Opinion

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SZA: Worthy of a Grammy Nomination, But of the CHS Hall of Fame?


By Shayla Keegan
Columbia High School (CHS) has produced some arguably socially relevant figures: Roy Schneider, Lauryn Hill, and perhaps more recently, Solana Imani Rowe (SZA). 

Photo Credit: Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images

Rowe, or more commonly known in the music world as SZA, is a CHS alumna who graduated in 2008. She had been in the music business for a few years, but Rowe rose to a new level of fame upon the release of her album “Ctrl” in 2017. This album went on to receive a Grammy nomination for Best Urban Contemporary Album, and the 28 year old artist herself, received nominations for Best New Artist, Best Rap/Sung Performance, Best R&B Song, and Best R&B Performance. 

CHS alumni such as Lauryn Hill - a Grammy award winning R&B singer and actress - and Roy Schneider - an Academy Award nominee - have been inducted in the CHS Hall of Fame. And now, the debate as to whether Rowe should be inducted as well, is up in the air. 

Vida Poyner, ‘19, addressed this matter. “I think she has [earned a place in the CHS Hall of Fame] because she is a famous singer now. I also think that her being in Special Dance while she was in high school is important to know and add to her accolades,” Poyner said. However, Poyner pointed out that it is hard to tell whether Rowe should be inducted, as the majority of the students, “have never really been given true guidelines as to what the Hall of Fame means to the school and the recipients.” Although students may like Rowe’s music, Poyner brings up the lack of knowledge the students are have in regards to what requirements need to be met to earn a spot in the CHS Hall of Fame, which hinders one’s clear cut decision.

So, what are the guidelines? According to a page on the Maplewood/South Orange District Website, the nominees must have been role models for other students, distinguished in their line of work, leaders in their professions, and advocates towards the improvement of society. Based on these guidelines, Danielle Samake, ‘19, tackled the complication with this issue. “I think it’s hard to commend a celebrity who writes quote inappropriate end quote music, but [Rowe] is probably the most relevant alum in the lives of CHS students since [Lauryn] Hill,” said Samake, “[Rowe’s] music is speaking to our generation in a powerful way, and she deserves recognition for that.”

Chigozie Uzondu, ‘19, also agreed that Rowe should be inducted into the Hall of Fame. However, she did not see any reason as to why Rowe should not be. “If the administration were to listen to [Rowe’s] songs and look behind the curse words, they would actually see that her music is art. It’s inspiring. There’s a lot of feminism in it, which is important."

With all of the students who have provided reasons as to why Rowe is worthy of the Hall of Fame spot, there are opposed. One of these students is Arielle Mompoint, ‘19, who acknowledged Rowe’s accomplishments such as “[getting] Grammy nominations, [playing] at music festivals, [and collaborating] with tons of great artists at such a young age,” but still believed Rowe has more to prove. “[Rowe] is also still pretty new and still should be given enough time to earn and prove her spot in the music industry. And there are other candidates that fit all of the characteristics like Ibtihaj Muhammad who has won gold medals, made breakthroughs for Muslim women especially in sports, got her own Barbie doll, and speaks out against the discrimination that Muslim women face. I do think she is also just as deserving, if not more so, than [Rowe],” said Mompoint.

To the students of CHS, the eligibility of Rowe’s place in the CHS Hall of Fame is complex, as the validity of the legacy Rowe has left is still inconclusive.

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The Legacy of PARCC Testing

By Louise Kern-Kensler

(Photo Credit: Springfield Township School District)

PARCC testing within Columbia High School (CHS), according to students, is a massive waste of time and resources. The multiple day-long test takes place throughout May and has a history of dragging on just “a little” longer than maybe it should. Is this all worth it though? Students learn test taking skills and some enjoy the time off from school as their younger counterparts participate in the test.

Among the students who believe PARCC testing has affected the quality of their education is Ben Morris, ‘20. “ They wasted so much time trying to administer a failed test, they ran out of time to actually teach.” Students like him are feeling pressure to do well on their final exams, as teachers are feeling pressure to finish the curriculum before mid-June. “I know my teachers are stressed, and the pace in the classroom has definitely picked up. It’s just so unorganized at this point,” explains Grace Healey, ‘19. PARCC turned six days into half-days in the beginning of May, as well as two days into half-days in the end of May. Class periods were either dropped or shortened in response to the shorter day. “I’m a junior so I don’t even have to take it. I just don’t understand why I can’t even step foot in the building. It really messes up my schedule,” says Phoebe Dybner, ‘19. This timing was especially inconvenient, considering that many students had AP test reviews  scheduled during PARCC hours. “The biggest inconvenience for me was that PARCC fell during my review for AP Calculus and AP US History. It was hard to miss such a huge amount of class time,” says CJ Trzaska, ‘19.

