The Rambler
Volume 21/22, Issue 2, Winter 2022
The Interview Issue! Hot Seat Interview With Mr. Camba by Beatrix Mackil and Anna Bogenschutz
to get my Masters, and now I’m here! continued on p.7
Highlights
Photo by Anna Bogenschutz
Read on to find out who the real Mr. Camba is, in this special edition of the Hot Seat Interview with Beatrix and Anna. Rambler: Where (if anywhere) did you teach before Harvey? Mr. Camba:I have taught at a number of places. I’ve been teaching for twenty years. I started teaching at a catholic high school in Torrent, California called Bishop Montgomery. I taught there for 12 years, then I moved to NY and I taught at an all boys high school in the Bronx called All Hallows, then I went to a Christian school on the upper west side and I taught there for one year. Then, I taught at Basis Independent Manhattan, which is also located in the upper west side. I went back
● Learn about Mr. Camba in the latest Hot Seat Interview ● Check out feature articles: ○ Roblox & Robotics, p. 2 ○ Winter Musical, p. 3 ○ After School, p. 5 ○ Book Review, p. 6 ○ Editor’s Page, p. 8 ● Plus Guess the Teacher, Comics and more!
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The Rambler
Volume 21/22, Issue 2, Winter 2022
Robotics by Isabel Doran
Roblox by Ruth Doran
Photo by Stephen Millette
Robotics is coached by science teacher, Mr. Schursky and it can be taken as an elective class and is also held during after school hours. Any student in grades 6-8 who is interested in robotics can be a part of this class. Read on to hear what some members of the robotics team had to say about this class. Rambler: Why did you choose Robotics? Neel Mistri: I chose robotics because I like building robots. R: What do you do in Robotics? Lee Birch: We build robots to compete in tournaments. R: How long have you been doing robotics? NM: I have been involved with robotics for one and a half years. R: Does it take practice to make robots? NM: It does take practice; practice allows you to build a better robot. R: Do you need to start from scratch? NM: Yes, most of the time the robots are designed and built from scratch. R: Why do you enjoy robotics? Stephen Millette: I like to keep designing and make something that works well and that is successful. R: How long were you interested in doing robotics? LB: I have been interested in doing robotics for continued on next page about 5 years.
Google Images
Roblox is one of the biggest apps in the world, and you’ve probably been hearing its name because the company recently went public, and its stock price climbed so high it was temporarily worth more than gaming giants EA and Take-Two combined. But it’s also a popular app with 42.1 million people who play Roblox daily and its popularity has been surging during the pandemic. Daily active users were up 85 percent in 2020, compared to the year before. Until recently, though, I didn’t really understand what Roblox actually was, despite the app having been around since 2006. (Just to give you an idea of how long that is in tech years, the App Store for iOS launched in 2008.) So, I spent some time in the world of Roblox to help explain what all the fuss is about. In Roblox, in the span of 15 minutes, you can easily check out a handful of games in just about any genre you can think of. In a popular third-person horror game called Piggy, I had to flee from a terrifying pig wielding a baseball bat. One of the top Roblox genres is “obbys,” short for “obstacle courses,” where you have to navigate precarious platforms and avoid, well, obstacles. (wonderopolis.org) 2
The Rambler
Volume 21/22, Issue 2, Winter 2022
Winter Musical
Robotics by Isabel Doran
by Lilah Groff
continued from page 2
R: Does it matter the size/appearance of a robot? LB: Yes the appearance and size matter of the robot matters because depending on how a robot is designed it can do different things. R: How long does it take to make a robot for competitions? LB: It takes from a week to two weeks if you try, and you don’t have a lot of time, it is possible to do it in a day if you really try.
The middle school’s winter musical was Cinderella this year. Students had the opportunity to present a spectacular performance to the community that included beautiful costumes, stage design, and outstanding performances by a talented cast directed by Mr. Wright. Costumes were designed by Ms. Merola who also assisted with set design. Keep reading to find out more about this play from Mr. Wright!
