INSIDE THIS ISSUE

5100 Jog Road, Boca Raton, FL 33496 Issue 4 Volume 25 February 2009

Inauguration trip stirs patriotism among students

Alumnus to head federal bailout plan

In the School District of Palm Beach County and all around the country, public school systems are being asked to do more with less. As a direct result of the 2009 budget cuts, a hiring freeze is in effect for the school district. Qualifi ed applicants are not able to teach, existing teachers are taking on additional classes and students are receiving instruction from teachers who might not be specialized in a subject. “The School District’s hiring freeze is a necessary step toward the current and impending budget cuts which the state of Florida is experiencing,” Superintendent Dr. Art Johnson, who issued the hiring freeze in December, said. The hiring freeze affects teachers and students alike. According to principal Dr. Susan Atherley, it has negatively affected everyone, but it will hit the students the worst because it is their generation who will have to turn this crisis around.

“It’s a mindset,” Atherley said. “We have to learn to function with the means we have.” As a result of the school district’s hir-ing freeze, Spanish River must adjust and function with its current instructional staff.

Since replacement teachers are not an op-tion and substitutes are not equipped to teach classes for a whole semester, teach-ers such as Kevin Turner, Dennis Horal and Kimberly Green are teaching extra classes. They are giving up planning peri-ods for their own classes in order to plan and teach additional courses. “This also affects the students because it takes longer to grade work,” sophomore

Tori Chaiklin said. Many agree that it is not only the teachers who will have to work harder due to the hiring freeze and budget cuts. “Students will have to realize that they are part of this process for the next few years,” English teacher Horal said. “Ac-cordingly, they must accept this chal-lenge by achieving at the highest level.” Adjusting to the changes caused by limited funding and the hiring freeze will take hard work, according to Horal. “It is the same class, just with different teachers, so everyone will still try their hardest,” Chaiklin said. When the hiring freeze will end and what will happen next is not known. In the spring, after the Florida Comprehen-sive Assessment Test, a new budget will be written which will determine wheth-er the hiring freeze remains in effect. Atherley said it is useful to function with less money and be less wasteful, “but it’s hard to learn.”

Hiring freeze negatively impacts teachers, students

By RENEE SEIGELSTAFF REPORTER

By NICOLE GRANETSTAFF REPORTER

By NATALIE DEUTSCHNEWS EDITOR

* Inauguration continued on page 3

Neil Barofsky, 38, was appointed by former President George W. Bush as the Special Treasury Department Inspector General of the Troubled Asset Relief Pro-gram (TARP) in Washington D.C. on De-cember 8, 2008. Barofsky is in charge of monitoring the $700 billion that is part of the bailout plan. His job is to oversee audits and investigations to keep tabs on where this bailout money is going. Before Barofsky was the assistant U.S. District Attorney of New York City’s Southern District, he was a Spanish River Shark. “Spanish River really gave me a good start. I came to River in my junior year [af-ter moving], and right away it was a great experience with great classes and teach-ers that gave me a good base of economic problems which prepared me for my cur-rent job,” he said. Barofsky graduated in 1988, where he

ranked in the top ten, won the Math-ematics Pathfi nder and was member of the ACE Team. He was well regarded by students and teach-ers alike. “Neil was in my pre-calculus class when it consisted of a small group of high performing students,” pre-cal-culus teacher Terry

Scharnweber said. “All the kids in that class were very smart, but he stood out as one of the top of this group. He was one of those kids who always wanted to know beyond just the simple problem.” Since his time at Spanish River, Barof-sky said he has enjoyed success as a lead-ing attorney. He took down fi fty nortorious Colombian guerillas that ran a large illegal drug traffi cking operation and caught a Hong Kong resident facing passport fraud charges trying to fake his own death after the 9/11 attacks. One of Barofsky’s more recent prosecutions involved sending Re-fco Inc. President Phillip Bennet to jail for accounting-fraud. Principal Dr. Atherley is proud of the mark Spanish River students are making in the world. “[Having such a prominent job in the US government] speaks volumes about the education [Barofsky] received at Spanish River, to go about and become so successful,” Principal Dr. Atherly said. “It is always exciting to hear about former sharks in the public service to help restore America.”

Nicole Granet can be contacted at Nicoleggalleon@gmail.com

Renee Siegel can be contacted at Reneesgalleon@gmail.com

The inauguration of the fi rst African-American President is said to have been one of the most historic events in our lifetime. Eight Spanish River students witnessed the event when they traveled to Washington D.C. to watch President Barack Obama take the oath of offi ce as the 44th president of the United States on January 20. It was a once in a lifetime experience,”

senior Samantha Cheslow said. Spanish River students left for Washing-ton D.C. on Sunday morning and returned home on Wednesday night. The eight students from Spanish River combined with Anoka High School in Minnesota and Glendale High School in Missouri totaled 50 students. “Being in the crowd the moment that Obama took the oath was amazing- people around me were crying, waving fl ags. It was just surreal,” junior Fawaz Shihadeh said. The students said they had various

reasons for attending. For some, it was because it was the election of the fi rst African American to the nation’s highest offi ce. For others, it was because of the importance of the youth vote in electing this particular president. Still others went to personally salute “change.” “This inauguration was historical on two levels,” chaperone and government teacher Matt Marks said. “One, it was a presidential inauguration- historical in itself- and two, America elected its fi rst African American president.”

Spectators watch the inaugurtion of President Barack Obama on January 20, 2009 on the lawn of the Capitol building and surrounding areas. This inauguration attracted over four million people in the bitter cold to watch this historic event. Social studies teachers Matt Marks andPaulette Riedel chaperoned eight Spanish River students to Washington, D.C.

Photo courtesy of Fawaz Shihadeh

”The School District’s hiring

freeze is is a necessary step to-ward the current and impend-

ing budget cuts.“- Superintendent Dr. Art Johnson

Photo courtesy of Time

Neil Barofsky will moni-tor the bailout for 2009.

GRAFFITI AS AN ART FORMMeet two graffi ti artists who express them-selves through the controversial medium.ENTERTAINMENT 14

LIFE IN THE MIDDLE EASTRead two personal accounts of Israeli and

Palestinian students.STUDENT LIFE 17

HAVE YOU FOUND A PROM DATE YET?Emily Yin hasn’t, but read her views about the type of date she wants to have for the momentous occasion!OPINION 5

NEWS 1, 3 OPINION 4, 5, 6, 7 FEATURES 9, 11 FEATURE FOCUS 12, 13 ENTERTAINMENT 14, 15, 16 SPORTS 22, 23, 24STUDENT LIFE 17, 18, 20

FOR IN-DEPTH STORIES, BLOGS, VIDEOS AND MORE, VISIT WWW.GALLEONNEWS.COM

advertisementsFebruary 2009the Galleon 2

NEWS 3

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

NEWSPAPERKatiana KrawchenkoNadine Zylberberg

WEBSITEEmily Yin

ASSOCIATE EDITORJessica Stallone

The Galleon 2008-2009

The Galleon is a member of Quill and Scroll Honorary Society for High School Journalists, Florida Scholastic Press Association, Columbia Scholastic Press Association, Southern Interscholastic Press Association, National Scholastic Press Association.

STAFF REPORTERSSid BajracharyaCarly Coleman

Lindsey GoldNicole GranetRenee Siegel

Tamarah StraussJason Weltman

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITORS

Jason GrobsteinAlison Sikes

ADVISER Suzanne Sanders

The Galleon is a public forum.Principal Dr. Susan Atherley

ART EDITORCarly Coleman

FEATURES EDITORSJennifer Lieberman

Eliana Newman

FEATURE FOCUS EDITORSAlban HarrisonElizabeth Moses

NEWS EDITORSNatalie Deutsch

Samantha Shavell

SPORTS EDITORSDavid Estrin

Haley Feigenheimer

PHOTOGRAPHY EDITORS Skylar Klager

Alix Luntz

Video conference fosters stu-dent global warming debate

Over four million people were at the site when Barack Obama took the oath and still others lined the path he would take to arrive at his new home, the White House. “[The inauguration] was very excit-ing. The energy of the crowd was un-believable,” chaperone and social stud-ies teacher Paulette Riedel said. Students remaining at school viewed the event either in their classrooms or in the theater streaming from C-Span. Select teachers were asked to bring their students to the media center to watch the historic event on two 105 inch televisions courtesy of AVR De-pot.

Palm Beach County Superintendent Dr. Art Johnson strongly encouraged all principals of schools in the district to allow their students to watch the ceremony, but did not cancel school. “Education must go on,” Johnson said. School offi cials did, however, change the bell schedule to ensure that the majority of students were able to see Barack Obama sworn in. Voting results refl ected the sig-nifi cance of the youth vote in electing Barack Obama. It is no wonder, then, that stu-dents traveled to Washington D.C. to continue their support after the elec-tion. It was a once in a lifetime event and an experience that made all Span-ish River students a part of history.

Natalie Deutsch can be contacted atNataliedgalleon@gmail.com

Good Luck on FCAT Reading, Math and Science

March 10- 12

Congratulations to Ms. Horniker and the Creative Writing students.

Pieces of Eight placed 6th out of 489 in the National Council for

Teachers of English Competition

Congratulations, Vocal Solo and Ensemble Winners

-Jordan Sandberg and Mallory Provan- Excellent for Duet

-Alexis Fleishner, Destiny Grimm and Andrea Mansourian- Excellent for Trio -Destiny Grimm- Superior for Solo Good Luck DECA at

states.

”“It was very exciting.

The energy of the crowd was unbelievable.”

-Chaperone Paulette Riedel

“The energy of the crowd “The energy of the crowd

Congratulations Ross Pugatch and Nikki Howard-Bloom for winning Mr. and Ms. Shark.

February 2009The Galleon

Inaugura-tion sparks patriotism

The new Distance Learning Center (DLC) hosted the fi rst virtual con-ference on global warming with four schools from Canada and one from Alaska. AP Environmental teacher Ni-cole Cangelosi’s class participate in this innovative endeavor. The purpose of the conference was to communicate with students from around the world and draw comparisons from beliefs about certain enviromental issues. “It was the fi rst time students at River could communicate with other parts of the world,” senior Keith Chambers said, adding that it was an enriching experience. Students at each school pre-pared an introduction about their schools and what classes and ac-tivities are offered there. Later, they divided into smaller groups of three schools to discuss certain questions and issues. “We were just throwing ideas out there and we learned a lot about the dif-ference between the natural resources here and the natural resource there,” Cangelosi said. “We learned that they do not have tidal power like we do.”

Most participants found the virtual conferencing very benefi cial. Although the classes had discussed the issue al-ready, they said, putting it in a global perspective brought new light to it. “The virtual conference was an amaz-ing experience,” junior Blair Cohen said. “Since it was the fi rst one at Span-ish River, we all learned a lot about the climate in Canada and Alaska. I would defi nitely do it again”

Some students felt that there were some glitches. “I thought it was cool,” junior Ju-lia Berger said. “But we need more practice. We had some malfunctions throughout the conference.”

Although there were malfunctions, Cangelosi deemed the fi rst virtual con-ference a “great success.” The overall consensus according to Cangelosi was that most students enjoyed the confer-ence. She signed her students up for an-other conference later in the year. They will discuss water quality and global is-sues pertaining to water conservation. Biotechnology classes will participate virtual conference as well.

