Bringing Pine-Richland High School Weekly News…One Page at a Time

R A M P A G EBaseball Season Begins

with Big Dreams Team Chases Back to Back Rings

NICK GUIDAS SENIOR STAFF REPORTER

Last year the PR baseball team went

all the way and won the WPIAL

championship. This year the team is

chasing another WPIAL championship.

The team has lost a lot of starters due to

the senior class last year being so talented.

But, this does not take away from the fact

that the team is still filled with a lot of

talent.

The team has been training and

practicing together since the fall. Senior

Wes Byrd said, “Although we lost a lot of

talent from last year, we still have a very

talented and close team.” However, being underestimated by the

other teams in the WPIAL might help out

the Rams this season. Still, nothing is

going to change that they will have a

target on their back all year because they

won it all last year.

The team will have to work much

harder for another ring, but there is no

doubt that they can pull it off. If they work

as a team and use the right tools at the

right time, they will come out on top once

again.

Issue #23

Thursday March 12th

2020

A picture from last year’s season, provided by Montague Photography

Flappy Bird What Happened to this Infamous Game?

NICK GUIDAS SENIOR STAFF REPORTER Everyone remembers the addicting

game Flappy Bird. The game had kids and

teenagers all over the world going nuts.

The premise behind the game is very

simple. All you had to do was touch the

screen enough in order to make your bird

fit between the two green tubes. But, if the

game was so simple, why was it so

addicting? Flappy Bird was taken off the app

store in 2014. The creator of the game,

Nguyen Ha Dong, took it off because he

said the game was, “too addicting.”

He said, “Because the game is so

sensitive to touch, each round usually

lasts a few seconds before you reach your

inevitable death.”

The game was so addicting because

humans naturally want to succeed and

win. But, in Flappy Bird it was impossible

to win. The only thing you could do is

build up your high score. In the long run,

the decision by Dong to take the game off

the app store was a good one. The game

had people going crazy over something

that was intended to bring happiness and

fun. For Nguyen Ha Dong, owning the

game worked out great for him. Before

the game was deleted off the app store,

Dong was making about $50,000 a day

off of an app advertising and sales. This

means that Dong brought in $18,250,000

in one year. His decision to take the game

down was great for both sides, he stopped

the madness over the youth, and he reeled

in some serious cash.

Top 3 Best Leonardo DiCaprio

Movies: Here’s My Favorite Performances

NICK GUIDAS SENIOR STAFF REPORTER Leonardo DiCaprio is one of most

sought out actors in America. He is loved

by many people for many different

reasons. But, mostly because of his ability

to portray many different roles and his

physical appearance. So without further

ado, here is my Leonardo DiCaprio top 3

movie list: #1: Inception: This film is famous for

its breathtaking effects and imagination it

took to create. It may seem boring at some

points, but it is all for good reason. The

ending is a little aggravating because it

leaves you on a cliffhanger, but it allows

you to make your own ending. #2: Gatsby: It was hard for me to

place this movie as number two because

of how good it is. But, this movie is

based off a book, and a movie

previously made before it making it

a little less desired. Don’t get me

wrong, this is a wonderful movie

filled with many great effects,

twists, and turns. I highly

recommend it. #3: Catch Me if You Can: This

movie is a must watch. It is filled

with great acting, some comedy, and

it is based off of a true story. The

fact that it is based off a true story

makes it so much more intriguing.

Movies tend to be more interesting

if the events actually occurred in the real

world.

JUST FOR FUN

Leonardo DiCaprio. Image from USA Today

PROM TICKETS WILL BE SOLD DURING ALL

LUNCH PERIODS FROM 3/16 THROUGH 3/20.

THE LAST DAY TO BUY TICKETS IS 3/27!