GUESS THE
Rambler: What made you choose Cinderella as the musical? Mr. Wright: We really thought that this would be a really good first musical for the musical because it is a very familiar story with fun characters, and catchy music. R: How long have you been doing musicals? MW: I've been doing musicals for over 15 years. R: Is it challenging directing a musical? MW: There are some challenges, yes, but mostly it’s really fun. R: What date is the musical and who’s in the cast list? MW: The show will be performed on Feb 9th. continued on next page
TEACHER by Lilah Groff
How to play: You will be given several clues about the teacher. Try to guess who the teacher is with the following clues given. You may need to investigate to guess correctly! Clues: ● This teacher used to play several sports ● This teacher coaches several teams ● This teacher loves Notre Dame Answer on page 8
Photo by John Brooks
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The Rambler
Volume 21/22, Issue 2, Winter 2022
Winter Musical by Lilah Groff
Artist Spotlight: Leo Simmons by Rambler Team
continued from p. 3
R: Who provides the costumes and designs the set? MW: The set is designed in collaboration with Ms. Merola and Mr. Alexander. Ms. Merola also does the costumes. R: What other plays/musicals were you considering instead of Cinderella? MW: We were going to do the showcase but we considered doing a musical instead, and we thought Cinderella would fit the people that we had. R: If you could be in the musical, what role do you think would be good for yourself and why? MW: Probably the Harold because I don’t think I would be a very good prince, or king. R: How long have you been doing music? MW: I started doing music (piano) when I was 7, which was in 1997. R: Did you have a musical last year? MW: We did not have a musical for middle school. But we had one for high school.
Photo by Leo Simmons
Rambler: How did you get interested in photography? Leo Simmons: Once my mom took me to an art gallery and there was photography there, and I guess something just clicked, so I decided to try it. R: What is your favorite subject to shoot/take pictures of? LS: I like nature photography the most, but animals is a close second R: From your point of view, what makes a good picture? LS: I like when the subject in the center of the frame and the point of view is clear. I also like colorful ones. R: What is your favorite photograph that you have taken? LS: Probably one of a praying mantis. R: Are you interested in working with photography professionally in the future? LS: It depends what the world will be like then. Maybe people won't be interested in nature anymore. Who knows? R: What type of camera do you use? LS: I use an iPhone 7 plus and my mom’s iPhone 12.
Photo by Leo Simmons
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The Rambler
Volume 21/22, Issue 2, Winter 2022
Boys Basketball
Podcasting
by Ruth Doran The middle school has two boys basketball teams this year. The Navy team is made up of both 6th and 7th grade boys and is coached by Mr. Fink and Mr. Bellucci. The team practices during slot 2 “working on plays and scrimmaging” and Coach Fink says they “have a good, competitive team”. The Maroon team is an 8th grade team and is coached by Dr. Byrne, who notes, “Following a year off, we are just grateful to compete again.” Both teams had very successful seasons, competing among other independent schools in Westchester and Fairfield counties.
by Lilah Groff Podcasting is an elective offered after school and it is taught by Mr. Morgan and Mr. Camba. This class allows students to write, record, and edit podcasts which will be shared with the Harvey community on YouTube. Read on for more information! Rambler: What equipment is used during podcasting? Mr. Camba: To record we need microphones, good lighting, a camera (cellphone), and software for broadcasting. R: How do you come up with ideas to talk about? MC: As a group we brainstorm ideas, and then discuss and debate the topic. The main purpose is to cover middle school and upper school sports. We interview players and comment on games. R: What made you decide to do podcasting after school? Mr. Morgan: Last year, students would always ask me to go to games, so I figured why not make an afterschool class that would allow students to do what the games don't have…interviewing, announcing, highlight reels, as well as pre and post game recaps. R: How long does the process take? MM: If we’re doing an interview, they are about a minute. It could take 5 to 10 minutes to add b-rolls to the interviews.
