Winter Sports Wrap Up 2012

Compiled by Silver Scroll Staff

Winter Track- Boys and Girls 

      The Sterling track team enjoyed a successful season coached by Mr. McIlvaine and assisted by Mr. Jim Blumenstein.. There are several outstanding players who deserve commendation for their hard work this season: Jimmy Daniels who earned 5^th place in the NJ State Championships, Justin Gervasi who earned 6^th place in the South Jersey Championships, Amiyah Smith with a 6^th place finish in the South Jersey Championships, and Kalib Crump who earned 6^th in South Jersey Championships. The track team doesn’t maintain traditional captains, but there are definitely team leaders.  Because of the various events, leaders emerge in each area.  Jimmy Daniels and Justin Gervasi lead the distance crew.  Ateera Wyatt and Ebony Felder lead the sprinters and Amiyah Smith, Brianna Kearse, and Chanel Jenkins lead the throwers.  They all show their teammates what hard work can get you.

      Each year their goal is the same: to have each individual get closer to his or her potential than they were at the start of the season.  Mr. McIlvaine definitely feels the team not only accomplished that goal, but also surpassed it along with many individual goals as well.  

Jimmy Daniels competes

 

      A typical practice consists of a 15-20 minute warm-up that includes dynamic exercises.  This is followed by the team breaking up into groups of distance, sprints and throws.  The throwers will work on various drills in each event.  The distance and sprinters will usually do a workout on the track.  Some days also include lighter running and event specific training.  In track, commitment is the best way of improving.  The more athletes who train or run in the offseason, the better the team will perform in subsequent seasons.

Swimming- Boys and Girls   

       The Sterling swimming team accomplished an amazing feat: an undefeated season full of accolades for its athletes!  Led by team captains Meghan Kelly, Ashley Sims, Christian Shinkowitz, and Frank Miklosey, the team set a new school record for the first undefeated season. The team faced some challenges due to the lack of a home pool, so daily practice began with a bus ride to Camden County Techinical School.  Practice usually consisted of a warm-up, tailored for each group of swimmers: sprinters, strokers, and distance swimmers.  Coaches, captains, and players work together to motivate each other continuously.

       In addition to a 10-0 season, there are four swimmers who have also qualified for the NJSIAA state championship, with junior Andrew Mottola earning a third place finish in States.  There are a number of record holders on the girls' side: 200 Medley Relay that consisted of Brittany Sims, Gabby Reyes, Ashley Sims, and Meghan Kelly, Brittany Sims for the 100 Backstroke, and Ashley Sims for the 50 Freestyle.  On the boys' side, records include a 200 Medley relay consisting of Tommy Sheehan, Joe Gant, Christian Shinkowitz, and Andrew Mottola, 200 and 400 yard Freestyle relays which consisted of Tommy Sheehan, Frank Miklosey, Christian Shinkowitz, and Andrew Mottola.  Individual records for the boys include Andrew Mottola-200 IM, 50 free, 100 free, and 500 free.  Furthermore, Christian Shinkowitz holds a record in the 100 Butterfly, Tommy Sheehan in the 100 Backstroke.  The team was als the Atlantic Division Champions in the South Jersey Swim League.  Andrew Mottola was the South Jersey champion in the 50 and 100 freestyles.

      There were a number of kids who made the All-Conference team: 1^st team-Frank Miklosey-200 Freestyle, Andrew Mottola-50 and 100 yard Freestyle, Tommy Sheehan, Frank Miklosey, Christian Shinkowitz, and Andrew Mottola. 200 and 400 yard Freestyle Relays. Students who were acknowledged for the 2^nd Team are Tommy Sheehan for the 200 Freestyle and Christian Shinkowitz for the 50 and 100 yard Freestyles. 

      The Sterling swimming team looks forward to continuing to persevere in its 2013 season.  In the off-season, many members compete in additional sports, but those who do not are encouraged to use Sterling's new fitness and wellness center to maintain physical fitness and lift weights. 

