the
PHARCYDE
THE BENJAMIN SCHOOL NEWSPAPER
@thepharcyde_tbs
4875 Grandiflora Road, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418
10 November 2023
@thepharcyde_tbs
Volume 45
Issue 02
Frighteningly Fun “Trunk or Treat” Unites Campuses Cars, Costumes, Candy Welcome Autumn to SoFlo Joey Tomassetti & Chase Zur Senior/Associate Editors On Sat. Oct. 21, from 3 to 5 p.m., the Upper School hosted the first annual “Trunk or Treat” in the Upper School parking lot. This event helped to build a sense of community between the Lower and Upper schools. The Benjamin Parents Association (BPA) organized the event and asked students from the Benjineers, Student Council, and National Honor Society (NHS) to help volunteer. Members of the student council wore costumes and all of the older students walked around with the younger bucs as they went from car to car collecting candy, while also competitng for the best-decorated car. Senior and Student Council President Maggie Smith felt that the event was a great way to foster connections within the school and enjoyed helping out. “We were able to connect with the younger students and create a relationship which was really nice. So many families came together to cre-
ate such a fun event. People were able to reserve a parking spot, decorate their cars, and show up to the event to share the Halloween Spirit. The Benjineers came in first place with their amazing ship-decorated-car,” explained Smith. Junior and Benjineer Olly White had a great time decorating the cars and handing out candy. “Our car decoration included a robot battlefield where kids could drive and battle to get candy which was really great for kids of all ages. I think this helped us to win the competition because it combined learning about engineering with having fun,” said White. Senior and NHS President Matias Saiz was joined by other NHS members in assisting with the “Trunk or Treat.” “We were trying to diversify the community service opportunities we do as NHS and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to do so. Judging by the smiles on the visitors’ faces, I would say the event was very successful,” said Saiz.
Saiz believes that Benjamin can benefit from the two campuses interacting with each other. “I think that connecting with the younger members of the school can make the school itself a better place for everyone. We are one, big community after all, so it’s good to have events like these where we are joined together,” added Saiz.
The goal of the event was to give the visitors a fun time. - Matias Saiz Sophomore and student council representative, Izzy Casey, loved seeing the smiles on the younger Buc’s faces and how excited they were to dress up, decorate their cars, and enjoy some candy. “It was so nice to see how much
Upper School Dean of Academics and World History Teacher Mrs. Caroline Guzman poses with her family as they attend “Trunk or Treat.” (Photo by Maggie Smith)
it meant to the little kids and how happy it made them to be with older students and get in the Halloween spirit. It reminded me of when I used to go trick or treating with my parents when I was little and I hope this tradition continues in the years to come,”
Casey expressed. The first ever “Trunk or Treat” seems to have been a huge success. Everyone involved had a great time and it helped bring the Benjamin community together for the spooky season.
15 Years of Bucs: Class of 2024 Visits Lower School for Halloween Parade Caroline Groffman & Reid Waxman Associate Editors A continuous tradition at the Benjamin School is the 15-year club. This select group of students has been attending the school since it’s been possible to, starting in WOW, short for “World of Wonder’’. To celebrate this commitment to the school, the administration sets up special events for members of this club. “I think it’s nice because we are a family-oriented school. Also, I think it’s nice to celebrate those kids and their families who have been here with us from the start. On our end, it’s cool to see their development from 3 to 18, and their success and their maturity has grown and become lovely,” says Academic Dean Mrs. Caroline Guzman. The 2024 graduating class went down to the Lower School to fulfill the Halloween Parade tradition of walking around the field with younger students from WOW to 5th grade. “I was excited for the parade because I’ve been waiting for it since I was originally in it. My sister got to do it two years ago and I even wore the same costume. It was really fun to see all of the little kids and to talk to them all about Benjamin,” explains a member of the 15 Year Club, Maggie Smith. There is currently some controversy over changing the rules and making it so that students of the 14-
year club can also be involved from years before. This is because not every graduating class has even had the opportunity to be a part of the 15-year club since the school did not always have a WOW grade level. Although the Halloween Parade is the main event for the club during the school year, this group of seniors is trying to possibly create another opportunity to celebrate their commitment to the school. As Maggie Smith once again says, “I know that we get a page in the yearbook but there are no other real events that we specifically get to do. However, we are trying to plan something else for this year maybe.” Another Senior who is part of this club is Isabella Casher. She was looking forward to the event and claimed that it did not disappoint. “The Halloween Parade was so much fun and it was really exciting to see all of my old teachers from the Lower School,” says Casher. Overall, this Halloween tradition brings joy to everyone involved because it is a chance for the younger and older students to be brought together and have a nice time. The 15year club is a great accomplishment and these students should be proud of their continuous connection to the Benjamin community throughout the years.
