Please enjoy the Winter 2014 Silver Scroll. All submissions are linked below.
1. Movie Review: 12 Years a Slave by Mason Plotts
2. Movie Review: Frozen by Zainab Jaffry
3. Movie Review: Ride Along by Mary McGregor
4. Book Review: The Raven Boys by Chelsea Korn, Editor in Chief
5. Book Review: The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Nimit Kaur
6. Music Review: One Direction Midnight Memories
7. TV Series Review: Sleepy Hollow by Emily Winters
8. Winter Sports Recap by Lam Nguyen and AnneMarie Brook
9. ROTC Enjoys Annual Winter Ball by Tyler Carberry
10. Damn Yankees: Spring Musical Preview by Sophia Vicari
11. Stop, Drop, and Roll: Toys 4 Tots by Sophia Vicari
12. Editorial: Block Scheduling by Emily Shinault
13. Editorial: Senioritis by Chelsea Korn, Editor in Chief
14. Editorial: Staring at the Audience III by Sophia Vicari
15. Featured Short Story: The Humiliation of an Ironic Situation by Chris Lemasney
16. Poetry: "The Stars and the People" by Emily Winters
17. Winter Photography: Featured Photographers Robin Kavanagh and Jon Nagle
18. Featured Artist: Chris Lemasney
19. Artwork Collection
The official website of Sterling High School's literary publication. Somerdale, NJ
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Artwork
Featured Artwork
Please enjoy a selection of artwork from our featured artist, Chris Lemasney |
| "A Mash of Music" |
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| "Captain America The First Avenger" |
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| "Grateful Dead Steal Your Face" |
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| "Metroid" |
Winter Photography
A Winter's Day Photo Collage
By Robin Kavanagh
A selection of photographs from our featured photographer, Jon Nagle.
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| A winter's sunset |
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| Three of a kind |
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| Woods on a snowy day |
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| Tiger lily |
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| Water droplets with snow |
Winter Poetry: "The Stars and the People"
By Emily Winters '17
I wonder what the stars look like…without
the cut of power lines, and the hum of houses far and wide. I wonder if they
shine like no other, not doubting their existence, but merely shouting out,
making themselves known.
“Look at me! I’m bright, yet I’m so far away from all of you, down
there. Follow me to a different world! Perhaps… a better one.”
Yet those stars so far away in the inky page of an author not
known to me, secluded in the blanket of their own penmanship… are gone… some
that is. Only a handful remain, haunting us, and tempting us with the words of
their brothers. Some think, “I will show them,” and fall to Earth in a great
spectacular show of light that doesn’t “show them…” but rather the people use
“reasoning” in a big world of unreasonable people.
The stars… they pity us… and they marvel… and
sometimes they envy our emotions.
I wonder what the stars looked like… before I
was me… before the world was here.
Short Story: The Humiliation of an Ironic Situation
By Chris Lemasney '14
The orchestra had
started up again after their break. The bar, after sitting through 20 minutes
of silence, other than the sound of light conversation, was once again filled
with the wonderful sound of jazz. Mick was there alone, fidgeting and awaiting
the bartender to acknowledge his presence. The bartender approached him
after a few moments.
The orchestra had
started up again after their break. The bar, after sitting through 20 minutes
of silence, other than the sound of light conversation, was once again filled
with the wonderful sound of jazz. Mick was there alone, fidgeting and awaiting
the bartender to acknowledge his presence. The bartender approached him
after a few moments.
“What
can I get you, Mick?” he asked.
“The
usual,” responded Mick.
“All
right, just give me a second.”
The bartender broke out the scotch and poured it over
ice, handing it to Mick.
“Thanks,
Walt,” said Mick.
“No
problem. So how’ve ya been ya rat bastard?” Walt asked jokingly. “I see you’re
still wearing those ugly suits that look like ya pulled ‘em outta the garbage!”
“Damn
you, Walt!” Mick snapped back but still in a somewhat joking matter. “You know
I can’t afford any new clothes right now.”
“Hey,
I’m just yankin’ your chain man,” Walt exclaimed quickly. “By the way, have ya
seen some of the flappers in this place?”
“Yeah,
what about them?” asked Mick in an unimpressed tone of voice.
“A
lot of good ones, eh?”
“I
really don’t care. I never really liked the flappers. They always seem dirty to
me,” explained Mick.
“Well,
have you seen the blonde one in the corner?”
“I
don’t think so. Why do you ask?”
“Because
she’s been staring at you since you walked in.”
Mick
turned around to take a look. He scanned the bar until he finally turned his
head to the corner that Walt was talking about. Standing in that corner was the
most beautiful woman that Mick had seen in all his 28 years of life. She was a
very thin woman. Her hair was a perfect blonde which was short and curly and
seemed to wrap around her rosy cheeks. She was wearing a white, skin-tight
dress that barely reached passed her knees and was wearing high heels that made
her look at least four inches taller than she actually was. Her skin looked as
white and as soft as snow, however, at the same time, she did not look pale.
Though she was dressed as a flapper, her face gave away the amount of maturity
she had gathered over the years which made her more beautiful to Mick than any
flapper he had ever seen. Mick turned back to Walt.
