On the first annual Thanksgiving Eve basketball game our boys faced their first loss. For most of the game our Dragons were dominant on the scoreboard. Our boys held a 25-21 advantage due to the combined efforts of all of the boys. After half time things got a little harder for our Dragons. Although Farrell took the lead, our boys still put up a good fight.

The scoreboard read 36-34 after junior Quamaine Tomlin hustled his way down the court and was able to put two more up on the board, leaving them down by 2 points. The game was tied up again as sophomore Brandon O’keefe easily scored giving them a tied score of 43. Next the crowd went crazy as junior James Simmons shot the ball right into the hoop, putting them in the lead scoring 3 points. Although our Dragons held the lead Farrell did dominate the scoreboard multiple times during this game. Farrell’s reserve guard pushed passed our defense to take the lead 49-46. After a long hard game, our Dragons lost by a mere 3 points with a final score of 57-54.

Our Dragons started their PSAL season as they took home the win against Petrides. They proved who ruled their court in their home game on the last day of November. Both Jamir Archer and Quamaine Tomlin proved they were no one to be underestimated putting a combined 51 points on the board. Even though their competition was tough, our Dragons took home the victory with a score of 81-73.

Many people look forward to a great season by our Dragons this year, including the players.

“Expectations are high for this year and we need to get at each other every practice  to get better and achieve our goal which is to make the PSAL playoffs,” said Dragons point guard Brandon O’Keefe.

Practice makes perfect, that is exactly why so many people have faith in our Dragons.

“The last three games were learning experiences. We lost to Farrell by three in a close game, beat Patrides, and we lost to Port Richmond. We felt like we were in close games and we just weren’t finishing them. We’re not executing the way we should and that’s to be expected early in the season. We’re in  a tough league and nobody is going to give us a game, we have to earn it. We have to keep practicing and believing in ourselves,” said basketball coach Eliot Wilson

As long as the Dragons keep practicing and stay as dedicated as they are they will keep up their winning ways. They have worked hard to get where they are and our Dragons as well as fans and coaches look forward to seeing the Dragons dominate more schools around the Island.

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We have been mourning for a week. The high number of deaths makes this a terrible tragedy in Polish history. It is especially important because the crash leaves the Polish government destroyed. We must reestablish our government without many of the people who were leading it a before the crash.

The plane crash has a feeling of repetition with it. We think Katyn is a cursed place for Poland because of what happened in Katyn in 1940. The town held about 22000 Polish prisoners of World War II. These included about 8000 Polish officers form the army. All 22000 of these prisoners were executed and place din a mass grave. This led to many problems between Poland and Russia because Russia did not want to be responsible for these deaths until fifty years passed. The President and his government officials were flying there for the 70th anniversary of the disaster and to show reconciliation with the Russian president.

When we first heard about the crash, we thought it was an assassination because the plane fell by Katyn and because of the tense Russian-Polish relationship, but now we know the plane crashed because of fog. Russia has been very supportive. Many other countries have offered support too. Polish people all over the world have lit candles and said prayers for everybody who died on the plane. We continue to mourn the tragedy, but we are also hopeful.

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Three restaurants that are sure to make all couples fall in love are Buddha Lounge, Angelina’s, and Bistro. All located here on Staten Island, these three locations were chosen because of their food, atmosphere and elegance.

Buddha Lounge is filled with romantic and exotic décor. The lighting is dim and the seating is comfortable, but to make it more romantic, there is a balcony for you and your lover to sit under the stars and eat your meals. This Japanese restaurant has a Manhattan feel and a fun atmosphere for everyone.

“The atmosphere was very nice. It was a nice change in pace from what’s normally on Staten Island,” said Mathematics teacher Ms. Lillliana Vendra.

Along with many delicious meals, fresh sushi is one of the top choices on the menu, but this Valentine’s Day there is a special four course meal you are sure to enjoy. Since most entrées start at around $25, if you are looking for a nice fancy, expensive experience this is definitely the restaurant for you. Located at 2945 Veterans Rd. in West Charleston Buddha Lounge has both the atmosphere and food to set the mood.

If you don’t want sushi, Bistro, an Italian style restaurant might be the place. The restaurant sets the mood for couples looking to take a load off their feet and relax. Soft coloring of the walls, a beautiful setting, and a candle light dinner makes this restaurant special and romantic.

“The way we cater is special and romantic. We have dancing, corner tables away from others, and entertainment. We also have a special band playing romantic music for Valentines Day and a special menu,” said owner Anthony Figuccio.

