Volume 3 Issue 1

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=210 BGCOLOR="#99CC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0488dfc3.jpg"> <bR> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=82 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0498dfe1esnpes.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Mrs. Davies                      Room 206</B></FONT><B>     </B><B>|</B><B>     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mrs. Davies Room 20"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id24.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Journalism 2004/2005"><U>Journalism 2004/2005</U></A>   |   <B>Volume 3 Issue 1</B>   |   <A HREF="id40.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Volume 3 Issue 2"><U>Volume 3 Issue 2</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id41.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Volume 3 , Issue 3"><U>Volume 3 , Issue 3</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id42.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Volume 3, Issue 4"><U>Volume 3, Issue 4</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id43.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Volume 3, Issue 8"><U>Volume 3, Issue 8</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id45.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Issue 9"><U>Issue 9</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id46.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Issue 10 Review"><U>Issue 10 Review</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id47.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="V3 Issue11"><U>V3 Issue11</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id48.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Volume 3, Issue 12"><U>Volume 3, Issue 12</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id49.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Volume 3, Issue 13 Photojournalism"><U>Volume 3, Issue 13 Photojournalism</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id51.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="V3 Issue 14"><U>V3 Issue 14</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id50.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="V3 Issue 15"><U>V3 Issue 15</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id53.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="V3 Issue 16"><U>V3 Issue 16</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id54.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="V3 Issue 17"><U>V3 Issue 17</U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=398 colspan=2 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0498dfc3.jpg"> <div> <I>Volume 3 Issue 1</I></div> <bR> <bR> <div> Liberty SCIL Still Going Strong</div> <div>  By: Michael Wagner</div> <bR> <div>           The 2004-2005 season of the Sullivan County Interacademic League (SCIL) has begun, and Liberty is off to a great start.  SCIL, a countywide competition which has been in existence for a number of years, features teams of students from local schools competing against one another in art, science, math, history, literature, and/or trivia competitions.  Every school in Sullivan County selects about a dozen students for each of a series of SCIL meets throughout the year.  Students are chosen for each meet, based on their expertise in the areas that the meet covers.  However, specific details of the meets are kept <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="AGaramond" >secret until the morning they take place. </FONT></div> <div> The first competition of the new school year took place on September 23, at the beach in Rye, NY.  Students built sand structures, predicted the tides, and engaged in several science competitions.  Liberty came in second out of the nine participating schools.  Our team members  were: Amber Miller, Mike Wagner, Shane Noetzel, Pranali Trivedi, Kerri Benzenberg, Jieun Park, Dan Green, Zac Shavrick Kelly Baker, Jackie Hamlin, Chris Goldsmith, and Jared Levine. Liberty's SCIL advisor is math teacher Mrs. Deborah Stolow.       </div> <div>          Liberty has enjoyed much success at Sullivan County Interacademic League competitions in the past, winning first place trophies in 2001 and 2003.  This year is looking promising as well. </div> <div>  According to SCIL team member, Jared Levine, “Teamwork and camaraderie were at an all time high.” If this continues, Liberty could be looking at another SCIL title. The next meet's topic is politics; it's set for late October.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> SAT's...Is One Time Enough?</div> <div>  By:Jessica Colavito</div> <bR> <div>            Millions of high school students prepare months ahead to take one test that could determine essentially their future.  This one test can propel you into the college of you're dreams or can hold you back. If all of this is true is one time enough? When speaking with the<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><I> </I></FONT>head of guidance and the students of LHS their opinions seemed to differ.</div> <div> Linda Argentati, head of guidance at Liberty High School shared her opinion and some facts on the situation. “Taking the SAT's isn't like playing the lottery,” she said.  She explained that you couldn't just take them once and hope everything works out ok you should take them at least two times.  She said you have to learn from the first time and prepare even more for the second. She also said that most kids don't find what is being asked of them on the test hard, but the way it is asked. “The  SAT's are supposed to be an assurance of how you will perform in college.” SAT's are weighed differently at different schools.