The Pharcyde -- December 2013

the

PHARCYDE pharblog.org

THE BENJAMIN UPPER SCHOOL NEWSPAPER

4875 Grandiflora Road, Palm Beach Gardens, FL, 33418

What’s Inside

news National Art Honor Society participates in the Festival of Trees - pg. 2

opinions Teaching for an AP test is not always effective- pg. 7

spotlight Happy New Year!

See what students will miss about 2013 and are looking forward to in the new year- pp. 10-11

school life Students talk about the infamous helicopter parents - pg. 12

the scene Become a trend setter while still wearing a uniform - pg. 16

{p}sports New soccer coach joins sports community- pg. 18 New turf- pg. 19

News: A1-A5 Opinions: A6-A9 Spotlight: A10-A11 School Life: A12-A13 The Scene: A16-A17 Sports: A18-A20 Spyglass: B1- B9 Something to think about:

“

December 13, 2013

Moustache Madness

By Robert Charles Staff Writer

Throughout the month of November, male faculty members and seniors participated in “Movember,” a fundraiser where participants decided not to shave their moustaches to raise money for and to promote awareness of men’s health issues such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and mental health.

Describing the objectives of the project, Social Studies Department Chair, Mr. Jamie McVicar said, “We were raising money for men’s health awareness. If you go on the Movember Foundation website, there is a list of all the causes that they donate to, prostate cancer being the chief cause donated to. All money raised will go through the website and be donated.”

To make this project possible, Mr. McVicar and other faculty members first had to get an exception to Benjamin’s “no shave policy.”

Mr. McVicar said, “Movember started as an idea amongst male faculty members who were a little upset that we missed last year’s Movember.

It started with us saying that we would do it just as teachers. Since there was no rule preventing faculty facial hair, there originally were no administrative issues. Then we thought that it would be a cool idea to include the senior

JULIETTE MERCADANTE/ Photography Editor

The chorus and band, as well as others, participated in the annual Winter Concert.

Annual Winter Concert a success

By Fiona Schor Staff Writer

The annual Winter Music Concert on Thursday December 5th featured almost 100 students, including the choruses and bands for Upper and Middle school, the strings musicians for all three divisions, and The Dazzlers.

The program, held at Palm Beach State’s Eissey Theatre had an audience of more than 400 people, and had two acts that included both Hanukkah and Christmas music.

These 100 students

were led by many people, including Pianist Gay Dedo, Conductor Dr. Alexander J. Nagy, Conductor Bruce A. Huber, Dance Team Director Mrs. Sara Salivar, Conductor Andrew Winters, and Conductor Oxana Polozhenko.

Commenting on the size of the audience, Mrs. Salivar said, “We would have liked a full house. There were a lot of parents, grandparents, teachers, administrators, staff and siblings, but not as many students in attendance as we would have liked…. I hope, in

the future, more students will come out to see the amazing work our music, dance, drama and visual art students prepare for these events.”

“My favorite number was ‘Celebration of Light’ because it was a Hanukkah song, which was different from the rest of ours, and Riley Burke played the violin while we sang, which sounded very pretty,” Chorus member junior Rachel Hagy said.

One of the many pieces in the show featured both the Upper School Chamber See Winter Concert page A4

See Moustache Madness page A4

Technology takeover: iPad program has arrived

By Fiona Schor Staff Writer

Two upper school teachers have high hopes for the new faculty iPad program and are eager to demonstrate its capabilities as an educational tool.

Last spring, English teacher Mr. Simon Behan, and his-

tory teacher Mr. Wesley Logsdon made a presentation to a group of administrators to convince them to buy iPads for the faculty.

“We used Apple TV to show other teachers and administrators the power of the iPad,” Mr. Logsdon said.

“Mr. Behan demonstrated the

Worrying does not empty tomorrow of its troubles, it empties today of its strength.

”

Issue 3

Volume 34

-Joyce Meyer

JULIETTE MERCADANTE/ Photography Editor Teachers and students reep the benefits of the new iPad program.

use of mirroring the iPad in a classroom while I showed off a few sleek apps, including iBooks author.” Mirroring involves being able to wirelessly project the iPad image onto the Smart Board.

“Apple is by nature an innovative company, and they have committed to a whole range of products geared towards educators and students. iPads in the classroom could potentially be a bridge between what the students experience in the world at large and the classroom space,” Mr. Behan said.

“In addition, iPads offer teachers mobility within the classroom, a wide variety of subject-specific apps, and the chance for teachers to learn with their students.”

These teachers have even bigger plans in store, “Mr. Behan and I are in the midst of becoming Google Certified Individuals. We are almost through the process; then we will move on to the application to get selected to a presti-

gious Google Certified Trainer’s program,” Mr. Logsdon said.

Mr. Logsdon shared how certification would impact the school. “If we are fortunate enough to become ‘Certified Trainers’ we will then be able to bring Google knowledge back to Benjamin, hopefully allowing us to enrich the level of Google understanding for not only other teachers but our students as well.”

Mr. Behan added, “We want to make the most out of these powerful tools we have at our fingertips while helping students to nurture 21st century skills.“ Mr. Logsdon was equally enthusiastic when he said,“Mr. Behan and I went to Boston for the iPad conference to gain a greater knowledge of the functionality of the iPad in the classroom.

This afforded us the opportunity to expand what we already knew, and to be honest I love learning about new See iPad Program page A3

News

The Pharcyde Check out the latest news @ pharblog.org

National Art Honors Society participates in holiday spirit

By Casey Pearce Editor-in-Chief

As students join into the festive spirit of the winter season, one organization chose to dedicate their time to sponsoring a tree for the Festival of Trees at the Ann Norton Sculpture Garden.

The National Art Honor Society (NAHS), overseen by art teachers Mrs. Melissa Ford and Mrs. Petra Osborne, displayed their tree on December 6, the opening gala, and visitors could also see the tree at specified times this past week. The Festival of Trees includes works by up to 30 guest artists designing different style trees which filled the garden and spread holiday cheer.

Member of NAHS junior Julia Batts said, “We’ve thought about other projects in the past, but this is the first one we’ve executed.”

This is the seventh annual Festival of Trees and the

theme is Wonder of Words, making poetry the key component of all the trees.

The poem that NAHS chose was “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.”

“We had to select a poem, so the group worked collectively to select some poems. Our first couple of choices were already chosen,” Mrs. Ford said. “So we selected ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings’ and we decided rather than to just put ornaments onto the tree, we would actually create more of an art piece.”

The NAHS built a fourby-nine foot metal birdcage with a tree placed inside and origami birds, made from music sheets, bursting from the top. The birds are intended to symbolize the desperate struggle for freedom presented in the selected poem.

“I think our club is definitely enjoying the job.

The club as a whole spent a lot

of time working on the paper cranes that we are folding for the tree. We need about 300 and everyone got really into it,” President of NAHS senior Olivia Kaplan said.

Mrs. Ford said that Mr. Goldberg asked NAHS to represent the school in this festive event. According to her, it created an opportunity for multiple departments to join together and participate.

The Dazzlers performed at the opening gala, and Benjamin showed off some of it visual artwork as well.

“Mrs. Ford and Mrs. Osborne have put so much time and passion into this project so they are truly to be praised,” Kaplan said. “I think it is a great way to represent our school in the artistic community, and the poem we chose ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings’ also sends a beautiful message that we have infused into the spirit of the holidays.” v

Photo courtesy of Deanna Foriere

NAHS dedicated many hours to the Festival of Trees.

Fourteen Pathfinder nominees announced for 2014

By Andy Weir

Managing Editor Head of Upper School Mr. Latta Baucom recently announced the fourteen student nominees for the 2014 Palm Beach Post Pathfinder Awards.

The nominees were as follows: Caroline Araskog for Academic Excellence, Olivia Kaplan for Art, Casey Pearce for Communications, Eric Rosen for Computer Science, Ethan Kaslow for Drama, Morgan Kaplan for Foreign Language, Tres Pimentel for Forensics & Speech, George Donaldson for History & Political Science, Hannah Labovick for Literature, Jerry O’Connor for Mathematics, Stephen McCloskey for Instrumental Mu-

sic, Jacqueline Philips for Vocal Music, Crystal Falcon for Science, and Arden Pettit for Sports.

Sponsored by The Palm Beach Post, Pathfinders are given to seniors who excel in the particular subject areas listed above and a few other categories. Schools do not always nominate students for every subject, and this year Benjamin identified 14 people for the 18 possible categories.

“It is an honor to be nominated because the school is choosing me to represent the school in this category,” Mathematics nominee Jerry O’Connor said. “Also, as an underclassman, I remember all of those who were nominated for these awards, and it is an honor to be compared to

some of these other excellent students.”

Once the students are nominated, they fill out a 20page application that goes to the judges in early January.

The judges read over the application to learn about the nominee’s achievements and potential. In early March, a panel of three judges individually interviews every nominee. This year the interviews will be held at Florida Atlantic University. The judges then choose who wins for each category.

The majority of the students who are nominated for each of these categories often follow a career of some sort within this category. Art nominee Olivia Kaplan said, “The arts I believe will reflect my

JULIETTE MERCADANTE/ Photography Editor

The Pathfinder nominees are working hard to represent their specified category.

future career. I want to go into commercial interior design, and you have to know how to draw and think creatively, how to interpret color and energy, and all of that goes back to art.”

Cox Media Group, publisher of The Palm Beach Post and Palm Beach Daily News, awards the top four students in each category. The person who wins first-place receives a college scholarship of $4,000, secondplace $3,000, third-place $2,500, and fourth-place $2,000.

Many of the nominees were surprised and thankful for the nominations. “To be honest, I was a bit surprised. There are many other very good math students in our grade, so I definitely thought there was heavy competition,”O’Connor said.

Reflecting a similar sentiment, senior Arden Pettit said, “ It’s an honor to be recognized in this way. The faculty at Benjamin have helped me in every way, and I am very thankful for that. I am looking forward to representing the school and faculty this year for The Palm Beach Post Pathfinder.

Commenting on her nomination, vocal nominee Jac Philips said, “It means a lot to me because I’ve been working really hard on voice. It’s something I love a lot and I take it really seriously.”

The 2014 Palm Beach Post Pathfinder Awards will be awarded at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts on May 7, 2014.

O’Connor said, “I do think the group of the students represent the school well because overall the nominees are a very talented group of students.” v

Pa t h f i n d e r nominations Academic Excellence Caroline Araskog

Art

Olivia Kaplan

Communications Casey Pearce

Computer Science Eric Rosen

Drama

Ethan Kaslow

Foreign Language Morgan Kaplan

Forensic/ Speech Tres Pimentel

History/ Political Science George Donaldson

Literature Hannah LaBovick

Mathematics Jerry O’Connor

Music/ Instrumental Stephen McCloskey

Music/ Vocal Jacqueline Philips

Science Crystal Falcon

Sports Arden Pettit

The Pharcyde

News

December 13, 2013

Page A3

Lower and Middle School gets new look

By Max Chesnes Staff Writer

New iPad From iPad Program page 1

technology.”

During the convention, Mr. Behan came to a realization, he said, “There are all sorts of toys out there for us to play with now that we have these iPads that could be really productive in a classroom, so we could use technology to learn, as opposed to simply learning to use the technology that we have.”

Explaining a new app he discovered at the convention, Mr. Behan said, ”Subtext, which is basically an app where you could pull articles in from anywhere, put them in a document for students to read, and you can add hyperlinks to videos, add quiz questions, and all sorts of things to make the reading interactive.

Students also use the app and login so you end up getting this kind of group reading activity.”

Explaining the passion he and Mr. Logsdon feel towards this program, Mr. Behan said, “We are unabashed nerds. We both love to learn. When we read through the list of lectures at the conference, we were literally giddy,” he said. “But really, we just want to learn what technology can offer students, then bring it back and share it with others.” v

The Benjamin Lower School Campus underwent extensive changes this summer including added security, new technology, and a revised dismissal system, One of the most prominent additions to the Lower School is the recent installment of new security fences and gates which border the entire campus. The only time that unrestricted access is possible is during drop-off in the morning when parents can bring their children to their respective class. Once the school day begins, the gates are then locked to the general public, so as to prevent any unwanted visitors.

If visitors or parents want access to the campus throughout the day, they must push a button in order to alert school officials in either the Middle School or Lower School Offices, as they do in the Upper School.

If faculty want to access the campus at any time, they can enter with a passcode on the gate lock.

When the school day ends, the gates are opened once again for parents. Finally, in the evening, all gates are locked to ensure that nobody can enter the school. Overall the security on the North Palm Beach campus is much tighter than at the Upper School.

Junior Will Bafitis was on the lower school campus recently and had some concern about the new gates. “I understand the purpose behind the gates, and I agree with the safety that they provide, but I just think they make the school look too industrial.”

“Personally, if I was still a

JULIETTE MERCADANTE/ Photography Editor The Lower and Middle School campus is now surrounded with fencing to prevent unwanted visitors.

young student at the Lower School, I probably wouldn’t be able to comprehend the purpose of the gates. Regardless, they somewhat take away from the overall beauty of the school,” Bafitis said.

The Lower School added new technology this year as well. Each kindergarten and first grade class received four Lenovo laptops for the students to work on online academic programs. With interactive websites that correspond with the books that the students are reading, the Lenovo laptops have provided a fun variation to the kindergarten education. Additionally, the ancient teacher desktops that have been in use

for over 5 years have been replaced.

