Pharcyde, 44.4

@thepharcyde_tbs

THE BENJAMIN SCHOOL NEWSPAPER 4875 Grandiflora Road, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418

14 February 2023

@thepharcyde_tbs Volume 44

Issue 04

Film, Lecture Reveal Jewish Resistance to Holocaust Caroline Groffman Haley Roth Staff Writers On Jan. 25, The Holocaust Remembrance Assembly, one of the most meaningful and important assemblies of the year, took place in Benjamin Hall. This assembly shined light on not just remembering all of the innocent people who were killed in the Holocaust, but also recognizing how the Jews fought back against their Nazi oppressors. This assembly involved faculty speakers, clips of a documentary, and a guest speaker.

For both students and faculty, the part of the assembly that stood out was the documentary that was shown.

This documentary, Resistance: They Fought Back, focused on sharing the stories of people like Vladka Meed and Mordechai Anielewicz, or anyone else who resisted the Nazi forces violently or non-violently. Seeing and hearing stories of illegal schools, Warsaw Ghetto uprisings, and couriers getting weapons to the Jews gave a new perspective to everyone in the audience at this year’s Holocaust Assembly.

“This assembly in particular was important because of the idea of resistance,” said Upper School Social

Studies teacher Anne Franzen. “I’m constantly asked why the Jews didn’t fight back, and there are finally films and conversations out there about people who did and the idea that the Jews were not passively killed. There were people who fought back and I think there are more conversations about that today.”

Not only was this documentary shown, but the creator of this work was also present at the assembly.

Paula Apsell, one of the creators and an expert on resistance in the Holocaust, was there to share insight and go into more depth on many stories of the Holocaust. The entire assembly was astounded by her knowledge and saw her presentation as a very special part of the assembly.

“One part of the presentation that really stayed with me was how the speaker explained how she got into creating the amazing film. She explained to us why it’s so important to study the Holocaust and understand it, instead of just giving us facts about it,” said sophomore Jonathan Vidal.

No matter what the most impactful part of the assembly was to each member of the Benjamin community, all those present agreed that this Holocaust remembrance was completely necessary and eye-opening.

Freshman Kaia Huttenlocher shared, “I think that the personal stories and pictures were very impactful.

I learned a lot about how the Jews and other people stood up for themselves.

They really did resist.”

The faculty always has many goals for these Holocaust Assemblies every year. There is one goal for the teachers and administrators at Benjamin that stands apart from the rest and it is simply remembrance.

“Every time we have Holocaust information in our assemblies or at school, obviously our goal is always to never forget, which is the idea that the Holocaust is an unspeakable tragedy but we need to make sure that people are always studying it and learning about it, so that’s always my goal,” said Mrs. Franzen.

While this year’s Holocaust Remembrance Assembly was heavy and eye-watering, many students have hopes of what future assemblies could look like or focus on. For students, learning more about this horrific event is important, which stresses the need for new and less talked-about topics to be shared each assembly.

“At the next Holocaust education event, I would like to see more physical items and objects from the plac-

Documentarian Paula Apsell shared segments of her film, Resistance: They Fought Back with the audience throughout her address. The Holocaust Rememberance Assembly aimed to challenge widespread misconceptions, including the idea that the Jewish people went to concentration camps “like lambs to the slaughterhouse.”

(Photo by Haley Roth)

es where the Holocaust occurred, on display for the students,” said Vidal.

“It would be alot more enticing for the students to learn about the Holocaust when they are presented with a tangible object.”

The Benjamin community as a whole sees the importance of having an assembly about the Holocaust every year. January’s assembly not only reinforced the horror that the students

already knew about in the Holocaust but also offered a refreshing and truthful idea, resistance. The focus on resistance through a documentary and guest speaker taught students something new about the Jews in the Holocaust. It taught them that Jews did not go to be killed like sheeps going to the slaughter. Overall, this Holocaust Remembrance Assembly was an emotional and touching event.

Quill and Scroll Honors Eight National Society Recognizes Student Journalists Chase Zur Staff Writer

Bienvenidos

Sr. Arias Joins Faculty Dev Maharaj Staff Writer Nuevos comienzos in Spanish means new beginnings, an accurate representation of what is currently happening at the Upper School.

Following the departure of Mr. Juan Carlos Dias David at the conclusion of the first semester, the Benjamin Community welcomes the arrival of a new world languages teacher: Mr. Ricardo Arias.

As a member of the world language department, Mr. Arias will be teaching multiple levels of Spanish as well as French.

Mr. Arias shares what he likes the most about the Upper School compared to the Middle School.

“I really like the Upper School.

My favorite part about teaching at the Upper School compared to the Middle School is that all of my students are very responsible, independent, and more eager to learn a foreign language, and they really seem to care about their grades,” said Mr. Arias.

A polylinguist, Mr. Arias is excited to be able to introduce students to multiple cultures. “My favorite part of teaching Spanish is sharing my culture with all my students, and I just love the French language, I stud-

ied in France, so I just think it is great that I get to teach students about the French culture that I was fortunate to learn and experience,” said Mr. Arias.

Mr. Arias had been teaching French and Spanish at the Middle School for the past year and developed connections with some of the current ninth graders who will have had class with him two years in a row.

One of these students is Erik Nutter. Nutter is now currently in Mr. Arias’ Spanish 1 class. Nutter comments about Mr. Arias and his impact on him so far “I have been learning with Mr. Arias with French and Spanish, I have felt the impact of his teaching, with a new level of understanding of both languages.”

Nutter adds that Mr. Arias provides a positive environment for students to enjoy. “I have been learning with Mr. Arias since last year in 8th grade C-Level French Class, and now this year in Spanish 1, and he seems to be very enthusiastic about how and what he teaches and he treats the classroom as a fun environment.”

Students certainly seem to have an appreciation for our most recent member of the faculty and us here at The Pharcyde extend Mr. Arias a warm welcome to the Upper School.

This month, The Quill and Scroll chapter will hold its annual induction ceremony to celebrate outstanding students from the Upper School’s three journalism-media programs: digital productions, print productions, and expository writing.

Since its founding on Apr. 10, 1926, The Quill and Scroll Society has granted charters to more than 14,100 high schools worldwide. The School’s chapter initiated its first class of eight members last winter.

This year, the Benjamin chapter of the Quill and Scroll Society will induct eight new members who will join returning current member, Pharcyde Editor-in-Chief senior Charlie Spungin. The new inductees are juniors Hannah Beam, Mary Chandler, Zoe Cooper, Andrew Lappin, Zachary Neidoff, and Joseph Tomasetti, and seniors Shea O’ Donoghue and Christina Taylor.

The induction ceremony will take place during a special luncheon for the inductees, their advisors, and some other invited guests. Overseeing the event will be the chapter’s three faculty advisors: Mr. Archer, Mrs. Hewitt, and Dr. Peruggia.

“I will present the names of the inductees and senior Charlie Spungin, our sole un-graduated member of Quill and Scroll’s first class, will give each of them a certificate, a pin, and our membership book to sign. We’ll then conclude the ceremony with some words from Mr. Tim Burke,” said Dr. Peruggia.

The keynote speaker, Mr. Tim Burke, is the father of alumna Riley Burke, ‘14. A graduate of the Univ of Missouri’s School of Journalism, Mr. Burke has had a long and distinguished career in journalism.

A former sports editor for the Miami Herald, Mr. Burke served as the Publisher and Editor in Chief of The Palm Beach Post and Palm Beach Daily News where he helped oversee the paper’s digital evolution, the Annual Pathfinder’s Scholarship program, and introduced several key educational initiatives. Recently he has served as Senior VP and Publisher of HR Products for LRP Media Group and ARC. Membership in the Society includes the expectation that its members uphold the eight values of journalism: truth, learning, leadership, loyalty, initiative, integrity, judgment, and friendship.

In addition to practicing these ideals each day, a Quill and Scroll Inductee must also have an outstanding academic record along with an interest for the journalistic course(s) he or she is taking.

“The students have to be in the top third in their class and must have an exemplary track record in the field of journalism. They must always go above and beyond and take leadership roles. The advisors of the course select the students to be inducted as well, so they must form a solid relationship with the supervisors,” said Mrs. Hewitt.

Tomassetti, this year’s sole inductee from the expository writing course, is honored to be a member of this prestigious society and feels that it will benefit him in the future.

“It feels great to be recognized for all my hard work over the last two years, and I think this honor will give me more credibility as a writer. I think that being a member of this society will highlight my skills in journalism and all the hard work I have put in to become a better writer,” said Tomassetti.

Neidoff, an inductee from the dig-

ital productions program, is excited to be a part of such a highly regarded society as well.

“I think being a member will help me when I’m applying for colleges because it will show them that I have worked hard throughout my years in high school and have also really found something I truly care about,” said Neidoff.

Cooper, an inductee for her work in print productions, feels that this society will help bolster the media department and her publication.

“I feel that it is a great way to promote the yearbook because it recognizes some of the hardest working members. I think that the Quill and Scroll society sets a higher goal for those members of the yearbook who were not inducted because it will drive them to work harder and produce high quality spreads, so that in the following years they can be inducted too,” said Cooper.

Head of the Upper School Mr. Fletcher Carr, agrees with Cooper, Tomasetti, and Neidoff.

“I think that deciding to introduce this society to the Benjamin School last year was great because it adds a little motivation to the students in The Pharcyde, yearbook, and broadcasting classes to pursue their interests and get recognized for their passions,” said Carr.

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The Pharcyde

14 February 2023

Different Process, Same Goal: How Black Attention Must Be Paid History Is Taught Across Benjamin Divisons Diversity Council Focuses Matt Marasco much more for everyone to learn, ” ules to celebrate and honor those who Gaze On Black History Month Sports Editor said Ms. Mays. have made great contributions to our During the month of February, the United States celebrates Black History Month. At Benjamin, the Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools all celebrate the month and bring attention to the events that shaped African American History in the United States.

The Upper School holds many events throughout the month organized by the Diversity Council including an all-school assembly and many other opportunities to be educated about Black history. These events include advisory jeopardy, a Black college exposition at the Miami Doubletree Hilton Convention Center, and a Black History assembly. The assembly will feature the Dazzlers’ performance and a special guest speaker highlighting African American accomplishments.

Math teacher and Diversity Council advisor Ms. Rachelle Mays believes it is important to celebrate Black History every day and most importantly learn about all the successes of African Americans in United States history rather than just a few pages in a history textbook.

“I feel that it is important in this environment to continue to celebrate African American history and the success and accomplishments that African American men and women have contributed to our country. I feel as if it should not only be a couple of pages in the history book where you learn about slavery, civil rights, and then Martin Luther King. There is so

Along with the Diversity Council, the Social Studies Department also teaches Black history throughout the year and during February.

“A variety of our Upper School history classes teach about the stories and highlights of African American history on the world. It’s good to highlight different histories throughout the curriculum,” said the Social Studies Department Chair Ms. Sara Misselhorn.

In Middle School, the month started off with the help of the Kijana Heroes poster set. The posters include African American men and women who have set an example through their change-making decisions. These posters are displayed around the Middle School campus and will aid the history teachers in their lessons about each individual.

The Middle School Social Studies Department Chair Mrs. Chrissie Ferguson believes that taking time to celebrate the month is her most important goal for the student body.

“It has been my goal this year, as the Middle School Social Studies Department Chair, to create more awareness of monthly observations and celebrations. As a school community, we utilize assembly time to hear special speakers and to celebrate, remember and honor those inspiring leaders who have gone before us and those who live among us today,” said Mrs. Ferguson. “It is important to take the time out of our busy sched-

community and our nation.”

In addition to the posters, the Middle School is also hosting a guest speaker who will have an interactive lesson that will share the accomplishments of Black men and women throughout history. Also, the Art Department has organized a unit making album covers based on Black musicians and vocalists.

The Lower School features lessons on Black History throughout the grade levels which encompass students in an introduction to the achievements made by African Americans.

In the fifth grade, they will be visited by Audrey Andes who wrote the book The Rabbi and the Reverend.

The book speaks to the relationship between Dr. Martin Luther King and his associates, especially Rabbi Joachim Prinz.

Lower School Academic Dean Mrs. LeAnne Sampson believes teaching young students Black history is crucial to their education.

“Black history is part of American history. Black history is essential for our students to explore so that they have a full appreciation of American history,” said Mrs. Sampson.

As it is important to highlight Black History during the month of February, the Lower School, Middle School, and Upper School make it a point of emphasis to educate their respective student bodies.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is globally known as one of the largest changemakers in terms of racial equality. He was born in 1929 in Georgia and was assassinated in Tennessee in 1968. The great life of Dr. King was ended at only 39 years old due to a despicable act of hate.

Like generations of men in his family before him, Dr. King began his career as a pastor, which prepared him for his mass public speaking and role as a leader in the community.

Freshman Sienna Barboni comments on why Dr. King’s proficiency is still current: “​​because he was a big influence on our world today and he dedicated his life to the rights of black people.”

“I think the most memorable part of MLK‘s life is his “I Have a Dream” speech, it has a lasting impact on the world today and it made a huge impact on the movement for equality,” Barboni added.

Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech is well-known as his largest audience and most famous speech. In this speech, his past as a pastor really helps his gravitas and listeners can see his intelligence through his uses of diction and anaphora.

As it is used in the title, “I Have a Dream” is one of his anaphoras that has become a major part of the current society, specifically concerning racial equality movements. This “dream” represents the freedom and equality that should be achieved for all in the United States. Dr. King points out many of the injustices and wrongdoings against the African American community in America. Dr. Martin Luther King speaks in an articulate and meaningful manner so that people will be willing to listen and can understand where he is coming from.

This speech was given in 1963 in front of the Lincoln Memorial in

the nation’s capital, Washington D.C. This location is of extreme importance for all of America but especially for African Americans because of Lincoln’s abolishment of slavery. Dr. King’s speech being at this memorial brings attention to the fact that just because Black citizens in America are legally free, does not mean they are treated like they are free.

“At the core of what MLK Day should be is a commitment to your community because ultimately his message is that we are all part of the broader human community and we should all be helping and supporting each other,” says Upper School Academic Dean and Social Studies teacher Mrs. Caroline Guzman. “I think kids, even if it’s just going to the beach and cleaning up for the day, does not have to be a huge community service project but just getting out in your community and being involved.”

“I think the way which Martin Luther King, Jr. got about achieving his goals through peace and non-violence is a really important message and it resonated with so many people that you can achieve these really big goals and changes without going through more drastic violent means,” Mrs. Guzman also discusses. “He got at the core of humans ultimately modeling what a different world could look like, and I think that’s why we honor him more than maybe Malcom X or the Black Panther movement because he achieved so much without having to go radical or drastic.”

In his time, he was clearly much more controversial because of his “radical” views of equality. Of the Civil Rights leaders, his tactics were most peaceful. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. has had a long lasting reputation as an instrumental part of American history.

The celebration of Black History Month is an important part of the Upper School every February.

Co-Vice President and junior Nandini Patel details some of the activities the Diversity Council has planned for Black History Month.

