THE STUYVESANT
STANDARD
Monday, March 23, 2009
Shahzad Anwar
On the night of February
18, 2009, more than 50 New York
University students barricaded
themselves in the Kimmel Center
for Student Life cafeteria. The oc-
cupation was planned by the stu-
dent organization Take Back NYU.
The organization had a
lengthy list of demands, which in-
cluded full disclosure of the uni-
versity’s endowment, investment
strategy and operating budget. An-
other demand was the tuition stabi-
lization for all students beginning
with the class of 2012. The Take
Back organization also wanted a
reconsideration of the recent lift of
the ban of Coca-cola products on
campus.
Farah Khimji, a participant
in this event, told the Washington
Square News, the NYU student
daily news publication, “We’re
planning on occupying the space
till our demands are met.” The stu-
dents were, however, forced to
leave before their demands were
Meet the New
Big Sib Chairs
By: Rammiya Nallainathan
On February 11th, 2009, the
current Big Sib Chairs (’08-’09)
announced their final decision on
who the new Big Sib Chairs (’09-
’10) were going to be. The new
Big Sib Chairs are Adeline Yeo,
Alex Genshaft, Avril Coley, John
Connuck, and Tara Anantharam.
Big Sibs is a student-run
organization which helps incoming
freshmen and sophomores adjust to
the new high school life. From the
Open House and Camp Stuyvesant
Orientation, to the homeroom
meetings and dances, Big Sibs are
an integral part of the many Stuy-
In This Issue
The Lateness
Page 5
Ritual
Volume 8
NYU Student Protests
Draw Attention
A congregation of NYU students staged a sit-in at the Kimmel Center as they protest for institutional democracy to NYU.
met.
According to the February
26, 2009 edition of the Santa Clara
newspaper, the “NYU protest ends
with suspensions, no arrests,” the
students had assembled in the
Kimmel Center cafeteria under the
ruse of a dance event. At about 10
A Celebration of Sari
vesant events geared toward first-
year students. Because next year’s
Her Constituency Was
incoming class consists of 989 stu-
dents, the Big Sib Chairs of ’08-
‘09 expressed just how important
they believed it was for them to
select the right people to handle
next year’s job of getting students
assimilated to the community.
This year, 34 applicants
tried out for the position as Big Sib
Chair. Applicants were required to
fill out an application which con-
sisted of three short and three long
essays on their experiences as a
Big Sib and plans for the future. In
addition to this, each applicant was
required to have two to three rec-
Continued on page 4
Best Games of
Page 10
2008:
The List Goes On
Issue 9
a crowd of about 100 people, some
TSS/Elissa Tam
of whom were from other schools
such as Hunter College and Co-
lumbia University.
There were 18 students
who chose to remain in the cafete-
ria even though the university
threatened to suspend them, which
they did. At about 2 pm, the last
members of the occupation left the
Kimmel Center, at which point the
crowd greeted them with enthusi-
asm.
According to the February
26, 2009 Duke University newspa-
per editorial, “Take Back Student
Activism, “the protest was an un-
fortunate and unintentional” and a
“parody of the important American
protests of the 1970s, which were
actions of last resort toward unre-
pm on February 18, they pushed sponsive administration and had
tables and chairs in front of the broad support.” The NYU protest,
building’s two entrances. At one on the other hand, was not a well
point, nine NYPD cars and 18 offi- thought-out plan of last resort, nor
cers surrounded the building, in did it have support from other stu-
addition to the six NYU Public dents. The protest’s power and le-
Safety officers inside the building. gitimacy was diluted by several
The protesters were cheered on by Continued on page 3
Halper-Dickson:
Everyone
By: Kenneth Barr, Class of 1975 School. She placed her name on
the ballot as a candidate for public
office when no one else would
She was probably the
challenge an incumbent who was
shortest manager of the Stuyvesant
the scion of a powerful political
Peglegs Varsity Football team in
family. Wherever she went, she set
the 105 year history of the school.
the example of leadership by ser-
Her diminutive stature didn’t di-
vice. Her quantity of life may have
minish the strong impact she had
been short as well, but the quality
on the team. She is remembered as,
dwarfed so many others.
"One of the kindest and most genu-
I remember Sari’s first
ine people at Stuyvesant,” said Ed
SHSAA Board meeting in May,
Ko, Class of 1988, one of the play-
1995. She sat between Leo Mar-
ers. She may have been short of
shall and I, her eyes shining as she
physical stature, but Sari Halper
listened to the various discussions
Dickson, Class of 1987, was a gi-
concerning Association business.
ant when it came to principles.
We later learned that she was the
She took on the presidency
protégé of Serph Maltese, one of
of the Stuyvesant High School
the more senior members of the
Alumni Association (SHSAA) at a
most pivotal time in its history, the
Board and a New York State Sena-
centenary of Stuyvesant High Continued on page 3
 2 The STUYVESANT STANDARD March 23, 2009–VOL.8, NO. 9

Staff Editorial:
Give Them the Credit
The Executive Board
They Deserve
As April approaches, many
AMNA AHMAD EDITOR IN CHIEF senior students eagerly await the
HESHAM SALEH MANAGING EDITOR
results of their college applications.
DAVID MANNES DIRECTOR OF FINANCE Students often argue that it is more
ANGEL WONG DIRECTOR OF FINANCE
difficult to be admitted to a selec-
SHAYRA KAMAL LAYOUT EDITOR tive college as a student from Stuy-
GUERGANA BORISSOVA COPY CHIEF
vesant than a student in a smaller
RAMMIYA NALLAINATHAN NEWS EDITOR school where more personal atten-
MUHAMMAD TAMBRA NEWS EDITOR
tion is afforded to each student by
MARINA TAWFIK OPINIONS EDITOR college counselors. Some parents
ROBERT COLBOURN ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
have expressed the concern that
OMAR AHMAD SCIENCE EDITOR drudging through the college admis-
QI FAN ZHANG TECHNOLOGY EDITOR
sions process in an overcrowded
ROBERT STEVENSON LITERARY EDITOR school could put their child at a dis-
MICHAEL BLOCK SPORTS EDITOR
advantage. Rather than complain
ELISSA TAM DIRECTOR OF PHOTOJOURNALISM about the extreme population condi-
MEGAN BRESLIN FACULTY ADVISOR
tions under which our school has
DANIEL EGERS (‘03) FOUNDER managed to function, students and
ERNEST BASKIN (‘04) EDITOR EMERITUS
parents should take the time to fully
acknowledge and appreciate the
exceptional amount of effort that
Publication college counselors, teachers, and
guidance counselors, and have of-
THE STUYVESANT STANDARD is a non-profit publication produced by fered Stuyvesant students every
the students of Stuyvesant High School. year.
In spite of the very com-
monly held notion that the staff of
THE STUYVESANT STANDARD distributes 2,000 free copies on a bi- the college office could do a better
weekly basis to the students and faculty of Stuyvesant High School and job of accommodating students, it
throughout the adjoining neighborhoods of TriBeCa and Battery Park City. seems impossible for them to have
been more supportive to students
than they have been in the past year.
