Making The Goal Michael Solomon - Benjamin N. Cardozo High ...

Cardozo Sports

Making The Goal

The beginning of the season was going smoothly, but the team just couldn’t seem to win down the stretch. For the first time in 19 years, Cardozo’s chances of making the playoffs were questionable. Team chemistry was lacking as certain players didn’t pass the ball or execute plays. “We have to work on discipline,” Co-captain Seth Rothbaum said. “Only a few individuals came to play.” With two games remaining, the Photo by Michael Solomon

Before the 2011 season kicked off, playoff hopes were high, and realistic, for Cardozo’s soccer team. Last year’s bittersweet 1-0 loss to Beacon High School in the playoffs, left them determined to prove themselves this season. “We will give it all,” Coach Richard Parascos said. “Cardozo has an identity; we believe in sacrifice.” So far, the team’s motivation to win has been evident, but not strong enough, going into the last few games of the season.

C

oach’s all

Michael Solomon Sports Editor

Judges were in third place with Forest Hills hot on their tails. The last two games of the season were crucial, as they had to win at least one of the two games to make the playoffs. “Playoffs mean everything; there is no I in team,” said goalkeeper Alexandros Taliotis. There was no happy outcome after the first of the last two crucial games, as they lost 3-2 to Bayside. “We got more focused and came together,” said Co-captain Alan Tyminski. They played to win against Forest Hills and did so convincingly; Cardozo beat Forest Hills 4-0 and clinched a playoff berth. “We knew we were blowing this season, but we were bound to play like this,” said Parascos. Cardozo’s first soccer playoff game will be on Friday, October 25th. Further details on the playoff schedule will be on psal.org.

Arash Saedi Staff Writer

the verdict October 2011

Volume 44 Issue 2

To inform, enlighten, and entertain. Cardozo HS 57-00 223rd Street Bayside, NY 11364

Pamela Goldberg -Girls Golf “Our team is currently 6-1. We have a chance to take the championship. We have a great team.”

John Tsolekas -Bowling

“We should have a successful season. We have great players who get better with every game.”

Alan Tyminski takes control of the ball.

Volleyball Fundraiser Photo by Gabrielle Prusak

Gabrielle Prusak Features Editor

On Saturday, October 15th, girls varsity volleyball held a Breast Cancer Awareness tournament. The girls wore pink uniforms to show their support for breast cancer awareness. In total, they raised $140. “Next year we will put up more signs and give out sheets for people to donate. Most of the donations [collected] this year started towards the end of the day,” said Coach Daniel Scarola.

8 THE VERDICT

Christopher Milani -Wrestling

“We are working hard this year. We will get as far as our work ethic can take us.”

Karen Roginski -Fencing

Adriana Braciak spikes it up.

“This year we have a hardworking group of boys. We are undefeated and plan on staying that way for the whole season.

October 2011

Halloween Happenings at Cardozo 3 Zombies the New Vampire 5 Soccer Team Making the Goal 7 Photo by Sharon Pak

Halloween Carnival: Carnival; Halloween

erdict Staff VVerdict Staff

AnikaChowdhury Chowdhury Anika StaffWriter Writer Staff

A Fun-Filled Fun-Filled Tradition Tradition Continues Continues A Why can't skeletons go trick-or-treating? They decided to charge two dollars per child and it was

S.O. Speaks Speaks Out Out S.O.

decided to charge two dollars per child and it was a great idea because considering money's tight all a great idea because considering money's tight all around, it really helped the S.O. out. Overall, it was around, it really helped the S.O. out. Overall, it was a great night, the kids had a lot of fun, and I know I a great night, the kids had a lot of fun, and I know I had a great time working it as well.” had a great time working it as well.” “This is my first time coming here, and it’s awesome! “This is my first time coming here, and it’s awesome! I got so scared in the haunted house, the costume paI got so scared in the haunted house, the costume parade was so much fun ,the food was yummy, and I rade was so much fun ,the food was yummy, and I can’t wait to come back again next year!” said a very can’t wait to come back again next year!” said a very enthusiastic seven-year old, Daniel Ramirez. enthusiastic seven-year old, Daniel Ramirez. The organizations that helped run the event were The organizations that helped run the event were Key Club, Red Cross, and the S.O. Leadership class. Key Club, Red Cross, and the S.O. Leadership class.

