The Starter

Amanda Howe 

Life is expensive. Life as a high school student is really expensive. You’re in that awkward phase of needing money, but no longer able to just mooch off of the parents. That and wanting a new thing every few minutes with a limited cash flow don’t mix well. Books, games, tickets, food, clothes, computers, cars, etc. and then there’s college looming in the nearing future. For many high school students, getting a job is the only way to fund their extravagancies.

            However, being a teenager also limits the places that will offer jobs. With a confining number of hours and restrictions on what you can actually do, attaining a job is tougher than it would seem, but not impossible. And once you’ve found a job, it can be quite fun. Kayla Martinez, a CCHS senior, works as a CYC counselor for the after school program at Saddlewood Elementary. “I want to be a teacher when I grow up so that’s part of the reason why I like [the job]. I get to interact with kids and I think what’s really fun is that while you’re on the job you still get to have fun and you can goof off a little bit. You don’t get yelled at for playing with the kids. I get to talk to them, color with them, if they want to play a game with me I’m allowed to do that.” Martinez says that her favorite part is showing up to work and having the kids want to play games with her, but she has to work three to six every day after school so she doesn’t have a lot of time for homework and dinner.

If working with kids isn’t great, there’s always food. Jen DuPont, also a senior, works at the frozen yogurt shop, Sweet Frog. She likes the freedom of working on her own, but the work can get a little tedious with the repetition of cleaning and cashiering. Courtney Kerin, another senior, works at Macaroni Grill as a hostess and opera singer and says, “I like all the people that I work with but I don’t like when people stare at me when I sing or when I’m alone and people take a long time to take off their coats so a line forms, because even though I’m doing my job correctly, I feel like I’m doing it inadequately.”

And there’s always working as a store clerk or cashier. Senior, Macy Waddingham, a sales clerk at Aeropastale, loves cashiering best about her job. The only thing that bothers her is, “straightening tables that are completely messed up because sometimes when I’m straightening and cleaning up, a customer comes over and destroys the pile that I just fixed.” Senior, Megan Vallee is also a cashier, but at Party City. “I like being a cashier because I like talking to people, but I don’t like cleaning the bathroom.”

Every job has its highs and lows. But if none of these seem appealing, there are other options, even whole websites dedicated to finding jobs for teenagers. Finding a job has its difficulties, but just remembers that this job is a start, not necessarily what you’ll be doing forever.

Halfway There

 Kaitlyn Craig               

                As the end of the semester draws upon the school, it is hard to believe senior students at Colonie High are almost through with the 2013-2014 school year. Although it may not affect underclassmen as much, seniors especially are getting ready to say goodbye to high school and create a life of their own independently.

                Personally, as a senior doing her best as she finishes school, it is hard to believe how close we are to the end of everything we knew up to this point. After we walk across the stage at graduation, we will have the world at our fingertips to discover and venture into. We will have the ability to make our own decisions and choose the paths we want to take, while we evaluate whether it would be the right choice for us. Although it is scary to think that we will make the wrong decisions about our lives and our futures, it is important to have a positive outlook for the future.

                Students have varying opinions when it comes to leaving high school, but it may be an exciting  thought to move on to the next stage in our lives. “It feels like it’s taking a long time to graduate,” senior Victoria Tallman said as she thought about the nearby future. Graduation date is just months away for seniors, and students are thinking to the future and what they would like to do once they graduate. “I’m becoming a nurse and going to Hudson Valley,” Tallman said. In two words, senior Yesenia Coello sums up her future; “college and freedom!”

                Students may be moving to some greater point in their lives, but they will most likely never forget all the good and bad times we have had in our high school days. “You have a better judge of character,” Coello said, reflecting on how school has impacted our lives. However, some feel that high school simply gives you work to do before you go to college or get a job, and do not find any potential value in the high school system. It seems that this education level does not always provide you with what students feel are important to move on, grow, and develop into who they are planning on becoming after school is over. “They don’t teach you the real world,” Tallman agrees. Although Olivia Berrington is a junior this year, she is in one of the most important years in high school, one that people say colleges look at the most. She is planning and looking to the future, with her graduation date planned for next June. Trying to think of the ways high school may have prepared her for the future, she says “sometimes you’re going to use English – it teaches you that.”

                Eager to move on, Berrington has evaluated the past two and a half years at Colonie High School. “What I will not miss is anything. I will miss…nothing,” she comments with a smile. When asked what she will miss, Tallman had a similar thought: “Nothing, maybe my friends - I will not miss the overpriced food!”

Is Microsoft Failing?

Connor McManus            

            In a world that seems to be dominated by companies like Apple and Samsung, the name Microsoft is seemingly always being used in negative light. The big question many are asking, is Microsoft failing?

            At the end of Microsoft’s Windows XP launch, tech analysts and consumers were expecting big things for the next version of the acclaimed Windows operating system. When Windows Vista was commercially released in 2007, it was immediately scrutinized for its security flaws and the complex user controls that left many consumers wondering what went wrong, resulting in downgrades to XP. While Microsoft was no stranger to failed launches, this was the first big bluff that seemed to start a down-spiraling trend of failure for the company.

