With all of the recent media coverage giv-

en to the upcoming presidential election,

Schuylkill Valley has been buzzing with conver-

sations, predictions, and speculations. Our staff

was curious about what the results would be for

our school if we held the election right now. We

wanted to know where our student body stands

with regard to their candidate preferences.

During the first week of March, Panther-

ette conducted an unofficial election on “who you

think should be president” and we have the re-

sults. Teachers were not included in the election

because we wanted the student’s selection and

only that. However, some ballots could not be

counted because of mistakes made on the ballot.

We were able to count 445 student whose ballots

made up approxi-

mately 70 percent

of the total stu-

dent popula-

tion. Out of

those 445 ballots,

57 percent (255

ballots) of the

vote went to

Democratic can-

didates, and 43

percent ( 190 bal-

lots) of the vote supported Republican candi-

dates.

Of the 255 ballots for the Democrats, 85

percent ( 217 ballots) of the vote favored Bernie

Sanders, and 15 percent (38 ballots) were cast in

favor of Hillary Clinton.

On the other hand, the 190 Republican

votes were divided between five candidates.

Since we have taken the survey, however, several

candidates have dropped out of the race. At the

time of our election, however, the results were as

follows:

John

Kasich re-

ceived 3

percent,

(six bal-

lots) of the

Republi-

can votes,

whereas

13 percent,

(26 ballots) went to Ben Carson. Another 15 per-

cent (30 ballots) went to Ted Cruz, 16 percent

( 31 ballots) went to Marco Rubio, and finally 51

percent (97 ballots) went to Donald Trump.

For SV, the final Democratic candidate

would be Bernie Sanders with 85 percent of all

Democratic votes and 49 percent of the total bal-

lots. The final Republican candidate would be

Donald Trump with 51 percent of all Republican

votes and 22 percent of the total ballots.

We’d like to thank all of you who partici-

pated in this election and again we’d like to thank

all those who helped to make this mini-election

possible. As the field narrows, we hope to do

this again in the fall.

The Results Are In!

SPRING ISSUE,

2016

VOLUME 55,

PANTHERETTE

Mary Brooks ‘18 and Seth Pine ‘17

PANTHERETTE

The Pantherette is published by students of Schuylkill Valley High School, Leesport, Pennsylvania, 19533

Advisor: Heather Barrett Secretary: Lindsey Zimmerman

Editor-in-Chief: Bella Ciervo Treasurer: Daisy Grace

Executive Assistant: Meghan Steffey Sports Editor: Evan Whitmoyer

Administrative Assistant: Callie Watmuff

Technical Editors: Tabitha Stoudt and Bailey Miller

Junior Editors-in-Chief: Olivia Roth and Cecily Godfrey

Sophomore Editor: Ellen Robinson

Contributing Pantherette staff: Angel Martinez, Kevin Cook, Ben Moody, Kyle Dimovitz, Valerie Yoder, Sophie

Goad, Angie Tota, Claire Burkert, Adriana Popa, Alysa Bainbridge, Seth Pine, Kylie Brown, Kacie Jones, Bethany

Schlott, Amber Walters, Jackie Marusiak, Dan Behler, Brynna Haupt, Liz Clement, Mary Brooks, Donald Ballou, Jas-

mine Stoudt, Courtney Hatton, Mitchell Moyer, Lily Whitmoyer, Charanya Birabaharan , Jessica Visbisky, Lucy Johns

O N B E H A L F O F T H E P A N T H E R E T T E S T A F F , W E W O U L D L I K E T O T H A N K M R . B U C K S A N D T H E P R I N T I N G P R E S S F O R T H E P U B L I S H I N G O F O U R N E W S P A P E R !

This Article is soo Lit Olivia Roth ‘17

I do not understand today’s language. When scrolling down my always captivating and intellectual Facebook news feed or clicking through Snapchat stories that are never vapid, I find myself encountering a strange, cryptic language. I discover phrases such as “It’s lit” and wonder if they are partying or battling a fire: who knows? Furthermore, what classifies a time as “Lit”? Growing up, the only lit objects I knew about came with the title of “Literary Book.” Example of the colloquial usage of Lit: “Yo my home dawg, that party was sooo lit last night. A total rager.” Not only may lit refer to a totally tubular time, I have re-cently been informed that lit acts as an abbreviation for “Literally.” Example: “OMG, that is lit me! Isn’t that adorbs?” Another perplexing word is “Turnt.” I believe turnt is an ad-jective, but I am not entirely sure. Example: “Sup boi, we r so turnt!” However, I believe it may also be used as a verb. Example: I was turntin’ up so hardcore last night.

One night at work, a coworker approached me with a ques-tion that confuses me to this day: “Yo Olivia, what’s good?” How does one respond to that? Do I explain everything not-bad in my life? Was he just simply asking “What’s up?” But then again, even “What’s up” is confusing. What exactly is “up”? Regardless of the exact meaning of his question, my ultimate response was “Jerry, I don’t speak that lan-guage. How are you?”

Today’s colloquial expressions are an entirely new language. Some other phrases I enjoy are “Bruh you are are phat,” “Dangg that cheeseburger costs an arm and a leg,” “Fo dizzle mah nizzle,”“Yo homie G, you da boss,” and “You the real OG.”

In any case whatever the latest meme is affecting the vernacular, I just don’t think I will able to keep up.

PAGE 3

Mrs. Williamson is one of the many teachers you see

hustling around the hallways of our high school. She helps

many students learn every day. Mrs. Williamson never

thought that she would end up as a teacher. However, after

she graduated from high school, she went to a community

college for business, but she fell in love with learning. “I

can’t exactly tell you what changed, but I found myself wish-

ing I was the instructor more than the student!”

What made you want to become a teacher?

