the
PHARCYDE pharblog.org
THE BENJAMIN UPPER SCHOOL NEWSPAPER
4875 Grandiflora Road, Palm Beach Gardens, FL, 33418
What’s Inside
news Staff writer talks to Mrs. Nancy Benjamin for a Q&A - pg. 2
opinions Seniors not enthusiastic at assembly anymore- pg. 6
spotlight Big Brother has emerged, the government and others are tracking your every move- pp. 10-11
school life Two members of The Pharcyde relive their first experience with hot yoga - pg. 13
the scene Senior cooks her way to the top - pg. 16
{p}sports The culture of bowling- pg. 18 New Commits timeline- pg. 20
News: 1-5 Opinions: 6-8 Photo Study: 9 Spotlight: 10-11 School Life: 12-15 The Scene: 16-17 Sports: 18-20 Something to think about:
“
Behind almost every great man there stands either a good parent or a good teacher. -Gilbert Highet
”
October 4, 2013
Issue 2
Volume 34
Alum Doane finally on road to recovery
ACT test goes online in 2014
By Ashlyn Sendler
As of late 2015, students will find that they have several options when taking the ACT. Traditionally, the ACT, a standardized test that colleges use to determine a student’s academic standing on the national level, has been a paper and pencil test, but an option will soon be available for students to take it electronically, an alternative that both students and teachers find controversial. Even though the testing company will encourage the online test, students will still be able to take the classic paper exam if they choose. However, the testing company’s ultimate goal is to remove the paper exam completely. ACT Inc. explains that the purposes for changing the test’s format is to eliminate the problem of losing test forms and to provide a smoother scoring process. According to the New York Times, the corporation also plans to make the test more interactive. The electronic version will contain questions that allow the student to do an experiment to solve a problem. In the past, the traditional ACT simply tested factual knowledge. It has evolved into a more content-based test
By Alec Batts Staff Writer
Geodes Editor
Randell Doane class of 2013, who was diagnosed a little over a year ago with Aplastic anemia, a disease where the bone marrow and its surrounding blood stem cells are damaged, has recently announced that he is now 99% chemo free and has been removed from the bone marrow transplant list. “What’s surprising is when I was walking across the stage at graduation I had in my mind that the doctor had told me there was a 50 percent chance of needing a bone marrow transplant. Later when I went up to Milwaukee, he told me it was more like a 100 percent chance of needing the transplant unless a miracle were to happen. He gave me two choices. One choice was to solely stop taking my meds soon or to wait a year and then to do it. Originally my plan was to wait a year, but I decided it was too long to wait and I wanted to do it now. So a couple months ago I started weaning off the meds and expected my counts and everything to go down but they’ve actually been going up. The doctors are all confused, but it’s great,” Doane said. Doane is living back at home now and claims that things are finally getting back to normal. He said, “My reaction has been gradual. Every week I get
JULIETTE MERCADANTE/ Photography Editor Doane receives third place Scholastic Award for first person narrative.
checked, but I’m slowly coming to the realization that I’m not going to have to go through another whole year of chemo. Technically there still is a small chance that I might have to if my counts from the past few weeks have just been lucky, but I think it’s more than that.” As for school, he is currently enrolled and taking classes at Florida Atlantic University. “But next year I will be going to Cornell. I was actually considering going next semester but I’m go-
ing to wait till next year so I don’t have to miss freshman orientation and the whole freshman experience,” he said. Besides that, his life has been just like the average teenager. He spends his free time doing work for his courses, working on his art, playing the bass guitar, and taking his new boat, with an awesome sound system, out on the water. “I am still with my girlfriend (referring to the girl he met and Milwaukee and brought See Doane page 4
See ACT page 4
College fair returns to Benjamin for annual event By Fiona Schor Staff Writter
Students will have the opportunity to learn about 161 colleges that will be visiting the Upper School for the annual college fair on October 8. The fair will be held in the Healey Athletics Center, from 7 to 8:30. Some colleges that will be attending the fair are University of Miami, University of Florida, University of Virginia, Princeton University , and Wake Forest University. The full list of 161 colleges is posted on pharblog.com. College counselor Mr. Jef-
frey Wong said that students should dress as a “polished version of themselves:” not too formal, but dressed ready to meet admissions officers from these colleges. He thinks students can do a few things to make a good impression. They should have a firm handshake, make good eye contact, and ask questions. He cautioned, however, not to ask questions that are easily answered by looking at a brochure. Students are also looking forward to the upcoming event. “I’m so excited to go to the college fair and meet
all the reps from the colleges,” senior Jac Phillips said. “I think it’s really important that you build a relationship with them so that they take how you interact with other people into account instead of just what they see on paper.” Mr. Wong had a few last minute suggestions for the fair. Students should not chew gum, or have their phones on. They should not be impolite to their parents, because even if they do not realize it, students are being watched. Finally he said, “Do say thank you, and do come with an open mind.“ v
For a complete list of colleges attending, scan the QR code above and connect with pharblog.org
JULIETTE MERCADANTE/ Photography Editor
News
The Pharcyde Check out the latest news @ pharblog.org
Senior English electives receive positive reviews By Veronica Weiss
The switch from yearlong senior English courses to semester electives has received almost universal positive acclaim from students and faculty alike. English teachers introduced the new semester-long electives to energize the students’ and teachers’ interest in their classes. Commenting on the reason for the change, Mr. Feyk felt that seniors often become bored with their classes during senior year, sometimes finding Senior English a fourth year of the same pattern, resulting in a lack of effort - a common example of senioritis. Students going into their senior year are now able to pick an English class revolving around a subject they find interesting. In addition, allowing the English Department faculty to choose a subject and focus which particularly interests them ramps up the interest and passion of the class. And since the goal of the English curriculum is to read literature critically, it matters not if the skill is learned through poetry, modern fiction, literature of New York City, or any other genre, for that matter. By the time Benjamin students are seniors, they have experienced all the genres, so what better time to learn vital skills than in an area of particular interest? This, of course, is what happens in college. Many students seem excited at the prospect of these new electives, which Mr. Feyk also feels offers a more diverse opportunity to teach analytical and writing skills. Such electives include Mrs. Ditaranto’s Reading in the Reel World class and Mr. Behan’s Contemporary Fiction and Popular Culture class, two courses which incorporate academic materials other than solely traditional books. Students are particularly fond of the switch to different
mediums. “What high school student wouldn’t enjoy a class that spends time analyzing rap lyrics?” senior Lila Remez said. In order to participate in classes they find more enjoyable, some senior students would rather take a semester long English elective than an AP English class. The varying topics of the electives allow students to enjoy their classes more.“When it’s something you choose, as opposed to something you have to do, it opens up the door to putting in a little more effort,” said Mr. Feyk, head of the English department. Others students chose to take the electives over the AP classes offered because of how rigorous the AP work can be during senior year. “I was worried that AP Lit could be redundant and that the work for the class would consume too much of my time, especially with the rest of my course load,” said Remez. Hearing this comment, Mr. Feyk took strenuous exception to Remez’s remark even as he continues to be a strong proponent of the electives. Despite the success for the majority of students, some seniors have conflicting opinions regarding the new curriculum. “The disadvantage is you have to change teachers so a new teacher has to get used to your style and you also only get a few months with that teacher,” senior Kyle Mayans said. Other students have shown interest in having an honors senior English elective. An honors elective course has not been currently planned, but Mr. Feyk has not ruled out the possibility. Next year, Mr. Feyk plans to create even more electives to offer to students. “One of my thoughts for next year is that I want to do a course on the art of war,” he said. “We have also talked about a science fiction course as well.” v
Some students find the summer class a convenient alternative when it conflicts with their schedules. The new requirement conflicted with sophomore, Margot Hirsch’s schedule so she took the summer course. She thinks that it should be a requirement because students can relate to it and learn about their bodies. Other students do not share the same view as Hirsch, sophomore Shay Pradetto said, “I think it’s actually a good class but I don’t think it should be a requirement. I think human systems is important, but I think it should be optional and not a requirement because you already get a lot of that in regular biology.” As to why it became a requirement, Science Depart-
ment Chair Dr. Darryl Martino said, “In most public and private high schools, health is a graduation requirement and so we felt that to keep pace with other schools, we wanted to make sure that health was promoted to a level that we have all of our students taking it. So to do that, we needed to make it a graduation requirement.” Dr. Martino wanted the class to be more robust than just the regular health course so the anatomy and physiology component was added, combining two courses into one. He said, “And so now we’re not only on par with other public and private schools in the state, but we’ve moved above that in terms of the content and the rigor of the course.” v
Staff Writter
JULIETTE MERCADANTE/ Photography Editor New security checks guests and students that drive onto campus during the school day for authorization.
New security sparks interest By Fiona Schor Staff Writter
The new security changes at the Upper School have sparked a variety of opinions throughout the community. After the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary, the school decided to take action. Administrators hired a company to install a six-foot, metal fence, with plexiglass shields on the south side of the campus, which used to be open. In addition to the fencing, the school has increased its protection by having security guards watch the points of entrance throughout the day. Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Frank Cavaliero commented on these changes saying, “Certainly some degree of inconvenience will be associated with the check in and check out procedures, but this is a minor issue compared to increasing the safety and security of our students, faculty, staff, parents and ap-
proved visitors.” According to the Upper School Facilities Supervisor, Mr. James Adle, Benjamin was one of the only schools in the surrounding area that was not entirely fenced in. Head of Upper School Mr. Latta Baucom explained the reason for the fences and security when he said, “Attentiveness to who enters and leaves our campus is a critical component of our security plan. The security personnel that we employ are well trained and capable of providing a high level of visibility and vigilance.” Even with all the current security changes, the school is planning to continue increasing security. “We will continue to monitor the security needs of our school and make any adjustments that we deem important,” Mr. Baucom said. “The front door to the administration building will be improved to function as a buzzer door with controlled access. There will also
be a video camera installed at the entrance to monitor all visitors to the campus.” Not everyone finds the advanced new changes necessary. Senior Morgan Kaplan said ,“I never felt unsafe before the fences, so in my opinion, the fences were not necessary. I think the fences merely serve as a deterrent.” However, Mrs. Krista Gage thinks the fenses are a good addition to the Upper School. Current events have enhanced this opinion as well. She said, “I think it is a good idea, it is well intentioned, especially in light of current events.” “While no fence, or for that matter other security precautions, provide absolute security; I, along with Mr. Goldberg and the Security Committee were supporters of the fences,” Mr. Cavaliero said. “It has been said that fences, like locks, are to keep out honest people. To that end, a determined potential intruder certainly could gain access if they wanted to.” v
Human Systems Biology requirement a plus By Niki Hendi Staff Writer
Since the human systems biology became a requirement for the class of 2016 and onward, most students think that it is a good course, but that it should be optional rather than required. Science teacher Mrs. Amanda Pierman said, “The thought process behind the course is to enable students to leave here with an understanding of their body. They learn to appreciate how it works, how all the systems interact, and how to make informed decisions about themselves to maintain a healthy lifestyle.” Although the class’s original intention was positive, it has created dilemmas for
students with full schedules. Sophomore Chris Chapin said, “It could be problematic for me. I haven’t taken it yet and I’m not quite sure if I have room in my schedule to take it. It will take up one of my electives. I might have to take it over the summer in order to take the other classes that I want to take.” However, some are not as concered with the schedule placement but rather the course itself. Junior Carly Kennerly said, “No, I do not think it should be a requirement because some people would not be able to handle the dissections. They are kind of disgusting and no I do not think it conflicts with scheduling, but you should be able to choose if you want to take it or not.”
Graphic by Annelise Hillmann
The Pharcyde
News
October 4, 2013
The traditions of Benjamin from the founder herself
v Staff writer Kathleen Walsh talked with Mrs. Nancy Benjamin about Benjamin
It is hard to believe that a school that started over fifty years ago as a tiny wood framed schoolhouse would grow to become one of the most acclaimed private academies in the state. Like all great success stories, Benjamin began with a big dream and an even bigger amount of hope and love- a dream to create a school where students would be cared for, where they would be taught what they not only needed to know, but also wanted to know, a place that nurtured the minds and the characters of its students above all else. This dream began in 1963 with a couple from Minnesota who had a love for teaching and education. However, time and success has made Benjamin much bigger than the small school it started out as and so the question arose “Has Benjamin kept true to its original purpose regardless of its growth?” No one person has been with Benjamin longer or has seen its vast changes more clearly than the cofounder herself, Mrs. Nancy Benjamin, who took the time to sit down for an interview and go back over fifty years to rediscover the roots of Benjamin’s creation.
Q: If you could say one thing to Mr.
Benjamin now, what would it be?
