WIZARDS SAY STRESS IS WORTH IT

By NICOLE QUINONES

Around the holidays, students begin to overly stress and look forward to the break that is coming their way. From September to December, many students have to deal with a lot of stress: an overload of work, extracurricular activities, jobs outside of school, and the list goes on. All of this occurs  while teens are trying to maintain a social life and make the most out of their dwindling high school careers. These overworked students often feel like they have no down time to relax, recuperate and rejuvenate.  Some of our very own Wizards opened up about just how much the stress of juggling so many things at once affects them and how they handle that stress.

Senior at Washingtonville High School, Gianna Galu, is an active member of the school’s Yearbook Club. Gianna is the Co-Editor in Chief and Photo Editor of the club, a member of the costume crew in Masque and Mime, a National Honor Society member, and a part time waitress at Prima Pizza in Cornwall.  In addition, Gianna takes college classes, maintains a high GPA and is currently going through the arduous application process for college. On top of all of this, it is important for Gianna to maintain a social life so she doesn’t feel alone. “Stress is something that everyone has to deal with at a point in their life. It is definitely hard to balance all of the responsibilities of being a student, having a part time job and being a part of multiple clubs. It is easy to feel overworked and overwhelmed. Personally, I use the idea of reaching my goals to push myself through stress and overwhelming times, but have learned that you must take care of yourself in order to make it at all.”

NICOLE QUINONES FOR WIZARD WEEKLY

Another senior at WHS, Carly Sacco, is President of the Class of 2017, Production Stage Manager of Masque and Mime and the Vice President of The National Honor Society.  Impressively, she is also a member of three more subject based Honor Societies and is the head of publicity for the Community Service Club.  Carly also helps out with all of the dance company shows that are held at the high school; when those happen, she is at the school until late hours for about three weeks straight two times a year. This dedicated student takes all AP and college classes and, like many seniors, is going through the application process for college. “I do a lot and it’s hard and stressful, but I think it’s worth it.  I like the extracurriculars I do.  They make me happy.”  She deals with her heavy work load by, “I work it out by scheduling my time and trying to keep track of the events… also having my friends help me is hecka helpful.”  From all of the activities she does, Sacco has learned a great deal. “I learned delegation to the extreme this year.” It’s important for students to know that their hard work pays off. Gianna and Carly aren’t the only students that have to deal with a lot of work and stress; they are one out of hundreds of students that feel overworked and tired and are looking forward to the upcoming break.

Now one might ask how dedicated students are able to run around while maintaining a good GPA.  The answer is simple: time management. Students who do a lot of activities are time management machines. The students that I have talked to live in their planners and everything they do is written down with times, dates and pages filled with tasks they have to complete.  If a student is not organized it, is going to be nearly impossible to do it all. 

Hard work and ambition carries students throughout the school year, but for some it becomes too much. Those students need to step back and look at their lives. They should ask themselves, “Am I happy? Am I making strides in my life that will help me out in the future?” Even though things might seem hard right now and you feel like you barely see your family or that you haven’t cuddled with your dog in weeks, it is all going to be worth it come graduation day.

BOBE REACHES GOAL OF 100 WINS

By KATRINA CHIN

Can you name someone who has won 100 wrestling matches?  I’m not talking about a professional wrestler, but a high school student. Washingtonville’s varsity wrestling captain, Brandon Bobe, has accomplished just that this past weekend at Minisink Valley High School.

Brandon Bobe has been wrestling on Washingtonville’s team for five years and has been a part of the varsity team for four years. Impressively, Brandon has also been the captain of the varsity team for three years. When  speaking with Bobe, he said, “My role as a captain is to motivate my team, create a family-like environment and encourage [my teammates] to believe in themselves.” He decided to start wrestling because he always loved hand to hand combat when he was younger.  His decision was a good one as he grew to love the sport.

