Voting guide for Election Day

page 4

Best bands not in the Hall of Fame

page 6

Girls’ soccer back to the playoff s

page 16

Much like the report cards they fi ll out for students, teachers in Bellmore-Merrick will be rated based on a new evaluation system. The ratings system, signed into legislation this year, will grade New York state teachers in several categories, among them being stu-dent performance. In an eff ort to stabilize an un-steady public education system, schools have targeted teachers, and will rate them on the knowl-edge of their students at the begin-ning and end of the school year. Early in the school year, students of all grades were given baseline exams in every subject. The tests, which do not impact students’ grades, do impact the “grades” of the teachers in the district, as simi-lar tests were given state wide. Teachers and students alike, when discussing the baseline ex-ams, said the tests were more cum-bersome than helpful and reliable.

Senior Leora Ellison comment-ed, “Kids just put down random answers and don’t care. It should be taken seriously.” As reported in the media all summer, state legislators and stu-dent advocates believe these tests foreshadow a greater scrutiny of teachers throughout New York, as well as highlight the preexist-ing confusion of how to tackle the improvement of the education system. However, others believe teachers have always been held accountable for their work and for the grades of their students, thus making these tests unnecessary. “The rhetoric in newspapers is as if [teachers] have never been held accountable,” said Princi-pal David Seinfeld. “It’s insulting and fl awed; the State’s Education Department’s system was set up without real guidance to see if it is reliable.” This sentiment with the new testing has also brought forth the question: is it really fair to rate a teacher on the performance of a se-

lected group of students? “I appreciate the desire to im-prove education for students, but what is being labeled education re-form is not reform; it’s horrendous-ly misguided,” said Neal Madnick, an AP social studies teacher. In discussing a reliable strategy to “grade” teachers, Mr. Madnick said, “It includes subjective mea-sures, not objective. Teaching is an art, not a science.” This sentiment among teachers is blatant and pervasive, as many would agree that the testing is not reliable or fair.

English teacher Rich Perry not-ed, “It hasn’t been thought out; the baseline tests don’t match up to the Regents at the end of the year.” The baseline exams are just one part of the new teacher evalua-tion process. However, the feeling among many students and teach-ers is that the baseline tests don’t eff ectively evaluate teachers or the students taking them. A 25 ques-tion multiple choice test is being compared to a test with a com-pletely diff erent format at the end of the year, and many see this as inherently fl awed.

by Sarah SteilManaging Editor

Celebrating Colt Fest

Seniors Sam DePasquale, Ally Lewis, and Claire Bricken represent Kickline at the fi rst annual Colt Fest.

(photo by Rebecca Spina)

Grading the gradersNew ratings system for state educators

Faculty and students alike are questioning the validity and pur-pose of the baseline exams recent-ly administered. These tests are being used to evaluate students and the knowl-edge they already possess in the classes they are taking. In addi-tion, the baselines are being used to evaluate teachers.

If a student receives a certain score, then there is an expecta-tion that the student’s score will improve on their Regents or fi -nal. New York State now requires that these tests are given by each school district. The only question is whether or not the tests will prove to be benefi cial. The exams changed the fl ow of the fi rst few weeks of school. Instead of learning new material,

Students talk baselinesby Jenna Rudolfsky

Colture Editor

(see EXAMS on page 4)

2 Hoofbeats October 2012 NEWS

Believe it or not, Calhoun now has a retail store that will sell sweatshirts, sweatpants, and even jewelry. Located in the old auto shop, The Stable opened this month and is a part if the Prep for the Future Vocational Program. The store was established to replace a similar retail skills program at B.O.C.E.S. and will be run locally by the Spe-cial Education Department. According to Principal David Seinfeld, “It’s best to teach stu-dents in-district because there is less travel involved and more at-tention given to the students. It’s done in a more effi cient manner fi nancially and otherwise.” The idea for the store fi rst came from Ms. Emily Paluseo, chair-woman of the Special Education Department. She and Mr. Seinfeld adapted it for Calhoun “Ms. Paluseo and I considered the location, sold items for funds, got donations, and were able to create the store,” Mr. Seinfeld said. Running The Stable is similar to the Java room and School Store, but focuses entirely on retail skills, according to Ms. Paluseo. The stu-dents working in the store practice retail tools for real-life experiences and will enable them to gain em-ployment aft er graduation. This experience involves both student groups and several clubs, such as Virtual Enterprise, Market-ing, and Senior Experience. The Stable will sell a variety of items such as Under Armour and other high quality athletic wear, from tank tops and sweat jackets to shorts and yoga pants, iPhone cas-

es and chargers, a selection of ear buds, greeting cards, pre-wraps, Tic Tacs, Calhoun wear, tote bags, chargers, USB drives, string back-packs, and handmade jewelry cre-ated by Chris Diano, a Calhoun almunus now att ending FIT for jewelry design. “It’s a good idea for the students to learn how to communicate and work in the real world,” said sophomore Christine Collins. “The store had good prices, and there was a wide selection of items to buy. I really hope they get hot pink Under Armour.” Senior Ethan Tack added, “I like

this idea. It’s so productive and has real-life applications.” The Stable will be a valuable part of the Calhoun experience. “The store serves many valuable purposes. It provides for good school spirit and allows general students and Special Ed. students to work together on something for all of us to be proud of,” Mr. Sein-feld said. The Stable is located in room B-175 and is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 9:45 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. and on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

“The Stable is such a great idea. Now I can get clothes supporting other teams at Calhoun, not just the team I am on,” said sopho-more Kayla Sande. “I’d like them to have more personalized items, like shirts with specifi c teams and numbers on them.”

Stable conditionby Paulina Fein

Staff Writer

Students can stock up on Calhoun gear.(photo by Katie Hecker)

Dawn Meltzer shops at The Stable.(photo by Valerie Winter)

New school retail store

Working at The Stable will help give students retail skills they would need for a job in the real world aft er high school.(photo by Valerie Winter)

Follow us on Twitt er @hoofb eatspaper

Like us on Facebook: Hoofb eats

News October 2012 Hoofbeats 3

Law signed to end bullying

The school bully is no longer just a fi gure who lurks the halls for his or her next victim, or a feared pres-ence in the classroom. The “bully” is now making headlines across the United States as the individual who pushes too many boundaries and could cost someone their life. Though it was signed into law in September of 2010, the Dignity for All Students Act (also known as DASA) was revised this past July. The Dignity Act combats bias-

based bullying, harassment, and discrimination in public schools. The act states, “No student will be subjected to harassment or discrimination by employees or students on school property or at a school function based on their actual or perceived race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, sexual orientation, gen-der, or sex.” This detailed and inclusive list is the strength of the act. Adding the word “perceived” closes the loophole for aggressors that may not understand the eff ects their ac-

tions have on other students. Many schools like Calhoun have employed programs in order make school an enjoyable place to be. However, not all schools are as willing or have the resources to spread the same awareness. That is why DASA will now bring to justice all future antagonizing acts that may have gone unnoticed be-fore, both at school and online. By law, all students and par-ents must know about this act, as the combination of the law and the student body can put an end to unnecessary school violence and abuse. “It’s diffi cult to investigate, but every student should bring in as much evidence [of bullying], such as proof from Facebook, other stu-dents, etc. to prove their case,” said Assistant Principal Eric Gomez, who is the school coordinator of the Act. “Aft er that, both students will be spoken to.” Calhoun has strived to create a safe environment for its stu-

dents through guest speakers and events like Challenge Day. But that doesn’t mean there have not and will not be incidents of students caught in crossfi re. “In the long run it will mitigate harassment, but it is also up to par-ents and administration to enforce it,” Mr. Gomez said. He added that if any student has encountered a situation in which they feel threatened or unsafe, they may fi le a report with him, and he will bring in the accused for questioning. Such a thorough examination will also eliminate any case of a student using the act as a crutch or for their own agenda. The result-ing punishment may vary depend-ing on the severity, but the law can come into play. So is this the fi nal stand against bullying? In order to make school a safe place at all times, having DASA on record allows “students to take [bullying] more seriously,” according to Mr. Gomez.

by Gabby SimonsonEditor-in-Chief

Zisel ready for action

Mr. Zisel comes to Calhoun aft er serving as the assistant principal at Mepham.

