HIGHLAND

THE

INSIDE
NEWS
Controversy in the
Boy Scouts
p. 2
FEATURE
Local Love p. 5
Spring Fashion p. 4
OPINION
The College Fallacy
p. 7
A&E
Dragonborn Review
p. 9
SPORTS
Player Profile
p. 12

FLING
FEBRUARY 2013

Above: the Highland Park Swim Team. Back row (from left to right): Michael Wang, Will Callahan, Griffin Wood, Thomas Sanchez, Chris Nolan; Front
row (from left to right): Thomas Chen, Paolo Mesde, Jake Callahan, Owen Fessant-Eaton. See their updated GMC results on p. 11

Nanotechnology
Charlotte Finegold

Heres a look into Claremont High School, located in Claremont, California, 3,000 miles away from HPHS, provided by
friend of The Fling, senior Molly Boyle: Claremont High has
been successful in the appropriate incorporation of technology
and social media into the educational process. Everyone here at
Claremont has their own username and password for Moodle,
our Course Management System. This same login information
allows us to access the internet on campus. Since 2009, we have
gained five stationary computer labs and seven small departmental laptop labs for classroom use, such as research, and
group Prezi presentations. Social networking sites are effectively blocked by the schools firewall, but teachers can override
this as necessary. My math teacher uses Twitter to post homework and class information. And just last semester, my Biology
final was a group project in which we created a fake Facebook
page for the pig fetus we were dissecting, explaining his
anatomy in the comments and descriptions. Unless specifically
requested otherwise, personal electronics are permitted in class,
and often even encouraged; my classmates with iPads use them
in lieu of planners, and classmates with personal laptops often
use them to type notes, or to Google things that may add to the
discussion. The policy is determined by and dependent upon
the trust and relationship developed between students and staff.
Misuse (it has happened) carries consequences and punishments
for the individual, but the benefit to the vast majority of us
cannot be overstated. The overall attitude here is that technology
and social media are not going away. Well need them in college
and beyond, so they should be accepted! The attitude towards technology in Claremont High School seems progressive
to Highland Park students, but it is not alone; many schools
are spending thousands of dollars to expand their technological
capacity. In a recent article entitled, Math That Moves: Schools
Embrace the iPad, The New York Times reported on Roslyn
High School on Long Island, NY, which just gave out 47 iPads
in a pilot program to students and teachers in two humanities
classes. The iPads, which cost $750 each, replace textbooks,
enable students to communicate with their teachers and turn
in their assignments online, allow teachers to track students

progress with digital portfolios, and save the school paper costs.
Says Larry Reiff, an English teacher at Roslyn High School,
[the program] allows us to extend the classroom beyond these
four walls. In Millburn, New Jersey, South Mountain Elementary School used two parent-funded iPads to play educational
games and read books. These programs, though alluring, are
unrealistic for every school. As the Times put it, At a time
when school districts are trying to get their budgets approved so
they do not have to lay off teachers or cut programs, spending
money on tablet computers may seem like an extravagance.
However, technological developments in schools do not have to
be so extreme.
Other schools are leaping ahead of the technological curve,
and Highland Park is falling behind. The Highland Park Superintendant of Schools, Dr. Wood, admitted, We cant back off
technology, even though it can be abused. We cant expect kids
to leave their technology at home when we have ours with us.
We accept that people interact and learn in new ways. She also
stressed that the job of the Board of Education is to structure
a policy that focuses most on enhancing the academic experience. Yet actions have been taken which contradict these
philosophies, and these actions have been unnecessary.
In early October, in response to several kids bringing e-Readers to Bartle, the Board of Education reexamined and began to
enforce its policy concerning personal electronic devices. This
rule, Policy 5516, sparked outrage in the student population.
The policy banned students from bringing laptops, tablets,
iPods, and cameras to school, unless they were included in a
students IEP or were used for a school-sponsored event/activity.
For a month, students sat in their study halls, at a loss of how to
do their work without their personal computers and tablets. After protest from students and teachers, who argued that it often
benefits a class if a student can use his/her personal electronic
device, especially when the schools technology could not cope
with a task, the Board agreed to change the policy. According to
Dr. Wood, the Board was surprised by the extent to which high
school students were using their technological devices. However, this trend is evident to the average student and teacher peering in the window of a class in session. Under the revised rule,
students are permitted to use their privately-owned technology
continued on p. 3

FEBRUARY 2013, THE HIGHLAND FLING

NEWS
Boy Scouts and Rainbow Flags
Sarah Cheng
From common phrases like
scouts honor to popular film
characters like the boy from
Up, the Boy Scouts of America
have become an important part
of everyday American culture.
Since its founding in 1910, this
organization has firmly ingrained
itself into mainstream society.
However, this group has recently received a lot of negative
publicity for its discrimination
against gay members. And gays
are not the only target of Boy
Scout bigotry. According to its
employment application, the
Boy Scouts of America will
not employ atheists, agonistics,
known or avowed homosexuals,
or others as professional Scouters. Ironically, convicts are
welcome because conviction of
a crime is not an automatic bar to
employment.
A few weeks ago, the Scouts
national leadership announced
that it was considering a proposal
on ending the mandatory gay
exclusion policy. Changing the
current rules might even provide Boy Scouts of America an
economic advantage, since many
former supportive companies like
Intel, UPS, and Merck cut all financial ties with the organization
due to controversy of the current
policy. They initially planned on
voting on the proposal during
the February 4th executive board
meeting. This created a gigantic Internet uproar as tens of
thousands of netizens petitioned
for the revision of the policy.
However, even with the evident
amount of public support, voting
has been postponed until May.
On the other hand, many
advocates for maintaining the
current policy argue that for an
organization with such religiously-affiliated traditions, it
is acceptable for Boy Scouts to

maintain their current standards

for membership. Governor Rick
Perry of Texas, for instance,
believes that the organization
should not bend to the whims of
liberal culture. An Eagle Scout
himself, Governor Perry believes
that the traditional conservative
values of Boy Scouts are exactly
what make membership appealing to many Americans. Furthermore, the Supreme Court already
ruled on this issue back in 2000;
in The Boy Scouts of America
vs. Dale, the organization was
given the right to expel a former
Eagle Scout after he publically
announced his homosexuality.
Given the divisive nature of
the debate, many Highland Park
High School students chose to
weigh in with their own opinions. Lena Copperman, a sophomore, believes that while this
issue may not directly impact
everyone, it is very important in
that it sheds light on our societys
views of marriage equality. She
personally considers it unfair for
such a ban to exist in the program. HPHS junior Sam Trub,
a Boy Scout, told The Fling, I
think that its a major mistake
by the BSA to not change their
policy on allowing gay leaders
and scouts. I think its a factor
in why their membership has
plunged so much in recent years.
I think that since the military has
changed their policy on gays, the
Boy Scouts should do the same,
because the styles of the two are
very similar. I think it has taken
way too long, and it should have
been settled at the meetings in
February; they should not have
pushed the vote off until May.
Within my troop I have not experienced or seen any repercussions
of this policy, however at the
international level I have friends
one or two friends who were
excluded from their troop when

it became public that they were

gay (this generally only happens
within the very religious troops).
Ibelieve that at the very least
it should be up to each troop to
make that decision. Jon Winter,
a Rutgers sophomore, HPHS
alum, and Eagle Scout disagreed
with the official policy, but
urged the American public not to
discredit the entire organization
for the administrative decision:
I believe that gay scout leaders
should be allowed or at least be
a dont ask, dont tell policy. I
believe that it is mainly to do
because of the fact that many
troops across the country are
religiously-backed. Although
religion is supposed to be part
of boy scouts (it is one of the 12
scout laws) I do not see it as an
overarching theme that all troops
follow so why have the rule as
a standard. Also there are many
troops that are not religiously
associated at all. Personally my
troop was Jewish but not everyone that was part of it was. In
general, scouting has many other
values that should be followed
and such an issue should not over
shadow the main ideals of scouting. I also know many scouts that
have had disabilities of all kinds
and from what I personally have
seen it is an amazing program
for really anyone that is trying to
develop.
After all, Boy Scouts of
America is a private organization
and therefore have the right to do
whatever they wish. Ultimately, despite the vehement public
debate, it is not for the general
public to decide on the fate of
Boy Scouts of Americas gay
exclusion policy. We can only
hold our breath in anticipation, as
May gradually approaches.

