Lately, schools have been wondering whether or not they should give a PSAT to their students. The PSAT is a practice test for an SAT to try and aid students to do better on the real SAT. The purpose for the SAT itself is for students to show colleges their academic strengths and skills, to try to see if the college will accept them or not based on their scores. However, more and more colleges are becoming test optional so students do not have to submit their scores. But, if the student scored well, it may put them ahead of others who do not submit their scores. Ultimately, the PSAT is something that will only aid students into doing well on the SAT and prepare them for further tests in college or in daily life. 

For all the students who are preparing to go to college, a PSAT is a way that can bring the high cost of college down. If students can score highly on the PSAT and equally as high or even better on the SAT, this can help earn students scholarships and even grants for college. There is so much money that colleges can give to students, and likely getting that money off of tuition costs will be very hard for people, so a way to set them apart is the PSAT. Financial aid is a huge consideration for many students choosing colleges; any way students can get money off they will, so this is a key for setting students apart from others. Other than just financial aid, the PSATwill help students judge in what range they are going to score on the SAT. This helps students gauge what they need to work on more so they can get a better grade on the real test. With a better grade, chances are, a student will be accepted into more highly competitive colleges (if that is what they want). Students also will have more sharpened skills for the SAT since they have seen something close to it before. They will know what they need to study and what they need to really focus on. 

However, it is believed since more schools are test optional, does the SAT really matter? People think that they should not even worry about the SAT since they are not forced to take it anymore. But, even if one takes it, it will still give them experience on what a testing environment could look like in college. This will only aid students in the long run for better success. Even if a student scores poorly, they will still be more prepared for what future tests could look like and how to prepare for them. Others believe that the cost of a PSAT is high and it is not worth it for students anymore. They think their money could be put to better use elsewhere. If a school is really trying to help students learn, why would they get rid of something that is going to help students? A PSAT is something that can really prepare students for the future, so getting rid of it for cost purposes is not the best option if they are using it more to help students. The real way to help students is giving them the chance to do the PSAT so students can at least know where they stand. Overall, the PSAT is something that can be really beneficial for students if they just had the chance to take it. 

The PSAT and SAT are two tests that really challenge students on their demonstration of knowledge and academic skills. They are something that really can make a person think. The PSAT itself can either make a student want to take the SAT or not want to at all. Either way, it is something that can give students clarity about and preparation for their futures. Maybe students are better prepared to take tests in college, or maybe students have more financial aid opportunities brought to them. Ultimately, the PSAT is something that can only help students for their future, so why not give them the opportunity to take it?

Amsterdam had a fantastic season of fall sports, but now it is time to get ready for winter sports! Our girls and boys basketball programs both have young, talented players ready to win! The majority of both girls and boys basketball teams consist of sophomores and juniors. 

In November, many scrimmages have taken place so far. Looking forward to the regular season, the girls and boys basketball teams have some wonderful opportunities to showcase their skills at tournaments with many college coaches in attendance. 

Wrestling is back, and their team is looking forward to another great season with weekly competitions in store. The wrestling team deserves props for the discipline they have to put into their sport, both on the mat and at home.

As many have heard, indoor track is back too! The track team will be competing at Union College for most of their meets, but it is also going to some special invitationals this season around New York State. The most exciting news to share is that the swim team is a winter sport offered once again! After being taken away due to Covid protocols and funding, many people are intrigued to get back into swimming or even switch it up by trying something new.

On Saturday November 18, 2023 the annual Polar Plunge took place on Lake George. Mrs. Verrigni asked Amsterdam High School to have a team for the third year in a row to participate in the Polar Plunge. Many students and faculty took on the task. The Amsterdam team was able to raise over 15,000 dollars for the Special Olympics! This was the most Amsterdam has ever raised for the event, and even was the number one school overall. The water was nice and freezing cold, but it was a great day for all who attended.