“Our agenda consists of a few assemblies, some sweet treats, grade v. grade jeopardy, an HBCU expo, and possibly events planned with local black artists,” said Patel.

Patel stresses the importance of learning about Black history beyond traditional lessons regarding Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Ms. Rosa Parks.

“In America specifically, African-Americans have a unique and difficult history, much of it is not nearly as recognized as white-American history. Black History Month is usually overlooked and underappreciated because it focuses on the past. The Diversity Council hopes to bring awareness to modern-day Black figures to show that Black History Month isn’t just about history, it’s also about the present,” explained Patel.

Patel and her Co-Vice President and senior Arianna Ferry are in charge of organizing activities to promote the inclusivity of communities within the Upper School.

“For this month’s events, we wanted to include the students as

much as possible so that it won’t seem like another assembly that repeated facts about Black History that they have already heard before. Our goal for this month is to celebrate Black History modernly by having events like Jeopardy or having the band play music by celebrated Black artists,” said Ferry.

“I think that for students to actively participate and recognize the meaning of this month, we need to create activities that facilitate that.

That’s why Nandini and I wanted to have facts about modern Black artists or activists that many people are interested in right now,” added Ferry.

Ferry also mentions why it is important that we celebrate Black History Month at the Upper School.

“I believe that the importance of celebrating Black History Month is to celebrate a largely affluent community that is not really recognized in a school like ours. This is similar to when we organized the event for Hispanic Heritage Month. I believe that it is necessary to celebrate these months and recognize the historical figures around them because students should be informed about the cultures around them,” said Ferry.

Haley Roth Staff Writer On Jan. 13, the Benjamin community gathered in Benjamin Hall for its Annual MLK Assembly. Containing multiple speakers, videos, and a choir performance, this annual assembly was informational and emotional.

The assembly started off with the two student hosts, Micah Mays and Jacob Cosby-Mosley, introducing The Head of the Upper School, Mr. Carr, to share his remarks as well as a video highlighting the activism of Dr. King.

The entirety of Benjamin School realizes why the MLK Assembly was necessary to continue to show the relevancy of Dr. King’s message. The importance of a holiday celebrating Dr. King and his contributions to the world was stressed throughout the entire assembly.

“I think for so many reasons in the world right now in terms of diversity and inclusion, to be able to celebrate what Martin Luther King, Jr. did and what he was still attempting to do when he was assassinated is a really important part of what a school year should entail,” Head of Upper School Mr. Carr said. “We should be looking at those values and that work and have a chance to think about his efforts each year at this time.”

The Assembly also highlighted the struggles that Dr. King, as an advocate for African American rights, faced. The purpose of this was to show students that even though it is a challenge, change is worthwhile.

“I think it’s important to recognize, as our guest speaker talked about, that working for social change and social justice is a process, it’s a difficult process, and like Mr. Carr was talking about, it’s important to remember that these activists were people. That should inspire us to make change as they made change,”

14 February 2023

Yale Model UN Trip Teaches Students Diplomacy, International Relations

Joey Tomassetti Managing Editor

The Dream Lives On Benjamin Community Powerfully Reflects MLK Words, Ways Continue to Resonate On Life of MLK During Annual Assembly Caroline Groffman Staff Writer

The Pharcyde

Members of YMUN pose for a picture on their trip to Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. Preparing for the educational simulation took a lot of time, but it proved to be well worth it.

(Photo courtesy of Caroline Groffman)

Sage Ponchock Staff Writer On Jan. 19, nineteen members of the Yale Model United Nations club embarked on a journey to Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.

Yale Model UN is an educational simulation in which students learn about international relations, politics, and diplomacy. Students from all around the world journey to New Haven to engage in thriving conversations with their peers.

Student members were assigned a committee about which they had to write a position paper prior to the trip.

At Yale, they engaged in committee sessions with people from other schools all over the country and even abroad. In these sessions, they would discuss and debate topics of interest from the viewpoint of their respective country.

Not only did students learn about important current affairs through their valuable committee sessions, but they were also able to explore the Yale campus, see attractions in New

Haven, and meet a multitude of new people from around the world.

“My favorite part of the trip was getting to meet people from all over the globe and different parts of the US,” said sophomore Vaibhav Kartik.

“My favorite part of the trip was getting to meet people from all over the globe and different parts of the US.” -Vaibhav Kartik

Many more enjoyed meeting new people, and some have even said that they believe they might keep these acquaintances for time to come. People had many opportunities to form friendships in and outside of the committee sessions. One opportunity was the YMUN dance. In celebration of YMUN, Yale decided to throw a

dance for those participating. Members said this was an aspect of the experience that they greatly enjoyed.

The dance helped show bonding between people of many nationalities and show the true meaning of the YMUN conference.

Though fun and exciting, the trip and preparation took an abundance of focus, commitment, and devotion in order to put together a successful paper and to be able to contribute valuable information and suggestions during the sessions.

“Researching and knowing a lot about your country and committee was a lot of work, and the position paper took a while,” said freshman RJ Pierman.

Yale Model UN certainly requires a lot of effort, but students handled the work and pressure exceptionally well. Working many hours a week to finalize and perfect their papers, they did amazing at the Ivy League school and truly honored themselves. Their determination and excitement for the trip was truly admirable.

Each student devoted a lot of effort towards his or her committee, and teacher-chaperones, Mrs. Guzman and Mrs. Misselhorn made sure the trip ran safely and smoothly.

Overall, the journey to Yale seemed to have been universally enjoyable, as the students got a very unique experience, and found themselves excited to explore Yale and all of the libraries, buildings, and scenery.

Many students were provided with a unique opportunity and one that they have never had the chance to experience. Although the preparation, travel, and work when there may have been difficult, the students made it all worth it. Congratulations to all of the students and teachers who worked hard and diligently to enjoy the event.

Upper School Media Strikes Gold in Yearly Scholastic Press Awards Joey Tomassetti Managing Editor (Left to right) Senior Kelvin Rolle, Social Studies teacher Mr. Kenneth Posner, guest speaker Dr. Christopher Strain, junior Jacob Cosby-Mosley, and senior Micah Mays pose for a picture following the annual MLK Assembly. Dr. Strain’s talk explored the historical context for the holiday and sought to remind the audience that Dr. King’s legacy will only continue through their actions.

(Photo courtesy of The Benjamin School’s Instagram)

said Social Studies teacher Mr. Posner.

After an introduction focused on Dr. King’s life as well as the importance of his message, guest speaker Dr. Christopher Strain from the Wilkes Honors College of FAU, informed the assembly on the history of African American activism as well as details about Dr. King.

“We usually like to have a guest speaker just to have an outside perspective, and Dr. Strain happened to be someone Mr. Posner, in the history department, worked with,” said Mr. Carr. “His academic preparation was in twentieth-century American history, particularly African American history, and we thought he would be a good person to bring that fresh perspective this year.”

Senior Kelvin Rolle also shared his experiences learning about Martin Luther King with a speech and slideshow of his travels to Dr. King’s memorials. He reminded students that the holiday for Dr. King is designed as a day of service, telling the audience about the different ways he served his community.

Following this, the Upper School

Choir performed a South African prayer for peace known as Ukutulah.

“I think the choir performance hopefully had more of an emotional impact. I think one of the things music can do that nothing else can do is resonate emotionally much more quickly with people. Even though it’s sung in a different language, it doesn’t take away from the emotion,” said Mr. Posner. “Most people, if they were really paying attention to it and really being part of that performance as an audience, were reacting to it in a way that was emotionally honest.

For me, it was very effective and affecting.”

This year’s MLK Assembly taught students the value of being human as well as the importance of having a voice.

“I learned how important it is to speak up for what you think is right and never to let anybody invalidate what you advocate for,” said sophomore Bella Marx.

The assembly was a necessary reminder of the importance of advocacy as well as the impact Dr. King made on the world as a whole.

Matt Marasco Sports Editor Everyone at the Upper School who has seen the work of our media programs knows that they are among the best in the nation. Now, The Pharcyde, Benjamin TV (BTV), and Treasures (the Yearbook) are getting recognized for it.

“It’s an acknowledgment of how far we’ve come trying to bring the book up to speed with what a publication we should be generating at The Benjamin School,” said yearbook advisor Mrs. Kristen Hewitt.

Mrs. Hewitt thinks of this award as only the beginning of Benjamin’s Yearbook, as this is the first time it has received a Scholastic Press Award.

“We are honored to receive this award, but we still want to continue to improve the Yearbook. We still need to continue improving our writing, design, and coverage of stories,” added Ms. Hewitt.

As for BTV, they applied for awards differently this year. They are going to submit three different newscasts that are each going to get graded differently. Then, they will get a cumulative grade for all three.

The production team has only submitted one of their newscasts, and they learned they received a gold award. Now, they will submit

the other two newscasts and have to wait and hope to receive more gold awards.

“It’s a great honor. It’s a good reflection of the kids and the hard work they put into this production,” said the Director of BTV Mr. Kenneth Archer. “We have medaled each year, including this year where we got the ace for the first broadcast we submitted, and it shows the time we have put into the whole news process.”

Across campus to Room 501 and The Pharcyde, Dr. Peruggia is happy with the staff’s result, particularly after a lackluster performance the year

prior.

“The award speaks to the efforts of the entire staff of The Pharcyde, especially after having a year where they didn’t do so well in the awards,” said The Pharcyde advisor Dr Peruggia.

“It shows how our new approach to things is paying off and is receiving the accolades that it rightly deserves,” added Dr. Peruggia.

The Upper School is proud of The Pharcyde, BTV, and the Yearbook’s hard work and knows that these awards are well-deserved.

Senior Nate Samaris (left) and junior Zach Neidoff (right) pose in front of BTV’s banner of accolades in Room 149. Since 2013, the production has garnered six first place finishes from the National Scholastic Press Association.

(Photo by Matt Marasco)

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NI n eB rwi e fs In the United States and across the globe. breaking news is happening everywhere. From 300 million year old brains to Ozzy Osbourne’s retirement, there are many exciting news stories. Here are short summaries of the biggest breaking news stories:

319 Million Year Old Brain of a Fish was Examined; May Be the Oldest of its Kind A 319 million year-old brain of a fish was recently scanned after being discovered in a coal mine more than a century ago in England. The brain belongs to the extinct fish named Coccocephalus wildi. https://tinyurl.com/22wujrkc United States and The Philippines Strengthen Alliance in Spite of Chinese Threats The Phillipines request the United States to send troops to about nine Philippines military bases in spite of the recent Chinese threats. China has come closer to Philippines waters which has caused America and the Phillipines to strengthen their alliance.

https://tinyurl.com/mrxkx76h Tate Brothers Lose Appeal Social media influencers, Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan Tate have lost their appeal after being arrested in December of 2022. https://tinyurl.com/ys2arrwu Biden’s House Searched Amidst His Document Controversy President Biden’s vacation home was searched after an investigation was started about his time during his term of being vice president. Classified files and materials were what the FBI were looking for mainly. https://tinyurl.com/2pahbu6c Double Amputee Killed By Police The family of Anthony Lowe, a double amputee who was killed by police in Southern California, is taking legal action against the city where the officers work. They are demanding the release of all footage of the incident and the naming of the officers involved. The family’s attorney describes the shooting as “a straight murder.” https://tinyurl.com/3vkvhzmx

Is The U.S. Economy Really Headed Towards A Recession?

Some economists believe that the US is heading towards a recession, which will likely be different from previous ones due to the state of household finances and resilient demand for labor. Most workers in the US are still employed and the number of people filing for unemployment benefits has fallen to a 9-month low of 186,000.

https://tinyurl.com/2f4wy3a7 Ketamine Clinics For Mental Health Are Popping Up Across The U.S.

Field Trip Health is a national chain of ketamine clinics that offers ketamine-assisted psychotherapy for several mental health conditions. There is concern that the ketamine industry is unregulated, and the treatments haven’t been well-proven, with side effects including changes in mood, blood pressure, nausea, and the high cost for a session https://tinyurl.com/37yhedhp Osbourne Cancels Tour Ozzy Osbourne, 74 year old heavy metal singer, has announced that he will not be touring anymore after over 40 years of performing.

https://tinyurl.com/dcxmzbu2 COVID Death Toll In The U.S. Reach 1 Million The US has surpassed one million COVID-19 deaths, which equates to the population of San Jose, California and is the world’s highest recorded toll from the virus. The death toll was reached in just 27 months, far higher than what was imagined in the early days of the pandemic, and continues with 360 people still dying every day.

https://tinyurl.com/bdznb6hs

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The Pharcyde

14 February 2023

SAT Revamped, Transitioning To Online, Shorter Test Charlie Spungin Editor-in-Chief In early 2022, the College Board announced that the SAT would transition to an online format for domestic testing beginning in spring 2024.

The digital SAT will utilize the multistage adaptive testing (MST) model, different from the linear model of the pencil and paper exam. Each section of the exam will be divided into two modules, those being an introductory module and a second module. The test taker’s performance in the introductory module will dictate the difficulty of the second module.

The digital exam in itself will also be shorter, as it is expected to span over the course of around two hours rather than three. The adaptive model makes it so that a student’s achievement level can be more easily understood in a smaller sample of questions. Test takers will have to download the testing application that the exam will be present on prior to arrival at their respective testing center. With this downloaded, students will no longer have to bubble in needed information, which will also accelerate the speed of the exam.

English teacher Dr. John Peruggia, who has tutored students for the SAT in past years, is not a fan of the adaptive style and favors the current model, emphasizing the unfair importance of starting the exam in a strong manner.

“It becomes really important that you do well early and maintain that,” Dr. Peruggia said. “For kids who maybe warm up as they’re taking the tests, adaptive testing is very tricky because you’re setting yourself off at a lower starting point. You’re always at the bottom.”

A major difference of the digital SAT is that it will be taken in two sections rather than three. The digital version will combine the Reading and Writing & Language sections to make a singular Reading and Writing section, which will be accompanied by the Math section. Additionally, there will be a difference in the content for the digital exam, which the College Board refers to as “more direct” questions.

“In the Reading and Writing section, instead of a few long reading passages with multiple questions per passage, students will see many shorter texts, each tied to just one question,” the College Board wrote on their Digital FAQ website. “For the Math section, questions in context (word problems) will be more concise than those on the current test.”

Given these major differences in the exam, Dr. Peruggia expects the style of SAT tutoring to change drastically.

“I think SAT tutors are going to be more forced now to actually teach content rather than tricks because there’s gonna be fewer tricks based on the kinds of questions if it’s more

content based,” he said.

According to the College Board, it will take only a few days for scores to be returned to test takers, much faster than the current 13 days it takes. Dr. Peruggia notes that this can help tutoring in that students know what they have to work on much more quickly if they plan to retake it.

The change from pencil and paper to computer screen has an impact beyond the test and its format in itself. It has other implications, including security.

Director of College Counseling Mrs. Anna Wright finds the increased security of a digital exam rather help-

ful, particularly for international exams. When she lived in London, she witnessed this potential security issue first hand. The College Board sent the exams in a lockbox with a padlock, and she did not receive the lock combination until the morning of the exam.

