World Language Week is the pinnacle of the year for the World Language department here at North. For one week on February 23-28, languages such as French, Latin, German, Chinese, and Spanish are celebrated by students. It is not only the languages the North student body is meant to appreciate during this week, but also the cultures represented.

Foreign music is played in place of the usual tunes in the morning, activities aiming to spread appreciation of foreign culture are planned by each respective language club, and there is an overall atmosphere of excitement as North journeys to distant places right in its own classrooms.

The French Club and French National Honor Society, for instance, collaborated to create events such as a French subtitled screening of Ratatouille in the French room, and a dessert contest featuring world foods, including French desserts, in the school cafeteria.

“This week is our chance to really give North students a taste of French culture,” said senior Olivia Gustafson, the vice president of French Honor Society. “The spotlight is on us this week to do something big to give everyone the opportunity to enjoy culture and language in a fun way.”

The Spanish Club will also be giving students the opportunity to enjoy Spanish culture throughout the week. “We will be making piñatas with club members every day during World Language Week, and decorating them as well.” said Mrs. Jessica Ortiz, advisor of the Spanish Club.

“Appreciation of language is extremely important. I hope North students will gain a sense of international understanding through this special week. I expect great things from the clubs. They are responsible for making the student body of North aware other ways of life, whether that be through a salsa dancing class or a bake sale featuring that nation’s food,” said Mark Kotulich, advisor of the German Club.

And that is indeed what the language clubs are doing. Apart from their separate club events, the clubs are hosting multinational events such as an Iron Chef cooking contest in the upcoming future, where foods from each representative culture are prepared within a time limit, and then judged by the Latin Club officers. The French, Spanish, Chinese, and German Clubs participate in the event every year.

“Winners of the Iron Chef cooking contest will receive a grant towards the senior scholarship fund for their respective language honor society.” said Mrs. Kerrie Decker, the advisor of French National Honor Society.

Also featured is a World Cup event in the coming weeks, where participants compete in a soccer game on school grounds to win prizes and the annual–albeit symbolic—cup. The event represents the mingling of different cultures in a friendly environment, the main tenant of World Language Week.

Actor Phillip Seymour Hoffman’s recent death has heightened awareness of heroin use in America.

The 46-year-old actor struggled with addiction in his early twenties after graduating from the prestigious New York University and was sober for years until allegedly relapsing. Hoffman was found dead from an overdose of heroin in his New York apartment on February 2.

The late actor’s struggle with heroin addiction is one that many Americans face, and that number is growing. From 2010 to 2011, the number of addicts has grown twelve percent in Hunterdon County alone, according to the Star Ledger.

“The problem of heroin goes through ebbs and flows here in [Hunterdon County].” says Ms. Tara Kraatz, the North Student Assistance Counselor, “right now, we are seeing an increase in distribution and use of the drug.”

Those seeking to restrict heroin use could be facing towards a major problem. With more and more people using heroin because it is easier and cheaper to get than prescribed opiates, the problem must be tackled head on by police.

New Jersey is home to some of the country’s purest heroin, making the addiction even more deadly. This growing number of users could be directly connected to a new mixture of the narcotic that some say is infiltrating the mostly affluent county.

Law enforcement agencies are aware of the rise in narcotics within Hunterdon County. For the last eleven months, “Operation Day Tripper” has been in effect to combat the rising problem by shutting down sources of the sale of illegal opiates. Police officers have gone undercover and followed the trails of heroin sales for the operation.

A drug problem may seem like an impossible one to fix, but authorities have already, in the last eleven months, seized fifty people from Hunterdon County thanks to the operation. In addition, authorities seized $1.25 million in heroin shipments flying from Honduras headed to an apartment in Flemington.

The majority of those arrested in Hunterdon were between the ages of 18 and 25, and some users were buying up to 50 bags of heroin each day for personal use, which is approximately the amount that Hoffman was found with earlier this month.

In addition to preventing the sale of the drug, there have been advancements in saving peoples’ lives from opioid overdoses. A nasal spray called Narcan may be carried by police officers, or anyone, under the Opioid Antidote and Overdose Prevention Act, a “Good Samaritan” law which maybe be in place by next year. The spray counteracts the opiate in victim’s body, and potentially saves the person from dying of overdose.

As for North, the problem seems to be at a standstill, thanks to different ways of preventing drug use, like random drug testing for students involved in extracurricular activities, in class prevention methods, and assemblies.

“Thankfully, we have never had a student test positive for narcotics, but there is still a point where we cannot tell what every student does,” said Kraatz.

On January 17, Hunterdon County and the North Hunterdon High School community lost a life-long servant. Pilot Joseph Borin, known for his numerous contributions of community service and teaching, lost his life to his passion, in a plane accident.  Borin was the father-in-law of Special Education Department supervisor, Mr. Chris Schumann, the grandfather of freshman Hunter Schumann, a member of the freshman soccer team, and the father of former North guidance counselor Ms. Kimberly Borin.

The pilot’s new American Champion Super Decathlon plane experienced failure due to inclimate weather, and went down in a field off of Riegelsville-Milford Road in Holland Township. Several days earlier, Borin had flown to Rochester, WI to retrieve the aircraft.

For fifty years, Borin ran his business, Superior Custom Kitchens, in Warren, NJ, while dedicating time to volunteering as a flight instructor to prospective pilots, and performing at numerous World War II aircraft shows honoring US Veterans.

Schumann reflected on the role Borin played in the lives of his grandchildren, expressing his gratitude for his father-in-law’s involvement in their lives. “He was truly a hands-on grandfather,” stated Schumann, “his impact was tremendous.  A second father to all of us.”

Although Borin’s presence is missing from the Schumann household, they hold his memory close. “He brought us donuts every Sunday,” stated his son-in-law. “There was one donut remaining when he passed, so we were able to save it and hold onto it in the freezer as a small reminder of him.”

In his obituary, Borin was described by friends and family as a “pilot’s pilot, a true aviator, a man who represents the spirit and essence of flying, and a wondrous adventurer.” His legacy will live on through his family, and his contributions as the man who “always jumped at the chance to take someone new up (in the sky) to feel the magic of flying.”

Numerous members of the community gathered to pay condolences and honor the pilot’s life on January 19 at the Kearns Funeral Home in Whitehouse Station.

On Wednesday, March 26 the North Hunterdon High School’s National Honor Society will host the 9th Annual Trivia Bowl. It will take place in North’s theater at 6 pm. Admission will cost $5. All money raised at the event will be donated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

“The Trivia Bowl is a Jeopardy-style competition between members of the NHHS community,” says Tommy Steitz, National Honor Society president. Five parents, five 12th grade students, and five teachers will compete for a trophy. The categories are sports, history, cooking, movies, medicine, foreign words, animation, movies, and universities.

