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The WarriorNiskayuna High School

a student-run publication since 1974, now weekly

February 3, 2006 Volume 32, Issue 16

NEWS

After weeks of intense suspense, the Janu-

ary 24 vote was approved by resident voters.

The proposed $94.5 million construction was

passed with a vote of 2,712 to 1,553, which

amounts to 64 percent of voters approving

the project.

“We are thrilled and thank the community

for its support,” commented Superintendent

Kevin Baughman. “The vote reflects Niskayuna

residents’ pride in their students and schools,

and the value they place on education.” The

vote was held following over a year of planning,

carefully considering all of the alternatives to

meet the needs of the individual schools.

“This project will allow us to build permanent

classrooms and make

our school environ-

ments more conducive

to learning with heating,

safety, and technology

improvements. It will

ensure the viability of

our schools today and

for future generations

of Niskayuna students,”

Baughman explained.

The project includes

heating system upgrades

for all buildings, as well

as additions and recon-

figurations of spaces in

order

to ac-

com-

modate student and faculty

needs. District students

and staff have long not-

ed need to upgrade the

dictrict’s facilities, and

the project aims to ad-

dress and correct those

concerns.

Baughman expressed

that the building project

was a collaborative ef-

fort, requiring the input

of many individuals in

order to achieve the final

results. “We also want

to thank the many com-

munity members, staff,

parents, and students

who contributed to the

facilities review process,”

Voters approve district facilities project

Warrior photo / Chris Nelson

STAMP OF APPROVAL: The buildings and facilities proposal that econpassed many changes for Niskayuna High School was approved by voters on January 24.

said Baughman. “Their hard work, ideas,

and input are what led to today’s positive

result”

Work to prepare for the upcoming build-

ing project will begin immediately. The

design of the project will be submitted for

the New York State Education Department

for review as soon as possible. Contractors

will be able to bid on the project beginning

in January 2007.

Construction is scheduled to begin in

Spring 2007. The construction will be

completed in several phases, which are

estimated to be finished in 2008, 2009, and

2010. The project is hoped to enrich the

educational experience in Niskayuna, and

to give its students as many opportunities

as possible.

Information compiled from nisky-shools.org .

Graphic courtesy niskyschools.org

PLAN A: The graphic above outlines some of the more major changes to Niskayuna High School, including the relocation of the Media Center and the creation of a student lounge.

Who should speak at gradu-ation?,page 4

High school bas-ketball team wins consecutive game,page 7

Musical mem-bers prepare for spring perfor-mance,page 3

2 February 3, 2006 The WarriorNews

Sweet times at Utopia danceBY IAN DAVIS

NEWS

It was a sweet time in Niskayuna High School ’s N e w C a f e t e -ria on Friday, January 20 , at the Utopia d a n c e . T h e dance is held annua l l y and sponsored by Vis-ibility (Niskayuna High Schools’ Gay-Straight Alliance). This year’s theme for the dance was “Candyland” and the New Café was thoroughly decorated to match the theme. The Can-dyland board was attached to the cafeteria wall, while many multicolored lights and streamers adorned the grand space. In addition, some decorations, such as lights and streamers were shaped

like candy canes in order to add to the theme.

Approximately 60 peo-ple attended the dance, which was held as a gathering for students who are members of Gay-Straight Alliances in Niskayuna as well as in other local schools. Visibi l i ty co-president Tina Koch estimates that 45 of the 60 attendees were students from neighboring schools.

The music at the dance was provided

in somewhat of an untraditional manner. “We played everything – it was all request

Senior Slop Week

SECOND SEMESTER SENIORS: Seniors celebrated the beginning of second semester by dressing down for the week. From left to right, Tom Campo, Josh Gordon, Ashley Penik, and Marina Dosch.

music,” Koch explained. The music, DJed by senior Sam Frizzel, was

taken off of various CDs and iPods brought by the attendees. The sound equipment used during the dance was lent to the club by a teacher within the school. No admission fee was required, but a donation was suggested to at-

tendees. A portion of the proceeds from the dance will be donated to charitable causes. Overall, it seems like all in attendance enjoyed the

dance. “I think we had a great outcome – everyone just got to come and be who they are without having to worry about being

judged by others,” Koch concluded.

Images courtesy Google images

Every year, Niskayuna High School seniors celebrate the much-anticipated second semester by dressing down for the first week. This year was no exception. These are just a few of the seniors that The Warrior caught dress-ing down on Monday.

3February 3, 2006The Warrior News

School musical keeps notes in tuneThe spring musical “The Mystery of Edwin

Drood” is off to a running start as students stay late after school to rehearse. Dance rehearsals have also started and have been quite sucessful. “The choreography is really fun,” said junior Ben Golub. The cast is made up of 22 cast members. Set construction and painting has begun as opening night creeps closer. Also, the pit orchestra for the performance is beginning to rehearse. The pit orchestra actually plays a role in the show, adding sound effects when needed. “People are starting to not read their scripts as much and we’re all becoming much more in tune with the show,” cast member Golub said. The show is planned to open March 2-4.

