Volume 8 Issue 9

TTHEHE SSTUYVESANTTUYVESANT SSTANDARDTANDARD

Monday, March 23, 2009 Volume 8 Issue 9

Shahzad Anwar

NYU Student ProtestsNYU Student Protests Draw AttentionDraw Attention

On the night of February 18, 2009, more than 50 New York University students barricaded themselves in the Kimmel Center for Student Life cafeteria. The oc-cupation was planned by the stu-dent organization Take Back NYU. The organization had a lengthy list of demands, which in-cluded full disclosure of the uni-versity’s endowment, investment strategy and operating budget. An-other demand was the tuition stabi-lization for all students beginning with the class of 2012. The Take Back organization also wanted a reconsideration of the recent lift of the ban of Coca-cola products on campus. Farah Khimji, a participant in this event, told the Washington Square News, the NYU student daily news publication, “We’re planning on occupying the space till our demands are met.” The stu-dents were, however, forced to leave before their demands were Continued on page 3

Continued on page 4

By: Rammiya Nallainathan

On February 11th, 2009, the current Big Sib Chairs (’08-’09) announced their final decision on who the new Big Sib Chairs (’09-’10) were going to be. The new Big Sib Chairs are Adeline Yeo, Alex Genshaft, Avril Coley, John Connuck, and Tara Anantharam. Big Sibs is a student-run organization which helps incoming freshmen and sophomores adjust to the new high school life. From the Open House and Camp Stuyvesant Orientation, to the homeroom meetings and dances, Big Sibs are an integral part of the many Stuy-

met. According to the February

26, 2009 edition of the Santa Clara newspaper, the “NYU protest ends with suspensions, no arrests,” the students had assembled in the Kimmel Center cafeteria under the ruse of a dance event. At about 10

pm on February 18, they pushed tables and chairs in front of the building’s two entrances. At one point, nine NYPD cars and 18 offi-cers surrounded the building, in addition to the six NYU Public Safety officers inside the building. The protesters were cheered on by

a crowd of about 100 people, some of whom were from other schools such as Hunter College and Co-lumbia University.

There were 18 students who chose to remain in the cafete-ria even though the university threatened to suspend them, which they did. At about 2 pm, the last members of the occupation left the Kimmel Center, at which point the crowd greeted them with enthusi-asm.

According to the February 26, 2009 Duke University newspa-per editorial, “Take Back Student Activism, “the protest was an un-fortunate and unintentional” and a “parody of the important American protests of the 1970s, which were actions of last resort toward unre-sponsive administration and had broad support.” The NYU protest, on the other hand, was not a well thought-out plan of last resort, nor did it have support from other stu-dents. The protest’s power and le-gitimacy was diluted by several

TSS/Elissa Tam

A congregation of NYU students staged a sit-in at the Kimmel Center as they protest for institutional democracy to NYU.

vesant events geared toward first-year students. Because next year’s incoming class consists of 989 stu-dents, the Big Sib Chairs of ’08- ‘09 expressed just how important they believed it was for them to select the right people to handle next year’s job of getting students assimilated to the community. This year, 34 applicants tried out for the position as Big Sib Chair. Applicants were required to fill out an application which con-sisted of three short and three long essays on their experiences as a Big Sib and plans for the future. In addition to this, each applicant was required to have two to three rec-

She was probably the shortest manager of the Stuyvesant Peglegs Varsity Football team in the 105 year history of the school. Her diminutive stature didn’t di-minish the strong impact she had on the team. She is remembered as, "One of the kindest and most genu-ine people at Stuyvesant,” said Ed Ko, Class of 1988, one of the play-ers. She may have been short of physical stature, but Sari Halper Dickson, Class of 1987, was a gi-ant when it came to principles. She took on the presidency of the Stuyvesant High School Alumni Association (SHSAA) at a most pivotal time in its history, the centenary of Stuyvesant High

School. She placed her name on the ballot as a candidate for public office when no one else would challenge an incumbent who was the scion of a powerful political family. Wherever she went, she set the example of leadership by ser-vice. Her quantity of life may have been short as well, but the quality dwarfed so many others. I remember Sari’s first SHSAA Board meeting in May, 1995. She sat between Leo Mar-shall and I, her eyes shining as she listened to the various discussions concerning Association business. We later learned that she was the protégé of Serph Maltese, one of the more senior members of the Board and a New York State Sena-

Meet the New Meet the New Big Sib ChairsBig Sib Chairs

A Celebration of Sari A Celebration of Sari HalperHalper--Dickson:Dickson:

Her Constituency Was Her Constituency Was Everyone Everyone

By: Kenneth Barr, Class of 1975

Continued on page 3

In This Issue

Page 5

The Lateness Ritual

Page 10

Best Games of 2008:

The List Goes On

2 The STUYVESANT STANDARD March 23, 2009–VOL.8, NO. 9

The Executive Board AMNA AHMAD EDITOR IN CHIEF HESHAM SALEH MANAGING EDITOR

DAVID MANNES DIRECTOR OF FINANCE ANGEL WONG DIRECTOR OF FINANCE SHAYRA KAMAL LAYOUT EDITOR GUERGANA BORISSOVA COPY CHIEF

RAMMIYA NALLAINATHAN NEWS EDITOR MUHAMMAD TAMBRA NEWS EDITOR

MARINA TAWFIK OPINIONS EDITOR ROBERT COLBOURN ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR OMAR AHMAD SCIENCE EDITOR QI FAN ZHANG TECHNOLOGY EDITOR ROBERT STEVENSON LITERARY EDITOR MICHAEL BLOCK SPORTS EDITOR ELISSA TAM DIRECTOR OF PHOTOJOURNALISM MEGAN BRESLIN FACULTY ADVISOR DANIEL EGERS (‘03) FOUNDER ERNEST BASKIN (‘04) EDITOR EMERITUS

Publication THE STUYVESANT STANDARD is a non-profit publication produced by the students of Stuyvesant High School.

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Staff Editorial: Give Them the Credit

They Deserve As April approaches, many senior students eagerly await the results of their college applications. Students often argue that it is more difficult to be admitted to a selec-tive college as a student from Stuy-vesant than a student in a smaller school where more personal atten-tion is afforded to each student by college counselors. Some parents have expressed the concern that drudging through the college admis-sions process in an overcrowded school could put their child at a dis-advantage. Rather than complain about the extreme population condi-tions under which our school has managed to function, students and parents should take the time to fully acknowledge and appreciate the exceptional amount of effort that college counselors, teachers, and guidance counselors, and have of-fered Stuyvesant students every year. In spite of the very com-monly held notion that the staff of the college office could do a better job of accommodating students, it seems impossible for them to have been more supportive to students than they have been in the past year. As rejection letters roll in some stu-dents may forget about the handful of college meetings that the college office scheduled for seniors to make sure that they were on target with their college selections. Not only were seniors kept regularly in-formed of college deadlines through meetings in the theatre and college bulletins frequently released on stuy.edu, but were also scheduled for a personal meeting with their college counselor in which their personal needs were specifically addressed. Some students even took advantage of the opportunity to have a parent-student meeting with a college counselor their junior year to get ahead of the game. In addi-tion to keeping students well-informed of deadlines, general ap-plication procedures, and scholar-ship opportunities, the college coun-selors offered their time before, af-ter, and during classes to students with questions and ensured that stu-dents were notified well in advance of college representative visits.