“There have been all kinds of issues of proctors helping students, proctors giving kids extra time, kids getting access to the test questions,” Mrs. Wright said. “If you offer it digitally, you really eliminate almost all of those issues.”

Additionally, moving to a digital exam makes note taking more diffi-

cult. Although scratch paper will be allowed and the exam software will have an ability to annotate on it, many, like senior Darian Salehi, find it easier to have paper on their desk.

“Going digital is not as good because it’s much harder to annotate a passage,” Salehi said. “I prefer writing, and I can write or underline wherever with the exam in front of me.”

The SAT is becoming less prevalent in college admissions decisions, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out in 2020. Mrs. Wright projects that universities will stay test-optional for the next few years to evaluate how much they would like to consider the digital SAT in their admissions decisions.

“COVID taught us the testing was not as essential as we thought it was five years ago,” she said. “It taught admissions officers that they can make good decisions without testing. It takes years for universities to evaluate how they consider stuff, and I think that universities will be totally flexible for the next couple of years until they see.”

The College Board will release more information pertaining to the timing of the exam, number of questions, scoring information, and more during the coming summer. After being taken on paper for 98 years, the SAT’s change to a digital exam is a landmark modification in standardized testing.

A Taste Of The Future: Students Tour UCF, Juniors Prepare For College Rollins With College Counseling Team Process With Case Studies Jackson Zentner Staff Writer The College Tour returned to Benjamin after three years, consisting of visits to Rollins College and the University of Central Florida.

The road trip took place on Feb. 1, the Wednesday of parent-teacher conferences.

The last time the College Counseling team set up this event, the students traveled to the University of Miami and Florida Atlantic University. All students were able to sign up for the trip, but the trip attracted more sophomores.

Associate Director of College Counseling, Mr. Juan Alvarez, was in charge of the event and traveled to the colleges with the students.

“We wemt to look at Rollins and the University of Florida. The reason we is to give the students an idea of what it is like between a large public institution and a small liberal arts institution” says Alvarez.

The school paid for the transportation and everything else except for food and lunch. The buses left at 7:15 in the morning and arrived back at Benjamin later that day at 5:30.

“We are having a tour of the campuses and a presentation. Along the way, we are going to be talking to students about what they should be looking at, and how they should be

comparing. It is not just looking at Rollins and UCF. It is looking at the difference between the big schools and small schools and what they should be looking at, but overall it is a field trip for the students” mentions Alvarez.

As a Junior, Maggie Smith is starting to explore colleges because it is her junior year.

“I really enjoyed being able to see the difference between one of the nation’s biggest colleges and one of irs smallest on the same day.”

-Ella Bailey

“The college tour was very helpful for me to see different college campuses. I am looking forward to the event next year because, overall, it was a really great experience and was a lot of fun with my friends” adds Smith.

Sophomore Ella Bailey is getting assigned her college advisor this school year along with all of the other sophomores.

“The trip was great, I really en-

Students were given the opportunity to see a large, public school in UCF and a smaller, private school in Rollins in order to compare what type of college they may prefer.

(Photo courtesy of Mr. Alvarez)

Reid Waxman Staff Writer

Siblings junior Maggie Smith and freshman Ryan Smith were two of many freshmen, sophomores, and juniors who went on the University of Central Florida (UCF) and Rollins College tours on Feb. 2.

(Photo courtesy of Maggie Smith)

joyed being able to see the difference between one of the nation’s biggest colleges and one of its smallest on the same day. I think trips like this benefit Benjamin students because it is a lot easier to go on a college visit with your school and have actual students take you on the tour instead of having to book a tour over a weekend or break when classes are not usually happening. I think it is good for the Benjamin community too because I didn’t really know the people that went on the trip so it was good to get to know people that I would not usually see,” mentions Bailey.

Freshman Ryan Smith has a lot of time to decide what college he wants to apply to.

“The event was really helpful to me and other freshmen, sophomores, and juniors that went on the trip because we got to visit two different types of colleges,” says Smith.

The College Tour is a beneficial event for all students at The Benjamin School, and it will be continued for years to come.

On Jan. 26, the Upper School College Counseling team welcomed admission officers from different colleges to come and talk to the junior class. The admission officers gave useful facts about the entire application process, and how they look at the applications.

The admission officers who came were Raul Fonts from Providence College, Mallory Cotter and Julie Rubin from Florida State University, Jordan Shapiro from Northeastern University, and Karen Vargas from Wake Forest University.

Director of College Counseling Mrs. Anna Wright explained what went on during that night.

“We flew in five admissions officers to come and meet with the junior class and ask to read three admissions files to see what an application looks like. Then out of those three candidates, they get to admit, waitlist and deny one. The juniors meet as a committee and decide who gets what.

As we went through it we got insight from the admissions officers on what decisions they made and what decisions they would have made and what stands out to them. This was for an hour and a half, and students and parents were invited,” said Wright.

Associate Director of College Counseling Mr. Juan Alvarez feels

the college counselors coming to talk to the junior class was crucial.

“The College Counseling team is very thankful for having the five admissions officers come to talk to these juniors, and the officers have a chance to talk to the students and see the student’s perspective of the application process and be open for any questions needed,” said Alvarez.

The junior class is looking forward to their application process, and junior Luca Balzano feels he got some good insight.

“We learned more about the reality of college and how complicated the application is,” said Balzano. “It helps us change our ways of making the application and they gave us useful information to make the college application look better.”

Although the juniors are thinking about applications and the application process, junior Zach Neidoff sees that grades are not the only factor in the application process.

“I took away from the Case Study Night that there are a lot of aspects to the application process, such as the SAT, ACT, extracurricular activities, and more things that account to the process, and it is not just grades,” said Neidoff.

The Class of 2024 is halfway done with their junior year and is almost ready to take the leap to their final year when the college application process starts.

The Pharcyde

14 February 2023

Something to Hide? President Biden, Former-VP Pence Caught With Multiple Classified Documents Months After President Trump’s Scandal Charlie Spungin Editor-in-Chief Sage Ponchock, Reid Waxman Staff Writers On Jan. 9, news broke that U.S. President Joe Biden was found to be in possession of misplaced, classified documents both in his Wilmington, Del. residence and in his Washington, D.C. office.

The first batch of documents was found in a locked closet on Nov. 2nd at the Penn Biden Center in Washington. One week later, on Nov. 9, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) decided to launch an assessment to determine whether the formation of a Special Council would be needed.

CBS News broke the news of this investigation and conflict on Jan. 9.

Since then, multiple other documents have been found in President Biden’s possession. On Jan. 20, the FBI found additional classified documents in a consensual 13-hour search of his Wilmington residence.

The issue at hand arises because of the Presidential Records Act of 1978, which was created after President Richard Nixon attempted to destroy records and documents amid the Watergate investigation. The Act states that presidents must turn over

Secret Service vehicles were spotted at U.S. President Joe Biden’s beachhouse in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware after he was caught with multiple classified documents.

(Photo courtesy of news.wttw.com)

all records and documents to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) at the end of their respective administrations.

AP United States Government teacher Mr. Nicholas Cramer strongly believes that classified documents should be stored in the National Archives for the utmost protection.

“I think the main importance is, of course, these documents are labeled with varying degrees of top secret classified,” Mr. Cramer said.

“Having them in a secure location where they can be held accountable is important to ensure that wandering eyes don’t find that.”

Providence College

Mallory Cotter

Florida State University

Julie Rubin

Florida State University

Jordan Shapiro

Northeastern University

Karen Vargas

Wake Forest University

Former President Donald Trump also had controversy regarding federal documents, taking place following his departure from the White House. From May 2021 to the present, the FBI, DOJ, and NARA have been dealing with this case. This case with President Biden has served as a reminder of what happened with former President Trump.

“When the FBI found classified documents in President Biden’s house at home and his office in Washington D.C, I instantly thought of what was found at Trump’s Mar-aLago just down the street from me,” freshman Gus Doesky said. “It was

really shocking.”

Former President Trump has been noncompliant with the government in handing over the documents. Because of this, the FBI executed a search warrant and raided President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago property in Palm Beach on Aug. 8, 2022, to seize these documents. It was later revealed that the FBI found 11,000 government documents and 48 empty folders labeled as ‘classified.’

Unlike former President Trump, it appears there has been no attempt by President Biden to hide documents or to obstruct federal investigations. The White House and President Biden’s lawyers claim that it was entirely unintentional, and they plan to fully cooperate with the investigation.

“The White House is cooperating with the National Archives and the Department of Justice regarding the discovery of what appear to be Obama-Biden Administration records, including a small number of documents with classified markings,” lawyer Richard Sauber said.

This investigation of President Biden sheds light on a potentially larger issue of misplaced documents.

Now, the last two presidential administrations have found themselves caught in an investigation related to classified records. Many, including Mr. Cramer, have noticed this trend.

“I’m obviously disappointed to hear that more documents have been misplaced, regardless of who is misplacing them and how,” he said. “I am happy to see that they’re proceeding and taking care of the documents.”

On Jan. 24, former Vice President Mike Pence’s lawyers found about a dozen classified documents in his home in Carmel, Ind. Like President Biden, former Vice President Pence has cooperated with the FBI’s investigation into the documents and how they ended up in the Indiana home. Greg Jacob is set to be former Vice President Pence’s representative for the NARA. “Vice President Pence was unaware of the existence of sensitive or classified documents at his personal residence,” Jacob said. “Vice President Pence understands the high importance of protecting sensitive and classified information and stands ready and willing to cooperate fully with the National Archives and any appropriate inquiry.”

The FBI and DOJ’s investigation is set to continue for what could amount to months. This investigation may jeopardize President Biden’s chance for reelection in 2024, as many candidates -- both Democrats and Republicans -- are expected to challenge President Biden for a seat in the Oval Office.

Grocery, Gas, Other Prices Rise, Governor Moves To Affecting Benjamin Community Ban New AP Course Matt Marasco Sports Editor Evan Sluiters, Jackson Zentner Staff Writers As inflation rates rose by over seven percent in 2022, many everyday goods and services increased in price, leaving an impact on the Benjamin community.

Inflation has hit the energy sector the hardest with a major increase in gasoline prices, electricity bills, and household [piped] gasoline. As many of these increases have affected businesses, it has led to many places having to race their prices to combat their rising energy bills. For example, gasoline at the pump which used to be around $3 in 2021, has now soared to $3.80 in North Palm Beach.

“I pay for my own gas which used to be around $3 a gallon, so I had to find a better way to budget my money with the increasing prices of gas as its about $3.80 now,” said junior Julian Janin.

Although many items have been affected by inflation, many teacher

have also noticed the increase in gas prices along with Janin.

Long-term substitute English teacher Ms. Margaret Leshin is one of the many faculty members who suffer from the rise in price.

“Gas prices have affected me significantly. I live about 45 minutes away from the school so my gas consumption is already pretty high. I’m paying at least twenty dollars more compared to last year.” said Leshin Many items at the grocery store have seen significant price increases including a carton of eggs with a 49.1% increase, butter with a 34.2% increase, and bread with a 15.7% increase.

English teacher Mrs. Mary Ditaranto is someone who has taken notice of these price increases.

“Inflation has affected me quite a bit. Groceries have gone up, so my bag which would normally cost $30 is now costing me $90. I have definitely changed my lifestyle accordingly as I make sure to eat everything in my fridge so nothing goes to waste,” said Mrs. Ditaranto.

Many students at Benjamin have

Junior Case Study Night College Admissions Officers

Raul Fonts

Page 5

Following a large increase in inflation throughout 2022, prices finally began to fall at the end of the year. Most notably, grocery prices, airplane tickets, and other goods and commodities saw a price decrease in December, giving hope that prices will continue to fall in 2023.

(Graphic made by Chase Zur)

also taken notice of the inflation as many of their favorite places to eat after school have raised their prices.

“I always like to go get food after school, but recently the prices have gone up a ton, especially at Bolay where my bowl that used to be $14 is around $19. So I have been eating out less and making my own meals,” said junior Adam Mahmoud.

Although some students have seen the effects of inflation, many students have not noticed the increase in prices since their parents usually do the shopping.

“My mom usually goes to the grocery store for me,” said junior Nick Cecchini. “She has not said anything about the prices, so I really did not know anything was going on with them.”

Even if inflation has not affected the ability to shop for necessities, some teachers have had to dial back on their fun.

“Inflation has affected the amount of money I can save for fun things such as travel. I find that most of my money is going to groceries for my family,” said science teacher Mrs. Katelyn Ballard.

Despite the fact that inflation is still increasing, some items have been able to drop in price during December, including milk, poultry, and fresh fruits and vegetables. Also, gas prices have declined in price recently resulting in cheaper airline tickets and vehicles. Even though these items are still much higher in price than in January 2022, it is a step in the right direction to see some relief. Also, gas prices have declined in price recently, resulting in cheaper airline tickets.

Hopefully, with the government trying to remedy the inflated prices, 2023 will have major decreases in inflation as many Americans hope for some financial relief.

Matt Marasco Sports Editor After the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020, the College Board brought up the necessity for an AP course on African American history. Recently, the College Board released the first framework for the topics that would be taught in the course.

These topics led to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis banning the course in Florida schools.

Gov. DeSantis believes that the course and its topics were not about learning about African American History but pushing a political agenda.

“We believe in teaching kids facts and how to think, but we don't believe they should have an agenda imposed on them," Gov. DeSantis said, calling the course indoctrination.

Although Gov. DeSantis does not believe this particular course has a place in Florida education, he still believes in African American history being taught in the ‘right’ way.

“Florida law still requires the study of African American history in schools, from slavery through abolition to the history and contributions of Americans of the African diaspora

to society,” said Gov. DeSantis.

After the recent backlash from the Florida education system, the College Board has revised the topics and has taken out the names of many Black writers and scholars associated with Critical Race Theory, the queer experience, and Black feminism. It also removed political topics such as Black Lives Matter.

Many critics of the College Board feel as if they gave in to the political pressure from Gov. DeSantis, but the College Board has come out since and denied these claims by saying that their changes were strictly routine.

The class still is an important part of the AP curriculum in the years going forward. The class teaches African American history mostly up to 1965.

The goal of AP African American history is to connect students to the past through theory according to the College Board.

The College Board hopes that despite all the controversy surrounding the course, it will still achieve its goal of furthering African American education in high schools.

Page 6

Student Voices

14 February 2023

The Pharcyde

EDITORIAL

the state? That is similar to what is happening with the introduction with this faculty vote. The faculty should focus on keeping their own house in order before tackling ours.

In countering this point, Mrs. Franzen said: “The value of our community is that we are a community, and that includes the faculty. Oftentimes, students will act one way in front of teachers and one way in front of students in order to sway people’s decisions, and it helps us balance that.”

It is true that students act differently with teachers compared to with their friends. This is why teachers should not have a voice. Students are their authentic selves with other students. The Student Council needs to be the home where students can be themselves without worrying about what the neighbors think.

Teachers may think that they know a student for whom he or she is, yet they really do not. The difference between how students act with teachers is to always be more respectful.

With their friends and other students, this student may not be so kind. Then, the faculty may vote this student for the election, while students vote against him or her because they truly know this student. We know each other best.

