HIGHLAND

THE

INSIDE
The College Board
and its Greed p. 4

New Fashion Trends

Include Tribal Tank
Tops and Maxi Skirts
p. 14

FLING

COMMENCEMENT EDITION 2013

HIGHLAND PARK HIGH SCHOOL I HIGHLAND PARK, NJ I VOLUME 101, ISSUE 8

Above: five members of the Class of 2013 who are entering the military. Clockwise from bottom left: Homero Balbuena, Ashley Lozada, Christian Feltrin,
Luis Diaz, and James Webb.

The Road Less Traveled

Charlotte Finegold

Next year, the majority of the class

of 2013 will be entering two- or fouryear colleges; six students, however,
are pursuing a markedly different path
and will officially enter the military this
summer and fall. Luis Diaz, James Webb,
and Homero Balbuena are entering the
Marine Corps; Christian Feltrin, Juan
Barrientos, and Ashley Lozada are joining the Navy; and Will Callahan hopes to
do ROTC at Rutgers Honors SAS. Each
student began the process by taking the
Armed Service Vocational Amplitude
Battery (ASVAB). Around a week after
receiving their test scores, they attended
their Military Entrance Processing Station
(MEPS) to test their physical eligibility
for service. The results of their ASVABs
determined which jobs they could apply
for. Working with their recruiters, they
requested their preferred fields. Then
Physical Training (PT) began, which has
been preparing these students for their
boot camps.
No members of the Class of 2012
entered into any branch of the military.
The drastic change this year seems to
have occurred inexplicably; each person
joined of his/her own accord, and was
not influenced by another classmates
decision. Yet these seven students all
share similar motives and visions of their
futures. Explains Mr. Lobianco, I think
the decisions are based on a few variables...the economy and kids and families

feeling that financially college is not affordable for them or would cause a strain
on the familys situation. I also think that
students are concerned about the job market and they see how difficult it is to get a
job with the situation of todays economy
even with a college diploma and they
see the military as a viable alternative. I
have two students whose interests were
largely based on the fact that their parents
were in the military and their parents are
supportive of the decision. I also think
it was a bit of a snowball effect in that
students were encouraging each other to
do it because they were. But I must also
say that James Webb, who has been involved in Marines training since last year
and has been vocal about what a great
experience it has been, also got students
interested. Says Mr. Yarasheski, head of
HPHSs Guidance Department, I totally
respect their decisionI believe it is an
honorable choice for the right student.
The Fling sat down with these students
to discuss their paths and look at their
different motives for entering.
What made you choose this in the first
place (e.g., jobs, leadership, ideals,
etc.)? Why did you choose this branch
of the military?
Ashley Lozada: Its a lot more diverse
and their structure is more united. They
travel more, and I feel like theres a lot
more opportunities in the Navy for me,

because of what I want to do, as opposed

to the Army or the Marines. I want to
be an intelligence specialist and go into
criminal psychology, so the Navy is a
perfect fit for that. In the Navy, you dont
really fight, unless youre a Navy Seal
the Army and the Marines do thatand I
dont want to fight necessarily.
Will Callahan: Well, its a good way to
pay for college, and they train you to be a
leader. In the civilian workforce they look
for those kinds of leadership skills, and
its a guaranteed job after college. The
Navy is a good service to go into because
a lot of it is humanitarian-based and it
requires some more intellect than other
branches of the military. Also, you can
travel the world for free, which is cool.
Christian Feltrin: I wanted to join the
military because I wanted to be the first
in my family and I wanted to do service
for my country. I felt that the Navy would
be the best branch for me to join because
it would have the best opportunities and
the most real-world jobs, because theyre
really technical. The hands-on jobs are
practically the same as civilian jobs;
theyre just called different things.
Luis Diaz: Like what Chris saidno
one in my family joined the military and
Im going to be the first. And ever since
I was little, I was always interested in
the military. I always said that when I
continued on p. 8

JUNE 2013, THE HIGHLAND FLING

NEWS
The F-Bomb
Maddie Hehir
What does it mean to be a feminist in
2013? In her new book Lean In, Sheryl
Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer of
Facebook, offers her thoughts about the
role of women in society and in leadership
positions.
While some might argue that men and
women in todays culture are treated
equally, others might beg to differ. In the
United States, more women attend college
than men. This statistic alone marks the
huge change that has been made in the educational system regarding gender. Fewer
women today are housewives than during
the countrys past and more have entered
into the working class. Working mothers
are the new norm.
Lean In, a book some might consider
the new Feminine Mystique, reveals that
while more women are working, they
still have not truly entered into the upper
echelons of business, government, and
more. While there are prominent women
in society, from former Secretary of State
Hilary Clinton to United States Representative Michelle Bachman, Sandberg points
out that the majority of highly qualified
women have not entered into executive or
leadership roles. As such, men, who dominate in both business and government,
suppress the voices of women. Males are
deciding female issues each and every
day. For instance the landmark Roe v.
Wade Supreme Court case, which granted
women the right to have an abortion in
their first trimester, was heard and decided
on by nine male Supreme Court Justices.
This decision was the first of many where
a group of men made decisions on womens reproductive rights and health.
Besides the successful launching of
Sandbergs book, another issue making
headlines is the phenomenon of slut
shaming. Slut shaming is the practice
of making a woman feel guilty for her
personal sexual decisions that define
traditional gender stereotypes. This term
has recently become even more prominent

Above (from left to right): juniors Sanofar Saleem, Tabitha Lumor-Mensah, Ana Miletic, and Lydia Wang create the female gender symbol with their
hands. Modern feminism is no longer as simple as this sign.

as extension of victim blaming in rape

some say victims of rape and sexual
assault ask for it by dressing or acting
like a slut. Slut shaming was recently in
the news after a SlutWalk was held in Toronto, Canada, to protest against a police
officer in Canada who told students that
they could avoid sexual violence by not
acting or dressing like sluts. His comments sparked the reintroduction of the
misconception that women wearing tight

dresses or low cut shirts are just asking to

be victims of assault or rape.
Over the past decades, major steps
have been taken in the United States to
put an end to legal and social inequalities that exist between the two genders.
Women and men can do the same things.
But in the 21st century, many still expect
women to cook, clean, and take care of
the children, and women who work are
expected to hold job titles lower than their

male colleagues. Recently, feminism has

somehow become a dirty word that many
women refuse to identify with. There are
women, in Highland Park, in the United
States Congress who fight to free the word
feminism of its negative connotation,
encourage women make their mark in the
workplace, and remind us all that no one
is or ever should be considered a slut.

Up in Smoke

Sam Trub
official buildings, certain parks, and any
other property owned by the town. The
ordinance was actually passed a while ago
in April of 2011, but until a few weeks
ago, there was no sign to officially advise
people about the ordinance. It establishes
yet another roadblock in the path of
smokers, further discouraging people from
smoking and from producing harmful
secondhand smoke dangerous to others.
By June 30th, the Middlesex County
Public Health Department is aiming to get
at least two towns in Middlesex County
to pass an ordinance similar to the one
passed in Highland Park. The Public
Health Department has been making
progress, with Perth Amboy passing an
ordinance a few weeks ago. However,
their other targeted town, New Brunswick,
stopped short of creating an ordinance,
passing instead a resolution. It would
not enforce any law against smoking on
public property, but rather acknowledge
the dangers associated with people
Above: Councilwoman Gayle Brill Mittler, the leader of the recent town ordinance which bans
smoking on municipal property. However,
smoking on public property.
across the state, 163 municipalities in
In a constantly changing world, even
Mittler, Highland Park recently passed
New Jerseys 21 counties have passed
the smallest of changes can go a long
an ordinance that banned smoking on
smoke free ordinances, which is an
way. Led by councilwoman Gayle Brill
municipal property. This would affect any

L
OW CTS
FA
FUN

encouraging sign that governments are

cracking down on smoking by making it
drastically more difficult to smoke.
ChangeLab Solutions, which seeks
to create law and policy innovation for
the common good stated, Because the
negative health effects of secondhand
smoke exposure are well documented, one
of the most important steps a community
can take to improve the health of its
residents is to create more smoke free
places. By informing people of this
ordinance, people will be more aware
of the dangers of what they do. Also,
it will allow citizens to place pressure
on county governments to continue to
pressure cities to pass these ordinances
and to convince the county governments
to pass ordinances on county-owned
parks such as Donaldson and Johnson
Park. It is in the best interest of everyone
to make these ordinances as widespread
as possible. Now that Highland Park has
been informed, it is time for us to act,
make sure this is followed, and continue
to pressure the county government to do
more to mitigate this issue.

A group of owls is called a parliament, wisdom or study

Owls dont have eyeballs. Their eyes are long and tube-shaped, and consequently cannot turn their eyes in all directions.

O
FUN WL
FAC
TS

The tiniest owl is the Elf Owl, which is 5 - 6 inches tall and weighs about 1 ounces. (A quarter-pound hamburger, without buns, pickles or ketchup, is heavier
than two Elf Owls.)
Owls dont have teeth, so prey like mice are swallowed whole.
THE HIGHLAND FLING, JUNE 2013

OPINION
OSCARS PICKS

NO LIE

Oscar Lee

Eli Liebell-McLean

Keeping Up Appearances

Drones in the Morning

That girl who always sits in the front

raises her hand for the umpteenth time.
A few in the back begin to snicker.
Some share sideways looks, rolling their
eyes and grimacing. Others grumble,
Oh great. Its that girl again. No one
wants to be that girl or that guy, the
one who cares, who always seems a little too eager. Sometimes, even teachers
appear to grow exasperated with them.
Being into something is lame-o and so
not fetch. Stop trying so hard. Get a life.
Loser. Tryhard.
For some unknown reason, many
seem to believe that those who work
hard are not actually smart, or at least,
they are not naturally smart. They
appear to think that intelligence comes
innately, that at night it stealthily drifts
into the minds of a few fortunate souls
when, in fact, those unnaturally smart
people are just the ones who do not
guise their intelligence in a shroud of
effortlessness. It is social suicide, to
borrow a term from Mean Girls, to act
against the countervailing peer forces
that socially reinforce apathy. But really,
that whatever, above-it-all attitude
is just another form of tryhardits

trying hard to not seem like a try hard.

