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Winter 2024
East Meadow
High School
"If I Could Turn Back Time"
Leila Fernando,
Layout & Co-Clubs Editor
The year was 1979.
Imagine this: Pink Floyd
released The Wall, McDonald's
introduced the Happy Meal, and
a young Coach Vincent Mascia
is walking the halls of East
Meadow High School as a
senior. He could smell the fresh
baked chocolate chip cookies
lingering in the air from the
Home and Careers class, hear
the clicking and clacking of the
typewriters coming from the
classrooms, and see the
simulated desk cars from the
Driver’s Education class.
Jump to three years later, to
1982: Michael Jackson’s album
Thriller is released, Time
magazine's Person of the Year is
the "Computer," and E.T. hit the
movie theaters. Mr. William
O'Connor is about to graduate
from East Meadow High School.
During O'Connor's time as a
student, he enjoyed participating
in many athletic activities. In
fact, one of O’Connor's favorite
traditions was the, "EM vs
Clarke Thanksgiving Day
Football Game," one of the
many traditions that East
Meadow no longer has.
Did you know that when
O’Connor was a student at
EMHS there were only three
grade levels (sophomore, junior
and senior year)? One person
who was a junior when
O'Connor was a senior was Mr.
Steve Engle!
Fellow athlete and current
principal, Mr. Rich Howard, also
spent many of his years in the
late 1980s playing for the
E.M.H.S. Baseball team.
Now, jump to the next
decade, the infamous 1990s: the
first time the Simpsons aired,
Jurassic Park made its mark as
an iconic movie, and Britney
Lebowitz! According to the
counselors, a big change in
student life is the focus on
mental health. Lebowitz
highlighted the increase of
support systems that enrich
and support the student body.
All of the counselors noted
that Battle of the Classes was
their favorite tradition as
EMHS students.
For
teachers
such as
Ms. Jaclyn
Simberlund
and Mrs.
Becky
Mattia, the
biggest
change in
student life is cell phone use.
In just about twenty years,
technology has completely
changed the way students
learn, giving them the ability
to research and communicate
quicker than ever. From
textbooks to Schoology, digital
resources have not only
changed the way students
learn, but have created a new
dynamic of teaching.
Although much has
changed within our school
throughout the decades from
students legally smoking right
outside the bus alcove doors,
to cell phones having the
answers for almost everything,
East Meadow High School has
continued to be "home" for
many people.
Amanda Priole and guidance
counselor Ms. Michelle Merolla
graduated from EMHS. When
asked what is the biggest change
in student life from then versus
now, Priole expressed the
diversity within EMHS.
“When I was here in the 90's,
the district was mostly white and
only two to three kids in my
year were openly LGBTQ+.
And no one would EVER admit
to being neurodivergent at all.
It's really great now to see so
many people who are so
different from me, and to learn
about other cultures and
experiences…”
Priole says how great it is to
see students being comfortable
in expressing themselves and
Spears released her hit single
“...Baby One More Time.” The
1990s was not only known as a
hit decade for pop culture, but
was popular for EMHS future
teachers, such as Mrs. Melissa
Troiano.
Troiano was amongst the 90s
EMHS students. Graduating in
1993, Troiano loved the Battle
of the Classes, it was her
favorite activity as a student.
Now as a teacher, her favorite
activity is Spirit Week.
Something EMHS used to have
in the 90s was a junior prom,
which is an experience Mrs.
Troiano says that she would
bring back.
SPORTS
PAGE 8
EAST
MEADOW
NEWS
PAGE 3
AN EAST
MEADOW
LOVE STORY
PAGE 6
Mrs. Jennifer Chaplin, one of
EMHS' current well-known and
loved math teachers, made her
mark as a Jets cheerleader during
the 1990s. Along with cheer,
Chaplin liked to participate in
Battle of the Classes and
decorating for Homecoming. Now
as a teacher, Chaplin shares, “I
really enjoy spirit week and when
my seniors decorate my room with
their college posters.” Chaplin
embodies the continuation of
EMHS spirit throughout the
decades.
In 1998, English teacher Ms.
not having to hide who they are,
showing how EMHS continues to
be a community that allows love
and uniqueness to grow.
And then the 21st century hit…
Beyoncé becomes solo, the
Kardashians rise to fame, The
Avengers assembled for the first
time ever. Believe it or not, many
of the Gen Z faculty members here
graduated from EMHS in the
2000’s, including two additional
guidance counselors, Mrs. Carly
Salzman, and Mrs. Nicole
Board of Education
Matthew Melnick, President
Eileen Napolitano, Vice President
David Carl, Dr. Jodi Luce, Jessica Ricco-Simeone,
Melissa Tell, Nancy Widman
Administration
Kenneth Rosner, Superintendent of Schools
Anthony Russo, Assistant Superintendent for
Personnel and Administration
Dr. Patrick Pizzo, Assistant Superintendent for
Business and Finance
David Spinnato, Assistant Superintendent for
Curriculum and Instruction
Jennifer Frisenda, Assistant Business Administrator
East Meadow High School
Richard Howard, Principal
William Brennan, Assistant Principal
Christina Egan, Assistant Principal
Drew Genoino, Assistant Principal
Dr. Gustavo Loor, Assistant Principal
Editorials
The #kidscantread stream
on TikTok has hundreds of
videos from elementary and
middle school teachers
nationwide expressing concern
for their students who are
reading below their grade level.
Sadly, it’s true; according to the
Department of Education,
two-thirds of American children
cannot read proficiently.
In 2022, the National Center
for Education Statistics (NCES)
conducted a special
administration of reading and
mathematics assessments for
fourth grade students to examine
how these levels were affected
by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The average reading scores for
these nine year olds declined by
five points compared to 2020,
which was the largest drop in
reading scores since 1990.
