Cardinal Spellman High School Rev. Trevor Nicholls- President Mr. Daniel O’Keefe- Principal

2013  

Movies

Reviews

Getting Gifts Is Overrated– It’s All About Giving!

Receiving gifts from others will always be one of the best parts of Christmas, but as we get older, we realize that giving gifts to others can be even more rewarding than receiving them. During the holiday season, I prefer to give rather than receive because I love to see the look on my friends/family's face when they open their presents. I know they're happy that I thought of them and that no matter what it is, it's from the heart. I really don't like when people just give me gift cards or money, so I try to really think of something they'd love. –Melanie Melo I like giving because it puts a smile on my face when I see somebody else smiling because of something I gave to them. –Melissa Liriano Personally, I prefer to give than to receive during the holiday season. When you give, it is a really nice feeling like no other. I always feel it is worth it when I give. When you simply receive it is a one-way street, you feel content because you received something, but you don't feel like you actually did anything. When you give, you’re also receiving because you feel good about giving to others, whether it was something grand or petite. –Loribel Peguero Even though we can all agree it's nice to receive, personally, I believe it's much better to give because it's a wonderful feeling to be humble and selfless. Seeing the smiles and reactions to my generosity is my joy of giving. –Tiffany Le

Give-A-Gift: What’s It All About? By Kristen McMonagle

Of all of the traditions at Cardinal Spellman, Give-A-Gift is one of the oldest. It goes back to the earliest days of the school, and over the years it has maintained its importance and has even grown. Mr. Rivlin, the moderator of The Pilot, coordinated the program for about 15 years, and found it to be “among the most gratifying work” he has done. When he first inherited the responsibility of organizing Give-A-Gift from Ms. Reid, the program worked with six agencies that would bring the

gifts to needy children in the Bronx. While Mr. Rivlin coordinated the program, it expanded to include an additional agency in Yonkers. Every year, Spellman’s Student Government is responsible for the task of getting gifts to children who would otherwise not have presents for Christmas. This begins in November, when Spellman contacts the seven agencies involved in order to obtain the names, genders, ages, and clothing sizes of the children in need. Homerooms are then assigned children, and they donate money to buy toys and/or clothing for them. Once the gifts are purchased, they are painstakingly organized by the Executive Committee of Student Government. The generosity of Spellmanites and hard work of those involved in Give-A-Gift is truly rewarded when the children in need receive gifts that they truly appreciate. Mr. Rivlin has many stories attesting to the success of this program. One of his favorite memories includes a year when he was assigned buying a gift for a 7-year old girl. After buying her a stuffed dog from a toy store and donating it to the Give-A-Gift Program, Ms. Reid told him and other teachers about her experience in distributing some of the children's’ gifts. She described a little girl who looked across the room at the gifts and saw a stuffed dog. When it turned out that the dog was hers, she began jumping with joy….and weeping. She never dreamed that that dog might be hers. That story truly captures the essence of Give-A-Gift’s purpose. Today, as moderator of Student Government, Ms. Cristina Rosado has been responsible for the Give-A-Gift program for seven years. Spellman continues to work with multiple organizations, including local parishes and hospitals. When asked her favorite thing about participating annually in Give-A-Gift, Ms. Rosado said it is “the day when the presents come in and the students are super-excited to tell us what they bought… You can tell which homerooms were super-excited as well by the way the presents have been wrapped. Some add an extra little something, like a homemade card with all the kids of the homeroom signing it, and some put candy on the presents. Some add extra

bows too!” Not only is Give-A-Gift an amazing program for children in need, but it is also a rewarding experience for all of the students and staff involved. Nothing better can express the Christmas spirit– except maybe a Santa costume, as students in the past have discovered!