This restaurant is always a full house on Valentine’s Day, and a good reason may be the specialty dish, lobster. With their special A La Carte menu for Valentine’s Day entrée prices usually start at about $21. Located at 2561 Hylan Blvd. this restaurant will be sure to start some sparks.

The third restaurant, Angelina’s, has an extraordinary ambiance, wonderful atmosphere and live music. The most romantic part of this restaurant is that it’s right on the water and is a perfect spot to watch the sunset with your loved one. This vivacious restaurant has a special four course meal Valentine’s Day special which includes veal chop risotto with porcini mushrooms for $59. Angelina’s is located at 399 Ellis Street and is an outstanding spot for you and your date to enjoy some peaceful romance.

“Angelina’s is a fun place infused with exceptional food,” said owner Angelina.

We all want this Valentine’s Day to be special for the ones we love, so why not take them to one of these special places.

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Many debates have been made about this subject—about whether or not it is wise to enforce the use of school uniforms. Students and some schools believe that school uniforms are a way of limiting one’s creativity. Creativity in fashion can easily be expressed during the remaining 16 hours of the day. What many students don’t see are the benefits of having uniforms in school. Having uniforms is time-efficient and money-efficient.

Many students struggle to get up in the morning as it is. And when they get up they spend their time worrying about what they are going to wear. This process is a very time consuming and tedious task. Uniforms are a simple solution to get ready in the morning. Plus, students look much more neat and professional.

Students will focus more on their studies than their clothes. No boys will be distracted from their test when a girl with an ultra short skirt sways into the room. No graffiti-ed T-shirt will ever cause a commotion.

Uniforms are also much more affordable to get than buying a new wardrobe of clothes every year or, for some people, every semester. This is a good way for families on a budget to save money on their children’s clothes.

Fellow uniform advocates also argue that uniforms will decrease the violence in schools due to gangs.

School has now become a popularity contest than about education. Students worry more about having the latest fashion trend or the most modern name brand rather than actually paying attention in the classroom. In this kind of rude awakening, we are forced to raise the question of whether or not the school is doing its part in fixing the situation. Uniforms will water down the cast system the student body has created amongst themselves.

Although the great debate continues to rage on more and more schools are considering changing their schools dress code and enforce uniforms, one thing is for certain—uniforms also illustrate a sense of family and community of the school they represent. And isn’t that what CSI strives for so badly?

AGAINST:Katherine Foote ‘12

What happened to individuality? Why should it be taken away from us? As you can guess, I’m not pro uniform. Uniforms take away our individuality and freedom to express ourselves without the use of words.

The clothing we put on for the day normally reflects our mood, personality, and attitude. They give us the chance to experiment with different styles to see what truly suites us. For some, clothes are just means to improve self-esteem, and develop an identity. I previously attended a Catholic school that required a uniform. At first, I didn’t mind it too much. However, as weeks turned into months, I soon became incredibly bored. There was nothing out of the ordinary; everyone wore the same thing every day! I soon became restless waiting for the next Dress Down Day, Sneaker Day, anything that would add some color and vibrancy to the dull blue uniform.

After high school, people aren’t going to stop judging you. The feeling of self-consciousness will forever be a part of everyday life, but how people handle it makes the difference. Someone who has decided what they were going to wear and is confident with the choice definitely going to have an advantage will have more self esteem and personality than someone with a uniform.

Having uniforms in a school does have its positives. It’s a lot easier in the morning to wake up and put on your uniform instead of searching for something. This saves time that you can use to make sure you’re organized and ready for school. A uniform takes the pressure off of some students that are very self-conscience and can’t stand the thought of being teased for what they decided to wear. If everyone is wearing the same thing, there is less competition and pressure to keep up with the ever changing trends.

Although uniforms have their positives, they have never been my thing. There is no variety and it’s very bland. Some people might say that clothing is too small to have such an effect; however, little things have a tendency to build up causing it to greatly impact life.

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If you rode the New York City Subway on January 10, 2010, you probably experienced an unusual holiday. For the past nine years, January 10 has been declared No Pants Day by the comedy troupe Improv Everywhere.

The idea of No Pants Day is for thousands of New Yorkers to ride the subway in their underwear and act as if nothing is unusual. The reactions from fellow riders are priceless.

The event began at 3:00 pm at six meeting points through out the city, Foley Square and Central Park in Manhattan; Prospect Park and Bushwick in Brooklyn, and Flushing Meadows Corona Park and Astoria in Queens. The participants were then split up into groups by their birthday and the last digit of their cell phone number to be assigned their route and the car they would be riding in.