A:
Look at what we have wrought. Look at what has become of that little idea all those years ago. Mr. Benjamin had these great ideas. Nothing ever stayed static with him. There was always some way to improve or to change things or to get more young people involved. He was a tremendous schoolman, that’s all I could say. Marshall always did what was right for the child; he never paid attention to what the parents wanted and peripherally to what the teachers said. He always did what was right for the young person, and that’s a gift. People think of themselves, people think of their employers, people think of outside reasons to do things, but he always did what was right for the young person, and we miss him.
Q: Many changes to the security of the school have taken place in recent months. Was there ever a time when you thought things like this would be necessary? A: Well, I don’t think we thought that
far ahead. I don’t think Mr. Benjamin could have handled that. I don’t know what he would think. But, he never suspected people of doing the wrong thing. He thought everybody would do the right thing.
Q: How did the Benjamin colors of
ange and blue come to be?
or-
A: We all liked blue and white a lot,
for the colors of the school. Those were the colors that Mr. Benjamin always talked about. Now, we always had a football team in the early days in the sixth grade. So, we were looking for some uniforms and the local high school had uniforms that they’d grown out of and so we bought them. Those uniforms just happened to be orange and blue.
Q: What makes Benjamin so welcoming? A: To be welcoming was a very big thing with my Husband. I think generally that most of the young people will say it is a friendly school. You can’t just come to Benjamin and mess around though. You have to work. Q: What is a funny story about Mr. Benjamin? A: When the school was first started, we had Jehovahs Witnesses at the school. Now, Mr. Benjamin would have a day called cupcake day, but those children weren’t allowed to attend because of their religion, so he would put the cupcakes in the refrigerator and wait until the children came back to give them to them. He had a tremendous sense of humor.
Q: What is your favorite place on campus?
A:
Years and years ago it was the fishpond where we started, but I do love that big tree on the way up to the music center on the lower campus. I hope nothing ever happens to it. You know Mr. Benjamin never took a tree out; he made a path around it.
Q: Do you have any last things you would like to instill in students that would be pertinent to every generation?
A: Well, nothing except the golden rule. It is a matter of respect for everyone around you, your peers, the people who teach you, the people who are not as fortunate as you, it’s respect for others. That is why there are the character traits on the stairway. You have to teach people to do the right thing, to show them by principle and by example. That is why you pick good teachers and good programs. Some schools don’t have that, the fierceness we have at the Benjamin school. It is a fierceness we try to have at the Benjamin school to keep people in line.
New Update to iPhone has mixed reviews By Robert Charles Staff Writer
Glitches By using the phone’s enhanced multitasking feature, an unwanted user can bypass the lock screen and gain access to all the phone’s videos and photos and share them via social media. By fiddling with the phone’s emergency call feature, an unwanted user can place a call to anyone without having to unlock the iPhone. While running some apps, particularly older ones, and the iTunes Store, some users have reported them suddenly shutting down. Occasionally, apps, text, and buttons have been overlapping, missing, freezing, or covering each other. Many have reported shorter battery lives after updating to iOS 7.
Fixes
A user can disable the control center by going into “Settings,” selecting “Control Center,” and disabling “Access on Lock Center.” Updating to the latest version of iOS 7 should correct the problem. Make sure the app is up to date in the App Store under “Updates,” and upgrade to the latest version of iOS 7. Simply restart the app or entire phone and any interface-related problems should be corrected. If the problem persists on a particular app, make sure the app is up to date. Apple is still working on a solution for this, so it is best to continue to check for more iOS 7 updates. In the meantime, try turning brightness down, turning off Wi-Fi when it is not in use, and closing any apps that are open in multitasking.
With the recent release of the new iOS 7 update students all over the school rushed to download the new update, but while many students are happy with the update, others are not. Many students like the new retextures of the phone. Freshman Austin Michaels said, “It’s like having a new phone altogether, and it’s a cool new look in comparison to the previous iOS softwares.” Other students have found the multitasking to be a helpful addition to the phone. Freshman Zara Seabridge said, “I really like the new multitasking and how you can go through the apps that are running and swipe up to close them.” Also commenting on the multitasking features, junior Spencer Schar said, “I like to listen to music a lot so when you press the home button, now it automatically comes up with play fast forward and rewind options and other information you need when listening to music… Also I really like the tool center; it’s an easy access to a flashlight, compass, camera, and calculator. I just like it overall, and think it is a better upgrade.” While some students have
enjoyed the new update, others are wary of downloading it so far. Senior Morgan Burkett said, “I am not downloading the iOS 7 update yet because with every new software update there is always going to be glitches and everything goes wrong, so you have to wait a few months before you download it so Apple can work out all the bug fixes.” Students, also, do not want to download iOS 7 for other reasons. “Because I haven’t updated since iOS 5 I still have google maps, and the people at the Apple store told me that if I update, then I will lose google maps, which is better than Apple maps My brother has Apple maps, and when he uses it, it takes him to the wrong place half the time,” freshman Collin Stewart said. Some other students are not as fond of iOS 7, senior Ray Anderson said, “I do not like it because it looks too animated for me. I like the simplicity of the older softwares. It was much more organised and neat, but this one’s too animated or almost childish looking .... I’ve always liked the easiness and simplicity of the older iPhone.” Regardless of whether or not students like the update, new versions are inevitable. At press time, Apple had already launched iOS 7.0.2. v
Page 3
Upcoming Events September 20November 2 Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights
October 5 SAT Test Homecoming Dance America’s Got Talent at Kravis Center
October 8 College Fair
October 10-27 Fright Nights at South Florida Fairgrounds
Scan code to buy your tickets
October 11 BPA Family NIght
October 16 Backdoor Cafe PLAN/PSAT Testing Grade Service Projects
October 26 Mock ACT for Juniors Luke Bryan at Cruzan Amphitheater
November 3 Timeflies at Revolution Live
November 16 Toby Mac at Cruzan Amphitheater
November 24 Macklemore and Ryan Lewis at American Airlines Arena Scan code to buy your tickets
Page 4
The Pharcyde
October 4, 2013 News
ACT online
Doane returns with good news
From Standardized Test page 1
From Alum Doane page 1
to prom). I’m actually going to visit her in a week, and as for her sister, she’s doing awesome. Her leg is cancer free and she’s been getting nothing but the best results,” he said. During his time in the hospital, he experienced many times where he thought he had hit rock bottom. He said, “Through my worst moments there were a few complications. One instance was I went into shock as soon as I went to the hospital because they gave me an injection with a “bad needle.” At the time I had no immune system so for a whole 24 hours my body was in shock. And just imagine, that was my first experience at the hospital. At that time I was thinking what’s the point. Just pull the plug, especially when my lung collapsed and I had a pneumothorax. I couldn’t breathe. I was suffocating for a couple days. All I could think was there is so much I haven’t seen yet and there is so much to still live for.” But through these rough times the support of his family, friends, girlfriend, and the school community gave him the motivation and inspiration to keep fighting. “Truthfully one of my biggest supports was the school. I had probably thousands of letters from everyone plastered all over my wall. These were people who were just thinking about me fifteen hundred miles away. I had teachers emailing me and telling me similar events or stories about their lives that I would have never known about. It was amazing that got such support from everyone from such a far distance,” Doane said. Doane couldn’t be happier to be back to almost his normal life. He is thankful for everyone’s constant support and comfort throughout his experience. He claimed if he could say one thing to everyone about his experience it would be, “Going through all this I realized that life is unexpected. These weird things can happen to you when you least expect it. That is why it’s important to take risks and go out and live your life because these freak things do happen even when they’re least expected,” he said. v
CASEY PEARCE/ Editor-in-Chief
BTV Live Streaming a Success By Madeleine Dalton Staff Writer
For the teammate who goes out of town or gets sick and cannot attend the game, Benjamin has come up with a solution: live streaming. Live streaming online makes watching the football or volleyball game easy to watch on-the-go. Senior Ivy Missen thinks that it is “great to have the videos online for sports recruiters to watch, or if parents could watch their child play, but can’t make it to the game.” During the three most recent live streaming football and volleyball events, the videos have accumulated over one thousand views. The record so far for the most viewers that have watched one video at one time is 500. Senior McKenna Johnston said, “I think the streaming is a great idea because it allows everyone’s families to see them play. Especially if they have never seen them play before. It also allows alumni to keep
tabs on Benjamin athletics.” “Soon,” says TV and Film teacher Mr. Ken Archer, “We will film basketball, soccer, and lacrosse games as well. Once we have the multi-camera capability, we will tackle baseball.” BTV N3WS Director and senior, Garrett Donaldson said, “I think that many people are utilizing the live streaming; even my 94- year-old grandfather watches religiously from Syracuse, New York.” Missen said, “I expect nothing less than the highest quality from our BTV news crew. I liked the sports score they had over the live video, and I liked the commercials they played during down time in the football game.” v
Scan QR Code to link to BTV live streaming
that encourages the student to think. Now the electronic examination will force the student to apply his or her knowledge of a concept. English teacher and ACT tutor, Dr. John Peruggia said that the examination is taking an approach similar to the change in AP exams, which switched from a content-based test to an application-based exam. Because of the change in style of the ACT, some people are looking forward to the test favoring reasoning over content. Dr. Peruggia said, “It’ll be turning more into a thinking test, which is what the SAT is, than a pure content test, which is more of what it is now.” Because of this more interactive approach, Dr. Peruggia also said, “Some people might find it more fun to take; other people might get really frustrated.” Now that the test’s style is changing, tutors are thinking of new ways to prepare the student. Dr. Peruggia said, “It’s going to be harder to prepare students for it because I don’t know how you prepare somebody for suddenly having to play around with little pictures on the screen.” Some students said that it was only a matter of time before the ACT moved to the computer. Junior Agne Numaviciute said, “I think it would be easier for them to distribute it because it’s not on paper.” Though Jon Erickson, the president of the education department of ACT Inc., says that the company is experienced with the computer-based testing, some students are having negative reactions. Senior Ivy Missen said, “Adding computers to the system is just another variable that’s going to complicate the process.” “The ACT is working just fine as it is, and trying to modernize the system is unnecessary and a waste of the company’s money,” she added. “They should focus on improving the quality of the existing test instead of manipulating the delivery of the test.” v
Benjamin students experience locker damage with rain By Max Chesnes
5 Ways to Keep your Locker Safe from the Rain
Staff Writer
Since the beginning of the school year, several student lockers have been damaged by the rain entering through the vents, which destroyed expensive textbooks and school supplies. Sophomore Chris Raso is one of the unlucky students who has suffered this damage. “Every time there is a heavy rain, my locker gets a ton of water in it,” Raso said. “My locker is on the backside of Building Four, and water always seems to get in. There’s a gutter near my locker, and when it rains the gutter fills and often spills around all of our lockers.” “All of my books in my locker got destroyed. I threw out four English books because they are not even usable anymore,” he said. “That will probably be another fifty dollars for these ruined books.” After damage occurs to personal belongings, students are advised to seek administrative action. Raso, noticing his locker was soaked, was unsure about who to approach regarding the issue. “I really didn’t know where to
BEN GREENSPAN/ Photography Editor
go after it happened,” Raso said. “I guess I should’ve gone to Dean Ball, but I was caught off guard.” When asked about the problem, Dean of Students, Ms. Suzanne Ball assured that the issue was resolved. “The students that had water damage were moved to
another area,” she said. “It’s not much of an issue anymore.” Other students have reported to The Pharcyde that they too have had damage but not yet gone to Dean Ball, suggesting that more may need to be done to prevent future damage. v
1. Cover the locker vents from the inside with a plastic covering, such as a Ziploc bag, to prevent rain from entering. 2. Make a shelf and place all important items on the top shelf, so they will not be within reach of the rain. 3. On the shelf, position all books and supplies to where the most important items are on the bottom of the shelf, so that the valuable items are sheltered by those of less importance. 4. Keep a towel or cloth in your locker and keep valuable items covered when bad weather is prominent. 5. If a storm is near, remove all items of value to prevent them from being ruined.
