Inside this Issue... - Poly Prep Country Day School

The POLYGON
Gold Medal winner, Columbia Scholastic Press Association
VOL. XXIII NO.3 POLY PREP’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER NOVEMBER 2008
Students React to Classmate’s
Passionate Pro-Obama Speech
by Eve Boyce and Rivky Mondal
by Stephanie Ellman
“Intense,” “sweet,” and “fantastic”
are just a few of the words
students use to describe biology
teacher Bobbie Swain. She
has taught at Poly for over 25
years and has earned a reputation
among freshmen and sophomores
as a loveable but challenging
teacher. Whether it is through a
full unit on penguins or a rigorous
Pond Lab based on the school’s
own campus, students often walk
away from her class with a new
sense of discipline and understanding
of biology. On October
25, Ms. Swain’s contributions to
the Poly Community were formerly
recognized: she received
the SPIRIT Award.
The award is given annually to
a faculty member in recognition
of their service and teaching. Ms.
As senior Kyle Wynter-Stoner
recounted his reaction to the
outcome of the presidential election,
a divided crowd listened to
his inspired words. Tears sprang
into the eyes of some students,
while frowns grew on the faces
of others. Wynter-Stoner was
originally scheduled to speak
about his trip to Mongolia on
Friday, November 8. However,
after witnessing Tuesday’s presidential
election, he asked Bud
Cox, Head of the Upper School,
if he could share his reaction
to this colossal event with the
students instead.
Wynter-Stoner began the speech
by stating that prior to the election,
he was “ashamed to call [himself]
an American” – a sentiment probably
shared by other Poly stud
e n t s
given
t h e
l o w
public
approval
of the
Bush administration.
He
proceeded
to describe
his cynical
outlook on
America, before
promptly fast-forwarding to
November 4, 2008. Wynter-Stoner
described watching the election
proceedings with hiw jaw
dropped, awestruck by the outcomes
of the event. He watched
as the television camera panned
over Grant Park, revealing a
group of Obama supporters who
had assembled to watch the proceedings.
“It had to be the most
diverse and unified crowd that
had ever assembled in our country’s
history,” he said.
Wynter-Stoner detailed the
transformation in his opinion of
America after noting the versatility
of the crowd. For the first time
in his seventeen years, Wynter-
Stoner was actually proud to be
an American.
He concluded
the speech
Ms. Swain Wins the Spirit Award
Swain teaches several
sections of freshman
biology and one Special
Advanced Program
biology class for sophomores.
She learned that she
was this year’s recipient
last May. “I am honored
that what I do at
Poly has meant something
special to those
who nominated me and
wrote kind words on my
behalf,” said Ms. Swain
in a recent Faculty Spotlight
interview on the Poly website.
“It has been wonderful to
get the congratulations and good
wishes from those who want to
acknowledge that they, too, have
appreciated my work and presence
in the school.”
Her fellow faculty members are
with a poignant rendition of Bob
Dylan’s song, “The Times, They
Are A-Changin.’”
Based on the reaction of the
audience, many Poly students appreciated
the candor of Wynter-
Stoner’s speech and agreed that
this election was one of momentous
change and progress. “I was
crying the whole time Kyle was
speaking,” confessed an anonymous
junior. “I could relate to
when he said that he never really
felt like he belonged to the country.
I get that. After
continued on page 5
Ms. Swain. Photo courtesty of polyprep.org
quick to praise her as a teacher
and a person. “She is passionate,
organized, and has a witty sense
of humor,” said science teacher
Sandra Bornstein. “She engages
students and loves her subject,
continued on page 2
FRAMED: Barry Gibbs, above, served 19 years for a murder that he
did not commit.
Photo courtesy of amny.com
Justice Served At Last
Barry Gibbs Captivates Poly
With Story of Exoneration
by Kevin Moon
The New York State flag features
a woman wearing a blindfold
and holding a scale. These
two objects symbolize a value
that humans have been trying to
achieve for thousands of years:
justice. This woman symbolizes
both that justice is blind and justice
needs to be balanced.
Unfortunately, justice is not always
served. Sometimes, people
get caught in unfortunate events
that cannot be avoided.
As he recalled it while speaking
at Poly on November 4th,
Barry Gibbs was an average guy
from the neighborhood, delivering
mail in a prestigious part of
town, when it happened. All of a
sudden, he encountered two cops
in the street. They took him by
force, and showed him a picture
of a deceased woman. He was a
suspect for her murder. Flabbergasted,
Mr. Gibbs blatantly retorted,
“Are you serious? Are you
kidding me?” The next thing he
knew, they had arrested him and
threw him into a jail cell.
“They keep you in jail,” Gibbs
said. “It’s all a business.” After
his incident with the police, he
had been held in jail for three
weeks. The three weeks had not
been going in his direction. Detectives
Louis Eppolitto and Stephen
Caracappa were the people
responsible for his conviction.
The verdict came in: Gibbs was
guilty. He was sentenced to twenty
years to life for a crime he did
not commit.
The only way he could describe
that moment was that he was “in
shock.” He was going to spend
the better part of his life in prison.
Gibbs was pushed to the back of
the courthouse, where he started
having a nervous breakdown. He
was filled with pain, suffering,
and shock.
“You can’t talk to them, these
people in prison are [a] whole different
people you just cannot interact
with,” Mr. Gibbs said about
his experience in prison. During
his stay at prison, he attempted an
appeal, but found no success. He
remained confused and upset by
his situation.
“I got framed,” Gibbs said,
“because I was naive of the legal
system.”
As his hope diminished, Gibbs
contacted the Innocence Project,
a national litigation and public
policy organization that works to
exonerate people who are wrongfully
sentenced. They looked into
his case.
Then, a miracle happened. It
was about 5 AM when Mr. Gibbs
was informed that two prominent
New York City detectives,
Louis Eppolitto and Stephen Caracappa,
were arrested for Mafia
related crimes. When the police
went into Eppolitto’s house they
found files that proved the innocence
of Gibbs. It came to light
that Eppolitto had threatened the
eyewitness of the case into giving
false testimony. After nineteen
long years, Barry Gibbs was finally
free.
Now that he is free, “I’m happy
everyday,” Gibbs said. He says
that being out of prison relieved
continued on page 5
Inside this
Issue...
Features and
Trends
Class Review:
Game Design
People
Sports
Boys’ Soccer Is
State Champs For
2nd Straight Year
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PAGE 2 NEWS THE POLYGON
Mandy Pabon sends letters to Trey Tucker, an ill five-year-old boy.
Poly Sends Support to Trey Tucker
by Dominique Dacchille
The United States Postal Service
is often taken for granted.
Everyday, hundreds of millions
of letters are delivered to over
141 million mailboxes nationwide.
These mailboxes are often
filled with unwanted bills and
catalogs. Because of this, many
people do not look forward to the
daily ritual of opening mail. For
one little boy and his family, however,
every letter that they receive
is a treasure.