            Moving to a more recent time, Microsoft has not learned from the past. The launch of Windows 8, their take of a more modern operating system, failed miserably with both consumers and analysts alike. The tiled “Metro” theme and a more focused design for touch screen use put Microsoft on a flashback to 2007, causing many people to downgrade to the more successful Windows 7. Though there are some faithful Windows 8 fans, it is impossible to deny that Microsoft has not been living up to its expected standards as one of the most powerful and well known technology companies in the world.

            While the future for Microsoft may appear bleak to some, it is true that the company has the tools it needs to reinvent themselves. With products such as the Xbox and the line of Windows 8 and Surface tablets, there is still hope for the company to make money and dominate the market. Only time will tell how and when success will be achieved. The next big test for the company based in Redmond, WA will be the release of Windows 9. 

The Man Who Sold the World

Eric Johnson

           Known as “the voice of Generation X”, the 1990s would never fall in love with, or be more devastated by any musical talents quite like the talent of Nirvana’s front man Kurt Cobain. Almost single handedly creating and destroying an entire genre of music that would change the face of rock into what we know it as today, Kurt Cobain was an artist, a poet, and a deeply damaged individual who would eventually bring himself and all of his work to a violent and sudden halt.

Cobain grew up in Aberdeen Washington under a family that could only be described as dysfunctional and unattached. With no proper guidance, Cobain lived by his own rules and alone in his own private world. His mother and his father divorced when he was young which resulted in his mother gaining custody of him. Living only with his mother, Cobain found an interest in music through listening to his mother’s Elvis records. He was not a big fan of Elvis’s music but he was fascinated with the idea of him. Cobain also found a great fascination in The Beatles. He enjoyed the dynamic of the band and was a big fan of John Lennon’s work. In an interview for MTV, Cobain stated that since he was young he had wanted to be like one of the Beatles. “I wanted to have the admiration of John Lennon but have the anonymity of Ringo Starr” Cobain said. With a newly developed passion for music, Cobain began to develop a creative mind in writing as well. He began to take drum lessons and write songs that contained strange lyrics and weird melodies. Little did he know that he was soon to create a sound that would define the sound of the 1990s.

Since a young age, Cobain suffered from bronchitis and chronic stomach pains that nearly consumed his life. This caused Cobain to drop out in his junior year of high school. Without a job, or a proper high school education, Cobain was forced to get a job as a janitor at the high school that he attended on what would have been his senior year. Cobain was also forced to move out of his mother’s house and with proper shelter, it is said that he would find places like hospitals or a nearby bridge to sleep under. It is also rumored that this was Cobain’s inspiration to eventually write his popular song “Something in the Way”.

It wasn't until Cobain made some money and met his first girlfriend Tracy, that he would find a proper place to stay. It was then that Cobain began to learn how to play the guitar and was introduced to his future band member Krist Novoselic. Cobain and Novoselic began to play in local bars and clubs using a drum machine. They called themselves Fecal Matter. As their popularity grew, the short lived Fecal Matter eventually evolved into Nirvana. Cobain felt that the name Nirvana was a more appropriate and a less disgusting name for a band that was beginning to develop some potential. Nirvana began to release records under their new name and by 1991 with their sophomore release Nevermind, Nirvana and Kurt Cobain became one of the most famous and most important alternative/grunge acts of all time.

As Cobain’s success began to grow, so did his anxiety. He began to struggle with his fame and saw that there was at that point no way back to his old life in the shadows. Dealing with severe depression, Cobain turned to heroin in order to help mask his perfect disguise as a happy successful rock star. His sadness and suffering began to show in his music and in interviews. In an MTV interview in 1993, Cobain stated that “As long as I’m going to feel like a junky every day, I might as well do drugs.” Cobain later went to rehab and was released after a few months due to reported progress.

In April 1994, Cobain was sent back to rehab by his then wife Courtney Love. Love had reported that Cobain was using again and was progressively getting worse. 2 nights after Cobain was sent back to rehab, Cobain had escaped from the rehab center that he was attending and was nowhere to be found. Many different people had reported to have seen him in the past few days after his escape, but it wasn't until April 8^th that Cobain’s body was found dead by an electrician in his second home in Seattle. Next to Cobain’s body was a suicide note addressed to his family and fans. He had shot himself in the head with a shotgun and injected himself with an amount of heroin that would have killed him either way.

As soon as Cobain’s suicide was reported, people from around the country had come together to mourn the loss of their beloved musician. Radio stations played his songs on repeat and people from all over played his cover of David Bowie’s “The Man Who Sold the World” as a way of saying goodbye to the musician. For a moment, the entire country had appeared to have gone silent. Since then, the genre of grunge has never seen a talent quite like the talent of Kurt Cobain and grunge would eventually come to die with him. Today Kurt Cobain is still recognized for his impacts on music, and among many it is still a common question that what would music be like today if Kurt Cobain had not sold the world?     