The easiest assumption for
this literacy regression for
students nationwide stems from
the pandemic and virtual
learning. However, the main
concern is rooted in the
emphasis of the curriculum of
“balanced literacy” which has
placed a lack of phonics in the
classrooms nationwide.
To improve the reading rate
of lower performing students,
schools introduced “Balanced
Literacy,” a method used to
develop a love for reading for
students in the classroom.
Influential authors in education,
Irene Fountas and Gay Su
Pinnell, describe it as a
combination of whole-group and
small-group instruction,
independent learning, and a
mixture of phonics and
memorizing sight words.
This method allows teachers
to personalize lessons, but
critics argue the lack of structure
in this curriculum creates less
time for students to practice the
actual decoding of words in
phonics, which allows students
to comprehend complex
language and syntax, rather than
Mahira Ahmed, Editor in Chief
Wait, Kids
Can't Read?
.
read first. It’s crucial to identify
what’s happening inside the
classroom. I’ll be taking
Webster’s side of this reading
war. Memorization of words can
only take a child so far, but it is
the process of decoding letters
that is fundamental for children
to read properly.
2
Jet Gazette
2023-24 Sta
Contributors:
Melissa Baykan, Marcus Chiu , Hunter Cucchiara, Noor Hasfa, Amber Jeffery,
Victoria LaBarge, Alissa Mili, Isabella Morone, Rihanna Rendon, Sabrina
Rosenberg, Maddy Reger, Robert Volpe
Photo Credits:
Ms. S. Andreau, Owen Francis, Andrew Ignatiou, Mrs. V. LaPorta, Kaitlynn
Lindow, Shahaan Mirza
Mahira Ahmed, Editor-in-Chief
Maggie Li, Editor-in-Chief
Jakub Brachowski, Editorials Editor
Humza Malik, News Editor
Jasmine Mathew, A&E Editor
Leya Skaria, Illustrations Editor
Sevi Ozgur, Business Manager
Abigail Karavally,
Photography & Co-Clubs Editor
Leila Fernando,
Layout & Co-Clubs Editor
Caroline Smith, Features Editor
Aleigha Juliano, Sports Editor
relying on memorization alone.
This fight between advocates
for phonics instruction vs.
balanced literacy, known as the
“Reading Wars,” dates back to
the 1800s. As stated in a
Washington Post article
published in May 2023, Horace
Mann, the “father of public
education,” advocated that
children need to identify the
meaning of a word before they
are taught the sounds of each
letter, while Noah Webster,
famed lexicographer who taught
children how to spell and read
for generations, supported
phonics.
Amidst the debates, children
remain the victims. According to
a National Public Radio
discussion with commissioner of
the NCES, Peggy Carr, the
literacy rate of lower-performing
students who were already
struggling even before the
pandemic has dropped more
rapidly than their counterparts of
higher-performing students,
creating a worrisome gap.
This issue is causing schools
to adopt increased phonics. For
instance, an article on ABC
News in September 2023,
reported Louisiana is trying to
help thousands of
underperforming students by
focusing on phonics and other
"science of reading" education.
In New York City, it was
reported on CBS News in
January 2024 that prior to 2023,
more than half of city public
school students grades 3-8 either
could not read, which is equal to
225,000 students who had fallen
behind. To rectify this problem,
they are replacing “balanced
literacy" with a curriculum
based in phonics starting in the
elementary grades.
ABC News states that
supporters of balanced literacy
say their approach does teach
some phonics, arguing that
students who are repeatedly
drilled on decoding words are
doing a disservice because they
won't have a passion for books.
Nevertheless, in order to
develop a love of reading,
children should learn how to
click of a button, all of your
work can be done without
practicing any of the skills these
assignments were meant to
reinforce.
However, not all are please
with the lack of original thought.
College Board has released their
policy directly against the usage
of AI in the process of
submitting AP portfolios. At
EMHS, every student has heard
Mr. Frank Baglivo’s warning
about the pitfalls of AI
plagiarism.
But … AI isn’t all that bad.
Like other machines and
computers, AI is simply another
tool, albeit a more powerful
resource. Human advancement
is constantly evolving as we
develop new technologies and
scientific theories that alter our
daily lives. This field of study
has implications for the future of
education, enabling students and
faculty alike to brainstorm more
efficiently, connect with people
across barriers, and access the
world’s infinite knowledge that
no one could have imagined
before.
It’s the nagging voice in the
back of our minds that wonders
whether AI will eventually
replace humans in the workforce
and beyond. The AI we know
today not only can perform
clinical, and repetitive tasks more
efficiently, but (with reference to
the trends surrounding
AI-generated art and photoshop)
has already begun exploring more
“creative” outputs.
Times change, and much like
when other technologies were
invented to make our lives easier,
AI will undoubtedly “take away”
some human jobs. As those
positions dwindle, new
opportunities emerge to take their
place.
That said, with the fantastical
quality of AI art and blatantly
non-human writing style of
ChatGPT, it’s clear that AI has a
long way to go. Rather than
fearing its power, it would be
more beneficial to explore AI’s
potential in every field ranging
from healthcare to media and
beyond. It’s a new technological
age, and perhaps, we should
embrace it.
Since the dawn of the
Industrial Revolution, one concern
that brews in human society is will
machines eventually take over?
George Orwell predicted it in 1949
with 1984, The Terminator released
in 1984, showcased by the cyborg
Arnold Schwarzenegger,
endeavoring to prevent a robot
takeover.
Technology develops so
quickly and so powerfully that it
seems unnervingly possible:
factories expedite manufacturing
from manual labor, computers can
calculate complex mathematical
sequences faster than the blink of
an eye and now, this brand new,
state-of-the-art technology of AI
has unnerved the masses.
