News

September 2014

What’s In Your Pumpkin Spice Latte? By Megan Seyler

Spice up your fall

season with some

carcinogens and

whipped cream!

Everybody’s fa-

vorite seasonal

drink is back - the

Starbucks Pump-

kin Spice Latte.

It’s craved all

year, with over

two hundred mil-

lion sold since

2003, and shelved

right along next

to everybody’s favorite classic autumn essentials.

But what exactly is in the beverage?

It’s been recently discovered by health blogger Va-

ni Hari, that the caramel coloring used in the Pump-

kin Spice Latte contains chemical 4-Mel, or rather,

a possible carcinogen. This is the same coloring

found to cause leukemia and lung cancer in mice by

the International Agency for Research on Cancer. 4-

Mel, or 4 methyl imidazole, is only formed as a by-

product in the cooking of certain foods, such as

roasting coffee beans or grilling meats. There are

two doses of the caramel IV in a grande latte alone.

The question remains, however, should you be wor-

ried? According to Starbucks, the answer is clearly

no. A Starbucks associate, Linda Mills, assures the

public that the level of caramel used is safe to con-

sume and well below the No Significant Risk Level.

The FDA also resides with this, as laws state the

amount of 4-Mel in caramel coloring brings no im-

mediate or short-term risk, though nothing about long-

term risk is mentioned. However, Mills did confirm that

the company is “actively looking to phase out the cara-

mel coloring.”

The 4-Mel chemical, while concerning, is not your only

problem with these festive drinks. The Starbucks Pump-

kin Spice Latte, in fact, contains no actual pumpkin in

the beverage. When broken down ingredient by ingredi-

ent, the latte is not only brimming with chemicals and

high fructose corn syrup, but also lacking the very in-

gredient that makes it a pumpkin spice latte. Technical-

ly, the only actual pumpkin you’re consuming when you

purchase this drink is the small amount of spice sprin-

kled across the top of the whipped cream.

Because pumpkin lattes are a must-have for most fall

lovers, I’d recommend looking into this alternative reci-

pe to satisfy the craving. Take the cancer out and put the

pumpkin in!

Newspaper Staff:

Editor-in-Chief: Jada Butler

News Editor: Catherine Ewing

Editorials Editor: Jahanvi Gupta

Features Editor: Claudia Barnard

Sports Editor: Kyle Edelman

Entertainment Editors: Kelly Brennan & Megan Seyler

Photo Editor: Nicholas Covell

Staff Photographers: Sharon Niculcea, Ryan Gahman,

Alexa Buck, & Molly Farrara

On Monday September 22, 2014, thousands of

people marched in Moscow to protest against

Russian involvement in the Ukraine con-

flict. Most, if not all people, have heard some-

thing or another in regards to this con-

flict. However, what they hear is something

along the lines of: “something is happening in

Ukraine and Putin is being antagonistic.” The

problem is that the general masses are lost when it

comes to the big picture of the crisis.

The conflict dates back to 1954, when the Crime-

an peninsula was annexed to Ukraine, leaving

Russia. Due to Crimea’s long Russian history,

and high population of Russian-speaking individ-

uals, Russia believes that it ought to be an-

nexed. In mid-March, the people of Crimea voted

on whether they wanted to join Russia. A majori-

ty of those who voted said that they wanted to be

a part of Russia. The Ukraine government thinks

that the votes do not really count. Crimea voting

to be part of Russia again is like Maryland voting

to be part of England.

On July

17th, 2014,

flight MH-

17 was shot

down over

Ukraine,

likely by pro

-Russian re-

bels. In the

following days, the rebels, with Russian assis-

tance, attempted to impede the investigation of

the plane crash and tampered with the dead. By

the 22nd, most of the corpses had been returned to

their country of origin, and on July 31st, forensic

investigators and detectives from the OSCE (The

Organization for Security and Cooperation in Eu-

rope) were finally granted access.

Russia and the

Ukraine By: Gillian Hertzog

In late July, Russia was accused of firing artillery

from within Russia in efforts to attack Ukrainian

military positions by the United States. The

United States of America also leveled a very se-

rious accusation at Russia, claiming that Russia

had violated the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nucle-

ar Forces Treaty.

In early August, Ukrainian governmental com-

puters were attacked by the Ouroboros vi-

rus. The virus was suspected to have originated

from a Russian intelligence agency.

Since August, there has been nearly nonstop

fighting between pro-Russian rebels, Russia, and

Ukraine. These outbursts of violence have taken

the lives of around seven hundred people.

Isis Crisis By: Catherine Ewing

It has come to a point where the United States can

no longer ignore the growing crisis in the middle

East. Isis is taking over and expanding beyond the

reaches of their compounds, and small Islamic

towns, changing their view to terror on a more

world wide scale.

In order to understand our responses to Isis we

must first learn what Isis is. The recent transfor-

mations in political power have given Isis the per-

fect environment in which to flourish. Their origi-

nal goal was to achieve dominance in Iraq. The

outbreak of hostility followed the American with-

draw in 2011. It also received a large support boost

when the civil war in Syria turned into a sectarian

conflict.

Isis is a Islamic extremist group. Their actions do

not follow the Islamic, beautiful traditions of peace,

rather they mutate it to fit their own desire for pow-

er. They are Sunni Islam, the Sunni have an ongo-

ing fight since the formation of the religion with the

Shiites.

Isis strikes terror through beheading and strategi-

cally placed terror attacks. Recently a branch of

Isis was found in Australia. The group was

planning a public terror demonstration in which

they would take to the streets, and behead inno-

cent civilians.

Starting on Tuesday September,23 2014 the

United states with the help of our allies started

air strikes on the Isis stronghold of Raqa, a city

in Northern Syria.

Isis has had control of Raqa for more than a

year. They have been imposing brutal interpre-

tations of Islamic law on the city’s resi-

dents. The extremists have made the city, which

sits off the Euphrates river, the capital of their

self-declared “Islamic State”. Their “State” ex-

tends across a large area of Syria and Iraq.

Other targets that were hit include other Syrian

cities of -- Deir Ezzor, Al Hasakah and Abu

Kamal --.

Ebola is a virus that is quick to multiply and

quicker to kill. It is the largest Ebola outbreak in

history, and the first in West Africa. The out-

break began in Guinea where they say a human

may have had contact with an infected animal.

Ebola can only be spread through contact with

infected blood, bodily liquid, infected animal

blood, and needles or other medical supplies

used on infected patients. The disease spreads

the most in a hospital-like setting, where the in-

Isis Crisis: CONTINUED

Ebola Outbreak

By: Catherine Ewing

fected are abundant and contact is made often.

