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By Alexis Kominos
The holiday season is finally here, and people everywhere are beginning to brainstorm gift ideas for their loved ones. Finding the perfect gift for people this season is not always easy. This article has various ideas from cheap gifts for stocking stuffers, to expensive gifts for your loved ones. By Amanda Sames In the beginning of the school year, a presentation is given to the students about school policies, rules and regulations, and the like. The administration also talks about the dress code in the assembly, whether is has changed or not. However, when the topic came up, one assistant
By Sarah Cipolla Two years ago, Jamie Tsao, one of my teammates, was whacked in the head with a lacrosse stick while driving to goal. She was knocked to the ground, curled up into a ball, and squeezed her hand around her head. She was concussed and in excruciating pain. Jamie Tsao had such a bad concussion, she was out for the next month. This is longer than most recoveries because of the extent of her injuries.
By Justin Robertson The new Glenelg High School security and safety policies, adopted for the 2018-2019 school year are being enforced to keep us as safe as possible. However, these policies create numerous problems for students and staff due to vague explanations. Despite only being implemented for about a month, specific issues regarding entering the building and the new buzzer system have been discovered by students.
By McKenna Rueter
Teachers are turning into babysitters the last three days of school. The Howard County Board of Education has extended its school year by three days to make up for inclement weather closings, the last day of school for students has been moved to Tuesday, June 19, 2018. However, controversy has arisen with these extended days because new curriculum and material cannot be distributed to students on these last three days. By Julie Amoss
Snow days are a nice break from the monotony of school. However, if too much snow falls from the heavens and cancels school for too many days, makeup days are often added onto the school calendar in June. By Chase Hensing
Post Malone's newest album dropped on April 27th, and fans are very excited after the long awaited release. Malone first announced the album last February saying it was set to be released by the end of last year, but didn't because he was trying to make sure the album is perfect for fans. By Jessica Lipman
Recently in Maryland throughout all counties, teachers have lost their jobs due to budget cuts. What does this mean for the teachers? Teachers who have lost their jobs are now in search for new schools and buildings to work in. What does this mean for the classrooms? By Jackie Lyons
Barbra Streisand is a world famous actress and singer, best known for her roles in Hello Dolly, Funny Girl and The Way We Were. In a recent interview with Variety magazine, Streisand, mentioned something her fans did not know about her. By Cameron Olenick
In light of the recent Florida school shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School on February 14, 2018, gun control awareness has become the main topic of discussion in the United States. One side of the argument demands that semi-automatic rifles be banned altogether, while the other side supports the second amendment which protects gun rights. By Reagan Ahlquist
McDonald’s finally brought back the sauce fans have been waiting for due to popular demand. The famous Szechuan sauce has returned after its limited released in 1998 to promote Disney’s movie, Mulan. And fans have been demanding for it after the hit show Rick and Morty brought it into their show. By Nicole King
Cruel, inhuman, degrading; All words to describe the death penalty, a punishment of execution after committing severe crimes. This act goes against a human’s right to life and to live free. These rights were announced in the Declaration of Human Rights which was adopted in 1948 By McKenna Rueter
If you have plans to go away on spring break, you may need to reconsider. The Howard County Board approved the 2017-2018 school calendar to have spring break to run from April 15-22. With three of these spring break days designated for the use of inclement weather makeup days. A controversy has grown into the talk around the school and has raised attention to the pros and cons of the new spring break plan. Different students saying they are displeased with the new plans and others are still taking their vacations as planned. The pros of the shortened spring break include instructional momentum and an earlier end of the school year. Most students will often forget the topics being covered before spring break and struggle to get back on track coming back to school. Teachers will then struggle to plan their curriculum with the lack of focus and attention their students pay forth. The three make up days in the break will bring the end of the school year closer for students and teachers. Most students would much rather have a shorter spring break to get out sooner as Rachel Montgomery, 11th grade, said “In the moment I’m super excited to have the day off to sleep, but at the end of the year I am always very antsy to get out of school and regret all the snow days I wanted.” Increasing the amount of days for summer break rather than off during the school year is seen as the more preferable choice for some students. Although many students want a shorter spring break, Seniors would prefer as many days off during the school year due to their graduation date being set. Seniors are released in May so the amount of snow days do not have an impact on their release date. The cons of a shorter break many families plan may have to be altered. Parents plan spring break excursions far in advance to see family and go on vacations out of state. These plans may be complicated and become very pricey with cancellations of hotels and flights. If parents do not cancel the trips students could lose several days, putting them behind in their classes. Olivia Browne, an 11th grade student, planned to visit many different colleges during spring break and says “My plans to visit may be canceled because my mom doesn’t want me to miss too much school. I was really looking forward to visit but it may not be possible without much time.” A shorter spring break would take away opportunities away from students to visit colleges they potentially would like to apply to. Taking days away from spring break would also deprive students of a mental break from school in order to rejuvenate and recuperate from the weeks of hard work. Some students argue they will get tired out and perform poorly compared to having time to relax and come back to school ready to work. The new spring break schedule brings many pros and cons the students and parents can focus on, but differing opinions will always arise. Keeping the curriculum going and having the school year end earlier will benefit all members of the school in academic performance which is the goal of the Howard County Board. Taking steps to improve the school one action at a time. By Jessica Lipman