Many students did not attend the virtual conference but heard about it and thought it seemed in-teresting. “I believe that the DLC con-tributes to the state- of- the- art quality of the Biotech building and that it’s a contribution to the entire science department,” junior Jesse Salomon said. “It helped en-vironmental science. Now maybe physics classes can talk to a rocket scientist, or Anatomy students could watch real surgeries.” Spanish River’s new technology which is helping studentss con-nect with external scholars and

resources.

By SAMANTHA SHAVELLNEWS EDITOR

*continued from page 1

Samantha Shavell can be contacted at Samanthasgalleon@gmail.com

How do you feel about the increase in technology at Spanish River?Voices in the Crowd

“I don’t feel that it is doing enough. It’s not sufficient.”-Dimitre Ganev, 11

“I feel more actively engaged in what I’m learning.”

-Larissa Gryschuk, 10

Shark News

STUDENT LIFE EDITORSKatyayani JhaveriHillary Langsam

Photo by Nadine ZylberbergAP Enviromental students listen intently to students from other countries share their views about global warming,

“For some teachers it’s useless because they don’t use it, for

other classes it helps.”-Darnell Boursiquot, 12

Good Luck DECA at states.

Congratulations Ross Pugatch and Nikki Howard-Bloom for winning Mr. and Ms. Shark.

Shark News

OPINIONSFebruary 2009The Galleon4

By KATIANA KRAWCHENKOEDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Katiana Krawchenko can be contacted at Katianakrgalleon@gmail.com

Budget cuts hinder quality of education

7:28 start time skews teens’ sleep cycles

At 5:45 each weekday morning, I’m supposed to wake up to my phone alarm: a loud excerpt of the ‘80s hit, “Love Shack.” Subconsciously, my arm swings over my body to whack the snooze button, and my mom comes in 15 minutes later to nudge me awake. This is when my mouth starts talking without my awakened brain to help: “Yes…I’lll..be..there…in..a..minute..” Am I “there” for breakfast in one minute, even ten? Nope. Into the shower I go 15 minutes before I have to leave the house, scrambling around and driving my parents insane with my “last minute shenanigans” that they constantly complain about. Teenagers across the county share this common morning drama due to one tiny set of numbers: 7:28 AM, the time the School District of Palm Beach County has decided to start the public school day in high schools. To avoid household battles at the crack of dawn, as well as countless other calamities throughout the day, the school district should change the start time from 7:28 to 8:30, and end the school day at 3:30 PM, similar to many other schools in the nation. Proponents of the current schedule, particularly our athletes, argue that if a new schedule were

implemented, they wouldn’t get home until very late at night. Others might also be concerned about busing schedules, after-school care and medical appointments. One must also admit that the Starbucks on Jog Road might also rake in less cash if the girls of Spanish River (and some boys) didn’t fl ock into the shop half-comatose at 7 in the morning. The truth is, however, this lack of sleep has severely detrimental effects on the developing teenage body and performance in school. The N a t i o n a l S l e e p Foundation says that from the early stages of puberty until the late teen years, adolescents’ brains secrete the chemical melatonin, which is responsible for sleepiness. This puts us into a natural sleep cylce from 11 PM to 8 AM. We can’t possibly function to our best ability when our bodies are still in a natural sleep cycle at 7:30 in the morning and an overwhelming drive to sleep eclipses the alertness and cognitive stability we need in the classroom.

The change would benefi t schools countywide. Studies show that sleep-deprived teens are shown to be more likely to experience symptoms such as depression, diffi culty relating to peers and parents and are more likely to use alcohol and other drugs. If that weren’t enough to convince the county to change its policy, the research has already been completed. In 1996, the Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement (CAREI) had the Edina County School District in Minnesota changed their public school start time from 7:15 to 8:30. The College of Education and Human Development says that parents were concerned about the effect of later starts on such logistical issues as busing, athletics and child care for younger students. But at the end of the fi rst year of implementation, 92 percent of respondents to a survey for Edina High School parents indicated that they preferred the later start times. There was a signifi cant reduction in school dropout rates, less depression and students reported earning higher grades. The administration should stop complaining about the high number of disciplinary reports fi led each week Perhaps we’d cut down on the use of our Opportunity Room, where badly-behaved students report for in-school suspension. Instead they should reform our schedule: a proposition worth sleeping on.

It is quite clear that the economy has hit near-ly every aspect of our lives. From limited family vacation time to the heavy burden of college expenses already making our parents nervous, we are in a crisis, and have been, no matter how long politicians had refused to say the “R-Word.” Besides household expenditures and personal fi nances, what often goes unnoticed by many stu-dents is the fact that we are being severely affected every day in school because of severe budget cuts implemented by the school district. As we’ve men-tioned in previous articles, classes have been cut, teacher layoffs are looming and Dr. Johnson has declined to join schools superintendents from Mi-ami-Dade dn Broward counties who are seeking a federal bailout. Money is limited, so of course we have had to cut back on spend- ing in the county. But we at The G a l l e o n fi nd it quite intriguing that the walls of the cafeteria have been splashed with a fresh coat of blue paint; Suite A and the Guidance Counselors’ offi ce have also been refurbished; oh, and there were arguably unneces-sary technological updates whose purposes bewilder teachers and students alike. Meanwhile, as Nicole Granet has covered on page 1, we are experiencing a teacher hiring freeze. This means that enthusiastic teachers who are passionate about their subjects, are not allowed to be hired simply because we are tight on money. We are simultaneously losing teachers and not replacing them, thus burdening current faculty members with more classes. Let’s cut back on mainentance for now and reallocate the money where it is most necessary. We wouldn’t cut back as much on necessary items such as groceries, so why must we turn away very qualifi ed and much-needed new teachers?

We surveyed 160 Spanish River students about Valentine’s Day. Here’s what you had to say:

We surveyed 160 Spanish River students about Valentine’s

What are you going to do on Valentine’s Day?

Hanging out with friends

Staying in with signifi cant other

Being alone

Going out with signifi cant other

66%

16%

13%5%

47% of students believe in love in high school.

What are you going to do on Valentine’s Day?

434343

69%33%

of students have had secret admirers but only

have been secret admirers themselves.

Valentine’s Day Survey

Percentage of students who will have a sweetheart this Valentine’s Day

31%of students prefer chocolate for Valentine’s Day while

26% prefer fl owers

Quote of the Month

“ ”If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.

-Milton Berle

Our View

Photos courtesy of Google Images

OPINIONS 5February 2009The Galleon

Name: Emily YinAge: 17Location: Boca Raton, FLLikes: Candlelit dinners, long walks on the beachDislikes: Being lonely, guys with girlfriendsLooking for: A prom date

Hello, single males out there! Are you breathing? Can you walk? Smile for a couple pictures? It’s per-fectly alright if you are lacking in the critical reading or mathematics areas, and for all intents and pur-poses, speech abilities are not even required – I will accept any written or typed invitation to prom. Senior prom: it’s the one night of high school that every girl dreams about – or, in some unfortunate cases, dreads. The arduous search for the perfect dress, the stress of organizing limos and the fi asco of doing your hair, make-up and nails: you would think this alone would quash girls’ prom fantasies. But not I! I’m not picky about dresses, I won’t be doing any organizing and I’ll leave it to the salon pros to get me ready for the big night. It’s the pictures with the prom dates. Those mem-ories that you’ll pass on to your children and grandchildren, who will groan when you recall for the umpteenth time, “When I was your age and go-ing to the prom, my date was Bobby Smith! He was on the Var-sity football team, you know. Now he was a catch, that Bobby Smith.” Maybe I’m planning a little far in advance, but I would love to be that grandma. However, as of right now, I can’t foresee being her, due to an issue that causes me to wake up with cold sweats several times in the night… I don’t have a date to the prom. It’s a night that you’ll forget about anyway, they’ll say; a lot of people don’t bring dates. Right. That’s what they all say – until I arrive at prom and realize

I’m the only lone freak. Maybe I can save myself a few embarrassing moments, jeers and glares if I make fre-quent trips to hide in the restroom. I could try to stand next to other girls’ dates; in that case, at least it would give bystanders a 50-50 chance of guessing which girl is the true dateless outcast. Perhaps if I wear an eccentric dress, its strangeness might distract my peers from the fact that I came with-out a date. And I can only hope that some of the teach-er chaperones will leave their signifi cant others at home to make my own solitude less conspicuous… although I can’t say that fi tting in with high school teachers is an ideal goal for prom. In truth, I’m not sure what it is about not having a prom date that bothers me. Maybe it’s simply the expectation of having a date to the prom, which has been talked up to be the most glorious night of my high school career – if only loneliness were glamorous. Or it could be that I have seen too many Disney movies; from Cinderella to Belle, every girl with a date and a dance seems to have a magnifi cent happy ending. I’ll overlook the fact that dancing with a Beast might not be most de-sirable. But hey, I’m not asking for a Prince Charming. Just a prom date. Yet after a long and hard contemplation of the situ-ation, I concede: going to prom alone might not be so horrendous. In fact, I wouldn’t even be going alone;

I would have my best friends right by my side. More-over, I would be far from the only person without a date. I could min-gle with the other singles, and we might even bond over our single-ness. And I would probably have more fun anyway if I weren’t tied down to a date all

night. Now that I think about it, going to prom without a date actually sounds pretty enticing! Not.* * Disclaimer: this is entirely facetious!**** But dateless boys, my email is here. I’m just saying…

BY EMILY YINWEBSITE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Life goals: Get a quality education, main-tain a social life, fi nd a satisfying career path, get married, raise a family. Life fulfi lled. Until last week, I have revolved my life, well, around me. Yes, it sounds selfi sh, but I can guarantee I am not the only one. I think I can safely say that many of you share, if not slightly varied, the same life goals as me. I have gone to “Save Darfur” rallies, I have attended events supporting displaced refugees in the Middle East, I have devoted hours to raising awareness against discrimination in Buenos Aires and I have supported other similar causes. However, my life goals have remained the same: education + friends + job + family = happiness. And then, with no intention of getting out of bed with a 101.3 degree fever, I was invited to see Elie Wiesel speak, and I grudgingly (with a little persuation and a lot of Motrin) went. Wiesel, a Holocaust survivor, is one of the most recognized fi gures in the world. He has written over 40 novels, one of which, Night, has been translated into 30 languages. He has spoken in countless countries, his foundation impacts thousands of lives and he won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986. He is more famous and has garnered more inter-national acclaim than Angelina Jolie, yet it wasn’t his “celebrity” status that amazed me. It was seeing the embodiment of perseverance and overwhelming kind-ness in a single person. What hit me the most was when he said that his pain can be resolved, that it is no one else’s problem, that he can “write books or study

Wanted: man with a pulse

Thirty minutes that changed my lifeBY NADINE ZYLBERBERG

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Dog Lovers Anonymous

BY JESSICA STALLONEASSOCIATE EDITOR

Hi, my name is Jessica Stallone, and I love my dogs.