Where the college counselors, and college office secretaries could have possibly gone wrong in the eyes of the student body is unclear. In addition to college of-fice staff, Stuyvesant seniors owe an incredible debt to the teachers and guidance counselors who were responsible for writing teacher rec-ommendations and Secondary School Reports (SSRs) respec-tively. In a sense, the future of Stuyvesant students lies in the hands of guidance counselors and teachers who write on behalf of students while some students and parents fail to acknowledge the sheer weight of the role they play in deciding the future of each member of each graduating class that is going on to college. Teach-ers often sacrifice a great deal of their personal time writing recom-mendations during summer vaca-tion and corresponding with stu-dents during the school year en-tirely out of their own inclination to assist a student in need. The willingness exhibited by our teach-ers in cooperating with students during the college admissions process is incredibly admirable. And many students can be sure that teachers went that extra mile to truly articulate the best qualities of the students about which they agreed to write recommendations. Neither should guidance counselors who possess the daunt-ing task of writing literally dozens of SSRs be left unacknowledged. In light of the extremely complex extracurricular portfolios of Stuy-vesant students in general, guid-ance counselors have faced the arduous task of accurately commu-nicating the attributes and experi-ences of students with whom they have only spent a few minutes. No matter what the out-come of college admissions this year, the people that made the en-tire process possible should be given the credit they deserve. Stu-dents should make a visit to their college counselor, teachers, and guidance counselor and thank them for their willingness to offer time and energy that they will never be able to replace.◙

As Stuyvesant High School’s only independent school newspaper, we feel that it is our responsibility to offer

each and every student the opportunity to contribute to a news publication. If you would like to join any section of the Stuyvesant Standard, or have any comments or questions that you would like to run passed us, please email us at:

[email protected].

NEWS The STUYVESANT STANDARD March 23, 2009 –VOL.8, NO. 8 3

The Standard News Her Constituency

Was Everyone Continued from page 1

NYU Student Protests Draw Attention

extreme demands, such as the 13 scholarships per year for Palestin-ian students, acknowledgement of the right of graduate students to unionize and public access to the NYU library. In addition, the stu-dents involved vandalized the Kimmel Center and injured a secu-

rity during the activity. Stuyvesant students have

expressed mixed reactions toward the recent turn of events at NYU. Junior Simon Tong said, “I don't think what the students at NYU did was really right because there are a lot of other forms of protests that aren’t so troublesome and incon-veniencing to others. There are

tor. Since politics is totally irrele-vant, I won’t mention that most of us are Democrats while Serph and Sari are Republicans. Oops, I did it anyway. Oh, did I mention that both Serph and Sari are Republicans? That was the least relevant fact. She showed an instant grasp of what the Alumni Association did and how it needed to do it going forward. Leo, Serph and I immediately decided that Sari had to be elected to the Board at the next election. She was, and she immediately dove into the business of improving the way we did things. She took an active role in re-writing the by-laws and took charge of the scholarship commit-tee. It fell to her to negotiate the Carol and Marvin Eiger Scholarship program with Dr. Marvin Eiger. Then, there was the football team. We could not overlook the Peglegs, her pride and joy. I never realized that she was manager during her student days. She badgered us on the Allocations Committee to give the team vital funding for transpor-tation, a need unique to Stuyvesant since we were without a home field. Did I say badgered? Actually, it was arm twisting with a broad smile on her face. Let’s face it, one resisted Sari at one’s own risk. Sari became President after serving as first vice president during the latter stages of Evelyn Krejci’s presidential term. Once again, Sari’s spirited leadership style galvanized the Board to tackle everything from the aftermath of 9/11 to the school’s centenary in 2004. Working closely with Principal Stanley Teitel, the Parent’s Association and other in-terested parties, Sari ensured the success of the year-long activities, beginning with the Stuy Strut and ending with the All-Class Reunion. She also took on the thankless task of editing the Alumni Spectator, no mean feat considering all that she had going on in her life. After fin-ishing her fourth term as president in 2005, Sari chose not to run for a

fifth term when she saw that the board was in capable hands and de-cided the board should have new leadership to follow fresh ideas. Her professional life was no slouch. Starting with her work in the Republican Council Leader’s office under Thomas Ognibene, she moved on to be Deputy Clerk of the Queens County Board of Elections, Deputy Commissioner of the State Department of Housing and Com-munity Renewal and Deputy Direc-tor of the Roosevelt Island Operat-ing Corporation under Herbert Ber-man. She was president of the pres-tigious Queens Council for the Arts and served on the boards of a host of charitable causes. However, Stuyvesant was her first and best love. I don’t think she would object to being described as a Stuyvesant Chauvinist. The cruelty of Sari’s death will never be lost on any of us. When Sari was informed she would have difficulty becoming pregnant, she journeyed to Russia to adopt two wonderful children, Diana Joy (now 5) and Aleksander (now 3). Upon her return, she found out that she was pregnant despite the doc-tor‘s original diagnosis. Sari was on top of the world. Her beautiful son Zach was born. Then, with the sud-denness of a thunderclap, she re-ceived the awful diagnosis of can-cer. She fought it with the verve and vigor with which she lived her en-tire life. Then, on January 30, it all ended. It will be very hard to attend SHSAA Board meetings and not think of Sari, eyes shining brightly, making a trenchant remark that cuts right to the heart of the matter. Sari Halper Dickson, wife of John, mother of Diana, Aleksander and Zachery. She will be missed. She will always be remembered. Lisa Cangro Tepperberg, Class of 1988; Stanley Loo, Class of 1982; Hon. Serphin Maltese, Class of 1951 and Henry Grossberg, Class of 1982 contributed to this article.◙

Continued from page 1

Financial Aid Forms Cause Complication

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the application for students who wish to apply for federal student aid must complete and submit. Some stu-dents dread completing this lengthy application. The main purpose of the FAFSA is to determine whether a family is eligible for financial aid. Federal Student Aid, an office of the U.S. Department of Education, is aimed at helping students pay for postsecondary school (education after high school). Those who are eligible for financial assistance can receive grants, loans, or participate in work-study programs to acquire money for college. Many students are daunted by the complexity of the FAFSA: a six page application with over one hundred questions, all targeted to determine the financial status of the applicant. The intimidating applica-tion can even prevent students from applying for financial aid. Some families hire professionals to fill out the form for them. Student Financial Aid Services Inc. is a service that charges a fee of $80 to $100 to help students complete the FAFSA. Other families even go as far as paying for a financial advisor who will help them increase their chances of eligibility.