Girls Basketball

The 2012 Girls Basketball Team

       The Sterling girls basketball team ended their season with an impressive 20-6 record, and was coached by Mrs. MacDonald and assisted by Mr. MacPherson and Mr. Jones.   The team captains this year were seniors Erica Hoffman, Gwen Smith, Dylann Dreschler, and juniors Tyra Satchell and Anyssa Sanchez.  Even though the team graduated four seniors last year, the team captains stepped up to lead the team and promote positive leadership.  The girls basketball team is lucky enough to benefit from both a freshman and JV program, where players have an opportunity to develop their skills and learn the system.  

      At the beginning of the season, the team set several goals for itself.  One was to win the Conference title, and another was to win  20 games.  Both of these goals, in addition to make a deep run in the playoffs, were accomplished by our Lady Knights. 

Cheerleading

        The cheerleading team was coached by Mrs. Kelsey and assisted by Ms. Cammarata and Ms. Rebecca.  The cheerleading team cheered on the basketball teams throughout their season in addition to competing in various competitions.  The team took 1st place at a competition held at Jackson High School, 1st place at the Audubon Cheer Competition, and 3rd place and the Quaker Classic at the University of Pennsylvania.

Congratulations to all of our Winter Sports on a great season!

Final Record                              Win                    Loss

Boys Basketball                           12                       15

Girls Basketball                            20                        6

Swimming                                    10                         0

Wrestling                                       5                         16

Book Review: The Hunger Games

By Symone Yancey

  

        The Hunger Games, a trilogy by Suzanne Collins, is set in the future ruins of North America, where a Capitol City, Panem, is surrounded by twelve districts.  In order to remind those twelve districts who is in charge, the Capitol began the Hunger Games, in which each district must send one girl and one boy to participate in a fight to the death for the enjoyment of the capitol audience.  When 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen’s sister is chosen to compete, she volunteers as a tribute to save her.  Though you might expect a fast-paced adventure novel and bloody fights, the book gives you much more than that.  It also shows you the more tender moments; instead of glossing over the brutal deaths, Collins shows the pain, loss, and emotional toll that the games take.  The children, some as young as twelve, are forced to bear witness to such horrifying acts of cruelty and barbarity that, in the end, the games not only steal their lives but their humanity as well.

The Hunger Games debuts March 23

            This is the world that Katniss enters when she steps into the arena.  However, Katniss's mother, younger sister, and best friend Gale hang onto every scrap of hope that she will come home.  Katniss stands strong and fights, even as she struggles watching the dying children around her.  There is also a romantic element thrown in when Peeta Mellark is chosen as the boy tribute from District Twelve.  Remembering a time when Peeta was there for her, Katniss finds it hard to see him as an enemy, and we soon learn that Peeta is not exactly indifferent to Katniss either.  Still, Katniss is unsure of her feelings and grapples with how she might connect with her friend Gale back home.

            To add to the popularity of the series, it is now being turned into four movies, the first of which is set to come out on March 23^rd.  The anticipation for the film adaptation of the books has been astronomical as fans count down the days.  The production company has been encouraging this, releasing music from the sound track by country star Taylor Swift featuring the Civil Wars.  All of the book’s hype is completely deserved.  It is a page-turner that will grip you from the very beginning.

            Collins does a great job of dragging you into the story and making you feel for each of the characters.  However, be warned that the final book in the series is a bit rushed and she doesn’t quite tie up all of the loose ends.  Since this is the only flaw, I am also very excited to see it hit the big screen.  There will be plenty of action, teary moments, and romance, so it will appeal to pretty much everyone, as long as it is done the right way.

It is usually true that the books are always better than the movies, but I know I speak for many fans when I say that I hope they stay as close to the text as possible.  From the trailers and interviews with the people involved, it seems like this will be the case.   I will most definitely be at the midnight premier on March 23^rd, 2012; hopefully you are too.