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Knowing that he was close to 100 wins at the end of last year’s season, Brandon made it one of his top goals going into the current season.  He fell a little bit short last year, which gave him a lot of motivation to go out and get it early in the season. Bobe said, “It was an amazing feeling.  I have been working toward that goal since I started wrestling.” When discussing obtaining his 100th win, he remembers Coach Lee telling him to stay hungry, keep moving forward, and that he was proud.

According to Brandon, his former wrestling coach, Coach Ferguson, has had the utmost influence on his wrestling career. Bobe acknowledged that when he first started wrestling, Coach Ferguson saw something in him and knew that he would be great some day. For the past five years, they have worked out together every single day, all year round. Coach Ferguson has always supported and believed in Bobe and has pushed him past his limits time and time again.

Bobe has been very successful throughout his wrestling career. He recalls one of his most memorable matches when he was a freshman at the Beacon Tournament.  “I was the 5th seed and made it to the semi-finals against the 1st seed who was a returning Section IX player and a senior. We went into overtime and I pinned him to advance to the finals and win the tournament.” He has also placed three times in the Section IX tournament and he made it to the section finals last year.  He recently just fell to 8th on the all-time wins chart.  His goals for his final season of high school wrestling are to get into the top three all-time wins, win a Section IX title, and place at the New York State tournament.

Wrestling has been a huge part of Bobe’s life and he claims that, without a doubt, it is the single greatest thing to ever happen to him. He added, “It has taught me numerous life lessons like being disciplined, time management, weight management, leadership, accountability, hard work and focus.  I can say honestly, that wrestling will be the single key aspect to any success I achieve later on in life.”  This isn’t the end of his wrestling career, but the start of a new journey as he plans on continuing wrestling in college.

Best of luck to Brandon Bobe and the rest of the wrestling team this season!

BOY'S SWIMMING TAKES ON CORNWALL

By JOEY DELGARDO

JOEY DELGARDO FOR WIZARD WEEKLY

The Washingtonville Wizard swim team had a meet on Tuesday, December 20th at Cornwall High School. I had a chance to talk to the boys before the meet began about the impending competition.  

When asked if the boys would be able to redeem themselves after coming off a loss, Captain Nate Sorenson replied, “I think we’re going to win today despite the fact that we’re missing a number of teammates due to injuries.”  Also according to Nate, “the team is looking good, going into this meet, even with a majority of injuries.”  Nate’s confidence surely paid off.

At the end of the meet, the results were clear as our boy’s swim team proudly defeated Cornwall  with an impressive score of 102-86. Three of the talented swimmers who contributed to the victory were Owen Rowlands, Andrew Smolar, and D.J. Quinones.  Owen came in first in the 200 meter and 100 meter backstroke; Andrew came in second in the 200 freestyle, 500 freestyle, 200 freestyle relay and 400 freestyle relay; and DJ placed first in the 50 meter freestyle and the 100 meter freestyle.  

Moving forward in the season, the boys are looking strong and have the opportunity to win the rest of their meets and be a top team in the section.  The boys take on Rhinebeck on Thursday, December 22nd.  Best of luck to them on Thursday and the rest of the season!

ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY

By JOHN STEINMANN

JOHN STEINMANN FOR WIZARD WEEKLY

Friday, December 16th was the official launch of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.  Star Wars fans have been hungry for another movie since the release of the last film, The Force Awakens, nearly a year ago in December of 2015.  The new movie does not follow the sequence of the original story line, but rather is a movie that is set between Episode III and Episode IV.  Rogue One does not feature many main characters that fans are traditionally used to seeing except for a few that were reanimated using computer generated imagery (CGI).  Instead, the movie, stars the Rebellion and how they stole the plans to the Death Star.  This was a question that people have been wondering for decades and, thanks to this new installation to the Star Wars series, fans finally know how it was done. 

The main character in Rogue One is Jyn Erso, the daughter of Galen Erso.  Galen is the scientist that was forced to create the plans to the Death Star against his will.  Galen, however, purposely made a flaw in the structure of the Death Star since he disagreed with the Empire, making it possible to destroy the entire space station from an opening in the exterior.  Different from all other Star Wars episodes, since Rogue One is not an episode, the film does not utilize the famous phrase, “In a galaxy far, far away.”  This fact, along with the absence of the “known world wide” opening theme music, may have upset some of the fans.  The story line is amazing and, without giving away any spoilers, there were many twists that appeared in the movie.  The ending scene, which was perhaps the best part of the movie, leads perfectly into Episode IV, A New Hope. 

