Timothy Cho

Editor in Chief

New York University

Four years ago, we had a fresh start. A chance to start over. Yet, most of us wanted the same thing—to fit in, be popular, and find new friends. Along the way, we faced hardships. We lost friends, made mistakes, found unconquerable obstacles; we struggled with succeeding in our academics, forming an identity, understanding what we want to do with our lives.
For us at the Playwickian, we experienced much more than that. We fought tooth and nail for what we believed in, our rights as editors, granted by Pennsylvania and the United States. This was never about a word—this was about practicing our policies and standing up for what we believe in.
“All persons ought to endeavor to follow what is right, not what is established.” Aristotle’s words have defined my journey, not just as Editor in Chief, but as a human being. During my time at Neshaminy, I tried. I tried to encourage civil and respectful discussion of new ideas and beliefs, but the natural response has been to ostracize that which is unfamiliar.
The Class of 2014 threatened to burn newspapers, the Class of 2015 tried to create a petition to disestablish the Playwickian, and the Class of 2016 attacked the Playwickian on social media, including a tweet stating, “The Playwickian is worse than the Holocaust.” Community members verbally attacked me, arguing that I have no right to defy authority even if I disagree or that I am too young to understand what it means to uphold personal values at the expense of disobeying authority.
Of course, I met pleasant people along the way, ranging from passionate musicians and thespians to ambitious athletes and writers. I met leaders, innovators that will change the world. I met the future of our world, those who stand up for their own beliefs, willing to fight even if it means fighting alone.
Alexander Hamilton once said, “Those who stand for nothing fall for anything.” Many students are clueless as to what they believe in, what they want to do with their lives, and who they are. But, we are the trailblazers of the twenty first century; our names will be forever remembered as those who had the audacity to challenge yesterday’s rules to create tomorrow’s world that will view today’s conflicts as nothing more than history.
Those who I have the honor of calling friend, I worry not, for I know that whatever may happen, wherever you may go, you will find the strength to push forward, even if you must do so by yourself. We are fighters, heroes on fated adventures, and one day, we will find ourselves leading a new world, forged by our own hands, into an era of audacious innovation.
The circumstances of one’s birth are irrelevant. It is what you do with the gift of life that determines who you are. Thank you, for the world we are about to create.

Eishna Ranganathan
Management & News editor
Swarthmore College

See the thing is, people like to be comfortable especially within my generation; a large part of that comfort comes from conformity, not thinking, not questioning the potential of what could be. But, I knew from the outright that G202 is not a place where I would be comfortable; it is a place where I would
be genuinely happy, where I would find a sanctuary – both physically and for the mind.
The editors these past four years
I have known have added depth to my experience at Neshaminy with our soulful conversations, our intellectual debates.
The Playwickian is most definitely not an extracurricular; the moments I have shared here will remain engraved within my life’s story- they have taught me how to think deeply, to feel deeply, to experience deeply. I seek to further understand and figure out why I am doing things and to connect with other people. The Playwickian heightened my desire to pursue these endeavors.
Every time I write, I perform a service due to the First Amendment’s powerful privilege. The greatest service a human can give to another relates directly to cultivation of the mind, which is done by exposing people to different concepts, opinions, ideas and perspectives. A large part of this mindset stems from my time here. I have not only been able to “do” journalism well, but understand what it is, in all its purpose.
It is our job as the media, as a team, to serve our community in this sense and I cannot wait until the day my high-school newspaper is able to carry out this job in the most wholesome extent sans Policy 600.
The press’s role serves as a catalyst for generating feedback; whether in accord or disagreement, people will tweet about it, make a status, or write a letter to the editor; I am glad I was granted an active role in this process.
I have been able to connect with people who share a different mindset and perspective on contemporary events. Exposing myself to this has expanded my way of thought. Through speaking at school board meetings and during various conversations with administration, I have done things outside of my comfort zone in order for the grander purpose of creating change.
I thank Mrs. Huber for both serving as my hero and altering my definition of what I believe one consisted of; she has always lead by example and supported us through her strong will. I thank the alumni for their unwavering support of our publication through standing by our decision to discontinue the use of R—— in full since it paints an incorrect sense of identity for others  I thank my current co-editors for making my experience at Neshaminy a vivid one.
I will part ways soon, but a part of me, my foundation and roots of my identity, will link back to 2001 Old Lincoln Hwy: Playwickian Office – G202.