</div> <div>  She explained that no college wants kids who will drop out half way through the year. SUNY schools weigh the SAT's heavier than private schools.  The reason for this is a lot more kids apply to SUNY schools than private.  Also for students who only want to continue to a 2 yr or a community college wont have as much stress worrying about the SAT's because they aren't weighed heavy at all. Mrs. Argentati  told me that 480-500 on each the verbal and math sections is the average for the SAT scores here at Liberty.  In the end she expressed that she thinks that it is bad that we have to be judged on this one test, but that's the way it is and at this point there isn't much any student can do about it so they mine as well prepare for them.  </div> <div> Students at LHS had different feelings towards the SAT's than Ms. Argentati.  Alyssa Rodriguez, a senior here at LHS, was the first to express her opinion.  “They're pointless, I didn't take them.  We shouldn't be judged on one test, some of us are bad test takers. So yes one time is enough.”</div> <div>  The next person to express their opinion was June Jackson, another senior here at LHS. I think that its unfair that kids at many different levels have to take the same test.  An honor student shouldn't take the same test as a kid who has struggled all throughout high school.  Yes one time is definitely enough.” </div> <div>  As the interviewing went on, the same opinions seemed to be expressed from most of the seniors here.  It almost seemed as if that no kid really wants to take the SATs at all.  </div> <div> SAT's, is once enough?  The opinions from adult to student were completely opposite. No one wants to takes the SAT's and no one wants to think that they matter.  There's only one thing though, if as seniors students want to go to a good 4 year school they need them.  At this point it doesn't matter if you like them or not they do matter in the end.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> 2004 Eighth Grade Election</div> <div>  <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="AGaramond" >By: Jay Samant</FONT></div> <bR> <div>             This years 8<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >th</FONT> grade election was exceptional. For the first time in several years, more </div> <div> than a dozen members of the class of 2009 ran for class officer positions, and over 75% of the class took participation in voting. The number of candidates running for class officer positions were incredibly overwhelming, and the voter turnout exceeded past elections held in Liberty High School. The question is, why?  Danny Green, who ran the ballot all day, </div> <div> answered all our questions about the phenomenal election.</div> <div>   “The voter turnout was exceptional, considering this is the 8<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >th</FONT> graders' first voting experience in the high school,” said Danny Green.  Danny stated that the 8<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >th</FONT> grade election was so pivotal</div> <div> because of the many candidates running for several positions. </div> <div>        The biggest, most unexpected event that occurred in this election was the amount of 8<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >th</FONT> graders that voted. “This happened, because we grabbed 8<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >th</FONT> graders, and demanded they vote; we also </div> <div> advertised very well for the election,” said Danny Green.</div> <div>        The outcome of the election was Jasmine Walizedah winning for President, Connor Hinton </div> <div> winning the Vice-President spot, Jon Goodman winning Treasurer, and Kristen Sarno winning the Secretary position. </div> <bR> <div> We put the Junior in Junior Varsity</div> <div> By Joe Toscano</div> <bR> <div> Due to a lack of student participation and enthusiasm for a varsity football team, the Liberty Varsity football squad has played a disappearing act at Liberty high school for the past two years. And though a group of students will continue to pull for a varsity team, the message from the faculty appears to be simple - we'll see.</div> <div>      People forgot about the Junior Varsity squad, though. And all the would be varsity 11th graders, who would be asked to play J.V. football, one last time. </div> <div>      “They taught us a lot of leadership, “ said Trevor Tompkins, a freshman. “We couldn't have done it without them, I give them credit, they're good. “</div> <div>      `Good' would be an understatement. Led by coach O'Connor, in eight games, the J.V. team is 7-1, in large part because of the excess amount of juniors that are on the team. The team's lone loss was by a touchdown to Highland.</div> <div>      Of the thirty-one players on the team, eight are juniors (Rob Silva, Troy Bertholf, Peter Panagakos, David Brown, Mike Sarno, Josh Tariq, Joe Valentin, George Cotton), thirteen are freshman (Billy Jensen, Devin Williamson, Justen Mills, Anthony Chanov, Joe Ruiz, Fred Kelder, Trevor Tompkins, Cody Yaun, Vernon Wilson, Nick Redmond, Chris Wallace, Anthony Calao, Mario Mcintosh), and ten are sophomores (Ben Froelich, Andre Brand, John Snyder, Jose Sanchez, Marcus Hunter, Kane Davis, Rob Festa, Mike Maltese, Kyle Raven,  Greg Skiff). </div> <div>      One game remains, against Spackenkill, the game may be forfeited, however, because Spackenkill may not have enough players to throw up against our juniors.