I think that its a major mistake by

the BSA to not change their policy
on allowing gay leaders and scouts.
I think its a factor in why their
membership has plunged so much in
recent years.

- junior and Boy Scout, Sam Trub

Cheater Cheater, Pumpkin Eater

Grace Chong

Cheating is a part of life, an

essential skill you need.

Cheating will exist no matter

what you do to prevent it.

Everyone cheats. Literally, no

one does NOT cheat.
THE HIGHLAND FLING, FEBRUARY 2013

These are the types of answers

I received when I questioned
the student body on what they
thought about cheating. Obviously, everyone knows what
cheating is, but it actually has a
very broad meaning, and seems
to vary from person to person. It
can range from asking someone
whats on a test, copying your
friends homework in the cafeteria, or cheating on a midterm
or final exam. Everyone knows
that cheating, even if it is not
extreme, is not allowed, but few
are willing to stop committing
this crime.
Does it happen frequently in
our school? According to the survey I took, it seems the majority
of the school has cheated at least
once in their lives. I asked many
people how many times they
cheated or witnessed cheating
in high school, and divided into
three categories: never, sometimes, or too many to count. Of
the total surveyed population,
11 percent said they had never
cheated or witnessed it taking
place (most of them were freshmen), 15 percent said only once
in a while, and 74 percent said
they seen or cheated too many

times that they cant even count.

However, our high school is
not the only school with cheaters. Many schools, including
and most noticeably, Ivy League
universities, have cheaters. For
example, last year, more than
100 students in Harvard University were accused of cheating and forced to temporarily
withdraw for cheating in their
take-home exams. According to
the investigation, it was reported
that 125 graduates cheated in a
class called Government 1510 at
Harvard and were put on disciplinary probations, which would
not be erased from the students
official records.
These recent instances of
cheating at revered institutions
like Harvard highlight the severity of this problem. Cheating in
school has dire consequences,
and can leave a huge impact on
a students future. When I asked
some students how cheating
can influence ones future, most
responded that it will impact
students in a negative way. One
student predicted, If they get
used to cheating, it will impact
them negatively. Like in college,
they wont know how to study.

Another shared his thought: Unless you have the will to learn,
cheating will impact you in the
future.
One can either choose to ignore
this advice and continue cheating, or simply remember what
happened at Harvard last year
and choose to change. Generally,
the most severe punishment for
cheating in high school is a zero
on the offending paper or test.
However, colleges will not be
so nice: the lightest punishment
is often disciplinary probation;
the most severe is expulsion. If
students continue to cheat, this
habit will stick with them even
through college and bring damaging consequences. Although
cheaters might get good grades
now, it can severely affect them
in the future. Another reason why
students should stop cheating
is because they will never learn
anything in high school. If one
only cheats and never study for
their classes, the cheater will
graduate with nothing remaining
in their minds and never be ready
to handle colleges.

NEWS
Nanotechnology
(cont.)

Below: a high school student uses an iPad in class.

devices under conditions outlined in this Policy.

Notebook computers and tablets, among other devices, are now legal if the supervising teacher approves
their use and if the student turns in their Acceptable
Use of Devices form to the office.
Highland Park is making great strides in its technology policies buying new laptop carts and slowly
simplifying the Firewall, to name a few advancements
and its actions, though smaller than those of other
schools, are admirable in a state facing a budget crisis.
However, occasionally, the district limits itself. The
original Policy 5516 was unnecessary and counterproductive. Schools must harness as much technology as
possible. School-owned laptops and computers can
only do so much; utilizing the masses of smartphones
across the student body is the next step to meeting the
next wave of technological needs in a cost-effective
manner. Elliot Soloway, engineer professor at the
University of Michigan and Cathie Norris, technology professor at the University of Northern Texas,
told the Times that they are disappointed at schools
choice not to use smartphones, a cheaper, more
available resource than iPads. Teachers, of course,
have the discretion of whether to authorize the use of
personal technology; teachers should allow the use
of smartphones if they can monitor students activity
no Facebook, no Twitter, etc. but responsible use
should be encouraged. The Board of Education and
the administration should continue to incorporate the
input of students, faculty, and community members to
maximize use of technology in inexpensive ways.

A Transitional Year for Science Bowl

Xuewei Ouyang
After losing two seniors last year from their A team,
HPHSs Science Bowl Team was concerned about
their longstanding pattern of having an upperclassmen-heavy roster. In order to thrive, a club must have
younger members. Although, in the past, Science
Bowl has typically been dominated by juniors and seniors, this year, an influx of eager freshmen joined the
team. The sudden increase in popularity has greatly
increased competition for a position on the A team,
which is guaranteed to compete. After a highly-selective try-out process, three teams were formed. The A
team included senior and captain, Xuewei Ouyang,
senior Amy Wang, freshman Colin Marx, freshman
Thomas Li (who replaced original member, junior
Joon Ko), and freshman Patrick Liu. The B team
consisted of senior and captain, Boning Zhao, junior
Lydia Wang, junior Tabitha Marks, freshman Nicholas Heah, and freshman Michael Wang. The C team
consisted of junior and captain, Mary Yan, freshman

William John, freshman Sendy Lin, and freshman

Amita Shukla. The B team and C team were not guaranteed a spot in competition due to the overwhelming
number of entries from schools in the competitions.
On the day of competition, February 23rd, at the
Princeton Plasma Laboratory, one slot was available
to a B team. Luckily, with HPHS students combined
fortune, the B team was selected out of thirty-two
B teams through random drawing to participate in
competition. With a bye in the first round, the A team
lost in the second round to State College C-Team. The
B team lost to West Windsor-Plainsboro in the second
round as well. Both the A team and B team proceeded
to win their third round games in the losers bracket,
against Red Bank and Notre Dame respectively. Unfortunately, both teams lost in the third round, ending
their run at the New Jersey Regional Science Bowl
Competition. With only three seniors graduating,
however, and many underclassmen rising to take their
places, HPHSs Science Bowl Team has high hopes
for future competitions.

To Plug in or Not to
Plug in?
Rucha Phadtare and Stefana Voicu

As most of you may be aware, permission slips to allow

you to use your own electronic devices have been sent home.
But what does that mean? You can bring your own laptop,
phone, or other electronic device to school, and although the
use of cellphones is mostly not permitted outside of lunch,
students can use their laptops during class, as per the teachers discretion. The latest amendment to the policy, however,
prohibits students from charging their electronics in school. It
is understandable for us to ask why. What is the harm in plugging in our laptops for half an hour? This issue instigated a
lot of debate during the Board of Education meeting - around
forty five minutes were spent arguing back and forth between
opposing opinions. Some members thought not allowing students to plug in their devices defeated the purpose of letting
them use their devices in the first place. The majority of the
members, however, thought that letting the small number
of students that actually bring laptops charge their devices
would substantially increase the schools electric bill. This
opinion eventually convinced the entire Board that students
should not be allowed to use the schools outlets to charge
private devices: if you want to use your own technology,
charge it at home!
We interviewed a few students, all of whom wished to
remain anonymous, so that we could get an inside opinion.
One student expressed her opinion that the new policy in
understandable. In a school of about 445 students, if every
student who brings electronics to school plugs them in to
charge them, the school is wasting a lot of money. Students
can charge their laptops at home before they come to school.
Electricity is costly, and so it is understandable that the school
wishes to prevent the loss of money unnecessarily. Another student also understood the school boards perspective,
but disagreed with the policy. He thought that plugging in
laptops should be based on teacher discretion. He explained,
The only problem with electronics is that they can be disruptive, so allowing electronics in class and allowing kids to
charge them should be banned only if its somehow disruptive
to the class. A third student concurs, arguing that laptops
can run out of battery quickly. She says, If someones laptop
runs out of battery in the middle of the day, they should be
allowed to plug it in so they can keep using it.