Now back to the aforementioned CGI of several of the characters, including the character that made a return in Rogue One.  There were two CGI reanimations; one of the Imperial officer, Grand Moff Tarkin, and one of the famous young Princess Leia.  It was rumored before the movie was released that this may be included, but most did not think it would turn out as well as it did. Technology is so far advanced that the creators were able to perform a digital resurrection of Tarkin that was so real it was spine tingling.  There were several other characters included that made a reappearance such as Darth Vader and Bail Organa.  While they played small parts and were not in many scenes, they added crucial elements to the movie. 

If you are a Star Wars fan or if you just feel like trying a new genre of movie, go out and get your tickets today.  It will be well worth your money.

STUDENT COALITION VISITS THE BIG APPLE

By MIMI BADU

MIMI BADU FOR WIZARD WEEKLY

On Tuesday, December 13th, Washingtonville’s Student Coalition advisors, Ms. Hall and Mrs. Angelillo, took the students of Washingtonville High School on a trip to New York City to see the best part of being in the Big Apple during the holidays: the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. Not only did they see the 94 feet tall tree, but the group started the night with dinner at John’s Pizzeria.  The evening was topped off with shopping at Times Square.

Before the trip began, students were asked, “What are you looking most forward to on this trip to New York City?”  Senior Iris Clavell responded with, “ I'm looking forward to finally spending time with my friends where we are not worrying about colleges or homework. I'm excited to be in a different atmosphere and doing something new that is out of my everyday routine.”  The aura on the bus heading towards the awaiting destination was full of excitement. Students were definitely eager to get away from their small town and enter a big city full of many journeys if only for one day. 

At 3 pm, eighty-four students emptied out of the middle cafeteria and entered three different buses. The last bus was loaded with 13 students being advised by Ms. Hall who has been an advisor for the coalition for a few years. On the bus ride, students sang and danced along to music, took selfies and played games.

At 5 pm, The energy on the bus was at its peak due to the fact that the bus was getting closer to its first stop in the city. Although everyone was excited to go sightseeing, the only thing on their minds at that moment was Italian food. So, when the bus came to a halt twenty minutes later, students emptied out of the yellow buses and became tourists of New York City. 

At approximately 5:30 pm, the Wizards entered John’s Pizzeria, a restaurant located in midtown New York. Since the group was so large, they were seated in a reserved area in the back. They started with an appetizer that consisted of garlic bread and a salad. About fifteen minutes later, dinner was placed on the “all you can eat” table.  The students were able to choose from multiple pizzas such as cheese, spinach and ricotta, sausage and tomato. Along with the pizza, calzones were served.  Next came the sweets. Students and advisors were treated to cannoli, chocolate chip cookies, brownies and many more famous Italian desserts. The restaurant was gorgeous; it was located in a 19th century church so it had beautiful stained glass windows and balcony level seating. Being able to eat delicious Italian food while in an historic building was an extraordinary experience that the members of Student Coalition will not soon forget.

At 7:25 pm, the group had finally arrived at the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. The holiday season has not officially begun in New York until the famous tree is lit. The area was very crowded, not unlike Times Square, making it hard to take pictures.  Somehow, everyone managed to get the coveted shot of the tree.  Yes, on television it looks outstanding, but High Definition does not do this magnificent tree justice.  Much to the coalition’s delight, there was a wedding taking place across the street as they were leaving for their next stop. 

At 8:10 pm the group arrived at the heart of Times Square. The bright lights, diversity, history, and entertainment in one location never ceases to amaze. Students had twenty minutes to shop around, but being in such a fascinating city, nothing was as affordable as shopping in our small town. 