During intermission, there will be a drawing to see who gets to take home prize baskets. The baskets are collected by Honor Society officers Tommy Steitz, Jaqueline Zuccarelli, Katherine Campbell, and Katy Middleton. The officers go to local businesses and asked them to donate items to this year’s Trivia Bowl. Steitz says, “Last year, there was a basket whose value totaled over $500!” Inside this basket there were tickets to a Devils’ game along with some Devils souvenirs. The baskets have had themes that range from a Prom Preparations Basket to a Movie Night Basket. Drawing tickets will be sold one ticket for $1, five tickets for $7, and ten tickets for $12.

The National Honor Society has risen over $20,000 since 2005. All of these proceeds have been donated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which takes children with cancer as patients regardless of their ability to pay for the expensive care that accompanies treatments. The money raised will go either to help the hospital support the children who cannot afford treatment or to the extensive cancer research that is conducted at the facility.

Last year the profits were $2,925. Normally the totals are closer to $5,000, which is the goal for this years event.

Mr. Steve DeLorenzo, the National Honor Society advisor, is encouraging students to come and to bring their friends and family. He says, “All of the proceeds go to a fantastic cause, St. Jude’s is the best place in the world. This is an event that will unite the community for a night of fun and raise money for a good cause at the same time.” DeLorenzo is very passionate about St. Jude’s because his Grandmother was a huge fan of Danny Thomas, a TV star of the 1950s and the founder of St. Jude’s. This love for Danny Thomas was passed on to DeLorenzo’s mother, Therese, who passed it on to him.

Last year’s victory went to the parents. This year thought, Steitz says he is confident that the bright group of students will come out victorious. The students participating this year are Preethi Murphy, Taylor Noble, Riley McCarten, Matt Paulo, and Amanda Witwer. The participating staff members are Mr. David Sosidka from the English Department, Mrs. Amy Mullay from the Foreign Language Department, Mr. John Simpson from the History Department, Mr. Charles Hopta from the Music Department, and Mr. Stephen Halldorson from the Math Department.

Sosidka believes that “the students are the underdogs,” but he thinks that if the right questions are asked, the students could upset the teachers and parents, and win the Trivia Bowl.

Although the season started off with a loss to Ridge on September 9, North Hunterdon Gymnastics Coach Mike Schuetz is positive that the team has made an improvement from last year. Despite losing by the thinnest of margins (.375), 95.225-94.85, North gained three point over the 2013 opener. One trip up or fall during a gymnastic meet counts as a .5 deduction, which would have been all North Hunterdon needed to win.

“The main thing we need to work on is improving and of course, like every other North Hunterdon team, win.” Schuetz said.

With a team of only ten, five returners and five newcomers, the main girls to look out for so far are three freshmen. These 9th graders are all very “strong and talented,” according to Schuetz. Molly Stockwell started off her year with the  best score of the season, an 8.7 on vault, followed with an 8.025 on the balance beam. Emily Pomrinca scored an 8.3 on vault and Danielle Tostevin an 8 on the uneven bars.

In addition, there are three seniors rejoining the team. Kelsy Letko returns from the 2012 season after her 2013 break, while Allie Marcelliano  and Lia Throckmorton are both hoping to finish their high school gymnastics career on high notes.

Unlike most of the NHHS sports teams here, the gymnastics team only has matches with six schools once every week or two because few high schools have teams. This makes each match more crucial from a scoring standpoint. According to Schuetz, the match the girls look most forward to is the one against Hunterdon Central, because most of the girls train and work together at their local gymnastic studios.

Every gymnast on the team is experienced with many years under her belt. For the freshmen, the hardest transition for performing for North is dealing with the rule change. The newcomers come from a USAG (United States of America Gymnastics) scoring system. High schools use the JOGA (Jersey Optional Gymnastics Association) rules. But soon enough, they will improve and learn.

The difference between the two is that the JOGA rules have stages going from JOGA 6 or 5 all the way to JOGA 1, which is the best. The USAG rules are set in levels. Level 4 is the lowest level in the USAG system and Level 10 is the highest.

The team’s second meet was against the Montgomery on September 16. Sadly, which ended in another loss, 101.025-98.2. The leading scorers were once again the freshmen. Stockwell led the vault with an 8.675, followed by an 8.8 on the balance beam and an 8.5 on the floor exercise. Tostevin coming second on the vault with an 8.55 and scoring an 8.2 on the uneven bars. Lastly, Pomrinca scored an 8.55 on the balance beam.

Continue to follow Paw Prints for the results of future meets.

Imagine a disease that affects every muscle in your body, making it hard to speak,

balance, and move. Parkinson’s Disease is a condition that affects around ten million people

all over the world. The cause of Parkinson’s is unknown and treatment options are limited, but

there are people in the North Hunterdon community who are making a difference.

On September 13, senior Lily Fielding hosted a 5K-Race at Clinton’s Spruce Run

Reservoir, called “Jim’s Jog for Parkinson’s Research.” All proceeds went to The Michael J.

Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, which aims to better Parkinson’s medication and

treatments while researching the disease and finding a cure.

(Left to Right) Finn Fielding, Beverly Fielding, Nancy Fielding, Barry Fielding, Lily Fielding, Andrew Fielding

Fielding first came up with the idea of organizing a 5K for Parkinson’s when her

grandfather, James Fielding, passed away this April, due to complications of Parkinson’s,

specifically a stroke. “My Pop-Pop’s death was heart-breaking, but I’m so happy that I was able

to create a legacy for him by hosting this 5K. I know that he would be very proud and I’m sure

that wherever he is, he’s smiling,” said Lily Fielding.

James Fielding was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease when he was 76 years old.

Despite the diagnosis, he stayed positive by surrounding himself with family and stayed active

by playing tennis up until his mid-eighties. James battled this disease until he passed away at the

age of 92.

Planning for the event began in June, and the first step to making Jim’s Jog a reality, was

to find a location. The Fieldings considered many possibilities, including The Columbia Trail,

Glen Lockwood Gorge, and Spruce Run Reservoir. “We decided to use the facilities at Spruce

Run because of the scenic course, ease of use, and the wide road space to accommodate many

runners,” said sophomore Finn Fielding, Lily’s brother.

Next, Lily and senior Cheyenne Harrington went on the hunt for sponsors. “We drove

around for five hours, going to Shop Rite, TD Bank, and other big name companies to ask for

sponsorships,” said Harrington.

Ultimately, Fielding’s largest sponsorship came from Nancy Fielding, Lily’s

grandmother. She also got sponsorships from ShopRite, Spruce Run Printing, Strategic Wealth

Group, Michael Horwitz, DDS, and several other family members.