While The Pharcyde agrees with the importance of community, it fails to understand why the entirety

of the community should have a say in Student Council elections. If the entire Upper School community is involved, shouldn’t security and parents have a say in the elections, too?

Shouldn’t 8th graders, who are soon to be part of the Upper School community and deserve to be represented as such, have a vote?

Benjamin has roughly a 7:1 student to faculty ratio when only counting students who are eligible to vote in Student Council elections (non-seniors). Given this, it’s simply not fair that the faculty’s portion of the vote is as if the ratio were 3:1. Why should around 50 faculty members have such a large say over 361 students?

Even if Student Council faculty leaders and the administration feels that there needs to be a faculty vote, it needs to be closer to 10-15% to mirror the true ratio of student voters to faculty members.

If the faculty is the heart of our community, why can’t we students have a say in how they function? The Academic Council has nine faculty members on it, making various decisions that relate to academics. With this logic, there should be two students on this Council in order to put our say into the faculty votes. Should students, and teachers, have seats on the administrative team? Should The Pharcyde reprint our requests for a student seat on the Board?

Moreover, most teachers don’t

even teach every student. Is it fair to have a teacher vote in an election between a student whom they have taught and a student whom they have never spoken to? This could be the case with most of the races. Student Council votes should not be popularity contests.

In fact, Mrs. Franzen first integrated a faculty vote in the Middle School during her time there, and found it to be a success for its ability to counter the notion that elections had been popularity contests.

“The problem with the popularity contests in general is that those don’t tend to be people who get stuff done for the student body,” said Mrs. Franzen, who noted that the Middle School’s Student Council became more productive following the integration of this faculty vote.

Ignoring that such actions assume the worst in student behavior at the Upper School, the other changes announced appear to more directly and objectively combat any perceptions of popularity. Banning candidates from giving away anything (ex. candy, ice cream) should dissuade the few voters who would succumb to such bribery from actually being preyed upon.

Including teachers in Student Council elections could also have some unforeseen consequences in student and teacher relationships.

Previously, if a student did not win an

election, they could only look at their peers for the reason why. Now, students could blame faculty members and even their own teachers. Imagine walking into a class, and you think that your teacher did not vote for you because you have a B- in their class.

That could be heartbreaking and break a student’s confidence in the course. Students should not have to endure that.

On the flip side, teachers could treat a student differently based on an election’s result. If a student wins that the teacher did not vote for, the teacher may have a bias against this student, as the faculty member may feel that the student did not deserve their position. Even if they don’t treat them differently, they could think of them differently, and even that is harmful.

Teachers having internal thoughts and bias regarding a student, good or bad, is not healthy and usually does not result in a good outcome.

Involving faculty members in student affairs, particularly with disproportionate representation, has cons that outweighs its pros. As a representation of the student body, Student Council needs to live up to its name and remain the voice of the students.

*This editorial is the opinion of The Pharcyde and therefore is not attributed to one singular person.

Co-Ed Or Single-Sex Schools: Which Is The Better Choice?

By Cameron Bitove Staff Writer

In 2016, The Armidale School, located in New South Wales decided to break its more than 120-year tradition of exclusively educating boys.

They said they wanted to grow without changing culture and tradition.

Despite their best efforts, though, culture did change. So, as someone who has endured both environments and is approaching my final year of high school, it has me thinking, would it be better to experience education within a co-ed or single-sex environment?

Research suggests that girls who attend single-sex schools are more confident about themselves as learners in subjects such as math and science, compared to a coeducational environment.

At the last school, I attended – which was an all-girls establishment – I took part in assisting in an activity day between the middle school students from my school and the allboys school a street over. Acknowledged by not just myself, but many

the

PHARCYDE

Founded in 1980 as The Spectator 14 February 2023

Volume 44, Issue 4

The Benjamin School 4875 Grandiflora Road Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33418 Contact Information Phone: 561-472-5998, ext. 2119 Fax: 561-691-8823 Advisor Dr. John Peruggia john.peruggia@thebenjaminschool.org Advisor Emeritus Mr. Kendall Didsbury Media Consultants Mr. and Mrs. Tim Burke

of my other peers and teachers who were helping out, students who usually took the initiative, were timid and yielded their power.

In the absence of boys, girls can also feel less constrained and engaged in classroom discussions.

Many students I interviewed from my last school thought that the allgirls environment was more comfortable and gave room to be focused on school work.

An anonymous interviewee said “Within single-sex schools, you don’t have to face as much gender discrimination and sexism as you would in a co-ed environment. It is a safer space where girls can definitely speak their mind more freely and maintain confidence.”

Supporters of the single-sex model argue that because studies show that boys and girls learn differently, they should be in a school that caters to those differences, and single-sex schools take these differences into account to build individualized programs that maximize achievement.

“Girls and boys do learn differently,” says Dona Matthews, an author and education psychologist at Toronto’s Ontario Institute for Stud-

ies in Education. “Girls are more likely than boys to prefer cooperative and collaborative learning. Boys tend to be more competitive and to benefit from their competitiveness.”

But many peers didn’t agree with these ideas. A representative from The Armidale School said that “The interaction between boys and girls isolates some of the less desirable aspects of both,” he says. However, the “machoism” cultures in boys’ schools have reignited the debate over whether single-sex school environments breed hyper-masculine tendencies, and they raise the question: do the social effects of educating co-ed outweigh the widely viewed academic gains of single-sex education?

Boys may learn to develop healthy relationships, and value and respect girls, this is less likely to occur in single-sex boys’ schools.

Another anonymous student said that “Having attended both co-ed and single-gender schools, I see the benefits of both, but I find there are many advantages of co-ed. For example, we can learn from each other, it can enhance the feeling of competition among one another, we can develop confidence, leadership, and emotion-

al growth being with the opposite gender.

At the end of the day, the real world is a blend of both genders, and going to a co-ed school can prepare you for that, rather than being at a single-gender school your entire education before college.” Another anonymous interviewee agreed with this point by saying, “co-ed schools give you a certain exposure to the real world that you don’t get at a single-sex school.” An anonymous student from The Armidale School had said that “There is no doubt in my mind it has been a good change. The social environment in the school is a better one now than it was before.” In 2016 they did not expect to see the strong benefits of changing to co-ed as they have.

So, what is the right choice?

Some would say that the co-ed experience prepares them for the real world, while others would say that single-sex schools are catered to the learning of that specific sex. Having attended an all-girls establishment for 12 years of my academic experience, it has been an interesting transition. I am finding that I enjoy the normality of the co-ed environment, as it is

EDITORIAL BOARD

GENERAL

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Charlie Spungin, Editor-in-Chief

Joey Tomassetti, Managing Editor Eclaire Solano, Photography Editor Matt Marasco, Sports Editor

STAFF WRITERS Cameron Bitove Lila Brodner Amanda Duguay Atticus Fasnakis-Nosal Caroline Groffman Dev Maharaj Alex Perkins Sage Ponchock Haley Roth Evan Sluiters Reid Waxman Jackson Zentner Chase Zur

The Pharcyde, the Upper School newspaper of The Benjamin School, is published seven times a year. 500 copies of The Pharcyde are distributed to 472 students and 70 faculty members and are available in the Upper School office.

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OPINION

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.

The Pharcyde is a student newspaper produced to foster an open dialogue about topics that relate to The Benjamin School. The issues that appear throughout our pages may be light-hearted or serious, but regardless we aim to reflect the diversity of opinion within our school that we value so deeply.

14 February 2023

Page 7

Contemporary vs. Classic: Writers Debate Which Books Reign Supreme

Faculty Should Stay Out Of Student Council Elections In an assembly on Jan. 27, Student Council Advisor Mrs. Anne Franzen announced new changes to the Student Council election process.

The adjustments included banning giveaways, a requirement that Dean of Students Mr. Kevin Jacobsen must approve campaign promotions, and the enfranchisement of the faculty in Student Council elections.

Effective immediately, in each election for the respective available positions, students will contribute 75% of the vote, while the faculty contribute 25%. Diminishing the voice of students in the community, especially their voice in their own governance, cannot go unchecked.

The Student Council is meant to represent the student body, hence its name. If faculty members have a say in its composition, the organization will lose its purity. Why are students not being entrusted to represent themselves? Why does the faculty feel it needs to close off one of the few outlets students have to be themselves? Moreover, why does the faculty feel it should exercise greater control over student affairs than it already does? Is Student Council a threat to faculty rule on campus?

Imagine if all federal representatives and employees could vote in Florida state elections, even without Florida residence. There would be an outrage, as why should people who are not part of the state have a say in

Student Voices

The Pharcyde

Lila Brodner Sage Ponchock Staff Writers Lila: I believe that modern romance books like, Ugly Love and November 9th, by Colleen Hoover, are better than classics. They are more interesting, up to date, and people understand them better. New stories are just so much more enjoyable to read.

Each book has a different plot, and it could be about real life lately, unlike classics, which have ballroom dancing. For example, the book, November 9th, is about Fallon and Ben. The two meet and fall in love at first sight, but Fallon is moving from California to New York. So every Nov. 9th, they meet at the same time and same restaurant, but they do not give each other numbers, emails, or any way of communication. As the book goes on, conflicts happen, and make the book so much more interesting and intriguing. Modern romance books are so much better than classics.

Sage: The reason classics are considered classics is because they are such phenomenal books that some have withstood hundreds of years of cultural and societal changes, yet they still manage to retain relevance and large audiences. The argument that modern romance books are more relatable and pertinent to our time period is narrow minded. Firstly, most modern romance novels such as those written by Colleen Hoover are far less sophisticated than classical writers from, say, the nineteenth century. The books lack the depth of an excellently written novel and focus nearly entirely on trivial and frankly ridiculous relationships and scenarios. Unlike

modern authors, classical romance novelists such as Jane Austen and Emily Brontë include prominent societal expectations and inequalities.

For example, Jane Austen combats the inequality of a man’s inheritance in her book, Pride and Prejudice, and Emily Brontë emphasizes the extreme desire to please society when she has the protagonist, Kathy, in her novel, Wuthering Heights, marry a wealthy, respected man, instead of the one she truly loves. If Colleen Hoover is so fantastic, will her books be able to withstand decades and centuries of changes like the greats? Do her books include enough depth to be taken seriously?

Lila: Yes, even though the classics have been through decades, people read what’s up and coming, not what was popular years ago. Colleen Hoover is an up and coming author, so more people will read it. Colleen Hoover understands people’s struggles now and how life works now.

She is taken seriously by everyone.

Her work is understandable and relevant. Her plots are all different in many ways, and people never get old of her work. Colleen Hoover is going to become one of the most well known authors. She will be known for decades, even though she is a starting author.

Sage: This is entirely untrue.

Though Hoover’s books may be popular for a few years, maybe a few decades, they lack the substance to make them truly remarkable books.

Colleen Hoover will certainly not go down in history with the names Jane Austen, Shakespeare, Edgar Allen Poe, or any of the Brontë sisters.

She is, at best, an average writer with

an active imagination. Her stories are interesting to an extent, but, as I have already stated, lack any significant substance. The idea that Colleen Hoover is “taken seriously by everyone” is frankly ridiculous. I have never heard this name arise in an intellectual conversation, and her books will never be studied in a classroom or taken seriously by any scholar. Most modern romance books are popular for attractive men and unrealistic, though admittedly interesting, story lines. Stating that Hoover’s books are more relevant because of their realistic aspect is absurd. In your example, November 9th, two people who are supposedly in love do not give each other any method of reaching the other. Two people truly in love would not heed a mother’s inconsequential rule not to date until 23 years of age, and they certainly would not willingly go an entire year without seeing each other. This proves that the people of this book, though attracted to each other, are not actually in love. It is an illusion caused by Hoover to make an unrealistic and ridiculous plot seem like it has meaning.

Lila: I believe that you have to understand her writing style. Some people like classics, because of its styles, how it is dated from centuries ago, and others like how its dated to the present day. Even if you do not think Colleen Hoover is a great author, a lot of people do think she is a great author. Her books have great plots, even if they are unrealistic, they are interesting, and keep the reader reading. The books’ styles are both great in different ways, it just depends on the people reading them.

Sage: The statements of this ar-

Writers and readers Lila Brodner and Sage Ponchock enage in one of their infamous face-to-face, cover-to-cover battles over literature. Their friendly feuds started when Brodner enrolled in Mrs. Ponchock’s class in sixth grade.

(Photo by Lila Brodner and Sage Ponchock)

gument are contradictory. It is stated that the books are more realistic and pertinent earlier, yet in the paragraph above, the plots are “unrealistic.” It is safe to conclude that writers who have been loved and admired for decades for their fantastic style and storyline will remain superior to average

modern authors.

Lila: Modern literature is much better than classics for multiple reasons, including plot, relatability, and length.

Luke Egizio, Class of 2023

Students at The Armidale School, located in New South Wales. depart for the afternoon. The School recently transitioned to become co-ed..

something I had never experienced within school walls, but, I think the comfortability with others and willingness to approach new things was more prominent in single-sex surroundings.

The truth is, it really depends on the person. One has to take into account what will optimize their learning experience and how they will thrive socially.

QUOTATION POLICY

Anyone interviewed by The Pharcyde will have the chance to correct and edit their quotations before the paper goes to press. If they would like to change their interview before the quote confirmations get sent out, they can contact the student who interviewed them and ask to redo the interview.

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 Association.

Review: Field of Greens Provides a Fresh Approach to Vending Machines Amanda Duguay Staff Writer

Sick and tired of chips and candy? Good news: we got a new vending machine!

Over winter break at the Benjamin Upper School, a new vending machine was installed.

Located near the other vending machines, the new machine features Field of Green’s most popular items: BBQ chicken wrap, southwest chicken wrap, chicken caesar salad wrap, Tuscan wrap, Full of Life salad, Greek salad, carrot cake, birthday cake, vegan chocolate cake, Gatorade fit, daily dose of green shots, and bai drinks.

This vending machine was added to supply healthier options for students who want something nutritious.

Dean of Students Mr. Kevin Jacobsen shares the reasoning behind this new addition.

“I requested the new machine for a few reasons. The most compelling case for it is that we want to offer healthy options for students to eat for snacks and lunch. We also do not have a cafeteria, obviously, so this fills another need in case a student forgets lunch in the morning. We also want to curtail parents dropping off lunch every day, so this gives another reason for that to be unnecessary.”

You can be aware that your food is fresh since this machine is refreshed every morning.

Junior Silas Rooney tried the chicken caesar wrap from the new machine.

“The new vending machine was definitely a great new addition to the Upper School campus. I have been to Field of Greens before so I was excited when I saw it come to Benjamin.

The Caesar Wrap was very enjoyable,” said Rooney.

Senior Brett Salach who also tried the chicken caesar wrap from the new machine said “It was good, but the ones from 3 Natives are better.”

Junior Maggie Smith had visited the machine and tried the birthday cake along with a wrap.

“It [the cake] tastes so good and it makes me feel like eating it is healthier, rather than having a bag of chips or candy. The chicken caesar wrap also tasted so good,” she said.