The Pharcyde
News
October 4, 2013
Okeechobee run-off affects TBS By Jerrie James Copy Editor
This summer’s rainfall caused the water levels to rise in Lake Okeechobee and affected the area that many Benjamin students and faculty call home. According to www.sfwmd. gov, the South Florida Water Managment website, the water from Lake Okeechobee is full of nutrients from the agricultural runoff causing the water to have high levels of phosphorus and pesticides. These unnatural nutrients in the water create the toxic alga that has wreaked havoc on the St. Lucie Estuary, killing sea animals and decreasing the seagrass habitat. To maintain the water levels, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers releases excess water from Lake Okeechobee into the connecting rivers, the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie. On its website the South Florida Water Management states that the Corp tries to keep the water level between 12.5 and 15.5 feet in an effort to keep the Herbert Hoover Dike from breaching as it did during the hurricane in 1928. Although the Corps strives to release small amounts of water to the receiving waterways to minimize the impact, some
circumstances require larger releases. The continuous downpours cause the lake’s water level to rise, consequently forcing the Corps to release large amounts of the nutrient rich water into the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee Rivers. The devastation of the local ecosystems is an outcome of the nutrients in the lake water mixing with the water in the rivers that are not naturally equipped for those nutrients. This results in a bloom of toxic algae that decreases the marine life in these areas. Concerned about the outcomes of this algae bloom, senior Deanna Foriere said, “The toxic algae are killing dolphins and manatees. I am afraid that the toxic algae will spread to our beaches where many Benjamin students spend their weekends. I do not want to see our marine life destroyed.” Dolphins and manatees are not the only things affected by this, “The water quality has set back the work of restoring oyster beds in the St. Lucie at least five years. Oysters are vital to water quality as they filter a significant portion of the estuary daily. Over the last few years, considerable resources have gone into restoring oyster beds by add-
ing substrate for oyster growth. Those new oyster beds are now threatened by the decreased water quality,” Science Department Chair, Dr. Darryl Martino said. The lake naturally flows into the Everglades, but State Road 90, built in 1928, currently blocks the flow of Lake Okeechobee’s water into the Everglades. However, Governor Rick Scott has plans to restore this natural flow. Gov. Scott responded by creating a $90 million project that consists of a two and a half mile bridge, redirecting the water release flow. The bridge will run along the Tamiami Trail in Miami-Dade County and reduce the water pollution. The bridge allows the natural flow of the storm runoff from Lake Okeechobee to run south to the Everglades, instead of all the water being forced to flow down the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie River. Although this bridge will allow for some of the water to flow south, not all the excess water will be able to be released into the Everglades. “This problem is not one that will go away until Floridians address the larger issue of restoring the original flow of Okeechobee to the Everglades. This no doubt will be an issue for years to come,” Dr. Martino said. v
Page 5
JULIETTE MERCADANTE/ Photography Editor
Diagram depicts the natural flow of the Okeechobee runoff.
New clubs interest many students Dengue Fever affects FL cit-
izens and concerns doctors Twenty cases of illness in August By Annelise Hillmann Graphics Editor
Photo Courtesy of Danielle DeLange
Students marched into the gym to join a variety of clubs at the Benjamin annual club fair.
By Andy Weir
Special Projects Editor Now that Club Fair has passed, clubs have begun meeting and the school’s four newest clubs are well underway with their projects. This year, the Fashion and Design Club, Introductory Club of Engineering (ICE), Food Club, and Frisbee Club all hope to bring new elements to the school’s extracurricular program. The Fashion and Design Club, founded by sophomore Katie Walsh and sponsored by Ms. Sara Misselhorn, will discuss fashion careers, shopping for clothes, and how to dress. Additionally, the club will conduct clothing drives for local charities like Becca’s
Closet and Joanne’s Cottage. The club also plans on hosting a fashion show at the end of the year. “I personally love to make and design clothes. I love the fact that I can share something I love to do with others. Right now, I’m actually learning how to sew and I hope to share skills like that with club members,” Walsh said. Also new this year is the Introductory Club of Engineering (ICE), founded by junior Mason Manos and sponsored by Mr. Gregory Bickerman. The club focuses on teaching students basic concepts of engineering while applying them to real-life situations. “I created the club to introduce my fellow students to
different types of engineering that can be possible. I am certainly looking forward to the new year as we’ve got some great projects planned,” Manos said. Another new club is the Food Club, founded by senior Claire Crosby and sponsored by Mr. Simon Behan, aims at exposing students to different types of foods while also teaching them how to prepare these foods. The club kicked off its first year with a ‘grilled cheese showdown.’ “The club aims to have Benjaminions join to celebrate a culinary cornucopia of tasty delights,” Mr. Behan said. On top of those three clubs, the Frisbee Club, sponsored by Mr. Tom Bazar, is also in its inaugural year. v
In August, Florida health officials reported twenty cases of Dengue Fever, a mosquito-borne tropical illness. In Martin County; however, what seems like only a few local cases could actually be the traces of a larger pattern, which may be of concern to Benjamin students. Dengue Fever is rare in the United States, but in 2009 and 2010, officials reported 28 cases in Key West. While the potentially fatal disease usually appears in Asia and Africa, the fever seems to be on the move, popping up in Central America and the Caribbean. In July, Honduras declared a state of emergency when dengue fever rates hit an alltime high, infecting 13,828 people and killing 16. Even non-tropical countries, like Portugal and Russia, have experienced outbreaks in recent years. Because scientists have yet to concoct an effective vaccine for Dengue, the disease has caused many fatalities. These sudden cases in different zones of the world corroborate a new study by researchers at the University of Oxford in England. Their data suggests that Dengue Fever is actually three times more prevalent than previously reported. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates the number of infections between 50 and 100 million each year, but the new study puts the number near 390 million. With the strange leaps
in infections, some might say that Dengue Fever looks just like the West Nile Virus which hit the U.S. last year in August, and killed 286 people. Health practitioners attempt to explain these resurgences as caused by travel tropical regions of the world.
“Medical professionals also urge the public to use bug repellent to repel the bite of mosquitoes, which carry the disease within their blood” Medical professionals also urge the public to use bug repellent to repel the bite of mosquitoes, which carry the disease within their blood. With no vaccine available, infected persons can only attempt to treat their symptoms which may include sudden fever, severe headaches, pain behind the eyes, severe joint pain, nausea, and vomiting. Thus far, only one case of the disease has been reported in Palm Beach County. Blood banks have resumed collection of blood, reassuring the public that the worst of the infection has passed. However, Upper School Nurse, Mrs. Donaldson thinks that students should still be aware of the outbreak and exercise reasonable precaution. v
Opinions
Cheers
Jeers
New Teachers
Clocks and Air
The new teachers are making the Benjamin community a much better place.
The air conditioning and clock problems have stillnot been solved almost two moths into school.
Editorials
The opinion of The Pharcyde
Texting while driving illegal in the state of Florida v Although a law is in place, it is not strong enough to prevent danger
This week, Florida finally took action against texting while driving; however, this law in the opinion of The Pharcyde seems to be insignificant and inappropriate for the seriousness of the issue at hand. Texting while driving has been proven to be as dangerous as driving under the influence, yet up until October 1, 2013 it was still legal in the state of Florida. Many states have made this illegal, Florida being one of the few left that has not banned texting while driving completely. Florida law does not do enough to prevent people from this terrible action. The law states that a person cannot be pulled over solely for texting while driving. They need to be pulled over for a bigger offense first and then texting will be taken into consideration. Is texting not a big offense when it has caused approximately 1.3 million car crashes in 2011 according to safetyanddriving.com? It has quickly risen to an epidemic in our society. We are so absorbed in our phones and other technology that we do not think of the consequences that can occur while we look down to read that one sentence text for merely five seconds. The other part of the law says that if you are at a stoplight or in a traffic jam, then you are
Graphic Courtesy of madd.org
“We challenge the student body to listen to the law but take it to the next level.”
allowed to text. This is still not safe for drivers on the road. If you are going to be late somewhere, then call someone. This law does not outlaw calling or using Bluetooth. If a person uses a hands-free system, then the roads would be a lot safer. The problem with texting is that it seems so innocent. A person only needs to look down for two seconds to read a text or to type “lol,” but those few seconds can change a person’s life forever. We challenge the student body to listen to the law but take it to the next level. Go online to www.itcanwait.com and take the pledge to never text and drive again. If you still need convincing, read some of the stories they have on their website. A word of advice, do not expect them to be uplifting stories. They are stories of tragedy and loss. If we can get everyone in our school to take a pledge to never text and drive, then we can insure that students from Benjamin will never be the cause of an unwanted accident due to a simple text message. In the words of itcanwait.com, “No message is so urgent that it is worth diverting attention from the road and risking lives in the process. IT CAN WAIT.”
FHSAA is accurate in ruling of four-year play Riley Burke Staff Writer
Recently, the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) denied senior J.B. Thompson, who has played both golf and lacrosse at Benjamin, the opportunity to play his senior season because he repeated his freshman year. The logic behind this decision comes from FHSAA rule 9.5 Limit of Eligibility, which states that once students start their freshman year, they are only eligible to participate for four consecutive years. Some believe this ruling is inconsistent with another rule that allows middle schoolers to play in high school. Middle school students can play at the varsity level unless one of three conditions are met. First, when a Benjamin varsity squad does not have enough players, or second if a middle school team
Online at www.PharBlog.com
Founded in 1980 as The Spectator August March 20, 8, 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 Co-Editor-in-Chief: Editor-in-Chief: Casey LaurenPearce Bernick lauren.bernick13@thebenjaminschool.org casey.pearce14@thebenjaminschool.org Co-Editor-in-Chief: Executive Editor: Ben BenGreenspan Germano benjamin.greenspan15@thebenjaminschool.org ben.germano13@thebenjaminschool.org
does not exist (in sports like cross country and track), then middle school students are allowed to play at the varsity level. Athletic Director Ryan Smith explained the third case, saying, “There are kids in certain sports who are able physically, mentally, socially to compete at the varsity level. From Benjamin’s standpoint, if the kids are socially, physically, and mentally ready and the parents would like them to do that, and the coach feels like they can, then we do give them that opportunity. Now again, they have to be a starter or a major contributor on the varsity team.”
“In sports, whether or not the player is a middle schooler or even a high schooler, the better player deserves to play if the goal is to win.”
The middle school rule works, despite complaints among some people, because one of the benefits and advantages of going to a private school, like Benjamin, is that exceptional middle school athletes are allowed to participate in high school sports. Sports are based on competition; however, if a
Editorial Board
middle school athlete who has varsity level skills is stuck playing in middle school, that player’s presence takes away the competitive balance for both teams because he or she dominates. Such a situation makes it an unfair match-up. Furthermore, by exposing these middle school athletes to varsity competition earlier than normal, it essentially benefits the player’s preparation to play at a higher level, and the current and future success of the team and the athletic program overall. Some might argue that allowing middle schoolers to move up to varsity takes away playing time from current high school players. But sometimes life is like that. In sports, whether or not the player is a middle schooler or even a high schooler, the better player deserves to play if the goal is to win. Some view the allowance of middle schoolers to compete at the varsity level inconsistent with the rule restricting Thompson’s participation this year. The FHSAA rule makes sense because a fifth year of eligibility creates an unfair advantage by giving an extra year of experience to a potentially bigger, stronger, and faster athlete. On the contrary, by granting middle schoolers the chance to play varsity sports, they are not earning an extra year of eligibility; they are simply earning the chance to play at a higher level sooner.
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 Andy Weir SpecialSports ProjectsEditor 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.
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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.
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Staff Staff Artists 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.
Riley Mercadante, Burke, Ashlyn Sendler, Alec Batts, Chesnes, Juliette Ashlyn Sendler, PaigeMax Sode, Michael Niki Andy Hendi,Weir, Fiona Schor, Kathleen Walsh, Mullery, Caterina Breuer, Niki Hendi, Veronica Robert Charles, Dalton AnneliseWeiss, Hillmann, Bella Ross, Madeleine Kathleen Walsh
Nick Wettermann Photographer, Deanna Foriere Illustrator
Opinions
The Pharcyde
October 4, 2013
Page 7
Life’s Defining Moments
v How a second chance, and a Benjamin teacher willing to help, saved me Casey Pearce Editor-in-Chief
I’ve always believed in second chances and giving someone the benefit of the doubt. My family always functioned in this way and, maybe it was naive of me to assume this, but I thought everyone believed in this too. The idea of second chances sometimes presents itself without warning. I reasoned this in the beginning of my senior year. My family and teachers when I was growing up always considered me a strong math student, and I have to agree. It is one of those subjects that excites me, it is like putting the pieces of a puzzle together and seeing the completed picture at the end. This year I reached the Advanced Placement (AP) level of math and decided to challenge myself with AP Calculus BC. One of my brothers had taken it and said that I would be able to handle it. The first few weeks went by, and I thought I was doing fairly well although. I had not expected to do as well as the year before. Then it was time for the first test… I came out thinking, “Well, nothing I can do about it now!” and I pushed it to the back of my mind. Then I was in newspaper working on my origi-
nal opinion piece and saw an email come through with the dreaded note, “Please come see me,” from my math teacher. Putting it mildly, I had a panic attack. I went to see my teacher at lunch and received my test. A few of us had not done well, so we were all there together. I did the only thing I could think of; I sat there quietly, listening to the others talk to my teacher, while I tried to hold back my tears. Staring back at me was the first test I had ever truly failed. Yes, a 54%. A BIG FAT letter F. The others had quieted down, and my teacher turned to me and said, “You’ve been awfully quiet,” (shocking, I know!), and this of course brought on the inevitable tears that I had tried so hard to hide.