The fourth and fifth grade classes, who were originally restricted to the use of NetBooks, now have the option to use personal iPads for technological learning. With apps such as AirPlay, SPARKvue, and Evernote, the students can use less paper and ultimately turn to the iPad for new learning techniques.

Another notable change at the Lower School is the newly modified dismissal system. In previous years, lower school students were dismissed near the picnic tables at the entrance to the school. This year, however, students must be dismissed out of the Barker Per-

forming Arts Center. Students sit according to grade level and are released appropriately, when the faculty on duty call out theirs over the walkie-talkie. According to faculty, this new system is more organized, and it is easier to control the students.

Commenting on the new changes, director of the Lower School, Mrs. Quaid, said, “Overall, these changes have not affected the children in any way.

Although the gates have restricted the parent’s access, they are appreciative of the fact that their children are safe”.

“I believe all of these changes were a wise investment, and it is great to see the peace of mind that they provide.” v

Kristen Learner said.

The Saturday of SunFest is usually the most popular night amongst students because the performances from some of the well-known music artists always perform on Saturday night. Commenting on that conflict, senior Deanna Foriere said, “Saturday night is my favorite night, everyone goes and the lineup is the best for

that week… I know it’s my senior prom but no one is going to go so why spend a bunch of money on a dress, hair, makeup and all that when it won’t be as much fun without everyone there.”

Other students are planning to attend both SunFest and prom, “I’m absolutely going to SunFest, but I will probably have to miss artists I want to see because I want to go to prom because I didn’t go my junior year,” senior Rebecca Grimpe said.

Although teams are not guaranteed to attend states, the possibility for lacrosse, baseball, and track are high, based on past seasons. When asked about this possibility Ms. Learner said, “We’ve had prom the night of a team state tournament and after they won, they ran into prom all celebratory… I hope students still come, I don’t think they would want to miss their prom.”

Prom is a time for juniors and seniors to relax and enjoy their fellow upperclassmen, and for seniors it is one of the last times spent as a class.

Many students are worried about the absence of their classmates, “I feel like prom won’t be as fun without

everyone, the atmosphere created by everyone’s silly dance moves and unity will be loss. There will be fewer people regardless, and it might make it awkward,” Foriere said.

Hopefully, students will be prepared for their AP exams before the Prom, but knowing one day of studying is taken away creates additional pressure. “I will have to study beforehand, but the stress of that is really detrimental. I really wish the prom committee took more consideration of AP exams. No one wants to miss prom, but we’ve studied all year for a single exam and it throws us a curveball and added stress,” Grimpe said.

Even though the Prom Committee tried to make the decision based on perceived student wishes, some are still pushing to move the date.

“They should move the date, make it later or earlier. I feel like a lot of people won’t go, and that’s what makes it fun,” junior Kelly Reed said.

Despite the observed inconveniences, the Prom Committee plans to stick to the date with hopes students will still attend prom and enjoy the committee’s hard work. v

Prom date upsets seniors and juniors for many reasons

By Jerrie James Copy Editor

Many students are worried that all of the planning and fundraising the Prom Committee has done for the 2014 prom on May 3 may not achieve the desired results because for some students the date conflicts with sports, SunFest, and Advanced Placement (AP) exams.

“The date chose us; it’s not like we had six dates to choose from. When I looked at the calendar to schedule prom, we only had two dates available, [May 3 and April 5], we lose two Saturdays because of spring break, and the only other Saturday is Senior Grad Bash. April 5 is too early so the date really chose us,” Prom Committee Advisor Ms.

ANNELISE HILLMANN/ Graphics Editor

Prom happens to fall on one of the busiest weeks of the second semester.

Page A4

The Pharcyde

December 13, 2013 News

Benjamin fights prostate cancer together W i n t e r

Wonders From Winter Concert page 1

Mr. McVicar, Winston McVicar and Jerry O’Connor showPhotos courtesy of Mr. Simon Behan, Mr. Jamie McVicar, and Jerry O’Connor case their moustaches in Senior boys and faculty showcased their moustaches to raise awareness for men’s health. their profile pictures.

From Moustache Madness page 1

boys. So then we went to Dean Ball, and she went to Mr. Baucom, and both thought it was a great idea and decided to make it happen.”

Both students and faculty are having fun with the project.

English teacher Mr. Simon Behan said, “I think it’s a fantastic idea. I love it when people can laugh at themselves, and not only that but it’s for a great cause. I’ve already been stopped by many people asking why I have this ridiculous looking facial hair. It’s not exactly the most attractive look in the world, but then I get to share with them why I’m doing it and then spread awareness for the cause.”

Through Movember,

people sponsor other people’s moustaches. The sponsor’s money is then donated and recorded for competition. Mr. McVicar said,“Team McVicar has raised $310 for his ‘stache.

A lot of people have donated to my ‘stache including my mom who sent $20 via check.

Also Winston McVicar has raised $50; who knew a fourmonth old would be able to operate a computer?”

According to the Movember Foundation website, $174 million dollars have been raised since the founding of Movember.

Also 1.1 million moustaches have been registered. In 2013 Team Mo Bucs was able to raise over $1,500.

With the outbreak of facial hair around the Benjamin campus

came many fun stories. Senior Anthony Cicio said, “The craziest reaction is at home when I walk by the mirror and I see myself and I get really scared because I keep forgetting I’m growing a moustache and it’s a little creepy, but it’s for a good cause.”

Mr. Behan also said, “I visited the dentist the other day and when the dentist put the mirror in my hand to look at what she had done, I had forgotten that I had a moustache and I frightened myself at how ridiculous I looked. I then had to apologize to the dentist for it, and we had a good laugh.

My wife also shakes her head every time she looks now.”

However, English Department Chair, Mr. Perry

Feyk has had a different experience. He said, “In my case with the reactions at home, it’s the reverse of everybody else because I took off the moustache for the first time since 1975. When I had first heard about the idea, they had told me that I already had a moustache so I said I’ll shave it so then I could participate.”

After the major success of Movember, talk about the Movember events for next year has begun. Mr. Behan said, “I think it will be a great annual event to have at The Benjamin School. I think it increases facultystudent bonds through the competition, and it is just kind of a fun thing to do.” v

Ensemble and the Dazzlers.

The Chamber Ensemble played the song “Winter” by Antonio Lucio Vivaldi, while the Dazzlers performed a ballet number.

Another piece by the Dazzlers was a Rockette style number called “A Dazzling Holiday;” this piece was choreographed by Mrs. Salivar.

Dazzler sophomore Lexie Barker commented on the performance, saying, “My favorite number was A Dazzling Holiday because it was full of excitement and the crowd loved it.”

“I really liked the Winter Concert my freshman year because I found the music more challenging, but this one was the most fun,” senior Stephen McCloskey said .

This was the last Winter Concert for the seniors. “It was bittersweet. I’ve been performing in the winter concert since I was in 7th grade so it was hard realizing I wouldn’t be in it next year, but at the same time I knew I still had the Spring Concert this spring,” Chorus member senior Jacqueline Phillips said.

Mrs. Salivar summed up the night by saying, “It was a great evening and the students and faculty involved really rose to the occasion. From the littlest violin players to the Upper School band, chorus and chamber ensemble, it was a great way to bring in the holiday season.” v

Become the newest member of the National Honor Society

By Alec Batts Staff Writer

The induction of 18 new members into the National Honor Society (NHS) last month has generated questions among many younger students about the process which NHS faculty members were eager to address.

This spring, sophomores, for the first time, and juniors, for the third time, will be able to apply for NHS. In a recent interview with The Pharcyde, NHS advisor and World Languages Department Chair, Mrs. Anita Spassoff outlined the entire application process. She said in order to be eligible to apply for NHS, a student must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.67.

She also said that these students receive a letter announcing their eligibility and including information on how to apply. Students will then have the option to fill out an application that requires them to list any community service opportunities, leadership positions, special recognitions, and courses, such as any Advanced Placement or honors courses they have taken. They are also required to write an essay on

how they embody one of the pillars of NHS: scholarship, leadership, service, or character.

One question of high importance Mrs. Spassoff asks students during the application process is, “What is your passion and what is it that drives you to serve,” referring to their investment in community service.

She also said she looks for students who have gone above and beyond what their class does.

Regarding Advanced Placement or honors courses, she said, “The Faculty Council would much rather have a student come in who has a B in a really challenging course, than an A in an easy course.”

One last part of the process includes an NHS officer-led interview. Mrs. Spassoff said the school implemented the interview to allow the applicant to communicate with an officer on a more personal level. She explained that the interview allows the officers to get a feel for the applicant’s character, and gives applicants a chance to ask any questions they might have about what NHS does behind the scenes. Lastly, the interview provides an opportunity

for officers to inform the Faculty Council how applicants act outside of the school environment. She said, “The idea of the interview is to give the student a forum other than just on paper, where they could feel comfortable talking to an officer.”

After the students have submitted their applications and completed their interviews, the applicant’s teachers provide information about how the student performs in the classroom.

Speaking about the importance of these teacher recommendations, Faculty Council Member Mrs. Mary Spino said, “The most important thing is to have relationships with the adults here because they’re the ones who write the comments about the applicants.”

Although students’ positive actions may help them immensely in the application and interview process, their negative actions may also be considered. Having a number of community service and leadership positions is a good thing, but failing to embody the four pillars of NHS can diminish their candidacy. Mrs. Spino said, “Remembering the pillars is what we as a community think is important. For example, a student who is consistently not

being kind is not a good Benjamin student, let alone a good NHS member.”

Once the Faculty Council receives the teacher recommendations, applications, and interview notes, the group reviews each component thoroughly and chooses the new members.

If students are not selected to be members of NHS, the Faculty Council gives them advice on how to improve. Mrs. Spino said, “If kids have some nega-

tivity around them that falls into the four pillars, we use that as an improvement avenue for them.”

Summarizing the ways students can stand out to the Faculty Council, Mrs. Spassoff said, “The Faculty Council is looking for well-rounded individuals who have challenged themselves academically, committed themselves to service in some way, stepped forward as a leader, and demonstrated good character.” v

The Pharcyde

News

December 13, 2013

The many perks of using college websites

By Paige Sode

Page A5 Save the Date!

Columnist

“With the end of first semester approaching, seniors are provided absolutely no time to visit colleges. If we miss one day of school it seems as if it’s the end of the world. It’s not like we can snap our fingers and pop up at any college of our choice, although that would practically solve everything,” senior Sami Pepper said.

Whether a student is applying to five or twenty-five different schools, it can be difficult to make it to all of the campuses, yet because of a plethora of college websites, Facebook groups, and student-run videos available online, the Internet can assist prospective college students in previewing schools and in making the transition to college easier.

When asked if informative college websites can replace the typical college visit, senior Nicole Huhn said, “I have about three college websites that I go on during my study hall, and once I log in, I’m hooked.”

Among the several college websites Huhn favors, Collegeprowler.com stands at the very top of her list. This website allows students to type in any preferred college and provides a distinctive “best and worst” list for different aspects of that school. Greek life, guys and girls, off-campus dining, and diversity are all hot topics within the College Prowler community.

The website also allows anyone to type in a certain GPA and ACT/SAT score and then compare that score to those of students who have already been accepted into the school. “This part of the site is definitely my favorite. I love comparing my test scores and grades to those of the ones that colleges are specifically looking for,” Huhn said.

Similarly, Collegeconfidential.com is a website that allows students to read multiple articles on topics like finding and choosing schools, as well as simply identi-

ALEC BATTS/ Staff Writer Students discover many different websites in their search for the right college.

fying the college that is right for them.

“A lot of my friends enjoy using College Confidential, but there is something about it that bothers me; probably because the site is ugly, and reminds me of a tax collector website,” senior Courtney Doran said.

One of the most talked about sites for experiencing colleges is YouTube.com for the highly popular I’m Shmacked clips.

The purpose of the I’m Shmacked project on YouTube is to visit colleges and universities around the country, and choose one student from each school to follow for at least three days. That experience will be recorded to show how diversity differs at each college and highlight what makes that school so special to its students.

Senior Ethan Kaslow, a devoted fan

of the I’m Shmacked videos, said, “These ‘I’m Shmacked’ videos have opened my eyes when deciding on what colleges to apply to. Yes, the videos do include parties and tailgates, but that is part of the entire college experience. Seniors need to take these aspects of college into consideration when choosing their ideal school.”

Visiting colleges without prior research may create problems in the entire college process as a whole. Pepper reaffirmed this statement by saying, “I would never visit a college without researching it; that would be a complete waste of my time. But, if these sites perhaps did not exist, the senior class would still be okay. Luckily, we have the greatest college counseling office in the world, and that beats one website by a landslide.” v

On January 23rd, 2014, The Benjamin School’s Leadership Speaker Series will host climatologist Daniel Schrag. Professor Schrag is the Director of the Harvard University Center for the Environment and currently serves on President Obama’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. Additionally, Schrag is the recipient of the James B. Macelwane Medal from the American Geophysical Union. He will speak to the Upper School student body following Winter Break.

Scan for more information on Professor Schrag

Flesh Eating Bacteria affecting Florida coastal waters

By Max Chesnes Staff Writer

Medical officials have warned Florida’s residents about a health risk after approximately thirty-one people have contracted a flesh-eating bacteria, that has infected Florida’s coastal waters and seafood, leaving ten dead.