(photo by Dana Reilly)

With the experience that new Assistant Principal Ken Zisel has, roaming the halls of Calhoun should not be a problem. Aft er completing his military service in the early 1990s, Mr. Zisel graduated from Hofstra Univer-sity and has two Masters degrees (one from Columbia University in American History and the other from Touro College in School Dis-trict Leadership). Mr. Zisel replaces former As-sistant Principal Carlo Conte, who was promoted to be the principal

of Grand Avenue Middle School. Mr. Zisel said he saw the oppor-tunity and jumped into it because of the great things he heard about Calhoun from faculty and friends. “I had a great welcome when I joined the staff ,” Mr. Zisel said. “The people here really look out for each other. I really appreciate the quick initiative from every-one.” Mr. Zisel brings experience with him, as he was a teacher at Sewan-haka High School before his pre-vious position as an assistant prin-cipal at Wellington C. Mepham School. At Calhoun, Mr. Zisel has many

important responsibilities. “I oversee the tenth and twelft h grade students. I oversee all stu-dent activities, minus sports. I also check all tests, scheduling, and thelearning center schedule.” He further explained that the staff is young and energetic and re-ally looks out for the whole of the school community. “I like camaraderie, and that’s what the staff here has,” he said. Mr. Zisel said he plans to stay around for as long as possible, and plans to become as familiar as he can with all the staff and students at Calhoun. His offi ce is located in the main offi ce.

by Dana ReillyNews Editor

What to know about DASA• DASA prohibits the harassment and discrimination of students by students and by school personnel

• All public elementary and secondary school students are protected

• Each school’s Code of Conduct must be amended to refl ect the pro-hibition of discrimination and harassment of students by students or staff in age-appropriate language

• Districts must appoint at least one staff member in each school to handle all bullying incidents on school property, in school buildings, on a school bus, as well as at school-sponsored events or activities

• Administrators must report incidents of bullying or bias-based harassment to the NYS Department of Education

(source: www. capsli.org)

DASA brings dignity to bullying victims

Homecoming festival

Juniors Zach Abrahams and Arielle Perez dress up for Drama’s On Tour Company as part of Colt Fest.

(photo by Rebecca Spina)

4 Hoofbeats October 2012 NEWS

students spent time taking tests that don’t count in their grades. It is clear to Principal David Seinfeld that students and faculty are paying the price, both with time and with money. “It’s hard to determine the cost,” Mr. Seinfeld said. “The cost of pa-per, new equipment to make tests, costs in time that the administra-

tion and teachers spend in creating the exams is signifi cant. The big-gest cost, however, is the loss of in-structional time in the class room.” This holds true, for one period is eliminated for each of the core subjects, including English, Sci-ence, Math, Social Studies, LOTE, and gym, so that the diagnostic test may be administered. Ms. Sarah Cronin, a math teach-

er, commented, “I thought the day could have been spent learning.” Many students have been curi-ous about the idea of baseline ex-ams or tests in classes like gym, an area that seemed to be free of writ-ten exams in the past. Dominique Noto, a sophomore, said, “It was a misuse of time when we could’ve been physically active, rather than wasting time in the auditorium on a test that didn’t count toward anything.” This lack of enthusiasm poses a problem for physical education teachers. Coach Gregg Muscarella commented, “By being more pro-fessional and supplying content to the kids, meaning information, hopefully it will change the mind set of the student body.” Coach Muscarella believes that these tests are “an excellent thing for physical education,” and that they will help in enriching the minds of the students, and hope-fully promote them to become more physically active in the long run. Even in the major subjects, are students taking these tests seri-ously? Adam Meyers, a sophomore,

said, “I’m not really taking these tests seriously because I feel they are not an accurate measure of the quality of the teachers. I feel there are bett er ways they can do that.” Noto agreed with this statement, adding that on these tests, “Ninety percent of the students probably just took a guess. Why would we know anything on a subject we haven’t learned before?” The teachers are seeing this apa-thy, too. “The students did not try. Un-fortunately they were done in 15 minutes,” Ms. Cronin said. That’s prett y quick considering most of these tests are 25 questions and students are given the entire period. Additionally, students have been making the point that if they get something right on the test as a guess, how could a teacher possibly know if they truly knew it or not? “I worry if the exams will ful-fi ll their purpose. I hoped they would,” Mr. Seinfeld said. “Teach-ers are assessed in a variety of dif-ferent ways, and to increase the number of assessments that stu-dents take is wasteful and without merit.”

Baseline exams

(continued from page 1)

Rock the voteInformation

by Sarah SteilManaging Editor

Gov. Mitt Romney vs. Pres. Barack Obama• Governor Romney believes mar-riage is between a man and woman• is pro-life• wants to end funding to planned parenthood• would reverse Roe v. Wade• favors U.S.-Mexico border fence• opposes education benefi ts to illegal immigrants• would tackle debt with lower-ing taxes to promote economic growth• approved the 2008 bailout• would cap federal spending by eliminating unnecessary pro-grams• wants less regulation• would lower taxes• wants to balance the budget• supports oil drilling in Alaska• doesn’t believe in Global Warming• supports coal as a source of energy• would overturn Obama’s

health care program, known as Obamacare• believes health care should be left to states, not the federal gov’t

• President Obama is in support of same-sex marriages • is pro-choice• believes contraceptives should

be available to women through health care• believes immigrants brought here illegally as children can be ex-

empted from deportation, apply for work permits• wants to tackle debt with spending cuts and revenue in-creases• would let Bush tax cuts expire• raised the debt limit• wants tax breaks for U.S. man-ufacturers• wants tax penalties for compa-nies outsourcing jobs• believes in a bailout of the auto industry• off ers a $800 million stimulus package•promotes alternate, cleaner en-ergy sources• passed Obamacare (universal health care)• believes insurers can’t deny people with pre-existing condi-tions

With the election just days away, here is a quick review of each candidate’s platform.Illustrations

by Noah GoldmanContributing Writer

Guitar hero

Senior Justin Brower plays the guitar with the Calhoun Rock Band, as part of the Colt Fest celebration.

(photo by Rebecca Spina)

News October 2012 Hoofbeats 5

What a diff erence a day makes The World of Diff erence organi-zation held its fourth annual Jones Beach Cleanup with its biggest turnout yet. This year, around 60 people par-

ticipated, including students from Calhoun and Mepham, some of whom are in World of Diff erence and Science Clubs. Several teach-ers att ended, and even Principal David Seinfeld did his part. Beach cleanups like this are held to help the environment and raise awareness. It also helps the animals on the beach. During the cleanup, dozens of helium balloons were removed form the beach. Helium balloons can be extremely harm-ful, as many marine animals will try to eat the balloons if they end up in the ocean. This could poten-tially end up blocking the animals’ digestive track, not allowing them to eat properly. At the cleanup, everyone got garbage bags and plastic gloves and split up into small groups. Some of the groups went into the dunes, and others stayed by the coast. There was more garbage in the dunes, since the garbage by the coast is easily sucked out into the sea and carried away. Volunteers started at one side of the beach, worked their way down, and then

walked back, picking up garbage the whole way. A lot of garbage of all diff erent types was collected during the duration of the cleanup. Small pieces of styrofoam, which were prevalent, can look like fi sh eggs when they are broken down. Animals also try to eat these small

dangerous pieces, which can also cause major harm to them. The beach-goers also found a lot of plastic bott les. Plastic may be the No. 1 threat to the marine environment. About 1,500 plastic

bott les end up in landfi lls and the ocean every second. In the water, plastic will not decompose. Pieces of plastic can absorb toxic chemi-cals, which makes them poison to any animal that eats it. The pieces of plastic can also strangle birds and other animals if it gets caught

around their neck. Plastic bags are also really dangerous, too. They can suff ocate plants and kill many other things. These, as well as the balloons, look like jellyfi sh when they are in the water and animals

will think that it is food. Plastic bags are commonly found in beach cleanups throughout the world. Ms. Marissa Levinson, the ad-viser of World of Diff erence, was proud of the turn-out for the clean-up and the impact it will have. “It warms my heart to know so many students take environ-ment awareness seriously,” she said. “Oft en people are turned off to make a diff erence because they think, ‘What can I do? I’m only one person.’ In the World of Diff erence Club, I believe our members have seen that by working together they can make a huge diff erence.” There were many diff erent rea-sons why people came to the beach cleanup. Some teachers off ered their students extra credit for tak-ing the time out of their day and helping the Earth. Other students just came to help out, even if they weren’t given any reward in re-turn. Overall, most of the people who participated in the cleanup had a good time. Even though it might not seem like the greatest thing to do on a Saturday morning, it was actually fun. Not to mention stu-dents were helping the environ-ment as well. Ms. Levinson said that fortu-nately, there wasn’t as much gar-bage to be found this time as com-pared to past visits. “It wasn’t as much as recent clean-ups,” she said. “We were sent to the coast and the dunes, and that was quite clean. We found a lot of treasures and shells.” The World of Diff erence and Sci-ence Clubs will be holding another beach cleanup in the spring, prob-ably around Earth Day, and hope-fully with an even bett er turnout.

