Students and staff at GS were met with a few unexpected changes after walking through the school doors this year.
Many changes have been made throughout the high school for the 2024-2025 school year. Former high school English and creative writing teacher Ms. Alyssa Bewszka and former high school math teacher Mr. Scott Shirey were moved to teach at the middle school.
Ms. Bewszka’s old room number.
Photo by: Emma Helmick
Former science teacher Mr. Angelo Testa left the district, but a teacher has been hired to replace him. Building substitute Mrs. Joan Zahorchak is filling in for his classes until the new teacher arrives.
Unlike Mr. Testa, no one has been hired to replace Mr. Shirey or Ms. Bewszka. This resulted in Sports Stats and Creative Writing being cut as classes.
“The middle school lost two teachers, they left,” High School Principal Mr. Adam Jones said. “So, they needed a math and an English position. They absorbed two from up here, so all of that trickled down to why you see those courses being cut.”
Bewszka’s room was turned into a life skills classroom, while Shirey’s room is used by Dean of Students Mr. Jeff Kronewetrer during the afternoon for his Freshman Seminar classes.
“I am very sad to hear the class is gone because I felt it gave many students an outlet to write freely and really express themselves,” Bewszka said. “Many of the students, if not all of the students in my Creative Writing class, really enjoyed what we did and enjoyed the class as a whole.”
Both teachers received a phone call over the summer telling them that they would be teaching at the middle school.
“I taught middle school before and didn’t enjoy it very much, but I thoroughly enjoyed teaching at the high school,” Shirey said. “I also wish I knew I was being moved before the school year ended so I could have said proper ‘goodbyes’ to the students I made connections with and enjoyed talking to, as well as my coworkers.”
Sports Stats being removed left an open spot in Math teacher Mr. Jake Cole’s schedule, allowing him to take on the role of Shirey’s Math for the Trades class.
Both teachers’ classes were dispersed through other teachers in both subjects. This causes core subjects to have more students.
“I’ve noticed an increase with my class sizes this year, which is one of those things that they don’t realize when they move a teacher,” Mr. Cole said.
This could make it harder for teachers to check in with each student, which could impact some ways students learn.
“I think we lost two really great teachers who both brought joy into the classrooms,” junior Lorelai Leatherman said. “I never had Mr. Shirey, however he had lunch duty in my lunch last year, and he was always nice, welcoming, and made conversation with everyone. I did have Ms. B for creative writing last year, and she was one of my favorite teachers.”
Every school year brings new changes, and this year is no different.
During the class meetings held the first day of school, High School Principal Mr. Adam Jones and Dean of Students Mr. Jeff Kronenwetter reminded students of old and changing rules in the school. These included the returning cell phone rule, a change in second run bussing and the attendance policy.
The cell phone rule, initiated last year, dictates that each student is required to place their phone into numbered and assigned pockets before class. All students are prohibited from using phones during classes and exceptions must be approved prior to implementation.
A typical phone holder hangs on a door.
Photo by: Ari Case
“We did it [to] get kids more engaged in their learning,” Mr. Jones said.
Teachers have varying opinions on it, but most appreciate the value in removing classroom distraction.
“The teacher part of me loves it, [because] it is a distraction for students that have them out in class,” Mr. Kronenwetter said.
Student views on the rule are hard to quantify, but many agree with the idea—just not the execution. Some students aren’t normally on their phones but prefer to have them in backpacks or pockets.
“It’s not that I like being on my phone, but I like it being near me,” junior Nico Bortz said. “So at least I know if I need it in any case of emergency, it’s there.”
The rule has not changed since last year, but its application is stricter. Previously, many teachers did not mind if students kept their phones away in their bags or used them to listen to music during independent work time. This year, however, students felt some teachers had been rude or overbearing about their cell phones even if they did not want to be.
Bortz shared that the rule can distract them from learning more than their phone at times. One class they accidentally put their phone in the wrong numbered pocket, which prompted the teacher to disrupt class and have them move the phone.
Students, like senior Leia Felmley, feel the rules are causing “unnecessary mayhem” and extra stress.