For “Trunk or Treat,” the Benjineers made their car look like a pirate ship. (Photo by Maggie Smith)
NHS members (from left to right) Lizzy Davies (junior), Ryan Wuhrman (senior), and Brianna Cousin (junior) all volunteered at “Trunk or Treat” on Sat. Oct. 21. (Photo by Maggie Smith)
Class of 2024 15-Year Club Members: Isabella Casher Atticus Fasnakis-Nosal Shane Giamo Julian Janin Tyler Kelly Chase Malamala Canyon Rauch Christian Smith Logan Smith Maggie Smith Zachary Smith
Eleven Members of the Class of 2024 have called Benjamin their home for their entire school lives. As is tradition, the members of the 15-year club help lead the annual Halloween Parade. Before the event, they posed in front of the Banyan tree at the Lower School for a group picture. (Photo by Izzy Casher)
Monday: Rhyme without Reason Page by: Haley Roth and Reid Waxman Harry and Fairy. Traffic Cone and Post Malone. Hannah Montana and Banana. Those are some of the costumes students wore during Monday of Homecoming Week. The theme was “Rhyme Without Reason,” and students went all out to show their school spirit. Faculty Sponsor of the Upper School’s Student Council Mrs. Anne Franzen explained the meaning behind the theme. “Rhyme without Reason is a popular trend now on TikTok. The idea is to pair up with a friend and have two costumes that rhyme but do not make sense together, like “DJ and PJ.” You can do it by yourself or with a friend. Student reps in the student council came up with the themes for each day after sending out a survey to the Upper school students,” Franzen explained. Three seniors, Brendan Matz, Silas Rooney, and Tristan Mack, had the idea of dressing up as a police officer, a thief, and the chief. Mack states how they came up with the thought of this. “I dressed up as police, Silas was the thief, and Brendan was the chief. We all texted each other for hours and kept coming up with ideas. Eventually, we were mixed in between two, then we found one online, and we liked it,” Mack said passionately. Seniors Grace Havlicek and Ella Womble both dressed up and rhymed in perfect unison. Havlicek explains the thought process of it. “I dressed as Abby Lee and Bumble Bee with Ella. We came up with it after seeing it on TikTok. We were together, and I showed it to her. I thought it was perfect, so we got the stuff right away,” Havlicek said. Students loved this theme because it is all around social media right now. Everybody showed their school spirit today, and they will throughout the school year’s best week.
Sophomores Olivia Lenard and Avery Grande showed their school spirit by rhyming on Monday as traffic cone and Post Malone. (Photo by Reid Waxman)
Annabel Bridger and Cassidy Walsh, two Sophomores, dressed as a rapper and a napper. (Photo by Haley Roth)
Sophomores Liam Duffy and Addy Walzack posed for a photo in their costumes as emo and Nemo. (Photo by Reid Waxman)
Picture 1 (Left): Alyssa Saraqi, Chloe York, Regan Pych, and Leanna DePaulis dressed up as Travis Scott, mugshot, FBI, and butterfly. (Photo by Haley Roth) Picture 2 (Right): Seniors Peyton McCaughey and Jacob Bounds won best costume on Monday for rhyming as John Cena and ballerina. (Photo by Reid Waxman)
“I liked that right when I walked into school, it was decorated and I felt the HoCo spirit,” said Chase Connor. (Photo by Reid Waxman)
“I was a DJ and Paul was PJ. I wore headphones, pants, a Tupac shirt, and a sideways hat,” said Freshman Braxton Peterson. (Photo by Reid Waxman)
Seniors Grace Havlicek and Hayley Womble were Abby Lee and bumblebee on Monday, showing their creativity and rhyming skills. (Photo by Reid Waxman)
Tuesday: Class Themes
Page by: Ryan Chait and Caroline Groffman
