Students who earned Honor Roll were honored in an Academic Achievement ceremony.  The celebration was held on Friday, December 2nd at 11:30am in the auditorium. The ceremony was fast and many people attended, including students, teachers and also parents.  Seniors Hanzel Carrillo and Dejzary McFadden along with freshman Indya Lowman emceed the event and presented the awards. There are three categories of honors, including Honor Roll, High Honor Roll, and High Honor Roll with Distinction. Principal Blocker made a small speech for the all the students and parents who attended, especially the students who received the High Honor Roll with Distinction.

Students also got “Mission Awards” which are awarded not based on GPA, but based on citizenship.  Scholars got awards for Tenacity, Thinking Purposefully, and Advocating for Themselves and Others, which is our mission here at East High.

After the ceremony there was ice cream for the students and raffles of student names for step jam tickets. What made this ceremony different from the other ones was that it was in the morning during school instead of after school or in the evening.  Also, parents were invited to attend during the day and there was a decent turnout.

To get the High Honor Roll with Distinction certificate, scholars have to earn a 4.00 GPA or higher. Senior Marry Lu, who received the High Honor Roll with Distinction certificate, appreciated the ceremony and recognition. “It felt nice to get recognized for my hard work,” Lu said.

​Wandalys Montero

A new change in the senior lounge procedures has many seniors upset.  Originally, there was a lunch line that formed inside the lounge, but now it is closed and the line has been moved outside of the lounge.

Cafeteria food service worker Shawn Ovington stated, “The main reason they closed the lunch line in the senior lounge was because we didn't have a computer for kids to put in their numbers in so they were getting lunch in the senior lounge then going out the original lines to get more food.” This is a problem for the food service providers because it makes their job of feeding the students more difficult.  Ovington goes on to state, “it makes it harder on me because I have only so many portions of food a day.”  This means that he has a certain amount of food for the day, and students grabbing double lunch complicates their inventory.

Several students voiced their concerns over these new changes.  Seniors liked the fact that they were able to get food apart from the younger kids, that it was easier for them and faster. Now that the line in the senior lounge is closed it makes it harder for seniors to get lunch due to the long line.  Also, younger students are still sneaking into the senior line.

Hopefully with our student government we can ask all the seniors to speak up and try to get the line back up. If this is an issue you care about and want the procedure changed, contact the student government president Hanzell Carrillo, or student government advisor Mr. Delehanty to bring your opinion and hopefully make change.

Mariangely Cotto

 Many of us are anxious for Christmas break to start. We can’t wait to forget about school for over a week and hang out with our friends and family. The problem is we forget one important thing: after Christmas break comes the end of the marking period and midterms! It’s that stressful time where we all rush to get as much work as we can in and get that good GPA.

Instead of lying around in pajamas all day, we should make time to study. Yes, study. It may sound a bit “uncool” or “boring” but if you really think about it, what has more worth? Relaxing for two weeks and lying around doing nothing or working to do a phenomenal job on your Regents exam, making it one step closer to graduation, and great presentation to universities? One survey shows that studying for more than 2.4 hours has a huge impact on your exam pass rate.  Why not start over break?  You were just planning on lying around in your pajamas anyway, right?

Sometimes studying can be hard to do especially when you’re the type person who can’t learn the normal way. A good way to study is to switch it up a bit, get out of a routine. You can go to www.youtube.com and search up “EXCLUSIVE STUDY TIPS!!! FUN and EASY ways to spice up your study sessions!” This is a good video to apply to your study time. Remember to use your time wisely and think about the outcomes of how you use your time. Have a wonderful break and get some studying done!

Wilnelly Rodriguez

Do you find yourself unable to focus in class? Ever nod off and start to daydream in the middle of a conversation? Well, maybe you have Attention Deficit Disorder or ADD. A condition that can affect anyone, ADD can begin in the early childhood and last throughout life. According to the Mayo Clinic, there are around 3 million cases of ADD being reported annually. It requires a medical diagnosis from a licensed doctor. As a student in high school, I was one of those people diagnosed.

The common symptoms of ADD consist of attention difficulty, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, but symptoms can differ from person to person and age to age. ADD cannot be cured, but should also never be ignored. Different types of therapy and medication are highly recommended by most doctors. According to Wikipedia, ADD and its counterpart ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder) are commonly found in connection to various other associated disorders. These can include OCD, bipolar disorder, restless leg disorder, and more. But just because you may have ADD, it doesn't necessarily mean you have any of these other disorders as well.