ROTC Celebrates Winter Ball

By Amber Garzon

  

     Recently, the Sterling High School NJROTC celebrated its eighth annual Winter Ball. And so you may be wondering what exactly the Winter Ball is? Well every year the cadets in the Sterling NJROTC get together to plan this traditional military dining out. It’s an evening where the cadets come together in a night of celebration and tradition. It also gives the cadets a chance to prove how gentlemen and lady-like they can be, but in the end it’s a time for building fond memories. The night is filled with lots of dancing, dinner and dessert, guest speakers, toasts, pictures, and so much more!

            This year the cadets decided to go host the Winter Ball at Aulletos Catering located in Woodbury, NJ. The night started at five p.m. and ended about nine p.m.  The cadets and their guests/dates started the evening by lining up by couple in a traditional receiving line to walk down the raised sword arch. The male cadets of course were looking sharp in their NJROTC uniforms, as were the female cadets/guests in their beautiful gowns and dresses. The couples were announced formally and then proceeded to walk down the sword arch, where the introduction of the VIPs of the ball took place. The male introduced himself and his date to each VIP one by one and offered a handshake. Once through the receiving line the couples continued onto their assigned tables and awaited the arrival of their fellow table members.

            After the receiving line was finished, everyone rose for the invocation and then the singing of the National Anthem. The cadet-based color guard would then present the colors during the National Anthem, which was immediately followed by some selected cadets carrying out covers, aka hats of each service branch, and placing them on what is known as the POW table. After doing so, Sr.Chief proceeded by narrating the meanings of each of the other items placed on the table.

            Furthermore, the guest speaker, a former NJROTC cadet and student of Sterling High School, now attending his senior year at the United States Naval Academy, made a memorable speech. Afterwards the cadets were allowed to finally, by table, to go up and get their food for the dinner portion of the evening. The buffet-styled food had a wide selection, including assorted pastas, meats, salads, soups, fruits, mashed potatoes, and fresh vegetables. Dessert was provided further into the night, where the cadets made their very own personal sundaes.

The ROTC winter ball was held on February 11, 2012

            As mentioned previously, the night is full of traditions. For example, every year, one first year male/female cadet is selected as the position of Mr. / Miss Vice. The cadets and their guests are seated at their assigned tables, with the head table up front where the head of the ball and the VIPs of the ball are seated. Then, there is the Vices’ table, set aside away from everyone else, and they are the ones from who the cadets/guests request permission to use the restroom, get more food, make a toast, etc… They are given the choice of saying yes or no, and if they say no then the one who made the request must sit down and ask again at a later time. Also some selected cadets stand up and propose toasts to each of the service branches, such as the President of the United States and of course to the Sterling High School Navy Knights!

            In addition, there were also spies at each table that monitor the table guests to see whether or not they are using proper manners, such as pulling the chair out for the ladies, keeping their elbows off the table, chewing with their mouths closed, etc… When the dinner portion of the evening was finished, the spies were called up to explain to every one what they saw their table do wrong that evening.  However, no one at a table knows who the spy was as their table until then.

            Finally, the DJ began to turn the music up and the cadets piled on the dance floor. There was always someone dancing and whenever someone was sitting down you can bet there was someone else going over and trying to get them on the dance floor. All the traditional dance songs were played, mixed in with all types of music from country to pop to rock. And of course there were always the slow songs where the couples come together and dance. The most memorable part of the night was when the last slow song was played in memory of the singer and actress Whitney Houston, who had recently died.

            The Winter Ball is an evening where cadets and guests alike really enjoy each other's company and appreciate it as well. The memories built are long-lasting and the new friends and acquaintances made are worth it.  But everything has to end sometimes, even when you may not want them to.  But when this one did, it can be said that everyone that went absolutely enjoyed themselves. Its time to start planning next year’s!

Mr. Randazzo Retires after over 40 years

By Melissa Pierce

Mr. Randazzo at the beginning of his career.

