education

Salem Psychos  

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By: Rubee Stillwagon 

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. 

National Honor Society Events 

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by: Samarah Guy 

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. 

The Effects of Summer  

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By Samarah Guy  

Photo by: Samarah Guy

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.  

Photo by: Samarah Guy

Mock Trial Recap 

Posted on by gshslionsdenadmin

By Samarah Guy  

Photo Courtesy: Mr. Zilli

GS’ Mock Trial team placed 3rd during the State Championships in Harrisburg.  

On March 24th, the team earned 1001 points by the end of the second trial, placing 3rd out of the 14 teams in the championships.  

“We were the only team in our district to go to states, and we had the third most points out of everyone there,” Mock Trial Advisor Ms. Kristen Solomon said.  

Mock Trial is an organization that gives students the opportunity to take part in the courtroom and understand how the court system works while also competing against other schools. 

“Mock Trial is a program where students can actually try to participate in a ‘mock’ trial and have an experience similar to a real trial,” Ms. Solomon said. 

The main goals are to score more points than the opposing team and to win the case with strong evidence. 

“They are given a case, and the students are either attorneys or witnesses,” Solomon added. “They also have to write open and close directs and cross examinations to present at the Mock Trial.” 

Direct and cross-examinations come at the beginning of the trial, providing information on the case. The performance and content of the examinations, as well as the attorneys’ performances are graded on a scale of 1-10. The opening and closing statements are also scored on the same scale. At the end of the trail, all the points are added up, and that number is the team’s final score. 

“There’s a ballot that has everything that happens in the trial on it,” senior Lea Kasmer said. “There’s opening and closing statements from both prosecution and defense, along with six witnesses who each have a direct and a cross examination on the ballot. The judges and jury will score it on a scale of 1-10.”  

Mock Trial helps students see and understand the court system firsthand. This group can help set students up for their futures in law, and it also helps form bonds. 

“To me, Mock Trial is not only about building cases, but it’s really important to have a relationship with your team and communicate with everyone,” junior Katie Shea said.             

FCCLA State Leadership Conference and STAR Event 

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By Kerrick Shaw 

Photo Courtesy: Mrs. Morgan Ferczak

GS FCCLA members were rewarded for their efforts in the State Leadership Conference and STAR Event. 

On March 20th, Students were recognized for their achievements and proficiency in chapter and individual attributions such as projects, leadership skills and career preparation. 

“FCCLA means ‘Family, Career and Community Leaders of America,’” Dr. Tiffany Smietana-Lysell, GS FCCLA Advisor of 5 years, said. “It’s a leadership organization for grades five through twelve … it focuses on personal development with students while doing community service and planning for their future.”  

They participated in the STAR state competition, which stands for “Students Taking Action and Recognition.” 

State leaderboard placements are determined using a point system with 90 through 100 earning Gold, 75 to 89 earning Silver and the remainder earning bronze. The more points a student earns, the higher up they are on the leaderboard. 

Three students qualified for nationals, each earning Gold in their respective categories: junior Lisa Leeman in National Programs in Action, junior Karma Schall in Chapter Service Display and junior Brenna Kohl in Chapter Service Display. 

Photo Courtesy: Mrs. Morgan Ferczak

“It’s given me the opportunity to be more involved in the community, helping me with paying more attention to what other people need,” Kohl said. “We all try to tag team helping out in any way that we can.” 

Juniors Emily Ruggeri and Azreal Franklin earned Silver in Event Management and Professional Presentation, respectively.  

Along with them, junior Thomas Kohl was awarded for student timekeeper and voting delegate. 

All preparation and work that comes before the competition is primarily done outside of school, with their efforts being just as rigorous as what senior projects bring, according to Dr. Smietana-Lysell. 

Although everything is student led, the Advisors are able to keep them going in the right direction. 

“As Advisors, we act as guides and a resource for our student leaderships and officers,” Mrs. Morgan Ferczak, GS FCCLA Advisor of 3 years, said. “We work with our administration to do fundraising and events; we also make sure we can get in contact with our state and national representatives.” 

Students who made nationals will be attending the National Leadership Conference in Seattle this summer from June 29th through July 3rd.  

The conference is an opportunity for them to work with other members and Advisors from across the nation, as well as working with industry experts to further explore their career paths.    

“They did amazing, all placing Gold and Silver,” Dr. Smietana-Lysell said. “Azreal took third place in the whole state. … Karma and Brenna made second place … and Lisa got first in all of Pennsylvania. It was all absolutely remarkable.” 

Pros & Cons of AI  

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By Samarah Guy  

Photo by: Samarah Guy

Teachers and students are torn on deciding whether or not AI will prove to be beneficial for today’s society. 

Artificial intelligence is a form of computer science that uses human intelligence to do everyday tasks like reasoning, generalizing, discovering meaning and problem solving.  

“I think AI has some good things about it, but I also think it has bad things about it because people come to rely on it more than human creativity,” technology education teacher Mr. Matthew King said.  