When the virus first begins, it resembles a com-

mon cold, with symptoms like diarrhea pharyn-

gitis, inflammation of the throat, inflammation

of the eye’s mucous membranes, abdominal

pain, and vomiting. When the infection attacks

in full force, the skin will be severely damaged;

small white blisters will form in red spots or

rashes before they will become bruises. The skin

takes on a pulpy texture, small rips will appear

in the flesh because it is now so frail that even

the patient’s movement can tear the skin and the

smallest openings will bleed profusely. Death

from Ebola is caused by three main things:

shock, renal failure (kidney failure), or blood

loss.

A

vaccine is being worked on to help moderate, or

cure the disease, but the best ways to control it

as of now are containment and a protein -(T cell

immunoglobulin), that helps diminish and even

block the virus from being able to take over a

host cell to reproduce. The vaccine is not a cure

for people who have already contracted the dis-

ease, but rather a preventative step to stop the

viruses from taking hold of any more victims.

Picture Credit:

Pumpkin Spice Latte

Isis Crisis Picture 1

Isis Crisis Picture 2

Ebola

Editorials September 2014

Stick To That Seat! By: Camryn Sheasley

Assigned seats aren’t a new idea to students; multiple

teachers use them for their classes in order to keep

things neat and running smoothly, but is it really nec-

essary in study halls? Study halls are used for many

things other than studying, including finishing up

work, resting, or even socializing, but assigned seating

might affect these activities. So, are assigned seats an

advancement or a restriction?

Assigned seating certainly does have its advantages. If

a teacher has a particu-

larly “excitable” class,

permanent seating may

calm the students down,

but it could also leave

the students unhappy

with their particular

seat. Assigned seating

can also cause the start

of class to quicken, as

attendance taking be-

comes faster and easier,

since teachers or substitutes can see who is missing

quickly. This also can make things easier for substi-

tutes to learn names and call on students, but what ad-

vancements do the students get from assigned seats?

Students are usually much more joyful when sitting

with their friends, but teachers do not particularly like

this, because some students can get chatty. The ad-

vantages of students sitting where they want are also

beneficial to the teacher, as well. Students sitting

where they want allows the students to warm up to the

class, as a class is always more enjoyable when your

friends are near you, right? Choosing a seat can also

allow students to focus more if they have the choice to

get away from their friends because it is easier to con-

centrate without someone chatting to them. Flexible

seating allows options for students of all kinds, wheth-

er they are introverts or extroverts.

Assigned seating isn’t all that necessary, especially in

classes like study hall. As long as students can be well

-behaved and reasonable, teachers should have no

problem with where kids sit. If a student were to get

unmanageable, that's when a teacher can give assigned

seats to that student or those students. Students should

be able to choose something as simple as a seat in

classes like study hall, as it would make the students

much, much happier.

Students With Jobs By: Tessa Caltagirone

“College is so expensive, I need money.”

“I saved enough money to get a car!”

“I have to get a job sometime in high school”

These statements and ones similar to them come from

high school students’ mouths more often than people

think.

Needing money to advance their education and to get a

car, more and more students are getting jobs. Nowa-

days, students in high school have to go to college to

get the job they prefer. Due to the rising cost of col-

lege, they are expected to contribute financially. High

school students need money for a vehicle for transpor-

tation. Many students are in the work force while in

high school for these reasons and more. Today, many

underclassmen are planning to get a job sometime in

their high school career. Most upperclassmen have

jobs and are going straight from school to work dur-

ing the week. Jobs are essential for most high school

students in our society.

In a recent survey taken by Wilson High School stu-

dents, 39% of students said they have a job during

the school year. These students work anywhere from

eight to thirty-eight hours a week, making it difficult

to juggle school and work. Those that worked a high-

er number of hours, like twenty, thirty, or thirty-

eight, confirmed that it is hard for them to get home-

work done because they barely have time for it. They

need to go to work because they need money for per-

sonal and future academic expenses. Eleven percent

of the students that filled out the survey said they had

summer jobs and plan on getting the same job next

summer with the same motivations. Of the 50% of

students that did not have jobs, 89% stated that they

are planning on getting a job sometime in high

school. This proves that it is important for students to

have a job and earn money while in high school.

According to the website Marketwatch, 80% of stu-

dents nationwide are working part-time. Jobs have an

impact on students, whether they think it does or not.

This is because students with jobs need to find more

time in the day to complete their school work; this

cuts into the amount of hours they have to sleep,

making them tired and not fully functioning.

Jobs are essential for students to get further in life,

but they can be a roadblock to success in school. Stu-

dents need to focus on their futures, and to do so they

must prosper in school. Both school and jobs are crit-

ical for high school students in the 21st century.

Many students today have jobs, and this number is

expected to grow even more in the future.

5 Minute Bell Ring By: Baree Newton

“BRrrring,” the bell goes off and a Wilson High

School student grabs his items and sprints out of the

classroom. He has five minutes to make it to his class

all the way on the other side of the school. In order

to succeed, he would have to dash through the halls

and down the hill to the lower house while dodging

obstacles such as people walking slowly in front of

him, rain pouring from the sky, and teachers stop-

ping him and asking about an assignment. All of this

occurs in just five short minutes. He runs into the

classroom, but it’s too late as the bell has rung and

class has already begun. The student is given a deten-

tion and is expected to stay after school, which re-

quires skipping his extracurricular activities and

damaging his permanent record.

In elementary school

when students were late

for class, it was the abso-

lute end of the world.

The teachers would yell,

and there was always the

fear of getting clips

moved from green to yel-

low, the ultimate form of

punishment. In high

school, there are tougher

consequences with more

discipline, yet it seems like teenagers care less about

them. When it comes to the five minute bell ring,

spotting a kid sprinting to his class on the other side

of the building in order to avoid consequences is ex-

tremely rare. Mr. Sands, an Algebra II teacher at Wil-

son High School says he gives students three chances

to be late before they get a detention. “Students pro-

crastinate. I don't know any jobs that you can show

up late for. I figure I give them a few chances and by

the third time if they haven't gotten it, they earn

themselves a detention.” The fact is that the Wilson

High School is huge; it consists of what were once a

middle school and a senior high. Getting to the other

side of the building is a hike, not to mention the fact

that students are not always permitted to use the rest

rooms during class and are expected to go after class

within the five minute time frame. Ultimately, even

when students are not late, teachers normally don't

start their classes for a minute or two after the bell

rings, so it truly shouldn't matter all that much. Students obviously should have some kind of time

limit to get to class or else it would result in chaos

with students skipping and overstepping their

boundaries. Therefore, should that time limit be ex-

tended? Most would see that as unnecessary. The

teachers should just be a little more lenient if a stu-

dent is late every day from a classroom that is on the

other side of the building. There is enough stress in

the school day for both teachers and students where

a little bit of effort from the students and a little un-

derstanding from the teachers would go a long way

for everyone.