Students from Calhoun and Mepham spent a morning at Jones Beach cleaning debris that could pose a threat to the environment or animals that inhabit the beach.

(photo by Julianna Casella)

by Julianna CasellaStaff Writer

Ms. Levinson, adviser of World of Diff erence, was happy with the huge turnout and said,“It warms my heart to know so many students take environment awareness seriously.”

(photo by Julianna Casella)

6 Hoofbeats October 2012 Colture

Since 1986, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has been archiving the history of the genre, but there are many glaring ommissions. Every year, artists that revo-lutionized the rock genre are in-ducted. In order to be eligible for induction, at least 25 years must pass aft er the release of an artist’s debut album and/or single. Music fans have complained that various artists, especially those in the hard rock, heavy metal, and progres-sive rock genres, have been largely neglected. With the nominees for the Class of 2013 just announced, hopefully at least one of the top 10 snubbed artists makes it in. 10. King Crimson - Among the progressive rock bands that have been snubbed, King Crimson is worthy of induction because they practically invented the genre. Formed by guitarist and front-man Robert Fripp, the group rose to prominence with the release of their debut album, “In The Court of The Crimson King,” which con-tains the group’s signature song “21st Century Schizoid Man” and is the best candidate for the fi rst progressive rock album. They pio-neered the characteristics of the genre, which include songs that of-ten go on for seven to 20 minutes, frequent changes in key, tempo, and time signature, advanced mu-sicianship, and intelligent lyrics based on literature, history, and other subjects. 9. Rainbow - Rainbow was formed in 1975 by former Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, aft er his dissatisfaction with the group’s changing direction. The band virtually invented the sub-genre of power metal, thanks to Blackmore’s classically-infl uenced playing and the fantasy-inspired lyrics and powerful vocals of sing-er Ronnie James Dio, who left the group because Blackmore wanted to create more mainstream mu-sic, while Dio wanted to continue playing metal. Rainbow achieved international success during the 1980s and continued on until 1997. Rainbow is a criminally underrat-

ed band; they almost single-hand-edly invented a subgenre. 8. Joy Division - Ever since frontman Ian Curtis’s death in 1980, these Manchester gloom and impending doom post-punkers have set precedents in the worlds of indie and goth rock. Examples

include remaining signed to an indie label, the band never appear-ing on their own cover art, and writing dark material without a care in the world. Their albums, “Unknown Pleasures” and “Clos-er,” are testaments to the English music scene. The surviving mem-

bers, nowadays sans bassist Peter Hook, continue on as electronic act New Order. 7. New York Dolls - Since their inception in 1971, these NYC punks shaped many genres of mu-sic, including punk, new wave, and glam metal. They kickstarted the New York punk scene. These “rockers in high heels,” despite having two revolutionary, back-to-back LPs, still aren’t in the Hall for reasons unknown. 6. MC5 - In the late 1960’s, De-troit was Hitsville, USA. Motown artists were selling records in the millions and three important bands emerged – Alice Cooper, the Stooges, and the band that bridged the gap between punk and hard rock, the MC5. Known for their en-ergetic shows, the group launched into the scene with the live al-bum, “Kick Out the Jams.” They pioneered not one, but two genres, and helped make punk rock what is today. 5. Television - These Lower East Side dandies stuck out from the generally accepted punk scene, more infl uenced by Jazz and New Wave than anything else. Their debut album “Marquee Moon” gradually became a seminal album in music, infl uencing modern day indie rockers like St. Vincent and Wild Flag. An addition to the Hall of Fame is the least they deserve. 4. Sonic Youth - Has there ever been such a long album streak of good to revolutionary albums starting with 1986’s “EVOL” to 1998’s “A Thousand Leaves”? With 1988’s “Daydream Nation,” the Youth changed the sound of Punk and indie, and paved the way for Nirvana to take over the music world with Nevermind. From the Lower East Side no wave scene to being alternative rock legends, not inducting the band would just be stupid. 3. Public Enemy - The Hall of Fame has serious reserva-tions about the hip-hop genre as a whole, inducting only three rap acts: Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five in 2007, Run-DMC in 2009, and The Beastie Boys in 2012. Public Enemy is one of those snubs

by Carter Simonson & Michael TrageserStaff Writers

Top 10 bands not in the Hall

(with permission from The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum)

Aft er a long wait, Rush is on the 2013 list of nominees for the Hall of Fame.

(with permission from The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum)

Among the 2013 nominees is the legendary hip hop band, Public Enemy.

Left out

(see HALL on page 8)

Colture October 2012 Hoofbeats 7

by Xander LentStaff Writer

The iPhone is unquestionably one of the most important and prominent products in our day and age, and the latest version is no exception. Every year since 2007, a new iPhone model has released, and with each release, hardware and soft ware have been improved. This year, Apple released the iPhone 5. With the introduction of completely revised hardware, in-cluding a larger screen and more powerful processor, this iPhone is now on an equal footing with other smart phones launched in the period. Perhaps the most important new feature of the iPhone 5 is the capa-bility to connect to more kinds of wireless networks. The most im-portant of these new networks are Long Term Evolution networks, (LTE). LTE networks support much faster data transfer speeds, rivaling and oft en surpassing many home internet connections. The wi-fi capabilities have also been enhanced to support 5GHz and 2.4GHz networks. The iPhone 5’s hardware has un-dergone a massive redesign. The most visible aspect of such a rede-sign is the larger screen, moving from 3.5” to 4” diagonal screen, while keeping width the same.

The screen’s altered dimensions now align properly with those of HD videos, allowing playback of these widescreen videos without the black bars on top and bott om, a problem commonly referred to lett erboxing. The second major hardware change is the main body of the device. The phone’s thickness and weight have been reduced, and the headphone jack has been moved to the bott om, allowing it to be placed naturally in the pocket (in a top-down position) while having headphones att ached. The sides and back are now a single piece of aluminum inlaid with other materials. Unfortunate-ly, because the material is alumi-num, and not stainless steel, plas-tic, or glass, it has a tendency to scratch easily. Overall, this hardware is the best ever found in an iPhone, and brings the iPhone to hardware parity with competitive devices, as well as pushing iOS developers to take advantage of the bett er pro-cessor and larger screen. This sixth generation of hardware is aptly termed by Apple’s marketers to be, “The biggest thing to happen to iPhone since iPhone.” The soft ware of the iPhone 5 is iOS 6, the latest soft ware for Apple’s devices. Indeed, so in-tegrated are hardware and soft -ware that one cannot speak of the

iPhone without discussing iOS as well. This version of iOS removes Google applications, adds vari-ous map features, improves the voice assistant, and adds numer-ous small features. Overall, the sixth major version of iOS doesn’t really seem like a major version

at all - perhaps the version num-ber change A diff erent interpreta-tion of this situation would be that iOS is now mature, and that only a few major features are needed to enhance the already-great experi-ence. The iPhone 5 is defi nitely a

Apple’s drive for the iPhone 5

Once again, Apple has re-vamped and improved their iOS soft ware for iPhones, iPads, and iPod Touches. However, the up-date to iOS 6 is not their best. The Maps app has created some major issues. It is no longer sup-ported by Google Maps, which many deem to be the most accu-rate map service out there. Ap-ple’s new maps have many major mistakes, including the absence of whole towns, streets, and other errors that will get users lost. Of course, nothing is perfect, but it is important that a company gets driving directions correct. iOS 6 has also seen the removal of the YouTube app. Google has, of course, created a new app for YouTube in the app store, which is actually prett y good. This clearly refl ects how Apple and

