Main Street Fall 2022-Edition 10

MAIN STREET

FIELD TRIPS

Bement students travelled far and wide this fall!

FOOD

INSECURITY

Eighth graders help the community with a serious issue

NEW FACES

Welcoming new faculty and students

Editor's note

As leaves start to fall, we welcome yet another exciting school year filled with waves of laughter.

After a summer of ice creams and rest, students’ everyday schedule is once again densely packed with classes and club meetings. As usual, the members of the editorial board will cover a myriad of activities, including new staff introductions, sports events, and Scholastic Art & Writing Awards results. But perhaps none of those can be compared to the eighth and ninth-grade trips. Indeed, there are no trips that hold more expectations and mysteries than the trips to Gettysburg and Washington D.C. As the climax of the fall term, those two grade trips will be discussed in detail in this edition, accompanied by pictures taken by our photography team. Unlike the previous years, we added a new section in our magazine called the “Opinion Column,” which focuses on student input. For this term, we have decided to dedicate it to Halloween-related trivia questions. It is the hope of all club members that you, as readers will find the 2023 Main Street magazine informative, enjoyable, and a good way to spend cold fall afternoons. Let’s flip the page and begin the journey.

Bement Day

Every year in early October, students show off what they have learned so far to their parents. This year's Bement day started with outstanding performances by upper and lower school bands, chorus, and strings, which was followed by students bringing their parents to the classes where they presented the materials that they have learned this term: science experiments, history presentations, and poems.

Parents and families actively participated in these activities that the classes prepared. Bement was more chirpy than usual! The families enjoyed lovely pastries that were placed in front of the barn, and the day ended on a high note.

-Melanie L. '25

Fall Dance

This fall, Bement hosted a dance for all upper school students organized by the student council. This dance was optional and happened at the end of school on Friday. At the dance, seltzer, and pizza were provided for all students that took part. There were many fun activities that students could participate in. First, students could guess the weight of a pumpkin. The student whose guess was most accurate got to keep the pumpkin. Next, students could guess how many eyeballs were in a jar. Participants got ten seconds to look at a jar filled with fake eyeballs, and the person with the most accurate guess was awarded a giant bag of sour patch kids.

Later on in the night, students could take part in a game of capture the flag. We played two games, one with sixth and seventh graders, and one with eighth and ninth graders. Just like last year, there was also a dance floor and a sound system that played music requested by students ahead of time. This dance started at 4:30, ended at 6:30, and was a lot of fun.

-Alice C. '25

Boarding Experience

Boarding activities have always been a highlight at Bement.

The boarders have been doing a variety of activities in the past term. At the start of the term, the boarders had their own grade level trip in order to know each other better. From Monday to Thursday and on Sunday, the boarders all have study hall so they can do their homework and can ask for help or they can practice their instruments. After study hall, the boarders have family style dinner. The tables switch every three to four weeks so we can get to know each other better.

On the weekends, the boarders either have some activities outside of the dorms or they can take their bikes on a ride, go to the North End fields to play soccer, play basketball, play four-square, or just hang out with their friends. Four square is a very popular game among the Bement boarders. Everyone teaches each other how to play the game. It is a great game that the boarders play to get to know each other. After dinners, the boarders go back to the dorm and spend some time with the dorm parent and their friends. One of the activities this fall was to go on a hay ride and go trick or treating. Everyone had an amazing time.

-Vicky Z. '25, Larina Z. '24

As a Bement School tradition, every year the new ninth graders have gone on the bus to go to Morse Hill to seek both personal growth and learn how to grow as a community. The whole Monday was split in two: a morning at the low rope course and an afternoon at the high rope course. We played games and participated in activities including walking on cables, going through “spiderwebs” (which are essential “holes” created by white thread), carrying water without spilling it, and many other challenges. Each and every one of them requires an incredible amount of cooperation, good communication, and strong teamwork.

After a short lunch eating Subway, the ninth grade began their afternoon with renewed energy. The high rope course was like its name suggested, at least a good 20 feet off the ground. There were plenty of options to choose from: Charlie’s Leap, “the bridge,” and the giant ladder, followed by at least two to three others. It was at the high rope courses that our courage was tested, stamina increased, and acrophobia overcome.

