Pilot's Log Fall 2020

The Disconnect

Virtual education is serving
its purpose but many

students are feeling more
removed than ever before.

[pilot’s log]
Hasbrouck Heights High School

Pilot’s Log Emily Condon 4
is committed to fair, accurate and Nick Valle 6
ethical reporting while embracing and
promoting the voice of the students. Katie Armonitis 10
It serves as a champion of First Editors in Chief
Amendment rights fostering public 14
discourse essential to democracy. The Markus Kulik 16
Pilot’s Log will not print any material Wyatt Bugge 26
that is obscene or libelous; or that News Editors 28
which substantially disrupts the school Victoria Vitelli 30
day, or invades the rights to privacy. Briana Mullins 32
The Pilot’s Log reserves the right to Feature Editors 34
refuse advertisements. Steven Antunez 36
Pilot’s Log Sports Editor
Hasbrouck Heights High School Amanda Boscarino
365 Boulevard, Alex Roseman
Hasbrouck Heights, N.J. 07604 Student Life Editor
Front Cover: Design by George Totonjie
Students are feeling more disconnected than Alexa Lafaso
ever as digital learning continues George Totonjie
Back Cover: Photo by Emily Condon; the Leeyana Marcelo
football team awaits the kickoff at the start of Sahara Serrano
the season. Annabella Rubiera
Courtney Neumuller

Designers
Emily Condon

Nick Valle
Kelsey Parodi
Amanda Boscarino
Lead Photographers
William Thorne

Adviser
Lora Geftic
Special Consultant

2 Pilot’s Log Hasbrouck Heights High School Fall 2014

Crisis in China [n] Fall 2020
A humanitarian crisis lacks coverage
[n]ews
Election 2020 [n] [c]enter
[f ]eature
Heights students voice their opinions [s]ports

BLM Boulevard [n] 3Fall 2014
The Black Lives Matter movement comes to Heights

Film Fest [n]
Two seniors organize the Teaneck Film Fest

The Disconnect [c]

An in-depth look at the impact of digital learning

Targeted Ads [f]
Cookies and how you’re being tracked online

TikTok Stars [f]
Four heights students make it big

Summer or Bummer [f]
How did COVID impact your summer?

Influencers [f]

The impact of influencer culture

New Coaches [s]
Heights welcomes two new coaches

HS Sports & COVID [s]

The new look of the Fall Sports Season

APlsiloot:’sOLopg iniHoasnbrou-ckPHaeigghtseHig2h4School

Crisis in China
Detention and supression of an ethnic minority

Markus Kulik, staff
Illustrations by: Sahara Serrano
Design by: Emily Condon

The mistreatment of a group of Further issue with these re-education crimes committed in Xinjiang to sanction
people in China known as the Uighur camps is that they forcibly coerce Muslims to China. While The European Union has made no
Muslims, most from the Xinjiang renounce their religion. The Uighurs are forced official coordinated moves, European officials
province is one of the biggest ongoing to drink alcohol, eat pork, and renounce their have however expressed disgust, fear, and a
humanitarian crises in the world - but many god (all of which being forbidden in Islam). If desire to sanction China.
are unaware of the situation. Though the exact they refuse to comply, then they are beaten, While the atrocities are occuring
events are somewhat unclear to everyone left to starve, and are subjected to various on the other side of the world, increased
except China and those inside the “Detention other punishments including torture on some awareness is slowy permeating in our
Camps”, it is at this point undeniable that accounts. This has been forced since 2017, and community.
such events and human rights violations are is slowly increasing in percentage of Uighurs “First I would have to thank Nour
occurring. and intensity of “re-education.” A website Dolah for mentioning this in class last year and
A Xinjiang defector by the name dedicated to raising awareness and helping bringing it to my attention. It's unfathomable
of Qelbinur Sidik in an interview recently the Uighurs, “www.saveuighur.org,” not only in this day and age that locking people up in
said, approximates the number of Uighurs in these camps is still happening and that more is not
“He would insist I dance for or with camps to 1-3 million, but estimates that every being done about it. The United States placed
him and sometimes he wanted me to sleep in 3 months, 130,000 Uighur Muslims die in sanctions on China in the summer but I’m not
his room. If my husband was not around, he these camps, this is excluding children - and sure how effective they are.” Catherine Cassidy,
would be excessively and revoltingly amorous, nearly all of this is happening in secret. The Hasbrouck Heights’ Modern U.S. History
but I managed to escape by subtly declining his only information that can truly be considered teacher, said.
advances.” reliable is that of estimated statistics, first hand In a recent pilot’s log student poll,
Sidik is referring to China’s “Pair up reports from defectors and family members, when asked if they were aware about the
and become family” state mandated program. and Chinese whistleblowers. events in China, 58.6% responded yes. When
This program deployed thousands of local In 2019, the New York Times released further asked if they were familiar with the
government workers to infiltrate Uighurs’ extensive leaks known as the “Xinjiang Papers” situation and actions in China, on a scale of 1-5,
families as spies and is set up to give the and “China Papers” the former being sourced
impression that it’s an innocent cultural from a Chinese government official, and the
exchange. The civil servants are there to latter being from various exiled Uighurs. 23
make sure that no actions that deviate from nations have accepted allegations of China’s
the prescribed lifestyle are taken, and if they abuse and did not support their policies, the
are, that they are reported to the government. U.S. being one of them. However, no country
This results in detention in the “re-education” has yet made any significant moves to stop
camps, which could spell death for the Uighur. China from the mass genocide and torture of
Their streets are already lined with cameras Uighurs.
and armed checkpoints, now the Uighurs can’t Malaysia is one of the first countries
even have freedom in their homes. to defy China, directly refusing to release 11
The Uighur people, an indigenous Uighurs and instead sending them to Turkey
group native to northwest China, have been in where they would be safe earlier this year in
the region for an estimated 6400 years, having August. The US has banned certain exports
their own khaganate in the 8th and 9th century of China, such as cotton, primarily due to
in China. They are a mix of Chinese and Turkish concerns over forced labor.
heritage primarily, and modern Uighurs speak Furthermore, New Jersey’s own
a Turkic dialect depending on their exact senator Bob Menendez, when asked in an
location. Their culture is heavily based on both email; has stated that he has taken multiple
of Chinese influences and Turkish culture, but actions to counter this human right’s issue.
the issue China has with the Uighurs is fear of Co-authoring the 2020 “Uyghur Human Rights
terrorism. China’s thinly veiled racism is based Policy Act” and on July 2nd, joining over 70
off of very few select events that have been members in sending a letter to our Secretary of
radicalized by their government. State and Secretary of the Treasury to present

n4ews 4
Fall 2020 // Pilot’s Log HHeiagshbtsrHouigchkScHheoiogl hts High School Fall 2014

pilot’s log // Hasbrouck

39.8% said they weren’t familiar at all, making 61%
up the bulk of the survey, and only 12.8% said
they were fully familiar. oiotnhfceHdcuUuerirSgiinnhhggatssiansathnuaundomoebntlaihgtnseaibtrtaiecorloiinaeuntvnoectstrrthiyesaipst
Senior Dana Dolah, from a Muslim
family was asked her stance about the events 41%
and what she wishes could be done.
“It’s disgusting. Forcing anyone to go cournfisaiHws oearciegcuhorftinstghesinthuCudhmeinanantistaraiarne
directly against their beliefs and force them
to do anything is horrendous. But under the 12%
basis that the Uighurs are terrorists is awful. I
understand China is the center of the world’s owsiftituthhaotthisoeenitshsaaurteeks“nivnoevwroylavfbeaodmuitlitahre”
trade, but something needs to be done.”
That is how most students at
Hasbrouck Height High School feel. In the same
poll, 60.7% of students answered yes when
asked if they thought the U.S. has an obligation
to step in during a crisis as such occurring in
other countries.As a country and human beings,
we must collectively work to prevent such crises
so that history may not repeat itself.
“We are sometimes stuck thinking
that horrible events like these could only have
happened in our past, in our history, but what
is happening in China today is a contemporary
event, one that more students, and more people,
need to be aware of,” Kailey MacDonald, history
teacher said.

Pilot’s Log Hasbrouck Heights High School “It’s disgusting. Forcing
anyone to go directly
against their beliefs
and force them to do
anything is horrendous.”

- Dana Dolah, senior

NEWS 55Fall 2019 // pilot’s log // Hasbrouck HeiFghatlsl H2i0g1h4School

to the

A LOOK AT

pollsTHE ELECTION
ELECTION 2020

n6ews 6 DESIGN BY:
PILOTS LOG STAFF

Fall 2020 // Pilot’s Log HHeiagshbtsrHouigchkScHheoiogl hts High School Fall 2014

pilot’s log // Hasbrouck *POLL OF 429 HEIGHTS STUDENTS

WHAT WORDS WOULD YOU USE
TO DESCRIBE THE

CANDIDATES?

childish professional
immature unprofessional
unprofessional chaotic
relentless
confident heated
clowns old guys
unpresidential children
funny

WERE YOU AWARE OF THE DO YOU SHARE THE SAME
TWO MAJOR POLITICAL OPINIONS AS YOUR

CANDIDATES? PARENTS?

98% Yes 47% Yes

16% NoDID YOUR FAMILY REGULARLY

TALK ABOUT THE 36% Not sure

ELECTION?

59% Yes REGARDING THE ELECTION,
WERE YOU AND YOUR PEERS

DID YOU PARTICIPATE IN INTERESTED?
THOSE
80% Interested
DISCUSSIONS? to Very Interested

52% YesPilot’s Log Hasbrouck Heights High School 7Fall 2014

WHAT DO YOU THINK WERE
THE BIGGEST ISSUES IN THE

ELECTION?

COVID-19 the people running
economy BLM
racism the supreme court
power
climate social injustice
human rights employment
global health criminal justice
money political division
healthcare

IN REGARDS TO THE WHAT WORDS WOULD YOU USE
CANDIDATES, DID YOU DO TO DESCRIBE THE ELECTION
YOUR OWN
MOOD?
RESEARCH?
tense angry
57% No crazy tension
stressful irritating
HAVE YOU GOTTEN INTO AN painstaking
ARGUMENT WITH YOUR cintense childish
FRIENDS / PEERS ABOUT THE scary worried
weird mad
ELECTION? heated moody
angry dissapointing
50% Yes exciting dividing
concerning
DID YOU PARTICIPATE IN hectic 8Fall 2014
THOSE entertaining
boring
DISCUSSIONS? stupid

52% YesPilot’s Log Hasbrouck Heights High School

DID YOU THINK THE RIGHT
PEOPLE WERE

ON THE
BALLOT?

66% No

It's difficult, I think, But the polarization in the country
really undermines our ability to come together as
Americans and certainly makes it difficult to pass new
laws and policies that address real problems in the
world. So I think to the extent we can sort of certainty
tone down the partisan animus that's out there. Policy
preference: if it's difficult to base polarization on policy.
But we can, I think, be looking for compromise. Being
open to compromise is a good thing.

- Chris topher Warshaw,
George Washington University Department of Political Science

Pilot’s Log Hasbrouck Heights High School NEWS 99Fall 2020 // pilot’s log // HasbrouckFHaelilgh2t0s1H4igh School

Protest hits t

The Black Lives Matter movement finds a

he Black Lives Matter movement has resurged following the death of George
Floyd on May 25, 2020 sparking protests not only in the United States but around
the world. These protests have even reached the doors of Hasbrouck Heights High
School.
“Having the chance and the opportunity to be a part of a movement that I hold very
dearly to my heart, is unexplainable! In my speech I said, ‘educate yourself and others so we can be
each other’s advocate’ and I stand by that! We are in a time where we are being divided instead of
united and it’s truly up to us to make the change we want to see for the future generations!” Hayllé
Thomas, Hasbrouck Heights Alumni Class of 2018 and protest speaker, said.
On Friday June 5th, a rally prompted by three then Heights middle schoolers was hosted
on the town’s Boulevard in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. The crowd
consisted of nearly 200 activists, most clad in masks, and met on the lawn of Hasbrouck Heights
High School. The group then marched to “the circle” and back. Stops were taken throughout the
march to take a knee and a moment of silence for the likes of whom the march was inspired by.
Protesters who have been affected by racism and discrimination gave speeches and shared their
experiences following chants such as “Say her name” and “Say his name” as well as “Black lives
matter” which could be heard for blocks throughout the town.

n1ew0s 10 Fall 2020 // pilot’s logP/i/lHoatsb’srouLcok HgeightsHHaigshbrSocuhocokl Heights High School Fall 2014

the Boulevard
a place in the streets of Heights
Nick Valle, Katie Armonaitis, Sahara Serano, & Emily Condon, editors

Pilot’s Log Hasbrouck Heights High School Design and Photos by: Emily Condon

NEWS1111Fall2020 // pilot’s log // HasbrFoaulclk2H0e1ig4hts High School

For many, they attended the protest to stand up for those who

they felt have not received justice or respect based upon the color of the

individual’s skin, much like many others participating around the world.

