The Pharcyde, 43.8 (May 2022)

the

PHARCYDE

THE BENJAMIN SCHOOL NEWSPAPER

@thepharcyde_tbs

4875 Grandiflora Road, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418

20 May 2022

@thepharcyde_tbs

Volume 43

Issue 08

(Twenty) Second to None

The 112 members of the Class of 2022 posed for a portrait earlier this semester. Next fall, they will be attending seventy-one different colleges, universities, and post-graduate programs. The School celebrated the Class formally at the forty-fourth Commencement program held on Friday, May 20, in Benjamin Hall. Among the individual students honored during the ceremony were co-valedictorians Gerald Bissell and Grady Wolf, and salutatorian Jake Zur.

(Photo courtesy of the Yearbook staff)

Roe, Tuong Earn Blakeslee Erdmann Scholarships Award Created in Memory of Benjamin Alumnus Sophia Liporace Co-Editor-in-Chief A $2,500 grant, the Blake E. Erdmann scholarship was recently brought to the Benjamin community in honor of Blake Erdmann ‘17, an admired member of the School community who tragically passed away in January of 2021.

Erdmann was heavily involved in the community throughout his time at Benjamin. An award-winning, fouryear varsity lacrosse player, Erdmann went on to play lacrosse at Washington College. While he was not valedictorian or captain of his team, Erdmann was admired as a hard worker and dedicated individual.

Lisa and Peter Erdmann, Blake’s parents, said that, “Blake had an infectious personality: warm, generous, high energy and fun loving to say the least. He was always up for a good time and everyone was included. Blake had a very strong belief in what was right and what was wrong.

He was deeply loyal to his friends and teammates, welcoming to everyone. His charisma made him larger than life and allowed him to fill his 22 short years with more living than most people do in all their years.”

Erdmann’s admirable qualities will be considered as Lisa and Peter Erdmann, implement this scholarship for years to come. According to the head of the upper school Mr. Fletcher Carr, the process of creating this scholarship was lengthy and started with the Erdmann family’s desire to honor a student similar to Blake.

“If a family or some affiliate of the school wants to start a scholarship fund, the first thing they’ll do is run it by the chief advancement officer, Mr. Fanjul and the head of school, Mr Faus. They will determine if it fits appropriate parameters and how the funds will be managed and implemented. They will then sign a formal agreement between the school

and the donors and a scholarship description will then be distributed,” said Mr. Carr.

The scholarship was announced to seniors on Mar. 1 via an email from Mr. Carr. Students applying for the scholarship were required to submit a 500-word essay on how their experience as a student-athlete modeled some of the attributes that made Erdmann a special person on and off the field. Students were also required to submit two letters of recommendation. From there, finalists were selected to be interviewed by the Erdmann family.

Out of thirteen submitted applications, there were three male and three female finalists: Addie Bounds, Mark Cueto, Gabe Griffith, Ainsley Mitchell, Brock Roe, and Teresa Tuong.

The winners of the scholarship, one boy and one girl, will be announced at the senior awards ceremony.

Tuong, a senior and varsity wrestler, applied for the scholarship and endured the interview process.

“I applied for the scholarship because of the generous award that came with it. For my essay, I wrote

about how I demonstrate characteristics such as leadership and courage,” she said.

When asked about the scholarship, Lisa Erdmann said that she and her husband wanted to continue Blake’s legacy at Benjamin by honoring a student similar to him: a strong character student-athlete who always works hard regardless of what is put in their way.

“Blake’s life captured so much of what is good about The Benjamin School and what the school strives to instill in its students and greater community. We want to ensure that every year the student-athletes who carry on his legacy of hard work and joy of life, are recognized in his honor,” she said.

Mr. Carr stated that any candidate the Erdmann’s select from the finalists will be very deserving of the grant and that he is proud to present excellent members of the class of the 2022 with this award.

At the senior awards program on May 16, Teresa Tuong and Brock Roe were announced at the first recipients of the Erdmann scholarships.

