Schools Need More Autism Awareness

by Taylor Ephraim

If Autism was taught in classrooms, normally developing children would understand these issues some people have no choice of living with. Kids in school with autistic characteristics are easy targets for their typically developing peers.  

A study in The New York Times shows that children on the autism spectrum disorder are bullied nearly five times more often than their typically developing peers. Parents of autistic kids think the rate is even higher than that, some feel as if their designated school is unsafe for their child.

Mr. Tavarez’s visit to Spanish 5C

By Breitling Lewis, Christian Turcios, and Ryell Walker

We enjoyed Mr. Tavarez’s presentation.  He taught us about the culture of the Dominican Republic.  

Tavarez demonstrated how to play musical instruments that he brought to our class.  It was beautiful the way he described how the instruments were made.  He gave us a different mindset that we can use things around us to create amazing instruments. 

New Staff Members in West Hempstead High School

By Khari Dash

During the 2018-2019 school year, new staff members joined the West Hempstead School District. Some of them include Mr. DeTommaso, Ms. Stamatiades, and Ms. Cassa.

James DeTomasso is the new principal at West Hempstead High School and the motto he started the year with is, “raise the bar and… compete.” 

Previously, he worked in the East Rockaway district. Before becoming principal here, Mr. DeTommaso was a Physical Education teacher, Assistant Principal and a Principal for summer school in East Rockaway.  He came here because he felt like it was a “good match” for him. He also respected how the teachers care for the students and the parents, as well as how diverse the school is. 

Mr. DeTommaso's top priorities as the new principal are to build a  positive culture within the school, provide opportunities for the students and build paths for students for their future. The future he sees for the school is to improve academic achievements and see the school district is on the rise.

Mr. DeTommaso: Passion for Successful Students

By Harpinder Kaur

I was lucky to sit down with the busy new principal. 

This is Mr. DeTommaso’s first year here as principal and he is motivated to bring great visions for the future of West Hempstead to action.

Mr. DeTommaso has been in education for over 27 years. He started his career as a Special Education teacher. He was also a devoted coach of football and basketball and even coached a professional lacrosse team, the Long Island Lizards. 

Mr. DeTomasso then took a Dean's job at East Rockaway High School later becoming an Assistant Principal there and then the summer school Principal. Mr. DeTommaso is filled with confidence about becoming the new principal of West Hempstead High School.

Pep Rally

Pep Rally champions during the scooter relay race! photo courtesy 

the WH HS Instagram account.

By Connor Last

Pep Rally opened in the middle of the seventh period with freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors taking their sits in the gymnasium. The band proceeded to play to open the Pep Rally. 

Then the National Anthem was sung by the choir, followed by our school Alma Mater played by the band.

Our mascot, the West Hempstead Ram,  entered the gymnasium and took a quick run around. The boys junior and varsity soccer teams arrived, followed by the girls' varsity soccer team. 

After a short performance by the band again, the girls' tennis and swimming teams, as well as the cross country team, came in. The girls junior and varsity volleyball teams were introduced. The boys junior and varsity volleyball teams entered. Then the boys junior and varsity football teams came storming last into the gym. It was fun to see the way each team entered the gym, with various cheers, chants, and dances.

Should College Football Players Get Paid?

by Khari Dash

College football is a big thing in America. During weekends, people will tune in to watch different schools and players played against each other. Despite the love and glamor, people have for college football, many have different issues with it. One issue in particular people have is whether college players should be getting pay to play in college.

People believed that they should get paid for playing in college games and I believe they should get paid for the hard work and effort that they put in for the team and the support they bring in to the school. College football players deserve to get paid for numerous reasons. 

One reason is the ratings college football players help bring in to primetime television channels like ABC, Fox, and other channels. These channels will show different ads showing when the games will be televised and show different highlight from players from previous games to draw in the viewers' attention and see how good the school players are.

Final Messages to Underclassman from Seniors With Experience

By Christino Maldonado, Emerson Maldonado and Julio Ramirez

Dear, Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, and Super Seniors:

This is to give all of you some advice for your future here at West Hempstead.

1. Focus on your grades! It’s really hard to fail, I promise you that if you put a little bit of effort into your school work you’ll easily be in the 80s. 
2. Save your money. Lots of things to pay for your senior year. No joke you'll need like 1,000 dollars to cover most of the senior year expenses. 

Are Puppy Mills a Real Issue?

by Meagan Kinney

Do you know where your puppy came from? And if you don’t have a puppy or a dog, do you know where your friend, family, or neighbor got their adorable pet?