Google are at odds, and may even foreshadow an event in the near future. Apple is convinced that Google is copying their ideas and soft ware on their Android phones. Regardless of whether this is true or not, the war has escalated in re-cent years. This has led Apple to remove Google-supported native apps from the iPhone, which includes Maps and YouTube. There are also some slight user interface chang-es, like the change in the color of the top-most bar in some apps and a change in the color of the App and iTunes stores. Some of the col-or changes lack contrast, and some have too much contrast. It doesn’t really please the eye. It may just be my specifi c taste, so I’ll let you decide whether the color changes

improve or diminish your experi-ence with the iPhone. Not all the changes are bad. For iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, and new iPad owners, Siri has added many new features. Users can now get mov-ie information and sports scores from Siri, which is a signifi cant

upgrade from its predecessor. Also, Siri can now open apps by voice and post status up-dates to Twitt er and Facebook, allowing you to

do even more hands-free. Apple has also added many new languages, including Spanish and Mandarin Chinese, allowing access for more users throughout the world. iOS 6 introduced full Twitt er integration, allowing the iPhone to be even more social. With the

introduction of iOS 6, Facebook has received full integration into the iPhone’s soft ware. Users can now post to Facebook from any app that supports it. As with most soft ware updates, this eases and improves the users’ experience with the iPhone. A small but important update will make students’ lives much easier. Have you ever forgott en to silence your phone before go-ing to school, and have it go off in the middle of class? Now, you can schedule the iPhone to only ring during certain hours. You’ll never have to remember to silence your phone again. Overall, this seems to be a de-cent update, but it hasn’t brought as many changes as past updates have, and it also created some big problems. Hopefully, Apple will work the bugs out and off er some new features that will enrich us-ers’ experience with the iPhone.

Upgrade to iOS 6 not so smartby David Braunstein

Staff Writer

(see iPHONE on page 9)

“Apple’s new maps have many major mistakes, like the absence of whole towns, streets, and other errors that will get users lost.”

The thickness and weight have been reduced, and the headphone jack is on the bott om.(with permission from apple.com)

8 Hoofbeats October 2012 Colture

Close your eyes and imagine you’re standing on Main Street, USA, in Disney World. Look around. You can practically smell the popcorn. Listen to the sounds of children laughing and music playing. Now look over to Town Square, and see Snow White and Belle share a quick kiss before they walk away holding hands. Two princesses, together. How does that image make people feel? It would be quite a shock for the majority of people walking around Magic Kingdom to see two female face characters share aff ection that a male and a female couple would share. Whether or not you approve of

the idea of a same-sex Disney cou-ple, and before animators begin to cultivate a new movie, there’s one question that must be considered: Would Walt Disney approve of a gay couple? Most people would think not. The Disney Company spends millions maintaining the park’s pristine look. And the idea of keeping the park looking the same way it did when Walt fi rst opened the gates of Disneyland is what employers look for. Every em-

ployee at the Disney Company has to follow several rules on keeping up their own look of what Walt imagined as a “clean-cut, Ameri-can kid.” These rules include: no piercings (other than on the ear for girls), no tatt oos, no facial hair, and the list goes on. Walt was a fi rm believer in keep-ing this old-time, sentimental im-age for his company. Aft er all, it took 55 years for Disney to make a princess movie where the main character wasn’t as white as snow, but rather of Arabian heritage. But with all the progress toward racial equality being made, one may ask why there’s yet to be a pro-LGBT princess. Walt Disney prided himself for his focus on progress. He was always looking a step into the fu-ture, both in a technological and a social matt er. His entire business is centered on bringing happiness to people of all ages, races, religions, and sexual orientations. And if he was alive today, he would still be enforcing the idea of equality in his franchise. Thankfully, his for-ward thinking is still employed in the Disney Corporation. Each year since 1991, Disney World plays host to “Gay Days,”

one of the world’s largest gay pride events that occurs the fi rst Satur-day in June. On this day, everyone who is a member, supporter, or family member of the LBGT com-munity wear red and go to the park to celebrate and have fun. Another count of Disney’s obvi-ous pro-gay att itude is evident as a result of the Chick-Fil-A uproar. When the Chick-Fil-A company made various homophobic and outdated comments about gay marriage and the LGBT commu-nity, several thousands of people stopped associating with them, including the Muppets, who have been Disney-owned since 2004. “[The Muppet franchise] has cel-ebrated and embraced diversity and inclusiveness for over fi ft y years and we have notifi ed Chick-Fil-A that we do not wish to part-ner with them on any future en-deavors,” the Disney Company said in a statement posted on their offi cial Facebook page. If Walt were alive today and was able to directly answer the ques-tion of whether or not he would create a lesbian Disney princess, the answer is quite clear through his and his company’s work: in due time.

by Maddy Gott liebEditor-in-Chief

A Disney to dream about

Hallafi cionados cry foul about. Their “It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back,” featured sample-heavy production that predated The Beasties by a year. With their “I’m not gonna take it anymore!” message against various social ills and injustices in the modern world, PE are like the new genera-tion of protest singers. Thankfully, they are on the 2013 ballot. 2. Rush - Out of all the bands in this list, people most oft en complain about KISS and Rush. The Canadian progressive metal pioneers Geddy Lee (bass, vocals, keyboards,) Alex Lifeson (gui-tar,) and Neil Peart (drums,) have been going strong since 1968 and are renowned for their advanced musicianship and intellectual lyri-cal themes. The band is currently touring behind their twentieth al-bum, “Clockwork Angels.” Rush’s much-needed place in the Hall is justifi ed by their musicianship alone, but also because they helped bridge progressive rock and metal

and set the stage for bands like Dream Theatre. 1. Kiss - Ever since the 1970s, KISS has shocked and amazed au-diences with their elaborate con-

certs and instantly recognizable makeup. The current line-up (Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Tommy Thayer, and Eric Singer) recently released their twentieth album, the

aptly-named “Monster.” KISS de-serves to be in Hall because they took rock’s theatrical side a whole step further and helped make it into what it is today.

(continued from page 6)

(with permission from The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum)Located in Cleveland, Ohio, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame honors the best that the genre has to off er.

Would Walt welcome LGBT?

(photo by Maddy Gott lieb)

Would Walt Disney have approved of two female characters together as a couple?

Colture October 2012 Hoofbeats 9

If you loved The Hunger Games trilogy and you’re looking for an-other dystopian read or you just want to read an interesting story, Divergent is perfect for any reader. With a brave and daring hero-ine, a fascinating and alarming view of the future, and characters that constantly evolve, Veronica Roth’s Divergent is a great addition to the presently popular world of young adult novels. In dystopian Chicago, society

is split up into 5 factions based on particular values: Candor the hon-est, Amity the peaceful, Erudite the intelligent, Abnegation the selfl ess, and Dauntless the fearless. At the age of 16, each person must choose a faction to devote themselves to and go through the initiation pro-cess that follows. Beatrice Prior, or Tris, is faced with this diffi cult decision and she makes a choice that shocks every-one. She then begins to learn more about herself and the world she lives in, which may not be as stable as everyone believes. The good: The world that Tris lives in is not only intriguing, but it also raises a lot of questions. What would you do in Tris’s position? Which faction would you choose? Her world is so interesting that you won’t want to put the book down. Also, the characters are brilliantly writt en because they are constant-ly evolving; not one character in the book is dull or stagnant. Tris narrates the story and she chang-es from a girl who sees the world in black and white, to a girl who realizes that not everything is as simple as her society would have her believe. She has her fl aws: for example, she is selfi sh and unfor-giving. These fl aws make Tris re-latable and readers will fi nd that

she is admirable for her honesty, bravery, and strength. An essential character of the book is Four, one of Tris’s instruc-tors during initiation (his name is eventually explained). Four is not only smart and courageous, but there is also so much to his char-acter. Together they struggle to fi gure out who they can and can-not trust as their world gets turned upside down. Roth clearly wants readers to think about identity and why people feel the need to feel ac-cepted in the world they live in. It’s a quick-paced, action-packed book with an original plot and enticing characters. The bad: If you have read other YA dystopian novels, this book may have a frustratingly famil-iar beginning to you. It starts off with Tris’s clipped descriptions of the sullen world she lives in. This does change aft er Tris selects her faction, though. Some of the plot twists seem anti-climactic and Roth could’ve taken more risks with the plot. For example, most of the action takes place in the last 100 pages. Also, the majority of the book de-scribes the initiation process that Tris endures, and there isn’t much world-building. How did society get this way? What happened to

the rest of the world? These ques-tions are only briefl y addressed. Divergent is a quick-paced, orig-inal story with great characters. It’s a great read for anyone who likes YA or dystopian novels. The book raises important questions about government and ethics, two important issues that teenagers should be aware of. Who will love it: fans of The Hunger Games, fans of dystopian novels, fans of science fi ction/fan-tasy, and fans of action/adventure. Insurgent is the sequel to Diver-gent, and Roth’s last installment in the trilogy is set to be released in Fall 2013.

