dange rous cond i t i ons known, why weren’t the

s t u d e n t s i n f o r m e d ?S t u d e n t s w e r e n o t

informed it was real by administration or faculty members. Keeping students locked in the building without telling the students what is going on in the outside world is unfair. This makes the students wary and uneasy

as to whether or not to trust what administration says.

If there was an actual emergency students should be informed even i f i t leads to fear and worry.

Why should the students blindly trust administration when saftey is at risk if t h e y d o n o t d i r e c t l y inform the student body that they are in danger?

Telling the student body that we are in a drill gives the impression that everything is perfectly fine. If it’s a drill, tell us it’s a drill. If we’re in some sort of serious danger, as we would have been with the armed robbery, give us some inclination as to what is going on. As high school, students we are mature enough to be told when we are in a position of risk. As students, being told we are in a drill comes as a sort of a joke. When put in a “drill” people do not take it as seriously as it might need to be. Not taking a “drill” or an actual emergency seriously can potentially make it more dangerous for everyone involved.

T h e a d m i n i s t r a t i o n agrees with the fact that

we as students should have known this was not a drill. Dr. Newman informed us that the lock out was not intentially called a drill and if a student asked the truth there was nothing to hide. The idea of the lock out was not for it to be a drill students were supposed to

be informed of the truth that they were being held for their own saftey. Dr.Newman being the only administrator in the building at the time, agreed that calling the lock out a drill was not the best way it could have been handled.

It is better to be fearful and safe than to have no idea what is going on. If students, especially seniors, knew this was a drill and not a joke there would have been less chaos and less of a fight to leave.

Most students found out from other sources that the lock out was not a drill. Through word of mouth, internet, and cellphones the story of what happened was being told anyway. After the students found out in the hallways the adults of the school should have told them the truth.

For the fu tu re , the adults of the school should inform students of what is happening around them. The students of Seaford were not safe because of the lack of knowledge about what was happening.

As students we feel we have a right to know what is going on when we are being held for safety reasons. We hope next time a safety procedure is taken place that we are informed about what is going on.

Staff Editorial 3

“ Students were not informed it was real by administration or faculty members.”

School News4

Freshmen Now Have A Voice!

This year there is a newcomer to Publications class

and she is the first freshman to ever be enrolled in this class. Everyone is very pleased to have the opportunity to have Cassidy Cunningham in class this year.

The first time Cassidy took a journalism class was in seventh grade. She is adjusting to Seaford High School pretty well and she feels that it’s a new experience for her. Also

Middle School Students Create Their Own Newspaper

Mrs. McCrystal, a 7th grade English teacher

at Seaford Middle School, has also taught the M.S. newspaper exploratory for the last 5 years. In this class, students produce a school newspaper.

In an average school year, Seaford Middle School publishes two editions of

By: Jessica Schnur

it’s a lot better than she thought it would be and she realizes that she has a lot more freedom here than she did in the middle school. This year in Publications she really wants to be able to write strong articles that students will want to read. She enjoys the fact that students in this class are given the freedom to choose what they want to write about.

Originally she didn’t put Publications down when making her schedule with

her guidance counselor. Also Cassidy wasn’t aware of this class because it usually isn’t offered to freshmen. It was the English department’s decision to let freshmen in this year. Her Guidance counselor, Mrs. Goldstein, said that this was a “very bold decision” and they needed the support of teachers and the student’s interest.

When making a schedule for school there’s always a possibility that an conflict will occur. There was a conflict in Cassidy’s schedule that led her into Publications. She had three possible classes she could choose from to carry the minimum number of credits in her schedule. They were Transportation, Study Hall, or Publications. Her guidance counselor suggested that she should take Publications because it “could enhance the quailty of a student’s transcript”.Cassidy had no idea that she was going to be the only freshman in this class. This has made her feel more mature because she was put into a class with all upperclassmen. She believes that other freshmen

Cassidy Cunningham: First Freshman To Ever To Be In Publications Class

By: Jessica Schnur

their newspaper which are released in December and June. The newspapers are usually distributed during homeroom. The circulation is about 600 papers. This exploratory is only available to seventh and eighth grade students and Mrs. McCrystal conducts the class in a for-mal manner. She has two classes for the newspaper;

one with fifteen students and the other with seven-teen students.

Students at the Middle School are allowed to choose their own topic to write about. When they “brainstorm” their article topics, they are asked “what they like.” Some topics the students write about are politics, making their own

comics, bios on celebrities, sports, homework policy, etc. Each student writes one article. There is never an article that doesn’t get published. The articles are only one page in length and have no word requirement. Also, they incorporate graphics to make things more interesting and to appeal to their viewers.

should be able to take Publications because “it’s a lot of work but you can be a part of the fun that’s going on”. Publications is normally recommended for 10th, 11th, and 12th graders but Guidance put a freshman into this class because she “seemed mature, capable, and willing”. This class contains a lot of work and may not be appropriate for some students. Some students may not have an interest in this class because they either have never heard of it or just don’t know what it’s about. Also they may not know that the Viking Voice is produced by Publications. Usually during freshman year students have no idea what they are interested in doing and that could also be the reason why younger students don’t know what Publications is all about. If guidance gets positive feedback from Cassidy this year they will decide if it should be offered again next year.

In the past there were a lot of electives that weren’t allowed to be given to the incoming freshman. “Many of them included freshmen for the first time” are now

allowed to take electives such as Health, Photography, Microsoft Office, etc. This year they combined 9th and 10th together and 11th and 12th together. They did this so freshman can now have the opportunity to take Health their first year. But there are multiple electives that freshmen cannot take their first year. For example they can’t take Psychology, Sociology, AP Stats, Forensics, Accounting, etc. The reason why freshmen cannot take these classes is because they need a level of educational experience.