“To me, the Black Lives Matter movement is the most inspiring

thing I have ever lived for. People are coming together to fight for the

injustices done to black people and we’re making history. I see this as an

opportunity. This is the way we end racism and prejudice for good. As

a Latina woman, who has played soccer for ages, I have faced prejudice

since I was a young girl. Playing a sport somewhere that mainly involves

white females had me in situations where I often was faced with many

ethnic slurs in competitive matches. Seeing what the Black Lives Matter
movement is doing, brings me hope. It is an honor to fight against racism,

just sad that it still has to happen in 2020,” Victoria Barris, protest attendee

and Hasbrouck Heights Alumni Class of 2016, said.
Others had attended to fight for change in the legal/justice system

in the United States that they believed has enabled acts of police brutality

as well as glossed over the rights and lives of black people throughout the

country.
“I don’t define BLM by the organization named BLM. I define it as

a movement that anyone regardless of race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation

can participate in to show support and demand that Black people in the

US are treated with the same level of fairness as any other race is under

the law. BLM is a phrase coined by millions of Americans who are tired of

seeing another news headline about another unarmed Black person being

murdered, which signifies that our justice system and society has failed,”

Lyric Mckelvy, protest attendee, said.

Some protests around the world have erupted in acts of violence

like looting, arson and vandalizing much like the rallies in Kenosha,

Wisconsin and Minneapolis, Minnesota following the deaths of Jacob Blake

and George Floyd. These rallies have been labled as riots and have brought

a concern to citizens of the United States that reside in places of protest.

The Heights protest, however, was different. A Pilot’s Log poll given to

students regarding their feelings on their local rally showed that 82.2% of

students felt as if the march in Heights was safe. There was no account of

any rioting or discourse at the Hasbrouck Heights protest however, some

have cited these riots and violence as a reason for not participating.

“It’s not that I don’t believe in the cause, it’s that I’m not

supporting a movement that encourages violence. The looting and burning,

it’s just unnecessary and it hurts their cause. I just refuse to support it,”

said an anonymous Hasbrouck Heights High School student.

Following the resurgence of the movement and the large growth

of protests throughout the world, we asked the Hasbrouck Heights Police

Chief Michael J. Colaneri if he believed the movement had affected the lives

of law enforcement workers and how.

“I think it has a negative impact on law enforcement. Just like any

group or individual, there are good people and bad people in every walk of

life, race, or ethnicity. If there’s a group that has one or two bad people in it,

you don’t want to lump that group together. Same thing if people think that

not every policeman is doing the job properly, it doesn’t mean every one of

them is bad,” Colaneri, said.

The protest that took place in Hasbrouck Heights is only one of

many BLM marches civilians have been undertaking globally. The BLM

movement began on July 13th, 2013 soon after the acquittal of George

Zimmerman in the shooting trial of African-American teen Trayvon

Martin. Beginning the BlackLivesMatter hashtag, creators of the movement

Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi started a “Black-centered

political will and movement building project” as quoted by the Black Lives

Matters webpage. This movement exploded globally by 2016 following the

fatal shooting of Michael Brown at the hands of a white police officer in

Fergurson, Missouri as well as being fueled by many other events around

the world like the death of Adama Traoré in police custody in Beaumont-

sur-Oise, France and many other deaths of black people due to police

12intervention in the UK, Brazil, South Africa, and multiple other countries.
A resurgence of sorts has begun since the death of George Floyd on May 25,

2020. ThousandPsiolfoptr’osteLstos ghave arisen throughout the world and about
Hasbrouck Heights High School
Fall 2014

half a million people were said to have turned out to BLM marches on June

I don’t define BLM by the 6th alone. Many of the protests are fueled by a fire to end the concept of
organization named BLM.
I define it as a movement systemic and moral racism within our justice system as the movement
that anyone regardless of
race, ethnicity, or sexual itself is meant to speak up against its existence in our society.
orientation can participate
in to show support and “I don’t see it here. I don’t see the issue they’re talking about:
demand that Black people
in the US are treated with systemic or moral. I’ve been doing this for a long time; I’ve seen things
the same level of fairness
as any other race is under change. I think law enforcement with the community, you know I guess
the law. BLM is a phrase
coined by millions of back in the 80s when Hasbrouck Heights was always in the forefront of
Americans who are tired
of seeing another news community policing and getting to know the community and getting to
headline about another
unarmed Black person know us, with children in the D.A.R.E program, the bike marathons, the
being murdered, which
signifies that our justice junior academies, all of this trying to get to know the community as it is,
system and society has
failed. and I’ve never really seen a problem here so I don’t know where this whole

Pilot’s Log Hasbrouck Heights High School systemic and moral thing is but I’m not buying it. I think there’s individuals

on every side…well there’s good and bad out of everybody. There’s people

out there that love to do this job, love to help people and never look at skin

color, religious beliefs or anything like that,” Colaneri, said.

While the Heights protest may have not had the same media

coverage as those in bigger cities, it’s impact on the community, and the

message that it tried to send, was still felt.

“The sign I carried at the march said ‘I understand that I will

never understand, however I stand.’ To me, it’s important that I’m an ally

to those who have experienced systemic racism in this country. And I want

my children to understand that the inequality people of color have faced —

and continue to face — is no longer acceptable. So yes, Black Lives Matter,”

Democratic Councilman Steven Reyngoudt, protest attendee, said.

Michael Sickels, a newly elected Republican Councilman in town

and current elementary school principal voiced his opinion on the matter.

I 100% support any individual exercising their 1st Amendment

Right to peacefully protest and to publicly speak out against injustices,
and to urge action for any specific injustice which is specifically motivated

by race, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, or sexual orientation.

While serving in the United States Marine Corps, I have taken an oath to

uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States, which is the same

document that provides our citizens the right to protest and have their

voices heard. Marines are also taught to stand up for what is right and to

protect those who cannot protect themselves. I have traveled the country

and the world and have seen evil, but I have also had the unique privilege

of seeing the absolute best of humanity. We may not live in a perfect world,

but I believe that we live in a great community- Hasbrouck Heights. A

community that cares for one another, a community that supports one

another, and a community that works together even during the most

challenging times,” Sickels, said. 1133NEFalWl 20S14

Fall 2020 // pilot’s log // Hasbrouck Heights High School

THE SHOW

GOES ON

Seniors Nick Valle and Alexa Lafaso help to organize the
Teaneck Film Festival despite the ongoing pandemic

Katie Armonitis, Editor-In-Chief Fall 2014
Design by: Staff

14 Pilot’s Log Hasbrouck Heights High School

or many students, senior year is a time to begin to explore
their passions and the possibilities of what they might
consider doing professionally after they leave high school.

FFor two Hasbrouck Heights seniors, they’ve gotten first-
hand experience working as the social media marketing
outreach and internal screeners for an international film festival

based in Bergen County.

“The Teaneck Film Festival is essentially a typical film

festival with an activism twist to it. Each film highlights individuals

or is directed by individuals that aren’t often highlighted in big name

Hollywood. Whether that be films surrounding women, African-

Americans, Latinos, the Jewish community, environmental issues,

you name it, it’s there. The film lineups include people of a diverse

range of races, genders, sexualities, religions etc in order to create an

overall theme of community for everyone.” Nicholas Valle, Hasbrouck

Heights senior, said.

Nicholas Valle along with fellow Hasbrouck Heights senior

Alexa Lafaso are working with the Teaneck International Film Festival

to pursue their passion into film making. The two were exposed to Valle, top, and

this opportunity through Valle’s mother, who has worked with the Lafaso, left, both

YWCA of Northern New Jersey. seniors, coordinating

“Nick and I decided to volunteer for the Teaneck International communications and

Film Festival due to our mutual love of film and passion towards livestreaming of the

the subject. Nick’s mother Joann had a connection to the festival event’s films. At

and people that are associated with it, and we decided to try to get bottom, a package

involved. We quickly were accepted to volunteer and we love what from the festival.

we do, we just hope others love it too.” Lafaso said.

In late August, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announced

that movie theaters around the state will be able to start reopening

that Friday, September 4th. Despite the reopening, the Teaneck

International Film Festival announced that this year’s event will be

taking place digitally.

“We’ve just recently announced that the festival will be going

virtual this go around as have we regarding all of our meetings. Due

to social distancing measures as well as rising and falling COVID

numbers it was a safer bet for everyone.” Valle said.

The festival, which is set to take place the 12th through the

25th of November, will be screened through OVEE. OVEE, which

stands for Online Viewing and Engagement Experience, combines

HD media and livestream conversation in a single-screen. Through

this, watchers will still be able to watch the films the festival has to

offer with the ability to still communicate with other watchers.

Each screening will cost viewers a five dollar fee unless

purchasing the All Access Pass. The All Access Pass gives viewers

access to all the films in the festival with the exception of Youth in

Action. The All Access Pass costs 35 dollars for both opening and

closing nights along with ten movies.

Both Valle and Lafaso have been working closely with Michele Clear

who heads the Digital Marketing and Social Media teams for the

festival.

“Working with them is great. They are collaborative and

willing to jump in and help wherever it is needed. It is a pleasure

working with them and getting to know them. Not only are they

responsible, but they are excited and passionate about what they're

doing which is contagious.” Clear, head of Digital Marketing and Social

Media, said. “I cannot say enough about how great they are and how

much their assistance and proactivity have been a game changer for

me. I have complete confidence in their accountability. I know I can

rely on them not only to perform their responsibilities, but also to
15communicate with me in a timely manner when something doesn't
sideeeams.rSigohctia, alsMkPesdimlioaartits’sqouLueorstgmioanisn, and come up with creative and new photos provided by 15NEWSFall 2014
HplaastbfroorumckfoHreaigdhvtesrHtiisgihngScshoocoallling Valle and Lafaso

them an asset is an understatement!” Fall 2020 // pilot’s log // Hasbrouck Heights High School

Remote learning is expected to
have lasting impacts on diverse
student groups in specific ways

An In-Depth Look:

I. Effects of Blue Light
II. Social Isolation
III. Effect on Mental Health
IV. Critical Reading Development
V. Special Ed. and ELL Students
VI. Socio-Econoic Disparities
VII. Not All Bad
VIII. Students Helpng Themselves
IX. The Unknown

Emily Condon, editor-in-chief, &
Sahara Serrano, editor

Ce1n6ter 16 Fall 2020 // pilot’s logP/i/lHoatsb’srouLcok HgeightsHHaigshbrSocuhocokl Heights High School Fall 2014

With the Covid-19 pandemic continuing to impact our Illustrations by: George Totonjie
Design by: Emily Condon
world, schools across New Jersey, and the country have
center 13
adopted online school plans. The Hasbrouck Heights
Winter 2020 // pilot’s log // Hasbrouck Heights FHaiglhl 2Sc0h1o4ol
school district is one of over 300 districts in the state

who began their year with at least some form of remote

learning, and as of mid October, at least 30 of these districts who

adopted in person plans have had to go remote.
“So I don’t think anything first replaces students in front
of a teacher. The benefits of online learning are very limited. I
live with my two children -- a third and eighth grader, and they
struggle with online learning. The benefits are that you can have
access wherever you are. For seniors, in colleges there will often

be a lot of online learning, so getting acclimated to dealing with
online learning can be beneficial for when you transition to higher
learning. But ultimately, nothing replaces the teacher and the

students in front of them. For online learning, we wouldn’t do it
unless we have to, so to me, the benefits are limited,” Dr. Matthew
Hellfant, Superintendent of schools, said.