But why? To impress future gas station
attendants? (Nothing against gas station
attendants, of course.)
It is easier to tear things down than
it is to build them up. And its even
easier to watch as someone else does
the tearing-things-down part. I admit it.
Ive slacked off this year. As I have said
oh-so-many times while reflecting on
the academic disaster this year has been,
Ive either gotten lazier or stupider.
And Im more inclined to believe the
former. I have allowed myself to be
sucked into a vortex of external blame
and indifference. Fail a test? Blame the
teacher. Fall? Blame the floor. (Although, sometimes it is the floors fault.)
Showing that we care is difficult, because it means lowering our defenses. It
means exposure, leaving us open to criticism and derision. Above all else, we
are programmed to protect ourselves,
from spiders, from monsters, from
being hurt. To do so, we don a cloak of
detachment. Take a risk. It doesnt hurt
to care once in a while. I mean, it cant
hurt that much.

Snip, Snip
I had come fresh off of a string of
successes. I was named the next Editor-in-Chief of The Fling. I placed 1st
at the DECA State Conference in my
event. I got a decent grade on the math
test. Beyonc released a new song. It
seemed like things were finally going
my way. I didnt feel like an irrelevant
slab of lard drying in the sun anymore.
Happiness? It was good while it lasted,
I guess.
On Friday, April 5, 2013, at approximately 3:10 PM EST, coming back from
school, I arrived at my house, inserted
my hand in the mailbox, flipped through
the junk mail, and saw it. On the top
left corner, it read NJSP: New Jersey
Scholars Program, P.O. Box 6008,
Lawrenceville, NJ 08648 in that awful
Serif font. Clutching the letter, I rushed
into my house, scrambled up the stairs,
and plopped down in my room. I pulled
the letter out and read: Dear Oscar: The
New Jersey Scholars Program regretfully informs you My mind blanked.
When my senses came back, I didnt
bother to finish the rest of the illogically
remorseful formalities.
I was sad. I was kind of mad. But
this wasnt a total blindside. I expected
this. After all, I came off as a disheveled mess during the group interview,
rambling about drug policy and my love
for television briefly before somehow
arriving at a point when saying I really
just enjoy laying aroundnot doing
anything seemed logical. But deep
down, I still held onto that small sliver
of hope that I would be chosen for my
ineloquence and lack of polish, that
it might all work out. And now that
vanished.
I crumbled the letter. I turned on Fiona

Apple and brooded. All those previous

triumphs lost their luster. They meant
nothing and this meant something. And
if those accomplishments meant nothing, I must have meant nothing. I fell
into a ditch of self-doubt and it seemed
impossible to climb back out.
But I was approaching itand life in
generalthe wrong way. I was defining
my internal with my external. I looked
for other peoples approval when the
only approval I really needed was my
own. I craved affirmation from things,
when they were just thatthings
things that didnt mean anything. I could
get a 2400 on the SAT. I could get into a
prestigious program. I could meet Tilda
Swinton. I would feel happy, but that
wouldnt lastit couldnt. Happiness,
whatever it means, is a temporary state
of mind, one that would fade away with
time. I used my accomplishments to
give myself a faux sense of fulfillment,
capable of quenching a short-term thirst,
but not a long-term need. Because true
satisfaction does not come from trivial
earthly achievements or trinkets, but
from something more permanent and
enduring.
I had to cut the ties between my perception of self-worth and frivolous outside mechanisms. Why was I allowing
a small letter written by a small person
from a small organization to make me
feel like garbage? I had to stop deriving
self-meaning from my externalities and
start deriving self-meaning from myself.
I deserve to be happy not because
someone else said I could, but because I
said I could. As Ms. Apple once said so
perfectly, Try not to let those b*****ds
get us down.

Above: an American drone taxis down an Afghan runway.

We like to imagine that America lives

above the law, or rather that America
represents the ultimate achievement of
legality. After all, were so darn good at
it; does it really have to apply to us? It
does: no institution is above the rule of
law. It is the line that separates us from
apes rutting in the mud over the last banana. An anarchic society destroys itself,
disregarding morality and compassion.
In 2004, the Supreme Court ruled in
Hamdi v. Rumsfeld that a state of war
does not guarantee a blank check to
be limited only by the sadistic imaginations of our military leaders. And what
weve managed to dream up in these past
few wars is drones. What if we took a
soldier, gave him the ability to fly mostly
undetected anywhere we wanted, load
that soldier up with enough firepower to
destroy a house, and replaced any morals
or inhibitions with total control by our
government? Well, that Frankensteinian
freak would be a drone.

Leave behind your Good Guy Bad

Guy fairy tale perception of conflict,
because whats important here is due
process of law. The most important
component of the rule of law is the
fundamental right to a fair trial and
legal proceedings to determine guilt. By
expanding our drone program and using
these drones to conduct strikes on potential terrorists, even known terrorists,
America is spitting on the rule of law.
Because everyone, not just the people
you like, everyone, should have the right
to a fair trial, not a military court, where
secrets can be withheld from the public
and combatants are assumed guilty until
proven innocent.
But let me assume that you would
prefer to disregard the law, in favor of a
strong America. Because, face it, were
more sophisticated to deal with the
worlds deviants and terrorists than the
rest of those savages.

Below: a crowd protests American drone strikes

Food for Thought

Jana Choi

The general consensus of approaching food and diet at Highland Park High School is, to put it candidly, YOLO. It seems as if nutritionists, the government, and our parents can
throw all of the statistics and figures around that they can dig up, but it doesnt matter. Its unreasonable to ask us teenagers, so attuned to the delectable flavors intermingled in a
bag of Cool Ranch Doritos, to take precautions about our health when our metabolisms industriously burn through the M&M cookies and French fries we eat on a regular basis.
Senior Nathan Kjer says, I would enjoy a short life of eating what I want vs. a long one of eating healthy, and Sophomore Justin Melgazo says I would prefer eating healthier,
but YOLO! Eating the food you like is so good! But why is a healthy lifestyle perceived as something to suffer through, and not something to enjoy? Favorite foods and flavors
dont have to be thrown out the window. Natural recipes, made with in-season foods and an obvious lack of preservatives, are fresh, more sustainable, and taste good. Eating well
mustnt be a drastic change. Having the mindset to treat your body well is all it takes just a little food for thought.
JUNE 2013, THE HIGHLAND FLING

OPINION
The College Board: A Very Profitable Nonprofit
Elena Weissmann

Above: junior Cesar Avila attempts to study, overwhelmed by all the study guides and prep books,
published to get students through the College Boards tests.

Around this time of the year, tens of

thousands of high school juniors are frantically signing up for summer SAT prep
classes, buying expensive AP guidebooks,
and paying their registration fees for the
SATs, AP exams, and SAT subject tests.
Profits for all companies involved are
exorbitant, but one company in particular
stands out with an enormous annual revenue of $200,000,000 dollars and a profit
of $23 million in the past few years. And
what company would that be? None other
than the College Board, a not-for-profit company that capitalizes on students
anxieties.
In 1999, the College Board was facing
cash-flow problems, so it recruited Gaston
Caperton, former governor of West Virginia, to transform the nonprofit company
into a thriving business. Fourteen years
later, the College Board holds a complete
monopoly over the test-taking industry;
with only one competitor, the ACT. Many
students, however, are still required to
take an SAT subject test in order to apply
to certain schools, and all students wishing to earn college credit for an Advanced
Placement class must take the corresponding AP exam, which the College Board
creates. Therefore, it makes sense that its

profits are 317% of the industry average

and its former President, Mr. Capteron,
earned 444% of the industry average at a
compensation of $1.3 million last year. Its
newly chosen President, David Coleman,
will earn a base salary of $550,000, with
a total compensation of nearly $750,000.
Additionally, the College Boards twenty-three executive officers make an average salary of $355,271 per year. These
high salaries are extremely suspicious: if
the College Board truly wished to create
testing equality for everyone, wouldnt
it pay its executives less and instead use
those profits to lower the cost of the SAT
for all? Why is this company considered a
nonprofit if its motives arent completely
altruistic?
The College Board is capitalizing on
the perceived and exaggerated importance
of the SATs, Bob Sweeney, an experienced guidance counselor, eloquently stated. Indeed, the College Board will tack on
all kinds of extra fees for certain services,
including the Rush Order, exam date
changes, and the question-and-answer
service. On the College Board website,
the company even attempts to sell all sorts
of products, including The Official SAT
Study Guide for $31.99. Although the

Editors

Chief: Charlotte Finegold

Online: Xuewei Ouyang
News: Oscar Lee
Feature: Amy Wang
Opinion: Maddie Hehir
Sports: Sylvia Marks
A&E: Elena Weissmann
Layout: Stefana Voicu
Advisor
Brett Roche
Photographers
Zoe Temple, Jacob Choi, Miranda Safir,
Tia Wangli, Amita Shukla

