By Kiara Alvarez & Esther Kardos

Upon entering the premises of the NAC at exactly 4:15 PM, fifteen minutes before the doors even opened for the 7:30 rally, it became strikingly clear to me that hours of waiting would be inevitable. The line of lively, anxious people sloped in at least a dozen sinewy curves. Anticipation grew thick in the air as each second ticked closer and closer until Republican presidential candidate Mr. Donald Trump was finally to arrive. I interviewed a number of the people who were at the front of the crowd, and they told me that they had arrived between five in the morning and noon in order to secure leading spots. One man, who was about two dozen people behind the entrance, said he had made sure to “drive down right after [he] got out of bed dressed” in order to get the best possible view of who he said would be “the next President of the United States.”
 
As I took my place at the end of the line, the mass of individuals was immense. Most of them adorned patriotic colors like simple red, white, and blues or dark green camouflage, and others chose to showcase Trump’s signature “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN” apparel. In between the loops of lines, vendors sold both food and merchandise while children ran amok. The festivity of the atmosphere was similar to that at a state fair. Had I not been standing in the middle of it all, I would never have been able to believe that a rally could be dramatized so emphatically.
 
About an hour into waiting in line, the protesters who had previously stood separated behind a gate were starting to attract attention of their own. Trump supporters began engaging with the protesters, including North student Rebecca Sawaya.  Nevertheless, the protesters were determined to remain firmly planted throughout the duration of the rally in their mission to express outrage over some of Mr. Trump’s prior statements about women, immigrants, people of color, and other topics.
 
Three hours later, by the time that the hundreds of attendees had shuffled into the facility and the sun had set, the suspense was finally over and Mr. Trump’s arrival was announced with booming applause. He began his speech at around 7:08, not wanting to keep those who had been waiting for hours on end waiting, and spoke for no more than half an hour. He reiterated his campaign’s key points, like the wall between Mexico and the US, stronger industrial and structural basis here in Pennsylvania, and tax cuts that he promises to implement if elected. Each defining sentence of his speech was met with thunderous applause, and when Mr. Trump expressed the importance of going out and voting on his behalf, the affirmative response from the crowd gave the impression that they would all be casting their ballots for him come November 8.
 
On the other side of the political spectrum, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton held her own successful rally in Philadelphia the day after, thus establishing the fact that competition for winning our state’s vote will definitely be intense.

By Jake Cohen & Shira Palmer

On September 21st 2016, our annual Blue and White Night occurred at Council Rock North, but with a twist. Ever since Blue and White Night was created, it was held in the gym, but this year the event moved to the turf. Although the move was questioned at first by some, the night proved to be a success for all. It was a tumultuous night, but in the end, the seniors (predictably) beat the juniors, and the sophomores (also predictably) beat the freshmen.
 
Some of the games featured included the traditional “Tire Pull,” “Capture the Flag,” and, of course, “Tug-of-War,” but this year new ones were added that increased the enthusiasm throughout the night. Some of these included the “Pillow Joust,” “Pictionary,” which included the newly retired Mr. Gamble, and most importantly, the new “Rock Relay.”
 
This event was a rigorous race in which all the grade-level competitors ran through several obstacles – including the occasional and fun-to-watch balloon pop - that started on the perimeter of the track and ended in the center of the football field.
 
In the middle of the events, Council Rock North brought out a massive $5,500 check to donate to district-wide charity, the Travis Manion Foundation. The night’s events were all created, organized, and enforced by the Student Executive Board (SEB), and many teachers here at North volunteered their time to help run the events.
 
Overall, it is definitely fitting to say that all the students enjoyed Blue and White Night; although it was held in a new setting, students had the times of their lives both competing in events and spectating from the stands. Until next year, North!