“I never envisioned that I would be a teacher. I was

not a great student, and I really struggled to succeed. After

high school, I went to a community college for business and

quickly fell in love with learning. I can’t exactly tell you what

changed, but I found myself wishing I was the instructor

more than the student! I ended up following through with my

degree in business and worked for a year in marketing before

I made the [scary] decision to go back to school and change

careers. It was a hard decision and it took a lot of time and

dedication, but I can honestly say that I have never looked

back.”

What subject do you teach and why?

“I am a learning support teacher, so my job changes every year. This year I am working

more in study support and job skills training.”

Where did you go to school?

“I graduated from Minisink Valley High School in 2001 - Go Warriors!”

She also obtained the following degrees:

Associates Degree in Business Administration from Suny Orange

Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Marist College

Certification in Elementary Education from West Chester University

Certification in Special Education from Immaculata University”

How many years have you taught at SV?

“I have been with SV since 2009. I started out subbing at all three schools, and was then hired as a building sub

for the middle school. I started at the high school full-time as a learning support teacher in 2013.”

A Little More Information:

Mrs. Williamson currently lives in the Gilbertsville area, within the Boyertown School District. She resides with

her husband, John, a computer and business teacher at Upper Perkiomen High School, and her two young sons,

Wes ,who is four and Owen who is already one.

When asked about her attitude and philosophy about life, Mrs. Williamson explained that she is a strong believer

in positive thinking: “You are the only person who has control of how you feel, perceive life, and behave towards others.

When you approach obstacles in a positive way, life becomes more enjoyable; bumps in the road become less over-

whelming, and you will find a network of people who add joy to your life.

Mrs. Williamson Mitchell Moyer ‘19

PANTHERETTE Where Are They Now?

Bailey Miller ‘17

Schuylkill Valley is the birthplace of many great minds. It is a small school that is filled with opportunity, and because of that students gain an experience that allows them to feel confident about their future. Recently, Pantherette decided to find out what some of our past graduates lives are up to in their post SV lives.

Claire Spencer ‘15 is currently at Kutztown University studying to become an elementary

school teacher. She is a founding sister of the newest sorority on campus, Delta Phi Epsilon.

Her sorority works with organizations such as the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Anorexia

Nervosa and Associated Disorders. She works for the campus in the Connections Freshman

Orientation Program.

Amanda Jacoby ‘15 started working at the Ashley Furniture as the first female router operator

right after graduation. She has just bought her first home and plans to open her own floriculture

business on the side since she went to BCTC for horticulture.

Kyle Latshaw ’15 is currently at Penn State Berks as a secondary Education and Mathematics

major. He plans to transfer to University Park in the near future. As for goals, Kyle wants to be

a math teacher and is hoping he will pass Calculus III and Matrices.

Rachael Borden ’15 is an English Education major at Messiah College. She is involved in

Cross Country, Track and Field, and is a bible study leader. She hopes to make the Dean's List

throughout college, something she had achieved for the first semester.

Samantha Porter ’15 is a Psychology Major at Temple University. She plans on going to

Grad school for social work and is declaring a minor in either Italian or social work.

Sarah Strause is at Shippensburg University for Optometry.

Ben Koch ’08 is 25 years old and is married with a son named Jackson. He is currently a secu-

rity guard at Limerick Power Plant.

Bryce Koch ’11 is 22 years old and is living in Cleveland, Ohio, and is a Business Manager.

Bryce is engaged.

Maggie Johns is married with three children and is attending Nursing School.

Kylie Johns ’12 is currently at Penn State Main studying communications.

Emily Johns ’14 is at Lehigh Valley Carbon Community College, she is a Vet Tech at Willow

Creek Veterinary Clinic.

Tyler Miccicke ’15 is leaving for Marine boot camp on April 4th and plans to attend Law

School afterwards.

Michael Frank ’15 is currently attending the Culinary Institute of America in New York; he is

going for an internship over the summer.

Jason Burkert ’15 is currently at Berks Technical Institute.

Joshua Dunkel is 27 years old and he worked for Car Tech, and now he travels the world.

Courtney Farrell ’11 is currently at Penn State Altoona for labor-

atory technician. She did attend Shippensburg with a major in bi-

ology, concentrated in clinical sciences.

Jason Dewald ‘12 is currently working towards a degree in Kine-

siology at Penn State, Berks Campus. Jason works with the family

at Dewald Propellers.

Bowling Season Summary Lindsey Zimmerman ‘17

During the 2015-2016 bowling season the team grew and improved from the prior year. The

girls team grew from the six returning players to two full teams and two alternates for a grand total of

twelve girls on the bowling team. The boys team also recruited more players going from four return-

ing members to a total of eight players.

During the girls’ regular season, most of the veteran

players improved their averages from last year, while

new players set a goal to beat next year. The girls regular

season averages are as follows: Elizabeth Clement 183

(last year 171), Kacie Jones 123 (last year 128), Juliana

Kalous 121, Katie Kalous 150, Kayla LaFaver 153 (last

year 113), Bristol Long 131, Isabel Martin 113, Isabel

Pepe 119, Samantha Sites 111 (last year 106), Katelynn

Spyker 115, Jessica Wertz 141 (last year 122), and Lind-

sey Zimmerman 141 (last year 105). Likewise, the girls

varsity team qualified for teams and competed in singles

at counties.

Counties’ singles was two days long, eight games, and

66 girls competed. Elizabeth Clement finished 24th with a 1355 pin total qualifying her for regionals. Katie

Kalous finished 26th with a 1332 pin total also qualifying for regionals. Kayla LaFaver finished 30th with

1308 pins, Bristol Long finished 54th with 982 pins, and Jessica Wertz finished 44th with a 1119 pin total.