How to Survive in High School

Eric Johnson & Mikaela Turner

          The thought of high school in the eyes of a young student is one of the most intimidating things that they will have to experience in their short years as a scholar. As freshman, many students believe that they will be bullied on the first day as soon as they walk into the school. Students fear that they will be made fun of for their high voices and short heights. They also believe that moving on to a larger school means that they will have trouble navigating through the building to their next classes and have trouble finding their friends and colleagues. This is a perfectly normal fear for new high school students and is a major part in the survival of high school. As seniors now, we both have experienced almost all four years at this school. Many people would say that freshman year was “a struggle”. If it wasn’t for freshman orientation the day before school started, all would be lost. But quite frankly, freshman orientation didn’t help with all the upperclassmen that came in on the very next day. As freshman, orientation made us excited because we got to figure out how to get places before the year even started; little did we know about how complicated it would start to be when every single person finally got into the building. But surviving this year isn’t as hard as it seemed. Looking back now, it was mostly drama. People you grew up with started thinking they were better than anyone else. Freshman year is practically when you start to weed out friends and figure out your true ones. It was about starting your life, thinking about college which keeps coming closer and closer.

          As students reach their second year of high school, they begin to realize that although school isn’t necessarily easy, it’s not as bad as they had expected the previous year. Students now know how to get around most of the building and are more understanding of the way that the school functions. As experienced high school students, we found that sophomore year had been a lot easier after we had gotten to know most of the students and teachers that attend the school. Classes and activities were made less difficult because we had at this point figured out whom to go to for help if we ever needed it. We at this point had also begun to establish the people that we are known as in high school. We picked the personalities that people would associate us with, and we chose our groups of friends that we would be the people who would help us survive our short time in high school.

          As high school students reach their first year as upper classmen, they have at this point mostly gotten a grip of the high school life style. They are beginning to think about what they would like to do after high school and are beginning to reach a point of maturity. As a junior, a high school student has probably never faced a more stressful period of time in their entire high school career up to this point. With the SATs and junior prom breathing down your neck, from the viewpoint of a junior, this year is one of the biggest years of their entire academic life. Looking back, we still cannot believe that we ever survived that year of high school.

         
          As the last year of high school approaches, high school begins to feel like it was never that big of a deal. Being a senior makes a student feel like they have done it all. This causes a major case of senioritis in most seniors and becomes a problem as graduation approaches. Students become eager to graduate and go to college and forget how important it is to finish off high school to their fullest potentials. As seniors ourselves, it takes everything for us to fight the dreaded senioritis from taking over our short last year of high school. As long as a student focuses everything on college, graduation, prom, and their grades surviving high school will be as easy the last three years.  

Is He Tripping Over You

Alexandra Fisher

  

            The male gender can be confusing, some don't express themselves as much as woman want them too. There is know way of actually knowing if a guy likes you without him telling you. But, when most guys like a girl they tend to all act the same. You don't want to become to clingy to the guy by asking him if he likes you, just study their signs.

            When most guys are attracted to a girl they can't stop smiling, half the time they don't realize themselves. They laugh at all her jokes even the corny ones, because when she tells it he only hears amazement rather than one of his buddies telling the joke. A huge sign is when you accidently catch him staring at you, and he looks away really fast. Ladies, guys facial expressions play a tremedous role when trying to discover their feelings towards you. Pay close attention!

            Guys are just like girls, they gossip. When a guy tells his buddies about you that means your something he is interested in. Especially, when his friends put you down and he defends you that is how you know he wants you. Most times you won't witness that, but when he attempts to bring you around his friends you know you're special. It means a lot when a guy starts to bring you around his friends, he wants them to see who he's got his eye on.

            Guys get nervous when it comes to asking a girl out on a date, so if they ask you too “hangout” that typically means they want to take you out and spend time with just you. However they approach you doesnt make a difference they still want to be around you. They seem to act more mature and respectful when they are trying to impress you, take it ladies let them WOW you. If he is not himself, don't take it as if you've done something wrong, he will be nervous the first time you hangout alone.

            Lastly, when he remembers the littlest details about you, that's a sign your perfect to him. A outfit you wore a certain day that he liked, your favorite color, or even just a inside joke you two have. When he picks up on these little things that means he can't forget about you. No guy would pick up on the cute things you do unless they want to be more than friends. You should feel special and show affection when they do, so they know you care.

            Not knowing if a guy likes you back can be stressful. But they are easy to read, because mostly every guy tends to have the same signs. Pay attention to their expressions, attitude, and mood. If you are making this guy happy you will know. Just pay close attention. If you see 1-2 signs from him dont get to excited, usualy 4-5 signs is when you will really see he likes you. Be patient, guys put their moves down at their own pace.

                                                

If I Stay

Emily Charton

Gayle Foreman’s If I Stay is a beautifully written novel about the power of music and the the pain in lose. Foreman’s way of writing makes you feel like you are experiencing everything the characters are. Every heartbreak is your own, every tear, every smile, every laugh is yours as it is the characters. Foreman has a way of writing like no other. Readers will feel every emotion possible while reading her novel.