Flappy Bird. Image by Rampage

Illustrator Maggie English

City Cuisine: Discover Some of the Best Places to Dine in Pittsburgh ELLA KASPEROWICZ STAFF REPORTER

Pamela’s Diner: Since 1980, Pamela’s

Diner has been serving their crepe style

pancakes in the Pittsburgh area. Located in the Strip District, Shadyside,

Squirrel Hill, Mt. Lebanon, and

Millvale, Pamela’s Diner is a

perfect representation of the

kindness in Pittsburgh. Waffles, INCaffeinated: Known

for their gourmet waffles, Waffles,

INCaffeinated has a unique menu

that will satisfy your taste buds at

any time. With locations in Beaver,

South Side, Wexford, and

Downtown, these extraordinary

waffles are a must-have. First Watch: “The Daytime Cafe”

has locations around the city,

including Cranberry, McCandless,

and Century III. Locally fresh and

locally grown, First Watch has a

wide variety, suitable for almost

anyone.

Peace, Love and Little Donuts:

First established in Pittsburgh in 2009,

Peace, Love and Little Donuts now has

locations in Wexford, The Strip District,

Cranberry, Beaver, and has expanded

across 14 states. With their creative tiny

donuts, this company has swept the

nation. Burgatory: Known for their delicious

burgers and tasty milkshakes, Burgatory

has nine

locations across the city. This restaurant

has a great atmosphere along with great

food. Primanti Bros.: Founded in Pittsburgh,

Primanti Bros. has been serving its

signature

sandwiches since 1933. The delicious

combo of grilled meat, melted cheese,

coleslaw, tomato slices, and french fries

are all stacked in between two thick slices

of italian bread. The Melting Pot: This fondue

company was founded in Tampa,

Florida and now has 105

locations across North America.

The menu has a variety of

choices. Starting with cheese

fondue and salad, then ending

with the meat portion and

chocolate fondue, you will never

be bored dining at The Melting

Pot. Fuel and Fuddle: Located at the

heart of Oakland, Fuel and Fuddle

is a great spot for a night out with

friends. It’s also at the perfect

location, a few blocks away from

the Peterson Event Center. If

you’re ever there, I recommend

the burgers. Of course, there are many other

fantastic restaurants in Pittsburgh. These

are my personal favorites, and I suggest you give them a try!

Pamela’s Diner. Image by TripAdvisor.

DON’T FORGET: PR PRESENTS ‘THE ADDAMS FAMILY!’

SHOW DATES:

FRIDAY 3/13 7:30

SATURDAY 3/14 7:30

FRIDAY 3/20 7:30

SATURDAY 3/21 2:00 AND 7:30

TICKETS AVALIABLE ON DISTRICT WEBSITE

JUST FOR FUN

Student Spotlight Get to Know PR Freshman Ben Rishel ETHAN SILIPO STAFF REPORTER

A famous man once said, “Life is like

a book, sometimes you have to work

through the bad parts to get to the good

parts.” This quote inspires and it comes

from Ben Rishel. You see, I lied about the

famous part, as PR freshman Ben Rishel

is no celebrity; however, this young man

may as well be famous considering what

he has achieved in just his first year at the

high school. Ben Rishel has found his

ground on the big stage, and he is ready

to break boundaries and test the limits. This past fall, Rishel played varsity

soccer. This on its own is impressive;

however the fact that he was a critical

piece of the team and started every game

unless he was injured is equally

impressive. Rishel played center back for

the boy’s team, which essentially just

means he is the main center defender and

is in charge of shutting down attacks from

the opposition and finding passes to start

an attack for his team. “I was never really the biggest player

on the field, but I make up for it by

working twice as hard as everyone else,”

said Rishel. Ben has played soccer since he was

three years old, and it is his favorite sport

and the one he dedicates the most time to;

however, he said he picked up track in

seventh grade after realizing his

exceptional running skills developed in

soccer directly translate to running track.