It’s a bird, it’s a plane. No, it’s Maria Iskaros. It’s a bird, it’s a plane. No, it’s Maria Is-

Raj Maheshwari S.O. Vice President And the theStudent Student Organization kicks off with a blast! And Organization kicks off with a blast! The The club club fair, fair, attended by hundreds of eager students waiting to sign up attended by hundreds of eager students waiting to sign up for commufor community service, religious, ethnic, and athletic clubs was a nity service, religious, ethnic, and athletic clubs was a HUGE success. HUGE success. Cardozo is now filled with over 50 clubs holding Cardozo is now filled withkeeping over 50 our clubsschool holdinginmeetings meetings every week, motion every after week, school keeping our school in motion after school hours every day. The club fair hours every day. The club fair was followed by our school wide was followed by our school Awareness. wide supportTeachers of Anti-Bullying support of Anti-Bullying showedAwareness. support by Teachers support by wearingbypurple ribbonsand provided by leaderwearing showed purple ribbons provided leadership students filled the halls with the color show Next in line was Cardozo’s ship and students filledpurple the hallstowith thetheir colorcare. purple to show their care. Next in first annual line Halloween dance. This dance was dance. floodedThis with Cardozo students funny/scary, was Cardozo’s first annual Halloween dance was flooded withwith Cardozo students yet creative, costumes & was definitely a huge success! with funny/scary, yet creative, costumes & was definitely a huge success! Upcomingthis this week have Foreign Food Night! Bring parents and siblings Upcoming week wewe have ourour Foreign Food Night! Bring youryour parents and siblings Parent Parent Teacher Conference night to support all of our clubs by trying their delicious Teacher Conference night to support all of our clubs by trying their delicious ethnic homeethnic homemade food! The day after that is our Halloween carnival for all the little made The day that is ouryou Halloween for all the little onesthe out28th there!forSoa ones food! out there! Soafter bring along youngercarnival brothers/sisters Friday bring brothers/sisters thelots 28thoffor a night filled with spirit excitement, nightalong filledyou withyounger excitement, horror & Friday lots and candy! Our school day & horror & lots lots of be candy! Ourplace school spirit November day & fall pep and 10th will be taking So place fall pep rallyand and will taking Friday 4thrally during period. for Friday 4th during 10th9th period. for those who endoutstanding school beforeteams 9th areput invited those November who end school before are So invited to see our on a foroutstanding us. Last but not put least haveforour game Sunday toshow see our teams on we a show us.homecoming Last but not least we the havefollowing our homecoming (November 6th) atSunday noon out on the field. youfield. all there! game the following (November 6th) atHope noon to outsee on the Hope to see you all there! As your yourVice VicePresident Presidentofofthe the Student Organization I want to help YOU, a Cardozo As Student Organization I want to help YOU, as a as Cardozo stustudent, enjoy your academic life as well as your social life HERE at school. Most dent, enjoy your academic life as well as your social life HERE at school. Most students come students come to school expecting to do nothing but study, study and study. Why not to school expecting to do nothing but study, study and study. Why not enjoy your time spent enjoy your time spent while you’re at it? After all, you spend a majority of your day while you’reit’s at it? After all, youthat spend a majority of your dayCardozo in school; it’satime to utilize that in school; time to utilize time the correct way isn’t vegetable salad, time the correct way Cardozo isn’t a vegetable salad, but more of the world’s best vegetable but more of the world’s best vegetable soup; a place where people from all ethnic soup; a place where fromasallone, ethnic together as one, to learn, share backgrounds comepeople together to backgrounds learn, sharecome and grow. and grow. We learn together, make mistakes together, help our community together, and at the end of thetogether, day, wemake are one GIGANTIC family. And, our job, as Cardozo’s We learn mistakes together, help our community together, and atLeadership, the end of is to make your next four years not only to make them yourisbest four the day, we are one GIGANTIC family. And,productive, our job, as but Cardozo’s Leadership, to make years yet. your next four years not only productive, but to make them your best four years yet.

