Recycling; Encouraging Bad Behavior?

By Harry Gutman, '14   -    We all tend to think that if we toss glass, plastic, or paper into a recycling bin that we are doing are part for the environment. That couldn’t be more wrong! Recycling is really just making the best of a bad situation. Don’t assume that when one recycles a plastic bottle it turns into another bottle, because it doesn’t. Only half of that original plastic is reused! The reused plastic is sent to China where the vast majority of the recycling process takes place and is turned into cloth items like fleece and blankets and then it is shipped back to the US to be sold. When the public buys “their own trash” they

How to Survive Winter Break

By Kate Sellers, '14
(from Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School's The Town Crier, December 2010 )

If you're stuck for a week at home while your friends are off in Italy, Washington D.C., Peru, Florida, or have family over, try to stay busy.  There are some great things to do during winter break, even if you're not off to a fabulous vacation getaway.


     1)  Turn off the TV - Yes, it seems silly, but wouldn't you rather spend your time doing something besides staring at a screen for six hours a day? In addition, most of us eat while we watch TV.  It's basically part of our routine.  Mindlessly adding on to the holiday pounds is something that no one really wants to do.


     2)  Find a Friend - Surely, somewhere, you have a friend.  Maybe he sits next to you in I-Block.  Maybe it's a friend who moved or [who] you haven't talked to in a while.  Either way, there must be someone who is stuck at home like you.  It's better to be hanging out with someone than be alone.


     3)  Explore Philadelphia - We are so lucky.  We live next to one of the most cultural, historical, and interesting cities in the U.S.  Go downtown.  Eat a

Whoops! Embarrasing Moments

By Nellie Searle, '13
(from Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School's The Town Crier, December 2010)

Nellie here, back again with another edition of embarrasing moments straight from the students of PW!

"I was at a dance with my friends and while we were dancing, I thought I saw a guy I knew.  I started shouting his name, and when he looked over, I waved for him to come over and I started dancing goofily.  He gave me this confused look and walked away.  Later when I looked at him closer up, I realized it wasn't the guy I thought it was, and I didn't know him.  It was pretty embarrasing."
~ Smooth Moves

"One time, my mom packed me this really smelly sandwich for lunch.  It smelled so bad and when I was eating it, this cute guy at the end of the table shouted 'It smells like something died!' I was mortified and quickly threw my sandwich out.  Now I pack my own lunches."
~ Lunch Disaster

Get Involved - Volunteer and Visit!

By Kyra Hanlon, '12
(from Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School's The Town Crier, December 2010)

Operation Santa Clause:
Open Thursday, December 9 through Wednesday, December 22.
Help sort, bag, and wrap thousands of toys for children of all ages!
For more information, contact Chris Jones at 215-965-4625 or cjones@adphila.org.

The Macy's Holiday Light Show and Dickens Village:
Both of these events are hosted at the Macy's, Center City, Philadelphia location, at 13th and Market Streets.
They will be showing from Black Friday through Christmas Eve; the Lights Show runs on the hour from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The Mummers Parade:
Wrap up your winter break with the Mummers Parade on New Year's Day, with 15,000 Mummers parading through the streets of Philadelphia!

Events of Germantown High School

Sent by Elisabeth D'Alessandro

    

      Germantown High School's Culinary Arts program participated in Bloomingdale's Chili Competition on November 14, 2010 at the King of Prussia Mall. 

     

     Students from the School District's Culinary and Hospitality Program competed for All-Clad cookware. Germantown High School placed second in the competition.    

     The Culinary Arts program is a component of the Communications, Arts, and Business Technology Academy at Germantown High School.

A Place for Teens Like You!

by Rose LaMay

Senior, Plymouth Whitemarsh

Frank Fennimore and Keith Smith playing Fuzz ball at Teen Center

Teens, Inc. goes live if we weren’t lively enough! Our web-site www.teensincphilly.org is loaded and full of information for and about young people in this area. If you want to discover what Teens, Inc is all about, tune into the site and check out the various tabs on the web-site. Read the testimonials and browse the Photo Gallery! Discover on-line the fun, recreational activities at the Teen Center plus the year-round trips. Don’t miss the tab on Community service and current service offered for November and December.

You'll want to attend the Yule Ball for all 6-8th graders on Friday, December 10 at 7:30 at St. Paul's Episcopal Church Parish Hall; 22 East Chestnut Hill Ave., Chestnut Hill, 19118. Come to the community dance and listen to the sounds of Anthony Celli! Cost is $5. for members and $10.-Non-members. Chaperones are aways needed! Dress in pants, skirts and collered shirts and have a ball!