After an exhausting day of both physical and mental exercise, the bonds between ninth graders were even stronger, and people got to hang out with peers they were not as close to before. In general, the Morse Hill trip was an exciting and enjoyable experience for all of us.

SPORTS AT BEMENT

Sports Awards

Fall 2022

MVPs Most Improved Team Leader

Boys V Soccer:

Jonathan S. '23

Boys V Soccer:

Dachi K. '25

XC: Ella W. '24 & Liam W. '24

XC: Justice H. '23, Ezra R. '24 & Zelda D. '24

Girls Soccer:

Wylie B. '24

JV Boys Soccer: Justin T. '26

Field Hockey:

Tianni Z. '23

Girls Soccer: Nora B. '25

JV Boys Soccer: Alex W. '26

Field Hockey:

Doreen Z. '26

Boys V Soccer: Sam P. '24

XC: Flora X. '23 & Jay R. '23

Girls Soccer: Cleo X. '23

JV Boys Soccer: Christian W. '26

Field Hockey: Amber Y. '23

Mountain Biking: Best Downhill Scream: Taiki M. '25

Best Mountain Climber: Jaylen C. '26

Best Bounceback: Blake W. '26

Gnarliest Fall: Iris Z. '24

Most Likely to Send It: Oliver W. '25

Coolest Opt-out: Ying-Kay L. '23

Cross Country

This year, a lot of new students joined the cross country team, resulting in a large group with a lot of experienced runners. With the help of the three coaches, Mr. Belcher, Ms. RH, and Mr. Bensen, each and every student has improved a lot through the season because of their hard work. Students pushed themselves very hard and always wanted to add an extra spur or mile on a long-run day. There are a lot of great runners not only from the ninth grade but also the sixth, seventh, and eighth grades. Even students who just started running greatly improved throughout the course of training. One of our highlights from this season was winning against Eaglebrook after 20 years, thanks to all these talented runners!

-Flora X. '23

Girls' Soccer

As usual, Bement offered Girls Soccer. It is a competitive sport coached by Mr. Pilgrim and Coach McGuinness. The team had students from grades 5-9, all at varying levels of experience and skill with soccer. They started each practice with running and stretching, followed by drills. Drills helped players learn new techniques and focus on places they can improve. Then they were able to use the skills they learned in practice for games or scrimmages! Almost every week we had a game against other schools in the area. This season, we had plenty of diligent and hardworking players that are new to the sport, as well as experienced and strong veteran players.

-Alice C. '25

Boys' Soccer

As the leaves changed color, getting ready for the cold winter ahead, boys soccer was also preparing for another exciting season of practice and games. This year, we had two boys' soccer teams, JV and Varsity. With many new sixth graders joining the team, many players moved up to Varsity and experienced playing soccer at a different level. Unlike other years before, we welcomed Mr. Bevan as a new JV boys soccer coach alongside Mr. Mazzone. The boys have played several games.

-Nora B. '25

Rec. Tennis

Mountain Biking

This fall, Bement has reintroduced Mountain Biking as a part of its sports program. Led by Mr. Cohen, a small group of students met every sports block at Saltbox to begin their ride. With students that each possessed a wide range of abilities, Mountain Biking began from learning the very basics and quickly escalated to riding trails at Pine Hill, Eaglebrook, Highland Park, and many others, where students learned and mastered how to ride features such as jumps, drops, berms, and even bridges.

However, Mountain Biking isn’t just about riding trails - students each had their own bikes and learned how to take care of them by checking tires, lubricating and greasing chains, and keeping all of their accessories clean. In addition to that, a highlight of the season was a field trip to Ascutney, where they tackled a 7.4 mile ride over three hours. Overall, Mountain Biking was an incredibly fun addition to the sports program.