Though many students are feeling stressed about finishing strong under these conditions, others view it as a healthy break. “I took mostly APs, so my schedule lightened up anyways. I enjoy the time to sleep in in the morning and think it’s nice to slow down towards the end of the year. However, I can definitely understand why other students would feel completely panicked,” says Amelia Cintron-Burch, ‘19. Similarly, Trzaska  is enjoying the break he is getting at the end of the year. “I’m really not complaining. Sure, I might not get as much class time, but my APs are over and I don’t have that many finals to study for. It isn’t as bad now as it was before APs.” Seniors and juniors are not required to take the exam, while for all underclassmen, it is mandatory. Seemingly nobody really understands the reason for this. “I just don’t understand why im being forced to come in and take this test while all my older friends get to stay home and sleep. I don’t even know where the scores go or why they matter,” says Aaron Yanda, ‘20. Students would definitely feel better if they understood the point of the test, however, many of them feel as if the district has not been clear about the intentions. “I would feel better about giving up so much time if I thought the test was important, but at this point I don’t even understand why it is being administered. I just keep hearing that we are sort of the ‘test subjects’, which doesn’t seem like a good reason to miss school,” says Dybner, “I really hope I won’t have to deal with this next year and the district is able to figure out a way for us to attend school while the underclassmen take the PARCC.”

All in all. Students of CHS don’t quite understand the reason for having to miss so much school for a seemingly meaningless test, especially at such a critical part of the year. The legacy of the PARCC seems to be that of failure and inconvenience. The students are hopeful that the administration will find a more efficient and less intrusive way to administer such a large test.

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By Alexandra Krim

Prom Traditions 

Photo Credit: Westmount Country Club

As prom approaches at Columbia High School (CHS), students have been taking steps to prepare for the big night. Throughout the prom season, many students get ready in similar ways - finding who they should go with, an outfit, and making plans to meet up before prom. This year the CHS prom will take place on June 18 at the Westmount Country Club in Woodland Park, New Jersey.


Leading up to prom, there are many similar ways ways that students get ready. One step that is crucial to students is picking out what to wear. There are so many different options, and students are careful to make sure that everyone has a different dress to wear. Similarly to students at other high schools, CHS students will make a group chat where they will send pictures of the dresses they are wearing to prom, to ensure no two people wear the same one. Additionally, if students go to prom with a date, they will often match. Pairs may coordinate by wearing similar colors. Senior Class President Toibat Ayankunbi, ‘18, believes that students take dressing for prom seriously, as it allows students “an opportunity to get insanely dressed up and enjoy the last few moments of high school,” she said.


Students may also arrange to go to prom with friends or dates. “I don’t think there’s really any pressure to take a date,” said Grace Randolph, ‘19. As a junior who will be attending prom this year, Randolph thinks that people will not mind whether a person has a date or not, and that “it’s perfectly cool to go with your friends,” she said. Many students chose to enjoy the night with their close friends instead. But at the same time some students may choose to take a date to prom. While some make casual arrangements to go to prom together, others ask through “promposals”. These often consist of one person surprising the other person and asking them to go to prom in an elaborate way, such as through carry a sign or giving it a theme that is special to the pair. These promposals can often be seen throughout CHS during the prom season, and can attract attention from surrounding students. “Promposals are super cute,” said Galileo Hetherington, ‘18. While not everyone chooses to do this, Hetherington believes “a solid number of people do prompose.” Bella Yagid, ‘19 also enjoys promposals. “I think they’re a creative way to show how much you care about someone, but you do not have to do one to make someone feel special,” she said. As a junior, seeing promposals around CHS and social media has caused her and other students to become excited about prom, for when they will attend next year.


The day of prom, many students will gather together before hand with their friends and dates to take group pictures. Family will also take this time to take pictures of their students, as they have taken time to dress up and look special as they enjoy one of their final nights together with their friends before school ends. Students also meet up beforehand so they can leave for prom together, and arrive at the venue with their friends and dates.


Overall, many students at CHS find prom a nice opportunity to have fun with their friends at the end of their high school careers. “The most important aspect of prom is the senior class,” said Ayankunbi. “The experience and night truly depends on how the students interact with each other,” she said. Ayankunbi has been working hard to organize prom and hopes to make it a memorable experience for her fellow students. She added, “I have a few surprises and keepsakes that I hope make people remember the night.”