New Teacher Profiles

New Teacher Profiles

By Brie Betlejewski

Every year, Sterling High welcomes many new teachers to our school. This year we have the honor of accepting thirteen original educators into our Knights family! At this time, we would like to introduce our new faculty to the students, staff and community of Sterling.

Mrs. Cardella

          Mrs. Cardella should feel very close to home while attending Sterling’s staff since she is from right around the corner: Blackwood, New Jersey. She attended West Chester University and is our new Spanish teacher. Mrs. Cardella is extremely excited to bring the Spanish language to our school in her own, unique way. She hopes to inform her students on the diversity of different cultures and the exquisiteness behind it all.  “What is different is beautiful,” states Mrs. Cardella. Not only has she traveled to a few different countries, but she has also taught in them as well; furthermore, beauty in her eyes is the variety of her students and the culture she teaches.

Ms. Diduch

          Ms. Diduch is greatly needed in our Sterling staff, for she is the new School Psychologist. Her education at Rowan University was completed with undergraduate and graduate studies. She especially likes handling high school students because helping teenagers transition into adulthood gives her great gratitude. Ms. Diduch almost always feels respected from her students; however, she does not appreciate when they are late or don’t show for her appointments without cause. Also, she cannot wait to hear what this year’s seniors say about their class trip, given that her favorite memory from high school was her twelfth grade trip to Disney.

Mr. Ferraro

          Our new Media Specialist, Mr. Ferraro, graduated from Long Island University and is very enthusiastic about his job. Helping and working with high school students fulfills his passion of educating. “I hope that I can help them transition from high school to college, and beyond, as painlessly as possible; and maybe offer them a positive outlook on the future and everything that they are capable of,” states Mr. Ferraro when asked how he would like to impact his students’ lives. As obvious as this is, this teacher loves his profession; nevertheless, he loathes disrespect. Mr. Ferraro believes that everyone in the classroom should treat each other with the same respect, or keep their bad attitude to themselves.

Mr. Howey

          Mr. Howey, Sterling’s new guidance counselor, graduated and received his Master's degree from Wilmington University. As a counselor, he hopes to assist his students with applying to colleges, corresponding with other classmates, and helping with any personal problems he can. “I hope to motivate students in ascertaining their inner strengths and abilities and discovering what truly inspires them.” In addition, Mr. Howey is here to support his own colleagues with anything they might need.

Ms. Minuto

          Before coming to Sterling and teaching both physical education and health, Ms. Minuto attended Rowan University where she obtained her undergraduate and graduate degrees. She loves enlightening her students with healthy tips and activities. Also, she anticipates on teaching excellent ways to stay active and keep a healthy lifestyle. “I can’t do it” is never a way to answer Ms. Minuto. She believes that everyone is capable of being fit. “I remind students that as long as you have desire and dedication you can succeed at anything”. Ms. Minuto is excited to watch her students grow and someday graduate, for graduation day was her greatest high school memory.

Mr. O'Donnell

          Mr. O’Donnell went to Lock Haven University where he became certified in physical education.  This year he is our Internal School Suspension (ISS) monitor. When teaching phys. Ed, he made sure to encourage students to stay healthy and positive. He promoted the proper way to be active by staying fit both in and out of school. Mr. O’Donnell plans to help his students in any way possible: with their academics, individual difficulties, and even challenges that they will face after leaving high school. While being an ISS monitor, his biggest pet peeve became students’ excuses of why they were sent. He hopes students will own up to their mistakes and know not to make them again.

Mr. Stanko

          Mr. Stanko is quite a distance from his home state of Ohio. He graduated from Ohio University and is our new history teacher at Sterling. His classes include both World History and Justice in America. His expectations of students who pass his classes are understandings of present current issues and the previous history of our country. Mr. Stanko also wants to persuade his students to have pride in themselves with anything they want to achieve.  Although he loves teaching, he can not stand when students text during his lesson –“Technology is good, but it can get in the way of learning.”

Ms. Stine

          Ms. Stine, a new science teacher at Sterling, is originally from Toms River, New Jersey and is a recent graduate of The College of New Jersey. She can’t wait to watch her students grow throughout the years and absorb the information she teaches them. Ms. Stine always puts her students first and will always be there for them in a time of need. Just like Mr. Stanko, her biggest pet peeve is when her students text in class. She states that she knows all the tricks, because she tried to hide texting in high school as well.