The JV girls volleyball team is all about working together and supporting each other. All of these girls (Andrea Ramos, Leila Brooks, Brooke Jones, Sandra Hanson, Skyler Jhonson, Jaslee Cage, Adelena Countermine,and Teagan Healy) have formed a great volleyball team with a total of 6 wins, which is awesome if you ask me. Sandra tells her classmates, “You can’t win unless you learn to lose,” before every game, and encourages them to remember that whether they win or lose, her team should still be proud that they've tried. 

 The JV volleyball team's favorite memories include when they got ice cream together and when they sang on the bus after games. They all supported each other like sisters, and made very strong friendships as they played together. According to this team, volleyball is about having fun and supporting your teammates. As I interviewed the JV team, they all said the captain, Jaslee Cage, was the most supportive player on the team. That concludes the JV girl awesome volleyball team.

The Amsterdam Marching Rams consist of the Marching Band, Color Guard, and Majorettes. In total, there are 120 students who are proud Rams! They all have their own directors who have helped them with everything they have learned. The two band directors are Cody Chamberlin and Ann Wilary, the color guard advisor is Kristina Savoie, and the majorette advisor is Christina Deluca. Finally, the Marching Rams couldn't be themselves without the drum majors: Lorelei Cramer and Matt Young. The Marching Rams have put on three shows and participated in four amazing parades so far this school year. They also cheered and played for the Amsterdam Little Giants. The marching season is over now but will return next season for new shows! 

Vaping has become a recurring issue within our youth population, and our community has drastically been negatively impacted by the usage of e-cigarettes, connotatively referred to as vapes. e-cigarettes entered the marketplace in 2007, and statistically, by 2011, there were an estimated 7 million vapes worldwide! This number continued to increase as evidenced by the 41 million vapors that were documented in late 2018. A large percentage of this population falls within the teenage demographic group. The majority of people who vape are between the ages of ten and thirty years old. Kids who vape typically begin to try vaping late in the fifth grade, and soon incorporate vaping into their daily routine during sixth or seventh grade. By the time they have reached high school, their casual usage has converted into an addiction in high school. After becoming addicted to nicotine, some teens may transition from vaping to the daily usage of cigarettes or even marijuana. However, the rest typically continue to use e-cigarettes due to their easy accessibility and lower cost compared to traditional cigarettes and marijuana.

The immediate and negative effects of vaping and smoking are endless, and often overlooked, especially by teenagers.  For example, the chemical incorporated within e-cigarettes is immensely harmful to the body’s internal organs and systems, and the brain’s development, memory, and concentration, and may lead to feelings of depression, and suicidal thoughts. This can be extremely damaging to all aspects of a student’s life, from their physical well-being to their mental health, as well as their educational development. 

Vaping also has negative consequences and effects on non-vaping teenagers. For example, many Amsterdam High School students take it upon themselves to occupy bathroom stalls just to vape with their peers. This affects students who are in actual need of using the toilet since oftentimes, no stalls are immediately available and students have to wait for long periods before actually being able to use the bathroom.  Additionally, students who have certain medical conditions, like asthma, are forced to share the bathroom space with vapers, thus exacerbating their conditions; to the degree to which vaping occurs in small clustered environments, like the bathroom stalls, it can certainly trigger an attack in asthmatic students or staff in the vicinity. Others vaping can also jeopardize the health of staff and teachers who are left to inhale the chemical toxins and reside. We as a school should come together and should strictly reinforce the rules against vaping. Staff and hall monitors should also take it upon themselves to periodically check the bathroom stalls to ensure the safety and security of school students who vape or are affected by vaping in school.

Jones, Kristen, and Gary A Salzman. “The Vaping Epidemic in Adolescents.” Missouri

Medicine, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2020,

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7023954/.

