Fantasy takes place at shen

by Joe Daly and John Nestor

In the United States, and especially at Shenendehowa, sports are an important aspect of our culture. Not only real sports, but fantasy sports as well. There are many different types of fantasy sports, teams, and leagues.

These are games where people act as owners to build a team that competes against other fantasy users. They are based on statistics produced by the real individual players or teams of a professional sport, where they play either for fun or for money. There are many students and staff at Shenendehowa who are familiar with fantasy leagues and their many different forms.

When Dominic Scaringe, a junior at Shen, was asked what fantasy sports he partakes in, he replied “Football and basketball.” Of the people interviewed, the majority of them stated that they participate in the leagues purely for fun and entertainment.

If you’re interested in fantasy leagues, there are many different sports you can choose. Some of these include; football, baseball, hockey, and even golf, nascar, and skateboarding. The most popular fantasy sport at Shen appears to be football.

There are also those select few, like Lerone Lee, who participates in fantasy skateboarding, which has a little bit different setup than football, but is still very similar in concepts. Overall, many attendees of Shen engage in these fantasy sports and leagues with friends, family, and even some strangers.

People enjoy playing in these leagues to have fun, make money, make friends, and to enjoy the pure spirit of competition. People can join or create fantasy leagues for free online with friends or even complete strangers. Dependent on if you play for money or for pure entertainment, you can win anything from bragging rights to a wallop of cash.

Junior year stress

by Taylor Smith, Allyson Clements, Amal Elmi, and Arjan Sarang

High school students are expected to be constantly productive at home and school.  When deadlines are due, they stress out.  Technology and media create distractions that students don’t need.  Along with high school work, students have SATs and college on their minds.  High school as a whole is a difficult time of life;  running back and forth between classes and doing work after work becomes stressful.

Junior year creates a whole new stress level due to the work and life planning teenagers have to do.  Several juniors were asked if junior year was causing them stress and if they would be able to continue all their clubs and extracurricular activities this year.

Junior Shunsa Tarar said, “Yes, there is a lot more work and pressure. It’s just a matter of pushing yourself to do it.”

Junior Mane Bianconi said, “I’m really overloaded with work and driver’s ed.  It’s a lot; not only do I have to study for regular classes, but I also have to start thinking about where I’m going with my studies and I’m only 16.”

Tyler Pfaff said, “It is hard finishing all my homework on time and seeing my friends too; it’s more [of] one or the other this year.”

Hearing a senior’s take really shows how hard junior year is compared to any others in high school because they’ve experienced it all.

When Colin Grande, a senior, was asked how he maintained his grades while studying for SATs, he said, “Tutors help a lot.” When asked about extracurricular activities he said, “I planned out my time accordingly so I could keep doing clubs.”

Some agree that junior year was difficult, but senior Brandon Oropallo thought differently. “I thought it was easier than senior year is now.  I’m taking college classes this year which is making senior year really difficult.”

Some seniors obtained tutors for the SATs while others didn’t study at all.  The seniors seem to be split on whether or not junior year is the hardest.

School counselors are in charge of making adjustments to the student’s schedules and advising students in their academics.

Mrs. Swisher, a counselor at High School East, said, “Typically, junior year is the hardest year of high school.  Juniors have so many Regents and final exams to take in all four of their core classes as well as AP and LOTE exams, to name some.  Overall, juniors are making more level changes to create more balance in their work load and we advised students to keep their GPA in mind.”

With the final year of high school only a year away, college is approaching quickly.  Even with all the stress of junior year, good grades and effort in school will pay off in the end.

Is cutting down late buses really a good idea?

 by Huiyu Liu

Shen cut-down the number of school buses from 15 to 11, and also the days of late bus usage, from three days to two. The decrease of buses is caused by buget cuts, but is cutting down late buses really a good idea?

Last day of classes

Today is the last day of classes for Shenendehowa high schoolers. For seniors, this means that their four years of hard work are over and they will soon be moving on. Good luck to all graduating seniors, you will be missed.

Good luck to all graduating seniors.

“A Night of Elegance 2011″

Michael Orabona | Sports Editor

On Saturday June 4, 2011, Shenendehowa hosted the annual junior prom. This years theme was “A Night of Elegance.” For the most part, the night was a success.