Okay, maybe my affection goes a bit farther than that. I L-O-V-E my dogs. I am like one of those really annoying parent who are always talking about their cute kids and the adorable things they do-- but with my dogs. I just think that they are the cutest, most lovable furry creatures on the planet. And I tell everyone about it- and you, the loyal Galleon readers, are no exception. For all of you fellow members of Dog Lovers Anonymous (DLA), you know that it is not a myth-- dogs have personalities and feelings and no matter what the haters say, they DO understand everything we say to them. My older dog, Sophie, is a Yorkiepoo (we think). Originally rescued from a puppy-mill, we adopted her four years ago from the Tri-County Humane Society when she was 11 months. And although she has never exceeded the 4 lbs. arena, she is defi nitely the queen of the house. She always sleeps in the bed, hoards all the toys (mostly to irritate the other dog) and, to put it plainly, is never denied ANYTHING. She’ll jump up and push you if she wants attention, will turn around to make it easier for you to pick her up and even does little 360 spins when she’s excited. SO CUTE! Maggie, on the other hand, is the goof-ball. Relatively mellow for a Wheaten (a typically hyper breed), she provides the puppy-comic relief. We adopted her when she was just 13 weeks from a shelter. A year and a half later and 35 lbs. bigger, she looks like she could eat little Sophie for breakfast. Because her paws are too big for her skinny legs, she is constantly slipping and sliding all over the house. Oh, and did I mention that she thinks she’s a human? Yes, Maggie is convinced that she is not a dog and insists on proving her human status to us. She goes to the bathroom IN the bathroom, thinks she should have a seat at the dinner table and sits on the couch with her head on the pillow. One time she even... well that’s another story for another day. But I think it goes without saying that Maggie is too cute for words. Anyone who knows me knows that I brag about my dogs incessantly. Bill Cosby had Kids Say the Darndest Things. My life is one long marathon of My Dogs Do the Cutest Things. While, any dog person will tell you that it is normal to love your dogs like a part of your family, I am pretty sure that those of us who are frequent members of the DLA take it to the next level. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t throw Maggie a 50-guest fi rst birthday party and I don’t cart Sophie around in a stroller, but I have documented almost every moment of my puppies’ lives from the day we adopted them, and jump at any opportunity to whip out my phone and show pictures of my dogs doing whatever ridiculously funny or cute thing they did that day. My parents are always teasing me that I am going to grow up and be like those crazy cat ladies who just has dozens of cats running around and talks to them all day long- but with my dogs. Yes, I’ll admit that when I get home from school I say hello to them fi rst and for equal amounts of time so that they don’t get jealous of each other (yes that actually happens to dogs), ask them if they had a good day (no I’m not crazy enough that I expect them to or actually hear them answer back) and am taking care of, petting or playing with them for the rest of the evening. Maybe I’m crazy, maybe I need to go to dog-owner rehab. But I just love my dogs.

If your are interested in adopting a dog please contact the Tri-County Humane Society at 561-482-8110.

Photo courtesy of ElieWieselFoundation.org

Jessica Stallone can be contacted atJessicasgalleon@gmail.com

philosophy” to mitigate his suffering. However, he said, it was the pain of others that he could not bear and that kept him up at night. After everything this man has been through, every-thing he has suffered, everyone he has lost, all he strives for is to help other people. I am a high school student. My biggest fear is fl y-ing and my biggest worry is whether or not my prom plans will follow through. I have undoubtedly never experienced anything close to what he has endured. I have never had to overcome extreme and inhumane circumstances. And yet, my life plan does not seem to measure up to that of a man that came from the barracks of Auschwitz with less than nothing to his name.

As teenagers, he said, we have a much larger impact than we think: “Read, read, read. Be educated and stand up for what you believe in.” We can all make a difference, as cliche as it sounds. Read a news source, hear what people have to say, see what is going on around you and speak up. Prove the stereotype of today’s teen generation false. Prove that we are not apathetic nor self-centered nor uninvolved. The days following Wiesel’s speech, I told my parents, my brothers and every-

one I knew that this had changed me, that his words had inspired me more than those of anyone else. But they didn’t believe me. How could a single event change my entire perception of life? How could a single person infl uence my values and priorities so much? Well someone can, and Elie Wiesel did. And so, I reevaluated. Life goals: Give someone a home, make someone smile, inform the uninformed, make a sacrifi ce for someone else. Perhaps then I can say my life is fulfi lled.

Nadine Zylberberg can be contacted atNadinezgalleon@gmail.com

As teenagers, he said, we have a much larger impact than we think: “Read, read, read. Be educated and stand up for what you believe in.” We can all make a difference, as cliche as it sounds. Read a news source, hear what people have to say, see what is going on around you and speak up. Prove the stereotype of today’s teen generation false. Prove that we are not apathetic nor self-centered nor uninvolved. The days following Wiesel’s speech, I told my parents, my brothers and every-

one I knew that this had changed me, that his words had

Photo by Alban Harrison

Emily Yin can be contacted atEmilyygalleon@gmail.com

OPINION6 February 2009The Galleon

FACE OFFHear what students have to say as they go head to head.

This issue’s topic:

By JACQUELINE BAXTERSOPHOMORE

By KELLY COXSENIOR

Should we be using real animals for dissection in a high school classroom?

art by carly coleman

To all the PETA extremists out there- I can personally verify that our resident anatomy and biology teachers do not roam the streets in their spare time and brutally murder kittens and then preserve them in toxic chemicals for their own cruel personal enjoyment. They do not aim to poison students nor traumatize them with vivisection (the killing of live animals for dissection). Here at Spanish River, we support, rather unanimously in the science department, the use of dissection for strictly educational purposes.

Now, please keep in mind, I am an animal lover through and through, and I would never maliciously harm an animal. I mean, seriously, I am majoring in zoology with an emphasis in pre-veterinary science so that I can become a wildlife veterinarian for nondomestic animals. Devoting my life to helping animals—I think that’s sufficiently legitimate in reinforcing my position on animals. Yet, out of this declaration resides a question for all of you animal rights activists out there- would you want me operating on an animal of any type, from endangered Panda Bears to your very own Pomeranian- Tinker Bell, if I had not ever personally dissected an animal before? What if I am to perform life-saving stomach surgery on one of the few Florida Panthers remaining- but have never seen a Panther stomach or an animal stomach of any kind for that matter except for on a computer screen? Would you trust me to do the surgery? I didn’t think so. What I’m trying to arrive at is that dissections are an essential part of the scientific learning process. This tactile experience requires students to follow explicit directions during the dissection, to harness acute observation skills, and to develop the fine motor skills that dissection demands. all of which are skills that directly correlate with the collegiate learning experience in various areas, not just science. It is evident that pictures in textbooks and online versions cannot replace the hands on experience that dissection brings.

The last point to be addressed is the ethical dilemma of dissection. Some may say that dissection promotes the disposability of life and may even help to create blood thirsty killers in the children of tomorrow. Logistically, what better way to gain respect for life than to understand it? Dissection allows us to better understand the functioning of life and appreciate its true importance. If you feel that dissection is inhumane, then maybe its time to break free of the binds that PETA has placed upon you, and do some research. The Humane Society actually condones the use of humanely euthanized cats for dissection purposes so long as they come from an ethically sound source. Regardless, Florida does allow a student the right to choose alternatives to dissection without being penalized, but if you think about it, what are you sacrificing? Your own education? Will you really achieve the same experience?

Ultimately, it comes down to a controversial debate- to dissect or not to dissect, that is the question. And since I eagerly choose the dissecting option, at least I will be qualified to save the lives of animals in the future- instead of just talking about it.

Animal testing is a controversial topic. Some people debate that it is practice which helps scientists find a cure for certain diseases or problems. These individuals believe it is worth the negativity that ensues. On the other hand, some view the downside as a horrid aspect of scientific practice. They argue that other practices could eliminate the downside and still have the same effect. In our opinion, we agree that there are better testing subjects than animals. The aforementioned downside refers to the treatment of animals in animal testing.

The results of animal testing are disturbingly alarming: thirty nine percent of animals in tested in studies suffer pain. In the United States every year, approximately 70 million

animals are maimed, force fed chemicals, scalded, blinded,

genetically manipulated, and otherwise hurt and killed

in the scientific animal testing. Everyday items that we use daily including eye shadow, oven cleaner, soap, and

fingernail polish must be tested on rabbits, rats,

guinea pigs, dogs, cats, and other animals. These tests are used to test the degree of harmfulness of the products and their ingredients. In these tests, the truth is that no antidotes are ever sought, so these tests are not able to be used to prevent or treat potential human injuries. These tests are not mandated by law. In fact they are only used to prevent consumer lawsuits.

Other tests such as chemical assay tests, tissue culture systems, cell and organ cultures, cloned human skin cells, human skin patches, and computer and mathematical models exist as alternatives to animal testing. These tests are proven less expensive and more reliable. What we do not understand is while it has been proven that these tests are less expensive, in addition to being more reliable, we still resort to something as dangerous and morally wrong as animal testing. It is illogical to select the reckless, more expensive, and risky option. We wonder if the community majority is aware of the information that shows the cruelty inflicted on animals for a reward of a higher quality nail polish.

We believe that we can all agree that such an unimportant issue will be justified the same way if using another method. Our privileges as the dominant species are not cruel and harmful to the other animals that we share this world with. As high school students we can not help but wonder why, when a company takes such a dangerous shortcut which benefits no one, it is not changed immediately and is supported by so many. Our question is why… why is such an unnecessary and, in our opinion, cruel practice supported, performed, and in opinion of others “worth the downside?”

AMANDA MEYERSFRESHMANand

EDITORIALS 4 December 2008The Galleon

Jessica Stallone can be contacted atJessicasgalleon@gmail.com

Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted.

- Randy Pausch

SHARK ATTACK 7February 2009The Galleon

THUMBS DOWN

THUMBS UP

Awards season

S H A R K Soutof

RETAW

Letters to the Editor

Many view the “day of love” as a time for giving and receiving candy-grams, roses and chocolates and spending time with their loved ones. Others might just see it as “Single Awareness Day” and stare longingly at the couples around school. Some even see Valentine’s Day as an opportunity to save a life, as is the case with “Love is the Movement,” a campaign that seeks to aid drug abusers (See Katyayani Jhaveri’s article on page 17).We’ve covered all aspects of the holiday this issue, from the consequences of abusive relationships (Jennifer Lieberman, page 11) to the joys of being single (Sid Bajracharya, page 13).

Galleon applicants

Fewer than 90 days left for seniors

Michael Phelps’s drug incident

Unemployment

Seniors Samantha Cheslow, Frannie Watt, Blake Krause and Zack Walin bear the cold as they witness the inauguration of Barack Obama.

Jessica Stallone’s story on student-teacher relationships had a very good

point. Many of us cross the line with our teachers every day, without even

realizing it. Also, most of us do not want to gossip about our friends with our

teachers. It’s weird and unprofessional. Your story made a very good point.

Madison AltmanFreshman

Before reading the article by Alison Sikes about PostSecret.com, I had never even visited nor heard of the site. I was curious as to what it was really about so I checked it out the other day and now

I’m hooked. I planned on looking at a couple of postcards but I spent an hour fl ipping through them.

Maybe my secret will end up there some day, but I’m sure you’ll never fi nd out if

it’s mine.