Blake Erdmann poses with his parents Lisa and Peter. Following his tragic passing, Blake’s family and friends established the Erdmann scholarship in his memory.

(Photo courtesy of the Benjamin Archives)

20 Welcomed Into Cum Laude Society Joey Tomassetti Staff Writer

There are many honors and accolades that students can earn here at the Upper School. On April 14, 20 members of the class of 2022 were inducted into the Benjamin School’s chapter of the Cum Laude Society.

Inductees needed to be in the top 20% of their class to qualify for the honor.

The ceremony opened with remarks from Head of Upper School Mr. Fletcher Carr. Again, Mr. Carr referenced English teacher and The Pharcyde’s advisor Dr. John Peruggia, stating that, “While it is wonderful to recognize the academic accomplishments of this year’s inductees, I hope you all know that success, even in the classroom, doesn’t even happen in a vacuum.”

When asked about the importance of having Cum Laude at Benjamin, Mr. Carr noted that it is the right way to honor the seniors and their academic accomplishments.

“It’s a really nice honor for them.

I think it’s an outside seal of approval. To be able to have a chapter here at Benjamin is a really nice statement, especially one that comes from a long-standing institution,” said Mr. Carr.

Mrs. Guzman thinks that Cum Laude is a great way to honor the students and thinks that it’s important to make sure the students are appreciated.

“I think that we have students who work so hard, for so long, here at Benjamin. Cum Laude gives us a chance to recognize the exceptional students who come through our school,” said Mrs. Guzman.

Senior Tyler Taplett is proud to be inducted into Cum Laude and cites all of the hard work he had to do along the way, as it is a rewarding feeling for him.

“I guess it’s somewhat satisfying, finally getting recognized for what I’ve worked so hard to do. I’ve countlessly put in the hours to study, to improve my grades, and to be at the top of my class,” said Taplett.

Taplett was also satisfied with the ceremony and felt that Benjamin did a nice job overall of honoring the students due to their consistent hardwork and dillegence over their time in high school so that they could ultimately be inducted into Cum Laude.

“It went as it should have gone, making sure everyone had the opportunity to be honored. It was really nice to hear all of the things they said about us. Being at the top of the class is something that is really hard to do.

I thought Mr. Carr, Mr. Faus, and Mrs. Guzman’s words were all very kind and appropriate considering the circumstances,” said Taplett.

Neha Goel, mother of senior Tvisha Goel, was pleased with how the ceremony went and is very proud of her daughter for her induction into the prestigous society.

“It was a beautiful ceremony. It feels like we are back to normal after the pandemic that was here for twoand-a-half years. I’m very proud of her (Tvisha) and the work that she put in to get into this society,” said Goel.

As things are beginning to return to normalcy, the Benjamin administration and Cum Laude Society overall did a nice job of honoring the inductees in a memorable and honorable manner. From the compassion and recognition that was given on stage to the tasty treats given after the ceremony, the inductees should feel appreciated for their contributions to The Benjamin School over these last four years.

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The Pharcyde

20 May 2022

Beloved Math Teacher To Depart Benjamin After 8 Years Tvisha Goel Co-Editor-in-Chief The Benjamin community will be waving goodbye and wishing good luck to many teachers in their next steps in their life, including Math Teacher Ms. Cheryl McKenney.

Ms. McKenney has been working at The Benjamin School for eight years, and has provided much value to her students and advisees. When she came to the school eight years ago, she decided Benjamin was the place for her for a multitude of reasons.

“So my previous school was at Wellington Christian School, and the school closed down and I was Math Department Head there, so I had to find a job somewhere else.

Besides just loving the campus and the environment, and the community, I didn’t have to bring my daughter here. So all the other schools, like Kings Academy, and American Heritage, required your children to go to the school, and my daughter was a junior at Wilmington High School.

And she was in leadership positions, and I didn’t want to pull her. So that was one of the considerations. But

the main pull was Benjamin’s reputation as an excellent academic high school,” she said.