THE HIGHLAND FLING, JUNE 2013

SAT registration cost itself can be waived

for low-income students, the costs of these
special services are not, giving high-income students an edge when preparing for
the SAT and completing college applications. Its becoming questionable whether
the College Board is, in fact, dedicated
to an equity agenda of expanding
access to higher education for the poor,
African-Americans, and Hispanic. If the
College Board wanted an equal testing experience for everyone, it would offer all of
these extra services for free to those who
cannot afford them. Does it really seem
fair that one student can afford an SAT
study guide (produced by the test-maker!)
while another cannot? Those students with
the right amount of money reap the benefits, while the others are left in the dust.
Perhaps even more questionable is the
accuracy of these tests in measuring ones
aptitude. Director of undergraduate
writing at Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, Les Perelman, looked over
around 50 sample essays from the SAT
distributed by the College Board and
found a very strong correlation between
length and score. If you just graded them
based on length without ever reading
them, youd be right over 90 percent of

The Highland Fling

Staff

the time, he said of the controversial SAT

essay. A report released a while ago by the
National Council of Teachers mirrored Dr.
Perelmans criticisms; it warns that the
SAT is pushing for a formulaic way of
writing and that students dont have time
to rewrite on the 25-minute essay section
a major error when measuring ones
editing abilities. This style of testing just
promotes conformity; in order to succeed
on the essay, students must ignore their
inner creativity and instead churn out
mechanical, structured responses.
Its quite clear that the College Board
has acquired some major flaws over the
past ten or so years. Not only has it given
wealthier students an edge over their
low-income peers, but it also doesnt
accurately test certain abilities. In short,
this nonprofit company has gone completely downhill and there are several
things you can do to protest. For one, you
can take the ACT instead which many
colleges find acceptable on its own. Some
colleges, such as Bowdoin and Muhlenburg, dont even require any standardized
testing. So instead of paying all those
extra charges, why not shun the College
Board and promote real educational
equality?

Writers
Sarah Cheng, Boning Zhao, Shuhong
Chen, Olivia Draper, Yang Xu, Grace
Chong, Gregory Burdea, Tia Wangli,
Amita Shukla, Andrea Boffice,
Eli Liebell-McLean, Jana Choi,
Shana Oshinskie, Jake Callahan,
Maverick Lin, Zoe Temple,
John Yang, Annie McCrone

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Contact thehighlandfling@gmail.com

Write, draw, and take pictures for
The Highland Fling!
Come to our next meeting!

FEATURE
Local Love

Commencement Edition
Andrea Boffice

The last Local Love Its very sad, but dont go teary eyed on me- there are plenty of ways to get local food when school is over, and Im gone, especially at our local farmers
market! I encourage everyone to eat at A Better World Caf over the summer, which aside from always having local, fresh, organic produce and contributing to feeding those in
need in Highland Park, also makes really delicious paninis. Anyways, I hope that there was at least one recipe you enjoyed this past year and that you will look for more local food
opportunities in the future.

Foods in Season for June:

Asparagus
Beets
Broccoli

Cabbage
Carrots
Corn

Roasted Chickpeas

sauce and sugar in a small bowl, and stir

until the sugar dissolves.

Prep time: 2 hours Cook time: 1 hour

If I had to sum up my high school career
with one recipe, this would be it. Roasted
chickpeas became my go-to snack when
I was stuck at late rehearsals and needed
something crunchy and protein-filled. I
can also honestly say that I ended up giving more chickpeas to my classmates than
I ate myself (cough, cough, TeenPep). In
my opinion, its a perfect recipe for Local
Love; its healthy, organic, simple, spicy,
and delicious. Dont be put off by the
long time it takes to make them; its worth
doing on your lazy Sunday because these
will last you for a long time.
Ingredients:

2 bags of dried chickpeas (not the canned ones)

Oil
Salt
Garlic salt
Spices:
Turmeric and cumin
Or
Chile powder and paprika

1. Boil chickpeas in water for 2 minutes

and then turn off the water and let soak for
2 hours.
2. Boil again for 20 minutes (DO NOT
add salt to the water unless you want
chickpeas that will actually break your
teeth)
3. Drain the chickpeas very well.
4. Preheat the oven to 200F
5. Coat the chickpeas with the oil, salt,
garlic salt, and whatever spice combination you chose.
6. Put the chickpeas on baking sheets in a
single layer.
7. Cook for one hour or until the peas are
at your desired level of crunchiness.

Chinese Broccoli
Cooking time: 15 minutes

I hate broccoli, so this is really the only

way Ill eat it. The title is a bit misleading
because I seriously doubt actual Chinese
people eat broccoli the way it is cooked
in American Chinese restaurants. Either
way, its delicious. Dont get thrown off
by the oyster sauce, which you can buy at
Hmart. It is actually really delicious to put
in nearly any stir-fry. I highly recommend
making this with chicken or beef.
Ingredients:

2 bushels of broccoli

cup of oyster sauce

1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp sesame oil

1. Wash the broccoli and cut off the tips

but keep the stems. Cut into chunks.
2. Combine the oyster sauce, garlic, soy

Fava Beans
Garlic
Kale
Oregano

Peas
Snow Peas
Spring Onion
Strawberries

3. Add the broccoli and most of the sauce

to a heated pan on medium low with oil
and stir occasionally. (If you desire, you
can steam the broccoli first)
4. Wait until the mixture is caramelized,
and then add the rest of the sauce and
cover.
5. Enjoy.

Arepas
Cooking time: 20 minutes

Over the summer, I met these two Venezuelan girls who taught me how to make
these. They are really fantastic, similar
to paninis, but denser, and Im going
to say better. It always bugs me when
I see choices like arepas or polenta in
expensive restaurants because it is so
easy to make at home. Either way, they
taste delicious.
Ingredients:

1 cups of pre cooked white corn meal

flour (for 2 people, you can have more just
keep it equal parts flour and water)
1 cups water
Salt
Sandwich fixings (namely meat and cheese)

1. Preheat oven to 400F.

2. Combine cornmeal, water and salt
and mix with your hands. Adjust with
flour or water until the texture is like
that of wet sand.
3. Separate the mixture into four separate parts and form into spheres.
4. Start to flatten each sphere like a
pancake by slowly turning and forming
it while trying to keep the edge from
cracking by smoothing it over with your
thumb as you turn.
5. Put a pan on to medium heat. Wait until
the skillet is hot before you cook each
arepa for a minute and a half on each side.
6. After each arepa is cooked in the pan,
put the arepas in the oven for 15 minutes.
7. Serve while hot. Hold your arepa in a
napkin and use a sharp knife to cut the
arepa vertically through the side to make
two halves without burning yourself.
8. Add butter. I cannot recommend this
highly enough. Then, add your favorite
sandwich fixings and enjoy.
9. I dont recommend making extras to
save for later, as they really are best when
you first make them. However, if you do
find yourself with extras, to reheat, wrap
the arepa in a damp paper towel and cook
in the microwave.
This month, I featured a few of my
personal favorite recipes. I hope you will
enjoy these and that you have enjoyed all
the recipes in Local Love. Dont forget

Above (from top to bottom): roasted chickpeas, arepas, and Chinese broccoli to get you ready for
summer.

that just because youre young you cant

have a say in what you are eating, but its
important for all of us to be conscious of
our own health, the health of animals, and

the well-being of farmers. But just as importantly, I hope you have found some of
these recipes delicious. Take advantage of
all the local fruit that will be available in
coming months and enjoy your summer!
JUNE 2013, THE HIGHLAND FLING

2013 Superlative
Friendliest
Elvin Rivera and Florie Bicaj

2013 Superlative
Most Talented Musicians
Daniel Gittler and Emma Chant

Want to see more 2013 superlatives? Purchase the 2013 Albadome!

On sale now - quantities are limited! See Ms. Marionni in Room 106
to buy your copy today!

Be sure to join
DECA when you return to
school next September! See me in
Room 206 to find out
more about our
award-winning club!

- Ms. Tracy Wilson

DECA Advisor
DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance,
hospitality and management in high schools across the world. But you do
not have to be interested in business to join DECA. We are also a very
community-oriented club. In fact, Highland Park DECA has raised thousands of dollars for various charities, including the Make-a-Wish Foundation and the New Jersey Food Bank.
DECA provides opportunities that no other club in the high school offers,
including internships, travel, and more! You can work at the school store
and compete in competitions at the regional, state, and international level.
Next year, for the international competition, we will be going to Atlanta,
GA. In addition to the competitive events, members are also encouraged
to work on projects. They can center on many different topics, like business plans, community service, and public relations.
We are looking for many new members to join and experience DECA for
all it offers. Additionally, we look forward to continued success with the
school store. Ms. Wilsons classes work hard to create custom monthly
themes and promotions to help promote the school store.