College is usually the next step in a student’s career after high school. It is sometimes hard to tell if teachers are helping teenagers prepare for this next step, or if they are holding them back. Taking months to prepare for and determine if someone is considered college ready, the PARCC offers students the opportunity to test their abilities and determine if they are ready to continue their studies. Many students, parents, and teachers question whether this exam is necessary and beneficial or if it wastes students’ time. Created in 2010 with the purpose of designing an exam to evaluate how ready students are for future careers, the PARCC originally began with twenty four states participating. As of 2018, only five states continue the annual test, along with the District of Columbia. According to Adam Clark, writer for New Jersey Education, explains why so many states have broke away from the PARCC. Clark states that the most common complaint from educators is that the “test questions and test format are too confusing, especially for younger students.” However, that does not stop school systems requiring students to take the exam. The PARCC, also known as the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, caused a multitude of reactions. Many can agree it is biased and does not reveal a student’s true talent, but others also believe it is a great tool to show what is expected from students before they graduate or move onto their next grade. The main group of people who view the PARCC negatively are the students. Junior at Glenelg, Molly Stuart, explains that she finds the PARCC test stressful for students because “It seems as if teachers over exaggerate how important the PARCC really is when it really is not that valuable for getting into college.” However, students must pass each PARCC exam in order to graduate from high school. Senior Maria Salandra as well agrees with Stuart on the exam being a source of stress. This year, Salandra had to make up the PARCC, because she did not attend last year and the week of testing was “difficult because of tests in her other classes she needed to study and make up for along with taking the PARCC.” With the amount of stress already placed upon high school students, it is unnecessary for the school to add more of it with a test that does not matter to students. Although participating in the exam is a great way for students to see if they are college ready, a recent study in Maryland has shown that a large amount of students are failing the PARCC. According to Liz Bowie and Tim Prudente, reporters of the Baltimore Sun, “students have made only slight progress and less than half statewide passed the tests [from last year’s assessment].” With the release of last year’s results, many educators were disappointed in their students. Since results like these are being produced, why are states still taking a part in the exam? With the annual debate as to whether students should participate in the PARCC assessment or not, it seems as if the controversy will continue on. Five states still participate in PARCC assessments, there is a common trend of state participation decreasing as time goes on. The real question students want answered is educators want students to be worried over a test that does not matter to them or if they will always be required to participate in order to graduate. By Anna Lawson It is amazing what you can accomplish with 280 characters. Current President Donald Trump has tweeted some controversial things through the popular social media platform, Twitter. He has constantly been the subject of public scrutiny and intense media coverage. However, this negative attention is something he brings unto himself due to his senseless and laughable tweets. Here I have compiled a list of some of Trump’s most ridiculous tweets.  There are many problems with this tweet. First of all, this was tweeted November 6, 2012, so Trump is referring to the 2012 presidential election when Barack Obama won both the popular and electoral vote. Maybe Trump just disregarded the results as fake news. Second, this may be one of his more ironic tweets. Just four years later Trump accomplished the same thing that his tweet criticized. In the 2016 election, Trump won the electoral vote but lost the popular vote by three million people. Glenelg Junior Lucy Loazer believes that “a person like him who is constantly in the spotlight needs to double check that the things they are posting actually make sense and don’t make them sound offensive or rude.” I cannot say that I disagree.  Trump is a 71 year old adult. Most would think that by this age a person would have outgrown the childish desire of being better than someone else. However, this is Trump we are talking about. It has become increasingly clear that he does not realize the severity of a nuclear war. Instead he would rather focus his attention on announcing that he has a bigger and better nuclear button than North Korean Leader, Kim Jong-Un. Junior Tad Henley said, “It is crazy how the President is so concerned with being superior to other people that he does not even realize how ridiculous he sounds.” I believe that the leader of the country should be trying to prevent a disaster rather than encouraging one.  Although this was tweeted before his presidency, Trump has always had a spotlight on him, whether it be from his TV show Celebrity Apprentice or from his various buildings and businesses around the world. There is no question that this is not appropriate behavior for the President of the United States. His choice of vocab at the beginning of the tweet is offensive to everyone reading. He then proceeds to praise himself for his allegedly high I.Q. followed by some reassurance that it is not the public’s fault that they are dumber than he is. Not exactly the kind of respect one would expect from an adult.