Vibrio Vulnificus, a proteobacteria that thrives in salt water, can enter the body in two distinct ways. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the bacteria can enter through open wounds when wading or swimming, or through the ingestion of raw seafood like shellfish or oysters. Once inside, the bacteria can cause severe damage to the body, leaving a lasting effect on those infected. Symptoms include abdominal pain, blistering, vomiting, and diarrhea. Additionally, for those with weakened immune systems, septic shock and skin lesions can also occur.

In a recent story by WPTV, Mr. Steve Gyland, victim of Vibrio Vulnificus, told the story of his infection. Mr. Gyland, who acquired the bacteria on a SCUBA trip, never knew the risk factor that Vibrio Vulnificus can present until he experienced it first hand. He had the virus enter through his blistered foot and experienced

the bacterial symptoms not long after.

After becoming contaminated, Mr. Gyland warned others to be aware of the potential threat.

Of the 31 victims who contracted the bacteria, ten incidents have resulted in death. The Department of Health has stated that eight separate counties in the state of Florida have experienced a fatality resulting from a Vibrio Vulnificus infection.

If the bacteria is not treated in time, it can enter the bloodstream and slowly begin to deteriorate the body. According to Florida’s Department of Health, on average one fatality occurs for every four people infected with Vibrio Vulnificus, making it a severe health risk for Florida residents.

The FDA recently warned that fatalities can often occur as a result of the rapid expansion of the bacteria once inside the human body. Because the bacteria can spread at such a fast speed, victims do not know they have contracted the infection until it is too late. It takes roughly 2428 hours for the body to react to Vibrio Vulnificus, leaving only a short window of time for treatment. With a fatality rate that can exceed 50%, the bacteria is considered a high-risk infection.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), prior to 2007, very few cases were reported regarding the bacteria, making it generally an unknown risk to the public. However, citing an increase of incidents occurring in 2007, the CDC teamed up with Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Texas, and Mississippi in order to wage a national war on Vibrio Vulnificus.

Currently, no cases have been reported concerning victims who have acquired the bacteria while swimming in the waters off

of Palm Beach County. The majority of the local victims of Vibrio Vulnificus have ingested it through the consumption of raw seafood. Although the chances are rare that one may acquire the bacteria while swimming, the Department of Health warns that the threat is still eminent locally.

Although Palm Beach County has not been affected directly by the bacteria, citizens are advised constantly by health officials to maintain awareness. Of the 67 total counties in the state of Florida, 25 have had reports of Vibrio Vulnificus this year alone. With nearly 40% of the counties having cases of Vibrio Vulnificus, Florida

31

people have contracted a flesh-eating bacteria, that has infected Florida’s coastal waters and seafood. health officials are warning Palm Beach County residents to stay on high alert.

In an interview with The Pharcyde, Mr. Tim O’Connor, spokesperson for the Department of Health, advised residents to be cautious while at the beach. “Swimmers are advised to avoid swimming in those waters if they have open wounds, cuts, or sores that may provide an entry point for the bacteria. It’s also a good idea to shower with fresh water soon after swimming to wash away any bacteria that may be on the skin,” he said.

In addition to this instruction, Mr. O’Connor recommends several tips to minimize the chances of acquiring Vibrio Vulnificus:

1) Do not consume raw oysters or shellfish. If, for some reason, a sudden yearning for seafood emerges, cook it thoroughly, by either boiling, steaming, or frying.

2) Avoiding exposure to open wounds or broken skin. Having a cut exposed can result in an open gateway for the bacteria to enter into the body.

3) Rinse off with fresh water after swimming in salt-water environments.

As word began to spread through the media of a potential health risk, students were skeptical about the possible dangers.

Junior Jillian Sander, an avid beach-goer, is aware of the presence of Vibrio Vulnificus.

“I don’t think enough research has been done to scare me away from the beach just yet. I need more information on the bacteria to really prove that there’s a health risk,” Sander said. “Honestly, I think sharks are a greater threat at the beach than the chance of getting a flesh-eating bacteria.”

Other students, like junior Samuel Seabridge, are more concerned about the presence of Vibrio Vulnificus. “I’m definitely going to be more cautious when I’m swimming in the ocean and eating particular seafood, due to the recent outbreak.” Seabridge said. “After a recent surfing incident where a fin cut into my leg, the doctors were specifically concerned with making sure my wound was clean, to prevent the bacteria from entering.”

“When it all comes down to it, people will still carry on with what they have been doing, regardless of warnings. There will still be swimmers at the beach and seafood consumers at restaurants,” Seabridge said.

“The warnings have been issued, and now it’s up to every individual to proceed at their own risk”. v

Opinions

Cheers

Jeers

Safe Space

Prom Date

Mr. Wong and Ms. Learner established a safe space to talk about LGBT issues at the school.

Majority of the junior and senior class will not be able to attend prom due to lacrosse, baseball and track states.

Editorials

The opinion of The Pharcyde

Black Friday Shopping Diminishes the Day of Thanks v

Stores are becoming more competitive by opening on Thanksgiving

It is that time of year again when families and friends come together to celebrate the holiday season with laughs, jokes, and good times. However, it is appalling that so many want the spirit of the holidays to take a backseat to shopping.

Shopping for the holidays has become progressively more popular throughout the years.

It all started when stores started sponsoring Thanksgiving day parades. When Santa arrived at the end of every parade, it symbolized the start of the holiday season. However, when this started, all stores had an unspoken rule that they would open on the following Friday to kick of the shopping season, later being named Black Friday.

The stores started to get more competitive with one another and soon it became a matter of which store had the best deals. This year, to raise the bar even higher, stores started opening on Thursday morning. This is deplorable.

This practice diminishes Thanksgiving and the joys of family time. Some would say that they go shopping with their families, but they never think about the workers. Their family time is cut short so they can run around like lunatics when the masses come flooding into the stores.

Looking at November, it is no longer the month of Thanksgiving. It is turning into the month of Black Friday.

We sit around the table saying thanks for all that we have and then run out the door early to buy more things. That seems like the most ungrateful thing a person can do. Honestly, shopping during Thanksgiving should be banned.

“The question should not be what do I want for the holidays, but instead it should be what am I grateful for. ”

is not a deal at all. We are rushing to “deals” that would only be true in a parallel universe.

Yes, the hustle and bustle is appealing to some, but when did the holiday season turn into an excuse for stores to make their end-of-theyear quotas? The question should not be what do I want for the holidays, but instead it should be what am I grateful for. If Thanksgiving is meant for us to be thankful for all that we have, then we should not be worrying about what we will get in the following month. We should put ourselves in the shoes of the unfortunate workers on Thanksgiving who have to give up time from their families. Is shopping really that important?

We do not need to run to a store to maul (pun intended) each other in hopes of receiving the discounted television.

Reports have shown that stores inflate the prices purposely before the sales so that it seems as if they have incredible discounts, when in reality, they are selling their inventory for the exact same price they would originally. Reports even say that unless the deal is more than 30% then it

We should be grateful for all that we have

v One senior realizes all the opportunities that she has at Benjamin me, our team, and the community at large. For example, the day before Thanksgiving, four members of the basketball team volunteered for the Sunshine Club by helping prepare meals for the hungry. Two of my teammates who came to help are not part of the club.

Riley Burke Staff Writer

Take advantage of opportunities:

I typically approach life at a pretty fast speed.

However, since breaking my wrist, I have been operating at a somewhat slower pace. My mood has been more reflective lately, especially with the new year approaching, so I wanted to share some of my thoughts.

Appreciate the support around you:

Breaking my wrist last month was not ideal, and yes, multiple people have expressed how disappointing it must be to miss half of my senior basketball season. While I appreciate everyone’s concerns and kind words, during this down time, I have learned more than I ever could have on the court.

One lesson relates to my teammates, and what I now realize about their character from the sidelines. I’ve learned our bond is much stronger than the final score of any game; these girls care about

Online Online at at www.PharBlog.com www.PharBlog.org

Founded in 1980 as The Spectator December March 8,13, 2013 2013 The Benjamin School 4875 Grandiflora Road Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33418 Contact Info Phone: 561-472-3485 Fax: 561-691-8823 Advisor: Mr. Ken Didsbury kendall.didsbury@thebenjaminschool.org

In addition to being surrounded by supportive teammates, I have also realized Benjamin is a phenomenal opportunity. It opens doors for students to attend elite institutions (evidenced by the three 2013 graduates admitted to Harvard last year). Dreyfoos students (which includes many friends and my older sister, an alum), on the other hand, have to work so much harder to stand out in an environment where their peers are dual enrolling, taking eight AP classes per year, and regularly staying up well past midnight studying. I’m not saying that Benjamin students don’t also take rigorous course loads, if they so choose. But I am saying that a diploma from Benjamin often gives a Benjamin student an upper edge over another who attends an equally (or even more) academically rigorous school such as Dreyfoos. Therefore, I recommend that while here, take advantage of all the opportunities given you.

Seek help from teachers who devote their energy before and after school to helping you succeed, as other schools have larger classes and provide few-

Editorial Board

er opportunities for students to receive additional help from teachers. Utilize the college counseling office; this kind of personalized, hands-on assistance isn’t possible at larger schools. Thank the faculty and administrators who come to your sporting events and plays.Realize that it’s a privilege to attend Benjamin and strive to be more thankful for the myriad opportunities available here.

Find positives in negative situations:

And while you are pursuing all that Benjamin has to offer, if you face a hurdle, like a broken wrist, turn it into positive. If you have to sit out from something you love, like playing basketball, find another way to direct your energy. Expand your horizons. Volunteer more. Read for fun. Sleep more. Spend more time with your family. Just make the best of the time you have, because once you return to your pre-injury activity, once you get back into the swing of your typical schedule, the extra time will be gone.

In short, be grateful:

Take advantage of the opportunities given you, find the positives even when only negatives are on the horizon, and allow hurdles to be motivators

Mission Statement

The Pharcyde is a student newspaLauren Bernick Co-Editor-in-Chief per produced to foster an open diaCasey Pearce Editor-in-Chief Ben Germano Co-Editor-in-Chief logue about topics that relate to Jerrie James Copy Editor Emily Graphics Editor Editor The Benjamin School. The issues JulietteDunkel Mercadante Photography that appear throughout our pages CaseySode Pearce Managing Paige Online Editor Editor may be light-hearted or serious, Ben Greenspan Copy Editor Ben Greenspan Executive Editor but regardless we aim to reflect Sam Greenspan Editor the diversity of opinion within our Michael MulleryOnline Sports Editor school that we value so deeply.

Dean Sandquist Sports Editor Andy Weir Managing Editor

Annelise Hillmann Graphics Editor

Membership The Pharcyde is a member of the Florida Scholastic Press Association, American Scholastic Press Association, Columbia Scholastic Press Association and the National Scholastic Press Asscociation.

General The Pharcyde, the Upper School newspaper of The Benjamin School, is published six times a year.

Advertisements The price of a full page ad is $200.00/issue.

The price of a half page ad is $120.00/issue.

The price of a quarter page ad is $90.00/ issue.

The price of a business card ad is $50.00/ issue.

Staff Writers Lexi Cass, Averill Healey,Staff RachelWriters Smith, Riley Burke, Jerrie James,

The Pharcyde is distributed to every student and faculty member and is availalbe in the Upper School office.

Each issue is mailed to every Upper School family’s home address.

If you or anyone you know would like to place an advertisement in The Pharcyde, please contact Jerrie James at jerrie.james14@thebenjaminschool.org.

Staff Artists

The Pharcyde encourages submission of Letters to the Editor. Send your feedback, criticism, or outside opinions in 150 words or fewer to casey.pearce14@ ben.germano13@ thebenjaminschool.org. The Pharcyde reserves the right to edit all letters for length, grammar, and clarity.

The opinion articles in this paper are the opinion of the writer or the majority opinion of The Pharcyde Editorial Board. They are not the opinion of The Benjamin School or our advertisers.

Co-Editor-in-Chief: Editor-in-Chief: Casey LaurenPearce Bernick lauren.bernick13@thebenjaminschool.org casey.pearce14@thebenjaminschool.org

Juliette Ashlyn Sendler, PaigeMax Sode, Michael Riley Mercadante, Burke, Ashlyn Sendler, Alec Batts, Chesnes, Mullery, Andy Weir, Caterina Breuer, NikiVeroniHendi, Niki Hendi, Fiona Schor, Kathleen Walsh, Annelise Hillmann, Bella Ross, Kathleen Walsh ca Weiss, Robert Charles, Madeleine Dalton

Co-Editor-in-Chief: Executive Editor: Ben BenGreenspan Germano benjamin.greenspan15@thebenjaminschool.org ben.germano13@thebenjaminschool.org

Nick Wettermann Photographer, Deanna Foriere Illustrator

Opinions

The Pharcyde

v

December 13, 2013

Page A7

Freshmen Girls Do Not Rule the World

Senior lists the do’s and don’ts that girls should follow freshmen year Ashlyn Sendler Geodes Editor

Freshman year is tough. Trust me, I know.

Essentially, everyone either wants to fit in or be liked; and many will go to extremes to do so. Being new to high school, many freshmen mistake what is “cool” with what is not.

This year some freshman girls have made this mistake. Since I was once guilty of the same mistake and have since learned better, I would like to help them out and point them in the right direction.

During Homecoming Week I saw a number of freshman girls dressed inappropriately. They strutted around caked in makeup and wearing spandex, miniskirts, and crop tops. In disbelief, I stopped for a second and questioned whether I was actually at school or a nightclub.