Well, only 30% of American households have a pet from a rescue shelter. Where do the other 70% of our pets come from? They come from places called Puppy Mills.

Puppy mills are an establishment that breeds puppies for sale in conditions that are usually inhumane. There are about 10,000 puppy mills in the country. Over 2 million puppies are bred from puppy mills each year.

What Does it Mean to Be a Real Man?

By Ryan Charles

What does it mean to be a man? Many in society would answer this question if asked with something along the lines of, “a take-charge person” or “to never be scared”. In an article, even college students when asked by their professor what it means to be a real man, came up with similar answers. They stated things like “suppressing all emotions” and “never cry”.

For decades, TV and movies have driven society to believe that what makes a real man too are things like being able to provide, being strong, and to never cry or show emotions. I find this to be false. In the age that we live in today, women are able to do just as much as men are able to do in society, including providing for their families. This nullifies the old definition of what it means to be a real man.

Girls Not Brides: A Harsh Reality for Girls Around the World

by Harpinder Kaur

There are many complications women face all around the world today.  Many countries still haven’t granted women the rights they deserve, in some cases the conditions are worse than expected. 

According to the documentary by Dir. Al Jazeera, the viewer is exposed to an unusual reality; child marriages in Bangladesh.“In Bangladesh; a third world country many women are given no value and are known for getting married very early on.  In the documentary we meet Beezly Roy, a thirteen-year-old schoolgirl determined to become a doctor.  However, plans change when Beezly comes home from school and wedding preparations have started.  Beezly was married at the age of thirteen to a twenty-five-year-old; her dreams of becoming a doctor, shattered.”( Dir. Al Jazeera).

Should College Tuition Be Free?

by Tejani Ten-hue

Should college tuition be free? This is a very controversial topic in the United States when college fees average around a staggering 25,000 - 34,000. College shouldn’t be tuition free but others think differently. Former President Obama attempted to move towards free college to eligible students but it did not seem to work out. Just hear me out on why college tuition should not be free.

Rams Put the “Bad” in Badminton!

by Harpinder Kaur and Taylor Ephraim

After a season of great success last year, the Girls Varsity Badminton team moved up into a higher division this year. The team led by Coach Tracy Hutt put in all efforts for a great possible season. 

Each new season comes with many different factors such as past team members graduating, new freshmen with great potential, and girls willing to move up in terms of ranking and being a good badminton player. This season has been an intense season with matches and practices. The season ended off with a remarkable record, not undefeated, but something to be proud of.

Are Puppy Mills a Real Issue?

by Meagan Kinney

Do you know where your puppy came from? And if you don’t have a puppy or a dog, do you know where your friend, family, or neighbor got their adorable pet? 

Well, only 30% of American households have a pet from a rescue shelter. Where do the other 70% of our pets come from? They come from places called Puppy Mills.

Puppy mills are an establishment that breeds puppies for sale in conditions that are usually inhumane. There are about 10,000 puppy mills in the country. Over 2 million puppies are bred from puppy mills each year.

Boys JV Lacrosse On the Rise

by Haj Kargbo & Julio Ramirez

           

Will the upcoming sophomores continue the successful season the outgoing seniors and incoming seniors have started?

Lacrosse isn’t the most popular sport in West Hempstead High School; however, this 2017-2018 lacrosse season was one of high hopes and achievements. Despite the fact that both JV and Varsity were short staffed, they still managed to have a decent season. JV, in particular, was a surprise amongst many.

Opinion: Improving Relationships Among High School Girls

by Regina Figaro

I would like to address the growing deficit of amicable relationships between high school females. I address this in hopes of encouraging the growth and development of my classmates, advocating the better treatment of each other, and eradicating our lack of respect for each other and our differences.

We, as females are all faced with the challenges that come with societal double standards, inequality, stereotypes, and generalization. Not to mention all the difficulties we endure naturally such as menses, childbirth, and menopause. No matter which race, religion, or ethnicity we are, we are all still females experiencing the same trials and discrimination because of our sex.

Boys Track Sprints to the Top

by Regina Figaro & Ryan Charles

Boys track, coached by Mr. Carre and Mr. Debenedetto, has been having an amazing season. Personal records have been broken and qualifiers have been met. The hard work and dedication of the student-athletes have not gone unnoticed or unrewarded.

As the track team advertises on their shirts, “The competition isn’t against the runner next to me, but the runner inside of me.” 

Pushing themselves to new heights this team has gone above and beyond to bring West Hempstead track to a new level.