Freshmen, Sophomore, Juniors, and Seniors. On this day, each group could clearly be identified through their unique themes. There were the Fluorescent Freshmen, Sporty Sophomores, Jump Street Juniors, and the Sleepy Seniors. As Sophomore student council member, Liam Duffy, explains “For these themes, the class representatives of each grade met and talked about possible themes. They chose the top four best ideas and then created a poll for the students in each grade level to vote on, and those became the final themes of the day.” The Fluorescent Freshmen were supposed to be wearing neon, bright, and shiny outfits for their theme while the sophomores dress up in jerseys or sports gear for theirs. The Freshman class definitely showed their presence on campus with these outfits. The Sporty Sophomores could wear sporting gear, clothes, accessories, and whatever else they can find. Many were seen with different jerseys and team shirts from either professionals or their personal teams. ‘I thought that this day was a really fun theme because there are so many different ways that we could have gone about it. Being the Sporty Sophmores allowed us to choose any sport that we wanted and I chose to be a tennis player, because I am one,” says a Sophmore, London Allen. Jumpstreet Juniors had their theme modeled after the movie “21 Jump Street”, and could dress up in clothes like characters from the movie. These characters could be the undercover cops, high school students, teachers, or others. Last but not least, the Seniors were granted a pajama day as the Sleepy Seniors.
Chloe McGann (Junior) and Bryn Feldman (Senior) pose for a photo on class theme day.
Emma Lewis, Sloane Tuohey, Chandler Reynolds, Phoebe Apple, Ziva Garaj, and Ella Egizio pose for a photo in their flourescent attire.
Sophmores Jake Froot and Julian Luiz proudly show their different jerseys to the camera for their Sporty Sophmore theme day. Froot wears his Miami heat jersery while Luiz displays his Toronto Raptors attire.
Photo 1 (Left): Two Freshmen boys, Paul Josse and Nick Skillin get ready to take a picture and show off their neon outfits. Photo 2 (Right): A group of Senior boys and Junior Avi Gulati pose for a photo on 10/24 dressed in their class theme attire. “Today, I wore one of my favorite sweatshirts to be comfortable because we had a pajama day as the Sleepy Seniors,” says Senior Nick Cecchini.
Madison Jayson poses for a photo in her Josh Allen jersey.
Avery Grande and Olivia Lenard dress up as swimmers with their outfits and accessories.
We came dressed as cops trying to pass off as students,” said Junior Victoria Powell.
Homecoming Court
Class of 2027 Mattox Thomas & Eryn Milller
Homecoming Court Class of 2026 Gus Doskey & Caroline Fuller
Class of 2025 Bella Marx & Giancarlo Di Leo
Homecoming Court Class of 2024
Zariah Hands, Tristan Mack, D’Andre LaVassaur, Ella Womble, Luke Wise, and Gianna Demerski
Getting In The Benjamin Spirit! The week leading up to Homecoming would not be complete without the amazing spirited games at the end of each day. The activities this year were a song association game on Monday, an obstacle course on Tuesday, Buc Ball on Thursday, and a Pep Rally on Friday that featured performaces from the Dazzlers, the cheer team, a senior vs. faculty basketball game, and a Halloween themed, mummy wrapping game. All of the games not only served as a great way to get everyone excited about the big game, but also fostered a stronger sense of unity among all grade levels. Typically, the competitions during
spirit week are between grades, however this year, featured a unique twist. With the exception of Buc Ball, all of the games were played between the Blue and Orange teams that students were assigned to at the beginning of the year. Sophomore Kenna Kujawa, loved the spirit week games and felt that it brought her closer to a lot of her classmates. “I absolutely love spirit week mainly because of the fun activities that we all get to play. They always gave me something to look forward to each day and I honestly think that I paid more attention in school because
of it. Each game was so unique and different and I loved watching everyone compete to win points for their team. I played Buc ball this year and even though we lost our game it was fun to play with my friends and try to win against the seniors,” Kujawa expressed. Overall, these activities seemed to brighten everyone’s day and create lasting memories. The games helped bring camraderie, excitement, and a competitive spirit to the entire school community and made sure to get everyone excited for the Homecoming game that Friday.