The girls varsity bowling team also competed in the team's competition but lost in the quarterfinals to Exeter.

The girls varsity team qualified for regionals and Elizabeth Clement and Katie Kalous qualified for girls Re-

gional singles competition. Regionals singles was one day, five games, and 151 girls competed. Elizabeth

Clement finished 29th with a total of 970 pins on 61 pins away from qualifying for states. Last year, Liz only

finished 82nd so this was a huge accomplishment for her. Katie Kalous finished 66th with a 886 pin total.

The teams’competition was one day, three regular games, six baker games, and 28 teams. The girls fin-

ished in 20th place with a 3134 pin total. During the boys regular season they continued to improve as the sea-

son progressed. The boys regular season averages are as follows, Stephen Baer 136, Mike Dailey 203 (last

year 165), Jeremy Goodman 159, Cole Hoster 180 (last year 161), Ethan

Moquin 157 (last year 131), Zach Pepe 124 (last year 104), Nathan

Raughtzan 120, and Gaven Ulrich 130. In regular season, the boys fin-

ished sixth with seven wins and 29 losses. The boys five varsity players

qualified for the singles County competition. Counties was two days,

eight games and 74 boys. Mike Dailey finished 50th with 1405 pins, Jere-

my Goodman finished 41st with a 1468 pin total, Cole Hoster finished

37th with a pin total of 1479, Ethan Moquin finished 48th with a total of

1426, and Gaven Ulrich finished 64th with a total of 1129 pins. Mike Dai-

ley was the only boy to make it to Regionals where he placed 53rd out of

181 boys. Regionals was one day and five games where Mike’s total came

to 983. Great job bowlers in all your accomplishments this year and good luck next year!

Pros and Cons of Chromebooks Lily Whitmoyer ‘19

The class of 2019 received individual Google Chromebooks on February 1. In the next month following, there

was negative and positive feedback heard among the freshmen. Do the pros outweigh the cons?

I asked several of my classmates to find out if they do. The biggest complaint is that the Chromebooks are not to

be used during study halls. With the new technology advancements, a lot of homework has to be done online. If they

were allowed for study hall use, there would be less people that would have to go to the computer lab to type and finish

online homework. However, the Chromebooks are not connected to a printer so the ninth graders would have to go to the

computer lab anyway to print. Talking to my classmates, I found they were most excited about being exposed to this new

technology. Additionally, the freshmen enjoy how fast they can look up something by

just reaching into their backpack and opening Google Chrome.

I also found that despite the new keystrokes we had to learn, the Chromebooks

are generally easy to use for those who aren’t tech savvy. On the down side, we aren’t

able to access our school files, and programs such as Microsoft and Audacity are not

downloaded on the Chromebooks.

A substantial worry in our minds is the possibility of damaging or losing our

Chromebooks. While the drop off and pick up procedure is going smoother than ex-

pected, there was already a cart mix up, and students found their Chromebook spot empty

because someone else had mistaken it as theirs.

One of the biggest problems my classmates are finding is that some teachers

hardly use the Chromebooks. When some teachers do attempt to use the technology, in

mixed grade classes, not every student has a Chromebook available for use. However, the

Chromebooks take seconds to turn on and, in most cases, typing notes is faster than writing.

Personally, I doubted the SV Wi-Fi would be able to handle a whole class online at once, but more times than

not, the Wi-Fi has proven to be strong. Finally, the use of Google Docs at school is a great way for students to be able to

access their school work at home. However, I’m not completely convinced that everyone has a computer they are able to

use at home to complete their homework, especially since we can’t take the Chromebooks home with us. Thus, this pilot

year raises important questions: How can this program be improved? Will it be continued,? Will it become a great suc-

cess story that will continue for years to come or will SV need to find a different way to incorporate 1:1 technology?

Donald Ballou ‘18 studying hard

for a math test.

Juniors Abbie Bailey, Elyse Geiger, and

Hannah Degler strike a pose.

Power Couple Cecily Godfrey ‘17

Recently, we caught up with Jake Horst and Hayley Reichardt about their recent competition in Penn-

sylvania on February 18-21. Hayley outdid herself and placed first. She now has a new title of 14 kg National

Junior Champion. Hayley tells us that she was ecstatic when she cleaned and jerked 86 kg (190 lbs) and

snatched 66 kg (145 lbs) for a total of 152. The runner up had a total of 150 and was close but Hayley was able

to beat her. Hayley has been trying to beat her competitor for about two and a half years. She is incredibly hap-

py she has successfully “crushed” her competitor. Jake and Hayley were willing to give us an insight on weight-

lifting. They both enjoy the sport, but it can be tough to do eve-

rything. On average, they both train six days a week for about

an hour and a half to two hours. Both Jake and Hayley agree

that weightlifting is great for your mental state. On the other

hand, it can be physically demanding, you will not be able to

walk when you get older, and you have to really manage your

weight.

What motivates Hayley is to beat her competitor and

her current title. As said before, Hayley can clean and jerk 86

kg (190 lbs) and snatch 66 kg (145 lbs). Jake can clean and jerk

137 kg (300 lbs) and snatch 111 kg (245 lbs). Hayley and Jake

agree that weightlifting is very demanding on your time. Try-

ing to balance schoolwork, weightlifting, and their social lives

was difficult at first, but they figured it out. Jake always puts

school before anything else, then weightlifting and finally so-

cial life. Since Jake is currently a senior, we asked him what he

plans on doing after he graduates. Jake has been accepted to Alvernia University and will go there for physical

therapy. He still plans on training around his school schedule. Jake hopes that Garage Strength gets big enough

so that he can be a physical therapist there with his current trainer. Maybe he will be lucky. Jake’s and Hay-

ley’s next competition is in Salt Lake City, Utah on May 5-8. When you see them congratulate them, and wish

them luck! Good luck from the Pantherette staff!