What do YOU think of this new rule?

Voice your opinion at the next Board
meeting, and maybe you can
make a difference.
Above (from left to right): Xuewei Ouyang, Amy Wang, Joon Ko, Colin Marx, Thomas Chen, and Patrick Liu.

FEBRUARY 2013, THE HIGHLAND FLING

FEATURE
Spring into Style
Amy Wang
Never fear! The days of puffy
layers and static-y sweaters are
almost over! As winter slowly
drags its snow-laden feet away
and makes way for spring, get rid
of your thick layers and prepare your wardrobe for warmer
weather. Here are some suggestions for both genders taken from
the 2013 fashion week trends!

Guys

Loafers
These comfortably casual
shoes will be all over the streets
of New York in a month, so guys,

be proactive and claim a pair for

yourself! Add a nice pair of jeans
or khaki pants for a look that
shows your inner stylishness.

As an added plus, it requires

virtually no cleaning, perfect for
an effortless bad boy aura.

Khakis
No, this fabric is not something
that you only wear to formal dinners and interviews. In fact, its a
very versatile material for spring
because you can pair it with
virtually any top and still look
good, perfect for the lazy type
who still wants to be fashionable.

Leather/pleather skirts
These pieces add an edgy
and stylish flair to the generally
pastel palette seen in spring. As
a plus, it keeps you warm during
those chilly rainy days. Pair it
with a minimalistic, rich-colored
top and youre ready to go!

Leather Jackets
Warm and chic, this jacket can
be worn in the spring and fall.

Below: a HPHS boy models loafers.

Girls

Stripes
As one of the most traditional
patterns of all time, stripes are
coming back into style this year,
evidenced by Marc Jacobs new
jailbird stripes line. Combine a
striped shirt with a well-worn
pair of jeans for an effortlessly
trendy look in seconds!
Sheer blouses with peekaboo
cutouts
Innocently scandalous, these
shirts can keep you cool during
the warmer days. Whats the
beauty of this style? Theres a
cutout and a color for everybody.
Add a pair of jeans or a cute skirt
and you have the perfect date
outfit!
Sporty dresses (A-line)
The epitome of comfort and
fashion, sporty, A-line dresses
are la mode this season! Pick
light fabrics and add a pair of
your favorite sandals for a playful but sophisticated look.
Sunglasses
As much as you enjoy the
warm sun in the spring, dont
forget to protect your eyes! Toss

Above: sophomore Nautica Dennis models a leather peplum shirt.

on a pair of your favorite big

sunglasses for a chic addition to
any outfit.
Peplum shirts
Carried over from the fall season, peplum shirts are extremely
versatile. Pick pastel colored

fabrics to transform the style for

your spring wardrobe. Wear it
with a pair of jeans for a casual
school outfit or a dark skirt for
the perfect night out.

PHOTO STORY
Senioritis
By Boning Zhao
Starring Melshawn Taylor

Melshawn Taylor demonstrates the changing mindset of a high school senior as the year goes on.

Quarter 1

Quarter 4
THE HIGHLAND FLING, FEBRUARY 2013

Quarter 2

Quarter 3

Post
midterms

FEATURE
Local Love
February

Andrea Boffice
Winter is slowly but surely shedding its layers; soon people will wear shorts (even when its still too cold out) and eat fruit before its ripe. I know that everyone is eager, but we
should enjoy winter while its still here! So make some hot chocolate with whipped cream, go ice skating or skiing, enjoy your Christmas lights before you are forced to take them
down, and bake cookies...lots of cookies. But most importantly, use the last bit of cold weather to actually focus on your studies before the lovely weather distracts you into spending all of class gazing out the window.

Foods in Season for February:

Artichokes
Asparagus
Chicory

Chives
Dandelion
Grapefruit

Braised Artichokes
Cooking time: 50 minutes
In honor of the month of my moms
birthday, I will feature a recipe from her
favorite chef Lidia Bastianich. Even
if you dont like vegetables, you will
definitely like artichokes slathered in a ton
of butter.

Rhubarb Crumble and Custard

Cooking time: 1 hours
Fun fact: during the 1500s, many people
ate stewed rhubarb as medicine to get rid
of the bubonic plague. It didnt work very
well, but it does make great pies!

Ingredients:
1 pound of baby artichokes (about 8)
4 pounds of garlic, crushed and peeled
Zest and juice of one lemon
1 tablespoon of chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
tablespoon kosher salt
1/4th teaspoon pepperoncino flakes
1 of olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
tablespoon dried breadcrumbs.
1.To clean baby artichokes and prevent
them from oxidizing, fill a large bowl with
approximately two quarts of cold water,
and add the juice of two lemons, plus the
squeezed-out lemon halves.
2. Peel and trim the stem of the first
artichoke. Pull off any tough outer leaves
and discard. Trim away any tough parts
around the base and the stem of the artichoke.
3.Cut off the top third of the artichoke and
discard.
4. Combine the artichokes, garlic, lemon
zest and juice, mint, parsley, salt, and pepperoncino in a saucepan of a size in which
the artichokes will snugly fit in one layer.
5. Nestle the artichokes in the pan with the
ingredients, drizzle with the olive oil, and
dot with the butter.
6. Pour the 3 cups of water and the wine
into the saucepan. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until the artichokes are tender
all the way through, about 40 minutes.
Basic Vinaigrette
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Its really hard to survive winter without
the salad at the end of each meal, but
now that chicory is in season, salads are
making their seasonal comeback! I love
dressings, but if you read the ingredients
list of most vinaigrettes, there are often
overcomplicated by scary amounts of
unrecognizable additions. True vinaigrette
should just be oil and vinegar. This version is really easy to make and organically
healthy too!
Ingredients:
3 parts olive oil for every 1 part balsamic
vinegar
1 teaspoon of lemon juice (or other citrus
fruit juice if you desire)
Finely chopped garlic
Black pepper
Salt
Dried basil, mustard seeds, paprika, or
chili flakes.
1. Shake all ingredients together in a glass
bottle. Experiment with different flavors,
but resist the temptation to mix everything
together at once.

Horseradish
Leeks
Oranges

Parsnips
Peas
Rhubarb

Ingredients:
Rhubarb filling1 pound of rhubarb
cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon baking soda
Crumble1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup brown sugar
cup chopped pecans
teaspoon cinnamon
stick of butter cut in chunks

Above: braised artichokes, slathered in butter, are sure to please everyone, even veggie-haters.

Custard granulated sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup whole milk
cup heavy cream or 1 cups of milk
3 large egg yolks
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss rhubarb, sugar, lemon zest, and baking soda
in a 9 inch pan and bake for 10 minutes.
2. While its baking, make the crumble
topping by combining flour, brown sugar,
pecans, and cinnamon in a bowl. Add
butter and rub it in with clean hands until
the texture is like wet sand.
3. Remove the rhubarb from oven, mix the
rhubarb, and then pour the topping.
4. Bake again for 50 minutes, or until the
rhubarb starts bubbling.
Custard
1. Combine the sugar, salt, and cornstarch
in a small, heavy pan. Stir in the milk and
cream until the cornstarch dissolves over
medium heat. Stir constantly until mixture
is hot, but not bubbling.
2. Reduce heat to low and slowly pour
some of the hot mixture into the bowl of
egg yolks while whisking constantly to
temper the eggs.
3. Pour the egg mixture into the pan.
Bring heat to medium and stir constantly
until the mixture is thick and bubbling.
4. Remove pan from heat and pour the
custard through a sieve. Add vanilla and
stir.
5. Serve the warm rhubarb with the hot
custard and enjoy.
I hope you all enjoy the springtime
and these February-themed recipes. As
the month progresses and more crops
become in season, I hope you will check
out our local farmers market with the
ever increasing amount of fresh produce.
Remember that the best things to buy
locally and/or organically are dairy products, eggs, meat products (if possible),
and perishable produce (like tomatoes,
peaches, etc.). On the note of tomatoes,
it is important to buy perishable produce

Above: rhubarb crumble covered in custard.