“Has
she really been looking at me this whole time?” he asked.
“As
soon as you walked in, and she’s on her way over here now.”
By
the time Walt told him that, Mick had no time to look over. She was already
there sitting next to him. Mick’s heart was in his throat. His brain started to
scramble as he tried to muster up some courage to talk to her. However, she was
the one to break the ice.
“Hi,”
she said with an adorable smile.
“Hi,”
responded Mick nervously. “How are you?”
“I’m
very well. My name’s Margot, and you?”
“I’m
Mick,” he said.
“Well,
it’s very nice to meet you,” responded Margot.
There
was a brief, awkward silence before Mick started to talk again.
“Can
I get you a drink?” he asked.
“No
thank you. I’m really not much of a drinker.”
“A
beautiful woman like yourself shouldn’t drink anyway. I believe it would
eventually ruin your complexion.
“Don’t
lie to me. You don’t think I’m beautiful.”
“Of
course I do,” Mick said quickly, trying to reassure her. “But don’t ask me to
describe it, for it would be agony to comprehend your beauty in a glance.”
“Fitzgerald?”
she asked.
“Pardon?”
“You’re
quoting The Beautiful and Damned
by F. Scott Fitzgerald, correct?
“Oh,
uh…yes I am. How did you know?”
“I
love F. Scott Fitzgerald! He’s my favorite author!”
“That’s
amazing! He’s mine as well!” Mick exclaimed. “Is The Beautiful and Damned your favorite by him?”
“While
I do love that book dearly, I have to say I like This Side of Paradise just a bit more.
“I
remember getting that book five years ago when it was first published,” said
Mick.
“It’s
come a long way since then,” said Margot.
“It
has indeed. I want to get his new one that just came out. The Great Gatsby I believe it’s
called.”
“I
don’t know about that one,” she stated disappointingly.
“May
I ask why?”
“It
just seems much smaller than his other novels. I don’t really believe it will
achieve any historical significance in the future.”
“Yes,
I suppose that makes sense.”
There
was another brief silence before Mick said
“Would you like to get out of here? We could go to my
apartment.”
She
gave him an attractive smile. “I would love to.”
They
got up to leave. Mick left the money for his drink on the bar and signaled a
goodbye to Walt.
“Do
you know how to get out of here?” Margot asked. “These speakeasies can be
difficult to remember how to get out of sometimes.”
Mick
laughed to himself and explained the exit as they were walking. “Yeah, it’s
past this door, up the ladder, and through the door in the ceiling that leads
to the abandoned restaurant. “
“Do
you ever get scared that you might get caught coming here, Mick?”
“I
don’t really worry about it. I doubt the pigs’ll ever find this place.”
He
led Margot out of the speakeasy. His heart was beating a mile-a-minute and his
mind was racing. He was actually going to make it with this amazing woman whom
he found beautiful and seemed to have much in common with. However, she was a
flapper. He had never been fond of flappers. He knew it, as well as everyone
else. If anyone was to find out about this he would be a laughing stock. His
thoughts, however, were delayed by the gust of wind that hit him as he walked
outside. Margot turned to him.
“Listen,
what’s about to happen is nothing personal. I honestly had a very pleasant time
talking to you tonight.”
“What
in the world are you talking about?” Mick asked. Margot began to shout.
“Ok
guys! I got someone out! There’s definitely a speakeasy down there!” Just then
a large group of cops ran out of an ally way and surrounded Mick.
“All
right, boys!” shouted one of the policemen. “You all go find the speakeasy,
I’ll take care of this one. Put your hands where I can see ‘em!” he said
turning his attention towards Mick.
Mick
turned to Margot as he was being handcuffed. “You b**h!!! I thought we
could have started something!” Margot looked at him with an upset and
sympathetic look on her face, yet, she did not say anything. It would have hurt
her too much. She simply turned away as Mick was cursing and being put in the
back of the police car.
“How
could I have been so stupid?!” Mick thought to himself. He felt ashamed and
humiliated. “I never should have trusted a flapper.”
Editorial: Staring At the Audience Part III
By Sophia Vicari, '17
Well, it happened: I sang the Hallelujah Chorus for the last time as a student excited to see the alumni. For every Winter Concert from now on, I will be one of the alumni. My mind= blown. I thought the Winter Assembly went really well. The girl’s number, “All I Want for Christmas Is You”, turned out really good with senior Emily Krowicki singing the solo and a dance choreographed by junior Kaitlyn Huesken. I got to be in that dance, and I had so much fun! We got to wear these blue-sparkled white
dresses that I love—they are not only adorable but oh-so-slimming. When asked what it was like having a solo in her senior concert, Krowicki resounded, “It was awesome, honestly. It’s an amazing feeling to have people applaud and enjoy the music as much as I do.” The band did an excellent job as well, with new band director Mr. Young successfully leading the band through his first Sterling Winter Concert.