Chromebooks For

Kids By: Camryn Sheasley

The Wilson School District recently invested in a

new idea: Chromebooks for their students. Chrome-

books are a great and new way to help students ad-

vance in their studies, but is it really necessary for

the younger kids? It’s understandable for high

school, but do middle schools and elementary

schools really need it?

Chromebooks for middle schools are already in ef-

fect, but they can’t take them home without notice.

Middle school is the time that kids prepare for high

school, meaning tougher work and more online-

based activities. While getting students used to the

chromebook is helpful, it’s not really necessary for

6th and 7th graders. Most projects can be done in

before, after, or during the school day. Most homes

now also have the luxury of a home computer and

internet access, so if a kid would really need to ac-

cess something online at home, they could use a par-

ent or guardian’s computer. Let us not forget that

most of the student population also already has

iPods, phones, and things similar that have access to

the internet.

Adding on to the fact that younger students may not

need Chromebooks, there are plenty of risks taken

when giving an expensive device such as a Chrome-

book to a younger child. Accidents happen; it’s not

like Chromebooks won’t break in the hands of a

high school student, but it’s much more likely to

happen with a middle school or elementary student.

Many students may deliberately abuse the Chrome-

books, costing the district money that could have

been used for something better. Chromebooks are

sturdy and could likely stand a few falls, but it’s best

not to risk it, right?

Chromebooks are a wonderful way to enhance a stu-

dent’s learning, as well as make things more conven-

ient for a student, but for younger kids, it simply is-

n’t necessary. Most projects are done purely at

school or are done physically. Introducing a young

student to the Chromebook program is smart, but if

the Chromebooks were left in the hands of the

school, there is no doubt that there would be less

risk concerning the condition of this important tech-

nology.

Photo Credit:

Stick To That Seat!

Students With Jobs

5 Minute Bell Ring

Chromebooks For Kids

Features

September 2014

Arsenic & Old Lace By: Catherine Ewing and Jada Butler

Join us October 2nd, 3rd, and 4th at 7:30pm in

the school auditorium for Wilson Theatre Com-

pany’s first play of the year, Arsenic and Old

Lace, by Joseph Kesselring. The play revolves

around the insane, homicidal Brewster family,

an “average” New York family consisting of two

seemingly sweet old ladies, and their two neph-

ews, Teddy, who thinks he is Theodore Roose-

velt, and Mortimer, a drama critic engaged to his

girlfriend Elaine. But everything goes south

when Mortimer accidently discovers his aunts’

“bad habit” of poisoning old men with their ar-

senic laced wine. To add to his trouble, his long

lost brother, Jonathan, returns with more than

just a hatchet to bury with the family. See this

hilarious comedy this weekend at Wilson High

School.

Tickets are $6 for students and senior citizens,

and $8 for adults. Advanced tickets may be pur-

chased online at www.wilsontheater.org.

What defines a perfect high school student? Must

they have outstanding academic achievement or be

involved in every extracurricular offered in the

school? Such requirements are impractical to be

asked of an adolescent. I mean, we have enough

on our plates already with trying to balance fami-

ly, school, friends, work and a pile of other re-

sponsibilities

all at once.

One student,

however, tack-

les all of these

areas head on.

This person is

none other

than 17 year

old, 11th

grade student,

Jada Butler. She might sound like an ordinary,

everyday high schooler, but she’ll surprise you in

many ways.

Jada is part of our school's theatre program as head

of the stage crew and set design in the tech depart-

ment. Her setting projects include that of A Christ-

mas Carol, Legally Blonde the Musical, and many

others in the past years. Her skill with a power

drill is unmatched by any man in the school,

(besides Mr. Reppert, who taught her), and her

leadership can accomplish any goal set before her.

Jada is also heavily involved with the student

school newspaper as our Editor-In-Chief. Writing

is one of her many passions and her talent with the

English language is something I’ve seen very little

of in many teens. She loves to write short stories,

Student Feature:

Jada Butler By: Ryan Gahman

novellas, and poems, and does so to relax and

free her mind from her many obligations. In

the past, she’s published various articles in

the newspaper herself.

Outside of school she spends much of her

time employed at the popular retail store,

Rue21, in the Berkshire mall. Somehow she

is able to, amongst her other responsibilities,

hold down a job, which is simply incredible.

At home, she lives with her mother and father

and is forced with the tedious task of watch-

ing her 3 rambunctious little siblings, who

she loves very much. On the weekends she

still finds time to dedicate to her friends - and

her anime obsession.

Ironically, Jada, unknowing of my intentions,

gave me the assignment to feature a student in

the newspaper. I chose to write about her be-

cause of the resilience and perseverance she

shows as a person. She’s a self-made woman,

preparing her way in this world and she de-

serves some recognition. Few people these

days display the hard working attitude that

Jada uses to undertake her responsibilities.

Her free spirit can brighten anyone’s dismal

day, and she remains one of my closest

friends and a role model for how I should live

my life.

So, what defines a perfect high school stu-

dent, or maybe just an incredible person in

general? It’s being involved with their school,

helping it be a better place of learning and

creativity. It is managing their time wisely,

making sure to commit their attention to each

individual activity separately, but equally. It’s

being a leader with a personality that uplifts

and inspires those around them. These quali-

ties are rooted deep inside the one and only

Jada Butler.

Teacher Feature:

Mr. Raffauf By: Ryan Gahman

A true scientist and educator of young minds, Mr.

Justin Raffauf is a valuable addition to the Wilson

teaching staff. Inside of school he teaches Honors Bi-

ology along with CP Chemistry. Initially, he attended

Duquesne to secure a major in Biology; once that was

finished, he continued on to Kutztown University for a

teaching certificate.

Along with teaching, Mr. Raffauf is also heavily in-

volved with Wilson sports and afterschool clubs; he is

the assistant coach of the boys water polo team and

leads both the Earth and Relay For Life clubs.

