the
PHARCYDE pharblog.com
THE BENJAMIN UPPER SCHOOL NEWSPAPER
4875 Grandiflora Road, Palm Beach Gardens, FL, 33418
What’s Inside
news
Bring your own device
August 20, 2013
Issue 1
By Annelise Hillmann
New teachers answer a Q&A for The Pharcyde- pg. 2
opinions The Pharcyde Bill of Rights and Responsibilities- pg. 4
spotlight Welcome class of 2017! Here are some helpful tips and tricks to surviving ninth grade- pp. 6-7
school life Student travels to China and recounts her tale - pg. 9
the scene Get up-to-date on fall fashions - pg. 10
{p}sports Fall sports previews - pg. 11 Congrats to the All Americans - pg. 12
News: 1-3 Opinions: 4-5 Spotlight: 6-7 School Life: 8-9 The Scene: 10 Sports: 11-12 Something to think about:
“
Graphics Editor
This year students will face challenges and opportunities with the new Bring Your Own Device policy (BYOD). This BYOD policy allows students the freedom to bring most computer devices to class as educational tools. This year the school will not require new students to buy a Lenovo model computer. Instead, students will be able to bring any device with full computing abilities. Returning students may also bring their personal devices that were not originally permitted by the school; however, the school will not allow devices like iPhones as computing tools in the classroom. The School is also asking students to use Google Docs to make their documents, power points, and other files. As a result, incoming students will not receive a copy of Microsoft Office on their school formatted devices. To address potential interface problems between devices, teachers and students will now share and save Google Docs on Google Drive, which has support across all major platforms. “Google Drive works in almost all web browsers and has native clients for Android and iPad, making accessibility easy for all users,” Chief Technology Officer Mr. Russell Tepper said. Students will still be See Computers page 3
Photo courtesy of Jack Wilson
Students’ trip to Haiti: life-changing experience
A group of Benjamin students and their families traveled to Haiti for a week long mission trip.
By Jerrie James Copy Editor
On July 21, a group of seven Benjamin students and their families set off on a week-long mission trip to Haiti not fully aware of the adventures ahead. Seniors Ray Anderson, Jack Wilson, George Donaldson, and Garret Donaldson, juniors Monica Anderson, Max Chesnes, and Brody Nissen, Mrs. Nancy Anderson, Dr. Robert Anderson, Mrs. Mary Beth Donaldson, Mr. Jim Chesnes, Rachel Chesnes, former student Ryan Brown, and Benjamin alumni Meredith Anderson
”
and Mary Chesnes joined the Hand’s Together program on their mission trip. They stayed the first five days of the trip in Jean-Denis, Haiti, where they set up a medical clinic. “Each patient would first go through a background check with different translators that worked with us all. Next, the patients would go to Vitals. At Vitals, we would take temperatures, blood pressure and pulse, age, height, weight. Next, the patients would go to another translator who would ask what problems he or she might be having. Finally, the
patients would then see one of our doctors for their problem/ checkup. We would then give them the proper medicine and we would also give them a ‘goodiebag’ with soap, a tooth brush, toothpaste, vitamins, and a lotion or shampoo,” Wilson said. “The hardest thing to adjust to, in my opinion, is the food. I like to eat; however, I am not at all a fan of the Haitian cuisine. So, it was definitely tough to live off of Pop Tarts, trail mix and beef jerky for a week, but I survived,” George Donaldson said.
will be open during the day is during drop-off and pick-up. The front entrance as well as the student entrance by the football field will be open at those designated times. Also in the design stages is the plan for the administration building to be locked to all on the outside. Benjamin would install a buzzer system with security cameras so that administrators can buzz people in the front door instead of allowing anyone to freely walk in. Since the only walk-in point of entrance on the campus will be the administration building, all other buildings will remain open for students and teachers to move from classroom to classroom freely. “Security is a primary issue with all schools including ours. We have had security changes on drawing boards but as a result of recent catastrophes at other schools, security has become a top prior-
ity,” Mr. Cavaliero said. Another security measure under consideration is either a sticker system on all student cars for identification purposes or a student ID badge. Since some seniors have the privilege of leaving and entering campus at certain time of the day, this program would ensure that everything runs smoothly. During the day, the only way to get into the campus will be through the guard gate. The security team has not decided on which course of action to take, but they will discuss it in the near future. Mr. Cavaliero stated that Benjamin will continue to take precautions to improve the safety of everyone in the Benjamin community as much as possible. He said, “Hopefully it will give us a higher degree of security. Our goal is to minimize the threat and maximize the level of security for students and faculty at The Benjamin School.” v
See Haiti page 3
Upper School campus redesigned for safety By Casey Pearce Editor-in-Chief
Security plans, a long time in development but accelerated by Sandy Hook, are quickly becoming a reality on the Upper School campus. According to Chief Financial Officer Mr. Frank Cavaliero, the most apparent secu-
rity change is the addition of perimeter fencing along Grandiflora Road. “There will be walk-in gates for pedestrians to get in, and there will also be rolling gates for cars with a security guard there at all times,” Mr. Cavaliero said. The only time that the gates
It is our choices... that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities. -Albus Dumbldore
Volume 34
CASEY PEARCE/ Editor-in-Chief
Fences along Grandiflora Road will enhance security for TBS.
News
The Pharcyde Check out the latest news @ pharblog.com
Meet the new teachers
In addition to welcoming math teachers Mr. Derek Harse and Mrs. Alicia Gram in our May issue, The Pharcyde would also like to welcome Physics teacher Mr. Steven Blount, Art teacher Ms. Sarah Davis, English teacher Mr. Tom Bazar, and Spanish teacher Mrs. Maria Gonzalez-Lopez. Below is a Question and Answer segment that Editor-inChief Casey Pearce conducted to give the rest of the Benjamin community insight into these four new teachers. For a more complete interview go to Pharblog.com Ms. Sarah Davis
Mrs. Maria GonzalezLopez
Mr. Tom Bazar
Mr. Steven Blount
Q: What inspired you to be a teacher? Q: What inspired you to be a teacher? Q: What inspired you to be a teacher? Q: What inspired you to be a teacher? A: What inspires me to teach is the joy of A: Honestly, I enjoy working with A: When I was in my first year of col- A: I have always loved learning, and sharing with others what I am passionate about. What also appeals to me is the collaborative nature of the high school environment. It is a special place and community where ideas and information are shared constantly.
young people. There is a great deal of vitality in being a lifelong learner and working as an educator, with young folks, keeps me young!
What was your favorite class when you were in school?
A:
Q: A:
My first substantial interest in art began at The Benjamin School under the direction of Mrs. Schick and Mr. Thomas, my art teachers. I received the Scholastic Art Award both my freshman and senior year. It was my senior year that I took my favorite class, AP 2D Art with Mr. Thomas who pushed and inspired me the most.
Q: Who was your favorite teacher? A: I am most inspired by one particular
artist and teacher, Jerry Cutler. I remember how I hung on every word he spoke and felt awed by his lectures on art history and theory. He taught me that art is an incredibly vulnerable endeavor. You create something and it is immediately present for everyone else to see.