Will artificial intelligence (AI)
be the technology that ultimately
causes the downfall of human
power that we have feared for
generations? These machines are
the closest we’ve come to that truly
seems to have the capability to do
all that a human can and more.
For the past few years,
ChatGPT and its duplicates have
attracted attention in schools
globally as students take advantage
of its seemingly boundless
“intelligence” to write English
essays, fill in history outlines, or
complete their biology homework.
To students, these AI systems may
seem like a blessing, but educators
worry that they will easily become
opportunities for plagiarism and
the loss of original thought.
With a single prompt and the
Ushering in a
Computerized Era:
Is AI Our Opponent?
Maggie Li, Editor in Chief
EM and National News
3
Can You Escape
this Room?
Alissa Mili, Contributor
On December 8, 2023, the
students and teachers of the East
Meadow High School AP
Capstone program had an
eye-opening, engaging
experience at Epic Escape Room
in West Hempstead.
AP Research students were
paired with AP Seminar
assessment task groups to form
¨cadres¨ as they entered escape
rooms and solved complex,
thought-provoking puzzles. This
field trip served the purpose of
allowing the cadres to foster
connections with one another.
Within this academic
program, AP Research students
are expected to provide support
to Seminar students by
reviewing and offering advice
on research papers and
presentations. Seminar students
are expected to do likewise
while also learning about the AP
Research class to see if the AP
Capstone Diploma, a high
honor, is something they would
like to pursue.
AP Seminar student,
sophomore Victoria Ocampo,
shared her experience, ¨I had a
lot of fun because my cadre
leader helped my team win the
jeopardy game and I feel like we
all worked great together during
the actual escape room."
Students in Mrs. Vanessa
LaPorta´s Creative Writing class
recently traveled to Manhattan
on January 5, 2023 to visit
Morgan Library and Museum
for a tour of exhibits on the
history of communication and
the written language in Western
and Eastern civilizations.
Laporta expressed the trip’s
importance, ¨There was a
cultural significance to what we
were learning, and it also ties
into the curriculum we´re
learning which is about ancient
mythology, particularly Greek
and Roman mythology.¨
She also added, ¨We saw a
lot of representation of these
gods and goddesses and also
their antecedents, their historical
counterparts in Mesopotamia,
and we learned also about the
significance of these characters
as they´re seen today in the
modern world.¨
Senior Jack Dieso agreed
and explained he enjoyed the
trip because, ¨I like mythology
and got to see cool art.¨
East Meadow High students in
Mrs. Kara Zahradnik´s Foundation of
Education class traveled back in time
to Bowling Green Elementary
School, this time as teachers to
instruct first grade students in a
rewarding experience to prepare for a
potential future career in teaching.
According to Zahradnik, the
Foundations class allows, ¨Students
to explore the historical aspects of
teaching, interact with experts in the
field, and research and apply current
trends, while experiencing hands-on
opportunities at various levels.¨
Zahradnik expressed the
importance of the trip to the class
and explained, ¨We go to schools like
Bowling Green in this, and the
students teach lessons to younger
students,¨ and described the trip as a,
¨Great learning experience.¨
Senior Kayla Caissidy agreed.
¨You get to feel exactly how it is to
be a teacher before going into
college and wasting time studying it.
You get to choose if this is what you
want to do for the rest of your life.¨
Jolie Jasmine, a senior, also
added that at a recent graduation
ceremony for the young students,
¨Everyone was there clapping,
laughing and smiling, so you got to
see another side to the kids.¨
As the five sessions came to an
end, many of the younger students
even made drawings, gifts and cards
for the high school students.
Zahradnik explained, “because they
do five lessons to the same students,
these students get to develop a rapport
with those students and they
specifically look forward to them
coming.”
The entire class is also looking
forward to going to Woodland Middle
School as part of the Character
Education Program on team building
and digital responsibility, and hopes
to invite eighth grade students to East
Meadow High School to give them a
sense of what it's like in high school.
Morgan
Library
Back to
Elementary
School
Humza Malik, News Editor
When LeBron James sang in
the 2017 Sprite Cranberry Ad, “It's
the thirst, thirstiest time of year,”
senior Andrew Ignatiou heard this
sentiment and decided to serve East
Meadow High a Sprite Cranberry
on December 22, 2023 to kick off
the holiday break.
Ignatiou’s tradition launched in
eighth grade. “I saw the
commercial where LeBron James
hands out Sprite Cranberries to a
family and thought it would be fun
to do with my friends. I remember
downloading the commercial’s
music on YouTube and playing it
on my phone speaker for the 12
people I gave it out to,” he recalled.
Merry Spritemas!
helped him grow as a person.
Although Ignatiou’s tradition
graduates from EMHS this year,
his cranberry legacy lives on.
“I’m really going to miss being
able to share this special day
before break with my friends. I
am definitely going to take this
tradition with me to college!”
Ignatiou skipped this tradition
in his ninth grade year due to
COVID, however from 10th-12th
grade his holiday spirit spread
throughout East Meadow’s halls.
“Last year, Ms. Woisin allowed
me to set up coolers in her room,
and my two close friends were
handing the cans out with me,”
Ignatiou explained. “This year,
nine of my friends bought even
more cans and a cooler. We went
around during our off periods to
deliver them to our friends and
teachers.”
This year’s “Spritemas” was a
hit! “Trying spiced Sprite for the
first time was very interesting and
the whole thing made me happy for
the rest of the day,” claimed senior
Kiran Maharaj. “My favorite part
of Andrew’s ‘Spritemas’
experience was that it made me
look forward to winter break
knowing that there are always good
people who try their best to create a
fun experience that anyone can be
a part of,” commented senior
Mohuiddin Syed.