22

THEVERDICT VERDICT THE

SijinChoi Choi Sijin News Editor News Editor

GabrielleGabrielle Prusak Prusak Gabrielle PrusakPrusak Gabrielle Features Editor Features Editor Features Editor Editor Features SashaHulse Hulse Sasha Entertainment Editor Entertainment Editor

Photo ichael Solomon PhotobybyMM ichael Solomon

Why can't skeletons go trick-or-treating? They have no-body to go with. Unless, of course they have no-body to go with. Unless, of course they showed up on October 29th, Cardozo’s 7th annual showed up on October 29th, Cardozo’s 7th annual Halloween Carnival, one of the most anticipated Halloween Carnival, one of the most anticipated events of the school year. events of the school year. Kids from local elementary schools, as well as Kids from local elementary schools, as well as siblings and children of Cardozo members came siblings and children of Cardozo members came to the carnival eager to receive candy, play excitto the carnival eager to receive candy, play exciting games, and get a good scare. ing games, and get a good scare. Traditionally, the haunted house would take Traditionally, the haunted house would take place in the cafeteria, games would be in the first place in the cafeteria, games would be in the first floor classrooms, and the bake sales in the teachfloor classrooms, and the bake sales in the teachers’ cafeteria. However, the S.O. Board decided ers’ cafeteria. However, the S.O. Board decided to change it up this year. Each club had assigned to change it up this year. Each club had assigned classrooms and tables in the cafeteria, moving the classrooms and tables in the cafeteria, moving the haunted house to the auditorium, that had to have haunted house to the auditorium, that had to have “halloween-tastic” themed games like the fortune “halloween-tastic” themed games like the fortune teller, scare-man, mummy race, etc. teller, scare-man, mummy race, etc. A big hit was the addition of a costume parade, A big hit was the addition of a costume parade, which took place in the cafeteria. All other events which took place in the cafeteria. All other events were put on hold for half an hour as the children were put on hold for half an hour as the children marched around, with music blasting, and smiles marched around, with music blasting, and smiles on their faces, brightening the entire room. S.O. on their faces, brightening the entire room. S.O. secretary Maria Iskaros, who attended the event secretary Maria Iskaros, who attended the event in her visionary superman outfit, was an active in her visionary superman outfit, was an active leader. She led a bunch of cute little kiddies leader. She led a bunch of cute little kiddies around the first floor as they got to show off their around the first floor as they got to show off their costumes for everybody and strut their stuff. costumes for everybody and strut their stuff. “The carnival was free [in the past,] but we “The carnival was free [in the past,] but we

SijinChoi Choi Sijin ChiefEditor Editor Chief

MichaelSolomon Solomon Michael SportsEditor Editor Sports HeatheViernes Viernes Heathe LayoutEditor Editor Layout OdemarisGarcia Garcia Odemaris Opinions Editor Opinions Editor NicoleJavorsky Javorsky Nicole Opinions Editor Opinions Editor RomilRubio Rubio Romil BusinessEditor Editor Business Christine Ishanyan Christine Ishanyan OnlineEditor Editor Online taff Writers SStaff Writers

Kiana BeyAnika Chowdhury Crystal Reid CharlotteMM Anika Chowdhury axorran Resetar Mahreen Kagzi Anna Sackel Max Resetar Hamael Kiani Nada SNayed ada Sayed Charlotte Morran Nadine Sayed Nadine Sayed Sasha Persaud

Anna Sackel The verdictHisamael also available online Kiani -GoogleSamie Cardozo V erdict Ullah The verdict is also available online -G oogle Cardozo erdict 1st Place ASPA AVward 2006-2011

EditorialPolicy Policy Editorial

The goal of The Verdict is to provide a The goal of The Verdict is to provide a medium through which the students of medium through which the students of Benjamin N. Cardozo High School can Benjamin N. Cardozo High School can express and accurately inform themexpress and accurately inform themselves regarding the issues surrounding selves regarding the issues surrounding them. We encourage our readership to them. We encourage our readership to use The Verdict as a forum for thoughts use The Verdict as a forum for thoughts and ideas. Readers are welcome to suband ideas. Readers are welcome to submit any letters concerning our content mit any letters concerning our content or other matters to The Verdict’s mailor other matters to The Verdict’s mailbox in Room 109 or e-mail us at box in Room 109 or e-mail us at [email protected]. [email protected].

