The Yorkers Gain Media Attention

The Stuyvesant cricket team, The Yorkers, has been the focus of considerable media attention since its induction as an official Public Schools Athletic League (PSAL) sport in June 2007. The PSAL is the first high school athletic organization in North America to start a cricket league.

“Since the season started in April, many reporters came by to our games,” senior and co-captain Usman Khan said.

Principal Stanley Teitel said, “Stuyvesant was one of the first teams to join. We’re such a high profile school and I’m guessing the reporters wanted to find out more about cricket here in America.”

According to Khan, Bronx Channel 12 filmed their game on Wednesday, May 7 and the National Public Radio made a documentary about The Yorkers on Wednesday, May 7 which can be found on the Web site http://www.npr.org/blogs/bryantpark/2008/05/cricket_cracks_new_york_public_1.html.

There are 14 other PSAL cricket teams in New York City.

“Because this is the first year cricket is being played, I’m sure other teams are being approached too by reporters,” Khan said. “Some schools have been playing longer than we have and have a lot more experience.”

Khan thinks the media attention had a positive impact on the student body.

“I hope the publicity we’re getting will help spark a new interest in playing cricket. I’m hoping that new people will try out,” he said.

Candy-Selling Policy To Be Revised

The Student Union (SU) Club Publication Committee will create a new policy that will restrict the number of candy sellers.

Since the current policy went into effect on Monday, December 3, the SU has distributed 75 candy selling permits. Only students with a permit attached to their boxes were allowed to sell candy.

The new policy will be similar to the current one, but there will be no cap to the total number of sellers.

“We’ve always been opposed to the cap,” senior and SU co-Club/Pub Director Eliot Kim said.

It has also been proposed that identification will be required for candy-sellers, so that those who are selling for personal profit will lose their candy.

According to Principal Stanley Teitel, the current policy was created to prevent students from selling candy for personal profit, to prevent distractions in class caused by candy selling and to decrease the number of rodents.

“It was a loose policy from the start,” senior and SU President Jamila Ma said. “It never really got off the ground.”