     The end of January 2012 marked the day Mr. Randazzo left the castle to start his retirement. He worked at Sterling for 40 and half years, which makes him the longest serving employee, starting his employment here in September of 1971. During his time here at the castle, Mr. Randazzo worked primarily as a chemistry teacher, but beginning in 1983 he was taken out of the classroom and given various administrative jobs. He served as Director of Curriculum, Supervisor of Guidance, Youth Study Team and Individual Education, and Director of Adult School. In 1990, Mr. Randazzo went back to teaching full time with a mixture of chemistry and physics, and in 2004 became our full time physics teacher. 

       Mr. Randazzo says that his favorite experience here at the castle was when he was named the prestigious title of “Teacher of the Year” in 2009. In his retirement, he plans to continue writing on his website, onepotatochip.com, with the hopes of getting published, and devote more of his time to his daughter Laura and church. He is also planning the possibility of tutoring and volunteering at local schools. Mr. Randazzo says that he misses most of his colleagues, current members of the Science and Math departments, and of course, the students whom made his life interesting every day. He wrote an essay for all the staff to be given and these were the last lines of his good bye:

“I thank all of you, especially the science department, for years of enjoyment and companionship. Together we have fought the battle against ignorance.  Sterling has been a wonderful place to work.  I can't imagine what technology will do to the future of education.  But learning is a lifelong venture, so be willing to learn as well as teach and enjoy every moment.”

We will always miss you, Mr. Randazzo.

Mr. Randazzo bids Sterling a fond farewell.

Sterling Aids the Dominican

This compassionate act, which Dr. McCulley recently put his time and effort into, is not well-known in the community.  He went there as part of a missionary group from Lifetouch Photography to build a school for the children of that nation in poverty.  It’s called a Memory Mission and is something that the photography company does every year in partnership with World Servants, another organization that helps countries in need.  As for Dr. McCulley, he was selected by the AASA (American Association of School Administrators) to partake in this event along with other school administrators from all different schools across the country.  Altogether, there were about 45 people from the United States there.

Construction site of the new school in the Dominican

The purpose of this mission was to help offset the school population of the area, which is normally about 60 children to one class.  The school was being built 150 miles inland, in the valley of a mountain range for the town of Castanza.  The mission lasted a week and the project that the members of the AASA and Lifetouch photography had was to build the walls of the new school and paint them.  “From doing block work to pouring concrete, it was almost like a Habitat for Humanity” said Dr. McCulley.

Another aspect of the mission, though, was learning and experiencing the culture of the Dominican Republic.  The people there do not have the technology that we have and take for granted on a day to day basis, and by that I mean floors and running water.  Eleven families have to share one outhouse.  But they are content and happy.  They have really strong family bonds and take pride in what they have, like their small houses, which were no bigger than a five by ten closet and up to six people lived.  This is because they don’t realize what they don’t have and appreciate what they receive. “As long as they have food, health care, and formal education…they will be okay and get by,” said Dr. McCulley.

For more information on the project, such as pictures and narratives of the days’ activities from Dr. McCulley’s trip, you can visit his blog at jackmcculley@blogspot.com

Sterling's New Weight Room

By Laurie Senior

           One of the biggest changes this year in Sterling High School has been the opening of the brand new and improved weight room, now known as the Wellness and Fitness Center.  I had a chance to sit down and talk with Dr. McCulley before the ribbon cutting ceremony took place on December 15, 2012 and discuss what this would mean for the students here at Sterling High School.

            His foremost concern about the students here was physical fitness, which was not sufficiently achieved by the previous facilities.  With the expansion of the weight room into a wellness center, the students are able to focus on more than just lifting weights; they can focus on getting in shape with cardio exercises and a wider range of physical activities.  It was also a matter of space; allowing more students to work out at one time.

            One of the main reasons for this is the transition to physical fitness in the physical education program.  In a battle against obesity and lack of physical fitness, the curriculum has taken a turn towards health and wellness through exercise.  Gym classes will be using this new fitness center as a larger part of their syllabus, and after school sports will also be taking advantage of this new addition for work-outs and off-season training in order to allow the students to become more proficient in that specific skill-set, said Dr. McCulley.  It is also for the students who wish to participate in sports but can’t because of their physical fitness, so that they can get in shape in order to participate in sports in the future.