Most attendants were impressed at the location of the prom. The Crowne Plaza is located in Albany, not too far from home. The layout also received good reviews. It was easy to get in and out and pointed out by Becky Cristoffel, people weren’t constantly hitting someone when getting out their chair.

Students either walked down a spiral staircase to the ballroom or took elevators from the main lobby. The floor itself had a lounge where students checked in and gotten their pictures taken by professional photographers. Walking towards the ballroom there was an area with a soda and snack bar ready for people’s enjoyment.

The ballroom itself housed both tables spaciously spread out and the dance floor. The dance floor was a little small, and when full, the dancers had to cram onto the area in front of the DJ. Still, this did not ruin the evening for the students.

Among other things, dinner came faster than senior prom and the dance floor was open for people waiting for their meals. The food itself was noted for being good.

People say it still could be better, pointing out that the 2010 Junior Prom “Beneath the City Lights” was deemed “perfect.” Those who attended enjoyed the fact that the food was rapidly served on time; and the layout was given good reviews. The dance floor at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center is massive, easily fitting all who attended last year. The tables themselves were on raised terraces, overlooking the dance floor and spread out enough to lie down between them.

Next year, according to both Mr. and Mrs. Mars the 2012 class advisers, both junior and senior proms will be held at the Convention Center.

Slide show of 2011 Junior Prom here below (follow link):

http://pf.kizoa.com/sflite.swf?did=1756864&k=2742455
Junior Prom 2011 – create a slideshow with music

Shen Junior Prom 2010 was held at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center and was praised by many as an excellent location. Both Junior and Senior Prom will held here next year. Photo by Chris Wong

Rules for sick students to be enforced

Sara Macaluso | Op/Ed Editor

Nurses are in place in schools to both care for students who are ill, and to ensure that students who are truly sick should leave to rest. They are also there to ensure that students who are not sick stay in school and do not try to leave. Students commonly call their parents if they do not feel good and want to go home. It is now being requested that students go to the nurses office and allow the nurse to contact their parents before being allowed to go home.

Mrs.Barbaro, the High School East nurse for juniors, was thrilled to hear that this rule was being enforced. According to her, when students called their parents to go home, people have a great deal of trouble finding the student to be able to dismiss them. “We as nurses are not allowed to call except the first five minutes of the period. We can’t go searching, they don’t want us calling in classes.”

Many students dislike the idea of having to go to the nurses office first. “What if it is personal? I don’t feel comfortable going in with other people in there,” said senior Allison Cady.

There is also the issue of needing a pass to go to the nurses office no matter how sick you feel. “So if you aren’t feeling good you have to go all the way to your class and ask your teacher for a pass? What if they say no?” added Cady.
After the students go to the nurse, with a pass, they need to be deemed sick enough to leave school. Nurse Barbaro said, “Individual assessment or a temperature greater than 100, and we individually talk to the kids. Sometimes they are stressed and talking to someone is helpful. Its reasonable expectations. “

Many students do not agree with these guidelines. “There are so many sicknesses that don’t involve having a temperature,” said junior Haylie Sullivan.

There are mixed feelings about the guidelines for going home sick and going to the nurses office. Each side has reasonable points to make, but the rules will most likely stay as they are for the time being.

2011 Freshman Dance

by Jacob Walker

The freshman semi-formal dance started at 7:10 on Friday, May 6, at High School East. With three hundred dressed up for the occasion and with the $10 admission cost; $3000 dollars were raised to go towards the activities of the class of 2014.

Girls busted out their best dresses and guys threw on their khakis and their “important occasion” shirts that they save for such an event (we all have them and think we’re the best looking guy in the world in them whether we admit or not). Even I indulged in the game of dress-up and because of this I can safely presume there was at least one sharp-looking dude there.

I entered the gymnasium and was met by “Snap Yo Fingers” by Lil’ Jon pumping through the airwaves. Many students required little coaxing to get on the dance floor and seemed to be having a lot of fun. Mitchell Turiel and Ryan Mortka, said, “We’re not gonna leave tonight, that’s how crazy it is.”