Diverging from normal

iPhone 5

by Brianna PaoliStaff Writer

marked improvement over previ-ous iPhone versions, and certainly makes the iPhone truly competi-tive again. Whereas the iPhone 4S had only light to moderate hard-ware improvement, and lacked a larger screen or LTE technol-ogy, the iPhone 5 competes with other smart phones that off er such things. In fact, Verizon representatives had been trained to recommend against the iPhone in the begin-ning of 2012, primarily because it lacked the LTE network support that is Verizon’s main selling point. Also, while various issues have seemingly marred this product-- scratches, purple “fl ares” in pho-tos, utt erly incorrect maps, and other small soft ware glitches--no product is perfect, especially just aft er it is launched. Apple’s marketing and hype for their products sets the bar so high that these usually minor issues blow up into massive “scandals” among iPhone users that even Ap-ple cannot possibly live up to their product’s hype and excitement.

This is a problem that they may fi nd even more diffi cult to face in the future. When considering the iPhone 5 among its competitors, and es-pecially its own device family, it defi nitely stands out as important due to its hardware and soft ware, but should not be the only consid-eration of a smart phone shopper, unless they refuse to accept any soft ware but iOS. Indeed, someone looking for a

smart phone should consider soft -ware as their primary reason for choosing a device, now that there is both hardware and soft ware parity between competing mobile platforms. The prices of iPhones are also approaching “reasonable.” For example, the Apple website lists the iPhone 5 starting at only $199. If ever you were going to switch over to the iPhone, now might be the best time to make the change.

(continued from page 7)

Author Veronica Roth(photo by Nelson Fitch)

Divergent focuses on dystopian society.(cover designed by Joel Tippie)

Apple off ers products like the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch to meet customers’ needs.(with permission from apple.com)

The iPhone 5 has a 4-inch screen and fast wireless technology.

(with permission from apple.com)

10 Hoofbeats October 2012 Editorial

Solving the spirit problemHomecoming. Probably the

most exciting event of the year at most schools

across the country. Yet during our years at Calhoun, we have seen the amount of support for the school dwindle, and there doesn’t seem to be a great eff ort to fi x that. This year Homecoming took a new approach. We compacted all our festivities into Colt Fest, a small pre-game gathering to dis-play the many diverse clubs the school has to off er. This att raction, that was expected to draw in hun-dreds, seemed more empty than crowded. And aft er the festival was over, hardly anybody stayed at school to see the football game. In fact, most students did not even know who won the game on the following school day. School spirit is something ev-ery high school should have burst-ing out of its lockers. But here, many students are feeling a loss

of that “real high school experi-ence.” Where are the school danc-es? Where are the packed crowds cheering on our playoff -bound teams? Where is the high school experience we see at our friends’ schools across Long Island? What many students don’t realize is if they spent half the time they complain about Calhoun doing something to fi x the problem, they would be able to create that high school movie-like reality. Go to a Student Gov-ernment meeting and ask them to sponsor a Winter Formal. Att end a World of Diff erence meeting and sign up for the next beach clean-up. Go out and make your school everything you know it could be. Recently, Calhoun has made great strides to provide activities for the student body to become more involved with one another. Challenge Day, for one, was defi -

nitely a school spirited event. Stu-dents and teachers came together, and vowed to make an impact on the school to improve morale. To bolster the school spirit at Cal-houn would take the participation from each grade level, more than

just the group of kids that att end all the events

and talk about how fun it was the next day. Starting off with the litt le things such as participating dur-ing spirit weeks, joining clubs or sports, and off ering assistance for school functions can show school spirit while gett ing closer to class-mates and making friends. Att ending any of the sporting events to cheer your friends on also brings the school community closer. It’s fun to cheer during pep rally, but cheering during a regular game is both exciting and helpful to our athletes, especially games away from home.

We know our school falls short on school dances or events like you see on television, but if Calhoun can prove that we have a spirited nature that is unifi ed and respon-sible, our school would be more willing to start up Fall Balls, Spring Flings, and yes, maybe even the Sadie Hawkins Dance. But school spirit means more than att ending a game or two. School spirit means taking pride in Calhoun. It means waking up each morning excited to go to school, and feeling a sense of home in the hallways. If more students involved them-selves, Calhoun could become one fi lled with students who are truly proud of and express pride in their high school. Calhoun needs a renewed dedi-cation to school spirit from every-one, and we are the only people who can change the state our school is in for the bett er.

Staff Editorial

Staff Members: Vanessa Betancur, David Braunstein, Julianna Ca-sella, Julie Ciccone, Paulina Fein, Katie Hecker, Arooj Iqbal, Sarah Johnson, Xander Lent, Mary Mazzie, Robby Mutarelli, Brianna Paoli, Paula Pecego, Chris Reyes, Cristina Quinn, Carter Simonson, Nicole Witt e, Jocelyn Yu

Hoofb eats is the offi cial student newspaper of Calhoun High School. Hoofb eats serves to inform its readers of news and events, and as a forum for the students of Calhoun to express their ideas and opinions. Hoofb eats accepts lett ers to the editor, but reserves the right to edit or refuse the publication of submissions. Lett ers should be sent to the school or placed in the Hoofb eats mailbox. All lett ers must be signed and include a contact number for the writer. Some visual material courtesy of the Ameri-can Society of News Editors High School Newspaper Service. The paper also accepts advertisements for a fee, but reserves the right to refuse advertisements for any or no reason. The views expressed in Hoofb eats do not necessarily refl ect the opinion of the administrators, teachers, editors, or faculty adviser.

Editors-in-Chief Maddy Gott lieb Gabby Simonson Managing Editor Sarah Steil News Editor Dana Reilly Colture Editor Jenna Rudolfsky Photography Editor Rebecca Spina Faculty Adviser Jason Boland

Hoofb eatsSanford H. Calhoun High School

1786 State StreetMerrick, NY 11566

(516) 992-1300E-mail: hoofb eatseditor@yahoo.com

Twitt er: @hoofb eatspaper

Volume 55 No. 1 October 2012

Recognized by Columbia University, ASPA, NYPA, LIPA, and Newsday for journalistic excellence

Exercise your rights Presidential election season is upon us. It’s that special time we experience every four years. It’s that time when less than 30 sec-onds in a ballot booth can ulti-mately impact the next four years of your life. The clock is ticking, as current president Barack Obama, and competing candidate Mitt Rom-ney make their fi nal arguments as to why you should vote for them, and now it’s up to the voters to pick a side. Although I always have a strong opinion concerning pressing mat-ters (especially politics), I’m not trying to coax anybody into voting Republican or Democrat, but sim-ply to vote. Voting is a basic human right, but it is also a responsibility. One should be informed about local and national government. The right to vote is one that many peo-ple in the United States did not al-ways have. Think about this:• 1870: The 15th Amendment pro-hibits the U.S. government from denying male citizens the right to vote based on race or color• 1920: The 19th Amendment grants women the right to vote.• 1960: The 23rd Amendment permits citizens in the District of Columbia to vote for electors for president and vice president• 1964: The 24th Amendment pro-hibits congress from basing the

right to vote in federal elections on a payment of poll tax or other types of tax• 1971: The 26th Amendment barred federal governments from sett ing the legal voting age above 18. Aft er decades upon decades of fi ghting for this simple right, it would be a shame not to take ad-vantage of it. At one point in U.S. history, African Americans were forced to pay a poll tax or take a biased literacy test just to have a shot at voting. Women marched and protested and struggled to gain this right. Why pass it up? Anyone who meets the criteria for the right to vote gets one vote — no more, no less. For this rea-son, some may argue that their vote “doesn’t matt er” which is in-correct. Every vote counts. A single vote may not break a deadlock, but it contributes to politicians’ per-ception of their electorates. If one wants a certain candidate to win, but doesn’t vote, how will that can-didate know whose needs must be met? Also, if enough people in an area do not vote, that area will be greatly underrepresented. Voting is not only a right, it is a respon-sibility. Think of every person that came before you and fought just for the right that many today take for granted. It is imperative that ev-eryone votes. Registering is easier than ever that now you can do it online. So go, be heard, and vote.