A former student, junior Darian Salehi, speaks about her Algebra 2 Honors class, which he took as a freshman. “I had Ms. McKenney for Algebra II Honors in 9th grade. She was a great teacher, provided plenty of resources, was always available for help after school, and was a great teacher. She was a great transition into high school as she was very supportive and a very nice person,” he praised.

Ms. McKenney, when asked about having worked at the school, raved about her experience, saying, “It was amazing. The faculty were very supportive, and the students were very respectful, mature, and wanted to learn. It’s been great.”

She will always cherish her time at the Upper School, especially the relationships she’s made throughout the eight years she has been teaching at Benjamin. “I definitely will always remember my coworkers. We have so much fun together, especially Mr. Ruggie. He cracks me up all the time.

The friendships that I’ve had in the math department will always be with

me,” she continued.

Not only will Ms. McKenney’s time at Benjamin stay with her but it will also remain with the students that she has impacted most.

Sophomore and current advisee of Ms. McKenney, Savannah Maynard, reflected on Ms. McKenney’s value as her advisor for the last two years. “Ms. McKenney was a great advisor who always provided help when needed and always made advisory fun. We played Quordle, watched fun YouTube videos and always worked on last minute studying.

I will miss her and so will the rest of the advisory.”

Another advisee, sophomore Atticus Fasnakis - Nosal, said, “Ms. McKenney is always smiling and laughing in our advisory; her fun presence will very much be missed, especially in looking back when we played Wordle or watched people on YouTube eat live octopuses as an advisory. I think most significantly though, she taught me the importance of getting involved in the Benjamin community, which pushed me as a freshman to create the Classics Club and join and be involved in many other extracurricular activities.”

Ms. Cheryl McKenney explains a trigonometry problem to a student. She will be retiring at the end of this school year and splitting her time between Florida and Utah.

(Photo by Charlie Spungin)

While she will miss being at Benjamin, Ms. McKenney has big plans for her retirement. “​​I plan on splitting my time between Florida and out west in Utah. I think it’s time for me to enjoy more of my life and do things that I love, like skiing and hiking, while I am physically able and my knees won’t give out. And out west, we love skiing and hiking. But I also have to do something with math. So I hope to find a nonprofit that needs a math tu-

tor, and just kind of help out that way.

Or maybe a children’s hospital where I can go and help them. I also want to spend the extra free time to train the puppy that I will be getting in December to go into nursing homes to visit with the elderly.”

The Benjamin community will greatly miss Ms. McKenney, and has benefited from what she has given to the School. We wish her the best of luck in this new chapter of her life.

Music Director’s Departure Georgetown Bound Murray to graduate again, Strikes a Chord Across Campus Ms. departing School for second time Evan Liberman Managing Editor Dr. Nick Lockey, Director of the Upper School Music Program, will be leaving the School at the end of the year.

Dr. Lockey, who first came to Benjamin in the fall of 2016, will assume the role of Managing Director of the Tacoma Youth Chorus in Washington State.

Commenting on his future role, he noted: “I am excited to continue working to support musical opportunities for students while being close to my family again.”

However, for Lockey, his departure is slightly bittersweet because of all that he has accomplished during his nearly 6-year tenure in the Upper School Performing Arts Department: “I’m glad to have been able to help the music program grow and, during the pandemic, to have been able to keep it going strong when so many arts organizations had to shutter entirely. I hope that the TBS community will invest in the future of the music program and the performing arts in general,” said a hopeful Dr. Lockey.

Performing Arts Department Chair Mrs. Sara Salivar echoed the bittersweet nature of Dr. Lockey’s departure: “I’m always sad when a faculty member from our department leaves, but I know there is also a bright side in that Dr. Lockey is mov-

ing to a different part of the country where another opportunity is waiting for him. Our students have benefited from his expertise, knowledge, and music experience, and for that we are very grateful,” Mrs. Salivar wrote in an email to The Pharcyde.