Now that the project to improve Niskayuna High School has passed, we asked several teachers what their specific wants and hopes are. Their responses have been collected here.

Project Hopes and Dreams

More room for technology.-Polly Stahl

Library

“A quiet place to write”-Anne-Marie Rizzo English

Expanded re-sources and space for teachers.-Robyn Salvin and David BloomSocial Studies

Space for our art studio because everyone needs space to work.-Scott Walroth Art

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EDITORIAL POLICIES

Letters to the editor are welcome from all members of the school community, and can be delivered toWarrior staff or sent via

email to: thewarrioropinion@gmail.com. The Warrior reserves the right to edit letters for grammar, length, and content.

Signed opinion articles express the opinions of their creators. Unsigned editorials represent the consensus of the paper’s edito-rial board, consisting of the Opinion section and the Editors-in-

Chief.

The op-ed pages are a forum for students’ opinions and ideas.

The WarriorNiskayuna High School, 1626 Balltown Road, Niskayuna, NY, 12309

http://www.nisk.k12.ny.us/nhs/warriorEditors-in-Chief:Julia NapolitanoJeremy WolosNews:Evan Ballan, EditorIan Davis, EditorJuliette Price, EditorKaterina Gross, Asst.Laura Isabella, Asst.Joanne Qiao, Asst.

Opinion:Leanne Merrill, EditorJosh Xiong, EditorLeo Brown, Asst.Steph Kaylor, Asst.Entertainment:Sarita Upadhyay, EditorTim Vo, EditorAdam Evans, Asst.

Sports:Caitlin Horgan, EditorGavin Labate, EditorJoyce Dadekian, Asst.Josh Kovler, Asst.Magazine:Jean Qiao, EditorAlex Rivadeneira, EditorLyndsi Holmes, Asst.Emily Payton, Asst.Rachel Naparstek, Asst.

Additional Staff:Eric Zhou, Copy EditorSteve Chao, Distribution ManagerChris Nelson, Graphics ManagerErik Donhowe, Business ManagerMichael LaJeunesse, Web ManagerAdvisors:James EdgarRussell McDowell

For a one-year subscription to The Warrior, please send a check for $25.00 to: The Warrior, c/o Niskayuna High School, 1626 Balltown Road, Niskayuna, NY 12309.

4 February 3, 2006 The WarriorOpinion

BY ZACH ARAGOSA

OPINION

The language used in modern society has been harmed im-mensely by modern pop culture. While each new generation claims to be the most educated, it seems that the everyday language used in speech and writing has sig-nificantly decreased in its level of sophistication. The culprit affecting everyday language the most is popular culture, which has changed the social conditions of modern times to the point where having a broad vocabulary is no longer valued and people are not expected to use correct grammar in common writing and speech. Many people argue that since lan-guage naturally evolves from the social climate of the time, it does not have any noticeable effects on people’s actions or the way people think. But I argue that if thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought, and there-fore the level of language used in everyday speech and writing also affects the way people think. Since the writing and the speech of today lacks depth, most people’s thoughts do, too.

The past few years have been extremely destructive to everyday language. The first thing that you notice when you walk into a public place, especially a school, is that the word “like” is heard every other word. This word is being built into the language as a pause which takes the place of fillers such as “um.” “Like” has greatly surpassed “um” in its us-age in modern day conversations, and is corrupting people’s ability to be taken seriously in conversa-

Filler word degrades languagetion. The word “like,” when heard in conversation, is equivalent to someone in the middle of their sentence saying, “Work, brain, Work, think of something to say, and quick.” The frequent usage of the word “like” also takes away from the confidence people have in their own ideas. The word

allows people to say things with-out having to be concrete about their thoughts, detracting from well-articulated self- expression. The word “like” keeps someone’s speech from sounding original and respectable. Although people may feel more comfortable using “like” as a filler and appear to

We at the high school returned from our Regents break this past Monday, and, as usual, students are regarding this midway-point from an optimistic perspective: we only have half a school year left until vacation! For seniors, like all four members of The War-rior editorial board, many of us will go through the rest of the year with one eye on a specific date: June 22, the day we gradu-ate from high school.

Many students have attended a graduation ceremony before, for an older friend, relative, or as a member of a performing ensemble. For students who haven’t attended a Niskayuna graduation before, the program is fairly routine. There are a few musical performances, a long line of students receiving their diplomas, and speeches by a few different individuals, including administrators, a Niskayuna Hall of Fame inductee, and most interestingly, the class president.