Langerado cancellation

Carolina CuomoSophomore

Senior Kelly Will and junior Paige Bell are all

smiles after the 5k Susan G. Komen Race for

the Cure in West Palm Beach.

Photo courtesy of Zoe Steinberg

Photo courtesy of Samantha Cheslow

Photo courtesy of Jillian Mon

I found Jason Grobstein’s article on the advertisement controversy of Channel One interesting because we watch it every morning. I believe that Channel One is not as focused on its commer-cial function as it is on its journalistic

function. They advertise in order to pay for their bills, not to “brainwash” teens. It is one of my primary sources of news and I enjoy watching it every morning.

Max MorgensternSophomore

Advertise with the Galleon!

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As always, thank you for your feedback from last issue! We hope to see more of your comments, questions or suggestions coming in. Send us an e-mail or drop a letter off in Room 8217. While you’re there, pick up an application to join our 2009-2010 staff! They are due Friday, February 13. Happy Valentine’s Day!

From the Editors’ Desk...

Sophomore Parker Ramsay strums his

guitar between classes in a crowded hall.

Photo by Alban Harrison

Junior Katelyn Kennedy practices spinning at the Winter Guard Competition on Jan. 31.

galleonnews.com

Advertisements 8 February 2009the Galleon

FEATURES 9

There is a disease spreading rampantly amongst the Spanish River student body. No student, regardless of class rank and year, is safe from infection. Parents and teachers alike are becoming increasingly concerned with this epidemic. So far, doctors have been unable to determine the source of the virus but have discovered that contraction occurs only through conversations. The only known symptom of the disease is excessive use of the word “like.” I, like everyone else, am a victim of this like awful disease. I am beginning to worry that it is like affecting everything I do. I, like, cannot have a normal conversation without, like, saying like. Using “like” has become second nature to me and like it is becoming like extremely diffi cult to not use like because it like fi lls the gaps for other words and like when I think about not saying like, I like say it more often. This like has to stop. The excessive and unnecessary usage of “like” in the teenage vernacular will be the downfall of our generation. Yes, that is an exaggerated statement,

almost as ridiculous as the number of likes in the previous paragraph, but nevertheless we need to make a conscious effort to omit this word from our lexicon. I never realized how much of a problem this was until last year when I came across a television show called The Joys of Lex, a show that discusses the origins of colloquialisms, slang and accents and their effect

on the people speaking them. In the one particular episode I saw, discussion focused on California’s San Fernando Valley and its dialect known as ValSpeak. Popularized by movies Valley Girl and Clueless, ValSpeak is characterized by fad expressions, such as the once-trendy “Whatever,” and unnecessary usage of “like”. Parents expressed great anxiety over how the speech is stereotyping and hurting their children’s futures! The episode then showed two “Valley Girls”

“LIKE”likelike like

likelikelike

like

in a college interview and what I witnessed will haunt me for the rest of my life. As the interviewer asked the girls relatively easy questions, the girls’ responses became more and more unbearable to listen to. “I, like, want to be an astrophysicist because I like to explore the physical properties of, like, stars and nebulas.” “In my spare time, I, like, to help like the homeless, cure cancer and like other diseases, and save, like, kittens from, like, trees.” It did not matter how intelligent or benevolent the girls were, they were not getting into college. I do not know if the makers of The Joys of Lexwere trying to scare their viewers from ever saying the word “like” again but that is what happened to me. I wholeheartedly believed that I would not get into college if I continued talking as if I lived in the Valley. I have since made it my crusade to stop using like altogether. While I have not completely removed the word from my vocabulary- try writing a simile without “like”- my efforts have paid off. I have had my fair share of successful college interviews in which I did not say “like” at all. And though I am one of the few in recovery from this illness, outbreaks are at an all-time high. Count the number of times you hear “like” in one day and you will see the number of lives this terrible disease has taken.

Thespians exemplify passion, talent

Spanish River successfully competed in the District Ten Thespian Competition

on January 10 at West Boca Raton High School.

Many students are unaware of what it means

to be a thespian. Thespians are those interested in

acting and singing and those with an interest in drama and

the arts. Twenty- two talented thespians competed in the

event, accompanied by drama teacher Richard Madigan. Students

competed in categories including monologue, duet acting, solo musical,

duet musical and ensemble musical. “I wanted to compete because I love theatre and I like to take every opportunity I can to perform,” sophomore Alexa Lebersfeld said. The selection process for the competition was challenging for both the participants and their coach. Madigan selected fi ve acts per category and aided students in choosing and preparing for their auditions. In

some specifi c categories, there were up to 15 students who were

interested in competing. Once Madigan decided who made

the fi nal cut, he helped the students tighten up their performances after school. “Their talent level amazes me,” Madigan said. “Our

theatre students are among the most amazing in the district and the score sheets prove it. However, I’ve come to expect nothing less from Spanish River students.” To ensure that the students would be well prepared to face the judges at the competition, he

in April. These students include Rachel Adams, Danny Belford, Drew Bryan, Madeline Hammond, Alexa Lebersfeld, Rachel Lenoff, Nirel Marofsky, Thalia Robinson, Katie Seldin and Samantha Shumaker. Senior Rachel Adams, who received a superior rating for Solo Musical also won the Critics Choice award. Madigan stated that the Critics Choice award is a prestigious award that meant that Adams was the best soloist the judges in the room saw all day. “The Thespian event is cool because there are so many other performers there and you can learn a lot from the other kids that attend,” Adams said. “It’s interesting to see all the different types of performers.” Senior Danny Belford received a superior for the Monologues category. On his feedback from the judges, one wrote that Belford was the “Best Shakespeare today!” The State festival is coming up in April for those students who received ratings of superior, and until then, the thespians are preparing for their performance of the upcoming play, “The Wizard of Oz.” With the judges’ feedback and Madigan’s coaching, students will undoubtedly be ready to compete in April. Each participant at these events and festivals gives Spanish River another reason to be proud of the school’s incredible talent and success.

used the same rubric that the judges at the festivals use to critique the performances. To prepare for the competition, students needed to practice both in and out of school. Most students prepared with Madigan, while others also pursued outside help from vocal or acting coaches. Madigan stated that while some students needed to be directed, others just needed a little coaching. “I prepared by practicing my song at home in front of family, friends, and lots of mirrors,” Lebersfeld said. Sets of judges at the event rated the performances on a scale from poor to superior; participants could either get a rating of poor, fair, good, excellent or superior. All 22 River competitors received ratings of good or higher. Students who received ratings of good include

L a r i s s a Gryschuk, L i z z i e Shapiro and M i c h a e l W e b b . S t u d e n t s w h o r e c e i v e d ratings of e x c e l l e n t i n c l u d e

Kelly Aikens, T a y l o r D a b b a h , N i c o l e Granet, Nikki H o w a r d -

Bloom, Jane Lynch, Nirel Marofsky, Zoe Newman, Katie Northrop, Makarena Ramos and Lila Stallone. All students were able to get the judges’ feedback sheets back at the end of the event. Along with the judges’ feed back, students had the opportunity to watch other performers from all over Palm Beach County. Not only were students able to gain valuable knowledge from both the judges and from viewing other Palm Beach competitors, but participants competed for the pure love of the arts. “The competition is a great and fun experience,” sophomore Lizzie Shapiro said. “The criticism was helpful and I had a great time.” Those who received ratings of superior all qualifi ed to represent Spanish River in the State competition

Media popularizes modern teen slang, parents suffer silently

art by carly coleman

Eliana Newman can be contacted atElianangalleon@gmail.com

photo courtesy of maddie hammond

A superior winning performance of “The Cell Block Tango” from Chicago. (Right to left) Top: Drew Bryan, Samantha Shumaker, Thalia Robinson and Nirel Marofsky. Bottom: Rachel Lenoff and Maddie Hammond.

Alison Sikes can be contacted atAlisonsgalleon@gmail.com

February 2009The Galleon

By ELIANA NEWMANFEATURES EDITOR

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FEATURES 11February 2009The Galleon

By JENNIFER LIEBERMANFEATURES EDITOR

High school relationships—fun and fl irty—or at least that is what they are supposed to be. However, studies show that one in three high school students will be or has been in an abusive relationship. These relationships are not what they are expected to be when your signifi cant other claims that his or her controlling behavior is all done in the name of “love.” Something can start as simple as jealousy but escalate to unpredictable mood swings and can result in far more dangerous acts than one ever expects from a high school relationship. Teenage dating violence often goes undetected as teens are inexperienced with healthy relationships, want independence from parents or have inaccurate views of love. Teen dating violence is frequently infl uenced by the way in which teens view themselves. According to the Alabama Coalition Against Dating Violence (ACADV), young men might think that they have the right to control their partner, that masculinity is defi ned by physical aggressiveness or that they would lose respect among their friends if they actually paid attention to and supported their girlfriends. Young women may believe that the abuse and jealousy is “romantic” or even that it is normal because their friends are also in an abusive relationship. Senior Arielle Cole knows a friend who was the victim in an abusive teen relationship. “Her boyfriend started to become controlling and then he became verbally abusive,” Cole said of her friend, who wishes to remain anonymous to protect her privacy. Dating violence starts with small changes in a relationship, such as putting one’s boyfriend or girlfriend down in front of others or demanding to

know where and with whom he or she has been, according to ACADV. These signs can escalate to verbal abuse and even physical abuse such as punching or shoving. “He put her down which damaged her self-esteem

and made her cry constantly,” Cole continued.

As these can also be warning signs for other diseases, some of the most common clues to look for in dating violence are failing grades,

isolation, emotional outbursts or changes in

mood and personality,

according to Love Is Not Abuse.

There are some important safety precautions that one

may consider while dating. ACADV suggests that teens

may consider double dating for the fi rst few times so one can get to know the person before being alone with him or her. They suggest that before leaving on a date a parent or friend should know the exact plans for the night. In Rhode Island, a law was passed that requires

1 in 3 high school students have been or will be involved in an abusive relationship

Dating violence not uncommon among teens

when your signifi cant other claims that his or her

and made her cry constantly,”

middle schools and high schools to teach about dating violence in health classes. The education focuses on maintaining healthy relationships and staying away from abusive ones. The law has gained momentum across the country, and many states are looking to adopt similar legislation. Liz Claiborne, Inc. has helped to promote the law throughout the country as well as raise awareness of the dangers, signs and solutions of dating abuse through the Love Is Not Abuse campaign. Senior Max Gruby thinks that it would be wise to have dating violence taught in class. “[Dating violence] should be taught in classes. Education solves problems, and this is a rising problem in the US and needs to be solved,” senior Max Gruby said. However, not all students agree with having dating abuse taught in school. “I don’t think that dating abuse is a problem at Spanish River” junior Somon Nader said. “It would be better to not publicize it in classes.” If you are a victim, you do not have to stay silent. Talk to a friend or an adult. Conversely, if you suspect that a friend is being abused do not be afraid to tell them that you notice that something is different and that you are concerned for them. As a friend, help them to realize that abuse is wrong and it is not a form of love. Support your friend and listen to him or her talk. Encourage your friend to talk to someone or get out of the relationship. You can help him/her by developing a plan to get out safely. However, if physical abuse is involved, or you or your friend is scared of this person, talk to an adult immediately and get their help. After becoming depressed, Cole’s friend realized the abuse and ended her relationship with her boyfriend. She is lucky because not every abusive relationship has a safe ending. Dating violence and abuse is real, but it can be stopped.