Q:
What was your favorite class when you were in school? I would have to say an art history class back in college. The insight and specific changes in certain art movements and with specific painters shows how much art is directly linked to a certain time in history as well as a great catalyst to thought. I think of great art as a unique spiritual experience.
Q: Who was your favorite teacher? A: Back in my mid-twenties, when I was
studying acting in a very serious way, I happened to meet and then study with a man by the name of Paul E. Richards. He was a great teacher because he taught me, more than anything, to believe in myself, which is a great gift in itself, and not only did Mr. Richards have a profound knowledge of the craft of acting, his teaching had a profound influence on how I lived my life to this day.
lege in New Jersey, following a major in Economics, I started working as a tutor at the college campus. Most of the students I tutored were there for math and accounting. The satisfaction of helping someone feel successful in their own path of learning, made me realize that was my passion.
Q:
What was your favorite class when you were in school?
A: All throughout school including col-
lege, my favorite subject was History. History is a part of every subject, it’s not about the dates, the names, or the details; but rather, it’s about the connection between events. I teach Spanish, but more importantly, I teach how to communicate what you already know in a different way.
Q: Who was your favorite teacher? A: If I had to choose just one it would be my professor Dr. Ana B. FigueroaCoddou (who currently teaches at Penn State). She inspired me to be a free thinker, to question rhetoric and to read from different perspectives.
Q: Tell me about your family. Q: Tell me about your family. A: My family consists of my mother and Q: Tell me about your family. father, Liz and Joe and my three younger A: I have a wife and daughter. My wife’s A: I have two daughters, 15 and 5 and sisters, Melanie, Katherine, and Kristen also known as Kick, all of whom attended [TBS] (including my mom and dad). I also have a son, Landon, who is 2 years old.
Q: What do you like to do in your free time? A: In my free time I like to create new works of art, mostly through oil painting. I enjoy spin classes, golfing, reading, socializing, shopping, going to museums and traveling too.
name is Liz and my daughter is going into the 7th grade and her name is Isabel.
Q: What do you like to do in your free time? A: In my free time, I love to write, read,
spend time with family and friends, watch SC Trojan football and I love the ocean and spending time in the water, riding waves and being a beach bum. It rejuvenates me. The ocean, at dusk...there’s nothing like it.
I’m currently happily married. I try to teach my daughters to be fierce and not to conform to societal roles. I foster kindness and compassion, I encourage them to read and learn from everything and anyone around them.
would have been glad to be a student forever. I felt that the only direction I could go was to take my love of math and science and share it with the youth. I also felt that the youth of today are being horribly mislead by mainstream media and I want to expose them to the fact that through knowledge they can and should think for themselves.
Q:
What was your favorite class when you were in school?
A:
This would have been a college course on Euclidean and Non-euclidean Geometries. This was the first time that I learned ‘what you learn in school is not always the whole picture’, meaning that what I thought I knew from high school geometry was only the tip of a much bigger iceberg. The teacher had the ability of cultivating enthusiasm into the subject through his passion.
Q: Who was your favorite teacher? A: It’s a toss up. 3 of my 5 high school
science classes (earth science, chemistry, and physics) were all taught by teachers who thought & taught outside the box. The other teacher was my freshman writing teacher in college. She nurtured me to follow my interests even if they weren’t in my field of study.
Q: Tell me about your family. A: I am married with children (wife Christine, son Jacob, daughters (oldest to youngest) Victoria, Alexandra, and Isabella).
Q: What do you like to do in your free time? Q: What do you like to do in your free time? A: I’m a Whovian, so when I get a chance, A: Most of my free time is spent with my I catch up with Dr. Who. I’m an Onceler, so I try to catch up with Once Upon a Time.
family. But as for ‘personal time’, I spend a good deal of my free time reading.
BUC BABIES!
Abraham Frederick Harper Winston and India McVicar
Keats James Behan
The Pharcyde
News
August 20, 2013
Page 3
Haiti mission trip leads to valuable outlook on life
Photo courtesy of Jack Wilson Seniors Jack Wilson and George Donaldson loved helping the children. From Haiti page 1
Most of the days the students helped out at the clinic from 8:30 AM until 8:30 PM but still found time to relax and enjoy Haiti. Except for Thursday where we only worked for a half day and then went to a local “beach resort” which was a nice break in the middle of the trip and went to the beach,” Wilson said.
After five days in JeanDenis, they traveled to Gonaives, where they set up another medical clinic. After completing their work in both cities, they had treated close to 1,500 people. During the trip, Wilson witnessed what it’s like to be in a third world country. “The experience was incredible. When
we first arrived, Mrs. Donaldson told me to let her know if I found a building that was finished, because nothing was. It is a third world country still recovering from the earthquake.” Wilson said. “What I was most surprised by was the freedom of the children. The first day we got there, Ray and I went on a walk throughout the town. And the same group of kids came following us for 3 or 4 miles. JeanDenis was worse when it came to how they lived. Gonaives is one of the major cities and was a little nicer, but nothing that we are used to seeing living in the United States. I saw houses made from boards of wood. By the end of the trip, I saw one finished house.” Seeing how the children play was a great part for Donaldson, “My favorite part, as always, is the kids. Playing slaps, playing soccer, and teaching the kids a watered down version of American football made the trip so worth it. Every kid seemed to be having so much fun at the simplest of games, and it definitely made us feel special to be the source of the fun,” he said. While Donaldson was there, he decided to sponsor a little boy named Lionel. He pays $100 a year to put Lionel through school and sends a little extra money every month to help support Lionel and his family in things other
than just schooling. Donaldson hopes to continue his sponsoring and eventually sponsor his whole family. This summer, Wilson experienced what it is like to be the nurse of a very ill infant child. During the clinic day in JeanDenis Wilson and Max Chesnes took the temperature of an infant who had a fever of 107. “Max and I obviously had never seen anything like this and immediately told Mrs. Donaldson and Mrs. Anderson. We got the mother and child back to see the doctors immediately. This was very important because patients would have to wait hours, even days to see the doctors. About 20 minutes later Mrs. Donaldson and several of the other doctors on the trip came up to Max and I at Vitals, thanked us, and told us ‘Great job, you just saved that baby’s life!’ They managed to get the baby’s temperature down to just over 100 degrees. Knowing that I saved an infant baby’s life on my first day, made me extremely blessed and grateful, and knowing that I was able to make an impact. And it got me extremely focused and excited for the rest of the trip,” Wilson said. That Sunday they were supposed to fly home but had some complications that led to an overnight stay in the Port-auPrince airport. “Our bus broke
down on our way to the airport three times, so we were able to send three people ahead to let the airline know what was going on. We managed to get to the airport before the flight took off, but because it was an international flight, we had some trouble communicating with the airline and in the end only seven people got on the flight and the other 16 of us had to spend the night and wait on standby the next day for a flight. Luckily, by four in the afternoon, we were all on flights back home!” Wilson said. “This was my third time to Haiti, and I can’t emphasize enough how much of an impact it has had on my life. The experience and exposure I’ve had in one of the poorest and least fortunate countries in the world has changed my outlook on what it means to be an American, as well as what it means to have the standard of living that we are so fortunate to enjoy,” Donaldson said. v
ranty support on every type of computing device. In these cases, students will need to
“It is important to remember that the technology department will provide as much service as possible and will assist in troubleshooting any issues a student may encounter,” Tepper said. “But, we may not be able to solve the problem for you. The student will be responsible for ensuring they have an acceptable and functioning device at school, every day.” With these different challenges, Mr. Tepper is confident that most will be solved in a timely fashion. “We have spent a lot of time trying to anticipate as many problems as possible and develop solutions for them before school starts this year. I am hopeful that by allowing students to bring their own device they will choose the device on which they have the highest comfort level and expertise. This should reduce the number of questions regarding usage.” The school instituted the
BYOD policy to help students learn to work with other devices. “One of our goals is to teach our students the responsible and ethical use of technology,” Mr. Tepper said. “To help do this, the school decided that it should allow our students the ability to work with the devices that they were already using in their everyday lives outside of the classroom. This is not a change that was taken lightly or without much thought and planning put in to it.” Students must choose wisely when picking a device for class. Using devices that are originally intended for leisure, students may find themselves sidetracked from their schoolwork. “Don’t allow yourself to be distracted in class by any of the other apps or features it has available on it. Remember that you brought this tool for use in school. I advise students to bring the tools that will help them the most in their academic career,” he said. Students should be aware that the Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) still applies to all personal devices. Each time a student attempts to access the network at school, he or she will be prompted to sign in and accept the terms of service which include the AUP. Violating the terms of the AUP is a student honor code violation. For more information, students can find a link for frequently asked questions on the school website under “Laptops.” v
If anyone is interested in helping Hands Together in the Palm Beaches at the Lake Worth Center or in the medical mission visit www.handstogetherpb.org for more information.