Top 10 Underclassmen Problems Elizabeth Clement ‘18

1. Being called an underclassmen

2. Not knowing all the classrooms and teachers so you are very

confused when you're asked to take papers somewhere

3. Having to say goodbye to your upperclassmen friends

4. You either get asked to prom or you don’t go

5. You’re constantly asking for a ride

6. Dreading junior year

7. “Seniority”

8. You either look like you’re a junior or you look like a mid-

dle-schooler

9. Getting last priority for schedules

10. Having three or four more years to go, but also not wanting

them to end

PANTHERETTE Chase n’ Harmony Issue 2

Dear Chase n’ Harmony,

I need your help. My boyfriend of three years and I have been hitting a bit of a

road block. Lately, he’s been ignoring me. Anytime I text him, he never re-

sponds, and when I ask him why, he always says he never got the text. He never

waits for me in the hallway after Spanish, and whenever I ask if he wants to

hang out, he always has a “family thing” going on. And when we do hang out,

he’s always on his phone and when he talks to me, he’s a jerk. Plus, he’s always

over controlling, and never lets me talk to who I want, even though he doesn’t

want to talk to me. Please help me! I’m not sure what to do.

Sincerely,

Left-Out Lottie

Dear Left-Out Lottie,

Sounds like you have a real problem. First off, I would suggest talking to him

about it. His treatment of you is not okay, and needs to be addressed. Try talking

calmly to him, and if that doesn’t work, consult a parent or mentor. I, however,

feel that if he doesn’t want to listen, then he is not worth it. Break up with him!

Don’t worry about the good times you might have had, because let’s face it hon-

ey, you can do so much better. He needs to understand that he can’t treat people

badly like that, and still expect them to be there for him. Good luck!

Yours truly,

Harmony

Dear Left-Out Lottie,

I have a few friends who have the same issues and I’ll tell you what I tell

them; communication is key, but if he refuses to listen and continues to do

these things then he isn’t worth it. As a guy I understand why he’s doing it, but

it isn’t right and he needs to cut it out, or else you’ll need to cut him out.

I wish you luck.

Chase

Dear Chase n’ Harmony,

I am so stressed this year I can’t stand it. I’m taking two AP courses, which

sounded like a good idea last year, but really isn’t now. I get an unbelievable

amount of homework each night, and track’s started up again, so I literally have

no free time. Just last week I had a test in AP Chemistry, and I totally forgot

about it. I didn’t do good on it, and now I have a bad grade. What do I do? Of

course it’s too late to somehow change my schedule, but how can I manage all

my classes, extracurricular activities, and social life while keeping my grades up

and my stress-level down?

Sincerely,

Stressed Sammy

Dear Stressed Sammy,

Life is hectic, what can I say, as a guy who plays sports as well and also tries to

at least keep a decent grade I can say it is rough sometimes. I enjoy playing

sports, so I live with it and try to do my best in school. As for what you can do,

I recommend you either stick to staying home after practice/meets and focus on

school work, you can stop running, or you can make due and do your best. I

know that the last thing you’d want to hear is to stop running, but grades are

always the number one thing. I cannot stress that enough. I hope I helped just a

little bit, but the rest is up to you.

Sincerely,

Chase

Poison

There is poison in our words It makes us decay

Makes us rot Like a body that’s 6 feet under the ground

The poison seeps deep beneath our skin

It runs through our veins And it stains our bodies with its deathly tones

This poison controls our movements

Allows us to hear only what it wants us to And trains us to assume the unthinkable

However, we drink in the poison

Letting it make puppets of ourselves Giving it the power

And naming it master

We bow at its commands Doing what it wants us to:

To scream at the ones you love

To cry till there's a river flowing down your face And to punch when another swing was thrown

Assumptions

Are the poison The great evil

That looms in our mind And takes our bodies

We as a society do not know how to control them

They override previous thoughts And become a dark cloud over us

As if it were our hanging tree

Just waiting till you join the rest of the swinging people Hanging there

(Poison was written by contributing writer, Liz Heffner

‘19)

CLOVER SHAMROCK POT HAT MARCH

RAINBOW PARADE LEPRECHAUN JIG IRELAND

LUCKY GREEN MAGIC GOLD HORSESHOE

Ellen Robinson

Pantherette’s Sophomore

Editor.

PANTHERETTE “Black Balloon Day” and the Heroin Epidemic Alysa Bainbridge ‘17

On Sunday, March 6, 2016, black balloons flew high on porches and mailboxes in even the

ritziest of neighborhoods across the country. This day marked the first annual “Black Balloon Day”,

a national holiday initiated by a mother and daughter deeply affected by drug overdose. On “Black

Balloon Day”, all who have been affected by addiction or death caused by drug overdose are en-

couraged to place a black balloon outside of their home to raise awareness of the drug crisis our na-

tion is facing, remember the lives lost from overdose, and to show others battling addiction that they

are not alone. More than 8,000 people participated nationwide and joined the fight against the drug epidemic.

Drug addiction - particularly that of the narcotic heroin - has become a national crisis. It affects mil-

lions nationwide, crossing all racial, geographic, and financial boundaries. Addiction sweeps not only over

large cities, as expected, but has become a huge issue in many rural areas as well. Heroin in particular is ex-

tremely easy to obtain for anyone; it only costs about $10 a packet or less, which is why it is one of the most

commonly abused illegal drugs. Heroin overdose is becoming a leading cause of accidental death in the Unit-

ed States, especially in Pennsylvania. The United States averages 110 legal and illegal drug overdoses a day.