In addition, many local businesses offered prize donations. “Our sponsors were a huge

help in offsetting the costs associated with renting out facilities, putting together gift bags, and

decorating for the race. Their support helped us to raise the maximum amount of money,” said

Fielding.

For the next few months, Fielding had to organize the registration process, distribute

promotional materials; order t-shirts, race bibs, and balloons; and set up the course.

“It was so much more time consuming than I ever thought it would be! I had a ton of

work to do every day and then all of the sudden, it was the day before the race. The night before

the race, we gathered friends and family to help us put the finishing touches on the event, and we

worked from the time I got out of school until one o’clock in the morning,” Fielding said.

Runners began arriving for packet pickup at 9 a.m. on September 13th. The race began

when Fielding’s father, Barry, blew an air horn at 9:45 am. The winner for men was a 12 year

old, Gavin Richards, of Clinton Township, and the winner for women was North senior Nicki

Steitz, of Bethlehem Township.

A couple goals were set by the Fielding family in the early stages of preparation. They

wanted to have at least 70 participants and raise $5,000. Both of these goals were not only met,

but exceeded. There were 100 participants and the event raised just over $11,000.

Next year, Fielding hopes to host the event again and have at least 150 participants. She

would like to exceed her fundraising totals from this year as the race grows.

According to the National Parkinson’s Foundation, Parkinson’s is a neurodegenerative

disease that affects smooth muscle movements. Some of the earliest and most common

symptoms are shaking or stiff limbs, slow movements, and troubled balance. Once diagnosed,

patients have many treatment options. They may choose to have surgery, go to physical

and speech therapy, use medication, or increase exercise. While treatment will lessen their

symptoms, there is no cure for the disease at this time.

Photos and Article to be posted soon!

For the new school year, North Hunterdon has added a new Special Education teacher. Mrs.Tara McGourty comes to the school after teaching at Voorhees High School for three years.  This year, she is teaching four geometry classes and one algebra class with Mr. Michael Schuetz, Mrs. Colleen Layfield, Mrs. Karen Sweet, and Mr. Patrick LeTourneau.

Mrs. Tara McGourty, new Special Education teacher, went to Voorhees and taught there for three years before coming to North, her husband’s alma mater.

A graduate of Rutgers University, McGourty started off her teaching career by being a substitute teacher for many schools, and then eventually becoming a full-time teacher. “I really enjoyed working with the children and seeing their faces light up when they understood something”, McGourty said.  “It’s such a rewarding feeling.”

She has always liked numbers, and she likes having a right and a wrong answer.  “I would rather poke my eyeballs out than write a paper,” McGourty joked.

Aside from teaching, McGourty enjoys reading in her free time, going for runs, listening to classical music, and spending time with her three children in her home of Bethlehem Township. She has three children, a junior, and freshman at North, and a sixth grader.

McGourty was not sure what it would be like seeing her children during the day at school.  “At first I thought it was awkward, but then I got used to it.  When we see each other in the halls, we say ‘Hi’  to each other.”

As a graduate of Voorhees and with her husband being a graduate of North, she jokes. “There is definitely some family rivalry in my house about which school is better.”

McGourty also added, “I don’t have much free time, because I’m always driving one of my kids somewhere.  On weekends, I spend time with my family and I do laundry.”

McGourty loves animals.  She has three cats and a dog  Her cats names are Calvin, Luna, and Lacey, and a dog named Trixie.  A big Rolling Stones fan, she also loves to listen to 1980’s heavy metal such as Def Leppard and Pearl Jam.  She also enjoys Jimmy Buffett and went to a concert of his over the summer.  McGourty believes her claim to fame is that her sister in-law, Catherine Sutherland, was a pink Power Ranger named Kat on television twenty years ago.

McGourty said she is excited about teaching here at North and is looking forward to getting to know the students and staff.

Despite a dominant first half by Immaculata, the North Hunterdon football squad refused to give up. Trailing 17-10, electrifying plays by Immaculata still did not force North to hang their heads. When the first half was just about terminated, teamwork by senior LB Ben Sosidka, senior DL Joey Modzelewski, and senior DL Hogan Laskey provided a swatted ball and two sacks to end Immaculata’s last first half drive, which ended with a missed field goal.

Late in the second half, North started to develop a little momentum, which started with a fumble recovery by North at Immaculata’s 10 yard line, that put three points on the board. The North Hunterdon Football won a thriller 35-31 at Brooks Field in Somerville.

Looking to bounce back in the second half, senior WR Tommy Gallo received a handoff from junior WR Rob Marron on the second half kickoff, and in fifteen seconds North was already in the end zone. An 82 yard kickoff return TD by Gallo put North’s feet up in the air, as the score was tied 17-17.

Later in the game, North was trailing 24-23 after a touchdown by senior RB Jordan Ditzel, a high snap failed to bring another point on the scoreboard. An interception by senior LB Ben Sosidka stopped a long drive for Immaculata, but constant blitzing by Immaculata’s defense on senior QB Ryan McDonald kept North’s offense from taking advantage of the turnover. Immaculata later scored on a 70 yard pass TD to Immaculata senior WR Ibn Bailey from junior QB Jon Phelan.

With Immaculata leading 31-23 with 6:30 left, North knew that an 8-point lead wasn’t going to stop them. The next drive was nothing but concise and consistent, with Ditzel providing many key rushes, including a 37-yard burst, and from senior WR Luke Fogel and Marron coming up with the key reception. McDonald scrambled to the right of the field to find senior WR Joe Montemurro on the other side for a 17-yard TD. A failed two point conversion left the score at 31-29, with Immaculata still leading.

Tight defense by North kept Immaculata from producing points on its last two drives. With 2:30 left in the game, McDonald knew North had to score. Smart play calls by Head Coach Jared Mazetta helped produce big yardage receptions by Fogel and Gallo, who both ran out of bounds to stop the clock. Later, a call for a run play seemed unlikely, but was executed and Ditzel took the ball to the house with less than a minute left on the clock, and North took a lead 35-31, after a failed two point conversion.

However, Immaculata’s hopes were still high as they still had two timeouts and a dangerous offense. Receptions were called back for penalties when Immaculata was still on their side of the field. With 10.8 seconds left on the clock, Immaculata was facing 4th and 16 on their own 44. Sosidka and senior DL Hogan Laskey terminated the last drive by combining for a sack, which finally allowed the North football squad to take a victory knee.

“At halftime we knew momentum was on our side,” Mazetta said. “The opening kickoff helped fuel our offense and defense. We knew this was our half.”

McDonald passed for 181 yards and had two total touchdowns, one rushing and one passing. He rushed for 77 yards on twelve carries.

“Ryan is a competitor. He makes the plays when the back is against the wall.” Mazetta said.

Laskey had 9 tackles and 1.5 sacks in the contest. Many key tackles helped pave the way to victory for North.