On February 5th, we had a Winter Music Assembly where the Silvertones performed our show, “One Love”. I would like to personally thank Assembly B for the great audience. There were cheers and applause and people were very supportive. Assembly A, however, I would ask you to please applaud next time you see senior Matt Dieterle do MULTIPLE BACK HNDSPRINGS IN A ROW! Honestly, guys, I was so appalled at the lack of support from the audience. I guess second time’s a charm in this case. Resident choreographer Brooke Murray talks highly of this year’s show, saying “The Silvertones this year has really broadened our horizons with our new show, ‘One Love’. While keeping an open
mind, everyone has met the challenge to take on new styles of music, movement and organization. With a new Silvertones band by our side and dazzling new costumes, we have expanded on the improvements made during last year’s show ‘Chicago’; and we are now looking forward to finishing our the year with ‘One Love’ and … a bright future.”
And boy, are those new costumes dazzling! Our new sequined gold dresses have taught us that sequins will scratch you. I don’t exaggerate by declaring that the saying “beauty takes pain” rings so true after a performance. With new costumes and new styles of dance, along with more modern music and our student band, we really had to adjust this year. You can really feel the power in certain songs like “Somebody to Love” (our opener) and “The Chain”. Soloists this year are seniors Chelsea Korn, Jesse Panico, Prince Frederick, and junior Kaitlyn Huesken for “Somebody to Love”; senior Ben Muska for “One Love”; and the ending number has soloists Ashlynn Mercer, Emily Krowicki, Sophia Vicari, Jayson Bullock, Matt Dieterle, and Paul McGroarty. Most solos are double-casted, so be sure to catch different
performance to see all the soloists shine! Our band includes the talented Lynly Carman (freshman), Ashley Huesken (senior), Donald Mooney (senior), Frankie Adair (sophomore), and Justin Seenarine (senior). It is so cool performing with a band! The winter was a good season for Sterling’s Music Department, and with the musical, the spring concert, competition, and other performances, I can’t wait to see what the spring has in store for us!
Well, it happened: I sang the Hallelujah Chorus for the last time as a student excited to see the alumni. For every Winter Concert from now on, I will be one of the alumni. My mind= blown. I thought the Winter Assembly went really well. The girl’s number, “All I Want for Christmas Is You”, turned out really good with senior Emily Krowicki singing the solo and a dance choreographed by junior Kaitlyn Huesken. I got to be in that dance, and I had so much fun! We got to wear these blue-sparkled white dresses that I love—they are not only adorable but oh-so-slimming. When asked what it was like having a solo in her senior concert, Krowicki resounded, “It was awesome, honestly. It’s an amazing feeling to have people applaud and enjoy the music as much as I do.” The band did an excellent job as well, with new band director Mr. Young successfully leading the band through his first Sterling Winter Concert.
On February 5th, we had a Winter Music Assembly where the Silvertones performed our show, “One Love”. I would like to personally thank Assembly B for the great audience. There were cheers and applause and people were very supportive. Assembly A, however, I would ask you to please applaud next time you see senior Matt Dieterle do MULTIPLE BACK HNDSPRINGS IN A ROW! Honestly, guys, I was so appalled at the lack of support from the audience. I guess second time’s a charm in this case. Resident choreographer Brooke Murray talks highly of this year’s show, saying “The Silvertones this year has really broadened our horizons with our new show, ‘One Love’. While keeping an open
mind, everyone has met the challenge to take on new styles of music, movement and organization. With a new Silvertones band by our side and dazzling new costumes, we have expanded on the improvements made during last year’s show ‘Chicago’; and we are now looking forward to finishing our the year with ‘One Love’ and … a bright future.”
And boy, are those new costumes dazzling! Our new sequined gold dresses have taught us that sequins will scratch you. I don’t exaggerate by declaring that the saying “beauty takes pain” rings so true after a performance. With new costumes and new styles of dance, along with more modern music and our student band, we really had to adjust this year. You can really feel the power in certain songs like “Somebody to Love” (our opener) and “The Chain”. Soloists this year are seniors Chelsea Korn, Jesse Panico, Prince Frederick, and junior Kaitlyn Huesken for “Somebody to Love”; senior Ben Muska for “One Love”; and the ending number has soloists Ashlynn Mercer, Emily Krowicki, Sophia Vicari, Jayson Bullock, Matt Dieterle, and Paul McGroarty. Most solos are double-casted, so be sure to catch different
performance to see all the soloists shine! Our band includes the talented Lynly Carman (freshman), Ashley Huesken (senior), Donald Mooney (senior), Frankie Adair (sophomore), and Justin Seenarine (senior). It is so cool performing with a band! The winter was a good season for Sterling’s Music Department, and with the musical, the spring concert, competition, and other performances, I can’t wait to see what the spring has in store for us!
Editorial: Senioritis
By Chelsea Korn, '14
Editor-in-Chief
Teachers see it every year. Juniors begin to wonder if they’ll catch it next
September, and 12th graders are battling the illness until June rolls around with final exams and graduation within their grasp. Before this year, I never really took ‘senioritis’ seriously. I just figured it was something that people talked about and made to be this huge ordeal. I figured that in reality, being a senior was just the same as being a junior, sophomore, or freshman. Needless to say, I was very wrong. As a senior who is just over halfway done with her final year of high school, I can tell you that senioritis truly does exist. It’s a state of mind: you are so, so close to being done with high school you can almost taste the crappy college cafeteria food right now. Once you’ve finished applying to colleges and have received a few acceptance letters, you really start to wonder why you even have to finish the year. You have your plan and you know what field you’re going to go into. Even for students that are currently “Undecided” know that high school is done helping them. For me, senioritis is realizing that you’re growing up. You have so much going on now and you start focusing on life in the real world, not the world of high school. For me, I’m realizing that I don’t fit in with the rest of my school anymore. I’m onto bigger and better things, and I can’t wait to get started.