-Iris Z. '24

Field Hockey Jamboree

In late September, Bement hosted its annual Field Hockey Jamboree, inviting schools from all over New England to participate. The Jamboree lasted from early morning to the late afternoon, with a total of seven games. Bement played against four schools – Manchester, Mohawk, Foote, and Belchertown. Additionally, parents and faculty members helped organize snacks and other refreshments for the athletes. Bement students came to spectate the games and cheer their classmates on. Bement Jamboree t-shirts, designed by students themselves, were handed out on campus. Games were arranged as two fifteen minute halves, timed and organized by student volunteers. Bement’s field hockey team displayed excellent teamwork and sportsmanship. Ultimately, Bement resulted in 3rd place, with two wins, one loss, and a tie. We would like to thank all officials, coaches, and volunteers who helped and contributed to the Jamboree, and we are extremely grateful towards families and students who came to cheer the team on!

-Jessica K. '24

Field Hockey

As we watch the blankets of leaves descend off the branches, we arrive amidst the fall. The field hockey team is blessed to have many new players join us this year. Together, we hone our tactics and communication skills, building tremendous progress every day. With a merger between new players and more experienced ones, people more familiar with field hockey were able to lend helping hands to those with less exposure. The team had a great bond and worked cohesively by passing and seeking new maneuvers. We worked together closely and tried our best out on the fields, pushing ourselves to our limits. Although it took some time for us to adjust to the team, we ended our season with triumph. Great job, everyone!

FOOD INSECURITY STONE SOUP

Every so often, Bement students head to the Stone Soup Cafe located in Greenfield, MA to help out in the kitchen. Students volunteer to help prepare the raw ingredients for lunches served on Saturday afternoons. Certainly, they take this task seriously, as they would wear an apron as well as a hair net to prevent getting clothes dirty and strands of hair falling. Students enjoy making lunches while listening to some music. Weekly menus can consist of a diverse variety of options such as potato salad and pork capusta to peach crumble and grape kombucha. Students have helped shred carrots, chop apples, and grind potatoes, which has been a lot of fun.

The eighth graders went to a farm called Prospect Meadow Farm located in Hatfield, MA. The farm gives jobs to people with disabilities and they help them find ajobthattheycoulddoforalong time.Thefarmhasanimalssuchas pugs, chickens, and farm kittens. Theygrowlotsofdifferenttypesof vegetables depending on the season. When the eighth graders wentthere,theylearnedabouthow the farm helps the community and how they plant crops in a unique way to help them grow healthier and save up more space for the othercropstheyneedtogrow.The eighth graders were there to help plant cabbages, pick peppers, and learned how to grow shiitake mushrooms. It was a lot of fun and it felt nice to give back to the community.

-LarinaZ.'24

FOOD INSECURITY PROSPECT MEADOW FARM

FRANKLIN COUNTY COMMUNITY MEALS PROGRAM

The eighth graders went to three community service places in total. The third one was the Franklin Country Community Meals Program located in Northfield, MA. Melanie Highlander, who is the program associate at Franklin County Community Meals, came to Bement and talked with everyone about the program. When the eighth graders went, they helped them pack food, clean the kitchen and chop vegetables. The students had lots of fun trying different methods of giving back to the community and we hope they liked it!

-Larina Z. '24

CRAZY HAT DAY

As Bement tradition calls, every fall on Halloween, students come to school wearing “crazy” hats. This year was no exception. Across the campus, students showed off their hats, ranging from poop-hats, milk bottles, Teletubbies, helmets, and so much more. In addition, upper school students went trick-or-treating with their lower-school buddies around campus, gathering treats and other halloween-related items such as bookmarks and rings. “It was awesome!” remarked Ms. Carter, headoftheEnglishdepartmentatBement,“Thiswasoneofthebesthat days.” Over all, this year’s Hat Day was a blast and everyone had so muchfun.

-Iris Z. '24

Student Council

What do you want to accomplish the most in student council this year?

RobertJ.

"Spirit week."

"I want to be a role model to younger students."

JaelynK.

AmberY.

JonathanS.

"I wish to bring the Bement community together through new student council events."

CleoX.

"Run more meaningful FUNDRAISERS and make the world a better place!"

"I wish to give back to the community in as many ways as I can."

YingKayL.

"Ice cream."

MaeveD.

"I would like to donate to worthy causes as well as create school spirit with a variety of activities for students."

MelanieL. "I want to plan memorable events for students to enjoy."

JusticeH.

"I hope to create a space where fellow peers and classmates feel comfortable coming to me with suggestions for the upcoming school year!"

FinnM.