Other New Staff

Mrs. Charlton - one on one aide

Mr. Wilczynski- one on one aide

Mrs. Eppright- Substance Abuse Coordinator

Ms. Ehret- Physical Education Teacher

Mr. Thomas- Attendance Officer

          I would like to give a special thanks to these teachers who gave me their personal information so I could compose a paragraph about each of them. I am speaking for all of us (the students, the staff, and the community), we are so privileged to accept you into our Knights family. Have a splendid first year at Sterling, and best wishes for many more in the future!

Movie Review: The Perks of Being a Wallflower

By Emily Shinault

                I was coerced by a friend into seeing the new film The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and I really wasn’t expecting much. I’ve seen enough teen movies to know that most consist of cliché, whiny, “oh-poor-me” type characters that make me want to kick things and themes stretching no further than “we don’t have to be bound by stereotypes,” which conveniently also make me want to kick things, and, this time, things precious and beautiful. I expected precisely this from Perks, and, well, I was wrong. 

The film is based on Stephen Chbosky’s 1999 novel of the same name. The “dramedy”, adapted and directed by Chbosky himself, centers around Charlie (Logan Lerman), a perpetual loner nervous about beginning his freshmen year of high school. We follow his struggles and inability to make friends until he is befriended by two seniors, Patrick (Ezra Miller) and his step-sister, Sam (Emma Watson). The two outcasts take the teen under their wings (feathered with dubious moral fiber), guiding him through the experiences of high school (in the early 1990’s, of course, and being a teenager in 2012, I had to “LOL” every time a character pulled out a mix-tape or a typewriter). We slowly discover more about Charlie and his troubled past, particularly dealing with his late Aunt Helen, while he becomes closer to Patrick, Sam, and their circle of friends. Charlie develops a crush on Sam; however, she is has an older, college-aged boyfriend.

The film, as a whole was much deeper and more honest than I had expected. Like I said earlier, Perks isn’t a typical, formulaic teen movie. Its characters are much stronger, with the help of its near flawless casting. Though Charlie is painfully awkward, he is lovable, and I truly sympathized with him and wanted the best for him. Best of all, the film tends to make fun of its pretentious characters (I couldn’t help but laugh out loud when a minor character uttered the phrase “poetry writes me”). The film explores the troubles of teen love, friendship, and self-discovery with genuine emotions felt by genuine characters, and I would by a nasty liar if I were to say that I wasn’t nearly in tears towards the end. 

The film, of course, has its flaws. The final half-hour of the film seemed very rushed, one dramatic event smashing into another, as if Chbosky was trying frantically not to leave out a single detail from the book. In addition, the film’s quirky scene transitions were cute at first, but they got quite irritating after a while. When the film cut from Charlie taking communion at church to him popping a club drug at a party, I’d had enough.  

I give this movie a hearty laugh, a box of tissues, and a glam rock mix-tape I made just for you, or simply 3.5 out of 4 stars.

Book Review: I Am Legend

By Mike Porch

           I am Legend, by Richard Matheson, is a 1954 horror fiction novel.  This story is very well put together and was a very fun read. The book differs greatly from the 2007 movie version, but, as many know and/or have heard, the books are usually better than the movies. This is very much the case. The story is about a protagonist by the name of Robert Neville, who is a man that seems to be alone in a world that has been overrun by vampires. He has fortified his home to keep himself safe and is actually a more down-to-earth hero; you can see the logic behind his reasoning throughout the whole story if you put yourself in his place. It is an amazing read and I would recommend this book to all the people I know.

Do not go into this thinking it will be a charming tale of vampires falling in love with humans, for it is not the vampire of the new generation; they are the vampires of a generation that had them as antagonists, not protagonists. This story will suck you in to a new world and twist your way of thinking which I find rare in today's books. It will challenge you, and it will entertain you as you read it. I would give this book a 5/5 for just the sheer creativity of the writer. If you are looking for a good book this would receive my highest recommendation.

Music Review: Death Cab for Cutie

By Matt Rosser

Photo by Ryan Russell, courtesy of deathcabforcutie.com

     When I first heard of Death Cab For Cutie, I was expecting a metal band, but what I discovered was simply beautiful. The first song I listened to was “Cath;" I immediately bought their album Narrow Stairs, released in May 2008, and I fell in love. Characterized as a combination of indie pop and alternative rock, Death Cab for Cutie is made up of Ben Gibbard as the lead vocalist and guitarist, Chris Walla on guitar and keyboard, Nick Harmer on bass, and Jason McGerr on drums.  The band formed in 1997 in Washington state.