Unfortunately, I still have to graduate. I still have to maintain good grades in order to go to my dream school, and whether or not you can control your case of senioritis could be the deciding factor on a scholarship or even admission into college next year. It’s always been hard to focus on studying when you’d rather be doing other things. However, when you’re a senior, this restlessness is amplified even more because you don’t see the point in it anymore. Deep down, you know that you have to finish the year and your high school career strong, but after the stress of applying for college is over, it’s harder to remember the point of studying. I know personally, I probably could have gotten higher scores on tests this year, but I’m not so focused on ‘being good at school’ anymore. Senioritis can be tricky, because while it’s a sign of growing up and focusing on your life outside of high school, it can also be an excuse to slack off senior year. Seniors (myself included) need to learn how to find balance in their lives. My advice to current juniors and even current seniors is to remind yourself every day why you need to keep giving 100% to your school work. Whether it’s to continue playing on varsity for the rest of the school year, or to ensure you’ll get that big scholarship, remind yourself why it’s important to stay the course.
However, remember that your life is changing. Before this year, your job was school. Next year, if you plan to go to college, your job will still be school, but you’ll be studying what you want to spend your life doing. Don’t sweat the small stuff and keep in mind that while high school is still important, you are moving on with your life. I personally think senioritis is healthy, but only if you know how to manage it. Senioritis is natural; it happens to the best of us. The key is being able to recognize when you’re slacking off too much, and get yourself back on track. You want to be able to look yourself in the mirror on the day you graduate and know that you gave your final year your best. So get out there, buckle down, and finish high school with a bang. Be proud of the performance you gave so that when you take that walk to your diploma, you can hold your head high, knowing you gave high school your very best up until the end.
Editor-in-Chief
Teachers see it every year. Juniors begin to wonder if they’ll catch it next September, and 12th graders are battling the illness until June rolls around with final exams and graduation within their grasp. Before this year, I never really took ‘senioritis’ seriously. I just figured it was something that people talked about and made to be this huge ordeal. I figured that in reality, being a senior was just the same as being a junior, sophomore, or freshman. Needless to say, I was very wrong. As a senior who is just over halfway done with her final year of high school, I can tell you that senioritis truly does exist. It’s a state of mind: you are so, so close to being done with high school you can almost taste the crappy college cafeteria food right now. Once you’ve finished applying to colleges and have received a few acceptance letters, you really start to wonder why you even have to finish the year. You have your plan and you know what field you’re going to go into. Even for students that are currently “Undecided” know that high school is done helping them. For me, senioritis is realizing that you’re growing up. You have so much going on now and you start focusing on life in the real world, not the world of high school. For me, I’m realizing that I don’t fit in with the rest of my school anymore. I’m onto bigger and better things, and I can’t wait to get started.
Unfortunately, I still have to graduate. I still have to maintain good grades in order to go to my dream school, and whether or not you can control your case of senioritis could be the deciding factor on a scholarship or even admission into college next year. It’s always been hard to focus on studying when you’d rather be doing other things. However, when you’re a senior, this restlessness is amplified even more because you don’t see the point in it anymore. Deep down, you know that you have to finish the year and your high school career strong, but after the stress of applying for college is over, it’s harder to remember the point of studying. I know personally, I probably could have gotten higher scores on tests this year, but I’m not so focused on ‘being good at school’ anymore. Senioritis can be tricky, because while it’s a sign of growing up and focusing on your life outside of high school, it can also be an excuse to slack off senior year. Seniors (myself included) need to learn how to find balance in their lives. My advice to current juniors and even current seniors is to remind yourself every day why you need to keep giving 100% to your school work. Whether it’s to continue playing on varsity for the rest of the school year, or to ensure you’ll get that big scholarship, remind yourself why it’s important to stay the course.
However, remember that your life is changing. Before this year, your job was school. Next year, if you plan to go to college, your job will still be school, but you’ll be studying what you want to spend your life doing. Don’t sweat the small stuff and keep in mind that while high school is still important, you are moving on with your life. I personally think senioritis is healthy, but only if you know how to manage it. Senioritis is natural; it happens to the best of us. The key is being able to recognize when you’re slacking off too much, and get yourself back on track. You want to be able to look yourself in the mirror on the day you graduate and know that you gave your final year your best. So get out there, buckle down, and finish high school with a bang. Be proud of the performance you gave so that when you take that walk to your diploma, you can hold your head high, knowing you gave high school your very best up until the end.
Editorial: Block Scheduling
By Emily Shinault, '14
As a senior here at Sterling, I’ve spent way too much of the past four years of my life complaining about block scheduling. It’s a common topic of conversation here, and I think we can all agree that it has its pros and cons. Block scheduling, as opposed to traditional middle and high school scheduling, consists of fewer classes per day, which are longer than normal in length. At Sterling, we have four 80-minute blocks with two 30-minute lunch/access periods in the middle of the day. Core classes usually last for one semester, and most electives last for one quarter.
