The Mind’s Eye

Waldwick High School

2012-2013

Board of EducationPatricia Levine, President

Dawn Monaco, Vice PresidentDaniel Marro, Sr.Claire McLaffertyDominic J. Novelli

Joseph OrlakMartha Walsh

AdministrationDr. Patricia Raupers-Superintendent of Schools

John Griffin-Business Administrator/Bd.SecretaryVictoria Wilson-Director of Special Services

Kevin Carroll-Principal, High SchoolMichael Clancy-Assistant Principal/Athletic Director

Elizabeth Getlik-Supervisor of Language Arts and World LanguagesJanet Sobkowicz-Supervisor of Social Studies, Related Arts, and ESL

Mind’s Eye StaffAdvisor: Mrs. Danielle Kish

Staff: Natalia Bastante, Ryan Casey, Melissa Davies, Shane DevineMolly Lumino, Julia Montella, Nicole Stahl

Artwork provided by Ms. Ruch’s Art StudentsPhotography provided by Mr. Opderbeck’s Photography Club

Cover Art By MaryKate McNaught

Photo by Anna Puglise

Photo by Sophia Roldan

Music

Pounding, hammeringSoft and gentleAngry, irritatedSad and sweetFast, rhythmicSlow and smoothKeeping the beatAnd staying in tune

-By Natalia Bastante

The trailer makes it seem like a happy go lucky movie about owls. There is an Owl City songplaying in the background, and there are jokes and everything. At first glance the movie looksvery childish and uninteresting towards the average adult. FALSE. This movie is The Lord of theRings with owls. The trailer is composed of the ONLY TWO MINUTES OF CHILDISH PARTS IN THEENTIRE FILM. The plot is complex and undeniably mature. I went to see this movie with my littlecousin and needless to say, I liked the movie more than she did.

Firstly, let me just say that right off the bat, the main character and his brother are kidnapped.They are taken from their homes to an evil lair. Then, the owlets are brainwashed and forced toperform manual labor. That manual labor is picking apart other owls’ owl pellets and taking outpieces of metal. The main character then learns to fly by being taught by one of the evil owlswho is actually very nice. Then, that nice owl is BRUTALLY MURDERED by the evil owl…not tomention the fact that the main character’s brother essentially turns into an evil version of anowl.

After a brief interlude of a children’s movie, the Guardians get ready for battle with the pureones, the good owls, and the scouting owls are killed as they approach the evil hideout. The evilowls use the pieces of metal to form a giant magnet which traps all the guardians, and a bunchof bats fly in to kill them. After the magnet gets turned off, the owls all put blades on theirtalons and actually kill each other. The main character then throws his own brother into aflaming forest and then flies into the evil owl’s lair and kills him with a burning stick. This isanything but a children’s movie…

Legend of the Guardians is NOT a children’s movie

By Andrew Fucarino and Sami Mourad

The RoutineBy Sabrina Forte

Woke up this morningGot ready for schoolAte fruit loops for breakfastBecause I am cool

Entered the halls of Waldwick HighTo begin the sluggish day I hoped wouldpass by

Six hours were upI got to go homeTo do some more school workLogged onto Google Chrome

I typed, then I typedAte a snack or two,Then I typed some more essaysAnd ate some more food

Six o’clock cameAnd then I ate dinnerAs you can tell from this poem,I ain’t getting thinner

Soon nightfall approachedI became quite drearyThen fell asleep to the soundOf Scott McCreery

Day in and day outThe same old routineMy monotonous lifeAt the age of sixteen

Sometimes I wish thatSchool would just endThank God summer’sRight around the bend.

Artwork Above by Erin Scott

Artwork Below by Larissa Woods

Artwork by Eric Carnivale

War of Candy

By Stephen Corra

“Peanut Butter” screamed Reese’s“Yes, the best” echoed Snickers.“Not a chance” shouted M&M’s

“Chocolate’s where it’s at” replied Milky Way.

All was undecidedQuickly they must choose

In answer Twix solemnly declared“Which one should I choose?”

Peanut Butter, Chocolate, CaramelNobody knew which to choose

So they all decidedThat it didn’t really matter

Artwork by Armando Gonzalez

Photo by Sarah Jupinka

S alty sea air wafts up in the breeze

U nder a tree trying to capture some shade

M iles and miles of lush green grass

M atches light candles that glow in the night

E ndless good times

R eveling with a feeling of weightlessness

By Isabella Ayvaz

The Taste of BetrayalBy Allie Reynolds

“Don’t!” shouted Good Judgment.Bravery screamed “Yes!”