Computer program offers students more options From Bring your own device page 1
able to access their files when they do not have Internet connection by setting up offline access with Google Chrome. In preparation for the change, faculty and staff attended a series of professional development classes in the summer. They, in turn, will be able to answer questions and teach students how to use Google Drive as needed. Students should be able to pick up the new technology easily, Mr. Tepper believes. “Fortunately, Google Drive’s word processor, spreadsheet and presentation tools look and function enough like Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint. There should be a very gentle learning curve,” he said. Another difficulty that may occur is that some applications that students have used in the past like Vista Higher Learning or VHL, an online language site and teaching tool, may not function fully on all devices. “If it turns out that the titles we are using today are not working on all platforms we wish to make available to students, the school will find new titles that do,” Mr. Tepper said. “Or, the school will stop requiring the titles be used in class and perhaps only be used at home on a computer.” Also, to accommodate the variety of devices, the School is now asking students not to print documents but instead to share them on Google Docs. “As part of the BYOD pro-
gram, we have made great efforts to ensure printing works as well as possible on all permitted devices. However, printing is resource intensive, environmentally unfriendly and costly. With the electronic tools available to us today, the need for printing has been greatly lessened,” Mr. Tepper said. In addition to software difficulties, another issue concerns batteries and chargers. The tech department will only stock these items for the model laptops it can support under warranty and currently has no plans to stock other parts or supplies. Students with different devices must now purchase their additional chargers and paraphernalia from other sources. If students need help to understand Google Drive or if their devices break, they will always be able to go to the technology office for assistance. Unfortunately, the school cannot provide war-
“One of our goals is to teach our students the responsible and ethical use of technology.” MR. RUSSELL TEPPER
Chief Technology Officer look to their vendor or manufacturer for support on issues that require more detailed troubleshooting or repair.
ANNELISE HILLMANN/ Graphics Editor
Students can now bring iPads, Macs, and tablets as their computer instead of just the school Lenovos.
Opinions
Cheers
Jeers
New computers
Getting acquainted
Students can now bring a wider variety of computers to school with them.
Starting a new year means having to learn teachers grading styles all over again.
Editorials
The opinion of The Pharcyde
The Pharcyde Bill of Rights and Responsibilities
In last year’s final issue of The Pharcyde, Co-Editors-in-Chief Lauren Bernick and Ben Germano both suggested that every great institution needs to look critically at itself to make improvements and become stronger. The start of a new school year provides a special opportunity to create improvements. The Pharcyde believes now is the appropriate time for students and faculty to reevaluate their expectations of each other. The following proposed Bill of Rights and Responsibilities is a guideline for the students and teachers that needs to be implemented to enhance the learning process.
For the Teachers
I. Teachers shall not make work due until the last assessment of equal worth is graded and given back.
For the Students
VI. “I did not know it was due” is NOT acceptable
When teachers return graded essays, the first thing students look for is the grade, then they look for the reasons they received that grade. These corrections help students fix their mistakes on upcoming essays and assessments. This is the only way in which they can improve. If students do not receive an essay back before another is submitted, then how can they be expected to get a better grade if they are making the same mistakes. In the past, some teachers have not returned work in a timely fashion.
Students are responsible for knowing all dates of assigned work if the dates are posted online or in class. High School students do not (and should not) be reminded about an assignment every single day. Many college courses are not every day. Students will have a couple days in between classes, and the professors are not going to send out reminders about assignments. Students either have the assignment complete or they do not. It is not the teacher’s responsibility to hold a student’s hand throughout high school. Students need to use a planner and work ahead.
II. Teachers need to give notification one week in advance for a period test or a paper longer than 3 pages
VII. Students shall not go home “sick” the day of a test for which they have not studied.
III. Teachers should give tests on their assigned test day unless students agree to a non-test day
VIII. All students shall read every book assigned, Sparknotes are not replacements.
IV. Students should be able to keep all assessments once they have been graded
IX. Students need to be honest in acknowledging that they have not done their work.
V. If a team returns home after 11 PM due to a game, those students should not be required to turn in homework or take a test that has not been given at least a week in advance
X. Students are responsible for communicating with teachers for planned absences.
Students cannot study to the best of their capability if a teacher assigns a test for the next day or two. It is a stressful situation for a student to have only one or two days to learn a unit or more of information. With five other courses to worry about, students cannot devote their entire night to one subject. If teachers expect students to do their best on a test, then they should give them notice at least a week in advance whether it is through word of mouth or posted on Netclassroom. After that, then it is the students’ responsibility to study and put their best effort into the test.
A quest should no longer be part of the Benjamin faculty’s vocabulary. Most teachers agree that if an assessment takes more than half the period, then it is a test. For this new school year, teachers should only give a test on the test day unless they have talked with their students about their upcoming test schedules. Students should have the ability to talk to the teacher about moving a test to the correct test day or to opt to take a test on another day.
The best way to study for midterms and exams is to look back at old tests and quizzes and see the topics that students have not fully comprehended. The only way students can do this is if they get to keep their tests after they have been graded. Students want to see why they have gotten something wrong so that they can ask questions and clear up any misunderstandings.
There are exceptions to the rule, but many students do a sport only to fulfill their sports credit. It is not their fault they have a game far away and they do not get home until 11 at night, if not later. A student should be able to turn in homework a day late if a teacher assigned it the day of the game, or opt to take a test/quiz later if a teacher assigned it less than a week in advance. It is not the students’ fault that they are required to play a sport.