By Jacob Kersh As temperatures drop and snow begins to fall, ski and snowboard enthusiasts throughout the country begin planning trips to the many resorts that the East Coast has to offer. Although pickings are slim for those who find themselves living in the more southern states, members of the Glenelg High School community are fortunate enough to have an arsenal of mountains to choose from—so long as they are willing to wake and make those early morning highway drives under the rising sun. And many consider the journey to be well worth it. In fact, Glenelg Junior Hassan Malik believes that “We’re lucky to have mountains such as Liberty and Whitetail in such close proximity because even though they may be a bit on the smaller side, they still offer a lot to beginners and people who just want to have fun skiing for a day.” Nevertheless, whether you drive an hour to ski the more miniscule, family-friendly mountains of Pennsylvania and West Virginia or seven hours to take on the larger, more advanced resorts in New York and Vermont, I encourage readers to go out and hit the slopes this winter. Compiled below is a list of my top three favorite places to shred some powder—use them to help make this season that much more memorable.  3) Whitetail, Pennsylvania (Elevation: 935 feet): By far the most accessible and—consequently—most popular mountain within the Glenelg community, Whitetail is truly a thing of beauty when its trails are groomed with fresh, natural snow. It is extremely family-friendly and offers various trails for beginners first getting into the sport of skiing. It has a classic terrain park, and although it is a bit small, it offers all the rails and boxes needed to impress passerbys. Additionally, according to freshman Anthony DeCamillo, “the view from the Whitetail Express Quad when flurries of snow are falling from the sky is something I can personally say is quite breathtaking.” Most importantly, it is only an hour away from the school, which means that enjoying a day on the slopes with your friends or family is just one step closer.  2) Mount Snow, Vermont (Elevation: 3,586 feet) Over winter break, I was fortunate enough to spend my entire week skiing Mount Snow. In addition to it being absolutely massive, I can honestly say that the trails, glade skiing, and breathtaking views from the mountain’s insulted Bluebird Express chairlift truly made it one of the most memorable ski experiences I have ever had. The mountain patrol was extremely friendly, the expert trails were difficult but still enjoyable and scenic, and Carinthia—its extremely renown terrain park—honestly lived up to its name. I definitely agree that it is one of the best, if not the greatest parks in all the east coast. For students at Glenelg, a trip to Mount Snow most definitely needs to be planned out in advance, as the drive is about six and a half hours. However, I definitely recommend it if you are free during a long weekend, or if you’re willing to make up some school work in exchange for the amazing all-around experience this mountain provides.  1) Blue Mountain, Pennsylvania (1,407 feet): With the highest vertical drop of any ski resort in Pennsylvania, Blue Mountain offers the Glenelg community the perfect mix of a feasible driving distance (three and a half hours) and family-friendly skiing conditions, while possessing a significant amount of intermediate and expert trails for the more avid skiers. The mountain also offers one of the best ski schools and private lessons in the region, and I know this from not only reviews but also my own personal experience! Three years ago, my family and I spent a long winter weekend at Blue Mountain. On the first day, my younger brothers attended their ski school and I took a private lesson where I learned how to properly carve, conquer moguls, ski the glades, and most importantly, ski as parallel as possible. I also remember the six-quad chairlift to be fast with breathtaking views of the Poconos, and the trails to be well maintained. For these reasons, I believe this mountain is overall the best choice for Glenelg students to have the most enjoyable ski experience possible this winter!