“Staring back at me was the first test I had ever truly failed. Yes, a 54%. A BIG FAT letter F.” My teacher took me aside and gave me a hug to comfort me. I felt like a complete failure. Once I was calmed down enough to talk, we had a long conversation, and my teacher said the words I needed to hear, “Everyone deserves a second chance.” I was determined to prove to myself that I could succeed even though it would be difficult now. I went in before school, during lunch, and even after school on the days that I could. More than six weeks later, I teeter between a B+ and an A- and have never felt better. The message of this story is that without that
second chance, I never would have been able to prove to my teacher and more importantly myself that I can succeed if I try hard enough. Only later did I find out that my teacher thought I would be one of the ones to be advised out of the class, but she decided to give me a second chance instead. Without that, I would not have learned a very important lesson. We succeed when we are presented with an obstacle and have to overcome it. Our failures can turn into our greatest accomplishments. We are lucky at Benjamin because our teachers are willing to give us a second chance as long as we as students are willing to work for it. My math teacher, Mrs. Alicia Gram, is a prime example of someone who has this quality at Benjamin. She took me at my most fragile and believed that if I put in enough effort, I would succeed. All of us deserve a second chance and should not be bombarded by everyone else talking about the problem while they are still deciding the route to take to fix it. We can all learn to live by the inspirational words of Pope Francis when he was asked about gay marriage, “Who am I to judge?” Who are we to judge whether someone who has made a mistake or two is a bad person or a good person? Students are a work in progress and should be allowed to learn from their mistakes. We can never learn who we are or who we will become until we are forced to choose what we will make of a bad situation. Students can only choose the road of redemption if they are allowed to make mistakes. People only fail when they decide not to learn from their mistakes.
Hooting and Hollering a Thing of the Past? v Students are no longer allowed to cheer for fellow students in assembly. Jerrie James Copy Editor
At the beginning of the 2013-2014 school year the new seniors, well prepared for a year of hooting and hollering, had their spirits crushed when administrators declared that cheering during nonhomecoming assemblies was unacceptable behavior. Since freshmen year, assemblies have been a time to let loose and get the energy out before the next class started. Students cheered during assembly for their friends who were making announcements to make sure the students knew that they had support and that they were not making an announcement to an uninterested audience. I always viewed this as support. Yes, at times it could be inappropriate. If the cheering happens while someone is still talking or if the cheering is negative, I understand why administrators would say something. But simply calling out the name of whoever has spoken or clapping—that is not disrespectful; it is encouraging. Making an announcement in front of 500 people is hard enough with support from friends and teachers. If I were to make an announcement and nobody cheered, I would think that it was awful and
{P}
probably relive that moment in my head for the rest of the day. Cheering after an announcement gives people a sense of security that even if they did mess up what they were suppose to say, maybe no one noticed because everyone still cheered. Aside from demolishing the support of cheering, it also takes away the enthusiasm exhibited during assembly. Without cheering, students will not be enthusiastic about things happening in the Benjamin community, making them less likely to pay attention to the announcements. Assemblies are a time for the whole school to come together for 15 minutes and show their school spirit. Without this, the amount of school spirit that Benjamin has will decline and the traditions will lose significance because students will not be excited to participate because there is no incentive to it. Benjamin prides itself on being a community where everyone comes together, but telling students not to encourage each other during assembly demolishes that sense of community. One of Benjamin’s pillars is respect; as long as we are respectful while we cheer, nothing is wrong with having boisterous and enthusiastic assemblies. If negative or rude cheering does occur, administrators should deal with it on an individual basis; it is not fair to punish everyone who is just being encouraging. The way assemblies are run is not broken; they happen the same way they have for years. No students have complained or been hurt, so why fix something that does not need fixing?
Graphic by Annelise Hillmann
Have your voice heard.
Write a letter to the editor. Send your thoughts, in 150 words or fewer, to casey.pearce14@thebenjaminschool.org.
Page 8
The Pharcyde
October 4, 2013 Opinion
Two Students Go Head to Head on College
Executive editor Ben Greenspan and staff writer Kathleen Walsh debate whether or not college is the best option. These two fierce competitors go nose to nose, toe to toe, in a bloody verbal battle repartee.
Studious bookworm proposes alternate road to success
Enthusiastic liberal defends conservative viewpoint
T
he woes of student loans, the incredibly high tuitions, the cost of textbooks: this is all that people mention about college nowadays. These issues may challenge the worth of college, but people tend to forget what the true purpose of college is and what makes it an incredibly useful and practical time in one’s life, as well as an overall beneficial experience. College is a time for exploration and learning that is invaluable. For many, college is where young adults truly discover who they are and what their interests are, whereas before, they are not sure what they want to do. According to The New York Times article published in November of last year, 61% of students at the University of Florida changed their major by the end of their sophomore year. At the age of 18, it is difficult for someone to know what he wants to do with his life. Going to work right away instead of attending college and finding his passion could make someone pretty miserable. College is the catalyst for finding the right job. The common argument against the usefulness of attending college is that people would benefit much more from simply being trained in an exact profession. This theory contains many flaws because those who work in some of the top paying professions need a college degree: nurses, doctors, lawyers, businessmen, engineers, etc. I am not sure what Katie Walsh’s idea of “decently paying” is, but according to The Los Angeles Times article written in 2011, college graduates, on average, earn 1 million dollars more than those with a high school diploma. By any means, that is a significant number. The often-cited outliers to this status quo are Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates, both of whom dropped out of college and went on to become wildly successful. Yet, the fact remains that almost 85% of the entrepreneurs on the Forbes 400 List in 2012 hold a college degree. If a betting man were to see this, he would put his money on someone who attended college to be more successful than someone who did not. In no way is the suggestion being made that college is for everyone. The cost of attending college is exorbitant, and some people are in difficult financial situations and simply can not afford to live for four or more years without a consistent income. Almost
VS.
all college students can testify to the burden that results from student loans. However, if a student can receive scholarship money or is financially capable of attending college, she should attend. She should attend to guarantee a better future for herself and her family. She should attend, also, to help society because who knows who a person can truly be unless she is given the opportunity to discover it. Yet, the purpose of college is not solely to make money. Rather, it is to pursue one’s passions and learn about whatever it is that interests someone. As a matter of fact, a good percentage of college majors do not correlate directly to a potential job, especially those in liberal arts, and that is how it should be. For the rest of a person’s life, he will most likely be stuck doing jobs in the same field, answering questions about the same things, listening to the same complaints. College gives a person the incredible opportunity to learn about practically anything. So no, a person does not waste four years while studying Western Literature if he goes on to become a businessman because knowledge is power and, frankly, so is a degree.
College How much money adults make per year: High school drop outs:
$18,734
F
Graphic by Annelise Hillmann
rom the time we enter school, we are reminded, guided, prodded, and pushed towards one singular goal; college. For some, college offers a playground of scholasticism and opportunity, for others it is a waste of money and time. The fact is that not everyone is suited for college life. While some people wave their diploma in the face of potential employers whom they hope will hire a psychology major, other people may find that useful everyday skills are just as rewarding and fruitful in the job arena as skills that are obtained in a university setting. Our society values only four years of school as if it they are the difference between success and failure, while collegedrop outs like Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg prove that college is in fact not the life blood of a successful career. In fact, nearly half of the students who are enrolled in college drop out within their first few years of school according to an article published by www.Politic365. com. Clearly they were not “finding themselves” as Mr. Benjamin Greenspan so eloquently stated. Many people are under the assumption that by going to college they will immediately be presented with endless possibilities and opportunities in the job
Field Experience
75%
Americans say they cannot afford to go to college
High school graduates:
http://reason.com/
$27,915
Less than
College grads (with a bachelor’s degree):
$51,206 Advanced degree holders:
$74,602 howtoedu.org
2/3
who start end up graduating www.nytimes.com
66% of students graduate in debt asa.org
market. However, recent statistics prove that this assumption is inaccurate. For example, Japan, one of the most economically prosperous countries in the world, has a 47.7% college enrollment and only 3.9 % of unemployment, whereas the United States has a 77% enrollment rate, and a 10.8% jobless rate according to reports done by www. tradingeconomics. com and www.Nationmaster.com. Some people may argue that the money is worth the enrichment that college offers, but then the question arises “how is a student, fresh out of college, going to pay back all that debt after you’re ‘enriched’ by education?” (Enriched? More like impoverished.) While some colleges and universities offer scholarships and financial aid, many students support themselves by taking out loans. According to American Student Assistance, nearly 66% of students graduate in debt creating nearly a 902 billion dollar student loan debt waiting to be paid. Many decently paying careers require experience in the field rather than in the classroom. College graduates get turned away from potential jobs because of lack of experience yet all the while standing in the unemployment line condescendingly looking down at the rest of the laity because they have a diploma from *enter generic college/university. * In fact, jobs essential to the framework of our society such as police officers, realtors, artisans and construction workers do not require a traditional college education. As with all skills, they must learn their craft through furthering their education both outside and inside of training. However, in no way can these jobs be considered unimportant, just because they do not require a traditional four-year college degree. Though people may believe that jobs that do not require a college degree pay less, new jobs such as web developing or online advertisement managing pay well over the average income of American citizens according to www.careercast.com. Our society devalues jobs that do not require a college degree, despite the fact they require just as much or even some cases require more talent than the 9-5 jobs that a college degree may offer.
Even though education is undoubtedly valuable (perhaps the most valuable aspect of a person’s growth) it does not come in only one form. Education can come with experience as much as it comes from textbooks. Practicing a skill holds as much value to a person as reading a book. However, a skill will stay for life, a textbook will not.
The Pharcyde
News
October 4, 2013
Page 9
Senior Caroline Conlin
Harvesting Art at TBS
Senior Olivia Kaplan
The new school year brings talented new and returning artists to the Art Department. The Pharcyde would like to feature these new artists. Junior Kimmie Price
Senior Lauren Alevizos
Freshman Maddie Horowitz
Freshman Abbos Avazkhodjayev
Sophomore Kate Sory
Junior Gretchen Sousa
Sp
Page 10 The Pharcyde
October 4, 2013
Don't Try to Hide.
BIG Brother is
Scan this QR code for a video of the mannequins.
COMPUTERS:
When it comes to computers, every bit of information is accessible to the United States government. For instance, the NSA has allegedly built a back-door within every Windows software, giving them the power to spy on users at any given moment through documents and search history. Microsoft must inform intelligence agencies prior to the release of new software updates, giving the government the upper-hand on accessing information as they can work around the obstacles in each update, states The Guardian 1. Programs such as Microsoft Outlook, Hotmail, and Skype can all be viewed by the NSA, as they have incorporated loopholes around the encryption within each and every computer. Furthermore, the government has the capability to access computer webcams, and wields the power to watch users at any time, reports The Atlantic2. As for Wi-Fi networks, they are far from secure. Technotin. com3 reports that Google has the power to access any Wi-Fi password connected to an Android cellphone in the world, providing an open window to users’ browsing information.
LOYALTY CARDS:
The National Security Agency (NSA) is not only watching phones currently, but also credit, debit, loyalty, rewards and prepaid cards. The prominent idea for this investigation is to find and exploit terrorists. The problem with this program though, is that the search is so broad that it might end up accusing regular American citizens. According to the Wall Street Journal4, the NSA has been acquiring information such as purchase history from credit card companies themselves. These companies are not handing over the purchases though, only the account or card number, where and when it was purchased and how much it costs.
CAMERAS:
In an era when people are on a constant lookout for terrorists and criminals, surveillance cameras have become a part of daily life with over 30 million cameras capturing an approximate four billion hours of video each week according to Popular Mechanics magazine5. In theory, that is an average of roughly 19 hours of surveillance per day. These cameras are located in all kinds of places varying from stores to gas stations. While most locations seem rather obvious, some are more inconspicuous. Recently, an Italian company has developed the EyeSee mannequin, which places small surveillance cameras inside what appear to be normal mannequins. More so, the cameras are equipped with facial recognition software allowing retailers to track individual customer behavior near the mannequin. According to Bloomberg, the firm has not provided specific names of retailers that purchased these mannequins but has indeed made deals with retailers.
75%
of daily Internet communications are monitored by the National Security Agency. - The Wall Street Journal
In the United Kingdom, there is one active security camera for every
1. Arthur, Charles. “Ex-Microsoft Privacy Adviser: I Don’t Trust Company after NSA Revelations.” The Guardian. N.p., 30 Sept. 2013. Web. 1 Oct. 2013. 2. Madrigal, Alexis. The Atlantic. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Oct. 2013.