THE STUYVESANT STANDARD welcomes letters from its readers. For a As rejection letters roll in some stu-
letter to be reproduced in print, a name and method of contact must be pro- dents may forget about the handful
vided. of college meetings that the college
THE STUYVESANT STANDARD reserves the right to edit any published office scheduled for seniors to make
material. The viewpoints of contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of sure that they were on target with
the Standard staff. their college selections. Not only
were seniors kept regularly in-
Copyright ©2009 THE STUYVESANT STANDARD formed of college deadlines through
meetings in the theatre and college
Advertising bulletins frequently released on
stuy.edu, but were also scheduled
for a personal meeting with their
If you would like to advertise in THE STUYVESANT STANDARD, please college counselor in which their
e-mail dmannes44@gmail.com to request an advertisement form. We offer a personal needs were specifically
broad range of options including full color capability for your advertising addressed. Some students even
needs. took advantage of the opportunity to
have a parent-student meeting with
a college counselor their junior year
Contact Us to get ahead of the game. In addi-
tion to keeping students well-
Please direct all correspondence to: informed of deadlines, general ap-
THE STUYVESANT STANDARD plication procedures, and scholar-
345 Chambers Street ship opportunities, the college coun-
New York, NY 10282-1000 selors offered their time before, af-
EIC@stuystandard.org ter, and during classes to students
with questions and ensured that stu-
dents were notified well in advance
of college representative visits.
Where the college counselors, and
college office secretaries could
have possibly gone wrong in the
eyes of the student body is unclear.
In addition to college of-
fice staff, Stuyvesant seniors owe
an incredible debt to the teachers
and guidance counselors who were
responsible for writing teacher rec-
ommendations and Secondary
School Reports (SSRs) respec-
tively. In a sense, the future of
Stuyvesant students lies in the
hands of guidance counselors and
teachers who write on behalf of
students while some students and
parents fail to acknowledge the
sheer weight of the role they play
in deciding the future of each
member of each graduating class
that is going on to college. Teach-
ers often sacrifice a great deal of
their personal time writing recom-
mendations during summer vaca-
tion and corresponding with stu-
dents during the school year en-
tirely out of their own inclination
to assist a student in need. The
willingness exhibited by our teach-
ers in cooperating with students
during the college admissions
process is incredibly admirable.
And many students can be sure
that teachers went that extra mile
to truly articulate the best qualities
of the students about which they
agreed to write recommendations.
Neither should guidance
counselors who possess the daunt-
ing task of writing literally dozens
of SSRs be left unacknowledged.
In light of the extremely complex
extracurricular portfolios of Stuy-
vesant students in general, guid-
ance counselors have faced the
arduous task of accurately commu-
nicating the attributes and experi-
ences of students with whom they
have only spent a few minutes.
No matter what the out-
come of college admissions this
year, the people that made the en-
tire process possible should be
given the credit they deserve. Stu-
dents should make a visit to their
college counselor, teachers, and
guidance counselor and thank them
for their willingness to offer time
and energy that they will never be
able to replace.◙

As Stuyvesant High School’s only independent school

newspaper, we feel that it is our responsibility to offer
each and every student the
opportunity to contribute to a news publication. If
you would like to join any section of the Stuyvesant
Proud Members of the Standard, or have any comments or questions that
you would like to run passed us, please email us at:
National Scholastic
EIC@stuystandard.org.
Press Association
 NEWS
Her Constituency
Was Everyone
Continued from page 1
tor. Since politics is totally irrele-
vant, I won’t mention that most of
us are Democrats while Serph and
Sari are Republicans. Oops, I did it
anyway. Oh, did I mention that both
Serph and Sari are Republicans?
That was the least relevant fact. She
showed an instant grasp of what the
Alumni Association did and how it
needed to do it going forward. Leo,
Serph and I immediately decided
that Sari had to be elected to the
Board at the next election. She was,
and she immediately dove into the
business of improving the way we
did things. She took an active role
in re-writing the by-laws and took
charge of the scholarship commit-
tee. It fell to her to negotiate the
Carol and Marvin Eiger Scholarship
program with Dr. Marvin Eiger.
Then, there was the football team.
We could not overlook the Peglegs,
her pride and joy. I never realized
that she was manager during her
student days. She badgered us on
the Allocations Committee to give
the team vital funding for transpor-
tation, a need unique to Stuyvesant
since we were without a home field.
Did I say badgered? Actually, it was
arm twisting with a broad smile on
her face. Let’s face it, one resisted
Sari at one’s own risk.
Sari became President after
serving as first vice president during
the latter stages of Evelyn Krejci’s
presidential term. Once again, Sari’s
spirited leadership style galvanized
the Board to tackle everything from
the aftermath of 9/11 to the school’s
centenary in 2004. Working closely
with Principal Stanley Teitel, the
Parent’s Association and other in-
terested parties, Sari ensured the
success of the year-long activities,
beginning with the Stuy Strut and
ending with the All-Class Reunion.
She also took on the thankless task
of editing the Alumni Spectator, no
mean feat considering all that she
had going on in her life. After fin-
ishing her fourth term as president
in 2005, Sari chose not to run for a
Continued from page 1
extreme demands, such as the 13
scholarships per year for Palestin-
ian students, acknowledgement of
the right of graduate students to
unionize and public access to the
NYU library. In addition, the stu-
dents involved vandalized the
Kimmel Center and injured a secu-
The STUYVESANT STANDARD
The Standard News
fifth term when she saw that the
board was in capable hands and de-
cided the board should have new
leadership to follow fresh ideas.
Her professional life was no
slouch. Starting with her work in
the Republican Council Leader’s
office under Thomas Ognibene, she
moved on to be Deputy Clerk of the
Queens County Board of Elections,
Deputy Commissioner of the State
Department of Housing and Com-
munity Renewal and Deputy Direc-
tor of the Roosevelt Island Operat-
ing Corporation under Herbert Ber-
man. She was president of the pres-
tigious Queens Council for the Arts
and served on the boards of a host
of charitable causes. However,
Stuyvesant was her first and best
love. I don’t think she would object
to being described as a Stuyvesant
Chauvinist.
The cruelty of Sari’s death
will never be lost on any of us.
When Sari was informed she would
have difficulty becoming pregnant,
she journeyed to Russia to adopt
two wonderful children, Diana Joy
(now 5) and Aleksander (now 3).
Upon her return, she found out that
she was pregnant despite the doc-
tor‘s original diagnosis. Sari was on
top of the world. Her beautiful son
Zach was born. Then, with the sud-
denness of a thunderclap, she re-
ceived the awful diagnosis of can-
cer. She fought it with the verve and
vigor with which she lived her en-
tire life. Then, on January 30, it all
ended. It will be very hard to attend
SHSAA Board meetings and not
think of Sari, eyes shining brightly,
making a trenchant remark that cuts
right to the heart of the matter. Sari
Halper Dickson, wife of John,
mother of Diana, Aleksander and
Zachery. She will be missed. She
will always be remembered.
Lisa Cangro Tepperberg, Class of
1988; Stanley Loo, Class of 1982;
Hon. Serphin Maltese, Class of
1951 and Henry Grossberg, Class of
1982 contributed to this article.◙
NYU Student Protests
Draw Attention
rity during the activity.
Stuyvesant students have
expressed mixed reactions toward
the recent turn of events at NYU.
Junior Simon Tong said, “I don't
think what the students at NYU did
was really right because there are a
lot of other forms of protests that
aren’t so troublesome and incon-
veniencing to others. There are
March 23, 2009 –VOL.8, NO. 8
Financial Aid Forms
Cause Complication
In order to receive financial aid, most students must go through the mundane task of filling out complicated forms such as
FAFSA, TAP, and CSS Profile.
Jenny Shan
The Free Application for
Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the
application for students who wish to
apply for federal student aid must
complete and submit. Some stu-
dents dread completing this lengthy
application. The main purpose of
the FAFSA is to determine whether
a family is eligible for financial aid.