This added stress, for students like Bortz, takes away from their learning.
“I come to school and I want to learn,” they said. “I don’t want to have to worry about making sure my phone’s put away so I don’t get a detention.”
Some have raised concerns about the potential negative impact on student learning when there is reliance on only school-provided technology. Historically, school devices and Wi-Fi networks are unreliable and cause consistent issues for many students and teachers.
“A lot of our classes depend on technology,” Felmley said. “A lot of us went through Covid, and [technology] was our only source of education.”
According to Jones, teachers are expected to have a backup plan for all lessons that can be completed without technology.
Reportedly, the blame would fall on teachers if students were caught with their phones during classes. This has increased classroom tension, and Felmley disagrees with the choice to broadly pressure teachers when only some behaviors are truly disruptive or problematic.
Education has changed drastically in large part due to the pandemic, coupled with technological advancements—many teachers have had to shift how they teach in recent years.
“The teacher’s job is to educate their students,” Felmley said. “They should not be punished for it [because] it’s making them feel like they aren’t doing a good job of teaching when they’re trying their best just to learn how to redo everything again.”
The high school also changed the procedure for second run bussing this year.
Previously, students who rode second run buses waited in the auditorium lobby or outside after school. This year, they are assigned seating areas in the auditorium based on which bus they ride and dismissed accordingly.
It was explained that the reason for changing the bussing procedure was initially unrelated to students. In previous years, the buses were often clumped and out of order, sometimes blocking the road. Along with some conflicts between students, the main goal was to organize things for the sake of safety and efficiency.
Students wait in the auditorium for their buses.
Photo by: Quinn Isenberg
Jones explained that “it just streamlines the process” of getting students home safely. He also said that it is important they are able to find students in case of emergency.
Second run bus riders have decidedly less positive views about the change.
“I absolutely hate it because [it] is wickedly hot in the auditorium, even though we have an air conditioning unit in there, and it seems like they aren’t applying something that they put lots of money towards,” Felmley explained.
She believes the air conditioning has been on some days, but it has not seemed like it most days.
Bortz expressed frustration at losing the freedom of standing outside.
“It feels like they’re treating us like elementary schoolers,” they said. “I don’t like being treated like that when I’m 16 years old in high school. It’s kind of annoying and demeaning.”
Both Bortz and Felmley resent being separated from friends and social groups.
“It feels like you’re being isolated, away from those people you normally would bond with,” Felmley said.
The bus procedure is new this year, but the attendance policy remains the same on paper as it has been for years.
In recent years, several unexpected challenges disrupted the attendance policy at GS. Now, Kronenwetter hopes to get attendance more consistent.
“We’re trying to help establish good habits,” he explained.
He expressed that during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, he was just glad to see students attending school at all.
The district policy is that any absences after 12 missed days count towards sanctions. A student on the sanctions list must make up two hours for every day missed over the limit and may not participate in school-related activities like sports or dances.
The school legally excuses any absence with a note, but notes from parents still mean an absence counts toward sanctions. Any absence excused by a third party, like a doctor, does not count toward the sanctions limit. Neither do pre-approved absences for vacations, college visits, job shadows and senior projects.
Bortz expressed concerns for specific medical and family situations, and the appearance of transcripts for college. Kronenwetter explained that he isn’t concerned about potential issues, because they can be handled on a case-by-case basis—and the rules aren’t the important part to him.
“I know the academics come first,” he said.
The policy has not significantly changed this year, so any grievances are largely the same as last year. General frustration at the scheduling of school is the most common, with such an early start in the morning.
“There’s so many reasons for being tardy to school that should be excusable, but to the school are not,” Bortz said, mentioning car and health problems.
Both Bortz and Felmley expressed concerns about COVID-19, considering the recent surge in cases. Current Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines do not have a set quarantine, though they were previously five days at least. Now, quarantining until fever-free and limiting contact while wearing a mask for several days are recommended.
According to Jones, the district has no current policy on COVID-19, and “it’s treated as any illness.” If you do not have a doctor’s note, days missed because of it will count towards the sanctions limit.