This year, Ben is running 1600 meter and

800 meter. Despite being a talented athlete,

Rishel’s skills in the classroom are just as

advanced as those out on the field. His

schedule is packed with honors classes,

and he is even taking Algebra 2 and he is

achieving phenomenal grades in all parts

of his education. In his free time, Rishel enjoys playing

video games and spending time with

friends. The weekends give Rishel a

chance to slow down his chaotic and fast

moving life during the week. Ben Rishel,

however, has a special talent that which

no one can compare. “In math class, I use the draw cards

function on my graphing calculator. One

time, the student sitting next to me told

me to guess a random card. I guessed

three of spades, and it was right. Then I

guessed another time as a joke. I said

eight of spades and it was right again,”

explained Rishel. Call it luck, but there is definitely

some sort of skill or magic in this act. The

odds of guessing a card out of a stack of

52 twice in a row is 1/2704.

Freshman Ben Rishel still has three

years until his high school journey is

over, so it is safe to say that in those three

years he is guaranteed to find great

success in multiple different places.

Rishel is friendly, easy going, and fun, so

anyone who comes across him will surely

appreciate his attitude and positive

outlook on life.

Professionals of the Month Meet Maddie Hoyland and Luccia Harpalani ELLA KASPEROWICZ STAFF REPORTER

Hardworking and motivated, two PR

students, Maddie Hoyland and Luccia

Harpalani, won the title “Professionals of

the Month.” To achieve this goal, they

had to show determination and

persistence. “You have to earn it,” said

Harpalani. So, we got the inside scoop

on these two star students. Maddie Hoyland: To earn this

award, Hoyland stood out to her peers

and teachers for being hardworking. She

has always lived in PR and has two

siblings. Her favorite part about school is

the teachers because “they are always

very helpful”. Hoyland loves English

and her favorite sport is softball. Her

favorite food is broccoli and she also

loves The Emoji Movie. She likes the

color red, loves cookie dough ice cream

and if she could choose one place in the

entire world to go, it would be Giant

Eagle. Luccia Harpalani: Just like Hoyland,

Harpalani was extremely happy that she

won this title. Reading is her favorite

subject in school and vanilla is her best-

liked ice cream

flavor. She also has

a knack for

gymnastics and

loves the color pink.

Overall, Frozen II is

her favored movie.

Harpalani also has

two brothers and

has always been a

PR Ram. Finally,

Harpalani would

love to go to

Disneyland, if she had the chance. These two students are great role-

models for students, and exemplify

school spirit. So, next time you see

Maddie or Luccia in the halls, give a

wave and say hello.

JUST FOR FUN

Freshman Ben Rishel.

FEATURE

Maddie Hoyland (left) and Luccia Harpalani (right)

The Use of Smartphones: A Commentary on the Never-Ending Cycle ALEX VASILE FREELANCE SUBMISSION

Children have learned how to use

smartphones at an increasingly early age

and receiving their own at even younger

ages than before. Many young people can

not last mere minutes without their

phones. Since children have grown up in

an environment that ingrained

smartphone use in them at such a

vulnerable age, they are extremely

susceptible to developing an addiction to

their phones or social media. Teenagers

are accompanied by smartphones in

almost every activity such as eating lunch

with friends, in the classroom, traversing

from one point to another, and before bed.

Most teens have at least two social media

apps ranging from Facebook, Instagram,

Snapchat, TikTok, and Twitter. More likely than not, the first thing

you do in the morning is to check your

phone. This preemptively puts you in a

bad position to start the day. You are

concerned with what happened yesterday,

with what happened in the past, with what

someone posted on their story last night.

However, most people overlook the fact

that you do not always need to be

connected to this “loop” of waste. In

regards to school, the district states in

board policy No. 237, “The use of

electronic devices, which include but are

not limited to mobile telephones and

other devices that can send, receive, play

or display digital video or audio data or

images or which provide an unfiltered

connection to the Internet, is prohibited

by students during instructional periods

of the school day {...} Electronic devices

may be brought to school but must be kept

turned off and out of sight during all

instructional periods and activities.”