There is nothing better than New York City during the holidays.  Something is happening around every corner, making it difficult to take in the scenery and surroundings. Every visit to New York City brings new and exciting experiences.

A PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE ON WASHINGTONVILLE'S JROTC

By HAILEY SCHNEIDER  

HAILEY SCHNEIDER FOR WIZARD WEEKLY

Have you ever wondered what its like to be in the JROTC program at Washingtonville High School?  Executive Officer Alyssa Pagano, an important member of this program for four years now, explains how it has impacted her life and will continue to do so for many years to come. Alyssa states, “For the past four years I have made friends that have traveled this journey with me. I love the people and the instructors; without them I don’t know where I would be today.”

JROTC’s main goal is to teach high school students leadership skills, service to the community, and responsibility. Alyssa has met many people whom have played a major role in her success during her time in the program.  “The people who have impacted my life are the people in my staff: Thomas Sheboy, Sarah Witte, Noemie Dubose, Alec Sullivan, Isabella Witte, and many others. The instructors, Major Allen and Chief Brickel, have also been there every step of the way.  Every cadet in the program impacts my life greatly.”

This program not only develops skills for now, but it also develops skills for the future. Alyssa expressed how JROTC will influence her future. “Further into my life I will carry the seven Army values of loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage. I’ll also bring organization and communication skills that will help me through my career.”   Best of luck to Alyssa as she continues with her journey!

BREAKING DOWN THE DRESS CODE

By NICOLE QUINONES

Each year students are given a code of conduct in their planner on the first day of school at Washingtonville High School.  One part of the code of conduct that students and teachers pay close attention to is the dress code. There is always a lot of talk about the way that students dress and whether or not it’s appropriate for the school atmosphere. This is completely understandable due to the fact that students come to school to learn and should not be distracted by inappropriateness. 

According to the code of conduct, the items of clothing that students are wearing should be appropriate and not offensive. Item number six of the code of the dress code states, “[attire should] not include items that are vulgar, obscene, and libelous or denigrate others on account of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation or disability.” This is an important aspect of the dress code, especially considering that society has been struggling in the department of acceptance. It’s a relief to know that the school is making sure that nobody is offended or criticized for being who they are. In addition, the dress code also educates students that are wearing offensive garments that it isn’t acceptable in a school environment or in the real world, for that matter. 

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Though there are many rules in the dress code that benefit students, some might argue that the dress code can be considered sexist. Many of the rules like number two and number eight apply only to girls: no spaghetti straps, plunging neck lines and/or see through garments.  In addition, skirts, dresses, shorts and skorts have to be of a certain length. Again, these rules are understandable as the school truly wishes to prepare students for the real world. Upon graduation, students will have to enter college or the work force where inappropriate dress will not be tolerated in most cases. 

Girls feeling as if the dress code is sexist is understandable as well. When asked about her feelings about the dress code, senior Danielle Warn stated, “In today’s society, it is difficult to find clothes that are deemed acceptable. Not once has a male been told their outfit was inappropriate, however, girls are reprimanded for their choice in clothing excessively.”  Although this may be the opinion of one student, boys are also reprimanded for inappropriate clothing.  For instance, boys are often told to pull up their pants so their undergarments aren’t showing and are asked to take off their hats much more frequently than girls.

It’s important that the school and the students recognize both sides of the dress code. Overall, the school district is always going to have the students’ best interest at heart.  Likewise, students will always feel that some of the rules aren’t fair. It will always be a matter of opinion.

AUDITIONING FOR SISTER ACT

By KATRINA CHIN

KATRINA CHIN FOR WIZARD WEEKLY

Early Saturday morning, students rolled out of bed, put on a pair of sweatpants, and showed up at the high school.  These students were getting ready to audition for Masque and Mime's upcoming show, Sister Act.  Prior to auditions, students learned the songs and dances that they needed to know in order to audition. After a weekend of reviewing everyone's audition, Mr. and Mrs. Davis released the highly anticipated callback list.  Those students that made the list, were to attend callbacks on Monday in hopes of giving Mr. and Mrs. Davis a clearer mind when selecting students  for certain roles.