No matter how much a student plays up the sick card, students and teachers all know those students who go home just to get out of a test. This responsibility also includes students who pretend to “not have a voice” on the day of a presentation. Whether the test is hard or students are not ready to present does not matter. They should not be given extra time for lying. Students are never fully prepared for a test or presentation no matter how much they study for it! Students should just take the test or make the presentation because they are only delaying the inevitable if they go home.
Many students come into the school year with their books ready to read and annotate, but some think they will be able to get away with Sparknoting the entire book. Students can use Sparknotes as a tool to aid students after they have read the book, but it is not an appropriate replacement when a student needs to know very tiny details about the novel.
If students have not done their work, then they need to tell the teacher this. It is the students’ fault, no one else’s fault. They should own up to a mistake and not try to hide the fact. They will gain more respect for owning up to it rather than hiding it and just “forgetting” to turn something in that day.
A majority of the time students know a few days in advance if not more when they are going to be absent including if they have an away game and will not be able to do much homework for the next day. It is the student’s responsibility to communicate with the teacher and strategize about missed work. Students should talk with teachers ahead of time to find out when they will be available to talk about this so that they are fully prepared to miss a couple school days.
Overall, the general theme of the Bill of Rights and Responsibilities is that teachers need to communicate and provide feedback in a timely fashion, while students need to live up to their responsibilities. These changes will make life at Benjamin better. We need to formally adopt them. - Casey Pearce, for The Pharcyde Editorial Board 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
Editorial Board
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 Dean Sandquist Sports Editor Annelise Hillmann Graphics Editor school that we value so deeply.
Andy Weir Special Projects Editor
Staff Writers
Lexi Cass, Averill Healey, Rachel Smith, Riley Burke, Jerrie James, Juliette Mercadante, Staff AshlynWriters Sendler, Paige Sode, Michael Ashlyn Sendler, MaxWeir, Chesnes, Niki Breuer, Hendi, Kathleen Walsh Mullery, Andy Caterina Niki Hendi, Annelise Hillmann, Bella Ross, Kathleen Walsh
Staff Artists
Nick Wettermann Photographer
Membership The Pharcyde is a member of the Florida Scholastic Press Association, American Scholastic Press Association, Columbia Scholastic Press Association and the National Scholastic Press Asscociation. General The Pharcyde, the Upper School newspaper of The Benjamin School, is published six times a year.
Advertisements The price of a full page ad is $200.00/issue. The price of a half page ad is $120.00/issue. The price of a quarter page ad is $90.00/ issue. The price of a business card ad is $50.00/ issue.
The Pharcyde is distributed to every student and faculty member and is availalbe in the Upper School office. Each issue is mailed to every Upper School family’s home address.
If you or anyone you know would like to place an advertisement in The Pharcyde, please contact Jerrie James at jerrie.james14@thebenjaminschool.org.
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.
Opinions
The Pharcyde
Page 5
August 20, 2013
Too Cool for School
vFreshmen beware: don’t fall prey to someone else’s definition of the word “cool” Ben Greenspan Executive Editor
The first few days of high school are challenging for everyone. Some students need to adjust to their teachers’ style or figure out how to open their locker, while others need help simply finding their classroom. Yet for many students, especially freshmen, their main focus is on whether or not they seem “cool.” Oftentimes, students prioritize appearing “cool” in high school, and many have a definition or even strategy for looking cool, but many eventually find the true definition that applies to them. My first day of freshman year, I used hair gel, something that I had barely ever done prior. I stood in front of the mirror for 15 minutes deciding whether or not wearing a backpack with two straps or one strap looked cooler. I was obsessed with my outward appearance. I thought that when I got to school, everyone would be scrutinizing my every move, trying to deduce if I were cool. I could not have been more wrong. Once I arrived at school and realized that no one
really cared that I was wearing expensive cologne or was “one-strapping it” I was incredibly embarrassed. No matter, I thought, I will just be cool some other way. In history class, I tried making fun of someone who knew a lot about a topic. No one cared. At lunch, I tried bragging about the cool things I had done over the summer. No one cared. When school ended and I was waiting to be picked up, I leaned against a tree in what I thought was a cool manner. No one cared. My brother, who was a junior at the time, imparted to me some great advice after a few weeks. He asked me if I was constantly judging everyone I saw, and when I responded that I was not, he further inquired why I believed everyone was judging me. I thought for a moment and then conceded that I had no reason to. He then asked me why I was trying to appear cool. I told him it was because I wanted to make friends. Finally, he asked if I wanted to be friends with someone who was trying to be cool, and I understood what he was saying. I had this generic image in my mind of who a cool person was. I imagined someone who was nonchalant, disregarded authority, and always made people around him laugh. And I wanted to be that person who I thought was the paradigm of cool. But my brother made me realize that neither I nor anyone else is under constant scrutiny from peers, and no one really cares whether or not someone’s backpack hangs off the side
Is TBS Technologically Advanced? Casey Pearce Editor-in-Chief
In the middle of the summer, Benjamin sent out a letter to students with their schedule attached and a message, telling parents to buy their students textbooks on Classbooks.com. With all our technological advances this year, this should be a thing of the past. The Bring Your Own Device policy allows students to have a wider variety of technology readily available and this leads to the question, why are we not using online textbooks? Students are not used to online textbooks, but if they were established, then students would be able to adjust, especially because the benefits outweigh the disadvantages. The first of these benefits is that in many cases online textbooks will cost less. Every Benjamin parent becomes aware of these costs freshmen year when they buy from Classbook.com for the first time. The total is staggering. As an example, for hardcover textbooks in Advanced Placement (AP) Literature, AP Calculus BC, AP Chemistry, and AP Government, the bill is over $700. The AP Chemistry textbook alone is $207. If one were to compare the cost of an AP Government book titled Comparative Politics Today, the classbooks.com price is $143.26 whereas the Kindle downloadable version is $88.32. This is a $54.94 savings. With the upgrades to the computer program and the network in place, the computers should be able to handle the downloads more effectively and in turn, students can have the book downloaded to their device at all times. Another benefit to purchasing and downloading online textbooks is that it will save students from lugging around textbooks between school and home.
{P}
Many students say that they already have back problems. Not a day goes by that one does not hear a student complain about the weight of his or her backpack. Textbooks would be readily available on whichever device students choose. Instead of students worrying about not bringing home the right textbooks, the books would only be a keystroke away. It is wrong for the school to require us to buy physical textbooks from Classbook.com when online textbooks might be the better option. Some colleges already have online textbooks so this change in policy would enable students to get accustomed to using online textbooks. If we are technologically advanced, then we should have the option of buying online textbooks.
or if he leans on a tree. No one wants to be friends with the kid who is just a façade. No one admires the student who makes jokes at someone else’s expense. People do, however, want to be friends with someone who is naturally funny, or smart, or athletic, or artistic, because that is who the person is. As cliché as it may sound, everyone, in their own way, is cool and everyone can find a group of people with whom they identify and enjoy being around. For many students, high school can be a time to start over, to be one’s true self. I had difficulty making friends my first few weeks of high school because I was embodying a lie. Now, I wear two backpack straps, I never gel my hair, and I wear generic cologne. And I could not be happier.
trying to be cool
Graphic by Annelise Hillmann
Letter to the Editor Junior Spencer Schar wrote a Letter to the Editor about an article in the May Issue of The Pharcyde titled “Students with learning difficulties find challenges at TBS.” v
In May 24, 2013 edition of The Pharcyde, Ben Greenspan had an article regarding students with learning difficulties to which I would like to add a clarification. Dr. Taylor is a Learning Specialist and will help any student who goes to her and asks for assistance. The skills the Learning Specialist at my last school taught me were invaluable, so I encourage students to seek Dr. Taylor’s help in understanding the techniques they need to develop to help them with their unique learning styles. I am not embarrassed by my learning differences and I hope other students aren’t either. CASEY PEARCE/ Editor-in-Chief
Have your voice heard.