THE HIGHLAND FLING, JUNE 2013

FEATURE
Whats Next for the Class of 2013?
Carolina Acosta Rutgers University
Georgiana Ager Skidmore College
Mereia Alston-Torres Montclair University
Homero Balbuena U.S. Marine Corps
Juan Barrientos U.S. Navy
Aedan Bell Rutgers University
Andrew Berenguer Middlesex County College
Florie Bicaj Borough of Manhattan Community
College
Lexus Blocker New Jersey City University
Andrea Boffice Clark University
Christopher Bray Middlesex County College
Carol Brown Eugene Lang College
Gregory Burdea Rutgers University
Frederick Cacace Rutgers University
William Callahan Rutgers University
Emma Chant Massachusetts Institute of Technology
George Chavarria Berkeley College
Jacob Choi Rutgers University
Paul Cronk Warren Wilson University
Elizabeth Diaz University of Albany
Luis Diaz U.S. Marine Corps
Samantha Dolan Juniata College
Jessie Dominick Richard Stockton College
Maggie Dominick Richard Stockton College
Dierra Doyle Undecided
Riley Miller-Ernest Northeastern University
Madeline Encarnacion Everest Institute of Massage
Jacob Ervin Middlesex County College
Christian Feltrin U.S. Navy
Charlotte Finegold Yale College
Belle Gabel-Frank Barnard College
John Gaertner DeVry University
Sushma Gangisetty Rutgers University
Dawn Gedamke American Institute of Alternative
Medicine
Adrian Gillerman Bard College
Daniel Gittler Berklee College of Music
Ariel Glueck gap year in Israel, Hunter College
Richard Gonzalez Missouri State University
Cheyenne Goodman Rutgers University
James Griffin Undecided
Na-Dre Hepburn Undecided
Koby Hodes Rutgers University
Barry Holmes Middlesex County College
Brian Horne gap year, then Rutgers University
Thulani Hove Caldwell College
Michael Hulse Middlesex County College
Melissa Iberos Union County College
Jenna Johnson Montclair University
Tahanee Jones Middlesex County College
Joseph Kallman Lynn University
Shrishti Kaul Middlesex County College
Kalvin Kieffer Rutgers University
Rachel Kim - Rutgers University
Nathan Kjer - Rutgers University
Jason Klee Montclair University
Seth Lawrence Middlesex County College
Adam Leslie Brandeis University
Jordan Long Wesley College

Ashley Lozada U.S. Navy

Jonathan Lucero Working
Jonathan Marin Bloomfield College
Sylvia Marks Harvard College
DaVanna McCarthy Undecided
Devin McDaniel - Middlesex County College
Regina McManus-Smith Undecided
Jarren Miller Undecided
Rachel Miller gap year, Rutgers University
Elana Mischel gap year in Israel
Mohamed Mohamed Ali - Middlesex County College
Tyler Morris - Middlesex County College
Anna Nedashkivska Middlesex County College
Cynthia Novas - Middlesex County College
Angelo Odato University of Tampa
Magdalin Olarra - Middlesex County College
Xuewei Ouyang Princeton University
Daniel Padgett Rutgers University
Ambar Padilla - Middlesex County College
Katherine Paolo Middlesex County College
Rucha Phadtare Rutgers University
Nikita Ramrekha Caldwell College
Alec Ratosyan Rutgers University
Madeleina Reid - Middlesex County College
Jessica Reyes Rutgers University
Elvin Rivera - Middlesex County College
Jeremy Roman - Middlesex County College
Jonathan Rosario - Middlesex County College
Sara Rosen Virginia Commonwealth University
Sarah Rozaidi Virginia Technical College
Diana Sanchez-Reyes Undecided
Jonathan Schissel Other
Lance Shopowich Rutgers University
Isaac Shoulson - Middlesex County College
Daniel Siegel Rutgers University
Violet Simonyi Undecided
Hannah Stern Rutgers University
Suriya Suksonthisomboon - Middlesex County
College
Kihyun Sung Rutgers University
Daphne Szeles SUNY Binghamton
Melshawn Taylor Rutgers University
Gabriella Tomline Culinary Arts
Alexander Vanarthos Northeastern University
Angelica Villanueva - Middlesex County College
Stefana Voicu University of Pennsylvania
Amy Wang Rutgers University
Hannah Weaver Lafayette College
James Webb Jr. U.S. Marine Corps
Ehren Whitfield Wagner College
Griffin Wood Rutgers University
Dimitra Xenopoulou New York University
Yang Xu Boston College
Shuo Yan Rutgers University
Emily Yang McGill University
Xinhong Yang Rutgers University
Daniel Zendejas-Mummert gap year
Boning Zhao Rutgers University

JUNE 2013, THE HIGHLAND FLING

FEAT
The Road Less Traveled (cont.)
became older, I would pursue a career in
the military. I picked the Marines because,
I dont knowI looked at all the branches
and the only one that really struck me was
the Marinesthe way they express themselves and explain themselves and how
they say that they work as a family made

trouble for hereits no comparison to

what youd get in trouble for in boot camp
if youre doing it wrong. Because its boot
camp, everyone has to pay for a mistake
over here, if you do something wrong, no
ones going to say anything. Theres kids
from Dunellen, Edison, Plainfield, and
Highland Park. Ive been doing PT since
about January, because I just joined in
February. Boot camp for me is September
12th in Great Lakes, Illinois.

SENIOR JAMES WEBB

me want to join because its a good feeling

when you know you have a bigger family.
All the branches are goodI just decided
on the Marines.

Diaz: Same thingPT. We run, do pushups, do pull-ups, do sit-ups, and learn

commands. We prepare ourselves for
when we go to boot camp so we know
all the necessities and dont fall behind.
I started in junior year. We, James and I,
are trying to leave July 15th for boot camp.

My parents, they hate it.

Theyre scared because they
think Im going to come
home in a box....It took me
two years to get them to let
me sign up, and theres no
turning back now.

James Webb: I joined the military because I always wanted to be in it since I

was young, and Id be the first in my family. I chose the Marines because its the
best branch in the service. Its the toughest
too. I wanted to push myself to my full
limits. Its got the hardest boot camp when
you go inIts hard-core.
Homero Balbuena: I chose the military
because the values they teach you will last
a lifetime and will help me succeed in the
future. I want to become a state trooper so
I know this will prepare me for that job
and bring me more opportunities as my
life goes by. I chose the Marines because
I have friends who are part of the Marine
Corps and with all the research Ive done
on this branch, I think that it fits me better
than any other branch. I cant wait to be a
Marine.
Juan Barrientos: I chose the Navy
because of its low risk. All the other
branches offer the same benefits as the
Navy, relating to finances and benefits, but
the low risk of the Navy seemed great. It
was also the first branch I found out about,
because my dad was in the Navy in Peru.
What kind of training have you already
done for the branch that youve chosen,
and what kind of training are you going
to do after graduating high school?
Feltrin: Right now, Im going to PT
(Physical Training, not Physical Therapy)
on Thursdays, and thats in Plainfield.
We do runs and sit-ups, push-ups, and
little drills thatll physically prepare you
for boot camp. You also learn how to do
salutes and other routines and drills. And
stuff that you may think youll get in

THE HIGHLAND FLING, JUNE 2013

Webb: Pretty much the same thingPT

on Tuesdays and Thursdays: running,
push-ups, and all that. Its no cakewalk.
Ive been doing PT since my sophomore
year.
Balbuena: Right now, Ive been going
to PT, which prepares you for boot camp
when you leave. Ive been going for a
month now. I leave in October.
Lozada: In the physical test you have to
do a certain number of push-ups and situps. The excellent number is 47 pushups and 109 sit-ups in two minutes, and
you have to do a 1 - mile run in under
16 minutes. Ive been running a lot. And
Ive been doing PT every weekrunning,
doing push-ups, etc. I have boot camp in
November. In between that, Im going
to be working out and looking for a job.
I also have to go to mandatory meetings
every week. And then in November, I
ship out to Illinois. Ive been thinking
about entering the Navy since junior
year, but I changed my mind, because I
was kind of nervous to leave. But now
senior yearIm kind of anxious to leave
because I dont want to be here anymore.
I have a lot of financial problems with going to college. I got into Rutgers, but its a
lot of money, and the Navy is going to pay
for college, so thats a really good thing,
and another reason why I joined.
Barrientos: I have to study a booklet
with the basic rules and ranks of the Navy.
It also explains about different kinds of
ships and commanding officers. I also
have to prepare physically. Boot camp
lasts for two months, which is going to be
hard. That starts October 8th for me. Ive
been running and doing push-ups and situps and stuff at home. Every Thursday I

do PT, and Ive done that since April.

Where do you see yourself after your
training and after the military? How
could training get you there? What
kind of jobs are you planning on doing
in your branch?
Callahan: My dream job would be to
major in computer science and then work
for Google. The leadership and equipment that you work with in the Navy is
multi-million dollar stuff, so thats good
training.
Lozada: Because Im getting into intelligence, if I leave the Navy after 6 years, I
could maybe work for the Pentagon or
any precinct in New York City. I could
become a police officer or a special
agent. But who knows?

Barrientos: In the Navy, Ill be able to get

college credits. I can get an Associates
degree with the five-year contract. I can
also get security clearance, which means
that the government will trust me with
information, so I wont be just a regular
civilian when I get out of the NAVY. Ill
also be different because Ill be a veteran;
Ill also have work experience, which will
look really good to employers. After my
service, I want to work on fixing computers and hardware.
Feltrin: As of now, I chose my job as a
gunners mate, which is kind of self-explanatory. I work with all the weapons
aboard a shipI maintain them, store
them, use them, fix themeverything
that involves weaponry, whether it be on
the ship or on shore. With the Navy, there
are a lot of career opportunities. All the
branches will pay for your college tuition.
When youre in the Navy, you also get
a lot of time, and youre not in combat
stress, because youre either on the ship
or on a land base, so you have a lot of
time to take college classes to try and get
an Associates in Criminal Justice, so that
when Im out of the military, I can get a
job in the police force, whether it be State
Troopers or some other government job
involving police.
Diaz: Infantry. The people who really go
in and fight. I picked it because I dont
really like sitting around doing nothing.
I want to see things, so I figured that the
best way to see everything is to actually
go there. It takes care of college tuition,
going to college for Criminal Justice, and
going into law enforcement and becoming
a state trooper or a police officer.