“You wouldn’t!” screeched Loyalty.“Be bold!” barked Fearless.

A moment of second guessing.The decision is made.Courage cries in joy.

For he is victorious once again.

Tears. Trust broken. Hardships.Later, the sound of forgiveness

Floats around the room.Friendship is restored.

Photo by Betsy Gordon

SummerBy Sami Mourad

Early, the sun rises and late it falls,Schools are all empty, the lifeless halls,Welcoming warm weather and a cool breezeThe trees are all green, sheltering the bees.

Friends have time to waste together,Walking around, there’s no fear of bad weather.The pools are all open and the Barbeques flaming,As friends sit ‘round the water conversing.

No due dates, No problems find their way to their heads,Just hours of free time, and plenty more time with their beds.The season is theirs and no one can take it away,They can do what they want, day after day.

The Journey

By Colleen Moran

After a long uphill battle,Filled with endless prattle,We reach our final destination,And understand the reason for our alienation.

Standing on that mountain peak,The massive sizes makes us feel meek,From the wonder that fills our eyes,We know that we have reached our prize.

The sunset was filled with majesty and wonder,The beauty that could never be plundered.Deafening silence that fills our ears,As we slowly forget all our fears.

Knowing the journey we had to make,And all the muscles beginning to ache,The awe-filled red and glorious pink,Would soon be gone within a blink.

Artwork by Calla Chennault

Artwork by Ariana Chousa

War of the Sami and Andrew

By Andrew Fucarino

“Build me up buttercup” chanted Sami“Stop singing” exclaimed Andrew“I feel it in my bones” sang his friend“I BEG OF YOU” deplored Andrew

A pauseSuddenly-American Pie comes on the radioAndrew sighs and joins in“The day the music died”

Resonating. Singing. Annoyance.Later, no sound but oneThe incessant hummingOf Sami.

Artwork by Caitlyn Ullman

An Excerpt from Dear Diary….By Michelle Sciolaro (based on Beauty and the Beast)

Dear Diary,

I just needed a companion. I’ve been alone for so long I cannot stand it anymore. But what’s a beast todo? Nobody wants to be with an ugly, hairy, rude, and loud beast. She doesn’t have to be perfect, I justwant her to accept me for myself, and eventually the man I want to be. But what can I do to get her toeven speak to me? I haven’t left this castle in I don’t even know how long. I do miss the life I once had,but at least I have all my friends here; they’re truly the best I could ask for. They tolerate my temper,and bring me everything I need. They accompany me at my worst, and support me at my best. Althoughit has been forever since I was even around a girl, maybe I can get one without scaring her away; buthow?

Diary,

Something amazing happened today: me and Mrs. Potts were cleaning up around the house when Iheard a loud crash…we were concerned so we peaked outside. It was an old man whose carriageseemed to have broken down. He looked upset so I brought him inside and gave him some tea. We gotinto conversation, and he asked me many questions about myself; of course how I became this way, didit hurt, how does it go away; the usual questions. His name was Maurice. I proceeded to ask about him,and he told me he has a daughter around my age named Belle. She is just beautiful and he wishes thathe could bring her here to meet me. He thinks that I would be excellent company for Belle instead ofscummy guys in the village. I insisted he did, but we should make up a story to make sure she comes.Maybe this could work out for me…

Photo by Sarah Jupinka

Evening, Honfleur

By Linda Buffington

Ice blue waves brush the shore,

like paint brushes on the

edge of a canvas.

Piers peer over the water.

Straining to get a better look.

Sand piles everywhere,

building up beachy snow banks.

Sand sticks to everything,

like glitter sticks to glue.

The bright sky is fading,

and so the night begins.

It has packed its bags and it’s moving in.

Shadows begin to sweep the shore,

Slowly erasing the day.

They brush it aside to make room

for a new tomorrow.