Kori Haggard lines up and gets ready to snap the ball to senior Maggie Smith in the Buc Ball game.
The Girls Varsity Cheer team kicked off the Friday pep ralley and got everyone excited for the rest of the activities.
Freshman Chandler Reynolds and Ella Egizio work together during the obsticle course activity on Day 2 of the Homecoming spirit week.
After performing at Friday’s pep rally, sophomores Nickie Walsh and Bridget Stein, junior Ava Crawford, and freshman Juliet Stampar all smile and pose for a photo.
Atheltic Director, Coach Ryan Smith dribbles and makes a run for the basket during the student vs. faculty basketball game.
Freshmen Jayden Cosby-Mosley pushes freshaman Wyett Leferve in the obsticle course while trying to get points for his team.
The Homecoming Game 8 35 V E R S U S
OCTOBER 28, 2023
THEOFILOS STADIUM Senior Chauncey Bowens weaves past several defenders and gives Benjamin a big run and a first down. Bowens is commited to the University of Georgia, and showed off his talents in his last homecoming game.
The Varsity football team rushes out and tears through the banner to kick off the 2023 Homecoming game versus the ED White High school commanders.
The Benjamin defense works hard and rushes toward the opposing school’s quarterback resulting in a big play.
Junior and wide receiver, Amaree Williams catches the ball and runs for a big gain of yards.
Senior Jacob Cosbey Mosely helps senior and kicker, Lily White, warm up and get a couple of kicks in before game.
Junior and quarterback Jay Vega gets ready to hike the ball and lead the Benjamin offense through another play.
The Dazzlers get everyone in the stands excited with their cheers and dances throughout the game.
The cheer team does its routine with pink pom poms in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
BucCaneers Through the Years Everyone from students, faculty, and administration looks forward to the homecoming dance as the final event of each year’s spirit week. This year, the theme was Buccaneers Through The Years with the entire gym decorated with retro accessories. In addition to the dance floor and a DJ, the gym featured spike ball, corn hole, ping pong, a photo booth, and several fun, arcade games. The dance seemed to be a huge success as attendance was much higher than in recent years. “We had over 360 students sign up for the Homecoming dance. It is easily an attendance record for the eight years I have been at Benjamin and another wonderful reflection of the spirit here,” explained Head of Upper School, Mr. Fletcher Carr. The activities were very popular among students because it gave students the option to do more than just dance. Junior Elinor Samarias really enjoyed being able to socialize with
her friends both on and off the dance floor. “I had such a great time at the Home coming Dance and it was so nice to spend time with my friends and see the whole school together. I’m not the biggest dancer so it was really nice to have those alternate games where I could still talk to my friends and have a good time. It is the best Homecoming Dance that I have been to and I thought the gym was really well decorated too,” expressed Samarias. At the end of the dance, the student council president Maggie Smith, and the vice president Hudson Byrne, announced the Homecoming King and Queen. A total of six seniors are nominated for Homecoming Court, and students were asked to vote for one boy and one girl to be crowned as the King and Queen. This year’s Homecoming King and Queen was Luke Wise and Ella Womble. All in all, it was a very fun and
The Girls Volleyball team poses for a photo at Homecoming.
Ella Womble, Talia Miller, Marleigh Nichols, and Taylor Grande all smile for a photo.
Savannah Maynard and Lila Brodner smile big for a photo.
Tristan Mack, Brendan Matz, Silas Rooney, Josh Luiz, and Adam Mahmoud get together for a photo.
Xan Blount, Ronnie Parson, and Hannah Beam line up for a photo.
The Dazzlers all huddle up together for a photo at Homecoming.