The Resurgence of Ibrahimovic

by Julio Ramirez, senior reporter

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is a Swedish soccer player who is world class. He suffered an injury in late December of 2017. It was a very serious knee ligament injury that almost threatened to end his career. But he fought his way back through intense rehab and physical therapy for 3 months.

His contract with Manchester United in England was not renewed and he wasn’t sure where he would land until he was signed by the La Galaxy this season. According to Ibrahimovic, he said, “his sights were always with La Galaxy even before he signed with Manchester United.”

Opinion: Is Pulling Hijab’s Okay?

by Zainib Khan & Jamira Regnier                                                                            

Do you think pulling a Muslim’s hijab is ok or racial discrimination? 

Female students wearing hijab to school face many difficulties. They often get discriminated against or even assaulted. In the world that we live in, it is not always safe for Muslim females to go out with a hijab. 

Some people don't understand the true meaning of hijab, they think it is just a scarf wrapped around the head. The true meaning of a hijab for a Muslim female is her religion, her pride, and her respect. We should not underestimate the meaning of hijab, everyone deserves respect.

My Team Sport is your Team Punishment

By Mr. DiBenedetto, ENL Teacher and Track Coach

The Boys´ Track Team had a phenomenal day at the County Championship meet.

Senior Chris Jean-Louis was county champion in the triple jump with a distance of 45 feet, and he went on to earn All-County in the long jump.

The 4x100 relay team of seniors Eric Oh, Lincoln Jerome, Urosh Dimitrijevic, and Chris Jean-Louis garnered All-County accolades by finishing second to Lawrence. 

Class Trip to Makamah Beach in Fort Salonga

"The trip to Makamah Beach included the Ceramic Class, Painting Class, and students from digital photography," said Mrs. Layburn

"The trip was completely connected to these classes who use clay every day in Ceramics, while students in Painting set up camp on Rocks to paint the land and seascapes of their choice.   Others in Digital photography had so much to photograph from shells, rocks, people, fish, etc.," said Mrs. Layburn.   

The trip was highly successful as we left sculptures on the beach for passersby to enjoy, while students enjoyed the feel of the water, the sun on their face, the fresh air and the opportunity to learn, have fun, and to be kids," said Mrs. Layburn.

Fortnite: Hottest Game of 2018

by Tejani Ten-Hue and Jacob Barnes

Fortnite is a very controversial game that blew up this year, breaking records that no game has ever done before. It has had some of the biggest gamers talking about it. 

The game is appealing to all age groups which makes it so popular, and parents are beginning to say, “ they lost their kid to it.”  

So what is Fortnite? Fortnite is an action-filled cartoonish game, where 100 players get onto a battle bus with an air balloon and drop into one big map. From there they fight to survive but not only are they trying to fight other players, they are trying to run from a storm that makes the map smaller every two to three minutes. 

West Hempstead has Talent, Images from the Art Show

Senior Jovan Delavandel with two of his monochromatic paintings done in Studio in Art class on display at the Art Show on May 15th in the gymnasium.

Photo credits  Alhaji Kargbo

Get ‘Ready Player One’ To Be Blown Away

by Meagan Kinney

Steven Spielberg’s newest creation, Ready Player One, hit the box office on March 29, 2018. The movie made $53 million over Easter weekend and now made over $400 million world wide. 

Ready Player One takes you to a future of dystopia in 2044. A man named Halliday created a video game universe called the Oasis. The story follows the lives of 5 gamers involved with the Oasis and their journey to win Halliday’s Oasis.

Ready Player One is about a kid named Wade Watts who lives with his poverty-stricken aunt in a place called the stacks in Columbus, Ohio. He and everyone else in the world logs onto the Oasis to escape reality on a daily basis. Wade and his best friend, Aech, met on the Oasis as well. After Halliday dies, he leaves 3 keys in the Oasis and whoever can find all 3 first, wins the egg which contains complete control of the Oasis. 

Was it a good choice to move the U.S Embassy to Jerusalem?

by Aya Zubi and Jacob Barnes

On Monday, May 14, the United States inaugurated its embassy in Jerusalem, recognizing the city as Israel's capital. Jerusalem has deep historic, religious and emotional ties for both Palestinians and Israelis, and both claim it as their capital. 

President Trump, who initiated this campaign, but didn't attend the ceremony, sent in a video which was played to the crowd. Trump said, "May there be peace," but the total opposite happened. The day was marked by violence and bloodshed, as tens of thousands of  Palestinians protested the embassy opening and Israeli army forces killed more than 50 protesters.