     Since then, Death Cab for Cutie has been a very prolific band, releasing seven studio albums, five EPs, and a demo thus far.  Ben Gibbard, the lead singer, has such an amazing voice, and it mixes perfectly in harmony with the melodic sound of the guitars.  The band has also earned attention for incorporating such unconventional instruments such as the organ and the glockenspiel, which is similar to the xylophone.  Another one of my favorite songs is "Long Division,” also off the Narrow Stairs album, which starts out with bass guitar and drums matching with each other's beats perfectly. Death Cab For Cutie is one of my favorite bands and hopefully will be one of yours as well in the near future!

Editorial: Lunch and Food Issues in the Castleteria

Editorial: Lunch and Food Issues in the Castleteria
By Mike Porch

Everyone was thrown off in the beginning of the year with the new plans for the lunch room. It did cause a huge up stir, but after the dust had settled everyone had found a place to sit and eat lunch. The issues later on in the year will be caused by weather. With a chunk of people sitting outside I don’t see them integrating very well into the lunch room when it comes time to keep them from going outside. Tables have already been established, and not many people will be willing to sit with people they do not know. The chaos of the lunch room has settled for now, but this is just waiting to be jostled awake again when the winter comes along. It will be an interesting thing to bear witness to, but it will cause tension in the lunch room. Most tables are already full as it is. Some people approve of this new set up, but they are completely over shadowed by the majority of which don’t find this to be any easier.

Will the new seating still be around to see next year? Who knows; there were many complaints in the beginning of the year, and there are going to be more when the bad weather makes it impossible to sit outside. We will see how this plays out for another time. I can see how the administrative body sees this: the seniors will be out, so they don’t care. The freshmen won’t have anything to compare it to. So those are two grades that do not care as much as the others, but eventually juniors will become seniors and not care and all that will be left is the junior year. The lines are longer, and it is running the lunch ladies ragged. All in all, it will become habit just like most of the school changes, and it will just fade into the background. 

**The editorials published on this blog do not reflect the opinions of the Silver Scroll staff. **

ROTC Cadets Raise Awareness for Ovarian Cancer

ROTC Cadets Raise Awareness for Ovarian Cancer

By Jon Nagle

                The week of August 26th, 2012, the N.J.R.O.T.C. Navy Knights helped out within the community by helping raise awareness of Ovarian Cancer. Thirteen NJROTC cadets came out to support the Susan Marie Rupp Foundation in its battle for Ovarian Cancer awareness. The cadets went around the local towns: Magnolia, Stratford, Laurel Springs, and Somerdale, putting up teal colored ribbons to show that we support the Ovarian Cancer patients. Countless people pulled over in their cars to ask what the teal ribbons were for. They were very interested and supportive of the message to be on the lookout for signs of this deadly disease. Please encourage your mother, sister, aunt, grandmother, cousin or any other female in your family to be tested for Ovarian Cancer. You can help save a life, or just being there for somebody who is going thru it makes a big difference.

Facts about Ovarian Cancer:

·         Ovarian Cancer is one of the five leading causes of cancer death in American women.

·         A women's lifetime risk of getting ovarian cancer is 1 in 72.

·         A woman's chances of survival are better if the cancer is found early.

·         Each year, over 20,000 women are diagnosed, and about 15,000 die of Ovarian Cancer.

·         A Pap test does NOT detect ovarian cancer, it tests for cervical cancer.

What can you do to detect it?

·         Get a pelvic exam every year.

·         If a family member has a history of cancer, get tested early and often.

·         Get a CA-125 blood test that detects cancer.

Freshman Perspective: Stepping Through My Year

Freshman Perspective: Stepping Through My Year

By Kailee Meyer

        

         I'm awake ten minutes before my alarm clock rings because the butterflies living in my stomach are fluttering around the theory that this is the first day of the rest of my life. Or, at least, that's what my mother has seemed to convince me in the short summer hiatus. Summer was running on a short thread, and now I'm standing in a hot lunch room alongside friends with older faces. Wiping away the perspiration crawling across my brow, I count the seconds until the bell sounds. The itching excitement stretches the nervous smile across my face so far it just might snap.

          Shaky hands fumble with locker combinations and shaky knees carry me off to the first class of the first day of 9th grade. The hallways are chaotic; passing future graduates is merely a push and shove to race to the next part of the day, but before you realize it, eventually half your day is gone. And the new rush is to get a table in the cafeteria. If you don't, you’re more than obligated to sit with a crowd you've been more than less acquainted with, and you try and break the awkward staring contest between you and some kid in a Ramones t-shirt. And before you know it, you’re creating new experiences, meeting new people, and diving into this new adventure called High School.