Thursday: Barbie versus Ken Page by: Jackson Zentner and Chase Zur Pink. Spirited. Glamorous. Fashionable. Timeless. All of these adjectives perfectly describe what students chose to wear on day four of the 2023 Homecoming Spirit Week for the Barbie vs. Ken theme day. The highly anticipated Barbie Movie was finally released on July 21, 2023, and the success of the film has been nothing short of phenomenal. Barbie brought 1.3 billion dollars at the worldwide box office and became one of the only female-dominated movies among the top films of all time. As the iconic Barbie Movie caught the attention of most students’ attention, the student council felt that it would be great theme for this year’s Homecoming spirit week. “We decided on the Barbie and Ken theme because we thought that it was appropriate as the Barbie movie came out just a few months before. Mrs. Franzen pretty much begged us to do this theme, which was so fun,” explained student council president Maggie Smith. Students seemed to love this theme as the whole school was wearing their best pinks and Ken wigs on the day. Freshman Chandler Reynolds loved the Barbie vs. Ken day and felt that it was so nice to see how everyone dressed up for the theme in such different ways. “Barbie vs. Ken was one of my favorite themes this week because I love pink and had a great outfit for the day. I wore a pink tutu with a pink top and had so much fun seeing everyone in their craziest barbie outfits. Spirit week is so nice because it allows students to dress up and interpret the different themes in however they feel the theme should be worn,” Reynolds expressed. Overall, it seems that the Barbie vs. Ken theme day was a huge success and a great addition to the 2023 Homecoming spirit week themes. Both students and faculty were able to wear most iconic Barbie and Ken outfits and express themselves without judgement.
Sophomores Annabel Bridger, Skylar Muir, Makenna Bristow, Piper Tuohey, and Sienna Barboni put on their “I am Kenough” shirts and wigs to express their enthusiasm and joy for the theme day. “I loved dressing up for the Barbie vs. Ken day because I had a great outfit and it is always so fun to dress up and get in spirit,” Bridger said.
Seniors Charlie Noble, Cannon Baughman, Junior Sam Scarola, and Senior Abraham Rittegers get together for a photo on the Barbie vs. Ken theme day during the 2023 Homecoming Spirit week.
Seniors Tristan Mack, Brendan Matz, and Nico Wolfe get together in their unique cowboy and pink barbie outfits for the fourth day of the 2023 homecoming spirt week.
Left Picture: Juniors Cooper Sukhu, and Alex Ponchock, and Calvin Poncy all line up for a photo and enjoy the Ken vs. Barbie spirit week theme. Right Picture: Juniors Sawyer Lafevre and Mikkel Sen bring the Ken character to life by wearing the Ken skater outift from the successful movie. “I loved the theme day because I thought that it was funny to see everyone dress up and wear all pink. Spirit week always brings out the best in people because everyone can truly express themselves and just wear comfortable, fun clothes. I loved seeing that and the day was especially fun because I had a good outfit that really went along with the theme,” Lafevre said.
Freshmen Ava Bevevino, Samantha Haueisen, Zariel (CJ) Smith, sophomore Lila Brodner, and freshmen Abby Stengel pose in their best pinks for the Barbie theme day.
Freshman Cacki Pearsall, Willow Staples, Lily First, Mar Kallop, Chandley Reynolds, Serena Navin, and Juliette Stampar in their clever “Kenergy” and Barbie shirts, pink hats, and glasses.
Senior Robert Letsche, sophomore Liam Duffy, seniors Grace Havlichek and Maggie Smith, and sophomore Riley McCaughey smile for a photo.
Friday: Orange versus Blue Page by: Haley Roth and Caroline Groffman Blue or orange? A question that students get asked by their classmates every year starting in 6th grade at the Benjamin School. Having these teams is the school’s source of nonacademic competitiveness and bonding between people on the same team who may not typically be the closest of friends. On Friday of spirit week, all students were given a team t-shirt that was made by the student council. Everyone on orange and blue received one of these shirts to wear to celebrate their team and could wear whatever they wanted to further their spirit for the rest of their outfits, within reason of course. “This year’s homecoming shirts were made pretty well overall and I liked the design on the back. I’m on blue but I think that the orange team had better shirts this year, in my opinion,” explains Sophmore, London Allen. The front of the shirts features the phrase “Buccaneers Through the Years” while the back of the shirts were modeled after the MTV logo font for the year 2023, as a reference to the Homecoming theme of “retro” this year. Student t-shirts were designed and ordered by the Student Council. The president and vice president worked closest with Mrs. Franzen to create these shirts for the student body. Other representatives voted and ultimately agreed to go forward with the unique design that was put together. On Friday, students showed their school spirit with orange and blue attire and more in the gym to be a part of the annual homecoming pep-rally. Games such as mummy wrap and Senior vs. Faculty basketball were played, and the Spirit Squad, or the Dazzlers and cheerleaders, both performed at the rally. Overall, orange vs. blue day was an exciting and spirited day that prepared everyone for the Homecoming game and dance.