Hasbrouck Heights intended to begin the year through a

hybrid schedule, but as health concerns were brought forward, the

school found itself beginning the year remote.

“I’m not sure if you attended the public Board of

Education meeting on August 20, but that’s where we kind of made

our public case about some of the safety and health factors that

were not necessarily the sole problem of the school itself (meaning

that it wasn’t because the superintendent, the Board of Ed, or

the administrators weren’t prepared) but there were just a lot of

unanswered or unanswerable questions about certain things in

terms of how to best protect people in a public space that the State

17of New Jersey put forward for all schools to follow.
Pilot’s Log Hasbrouck Heights High School

There were questions about air filtration; mode of learning and some people are it is very hard to sit in front of the screen for

there were questions about the types more comfortable with the face to face. that duration. When we start to stream so

of chemicals to use to try to keep the And now they have to initiate their own that the students at home get the same as

coronavirus from spreading. There of course ability to engage with a teacher through the students in the classroom, it’s harder to

was the mask mandate that at first wasn’t remote means, and especially because this get the students at home to be engaged. To

required, but then did become required. is something that most people don’t have navigate having people in front of you and

There were also scheduling issues as far as experience with so there’s a lot of different then people on the screen, that is certainly a

cleaning and what type of cleaning. And of levels to this, none of which people have drawback.” Hellfant, said.

course, the final thing was the uncertainty been prepared for or trained. Even though One way that students, and even

of returning a massive amount of people people now have some familiarity with it, those working virtually from home, have

-- in the case of the middle school/high it still has been somewhat out of left field,” looked to combat blue light emissions from

school, it is almost 1200 people -- into a Anthony F. Tasso, Professor and Deputy schooling is through blue light blocking
glasses, which work to reflect harmful
confined space.So again, not every issue was Director of School of Psychology and

because the BOE or the superintendent or Counseling at Fairleigh Dickinson University, light from the eyes. In August, a Market

the administrations were negligent; that’s said. Watch article reported, “Global ‘Blue Light

not the case. The case was there were a lot And for students at Heights, a Blocking Glasses Market’ is expected to

of unanswerable questions that the state put Pilot’s Log poll of 149 students saw: 56% grow at a CAGR of roughly 7.6% over the

forward.,” Michael Warren, HHEA President reported feeling online school is harder, next five years, [and] will reach 28 million
and sociology teacher, said. 24% reported that the difficulty level is the USD in 2024, from 19 million USD in 2020,

Personal protective equipment same, and 20% reported feeling that it is according to a New Research.”

was another question that arose for the easier. “I found issues rather quickly

staff. “My biggest struggle with online with staring at a screen all day between

“The PPE (Personal Protective school is that I feel that I don’t learn as much headaches and eye strains which made it
Equipment); there are varying types. The
as I would in In-person instruction,” Justin difficult to focus on class. I had heard from

nurses need specific types, which they were Wexler, junior, said. a couple other people that they were using

still gathering. The classrooms needed Effects of blue light blue light blocking glasses and it seemed
different types (from elementary on up) like the perfect solution. While I wish I

for requirements. The temperature taking was just fully back in school so that I didn’t

machines were all being ordered. And a One of the possible impacts on have to deal with the screens as much all

lot of the things being ordered for us to students from virtual learning could come together, I have found this to be the most

have a safe reopening were backordered, from the screens themselves. The effects of effective option to utilize. If you struggle

only because every school in the state light from the screen on eyes is not new with with staring at a screen all day I recommend

of New Jersey and across the country the pandemic. With the rise of technology trying a pair of blue light glasses,” Giana

were ordering these new air filters, hand in recent years, blue light exposure to the Deliu, senior, said.

sanitizing machine, upgrading bathrooms, eyes has been accredited to damaging parts Others can accredit the

and basically collecting the supplies needed of the retina, interfering with the body’s requirement to be engaged in learning

for when we have people enter the building,” circadian rhythm -- or biological clock, through a screen to have psychological

Warren, said. and macular degeneration -- a condition effects.

One of the many measures put in that creates blurred vision over time, and “Whenever we’re forced to do

place by the school was an isolation room. can eventually lead to blindness. Blue light something, that is not what we are used to

“When you return to school, you strain can cause headaches, dry eyes, blurry doing, it could always have a psychological

are going to see a room blocked off: the vision, inability to focus, and mess up a impact. It’s gonna vary greatly. A big

isolation room. A question came up that was normal sleeping pattern. The Mayo Clinic predictor of how people are affected by

who is going to sit in the isolation room if a Health System advised in 2019 that children online learning is going to be how we were

student or staff member comes down with ages 2-12 should only be getting one hour of psychologically before the pandemic. So

symptoms and has to isolate before they screen time per day, while teens and adults if somebody struggled with depression

are able to go home. That was a question should only be looking at screens for two before the Coronavirus pandemic, there’s a

that the state of New Jersey didn’t give us hours. greater chance that they will struggle now,

answers to, and I will admit that the school With virtual schooling, the because of the pandemic. So there’s a lot of

district was not pushing to have a staff exposure to blue light for students, as variables,” Tasso, said.

member operate that room. So the school they are required to be engaged in online Social Isolation
district had to put out a job posting for learning, for 4-7 hours of a school day,

someone to sit in the room with potential plus homework assignments, has become

coronavirus carriers. That was an issue,” worrisome to many. Social isolation does not just hold

Warren, said. “One of the things that you hear true for younger students. As the Center for

The impacts of online school for students of all ages complain about is the Disease Controls has voiced the importance

students may be as various as the programs time in front of the screen. It bothers their on social distancing, others problems have

and technologies implemented with this eyes; it’s stressful for them; parents will say made their ways into this six foot spacing.

new mode of learning. that when they are there all day, for example According to Cigna, before the pandemic
“It definitely has varying impacts on Wednesday when you are virtual all day even started in March, a January 2020 study

18on the student. It requires a different long, that it is a long period of time and that found that three in five adults felt lonely, as
Fall 2014
Pilot’s Log Hasbrouck Heights High School

56% and stay-at-home orders were instated, Meets, I feel as though we don’t have the
roughly a third of American adults report same connection through the screen. Also,
of Heights feeling lonelier than usual, according to without the daily routine of getting up and
an April survey by social-advice company going to school, it just makes all of us more
students feel that SocialPro. Another survey, also in April, tired and less interactive as we only hear
for financial research group ValuePenguin, lectures not really open talk,” Kelsey Parodi,
online learning is put the number even higher, at 47%.” This senior, said.
SocialPro survey revealed, “34% percent of Other students report similar
more difficult than millennials always or often feel more lonely isolation.
because of the coronavirus situation[,] “I honestly think that there’s no
traditional 27% percent of Gen Z always or often feel interaction through screens whatsoever. Of
more lonely because of the coronavirus course you can text a person or talk to them
learning situation[,] 22% percent of Gen X always on the phone, but it will never be the same
or often feel more lonely because of the as being with them in person, making that
lonlineness was on the rise. coronavirus situation[, and] 20% percent personal interaction so much harder. The
“You don’t have that face to face of Baby boomers always or often feel more lonely environment makes people feel so
engagement. So without the face to face lonely because of the coronavirus situation.” by themself, like no one is there. It makes
engagement that creates a whole another “While virtual learning is better me feel like my communication is so much
layer of the stressor or difficulty. You lose than nothing, virtual learning cannot worse because we missed out on over half
the peer camaraderie. I know people are possibly provide students with the a year of social interaction,” Mikayla Amato,
chatting on Zooms and other things, but it’s necessary social input and reciprocal senior, said.
different than sitting in class at your desk interaction that they can obtain when in- For students with special learning
before the teacher comes in and chatting person. They rely more heavily on social accommodations, the lack of being in the
with friends and colleagues. So there’s a media rather than authentic in-person classroom can have a specific impact.
lot that’s missed in this. It could lead to feedback and interaction. I believe that “A lot of our students who have
isolation, difficulty in concentration, or this can cause students who are learning special learning needs like that interaction
depression based on the isolation. For virtually may feel isolated or socially with that teacher; they like to be with their
some people, they need to be alert for their distant,” Maria Philip, Euclid Elementary teacher. They just really like to be in the
potential for mental health struggles. These School Psychologist, said classroom. There’s no cooperative learning,
are all very real risk factors,” Tasso, said. Teachers and staff can also feel the and it’s hard to do cooperative learning with
According to Statista, the effects of this isolation. an online format, you know to work with
percentage of Americans in the United “Talking to colleagues each day, your peer and have that dialoge and that
States that went into self isolation due to the the interaction part is all we talk about, interactive conversation. It’s just different
pandemic was at 55% from March 19-21, really. Because of the virtual nature of what in person,” Lisa Cirraco, HS/MS Child Study
rising to 76% from March 26-28, and finally we are doing, I do not feel a connection to Team, said
reaching 84% from April 2-4. According my students, and I don’t say that for lack of This is echoed by Linda Pizzute,
to TIME magazine, “Since lockdowns trying. To them, I am just on a screen. I think another member of the HHHS/MS Child
there is a big feeling of disconnectedness. Study team.
I also believe that over the past six months “I think also having someone
since March, a lot of bad habits have around you to kinda keep you focused, when
developed as far as what is expected in you’re on your own, if you’re not someone
terms of participation of students, how that can focus easily I think that there’s the
much engagement they are supposed to be ability to get off the beat and track quickly.
showing in class, and the effort. We went A lot of times we have students follow
from March, April, and May from a very someone that’s sitting next to them or in
simple system of ‘Here’s an assignment. front of them and without that it can be
Turn it in. You’ll get credit -- typically full detrimental,” Pizzute, said.
credit’ to a system now where the educators Despite this isolation, some
are treating the virtual environment as ‘real say that it is necessary to recognize that
school’ or the ‘typical school day’. I think students are not in this isolation alone.
that is a big shock for the student body, “I think it’s really important to
who sometimes cannot get out of bed in the just focus on the issue as to why we’re
morning; they are learning in their beds doing this and with that said, for the safety
with the lights out. That is inconductive to a aspect, it’s the best way we can learn. It’s
to a positive learning environment,” Warren, something that it’s not in isolation; it’s not
said. just like one kid having to do it this way; it’s
Students can also report feeling pretty much the world around us, so the
loneliness. consequences of a situation, which we have
“I’m a very talkative person, and to do the best that we can and we have to do
I would always go to class and talk to the it in a safe manner so I think it’s important
teacher. Now that we are only over Google
center1199to remember those things, why we’re doing
Pilot’s Log Hasbrouck Heights High School Fall 2014

