Senioritis: A Worldwide Epidemic

THE ABINGTONIAN
Abington Senior High School, Abington, PA, 19001
May 2014
Junior Prom 2014:
A Dance to
Remember
By Gary R. Newal
On Saturday, April 26th,
if one listened closely, he or she
would have heard the sound
of dresses being zipped, shirts
being buttoned, and hair being
coiffed. Next came the awkward
fumbling of posing, the click and
whirs of camera shutters, and the
embarrassing praise from parents.
What was this event causing the
ruckus? J-Prom!
Over 400 shined and
polished juniors (and just a
few seniors) graced the gym,
beautifully decorated by junior
class council. From the moment
the students arrived on campus,
they saw throngs of students
laughing and taking
pictures, surely to be
uploaded to twitter or
instagram during one of
their few spare moments
throughout the night.
As soon as the
class of 2015 stepped
inside, they knew this
was not just another
night in the smelly gym,
but a time to let go of all
academic obligations and
dance the night away.
Afterwards, juniors
expressed their admiration to
their class council sponsors, Mr.
Han and Ms. Shapiro. Jack Clark
told our reporter, “They really did
By Danny Nikander
Senioritis: a devastating
disease that plagues thousands of
teenagers all over the world every
single year. Its symptoms include
forgetfulness, extreme fatigue, and
most importantly, a severe lack of
motivation. The very moment that
one unlucky senior is diagnosed,
the plague spreads like wildfire.
According to the MerriamWebster Dictionary, the first use
of the word “senioritis” dates
back to the year 1957. The
formal definition calls it “an
ebbing of motivation and
effort by school seniors as
evidenced by tardiness,
absences, and lower
grades.” The
sickness is
psychological and happens to
be self-induced (so they say).
However, according to the
National Association for College
Admission Counseling, 65 percent
of cases where colleges revoke
student’s admission acceptance are
due to poor grades, which can be
directly linked to
This year’s jprom-goers took pictures—and made memories—that
would last a lifetime.
a great job with decorations this
year!” All in all, J-Prom was a
huge success; hopefully, the success
of this event will help encourage
more school event participation.
Despite all the drama and chaos of
Abington life, the entire class can
come together for a night of fun!
For those juniors who missed
out this year, don’t be too upset!
Stay tuned for senior prom next
year!
Senioritis: A Worldwide Epidemic
Pharrell joins
The Voice
Page 3
catching Senioritis.
The second semester is
the customary time of year that
the impact of Senioritis can be
expected to spread through the
hallways. It is the season of college
acceptances and future- oriented
decisions. The sickness begins
with a noticeable drop in grades
and GPA from students no longer
doing
Warpaint: concert Gun control: more
review and necessary
interview than ever
Page 4 Page 5
homework or studying for tests.
They then realize their poor
performance in school and
begin to become disinterested
and lose care for their academic
achievements. This leads to
indifference towards former
extracurricular activities and other
hobbies to make more time for
things like eating and sleeping. At
this point, Senioritis has spread
through the body and there is no
turning back.
In regards to what types of
cures there are for Senioritis; there
are no antibiotics or treatments
known to mankind that are able to
fight this disease. The only known
cure is the hot summer sun that
signifies the end of senior year. As
far as prevention goes, the only
thing that can be done to ensure
safety from Senioritis is to keep
up with schoolwork and other
activities as if there is still another
year in high school to come. Stay
safe and please try to make it to
school.
Basketball players
step on the
volleyball
court
Page 7
The Abingtonian
May 2014
FEATURES
Page 2
What’s in an Adaptation?
They meet at a support group
and instantly make a connection.
Throughout the novel their
By Orpha Alcin
arcs that captured a nation.
consider the next time we go to
relationship develops and they fall
Lately, many books are
However, what makes these
the movies. We must decide the
in love. The story shows the true
making it to the movie theaters,
movies enticing is not the fact that answers for ourselves, for the truth meaning of life—enjoying the little
most notably Catching Fire and
we have already read the books.
is in the eyes of the beholder.
things while you can. The Fault in
Divergent. These movies are
Rather, we want to see if the story
The next movie release that
Our Stars will hit theaters in midwringing the box office for millions that played out in our minds was
will give us an opportunity to
summer. So go take the chance
and millions of dollars. But, long
correct. After seeing movies that
make a verdict is the forthcoming to really explore a movie. Explore
before they hit the big screen, such were based on books, we always
adaptation of the bestselling
the intention behind every detail.
books proved impossible to put
decide that the book was better
novel, The Fault in Our Stars, by
Then take a step back and look at
down and played out as movies
than the movie. But why does
John Green. This novel grasps the the big picture. If you only look at
in our minds. Sometimes, the
reading the story feel better than
concept of living life as if today
a certain aspect, you will miss the
novels that make it to film do well. seeing it played out in front of us? will be your last day. The two
central concept—or, in the case of
Unfortunately, that is not always
How about when the film ends?
main characters, Hazel Grace and movies based on books, what made
the case, and the movies might fail How do we decide if we liked it or Augustus Waters, better known
them adaptation-worthy.
to portray the characters and story not? These are questions we should as Gus, both suffer from cancer.