Above: simple olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette is a simple but delicious dressing for any salad.

fresh, because supermarket tomatoes have

been heavily treated to prevent rotting in
shipping, so it stays red for the supermar-

kets but tastes terrible. Anyways, have a

happy spring and happy eating!

FEBRUARY 2013, THE HIGHLAND FLING

FEATURE
Read Between the Lines: Unlisted Clubs
Shana Oshinskie and Tia Wangli
Every school has its share of ridiculously popular clubs, and then there are those
which seem to sit there collecting dust.
Most students know about DECA, Student
Congress, and Drama, which always have
plenty of eager members. At the beginning
of the year, all HPHS students receive an
agenda which contains a planner for the
whole year and holds the code of conduct
for our school. A few pages are dedicated to some of the schools most popular
clubs. However, there are quite a few
amazing clubs that havent made it into
the agenda, but are definitely noteworthy.
The Philosophy Club seems self-explanatory, but goes much further than the
name. Weve interviewed a few of their
members to find out what exactly the
philosophy bit means. They meet every
Thursday from three to four in the Teen
Center, and discuss philosophic ideas such
as metaphysics, incorporating both ancient
and modern ideas. Victoria DeLaurentis,
freshman, suggests you attend because it
is interesting, educational, and it makes
you question life, action, reason, and
more. While it may sound too academic
for some, Greg Burdea, senior and leader
of the group, assures that the only purpose
is to freely express beliefs and learn more
about yourself and the world around you.
Who doesnt want to do that?
For all those artsy people out there, the
Teen Center now has an Art Club! Created
this year by a group of freshmen, the Art
Club undertakes a variety of projects.
One of their most recent works was the
Valentines Day dance that was organized
for the middle school. Currently they are
working on a postcard project and are
decorating a bulletin board for the choir
room. The Art Club is open to all those
interested in art no matter what skill level.
One of its members, Sendy Lin, freshman,
states, The Art Club is somewhere where
you can express your passion for art
and meet others like yourself. If youre

interested, they meet every Friday and are

always welcome to new members.
Whenever sports are mentioned, many
people think of stereotypical school sports
like football, soccer, and basketball.
However, HPHS also has its own swim
team. The eleven-person-team technically
isnt a club, but weve decided to include
it here. Quite a few of their members have
managed to place in state competitions.
When asked about what motivates her to
swim, Mimi Wang, freshman, told us that
she wants to stay in shape and swimming
is really useful for that. She also mentions
that small changes in technique can really
help swimmers improve their time.
Even some clubs that are listed in
the agenda have aspects that arent as
well known. Global Awareness Group,
or GAG, holds optional meetings after
school on Wednesdays where they often
focus on Amnesty related issues. They
discuss current events and combine their
diplomatic writing skills to send letters to
governments (and individuals) all around
the world to express their discontent
with human rights violations. They also
focus on one specific case each semester,
involving an Indonesian man named Filep
Karma who was jailed for peacefully
raising a flag. Together they organized
the Week of Karma, where they made
petitions and spoke to freshmen classes.
So far, theyve sent over two hundred
letters, and counting. Lara Perez-Curran,
a sophomore and one of the pioneer members of the group, enjoys coming because
you get to learn more about current events
and take action for injustices in our world.
Check outside Ms. Wilsons room for the
updated amount of mail the club has sent.
Though our school may be small, HPHS
has a wide range of clubs. While some
are better known than others, all offer a
unique and valuable experience. Which
one of these: GAG, Swim Team, Art, or
Philosophy is right for you?

Above (from top to bottom): freshman Danielle Benesch writes a letter at an Amnesty
Internaional meeting; the Philosophy Club meteting in the Teen Center.

A Penny for Your Thoughts

John Yang

Artwork by John Yang

THE HIGHLAND FLING, FEBRUARY 2013

A penny saved is a penny earned, yet a

discarded penny on the ground isnt worth
the time to pick up, unless it takes you
six seconds to do it. (And thats if youre
earning minimum wage). Why do we
need the penny? What are the advantages
of having a pretty stack of pennies but
not a quarter? Besides having a bunch of
Lincoln heads in your pocket (Lincoln is
pretty cool), the penny just doesnt add up.
As some people may state, it actually
costs 1.26 cents to make the penny; a
one cent coin. That means every year,
American tax-payers are losing .26 cents
for every single one of the 7,400,000,000
pennies that are made! Thats around
20,270,000 being minted a day and
$50,000 wasted every single day! From
this fact alone, it would seem that its a no
brainer to get rid of the penny and round
our daily transactions instead.
Heres where, however, the opposition
arises. If we did phase out the pennies,
and if we began to round our daily transactions to the nearest nickel, what does
this mean for the common folk? Well,
for most of us, it means nothing, in fact
itll save you two cents every day if you
get a slice of pizza at Highland Pizza for
lunch, but for poverty stricken families
who struggle to make ends meet, a few
extra cents on their purchases could be
the straw that breaks the camels back.
The cheap $1.98 and $0.99 food products
they live off of will siphon those cents
from them, and it can pile up quite fast; a
few cents a day, perhaps a quarter a week,
and suddenly theyre losing money for an

entire week of food every year.

In addition, what about charities? When
our local Global Awareness Group is
going around the school trying to assemble some change for a good cause, spare
change, such as pennies, are most easily
parted. Theyre cumbersome and hard to
find a use for; and you probably have a
whole cache of them if you shop often,
but move up a tier to nickels and ones
willingness to give will waver, after all,
that nickel could be the last five cents you
needed to buy a chocolate chip cookie.
Speaking of nickels, did I mention that
theyre actually even more inefficient to
make than pennies? A single five-cent
nickel costs 7.7 cents to make, and if we
got rid of the penny, the need for nickels will undoubtedly rise and perhaps in
2014 well look back and call ourselves
idiots for thinking it was a good idea; or,
perhaps well be talking about getting rid
of the nickel. After all,rounding up to the
nearest ten cents is a good idea too right?
This great one-cent question has been
around for quite awhile, and both sides
have made some compelling arguments.
On February 4th, Canada stopped distributing pennies (their pennies cost an insane
1.6 cent to make compared to the American 1.26 cent) and the government believes theyll save over ten million dollars
a year because of it. If this yields good
results, it might be the push the anti-penny
Americans need to bring this change to
America, but until then, Lincolns staying
tucked in our wallets until we get that four
cents to buy that chocolate chip cookie.

OPINION
The College Fallacy
Elena Weissmann

High school is not, by any

means, an enjoyable experience
for most. The constant testing,
petty drama, and brutal monotony of going to the same
classes with the same people day
after day all combine to create
a vortex of stress. In addition to
that, there are SATs, AP classes,
and extracurricular activities.
You might even opt for volunteer
work or a job. Pack on about five
to six hours of sleep a night
and presto! Youve got a cranky,
sleep-deprived teenager, practically qualified as a member
of the walking dead. Just peek
into an AP-level class and you
will see a roomful of exhausted,
stressed-out adolescents, desperately scribbling notes and grilling
the teacher on the subject matter
of the next test.
So why do we do this to
ourselves? Why work so hard?
The answer, more often than not,
is that we all want to graduate,
go to college, succeed, and make
a lot of money. And certainly,
the competition to get into
college nowadays is cut-throat,
with some of the top colleges
admitting less than 20 percent of
applicants. And trying ridiculous-