Because of these problems, the FAFSA may be eliminated or replaced in the future. Some argue that the main problems with the cur-rent application are that is it too long and too complicated, not all students will be able to apply for financial aid, and some students are daunted by the lengthy form. In at-tempt to simplify the application process, President Obama proposes a different method for determining a student’s eligibility. All that this new “application” would require is checking a box on the federal tax return. The Internal Revenue Ser-vice (IRS) will then send the re-quired information to the Depart-ment of Education, where eligibility will then be determined. Though this approach is a lot simpler, there is a disadvantage—not everybody files taxes, especially the low-income families. Furthermore, the financial aid application process starts in January, while the informa-tion that the IRS provides concerns the previous year. Another approach in simpli-fying the student aid application process, proposed by former Secre-tary of Education Margaret Spell-ings, is a shorter and less compli-cated form. Containing less than thirty questions, the sample applica-

times when you need to do some-thing drastic, but I don't think this was one of them.”

However, Junior Shivam Pappu stated, “I think that the stu-dents who actually have the cour-age to fight for such noble ideals, are the best students the college possesses, and by suspending them NYU is subjecting itself to a huge

loss. You see good colleges instill these values into students and they encourage them to try and improve the world, but when they actually put the ideas they discuss in class into practice, they're punished. It's complete hypocrisy. Perhaps their methods were a tad extreme, but I admire them for actually fighting for reform.”◙

Jenny Shan

TSS/Elissa Tam

In order to receive financial aid, most students must go through the mundane task of filling out complicated forms such as FAFSA, TAP, and CSS Profile.

Continued on page 6

4 The STUYVESANT STANDARD March 23, 2009 –VOL.8, NO.9 News

Meet the Big Sib Chairs

ommendations from their Little Sibs. After reading through the applications and recommenda-tions, the Chairs picked the top twenty to be interviewed. The twenty applicants went through thirty minute interviews by all five Chairs during Finals week, and the final five were chosen. All the Big Sib Chairs agreed on factors they considered important during the selection process. One of the biggest fac-tors was commitment. J.J. Russo wrote in an email interview, “It's a difficult thing to balance: we want Big Sib Chairs (and this is true of all Big Sibs, really) who are involved in the Stuy commu-nity, but we also want them to be able to devote as much time and energy as possible to the Big Sib program.” Another main factor was dedication and interest in the program. Spiridoula Giannoulas wrote in an email interview, “We also looked for individuals who had innovative ideas about what elements they could change about the program to help better it.” Lee Schleifer-Katz added on, “We also tried to put together a group of people who would be able to get the most done because they would work really well together, and at the same time have a great group dynamic. We didn't want to have five of the same person, as we wanted to have a good mix of personalities and abilities within the group [...] We are ex-tremely excited about the new Big Sib Chairs!”

Alex Genshaft

In addition to being a dedicated Big Sib, Alex Genshaft spends his time participating in Track and Field during the three seasons (Cross Country, Indoor, and Outdoor) and being part of the sound crew for the Stuyvesant Theatre Community (STC). He describes himself as an efficient worker, especially when placed in group activities. Ever since fresh-men year, Alex wanted to be a Big Sib. He wrote in an email interview, "All I remember think-ing is how amazing and helpful they were to me, and how they got my homeroom to be enjoy-able. Thinking of all those good memories made me want to be a Big Sib." Working alongside one of the current Big Sib Chairs, Dylan Tramontin, Alex was able to see many of the activities and responsibilities the Big Sib Chairs were involved in. While learning this, he gained an inter-

est in becoming a Big Sib Chair himself. In addition he said, "My Big Sibs were the ones that really got me involved with after school activities, and I would love to be able to affect the incoming fresh-men as positively as that. What better way than to become head of the Big Sib program?" One new addition the Big Sibs were thinking of doing that Alex mentioned was creating a web site for the Big Sibs and Little Sibs so that the freshmen could obtain information about interest meetings for clubs and teams, upcoming events, and infor-mation about the Big Sibs. In the future, Alex plans on attending college and majoring in one of the sciences.

Adeline Yeo Adeline Yeo describes

herself as someone who “loves to laugh and smile 24/7.” She con-sidered that being responsible and reliable were important traits that would allow her to work with the other Chairs and get work done more efficiently. When asked why she wanted to be a Big Sib, Ade-line replied, “I wanted to be a Big Sib because I remembered how it felt to arrive at a totally new school and not know the majority of the students. I felt like I could offer a helping hand, or lend an ear to whatever problems incoming stu-dents may have had.” She contin-ued, “I wanted to be Big Sib Chair because I felt that I would have a bigger say concerning the events and trying to make the Big Sib pro-gram better than it already is.” One change Adeline would like is to make homeroom more exciting. She said in an email interview, “I know that there are several home-rooms in which Big Sibs are al-ways bringing treats, playing games, and just really involved in what their Little Sibs have to say. However, I've also heard that not all homerooms are like that, so I think it would be great if we could create themed homerooms--holidays, which will definitely li-ven up the fifteen minutes a week we see visit the Little Sibs.” In ad-dition to being a Big Sib, Adeline is involved in Chamber Choir, Key Club, The Edible, and SING! She would like to attend college near a city and become a UN ambassador and travel the world.

John Connuck John Connuck describes

himself as an enthusiastic person who loves to help out freshmen. He jokingly added, “Also, I'm kind of a loud obnoxious person, and that’s definitely part of the job de-scription.” John wanted to be a Big

Sib ever since he first saw the school. He said in an email inter-view, “I wanted to be a Big Sib in 6th grade when I came to look at Stuyvesant with my brother on the open house. Not only did I really like the school, but the tour guides (Big Sibs) seemed like the kind of people I wanted to be: friendly, interesting and intelligent.” Be-cause of his strong interest in the program, he thought trying out for Big Sib Chair would be the best option. “I knew I wanted to be a Big Sib, and after this year of be-ing a Big Sib, I realized that it was every bit as amazing as I thought it would be, and I want to be a part of making that continue next year.” In addition to the activities he par-ticipates in the Big Sibs program, John is the captain of the Boy’s swimming and diving team, presi-dent of THE MUSIC, Stuyvesant's new music magazine, a writer for The Spectator sports section and is part of the SFC. One change he mentioned was implementing the idea of a Big Sib/Little Sib web-site. On top of pursuing other ca-reer plans, he would like to pursue an interest in film.