Field of Greens has four different locations, Palm Beach, West Palm Beach, Wellington, and North Palm Beach.

“I feel like Field of Greens tastes better when you are at the restaurant,

but it is still pretty good for school lunch. I am confused why they are delivering the food from the restaurant in West Palm when there is a restaurant ten minutes from school in North Palm Beach. I’ve had the caesar wrap from the machine, it’s ok, they should definitely include the caesar salad in the future,” said junior Bryn Feldman.

“This was first brought to my attention by a small group of students looking for healthy snacks, so I want Benjamin students to know that if they have ideas for improving school life that I will listen. I hope students are enjoying the new addition to campus.” shared Mr. Jacobsen.

The vending machine has so far proven to be a good addition to the Upper School, providing a new, healthy option for students to eat from during lunch. It was certainly an excellent idea to add this new vending machine.

I think art is very fun to create and I love making things that interest me. It really fascinates me how I can make something on a piece of paper with only a pencil. Through art, I learned patience with each piece, to make it look good.

I started doing art in Lower School and I really enjoyed it throughout the years. When I started doing art, it was difficult. I did not know the little details better artists have, and I got better by doing that too. It would require time and constant work, and I would put in the work to make the best possible piece I could. It showed me how to fail and make constant revisions to it in order to make it look good. It just taught me how to work on myself, improve, and also make myself a better person.

Honestly, no art pieces inspired me. My love and passion for soccer inspired me since I could draw and create something about the sport that I have been playing my entire life. When I do art in class, my personal favorite pieces are portraits. I've created one of Kevin Hart while I was in 8th grade and another of World Cup Champion Lionel Messi last year. I don’t want to do it seriously anymore, but I want to continue to draw a bit in my free time for fun.

I want to keep art for the rest of my life and do not want to let go of it since it taught me important life lessons.

Humans of Sophomore Eliza Ashley buys the chocolate cake from the Field of Greens vedning machine, which was a new addition to the Upper School at the beginning of the second semester. “The chocolate cake is my favorite since it is so flavorful and dense,” she said. “It is always so scrumptious and moist, which is why I love it.”

(Photo by Reid Waxman)

T h e B e nj a m i n U p p e r S c h o o l

A

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The Pharcyde

14 February 2023

month in seconds

What year was Black History Week first celebrated?

6 Where was the first Valentine’s Day celebration?

14 What is President’s Day’s official name?

20 How often does Leap Year occur?

21

What does the NAACP stand for?

9 In the U.S. on average, how many dollars worth of chocolate is purchased for Valentine’s Day?

15 What year was President’s Day first celebrated?

3 The Black population of the United States in 1870 was 4.8 million. What is this number now?

10 When was the first Valentine ever sent?

16 What day is George Washington’s actual birthday?

22

23

17 Where was George Washington born?

24

Who starred in the 1993 Columbia Pictures film Groundhog Day?

4/5 Who was the first Black billionaire?

11/12 Who are the number one recipients of Valentines?

18/19 What day is Abraham Lincoln’s actual birthday?

25-26

Rules of the Game

When is the next Leap Year?

27

In the U.S. on average, how many conversation hearts are manufactured each year?

How accurate have the groundhog’s predictions been since 1887, when groundhogs first started predicting the seasons (percentage)?

2

8

7

13 When is President’s Day celebrated?

1 Why was February chosen as Black History Month?

In the U.S. on average, how many greeting cards are exchanged every year for Valentine’s Day?

14 February 2023

What is the name of the groundhog that decides whether or not spring will arrive early on Groundhog Day?

Why is Groundhog Day celebrated on February 2nd?

a game of February

What year did Black History Week become a month-long celebration?

The Pharcyde

28

* Each player should choose a different coint (heads up)-- we suggest using US currency to honor former presidents. * Roll the dice (after cutting them out and taping them together) to move, numerically, through the board). * Move Forward 4 spaces: FDR * Move Forward 3 spaces: MLK, Rosa Parks, George Washington * Move Forward 2 spaces: Lincoln, Obama, Robinson * Move Forward 1 space: Douglass, Tubman, Reagan * No movement: Harrison * Move Backward 1 space: Trump, Johnson, Clinton * Answer the question on the space. If you are correct, you can stay on the space; if you are wrong, you are to move back to your original space. On the next turn, you will re-roll and attempt to advance. * The first player to make it through the calendar wins!

* Please note: You can choose which impeached president to place on your presidential die: Johnson, Clinton, or Trump.

Cut and Tape Your Dice

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The Pharcyde

14 February 2023

Benjamin Hall Goes Global For 2023 Variety Show Charlie Spungin Editor-in-Chief On Saturday, Jan. 14, Benjamin’s 27th annual Variety Show took place in Benjamin Hall. This year’s show, dubbed Destinations: A World Showcase, represented countries across six continents through its performances.

There were a total of 32 performances over the course of the two hour production, including dancing, singing, and music. 22 countries were portrayed in the show in various ways. South Africa, England, Australia, Brazil, and Japan were just some of the countries that the crowd was taken to.

All divisions of The Benjamin School were represented in the show, which had two showtimes on Jan. 14, those being at 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Co-Director and Performing Arts Department Chair Sra. Sara Salivar is responsible for determining the annual show’s theme. Each year, she

gives herself time to ponder on what the following year’s theme should be.

This year, going worldwide was her lightbulb moment amid COVID-19’s waning effect.

“I really wanted to do something that was global, and A World Showcase just popped into my brain one day,” Sra. Salivar said. “And I thought, well, let’s think about destinations. I wanted to make sure I covered all of the areas of the world, all the continents. I got tired of the fact that over COVID, we couldn’t travel.

This was my way of getting everyone ready to travel.”

For the past two years, the Variety Show was recorded and virtually sent out to the Benjamin community due to the effects of COVID-19 and social distancing. This year marked the return of a live audience, sparking applauses and cheers that had not been heard since the 2020 show. For junior Luciano Curioni, a singer, this was his first live show.

A group of Upper School students represented Japanese drummers in this year’s Variety Show. Japan was just one of the 22 countries represented.

(Photo courtesy of Erika Sousa)

“I think it turned out to be an amazing show,” he said. “There’s a lot more to this show than before because previously, it was recorded.

I think I brought a lot of energy into the crowd, especially during the rock acts. I think the majority of the audience enjoyed that.”

One of the newest additions to the Upper School this year was Music Director Mrs. Kirkland Austin. As a Lower School teacher last year, she performed in the Variety Show. However, this year, she took a much larger role in the production as its Co-Director.

“I was much more stressed for the show [this year] because I was just way more involved,” Mrs. Austin said. “For this show, I was performing three numbers and conducting and putting together three numbers.

There was a whole different added layer of stress, but overall, I felt more proud of the product this year than last year because I gave more to it.”

Mrs. Austin was responsible for preparing songs for three performance ensembles: the choir, band, and strings. She began searching for songs for the ensembles dating back to September by searching through her prior college work, storage, research, and more.

While working with Mrs. Austin as a Co-Director for the first time, Sra. Salivar had high praise for what she was able to help accomplish.

“She’s so talented,” Sra. Salivar said regarding Mrs. Austin. “I can’t wait to see what we grow. Every time you bring in someone new, they have fresh ideas and a different perspec-

The student rock band, which made a return to the Variety Show this year, brought significant energy to the crowd. Their American Rock Medley was the show’s finale.

(Photo courtesy of Erika Sousa)

tive. I’ve kind of set in my ways. I’ve been doing this for so long and doing these kinds of things for so long that it’s just really nice to have a fresh perspective.”

Mrs. Austin was instrumental in bringing back a rock band, a former component of the Variety Show that had not been included in the past few years. Formerly spearheaded by retired English teacher Mr. Perry Feyk, Sra. Salivar and Mrs. Austin shared a desire to bring a rock band back.

This year’s rock band, which consisted of seven students and one alumna, performed a British Rock Medley and an American Rock Medley, which was the show’s finale. Senior Andrew Moffitt was one of the seven students within the band, as he played electric guitar in his Variety Show debut. He found the experience to be incredibly enjoyable, especially once the crowd started interacting

with the band.

“Playing in a band with fellow students was very fun because I saw a new side of people I only somewhat knew in school. It was super fun because we got to collaborate, and I got to know new people too,” Moffitt said. “Once the crowd joined us for ‘We Will Rock You’, it made it more exciting since we were getting involved with the crowd.”

After every annual performance, Sra. Salivar is reminded of the value of the Variety Show and what it means to the Benjamin community as a way to unite students, parents, faculty, and alumni.

“It’s the one program we do that brings everybody together,” she said.

“We’re trying to put the idea out to the community that Benjamin is not just about academics and sports. It’s so well known for great athletics and great academics, but also great arts.”

About, Yet Out Of, This World Reading Rather Than Acting: One Act Fest Takes New Form Destinations: A World Showcase A Hit

A group of Dazzlers dance in the midst of the Variety Show. They have been preparing for this Variety Show since the beginning of the year, according to Sra. Salivar.

(Photo courtesy of Erika Sousa)

Sage Ponchock Staff Writer The Variety Show took place on Saturday, Jan. 14, and all the preparation paid off. Everyone did a spectacular job, and the show was generally very enjoyable. The performers were exceptionally talented and exciting to watch.

Everything was set up in a very nice manner, and the off-stage crew clearly worked very hard to make sure everything went smoothly. Everyone put in a lot of effort, and their hard work paid off. The Dazzlers’ performances were very exciting and fun, and their dance was choreographed really well.

It was very impressive to see what so many talented people could do when given an opportunity like this to shine. The performers set their expectations high, and most agree that they met or even surpassed those expectations.

“I thought the dancers did an amazing job. Some of them were really funny, and some were just super cool to watch,” said freshman Caroline Fuller, who saw the show on Saturday night.

My personal favorite piece was

the “Fisch Slapping dance” since it was funny and enjoyable to watch.

Though some of the dances were silly, the dancers still impressed me and the audience with their poise and elegance while dancing.

The effects created by the stage team were also really fun to see alongside the dances and other performances. I think everybody really enjoyed the Variety Show because you could tell how much effort was

put into making it a success. The faculty and students all did a great job in the practicing, preparing and presenting a fun show.

There is hardly any criticism to be made that has any real merit, but the stage lighting shone on the performers’ makeup a bit too much at times, making them look very pale at times.

All in all, the cast deserves all the praise they have received.

“It was a hard show but seeing the video of us is really fun and makes me feel like it was worth it.” states freshman dancer, Ava Reece.

Many share Reece’s opinion that the show was largely a success, and most had a lot of fun taking part in it.

The show was assuredly a large undertaking by students and faculty alike, but all of their efforts paid off well. Even in the video,–which does not do justice to the live performance–one is able to see the immense effort that went into the show.

Congratulations to everyone who played a part in the Variety Show. All of your work paid off.

Sra. Salivar addresses the audience at the conclusion of the Variety Show. At the end of the show, every performer joined Sra. Salivar on the stage.

(Photo courtesy of Erika Sousa)

Amanda Duguay Staff Writer The Ten Minute Play festival took place on Feb. 10. Thirteen plays were submitted with five pieces being chosen by faculty and theater students to be featured in the festival.

The plays featured were Ties That Bind by Samantha Treadwell, The Letter That Changed It All by Skylar Jones, The Attic by Izzy Molnar, Office Hours by Leo Byrne, and Adopted by Lucy Pulitzer.

The One Acts were modified to more of a staged reading format.

“Typically we don’t start rehearsing the musical until after the One Acts are finished in late February, but due to the demands of Mean Girls, we began rehearsal in January so it was difficult getting students to commit to both the musical and the ten-minute plays,” said Director of Theater Mr. Jason Peck.

Senior Samantha Treadwell says her play Ties That Bind “is about a girl who ran away from home some years ago to live on her own. She hears that someone is in town looking for her, and has to confront the person she ran away from and choose how to live her life on her own.”

Treadwell addresses her problems while writing this play and how she came up with the idea.

“Writing a play was difficult for me because I’m not super good with creative writing. Creating something out of nothing without a prompt was my biggest problem in that class. So I tried to draw from my own feelings that I think a lot of people can relate to wanting control over your own life, failing to live up to your own and others’ expectations, stuff like that.”

The play The Letter That Changed It All “was about a man having two families and trying to keep them both away from each other so he wouldn’t

get caught,” said senior Skylar Jones “I was honestly really shocked when I was selected because I’m definitely not a playwright at all, and I took the class because it seemed interesting so when I was selected, it was really cool to know that even though this isn’t something I do often, my work was interesting enough to be chosen.”

Senior Izzy Molnar summarizes her play The Attic by saying “My play explored the topic of ethics and how lies can catch up to you, how omissions can be just as bad as lies, and how doing the right thing can have unexpected consequences.”

Senior Leo Bryne based his play Office Hours “off a mafia movie I watched called Casino and I based it on that it was a mob play spin-off.”

Lucy Pulitzer explains her play, Adopted: “I knew when I started my play I wanted to do something creative with a plot twist. I’m not sure how adoption came to mind but once it did I thought incorporating the fact that she did not know, and her adoption mother happening to come into her life would be a cool idea.”

As it is for many writers, the process of story-forming came fluidly for Pulitzer: “While writing it I changed things as I went because I was trying to have a lead up instead of her just finding out she was adopted and that was it. In order to do this I had the teacher telling her story of her daughter and Sophia’s lifelong suspicion all unraveling during a parent-teacher conference.”

Mr. Peck says, “I do love the fact that the ten-minute play festival is completely student written, directed, and acted. My hope is in the future we might be able to find a calendar slot that does not require students to be in rehearsal for two shows at once.”

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Writer Predicts Who Will Take Home The Oscar Lila Brodner Staff Writer

On March 12, 2023 from 8-11 pm, the Oscars will be airing on ABC. The Oscars, formally known as the Academy Awards, honors movies, crews, and actors/actresses for their achievements during the previous year. The nomination list came out on Dec. 21, 2022. People have strong opinions about what are nominated and who should win.

Best Picture predictions 1. Everything Everywhere All at Once 2. The Fabelmans 3. The Banshees of Inisherin 4. TÁR 5. All Quiet on the Western Front 6. Elvis 7. Triangle of Sadness 8. Top Gun: Maverick 9. Wome Talking 10. Avatar: The Way of Water For Best Picture, people think Everything Everywhere All at Once, will win, and Avatar: The Way of Water, will lose. Everything Everywhere All at Once is a great move about a superhero trying to figure out their powers. Marlee Schwab, a freshman says, “Elvis was such an interesting movie, and I am happy it is nominated for Best Picture.”

Best Director predictions 1. Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, Everything Everywhere All at Once 2. Steven Spielberg, The Fabelmans 3. Martin McDonagh, The Banshees of Inisherin 4. Todd Field, TÁR

5. Ruben Östlund, Triangle of Sadness For Best Director, people think Danial Kwan and Daniel Scheinert will win, and Ruben Östlund will lose. Danial Kwan and Daniel Scheinert directed Everything Everywhere All at Once together.