ly hard to get into these colleges

makes total sense, right?
Actually, it does not. Economists Alan Krueger and Stacy
Berg Dale began investigating
this question as early as 1976
and found that going to an elite
college does not, in fact, ensure
a higher salary than attending
a less prestigious university. In
an article published in The New
York Times, David Leonhardt
explains Krueger and Dales
study: It [the study] tracked top
high-school students through
their 30s and found that their
alma maters had little impact
on their earnings. Students who
got into both, say, the University
of Pennsylvania and Penn State
made roughly the same amount
of money, regardless of which
they chose. Such findings are
simply mind-blowing to those of
us who were told that going to an
elite college is the key to success. This study proves that it
is the students ambition, not the
elite college, which truly matters
in terms of long-term earning
potential.
So why stress out so much
about getting into an amazing
college? I, for one, am just so
tired of going through high
school freaking out about

testing and AP classes and

extracurricular activities. Rather
than stressing about these factors,
Id rather focus my energies
on actuallylearning something
valuable in high school. It seems
that the grade is beginning to
matter more and more, no doubt
because of the rising competition to get into college. And
high school students undeniably
recognize this pressure: just look
at the high levels of cheating
in high schools nationwide.
Weve completely lost our drive
to learn, only to be replaced by
the need to look good on a high
school transcript. However, this
need to look good turns out to
be completely overrated, as Alan
Krueger and Stacy Berg Dale
figured out. So whats with all
the stress?
I certainly dont blame the high
school, the teachers, or even the
tests for making us so anxious. I
blame society for dishing up the
idea that success means going
to an elite college and likewise
getting a high-earning job lying
and cheating your way to the
top if necessary. I think we just
need to remember from time
to time that goingtothatelite
college and pursuing thathighearning job does not necessarily

Senior Carol Brown stresses out over her homework, college applications,
and general high-school-related stress.

lead to happiness; a good work

ethic and a strong desire to learn
are ultimately more valuable.
As Alan Krueger advised in
the conclusion of his study,
Recognize that your own

motivation, ambition, and talents

will determine your success more
than the college name on your
diploma.

Groundhog Day: Underappreciated or Silly?

Maddie Hehir
February 14th marks Februarys
most famous holiday, Valentines
Day, but what about that other
holiday in February? Groundhog
Day, February 2nd, passed by this
year without any acknowledgement, celebration, or discussion.
So does that make Groundhog
Day a frivolous, forgotten day on
the calendar, or should we treat
this day of animal phenomenon
with respect?
Groundhog Day has a surpris-

ingly rich history. The holiday

originated in Pennsylvania, in the
late 18th to 19th centuries, when it
was a German Pennsylvania custom. Some say it has ties to ancient Europe, where a scared/angry bear or badger would be used
to predict the weathergroundhogs were the safer alternative.
Decades ago, February 2nd was
Candlemas Day, when the
groundhog would peep out of his
burrow and if he saw his shadow,
it would indicate six more weeks
of winter. If he failed to see his

shadow, then spring would come

early. Historians have located an
old Scottish poem about Candlemas which says, If Candle-mas
Day is bright and clear, therell
be two winters in the year.
Today, we use those same
signs in the groundhogs behavior to predict the weather. If the
groundhog sees his shadow, its
six more weeks of winterif
not, look forward to an early
spring. The groundhog Punxsutawney Phil, given his name after
Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania,

has risen to great fame. There are

multiple websites, groups, and
clubs that honor Phil and have
the exact details of his height,
weight, length, and more. In
New Jersey, we tend to be more
interested in the shore, tomatoes,
and Bruce Springsteen. Highland
Parkers might enjoy other state
traditions as well.
Groundhog Day is not just
about the weather and it isnt just
for those who live in Pennsylvaniaits a day for all of us
to believe that maybe a tiny,

insignificant (for the other 364

days of the year) creature can tell
us something that our iPhones
and technology cannot. So next
year, dont watch the weather on
February 2nd. Theres no need
because like it or not, we have a
perfectly good groundhog who
can give us the right answer.
Overall, Groundhog Day is one
of Americas simplest, easiest,
and quickest holidays and maybe
just maybe could be a little bit
more appreciated.

Curbing the Crumbs

Amita Shukla

A granola bar holds in its

crunchy goodness the power
to give you detention. The rule
prohibiting food in class is not a
new one; however, students had
always been able to eat in class
as long as they were discreet and
cleaned up. No more! In order to
curb the schools mouse problem
it has been decided that students
cannot eat or drink anywhere in
the building except the cafeteria,
and at no time other than the
designated lunch hour.
Freshmen Adriana Diaz and
Rasheka Krishan wish nothing
had changed. Rasheka says,
Children need food and nutrition. There has to be another way
to deal with the mice. Rasheka
regularly brought hot drinks to
school in the morning. Because
she takes the bus to school,
she arrives around 7:20AM,
when the warmth from her hot
chocolate or coffee made a big

difference.
According to Adriana, this rule
could have long-lasting effects.
If students dont get breakfast,
they wont be able to concentrate. If they eat breakfast on a
morning when they get up late,
theyll be late to school . Then
theyll get tardies and absences, which reflect badly on their
record. In short, school performance may be affected for lack
of snacks.
Senior Nickita Ramrekha
doesnt agree with the food
restriction either. This is going
to change a lot of things. I used
to have class parties where we all
brought food, and it was really a
bonding experience. And, even
on regular days, food helps you
focus. She does agree, however,
that there have to be some limits
on eating in class. When people
bring in huge Chinese takeout
containers, thats definitely over
the top. But you should be able

to have some foods.

This is also changing lunch
pullouts. Now, students have to
completely finish eating before
going to the orchestra, choir, or
band room for lunch rehearsals.
So, too, have lunchtime library
visits been changed. Before going to the library to do research
or schoolwork, students have to
completely finish eating, which
reduces the time spent working.
Students who frequently ate in
the hallways for Open Lunch
have had to relocate.
It may seem fairly straightforward: food only at lunch,
and only in the cafeteria. But
it is changing school for many
students. In-school-suspension
or detention for eating in class?
This may be one of the only
ways to curb the crumbs that are
attracting the mice. Our janitors
already work hard, and we cant
ask them to clean the entire
school every day because we are

High school lunches, whether bought in the lunchline, purchased at Sultan

Wok, or brought from home, are prohibited from leaving the cafeteria.

too lazy to pick up wrappers. But

we really do miss our granola
bars.

FEBRUARY 2013, THE HIGHLAND FLING

OPINION
OSCARS PICKS

NO LIE

Oscar Lee

Eli Liebell-McLean

Dont Trust
Anyone
Over 30

Above: the cast of The Real Housewives of Atlanta thrive on a lack of authenticity.

Questions of Authenticity
Reality television has saddled me
with some serious trust issues. NeNes
exposure of Kenyas supposed romance with Walter on The Real
Housewives of Atlanta threw me for a
major loop. I was so lost, so confused,
so hurt. Why on earth would these
people put on a sham for millions? I
trusted them. In Season Two, did Sheree actually pull Kims wig or was that
CGI? Whats real and whats not?
MTVs Catfish, based on a 2010
documentary of the same name that
dove deep into the murky waters of
online relationships, swims around
in a similar pool of artifice. For those
unfamiliar, a catfish is, according
to Urban Dictionary, someone who
pretends to be someone theyre not
using Facebook or [another social media network] to create false identities,
particularly to pursue deceptive online
romances. The original documentary
followed a photographer named Nev
Schulman and his journey toward uncovering the true identity of his online
girlfriend. The current television show
follows the deluge of help requests Nev
received after the documentary and his
quest to unite those online lovers.
MTV, home to fecal-level entertainment in the vein of Buckwild and
Snooki & JWOWW, serves as an apt
aquarium for Catfish. The program
functions as a logical next step for
Nev, a manifestation of his self-absorption. He declares, Catfish the
movie was my story. Catfish the TV
show is yours. Not so, sadly. Nev
claims to help other people resolve
their online relationships, but in reality,
only attempts to get as much screen

time as possible. The masturbatory

title sequence actually begins with a
Hi, Im Nev and a series of pictures
of him through the years. Okay I get
it, Nev- you love yourself, but maybe
television is not the best way to express
that egotism. Mr. Schulman should
exercise some restraint about appearing
before the camera, instead of mugging
it all the time. A more suitable title for
the show would be All About Nev: A
Show About a Guy Who Helps a Bunch
of Plebeians by Doing Some Really
Advanced Reverse Google Image
Searches and by Convincing Their
Online Paramours to Meet Them for
the First Time. Overall, the show suffers from a lack of authenticity.
But then, what is authenticity? In
some cases, the dividing line between
what is real and what is fake smudges,
but usually it remains well-defined.
Theres the raw, shiver-inducing
emotion Perfume Genius infuses his
music with, in contrast with the lush
polish the Lisa Rinna-esque Lana Del
Rey applies to her products. Theres
the actual expression of creativity on
social media, in contrast with Facebook
posts copied from Tumblr. Authenticity
comes in many forms. With Housewives, from its inauthenticity comes
its authenticity. The show makes no
pretensions about its purpose. Andy
Cohen isnt trying to be Abbas Kiarostami. And while the characters may
cling onto their class, the show does
not make a similar effort. It embraces
its tackiness, its eye rolls, its shade, its
ruined dinner parties. The Real Housewives franchise is both fully cognizant
of its inherent stupidity and fully suc-

THE HIGHLAND FLING, FEBRUARY 2013

cessful in its aim to entertain.