Pros:
Looking back on the 40-minute periods we had in middle school, I remember feeling as if we had barely gotten anything done by the time the bell rang. I remember days in 8th grade math class during which we’d only accomplish solving and discussing a “Do Now” problem, and at times it would take up to three days to take a test. Needless to say, a lot more can be accomplished in an 80-minute block. In addition, this schedule better resembles what students will experience in college. College classes are longer in duration and generally run for a semester rather than a full year. If anything, our 80-minute blocks are preparing us for having to focus on (and stay awake for) a single topic in a classroom for a longer period of time. We also waste less of our school day changing classes. Think about it: there are four minutes between each block during which we can visit our lockers and travel to our next class. Five four-minute breaks amounts to 20 minutes each day (I mean not to insult your intelligence, dear reader. I’m confident that you were able to do the mental math.) Referencing the schedule of another local high school with a schedule with a ten-minute homeroom and eight 44-minute periods, this amounts to 32 minutes each day of school time that is more or less useless. The difference may not seem like much, but over the course of a 180-day school year, this school “wastes” a whopping 96 hours, while Sterling only “wastes” 60.
Cons:
The most prominent gripe with block scheduling is that we only have our core classes for one-half of the year. This is a big problem, particularly for math and world language classes, where knowledge from the prerequisite course is essential. For example, one can have Italian I the first semester of her freshman year and not have Italian II until the second semester of her sophomore year. With as much as an entire year between these classes, she will remember almost nothing, and a lot of time must be spent reviewing information that was already covered. For this reason, block scheduling can tend to disrupt the continuity of our education, which can be difficult to recover from. Another common issue is that missing a day of school can be catastrophic. Maybe that’s a bit of a strong word, but a lot can be taught in 80-minutes, and it isn’t always easy to make up the class work or learn what was taught in the lesson. Finally, teachers must teach a high school course designed to be taught over a full year in only one semester. This means more homework, projects assigned with closer deadlines, and a pace that can be overwhelming at times. I suppose, however, that though you may have to dedicate more time to each individual subject, with fewer subjects to worry about, it evens out.
Overall, I remain conflicted as to whether or not I like block scheduling. One thing that I’m sure about is that if you ask any student or teacher in the school about this topic, you’ll get a legitimate, well-thought-out response. This admittedly hackneyed argument is on all of our minds, and I’ve come to the conclusion that the answer is not black or white, but rather lies in a grey area. Like I said, it has its pros and cons. The fact is, we all go to Sterling, and the schedule doesn't seem to be changing any time soon, so we might as well look at the positive and make the most of it.
Stop, Drop, and Roll Toys for Tots
By Sophia Vicari, '14
“The cold brought us closer, literally,” writes Robbie
Masso, a senior and member of Mr. Strauss’ semester one, block one, Radio II class
and volunteer at the Stop, Drop, and Roll Toys for Tots Toy Drive at Sterling
on December 13th, 2013. The semester
one radio students, in conjunction with Sterling’s ROTC and The Interact Club,
ran a “drive-through” toy drive and broadcasted the event live. It was crazy cold—so cold that we rejoiced
when it hit 32 degrees—but that didn’t stop us from collecting over 200 toys
for Toys for Tots!
It all started in the block one Radio II class, when Mr. Rob Strauss, Radio Broadcasting teacher and Sterling Radio station-manager, presented his idea for a drive-through toy drive to his class of five. We took the idea and ran with it, quickly getting in touch with Officer Badey, the ROTC, and the Interact Club. The radio students were able to take shifts for the live broadcast for everything from DJ-ing to taking pictures. There were Christmas songs, twitter contests, hot cocoa and candy canes as we shivered and awaited the arrival of each donation. Mr. K of Channel 19 came out to record a news story on our toy drive, and the January Senior Girl Student of the Month, Sophia Vicari, was announced live on Sterling Radio! Royal Fitness (in Barrington) was generous enough to not only donate toys and prizes, including week passes to their fitness club, but also their time. Cammie Bradley and Kathy Phillips, the Royal Fitness “A Team”, were interviewed by Sophia Vicari and encouraged us all to “Fit Fitness into [Our] Holiday Season!” Seniors Paige Glenn and Kylie Young were among the various photographers, capturing the precious moments of our bundled-up broadcast. Mr. Strauss even adorned the blue Santa suit, and various special guests such as senior Mia Nardone and the block four Calculus Honors/AP class, spiced up the event. Baby, it was cold outside, but the Stop, Drop, and Roll Toys for Tots Toy Drive was a big success!