Mahira Ahmed, Editor in Chief
Photo Cred.: Andrew Ignatio and
Shahaan Mirza
Ignatiou added, “I loved
seeing the smiles on people’s
faces when I handed them a can
of sprite, but my favorite
reaction was seeing how excited
Mrs. Silberman was to receive
one!” In fact, for his Common
App essay, Ignatiou wrote a
reflection on how his tradition
Americana, and materials from the
twentieth century.”
The class is looking forward to
returning to the Morgan Library and
Museum in the Spring to tour the
exhibits on Beatrix Potter and her work
on the invention of children’s literature.
Photo cred.: Mrs. V. LaPorta
Humza Malik, News Editor
The Morgan Library and
Museum began as the personal
library of renowned Gilded Age
financier J.P Morgan, but now
acts as a public “museum and
independent research library
located in the heart of New York
City,” housing countless
historical and cultural artifacts
such as “music manuscripts,
early children's books,
Photo cred.: Ms. S. Andreau
Junior Nichole Manalil, an AP
Research student, added, ¨The AP
Capstone Escape Room field trip
proved to be a highly enlightening
and enjoyable experience. In my
role as a group leader, I had the
opportunity to connect with
Seminar students and enhance my
problem solving skills with
patience¨.
Teachers of both AP classes
observed how comfortable the
cadres became with each other as
they got to know one another
during Jeopardy and by playing
board games ending with delicious
pizza! AP Research teacher Dr.
Mary Waring commented, ¨I
believe this field trip supports the
building of a research community,
the experience itself reflects and
supplements a scientific process of
questioning for students."
The AP Capstone program
continues to build a strong and
supportive environment for all
researchers between AP Seminar
and AP Research!
Photo Cred.: Mrs. V. LaPorta
On Friday, November 17,
2023, East Meadow High School
hosted an informational assembly in
the Little Theater for the senior
social studies classes about the
Holocaust. Second generation
survivor Dr. Bernie Furshpan, a
board member for the Holocaust
Memorial Center, shared his
testimony with the seniors.
The assembly coincided with
for their religious beliefs.
Twelfth grade student Shahaan
Mirza commented, "I learned many
personal things about the Holocaust
that I would not have learned in
class."
Dr. Furshpan told the harrowing
story of how his father survived the
persecution with the help of local
villagers who protected him from
SS officers. He said, "It is important
to understand that good people can
cause bad actions if they follow a
bad philosophy."
“I would like to believe that the
Holocaust wouldn't happen again
because there are too many people
East Meadow faculty members
were honored on December 15,
2023, at the Breakfast of
Champions: Faculty Edition at East
Meadow High School.
Every year, East Meadow High
School hosts a Breakfast of
Champions ceremony for students,
where faculty and staff nominate
students who have made a positive
impact and have stood out from
their peers in March. This time
however, students nominated
teachers.
The Breakfast of Champions
celebrates teachers who have had an
East Meadow News
Becoming a Witness to the Holocaust
Jakub Brachowski, Editorials Editor
Robert Volpe, Contributor
4
Breakfast of Champions: Faculty Edition
Rihanna Rendon, Contributor
Sabrina Rosenberg, Contributor
science teacher, remarked, “I was
pleasantly surprised,” when asked
how he felt about his nomination.
Mrs. Fazio, another recipient, “Is
caring and supportive of all her
students and it is clear she loves each
and every single one of them with
her heart. She somehow manages to
teach and have fun at the same time.
She cares and wants us to be
successful and happy. She has
definitely been an inspiration not
only for my love of making music
with others, but for understanding
how to love myself,” commented
Arshia Syeda, sophomore.
“I was very surprised when I
received the formal letter at home
letting me know that I was
nominated for the Breakfast of
Champions Faculty Edition. I was
the recent rise in Nazi imagery
throughout Long Island during
October. On October 30 at East
Meadow High School, there was a
particular incident in which a student
drew a swastika inside of the school
building which prompted horrified
reactions.
"We are lucky because we can
speak against hate in our country,”
declared Dr. Furshpan. He delivered a
message of acceptance while
highlighting the historical hate which
killed so many innocent people just
that lived through it and that would
make sure that something like this
doesn't happen again,” said 12th grade
government teacher Ms. Denise Lutz.
Mr. Frank Baglivo, Social Studies
Department Chair, said, "The
Holocaust is part of the New York
State Social Studies Curriculum for
grade 10, so our department has a
plethora of lessons on the topic that
they teach each school year."
Dr. Furshpan can be found at the
Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance
Center of Nassau County where he
works as a speaker about not only the
Holocaust, but also modern day
genocides.
impact on their students. Students
selected a teacher who they feel made
a difference in their lives. If the
teacher was chosen for the Breakfast of
Champions, the student wrote a speech
about their nominee.
“I really love this event, and after
last year’s ceremony I thought,
wouldn’t it be great if we did the same
thing for teachers, where we could
have students who recognized teachers
who have had a positive impact on
them,” said Mrs. Christina Egan,
Assistant Principal.
Teachers’ families gathered in East
Meadow High School’s cafeteria to
watch the ceremony. They proudly
watched as their parent, child, or
spouse received this kind recognition.
Recipient, Dr. Joseph Emmet,
excited and was curious about who
nominated me and curious about what
to expect during the event,” stated
science teacher, Mrs. Christy Sullivan.
The Hunger Games: The
Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
begins with an eerie and
suspenseful background while
rolling the preliminary credits.
The dark ambience was
melancholic and felt morally
gray, especially when the camera
zoomed into the infamous
hanging tree.
Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray
Baird fit into the shoes just as
the ruby slippers fit Judy
Garland. Tom Blyth's portrayal
of Coriolanus Snow, was an
amazing addition to the cast
because of the way he was
East Meadow High School
Theater Guild presented
Adventure by J.D. Atkins from
December 7 to 9, 2023. This
dramatic comedy was a delight
to watch, directed by TG's
advisor, Ms. Amanda Priole.