Amid student frustration and added stress from new rules and policies, most students just want to be treated like their opinions and experiences matter.
“I know that as a young adult, I hope that our voices will be heard,” Felmley said.
With fall sports in full swing, the Salem Psychos are busy showing their support.
The student section at sports events is there to bring fun to games and encourage the teams. These students are led by five leaders.
“Lauryn Swierczynski is our main leader,” Salem Psychos Advisor Mr. Nick DeMary said. “Then we have Kayla Ramer, Grace Sybesma, Dom Rosensteel and Cooper Dann.”
These leaders do their best to ensure that students have fun at sports events. But beyond this, they make sure that student athletes always have someone supporting them.
The HS student section at the GS vs. Valley football game.
Photo Courtesy: Mrs. Andrea Redinger
“The student section is a major driving factor of school spirit, no doubt,” Swierczynski said. “As an athlete, having your peers come to your games really does make a difference. It gives you another reason to play, to push through and gives the team a wave of school pride.”
While the student section works to keep them supported outside of school, they are also working to arrange in school support.
“I want to get involved in the school,” Mr. DeMary said. “Maybe a pep rally. We are also trying to get t-shirts made and stuff like that.”
Getting the students involved may draw bigger crowds to school events. The leaders and DeMary are working hard to get advisory meetings set up. This would open the opportunity to get more ideas and opinions.
“Hopefully we see student athletes from all grades and sports come down to Mr. DeMary’s room and have some input on future themes, chants and ways to get more involvement at games,” Swierczynski said.
Having student input can be helpful when trying to gain involvement. If students like the themes and chants there will be more of a turn out.
“Everything is truly for the students and your voice matters,” DeMary said. “What students want is important because I’m a teacher and what was cool six years ago isn’t anymore.”
Although DeMary works to make things happen for students, the leaders play a role in keeping things up to date.
“Right now, we are working on Gold Rush t-shirts that will most likely be free,” Swierczynski said. “Another thing the other leaders and I are working on is a short video to go over different chants and traditions we do at each game.”
The chants are a way to keep the students having fun and interested at games. This video could help students be prepared for the games and louder when chants are called.
Although all students are in the same general area, it can be hard for some groups to hear and stay involved due to the grade sectioning. In the student section seniors are in the front and it goes by grade level all the way to the back.
“I think they could do a little better trying to involve the freshmen,” freshman Sophia Ginder said. “I think it’s awkward sometimes because they already know what they are going to do in the front and no one in the back knows what’s going on.”
While it may be hard to hear chants, there are still fun things for the younger students participate in, such as themes.
“I like the themes because I feel like it’s a way we can all be connected,” Ginder said.
Another thing that has been updated this year is the location of the middle school student section. Instead of being on the other side of the field, it is now next to the band which is in between the two sections.
“I personally like this change,” Swierczynski said. “Another section can hear the band better, and it creates connectivity between the middle and high school.”
Introducing the middle school students to the high school section can help show them what they have to look forward to. It can get them excited for what they get to be involved with soon.
“What I really want to see happen after I leave is the revival of the old days,” Swierczynski said. “What I mean by this is it being competitive to become a psycho. Bring back the passing of the torch culture. And keep the energy for all sports, not just football. Pack the section.”
Overall, this year’s group of senior leaders have a lot of goals, and the hope is that they can achieve them all. But it’s also important that there is other students’ interest in carrying on the Salem Psycho traditions.
“We are one at GS and I’m excited to see what the future holds,” DeMary said.
The community is soaking up the sounds that carried them through the past three months as the summer season events end.
The summertime was packed full of concerts, markets and other events to keep locals busy over break. The festivities kicked off with Elton Rohn, the Elton John tribute band, at St. Clair Park for SummerSounds.
Elton Rohn performs at St. Clair Park for SummerSounds.
Photo Courtesy: David Baldinger
SummerSounds is an annual free concert series put together entirely by 50 volunteers who present Greensburg with a wide variety of musicians over 14 weeks. Preshows lasted from 6:15 to 6:45, the main show then starting at 7 p.m.