Despite his departure, Mrs. Salivar says she has fond memories of his time at Benjamin: “Dr. Lockey has always produced quality concert opportunities for his students, including this past spring music festival, where his students rocked the auditorium into another galaxy! I will miss our collaborations together for the dance concerts, variety shows, and other projects we collaborated on together,” she said.

Senior Catherine Schenk, who worked closely with Dr. Lockey on several Benajmin-sponsored performances as part of the chorus, was surprised by his decision: “I was really shocked to find out that he was leaving… I’m going to be sad that he won’t continue his work at Benjamin and that I won’t be able to see him if I ever visit the School again,” Schenk said.

Schenk also noted that Dr. Lockey broadened her musical horizons: “Dr. Lockey was the first person to introduce me to music theory. He allowed me to dive deeper and fall more in love with music. He taught me so much that I didn’t even know existed.

Like Schenk, senior Ella Pierman had Dr. Lockey for several years.

Through band and annual performances together in Benjamin Hall, the two have grown close. Commenting on how Dr. Lockey has developed her as a musician, Pierman said: “At the beginning of each year, Dr. Lockey would sit down with us individually and ask what our goals are for our instrument. No matter the goal, he would help you achieve it. […] His constant support and infectious love for music helped me become a much better musician. I am now much more confident in myself when playing, have grown as a musician, and no longer sound like a dying cat on piccolo. Without Dr. Lockey, I wouldn’t be able to do any of this.”

Pierman also noted Dr. Lockey’s incredible musical skill: “Dr. Lockey is one of the most humble people I have ever met. He would never tell you, but he is an incredibly accomplished musician. He is a musicologist, an expert on Vivaldi (writing many published articles on him), a former teacher at Princeton University, a composer, a violinist, a pianist, a harpsichordist, and a director. To be one of these is an accomplishment, to be all of these is to be a genius.” She added that Dr. Lockey often rewrote pieces for the band, and transposed music while playing. “If that’s not genius, I don’t know what is,” she closed.

Dr. Lockey plays the keyboard during one of his final classes. His departure from Benjamin brings sadness to the Performing Arts Department as a whole, as echoed by both students and teachers.

(Photo by Evan Liberman)

Sophia Liporace Co-Editor-in-Chief After returning to Benjamin as a faculty member for two years, Ms. Alexandra Murray ‘15 will be leaving the Benjamin family to pursue a degree from Georgetown University’s Law School.

Ms. Murray was an active member of the faculty throughout her recent time at Benjamin, coaching both the JV soccer and tennis teams as well as taking on multiple subjects in the social studies department. She taught World History, Government, and Introduction to to Law over the course of the past two school years.

Social Studies Department Chair Ms. Sara Misselhorn noted Ms. Murray’s significant professional contributions to the department.

She is a caring person who brought enthusiam, smarts, and fun to the school, and especially the second floor of building 5.

-Ms. Misselhorn “We were fortunate to have alumna Ms. Murray back at Benjamin for the past two years teaching, coaching, advising and widely participating in the Benjamin community. She is passionate about history, and brought that into the classroom and to our history hallway each day,” she said.

Ms. Murray went through a lengthy but successful application process. She applied to several law schools and received acceptances to prestigious institutions like Vanderbilt Law School and University of Florida Levin College of Law, but she ultimately decided that Georgetown was the best fit.

Despite the difficulty of the process, Ms. Murray acknowledged that the School and the faculty were helpful in supporting her.

“My colleagues were supportive throughout the whole process, offering advice and a review of my materials. The school was also understanding in allowing me time to visit a few schools in order to make the

best decision possible. I also valued the thoughts all of my students shared on this life decision,” she said.

In addition to her excellent teaching skills, Ms. Murray’s colleagues described her as a thoughtful, dedicated, and passionate educator whom they will miss in the coming school year.