On the first day of Homecoming week, I was brought to a complete stop at the sight of three freshmen girls dressed up as “Barbie Dolls.” Their tiny

pinks skirts were pulled up so high that it left little to imagination. I then turned the corner to see a group of freshman girls wearing tight tank tops so small that they revealed their midriff and extensive cleavage.

Even after Dean Ball had appropriately addressed, monitored, and corrected the student body to assure that students wore appropriate outfits that balanced fun while maintaining decency, some freshmen continued to flaunt their short skirts, backless shirts, crop tops, and tight spandex.

On spirit day, a group of ten freshmen wore navy spandex no longer than a pair of underwear. Each and every one of them certainly had different orange or blue clothes that they could have worn instead.

Homecoming Week has always been a week for innocent fun and school spirit. Students have always taken themed days to the extreme by dressing in the wackiest, and most hilarious outfits. However, this year some freshmen girls took Homecoming Week to the extreme in the wrong way.

These girls could only have two reasons to dress so inappropriately: to appear hot or to be cool.

Unfortunately they do not get it. The only attention they are attracting is negative attention, and it is not cool.

Freshmen year is when students make their reputation for the next four years of high school. By dressing provocatively for school, those freshmen are

Graphic by Annelise Hillmann

definitely not portraying themselves respectably.

So here is my advice to freshmen girls. It is not attractive or even the slightest bit acceptable to dress inappropriately for school. School is not the time to strut one’s stuff, and by trying to do so they will only be embarrassing themselves in front of the upperclassmen and administration.

It is simple. Freshmen need to look in the mirror before school and make sure that they are displaying themselves as they really want to be remembered.

Are APs the End All Be All?

v The unyielding pressure to take an AP has grown to an all time high Jerrie James Copy Editor In a college preparatory school, students feel an immense amount of pressure to take Advanced Placement (AP) courses; however, these courses promote short term understanding but not long term retention.

Because colleges, teachers, counselors, family members, and friends urge students to take APs, it is rare to find a student who has escaped the burden of an AP course. Yes, APs look great on a student’s high school transcript and to a certain degree they prepare students for college.

The goal of an AP course is to prepare the students well for the exam in May; this comes at a cost to student’s creative learning and permanent knowledge. The students are often so overwhelmed with the amount of information in a given chapter that cramming becomes a necessity.

A number of studies have shown that cramming material days before the test is not an effective way of comprehending subjects. Unfortunately, this is too often the case in AP courses.

APs are designed to imitate college classes with the rigorous material; however, in a college setting, students have longer to complete assignments and more time to study. High school students who take APs have six or more classes

five days a week.

In order to prepare the students for the exam, AP teachers tend to focus on the test instead of students’ interests because of the less individualized design of AP courses. The final exam is unlike other exams. It has a specific way of stating questions, answers, and information, all making the test foreign and challenging.

Obviously, teachers need to prepare their students for the test, but to what extent does the prepping become too much and the studying of subject become less important?

Yes, practicing for the exam is effective for the students’ performance on the exam; however, this often causes the students to forget the information crammed into their brain for the exam.

The AP exam scores are just a number; the exam is not an accurate representation of a student’s potential or understanding. What really matters is providing knowledge that will enrich the students so they will carry that knowledge with them throughout their lives.

Benjamin does a great job of hiring faculty who care about the students’ understanding the material, not just memorizing it for a test. An AP requires the teachers to do the opposite of what most students are used to, instead of applying the material it is often memorized and requires a strategy to choose the answer that the AP writers think is best. The AP test is setup so the students are required to think just as they do. This creates a less individualized learning environment. High school is likely the last time a student will have teachers that care about the student’s interest and passions.

Graphic by Annelise Hillmann

Have your voice heard.

{P} Write a letter to the editor.

Send your thoughts, in 150 words or fewer, to casey.pearce14@thebenjaminschool.org.

Page A8

The Pharcyde

December 13, 2013 Opinion

The American Education System Does Not Compare v Time

and time again, the education standards of the United States and other countries do not add up.

By Annelise Hillmann Graphics Editor

When asked about America’s continuous low scores on worldwide tests, international Benjamin community members, both students and teachers, had mixed reactions as they compared their prior educational backgrounds with their TBS experience.

After World War II, the United States had the highest high school graduation rate in the world. Today, the US has dropped to 22nd among 27 industrialized nations, said The Broad Foundation.

This decline was further documented when the United States ranked 17th in education, as reported by The Learning Curve in 2012, an annual report on international education. In individual subjects, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development placed American students at 25th in math, 17th in science and 14th in reading compared to students in 27 industrialized countries.

“Relative to how other kids are taught and what they’re learning, it seems that our rating has been on this fast decline.”

Hannah LaBovick senior

However, these poor marks do not seem to surprise many Benjamin students. “Honestly, I was kind of impressed that we were that high,” senior Hannah LaBovick said. “Relative to how other kids are taught and what they’re learning, it seems that our rating has been on this fast decline.”

Currently, the two top countries in overall standing are Finland and South Korea, ranked first and second respectively, according to The Learning Curve. Critics suggested that America look to their methods for ways to improve its system.

Flying in the face of those critics who suggest a greater workload for American students, Finland’s education

system sports a curriculum with relaxed policies, outdoor lessons, and little homework. Finland’s students ranked second in science, third in reading and sixth in math in the 2009 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA).

The Finnish education system centers on dedicated teachers who spend an average of only four hours a day in the classroom and are highly valued members of the community, sharing the status of doctors and lawyers. “Teachers are some of the highest paid people there,” said music teacher Dr. Alexander Nagy. “They do a good job because this is what they want to do. Many teachers in the US are not prepared to teach.”

Dr. Nagy, who was educated in Romania in a system similar to Finland’s, recognizes the value of a shorter school day. “[Long school days] take away from specializing in music, swimming or chess. When I was going to school, we never stayed after one pm. At that time, you can go home and do things you need to do.”

In addition to shorter school days, teachers in Finland also take more of a personal interest in their students.

This could be a result of its pupilteacher ratio of 9.89 in 2009, according to a World Bank report, published in 2010. According to the same source, the United States had a pupil-teacher ratio of 13.76 in 2010. “Ideally, fewer students in a class is supposed to boost productivity and I find that it does, especially at Benjamin in AP classes,” junior Lillian Lesser said.

In other countries, however, administrators boost productivity through more effort. Runner-up South Korea contrasts starkly with Finland with longer school hours, large quantities of homework, and frequent assessments.

Korean students ranked second in reading, fourth in mathematics and sixth in science in the 2009 PISA. Some of the country’s success, however, can be attributed not to the efforts of the teachers but that of the parents. In cultures where the “tiger mom,” or overaggressive parent, runs rampant, Korean and Chinese students are motivated not only by their own ambitions, but also by the weight of societal expectation.

Senior Xiaoyi Yi, who moved from China three years ago, sees benefits in the practice, saying, “They love their children more than anything in the world, and they will always do everything they can to provide the best education. While I personally feel a great deal of pressure to deliver good grades, no matter how I perform, I will always stand by my parents and by my entire family.”

The learning environment in China, like South Korea, differs greatly from that of the United States in workload, teacher-student expectation, and time spent in the classroom. “I went to school at 7:45 am and did not get home until 6 pm. I took Algebra I, Algebra II, and

PISA Results 2013 -- Reading 1 Japan 538 2 South Korea 536 3 Finland 524 4 Canada 523 5 Ireland 523 6 Poland 518 7 Estonia 516 8 Australia 512 9 New Zealand 512 10 Netherlands 511 11 Switzerland 509 12 Belgium 509 13 Germany 508 14 France 505 15 Norway 504 16 UK 499 17 United States 498 18...65 Geometry all in one year,” said Yi. “On Saturday, we went to special tutors.

Ninety-eight percent of students all have a private tutor on Saturday.”

Assistant Head of School for Academics Mr. Kendall Didsbury believes that, although they strictly monitor achievement, Chinese and Korean systems often lack ingenuity, analytical thinking, and creativity. “In Korea, it’s a kind of competition for rote knowledge which doesn’t invite inquiry.

The Chinese also teach rote learning at the expense of everything else,” he said. “So they get kids who have a large factual knowledge base, but they don’t always understand everything they learn. This difference between the Asian and American style of education was recently well-documented in a book called Catching Up or Leading the Way: American Education in the Age of Globalization by Yong Zhao.”

Another drawback of Chinese education, Yi noted was, because the school system focuses so heavily on academics, students do not have the opportunity to participate in sports or other extracurricular activities. “We do not take sports as important. If you finish school at six, then there’s no way to do sports because you have to do three hours of homework. America is balanced because you can study and also play sports and enjoy yourself,” she said.

Ideologically, the Chinese have stunted their students, many members of the Benjamin community claim, by not integrating athletics. “There are many things you learn in sports that you can’t learn in

a classroom or a book,” senior Riley Burke said. “You learn camaraderie and collaboration. Without social interaction, you’re not taking advantage of everything that’s out there.”

Sophomore Viggo Björklund, a recent transfer from Sweden, knows the impact that athletics can have on students. “There [are] no school sports at all in Sweden except at boarding school. I think sports are good for the bonding between students. You get to know a lot of people that you wouldn’t know otherwise.”

Despite all its faults, American schooling generally displays some good qualities not found in other countries such as athletic enthusiasm, creativity, project-based learning, and responsibility.

Mr. Didsbury aims for the school to inspire in students a different way of thinking, rather than memorization or perfect test scores. “We are currently working on a number of initiatives to help students become more independent and self-directed in their learning,” Mr. Didsbury said. “All of the research suggests that the country which produces a workforce that can think deeply and be creative will ultimately rise to the top economically.

We have to make sure that our students demonstrate those skills.” v

Graphic by Annelise Hillmann

In the 2009 PISA test, the United States ranked 17th and Finland and South Korea ranked first and second respectively.

The Pharcyde

News

December 13, 2013

Page A9

Seniors predict the future of their friends in 20 years ding in South y Borislow resi n an D e se I s, e current In 20 year out, Danny is th p ro d n n Pe U A Pat’s Philadelphia. dwich maker at n sa e m ti t ar p phy manager and e takes calligra h , ts h ig n k ee me On w ot missed a ho n Cheesesteaks. as h e H . ty si xel Univer ng to courses at Dre ime since movi et lif is h in e one Eagles gam bedroom and o tw a in es liv e Theodore.

Philadelphia. H t with his dog, en tm ar ap m o bathro - Anthony Cicio

piter witth a living inwJu n n e K the firs c s a M e I se a (who erry blond In 20 yeaidrss, and his wife, Ellh wb es, eight k met in college wit stora e and beelireavnd girl he refuses to get a divillrc v st fore ords). hair). Heis love for his wife w (hla future w have is r” h e t h “tha ot live without tory to is h in n n he can be the only perso football games and He will ckets to Benjamin e glory days where th n season ti reminiscaerdosnand two touchdow uses this to y sh ru he had 350 seasons.knin - Roger Jac

rson Ray Ande e e s I , s r New In 20 yea n Island, e t a t S in and living e beater if w a g in r in his York, wea f La Croix he o r e t li a ing t having hile teach w d n a kids. h right adopted n e v e s is Bible to h l consist of being il all His job w he local m t t a s u la as Santa C a small g g in n n u r and nuts. unkin Do station/D t Sousa - Bennet

In 20 years, I see Tres Pimentel working out in California as an engineer working on hydroelectricity projects.

- Hannah LaBovick In 20 years, I see Tres with a beard he has not cut since the last time Coach Ball made him shave it, managing Sundowners in Green Turtle Cay. - Ally Sexton

g in na livin e, n a e D e the tim ars, I se In 20 ye aring camo all trucks we hot Florida, elling at how ly and stil are. illips - Jac Ph o arried t m a n n a e De s she ars, I se ars as much a e y 0 2 n a c I o loves rking as either h w n a o am ee her w world does. I s hnologist or a th. bo biotec rtist. Or a d e n renow Grimpe -Becca

In 20 yea rs, I in Teques see Bennett living ta with h is th Nataly an d his one ird wife d Gretchen . Bennett aughter w or equipme nt manag ks as an er for the Jupiter H am be seen fr merheads and ca n eq “It Ends T uently preformin g onight” a t local mu s ic venues.

- Ray And erson

In 20 years, Nichole Cohen will be the Editor of Vogue.

- Lila Remez

y e (formall t n a d a c r Me k his rs, Roger ut he too b , in n In 20 yea k c assionate Roger Ja p s a a n in w is o ) kn iage e in marr hip with his high s wife’s nam g relation te Mercadante. He in v lo d n a i.

Juliet eetheart b in Miam o w c s a l J o r o e h h c s ot ith his br ome and is living w day, he stays at h o, and his e During th o boys, Jay and Vit Heat ds his tw still atten their e watches H . a in g Ro dance for n e daughter t t a in d was ionship. games an utive NBA champ sec n 15th con a Johnsto n n e K c M -

In 20 years, I see Sami Pepper as a college counselor.

- Nichole Huhn

In 20 years, I see Tess at a feminist rally probably in California.

- Frannie Rooney

ie with I see Jerr , s r a e y e 0 In 2 ls who sh ir g le t t li ty three ts in beau me u p ly d u pro at ho e is a stay h S . s t n orks a page usband w h r e h d n mom a d Lee, the n a n o t g at Washin ere they both h college w ded. t a ten earce - Casey P

ily sen happ is M y Iv e rs, I se wn In 20 yea ing her o n n u r d o n married a siness. She has tw son g bu advertisin older one being a e the thre children, daughter, a r e g n u o very and the y he lives a S . t s r a p a s ds her kid year n e s d n a in the ble life, comforta llege prep school co to the top area.