“It’s a very exciting thing,” junior Maddox Kunkle said. “I think it’s done very professionally, it’s more top-of-the-line.”
The SummerSounds lineup included various tributes and original acts to appeal to music lovers of all ages. This summer’s end marks 24 years of concerts for SummerSounds with more to come under new management from the Greensburg Community Development Corporation.
“Because it’s free, anyone could go if they wanted,” Kunkle added. “People might’ve even been in for a surprise with what bands they saw.”
Once a month on select Thursdays from April through December, the Greensburg Night Market is active across four city blocks with over 140 vendors selling foods, art, jewelry and much more.
A typical view of the street during the Greensburg Night Market.
Photo Courtesy: Alex Newill
“The turnout for all the markets was pretty good this year,” owner and founder of the Night Market Ms. Jessica Hickey said.
The Greensburg Vintage Market was also active throughout the summer season. Over 50 vendors gather throughout St. Clair Park and the parking lot behind the Amphitheatre, selling vintage décor, collectables, clothing and other vintage items along with food and plants.
The vintage market set up.
Photo Courtesy: Alex Newill
“The heat can be a bit of a challenge during the summertime,” Ms. Hickey said. “We had a couple hot markets, but our water refill station and being in the park for some shade helped a lot.”
On August 16, GS held the annual Back to School Bash at Offutt Field to kick off the 2024-2025 school year.
“It seemed pretty crowded, and everyone had a great time,” Associate to the Superintendent and Back to School Bash Coordinator Mrs. Kayla Tamer said. “It was an exciting night.”
The Bash was in conjunction with Mini-THON, which provided students and families with the dunk tank and cornhole fundraiser at the event. There were over 25 community vendors, 10 student organizations and five food vendors.
Mr. Nick DeMary sits in the dunk tank.
Photo Courtesy: Mrs. Tamer
“It was a team approach,” Mrs. Tamer added. “The layout this year was a little bit different, we recognized the athletes and activities in the middle. I think the weather kept some people away, but overall, it was really fun.”
On August 24, the Greensburg Music Fest was back for the 6thconsecutive year. This year’s festival was spread throughout three locations with five stages total and 15 bands who played throughout the day. The Music Fest is presented by the Westmorland Cultural trust in partnership with Green Beacon Gallery and Band Together Pittsburgh.
“It was a fantastic experience,” senior Wesley Heverly said. “The talent from the kids who are a part of Band Together was mind blowing.”
Band Together Pittsburgh is a nonprofit organization that creates music with musicians on the autism spectrum. Heverly had the pleasure of participating in the event at St. Clair Park and helped promote it with posters he made himself.
Greensburg always has something to look forward to, but especially during the summertime. Each of these events will be back around next year, with an all-new lineup of bands with SummerSounds for students and Greensburg locals to enjoy.
“It’s always tough to see the summer end because of the events that occur during the season,” Greensburg Mayor Robert Bell said. “I couldn’t be more happy with the results of this past summer’s event calendar. Hopefully, we’ll be able to announce a few new events for next year.”
With school back in session, GS’ National Honors Society can begin helping the community once more.
NHS is a group of senior students that helps other students become active leaders in their school and community.
“It’s an organization that promotes and celebrates the character, scholarship, leadership and service courses,” NHS advisor Mrs. Cheryl Harper said.
Each activity helps the participating students reach the criteria to become a better leader, while also reaching the standards to be in NHS.
The students have the opportunity to use these skills while volunteering during different events or activities like the Croquet Tournament, Match-O-Matics, GS Threads and other school functions.
GS Threads is up and running and being added to continuously.
Photo by: Samarah Guy
“The main event that we take part in every September is the croquet tournament held at the WCCC, where NHS members take part as referees and staff,” senior Nick Reinhart, NHS President, said.
NHS has received a donation from this tournament for several years, but the main reason the students help at these events is to be a part of their local community.
“The reason we perform so much service is to help our local community and make an impact on what we see around us,” Reinhart added.
GS Threads is the major opportunity that NHS does throughout the school year to help students get clothes if they need them.