Best Actor predictions 1. Brendan Fraser, The Whale 2. Austin Butler, Elvis 3. Colin Farrell, The Banshees of Inisherin 4. Bill Nighy, Living 5. Paul Mescal, Aftersun For the Best Actor, people think Brendan Fraser will win and Paul Mescal will lose. Freshman Bella Contacessa says, “I hope Austin Butler wins. He is one of my favorite actors ever.”

Best Actress predictions 1. Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All at Once 2. Cate Blanchett, TÁR 3. Ana de Armas, Blonde 4. Michelle Williams, The Fabelmans 5. Andrea Riseborough, To Leslie For Best Actress, people think Michelle Yeoh will win and Andrea Riseborough will lose. Michelle Yeoh was the main character in Everything Everywhere All at Once.

Best Supporting Actor prediction 1. Ke Huy Quan, Everything Everywhere All at Once 2. Brendan Gleeson, The Banshees of Inisherin 3. Barry Keoghan, The Banshees of Inisherin 4. Judd Hirsch, The Fabelmans

5. Brian Tyree Henry, Causeway For Best Supporting Actor, people think Ke Huy Quan will win, and Brian Tyree Henry will lose. Once again, someone from Everything Everywhere All at Once will most likely win.

Best Supporting Actress prediction 1. Angela Bassett, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever 2. Jamie Lee Curtis, Everything Everywhere All at Once 3. Kerry Condon, The Banshees of Inisherin 4. Hong Chau, The Whale 5. Stephanie Hsu, Everything Everywhere All at Once For Best Supporting Actress, people think Angela Bassett from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and Stephanie Hsu will lose. Angela Bassett gave an outstanding performance in Black Panther.

Adapted Screen Time predictions 1. The Whale 2. Women Talking 3. She Said 4. Glass Onion: A Knives out of Mystery 5. All Quiet on the Western Front For the category Adapted Screen Time predictions, people think The Whale will win and All Quiet on the Western Front will lose.

Original Screenplay 1. The Banshees of Inisherin 2. Everything Everywhere All At Once 3. TÁR 4. The Fabelmans 5. Triangle of Sadness For Original Screenplay, people think The Banshees of Inisherin will win and Triangle of Sadness will lose.

Film Editing 1. Top Gun: Maverick 2. Everything Everywhere All At Once 3. Elvis 4. The Banshees of Inisherin 5. All Quiet on the Western Front

For Film Editing category, people think Top Gun: Maverick will win and All Quiet on the Western Front will lose. Freshman Emma Markin says, “Top Gun was such a great movie to watch, it felt realistic and it kept me enganged.”

Production Design 1. Elvis 2. Babylon 3. Avatar: The Way of Water 4. Black Panther: Wakanda For ever 5. The Fabelmans For the category Production Design, people think Elvis will win and The Fabelmans will lose.

Costume Design 1. Elvis 2. Black Panther: Wakanda For ever 3. Babylon 4. Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris 5. The Woman King For Costume Design, people think Elvis will win and The Woman King will lose. Math teacher Mr. Joel Hunt says, “I loved watching Elvis because I liked listening to his music.”

Original Song 1. “Naatu Naatu” from RRR 2. “Ciao Papa” from Guillermo del Toro’s Pinoccicho 3. “Hold My Hand” from Top Gun: Maverick 4. “Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever 5. “Applause” from Tell It Like a Woman For the Orginal Song category, “Naatu Naatu” from RRR people think will win and “Applause” from Tell It Like a Women will lose.

Sound 1. Top Gun: Maverick 2. Avatar: The Way of Water 3. Elvis 4. All Quiet on the Western Front For the Sound catergory, people think Top Gun: Maverick will win and All Quiet on the Western Front will lose.

Makeup and Hairstyling 1. The Whale 2. The Batman 3. Elvis 4. Blonde 5. Amsterdam In the category Makeup and Hairstyling, people think The Whale will win and Amsterdam will lose.

Visual Effects 1. Avatar: The Way of Water 2. Top Gun: Maverick 3. The Batman 4. All Quiet on the Western Front 5. Thirteen Lives For Visual Effects, people think Avatar: The Way of Water will win and Thirteen Lives will lose this category. Markin says, “Avatar is one of my favorite movies, if it does not win, I will cry.”

Animated Feature 1. Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio 2. Marcel the Shell with Shoes On 3. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish 4. Turning Red 5. My Father’s Dragon In Animated Feature, people think Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio will win and My Father’s Dragon will lose this category.

Documentary Feature 1. Navalny 2. All That Breathes 3. Fire of Love 4. All the Beuty and the Bloodshed 5. The Territory For Documentary Feature, people think Navalny will win and The Territory will lose.

International Feature Film 1. Germany, All Quiet on the Western Front 2. Argentina, Argentina, 1985 3. Belgium, Close 4.South Koreo, Decision to Leave 5. Poland, EO In International Feature Film, people think All Quiet on the Western Front from Germany will win, and EO from Poland will lose.

Avatar Is Back, And It’s Better Than Ever Pandora-verse Release Date Timeline Wednesday A Hit As Ortega Stars, Puts 2009

2022

2024

2026

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Spin On Previous Adaptations Of Show Chase Zur Staff Writer

Dev Maharaj Staff Writer On Dec. 8, 2009, Avatar, directed by James Cameron was released in the theater, that movie became the highest-grossing movie of all time making $2.9 billion at the box office, After watching the movie fans were diagnosed with Avatar fever which put fans into a depression because they could not experience the world of Pandora for themselves. On Dec. 16, 2022, Avatar: The Way of the Water was released, a very highly anticipated sequel to the first film.

While this film has grossed $2.17 billion (as of Feb. 7), it does not live up to its first installment. Although this movie has very good scenery and CGI technology, and a large dedication to accuracy (some of the scenes that were underwater were actually shot under the water) some of the writing was corny and outdated. For example in the scene where Jake Sully’s children are being bullied by the inhabitants of the water island, the insults just felt really unrealistic to me and it was obvious that realism is what they were trying to go for.

Rotten Tomatoes critic Christy Lemire states “If you go just for the

spectacle and the escape, you will be in awe.” I agree with this because The Way of Water really is a stunning movie and if that is the purpose you want to watch the movie you will surely be satisfied.

Something I really like about this movie is the real-world messages that it portrays in the story. The plot of the movie is that the Navi must flee their homes because it is being destroyed to harvest resources. This relates to the deforestation and climate issues of the world that are happening in the rainforest. It also portrays ancient colonialism and the destruction of native people due to more advanced technology.

Overall, Avatar: The Way of the Water is a visually stunning movie that tackles themes of colonialism and sustainability. It manages to seamlessly blend ancient messages and traditional stories while still being a box office hit that could be enjoyed by people of all ages. It also provides a chance for viewers to take a step back and reflect on some of the world’s most pressing issues. I think if some of the writing is fixed by the next installment of the Avatar franchise the films will have a very bright future.

On Nov. 22, the Netflix series Wednesday directed by Tim Burton, made its much anticipated debut.

Wednesday is a clever spin off of the Adams Family with a few twists that have revived the classic.

The series dives deep into Wednesday’s (Jenna Ortega) true character focusing on her intelligence, sarcastic humor, and emotionless disposition.

The show begins at a high school where Wednesday Addams finds her brother, Pugsly, crammed in a locker. After this incident, Wednesday avenges her brother ultimately ending in her expulsion. As a result, Wednesday’s parents, Gomez (Luiz Gúzman) and Morticia (Catherine Zeta-Jones), decide to enroll her in Evermore Academy, a boarding school for the supernatural.

After arriving at the school, Wednesday is given a roommate named Enid, (Emma Meyers) a werewolf, who is the exact opposite of her, sunny and warm. Despite this, The two have amazing chemistry together on screen, complement each other very well, and are hilarious to watch.

Meanwhile, Nevermore has gotten notice that a hiker has been murdered due to an animal attack.

Believing it’s a murderous monster, Wednesday is determined to find the killer. When the sheriff won’t take her seriously, she decides to take the in-

vestigation into her own hands.

While on her search for the truth, Wednesday befriends a boy named Tyler (Hunter Doohan) who happens to be the sheriff’s son. The audience roots for this relationship because throughout the series, Tyler chips away at Wednesday’s cold exterior and shows her feelings.

The most heartbreaking moment in the season is when Wednesday finally finds the monster behind the murders that have been terrorizing her local town: Tyler. It is a shocking turn of events that really turns the plot on its side.

Despite this revelation, Wednesday puts her feelings aside once again and captures Tyler with the help of Enid and some of her other friends at Evermore. The last scene ends on a cliffhanger, with Tyler escaping from detainment.

The success of the series was record-breaking as Wednesday became the second most streamed series of all time. It was not only the intriguing plot that made Wednesday so successful, but also the casting. Viewers seemed to love the way Jenna Ortega was able to play Wednesday’s character and the connection between her and the other actors.

One of the things that made Oretga’s acting performance so unique was that she was able to make Wednesday her own while paying tribute to previous Wednesday characters from the past.

In episode four of the show, Or-

tega was featured in a dancing scene that she choreographed herself and that later went viral on TikTok. Ortega created the dance by watching children from the 80s dance to goth music and mixed in movements from previous actors who played Wednesday. She was able to generate something that perfectly encapsulated Wednesday’s nature while also bringing attention to the original Wednesday Addams.

Additionally, the technical choices made by Burton put Wednesday on another level from the usual Netflix originals. During one scene, Burt noticed that Ortega had not blinked through the take. He thought this added to the dark theme that revolved around Wednesday’s character, so he told her not to blink in the scenes moving forward.

Burton’s decision of colors was brilliant as well and added a whole new dimension to the series. The way everything was colorful and vibrant while Wednesday was colorless made her stick out and emphasized how she saw the world in a darker way than other characters in the show.

The storyline, the casting, Ortega’s unique take on Wednesday, and Burts directing turned the series into a cinematic masterpiece and left viewers wanting more. Wednesday has already been renewed for a second season less than three months after its initial debut.

Page 12

The Pharcyde

14 February 2023

Knives Out Sequel Full of Lynora’s Suspense and Plot Twists

Uses Hospitality, Wide Array of Menu Options To Attract Hungry Customers Evan Sluiters Staff Writer

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is the exciting sequel to the smash hit Knives Out. It received a 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes, slightly lower than its 2019 prequel, which received a 97% score. (Photo courtesy of tvinsider.com)

Alex Perkins Staff Writer Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is a thrilling and captivating sequel to the 2019 blockbuster original.

It was released on Sept. 10, 2022.

Movie director Rian Johnson has outdone himself with a well crafted plot line that has even more mystery and is packed with an outstanding cast.

The movie also came with plenty of twists and turns. Edward Norton plays tech billionaire Miles Bron, who invites five of his close friends to his luxurious private island estate for a weekend of puzzles and games.

However, when one of the friends is murdered, it’s up to detective Benoit Blanc played by Daniel Craig to solve the case.

The movie is filled with moments of tension and suspense, as Blanc’s investigation leads him down some unexpected paths. Johnson’s clever writing keeps the audience guessing and perplexed until the very end. Janelle Monae plays Cassandra (Andi) Brand, who is posing as her identical twin sister who was Miles’ former partner. In the past, all of Andi’s friends had turned against her.

The character, Cassandra/Andi, has many good quality traits, such as

determination, strength, resilience.

These character traits invoke emotion in the audience. I, towards the end, got attached to the character. Monae’s role in the movie is vital to the story as it unfolds.

The production design, cinematography, and setting in general are also noteworthy. The gorgeous island mansion really adds to the atmosphere of the movie. Not only that, but the fact they are sort of secluded on the island is also very important to the plot.

Overall, I thought that the movie was very good. At first, I was very confused, but as the movie progressed, it opened up my eyes to the solution to the mystery. The main reason that I really liked this movie is because it really made the audience think. Throughout the whole movie, I was trying to solve the mystery myself, and it made the watch a really good experience.

All in all, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is an excellent sequel, managing to match and even improve upon the original. The movie is a delightful mix of suspense, comedy, and satire that provides plenty of entertainment and food for thought. It’s definitely worth a watch.

Although most students lean towards fast food after school, an occasional dinner at a nice Italian restaurant could be a nice change. Lynora’s Italian restaurant is a prime example of a great place to eat some Italian cuisine.

Lynora’s has been a staple in Florida’s pizza community and a people’s favorite for decades. Ever since its first opening in 1974, Lynora’s has served thousands of locals and visitors and built a reputation for being one of the best Italian restaurants in South Florida.

When entering any of their restaurants, you are usually greeted by one of the waiters. The smell of fresh pizza waves by as you get seated. The overall hospitality of the restaurant is genuinely great, but there is just one problem. Because the restaurant is so popular, it’s almost impossible to get seated immediately. Unless you are going for lunch, a reservation is highly recommended. And even if you get a reservation, you must make sure it is for over six people, or they will not take it.

Lynora’s and its wide selection of Italian cuisine can be found in Alton Town Center.

(Photo by Charlie Spungin)

For an Italian restaurant, Lynora’s actually has a lot of options. One could choose from many different soups, salads, and even fifteen different pizza options. As someone who’s been to many different Italian restaurants, such as Germalisi’s, D’angelo’s, and Sal’s, Lynora’s has arguably one of the best margarita pizzas. And it isn’t only the pizza that’s great, but their appetizers are great too. From their truffle fries to their calamari, the flavor is like no other.

Not only does Lynora’s do dinner, but they also do lunch. Just like their

dinner menu, they have a wide variety of options, such as sandwiches and pastas. What makes their lunches so unique is the fact that it isn’t greasy. Many Italian restaurants tend to make their pizza too greasy, which will usually leave you with a sick feeling.

All in all, Lynora’s is a great place to spend an evening. From their service to their food options, they really have it all. There is really no other restaurant that has consistently put out good food for such a long time.

TOP THREE GROSSING FILMS OF 2022 1. Avatar: Way of Water - $2.17B

2. Top Gun: Maverick - $1.49B

3. Jurassic World: Dominion - $1.00B

14 February 2023

Page 13

From Tip Off to Throw Down: Lady Wrestlers Seek to Pin Bucs Ready for Posteason Success Down Perfection Matthew Marasco Sports Editor

With a record of 13-7 in the regular season, The Benjamin varsity girls’ basketball team is headed to the playoffs led by seniors Taylor Blackshear and Ingrid Corpus as well as Head Coach Willie Shelton.

Senior Captain Blackshear, who is currently averaging 19.8 points per game along with 11.5 rebounds and 5 assists per game, leads a girls’ basketball team that has had a great season up to this point and is looking forward to trying to bring a state championship home.

“I think playoffs are going to put up a fight, but I personally don’t think any team matches up well against us.

We will surpass the goals we have set, as a team and individually,” said Blackshear.

The team believes strongly in a “team before self” mentality which they credit to the chemistry built amongst themselves during the season. As the team has a young core, they made sure to find everyone’s role throughout their season.

“The team chemistry has improved throughout the season by us coming together more and putting our differences aside to be a great team because we stress “team before self”. This has helped the team not be selfish and work together kind of like an ant colony, everyone has to play their role and not try to do too much or too little,” said Blackshear.

Although chemistry has improved on the court, junior Zariah Hands believes they can still strengthen their bond off the court.