Zoey Joyce
Multimedia & Features editor
Bucks County Community College

Goodbye Neshaminy
The past four years have been a whirlwind all of its own. From my first step into the Black Box in freshman year for my drama class to the first day I stepped into G202 my senior year as a Playwickian editor, I have experienced it all. The ups and the downs, the drama between friends, the families you create and the never ending anxiety of trying to keep my grades up.
These four years have been a chance for me to grow as a human being into a better member of society. I never learned what to say or what not to say, I was simply told how I was expected to be in society. It was never positively encouraged to be your own unique individual.
I had to force my way through all the negative comments and actions that were directed at me because of my own individuality, but it was because of these that I am a better person today.
My only regret is that I was unable to better the school for future generations to come. I was unable to share my values of kindness and respect for every human being no matter how different. I am appalled by the treatment I endured from administration, teachers and students for my gender identity and regret not being able to better this school for future students who don’t fit the gender mold. To all the students I leave behind, I believe in you to be the best you that you can be. Goodbye G202, “And in case I don’t see ya, good afternoon, good evening and goodnight.”

Sloane Horton
Archivist & Multimedia editor
The University of the Arts

My entire experience at Neshaminy High School was an extensive and stressful yet enjoyable four years. Looking back at myself from freshman year I see someone that had a hard time maintaining satisfactory grades. I eventually became fully aware that if I did not begin to focus solely on my studies, my future goals would not come true.
As of freshman year, following my dream of becoming a professional dancer was a far stretch away. Junior year rolled around and I decided it was go time. Receiving outstanding grades junior year and honor roll all of senior year were the highlights of my high school journey. I have gained friends and lost friends but the ones I will never let go of are the ones I met in G-202. The Playwickian office has become a second home to me and Mrs. Huber has been more than just a teacher, but a role model and a determined individual. Within the years that I have wrote for this award-winning newspaper I have gained large amounts of confidence, maturity and independence. A huge thanks goes out to my family and my dance family for helping me push the stress that pairs with coming to high school every day. These were some of the most interesting years of my life that I will truly never forget.

Jess McClelland
Former Management editor & Student Life editor
Kutztown University

During my four years at Neshaminy, I’ve learned life lessons that will stay with me for the rest of my life.
I learned not to conform to others, to be my own person without worrying what others would think, that even lifelong friends will let me down, and that family is one of the most important things a person can have. In order to grow as a person, I had to make hard decisions instead of taking the easy way out.
I didn’t let myself throw away my beliefs just because they weren’t what everyone else wanted. In life, there are going to be people who will dislike you no matter what you do or didn’t do.
However, I didn’t let people push me down; instead, I grew even stronger than before. I learned that sometimes, ignoring the problem isn’t always the best solution.
You have to stand your ground and know that you listened to your heart and mind, that your friends and family will be there to back you up, and that the people who claim to be supporting you sometimes might be doing it for themselves.
The path to standing up for morals is long and won’t be an easy ride, but in the end, it’s completely worth it. I’m grateful for the time I have spent at this school and I would never change the things I did.
If I could give advice to the underclassmen, it would be this: Go to prom, do your homework, study for tests, go to the football games and stand in the student section, enjoy the musicals, get involved in Gym Night, make new friends, drink lots of water but not from the fountain, and most importantly, be fantastic.
A big thank you is due to my family for not letting me think of myself as weak. Thank you to my best friends for always making me laugh and supporting my decisions. Thanks to my boyfriend for letting me complain to him and for being my rock.
There are only four years to high school, and I never listened to people when they told me it would fly by, but here I am now, with my cap and gown.
Live your adolescent years to the fullest and don’t let anyone ever make you think of yourself as not being important.
Goodbye Neshaminy.