Traditionally, a Valedictory Address is given at gradua-tion ceremonies, but, after Niskayuna High School elimi-

nated class rank several years ago, there was no longer a valedictorian to speak of, and the responsibility was given to the class president. Recent history at Niskayuna, however, has shown us that having been elected by the senior class to a largely ceremonial office is not usually a good indicator of their speech-writing abilities. This is not an attack on any present or recent class president, all of whom have been highly likable, personable individuals (these

qualities, in fact, are why they were elected in the first place). So, although they might be excellent at most of their presi-dential duties, come graduation, they don’t seem to have a lot to say. In fact, each of the last four presidential graduation speeches can be summarized similarly: they open with a few jokes about how they had a hard time thinking of what to say, discuss how “commencement” means that graduation should

be viewed as a new beginning, and, more often than not, quote Spiderman (“With great power comes great responsibility”).

Of course, that is not to say that a valedictorian would be any better equipped to give a speech at graduation, either. While earning the highest GPA over four years at Niskayuna would certainly be an impres-sive and commendable feat, it doesn’t at all suggest that the individual would have anything interesting or meaningful to say to their classmates.

Instead, why not give the honor of speaking at gradua-tion to someone who actually has something to say? We sug-gest that any student who feels that they would like to speak at graduation be allowed to submit their speech, or a portion of it, to a panel of teachers and ad-ministrators, who then select the best candidate.

This is very similar to the current policies for graduation speakers at many of the nation’s top universities, and it seems to make the most sense in Niskayuna as well.

Administration should rethink choice of student speaker at graduation

EDITORIAL

express their ideas more freely, it causes the even greater problem of creating a society of people with extremely fuzzy ideas, who are able to hide behind the word “like” instead of carefully choosing their words.

CONTINUED ON PAGE FIVE, [LIKE]

5February 3, 2006The Warrior Opinion

ALL OPINIONS expressed on t h e o p - e d p a g e s r e p r e s e n t t h e i n d i v i d u a l v i e w p o i n t s o f t h e i r authors . The content does not n e c e s s a r i l y r e p r e s e n t t h e v i e w s of The Warr ior , the high school , the school distr ict , or the Board of Educat ion.

BY JESSE HUNTER

NEWS

Does your nose ever feel like it’s under attack? Like someone might be trying to poison it with deadly toxic chemicals? That’s what mine feels like every single time I walk into the hallway. Perhaps the sudden impulse to duck and cover is sim-ply a misunderstanding between my nose and my brain, but for some reason I don’t think so. Whether it’s from musky cologne, herbal shampoo, perfume (commonly known as “tear gas”), liberally applied Axe, or just raw unrestrained B.O., our noses are under constant bombardment from chemicals I’d expect to find buried hundreds of feet below the surface in a fenced-off military compound.

Today our school already has policies that restrict the “creative freedom” of how kids can present themselves in school, like the dress code. I think the purpose of our dress code can be summed up as limiting the wearing of things that are either offensive to others or a distraction in a learning environment, and I believe that the purpose of the dress code should be extended not only to the way we look but the way we smell. My feelings may not be hurt by these smells, but my nose sure could use a few days of recuperative therapy. I’m not out to hurt anyone’s feelings, but I truly believe body odor can be controlled in the same way that apparel can: it may be difficult to get that perfectly fashion-able smell, but it’s pretty easy to at least achieve ‘neutrality’ and to avoid smelling offensive.

Something stinks around hereHere’s a great time to talk about deodor-

ant. First off, I’d like to emphasize that it’s called deodorant for reason. The purpose is to prevent the smell, not to replace it with something equally po-tent. Second, the way you use d e o d o r -an t and ant iper -spirant is to apply them before you

start sweating. I know a lot of p e o p l e like to smother themselves in Axe spray in the locker rooms after gym. Well, if it’s not preventing the smell, what is it doing? My personal belief is that the Axe

combines with sweat into some sort of monstrous, rancid protective odor, strong enough to deflect bullets and human in-teraction alike.

In the dress code, girls and boys aren’t allowed to wear things that “show too

much skin” because they are distract-ing in an educational setting. The same thing should, to a reasonable

extent, apply to perfumes, cologne, and other types of body spray. When I’m extremely concentrated during an important test, I don’t want to be struggling to ignore overt smells around me. It’s

like having a tiny guy shouting, “THIS SMELLS GOOD!” over and over again in your ear. Another issue with

these kinds of products, and one that students are far less likely to admit

to being bothered by, involves the very purpose of their creation

and use. The “Axe Effect,” as demonstrated on TV,

is supposed to make women drop whatever they’re doing for you. If such claims were even

remotely accurate, “distract-ing” would be an understatement in de-scribing these products in an educational environment.

Body odor is a touchy subject; rules and legislation regarding it are basically unheard of. Really the only thing con-trolling it is common courtesy, which is something that I feel is dwindling from day to day. I could try to convince the military that Axe body spray is too dangerous for use of the general public (think of all the money they’d save on Kevlar vests!), but I’d rather just ask you to be courteous to your peers. I respect the fact that you have to smell me every day, and I try my best not to make the experience an unpleasant

CONTINUED FROM PAGE FOUR, [FILLER]

Students must attempt to stop constantly using the word “like” in conversation, and teachers need to police their classrooms.