32
citizens. - The Daily Mail Online
Drawing by D
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flic of the ey give
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-
60
3. “Google Knows WiFi Passwords of Every Single Android User.” Technotin RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Oct. 2013. 4. Gorman, Siobhan. “NSA Violated Privacy Protections, Officials Say.” The Wall Street Journal. N..p,,n..d.10 Sept. 2013. Web..
tlight
Page 11 The Pharcyde
October 4, 2013
watching you. CELLPHONES:
LOCATION SERVICES:
Deanna Foriere
ngle
cker yes could you
way
- George Orwell
0%
With 83% of Americans owning cell phones, according to Pew Internet8, these devices are a significant aspect of daily life in this country. A cell phone also reveals a great deal about its user as is evidenced by the fact that the NSA has spent billions of dollars since 2000 on creating systems that breakthrough protective software installed on cell phones, says CBS News9. That organization also receives special permission from most major cellular providers to access data from users and cell towers data. Even without enabling “Location Services,” a cell phone can be tracked as long as it is connected to a cell tower. Even when a phone is turned off, it sends signals to nearby towers; and therefore, it can be tracked. Although the NSA has the capability to access this information, it first must receive a warrant in order to access most of this information.
You Can't.
While the guise of having a "private" phone may fool some into thinking that no one,but they can access their information, the truth is that anyone with the right technology can. Police officers can use a wiretapping system to find the location and the information from a phone. Wiretapping, however, may be old news to the newest form of cell phone hacking. Many inventions such as the StingRay, are new sources of data collection, reports the American Civil Liberties Union6. The StingRay is a faux cell tower that confuses the data signals of a phone, according to an article published by Allie Bohm on www.aclu.org. This invention can locate a phone and collect data such as calls, texts, and numbers. Unfortunately, this practice is legal and police officers are not required to have a search warrant to carry out this process, says The Week Magazine7. It has in fact become a widely used tool for law enforcement and the government run organization such as the CIA and FBI.
AIRPORT SECURITY:
As many Americans travel through the nation’s various airports each day, they are scanned, monitored, and profiled by the TSA regardless if they know it or not. In fact, within the next two years, the TSA plans to install laser-based scanners, which can reach distances of 164 feet away, around the nation’s most popular airports. These scanners will be able to detect and remember everything from one’s particular clothes to any illegal substances on one’s body. More so, the tracking of civilians in an airport is also currently being used for marketing purposes. At Copenhagen Airport, Bluetooth signals are sent out to civilians’ phones alerting them of any special offers or discounts available at an airport store within close proximity. of U.S. households said that a resident has at least one loyalty card. - Elgin Rewards
Google has access to the site views and trends of
5. Vlahos, James. “Surveillance Society: New High-Tech Cameras Are Watching You.” Popular Mechanics. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Oct. 2013. 6. “Stingray Tracking Devices.” American Civil Liberties Union. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Oct. 2013. 7. Ambinder, Marc. “Can the NSA Wiretap Your Phone at Will?” The Week. N.p., 5 Aug. 2013.
44%
of the most visited sites on the Internet. - BuiltWith.com
8. Smith, Aaron. “Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project.” Americans and Their Cell Phones. N.p., 15 Aug. 2013. 9. “NSA Cracked Most Online Encryption” CBSNews. CBS Interactive, n.d. Web. 01 Oct. 2013.
School Life
Student Stories + Teacher Features
The Pharcyde COUNTDOWN:
48 days until Thanksgiving
Foreign Language Dept. clarifies Google Translate policy By Robert Charles Staff Writer
Recently students have had some concerns about the appropriate use of Google Translate: The teachers believe that they have made the policies quite clear, but the students still are not sure when use of Google Translate is cheating and when it is an acceptable resource. Describing how some students are misusing the tool in a classroom setting, senior Alexa LaBarbiera said, “Some people will try to plug in entire paragraphs in Google Translate for essays. It will give them wrong verb tenses and it won’t be exactly grammatically correct.”
“Using full phrases in Google Translate is cheating for me so I will send students to the Honor Council.”
MRS. MARISOL TEJERA-MEDE
Spanish Teacher
At the same time, teachers feel that they have not only set the policies about its use, but they have been quite clear about them. Spanish teacher Mrs. Sara Salivar shared her policies on the usage of Google Translate, “My policy is that students may use an electronic dictionary, but not a translator. Once a student has put in more than one word in a
Illustration by Annelise Hillmann
phrase for translation, it is not his or her work,” she said. “In order to learn a foreign language, a student must be able to work within the new structure and learn to use it. Using a translator slows down the process. However students may use an electronic dictionary such a wordrerence.com but not a translator.” Spanish teacher Mrs. Mirasol Tejera-Mede shared the same sentiment when she said,“Using full phrases in Google Translate is cheating for me so I will send
students to the Honor Council.” According to Google Translate’s limitations policy, “The service limits the number of paragraphs, or range of technical terms, that will be translated.” Thus, while it can help the reader to understand the general content of a foreign language text, it does not always deliver accurate translations. Talking about the potential inaccuracies, Chinese teacher Mrs. Lei Deng Cohen said, “I wouldn’t consider Google Translate a
cheating device, but it’s not a reliable resource.”
“It would be more reliable to use something like wordrefrence.com over Google Translate.” JERRY O’CONNOR senior Mrs. Cohen continued by explaining how the transla-
tion would be grammatically incorrect in Chinese. “You could be trying to say in English ‘I am the teacher who teaches in The Benjamin School’ but since Google Translate cannot identify this grammar in Chinese it would read out ‘I in the Benjamin School who teaches.’ It just doesn’t make sense after it has been translated.” The limits and usage policy for Google Translate states, “There are certain cases where some languages produce better results than others. Google Translate performs well especially when English is the target language and the source language is one of the languages of the European Union.” Google Translate also says in its limits and usage policy that researchers have performed tests to see which is the most accurate language translation on Google Translate. Their studies show that French and Italian are the most accurate whereas Chinese is the least accurate in terms of translation. Suggesting alternative sites, senior Jerry O’Connor said, “It would be more reliable to use something like wordrefrence.com over Google Translate. When using Google Translate, it only gives you about one option and it’ll just give you one word which is somewhat inaccurate while wordreference can give you a noun or a verb and give you a bunch of synonyms for a more dictionarial use.” v
New drama teacher has big plans for year’s productions By Madeleine Dalton Staff Writer
New Drama Director and English teacher, Mr. Thomas Bazar, has big plans to move the Benjamin School drama program forward. Mr. Bazar is ready to embrace what he describes as the positive “vibes” of the Drama Department and provide a new perspective. He described his hopes by saying, “I want to bring more visibility to our school and make sure the kids even within the community know the theater program is going to be a very strong, very exciting experience.”
“I want them to know that there is nothing like the feeling of being on stage.” MR. THOMAS BAZAR
Drama Teacher
“I want them to know that there is nothing like the feeling of being on stage. Once
I think kids experience that, it’s hard to leave the theater. It’s like you’re bitten by the ‘acting bug,’” he said. Having been bitten by the ‘acting bug’ himself, Mr. Bazar wants to share his knowledge and experience with his students. He wants to be able to give them the awakening that gave him the ability to do what he loves. Throughout his own high school experience, he toyed with the idea of becoming either a computer major or economics major, but that all changed when he took his first acting class in college and found his true passion. Once he started studying theater, he found it really eye opening and also found it gave him focus. Being in school in Los Angeles also allowed him to really work on drama outside of classes, where he met a mentor who helped him with his career. His first play of this drama season will be All in the Timing by playwright David Ives, a Philadelphia native. According to Mr. Bazar, “they are one-act, ten to fifteen minute comedies, and are all dif-
BEN GREENSPAN/ Executive Editor
Mr. Thomas Bazar is currrently directing the fall play which will consist of six short comedies.
ferent kinds: sweet plays and zany, absurd, and physical comedies.” Mr. Bazar says he is hoping to get some fresh new faces at Benjamin to try out, if not for this play, then the
next one. He is really enjoying his start at Benjamin, describing the students as great kids and “very, very invested and committed to what they are doing.” He also has great things
to say about his colleagues and views his transition as really smooth so far. According to many students’ reactions, Mr. Bazar’s transition to Benjamin is already a success. v
School Life
The Pharcyde
October 4, 2013
Page 13
Photo Courtesy of Hot Yoga Downtown at the Gardens
Greenspan and Chesnes (right) attended a 90 minute long Bikram yoga class in the 105 degree room at Hot Yoga Downtown at the Gardens.
By Ben Greenspan Executive Editor
As the heat steadily ticks up, senior Alexa LaBarbiera begins to sweat more and more. Once the room reaches a temperature in the triple digits, it is time to start exercising. No, not time to begin the torture, exercising. Bikram yoga, oftentimes referred to as hot yoga, is a yoga experience that involves doing 26 different yoga postures, known as asanas, in a room heated to 105 degrees Fahrenheit with a humidity level around 40%. This new form of exercise has become rather popular among Benjamin students. Bikram yoga was developed by Bikram Choudhury, an Indian man who began practicing yoga at the age of four. After a crippling back injury at the age of 20, Choudhury created the 26 postures, coupled with the 105 degree temperature that was supposed to mimic the climate of India to restore his health. Junior Casey Nicklaus attended Bikram yoga classes for a week during the summer. “I did it every morning for that week to get in shape for volleyball. The only reason I stopped was because of all of my school work. But, it really rejuvenates your body, and it is definitely really hard during the whole practice, but afterwards you feel so good,” she said. “I’m not flexible, but it helped a lot to loosen my muscles.” LaBarbiera, who started doing Bikram yoga over a year ago, enjoys it because of the energy she feels as a result of the classes. “I think it’s really cool for me to push myself to my hardest levels and I’ve seen how I’ve really improved in the postures,” she said. “You always improve and you never
really lose that improvement.” Although yoga instructors claim that the classes are very healthy and can rid oneself of many toxins, a great amount of controversy has arisen as to the potential harmfulness of Bikram yoga. “I’m certainly not a fan of Bikram yoga,” said Dr. Alexander Carden, a local primary health care physician who graduated from Yale College and Co-
could cause some problems. I do have patients who do take these classes and I haven’t had anyone die, yet. But anything is possible.” During Bikram yoga classes, some students doubt whether or not they should be in the class. “I only did Bikram yoga four times because I hate it. I mean, it is literally death,” sophomore Ali Dimas said. “You sit there in a
A common side effect of participating in Bikram yoga is nausea, dizziness, or vomiting. Most Bikram yoga locations suggest not eating for a couple of hours before the class but instead heavily hydrating. The Pharcyde was interested to see exactly what taking a Bikram yoga class is like, so on Sept. 21st, this writer, as well as staff writer Max Chesnes, did just that.
Hot Yoga A special report on the new craze, including a Pharcyde first-hand experience
lumbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. “I really don’t think it’s safe to put your kidneys under that kind of stress. It certainly can cause dehydration, and really limit the blood-flow to your kidneys which could cause kidney failure. He continued, “I really would suggest that people not take Aleve or Tylenol soon after doing it because that can shrink the kidney blood vessels even further and that
room around 100 degrees and you sweat your butt off. You get head rushes, and you feel like you’re going to pass out. Sometimes my vision could get fuzzy. I thought I was going to die like four times.” Dimas found some of the advice of the instructors to be odd. “The instructors will tell you, ‘Embrace it; your body is talking to you,’” she said. “I usually just lie down when I feel weird. I just wanted to leave so badly during the classes.”