Auditioning can be very stressful and intimidating, but the experience as a whole is worth it.  Senior, Marisa Ambrosio, has been involved in Masque and Mime since freshman year. When speaking with her, she stated, "Personally, the hardest part of the audition process is the singing portion.  I say this because it takes more courage to go up on stage and sing in front of everyone."  Masque and Mime has helped her go from a performer who refused to take risks to the confident performer she is today.  Participating in Masque and Mime allows her to do what she loves with a group of hardworking, extremely talented, and passionate people.

There are many different ways that someone in Masque and Mime prepares for an audition.  For instance, Ambrosio listens to the song she intends to sing non-stop and practices as much as she can. She also goes over the dance in her head once or twice.  For the day of auditions, some of her pre-audition routines include drinking room temperature water, taking deep breaths and doing some lip trails before she sings.Marisa pointed out that she "did not try out for a specific part; I believe that the part Mr. and Mrs. Davis give me is the part best for me.”   

Sister Act was first produced as a movie released in 1992 and a musical eventually followed it.  Whoopi Goldberg was a notable star in the movie and played the main character, Deloris Van Cartier. In the play, Deloris Van Cartier is an aspiring showgirl who sees her gangster boyfriend, Curtis Shank, shoot someone. As a result, she is placed in a convent as part of the Witness Protection Program.  What happens next is funny, touching and inspiring.

Come see Sister Act March 2nd through the 5th at 7pm in the high school auditorium.  Tickets are $8.00 for students and senior citizens and $9.00 for adults.  You will not be disappointed.

BEST BUDDIES GINGERBREAD HOUSE COMPETITION

By JOHN STEINMANN

Washingtonville High School’s Best Buddies Club just hosted its annual gingerbread house building competition before school on Tuesday, December 13th. For this competition, the students involved broke into teams of approximately four or five and were assigned one “buddy” per team. Each team  then sat at a table in the small cafeteria and was given the task of constructing a marvelous, not to mention delicious, gingerbread house from scratch. Last year, the winner  of the competition was Kaylah Ramos’ team with it’s creative design, and this year the winner was Morgan McCue’s team. 

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The Best Buddies Club was started in September of 2008 by a former student named Amy Rynn, but the gingerbread house building competition has only been around for about seven of those years. One wonderful lady that has been around since the inception of the club is Ms. Angelillo, but most simply call her Ms. A. Ms. A. said that the reason the club started up in the first place was that, “It builds relationships with kids outside of our room.” Students from all grades can join the club and get involved in something bigger than themselves.  Another teacher who helps with the program, Ms. Polo, had a similar response when asked why she believes the Best Buddies Club.  She said, “Seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces and how happy they are really makes my day.” 

Meetings are held once a month in the small cafeteria at 6:45 where breakfast is served. Everyone volunteers to bring one item to contribute to the breakfast, and everyone can eat while doing the activity that is planned for that particular day. If you are thinking of participating in the Best Buddies Club, stop by room 154 and meet the students. Listen for announcements to learn about upcoming Best Buddies’ events or follow @BestBuddies2015 on Twitter for updates.

FANTASTIC BEASTS WAS, INDEED, FANTASTIC

By DAVID MOSCA

It has been almost six years since the last edition of the Harry Potter franchise entered movie theaters with Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 2. After the legendary saga concluded in 2011, the only way people could re-live the “Wizarding World” experience was buying the movies on DVD or reading the original Harry Potter books. That was, of course, until a brand new magical experience was released in theaters this past November called Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them written by the original writer of the books herself, J.K Rowling. This weekend I had the privilege to see the movie first-hand and today I will be giving my honest review of the newest addition to J.K. Rowling’s magical-movie universe.

Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them is an immediate breath of fresh air to new fans, who may never have heard of the franchise, and long time fans who live and breath everything Potter. To give a bit of insight into what the movie is about, Fantastic Beasts stars the up-and-coming, Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander, a wizard who studies magical beasts which he keeps inside his other-worldly suitcase.  He unintentionally stays a bit longer than he wishes, thanks to a human named Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler), who opens up his suitcase releasing all of his creatures. While they try to collect Newt’s animals, the Magical Congress of America begins to suspect them of evil-doing after an invisible being reeks havoc throughout the city.  Detective Percival Graves (Colin Farrell) believes that Newt is the one to blame for the destruction the monster has left. 

ORIGINAL PHOTO BY BUSTLE.COM

Out of all the elements that have sewn this movie together so elegantly, it was the characterization vibrantly displayed throughout the film that impressed me most. Each character bounced off each other like a ball being thrown against a wall.  Their opposite personalities ended up being the movie’s greatest strength advancing the adventure as the movie progressed. The gritty, more mature characterizations of the movie, involving Detective Graves, Mary Lou Barebone (Samantha Morton) and Credence (Ezra Miller), brought a realness to the film that developed plot lines and story progression. However, characters like Newt, Kowalski, and Porpentina Goldstein (Katherine Waterston) expressed their characterization through the light-hearted, sometimes comedic and all-around positive feel that fans all know and love. Of course, if you’re not into the characters like I was, the movie had beautiful visual effects and the movie’s soundtrack, like the original Harry Potter film series, was flawless. 

If I had to say anything negative about the movie, I would say that even though it’s based off the wonderful, magical “Wizarding World,” there are some very dark scenes in the movie that surprised me a bit. If you have  younger siblings or friends that want to see the movie with you, I would actually wait until they are old enough to see this PG-13 rated movie.  There are a couple of scenes in Fantastic Beasts that deal with abuse and, while these scenes are important to the plot of the film, they may be a bit heavy for younger viewers.

I think it’s safe to say that, even though it was a bit too gritty at times, J.K. Rowling, along with Warner Brothers Studios, was able to successfully bring another wizard to life with a brand new set of adventures and experiences for a whole new generation. The release of Fantastic Beasts marks the first in a series of a confirmed five films total.  With that being said, I can’t wait for what this new saga of films has to offer. I’ve decided to rate Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, a nine out of ten stars.  If you haven’t seen it yet, buy yourself a ticket, grab some popcorn and enjoy the movie with some friends. 

CREATING A YEAR OF MEMORIES WITH THE WASHINGTONVILLE HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK CLUB

By  MIMI BADU 

The Washingtonville High School Yearbook Club has been working extremely hard to create a yearbook that captures moments of its student body throughout the 2016-2017 school year.  With new advisors and a brand new staff, they are making sure they do not disappoint. They are aiming to provide Wizard Nation with an unforgettable book that not only focuses on seniors, but the underclassmen as well. 

The club is given six months to work together to create a book that represents the school in the best way possible. Meetings are scheduled to take place every Wednesday in computer lab 227 with Ms. Bac and Mrs. Schulze, the new advisors. In these weekly meetings, each staff member is assigned to either create layouts, take photographs, or write pieces for the yearbook that capture important stories so they are remembered forever. The council has also been working extremely hard by coming together in Ms. Bac’s room every time they have early release to make sure there are no flaws in the publication. 

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The Editor in Chief of the club, Nicole Quinones can’t wait for everyone to get their hands on the yearbook. “I’m looking forward to everyone seeing all the hard work we put into the book. The staff and I work so many hours to make it perfect. I want everyone to look back on this yearbook and remember all the memories that we’ve had.” Nicole joined the club because when she attends college she will be majoring in Communications. Joining yearbook has helped her in a professional way towards her goal as a journalist. 

As a member of the club, I couldn’t agree more with Nicole.  When people see the yearbook for the first time, they are going to say, “Wow!  I love this!”  The yearbook is not only important to me because I'm a part of creating it, but because it marks the end of the class of 2017’s senior year. These are the last memories being documented of our high school careers that we will reminisce about for years to come.  This is why all students capable of buying the yearbook should do so.  They can never relive the moments they have spent with their friends, teachers and classmates in the cafeteria, auditorium, classrooms, and stands. So, why not get a book that will hold those memories forever?