Federal Student Aid, an office of
the U.S. Department of Education,
is aimed at helping students pay for
postsecondary school (education
after high school). Those who are
eligible for financial assistance can
receive grants, loans, or participate
in work-study programs to acquire
money for college.
Many students are daunted
by the complexity of the FAFSA: a
six page application with over one
hundred questions, all targeted to
determine the financial status of the
applicant. The intimidating applica-
tion can even prevent students from
applying for financial aid. Some
families hire professionals to fill out
the form for them. Student Financial
Aid Services Inc. is a service that
charges a fee of $80 to $100 to help
students complete the FAFSA.
Other families even go as far as
paying for a financial advisor who
will help them increase their
chances of eligibility.
times when you need to do some-
thing drastic, but I don't think this
was one of them.”
However, Junior Shivam
Pappu stated, “I think that the stu-
dents who actually have the cour-
age to fight for such noble ideals,
are the best students the college
possesses, and by suspending them
NYU is subjecting itself to a huge
3
TSS/Elissa Tam
Because of these problems,
the FAFSA may be eliminated or
replaced in the future. Some argue
that the main problems with the cur-
rent application are that is it too
long and too complicated, not all
students will be able to apply for
financial aid, and some students are
daunted by the lengthy form. In at-
tempt to simplify the application
process, President Obama proposes
a different method for determining a
student’s eligibility. All that this
new “application” would require is
checking a box on the federal tax
return. The Internal Revenue Ser-
vice (IRS) will then send the re-
quired information to the Depart-
ment of Education, where eligibility
will then be determined. Though
this approach is a lot simpler, there
is a disadvantage—not everybody
files taxes, especially the low-
income families. Furthermore, the
financial aid application process
starts in January, while the informa-
tion that the IRS provides concerns
the previous year.
Another approach in simpli-
fying the student aid application
process, proposed by former Secre-
tary of Education Margaret Spell-
ings, is a shorter and less compli-
cated form. Containing less than
thirty questions, the sample applica-
Continued on page 6
loss. You see good colleges instill
these values into students and they
encourage them to try and improve
the world, but when they actually
put the ideas they discuss in class
into practice, they're punished. It's
complete hypocrisy. Perhaps their
methods were a tad extreme, but I
admire them for actually fighting
for reform.”◙
 4 The STUYVESANT STANDARD
Continued from page 1
ommendations from their Little
Sibs. After reading through the
applications and recommenda-
tions, the Chairs picked the top
twenty to be interviewed. The
twenty applicants went through
thirty minute interviews by all
five Chairs during Finals week,
and the final five were chosen.
All the Big Sib Chairs
agreed on factors they considered
important during the selection
process. One of the biggest fac-
tors was commitment. J.J. Russo
wrote in an email interview, “It's
a difficult thing to balance: we
want Big Sib Chairs (and this is
true of all Big Sibs, really) who
are involved in the Stuy commu-
nity, but we also want them to be
able to devote as much time and
energy as possible to the Big Sib
program.” Another main factor
was dedication and interest in the
program. Spiridoula Giannoulas
wrote in an email interview, “We
also looked for individuals who
had innovative ideas about what
elements they could change about
the program to help better it.” Lee
Schleifer-Katz added on, “We
also tried to put together a group
of people who would be able to
get the most done because they
would work really well together,
and at the same time have a great
group dynamic. We didn't want
to have five of the same person,
as we wanted to have a good mix
of personalities and abilities
within the group [...] We are ex-
tremely excited about the new
Big Sib Chairs!”
Alex Genshaft
In addition to being a
dedicated Big Sib, Alex Genshaft
spends his time participating in
Track and Field during the three
seasons (Cross Country, Indoor,
and Outdoor) and being part of
the sound crew for the Stuyvesant
Theatre Community (STC). He
describes himself as an efficient
worker, especially when placed in
group activities. Ever since fresh-
men year, Alex wanted to be a
Big Sib. He wrote in an email
interview, "All I remember think-
ing is how amazing and helpful
they were to me, and how they
got my homeroom to be enjoy-
able. Thinking of all those good
memories made me want to be a
Big Sib." Working alongside one
of the current Big Sib Chairs,
Dylan Tramontin, Alex was able
to see many of the activities and
responsibilities the Big Sib
Chairs were involved in. While
learning this, he gained an inter-
Interested in joining The Stuyvesant Standard?
Meet the Big Sib Chairs
est in becoming a Big Sib Chair
himself. In addition he said, "My
Big Sibs were the ones that really
got me involved with after school
activities, and I would love to be
able to affect the incoming fresh-
men as positively as that. What
better way than to become head of
the Big Sib program?" One new
addition the Big Sibs were thinking
of doing that Alex mentioned was
creating a web site for the Big Sibs
and Little Sibs so that the freshmen
could obtain information about
interest meetings for clubs and
teams, upcoming events, and infor-
mation about the Big Sibs. In the
future, Alex plans on attending
college and majoring in one of the
sciences.
Adeline Yeo
Adeline Yeo describes
herself as someone who “loves to
laugh and smile 24/7.” She con-
sidered that being responsible and
reliable were important traits that
would allow her to work with the
other Chairs and get work done
more efficiently. When asked why
she wanted to be a Big Sib, Ade-
line replied, “I wanted to be a Big
Sib because I remembered how it
felt to arrive at a totally new school
and not know the majority of the
students. I felt like I could offer a
helping hand, or lend an ear to
whatever problems incoming stu-
dents may have had.” She contin-
ued, “I wanted to be Big Sib Chair
because I felt that I would have a
bigger say concerning the events
and trying to make the Big Sib pro-
gram better than it already is.” One
change Adeline would like is to
make homeroom more exciting.
She said in an email interview, “I
know that there are several home-
rooms in which Big Sibs are al-
ways bringing treats, playing
games, and just really involved in
what their Little Sibs have to say.
However, I've also heard that not
all homerooms are like that, so I
think it would be great if we could
create themed homerooms--
holidays, which will definitely li-
ven up the fifteen minutes a week
we see visit the Little Sibs.” In ad-
dition to being a Big Sib, Adeline
is involved in Chamber Choir, Key
Club, The Edible, and SING! She
would like to attend college near a
city and become a UN ambassador
and travel the world.
John Connuck
John Connuck describes
himself as an enthusiastic person
who loves to help out freshmen.
He jokingly added, “Also, I'm kind
of a loud obnoxious person, and
that’s definitely part of the job de-
scription.” John wanted to be a Big
Email us at:
EIC@stuystandard.org
March 23, 2009 –VOL.8, NO.9
Sib ever since he first saw the
school. He said in an email inter-
view, “I wanted to be a Big Sib in
6th grade when I came to look at
Stuyvesant with my brother on the
open house. Not only did I really
like the school, but the tour guides
(Big Sibs) seemed like the kind of
people I wanted to be: friendly,
interesting and intelligent.” Be-
cause of his strong interest in the
program, he thought trying out for
Big Sib Chair would be the best
option. “I knew I wanted to be a
Big Sib, and after this year of be-
ing a Big Sib, I realized that it was
every bit as amazing as I thought it
would be, and I want to be a part
of making that continue next year.”
In addition to the activities he par-
ticipates in the Big Sibs program,
John is the captain of the Boy’s
swimming and diving team, presi-
dent of THE MUSIC, Stuyvesant's
new music magazine, a writer for
The Spectator sports section and is
part of the SFC. One change he
mentioned was implementing the
idea of a Big Sib/Little Sib web-
site. On top of pursuing other ca-
reer plans, he would like to pursue
an interest in film.