Peer Tutoring service at the Teen Center- (Back) Rrose LaMay, Olivia Dean,
(Front) Molly and Kelly Carroll

 Teenagers, Inc rocks and you can be a part of this community action! Make a difference in your community, city and the world and join Teens,Inc today! Check us out at www.teensincphilly.org You can also mail your completed membership form with $25. To Marianne Dwyer: 8600 Prospect Ave., Phila., Pa. 19118

Pro Athletes Out of Control

I was looking around my room the other day when I came across a 1980 Phillies World Series ticket. The infield ticket was $20. I then looked at my most recent ticket (Last Thursday's Phillies game) which was $55. I thought about why we pay all that money to see these athletes play, and as these athletes gain more and more power over their leagues, the more ridiculous their ego and contracts become.

Without even bringing up LeBron James, as the power in professional sports shifts from the owner to the player, the players are out of control. The ticket prices to see these players play are even worse. And the fact that we still go to the games is the worst.

What Makes a Great Concert?

Last weekend, I found myself at the Mann Center in Fairmount Park to see the band MGMT. If you haven't heard of them, their music is difficult to describe without referring to other obscure bands, but I've heard them referred to as Indie-rock, pop, electronica, physcadelic-pop, dance-punk, and various other strange genres. Needless to say, I wasn't at all sure what to expect from the concert in terms of the performance, the atmosphere, or the crowd.

My ignorance served me well, though, and allowed the night to far exceed my shaky expectations. When I discussed the event later with other attendees, we decided that, all-in-all, the concert was a blast, but the performance was really nothing special. And that got me wondering, if a top-notch performance isn't all that's necessary to make a great concert, then what is?

No Need for 3D

Lately, I've been asking some pretty simple questions. Why has an entire generation turned against our President? Why can't Germantown Avenue developers put something useful on the Ave? And, why exactly is Facebook taking over the world? Now I'm moving towards a more serious question: why in the world are 3D TVs becoming popular?

By the end of this year, TV makers expect 3.4 million 3D TVs to be shipped. This is the worst consumer mistake since the time we chose to spend our Thursday nights watching Jersey Shore. As I prepared to write this article I didn't know much about 3D TV's. But, I figured all needed to know is that they are overpriced and useless -- kind of like the cast of Jersey Shore.

31 Minutes to Takeoff: Plenty of Turbulence

After two good mixtapes and a hit single (Cooler Than Me), Mike Posner released his new album yesterday, "31 Minutes to Takeoff." With an early release of Please Don't Go, Posner's new album was on the top of my list, yet, when I got my hands on it last night, it proved to be a bumpy flight.

Posner's first mixtape, "A Matter of Time," promised  future success with studio albums, however, his first album didn't get close to reaching the level of his mixtapes.

To start, Posner's voice proves whiny and raspy, which didn't suprise me considering this was the case from the beginning. Yet, in his earlier music the heavily nasal sound worked because he was much more reliant upon rapping. Here, however, the sound got plain boring. Also, the love songs were absolutely tiresome. Posner may not necessarily want to or need to appeal to rap enthusiasts, but with all the crying love songs on his album, he definitely gravitates towards R&B/pop. Here's each song (emboldened titles are the songs worth listening to):

Hooked on Facebook: A New Era of Addiction

In the past, addiction was simple. There were alcoholics, drug addicts and gambling addicts. In these days of rapid innovation, however, it seems that people can be addicted to nearly anything: food, shopping, and even plastic surgery. The worst addiction yet (yes, even worse than plastic surgery) is the Facebook addiction. The odd thing is that although countless members of my generation may be on their way to “Facebooks Anonymous,” most of us don’t even enjoy signing onto Facebook to begin with.

Last week I spent four days at Princeton University’s water polo camp – a camp filled with kids from 15 to 18 from all over the country. I noticed well over half of the kids checking their Facebooks regularly on phones, iPods, and even laptops during the four days.

One kid got out of the pool, dried off, and checked his Facebook from his iPhone. Even when I was recording a video by the pool, my friend said, “this has to go on Facebook.” Nearly every teen would say that’s not the first time they’ve heard that statement, as Facebook has become a centerpiece for my generation. It’s such a vital part of our lives, and we can’t seem to live without it. Yet, many of my peers can’t believe how much time they waste on Facebook doing things that are, quite frankly, pointless.