Photo courtesy of N. Pole (2003) with S. Claus

Spreading Christmas Cheer

By Starlene Parris

The Christmas season is a time to be happy and cheerful. While you open presents and celebrate with your family, be sure to remember the less fortunate. This can be done by contributing to your community. The best way to do this is simply by spreading Christmas cheer! Some of the best ways to spread the Christmas cheer include: Caroling- Whether you can sing like Beyoncé or not, one way to spread Christmas cheer is by going door-to-door and singing Christmas Carols to neighbors. Surprising someone by singing a classic like “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” might just make their day! Giving out greetings- When you are signing Christmas cards for your family and friends, why not sign a couple extra cards? If you see people who look a little down, hand them a card and help bring some Christmas Joy to their life? Random acts of kindness go a long way. Baking- Nothing makes people happier than sweets! Bake up some cookies, cupcakes, and other desserts to give to the people in your neighborhood. You could even surprise your loved ones at home with a Christmas-themed breakfast; make some pancakes in candy cane shapes!

Christmas Recipes By Christine Miller and Melissa Melo

Christmas Tree Brownies Inspired by bettycrocker.com              Ingredients -1 box of brownie mix -Water (as much as mix calls for) -Vegetable oil (as much as mix calls for) -Egg (as much as mix calls for) -2 or 3 drops of green food coloring -One container of vanilla frosting -Red and green candy sprinkles of your choosing -Mini candy canes Directions 1. Heat oven to 350°F and grease baking pan. 2. Make and bake brownie mix as directed on box. 3. After cooling completely, cut brownies into triangles. 4. Stir green food coloring into vanilla frosting. 5. Pipe frosting over brownies and add sprinkles. 6. Break the curved ends off of the candy canes and insert the straight pieces into the bottoms of your triangle brownies. Red and Green Layer Cupcakes   Inspired by cupcakepedia.com

             Ingredients -White cake mix (1 box ) -Buttercream frosting -Red and green food coloring -Red and green sprinkles Directions 1. Prepare white cake mix. 2. Split batter into two.

3. Add red coloring into one half and green in the other. 4. Bake cupcakes and let cool. 5. Slice cupcakes vertically into 3 layers 6. Alternate stacking red and green cupcake layers, using frosting to hold the layers together in your new cupcakes. 7. Pipe frosting on top of cupcakes. 8. Decorate cupcakes with red and green sprinkles. Christmas Pretzel Treats  Inspired  by  spoonful.com  Ingredients -Bite-size, waffle-shaped pretzels -Hershey's Kisses -M&M's candy Directions 1. Heat the oven to 170° F. Set a number of pretzels in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. 2. Top each pretzel with an unwrapped Hershey's Kiss. 3. Bake for 4 to 6 minutes, or until the chocolates feel soft when touched with a wooden spoon. 4. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and quickly press an M&M's candy into the center of each Kiss. 5. Allow the treats to cool for a few minutes, then let set in refrigerator for about 10 minutes. 6. Place handfuls of the candies in clear plastic bags and tie on colorful ribbons. Christmas Candy Brownies Inspired by bettycrocker.com Directions 1. Heat oven to 350°F, grease pan. Set aside candies in plastic bag. In large bowl, 2. Mix dry ingredients with oil, vanilla and eggs. 3. Mix ingredients, spoon and spread in pan. 4. Sprinkle candies from bag over top. 5. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until set.

Ingredients 1 cup red and green M&M’s 1/2 cup flour 1 teaspoon salt 1/3 cup unsweetened baking cocoa 2/3 cup packed brown sugar 2/3 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts 2/3cup vegetable oil 1 teaspoon vanilla 3 eggs