How I Met Your Mother:
A Legen—wait for it—dary Series Finale
By Nick Ehly
“Kids, I’m gonna tell you an
incredible story; the story of how I
met your mother” Ted Mosby says
to his two teenage kids in the year
2030. This is the beginning of the
beloved sitcom that is How I Met
Your Mother.
This epic story of love, loss,
and ultimate heartbreak begins
in St. Paddy’s Pub in New York
City in 2005. Ted Mosby is an
aspiring architect and a classic
“lonely-heart” whose two best
friends, Marshall and Lily, have
just gotten engaged. Of course,
this makes Ted more eager to find
a wife than usual. On the first
night of the story, Ted, Marshal,
Lily and their womanizing,
sometimes-quite-disturbing friend
Barney Stinson, are at the usual
hangout, St. Paddy’s Pub. Ted looks
across the room and sees a girl
who he is convinced is the one.
Enter Robin Sherbotsky. Viewers
become invested in the on-andoff relationship between Ted
and Robin throughout the entire
series; right up to the moment she
marries Barney.
From this point on, Ted
searches high and low for love,
always resulting in heartbreak.
From getting left at the alter
to seeing the girl he loves get
engaged to his best friend, we see
Ted’s heart take quite a beating
throughout the series – but Ted’s
belief in love never diminishes. The
audience holds onto hope- surely
we meet the mother one day! But
in the series finale the viewers
realize this show is one far beyond
what its name implies; this is not
jut the story of how Ted met his
children’s mother, but also a story
of hope and growing up.
Marshall, Lily, Robin and
Barney, each have great humorous
moments, and their own tales of
heartbreak, which add more to
the show than Ted’s sometimes
whiny story. These five have been
the best of friends for eight years,
but this all ends when Robin
marries Barney. Ted, upset by the
union, plans to move to Chicago
in order escape the heartache that
New York City has brought him.
Only when waiting for the train
for Chicago, does he finally meet
the one, the mother of his future
children.
Ted and thousands of fans
have waited eight long years for
this precise moment. Connecting
the clues left behind throughout
the series, fans appreciate the
continuity and quirkiness the
mother finally provides. During
the final episode of the series, we
go through the next fifteen years
with the little group. Some aspects
of the future disappoint us all,
from Barney and Robin’s divorce
to Marshall’s awful job at work.
Yet after the tough times, we were
always caught by surprise with the
most touching moments of the
show; Barney holding his daughter,
Marshall finally actualizing his
judicial dream, and Ted and his
wife’s children being born.
Many have pondered for
the past eight years how the series
would end. Would the final scene
be just Ted meeting the mother?
Would Robin somehow be the
mother? Would it be just what
we were promised by the title?
None of these in fact, were correct.
The last five minutes of the series
changed the entire show. Ted,
nearing the end of his story gives
his kids one final speech on love
and how much he loved their
mother, even went she got sick. To
be straightforward with it all, the
mother dies. The children tell Ted
they thought the story was never
about their mom, but about Robin.
Ted loved their mother with all his
heart, but she has been dead for
six years now and he must move
on. The kids convince him to
date Robin again. The show ends
with Ted standing outside Robin’s
window, holding a blue French
horn in the air, a complete mirror
of the first episode.
How I Met Your Mother will
always be known for the laughs,
the smiles, and the tears it has
invoked. Receiving mixed reviews,
How I Met Your Mother will not
be set aside and categorized as a
predictable show.
The Abingtonian
May 2014
FEATURES
Page 3
Pharrell:
Newest Judge
on The Voice
By Siani Barbosa
Following next season on
The Voice, hit singer Pharrell
Williams will join the judging
panel alongside Adam Levine,
Usher, Blake Shelton, and Shakira.
Once it was confirmed on Twitter
that Pharrell would be considered
a new judge following Cee Lo
Green’s departure, Maroon 5
singer Adam Levine expressed his
excitement to have Pharrell on the
panel. Fans are also anxious to see
him appear as a full-time coach.
