October 2022
October 2022 | Volume 28 Issue 1
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On September 8, 2022, the world gasped at the news. London Bridge was Down. Queen Elizabeth II had died. Not many were shocked by this, as Queen Elizabeth was the longest reigning monarch in modern history, ruling the British commonwealth for 70 years. As people processed her death, questions emerged about the countries that England colonized during her reign, ownership of the queen’s precious corgis, and the future of the monarchy.
In the spirit of Halloween, I want to highlight three of the worst horror movies I’ve ever seen. These poorly-rated movies are Slenderman (2018), Unfriended (2014), and Ax’ Em (1992).
Most kids born in this generation probably remember the similarly-titled game Slender: The Eight Pages, one of the most popular horror games of its time. The extreme popularity of this 2012 game inspired the production of the 2018 movie Slenderman.
By Zoë Reiss
We said goodbye to the Class of 2022 last spring and said hello to the new kindergarten class of 2035, but we’ve also welcomed many new administrators to Nyack Public Schools.
On June 30, 2021, Dr. James Montesano retired from his position as Nyack’s superintendent. The Board of Education hired Eudes Budai as his replacement. Mr. Budai helped demand action after racist incidents from Pearl River students and further prioritized Nyack’s goals of equity and anti-racism.
The fall Varsity season has gotten off to a fast start in Nyack! Each team has been competitive to begin the fall season, most notably both boys and girls soccer, as well as girls tennis, who recently came off dramatic wins this past week.Boys soccer has gotten off to one of their best starts in recent years, opening the season at 6-2.
As many Nyack residents know and love, Halloween in Nyack is as festive as can be. Picture this: you are walking through town with your Pumpkin Spice Latte, stepping on crunchy leaves, and looking for a store to enter. What gives Nyack its famous Halloween spirit? Courtesy of the Nyack Middle School and Nyack High School art programs, the windows on Main Street and Broadway are painted with spooky scenes of Halloween.
By Hailie Vasquez and Brooke Castaldo
As the blazing hot summer quickly transitions into the crisp and exciting autumn, the class of 2026 is also going through just as big a change: starting high school. This highly anticipated part of our academic lives has filled our heads and been the most popular topic of conversation for as long as we can remember, but now that the time is finally here, how does the freshman class of Nyack High School really feel?
The air is getting colder, the leaves are becoming warmer and our seasonal favorite foods are making a comeback into our daily fall lives. This means that Halloween is only a few short weeks away, and many students are getting into the spooky season. Although some people feel like trick-or-treating is for little kids, Nyack High School freshmen are planning some pretty cool Halloween costumes for this year.
By Ava Bach
Free and reduced school lunches have existed for years. However, these benefits are becoming far less accessible to students. Before lockdown due to COVID in March of 2020, if you needed free lunch at school you had to apply for it. Within this application, you had to provide all incomes within your household, information about other assistance programs you partook in, and, in some instances, your ethnicity. After the lockdown ended and kids went back to school, things changed.
By Michael Kim
Adapted from a family recipe.
The moon quartered is an apple slice.
Calm and cinnamon, the autumn fields.
At the behest of the morning star,
deign to rise
doe-like eyes
on your knife’s deft work.
New Coaches Bring Hope for a Promising Fall Sports Season
By Ezra Seckin
The return of fall sports has ushered in major changes. The departure of some varsity coaches left big and important shoes to be filled. Luckily, there is some promising new leadership for our sports teams, which will translate to further success for our athletic programs.
Of these sports teams, the boys' varsity soccer team, has experienced massive success due to the huge transition in coaching staff. To get further insight into the changes within the team, we interviewed the Captain of the team, Jackson Martinez.
Small Ways Students Can Help the Planet, According to APES Teacher Mrs. Kleinman
By Nina Petrou
Many students, including myself, feel small and helpless when it comes to the globally collaborative task of avoiding environmental catastrophe. Beloved A.P. Environmental Science teacher Mrs. Kleinman gives her two cents on how students can best cope with the enormity of this problem and still remain focused on making a difference. She strives for a progress not perfection model, meaning: “Live your life everyday doing something that brings us closer to us all doing the right thing. Each person and decision is cumulative. Sometimes just take a step back from the big global disaster viewpoint and just go towards all the things that you do in your life that make a positive impact."
By Quinn Dabney
Halloween is a favorite holiday for people of all ages, from elementary school kids going trick-or-treating to grandparents giving out candy. Regardless of age, Halloween is fun or all in different ways. Personally, I love grabbing a “few” peanut butter cups from the trick-or-treat basket and watching scary movies with my friends.
Humans of Nyack
Humans of Nyack
“I’m definitely having mixed emotions about this being my last year of high school. On one hand, I’m sad to leave all my memories and friends, but on the other hand, I’m looking forward to new experiences and places I’ll go. These past four years seemed to go by so quickly, especially with Covid and everything that’s been happening in the world. It’s hard to imagine that in less than a year, all my classmates I’ve been seeing every day since elementary school will be going off on separate paths. In my college search, many of the characteristics of schools I’m interested in reflect qualities of Nyack. I hope to find an accepting and diverse community, such as the one I’ve known my whole life. Something I know for sure is that Nyack will always be here for me to come home to.”
-Lyra Fontanilla, Senior
"My favorite family tradition is our annual family reunion where I get to see my family from all over the country/world. It’s amazing to see how much everyone has grown in only a year and it’s great to spend time with extended family that I don’t get to see on a daily basis."
-Eric Bullard, Senior
"The most important people in my life are my sisters because they are constants, and the most influential people I grew up with. My sisters have helped me get through all the good and bad stuff that has happened to me throughout my life. They are the only ones who truly understand me, and have never made me feel alone. Being around my sisters makes me feel normal and understood. They are my greatest support system and I would do anything for them and I know they would do anything for me." -Danyelle Salai, Freshman
"The most important people in my life are my parents. My dad is always pushing me to do things and my mom is always very positive and encouraging." -Andrew Burns, Senior
"My favorite family tradition has to be having mariachi at every family event. In Mexican culture, it represents growth, struggle, and happiness. This is close to my heart because it reminds me that no matter how long my family has gone without seeing each other, no matter what we are all going through, we are united in the moment through music." -Isabella Meyo, Senior
Nyack High School students benefit from a relatively lenient dress code. According to the Board of Education’s e-policy, “[Individual students and parents] have the right to determine how the student shall dress, providing that such attire is not destructive to school property, complies with requirements for health and safety, and does not interfere with the educational process.” While the Code of Conduct lists a few more specific requirements for appropriate attire, students generally have the freedom to dress however they feel comfortable.
The Spectrum Staff
Staff Advisors.....Robin Maslanek & Adele Metrakos
Editor-in-Chief.........................................Talia Reiss
Copy Editor..............................................Nina Petrou
Social Media Manager..............................Risen Wayne
Layout.................. Rose Gordon, Talia Reiss, Angelina Calbo, Allie Leen
Staff: Nathan DeVisser, Sidney Beckerich, Madison Milla, Nina Petrou, Angelina Calbo, Allie Leen, Ezra Seckin, Farrell Hudson, Ava Bach, Mayeli Parada, Kiki Martignoni, Quinn Dabney, Michael Kim, Zoë Reiss, Josie Rothman
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