“GS Threads is probably our biggest ongoing project,” senior Sabrina Kasic, NHS Vice-President said. “We get bags of clothes donated, we sort through them to make sure everything is good for students to take when they need.”
NHS also offers great scholarship opportunities for those involved. This is another reason that drives many students to become active members in NHS.
“A lot of people joined NHS for the scholarships at the end because if you have consistent good grades while also helping people you can get a scholarship,” Kasic added. “NHS is a group for people who like to help people, while also helping your chances of scholarships.”
Besides the scholarships and leadership skills, NHS opens a whole new world for teens to get involved with their community and build good social skills.
“NHS is a great program to be a part of, and it will benefit you in more ways than one could imagine,” senior Emily Ruggieri said.
As the weather warms up and kids get excited to have fun in the sun, there are still some things to keep in mind as the summer months roll in.
Summertime is a time for kids to experience freedom and relaxation, but many may feel a sense of loneliness or boredom.
“I love it because I can just relax, but sometimes I get bored and don’t really have anything to do a few weeks into summer.” sophomore Xavier Zink said.
Without school in session, many teens stay active the first few weeks of summer but quickly run out of things to do, leaving them bored. It can be hard for a teenager to enjoy their summer when they are still limited to what they can do.
“In the summer I don’t hang out with as many people as I do when school starts,” Zink said. “It gets really boring after so long because there is only so much you can do as a teenager without your license or a car.”
Self-isolation increases during the summer as well. School provides structure and the opportunity for kids to be social; without the structure of school, teens may run into issues with anxiety, depression, poor behavior or socialization.
“My grades aren’t the best when I come back from summer break,” senior Jesse Keffer said. “It usually takes me a bit of time to get back into the habit of keeping up with schoolwork, so my grades end up suffering in the beginning of the year.”
During summer months kids get a chance to relax their brain from working hard in school. Although this is good for a short period of time, students can experience summer learning loss; according to Brookings.edu, kids lose 17-25% of knowledge from the prior school year.
“Summer really makes it hard for me to keep a good sleeping schedule,” Keffer added. “I end up staying up longer than I should and sleeping more into the day.”
Without the worry of being up early for school, kids have the tendency to stay up late. Although this may sound appealing, a bad sleeping pattern can lead to poor mental health and cause issues with sleeping when school starts back up in the fall.
Despite the negative effects summer has on teens, there are many positive effects that come with the warm weather.
In the summer teens tend to build strong social connections with others because they usually hang out with friends or go to work; this skill can help with future jobs, community activities and it can better one’s mental health.
Most people tend to use the free time in the summer to explore new interests. The exploration of new activities can lead to future career opportunities, develop new skills, stay intellectually involved and increase self-confidence.
“Summer gives me a break from doing what I do every day,” Librarian Mrs. Carrie Vottero said. “It’s such a de-stressing time for me. I like to just spend my time outdoors in the sun listening and watching everything that’s going on around you.”
Summer gives people the chance to just relax and take a break for as long as they please. This is good because it gives the brain a chance to stop working as hard. It also allows one to recharge and reduce stress levels.
“I think summer is a great opportunity for you to step back from the electronic world that we are all so wrapped up in,” Mrs. Vottero added.
Greensburg’s monthly Night Market only grows with each year its around, introducing countless small businesses to the Greensburg area.
Once a month from April through December, over 140 vendors line the heart of Greensburg with food trucks, grills, art and so much more.
“The Greensburg Night Market is a really fun thing,” Owner and founder of the Night Market Ms. Jessica Hickey said. “On top of our vendors, we have food, drinks, live musicians; it all really helps bring people downtown for shopping and having a good time.”
Having started with only half of a block shut down and 28 vendors in 2019, the Night Market has become a Greensburg tradition; something for everyone to look forward to each month.
Vendors come from all around the Greensburg and Pittsburgh area, but some make their way from as far as Washington and Uniontown for the event.
GSHS Art Honors Society has a booth at the market, run by art teacher Mrs. Kelley Audia, giving students the opportunity to make and sell their own products such as art and jewelry.