Life Before High School

School News 5

Life After Seaford High SchoolSeaford Students Ambitions for After Graduation

Finding A Job After College Graduation

Graduation is one of the most looked forward to events

in a teenager’s lifetime, and so much time and preparation is put into graduating. There’s senior prom, graduation parties, and graduation rehearsal. But what about after the diploma and big ceremony? Sure there’s a summer full of parties and fun, but that summer’s only going to last couple months. Then, the party’s over and life in the real world begins.

According to the United States Census Bureau, college graduates make much more money than someone with only a high school diploma or GED. So to those who think high school was enough and don’t want to go to college, think about it. What could you do with an extra million dollars? It has also been proven, according to the Wall Street Journal, that people with less education have higher divorce rates. So that means, not only will you make less money if you don’t go to college, but you are also more likely to get divorced!

Seaford High School students have a real variety of ambitions for their lives

after graduation. There are students who plan on going into the medical field or publications/journalism field. There are students who want to be archeologists, physical therapists, artists, and even FBI profi lers. When I interviewed 10 S.H.S students, 9 out of 10 want to get married, and 7 out of 10 want to have kids and raise a family. Some even have the names of their future children planned out. There are also students with more short-term goals like moving to California, getting their own apartment, and, of course, going to college.

M a n y s t u d e n t s a r e d r eam ing b i g and o f course everyone wants to be successful, but being successful usually requires hard work. So the next time you have a chemistry test that you don’t want to study for, or an essay that you don’t want to write, think about how working hard and getting a good grade, could be the beginning of becoming successful in life.

Monisha George: Senior

Q: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?A: Hopefully, I can see myself having a job and being in the beginning stages of a family.

Q: What do you want to do after college?A: Hopefully, I’ll have gotten a degree in physical therapy and I want to start my own practice.

Q: Do you want to stay in Seaford?A: No way!! I want to go far, far away. I don’t know why but for some reason I can see myself living in Pennsylvania.

Kelly Ackerman: Junior

Q: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?A: I want to have my own apartment and a steady job as a graphic designer. I also want to be engaged but not married yet.

Q: What do you want to do after college?A: I want to be a graphic designer for a company. And I want to make sure I stay in touch with my friends from Seaford.

Q: Do you want to stay in Seaford?A: Generally, I think yeah. I want to stay in Seaford

Lauren Clymer:: Senior

Q: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?A: I would like to see myself hopefully in Australia with a promising career as a forensics psychologist. I also want to get married, and have kids.

Q: What do you want to do after college?A: I want to travel the world.

Q: Do you want to stay in Seaford?A: No, I want to live in Australia.

by: Kim Keating

Even t h o u g h

college graduates m a k e m o r e

m o n e y

than h i g h

s c h o o l graduates, finding jobs

after college graduation can be tricky. And given the current economic state, it’s been getting even trickier. Especially if you major in something that may not be particularly helpful in the job

market, like philosophy. So your better off

m a j o r i n g i n something that

could be helpfu l , otherwise, you’ll have a

degree in philosophy, no

promising career , and many

student loans to pay off.According to masterdegree.

com, there are some jobs that are fast growing, and have promising opportunities. Some of these jobs include financial advisor/ analyst, occupational therapist, physical therapist, education administrator, urban planner, software engineer, and civil engineer.

Now, all of this doesn’t mean you can’t do what you want. If you really want to major in philosophy, then major in philosophy. Just keep in mind that it may be difficult

f inding a job and that you’ll probably have to pay off student loans. But find a job that you enjoy doing! After all, you’ll most likely be doing it for the rest of your life.

Some tips on finding your first job after college, according to university l a n g u a g e . c o m , are check out career fairs, c o n s i d e r internships, keep your resume up to date, keep an open

mind, a n d k e e p t r y i n g a n d applying.

School News6

Baby Love

by Deidre Muirhead In 1997, Dr. Fran N e w m a n w a s a n a s s i s t a n t principal here at

Seaford High School. In December 1999, she left to start a family. Now, she’s bringing everything back full-

circle to where she began her administrative career.

She’s here at Seaford once again; this time filling in for Mrs. Burzynski, who is now on maternity leave. Her goal? To have an impact on every person in the school, to bring students a positive schooling experience and to make learning enjoyable

once again. The staf f of the

Viking Voice recently interviewed her about

her life, education, and plans for her return to the

school she loves. About her return to Seaford, she said, regarding the opportunity, “It was like the universe speaking to me.”On a personal note, Dr.

Newman is a mother of two girls, 11 and 8. She

says that her ch i ld ren influence h e r teaching and help her see s choo l

f r o m a student’s perspective.

She doesn’t have many hobbies; her free time is consumed by spending time with her family and working, with family coming first, of course. She simply says that’s “who she is.” When asked about how she balances her two lives and how the two influence each other, she mentioned that she tries to blend the two worlds as best she can. She explained that education continues beyond the end-of-the-day bell; there are numerous events after school. As a result, she tries to involve her family in the Seaford community. Over the course of this year, she plans to bring her daughters to various Seaford events, including sports games, the winter concert, and the drama club performance. She feels as if she is a mother not only to her own children, but to the students as well.

In the C larkstown School District, where Dr . Newman went to high school, school came easily to her. However, she regrets not being as focused on academics as she could have been. “My head was in other places,” she says, “I wasn’t learning for the sake of learning.” Now, she wants students to take advantage of what she missed out on. Her goal during her time here is to bring students a positive l e a r n i n g experience,

supporting and maximizing the potential of teachers and students. This experience comes about as a result of care and action on the part of the staff.

The reason for her success in high school, was the inspirational teachers. As Dr. Newman explains, there are two types of teachers; the first is the one that makes you feel special, like you matter as a student, and the second is the teacher that you learn from. A teacher who meets

both sets of criteria is one who is truly special. She says that when she was a social studies teacher at Ramapo High School in Rockland County, New York, she strived to be just like the teachers who made a difference in her life.