by Mary MazzieStaff Writer

Editorial October 2012 Hoofbeats 11

by Cristina QuinnStaff Writer

Since I came here to the United States, friends and teachers ask the same questions: “Do you like it here or Brazil bett er?” “What are the diff erences between the United States and Brazil?” It’s always the same answer, there is no bett er, there is diff erent. And the diff erences are not that far apart, they are similar in a way. But of course the diversity of cultures in both places makes me, in some weird way, feel at home. The diff erence that I could see clearly is how education is pre-sented to the students — every-thing from the extracurricular ac-tivities and sports to the pressure teachers apply on students. My old school, Colégio Olimpo, is one of the best high schools in my region. It’s known for its many approvals to colleges and high number of students who transfer out because they couldn’t get the work done. High school in Brazil is only three years because 9th grade is considered to be middle school. You don’t have the subdivisions

and options of classes that we have here, such as leadership class, photography, and criminal law. In Brazil we have only the major sub-jects: Biology, History, Portuguese, Math, etc. Another major diff erence in Bra-zil’s education is if your grades are really low and you are failing, you have to repeat the entire year and do all the classes over again. Un-like in the United States, if you fail one class in your sophomore year, you only have to retake that class in your junior year. The best high schools in Brazil are particular, and the public ones don’t get enough support from the government, which means pub-lic high schools in Brazil are ter-rible. On the other hand, most of public colleges in Brazil are bett er than private colleges. In compari-son between diffi culty levels, high schools in Brazil are much harder than high schools in the United States. The school sett ing and environ-ment are quite diff erent. In my old school, the teachers were the ones who moved between classes, and the students had the same class-room and the same classmates. The

classes were only in the morning, starting at 7:30 a.m. and ending at 12:45 p.m., and we did not have any clubs or sports aft er school. If you played sports it was only outside school; even clubs such as newspaper and radio were outside school, as well. In my old school we had tests every Saturday, and multiple choice tests on Sundays, never on weekdays. The main purpose of high school in Brazil is to study, study and study. I believe high schools in the U.S. have a collective social importance along with the studies. In the United States, clubs,

sports, even extra help is so impor-tant because it gathers us together as a school since we are living most of our four years of life in the same environment. Unlike here, we had no school spirit, like pajama day, homecom-ing, and hallway decorations. We went to school to study and that’s all. To get into college it is totally diff erent than here. Even though I miss Brazil, my family and friends, I am glad I had the chance to experience high school in the United States, be-cause it has been incredibly fun and a real challenge.

Home & awayby Paula Pecego

Staff Writer

Disarming the 2nd Amendment

The band’s all here

Mr. Ed Tumminelli (left ) leads the band to kick off the fi rst annual Colt Fest, an event that replaced the parade.

(photo by Rebecca Spina)

Brazil’s schools not the same

Approximately 8,000 homi-cides occur annually with gunshot wounds. Nearly 1,000 die in gun related accidents each year. These statistics far surpass almost every other major nation in the world. So why is the United States such a violent nation? “The Dark Knight Rises” was expected to be one of the top gross-ing movies of all time. Swarms of people pre-bought their tickets weeks in advance, reserving not only a seat, but the right to brag about being among the fi rst to watch the end to an epic trilogy. But things went horribly awry at one midnight showing in July. Att ention was soon diverted from Gotham City and placed on the town of Aurora, Colorado. With 12 massacred and 58 wound-ed, it went down in history with the highest number of casualties in an American mass shooting. James Holmes was taken into custody as the sole suspect min-utes later. Fear of a similar occur-

rence sparked varying responses from Americans throughout the nation. Showings of the movie were cancelled and select theatres refused to show the fi lm at all. One of the statistics I found in-teresting concerned the increase in fi re arm sales following the in-cident. Colorado gun sales spiked aft er the shooting 43 percent. But why would the very thing that killed all those people be the fi rst thing that Americans turn to in or-der to ease their troubled minds? The shooting reignited the po-litical debate on gun control, with one issue being the easy access Holmes had to such assault weap-ons. Buying four diff erent guns within a month’s time and over 6,000 rounds of ammunition, one has to question how something so conspicuous can get past the “background checks” that are sup-posedly enforced by law. This wasn’t the only shooting. Many weren’t publicized, gett ing overshadowed by the latest celeb-rity scandal. Unfortunately, this summer was a one of the more violent one’s in our history, unbe-

knownst to many Americans. A shooting near New York City’s Empire State Building left two dead, including the suspected gunman, and eight injured. Three, including the gunman, were killed aft er a shooting near the Texas A&M University campus. Wade Michael Page allegedly shot tem-ple goers and a police offi cer dur-ing evening services at the temple before killing himself. A total of six people died in the incident. A 22-year-old suspected shooter turned himself in to police sev-eral days aft er three people were killed and another three wounded in a shooting at a party near Au-burn University. At least 17 were wounded aft er a gunman opened fi re with an assault rifl e at the Cop-per Top bar in Alabama. Many of these incidents seemed to have no motive behind them. The right to bear arms is weaved into the fabric of our nation, but the high death rates don’t have to be. Economist Richard Florida did months of research on the correla-tion between shootings resulting in death and stricter policies re-

garding the sale of a weapon. He found that states with tighter gun control laws appear to have fewer gun-related deaths. From banning assault weapons to simply mandating safe storage for a gun, states have up to 37 per-cent fewer injuries reported when more of an emphasis is placed on regulating guns. So if it’s as simple as passing legislation to save lives, why are people still dying? It’s be-cause the topic of gun control isn’t politically popular. The percentage in favor of making the laws gov-erning the sale of fi rearms ‘more strict’ fell from 78 percent in 1990 to 44 percent in 2010 and only con-tinues to decrease. Change can only come if those in positions of power look past the possibility of an uproar from fundamentalists who will argue that the Second Amendment of the Constitution is being tampered with if gun control is more strong-ly enforced. We should be united in the fi ght against senseless violence. These deaths are avoidable.

(illustration by Chris Reyes)

12 Hoofbeats October 2012 Editorial

Who will win the 2012 election?Not staying the course

is an ObaminationRomney will bring “hope and change”

In the past four years our coun-try has been riddled with horror stories of unemployment, foreclo-sure on houses and businesses, ex-pensive healthcare, failing schools, and young minds giving up on the college dream. In November, we have a choice: continue the path that is currently set, or charter a new course with Governor Mitt Romney. Our nation’s climb out of the economic recession is still a slow and steady process. Unfortunately, families are still reeling from the personal loss from pay cuts and layoff s. Romney has consistently argued for job creation and re-training, which he hopes to build by pursuing his Five-Point Plan. First, becoming energy inde-pendent and cutt ing money we spend overseas will not only cre-ate jobs in the energy industry, but also allow us to keep money in the U.S. Developing on our resources at home will permit more jobs in manufacturing, which will benefi t from more energy at lower prices. Second, opening more trade markets around the Pacifi c Rim through negotiation will open more jobs in manufacturing while expanding relations for Trans-Pacifi c Partnership. The other as-pect to this point is sett ing a new boundary with China. Romney wants to ensure that we are not being cheated in our trade agree-ment by increasing the resources that prevent illegal entry of goods into our market and increasing resources to support litigation against unfair trade practices. Third, Romney will bett er pre-pare the workforce through Per-

sonal Reemployment Accounts that will provide the unemployed with on the job training and en-courage more private sector in-volvement in these programs. This will bring our nation to a higher level of workmanship and help those in need keep their jobs. Romney plans on cutt ing the defi cit by repealing Obamacare, reducing foreign aid, eliminating funding for Title X Family Plan-ning, privatizing Amtrak, and re-ducing subsidies for the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and the Legal Services Corporation. All of these are estimated to save $97.6 billion. The last point is to support the rise of small business through tax reform that will cut taxes and al-low more room for hiring and low costs. All of these points would cre-ate 12 million jobs in his fi rst term alone. Romney will cut Obam-acare, while also cutt ing the gov-ernment’s control over all aspects of the healthcare system. In its place Romney will establish poli-cies that give the individual states the power to create a system that works for the people. This leaves fl exibility to help the uninsured and chronically ill by each state learning from one another. With his free market and promo-tion of competition, people have the opportunity to shop around to fi nd the high quality good for low prices in terms of healthcare. The accessibility will greatly benefi t those who have trouble aff ording what they need in order to stay healthy or gett ing on track. This is another major reform Romney would like to succeed in for the United States, but there is also an-other important aspect of Ameri-can life that needs att ention. As far as the education stan-dard goes, America is far behind in comparison to other countries. Part of this equation is K-12’s struggle serving the young mind; another part is higher education’s high costs and low fi nancial aid. To restore America is to restore our pride as Americans, and re-instill the values of the American dream. Romney asks us if we are bett er off than we were four years ago, and maybe in another four years he’ll ask us the same. The an-swer will change for many of us, hopefully with a more promising outcome.