Write a letter to the editor. Send your thoughts, in 150 words or fewer, to casey.pearce14@thebenjaminschool.org.
Sp
Page 6 The Pharcyde
August 20, 2013
The Fresh
As we welcome all of the freshmen in clas tricks, and other important facts to survive 2
the
3
join
CLUB9
R
4
Congratulations! You finally made it. Now there’s a lot to being a freshman. Here’s 17 things you need to know. So listen up!
7 TES QUI TS + ZZE Do n ot th S ro
8 1
1
5
WHO’s WHO
Have a problem with your schedule? Go talk to Dr. Taylor or Mr. Didsbury. Go early though, there will be a line.
2
Mrs. Donaldson is the one to go to if you don’t feel well or just need a motherly figure. She’s not only the school nurse but so much more.
3 If you break a rule or report late to class, you will have to visit Dean Ball in her office and explain why you are there.
4
The Honor Council: Student organization that handles violations of the honor code. You don’t want to get called on an honor code violation.
5
If you want to change something about the school or become a leader in your class, run for the Student Council.
6 Having problems with a teacher, class, or other students? Ask a peer counselor for help on guiding you in the right direction
wa way .
6
5 Tips to Remember 7 Don’t congregate in front of doorways. You’ll only end up aggravating upperclassmen and making teachers late.
8 Get involved with clubs, but not too many. Only join the ones that you are most interested in. Don’t get lured in by the food!
9 Save all your old tests and quizzes in a binder or folder. This may seem simple but if you lose them, then you are losing precious studying material for midterms and finals
10 You will hear this often but let it become the phrase you live by, “Freshman year counts!” If you do not try your hardest freshman year, then you will regret it when you are applying to
tlight
Page 7 August 20, 2013
hmen ‘17
The Pharcyde
ss of 2017, The Pharcyde presents 17 tips, ninth grade at The Benjamin Upper School 10 RT EPO
D CAR
R
17
A F BD
tick
vvvvvvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvvvv vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
C-
tock!
16
vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvvvvvvvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvv vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvv vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvv vvvv vvvvvvvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vv vv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvv vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvv vvvvvv vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vv vv vv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vv vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvv vvvvvv vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv vvvvvv v vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vv vv vv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vv vv vv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvv vvvvvv vvvvvv vvvv
15
11
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
13
AUGUST
14
12
Quick Tricks and Fixes 11 Warning: During heavy rain some of the lockers tend to get water in them. If there is a hurricane approaching or a large rain storm, move your books so they aren’t ruined.
12 If you are not satisfied with an essay grade, then ask your teacher if you can rewrite it. Sometimes you can; sometimes you can’t. But it never hurts to ask.
13 Ask questions no matter how stupid they may seem. There is most likely someone else thinking the same thing. You will only help yourself understand and hopefully someone else.
14 Write down assignments the day you get them. If you start early and need help, the teacher will be more likely to assist.
15
Anything Else?
Remember to remind your parents that on Wednesday and Thursday student pick-up is at 2:30. The block schedule can be confusing sometimes.
16 Always keep an extra $5 in your bag in case you forget a lunch. MondayThursday lunches are typicaly $5 and on Friday pizza is 1 slice for $2, 3 for $5.
17
You have two weeks to change your schedule. Get to Dr. Taylor ASAP before it is too late.
With luck, hardwork, and determination you’ll survive freshman year. Good luck!
School Life
The Pharcyde
Student Stories + Teacher Features
JULIETTE MERCADANTE/ Photography Editor
The 3-D printer (above) has already been used to create many objects including a toy car, an octopus, a chess piece, and a Sierpinski triangle.
Computer Sc. Department purchases new 3-D printer By Ben Greenspan Executive Editor
In the Star Trek franchise, instruments known as “replicators” were used to synthesize things such as food and clothes, seemingly out of thin air. Although this type of technology was only science fiction at the time it first appeared, through the use of a device called a 3-D printer, it is becoming a reality. The Upper School Computer Science Department purchased a 3-D printer at the end of the last school year and it is now available for use by students. Three-Dimensional printers were first developed in the 1980s but only recently became available for use by the masses as the price of the printers has decreased from their once exorbitant cost. A 3-D printer functions by taking blueprints from a computer aided design (CAD) that someone has created. The printer then cuts the virtual object into cross-sections to prepare it for printing. Once this step is completed, the printer will then lay down
layer upon layer of plastic, based on the cross-sections, until the object is complete. An easy way to envision this is by imagining the layers of a house being built by bricks until it takes the shape of the house.
“And I thought it would be cool to take these models that students were making and turn them into actual objects, and that’s exactly what the 3-D printer does.”
MR. GREGORY BICKERMAN Computer Science Teacher
Computer science teacher Mr. Gregory Bickerman was the driving force behind the purchase of the printer. “Last year, I taught a 3-D Game Design class, and I had students making all of these neat models. I had one student making a T-Rex model, and one student made a car model, and they looked great. But they were just pictures on a screen,” he
said. “And I thought it would be cool to take these models that students were making and turn them into actual objects, and that’s exactly what the 3-D printer does.” Mr. Bickerman will use the printer in the 3-D Design class, but it will primarily be available for extracurricular use by students. “One reason that it’s not going to be used in a lot of classes is that it can take a long time to print,” Mr. Bickerman said. “We printed a guitar pick that took maybe six minutes, but we also printed a little Sierpinski triangle that took about two hours. The length really depends on how much material is going into it, how big it is, or how strong it is. It would be tricky to print something in class that takes an hour.” The 3-D printing projects that students will be working on are simple in design when compared to what has already been created. According to the International Business Times, someone has recently printed what is believed to be a fully functioning plastic rifle. One organization pioneering the use
of 3-D printers is NASA. This government agency reports that it is currently exploring the possibility of printing food in space, as astronauts in the future will be sent farther and farther away from the Earth with only a limited amount of supplies. Students and teachers alike are looking forward to using the 3-D printer. “I am very excited about using it and learning the different skills that go in to making the 3-D models for the printer,” said junior Bobby Ferruggia, who will be taking Mr. Bickerman’s 3-D Design class. “I think it will be something new and interesting.” v
JULIETTE MERCADANTE/ Photography Editor
Objects made by the 3-D printer.