10 Songs Adam's Listening to This Week

1. Fresh Like Us by Chiddy Bang -- Off their first mixtape, "Air Swell," Xaphoon Jones (the duo's beat maker) uses a sample from French artist Yelle. The beat, coupled with one of Chiddy's better raps makes for a song worth listening to

2. Please Don't Go by Mike Posner -- Mike Posner released this song off his new album, which is set to release next week. If this song is a sign of how his album is going to be, I'm very excited

3. Trippin' by B.o.B -- Off the mixtape that put him on the map, "B.o.B. vs. Bobby Ray," B.o.B slows it down with Trippin'

10 Songs Zoe's Listening to This Week

Buzzin' (Shwayze) -- If you're in the mood for some chill summer music

Jumper (Third Eye Blind)-- a lil' sentimental 90s throwback

Yesterday (Atmosphere) -- Sean Daley's life story is spiced up with some bluesy piano background. And there's a surprise ending...

Concerts in the Philadelphia Area this Summer

August 5, Susquehanna Bank Center--Kings of Leon

August 6, Susquehanna Bank--Kiss

August 7 and 10th, Susquehanna Bank--Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band

What's with those necklaces all the baseball players are wearing?

Or you may be asking, "since when did it become cool for men to accessorize?"

Since Phiten came out with its sportswear necklaces, that's when.

If you pay attention to professional sports, baseball specifically, you've probably seen or heard of Phiten. Back in 2008, members of the Boston Red Sox were the first team to flash their Phiten paraphernalia for the world to see, and it wasn't long before the gear became a trend. Red Sox pitcher Josh Becket, the Yankees Joba Chamberline, Twins Justin Morneau and even golf star Sergio Garcia all endorsed Phiten products.

Then, at some point that year, Phiten made its way to Philadelphia and eventually to Germantown Friends School.

10 reasons to leave the house this summer....

10. go camping!

9. dollar dog night at the Phils Game

8. you're not entertained by watching a bunch of tools hang out at the shore

7. go get the latest "i"-thing

6. inception!

5. you have a way to get to Chicago for LALAPALOOZA

4. you're not into vampire shows

3. you are into vampire movies

2. you know of a place where there's a water slide

1. you don't have air conditioning

John Mayer Comes to PA

Tickets are still on sale for the John Mayer and Train concert on July 30 at the Susquehanna Bank Center in Camden, PA. Mayer will be playing his latest album Battle Studies, along with other selections.

Train will kick-start the night with the opening performance at 7 p.m., followed by the main act, Mayer, at 8:30.

You can hear Mayer's music the way it should be--up and close and personal (like he's serenading you)--by getting tickets in the lower levels of the stadium or in the "pit." If you're attending less for the music and more for the atmosphere, get significantly cheaper tickets on the lawn, where the event is more of a party than a concert.

If you miss him this month, Mayer will perform again in Hershey, PA at the Hershey Park Stadium on August 5th. Hershey Stadium is roughly the same size as the large-venue Susquehanna Bank, so expect a high-energy performance on both nights!

-Zoe Feingold

Zeitoun by Dave Eggers: The Review

Like any significant disaster, the statistics associated with Hurricane Katrina are upsetting--the fatalities, an entire city in ruins. But behind the mechanics of strong winds, levees breaking, and lives taken, are the indirect effects the disaster had on the residents of New Orleans in 2005. True, the media has featured numerous interviews with native New Orleanians, and Dave Eggers, author of Zietoun, even claims in his author's note that “This book does not attempt to be an all-encompassing book about New Orleans or Hurricane Katrina.” But Eggers journalistic account of one New Orleans family in Zietoun is much more comprehensive than any other source I've come across.

Summer Jobs: Which One is Right for You?

Last summer, I spent most of my days lying around complaining about the economy. I was not so concerned with the country's abysmal state of economic affairs that nothing else was on my mind, but I was absolutely fed up with the impossibility of finding a summer job.

 

Jobs were scarce, and I wasn't the only one stuck in the midst of a job-less, penniless summer. But this summer my friends and I learned from last year's misfortunes and we put ourselves out on the job market early to avoid missing out on all of the summer job opportunities.

  

As a teenager, having a summer job is critical. There are the obvious financial reasons, the importance of staying occupied, and gaining work experience to add to the all-important resumé once you've reached a ripe age for starting the competitive job-search. The former, earning money, is most important not only for teenagers but for the economy on the whole. If teen earning dwindles, the revenue for clothing, electronics, and entertainment businesses will slow, too, as teens stop spending--and then everyone is in trouble.

  

So if you're one of those unemployed teens who's looking for a job, you're employed and in search of a better job, or you're just bored at your job and want something to read, I'll give you the low-down on the season's best and worst employment opportunities, based on survey and interview results.

