Trench: Twenty One Pilots' Unique New Record Is The Perfect Mix of Rhythm And Purpose

Written by: Emily Fitzgerald 

On Oct. 5, 2018, popular alternative band Twenty One Pilots released their fourth studio
album, Trench. The record is unlike any of the others, most comparable to their self-titled 
debut.Trench primarily contains a number of slow-paced songs, in start contrast to the upbeat 
2015 release, Blurryface. 

As a fan, I did not immediately enjoy the new sound. For just a millisecond, I thought I didn't even like the album until I listened to it over and over again. Now, it is with full certainty that out of all Twenty One Pilots albums, Trench is the most well put-together. The songs are all unique and meaningful.  (Source: Twenty One Pilots) It is very difficult to pick a favorite. I have grown to love every song, but I found that I am  especially fond of "Pet Cheetah." This song is so much fun to dance to and the bass really  stands out. Other standouts on the album include "Nico and the Niners," "My Blood," "Morph,"  and "Chlorine." Each of these songs are representative of the record's vibe. Twenty One Pilots  have multiple concerts coming up on their "Bandito Tour." Visit Ticketmaster for more  information on dates near the area.  (Source: Twenty One Pilots) Follow us-  Instagram: @shs_oracle  Twitter: @SHS_Oracle

Sparta Students Attend The Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival

Written by: Kanita Tariq

On Friday, Oct. 19, a group of 24 Sparta English students journeyed to Newark, New Jersey to attend the annual Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival. The festival, nicknamed "Wordstock," is where thousands of poets- professional and otherwise- come together to share their work and personal stories. 

Accompanied by Dr. Hier, Mrs. Barker, Ms. LeBlanc, and Mr. Rivers, the students split up with their chaperones to spend the first part of the morning listening to renowned poets like Juan Felipe Herrera, Raymond Luczak, Aimee Nezhukumatathil, David Young and more. The professionals read their work and hosted a question-answer session. Students were able to learn more about the writing process and reflect upon their own poetry as they heard personal anecdotes from the famous poets. 

                                                 
                                            Mrs. Barker's group's first stop of the day was at First Baptist 

     Peddie Memorial Church.   

Source: @SpartaHSEnglish on Twitter 

Although it was a chilly day, the group came together and enjoyed their lunch at Military Park, where they were able to participate in an open reading with fellow high schoolers from neighboring areas. An enjoyable sense of understanding and camaraderie was in the air, as students cheered each other on. Sharing poetry can be scary and emotional, considering how incredibly personal it is. A handful of courageous Sparta students took the microphone to share their own stories, representing SHS amongst a welcoming group of individuals.
The final part of the day included question-answer sessions with another group of professional poets. One specific group that was gathered at NJPAC- made up of Rigoberto Gonzalez, Eileen Myles, Sharon Olds, and Khadijah Queen- focused on dealing with and representing identity through poetry. Each came from different backgrounds, but all were able to connect with the audience through their extremely relatable stories and commendable life experiences.

                Students attend the Who Is It Can Tell Me Who I Am: Poetry and Identity session at NJPAC. 

Source: @SpartaHSEnglish on Twitter 

All in all, the 2018 Dodge Poetry Festival was a worthwhile success. Surely, Sparta Creative Writing and Performing Arts students learned a lot about the art of poetry, and are ready to express themselves with the same individualism and authenticity they experienced at Dodge. 

                              Sparta English students after enjoying the 17th Biennial Dodge Poetry Festival. 
                                                Source: @SpartaHSEnglish on Twitter

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Sparta Students Plan To Get Involved After The Pass It Along Youth Conference

Written by: Chloe Maher

The Pass It Along Youth Conference occurred on Wednesday, October 3rd, at Sussex County Technical School. It was a day-long event and students who attended had loads of fun and unique experiences throughout the day!

To start off the day, there were numerous community service activities set up for participants, like packaging soap to send to impoverished families. Students also wrote cards with positive messages written on them intended to be sent to teens who really needed them.

Next, to get students in a good mood and ready to start the planned ventures and bonding activities, the organizers held a joke competition to see who could tell the best joke. It sent students into fits of laughter and certainly woke everyone up!

After this, students ventured off with their groups, made up of students from various schools, where they learned more about one another in a team bonding activity- having the option to answer either a deep, personal or a light-hearted question.

There were many highlights throughout the Pass It Along Youth Conference. One of which was a hypnotist! In my opinion, this was one of the best, not to mention, unexpected parts of the day. She requested that students make themselves comfortable and for her to do her job. After the hypnotist, many walked away in a happy daze. Sophomore Alex Gerb said she’d never thought about meditation and would definitely try it again based on her experience!

During the Youth Conference, the Pass It Along club leaders had students vote on which service projects they’d like Sparta to do this year. Sparta decided upon Tilly’s Kids as their main project, same as the previous year.