OCTOBER2011 2011 OCTOBER

Halloween Happening @Dozo Gabrielle Prusak Features Editor

This year’s Halloween dance can be described in one word: successful. The dance took place in the lunchroom from 7 to 10p.m. on Friday, October 21st. According to COSA (Coordinator of Student Activities) Beth Kierez, over 200 students attended. Cardozo had not had a Halloween dance in recent years making the S.O. unsure about how many would attend. “The first day we sold tickets, we only sold two. It wasn’t until word of mouth [spread] that people started buying tickets,” said senior Meghan Dinegar. The leadership students bought decorations such as spider webs and skeletons to transform the cafeteria, giving it a Halloween theme. Everyone was dancing in one big group with student DJs playing hit songs that kept the crowd jumping. “The best part was choosing a costume to wear,” said senior Stephanie Uwadiae. For senior Shakhan Volmar it was, “Seeing everyone in their costumes.” “The dance was actually better than I expected. I enjoyed my time with my friends,” said senior Jeanette Santigo.

Photos by Julio Trujillo

Haunted Tours

at

Fort Totten

Odemaris Garcia Opinions Editor

4

Janice Melnick

Paranormal Activity 3

by

As high school students we’re getting a bit too old for trick or treating. It’s time for something new! The Haunted Lantern Tour, run by the park rangers at Fort Totten, is a fun, spooky mixture of history and Halloween. The park rangers take groups of about 20 people at a time through the Water Battery at the fort. The rangers walk you through the “ghost” filled battery telling stories based on true events that took place in the park in the early 1900’s. There have been rumors about the fort and its paranormal activity. “We have had people come to the park and check for paranormal activity…nothing was documented,” Janice Melnick, Northeast Queens Park Administrator, clarified. Although no ghostly activities were documented, during the tour, “things will go bump in the night.” Unfortunately the Saturday night tours were cancelled due to the weather but Friday night was a big hit! They had over 500 people show up for a tour despite the cold. The last tour ended just around 9 o’clock and all the Rangers said people had a great time. People had come back from years before to take the tour and said this was by far

Photo Submitted

Anna Sackel Staff Writer

the best year! A variety of people attended the tour, from senior citizens to 4 year olds. Overall it was a great night and we can’t wait for next year!

Someone is always watching over you, or in this case, some thing. “Paranormal Activity 3” is one of the few prequels that is actually worth watching. Even if you haven’t seen number one or two, I highly recommend watching the third movie because it will, without a doubt, meet your expectations of a remarkable movie. In this film, the producers decided to backtrack and tell the story of Katie and Kristi as children; portraying their first encounter with the paranormal presence that later defines and terrorizes their adult lives. The storyline is designed to have some subliminal comedy which helps ease the fear. With an 80’s feel to the film, the video tapes are much more realistic and will make you wonder if it is a real documentary. The movie starts off with Katie and Kristi’s mom making a sex tape with her boyfriend. However, they are interrupted when an earthquake occurs, yet the tape is still recording. This begins the discovery of the paranormal activity that takes place in the household. Kristi, who’s the youngest sister, has an “imaginary” friend named Toby. What they don’t know is that Toby is not an imaginary character, let alone a friend. All throughout the movie you witness the horrors of Toby and his effect on this family. Out of all the Paranormal Activity movies, the third one is by far the best. I would rate this film with 4 out of 5 stars. It has a mix of genres which include comedy, action, suspense, and horror. By the end of the film, you’ll be wondering if there’s a Toby wondering around in your house.