Inception: The Review

Have you ever wondered what it is, exactly, that causes a dream, or why the course of events is so fantastical and random? Well, you might not get the scientific answers you're looking for through Inception, but you'll certainly think the Sci-Fi theme is, frankly, pretty awesome.

Leonardo Di'Caprio plays Dom Cobb, a dream-manipulator extraordinaire, who was sucked into the vortex of self-induced and controlled dreaming in his youth, after being taught to manipulate dreams by his father, a college professor. When a mishap occurred as a result of his constant dream-world inhabitation, he turned to con-artistry by practicing the art of extraction, or stealing ideas from people during the dream-state, when their innermost thoughts are exposed via their subconscious.

Cobb is a fugitive in the United States, but desperately longs to return to his children. When a powerful client gives him the option to return, all charges wiped clean, Cobb leaps at the opportunity. Said mission, however, may be impossible--Cobb is given the task of inception, or planting an idea in someone's brain, feigning "true inspiration," rather than extracting an idea. The victim is a high-profile businessman, which makes the task even more difficult.

Cobb assembles a team of con-artists, each member with a particular speciality, and develops an intricate plan for manipulating the targeted tycoon. If you stay completely tuned in, you'll fully appreciate all the possibilities of the dream world and the genius of Cobb and his team. If not, though, you can still enjoy the special effects, a few of which include impossibly dream-like architecture, flipped dimensions and, of course, explosives.

The film is filled with fantastic imagery and not-so-subtle, but well-executed, symbolism. Inception met and exceeded my expectations--it's enthralling, suspenseful, and it features an all-star cast.

Inception is the kind of film that requires reflection, and maybe even some discussion, post viewing--the kind of film that expands in your mind, taking the cinematic experience past the theater. Watching Inception must come close to what experiencing inception would feel like...
-Zoe Feingold

Teen Support for Obama Takes a Hit

About two years ago my sister's iPod was blasting "It's a New Day" by rapper will.i.am, she was wearing a t-shirt that screamed "Hope," and her backpack was sprinkled with several red and blue pins. If you haven't recognized her yet, she was a generic teenager in 2008: an avid Barack Obama supporter.

Today, her iPod probably no longer has that will.i.am song, that "Hope" t-shirt is probably somewhere in my room, and those pins are most likely shoved somewhere in the cluttered basement. Where these three objects ended up today symbolize the shift in not only total support for now-President Obama, but also more specifically, teen support.

The Cheating Addiction

Add something new to the list of "habits started in high school that are nearly impossible to kick." No, it's not smoking, drugs, or some lame catch phrase--it's cheating.

This year, Junior year of high school, I saw far too many peers get sucked into the cheating whirlpool. The year was hectic--the homework load was heavy, sports commitments became more intense, and the constant reminders that everything we did would be inscribed on our college applications was no help. I can't count the number of hyperbolic complaints I heard about bad grades: friends saying they'd "never get a job now," or that their parents were "gonna kill" them when they saw a single B on their report card.

My Lincoln Drive Dilemma

Two years ago the Chestnut Hill community was foreign to me. I wouldn't have been able to give you directions from my school, Penn Charter, to Germantown Avenue. Today, I can easily navigate my way around the area as I frequently visit friends in Chestnut Hill, have dinner on Germantown Avenue, and intern at the Chestnut Hill Local. Now that the Lincoln Drive southbound is closing, however, my commute back over the river to get home will be much more difficult, and my visits to the Chestnut Hill community will not be nearly as frequent.

With $20.2 million dollars from the federal government, contractor Buckley & Co. will replace four bridges in the area over the next 16 months. Two bridges over Kelly Drive (the project is already underway), the Lincoln Drive bridge over Ridge Avenue and worst of all, the bridge that connects Lincoln Drive to southbound City Avenue. Drivers going south on Lincoln Drive will be forced down the Ridge Avenue exit and have three choices as they approach the new traffic light. A left turn to City Avenue and 76, straight to Kelly Drive, or right down Ridge Avenue.

CNN Tumbles in Ratings

Does anyone really want to read this?" This question is printed on a poster that hangs on the wall of my school newspaper's office--the answer to this question should be "yes" before we print an edition of our newspaper. This is the same question that popped up in my head after reading a TIME magazine article about CNN's recent free-fall in ratings. After reading the article, I gathered CNN was the victim here: It puts out the most honest news and in return gets the lowest number of viewers. Yet, I shouldn't feel bad for CNN. The question it never answered is: "does anyone really want to watch this?"