Though this may only seem like a small problem, the constant use of the word “like” can spread quickly, es-

pecially among students, but also among other people who should and do know better. The carelessness in our language, however, is surely curable. Some may argue that language merely reflects existing social condit ions and inevitably changes with time and that we cannot influence its develop-ment. If they are correct, then

We should, like, watch what we sayour existing social conditions, judging from how language is used in schools, do not value intellectual thought. Moreover, it is absurd to argue that the word “like,” which is for the most part a filler word, can re-flect any valid social condition that possesses meaning. I feel, however, that role models such as parents and teachers have

the ability to change the lan-guage being used in everyday conversation and may therefore restore profound thinking.

Warrior art / Julia Schnell

6 February 3, 2006 The WarriorEntertainment

Prison Break a welcome escape

Movie of the Week

BY MIKE CHOW

ENTERTAINMENT

Would you break your brother out of jail? In Fox’s new hit show Prison Break, Lincoln Burrows (Dominic Purcell) is on death row for killing the Vice President’s brother. Burrows’ brother, Mi-chael Scofield (Wen-tworth Miller), gets himself incarcerated in order to break Bur-rows out. Scofield, a structural engineer, worked for the firm that designed the state penitentiary. Scofield not only has looked at the blue-prints of the prison, but he has them tattooed on him as a full body tattoo in the disguise of artwork. The full body tattoo not only has the blueprints hid-den within it but also key aspects of Scofield’s plan. For example, Scofield has the chemicals listed required to burn through iron pipes as “Cute Poison,” an ab-

breviation for copper sulfate and phosphoric acid.

Knowing the schematics of the prison can only get Scofield so far in his elaborate escape plan. His plan also requires the manipulation

of fellow inmates and staff working at the prison. Scofield also hopes to get other key inmates on board vital to his plan. For instance, John Abruzzi (Peter Stormare) is a prominent member of the mafia who has far-reaching influence. Scofield needs his assistance to provide a plane out of the country

as well as to make them “disappear” afterwards. Other inmates involved in the escape plan inadvertently discover Scofield’s larger plan. The character Theodore “T-Bag” Bag-well (Robert Knepper), for instance, discovers the hole in Scofield’s cell during a prison riot.

Scofield also forges some friendships while in prison. Sco-field and his cell mate, Fernando Sucre (Amaury Nolasco) form a friendship as they start to dig in their cell. Later, Scofield needs access to the infirmary in order to prepare for their escape so he pretends to have diabetes. Pretty soon, sparks of romance begin to fly between Scofield and Dr. Sara Tancredi (Sarah Wayne Callies). Scofield, however, is torn between

his need to manipulate Dr. Tancredi and his feelings for her.

Even though there is plenty go-ing on in the inside of the prison, there is an equal amount of ex-citement going on outside of the prison. A conspiracy unfolds and it is revealed that Burrows was actually framed in killing the Vice

President’s brother. His attorneys, Veronica Donovan (Robin Tunney) and Nick Savrinn (Frank Grillo), as well as his son, LJ (Marshall Allman) try to exonerate him be-fore he is executed. But, they face threats on their lives as well. They are all engulfed in a conspiracy that reaches to the highest levels of government.

Prison Break is an exciting new drama with great acting and an excellent story line with many twists and turns. It won the People’s Choice Award for “Favorite New TV Drama” and was nominated for a Golden Globe in “Best Television Series - Drama.” Wentworth Miller was nominated for a Golden Globe in “Best Television Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama” in his role as Michael Scofield. Prison Break is currently on a hiatus (24’s Jack Bauer needs to fight terrorism sometime doesn’t he?), but it will return on March 20th. Make sure you mark your cal-endars! Until then, keep your time occupied with something meaning-ful, like Smallville or Numb3rs.

Last Holiday a feel-good film BY SARITA UPADHYAY

ENTERTAINMENT

If you’re looking for a feel-good movie, I have no better recommendation than the new hit, Last Holiday. Though this movie isn’t the most realistic ever made, it will make you laugh (and maybe even cry).

The movie follows Georgia Byrd (Queen Lati-fah), a store clerk living in Louisiana. Though she keeps a book filled with possibilities–a trip to the Czech Republic, marrying her crush, meeting her cooking idols, etc–she has never experienced any of this. So when she finds out that she has a rare brain tumor and will only live for a couple of weeks, she tells off her boss, takes all her money out of the bank, and jets off to the Hotel Pupp in the Czech Republic.

While at the lavish hotel, she meets a wealthy businessman, the female employee with whom he is having an affair, a senator, and a member of Congress. Georgia manages to change their views on life by living life in a principled, yet relaxed way. She also befriends the famous

chef, Chef Didier, and some employees at the hotel. She tries new things like snowboard-ing, gambling, and bungee jumping. Basically, she lives her last couple weeks to the complete fullest.