Say it with a Smile!

by Taylor Ephraim & Harpinder Kaur

Get ready to be thrown off your chair with this intense party game. The game Speak Out brings friends and family together for laugh-out-loud fun as people try to say different phrases while wearing a mouthpiece that won’t let them shut their mouth.

Hasbro promised a funny and family appropriate game and they indeed delivered on that promise. Speak Out is one of a few really funny games that requires very little effort and involvement yet brings so much energy.  

Hoop Dreams and Reality

by Alhaji Kargbo, junior reporter

                                                                          

The new original movie on Netflix, Amateur, tells the story 

of an eighth-grade basketball prodigy, Terron, (Michael Rainey Jr) who quickly learns about the dark aspect of the sports industry. As he is confronted with the corruption and greed of amateur sports he realizes how players are taken advantage of, and how this exploitation can have negative effects on both the individual and family.

This movie takes the viewer on an unbelievable journey of a young man with an NBA dream. This sports drama tackles the benefits and drawbacks of NCAA amateur basketball and is a must see for all fanatics.

The movie starts with Terron stuck on a below average middle school team going nowhere. Due to his below average teammates and the lack of competition his dad (Brian J. White) decides to send footage of Terron playing to Coach Gaines (Josh Charles), who coaches at a prestigious basketball academy.

Rapture: A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie

by Aya Zubi, junior reporter

Rapture is a Netflix series about up and coming rappers.  Each show follows one artist/rapper and tells us how they got their first break. 

Each episode features a different musician and the obstacles this person went through and how they try to overcome these issues to achieve success as a rap star.

On March 30, 2018, they released A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie episode on his life. A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie’s legal name is Artist Dubose. Artist was born on December 6,1995.  He was born and raised in the Highbridge neighborhood of the Bronx, New York. 

The episode begins with Artist in his neighborhood playing basketball with the people in his community. In the episode, Artist talks about when he was a kid he had a passion for music. He used to put on performances in the school cafeteria. He mentions how he used to watch the movie Paid in Full when he was 12 and rapping like a character from the movie and everyone started calling him A Boogie because of a character in that film. Wit Da Hoodie came along because he was wearing hoodies all over town so it stuck with him.

Mr. Escobar's Farewell Interview

by Emerson Maldonado

Mr. Escobar has experienced much success in his career as an educator and administrator. His presence has caused many students as well as teachers to be inspired and his actions have not gone unnoticed. It’s no wonder recent news of his departure has caused much talk throughout the student body. Before his last goodbye, I got to sit down with him and ask a few questions.

As high school students we have faced many obstacles and Mr. Escobar was once in our shoes I wanted to know what was one of his greatest obstacles in high school and how he overcame it. His response was one that I myself struggle with which is the act of speaking in public. He overcame it throughout his years as an educator by speaking to students until it became one of his strengths and now it’s one his favorite things to do. 

The next question was about the biggest obstacle he faced as a teacher. He referred back to his early years when he was just starting out, he said learning how to teach his students was the biggest challenge he faced.

Nameless Characters On a Beach

by Ryan Charles, senior reporter

Dunkirk is a film written and directed by Christopher Nolan. This film was beautifully shot utilizing many different angles, from the bird's eye views used to capture the beach filled with soldiers to the point of view shots used during the aerial battle scenes.

The plot was a compilation of different perspectives during the evacuation of Dunkirk beach at the end of WW2. There was just one problem, The characters do not have names. I realized this when trying to explain the movie to a friend, I found myself saying things like, “the guy who flies the plane” and “the English sailor.” This lack of development of the characters made it hard for me to fully engage myself in the film, and even harder to explain it to someone else.

Cheerleaders Go to Nationals in Disney World

by Laura Padilla, Freshman reporter

This year the West Hempstead Varsity Cheerleading team received a bid to Nationals for the first time ever in West Hempstead history.

The cheerleaders went to a competition and thought they lost their chance of going to nationals but it seemed that the people who manage the scores got confused and said the team didn't place but really they did and they placed third.

The coaches, Ms. Spano and Ms.Longo, really outdid themselves with these cheer routines. The cheer routines were lively and so outstanding that they earned the girls a trip to Nationals. Not only did the coaches work hard but the team put in so much effort. These girls struggled and practiced every week, they put their blood, sweat, and tears into these routines.

The Woman Behind the Bookshelf

By Harpinder Kaur, Meagan Kinney and Teandra Pierre Lewis

Ever wonder about our school librarian?  In

 our recent interview, we sat down with our school librarian. Ms. Stern, the librarian of West Hempstead High School, discussed how she became a librarian, and she revealed her passion for what she does. Ms.Stern has been educated in Library Science and has a degree from LIU. We also learned that there is much more to do as a librarian than just sorting books.