Cee Lo Green has announced that
he would not be returning to the
show ever again, letting Pharrell
take his place permanently.
Christina Aguilera will also vacate
her judging seat, as she is sitting
next season out in order to spend
time with her family. As for
Pharrell, the
new judge is
anxious to be
on The Voice
and cannot
wait to form
his own team.
Before
he was chosen
to appear on
Pharrell (left) serving as a guest mentor for Usher (right) during season four of The Voice.
The Voice,
Pharrell was
propelled to
record sales in 2014, adding to
Pharrell is a perfect choice for
stardom by hits like “Blurred
his achievements in the worlds
season seven and will evolve into
Lines,” “Get Lucky,” and “Happy.”
of fashion and design. He even
a great coach like the rest of the
He earned a Grammy for his
appeared once before on The Voice judges. Pharrell believes that the
collaboration with Daft Punk
as Usher’s guest mentor in the
opportunity will allow him to share
on “Get Lucky” and an Oscar
fourth season’s battle rounds. Due his musical talents and experiences
nomination for “Happy,” which
to his talents in producing and
with The Voice hopefuls and shape
was featured in Despicable
performing and his experience as
them into better ones, letting them
Me 2. These honors brought
a previous mentor on The Voice,
follow their dreams.
a huge increase to Pharrell’s
producers of the show feel that
Shannon Hale’s
Goose Girl
By Madison Bradley
The Josette Frank Awardwinning novel Goose Girl exceeds
the limitations of the fantasy genre.
Author Shannon Hale provokes
deep, emotional connections to
her characters and depicts a world
of delightful imagination with
the pleasing realism of human
interaction. A novel portrayal
of the Grimm’s fairytale, Goose
Girl is a fascinating telling of
the adventures of an awkward
princess.
After princess Ani’s ladyin-waiting takes her name and
declares that she is princess,
young Ani must overcome her
insecurities and the wishes of
her family in order to claim her
crown. In order to do so, Ani must
discover her true potential and
grow stronger in the back alleys
of the kingdom. She finally finds
a family she can truly be herself
around when she starts living as
a poor goose girl. But, as the full
extent of the ex-lady-in-waiting’s
plan to rule the realm is revealed,
Ani learns that she was not just
meant to be dethroned. Ani was to
be executed.
Strung with a lovely warmth,
the imagery and language of Goose
Girl swallow the mundane world
around you and catapult you into
one of real magic and charming
landscape. Hale’s writing is so
fluid and her characters so easily
understood that the impossibilities
of magic are swept away. If
you admire soft, enchanting
descriptions of faraway places and
love adventure, this coming-of-age
book is an excellent read for you.
“A tale about learning to rescue
yourself rather than falling
accidentally into happily-ever-after.”
–New York Times
Oat Nana Nut Chip
Nugget Cookies
By Alexis Scott
I love making cookies. They are like little vessels of flavor
that you can pack with almost anything. These cookies contain
four glorious things: oatmeal, banana, CHOCOLATE, and peanut
butter (or any other nut butter). When these are combined in one
lovely little nugget, the angels sing. These cookies are actually
pretty healthy and full of energy-packed ingredients without
animal derived food products, but be warned—they are highly
addictive. It’s best to make the cookies in small nuggets, so you
can eat a lot and still have more to share.
Ingredients:
3 ripe bananas, mashed
1 tablespoon vanilla
¾ cup natural peanut butter (or other nut butter)
3 tablespoons maple syrup
2 cups old fashioned oats
½ cup whole wheat flour (or any gluten free flour)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoons ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup non-dairy chocolate chips (or raisins)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a cookie sheet or
cover with parchment paper. Mix bananas, vanilla, peanut butter
and maple syrup into a creamy consistency in a large bowl. In
another bowl, combine oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon,
nutmeg, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients
and stir until they are well combined and slightly sticky. Fold in
the chocolate chips or raisins. Place rounded, heaping teaspoonsized balls of the batter onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for
10-15 minutes and enjoy.
The Abingtonian
May 2014
Page 4
FEATURES
What Color
is Warpaint?
By HoJun Yu
The truth is, there is not just
one answer to this question. The
Los Angeles-based group, formed
by childhood friends Theresa
Wayman and Emily Kokal (both
on vocals and guitars), and sisters
Jenny Lee Lindberg (bass, backing
vocals) and Shannyn Sossamon on
Valentine’s Day 2004, is just too
eclectic to have one single color.