Fall 2020 // pilot’s log // Hasbrouck Heights High School

this, it’s not like we’re doing this by choice,” In recognizing this problem, to that, we ordered over 3 months ago,
Pizutte, said. the high school added a new guidance additional laptops for them, which have
counselor, Merill Barbone, to its staff and not arrived. This is an additional struggle
Effect on mental health has additionally hired a consultant for for them. The teachers are being asked
counseling services, in an effort to expand to do a lot more and there are no breaks
As if the pandemic was not enough the opportunities that students have in in any of their requirements. They have
to raise rates in depression and anxiety, navigating the stressors of online schooling. to do everything that they have had to do
the many attributes of online schooling “For me, online school has plus more. It is incredibly stressful for the
were additions in this equation. According been much more stressful than in person teachers. We have been extremely lucky
to Forbes in May 2020, “The government’s learning. I feel that I’m lacking a connection because we have about 98% of our teachers
response to the crisis is causing stress to with my teachers, and that I can’t do as here, where other districts will have 20%
67% of Americans” and “More than one- well when I’m in school because I can’t ask that are out on leave. The teachers and staff
third of Americans have displayed clinical questions and engage in the lesson. Staring deserve a lot of credit for making this work,”
signs of anxiety, depression, or both since at a computer screen makes it easier for me Hellfant, said.
the coronavirus pandemic began.” to get distracted, and sometimes I feel that
“There’s definitely been a rise I’m missing the point of the lesson but I can Critical Reading Development
and mental health issues because of the never really tell over the computer,” Emily
pandemic. So, if we look from March to Estrada, senior, said. For younger students specifically,
now, we do have demonstrable evidence Loneliness is something that other online learning sees its own drawbacks.
showing that mental health issues have students are not alone in. “Virtual schooling is more
been on the rise. Specific to online learning, “I definitely think online schooling challenging for younger students because
we are seeing people experiencing and has affected student’s mental health. We they do not have the necessary attention
expressing anxiety over confusion, how feel more isolated since there isn’t any real span to remain online for the required
to do it, and challenges with Internet interaction and the amount of work we amount of time. These students need
access and computer access. We are seeing receive makes us stressed out. Those two movement and peer modeling to succeed,
reported struggles in this area. Faculty things combined have been detrimental to which is not easily accomplished through
virtual learning. Virtual school is also more
and instructors are reporting challenges our mental health,” Isabella Drezek, junior, challenging because these students require
more hands on assistance in their learning
with delivering the product this way, said. and more multi-sensory materials, which
are unavailable in virtual learning,” Philip,
and students are reporting challenges in For others, mentality and the said.
The time between birth and about
comprehending the product this way,” Tasso, ability to focus while at home has become age five is known as a critical point for
development in language. From here, as
said. an obstacle. the years progress, speech and language
acquisition becomes more difficult for a
In HHHS specifically, the teachers “My biggest struggle in online learner. It is recommended that students
learn to read between ages six to ten, so
have seen an increase in frustration schooling is staying focused in a household online school poses the question as to if a
virtual environment could enable students
amongst students. with so many distractions. People to learn necessary skills, at the time that the
brain demands so, through a screen.
“I have been getting a lot of emails underestimate the value of a learning “I feel that all students will have
a regression due to virtual schooling.
from students and guidance counselors that environment. Focus is altered by things However, if they are able to maintain a good
reading schedule at home, where they are
they feel this is very overwhelming because going on in your house, where school is an able to discuss what they have read with an
adult or older sibling, this regression may
the expectations have jumped from a lower escape to learn,” Dario Morales, senior, said. not be as significant. Reading is one activity
that can be done anywhere and can help
point to a higher point and they are finding The students are not alone in students to maintain skills,” Philip, said.
The Hasbrouck Heights school
it difficult to keep up. That is something feeling extra stress from the workload of district was cognisant of this, which is why
the elementary schools returned to a hybrid
we are concerned about as well because online classes. schedule weeks prior to the middle and high
schools.
it creates frustration. From frustration “Well it is very hard for the “Why we got the elementary
school students in five days, although they
grows resentment. We don’t want students teachers. They are still asked to do are minimum days, is because that K-2
period is a very critical point for reading.
to feel that they are in a no-win situation. everything they are supposed to do. The And you can’t get that back. You either
learn, or after that it is really just trying to
So as far as how this affects their learning, state has not given any breaks on their accommodate or put in strategies. So there

I think there are some determinants that student growth objectives; and they have 20is that critical period. It was a push to get

have occurred, such as the bad habits, lack to do their goals. Teachers have to do those students in front of teachers because
Fall 2014
of interaction, and lack of accountability or everything that they normally would have to

Pilot’s Logeffort,” Warren, said. do plus do online learning. And in addition

Winter 2019 // pilot’s logH/a/ sHbarsobruocukckHHeeiigghhttssHHigihgShcShocohlool

of that critical period for reading. The other problem that has been found is that ELL They may be living with a guardian who
students are not getting enough interaction they didn’t really know before they came
part is that if they are remote, someone has with native English speakers or with their here. That is hard. We don’t always realize
teachers to learn academic language. But what the family life is and how that affects
to sit with them. If you are in Kindergarten the lack of in person visual cues has been students. Many of them were really happy
or first grade, you are not going to sit harmful for this group of students. to get back to school just so that they could
there, as if you are in high school you have “ELLs take a lot of cues from facial talk with other people so that they could
expressions, from hands, and from seeing. talk with their friends who they met in my
the ability to -- although you may not like So especially last year when we didn’t use class, other classes, and sports,” Prashker,
Google Meets, it was really difficult for them said.
it, but you’re capable. Kindergarten and
first graders may not be capable without
someone sitting there, and not everyone has

someone there, so that is why we pushed to

get them in as quickly as possible,” Hellfant, to understand what was going on in many of Socio-economic Disparities
said. their classes. That’s a drawback. This year,
it’s a little bit
Special Education and ELL Students easier. Some Communities
students and districts in
It is expected that students in have trouble higher income
English Language Learning and Special with Google brackets
Education programs will have unique Classroom can find
setbacks from the online learning setting. and trying to themselves
“Oftentimes a student will need a keep track at a better
lot of reinforcement. They need a lot of help, of what their advantage
like a smaller classroom. And again I think assignments than those
it can be easy to get lost, especially if you’re are. In some with less
someone who has a problem with focusing,” ways I feel fortunate
Ciracco, said. like they’ve circumstances.
Pizutte referred to the pace and had more Home
nature of remote learning as difficult for assignments instability
students with specific learning needs. since we are and economic
“I think that a lot of students are online, as insecurity
having a hard time keeping up with the opposed to in have impacted
work, so they’re falling behind with the the classroom. I’m not sure why that is, but academics. Heights looked to try to address
independent work,” Pizutte, said. that is what it seems like, so they feel like that issue in the district.
Hasbrouck Heights has identified they are drowning sometimes; like they just “There are a few very obvious
some of these problems, and on the can’t keep up. They still may be getting their things such as access to strong wifi or
elementary level, special education students conversational language, but they are not Internet connection. The school did
were permitted to go back four days a week, getting their academic language as much purchase an emergency wifi carrier through
while typical students attended two days in as they should be or could use. I’ve actually Optimum to help. A significant amount of
person and two days virtual. had some students who participate in class students use it, and by significant I mean
“Special Ed students struggle more now that we are online; they’ll talk about 30-35% percent. And another is
significantly, so that is why when we started more than they did when they are in the Chrome/computer access. In the spring,
the hybrid at the elementary level that we classroom,” Prashker, said. there were a lot of students who shared
let the special education students come For beginner students at Heights, computers with their siblings and also
back for four days. They have struggles the transition has been more difficult in parents who were working from home. So
significantly, and we are looking at the ELL learning a new language, but many of the having the district offer the Chromebooks
students as well because there are more students were able to navigate and progress. -- although not the greatest thing for video
significant drawbacks with those groups “So maybe some of them have and whatnot -- helped to close that gap. I
remotely,” Hellfant, said. not made the progress that would have think students are self-conscious about their
ELL (English Language Learner) been made in school, but I have not seen homes. If you are not in an economic bracket
students were permitted by the school to a discretion in any language abilities that that provides you with a comfortable
attend school once hybrid schooling began I expected to see, which I am really happy upper-middle class home and you are seeing
for four days a week, as opposed to the two about,” Prashker, said. your peers online and behind them, I think
days that most students attend. The dynamics of home that students are self-conscious of ‘does
“I think this is a big help, even if environments is another factor that may my home stack up to other homes and the
they are hearing something twice, because affect this group of students. At home, if they things I do or do not have in my room that
depending on the level of the student, of are not exposed to native English, Prashker other kids do’. Those are the major factors.
course, some don’t get it the first time. finds that this may affect their academic I would also add that depending on your
Hearing more school language is a good language development. parents’ work situation, some kids are home
thing, so that four days is awesome,” Hana “Ideally, I would not be doing it alone all day because their parents have a
Prashker, MS/HS ESL (English Second this way. I think ELLs really benefit from type of job where they need to go into work.
Language) teacher, said. being around people. Many of them are That can be strenuous, as well, because
Prashker explained that many ELL isolated from people at this time, like many some students are home all day, alone all
students have trouble navigating through of us are. But I think in some ways that it day.

Google Classroom. To her surprise though, may be even more for ELLs. Some of them
21 Pilot’s Logthrough the online platform. Another key
many of her students participate more don’t have family here with them. They are

not necessarily always living with parents.
center 21
Hasbrouck Heights High School Winter 2019 // pilot’s log // Hasbrouck Heights HFiaglhl S2c0h1o4ol

Fall 2020 // pilot’s log // Hasbrouck Heights High School

Then you have students who are lucky A disorganized student might become personality styles,” Tasso, said.
enough to have a stay-at-home parent or a discouraged to learn and do their work if Students can even realize that
job that allows them to work from home, so they’re constantly losing papers or have no despite the drawbacks of online schooling,
they can be around their child to assist or place to get it all done comfortably,” Estrada, the ability of classmates to capitalize off of
at least be present and a part of their day. I who is also an intern for the school’s IT the unique situation is available.
know that New Jersey did a tech initiative department, said. “Interaction via electronic screens
in the summer where the state put some Other students have seen online has its pros and cons. Certain media such
money towards getting every student a learning as a revelation for the different as Google Meet allow teachers to see each
laptop. Then they also asked celebrities to struggles of their classmates and how student better than in a normal classroom,
sponsor a school. I wish more wealthier uncontrolled situations can affect the in some cases. However, there is also a
people or celebrities would chip in to help learning process. disconnect between teachers and students
out, and I hate to say that because we should “To be honest, I’d never really because a teacher is not exactly able to

not be living in a society where we have to considered that wealth could seriously affect see his/her students work during the

rely on somebody else to be good natured students’ experiences with online learning. period while online. There are always the
and donate something for us to have basic Not everyone has equal access to electronics occasional technical difficulties and lags,

needs,” Warren, said. or good internet, although thankfully the although some students can simply use this

Hellfant similarly recognized school did provide Chromebooks. Even so, as an excuse for more time to turn in an

the socio-economic issues that stem from some students’ internet connection might assignment,” Afandador, said.
virtual schooling and referred to how the be poorer genuinely due to their financial For others, grades have seen

district has tried to close economic gaps situation,” Alejandra Afanador, sophomore, improvement, from what some speculate

amongst students. said. to be easy availability to notes and other
“I believe we rectified, but students resources during online assessments or
Not All Bad “take home” assessments.
who didn’t have access to the internet

and students who didn’t have access to Despite these drawbacks, there’s “My grades have seen a spike since
a Chromebook or a laptop [have specific also a number of positive outcomes that can online school started. It has given me an
targeted effects]. So we gave everyone a opportunity to raise my GPA,” Drezek, said.