This policy makes sense as it allows

students to bring their phones to school

but limits their use in the academic scene. In my life, before 9th grade, I never

had social media. However, this summer

I decided to get it to keep in touch with

my foreign friends. I can sum up Snapchat

in one sentence: it is necessary to have to

communicate to the rest of the world;

however, if you spend more than 30

minutes on the app a day, you have an

issue. Unfortunately, many people,

including myself, find ourselves in this

position of spending hours and hours on

end on our screens. According to an

article in Forbes, social media is

addictive, triggers more sadness, less

happiness, comparing our lives with

others is unhealthy, it can lead to jealousy

(a vicious cycle), we can get caught in the

delusion that it will help, and more friends

on social media doesn’t mean you’re

more social. From an insider, adolescent

perspective, I can irrefutably confirm

these claims. Getting out of this

sanguinary cycle proves remarkably

difficult.

I call for a movement, a reformation

in which a higher authority, perhaps the

government, get involved in limiting

screen time, especially social media

exposure to growing teens. We need to

stop this epidemic and regain our

humanism and real social values.

Swimming Surprise: Class’ Curriculum Unit Excites ANDREW LAMENDOLA FREELANCE SUBMISSION

I always hear people complaining

about how they do not enjoy getting wet,

or they complain about the freezing

temperature of the pool. Hearing this

about their travails, I did not look forward

to the swimming unit. However, I was

shocked to realize what I actually thought

of it. When my friend, John, and I had first

showed up to the pool, neither of us

wanted to get in. Having no choice and

no time to contemplate, I leaped into the

pool. I felt the water engulf my body. To

my surprise, I did not feel entirely cold

when my head emerged out of the water.

The so called, “freezing water,” was

imperceptible.

I started to think, maybe this will be

fun.

I began to enjoy swimming because

John and I were having fun. Learning

new strokes seemed a little easier because

I was not miserable. At the end of class,

we had some extra time. So, our teacher

let us jump off of the diving boards. John

and I enjoyed this part the most. We

would do a flip, quickly swim out of the

pool, and run off of the diving board

again. Now, every time I walk onto the pool

deck, I get excited to jump in. I am taking

something much larger from this than

realizing that I enjoy the swimming unit.

I found that surrounding yourself with

friends, even in hard times, will always

make for a fun experience

.

STUDENT REFLECTIONS

DO YOU HAVE A REFLECTION? YOU CAN BE PUBLISHED

IN THE RAMPAGE TOO! VISIT ROOM 217 TO LEARN

HOW TO SUBMIT A FREELANCE ARTICLE!

Best Romance Reads

ABBY LANE STAFF REPORTER Any day is a good day to read a good book. There are

many genres to choose from too, such as Horror, Mystery,

Romance, Sci Fi, Historical, Fiction, Nonfiction and so on.

If there are so many good books, then why do people choose

not to read? The question is still a mystery to me. Here are

some great romance reads to start you off. See you next week

for another genre recommending.

The Field Party series by Abby Glines

(Must Read)

Open Road Summer by Emery Lord

Challenge Accepted by Amanda Abram

That Boy by Jillian Dodd (Must Read)

The Beginning of Everything by Robyn

Schneider

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum

Young Love by Paige Powers (Must Read)

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

(Must Read)

Where The Road Takes Me by Jay

McLean (Must Read)

Five Feet Apart by Rachel Lippincott

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia

Owens

Ryder Bay Series by Jordan Ford (Must

Read)

All The Little Things by Jamie McGuire

These are just a few of the many great romance

reads out there. I have read all the above except for ‘That

Boy’ (which I have on my bookshelf but have yet to read),

‘Five Feet Apart’, ‘All The Little Things’ and ‘Where the

Crawdads Sing’. As

far as I am concerned

all these books tell an

excellent romantic

tale, ones that I fall

in love with every

time. Not only will

you fall in love with

the book but the

characters too. I hope

you take my advice

and either borrow

some of these books

at your local library

or buy the books.