Trey Tucker is a five-year-old
boy residing in Ozone Park, New
York. He’s far from a typical boy,
as he’s living with the burden of a
coarctation of his aorta. This condition
causes a narrowing in the
aorta, a vital organ for blood distribution
to the rest of the body,
which leads to a serious increase
in blood pressure and puts massive
strain on the heart. The narrowing
can be aided surgically,
but it’s an extremely precarious
procedure. Despite the odds
stacked against them, the Tucker
family has decided to go forth
with the surgery.
As parents, the Tuckers needed
to make sure that Trey was aware
The POLYGON
Editors-in-Chief
Ben Kochman
Rivky Mondal
Stephanie Ellman...........................New Co-Editor
Allison Rutter...............................News Co-Editor
Ian Cohen................................Opinions Co-Editor
Sam Ross................................Opinions Co-Editor
Ryan Kupchik.............................People Co-Editor
Kyle Wynter-Stoner....................People Co-Editor
Vrishti Mongia......Features and Trends Co-Editor
Rachel Omansky...Features and Trends Co-Editor
Alison Dillulio......................................Arts Editor
Nicole Vanchieri...............................Punion Editor
David McIntyre.................................Sports Editor
The Polygon is published eight times a year by the students
of Poly Prep Country Day School. We welcome both letters to the
editor and guest opinion pieces of interest. All submissions must be
emailed to polygon@polyprep.org and must include the author’s
name and telephone number. The Polygon reserves the right to edit
all submissions for spelling, grammar and length. Letters should be
no longer than 200 words, and opinion pieces should be no longer
than 750 words.
The Polygon
c/o Poly Prep CDS
9216 7th Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11228
of all of the surgery’s possible
outcomes. This included the likelihood
of not surviving the surgery
at all. With this devastating
thought running through their
minds, the Tuckers wanted to be
sure that all of their young son’s
wishes had been fulfilled to their
full extent. So, they asked their
son what they could do to make
him happy.
His response was out of the
ordinary, unexpected, and ultimately
not something they could
do on their own. Biology teacher
Mandy Pabon called upon the
Poly Prep students to play a part
in granting his wish. “He wants to
get 1,000 get well cards because
he wants the experience of getting
mail,” Ms. Pabon said during
Chapel on October 24.
Members of the Poly community
were touched by Trey’s story
and jumped at the opportunity to
write to him. “I don’t see how
anybody can hear a story about
a boy who’s sick and not want
to do anything,” said science
teacher Sandy Bornstein. “But
here’s something that’s simple.
You don’t always get a chance
like that.”
Like Ms. Bornstein, students
Photo by Stephanie Ellman
immediately reacted. Junior EJ
Martinez is just one of many
students who sent mail to Trey.
“I wrote him a card the day Ms.
Pabon told us about him in chapel,”
he said. “I really hope a lot
of people just take a minute and
make this kid’s day better.”
One hundred eleven cards
have been sent to Trey via Poly
Prep. Bud Cox, Head of Upper
School, admits to being “incredibly
impressed” with the student
responses.
Trey Tucker is asking for so
little in the midst of his dire situation.
Every card or letter that he
receives is a gift, reminding him
that hundreds of people want
him to get better, and stay strong.
Though the deadline to send
something to Trey through Poly
has passed, mailing him individually
is still strongly encouraged.
Additional letters can be sent to:
Trey Tucker
101-40 93rd St.
Ozone Park, N.Y. 11416
Ms. Swain Receives
Annual Spirit Award
continued from front page
And she doesn’t have a mean
bone in her body!”
“Ms. Swain is a paragon of professionalism
and decorum,” said
Elijah Sivin, who received the
award last year. “It’s because of
teachers like her that Poly’s been
a leader in science education for
so long.”
Ms. Swain also
makes an effort
to teach students
through entertaining
activities.
“[Students]
will remember
that there was
often humor,
fun, games, and
song that made
the pathway to
knowledge in
my classroom a
bit easier,” said
Ms. Swain.
Her students
echo this sentiment.
“Her lessons
are always
dynamic,” said
“Whether it’s
teaching with
the cell song
or reviewing
with a game
of jeopardy,
she finds ways
to engage her
students,” said
Silverman.
junior Andrew
Silverman,
who also gave
a speech at her
award reception
on Homecoming. “Whether it’s
teaching with the cell song or reviewing
with a game of jeopardy,
she finds ways to engage her students.
She also grades labs and
tests meticulously, putting in as
much effort as I did.”
In addition to teaching biology,
Ms. Swain has been involved with
Pool Renovations Make A Splash
Diving in: The swim team practices after school in the renovated pool.
by John Ling
be corrected by the new railing,
which promises an unobstructed
While most students were view of the pool s to the cheering
relaxing during the summer, fans.
renovations commenced on the The renovation of the pool
Poly pool. The construction has the swimmers and coaches
brought a wealth of new amenities excitedly anticipating the
to the pool and unrivaled benefits
for the swim team.
The construction crew installed
a new lighting system whose light
fixtures illuminate the pool better
than ever before and they raised
the pool deck by a few feet, which
made the pool shallower. The pool
was also retiled and repainted.
The pool balcony has also
been renovated. Before, it had
limited seating and a banister
that obstructed the spectators’
views. However, this problem is
upcoming swim season. “[All the
improvements are] great and soon
it will have new touch pads!” said
Junior Jacob Wilner, a member of
the swim team.
The improvements have not only
changed the physical properties
of the pool, but they have also
changed the environment.
“The pool is much nicer, and it
is a great environment to train in,”
said swimming coach Thatcher
Woodley.
Despite all of the great upgrades
the Honor Council for the last 5
years. She stepped off for the last
school year, but has rejoined this
year to fill in a vacancy. She also
advises the Crossword-Scrabble
Club, which meets Thursdays in
the science building, and attends
the faculty’s Community and
Diversity Committee meetings.
Ms. Swain also likes reading and
collecting romances novels and
watching movies
in her spare time. “I
love Turner Classic
Movies on cable so
I can watch some
favorites from
the 1930’s and
1940’s,” she said.
Ms. Swain approaches
her discipline
with the
intent to encourage
students through
her own enthusiasm.
“In some
of the literature
from my previous
school, there was a
quote about teachers
that I always
remember: ‘Teachers
teach more by
who they are than
what they teach,’ ”
she said.
“What this means
to me is that I want to show energy
and enthusiasm for biology,
fairness in evaluating student
work, organization in what I do,
and ways to approach the study
of what can be a difficult subject.
I hope these things will be remembered
long past the details of
DNA structure and function.”
Photo by Stephanie Ellman
to the swimming pool, some
people complain that it is still too
small. The updates were mostly
aesthetic improvements to the
pool and the surrounding area;
the renovations did not widen
the pool or make the pool lanes
longer.