“She is a caring person who brought enthusiasm, smarts and fun to the school, and especially the second floor of building 5. Her experience as a Benjamin student supported and propelled her insight and practice as a Benjamin faculty member. We all enjoyed having her on ‘the other side,’” added Ms. Misselhorn.

In turn, Ms. Murray stated that she will miss the liveliness of the Benjamin community, which has become home to her for several years.

“I will miss the support system.

For the past two years, the Benjamin faculty - and the history department in particular - have been my best friends. I will miss their caring words and funny stories. I will miss the students’ upbeat attitudes and constant energy. No class is exactly the same, and they have made sure my days are always interesting,” she said.

Sophomore Evelyn Peyovich is one of Ms. Murray’s advisees and is aware of the impact Ms. Murray has had on her Benjamin experience.

“Ms. Murray has been the most amazing teacher and advisor. Even in the relatively short time I’ve been here, she’s been so supportive, kind, and welcoming as a teacher, advisor, tennis coach, and much more. I’ve learned so much from her, but the one thing that will stick with me the most is that teachers and authority figures can actually help you, and advisors can do just that,” she said.

While the Benjamin community will miss Ms. Murray, it appreciates her countless contributions, and The Pharcyde wishes her the best of luck as she continues her pursuit of knowledge.

The Pharcyde

20 May 2022

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Upper School Welcomes New Benjamin Alumnus Joins Learning Specialist, Ms. Rizzitano Social Studies Department Evan Liberman Managing Editor Benjamin’s Student Services Department has a new addition this spring: Learning Specialist Ms. Melissa Rizzitano.

Ms. Rizzitano, a school psychologist by training, arrives from Mashpee Public Schools in Boston, Massachusetts, and is excited to get to work in the Benjamin community.

To this end, Ms. Rizzitano was drawn to Benjamin by the sense of community the School fosters.

“I’ve already met so many kids. I really like the ability to interact with the students, [and] I like developing relationships with students. I like that here I can be really involved with the kids,” said an excited Ms. Rizzitano.

She also noted that she was drawn by Benjamin’s small size, which makes her goal of working with students as closely as possible much easier.

Ms. Rizzitano’s job is a new one at Benjamin. Commenting on what she will be doing day-to-day, she stated: “One of my responsibilities [is] to work with kids who need accommodations--testing accommodations mainly… I’ll be working out of the Learning Commons a lot,” she said. “We’re also hoping to start a study skills curriculum and [helping students] be in a structured environment,” she added.

However, Ms. Rizzitano’s job will differ from those of Dr. Yates and Dr. Taylor. Speaking to this distinction, she said: “Dr. Yates is a social-emotional counselor. I’m not focused on social-emotional, but more on the learning strategies for students.”

Elaborating on Ms. Rizzitano, Director of Student Services Dr. Amy Taylor said: “ Her role is very different from Dr. Yates’ as she is a school counselor who supports mental health issues [rather than] learning issues. We will work together as a team, however, to support parents, teachers, and students.”

In fact, the Student Services Department is excited to have Ms. Rizz-

itano as a part of their team. “She [is] a wonderful addition to the Upper School as she brings a depth of education and experience and great energy and enthusiasm,” stated student services counselor Dr. Yates. Echoing Dr. Yates, Dr. Taylor “is thrilled to have [Ms. Rizzitano] at Benjamin ” and thinks the “School is lucky to have her,” too.

If you’re looking for Ms. Rizzitano, you can find her in the Didsbury Learning Commons or in her office next to Dr. Taylor’s in the Student Services Suite. Welcome to Benjamin, Ms. Rizzitano.

Benjamin’s new Learning Specialist, Ms. Melissa Rizzitano, does work on her computer. The School community is excited to welcome her to the Student Services Department.

(Photo by Evan Liberman)

Ollie Olsson-White Staff Writer

As the 2021-2022 school year comes to a close, Benjamin will be saying goodbye to history teacher Ms. Murray. However, with that comes a recognizable face, just like Ms. Murray when she was hired. The School is hiring Mr. Ken Posner ‘99 as a social studies teacher.