Since the band released their first
EP, Exquisite Corpse, in 2008, Stella
Mozgawa has stepped in to replace
Sossamon and partnered up with
Lindberg to create one of the most
unstoppable rhythm sections in
contemporary music, as is clear in
their debut album, The Fool, and
their latest self-titled album.
As people waited in
anticipation for Warpaint’s sold
out show at Union Transfer
on March 22nd, Welsh singersongwriter Cate Le Bon captivated
the audience with her liberating
melodies and haunting vocals.
After such an apt opening
performance, the ladies of
Warpaint made their way onto
the stage to the cheers of the
crowd. Warpaint’s talents were
evident throughout their set,
from Wayman’s delicate vocals
and Kokal’s flowing guitar licks to
Lindberg and Mozgawa’s intricate
rhythmic chemistry. Starting with
the fast-paced “Feeling Alright”
and following up with songs like
“Composure,” “Love Is to Die,” and
“No Way Out,” the band showed
that each of its members lays
down a backbone for the others.
For the encore set, Warpaint
prepared the most brilliant
surprise that Philadelphia music
fans could have asked for, inviting
out Philly’s own Kurt Vile to sing
the backing vocals for “Baby,” a
tendertune from The Fool. As they
played “Elephants,” a classic from
Exquisite Corpse, the masterful
fingerpicking by Wayman, freefloating vocals by Kokal, slick bass
lines by Lindberg, and cannon-like
bass drum by Mozgawa exhibited
not only the band’s ingenuity in
their extended outro jam, but also
their skill in executing a concert.
A month has passed since
the concert at Union Transfer.
Thanks to Sonya Kolowrat at
Beggars Group, I was able to catch
up with Theresa Wayman from
Warpaint.
Warpaint members (L-R) Theresa Wayman, Jenny Lee Lindberg, Stella Mozgawa, and Emily Kokal.
Photo by India Whiley-Morton.
HoJun
their unique voice. It’s nice that he HY: I read in an article from the
Yu: First of all, thank you so much doesn’t come along with his amp
Guardian that James Blake got
for the show. That was a great
and make everything sound like
some song ideas from you for
night. One thing I wanted to ask
Flood and change the way that
Overgrown. Did he influence some
is, how did the performance with
bands sound…. [We] like to retain of your songwriting on this album?
Kurt Vile come along?
some of the feelings of demos of
TW: Yeah, definitely. We’ve been
Theresa Wayman: Oh it was
our songs, because the inception of influencing each other pretty
just a spontaneous thing that
the songs has a valuable moment, heavily for the last few years and
happened… when we got off stage kind of the truest moment… so
it’s unquantifiable. He’s sincerely
after that set. We were gonna come Flood completely opened to us,
inspiring to me and his music
back for an encore and Kurt was in using demos of us recording things pushes me forward.
the back with us... so we were just on our own… and then also taking HY: Do you think you’ll ever
like, “Hey, why don’t you just go off it to his mixing board, and making collaborate with James?
and do it? You’re here!”
the sound grow as well.
TW: He’s only just starting to
HY: You guys have been going
HY: The one thing that really
really collaborate with other
through a really busy schedule
astonished me while listening to
people. He’s pretty much a loner
and playing with great bands like
the album was the lyrics, especially in that sense so I think [we will]
Queens of the Stone Age. How did on “Disco//very.” How did those
one day when [chuckles] he’s able
that come about?
haunting lyrics come along? Like
to collaborate with more [people].
TW: Our engineer for this
the line “She’ll eat you alive?”
I told him about hanging out with
album [Justin Smith] works with
TW: Jenny wrote that so praise to Earl [Sweatshirt] and then making
the Queens as well, so have a
Jenny, but I think what she’s going music, and he’s like, “I could never
connection through him, although for is kind of like, don’t mess with
do that.” And I was just like, “Well
I didn’t actually meet [Queens
us you know, this is our gang and
actually, you could,” but you know?
of the Stone Age member Josh
we got each other’s backs… and
He just doesn’t really. Like, he
Homme] through Justin. We met
watch out ‘cause we’re not to be
doesn’t know how to do that, yet.
them at a festival, but sharing an
trifled with.
So he sings – and I think he could
engineer, I think, brings us close
HY: Also, the ending track of
easily try.
because you get really close to that Warpaint, “Son.” Was it dedicated HY: Any favorite albums of 2014
person who’s engineering for you. to your son? The line, “Leave the
so far? Or late 2013?