Paranormal vs. Religion Spirituality and Spirits Have you ever taken one of those long hot showers, when you feel a sudden chill go down your spine, and you think someone or something just might be watching you? Ever pulled back the shower curtain with your hair still lathered in shampoo, just to make sure you're completely alone in that little bathroom of yours? Sure, maybe you're just paranoid. Or, maybe you have a reason to be afraid. With Halloween right around the corner, talk of ghosts, ghouls, evil spirits, and other things of that nature is common. While the idea of the boogieman hiding under your bed or a monster living in your closet, may be what we expect in harmless ghost stories, belief in the "supernatural" does exist in the world today. Different faiths play a key role in keeping such beliefs alive. Popular religions such as Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and Hinduism all include such beliefs in their teachings. According to Hafiz M. Ahmed of the Islamic Center of Long Island, "Muslims must believe in the existence of angels and jinns; they are mentioned in our holy book, the Quran." In Arabian and Muslim mythology, jinns are defined as being intelligent spirits of lower rank than the angels. They are also known as genies or evil

ZOMBIES

the

demons in the Western world. When asked about the existence of ghosts, Mr. Ahmed stated, "In Islam, it is said that once a person dies, their soul has completely left their body and the Earth. Therefore most Muslims do not believe that a ghost or a spirit of apparition, which has gotten stuck between this world and the next, can exist." Ms. Sommer, the faculty advisor of Cardozo Hebrew Club, said "We don't celebrate Halloween because it is related to saints (in its history) and Jewish people do not believe in saints." She added, "We don't believe in ghosts either." While different faiths have their own opinion on "ghosts" and spirits, the belief in ghosts often contradicts the biblical accounts of the after life. The idea of the dead coming back to life to haunt us is untrue from the Christian perspective. Nancy Rodriguez, an administrator at the colonial church in Bayside states, "There is no belief in ghosts or spirits from Christian point of view, the only spirit to exist is the holy spirit, God." If someone were to claim to witness a ghost, or feel a spirit, Christians would often argue that is a demonic act and it is the devil playing games with their thoughts. “The belief is that one spirit is reborn into different life forms for 9.8 million births, before it can transcend into another human birth. Spirits who are not liberated from the death of their human form are believed to float around as they look for a means of being liberated,” said on senior who practices Hinduism.

New Vampires

ZOMBIECON OCTOBER 2011

Nada Sayed Staff Writer

Hamael Kiana Staff Writer

Charlotte Moran Staff Writer

BRAIIIIIIIIIIINS! On October 15th, NYC’s Third ZombieCon took place all over the island of Manhattan. The day of the undead walk began at The Slaughtered Lamb restaurant, in the village, where zombies got into character and feasted. This all day-all night event went from the financial district up to times square and helped protesters ‘occupy wall street’. Although people came and left throughout the whole day, the turn out was fantastic! There were roughly 100 zombies at The Slaughtered Lamb, and as we went, we recruted some humans shortly before they were turned into zombies. As the day progressed, more and more zombies joined us in protesting, and eating brains! Next year, in October, there’ll be another ZombieCon in NYC, in an all new location, with more zombies and more fun! I had a lot of fun, and I recommend any gore lover to attend next years ZombieCon!

REVIEW - THE WALKING DEAD

Charlotte Moran Staff Writer

Last year on Halloween, the first episode of ‘The Walking Dead’ pilot season premiered on AMC. After six episodes, one year, and much praise from reputable reviewers, the second season premiered of the gory zombie show premiered. On October 16th 2011, the zombie television show returned with a thrilling 90 minute season premiere. As a pretty big zombie fan, I believe that the television show is very exciting, realistic, and addictive. Every Sunday, on AMC at 9pm a new episode from the season airs.

jury box Compiled By Crystal Reid & Kiana Bey

What is your favorite scary movie?

“Insidious”- I liked the movie because it had a lot of things that other horrors seemed to be missing and it seemed really realistic for the most part. -Takeiah Burke

“The Exorcist”- I liked it because it was based on a true story, so it made me scared because I thought it was going to happen -Midhun Kuruvilla Senior

“Paranormal Activity 2”- The entire movie had a lot of suspense and the story line was phenommenal. Quentin Lester Sophomore “I Know What You Did Last Summer”- I liked it because it wasn’t even that scary. Christy Ye Senior “Piranha”- It was hilarious to me how dumb the people were and how they died -Elvir Hajdari Freshman

5