By Hannah Butera
It seems like nowadays all the rave is about comedies and dramas. Netflix has an abundance of these kinds of shows, but maybe it’s time for a change. If you’re looking for a show that goes above and beyond the stereotypical, twenty minutes per episode series where each one is practically the same, here’s your answer: Black Mirror. Black Mirror embodies a uniqueness that sets it far beyond any other series. If you’re familiar with the classic series The Twilight Zone, Black Mirror is a modernized version. The episodes have a dark, twisted, and often satirical nature that is intriguing beyond belief. As most of the episodes take place in what can be seen as the near-future, a common theme is the use of futuristic technologies that make or break society. Every episode is utterly unpredictable due to the constant, mysterious feeling that will leave you speechless. Often times when you follow a show, it gets to the point where you’re bored with the plot itself or even the characters. With Black Mirror, this will never be the case. Every episode is completely unrelated, giving you a new surprise each and every time. In addition, as every episode uses a new cast, you will have new characters to watch and relate to. “I get bored with most shows, but never Black Mirror” said Senior, Tony Mobley. Another perk to this is that you can watch in any order you want. The episodes are each stand-alone, telling their own story. For example, one episode is about a mind-controlling video game, while another is about a technology that forces you to rate, on a scale of one to five, every person you come in contact with based off of your interaction. Senior, Vincent Gurfolino, an avid fan of the show, suggests starting with the episode titled “Playtest”. “If you're new to the show, ‘Playtest’ is a good starting point because it introduces you to the shock and unpredictability that is in most episodes,” said Gurfolino. Every episode will leave you mind blown, questioning what the future could potentially have in store. Black Mirror is captivating. Once you start one episode, you won’t be able to stop. Plus, a new season was just released that is even more engrossing than before. In saying this, if it’s time for you to start a new show, Black Mirror is your answer. By Jacob Kersh
3) Sonos One ($199.99): The Sonos One is a new speaker that integrates Amazon’s extremely praised Alexa voice control, just like an Amazon Echo speaker but with significantly better sound quality and performance. It offers most of Alexa's smart home controls and her extensive knowledge base, and its response time is also much quicker than the Echo’s. The Sonos One is also able to work seamlessly as part of a Sonos multi room system, which is a huge benefit to those who already have Sonos speakers or receivers in their house; it also can pair with another One for a true stereo sound experience. Additionally, most are very excited to use Amazon’s artificial intelligence to control music in their households. Freshman Anthony DeCamillo says that his family “already have two Sonos speakers in our house and an Amazon Echo because [they] really love music. [They] have always wished that [they] could use the Echo to control [their] Sonos speakers, and now that dream’s going to become a reality!” Another benefit to buying this speaker is that, in early 2018, Sonos plans add Google Assistant as another personal assistant option in case users aren’t a big fan of Amazon’s Alexa. Go figure! 2) Nintendo Switch ($299.99): The Nintendo Switch is a versatile hybrid game console that “easily switches between a big-screen TV and on-the-go portable” (CNET). Although it had a bit of a slim gaming library when it first hit stores back in Spring of 2017, it now includes a tremendously good mixture of must-have Nintendo franchise exclusives, indie titles and even some decent PC ports. Since its debut, the Nintendo Switch has shown the company is still willing to take risks in order to separate itself from mainstream consoles such as the XBOX One and PlayStation 4, and at the same time innovate in ways the worldwide gaming community never saw coming. Finally, the Switch offers plenty of unique and compelling gaming experiences, immense portability through its connectable controllers, and intensive graphics that really pop—all while exhibiting an elegant design and amazing ease-of-use. Its sleek and clean operating system also has allowed it to catch up and maybe even surpass its competitors. Overall, this console is a massive breakthrough for Nintendo and the console community as a whole. 1) iPhone X ($999.99) The iPhone X was overall a massive gamble for Apple, but high risks often result in high reward. And the chance they took on this revolutionary new device has not only paid off for them, but for their consumers as well. Removing the beloved home button and altering the design factor of the new iPhone was a tremendously dangerous move, but Junior Hassan Malik says that the shift was “desperately needed after years of similarity” and that “the phone’s premium design, extra battery life, and all-screen blend together to really form the best iPhone that Apple has ever made.” Its shiny, edge-to-edge display in the shape of the polished stainless steel antenna band looks extremely spiffy, and the silvery glass back is both elegant and flashy. Its new interface has been reported to be enjoyable by the majority of consumers, and although the shift to using gesture control took longer than expected for some, the resounding consensus is that it feels more intuitive than what came before. Many especially like the fact that swiping down to reach either Notification Center or Control Center is much easier because of the division created by the notch at the top. Overall, Apple’s new iPhone is truly a winner, so only one question remains: will you pay the hefty price required to make the device your own? By Jackie Lyons & Kendall Howze