The Pass It Along Youth Conference this year was a great experience and I’ll absolutely participate next year. Sophomore Becca Nigro agrees. She says that she’ll be making an effort to get involved this year and thought the youth conference was "fun.” If you’re looking to get involved with Pass It Along but don’t have much time, know that you can do as many or as few events as you like over the course of the year- but they’ll unquestionably be worth your while!

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Sparta Field Hockey Play Annual Pink Game

Written by: Lauren Groff 

On Monday, October 15, the Sparta High School girls field hockey team hosted their annual “Play Pink” game in support of battling breast cancer. The field was decorated with pink balloons and the players wore special pink pinnies instead of their traditional white home jerseys. Some team members added their own creative flare with pink hair ties, hair spray, bows, and temporary tattoos. At the entrance of the field, the Sparta Field Hockey Booster Club set up a table topped with a donation bucket with candy and other treats for generous supporters.

Members of the Sparta JV team pose for a picture in front of the donation booth.

The Lady Spartans overpowered the Kittatinny Cougars with a shut down of 6-1. Juniors Kenzie Merwin and Allie McGuire each contributed a goal, and senior Lucie Wolfson shot in four to rack up the score.

Now with a record of 7-6 and rated second in their conference only below Lenape Valley, the Spartans’ next challenge will be against High Point next Tuesday for their first round of State finals. If they win, they will advance in the championship- with a chance at gaining a winning title!

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A Week in Review: SHS Homecoming 2018

Written by: Lauren Groff 

From October 9th through October 12th, Sparta High School celebrated Spirit Week in excitement for the impending Homecoming weekend. Orchestrated by the SHS Student Council, the theme of the four-day school week was as follows:

Tuesday- Tie-Dye

Wednesday- Pajama Day

Thursday- Tropical/Rally of the Classes

Friday- Spartan Pride

Promoted through the Council`s group and multiple personal social media accounts, Spartans definitely did not disappoint!

Rally of the Classes

On Saturday night, the Spartan football team suffered a loss to the Randolph High School Rams with a score of 34-21 on their Saturday homecoming game. While the score may not have been what the student body had hoped for, the senior class members of Student Council were recognized for all of their work before the 1:00 pm kickoff.

Student Council members recognized at the Homecoming Game. 

Source: Jennifer Dericks 

The homecoming fun did not stop there, however. Promptly at 6:30 pm, students entered the SHS cafeteria, adorned with blue and white string lights and music from Sparta High School alum “DJ Kunal.” Complete with a complimentary water and cookie table, the dance lasted until 9:30pm and students of all grades thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity for a night to embrace school spirit and dance with their peers.

With Winter Formal and Prom being limited to upperclassmen only, Homecoming is the only dance where all grades are allowed admission. The students of SHS did not miss their chance to join in on the fun, parading around the dance floor.

A classic high school event across the country, both Spirit Week and Homecoming were a definite success for both the students and faculty of SHS.

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Sparta Marching Band Starts Season With Two Wins!

Written by: Shannon Huhn

Sparta Marching Band has two wins under their belt this season! Their “Two Birds One Stone” program earned them first place at the Ramsey Tournament of Bands. In Jefferson, their program earned Best Music and Best Visual recognition with first place in their group earlier in the season.

The marching band includes:

Drum Majors Elizabeth Ukstins and Haley Chave
Drumline Captain Kae DeGiovanni
Front Percussion Captain Jed Sutton
Color Guard Captain Deanna Masucci
Brass Captain Lorenzo Rendina
Woodwind Captain Lomaani Ranasinghe
Quartermaster JT Hallack

Drum Major Liz Utskins said “I am so incredibly proud of the band so far this season. The greatest factor in our wins has been teamwork. Without working together with each other and our wondrous staff, our success would not be nearly as great.”

Drum Major Haley Chavez also stated “The success this season is due to the amazing members of the marching band. Each and every member shows up to rehearsal every Tuesday and Thursday and gives their all. That’s all I could ever ask for, the wins are just the icing on top. I am so immensely proud to call myself a Spartan.”

                                 

Sparta Marching Band’s next competition will be at Governor Livingston High School on Saturday, October 13. We wish them continued success this season!

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Sparta German Club Performs at Oktoberfest

Written by: Olivia Giralt

On October 12th, 1810, Princess Therese of Saxony married Prince Ludwig at

Hildburghausen, a town in Germany. Their wedding became a huge celebration, ongoing for

days- a festival that is known today as Oktoberfest. In Germany, the celebration includes

funfairs with carousels, music, dancing and more.

On Sunday, September 30th, members of Sparta High School German club got together at the

Lake Mohawk Country Club to sing various classic German songs in honor of Oktoberfest.

German teacher Herr Bendorf reflects positively on the event: “I thought it went well. I thought it

was great that they had a microphone for us. The space they had for us was nice because it was

raised. Hopefully, we will be invited back.”

    The first song the group sang was sophomore Sarah Riley’s favorite song, “Grün, Grün, Grün

Sind Alle Meine Kleider.” Students also sang Kelly Zukowski’s favorite song, “Rosamunde,” as

well as “Oh, Du Lieber Augustin,” “Du, Du Liegst Mir im Herzen,” and finally, “In München Steht

Ein Hofbräuhaus." All in all, Oktoberfest of 2018 was a great success and Sparta German Club

is looking forward to the upcoming year.