Hockey by Isabel Doran and Lilah Groff Coach Plaskett has been coaching hockey for over 25 years. He says that he “loves being around the players and seeing them improve” and that he enjoys coaching the varsity team this year with Mr. Morse. Plaskett predicts that “the season is going to end positively and that it will win the championships”. Mr. Delaney is the middle school hockey coach this season. Of this season, player Daniel Kiame says, “I improved a lot this season due to Coach Delaney’s input and advice during scrimmages.”
Girls Basketball by Sarah Fisher This winter, girls basketball is one of the sport options for the season. In this program students practice many different skills. Some of the drills they practice are layups, shooting, passing, and dribbling. At the beginning of each practice students do a layup and jump shot line where they practice their shooting skills. They also practice passing by getting in playing positions and working the ball to every player on the court. Students work on dribbling skills by dribbling with two basketballs in each hand and walking down the court. This enables players to have control over the ball. At the end of practice students play a scrimmage where they have the opportunity to access and practice all the skills they learned. The team is coached this year by Mrs. Hajem and Mrs. Matero.
Photo courtesy of Mr. Morgan
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The Rambler
Volume 21/22, Issue 2, Winter 2022 of the woman who ran through the flames to escape, see her arm bubbling, see the elevator disappear, crash to the basement, the remaining passengers' screams echoing up the elevator shaft. one person was sitting on the floor, head in his hands, sobbing. Two people were grasping the railing as if their lives depended on it. The last person was getting ready to run through the flames to escape. Outside the elevator, Brandon stood with two other men, urging the people who were trapped to get out. I can feel the emotions of the trapped passengers. They are terrified! They have no idea what will happen to them! That’s what makes this book so amazing. I can feel the emotions of all the characters, not just the main characters. Being able to feel the emotions of all the characters adds to the plot development. Alan Gratz’s use of colorful words also adds excitement and suspense to the plot. At the end of each chapter, there is a cliffhanger, which leaves the reader to wonder what will happen next. For example, when Brandon is on the way out of the building, the floor starts to shake. Brandon thought it felt like a subway car beneath them. But it wasn’t a subway car. “The shaking kept getting stronger, and Brandon just had time to look at Richard [his companion] in horror, before something exploded. It was as if the whole mall had collapsed in on them at once, and with a roar like a garbage truck, a blast of dust and smoke lifted Brandon off his feet and
Ground Zero: A Book Review by Sophie Frankel The book Ground Zero contains the incredible story of Brandon Chavez, a boy who was in the North Tower of the World Trade Center on 9/11. This book deserves a Newbery award. What is the Newbery award, you ask? The Newbery award is given annually to an American author that displays the most distinguished writing with six criteria, including setting, characters, plot, style, organization and theme. The three criteria I will talk about are character development, setting, and style. One of the Newbery criteria is character. Being able to feel the character’s emotions is an important part of a book being notable. The main character in Ground Zero is Brandon Chavez, a nine year old boy in Lower Manhattan. He is a relatable and sympathetic character. The author vividly portrays his emotions through his words and his actions. For example, when his friend’s gloves are stolen by the school bully, he punches the bully in the nose. This shows how much he cares about his friends. A second example is when Brandon is finally outside after the attack, he is met with a horrific sight. “In the plaza, there were dead bodies everywhere. In the lobby, the first responders have lined up all of the injured and burned victims. Some had missing limbs, others had open wounds. Paramedics moved among them, doing what they could.” Brandon couldn’t believe it was real. He felt like he was in a nightmare. I could imagine myself in Brandon’s shoes in both of these situations. I could feel his emotions clearly. That’s why I love this book so much. Alan Gratz used extremely descriptive language to help the reader understand exactly what the main character is feeling. This is part of the author’s style. Alan Gratz has a very special style of writing. He uses vivid language and careful word choice. He has the special ability to draw the reader in and make them feel like they are in the same situation as the main character at any given moment. When Brandon saw the people trapped in the elevator, I could see them too. I can still hear the echoes of the screams of pain
Google Images
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Volume 21/22, Issue 2, Winter 2022 examples of colorful language, careful word choice and suspense. These things make the reader want to continue reading. I have never read a book that drew me in like this did. Mr. Gratz’s use of vivid language, strong character development and exciting plot narrative make this book seem real. I can feel myself at Ground Zero on September 11th. I look forward to reading more of Alan Gratz’s books. Ground Zero was an exhilarating read, and I highly recommend it. It deserves a Newbery award for sure!