Jennifer Lieberman can be contacted at Jenniferlgalleon@gmail.com

40 percent of teenage girls ages 14 to 17 say they know someone their age who has been hit or beaten by a boyfriend

Teen dating violence most often takes place in the home of one of the partners

1 in 5 of dating couples report some type of violence in their relationship

1 in 5 college females will experi-ence some form of dating violence

38 percent of date rape victims were young women from 14 to 17 years of age

68 percent of young women raped knew their rapist either as a boyfriend, friend or casual acquaintance

6 out of 10 rapes of young women occur in their own home or a friend or relative’s home, not in a dark alley as commonly believed

Know the facts:

source: alabama coalition against domestic violence

Disclaimer: These photos do not portray a true abusive couple; this is merely a dramatization.

photos by Alix Luntz

The Galleon12 FEATURE FOCUS

HEARTS IN THE CROWDWhat are you planning to do for your significant

other on Valentine’s Day?

“We’re going to the Daytona 500.”

- Kevin Turner, teacher

There is a daily struggle between parents and teenagers about what is “appropriate.” When it comes to how teens dress, speak and present themselves, it seems that parents have their own ideas. Arguments over sex before mar-riage and how short a skirt can really be are commonplace. However, the one important detail that both children and parents forget is that normal behavior changes with each generation, and what is acceptable for today’s teenagers may have been virtually taboo for their parents, especially when it comes to dating. Back in the day of today’s grandparents’ generation “if a girl kissed a boy before the third date, she was considered a slut” and “girls were never allowed to call boys.” Yet, in our times, teens will sometimes do a lot more than just kiss be-fore the third “date.” It is not to say that this sort of behav-ior is “bad,” or even “inappropriate.” In fact, many point to modern dating as more relaxed and equal, for instance, with the newer custom of splitting the bill on a date instead of the gentlemen paying. Professionals and therapists agree that one of the most important changes in the dating scene is the transforma-tion of the role that sex has to play. While sex before mar-riage was once seen as deplorable, today it is common-place and often seen as healthy. “Premarital sex is normal behavior for the vast majority of Americans, and has been for decades” Laurence Finer said. Finer is a research direc-tor at the Guttmacher Institute and the author of a 2006 study that found that nine out of ten Americans (men and women) have had premarital sex. Furthermore, the devel-opment of numerous sexual acts besides intercourse have allowed teens to explore various levels of intimacy beyond the “fi rst base, second base, third base” phenomenon. While today’s dating rituals may not always be accepted and understood by parents and grandparents, they are what is normal and acceptable for our generation.

February 2009

Dating evolves through generations

BY ELIZABETH MOSESFEATURE FOCUS EDITOR

Photos by alix luntz and skylar klager

“I’m taking her to the beach and then out to dinner. Just

a chill day.”

-Richard Haughton, 11

Elizabeth Moses can be contacted atElizabethmgalleon@gmail.com

Photos by alix luntz and skylar klager

and understood by parents and grandparents, they are what is normal and acceptable for our generation.

Elizabeth Moses can be contacted atElizabethmgalleon@gmail.com

Photos by alix luntz and skylar klager

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The GalleonFebruary 2009 13FEATURE FOCUS

HEARTS IN THE CROWDWhat is the sweetest thing your significant other has

done for you on Valentine’s Day?

“I get flowers and candy every year but Valentine’s Day isn’t a big deal for us. He’s sweet all year long. He makes me

breakfast everyday.”

-Terry Scharnweber, teacher

If someone asked me what February 14 was, my fi rst reply would honestly be “Satur-day”. Valentine’s Day, oddly enough, would not be the fi rst thing to cross my mind be-cause once again, I’m spending Valentine’s Day alone. Before actually sitting down and thinking about it, Valentine’s Day never made a differ-ence for me. It was just another holiday that came and went. Never did I realize that for the past few years, I have been utterly alone every February 14. Of course, there is someone I’d like to spend the day with, but fate has chosen oth-erwise this year. Sure, I will miss out on the chance to spend $4 on folded paper with a pre-written message on it that supposedly conveys my sentiment to my female compan-ion, but honestly, I think I’ll live. This year, I’ve opted instead to give out Valentine’s Day cards to my friends. But in my own twist, they are Rick Astley “Never Gonna Give You Up” Valentine’s Day cards. Because for me, nothing says “I care about you” more than hearing “I hate you. You got that song stuck in my head now”, over and over again. The fact that I am alone while everyone else around me seems to be in a fl ourishing relationship actually did bother me at fi rst. There are benefi ts to being single, though. I get to spend more time with friends, not con-stantly worry about what is taking so long for

Table for one BY SID BAJRACHARYA

COMMENTARY

“her” to respond to my text messages, not having to remember special occasions, not having to buy gifts for “her” on special oc-casions, not having to go into panic mode after realizing that I have totally forgotten the special occasion, not having to come up with some harebrained excuse as to why I forgot the aforementioned occasion and lat-er spend more time wondering how exactly to apologize for forgetting the special occa-sion that I still can’t remember. At least I have peace of mind. However, I do know some people who will defi nitely try to capitalize on Valentines Day, such as my friend whose plans for the day include attempting to “score a grand slam” with his girlfriend, but I also realize that most of my friends will be alone that day too. In fact, lots of people are alone on Valentine’s Day. So technically, we are not actually “alone”. We are our own Lonely Hearts Club – but not in the sad, Ted and his acapella group from Scrubs way. Trust me, it’s cool; we get our own personalized jackets. So while being alone on Valentine’s Day would normally mean asking for a table for one, I’ve decided this year to join my friends in collectively celebrating just how alone we are. For the people who are actually spend-ing Valentine’s Day with their signifi cant other – congratulations, and have fun. For the rest of you, come join the club.

Sid Bajracharya can be contacted atSidarthabgalleon@gmail.com

“Giving me roses.”

-Jordan Cohen, 10

The Galleon 13

Table for one Table for one Table for one

Every year around 1 billion Valentine cards are sent. After Christmas, it’s the single largest seasonal card-

sending occasion.

Each year on Valentine’s Day, more than 36 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolate will

be sold.

Over 50 million roses are given for Valentine’s Day

worlwide each year.

The average man will spend $130 on his date on Valentine’s Day.

3% of pet owners give Val-entine’s Day gifts to their

beloved furry friends.

If someone asked me what February 14 was, my fi rst reply would honestly be “Satur-day”. Valentine’s Day, oddly enough, would

Table for one

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open them in the morning.

Sources: yumsugar.com, mydearvalentine.com, hcards.com

Page compiled by Alban Harrison and Elizabeth Moses

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT14

Takin’ it to the streetsRap music’s tribal orgins reflected in modern culture

Graffiti gar n ers respect from critics, officials

By ALBAN HARRISON FEATURE FOCUS EDITOR

By ALISON SIKESENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

J a s o n a n d A l i s o n ’ s I n f i n i t e P l ay l i s t : R a p E d i t i o nJ a s o n a n d A l i s o n ’ s I n f i n i t e P l ay l i s t : R a p E d i t i o n"I Used To Love H.E.R" by Common

"Rapper's Delight" by The Sugarhill Gang"Dear Mamma" by Tupac

"Planet Rock" by Afrikka Bambaataa"Nothin' But a 'G' Thang" by Dr. Dre

"Push It" by Salt-n-Pepa"Walk This Way" by Run D.M.C.

"Juicy" by Notorious B.I.G."Dead President 2" by Jay-Z

"Mama Said Knock You Out" by LL Cool J

Tribesmen adorned in war paint and animal print pound on the base drums aggressively. A pack of warriors ferociously charge forward with spears and wooden shields in tow. Where would such a scene transpire in today’s world? In a Kanye West music video, of course. The concept of the rapper’s “Love Lockdown” video involves an African tribe dancing and hunting to the song’s pulsating drumline. But what does Africa have to do rap music? While it is common-ly thought that rap music was created in the last three decades, the genre’s origins can be traced back to ancient African civilizations. The central force in all rap music is its rhythm. “My favor-ite part of rap music is the beat because it emphasizes the meaning of the lyrics and goes deeper than the song,” senior Re-becca Kessler said. Any artist knows that without a power-ful drum or bass line, there is no song. The importance of a driv-ing rhythm traces back to African trib-al communication. Drums were used as a vehicle for communication. The faster the beat, the more emotional and ur-gent the call was. During the slave trade with the New World, slaveholders prohibited the use of drums because they feared the slaves were plan-ning a revolt. Repetition is just as important as rhythm in rap music. For centuries, tribes have used a “call and response” method to communicate. This form of communication involves the monotonous rep-etition of the same short phrase sung by a leader until he is responded to by hand clapping. “Repetitions are an important and telling ele-ment in culture, a means by which a sense of continuity, security and identifi cation are maintained,” George Mason University An-thology Profes-sor James A .

Snead said in an interview with Barnard College. “Repetitions are a philosophical insight about the time and shape of history.” The Rap music movement began in New York City, particularly in the borough of the Bronx. During the 1970s, block parties were a common neighborhood occurrence in the city. The fi rst DJs at these par-ties began isolating the percussive breaks to create more danceable songs. The technique was popular fi rst in Jamaica and had spread via the large Jamai-can immigrant community in New York City. One man responsible for this spreading is Jamaican DJ Kool Herc, who is regarded as the “godfather” of hip hop. Because the percussive breaks were generally short, Herc and other DJs began extending the breaks by using an audio mixer and two records that they would mix and scratch the music together. “A scratch is nothing but the back-cueing that

you hear in your ear before you push it out to the crowd,” Grand-master Flash, leader of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. DJs soon began to entertain crowds with vocals and lyrics added to beats. These early raps involved lyrics and rhythm similar to those of African American culture. Eventually, the style of lyrics became

more varied as more DJs entered the scene. But it was in 1979 when The Sugarhill Gang realeased their hit “Rapper’s Delight” that rap music became popular with the masses. Since rap music’s inception, the lyrical and rhythmic composition has drastically changed. Ac-cording to Billboard Magazine, rapper Flo Rida’s “Low,” a song about fi nding girls in clubs, was the biggest single of 2008. Though it may seem that “apple bottom jeans and boots with da’ fur” are not related to African tribal rhythms, if listened closely

to, these roots are apparent.

Photo Courtesy of Imeem.comKanye West incorporates elements of African tribal music in his “Love Lockdown” music video.