When she was asked about why she pursued education, she responded that it was because she “loves young people” and “being a role model.” In Ramapo, she took on many leadership roles, including a committee chair and club advisor. These positions helped h e r m a k e t h e decision to become an administrator. A s a n assistant

“To go home every day knowing you made a difference is a great way to put your head on the pillow at night.”

principal, she enjoys h a v i n g a n impact on not just the students in her classes, but also on the whole school; both staff and students . She does miss being a teacher though, because there is “nothing better than the natural energy of learning.”

As previously mentioned, Dr. Newman was an assistant principal here at Seaford in the late 1990s. She had very high praises for the school and the community back then, and her opinions have not changed in the least. She called Seaford a “special place,” a unique town with wonderful, caring people who support one another in good times and bad, and it has always been that way.

The final question was what advice she would give to aspiring educators. She said she would tell them that they have just made the best decision ever. She said, “To go home every day knowing you made a difference is a great way to put your head on the pillow at night.”

We hope that Dr. Newman fu l f i l l s her goals in h e r s h o r t time back at Seaford High School. The s t u d e n t s look forward to having h e r here.

On September 20, 2011 Julia Marie Burzynski was born. Her mother,

Seaford’s own assistant principal Mrs. Carisa Burzynski, is overjoyed; Julia is her first child.

The best part of motherhood, she says, is, “knowing that you have the ability to satisfy her needs” and

“watching her grow and change every day.”

Of course, Mrs. Burzynski does miss the Seaford community. The students at Seaford High School are a “second family” to her. Also she finds being a mother very similar to being an administrator. According to her, organization

and routine are crucial to success in both.

Although she does miss us here at Seaford, Julia is her priority at the moment. She plans to return to school in January, after the winter break. But for now, let’s wish her and Julia the best.

Having an Impact on Seaford, One Student At a TimeDr. Newman, Our New Assistant Principal, has Big Dreams for Her Time Here

by Deidre Muirhead

Julia Marie Burzynski at one month old

School News 7High School was one of these teachers.

Daniel Bobis, a former student at Long Beach High School, math teacher, founder of the Long Beach High School Surf Team, community activist, and surfer died on July 28, 2011. He died in an accident while surfing l a r g e w a v e s i n W e s t

Lampung, south on the Indonesian Island. His body was found on the coast by a local fisherman. The remote location caused an

ine f f i c i en t rescue.

His wife Rachel Bobis also works in the Long Beach School District. While he was still ‘missing’, a fundraiser was held on Laurelton Boulevard on the boardwalk. Many

members of the community attended. Students spoke

about him, and the community came

t o g e t h e r a s a w h o l e .

S tuden ts prayed

f o r

his s a f e

r e t u r n . “He was truly an

amazing guy” said one community member. Daniel Bobis was well liked by students and staff. Facebook pages were flooded with the c o n c e r n s o f t h e community.

A ‘paddle out’ was he l d S u n d a y , September 9 , 2011 in remembrance of Daniel Bobis, as well as those lost in 9/11. The Quiksilver Pro New York Competition’s professional surfers also participated in this years paddle out. Daniel Bobis touched the hearts of those he knew, and will never be forgotten.

Do you think there are any teachers like

Mr.Bobis in Seaford H i g h S c h o o l ?

Teachers who have pushed

for certain

Th e s e t e a c h e r s were identified as being inspirational b y a l a r g e

majority of Seaford High School students. Each teacher possess different characteristics that enable them to earn a title such as this. These teachers are Mr.Gonzalez, Mrs.Lagattuta, and Mr.Weber.

Mr.Gonzalez- “ I am proud students can enjoy the topics

of discussion, and that I can help promote the culture and the language, it is a great feeling”. Mr.Gonzalez speaks five languages, has visited over fifteen latin american countries even lived in Spain for a while, and has taught courses from 6th grade to the University level.

Mrs.Lagattuta- “ This makes me feel appreciated and special because I put forht

a lot of effort to help students succeed.”“I feel I am down to earth, I accept mistakes and I love to have a good time.”

Mr.Weber- Mr.Weber loves teaching “my students are my audience if they are happy I know I’m doing my job well.” “ With my subject area I am able to develop a good relationship with my students.” “I feel I am down

Have you ever had a teacher who reached out to you, impacted the

community in a variety of ways, and was inspirational? As a student we have all encountered teachers who possess these qualities. Such teachers can be found in any school district. Daniel Bobis a

teacher at Long Beach

a f t e r -s c h o o l

activities, or really got ten to know each

individual student? Someone who has impacted the Seaford Community in such a significant positive way? Many students are inspired by different teachers for a variety of reasons.

Senior student Carolyn Lostrappo said “ Mr.O’Reilly

is inspiring b e c a u s e h e r e a l l y focuses on the students a n d w h a t they need help with.

He doesn’t just care about the ‘number grade’ ; he offers his time after school for the students that need help.” Kylie Zubel and Alexa Draws said Mr.Gonzalez was “inspiring and hardworking.” Sophmore student Jessica Gregory said Ms.Lubicich is her inspiring teacher because “she is an amazing teacher and a great person”.

Seaford is a hardworking and successful community, full of outgoing educators, and students. There are various opinions on who the most recent inspiring educator is in Seaford,but there is no doubt that Seaford currently contains many inspiring educators and staff. The memory of educator Daniel Bobis will live on not only in the Long Beach School District but also in the lives

of the many people he touched.

What Your Teachers Said...By: Cassidy Cunningham

By: CassidyCunningham

to earth, I get to know my students and meet their needs.”

“She is an amazing teacher

and a great person”.

Mr.Weber working with a student.

Mrs. Lagattuta helping a student after school.

Mr.Gonzalez teaching a lesson.

School News!8

Fundrai$ing For $eaford $portsOn May 17, 2011

Seaford residents r e j e c t e d t h e

proposed school budget.Budget cuts included all winter and spring sports at Seaford Middle School. This came as a shock to many Seaford citizens , who were suprised that it would even be an option to take something away from the kids but it was in fact on the list.