“We are definitely working very well as a team, bringing the energy

to practice and to every game, making sure everyone is on top of their game. We can work on team bonding outside of school just to have a stronger overall relationship and not just a basketball relationship,” said Hands, a new addition to the team and to the Upper School this year.

Although Blackshear believes the team is playing great overall, she also thinks there are a few areas they could improve on before the district tournament.

“We could do better with getting rebounds, we allow teams to get second and third chance points because we don’t rebound as we should, but we are pushing the floor really well and taking advantage of teams when they mess up,” said Blackshear.

The team uses a strategy that consists of pressing in the opposing offense’s front court, and spreading the ball when they are on offense. Their

defensive strategy has led to the team averaging an astonishing ten steals per game. These strategies have unleashed a powerful offensive and defensive team truly capable of winning a state championship.

Along with their performance on the court, the team also credits the constant support from the faculty and the boys football and basketball teams for always supporting them during their games.

“We will always be thankful for the faculty that do constantly come to the games to show support, and the boy’s football team and basketball team have been our number one supporters since the season started. Even on away games they try and make it there to support us,” said junior Nandini Patel.

As some playoff games will be hosted at Benjamin, the team hopes for more students to come fill the stands during their games.

Evan Sluiters Staff Writer

With many new wrestlers on the scene, the 2022-2023 Benjamin School wrestling season has really been interesting. New wrestlers join the team every year and enjoy the sport for multiple reasons.

“It’s really the best combat sport, and I think everyone should know how to defend themselves,” says first-year wrestler Jackson Golucki.

Although most wrestlers play for enjoyment, Golucki hopes to one day be able to defend himself in real-life situations.

As Coach Fred would say, you have to be the nail before you are the hammer, meaning you have to trust the process and that you have to learn before you can play,”.

-Jacob Heilpern

The Girls Baskteball Team huddles before the start of their game. The group preaches the idea of playing for eachother before each game starts.

(Photo courtesy of Taylor Blackshear)

Unlike Golucki, Jacob Heilpern enjoys the sport for other reasons.

“Personally, I like wrestling because it’s a really physical sport. I like being able to push myself to my limit every time I step onto the mat.”

The new wrestlers are not the only ones who are enjoying the season so far. Coach Frederick German is also excited to teach all the newcomers.

Coach German has been involved in sports for forty years, and has been coaching for ten. He wrestled in middle school, high school, college, and even after.

“What you get out of wrestling is different from every other sport.

It teaches you body control, dietary control, and how to train properly.

In this sport, there really is nowhere to hide. Although people think wrestling is a one-on-one sport, it actually is not. How you play out there affect the amount of points your team gets.” says Coach German.

For years, he has continued to inspire and motivate others to do better and not quit. One person the coach has greatly inspired is Jacob Heilpern.

“As Coach Fred would say, you have to be the nail before you are the hammer, meaning you have to trust the process and that you have to learn before you can play,” remarked Heilpern.

Among all the newcomers, some wrestlers are returning from last year, like Drew Palmer. “Wrestling in middle school taught me the fundamentals and how to cut weight before a meet.” like many others, Palmer had to learn how to control his diet. “Cutting weight can be difficult but you get used to it after a while.”

All in all, this year’s wrestling team is filled with new opportunities and challenges. With the season around its halfway mark, the wrestlers are prepared to do whatever it takes to make it to regionals.

After a great season last year, the Benjamin community expects the wrestlers to have a great run into the posteason.

We at The Pharycyde, wish the wrestling team the best of luck throughout thier season.

Bucs Draining Baskets, Gaining Confidence as Postseason Begins

The East Coast Is Missing Can History and Learning Actually Be Interesting?

Out: In-N-Out vs. Five Guys Hamilton Firmly Says Yes Jackson Zentner Staff Writer

Lila Brodner Staff Writer

In-N-Out Burger is a western-American regional restaurant located in California, Texas, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, and Oregon. The restaurant is spreading to Idaho and Tennessee in the upcoming years. The headquarters of In-N-Out burger are located in California.

When I ate at In-N-Out Burger, I ordered the double double meal that came with a double cheeseburger, fries, and a medium (22 ounce) drink.

The double cheeseburger consisted of a toasted bun, two slices of American cheese, two beef patties, onions, lettuce, tomatoes, and a special sauce that has been unchanged since 1948.

The fries had a perfect amount of salt and were dipped in the special sauce.

For my medium drink, I chose Sprite which was refillable. The burger was fresh off the grill and had an abundance of flavors with an added touch of the special sauce.

A more local restaurant that is spread out throughout the United States is Five Guys. It has a location in almost every state except Alaska.

Florida has the second most amount of Five Guys restaurants in the country. Five Guys is not a regional restaurant like In-N-Out Burger, but the fast food chain’s headquarters are located in Virginia.

Watching dances and learning songs about a historical figure sounds boring, but the musical Hamilton makes it so much more fun and entertaining.

Hamilton, created by Lin-Manuel Miranda premiered on Disney+ on July 3, 2020. A lot more people have been interested in this play and the original cast. I was never interested in musicals, but after I watched Hamilton on TV, I loved watching the actors dance and listening to the songs.

While people were caught up in quarantine and were stuck on television, phones, and computers, Smart

In-N-Out Burger, a burger restaurant, only has locations on the West Coast, while Five Guys has options all over the country. Both offer great burger choices, but which is better?

(Photo courtesy of coupleinthekitchen.com)

When I went to Five Guys, I ordered almost the same meal as I did at In-N-Out burger. I ordered a double cheeseburger with medium fries and a medium drink. The toppings for the burger were a toasted sesame bun, two slices of American cheese, two beef patties, onions, lettuce, tomatoes, and ketchup. A downside is that there is no sauce that is specialized by Five Guys like the spread that In-N-Out has. There are only ketchup, mustard, and other regular condiments like relish. The fries were a little soggy and salty which made the meal not as enjoyable. I ordered a sprite for my drink to keep it the same as my meal at In-N-Out.

The Pharcyde

Both burgers were made quickly and fresh, but In-N-Out was overall better because it was fresher and more flavorful. The fries at In-N-Out were much better than the fries at Five Guys because the fries at Five Guys were soggy and salty. There was no difference in the drinks, but In-N-Out is much cheaper.

Overall, In-N-Out was a much better meal than Five Guys. It is too bad that there are no locations of InN-Out on the East Coast since my experience eating there in Las Vegas was much better than any meal I have eaten from Five Guys in this area. It would certainly be a welcome addition to Palm Beach County.

Broadway’s Richard Rodgers Theatre has been home to Hamilton since its move uptown after a sold-out off-Broadway premier.

(Photo by Lila Brodner)

TV analytics company Samba TV says 2.7 million households watched Hamilton online since July 3, 2020.

Lin-Manuel Miranda takes Hamilton, a historical general, and turns him into an interesting and educational musical. “Yeah, it was very interesting because it is about a historical person and they are singing and dancing, it was better than I expected though,” said freshman Marlee Schwab.

It is pretty impressive that the actors can rap six words per second in some songs, like “Guns and Ships” and “Satisfied.” I liked to learn the songs with my neighbors and we would be able to sing and rap them together when we watched the musical.

Even though it is about a historical figure, it is not all serious, there are many funny parts and parts that relate to the present. In the musical, they have a line that advertises Broadway, and King George also sings songs that are very funny, and has funny dances that keeps the audience interested in the play.

Sophomore Ollie White says, “The musical was fun to watch, and I liked how they ended it, with the music and how Eliza sings a song about all her contributions for Hamilton and Washington, so no one will forget their name and story.”

Haley Roth Staff Writer The boys’ varsity basketball team has had an amazing season this year with more wins than losses. The Benjamin Buccaneers have defeated Olympic Heights, Somerset Prep, St. Andrews, and many more. The team, almost half being seniors, has continued to work hard, hoping to do well in the District Playoffs which are coming up soon.

Both the boys’ basketball team and the Athletic Department are hopeful that the rest of this year’s season will play out well. So far, the team has pushed past obstacles and a difficult schedule to achieve many wins.

“The team has played a very difficult schedule, one of the more challenging schedules in the state, but they have won more games than they lost which is always a good thing”, said Upper School Athletic Director Ryan Smith. “They’ve been very competitive with some very good teams so I anticipate that we could have some good success come the District Playoffs which start next week.”

This year’s team sets itself apart from previous Benjamin basketball teams for many reasons. All of the players agree that their strong friendships off of the court fuel their comradery on the court.

“We’re a pretty close group and we’ve all played together for a while.

We all work together in practice and we all challenge each other to compete. We are just a competitive group of people who want to win and we all see it that way,” said senior Julian Provenzano.

Even those off of the court see the dominance of the seniors on the basketball team. These veterans offer

leadership, advice, and competitiveness to the underclassmen on the boys’ varsity basketball team.

Smith stated, “This team has six seniors, which is not normal on a basketball team because that is almost half the team. There is a lot of senior leadership and a lot of guys who have experience playing in varsity basketball and competitive games.”

The Upper School basketball program has improved over the years. Each year has brought a better and more powerful basketball team to the School.

“I think we’re a better shooting and defensive team than we were last year,” said Provenzano. “We balance out now more because we have more size than last year.”

With their continued success on the court, the players’ love of the

game, commitment to each other, and confidence in their abilites is palpable.

Provenzano shares, “basketball has been a challenge at times but it has also been fun. It’s pushed me to compete a lot harder than I thought I was going to when I first came here.

It has just been an enjoyable overall experience.”

This year’s boys’ varsity basketball team has had more seniors, sportsmanship, skill, and ambition than in previous years. Everyone, both on and off the court, can see just how strong the connections are between every player on the court as they result in a team that wins.

With the season starting off strong, the team hopes to make it through Districts and, maybe, even to States.

Star Foward Gavin Aydellote advances the ball down the court. Aydelotte joined the presitgous Benjamin 1000 point club this season against Oxbridge Academy.

(Photo courtesy of Gavin Aydelotte

Page 14

The Pharcyde

14 February 2023

Boys’ Soccer Out After Girls’ Soccer Showing No Mercy in Playoff Run Tough Regional Semifinals Alex Perkins Staff Writers

Caroline Groffman Staff Writer The Benjamin boys’ soccer team has been very successful this season and has managed to squeak out wins even if they are down. They made it all the way to the regional quarterfinals while having a young roster.

On Feb. 8, the boys’ soccer team lost in a tough match against Taylor Prep 1-0. It was a tough loss after a penalty shootout win in the district finals the week before.

Ford Cash, a sophomore starter on the team, scored a key goal in the district finals to get the team the district championship.

“Individually, I just want to be the best player I can be, as a team, I’d like us to at least make it to where we were last year in the state final four” says Cash.

The team has many skilled underclassmen including Gavin Venoff who plays a lot even though he is a freshman.

“We should’ve played a lot better in the second half. We dominated possession but we needed more shots. It was a really great game though” adds Venoff.

Many improvements throughout

the past months strengthened the team considerably.

Junior Luciano Curioni believes that the coaches have helped him become a better player throughout the season.

“So far this season, I’ve accomplished having better ball movement and moving up the ball as well. I also learned how to play better one-two’s with my teammates because I would be a little slow and not be aware of who I would play the ball to.”

Senior, Luke Egizio holds great responsibility over the team. He has seen different players come and go throughout his four years playing varsity soccer.

“When I was a freshman and a sophomore, we were not as good. We only went to district semifinals. Even though we made an awesome run last year to State Semis, we’ve never started out as strong as this year. We have all overall improved on playing as a team and not doing selfish and individual endeavors” mentions Egizio.

Even though the season ended in the regional quarterfinals, the team managed to take home a district championship.

The Boys Soccer Team lost to Taylor Prep in the Regional semifinals.

(Photo by Caroline Groffman)

The girls’ varsity soccer team has been playing phenomenally this year.

As of Feb. 19, the squad remains undefeated. On Feb. 7, the team won the regional quarter final against Trinity Prep. The team won by the mercy rule against Trinity Prep 8-0. Overall, they dominated the whole game. They have been working hard to extend their season as long as they possibly can and it has showed on the field.

Freshman Sofia Balistreri has goals that she wants to reach for this season and also in future years.

“Our main goal for this year and every year is to make states. I don’t think we are super prepared for states yet. There is definitely some work to be done to fix a lot of our mistakes, but overall, I think that we are doing very well,” said Balistreri.“We are

undefeated this year, and we have only been scored on once in one game, which is really good.”

The team has been able to keep a nearly clean sheet all season due to their lockdown defense. Senior Cameryn Grissman plays center back for the team.

“I think that our season is going really well. We haven’t lost, and we’ve only gotten scored on once, which is really good and also a good sign that we are doing really well,” said Grissman.

Grissman also believes that the young talent will help them in the playoffs.

“This year we have a lot of young talent, which will definitely help the team progress in the next few years.

I feel like everyone on our team has also built a good connection with each other. We are all very close and

have built friendships. The coaches have helped with this by trying to make our practices a little more fun, even though it’s a varsity sport.”

Freshman Iris Hoffman credits the coaches for helping them get better every day in practice.

“I think that our Coach (Hillary) is super determined, wants us to go to states, and really cares about each and every one of us. She sometimes gets upset when we are not doing well in practice, but it helps us play better for our games,” said Hoffman The team will be preparing to compete in regionals and hopefully states. Balistreri really speaks for the whole team when she says, “We are definitely going to win states this year.” We wish them the best of luck in their postseason run as they hope to get to their second state championship in the last two years.

The Girls soccer team poses for a picture with their District Championship trophy.The team defeated Cardinal Newman 2-0 at home. Although the team was thrilled to win Districts, they have bigger aspirations on their radar: a State title.

(Photo Couresty of Chase Zur)

2023 NBA Trade Deadline Comes and Goes: Leagues Landscape Altered Joey Tomassetti, Reid Waxman Staff Writers The annual NBA Trade Deadline is like Christmas in February for basketball fans. This trade deadline, though, may have been the most exciting one of all time.

Star point guard Kyrie Irving was traded from the Brooklyn Nets to the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday.

The Mavericks are sending Dorian Finney-Smith, and Spencer Dinwiddie, an unprotected 2029 first-round pick and a second-round pick in 2027 and 2029, to the Nets in exchange for Irving and Markieff Morris. Nets Owner Joe Tsai saw that the better package was Maverick’s offer.

The Nets discussed possible deals Friday and Saturday. Irving requested a trade on Friday, the 3rd. He had hoped to land at his preferred destination, the Los Angeles Lakers. Nets Owner Joe Tsai felt the Mavericks package was the best option for the

Nets.

The Mavericks get Irving, a star player who will be a great fit next to another star, Luka Doncic. They debatably have the best backcourt in the NBA and will be problems for other teams to stop.

This trade helps out the Nets in many ways since they will get a lot of depth in return for Irving. They get many picks along with this, to draft youth with a chance to surround Kevin Durant, which did not go to plan.