Tara Anantharam Tara Anantharam is very

active in numerous organizations inside and outside of school. In school, she first started acting freshman year. Through the years, she has made her way up to direc-tor, directing SING! for three years, and the studio drama 'And Baby Makes 7'. Outside of school, she writes and direct plays for young children at her local temple to perform at religious events. She said in an email interview, “To balance my rigorous academic schedule I like to make sure that the artistic side of me stays alive so I also take Carnatic voice lessons, which is a form of traditional In-dian music.” She described that one trait that may have made her stand out is her organizational skills. She said, “The Big Sib pro-gram is very large and requires leaders with abilities to manage and maintain order and quality. Being in leadership positions be-fore, I'll be able to use the skills I learned and apply them to make the program better.” Her experi-ence with Big Sibs inspired her to become a Big Sib and Big Sib Chair as well. “Without my Big Sibs from freshman year, my ad-justment from a private school with 30 kids in a grade to a public one with 900 kids in the freshman class would not have been as smooth. It's an extremely reward-ing experience to know you're helping so many people out and

helping them adjust to this new crazy environment that they'll learn to love, just like myself. I think being a Big Sib is one of the best ways to give back to the Stuyvesant community and I'm honored to not only be a part of it, but have a hand in directing it.” One change Tara would like to see are freshmen getting to see more of Stuyvesant than just their homerooms. “Events like dances and movie nights defi-nitely help propel this, but I'm also planning on working side by side with other Stuyvesant or-ganizations to plan more events.” When asked what she wanted to do in the future, she replied, “I really just want to go to a school where I can keep doing the things I love to do, whilst keep-ing up with academia. I plan to study economics in college and we'll see where that takes me.”

Avril Coley Avril Coley describes

herself as a hardworking and dedicated Big Sib. Knowing that the transition to Stuyvesant could be tough, Avril wanted to be a Big Sib and help incoming students adjust to the new com-munity. She said in an email in-terview, “I wanted to be able to reach out to the incoming stu-dents and make them feel that at least one person is willing to talk to them and be there for them. Also, I wanted to be able to guide them and encourage them to open up to the diverse popula-tion that is Stuy early rather than late as some of my peers have or not at all as some others have.” Wanting to have a bigger role in the Big Sib program, she went on to try out for Big Sib Chair. When asked about changes she would make to the Big Sib pro-gram, she replied, “I would like to make the Big Sib Program an even bigger presence in the Stuy-vesant community than it already is. We're involved in so much toward the end of the year when the Big Sibs have just been se-lected and we have the first Camp Stuy, then at the begin-ning of the year while we're helping our Little Sibs get ad-justed to Stuy. At a certain point as the year continued though, the energy seemed to plateau off so I'd like to have more Big Sib events to keep everyone as in-volved as earlier in the year.” In addition to being a Big Sib, Avril is a proud member of Stuyvesant Cheerleading. She wants to at-tend college and continue her studies through medical school. She plans on becoming a cardiac surgeon.◙


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OPINIONS The STUYVESANT STANDARD March 23, 2009 –VOL.8, NO.9 5

The Standard Opinions The Lateness Ritual

Marina Tawfik

7:52 a.m. – Three or four people are gathered around the classroom door. 7:55 a.m. – The warning bell rings, and while some people begin to finish their conversations and head to class, many others stay just where they are. Now about seven students are here and the teacher arrives to let them in. 7: 58 a.m. – About half the students in the class have arrived and are at their desks, though only a few have their books out. 8:00 a.m. – The starting bell rings. There are still eight students missing from the classroom. The teacher takes attendance, though he knows that nothing is final yet. 8:04 a.m. – Five of the eight students have arrived, interrupted class to hand the teacher their late pass (or not presented him with any-thing at all), and have taken their seats. 8:19 a.m. – Two students come running into class, clearly upset about their being late, and explain that there was a train delay. 8: 33 a.m. – The final stu-dent comes walking in noncha-lantly, as if he is right on time. This schedule is so typical for classes in Stuyvesant that most people grow used to it. We no longer see lateness as a serious is-sue, because it is so normal to watch classmates enter class after the start bell has rung that it would be strange to us if everyone was in class on time. Perhaps some of us even enjoy watching others straggle

in, because every minute the teacher spends questioning them about why they are late is one more minute that we can spend not learning. The truth of the matter is that lateness is an issue that needs to be combated more seriously at Stuyve-sant. Students have become too re-laxed in their daily rituals of strolling carelessly through the halls and see-ing nothing wrong in being a few minutes late to class. This is espe-cially true for morning classes, dur-ing which students can always use the excuse of there having been a train delay. However, it is important that a line be drawn between the oc-

Every year, literally thousands of students attend prep classes and prepare for the Specialized High Schools Admissions Test (SHSAT). Looking back on my experience as a junior high school student, I remember that I was al-ways aiming for the top. However, I never exactly took the time to examine the motivations of other students for taking the test and rea-sons why parents were so willing to invest money in the SHSAT de-spite the risk of prep courses not paying off in the end.

Prior to taking the exam, stu-dents select their first few choices of high schools in which they will be accepted based on score. The most popular school choices are Stuyvesant, Bronx Science, and Brooklyn Technical High School. Stuyvesant and Bronx Sci-

ence are notorious for their speciali-zation in math, and science. Many students study in order to get ac-cepted into either one of these schools because they are hoping to pursue a career in science or mathe-matics.

However, that is not always the case. With Stuyvesant and Bronx Science’s prominent reputations as the “best in the city,” many parents push their children to work harder in order to get accepted into these schools in order to gain access to more opportunities.

“I really pushed John to study for the SHSAT because I know that studying hard now will pay off in the end,” said Anthony Green, parent of a student currently attending Bronx Science.

“Everyone knows that Stuy and Bronx are the best high schools in New York. I wanted my daughter to

Good work in school requires good attendance. Excessive lateness and absence from school may result in failure in the class, removal from sport activities, and unfavorable comments on one's permanent record.

TSS/ Elissa Tam

casional lateness due to real delays and the constantly recurring lateness of a single student. There are cases when late-ness is truly unavoidable, and all of us have been in at least one situation when our train or bus was delayed due to reasons beyond our control. In such cases, however, there is almost always a PA announcement stating that there are train delays, and this lets teachers know that if students who are normally on time come in late, they are not responsible and it should not be held against them. If a student is constantly late to their first class, then their lateness

should be reflected in their grade. It would be unfair for a student who arrives twenty minutes into the pe-riod everyday to receive the same grade as one who is always on time, regardless of how bright that student is in the subject. If the student truly wishes to improve their grade in the class, all they have to do is wake up a few minutes earlier. It may be a hard transition at first, but it will be worth it in the end. Students are also often late to classes if they have to travel sev-eral floors to reach their class. I find it quite difficult to make it from the third to tenth floor in the four min-utes allotted for passing, even if I move as quickly as possible. How-ever, a good system that can be adopted by teachers whose classes are on very high or low floors is to record which floor each student comes from at the beginning of the year. I would say that if a student has to travel six or more floors, they should be excused if they enter class a minute or two late. Lateness is a prevalent issue, and there is much that can be done to prevent it. Teachers need to forget their lenient ways and punish those who are always tardy. When people are late, it is detrimental to the entire class’s learning process. This is espe-cially true when teachers begin every class five minutes after the start bell has rung so that they can wait for late stragglers to come in. If students make the small amount of effort needed to get to class on time, and teachers enforce real policies show-ing students how their grades will be impacted if they are late, then every-one will benefit. ◙

The SHSAT A Step Towards the Future

Rebecca Kim

be in a place where she could grow academically and have many oppor-tunities to pursue her career choice,” said another parent via email inter-view.