"I would like to be able to apply more student feedback and ideas to make all of our fundraisers and activities more interesting for my class."

"I hope to accomplish a better environment for the students and make them happy, and just to make a difference."

GabeC.

AlyaK.

"I would like to accomplish being a reliable and an openminded person and to participate in many things as possible and help people out."

ChristianW.

"I would like to accomplish setting a good and worthy reputation for student council."

New Faculty Interview

Mr. Bevan: Science Teacher

1) Previous experience before coming to Bement?

I worked at Ralph C. Mahar School in Orange MA for nine years and taught grades 7-12. I taught various classes, from science and photography to maker space, and I was also the technical director of the auditorium.

2) How is teaching at Bement going so far for you?

I would say my experience at Bement so far has been outstanding. I am enjoying learning about the community and the student body. I love teaching different classes, for example, 8th grade has chemistry and 9th grade has physics. I am thrilled to be teaching science again.

3) What are you thinking about bringing to our community

I would like to bring astronomy, meteorology, and light and sound technology to the plays. I am very excited to bring my love and understanding of science to the community.

4) What do you do in your free time?

In my free time, I play the guitar and a digital game called Magic the Gathering. In the winter, I go snowshoeing and skiing. I go around the area to find good food and small coffee shops. I am also a big fan of campfires and bonfires.

5) What is a fun fact or facts about yourself?

1.

2.

I can do a really good Smeagol face from Lord of the Rings.

I did a lineage project in 8th grade, and I am the descendant of the King of Sweden.

New Faculty Interview Mrs. Gaudette: Art Teacher

1) Previous experience before coming to Bement?

I have taught art for over twenty five years. I worked in after school art programs, museums and a Catholic school before teaching in public schools. Between 2006 and 2010, I taught at an elementary school in rural Vermont. The town only had one set of street lights! I missed my family and friends though, so I moved back to western Massachusetts and taught art at Greenfield Middle School for eleven years beforeIcametoBement.Iabsolutelyloveteachinghere!

2) How is teaching at Bement going so far for you?

I love working at Bement for so many reasons. The small class sizes allow me to give students the one on one attention that they deserve. Since day one, I have been in awe of the students' focus, creativity, and drive. I also appreciate the support of my colleagues and love the fact that I work in a building dedicated to the arts! Seeing artwork hanging on the walls, hearing students singing and playinginstrumentseverydayissowonderful.

3) What are you thinking about bringing to our community?

I want all students to feel some level of success in the art room and I hope that I can help them develop their creative problemsolvingskillsalongwiththeirtechnicalabilities.

4) What do you do in your free time?

I love to bake, especially pies. I am an avid gardener and I am slowly ripping up all of the grass in my yard in order to createahuge,organic,pollinatorgarden.

5) What is a fun fact about yourself?

Iwassodesperatetohaveapetasachild,thatIbrieflyhad a pet clam! I found it while we were camping and I convinced my mom to let me keep it. Needless to say, clams makepoorpets.

New Faculty Interview Mrs. RuedaHernandez: Spanish Teacher

1) Previous experience before coming to Bement?

I worked in different schools in the valley, Hampden Charter School of Science in Chicopee, Hatfield Elementary School, in Hatfield, Joseph Metcalf School (Bilingual school) in Holyoke, and Hampshire Regional High School in Easthampton, before I came to Bement. I also coached skiing for 25 years in places like Sierra Nevada in Granada, Spain (where I am from), El Colorado in Chile, and in our local mountain Berkshire East.

2) How is teaching at Bement going so far for you?

I started teaching Spanish part time at first. Little by little I did increase my time helping in kindergarten, subbing in the different lower school grades, coaching and working as an associate dorm parent. I loved it. It gave me the opportunity to get to know most of the students in school. This year I have a new role working with the upper school and am enjoying it very much. I also miss my lower school friends, but at least I get to see and visit with them in the playground. It is great to be part of the Bement community.

3) What are you thinking about bringing to our community?

I am bringing my heritage, my passion for Spanish cultures, my love for the sports (running and skiing), and the outdoors.

4) What do you do in your free time? I spend my time skiing with my daughter and friends, running, and biking. Anything related to the outdoors.

5) What is a fun fact about yourself?