Despite lack of attention, ADD is found in some of the greatest artistic minds, such as Jamie Oliver and Justin Timberlake. People with ADD aren’t limited to their disability, much like other various conditions such as OCD and Bipolar Disorder. ADD helps the mind run constantly and extends levels of creativity, which may not be such a bad thing.

In the long run, people with ADD are just normal people like everyone else. People should not be labeled by what they can and can’t do.  It is important to accept people for all their complexity.

​Henry Davis

The East High Culinary team stayed late before Thanksgiving Break to prepare food for the homeless.  Lead by culinary genius Chef Jeff Christiano, our school’s budding chefs prepared over 1200 meals to donate to those in need.  Your tireless efforts truly embody the spirit of giving!

​Mrs.Conroy

​

Student Government is a club that many schools have to promote leadership among the students. As a Student Government participant or member, students get to work with their peers on making changes for the school. Once you're in this club, you get the opportunity to run for positions of office that you would like to hold such as the representative of your class, secretary, treasurer, vice president, and president. I have had the privilege to be the President of the Student Government here at East. I decided to run for this position because I believe – as many other students and teachers also believe – that there are many problems that need to be addressed in order to become a better East.

Many have asked what the role of the Student Government is, what can it do, and even what the president does. To be honest, not much.  Due to the lack of support and involvement from the student body as a whole, we have not been able to make significant changes here at East. I can assure everyone that we have great ideas for the school that would make East an even better place.

Unfortunately, we can't do this alone. In order to make East the kind of school that everyone deserves, we must work together not just as students but as the community that we are. WE must speak up and communicate our ideas to each other but most importantly you must communicate YOUR ideas to your representative officials in order to solve our troubled school’s affairs.

Everyone’s ideas are important! If you think that the food being served in our cafeteria is not good enough, speak up! If you think that seniors should be allowed to have an open campus, speak up! If you believe that the culinary students should cook our meals, speak up! If you think that we need Club 22 to be reinstated, speak up!  There are many issues to be addressed and if we work together, we can make them a reality.
​
Remember, if you see me in the halls, the cafeteria, or have a class with me, communicate your concerns to me. We are here to help you and to listen to what you have in mind. If you are interested in being a part of Student Government, contact club advisor Mr. Delehanty in room E118 for more information

​Hanzell Carrillo

East High School's Varsity basketball team has some unfinished business to take care of. A tough game between Aquinas and East last year led to the final game of the season. It was a crushing defeat but according to the sports legend Vince Lombardi, “We didn’t lose the game, we just ran out of time.” The loss motivated the team to come back this year stronger and better. The East Eagles have kicked off their 2016 season with a 3-1 record to date. 

Assistant Coach Robinson improves personal character building within his players so that it will have a positive impact on the team. Robinson states that he can teach more life lessons to his players and set better examples by “exposing them to different settings and environments outside of the Rochester area.” He also believes that if the players on his team were his own children, two of the most important life lessons he would want them to get out of his program would be a good work ethic and a strong commitment to a team sport. Robinson motivates his players “through outcomes and success; how hard they want to work.”

Robinson's team has been motivated to work hard in practices and play harder in games by their wins. In order to improve teamwork and the attitude of each player Robinson states that “everyone should be held accountable.” East basketball coaches don't hesitate to bench a player during a game if there is evidence of poor attitude or poor sportsmanship being shown on the court. The coaches believe that taking responsibility for your attitudes and actions will benefit the players on and off the court and will extend to their real world experiences. We wish the East Eagles the best of luck for the remainder of their 2016- 2017 season.

John Segarra

Currently, many students are overly stressed about getting into college and having a career. This process is not an easy one.  However, in the end, the hectic process is more than worth it. Here are some important facts that students need to know about the application process and the deadlines they need to meet.

The first step for applying to college is to read and pay attention to all of the instructions on the application. East High School counselor Mrs. Gilbert explains the application process and what it all includes. “Usually four-year colleges require you to include your SAT and ACT Scores, one to three recommendation letters and sometimes it is also advantageous to include a copy of a resume and a list of any activities and honors,” she states. 