Pennsylvania has seen some of the highest heroin addiction and overdose rates of all 50 states. In fact,

Pennsylvania is among a total of 20 states with a higher overdose rate than the national average. A majori-

ty of these deaths in Pennsylvania were due specifically to a heroin overdose.

Pennsylvania has proclaimed itself to be in a “drug crisis.” In order to combat this issue, all must bound to-

gether to initiate change, including schools, police forces, and lawmakers. Initiatives to decrease the number

of addiction and overdose cases in the state include statewide prescription drug databases to track down sus-

pected drug abusers, laws allowing addicts to seek help without fear of arrest, more intensive rehabilitation

treatments, and even selling naloxone (a drug that can reverse overdose) over-the-counter so that it is easily

available to paramedics and families of addicts. As with any large issue, the key to fighting addiction is educa-

tion. Hopefully, through awareness events like “Black Balloon Day”, we will see the end of this epidemic in

sight.

New Platform, Old Charm Ellen Robinson ‘18

On February 26, 2016, much anticipated sitcom re-

boot Fuller House was available for streaming on Netflix.

Season 1 featured 13 episodes, all 30 minutes in length. While

Fuller House faced harsh criticisms from critics, Full House

fans could not have been happier. Fuller House centers around

DJ Fuller, a recently widowed mom and veterinarian, raising

three sons. When single mom life proves a little too hard for

DJ, Stephanie, her sister, gives up life as a DJ, to help, and

Kimmy Gibbler, her lifelong best friend, also moves in along

with her teenager daughter to help. Season 1 follows the trio,

dubbed the “She-Wolf pack,” as they try to raise four children.

Part of the appeal of Fuller House is the mix of “old”

and “new.” Excluding Michelle, every beloved member of the

cast of Full House makes a guest appearance on the show at

least once. Many of the character’s personalities remain intact,

even Kimmy’s zaniness, yet the new platform allows character

growth and development. Stephanie has a more modern, edgy

personality than her childhood counterpart, though all the sass

of young Steph remains. Kimmy also has a wilder side to her

personality that was not as obvious in her teenage years. Be-

ing on Netflix and not on regular television allows for a more

convoluted plot and, again, edgier situations. Fuller House

features more plot twists and continuous plot stories than its

counterpart, along with edgier jokes and references. While the

platform is more modern, and the plot edgier and more convo-

luted, Fuller House retains the family sitcom charm that made

most fall in love with Full House in the first place.

Personally, as a die-hard Full House fan, I could not

have enjoyed the show more. I am positive there is no other

way I would rather have spent that Friday night than snuggled

in my bed with Fuller House and mint chocolate chip ice

cream. I found the show witty, charming, and heartwarming

all at the same time. I even, admittedly, cried during one of

the more emotionally in-

tense scenes. While Fuller

House has its faults, I ad-

vise everyone to give it a

chance, and watch, at

least, one episode.

Crowns and Commitments Ellen Robinson ‘18

In 2014, Alysa Bainbridge ‘17 won Miss Greater

Reading’s Outstanding Teen. In 2015, she won Miss White

Rose City’s Outstanding Teen, and this year, she won Miss

State Capitol’s Outstanding Teen. Her platform is Coming

Out of the Darkness: Raising Awareness of Bipolar Disor-

der. She desires to end the stigma that surrounds Bipolar

Disorder, though she is an advocate for all mental illnesses.

Recently, Alysa attended the UMPC Children’s

Ball for children with a mental illness, was an honorary

chair and guest speaker for Attitudes in Reverse 5K for

Mental Health Awareness and Suicide Prevention, was a

team leader for Greater Reading Mental Health Alliance

Walk for Mental Wellness, participated in MAOTeen’s

“Teen in Training Camp,” was a special guest at Walk to

Cure Tuberous Sclerosis, was featured in Bipolar Maga-

zine, named an “AIR Hero” by Attitudes in Reverse, was

on a BCTV Segment on mental

health, and did fundraising for

Children’s Miracle Network

Hospitals. Wow! Congratulations on all the wonderful contributions,

Alysa!

Of all these appearances, Alysa describes her best experience. “Of

course, every appearance I have made has had an impact on me in some

way. One of my favorite appearances ever was being a special guest at the

UPMC Children’s Ball for Children with Mental Illness. Getting to hang

out with kids who suffer from a variety of mental illnesses and seeing how excited they were to meet

someone who understood them was an amazing and eye-opening experience. Fortunately, I will have

the opportunity to attend the Children’s Ball again this year, and I can’t wait!”

Not only is Alysa’s pageantry helping others, but pageantry is helping her. “The Miss America

Organization has truly shaped who I am today. A few years ago, I was a timid girl afraid to talk to

strangers; now, I am able to speak in front of hundreds of adults and on television about a topic as

serious as mental illness. Being a titleholder has provided me with the experience, confidence, and

drive I need to be successful not only in pageantry, but in all areas of my life.”

Hallie Jacobs ‘18 This year, Hallie was crowned Miss Greater Reading’s Outstanding Teen. Her platform is

Read Every Day And Discover. She encourages literacy and stresses the importance of reading. Re-

cently, Hallie began a tutoring program between some high school and elementary school students,

donated over 1,000 books to the Opportunity House, and participated in Read Across America. Way

to go, Hallie! Hallie’s best experience in pageantry is making friends from all over America.

Pageantry has helped Hallie as well. Through pageantry, she has gained confidence and communica-

tion skills.

Congratulations on the outstanding accomplishments, ladies!