Tara Anantharam
Tara Anantharam is very
active in numerous organizations
inside and outside of school. In
school, she first started acting
freshman year. Through the years,
she has made her way up to direc-
tor, directing SING! for three
years, and the studio drama 'And
Baby Makes 7'. Outside of school,
she writes and direct plays for
young children at her local temple
to perform at religious events. She
said in an email interview, “To
balance my rigorous academic
schedule I like to make sure that
the artistic side of me stays alive so
I also take Carnatic voice lessons,
which is a form of traditional In-
dian music.” She described that
one trait that may have made her
stand out is her organizational
skills. She said, “The Big Sib pro-
gram is very large and requires
leaders with abilities to manage
and maintain order and quality.
Being in leadership positions be-
fore, I'll be able to use the skills I
learned and apply them to make
the program better.” Her experi-
ence with Big Sibs inspired her to
become a Big Sib and Big Sib
Chair as well. “Without my Big
Sibs from freshman year, my ad-
justment from a private school
with 30 kids in a grade to a public
one with 900 kids in the freshman
class would not have been as
smooth. It's an extremely reward-
ing experience to know you're
helping so many people out and
News
helping them adjust to this new
crazy environment that they'll
learn to love, just like myself. I
think being a Big Sib is one of
the best ways to give back to the
Stuyvesant community and I'm
honored to not only be a part of
it, but have a hand in directing
it.” One change Tara would like
to see are freshmen getting to see
more of Stuyvesant than just
their homerooms. “Events like
dances and movie nights defi-
nitely help propel this, but I'm
also planning on working side by
side with other Stuyvesant or-
ganizations to plan more events.”
When asked what she wanted to
do in the future, she replied, “I
really just want to go to a school
where I can keep doing the
things I love to do, whilst keep-
ing up with academia. I plan to
study economics in college and
we'll see where that takes me.”
Avril Coley
Avril Coley describes
herself as a hardworking and
dedicated Big Sib. Knowing that
the transition to Stuyvesant
could be tough, Avril wanted to
be a Big Sib and help incoming
students adjust to the new com-
munity. She said in an email in-
terview, “I wanted to be able to
reach out to the incoming stu-
dents and make them feel that at
least one person is willing to talk
to them and be there for them.
Also, I wanted to be able to
guide them and encourage them
to open up to the diverse popula-
tion that is Stuy early rather than
late as some of my peers have or
not at all as some others have.”
Wanting to have a bigger role in
the Big Sib program, she went
on to try out for Big Sib Chair.
When asked about changes she
would make to the Big Sib pro-
gram, she replied, “I would like
to make the Big Sib Program an
even bigger presence in the Stuy-
vesant community than it already
is. We're involved in so much
toward the end of the year when
the Big Sibs have just been se-
lected and we have the first
Camp Stuy, then at the begin-
ning of the year while we're
helping our Little Sibs get ad-
justed to Stuy. At a certain point
as the year continued though, the
energy seemed to plateau off so
I'd like to have more Big Sib
events to keep everyone as in-
volved as earlier in the year.” In
addition to being a Big Sib, Avril
is a proud member of Stuyvesant
Cheerleading. She wants to at-
tend college and continue her
studies through medical school.
She plans on becoming a cardiac
surgeon.◙
 OPINIONS The STUYVESANT STANDARD
Marina Tawfik
7:52 a.m. – Three or four
people are gathered around the
classroom door.
7:55 a.m. – The warning
bell rings, and while some people
begin to finish their conversations
and head to class, many others stay
just where they are. Now about
seven students are here and the
teacher arrives to let them in.
7: 58 a.m. – About half the
students in the class have arrived
and are at their desks, though only a
few have their books out.
8:00 a.m. – The starting bell
rings. There are still eight students
missing from the classroom. The
teacher takes attendance, though he
knows that nothing is final yet.
8:04 a.m. – Five of the eight
students have arrived, interrupted
class to hand the teacher their late
pass (or not presented him with any-
thing at all), and have taken their
seats.
8:19 a.m. – Two students
come running into class, clearly
upset about their being late, and
explain that there was a train delay.
8: 33 a.m. – The final stu-
dent comes walking in noncha-
lantly, as if he is right on time.
This schedule is so typical
for classes in Stuyvesant that most
people grow used to it. We no
longer see lateness as a serious is-
sue, because it is so normal to watch
classmates enter class after the start
bell has rung that it would be
strange to us if everyone was in
class on time. Perhaps some of us
even enjoy watching others straggle
A Step Towards the Future
Rebecca Kim
Every year, literally thousands
of students attend prep classes and
prepare for the Specialized High
Schools Admissions Test
(SHSAT). Looking back on my
experience as a junior high school
student, I remember that I was al-
ways aiming for the top. However,
I never exactly took the time to
examine the motivations of other
students for taking the test and rea-
sons why parents were so willing
to invest money in the SHSAT de-
spite the risk of prep courses not
paying off in the end.
Prior to taking the exam, stu-
dents select their first few choices
of high schools in which they will
be accepted based on score. The
most popular school choices are
Stuyvesant, Bronx Science, and
Brooklyn Technical High School.
Stuyvesant and Bronx Sci-
The Standard Opinions
The Lateness Ritual
Good work in school requires good attendance. Excessive lateness and absence from school may result in failure in the class,
removal from sport activities, and unfavorable comments on one's permanent record.
in, because every minute the teacher
spends questioning them about why
they are late is one more minute that
we can spend not learning.
The truth of the matter is that
lateness is an issue that needs to be
combated more seriously at Stuyve-
sant. Students have become too re-
laxed in their daily rituals of strolling
carelessly through the halls and see-
ing nothing wrong in being a few
minutes late to class. This is espe-
cially true for morning classes, dur-
ing which students can always use
the excuse of there having been a
train delay. However, it is important
that a line be drawn between the oc-
The SHSAT
ence are notorious for their speciali-
zation in math, and science. Many
students study in order to get ac-
cepted into either one of these
schools because they are hoping to
pursue a career in science or mathe-
matics.
However, that is not always the
case. With Stuyvesant and Bronx
Science’s prominent reputations as
the “best in the city,” many parents
push their children to work harder in
order to get accepted into these
schools in order to gain access to
more opportunities.
“I really pushed John to study for
the SHSAT because I know that
studying hard now will pay off in the
end,” said Anthony Green, parent of
a student currently attending Bronx
Science.
“Everyone knows that Stuy and
Bronx are the best high schools in
New York. I wanted my daughter to
March 23, 2009 –VOL.8, NO.9 5
should be reflected in their grade. It
TSS/ Elissa Tam
would be unfair for a student who
arrives twenty minutes into the pe-
riod everyday to receive the same
grade as one who is always on time,
regardless of how bright that student
is in the subject. If the student truly
wishes to improve their grade in the
class, all they have to do is wake up
a few minutes earlier. It may be a
hard transition at first, but it will be
worth it in the end.