            But that is only the tip of the iceberg.  While informed that this will be a while off, Dr. McCulley was encouraging that eventually, with enough support, the Wellness and Fitness Center will be open to the community to use possibly before and after school hours.  The overseer of this program is Sterling's Varsity football coach, Mr. Wiley.  Other staff members, most likely gym teachers, will become part of the supervision and aid in the facilities as time goes on and the program starts picking up steam.

            Most of the equipment in Wellness and Fitness Center now was taken from the old YMCA near the Voorhees Town Center, and re-furnished, as the school has recently purchased that building for multiple future uses.  Other than that, the construction cost of expanding and updating the weight room into a Wellness and Fitness Center came to about $70,000.

            I was lucky enough to attend the ribbon cutting ceremony as well, and what I saw was a huge improvement.  There is now a variety of equipment with plenty of space to move around.  At the ceremony, about 30 to 40 students were working out, using the new equipment, all of which looked brand new.  The head members of the Board of Education were in attendance and there was a small speech given by Dr. McCulley and the President of the Board, Ms. Caramiello, before she cut the ribbon to officially open the Wellness and Fitness Center.

            This expansion is a huge leap for Sterling High School and the surrounding community.  It helps diversify the students here and puts us ahead of other schools in the area on the matter of physical fitness.  I have to admit that I, myself, am not an extremely physically active person, but with the addition of this Wellness and Fitness Center to the school, I may end up becoming one.  So come on Sterling community!  Let’s get up and get active!

No Facebook for 45 Days

By Paige Glenn

Facebook has been one of the most popular networking sites this year, as more and more people joined the Facebook world.  There were over 400 million users as of 2010, so you can hardly imagine how many people there are now.   But is Facebook all that it appears to be? You have all the statuses, the games, pictures, messaging back and forth, multiple friends, and the gossip. It can be good in some ways, but I've found, in most cases, that people use it the wrong way. 

Sometimes, Facebook can play a role in a marriage falling apart . The temptation of lying and cheating online exists and creates a lot of tension/fighting between spouses. Friendships and relationships start to disperse.  People feel a certain sense of security behind a computer screen and think they can say anything personal. 

Facebook is mostly an escape from real life; for people who do not want to work through the hard times and incarcerate themselves from their responsibilities. Boredom can play a big role if you have nothing else going on in your life or want to do anything else.

Facebookers (that's what I like to call them) draw so much attention to themselves because they want the feedback from other people and compliments that make themselves feel good about themselves. When they post about their bad day, they expect you to "boo who" with them and comfort them. News flash, Facebook is not a panacea for every problem. Those who have an account know what I am talking about. The list goes on and on of how terribly people act and react. It turns people to being delusional; thinking that if no one comments on their status or "likes" it than no one cares about them. It turns the sanity into insanity and turns the healthy into unhealthy. 

So the beginning of my study, I found that it is hard to stay away from Facebook for a couple days. You will most likely have the urge to reactivate your account, but after a week you should not feel dependent. Here's my personal take on going without Facebook for 45 days.

Pros of No Facebook:

•  Better grades:

I had a lot more time on my hands for studying and homework. With Facebook, studies came last. I have interviewed multiple people and they replied that Facebook is a distraction from getting what needs to be done, done.

• Less Drama:

The less you know, the better it seems. You are not wrapped up into the "cyber fights" and witnessing cyber bullying as much as before. You are not worried about what someone is going to say about another person or you. Staying out of the situation brings you relief.

•  Better exercise:

Without Facebook I was able to prioritize my time and fit in "exercise time" a little each day. I have lost four pounds within 2-3 weeks from exercising. (I don't mean just because you delete your Facebook, you are going to lose weight. I'm using it as an example of something to do).

• Getting outside more:

This is considering that some Facebookers sit in on the weekends "Facebooking" their life away and have no interest in trying something new in the outside world. (This does not apply to all Facebookers, just the ones who take it to the extreme). The world has a lot of great things to provide and I have actually found myself doing more things outside the house, such as walking, going to the park, and spending time with family.