Webb: Infantry, too. Those are the people

who you see on MSNBC and stuff. Afterwards, Im going to try and get started
on my law enforcement career and study
Criminal Justice in college.
Balbuena: Im probably going to do
SENIOR ASHLEY LOZADA

Im terrified because Im
signing my life to something...But Im proud of
myself for making this decision, because not a lot
of people can do that.
combat. After the four-year service, I plan
on going back to college and getting my
career in Criminal Justice so that I can be
a state trooper.
Feltrin: Everyone wants to be a cop.
It certainly seems so. So how do you feel
about what youll be doing? Excited?
Scared? Etc.
Callahan: I dont really feel scared because the Navy is, as of now, unmatched
by any other nation, so theres not any real
threat. Theres not really a reason to be
scared.
Lozada: I feel a whole bunch of emotions. Im terrified because Im signing my
life to something. And Im really excited
because Ive done a lot of research on
the Navy and its really goodI like the
traveling and I like the structure. And Im
proud of myself for making this decision,
because not a lot of people can do that.
Feltrin: Well, the first thought that comes
to mindis that Im really excited. But at
the same time, Im kind of sad, because
Im leaving my family around, theyre
going to be worried about me, and stuff.
And I say Im not going to be homesick,
but most likely, Im going to be homesick.
But for the most part, Im pretty excited,
and I cant wait until September 12th.
And its also helped to study about the
Navy in WISE. Throughout my project, I
wrote about how PT was going and how
my time was at MEPS (Military Entrance
Processing Station). Mine was in Brooklyn. You go there during the nighttime at
a hotel and stay there overnight; theres
a big buffet and its funyou see people
from every branch there. Then the next
day, they wake you up at 4:30 to go to
MEPS. You go on a bus with all these
people and then they test you physically

TURE

and see if youre ready to enlist. Theyll

do drug and blood tests on you, theyll
check your sight and your hearing, and
theyll also check your balance. For my
WISE research, I looked at the history of
the Navy, the stuff that they do. Things
that I didnt really have to learn, I actually
did. And every time I do my journal entries Im always like, Ah, sweet, Navy,
so its always in my daily thoughts.
Diaz: For meIm excited and at the
same time, Im going to be homesick. Im
going to miss my family, my girlfriend,
everybody. Being away for a long time
it gets to you. Maybe youre not thinking
about it now because of all the excitement,
but eventually, all that fades, and reality
hits, and youre going to be thinking about
all the people who were with you from the
beginning.
Webb: As these months wind down, Im
excited, Im nervous, and Im kind of sad,
because, like they said, its hard to leave
everything here. Because you have family
here, and girlfriends, but also, again, its
what you signed up for, and you got yourself into it.
Balbuena: Im nervous but at the same
time, excited, because I feel that its going
to benefit me a lot and bring me a lot of
good opportunities.

he always tells me that he knew I could do

it. But he also said, I wont be sad about
it, because I know youre doing what you
want, and youre happy with it.
Lozada: My fathers really proud of
me. He was the one who brought me all
the pamphlets on the Navy and got me
interested in the first place. My mom
doesnt want me to go, but shell support
me no matter what I do. My grandma is
terrified, and Im not sure how the rest of
my family is going to react. Im planning
to tell them after graduation, I think, and
I think Im going to get mixed reactions,
especially since some of my family is in
the military already.
Diaz: My family is okay with it. Theyre
all really more excited, since Ill be the
first one in the military. They know that
the military isnt only there for warthey
also give you a good education and they
help your resume out. So they know that
goingit will help me later on.
Webb: My parents, they hate it. Theyre
scared because they think Im going to
come home in a box. But theyre trying
to ease up to it. My parents are starting to
realize that this is something that I really
want to do. It took me two years to get
them to let me sign up, and theres no
turning back now.

Barrientos: Im a little nervous, mainly

because I dont know what to expect. My
job deals with the technology of submarines, which is kept secret from the public.
So I know that Ill be working in Submarine Electronics Computer Field, which
means that Ill be working with submarine
hardware, but I dont know much else. I
chose that job because Ive worked with
computers before and I like doing that.

Balbuena: My parents are behind me

100% in everything I do, so Ive got a lot
of support.

So now that we know about your own

mixed emotions about your path, how
do your families feel about what youve
signed up to do?
Feltrin: My mom, shes the one who
doesnt really want me to go, and shes
always bugging me, Chris, why are you
going? But my dad, hes proud of me and

How do you think your experience will

be different from those of your classmates?
Lozada: Im trying to get into a program
that will allow me to attend school while
training, so that I wont be going into only
training. But as of now, its kind of weird
not to be going to school in the fall, be-

Barrientos: My mom is okay with it,

because she knows that Ill be getting a lot
of benefits from it. My dads the same
he was also in the Navy, and he tried for a
submarine job, so hes relieved that I got
that job, which was my first choice.

cause I didnt want a break. And although

it might take me a little longer to get a
job, in the long run, I think my time in
the Navy is going to allow me to be really
successful, and some classmates will have
more trouble getting jobs that they love.
Barrientos: It will take me a longer time
to get a job, because Im going to be in the
NAVY for five years, then I will have to
go back to school. But it will be worth it
in the end.
Do you think that its something that
more kids here should consider doing?
Diaz: Yeah, I do. I think that the military
is a good opportunity for a lot of kids who
arent too sure about college and dont
want to go to Middlesex and arent going
to get accepted at other places. And the
militarys good because you can get college credits without even going to college.
Its free, and I think its the best thing you
possibly can do.
Lozada: If youre debating whether or
not to go to school, and you dont have
money, have negative things going on in
your life, and dont want a job at Walmart
or something, then the military is a great
option. It teaches you discipline and
allows you to look for a great job that gets
you excited about what youre doing. And
your work involves protecting your country, which is pretty cool. And when you
get out of your service, your resume will
look a lot more impressive than others if
you have your service in the Navy or the
other branches, because youve already
been working for the government.
Webb: If you have no other options senior
yearno money, cant afford collegeI
feel like the military is your best option,
because its free and youll be doing jobs
that you want to do after college.
Balbuena: I agree. People just think
about the negatives about going into the
military, and they dont think about the
positivesthey pay for your education
and they give you a lot of benefits whether
youre active or reserve, and kids can get
a lot of opportunities no matter where they

go in the military.
Feltrin: A lot of people always take
the military as a last resort, but really, it
should be a first priority because of how
much it has to offer for you and the big
family that it is. It just has so many opportunities and so much hands-on training.
Look at someone who graduated college
and wants to be a police officer. Of course,
hes got the four-year degree, but does he
have the discipline that a military person
would have? Does he have the experience
with weaponry or experience with actually
seeing people?
Barrientos: Yes, because going straight
to college and getting a bachelors degree
doesnt guarantee you a good job, which
you need to pay off college debt. The
work experience and the references that
you get from working for the military are
worth it.
It seems like you all considered the
financial and other benefits of your
decision, but if you had to choose one
reason why you joined, what would it
be?
Webb: Ill give you one wordEverything. All the benefits.
Balbuena: Same as James everything.
Feltrin: Service to my country.
Diaz: The biggest one is fighting for my
country. That one got me a lot because it
makes me thinkIm not saying I would
be one, but I did always want to be a hero
when I was younger.
Barrientos: The benefits.
Lozada: To experience life to the fullest;
I didnt want to just go to college, get a
job, stay around here, then be home all the
time, like a lot of other people. I want to
see the world.
The paths of these six seniors will differ
starkly than those of most of their fellow
classmates. Their determination, bravery,
and commitment are to be distinguished
and admired as we part our ways.
JUNE 2013, THE HIGHLAND FLING

10

FEATURE
Words from the Class of 2013
Xuewei Ouyang and Amy Wang

With one foot already out the door, seniors everywhere have put down their pencils, closed their
textbooks and succumbed to senioritis. In a few days,
the Class of 2013 will have officially left the halls
of Highland Park High School. Before theyre gone,
however, The Fling asked them for their last piece
of advice to underclassmen as a reflection of the last
four years spent in high school.
Sarah Rozaidi
Manage your time. Dont procrastinate, but also
have fun while youre at it. Get involved in more
activities and clubs, and enjoy high school while it
lasts!
Sushma Gangisetty
Dont be afraid to try something new even if its a
little out of your comfort zone. High school will be
over before you know it so make the best of it and
just have fun!
Alex Vanarthos
Dont take yourself too seriously.
Rachel Kim
Dont be lazy!
Davanna McCarthy
If you have the opportunity to skip class, do it!
Elvin Rivera
Do not slack off because it will bite you in the butt.
Also, save up your money for senior year!
Jessica Reyes
Good luck with the new benchmarks!
Jacob Ervin

DOTFILMPHOTO

Listen to your teachers.

Jenna Johnson
Dont procrastinate!
Thulani Hove
Enjoy it while it lasts.
Adrian Gillerman
While you shouldnt force yourself into classes
you dont want to be in and wont learn, always take
classes whose subjects are enjoyable, regardless of
the work load.

Middle School: the Good, the Bad, and the Awkward

Believe it or not, every single student and teacher in
this school was at one time a middle schooler, and chances are, they all had pretty embarrassing moments, as every middle schooler must. Previously, the memories from
these ages would gradually fade, never to be pondered
upon or made fun of again. However, we now have social
media sites that make it extremely easy to dig up our old
selves: the good, the bad, and the awkward. After carefully searching through many chats and old Buzz posts, the
following have been deemed the most awkward, random,
and just plain weird.
Although these chats were the most bizarre and random,
almost all follow a similar pattern. Most start with the
standard, whats up? nm. wassup with u? nm. Then
they moved into to a random topic, filled with many fun
emotes, plenty of buttered grammar and spelling, and
THE HIGHLAND FLING, JUNE 2013

Shana Oshinskie

Names have been removed to protect the identities of the speakers.

lotttttttttssssssss offffffff exxxxxxxtra lettttttttttters. Mild

curse words were sprinkled affectionately throughout,
and it all ended with a quick g2g bby <3 .