                                  

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Grey's Anatomy Season 15 Premiere Review- Off To A Great Start!

Written by: Emily Fitzgerald

*Warning: Contains Spoilers*

Last Thursday marked the season 15 premiere of Grey's Anatomy. As a huge Grey's fan myself, the episode did not disappoint! From the beginning, it is clear that the level of drama and humor this season will be next level. With the death of a patient and near-death experiences for two main characters, action-packed scenes are guaranteed to capture the audience's attention.

Additionally, two new characters are introduced- Dr. Atticus Lincoln, known as Link, and Dr. Nico Kim. Not much is known about Dr. Kim, other than the fact that he identifies as gay- highlighting Grey's emphasis on representation. So many shows these days lack diversity- an element that is essential to connect with audiences. Link's character has also remained a mystery but has been dubbed ‘Ortho God,’ and I would say he seems like a Mark Sloan 2.0.

(Left to right) Link & Dr. Kim

Source: PopSugar

Most importantly, I can infer that this is going to be the season Meredith finds love again! There were rumors floating around even before the season started and all the tension between her and Delucca shows that something is bound to happen- especially since Meredith is looking better than ever (Her new hairstyle? 10/10).

Overall, it is clear that season 15 is going to be a good one! Don't panic if you have never seen Grey's Anatomy and are interested in the new season. 14 seasons are available on Netflix and the 15th season is currently airing on ABC on Thursday nights at 8.

  Source: Digital Spy

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SHS Red Cross Club Holds First Annual Blood Drive

Written by: Lauren Groff

On Wednesday, September 26, the Sparta High School Red Cross Club hosted its first annual blood drive. Lead by President Michele Scaglione and Vice President Corinne Groome, members of the club volunteered in the annex gym throughout the day providing support and plenty of snacks.

"We are so thankful for everyone who participated and volunteered to help make our first blood drive a success," noted Groome.

Although the Red Cross was founded by Clara Barton back in 1881, the Sparta High School chapter was approved by the Board of Education last year, branding it as one of the newer clubs at the high school. Freshman history teacher Mr. Merrill is the official advisor of the club, which includes members from all grades.

This year's blood drive was not the first fundraiser for SHS's Red Cross Club. Following Hurricane Maria back in October of 2017, volunteers had raised $1,050 from their schoolwide canshake project.

Looking towards the future, the club will continue to conduct fundraisers in support of the Red Cross and hopes to make its first blood drive an annual tradition for years to come.

 

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Sparta Beginnings Plans For Another Great Year

Written by: Kanita Tariq 

Calling all lovers of writing, art, photography, and graphics- join Beginnings, Sparta High's literary magazine! Currently meeting every Day 3 during lunch in Room 231, the club is open to all students interested in the design process involving artwork, poetry, and prose. Although only in its preparation phase, there is much work ahead- selecting themes and collecting submissions are just the start! 

Mrs. Barker and Mrs. Graham, the club's advisors, fuel content through their creative writing, photography, sculpture, and art classes. However, all students are encouraged to enter a piece by emailing it to spartabeginnings@gmail.com. This year marks a significant revamp for the magazine, as there will be an added music and dance element through the scanning of QR codes. Truly, there is a place for everyone!

SHS enters Beginnings in a Columbia University Literary Magazine Critique, and it has won gold for the last three years in a row. The team intends to continue that momentum and earn that award status for another consecutive year. 

Beginnings is planning on hosting an open mic night- performances including a variety of music, dance, and poetry- scheduled for November 5, 2018, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. in the MRC. Additionally, The Oracle is teaming up with Beginnings to include an all-new creative column- a forum for all students to share their artwork and literary pieces with their peers. 

With such exciting plans in the works, Beginnings is ready for its best year yet! 

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Student Council Election of 2022- The Results Are In!

Written by: Noelle Hanek

On September 20th, Sparta High School students had the opportunity to vote for the student council representatives of the class of 2022. A handful of devoted council members ran during this campaign for a top department.  During the past week, it was hard to miss one of the various election signs that were arranged along the school walls by peers promoting other students to vote.

The rising anticipation of this event, however, can now reach a halt because the results are as follows: The elected President of the Student Council Class of 2022 is Katharina Cohen, with Vice President Kennedy Masternak. Shaelin Murphy will serve as Secretary and Joseph Byrnes as Treasurer. A huge congratulations to these students for this achievement, along with all other Council members who participated.

Whether it is their success in formulating school events or representing the student body, the Council is working to achieve a committed school environment. “Yes, I am very much looking forward to working with the class of 2022. We have a great group of elected officers who are determined and motivated to contribute to our school community. I am looking forward to seeing what we can accomplish together!”, as told by advisor Ms. Colte.

  Another great year with Student Council at SHS is underway, and we are looking forward to

many new opportunities.

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