“We used 10 subway lines spread out all over the city, though sadly we didn’t use Staten Island as there is no direct subway route. We picked routes that would lead our participants to Union Square in about a half hour’s time,” said Charlie Todd, founder of Improv Everywhere.

All of the routes required a transfer at Times Square and converged on Union Square for a pantsless celebration. The three thousand participants formed conga lines around the park, held break dance competitions, and sang a pantsless rendition of the Star Spangled Banner.

The participants flooded the local businesses. Some were on high alert, while others such as Heartland Brewery and Starbucks warmly welcomed the pantless brethren.

The event’s most exciting component was the reactions from fellow passengers.

“I was on the 1 train when two college age boys entered the train at Franklin Street without pants. I thought it was an initiation for a fraternity until two pantless women got on at Houston St. After that, I thought I was losing my mind until somebody told me it was a prank,” said a rider who wishes to be referred to as Denise.

Tourists looked on in awe at the unusual sight. When asked why they were not wearing pants, the participants were instructed to say they simply forgot their pants and they didn’t know why the other participants aren’t wearing pants.

“No Pants is always a fun event for me personally because I enjoy watching the reactions from the New Yorkers we encounter. Even as it gets more popular as the years go by, there are always people seeing it for the first time,” said Todd.

The New York event has grown from seven participants to over 3,000 in this year’s rendition. The No Pants Subway Ride has also become a global holiday, with participants in cities all over the US, as well as in South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.

While the event began as a prank, it has evolved into a de facto underwear parade. However, the spirit of the event has not been lost. The priceless reactions are what keep the event going.

If you are seeking a memorable experience and a feeling of comradery, think about participating in the 2011 No Pants Subway Ride. Remember, don’t show up if you are not going to take off your pants.

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The team has faced many obstacles, but they always gave it their best effort and now they are fighting to be first place.

As of now the Dragon wrestling team is tied for first with Forest Hills High School. Even though they lost to Forest Hills they still have a chance to take the division title.

With the loss against Forest Hills High School the team was pushed to defeat anyone who stood in their way.

First up was a grapple with Erasmus High School. And the Dragons went back to business earning their sixth win.

“I’m very excited about their win. It was important to get a win after having our first loss.” said Coach Miano, who leads a strenuous practice with our wrestlers everyday.

The team shows up to every meet with only one thing in mind: winning.

“Our team works hard as usual and it shows. I am proud that I won because I go to practice everyday just like my teammates, that’s why we win, because we work hard,” said sophomore Sher Mohammad.

The wins did not stop at the meet against Erasmus. The team went on to win against Boys and Girls High School 24-12, and Benjamin N. Cardozo High School 30- 18.

As is often the case, when things are going well, they tend to keep going that way. Winning breeds confidence.

“In the ring when a wrestler is in his zone, all other sounds are blocked out. We showed them that skill beats strength,” said freshman Matthew Vainshtein. “Pain is temporary, pride is forever,”.

Come support our Dragons as they continue to wrestle their way to the top.

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Since indoor track season began, muddy shoes and drenched shirts are a thing of the past for our school. Now, the muddy field of Essex Drive has been replaced with the hardwood floor of the New Balance Track and Field Center at the Armory, located in Manhattan on 168th Street. There, our indoor track team competes with schools from all five boroughs.

Cross Country offically came to a close last Thursday, December 10, at the Staten Island High School Track and Field Association where freshman MVP awards were given to Angela Guarino and Joseph Rodriguez.  Varsity honors were also given to Shawn Cybulska and Shivanna Duncan.

At the recent indoor meets, new school records were set on December 7th by Diana Estrada who ran the 300 meter in 53.98 seconds.  At another meet on December 11th, Diana Estrada medaled in the girls’freshmen 1000 meter run.

Joseph Rodriguez ran in the boys’divison 300 meter dash in 46.96 seconds and came in a very respectable 29th.

The team’s next meet will be at the Armory on December 26th.

“We’re training just as hard as we did for cross country, but I’m more excited to try shotput events this season,” said sophomore Samantha Bruno.

The indoor season is on, so let the races begin.

Wrestling

The boys are starting off their season well, but many fans know that they have more potential than they are showing.

On Thanksgiving Eve the boys went up against Bard High School and won 82-45. The top shooter of the game was sophomore Christopher Frank, scoring a total of 22 points.

The second game of the season was against Port Richmond where the boys gave it their best, but in the end were defeated 61-36.