Behind the scenes: how the Honor Council really works By Niki Hendi Staff Writer
Although the Honor Council generally has a daunting reputation, most students do not really know what happens ‘behind the scenes.’ To shed light on how it really works, The Pharcyde interviewed seniors and Honor Council members, president George Donaldson and council member Ally Sexton. According to them, the process starts with an e-mail being sent to the person accused saying what they have been accused of and that a hearing will be held. This e-mail, known as the “Letter of Accusation,” is also sent to Head of the Upper School Mr. Latta Baucom, Dean of Students Ms. Sue Ball, and the Honor Council Advisor Mrs. Nidhi McVicar.
“When someone is accused of violating the Honor Code, they are brought before the Council,” Donaldson said. “We hold a hearing where both the witness and the accused give testimony, and we determine, as a group, whether they are innocent or guilty of breaking the Honor Code.”
“Over the years I have been on the council, the process has definitely encountered a few changes.” ALLY SEXTON Honor Council Member
He continued. “If they are guilty, then, as a group, we discuss and decide on a suitable consequence. The inner
workings aren’t very complicated, but it is a very efficient process.” As to how the consequence is decided, Sexton said, “The consequence is dependent on how severe the violation is and how many times the student has violated the Honor Code.” Sexton, who has been on the Honor Council since her freshman year, has seen a refinement in the hearing process. “Over the years I have been on the council, the process has definitely encountered a few changes,” she said. “Last year, for example, the organization of previous hearings was dramatically improved because the files were all moved online rather than being in a filing cabinet. Sexton continued. “This made the files much more accessible so we could relate cases to previous trials
and compare punishments to ensure that the council remained consistent.”
“The consequence is dependent on how severe the violation is and how many times the student has violated the Honor Code.”
GEORGE DONALDSON Honor Council President
Donaldson said, “This year, the Council plans on furthering the efficiency, but at the same time, stressing the ‘fairness’ of the process. We want students to understand that we are not necessarily ‘out to get them’, but at the same time we want them to understand and follow the ideals that run the Upper School.” v
School Life
The Pharcyde
August 20, 2013
Page 9
Trip to China reveals vastly different culture to American student v
Graphics Editor Annelise Hillmann traveled to China this summer and observed the ways that the American and Chinese way of life differ.
By Annelise Hillmann Graphics Editor
“What’s that?” I asked, looking into a bowl of sliced meat. “Stewed cow lung.” I nearly vomited my fried rice. To say that the Chinese eat differently is an understatement. I learned this quite quickly on June 1 after arriving in Beijing, China. One twentysix hour trek across the globe, and I was coughing violently from Beijing’s notoriously smoggy skies. Fortunately, during my three-week adventure in China, a government tour guide accompanied my parents and me. He steered us away from suspicious foods and explained the “do’s” and “don’t’s” for American tourists. An interesting facet of Chinese culture is its contradictions. The country is perhaps the only place where one can find monks buying iPhones and neon office buildings crowded against Qing Dynasty temples. It is this contradictory nature that makes China so different from, yet so similar to, America. Many of their customs are at odds with the American way of life. For example, American protocol dictates that it is awkward to hold eye contact with strangers. Also, it is inappropriate to overtly take a picture of strangers with one’s Nikon. However, the Chinese did not seem to get that memo, as I learned firsthand.
“As much as [the Chinese people’s] desire to take pictures with foreigners is endearing, their unusual proclivity for spitting is not. “ In fact, they relish the occasion to study and befriend Westerners. When my tour group and I were taking a photo in front of the Potala Palace, the former residence of the Dalai Lama, fifteen Chinese tourists unexpectedly decided to
ANNELISE HILLMANN/ Graphics Editor
Hillmann visited the Chengdu Research Base for Giant Panda Breeding which is home to a captive population of over 80 pandas.
join the picture. And on several occasions, random people asked the blonde women in our group to pose with them. As much as their desire to take pictures with foreigners is endearing, their unusual proclivity for spitting is not. After five minutes of walking down the streets of Shanghai, I must have witnessed twenty men hack up their saliva. Although we could judge the Chinese simply by their unique code of etiquette, their culture has many complexities, the majority of which are admirable. One example is their education system which does what ours fails to do: foster ambition in education. The students’ typical day starts at 8 AM. when they arrive at school. All students attend classes until 6 PM and then return home for a quick dinner before starting an intensive homework load. Some even take additional night classes to prepare for impending exams. Perhaps the reason study is so valued is that the college application process is completely different from ours. Colleges solely judge students by their scores on one standardized examination which
they take at the end of senior year. The exam covers all the material they have learned since they were six years old, the age at which schooling starts. Colleges do not take into account any other factor. If a student receives a good score, he may be accepted into the best colleges such as Peking University or Beijing City University. If he receives a poor score, he may find himself picking up trash in Tien An Men Square for the rest of his life. Chinese education may surpass that of America simply because of the differing ideologies. In America, the schools try to foster a safe, intellectually-supportive environment that accepts all levels of development no matter how little effort is shown. One can simply breathe and win a participation award. However, in China, teachers do not coddle. They do not hold the student’s hand. They expect a certain level of standard, and they get it by forcing the cream to work especially hard to separate themselves from the crop. Although China differs in education and social customs, the country shares more simi-
larities with us than one might think. Modern China sports a series of megacities, the biggest of which, Chongqing, houses more than 33 million people. Every street corner has a Starbucks and a McDonalds. The burgers are exactly the same (after two and a half weeks of Chinese food, I was glad to have something different).
“Although China differs in education and social customs, the country shares more similarities with us than one might think.” Apart from fast food, China’s social stratification looks almost like that of the US as well. The divorce rate in China is rising, and modern couples rarely have arranged marriages. Chinese women do not have as many children as in prior years – partly because of the One Child Policy and partly because of the higher percentage of women in
the professional world. The similarities between our cultures could be a result of the way Chinese idolize all things American – the celebrities, the fashion, the customs and policies. Hong Kong and Shanghai could be New York and Chicago for the number of expensive clothing stores and shopping malls. That being said, the country spans an area of 9.5 million square kilometers, and the spectrum of cultural diversity is enormous. Fifty-six different ethnic groups live within China, including the Tibetans, the Mongols, the Yao, the Zhuang, and the majority Han people. And the distribution of income spans from the poor farmers to the richest CEOs. With that degree of diversity, I would need to go back a hundred times just to soak it all in. From the rural rice paddies to the bustle of the city, my travelling experience was a cultural awakening. I widened my knowledge of a strange country that at first seemed so foreign and in reality is not too v far from home.
Photo courtesy of Jeffrey Hillmann
Hong Kong’s skyline features a nightly, orchestrated light show, known as “A Symphony of Lights”, which is displayed on 44 buildings in Victoria Harbor.
The Scene Tech
|
Trends
Because
|
The Arts
I Said So
Columnist Paige Sode
Improper Instagram and workout etiquette: Made-up girls in gym frustrate Sode As I was scrolling through my Instagram (particularly ignoring the countless pictures of chocolate desserts and sunsets) my vision soon became fixed on a fourteenyear-old girl taking a mirror pic, with her hair and makeup done as if she were about to walk the red carpet. One would think she were going to a party of some sort, dressed only in spandex, gym shoes, and a push-up sports bra, but the caption read: “Getting Swole At The Gym!