Alison Sikes can be contacted at Alisonsgalleon@gmail.com

Alban Harrison can be contacted atAlbanhagalleon@gmail.com

Graffi ti: some admire it as a contemporary art form; others despise it as vandalism. If arrested, graffi ti artists face misdemeanor or felony charges depend-ing on the amount of property damage. Regardless, the graffi ti movement is taking an increasing hold in South Florida and around the world, and is gaining respect from art critics and police offi cers alike. Graffi ti artist Nuni (identifi ed by his tag, a nick-name that a graffi ti artist uses) paints in and around Lake Worth where he lives. He wears an off-white ski mask, which obscures his face. Blasting hip-hop music on his iPod, he adds an illicit masterpiece to an overpass by the Tri-rail tracks. When fi nished, he marches along the tracks, pointing out his prior works. Smudge marks where city offi cials have selec-tively “buffed” lesser works are evident all around his “pieces”. “The city comes by here to buff tags and [exple-tive], but they leave this up here ‘cause they respect our art,” Nuni said. Graffi ti has a long history. According to Reader’s Digest, private houses, walls and tombs in Ancient Rome were inscribed with graffi ti talking about death, love, births and more.But while graffi ti is old, respect for it is largely new-found. Acceptance may be growing because of the medium’s use as a social commentary. Banksy, a fa-mous graffi ti artist, views graffi ti as a way to strike back against advertisers who poison the urban land-scape. “Any advert in public space that gives you no choice whether you see it or not is yours [to graffi ti over],” Banksy wrote in his book, Banksy: Wall and Piece. “You can do anything you want with it. Asking for permission is like asking to keep a rock someone just threw at your head.” Regardless of their intentions, graffi ti artists face criminal charges if arrested while doing graffi ti. In Florida, graffi ti artists causing damages worth less than $200 are charged with a second-degree misde-meanor. If arrested for a second offense, the charge automatically becomes a third-degree felony. Nuni

has been arrested twice. The fi rst time, he was arrested while “tagging” a Safeway bath-room and the second time he was tagging a

telephone post when a police offi cer pulled up. He paid a fi ne and was required to

do community service for his offenses. He usually steals spray paint from

Home Depot, but has never been arrested on that charge. Artists who introduced revo-lutionary ideas have faced per-secution throughout history, but graffi ti artists today face prosecu-

tion. Though illegal, graffi ti is growing in popular-

ity, with some artists, such as Banksy,

selling work for hundreds of

thousands of dollars. Watch out art galler-ies: the graf-fi ti status quo is shifting.

February 2009The Galleon

Arts & entertAinment 15Silent raves combine technology, club culture to provide alternative entertainment

The Oscars The Razzies The Grammys

Album of the Year

J&A: In Rainbows by Radiohead

SC: Viva La Vida by Coldplay

LS: Viva La Vida by Coldplay

Song of the YearJ&A: “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz

SC: “Viva La Vida” by Coldplay

LS: “Viva La Vida” by Coldplay

Best New ArtistJ&A: DuffySC: Duffy

LS: The Jonas Brothers

Best PictureJason and Alison: Slumdog MillionaireStephen Cohen:

Slumdog Millionaire Lizzie Shapiro:

Slumdog Millionaire

Actor in a Leading RoleJ&A: Sean Penn,

MilkSC: Mickey Rourke,

The Wrestler LS: Frank Langella,

Frost/ Nixon

Actress in a Leading Role

J&A: Anne Hatheway, Rachel Getting Married

SC: Kate Winslet, The Reader

LS: Kate Winslet, The Reader

Worst PictureJ&A: Meet the

Spartans SC: The Hottie and

the NottieLS: The Love Guru

Worst ActorJ&A: Larry the

Cable Guy, Witless Protection SC: Mike Myers, The Love Guru

LS: Mark Wahlberg, The Happening and

Max Payne

Worst ActressJ&A: The cast of

The WomenSC: Paris Hilton, The Hottie and

the Nottie LS: The cast of

The Women

imagine hundreds of people head-bobbing, arms-above-the-head dancing at different rhythms in a public park but in silence; or more accurately to each one’s own iPods or mP3 players’ selected track. Connecting social networking, iPods and dancing, silent raves have proven to be an alter-native club culture for teenagers. Originating in London, British exchange student Jonnie Wesson first introduced si-lent raves to the United states in 2008. Wesson used the social networking site Facebook to notify teenagers about the event. “i set up a Facebook event and invited about fifty of my friends and pestered them to invite their friends,” Wesson said. “the next month there was about 7,000 con-firmed guests.” social networking sites like Facebook or myspace are important parts of the si-lent rave culture. Organizers like Wesson can send information to other teenagers about the silent rave, which increases support. On April 18, 2008 thousands of people met at Union square in new York City to dance in the streets. While the crowd was packed with mostly teenagers, many other people

attended such as commuters dressed in formal busi-ness attire. “One of the main reasons i put the rave at

7pm was for people- teachers, waiters, grandmas, students- to see and join in on their way home from work,” Wesson said.

As a result of Wesson’s actions, proactive teenagers across America began to organize silent raves in their own areas. such teenagers in-

clude sean Flynn and Beth marshall who organized a silent rave on may 24, 2008 at the Orlan-do international Fringe

Festival. “silent raves are

sweeping through London and have finally made their way into the states,” Flynn said on the festivals web-site. “[silent raves] are now appearing at music festivals like Coachella and

Bonnaroo.” Currently, legislation regarding

silent raves does not exist, how-ever, as silent raves become more popular among teen-agers and officials will need to decide how to regulate them. While critics believe

silent raves are disrup-tive to public areas,

supporters argue they are an encour-

By JASON GROBSTEINENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Jason Grobstein can be contacted atJasonggalleon@gmail.com

Photos by Skylar Klager & Alix Luntz

THE CRITICS

aging club culture for teenagers as they encourage individuality and are less affiliated with drugs and

alcohol. moreover, the recent ban of young people under the age of twenty-one from admission to nightclubs in the unincor-porated sections of Palm Beach County brings another incentive for teenagers to

organize silent raves. “i feel it’s not fair that i am al-

lowed to vote at 18, but i am not be trusted to be at a nightclub,”

senior Joe randall said. “Law-makers should have more

faith in teenagers.” Despite the con-troversy involving si-lent raves, teenagers like Wesson see silent

raves as having a lasting impact on American teenagers. “i can never imagine dancing in the street,” Wesson said. “But when you’re with a thousand like minded other peo-ple, all listening to their own music, but all together at the same time, the feeling

is surreal.”

Spanish River Award Season Predictions

Junior Stephen Cohen Pop Culture Guru

Seniors Jason and Alison Entertainment Editors

Sophomore Lizzie Shapiro Award Season Aficionado

Feb 8 at 8 pm on CBSFeb 22 at 8 pm on ABC Feb 21

graphics by alban harrison

February 2009the Galleon

Arts & entertAinment 16Making it BIG in the music industry

By CARLY COLEMANSTAFF REPORTER

senior rachel Adams’ music career started when, six years old and

oblivious to her own musical talents, she joined the Pine Crest school choir and was

quickly moved up to a more advanced chorus. Her interest in dancing began even earlier, and from the 7th grade until the company closed two years ago, Adams danced hip-hop in the Popstarz Production Company of world hip-hop champions and performed in opening acts for well-known artists such as Hillary Duff and nick Cannon. Adams also plays the viola, guitar and piano. From winning spanish river’s miss shark talent contest as a freshman to earning a superior rating as well as the Critics’ Choice Award recently at thespians, Adams’ achievements have earned her acceptance into Berklee College of music, where she hopes to study music business and performance. “i attended Berklee in the summer of 2007 and fell in love with the atmo-sphere,” Adams said. “Just thinking of all the famous people who went there, [such as] John mayer [and] Billie Joel makes me ecstatic to start the next chap-ter of my life [there].”

Though unique in their individual musical interests, several talented River students share one common aspiration: to excel in the music industry. For some of these rising musicians, the journey to success has already begun.

Freshman Brett Loewenstern began singing in the 3rd grade and took up the acoustic guitar right before 8th grade. He first sang live two summers ago at the Jewish Community Center’s maccabi Arts Fest. since then, Lowernstern has performed at shows such as open mic nights and the 2008 rock the river concert. Loewenstern writes some of his own songs, he said, mainly inspired by life situations. One such song, “Break Free,” expresses a trapped feeling but conveys appreci-ation for having someone to turn to. He admires the singer Amy Winehouse, as he feels that she is different from typical pop art-

ists. Likewise, Loewenstern has been told that he possesses this quality of uniqueness, having a voice that he feels sets him apart.

“When i’m older, i want to be a musician,” Loewenstern said. “i want to inspire the world, kind of like how Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix inspired the world through music.”

sophomore ross Blitz is the drummer of the band Identity Drive, whose other members attend south Flori-da high schools. Although Blitz has started a number of bands over the years, his current one is significant because it has a demo record deal with a producer who agreed to create a demo for the band after approving of its work. Blitz has been actively seeking out, with the help of his manager, a West Boca High school senior, opportunities

to play shows with Identity Drive. The band first performed live at Sugar Sand Park’s Willow theater’s teen Cabaret talent show last month. “i started playing [drums six years ago] at sam Ash [music store],” Blitz said. “People heard me and said that i could really play drums and that i should take [that skill] and learn it.” in his free time, Blitz works as a studio engineer, lighting designer and sound technician for other bands. Besides earning a signed record deal for his band, Blitz’s goals include attending Fullsail University in Orlando for its entertain-ment studies program in hopes of becoming a professional lighting designer.

sophomore emma sapper, a rock and pop/rock singer who has been writing her own songs since the age of six, is currently facing the very real prospect of getting signed. sapper’s journey toward a record deal began three years ago when she began singing lessons in mi-ami. she shared some of her music with members of KC and the Sunshine Band, who encouraged her to continue writing and recording demos. she also has a connection with the owner of a new York City record

company, who she plans to meet with in march. though sapper is also interested in acting, she cannot see any future of hers that does not revolve around music. “most people want to be famous or rich,” sapper said. “As long as I get my music out there and people like me, I’d be flattered.”

Ross Blitz

Emma Sapper

Rachel Adams

Brett Loewenstern

Photo Courtesy of Master New MediaPhotos by Skylar klager

Carly Coleman can be contacted atCarlycgalleon@gmail.com

February 2009the Galleon

Student life february 2009the Galleon 17

Israel and Gaza: Throughout the Years

Photos Courtesy ofGoogle imagesSource: http://www.mideastweb.org/timeline.htmPage Complied by Katyayani Jhaveri art by Carley coleman

The Arab- Israeli War is the first amongst many wars to be

fought between the Arab neighbors and the newly developed State of Israel.

The war begins after the Arabs reject the 1947

United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine, which would have resulted in the creation of two states, one Arab, the other Jewish.

Britain passes the Balfour

Declara-tion, which states that

the British favor the establishment of a “national home”

for the Jewish population in

Palestine.

November 2, 1917

May 15, 1948

The Armistice Agreements: a set of documents signed by Israel, Jordon, Syria,

Egypt and Lebanon that establishes peace, for the time, among the nations. It also establishes lines of armistice between the West Bank and Israel, putting an end to the 1948 hostility.

April 3, 1949

The Palestine Liberation Or-ganization (PLO) is formed.

Its main goal is said to be the destruction of Israel. Officially, the 1968 Palestine

National Charter called for “the liquidation of Israel.”

May 1964

The Six Day War. Israel at-tacks the Egyptian air force while it still has not taken off. Israel also attacks and occupied Gaza, Sinai, the West Bank from Jordan and Golan Heights from Syria. UN calls for Israeli withdrawal and encourages

peace.

June 5 – 10, 1987

PLO and Israel agree to mutual recognition and sign the Oslo Declaration

of Prin-cipals. The

Palestinian people are allowed to

officially establish authority.

September 1993-1995

The World Trade Center in NYC and

the Pentagon are at-tacked by the Al-Qaeda terrorist group. Israel

and the Palestinian people make an

agreement to cease fire for the

moment, but neither side actually relents.