The Observer

I am the ObserverI’m sitting in the corner over here

I see all that happens but I am cursedTo never interfere

I see my two friends fightingI watch their friendship break

I want to help but I cannotSo as theirs burst my heart will ache

I watch the blue birds sing their songI watch a grown man cryYet I only observe and so

I cannot ask him why

The world is full of beautyThat much I can say

From the sunsets to the pebblesFrom the growing rice and kids at play

But the price of watching is too muchBecause nothing can ever parThe most beautiful thing in life

Is living it, not watching from afar- Natalia Bastante

Artwork by Franchesca Raffele

Photo by Matt Mojica

Spotlight

By Caitlyn Ullman

Boulders densely populate the groundOnce pieces to a broken puzzleA spotty gray interrupted by dense mossLime green varnishes the stone

Scrawny trees erupt from the forest floorThin lines stretching up and down the imageTrembling branches stem out of the saplingsFoliage explodes from every bough

Dull blue consumes the empty spaceFilling in every vacant areaIt masks the untold horrorsReliant on the monotonous grayTaking away the spotlight

Rookie of the Year Epilogue

By Anthony Schorling

After winning a Word Series with theCubs, Henry went back to playing Little Leagueball, and he was back to his normal self.However, the events he encountered taught hima lot about the game, and he got much better atplaying it. He would no longer be stuck in rightfield every game, he was a pitcher and a centerfielder. After seeing pitches thrown at MLAspeed, he became a better hitter, as his timingwas much better. He continued to play all theway to college.

In his final year of college, he wasdrafted, again by the Cubs as a pitcher in theFirst Year Player Draft. He was one of the Cubshighly regarded prospects, and made his debuttwo years later.

Now, three years into his MLA career withthe Cubs, he is a potential All-Star and Cy Youngwinner. The Cubs needed a little playoff push,and he’s being it this year, trying to get himselfhis second Cubs World Series win.

Marine’s FinestBy Sarah Rowe

Up every morning at the crack of dawn,Running 2.5 miles and letting the crisp airKiss their skin. Singing those old marine chantsAnd teaching them to her platoon. ListeningTo the pitter-patter of their feet hittingThe pavement and their quick short breaths.

Ten years of her life, and she succeeds,In everything that her passion can bring.Dress perfect in navy blues, yelling and workingTraining the finest in the world.Cold and stone to her soldiers, but in hercoldness,You can find care and compassion for them.

She teaches them all she knows about war,And how to survive it.She gives these soldiers-to-be strength to keepMoving forward and that no one gets left behind.She makes sure they are prepared for what isTo come in the war they will fight.

Forcing her platoon to get it right the first timeAnd showing them that failure is not an option.If they fail it can be their life, or the life of theirBattle buddy, but either way, failure ends in death,Or something pretty close . She knows the cost,And makes sure they know it as well.

She doesn’t give up on anyone, and sheRefuses to let someone give up on themselves.If they do then she has failed them, and by failingthem,She has failed herself and the Corps. Up everymorningAt the crack of dawn, running 2.5 miles andletting the crisp air kiss their skin.

Photo by Bernard Fredric

Waldwickwocky

By Sean Billies

T’was East Prospect to Wyckoff Ave7-11 to Dunkin DonutsSo much fun, all the kids hadUntil thing started to go nuts

“Beware the drama my friend”Said one to another“To your life it will end,It will turn brother against brother”

He took his warrior blade in handThis drama he will slayTo end all the rumors in the band,All sports and the play

He brought together Warrior NationAn energetic and proud crewIt was simply a brilliant creationThe fans were not at all few

Our team would benefitWhen they chanted loud and clearThe opposing teams will be hitWith a deep, searing fear

With their unity they conqueredThe Waldwick High School DramaNo more rumors were to be mutteredThey spoke of a new Genre

They spoke of sports in every wayThe Whole town clearly knewYou could see it every dayWarrior Nation, white and blue

T’was East Prospect to Wyckoff Ave7-11 to Dunkin DonutsSo much fun, all the kids hadAs Warrior Nation would go nuts

The Silence Before Battle

By Katie Degelman

The silence before battleMuscles tenseEyes watchBreath held in anticipation

The whistle has blownTension is releasedTwo forces be oneA great clash

One is victoriousEnemies swarmSupport is neededA break in the lineRelease

The sound of thunderThe pulse of lifeBreath hot in feverFalter in the line

Legs burn in effortArms pump in speedVoice breaks in volumeTriumph of defense

A last break of willBattle plan executedVictory is nearReleaseShotGoal

This is lacrosse

Artwork by Caitlyn Vellios

Survival of the Fittest

By Daniel Walsh

Violence must end for all to surviveLike the still of the night,Fear is among us.We stared in disbelief at the destruction of our livesWe cried like the rain falling in a steady storm.We couldn’t leave, we were trapped.Our hearts thumping violently for fear of our lives.For it seemed like a cage and we were the animals.If only it would rain like cats and dogs to wash it allaway.But we couldn’t leave, we were resilient.For this is OUR countryWith all of this destruction,It really is….survival of the fittest.