“We always talk about, as teachers, giving kids authentic experiences,” Mrs. Audia said. “They’re surrounded by professional artists who are selling their work, so they’re seeing what they could become while still doing the work themselves.”
She encourages all students to participate, especially because they keep all earnings for themselves. The booth can be found in the parking lot along Pennsylvania Avenue.
Along with being one of the many sellers, students also have the opportunity to help the market run smoothly.
“The Night Market has always been an amazing place for me to visit, even before working there,” junior Theresa Schuetz said. “Working there is really fun, too, because I’m able to still enjoy the market on top of the tasks I have to get done.”
Now, on the first Sunday of every month, Night Market attendees are invited to visit the brand-new Vintage Market.
Photo Courtesy: Alex Newill
The Vintage Market, located at St. Clair Park, welcomes a whole new environment for locals, featuring vendors who specifically sell vintage furniture, clothing and collectables. The market also has local food and drink trucks to make for a pleasant time in the sun.
“I wanted to expand the downtown Greensburg project,” Ms. Hickey said. “I knew vintage was becoming really popular; I think it’s just going to get bigger.”
Although there’s not much space left to expand the night market, her goal is to continue bringing in new vendors with each season. However, the vintage market will only grow from here.
“There’s a lot in store for this year’s season,” she added. “My favorite part is seeing all the people who attend, so I would love for even more people to come and experience something exciting in Greensburg.”
With the 70s punk movement on the uprise, the Ramones provided a foundation with their simple yet strong lyrics and three-chord sound; they live on with being considered the first true punk band. The Ramones took shape in 1974 following each member’s adopting of the surname Ramone and went on to play a raging 2,263 concerts over the next 22 years.
The Ramones was the combination of members from two bands and a rookie in the New York City borough of Queens. The original lineup consisted of John Cummings and Thomas Erdelyi, who played together in a garage band during the late 60s; Jeff Hyman, singer of the early 70s glam rock band, Sniper; and Douglas Colvin, who had recently moved from Germany. Colvin and Cummings invited Hyman to join their new band, with Erdelyi looking to be their manager. As each member’s role in the band was solidified, the name “Ramone” was introduced by Colvin, inspired by Paul McCartney’s pseudonym: Paul Ramon.
Hyman, Cummings, Erdelyi and Colvin went on as Joey (vocals), Johnny (guitarist), Tommy (drummer) and Dee Dee Ramone (bassist), respectively.
Sporting their ripped jeans and leather jackets, the Ramones played their first CBGB gig in August of ’74, managing to cramp in over 70 more shows at the club before the year’s end. With their electric performances lasting barely 20 minutes per and still pulling in an incredible crowd, they quickly rose to be the faces of the New York punk scene.
Bands such as The Stooges, The Sex Pistols, The New York Dolls and many more all brought punk rock to life before the Ramones became known as originators, which I feel is necessary to mention. Depending on how you view it, punk music can even be traced back to the 1950s with ruder rock and roll garage bands. However, the influence the Ramones left is still undeniable.
After two years of earning a powerful reputation through intense performances all over New York, they finally recorded their debut self-titled album in only one week’s time and released it in late April of 1976.
Coming out to be just under thirty minutes long, “Ramones” consists of 14 hard-hitting tracks that each go only slightly above or below two minutes – the longest being the seventh track, “I Don’t Wanna Go Down to the Basement,” at two minutes and forty seconds. Although it stands today as one of the most famous albums of all time, especially for punk rockers, it didn’t push the Ramones up the charts – managing to only reach 111th on the US Billboard 200 chart with both singles falling flat upon release.
Their music took the early rock music essentials and boiled them down to the basics; each song remained simple and comedic, but they were loud, fast and kept everyone listening, regardless of whether or not they understood the gibberish coming out of Joey’s mouth.
“Ramones” kicks off with 20 seconds of their fast-paced instrumentals that immediately have you shaking your head and tapping your feet before hitting you with Joey’s iconic drum-backed hey-ho-let’s-go’s that have since become the band’s chant. “Blitzkrieg Bop” was one of the two singles that failed to become hits at the time, the other being “I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend.” Although it didn’t do much for them then, it’s now one of their most recognizable songs and is an iconic ‘70s punk rock tune.