“The cold brought us closer, literally,” writes Robbie
Masso, a senior and member of Mr. Strauss’ semester one, block one, Radio II class
and volunteer at the Stop, Drop, and Roll Toys for Tots Toy Drive at Sterling
on December 13th, 2013. The semester
one radio students, in conjunction with Sterling’s ROTC and The Interact Club,
ran a “drive-through” toy drive and broadcasted the event live. It was crazy cold—so cold that we rejoiced
when it hit 32 degrees—but that didn’t stop us from collecting over 200 toys
for Toys for Tots!It all started in the block one Radio II class, when Mr. Rob Strauss, Radio Broadcasting teacher and Sterling Radio station-manager, presented his idea for a drive-through toy drive to his class of five. We took the idea and ran with it, quickly getting in touch with Officer Badey, the ROTC, and the Interact Club. The radio students were able to take shifts for the live broadcast for everything from DJ-ing to taking pictures. There were Christmas songs, twitter contests, hot cocoa and candy canes as we shivered and awaited the arrival of each donation. Mr. K of Channel 19 came out to record a news story on our toy drive, and the January Senior Girl Student of the Month, Sophia Vicari, was announced live on Sterling Radio! Royal Fitness (in Barrington) was generous enough to not only donate toys and prizes, including week passes to their fitness club, but also their time. Cammie Bradley and Kathy Phillips, the Royal Fitness “A Team”, were interviewed by Sophia Vicari and encouraged us all to “Fit Fitness into [Our] Holiday Season!” Seniors Paige Glenn and Kylie Young were among the various photographers, capturing the precious moments of our bundled-up broadcast. Mr. Strauss even adorned the blue Santa suit, and various special guests such as senior Mia Nardone and the block four Calculus Honors/AP class, spiced up the event. Baby, it was cold outside, but the Stop, Drop, and Roll Toys for Tots Toy Drive was a big success!
Damn Yankees: Spring Musical Preview
By Sophia Vicari, '14
“You’ve gotta have heart” when it comes to putting on a musical, and the Sterling High School production of Damn Yankees! has that and more. Music and lyrics for Damn Yankees were written by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, and choreography is by Bob Fosse. Sterling’s spring musical will take place April 10th. Opening night’s show starts at seven P.M., with the Friday and Saturday night shows starting at seven –thirty P.M., and don’t forget about the Saturday matinee!
Based on Douglass Wallop’s novel The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant, this ‘50’s musical tells the story of Joe Boyd, an older man who’s favorite baseball team (the Washington Senators) keeps losing to the Yankees, and how he makes a deal with the devil to become Joe Hardy, a young star baseball player that leads the Senators to the pennant. Boyd convinces the devil, Mr. Applegate, to put in an escape clause so he can go back to his wife in case he changes his mind. Once the devil realizes what he’s done, he sends his temptress, Lola, to erase Meg Boyd from Joe’s mind and let the devil keep his soul. The show has great numbers, including the dance-heavy “Shoeless Joe” and “Two Lost Souls”, along with the famous songs “Heart” and “Whatever Lola Wants.” (You may recognize “Whatever Lola Wants” from one of Sofia Vergara’s first Pepsi commercials; a version of the song plays in the background when she’s in a club.) The show showcases a variety of songs, ranging from those with a Latin flare to those with a heavy jazz influence--
it has something for everyone!
Senior Jesse Panico hits it out of the park as Joe Hardy, with junior James Carman showing his acting range playing the parts of Joe Boyd and the baseball player Smokey. Junior Paul McGroarty sizzles as Mr. Applegate, and senior Sophia Vicari uses her “brains and talent” to play his temptress, Lola. Senior Emily Krowicki shines as Meg Boyd, Joe’s sweet wife. Getting down to business are senior Chelsea Korn and junior Kylie Rogers, who are double-cast as Gloria, the firecracker reporter who coins Joe’s nickname “Shoeless Joe.” It wouldn’t be a Sterling musical without the guidance of Mr. Dan Patrick, Mr. George Mackes as director, and Miss Brooke Murray as our set designer/scenic painter and co-director—we’d be lost without these three! This year, we have a production team, which includes junior Kaitlyn Huesken and Emily Krowicki as stage managers, assistant scenic painters Kaitlyn Huesken and Sophia Vicari along with a stellar paint crew, and juniors Kaitlyn Huesken and Jessica Ware as choreographers, as well as many other choreographers and production team members.
With a “little brains [and] a little talent”, you’ll be whisked back to the “good old days” of baseball and dance as you root for Joe and the Washington Senators. Make sure you come and see why you have to “think about the game” this April!
“You’ve gotta have heart” when it comes to putting on a musical, and the Sterling High School production of Damn Yankees! has that and more. Music and lyrics for Damn Yankees were written by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, and choreography is by Bob Fosse. Sterling’s spring musical will take place April 10th. Opening night’s show starts at seven P.M., with the Friday and Saturday night shows starting at seven –thirty P.M., and don’t forget about the Saturday matinee! Based on Douglass Wallop’s novel The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant, this ‘50’s musical tells the story of Joe Boyd, an older man who’s favorite baseball team (the Washington Senators) keeps losing to the Yankees, and how he makes a deal with the devil to become Joe Hardy, a young star baseball player that leads the Senators to the pennant. Boyd convinces the devil, Mr. Applegate, to put in an escape clause so he can go back to his wife in case he changes his mind. Once the devil realizes what he’s done, he sends his temptress, Lola, to erase Meg Boyd from Joe’s mind and let the devil keep his soul. The show has great numbers, including the dance-heavy “Shoeless Joe” and “Two Lost Souls”, along with the famous songs “Heart” and “Whatever Lola Wants.” (You may recognize “Whatever Lola Wants” from one of Sofia Vergara’s first Pepsi commercials; a version of the song plays in the background when she’s in a club.) The show showcases a variety of songs, ranging from those with a Latin flare to those with a heavy jazz influence--
it has something for everyone!