Yearbooks need to be purchased by May 6th.  To have your name engraved on your yearbook and to guarantee a copy, the club members and advisors suggest that students order it by mid-January at HJ Yearbook. If you want to remember your high school years, the best way to do it is by purchasing the 2016-2017 yearbook… you won’t regret it!

WIZARD BASKETBALL IS BACK

By JOSEPH DELGARDO 

JOSEPH DELGARDO FOR WIZARD WEEKLY

As fall sports roll through Section 9 and come to an end, can the Wizard’s basketball teams and the rest of our school’s winter sports continue to dominate?  The boys and girls of both of our school’s varsity basketball teams have done many things to prepare themselves for this upcoming season physical and mentally.  Senior basketball player Jack Zimmer, said, “During the off season, many of us have played in multiple summer and winter basketball leagues to better ourselves. We play together a lot to strengthen our team bond.”  The team's goal for the boys is to obtain a record of 12-6 and make the playoffs.

As the boys’ basketball team is ready to roll through Section 9, can the girls’ team do the same?  Victoria Pecovic answered, “I think the team prepared by working really hard during practices and staying focused.  Since the first day of tryouts, we would practice hard about six days a week besides working on our own.”  Observing them hard at work, it is evident that the girls have a lot of dedication this season.  It’s going to be hard because nine seniors graduated last year.   On the bright side, this year all eleven girls are closer and can trust each other both on and off the court.

The boys played their first game Wednesday night at home against Middletown and the girls play their next game at home against Kingston.  Best of luck to the boys and girls basketball teams.  Show Wizard Nation that you can make a mark in section 9!  

MEDIA AND JOURNALISM GOING STRONG IN ITS THIRD YEAR

By KATRINA CHIN 

KATRINA CHIN FOR WIZARD WEEKLY

During the 2014-2015 school year, the Media and Journalism class was instituted at Washingtonville High School being taught as a combined enrollment course by Mr. Leonard and Ms. Carnright.  This is a senior course and students that decide to take it receive both an English credit and an Art credit.  There are four different aspects of the class: studio crew, field crew, newsletter and podcasting.  Real world communication and thinking skills are vastly encouraged by going out and gathering news to report on.  Students are continuously developing and producing different media sources for the student body and the community.  Every week students in the class are recording, interviewing members of the school and community, advertising, and writing news articles and editorials.  It is imperative that students research topics so that they are knowledgeable about what they are reporting on.

This year, Mrs. Connolly has taken the Journalism position upon Ms. Carnright leaving.  When asked why she chose to teach the class, she answered, “I was approached by my department head and I felt like it was a good time to try something new.  I majored in Journalism so I knew it would be a great fit for me. It has been extremely challenging, but exciting and fun at the same time.”  Mrs. Connolly is teaching her students how to form intelligent interview questions and conduct a well planned out interview.  She is also teaching students to write appealing news articles that entertain and inform.

When Taylor Hackett was asked what has been her favorite aspect of the class so far, she emphasized, “I like how we are in control of what topics or events we want to cover.”  As our new anchor, she is also looking forward to “being the face of BGTV.”  David Mosca stated, “I would like to learn how to use all the equipment because I am planning to be a film major.  I also hope to improve my speaking skills through field crew, podcasting and studio crew.”  He wants to become a director after receiving a film degree in college. Mosca would recommend this class to an underclassman because, “the experience is unreal. You get to become the face of the school and the community and it truly is an honor.”

In this class, students use different photography equipment and computer programs such as Final Cut Pro, GarageBand and Photoshop.  If you are considering majoring in Communications in college, this is the class for you!  Students are offered a variety of opportunities throughout the year that no other class could allow.