September 11, 2001

Violence reaches Gaza. US Secretary of State

Condoleezza Rice meets with Israeli and

Palestinian leaders to talk

of Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza region.

They meet in Jerusalem on June 21, 2005.

August 15-24, 2005

Israeli soldiers leave Gaza and the four West Bank regions.

Hamas and other groups

in Gaza launch over 60 rockets and mortar shells towards Israel.

December 24, 2008

Israeli soldiers leave Gaza and the four West Bank regions. Operation Oferet Yetzuka is

begun by the Israeli army. It includes continuous air strikes at the rocket launching areas in Gaza, Hamas control

and command centers and vari-ous other locations in the area.

By December 31, over 400 Palestinians are killed and these attacks cause Hamas to broaden

their attacking range.

December 26, 2008

June 2005

Diary of an Israeli Student

Diary of a Palestinian Student

Currently, in the West Bank city of Ramallah, there is not too much damage occurring. Most of

the conflict today is concentrated in the Gaza Strip, which is in a different region. However, I can re-late greatly to what the Palestinians in the Gaza

Strip are feeling. A couple of years ago, Ramallah was full of chaos. School was closed for more than half of the year. Rubble was scattered everywhere. Many nights, I would be forced to fall asleep with the sound of falling bombs. Thankfully, life here has gotten better. But, even now, I am limited to travel only in this city and a couple of small, sur-rounding villages. If I want to visit my relatives in Jerusalem, I have to apply for a visa, which is

rarely given out. I have seen my grandparents only once since the conflict has begun, even though

the city, Jerusalem, is less than 10 miles away. My prayers are with the innocent civilians of Gaza, and I hope that a cease to all this destruction is in the

near future.

By KAREEM URIGUEST COMMENTARY

This account was told by Kareem Uri to Fawaz Shihadeh, a junior at SRHS.

By TALI MOEDGUEST COMMENTARY

As a student, going to an Israeli public school is very different from an American public school. All the classes are in Hebrew, and emphasis is put not on going to college right after 12th grade, but on getting ready to go and perform mandatory army service, which all Israeli students are drafted for in 11th and 12th grade (varying by age). Many peo-ple I know have siblings in the army or who have already finished their service. It is after this that people start applying to colleges. Living in Israel is like living one long current event. During the recent Gaza War, while rockets were hitting cities 60 miles from my city, and kids in many cities were unable to go to school, life where I live went on almost as usual, with the ex-ception of my school hosting some students from another city. It was strange to feel so safe although less than 100 miles away, people were forced to stay in bomb shelters due to rocket firings. In Israel, the teenage population has a large influence on society. There is a lot of freedom given to teenagers in daily life. It is easy for high school students to really make a difference be-cause they are considered adults at a much earlier age. Many students here have organized public campaigns to continue to put pressure on the gov-ernment to bring back the kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit. With the elections looming in the near future, there is a lot going on here in Israel. But life here is exciting and very different.

STUDENT LIFEFebuary 2009The Galleon18

Photos By Skylar Klagar

By KATYAYANI JHAVERISTUDENT LIFE EDITOR

Love campaign provides support to troubled teens

Katyayani Jhaveri can be contacted at Katyayanijgalleon@gmail.com

True love. A feeling of ardor, affection, attachment toward that special someone. A feeling that just cannot be expressed on Valentine’s Day solely by giving gifts, eating chocolates and sharing hugs. For some, this day represents a time to show true compassion for others. Teenager Jamie Tworkowski discovered that sometimes love is the only thing that can save a life. Tworkowski wrote a story about a 19-year-old Renee Yohe, a girl who, at that time, was suf-fering from drug addiction, depression and the after affects of an attempt-ed suicide. Tworkows-ki’s sole aim when posting his story online was to reach out to other teenagers who suffer from de-pression and have thoughts of suicide. The chronicle re-ceived a huge positive re-sponse and soon the To Write Love on Her Arms ( T W L O H A ) Foundation emerged. Now TWLOHA is an organi-zation devoted to helping people who suffer from self-deprecat-ing issues such as depression, addiction and most importatn-ly, thoughts about committing suicide. TWLOHA’s fi rst mission was to earn enough money to put Yohe in a rehab center and pay for her detoxifi cation treatment. To help accomplish this Tworkowski and his friends started making t-shirts with unique slogans such as “Love is the Movement” and the foundation’s name printed on them. When asked what advice TW-LOHA gives when a teen writes in to talk about his depression or substance abuse problem its

representatives said, “Grab some-one you trust, talk to them, be bold and daring. This is a fi ght worth fi ghting.” Yohe was triumphant in her fi ght against drug addiction and depression but not every teen-ager is. According to Suicide.org, the number one cause of suicide is untreated depression. Yohe was not alone in her struggle. Even at River, stu-dents battle depression and drug addictoin and are strug-gling to stay strong against the temptations of peer pressure. “I know someone who used to suffer from drug addiction and he dropped out of Spanish River to

stay away from the temptation,” sophomore Nicolas Salam said. At Spanish River. teach-ers are required to follow a certain protocol if they come accross information about a student who is harming himself or is going to hurt someone else. They are obligated to report it to the guidance department. It is a code that teachers have to fol-low, whether they want to or not, otherwise they risk losing their jobs. Even at school there are many ways to get help. River has its own psychiatrist and a School Based Team, a group of teachers who offer their time to counsel students in need. On occa-sion teachers have even reported

students they suspect of having drug problems without consult-ing the students fi rst. “You notice [that some-thing is wrong when] the mood swings are really high, through the way they dress: not so clean and the lack of ability to make eye contact,” an anonymous teacher said. “They are not really there, they are some-where in their heads.” Most teens feel that the best way to cure depression, besides with medication, is to surround themselves with people who love them. “I think friends motivate you and the crowd you hang out

with infl uences your decisions,” junior Eleanor Dezlich said. “So you need to hang with people who want the best for you in life.” TWLOHA’s popularty can be attribtued to musicanis such as Anber-lin bass guitarist Deon Rexroat and Switchfoot front-man Jon Foreman, who wore the inspira-tional t-shirts on stage while on tour. As a result, clothing store Hot Topic began selling TWLOHA t-shirts which have now be-come a favorite

of customers. “The shirts are really the way this foundation has raised to such great heights already,” ju-nior Daina Gingras said. “Being able to look at one of your favor-ite bands wearing these shirts just gives you the faith that they stand for something.” The To Write Love on Her Arms group has leased an offi ce in Cocoa, Florida and is still expanding. What started as a movement to help one young girl overcome her addiction has now become a quest to help victims around the world.

Top 5 Date

Alternatives By LINDSEY GOLDSTAFF REPORTER

1.

3.Go Strawberry Picking

Go Horseback Riding On the Beach

It is 7 o’clock pm on a Saturday night. You are getting ready, overloading yourself with perfume or cologne before your customary date consisting of dinner and a movie. Why not try something new and exciting? Here

are some alternatives:

Horseback riding on the beach is a unique date that is worth the drive. This is offered in St. Lucie at Hutchinson Island. It

is relatively inexpensive at $30 per person for a 90-minute ride up and down the white-sanded beach looking at the glistening water. It’s an ideal, romantic

activity for you and your date.

Strawberry picking is an interesting, rewarding date alter-native in which you can eat your picked strawberries after! This is offered at The Girls Strawberry

U-pick on South Military Trail in Delray Beach. Just several miles away, the location is convenient

for any weekend. Go pick delicious strawberries and share them with

your date afterwards.

4.Watch a Sports GamePut on your favorite jersey and root

for your preferred team at a sporting event. Go support the Florida Panthers when they play against the New York

Rangers at the Bank Atlantic Center on Friday, February 13 at 7:30 pm.

Photos By Skylar Klagar

How about trying an age-old tradition that has made hearts fl utter since the beginning of time?

All you have to do is pack a basket. Go for a picnic! Have a picnic on the beach, in the park, anywhere where you can sit and enjoy each other’s presence. You can even pack some of the succulent strawber-

ries you picked at the Girls U-pick!

5.

3.

Enjoy a Private Picnic

2.Take A Cooking ClassThere are many classes offered in South Florida that you can

take as a couple. Publix Apron’s Boca Raton Cooking School is offering a Sushi 101 class, in which you can learn how to properly cook rice as well as how to roll Veggie, California

and basic Nigiri rolls. This class is offered at $50 per person. It

is located at Publix Apron’s Boca Raton Cooking School on

Champion Blvd and takes place on March 6 at 6 pm.

Lindsey Gold can be contacted atLindseyggalleon@gmail.com

Photo By Alix Luntz Spanish River students show their support for TWLOHA and victims of depression and drug abuse.

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February 2009The Galleon

STUDENT LIFEFebruary 2009The Galleon20

The Galleon’s Guide to the Perfect Job InterviewBy HILLARY LANGSAMSTUDENT LIFE EDITOR

Hillary Langsam can be contacted atHillarylgalleon@gmail.com

Enjoyable jobs are hard to fi nd, especially for teenagers—and it has become even more diffi cult with today’seconomy. However, your fi rst job is still a milestone in life and believe it or not, there are jobs out there for you. While the typical “Q and A” portion is important, employers are focusing on behavior and conduct more and more. Here are a few Galleon tips to having a fl awless job interview to help get ahead of

the competition.

Dress for success. Whether you wish to work for a retailer or a prestigious law fi rm, pro-fessional attire is always appreciated. First impres-sions cannot be redone, and the fi rst thing an inter-viewer will notice is what you are wearing. Formal clothing shows that you take yourself and your interview seriously and that you are willing to put effort into your work.

Practice. Do some research to fi nd out what common interview questions are. Practice them with your parents or a friend, or even in front of the mirror. Think of potential answers for each question.

Be on time. It would be even better to arrive fi ve to ten minutes early. This shows punctuality, commitment to your work and respect you have for the company and the interviewer. Being on time also demonstrates that you are thankful for the opportunity to be interviewed for any job. Nobody likes to wait!

Stay calm. As anxious as you may be, you do not want to reveal it to your interviewer. Confi dence is key. And fi ddling your thumbs or biting your nails because of nerves may distract and gross out your interviewer. Listen intently to each question, and take a second to think about your answer before delivering it.

Be prepared. If you have a resume, bring it with you. If you have references, bring their numbers—with their consent, of course. Anything else that your employer wants you to bring with you, HAVE IT. Put everything you need into a folder (not Lisa Frank, please) or binder to show your organizational skills as well.

A-NUN-ciate. When addressed to answer a question, speak clearly, loudly and slowly. This will enhance your answers, as well as the way in which you present yourself. It will make it easier for your interviewer to understand you and work with you in general.

Photo Courtesy of clker.com

Percentage of teens ages 15-17 contribute to their families income

Between May and September is when unemployment rates for teens are the highest.

9.9% of teens earn minimum wage or less

is the number one job that teens pursue.

27% of teens enrolled in high school have a job

is the number one job

Babysitting

1717

BabysittingBabysitting17

Do you want to be a part of our award-winning

newspaper?