LaBovick -Hannah

ick h LaBov a n n a H ars, ffice In 20 ye an at-home o ly e us will hav is simultaneo nd ra he where s cure for cance ts. r ca the finding ing all 27 of he she d at also fee h are strays th them hic All of w r when she saw fo felt bad n the street. o sen - Ivy Mis

In 20 years, Taylor will be living in Wyoming as an ER Doctor and will still be a vegetarian.

- Lauren Alevizos

Moya Photography

Page A10 December 13, 2013

The Pharcyde

Sp

GOODBYE, 2013 “I’m going to miss the releases of the amazing ska albums that came in 2013 such as Streetlight Manifesto’s ‘The Hands that Thieve.’”

Mason Manos, “I’m going junior to miss being able to get my work done, because as a second semester senior I will completely lack focus and the ability to learn.”

- Ivy Missen, senior

WHAT WE ARE GOING TO MISS ABOUT 2013

“Twerking.”

- Syndey Schultz, junior

“ I ’ m really going to miss all the great independent films that have premiered this year and the attention they have given the indie film community to help it grow.”

- Kyle Malone, junior “I am going to miss obsessing over colleges and freaking out over acceptance letter deadlines with Ivy and Casey.”

- Hannah LaBovick, senior

“I am going to miss this year’s school volleyball team because we were really close and we were really good. The 2013 team was also just a really fun group of girls.”

Savannah Logan, “Not going to miss junior much from 2013. It was very hectic and stressful first semester of senior year and I’m very glad that it’s done.”

- Morgan Burkett, senior

NOTABLE EVENTS OF 2013

September 16 -- A shooting occurs inside the Washington Navy yard killing twelve people

January 17 -- Olympic medal winning cyclist Lance Armstrong confesses to using performance enhancing drugs

October 1 -- Not being able to reach an agreement, the government shuts down for sixteen days

January 20 -- President Barack Obama was sworn into the office for his second term of presidency February 2 -- A video known as the Harlem Shake appears and overnight goes viral with thousands of videos replicating the original idea around the globe

October 21 -Same-sex marriage is legalized in New Jersey, soon to be followed by Illinois, and Hawaii, making gay marriage legal in fifteen states

March 15 -- A new dancing sensation, twerking, became popular

November 8 -- A tragedy strikes the Philippines when 5,000 people die from Typhoon Yolanda, one of the strongest typhoons ever recorded

March 19 -- Pope Francis, the first pope from South America, is chosen by the church to be the 226th pope

November 28 -- For the first time ever, Thanksgiving takes place during the week of Hannukah

April 15 -- A bombing occurs in Boston during the Boston Marathon, resulting in 3 deaths and injuring more than 200 people

November 30 -- The Fast and the Furious star Paul Walker dies in a fiery car crash after leaving a charity event.

July 13 -- In the Trayvon Martin murder case, George Zimmerman is found not guilty July 22 -- Duchess Kate Middleton and Prince William of Wales gave birth to their son George, a future Prince of Wales August 21 -- The Syrian government uses chemical weapons against rebel soldiers violating the treaties made at the Geneva convention

December 1 -- The iPhone app Quizup, an app that lets one compete in trivia questions against friends or with people online, skyrockets in popularity

December 5 -- Nelson Mandela dies after years of dedication to human rights and equality

tlight

December 13, 2013 The Pharcyde

HELLO, 2014!

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO IN 2014

OUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS

“I’m

looking forward to Valentine’s Day.” - Rees Spragg, sophomore

“My New Year’s resolution is to do more community service.”

- Lexi Barker, sophomore

“I am actually really looking forward to taking a psychology course over the summer, in all my nerdy delight.”

- Alexandra Murray, junior

“My New Year’s resolution is to tone down my sassy attitude because it can get out of hand at times.”

- Morgan Burkett, senior

“Watching my 16-yr-old nephew walk independently for the first time in his life.

(He has cerebral palsy.)”

- Derek Packer, sophomore January 2014 - Standing 1,792 feet tall, One World Trade Center, the first stage of restoration for the World Trade Center in New York City, is expected to open for commercial use.

February 2014 - On February 7, Olympians will take to the slopes of Sochi, Russia to compete for gold at the 2014 Winter Olympics. The 16-day event will feature 98 events in 15 different sports.

June 2014 - The 2014 FIFA World Cup will bring athletes from around the world together in Brazil for over a month of soccer starting on June 12.

December 2014 - After over a decade of fighting, U.S. troops are expected to withdraw from Afghanistan in December bringing the long war to a close.

“To be nice, to be less particular and to eat fewer Oreos.”

- Sofia Remez, sophomore

“My New Year’s resolution is to study more and get better grades.”

- Shay Pradetto, sophomore “I want to start to narrow down my list of colleges and start looking at the financial sector of business.”

- Conor Brannum, sophomore “To

make a New Year’s resolution for 2015” - Mason Manos, junior

“To be more like Riley Burke” - Eric Rosen, senior “To be more like Eric Rosen” - Riley Burke, senior “My New Year’s resolution is to not fail a test.”

- Casen Gavidia, freshman “My New Year’s resolution is to work harder on my short stories.”

- Samantha Weiss, senior

Layout by Annelise Hillmann

School Life

Student Stories + Teacher Features

The Pharcyde COUNTDOWN:

19 days until New Year’s Day.

Students address concerns of helicopter parenting

By Ben Greenspan Executive Editor

From the moment he gets home, Craig Mitchell* is bombarded by questions from his mom. “She is just on my case about whatever is due or what work I have, even though I have control of the situation,” he said.

“I think helicopter parenting can be beneficial in a child’s younger years, like elementary or middle school, but once in high school, it can get over the top.”

Because of the pressures of college applications and grades, many students at Benjamin deal with this type of parental involvement referred to as helicopter parenting.

“Helicopter parenting is a parenting style that is defined by over-involvement,” Mrs. Michelle Jacobson, a licensed clinical social worker, said.

“This can include a number of things such as doing work for children, constantly checking grades, or protecting students from making mistakes.”

Catherine Jenkins* has been subjected to helicopter parenting since a very young age. “My mom was the one who got me into my extracurricular activities when I was six. She was always telling me to practice my instrument,” she said. “I think she was pushing me because it looks good for colleges. I mean, my mom made me start thinking pretty early about college in other ways too, like by making me do practice tests out of an SAT book when I was in fifth grade.”

Jenkins cites her mother’s involvement in her schoolwork as a reason for her excelling in academics. In fact, all of the students interviewed, who admitted to having helicopter parents, are near the top of their respective classes.

Another student, Stephanie Williams*, also acknowledged the beneficial aspects of her parental expectations. “I’ve sort of become a perfectionist. My parents used to put some pressure on me because they realized I had the ability to do really well. Now, I have those same expectations, which leads me to work harder in order to reach my full potential,” she said.

“My parents have a really early curfew for me. I have to be home by 11:00 pm at the latest.... It is annoying because I’m 18, and I feel like they just don’t trust me to make good decisions.”

KURT GIBBONS senior

According to Honor Council President senior George Donaldson, parental involvement can also have a positive effect on students’ moral compasses. “I believe that the students who are sent to Honor Council are those who are not as involved with their parents as it relates to their schoolwork because a lot of times parents can help organize students and push them along the right path,” he said. “Pressure and anxiety can re-

Illustration by Annelise Hillmann

ally get to students if they don’t have someone like a parent who they can go to and talk about things and just help them out.”

Although helicopter parenting can occasionally have positive effects, one student, Kurt Gibbons*, has experienced the downside of excessive involvement, claiming that his parents used to “blow things out of proportions,” whenever he would receive a grade that they believed was sub-par.

“If I get a bad grade on a test, they really just put the pressure on. It will just be everyday, ‘You need to get a tutor, we need to set up meetings with the teacher,’” he said. “They will try to give me advice, and I just have to convince them that I can handle it on my own.”

History teacher Mr. Ben Harper has dealt with a number of helicopter parents, specifically those with students in his AP United States History course. “These parents can just flip out if their student doesn’t score as highly as they expect on a small quiz or assignment. They’re just all over it.

They will also e-mail me about homework or quizzes or writing, when it’s usually the student who should be responsible for that,” he said. “This doesn’t really affect my view of the student because the student is the one just trying to survive this.”

He continued, “I just think these behaviors are indicative of a larger problematic social trend. We are a college preparatory school and for

some of these students with parents like this, they’re not forming independence and they’re just going to be hit with a ton of bricks when they get to college and they have to start making their own schedules and dealing with professors on their own time.”

“In fairness to the parent, I think they feel that they’re doing the right thing to hover. As it relates to the student, I think it can certainly prove detrimental because I don’t think that they develop their own independence and space.”

DR. AMY TAYLOR Director of Student Services

Director of Student Services Dr. Amy Taylor offered further insight into modern day helicopter parenting.

“The whole idea of a helicopter parent is one who hovers over a student, and I think this has now been aided by technology. Kids are now only a phone call or a text away,” she said. “In fairness to the parent, I think they feel that they’re doing the right thing to hover.

As it relates to the student, I think it can certainly prove detrimental because I don’t think that they develop their own independence and space.”

Helicopter parenting can also be pres-

ent as it relates to students’ social lives.

“My parents are just always going through my stuff, checking who I’m hanging out with and where I’m going. If they don’t like who I’m with, they won’t let me go and hang out with them,” Gibbons said.

“My parents’ have a really early curfew for me. I have to be home by 11:00 pm at the latest. They also are really picky about who I can drive with and where. It is annoying because I’m 18 and I feel like they just don’t trust me to make good decisions.”

When talking about trust, Mrs. Jacobson said, “I think students should be trusted to turn work in on time, talk to teachers if they need help, and get to school on time. As far as socially, I don’t believe it is inappropriate to ask a student where he is going at night and with whom. However, if it’s done in an interrogatory manner, this can be problematic.”

Mrs. Jacobson also commented on the possible long term effects of helicopter parenting, saying, “I think as a child matures and goes off to college and their adult life, they are going to be too dependent on other people and not have confidence in themselves to be able to achieve things on their own, and that could present a lot of problems at the college level and certainly at their first jobs.”

Dr. Taylor added, “We try to encourage parents to be a tugboat instead of a helicopter parent, nudging them along in the right direction. If a parent is a helicopter parent, I suggest they just take a step back and land the helicopter.” v

*Asterisks indicate a name has been changed

The Pharcyde

School Life December 13, 2013

Page A13

Benjamin is seeing double: siblings discuss twin telepathy

By Alec Batts Staff Writer

Many students understand that the relationship between twins is special, but few understand just how unique their relationships really are among Benjamin twins.

Twin telepathy, the uncanny experiences that one twin feels because of the other, is a popular assumption about the interaction of twins which has a surprising degree of truth. Most prevalent among twins are the strange mental connections between the two siblings that allows for similar thought processes.

Speaking about her experiences with twin telepathy, junior Julia Batts said, “I think Alec and I have a special connection. I always know that he is about to enter my room before he comes near my door.

Most mornings, we wear the same color shirt even though neither of us have seen the other or left our rooms yet.”

The Bafitis’ twins also spoke about similar experiences.

Junior Angelica Bafitis said, “We matched our clothes for an entire week and we didn’t even know it.” Junior Will Bafitis said, “Sometimes Angelica says she is thinking about a song, and I’ll be thinking about the same song.”

Junior Hailey MacGregor

Photo Courtesy of Angelica Bafitis

The Bafitis’ twins connection extends past that of any regular brother and sister.

also spoke about her mental connection with her twin. She said, “Kelsie and I have the same dream every year on June 25th about a shark at-

tack. We’ve been experiencing this since 8th grade.”

Another example of twin telepathy widely experienced by twins is the subtle feeling

of alarm one twin experiences when the other is in some sort of trouble. Although no twins at Benjamin claim to have experienced this type

of telepathy, a well known example of this occurred in the Houghton twins in 2009.

According to telegraph.co.uk, twins Gemma and Leanne Houghton have experienced this telepathic situation. Leanne had an epileptic fit and Gemma had the sudden feeling that her sister was in trouble. This feeling saved Leanne’s life and added to the evidence that twin telepathy really does exist.

According to recent studies, twin telepathy occurs in one out of every ten twins and one out of every five identical twins.

This unique ability of twins is not the only thing that makes them special. Angelica Bafitis outlined her relationship with her twin when she said, “We are often in similar situations so I have a lot to talk about with my brother, and I have someone to relate to. It’s like having a best friend 24/7, but just like any pair of best friends, we annoy each other a lot. Even though we fight sometimes, at the end of the day it really doesn’t matter because I know he will always have my back.”

Although all relationships between twins are different, Benjamin twins all acknowledge that the connection they share with their sibling is truly something special. v

Students and faculty share their holiday traditions

By Veronica Weiss Staff Writer

From having Mexicanthemed Christmas dinners to planting ‘reindeer feed’ around the lawn, personal holiday traditions are important to many Benjamin students and their families who shared with The Pharcyde their childhood stories of unique holiday practices.

Traveling to see faraway family members, for many students is an important custom. “Everyone in the family, including the people who live in China, England, Paraguay, and Italy, come to our house and celebrate with us. We have some Italian traditions like eating Panettone during Christmas and New Years,” sophomore Caterina Breuer said.