In the previous two years, senior QB Ryan McDonald has been learning North’s offensive style from former QB Marc Monks, who is now a Division II student athlete at Assumption College. Coach Jared Mazetta has learned the ways of North Hunterdon Football coaching from Coach John Mattes, who had decided to step down as head coach after the 2013 season. They both felt a taste of victory on September 12, when the North Hunterdon Football Team left the defending state champs stunned as they completed a one-sided victory, defeating Ridge, 38-14.

Senior RB Jordan Ditzel played a key role in North’s opening drive. Although penalties seemed to hit the Lions hard the first few plays, such as when McDonald found Junior WR Rob Marron for a touchdown of 94 yards, only to be taken back due to an illegal procedure by the Lions. Fortunately, the team kept the ball running, and the drive resulted in a 10 yard rushing touchdown by Ditzel, who rushed for 130 total yards on 26 attempts for the game.

North’s defense then held Ridge’s offense to a three and out on their second drive, and the North offense received the ball back at Ridge’s 45 yard line. Senior QB Ryan McDonald avoided a sack and scrambled to throw an incomplete pass, in which the Red Devils were flagged for a pass interference penalty. Shortly after senior QB Ryan McDonald was on the run again, this time to find senior WR Luke Fogel for a 23-yard touchdown reception.
With North ahead by one touchdown late in the second quarter, Ridge forced the Lions into a fourth down and long on Ridge’s side of the field. Mazetta’s gutsy call was to fake with junior punter Ryan Beadle, who threw a pass to Kyle Busher for a 12-yard gain for a first down. On the next play, McDonald threw another touchdown pass, this one 28 yards to senior WR Matt Schaedel, which put the Red Devils two touchdowns behind.

With 2:19 left in the 1st half, the Red Devils knew they had to get the ball in the end zone before the end of the half to avoid an overwhelming deficit. Within two plays of Ridge’s last drive in the first half, Marron tracked the ball for an interception on the North 34 yard line. The interception, opened the doors for QB Ryan McDonald, as he rushed for 47 yards on the three plays in the drive to produce a 26 yard field goal by junior kicker Ryan Beadle, as North took a 31-14 lead at the half.

Later in the second half junior WR Rob Marron put more points on the board for North, rushing for 30 yards with 3:58 left in the 3rd quarter. That was the last score of the night.

Marron rushed for 120 total yards and two touchdowns.

Senior QB Ryan McDonald kept up with the momentum in his electrifying performance. McDonald threw for 105 yards and two touchdowns, and also scrambled for rush yards for 71 yards.

It is more than fair to say Head Coach Jared Mazetta has North’s football team right where it wants to be. This is one of the best wins North has had in years, a change of culture for the North football team has just begun.

It’s that time of the year again!  September 9 brought an update to the Apple line up products.  While the addition of the latest iPhone was anticipated, few were expecting the iPhone 6 Plus, and even fewer were expecting the brand new Apple Watch to make its debut.

Apple’s new iPhones – 6 and 6 Plus

Pre-orders for the new devices have opened up and Apple has declared this to be the most successful pre-order session in the history of their products.  Coming in at four million orders in the first day, Apple doubled its previous record set by the iPhone 5.  Orders have now surpassed anyone’s expectations and reached over ten million devices sold.

The new iPhones are sized at dimensions that may surprise some when first held, as the iPhone 6 (starting at $199) is 14.3mm taller, 8.4mm wider, and 0.7mm thinner than the previous iPhone and the 6 Plus (starting at $299) is 34.3mm taller, 19.2mm wider, and still manages to be .5mm thinner, even with the added size and internal features.  For those who access their inner photographer through apps like Camera+ and Instagram, the new 8-megapixel camera will not disappoint with the addition of improved auto-focus, low-light ability, a panorama mode capable of shooting up to 43 megapixels, and optical image stabilization available on the iPhone 6 Plus.

Look out Spielberg!  With the new 1080p camera with cinematic stabilization, you can shoot at 30 or 60fps, and use the slow motion camera that can shoot at 120fps or 240fps.  You’ll be able to make your home videos at near-movie quality.

At base price, there’s a $100 price difference between the two new models of iPhone.  If you’re thinking of buying one or the other, you probably want to know the big differences before you shell out that extra money.  First off, there’s the obvious size difference.  This could potentially be the only factor that forces someone to go with one over the other.  While some could make the argument that the 6 Plus is “too big,” it also packs more pixels per inch in the much larger screen.  Another big plus for the 6 Plus is the supercharged battery that’s been placed in the device.  The difference in battery life could be as great as 12 hours between the two devices.

Many were shocked as Apple CEO Tim Cook unveiled the newest product, the Apple Watch, as it had been rumored for months.  While Google has been teasing the consumer market with Google Glass and the Moto 360, Apple decided to step into the game of wearable technology with this interactive touch screen watch.  The device will come in three styles, the Apple Watch, the baseline product, the Apple Watch Sport, a more fitness based model featuring a silicon band, and Apple Watch Edition, the more formal gold watch.  Within each of those editions comes a variety of colors and materials, making this watch extremely customizable and personalizable.  The device is estimated to be around $350.

While many consumers are out there wondering just when they can get their hands on one of these new devices, unfortunately for them, Apple has said no more about its release date than “early 2015.”  Many specifications and details of the device were given, however some don’t expect the watches to hit the shelves until late 2015.

Mr. Patrick Letourneau, 23, has been interested in a teaching position since high school and now, he’s finally got it. North Hunterdon High School recently hired Letourneau not only as a math teacher; but also as an assistant varsity soccer coach. His love for both math and soccer revealed themselves to him at a young age, which is why, throughout his high school and college careers, Letourneau has taken on the challenges of pursuing his dream as a math teacher and coach.

Letourneau revealed that in high school, math always came easy for him. “If a teacher couldn’t get the information, or kids didn’t understand the teacher, I explained it a different way and they got it. I just got a good feeling from that. I just really enjoyed doing that,” said Letourneau. He soon realized that he wanted to be a teacher.

While he was at Colgate University in Hamilton, NY, he took several calculus classes and participated on the soccer team.

Letourneau grew up, and still lives, in Bethlehem, PA and attended Freedom High School, where he started his soccer career as a center attacking midfielder. He said that he is most proud of his junior year in high school, because of the Patriot League championship his team won. Letourneau has always had a love for soccer, so when the opportunity presented itself to teach and coach, it was an offer he couldn’t refuse.

Here at North, Letourneau teaches College Prep Geometry and Algebra I classes. Although he does believe that this year will go pretty well because of the great student body and faculty, he does believe there will be challenges. “My biggest challenges will be to make sure I’m keeping the different levels of students within a class, making sure everybody is getting challenged and getting they support they need,” Letourneau said.