Fall Sports Overview

Fall Sports Overview
By Tommy Sheehan

 

Volleyball

Members of the girls volleyball team

            Our Sterling Girls’ Volleyball has had another amazing year with a final record of 26-3 with 8-0 in their conference earning them Freedom Division Champs! The team is coached by Mr. Macpherson with the assistance of Mr. Feeney who have both been with the team for years now. The team was led by three senior captains Melanie Kaiser who is the vocal leader of the team, Cari Applegate a first team all-South Jersey player who leads by example and Annysa Sanchez a well-respected player who leads by example as well. Everybody on the team has been commended by the coaches with Cari Applegate making all tournament teams, Emily Kriebel getting the MVP of the Moorestown tournament and Melanie Kaiser was featured as the female athlete of the week in the Courier Post. All the girls has been commended for their roles for the team as well. The team’s season goals were met with their clinched Conference and 25 wins but now they set their sights on winning a state championship. We wish them the best of luck in their upcoming play-off game!



Tennis



 Members of the tennis team pose with Coach Atene and McDonald



            The Girls’ Tennis Team had a respectable year with a 6-13 record. The team is coached by Mrs. McDonald with the assistance of Mr. Atene who has been helping out for four years now. A typical tennis practice consists of challenge matches and then individual skills. Despite what their record says, the tennis team had a pretty good year competing in every match and having fun doing it. Singles, Mia Falco, Chelsea Korn and Bri Romansky were commended for their hard work this year because they were in tough positions and did well in them. Although there were no captains, girls like Chelsea Korn and Hope Oje set the tone for the team leading by examples. Their goals going into the season were to work hard, improve, and compete in every match which they did. Going forward, they want to practice harder and gain a little more experience to continue to be competitive.

Cross Country



The boys' cross country team



The girls' cross country team.

            The Cross Country had a great season for both the boys and the girls! The boys’ final record was 7-3 and the girls had an 8-2 record which are both very impressive records. The team is coached by Mr. Jim Blumenstein who has been with the team for six years and Mr. McIlvaine who has been with the team for one year. Senior Jimmy Daniels and sophomore Sean Macpherson were the standout runners who were commended by the coaches. Jimmy had a monster season winning most races and even setting a course record with a phenomenal time of 15:38 in a 5k. Sean Macpherson also had a monster season being one of the top ten sophomore runners and together he and Jimmy are one of the best 1-2 runners on any team in South Jersey. There were no captains, but Jimmy Daniels was a standout leader for the both the boy and girls teams by leading by example and holding practices over the summer to help the team get in shape. The team’s goal going into the season was to qualify to group championships.  In the future the team will be practicing and putting in the miles weekly to help them succeed in the future.

Field Hockey

Field hockey team
vs. Overbrook

The Field Hockey Team had another good year with a record of 7-13-1! The team is coached by Ms. Tallant who has been with the team for three years and Ms. Locastro who has been with the team for three years as well. Going into the season, the team’s goal was to improve from last year and maintain a positive attitude all year which they did. They bettered their record by two wins from the year before and competed with many tough teams. The team was led by senior captains Marissa Gerlock, Nicole Kelly, Nicole Balog, and Ali Yip who have worked with the team over the summer and always have great attitudes. Ali Yip was commended on making second-team all-conference and for playing amazing in goal this year because she kept them in most of their games. Going forward, the team wants to focus on improving their knowledge of the game and improving their stick skills to help them out for next year!



Girls’ Soccer

Members of the girls' soccer team pose before a recent game.



            Sterling’s Girl Soccer Team had another solid year with a final record of 10-9-1. The team is coached by Mrs. Caracciolo and assistant coach Mr. Brian Blumenstein who have both been with the team for three years.  The team was led by senior captains Tori Shinkowitz, Courtney Smith, Courtney O’Neil, and Ebony Fielder who all have done a great job of supporting the team and leading by example. The season’s goals were to make playoffs, and try to improve their record from last year and they accomplished both of these goals. Everybody on the team was commended for stepping up this year but the coaches pointed Maria Cice for doing a tremendous job in goal this year. They also commended all of the seniors for being great leaders on the field. Going forward, the team wishes to keep improving from the year before and continue to be competitive in every game. They want to make great strides in the conference and start gaining more respect from other teams which they have started to do year after year.

Soccer



The boys soccer team vs. Overbrook.