            Mia, the main character of the book is a gifted cello player, who never received any special attention until that bow crossed her cello. Although never feeling like she really fit into her rock and roll family she loved them more than anything. Her mother was a punk rock chick who was very outspoken and would do anything to stick up for what she believes in. Her father was an old fashion rock and roll guy who was still in the band he had been in, in high school. Her brother Teddy is an energetic, happy go lucky boy who loved to laugh and make others laugh. With all the conflicting personalities and different musical interest the Hall family somehow made it all work. The Hall family is a strong and close nit family who always stuck together no matter what and readers will fall in love with them.

            The one thing Mia loved more than her family was her boyfriend Adam Wilde who is a perfect fit into the Hall family. Adam being in his own band himself always had a lot to talk about with Mia’s dad and his charming personality captured Mia’s mom as well. Readers will be captured by Adams rock and roll charm. The Hall family accepted Adam in as one of their own protecting and loving him like their own child.

            Mia’s life was not perfect but she loved it. Her love for the cello got her accepted into Julliard which her family was very proud about and her boyfriend’s band was on the rise. But one day in the blink of an eye Mia loses everything, including herself. On a snowy day Mia’s father lost control of the car as it crashed into a truck. Mia woke up on the sidewalk with the radio still playing in the car. Mia looks around and sees her mom, no blood but a bruised neck and no heartbeat. Then she sees her father head bleeding in the back of the head. Not breathing. She sees the paramedics lifting her little brother into the ambulance and she feels relieved. Then Mia looks to her left and sees it. She sees her own body bloodied and bruised in the grass. But how could that be?

            This novel teaches us the power of music and love and how combining the two can be life changing for Mia. Readers will not want to put this book down. Readers will quickly fall in love with Mia and Adams love story as if it’s their own. 

BCS Bowl: A Piece of History

Sam Hart

            In what could only be described as a picture perfect finish, the hero rallied his men with mere seconds left to win the title.  With such a cinematic culmination, Jameis Winston and the Florida State Seminoles capped off the end of an era in which BCS Championship Bowls would determine the best college team in the country.  Switching to a four team playoff next year, college football is taking a new step towards a more accurate determination of the best college football team in the world.  

            It wasn’t always a fair system.  Many times throughout the history of the BCS Championship, teams that should have played were slighted and teams with no business being on a championship field were rewarded.  Because a team of voters decided which teams were able to play in the bowl, the BCS Championship was often perceived as biased and inaccurate.  Such was the case in 2003, when the number 1 and number 2 ranked teams (USC and Florida State) in the country were poised to duke it out but instead, the BCS board picked the number 3 team (Oklahoma) to play in the game instead.  This angered many people, as they felt that their respective college deserved the right to play in the game; as any number 1 ranked team would do.  The BCS Bowl again illustrated its faults when the board decided that the miracle season of the 2011 Boise State team would not be allowed to play in the game.  Instead, the board allowed the number 2 ranked team (Oregon) to play against the unbeaten Auburn.  There is no bigger slap in the face being an unbeaten team but being told that “you’re not better than a team with one loss.”  Another area of concern was the money that was being generated.  With over 30 bowls from the December to January stretch, NCAA racks in a large sum of cash from all different schools, tv ratings, and venues.  With the new 4 game playoff system, not only will the NCAA continue to make money on the lesser bowls, but also double the revenue with an extra nationally televised game to determine the championship contenders.  College Football is all about making money, so the NCAA jumped on the chance to make even more money while also eliminating the faults in it’s previous system, thus scoring two touchdowns with one throw.

            While the 2014 BCS Championship was one for the ages, the magic will not be lost with the new system.  Imagine a scenario in which there are not one but two amazing games, with the same intensity as one as each team is proving there right to be deemed champions.  The Florida State Seminoles ended the last BCS Bowl Championship game for the foreseeable future with a bang, but the new playoffs should bring even more excitement and cinematic like finishes than ever before.  It was time for a change, people were getting angry, potential money was being lost, and the BCS finally caught on and took the right step into modern football.  

The Struggle Between Nutrition and Needs: School Lunches

Maria Sosiak

        Students line up every day to receive their lunch provided by the school. To them, it is just simply a meal to get them through their day, but to Renee Hanks, Director of Food Services, the preparation behind every single meal is much more. Dealing with students, who can be some of the toughest customers, Hanks has to find a happy medium between satisfying her customers while also staying within the New York State nutrition regulations.

            When asked, high school students said that they believe the lunches are too small for the high prices. The same students believe that after eating lunch they are hungry for more food just shortly after. Those who feel this way are usually having a slice of pizza or a food item from the à la cart section of the cafeteria. A slice of pizza or salad is certainly not going satisfy a high school student who should typically consume about 2500 calories a day. In comparison, a hot lunch is $2.35, which comes with the daily special, along with a piece of fruit, a vegetable, milk and also beans must be served every week. These five food groups contain 60% whole grains and add up to about 750-850 calories

per meal.

            These regulations were determined in 2010 and were supported by our First Lady, Michelle Obama. The HHFKA (Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act) is consistently working toward their goal of making a healthier life style for all children. They are also hoping to reduce the amount of obesity in the world. Schools are constantly trying to improve their foods, and something as simple as transitioning from iceberg lettuce to dark greens may seem easy, but a small change, such as this, could steer students away from school lunches, since the healthy eating lifestyle may be new to them. Renee Hanks says how high school students, who believe these changes are unexpected. have a harder  time adapting, compared to elementary school students who are growing up with the healthier foods.       Another problem regarding the healthier options is that the adjustment may be tough for those students who are used to eating iceberg lettuce, or a much larger portion at home compared to the portions served for lunch.