Senior Jesse Panico hits it out of the park as Joe Hardy, with junior James Carman showing his acting range playing the parts of Joe Boyd and the baseball player Smokey. Junior Paul McGroarty sizzles as Mr. Applegate, and senior Sophia Vicari uses her “brains and talent” to play his temptress, Lola. Senior Emily Krowicki shines as Meg Boyd, Joe’s sweet wife. Getting down to business are senior Chelsea Korn and junior Kylie Rogers, who are double-cast as Gloria, the firecracker reporter who coins Joe’s nickname “Shoeless Joe.” It wouldn’t be a Sterling musical without the guidance of Mr. Dan Patrick, Mr. George Mackes as director, and Miss Brooke Murray as our set designer/scenic painter and co-director—we’d be lost without these three! This year, we have a production team, which includes junior Kaitlyn Huesken and Emily Krowicki as stage managers, assistant scenic painters Kaitlyn Huesken and Sophia Vicari along with a stellar paint crew, and juniors Kaitlyn Huesken and Jessica Ware as choreographers, as well as many other choreographers and production team members.With a “little brains [and] a little talent”, you’ll be whisked back to the “good old days” of baseball and dance as you root for Joe and the Washington Senators. Make sure you come and see why you have to “think about the game” this April!
ROTC
By Tyler Carberry, '15
Having been a part of the Naval Junior Reserved Officers
Training Corps for the past three years I am proud to say that this year the
NJROTC had their 10th annual winter ball. It was held at Auletto’s
Catering in Woodbury, where they served a delicious meal and had an amazing
sundae bar waiting for dessert. The
winter ball is a time for traditions, toasts, respects to the military, and
most of all entertainment. Cadets and
their dates come together and enjoy themselves for their dedication, hard work,
and further accomplishments. It is also an event where Senior Chief, Commander,
parents, and faculty can partake in their performances given by the cadets, as
well as enjoy the future leaders of the unit.
During this occasion, we introduced ourselves to the guests, listened to
music by our D.J., Mr. Joe Vespe, danced, ate, and all around enjoyed our
evening.
This special event wasn’t all fun and games though; there
were speeches and toasts that respectfully honored the armed forces, the President
of the United States, and those that have fallen and served our country. One of the traditions that we partake in at
the NJROTC ceremony is the POW table.
This table fills a place of dignity and honor for those who have served
and those who currently are, where we pay tribute to the sacrifices they have
taken to protect us and our families. I
am looking forward to next year’s winter ball and can’t wait for the fun and
excitement that takes places in the years to come.
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| ROTC cadets at the Winter Ball |
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| ROTC cadets enjoy dancing at the Winter Ball |
Winter Sports Recap
By Lam Ngyuen '14 and AnneMarie Brook '15
with special thanks to the SHS Yearbook staff
Winter
Track
The Sterling Boys and Girls Winter Track & Field teams enjoyed a very successful season. The team competed against the best talent in New Jersey every week at the Bennett Indoor Track in Toms River New Jersey. Through hard work and commitment, each individual continued to improve through the treacherous winter months. From the 55 meters, to the 2 mile, to the shot put, the team consistently performed at a high level each week.
Congratulations to both the boys and girls on a great season!!
with special thanks to the SHS Yearbook staff
Girls Basketball
The Lady Knights are having a very
successful season this year, ending the regular season with a winning record of 20-5. Under the guidance of head coach Kate McDonald, senior captains Jenna Scully, Leilani
Naone-Carter, Maiya Rawlinson, Latasha Sparrow, and Danielle Mundell proudly
lead this team. All the players have pushed themselves, showed heart, and
hustled regardless of the circumstances and have made this year definitely one
to remember. Congratulations to the Lady Knights on a great season!
Swimming
The swim team capped off another
great seasons by achieving many personal and team accomplishments. Through
their hard work and dedication, the swimmers fulfilled their high expectations
and set the bar even higher for next year. There were also several exceptional
swimmers who qualified for the South Jersey Coaches Invitational at GCIT. Matt Dieterle, Erin
Green, Ben Muska, Dan DeRemigi, Alex Sims, and Brigid Tolomeo all stepped up
and took the roles of captains. The team had a strong core of seniors including
Ben Muska, Matt Dieterle, Alex Sims, and Emily Krowicki. However, even with
losing several key components, the team carries outstanding young talent so the
future is looking very bright. Congratulations on an outstanding season and good luck next
year!
The Sterling Boys and Girls Winter Track & Field teams enjoyed a very successful season. The team competed against the best talent in New Jersey every week at the Bennett Indoor Track in Toms River New Jersey. Through hard work and commitment, each individual continued to improve through the treacherous winter months. From the 55 meters, to the 2 mile, to the shot put, the team consistently performed at a high level each week.