Recently, there have been major issues within the House of Representatives. The Speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy, finally elected speaker after 15 ballots in January of 2023, has been ousted by his own party. In an unprecedented move, McCarthy became the first ever Speaker of the House to be voted out of the position.  His ultra-right-wing conservative Republican counterparts basically forced him out of his position as punishment for working with the Democrats to keep the government open, instead of forcing a shutdown by refusing to compromise. Since then, the Republicans have struggled to elect a new Speaker of the House.  Steve Scalise, the first Post-McCarthy candidate to bid for the speakership, dropped out before it even went to a vote because he could not garner enough support.  Jim Jordan followed as a top contender for the Speaker position, but he continued to lose the election by a wider margin with each subsequent vote.  When put to a private vote, Jordan lost by even more.  Some of his Republican peers have complained that Jordan and his supporters have bullied and threatened them, other members of Congress, and their staffs and families. Representative Don Bacon, a Republican from Nebraska, told reporters that he and his wife have continued to receive threats and fear for their safety.  He dropped out after he lost by a wide margin in a private vote.  Shortly thereafter, 9 more republican representatives put in their bid for Speaker of the House, and eventually, Mike Johnson was elected.  He is best known for trying to overturn the 2020 election and his stringent Christian beliefs that have led him to oppose both gay rights and women’s reproductive rights.  Notably, he was also the only candidate supported on social media by Donald Trump. It is clear that many of the members of the House of Representatives are not acting in the best interest of our country and its citizens, but are doing whatever pleases them most, even when it clearly harms America.  By not listening to what the majority wants, everybody loses.

Unfortunately, these unsavory political moves are being adopted all over the country and in small-town politics, right down to Amsterdam High School.  From club presidents to secretaries, most club extracurriculars are guided by the motto "For the students, by the students." Yet, at Amsterdam High School, we're missing that sense of contribution. We seem to be fostering a culture that prioritizes acknowledging those who do the bare minimum yet are in power, over shining a spotlight on students who work tirelessly to bring about change. Instead of strengthening their club communities, those in leadership positions often focus on themselves. On the rare occasions, they decide to take action, it's often driven by pettiness and selfish motives, not unlike what is currently happening in US Congress. For instance, I witnessed a peer misuse their leadership role to unfairly punish others, shielded by their title from facing any consequences. How do you think everyone involved felt? Personally, I felt disrespected, considering my years of contributions to the organization. However, it was evident that my input and attempts to raise awareness about the issue were deemed irrelevant by those directly benefiting from my efforts. It seems that a more appropriate motto for clubs would be “for those who are corrupted by superiority complexes, by some students who don't even have a say on simple decisions.” 

We need to be the future of America, the leaders, the people who keep America strong by doing what is best for, and right by, all of its citizens, not just a select few in power.  We need to carefully watch what is currently happening in Congress, and avoid that fate at all costs in the future.  To do so, we need to start practicing now, on a small scale, while in high school.  Our clubs’ elected officials need to be the voice for ALL of the club members, not just a select few.

TikTok is a phenomenon that has overtaken Gen Z.  We love TikTok, we can watch videos for hours, and we feel like we personally connect with the influencers we follow.  Why has TikTok become such an important part of our lives?

As a member of both the Gen Z and the TikTok community, I think that TikTok has become incredibly popular with Gen Zs who are often looking for creative ways to express themselves online. While some of us use TikTok primarily for entertainment, others use TikTok to launch successful careers. 

TikTok can be a great platform that encourages people and improves self-esteem. When we watch TikTok, it lifts our spirits and brings us together with people we may otherwise have never been aware of.  Content creation is so powerful because short videos can be shared quickly, holding our attention and showing us that we are not alone in our interests and struggles. According to a survey conducted by TikTok of its users, globally, 64% of users say they can “be their true selves” on TikTok. Survey respondents described TikTok’s content as authentic and genuine.*

Unfortunately, TikTok can also negatively affect the way people think of themselves, and some people use TikTok to bully other people based on their appearance, especially body size. If someone is posting for validation, but instead of positive comments, they are criticized, the person may feel depressed.  It is important for teenagers, and everyone, to remember that TikTok is fun, but it is also not the real world. People can be whoever they want to be on the internet, behind filters and a keyboard, but they should not take it too seriously.

* https://www.searchenginejournal.com/why-is-tiktok-so-popular/424603/#close 

The Song of the Month for November is Dreamer by TOMORROW X TOGETHER. 