Neither of us had ever participated in anything like hot yoga, yet we went with open minds and full water bottles to Hot Yoga Downtown at the Gardens, the studio most Benjamin students frequent. We arrived almost a half hour before the class started to find that other students had already begun to warm up. Once we entered the studio itself, the first thing that we both felt was the heat and humidity. Almost immediately, before the class
even officially began, the sweat started. The heat was not that normally felt in Florida, but an itching, pestering heat. As Chesnes put it, “The heat was definitely a wake-up call. I think I was naïve going in there because I just underestimated the sheer power of the heat.” And then, the class began. Thirty people gathered in a room, from flexible veterans to stiff amateurs like ourselves. Five minutes into the warmup, Chesnes said it best: “This class is kicking my a#$.” Around 15 minutes into the standing part of the 90 minutes, my vision became blurred and I began to realize that I was unaware of my surroundings. The instructor told us that that was normal, but nothing about it felt normal to me. Somehow, after sweating literal puddles, we reached the sitting half of the class, which we wrongly assumed would begin the cool-down. As I soon found out, I was so drained of energy that simply turning my body around took an incredible amount of effort. Chesnes, a varsity football player, managed to make it through the entire class with little to no breaks, although his face did seem to lose a bit of color towards the end. I have never felt anything more satisfying in my life than leaving the yoga room and splashing cold water on my face. According to Meredith Webb, the director of Hot Yoga Downtown, we did well for first-timers. Bikram yoga is a rewarding experience if you manage to stay for the full 90 minutes. Webb suggests that people interested in Bikram yoga “drink a lot of water and come with a smile.” v
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October 4, 2013
School Life
The Pharcyde
South African junior joins upper school student body By Max Chesnes Staff Writer
Every year, The Benjamin School accepts new students from all over the world. In 2010, junior Agne Numaviciute came from Lithuania to America in order to continue her education. Likewise, in 2012, senior Xiaoyi Yi moved from China for the same reason. This year, junior Sebastian Schiller, a new international student who has lived in six different countries, has joined the student body. Born in South Africa, he has moved frequently since he was a child, experiencing different societies and cultures as his father moved from country to country because of his job. Schiller was educated under the British school system before he moved to the United States this year from Nigeria. “Before I lived in Nigeria there was Egypt, Qatar, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, and Dubai,” he said. Schiller is living with his aunt and will attend Benjamin for the remainder of his high school experience, as he has finished the curriculum in Nigeria. “I had the option of going to England to continue my studies or coming here. I chose here because I want to go to college in the United States,” he said. Schiller has experienced his ‘first week of school’ several times in a new country, and after his first week in America, he experienced several educational differences. Primarily,
JULIETTE MERCADANTE/ Photography Editor
Schiller, a native South African, has also lived in Qatar, Bahrain, and Egypt.
Schiller saw that the math curriculum was quite different in America as compared to that of other countries. “Here you split your math into several different topics, but under the British school system, mathematics is one subject throughout high school,” Schiller said. “Unlike the American system, classes such as Algebra, Geometry, and Calculus are all combined into one subject lasting the entirety of high school, simply called ‘mathematics.” As with the math program, Schiller also experienced differences with-
in the science department. “You are allowed to take as many sciences as you want during the year. So I took all three last year,” he said. Contrasting the minimum one-year requirement for each course in America, a year of three sciences satisfied Schiller, as he is predominantly interested in science. Schiller plans to focus on science in college, and being able to take three sciences over the course of one year was a major benefit for him. Currently Schiller is experiencing his first AP course, something that was not
offered in other countries, “This year I find AP Chemistry to be most difficult, but I enjoy the subject.” Besides differences in the curriculum, Schiller also noted that the campus itself is different from previous schools he has attended. A school that he attended in Egypt had roughly 200 students in total, including lower and middle school, compared to Benjamin’s 420 high school students. “ The number of students, the campus, and the sporting events are all larger,” Schiller said. Upon his arrival, the administration placed Schiller into spanish teacher Mrs. Maria Gonzalez-Lopez’s advisory group. Mrs. Gonzalez-Lopez, who is not only new to the Benjamin community but also was educated under a foreign school system, has had similar experiences to Schiller. She lived in Colombia until the eighth grade and could relate to his challenges that he faced when coming to the United States. Having experienced a change of school herself, Mrs. Gonzalez-Lopez is enthusiastic to have him in her advisory. “I think he’s going to do well. He seems confident and comfortable,” Mrs. Gonzalez-Lopez said. “He’s a well-rounded boy, and he has so much culture and knowledge from other places that I think he has a lot to offer.” Accustomed to change, Schiller has gotten used to this new lifestyle. The transition was smooth, and he feels welcomed and at home. “Everyone here is very friendly, and I’m looking forward to this year.” v
Students, teachers react to change to Google Docs 5 Google Docs Apps
Add transitions and special effects to videos.
Make flow charts, bubble maps, and other special charts.
Make and mix original music.
Create presentations and animations.
By Andy Weir
Special Projects Editor With the introduction of Google Docs to Benjamin, both students and teachers have mixed responses to the new software. The new cloud-based software replaced Microsoft Office, which had been used by the school for more than a decade. Similarly, for the first time since the inception of Benjamin’s laptop program, the school did not supply freshmen and new students with Microsoft Office when they purchased new school laptops. Necessitating the change was the school’s new “bring-your-own-device” program allowing students to use the computer of choice at school. Explaining this change, Chief Technology Officer Mr. Russell Tepper said, “Because we now have all kinds of computers on campus, not just Windows computers, we needed productivity software that could run on all of them, and Google Docs is really the only software package that can do that.”
“Google Drive is very helpful when you need to share or open a document on any computer, but Google Docs does not have certain extra editing tools.” ALEX HIRSCH senior
Play original GameBoy games through Google Docs to collaborate with others online. Graphic by Annelise Hillmann
The Google Docs software package consists of three primary components: Google Docs, a substitute for Microsoft Word, Google Presentation, a substitute for Microsoft PowerPoint, and Google Spreadsheets, a substitute for Microsoft Excel. Additional programs, developed by other pro-
grammers, are also available. These programs’ capabilities and purposes range from music editing programs to advanced equation programs. When writing papers, students seem to have an overwhelming preference for Microsoft Word with only 18.4% of the 143 respondents in a recent survey from The Pharcyde claiming to currently be using Google Docs. In terms of differences between the two programs, Mr. Tepper said, “Realistically, the differences between Microsoft Word and Google Docs are small, but what really distinguishes the two is collaboration. With Google, two students can work simultaneously on the same document and see each other’s changes instantly; that can’t really be done in the same way with Microsoft Office.” Likewise, for creating spreadsheets, 13.6% of survey respondents are currently using Google Spreadsheets, and although the Google Spreadsheets and Microsoft Excel at first seem similar, some have raised concerns over Google Spreadsheets’ inability to perform some tasks that are commonly used in Microsoft Excel. “Google Spreadsheets is certainly not as powerful as Microsoft Excel, but the two do share most features,” computer teacher Mr. Gregory Bickerman said. When producing slide shows, Google Presentation seems to be slightly less popular with only 10.1% of respondents currently using the program. Like the Google Docs program, differences between the two presentation software are minor, with the exception of simplifying collaboration. “Google Slides does really provide a much easier way for two students to work together on one slideshow. In class, we’ve used Google Slides to create some presentations and student seem to like it,” Mr. Bickerman said. Linking all of this together is
Google Drive, an online storage space for Google Docs files often referred to as the “cloud.” Google Drive replaces Dropbox. “Google Drive is very helpful when you need to share or open a document on any computer, but Google Docs does not have certain extra editing tools,” senior Alex Hirsch said.
“Those students who’ve used Microsoft Office for their past years in high school are definitely going to take time to make the switch.” MR. RUSSELL TEPPER Chief Technology Officer Hirsch cites the lack of certain symbols and shapes as a major weakness of the new software. This is one of numerous complaints students have with the new software. Others have found the software difficult to operate, particularly with a slow internet connection. While many have had some difficulty with the new software, students did rank the programs’ auto-save feature, ensuring the user’s work is never lost, as a huge draw of the software. Despite these initial complaints, the technology department is optimistic about the future of Google Docs at Benjamin. “Those students who’ve used Microsoft Office for their past years in high school are definitely going to take time to make the switch,” Mr. Tepper said. “Right now, there really isn’t much drawing them to the new software, but as the year goes on and they want to collaborate more on schoolwork, I think they’ll find Google Docs to be useful,” he concluded. v
The Pharcyde March 8, 2013 pg. 8
Page 15 The Pharcyde
School Life School Life
Page Design by Annelise Hillmann
© 2013 Universal Orlando Resort. All rights reserved. The Walking Dead: © 2013 AMC Film Holdings LLC. All rights reserved.
Psychological theories provide insight into fear
By Annelise Hillmann Graphics Editor
The Walking Dead : No Safe Haven Walk in the shoes of the survivors of AMC’s horror hit The Walking Dead. Get attacked anywhere inside the house resembling go through scenes from the show. ‘ Resident Evil : Escape From Raccoon City Go through Capcom’s famous horror video game while encountering the zombies seen throughout the games. Evil Dead A haunted house where evil lurks everywhere; even under the floorboards. The Cabin in the Woods A recreation of the film in which terrifying beings come out from a secret facility underneath the cabin An American Werewolf in London Based of the classic horror story, witness a wolf attack on the moors and live in the chaos. Urban Legends La Llorona Experience the legend of La Llorona also known as The Weeping Woman forced to walk the Earth bringing her pain and suffering on the park visitors. Havoc Derailed A house set up like a train ride aboard a militaristic train convoy transporting genetically engineered horrifying super soldiers. Afterlife : Death Vengeance When a serial killer finally meets the electric chair it sends him to a realm filled with the people he killed looking for vengeance.
Pause the scary movie, turn on the lights and look around; the faces of those who watched the terror reveal amusement not fear, relief not horror. Those attending Halloween Horror Nights (HHN) have the same reaction. HHN is a Universal Studios popular event featuring haunted houses, "scare zones" and live entertainment hot spots. It frequently sells out and maintains a local fan base of more than 300,000 people, especially young adults. So why do teens love getting their pants scared off? Psychological studies and Benjamin faculty propose two main theories: people are not actually scared, just excited, or they are willing to power through the fear to enjoy the relief at the end. The science behind both theories is that teens’ brains are more susceptible to horror venues than adults’ due to an immature prefrontal cortex, says Dr. Catherine Moritz, a local psychotherapist who specializes in post-traumatic stress disorder and addictive personalities. “The prefrontal cortex is the part of the brain which separates us from animals,” she said in an interview with the reporter. “In adults, that prefrontal cortex curbs impulses and will look at negative outcomes and say ‘oh no, it’s too risky. I’m not going to do it.’” However, teens’ cortexes are not yet fully grown. “That
prefrontal cortex doesn’t always register consequences because that buzz – that excitement – is just too much. It’s so satisfying that they do things they shouldn’t. It’s harder to resist the appeal for a thrill,” she said. The first theory holds ground, she believes, because excitement plays a larger factor in horror experiences than true fear. “Excitation and fear neurobiologically manifest pretty much the same in the brain,” she said. “Do you perceive this as fun or do you perceive this as terror? You can learn to be one way or the other, although usually, it’s an interpretation often based on temperament, which is something you’re born with.” When humans experience fear and excitement, the brain secretes a combination of chemicals. “Several things are released: adrenaline, dopamine, and sex hormones,” Dr. Moritz said. “Fear triggers our fight or flight response which is a primal motivation that can be found in all animals from reptiles to birds. If you’re really frightened, you have no idea how you will behave.” In fact, a teenager’s reaction to the unknown could be all the incentive needed, says history and former psychology teacher Mr. Wesley Logsdon. “The appeal is that teens are not in control. It’s the fun of the unknown. That’s something people look for. There’s that whole aspect of not knowing what’s around the corner. They do it to see if they’re going to be scared or not as a challenge for themselves,” he said.
When teens step out of the theater, they are reassured. Cobb has never looked so familiar and vampire-free. Having experienced this relief himself, English instructor Dr. John Peruggia sees validity in the second theory, saying, “I think the shocks give people cathartic relief which allows us to purge emotions, knowing that we will always be safe. For a moment, we can pretend that we’re not.” Dr. Peruggia’s statement is similar to the opinion of Dr. Moritz, who when asked about cathartic relief, said “it’s just like a good cry.” However, the teens emerging from HHN are not actually crying; they are laughing with a large group of friends. Perhaps, disguised beneath the fearful situation, lies a more benign truth: the social aspect of a night at Halloween Horror Nights or a scary movie can be beneficial to a relationship. “When you go to a horror movie, there’s a lot of feeling in there. So people can laugh and talk about it later,” Dr. Moritz said. “When people go through tough experiences together, it bonds them.” For some students like senior Ethan Kaslow, attending Halloween Horror Nights is more than a night of fun. “For my friends and me, Halloween Horror Nights is a tradition. Every year we go together. Even though I get scared, I go because the thrill is insane. It has made my friend group closer because it is another bonding experience that we all encounter together.” v
The Scene Tech
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Trends
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The Arts
The Pharcyde COUNTDOWN:
1 day until Homecoming Dance
Culinary connoisseur: senior cooks up a storm By Juliette Mercadante Photography Editor
A pinch of salt, two teaspoons of oil, a few minced cloves of garlic, a handful of chopped onions, and the pan starts to sizzle as senior Claire Crosby prepares her favorite Creole recipe, one she learned while working at the Perse restaurant in the Time Warner Building in New York. Similar to the other successful chefs she works with, Crosby’s inspiration stemmed from an influential family member. Crosby’s grandmother introduced her to what she calls a “life-changing, exciting” hobby when she was only six years old. “Easy Bake was my savior when I was a little girl. But my grandma, especially, was a huge influence on the start of my cooking career because she always would show me new things to make,” Crosby said. Over the past three years, Crosby realized how much she loves to make different foods, spices, and recipes. “I didn’t think that I ever wanted to cook professionally until I went to the Culinary Academy in Jupiter,” Crosby said. “The encouragement by my teachers, Mrs. Brash and Mrs. Stewart, allowed me to realize how much I love the food industry and how I really want to master this particular field.” Not only did she enjoy the time with her two inspiring teachers, but she was also able to receive a certification from the State of Florida that says she can handle food properly and knows how a restaurant works. She was working toward her National Restaurant Certification, which trains and licenses an individual to own
Photo Courtesy of Claire Crosby
Senior Claire Crosby attends a monthly class at the Lincoln Culinary Institute in West Palm Beach.