The Pharcyde
<3” Sorry, what? When I heard the word “gym,” my first thought was of a sweaty, repellant creature running on the treadmill. But apparently for some Benjamin girls, the word “gym” is just an excuse to dress scandalously and pray that their makeup doesn’t shmear. The sweaty, repellant creature is the category that most girls fall under because of the obvious, common goal: to lose weight. Then we have the Instagram girls who feel
the need to look like Kardashian’s, do one sit up, act like they ran three miles, and then walk around the entire gym eyeing down guys. The worst part is when the Instagram pictures become reality. The other night as I was running on the treadmill, I turned to the left and saw something that almost made me fling backwards onto the ground. Next to me was a girl no older than fifteen, in full makeup with hair looking like she just came from the salon next door. Lip-gloss. Curls. Sports-bra. Spandex. I wasn’t positive whether or not she wanted a photo shoot, but I was 100% sure I was moving onto a different treadmill. It makes sense if you are going to the gym during the day and have some leftover eyeliner and mascara on. Putting makeup on and doing your hair specifically for the gym though, why waste your time? When you sweat, your pores open up (call me miss hygienist here) and the bronzer, foundation, and whatever else layered on, will all be entering. Plus, who wants to see mascara running down your face if you happen to sweat? If anything, you Instagram girls will ward off guys rather than attract them. Back to the girls taking pictures of themselves in
sports-bras and spandex and then putting it on Instagram, here is some advice. Don’t. We know that you are confident in how your body looks, but there is no need to show the rest of the world that you are about to get “swole.” Post a picture of your dog or something. For the girls wearing makeup and blowing out
their hair for the gym, here is some advice. Don’t. There are so many other places for you to get all pampered up and attract guys, rather than wasting valuable space in the gym. Summer is over, so you must learn the new gym trends. Instagram girls are out, while sweaty, repellant creatures are so in. v
PAIGE SODE/ Online Editor
Paige demonstrates what girls should not be doing at the gym.
Fall fashion designs embrace punk and chic styles By Katie Walsh Staff Writer
“I wear your grandpa’s clothes. I look incredible,” are the lyrics to Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’s smash hit Thrift Shop which poked fun at the recent trend of wearing vintage or beat up clothing; a trend that will be repeating itself this fall. Yes, as much as I hate to admit it, the “hipster“ trend is still flourishing. It is still suffocating the world with fedoras, faux vintage shirts, and high waisted everything. However, for all those who wish to look fashionforward and comfy this fall I have fantastic news. Oversized everything seems to be in fashion; from the thousand dollar cashmere sweater to the twenty dollar cotton hoodie, big sweaters are definitely in. I only wish now that sweatpants and fluffy slippers became new style trends; a girl can only dream. The oversized style is even trending in the high-fashion league as well. Designers such as Oscar de la Renta and Alexander McQueen showcased oversized coats, sweaters and pants, which to me resembled my grandfather’s wardrobe in the most chic of ways. Not only are oversized
coats in, but also an old classic: fur. Yes, for all those PETA supporters out there, fur is back. Vogue’s August issue claimed that fur would be a major look this coming fall.
looks as if punk rock is coming back full force. Grab your leather, spikes, and plaid because punk is back. Many high-fashion designers, like Vivienne Westwood,
Stores like Topshop, Modcloth, American Apparel and Urban Outfitters (or Ole Faithful as I like to call it), are trending a variety of “punk” clothes as well as hipster-chic
Recently Vogue has been running a campaign across YouTube advertising fashions old and new. As the saying goes, everything eventually comes full circle, and it
are integrating punk-chic into their fall fashion collections as well and creating a mix of sophisticated looks with punk styles that contrast one another.
attire. Modcloth has an abundant collection of unique and gorgeous shoes to pick from as well as clothes. While the punk trend may be flourishing, the other 80’s
Graphic by Annelise Hillmann
looks are not so in season anymore. Put down the side ponytails, neon spandex, and electric blue eye shadow, because the Go Go’s are going, going and gone. In fact many hair and make-up trends are focusing on very natural and matte looks, which, honestly never really goes out of style. To find ways to create these looks, YouTube is a fantastic place to start. Make-up Gurus, like Michelle Phan, are always up to date on the makeup and hair trends of the season and always give step-by-step lessons on how to recreate them at home. Though these fashion trends are going to become popular this fall, it is important to remember that we live in Florida and so unfortunately we cannot always sacrifice getting heat stroke for wearing a fashion-forward coat, (I’m speaking from experience unfortunately.) It is also important to note that everyone is indeed unique and what works for one person won’t always work for another person; so instead have fun picking and choosing what you like from the trends that are circulating this fall. Someone may even start his or her own trend (I just hope it is sweatpants and pajamas.) v
{P}Sports
The Pharcyde
August 20, 2013
Page 11
Fall sports preview: athletes are optimistic about new year By Michael Mullery Sports Editor
Buccaneer athletics enjoyed great seasons in nearly all fall sports last year and won multiple district titles. With the addition of many talented freshmen, the teams have high hopes for the upcoming season and anticipate doing as well, if not better, than last year.
Cross Country The boys cross country team won their first district title in school history last year, and although they will be without Dane Mauger this season, the lone senior from last year, the team still has high hopes. Junior Max Wulff said, “Our goal is to protect our district championship and to go to states as a team, or send as many individual runners as we can.” The girls’ team finished second in the district last season, but will be without a number of important seniors from last year. Junior Hannah Cogsil said,” The team had a great season, despite getting runner up in districts to Kings. We did lose three very significant seniors last year, and the team is going to miss them, but we are hoping to be gaining a lot of strong new runners. We are hoping to finish strong for the upcoming year, take the district title, and make it to states.”
Golf Last year, the boys golf team made another deep post-season run. After only losing two matches, the team won in districts, finished second in regionals, and third in the state. Despite losing key players Clancy Waugh, Ryan Jahn, Liam Fine, Connor Mays, and Jake Williams, the team is still poised for another shot at a state title. Junior Jalen Ledger said,”This year we have a very strong top three, and our goal is to win states.” The Lady Bucs finished last season as district champions before falling in regional play. Due to the birth of Mr. Jamie McVicar’s twins, he will no longer be able to coach the team. Mr. Wesley Logsdon will take over the responsibility. The team lost Katie Wallshein, but gained seventh grader Hannah Foster. Senior Caroline Araskog, who competed in the state tournament last year, is looking forward to the upcoming season. “I feel the team is going to be very strong this year,” she said. “Our goal will be set on making it to states and then placing well there.”
Football Last season, after posting an impressive 11-1 record, the Bucs won the inaugural Southeastern Football Conference championship. It will not be
CASEY PEARCE/ Editor-in-Chief
The Varsity Football team hopes to be conference champion again this season.
an easy path to repeat as champions due to the team losing ten vital seniors from last year, and an expansion of the conference as Calvary Christian and Pompano Beach are now in the mix. However, the team will have the third largest class of seniors in Bucs football history, with 15 players coming back for their final year. When senior Garrett Donaldson was asked about the upcoming season, he said, “Our goal as a team is to get back to the FAU stadium for the SFC Championship and win again. It will not come easy as we have to work twice as hard now. We have a bulls eye on our backs and everyone wants our spot as champions.”