Artificial intelligence isn’t always used ethically. Students tend to use it to get quick answers for homework, but this is actually causing a lack of comprehension because no new information is being taken in.  

“I think people need to realize that ethics is also in control of the user,” Mr. King added. “Don’t use it as a substitute for learning, use it as an enhancement.”  

Students use AI as a substitute for their own abilities, resulting in their dependence on technology. It’s less likely for those relying on AI to develop certain skills further such as critical thinking. 

“The most important thing is to not hide from it, but to learn how to use it as a tool,” English teacher Mrs. Mary Logan said.  

Some teachers may even use AI to help make plans for upcoming classes, as well as for referencing when they need a quick and direct answer.  

“I have used artificial intelligence predominantly to generate things that I used to have to come up with on my own,” Mrs. Logan said. “For example, if I want to play a game … with vocabulary words, now I can go into chat AI and say, ‘give me sentences for each word using context clues.’”  

Students can also use AI in beneficial ways like checking over answers, receiving direct answers to questions or even to study.

“I use it as a search engine whenever I have a really specific question that google can’t answer,” senior Aryana Galdo said. “… once it can be integrated without completely diminishing a system, I think it could be capitalized on.”  

Artificial intelligence has the potential to be beneficial for everyone without negatively affecting some; however, it still has kinks that need to be ironed out before it can get to that point.  

“It’s meant to be help to you not the reason you get it right,” math teacher Mr. Matthew Sofran said.  

GSHS Outdoor Classroom Project

Posted on by gshslionsdenadmin

By Kerrick Shaw

Photo by: Kerrick Shaw

A change in scenery will be implemented by the start of the next school year for students and teachers to enjoy time learning in the sun. 

On top of renovating the pond and landscaping, the school board is moving forward with a pavilion project for classroom purposes, building on top of the cement slab outside of the science wing. 

“There used to be a greenhouse that sat outside by Mrs. Harper’s room … when that got taken down, that cement area was just left there,” GS Superintendent Dr. Ken Bissell said. “A lot of the science teachers still use that outdoor space … the science department really took the lead on deciding how to renovate it.” 

All students were taken into consideration during the decision making for this project, keeping it available to all classes rather than exclusively sciences. 

“It became, ‘can we have an area that any class or any student can use?’ with the pavilion and seating,” Environment and Ecology teacher Mr. Angelo Testa said. “Everything from science classes, obviously, to art classes, English – just anyone who wants to go outside will get to have this space.” 

Students have shared excitement for the space, agreeing that it will be beneficial for everyone. 

“I think the introduction of an outdoor classroom will be a great addition to the school, especially with the ecology classes,” junior Aiden Carota said. “… many students will be happy to get out of the building for some fresh air.” 

The School Board will be voting to move forward with a contractor and will then be able to map out the full timeline of the project. 

“I am hopeful for the pavilion to be done before summer,” Dr. Bissell said. “However, for the whole project – pavilion, pond, landscaping – I’d like that all to be ready for the next school year.” 

The staff involved are eager to provide this designated spot for outdoor learning. 

“There’s a certain energy that comes out of it,” Principal Mr. Adam Jones said. “It’s like: ‘Aw man!’ That’s what I hope it becomes, ‘Hey, let’s go use the outdoor classroom.’” 

Snow Days VS.  FIDs Days  

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By Samarah Guy  

Photo Courtesy: Alyssa Martinez

Many schools don’t have snow days anymore because Covid-19 opened a new world of virtual learning.  

GS has flexible instruction days, so students can do work from the comfort of their own home when the weather gets bad.  There are many advantages to FIDS days, but there are also many disadvantages.  

“I wouldn’t be comfortable doing online because I don’t get the hands on learning I need,” sophomore Nevaeh Hirst said.  

Many students need a teacher to physically show or help them when it comes to learning, and a computer screen doesn’t allow that to happen.  

Some teachers will make videos or step-by-step directions for the students, and many benefit from this because they can look back and make sure they are doing what is being asked.  

“If I were to virtually learn, I would slack off because there are more distractions for me at home,” Hirst commented.  

Distractions are more limited in school, and the teacher can bring the student’s attention back to the subject at hand. When the child is at home, anything around them can take their attention away from school because they are in their comfortable place.  

Students can also cheat on assignments using the technology around them. Not only is this not helping their brain work, but it’s also giving kids the opportunity to become dependent on technology.  

When GS has a FIDS day, many students may fall behind on their work or their grades may even lower.  

“When we do online my teachers usually don’t give work, but when they do, I don’t do it because I’m used to not having to,” junior Savannah Herring said.  

Some students may not be able to attend their virtual classes because they don’t have access to the items they need. Not being able to do work or log onto the live class, the students not only are falling behind on work, but they also will be marked absent.  

“I think if you have access to a computer or WIFI at home, you can benefit, but if you don’t have access, school shouldn’t hold you accountable for it,” U.S. government and politics teacher Ms. Sierra Aires said.