After finding these posts, those who donated gave

comments; without exception, everyone groaned and said
something similar to, Did I actually say that? Luckily
though, it didnt seem to bother most students. William
Chen, Rasheka Krishan, and Sandra, all freshmen, say
that they can now laugh it off; Danielle Benesch, a fellow
9th grader, however, agreed but pointed out Its hard not
to feel at least a little ashamed.
Oh, middle school. Although it embarrasses some,
maybe the years have been looked at the wrong way.
Sure, everyone was awkward and said some regrettable
things. However, it truly is something that everyone goes
through, and you wouldnt be who you are today without
those important formative years. So, brush off the embarrassment and embrace your awkward, annoying, strange
middle school self.

11

FEATURE
Letter from the Editors
The Highland Fling is one of the most simultaneously rewarding and unrewarding pursuits an HPHS
student can take during high school. The hours spent
writing articles, editing others, and laying out the paper have taken up countless nights and weekends. The
wee hours of the morning, spent desperately trying to
finish that last page; the challenges of managing a staff
of 40 students, of establishing a healthy relationship
with the administration, and trying to advance student
journalism in the digital age have plagued our high
school careers. But the final product always makes that
toil worth it.
Last year, after finding out that we were going to lead
The Fling, we delved deep into the stacks of the Media
Center and found that our beloved paper dates back to
the 1920s. The origins of its name are still unknown.
We tried to find out several times, but the closest
explanation seems to be that the paper was named after
a Scottish folk dance (we hypothesized that this was
an inside joke at the beginning of the 20th century).
Although the name remained a mystery, seeing The
Fling in its crumbling glory made us more determined
than ever to produce a paper that would remain relevant for the school. That meant that we concentrated
on a couple different aspects of the paper. We worked
to incorporate the entire, diverse student body into our
content; The Fling would no longer be a place where
writers would talk to one another about school issues
and pop culture. We cleaned up the layout of the paper,
stressing continuity and simplicity, and we launched
The Flings website.
To diversify student opinion represented in the paper,
we enforced the rule that a member of The Fling could
not be interviewed if he/she could be avoided with
more gusto than before. To simplify the layout of the
paper, we revamped the format over the summer and
incorporated the critique gained from our trip to the
Columbia Student Press Associations annual spring
conference. Layout was made much easier this year
because we were lucky enough to receive two computers, complete with the Adobe Design Suite, from the
HP Educational Foundation. The third endeavor the
website was, by far, the most difficult. Two years ago,
The Fling began its web career, but the cost of the upkeep of the site and the complications surrounding its
maintenance rendered this first site unusable. This year,
The Fling experimented with various forms of social
media, including Facebook, Twitter, Google Sites, and
finally, our current home, Wordpress. Along the way,
we learned about the legal complications surrounding
journalism via social media sites. So we had to end
most of our work on Facebook and Twitter and instead
focused on our administration-approved website.
Wordpress poses its own problems, but the domain is
free and the layout is simple and clean. We began the
process of transitioning time-sensitive articles to the

website, while reserving larger feature stories to our paper editions. The website process was probably one of
the most frustrating, since we were in its pioneer stage,
in part because New Jersey has stricter privacy laws

than any other state, but one. However, we learned how

to be creative, relished our capacity to incorporate video and color, and anticipated the days when The Fling
would be online completely. Journalism is moving in
an electronic direction, and this is especially true for
teenagers, so The Fling must adjust to meet the needs
of students.
There is still so much to be accomplished. The Fling
will never be a perfect publication. Due to the size of
HPHS, and the scheduling conflicts which arise from
its small size, there has not been, for more than five
years, a class which teaches the basic tenets of journalism. Therefore, editors of The Fling must cope with a
wide range of writing styles. In an ideal world for us,
this class would run every year, and the production of
the paper would be tied to this class. Also, since the
paper is an extracurricular club, not a class, commitment has always been, and always will be a challenge.
To try and boost loyalty to the paper, we started picking
Articles of the Month, publishing our chosen article on
our bulletin board and awarding a prize to the winning
writer. However, writers of The Fling should understand that the paper can only be meaningfully produced
with 110% effort and commitment. We would also love

to see an improved relationship between the HPHS

administration and faculty and The Fling. Each teacher
at our school is an expert on something, whether their
area of expertise is basketball or linear algebra, and
thus, for almost every article, a member of staff should
be consulted. Also, the paper and the administration
should continuously support one another; not always
in content, but by the promotion of student journalism.
Finally, and this wish comes with a twinge of guilt,
because we neglected this aspect of the paper this year,
but The Fling must become more self-sufficient by
incorporating advertisements from local businesses.
The Fling still has a long way to go, but we have
made progress this year, and in the past few years.
This improvement could not have happened without
the ceaseless help and advice of some very important
people. So there are a lot of thank-yous to dish out.
First, thanks so much to Mr. Roche, who took over this
year as our full-time advisor. He has been there to mediate between the reckless editing staff and the adults
who run this school, to comfort in times of frustration,
and to criticize actions that harmed the reputation of
the paper. Sometimes, a high schoolers mind fails to
comprehend the consequences of printing something;
Mr. Roche has always been there to ask, Are you sure
you want to do that? Thanks to the administration, for
taking the time to sit in meetings and be interviewed
by our staff. Thanks to Mande Younge, the quasi-Editor-in-Chief of The Fling from 2011-2012, who has always given advice and feedback on the paper. Thanks
to Sam Finegold, Editor-in-Chief from 2010-2011, for
helping to rework the layout. Thanks to our editors,
for their passion and time spent in planning meetings,
thanks to our staff, for all of their hard work and time
invested in this crazy production. And final, thanks
to our readers, because without you, The Fling would
have no purpose. Everyone should join The Fling,
because its an incredibly rewarding and humbling
experience. As a writer, you talk to people you never
would have spoken to about issues you never could
have imagined writing about; as a section editor, you
help your peers to improve and, in the process, improve
your own writing; as a chief editor, you learn management and design skills that are inaccessible elsewhere
in the high school, and you live with the pride of
operating a student-run production. The Fling is one of
the largest clubs in the school, but unlike other clubs,
it is unique in the amount of independence it has. It
teaches you how to write, how to empathize, and how
to appreciate our school and our community.
Sorry for leading you on, HPHS!
-Charlotte and Xuewei

Farewell, Ms. Maccarone

Best Wishes, Mr. Yarasheski

Oscar Lee
At the end of this school year, Ms. Maccarone,
be able to see them for lunch or dinner.Highland
administrative assistant, will be retiring. The
Park is very unique, in that it is such a small
Highland Fling sat down with her to reflect on
town.Everybody knows everybody else.
years past and years to come.
Sometimes that is good and sometimes that is bad.
It is good because most people are so kind and
How long have you been at this school? How
helpful, but it is bad because there are few secrets
does the school now compare to when you first
in Highland Park.
worked here?
I have been in the district since 1989. I started
What do you look forward to in retirement?
as a substitute paraprofessional/secretary all
Are you going on any trips in the immediate
overthe district.I progressed from being a
future?
paraprofessional in the main office at Irving,
After I retire, I will be getting my house here
to being a paraprofessional in the High School
in town ready to go on the market to be sold. I
Library, to being the AttendanceSecretary in the
want to go to an adult community down the shore
High School, to finally being in the High School
either in Brick or Lakewood. The cost of living
Main Office.When I worked in the library, I think is a little cheaper down there and I wont have to
the student body was a little smaller.As always,
worry about yard care and snow shoveling. My
you have students that are wonderful, and those
brother and sister-in-law live in Brick and my
that are not.The staff has always been very kind
mom is in a nursing home in Lakewood. It will
to me, and I will miss them very much. There are be nice to be closer to them. My daughter lives
some students that I will miss as well, but I will
and works in Manhattan so I can pick her up at
probably see them around town for as long as I
the train station in Edison, or Bay Head Junction,
am here.
so my moving will have no effect on her. I just
want to say I wish every one good health and
What will you miss the most about this school? happiness in the future.
What do you find unique about Highland
Ms. Maccarone, The Highland Fling would
Park?
like to wish you good health and happiness in the
As I said before, I will miss my friends very
future as well. Thank you for your contributions
much, but I will be in town for a while and I will
to our school and community.

Elena Weissmann
Mr. Y: Yes, I enjoyed my time
At the end of the year, Mr.
Yarasheski, the current head of the here. Its a neat school.
Guidance Department, is leaving
What was your favorite moment
HPHS. He brightened the halls of
the high school with his smile and as a guidance counselor?
the help and advice he gave to stuMr. Y: In a general sense, my
dents about their classes, exams,
favorite moments were all the
and lives. He will be missed!
times that we recognized students
for the unique or good things that
So, Ive heard youre leaving
they did, such as at the studentHPHS this year for a job elseof-the-month breakfasts, senior
where. What is your new job
award night, and student-of-thegoing to be, and where?
year banquets.
Mr. Y: I will be a guidance
Are you excited for your new
counselor at Hillsborough High
job?
School.
Why did you decide to take that
job, if thats okay for me to ask?