Outside of school academics and clubs, Mr. Raffauf

enjoys traveling beyond state borders to Colorado to

visit his distant relatives. In contrast to the cold win-

ters of the Centennial state, Mr. Raffauf delights in

visiting beaches across the country. Any kind would

suit him, as the sun and oceans relax and unwind him

from his responsibilities.

As a dedicated and loyal sports fan, Mr. Raffauf fol-

lows all teams centered out of Philadelphia. Whether it

be football, baseball, or hockey - it doesn’t matter. He

loves them all and creates fantasy teams every year for

each sport.

Just recently, Mr. Raffauf and his wife Jayme celebrat-

ed a new addition to their family. Now 5 months old,

little baby Austin has taken up most of Mr. Raffauf`s

time lately. Having a child has greatly altered his per-

ception in life, yet he will continue to inspire his stu-

dents and remain a valuable addition to the Wilson

staff.

STUDENT FEATURE: CONTINUED

Youth Exchange By: Kelly Brennan

Imagine leaving Berks County, going to a country where you barely know the language and living there for a year. This isn’t a vacation either. In-stead of seeing the beaches of southern France for a week, you will be attending school and learn-ing in a totally different language. Sounds terrify-ing, but after a lengthy process, Emily Jordan and Kacper Nakwasinski were accepted into the Rota-ry club’s Youth Exchange Program.

Poland native, Kacper Nakwasinski, 17, landed in Newark on August 13, 2014. “This is going to be the longest year in my life,” Kacper thought when he first arrived in America. Before arriving, Kacper knew America as the land of obesity and fast food. He now knows that yes, many Americans are fat, but this does not relate to everyone. He was also intrigued about the very diverse culture.

Pennsylvanian, Emily Jordan, 15, flew to Italy on September 3rd, 2014. “The first thing I noticed was how friendly and open the people are here,” Emily stated. She was most nervous about the language barrier. Although Emily only started learning Italian this past summer, everyone has been very helpful with making the tran-sition as comfortable as possible.

Back in Poland, Kacper loves to hang out with his friends. Since gardens are very popular in his vil-lage, he must help his mother with the garden. Like most teenagers in America, Kacper had many responsibilities and chores back home. “Every Friday, my brother and I must clean our rooms” Kacper said, “My mother is strict.”

In America, Emily loved to hang out with her close friends while participating in Wilson Theater Com-pany and local theater companies. She was al-ways very interested in other languages. This love for immersing herself in different cultures made her very interested in participating in the Rotary’s Youth Exchange Program. After Kacper took a tour of Wilson High School, his first impression was that it was the biggest school he has ever seen. Wilson has about 2000 students. Kacper’s

old school had only 500. The biggest difference, in Kacper’s opinion, between both schools were the relationships with his teachers. In his old high school, students would have an extremely formal relationship with their teachers. At Wilson, students are definitely friendlier with their teachers.

In Italy, Emily will be studying a variety of courses. Schooling in Italy is set up very differently, than at Wilson. Emily will attend school Monday through Saturday. Her school days end slightly earlier than us, but she is so intrigued about learning in a new environment.

“I was most nervous about the language,” Kacper told me. After studying four years of the English lan-guage, the language barrier is still a very nerve-racking thing. It is hard to even function in another country if you do not fully know their language. Kacper is getting along very well and his English has improved immensely since his arrival.

“Everything is breathtaking here,” Emily stated. She described the ador-able little cafes that line the streets and the intricate architecture of the government buildings. This is ex-tremely different to her hometown of Sinking Spring. ‘Everything has a re-ally beautiful and unique style here,’ she learned upon her arrival.

“The food is terrible,” Kacper admit-ted. French toast and bacon was the worst thing he has eaten since he arrived in America. “but I told my fam-ily that it was good.” Kacper said. Be-side the food he ate at home, he

misses his family and his dogs the most. Kacper’s hatred for American food does not affect how excit-ed he is to experience our culture for a year.

Even though Emily is making a drastic change in her life by living in another country for a year, she says “Of course I miss home, but all of the experiences I am having over here don't leave much room for get-ting caught up in homesickness.” A very mature and impressive view to have on this change in her life.

I applaud Kacper and Emily for being courageous enough to study abroad for one whole year. The Ro-tary Youth Exchange is a prestigious group to be apart of, but you are interested contact your local Rotary to experience what Emily and Kacper are experiencing, the world.

Freshmen Year to

Senior Year By: Ersha Kumar and Megan Seyler

August 25, 2014, You feel butterflies filling your

stomach, like you do every year. You’re worried

about who will be in your lunch period, or if you’ll

have any friends in any of your classes. These feel-

ings are normal, everyone goes through them, re-

gardless of whether you’re a senior or a freshman.

However, the experiences students go through

throughout the year are very different. Their attitude

and feelings towards high school usually contradict

one another.

Nikhil Kumar, a ninth grader here at Wilson, had

expressed his initial feelings about coming into high

school. “It’s a strange place compared to middle

school and elementary school,” he had said. “The

environment is a lot different.” When I had asked

about his first day at school, he told me that finding

his classes was a little hard, but other than that, his

day had went well.

On the other hand, Shawn Jackson, a senior, had

shared all her experiences she had throughout high

school. “My high school experience has been re-

volving around band for the past four years. I’m in

some sort of music program year round like march-

ing band, concert band, indoor percussion, and per-

cussion ensemble, it’s all I do. And those things are

all a big part of my high school experience because

that’s how I met most of my closest friends,” she

had revealed. When I asked her about how she felt

about her teachers from the past four years, she said

her learning experience had consisted of two types

of teachers. “There were the teachers that were

great and they really cared for their students, but I

feel like there were some that were only there for a

paycheck.” As a senior, she had many thoughts

about the uses of technology at the school. “I like

that we can use our phones in school, but I don’t

care for the Chromebooks.” A lot of the other sen-

iors I talk to had the same feelings for the new

Chromebooks we use in almost every class.

As a pretty new addition to the high school, any ad-

vice I can get from upperclassmen is appreciated.

When asked, Shawn said, “Just be yourself. You’ll

make a lot more friends that really care about you

that way. Get involved in things early so you have

more time to be in them, and if you don’t enjoy it,

there are so many other clubs and activities the

school offers.” She also added, “And don’t be afraid

of being shoved into a locker. They’re too small an-

yway.”

High school is four years of your life you’ll never

get back, so make the most of it! Join clubs you’d

never think to join, don’t be afraid to meet new peo-

ple and make new friends, and don’t be afraid to try

new things. This is your time.