The adventure takes place
around The Starship Adventure,
a vessel that is being forced into
decommission, and the only way
to stop it is to turn it into a
commercial vehicle. While
guests are forced to attend
Captain Key’s retirement party, a
mysterious computer error sets
their collision course directly
into a gravity well.
Key, played by Samantha
Muggeo, commented, “I was
aiming for one of the Senior
Officers on the ship. I actually
felt super confident going into
the audition because I had been
practicing beforehand. I planned
out props and timing, and even
stage directions.”
The rehearsal time from each
actor was reflected in their
stellar performances. I was
overall impressed on how well
they executed their roles.
Whether the character had to be
serious or silly, there was never
a dull moment in the production.
Admittedly, there were a few
times where something
unexpected happened, actors
played it off very well.
East Meadow News
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
Caroline Smith, Features Editor
5
the costume designer's did a
splendid job on the consistency
of their costumes while also
making the clothing fit the
personality.
The most eye-catching prop
that stood out to me the most was
the gorgeous black marble
On Tuesday and
Wednesday, December 12 and
13, Mrs. Carrie Piombino's tenth
grade English classes visited the
Museum of Jewish Heritage by
Battery Park in New York City.
Students toured the Holocaust
exhibit, "The Holocaust: What
Hate Can Do," as a culmination
to reading the memoir Night by
Elie Wiesel.
Students became witnesses
to the atrocities committed by
the Nazis in World War II,
viewing artifacts such as
prisoner uniforms, left behind
children's toys, the infamous
Aushwitz, and the yellow stars
Jews were forced to wear for
identification purposes.
An Adventure to Remember
Learning from
the Mistakes of
Our Past
Hunter Cucchiara, Contributor
part of the “rich” and also part
of the "division" within the
Capital of the "haves" and
"have nots."
Lucy Gray’s spectacular
dress included a diverse mix
of a cool and warm color
palette with an intricate corset
design that showcased her
personality throughout the
duration of the movie. The
students from The Academy
all matched with a vibrant,
bold red that was consistent
between the students.
Furthermore, the Academy
uniforms that were required
included: a button-up blazer, white
shirt, skirt that came down to
knee-length and a set of pants.
With that being said, the costume
choice was on point. In my
personal opinion, I think that podium in the opening that
was detailed with white
streaks and golden luxurious
embellishments. For me
personally, this was the best
prop in the entire production.
Mrs. Vanessa LaPorta's
Creative Writing Class and
Mrs. Carrie Piombino's
Journalism class had the
pleasure of attending the
opening week of this soon to
be classic edition of the
Hunger Games saga.
The costumes fit the theme of
the play, but they weren’t all too
interesting. Nothing too fancy, but
sometimes simplicity can be better.
The tech crew did an amazing
job in preparing and positioning the
space-age scenery and positioning
it. The lighting and sound crew's
hard work paid off! The lights were
very pretty and nice to look at, and
although the crew occasionally
missed a cue or two, it never took
away from the show. Job well
done!
Mrs. C. Piombino, Advisor
Photo Cred.: Google Photos
Photo Cred.: C. Piombino
Photo Cred.: F. Baglivo
Photo Cred.: C. Piombino
Photo Cred.: C. Piombino
The East Meadow High
School Peer Leadership program
is led by a group of seniors who
visit freshman classes once a
month during English and Social
Studies classes and teach them
about high school and other life
tips.
Peer leaders learn how to
effectively communicate with the
freshmen. Every week they train
and educate themselves on their
discussion topics. The program
covers a lot of heavy subjects
such as suicide, depression, and
eating disorders. Many of the
topics they present on have a
stigma attached to them, making
it even more important to discuss
these matters with students to
show them that their seniors are
there to support them.
Creating a comforting
environment for students to
express their thoughts freely and
making everyone feel heard is
what they strive to do in order to
introduce kids to the support
system that they will always have
at the high school.
According to Mrs. Lori Dier,
East Meadow High School social
worker and Peer Leader advisor,
peer leaders go through weekly
training on different topics
The International Student
Alliance (ISA) hosted its first
community event at the East
Meadow Public Library on
December 18, 2023. The ISA, a
new club at EMHS, welcomes
foreign students and build support
and understanding around them
and their needs.
In the beginning,
brainstorming activities to include
students that speak different
languages proved challenging.
Melissa Baykan, President and
Founder of the ISA admitted,
“Mrs. Judith Trocchio and I spent
a lot of time trying to come up
with ways to integrate both the
ISA and ENL students. We did
not want to create an
uncomfortable and awkward
environment for either group,
where the language barrier would
be a challenge.”
Finally, the ISA Board hit
Bingo when they came up with
Game Night. ISA members spent
one meeting writing personal
invitations to the ENL students,
translating kind messages into a
variety of other languages.
Game Night encouraged
students to bring their friends and
favorite board games for a fun,
Feature
Meet Your Peer Leaders
Isabella Morone, Contributor
6
Game Night with ISA
Melissa Baykan, Contributor
throughout the year. Each topic
consists of four weeks of training
followed by presentations and
discussions. Activities and
powerpoints help stimulate
different discussions.
Aiden Augustyn, a twelfth
grade Peer Leader, commented that
it is a, “new experience” going
from sitting in a class to teaching a
class. He said that some of the
students are a lot to handle, and it’s
new because the seniors didn’t
have peer leaders due to Covid.
Dier created the program 30
years ago. She says, “it’s evolved
over the years.” She enlisted
guidance counselors and her
coworkers to flesh out and grow
the program.