ABC Family’s 25 Days of Christmas By Elizabeth Noone

Every year, ABC Family has its famous 25 Days of Christmas, where it shows all the Holiday Classics from December 1st to Christmas Day. Here are the highlights of this ABC special that you should watch out for: The Year Without Santa Claus- Narrated by Mrs. Claus, this is the story of the year Santa had a cold and decided to take a vacation from Christmas. Two elves make it their mission to find children to convince Santa that Christmas is still important. Unfortunately, The Heat Miser and Snow Miser make this a difficult task. (Airs Dec. 23) The Polar Express- This is a classic from many of our childhoods about a boy who goes on a train that takes children to the North Pole to see Santa Claus. On this journey, he tries to discover the truth about Santa Claus. (Airs Dec. 23) Dr. Seuss’s How The Grinch Stole Christmas- Inside a snowflake lives the town of Whoville, with almost munchkinlike people. Just outside of Whoville lives the mean old Grinch, played by Jim Carrey. He hates Christmas and plots to take it away from the Whos. (Airs Dec. 19 and 22) National Lampoons’ Christmas Vacation- It’s Christmastime, and the Griswold’s are preparing for a family Christmas celebration. But nothing seems to go right for Clark, his wife Ellen, and their two children. To make things worse, he has obnoxious family guests… The only thing keeping him going is his Christmas bonus. (Airs Dec 20 and 25)

Must-See Christmas Movies  by Melanie Melo

A Charlie Brown Christmas-The Peanut gang discovers the true meaning of Christmas outside of all the commercialism that exists in the world. The Santa Clause-Scott Calvin's life is turned upside down after a crazy Christmas Eve that turns him into the new Santa Claus!

The Polar Express-A boy who is struggling with his belief for Santa Claus hops aboard the polar express! Destination: The North Pole. Remember to always believe! Home Alone 1 & 2- As his family rushes to their Paris vacation, 8-year-old Kevin is left at home by mistake. Kevin enjoys being all alone, until he has to battle two burglars all by himself! A Christmas Carol- A Christmas classic that had been remade into countless movies, TV specials, and parodies. Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by 3 ghosts on Christmas Eve, the ghosts of past, present and future, with the hope of saving him from eternal loneliness and suffering. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer- Another classic that we all know and love. Poor Rudolph is an out-caste for his special nose, until none other than Santa himself needs his help.

The Best Christmas Songs by Sarah Maymi

Ah, Christmas. Is there any holiday more beloved and widely celebrated? Considered the apex of the holiday season by some, Christmas is a time of many things---lights, intricate ornaments, gift wrapping, retelling the story of Jesus Christ's birthday, or simply surrounding ourselves with loved ones. But what is something that could add a little more cheer to this upcoming Christmas? Music, of course! Here are some famous and iconic songs dealing with the renowned holiday that anyone could play to get in a festive mood: All I Want for Christmas by Mariah Carey - Released in 1994, this is by far the most popular Christmas song of the 90's, and is still played on the radio every December. You can always hear Mariah Carey's career being resurrected every single time. White Christmas by Irving Berlin - An old and timely song, but still considered a classic. Released all the way back in the 40’s, the song laments on an old-fashioned Christmas setting and, as the title readily implies, the singer is dreaming "of a white Christmas/just like the ones I used to know." If he lives in New York City, then I can definitely understand his disappointment. When's the last

time it actually snowed on Christmas? Jingle Bell Rock by Bobby Helms - Jingle Bell Rock is a song that has been recorded by a wide range of musicians. Helm’s version is the original, and it's difficult to pinpoint who's version reigns supreme. Some prefer Helm's, other's Hall and Oates, and then there's Hilary Duff's rendition which no one seems to know about. Either way, the song is a staple of the Christmas season. You might even remember the ensemble cast of Mean Girls performing it in the film. Donde Esta Santa Clause  by Augie Rios - Mamacita, donde esta Santa Clause? Recorded by Rios at the tender age of twelve, the song is a fun little romp that will return memories of when you were a child, wondering where our dear Santa was on Christmas Eve. Last Christmas by Wham! - Making its debut in 1984, Last Christmas is a soap opera-y pop song where the singer presumably gave his heart to a loved one, only to have it thrown away the "very next day" - so, the the 26th of Decemberto be exact. He vows to give it to someone special, which makes me wonder if he ever thought the last person was special. The Chipmunk Song by Alvin and the Chipmunks - You cannot go wrong with this song. Written and released in 1958, the song is so universally well-known you'd be fool enough to believe it came out the day before. The three (in)famous chipmunks speak (or sing) about what they want this Christmas and their impatience for said holiday to come, hoping it won't be late. Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer by Gene Autry - Rudolf is one of the most classic Christmas-oriented characters in history, and just one mention of him-or his "shiny red nose" is enough for anyone to start humming this song under their breath. While the song has been recorded countless of times, like any classic Christmas song, Autry's remains the most famous. No one sees that changing anytime soon. Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree by Brenda Lee - At the imminent risk of sounding like a cornball, doesn't this song give you the inspiration to dance around a Christmas tree, or just to dance in general? It was released in 1958 (obviously a good year for Christmas tunes), and is perhaps is one of the most cherished holiday songs sung