“We have new lane lines,” said
Coach Woodley, “but the pool is
still not adequate in terms of size.”
With the large size of the swim
team, the newly renovated space
may become cramped quickly.
The updates should give
the team a great “home pool
advantage,” as the facilities are
greatly improved. The fans should
have a great experience on the
new pool balcony, with multiple
views of the action.

PAGE 3 OPINIONS THE POLYGON
Editorial: Student Partisanship Threatens Community
In 1805, Thomas Jefferson famously
stated in his inaugural address,
“We are all Federalists, we
are all Republicans.” Jefferson
was speaking to a United States
in its infancy, plagued by partisan
conflicts. Jefferson resolved to
transcend political parties in order
to unite the nation.
Today, Americans would be
well served to follow the advice
of Mr. Jefferson. Before we can
fight terrorism or stabilize our
economy, we need to stop the
rampant partisanship that is hurting
America on the home front.
Is Censorship of Classroom Material Truly Necessary?
By Ian Cohen
Many argue that education
is meant to enrich the minds of
tomorrow while challenging
the established beliefs of the
day. If this is true, then it is our
job, teachers and students alike,
to ask ourselves an important
question:how do we define the
word “inappropriate” in the
classroom? What should students
and teachers be allowed to
discuss and talk about freely in an
educational environment?
This issue came into question at
the onset of the year, while Junior
English Classes were studying
One Flew over the Cuckoo’s
Nest, by Ken Kesey. In the class,
we made various comparisons
between the novel and the film
High Expectations at Poly for President Barack Obama
by Roger Gutierrez
On November 4, 2008 Senator
Barack Obama became the
President-Elect of the United
States of America. Although
he is the first black President
that the American people have
elected, what is more important
is the change that Barack Obama
repeatedly promised Americans
throughout his campaign. Barack
Obama has been speaking about
hope and change throughout his
campaign and judging from the
results of the last election the
majority of the American people
believe he will bring this change.
Many have been moved by his
promise to the American people
and the reactions of Poly students
reflect this.
Students were asked, “What
do you want from your new
president?” The majority of the
answers had to do with the change
On November 4, Election Day,
Poly students showed their passion
for this monumental moment
in history, sporting blue shirts in
support of Obama and red shirts
in support of McCain. While such
zeal from the youth of America is
promising, many of us, both Democrats
and Republicans, were so
entrenched in the passion of partisanship
that we went too far, often
making personal attacks, and
insulting each other, instead of
discussing the issues. To an unknowing
witness, it would have
seemed like Poly Democrats and
Fight Club. I asked if we could
watch the movie in class; after all,
we had found obvious connections
between the two. My English
teacher and dean, Nikolin Eyrich,
denied watching the movie on the
grounds of inappropriate content.
We could instead watch particular,
“appropriate,” scenes of the film.
The argument is understandable,
but in the end, it does not address
the larger issue at hand. How
can we simply disregard the full
showing of a movie because it
contains vulgarities or content
that makes us uncomfortable?
Fight Club contains sex, violence,
vulgar language, and disparaging
views of God and religion, most
of which Cuckoo’s Nest also
contains. Students read novels
that contain graphic content all
that was promised. Junior Remy
Friedman, a McCain supporter,
said, “As an American, I would
like Obama to steer the country
in a positive direction. However,
disagreeing with many of his
policies, I am skeptical that he
will be able to do so, especially
when he has failed to illustrate
to me how or what he plans to
‘change’ in this great country.”
Even though this may seem
obvious because he is a McCain
supporter, the same sentiments
are shared by Obama supporters.
Junior Milana Baker, an Obama
supporter, said, “I want him
to actually come through with
everything he’s promised so far,
not just because I want a better
nation, but also so that he can
prove all the pundits wrong.”
Their skepticism doesn’t come
only from their disbelief in Obama
personally, but because they have
seen many candidates promise a
Republicans were almost from
two separate nations, divided by
a difference in ideology as sharp
as the contrasting colors of their
shirts.
We implore students in the
Poly community not to lose their
passion for politics but simply to
be tolerant of the opinions of others.
Many students are not pleased
with the results of this year’s election,
but in this trying time for our
nation we need to come together,
not tear apart. An example of the
reconciliation between parties
that America needs occurred this
CENSORED: Fight club, and other potentially educational, although controversial materials, have been
deemed inappropriate to be taught in some classes at Poly.
Photo courtesy of timeinc.net
the time, and though I wouldn’t
argue against the reading of such
novels, I don’t see why we must
disregard films that contain the
same or, in fact, less graphic
content.
Of course, watching Fight Club
is not beyond the importance of
studying actual literature, though
the situation does seem to bring
up real issues. For instance,
what exactly is keeping us from
watching the rest of the film?
Why shouldn’t we study this
innappropriate content?
English teacher Nick Soodik
said, “I think as a culture we
tend to avoid topics that make us
uncomfortable and raise questions
without certain answers; topics
with genuine moral questions...
In principle, it is a responsibility
lot of thing while they are running
and then seemingly forget their
promises while in office. They
leave their followers hanging as
soon as they themselves get what
they want. But what the American
people need now is not someone
who promises a lot of things in
hopes of getting more votes.
Now that the United States
has a new President, what the
American people need, as Junior
Dylan Wong puts it, is “strong
leadership in a time when we are
faced with economic struggles,
two wars, and such.” We are
facing some very uncertain times
and the United States needs
a President who can lead this
country through these crises and
any others that may be hiding
around the corner.
The new President has convinced
many Americans that what they
need is change and he has given
many people hope for the future
week when the Senate Democrats
decided not to remove Senator
Joe Lieberman from his post of
chairman of the homeland security
committee for his involvement
in Senator McCain’s campaign.
Supporters of Obama need to
stretch out an empathetic hand to
former McCain supporters by not
mockingly rubbing in the Democratic
victory, and Republicans
need to come to terms with our
new president-elect and accept
that Obama will undoubtedly
make some mistakes. We urge
Poly students to set an example
to address those topics that make
culture uncomfortable. If a film
helps us understand those topics,
in principle, I’m not against
bringing it into the classroom.”
Fight Club contains various
scenes of adult content. Is that
really such a problem to us that we
cannot view it in an educational
environment? It may seem
ridiculous to ask this question
but can any student honestly say
that watching this movie would
make them uncomfortable?
Whether they admit it or not,
teenagers hear and view explicit
content all the time. They are
surrounded by violence everyday
on television and in music, and
most times in situations with
absolutely no socially redeeming
value whatsoever. Fight Club, at
the time, had much relevance to
the topic at hand and has many
socially redeeming values. Not
to mention, there is always an
explained reason for the violence
as well as only mild nudity.
Junior Dean Robert Falotico
said, “I think certain things
(religious/cultural background)
should be respected. Is it really
appropriate for a school to dictate
what is appropriate to teach a
student?”