The boys third game of the season on December 6th was against Curtis; the boys lost 77-29. Newcomer Quamaine Tomlin put 10 points on the board, while veteran Jamier Archer battled to add seven points to Quamaine’s efforts.

The boys fourth game took place at New Dorp High school. They lost 71-59 despite an outstanding effort. Quamaine Tomlin led with a total of 23 points.

The boys fifth game took place on our home court against MSIT. The boys caught up in the second period with a score of 37-32, but their efforts fell short. Jamier Archer was the top scorer with 19 points in the 87-61 loss.

The boys won their sixth game against Petrides in overtime 56-48.

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at the Charles Glass Tournament.

Fans sat in seats that lined the small gymnasium of the Erasmus Campus where six schools are housed in Flatbush Brooklyn, the location of our school’s co-ed developmental PSAL wrestling team’s second match.  Team members and fans traveled early to meet the Brooklyn wrestlers, including one female.

“Hip! Hip! Turn in! Half! Half! And drive the leg!”yelled coach Rosario Miano.

Teammates and fans, sitting, jumping, and yelling experienced the intensity of the first match, as sophomore Joseph Raguso used various techniques to put  his opponent on the mat.

The hip toss, arm bar, cross face, and the ankle pick are moves used in a wrestling match to bring an opponent to the mat for the required two minute pin, where the winning wrestler holds his opponent’s shoulders to the mat.

At their first match, Raguso and his other team mates used the same techniques to pin their opponents in the tournament against Port Richmond High School.

Against Port, freshman Eduardo Ramirez used these techniques to wrestle his opponent, and grabbed the win in the first few minutes of his match. Ian Urcinoli and Nicholas Martucci also claimed two more wins, putting our school in the lead with a score of 43 to 28.

At their second match, where the Dragons competed against Erasmus Hall, similar techniques were used to secure another victory.

“The arm bar is when you get your opponent’s arm in the back of their neck and turn him into a choke hold. To chokehold you must stand behind your opponent and wrap your arm around their neck, like stopping blood flow. The cross face is when you make your opponent eat his own arm. When you ankle pick your opponent, you start off using the arm bar then grab the ankle. Then you use your arms and shoulder to take your opponent to the ground,” said Raguso.

Sophomore Sher Mohammad was next up to verse Kevin Sheperd. He walked to the mat with a determined look on his face ready to win his match. Circling one another they grabbed each others heads, slapping at their ear protectors.

As they were circling, Sher  flipped Sheperd onto the mat, then flipped him onto his backside and pinned him down to the floor for three seconds. The winner, Mohammad added another victory for our team.

“My technique was first to just go back and fourth. When you’re up, it’s more of power and technique, more like a fight. That’s how I won my match in the last three seconds,” said Mohammad.

Freshman Benjamin Wasserman was up next to face his opponent,  Mohammed Callahan. They stepped onto the mat, took their positions, and began. Ben head locked his opponent, grabbed him by his stomach, pulling him onto the mat, and rolling him over so quickly that he brought down Callahan in only 56 seconds.

“First, I let him do whatever he wanted. Second, I pushed him with all of my muscle and looked for an opening. I used my shoulder and rolled him over. He made the match easier because he made a mistake by letting loose and stopped using all of his force.  That’s how I won the match,” said Wasserman.

Although the majority of the matches were between boys, wrestling isn’t just for them.  This year, due to Title 9 rules, girls are permitted to participate. Matched by weight class, boys and girls can wrestle each other.

During the first match of the season, sophomore Nick Martucci went up against two girls from Port Richmond and New Dorp High School, and won both matches.

“Versing a girl is hard because it seems messed up, kind of like a double standard because if you beat the girl people think you’re mean, and if you get beat by a girl people make fun of you. I went up against girls and won, and I felt bad because they’re girls. When you go up against a guy, it’s a friendly competition, and it’s cool to beat them because they’re harder then the girls,” said Martucci.

Despite the two recent wins, Coach Miano expects more.  At the end of the second match, he was critical of the fact that the team did not execute the moves they had recently practiced.

“I’m not completely happy with the way this match turned out, but I am happy that Ben won his match, because if he didn’t win, then we would be tied,” said Miano.

At their next match, the dragons wrestled to their third win. Sophomore Sher Mohammad versed Max Rivera, pinning him in 27 seconds. Mohammad Mousa also pinned Khalil Gibbons in another quick match. Chris Cordero won his match by a tech fall, when the wrestler wins with a 15 point lead. With the wins and five forfeits, our team took the match easily.