TIP OFF TO A FINAL SEASON OF RECREATIONAL BASKETBALL

By JOHN STEINMANN 

For those who don't know, there is a whole other side to basketball in our town that many Washingtonville students participate in other than the program provided through the school. The recreational basketball league opens during the winter months at St. Mary’s CYO for kids ranging from first grade to senior year of high school. This Wednesday, December 7th, was the tip off of the Washingtonville senior boys’ final season in the league. There were two games being played that night: one at 8:00 pm and one at 9:00 pm. The 8:00 game was played between the NY Knicks and the Miami Heat.

JOHN STEINMANN FOR WIZARD WEEKLY

A star player from the Knicks, John Tecklenburg, had this to say about the team’s first game of the season, “We’re going to go out there and dominate.  I’m going to get every rebound.”  John is now taking over on the Knicks after they won the league championship the previous season. A former six time recreational basketball championship winner, John Poveromo, had a comment about not being on the Knicks’ team anymore. “There is definitely some superstition going on in my head, but with the coach and the players we have, I think we have a good shot at the championship.”

One of the star players from the opposing team, the Miami Heat, is Matt Barbookles. Matt has been playing since he was in the first grade. He has just one recreational basketball championship, but plans to make another one this season. Matt had this to say about his team’s upcoming season,  “I’m excited that my brother is coaching this year.  We plan to have a good year but since there are only four teams, nothing will matter until the playoffs.” Previous to the Wednesday game, Matt had predicted a score of 48-42, with his team, Miami, winning. 

The final outcome of the Knicks versus the Heat showed an astonishing win by the Knicks with a final score of 51-39. As it turns out, Matt’s predicted score was incorrect.  Unfortunately, his team lost.   With their first game behind them, the seniors plan to have a fun season, and make the best of it as it is their last. Best of luck to all of the seniors. 

THE AUDITORIUM: IS IT SAFE?

By NICOLE QUINONES

NICOLE QUINONES FOR WIZARD WEEKLY

The auditorium is supposed to be a safe place for students in the performing arts to escape.  It is also the location where assemblies, presentations, fundraisers and meetings are held. The auditorium is an area that is used so often, so why is it so broken? It is an old auditorium and, just by looking at the stage, one can assess that it hasn’t been sanded in years.  In addition, the seats are falling apart, the paint is chipping, and the carpet in the aisles are ancient and worn. 

The students in the performing arts are greatly affected by the damages, considering they have to spend 12 plus hours a week rehearsing and building sets. It is broken because it’s old but, more importantly, because nobody has cared about repairing it. It is not professional, which is ironic, because Masque and Mime is such a professional club. The students of Washingtonville deserve more than seats that collapse when they sit down and a stage that gives students splinters. Masque and Mime junior, Thomas Cudmore stated, “I wish for a better stage to produce our shows, we are good enough.” Before every show Masque and Mime has to lay down a black floor so it looks more professional and so nobody gets splinters. The club can’t just perform the shows, there is always that extra step that needs to be taken. 

In viewing shows performed at neighboring high schools in Orange County such as Newburgh, Warwick, Cornwall and Chester one can find students from Washingtonville comparing the auditoriums to their own. There is always a hint of jealousy in their voices when they speak of the other schools’ auditoriums.  All four aforementioned schools have a production box which makes controlling the lights and sound easier and a more private area for crew to work while the show is going on. Absent are the seats that people can’t sit in because of a “safety hazard”. Overall, compared to other high schools, the auditorium at Washingtonville is lacking the wow factor that it deserves.

Washingtonville High School's auditorium has the potential to be the best in Orange County. The size is unlike any other with stadium style seating and a huge stage. The downside to the necessary renovations is that it is costly. There are 750 seats in the auditorium that would need to be replaced.  The cost of this venture would be tremendous.  Now the question to ask is, is all of this money worth it and will the community be on board? The safety of the students at Washingtonville is more important than money. If a student accidentally sits in a broken chair and gets injured, the school is going to have to deal with that. 

When walking around the auditorium at Washingtonville High School, it is obvious that work is needed. The only object that has been replaced recently are the lights which were given and installed by the superintendent, Mr. Roy Reese. As a community, we are one step closer to having a better auditorium that is suitable for the faculty and students. Hopefully more renovations are in store for the future.