Warning: spoilers follow.While this movie is pre-

dictable, it also does dem-onstrate some important values. Once Georgia learns she will die, she regrets not living life to the fullest. She has spent her life in a career she doesn’t enjoy, and she never had the courage to ask out the man she likes, Sean (LL Cool J).

The lesson the viewer learns is that they should take risks and enjoy all the possibilities life offers. Of course, Georgia doesn’t really die and she has a chance to live with her new views on life (although she must be broke afterwards).

She is a happier, more successful person after her near-death experience.

The acting in this movie, while not superb, is good. Queen Latifah is charming and manages to keep the viewers atten-tion. Her character is not nearly as bold and crazy as the characters she normally plays, but she makes it work. It’s weird to see LL Cool J as a love-struck, sensitive

guy, but he also makes the role work. If you’re looking to put a smile on your face

and look at some beautiful cinematography, Last Holiday is worth watching, but I personally would wait until it comes out on video.

PRISON BREAK: Fox’s new hit drama is no incarceration.Image courtesy prisonbreak.fan-sites.org

LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST: This is a lesson that characters Georgia and Sean (above) learn to live by.

Image courtesy yahoo.com

7February 3, 2006The Warrior Sports

Varsity hoops win four in a rowBY GAVIN LABATE

SPORTS

Going into the Regents break, there was a general consensus among fans and even some players on the boys varsity basketball team that the squad was underperform-ing. With a large core of seniors, many of whom had been on the team since they were sophomores, the boys should have been performing much better than their five win, five loss record indicated. Sure enough, whether it was the time off of school or simply a change in heart, the boys snapped a streak of four consecu-tive losses in league play and got back to winning big games for the first time since December.

In these previous games, the team had fallen to Columbia, Shaker, Colonie, and Saratoga Springs, putting them at a me-diocre 4-4 in league play. A trip to Burnt Hills on January 17 got the team back to its winning ways, with an 11 point victory. Senior captains Brian Grastorf and Dan Halayko led the way with 13 points and 18 points, respectively.

Three nights later, the Warriors opened a three home game stretch, hosting Colum-bia, a team to which they fell earlier in the season 49-44. In this previ-ous meeting, C o l u m b i a ’ s Ya l e - b o u n d sen io r A l ex Zampier had 2 9 p o i n t s . In the sec-ond meeting, N iskayuna ’s high-intensity defense and a large home crowd for the Warriors held Zampier and the Blue Dev-ils for a final score of 50-49.

On January 24, the War-r i o r s f a c e d another for -midable op-ponent in undefeated Averill Park. They traveled to Nisky with a perfect record yet would leave with a blemish. Playing in front of another large home crowd, Nisky

opened up a 6-0 first quarter lead and never looked back. The three captains, Grastorf, Halayko, and senior Larry Ritter went into double figures for the Warriors. They combined for 43 of the Warriors’ 50 points. When the buzzer rang, it was Nisky on top by nine and Averill Park taking their first bus ride home, defeated.

To cap off the Regents break stretch, Nisky faced off with Shenendehowa in a rivalry that promises to be exciting in any sport. The anti-Shen sentiment from fans was partially mitigated by the loss of Matt Pentkowski who quit the team earlier in the season. Pentowski is one of the most denounced opponents in the eyes of many Niskyauna players and fans. Nonetheless, the contest would prove to be a hard-fought battle throughout, quite literally going down to the last second. The Warriors trailed by as much as 11 at one point in the fourth quarter, but

refused to allow their three game win streak to come to a premature end. With thirteen seconds left, Nisky was down by just two. Senior Larry Ritter carried the ball up court. He dished it to Grastorf who calmly took a step beyond the three-point arch and let it fly at the buzzer. He drained the shot and in doing so gave Nisky a 50-49 victory over the Plainsmen. Recalling the final play Grastorf said, “The play wasn’t designed just for me. We said to set good screens for each other and whoever gets the ball to get to the basket. We were going to try to tie it up, but I started to go and then de-cided to step back to shoot instead.” Whether the play was scripted or not, it was a sweet end to a great week for the Warriors.

With four consecutive wins under their belts, the

Warriors have finally found some of the success expected of this experienced group. It appears as if the recent victories are a result of a change in heart, effort, and con-

sistency rather than something corrected in practice. Said senior Brandon Bartell,

“I don’t think m u c h h a s changed [in practice] but we are start-ing to become more refined both of fen-s i v e l y a n d defensively.” Halayko add-ed that the team made no significant changes in p e r s o n n e l , but focused on fundamen-tals including defense and rebounding.