Ms. Alexandra Murray is a Benjamin alum and after she graduated from Benjamin in 2015, she went to Harvard University to study sociology. She then returned to Benjamin to teach World History and coach the Girls JV Soccer team and JV Tennis team. After two years of teaching and coaching here at Benjamin, she has decided to go to Georgetown University to become a lawyer in the field of civil rights.

“I want to become involved in civil rights in order to help as many people as possible,” Ms. Murray said.

One of her students, freshman Riley Weinberger, has high praise for Ms. Murray. “Ms. Murray is a really good teacher who is always trying to make the class enjoyable and interesting. She will go out of her way to help every student to understand the material. I am so happy that she is pursuing her dreams of becoming a lawyer”.

Another one of her students, freshman Rachael Petrilli, says, “Ms.

Murray is very nice and compassionate, and knows how to work well with students.” Freshman Eloise Solano says that she is a “great teacher/coach because she always has an energetic and positive attitude.”

Although we are upset to see an amazing teacher that is so passionate about helping others go, the School is extremely excited to welcome a new member to the Benjamin family, Mr. Posner.

Mr. Posner is a 1999 graduate of The Benjamin School and is currently finishing his Ph.D. at the University of Aberdeen. He earned his BA in History from Boston University and a Masters, with a concentration in Modern Europe, from Florida Atlantic University. Mr. Posner wrote his Master’s thesis in 2010 on the British reaction to the Decembrist Revolt of 1825. He has a decade of experience in independent schools and has served as an Adjunct Professor at Florida Atlantic University, Nova Southern University, and TOURO College South.

With a variety of club experience and with a passion for world history, Mr. Posner is very well suited to join the esteemed social studies department. The community is very excited to welcome him back to Benjamin this fall after he graduated 23 years ago.

Benjamin Expanding Neurosurgeon Dr. Chris Winfree, ‘87 Math Department For Named 2022 Distinguished Alumus 2022-23 School Year Leah Klein Staff Writer

Lucy Rubin Staff Writer The Benjamin School is welcoming math teacher Mr. Joel Hunt to the Upper School for the 2022-2023 school year. After spending the first part of his career teaching middle school math in Chicago, Illinois, Mr. Hunt decided to move to the Palm Beach Gardens area in the past year, and The Benjamin School is excited for him to join the Math Department.

Mr. Fletcher Carr, Head of the Upper School, notes the interview process is lengthy and is an organized structure that Benjamin has created over the years. He explains the preliminary steps that he or Mrs. Guzman, the Upper School Academic Dean, takes on as they will look through different resumes and call different potential candidates to figure out the best ones for the job. If a candidate clears this step, the resume will be passed on to the department chair of the subject being hired, who will need to make the next call to determine the amount of knowledge the candidate has. Mr. Michael Ruggie, the Chair of the Math Department, describes this process as collaborative between both the teachers in the Math Department and the administration in the hiring process. After making his call to the candidate being interviewed, he will meet with Mrs. Guzman to determine whether or not to bring them in to witness their camaraderie with the rest of the Math department and the student-teacher interactions they have.

Mr. Ruggie described his specific part of the process in that he will meet with the potential hire individually for forty-five minutes to discuss different topics involving the job, and then the applicant is invited to get to know the other math teachers in the

department and further familiarize themselves with the Upper School community. The administration gives a voice to the teachers throughout this process as well, as they get to fill out questionnaires on their thoughts of the teacher and how they’ll fit into Benjamin.

Mr. Ruggie and Mr. Carr similarly discussed the importance of “experience” in presenting themselves and their interactions with the kids when they are invited to teach a mock class.

Additionally, Mr. Ruggie noted how he believes Mr. Hunt will fit in nicely as “he has been working at the Lower School and knows our [Benjamin’s] system” which will help him adjust nicely to the environment.