Take A Swim In

the Roy G. Snyder

Natatorium By: Brendan Wetmore

The cool blue color seems to settle like velvet

sheets on a bed. A swimmer dives in and flies

through the water, his impeccable form swiftly

Picture Credit

Arsenic & Old Lace: Lucy Wolfe

Student Feature: Picture provided by Jada Butler

Teacher Feature: Ryan Gahman

Natatorium Feature: Picture 1: Alexa Buck, Picture 2: Ryan

Gahman

parting the water.. No, I’m not describing the re-

laxing beaches of the Atlantic Ocean. I’m describ-

ing the newly renovated Roy G. Snyder Natatori-

um. Recently, I had a chance to talk to the Wilson

High School Boy’s Water Polo coach, Adam Fil-

er.

“I first heard

about the

renovations 2

years ago,”

he said; Filer

had attended

some of the

meetings

where the

renovations

were dis-

cussed.

“While con-

struction was

going on, the

team prac-

ticed at

Green Valley

Country

Club, Gover-

nor Mifflin

and Reading.”

On any given day in the 2013-2014 school year,

students could see construction being done at the

Lower House. However, the outcome was defi-

nitely worth it. When asked if the renovated facil-

ity was more ideal for his team and their practices,

Coach Filer replied, “Yes, it is a deeper pool, so it

allows us to work on conditioning while scrim-

maging and allows us to get more out of our

workouts.” He also said that his favorite part of

the newly renovated facility was the increase in

space, which allows the pool to accommodate

more people.

Dr. Fiore was also very happy with the natatorium.

“They’ve been talked about for well over 10

years,” he replied when he was asked about when

the reno-

vations

were first

brought

up. “I

believe

the con-

struction

first start-

ed in

spring of

2013.”

Dr. Fiore

also add-

ed that

this nata-

torium

was ac-

cessible

to every-

one, mak-

ing it a

great location for the community to come and

learn to swim.

The lengthy waiting period paid off, to say the

least. Whether you’re training, playing or learning,

the Roy G. Snyder Natatorium is the perfect place

for everyone in the Wilson community. Having

this newly renovated natatorium will benefit the

school for years to come. So, put down this article

and go swimming!

Entertainment September 2014

The Loss of Two Comedic Legends By: Leah Borelli

Joan Rivers began her eminence in comedy when she appeared on The Tonight Show hosted by Johnny Car-son in 1965. The appearance showed off her comedic talent and from here her career skyrocketed. Rivers began hosting her own talk shows including The Late Show with Joan Rivers and The Joan Rivers Show where she became the first women to host a late night network television talk show. Joan began to flourish in the celebrity world when she won a Daytime Emmy and continued to stay in the spotlight with multiple

Grammy and Tony Awards. Along with television, Joan was the author of 12 best-selling humor books and albums. In 2010 Rivers be-came a co-host of E! Networks show, Fashion Police where she commented on celebrities fashion and was widely known for her honesty and blunt humor. Joan guest starred in numerous television programs as well as her own shows including one with daughter Melis-sa Rivers. Along with her honesty and humor, Rivers was known for her innumerable plastic surgeries. In August of

2014, Joan went into a routine throat procedure at a clinic and experienced serious complications and stopped breathing. Rivers was put into a medically induced coma after suffering cardiac arrest. The fol-lowing day, Joan Rivers died and the exact cause is still unknown. Her memorial was held in September and was an extravagant event that reflected exactly who Joan was as a person. To Rivers request, the me-morial consisted of show tunes, humor, and a remem-brance of Joan and her work. In August 11, 2014, the world lost one its greatest co-medic geniuses. Robin Williams started in the 1970s doing stand-up comedy in San Francisco and was dis-covered by a producer who introduced him to the film industry. Robin continued to do stand-up once his ca-reer in film took off to help keep his improvisational skills up. Williams’ rise to fame began in 1978 when he starred in the sitcom Mork & Mindy. His career in the film industry continued with his work in Dead Poet’s Soci-ety, Good Will Hunting, Mrs. Doubtfire, Jumanji, Night at the Museum and many, many more. Robin was widely known for his humor and amazing acting skills and was recognized with Academy, Em-my, Golden Globe, Grammy, and Screen Actor Guild Awards. In early 2000 Robin made his debut on Broadway with Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo and an Off-Broadway production called Godot. Although Williams was recognized for his humor, he suffered from depression and addiction for the majori-ty of his life. Due to the stress of stand-up, Williams started drinking and using cocaine. Making other peo-ple laugh was a huge outlet for Robin and helped him with his depression.

THE LOSS OF TWO COMEDIC LEGENDS: CON-TINUED

Unfortunately, in August Robin passed away from As-phyxia due to hanging. Robin’s ashes were spread in the San Francisco Bay where he spent a lot of his time. Robin Williams will remain a legend and an incredible person to look up to in the comedy and film industry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

As Above, So Below Review By: Kelly Brennan If it weren’t for the unnecessary love interest between the two main characters and being able to predict eve-rything that is going to happen, As Above, So Below, may have been somewhat of a decent movie. Directed by John Erick Dowdle, this found footage horror-thriller seems like it would be somewhat original based off of the introduction to the plot within the first five minutes, but heads south quickly. We meet our main character Scarlett, played by Perdita Weeks, who is trying to complete her late father’s re-search to find the all powerful Philosopher’s Stone. Af-ter illegally using ancient art to find a map to the stone, Scarlett decides gather a very random group of people to travel underneath Paris and through the catacombs. Essentially, they go off course, after hours, to find the stone and go through the gates of hell, which should have been the biggest sign to maybe turn around and go home. I have to give it to the director, the movie did scare me, most were the usual jump scares, but some were slight-ly disturbing. The director played with the claustropho-bic elements that go along with traveling through the very narrow catacombs. I could barely breath during the scene when the extremely claustrophobic camera-man had to crawl through a narrow tunnel filled with the remains of those who were put in the catacombs. Up until Scarlett found the stone, I believed that the plot of somewhat unique, but upon finding the stone, she became magical and could heal people. This imme-diately took every scary aspect out of the movie. But the absolute worst part was the god awful love sce-

ne. Scarlett’s friend, George, also tagged along. When they finally realized that they probably weren't going to make it out alive, since you know, they were basi-cally entering hell, George pulled Scarlett aside and professed his love for her. Thus, ruining the movie. This stupid love interest doesn't stop there though. George was dying, which as a viewer I was rooting for him. He seemed to be the only one who thought that maybe it’s not a good idea to travel through the cata-combs after hours. But as he was dying, Scarlett real-ized that they were being manipulated by the surround-ing demons. She kissed him and believed really hard and George came back to life! I audibly groaned at this part, as did most of the theater. As Above, So Below had some ele-ments that made it seem like a good horror movie, but there was always an air of unoriginal-ity about the whole thing. Let’s have every director take an oath to never make another found footage horror movie ever again. By now, we all should have realized that this form of film is overdone. The Blair Witch Project, will remain the only original found footage movie, since it was the first one of its kind. If that movie never existed, Dow-dle would have never been able to come up with his unoriginal idea for As Above, So Below.