In most cases, I would
agree with Mr. Falotico. If a
majority of students felt that the
content of a novel or movie was
uncomfortable then it is obvious
that it should not be forcibly
taught. However, this is almost
never the case in the average
American classroom. In fact,
of the United States. Barack
Obama has gained the trust of the
majority of Americans and has
been elected by them to lead the
nation. What the United Stated
needs now is not a motivational
for Americans, by having patience.
While we may show our
disappointment if not everything
immediately goes according to
plan, let’s show some faith in our
government.
After all, we can wear red
shirts and blue shirts, but the truth
is that we are all on the same
team; we are all Americans. We
are all purple; although some of
us are more of a reddish purple
and some of a bluish tone, at the
end of the day we remain united:
one purple nation.
I’m sure most teenagers would
enjoy learning and discussing
more delicate and controversial
topics. It is not dissimilar to a pig
dissection in a biology class.
For decades, the animal
dissection has been a rite of
passage in biology classes.
However, not everyone has the
stomach to cut open and examine
a fetal pig, and in the end those
students have their right to leave
the classroom.
Of course, it is true that Mr. Cox’s
film class studies very graphic
films, and many of the books
we read in class have graphic
content. In fact, Ms. Eyrich
actually has a senior elective
which studies Fight Club. Such
activities are testament to Poly’s
progressive nature; however, such
studies shouldn’t only be given to
seniors.
It is important that we explore
uncomfortable topics and further
push the boundaries of what can
be shown and studied in schools,
in order to fully maximize the
learning experience. As books
were once (and, in fact, still are)
widely censored in schools, films
can be the next step in pushing
these boundaries. Appropriateness
is not necessarily an idea that can
be defined. It changes for every
generation and every culture.
Years ago, many of the books that
we are reading would probably
not have been allowed in schools.
I would like to see a day when
students studying One Flew Over
the Cuckoo’s Nest can watch and
study Fight Club in class.
YES WE CAN: Students continue to show support and have very
high expectations for President-Elect Obama. Photo by Levi Jones
speaker but a strong leader. It is
now time for the American people
to wait and see if he will fulfill
his promises and lead the United
States out of these crises.

PAGE 4 FEATURES AND TRENDS THE POLYGON
Early Decision/Application Pressure Students to Commit
by Willa Kendrick
As November rolls around, so does the first round of college deadlines for high school seniors. Applying
to college is an ongoing anxiety for students, beginning in their junior year when they meet with their
college advisors for the first time. From then on, students are overwhelmed with SAT work, college visits,
and interviews. Come November, seniors begin to send out their first applications.
Many colleges offer either early decision or early action options that many take advantage of. This year
a majority of seniors, approximately 70% of the senior class, went Eary Action or Early Decision. But why
are so many students determined to apply early when a majority of students across the country don’t decide
where they are going until April?
One main reason students apply ED is to get into “reach” schools. As senior Eve Boyce said, “Lots of
people feel pressured to apply early decision because they aren’t sure if they can get in if they apply regular
[decision].” For students applying to schools that are considered to be “beyond their reach,” it becomes
almost essential to apply early.
Applying early puts students into a smaller pool of applicants and shows their desire and dedication to
be in that particular school. Senior Lily Paulson comments on the pressure she felt to apply early decision,
“I feel like I’m missing whatever it is that makes someone a unique applicant, so going ED and being in a
smaller pool of applicants makes me feel like its easier for me to stand out. I’m also afraid that if I were to
apply regular decision, the admissions people would be considering me among people who didn’t get into
Brown or Columbia early decision.”
On top of making an applicant look more appealing, applying early offers a great amount of relief to students. “ED is really appealing to seniors because it cleaves off all the
pressures of second semester, if you get in, which can allow kids to sit back and enjoy the rest of their high school experience,” said senior Danny Lempert.
But for some students applying early doesn’t act as a relief but as an added pressure. “I feel like everyone around me is applying EA or ED,” said Senior Jeni Fahy. “The fact that
all my friends have already sent in applications, or have even gotten into school has really stressed me out. I feel like I need to be applying now also.”
Although the pressure to apply ED or EA can sometimes result in premature decisions, for most students early applications are great opportunities to show their desire to go to
their first choice school. As Senior Chris Cooper said, “I’m applying early decision because I found a school I really love.”
Facts & Tips for Stress
“There are a lot tests on the same days and juniors have to worry about SATs
and the beginning of the application process, and it’s honestly very distressing”
said Junior Charley Melamed.
Susan Beiles helps students make the decsion to apply early.
Photo by Levi Jones
“There are a lot of deadlines and
sometimes I spend too much
time on college application
rather than school work and vice
versa. I don’t get enough sleep
some nights,” said senior Louisa
Gummer.
“The worst thing about this year so
far has been the workload. I have a lot
more work this year than last year. “
said Freshman Natalie Del Rossi.
“The stress just really gets to me
sometimes, no matter how I try to
deal with it,” said Sophomore Kristine
Aberenica.
Students in every grade at Poly have their own reasons for being
stressed out. Junior Dean Nikolin Eyrich offers her advice to that evergrowing
group.
- Eat three healthy meals a day
- Keep hydrated
- Get 8 hours of sleep if you can
- Get energy out in some way
- Carve out a piece of time (even five
minutes) to just stop work and relax
for a moment. “I’d go insane if I
didn’t take five minutes to
- Talk to friends and parents. Both
are going through and have gone
through what you are experiencing.
- Don’t bottle up your emotions
- See the outside world and experience
the fresh air sometime
Michael Onah feels the pressure mount.
December 2008
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
Photo by Ben Kochman
7 8
Squash Club Bake
Sale in Commons
during Lunch
1 2
Football Dinner,
6:00 PM
9
Exam Review Day
3
* US Holiday Chapel
Auditions, 3 PM
* Crosscountry
Team Dinner 6:00 -
8:30 PM
10
Exam Review Day
4
MS/US Winter Arts
Festival 6:00 PM
Reception
11
No Classes-- Proffessional
Day
12
US Midterm Exams
Begin
5 6
13
14 15
US Midterm Exams
21 22
Winter Recess
16
US Midterm Exams
Winter Recess
23
17
US Midterm Exams
Winter Recess
25
18
US Midterm Exams
Winter Recess
26
19
US Midterm Exams
* MS/US Holiday
Chapel , 11:00
27
Winter Recess
Winter Recess
20
28
29 30
Winter Recess
Winter Recess
31

PAGE 5 FEATURES AND TRENDS / NEWS THE POLYGON
Class of the Month: Game Design Garners Student Attention
by Peter Daya
There is a new elective available at Poly this year called Game Design which has replaced the older Java
Programming course from past years. The curriculum has been changed a lot in the past year; projects have
gone from designing a bank account program and solving factorials with recursion to programming games
(including one project which looked very similar to Super Mario). The teacher, Tim Isganitis, said that “the
course was created to increase interest in programming in the Poly community… We learn much of the same
concepts as we did in previous years.”