• Spending time with family:

Now I know some families are not the greatest in the world, but there has to be some family member that you spend time with the most. Spending time with a father, sister, mother, brother, etc. can make the difference compared to blogging all day about something that you are not going to remember in a week.

•  Actually hanging out with friends!:

Many of your closest friends have their days of wanting to sit at home and chatting on the computer. In today's generation it has turned into a habit. I found myself realizing that many of the teens I hang out with do not use Facebook as much as I thought, which breaks the day by having something useful to do.

•  Developing a hobby:

I found myself developing a new hobby, such as reading, playing an instrument more, etc. I have been playing an instrument for a couple years, but I extended the amount of time I play to perfect myself and become a better musician. It was a useful strategy for me which kept me satisfied.

These may seem facile, but there are many more abundant differences in the results than you may think. There are more positive reasons for deleting your Facebook, but those are the main key points.  However, for as much as I am against Facebook, I did have some thoughts on its' positives.

Cons of No Facebook:

• Not talking to family as much:

Many of my family members live far away (and also because I do not get to see them frequently). I struggled to keep in contact with them.  I was only able to talk to them a couple times a week since we all have different schedules.

• Not invited to "parties" as much:

Instead of sending invitations by mail or text messaging/calling, many teens and adults create a page on Facebook, adding the people they want to invite to their "get together" or "party.” It sounds very secretive and sneaky to me. Depending on how close you are with the friend, he or she may forget to invite you and you miss out on a lot.

• Contacting friends:

In my generation, many teens are so wrapped up in technology (computers especially) that they forget to answer their phones when you plan on hanging out with them. (I am very guilty of this myself). So private messaging or "writing on their wall" comes into play and is better communication for them.

• Sharing pictures and knowing what's going on:

Now even though reading some statuses and knowing the wrong information is bad, there are some statuses and some pictures that you can share with friends rather than printing the photo or having your friend accidentally deleting it in their email. Many people can comment and they might have something positive and hilarious to say about it!

Facebook is a networking site that gives you a lot of freedom. Be aware that every idle word you say is monitored and not secure. Every status that gets deleted, every picture and comment is still owned by Facebook. Facebook keeps all of your information, and colleges are starting to look at your Facebook to see if you are eligible for their college. Colleges do look at it even if you use it the right way.  Many students have found it hard to get jobs and go to college because of one foolish status about drinking, usage of drugs, or even unintentionally hurting someone. It may seem like a good idea at the time, but when you look at it later on you’ll regret it a lot more, just like those kids who can’t even get a start in life because of what they put online.

Surviving Facebook is not as hard as it seems. Besides, it's only a website and it'll soon turn into one of those other social networking sites that plummets down the drain. Something else popular will emerge soon, whether you believe it or not. I am glad to say that I survived a 45 Day Facebook Challenge.

Tips for Smart Facebooking:

• Pictures - Pictures can be more deceiving than you think. Uploading pictures of parties that have the use of drugs, alcohol, etc. can give colleges and bosses the wrong impression when you go to apply for a job or enroll in classes. That red plastic cup you may have been holding may have fruit punch, but how can a picture prove that it was something else?

•  Statuses - This goes along with comments. Everything you say is MONITORED and can be held against you. No one needs to know every single word you have to say. Be careful what you say since it can offend other teens of a different race, sex, religion, etc., and can affect where you end up in your future. Your statuses can be seen by your peers, parents, teachers, and police officers. Don’t say anything that you would not say on a public stage!