That is why Seaford parents have come together to win Seaford Sports back! Seaford Superintendent Brian Conboy said during a school board meeting l a s t m o n t h that necessary f u n d s f o r middle school sports need to be raised prior to each season.

The winter s e a s o n i s s c h e d u l e d to beg in i n N o v e m b e r while middle school spring sports teams practices in March. Some of the boys’ and girls’ sports that would be retained at Seaford Middle School if enough

funding can be raised include basketball, lacrosse, basebal l and softbal l .

The group that is rasing for the winter and spring teams is called Save Seaford Sports. Save Seaford Sports fundraising goal is to have $141,000 by February for spring sports, but according to a Save Seaford Sports member, half of that amount must be raised by October for the winter season.

They have been holding numerous fundraisers such as one at Nancy’s Dance Factory on 3715 Hempstead

Turnpike, Levittown. It will be donating a portion of Seaford dance students’ tuition to Save Seaford Sports.

Also Mary’s Pizza and

Pasta in Wantagh will be donating 20 percent of all dine-in, takeout and del ivery orders that present the Save Seaford Sports voucher.

There had also been other fundraisers like a carwash at Applebee’s and the Melville bowling a l l e y f u n d r a i s e r .

Pantanoes’ on Merrick Rd, Seaford has donated 10 percent of one weekend’s i n c o m e t o t h e S a v e Seaford Sports Program.

Af t e r a s h o r t fours months of fundraising the

Save Seaford Sports parents raised just enough to save the Seaford Middle School Sports Winter 1 programs! Middle school 7/8 Boys Basketball, Cheerleading and 7/8 Girls Volleyball are being restored in the middle school. Efforts are being directed to save Winter II and spring sports at Middle School. Seaford had to

“To be able to try out for a sport or stay after school and practice and be a part of a team is a huge experience we will be missing out on”

S e a f o r d i s d o i n g everything possible to raise the money for middle school spring and winter sports. These moms have really stepped up to the plate and are going out of their way to give Seaford’s younger members an experience everyone else has had.

“To be able to try out for a sport or stay after school and practice and be a part of a team is a huge experience we will be missing out on” says Samantha Fishcetto,

a 7th grader, who will be missing out on the winter season or competit ion season of cheerleading .

Most students have all been to a football, soccer, vol leybal l , lacrosse or wresting match during t h e i r m i d d l e s c h o o l career but if Save Seaford Sports doesn’t raise this $141,000 dollars these 6th, 7th, and 8th graders won’t have that opportunity during the winter season and the spring season.

Finally, the Fundraising Pays Off

By: Kelly Ackerman

Save Seaford Sports raises money by holding a car wash at the local Applebee’s

raise a minimum of $70,522 by October to get winter sports. The Save Seaford Sports group has held numerous fundraisers and carwashes and has cooking parties, skin parties and pocketbook parties. Also many restaurants dance schools and others have donated certain percentage’s of their income to the Save Seaford Sports program.

Hit That Idea

Right Out of the

Park!

Pay To Play?

“I would be very angry

-Kathleen da Silva if I had to pay to do

something I love.”

“I would be upset because I am in high school and paying to play would be unfair and could possibly end my chances at an athletic scholarship.”-Nick Hall

Because the 2011-2012 Seaford school

budget failed, cuts were made to many programs including sports. There are differing opinions on the viability of school sports in these tough economic times.

Although sports are not the reason all students go to school each day, for some, sports are an outlet for built up energy and a drive to get up everyday. Some student athletes watch the clock all day waiting for practice time.

Even though every student does not participate in sports, they provide an opportunity for school spirit and attend ance at school sporting events. Sports are a big part of the “Seaford Pride” our high school is known for.

Some of that pride was taken away when Seaford M i d d l e S c h o o l ( S M S ) sports were recently cut. Fundraising is being done to try and bring these sports back. But the question the fundraising brings to some is why shouldn’t all sport teams from Seaford pay to play?

As a student athlete of SHS I believe in a strong education as well as the opportunity to participate by being on sports teams and by being apart of the crowd at sporting events. The school’s budget money should be put towards the opportunity for stronger learning, but this to me does not mean athletes need to pay for themselves or have their portion of the budget taken away. Although new textbooks, smarter

t e c h n o l o g y , and important supplies should

automatically be in the budget to enhance student learning, why does this mean that students should have to p a y t o play?

Sports, as well as learning, brings many opportunit ies to a student. B e i n g a n athlete gives a student a competitive drive, which is a part of learning. Sports can be the opportunity for some students to get into a better college. If student athletes had to pay to play there would be a loss of spirit and possibly participation.

Some expenses of the athletic teams are already made up through fundraising and pocket money. If sport teams lose their portion of the budget and are forced to pay to play there may not be enough time, means, and motivation to raise the money.

Paying to pay would include the expenses of uniforms, transportation, tournaments, and other necessary equipment. For some students who are not athletes the thought of making teams pay for these necessities does not seem

Would You Lose Spirit If You Had to Pay to Play?

No,

I wou

ld not lo

se spirit.

Yes, I would lose

spi

rit.

27.2%

72.8%

like a b i g

d e a l , b u t a s

an a th le te , I fee l th is

w o u l d c r e a t e a huge problem for

many. Raising fund for each season to pay for all of these things would be nearly impossible. Paying to play is an unfair way to afford sports at Seaford, or any other high school.

Sports teams bring spirit to the school, and bring groups of people together. As a SHS Varsity athlete, I participate in two sports. I

know that if the teams I participated on were cut my spirit level would immediately drop. Paying to play would destroy the spirit of a majority of the sport teams because there would be plenty of stress and worry about money being raised in time for each season. The stress paying to play would bring to student-athletes

w o u l d

end the fun of the sport. If athletes we re fo r ced to f u n d r a i s e f o r each season they participated in, most athletes would just give up.

Quitting and losing spirit is not something Seaford s t u d e n t - a t h l e t e s a r e recognized for. Paying to play would cause a loss of Seaford pride throughout the school district and town. Seaford athletes, as well as any high school athlete, in my opinion should never have to pay to play.