Students find the course to be challenging. Junior Zach Marciano said “This class has taught me how to
think outside of my everyday life and go into a life of computers and their language… This course is the one
course that I get frustrated in because I put a lot of work into writing a code and trying to execute it, but then
an error will come up. After the error I am continuously trying to find out what is wrong and it just ends up
that I spelt the word walk or spelt the word width wrong. Everything works in the long run it is just takes
some mind power.” This course requires the student to think logically but at the same time be attentive to
what they write. From my experiences in the Java Programming class last year, having the correct idea is
only part of the job. The other time is spent reading through your code and fixing mistakes, like Marciano
said. These mistakes come in the form of slight misspellings, wrong capitalizations in letters, and other
small errors The great thing about courses like this is that students learn to think logically and be attentive
with their work. Marciano also mentioned that despite the work that is involved with programming, saying
“the course is fun and since the course only consists of 6 students we have become really close and helped
each other out when it comes to problems like the one above.” He strongly recommends underclassmen to
sign up for this course.
Leather Jackets Take the School By Storm
As winter is approaching and it gets colder, leather jackets are
being brought down from closets and dusted off. They appear
in the halls of Poly almost every fall. Some people, however,
consider these jackets a faded pastime.
“I think for guys, they are bad because guys in
leather usually don’t mix very well,” said Junior
Corey Greenblatt.
“I think very few people can pull them off,” said
Sophomore Abby Feiner.
“They are warm and go with a lot of stuff. Mine is
really small because I got it three years ago, but I
still want a new one,” said Senior Jeni Fahy.
“I think they are really cool. I have one and I really
like it,”said Junior Lauren Fafalak.
Seniors Alexandra Zurek and Jared Hedglin pose in
their trendy leather jackets. Photos Courtesy of Rivky
Mondal.
Game Design project takes over the screen. Picture by Steph Ellman
by Emily Hochman
Student’s Pro-Obama Speech
Draws Both Praise and Criticism
continued from front page
Barry Gibbs Explains
Faulty Incarceration
continued from front page
President Obama was elected, I
also felt like I belonged.”
Others gave him credit for expressing
his innermost feelings in
front of the entire Upper School.
“It was an impressive speech. He
certainly doesn’t shy away from
being controversial,” said junior
the burden on his shoulders. He
is very grateful for the Innocence
Project and the work that they do.
He considers them “real men”
for the hard responsibilities they
take.
Gibbs warns us that if it is possible
for himself, a “regular guy”,
to get unjustly accused by the system,
it can happen to any of us.
He warns us to be wise to the reality
of the criminal justice system.
While luckily Gibbs was rightfully
exonerated, there are likely
many other innocent convicts
out there, many of whom the Innocence
project is trying to help.
Even after Gibbs’s case has gone
public, there remain legal systems
in the U.S. that still need to be reformed.
New York, for example,
is in need of more adequate forensic
lab systems. In order for
the Innocence Project to prove innocence
of convicted people they
need to use DNA evidence, but in
New York the facilities are often
in too poor of a condition to preserve
such evidence.
“Dallas has well maintained
labs, and has used DNA evidence
to prove over forty cases in the
state. In New York, the process
we use to preserve this evidence
is scary. The cases and the environment
it is in is often very dirty
and dilapidated. It’s sometimes
not available, it is almost absurd,”
said Michael Bass, a history
teacher at Poly. Bass arranged for
Gibbs to visit Poly after meeting
him last year during a trip to the
Innocence Project’s offices for his
American Law students.
As for Gibbs, he lives a peaceful
life now. When asked about
what he wants to do for the rest of
his life, he replied, “I wish to own
a boat one day and just fish.”
Jason Griffiths.
Nevertheless, there was considereable
negative response as well.
Some said they felt that it wasn’t
fair that an Obama supporter had
the opportunity to speak while a
McCain supporter did not. There
were also negative responses towards
the content of the speech.
Some were upset with Wynter-
Stoner’s blatant declaration of his
dislike of America. One appalled
audience member was senior
Kathryn Lhota, a staunch Republican
party supporter. “How can a
president make you ashamed in
America?” she said. “I think he
used the wrong words. Maybe he
meant to say, ‘I’m not happy with
the choices being made.’”
Some people found Wynter-
Stoner’s comments more partisan
than patriotic. “It’s not America
Wynter-Stoner has pride in, it’s
his party,” said senior Vergil Parson.
Whether they shared Wynter-
Stoner’s views or were offended
by his points, most students commended
him for speaking his
mind. Many students would agree
that it takes courage to step up the
podium, and Wynter-Stoner undoubtedly
spoke with eloquence
and passion.
Robert J. Sicurelli,
A.B.D.D.S.
hamptonsmile.com
154 Ave T
Brooklyn, NY 11223
718-373-5600
157 Wickapogue Rd.
Southampton, NY 11968
631-287-4300

PAGE 6 PEOPLE THE POLYGON
Guitar Ensemble: A New Band for Aspiring Guitarists
Shreddin’ with Mr. B: Mr. Benvegna teaches freshman Silvana Kreines an insanely difficult chord at
Guitar Ensemble.
Photo by Kyle Wynter-Stoner
by Ryan Kupchik
Although the security and
maintenance staff has always
held strong relationships with
students at Poly, this year, one
security guard has especially
been the subject of a great amount
of interest. Known primarily as
“Sammy,” Samuel Morales is a
new security guard at Poly who is
known for his incredibly amiable
and friendly character.
“I’ve worked here since the
beginning of September. It’s
nice,” said Morales. “From
Monday through Friday, I come
to the front booth and watch the
campus to see if everything is
okay. I mostly watch the front
gates. On Saturdays, though, I
watch the back parking lot and set
up the alarms inside the building
at night.”
“He’s been a great addition
to the security department,” said
Director of Security Vincent
Rutuelo. He does his job very
Glass Half Full
by Kristine Abrenica
Many Poly students are engaged
in improving the world
around them by taking part in
numerous community service
projects we participate, both on
and off campus. From our annual
breast cancer awareness day to
the adoption of Lily Langbein, a
girl by the varsity girls’ lacrosse
team, Poly students never hesitate
to help out with a worthy cause.
On Sunday, November 16th, Andrea
Tocci and several other Poly
students chose to run. By running
well and he’s a great team player.
He seems to get along very well
with the students and they are
really getting to know him well.”
“Sammy’s great and everyone
loves him,” said Sophomore
Jimmy Barry. “He’s always happy
and he’s always smiling.”
“The first time I met Sammy, he
came up to me, shook my hand, and
said, ‘Hey, I’m the new security
guard, Sammy. What’s your
name?’” said Junior J.J. Franco.