SV Chapter of the National Honor Society Inducts

New Members Brynna Haupt ‘17

Recently, 25 new members were inducted into the Socratic Chapter of the Schuylkill Valley National

Honor Society (NHS). The ceremony was held on Thursday, February 4th, 2016 at the Schuylkill High

School The inductees are as follows: Thoneca Akhter, Abbie Bailey, Alysa Bainbridge, Daniel Behler, Kylie

Brown, ‘s auditorium. Hannah Degler, Lydia Forsythe, Nicole Frank, Elyse Geiger, Brynna Haupt, Bethany

Hepner, Riley Horning, Kacie Jones, Annabella Kolasa, Megan Lynam, Jacqueline Marusiak, Bailey Miller,

Steven Phan, Jenna Phillips, Austin Robinson, Olivia Roth, Bethany Schlott, Brett Sigoda, Madison Sisco, and

Tristan Weller. To be eligible for consideration of membership, juniors and seniors must have a cumulative

grade point average set at 3.500 on a 4.000 scale. Additionally, eligible students must also complete a candi-

date form that shows the student demonstrates the NHS’s four pillars: scholarship, character, leadership, and

service.

Leadership is measured in terms of how the

student has demonstrated initiative in promoting

school activities, exercise influence on peers in

school, demonstrates responsibility and academic

initiative, and exemplifies a positive attitude. To

meet the service requirement, the student must

demonstrate that he or she volunteers and provides

dependable and well-organized assistance, works

well with others, represents the class or school in

competition, and enthusiastically renders any re-

quested service to the school. Character is measured

in terms of trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship.

All information is then thoroughly reviewed and deliberated by the SV Faculty Council for member-

ship selection. Current members of NHS were also present; these include: Jacob Bashore, an honorary mem-

ber, Olivia Bauer, Bailey Boyer, Madeline Brzostek, Samantha Burkert, Kevin Cook, Kyle Dimovitz, Skye

Douglas, Sydney Foster, Sophie Goad, Daisy Grace, Brett Koch, Erin Mahoney, Kevin McGinley, Matthew

Milanek, Michael Rinehart, Rhett Robinson, Aaron Schlegel, Joseph Sensenig, Meghan Steffey, Daniel

Tetreault, and Evan Whitmoyer. Mr. Charlie Gerhart, a former math teacher at SV and a member of our SV

Hall of Fame, was also the keynote speaker. Congratulations to all the NHS members for their prestigious

achievement, recognition and induction!

Dates that Won’t Break the Bank Kylie Brown ‘17 and Olivia Roth ‘17

Asking someone on a date does not have to entail

emptying out your savings fund. Here is a list of

free, or low-cost, date ideas that are sure to be just

as enjoyable as some more traditional, pricey ex-

cursions.

1. Sledding

Obviously, this one is best suited for a winter day

and best followed by hot chocolate and a movie.

2. Bake off

Pick out some recipes, gather the ingredients, and

set to work. When you're finished, each of you

can taste and judge the other’s creation.

3. Movie marathon

Or Netflix binge session. Whatever floats your

boat. Remember the popcorn, candy, and the ob-

ligatory cheesy reaching-over-to-hold-his/her-

hand moment.

4. Make breakfast together

Turn up the music and get some fun pancake top-

pings.

5. Coffee date

Find a coffee shop or cafe that you've never been

to and stop in for a cup. People-watch all the hip-

sters or just talk.

6. Picnic

Dust off your favorite old blanket and find a

shady spot under a tree or lay out in the sun. Re-

member to pack tons of snacks!

7. Stargazing

Remember that picnic blanket? Well guess what

can double as an uber romantic stargazing blanket.

8. Hiking

Lace up your shoes, pack some goodies, grab your

girl/boy and take a hike. Whether it be a short

Greens Mill walk or an intense journey, months

long, on the Appalachian trail, you and your spe-

cial someone will love the connection between

nature… and yourselves.

9. Swimming

Hey, when has wearing the minimal amount of

clothing with your partner, in public, ever been a

bad idea?

10. Art on the avenue

This is an annual event on Penn Avenue in West

Reading. It's a free, art-oriented street fair with

lots of musicians, performances, artwork, and

food available for purchase.

11. Make homemade ice cream

All ya need are some cheap ingredients and an ice

cream-lovin’ guy/gal.

12. Campfire

“Is it hot out here, or is it just..

You?” No buddy, it’s the awe-

some campfire you’re enjoy-

ing with your girl. Now get

out those S’mores!

13. Video games

You ready for some GTA and Chill?

Shannon Sullivan

flexes for the cam-

era.

Junior Editor

Cecily Godfrey

taking a bite out

of the layout

during her

lunch

PAGE 14

VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1 Fast Food Fiascos

Bethany Schlott ‘17

Prompt: What is the craziest, weirdest, or most interesting thing that has happened while you were working?

Olivia Roth -- currently working at Arby’s After discovering a middle-aged man surreptitiously recording her without her consent, Olivia became

infuriated. Her manager did not allow her near the lobby until the man left because the staff was afraid

Olivia would beat the guy up.

Cecily Godfrey -- currently working at Wendy’s Cecily witnessed an employee quit after he burnt strips of bacon and refused to cut it as the rules state.

Anonymous -- currently working at Burger King During a busy day, a lady approached the drive-through window in her car and began to scream about

how slow service was. She violently beeped the horn, threatened to call the cops, and sped away without

her food.

Austin Robinson -- previously worked at McDonald’s A drunk male wandered into the store and began to yell that he had been waiting a long time for his food. Austin had to stand in front

of the manager--who is very “short”--in defense as the man screamed at them. Eventually, the man heeded Austin’s orders to “leave

the building.”

Anonymous -- currently working at McDonald’s A customer ordered his food then left promptly without a word. Fifteen minutes later he showed up and

demanded his food: a fish fillet with extra lettuce. After receiving the food, the man was upset by a small

piece of wilted, brown lettuce among the rest of the perfectly green pieces. He continued to verbally as-

sault the staff and demand free food--cookies, milkshakes, pies, and parfaits. Finally, he left the building

without any free desserts.