By:Hannah Spinola

School News 9

Student Issues10

Money or Education?Do Grades Suffer When High School Students Work?

Ev e r y o n e s e e m s t o want a job in high school, but do they

really know how much work it involves? Yes, a job can give you extra money for the weekends, but is it really worth all the stress that comes along with it?

High school is a lot of work, no matter what grade you’re in. Homework, tests, and projects take up a lot of time, especially in your junior and senior year, both of which are important for college.

Most h igh school students get their first job in their junior year. In addition to getting used to working and managing their time, they have to deal with the SATs and other important tests necessary for college. The amount of stress with school alone can make a junior cry, but what about the seniors?

The question may not be if students should work, but how much they should work. According to an art icle in The

Christian Science Monitor , Michael Resnick, a professor at the University of Minnesota , fee ls that when a student works twenty or more hours a week, there are detrimental c o n s e q u e n c e s . S o m e o f t h e s e consequences can consist of irritability, e x h a u s t i o n , frustration, and lack of focus in school. According to the American Medical Association, almost 1 in every 5 high school students works at least 20 hours a week. This is a problem that affects many students

throughout the nation and, of course, in Seaford as well.

Jess ica Armour, a junior here at Seaford High School, works at a local doctor’s office for at least 22 hours a week.

By: Lauren Clymer

“ I work long hours, it’s hard to keep up with my schoolwork,”

When asked if the job has affected her school work, she said, “Yeah, it’s hard

getting home late at night and having hours and hours of homework to do.”

According to the Christian Science Moni tor a r t i c le , “ s t u d e n t s w h o work long hours

don’t have as much time for homework or clubs, sports, and other extracurricular activities.” Jessica agrees with this observation because, even though she has an interest in joining Seaford

Teacher’s Reactions

High School’s film club, she can’t because she has no time for it.

In addition to having a difficult time participating in clubs, students with jobs also find it hard to play on a sports team. Kelly Ackerman, a varsity cheerleader, works at Ralph’s Famous Italian Ices 14 hours a week. Cheerleading has become an important part of her life, but she needs the extra cash the job gives her.

“Because cheerleading is so demanding and I work long hours, it’s

hard to keep up with my schoolwork,” says Kelly.

It seems that most students who work long hours during the week often have no choice but to let their academics suffer. But isn’t the first priority of students supposed t o b e s c h o o l w o r k ? Unfor tunate ly , w i th todays economy, the focus may have changed.

What remains true is that for students who try to balance work and school, there will constantly be a struggle.

“It’s a good thing depending on how many hours you work.”- Mrs. Maddalena

“I think it’s a good thing but they need to know what type of job to have while dealing with school. Most teens with a job need to learn how to manage their time between school and work”- Mrs. Delguercio

I think it all depends on the person. Some people can deal with the stress while others can’t.”- Mrs. Ferrari

Student Issues 11

St a n d i n g a t t h e ent rance o f the Seaford High School

parking lot, it may come as a surprise to you that some of the ‘outrageous’ vehicles pulling in have been paid for by the students themselves. Although several teachers and probably some students may assume that students are being handed these cars by their parents, they are wrong.

Because these cars that are pulling into the lot in the morning are so luxurious nobody w o u l d b e l i e v e that the students themselves actually put in the money for them.

N o w , w e wouldn’t even do a double take if a BMW, Mercedes or any other top-notch name brand car were to pull into the parking lot.

Although it may not seem fair to the students pulling up in the hand-me-down cars from sibling to sibling they most likely do not know the whole story. These students would be surprised to know that in a lot of cases the students actually work and are saving up money for their cars and put a large a m o u n t o f m o n e y towards it.

I f you’ve e v e r s e e n a l i t t l e red V o l k s w a g o n bug roaming around Seaford its Catherine Clark! Catherine tells us that she herself has paid for the majority of her car.

When asked about how much of a contribution she makes towards her car she responded with, “When I first got my car, one of the first things my parents said to me was that I had to pay for half of it. I pay for the gas and insurance by holding down two jobs. As a senior it is stressful but I know I really wanted this so I had to work for it.”

It’s the same thing as saving up for something you really want, these students

are just putting all their saved birthday and holiday money towards their teen dream of a car they would really enjoy. The practice of saving for something that will last you a long time and is really worth your while is a great lesson for teens.

It has been noticed t h a t

Outrageous First Cars, Who’s Paying?By Lauren Allen

students who pay for, or work very hard for, their cars tend to be more protective of it and take better care of it. Some of the students with newer cars on the lot were asked several questions about this topic.

P.J. Ruttura was asked, “Did you contribute any money towards your current car?” He answered with “Yes I paid for three-fourths of it.” Another student, Liz Wilson was asked the same question as P.J. and she responded

with, “I did put a decent amount of money into my car and I value how fortunate I am to have it.”

As surprising as it may be, it seems to be true that many students in fact

finance much or all of their cars on their own. So next time you see a sparkling brand new car, think twice about who really paid for it.

“...so luxurious nobody would believe that the students themselves actually put in the money for them.”

Mr. Kent Pontiac Grand PrixMrs. Schwartz CamaroMr. Tripoli Volkswagon RabbitMrs. Hill MustangMrs. Maddalena Buick SkyhawkMrs. Lagatutta Dodge DartMrs. Bennett Station Wagon Mr. McCormack Chevy El CaminoMrs. Ferrari WalksMr. Fioriglio Mavric

Match the Teacher To Their First Car Car!

Mr. Kent WalksMrs. Schwartz Dodge DartMr. Tripoli Chevy El Camino Mrs. Hill StationwagonMrs. Maddalena Volkswagon Rabbit

ANSWER KEYMrs. Lagatutta CamaroMrs. Bennett Mavric Mr. McCormack Buick SkyhawkMrs. Ferrari MustangMr. Fioriglio Pontiac Grand Prix

P.J. Ruttura drives a 2011 Dodge Charger

Ha v e y o u e v e r wanted to go to Hogwarts? Buy your

supplies in Diagon Alley, and have a wand choose you in Ollivander’s wand shop? Explore the castle alongside others? Be sorted by the sorting hat itself? Wi th Pot termore , you can do all that and more…virtually.