Students are also often late
to classes if they have to travel sev-
eral floors to reach their class. I find
it quite difficult to make it from the
third to tenth floor in the four min-
utes allotted for passing, even if I
move as quickly as possible. How-
ever, a good system that can be
adopted by teachers whose classes
are on very high or low floors is to
record which floor each student
comes from at the beginning of the
year. I would say that if a student has
to travel six or more floors, they
should be excused if they enter class
casional lateness due to real delays a minute or two late.
and the constantly recurring lateness Lateness is a prevalent issue,
of a single student. and there is much that can be done to
There are cases when late- prevent it. Teachers need to forget
ness is truly unavoidable, and all of their lenient ways and punish those
us have been in at least one situation who are always tardy. When people
when our train or bus was delayed are late, it is detrimental to the entire
due to reasons beyond our control. In class’s learning process. This is espe-
such cases, however, there is almost cially true when teachers begin every
always a PA announcement stating class five minutes after the start bell
that there are train delays, and this has rung so that they can wait for late
lets teachers know that if students stragglers to come in. If students
who are normally on time come in make the small amount of effort
late, they are not responsible and it needed to get to class on time, and
should not be held against them. teachers enforce real policies show-
If a student is constantly late ing students how their grades will be
to their first class, then their lateness impacted if they are late, then every-
one will benefit. ◙
be in a place where she could grow However, it is not always the
academically and have many oppor- case of the parent pushing the child
tunities to pursue her career choice,” to reach academic success. In many
said another parent via email inter- situations, the student works hard
view. and wants to have the opportunity to
Many parents see high school as attend such prestigious high schools.
a critical step in their child’s aca- “I knew that Stuy was a really
demic life. Like Anthony Green, they great school, and I wanted to attend,
know that good studying habits, mo- because I knew I could learn in a
tivation, and attitude are important to good environment there,” said Gary
keep in check. Specialized high Hillman, a freshman currently attend-
schools provide just that with their ing Stuyvesant. “I studied really hard
competitive spirit and positive atti- for the test, and now I’m glad my
tude. hard work has paid off. I’m really
“I want my daughter to attend a happy with it.”
really great high school so that she While some students like Gary
can be prepared for the workload in are happy with their decision and
college – it’s a huge change,” said outcome, other students are not so
Mirah Fewden, parent of a current 5th sure. When asked about first experi-
grader. “I’m definitely going to push ences in Stuy and reflections of the
Sarah to take the SHSAT, because I SHSAT, one freshman replied “ At
find it crucial to set good study habits first, I thought Stuy was going to be
and attitude in high school in order to
do well in college.”
Continued on page 6
 6 The STUYVESANT STANDARD
The Dark Side of Gift Cards
By: Tiffany Choi
When Christmas and my
birthday come rolling along, I am
always full of anticipation of what
gifts I will receive. It was fun as a
child to spot elaborate wrapping
paper, which added to the excite-
ment. Thus, when it came to seeing
the special toy I always wanted,
my adrenaline started pumping
with excitement. However, as
times have changed and I have
grown older, the thought my
friends and family put into the pre-
sent they give me has gradually
grown smaller. Apparently, pick-
ing out something perfect for an-
other person becomes a hassle. The
ultimate point of a gift is to show
that it has meaning.
Recently, I got my friend a
$15 gift card for her birthday. I
assumed that she would be over-
joyed at attaining a present with
which she would be able to make
her own choices on what to get. Of
course, it seemed like an ideal pre-
sent, because it is difficult for me
to choose the right gift for another
person, especially since I would
like to avoid giving unwanted
gifts. It was not until I saw my
friend’s reaction to her present that
The SHSAT
A Step Towards the Future
Students want to go to specialized high schools for many reasons, including but not limited to parental expectations, and interest in what the schools have to offer..
Continued from page 5
really great and fun, while chal-
lenging at the same time. I came
into Stuy and unexpectedly fell on
my face because of the over-
whelming amount of work,” said
James Sawer, a current freshman.
While some students are over-
come with pressure, others like the
competition. “The competitive
mood in Stuy really keeps me on
my feet,” said Erick Hegder, a cur-
rent sophomore. “It makes me
work a bit harder because I know
so many others are after the same
Gift giving is the exchanging of something without the need for compensation in exchange.
I realized I was wrong. “Thanks,”
she said with some respite. From
then on, I knew that gift cards may
not be the most thoughtful present
I can give.
The joy of gift giving is
the process of finding a present the
receiver will love and cherish. Gift
cards are only substitutes for real
presents, which actually require
knowledge of the recipient’s tastes.
Lately, the usual present that
comes to most people’s minds is
the gift card, an offering that robs
[colleges]. Stuy is different be-
cause of the atmosphere and envi-
ronment. At other high schools,
most kids don’t care at all about
academics, and that probably does-
n’t motivate the students. Here,
I’m always spurred on.”
Whether it be the parents or
not, many students work hard to
compete and get accepted into one
of New York City’s Specialized
High Schools. However happy or
unhappy they are, one thing is cer-
tain: Specialized High Schools
March 23, 2009 –VOL.8, NO.9 OPINIONS
TSS/ Elissa Tam
do not have expiration dates, but
others do. For instance, it can be a
problem if you buy a gift card for
someone to a particular store, but
there is no store near him or her
that is in business. Another prob-
lem is that gift cards carry an obli-
gation. If you get a necklace for
your mother, she does not have to
do anything to the gift. However,
with a gift card, your mother
would have to go to the store to
use it. Often, this indicates that she
needs to spend additional money to
find something that she likes. If
she does not spend the money
quickly, then the store may take
the money as a “non-use fee,” tak-
ing away money after a certain
amount of time until the card is
empty.
people with compassion. Because The next time it is Christ-
of the lack of creativity and mas or a friend’s birthday, think
thought one may have put into it, about what your reaction would be
David Li agreed: “Gift cards do if someone presented you with a
not show the true meaning of a gift card. The ultimate test of real-
present and you are simply limiting izing whether or not a gift you
what you are trying to express.” want to get someone is a good idea
Besides thought that is put is to put yourself in his or her
behind real presents, wasting shoes and decide if you would ap-
money is another issue. Gift cards preciate the gift. Gift cards may be
typically lose their value if the convenient for you, but when a
companies slide into bankruptcy. person receives one, it is clear to
They may be difficult to use. Some him or her that you did not put
much thought into the gift. ◙
Financial Aid
Forms Cause
Complication
TSS/ Elissa Tam
Continued from page 2
tion only asks for adjusted gross
income and the number of tax ex-
emptions. However, this new form
has its disadvantages as well.
Some doubt the accuracy of the
simpler application and wonder if
the fewer number of questions will
be sufficient enough for the De-
partment of Education to deter-
mine eligibility.
When asked about her
thoughts on the new proposals,
Senior Christina Singh replied, “I
am iffy on these new changes. It
makes me sad that I had to go
through such a complicated proc-
ess, when it is now going to be
super simple. I guess the juniors
are lucky. However, the thing that
worries me most is the fact that the
such as Stuyvesant, Bronx Science, IRS will be based on last year's
and Brooklyn Tech differ in the
statistics, since a lot could change
fact that their environments are in a year. The perfect example is
unique, with students determined
the recession this past year.”
to work hard and become prepared In our current economic
for their future careers. Such atti-
state, more and more high school
tudes are welcomed in these students are applying for federal
schools, perhaps nearly as much as
student aid. Though simplifying
the immense amount of intelli- the Free Application for Federal
gence and persistence accepted.
Student Aid is not something that
Overall, it seems that Specialized can be done overnight, a less com-
High Schools are yet another step-
plicated application process, when
ping stone in a student’s approved of, will allow even more
(hopefully) long academic life.◙
students to apply for financial aid.
◙
 SCIENCE/TECHNOLOGY The STUYVESANT STANDARD March 23, 2009 –VOL.8, NO.9 7

The Standard Science & Technology

By: Omar Ahmad
According to the New
York Times, “eight years of frus-
tration are close to an end for sci-
entists seeking ways to use embry-
onic stem cells to combat illness
and injury.”