Many parents see high school as a critical step in their child’s aca-demic life. Like Anthony Green, they know that good studying habits, mo-tivation, and attitude are important to keep in check. Specialized high schools provide just that with their competitive spirit and positive atti-tude.

“I want my daughter to attend a really great high school so that she can be prepared for the workload in college – it’s a huge change,” said Mirah Fewden, parent of a current 5th grader. “I’m definitely going to push Sarah to take the SHSAT, because I find it crucial to set good study habits and attitude in high school in order to do well in college.”

However, it is not always the case of the parent pushing the child to reach academic success. In many situations, the student works hard and wants to have the opportunity to attend such prestigious high schools.

“I knew that Stuy was a really great school, and I wanted to attend, because I knew I could learn in a good environment there,” said Gary Hillman, a freshman currently attend-ing Stuyvesant. “I studied really hard for the test, and now I’m glad my hard work has paid off. I’m really happy with it.”

While some students like Gary are happy with their decision and outcome, other students are not so sure. When asked about first experi-ences in Stuy and reflections of the SHSAT, one freshman replied “ At first, I thought Stuy was going to be

Continued on page 6

6 The STUYVESANT STANDARD March 23, 2009 –VOL.8, NO.9 OPINIONS

When Christmas and my birthday come rolling along, I am always full of anticipation of what gifts I will receive. It was fun as a child to spot elaborate wrapping paper, which added to the excite-ment. Thus, when it came to seeing the special toy I always wanted, my adrenaline started pumping with excitement. However, as times have changed and I have grown older, the thought my friends and family put into the pre-sent they give me has gradually grown smaller. Apparently, pick-ing out something perfect for an-other person becomes a hassle. The ultimate point of a gift is to show that it has meaning.

Recently, I got my friend a $15 gift card for her birthday. I assumed that she would be over-joyed at attaining a present with which she would be able to make her own choices on what to get. Of course, it seemed like an ideal pre-sent, because it is difficult for me to choose the right gift for another person, especially since I would like to avoid giving unwanted gifts. It was not until I saw my friend’s reaction to her present that

I realized I was wrong. “Thanks,” she said with some respite. From then on, I knew that gift cards may not be the most thoughtful present I can give.

The joy of gift giving is the process of finding a present the receiver will love and cherish. Gift cards are only substitutes for real presents, which actually require knowledge of the recipient’s tastes. Lately, the usual present that comes to most people’s minds is the gift card, an offering that robs

people with compassion. Because of the lack of creativity and thought one may have put into it, David Li agreed: “Gift cards do not show the true meaning of a present and you are simply limiting what you are trying to express.”

Besides thought that is put behind real presents, wasting money is another issue. Gift cards typically lose their value if the companies slide into bankruptcy. They may be difficult to use. Some

do not have expiration dates, but others do. For instance, it can be a problem if you buy a gift card for someone to a particular store, but there is no store near him or her that is in business. Another prob-lem is that gift cards carry an obli-gation. If you get a necklace for your mother, she does not have to do anything to the gift. However, with a gift card, your mother would have to go to the store to use it. Often, this indicates that she needs to spend additional money to find something that she likes. If she does not spend the money quickly, then the store may take the money as a “non-use fee,” tak-ing away money after a certain amount of time until the card is empty.

The next time it is Christ-mas or a friend’s birthday, think about what your reaction would be if someone presented you with a gift card. The ultimate test of real-izing whether or not a gift you want to get someone is a good idea is to put yourself in his or her shoes and decide if you would ap-preciate the gift. Gift cards may be convenient for you, but when a person receives one, it is clear to him or her that you did not put much thought into the gift. ◙

The Dark Side of Gift Cards By: Tiffany Choi

Gift giving is the exchanging of something without the need for compensation in exchange.

TSS/ Elissa Tam

The SHSAT A Step Towards the Future

really great and fun, while chal-lenging at the same time. I came into Stuy and unexpectedly fell on my face because of the over-whelming amount of work,” said James Sawer, a current freshman.

While some students are over-come with pressure, others like the competition. “The competitive mood in Stuy really keeps me on my feet,” said Erick Hegder, a cur-rent sophomore. “It makes me work a bit harder because I know so many others are after the same

[colleges]. Stuy is different be-cause of the atmosphere and envi-ronment. At other high schools, most kids don’t care at all about academics, and that probably does-n’t motivate the students. Here, I’m always spurred on.”

Whether it be the parents or not, many students work hard to compete and get accepted into one of New York City’s Specialized High Schools. However happy or unhappy they are, one thing is cer-tain: Specialized High Schools

such as Stuyvesant, Bronx Science, and Brooklyn Tech differ in the fact that their environments are unique, with students determined to work hard and become prepared for their future careers. Such atti-tudes are welcomed in these schools, perhaps nearly as much as the immense amount of intelli-gence and persistence accepted. Overall, it seems that Specialized High Schools are yet another step-ping stone in a student’s (hopefully) long academic life.◙

Students want to go to specialized high schools for many reasons, including but not limited to parental expectations, and interest in what the schools have to offer..

TSS/ Elissa Tam

tion only asks for adjusted gross income and the number of tax ex-emptions. However, this new form has its disadvantages as well. Some doubt the accuracy of the simpler application and wonder if the fewer number of questions will be sufficient enough for the De-partment of Education to deter-mine eligibility. When asked about her thoughts on the new proposals, Senior Christina Singh replied, “I am iffy on these new changes. It makes me sad that I had to go through such a complicated proc-ess, when it is now going to be super simple. I guess the juniors are lucky. However, the thing that worries me most is the fact that the IRS will be based on last year's statistics, since a lot could change in a year. The perfect example is the recession this past year.” In our current economic state, more and more high school students are applying for federal student aid. Though simplifying the Free Application for Federal Student Aid is not something that can be done overnight, a less com-plicated application process, when approved of, will allow even more students to apply for financial aid. ◙

Financial Aid Forms Cause Complication



SCIENCE/TECHNOLOGY The STUYVESANT STANDARD March 23, 2009 –VOL.8, NO.9 7

The Standard Science & Technology

For more than fifty years, people have received their source of entertainment from little black boxes with moving pictures. In fact, the nation is paved with cable lines and cable poles so that nearly everyone has access to television. Companies, such as Verizon and Time Warner Cable, have sprung up to take advantage of the na-tion’s love for drama, comedy, and news. Yet, despite the somewhat recent innovation of cable televi-sion, a new force is to be reckoned with. That force is the internet. During the age of technol-ogy, the successive inventions of the computer and the internet have awed people. Their fascination continues to grow as people learn how to communicate over web pages, allowing the internet to function as a phone. For example, messaging systems such as Ameri-can Instant Messaging (AIM) and Microsoft Network (MSN) have become basic tools for youngsters to converse with each other. Aside from being a device through which people can corre-spond with each other with, the internet has also shown to be a de-vice from which people can re-ceive their daily dose of television

shows. Recently, major television networks, like ABC, have allowed viewers to watch the latest epi-sodes of shows through internet streaming. By downloading the ABC player, viewers have access to all of the segments of various performances, allowing them to view the shows at their pleasure and convenience. While this is an extremely beneficial and helpful tool for the viewers, this new ap-plication of the internet is actually hurting the cable companies. According to “Cutting the Cable as the Economy Pinches” by Ken Belson, “Time Warner Cable, which has more than 13 million basic cable subscribers across the country, lost nearly 120,000 cable customers in the fourth quarter last year.”