With that aside, there was so much lacking. I would maybe recommend this to someone if you want to watch 93 minutes of predictability and jump scares.

Back-to-School Fash-ion Trends By: Claudia Barnard and Megan Showalter Back to school means that you have to start stressing about picking out the perfect outfits again. So in order to kick off the new school year with a bang try wearing some new styles like, street-style denim, mixing differ-ent patterns, sneakers, or oversized cardigans. As fall rolls around we are seeing more mixing of tex-tures, such as leather and faux-fur. Pairing different textures can immediately make an outfit look like a million bucks! Using different textures also makes it seem like you've spent all week planning it out! Top-shop and H&M are great places to find jackets, pants and shirts that will complete the look for a low price.  

Mixing styles of clothing, like grunge, retro, preppy, and girly, is also another huge trend this back-to-school  season. Wearing an army jacket with a pink flowy shirt can give you the ultimate tough girl with a hint of inno-cence. Jump out of your comfort zone when it comes to mixing differently styles. Sneakers aren't just for the gym anymore! Many celebrities are now wear-ing sneakers with dresses or pants, instantly mak-ing an outfit chic. This new style seemed to be an overnight sensation. First seen at the Chanel 2014/15 fall fashion show, wearing sneakers with any look can be seen almost everwhere! In the picture below the model is wearing leather pants with sneakers, which basically sums up this years fall fashion favorites! As for the boys, this is the year to step it up! Mens fashion is becoming more and more intricate and so-phisticated. With that being said, the rebellious prep look is in. Wearing a blazer with leather pants or Doc

Martens is being seen as the new “it” look. Den-im and leather is also very popular for the guys; wearing jeans with a leather jacket can make an effortless look into the ideal everyday school outfit. Converse of Doc Martens with any style of jeans can make your outfit look complete.

Hacked and Exposed By: Kayla Schaub Many people back up their private information, such as contacts, photos, messages etc., to what Apple calls, iCloud. Just recently though, a hacker has broken into many celebrities iCloud accounts and publicly shared very explicit and private photos. These photos were posted on the website forum 4chan and have now moved to other websites, such as Twitter. Nearly two hundred photos have been leaked of celebrities such as Jennifer Lawrence, Ariana Grande, Kate Upton, Kim Kardashian, Dave Franco and many more. Many have denied the legitimacy of these photos, in-cluding Victoria Justice and Ariana Grande, but some have come confirmed the images were of them. Alt-hough, not all of the photos leaked were explicit or racy. Most of the photos leaked were nude photographs or pictures of the celebrity nearly nude. Keke Palmer, former Nickelodeon star, was hacked, but the photos leaked were not explicit at all . Jennifer Lawrence, award winning actress, has taken legal action. Her lawyers released a statement claiming that anyone who tries to post the photos online will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Since many other victims have followed in Lawrences footsteps, this has now fallen into the hands of the FBI. To access the celebrities accounts, he hacker most like-ly took advantage of Apple’s security flaw in iCloud. Unlike other online backup services, when you try to

HACKED AND EXPOSED: CONTINUED

guess multiple passwords you will never be locked out. This allowed the hacker to use a computer program to generate countless passwords, and along with countless tries, get into celebrity's accounts. The FBI has only releases that they think the crime was committed by a group rather than just one individual. They say that the extensive work and skill that had to go into this had to be done by more than one person. The FBI has not released additional information. Most experts are telling people to remember that when they delete a photo, that they need to delete the data on the back up service they are using that way it is less likely that someone can get ahold of it. This paired with Apple’s new changes in security can prevent another incident like this from ever happening.                 

Tomcat Café: Restau-rant Review By: Anthony Covell Have you ever driven down Penn Ave, just past McDonalds and then past Village Greens Golf Course, on a Sunday Morning and seen dozens of people stand-ing on the street corner of South Hull Street? Those people are waiting, watery mouthed and antsy to enter the wonderful place that is Tomcat Café. Although it isn’t the largest place and seating is limited, it is definitely worth the wait. After being seated, I was instantly waited on and given my coffee and orange juice. While taking in the sweet aroma of pancakes and coffee, I noticed that the mugs around the table were all different, giving the restaurant a genuine cafe feel.

When our food came in a few short minutes I was not pre-pared for the size of the pan-cakes I was about to be served. I ordered strawberry cheesecake pancakes out of the other 57 different types of pancakes. “What a great combination,” I thought when I ordered it. These pancakes were larger than my head, which is really saying something about the size of the pancakes. When I thought that it was a great combi-nation of cheesecake and pancakes I was wrong. It was the perfect combination. My taste buds were thoroughly fulfilled with the sweet cheesecake filling, strawberry glaze, and fluffy pancakes. The portion was enough for me to eat half and be more than full. I took the other half home with me and I ate the rest within an hour be-cause it was too delicious to just let it sit in the fridge by itself. In addition to the wonderful service and delicious food, the café is filled with pictures and posters of famous singers, actors, actresses, and social icons. The tab-letops are displayed with a pattern of instruments from saxophones to trumpets and guitars. On each table is a little board game, including playing cards, Uno, and Yahtzee! It is clear that the staff and owners of the café want their customers to be as comfortable as possible. The only minor con of Tomcat is its tight space and limited space, but it is overall definitely worth the wait!