GOOD READS

Ode to the

Wooden Drawer MAGDELYN ENGLISH

STAFF ILLUSTRATOR & REPORTER

Collections of grays

All in one

Lined up in a row

Waiting to jump right onto that

blank canvas

Creation sparks at the tip

Groups of flowers and children

grow

A star rises, a peak into the

written

My masterpiece comes from

the wooden figure

Standing in my hand

Predicting pictures

Writing stories

Creating cats

Figures dance, swirling around

A tool that is worthy to use.

Bringing gray to life

Showing not all things are

bright and light

Waiting on the tabletop

For someone to drop

Tip on top

Of a blank world

Waiting to be created

One thing started

Another one finished

Explaining stories

Bringing the characters to life

A wooden object with lead

on the inside

A tool, a creation, a thing

To write, to draw, to create

A simple little thing,

Known as…...a Pencil

POEM

FYI There will be a Women’s Panel of Equal Representation held by the Spire & Co.

Club on Wednesday, March 18th 8-9:30am. If you wish to attend, you need to turn in a permission slip to

Dr. Switala by Monday, March 16th.

The following homerooms are our weekly

winners:

Homeroom 31: Mrs. Hough

Homeroom 204: Mrs. Gollapudi

Homeroom 213: Mrs. Dalverny

Homeroom 412: Mrs. Bartoszewicz

Homeroom 418: Mr. Davis

JUST FOR FUN

RAMPAGE

STAFF Design Editors:

Brooke Gray,

Maddie Jewart,

Cameron Perkins

Staff Reporters:

Ava Boyd,

Jordan Burns,

Danielle Bursick,

Ethan Crowell,

Maggie English,

Tom Frey, Mikayla

Goff, Nick Guidas,

Mara Hopf, Ella

Kasperowicz,

Abby Lane,

Steven Lemchak,

Elizabeth Montanti,

Arnoldo Olsson,

Amitva Pal, Josh

Palko, Ethan Silipo,

Emma Van Meter

Copy Editor: Abby Lane

Teacher:

Mrs. Harshman

The RAMPAGE is a

student-created

publication of Pine-

Richland High School,

700 Warrendale Road,

Gibsonia, PA 15044.

The newsroom is room

217. The RAMPAGE

is available in print and

online every Thursday.

It is written by

students, for students,

and will make every

attempt to report all

school-related news.

We welcome freelance

submissions,

suggestions,

comments, and story

ideas from students and

staff. Since this is a

student-publication, we

realize we may make

mistakes; we

encourage readers to

report mistakes to the

newsroom 217; you

may win a prize if you

can locate any/all

mistakes.

Be the first to win! When you complete the word search, bring it to Room 217 for a prize!

SENIOR DANIELLE BURSICK GAME DESIGNER

PR’s Swimming and Diving Team WPIAL Qualifiers: Correction from last week

o Madison Alexander o Delaney Allen o Justin Bogacz o Matt Carper o Mila Cribbs o Eleah Dickson o Luke Farrar o Zoe Farrar o Brennan Kirkpatrick o Anna Kosanovich o Will Laubacher o Grant Lundgren o Dylan McCabe o Megan Medjimorec o Shane Rupert o Alyssa Schonbachler *this name was accidentally spelled wrong o Lily Settembrino o Emily Smallwood o Daniel Steger o Trent Vacula* this name was accidentally left off the list o Rachel Watson o Andrew Wenzel o Valerie Zbezinksi

←

FYI

Some Old-

Fashioned Skills

That Teens Need

to Know Today

ABBY LANE DESIGN/COPY EDITOR

Many teens do not know common

skills. How many do you know? Check

the boxes and see if you’re smarter than

the average teen. Most teens know how to

do 32 of the skills listed below. If you

know less, that is alright. There is always

time to learn. Come to room 217 and tell

the Rampage Staff how much you know.