Unlike The Real Housewives, however, Catfish is blind to its absurdities,
splashing the audience with its airs,
desperate for any semblance of respect.
And it does have the foundations of
something truly significant, something
capable of defining a chunk of human
existence. But rather than exploring
the intricate psychological rationales
guiding the catfish or commenting
on the social complexities of modern
life, Catfish instead glosses over them,
choosing to focus on vapidities and
faux tension. It is a missed opportunity,
more a showcase for narcissism than a
cultural critique of our times.
Life is a performance. We all put on
costumes the moment we step outside our homes, costumes that project
an image of ourselves that we want
others to see. But in the pursuit for
self, actually try to be yourself. Dont
end up like Mama Elsa Patton (of The
Real Housewives of Miami), a ruined
product of plastic surgery, resolute on
changing herself, to be something she
was not.

One morning, I woke up pondering our

generations contribution to the culture of
revolt, and it disgusted me. Ironically, the
real Progressives of the last decade were
all over 30, the men and women who had
seen real Progressive ideals in the 60s and
70s. They were the ones who really put
up a fight against the wars in the Middle
East, while most youth opposed these
conflicts in the most passive way possible.
Where did real rebellion go? What
decimated to the presence of youth in
revolt, the outrage of the 1960s, the cynical liberalism of the 1970s? Was it the
Reagan years, when neoliberalism swept
college campuses and corporatism became popular in American politics? Does
the rebellion against the corrupt status
quo in favor of progressive politics and
social change remain in the hearts of our
generation? If so, then why has rock-androll been replaced with the pathetically
generic Top 40 or the acoustic schlock
that blares from the speakers of hipsters?
Hipsters. Now thats a group that is hard
to define. The concept of standing out is
prominent, said Junior Daniel Zhu, and
while I agree with him, it must be pointed
out that standing out for hipsters means
acting within specific social parameters,
and creating a self-defeating conformist counter-culture. Junior Gabe Trevor
blames our elders explaining, Middle
class youth in our generation are passive
because theyve seen baby-boomers who
claimed to be progressives embrace corporatism in their old age, undermining the
concept of decisive change.
I think the spirit of revolt today
is through our generations distrust of
authority, said one student I talked to,
citing Congress and our School Board.
Senior Ariel Glueck agreed with Mr.
Trevor regarding passivity. We like
the idea of revoltbut we talk about
revolution on social media and dont do
anything. People look at the Arab Spring
and think that we can make changes by
making something popular on Twitter
but when it comes to achieving anything,
were too lazy to put actual work into it.
Glueck, cited Occupy Wall Street as an
example of an important socio-economic
movement stagnated by inaction, and
while OWS did make a positive impact
on the mindset of the nation, I must agree
that it failed to cement its ideology.
Paul McLean, a Professor of Sociology at Rutgers University, observed that
argumentative children are healthier
than the more outwardly complacent,
who often engage in more devious and
dangerous practices. No, I didnt just tell
you to go home and yell at your parents.
Instead, dont take what you have for
granted. Dont take what adults say for
truth, just because of their age. If you see
something, say something, do something,
change something, do anything in your
power to fight against the mire of oppression, small-mindedness, and injustice
that engulfs the world. Because one day
we will be over 30 and it will be too late
to take advantage of the Youths right to
make a difference.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

An Oddly Entrancing World
Xuewei Ouyang

Downton Abbey, a British

television series, created and
written by Julian Fellowes, has
recently wrapped up its third
season in the U.S. Its widespread
popularity among affectionate
fans everywhere, however, as yet
to decline. Aired on PBS every
Sunday night for one and a half
months, the hit series follows
the lives of an aristocratic family
managing a grand Yorkshire
estate, Downton Abbey, in the
early 1900s, an important turning
point in history. Beginning with
a crisis with inheritance caused
by the sinking of the Titanic, the
series follows the family through
World War I and after as they
attempt to reconcile opposing
views of the old and new worlds.
At first glance, Downton Abbey
appears to be the typical soap
opera with dramatic plot twists
and turns. Then why, has it
received such wide acclaim?
Even Highland Park High
School as not escaped its farreaching influence. Teachers and
students alike are all enamored
by the grandeur of the series.
Ms. Marionni describes it as
absolutely beautiful. She
continues, It portrays an entire
world that no longer exists.
The way of life and notions
of propriety are completely
gone. With its excellent

Above: the cast of Downton Abbey, which has been extraordinarily popular with audiences worldwide.

cinematography, settings, and

costumes, Downton Abbey
completely transports the viewer
into the time period of grand
estates and beautiful dresses.
The beautiful visuals and
appearance of the series,
however, are not the only

reasons for its popularity. Mr.

Kruger explains, I think the
period of history in Downton
Abbey between the two World
Wars is extremely cool. Its a
transformational period. The
system of life in Downton Abbey
is in death rows. The series also

gives you insight to how trapped

the members of aristocracy are,
particularly the women. It really
makes you sympathize with the
women and you can see how
much trouble it is for women
to get out. The series has an
ability to infuse history with life

Taylor Swift: Perfection in the Making

Yang Xu and Boning Zhao

I Knew You Were Trouble

lingers in the heads of students
as they shuffle from class to
class. Although notorious for her
countless breakups and heartaches, Taylor Swifts success on
the billboard is undeniable. But
what is it that makes her songs
so great the catchy rhythm, the
sophisticated beat, the meaning-

ful lyrics? Either way, Swift is

paving the way for other aspiring
musicians to follow. Swift has
what determines a good singer:
good vocal ability and songs.
Taylor Swift, with a skillfully
controlled voice that can dance
across the entire vocal spectrum,
creates harmonious melodies
that not only appease our ears,
but also our hearts. Throughout
Swifts recent title song, she

properly utilizes the extent and

uniqueness of her powerful
voice by consecutively shifting
between high and low notes: I
KNEW you WERE trouble when
you WALKED IN. Despite the
smile that the tune brings to our
face, the true message within the
song, necessary for any work of
art, highlights that person in our
life who originally brought along
a kaleidoscope of memories,

but then walked away. Swifts

music contains a soul capable of
conjuring our deepest emotions.
She allows pop music to be more
than just a form of entertainment.
Combined with her charming
personality and enchanting smile,
she becomes more than just a
singer; she becomes a goddess
that brings us mortals a gift
from the heavens. Forgiving (as
demonstrated by the Kanye West

in a way that a history textbook

cannot.
For some, the series comes
down to the basic idea of human
interactions. Connecting lessons
from her AP Literature course,
Ms. Marionni adds, In addition
to beauty, grandeur, the estate,
the clothing, it is actually the
story of human dynamics, asking
questions such as Who are you?
Where do you fit in society?
Basically, its the one story.
Many of the minor plots and
characters could easily adapt
into a modern-setting. Much
of Downton Abbeys appeal
stems from its ability to connect
viewers to the characters and
their issues despite the nearly
one hundred year time gap.
Perhaps Downton Abbey will be
added to Ms. Marionnis AP Lit
curriculum next year?
Even if the British soap-opera
has not yet reached a timeless
status worthy of English classes
in high schools, Downton Abbey
still demonstrates astonishing
command over visuals,
meaningful representation of
the conflict of the period, and
depiction of universal human
conflicts. Still hesitant? Simply
watch one episode, and you
will find yourself mesmerized.
For those who are already fans
of Downton Abbey, check out
Monarch of the Glen, a similar
series set in Scotland.

incident at the VMAs of 2009),

mesmerizing, and captivating,
Swift constructs unparalleled
melodies and messages. A role
model for all teenagers to follow,
she becomes the epitome of a
celebrity. Her music becomes
something that we, as human
beings, cant let go. It becomes a
safe haven for our thoughts and a
safe haven for our hearts.