“I don’t want some kids suffering because it’s going too fast; I don’t want other kids not being challenged enough. If I have them in the same classroom, I have to figure out ways to balance that.”

Letourneau also believes that keeping up with state requirements will be difficult. He is very grateful that the Math Department has been supportive and understanding in helping him adjust to the teaching environment.

Mrs. Carol Skidmore, head of the Mathematics Department, said Letourneau is a wonderful fit for North Hunterdon. “He was very enthusiastic and smart. He has innovative ideas, plus he can give more to the school than just the math department goals,” she said. Skidmore seemed more than impressed with the latter fact. She believes that he meshes well with everyone in the Math Department and that he is a genuinely friendly and nice person all-around.

Outside of the school environment, Letourneau, whose favorite soccer played is Landon Donovan, doesn’t only love soccer. He enjoys playing all kinds of sports. “Sports, in general, are huge for me. I love playing sports,” he said.

Letourneau also enjoys spending time with his friends and family. Although he isn’t married, he does enjoy going on vacation with his parents and sister. He also enjoys skiing and working out on his spare time. “All my friends are in different cities now, like Philly, New York, DC, so I have a lot of fun going to visit them in their respective cities,” Letourneau reported.

You’ll forgive Coach Jared Mazzetta if he hears the name of Linden running back Kyle Phipps tonight in his sleep.

Phipps scored three touchdowns, ran for 200 yards, and was more than elusive to North Hunterdon defenders all game, as Linden outlasted the Lions 35-21 at Cooper Field Friday night.

“He’s a great player.  There’s a reason why he’s one of the best runners in the state,” Mazzetta said.  “We have to wrap up and do our job on defense [and didn’t do that.]”

Each team scored a touchdown in the first half and went into the locker room tied, 7-7.  Senior QB Ryan McDonald punched it in from the 1 with 3:19 left in the second quarter, capping a 12-play drive, after Phipps and the Tigers opened the scoring with a 3-yard run which capped a time-eating series.

After prolonged halftime ceremonies, both teams came out swinging.  After the North defense forced a punt on Linden’s first possession, the offense marched 62 yards, highlighted by a big 42-yard scramble by McDonald, who scored on a keeper to take the lead.

In a little over a minute, however, the Tigers had evened it back up.  It took only three plays, with Phipps running for a 9-yard gain, followed two plays later by a 46-yard scamper to the end zone.

North was forced to punt on a three-and-out when two catchable passes were dropped on its next possession, and Linden was marching toward the end zone when senior DE Joey Modzelewski recovered a fumble on the North 20.

After a first down pass went incomplete, senior RB Jordan Ditzel took it to the house, scampering 80 yards to the Linden end zone to make the score 21-14.  Ditzel finished the game with 197 yards on 22 carries.

From that point on, it was all Linden Tigers.

Linden responded with three unanswered TDs the rest of the way.  After starting off on their own 22, Phipps broke off a run that was aided by a 15-yard facemask penalty. Before the end of the third quarter, the Tigers were in the end zone again, when QB Juwan Dolbrice went 16 yards into the end zone.

McDonald fell just short of a first down on the next drive, which stalled at the Linden 25.

The North defense surrendered a big pass play on a 3^rd- and-5 from the Linden 29, which went to the North 1 and was punched in for a touchdown with 7:52 left in the game.

Ditzel broke off some good runs of double digits in the next series, but once the team crossed into Linden territory, it stalled on consecutive plays where the runners were tackled for losses.  Facing a fourth down and with the clock ticking away, North tried a fake punt with junior DB Kyle Busher, but he was stopped short of the first and the Lions turned the ball over on downs.

Linden RB Guirvenson Guillaume seemed to take over for Phipps the rest of the way, and he punched in the final touchdown with 2:37 left on the clock to make the score 35-21.

With the victory, Linden clinched the Mid-State 38 Watchung Division championship and improved to 6-0.  The Lions fell to 4-2.

Although it’s not always easy to take away positives from losing a much-anticipated game of this magnitude, Mazzetta refused to hang his head.

“That’s the number one seed in our section.  We played them tough for four quarters.  They’re a playoff team who may not lose a game for the rest of the year.  We can hang with anyone in our conference- anyone in our section.  We’ll see what happens in the end.”

The Lions take on the Westfield Blue Devils at Singley Field for Homecoming on October 24.

Developer: Monolith Production & Behaviour Interactive

Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment

Platform: Playstation 4, Xbox One, PC

Playstyle: Third-person action adventure (1 player only)

ESRB Rating: M

Rating: 8.5/10

One Unresponsive Controller to Rule Them All

The hammer strikes against the iron nail.  The slave works tirelessly as he sets up tents for the abomination known as “the Uruk.”  Ugly creatures patrol and abuse innocent slaves.  Over in the distance, a man is wearing a black, ragged cloak.  The Gravewalker.  He sprints down towards an army of monsters.  They scream insults and death threats as the man approaches.  The tension builds and builds, then suddenly dies because of an unresponsive control setup.  Monolith Production and Behaviour Interactive have crafted a stained piece of beauty, a work of art which ranges from the good, the bad, and the Uruks.

The storyline behind Middle Earth is that Sauron has made his return after the Black Gates got taken down by these half-elf and half-orc creatures called Uruks.  The player takes control of the Gravewalker, who is a ranger of the Blackgate during its fall.  After a few tutorials in which you hack at your own son with a sword and sneak up on your wife to steal a kiss; the scene then quickly shifts to a dark and thunderous setting of blood and death.  The plot does indeed tie in with the original books and movies, and does it quite perfectly.  Other than that, the characters are bland and totally seem like a rip off of Red Dead Redemption.

The plot starts off with you meeting one crazy guy who helps you for a while and that somehow leads you to another crazy guy, who either helps or brings you down.  The cycle continues and that, somehow, serves up the idea of redeeming oneself and getting revenge on those who have done harm to one’s family.

The game’s structure is complex, as every single character has different designs.  I was deeply impressed with the details of facial expressions and the general game environment.  Sadly, although the graphics are next-gen, everything looks exactly the same.  I can walk straight across the map and never notice a single difference.  The dynamic weather system is cool, but in reality, rain does not make the game any more unique.  The game’s violence is brutal in every way possible, ranging from decapitation, to brutalization, to exploding heads.  All of that blood and gore is realistic.

Gameplay is polished, and somewhat responsive.  Every strike move feels powerful and the combat animations remain fluid.  The attack system is exactly the same as the Batman: Arkham series.  Thankfully, timing is not the dominant part of gameplay, as it is mostly hack n’ slash and counterattack.  The characters’ movement animations look the same as Assassin’s Creed III.  The idea of Wraith Vision, which is basically an ultra-magical X-Ray vision, is the same as Detective Vision from the Batman games.