I have been a cancer survivor for four years now. I set a goal that I will do something that I wanted to achieve before but never did. I was a mountain biker and there was this race in Vermont (VT50) that I always wanted to do but it always sold out in five minutes online. They have the option of run it too and that option doesn't have that much demand so I decide to start training by myself and with friends and since then I ran two ultramarathons (VT50 2021 and 2022) and multiple half marathons (one with my Bement team too), 10K, 5k and 3k. I have to thank my friends for always running with me during my training, and my daughter and my Bement cross country team that gave me the motivation to achieve the goal of finishing the race.

Plimoth Patuxet 7th Grade

DAY 1

This year, Mr. Tenero planned the Plimoth Patuxet trip for the seventh graders to learn more about the English's second most successful colony. In this fieldtrip, they visited the Plimoth Patuxet Museums and the Mayflower 2. The seventh graders spent the entire first day in the Plimoth Patuxet museum. The first stop was exploring the 17th-century English village. The village includes timber-framed houses furnished with objects that the Pilgrims owned. They also had livestock and a kitchen garden. The students got to encounter people wearing historical clothing playing the role of an inhabitant. They had conversations about how life worked around that time and helped them with their chores: feeding the livestock, watering plants, and household chores. At the end of the day, they got to learn how to make pottery and have a taste of the Wampanoags' and villagers' dishes!

- Melanie L. '25

On the second day of the trip, the seventh graders spent half the day touring the Mayflower 2 and walking around the town. We saw the different layers of the Mayflower and their purposes. Did you know that the Pilgrims put a really small amount of alcohol in their water so they could preserve it for the whole journey without it going bad? The second stop was the Burial Hill cemetery; there we saw the graves of a lot of pilgrims we read about in class, and it had an amazing view of the town. We got to walk around Plymouth after that and then we chose a place to have lunch with our advisory groups. Once we finished lunch, we headed back to Bement.

- Vicky Z. '25

DAY 2

Plimoth

Patuxet

7thGrade

It is a Bement tradition that eighth graders go on an annual trip to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The eighth graderspreparedforthistripthroughout the entire fall term, learning about the history of the Civil War, reading a historicalnovelbasedonthebattle, The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara, and preparing their monument speeches. Unlike previous years, this was the first time the trip lasted five days, and so, students had more time to explore the battlefieldandparticipateinavarietyof differentactivities.

-Josephine'24,Iris'24

GETTY SBURG

8THGRADE TRIP

DAY1

8THGRADE TRIP

Eighth graders gathered at campus early in the morning, before 7:30, on November 7th. The bus ride to Gettysburg took a total of around eight hours, and students were able to get out at a rest station to walk around and use the bathroom. On the bus, students watched movies and played card games. Everyone was excited to arrive at Wegmans, a food market where they ate lunch. After eating, students returned to the bus and headed towards their final destination: Gettysburg. It was sunset when they arrived at the hotel, and students learned who their roommates were. Afterwards, they went for a walk around the battlefield, climbing up Cemetery Hill and going through the National Cemetery and Evergreen Cemetery, where a few monument speeches were presented. Finally, they had takeout at Tommy’s Pizza in the hotel and Mr. Belcher introduced journaling so that students could write down their thoughts and experiences during the trip.

- Iris Z. '24

DAY2

8THGRADE TRIP

On our second day at Gettysburg, Mr. Belcher and Ms. O’Brien took the students on tour around the battlefield. Students stopped by the Visitor Center in the morning: they watched a movie about the Civil War and went to see a presentation of a cyclorama for Pickett’s Charge. Students also walked around the museum and learned more about the soldiers who participated in the battle. They drove to Oak Ridge and stood on top of the hill, picturing how soldiers charged up the ridge in 1863. They visited the Eternal Light Peace Memorial, where Mr. Belcher told stories about how it was established. Students had lunch down Steinwehr Avenue. During lunch, students walked around town to get food and purchase Gettysburg sweatshirts - another tradition for Bement eighth-grade students. In the afternoon, students continued their journey on the battlefield. They climbed up Culp’s Hill, getting an even clearer picture of the land during the battle. In the evening, students walked down the road to Shriver’s House. They visited the house as well as the neighborhood, and learned about the civilians in the town of Gettysburg during the battle, which was a side of the battle that often gets overlooked throughout history. Students had a wonderful time with the guides and returned to the hotel to get ready for their monument presentations the next day.