Volleyball This season, the team will only be losing one player from last year, and although libero Jamie Hagar will be missed, the Lady Bucs will be welcoming six new players to the squad. When asked about expectations for the year, senior Danielle DeLange said,” Our team looks very promising this year. We have a lot of energy and skill, and I think we will go far this season.” She added, “Some goals for our team this year are to be district champions again and to also win a state title.” v
By The Numbers Last year, Buc teams were very successful. Can we do better this year?
District Runner-Ups: 7 District Champions: 9 Regional Quarterfinalists: 12 Advanced to Reg. Championships: 8 Regional Champions: 4 Advanced to State Tournament: 6 Conference Champions: 1
Go Bucs!
Sports
The Pharcyde
August 20, 2013
Page 12
Five lacrosse players selected as All-Americans By Michael Mullery Sports Editor
Shortly after the close of the school year, U.S. Lacrosse named then rising seniors Hannah LaBovick, and Jerry O’Connor All-Americans. LaBovick was also named an Academic All-American, along with Lauren Bernick ’13, Ellie Jamison ’14, and Samantha Kochman ’13. For the second consecutive year, Girls Varsity Lacrosse Coach, Ms. Sarah Burlingame was awarded the South Florida Outstanding Coach of the Year. O’Connor, a defenseman, only started playing lacrosse in eighth grade. He said,” I had played three sports every year up until 7th grade when I was cut from the 7th and 8th grade baseball team. I thought that if I couldn’t make that team, I wasn’t going anywhere with baseball so I might as well try something new, and my friends convinced me to play lacrosse.” This proved to be a wise decision as O’Connor has committed to play lacrosse at Yale University. He explained,” I had always wanted to go to an Ivy League school. Since my dad went to Harvard for graduate school, I always thought that school would be Harvard but when my family went and visited, it just didn’t seem right. At the time, Yale was already interested in me and when I visited there, everything just seemed to click. The lacrosse team was good, the academics were great and I really liked the overall atmosphere too.” When asked how he found out he had been named an AllAmerican, O’Connor said,” Our coach was talking to the entire team, announcing all the teams (like first team district, regionals etc.) and then he told
Photo courtesy of Hannah LaBovick
Senior Hannah LaBovick was one of four girls on the varsity lacrosse team to be honored as an All-American by U.S. Lacrosse.
the team that I was the only one selected for All-American. Obviously I was extremely happy, but at the same time I thought there were other kids on the team that deserved the award so I pretty much kept everything to myself. I did give my coaches a big hug after though.” LaBovick, who started playing lacrosse in seventh grade, plays both defense and midfield for the Bucs. She tallied 34 goals, 20 assists, 48 ground balls, and 42 draw controls this past season. LaBovick was ecstatic when she found out that she had been named an AllAmerican. She said, “I froze
at first. I was so excited to have finally achieved a goal that I had set for myself this year. My stomach dropped, and I just freaked out and immediately called my parents to tell them.” A number of schools at the next level have expressed interest in LaBovick. She explained,” I’ve been talking to Yale and MIT among others. My decision is kind of up in the air because Yale is Division 1 and MIT is Division 3. However at MIT I’d be able to play lacrosse without it completely running my time in college, and I’d have a slightly easier time ma-
joring in some sort of engineering than I would at Yale where I would have to build my schedule around lacrosse a little more than I would at MIT, where lacrosse would be labeled as a definite second.” Samantha Kochman ’13 was pleased by her selection. She said,” I was really happy when I saw that I was named Academic All-American. It wasn’t something that I expected, and I was glad to receive recognition for being a student athlete.” In order to be named an Academic All-American, student-athletes have to meet an extensive list of requirements.
For example, the student must have a cumulative GPA of 3.6 or higher, be a junior or senior, be a two-year varsity letter winner, and must be a starter or must play over half the game on average. Jamison was surprised by her selection as an Academic All-American. She said,” I was super shocked when I found out because I didn’t even know the title existed. I think that handling schoolwork as well as playing sports is super important, and I know that my team has some of the greatest, most well-rounded girls, and I’m just glad that I can contribute to that in any way.” v
Three seniors commit to play Division I Athletics By Max Chesnes Staff Writer
While the Class of 2013 set a Benjamin athletics record with 20 student-athletes committing to play collegiate athletics, the upcoming seniors have already proven to be athletically successful. Three seniors (Riley Burke, Garrett Donaldson, and Arden Pettit) have recently committed to play collegiate sports. Riley Burke has committed to Columbia University in New York City where she will continue to pursue her basketball talents at the Division I Level in the Ivy League Conference. Burke has always had basketball running through her veins, starting in the first grade. “My older sister was playing recreational basketball, and it looked like fun. So, when I was the minimum age to play rec. ball, I started,” she said.
Burke based her commitment to become a Columbia Lion upon a number of variables and believes the school is perfect for her. “I felt that Columbia was the best fit for me, both academically and athletically. From an academic standpoint, the Core Curriculum drew me in,” she said. The Core Curriculum that Burke is referring to is Columbia University’s wellknown set of classes that all undergraduates are required to take. The academic eminence was not the only thing that led Burke to her decision. “I chose Columbia because I want to help build the program, as I will be coming into the school as a member of the new coaching staff’s first recruiting class,” Burke said. With a new coaching staff, Burke will have the opportunity to form relationships
with her coaches immediately, which will hopefully propel her athletic career forward. Arden Pettit has committed to Stanford University to continue refining her softball abilities. Pettit has been running the bases since she was four years of age, and her capabilities are a direct product of her expansive devotion. “I love the complexities of softball. There is so much going on if you really know the game,” Pettit said. Among the many fine athletes at The Benjamin School, Arden Pettit is considered one with a particular prominence, both on the field and off. Stanford requires its early commits to maintain a high grade point average throughout early commits senior year. She said, “Stanford requires me to maintain a certain level of academic achievement dur-
ing my senior year, so maintaining that level will motivate me.” She has maintained an optimistic attitude regarding her future. Pettit said, “Being 3,000 miles from home gives me some nerves, but I am very comfortable with the environment I am entering and am looking forward to this exciting journey.” Garrett Donaldson has committed to play football at Fordham University in New York City. Commenting on the reason he chose Fordham, Donaldson said, “It offered me the best combination of academics and competitive football.” Donaldson credits many people for his athletic success. “First off, I really appreciate my family, who has supported me the entire way,” he said. “Secondly, I would credit my position coach, Suip
Malamala, who played in my position and taught me everything I know about the offensive line.” He continued, “Lastly, I would like to say thank you to Coach Ream, whom I have known since age four, and to Coach Smith for all of his advice during the recruiting process.” Although Donaldson is excited about playing football at the next level, he is focusing on one year at a time. “The thing I am looking forward to the most is finishing my senior season with all of my brothers on the football team,” he said. “I can’t wait to see where we go.” Whether it be dribbling a ball down the court, hitting home runs over the fence, or protecting the quarterback on the football field, these three Buccaneers have a bright future ahead of them. v