Ground Zero: A Book Review by Sophie Frankel continued from p. 6 hurled him into darkness.” Another example is when Brandon calls his dad, and the second plane hits. He realizes that the tower is under attack. His father tells him to hang up and get out of the building. Brandon doesn’t understand. His father tells him that he has to get out of the building fast because they are under attack. In both of these examples, the chapter ends after these events. These are only a few of many
Hot Seat Interview With Mr. Camba by Beatrix Mackil and Anna Bogenschutz continued from page 1 R: How does Harvey compare to other schools you have taught at? MC: I am used to the private school setup, because that is the only type of school I’ve ever taught at, but the idea of a small school is something new to me. I have never taught classes this small. My largest class is 14 people, and that is usually the smallest class I would have taught at other schools. The largest class I’ve ever taught was 35 kids, so having a class of 4 or 7 or 6 is different for me. That’s the biggest thing to adjust to, having such a small class size. But it also gives me a chance to cover more material as I’m not managing so many kids. R: What do you prefer? MC: That’s a tough choice because both have pros and cons. The smaller school is more intimate, and more personal, and you are able to learn a lot more material. But for me personally, there’s something about having a school of 1200 kids. It’s like a little city, you get to see different aspects of culture and people’s lifestyles in a different way. I tend to like having larger classes, my largest class is fourteen, and I’m more comfortable in that class of 14 than in a class of seven. So there are pros and cons, I’ve taught in both and they both have good things about them. R: When did you learn Latin? MC: I started in my Freshman year of high school. I had a choice of Spanish, French, German, or Latin. I said, “Okay, French and Spanish are out, because half of my family is French and the other half is Spanish (with smatterings of other things). I didn’t know when I’d ever use German, so I decided to take Latin. R: Have you taught subjects besides Latin? MC: In the 20 years I’ve been teaching, I have taught just about every subject in the liberal arts field. I have taught English 2, Latin 1,2,3,and 4 (at a high school level), world history, honors world history, US history, economics, world literature, geography, and science and logic. A little bit of everything, I’m a renaissance man. If it’s in the liberal arts field, I've taught it. R: Do you have a class you enjoy teaching most? MC: I love, love, LOVE, history. I often say I’m a really good Latin teacher, but I’m an even better history teacher. I love teaching world history but I taught World Literature also and I loved that too. I formed that class on my own, and we did everything from Robin Hood to the Legends of Zorro to comparing the Joseph story in the bible vs. the Quran. We looked at a little bit of everything; it was a true world literature course. But usually, history is my favorite. R: Do you enjoy being a teacher? MC: I love being a teacher. Outside of my family and my dog, it is the passion of my life. It's the one thing that I plan on doing until I'm in my golden years. Then I will retire to a small Greek island and raise sheep.
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The Rambler
Volume 21/22, Issue 2, Winter 2022
Comics Section by Gillian Klares
Rambler Staff and Editor’s Note
Pictured back row standing: Gillian Klares, Beatrix Mackil, Anna Bogenschutz, Lucy LaGattuta, Lilah Groff Pictured front row kneeling: Isabel Doran, Ruth Doran, and Leo Simmons Special thanks to all the teachers, staff, and students for your willingness to be interviewed and photographed for this issue! Thank you for sharing writing, photos, and taking the time to assist with editing! Photo by Mrs. A
Editor’s Note: The winter term, with all of its challenges (remote learning and snow closings) were no match for the Rambler team who put this latest issue together. Students organized questions for interviews, coordinated meetings with teachers, decorated bulletin boards, created art and shared ideas. Welcome to the winter edition of the paper! Answer to “Guess the Teacher” from page 3: Dr. Metz
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