by Gabby SimonsonEditor-in-Chief

January 20, 2009. This was the day that brought a fateful end to the Bush administration. This was the day that would change the fu-ture for all Americans. This was the day President Barack Obama was inaugurated. When Obama came into offi ce, he made one thing clear: he would not be able to fi x the economy in four short years. However, many Republicans or anti-Obama fans forget that tidbit (yet refuse to acknowledge that their beloved George W. Bush was the person who left this country a horrifi c economic mess). Obama told the country he would need two terms to make huge strides in fi xing eco-nomics. And even though it is not completely cured, Obama has cer-tainly made improvements that are only going to advance with time. Not only does Obama plan to enforce tax breaks for the middle class, he also has an inge-nious plan that improves both the lack of jobs and poor ecology problem. He is going to create ap-proximately fi ve million jobs by putt ing focus on innovation and manufacturing positions in the growing clean energy market. This will also aid in the release of de-pendence on oil, foreign and our own, within a decade. Romney’s plan of giving millionaires all over the country a tax break, while pil-ing on taxes for the suff ering mid-dle class, does not express fairness in any way. Obama’s economi-cal plans may not be perfect, but they’re going to get America back on track much faster than Mitt Romney’s plans. The fact that health care is not habitually socialized is frighten-ing and pathetic. Each day, thou-sands of people are breaking their arms, giving birth to a child, being treated for cancer, and so on. And to think that a majority of these people wouldn’t be able to be hos-pitalized without socialized heath care is heartbreaking. That is why we need ObamaCare. ObamaCare means aff ordable health coverage for all Americans. Families will pay what they can aff ord, since its ulti-

mate design is to improve health care centers for those who can’t aff ord the obscene prices of pri-vate health care. Already Obama has passed the Aff ordable Care Act. This act prevents insurance agencies from dropping people when they are ill, along with many other positive reforms. Socialized medicine cares about the people, whereas private health care is all about making money. Education is one of the most talk-ed about issues in this upcoming election. With all of the problems plaguing the nation concerning the Ten-Year system and the out-rageous cost of att ending college, this country needs a president that can resolve these problems in a timely fashion. And Obama is just the person to do that. Obama plans to nearly double funding for Pell Grants (govern-ment-given money to those who need it to pay for school), whereas Romney’s plan to decrease invest-

ments for the middle class will lead to approxi-mately 9.6 mil-lion students’ Pell Grants to be non-existent. Obama is adamant on re-

ducing class sizes and making sure students receive the best teachers possible to ensure the best edu-cation for the future generations. Romney is more concerned with “cutt ing back” on teachers than fo-cusing on helping the students. Obama is the real deal. He’s been honest with Americans from the start; he’s not perfect, and he can’t make our country perfect, but he’s doing the best he can to make this nation as protected and successful as possible.

by Maddy Gott liebEditor-in-Chief

“Obama’s economic plans may not be perfect, but they are going to get America back on track much faster than Mitt Romney’s plans.”

Pt./Counterpoint:

continue the psets , or cr cccccharterGoGoGoGovGo ernoooor oro Mitt O ur natnnnnn ioecoecoecoeccc nomnomnomnomnomnomic receccccceandandandandandand st steeaeaeaeadea y py p py py pprofafaamfamamfamiliiliiiiies areareareareareare s pepepepeperpe sononononononal aaaaa losssssss ssssslayoff s. Romomomomomomnargued for jotratt ining,ng,ng,ng,ng,ng, wh icbybybybyby purpppp suing h

Fi b

ney.e of the e e me me mostostost tata taatalk-lk-lk-lk-ln thisss s upcupcupcupcupcu omiomiomimimiomingng ng ng ngof ththhhthe pe pppe probrobrobrobrobbleememememems s s ss

atiotiotiotiotioion n cn concncnconconcernernernernernerninginginginging emm m am am m and ndd thethethethethe ou ou ou ou out-t-t-t-t-tttttttttttt enenenenenendindindindd g cg cccg ollollollollollollegeegeegeegeegeege, , , , , ,ss a a aa a a preprepreprp sidsidsidententententente th th ththth that ataat at at e proproproproproprobleblebleel ms ms ms in in in n nn a a a a a nd Obabambambambamba a ia ia is js js justustustustust hat. to nearrrrlylyllyly doudoudoudoudoublblblblble

(with permission from MCT)

Has President Obama earned another four years in the White House?

Editorial October 2012 Hoofbeats 13

Calhoun takes great pride in its staff . From the supportive and trained teachers to the organized and professional administrators, all seem to have the students’ best

interests in heart. That is why it has become so upsett ing for many students to say goodbye to ever-changing guid-ance counselors. As a senior, I’ve personally had three diff erent guidance counsel-ors. For me, that’s a bit unsett ling.

For all of us with last names rang-ing around the F-H area, it’s quite upsett ing to have to bid farewell to counselors we really became ac-customed and bonded with. Guidance counselors are es-sential in a student’s high school career. For seniors, guidance coun-selors are the people who truly get everything in order for picking out and applying to colleges. They are the adults that are supposed to know us best, since they usually are with us from freshmen year until graduation. Aft er talking with Assistant Principal Eric Gomez, I have a bet-ter understanding of the situation. Due to budget cuts, it was decided that two guidance counselors from the district needed to be excessed based on seniority. Unfortunately for students at Calhoun, the two guidance counselors with the low-est amount of work experience, were both counselors at Calhoun. Fortunately, both are currently em-ployed and adjusting well to their new schools, although they’ve told Mr. Gomez they miss Calhoun. Two new counselors have been brought in from other schools within the district, and, as noted by

Mr. Gomez, have acclimated well to working in a high school sett ing, as opposed to a middle school. In addition to working alongside a “mentor” guidance counselor, the counselors have been training in the entire college process. Being a student who has had

so many changes with her guid-ance counselor, I know how frus-trating it can be. If there’s one piece of advice I can off er, it is to

go meet your new counselor and introduce yourself. Even though they may not have memorized you schedule, GPA, or your name, the more you make an eff ort to meet them, the bett er your high school career with them will be. Aft er all, it’s October, and my new guidance counselor already knows my name, which schools I’m applying to, and where in Dis-ney World I bought my bag. You have to admit, that’s prett y impres-sive. So remember: try to get to know your new counselor before giv-ing up all hope. You’ll be happy to meet them. But if you’re really struggling with anything Mr. Go-mez is always available if there’s a problem.

“As a senior, I’ve personally had three diff erent counselors in four years. For me, that is a bit unsett ling.”

Finding the good in goodbyesby Maddy Gott lieb

Editor-in-Chief

Challenge Day. Sounds scary, right? You don’t know what to expect and might be thinking “I’m not go-ing to talk. I’m not going to let peo-ple see me cry.” You’re not alone if that was what you thought. I was like that in the beginning, but I decided to give it a shot. When I walked into that room with my fellow seniors on that morning, everyone had a positive att itude and the atmosphere was set perfectly for a fun day. Who knew that we’d all be dancing and hugging everyone like crazy ma-niacs just because Katie and Chris said go hug as many people as you can in 60 seconds? I must say what went down in that room wasn’t normal. It opened so many hearts, so many feelings, and much more. Last year some people didn’t understand the concept of keeping

everything that happened in that room confi dential. Yes, I am go-ing to say many sophomores were immature and there were students who walked out of Challenge Day and started to gossip. That’s what led to a lost of trust in others and in the experience. Your peers stepped into that room with you and opened up with some of the most personal things in their lives, and you end up spill-ing it at the end of the day? That’s not how it works. Aft er being in that room with my teachers and peers, I learned we all go through struggles, and we all have a way of dealing with them. You don’t know who someone is or what they go through until you step into their shoes. You’ll never know how hard it is for them to wake up and even come to school. Maybe it’s the only place they look forward to. I know it’s like that for me. I can’t stand being at home most of the time. What we all need to realize is that we have

to be there for each other. Going through this magnifi cent experience with only a third of the senior class made a great impact on how I see life and how I look at others. Yes, I’m sort of scared to approach everyone with a hug, but hey, be ready because 12 hugs are what makes a diff erence.