The War of 1971 Protest: Student Report

By Jannatul Sifat

   

   The war of 1971 was between Bangladesh and Pakistan. Bangladesh wanted freedom from Pakistan, and Pakistan obviously didn't want this, so they had a war. Bangladesh, formerly East Pakistan, had won the war and became known as Bangladesh. Since 2009 Sheikh Hasina, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, has been planning to kill 16 Jamat leaders (Religious Leader Party).  She believes that they were responsible for the atrocities of the war. Now these leaders are being held in jail, without even having a trial. Those that were given trials, were wrongly convicted by corrupt lawyers and judges. These people are known for their honesty, proficiency, and intelligence. There are only two parties running in Bangladesh ; the BNP (Bangladesh National Party), and the Awami League (The Secularist) because the Jamat leaders are held in prison. The Jamat leaders are beaten, served an inadequate amount food, and are not allowed visitors. Their prison cells are usually more unsanitary than the public bathrooms.

     There are many people who feel that the Jamat leaders should be let free. There isn't any proof of the leaders conspiring with the Pakistani government. Also the Bangladeshi people aren't happy with the government. The Bangladeshi government is very corrupt. Citizens feel that they can bribe just about any authority; for example police, CID (criminal investigation detective), and RAB (another kind of force), to do whatever they want. The two political parties have been running since 1981.  Sheikh Hasina was one; Ziur Rahman was another person in office, but then he died, so his wife was another candidate after 1990. It has been only these two people running for the goverment, and the Bangladeshi people are tired. Yet, when the people ask and protest for the freedom of the Jamat leaders, they are beaten by the police because the government "doesn't want trouble." 

Supporters protest in front of the Embassy of Bangladesh in D.C.

     More than a thousand people protested in one city in Bangladesh, and a few of them were taken to jail. There was a protest in Washington D.C. on February 17th 2012, in front of the Bangladesh Embassy and the White House. Some of the Bengali families from the South Jersey area went there as well. My friends and I went to Washington D.C., because as a Muslim and a Bengali, and a most importantly as a person, we felt that Bangladesh needs justice. We feel that the Jamat leaders are patriots NOT war criminals. The government has no real proof that they were connected to the horror that was done in 1971. For the sake of humanity we felt that it was our duty, to protest the wrongs that are taking place in Bangladesh. Bangladesh needs to restore democracy, human rights, and justice for the people of Bangladesh.

Protestors gather in front of The White House

Photos Courtesy of Jannatul Sifat

Poetry - Winter 2012 Edition

"The Magic Moment"

Anonymous Sterling student

The magic moment I remember, 

I looked up and saw her standing there.
An angelic vision and living proof
of all that is beautiful and rare.

My breath was completely taken from me,
What was going on around me I did not care.

For I was spellbound by you, 

All I could do was stand there and stare.

I stood there agape and stared at you,
with so much noise and activity around.
All I heard was silence, my heartbeat
being the only audible sound.

Who was this beauty so elegant and
graceful moving across the floor?
And how could something so wonderful
exist without me ever seeing her before?

So many emotions washed over me that day,
I did not understand but I would soon see.
From that very moment I saw my soul mate,
I knew every thing you would ever mean to me.

For that day I learned how love felt, and
from that day on I would love and adore.
That vision who was shopping with her mother and sister 

in our hometown grocery store 

"Colorline"

 By Amanda Pease

The pulse of the music,

Whether city or hick.

The beat of a drum,

Dig-a dig-a dum.

The sticks moving freely,

Looking around at all I see.

Working together as a team,

All connected by a different sea.

Seasons we will never forget,

Notes on the page all set.

Run throughs not always good,

Practice, practice, practice we would.

Uniforms we are proud to wear,

All the crazy drama we bear.

Schedules we hate,

We can sometimes be late.

With our parents that make our food,

Put everyone in a good mood.

Colorguard and drumline,

My life is a colorline.

"What I Left Behind"

 By Amanda Pease

The memories that are seen,

Relationships lean, strong, and mean.

Colors are everywhere,

Last one that was there....

Was my best friend Mere.

The sweet fragrance of vanilla,

Also comes the smell of incense.

It fills the whole room violently,

The candle burns oh so silently.

Smelling this aroma is great.

Tires blaring through the speakers,

TV shows are the norm.

Alarm clock going off to wake,

The bureau banging

As I shut my drawers.

All together is music to my ears.