by a female. Fun fact: The Simpsons did their own version of it (Simpsons did it!) in the episode “Kill Gil.”

Disney’s Frozen Review By Cynthia Gonzalez

Frozen is Disney’s new animated film adapted from the fairy tale The Snow Queen, written by Hans Christian Andersen. In this film, the kingdom of Arendelle is stuck in an eternal winter accidently set by Elsa, Arendelle’s queen. In order to bring back summer, Anna, Elsa’s sister, teams up with Kristoff, a mountain man who sells ice for a living. The snowman Olaf joins the adventure as well. Tangled (2010) was the last Disney princess movie before Frozen; Disney’s proven that they’ve still got it. From the moment Frozen begins with an amazing opening song, you can tell that you are going to be blown away. The animation is gorgeous; the snowy landscape almost looks real. The soundtrack was wr i t ten by Kr is ten Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, the creators of Avenue Q and Book of Mormon, and are beautifully sung by the cast, most of whom are Broadway stars. The songs have a Broadway sound to them while still maintaining that classic Disney style. The characters are funny and well-developed, especially Elsa. Elsa is a complex character, with her struggle to control her powers while hiding them from her kingdom. Olaf the Snowman is hilarious and has amazing one-liners. Despite its home runs, the film is not perfect. The songs featured in the movie are cute and funny. Unfortunately, with a few exceptions, that’s all they are. They lack the beautiful quality found in the songs of Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, and Hunchback of Notre-Dame. Also, the character design is not completely original. Anna and Elsa look too similar to each other and to Rapunzel, the previous princess. Anna and Elsa’s personalities are exact opposites, and their appearances should reflect that. Another problem is that the movie does not elaborate on important aspects of the plot. Elsa’s powers remain unexplained, besides the fact that she was born with them. The romance between Anna and Kristoff also developed too quickly and was not really necessary. Finally, the villain of the film is not clear, as Elsa is more misunderstood than evil. What outshines all of the film’s flaws is the bond between the two sisters; their relationship is portrayed exceptionally well.

Overall, the film is amazing. The ending will leave you with tears in your eyes and a sudden desire to buy a huge Olaf plush. Anna and Elsa are amazing new characters and will officially be initiated into the Disney Princess line in 2014.

Doctor Who 50th

Anniversary Special by Ryan McMonagle

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of BBC's "Doctor Who," a special episode entitled "Day of the Doctor" was aired. This episode featured the current Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith), the previous Tenth Doctor (DavidTennant), and a new incarnation played by John Hurt. The villainous Zygons and Rose Tyler (Billie Piper), a former companion of the Doctor, also make an appearance. This special episode includes two main plots, one involving the Zygons attempting to take over Earth, and the other being the Doctor’s internal conflict where he must make a decision he has regretted for hundreds of years. This episode finally explores the Doctor's involvement in the Time War, which had been teased throughout the show's 50-year run. Both stories are very compelling, and seeing "The Moment" is exciting for all Doctor Who fans. This "moment" is when the Doctor seemingly destroys his home planet to end the Time War, but the episode reveals there is more to the event than it seems. Towards the end of the episode, there are surprise appearances of all previous incarnations of the Doctor, and even the next Doctor, who will be played by Peter Capaldi. As usual, the acting in the episode was phenomenal, and even with three Doctors, none of them out shined each other. Seeing Billie Piper and David Tennant again was great, but ultimately the role of Rose was pretty disappointing. Matt Smith and Jenna Coleman, who plays Clara, are great, and seeing Clara act as the Doctor's conscience is very interesting. Even supporting characters that are not seen much give great performances, which made quite a difference. John Hurt is the newcomer of the episode, and he does such a great job that it is a shame he will not be featured as a main Doctor. "The Day of the Doctor" is an amazing episode of Doctor Who, and it is definitely one you need to check out if you