Whether they gather from halfway around the world or just down the street, students and their families have traditions relevant to the religious aspects of the holidays. “On Christmas Eve my family goes to church and we all wear the same color clothing. We sing also sing with my church’s choir,” junior Rachel Hagy said.

Teachers also admit to having their own holiday traditions. “We have different themes every year for Christmas. This year Christmas for my family is Mexicanthemed; we will be in sombreros and ponchos and mariachi music will be playing,” Science Teacher Mr. Steven

BEN GREENSPAN/ Executive Editor

Snug Harbor Estates is known for its Christmas decorations, which include ten-foot tall candy canes and giant inflated reindeer.

Blount said.

Also at times students and teachers will celebrate the holidays together. English Department Chair, Mr. Perry Feyk’s Advanced Placement Literature and Composition (AP Lit) class takes a trip to Feyk Farms to throw a festive holiday party.

“I think that one of the rewards of being in AP Lit would be to

have a Christmas party. It’s a fun way to say ‘all right, you’ve worked really hard and let’s relax together as well as just work together,’” Mr. Feyk said.

In addition to traditions, some students have their own quirky holiday memories from childhood. “One time my dad came home with this bottle of glitter and oatmeal and said it

was reindeer feed. He said if we sprinkle it around the yard then the reindeer would eat it. So we spent the entire day sprinkling this glitter around the yard because we wanted reindeers to come to the house,” sophomore Kate Sory said.

Every year, the holiday season brings families together to create memories and carry out

timeless traditions. Regardless of how they celebrate the holidays, Benjamin students and faculty alike cherish this special time with their loved ones. ”I always miss these traditions because it really brought us all together. My siblings and I needed this because we only saw each other once a year for Christmas,” Breuer said. v

Page A14

December 13, 2013

The Pharcyde

School Life

Junior launches Kickstarter campaign, releases debut album

By Juliette Mercadante Photography Editor

As the lights on the stage prepared to dim, all was quiet. It was at this point in time when the Muse-inspired singer relaxed and prepared to do the one thing she loves most: sing. On Dec. 7, junior Maria Maciejko awed the audience when she simultaneously performed and released her new album EP at City Place.

When Maciejko was 11-years old, she was interested in pursuing a career in music. “I have been eager to learn guitar and other instruments ever since I was young. Also, I want to perform in everything from musical theatre to rock bands. I’ve been striving to be an independent artist ever since I saw my first few concerts. The positive energy that the singers had was amazing to watch,” she said. “My lower school obsession was definitely the band Paramore.”

Ever since Maciejko moved to Florida in April, 2012, from her hometown in Warsaw, Poland, she has appreciated different genres that she says help her with new ideas for her songs. “I knew every word of every Paramore song before they were even famous,” she said. “But since I moved to Florida, I have a more sophisticated taste in music like Muse, Massive Attack, and Radiohead. From these artists, I am able to learn more about meaningful lyrics and rhythm and can then mold techniques together to shape my own style.”

Commenting on the positive outcomes of her move, Maciejko said, “I went to Jupiter Christian last year but changed to TBS this year because I loved the fact that it has great art facilities and everyone was really welcoming,” she said. “I felt like it was a bit less restricting in terms of developing your own person.”

KATHLEEN WALSH/ Staff Writer

Maria Maciejko released her debut album, “Lunatic”, on Dec. 7 at CityPlace.

As an aspiring artist, Maciejko described her future goals and what she wishes to accomplish.”I really want to further pursue my musical career and expand my singing and instrumental skills even more,” she said. “I want to learn everything that has to do with music.”

With the guidance from her current singing coach, Ms. Shelley Keelor from the School of Rock, Maciejko seemed to be able to discover what she calls, “everything that has to do with music.” She said, “I have had many coaches and all of them have taught me dif-

ferent and very valuable lessons about singing and musical instruments, but I really enjoy working with Shelley.”

Although Maciejko and her coach spend most of their practices composing alternative songs, she really likes other genres as well. “I really enjoy anything from hip-hop to electronic, to hard rock,” she said. “I enjoy listening to songs that have ‘soul’ to them and are emotional, but not necessarily sad.”

Maciejko has recently completed the Kickstarter campaign by reaching more than 100 percent of her goals.

Kickstarter is a website designed for new up and coming artists to gain recognition by crowd funding. “All of the projects on this site are pretty much independent and can be about anything.

People who are a part of the website give you money to enlarge your project, and in return you give them your product,” she said. “I got so many people contributing to my album that I received 205 percent of what I wanted,” she said. “This means a lot of people wanted my product. It was awesome, and it launched my debut EP ‘Lunatic’.”

Her desire to succeed in the musical business has guided her to try out for two celebrity-run, vocal shows, American Idol and The Voice. Maciejko said, “Even though I didn’t make it far enough to be on the show, I still learned a lot from the experience. It really helped me become a stronger and more focused artist, and I feel like the route I am on now is more stable and beneficial for me.”

As Maciejko explained, her auditions on both shows have enhanced her musical interests and have allowed her to become more confident with performing in front of a large group of people. “Like most performers, I get nervous before I am about to perform which is perfectly fine,” she said. “But performing in front of famous artists has really showed me that singing for many people isn’t the easiest task a musician has to go through, but now, for me, it is the most rewarding. I enjoy performing especially when the crowd is welcoming and loud.”

The energy created by Maciejko’s performances seems to have not only inspired her followers on Kickstarter, but also her younger sister. “She sees everything that I have done with music and wants to follow in my steps,” she concluded. “I’m really excited to see where this takes me.” v

Disney World’s Osborne Lights: a holiday spectacle

By Andy Weir

Managing Editor Many consider gazing at holiday lights to be a true holiday tradition, and the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights at Disney’s Hollywood Studios brings that tradition to a new level.

The display consists of an estimated 350 miles of multi-colored blinking lights synchronized to holiday music, various holiday-themed figurines, and 100 gallons of snow.

It originally began as a display at a house in Little Rock, Arkansas, when Jennings Osborne’s daughter Breezy asked her father, an affluent businessman, to put up some Christmas lights. Doing just that, he purchased about 1,000 Christmas lights at local stores like Walmart.

Each year, his display grew, eventually turning it into a three million-light display including a 70 foot Christmas tree of lights, two rotating carousels, and a revolving globe of lights.

These massive decorations not only led to a huge amount of light radiating from the house but also to major traffic jams, caused by eager spectators’ cars, in front of the Osborne’s house; both of which provoked many neighbors to complain.

At first, Osborne addressed these complains by purchasing two of his neighbors’ houses. Of course, the following year, he expanded his display to those houses. After neighbors filed additional lawsuits, Osborne attempted to bring the case to the Supreme Court, where Justice Clarence Thomas refused to hear

the case. Ultimately, the state court shut down the display permanently.

Left with all of these decorations, Osborne was forced to store them away in several sheds behind his house until he was approached by Walt Disney World.

Being a Disney fan himself, Osborne was more than willing to agree to send his lights to Florida. In fact, he did not want any money and instead requested one week accommodations at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa each year in addition to park tickets.

With terms reached, Osborne

brought his lights to Florida and helped Disney assemble them at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 1995.

Ten years after its debut, the Lights were expanded and relocated to the Streets of America section of Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Several musical sequences, where the lights literally “dance” to music, were also added. These additions necessitated that the Lights, which historically debut in early November, begin being assembled in early August.

The Lights were once again slightly updated with a special tribute section

to Osborne in 2011 following his death.

Despite his passing, many still flock to Orlando each year to see the display, including members of the Benjamin community.

“I was just in awe with my mouth agape when I saw them. Everything about it was absolutely amazing. All of the lights were in sync with the music; it was just beautiful...I was taking so many pictures,” teacher Mrs. Amanda Pierman said.

The lights run nightly through January 5 when the long process of dismantling them begins. v

Photo Courtesy of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts

The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights at Walt Disney World includes more than 350 miles of Christmas lights.

School Life

The Pharcyde

December 13, 2013

Page A15

The dynamics of friendship: how boys and girls differ

By Madeleine Dalton Staff Writer

Everyday, girls interact with boys and men interact with women, and it seems as if they speak the same language, but they do not.

From a very young age, girls learn to give each other compliments and talk about their feelings to create a closer relationship, whereas boys do not spend as much time analyzing situations or talking about how they feel.

Bill and Pam Farrel in their book, Men are like Waffles — Women are like Spaghetti, describe the different thought processes of men and women through analogies. “Men are like waffles,” the Farrels wrote, “Men process life in boxes… their thinking is divided into boxes that have room for one issue and one issue only.”

Scientists call this compartmentalizing.

According to the Farrels, girls’ minds are like spaghetti. Their thoughts connect, just like the pieces of pasta look connected, and therefore they can make connections faster.

For girls, talking is essential: sharing secrets, discussing emotions, and talking through problems are all part of the formula for a good relationship.

To test this theory, The Pharcyde staff did a series of experiments, asking boys and girls the same thing, but getting different responses. The question: “Can I have some of your food?” at lunch got an automatic “yes” from girls, but the response “no that’s disgusting” from boys.

KATHLEEN WALSH/ Staff Writer

An example of the differences between boy and girl friendships is the display of affection. Girls are open, while boys are reserved.

The girls’ response was not completely dependent on whether they actually wanted to share their food or not, it was also a question of whether or not they were friends. The boy’s automatic response was no because he did not seem to see the question as a matter of being friends or not. The boy seemed to see it as a matter of whether or not he wanted to share the food, an act which he found revolting.

When the thought of Secret Santa came up in a discussion, ev-

ery girl in the group said: “Oh my god! Yes, I would love to!” while boys just looked at the person and ignored the statement.

The thought of buying presents for each other to girls was seen as an opportunity to get to know the other person, and show them that they have friends that care. To boys, having to take time out of their day to buy something for their friend that may or may not actually be appreciated, just does not seem worth it.

Besides doing the experiment,

other interactions elaborate on this difference. For her friend’s birthday, freshman Hanna Jacobs said, “I will post a collage on Instagram at 12:00 in the morning, and if it’s during a school day, I will bring cake and decorate her locker.” Boys do not seem to do this at all.

The way a friend will react to the presents is also very different. If she got a present from a close friend, Jacobs explains that she would say, “Aw, you’re so sweet! I love it!”. The giving and

reaction both move the relationship forward. Boys are much less complex. If freshman Lucas Seger got a present from his friend for Christmas, he said he would say “thanks.”

When issues or problems come up, boys want to solve them in the most direct way possible.

They want to finish the box and move on to the next one, while girls are more focused on the process of solving the problem and the way it affects them and their relationships. v

Students reveal pressures of giving the perfect holiday gift

By Niki Hendi Staff Writer

Most people’s impression of Christmas is that it is the time to spend with family and friends, but when they start buying holiday presents for people, that illusion of peace and tranquility is often shattered.

“If it’s someone that I really know, I think there’s a lot of pressure because you’ve done so much with that person and spent so much time with them.”

CATERINA BREUER sophomore

Sophomore Shay Pradetto said, “I think there is a lot of pressure for gift-giving around the holidays because if you forget to get something for a friend [who] gets you a gift, it’s kind of bad. So then you have to pretend you forgot your gift at home and then get one that you didn’t originally have. Or maybe that’s just my friends and I; I really don’t know. I am so sorry if

Illustration by Annelise Hillmann

any of my friends read this, by the way.”

Usually the first instance of anxiety hits when one is trying to figure out the appropriate price range. The price of the present depends on how close one is with the person, but some people have more money to spend on a

present than others. Then the receiver has to worry with getting a present of equal value. That person might not have the same income as the giver and may struggle with having to buy an expensive present.

Pressure can also take another form. Sophomore Ca-

terina Breuer explained this by saying, “If it’s someone that I really know, I think there’s a lot of pressure because you’ve done so much with that person and spent so much time with them. If you give that person a gift that’s symbolic of your friendship, then it has to be pretty fan-

tastic because you don’t want to give someone that you’ve known for so long a really bad gift because then it seems like you didn’t put thought into it.”

She continued to say, “If it’s someone that you really don’t know that well, I feel that there’s not much pressure because you can just really give them anything general.”

Actually finding something to buy is problematic. It is always difficult to go into the store and be hit with the onslaught of choices. One could get clothes, perfume, and so many other options. It is hard to know what scent or clothing item they would like out of all of the possibilities.

Another problem is not knowing their size or exact taste.

Secret Santa is an activity that is supposed to be fun but tends to stress out people during the holidays. Senior Becca Grimpe said,“If you get somebody that you don’t know a lot about for Secret Santa, it’s hard to find something that they would like.

You don’t want everyone else to get a good gift except for your person.”

Putting the challenges of gift-giving in perspective, Breuer said, “I feel that if you have to give someone a gift, you should really give it to someone who is close to your heart and you know very well.” v

The Scene Tech

|

Trends

|

The Pharcyde COUNTDOWN:

25 days until the beginning of the second semester

The Arts

From faded to fabulous: tips and tricks to make the uniform less tragic

By Kathleen Walsh Staff Writer

The school’s uniform may seem to some like a fashion nightmare spawn from the depths of khaki hell and woven in the trenches of polo purgatory, but with the use of a few simple tips and tricks, students can turn the uniform’s paltry prep ensemble

into a statement of style.