On deadline day, the Brooklyn Nets traded with the Phoenix Suns for Forwards Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, four unprotected first-round picks (2023), 2025, 20272029, and a pick swap. Nets forward TJ Warren was also sent to the Valley of the Sun. Durant had requested a trade in July when free agency opened, but the Nets and Durant were able to resolve their differences, and he agreed to return to the Nets at the start of this

Star point guard Kyrie Irving was traded to the Dallas Mavericks at the NBA trade deadline. Irving now teams up with Dallas star Luka Doncic.

(Photo courtesy of Dallas Mornin News)

season. But after Irving requested a trade and was ultimately dealt to the Mavericks, Durants, and the Nets revisited the possibility of a transaction. Trade talks escalated quickly.

Durant will automatically make the Suns one of the most formidable teams in the Western Conference and the entire NBA. Durant will join a talented lineup of Devin Booker, Chris Paul, and DeAndre Ayton. The Suns had been Durant’s preferred destination since his trade request.

As for the Nets have entirely bought into the idea of a retool, acquiring five first-round picks in total and many friendly contracts to use in future trades. Brooklyn is, at best, a playoff team now, with no higher ceiling than a first-round exit.

A few hours before the Durant trade, the Los Angeles Lakers made a significant move to improve their roster.

In a three-team deal, the Lakers shipped former MVP guard Russell Westbrook and a 2027 first-round pick to the Utah Jazz, the Timberwolves sent guard D’Angelo Russell back to the Lakers (he was drafted there in 2015), and the Jazz sent guard Mike Conley to the Timberwolves and forwards Malik Beasley and Jared Vanderbilt to the Lakers.

A few hours before the 3 pm deadline, the Lakers traded center Thomas Bryant to the Denver Nuggets for guard Davon Reed and three second-round picks. They rerouted the picks to the Magic along with guard Patrick Beverly in exchange for center Mo Bamba. That was one of many moves the Lakers made.

The Lake Show also traded for Wizards forward Rui Hachimura a few weeks ago, further bolstering their frontcourt rotation.

One of the most active teams, if not the most active team, the Los Angeles Clippers, was hot leading up

to the trade deadline. They reshaped their entire bench and made their team younger.

The Clippers heated up an hour before the trade deadline by trading with the Denver Nuggets. The Clippers acquired second-year point guard Bones Hyland from the Nuggets in exchange for a pair of second-round picks in 2024 and 2025.

Hyland, 22, is young and ready to improve, averaging good numbers off the bench for the Western Conference-leading Nuggets. He was rumored to be on the outs from Denver recently as the Nuggets looked to strengthen their championship-contending core. This is an excellent get for the Clippers.

Another player on his way out of LA is point guard John Wall. In return, the Clippers will receive Eric Gordon, the guard who began his career with them.

The Clippers are strengthening their bench and improving the guards who can defend at the point of attack while spacing the court around their core of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George with shooting. Eric Gordon is a great role player who puts up decent numbers. Gordon is the perfect fit for this type of team.

The last significant trade the Clippers did an hour before the trade deadline was sending Reggie Jackson to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for center Mason Plumlee.

This deal the Clippers did for Plumlee shores up the team’s backup center spot behind Ivica Zubac. His height gives them a lob threat in the paint and can significantly change this Clippers moving team.

With so much activity at the deadline, some teams were destined to miss out on the fun. The Miami Heat, the Chicago Bulls, and the Toronto Raptors are this year’s NBA Trade Deadline losers.

After coming off an Eastern Conference Finals appearance, the Miami Heat were heavily rumored to make significant changes to their roster. Besides trading big man Dewayne Dedmon and a second-round pick for cash considerations, the Heat stayed quiet until the buzzer. They will reportedly be active on the buyout market, but they may need to improve their roster more to help them contend. Besides trading big man Dewayne Dedmon and a second-round pick for cash considerations, the Heat stayed quiet until the buzzer.

Another year, another disappointing trade deadline for the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls have been mediocre for the majority of the season. There was an incident between star player Zach LaVine, where he had to overcome a slow start to the first season of his five-year $215 million contract that featured him on a knee management plan and getting benched by coach Billy Donovan. That incident stung Lavine, with Donovan openly questioning his role at times. Before the deadline, there were talks between the New York Knicks centered around Zach LaVine, but they could only get a deal done after the deadline.

Even though the Raptors acquired Spurs’ big man Jakob Poeltl, they are still considered one of the biggest losers of this year’s deadline. After several reports that the Raptors were leaning towards blowing up their roster, they decided to keep their core players and try to compete for a playoff spot. It would not be surprising to see Toronto make significant changes in the offseason, but their roster remains relatively unchanged.

Overall, it was another very eventful trade deadline for the NBA. It will be interesting to see which team improved the most from their midseason acquisitions.

The Pharcyde

14 February 2023

Page 15

Hamlin Gives World a Scare, Unites NFL Coaches Fly In: Miami and Joey Tomassetti, Lila Brodner, Amanda Duguay, Chase Zur Staff Writers On Jan. 2nd in the first quarter of ESPN’s Monday Night Football game, Damar Hamlin, a Buffalo Bills safety, collapsed and suffered cardiac arrest just seconds after tackling Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver, Tee Higgins.

Immediately after going into cardiac arrest, Hamlin was administered CPR and he was resuscitated on the field, by the NFL medical team.

He was then taken to the Cincinnati Medical Center in critical condition.

The football world was in shock casing the game to be postponed and then ultimately canceled.

According to the American Heart Association, cardiac arrest is the abrupt loss of heart function in a person who may or may not have been diagnosed with heart disease. It can come on suddenly or in the wake of other symptoms. Cardiac arrest is often fatal if appropriate steps are not taken immediately. Fortunately for Hamlin, his life was put into the hands of the best doctors and experts in the area.

Many physicians were trying to figure out exactly what could have caused Hamlin’s cardiac arrest. Although there were many theories, cardiologists seemed to think it was caused by commotio cordis, a condition in which the heart beats unrhythmically from an object striking the chest directly over the heart.

Dr. Hari Tandi, the director of the cardiac arrhythmia program at Vanderbilt University, provides information about Damar’s condition.

In such cases there is not always “something wrong with the heart.

A healthy heart when hit with blunt

force at a specific time can launch it into an abnormal and potentially deadly rhythm,” said Dr. Tandi.

For football players here at the Upper School, watching that traumatic experience could have affected their love for the game.

“I think I just need to be more cautious because I know that it can happen to me, I have second guessed it before, but I will still play,” said junior Pop Johnson.

Not only football players, but the fans too and anybody who watched the game on T.V were disturbed and sent their prayers for Hamlin.

Freshman Madison Jayson, a big Buffalo Bills fan, felt this unsettling feeling.

“When the injury first happened, I was extremely upset and everyone I knew from Buffalo was, too, texting me and crying. It was very emotional and I could not sleep that night,” said Jayson.

The whole world lent their hearts out for Damar and their response was astouding. All NFL stadiums advertised Damar’s recovery through social media by changing their profile picture to his jersey. Some stadiums even colored the number three on the thirty yard line in Bills colors, and put on their Jumbotrons, “pray for Damar.”

“Before his injury, Damar had a fundraiser for underprivileged children raising money so that they could have clothes, toys, and just enough to keep them comfortable. Just a couple hours after his injury, the fund was raised from $750,000 to $9 million,” said Jayson.

Damar Hamlin was officially released from the Buffalo General Medical Center on Wed., Jan. 11th nine days after he had first been admitted in Cincinnati. He is now on the road to recovery.

Damar Hamlin suffered Commotio Cordis during his week 17 Game. Commotio Cordis is found to be fatal, but trainers were able to resuscitate Hamlin, saving his life.

(Graphic Made by Chase Zur)

Georgia Go After Top Recruits

Georgia Head Coach Kirby Smart flew in to recruit some of Benjamins top football players. Sophmore Amaree Williams and junior Chauncey Bowens were both offered by Smart.

(Photo Courtesy of The Palm Beach Post)

On Jan. 25, University of Georgia Head Football Coach Kirby Smart flew in on a helicopter to visit four star running back Chauncey Bowens.

Then, on Jan. 27, University of Miami (Florida) Head Football Coach Mario Cristobal also flew in on a helicopter to visit Bowens. Both coaches’ visits attracted many students and

faculty to the baseball field, where the heliocpters landed. Althugh these two coahces came by helicopter, many coaches including Florida Head Coach Billy Napier have come and checked in with Benjamin football players. As the recruiting trail heats up, Benjamin expects more visits from Division I universities.

Miami Head Coach Mario Cristobal flew in just a few days after Smart. Cristobal contiues to recruit junior Chauncey Bowens

(Photo Courtesy of The Palm Beach Post)

Goat Talk: Catching up NFL Offseason: Editor Examines Top Stories with the All Time Greats Matthew Marasco Sports Editor LeBron James: On Tuesday, Feb. 7th LeBron James, arguably the best NBA player of all time, passed legendary center, Kareem Abdul Jabbar for the all-time points record. Jabbar formerly held the record with 38,387 points but after LeBron 38 point performance against the Thunder, he now holds the record with 38,390 points.

LeBron credits the passing of the record to his family, friends, coaches, and teammates. He adds that he would’ve never dreamt of such an accomplishment, “This is something I’ve always dreamed of,” said LeBron James in his post-record speech.

James has had a legendary career with many accomplishments including MVPs, Finals MVPs and multiple championships. There is no doubt that LeBron is a top-two player of all time that has truly left a mark on the game of basketball. As LeBron continues to succeed, there is no telling what other records he will surpass.

Tom Brady: On Feb. 1, NFL legend Tom Brady announced his retirement.

Brady won seven rings throughout his illustrious career, six of which came with the New England Patriots and one with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Also the all-time leader in passing yards with 89,214 and passing touchdowns with 649, Brady is widely regarded as the greatest football player ever. He announced his retirement on the same date last year, but months later, he decided to return to the game of football for what could be his final season. The Bucs had a rather lackluster season in Brady’s final year at the helm, finishing 8-9 and bowing out in the Wild Card Round in an embarrassing 3114 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Regardless of how his last dance ended, Brady’s career won’t be remembered for such. There’s no doubt that upon reflecting on Brady’s incredible career, it will be remembered for being the greatest of all time.

Lebron James now holds the all time points record with 39,890 points. Arguebly his greatest acheivement, James is still excelling in his 20th season in the NBA..

(Photo Courtousy of Fox)

Matthew Marasco Sports Editor After the regular season ends in early January, NFL teams quickly shift their focus to the offseason and prepare their teams for the draft and the next season. This offseason will feature plenty of notable players and coaches being traded or signing with a new team.

Head Coach Sean Payton: After a disappointing 5-12 season, the Denver Broncos fired firstyear head coach Nathaniel Hackett.

Hackett did not only lead his team into a losing record but he was also seen many times mismanaging the game clock and not having his team prepared. After trading two firstround picks for quarterback Russel Wilson, the Broncos have the urge to win now, making them want to make a big splash in the head coaching market. So, they recently traded a first-round pick and more to the saints for the rights to head coach Sean Payton. Payton is a Super Bowl winning head coach who will hopefully turn the Broncos into a formidable team.

Lamar Jackson: Lamar Jackson is a star quarterback who is currently under contract with the Baltimore Ravens. Jackson is in talks with Baltimore for a contract extension, but no progress has been made. After Deshaun Watson got a fully guaranteed contract with the Browns last season, many quarterbacks are demanding the same.

With the Ravens almost $100 million dollars off of the amount Jackson wants according to reports from ESPN, there could be an opportunity for him to get traded. Many teams such as the New York Jets and Atlanta Falcons could take massive swings Atlanta at Jackson and offer the Baltimore Ravens multiple firstround picks and other assets. As the

Ravens continue to try to come to terms with their star quarterback, it will be intriguing to see if this will be the end of his tenure in Baltimore, or if they will give into his demands.

The #1 Pick: After finishing with a 3-14 record last season, the Chicago Bears currently hold the rights to the number one overall pick, but the Bears already have their franchise quarterback in Justin Fields who just had his breakout season. Many teams including the Panthers and Colts want to draft a quarterback with the first pick such as Alabama quarterback Bryce Young and Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud which could open up a bidding war for the Bears’ pick. On the Bears’ side of things, it would be a great idea to trade the pick as the expected value is over three firstround picks. These picks would be vital to helping Chicago rebuild their roster. Although the Bears may hold onto the pick and use it on a defensive star, it will be interesting to see if a deal gets done.

Aaron Rodgers: After an offseason full of turmoil last season for Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers, it seems as if the Packers are ready to move on from their Hall of Fame Quarterback. Reports from ESPN have surfaced that a potential reunion with star wide receiver Davante Adams in Las Vegas is a possibility for Rodgers. It has also been reported that the Jets are all in for Rodgers and will pursue a trade with the Packers. Although the Packers will demand a king’s ransom for their star, he is one of the few players worth the price.

Since Aaron Rodgers is 39 years old, it is always in question that he may retire, so he is going on a retreat to find out if he will play or not next season. Despite the fact that many Packers fans will want one last run for a Super Bowl, it seems that the front office is over Rodger’s antics and wants a fresh start.

As the offseason continues and edges closer to the draft, it will be interesting to see what comes next.

Head Coach Sean Payton is ready to lead the Broncos back into the winning column. Payton has an all time record of 161-97 in the regular season and playoffs..

(Photo Courtousy of ESPN)

PHLIPCYDE

the

X’s and O’s: Play Tic Tac Toe

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Want to go outside for some fresh air? You took my breath away.

If you were a song, you’d be the best single on the album.

Is your name Google? Because you’re everything I’ve been searching for.

What Love Is

By: Jackson Zenter and Evan Sluiters

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IMDB describes it as such: “Michelle and Allen are in a relationship. They decide to invite their parents to finally meet about marriage. Turns out, the parents already know one another well, which leads to some differing opinions about marriage.”

It can be viewed at Cinepolis on Feb. 14 at 1:40 p.m., 5:00 p.m., and 8:00 p.m. or Feb. 15 at 3:30 p.m..

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Love is like a ray of light It brightens up our darkest nights It guides us through troubled times And fills our hearts with hope and rhyme Love is the foundation of life Love is an emotion that transcends age It shows us a path to our inner sage Love can bring us joy, sorrow and strife Encompassing both pleasure and pain in life A love that’s pure can bring us a higher ground A peace and comfort that can’t be found

A Month In Seconds ANSWER KEY

1. February 2nd is the corss-quarter day that falls between the winter solstice and the spring eqinox, making it the ideal time to consider whether or not spring will arrive early.

2. Punxsutawney Phil 3. 38% 4/5. Bill Murray 6. 1926 7. 1976 8. It coincided with the Birthdays of Frederich Douglass and Abraham Lincoln.

9. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

10. As of 2019, the number of Black residents in the United States was 46.8 million.

11/12. Robert Johnson after he sold the cable station

he founded, Black Entertainment Television (BET) in 2001.

13. Paris 14. 145 million.

15. 8 million.

16. Over 1 billion dollars.

17. 1415 18/19. teachers 20. The thrid Monday in February.

21. Washington’s Birthday.

22. 1885 23. February 22nd 24. Colonial Beach, Virignia.

25/26. February 12th 27. Every four years 28. 2024

Among Us