            The Sterling Boys’ Soccer team had a pretty good year finishing the season with a 12-8 record. The team is coached by Mr. Marlys and Mr. Barringer. The team was led by junior captain Tommy Sheehan and senior Captain Andrew Mottola both of whom worked hard the entire season and led by example. All of the seniors were commended on their hard work and leadership they have showed all season. Going into the season the team wished to better their record from last year and to keep getting better every game. The team achieved their goal of bettering their record from last year and got better and better throughout the season. Looking forward, the team wants to keep building off the year before and work hard so that they could win a conference and maybe even Group 2 in the future.



Football

The football team, coached by Mr. Wiley, currently have a 4-4 record, and is awaiting the Thanksgiving game on Thursday November 22nd vs. Collingswood.  The Silver Scroll would like to wish the team good luck!

The 2012 football squad poses with the coaching squad.

The Silver Scroll would like to thank Mr. Kozeniewski for his photos used in this article.

School Choice Programs at Sterling

School Choice Programs

By Emily Shinault

 

Sterling High School offers three school choice programs for which students from other districts may apply: Naval Science, Allied Health & Health Services, and Early Childhood Education. These programs provide opportunities for students who live within 20 miles of Sterling to attend the school and pursue their interests in these fields.

                In partnership with UMDNJ, Camden County College, Gloucester County College, and several local facilities, the Allied Health & Health Sciences choice program is designed to prepare students who plan on pursuing college degrees in health-related fields. Available courses include Dynamics of Health Care in Society, Community Health, Fundamentals of Health and Wellness, Emergency & Clinical Care, and others. Several dual credit courses, for which students can earn college credits through the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, are offered. In addition, internships at local facilities are available for seniors.            

Students in the Early Childhood Education choice program will have a preschool lab three days a week from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., with children ages three to five years old. The program runs October through May each year.  The program is designed to prepare students who plan on continuing their education in the fields of Early Childhood or Elementary Education.

Students enrolled in the NJROTC program will take courses in Naval Science and learn about a number of topics such as naval operations, seamanship, navigation, and meteorology. The curriculum promotes positive values including citizenship, patriotism, individual discipline, and respect for authority. Other activities include community service, drill competition, field meets, 78 flights, and marksmanship and other military training. It should be noted that though some enrolled students plan to serve in the military, no military service upon graduation is required.  

Fall Poetry Edition

"Fall Is Here"

By Paige Glenn

The wind howls

The sun shines

The leaves fall

The flowers sleep

The birds fly south

From autumn’s call

Summer has ended

A new season begins

A chilly welcome to all.

   "Lovely'' 

By Kailee Meyer

The sky rose with looming animosity 

And black skies fell on my black eyes

Raindrops drop like falling ballerinas

Gracefully connecting with other dancers

To make their last chasse` until they crash onto the earth 

The cracks in the sidewalk match the 

Cracks in my lips

We both clutch onto the gravel begging

For one taste of Earth’s tears 

And when they come, I drag my sandpaper tongue along 

Their sweet tasteless relief and pray

For another rainy day  

''Work of a Summer’s Day'' 

By Kailee Meyer

Darkened skin, stinging eyes, salty sweat.
Sticky skin.
Flipping tops of cold soda pops unleashing sweetened bubbles, sweetened tingles and sugary tongues.
Frozen teeth, and frozen throats.
Leather seats who've seen memories.
Windows open. Hair blowing. Music echoing.
Echoing through bodies and echoing through brains.
Sandy feet. Dandy days.
Our presence is but dented footprints in the sand left for another summer’s day.

                       "She"

By Mike Porch

          She is the rainbow on the dark rainy storm.

          She is the smile for every tear.

          She is the blessing in every trial.

          She is the faithful friend when life sends me tests.

          She is the song to every sigh.

          She is the answer to my prayers.

          She is everything to me; life, heart, and soul.

         

"My Love, Miranda"

By Mike Porch

 

        In the depths of winter I found a warmth no man would know.

       For I was led from the darkness by a pair of baby blue eyes.

        An intoxicating smile that could make a pit in my stomach.

                             And that mesmerizing laugh that could melt a heart of stone.

                               I prayed to the heavens for a sign and was sent an angel.

                                      The shattered pieces of a once broken heart were now whole again.

                                    This angel has saved my heart and soul.

                                        She is an angel of virtue, whose beauty transcends that of Aphrodite herself.

                                   She is the northern star who guides me home,

                                                                                    And because of her I shall never be alone.