Pottermore is an online, interactive experience, created especially for Potter fans by J.K. Rowling herself. Pottermore is not currently available to the public, but is set to open later this month. This may be subject to change to a later date. However, a select few users have been allowed access to the beta version of the site to help shape it for the masses at a later date.

Back during July, there was a special contest called the ‘Magic Quill’ challenge. Th i s cha l l enge lasted for seven days, starting on Ju ly 31st , both Harry’s and J.K. Rowling’s birthday. Those who found the ‘Magic Quill’ were allowed to register early, and would later receive their emails to be allowed into t h e b e t a version of t h e s i t e . A total of one million fans were a l l o w e d early access, and I was one of them.

T h e beta site of Pottermore is certainly very interesting, a n d

apart from the site being absolutely overloaded and impossible to get onto in the first few days that I had access, it’s been brilliant.

I n P o t t e r m o r e , y o u work through the chapters in the books, and have to f in ish each chapter

before beginning another. In these chapters, there are

items you can collect for your trunk (these earn you house points in later chapters), some galleons strewn about (you can use these to buy potion ingredients, cauldrons, etc.) , as well as places and characters to unlock.

Once you have unlocked a character or place, you are given access to the unreleased

material that J.K. Rowl ing has c r e a t e d especially for the si te. For example, once y o u u n l o c k Ve rnon and P e t u n i a Dursley, you

r e c e i v e

information on how they

met as well as their

relationship with the Potters before Harry was born.

Once you reach a certain chapter, you are sorted into your house based upon a series of questions that are in no way visibly slighted towards any house. After you are sorted into your house,

you earn points for said house so that you and your ‘classmates’ have a higher chance of winning the house cup at the end of the year. The house with the most points wins.

While earning points seems simple enough, once you reach the end of the interactive book, there usually aren’t any more ‘freebie’ points, which are usually earned by simply collecting items.

To earn more points from this stage, you can take a risk with your skills and try out potion making. But be forewarned, you might melt your cauldron and lose five points! You’ll have to buy another cauldron from Diagon Alley as well, and those aren’t cheap.

Another section of the site is dedicated to Wizard Dueling, but that branch has been under maintence for an elongated period of time, so that the beta workers can fix any ‘bugs’ or issues that have been presenting themselves.

Members can visit their common room to see how everyone else in their house is contributing to earning house points, or to see the comments that the users in their house have left their. Each house has a specific common room, and only the users in that specific house have the ability to access it. An area that all users can visit is the Great Hall, where everyone can monitor the sum of each house’s points, as well as to determine who is in first place for the house cup.

All in all, Pottermore is sure to be a wonderful addition to the Potter fandom, and it is certainly something to try out for yourself; you won’t be disappointed.

Welcome to Pottermore!By: Krysta Parisi

Did You Know?• Merlin was a Slytherin!

• Your wand is created out of 33,000 combinations!

• Melting your cauldron loses your house a whole five points! (That may seem small, but it’s very difficult to earn those points!)

• Brewing a potion successfully (which is not an easy task, by any means) can earn your house anywhere from five to twelve points!

• You may brew up to three potions at a time.

• You can duel other members of Pottermore, regardless if they are in different houses, for your own house’s points!

Where Will YOU Be Sorted?

Slytherins are...Cunning, Ambitous, Resourceful, and have Leadership qualities.

Hufflepuffs are...Loyal, Hard Workers, Tolerant, a Fair Players.

Gryffindors are...Brave, Daring, Full of Nerve, and Chivalrous.

Ravenclaws are...Intelligent, Competitive, Creative, and full of Wit.

The Newest Addition to the Harry Potter Phenomenon!

“...unreleased material that J.K. Rowling has created especially for the site.”

Entertainment12

Entertainment 13The Best Place to be During Halloween in America is…

Salem Massachusettes: Rich in its history

for the witch trials during Puritans times in which misbehav ing ch i ld ren convinced the majority that witches were about, this town has become a modern day Halloweentown. Originally the witch hysteria was kept under wraps, until a descendant of Judge Hawthorne, or Nathaniel Hawthorne, began to write about Puritan society, almost mocking it, in novels that depicted the time. Some of these novels included the witch hysteria which, until then, was almost forgotten. Salem became a popular tourist site as witch museums were set up and the culture was thriving with history. Drawn to this cite, modern day pagans/wiccans or “witches” saw this as a hotspot for their own history. Today, Salem is bustling with people, festivals, psychic fairs, museums, and myriad of other Halloween festivities each Samhain eve. The original Celtic celebration went a long way in culture and time.

When you think of Halloween do you think of

costumes? Scary stories? Trick or treating? It makes you wonder where this day came from and what it all means.

The original celebration of Halloween began in the first millennium and dates back to Celtic/Irish tradition. The Celts celebrated the beginning of thier Summer starting on May 1st in a festival known as Beltane (Bell-ta-ne) and the end of thier Summer, on November 1s t t he re i s ano the r corresponding festival know as Samhain (soo-win). Both of these were pagan/wiccan holidays praising the dramatic change in season, Beltane for the end of Winter, Samhain entering and preparing for it. It was on this festival of Samhain that Celtic pagans would celebrate in praise of the harvest and garnering food for the long winter, not only seeing it as a pre-hibernation-like event, but a religious holiday. Since the pagans and wiccans of Ireland worshiped nature and all it had to offer, Samhain served as the perfect outlet for their worship due to the harvest and bounty of plentiful crops and food.

The other s ide of Halloween was revealed through the belief that Samhain and its eve were the time in which there

was a thin line between the mortal and immortal world. People believed that ghosts and souls would roam the streets of Ireland during the holiday. Villagers would set up offerings for these ghosts outside their houses or try to ward them off in community bonfires. The custom of trick or treating blossomed out of this; villagers would dress in soot masks and disguise themselves from the ghosts and parade around impersonating them and going door to door, asking if anybody could spare fruit or nuts.