            With every change, Hanks takes the students' opinions into consideration. She hopes to meet the necessary expectations, but at the same time also hopes that those who eat the lunches are gaining more of a positive attitude about them. This can make for a new and improved food service for many people. Hanks states, "We are working very hard to find foods that meet all of the new HHFKA ("Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act") regulations and that are acceptable to our student customers and affordable to serve. We are constantly trying new whole grain products and new recipes that will be acceptable next year when 100% of the grains we serve will have to be whole grain."

            So students, before picking up that slice of pizza or caesar salad, just think. For about a dollar less, you can get every food group served onto your plate. School lunches are no longer characterized by "mystery meat," rather they are "nutrition packed." Realize that the lunch services are trying to match your needs, but also dealing with the difficulty of restraints. And lastly, remember, whether it is a cookie or the crust of your pizza, you can not escape whole grains!

How Students Handle the Holidays

Kaylee Noll                

                

                In Upstate New York snow begins to fall as early as Thanksgiving and some years it has fallen as early as Halloween. Once the first snow fall many people believe that’s when the holidays truly begin. For students at CCHS many believe that the holidays can be a mixture of stress as well as excitement.

                In New York students can begin working at the age of 15 with working papers. Many students work in retail, restaurants or some even work in retirement homes. Many popular jobs for high school students to have is working in retail. Between stores like Abercombie and Fitch, American Eagle to even Aeropostale there are tons of stores where students from CCHS work at. Students like Maria Sosiak have interest in a different work place. Sosiak works at Avila's Retirement Home and serves food to the elderly that live there. Sosiak works around 16 hours a week at Avila's although it changes around the holidays. Maria did explain how she is excited to be working on Christmas and be with people who are just like family to her.

                Although Maria is working on Christmas many other students from CCHS will not be working on Christmas although for students working in the mall there is a possibility they may be working until 6pm. Many students during the holidays work anywhere between 12-26 hours a week and that is not including homework and school.

                After working all of their hours at their jobs, people must wonder what kids do with the money they receive. Well during the holidays high school students do a lot of shopping. Between getting gifts for boyfriends/girlfriends, family and friends a lot of money is spent during the holidays. On average a student buys between five to eight people gifts for the holidays. Many students are spending anywhere between two hundred to six hundred dollars for the people in their lives. After asking why they give so much, many reply with "Its the holiday season that puts you in the spirit to give to others." The holiday season is a very powerful time that makes people more giving and more cheerful. Many favorite holiday movies are Home alone, This Christmas along with all time favorites like Elf . The holiday season is so powerful that is comes with traditions… many students go to their families house for christmas eve for a big dinner, watch christmas movies while baking cookies with their family and even getting the whole family into the car to go and get the tree. "My family on Christmas hides a pickle in the tree and whoever finds it typically gets the most gifts or money. We don't use a real pickle, its a ornament!" exclaimed Melina Kaltak. The holidays may be very over whelming for students due to the amount of school work and job obligations but family tradition and the over whelming amount of cheerfulness triumphs the stress involved.

How to Sell Your Soul: A Tutorial

Amanda Howe

            Speaking from personal experience, I know what it’s like to be addicted to a cell phone. I’ll admit it; I have walked into people because I was looking down at my phone. And without looking up from my phone, I just said, “I’m sorry” like a monotone robot, and continued walking. You know you’ve done it too. But have you ever stopped to think about what you did when you signed that little contract that binds you to a device for two years? Kayla Martinez said, “It’s like my little escape from reality.” Except it has become our reality. But if you can’t beat them (and you can’t), join them.

1)      Acquire a cellular device. You can go to Verizon, Sprint, AT&T, etc. As long as the phone has an App Store or Google Play, you’re fine. Make sure you sign the contract for unlimited data so you can continue on to the next step.

2)      Now that you have your device, you must decorate it as if it defines your life. Go all out, but take your time picking out just the right case. If you get the wrong bedazzled pink, the other “individuals” might think less of you. If you’re really into a certain show or band, make sure you get a case that has every nanometer covered in their logo or emblem. Some people go for the flashy 3D cases, but make sure you search the depths of your personality before going for this because it can backfire.

3)      You officially own the device that defines your entire status in high school. Congratulations! You’ve decorated the outside, but you haven’t even started on the inside. Throw all those pointless mandatory apps like Phone and Calculator into a folder and get ready to fill up your storage. Make sure you start by downloading the social media that is so integral to your being, you would die without it. Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are the musts, but you can branch out and download tumblr or Vine, if you need more updates on your friends eating habits. Warning: downloading MySpace will lead to the removal of your device from your custody by force. Music is another big deal. If you have less than 1,000 songs, you might as well return your phone now.