Juliet Okwara
Literary editor
Stanford University

Although I have only been a part of the Playwickian for a short span of time, I am confident that it will remain as a testament to the rights of student journalists, writers, and the student body at large. The Playwickian is not simply concerned with itself or with just Neshaminy High School, its writers and editorial board are concerned with the world at large, utilizing itself as the start of a movement rather than just a bystander to the changes that happen throughout the world. Each member holds their own opinions, and though those opinions may differ, each one is compelled to use the press as it should be used: for the greater good. I am proud to say that I have been a part of such a paper and to be in the company of such well-spoken intellectuals who understand that so long that there are pencils, papers, and voices to be heard, change can and will occur.
Within these classroom walls, we are told over and over to lead the way for change, to be on the right side of history. But clearly these words spoken by administration were just that: empty words that they never expected to have carried into action. Well, the students have listened, have educated themselves to know and understand their rights, and will indeed continue to be at the forefront of change even if they must fight alone, even if they continue to face scrutiny, even if they have to choose the moral high ground instead of following directives that would turn the word “journalist” into “hypocrite.”
Joining the Playwickian, I thought I was going to just become a journalist, recruited on due to my writing skills alone. But I have found that I have done very little writing. Most of my time was better spent at editorial board meetings, deciding what course of action to take, taking a stand on various issues, and understanding and appreciating the opinions of others.
Journalism is not just about writing. Getting a group of great writers together is the easy part. Having a group of great thinkers, idealists, and leaders is the difficult part. And the Playwickian has that part down pat.

Spencer David Potts
Op-Ed editor
Arcadia University

I wrote a happy-go-lucky Farewell letter for the paper about the nonsense I love and write about, the experiences I had, the lessons learned and what I enjoyed about Neshaminy. I threw out that letter when I saw how Neshaminy’s Administrators and School Board were throwing away our constitutional rights. There’s a real nice paper in the G202 trashcan thanks to Policy 600, the administrators and School Board can feel free to pick it up.
The school owns this Farewell. According to Policy 600, the school owns every work published by the students. Every article, picture, spread in The Playwickian is the school’s “intellectual property”. Every piece of poetry, prose, and flash fiction in the Howler is the school’s “intellectual property”. Every picture published in The Yearbook is the school’s “intellectual property”. Everything published in student-run publications are the school’s “intellectual property”– sounds great, right? Students are no longer owners of their creations. Are we going to allow a public school system to have control over our work? The public school system, an arm of the government, is denying us our “unalienable” rights.
Your taxes are paying for this. Your contributions toward our fundraising are paying for this. Your advertising is paying for this. We pay to lose our rights.
Policy 600 is in direct violation of Pennsylvania State Code 12.9, the US Constitution and many Supreme Court rulings. I have met Mary Beth Tinker. I have read about the Hazelwood School District. I know that these choices the administrators and board have made are wrong.
I enjoyed a lot of what Neshaminy High School offered as a public institution–I will concede I loved a lot of what I did– however at a certain point one begins to wonder if it was really worth the freedoms lost. You shouldn’t have to compromise your rights for some privileges.

Kirsten Magas
Staff Witer

I venture down Main Street of Neshaminy High School, running my fingers along the sides of the metal lockers and spin my combination on the dial. It’s almost 3:00 and the halls are nearly empty. The unwanted emotion of nostalgia is setting in.
Four years ago, I stood here, anxiously waiting to start my first year of high school as an energetic, talkative freshman. I was just so curious to see who I would turn out to be. Through my awkward phases, changes of perspective and lots of growing up, I’d like to say I’m pretty happy with the results.
Now, typical, bittersweet feelings of senior year are plaguing my mind. The predetermined lack of motivation called senioritis is begging graduation to come sooner. However, this place is where I grew up. Memories of cheering at football games, laughing at drama shows and dancing my heart out at the famous Gym Nights will stay with me forever.
The scariest thing is the unknown future that is beyond Langhorne. Neshaminy provides kids with shelter, help with almost anything and a stable, repetitive schedule.
Teens are legally required to go to high school, but after it’s all over there is a world of uncertainty beyond it. Should I go to college? Am I responsible enough to live on my own? Should I join the workforce? Can I find a job?
In talking with certain college students, I gathered some advice about the years beyond high school. “Be spontaneous and have fun. But also know when to crack down and focus on your work because knowing when to play and work is extremely important,” Neshaminy alumni and Embry Riddle student Terry Warner said.
It’s a great time in seniors’ lives. I feel unready to begin a life, yet so excited. I finally made it. “Farewell, Neshaminy,” I say as I close my empty locker.