Connections aside, Shadows of Mordor goes downhill when it comes to interaction with other objects.  An example would be the player’s health bar, which regenerates at an extremely slow pace unless the player consumes strange, indigenous plants.  Because of this reliance on plants, I ended up running like Usain Bolt trying to find herbs.  On top of that, the one and only button that allows players to collect said vegetation has a hard time responding.  I ended up tapping and holding the right shoulder button as if I was communicating through Morse Code trying to consume a flower.

Interrogating certain enemies requires a whole lot of grinding and predicting.  Trying to get intel out of a captain is probably the most difficult of all, since there seems to always be 20 different enemies  trying to slice you up.  What’s even worst is every time your character dies, the enemies who survived your attacks and the enemy who killed you will gain more power.

Other than that, the stealth play is as frustrating as it gets as buttons don’t respond, enemies seem to randomly detect you, and a whole lot of repetition exists.  Sure, riding a Grog is cool at first, but that ground-pounding creature sure gets a little old.  And since the button layouts are so strange, I ended up killing my mount by accident by pressing the wrong button for the wrong action.  I do not understand what killing your mount does for you, but it is indeed an option.

The music score for Shadow of Mordor is catchy and keeps the tension without sounding repetitive.  The voice cast is mediocre, as every character in the game seem to have an affinity for terrible Australian accents.  Most of the lines are repeated quite often, especially by the Wraith.  I heard his speech about light and fighting against darkness multiple times.  Despite the bad character voice over, the sound effects of every sword slash, explosion, stab, or even just standing still is quite spectacular.  The soundscape is intricate to the point where you can hear birds chirp and flies fluttering.

This game’s replayability is at its best as the main missions seem to always be different.  The idea of Sauron’s Army Battle Assessments is intriguing.  Since the targets are always different, you will never be killing the same Captain.  Sadly, there are not any weapon variation other than the sword, which limits a handful of possibilities that the environment has to offer.

There is no multiplayer or co-op, so there is a whole lot of side quests and ultra repetitive Outcast missions.  There are certain activities to do, such as eliminating two captains who are dueling one another.  The very strange mini game of strategy is surprisingly interesting, as orcs tend to hate one another and tend to kill one another.  Other than that, Invasion, Feast, and Stronghold missions are basically the exact same thing disguised in a different name.

Based on what you’re hearing from me, this game sounds like a very terrible, unpolished content in a disc.  So, why is it getting a 8.5 out of 10?  Because it is in a strange way, “addictive.”  I do not mind grinding my way through victory or slicing a really weak soldier 50 times before he actually dies.  I certainly do not mind warchiefs and captains somehow being resurrected from the dead and killing me.  As a matter of fact, it’s what keeps the game going!  Trying to consume a plant while being chased by an army of sweaty creatures is a whole lot more entertaining than watching a Nicolas Cage movie.

Warner Bros. Interactive has not unravel any of its sales yet, as it does not want to reveal anything at this point.  The final judgement is if you like stealth and Lord of the Rings in that exact order, I do indeed recommend you give it a shot.  If you are not exactly into ultra-violence or strange looking green creatures publicly urinating, then Shadow of Mordor is just not your cup of tea.

Embarking on her new career as a school psychologist, Ms. Allison Cassidy joins the North Hunterdon Special Services team for the 2014-2015 school year.

Cassidy grew up in Freehold Township, NJ.  Having cheered since she was six, it was no surprise when Cassidy donned her blue and white cheerleading uniform to root on her fellow Colonials while attending Freehold High School.  Being a regional high school, Cassidy easily drew similarities between her alma mater and North. “There is so much school spirit here and a sense of community involvement,” she said.    

In the next stage of her life, Cassidy did her undergraduate work at the University of Rhode Island, in Kingston.  While there, she received her bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in psychology and minored in human relations and family studies.  Subsequently, she went on to Georgian Court University in Lakewood, where she earned her Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (CAGS) in school psychology.  She also became a nationally-certified school psychologist.  Prior to coming to North Hunterdon, Cassidy took a one-year internship at a kindergarten through eighth grade school in Jersey City.

Cassidy said that the transition to North was “everything [she] expected. I feel fortunate in this school district, because there is a lot of support.  There are four other psychologists on the Child Study Team here, to whom I can ask questions if I need clarification on something.  I feel very lucky to have the support of a large Child Study Team- it’s made the transition much easier.”

As a school psychologist, she constantly remains on her toes because “every day is different.” “Essentially, what the job entails is doing psychological evaluations- like cognitive testing.  We also do some educational testing, as well as social, emotional, and behavioral assessments.  Our big role is to be case managers.”

Cassidy also works “directly with teachers, other faculty members, parents, and other community resources- we work together, as a team, to make sure we do what is best for the students to help them succeed.”

To Cassidy, the most rewarding aspect of the job is “working with the students.  I don’t necessarily think that we have everything to offer them, but, I think that the students offer us a lot.  So not only can they learn from us, but we can learn so much from them, and that’s what I genuinely enjoy about the job.”

In contrast, Cassidy said that the most difficult challenge of her job would be “time management,” because, “you can have a to-do list, you can go in and say, ‘I am going to do this today,’ but not get anything done because a crisis comes up and you have phone calls you have to make.  Learning how to prioritize your time is what is really important.”

New to the school, Cassidy “wanted to get her feet wet” before diving into the pool of extra-curricular activities North has to offer.  However, because of her cheerleading background, Cassidy did express an interest in helping out the North cheerleading program next year.

In the midst of school work, interviews, and wedding plans for spring 2016, the Hoboken resident always makes time to indulge in the plot of a good book by her favorite author, Jodi Picoult.  She also enjoys, “relaxing and spending a lot of time with my family and friends.”  The football enthusiast also makes sure she watches every game to root on her beloved New York Giants and Virginia Tech Hokies.

While in the debut of her career in public education, Cassidy hope to make her roots here at North Hunterdon High School and help make the school, students, and community the best it can be.

       The first part of the final Hunger Games installment, Mockingjay, Part 1, premiered November 21. Although I am a big fan of the book and movie series, this movie did not deliver all the thrills and adventure that the trailer seems to promise.

       The movie picks up right where the prequel, Catching Fire, left off. Katniss Everdeen, played by Jennifer Lawrence, has just been rescued from the arena, where she has been playing in the 75th annual Hunger Games. She wakes up in District 13, a place no one in the nation of Panem had previously known existed.

       The heroine is bombarded with the news of her old home, District 12, being destroyed. Her family and few of the other survivors from the decimated District now find refuge in District 13. She is still reeling with the trauma that she endured during the gladiator-style, murderous Hunger Games, in which she had to participate twice. Along with managing her paranoia, she is also tasked with dealing with the strained romance between her and her childhood friend, Gale. 