“Judy Is a Punk,” is a prime example of their repetitive nature with the first and second verse being identical. Its fictional lyrics follow two juvenile girls, Judy and Jackie, through their antics and joining of the SLA (Symbionese Liberation Army, a far-left American terrorist organization of the 1970s). The girls returned in the 1980 album “End of The Century” track titled “The Return of Jackie and Judy.”
“I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend” follows “Judy Is a Punk” and is one of my all-time favorites from them. By far the slowest song on the album, “I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend” is a straightforward love song written by Tommy to breakup the trend of I-Don’t-Wanna’s in their song titles. It features instruments you wouldn’t expect to hear from a punk band like tubular bells and a glockenspiel. In comparison to their live performances, every song on this album is slower than what their fans were used to.
In my opinion, “Ramones” was never topped. Like most bands, their debut stood the test of time and is truly their best work – however they do have other classic albums to offer, like “Rocket to Russia” and “Road to Ruin.” The Ramones had countless big successes, such as: “Rock ‘n’ Roll High School” (1979), a film from legendary film producer Roger Corman; various iconic singles like “Do You Remember Rock ‘n’ Roll Radio?” (1980) and “Pet Sematary” (1989); and their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in March of 2002.
Unfortunately, as of 2014, all original members of the Ramones have passed away, but sequential members, Marky, Richie and CJ Ramone, still tour to this day. In 2003, “We’re a Happy Family: A Tribute to Ramones” was released – co-produced by Rob Zombie and featuring Red Hot Chili Peppers, Metallica, U2, Kiss and many others.
I can almost say that you had to be there to fall in love with the sound of the Ramones – but, obviously, I was not. If you’re interested in punk music whatsoever, whether it be classic, ‘90s or ska, “Ramones” is an essential, no-skip listen.
With the rise of teenagers working, it is important to look at the pros and cons of adolescents with jobs.
Working can provide critical life lessons for young adults. It also gives them an opportunity to further explore different career paths while earning some spending money.
“I’ve learned a lot while working, like communication and time management,” sophomore Mariah Mann said.
Although some may say having a job as a teenager can be very time-consuming, it helps kids understand how valuable time is and teaches them how to schedule plans around important events.
Teens can learn things like responsibility, how to work in stressful situations and building more confidence while staying active and motivated. Working also helps them to create a good work ethic.
The teenage years are the best times for kids to learn these critical skills. Because the brain is still developing, it is easier to consume and hold new information.
“Working teaches you that it is important to show up on time, you learn how to take orders, you have responsibility and commitment,” guidance counselor Mrs. Laura Klipa said.
Regardless of the benefits, there are still some downfalls to working during the adolescent years.
“Kids tend to devote more and more of their time and energy to their job, so much that they start to lose time for things like school,” Klipa added.
Having a job can be very time-consuming and may end up leaving no time for things like hanging out with friends, family plans or hobbies.
“Kids tend to see their first paycheck and lose the sight that a diploma and doing well in school is really going to ultimately give them a higher pay,” she said.
Many kids put off schoolwork because they are earning money and feel that school isn’t as important anymore. This hurts kids because they still need to learn new information, and they may not be ready to completely give up their adolescence.
On top of not being motivated, having work immediately after school most days of the week may cause students to struggle with sleeping and keeping their focus on assignments.
“Trying to balance work and school can be hard at times, but you just have to make sure you push through and don’t give up,” senior Demetrious Daniels said.
Made up of Brian May, Roger Taylor, John Deacon and Freddie Mercury, Queen is no doubt solidified as one of the world’s most recognizable bands of all time. Their presence in the music realm is impossible to overlook; no matter your music taste, I’m sure you have participated in the stomp-stomp-claps of “We Will Rock You.”