Once again, Challenge Day has set an amazing example for all of us, but it’s not something you for-get about a week or month later. We all need to continue that change, not just through the school year, but through your entire life. I, for one, am ready to fi nd a way to be the change. Who’s with me?

Pep in her step

Sophomore Elizabeth Earle sings the National Anthem at the pep rally, an event moved indoors due to bad weather.

Challenge acceptedby Arooj Iqbal

Staff Writer

The senior class took part in Challenge Day; sophomores will get their chance in 2013.(photo by Jess Matalevich)

(photo by Vanessa Betancur)

14 Hoofbeats October 2012 Sports

The girls’ volleyball team is heading to playoff s with a talented team and an impressive record. Led by Coach Schickler, the team is currently undefeated with an overall record of 14-0, an out-standing result of the team’s hard work and intensity during practice and games. The team’s 3-2 victory against Oceanside was televised on MSG Varsity Network. The game was in support of Calhoun’s Dig Pink Foundation, an annual student and teacher event to raise aware-ness for breast cancer. Senior Al-exa Weinblatt had three aces and junior Jackie Ras had four kills. Lindsay Melito, a senior who

had two aces in the game against Freeport, is impressed with the advancements the team has made through their dedication. “We never thought we’d get this far but we’re doing really well and we’re really excited for the play-off s,” Melito said. Most recently, the team faced a tough game against Mepham, but the girls persevered and won with a fi nal score of 3-2. Weinblatt had nine kills and fi ve aces and Gianna Saladino had fi ve kills, leading Calhoun in Nassau AA-II. Junior Valerie Monsen had 20 as-sistants against Mepham, while sophomore Claire Murphy scored six aces. Saladino, a senior, is sad to be playing her last few games for the team, but she is happy that she had the chance with the girls on the team, some of whom she has known since her sophomore year. The team is now ranked second in Conference AA-II, behind Plain-view JFK, a tough team to beat with record of 14-1. More importantly, the team has memorable and pres-tigious season to look back on with their fellow teammates. Sarah Mitchell, a senior who had four aces at the team’s game against Elmont, is proud of the fact that the girls have earned their undefeated record and she remi-nisces on the team’s progression throughout her high school career. “You can defi nitely see the tal-ent grow, year aft er year,” Mitchell said. Weinblatt , one of the captains

and the outside hitt er on the team, was interviewed about by the school sports news channel and expressed her pride in her time and excitement over how well they

have progressed. There’s no doubt the team has the talent, the deter-mination, and the intensity that helped them reach the achieve-ments of their exceptional season.

Junior Kristina Meere (right) prepares to serve for the undefeated volleyball team.(photo by Robby Mutarelli)

Digging through the competition

Senior Alexa Weinblatt

(photo by Robby Mutarelli)

Boys headed to the playoff s

Senior Pat Mancini (left ) and the rest of the boys’ soccer team are headed to the playoff s, aft er fi nishing the season with a 10-1-1 record. The boys will have a fi rst round bye and are waiting to see who they will play in the second round.

(photos by Rebecca Spina )

by Brianna PaoliStaff Writer

Claire Murphy (middle) prepares to dig the ball to her teammates.(photo by Robby Mutarelli)

Sports October 2012 Hoofbeats 15

“All we can ask for is the team to give their best as one,” said Coach Jeff Harthunian, as he began his fi rst year as the head coach of the varsity football team. A math teacher of eight years during the day, Coach Harthunian steps up aft er seven years on the coaching staff . Coach Harthunian has had football a part of his life since he played during his high school years in Bethpage. He coached the JV team for three years, and was the assistant coach for the varsity team for four more years. The season is a long one, start-ing in August and going through daily practices, Saturday morning football games, pep rallies, home-coming, and parades. But to Coach Harthunian, the reason why football has placed such an important role to him is because of the aspect of unity in the game. The idea of being a team is what Harthunian loves most about the sport. “For me, personally, it is the ultimate team sport in which on every play, all 11 players matt er and possess diff erent roles,” Coach Harthunian said of the game he has always loved.

The Colts are sitt ing toward the bott om of the standings this sea-son, with a record of 1-6, but to Coach Harthunian, the scoreboard isn’t what matt ers. He knows what his team is capable of, and that they always work to the best of their abilities. “Do not get wrapped up in the record. We are a bett er team than the record shows us. Don’t stop

fi ghting,” he said. Coach Harthunian also spoke of goals he has for the season and beyond. “We started this year with the idea of execution. We want our players to react more at the snap of the ball rather than get caught fl at-footed, thinking of what they should be doing. Essentially we want to make our schemes become

second nature for the players. That allows us to also spend more time working on the fundamentals as well during practice,” Coach Hart-hunian said. As the off -season is about to begin, Coach Harthunian said the goals remain on teaching the play-ers accountability, responsibility, leadership, and eff ort throughout practices and games.

New New HHead coach at ead coach at HHounounby Nicole Witt e

Staff Writer

Coach Jeff Harthunian has been teaching math for eight years, and is in his fi rst season as head coach of the football team.(photo by Paulina Fein)

Coach H takes over for varsity football

The varsity football team has been practicing since mid-August, though their 1-6 record does not refl ect the eff ort they’ve put in. Playing in Conference II and led by senior captains, Scott Halle-ran and Steven Valentino, the

team faced a tough season, play-ing some of the most hard-hitt ing teams such as Garden City and New Hyde Park. The team, however, continues to meet their goals, which Coach Jeff Harthunian said was to “improve week by week, to execute and to be disciplined.” Each member of the team had

a signifi cant role in meeting these goals, but seniors Jack Bennett , Joe Vignola, Scott Halleran, Steven Valentino and Tony Cardinal are some of the team’s strongest play-ers and continue to impress fans at each game. Junior Brandon Lee is one of the team’s most valuable players, off ensively and defensively, and has been playing on varsity since sophomore year. Senior TJ Marra-podi is also a key player, as he has performed well during plays and keeps a positive att itude. Halleran said that “being on the team is like being part of a family.” They “stick together off the fi eld” just as they do “on the fi eld.” The boys have their last game against Elmont and are hoping for a victory to end the season.

Colts looking to the future

Senior Andrew Gonzalez tries to get around Wantagh defenders. (photo by Katie Hecker)

by Sarah JohnsonStaff Writer

(photo by Katie Hecker)

Brian Downey drops back to pass.

Last season, the girls’ soccer team earned themselves a spot in the county championships. Now they are back to the playoff s and headed for more. The girls fi nished the regular season with a 5-4-2 record, good enough for second place and a

fi rst round bye. They impressed fans by batt ling against some of the toughest teams on Long Island in Conference I, and also had an overall record of 7-4-2. While working hard, the girls realize playing at such a high skill level is a privilege. “I feel honored to be playing with some of the best girls on Long Island,” said junior Ally Marcello. “One day I’m going to turn on the TV and see the name of a girl I played with, or against, playing for a highly ranked college, and that is really cool for me.” Despite losing key players from last year, such as Mary Hi-jazi, who now plays Division I soccer for Manhatt an College, the team’s main goal for this season is to again make county fi nals and win. A tough batt le in last year’s fi -nals ended with a MacArthur vic-tory, though no Calhoun team had

made it to the county champion-ship game since 1996. Junior Jessica Benitez said, “Soc-cer a lot of fun because we are so close as a team. “We have friend-ships we know will last beyond the season.” Captains Michelle Iocono, Alissa Batt aglia, and Kaya Cappuzzo are all talented players and the girls on the team and Coach Lori Bis-cardi believe that they can “lead the team very far this season and help to accomplish their goal of re-demption and victory in the coun-ty fi nals.” “The captains have the capabil-ity to get the team together with-out our coach saying a word and push us to work harder,” said se-nior Sara Bey. The girls intend to work their hardest and prove to fans that, just like last year, they deserve to be playing alongside big name

schools, and to prove to fans that they have what it takes to push through playoff s and hopefully have another chance to play a County championship game. “It would be important to go back to the County fi nals,” said junior Nora Charidah. “We would love to be in the same position to show the conference how good we really are.”

Senior goalkeeper Alissa Batt aglia takes a free kick for the Lady Colts, a squad that fi nished in third place and got a fi rst-round playoff bye.(photos by Rebecca Spina)

by Sarah JohnsonStaff Writer Lady Colts head Lady Colts head

back to playoff sback to playoff s

Back to fi nish the jobBack to fi nish the job

(photos by Rebecca Spina)

Junior Kayla Cappuzzo(photos by Rebecca Spina)

Sophomore Rebecca Woods