The uniform, for better or for worse, is inarguably not one of the greatest style statements of the century. It fits like an old stretched out golf glove and is the least breathable fabric second only to Lady Gaga’s meat dress. The fabric, a cross

between polyester and grandma’s itchy bath robe, is easily frayed, while the colors fade out like a student dozing off in math class.

Unfortunately, to some, the uniform’s fabric can be as suffocating in creativity as it is for breathability. As a result, many students are left stupefied as to how to improve their uniform.

The simple answer lies in defining one’s style and finding pieces that can sneak unassumingly under the watchful, yet benevolent, radar that is Coach Ball.

While t h e r e may be a billion and one different styles from “preppy-nauticalgoing-to retire-on-our-yacht” to “hippie-boho-let’s-singkumbaya-around- a-bonfire,” that students may choose from, most students identify with the basic style categories on the fashion spectrum of sporty, preppy, boho-chic and urban edge.

Some students may iden-

tify with the edgier side of the fashion spectrum. This look can be achieved through leather necklaces, studded bracelets (not spiky of course), a trendy skullcap ring, or even a pair of black Doc Martens.

The army-styled lieutenant jacket is a popular item in the edgy- punk trend and fits securely in the borders of the student dress code. Urban Outfitters and Karmaloop are two stores that supply urban/punky wear in droves, as exemplified by the hip and pierced staff that will more than likely be ringing up a purchase.

Both stores are also great outlets for a second style of clothing, Bohochic.The Bohemian look is one that depends mainly on pastel and earthy colored scarves, jewelry and layered knit outerwear. The Bohemian style can also rock a pair of moccasins (try Minnetonka.com) or an embroidered vest. Each item can channel the inner hippy that exists in all of us. It may be useful to even grab some obscure psychedelic instrument, such as the Kalashnikov sitar (yes, it does exist,) to add to the hippie chic look.

However, bohemian hippies are few and far between in this private school setting.

It is far more likely that most students belong to the preppy sector of the fashion galaxy.

On planet preppy, a student can play up the already-estab-

menswear.

lished preppy uniform with a knitted cardigan, a pair of oxfords, and a string of pearls. Since no rule exists on the color or boldness of a student’s shoes, the potential to enhance the uniform through a unique pair of flats or oxfords can provide proper footing for an outfit (pun very much intended.)

Preps often like to rock the fleece/ nautical look. To make a true statement of preppiness, a student can add a well-tailored blazer and a funky patterned pair of tights to their wardrobe. Stores like Anthropologie, J. Crew, Vineyard Vines, Brooks Brothers, and H&M cater to the preppy-chic style. However, Hugo Boss, is also a great store for preppy

In fact, Hugo Boss also provides a variety of items for the sophisticated sporty look as well. To rock this athletic yet refined look, a closer fitted jersey jacket, neon-colored pair of trainers, or a larger metallic watch can give a mature and active aura. This style is comfortable and easily worn with the uniform, even for those who are dumbfounded by the words “treadmill” or “running” (myself included.)

Much like a hamster running on in its wheel, attempting to change the uniform into something it is not is like running on a treadmill and going nowhere. As the queen of all things chic, fabulous, and fashionable, Coco Chanel, once said “Don’t spend time beating on a wall, hoping to transform it into a door.” By embracing the uniform and then adding pieces, students can enhance their style instead of suffocating under the proverbial rug of khaki hell. v Photos and Graphics by Annelise Hillmann

December Blockbusters

Graphic by Annelise Hillmann

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Dec. 13 -- Bilbo Baggins, along with his dwarf companions and the great wizard Gandalf, continue their quest to reclaim Erebor from the dragonlord Smaug.

Saving Mr. Banks

Dec. 20 -- The story of how Walt Disney (played by Tom Hanks) convinced P.L. Travers (Emma Thompson) into letting him option the rights to Mary Poppins and turn it into the classic motion picture we all know today.

Anchorman 2

Dec. 18 -- Will Ferrell and his moustache return as Ron Burgundy, who reunites his former news team in order to move to New York and work at the first ever 24 hour news network

The Pharcyde

Because

The Scene December 13, 2013

I Said So

Columnist Paige Sode

Ask.fm: Sode says there are, in fact, stupid questions In my remarkable eighteen years of being a petite size human being, approximately one hundred things in society have the potential to set off a bomb in my brain. Buried among these hundreds of nonsensical things, along with Miley Cyrus’ hair and the lovely PDA here at Benjamin, lies the biggest one of all: stupid, irrational social media websites that have the power to transform young girls into monsters.

As I was happily scrolling through my Twitter feed the other day, (my thumbs working at the speed of light) I happened to come across a freshman girl’s tweet that specifically read, “Ask me anythinggggg (; ” followed by a link. At the time, I was not quite aware of what this particular website was, or

the sole purpose of it at all. But, as any other nosy, inquisitive teenager would do, I clicked on the link. And no, I was not mentally prepared to observe such a disturbing website, used primarily by attention-seeking girls.

Ask.fm is an anonymous question and answer platform website used generally by girls in their pre-teens. This site allows anyone to post anonymous comments and questions to a person’s profile, and is increasingly being used as a means to communicate sexual, abusive, and trashy content.

On this website, although someone can post a question anonymously, the answers, on the other hand, are in no way private, as the website does not have privacy settings.

Did you hear that, ladies?

Anything you post on this website, is visible for the world to see. Next time you answer the question, “Did you hook up with anyone last weekend and if so who?” on this website, just remember that at any time Coach Ball could potentially be learning a lot more about your character. If this happens, I guarantee your week with Coach Ball will sadly not live up to the hype of your crazy weekend.

Some of the questions answered on this site are disturbing, disrespectful, and highly inappropriate, especially for fourteen-year old freshman girls. At fourteen, I was more obsessed with beating Sami Pepper at Bubble Trouble (the computer game that made me sweat my freshmen year), rather than sharing my personal business with the whole world.

I loathe this site, and I could care less if teenage girls need a place where they can communicate online with each other, either under the guise of anonymity or not.

What I really do not comprehend is how you girls are not embarrassed with yourselves when answering these questions. Not to be disrespectful, but I know that never in my life would I ever answer the questions “What is the farthest you have gone?” and “How much do you smoke a day?”

How can someone possibly feel confident posting these questions to the world? Really, do you jump up with joy when answering these questions, or do you just not think before clicking submit? I would rather talk about my social life in front of my dog Tyler, who has one tooth, than have people from who knows where read all about me. We go to one of the top schools in Palm Beach County! I am convinced you all

Page A17

PAIGE SODE/ Columnist

A typical Ask.fm page has many provocative questions.

are smarter than this.

In all honesty, is there a particular person (AKA a boy) that encourages you girls to use this site? Is it that you want to seem more mature and likable for this certain boy, so he likes you back? We are practically adults in high school, and this site begs for immaturity. Do not try to manipulate an online persona to make life more glamorous or party filled. Really, it just makes you look desperate.

We should all recognize the discrepancy between who we are on social media and who we are in reality. It genuinely shocks me how one individual can be so innocent in person, but when you click on his or

her profile and see the disgusting posts, it’s as if no form of innocence ever existed.

The point here is not to criticize every freshmen girl who has an Ask.fm account, but to simply put in a warning that this site has no practical purpose. It is just immature and stupid. As I attempt to sound like my always correct parents, ask yourself if you truly need to use this website or if you simply want to use this website.

Seriously, if you guys are begging to release your personal information to the world this much, I would be more than happy to write a novel on your entire life. Except the only problem is, Ask. fm beat me to it. v

Students’ college choices influenced by YouTube party videos

By Ben Greenspan Executive Editor

According to ABC News, at around 11:30 p.m. on September 9th, approximately 3,000 University of Delaware students turned the small town of Newark into bedlam. Trash cans and road signs were destroyed, cars were tipped, and multiple reports of public urination were filed. All of this occurred because of one tweet from I’m Schmacked: “En route to Delaware.”

“I think the videos are so entertaining. It actually shows a lot about the schools that kids should see.”

SAMI PEPPER senior I’m Schmacked is a YouTube sensation that records wild and raucous parties at various colleges and universities. Many Benjamin students view these approximately five minute long clips, and some

students claim that the portrayal of a school’s social life in the videos influences their college choices, despite the strong warnings from the College Counseling Office.

Co-founded by 20-year-old Jeffrie Ray and 21-year-old Arya Toufanian, this YouTube channel posted its first video (featuring Temple University) two years ago and has been regularly garnering more than 500,000 views per video ever since, featuring colleges that many Benjamin students apply to, such as Florida State University, the University of Miami, and the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

The term “schmacked” is slang for being heavily intoxicated, and has been popularized by the I’m Schmacked “movies”, as the channel refers to its college videos. A typical video will include packed concerts and students playing beer pong and other drinking games, as well as illegal drug use. Shots of the campus, the college town, and sporting events are often sprinkled in between.

Senior Sami Pepper has been watching the videos

since her sophomore year. “I think the videos are so entertaining. It actually shows a lot about the schools that kids should see,” she said. Pepper added that almost all of the colleges she is applying to have been featured by I’m Schmacked.

Another senior, Shane Searson, says that the videos have influenced his college decisions. “The videos give me a way to see the school as a whole without visiting.

They do not solely have partying moments; the filmmakers show important campus locations, sporting events, and local hangouts,” he said.

“I have decided that I did not want to go to a school after seeing some videos. On the other hand, I have seen videos where the campuses impressed me and lured me towards the university.”

While students may find the videos to be valuable, College Counselor Mr. Jeffrey Wong warned about relying too heavily upon them. “Any video like that is not going to be totally representative of the school, especially if you think of why videos like that are

made,” he said. “They’re not made to educate you about a school; they’re not made to teach you anything; they’re made to get views, so they’re going to really sensationalize anything they show you.”

“I mean, these videos are clearly for the purposes of entertainment, and I don’t think they should be used in any way for guiding you towards a college decision.”

MR. JEFFREY WONG College Counselor He continued, “I’d also like to say that it’s college.

Just about any college you go to, you’re going to be able to find parties; you’re going to be able to find a fun time. I mean, these videos are clearly for the purposes of entertainment, and I don’t think they should be used in any way for guiding you towards a college decision.”

When asked if she thinks it is appropriate for students to be influenced by I’m Schmacked videos, senior Amanda Stevens said, “In some ways yes, and in some ways no. Yes, because it is what happens at college; you choose the party life, study life, or a good mixture of both. No, because it does contain illegal substances and underage drinking.” Stevens did add that she was influenced by the videos and that she thinks they gave her “a feel for the type of people and the atmosphere of college.”

Mr. Wong added, “Look, I do think that social life is a big part of college. If you want to play intramural sports in college and you go to a college that doesn’t have them, it’s not the right fit for you. If you want to play music and the college you go to doesn’t have a music program, it’s not the right fit for you. If you want a social scene, you should go to a school that has that. But these videos only show you a small part of the whole college experience and cannot provide a really representative picture of what the school is like.” v

{P}Sports

COUNTDOWN:

The Pharcyde

12 days until Christmas

Keeping their eyes on the prize: sports commits stay motivated

By Niki Hendi

grades have to be higher than ever before.”

To other students who have not committed, this behavior is surprising because most people feel like they would slack off if committed to a college. Sophomore Bella Ross said, “If a college told me I had to get certain grades to stay with that commitment, then I would only get those grades.

If they told me I needed a B average, I would only get a B average. I wouldn’t try for A’s. I would be way less motivated.”

Staff Writer

Although senioritis is prevalent among students once they have been accepted to college, for those who have committed for sports this year, it appears to be different.

The sports commits have made it a priority to stay on top of their grades. Senior basketball player and Columbia University commit Riley Burke said, “I’ve always been driven to do my best, and I feel like just because I’ve committed, doesn’t mean that I have the opportunity to slack off.”

Senior lacrosse player and Yale University commit Jerry O’Connor also said that his grades have gone up since he committed last October. “People think that my grades are slipping, but I actually had my highest GPA ever last semester,” he said.

“It does make me feel a little more relaxed, but I wouldn’t say I’m less motivated.”

“One little hiccup could mess up my entire future with Northwestern and with it being such a strong academic school, my grades have to be

“People think that my grades are slipping, but I actually had my highest GPA ever last semester.

[Being committed] does make me feel a little more relaxed, but I wouldn’t say I’m less motivated.”

JERRY O’CONNOR senior

Once committed to their respective colleges, the student-athletes find themselves not only keeping up their grades, but also feeling even more motivated to

higher than ever before.”

HAYLEY CIKLIN senior

Photo Courtesy of Hayley Ciklin

Senior commit Hayley Ciklin has been working harder than ever before this year.

do well in school. “My grades are actually better this year than they were last year,” senior softball player and Stanford University commit Arden Pettit said.

Senior lacrosse player and Northwestern University commit Hayley Ciklin

seemed to echo Pettit’s thoughts by saying, “I’m probably working harder than I ever have because I have everything to lose. One little hiccup could mess up my entire future with Northwestern and with it being such a strong academic school, my

As to how she stays focused on academics, Ciklin said that she talks everyday with the girls in her recruiting class at Northwestern and they help each other to stay motivated. She said, “We push each other and we’re really excited. It makes you want to work harder and get good grades and play well. You just try to be the best you can be because we’re all working towards the same goal. We all want to be national champions when we get to Northwestern.” v

New boys soccer coach sets his sights on state championship

By Veronica Weiss Staff Writer

The varsity boys soccer team, currently in the midst of a successful season, is very pleased with their experienced new coach Mr. Victor Sanchez.