Senior Leila Fernando said,
“The training process was very
fun! For our first training session,
we all went to BOCES and
participated in team building
activities that helped us to get to
know each other better and to build
our interpersonal skills. From this
trip, we also learned how to be
communicative and effective
leaders. For many of our other
training sessions, we usually listen
to presentations in the Little
Theater to learn more about our
monthly topic, and we often
brainstorm with each other on
making good presentations and
activities for the freshmen.”
With the arrival of
Valentine's Day, East Meadow
High School's legacies of love
stories from the faculty are
legendary. At least 12 EMHS staff
found "the one" at this school. All
of these lucky individuals have
gone forth to start families and
thrive in their lives in the most
positive ways.
Intrigued by this, the Jet
Gazette decided to explore these
love stories and find out more
about these soulmates.
“Never in a million years did I
think I could, or would be,
interested in meeting my future
spouse at work,” Mrs. Nathalie
Baglivo recalled. Similar to the
"royal romance" of Jim and Pam
from The Office, these couples
were surprised to find the "better
half" at work. Mr. Frank Baglivo
agreed, "I never thought that
would happen!"
Sometimes love appears in
areas where you least expect it,
places such as one's hall duty or
the first day on the job. Such as,
with Mr. Baglivo, “My first
memory was seeing her at my hall
duty when a colleague of ours
introduced us,” he mentioned.
relaxing evening before winter
break.
Trocchio, the club advisor of
ISA, remarked, “What I enjoyed
most about that night was seeing
how supportive and welcoming the
group was to each other. It truly had
that ‘community’ feeling.”
Students enjoyed playing Jenga,
Spot It, Four in a Row, and many
card games. Michael Zych, a junior,
revealed, “I got to connect with
other members of the community. I
hope to see more action in EMHS to
help foreign students and give them
a sense of belonging.”
In the future, the ISA plans to
organize other events for students to
foster new friendships and learn
more about each other. “We were
thinking of doing a Trivia Night
with world flags and languages, and
maybe a Cultural Food Night in the
future,” Baykan explained. For more
updates on upcoming meetings and
events, feel free to join the Remind
@emhsisa23.
Mrs. Judith Trocchio said, “It was
the last day of school in June
2000. I had just signed my
contract to begin working that
upcoming September and was
getting a walking tour of the
building from my chairperson,
when we stumbled upon Mrs.
Faughnan, Mrs. Lutz, and of
course, my future husband. The
chairperson introduced me to my
new colleagues, and we went on
our merry way.”
First Dates
Obviously, we can’t forget the
thrilling experience of first dates.
Mr. Lou Lago recollects his
nostalgic memory of his first date
with Mrs. Jaime Lago, mentioning
how, “We went to a hockey game
for our first date and I thought that
I was booking some ‘big shot’
tickets, when in reality it wasn't.”
Aside from the Lagos, the
Baglivos enjoyed their first date at
the Brooklyn Bridge because it is
Mr. Baglivo’s favorite spot.
Funny Stories
Funnily enough, marriages
include humorous moments! “My
mother-in-law was inspecting my
ear for cauliflower ear because I
was the wrestling coach,” Mr.
Lago commented.
Mr. Nyer finds it funny that he
An East Meadow Love Story Remembering
Mrs. T.
Sadly, on Friday, January 5,
2024, East Meadow High School
lost one of our beloved science
teachers, Mrs. Kim
Themistocleous, affectionately
known as Mrs. "T."
Substitute Teacher Mrs. Mirza
Shamim: “I loved everything about
her, she is a great teacher. I truly
loved her smile."
Senior, Bianca Cuozzo: "We went
on the Italy trip together and she
was my chaperone. At the same
time she was also my earth science
teacher. One day we went to a
beach. I forgot the name of it, and I
picked up a rock. I ran to Mrs. T,
screaming her name to get her
attention. When I got up to her, I
looked her dead in the eyes and
said “this is a conglomerate.” I still
have the rock lol.
Ms. Linda Kucala, Chemistry
Teacher: "My fondest memory is
when Mrs. T told me that when I
was in Russia (adopting my son)
and I told everyone that "I have a
son" through a special adoption
website, she said that she just cried
reading that...and cried telling me
that story...she was so supportive
and happy for me...Mrs. T was
always thinking of others...and I
truly loved her and miss her…"
Amber Jeffery, Contributor
Caroline Smith, Feature Editor
Mahira Ahmed, Editor-in-Chief
is, “Almost always ready before
Mrs. Nyer, which means I am
waiting around for her to get
ready before we can leave for
work.”
Mr. Baglivo finds his spouse
startles very easily, so it's a lot of
fun scaring her from time to time.
Did You Know?
* Mrs. Baglivo jokes around and
calls Mr. Baglivo a “fake Italian”
because he can not speak the
language. Mr. Baglivo also has a
soft side and is "actually the
world’s greatest girl dad who is
wrapped around their little
fingers."
* Mr. and Mrs. Nyer got married
at the Crescent Beach Club in
Bayville which has been the
location for the junior luncheon
these past few years.
* Mrs. Trocchio recalled that at a
Ringo Starr concert, Mr. Trocchio
was standing with his arms
crossed, taking it all in. Ringo saw
him and apparently got offended
because he looked and pointed at
him and then mockingly imitated
him on stage. People turned to
him, giggled and said "Smile!"
which promptly got him to sit
down and scowl further.
Photo Cred: J. Trocchio
A&E
7
The film Wonka is a
cinematic masterpiece that takes
viewers on a journey into the
fantastical world of chocolate and
imagination. Directed by
filmmaker Paul King, this
adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic
novel brings the iconic character
Willy Wonka to life in a way that
is both enchanting and captivating.