Artwork by Linda Buffington

Artwork by Nicole Stahl

Congratulations to the 2012-2013 Scary Story Winner!

Character Shed

By Daniel Delgado

“…And so concludes our annual anti-bullying announcement. It is a most unfortunate tragedy for thosevictimized by bullying, and to have realize being the bully themselves, which is why everyone must treatothers fairly, not just to others, but also to yourself, in the dignity of your utmost honesty. In whateverconfidence and deeds you commit in the past and the future, you continue to achieve and aspire with friendswho share a compassionate bond in friendship…” The principal jabbered on and on, attempting toconvince the senior class to remain a great example in high character.

One senior girl in particular shrank in her seat, as many teens snoozed past the lecture entirely. Herbooks were ready to suffocate and pop in her arms, and she bit her lip the whole announcement. Hesitant,she looked side by side, behind, and all around nervously, seeing several buttons mashing on their phones totext, some snapping themselves to stay awake, and nearly everyone’s chin slumped on their fist. Nothingout of the ordinary, except for her.

After looking, a paper airplane whisked past her brown hair, circling around, and into her face. Itdocked right on her bare knees, somewhat light as her skin tone. Immediately, she made a soft peeping insurprise, and then looked at it carefully, sighing. Her fingers fiddled with the paper, hoping to distractherself, until a ball of crumpled paper bumped on the side of her head. She unfolded it curiously, revealing apicture of a blood red moon, along with the words, “A person cruel of heart, evil, or of ill will, will beconsumed by their inner demon of the very angst they are fueled and traumatized by in the lunar eclipse…”In bold letters, it continued: “If you don’t pass it around, you’re next…” Her eyes stared wearily at it forwhat felt like forever, until she shrugged it off as a silly high school myth, then tossed it aside.

“Bully.” someone whispered in the crowd of students, instantly alerting Sanare. “Loser. Jerk. Low-life…” More slurs spread around, each becoming more vulgar and more painful to hear. She dropped thepaper, lying flat on the floor, and paused with a frozen look, almost like all eyes were on her. Soon, all thestudents once again flooding the hallways, leaving her alone. The principal approached her.

“I do hope you were not doing homework during an important announcement, Sanare. Bullying isserious, and must be stopped for the harm it does to victims and even the bully. You do understand thegravity of the situation, especially for teens much like you, right?” he spoke, eyeing the paper curiously.

“Heh-heh,” she nervously giggled. “Right…that. I do understand…for both sides.” She rubbed hershoulder trying to brush away her thoughts. “Glad to see everything is in order. You don’t want to be latefor class, so get moving; and please, no homework during assemblies.”

I doubt this is anything like homework, she worried to herself, rewinding the words over andover again. The raging storms boomed outside, unsettling her even more.

“What? No, you’re hallucinating, they probably meant something else.” insisted Sanare’s friend, beside her,at the window. The air wafted under her shorts as the thunderstorm proceeded. “Gee, you’ve been veryuneasy lately, haven’t you?”

“No, I’m serious! What if it was me, you know, back from middle school…?” Sanare questioned,while placing it next to the window outside. The sky loomed of dark masses of clouds, clogging the sky oflight for the potted plants. “I’m…I’m actually kinda scared, Desola, and the last time I felt like that was,well, years ago.”

Her friend ignored it, handling the chemicals gingerly and talking, “Nah, that’s crazy. Everyonewasn’t that determined to treat you that badly since, especially when you bullied me. But you made up withme months later, so you have a heart, and others should really see that. Rarely have I heard a bully comeback so quickly and forgive and forget. You’re special.”

“Yeah, maybe you’re right, for my sake. Pass me the other solution, so I can empty it and rinse itclean.” The grey puffs of the sky flickered like a broken light bulb. Loud crashing and flashes ravaged theclassroom, shutting off the lights and sparked light and shadows. Sanare blanked out for a second, thencontinued rinsing the glass. Mysteriously, another shadow stood with Desola from the light. She shook, andcalmed instantly, eyeing the vial’s bubbling liquid carefully, then focusing on the student in front of Sanare aseveryone ducked. What caught her attention, was a scratch on the back of her neck.

With a wily smirk, her fingers wiggled the cork open, and thrust the chemicals forward, splashingliquid all over the girl’s clothes, hair, and brown skin. The girl flinched, feeling the boiling chemical stain herdress and sizzle at her cut. She cried in agony as it hurt – quickly, everyone watched the scene. She turnedaround and bit her lip; sadness and humiliation were read from her tears and quivering lip.