Prior to Queen, May and Taylor worked together in a band called Smile, which brought a large enough following to stick them on the map, one of those followers being Mercury. Upon Mercury’s joining the band in 1970 and their eventual name change, Queen performed live with various bass players before Deacon joined in 1971. The band played their first live show with the iconic lineup that July and went on as one of the most exciting groups in rock ‘n’ roll history.
The opening track of their debut album, “Queen,” and their eventual first single, “Keep Yourself Alive,” caught the ears of visiting producers John Anthony and Roy Thomas Baker during the early recording sessions of the album. It prompted them to work with Queen, promoting them to a number of record labels through “showcase” performances before striking a deal with EMI Records and Trident and finally putting out the finished album in 1973.
After the drawn-out process that came before their debut, they held a steady pace, releasing an album yearly until 1980 and then releasing less consistently before Mercury’s death from bronchial pneumonia, a result of AIDS, in 1991.
All while playing minor shows on tours promoting their first album, Queen recorded “Queen II,” now with access to regular studio time. They took advantage of the tools at hand and earned themselves the number five spot on the British Album Chart. It featured their first hit, “Seven Seas of Rhye,” and helped to establish the layered sound that became a staple of theirs. Regardless of the complex yet fantastic instrumental passages and fantasy driven lyrics, and the overall boost it brought the band, it received mixed critical reviews; the Winnipeg Free Press called it an “over-produced monstrosity.”
They quickly one upped themselves with the release of “Sheer Heart Attack” in 1974, reaching number two in the UK and going gold in the US; it was their first go at international success. The album features various hits, but most prominently “Stone Cold Crazy” and “Killer Queen.”
Being fully welcomed by American fans as they grew with fame, Queen headlined tours in the US in 1975. Although they were quickly becoming one of Britain’s most popular bands, they were held back from living the lavish lives they earned because of their contract with Trident. They fought to break free from Trident’s management and landed in the hands of Elton John’s manager, John Reid.
“A Night at the Opera,” at the time the most expensive album to ever be produced, was released later that year. Like most of their work before it, “A Night at the Opera” experimented with the sounds of various genres and bent the radio rules with songs like May’s “The Prophet’s Song,” and, of course, “Bohemian Rhapsody,” arguably their most well-known single.
This album took Queen to an even higher level. It showcased each member’s talent and how the band as a whole was an incredible music machine. It opens with “Death on Two Legs,” a track dedicated to their manager before Reid. It brings an intense sci-fi sound to the album, but is then followed up with the soft, piano-led, “Lazing on A Sunday Afternoon.” The contrasting themes flow throughout the album.
After Roger Taylor’s heavier track, “I’m in Love With my Car,” Deacon, the most in-the-shadows member of Queen, shines in composing “You’re my Best Friend,” one of the bigger hits off the album.
Kicking off the B-side, the incredibly overlooked eight-minute-long track, “The Prophet’s Song,” was overshadowed by the singles and hits off the album, however it is where Brian May shines most. Although the A cappella segment takes up a large chunk of the song and can drag on for some, it is nonetheless a powerful and epic feature.
Serving as a cushion to land on after the long ride that is “The Prophet’s Song,” “Love of my Life” is yet another all-time greatest hit of theirs featured on “A Night at the Opera.” It’s an emotional ballad that lives on through Freddie and Brian May’s voices, being the one song not sung live by Paul Rogers or Adam Lambert after Mercury’s passing, because of being dedicated to Mercury’s ex-wife Mary Austin.
The closing track, “Bohemian Rhapsody,” was a shock to all. When recording, over 180 overdubs were used to accomplish the incredible operatic vocals that remain unbelievably recognizable today. The song may be one of the few to live on forever, having been revived various times, such as with the release of the (subpar) Queen biography of the same name in 2018, or its iconic cameo in Wayne’s World (1992).
Regardless of your taste in music, whether it’s modern pop or an obscure rock subgenre, I find it safe to assume that everybody knows and loves Queen’s hits. It is undeniable that Freddie Mercury’s voice is known amongst all, hopefully including today’s kids. It could be hard for some to explore the songs that aren’t as widely recognized as others, but no matter which one is chosen and when, Queen will always bring the same electrifying feel.
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