Therefore, the cable com-panies are suffering as more and more of their customers begin to realize the advantages of Netflix and internet streaming. Yet, one way they appeal to the television watchers is by having all the inter-esting shows together in one place. That way, the viewers do not have to browse through the internet for hours searching for the newest epi-sode of certain television shows. ◙

Stem Cell Ban Lifted

According to the New York Times, “eight years of frus-tration are close to an end for sci-entists seeking ways to use embry-onic stem cells to combat illness and injury.”

On Monday March 9, 2009, Barack Obama officially lifted the eight-year ban hindering stem-cell research, removing its previous reputation for being im-moral and unjust.

Embryonic stem cells are cells that can morph into any type of body cell. Scientists expect to exploit them so they can generate replacement tissues to treat an as-sortment of diseases — such as new insulin-producing cells for diabetics, cells that could help those with Parkinson's disease or even Alzheimer's, or new nerve connections to restore movement after spinal injury.

"I feel vindicated after eight years of struggle, and I know it's going to energize my research team," said Dr. George Daley a leading stem cell researcher of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute and Children's Hospital of Boston, in an interview with the Times.

But the research is divisive

because young, and still-thriving embryos must be eliminated to obtain these cells. They usually are gathered from fertility-clinic wastes otherwise fated to be dis-carded.

During his campaign, and according to his website BarackO-bama.com, Obama explained that he, "strongly supports expanding research on stem cells, and he stated, “I believe that the restric-tions that President Bush has placed on funding of human em-bryonic stem cell research have handcuffed our scientists and hin-dered our ability to compete with other nations."

He stated that he intended to raise Bush's ban and "ensure that all research on stem cells is con-ducted ethically and with rigorous oversight."

"Patients and people who've been patient advocates are going to be really happy," said Amy Comstock Rick of the Coali-tion for the Advancement of Medi-cal Research, according to the New York Times.

The verdict brought one abrupt alteration thus far: As of Monday, scientists who've had to meticulously keep separate their federally funded research and their privately funded stem cell work —

from stocking up on separate mi-croscopes to relocating related labs to separate buildings— no longer face those tedious expenses.

Next, scientists can start applying for research grants from the National Institutes of Health. The NIH already has begun writing guidelines that, among other things, are expected to ensure that the cells being used were derived with proper informed consent from the woman or couple who donated the original embryo.

One well-known promoter of stem cell research is Larry Soler, executive vice president for government relations and opera-tions at the Juvenile Diabetes Re-search Foundation. Mr. Soler said in a telephone interview with the New York Times that he was sure that Mr. Obama would certainly indicate an arrival to an era of “scientists making scientific deci-sions.”

Discussions about stem cell research have frequently been intensely personal as well as scien-tific. Advocates of unhindered re-search make a note of the fact that the cells are typically obtained from embryos that have been aban-doned by couples seeking in-vitro fertilization and that the embryos would be disposed of anyway.

But many of those dispa-rate to the research say the em-bryos are nothing less than tiny human beings, with souls, and that destroying them is akin to murder. They argue that research on em-bryos that would be thrown out is a slippery moral slope to be avoided by a decent society. Ravi Kaler, one who views stem cell research as a useful medical opportunity, stated that he thinks that “it’s an idea that would be great for help-ing scientific research,” however, it “has potential to introduce new technologies to foreign enemies, who have no laws against cloning and similar ventures.” Kaler also hypothesized that it could lead to competitive “engendering of ar-mies,” as well as ethically getting out of hand.

Critics of embryonic stem cell research also argue that scien-tists can use different types of stem cells, like those found in amniotic fluid or the placenta. But advocates of using embryonic cells say that these cells are by far the most promising and abundant, virtually eliminating the tedious task of ex-tracting adult stem cells.

Now that the ban has been lifted, only time may tell of reaches of stem cell research, and future methods of experimenta-tion.◙

Cable TV Versus Internet Streaming

By: Omar Ahmad

By: Qi Fan Zhang

8 The STUYVESANT STANDARD March 23, 2009 –VOL.8, NO.9 LITERARY

The Standard Literary

The Standard Word Search

Word Bank VIDEO OCTOPUS [The 6 Nobel gases] EXODUS DRAIN

SHOWER-HEAD INTERNET SUPERHERO SING PRETTY SENIOR

SOPHFROSH JUNIOR FOAM BURNT TRUTH CUSPS BECKMAN

NOSES ORIENT MERGE ARMOR PEAR CRUSH CRASH

By: Robert Stevenson

S H O W E R H E A D X N O X O J U N I O R N E A P E A R M O R T W O X M H N P R E T T Y N G O K F O A M R H N I A R D C R N X U G A R C W A U E O T T I E W D E R S S B S H N L O C T O P U S X H G R E W W I S N U S T Y N D H I N W C R A S H P I N T E R N E T O W W V S E S O N O T P Y R K

LITERARY The STUYVESANT STANDARD March 23, 2009 –VOL.8, NO.9 9

10 The STUYVESANT STANDARD March 23, 2009 –VOL.8, NO.9 ENTERTAINMENT

The Standard Entertainment

Taken

Typically, thrillers and ac-tion movies are so numerous that they all are instantly labeled as trash, simply because they mostly are. However, there are occasions when movies in this category are critically acclaimed (“The Matrix” and “The Bourne Identity” come to mind). February featured a new film that exceeded expectations. “Taken” is a thrilling adventure depicting a mixture of well choreographed ac-tion and intense acting from most of its performers. Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson), a former agent for the government,

is attempting to regain a connec-tion with his estranged daughter, Amanda (Katie Cassidy). In order to get into her good graces, he al-lows her to go on a trip to Europe with only her friend Kim (Maggie Grace). However, a care-free trip to Europe turns into a nightmare for Mills after his daughter is kid-napped by men involved with a female-trafficking business. Mills only has a few days to find his daughter before she is lost in the slave trade for good. The initial prospect of the movie may seem uninspired, but it leaves room for amazing character development and plenty on-the-