In a recent RI with Haves and Battier featured on S c o r e s u p .com, senior

Phil Rollins discussed a slight sense of surprise in not living up to the preseason expectations surrounding the team. Ha-layko admitted that he, too, felt as if the team was underachieving earlier in the season, saying, “We had a stretch of games where we didn’t play up to our potential.” It is clear that Halayko and the rest of his team have chosen not to dwell on the past, but rather look towards Sectionals. If they were to win their division, they would earn an invitation to the Tournament of Cham-pions. While this tournament would have no bearing on Sectional seeding, it would offer a competitive prelude to the decisive tournament and the Warriors would be looking to improve upon their third place finish last year. Halayko expressed a con-fidence in the team’s chances in the post season, saying, “If we keep up our recent hard work and success we should be able to put ourselves in a good position come Sectional time.”

This is the year for the Warriors to make a run deep into Sectionals. With four returning starters and this year’s leading scorers, back from injuries last season, Nisky has shown they can play with the best. With just one regular season game remaining, tonight at Colonie, Niskayuna is poised and eager for a successful Sec-tional campaign.

SHOOTING THE FREETHROW: Senior Brian Grastorf puts up a freethrow in last Friday’s game against Shenendehowa.

Warrior photo / Chris Nelson

KEEPING CONTROL: Senior Larry Ritter keeps a tight hold on the ball while his team reorganizes in their game against Shenende-howa.

Warrior photo / Chris Nelson

8 February 3, 2006 The WarriorSports

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Soccer takes Nisky soph many placesBY CAITLIN HORGAN

SPORTS Many successful athletes compete each season

at Niskayuna. Additionally, many of them play year- round with elite and other teams. There is one player in particular who has dedicated countless hours to the game of soccer. Sophomore Rocco Mazzaferro has achieved much in the game of soccer already. When asked what Mazzaferro hopes to achieve in the future, he stated, “I keep improving and see where the future will take me.” So far, soccer has allowed him to explore many great horizons.

Mazzaferro is currently playing on the Black-watch soccer team. He is a starter at the forward and center mid-field positions and competes in weekly games and tournaments. The Blackwatch’s base is in Albany and the team is composed of young athletes throughout the Capital District. In the ninth grade, Mazzaferro was scouted by the Blackwatch team and has played with the group for two years. Two major tournaments Mazzaferro and the team will compete in this season are the Maryland and Walkhill Tournaments.

ODP, the Olympic Development Program, is a team at the state level which Mazzaferro is cur-rently playing for. During November, State ODP held an open tryout for eager young soccer players interested in playing at a highly competitive level. Mazzaferro plays with about 28 other selected individuals and practices monthly in New Paltz. Later this year, the ODP squad will travel to New Jersey to compete in the Rider Cup, another major event. In the months of July and August, Mazzaferro will attend ODP mini-camps throughout the region to improve and perfect his skills for Regionals. If Mazzaferro is selected to play for the Regional team, he eventually will aim for the National team. Though practices are not held weekly the physical and mental workout is gruesome when the group meets.

Playing with the Capital District Youth Soc-cer League (CDYSL) is another way Mazzaferro competes with other local athletes. Mazzaferro commented, “I reunite with other kids [I know] who went premier [by playing on CDYSL].” The competition is good, but the atmosphere is more relaxed on this squad.

Qualifying for premier teams is something that Mazzaferro knows well. During the summer

months, Super Y is yet another team Mazzaferro plays for. Super Y has a program similar to that of Blackwatch’s. Through the Super Y program, Mazzaferro received a letter recently inviting him to play in Holland this summer.

Rising to tough regional competition is hard enough, but Mazzaferro will have to compete with athletes from around the world for two to three weeks in Holland. The summer program in Hol-land is known as the Youth Friendship Games. Approximately 7,000 athletes from 29 different countries for eight different sports participate in this abroad sports program.

Such achievements can not be reached without believing in yourself and working hard to be the best you can be athletically. Mazzaferro’s advice to anyone interested in participating in sports is, “Never stop trying and always go for what you want.” Mazzaferro said he used to have a problem with his weight and his coaches at the time were not supportive. These coaches continually informed him that he needed to lose weight. Today, despite the flack from certain coaches along the way, Mazzaferro says, “I achieved what I wanted to do.” Mazzaferro believes most friends,

family, and coaches are there to help you. “Always trust the people who sup-port you if you know they are telling you the truth,” he said. Mazzaferro also believes that an athlete should pick friends who are supportive. “It is important to have friends that you play well with. Pick friends that you will support and pick friends that will support you,” he stated.

During Mazzaferro’s soccer career, he visited England in the summer of 2004 to play with the Niskayuna travel soccer team. “The experience was sur-real,” he said. Mazzaferro continued, “Watching the other kids play from England and learning to take criticism made the experience a good one.”

For the past two years, Mazzaferro has played Ni-sky soccer at the junior varsity level. In 2004, he was recognized as Best Offensive Player. Rocco received the same award at the end of the 2005 season. Also in 2005, he served as team captain.