Chromebook who needed it and then we come from online schooling. Online learning allows students to still have

paid for access so that everyone can access Some refer to the easy accessibility the opportunity to learn, which will have

it. The other thing that was interesting that and convenience which comes with having less of an effect on learning than if students

I don’t think we thought about initially was all of your work and classes on a computer. were completely removed from any outlets

that some students who live in apartments, And for other students, the comfort of to education or the classroom due to the

with multiple kids there, there was not their own homes and not being in larger limits of the pandemic.

enough space or areas for the students to go classroom crowds can actually be beneficial. Pizutte explains that because all

where it could be quiet so that they could “There’s a convenience factor students are different, some may actually
benefit from online learning.
follow the instruction. There’s nothing really which can’t be ignored: knowing that you

that we can do about that except down the know your computer is always accessible “I think that depending on the

road try to get everyone back as soon as and you’re not having travel time. For student, some kids actually do better. Not

possible,” Hellfant, said. some people, the positives are being able a lot, but some kids do better with this

Some students are equally aware to spend more time with family can lead to method than being in a classroom. It just is
of these difficulties. greater attentiveness as they’re studying a matter of what their learning style is but

“Students with more money and going through their academics. Some there are kids that do thrive,” Pizutte, said.
definitely have an advantage with online people, especially people who may struggle Perhaps this type of remote

school. Not everyone has the newest and with more social anxiety, have found learning will even prepare students for what

latest computer, and a weak computer remote learning to be more comfortable to lies ahead in the beliefs of others.

alone might be frustrating enough to be able to ask a question in a chat box, as “We’re gonna have to see, I think a

discourage learning. Some students don’t opposed to raising their hand and having lot of educators really feel that it will have

have their own rooms or their own desks, 30 people looking in their direction. So negative effects but online learning is an

which wouldn’t allow for organization. there are advantages, especially for different important way to learn cause I think that we

22 22CenterPilot’s Log Hasbrouck Heights High School Fall 2014

Fall 2020 // pilot’s log // Hasbrouck Heights High School

could use it in college or you can use it for “I often find it difficult to motivate “It’s funny: over the years of my
your job. I just don’t think elementary and myself to get my work done, but I combat teaching, you always hear people say, ‘oh
highschool kids need to learn online all the teachers, we don’t need them. We can just
time. It’s one way to learn but it shouldn’t be this issue by working at my desk instead of put the kids in front of the computer and
the only learning style,” Cirraco, said. they will learn just as well.’ I think this has
This new learning platform has in a bed and crossing off the assignments shown that we have seen the reality of
additionally progressed learning to a further that, and it is not the case. Not to say that
virtual age and trained teachers on different I’ve done from a list,” Drezek, said. technology can’t enhance the instruction,
uses of technology. but it certainly cannot replace it. I think
“Because of the virtual The school also implemented high school kids are more independent in
environment, we have some positive things benchmark assessments when the MS/ that sense -- some more than others. That’s
that have come from it. These technology HS returned in mid October. Strong where you have a difficulty in class where
tools we are using are something we would you know you have students who can take
never think about a year ago. Teachers have Assessments will be used by the district off and do what they need to do, while
had to readjust how the educate through to identify and fill gaps in learning that others really need to be brought along with
Google Meet, FlipGrid, Padlet; you name it, have been missed through the virtual you,” Warren, said.
we learned this summer the best we could Still, some think that at this time, being
how to use it to deliver instruction in a way environment. optimistic and realizing that this is perhaps
that would be more than the bare minimum our only option in this strange time is an
because there is a strong possibility that we “We are doing the Strong important part of learning how to deal with
will be home again as we bring more people Assessment at the middle school/high life.
into the building and the virus cases resume school level to see where the gaps are “I think there’s maybe negatives
here in Hasbrouck Heights (which of course but I think there’s also positives: learning
we wish does not happen), but we have because there’s certainly many drawbacks things that are different and just becoming
to expect that to happen at some point,” more resilient at a time that’s difficult. It’s
Warren, said to online learning that will impact progress. definitely a learning experience and part of
growth so I think that we have to factor that
So now we’re trying to assess where
students are at and try to fill the gaps. We
have not determined yet, but perhaps offer

things before or after school or on the

weekends to help make up for those gaps

once we identify them,” Hellfant, said.

If the effects of online school

do become too much to handle for an

individual, it is advised that students talk

and reach out for help.

Students Helping Themselves “The best thing a student can do in as a little bit of silver lining,” Pizzute, said.

who’s struggling with this current situation Hellfant tells students that if they

Still, there are methods which is to talk about it, talk about it with want to stay in school, it is what they do

students can actively implement into their family, with parents, with friends. There’s outside of school that is telling.

new schooling to help promote a positive been a rise and people seeking out the help “Most of the cases that happen,

environment. from mental health professionals. they can’t trace back to them happening

“Students can make sure to have So these are all things that can be done to at school. They usually happen outside. So

a quiet and distraction free space for their help a person deal with it all. Practicing if we want to stay in school, it is really a

virtual learning. It is helpful for them to therapists are addressing this and most community effort. Everybody really needs

have their materials readily available. It mental health professionals are working to be cognizant of what they are doing,

is also helpful for them to remain on a remotely. So the thing that I would put out because what each individual person does

schedule, even with virtual learning, so that there is someone shouldn’t wait too long to impacts whether we can stay open or not,”

they are accountable and invested in what reach out for help,,” Tasso, said. Hellfant, said.

they will be learning,” Philip, said. The Unknown
Indeed it has been recommended

by professionals to create a separate As it is unsure if technology will

workspace so that students have a spot for move to take over schooling in the future, it

learning that their brain does not associate is known that the effects of this age of online

with leisure or sleep. schooling will carry on.

23 Pilot’s Log Hasbrouck Heights High School feature 17
Fall 2014

OPINION

The following opinion pieces represent the thoughts of our writers. As
high school writers, we reserve the right to keep the names of the writer
anonymous. The writings and sntiment may not represent the sentiment of
the entire Pilot’s Log staff, school, or any affiliated body.

Digital Learning - A positive step

With the rise of Covid cases throughout the country, it’s no surprise that most
schools are switching back to virtual learning once again. Virtual learning has given
students the freedom to do class from wherever they are. Whether they’re in their own
home or somewhere else, all students with access to the internet can join their classes.
Not only can students join from wherever they have internet, they can also join from
basically wherever they want. The comfortability of virtual learning lets students join
from their desks at home to their beds. As a high school senior, virtual learning has given
me a lot more freedom to get what I need to get done on my own time. Having a flexible
schedule has not only allowed me to get things done on my own time, it’s also allowed me
to earn more hours at work.

- Katie Armonitis, senior, editor-in-chief

24oPilopt’isnLoigonHasbrouck Heights High School Illustration by Leeyana Mercelo

Fall 2020 // pilot’s log // Hasbrouck Heights High School 24Fall 2014

It’s on us to succeed with digital learning

Virtual learning may be different than traditional learning but the one constant
that remains the same is the lackluster effort by us - the students. In traditional schooling,
the excuses were hard to come by - if we failed, we failed, and it was almost always our own
doing. But now, too many of my classmates are using this ‘technology divide’ as a reason to
submit less than stellar work, fake confusion, and make an already difficult situation even
harder. The fact is, online school, for the most part, should be easier than what we’ve done in
the past, but we continue to find reasons to complain about its existence. Us, the technological
generation who can create YouTube edits, TikTok videos, stream ourselves gaming, and who
literally hold technological devices in our hands almost every minute of the day suddenly
don’t know how to subimt a Google Doc, or complain that our WiFi is laggy when we need
to work but can somehow use that same WiFi all night for our own entertainment. Yes the
Chomebooks aren’t great, but is that really the reason that you’re not doing so well this year?
We complain that the teachers are making it harder, but, are they? Isn’t there some
part of this that falls on us? Maybe it’s our inability to pay attention, or constant zoning out, or
the fact that we’re just really not that mature that is the real problem. We’ve always attempt
to pretend that we’re grown up, that we’re ready for challanges, but, once we’re out of the
watchful eyes of our teachers we suddenly don’t know how to do anything - we can’t focus,
we can’t engage ourselves, and most of us can’t even say good morning when the teachers
address us [a good portion of us don’t even point the cameras at our faces]. So what is the
real problem with online learning? I am one of you, but I thnk the problem is us.
Maybe the issue is bigger and maybe education as a whole needs an overhaul but
this is the situation that we are in now and there’s not much we can do about it. I think the
way to fix it starts and ends with the way we approach it. Maybe we can start by actually
looking at the camera for once.

- anonymous

Digital Learning: It’s about safety

When it comes down to it, digital learning is about safety. Making sure every
student and their families remain healthy and stable during this ongoing pandemic should
be the number one priority of our school system. However, if given the opportunity, I
do believe in person school remains a lot more beneficial for all levels of students than
the online learning environment we are in right now. Online school itself is designed to
separate students and teachers alike from each other and make sure there is no physical
contact between them, creating this life of schooling through a screen that we are now
accustomed to. Many either find it difficult to or do not learn at all throughout digital
learning as most benefit from the in person aid and connections they receive within the
classroom environment. Digital learning is stopping and prohibiting many students from
having these experiences as well as being able to grow academically during their high
school/middle school years. Said years are very important to the growth of an individual
and this same cannot be achieved from sitting home at a desk or behind a computer
screen.

- Nick Valle, senior, editor-in-chief

Pilot’s Log Hasbrouck Heights High School 2255opinFiaoll 20n14

Fall 2020 // pilot’s log // Hasbrouck Heights High School

Target: You

26 the invasive advertising in our technology
Pilot’s Log Hasbrouck Heights High School Fall 2014

Markus Kulik, editor // illustrations, Courtney Neumuller

Those ads that seem to follow you everywhere on single click is measured and the amount of attention you
the internet are fascinating examples of modern pay to that site is accumulated and used to research how

technology - but they raise concerns about to manage your behavior on the site. This is just part of
their ethicacy and modern privacy. User data the price we pay to use “free” sites or services/apps. The

in recent years has become a huge business, process, like anything in business, is borderline unethical.

with companies like Google, Facebook, and Instagram most It’s unethical in that these companies should take on the

notably selling your data, it begs the question of where it all social responsibility of really explaining to you what they

comes from and where it goes. are doing instead of hiding it in very tiny print and flashing

Your data is most commonly stored as a “Cookie”, a big AGREE button at you knowing how humans behave.
a cookie is a text file that stores information that is useful They know we are giving away a lot of personal information
to the website, such as your login information, what items and they are profiting from us. In the business world time

you may have put in your cart, whether or not you’re in is money and the time I spend on these sites and the money

dark mode, and many more. When you arrive on a website, they make off of that time should be shared with the user

by law a website must tell you their cookie policy, but most and how much information they choose to share. Our data

people don’t have the time to read through a policy, so you is precious and can be abused by companies,” Mike Warren,

click and move on. What the websites don’t tell you is that digital literacy teacher, said.

they may be collecting more sensitive information like your Still, others feel that the answer may not be that

interests, products you may want, and people you know. straightforward.

Which raises concerns for some people whether they’re a “This is a tough question. It is ethical for more

good thing or not. experienced technology users because there are ways to

“Cookies are bits of your personal data that most block cookies from downloading to your computer and

websites use in order to tailor to your use and needs or to you can opt out from them as well when you visit certain

improve their own website. There are two types of cookies: websites. Younger or more inexperienced users, may not

session and persistent. A session cookie only remembers know about these techniques, so it may be unethical for

your data while you are on that website. A good example is this group of users. They are not harmful to your computer

when you are shopping online. That website will remember and cannot run programs that may harm your computer,

your cart until you leave it in most cases. A persistent they are not unethical in that sense,” Anthony Dinallo,

cookie remembers your data for a long period of time technology teacher, said.

for each time you revisit that website. A good example is In a poll sent out to students in Hasbrouck

when a website remembers your password or username, Heights, of 147 people 91.8% people said they had seen a

or when you are shopping online and that website gives targeted ad at least one ad that was recommended to them

you a “recommended” list based on what you previously based on prior searches, and 57.1% of students believed

bought or viewed,” Emily Estrada, a member of the HH Tech that this is an invasion of privacy.

Department, said. “Targeted ads in my opinion are less ethical than
While the definition what a cookie is is fairly ethical, sure it’s cool and all that you can get the stuff you

straightforward, the ethical nature of these digital markers want faster, but collection of our data is an invasion of

seems to be less so. privacy in my opinion, ” Hayley Kasper, senior, said.