What comes to mind when you think of Christmas? Hot chocolate, warm blankets, being curled up by the fire, watching holiday movies with your family. But what’s on tv? It could be a classic like How the Grinch Stole Christmas or Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, but at some point or another, you’re probably going to find yourself watching a Hallmark movie. Hallmark: home of heartfelt Christmas rom-com. Many of the movies have a similar plot. The typical Hallmark movie features a girl in a small town working as a journalist, publisher, CEO, interior designer, artist, or something along those lines. Along the way she finds herself trapped or forced to work with a man that she at first does not like. Eventually, she falls head over heels for him and finds love, family, and the true meaning of Christmas. (The more complicated plots may include a love triangle with a good-for-nothing-workaholic-boyfriend that she leaves for the new guy.) Many people are skeptical about the value of Hallmark movies, which is understandable. Why watch a movie if you already know how it’s going to end? Senior Keylin Perez said she watches them because “[she] just loves [to see] the romance and the Christmas miracles.” That’s what makes it so entertaining to its viewers. Hallmark movies aren’t about suspense and plot twists. They are about the warm feeling that comes from watching two characters fall in love against the odds in the spirit of Christmas. Sure, many have similar plotlines, but that means that each one leaves you with the same warm feeling. Senior Gopika Gopinath said, “I just love Hallmark movies, they all just make me happy!” That feeling is what compels loyal viewers to grab a blanket and a mug of hot chocolate by the fire every Christmas while the countdown to the newest Hallmark film. No matter what’s going on in your life, sitting back and watching a Hallmark film can help you escape your worries and feel what the characters in the movie are feeling. In one of Hallmark’s newest Christmas movies, The Christmas Cottage, working girl Lacey Quinn, doesn’t believe in the magic Christmas can bring. When Lacey goes back home to act as the maid of honor for her best friend’s wedding, she hears the legend of The Christmas Cottage. According to the legend, anyone who spends the night in the cottage during Christmas time will fall in love forever. As the maid of honor, Lacey has to decorate the cottage, along with the help of the best man, her best friend’s brother/ex, Ean. While decorating, a blizzard blows through, closing roads and forcing them to spend the night. Lacey soon realizes the legend may not be so far fetched after all. The Christmas Cottage was your typical Hallmark movie. It was charming and had that heart warming Christmas sentiment. Hallmark alumni, Steve Lund, played the suave and worldly Ean. Lund has appeared in many other Hallmark classics such as The Art of Us, Best Christmas Party Ever, and Christmas Incorporated. Lund stood out in this performance due to his raw emotions and the chemistry he had with costar, Merritt Patterson. The highlight of the movie was the twist. It was just so surprising and made the audience want to continue watching Lacey’s Christmas unfold.The movie is a great fit to those who are already in love with Hallmark movies and those who are trying to find the holiday spirit. If you missed the premiere of The Christmas Cottage, you can catch it again on the Hallmark channel. Not only will they be playing classic Christmas movies, but every Saturday during December a new movie premieres at 8pm. Feel free to make yourself a mug of hot chocolate and watch a new Hallmark movie under a nice, warm blanket. By Julianna Mirabile
Are you ever in the desperate situation where you and your friends don’t want to make the waiter split the bill five ways and leave it to one person to pay? Or if you have to split the Uber bill with your friend? Or in general, owing someone money, but not having the cash on you? No need to worry. The upcoming app, Venmo, is here to solve all those issues. Venmo is an app that allows someone to pay and request money from friends. It syncs up to the contacts on your phone, automatically adds everyone you know, and after adding your credit and debit cards safely and securely into the app, you’re ready to use it. This convenient app can be used for sharing rent, splitting bills, paying someone for tasks or jobs, and anything else one could think of. The money is quickly transferred within two business days from the Venmo app to your bank account. Junior, Hailey Griffin, states that, “I always use Venmo to pay back my friends when we go out to eat. I never have to bring my money with me.” Besides paying people, there is a social aspect. When paying someone, there is an area to write a simple comment about what the money is for. This comment is allowed to be seen by your friends in the app. Therefore, the app can be seen as both entertaining and serious. Some people might not approve of this app because they don’t see it as trustworthy. Sophomore, Julie Thomas, explains that, “I’d rather just bring cash with me so I don’t risk any hacks into my bank account.” However, if you are a PayPal user, there is no reason to be opposed to using Venmo. It uses the same security networks, and is said to be the daughter of PayPal. It allows its users to set up a pin passcode before entering the app to provide more security. Also, if there is a mishappening (given it is above $50) and Venmo is contacted within two days, they will take care of it. This amazing, reliable app skyrocketed this year and is used by millions. It’s convenience, simplicity, and versatility is what makes it a fan favorite. If you haven’t already downloaded this free app, you should definitely consider adding it to your homescreen the next time your wallet is running low. |