Devin Schweitzer -- currently working at Arby’s A customer got mad because the cook forgot to take sauerkraut off of the sandwich. He leaned over the

register counter and yelled, “ I want his (the cook’s) name and I want him fired.” The manager told the cook to go outside. The an-

gered customer then followed the cook outside and threatened his life before leaving the facility.

Special Teacher Edition!

Mr. Kissinger -- previously worked at the Midway Diner While assisting an elderly staff member, Mr. Kissinger burnt his arm severely trying to pour a red hot pot of boiling pie filling into

containers. He then proceeded to work the rest of his eight hour shift with an oozing third degree burn that later left a fading scar on

his forearm.

MYTH: Fast-food workers are mostly teenagers work-

ing for pocket money.

Did you know that despite the belief that low-wage jobs

at fast food chains are largely filled by “ suburban teenagers, ”

data shows that about 70 percent of the fast-food workforce is at

least 20 years old. The typical burger-flipper is an independent

adult of about 29, with a high school diploma. Nearly a third have

some college experience, and many are single parents raising

families on $9 an hour. In contrast to McDonald’ s rather optimis-

tic model budget — which assumes that an employee lives in a

two-income household and does not need child care or gas or

groceries — a large portion of fast-food workers are forced to bor-

row from friends to cover basic household expenses, or they

sometimes fall into homelessness if they can ’ t obtain a second

job.

Anhony Funez and Nathan Strause chill during activi-

ty period

Across

3. holiday (think about colorful eggs)

7. color of spring (leaves, trees..)

9. Happy _____ Fool’s Day!

10. holiday (March 17)

13. Spring ____ vacation!!!

14. Flowers need water, and ____ to grow.

15. type of flower ( hint: begins with the ‘d’)

17. April showers bring _____ flowers

19. Daylight ____ time

20. warm, rainy season

Down

1. insects that make honey

2. Spring sport (hint: running)

4. winged animals

5. another word for rabbit

6. cherry ________ tree

8. insects with colorful wings

11. temperature of spring

12. What do you get for Easter (inside fake eggs)?

16. We bloom in the spring…

18. something you paint and decorate for Easter

Charanya Birabaharan ‘19

Complete this crossword puzzle in the next 24

hours and see Mrs. Barrett in F-109 for a tiny

treat!

Mrs. Bucks Charanya Birabaharan ‘19

I recently had the opportunity to interview one of Schuylkill Valley’s most supportive assets, Mrs. Bucks. Her

mult-faceted role around this school is undeniable, and she is one of our “permanent substitutes,” but she is so much

more too; I also learned that is truly a determined and conscientious individual.

Mrs. Kathe Bucks grew up in the area and never really seemed to lose the love she had for Pennsylvania. A

Schuylkill Valley alumnus, while she was here she was a fantastic athlete in field hockey, basketball, and track. In fact,

she even coached both he track & field team nd field hockey team for five years. Her love for sports made her think

about becoming a physical education teacher and she ended up pursuing that career as well. Having attended Lock Ha-

ven University, where she received her teaching degree, she ac-

tually took over for her previous physical education teacher for

whom she had the utmost respect .

In addition, Mrs. Bucks volunteered at the SV elemen-

tary School for 10 years, and was eventually asked to become a

substitute teacher. She continued with that path for 17 years.

One of her favorite memories about teaching was she actually

got the chance to teach her sister and all of her friends. It was a

memorable time for all of them.

Mrs. Bucks is most definitely a strong, independent indi-

vidual but she has the most caring soul. The first characteristic

or impression that is evident once you meet Mrs. Bucks is how

much she loves her family.

Married to Mr. Bucks for 35 years, they have two adult

children: Katie, who works for Aaron’s Acres, and Marc, who is

a Captain in the Marine Corps. Mrs. Bucks’ favorite hobby is

spending time with her grandchildren, Kellie and Wyatt. Togeth-

er they play board games, go to the playground, and travel to

Lake Wallenpaupack. Her life out of school is fulfilled with happiness and adventure from her family. She did mention,

however, that if she could travel to any place in the world, it would be New Zealand to meet a close friend, her pen pal!

One of her favorite concepts about working at Schuylkill Valley High School is that she never knows for whom

she will cover. It is constantly changing, and she faces a different aspect of the school every day. On the other hand, she

dislikes any lack of discipline, respect, and lack of work ethic from students. Students may need to realize that “what is

popular is not always right and what is right is not always popular” and that is a quote she significantly believes in. Mrs.

Bucks genuinely sees the potential students have and she wants them to start realizing it as well. To her a successful stu-

dent is someone who is prepared, comes to school everyday, and doesn’t take life or education for granted . Often, she

stresses the fact that if someone says you can’t do it,, then work harder to prove you can. That one phrase alone surely

expresses how hard working and caring Mrs. Bucks is.

Mrs. Bucks has helped our school tremendously, and she has never really stopped being involved in improving

the lives of students. A particularly poignant experience stands out in which she became close with one special “panther”

named Josh Scolastico. It has been nine years since he left an imprint on her heart, and everyone else’s here at Schuylkill

Valley. Mrs. Bucks recalls the story for us:

I met a wonderful young man named Josh Scolastico in 2006. He was a student in a science class that I

was teaching that day. He looked very pale and tired, so I asked him if he was feeling okay. As it turned out, he had a

very rare form of cancer. Josh taught me so much about life before passing away in 2007. Several of his classmates

asked me if I would help them with fundraisers to help his family pay for so many expenses. He spent much of his last

year of life at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. The faculty, staff and students here rallied around Josh and

raised approximately 6,000 dollars for the family. We held “Jeans for Josh” on Fridays and several frends made “Just

for Josh bracelets and sold them to the student body. Likewise, they sold paper Christmas ornament in the cafeteria dur-

ing lunches, creating a huge Christmas tree on the Cafeteria wall. I was with Josh the night befor he passed away. Alt-

hough he was in tremendous pain, all he wanted to do was talk about how everyone at school was so nice to him. My

family has remained very close to Josh’s mother and his brother, Zack. They still talk about what SV did for their family,

and they are forever grateful.