This Chill, R&B Soul song explores the theme of chasing dreams and finding one's true identity. The lyrics depict the struggles and doubts a person faces while pursuing their dreams. It’s certainly catchy but feels spacy and aloof throughout while still keeping a serious mood.

TOMORROW X TOGETHER, known as TXT, is a bright and youthful Korean-pop group formed by HYBE, a South Korean entertainment company founded by Bang Si Hyuk as Big Hit Entertainment in 2005. TXT consists of five members: Soobin, Yeonjun, Beomgyu, Taehyun, and Huening Kai. The group first debuted in 2019 with EP 'The Dream Chapter: Star,' which reached No. 140 on the Billboard 200 and became the fastest K-pop album to top the World Albums chart. On March 23, 2022, TXT became the first male K-pop artist to enter Billboard's Song Breaker Chart. They released their fourth EP, ‘Minisode 2: Thursday's Child’, and its lead single, ‘Good Boy Gone Bad’ on May 9, 2022. Pre-orders for this EP surpassed 810,000 copies six days after the announcement. Shortly after, the boys earned their first No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in 2023 with ‘The Name Chapter: Temptation’. The group is now known as the ‘4th Generation K-pop leaders’ for their stunning growth.

The album 'Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge' was released on June 8th of 2004 by American rock band My Chemical Romance. The album consists of 13 songs and is 39 minutes and 36 seconds long in total. It is a mix of a multitude of genres showing influences from genres like emo, pop-punk, alternative rock, post-hardcore, punk rock, and metal. It is a concept album, meaning each song follows a story that is told throughout the entirety of this album. Not only that, but this album is in a way a sequel to their first album “I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love” because it follows the same people in their first album. The album follows the story of the Demolition Lovers, who were separated by death, and it chronicles the story of the demolition man and the deal he had made with the devil in order to come back to life and be reunited with his lover. It follows him through his journey of completing the task necessary to bring himself back to life, the task being to bring the souls of one thousand evil men to the devil. 

The initial album was what started My Chemical Romance’s rise to fame until they ultimately released “The Black Parade,'' the album that officially hit high up on the charts and brought them into the mainstream. “Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge” is an amazing album and could’ve been chart-breaking at the time of its release. The album is beautifully composed with a story that is easy to pull apart, yet it is also still complex enough to keep you interested. The album is a masterpiece, yet it is still not their best work.

Music critics typically consider “The Black Parade” to be the band’s best album, but in my personal opinion, their best album would have to be  “I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love,” which is their first album, released in 2002. “Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge”  opens with “Helena,” a beautiful start to the album that is truly an attention catcher. Then they move on to “Give ‘Em Hell, Kid” which both raises the tempo and raises our volume as we listen to the second song on the album. Moving on to “To The End” which is a slight cool down from the second song, but still an amazing track that adds to the story with a critical sense of meaning. “To The End” is a revolutionary piece that will continue to be an amazing song no matter how many times it’s listened to. The fourth song on the album is “You Know What They Do To Guys Like Us In Prison,'' an attention-catching and interesting song with a great composition. The song was recorded with the lead singer of “The Used,” Bert McCracken, doing the backing vocals for the song.  The next song is “I’m Not Okay (I Promise)” which is the most popular song on the album; the music video exceeds 110 million views on YouTube. Then we move on to the sixth song “The Ghost Of You,”  which has an astonishingly beautiful composition and is a superb song. The seventh song is “The Jetset Life Is Gonna Kill You” which is a fundamental song and is yet again beautifully composed. Then the 8th song is the interlude. Although very short due to the fact it is an interlude, it is still an extraordinary song. The next song is “Thank You For The Venom,” yet again picking up the speed and giving the rest of the songs a run for their money; yet it is still an equal competition as all the songs are different and amazing in their own ways. The tenth song is “Hang ‘Em High” bringing the pace back down but keeping your anticipation high and your mind alert. The eleventh song,  “It’s Not a Fashion Statement, It’s a F*cking Deathwish,”  is a revolutionary piece with its contribution to the album,  both sound and story are enhanced as they continue to develop, yet never settle. The 12th song on the album is called “Cemetery Drive” which is getting closer to the wrap-up as we continue to advance through the album listening to each song with an open mind for the different sounds and genre influences found in the album. “Cemetery Drive” is yet another great song, well-written and exquisitely produced. As we move on to the last song on the album, “I Never Told You What I Do For A Living,” we are greeted by yet another amazing song, a song that finally sets out a complete ending for the album and does the job quite well. 