A n o t h e r c o m m o n practice of the time was divination, as the border between the mortal and immortal allowed for this. Celtic priests, known as Druids, would predict the future for the villagers, striving to ensure them a safe winter. Another custom that took place was bobbing for apples, during which the winner was the next to get married. It was said if you threw the apple peels they spelled out the name of your wife/husband in the future.As culture diffuses it blends together to create one whole picture…

The Halloween that we all know and love today became the way it is over vast periods of time and, in fact, may still be changing. After the Roman Empire spread throughout E u r o p e , i n t r o d u c i n g Christianity into new areas,

the original pagan/wiccan beliefs of places like Ireland indirectly blended with that of Christianity. It was out of this that Samhain met All Saints Day, All Souls Day and All Hallows Eve. Over time the holidays blended together and as All Saints Day is still celebrated today,

so is All Hallows Eve, which infused with Samhain, and later became known as Hallow’een or Halloween. And thus, a continuity was born… or was it?

T h e m y t h o f t h e jacko’latern is another derivative of Celtic myth dating to the legend of Stingy Jack, who cheated the devil on earth and after being sent to hell in death was denied entrance and was left to roam the world in purgatory with a lantern. Jack eventually became know as Jack of the Lantern, as villagers carved faces in turnips and lit up the inside

with candles to delineate the face of Jack and his lantern. When Halloween came to America, and Irish immigrants celebrated their festivals, this tradition of carving the turnip was replaced with a more plump and

plent i ful crop, the pumpkin.

When the Spanish Conquistadors came to the New World and took over the Aztec and Mayan civilizations they brought wi th them the celebration of the Day of the Dead. This mixed with the hodge-podge culture of Halloween in that

the celebration for the dead and the ce l eb ra t i on fo r saints and souls in the Catholic religion became intertwined.

As culture diffuses it blends

together to create one whole

picture…

The Roots of the Scariest Day of the Year

By: Brian Stieglitz

By: Brian Stieglitz

By: Brian Stieglitz

Th i s year on

Halloween the long lived tradition of UNICEF

will be carried out again. The Seaford Key Club is working with the Kiwanis group to raise money for this cause. The selected cause this Halloween that UNICEF

of many children and women over these areas is, however, preventable through a tetanus toxoid vaccine. With the help of Trick r’ treat for UNICEF this juggernaut will be less and less of a growing detriment to the people of Africa and Southeast Asia.

A treat only you can give…

is donating to is raising funds to help alleviate and eliminate MNT (Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus). This disease is a growing epidemic, spreading over underprivi leged nations including areas of Africa and Southeast Asia. This virus, fatal and responsible for the deaths

Sports14

On a cold December 2010 morn ing I happened to be at

home watching The Herd with Colin Cowherd, then on ESPNU. Towards the end of his show I heard a breaking news bulletin that the NCAA had recently found The Ohio State University guilty of several infractions, most notably the case of 5 current Buckeye footbal l players selling merchandise such as championship rings and autographed footballs in exchange for tattoos. The NCAA decided it would suspend Terrelle Pryor (the starting QB), Dan Herron (the starting RB), DeVir Posey (the top WR), Mike Adams (starting LT) and Solomon Thomas (reserve DL) for the 1st 5 games of the 2011-2012 season.

Well here we are almost 10

months later and the Buckeyes football team, at the time on their way to a Sugar Bowl victory and a 12-1 season, now finds itself in a completely different territory. Pryor has since left The Ohio State in disgrace in favor of the Oakland Raiders, DeVir Posey is still serving a suspension for other violations and most notably the teams esteemed head coach Jim Tressel, the man who in 2002 lead the school to its 1st national championship since 1970, has also parted with the school under pressure from the university and the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions. Plus to top it all off, as of 10/19/11, the Buckeyes football team is 4-3, 5th in the Big Ten Leaders Division and struggling under interim head coach Luke Fickell.

Now I may sound like just another whiny Ohio State Buckeye’s fan who can’t come to grip with a few loses, but the problem is much more frequent than the one in Columbus. The most infamous case in the history of college athletics took place at S o u t h e r n Methodist

University in 1987. SMU boosters were found to have paid, among others, the teams two star RB’s Eric Dickerson and Craig James based on their outstanding performance.

In 1985 and 86 boosters were found to have paid the university about $61,000 and therefore received the harshest penalty in the history of college athletics. The “Death Penalty” as it was called terminated the SMU football program for the 1987 season and has still yet to recover from it.

Other notable cases occurred at USC where star RB Reggie Bush was found to have received improper benefits and was forced to return his 2005 Heisman Trophy and cost the school major scholarships and a 2-year postseason ban, which gets lifted after this current

season, and at the University of Miami where booster and convicted Ponzi schemer Nevin Shapiro was found to have paid over 70 star players such as Vince Wilfork, Jon Beason, Antrel Rolle, Devin Hester, Willis McGahee, and Sean Taylor.

Now this may seem as simple as a few schools just attempting to bend the rules in order to get ahead in the game, but the problem goes much deeper than anyone, other than the NCAA, realizes. In fact, the NCAA has to understand that they are looking at the impending downfall of college athletics, most notably football, if they do not change this broken system. Now what everyone involved has been asking is why? Why cheat? Why break rules that are clearly stated and could have s u c h

severe punishments? The answer is poverty.

A lot of these college students come from poor families, sometimes with a single parent, and are looking for any way to send a few extra dollars back home. Now the college may be paying for you to go to school and play football for their team, but do they really care if you only make minimum wage bagging groceries?

How are so expected to pay for gas money, let alone the electric bill so your mother doesn’t sit in the dark without heat. So can you really blame the college students for taking a couple of extra dollars from a booster with a shiny new BMW? How about when he offers to give

your mother a job and pay her $90,000 a year so she can pay for her own electric bill?