HY: Speaking of your latest album, son alone,” felt very intimate and
TW: I’ve been listening to a lot of
Warpaint, what was it like working special.
King Krule, his album that came
with producer Flood? His name is TW: Well this fell between…
out last year…. [Also] Mount
pretty huge, and he produced Holy needing to take care of him and
Kimbie… and The Banks.
Fire [by Foals]. The production on wanting him, but needing to care
HY: So you’ve been playing with
your self-titled album was fantastic for myself… it was my life and
the National. How’s that going?
with the mix of drums, the
often in my line of work, I think,
You have another show tonight
complementary vocals and guitars, [as it is in] anyone’s line of work if with the National, right?
and Jenny’s bass lines.
they’re gonna be a professional at
TW: Yeah, it’s good! It’s kind
TW: Thanks! …Flood is really
anything, whether they’re a doctor of hard to be only playing a 45
respectful of... every artist he
or a lawyer or a school teacher or
minute-set, but it’s also really
works with, and he’s kind of a
something. It’s like you get taken
fun because you play all the hits
chameleon, which is a really good away from your home and you
[laughs]… play the bangers.
quality to have in a producer. Every have to work really hard in order
HY: Thanks for your time and
artist is gonna want something
to establish yourself. The trials
good luck at the show tonight!
different and make something
and tribulations of having a child
TW: Thank you! Thank you very
different in order to bring out
[chuckles]… and also loving.
much.
The Abingtonian
May 2014
Page 5
EDITORIALS
Fighting to the Death for the Right to Arms
By Lila Burger
Within the span of twelve
days, there have been two separate
instances of gun violence in the
U.S. On April 2nd, 34-year-old
Ivan Lopez shot 19 people total,
injuring 16 of them and killing the
other three. The second incident,
caused by a shooter whose
identity is, as of now, unknown to
the public, occurred at a Jewish
community center in Kansas on
April 13th and also resulted in the
death of three people.
Though these two shootings
are seemingly unrelated, they
do have one connection—the
shocking lack of gun control,
especially in the southern part of
the United States. In both Kansas
and Texas, a state permit is not
necessary to purchase, possess, or
carry a rifle, shotgun, or handgun.
Additionally, it is not necessary
to register a firearm if it is a rifle,
a handgun, or a shotgun, and a
permit to carry is only needed
in the case of a handgun. Both
states have requirements regarding
background checks, but if tragedies
like these are still happening, the
process is obviously not thorough
enough.
The U.S., especially the
South, has, in recent years, become
adamant about having the right
to purchase firearms; it is quite
evident that gun culture has
infiltrated our society. Firearms
have become such a widely
accepted part of American culture
that, according to data found in
2011, 36% of civilians own a gun.
Of course, not all of these gun
owners are bad people. In fact,
the thought of the majority is that
a “good” person with a gun is
needed to protect against a “bad”
person with a gun. There were
plenty of “good” people at Fort
Hood and they still were not able
to protect against Lopez.
It has been shown time and
time again that the most effective
way to reduce gun violence is
to put stricter gun laws and
background checks in place. For
example, England has some of
the strictest gun control laws
in the world. The background
check process is longer and more
complex, acquiring a gun license
is more difficult and mandatory,
and the carrying of a firearm,
concealed or not, is altogether
prohibited. This may seem a bit too
strict to some, but when you look
at the results, this method seems
to work well in preventing gun
violence. The homicide rate in the
United Kingdom between 2003
and 2011 was almost four times
less than that of the United States.
So if we know that stricter
gun laws lead to fewer injuries and
deaths, then why is there still such
controversy surrounding the issue?
The U.S. has the largest number of
civilian gun ownerships and is the
number one firearms manufacturer
in the world, but how many more
Fort Hoods have to happen before
we see that this is not a good
thing? Is the right to bear arms
more important than the right to
feel safe in our own country?
By Ryan Grewal
On April 2nd, the
Supreme Court handed down
an embarrassing verdict in
McCutcheon v. F.E.C., striking
down limits on the amount
individuals can donate to
candidates and parties during a
two year election cycle. While an
affront to the idea that elections
shouldn’t be bought by the wealthy,
the ruling will likely have little
effect. But now, in 2016, Marco
Rubio and Hillary Clinton can
smile into the camera after
slandering each other instead of
Super PACs doing it for them.
In this age of apathy,
elections are decided by money,
in the form of advertising. Just
like fast food chains and car
dealerships, politicians need TV
ads. To run TV ads politicians
need money. To get money,
politicians need to work the
corners hoping to be solicited by
donors.