“I think this process is ethical in the sense that Haddonfield New Jersey resident Jack

most of the time cookies are harmless and don’t go to third Schwartzberg continued, “I think that targeted ads are

parties. they are simply meant to better your shopping okay in certain circumstances, they’re okay if they just

experience or make remembering passwords easier, for access cookies but not if they access your microphone and

example. Although cookies are extremely common in most other personal information.”

websites, you’ll always have the option to turn them off. While the targeted ads may seem convenient at

That being said, it is also good to know when to allow a times, what they represent may be more sinister.

website to collect your information. For example, if you are “What people need to understand is that when

on a website reading an article that asks for cookies, it may you are accessing something for free, something like

be best to not agree to them because you probably don’t Instagram or Facebook, it is only free because something

need this website to collect your user information. The is being sold. That thing that is being sold is you. Your data,

process of collecting cookies can also be made visible to trends, “likes”, etc. are all being sold to other companies.

you by turning on the option in settings,” Estrada, said. Profiles are being created for and about you, and tech
Others have a different perspective. companies are able to sell and use these profiles to people

Whenever we accept cookies when we visit a without you even knowing. Targeted ads and cookie can

website we are giving permission to the owners of that seem simple and annoying on the surface level, but what

site, plus their advertisers and analysts, to know exactly they represent is something very different,” an anonymous

what we do on their sites and how long we visit. Every tech employee told Pilot’s Log

Pilot’s Log Hasbrouck Heights High School 2277featurFeall 2014

Fall 2020 // pilot’s log // Hasbrouck Heights High School

Tiking
Over

Emily Condon, editor-in-chief, and Michael Amendola, staff

Four students find themselves going viral on TikTok Design by Emily Condon

ikTok is taking over social media, as the app has over “I started TikTok in April, and I didn’t really think much
2 billion downloads and 800 million users. Its “hype” about the videos. My very first video I posted hit over 1 million
has not missed the students of Hasbrouck Heights. views, and I was like, ‘oh, this might be fun’. I didn’t really expect
“I found TikTok somewhere in 2018, A friend told me
about it. I made one TikTok as a joke and it blew up, I was shocked. much, honestly. I started using Tik Tok as a way to get away from
Apparently there is an algorithm and a friend taught me how to being the one that doesn’t fit in. It’s fun; you meet supporters,
figure it out so I figured it out and it worked. I got 100K views and travel, people send you things literally all the time, and it changes
10K likes,” Paul Kouletas, junior, said. how you think. When I first started growing, I had a fan account
Tik Tok is an app that allows users to post and view called @jxdeshoodie and I was surprised because I was only at 70k
videos of up to sixty second clips. With millions of users, dance
trends, fads, animal fame, food recipes, political conversations, and followers and this little fan page had over 200 followers and I didn’t
memes are just a few of the types of videos that take over the app.
According to Mediakix, the application’s top 50 users have more even know. I try to interact and be close with my biggest fan pages,
followers than 16% of the global population. The reach of TikTok
has definitely not fallen short of Hasbrouck Heights students who because bonds with them are important. At this point, I think my
spend time on the app. For four students -- Jaedyn Schuller, Carleen
Acosta, Ryan Calvache, and Jared Stavash -- though, TikTok has biggest ‘fan page’ so to say would be @mxry.aep, and she has over
brought them to platforms of large following bases.
“I use TikTok all the time; it’s super fun to create videos 5k by now I believe. Not only is she a joint fan page, but she’s an
and watch others. Although my account isn’t close to viral, it’s cool
that I have seen some of the kids from school on my For You Page editor as well, so she spends time and time again making edits that
or blowing up. It’s great because it’s let’s people go viral without
the need to be verified or a celebrity,” Samantha Migrino, senior, she knows me and my followers would enjoy. My merch line is still
said.
Sculler, who is a senior, has been using the app since April going well, I still go to events, and I’m still growing every day. Plus
and on @jxde.octxvia has a following of 825k. She uses her account
as a creative platform for dancing and lip syncing videos. It has I have friendships with people who I never would’ve thought I’d
brought her to meet new friends and travel with other famous Tik
Tokers to places around the country, including Florida, Atlanta, Las get to know, and that’s life changing on it’s own. From making one
Angeles, South Carolina, Las Vegas, and South Jersey. In addition to
making friends and posting videos, Schuller uses TikTik to promote video I’ve gotten so much farther in life, and as I said before, even
her store which can be found at shopjxde.com. Here, she has sold
if Tik Tok does get banned, you have more and more options to
Poilvoert2’s00L0oitgems woHraldswbriodue.ck Heights High School
broaden yourself. Companies reach out to you for promos, and by

doing one yolo post alone you can rack up 2k or more. However, I

don’t really like how it makes people treat you differently. By doing

the slightest thing that people disagree with, you can end up in the

jersey room, the leaking room, the shade room, or tik tok room,

and I’ve somehow managed to get on all of them. Things like that

change others’ outlooks on you as a person, but the best thing you
can do as an ‘influencer’ is to keep to yourself and keep doing you,
because that’s what helps you further your career,” Schuller, said.

Acosta, a junior, has found herself with 31k followers

28on her account @car.leen, where she publishes “random/funny”

content. This is not Acosta’s first time in the spotlight, though, as in
middle school she also went viral on an InstagFraamll 2m0e1m4e account

with similarly funny content. every post to now getting 5k views. I was

“I have been using TikTok almost everyday since it came receiving 2k-4k followers per day to now

out in 2018. Ever since I’ve been gaining more and more followers losing 20 followers per day. If I didn’t

I feel as if I have to constantly keep up with my account to keep get shadowbanned, my account would

people interested. I continue to post not just for me but for my probably be over 500k followers today,”

n followers. My favorite thing about TikTok is that you don’t have Calvache, said.
to try and pretend to be someone you’re not. It’s an easy way to Stavash, a sophomore, uses his

just express yourself and not care what other people are thinking account @JaredStav to post about the

unlike other apps like Instagram,” Acosta, said. topics of space, teach, and vfx, or visual

Calvache, known as “Cervo”, has blown up on his page effects. As of November 22, he has 2.4

@TheCervitron, which has 36.6k followers. Similar to Acosta, million followers in only three months of

“Cervo” posts comical content. using the app. He expects a large increase in

“My first account (bhdarmy19) had 70.2k followers from his following as time goes on.

late February to early June. Due to a shadowban from TikTok in “I continue to post on TikTok because
June, this account currently has 66.2k followers and no longer
it’s really fun for me to post things I enjoy and people
appears on the ‘For You Page’. My second account currently has
actually see it. Tiktok is booming right now and compared
36.6k followers which I started in July.
“I have a love/hate relationship with Tik Tok. Some days to all other social media right now, Tiktok is the place to post a
video and have it go viral,” Stavash, said.
I’m not too fond of Tik Tok due to what happens with my content.
Not everyone, however, loves the app. President Trump,
I could post an original video, and it would only get 1,500 views. A
echoing the consensus of tech security experts, called out the app
few hours later, someone decided to copy my exact video without
for its possible invasive properties stemming from its roots as a
crediting me and got over 500k views. Other days, I enjoy Tik Tok
Chinese company. In general, those who are fearful of the apps’
when one of my videos go viral. For example, throughout May,
reach cite security concerns, privacy issues, and it’s ability of far-
every video I posted received more than 20k views on every post.
reaching influence and data mining.
More than half of the videos in May received over 100k views, and “When I first heard that Tik Tok was getting banned, I was

a few received over 1 million views. I continue to post on Tik Tok as like ‘ayo, relax,’ because I wasn’t even at 10k on instagram yet and
it lets me take my mind off of what’s happening in my life. It’s also
I knew I could grow more before my run ended. Now, since I have
nice to see that people enjoy watching your content.
enough followers to carry me over to another app, it doesn’t mean
“A personal experience I’ve had with Tik Tok is when
as much. Most of us, including myself, are still going to join content
my first account got shadowbanned due to another creator. The
houses and move on to other things like YouTube monetization and
creator who caused my account to be shadowbanned is @h1t1
things like that,” Schuller, said.
(over 2 million followers and 100 million likes). In May, a new
As time progresses, Heights students may find their
trend appeared which was to post memes and react to it. He and
I were the first ones to really participate in this trend. As a result, accounts growing. With no telling on if the app will actually be
banned in the future, Schuller, Acosta, Calvache, and Stavash are
I received more than 50k followers and over 2 million likes. The
likely to continue to interact with followers.
other creator, h1t1, was my “competitor”. At the time, our follower
“I think the app will probably be popular for a long time
count was the same and we both saw each other on our feed.
to come because there’s still so many new downloads. As for my
However, he suspected me as copying his content when I posted
following, I can’t see it stopping anytime soon, and hope to be at
different stuff than him. In early June, he decided to get his fans
10 million by the end of 2021. I’ll definitely continue posting on
to mass report my account and try to get me banned. Around the
TikTok for as long as I see necessary, though I might switch my
middle of June, Tik Tok decided to shadowban my account (which
content more towards CGI in the future,” Stavash, said.
they don’t tell you). I went from receiving more than 50k views on
2299featurFeall 2014
Pilot’s Log Hasbrouck Heights High School

Fall 2020 // pilot’s log // Hasbrouck Heights High School

How did COVID-19

summer impact your

A COVID SUMMERsummer?

bummer? Emily Condon, editor-in-chief, & Amanda Boscarino, staff

STUDENTS - HOW WOULD YOU RATE YOUR SUMMER?

The worst! The best!

STUDENTS - DID YOU TRAVEL STUDENTS - DID YOU LOSE A
THIS SUMMER?
SUMMER JOB OR EMPLOYMENT
68.5% NO
31.5% YES BECAUSE OF COVID? NO

(out of 149 YES
students)

YES NO 93.9

6.1

STUDENTS - DO YOU KNOW ANYONE

30 WHO HAS TESTED POSITIVE FOR
Pilot’s Log Hasbrouck Heights High School COVID-19? Fall 2014
Inforgraphic by: Alexa Lafaso


Poll included 155 9-12th grade sutdents

STUDENTS -

DURING THE SUMMER
HOW OFTEN DID YOU
WEAR YOUR MASK
WHEN IN PUBLIC?

MOST OF THE TIME

(39.6%)

ALWAYS STUDENTS - DID YOU PARTICIPATE
(34.2%)

RARELY IN A SUMMER SPORT?
(10.7%)

SOMETIMES

(15.4%)

YES STUDENTS - HAVE YOU
NO ATTENDED OUTDOOR DINING?

51.7% 48.3% 28.9

STUDENTS - HAVE YOU 71.1

VISITED AN NJ BEACH? 31Fall 2014

31Pilot’sYLEofgSea(7Ht1asu.b1ror%ucek)Heights HigNh SOchoo(l28.9%)

Fall 2020 // pilot’s log // Hasbrouck Heights High School

SOCTIHAELINFLUENCE

With a rise in social media has come a rise in influencers on teens

Briana Mullins & Victoria Vitelli, staff
Design and Photo by Emily Condon

What to wear!! It is 9:00 am on a Saturday morning. You wake up, roll over in
your bed and the first thing you do is grab your phone. You open
Political beliefs
instagram and start scrolling through the countless pictures of
social media influencers from the night before. This is when you

decide you will be skipping breakfast this morning.
“Social media influencers can be famous for anything. I think

they make things worse because they put pressure on their younger

fans to buy their products or what they are sponsored by. People will do

anything to become famous,” Evan Wenckus, junior, said.