Finally, a Boon to PS3 Skyrim Players

Gregory Burdea

Play Station 3 (PS3) users,

who are still transfixed by the
mystical realm of Skyrim, the
2012 ultimate game of the year
according to Golden Joystick,
recently received some new content through the Dragonborn
DLC (downloadable content).
As a member of the PS3 branch
of Skyrim players, I, like my
brethren, found frustration in
the fact that none of the Skyrim
DLCs made their ways to the
PS3until now. The release of
Dragonborn to PS3 players finally began the process of forgiveness between Bethesda Studios
(the developers of the game)
and the PS3 community. In the
past, the other gaming consoles
received content while the PS3
was left in the dust. PS3 players
are now set to receive more DLC
in the future a belated act of
justice to the gaming community.
When I learned of Dragonborns release, the excitement began to accumulate. I tried to keep
an open mind when exploring
the newfound land of Solstheim:
an island plagued by creepy
Ash Spawn and an infamous
power that forces the denizens

of the island into mindless labor.

The main quest revolves around
opposing Miraak, a Dovahkiin
(a man thats kin to the dragons).
Miraak uses his power in various
dimensions, and players must
follow in his footsteps to defeat him. This involves multiple
journeys into surreal dimensions
in order to solve the main-quest.
This transcendence into the

realm of a Daedric (demonic)

prince is achieved through the
use of several dictionary-like
Black Books, which have the
ability to transport the reader into
a realm of infinite knowledge
harvested by the Daedric prince
Hermaeus Mora. While the
ideas at work behind the main
quest motivate players to finish
it, the journey hardly lasts long

riding. To everyones surprise,

dragon riding is not actually very
captivating. Dragons fly cyclically, while the player commands
the dragon to land, attack, or
fast-travel. Most gamers dreamed
of a dragon completely under the
control of the player. Needless to
say, riding a dragon can provide
some pretty scenery until even
that gets old.
Nonetheless, I look forward to
discovering new pieces of armor.
Dragonborn contains at least
three different sets of armor to
discover, including enchanted
armor. Notably, enchanted armor
gives the player a more godly
feel (as if being able to shout
into the air and change people
into animals with a staff wasnt
enough). And really, its the process of exploration and discovery
that keeps players involved in the
game, even after the main quest.
Dragonborn delivers some
interesting content for PC, Xbox
360, and PS3 users. Unfortunately, I cant comment on Dawngaurd, but if you are a serious
Skyrim gamer, you should
probably get the DLC. Theres
definitely something for everyone in Solstheim.

enough; one could play through

the main quest in 10 hours max.
Fortunately, one may overlook
this shortcoming because of the
abundance of secondary quests
and things to discover.
Besides quest-content, the
Dragonborn DLC offers three
tempting additions: new sets
of armor, new weapon styles,
and dragon ridingyes, dragon
FEBRUARY 2013, THE HIGHLAND FLING

10

SPORTS
The Importance of Recovery
Olivia Draper

When it comes to resting and recovering, most student athletes have difficulty
finding time to repair their bodies, especially when school sports tend to overlap.
Whether your soccer season coincides
with the start of your basketball season, or
you find yourself trying to find the balance
between wrestling matches and baseball practices, giving your body time to
recover is crucial. During these essential
periods of recovery, overworked muscles
naturally repair, rebuild, and strengthen
themselves. Not only do athletes benefit
physically from this frequent rest, but they
also benefit mentally. Building in rest days
to your schedule can help you maintain a
better balance between home, school, and
your desired fitness goals.
When you exercise, your body is constantly tearing tissue and losing energy
stores; because of this, the main repair
that occurs while athletes take time to rest
is the replenishment of energy, muscle tissue, and body fluids. Without this recovery, the bodys muscles and tissues continue to breakdown and cease to strengthen.
Along with the depletion of many physical
aspects of your body, most athletes will
experience other unhealthy symptoms as
well. This can include anything from a decreased sports performance to an ailment
as serious as depression. In fact, an athlete

is more likely to injure themselves when

they do not take an appropriate time to
rest and allow their bodies to heal.
Athletic recoveries can be broken down
into two different groups: short-term and
long-term recovery. Important short-term
recovery generally refers to those few
hours directly after a workout; this means
eating the right post-exercise meal and
getting quality sleep, which becomes even
more important after an intense workout. On the other hand, when it comes
to long-term recovery techniques, many
coaches or trainers recommend building
in entire weeks dedicated to replenishing the body, especially when exercising
on an annual training schedule. Another
momentous factor that is associated with
long-term recovery is making sure your
workouts have variation. Variations of
daily exercises will not only strengthen
a significant range of muscles, but it will
give certain muscles a much needed break
as well. Even though many high school
athletes will overlook the significance of
recovery time in between school sports,
the risks associated with this ignorance
fail to decrease. Without following the
right techniques and recovery schedules,
athletes become more prone to injuries,
illnesses, and mental exhaustion.

Above: sophomore Chris Michael recovers from a draining athletic season and is ready to go
back in no time.

HP Drama Department Presents:

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

Starring (in Alphabetical Order)

Charlotte Finegold - Adrian Gillerman - David Isaacson - Rachel Kim
Lucas Marin - Riley Michael - Lance Shopowich - Mackenzie Volpert
Directed by Keith Presty

April 11 (7 PM), 12 (7 PM), 13 (1 PM & 7 PM)

Bartle School Auditorium
Tickets On Sale at www.hpdrama.org
THE HIGHLAND FLING, FEBRUARY 2013

11

SPORTS
Spring Previews
Jacob Choi

Tennis

Track and Field

Indoor sport seasons are over, and

HPHS athletes have already begun training
for outdoor sports. One of the most highlighted sports in Highland Park tennis
is about to start its season. Having won
the state championship two years ago and
second place last year, the boys tennis
team is preparing to succeed yet again.
This year, there is a new senior, Daniel
Zendejas, who played tennis in Mexico
and won tournaments there, along with
some freshmen, including Leo Goldman
and Jon Buzbee, who both treat tennis
more seriously than a hobby. Getting on
this years Varsity team will be an intense
process: seniors Daniel Zendejas, Jacob
Choi, and Yang Xu will likely compete
for the third singles spot, as well as first
doubles. Most players have worked at indoor courts during winter to stay in shape.
Similarly to what Coach Stark said, this
year the team is going to concentrate on
competitive games like state tournaments
and GMCs, instead of going on a game-bygame basis like last year. At the end of the
year, hopefully tennis will take the state
championship once again.

Owls track and field is another team

that is already in shape as a team. Although the team did not won their meets
in every single area, they are different than
before. During winter, regardless of the
cold temperatures, runners participated in
practices every week with the Garden State
Track Team and everyone worked their
hardest, showing much improvement . One
area that would be significant is the 4x400
relay, because it, as junior Joe Ambrosio
says, shows depth both as a team and a
strong program. Ambroio worked particularly hard during the off-season to improve. As he was training, he set his goal
to run under two minutes for the 800m
and 4:40 for a mile in order to qualify for
states. Additionally, there are freshmen
joining track and field, including Matthew
Ambrosio, Luke Schroeder, and Farhan
Rozaidi, all of whom have great potential.
Hopefully, everyones effort will be shown
during the season and they will be able to
reach state tournaments.