Ariana Grande’s My Everything Review By: Brendan Wetmore Ariana Grande has made a few hits during 2013 and 2014, like “The Way”, but her new album, “My Every-thing” was a huge miss. Track 1, “Intro” is a simple, tropical and peaceful tune, followed by booming and annoying “Problem”. “Problem” is a train wreck, and the only thing that

ARIANA GRANDE’S MY EVERYTHING REVIEW: CONTINUED

saves it from becoming a complete disaster is Iggy Azalea’s verse. Then comes the forgettable “One Last Time”. Now, “Why Try” is probably the high point of the album. Her voice shines, but once again the lyrics are simple. How-ever, she sounds very similar to Mariah Carey in this song. “Break Free (feat. Zedd)” comes next, and I wish it did-n’t. It is confusing, not to mention the verses and chorus sound like they are from completely different songs. The beat is awkward, and Ariana sounds as if she is competing with the beat rather than trying to harmonize with it. Then we have, “Best Mistake (feat. Big Sean)”, which is just a plain MISTAKE! Whoever thought that Big Sean’s verse fit into this song needs to be fired. “Be My Baby (feat. Cashmere Cat)” is definitely the lowest point of the album. It’s not catchy at all and way too obnoxious. “Break Your Heart Right Back (feat. Childish Gambino)” was very forgettable, and to be honest, way too similar to all of these other tracks. It was a bad mix reminiscent of various Katy Perry song.

“Love Me Harder (feat. The Weeknd)” was also forgettable and it’s shrill beat is very simi-lar to “Break Free”. “Just A Little Bit Of Your Heart” was very similar to any of Mariah Carey’s previous work. At this

point, you are starting to regret buying this album. “Hands On Me (feat. A$AP Ferg)” had me saying “FINALLY”! Some comic relief! I was about to fall asleep. A$AP Ferg’s verse is laughable, and Ariana re-peats the same line over and over. The album ends with “My Everything”, a sweet song, but thank goodness the album ended after it.

Ariana’s a nice girl, but this album is just plain bad. It is unoriginal and slightly annoying. If I could advise you to do one thing, it would be to save your money.

Recipe of the Month: Apple Crisp

Ingredients: 4 cups medium tart cooking apples, sliced 3/4 cups cup packed brown sugar 1/2 cup flour 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats 1 cup butter or margarine, softened 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg Ice cream (optional) Directions: Heat oven to 375ºF. Grease bottom and sides of 8-

inch square pan with shortening. Spread apples in pan. In medium bowl, stir remain-

ing ingredients except cream until well mixed; sprin-kle over apples.

Bake about 30 minutes or until topping is golden brown and apples are tender when pierced with a fork. Serve warm with cream.

Betty Crocker

October Horoscopes By: Jessica DelRosario Aries- October will be the month of love for Aries. New relationships will develop and even old relationships could resurface. However, don’t be fooled; the fulfill-ment you may experience in the beginning of these

OCTOBER HOROSCOPES—ARIES: CONTINUED

relationships could bring unexpected surprises. Be ready to deal with the challenges! Taurus- There could be a great career opportunity for you this month, Taurus. Make sure you are open to new ideas and to allow yourself to take risks. Also, be cau-tious of your personal relationships and how they affect your decision making. Following your head this month will be much more beneficial than following your heart! Gemini- You may feel very energized this month, Gemini. Eager to explore, create new memories, and enjoy life. Friendships and relationships will both be positively affected, if you allow it. Don’t let your care-free side get the best of you and ruin these unions in the process. It may be in your nature to let things go easily and not give as much as you are receiving, but try to have a broad-er perspective this month. Cancer- This month, Cancer, you may feel secluded and need more privacy. October will be the month of self improvement. You will feel geared towards cleaning, organizing, and decorating your home. You may also feel the need to cleanse all relationships you have in your life and create a clean slate. Let this month renew you and bring peace to your life. Leo- You may feel compelled to take on every chal-lenge you can this month, Leo. Be careful; having too much on your plate will cause a great deal of stress for you. Also, you may feel emotionally vulnerable this month Leo. Don’t let your pride get in the way of your passion and talking about how you feel. Virgo- Virgo, you may need to take some time this month and relax. Stress and agitation may happen too often for you. Don’t let the little things bother you. Try to handle situations with organized ease as you always have done. You may also feel especially connected with your family this month. Harmonizing and working together will be the key element in this effect. Libra- Happy birthday, Libra! Fortunately enough for

you, October will give you restless energy, which you’ll need for the endless events and friendships you’ll build this month. It may seem like everyone is just dy-ing to know you this month! However, be aware of the changes that will come; expect the unexpected within relationships, and even yourself. Scorpio- Luck will be very profound for you this month, Scorpio. Throw this gift into your work life for maximum rewards. You may feel that you can accom-plish anything this month, and it doesn’t hurt to try ei-ther. Just make sure that you are stepping out of your comfort zone! Sagittarius- Is there something about the past that is still eating away at you, Sagittarius? October is the time to settle these issues once and for all. You’ll be able to handle conflicts elegantly this month, resulting in a

happy medium by the time October has ended. Also, make sure you are having fun this month! It is the prime time for you to enjoy what life has to offer. Capricorn- Your charm and senti-ment will be increased this month, so use it your advantage. Your love life could be at its peak due to the fact that you’re at your own peak. You’ll be attracted to people who showcase prestige and power. Just make sure you are keeping an eye out for some unexpected events in your home life.

Aquarius- October could be the month of heightened senses for you, Aquarius. It may seem as though you connect with the people around you on a new level, whether it be a spiritual or emotional connection. You could also meet your soul mate this month. Be careful on how you express your passion because it could come off as overbearing, which is unusual for your detached demeanor. Pisces- There may be a hidden conflict for you this month, Pisces. Whether it regards a relationship or money, be sure you don’t let it get the best of you. Oc-tober is your month to be ambitious and dream big be-cause you have the determination this month to make anything happen. Once you set your mind to something, go for it! The benefits will be endless.

 

Picture Credit: The Loss of Two Comedic Legends

As Above, So Below Review Back-to-School Trends: Picture 1 and Picture 2

Hacked and Exposed Tomcat Café Restaurant Review

Ariana Grande’s My Everything Album Review Apple Crisp Recipe

Horoscopes

 

September 2014

Sports

In the beginning of the school year, just before the

first football game of the season, Dr. Fiore received

an email from the PIAA that goes as follows:

BANNERS, SIGNS, NOISEMAKERS, LISTEN-

ING DEVICES,

AND TEAM

BOX DECO-

RUM

The presence

and/or the use of

balloons, whis-

tles, and/or port-

able listening

devices (without earphones) are PROHIBITED! The

Principal and Athletic Director of each school will be

requested to confiscate these items from their cheer-

leaders and/or the spectators from their school and

community. The use of pom-poms by cheerleaders

and small portable listening devices with earphones is

permitted. Spectators are prohibited from remov-

ing their shirts and/or using body paint while in

attendance at District and Inter-District Champi-

onship Contests. Principals and Athletic Directors

of competing schools shall announce and publicize

these regulations.