Overall, “Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge” is an amazing album that definitely deserves all the glory it receives. The band has terrific music, and if you listen to this album and enjoy it then I would recommend you listen to more of their music.

> THE CONTEXT

November marks the day when our democratic beliefs are exercised, Election Day, when local, state, federal, and the occasional presidential elections are held across the country. One of these elections was our own mayoral election, between incumbent Mayor Cinquanti and Republican Arbige. However, this is not about the candidates, their policies, or political affiliation. This is about an interesting statistic, according to The Recorder, a total of 2585 votes were cast during this election. When you compare this number to the approximate number of active voters, 9567, you are left with a 27% voter turnout. This is surprisingly low! That percentage drops to an astounding 18% if you factor in Amsterdam’s adult population who are eligible to register and vote. This raises an interesting question, should 27% of voters in Amsterdam decide the future of the rest of Amsterdam? And, is this truly representative of Amsterdam as a whole?

The United States is a representative democracy. However, this lack of political participation factors into a debate about voting and representation. If only a small portion of the population is being represented, can we honestly say that we live in a representative democracy? If so, how do we fix this?

> THE DEBATE

When you take into account this issue of representation, one idea may come to mind; and this is the focus of the debate: if adequate representation is the problem, why not force everyone to vote? This idea is called compulsory voting. But what exactly is it? What are the implications of it?

Around 20-30 countries around the world have enacted compulsory voting. One of which is Australia, which routinely has a 90% voter turnout per election. With compulsory voting, you can expect many benefits such as better representation in the results, since more people will vote. Furthermore, it can lead to decreased polarization as candidates would have to broaden their appeal to accommodate more moderate beliefs, rather than strictly appealing to their most radical supporters, who are most likely to vote. Moreover, people with lower incomes, minorities, and underrepresented groups, can also benefit from more participation in elections. Finally, compulsory voting can help bring more relevance to our democracy as well as widen access to polling stations and ballot boxes.

However, where compulsory voting comes into conflict are issues such as the infringement on our liberties. One of the founding principles of this country is the freedom of choice, so in turn, we should have a choice whether to vote or not. Compulsory voting can also come into conflict with certain beliefs and customs. Other issues arise such as what is called the ‘uninformed voter’ effect, in which the voter does not put much thought into who they vote for, causing them to be susceptible to flashy political ads rather than doing any actual research on the candidates or their views. Others may end up voting randomly, thereby reducing the benefits of compulsory voting in the first place. Lastly, compulsory voting may lead to criminalizing non-voters. Countries may issue fines and some even resort to posting names of non-voters.

> CONCLUSION

Compulsory voting has its pros and cons, providing benefits in one area while causing problems in another. Furthermore, simply enacting compulsory voting would fail to address the deeper issue at hand, why people choose not to vote in the first place. There could be many reasons why people choose to vote, lack of access, political apathy, protest, or maybe they fear being shamed for their political beliefs. The effects of compulsory voting can differ from country to country and can depend on factors such as society, culture, history, or mere circumstances. Either way, compulsory voting, if enacted, might prove to be only a temporary solution, and do more harm than good. Only if we solve the underlying issues at hand could we attempt compulsory voting in a truly beneficial way.

> SOURCES

https://theweek.com/law/pros-and-cons-of-compulsory-voting

https://fairvote.org/the_pros_and_cons_of_requiring_citizens_to_vote/

https://www.findlaw.com/voting/how-u-s--elections-work/the-compulsory-voting-debate.htm

https://www.dailygazette.com/the_recorder/news/election/2023-amsterdam-mayoral-election-results-cinquanti-wins-second-term/article_fa49e716-7deb-11ee-8412-cbcfa49ded2b.html