Anna Bottino requested “I’d like it to be outside” and Tanner Cretty suggested more strobe lights. There were some mixed reviews about the music and DJ, but overall, most found the dance to be pretty enjoyable.

When students took a rest from dancing they could be found out in the park or in the cafeteria munching on a buffet of sweets.

Not too much trouble sprung up and teachers would agree that most of the students were well behaved. For these reasons I think the 2011 freshman dance can be labeled a success.

Views on bin Laden’s death

by Eric Treacy

After the news about Osama bin Laden’s death was officially released on Sunday night, many people have different opinions about the death.

Student Courtney Murphy thinks of bin Laden’s death as a double-edged sword. “On one hand we’ve eliminated the icon of terrorism against the western world, and the leader of a dangerous orginization, which is a postive thing that will go down in history as a great achievement,” said Murphy. “But, at the same timeI think it’s a little morbid that there are people cheering in the streets over killing someone.”

Other students like Sheeva Massoudi believe that this event has little effect on her everyday life. Although, this news is a refreshing break from all the hype about the Royal Wedding in Britain, some students still feel like this event is still being over played. It is nice to know that a criminal mastermind has died, and we can all go to sleep at night feeling a little bit safer than before. However, it is weird hearing the government say that they are doing all they can to keep the peace, and yet they solve their problems with killing.

You are what you wear

Sara Macaluso | Opinion/Editorial Editor

As the bitter cold upstate New York winters begin to melt away to birds chirping and the sun shining, the amount of clothing students wear appear to melt away with it. We have all heard repeatedly from staff and teachers about appropriate dress, especially with the coming of spring. But still shirts seem to go lower, and shorts and skirts lengths seem to get shorter along with the increasing temperature. Some people may think they look attractive when they wear short shorts, or a low cut shirt, but a majority of their peers don’t view them as attractive at all.

Junior Eric Treacy believes that the way some people dress is a little outrageous and flashy; he stated “Some people seem dressed, ready to welcome spring; others are dressed, ready to get naked.”

Emily Gamello, a junior, views the way some girls dress as trashy, not classy. She said, “There’s a difference between showing what your mamma gave you and serving your boobs on a platter.”

Junior Nabila Ismail sees people who dress inappropriately as seeking attention. “When girls dress in a revealing way it attracts the wrong kind of attention and makes them seem trashy.”

Nick Burchell agrees that the way some girls dress when the weather gets nicer is disgusting. “I think it is inappropriate because as a girl you shouldn’t send the wrong message about you.”

All of these students can agree on the fact that revealing too much is a little repulsive. Dressing like you are common street trash may get you attention, but it brings along a bad reputation with it.

Would you steal to eat?

by Sara Macaluso

When disaster strikes in an area, people tend to go into survival mode, doing whatever it takes to keep themselves and their families alive. In some cases they lose a sense of civilization and humanity. It is questionable what people will do for food when they are starving and when it seems civilization around them is crumbling to pieces. Most people turn into wild animals and react barbarically; they steal and loot food, ignoring any sense of order which is trying to be reestablished.

This has been proven to be true in New Orleans following hurricane Katrina, and in Haiti following the earthquake. Japan however, is a different story; in this time of chaos and calamity the people of Japan are still keeping their discipline and morals.

If catastrophe were to strike here what would happen? Many have the mindset that they would not loot or steal because it is wrong. Junior Erin Burns said she would be like the Japanese and wait in line calmly for food. “I probably would wait in line because it would help other people out. The relief workers are stressed out, it would help keep things more calm.”

According to Burns, even if she was starving, she believed she would still refuse to steal. “I would probably get frustrated and hope everything would move quicker, but I don’t think I would revolt.”

Junior Haylie Sullivan said, “I don’t think I would know [whether I would loot or not] unless I was in that situation.”

Sullivan commented on what she believed other people would do for food in a tragedy. “I think people would be greedy, I don’t think anyone here would be prepared for it, no one would have enough food in their houses.”

Maybe if a catastrophe like the tsunami in Japan struck here some people would be able to keep themselves humane, but it is inevitable in our nation’s civilization that some people would become panicked and greedy and go to extreme lengths to get food. Different people may have hopes for different behaviors of themselves and of others, but there is no way to be sure, unless it happens.