</div> <div>      So do the players believe they have an unfair advantage with their abundance of juniors competing for the squad?</div> <div> “No, not really,” said Andre Brand, sophomore.“The juniors help us, but there are even more 9th graders than there are juniors on the team anyway."</div> <div> “We've beat teams that have run down their varsity teams,” Tompkins. He wasn't shy about predicting the winner of the team's next game.</div> <div> “ Yea, we're gonna win, “ Trevor stated.</div> <div> The win-loss record speaks for itself.</div> <bR> <div> No News Is Good News</div> <div>  By: Jen Cohen</div> <bR> <div>      <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >Attention all faculty and students: we need your news! Our Liberty High School Website is in much need of some facts. Anything and everything is welcome including sports schedules and pictures of events. It is a wonderful site, delightfully designed, yet hardly any of the tabs are being used. Sports scheduled can be used for both the students and parents. </FONT></div> <div> “If teachers posted assignments on the Liberty Website, it would be a benefit for all students,” said Chelsey Manley, 12<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >th</FONT> grade student.</div> <bR> <div>      If you would like to put some effort in, just simply e-mail the Webmaster, Mr. Bressler, at bressleral@libertyk12.org</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Homecoming Is Coming</div> <div>  By: Lizz Stolow</div> <bR> <div>      When the fall sports season comes to a close, the question of the annual homecoming dance is in everyone's mind. Who will host this dance however is still up in the air. Audra Santillo, principal's secretary and coach of the cheerleading squad, recently stated that there will be a homecoming dance, the cheerleading organization will either host it or enlist the assistance of student council in planning the annual dance. Mike Wagner, Student Council moderator said </div> <div> “I've spoken with the leaders of the cheerleading organization, and I'm very glad to report that Homecoming will be happening this year.” </div> <div> According to Mike, Student Council and The Cheerleading organization will share a unique and amicable relationship this year. </div> <div> “Homecoming will most likely be an unprecedented collaborative effort,” said Mike. So the Homecoming dance will be happening hosted by Student Council and the Liberty Cheerleading organization.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> Voting</div> <div> By: Diana Rivera</div> <bR> <div> Voting. Why do people vote? Do they do it because they want to or do they do it because they have to? Voting is very important because it determines who is going to run the country, and who is going to make important decisions such as war, tax cuts, etc…There are many places people can vote, such as the post office, the Department of Motor Vehicles and online. </div> <div>      All those 18 and over should vote. There are teachers in our school that are more than willing to help you get registered </div> <div> to vote.</div> <div>       Social Studies teacher Mr. Ernie Feasel recently said, “I usually try to help register as many students as I can.”</div> <div>      Guidance Counselor Mr. Jim O'Connor said, “I think you should vote.”                     “Vote and vote often for the candidate of your choice,” Mr. Bill Fleck, English teacher said. These are your rights on the line, so vote.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Liberty Lounging is Currently Limited</div> <div> By: Zac Shavrik</div> <bR> <div>           The past three years, in Liberty High School, lounge has been a very open place. Seniors with passing averages were able to enter the hallowed ground of the senior lounge, without so much as a second look. This year things have changed. In previous years a student with an 80 average could go into lounge as many periods as they had study hall. Recently faculty members were questioned as to why this changed. Assistant principal Mrs. Weigand said this change is due to an overpopulation of students in the lounge. She believes that it is because students should be “going to study hall and doing work.” Guidance counselor Michelle Nunez explained that the lounge is only open to 80 average students once a day because all students should only have room for one study hall. </div> <div> Although it was supposed to be an average of seven classes per senior, this criteria is not always met. In fact, a drastic schedule change would be necessary to fix this, as many seniors have about five classes. This leaves a large number of seniors in their study halls even though they have an above 80 average. Many students felt that the lounge is a excellent work environment. “I feel more relaxed,”  said Jackie Hamlin, a high school senior, who was busy reading her AP Bio book.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Military or Not Do We Have A Choice?</B></div> <div> By: Erica Minkler</div> <bR> <div>     Do students at the Liberty Central High School want to attend college or technical school after high school? During a recent survey of the upperclassmen I realized that the majority of the students wish to attend a state college rather than a private college or military career. Out of more than thirty people interview there were only five people who wished to enter the armed forces.</div> <div>      While in the process of asking the teachers their opinion on whether the students should attend the military or get a college education ex-marine and school guidance counselor Jim O'Connor, say that the decision to join the military “depends on the kid”, also English teacher Bill Fleck said of the issue “Whatever make people happy”.