Baseball

Softball

Baseball is one of the sports many students join, enjoy, and play in spring. Owls
baseball is already training and rebuilding
the team to compete against other schools.
Unfortunately, a lot of players graduated
last year, such as pitcher John Buck and
outfielder Nick Baay. Last year, with those
players, the team made to semi finals for
states, which was the highlight of the
season. However, due to the loss, the
team needs to focus on rebuilding during
practices in order to fill the empty spots.
Regardless of the loss, there are many
freshmen coming up as well, and effort
will lead them to win games.

With a rough finish last year in the Blue

Division, the Lady Owls are looking to
come back very strong this year. After
graduating several powerful players last
year, the Owls look to regroup and charge.
DaVanna McCarthy is likely to be the
teams main pitcher this year. Under the
coaching of Lori Szentgyorgyi, the softball
team will do some hard work. Hopefully
they will have something to show for their
effort!
Above (from top to bottom): Senior Daniel Zendejas serves the tennis
ball; Jon Baay, junior, and Aedan Bell, senior, work hard at baseball
practice.

HP Swimming: Updated GMC Results

FINAL RANKINGS

Owen Fessant Eaton - 31st place for the 200 free with time of 2.28.77
48th place for the 100 free with time of 1.07.61
Lucas Irvine - 3rd place for 200 individual medley with time of 2.06.56
1st place for the 100 breast with time of1.02.17
Jake Callahan - 12th place for the200 individual medley with time of 2.29.27
17th place for the 100 back with time of1.03.58
Michael Wang - 18th place for the200 individual medley with time of2.29.90
19th place for the 100 back with time of 1.05.72
PaoloMesde - 8th place for the 50 free with time of .0.23.36
11th place for the 100 free with time of0.53.90
Griffin Wood - 37th place for the 50 free with time of 0.26.46

29th place for the 100 breast with time of 1.19.44

Chris Nolan - 28th place for the 50 free with time of 25.503

12th place for the 100 breast with time of 1.11.93

Thomas Li - 10th place for the 100 fly with time of 1.00.10
11th place for the 100 breast with time of 1.10.76
The Highland Park High School Swimming Team at the GMC Tournament

Tomas Sanchez - 11th place for the100 fly with time of1.00.21
FEBRUARY 2013, THE HIGHLAND FLING

12

SPORTS
PLAYER PROFILES
Name: Anna Minakhina
Grade: 9
Sport: Rock Climbing

Name: Ms. Washington

Grade: Coach
Sport: Tennis, basketball

Grace Chong

Annie McCrone

As devoted readers of The Fling know,

every issue includes a Player Profile of
an outstanding student in a school sport.
What about the individuals who took
their sports past high school? I met up
with Ms. Washington, one of HPHS gym
teachers, to talk about her experience
with high school sports and beyond.
Highland Fling (HF): What sports did
you play in high school?
Ms. Washington (MW): I played field
hockey, basketball, and softball.
Freshman rock climber, Anna Minakhina

Ana Minakhina, a freshman, has been

rock climbing for only two years, yet she
continues to show tremendous progress.
Although HPHS does not have a rock
climbing team, Ana practices with a
team called Garden State Rocks and
participates in competitions.
Highland Fling (HF): How did you
become interested in rock-climbing?
Anna Minakhina (AM): It was my dad
who was interested at first; he climbed
with his peers and would take me out
with him when we went climbing
outdoors. A couple years later I tried out
for a class and I got hooked after that.
HF: How often do you practice a
week?
AM: I practice two hours a day,
twice a week. I also go to an outdoor
climbing camp over the summer in New
Hampshire.
HF: Do you go to competitions? Do
you have a team that you train with?
AM: Im on a team in a gym called
Garden State Rocks. During our
season, there are competitions that go on
every weekend,and people from across
New Jersey compete. I have only been to
one of them in our own gym, and I had a
really cool experience.
HF: Why do you enjoy rock climbing?
AM: Its a self-rewarding sport that
keeps you in good shape. The more you
rock climb the better and stronger you
become. Its really rewarding to see your
progress, and its fun to find out how
to climb the next problem. I mean,
sometimes you work to overcome a
problem for weeks, and then you get it!
HF: What do you think is the most

difficult part of rock climbing? What

challenges are involved in the sport?
AM: Well first off, its really fun, but it
is also pretty dangerous. It takes a lot of
practice and you have to really work on
your balance, strength, and flexibility. Its
also annoying because if you dont climb
for a period of time, its hard to get back
on track. It can take you weeks to work at
a problem, and you can get really tired.
HF: Do you have a specific goal in rock
climbing, like winning a competition?
AM: Rock climbing is more of a selfrewarding sport because you strive to
get better, to go from a vb to v11, or
from a 5.4 to a 5.14c. But for those who
are interested there are competitions
that happen pretty often. It depends on
what type of climbing you like--speed
climbing, bouldering, rope climbing etc...

HF: What sports do you play now?

MW: Softball. I play in two leagues in
the spring and summertime.
HF: Why did you continue this sport?
MW: Its just one of my loves that Ive
always had. Theres so much to it. Its
actually a difficult game to play. People
see it as boring, and its really not.
HF: What is your favorite part of the
game?
MW: Defense. To me, fielding has come
naturally. I always wanted the coach to
throw the ball harder. To me, you

MW: Yeah, it doesnt even have to be

at the college level. Youre keeping that
competitive fire. I would encourage a
lot of people to get involved [in sports];
theres a lot of opportunity for adults to
get involved. If you love something, keep
doing it.
HF: What advice would you give to the
athletes of HPHS?
MW: You really need to push yourself
and take advantage of these four years;
they go by quickly. I encourage people to
play multiple sports. To me, you can use
the summer to practice your main sport.
Ms. Washington encourages people
of all ages to participate in sports, and
stresses their importance in high school.
While it may seem obvious that a gym
teacher would advocate sports, Ms.
Washington really shows us why staying
active is so important. As the coach of
high school girls tennis and basketball,
and an active player in the HP sports
community, her experience also shows
how you can continue playing after high
school and keep doing what you love.

should always be able to play good, hard

defense.
HF: Do you think its important to
continue sports after high school?

HF: Brag about yourself: did you win

any awards or competitions in the
past?
AM: Ive only been climbing for
about 2 years, and Ive only been
to one competition. I did get first in
the intermediate bouldering section.
Although it wasnt a very large section I
still got some really cool prizes. I am also
pretty proud of my own progress. I went
from a v2 to a v7 in bouldering and a 5.8
to 5.11.
HF: How do you motivate yourself in
rock climbing?
AM: Well I mostly boulder, which means
you climb short heights without a rope,
and there is only a mat to protect me
from falling. In bouldering, it can take
weeks or even months to get a problem
andwhen you solve it, you become really
happy. This whole process just motivates
me. Its so much fun to figure out a
problem in rock climbing.

Editors

Chief: Charlotte Finegold

Online: Xuewei Ouyang
News: Oscar Lee
Feature: Amy Wang
Opinion: Maddie Hehir
Sports: Sylvia Marks
A&E: Elena Weissmann
Layout: Stefana Voicu
Advisor
Brett Roche
Photographers
Zoe Temple, Jacob Choi, Miranda Safir,
Tia Wangli, Amita Shukla,
Adrian Gillerman
THE HIGHLAND FLING, FEBRUARY 2013

The Highland Fling

Staff

Coach Washington showing off her juggling skills.

Writers
Sarah Cheng, Boning Zhao, Shuhong
Chen, Olivia Draper, Yang Xu, Grace
Chong, Gregory Burdea, Tia Wangli,
Amita Shukla, Andrea Boffice,
Eli Liebell-McLean, Jana Choi,
Shana Oshinskie, Jake Callahan,
Maverick Lin, Zoe Temple,
John Yang, Annie McCrone

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Contact thehighlandfling@gmail.com

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