a restaurant, until she transferred to Benjamin her junior year. “Even though I switched from Jupiter High School, I still am able to take culinary classes once a month at Lincoln Culinary Institute in West Palm Beach,” she said. “Since the class is only once a month, I try to cook for my family a lot during my free time.” The Crosby family members are not the only people who benefit from Claire’s cooking; her friends also seem to be great fans of her “scrumptious foods.” Senior Ethan Kaslow said, “I find it amazing how one of my good friends is a master chef. Her best dish, in my opinion, is
the homemade pasta with homemade tomato sauce. Everything is perfect; the dough is extremely moist and cooks perfectly. Anyone can tell she makes everything directly from scratch.” Last year, The National Student Leadership Conference recognized Crosby’s love for cooking. “The summer going into my junior year I was nominated to attend NSLC for culinary at Fordham University in New York for a month, so this was a great experience for me,” she explained. “I was able to really see what the food industry was like and every day I took classes in the city at the Institute of Culinary Educa-
tion where I learned how to make foods that were new and unique.” Throughout the month, Crosby was able to try different types of food: “Monday was flavors of Asia, Tuesday was French pastries, Wednesday was Italian cuisine, etc.,” she said. “I was also able to work under someone in the Food Network headquarters which allowed me to see how this business really operates and how the brand has influenced and interested people through a food channel.” Talking about that summer, Crosby described another memorable moment in which she “will remember and cherish forever.”
“Working at Perse for a night was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had in my life,” she said. “This amazing restaurant was named number one in the nation and third in the world and the fact that I was able to be in their kitchen still gives me goose bumps.” Crosby has high expectations for her future cooking career as she plans to spend this Thanksgiving break in Baton Rouge with the best chef in Louisiana, John Folse. “This will be a once in a lifetime opportunity that will help me learn more about Cajun cooking, which is by far my favorite style,” she said. “This New Orleans cooking method includes a lot of spices and interesting recipes, so I will be cooking a lot of foods like gumbo or jambalaya.” Crosby’s taste in food seems to have grown since she traveled and worked under qualified chefs. “Now I look at a recipe more like a guideline than a step by step process with exact measurements because each dish should be created through taste buds rather than measuring cups,” she said. “So if someone sees me cooking, they’ll probably wonder why I’m putting in a lot more or a lot less of something than the recipe recommends.” Her desire to become a master chef continues as she looks forward to her internship with Keith Blauschild Catering. “I really hope I can intern for this catering company for the remainder of my senior year and continue working at The Reef Grill in Juno Beach,” Crosby said, “Since I can’t imagine myself not cooking in college, I decided to apply to the Culinary Institute of America so I can keep making new recipes and cooking for my friends and family.” v
Students, parents have differing perceptions of weekend activities By Ashlyn Sendler Geodes Editor
On Friday afternoon, as the school day comes to an end almost every student faces the same question: What am I doing and where am I going this weekend? When students were asked what they had planned for the weekend, almost every student claimed “Nothing, because there is nothing to do.” Yet, many faculty and parents hear that statement with disbelief. A large culture gap exists between how kids and parents perceive the options for kids to spend their free time. When asked about the student consensus that they lack opportunities for fun, senior Shane Searson said, “I think almost everyone in the high school would agree that there really is nowhere fun and safe for us to go and hangout..” On weekends students say they can go to Downtown at the Gardens, City Place, the beach, the movies, and the
occasional concert or sporting event.
“We didn’t do anything wild and crazy [when we were younger].but we were never bored either. It was always nice just hanging out and being together.” MRS. AMANDA PIERMAN Science Teacher
“Yeah, of course there are a few places to go on the weekends. The beach is great and I love going during the day but it’s off limits at nights. As for the Downtown at the Gardens it’s over populated with a bunch of pre-teen middle school kids, so unless I’m going to see a movie, I won’t go there. Realistically there isn’t anywhere for me to go and just hangout with
my friends,” senior Arden Sanford said. Having so few places to go, students claim that there is so little to do. “The only thing we can really do here is go out to dinner, besides that I just hangout at my friend’s houses,” junior Samantha Guildford said. However, teachers and parents think that students are lucky nowadays because according to them there is so much more to do than there used to be. Multiple teachers claimed that the he way they spent their weekends was nothing compared to what students now do. Chinese teacher, Mrs. Lei Deng Cohen said, “When I was young, China only had a one day weekend. So Saturday was a school day. Then Sunday I helped my parents do housework.” Mrs. Pierman occupied her weekends with her boyfriend (now husband). They went to dinner, the movies, the beach, and each other’s houses. For
her that was just enough. “We didn’t do anything wild and crazy, but we were never bored either. It was always nice just hanging out and being together. We always enjoyed being with each other, with our other friends from TBS, or even with our families,” she said.
“I think students have plenty to do on weekends. They are so lucky especially living in Florida. Due to the weather here there are places for them to go and do things year round.” MR. STEVE ANDERSON Social Studies Teacher
A parent of a senior student said, “When I was a kid going to the movies was all there was. There are so many
more place for students to go now, but they all complain there is nowhere to go and that everything is boring. I don’t understand it. But I guess I’m just getting old.” Social studies teacher Mr. Steve Anderson, who spent his high school weekends at the beach, when the weather was nice, the movies, getting pizza with friends, and at sporting events at Fenway Park, said, “I think students have plenty to do on weekends. They are so lucky especially living in Florida. Due to the weather here there are places for them to go and do things year round.” Clearly both sides are very opinionated, but the only explanation for this is the great age gap between the young students and the older faculty and parents. Students will always claim there is nothing to do while their parents and teachers will nod their heads in disapproval and list the many different things they would do for fun if they were once again young. v
The Scene
The Pharcyde
Because
I Said So
Columnist Paige Sode
Sode to Cyrus: Enough is enough, come back to Earth
Once Upon a Time, a young actress with the name of Miley Cyrus had a career on the popular Disney Channel television show, Hannah Montana. Miley once was an innocent teenager, displaying long brown curls and teaching her devoted fans how to do the “Bone Dance.” After the show came to an end, the world was not prepared for what was yet to come a few years later. From swinging naked in her recent music video to chopping her hair off and grinding on stage so fast that we all have whiplash, Miley Cyrus has officially gone wild. This being said, I would like to offer my condolences to
the millions of girls who watched Miley die on the VMA stage, and who also witnessed the death of her beautiful brown hair that is probably being used right now as a wig for Britney Spears. RIP. It all started with her first vulgar music video for “We Can’t Stop,” which brought trying too hard to a whole new level. Yes, the song is called “We Can’t Stop,” but after watching the video, Miley needs to go against her own advice, and for real, stop. One minute in, a girl pretends to cut off her fingers and pink ooze flows out. Six seconds later dancing bears (with human legs) appear. It gets even weirder
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October 4, 2013
when Miley makes out with a Barbie Doll and twerks half naked in a bathtub. Soon enough girls who grew up with Miley as their idol will be caught in their bedroom, waving a Barbie Doll around in ways that they should not, whilst popping their bodies into spandex attire. I, on the other hand, continue to have nightmares from the dancing bears with human legs. Miley’s performance at the MTV Video Music Awards proved me wrong when I thought I would never have to see the dancing bears again. Human legs are made for humans, so let’s keep it that way. Emerging from a giant teddy bear at the beginning of her set, she sported a skimpy bear leotard and miniature pig tails that resembled Angelica’s doll, Cynthia, from Rugrats. During the entire performance, Miley had her tongue out as if she was honoring National Dog Day, and then proceeded to twerk on 36 year old R&B artist, Robin Thicke. At this point, I was contemplating whether or not my own TV would strip down and start twerking. Not only did Miley make Will Smith’s family, who attended the VMA’S, look as if they just witnessed a four-eyed flying dinosaur, but she also gave the impression to young girls that it is okay to use foam fingers (which I will never be able to look at the same) inappropriately. After her second single, “Wrecking Ball,” was released, I thought Miley Cyrus
Photo Courtesy of John Dorsett
Paige, reluctantly, channels her inner Miley Cyrus.
did a complete 180. I loved the song, loved her voice, and truly believed it was a step further from “We Can’t Stop.” And then I saw the video. Between licking a sledgehammer, riding a literal wrecking ball naked, and crying a little too close to the camera, I had no words. I felt like I was watching an episode of Teen Mom on MTV. Not because Miley reminded me of an obnoxious, pregnant seventeen-year-old, but watching it
made me realize how dysfunctional our society is becoming. At least the title is appropriate; she literally just took a wrecking ball to her career. It is not that I hate Miley; it is that her being nude in music videos is a concern worth talking about. Hopefully Miley realizes the negative message she is sending out to young adults, and hopefully, America will never have to witness her twerk on a 36 year old ever again. v
8 Practical Uses
for the Emergency Whistle Herd freshmen. Drown out bo rin lectur g es.
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Warn people when Coach Ball is coming.
on Summ her a teac during m midter . exams
re a c S mid on. s le ssi p u co ut se Join band and keo a m add a nice falsetto to the accompaniment.
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Graphics by Annelise Hillmann
{P}Sports
COUNTDOWN:
The Pharcyde
27 days until Halloween
Bowlers play for the exstrikement, not for results By Veronica Weiss Staff Writer
Sweat drips down his face as he gazes down the lane. Next to him, Mr. Anderson can barely hold his cheese fries as he witnesses the scene unfold. Teammates hold their breath and look on to see if the team goal will be achieved. The juggernaut of a bowling ball continues to quickly advance down the lane. Other teams stop and stare down their competition, anxiously hoping the enemy attack will not suffer a blow to their team. Everyone is waiting to hear the thunderous crash of falling pins; however the ball finds its home in the gutter.
“We try to be the best that we can be, if that includes bowling on Sundays and my days off, then so be it.” RAY ANDERSON senior
To the team, the occurrence is not rare nor surprising. In fact, the team is a bundle of contradictions. On one hand, Mr. Anderson says “Bowling is their life, it’s their life mission.” They go bowling even on days when they do not have practice. One can find The Benjamin School bowling team at Jupiter Lanes bowling even on the weekends. “We try to be the best that we can be, if that includes bowling on Sundays and my days off, then so be it.” senior Ray Anderson said . As they are quick to admit, they are proud of their enthusiasm and their passion for this sport Yet at the same time,“We always strive for mediocrity” is shockingly the motto of The Benjamin School bowling team.“We are not overly serious about the game, but we do try to win and play the best we can.” junior Savannah Saiz said. The bowling team focuses more on enjoying themselves and
JULIETTE MERCADANTE/ Photography Editor
Although the varsity bowlers practice on the weekends, they claim that they “strive for mediocrity.”