4)      After you’ve filled up your first page with social media, you get a little free will in the area of entertainment. You can choose to be the gamer, with Angry Birds and Candy Crush Saga dominating your screen time. Or maybe you’re the reader, with Kindle and Newstand down in your top four. Movie lovers don’t panic. Fandango and IMDb have apps that can keep you updated on new releases and your favorite actress. Whatever you choose, make sure to get all the free apps in that category so you can keep yourself immersed in the digital world and out of the real one.

5)      Finally, you have your device all set up to your liking. This last step is the most important. Stare at it. The first thing you should do upon waking up is swipe the alarm and put in your pass code. After this, it should be practically impossible to tear your eyes away from its glowing beauty. Don’t worry if you’re clumsy at first. Your thumbs will soon be gliding across your screen protector as if they were created for this purpose alone. Ignore everything when you hear that sweet, pulsating buzz of your notifications. Once you’ve trained yourself well enough, the device will barely leave your palm throughout the day. You have officially succeeded in selling your soul to a mini-computer. Now go forth and avoid verbal communication.

Insight Into The Band Life

Ally Fisher              

                       

     It was Monday night; Kat and I had just finished watching my sisters bagpipe practice. I was walking to the car with my sister. She seemed happy and tired; she looks comfortable in her sweatshirt and leggings with her hair in a braid­ very different from how she usually looks. For the last two years I've grown to see that bagpipes is important to my sister Autumn. She has devoted most of her time trying to grasp perfection.        As we begin to speak to Autumn, her voice seems to be cracking and she speaks slowly when we began to question her. She keeps looking down every time she wants to laugh and pushes the baby hairs out of her face. She sips on fruit punch when she needs time to answer. She seems really enthusiastic about participating in the band. I am hoping in this interview something is revealed about the impact of being in the band had on Autumn. 

Ally Fisher­: So Autumn, What made you want to start playing bagpipes?

Autumn Fennelly [Smiling]­: Well, I was looking at a bulletin board one day and I saw a flier advertising bagpipes. I thought it would be cool to try it.

Ally Fisher­: At what age did you start playing? 

Autumn Fennelly:­ I joined when I was eight, and I was the youngest member at the time. 

Ally Fisher:­ Did you feel intimidated at times, because you were the youngest? 

Autumn Fennelly [Playing with her hands]:­ No not at all, being the youngest made me want to work harder so I would be respected by the older members. In bagpipes we have grade levels and your put into a level by your progress. I ended up skipping a grade level, because I was ahead of my teachers expectations.
Ally Fisher:­ What did you have trouble with when you first started playing?
Autumn Fennelly:­ I had trouble reading the music sheet. Also, it was difficult to focus my fingers 
Ally Fisher:­ Did you have any doubts when you first started playing bagpipes?
Autumn Fennelly [Laughing]:­ I got discouraged when I first started playing, at times I felt like giving up, but I really love playing the bagpipes.
Kat Fuchs­: What makes bagpipes better than other instruments?
Autumn Fennelly:­ Its different, everyone has their own opinions. When I play bagpipes I feel unique, its my talent that nobody can take from me.
Kat Fuchs:­ How well does the band work together?
Autumn Fennelly [looking down]:­ Pretty good, but we have a lot of individual work we have to master before we can put it all together.
Kat Fuchs:­ Does your band do any charity work?
Autumn Fennelly:­ From what I know, we sell tickets for a raffle to support our band. But I don't think hat we do actual charity work.
Kat Fuchs:­ Do you recommend bagpipes to everyone?
Autumn Fennelly:­ It depends on the persons work ethic and how well they can focus.
Kat Fuchs: What do you mean?
Autumn Fennelly:­ It takes time to learn how to play the bagpipes, it is not easy. I practice for many hours throughout the week, because if I don't I fall behind. You have to really want it.
Kat Fuchs:­ Do you plan on playing professionally?
Autumn Fennelly:­ I hope to play at funerals someday and other functions. I plan on playing the bagpipes for the rest of my life.
Ally Fisher:­ Well, thank you for your time it was really interesting to learn about the bagpipes.
Kat Fuchs:­ Thank you Autumn I learned a lot.
Autumn Fennelly­: Anytime, it was a pleasure.

Not So Smooth of an Entrance to Senior Year

Brian Krosky              

                       

                With seniors utilizing their opportunities to full advantage, many of them drive to school so they 
can be more flexible with activities before and after school, not having to rely on the bus schedule. 
However, a common complaint has risen among the seniors about the entrance to the main senior 
parking lot. 

Originally closed off for many years, another entrance was created to ease traffic and create a 
more steady flow. Now people can enter without having to circle around the parking lot completely. 
However, many students who utilize the parking lot on a daily basis have begun to complain about the 
quality of the parking lot entrance, and its need for updated maintenance. 

There has been speculation whether or not the school put a speed bump in that entrance to 
abate speeding, but no one has a sure answer. Senior Principal Thomas Kachadurian doesn’t believe so, 
but senior Akina Ngu does. “ I think it’s a speed bump, I feel like it is. I have to slow down or else it’ll hit 
the bottom of my car.” Whether it is or not, many students have also noted that the entrance has began 
to erode and deteriorate, creating a dip, which is just as harmful. 