Freshman Sierra McKinney, Audrey Tanona, and Milana Ronert were very excited for their first homecoming spirit week. (Photo by Caroline Groffman)
Juniors Jonathan Vidal, Scott Noble, and Alex Ponchock wore their orange and blue spirit clothes on Friday. (Photo by Haley Roth)
Freshman Kallan Pascuito and Sophomore Kate Quinlivan pose together in Healy Gym for the annual Homecoming pep-rally as they prepare to watch games and performances from the spirit squad. (Photo by Caroline Groffman)
Photo 1 (Left): Junior Sawyer LeFevre and Sophomore Madison Jayson both wore their orange team shirts. Photo 2 (Right): Seniors Luca Balzano, Finn Martin, and Mr. Faus showed their school spirit during Homecoming week. (Photos by Sawyer LeFevre)
Seniors Brendan Matz, Matt Marasco, and Tyler Bruneau cheer on their team during the Senior vs. facutly basketball ga me. (Photo by Sawyer LeFevre)
The Dazzlers and Diamondnettes performed two numbers as part of the festivities on Orange vs. Blue day. (Photo by Sawyer LeFevre)
Juniors Avi Gulati and Maddy Barakett paticipated in the mummy wrap game at the pep-rally. (Photo by Sawyer LeFevre)
the
PHARCYDE
THE BENJAMIN SCHOOL NEWSPAPER
@thepharcyde_tbs
4875 Grandiflora Road, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418
10 November 2023
@thepharcyde_tbs
Volume 45
Issue 02
First Annual “Trunk or Treat” Brings Benjamin Together Joey Tomassetti and Chase Zur Senior/Associate Editors On Sat. Oct. 21, from 3 to 5 p.m., the Upper School hosted the first annual “Trunk or Treat” in the Upper School parking lot. This event helped to build a sense of community between the Lower and Upper schools. The Benjamin Parents Association (BPA) organized the event and asked students from the Benjineers, Student Council, and National Honor Society (NHS) to help volunteer. Members of the student council wore costumes and all of the older students walked around with the younger bucs as they went from car to car collecting candy. In addition to “trunk or treating, there was also a competition for the best-decorated car. Senior and Student Council President Maggie Smith felt that the event was a great way to foster connections within the school and enjoyed helping out. “We were able to connect with the younger students and create a relationship which was really nice. So many families came together to create such a fun event. People were able to reserve a parking spot, decorate their cars, and show up to the event to share the Halloween Spirit. Student Council decorated one car, and the Benjineers came in first place with their amazing ship decorated
car,” explained Smith. Junior and Benjineer Olly White had a great time decorating the cars and handing out candy. Our car decoration included a robot battlefield where kids could drive and battle to get candy which was really great for kids of all ages. I think this helped us to win the competition because it combined learning about engineering with having fun. Senior and National NHS President Matias Saiz was joined by other NHS members in assisting with the “Trunk or Treat.”
I think that connecting with the younger members of the school can make the school itself a better place.We are one big community after all, so it’s good to have events like these where we are joined together.” -NHS President, senior, Matias Saiz “We were trying to diversify the community service opportunities we do as NHS and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to do so. Judging by the smiles on the visitors’ faces,
I would say the event was very successful,” said Saiz. Saiz believes that Benjamin can benefit from the two campuses interacting with each other. “I think that connecting with the younger members of the school can make the school itself a better place for everyone. We are one, big community after all, so it’s good to have events like these where we are joined together,” added Saiz. Sophomore and student council representative, Izzy Casey, loved seeing the smiles on the younger Buc’s faces and how excited they were to dress up, decorate their cars, and enjoy some candy. “It was so nice to see how much it meant to the little kids and how happy it made them to be with older students and get in the Halloween spirit. It reminded me of when I used to go trick or treating with my parents when I was little and I hope this tradition continues in the years to come,” Casey expressed. The first ever “Trunk or Treat” seems to have been a huge success. Everyone involved had a great time and it successfully brought the Benjamin community together for the spooky season. With the sucess of this event, Benjamin looks to contiune with the tradition for years to come.