On Monday March 9,
2009, Barack Obama officially
lifted the eight-year ban hindering
stem-cell research, removing its
previous reputation for being im-
moral and unjust.
Embryonic stem cells are
cells that can morph into any type
of body cell. Scientists expect to
exploit them so they can generate
replacement tissues to treat an as-
sortment of diseases — such as
new insulin-producing cells for
diabetics, cells that could help
those with Parkinson's disease or
even Alzheimer's, or new nerve
connections to restore movement
after spinal injury.
"I feel vindicated after
eight years of struggle, and I know
it's going to energize my research
team," said Dr. George Daley a
leading stem cell researcher of the
Harvard Stem Cell Institute and
Children's Hospital of Boston, in
an interview with the Times.
But the research is divisive
Stem Cell Ban Lifted
because young, and still-thriving
embryos must be eliminated to
obtain these cells. They usually are
gathered from fertility-clinic
wastes otherwise fated to be dis-
carded.
During his campaign, and
according to his website BarackO-
bama.com, Obama explained that
he, "strongly supports expanding
research on stem cells, and he
stated, “I believe that the restric-
tions that President Bush has
placed on funding of human em-
bryonic stem cell research have
handcuffed our scientists and hin-
dered our ability to compete with
other nations."
He stated that he intended
to raise Bush's ban and "ensure that
all research on stem cells is con-
ducted ethically and with rigorous
oversight."
"Patients and people
who've been patient advocates are
going to be really happy," said
Amy Comstock Rick of the Coali-
tion for the Advancement of Medi-
cal Research, according to the New
York Times.
The verdict brought one
abrupt alteration thus far: As of
Monday, scientists who've had to
meticulously keep separate their
federally funded research and their
privately funded stem cell work —
from stocking up on separate mi-
croscopes to relocating related labs
to separate buildings— no longer
face those tedious expenses.
Next, scientists can start
applying for research grants from
the National Institutes of Health.
The NIH already has begun writing
guidelines that, among other
things, are expected to ensure that
the cells being used were derived
with proper informed consent from
the woman or couple who donated
the original embryo.
One well-known promoter
of stem cell research is Larry
Soler, executive vice president for
government relations and opera-
tions at the Juvenile Diabetes Re-
search Foundation. Mr. Soler said
in a telephone interview with the
New York Times that he was sure
that Mr. Obama would certainly
indicate an arrival to an era of
“scientists making scientific deci-
sions.”
Discussions about stem
cell research have frequently been
intensely personal as well as scien-
tific. Advocates of unhindered re-
search make a note of the fact that
the cells are typically obtained
from embryos that have been aban-
doned by couples seeking in-vitro
fertilization and that the embryos
would be disposed of anyway.
But many of those dispa-
rate to the research say the em-
bryos are nothing less than tiny
human beings, with souls, and that
destroying them is akin to murder.
They argue that research on em-
bryos that would be thrown out is a
slippery moral slope to be avoided
by a decent society. Ravi Kaler,
one who views stem cell research
as a useful medical opportunity,
stated that he thinks that “it’s an
idea that would be great for help-
ing scientific research,” however,
it “has potential to introduce new
technologies to foreign enemies,
who have no laws against cloning
and similar ventures.” Kaler also
hypothesized that it could lead to
competitive “engendering of ar-
mies,” as well as ethically getting
out of hand.
Critics of embryonic stem
cell research also argue that scien-
tists can use different types of stem
cells, like those found in amniotic
fluid or the placenta. But advocates
of using embryonic cells say that
these cells are by far the most
promising and abundant, virtually
eliminating the tedious task of ex-
tracting adult stem cells.
Now that the ban has been
lifted, only time may tell of
reaches of stem cell research, and
future methods of experimenta-
tion.◙

Cable TV Versus
Internet Streaming
By: Qi Fan Zhang
For more than fifty years,
people have received their source
of entertainment from little black
boxes with moving pictures. In
fact, the nation is paved with cable
lines and cable poles so that nearly
everyone has access to television.
Companies, such as Verizon and
Time Warner Cable, have sprung
up to take advantage of the na-
tion’s love for drama, comedy, and
news. Yet, despite the somewhat
recent innovation of cable televi-
sion, a new force is to be reckoned
with. That force is the internet.
During the age of technol-
ogy, the successive inventions of
the computer and the internet have
awed people. Their fascination
continues to grow as people learn
how to communicate over web
pages, allowing the internet to
function as a phone. For example,
messaging systems such as Ameri-
can Instant Messaging (AIM) and
Microsoft Network (MSN) have
become basic tools for youngsters
to converse with each other.
Aside from being a device
through which people can corre-
spond with each other with, the
internet has also shown to be a de-
vice from which people can re-
ceive their daily dose of television
shows. Recently, major television
networks, like ABC, have allowed
viewers to watch the latest epi-
sodes of shows through internet
streaming. By downloading the
ABC player, viewers have access
to all of the segments of various
performances, allowing them to
view the shows at their pleasure
and convenience. While this is an
extremely beneficial and helpful
tool for the viewers, this new ap-
plication of the internet is actually
hurting the cable companies.
According to “Cutting the
Cable as the Economy Pinches” by
Ken Belson, “Time Warner Cable,
which has more than 13 million
basic cable subscribers across the
country, lost nearly 120,000 cable
customers in the fourth quarter last
year.”
Therefore, the cable com-
panies are suffering as more and
more of their customers begin to
realize the advantages of Netflix
and internet streaming. Yet, one
way they appeal to the television
watchers is by having all the inter-
esting shows together in one place.
That way, the viewers do not have
to browse through the internet for
hours searching for the newest epi-
sode of certain television shows. ◙
 8 The STUYVESANT STANDARD March 23, 2009 –VOL.8, NO.9 LITERARY

The Standard Literary

The Standard Word Search

By: Robert Stevenson

S H O W E R H E A D X N
O X O J U N I O R N E A
P E A R M O R T W O X M
H N P R E T T Y N G O K
F O A M R H N I A R D C
R N X U G A R C W A U E
O T T I E W D E R S S B
S H N L O C T O P U S X
H G R E W W I S N U S T
Y N D H I N W C R A S H
P I N T E R N E T O W W
V S E S O N O T P Y R K

Word Bank
VIDEO SHOWER- SOPHFROSH NOSES
OCTOPUS HEAD JUNIOR ORIENT
[The 6 Nobel INTERNET FOAM MERGE
gases] SUPERHERO BURNT ARMOR
EXODUS SING TRUTH PEAR
DRAIN PRETTY CUSPS CRUSH
SENIOR BECKMAN CRASH
LITERARY The STUYVESANT STANDARD March 23, 2009 –VOL.8, NO.9 9
 10 The STUYVESANT STANDARD
The Standard Entertainment
By: Daniel Alfonin
Somebody once told me
never to stop halfway. “An unfin-
ished job,” I remember him saying,
“is almost as bad as one not done
at all.” Back then, the truth behind
those words evaded my carefree
mind but as time passed and my
responsibilities increased, they re-
turned into my life bearing a whole
new perspective. One issue back, I
took on the meticulous duty of
bringing the Top Games of 2008 to
the reader’s attention but due to
our failing economy, I didn’t pos-
sess enough paper to finish. Prom-
ising our faithful readers a con-
tinuation, I returned to my study to
prepare a list so extraordinary, so
mesmerizing, that even the most
sour gamer’s expectations would
partly be met. But, enough chatter.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you
the Best Games of 2008…
Gears of War 2
The long–awaited sequel
to the immensely popular Gears of
War holds a secure e place on this
list. This game continues the epic
struggle for survival between the
humans of Serra and the Locust
Horde. Improving from its prede-
cessor in every way possible,
Gears of War 2 lets the player ex-
perience the full scale of the battle-
field as well as immersing him into
a deep and emotional storyline.