“Now every time I see him I stop
and say hi or have a conversation
with him.” Morales
acknowledges and
appreciates the
kindness of
the student
the 5K on Sunday in Shore Road
Park, Senior Andrea and others
helped reshape the lives of young
students in Monte Plata, Dominican
Republic.
This year, while doing community
service, Andrea met Mrs. Alice
Pearce, the Vice President of
Share USA. Andrea was invited
into the children of Monte Plata’s
world through the pictures they
had taken with disposable cameras.
After seeing the pictures,
she was instantly inspired to help
those children by any means possible.
Share USA is a non-profit organization
established in June of
2000. Their sole purpose is to
assist people in our community
in need of medical and financial
aid that lack the sufficient resources
available for them. In
2005, Share USA broadened its
horizons and extended its borders
to help the children of the town
of Monte Plata in the Dominican
Republic. The Eva M. Russel
Senior An-
School in Monte Plata accommodates
185 students in grades K
through 8th. In addition, Share
USA funds the Casa Monte Plaza
Orphanage which currently consists
of two houses of 10 children
(each) and house parents to watch
and take care of the children. In
Monte Plata, their goal is to provide
the best education possible
for these children and to be able
to house forty more orphans.
Andrea Tocci, a senior at Poly
is a member of the Cross Country
Team, a health intern, as well as a
Blue Key member. Her love for
running immediately influenced
her to organize a race. Together
with Tri & Run For You Life, a
sports store on 3rd Avenue in
Bay Ridge, Andrea managed to
arrange a 5K challenge in Shore
Road Park.
Imagine wanting to go to school
yet not having enough money to
go. Imagine living without parents,
having nowhere to go, nothing
to eat and no one to turn to.
by Silvana Kreines
Poly Prep prides itself on a strong
and varied music department
which includes Concert Band,
Jazz Band, String Ensemble
and its newest addition – Guitar
Ensemble, started by Christopher
Benvegna, Poly’s Director of
Bands. The Ensemble meets
every Monday from 3:30 – 4:30.
“I started the Guitar Ensemble
because I wanted to give kids a
chance to perform. The Ensemble
is a group open to anyone in the
upper school who has a couple
years of guitar experience, ”
said Mr. Benvegna, a.k.a, who
has been playing the guitar for
thirty years and has been a part of
various guitar bands himself.
He explained that there are
many guitarists at Poly who have
expressed interest in playing for
Jazz Band. However, since there
are only two spots for guitarists
Running for a cause. Andrea Tocci, left, is a well known three-
in Jazz Band, and they are both
currently filled, he decided to start
the Guitar Ensemble as an outlet
for those musicians to perform.
Sophomore Ben Piegari agrees.
“I like Guitar Ensemble,” said
Ben, “since the guitar is not an
instrument in concert band and
I like to play the guitar, it is
cool to be able to play it in the
Ensemble.”
Guitar Ensemble will be
performing everything from
classical rock to classical music.
“Right now we are working
on Saber Dance and Two Part
Inventions by Bach. The Two
Part Inventions are going to be
preformed in duets,” said Mr. B.
The makeup of the guitar ensemble
will be all string instruments such
as the guitar, bass, and even the
ukulele, but not classical string
instruments, which will be part of
the String Ensemble.
A New Security Guard Becomes Popular with Students
community.
“I speak to everybody,” said
Morales. “I mostly see kids in
the cafeteria, the locker room,
and the fitness center. Sometimes
I ask them what sports they play
or what their hobbies are andthey
tell me.”
Although Sammy has become
well known to many Poly students,
he has the most connection to
those on sports teams because
he enjoys their company while
lifting weights and exercising in
the fitness center.
“Usually, I come in the morning
at around eleven o’clock and
go to the weight room to work
out,” said Morales. “Many
students like to work
out with me.
We have
a good
time.
During the weekend, when I work
in the back entrance, I see many
players when they have games.”
Morales has a lot of experience
in body building; it has been a
passion of his for a long time.
“I started lifting weights when
I was 13 years old,” said Morales.
“I was also in the navy for two
years. They really got me in
shape.”
But weight-training is not
Morales’ only passion.
“I like superheroes,” said
Morales. “My favorite is
Superman. He’s amazing. I also
like The Incredible Hulk, Thor,
and lots of others. I have lots
of collections of superheroes:
movies, clothing, comics, and
models. I especially like watching
the movies. The Superman movies
are the best.”
Sammy has captured the
attention of many Poly students
with his gracious character and
warm smile. In return, he has
embraced the Poly community as
his own.
Andrea Tocci Runs Charity Race for Dominican School
season runner.
For the children of Monte Plata,
this nightmare is a reality. So,
on November 16th, helped make
a difference. We are living in a
new era of change and social obligation.
As Barrack Obama said
in his victory speech, “let us summon
a new spirit, of responsibil-
Photo by Derrick Van Dyck
ity, where each of us resolves to
pitch in.” Poly answered his call
with “YES WE CAN!” Poly’s
participation in the race meant
new school supplies, text books,
higher salaries for the teachers at
the Dominican school, and even
meals for the students.

PAGE 7 ARTS THE POLYGON
Poly’s Very Own Modest Prodigy Rolling Cameras on
Campus Create a Stir
Poised and ready to play: Kimmy Chin’s fingers fly across the keys.
by Victoria Edel
The Chapel is quiet but filled
with people; a lone girl lifts the
top of the piano and sits down on
the bench. Taking a deep breath,
she starts to play. For the next few
minutes the crowd is captivated
by the outstanding music that
soars and sweeps throughout the
room. When it finally finishes, the
audience’s silence is broken by a
standing ovation.
This moment was the scene
of last year’s Spring Concert
when current Sophomore Kimberly
Chin, commonly known as
Kimmy, awed the crowd when
she played the Third Movement
of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata
on the piano. In fact, Chin
was so modest that she sat back
down before realizing that the
entire crowd was on its feet. “It
was really touching how humble
she was,” said Senior Efe Kabba,
who was amazed by her performance,
“but the truth is that she
by Dylan Wong
Many Poly students may know
Nicholas Armstrong as the jovial
faculty member who enthusiastically
leads the entire upper
school in singing Christmas carols
during Holiday Chapel. On
the other hand, students may also
know him as the teacher of various
classes such as Introduction
to Western Culture and History
of Music. If not, one may know
him as the conductor of the Upper
School Musicals, and the head of
the Poly string ensemble.
Despite the many positions
Armstrong holds at Poly, one of
Armstrong’s most cherished commitments
outside of school is his
role as the artistic director of The
Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra.
This community organization has
been based in Brooklyn Heights
for thirty-five years, but for the
last thirteen years, it has been under
the leadership of Armstrong.
Over the years, the Orchestra has
grown to around eighty musicians
ranging from ages fourteen
to eighty.
As artistic director, Armstrong
is responsible for the majority
of what the Orchestra produces,
is a beast.”