Now I’m not suggesting to pay the student athletes professional grade salaries, but could you possibly spare a percentage of admission, plus the sales of jersey’s that have that person’s number on it, or even a percentage of video game sales in which players who hold a striking resemblance to the players on the actual team without providing the names of the athletes are featured?

Now the NCAA will contend, and they make a valid point by saying, that how can we keep the girls volleyball team happy when we are paying the players on the football team so much more

money because they play in a bigger stadium, charge a lot more for tickets, and have athletes who do have jerseys and video game characters who closely resemble them?

The hard truth is that you can’t make everyone happy because it is impossible to do so under the current format, but in the end you can live with the criticism and complaints because you are doing what’s fair and just. By not paying your athletes who provide so much revenue for your university and the good people at EA and

Nike, you are robbing the athletes of

m o n e y

t h e y worked hard and sacrificed their free time to make. Or would the NCAA rather that teams like Ohio State, USC and Miami continue to fall from the ranks of the elite and cost you millions of dollars because of the money you lose when universities with large fan bases are not making high-end bowl games.

M a y b e N o t r e D a m e , Alabama, Michigan and LSU will be next to join the ranks of the defamed and then where does it end? How far does it have to go before every major university is suffering from sanctions that are costing them and you, the NCAA, millions if not billions of dollars?

Maybe before it gets to that point the NCAA should

sit down and think of a way to avoid losing

billions of dollars and billions of

fans before i t s t o o

late.

Dear NCAA, PAY UP!Why the NCAA should bite the bullet and pay student athletes. by Brian Jennings

(Happenings In & Around Seaford) On Assignments 15Pep Rally!by Jessica Schnur

On September 16th, 2011 Seaford High School had their yearly pep rally in the gymnasium during periods eight and nine and many students that day were showing their Seaford pride by cheering for their grade and wearing the color they were assigned to.

This year’s pep rally the students on the sports teams weren’t allowed to give out nicknames because they were inappropriate in the past. A senior, PJ Ruttura, who is on the varsity football team, had stated “I feel like it’s breaking the tradition.” He feels this way because Seaford High School had nicknames for the students who were involved in sports in the past and he didn’t get the chance to receive a nickname this year. A sophomore named Lauren Connell who is on the junior varsity field hockey team had stated “I hate it and I’ve never experienced it”. She meant that since she’s still on jv once she makes varsity in the future she won’t have those nicknames to look forward to when the time comes.

Spirit Weekby Lauren Allen

SEAFORD STUDENTS hosted their annual spirit week during the week of September 12th. Spirit Week is a chance for each grade to win class cup points that gives each grade

Seaford’s Harvest Fair served as the perfect kick-off to the autumn season, with farm-raised pumpkins, ful l-grown mums, and practically anything to get the fall season going.

9/11 Memorialby Diedre Muirhead

On September 11, 2011, at 7 P.M, the Seaford community gathered on the high school from lawn to commemorate the tragic events of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, in which five Seaford High School graduates were killed.

The event had a rather large turnout; people filled the entire front area of the school. Many parents, school staff members and district residents were there. Also the Seaford student body was represented in the form of boy and girl scouts, sports teams, student council, band, and chorus. There were even some local and state politicians there.

The ceremony began with the arrival of the Color Guard from the Nassau County Police Department

money towards events such as their junior and senior prom. Because it is for the junior and senior prom these upperclassmen usually put more effort into it. It is also their last years to show their school pride and really represent the school in a positive light. At the end of this week a pep rally is held in order to support the teams for their games following the season. Several students were asked

about their opinion of spirit week and pep rally as whole. When asked, “How was your last spirit week as a senior, did you feel it was successful?” Nicole Prodan answered, “I thought it was successful and fun, the senior class came together. It was nice to see everyone come together.” Also when asked, “Did you feel, as a class officer, that everyone in the grade participated more than any other year?” She answered, “I definitely felt that more people participated this year than any other year, as a class officer we hoped that everyone would get involved

and make their last spirit week a memorable one”

Harvest Fairby Brian Stieglitz

September 25, 2011— Seaford held its annual Harvest Fa i r on the grounds of the Seaford Historical museum to kick off the fall season.

Each year in Seaford, res idents gather together to help out and run the Seaford Historical Society’s Harvest Fair. Groups involved in the event cons i s ted o f The Seaford Histor ical S o c i e t y , S e a f o r d High School National Honor Society, Student Council, Jazz Band, etc. The fair was a commun i t y even t open to the public and anybody else who wanted to attend.

This year the fair took place in the parking lot of the Seaford Histor ical museum rather than its usual venue at

Seaford High School. The change in venue, however, didn’t have a great effect on the annual events of the fair. As usual, it was a conglomerate project in which those who attended could purchase pumpkins, mums, scarecrows, and other festive products. A t t e n d e e s c o u l d b e entertained by a magic show, arts and crafts, the Seaford High School Jazz Band, and more. Booths at the fair included children’s clothing, Save Seaford Sports, and other booths in which you could purchase a variety of novelty items.

7th precinct and the local pipe and drum band. When they were settled, the high school band played the National Anthem. The Seaford administration welcomed everyone. The student council officers read a poem called “We Remember Them” in memory of all the lives lost that fateful day.

Then came the various speakers. Among them were Seaford resident Congressman Peter King, New York State Senator Charles Schumer, and former teacher of the year Stephen Bongiovi.

There were also prayers, said by pastors of local churches including St. William, St. Christopher, and Maria Regina. They rang a bell five times, once for each graduate who lost his life on 9/11: Thomas T. Haskell, Class of 1982, Timothy S. Haskell, Class of 1985, John William Perry, Class of 1982, Robert Francis Sliwak, Class of 1977, and Michael Robert Wittenstein, Class of 1985.

The chorus sang “God Bless America” and the colors were retired to end the memorial.

This is the tenth year of this event.

Fun Page16