The team was led on the
Boys side by Sean Macpherson, Matt Dockery, John Macaluso and Mawusi
Mears. Other contributors included Zach Patten, Logan Pierson, Jon Glimp
and Chris Brennan.
The Girls Side was led by
seniors Emily Daiutulo, Amy Lombard, Arianna Melton, and Imani Bass.
Juniors Julie Stratton, Candace Daywalt, Justine Thomas and Rachel Adamski also
enjoyed much success. The Girls continued to set the bar for hard work
and dedication and proved that they are a team on the rise.
Congratulations to both the boys and girls on a great season!!
Cheerleading
The Sterling High School
Cheerleaders proudly encouraged school spirit and enthusiasm in support of
Sterling High School and its athletic teams. We have cheered at all
football games as well as all home girls’ and boys’ basketball games. The
team has shown impressive improvement throughout the two seasons as they
continue to strive for excellence. Congratulations
to all seniors, especially our own Valencia Bey, Genessis Garcia, and Crystal
Wagner.
Wrestling
The Sterling Wrestling program is continuing to turn some heads. Head coach Will O’Donnell is in his 2nd year at Sterling High School. He has continued to push his wrestlers each year and it has paid off. The wrestling team finished the season with a record of 8 and 11. This year's team is very young, and is graduating 1 wrestler in Louis Berrios. There are many Juniors and Sophomores in the varsity line up. The team is led by Junior Captains Cordell Conley (120), Ryan Grover (132), Jurgen Bocaj (182), and Brian Mahadeo (195). They are relying on our strong Junior leaders to help rebuild the program and have a successful and fun season.
Not long into the new year, Sterling was handed a new beginning. They won five of their next seven, including wins over Colonial Conference opponents such as Haddon Heights, Overbrook, Collingswood, and Lindenwold. However, our Knights couldn’t sustain the success. Despite playing well, including a halftime lead at Haddonfield, the team dropped five of its next seven games. During that stretch, Jr. Ryan Smith began to find his touch and craftiness that the coaches knew he had, and super So. Kevin Gilligan displayed a toughness and offensive attack that surprised opponents, his teammates, and coaching staff.
The Silver Scroll would like to congratulate all of the winter sports athletes and coaches!
Wrestling
The Sterling Wrestling program is continuing to turn some heads. Head coach Will O’Donnell is in his 2nd year at Sterling High School. He has continued to push his wrestlers each year and it has paid off. The wrestling team finished the season with a record of 8 and 11. This year's team is very young, and is graduating 1 wrestler in Louis Berrios. There are many Juniors and Sophomores in the varsity line up. The team is led by Junior Captains Cordell Conley (120), Ryan Grover (132), Jurgen Bocaj (182), and Brian Mahadeo (195). They are relying on our strong Junior leaders to help rebuild the program and have a successful and fun season.
There is also a strong
sophomore class helping the sterling wrestling community such as Logan Casey
(138), Lorenzo Bey (132), Tyrek Cosby (160) and Chris Wintemburg (160).
There is a lot of good young talent who will
be looking to make a name for themselves in the District and Regional
Tournament. This year’s team has exceeded expectations and had many big wins
especially over teams like Cherry Hill East, Gloucester City, and Palmyra. With such a young team, we look for big things
in the future.
Boys Basketball
The 2013-4
Boys’ Basketball season did not go as the players or coaches had hoped. After winning 20 Games and reaching the Group
II Finals last year, the Knights found themselves with many new faces and
challenges with another difficult schedule.
Coming into the
season, Coach Atene knew he had offensive fire power with sharp shooting Sr.
Jarod Mullica, crafty Jr. Ryan Smith, and speedy Jr. Jelani James. He also knew he had two very talented
sophomores in Devon Tuten and Kevin Gilligan along with student-athlete
standout Sr. Tommy Sheehan joining the mix.
The boys
started the season at home versus a much improved Collingswood team and some
late, 4th quarter mishaps proved costly and the team started out on
the wrong foot. This game proved to be
the start of a rough stretch as the Knights would drop their first seven
games. They faced some fierce
competition from the likes of Haddonfield, Malvern Prep (PA), and Paulsboro,
but were unable to earn a win. Despite
their record, our Knights were playing hard and lost four of those games by a
total of 11 points, two of which were in OT.
The tough opening third of the season found Sr. Jarod Mullica shooting
as advertised, but the talk of the town was the emergence of super So. Devon
Tuten. Both were scorching the nets with
averages of over 16 points per game. Not long into the new year, Sterling was handed a new beginning. They won five of their next seven, including wins over Colonial Conference opponents such as Haddon Heights, Overbrook, Collingswood, and Lindenwold. However, our Knights couldn’t sustain the success. Despite playing well, including a halftime lead at Haddonfield, the team dropped five of its next seven games. During that stretch, Jr. Ryan Smith began to find his touch and craftiness that the coaches knew he had, and super So. Kevin Gilligan displayed a toughness and offensive attack that surprised opponents, his teammates, and coaching staff.
The harsh
schedule early on did reward the Knights with playoff contention. They qualified for the NJSIAA State Playoffs
for the 6th time in seven years as the Group II 13th
seed.
The Silver Scroll would like to congratulate all of the winter sports athletes and coaches!
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