Chin’s “beastly” playing ability
is the result of ten years of hard
work. She now builds her skill by
taking lessons outside of school
every Saturday. She said, “That
piece that I played at the Spring
Concert last year was the most
difficult piece, technically, that
I had ever played. But I’m now
working on a different, longer
piece.” She has, however, run into
a bit of trouble with this new endeavor.
She said, “It’s proving a
challenge to read and memorize.
I’m not the best at note reading.”
Although Chin plays mostly
classical music, she prefers to
improvise “just for fun.” One can
often find her seated at the piano
in the Music Room, Chapel, Student
Center, or at the strangely
misplaced piano in room 124.
However, Chin still finds herself
battling stage fright. “I’m usually
really nervous about performing,
but once I’m there at the piano, it
doesn’t matter anymore.”
from choosing the music, to guiding
the individual players, and
most importantly, conducting the
group.
Throughout the school year,
Armstrong dedicates his Monday
nights to organizing the rehearsals
for the Brooklyn Symphony
Orchestra. After every seven rehearsals,
he then showcases the
pieces he prepares in a Sunday
concert.
One might wonder why Armstrong
dedicates so much of his
time to both Poly and The Brooklyn
Symphony Orchestra, but
when he describes his profession,
it is clear that he has a strong
passion for what he does. When
asked about why he chooses to
teach and promote music, Armstrong
replied, “I really believe
that music is a spiritual experience
and it is nourishing for the
soul.”
Not only does Armstrong have
passion for music, but he also provides
others with the same care
and enthusiasm. Concert Master
of The Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra
Kelly Howard remarked,
“Nick Armstrong is such a great
musician and such a great person.
He cares so much about bringing
Photo by Rivky Mondal
Junior Paige Anderson, who
also saw Chin’s performance, was
surprised to hear about Chin’s
nerves. She said, “I thought she
was fantastic. It was a really moving
performance and she seemed
so calm, I wouldn’t have thought
she was nervous at all.” Perhaps
Chin’s skill of rising above her
nerves, once at the piano, speaks
to her skill as a performer in general.
Despite Chin’s impressive talent,
she does not merely concentrate
on this one facet of her life.
She is also a member of one of
Mr. Waites’ Advanced Drawing
Studio classes and is greatly respected
by her peers. “Not only is
Kimmy a piano prodigy, but she
is an amazingly nice person,” said
Junior Jacob Willner.
Chin hopes to continue playing
after high school, maybe just for
fun or perhaps as a career. Right
now, however, she is satisfied
with challenging herself with the
wonder of making music.
Armstrong Conducts Orchestra
music into peoples lives.”
In addition to the growth of
The Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra,
Armstrong has also contributed
to local music by helping
create The Brooklyn Symphony
Youth Orchestra. This branch of
the larger orchestra aims to create
a venue for young musicians in
Brooklyn, because in the eyes of
Armstrong “there aren’t enough
places to go to if you aren’t in a
public school orchestra.” In addition,
thanks to the efforts of Armstrong,
the Youth Orchestra has its
rehearsals in the newly renovated
Poly Prep Lower School in Park
Slope. Overtime, hopefully this
will bring inspiration for lower
school students to play a string
instrument.
The adults of the Brooklyn
Symphony Orchestra will have a
concert at the Richard Perry Theater
on Sunday, March 8th at 3:00
p.m. In fact, one of the performers
is junior Saida Makhmudzade,
who will play the flute. Additionally,
after the Brooklyn Symphony
Orchestra performs, the youth
orchestra will make its concert
debut. It will certainly be a varied
event worth seeing.
by Greg Dorris
Ms. Chandhok’s friend is
here…and he’s bringing cameras.
Bryan Goluboff, an old friend of
Ms. Chandkoh, is shooting scenes
for his movie The Gonzo Files
on the Poly campus. Goluboff is
a screenwriter who also teaches
dramatic writing at the Tisch Film
School at NYU. Goluboff has
worked on projects like the 1995
movie The Basketball Diaries and
the Emmy award winning show
In Treatment. His latest project,
The Gonzo Files, is partially being
filmed at Poly with Poly students
filling some of the roles.
Many Poly students are excited
about the prospect of being in the
movie. Many are even willing to
go to great lengths to leave a lasting
impression.
“I walked into the audition
room, popped my shirt off and
said, ‘It’s ok, I’m 18,’” said senior
Andrew Shapiro. “There’s
no way I won’t get a part. It was
amazing.”
The movie tells a story that
is based on Goluboff’s own high
school experience. The following
was taken from a short synopsis
of the movie provided by Goluboff.
“When EDDIE “GONZO”
GILMAN, 17, is humiliated and
kicked off the school newspaper
by the editor, golden boy scholar/
athlete GAVIN RILEY, Gonzo
is determined to get revenge. He
gathers together a motley crew
of the school’s most abused and
unfortunate misfits and starts his
own underground newspaper.
Their mission: To destroy Gavin
Riley and everything he stands
for. The paper winds up turning
the school upside down and Gonzo
gets more power than he can
handle. Ultimately, he turns into
the kind of monster he swore to
defeat and must go to outrageous,
The Film is Rolling!
humiliating lengths to redeem
himself...”
The title character is based on
Goluboff, who created an underground
newspaper in his own high
school in an attempt to take down
the editor of the school’s main paper.
Coincidentally, Poly has its
own underground newspaper, the
often provocative, Devil’s Advocate.
But why shoot at Poly?
In an interview conducted over
the phone, he said, “Poly doesn’t
feel like it’s in Brooklyn. It could
easily be an upscale prep school
in Westchester or New England.
That’s what we were going for.”
Students will have opportunities
to audition for roles as extras
or characters with small speaking
parts. Goluboff, however, didn’t
rule out the possibility of a Poly
student landing a larger role.
“With high school movies, you
never know. We may really like a
kid after the auditions and we’ll
send him to [the casting agency
in] New York to do a more formal
audition. That’s how new talent
gets discovered.”
Only a few scenes will be shot
at the school with Poly students
as extras during the course of the
year. The real shooting begins in
early June, and will be a 21-24
day process done in a different
New York location.
The movie’s release date is a
bit less certain. “We hope to get
it out in time for Sundance and
then we’ll get on the festival circuit.
From there, we’ll hope to
get picked up by a larger studio
and then it will be released to the
mainstream.”
Goluboff did promise one final
perk for Poly students though.
“We’re going to have an advanced
cast and crew screening at Poly
when the movie is done,” he said,
“Hopefully, the whole school can
come and see it before anyone
else gets to.”
Cartoon by Alison Dillulio

DEVIL SPORTS
Official Sports Page of the Poly Prep Blue Devils
PAGE 8 SPORTS THE POLYGON
Back To Back!