Senior Ricky Rovelli weighed in saying; “It’s getting to the point where it can danger your car 
every day.” 

Jack Blanchard went as far to say, “It is needed (on maintenance repair), it would be less 
expensive to fix it than a lawsuit against the school of it causes an accident, it has the potential to.” 

One thing is for sure, students believe adamantly that there needs to be changes. Out of the ten-
plus students interviewed and asked, they unanimously agreed that this entrance was the worst of all 
the other ones in the school.

                                                                                                                                                                

Where does all the Money Go?

Eric Johnson              

                       
                As the school year reaches its mid-point and the seniors at Colonie High School become eager to graduate, the students begin to become frustrated with the rules that they are expected to follow in the prison that they call High School. A common complaint that repeatedly comes up with the senior class is the supposedly unfair requirements that come along with parking at the school. Student’s who own a car and want to drive to school are required to fill out a form and provide the school with their license and other information. Sounds reasonable right? The problem comes to place when the students are told that they must pay a required fee of $20. Many students believe that it is unfair for them to have to pay money to park just a few feet away from the school. Some students even go to major extents to avoid having to pay money by parking at the mall or at a location near the school. As a senior myself, paying my fee to park didn't really faze me until students around me brought to my attention the injustice that came along with paying the school $20. I thought about this for a while and that I kept on asking myself the same question “Where does all of this money go to?”

                I asked around and found that mostly no one including teachers and administrators had any idea what the money went to and why students had to pay money at all. Becoming more curious, I visited the Shaker High School website and found nothing that answered my question except for that Shaker has all of the same regulations as Colonie does with the exception of being assigned to numbered parking spots. After visiting multiple other school websites the question still remained unanswered. I calculated how much the estimated amount of money it would take if about half of the senior class was to pay a fee for parking. The amount of money rounded up to be about $4,000. Now it’s clear that the school could defiantly use that kind of money but for what exactly?

                Still asking myself the same question, I started to remember that there is one person that I see every morning directing traffic outside of the school. Hoping that they might know, I decided to go and ask the one person that might be able to finally answer my question. I quickly went down to the front of the school and found Officer Germaine standing near the main entrance. I took my pencil and paper and asked him if he could finally give me an answer a question. With a slightly sarcastic expression he agreed to answer. I explained to him that I was on a mission to find out why students are required to pay $20 for a parking permit, and how I was curious as to where all of that money went to. “I’m not completely sure how to answer that.” He said at first, but after about a minute of thinking he started to come up with an answer. “You know those beautiful yellow lines that you park in between every morning? [He grinned at me as he talked.] A lot of that money goes to painting those. The money also goes to the signs that I use to direct traffic and to the permit stickers that you put in all of your cars.” He then told me how necessary the payment was because without it seniors and other students would basically have nowhere to park in the morning. I thanked him for finally giving me an answer my question as I left the room.

                I was relieved to know that all of the money that everyone complains about spending actually goes to something that students use as a privilege every day. Students will complain every year about how it is unfair to pay money just to park at school without knowing what it is even used for. Although it sounds like something that is worth complaining about, students don’t realize that what they are paying for is actually the ability to have a place to park in the morning.

                                                                                                                                                                

Thanksgiving Is Not a Holiday Anymore, But a Reason to Shop

David Wang

Feel the savings but regret not celebrating the holiday, since you are not with your family on Thanksgiving but out shopping, just because you see big deals from advertisements. Now days, people are beginning to shop for Black Friday deals on Thanksgiving, which changes the meaning of the holiday. Thanksgiving is a holiday for having family time together, a time to enjoy each other’s company, and a time to remember one’s ancestors from the past. A time for giving thanks for things in life.

Black Friday deals starting on Thanksgiving has helped increase the amount of sales on the Black Friday weekends. According to ShopperTrak, Thanksgiving this year, stand for 11.6% of the total holiday weekend sales, when compared to the 3.6% last year. On Thanksgiving Day, there was a total of $2.583 Billion spent on gifts. $2.583 Billion is about three times the amount spent last year by Americans on Thanksgiving, according to NorthJersey.  Also, Bill Martin, the founder of ShopperTrak, states that Thanksgiving hours helped produce more sales revenue, which leads to the question if shopping on Thanksgiving is helping boost the economy.

Many stores offered big deals, just to lure shoppers, with little profit being made, according to the Huffingtonpost. According to the National Retail Federation, stores are making deals from hot electronic items to cashmere sweaters and toys. But not every store on Thanksgiving was getting a boost in sales. Rahmattullah Kareme, a fellow student, who runs the cash register at the electronics department at Kmart, states that he only saw about 7 customers throughout the day. Kareme states that Thanksgiving last year was busier than the Thanksgiving this year, due to the Kmart closing, and there is less merchandise to offer to customers.

According to the Huffingtonpost, surveys showed that many people complained about the early start, when retailers offered deals on Thanksgiving Day. Many people still went out to shop for the deals. Josh Griffin, a student, who was going out to watch a movie with his cousin on Thanksgiving, described the Colonie Center and Crossgates as a “madhouse”, where people lined up shoulder-to-shoulder and small crowds. Josh states that in some places there were guards, who allowed people into the store after a certain amount of people left the store. He saw many deals, like 50% off the entire store, free item with a certain amount of purchases, and sales on clothing and electronics. But not everything was on sale. Josh states that Thanksgiving should be celebrated for the family time and be able to see relatives that live far away. Also, Josh thinks that shopping on Thanksgiving would help boost the economy because of the amount of spending on Thanksgiving.