The expected re-

action to this

new, heavy set of

rules would be

total disagree-

ment, outrage,

and disobedience.

How can they be Superfans without the super outfits

and decorum?

“At first,” says Dr. Fiore, “I was like, what’s the big

deal? But then when I looked more into it,

they’re basically saying would we allow that

in school?” Would we allow shirtless, chest

painted boys, stomach painted girls, noisemak-

ers in the middle of class - the obvious answer

is no.

Opposed to the expectation of a full rebellion,

however, the students and superfans here at

Wilson have been fairly reasonable and under-

standing, following the more, “adult sense of

rules,” and have adapted.

“In

retro-

spect,

not a

big

deal

in the

grand

scheme of things,” Dr. Fiore added, “In fact,

I’m sure some students are like, oh thank

goodness I don’t have to do this.” These rules

allow the students to get more creative; they

may not be able to paint their bodies, but then

can wear cool shirts and support great causes

such as our MiniTHON Gold Out.

“And I think that makes it even better when

we do those things,” Fiore confides. “More

people can participate, it’s not just the students

that go here. You see middle school and ele-

Wilson Superfans By: Jada Butler

mentary school kids wearing their gold, or buying

shirts for the Pink Out.”

It is true that our Super Fans have not let this new

set of rules bring them down. In fact, they are even

more pumped and unified, showing true sports-

manship for Wilson teams along with the rest of

the community.

Our Super Fans have not let this new set of rules

bring them down. In fact, they are even more

pumped and unified, showing true sportsmanship

for Wilson teams.

Mo’Ne on the Mound By: Caroline Ramsey Recently, there has been a great deal of talk on

little league baseball. In fact, more than there has

been in a while. An interest sparked after audi-

ences saw pitcher, Mo’ne Davis, shutout the op-

posing team and win the semi-

final of the Little League World

series. Under certain circum-

stances, that is extremely im-

pressive. It’s four times more

impressive though because she

did it. Girls playing baseball

with boys isn’t unheard of, but

extremely rare. It is even more

rare when you find a girl who can pitch better

than most of the boys. That was Mo’ne Ikea Da-

vis. Although defined nationally as Mo’ne, she

included being the first girl to pitch a shutout in

the Little League World series to her resume. De-

spite that impressive statistic, there is much more

to her.

As a thirteen year old, most dream of fame, but

only a few accomplish it. Even fewer don’t see it

coming. For Mo’ne, she was just like any normal

teen a couple of months ago. A shy, well known

girl, and a well rounded student at Chestnut Hill

Academy in Philadelphia. She played various

sports such as basketball, soccer, and baseball.

Along with these things she loved hanging with

her friends and eating at her favorite pizza joint.

That is until her baseball team, the Taney Drag-

ons, reached the Little League playoffs. From then

on, she was devoted to baseball all

the time. Game after game, more

and more came to see the rising star

pitcher Mo’ne. Mo’ne Davis be-

came a household name. She was

asked to be on the cover of Sports

illustrated and to speak on talk

shows such as Jimmy Fallon. Peo-

ple became more aware of this as-

piring young girl who played tough

and played to win.

Though the Taney Dragons fell short of the LLW

series win, nobody will forget Mo’ne Davis or the

Taney Dragons. They were a small team that

made it big thanks to their diversity and spirit. As

for Mo’ne’s legacy, the Little League World se-

ries will be forever changed. Now that one girl has

gone the extra mile, more and more girls will be

willing to try new things. Doors have now been

open, all because of her drive to win. With all this

success though, Mo’ne will sadly be putting down

Superfans: CONTINUED

her mitt and focusing on her true ambition: bas-

ketball. It’s alright though, because this isn’t the

last time we will be hearing about Mo’ne Davis.

She is an incredible athlete and role model, with

a very bright future. Meanwhile, it was still en-

joyable to see a Cinderella story fulfilled so

close to home.

MO’NE ON THE MOUND: CONTINUED

Wilson’s foot-

ball team start-

ed their season

on August 29th

against their

rival, Governor

Mifflin. Despite

being down 28-

13 midway through the 4th quarter, Wilson

stormed back to tie it in the closing seconds and

sent it into

overtime.

Mifflin

scored first

in overtime,

but missed

the extra

point. Wil-

son tied the game with a touchdown, and won it,

35-34, with the extra point conversion. Senior

quarterback, Jake Templin, threw 4 touchdowns,

and the team rushed for over 100 yards.

Since then, the team has won 3 straight including

two blowouts and two point win over Central Dau-

phin despite losing at the half.

Wilson Football: Un-

defeated after Four

By: Kyle Edelman

Wilson is looking for yet another winning sea-

son, and their impressive start is shaping up for

a great year.

USA National Basket-

ball Team on the

Decline By: Kyle Edelman

The United States national basketball team has

been the most dominant team in all of basketball

history. The club has never finished out of the top

3 for tournaments in its 78 year history. The team

hasn’t lost since the 2006 FIBA championship.

Despite those impressive statistics, NBA players

from America haven’t been too interested in repre-

senting their

country. The top

5 leading scorers

in the NBA last

year including

LeBron James,

Kevin Durant,

and Kevin Love

chose not to play

for the national

team due to the risk of injuries. Is the national team

turning into a team of rookies and low paid players in-

stead of top tier superstars?

In

1992 and 1996 the “Dream Team” was in effect. The

Dream Team was the first time superstars in the NBA

could play on the United States national team. Players

like Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Isiah Thomas

dominated FIBA and the Olympics. At the time, World

Basketball was a main commodity to fans and players

of the NBA and has been until the last couple of years.

Kevin Durant, the NBA’s leading scorer, left the na-

tional team mid season this year because of an incident

with Paul George. Paul George, one of the league's

USA BASKETBALL BALL: CONTINUED

Picture Credit:

Mo’ Ne Davis

The Dream Team

Top Young NBA Players

Team USA

most elite players, shattered his leg in a na-

tional team practice and will most likely

miss the 2014-2015 NBA season. Players

getting paid close to 25-30 million dollars

a year aren’t looking to risk their careers

over a medal and some extra fame.

Due to the loss of elite players on the na-

tional team, the team struggled, but contin-

ued their winning streak of over 60 with a

129-92 win over Serbia in the FIBA cham-

pionship game. Their top performers like

Kenneth Faried and Klay Thompson were

good, but not great players like the LeBron

and Durant. With this, I hope as a fan of

basketball and my country that the decline

of interest in the United States Basketball

team won’t affect our dominance around

the world.