Somebody once told me never to stop halfway. “An unfin-ished job,” I remember him saying, “is almost as bad as one not done at all.” Back then, the truth behind those words evaded my carefree mind but as time passed and my responsibilities increased, they re-turned into my life bearing a whole new perspective. One issue back, I took on the meticulous duty of bringing the Top Games of 2008 to the reader’s attention but due to our failing economy, I didn’t pos-sess enough paper to finish. Prom-ising our faithful readers a con-tinuation, I returned to my study to prepare a list so extraordinary, so mesmerizing, that even the most sour gamer’s expectations would partly be met. But, enough chatter. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Best Games of 2008…

Gears of War 2

The long–awaited sequel to the immensely popular Gears of War holds a secure e place on this list. This game continues the epic struggle for survival between the humans of Serra and the Locust Horde. Improving from its prede-cessor in every way possible, Gears of War 2 lets the player ex-perience the full scale of the battle-field as well as immersing him into a deep and emotional storyline. During the campaign you are ab-sorbed into a last–ditch effort to stop the Locust once and for all by bringing the battle to their home turf – the Hollow. Battling along-

side Delta Squad as well as two new faces, inside the Hollow you will find yourself face to face with established enemies such as wretches as well as ones never before seen. Ranging from the Butcher, a lumbering giant abso-lutely deadly at close range, to the Kantus, capable of reviving his fallen comrades, your trigger fin-ger will definitely be put to the test. But not to worry, almost for every new enemy installed in the game there is a new weapon to support your supply of firepower. Use the mortar to unleash an un-predicted artillery attack raining down on your enemies or burn them to a crisp using the new flamethrower. But just as intrigu-ing as the campaign might sound, the true soul of Gears of War con-tinues to be buried in hardcore multiplayer action. New modes such as Submission and King of the Hill are made ever the more intense by allowing the player to use a downed enemy as a human shield or by planting a grenade on the wall as a proximity mine. In addition, a set of unique execu-tions and interactive multiplayer maps spice up the gameplay mak-ing it a sin not to include Gears of War 2 in the highlights of the year.

Fallout 3

With Bethesda Studios (makers of Elder Scrolls: Obliv-ion) behind the reins of the pro-ject, many gamers were wonder-ing what innovations the team would introduce and whether the series would ever feel the same.

Thankfully, all worries and doubts were obliterated once Fall-out 3 hit the market, establishing itself as a well–defined leader in the world of RPG’s. The game takes place in post–apocalyptic Washington D.C. 200 years after a nuclear war with China which wiped out most of humanity. Gameplay begins at the very mo-ment of your characters birth in-side Vault 101, one of the many underground facilities offering safety to survivors. As you grow, you are introduced to the controls of the game as well as all the as-pects of “leveling up.” In Fallout 3 your character has seven main skills designated as S.P.E.C.I.A.L., supplemented by secondary attributes such as lock picking and sneaking, and perks that you could choose from once you level up. Further into the game, your character embarks on an epic quest leaving the safety of the vault to search for his lost fa-ther. Once in the open, you can choose to follow the main story-line or indulge yourself in the nu-merous side quests available. Side quests offer the players complete freedom by letting them decide their method of completing them. In this perspective, no two gamers will go about doing exactly the same thing. It is also understood that the decisions you make throughout the game have an ef-fect on its ending as well as on your karma, leading to different possibilities. Supported by a new targeting system known as V.A.T.S., and providing a rich world to explore, Fallout 3 gives the players one of best experi-

edge-of-your-seat sequences. Liam Neeson as the concerned and stern father played a role that made you feel for him the entire way through. At the same time, he was the only character in the movie that was 100% right all along and the only one that the audience could truly feel sympathy toward. He was also the most frightening, es-pecially during a torture sequence in which Mills demands informa-tion from a prisoner of his. He shows no mercy to those responsi-ble for his daughter’s kidnapping, and the result is an exuberance of his own sense of justice that per-meates throughout the minds of the

audience. The film’s drawback, how-ever, was in some of the other por-tions that surrounded other charac-ters. For instance, Amanda and Kim’s characters were so painfully idiotic that it was hard not to grit one’s teeth whenever they were on screen. In addition, the existence of a subplot involving Amanda’s dream of becoming a singer was thrown in and seemed to provide no purpose, other than to create a typical Hollywood-esque cliché ending. Despite this, “Taken” still leaves audiences with an entertain-ing experience that will keep them tense while also extracting a bit of sensitivity from them.◙

Best Games of 2008: The List Goes On

ences of gaming of all time. Metal Gear Solid: Guns of the

Patriots

Carrying the heavy role of being the last game in the Metal Gear Solid series, Guns of the Patriots could not afford to be anything less than epic. If you had any questions about Snake from the previous installments, any doubts, any misunderstandings – chances are they will be an-swered. Tying up any loose ends and ending the story with a bang, Metal Gear Solid: Guns of the Patriots provides for some of the most memorable moments of 2008. The combat of the game is extremely fluid and feels natural whether you are a fan of firefights or silent assassinations. A perfect blend of shooting and stealth en-sures that the player will have a great time whether he sticks to one or the other. Another innova-tive feature that the game accom-plishes is merging extraordinary cut scenes with gameplay. The transaction from a cinematic to the game is so smooth that the player doesn’t even notice it’s there. The moment gameplay be-gins you still feel as if you are in the cut scene, with the environ-ment and lighting retaining their previous visuals. Gorgeous graph-ics and unique boss fights add on to the experience, making it something that gamers will be talking about for years to come. As we finally say goodbye to Snake, we know without a doubt that he will remain in the hearts of countless fans. ◙

By: Daniel Alfonin

By: Robert Colbourn

SPORTS The STUYVESANT STANDARD March 23, 2009 –VOL.8, NO.9 11

The Sports Beat: Combine Madness


team, so much weight is put on this ridiculous string of tests. Am I crazy to believe that if this re-ceiver is really two tenths of a sec-ond faster than everyone else, I will notice this in his games? If I were a general manager and were considering drafting a certain player, the fact that he can bench 500 pounds means nothing if he’s

not making plays. Until my players become contractually obligated to be Olympic track stars, I’ll take the receiver over the long-jumper every single time. My only hope is that the Giants don’t catch the seemingly contagious illness of ignorance spreading around the league. ◙

Sports Event Analysis:Sports Event Analysis: A-rod Exposed As

Steroid User


gym bag full of steroids, has been close friends with the Yankee slug-ger dating back to his time with the Texas Rangers. It was further re-ported that Presinal and A-Rod’s cousin followed A-Rod throughout the entire 2007 season, even stay-ing in the same hotel as him.

As more and more info leaks out, and more and more will continue to leak out, you can’t help but sit back and just think. Here is a player who flat out denied ever using steroids during an interview with Katie Couric and even com-plained about ballplayers alleged to have taken steroids to Rangers owner Ray Hicks. Hicks told Sports Illustrated that Rodriguez said “negative things about players around the league who were sus-pected of drug use,” and Hicks

later went on to say that he felt “betrayed” by the news.