DAY3

8THGRADE TRIP

On the morning of November 9th, students woke up early to run a total of 7.4 miles to the southern side of the battlefield to watch the sunrise. The rest of the morning consisted of monument speeches and presentations. At noon, the students walked from their hotels to the Jennie Wade House and the Orphanage to explore and listen to ghost stories. Tour guides brought groups of students into the two buildings and told them about the history and the paranormal activities that took place there. After the ghost stories, students ate at Farnsworth House Inn, a supposedly haunted building that now exists as a restaurant. Upon returning to the hotel, students had some free time in the pool and wrote in their journals to end the day.

- Iris Z. '24

As the sun set, the students took a last look around the battlefield and gathered at the National Cemetery. There, Mr. Belcher gave a speech on the history of the dedication of the cemetery and the reason why this trip to Gettysburg exists. Finally, students had dinner at Pickett’s Buffet, before returning to the hotel to rest for the night. - Iris '24

DAY4

8THGRADE TRIP

On Day 4 of Gettysburg, students took one last look around the battlefield, finishing up the monument speeches. They walked to Culp’s Hill, the Peach Orchard, the Wheatfield, and took a walk up Pickett’s Charge. Then, students went downtown at lunchtime to grab food and purchase souvenirs. They also gathered in the afternoon for a VR activity introduced by Ms. O’Brien this year, where students were able to “travel back in time” and meet some of the individuals who contributed during the Battle of Gettysburg through technology. Then, they visited the train station where Lincoln passed through in 1863 to deliver the Gettysburg Address.

DAY5

8THGRADE TRIP

On the last day, students woke up early so they could get on the bus and be in time for regular pick up at school in the afternoon. On the way back students watched lots of fun movies such as Jumanji and Thomas the Train that students brought with them. On the way back, the students stopped in New York and had the choice of eating lunch at three different restaurants, including a Chinese buffet. As they reached Massachusetts, Mr. Belcher discovered that they were ahead of schedule, so they stopped at an outlet and spent some time walking around the different stores. When the bus finally pulled up at campus, it was late, the sun had set, and it had started raining. The Gettysburg trip is always something that the eighth graders look forward to, and although those five days have come to an end, eighth graders will always remember this trip as a highlight of their time at Bement.

- Larina Z. '24

WashingtonDC 9th Grade

ByCleoX.'23

What better way to take a break from the frenzy application process than a trip to the capitol? On November 7th, with bubbling excitement and over-packed suitcases, the ninth graders were ready to shake off their sleepiness as the plane landed in Baltimore. The first stop was the national zoo, where students wandered around taking pictures of elephants, cheetahs, and other creatures. After lunch, we embarked to see another famous elephant, Henry, located in the center of the rotunda of the Natural History Museum.

Here, we came face to face with some of the world’s largest gems, including the Hope diamond, the Mackey emerald, and many other dazzling precious stones. Other highlights included the butterfly pavilion and a special exhibition of the Objects of Wonder, featuring 100 cherished objects since its establishment in 1910. Two hours seemed barely enough to see all there is in the museum; with great reluctance, students departed to see the Vietnam, Korean, and Lincoln memorials. When we arrived, a lady was reading out loud the names of the American soldiers who died in the Vietnam War, as Veterans’ Day was approaching. Her voice echoed and rippled through the air…

After an afternoon of serious thinking, the Shear Madness play was a delight at the end of the day. Arguably one of the best and longest-running plays in history, Shear Madness was an audienceinteractive detective play with a cast of six. We were asked to help the police in the process of recreating the scene and voted on who we thought was the murderer. Though exhausted already, everyone enjoyed the play.