are a fan of the show. As a 50th anniversary special, it is everything you could ask for and more. This episode is also the last episode of the year before the Christmas Special (airing December 25). The Christmas Special will be the last episode featuring Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor.

Catching Fire Review by Raysa Gonzalez

Catching Fire is the second movie in the Hunger Games trilogy, based on the books written by Suzanne Collins. In this film, Katniss is back from the Hunger Games and attempts to live a normal life. Her chances at a normal life are ruined at the Quarter Quell, a special type of the Games that occurs every twenty five years. At the Quarter Quell, Katniss and Peeta are forced back into the Hunger Games, where they meet new allies such as Finnick (Sam Claflin), and Johanna (Jena Malone). As if being forced back into the Hunger Games isn’t enough, Katniss also has to deal with the wrath of President Snow after the districts start using her as an inspiration for uprisings and a symbol of rebellion. This movie follows the book closely, with exact quotes from the book used in the movie. The acting is excellent, especially Jennifer Lawrence's performance as Katniss. The love triangle between Katniss, Gale (Liam Hemsworth), and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) is briefly shown, but is pushed aside in order to put more focus on the rebellion. Catching Fire is an improvement from the previous film, thanks to the new director, Francis Lawrence. The emotional scenes of this film are really what brings it over the top. Jennifer Lawrence truly exposes her talent by causing the audience to sympathize with Katniss. Whenever Katniss gets upset, you can fell tears welling up in your eyes. Catching Fire is a really great film and is definitely worth a watch (or 3) in theaters.

The Greatest Gift of All

by Tiffany Le

The greatest gift is not to be found under a Christmas tree.

It's not wrapped in paper nor materialistic, you see.

Winter is approaching as we entered December.

Time spent with families and friends is the true treasure.

Memories like these will form genuine smiles.

If you don't think that's the best gift, you're in denial.

Any wrapped presents can be measured.

But what about the simple joys - which one is better?

Take a time out and just think.

What this holiday season will bring.

Oh, and whatever happened to the Lord?

It's as though his day of birth is ignored.

So commemorate him or give him praise.

For December 25th is his day.

I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Hope your holiday season is filled with joy and good

cheers.

The Pilot Staff

MODERATOR: Mr. Rivlin EDITOR IN CHIEF: Kristen McMonagle ’15 WRITERS:

Ryan Gangadin ’17 Cynthia Gonzalez ’15 Raysa Gonzalez ’15 Calayah Heron ’15 Tiffany Le ’16 Melissa Liriano ’16 Sarah Maymi ’16 Kristen McMonagle ’15 Ryan McMonagle ’16

Melanie Melo ’15 Melissa Melo ’15 Christine Miller ’15 Michelle Miller ’15 Rebecca Mota ’15 Elizabeth Noone ’17 Starlene Parris ’17 Loribel Peguero ’17 Alexa Pena ’17

What’s Your Favorite Part of the Holidays?

The cookies and having a break from school. –Melissa Liriano

My favorite thing about the holiday season is the

feeling of anxiety before guests arrive at my house.

–Loribel Peguero I love the hours of holiday marathons

that are always on TV during the

holidays, it's just makes me more

excited for Christmas and gives me

those Christmas feels. –Melanie Melo

The Christmas songs! –Rebecca Mota