An anonymous source states that Thanksgiving should be celebrated, since people can give thanks for all that they have. The source describes Thanksgiving as a “magical holiday”. The source states that shopping on Thanksgiving would not help boost the economy because there are no profits being earned from the great deals that the stores are offering. But the source thinks that there has been an increase in the amount of shoppers this year because of the early start in offering deals than last year.

December 14, 2012

Jayne Kenneally              

                       
                The people of Newtown, Connecticut grieve the loss of twenty children and six adults from the school shooting that occurred a year ago from Saturday, December 14, 2013. In a recent article on cnn.com, it states that on Saturday, the town remembers the tragedy that occurred but more importantly, the lives lost. Newtown’s school shooting is the second deadliest to occur in United States history, following Virginia Tech’s in 2007. As the people of Newtown reminisce on those who died, the United States plans to enforce stricter rules and regulations on guns. Not only does the United States plan for a safer nation, Colonie Central High School makes changes so it can be a safer school.

                According to an article on cnn.com, Sandy Hook Elementary School had a new buzzer and camera system installed in 2012, before the shooting occurred. Adam Lanza, the perpetrator at Sandy Hook Elementary School, was not buzzed into the school. Lanza forced his way into the school by shooting through the front entrance.

                There are many security measures that differ at Colonie Central High School from Sandy Hook Elementary School. At Colonie Central High School, there’s a police officer on duty every day. The police officer at CCHS is Officer Germaine. Officer Germaine is on duty at CCHS every day, eight hours a day. He says that what happened in Connecticut “raised awareness and let us know it could happen.” Although there is a police officer on duty every day, CCHS does not have a buzzer system. Anyone can walk through the doors as they please. “So are we 100% secured?” says Officer Germaine, “No, we’re not” he replies. The school is going to be getting a buzzer system next year to ensure further safety for the students. Overall, Colonie Central High School is the only school in the district that does have a police officer here every day. Officer Germaine does state that if anyone entered the school with a gun, he would shoot them. He is a vital part to Colonie Central High School and by him being here every day, the students feel safe.

                The mass murder at Sandy Hook Elementary School is something that will go down in history.  The innocent kids and adults that lost their lives on that day are forever remembered by their families. With the implementation of stricter gun laws for the United States and the new buzzer system being installed in CCHS along with Officer Germaine being on duty every day, the country is aimed toward a safer life for everyone.

                                                                                                                                                                

How to Walk In the Hallways

Jien Ogawa


Here at Colonie High School, we have exactly four minutes between classes to
push and shove our ways through the crowded hallways blocked by meandering misfits
and that one girl who simply must reach across the entire hallway to grab her
boyfriend’s hand. Sometimes, if our next class is across the entire school, for example,
going to math or Biology from English class, the traffic in the halls can threaten to make
us late for class. Some don’t care, but for those that do, here is a little tutorial on the
secrets of the hallway. Take it from a speedwalking senior - they work.

● How to exit the classroom:

If your class is in the next wing over, or downstairs from your current
class, you have two options. If you want to get to class quickly, you can leave the
moment the bell rings and speedwalk to your next class, thereby decreasing
hallway traffic by arriving early. If you don’t care, relax, take your time leaving,
and just go with the flow of traffic. You’ll get there on time even with the
obstructions in the hallway.
If your class is across the length of the school (in any direction) and you’re
worried about getting there on time, get out of the classroom as soon as the bell
rings if possible.

● How to navigate hall traffic when you’re in a rush:

If you see any space at all to squeeze in between people in a way that won’t
disturb them, do it. It’s kind of like switching between lanes on a crowded
highway, except less life-threatening and much, much more noisy. Stay as close to
the middle of the hallway as possible without leaving the right side. If you’re close
to the wall, it will be easier for people to cut you off. Don’t hug the inside corner
when you’re making a turn; you might bump into someone, slowing both of you
down.

● How to deal with that one jerk who spontaneously cuts across everyone to talk to
his friend going in the opposite direction:

Don’t. There isn't much you can do about it. But feel free to give him a
dirty look.

● How to react to that one person who decides to reach across the entire hallway to
grab their boyfriend’s/girlfriend’s hand:

Feel free to walk straight into their arms. One of two things will happen.
Either they will both let go, or they won’t. If they let go, problem solved. If they
don’t, feel free to pull them into an incredibly awkward group hug. If they live to
tell the tale, horror stories of your third wheeling will spread like wildfire until
couples tremble in your presence, cowerin-- I mean it will eventually stop.

● How to enter your classroom:

If you’re outside your classroom, the hallways are still crowded, and you
have time before the bell rings, wait until a reasonable space opens between
people; don’t just push your way through. Once such a space appears, you may
charge into your classroom. Congratulations, your adventure is concluded.