The uber rich donors have
to work around existing laws:
they skirt the donation caps
by giving unlimited sums to
independent organizations instead
of candidates. This ‘soft-money’
has effectively put Congress in
the legislative pockets of their
benefactors. The biggest tricks
in politics are the Koch brothers,
whose web of multi-million
dollar donations entangles the
Tea Party movement. They could
not, however, give money directly
to candidates and parties over
specified limits, totaling $123,000.
That is, until April 2nd. According
to the court, the rich are just
expressing their freedom of
speech. Apparently, freedom isn’t
free.
McCutcheon v. F.E.C.
changes virtually nothing. Rich
people will express their freedom
of speech to manipulate the
politically uninformed in order
to pull the strings of their puppet
legislators to fix the system for
their ideological and monetary
gain. They will continue to spend
seven times as much as all small
donors combined. They will still
manipulate the tax code and
corporate regulations in order
to support their wallets. They
will keep enforcing a cultural
hegemony to instill their idea of
“Real America”. They will still
perpetrate a multi-billion dollar
fraud on the American people
every other November. Except now
it will be easier for them.
So why does this matter?
It really doesn’t. The rich already
own Congress, and apparently the
Supreme Court as well. I’m just
curious, though, as to when we
are going to cut out the middle
man. We could stop voting for our
government and just sell it to the
highest bidder instead.
How to Buy a Government (Hint: You have to be rich)
Gym Class 2034
I heard that 20 years ago
they only had to wear goggles
when they played pillow
polo.
Man, were
they lucky!
The Abingtonian
May 2014
Page 6
NEWS
A Big Year for Ivy League Acceptances at Abington
By Brittany Levy
By this time in the school
year, many of our seniors at
Abington have been anxiously
checking their emails each day
to hear admission decisions
from their prospective colleges.
Fortunately, this has been an
exceptionally successful year
of college acceptances for
the graduating class of 2014.
In addition to a plethora of
acceptances to a variety of
prestigious schools, there were
nine Ivy League acceptances this
year. Four students were accepted
to the University of Pennsylvania,
two to Brown University, two
to Cornell University, and one
to Princeton University. To put
this in perspective, this number
dramatically exceeds Ivy League
acceptances in all of Abington’s
near history. As reported in prior
year Abingtonian editions, there
were three Ivy League acceptances
in 2013, five in 2012, one in 2011,
five in 2010, and five in 2008.
Aleksandra Cvetković, who
was accepted to the University
of Pennsylvania and Princeton
University, was pleasantly shocked
when she received her acceptance
letters. The Abingtonain co-editor
in chief advises the upcoming
graduating class only to apply to
schools that you are interested
in, to work hard, to have good
SAT scores, excellent grades, and
meaningful college essays. Along
with maintaining good grades in
rigorous courses, scoring very high
on her SATS, and having a great
college essay, Aleks is involved
in many extracurricular and
volunteer activities. Based on her
hard work, it is no surprise that
two of the most selective colleges
in the country want her!
Zach Levy will be attending
Wharton School of Business at
University of Pennsylvania next
WORDLINK
Hey word puzzle lovers! Frustrated with life? Well, sit back, relax,
and fill out a wordlink. You play by creating a chain of compound
words from the first word all the way to the last. The first and
second word link to make a compound word, like in this example:
Guitar and string connect to make guitar string, string links with
band to make string band, and band and camp link to form band
camp. Some of the words even have letters filled in to help you out!
Think you solved the puzzle? Print your name at the bottom, cut
out your completed wordlink, and drop it off at the Wordlink
box sitting on the Abingtonian box in the library. YOU WILL BE
ENTERED INTO A DRAWING TO WIN A PRIZE! Winners will
be announced on the afternoon announcements! Best of luck!
EXPRESS
__ R __ __ __
__ __ __ C __
S __ __ __
__ I S __
__ __ __ __ K
F __ __ __ __ __
__ __ A __ __
BOARD
NAME:____________________
year. When asked how he felt
after learning of his acceptance,
Zach responded “similarly to how
[he] felt when [he] watched Step
Brothers for the first time.” He
followed this response with a “JK”
and continued to say, on a more
serious note, “I jumped into the
arms of my parents and sat there
staring at the acceptance letter
for the next hour in amazement.”
His advice to future classes is
to dedicate themselves to hard
work. Going to the school of your
dreams, he said, is not solely about
how inherently intelligent you are
- it is about how hard you work
and how much effort you put into
all of your endeavors, whether it’s
homework, sports, or hobbies.