</div> <div>      While most of the people surveyed indicated a preference for the college over military with the possibility of the reinstatement of the draft, many students would have to go into the military anyway. Ernie Feasel a history teacher spoke about the new rumored draft bill in Congress at the present moment,  may change all of these young people's decisions on their lives forever. The increasing terrorist threats on the United States, and the deaths of so many of our troops being killed in Iraq has caused our nation to wish to reinstate the draft by June of 2005.</div> <div>      Congress and members there of wish to have the bill instituted by June 15, 2005. Enough time to catch the graduating seniors before they begin to leave for college in the fall. This draft bill is much different from the earlier one in many ways, a draftee may not enter college to “dodge” the draft, nor will they be able to flee to Canada to increased border security and the Canadian government will actively deport draft dodgers. In addition men and women (between ages 18 to 26) will be drafted into which ever service the military selects for that particular draftee. The reason that college students may not enter college and feel safe about being shipped out is because at the end of the end of the very next semester the draftee will have to go if they receive a draft notice. Also, the enlisted members in the service will have an extension added to their service time. These service members will get at least two years extension, the draft members will also receive two years national service time. Students that are still in high school or secondary course study must finish their course study; get their diploma or GED, or turn 20 years of age.</div> <bR> <div> Further information on the bill, may be found at http://thomas.loc.gov/  just enter HR 163, click search and the bill will be brought up to read. the increasing terrorist threats on the United States, and the deaths of so many of our troops being killed in Iraq has caused our nation to wish to reinstate the draft by June of 2005.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Three Minutes too Short</B></div> <div> By: Brandon Huebsch</div> <bR> <div>             Whether you're running from the art room with Ms. Assande to your math class with Mrs. Grabowski, or you're hanging out in the hall because it only takes you 30 seconds to walk from your math class with Mrs. Grabowski to your social studies class with Mrs. Lopez, everyone has an opinion on the new “three minutes between class” rule.  Many of Liberty High School students say that three minutes is too short.  </div> <div> Liberty High School senior Sonia Roman said, “It's absolutely ridiculous.”  Liberty High School senior Michelle Katz agreed. “I would rather have 40 minute lunches and four to five minutes between classes” said Michelle Katz. </div> <div>  However, Liberty High School principal Jack Strassman said it would be impossible to make lunches 40 minutes because then the other classes during those periods would have to be shorten, which, even though it is only two minutes, would be unfair to the teachers teaching during those periods. Also during the past years statistics show that the majority of referrals written were during the time in between classes. </div> <div>       “Over 100 students got referrals in the hallway last year during the five minutes in between classes, however when there was only three minutes during classes this number was only 30” said Mr. Strassman.  </div> <div> School resource officer, Bob Poplowski, said that when he was in school they had SP's, which were safety patrol officers that would prevent trouble in the halls.  </div> <div> Liberty High School health teacher Mrs. Forbidussi likes the “three minutes between class” rule because she has enough time to get ready for her next class and she has time during her lunch period to get her work done.</div> <div> Liberty Central High School faculty is happy with the new “three minutes in between class” rule and the 42-minute lunches, however many students at Liberty High School dislike it.<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >  </FONT></div> <bR> <div> Reception Questions</div> <div> By Joe Toscano</div> <bR> <div> If the Liberty Central High School is anything, it's a school of change. New rules, new staff, new schedules. We must have known new furniture was on the way, too.</div> <div>      “ The reception desk is there to welcome people, “ said Mr. Strassman, the High School principal. “ And the secretary there can deal with students that are late, or signing in or out. “</div> <div>      Hot on the heels of the Liberty Middle School, The High School has now installed its own reception desk, near the cafeteria lobby. The old attendance office is now a counselors office. The district felt this move would help organize attendance records.</div> <div>      “ We moved into a central attendance office now, in the Middle School, “ Mr. Strassman said. “ The reason we did that is so we have one area responsible for attendance and when parents come to register new students they only have to go to one place. “</div> <div>      The Liberty High School principal seemed confident that this was the best way to keep attendance records.</div> <div>      “ They have them in all the schools, “ he said.</div> <div>      Hot on the heels of the middle school. Now all we need is an elevator.</div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>