       Katniss is suddenly thrown into the role of the Mockingjay- the symbol and inspiration of the rebellion against the oppressive government. She is reluctant to agree to the task, but eventually does, in exchange for something/someone that she wants.

       From there, the movie takes off into a perpetual state of gradual rising action. The plot moves slowly and switches between scenes of revolt from across the nation, to Katniss’ role in the revolution. However, the sluggish storyline definitely takes away from the feeling of anticipation which should occur when rebellion is building.

       Splitting the last movie into two parts is fruitless. The only two reasons I can come up with for the division are money and accuracy. By making two separate films, the franchise is able to squeeze out every last penny possible. Additionally, the director, Francis Lawrence, and production companies, Color Force and Lions Gate Entertainment, probably wanted to make a film as accurate to the book as possible- considering that many Hunger Games fans were displeased with the first movie.

       In all honesty, only one movie was really needed. Part 1 is so focused on building up the revolution and showing the citizens being pushed to their breaking point, that it forgets to have a climax. The end of the movie is the most exciting part, and it still wasn’t enough to get me on the edge of my seat. Although I wasn’t enthralled in the plot, I understand its necessity. If Mockingjay were to become a single production, then the movie would probably have to veer to almost three or four hours long. One longer movie would equal less profit for the corporations that produce it and less attention to detail for the fans.

      Despite the lack of action, the acting was immaculate. Lawrence does a wonderful job as Katniss and has yet to disappoint since she began working on this movie series in 2012. Other actors who worked in this film include Josh Hutcherson (Bridge to Terabithia), Liam Hemsworth (The Expendables 2), Philip Seymour Hoffman (Capote), and Sam Claflin (Snow White and the Huntsmen).

       There has been a broad spectrum of opinions on this movie, ranging from love to hate. The mixed reviews can make a person question whether seeing the film is worthwhile. But if you are a huge fan, seeing Mockingjay, in theaters, is probably already on your to-do list. However, if you enjoy the movies, but are not obsessed with the Peeta/Gale/Katniss love triangle, I would wait this one out and watch it once it’s on DVD or available on your cable provider.

       Mockingjay Part 2 is set to come out next year. I am definitely looking forward to a hopefully, the more action-packed second half of the story. This movie duo had a lot of potential and although the first part was quite disappointing, I remain optimistic about the finale of this long, drawn-out series.

The college basketball season is underway, and so far, there have been many great games and exciting finishes. This year’s top players include many talented freshmen like Duke’s Jahlil Okafor and Arizona’s Stanley Johnson, along with proven upper classmen with tournament experience such as Wisconsin’s senior center Frank Kaminsky and Connecticut’s senior point guard Ryan Boatright. Among the major basketball conferences for the 2014-15 season will be the ACC, the Big East, and the Big Ten.

ACC: This year, the ACC has the potential to be one of the toughest conferences in college basketball history. Although it has been criticized for its lack of depth, the top tier of the conference will prove to be among the most dominant in the nation. In addition to having perennial powerhouses at the top like Duke, North Carolina, and Syracuse, Louisville joins the conference to add yet another competitive program and a Hall of Fame coach in Rick Pitino. Pitino joins an impressive list of Hall of Famers, including Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski, as well as North Carolina’s Roy Williams and Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim.

Duke plans to be at the top of the conference, as they bring in four McDonald’s All-Americans (Okafor, Justice Winslow, Tyus Jones, Grayson Allen) and bring back key pieces from last year, including senior point guard Quinn Cook and junior forward Amile Jefferson. So far, Duke has gotten off to a 7-0 start, with its closest contest coming in Indianapolis against Michigan State on November 18, an 81-71 victory.
North Carolina also figures to be in the mix, led by junior Marcus Paige, a John R. Wooden Award finalist this year, which is the award given to college basketball’s most outstanding player.
Defending conference champion Virginia looks to prove that last year’s 30 win season was no fluke, as head coach, Tony Bennett’s defense-first style will keep them competitive, despite losing key pieces. The Cavaliers’ suffocating defense held Rutgers to just 26 points on their way to a dominating 19 point win on November 29. Louisville and Syracuse will also compete for the title, as they hope to combine athleticism and youth to outwork their opponents.
If the middle of the conference is able to win important non-conference games, the ACC could possibly field 10-11 teams in the NCAA Tournament, something done only by the Big East in 2011.
Predicted order of finish
1.  Duke
2.  Louisville
3.  North Carolina
4.  Virginia
5.  Miami (FL)
6.  Notre Dame
7.  Syracuse
8.  North Carolina State
9.  Pittsburgh
10. Georgia Tech
11. Clemson
12. Florida State
13. Virginia Tech
14. Wake Forest
15. Boston College

Big East: The Big East has surprised many early in the season, as every team currently boasts a winning record, and every team but one has just two losses or less. Aside from defending regular season champion Villanova, not much was expected of the realigned conference heading into the season. However, several teams have proved to be pleasant surprises by knocking off many of the nation’s best.
One of those teams is Georgetown, which nearly shocked the nation as they took second ranked Wisconsin down to the final seconds a day after beating 18 ranked Florida in overtime on November 26. New Jersey’s own Seton Hall has shocked many by starting the season undefeated. The Butler Bulldogs defeated fifth ranked North Carolina in convincing fashion before beating fellow Big East rival Georgetown in the Battle 4 Atlantis on November 28.
Although those three teams have impressed early this season, tenth ranked Villanova is still favored to win the conference. The Wildcats return most of the key pieces from a team that won 29 games a year ago, among them senior forward Jayvaughn Pinkson, who led Villanova with an average of 15.2 points per game last season.
St. John’s also brings back its leading scorer in senior guard DeAngelo Harrison. The Red Storm have also started fast this season, headlined by an upset win against Syracuse at the hostile Carrier Dome on December 6. There 6-1 start suggests that they might end years of subpar performance playing in the talented Big East.
Creighton will hope to reload, rather than rebuild, this year after losing National Player of the Year Doug McDermott a year ago. So far, they have done well, getting off to a hot 6-1. In addition to Creighton, defending conference tournament champion Providence will also figure to be in the race after making their first NCAA Tournament in ten years. Although Villanova seems to be the favorite, there are still a handful of teams who will compete for the conference title.
Predicted order of finish
1.  Villanova
2.  Butler
3.  Georgetown
4.  St. John’s
5.  Seton Hall
6.  Creighton
7.  Xavier
8.  Providence
9.  Marquette
10. DePaul