After growing up with Zach, I
can attest that he truly practices
what he preaches. Whether it is
on the wrestling mat or in class,
Zach refuses to give up until he
reaches his goals. His pain-staking
effort is what defines him as a
true “Quaker.” I asked Zach what
lengths he has gone to achieve his
dream, to which he responded, “I
have been to China” (disclaimer:
corny jokes do not get you into Ivy
League schools). “Every Saturday
morning,” Zach continued, “I woke
up at 7:00 A.M. to take a practice
ACT test. As I said earlier, from
hard work you see results. I never
was one to put off assignments. I
always do my work well in advance
so that I can put the necessary
time in to get as much out of it as
possible. You can’t just be a grade
grubber because you’re not going
to get anything out of that - you
need to actually be invested in
your learning, and that’s how you
receive knowledge. In return, the
good grades will come.” Zach’s
future plans are “becoming an
investment banker, hopefully living
in New York City, and wearing a
suit everyday with a cool tie and a
‘Pretentious Pocket Square.’”
Elana Waldstein, an
exceptionally well-rounded
individual, was also accepted to
The University of Pennsylvania.
While good grades throughout
high school were important to
Elana, she stresses the importance
of extracurricular activities.
Her advice to future classes is
to not stress if you don’t get all
“A’s.” Other qualities will balance
out your resume. In addition to
being involved in activities, it is
important to display a leadership
role. If you are an active member
of an activity, it will show in
applications. Elana is an asset
to many clubs at Abington,
particularly Key Club and the
Newspaper, The Abingtonian,
and a leading volunteer in her
community. She is very passionate
about her interests, which, in part,
made her a prominent college
applicant. Elana also advises others
to keep in contact with their
college admissions directors.
Congratulations to
Aleksandra, Zach, Elana, and the
other stupendous Ivy-Leaguers!
In addition to acceptances to Ivy
League colleges, many of our class
of 2014 seniors were accepted to
very prestigious colleges, including
Georgetown, Carnegie Mellon,
New York University Lehigh,
Bucknell, Trinity College of
Dublin, University of Michigan,
Syracuse, Howard, Penn State
Schreyers, and Fordham, just to
name a few. The graduating class of
2014 has set a huge precedent for
the future classes to follow!
How the acceptance letters stack up
Brown:
Columbia:
Cornell:
Dartmouth:
Harvard:
Penn:
Princeton:
Yale:
Total:
2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2008
2
1
2
2
4
1
1
3
1
1
9
3
5
1
1
4
1
1
1
1
1
5
5
The Abingtonian
May 2014
Franklin
Regional
Rocked by
Stabbing
By Sophia Ricciardi
Picture the hall outside your
first period class. Picture your
fellow students mulling about,
some talking, some hurrying to
their own classes, maybe a few
at their lockers. Now picture
that same scene in horrifying
disarray. For the students of
Franklin Regional High School
in Murrysville, PA, that chaotic
hallway scene became a reality
when a stabbing occurred on April
9th.
Minutes before school began
that day, one student started to
attack his peers with two large
kitchen knives. As witnesses tell
it, the student stabbed his first
victim, then proceeded to rush
down the hall slashing at anyone
milling about. Many of the victims
and bystanders report they did not
realize anything was happening
until they noticed the blood or saw
people running out of the building.
In total, 24 students and staff
members were injured, and at least
five of the victims are in critical
condition.
Page 7
NEWS
Franklin Regional sophomore Alex Hribal was apprehended by the police after allegedly wounding
The main
21 students and a security guard. Though only 16 years old, he is being charged as an adult for four
and only
counts of attempted homicide, 21 counts of aggravated assault, and one count of cpossession of a
suspect
weapon on school property.
in this
stabbing is
Despite the unexpected
first aid to the wounded. One such
Alex Hribal, a 16 year old student horror and tragedy of this attack,
unsung hero, as of yet unnamed,
at Franklin Regional. Describing
a few unlikely heroes have seen
had their wits about them to pull
Hribal as shy and quiet, many of
the light as a result. Besides the
the fire alarm, causing everyone
his peers were shocked that he
paramedics and police, one of
to evacuate and potentially saving
committed such an act. Fellow
the school security officers and
many of their peers. The actions
high schooler Michael Float was
the assistant principal were two
of many a bystander and of the
one of those who had not seen it
of these heroes. The assistant
aforementioned heroes helped to
coming, saying that Alex was “a
principal stopped the rampage
prevent the loss of life during this
very nice kid.” Alex’s motive is
when he caught and tried to
tragedy.
still unknown, and he has been
restrain Alex. When he noticed
In the aftermath of the
charged as an adult with four
the assistant principal, the security stabbing, we send our best wishes
counts of attempted homicide, 21
guard rushed to help him and was and sympathy out to all of the
counts of aggravated assault, and
stabbed, adding his name to the list victims, and hopefully gain a new
one count of weapon possession
of victims. Many of the students at appreciation of all those drills.
on school grounds.