Upper School Dean of Academics and World History Teacher Mrs. Caroline Guzman poses with her family as they attend “Trunk or Treat.” (Photo by Maggie Smith)
NHS members voulunteer at “Trunk or Treat” on Saturday Oct. 21. (Photo by Maggie Smith)
The Benjineers made their car look like a pirate ship for “Trunk or Treat.” (Photo by Maggie Smith)
Hoco Week in Review 15 Years of Benjamin Buccaneers Caroline Groffman and Reid Waxman Associate Editors
On Monday, seniors Ella Womble (left) and Grace Havilcek (right) dressed up as bumblebee and Abby Lee for the rhyme without reason theme. (Photo by Reid Waxman)
On Tuesday, during the activity period, students, including junior Johnny Havilcek, completed an obastacle course. (Photo by Maggie Smith)
On Thursday, sophomore Liam Duffy (left) and senior Grace Havilcek (right) dressed up for the Barbie and Ken theme. (Photo by Sawyer LeFevre)
On Friday, teams competed in a mummy wrapping contest. Pictured above, seniors George Straub and Nick Banner. (Photo by Sawyer LeFevre)
Friday night, the Varsity Football team took on Ed White and dominated the game, winning 35-8. (Photo by Sawyer LeFevre)
Saturday night, Benjamin hosted the annual Homecoming dance. Pictured above, seniors Luciano Curioni and Nathan Anderson. (Photo couurtesy of Luciano Curioni)
A continuous tradition at the Benjamin School is the seniors leading the lower school during their annual Halloween parade. This select group of students has been attending the school since it’s been possible to, starting in WOW, short for “World of Wonder’’. To celebrate this commitment to the school, the administration sets up special events for members of this club. “I think it’s nice because we are a family-oriented school. Also, I think it’s nice to celebrate those kids and their families who have been here with us from the start. On our end, it’s cool to see their development from 3 to 18, and their success and their maturity has grown and become lovely,” says Academic Dean, Mrs. Caroline Guzman. The 2024 graduating class went down to the Lower School to fulfill the Halloween Parade tradition of walking around the field with younger students from WOW to 5th grade.
“I was excited for the parade because I’ve been waiting for it since I was originally in it. My sister got to do it two years ago and I even wore the same costume. It was really fun to see all of the little kids and to talk to them all about Benjamin,” explains a member of the 15 Year Club, Maggie Smith. There is currently some controversy over changing the rules and making it so that students of the 14year club can also be involved from years before. This is because the class of 2024 was the first WOW grade level. This has left some 14 year club members of the 2024 class dissapointed, but the school plans to continue forward with the 15-year club from now on. Although the Halloween Parade is the main event for the club during the school year, this group of seniors is trying to possibly create another opportunity to celebrate their commitment to the school. “I know that we get a page in the yearbook but there are no other real events that we specifically get to do. However, we are trying to plan
The 15-year club,wearing their Halloween costumes, poses for a photo in front of the lower schools famous Banyan trees. From left to right, back row, seniors Zach Smith, Logan Smith, Shane Giamo, Canyon Rauch, Christian Smith, Julian Janin, Chase Malamala. Front row, left to right, seniors Izzy Casher, Maggie Smith, Atticus Fasnakis-Nosal, Tyler Kelly. (Photo courtesy of Izzy Casher)
something else for this year maybe,” added Smith. Another Senior who is part of this club is Isabella Casher. She was looking forward to the event and claimed that it did not disappoint. “The Halloween Parade was so much fun and it was really exciting to see all of my old teachers from the Lower School,” says Casher. Traditions such as the Halloween parade show the connections between the lower and upper schools Senior Julian Janin, part of the 15-year club, enjoys being able to see the connection between the upper and lower schools. “I love the expierence to see some of my favorite teachers from when I was little,” said Janin. Overall, this Halloween tradition brings joy to everyone involved because it is a chance for the younger and older students to be brought together and have a nice time. The 15year club is a great accomplishment and these students should be proud of their continuous connection to the Benjamin community throughout the years.
Senior Canyon Rauch poses in his onesie during the Halloween parade. (Photo courtesy of Izzy Casher)