With his history of being in charge of a variety of soccer teams, Coach Sanchez has a stellar resume as a soccer coach. He played in high school and went on to play at Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Coach Sanchez has also been in charge of running youth developmental soccer programs and coaching soccer clubs as well. He has been coaching high school soccer teams for the past six years, something he describes as a rewarding experience.

His teams have won multiple awards and achievements, including a state championship, state finals runner-up, a league/conference championship and two league/conference finals.

“I was excited knowing that our coach had a very good understanding of the game. I was also excited to learn many new things.”

BAYLEN SPARKS junior Currently the boys varsity soccer team is in the midst of a winning season. Coach Sanchez said, “Considering this team lost twelve seniors, and

a couple key players, our team has done very well.”

Although they have only had this coach for only a few months, the players are ecstatic to have him. “Coach Sanchez is a great guy; he cares about his players on and off the field,” junior goalie Baylen Sparks said. Sparks believes that Sanchez can help the players grow as a team and guide the team towards their goals for the season, including a possible state championship.

“Our goal is to not only make the play-offs, but to be mentally prepared, hit our peak performance, and make a strong run at the Championship.”

MR. VICTOR SANCHEZ soccer coach

Upon learning of the previous success of the Coach Sanchez, Sparks added, “I was excited knowing that our coach had a very good understanding of the game. I was also excited to learn many new things.”

Coach Sanchez is proud of the teamwork and persistence that his team has shown. He believes the team’s hard work and perseverance will lead the boys’ varsity soccer team to their goals. “Our goal is to not only make the play-offs, but to be mentally prepared, hit our peak performance, and make a strong run at the Championship,” he said. v

BEN GREENSPAN/ Executive Editor

Coach Sanchez has coached soccer at both the collegiate and high school levels.

{P}Sports December 13, 2013

The Pharcyde

Page A19

Artificial turf installed on Theofilos Field

By Michael Mullery Sports Editor

The Athletic Department has recently made the decision to install artificial turf on Theofilos Field and , the game field used for football, as well as both boys and girls soccer and lacrosse.

Athletic Director Mr. Ryan Smith said, “The athletic department is installing the turf in late December over Christmas break. That’s our goal, and that will have the least impact on our teams. That way it’s done for the end of our soccer seasons but also ready to go for the playoffs for both our boys and girls soccer teams, and then obviously for the start of spring sports.”

One of the biggest factors in making the switch to artificial turf was the financial benefits. Mr. Smith explained, “Obviously there’s a large upfront cost, but the yearly maintenance costs are significantly less than a natural grass field because you don’t have to fertilize, seed, or replace areas around goals or creases that get worn down quickly. Around year six or seven, you start to see that the operating costs went down so significantly that you’re actually saving money over the long run. The average lifespan of turf is 10 to 12 years. So after those 10 to 12 years you’re going to have to replace it. The cost of replacing it is about 60 percent of the original cost when you initially put it in. In addition, we maintain the Nicklaus fields at Palm Beach State for our boy’s lacrosse teams, so we have operating costs there too. So, really we’ve been maintaining two facilities.”

Mr. Smith added, “Currently we don’t practice on our game field because of the wear and tear. Artificial turf can be used 365 days a year, as opposed to a natural grass field which needs time to rest and be fertilized. A turf field would allow a team to practice on Theofilos field for two hours and then host a game five minutes later.”

Senior George Donaldson thinks the installation of turf is a good move by the Athletic Department, “I really like the idea of having a turf field. It makes

ALEC BATTS/ Staff Writer

The Athletic Department hopes to have the new turf on Theofolis Field installed by the end of winter break.

sense in the long run to have a nice field that everyone can use at any time. I loved our old field but turf will be sick,” he said, “I’m just jealous that I couldn’t play a game on it.”

Junior Adrian Perez-Vargas disagreed with Donaldson, explaining “I don’t like the decision.

Why put in turf when you can have nice grass year round? Turf is a lot hotter and a much harder sur-

face.”

Junior Trevor Ross weighed both the pros and cons of the decision, “Playing on turf, especially in Florida, can get very hot, but it’s good because you don’t have to spend time or money cutting the grass, and teams can practice on the field without it getting torn up.” Ross said, “Overall I think it’ll be beneficial for Benjamin.” v

Comparing athletes from different generations: fair or foul?

Michael Mullery Sports Editor

Media outlets worldwide have been comparing athletes from different generations for years now, and although it can be entertaining to compare two elite athletes in one team sport from different eras and argue who is the greatest of all-time, it is ultimately a frivolous and unfair comparison.

Football, basketball, baseball, and hockey have added a plethora of rule changes and additions to the game, such as the shot clock and three point line in basketball, the addition of the offsides rule in hockey, and the creation of the two-point conversion in football, just to name a few. These changes in the games make accurate comparisons impossible.

Putting Michael Jordan on a pedestal and proclaiming that he is the greatest ever and that no one will ever be greater is beyond being narrow-minded; it is ignorant to. It is a matter of competitive drive that athletes will get better from decade to decade, because they strive to be better than the previous generation’s best and they end up breaking the mind set that something is impossible. The four minute mile was perceived as an impenetrable barrier until Roger Bannister ran a 3:59.4 at Iffley Road Track in 1954.

Kids idolize those they see on the cover of magazines and on ESPN every day. The media raises these athletes to god-like status, and as a result, children aspire to be them. Because of this glorification, millions of athletes strive to reach the pinnacle of the sporting world, and so they must get better out of necessity to compete with all the others around them. More people are drawn to playing competitively with the goal of professional status, and the immense amount of money that comes with doing so.

People with a unique natural gift such as height or incredible athleticism are encouraged to play sports

more and more now, and as a result, people who usually would not be exposed to a sport, end up developing fundamental skills. Pairing their unique gift and a level of developed fundamentals, these athletes end up being some of the best in the world. That is why sevenfooters are much more common in the NBA now compared to 50 years ago, with 10 being selected in the 2013 draft, and roughly 45 in the league today.

The landscape of all sports today are vastly different from those of 50 years ago. The NFL in the 1960’s certainly did not feature players with the rare combination of size and speed like Julius Peppers, a six foot 7, 287 pound defensive ends that runs a 4.68 second 40-yard dash.

“Putting Michael Jordan on a pedestal and proclaiming that he is the greatest ever and that no one will ever be greater is beyond narrow-minded.”

The NBA has recently seen a similar change in the size and athleticism of players, specifically at the point guard position. Point guards of previous generations did not have the incredible speed, explosiveness and scoring ability possessed by modern-day point guards such as Russell Westbrook and Derrick Rose.

An example that best chronicles the advanced athleticism in modern sports is the one hundred meter sprint. In 1912, David Lippincott clocked a 10.60 second sprint. Over the course of less than 100 years; an entire second was shaven off the world record, with Usain Bolt running a 9.58 in 2009.

In the media’s comparisons regarding the greatest individual athletes of all-time in team sports, the notion that championships are essentially the chief element that separates the greatest from the second greatest is ridiculous. A championship is not won by an individual, and it is not a fair indication of one’s greatness. Of course, to be the greatest, one must be successful and win, but saying that Robert Horry (a great player, but by no means the catalyst of his championship winning teams) with his seven championships is greater than Michael Jordan with his six,

or LeBron James with his two, is absurd.

Great athletes are successful in large part because of their intense passion, drive, and need to be the greatest.

So for an athlete who is widely considered the greatest of his or her generation in a respective sport, it is understandable that seeing a new, younger athlete burst onto the scene and begin to creep up on one’s legacy over the course of a decade or so could lead to many sleepless nights. That being said, retired athletes should stop trying to add fuel to the fire with their comments regarding current athletes, and be at peace with their lives after the game. Although Michael Jordan is widely considered the greatest basketball player to ever play the game, he is also one of the worst offenders of this aforementioned practice.

Jordan recently came out saying that if both players were in their primes, he could beat LeBron James in a game of one-on-one, but added that beating Kobe Bryant would be tough because he steals all his moves. Instead of focusing on his past, and exercising his worldrenowned trash-talking capabilities, Jordan, like other former athletes, should focus on his current endeavors in life. Instead of childishly self-promoting his own abilities, Jordan should spend more time improving the team he currently owns, the dismal Charlotte Bobcats.

Comparing athletes who compete in individual sports is more acceptable than team sports, as their sport does not have many noticeable changes over time. However, runners run as fast as they can, swimmers swim as fast as they can, and they are competing against time, and not much about that has changed since the sport’s inception. That is why it is relatively easy to say Michael Phelps is the best swimmer of alltime, while saying Michael Jordan is the best basketball player is a little bit more complicated.

At the end of the day, the landscape of team sports is ever-changing, and as a result, the comparison of elite athletes from generation to generation is an unfair one. Rapper J.Cole summed it up best when he wrote, “LeBron vs. Jordan, 20 years, wonder who they gone say was more important? Both changed the game, came through and a made a lane, who’s to say that who’s greater? All we know, they ain’t the same.” Instead of comparing and contrasting the greats to one another, we should simply appreciate their greatness and everything they have done for their sport. v

Page A20

December 13, 2013

The Pharcyde

{P}Sports

Two cross country stars run through the years together

By Kathleen Walsh Staff Writer

While many know that senior Austin Matese and junior Ashley Reback’s cross country careers have been extremely promising and successful, few know the dedication and devotion that the two have shared for their sport since childhood.

Often synonymous with each other, these two students have been running alongside one another forever. “We’ve been friends since Lower School. We used to do Race for the Cure together.

She always used to beat me, up until high school,” Matese said.

“Ashley and I have been friends since Lower School. We used to do Race for the Cure together.

She always used to beat me, up until high school.”

AUSTIN MATESE senior Matese and Reback claim that their inspiration for running started, in part, because of their families, who are very supportive and encouraging in the students’ running careers. “My dad’s been a runner his whole life along with my grandpa, aunts and uncles, so when I was younger I would always participate in races that my dad would bring me to and it is just something that I’ve always enjoyed and wanted to continue doing when I got to middle and high school,” Reback said.

Like Reback, Matese also attributed his interest in running to his father. “I first started running in middle school with my dad, just as something to do,” he said.

However, the fun activity that both runners shared with their enthusiastic families turned into a competitive career and a series of successful wins. In fact, both recently qualified for states, Matese placing 32nd and Reback, unfortunately having to forfeit because of an injury.

“Ashley’s career can be characterized as one of perseverance. Her entire career she has dealt with fairly significant injuries; she has persevered through those injuries resulting in a very successful athletic career,” Athletic Director Mr. Ryan Smith said.

Despite the injury, Reback continues to stay positive. “I just want to do the best I can over the next year and a half so that I will be able to run in college too,” she said.

While recovering from her injury during sophomore year, Reback devoted her time to swimming for the varsity swimming team in order to keep up her stamina, as well as stay in shape. Her hard work culminated in her most recent first-place win at district competition. Although she enjoys swimming, Reback has stated that her first love is, and will always be, cross country.

Like Reback, who trains year round for her cross country season and practices nearly six days a week, Matese also has a strict regiment of practice that continues even after the school year ends.

“Austin’s hard work and determination this past summer paid off. I would often see Austin running in Jupiter this past summer when it was 95+ degrees. This commitment and dedication also led to his success,” Mr. Smith said.

Photo Courtesy of Ashley Reback

Reback and Matese have been running together for as long as they can remember.

Reback and Matese’s dedication to running was most recently recognized when both received the MVP award for their outstanding performance in cross country during the Fall Varsity Sports

Awards.

While both students have achieved many awards in the myriad of races and marathons in which both have participated, both state that they will continue to work hard

with the help of their track coaches Mrs. Franci Jefferson (Austin Matese) and Mr. Bob Hohnadel (Ashley Reback) in order to reach their ultimate goal of competing at the collegiate level. v

Senior golfer commits to play at Bucknell University

By Ashlyn Sendler Geodes Editor

Senior JB Thompson has recently reached his lifelong goal of committing to play Division I golf, at the University of Bucknell.

Thompson committed only a couple weeks ago and plans on signing before Christmas break. “Ever since I started playing golf at age five, I wanted to play Division I for a competitive school. I have sacrificed a lot in trying to make the goal a reality so I’m happy it was all worth it,” Thompson said.

After the long and stressful process of choosing the right college, Thompson is relieved to finally have selected the school he feels will most benefit him. He said, “I chose Bucknell over the other schools because of their facilities. They have their own course, range, and indoor

hitting areas within walking distance from the freshmen dorms so that really interested me. Also, I really liked everyone on the team which is important on an eight member golf team.”

Thompson also added that Bucknell’s team has a range of students from all over the country who are all very good. He feels he will fit in perfectly with the team since along with their focus of school and golf, they also do not forget to have a good time.

Being from Florida, Thompson feels he has potential to bring a different style of golf to the team. “Northeast and Southeast golf are really different so I think they can help me out with adapting to their style while I can help them with the way I play as well,” he said.

Excited about joining a new team, Thompson has

high hopes for next year. “My expectations are to help the team win Patriot league, then advance to NCAA’s which I believe is a very realistic goal.”

Thompson is relieved, as well as pleased, to be finished with the stressful college application process, He concluded, “There’s no better feeling than not having to do a bunch of applications or worry about getting accepted into schools or not. I now know where I will be next year and now it’s time to relax and have fun.” v

Photo Courtesy of Moya Photography

JB Thompson.