Timothee Chalamet takes on
the iconic role of Willy Wonka,
bringing a fresh and charismatic
energy to the role. His
performance strikes a balance
between the eccentricity and
enigmatic charm that define
Wonka. The film explores
Wonka’s backstory, delving into
his past and the mysteries of his
chocolate factory, adding depth to
a character that has intrigued
people for generations.
Wonka is not just a visual
spectacle; it also carries a valuable
message about the importance of
imagination, creativity and the
pursuit of dreams. The movie
encourages viewers to embrace
their inner child and appreciate the
wonders of the world around
them.
In conclusion, Wonka is a
visually enchanting adaptation that
introduces a new generation to the
magic of Willy Wonka’s world.
Teaching important life lessons
such as the importance of mindset
and how when someone has a
dream if they work hard it will pay
off and that life will work out the
way it's supposed to with some
effort. The journey and people one
meets end up being the reward
rather than the dream.
Ultimately, Roald Dahl’s spirit
Wonka’s World
Victoria LaBarge, Contributor
Saw X is the tenth
installment of the Saw franchise,
reviving the series with new ideas.
The movie is streaming on
Lionsgate's Starz.
The movie acts as a transition
piece, having occurred sometime in
between Saw II and Saw III, which
allows the return of John Kramer,
played by Tobin Bell. Kevin
Greutert directed the movie and
was an editor for many prior Saw
films.
The cast includes many
stunning performances from Tobin
Bell and Synnøve Macody Lund,
who play two different evils facing
each other. Bell is a desperate
cancer patient seeking a cure, and
uses his skills as an engineer to put
those he deems ungrateful into
cruel death games.
This movie is an 8 out of 10.
The movie was incredible, bringing
creative new traps and incredible
performances from all the actors.
The story introduces many
interesting characters with an
unexpected twist at the end, and I
enjoyed it throughout my watch at
home.
It may not be suitable for all
audiences. The traps are incredible,
but that also makes it is an
extremely gruesome movie to
watch, and likely won’t suit many.
I also wouldn’t rank it above any of
the movies from the original
trilogy. Despite this, I would
recommend this movie to anyone
who is a fan of the series and is
keeping up with the story of John
Kramer.
Saw X
Marcus Chiu, Contributor
Five Nights at Freddy’s took
the world by storm upon its release
on October 27, 2023. The movie is
based on the horror game Five
Nights at Freddy’s (FNAF). It
sparked a cultural movement,
drawing in newer fans to discover
the joy of this franchise.
The FNAF movie is about this
guy named Mike (played by the
famous Josh Hutcherson) who
starts working at Freddy Fazbear’s
Pizzeria as a night shift security
guard. Unlike the FNAF game,
characters like Abby (Mike’s little
sister) and Vanessa (a police officer
who knows about the FNAF lore)
do not make an appearance. Even
so, the FNAF movie remains true
to the nostalgia of the FNAF
games. This was because of how
closely the franchise’s creator,
Scott Cawthon, worked on this
movie.
“WAS THAT
THE BITE OF
87’?”
Jasmine Mathew, A&E Editor
Mean Girls arrived in
theaters on January 12, 2024.
While a lot of people think that the
new movie is a remake of the
iconic 2004 version, it is in fact,
not.
The movie is an adaptation of
the 2018 Broadway musical Mean
Girls. Most of the musical’s songs
like "World Burn," "Revenge
Party," and "I See Stars" were
featured in the film.
But, as there were only thirteen
songs from the actual musical,
songs like "It Roars" and
"Fearless" (no, not Taylor’s song)
unfortunately didn’t make it on the
big screen. As a viewer, you can
expect two new songs in this movie
which are "Not My Fault" and
"What If’s."
The cast of this Mean Girls
movie consists of a lot of
Hollywood and Broadway
favorites. Renee Rapp reprised her
role as Regina George. Another
Broadway star from A Strange
Loop, and Tony nominee, is Jaquel
Spivey, who plays Damien.
Auli’i Cravalho from Disney's
Moana portrays Janis. Spiderman
film star Angourie Rice plays the
protagonist Cady. Playing Aaron is
The Summer I Turned Pretty star,
Chris Briney. Avantika Vandanpu
stars as Karen and Gretchen
Wieners is played by Bebe Wood.
Even Tina Fey and Tim Meadows,
Mean Girls (2024) Review
Aleigha Juliano, Sports Editor
iconic actors of the original movie,
returned in this version of Mean
Girls as Ms. Norbury and Principal
Duvall. This star filled cast packs a
powerful punch.
I personally thought the music
was very good and I would
definitely go see it again. Clearly
between the cast and the songs, this
Mean Girls movie is a nice way to
spend a Friday night.
Kababjees is located in
Hicksville, New York and is a
traditional Pakistani restaurant. The
vibe of this restaurant is based on
Pakistani culture. They only serve
Pakistani traditional
Noor Hasfa, Contributor
Kababjees cont.
dishes and Pakistani breakfast.
They have the map of Pakistan on
the wall. They have a lot of
colorful lanterns in the
background.
Kababjees has multiple
branches around the United States
as well as Pakistan. The owner of
the restaurant is Imran Sheikh.
Kababjees’ menu is perfect for
Pakistani food lovers. Their food is
very delicious and the restaurant is
clean, but sometimes when it's
busy the taste goes astray. Some of
my favorite foods from their menu
are Biryani, Chicken Boneless
Karahi, Malai Tikka and of course,
the French Fries. Their food is
extremely delicious, if the
restaurant is not busy.
Their service is not always the
best. Sometimes they don’t come
to your table to ask if you need
anything else.
Overall the restaurant is very
clean. Their serving style is very
elegant.
Overall, I give it a thumbs up!
