The Quill, Greenport High School

7/28/2019 The Quill, Greenport High School

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Purple and Golds Silver SparkleBy Briana Pagano 14

Greenport High Schools Award-Winning Newspaper

June 2013

Volume 86

Issue IV

P o r t e r s P e r s p e c t i v e

{ { { {

I am an Oyster Farmer-Ms. DouglassI am a lifeguard and dock

boy at Townsend Manor Inn

and a back waiter at the

North Fork Table.

-Camilo Torres

[GHS students and faculty] do you have a summer job?

Yes No


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2 The Quill - June 2013

Volume 86, Issue IV

June, 2013

Editorial Board

TheQuill

QUILL ADVISOR

Mrs. Viggiano

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Briana Pagano

LAYOUT EDITORSkye Gillispie

LAYOUT ASSISTANTS

Sarah TuthillShyane Jones

Brandi Gonzalez

NEWS ANALYST

Neville Reece

STAFF/REPORTERS

Cate CreedonLauren SmithDavid Krumenacker

Mairi CreedonEdgar Pocasangre

PHOTOGRAPHER

Brandi Gonzalez

We welcome any kind of mail! To submit lettersto the editor, comments, or

suggestions, please email us at:

[email protected]!

*The opinions expressed in this publication are thoseof the individual writers and are not necessarily those

of GHS, this publication, or the editors. All articles

submitted for publication are subject to editing.

Greenport High School

720 Front St.Greenport NY, 11944

www.gufsd.org

Editorial

iPads: A Year in ReviewBy Neville Reece 15

During the 2012-2013 school year, iPads were distributed to the ninth and tenth gradstudents, as a surprise to many. Tese iPads were intended to acilitate the numerous needs ostudents and teachers, whether by preventing students rom lugging home heavy books, bychanging the method o taking attendance, or by providing a means or plain old research.Te iPads raised some concern upon their arrival, however, with many individuals questionin

whether they would be a distraction and whether students mishandling o them or theirmalunctioning would prove problematic.

As a tenth grader mysel, I am amongst these gadgets every school day and can attestto their constant use. In earth science class, the iPads are used or geography; in global historyclass, they are used to do homework that students used to have to bring their textbooks home

to do. Tis year in English class, the iPads were used to nd part o an Arthurian legend thatwas not in sophomores literature textbooks. Troughout all my classes, however, the iPads habeen used to watch highlights rom the previous nights sporting events.

Now, as we are approaching the end o the rst year o this new installation, I believethe the iPads overall productivity ought to be questioned beore we jump into a second year a program that may be counterproductive to our students.

I got the chance to ask a ew teachers and students about how they think iPads havechanged the learning process here in GHS and whether this change was or better or or wors

Science teacher Mr. Buckley said he isnt as exposed to the iPads as some other teacherare because his classes with tenth graders are usually mixed with upperclassmen, who do nothave iPads. He did state, however, that iPads provide a great textbook due to their interactivaspects. o avoid misuse o the devices, Mr. Buckley does not allow students to have their

iPads out without his directions.Fellow science teacher Mr. aylor said that in his classes, Google Earth has been a use

tool that he has been able to use on the iPads, and that he has been able to use the iPads aboua dozen times with his class this entire school year. He added that as time passes, the iPads wibecome more useul as they gain a amiliarity actor. When touching on their impact this yeaMr. aylor said that he likes when the iPads can be used or research, but admits that they canbe a distraction. According to Mr. aylor, its a mixed bag in terms o the benets and risks.

Sophomore Sean Walden not only got an iPad rom the school, but also bought oneprivately to avoid the liabilities and contract that comes with the ones issued by the school.He stated that the weight of his back rom textbooks is very convenient, because he describehimsel as someone who doesnt use his locker. In terms o his education under the iPadinstallation, however, everything is pretty much the same, says Walden.

For the students granted with the schools iPads, there are some restrictions in termso applications available or purchase and websites that are blocked. For students like Walden

who have opted to buy their own iPads, however, there is not much the school can do interms o monitoring devices. Anything can be downloaded on their iPads, rom Angry Birdsto messaging applications to even pornography. Tere is nothing the administration can doabout that, either, besides banning personal iPads altogether. One indisputable result o theintroduction o iPads into classrooms is that they have made cell phone usage more acceptablDespite what teachers may contest, this is true. I dont believe the teachers are to blame or ththough, as it may seem hypocritical to conscate one students iPhone but then allow otherstudents to roam the Internet on their iPads all period long claiming to be taking notes.


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3The Quill - June 2013

I think that anyone in this schooln attest to the act that this year,e amount o phones accepted byculty in between classes and in classs drastically increased. Otentimes,

udents put their phones right atopeir desks either to mark their territoryor convenience purposes becauseeyre using them every ew secondsyway. During my rst year in GHS,

udents had to be alert while using cellhones during lunch, but now the smallm is practically a haven or kids toxt, tweet, and do whatever else theirtle devices are capable o. Right ofe bat, there was something odd to meout imposing strict rules about cell

hones one year but then giving studentsmilar devices the very next.

Another aspect o these newzmos that I ound puzzling was howuch the school thought these wouldtually help the students. Why do wenstantly assume that more technologythe solution? It is clear that our worlddrastically changing; when we watchevision, it seems like hal o themmercials are centered on the newest

mart phones or tablets. However, justcause some adults will buy them inattempt to acilitate their lives, itesnt mean that such devices should be

mposed on high school students. Letsce it though; iPads are very intriguingvices and students will continue tocept them despite what is truly mostnecial to their education.

Im sure the iPads have helped aw students throughout this school year,t I have to assume theyve distracted

r more students based on what Iveserved with my own two eyes. Tisings the question to mind: in orderbest serve the greatest kids on earth,ouldnt we avoid using technology thatay be detrimental to said students?the iPads are, indeed, causing astraction, what in the world are weing to do with them next year?

Dear Alice,

Basically, I dont know whether to geta summer job this year or to just have a nice,relaxing summer. I want to work and make money,but at the same time I want to be able to go to thebeach and hang out with riends. Im worried thati I get a job, my employers will put me on theschedule all the time and Ill work like crazy.

What do you think I should do?

-Anonymous

Dear Anonymous,

My advice would be to get a job. Whenapplying for the job, be up front about it and say that

you can only work two or three days a week. Tatway, youll get the best of both worlds: a little side cashalong with some free time. Te key to not being puton the schedule too much is being straight with youremployers and making it clear in a polite way that

you can only work a certain amount.Good luck and have a great summer!

Yours truly,Alice


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