not on the competitive nature of participating in a sport. The bowling team has been a part of The Benjamin School for twenty years now. Mr. Anderson took it over as a club and then ten years ago it became a sport. Despite its long tradition, all the
members are new to the team this year except one player. The majority of players this year are graduating seniors so the team is looking for new members to join next year. Mr. Anderson is eager to get young athletes who are just as passionate about the sport next year. v
lowed to reap the benefits of their years of hard work is absurd. It is especially ludicrous when multi-billion dollar TV deals, such as the Pac-12’s ,12 year, $3 Billion contract with ESPN and FOX, are being inked that exploit these stars. Pair the TV deals with the fact that jerseys of these stars with their numbers plastered on are flying off the shelves in their school bookstores and sports stores across the country, and it becomes hard to defend the argument that athletes should not be paid. EA Sports has been making NCAA Football games for two decades now; however, the NCAA has never officially licensed the use of current athletes names, images or likenesses to EA. So instead of being able to run the Alabama offense with AJ McArron in NCAA Football ‘14, QB#10 will be running the show. People choose to play as certain teams to control certain players, yet college athletes receive nothing for being in a game because technically, their likeness is not being represented, as if people playing as the Crimson Tide cannot tell who QB#10 is. If someone is willing and offering to pay someone money, or give gifts because of his or her status as one of the biggest stars in the country, why should an athlete not be able to accept that payment? For the past year, Johnny Manziel has been everywhere; on ESPN every day, on the cover of Sports Illustrated, and even Heisman-ing on the cover of Time, with the headline, “It’s time to pay college athletes” to his left. All of these news outlets have been constantly covering the polarizing figure, yet he is not allowed to get a dime from it. The point that is especially damning in this argument is that a multitude of the injustices are so easily fixed. NCAA Bylaw 12.5.3 states that, “a student-athlete shall not make any endorsement, expressed or implied, of any commercial product or service.” This is the bylaw that needs to be abolished. At the very least, athletes should be able to market themselves and accept sponsorships, especially since some athlete’s skill does not translate to the professional level. They should be entitled to the benefits that come with be-
ing an elite college athlete while they can. For example, Tim Tebow was one of the best college quarterbacks to play the game in years. Fast forward four years and he no longer has a job in the NFL. Surely he will be fine because of his endorsement deals and his lasting fame from his college days; however, what if he were to have suffered a career-ending injury whilst playing for the Gators? He would get no money from playing, despite the fact that he generated millions of dollars in revenue for The University of Florida. If Tebow were allowed to market himself during his glory days at The Swamp, he would have been more than financially comfortable. The autograph scandal that saw Manziel ride the bench for the first half of the season opener is the one example that really stood out because it should have had nothing to do with Texas A&M or the NCAA. People do not want Johnny Manziel’s signature because he is any old college football player; they want it because he is Johnny Football. Obviously, playing quarterback for an SEC school is a huge marketing boost, but at the end of the day, Manziel worked for his fame. It is his autograph, not the Aggies’, not the NCAA’s, his. If people want to pay him for it, let them. People will argue, “Well if they get paid for sponsorships, then all the quarterbacks will be making the most money because that’s the glamour position.” Yes, of course this is true, but it is the same in the NFL. Think of how many NFL players endorse products. Now think of how many of those are quarterbacks. That is simply how marketing works. We live in a capitalist nation. Not everything is fair. The issue of whether or not NCAA athletes should be paid is a very logistically complicated one. It would be stupid to expect a major overhaul of the system anytime soon because every good thing takes time. However, the time is now for the NCAA to start taking baby steps towards change. Let athletes market themselves ,and let them accept endorsement deals. v
Paid to play: Controversy over compensation of college athletes Michael Mullery Sports Editor
Should NCAA athletes get paid? It is a constant discussion topic on shows such as ESPN’s First Take, and in general conversations. However, as college sports continue to grow in popularity and dominate our airwaves, whether or not NCAA athletes should get paid should no longer be up for debate. In what other billion-dollar industry do the workers not get at least a cut? Critics argue that athletes get a paid-in-full education, which, if they stay all four years, is an immense amount of money. What people tend to ignore is the fact that athletes who make up the big-time football or basketball programs are generating more money for their universities than they are receiving in scholarship money. It would be one thing if the players were given an option, but the NFL states that all potential draftees must be at least 3 years removed from graduating high school, while the NBA requires their potential draftees to be, at minimum, 1 year out of high school. Basketball stars could try to take the route of Brandon Jennings, go overseas to play, make some money, and then go to the NBA. However, NFL hopefuls have no viable option other than college, as it is such a strictly American sport. This form of indentured servitude was popular in American colonial times; times have changed over the course of a few hundred years, yet it seems the NCAA has yet to catch on. To think that Division I college football and basketball players, the ones bringing in the most revenue, are not al-
The Pharcyde
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October 4, 2013
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Fifth-year high schoolers ineligible to participate in athletics
v Senior J.B. Thompson and sophomore Julia St. Amand are facing problems due to an FHSAA eligibility clause. By Riley Burke Staff Writer
The varsity golf and lacrosse teams will have to play without J.B. Thompson this year as a result of an eligibility issue that another sophomore Julia St. Amand will have to face her senior year. Because Thompson repeated his freshman year, he is unable to play high school sports as a senior. The reason is that Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) rule 9.5: Limit of Eligibility states that once a student starts his freshman year, he is only eligible to participate for four consecutive years. Commenting on that choice, Thompson said, “When I was deciding whether or not to repeat freshman year, the school was very informative and let me know the exact rule about eligibility. I knew what was at stake, but I wanted to start freshman year over with a new beginning. It definitely was a tough decision.” In the summer, Athletic Director Ryan Smith and Thompson appealed the ruling by attending a hearing in front of an FHSAA sectional appeals committee; however, the appeal was denied. Although his teammates knew, in all likelihood, that Thompson would, indeed, have to sit out of his senior seasons, his absence is already having an impact on the golf team’s fall season and will also affect lacrosse season in the spring. “Losing J.B. impacts our team a lot. He’s a great player and he would definitely help our team this year,” sophomore golfer Charlie Kennerly said. “We knew there was a chance J.B. wouldn’t be playing, but we were still a little surprised that he couldn’t play.” Head golf coach Toby Harbeck is also disappointed to see Thompson sitting out. “Losing J.B. has made a
Photo Courtesy of Julia St. Amand
Sophomore Julia St. Amand (center) will be ineligible to play sports during her senior year as it will be her fifth year in high school.
huge impact on our team. We graduated five seniors from last year’s team, and J.B. was going to be counted on as one of our top players and leaders ... I really miss not having him out there!” Thompson’s absence will not only be felt on the golf course but also on the lacrosse field in the spring. “J.B. has been a great teammate and friend. His loss will definitely affect our faceoffs, as he had a natural talent of quick hands, which is really important for faceoffs,” senior John
Dorsett said. “Most of all, he will definitely be missed on the sidelines with his charisma and energy. Everyone liked his hard work and fun personality at practice.” On a more positive note, Thompson will be assisting the lacrosse coaches during the season. Sophomore Julia St. Amand will also be ineligible to play her senior year because she, too, repeated her freshman year. “I repeated my freshman year be-
cause coming to the Benjamin School, I didn’t feel I was quite ready nor had the same knowledge as the other sophomores. I wanted to have a strong three years after my freshman year rather than two strong years if I stayed a sophomore,” St. Amand said. “I don’t have any regrets in my decision. Senior year will be hard watching all my friends finish their last year in high school playing their favorite sports; however, I can still continue my sports through club teams.” v
By Niki Hendi
the rest of top five have to finish high enough in the standings to win. Cross country is like golf, the lowest score wins and points are earned by finish place. ” It is difficult to endure the long miles of cross country though. Rosen said, “Mile repeats are the hardest because we have to run at a very hard and quick pace multiple times with little breaks in between.” Junior Nick Castriz, however, thinks that building up the endurance to run long miles is the most challenging part. The team consists of three seniors and six juniors, but with only one freshman and two middle schoolers competing, might become a challenge in coming years. Castriz said, “This year we might be able to pull off winning districts again since we still have our fastest runner, but next year a lot of us that are left will have to run faster in order to keep defending that district title.” “It’ll be difficult for our team to recover when all our upperclassmen leave, but I’m confident we’ll have people come in the next few years to take our spots,” Rosen said. “It’s important we have younger people come in becausev we have to defend our
Boys Cross Country team seeks to defend district title Staff Writer
This year, the boys varsity cross country team aims to defend last year’s district title. Since winning last season, the team feels that its mindset has changed. Senior Eric Rosen said, “We are much more dedicated and concentrated on keeping our title. We put in more hours and energy to make sure we’re prepared for anything.”
“Mile repeats are the hardest because we have to run at a very hard and quick pace multiple times with little breaks in between.” ERIC ROSEN senior
ALEC BATTS/ Staff Writer
Senior Austin Matese (left) finished eighth in the FLRUNNERS.com Invitational.
Boys cross country coach Mrs. Franci Jefferson said, “The mentality of cross country is difficult to comprehend. Just because Austin Matese will finish in the top three at districts,
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The Pharcyde
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October 4, 2013
JULIETTE MERCADANTE/ Photography Editor
Senior Olivia Kaplan (above) is looking forward to the varsity swim team uniting and pushing one another to improve as the season progresses.
Varsity swim team adds new members to roster, has high expectations for season By Alec Batts Staff Writer
This year, the varsity swim team has come into the spotlight with several changes to the team. Many members of the team are in middle school, but in the eyes of their high school teammates, they are very important and are improving the team dramatically. One valuable member of the team is 8th grader Alessandra Baldari. She broke two long-standing records at the school, one for the 100-meter freestyle, and one for 100-me-
ter backstroke. These two records had stood for over thirty years. Another addition to the team is a new member of the coaching staff. Along with coaches Ms. Sara Misselhorn, and Mr. Richard Cavanah, Mr. Mac Warren, a TBS alum and Florida state champion in the 500-meter freestyle and 200-meter IM, is helping to train the swimmers. These coaches also have high expectations for the team. Ms. Misselhorn said she would like to see the girls relay teams compete in regionals and some of the girls compete in states.
Senior Olivia Kaplan added to these goals by saying she would like to see the team come together as one and push each other to improve their times. Describing a normal practice, Kaplan said that some complain about getting into the pool, but once the coaches get the team there, the swimmers look forward to relays and competing against each other. Junior Annie Syed said, “I feel that this year is going to be successful because we’ve all been working really hard, and everyone is very motivated.”v
JULIETTE MERCADANTE/ Photography Editor
The swim team roster includes a number of middle schoolers.
Two seniors, one sophomore commit to play collegiate athletics By Michael Mullery Sports Editor
Three student athletes, Andrew Packer ’16, John Dorsett ’14, and Jessica Armstrong ’14 have recently committed to play their respective sport at the college level. Sophomore Andrew Packer verbally committed to play lacrosse at the Division I level for The University of Maryland. The Terrapins are a perennial powerhouse, with five NCAA Tournament Final Four appearances since 2003, and back-to-back appearances in the national championship game in 2011 and 2012. Packer has played lacrosse for eight years now and was a starting attackman on the varsity team last season, a season in which he tallied 42 goals and 23 assists. When
asked why he chose the school he did, Packer said,” I chose Maryland because when someone thinks of Maryland and what sports they’re good at, they automatically think lacrosse, plus my dad was an alum. The number one school I showed interest in was Maryland, and I’m glad they felt the same way.”
“I chose Maryland because when someone thinks of Maryland and what sports they’re good at, they automatically think lacrosse...” ANDREW PACKER sophomore
Senior John Dorsett recently announced he will be
playing d-pole for the Gettysburg College lacrosse team. Explaining how he got to this point in his lacrosse career, he said, “I have been playing lacrosse since I was a little kid, about 9 or 10 years now. I was pulled up on to varsity as a freshman at my old school in New Jersey, and when I moved down here half way through my sophomore year, I was put on varsity.” He received the most interest from three colleges; Denison, Gettysburg, and Kenyon. However, he decided to become a Gettysburg Bullet. He said, “While I got interest from other top D3 programs and several D2 schools, they didn’t meet my standards for academics. I chose Gettysburg because of its great coaching, the quality of academics I’ll receive, the liberal arts style
curriculum, and also its location in the mid-Atlantic east coast region.” Senior Jessica Armstrong, captain of the Bucs Varsity Volleyball team for the last two years, will be playing volleyball for The Stetson University Hatters. Armstrong has only been playing volleyball for five years. She said, “I started playing volleyball when my athletic director at my old school named Tom Conboy persuaded me to play my 8th grade year. He taught me a lot of what I needed to know and I ended up loving it. He passed away because of cancer and now it’s awesome to be able to say that I have a full D1 scholarship for volleyball and that wouldn’t have been possible if he never introduced me to it.”
Many other schools showed interest in Armstrong, including Florida Gulf Coast, Georgia Teach, and Dartmouth. She explained her decision to attend Stetson, saying, “I chose to commit to Stetson so I can play both indoor and beach volleyball, but also so I can attend the School of Music, as I want to pursue music in college and after.” These latest three commits raised the total of future commits to 11 still attending Benjamin. Armstrong is the first to commit for volleyball since 2012, while Dorsett and Packer joined seniors Jerry O’Connor, and Anthony Cicio as current Benjamin lacrosse players who have already committed to play in college, adding to the eight other alumni that have committed to play college lacrosse since 2012. v
Student Commitments : June to October Arden Pettit
Stanford University Softball ‘14
Bennett Sousa U. of Virginia Baseball ‘14
Hayley Ciklin
Northwestern University Lacrosse ‘14
Jerry O’Connor Yale University Lacrosse ‘14
Giovana Giraldo
Jessica Armstrong
Manhattan College Lacrosse ‘14
U. of Maryland Lacrosse ‘16
Stetson University Volleyball ‘14
U. of Florida Soccer ‘15
Anthony Cicio
Andrew Packer
Garrett Donaldson Fordham University Football ‘14
Riley Burke
Columbia University Basketball ‘14
John Dorsett Gettysburg College Lacrosse ‘14