A study done by the University of Haifa in 2011 showed 248

women from the ages of 12 to 19 had higher rates of eating disorders

Trendy with more exposure to social media. Teens of the current generation tend
to base whether they are comfortable with their bodies off of what they
see on their Instagram feed.

food “Going on to social media daily shows girls unrealistic beauty
standards and that does put a lot of pressure on us and brings out a lot of

places insecurities.” Victoria Mateo, junior, said.
When people hear the words “peer pressure” it is often

associated with drugs, alcohol, etc. However, the amount of peer pressure

teens have experienced just by looking at their cell phone screens has

Makeupup and ACT LIKE been extreme.
THIS!!!
“Sense of self and individuality can ultimately be lost to
influencer culture, especially since the majority of the influence is
occurring outside of one’s conscious awareness. Groupthink is a

particular concern. Groupthink refers to the tendency for thinking and

appearance decision making to occur as a group in a way that discourages creativity
or individuality. It is a type of conformity that can lead to irrational

behavior and pressure to acquiesce. With regard to social media and

influencer culture, Groupthink can essentially be a really dangerous form

How to think of peer pressure.” Brielle A. Marino of the PsyD Department of Applied
Psychology at NYU, said.
Teens are bombarded everyday with how they are “supposed”

to act. What they should be wearing, eating, drinking, & what music they

should be listening to are just some of the topics thrown out by social
media influencers. What a social media influencer is, however, is up for

debate.
In general, an influencer is a user on social media who has
established a platform in their specific industry. They have the ability

to persuade millions of people off of just a single instagram post. There

are many different types of influencers from beauty to fitness to comedy.
Pilot’s Log reached out to some popular influencers and asked them their
definition of the term.
Rhys Athayde, a fitness influencer with over 150K followers
on instagram described an ifluencer as, “someone with credibility in

their respective industry or profession who engages their followers”.

claude_junior, a former professional athlete turned model with over 100K

32 Pilot’s Log Hasbrouck Heights High School followers, had a different take on the term, “an influencer is someone that

people love to follow for their positivity and aesthetic.” Valeria Mercado,
a fashion, fitness, and lifestyle influencer with over 1M foFllaolwl 2e0rs1s4ees the

role diferently. “For me, being an influencer is aspiring to inspire, totally different on social media.”
sharing your journey and your growth to inspire others journey. Athayde echos his counterparts but includes an important
I think every influencer has a target audience, some of them post note for those who follow influencer.
fashion, some post beauty or fitness, and others promote their “I feel influencers mostly post highlight reels of their
sexuality or business. The spectrum of being an influencer is too lives. It’s extremely important to make a distinction between those
subjective to say that the goal is to influence your audience. I’d say highlights and what their real life is.”
it’s more inspire people more than to influence them.” With over 90% of teens aged 13-17 having social media
While influencers gain their notoriety often times for accounts, this division between reality and fantasy can be very
a specific role they that they fill, many branch out into the realm troubling.
of activism and information sharing. Something that can be “In my professional experience, I have certainly seen an
increase in social-media related complaints and even “obsessive”
dangerous to teenagers. tendencies. The research demonstrates this increase as well.
Namely, there appears to be an increase in adolescent mental
“The problem with this, however, is that there is no real distress that parallels an increase in social media usage. In fact,
technical qualification for an influencer to be teaching people the most prominent risk factors for depression and anxiety in
about certain issues. Instead, most of the time, they are simply association with social media use are time spent on social media
stating their opinion. Young adults look up to these influencers and platforms, repeated checking for messages, and addictive or
assume either a) that they know what they are talking about or b) problematic use. In addition to body image issues, depression,
anxiety, and self-harm, a general decline in quality of life can occur
that they are correct in what they are saying. For an uninformed secondary to social media addiction. This is most likely to occur
with individuals who spend an excessive amount of time either on
audience, this could be very detrimental. Just because you are an social media platforms or planning their lives around their posts,”
influencer doesn’t mean you know what you’re talking about,” Bill Marino, said. Social media in general can have addictive qualities.
Thorne, journalism teacher, said. The “like button” feature on most social media platforms acts
essentially as a positive reinforcer, meaning it feels good to have
80% of students at Hasbrouck Heights High School follow peers endorse or “like” one’s content, and that good feeling makes
at least one social media influencer. A big reason so many teens it more likely for the behavior (i.e. social media use) to occur again
follow and listen to what these influencers have to say is because and again. Influencers capitalize on this notion of reinforcement.
a lot of them are in the same age group as their audience. 31% of The more “likes” a particular image has, the more likely it is for
all social media influencers are in between the ages of 18-24. High that image or person to be viewed favorably. This, in turn, elicits a
School students may look to these people as a big sister or brother “mimicking” response, whereby teens and young adults will try to
type of influence. However, this may not always be a good thing. emulate the influencer. The idea of following trends and “copying”
Teens seeing someone around their age creating unrealistic beauty an aesthetic is not new. Magazines, television, and movies
standards could be pretty damaging to their self confidence. have capitalized on this mimicking phenomenon for decades.
“I feel like it depends who the influencer is, like when Evolutionary psychologists would argue that “looking up to” and
it’s someone near my age I feel a little more insecure since people “copying” celebrities and influencers is an inherent and socially
adaptive tendency, with the idea that being well-liked bodes well
expect you to look like that.” Carleen Acosta, junior at Hasbrouck for survival. The difference, however, is the degree of accessibility
of influencer content on social media platforms. Algorithms that
Heights High School says. target specific content and audiences make it almost impossible
to avoid these effects. In fact, studies demonstrate that many
Some still don’t get the craze. teens purchase items and behave on social media in ways that
“Unfortunately I follow no influencers that I look up to. are influenced by prominent social media figures without their
There’s no particular reason why I don’t follow them. I follow conscious awareness. The cycle is deeply psychological.”
“The current research demonstrates a fairly strong
workout accounts because they’re informative and inspirational. correlation between social media use and worsening mental health.
Specifically, the relationship appears to be mediated by a “dose-
Other then that I follow celebrities just because I’m interested , response,” meaning the more one uses social media, the greater
not because they influence me to go start a YouTube channel and their mental distress. These effects seem to impact adolescent girls
become famous,” Vincent Sedlmeir, alumni, said. more so than any other youth group, and can include self-injurious
behaviors and suicidality.” Marino, said.
35% of Hasbrouck Heights High School students say they Still, as social media and following bases grow, its
do not think that influencers portray their lives accurately on social influence on teens and society’s future is untelling.
media. ““I think social media influencers have a huge impact on
the world now a days because they inspire people to work harder
“This number is concerning to me. That means that to earn what they have,” Jake Diaz, junior, said.

65% of those polled truly believe that what they are seeing is an 3333FeaturFeall 2014

accurate depiction of these people’s lives. That can lead to some Fall 2020 // pilot’s log // Hasbrouck Heights High School

really strained and incorrect views of what life is really like,”

Thorne, said.
The influencers themselves had a different opinion that
those of their followers.

“No. I believe things are all smoke and mirror for the

most part. Everyone tries to portray a perfect picture but in reality

they live a facade. We all go through things, that’s why I try to keep

it real with my audience because if I’m not being real with them,

I’m not being real with myself. Living a lie gets hard to keep up

with. It’s ok not to be ok, people are great at putting up a mirage.”

Mercado, said.

claude_junior agreed.
“I think some influencers are 100% themselves, some are

Pilot’s Log Hasbrouck Heights High School

New
faces The 2020 Fall Sports season sees new

two coaches replace long-time coaches
in football and boys soccer.

Emily Condon, editor-in-chief

Fall sports look a little different this year after two long time coaches stepped down from their positions at the end of last season. Head
Football coach Nick Delcalzo departed the program and school with his retirement at the end of the 2019-2020 school year. His 35 year
head coaching legacy was capped with a 270-90-1 overall record. Bill Thorne, head soccer coach, left the position after 11 years with the
program in which he served as JV and varsity coach. Thorne posted a 49-8-2 record while serving as head coach. The two new coaches,
Brian Ille, football, and Pedro Martinez, boys soccer, both come with different backgrounds. Ille, a Heights native, returns to the school in which
he played and takes over for a coach that served as his coach. Martinez, a native of Harrison, leaves behind one of the most successful soccer
programs in the state and will now serve as the head coach for a Heights team that was once in the same division as Harrison.

Ille’s football team finished with a 4-2 Brian Ille, pictured at Depken Field
prior to the first game of the season
34record in the COVID-shortened season. against rival Cresskill. Fall 2014
Pilot’s Log Hasbrouck Heights High School
Design and photos: by Emily Condon

Brian Ille,

Football

Coaching History Take on Season

“Well I played High School football “Its a great feeling coming to work
here in Hasbrouck Heights. I went every day around like-minded
on to play football at Montclair State people. The Administration has been
University. After that my coaching very supportive and the coaching
career started. Over the past 20 staff does a great job teaching the
years I have coached football at 5 game. We all are all pulling the rope
high schools: Barringer High School, in the same direction and I am happy
West Orange High School, Wayne to be apart of it.”
Hills High School, Irvington High
School and Livingston.” Message to Seniors

Attraction to HH “Life is about making the best out of
situations that might not be ideal.
“Over my coaching career, I prepared We have to make the best out of our
each year to became a better coach situation by staying positive while
and person. I always day dreamed taking advantage of the moments
of the possibility of coming home to that make our senior year special.”
coach the team that I grew up playing
on. So when the great Coach Delcalzo Facts for Students
retired I decided that the time was
right for me to apply for the position.” “I have 4 children, 2 girls (11,9), and
2 boys (6,4).”
Philosophy
7
“My philosophy is anchored in
providing meaningful experiences Ssppoortsrt2s73355Winter 2019 // pilot’s log // HasbroucFkaHlelig2h0t1s4High School
to my athletes while enhancing Fall 2020 // pilot’s log // Hasbrouck Heights High School
their skills and values in life through
sports.”

Pilot’s Log Hasbrouck Heights High School

Martinez and the boys soccer team
finished the season as co-league
champs with Weehawken in the newly
structured league.

sFepaoturrets2836FPalill2o01t9’s//Lpiolotg’s log // HHaassbbroruocukcHkeHighetisgHhitgshHScighohoSl chool Pedro Martinez, pictured after his first
victory as the head coach of the boys
Fall 2020 // pilot’s log // Hasbrouck Heights High School soccer team.
Photo: Emily Condon

36Fall 2014

Pedro Martinez,
Boys Soccer

Coaching History Take on Season

“I have played soccer all of my “I really enjoy it. I cannot begin
life. From playing soccer in empty to explain how hardworking the
grass lots and parking lots on the players have been. Our coaches
block I grew up on, to playing at the John Martinez and Justin McCann
Harrison Courts and beyond. I played have done an amazing job with our
at Harrison High School ‘01-’04 players. The administration has
and at Ramapo College ‘05-’08. It been very supportive, in particular
is at Ramapo College where Coach our athletic director, Mr. Scuilla.
Pinton gave me my first coaching He’s made my transition to Heights
opportunity as a Graduate Assistant. very seamless. The coaches in other
I then coached at Harrison High athletic programs and members of
School as the JV coach for nine years. the community have also been very
Over the past 8 summers, I have also supportive, kind, and welcoming.”
coached at Cosmos Soccer Camp
in Mahwah and recently started Message to Seniors
m3soccertraining where I train
individuals and small groups.” “Firstly, I would like to thank
our seniors for being such great
Attraction to HH student-athletes. I understand how
challenging it must be for them to
“I saw a great opportunity to adjust to a new coaching staff and
challenge myself as a coach at a style of play in their final season.
program which has experienced They have really been a great group
success the past few years.” of seniors. I want to wish them all the
best of luck this year, to be grateful
Philosophy for the opportunity to play a final
high school soccer season, and to
“Embrace the grind! As a coach, enjoy every moment of it.”
I like to focus on the complete
development of players. Not only do I Facts for Students
focus on skills development, but also
the mental aspect of understanding “I would like to wish all the coaches
of the game, how to be a coachable and athletes the best of luck this
player, a good teammate, and a year. Despite what is going on in
leader. This means that there are the world and in our country, they
things that players are going to have all have dedicated their time and
to do that are outside of their comfort commitment to each other and their
zone or don’t necessarily want to do. respective programs which speaks
Getting them to understand why they volumes about their character.”
are doing the things I ask of them is
essential to having them embrace Featsuprorets 32379 7Winter 2020 // pilot’s log // HasbroucFkaHlelig2h0t1s4High School
every opportunity for personal
growth and development.” Fall 2020 // pilot’s log // Hasbrouck Heights High School

Pilot’s Log Hasbrouck Heights High School

The “New Normal”

COVID regulations added new twists to an always exciting fall sports season

Odaliana Gomez, Andrew Pintabono,
& Michael Amendola, staff.
Design by Emily Condon