In journalism, whether it's an article in The Local or a large news network like FOX News, this question needs to be answered to some extent. I understand that CNN is trying to be middle-of-the-road and honest, but it left behind one thing: a viable audience. I'll admit it's a sad thing that we as Americans cannot sit through an hour newscast without changing the channel to a more opinionated, less fact-based program to get our news. At the same time, I'm one of the many who abandoned CNN.

Get Him to the Greek: The Review

If you're a fan of outrageous humor or anything said in an English accent, you'll love Get Him to the Greek. The film follows Aaron Greenberg, played by Jonah Hill, as he attempts to provide a breakthrough for up-and-coming record company Pinnacle Records. He pitches the idea of a blowout come-back concert for has-been rock star Aldous Snow (Russel Brand) at the Greek Theater in L.A. and is immediately sent on assignment to hand deliver the rock star from his home in London to the theater for the grand opening of a $100 million tour.

Though Aaron's boss, Sergio Roma, played brilliantly by Sean Combs (P.Diddy), instructs Aaron to give the rock star all the flattery he can muster to ensure a smooth journey to the Greek Theater,  Snow can detect bullshit from a mile away. The rock star is also in the midst of a crisis--his girlfriend, pop star Jackie Q, has just left him, and he continues to take criticism for his epically offensive and ridiculous album, African Child, labeled by critics as "the worst thing to happen to Africa since Apartheid." Snow is fragile and in need of some flattery, but simultaneously intolerant of false character in his search for meaning in his life, not to mention he's not inclined to follow orders from anyone, which makes Aaron's task nearly impossible.

Reckless Teen Driving

Cruising southbound on Wissahickon Avenue, windows down, bellowing lyrics to the Chili Peppers’ “Dani California,” I was racing against the clock to get home before my 11 p.m. curfew. Two minutes before I’d be officially driving illegally and only two blocks from my house, the screeching of brakes and the high-frequency shrieks of frightened teenage girls shattered my aura. I had just been in a car accident. 

I pulled into the bike lane and jumped out of the car to confront the other driver. My arms shook while they slammed the door behind me – my brain wasn’t processing anything yet.

“Are you alright?” The driver asked mechanically while peering down at a text message I could only assume she had been crafting when she pulled out in front of me without looking. At the intersection where the accident took place, cars traveling north or south had the right of way and no stop sign while the east or westbound cars had to wait until they could safely continue straight or turn. By the time I saw her car pull out, about four feet in front of me, we were headed for a pretty extreme collision.

The College Decision

The fall of senior year is an exciting time: it’s the last year of high school, the first year of independence. But before you can enjoy the change, there’s the college selection process. For most people, the process is one of the most stressful, anxiety-ridden times in their lives; some kids claim it to be the first time they have ever dealt with real stress. The process is nail biting; it determines not only where you will go to college but how your life will change. I went into the college process not totally ignorant but also not totally ready. I think there are definitely some things you should know beforehand. I’m not talking about going on college tours or even scheduling interviews; that’s information any college counselor will give you. I think all kids need some mental preparation before sending off their applications and crossing their fingers. You need to have a good philosophy.

CHASS--CHA and Springside Combine

As you probably already know, Chestnut Hill Academy and The Springside School are combining their institutions fully by 2012. Beginning in the 2012-2013 school year, the Upper Schools of both schools will be combined into one large independent schools, mixed with boys and girls.

Previously, freshmen and sophomores at both schools took only single sex classes with the exceptions of languages and arts/music. Juniors and Seniors took combined classes with students from Springside and CHA. Starting in the fall of 2012 Freshman through Senior years will all include students from both of the schools and the Upper School will be fully by integrated by then.

Twilight: What's the Big Deal?

If you want to make certain girls angry, mention the fact that you don’t like Twilight. There are girls out there who will fight you to the death because you criticized their beloved vampire movie. But the next time you decide to bring out the ammo against these Twilight lovers, it may serve you well to know why Twilight means so much to them.

Don’t get me wrong. I don’t really understand the obsession with Bella Swan and her dashing vampire prince, Edward Cullen. However, the truth behind this story may have you waving a white flag the next time you see an Edward Cullen poster on a locker.

Have you ever read a book or seen a movie that, without a doubt, really interested you? I have, and I can tell you it’s one of those unbelievable feelings. You pick up a book and by the time you finish it, you’re begging for it not to end. The characters have become part of your life, and it’s hard to stop thinking about what happens next. If it’s a movie you loved maybe you buy the soundtrack. If it’s a book, perhaps you go out and buy the sequel. In the end you have found a story that speaks to you with characters you can relate to in your life. That is what Twilight does for some people, especially teenage girls.