On the second day, we swept the streets early in the morning with Ranger James, which Mr. Pilgrim would later recount fondly: the resultant “prizes” included a dead snake, a pair of pliers, and a full diaper. After a morning of physical activities, the National Museum of African American History and Culture invited us to flex mentally and ask deep questions. Only six years old, the museum was filled with heavy history and heartbreaking stories of African Americans. There was even a model of a slave ship on the ground floor.

uetoanunwelcomingsicknessthat seemedtobeloomingaboveusall,we wokehalfanhourlaterbeforevisiting GeorgeWashington’shome:Mount Vernon.WemetBementAlumniZara Jacob,whonowworksthere.Wegota tourfromaseniorhistoryinterpreteron theimportantroleoftheenslaved–withoutthem,GeorgeWashington couldnotbethegreatfoundingfather weknow.

TheafternoonwasspentintheAirandSpace Museum,whichwasapparentlythemost popularmuseumsofar.Thereweremany amazingsectionsincludingthe“Moon Mission,”“Planets,”and“EarlyFlights.”We spenttheeveningeatingdinneratBen’sChili Bowl,aplacewellknownforitshalfsmoked hotdogthatevenBarackObamafavored.

A change of plan for Thursday.

Instead of going hiking in Rock Creek Park, we went to the Holocaust Museum that last year’s ninth graders also visited. It told a powerful story of human beings at their worst and best. It told a story of a race of people who were ostracized, murdered, and erased from history. Then we visited the National Portrait Gallery to seek inspiration for our own ninth-grade boards. Afterward, we went to the National Museum of American History, where the story of this nation unravels and unfolds. Dinner was a highlight, with some of us opting for an Italian meal, while many of us chose to partake and enjoy the delicious offerings of an Afghani restaurant.

On the morning of the last day, we went to the Arlington Cemetery, where we saw not the vice president, but one of the two vehicles that she must have been in. We were also fortunate enough to pay respect to the recently deceased supreme court judge, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, in front of her grave. Again, there was a change of plan, and we missed the National Archive, but did see the former Air and Space Museum. This last stop concluded this year’s ninth-grade trip to DC.

Student opinion roundup

TRivia

Questions!!!

This year, Bement Magazine decided to implement the "Opinion Column" to represent student input. We present you a special edition including Halloween-related trivia answered by the upper school.

Bement's Answers

I would rather be a ghost because zombies are musty. Ghosts are more powerful than zombies whose brains don't work. I would be a ghost because I have a huge phobia of zombies. host because then I can commit crimes.

What would you give Frankenstein: candy corn or Hershey bar?

A candy corn because a I've never seen or read Frankenstein so I don't know anything about it, and also because I would want the Hershey bar for myself :)

Candy corn because it's just a superior candy.

Hershey bar because candy corn is disgusting

Would you rather be a ghost or a zombie?

Bement's Answers

Is a Pumpkin a Fruit Or a Vegetable?

never too old, I'll be 50 and going knocking on doors

94.5 because that's the time where you would be scared and eventually die

I think once you are 14 you might want to stop trick or treating;).

17 or 18 because you probably shouldn't be trick or treating if you can drive to the store to buy candy

15 when you're alone, 18 when you're with friends when ur like an old grandma or grandpa

18, but definitely not above 27. Once you have children, trick or treating by yourself is just creepy.

What will Mr. Tenero dress up as?

How old is too old to go Trick or Treating?

Bement's Answers

Airheads

Almond joy

Sour patch kids

What is the students' favorite candy?

Twix

Jolly ranchers

Twin snake gummies

Cotton candy

Kit kat

Lollipop

I would dress up as any video game character that I like

A BOX because they are cool

Teletubby from the show

COOKIE MONSTERR

A pig...

Not a blazer, just normal clothes.

Dora the Explorer

Push pop

Ring pop

Reese's cups

Snickers

Skittles

Black licorice

Dunno

Candy corn

Nerds rope

Gummy bears

Sour strips

Nerds gummy clusters

What is the best thing to dress up as?

Best Answers

ghost so I can ghost the same person in two different ways I would give him a candy corn because he doesn't deserve a hershey bar

as Justice said A TRAFFIC CONE. But I like Dumbo. hmm ghost cause then i can commit crimes, but also a zombie because i'm always hungry

I would give Frankenstein a hershey bar, because candy corn lowkey sucks. If I gave Frankenstein candy corn he would definitely try to kill me, and I'd like to live a bit longer, thank you very much. Also, Hershey bars are bigger, making me a more generous person.

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