Mazzaferro acknowledged supportive people who have been there for him along the journey. “I enjoy playing with sophomore Jon Sylvetski,” he com-mented. Also, Sam Sylvetski is a “big inspiration and has made the effort to help me improve.” Mazzaferro mentioned his mother, aunt, uncle, and Bruce Dudek are great supporters.

Constantly dedicating time to the game, Rocco Mazzaferro has proved to be a successful athlete not only for Niskayuna but for the other teams he has played for. He has demonstrated great talent and heart for the game of soccer and will continue to be a powerful athlete.

Boys Basketballvs. Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake W 56-45vs. Averill Park W 50-41vs. Shenendehowa W 50-49

Girls Basketballvs. Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake L 38-29vs. Columbia W 44-43vs. Shenendehowa L 59-34

Hockeyvs. Guilderland T 3-3vs. Beekmantown L 3-2vs. Suffern L 4-1

Wrestlingvs. Bethlehem Wvs. Ballston Spa W

Boys Swimmingvs. Guilderville W 148-123vs. Mohonasen W 90-75

Boys Indoor TrackSuburbans 4 of 12

Girls Indoor TrackSuburbans 8 of 12

Girls Bowlingvs. Schenectady Lvs. Mohonasen Lvs. Bethlehem Lvs. Columbia L

Photo credit www.cdysl.orgROCOO ROCKS THE BALL: Sophomore Rocco Mazzaferro dribbles at a Capital District Youth Soccer League game.

The Warrior MagazineFebruary 3, 2006 Silver

Hair at the High School...Photos by Chris Nelson

The Warrior Magazine Silver

The art of highlightingStyle, dimension, and flair describe

one’s highlighted strands. While stroll-ing through the halls of Niskayuna, if one is observant, one will see countless individuals with highlighted hair. Some do not approve of this fashion because it is unnatural, expensive, or just plain fake. Others see highlights as an easy way to manipulate a boring brown, blonde, red, or black head of hair into a stunning work of art. Nevertheless, people will always have something good or bad to say about highlights.

There are plenty of good reasons to highlight your hair, and there are plenty of good reasons why you shouldn’t high-light your hair. On one hand, highlights are fun. A person can have creative and stylish strands without streaks; but highlights are an innovative way to add dimension. Not everyone wants them and that is fine, but people who have highlights love them! What better way do you know of, besides changing your hair cut, to add a unique zest to your roots? Highlights are perfect.

Now, there is the cost factor. Streaks are not cheap. Obviously, buying a high-lighting kit from a store is cheaper than getting highlights at a salon. Depending on where you go to get your hair dyed, prices may very. So, if you are interested in highlights check out all of the possible

salons and

stores for variety. If one is not into adding chemicals to their soft, natural, and undamaged hair, one might possibly consider using lemon juice. Real lemons are an excellent way, during the warm summer months to add a light color-ing to strands. All one has to do is slice the lemon, spread the pulp onto se-lected strands, and go outside in the sun for a few hours. This method, how-ever, can dry out hair quickly, so be sure to wash and condition with a moisturizing conditioner when finished.

If money and chemicals are not an issue, the salon is a great place to go for stylish streaks. One may be con-cerned that one has to touch up one’s highlights when one’s hair grows longer. Yes, you do have to touch up the roots to maintain the streaks. It is not that big of a deal though. Depending upon your natural hair color and your new selected highlight color, touch ups may not be required that often. It all depends on you and your style.

There is not a better way to let your creativity show then by highlighting your own strands. The aggressive col-

ors (red, blue, green, etc.) might not be the best idea. Earth tone colors usually look the best on the average person. But, throughout the halls of the high school one will notice that there are kids with outrageous colors

in their hair. There is nothing wrong with artistic creativeness to the scalp.

Highlights are not just for girls – guys too can add a little variety to their hair color. Many guys are now highlighting their hair with dif-ferent shades to add color and dimension. However, highlight

maintenance can be harder for guys, as most have short hair. So, after a month or two, the highlighted por-tion of the hair may be gone due to trimming.

Overall, highlights are a great way to add dimension and style to any haircut. The decision to have them is up to the individual: they simply may not be ones style. Often times, high-lights may not go well with one’s hair color, or they simply may not want to spend the time, money, or energy in order to apply and maintain them. So, if you are tired of your hair, consider highlights as an option to change to a new and exciting style.

by Caitlin Horgan and Ian DavisMAGAZINE

• An individual straight hair, when a cross-section is cut, is round. An individual curly hair, on the other hand, is flat.

• The natural pigment eumelanin creates black and brown hair, while phaeomelanin creates red and yellow shades.

• The first safe, commercial hair coloring product was created in 1909 by Eugene Schuller, who later founded L’Oreal.

• Contrary to the beliefs of the wary, a Harvard University study shows no link between hair coloring and the development of cancer.