With New Jersey high school sports beginning in “Athletic Directors, as well as Medical Doctors, came
the fall 2020 season, protocals were implemented to ensure together from June-August to create practice and game
saftey for players and all others involved amongst the protocols to keep the athletes as safe as possible during these
pandemic. Heights and NJIC athletes did not fall short from times. At our high school, the administration and medical
feeling the effects trickle down to their seasons. team are enforcing these protocols. Our daily symptom check-
“Since last spring, The NJIC has had to come up with in process, as well as temperature checks, are our frontline
a variety of scheduling plans. One of the most important barricades to keep the illness from spreading to the athletes.
decisions made was to realign our divisions into geographical If everyone stays home when not feeling well, the spread of all
pods. The rationale behind this is to make the bus trips illnesses will be reduced. Additionally, athletes and coaches
to and from competition as short as possible. In doing so, are being made to social distance and wear masks as much
we expanded the amount of divisions in tennis and soccer. as possible during practices and contests,” Michael Scuilla,
Football was an unbelievable challenge, as we found ourselves athletic director, said.
making large scale scheduling changes each week. We also There is still the looming questions prompted
eliminated the weekly quad meets in cross country and held by health officials concerning the start of sports amid the
only a boys and girls divisional championship meet. Each coronavirus pandemic. According to the CDC coaches should
meet was held on separate days. The reason for this was to focus more on individual skill building instead of competition.
maximize social distancing. We realized we did not want the They also recommend that masks should be worn at all times
entire conference in a park at the same time,” Stan Frycynski, when you are not playing.
NJIC director, said. As months progress, further seasons may see less
Sports on a larger landcape have seen alterations regulations. For indoor sports, seasons have already been
to their seasons. The NBA, NFL, and MLB, all saw changes to pushed back to a variety of start dates between January
dates in their seasons and overall protocals. This has trickled through March, as cases are rise
down to high school sports. The NJSIAA announced that fall “Moving forward to the winter season, our approach
sports would be able to operate, and under the association’s will most likely become pretty much of what we experienced
Health & Safety section on its website is an area for 26 in the fall; that being, not trying to look too far ahead and
different Covid resources and rules for schools competing being prepared to make schedule changes with very little
in interscholastic sports to follow. For games in the NJIC, all heads up time. We have already had many incidents whereby
spectors will have to wear face coverings, and players that a team was notified that they would be playing someone
are on the sideline will also have to wear face coverings. In else or perhaps not playing a game at all! This has required
terms of spectators at football games for the NJIC, only two an unbelievable amount of extra work for all of our NJIC
tickets were given to each player. Volleyball has been moved Executive Committee and the school athletic directors.
to a winter sport for this year, considered the third season.. Obviously, this trickles down to many changes that our
According to the website ABC7NY it says “Indoor fall sports coaches and athletes must adapt to. Unfortunately, student-
like gymnastics and volleyball have a special season that will athletes will have to understand that they will be playing
start practices on Feb. 16. They will start their seasons on less games in a season and perhaps not even an opportunity
March 3.” for post season play. Many county tournaments have been
According to a poll of 151 heights students cancelled and the NJSIAA has already eliminated state
addressing high school sports 30 percent of students said sectional play in the winter season. Sports like swimming and
that they would not be attending a sporting event during the indoor track and field are also facing the possibility of having
coronavirus pandemic. Some students said that they were little, if any, opportunity to participate in competition. The
weary of spectators not wearing masks or social distancing. NJIC will make every effort to have at least the opportunity
In another poll that was sent out 45 percent of students for teams to compete for a divisional championship. Our
also said that they knew somebody who had decided to not divisional alignments will go back to the traditional set up
participate in a sport due to the pandemic. Over 78 percent when we finally are able to no longer worry about Covid
of students said that high school sports should continue with issues. Hopefully that will be by the start of the 2021-22
their seasons. Students seemed to not know that they could school year. There is the possibility that by this spring season,
now stream the games over the internet with over 55 percent we may see things begin to finally settle down,” Frycynski,
of students polled unaware of the school’s offering. said.

Following: A look at the impact that
COVID had on the individual fall seasons

38 38sportsPilot’s Log Hasbrouck Heights High School Fall 2014

Fall 2020 // pilot’s log // Hasbrouck Heights High School

Pilot’s Log (Top left) Photo by Amanda Boscrino: Sign “I was at sporting events for every team
mandating maska and social distancing outside for yearbook. The fact that there was
Hitchcock Field for soccer games. no student section showed how much
(Top right) Photo by Emily Condon: Empty it really meant to the players for them
section of bleachers at football game, as fans to be there in the past years. The crowd
were limitied to two tickets per player. was quiet, and at football games, it
(Middle left) Photo by Kelsey Parodi: Fans was even worse when we were away
at boys soccer game distancing and wearing because our cheerleaders weren’t
masks. allowed to come. There was little to no
(Bottom right) Photo by Kelsey Parodi: excitement and the players didn’t have
Andrew Gaffney, junior, sitting alone with as much adrenaline pumping. A football
mask to watch a boys soccer game. player told me that without the crowds,
(Bottom left) Michael Scuilla, athletic director, if they make a 50 yard touchdown and
on sidelines at football with mask. hear nothing, it doesn’t motivate them.
I wore a mask at every game and social
Hasbrouck Heights High School distancing was mandated,” Kelsey
Parodi, senior Yearbook photographer

sports 3319and editor, said.

Winter 2020 // pilot’s log // HasbroucFkaHlelig2h0t1s4High School

Girls Soccer
Photos by Amanda Boscarino
(Top) Odaliana Gomez, junior, warms
up with mask before game.
(Bottom) Kayla Perrapato, senior,
wearing neck gaiter before game.
(Right) Coach Keller and players
getting attention from athletic trainer
wore masks before game.

“Our start date was extremely late than our usual start. We
eventually started practicing over a month more than our usual time,
and we weren’t even able to practice everyday. On the field, we
must be extremely careful when travelling to different places and
entering practices. We try to avoid contact, and this is extremely
difficult for a contact sport like soccer. Off the field, we obviously
have to wear masks everywhere, and we couldn’t do simple things
such as hugging our friends when it was really bad. In the beginning
of the season when we weren’t allowed to practice, I made sure
to get touches and stay in shape for when the season began. In the
beginning, I was crossing my fingers that the season was gonna
happen and thankfully it did. This season has started much later
than it usually does, and the amount of games has decreased as well.
Being my senior season, I’m slightly disappointed, but sadly, it’s
what must be done. Also team dinners are cancelled, and the amount
of people allowed to watch games has decreased. These little things
that I took for granted my three years of playing are gone, and I’m
honestly going to miss it a lot,” Veronica Legaspi, senior captain,

Boys Soccer
“Soccer for the 2020 season was definitely something
else. We had a shorter season which was not as bad a s we
thought. We had to wear masks during breaks and what
not, which stunk especially in the summer. Our season
went as normal as possible, but got shut down due to
Covid for two weeks, which cancelled 3 of our games.
After that was done school shut down again and we had to
wait a while again to play. We got through the season and
did the best with the circumstances and took first in the
leagues,” Alessandro Ciminata, senior captain, said.

(Top) Photo by Amanda Boscarino: Sign at soccer game

on Covid-19 protocals.

(Bottom) Jonathan Hauptman, senior, sat on the bench 40Fall 2014

with a mask on while he was injured in the beginning of
Hasbrouck Heights High Schoolseason.
sports 40Pilot’s Log
Fall 2020 // pilot’s log // Hasbrouck Heights High School

Cross
Country“It’s a blessing that we had a Cross Country season
despite the pandemic. I couldn’t be more grateful to
be able to run for this school one last time. But with
(Left) Photo by Amanda Boscarino: Cross country team practice the pandemic came many changes in protocols. For

included masks. example, mask wearing at practice before and after runs
(Middle) Photo by Emily Condon: Amber Barrios, junior, and was required. We also had to fill out a form every day
Shannon Artuso, senior, wore masks on the way to warm up at ensuring we were healthy. In addition, we had to keep
the start line. our masks on at the starting line until seconds before the
(Right) Photo by Emily Condon: The boys varsity team wears race went off, placing them in plastic bags and giving
masks while doing strides before their race.

them to Coach Ryan. Bus seating was also all separated

and masks were mandated there as well. All in all, to

be able to run for this program one last time and test

my limits from start to finish, it was all worth the rules

and protocols made for our safety,” Jake Porco, senior

captain, said.

Tennis
(Left) Photo compliments of Julia
Trexler: Tennis girls wear masks
and gaiters when standing together
on Julia’s senior day match.
(Right) Photo by Kelsey Parodi:
Tennis team poses together with
masks.

“The overall effect that Covid-19 has had on my tennis season was the lack of connection between the girls. I felt

like the underclassmen and upperclassmen were more separated than usual. This may have been due to limiting

the size of groups of people. Usually we have team dinners, end of the season parties/potlucks, celebratory ice

cream, and a senior night. Unfortunately we weren’t able to have a team dinner or potluck due to Covid-19. I

still felt close to my teammates, regardless of the precautions we took. In the beginning we weren’t allowed to

touch the same ball as someone else, we didn’t take our mask down, and we made sure to have our temperature

checked along with questions prior to practice. Our last game of the season was cancelled because Harrison’s
41Poilnotth’seLteoagm,” JuHlaisabTroruecxklHere,igshetnsiHorigchaSpcthaoinol, said.
school was shut down. I just wish I would’ve been able to say my last goodbyes, because I was the only senior

Fall 2014

Cheerleading
“Because of COVID-19 my final cheerleading season was definitely

not your typical. Whether virtual or in-person, our practices were

split up in time intervals followed by the announcement that tryouts

were prohibited. Due to that, it resulted in a varsity squad of 40

girls, which is very high as supposed to normally being 25-30 girls

max. There were not enough uniforms to be distributed (but luckily

the seniors were able to wear theirs), so adjustments were made

from the typical cheerleader look. But in my opinion I think that

games were the toughest because of the drastic changes. We were

only allowed to cheer games that were home, which resulted in

the squad only attending two out of possibly 4 due to COVID-19 Photos by Emily Condon
outbreaks. We were only left to do sideline cheers as we were not (Left) Jillian Homan and Amber Barrios, junior, smile for
allowed to do stunting of any sort because of the physical contact a photo under their masks.
— which caused 1/2 of the activities we do as cheerleaders to be (Top right) Alexa Gonzalez, senior, socially distances
prohibited. As we understood it was for precaution, cheerleading from her team and wears mask on sidelines.

with masks could be challenging at times with 40 girls spread out (Bottom right) Samantha Migrino and Samantha
as our volume was muffled by the face coverings. Aside from that, Quimbayo, senior, wear masks on their senior night.

it was very difficult for us to cheer without the BlackHole, which

made us unable to do our usually chants alongside with them. It

was was pretty tough having a small supporting crowd on our

senior night as well. I’d say COVID-19 definitely led to several

compromises, and the usual experience as a cheerleader was very

limited.” Samantha Migrino, senior captain, said.

Color Gua

Pilot’s Log Hasbrouck Heights High School 42Fall 2014

Football

Photos by Emily Condon
(Left) Adrian Mercado and Christopher Lorhman, seniors,
wearing neck gaiters on way back from the coin toss.
(Right) Limited fans were present at football games.

“Covid had a massive effect on our team and season as a whole. Usually we start working out and training
together in the spring but due to the pandemic we couldn’t. We also couldn’t participate in our usually seven-
on-seven tournaments or preseason scrimmages. Our season was shortened to six games and our schedule has
constantly been scrambled due to teams getting Covid including us. Personally the worst part for me though was
not being able to use the locker room which led to us having to watch film outside in the cold and having to take
our equipment back home with us everyday. The black hole is one of the things that makes heights football great
not being able to have them at the games this year really put a damper on things,” Daniel Viola, senior, said.

ard/band “COVID-19 has affected the band season in many
ways. We were required to wear face masks with
(Left and bottom right) Photos by Kelsey Parodi: Band shorter practice periods. It was a challenge to
practices with masks and social distancing in an outdoor meet and practice every week because of many
setting. circumstances. We were only allowed to attend home
(Top) Photo by Emily Condon: Jefferey Ober, games not able to march. We though still tried out best
sophomore, plays at football game with mask. to play songs to the best of our ability,” Jeffery Ober,
sophomore and quads drum band member, said.

“I mean, it’s not like we had much of a season at all
with COVID going around. We only had two games
and a few practices, and we were only doing cheers
along with one halftime song. To make a long story
short, it cut our season down to nothing,” Leeyana
Marcelo, sophomore color guard member, said.

Pilot’s Log Hasbrouck Heights High School 4343sportsFall 2014

Fall 2020 // pilot’s log // Hasbrouck Heights High School

Pilot’s Log Hasbrouck Heights High School 44Fall 2014