How to sew on a button

How to make a genuine apology

How to shake hands

How to check tire pressure

How to do laundry

How to make a budget

How to iron a shirt

How to see through job

competition

How to have good table manners

How to read a recipe

How to seek counsel help from

someone experienced

How to hang a picture

How to write a proper thank you

note

How to admit a mistake

How to care for a pet

How to play with a baby

How to set the table

How to read a map

How to write a letter

How to hammer a nail

How to take notice of needs

around you

How to balance a checkbook

How to wash dishes

How to do something well even

if no one is watching

How to give someone the benefit

of the doubt

How to weigh the pros and cons

of a decision

How to take care of a garden

How to read slowly

How to find a book in the library

How to wait and save for

something

How to ask questions to get to

know someone better

How to take a message

How to make a phone call

How to select a gift that the

receiver will appreciate

How to attend a concert or

performance

How to plan a healthy meal

How to fix something instead of

replacing it

How to make scrambled eggs

How to be kind!!!!

OPINION

PITTSBURGH PIRATES:

The Pirates are offering a

complimentary ticket to

students on specific dates

with the purchase of at least

one additional ticket. Flyers

are available in the Main

Office and Guidance Office

with more information.

SHOE DRIVE: PR

Students, do you have shoes

you never use? If so please

drop off any type of gently

worn shoes in boxes in the

main lobby or cafeteria. The

environmental club is hosting

a shoe drive to improve our

environment globally, where

your shoes are upcycled to

people in poverty. Look for

posters in the hallway or send

an e-mail to the address at the

bottom of your screen for

more information Lets get

400 shoes!

(22zkatres86@prrams.org)

SPAGHETTI DINNER: Support the Choir

program by attending their annual Spaghetti Dinner

on Saturday, March 21st, from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m.

between the matinee and evening performances of

this year's PRHS Musical, The Addams Family.

The dinner is held in the PRHS cafeteria and

benefits the PRHS Choral Boosters. Reserve your

spot today! For Ticket Information email Michelle

English at her e-mail.

STUDENT GOVERNMENT:

If any current 9th through 11th

grader is interested in

joining student government for

next school year and is not a

current member, please email

Mrs. Brough or Mrs. Adams

directly for an online

application by Friday March

27th. All current members

planning to return, please check

GoogleClassroom to complete

the online application form.

JUST FOR FUN

Red Black Gold Orange Pink Blue Green Sliver Brown Gray

Purple Yellow

FYI

MINITHON NEWS:

Want to go to this year's Mini-THON on someone

else's dime? Students who raise at least 50 dollars on

Donor Drive receive free admission, shirt, pizza, and

rave lights! One post to your Instagram/Facebook

could easily pay for you to dance For The Kids. Talk

to someone in Mini-THON to get signed up. It takes 5

minutes, and you could help save lives.

A.W. BEATTIE

CAREER CENTER:

They are holding their annual Fish Fry

this Friday and on March 20th, and 27th.

Dine-in or Take-out. The hours will be

from 12pm to 3pm and 4pm to 7pm.

GUIDANCE INVITATION!

You are cordially invited to

attend College Planning

Night on Wednesday, March

25th in the PRHS Auditorium,

from 7-9pm. This event is

open to all students and their

families who are looking to

start the college search

process. The guest speaker,

Ms. Jennifer Winge, Dean of

Admission at the College of

Wooster, will provide an

overview of the college

admissions process. A question

and answer period will follow.

Did you notice...

Senior Connor Murphy →

Student Section Leaders made an

announcement during all lunches last

week about the importance of

following the RAMS Way while in the

cafeteria. All students are encouraged to be respectful,

accountable, motivated, and safe during all

lunches. Teachers will be rewarding students

with a snack bar coupon for students who

follow RAMS way!