Mr. Y: Excited but nervous

Mr. Y: Im leaving because

theres an opportunity associated with that job that I wanted to
access.
Did you enjoy your time here at
HPHS?
JUNE 2013, THE HIGHLAND FLING

12

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Earl Sweatshirts Doris:
Why You Should Be Excited

Playlist:
Summers Here!

Earls work.
Earl Sweatshirt and Odd Futures music offers
Thebe Neruda Kgositsile, better known by his more than meets the eye. Feminist and LGBT
stage name Earl Sweatshirt, is possibly the most groups have objected to its often misogynistic
talented member of Odd Future, a popular rap
and homophobic language and subject matter,
collective based in Los Angeles (whose membut this isnt exactly a fair way to categorize the
bership includes Tyler the Creator and Frank
band. When analyzing rap, most mainstream
Ocean). After the release of Sweatshirts first
music critics simply look past the technique and
album, EARL, he was sent to a reform school
wordplay that make certain rappers legendary,
in Samoa by his mother. Finally released from
and look only at subject matter which is not
Samoa on his 18th birthday in early 2012, he was the only reason people listen to music. This
thrust upon a hip-hop and indie music communi- outlook on rap is a limited view of a complex
ty eager for new material. While Earl has been
genre, and one that imposes a standard that other
in the public eye for far less time than his band
genres, such as rock, arent subjected to.
mates, he shows incredible potential as a muEarls other two recent songs, Chum and
sical force. With the release of songs Home,
Whoa, display distinct moods. Chum is a
Chum, and Whoa, and much anticipation
watershed moment for Earl, portraying Earls
for his upcoming album Doris, Earl Sweatshirt
thoughts about his recent fame and absent father
promises to exceed expectations.
with frankness and honesty. Whoa, on the
What makes Earl Sweatshirt the best rapper
other hand, is a return to form for Earl, with a
in Odd Future is simple: he has the best rhymes
beat reminiscent of Odd Futures 2010 output. It
and wordplay of the group, and his output is
also includes his previously displayed free-form
consistently excellent. For instance, in the song
lyrical structure and his characteristic wordplay.
Home, released shortly after Earls return from Earl Sweatshirt has released three excellent
Samoa, Earl drops this line: Popping like the
singles, and collaborations have been announced
top of a bottle of hot Javascript (Pop is a
with the most creative minds in modern music,
Javascript function that removes the object at the including BADBADNOTGOOD, Pharrell Wiltop of a stack and returns the value). This line is
liams, and Flying Lotus; the upcoming album
an extremely impressive way of saying that Earl Doris is one of the most highly-anticipated
is the best rapper around. By relating Javascript
musical projects of 2013, and may prove to be
to a bottle, this line also references the popular
one of the best.
nickname for coffee, java. This sort of intricate,
referential wordplay is displayed in much of

Zoe Temple

Gabe Trevor

Designed for blasting at full volume out of

car speakers with the windows down, this upbeat
playlist will surely match your joyful summer
vibes. Get prepared to celebrate!

Gold on the Ceiling

the Black Keys
Awooga
Calvin Harris
Call It What You Want
Foster the People
I Love It
Icona Pop (featuring Charli
XCX)
Warrior
Kimbra
Nishio
Lemaitre
Internet Killed the Video Star
the Limousines
The Sun
Maroon 5
All of This
the Naked and Famous
1983
Neon Trees

THE HIGHLAND FLING, JUNE 2013

13

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

What Are You Listening To, HPHS?
Chris Zhou

Thomas Li

Caleb Aspy

Freshman
Music of choice: Electronic music
Why: It pumps me up for exercise and studying.

Sophomore
Music of choice: Country music, Christian rap
Why: For country, its the kind of music I grew up
in. Christian rap I just like to listen to because some
friends recommended it over the summer.

Christiana Fabito

Balint Balassa

Sophomore
Music of choice: Pop music
Why: I dont know I just like pop.

Junior
Music of choice: Classical, ranging from 16th century
to modern composition.
Why: Mozart is my inspiration in life.

John Marin

Harry Landis

Senior
Music of choice: Rock, indie, alternative, some rap.
Specifics include Blink 182 and Eminem.
Why: Well, I listen to rap as well as some rock for
motivation. Others are because of the meaning of the
songs. Lyrics are the most important. Also, I enjoy
Eminem before games or competitions.
THE HIGHLAND FLING, JUNE 2013

Junior
Music of choice: Rock, songs on the radio
until they get repetitive
Why: I play in a band and so I draw inspiration from the rock music I listen to.

Inspire

HPHS Orchestra Concert Review

Xuewei Ouyang

Inspire. Thats what the Highland Park High

School and Middle School Orchestra aimed to do
during their spring 2013 concert that took place on
Wednesday evening, April 24th. With Inspire as
the theme of the concert, in addition to inspiring
with their music, before each piece, members of
the orchestra read a related quote to inspire the
audience. The middle school ensembles, Vivace
and Sinfonia, began the concert with four pieces,
Afterburn by Brian Balmages, In the Final
Analysis by George Sweet, Coiled! by Bob Lipton, and Cancion del Amor by Tim McCarrick.
The high school ensemble, Philharmonic, then
followed with two pieces. The high school soloists
of the night were senior Boning Zhao, senior Jacob
Choi, senior John Gaertner, junior Grace Chong,
freshman Renee Delameter, and freshman Peeranat
Suksucheep.
The first piece, Introduction and Allegro
by DeBoismortier, arranged by R. McCashin,
was conducted by orchestra director, Ms. Fengs
student teacher, Christine Wang. The piece was
characterized by dramatic phrases and contrast
in tempo. The second piece, Possibilities, as its
name suggests, was one of the most inspiring of the
evening. Senior Hannah Stern recited the quote that
the piece was based off of:
Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable
spark. In the hopeless swamps of the not quite,
the not yet, and the not at all, do not let the hero
in your soul perish and leave only frustration for
the life you deserved, but never have been able to
reach. The world you desire can be won, it exists,
it is real, it is possible, it is yours. Reflected in the
lovely piano part and moving melody, the pieces
message was aimed to encourage all students to
follow their dreams despite whatever obstacles
they face.
Next, the middle school Sinfonia and high
school Philharmonic played, Heart of Fire by
Lauren Bernofsky, a piece that helped them win
first place superior gold at a recent competition.
For the finale, the full Highland Park Orchestra,
which includes several members of the high school
band, played Ride by Jeffery S. Bishop.
Although the orchestra once again demonstrated
their skills and expertise during the course of the
evening, this concert, in particular, stood out with
its unifying theme, Inspire, a choice that will
hopefully be continued in the future.
Despite being one of the many underappreciated
organizations and clubs of HPHS, the orchestra
continues to shine, not only putting on an excellent
concert, but also winning first place superior gold
at a major competition, the World Strides Heritage
Competition, at Riverside Church in New York.
School from all over the country, and even from
Canada, participated in this major competition.
Highland Park competed in the 1A level, which
was designated for schools with a student body size
of less than 600.
In her eighth year as orchestra director, Ms. Feng
expressed her delight at their success this year and
also shared some of their goals for next year, We
have a lot of talented incoming middle school students. Because were going to be so much stronger
next year, I want to try to expose our ensemble
outside of New Jersey, if possible, or around New
Jersey through more festivals and performances.
Next week, the orchestra plans on submitting a CD
to Carnegie Hall in hopes of landing a stage at the
esteemed concert hall next year.
Overall, the HPHS orchestra has had a highly
successful year and shows no plans of declining.
On the contrary, the ensemble has its sights on
better performances and bigger stages for the next
school year. With more talented members on the
way, the orchestra will definitely continue to excel
and, more importantly, to inspire.

This article, along with many more, can

be found at The Flings website:
thehighlandfling.wordpress.com

14

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Summer Fashion at HPHS
Hannah Weaver
Springtime is a haven for those who prefer Prada to
pajamas, during which warm sweatpants and winter
shivers get traded in for tank tops and bright self-expression. Spring fashion is both a favorite and a burden at Highland Park High School; students excitedly
anticipate the first time the thermometer surpasses 60,
while faculty groan at the number of girls in shortshorts theyre forced to scold or send home. But despite
the occasional courageous rule-breakers, many of the
students at HPHS see spring as a time to embrace their
(school-appropriate) styles and show off their favorite
trends.
The universal favorite spring trend might seem

obvious: shorts and a t-shirt! However, the spring trends

of 2013 take this basic look and spin it 1,000 different
ways. The main styles this year focus on comfort
casual clothing is a huge hit this spring. Additionally,
decades of fashion have reappeared on the runways: in
the tea-length skirts of the 50s, the flowing maxi-dresses and flower child look of the 60s, the high-waisted
shorts and circle skirts of the 70s, the neon athletic gear
of the 80s, and the grunge look of the 90s. Spring
2013 combines elements of past decades in an unusual
fusion in which comfort meets chic.
Several years ago, anybody would tell you how you
shouldnt mix patterns, how you shouldnt wear den-

STUDENT ARTWORK
Tia Wangli

Above: junior Emily Merino shows off a denim shirt, floral

blouse, and skinny jeans.

im-on-denim, how you shouldnt show too much skin

at formal events. Spring 2013 fashion pushes these
boundaries; denim-on-denim is in, no matter the wash
or make of the clothes! Mix and match patterns, and
nobody will judge your florals against your stripes and
tribal patterns (three very popular trends this season).
Comfort is key in the warmer seasons, and both runways and cheap retailers are alive with vibrant color
and casual ease.
Despite the lack of time (and energy) in the morning
required to assemble a cute outfit, the girls at HPHS
are quite up-to-date on the styles this spring. Samantha
Lanni, a junior, noted her love for high-waisted skirts
paired with crop-tops or bralettes. Xuewei Ouyang, a
senior, pointed out the prominence of cut-outs in spring
dresses, while Nechama Hanoch (junior) and Amy
Wang (senior) both declared their love for maxi-skirts.
Sylvia Marks (senior) brought the boyfriend trend to
my attention: baggy boyfriend cardigans and cropped
boyfriend jeans, along with boyish beanies and
scarves, inhabit many girls closets this season. Dimitra
Xenopoulou and Ashley Lozada (both seniors) displayed their matching outfits with pride; the girls bright
red shorts and blue-and-white striped shirts nicely completed a patriotic look another huge trend this season.
Comfort is absolutely key this spring, and that comfort comes in endless possibilities; whether you crave
the couture found on the runways or prefer to wear your
nicest sweats to school, spring 2013 has a trend for you!
Below: seniors Dimitra Xenopoulou (left) and Ashley Lozada
(right) model striped shirts and brightly-colored shorts.