Apply to be a member of the 2009-2010Galleon staff

Pick up an application in Room 8217

or visit galleonnews.com

Due February 13th

Source: www.BLS.gov

ADVERTISEMENTS 21February 2009The Galleon

SPORTSFebruary 2009

The Galleon22

Any post-season system that does not guarantee

that the best team is named “champion” is inher-

ently flawed. Although college football is arguably one of the most exciting sports, and a very popular one to boot, this is its curse. Year in and year out, we are never quite certain if the two teams play-

ing in the national championship game really be-

long there. College football is the only major sport with this curse, however, as it is currently the only one at the professional or collegiate level to not have some sort of playoff system. Let’s compare college football to the NFL for a second. If the Arizona Cardinals, without a playoff, were arbitrarily placed in the Super Bowl, uproar and riots would ensue. That is how it works in college football. But, via the playoffs, the Cardinals clear-

ly earned their spot in the Super Bowl and not a soul is questioning that. Every Heisman Trophy winner interviewed at the Fed-Ex BCS National Championship Game said they thought some sort of playoff was necessary. If that weren’t enough, even President Obama has been outspoken about college football’s need to move to a playoff system, and we all know whatever he says must be true.

with Jason WeltmanSports Talk

College FootballBCS vs. Playoff

“I always just find it very difficult for a computer to measure teams, individuals, emo-tions [...] conferences and records. I actually find that impossible. It’s mindboggling.”

-Marcus AllenUniversity of Southern California

“Call me crazy, but I think there are 119 schools; I think every one of them should have an opportunity to play for a National Championship.”

-Andre WareUniversity of Houston

why college football needs a playoff

Heisman Voices In the Crowd

1. Season would be too long2. It would take away from students’ education3. Neutral site playoff games would create “corporate” feel4. Importance of regular season diminished5. Rivalries lose significance6. Someone is always left out

Galleon staff reporter Renee Siegel attended and participated in the BCS Champi-

onship post-game press conference. These former Heisman Trophy winners each

offered their opinions regarding the college football playoff system.

arguments against a playoff

Diary of a Waterboy: Ryan Toimil

PHOTOS COURTESY OF GOOGLE IMAGES

PHOTO COURTESY OF SKYLAR KLAGER

And there it is, an equitable playoff system that doesn’t harm any of college football’s fundamentals but gets us what we all know we want, a chance to see the two best teams play. No system will ever be perfect, and this one is far from it. But it is definitely possible to come up with something. The problem is that there is no reason for anyone to change anything as long as money is being made. We are all guilty for giving money to such a terrible system. But, as much as I personally despise the BCS, I don’t hate it enough to stop watching or attending the games of my favorite sport.

• 8 to 12 teams• Automatic births to winners of BCS conferences• Utah is Pac-10’s 12th team• Notre Dame joins Big 10• “At-large” bids to highest ranked teams not yet included• Seed in bracket determined by BCS rank only• First two rounds are home games for higher ranked teams• Semi-finals and championship game are the major BCS Bowl games (Fiesta, Sugar, Orange) - Rose Bowl not included• Other bowl games are played, as usual, by teams excluded from playoffs• Two regular season games are eliminated

jason’s proposal for a college football playoff

Bobby Boucher is my hero. Ever since the night I watched him dispense refreshments in the movie !e Waterboy, I heard my calling. I was to be a water distribution engi-neer. Coach Turner asked me one, memorable day in freshman year, if I would do him the honor of be-ing the girl’s soccer team’s waterboy. I jumped for joy! Not only could I ful!ll my dreams as aprofessional hydrater, I would be in constant close proximity with about 20 young, ath-letic girls. I know for a fact that I am cru-cial to the girls’ success. High qual-ity H20 maximizes the girls’ play. Apart from being waterboy, I am also the team’s equipment manager. My primary job is to make sure the team stays hydrated, or else they cramp

up and then I become the team mas-seuse (which I really don’t mind, and neither does the team. Just ask one of them about it). I like the team, but as a guy it’s just not cool to hear about some of the things they talk about on the sidelines (boyfriends, drama, crazy teachers, and, not to mention, other girly matters). Most of my work hap-pens before the game starts, though. I !ll the cooler up with water, bring equipment to the !eld, and try to talk to the team about soccer even though I have no clue what I am saying. Af-ter that I get to watch the team play and give the girls water when they need it. It’s a fun way to get volunteer hours. Being the waterboy is a fun experience and I do look forward to possibly returning next year.

final thoughts

“Obviously we all think there should be some type of playoff.”

-Gino TorrettaUniversity of Miami

An extended version of this proposal can be found on www.gallleonnews.com

SPORTS 23

By HALEY FEIGENHEIMERSPORTS EDITOR

By TAMARAH STRAUSSSTAFF REPORTER

Parental involvement becomes controversial in scholastic sports

TOP

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Shark baseball team begins random drug testing to improve athletes’ discipline

Dr. Atherley and Athletic Director Kevin McEnroe signed off on the program and submitted the rosters, the testing responsibilities lie with NMS. NMS randomly chooses student from different schools to screen. This year’s program will be different from the drug testing of last year in that NMS will not be testing only for steroid use, but for use of narcotics, marijuana and alcohol as well. “This year, we should have a strong team,” Coach William Harvey said. “Drug testing the athletes should help confirm their strength as players.” The first offense will lead to suspension of games. After enough time has passed to allow the drugs to leave the body, the player will be retested. If yet again the test is positive, more serious consequences will follow; expulsion from the team is a possibility. Although Harvey believes that the testing is beneficial for the team, it was not his decision to submit the players to testing. NMS offers their services to the each county in Florida and if the county accepts the program, it is then offered to individual schools within that county. Spanish River is currently one of six schools in Palm Beach County participating in this pledge. “As much as I want to believe that the drug testing will work,” sophomore Stefano Pindo said, “I don’t really know how effective it will be.”

Because Pindo and Herzog are both sober players, they both confirmed that multiple athletes have asked them to take a test for them. While this statement casts a darker shadow on the team, they both have said that the drug testing is cleaning up many of the players’ acts. “Everyone is going to have to choose what they care about more,” Herzog said, who has a scholarship to Lynn University for baseball in the fall. Because Spanish River has adopted this new program, it sets the standard even higher for our athletes. The Varsity baseball players now have to set an example not only for each other, but for the school and the county. “If a student gets expelled from the team because of drugs, it not only looks poorly for that player, it affects the entire team,” Harvey said. However, this is a pilot year for the new drug test company, as it is only available for the boys’ baseball and girls’ softball teams. Next year, NMS hopes to expand the testing to all high school athletics.

By HALEY FEIGENHEIMERSPORTS EDITOR

On many teams there are involved parents, most of the time for the good of the team, and other times, for their own good. Parental involvement is an impor-tant part of a child’s sports career. However, when a parent is so controlling that his or her child is affected negatively, the parent may be in-volved for the wrong reasons. Many par-ents are in-volved on a team to help with mon-ey issues, team-bond-ing activities and to provide nutrition at competitions. “My mom is at every single one of my basketball games supporting not only me, but the team,” junior Steven Goldstein said. “It’s nice to know that I have such a strong support system behind me.” Some argue that parents cross the line when they push their children into an abnormal amount of training, all in hopes of a prestigious Olympic birth or a rare Division I college scholarship. “I’ve had friends whose moms cram their sched-ules with auditions and competitions making them hate dancing because of all the pressures from their parents,” dance team captain senior Tara Hazle said. “It makes them want to quit.” According to the Sports Research Intelligence Center, there has been an increase in the number of parents engaging in violent and controlling behavior towards athletes, coaches and officials. Survey USA took a poll of 500 parents in Indiana. Of those 500 parents, 55 percent of them said they have witnessed parents engaging in verbal abuse, and 73 percent

of them believe that parents at sports games who become verbally and physically abusive should be banned. These alarming statistics have caused many organizations such as the National Alliance for Youth Sports to develop programs to teach sportsmanship and proper conduct to parents. “I’ve seen referees kick out parents for screaming and causing a scene in the stands,” Goldstein said. “I’ve seen parents fight with other parents, coaches

and referees.” According to Sports Il-lustrated the toughest choice for parents is balancing dis-cipline, guid-ance and loving support versus abusive behav-ior. Another issue of pa-rental involve-ment arises when parents vicariously live through their children. If the

parent was a former athlete for instance, he or she may think that they know best or that only winning can bring happiness. “I think parents cross the line when they become so involved that their children are not enjoying the sport anymore,” physics teacher and owner of ATA Taekwondo Club Miguel Nelson said. Parents who are involved in sports teams are gen-erally involved because they want to serve as a help-ful assistant on the team; however when parents are violent towards coaches, officials and other parents, it creates a poor environment for student athletes to learn and play in.

3. Heroes (NBC)

2. Doritos

PHOTOS COURTESY of USA TODAY and AOL video

1. Career Builder

“If you hate driving to work in the morning, your coworkers don’t

respect you, you wish you were somewhere else, you dream of

punching small animals and you sit next to ‘that’ guy at work, it may be time to get a new job.”

Tamarah Strauss can be contacted at tamarahsgalleon@gmail.com

“Free doritos at the office today?” (Man throws snowglobe at vending machine) “I guess that’s a yes!” “Will I finally get that promotion?” (Man throws snow-globe, hits boss in groin)

John Elway makes a surprise appearance as a “hero” with the gift of flight. Who knew?

Haley Feigenheimer can be contacted at Haleyfgalleon@gmail.com

Information compiled by David Estrin

At the beginning of every season, it is not uncommon for professional athletes to be required to take a drug test. Whether it be for the athletes’ personal safety or to set an example for the rest of society, testing for narcotics and other illegal drugs has been prevalent throughout the sporting industry for over four decades. This year, Spanish River’s own Varsity baseball team will be adopting this drug-free pledge. The players will be subject to random screenings, which are distributed by NMS Management Services, a private company that offers schools the option of drug testing their student athletes at no cost to the schools. “The drug testing is a good idea,” captain Danny Herzog said. “We should have a sober team.” Herzog is not the only athlete to feel this way; many players on the team know of other athletes who have negatively impacted their teams due to drug use. Contrary to popular belief, the coaching staff and Principal Dr. Susan Atherley do not have a say as to which athletes get tested or when. Since

Yes, it’s Southpark. And yes, its hyperbole. However, some players’ parents take their involvement to the extreme and indirectly pres-sure their kids.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF SOUTHPARKSTUDIOS.COM

February 2009The Galleon

SHARKS ON DECK

Sam MillerPosition: Pitcher / Outfield

Pump up song: “Hurt” by T.I.Post game celebration: Wings at Hooters

Favorite team: Cleveland Indians

Blake RothPosition: Centerfield

Wost injury: Broken pinky toePre-game food: Turkey and roastbeef on Nature’s Own

whole wheat bread with yellow American cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, mayo and mustard

Post game celebration: give Coach Harvey a big kiss

Danny HerzogPosition: CatcherPump up song: “My Humps” by The Black Eyed PeasWorst injury: Splinter in right butt cheek while warming the benchBiggest rival: Park Vista

Scott StaniewiczPosition: ShortstopPre-game food: TaquitosWorst injury: Broken collarbone Favorite player: Derek Jeter

Issue 4 Volume 25 February 2009

PHOTO BY ALIX LUNTZ

5100 Jog Road, Boca Raton, FL 33496