Franklin Regional helped staff give
Man Survives Chainsaw to the Throat
By David Arroyo
Have you ever tried to use
a chainsaw? It is a difficult and
dangerous task, as one James
Valentine knows all too well.
Valentine is a Pennsylvania
resident who makes a living cutting
down trees. On Monday, March
31st, Valentine was doing his job as
usual when his chainsaw suddenly
kicked back and sawed straight
into his neck. The blade had to
be held in place by his colleagues
while emergency workers arrived.
It missed a carotid artery that
supplies blood flow to the head
by a quarter of an inch. When
services arrived, Valentine was
awake and responsive, according to
emergency responders.
Once at Allegheny General
Hospital, Valentine was rushed
to surgery, where the blade was
removed. Most of the damage
was to the muscles and soft
tissues surrounding his neck
and shoulder, not his neck itself.
Valentine
did not lose
much blood and
the carotid artery carrying
blood to his head was untouched.
Valentine is lucky to be alive, and
has Allegheny General Hospital
Surgeons and his colleagues to
thank for that.
Basketball Players Turned Volleyball Stars
By David Arroyo
Last season, the Abington
Boys’ Volleyball team was able to
recruit a well known basketball
player by the name of Matt
Penecale to come and join the
squad. The squad is back at it
again adding players Mark Bond,
Anthony Lee, and Jay Bynum to
the mix. All the teammates have
made an immediate impact on the
team, turning the Ghosts into a
primarily middle hitting squad.
The first to join the squad
was Anthony Lee, who promptly
started in a game three days after
his first practice. In the game,
Lee obtained 11 kills, second
on the team only behind Matt
Penecale. Mark Bond started
the same day, only 2 days after
his first practice on a volleyball
team. Bond made a significant
contribution to the squad in this
game, but more so in the games
the following week. His skill on
the court continues to grow as he
learns to play a new kind of game
on his Abington court. Bynum
is the newest addition, and his
limited varsity action shined with
his uniquely long arms. The height
of these players has made setter
Tim Seydel’s job much easier, as
they are capable of hitting any ball
that flies above the court. Seydel
is frequently heard saying how
much he loves these boys, and
after Anthony Lee’s first game
said to him, “Of my two years on
varsity, you are by far my favorite
person to play with.” These boys
have renewed hope and interest in
Abington Boys’ Volleyball after the
poor 2013 season. The team has
already improved their win total
from last year and have their eyes
set on big goals with the monsters
in the middle being the look outs.
The Abingtonian
May 2014
Page 8
Come to Post Prom!
Hey Seniors! Prom is around the corner and so is POST PROM at
Northeast Racquet Club! Tickets are only $10 per person, which
includes transportation from the high school to Northeast Racquet,
and back to the high school shortly after 4:00am. Tickets will be on
sale May 15-22 during all lunch periods. Remember you don’t have to
attend Prom to come to Post Prom, and you don’t have to have a date. Did we mention entry is only 10 dollars per person?
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Basketball
Racquetball
Tennis
Soccer
Pillow polo
DJ
Hypnotist shows
Door prizes
Obstacle course
Photo booth
Video games
Food
The Abingtonian, 2013-2014
Published by: Abington Senior High School, Abington, PA
Editors-In-Chief:
Alex Rosenbaum and Aleks Cvetkovic
News Editor: Sabrina Farmer
Editorial Editor: Rebecca Kruger
Features Editor: Elana Waldstein
Sports Editor: Blake Friedman
Writers:
Gary R. Newal, Nick Ehly,
Brittany Levy, Siani Barbosa,
Madison Bradley, Alexis Scott,
Orpha Alcin, HoJun Yu, Lila Burger,
Sophia Ricciardi, Danny Nikander,
Ryan Grewal, David Arroyo
Cartoonists:
Jonathan Sherwood
Photographers:
Julia Hayman, Kyle Sukley
Faculty Sponsors:
Mr. Bryan Quigley, Mr. Albert Saylor
Administration:
Mr. A. Berrios, Mr. R. McCuen,
Mr. E. Johnson, Mr. C. Fiorino