Fun Hair Facts...

From Howstuffworks.com

Warrior photos / Chris Nelson

February 3, 2006

The Warrior MagazineFebruary 3, 2006

Dear Readers,

Hair is obviously an impor-tant part of society. There is a senior superlative on the best hair. Success can oftentimes be determined in places like Hollywood by one’s looks including ones hairdo. There are two Broadway shows, Hair and Hairspray, which discuss hair and a time pe-riod characterized by hair. In fact, every time period can be associated with a hairstyle. Here at Niskayuna there is an array of hair styles, some of which we all recognize. This issue is devoted to hair as it is a critical part of our world. As the editors, we see the importance of hair and invite you to celebrate the diversity in hair and to increase your appreciation of it. We hope you enjoy the hair featured in this article and everything as-sociated with the topic.

~ The Editors

Silver

The problem of hair

Dying on the outside all the time

@by Elizabeth Held and Katie Jordan

MAGAZINE

Have you ever woken up in the morning and realized a small animal has decided to nest in your hair? You search for the animal, maybe a chipmunk, or perhaps a small squirrel, but alas it is nowhere to be found. This can only mean one thing; what you thought was an animal’s nest was actually your hair in all of its morn-ing-time glory. If you’ve never felt this way, consider yourself lucky. We go through this process each and every morning. Ev-ery day is an epic battle against the hairbrush. Why you may ask? We are the “proud” owners of extremely thick curly hair. Thick curly hair leads us to have a tremendous amount of sympathy for Rapun-zel, as her epic battle was even

larger than ours. Our hair has caused us to consider moving to Tibet and joining a Buddhist Mon-astery. At least then we would be able to shave our heads. But since we must remain at NHS, we continue with our fight against the taming tool, the hairbrush. While some consider a hairbrush useful in attempts to tame his or

her curly locks, we consider it a surefire way to achieve the fin-ger-in-the-socket look. Instead of going to Egypt, check out our triangular hair after a brushing.

Nostalgic for that Madonna in the 1980s look? We can easily make our hair wider than our shoulders (without enough hair-spray to put a hole in the ozone layer) by simply blow-drying it. Unfortunately, each time we go to use a blow dryer, it requires so much energy a fuse is blown. A fiasco is born. Our hair is still

wet and we can’t watch Danny Phantom. Maybe you’re wondering, ‘Why not straighten it?’ What a great idea! But wait, it requires about seven hours to do so. Between our combined lives of thirty-one years, we’ve straightened our hair a total of four times, which is about twenty-eight hours. That’s a lot of Danny Phantom we could have been watching. Pulling it into a ponytail would be an option if we

didn’t snap every ponytail holder we try to put our hair into. We would wear hats daily, but we’re yet to find a hat wide enough to fit over our beautiful hair.

by Julia SchnellMAGAZINE

I have an often fluffy mess of auburn hair hanging in my face and tucked behind my ears. If I had been writing this about two months ago, I would have been telling you that it was short, sleek and champagne blonde.

To be honest, I don’t remember what my real hair color is. I know from very old pictures that it’s some sort of blonde, but a real hair color aficionado will tell you that fitting that one word are hundreds

of colors: golds, strawberry blondes, ashen hues, darks and lights, and don’t even get me started on highlights and lowlights. So which

of those is mine?And why, you may ask me in

astonishment, do I not even know my true hair color? When I was but a wee fifth grader, I was very excited about the idea of participating in a mock trial. My mother helped me pick out a fancy dress, so I could feel official and business-like. One day when she came home from the grocery store with a bottle of spray-bleach, a new toy for me to use to feel dressed-up.

From that fateful day on, the last time my hair managed to grow-out unbleached, undyed, and otherwise unadulterated was last spring, when the Catholic school I

attended forbade hair dye, so I could not touch

up my new-penny red. I’d made it that color when traveling across

Romania the summer before, trying to mimic the unnatural dye jobs of the women around me. If you want to go all the way back to middle school, I can tell you an unfortunate

story of blue dye which turned quickly turn to a dishwater grey,

streaked with green.When I walk into school with something radically

new, the question I’m asked most frequently is, “Did you dye your hair?” I won’t even

talk about how hard I laugh at that, but I thought I’d throw it out there for you all to see how silly that sounds. After that, though, is “Why?” To

get a tattoo or pierce my flesh with metal is a very permanent way to change my appearance. Hair dye, no matter how permanent they may claim to be, are easy to alter dramatically, and if all else fails, they will always grow out.

Warrior photo / Chris Nelson

Warrior photo / Chris Nelson Warrior art /Julia Schnell

Volume 8, Issue 10 February 3, 2006 Silver

Cover design by Chris Nelson

The Warrior Magazine

THE HAIR ISSUE

Jean Qiao & Alex Rivadeneirawith Lyndsi Holmes, Rachel Naparstek & Emily Payton