Although advertised as a horror
movie it wasn’t really scary. This
movie is about a four out of ten on
the scare factor – and that’s being
generous. The real FNAF fan was
not to judge the movie based off of
it’s jump scare factor, but of the
overarching story.
So is this movie worth
watching? The answer is yes, but
whether or not you are already a
fan of the franchise could affect
how much you enjoy this movie.
Watching this movie as a FNAF
fan, one can have a grand old time
finding the many Easter eggs
hidden in the film and watching
one's favorite characters come to
life on the big screen. Audiences
will gawk over the movie sets and
the specific details.
Watching this movie without
any knowledge of the franchise
could get a little confusing. Dead
children’s souls inside animatronic
suits? If this wasn’t a horror movie,
that would be a little odd.
Non-FNAF fans might watch
this movie for the horror and not
like it because it is not scary
enough. Coming from a FNAF fan,
don’t watch this movie for the
horror, it is not good, but if you are
a fan of the franchise, definitely
give this movie a chance because
you are in for a lovely nostalgia
trip.
Restaurant Review
lives on in
this
whimsical
cinematic
journey
through the
world of
chocolate
and
imagination.
Photo Cred.: Google Photos
Photo Cred.: Google Photos
Photo Cred.: Google Photos
Sports 8
Anaya Hall, Zaria Hall,
Natalie Rivera, Lina
Masaoka-Guevara, Leah
Schleicher, and Katelyn Coffey
were named All Conference
Athletes.
Boys’ All Conference
athletes include John Turnbull,
Anthony Montelegre, and
Aaron Schlectman.
Best of luck to the Boys and
Girls Track and Field teams as
they train for Counties.
As the East Meadow Boys
Wrestling team works their way
through a tough season, they
have had many
accomplishments so far. Senior
Matthew Rodriguez had his
100th career win at the
Commack Classic Tournament.
Senior Joe Arbitello, Matthew
Motamedian, and Nico
Rodriguez all took a journey to
Eastern States, one of the top
Winter Track
Sports Section Compiled by Aleigha Juliano, Sports Editor
Wrestling Warriors
Maggie Li, Editor in Chief
The Girls Bowling team was
on a roll this season with a team
record of 9-3.
As the season came to a close,
the seniors lamented about their
time on the team. “One thing I'll
miss about bowling is the
immense support I feel from those
around me. like, everyone, no
matter who it is, is always so
supportive of you and I felt this
phenomenon first hand after a
game,” senior Lydia Jose
lamented.
“I'm really going to miss all
the pre-game meal dates and
talking to all my teammates about
all of our drama. Although I will
be gone next year I'm so glad
during my senior year I improved
and I got to watch some
underclassmen improve too,”
remarked Katelyn Haubrick.
Junior Amanda Morris, All
State Champion Bowler,
participated in the 24th Parker
Bohn III Scholarship Tournament.
This bowling season Morris
traveled upstate twice a month to
attend tournaments in the Capital
District Youth Scholarship
Tour (CDYST).
Morris won the CDYST
Holiday Open, “That was my first
to do it around all the people I’m
friends with from upstate. I think
that’s what keeps me going with
bowling, the friendships I make. I
have friends from all over the
United States that I get to see
maybe once a year to twice a
month, but I all value these
friendships with such strength
because it’s what keeps me
going.”
“I do miss my teammates who
have already graduated, this year
is going to be shattering. Losing
Mahira (Ahmed), Lydia (Jose),
and Katelyn (Haubrick), along
with losing Coach Mascia as he
goes to retire, this one’s going to
hurt,” Morris said.
Just like the seniors, Coach
Vincent Mascia will be leaving the
team as this school year is his last
one before retirement. This season
is his 23rd year coaching the Girls
Bowling Team. “I will miss many
things, but the main thing I will
miss is the daily interaction with
the athletes and watching them
improve and achieve day by day,”
Mascia commented.
To end off this season,
sophomores Caroline Smith,
Annaclelia Barbieri, Rachel Lam,
Morris, Haubrick and Jose will be
playing in All Counties. So far, the
team has won three County
Championships and nine
Conference Championships.
As Morris said, “No matter
how many tournaments I bowl,
my heart will always reside with
this amazing team, and this
amazing coach that I’ve been able
to be with for the past five years,
since I first joined the team in
seventh grade. Next time you
think about joining a sports club
or team, do it, they might just
become family.”
When Striking Out is a Good Thing!
Mahira Ahmed,
Editor in Chief
scholastic wrestling events in the
nation. M. Rodriguez took seventh
place, both Motamedian and
Arbitello won two matches and N.
Rodriguez won one match.
The team won both conference
dual meets against Baldwin and
Herricks. Senior Night recognized
the seniors for all the hard work
they have put into their wrestling
careers over the last couple of
years.
The varsity wrestling team
made their way over to the Ed
Solosky Tournament at Kellenberg
and six out ten of the
wrestlers placed. Jake
Chimienti took third place
and Tristan Ubinas, Ryan
Lopez, and James Javier all
took fifth place, while David
D’Achille and Kyle Francis
both took sixth place.
As the team continues to
thrive, they still have more to
go as they reach the near end
to their season with counties
which finishes off with states
on February 23-24.
Maddy Reger, Contributor
Photo cred.: Kaitlynn Lindow
Photo cred.: @eastmeadow_xctf
Photo cred.: Owen Frances
Launching into the Indoor
Conference Championship meet
on Tuesday, January 16 as the two
year defending champions, the
Girl’s Track and Field team rose
to the occasion and emerged as
the now three year champions,
winning the meet with a total of
128 points against nine other
schools that scored no higher than
105.
The meet came down to a
difference of mere points, scored
during the relays. Congratulations
is extended especially to the three
relay teams who all scored critical
points under pressure.
Photo cred.: @emjetsathletics
Photo cred.: @emjetsathletics