Amita Shukla

JUNE 2013, THE HIGHLAND FLING

15

SPORTS
Credits Where Credit Is Due
Annie McCrone

Above:senior Varsity athletes play bocce during their gym class. Clockwise from front left:
Elizabeth Diaz, Rachel Miller, Sylvia Marks, Kate Yan, and Angelica Villanueva.

HPHS students have often complained

about the four years they must spend in
gym, and the most frequent criticisms
come from our varsity athletes. Should
students who are on our school sports
teams be exempt from gym class while
still receiving the credits for it that they
need to graduate? Numerous students,
coaches, and teachers support this idea.
Mr. Ruckdeschel, the girls soccer coach, is
in favor of it: I think that theyre getting a
harder workout in varsity sports than they
are in gym and I think that gym is at risk of
injuring them. Surprisingly, Mr. Nobles, a
gym teacher, sees the benefits of it as well:
Its not like youre not getting that activity
on a daily basis. This is the argument that
most people make: since students playing
varsity sports are already exercising, they
can do something else instead of gym.
One varsity student said they could take an
AP class or elective that would help them
get their requirements done. Interestingly,
Nobles argues that students should only
be exempt for that seasons that they play.
For the rest of the year, youd be in P.E.
In that case, students would only have the
opportunity to fill up their time with an
elective.

On the other side of the argument, there

are other teachers. Unexpectedly, there
are varsity students who are against the
idea of varsity sports credits as well.
Ms. Washington, softball coach and gym
teacher, doesnt like the idea. I think the
varsity athletes should be our best students
in phys-ed, and theyre the ones setting
an athletic example. She has a good
point, which is that other kids might not
be motivated to participate in gym if they
didnt have a good example. The varsity
kids can encourage the other kids. One
varsity student commented, Everyone
should still do gym. It teaches you to be
an all-around athletic person. This is also
true, and is one of the reasons why gym is
required all four years.
Despite valid arguments for establishing
varsity sports credits, HPHS is not likely
to instate such a policy. However its
an interesting topic to discuss because
theres such a controversy. In addition, as
a small school, it would not necessarily
be guaranteed that students would be able
to take AP classes instead of gym. Its a
concern that gym could potentially injure
varsity kids, but theres a reason why its
required.

Students Love-Hate Relationship with Gym

Sarah Cheng

Students' Favorite Subjects

Arts & Music

13%

Social Studies
15%

Sciences
10%
Mathematics
18%

Technology&Finance
11%

Foreign
Languages
8%

When asked to name the easiest and

most enjoyable class in HP High School,
17% of the students surveyed answered,
Gym. It is not difficult to see where
these students are coming from. Gym is
an active class where we can socialize
with friends in a lively environment, as
opposed to sitting at a desk while jotting down the notes to another lecture. It
serves as a mental break between exhausting classes, designed to let students take a
little time off from schoolwork to stretch
and stay in shape. Surprisingly, not many
students appreciate this opportunity. In
fact, there is a myth circulating that gym
is the most despised class in the school
due to the requirement to change and actually participate in physical activities. The
Fling decided to investigate this topic by
interviewing fellow students on what they

THE HIGHLAND FLING, JUNE 2013

Language Arts
8%
Gym&Health
17%

felt about this subject.

Indeed, when questioned, some students
did strongly assert their opinion of how
much they dislike gym. According to
Lena Copperman, gym should be spaced
out more evenly. Once in a while she
gets overworked with pushups, sit-ups,
and other fitness exercises that make her
really sore the next day, yet there are
weeks where the only thing she does is
box-ball. In contrast, Jana Choi would
like gym to focus more on fitness instead
of short sports units, since in the end gym
is about physical exercise. In addition,
Jacob Rothberg feels that sometimes the
gym teachers choose the wrong days to go
outside, and stay inside when its actually
nice out.
Based on the information provided, it
seems that the disliked aspects of gym are

purely based upon personal preference

what pleases one student is exactly what
another student wants to avoid, like the
case with Lena and Jana. One would rather not have such intense fitness, whereas
the other would like to focus more on it.
With such a diverse student body, there is
no way for gym as a single class to satisfy
the criteria of every student.
On the other end of the spectrum, some
students gave overwhelming positive
reviews on the class. Pavan Thella, a
freshman, is amazed that nobody is hurt in
his class yet! Although it is pretty chaotic,
he says that it is also exciting, entertaining, and one of his favorite classes. Emily
Merino, a junior, says that she loves gym
because of Mr. Sclafani, who is sweet
and always makes gym fun. Similarly, Sam Lee, a sophomore, loves gym

because, Mr. Nobles is chill and has a

perfectly-shaped head.
Other students, however, decided to stay
neutral on the subject. David Isaacson, a
sophomore, says that while he likes the
overall class, he prefers some portions of
it over others. For example, he believes
going outside is a lot more productive than
focusing on specific units such as baseball
or fitness, because students have more fun
and accomplish more. David also said that
it is normal for some students to dislike
gym, just like any other class.
All in all, The Fling concluded that the
myth that gym is the most hated subject as
exactly what it is a myth. Just like any
other subject, some students love it, some
hate it, others neither love nor hate it, and
life goes on.

16

SPORTS
PLAYER PROFILE

FUN & GAMES

Jacob Choi

Difficulty: Hard

Name: Joe Ambrosio

Grade: 11
Sport: Track & Field

Joe Ambrosio is a track runner who runs 800m, a

mile, and the 4X400 relay. He did not have as much
interest in track as he did last year, but he now is a
great captain of the team and always tries his best to
encourage the rest of the team, as well as himself.
Ambrosio aimed to get a personal best in his mile.
What are your proudest moments from the season?
My proudest moment from this season is beating
Dunellen because theyve always been really good
and the fact that we beat them speaks to all the hard
work weve put in this year. Also, we have a really
good shot at winning the Gold Division championships, which would be awesome.
How have you improved? Could you include
some times?
I havent really been satisfied all-around with how
Ive been running. I ran a personal record in the mile
against Dunellen and have been splitting times. Im
really happy with the 4x400, but I havent been running the times Ive been wanting to in the 800 which
is my best event. Im hoping to break through the
wall and run a personal record in the 800 at either
GMCs, sectionals, or both.
What does running mean to you?
A lot of times at the end of a grueling workout I will
think to myself Why do I do this? but running fast
always makes it worth it. I really like the competition and that for the most part its an individual sport
so at the end of the day theres not really anywhere
else to look other than yourself if you dont run well.
So, I really like the competition and the challenge of
dropping my times, which always makes the really
hard workouts worth it.
How do you overcome tiredness in a race that
moment when you dont feel like you can continue?
In practice it helps to have someone with you to
push you through a workout, but if you are by

yourself it helps me to think about the times I want

to run. When I want to stop, I will think about losing
a close race to someone from another school, or
about the specific time that I want to run in an event.
During races I dont usually feel tired until after it
is over, but it really helps me to hear splits when
Im running a race because it gives me something
to think about instead of how much pain Im in. If
I hear a split when Im running the mile, instead of
thinking this sucks I start doing the math and calculations in my head to see what pace I am running
at and this really helps to take my mind off of things.
It also helps a lot when there are people running near
you because in a close race your competitive nature
kicks in and you want to do everything you can to
beat the guy next to you.
What are the goals for your senior year?Next year
I want to drop all my times from this year (I wont
have specific times in mind until after this season)
and Id like for the team to win the Gold Division.
Id also like to qualify for states in at least the 800
and the mile, and I would like for as many Owls
runners as possible to move on to states too.
Who is your role model regarding track? Why
and how does he/she help you?
I dont really have a specific role model but having
coaches and people around you really helps. Coach
Davis and all the other coaches really believe in me
and help push me which is great and helps me be the
best runner I can be.
Ambrosio finished up his junior year track season
slightly dissatisfied, but having made massive
progress. He finished first in the HP 5 K, running
an 18:42. His best 400 meter-run was a 52.7 (down
from a 54.5), his best 800 a 2:04 (down from a
2:08), and his best 1600 (mile) a 4:52. His season record was very impressive, but Joe was disappointed
with missing his spot to place in the State championships and for not lowering his 800 time to where
he wanted it to be. But he has continued to make a
name for the HP track program.

The Fling Congratulates

the Class of 2013!

Above: Ambrosio (second from right) prepares for his 800-meter race in HPs last home meet; below, Ambrosio comes in
on the home stretch of his mile.

But if youre not graduating

on June 24th, be sure to join
The Fling in September!

JUNE 2013, THE HIGHLAND FLING