“What…what was that for, Sanare?” She looked up as finished cleaning her glass bottle. “Huh?Wait – what did I do?” she hesitantly answered.

“You…you spilled that dangerous solution on me! It burns a lot!” she cried.

“B-But I just cleaned my vial, free of chemicals inside! I can’t have spilled that much onto you. Itwasn’t me. Perhaps – maybe someone else…” She took a deep breath. “Okay…I did it, I’m sorry fordoing that, and it was very wrong of me.” She swallowed hard.

“No! You did it!” The girl wept and stormed out the door. Everyone stared at Sanare, that samefeeling once again from the auditorium. Desola snickered softly to herself, hiding the vial behind her back,and slipping it on the sink. The lightning flashed again, and Sanare’s shadow finally returned to her, makingher lurch forward, hiding her face in the sink. Her friend shook her head, then looked at Sanare, confused.“Did I miss something? You look worse than before.”

The lights reactivated, and Sanare stared blankly at a dim reflection of herself on the window. Hereyes shone red for a split second; fear would have plagued her mind, but looked at herself differently.

The bell rang, and students rushed for the weekend out the doors. Sanare silently grasped herbooks to her chest with a frown in her face. The hallways cleared and she proceeded towards her locker tocollect her belongings.

“Hey, Sanare, our favorite little scrapper.” Three students circled around her, then a loud bang asone slammed her locker door shut. “We couldn’t help but notice how you came back to your old self andsplashed that stuff right on her. You’ve still got it, girl.”

She pointed her nose forward. “Beat it, that’s all in the past, and I’m nothing like you wastes ofhuman life.” Sanare growled, casually redialing her combination. One boy grabbed her wrist, and squeezedit tightly. A girl spoke, “Aww, ain’t that cute? Thinking you’re past hurting others and how you’re so muchbetter than us? Puh-leeze.” she said obnoxiously. Sanare pulled her hand. All in vain, she was stuck, nexthe flipped her on her back to the locker.

“Rrgh. Quit it! I’m much better than that to just stoop down to your level.”

“Then why did you bully Desola, your very best ‘friend?’ Had no one else to bully but someoneweaker than yourself?” the bullying girl questioned. She readied her bandaged fist as the two boys trappedSanare in the spot. The girl punches her cheek, leaving her helpless as she took the blow. “How did yourelease your anger to her, and all your rage!”

Another blow in the opposite cheek in her last word. Sanare stood there, and cried in submission.She felt she deserved it. She felt it was justified.

“How did you think stooping as low as us would help, when you did the same!”

Her lower ribs were crushed by her brute force, crippling her to the ground, gasping for air. Thebruise on her cheek left a drop of blood, diluting with a salty tear.

“You insignificant waste of life. You are nothing. You’re. Just. A. Little. Bi–”

A boom of lightning flashed again, as Sanare’s eyes gleamed dark red, with the same contortedsmile Desola had from Chemistry. Her palm caught the flying fist, and stopped it dead on its tracks. Allthree bullies were astonished to stop her brute force so easily. Sanare stood up, and stared darkly into herpunisher’s eye. “Ha-ha…ha. Well, um, no hard feelings, right?” she pleaded, giggling nonchalantly,knowing she’s dead. The victim looked up, and gave a menacing, frozen stare.

Putting her hand back to her sides, Sanare tightened in spite, and punched her opponent straight inthe face, causing a massive nosebleed. An aura of disgust and silence flowed in her, as she gazed soullesslyat the two guys who pinned her for a beating. They were shocked, and walked back slowly into each other.She grabbed them by their shirts and bashed their skulls together, dizzying them like they spun in circles,then bucked them at her own locker. As her female bully swirled around next to her, Sanare held her armfar back, and slapped her flat across her face, making a mess on the hallway. “I need a nurse, please.” sheslurred, then regained consciousness. The bullies fled quickly to the Nurse’s Office in fear of her power.

“Sanare…?” called Desola, staring from the opposite end of the hallway. She stood blankly seeingher friend aggressively beat up her old bullies. She stepped back, until Sanare hissed vilely, and creptslowly to her. “Sanare. It’s me, Desola! Your old, very best friend!”

Sanare huffed, and darted towards her as a blur. Her friend stayed, and cringed at the familiarbehavior; an old, faint memory of who she was.

*If you would like to read the rest of the story, please view our online issue.

Photo by Ellie DeIanni

:P