Poly Prep Varsity Boys Soccer Repeats as State Champions
by Ben Kochman
The final whistle had sounded,
and the members of the team
screamed in jubilation. Fans
poured onto the field, and the
players piled on top of each other,
slapping high-fives and exchanging
grins. The score read Poly
Prep 1, Horace Mann 0. The
Poly Prep Varsity Soccer team
had achieved its goal. They had
repeated as NYSAISAA champions,
an impressive feat for a team
that struggled just a few years
ago.
“At the start of the season I
thought that we had no chance,
seeing the way Collegiate and
Horace Mann were playing,” said
junior goalie Richie Carbone. The
team started off shakily, at one
point losing back to back games
to Collegiate and Horace Mann.
They struggled with injuries to
key players such as senior striker
Alex Arifi, the team’s biggest
goal scorer with 25 goals, and
had trouble forming continuity
with a new lineup featuring many
players thrust into new positions
of responsibility. Against the rest
of the league, Poly remained unbeaten,
but the team knew that to
repeat their championship season
the road would run through their
perennial nemesis Collegiate and
their arch-rival Horace Mann.
After the two consecutive losses,
the team was discouraged. But
by David McIntyre
Basketball
The Poly Boys’ and Girls’ Varsity
basketball teams are off and running
again, with renewed hopes
for championship seasons. Seniors
Alex Goldfarb, Steven Lazarro
and sophomore Bradley Gifford
are expected to lead the way for
the boys, while the girls will go
on a quest for a repeat championship
with seniors Stephanie Caso
and Nicole Vanchieri.
Important upcoming games:
Boys 12/10 vs. Columbia Prep,
Girls 12/09 vs. S.I.A.
Squash
The Squash team, lead by Coach
Mohammed Ali, is looking for
another impressive year. Senior
captains Nick Sorentino and Laura
Wacker will lead the boys and
girls teams, respectively, into the
National Championships, looking
for a competitve performance
against some of the best teams in
the nation..
Important upcoming matches:
Boys 12/10 vs. Delbarton
Girls 12/03 vs. Hackley
then things turned around. Senior
Captains Jared Hedglin, Alex Arifi,
and Peter Dutko called an extra
“Captain’s” practice, where according
to Hedglin “we decided
to get our act together.” A more
Poly Sports in Brief
Swimming
With the girls team coming off
a championship season in the
last year of Coach Ed Ruck, new
Head Coach Thatcher Woodley
will look to continue both the
boys’ and girls’ swim team’s run
of competiveness with the leadership
of seniors Sean Verdi and
Christiana Thermos.
Important upcoming meets:
Both Teams 12/03 Ivy Relays
Both Teams 12/05 vs. Riverdale
Track and Field
After a fantasic fall season and
another Ivy League championship,
Head Coach Matt Miller will
lead the track team in another
new season when many new
athletes from fall sports join the
team. However, the stallwarts of
the team, Seniors Graham Shorr,
Derrick Vandyke, and Andrea
Tocci, along with junior sensation
Julia McMahon, will look to lead
the team to more of the same
recent impressive success.
Write for Devil Sports!
Contact Junior David
McIntyre for details
tangible turning point for the season
came at Homecoming, when
the team defeated Collegiate 2-1.
“Beating Collegiate at homecoming
was key,” said Varsity Soccer
coach Gerald Stone. “We realized
NFL Delinquent Adam Jones Is
A Bad Influence on Poly Athletes
by Richie Carbone
Dallas Cowboys cornerback
Adam “Pac-Man” Jones is the
poster child for serious issues facing
the NFL and other professional
sports. Since he was arrested
and charged with assault and felony
vandalism after a nightclub
altercation in 2005, he has gotten
into altercations with the law seven
times and been arrested four of
those times.
His most recent encounter was
on October 8th when he punched
one of his own bodyguards in the
face, a bodyguard who was assigned
to by him by the Dallas
Cowboys to make sure he did not
get in trouble. The NFL has only
suspended him four games for
this last episode. What message
is this short punishment sending
young athletes?
“If NFL players don’t take their
jobs seriously, it sends an impression
to high school and college
players that the rules don’t matter,”
said junior quarterback De-
Photo by Anthony Carbone
that we could beat a top team.”
The team entered the NY-
SAISAA tournament seeded #3,
behind Collegiate and #1 seed
Horace Mann. In the quarterfinals
they took down #6 seed
Packer, and defeated Collegiate
in the semis. The stage was now
set; it was a repeat of last year’s
finals, and Poly hoped to repeat
the past.
The final took place on Sunday,
November 9, at Baker Field at
Columbia University. Poly scored
early on a goal by Arifi from an
assist by Hedglin. The team spent
the rest of the game dropping
back in defense, and was able to
fight off the Horace Mann attack
and hold on to become back-toback
champions.
Coach Stone attributes the
team’s success to a combination
of talented senior leaders
and young newcomers. “Everyone
played their very best. They
made soccer their priority for a
week, and showed good spirit and
chemistry,” he said.
Although the team will miss
the graduating seniors, the future
remains bright for Poly Varsity
Soccer. There is a strong junior
core led by Brady Williams, Jason
Griffiths, Andrew Silverman,
and goalie Richie Carbone.
Also sophomore Michael Doar,
who played every minute of every
game this season, and his younger
brother, freshman sensation
Andrew Doar, will be back next
year. “We lose some guys, but
we’ll still be good next year,” said
Coach Stone.
vante Wheeler, “It just looks terrible.”
Many believe that Jones should
have been kicked out of the
league a long time ago. NFL
Commissioner Roger Goodell
has considered putting in a “three
strike” rule regarding off-field altercations
with the law but nothing
of that type has been put into
use yet.
“If you’re a professional athlete
you shouldn’t put yourself in that
type of situation, it is a privilege
to play in the NFL,” said senior
lineman Gary Fiore, “If lack of
punishment continues, more high
school and college players will
get in the same type of trouble.”
In fact, the rate of arrests of
NCAA football players has quadrupled
since the year 2000. If
the NFL doesn’t take a stand now,
what message does this give rising
high school players?
Jones’ return to the Cowboys is
questionable. Goodell is waiting
until after the Cowboys’ November
16th game versus the Washington
Redskins to determine
Jones’ future in the NFL. According
to Goodell’s prior statements,
a permanent ban from the league
for Jones is not out of the question.
“He teaches young players the
wrong idea about what it means
to be a pro athlete,” said Varsity
Football Coach Luman Bauta,
“He has had enough chances to
prove himself.”
If the NFL did have a policy in
which the punishment resulted in
expulsion from the league, the offense
would most likely be monumental.
Roger Goodell is known
to be a hard-nosed commissioner,
so it is possible that it could happen
soon. Many believe once
harsher rules are enforced in professional
sports, younger players
will stop getting in trouble
as well. As time moves forward,
athletes like “Pac-Man” Jones
will have to shape up their acts
and stay away from trouble.