In addition to all these documents you should compile, there are deadlines that must be followed.  Her best advice is, “Pay attention to the directions given by the colleges.  Most colleges require deadlines in January, some in February or March.”  One of the most important facts Mrs. Gilbert shared was the urgency for students to reach out to their counselors so that they can do their part in the process. 

Financial aid is also a concern for many students, which sometimes has a different deadline than the application process.  Mrs. Gilbert does on to say that technically there is a “Priority Date” that usually falls in February. “This is so the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) can give students the most appropriate help and receive potential scholarships that each respective applicant may qualify for.”  There will also be a special event here at East High School on January 29th, 2017 from 1:00pm - 3:00pm for any students and parents who need assistance with applying for Financial Aid. There will be professionals to help out the parents and the students.

Lastly, the most important piece for applying to college is to take the SAT or ACT because most of four-year colleges require them. The next upcoming date to sit for the SAT is on January 21st, 2017 and there is also another one in March 2017 but that might be too late. Counselors are here to help but students need to take the lead if they’re serious about going to college. If students get all of the steps done in time, they will be on the road to starting a successful college career. 

​Melissa Caso

Are the cell phones the problem, or how we use them the problem? Over the last few years cell phones have become a major part of almost everyone’s life. In their eyes it’s an essential. Students are so used to having their phones and using them for anything they can, that when they can’t use them, they often get irritated, angry, and in some cases defiant. In school, cell phones are seen as negative things that distract students from learning, and are the cause of a lot of conflicts.

Cell phones were made to benefit people and now we can even organize our lives with our phones, but instead they’re being used for all the wrong things. The negative side of cell phones in school are using social media sites in class, listening to music while you’re supposed to be learning, recording fights, and cyberbullying.

If you’re going to use your cell phones in school, why not use them to be productive?  There are some apps that can help students organize their school lives. These apps include Google Classroom, which connects the student with their teacher and their classmates, the Homework App, which is an app that can remind students of any important assignments and homework due.  There is also App Flashcards, which generates flashcards that you can easily pull up on your phone and study anytime you need to.
There are also apps that are made to help out teachers. Kahoot is a fun and effective way for students to review in class. Teach-Learn-Lead is an app that connects teachers with other teachers who teach the same subject to share their ideas and to get and give support and feedback. Additio is an app that can help teachers organize and manage their classroom by keeping attendance, taking notes, and keeping track of assignments.

So cell phones themselves aren't really the problem; they can actually be pretty useful when used for the right things. Maybe it wouldn't be a big deal and discouraged if we stopped using our phones for the wrong reason and start using them to be productive.  The choice is up to us.

Sonyalice McGrew

Throughout the year people go through tragic and heart breaking experiences. For some people that’s why the holidays aren’t always the best time of the year. People shut down because the tragedy that they feel overpowers the will of happiness. This time of year is tough if you have lost someone to a disease or illness. One illness that not many people think about is childhood cancer.

Science and Optics teacher Mr. Conrow lost his daughter to cancer nearly three years ago.  She had a cancer of the brain and spine and was only three and half years old when they found out.  She fought hard, but sadly lost the battle not long after she turned six years old.

Coping with a loss like this might seem impossible.  Mr. Conrow explains that there are people out there who can help.  “There is an organization called Compassion Net. This organization helps families going through this tough time. This organization helps families who have a child sick with a disease.  Even if Amanda was cured, they still would’ve helped our family out,” Conrow states.

During this time of year I miss my cousin RJ, who had neuroblastoma cancer stage four. This cancer is found in the small glands on the top of the kidneys. Children ages five and younger are usually affected by this type of cancer. RJ died on February 22, 2012. For a year and a half, he fought long and hard. He was such a happy kid even though he was in the hospital most of the time and couldn’t be home. When he was, we made the best of memories when we could.

This is a very serious situation, a very serious heartbreak. These kids don't get to live their lives like we do. We have to cherish every moment, every memory, good and bad. If we don't then what are we living for? We have to live to our full potential, and live the happiest and the fullest lives we can.

 “No day is promised if you dwell on the sadness, if you can’t remember the good times,” Mr. Conrow adds.  He is hopeful and gives advice to anyone going through such tragic times. “Find a few people that will just listen when you need to express yourself,” he advises. “It helps to write down what you’re feeling and make the argument to yourself that can still have happy days. Find ways to remember them in good ways.”

So during this holiday, and the next, enjoy your family, enjoy the time, because you never know when your life might change.

​Saranne Kaufman