~ Many thanks for this memory and tribute to both Josh and Schuylkill Valley

VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1

This article was written and designed by con-

tributing writer , Starr Neidlinger ‘19 Thank

you to Mrs. Cammauf for providing the team

and senior feature photos!

Words from Coach

Maurer

How do you think the season was over-all—are you satisfied?

Coaches are never really satisfied. Many team members trained very hard and made

significant improvements.

What was the main struggle of the 2015-16 season?

The main struggles of the 2015-16 season

were “I quit”; and a failure to train regularly.

What do you believe is the most difficult part for the wrestlers---and most im-

portant thing for wrestlers?

The most difficult part for the wrestlers is to win the battle within them. They need to

learn to focus on developing and executing their own techniques and tactics rather than

winning and losing.

How do you feel watching wrestlers improve and succeed?

It is great fun to watch wrestlers improve and succeed!!!

Kyle Dimovitz finished his last sea-

son as a high school wrestler with 19

wins and 6 pins. It was a successful

season for Dimovitz, an All-Division

wrestler, who placed 5th in Berks

Individual, Sectionals, and Districts.

As the SV wrestling community says

farewell to a great wrestler, leader,

and friend, they wish him best of luck

with his future endeavors.

Schuylkill Valley’s varsity wrestling team finished off the 2015-16

season with 4 match wins and placements throughout tournaments and

championships. The team’s placements in tournaments were: 17th in Wil-

liamsport, 15th in BECA, 31st in King of the Mountain, and 11th in BCI-

AA. Every individual’s performance counted towards the team’s place-

ments. Six wrestlers competed in the Sectional Championships and landed

the team 6th overall; with four wrestlers that competed in the Districts,

the team placed 12th. At Regionals, they

placed 33rd overall. Great job, wrestlers!

Panther Wrestling 1...2...3! SV wrestlers have pinned their season!

Senior Feature

Kyle Dimovitz

Sectional Finalists

District

Finalists

Teddy

Kyle

Jethro

George

Kyle

Jethro

George

Teddy

Joel

Carlos

TripAdvisor’s

TOP TEN TRAVEL

DESTINATIONS

1. Marrakech, Morocco

2. Siem Reap, Cambodia

3. Istanbul, Turkey

4. Hanoi, Vietnam

5. Prague, Czech Republic

6. London, England

7. Rome, Italy

8. Buenos Aires, Argentina

9. Paris, France

10. Cape Town, South Africa

-2015 list-

Oscars So White? Jackie Marusiak ‘17 A few weeks ago in

Hollywood, the 88th Academy

Awards took place. Leonardo DiCaprio (finally!) won Best Actor

with The Revenant, Best Picture went to Spotlight, and Mad Max:

Fury Road stole the show, winning six awards, including Best Pro-

duction Design, Best Costume Design, and Best Film Editing. But

among all the nominees, not one minority actor, director, or writer

was nominated for the second year in a row. This spurred

#oscarssowhite on social media and some stars, most prominently

Spike Lee and Jada Smith, to boycott the ceremony. Were diverse

films this year not up to par? Or are the Oscars just simply racist? Two years ago, 12 Years a Slave won best picture. Lupita

Nyong'o won best supporting actress for her role. This year did

Creed and Compton, for example, not measure up? This seems like

a plausible explanation, until Sylvester Stallone’s nomination is

considered. Stallone was considered for Best Actor in a Supporting

Role, however, no other actors, the majority diverse, were nominat-

ed. In fact, Creed received no other nominations whatsoever. The past two years of nominations have shown that the Os-

cars really are so white, something the Academy perhaps tried to

make up for by inviting Chris Rock to host. Ultimately, the absence of minority nominees stems from

the social structure of Hollywood, which is largely based on the

structure of American society as a whole. If we want diverse repre-

sentation in Hollywood, we must strive for more diverse represen-

tation in America.

Top 5…

Movies

1. Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice

2. Zootopia

3. My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2

4. God’s Not Dead 2

5. Miracles from Heaven

(www.boxofficemojo.com 4/4/16)

Songs

1. Work by Rihanna ft. Drake

2. 7 Years by Lucas Graham

3. No by Meghan Trainor

4. Pillowtalk by Zayn

5. Love Yourself by Justin Bieber

(www.billboard.com 4/4/16)

April

Sun. 3rd- Chocolate Mousse Day

Wed. 6th- End of Third Quar-ter

Mon. 11th- Barbershop Quar-tet Day

Fri. 15 & Sat. 16- P.O.P Musical @ 7:30 H.S Aud.

Sat. 23rd- Talk like Shake-speare Day

Fri. 29th- Junior/Senior Prom 6:00-10:00

May

Fri. 6th- Second Weather Make-up Day

Mon. 9th - Lost Sock Me-morial Day

Wed. 11th- Eat What You Want Day

Sat. 14th- Senior Class Trip 8:00am-10:30pm

Wed. 18th- No Dirty Dishes Day

Mon. 16th-Fri. 27th- Key-stone Testing

Sat. 21st- Learn to Swim Day

Mon. 30th- Memorial Day (No School)

June

Sat. 4th- SAT I & II

Sat. 4th- Hug Your Cat Day

Sun. 5th- Cancer Survivors Day

Wed. 8th- Best Friends Day

Thu. 9th-Fri. 10th- Early Dis-missal