“I am very happy with the result of the match, but extremely happy with the amount of people that came out to support us. Our wrestlers fed off of the crowd,” said Coach Miano.

After winning on Saturday, December 19 against Boys and Girls High School in Brooklyn, our wrestling team currently holds 1st Place citywide for the PSAL Developmental Division.

If you haven’t been to a match yet, get to the next one on January 16 to see our undefeated team take another win.

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Boys’ basketball is back, and the boys are already preparing for competition this year. Coaches Ray Palma and Elliot Wilson are back to whip the boys’ into shape and have a successful season.

With, only a few wins last year the boys new team is sure to push through and start the season off with a bang.

Along with the new season comes a new team. Since the seven seniors graduated last year, this year there is a team of 14 boys consisting only of juniors, sophomores, and freshmen.

“We are a young team, and I think we have kids who want to play. I hope we can make a run at the end of the season and get the boys’ to work hard so they do well,” said Coach Elliot Wilson.

Though the team has a lot of new and young members, there is no doubt that the boys will do well, especially with all the effort the coaches put into their practices.

“In practice we start by doing a drill called Kansas, which is a shooting warm up. Then we do running, shooting drills, three man drills, stretch, crack to crack, and run plays,” said junior Haynes Yatco.

The two hour practices that run everyday will prepare the boys for this year’s competition from all over the five boroughs and local high schools including Curtis, Port Richmond, Tech/McKee, New Dorp, Petrides, Wagner, and Tottenville.

“I have high expectations for the team this year because they gained many new and talented players,” said Athletic Director Dennis Barrett.

Yet Mr. Barrett and the coaches aren’t the only ones with high expectations for this year.

“As a new player I hope to contribute to the team. With a lot of new players, including myself, I hope we can pull together as a team and have a successful season,” said sophomore Michael Odumosu.

The parents and former players also had some words to say for the boys’ team this year.

“I think they’re going to have an adjustment period since they lost seven players, and I am excited to see what they can do together,” said parent Mrs. Archer.

Also, 2009 graduate and former player for the boys’ basketball team, Bernard Jones, has high hopes for the team this year even if they lost seven players.

“I see the team making it to the playoffs if they learn what it means to play as a team,” said Bernard Jones.

The players on the team this year are juniors Jamir Archer, Talon Turner and Haynes Yatco, sophomores Christopher Frank, Hayward Yatco, Quamaine Tomlin, Schwartzen Jarmond, Michael Odumosu and Matthew Prevosti, and freshmen Brandon O’Keefe, Anthony Fakoya, Joseph Ojo, Valon Lela, and James Besignano.

On November 25th the boys will face Bard High school in a Thanksgiving Eve face off.

Hopefully, with the support of our school, the team will have a repeat of last year’s game and blow Bard away to start off their season.

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The cafeteria smelled strongly of bleach and food, and colorful language came from every direction of the room. A girl in a green Egolism t-shirt and a gray Abercrombie sweater burst out in laughter, and continued for several minutes, until she realized she was being observed. “Oh, no she didn’t. Stop!” she yelled.

Across the room a boy sat quietly eating take-out Japanese food.

In the girls’ bathroom, toilet paper littered the floor, soap and water swam around the sink, and used napkins were spread across the counter. Two girls entered, fixed their make-up and argued with each other on their way out.

Back in the lunchroom a group of students competed with each other to be heard.

“This lunch period’s boring,” said the girl in the green Egolism shirt. “There’s a bunch of freshmen and sophomores who curse for no reason.”

Principal Ms. Aimee Horowitz scolded a boy in a white shirt and light jeans, asking him to pull his pants up and buckle his belt tighter to keep them from falling down. The boy pulled up his pants, but quickly lowered them when she headed back to the office.

Suddenly, a few feet away, a girl tripped and almost fell. She stood straight, looked around, and recomposed herself, hoping no one saw her. Outside, a group of boys played handball with a small blue ball.

By the basketball courts a girl and a boy held their arms around each other and cuddled. On her way out, Ms. Horowitz, noticing the two, shouted to them to keep the PDA (Public Display of Affection) off school grounds.

Lunch near over, Mr. Joseph Canale came outside and blew his whistle, the signal to head to classes.

All in all, our school cafeteria is a place where students eat and mingle comfortably.

“On occasion, students walk across the tables instead of walking around them. Students throw somethings out, and others clap,” said Assistant Principal Joe Canale. “Still so far there’s been no major issues. Student’s are respectful and compliant. They show good citizenship.”

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