In the three years he claims to have used the drugs, Rodriguez averaged 52 home runs while driving in 132 runs all at an average of .306. If he played that well over that span, why would he stop? Who’s to say that he hasn’t kept taking them? In 2007, he had the opportunity to opt out of his contract and sign an even larger contract. He may have felt “all the pressure in the world” and that is why he had Presinal and his cousin follow him all season. We may never know the full extent of drug use in the case of Rodriguez or in the sport of baseball for that mat-ter, but you really need to wonder: why didn’t A-rod take his ‘roids in October? I guess Joe Torre was right after all: he’s simply A-Fraud. ◙

Rebels Season Comes to an End


11 in the final quarter. A few players were avail-

able for comment after the game. “We were trailing in the final two minutes,” said Senior Alan Tse. “I knew we needed some defensive stops and good shots. We just couldn’t set up our defense.” Sen-ior Sami Rabb agreed with Tse. “We never lost confidence,” Rabb explained. “We played well, just had a lot of turnovers at the end. That’s all.”

At the same time, senior players were sad to see their final season at Stuyvesant come to an end. “When I was sitting on the bench [during] the last few min-utes,” Rabb commented, “I was thinking back at every single mo-ment and every single mistake I made. I was sitting there wishing I could do something to secure a

win. That was the last time I would be playing in this gym and per-forming in front of such a great crowd.”

The following morning, Coach Fisher congratulated his team on a great season and the fans for their support. Henry agreed with Coach Fisher. “I don’t think the team should let this discourage them. Everyone is still proud of them.”

With their season over, members of the team have much more free time on their hands. Tse said, “I’ve got to study for my driver’s test. And if I want to have a chance playing at [the University of Pennsylvania], I’m still going to continue practicing.” Rabb showed the same amount of confidence in his game. “If you ever want to see me again, I’ll be [playing basket-ball] at BMCC,” Rabb said with a wink. ◙

TSS/Elissa Tam

Alex Rodriguez, who played third base for the New York Yankees, stirred controversy when the press revealed that he was tested positive for steroids on 2003 .

Coach Fisher led the Rebels to the playoffs where the season came to an end for the team.

TSS/Elissa Tam

12 The STUYVESANT STANDARD March 23, 2009–VOL.8, NO.9 SPORTS

Rebels Season Comes To an EndRebels Season Comes To an End

By: Hesham Saleh

On Thursday, February 26, Stuyvesant High School held its first pep rally to support the varsity basketball team, the Running Re-bels. The rally, organized by mem-bers of WOO-PEG-SOOIE, the official club of Stuyvesant Athlet-ics, took place in the third floor gym, known as the Woo-Pit, im-mediately after tenth period. The team was introduced by Senior Christopher Zhao. Coach Philip Fisher thanked the fans for their support and then handed the microphone over to Senior and Captain Nolan “Franchise” Becker who briefly spoke to motivate the team. Members of Stuyvesant’s Stuy Squad performed during the rally as well. Junior cheerleader Keryce Henry was proud to be a part of the rally. “It was exciting

because I was at almost every home game,” Henry explained, “so I was proud to see them get into the playoffs.”

The rally energized both the team and the fans before the Continued on page 11

Continued on page 11

Every prospect at the NFL combine has played doz-ens of football games in front of millions of people. How-ever, it’s also true that they don’t score touchdowns based on how fast they run 40 yards without pads or how many times they can lift 225 pounds. The only beneficial service provided by the com-bine is giving a stage to the prospects that hail from the lesser known Miami of Ohio and Idaho States of the college football world. So while it’s great that these players are get-ting a chance to show their talent to NFL scouts, coaches and general managers, the combine also turns players like Davis and Gholson into top ten picks who sign gigantic con-tracts, and makes Jerry Rice the third receiver taken in his draft class. Among the 1985 draft class were two very different receivers, Albert Toon, and

Jerry Rice. Safe money says that almost everybody reading this has only heard of one name on that list. Al Toon was a star receiver at Wisconsin, but his ability, or lack thereof, to catch a ball was overshadowed by his 40 yard dash numbers, which got him drafted before the greatest player in the history of football. Al Toon was a track star. Before even reaching Wis-consin he surpassed 50 feet in the triple jump three different times. While at Wisconsin he was on the track team as well as the football team, and recorded 23 feet in the long jump. All of these tremendous track feats explain why the New York Jets considered Toon the better pick, while Jerry Rice and all of his receiving records (yes, college records) sat idly by. It amazes me that in a world where video footage of every college football game is easily accessible to each NFL

Continued on page 11

TSS/Elissa Tam

On Thursday, February 16th, the Stuyvesant Rebels lost in its playoff with the Warriors of Alfred E. Smith.

And just like that, Alex Rodriguez joins the infamous ranks of Barry Bonds, Mark McGuire, Jose Canseco and plenty others. In a Sports Illustrated re-port from early February, it came out that Alex Rodriguez, third basemen for the New York Yan-kees and the highest paid player in baseball, tested positive for ster-oids in 2003. A-Rod, or more ap-propriately called A-Roid, was once coined “the savior of base-ball” and even “Michelangelo” but when Selena Roberts of Sports Illustrated came out with the big news, Rodriguez became nothing but another liar, another fraud.

Rodriguez busted onto the scene in 1996 at the tender age of 20 by hitting .358 with 36 home runs and 123 RBI’s (runs batted in). These phenomenal numbers led scouts to give him the greatest scouting report of a player coming out of high school in a number of years. He was on top of the world; he could do no wrong. No, it was

we who were wrong, duped by this charlatan. Upon signing an unheard-of 10 year, $252 million contract in 2001, Rodriguez claimed that he “felt an enor-mous amount of pressure…like I needed to perform at a high level every day.”

It wasn’t until Monday, February 9, several days after the initial report came out, that Rodriguez admitted to his use of the performance enhancing sub-stances. But on that Monday we heard one story; the following news conference we heard an-other; and the following yet an-other. At first he “didn’t know what substance” he was using and he was simply naïve and stupid when he took the steroids from 2001-2003. He then went on to say that his cousin injected him with an over-the-counter drug available in the Dominican Republic. It later came out that Angel Presinal, who was banned from private areas of every MLB ballpark after an October 2001 incident involving an unmarked

By: Zack Goldberg By: Cody Levine

big playoff game against the Al-fred E. Smith Warriors. However, the Rebels were defeated, 68-58, and thus eliminated from the playoffs.

The Rebels were leading

at halftime, 30-25, but the Warri-ors managed to come back from behind. The game was tied, 47-47, at the end of the third quarter, but the Rebels were outscored 21-

The Sports Beat: Combine MadnessCombine Madness

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Volume 8 Issue 9