Big Ten: The Big Ten is always among one of the best conferences in the country, and this year should be no exception. While it may lack the strength at the top as it has in past years, it still has enough firepower from top to bottom to compete with the best in the country.
Second ranked Wisconsin will be the overwhelming favorite to win it this year, as it returns two of the top players in the nation in Kaminsky and junior forward Sam Dekker. This duo leads a group of experienced veterans fresh off of a Final Four appearance a year ago.
Rivaling Wisconsin this year will be Ohio State and Michigan State, which have each gotten off to strong starts. Ohio State is led by freshman guard DeAngelo Russell and senior guard Shannon Scott, both of whom will contend for Big Ten Player of the Year honors. Michigan State brings back two key pieces from last year’s Elite 8 squad in senior forward Branden Dawson and junior guard Denzel Valentine. Those two will lead a balanced Spartans attack under future Hall of Fame coach Tom Izzo, who plans to build on last year’s deep tournament run.
The Michigan Wolverines will figure to compete for the title as well, as they also look to replace three starters from last year’s team, including 2014 Big Ten Player of the Year Nik Stauskas.
This year’s sleeper team is Nebraska. After a slow start, Wooden Award Finalist Terran Petteway will look to lead the Huskers back to the NCAA Tournament. In addition to Nebraska, Illinois has surpsrised some by moving into the Top 25 for the first time all season.
This year, the Big Ten unofficially becomes the Big Fourteen after adding Maryland and Rutgers. Maryland has surprised many early on, going 7-0 and fighting its way into the Top 25, despite losing their former leading scorer Dez Wells. Rutgers will try to improve on last year’s 12-21 campaign in the American Athletic Conference, a season which ended with an embarrassing 92-31 loss to eventual conference champion Louisville in last year’s conference tournament. The Scarlet Knights are led by senior and future NBA prospect Myles Mack, who hopes the team gets off to a good start in its first year in the Big Ten.
Predicted order of Finish:
1.  Wisconsin
2.  Ohio State
3.  Michigan State
4.  Michigan
5.  Maryland
6.  Nebraska
7.  Iowa
8.  Illinois
9.  Indiana
10. Purdue
11. Minnesota
12. Penn State
13. Northwestern
14. Rutgers

     The newest student of stand-up comedy is also a student at North Hunterdon High School.  Ethan Lyte, a junior, may appear to be an average high school student, but in his personal life, he travels to New York City to perform his routines, leaving crowds in tears of laughter.  Originally from South Plainfield, Lyte describes himself as a lifelong performer with a passion for acting, but who finds stand-up comedy to be where he belongs.

     “It’s a give and take process.  You have to feel for the audience,” Lyte said, explaining his joke telling method.  “No person is the same.  What funny is to one person may not be funny to another person.”

     The 16 year old has been writing his material since he was 9, but got his start in the stand-up industry at age 14 when he was introduced to a New York City club owner named Bob DiBuono.  Luckily, DiBuono was looking to give him a shot at a performance.  Since then, he has come back for several performances and open-mic nights.

     “If I know my material, I don’t get nervous.  Once you hit that first joke and they start to laugh, you know it’s going to be okay,” Lyte said. “Stimulating laughter in a person is one of the hardest things you can do. Getting up in front of a group of strangers in the dark and trying to make them laugh- that takes talent, and you have to connect with them in an emotional way.”

     The people in the crowd aren’t the only ones watching his performance.  With the help of a friend, the Clinton Township resident has set up a YouTube channel, “SpotLyte,” where he uploads all of his performances and comedy routines.  The videos have been a hit around the school and have accumulated several hundred views.

      “No one joke is the best joke,” he added, “everyone has a different idea of what makes them laugh.  So whatever you personally think is funny is what you have to take to the people.  Make them laugh with you.”

      Ethan pulls inspiration for his routines from comedy legends George Carlin, Bill Cosby, Jerry Seinfeld, Don Rickles, and various other comedians from over the course of time.

      There’s more to come for the rising comedian as well.  He has established connections with numerous industry professionals.  He’s got photoshoots lined up, and many more performances at Stand Up in New York City.  He looks forward to seeing how far he can make it in the industry.

      “I hope the people in the school see this and gain a new perspective on what a person can do,” he says.

      If you’re looking to learn and see more, you can click here (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuHDn4aHE8ejA2xmQaeYifQ) to watch some of his routines, as well as a comedic sketch he made in video class at North.

    Female Student of the Month for October, Sam Palahnuk has always had a passion for playing soccer. “I started to play soccer when I’ve was about five years old, and I loved it ever since,” Palahnuk stated.   Palanuk is not just involved with the school team, but also plays club soccer for Go Soccer FC in Bridgewater throughout the winter and spring.

     More than just an athlete, she is also an avid artist and musician. Palahnuk said, “I have been playing piano since I was five.” She is currently working on Chopin’s “Fantaisie Impromptu.”

     Palahnuk has been making art for almost as long as she can remember. Her earliest memory is from when she was in preschool, when she remembers watching a fourth grader “map out and draw faces.” She began to copy her techniques. After ‘tons of practice,” she realized that her work “stood out from her classmates.”

     Palahnuk works even harder now perfecting her art. She says she spends “ 15-20 hours a week with my pencils and paints.” This work is not a chore for her,  because she finds it a “it’s a therapeutic and relaxing process.”

     When Palahnuk is not playing soccer or making a new drawing, she is dedicated to helping her community.  She has been avidly involved in her girl scout troop since she was in third grade. She is currently working on achieving her Gold Award.

    Her Gold Award is focusing on something close to her heart, Which is the “emotional aspects of making art and how it can be a stress reliever and a way to escape from one’s day to day life.”

    In the summer, she created a workshop for students third through eighth grade who shared her passion for art. She taught them the basics of portraiture, color and design,  landscape, still life, and critiquing within a week.  The workshop was “a success,” and Palahnuk believes “their work was fantastic, and I feel several of the students felt they had newfound talents In art and had become confident in their work.”

    The summer workshop was only the beginning of her project. She is currently working with art therapy programs. Palahnuk is running an art collection drive at North. The purpose of the drive is to “collect gently used art supplies to donate to the Warren County Sexual Assault Center to benefit their art therapy program.”  Palahnuk’s drive will end on December 18 with an art show hosted by National Art Honors Society (NAHS)  and Amnesty International. She is excited for this event because, “NAHS Is raising awareness against domestic violence, and the show is about finding comfort.”

     Palahnuk keeps her extracurriculars and schoolwork balanced. She is very dedicated to her classes. Some of the most challenging, but interesting classes she has taken are BC Calculus and AP Drawing. A few of the teachers who have inspired and pushed her during her years at North have been Mr. Steve Halldorson of the Math Department  and Mr. Ralph Calabrese of the Art Department.

     Palahnuk, like many other seniors, is not yet positive on what she wants to do after graduation, but she has a pretty good idea. Her top college right now is TCNJ. This is because “they have both an excellent biology program and art program.” She is currently planning on majoring in biology and minoring in Spanish and studio art. Since Palahnuk has so many different interests, she is keeping her plans flexible.