During the campaign you are ab-
sorbed into a last–ditch effort to
stop the Locust once and for all by
bringing the battle to their home
turf – the Hollow. Battling along-
By: Robert Colbourn
Typically, thrillers and ac-
tion movies are so numerous that
they all are instantly labeled as
trash, simply because they mostly
are. However, there are occasions
when movies in this category are
critically acclaimed (“The Matrix”
and “The Bourne Identity” come to
mind). February featured a new film
that exceeded expectations. “Taken”
is a thrilling adventure depicting a
mixture of well choreographed ac-
tion and intense acting from most of
its performers.
Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson),
a former agent for the government,
March 23, 2009 –VOL.8, NO.9
Best Games of 2008:
The List Goes On
side Delta Squad as well as two
new faces, inside the Hollow you
will find yourself face to face
with established enemies such as
wretches as well as ones never
before seen. Ranging from the
Butcher, a lumbering giant abso-
lutely deadly at close range, to the
Kantus, capable of reviving his
fallen comrades, your trigger fin-
ger will definitely be put to the
test. But not to worry, almost for
every new enemy installed in the
game there is a new weapon to
support your supply of firepower.
Use the mortar to unleash an un-
predicted artillery attack raining
down on your enemies or burn
them to a crisp using the new
flamethrower. But just as intrigu-
ing as the campaign might sound,
the true soul of Gears of War con-
tinues to be buried in hardcore
multiplayer action. New modes
such as Submission and King of
the Hill are made ever the more
intense by allowing the player to
use a downed enemy as a human
shield or by planting a grenade on
the wall as a proximity mine. In
addition, a set of unique execu-
tions and interactive multiplayer
maps spice up the gameplay mak-
ing it a sin not to include Gears of
War 2 in the highlights of the
year.
Fallout 3
With Bethesda Studios
(makers of Elder Scrolls: Obliv-
ion) behind the reins of the pro-
ject, many gamers were wonder-
ing what innovations the team
would introduce and whether the
series would ever feel the same.
Taken
is attempting to regain a connec-
tion with his estranged daughter,
Amanda (Katie Cassidy). In order
to get into her good graces, he al-
lows her to go on a trip to Europe
with only her friend Kim (Maggie
Grace). However, a care-free trip
to Europe turns into a nightmare
for Mills after his daughter is kid-
napped by men involved with a
female-trafficking business. Mills
only has a few days to find his
daughter before she is lost in the
slave trade for good.
The initial prospect of the
movie may seem uninspired, but it
leaves room for amazing character
development and plenty on-the-
Thankfully, all worries and
doubts were obliterated once Fall-
out 3 hit the market, establishing
itself as a well–defined leader in
the world of RPG’s. The game
takes place in post–apocalyptic
Washington D.C. 200 years after
a nuclear war with China which
wiped out most of humanity.
Gameplay begins at the very mo-
ment of your characters birth in-
side Vault 101, one of the many
underground facilities offering
safety to survivors. As you grow,
you are introduced to the controls
of the game as well as all the as-
pects of “leveling up.” In Fallout
3 your character has seven main
skills designated as
S.P.E.C.I.A.L., supplemented by
secondary attributes such as lock
picking and sneaking, and perks
that you could choose from once
you level up. Further into the
game, your character embarks on
an epic quest leaving the safety of
the vault to search for his lost fa-
ther. Once in the open, you can
choose to follow the main story-
line or indulge yourself in the nu-
merous side quests available. Side
quests offer the players complete
freedom by letting them decide
their method of completing them.
In this perspective, no two gamers
will go about doing exactly the
same thing. It is also understood
that the decisions you make
throughout the game have an ef-
fect on its ending as well as on
your karma, leading to different
possibilities. Supported by a new
targeting system known as
V.A.T.S., and providing a rich
world to explore, Fallout 3 gives
the players one of best experi-
edge-of-your-seat sequences. Liam
Neeson as the concerned and stern
father played a role that made you
feel for him the entire way
through. At the same time, he was
the only character in the movie that
was 100% right all along and the
only one that the audience could
truly feel sympathy toward. He
was also the most frightening, es-
pecially during a torture sequence
in which Mills demands informa-
tion from a prisoner of his. He
shows no mercy to those responsi-
ble for his daughter’s kidnapping,
and the result is an exuberance of
his own sense of justice that per-
meates throughout the minds of the
ENTERTAINMENT
ences of gaming of all time.
Metal Gear Solid: Guns of the
Patriots
Carrying the heavy role
of being the last game in the
Metal Gear Solid series, Guns of
the Patriots could not afford to be
anything less than epic. If you had
any questions about Snake from
the previous installments, any
doubts, any misunderstandings –
chances are they will be an-
swered. Tying up any loose ends
and ending the story with a bang,
Metal Gear Solid: Guns of the
Patriots provides for some of the
most memorable moments of
2008. The combat of the game is
extremely fluid and feels natural
whether you are a fan of firefights
or silent assassinations. A perfect
blend of shooting and stealth en-
sures that the player will have a
great time whether he sticks to
one or the other. Another innova-
tive feature that the game accom-
plishes is merging extraordinary
cut scenes with gameplay. The
transaction from a cinematic to
the game is so smooth that the
player doesn’t even notice it’s
there. The moment gameplay be-
gins you still feel as if you are in
the cut scene, with the environ-
ment and lighting retaining their
previous visuals. Gorgeous graph-
ics and unique boss fights add on
to the experience, making it
something that gamers will be
talking about for years to come.
As we finally say goodbye to
Snake, we know without a doubt
that he will remain in the hearts of
countless fans. ◙
audience.
The film’s drawback, how-
ever, was in some of the other por-
tions that surrounded other charac-
ters. For instance, Amanda and
Kim’s characters were so painfully
idiotic that it was hard not to grit
one’s teeth whenever they were on
screen. In addition, the existence of
a subplot involving Amanda’s
dream of becoming a singer was
thrown in and seemed to provide
no purpose, other than to create a
typical Hollywood-esque cliché
ending. Despite this, “Taken” still
leaves audiences with an entertain-
ing experience that will keep them
tense while also extracting a bit of
sensitivity from them.◙
 SPORTS
The Sports Beat:
Combine Madness
Continued from page 12
team, so much weight is put on
this ridiculous string of tests. Am I
crazy to believe that if this re-
ceiver is really two tenths of a sec-
ond faster than everyone else, I
will notice this in his games? If I
were a general manager and were
considering drafting a certain
player, the fact that he can bench
500 pounds means nothing if he’s
Sports Event Analysis:
A-rod Exposed As
Steroid User
Alex Rodriguez, who played third base for the New York Yankees, stirred controversy when the press revealed that he was
tested positive for steroids on 2003 .
Continued from page 12
gym bag full of steroids, has been
close friends with the Yankee slug-
ger dating back to his time with the
Texas Rangers. It was further re-
ported that Presinal and A-Rod’s
cousin followed A-Rod throughout
the entire 2007 season, even stay-
ing in the same hotel as him.