We had the opportunity to catch Ms.Stern during her 5th-period lunch break. Our first few questions were related to the general topic on how she came to be in the library field. Ms.Stern told us how much she loves being a librarian, especially in a public school. She also mentioned how she likes to teach library methods for students to carry out into the real world, “I like working with kids. I try to teach how to properly research various topics using many methods.”  

Ms.Stern, surprisingly never saw herself working in a library in her early years. One day in college she was given a brochure about becoming a librarian, which she immediately ripped apart. At one point she was working in an office, but she didn’t enjoy it. After a while, her husband told her about an opening as a librarian at Rutgers University. Skeptical at first, Ms.Stern ended up loving the library and then finished college at LIU with a degree in library sciences.

When it comes to working in a library with students and staff, she says, “It’s what you make of it.”

Over time, many changes have been made in education, including the increase of technology. This topic has directly affected the library. Ms.Stern likes the use of technology and thinks it is good for students to be exposed to different types of researching, “It’s a nice thing to go paperless. Going digital is a good way to catch up. If it makes your life easier, I like it”.

Another thing Ms.Stern is realizing is the change in types of books they have. Since technology has risen, most of the research is done on online databases which offer a whole range of different types of information. This directly has an effect on the books offered in the library, especially in the non-fiction genre. Most encyclopedias have remained untouched and now it's time that the library clears out the non-fiction area. After trying to preserve the area for as long as she possibly can, Ms.Stern accepts the change in technology for the convenience it offers to the students and herself.

Many people don’t know the truth about the work and life of a librarian. Being a librarian isn’t as easy as you may think. Ms. Stern has to be caught up with all different kinds of media and make sure the books in the library are carrying out its purposes. Visit the library for research in Science or English or come select the newest bestseller. Mrs. Stern and her assistant Mrs. D’Angelo are there to help everyone.

           

Call Of Duty, Game Of The Year?

By Ronald Morales, senior reporter

When you think of a first-person shooter game 

the first thing that comes into most teens’ mind

is the franchise of Call Of Duty. 

Call of Duty has been producing video games for the past decade and entertaining teens globally. They started their campaign in 2003 when they released their first title. 

Since then it has been nothing but upgrades from aspects to the game like graphics, gameplay mechanics, and new features being implemented. 

This years’ title, Call of Duty: World War II is one of the best selling of the series because of how much content it brings to the consumer.

The game itself contains three modes that you can play in, zombies, campaign, and multiplayer. I first played the campaign to get a feel for it, and at first sight, the game is gorgeous, starting with the graphics. This is the most realistic Call of Duty that I have played in and it feels as if I’m surrounded in the atmosphere.  

Career Preparation with Mr. Silberman

By Cynthia Breiner, Zainib Khan, Jamira Regnier, Aya Zubi

Ever thought about a career in business, or what to do after high school? If not, Mr. Silberman is a great person to meet. If you have met him you would know that Mr. Silberman is a highly educated businessman who teaches students about business careers.

“I was a call center operator,” says Mr. Silberman. After that, he began teaching at West Hempstead High School in 2003. Mr. Silberman has been a teacher for 15 years. He has an undergraduate degree in Economics, an MBA in Finance, and Masters degree in Business Education.

He has given all of his students useful tools to use after graduation. Mr. Silberman believes that “Everything in life is related to business.” We asked why he decided to bring the new Virtual Enterprise (VE) class to this school? Mr. Silberman started the Virtual Enterprise program in our high school. We were curious how he got the idea to start it in our school so we asked him. He told us, “I went to a conference six years ago, and they had the virtual enterprise program and I liked how they ran it, so, I decided to start it here.”

An English Teacher With a Story to Share

by Haj Kargbo, Rachel Treglia, and Cathy Velasquez

The purpose of this interview was to get a greater insight into Mr. Kufta, not only as a teacher but as an individual and an intellectual. 

Mr. Kufta is a renowned English teacher around West Hempstead High School. He has had a significant impact on past and current students. His funny and enthusiastic persona is something that is embraced by both students and teachers around the school community.

He started his career in the advertisement business; however, thanks to his loving wife she encouraged him to go into the teaching profession. She was a teacher herself and he was an English major. He has been teaching for fifteen years and his motivation for teaching are his students. He wants his students to be successful and remember what they’ve learned so they can use it for the future.