As more and more info
leaks out, and more and more will
continue to leak out, you can’t help
but sit back and just think. Here is
a player who flat out denied ever
using steroids during an interview
with Katie Couric and even com-
plained about ballplayers alleged
to have taken steroids to Rangers
owner Ray Hicks. Hicks told
Sports Illustrated that Rodriguez
said “negative things about players
around the league who were sus-
pected of drug use,” and Hicks
The STUYVESANT STANDARD March 23, 2009 –VOL.8, NO.9 11
not making plays. Until my players
become contractually obligated to
be Olympic track stars, I’ll take the
receiver over the long-jumper
every single time. My only hope is
that the Giants don’t catch the
seemingly contagious illness of
ignorance spreading around the
league. ◙
TSS/Elissa Tam
Rebels Season
Comes to an End
TSS/Elissa Tam
Coach Fisher led the Rebels to the playoffs where the season came to an end for the team.
later went on to say that he felt
Continued from page 12 win. That was the last time I would
“betrayed” by the news.
In the three years he be playing in this gym and per-
11 in the final quarter. forming in front of such a great
claims to have used the drugs, A few players were avail-
Rodriguez averaged 52 home runs crowd.”
able for comment after the game. The following morning,
while driving in 132 runs all at an “We were trailing in the final two
average of .306. If he played that Coach Fisher congratulated his
minutes,” said Senior Alan Tse. “I team on a great season and the fans
well over that span, why would he knew we needed some defensive
stop? Who’s to say that he hasn’t for their support. Henry agreed
stops and good shots. We just with Coach Fisher. “I don’t think
kept taking them? In 2007, he had couldn’t set up our defense.” Sen-
the opportunity to opt out of his the team should let this discourage
ior Sami Rabb agreed with Tse. them. Everyone is still proud of
contract and sign an even larger “We never lost confidence,” Rabb
contract. He may have felt “all the them.”
explained. “We played well, just With their season over,
pressure in the world” and that is had a lot of turnovers at the end.
why he had Presinal and his cousin members of the team have much
That’s all.” more free time on their hands. Tse
follow him all season. We may At the same time, senior
never know the full extent of drug said, “I’ve got to study for my
players were sad to see their final driver’s test. And if I want to have
use in the case of Rodriguez or in season at Stuyvesant come to an
the sport of baseball for that mat- a chance playing at [the University
end. “When I was sitting on the of Pennsylvania], I’m still going to
ter, but you really need to wonder: bench [during] the last few min-
why didn’t A-rod take his ‘roids in continue practicing.” Rabb showed
utes,” Rabb commented, “I was the same amount of confidence in
October? I guess Joe Torre was thinking back at every single mo-
right after all: he’s simply A- his game. “If you ever want to see
ment and every single mistake I me again, I’ll be [playing basket-
Fraud. ◙ made. I was sitting there wishing I ball] at BMCC,” Rabb said with a
could do something to secure a wink. ◙
 12
Rebels Season Comes To an End
By: Hesham Saleh
On Thursday, February 26,
Stuyvesant High School held its
first pep rally to support the varsity
basketball team, the Running Re-
bels. The rally, organized by mem-
bers of WOO-PEG-SOOIE, the
official club of Stuyvesant Athlet-
ics, took place in the third floor
gym, known as the Woo-Pit, im-
mediately after tenth period.
The team was introduced
by Senior Christopher Zhao. Coach
Philip Fisher thanked the fans for
their support and then handed the
microphone over to Senior and
Captain Nolan “Franchise” Becker
who briefly spoke to motivate the
team. Members of Stuyvesant’s
Stuy Squad performed during the
rally as well. Junior cheerleader
Keryce Henry was proud to be a
part of the rally. “It was exciting
The Sports Beat:
Combine Madness
By: Zack Goldberg
Every prospect at the
NFL combine has played doz-
ens of football games in front
of millions of people. How-
ever, it’s also true that they
don’t score touchdowns based
on how fast they run 40 yards
without pads or how many
times they can lift 225
pounds. The only beneficial
service provided by the com-
bine is giving a stage to the
prospects that hail from the
lesser known Miami of Ohio
and Idaho States of the college
football world. So while it’s
great that these players are get-
ting a chance to show their
talent to NFL scouts, coaches
and general managers, the
combine also turns players like
Davis and Gholson into top ten
picks who sign gigantic con-
tracts, and makes Jerry Rice
the third receiver taken in his
draft class.
Among the 1985 draft
class were two very different
receivers, Albert Toon, and
The STUYVESANT STANDARD March 23, 2009–VOL.8, NO.9
On Thursday, February 16th, the Stuyvesant Rebels lost in its playoff with the Warriors of Alfred E. Smith.
because I was at almost every big playoff game against the Al-
home game,” Henry explained, fred E. Smith Warriors. However,
“so I was proud to see them get the Rebels were defeated, 68-58,
into the playoffs.” and thus eliminated from the
The rally energized both playoffs.
the team and the fans before the The Rebels were leading
Sports Event Analysis:
A-rod Exposed As
Steroid User
Jerry Rice. Safe money says By: Cody Levine
that almost everybody reading
this has only heard of one name And just like that, Alex
on that list. Al Toon was a star Rodriguez joins the infamous
receiver at Wisconsin, but his ranks of Barry Bonds, Mark
ability, or lack thereof, to catch McGuire, Jose Canseco and plenty
a ball was overshadowed by his others. In a Sports Illustrated re-
40 yard dash numbers, which port from early February, it came
got him drafted before the out that Alex Rodriguez, third
greatest player in the history of basemen for the New York Yan-
football. kees and the highest paid player in
Al Toon was a track baseball, tested positive for ster-
star. Before even reaching Wis- oids in 2003. A-Rod, or more ap-
consin he surpassed 50 feet in propriately called A-Roid, was
the triple jump three different once coined “the savior of base-
times. While at Wisconsin he ball” and even “Michelangelo” but
was on the track team as well as when Selena Roberts of Sports
the football team, and recorded Illustrated came out with the big
23 feet in the long jump. All of news, Rodriguez became nothing
these tremendous track feats but another liar, another fraud.
explain why the New York Jets Rodriguez busted onto the
considered Toon the better pick, scene in 1996 at the tender age of
while Jerry Rice and all of his 20 by hitting .358 with 36 home
receiving records (yes, college runs and 123 RBI’s (runs batted
records) sat idly by. in). These phenomenal numbers
It amazes me that in a led scouts to give him the greatest
world where video footage of scouting report of a player coming
every college football game is out of high school in a number of
easily accessible to each NFL years. He was on top of the world;
he could do no wrong. No, it was
Continued on page 11
SPORTS
TSS/Elissa Tam
at halftime, 30-25, but the Warri-
ors managed to come back from
behind. The game was tied, 47-
47, at the end of the third quarter,
but the Rebels were outscored 21-
Continued on page 11
we who were wrong, duped by
this charlatan. Upon signing an
unheard-of 10 year, $252 million
contract in 2001, Rodriguez
claimed that he “felt an enor-
mous amount of pressure…like I
needed to perform at a high level
every day.”
It wasn’t until Monday,
February 9, several days after
the initial report came out, that
Rodriguez admitted to his use of
the performance enhancing sub-
stances. But on that Monday we
heard one story; the following
news conference we heard an-
other; and the following yet an-
other. At first he “didn’t know
what substance” he was using
and he was simply naïve and
stupid when he took the steroids
from 2001-2003. He then went
on to say that his cousin injected
him with an over-the-counter
drug available in the Dominican
Republic. It later came out that
Angel Presinal, who was banned
from private areas of every MLB
ballpark after an October 2001
incident involving an unmarked
Continued on page 11