Mr. Hunt’s time at the Lower School campus has proven to have a positive impact on the students of Benjamin while working as a substitute teacher over the past year. He has become a positive influence within the community as incoming freshmen Gabby Degasperis described him as “very personable”. She also noted his ability to check in on the students to ensure they are understanding the lessons being taught. These sentiments were also echoed by incoming freshmen Derek Rubin, who described Mr. Hunt as a “great teacher”, while additionally expressing hope for being in one of his classes throughout his next four years at the Upper School.

Mr. Hunt will be teaching both Honors Algebra 2 with Data Analysis and Precalculus in the 2022-2023 school year.

It is certain that, with Ms. McKenney’s retirement, that a void was created in the Math Department.

With that said, it appears like Benjamin, through its keen hiring process, has found quite a fit replacement with Mr. Hunt.

Dr. Christopher Winfree, ‘87, returned to receive the 2022 Distinguished Alumni Award.

Dr. Winfree grew up locally in Jupiter, and attended Dartmouth following his time at Benjamin. He graduated from Dartmouth with magna cum laude in Chemistry. Dr. Winfree attended medical school at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York, where he later became a resident in the Department of Neurological Surgery.

Following his residency, he participated in two fellowships in neurology: one in New Orleans and the other in Portland.

Currently, Dr. Christopher Winfree specializes in a couple of areas that regard surgeries and biopsies, such as peripheral nerve surgery, peripheral nerve cancer surgery, nerve and muscle biopsies, pain neurosurgery, and spasticity. Aside from specializing in surgeries, Dr. Winfree also conducts research in the use of peripheral nerve transfers to treat spinal cord injury and the use of neurostimulation to address chronic pain disorders.

Having recently completed his term as the president of Association of Neurological Surgeons and Congress of Neurological Surgeons, Dr. Winfree is a member of numerous societies, committees, and other organizations relating to neurology.

The Distinguished Alumni Award is awarded annually every spring to an alumni of significant success.

The award first debuted in 2009 with Andy Larson as its first recipient.

Other awardees range from teachers to Gold-Medal Olympians.

“The award recognizes exceptional achievement and significant contribution to the recipient’s profession, the community and/or the school. Members of the Alumni Council nominate, select and bestow this honor each year,” states The Ben-

Dr. Chris Winfree, this year’s Distinguished Alumni, addresses the student body in Benjamin Hall. Following his tenure at Benjamin, he attended Dartmouth and ultimately became a neurosurgeon.

(Photo by Marti Lotman)

jamin School website.

Students who attended the assembly gleaned helpful information from the presentation. Senior Jake Zur was previously involved in neurology when he participated in an internship at Max Planck Institute for Neuroscience.

His internship lasted six weeks, but he was hired later on to continue the work he completed for the lab during the internship. Zur wrote data analysis algorithms in Python, Java, and the ImageJ macro language.

These algorithms would analyze images that the neurosciences got from their experiments, quantify the images into usable data, and predict trends to help them make conclusions from their experiments.

“Dr. Winfree had a very good presentation that was very interesting. He was able to keep very serious subjects relatively light hearted while also incorporating some very important messages, like the idea that failure is okay as long as we learn.

His presentation was very helpful in

realizing that one grade or one event is not the end all be all to anything,” said Zur, with a knowledgeable background on neuroscience.

Senior Katherine Scarborough, who recently competed in the Brain Bee, took a particular interest in what Dr. Winfree had to share, and even met with Dr. Winfree to further discuss his points.

Dr. Winfree didn’t just speak about neuroscience; he shared life lessons learned from studying neuroscience.

“His emphasis on failure as being one of the key factors in becoming successful was really helpful. I think his emphasis on failure was really important for a lot of kids to hear, so they can know that just because you fail at something doesn’t mean failure is negative,” said Scarborough.

Among the various and extensive events, awards, and other activities that are unique to Benjamin, the Distinguished Alumni Award is one that is a part of Benjamin tradition, and will continue to be.

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The Pharcyde

20 May 2022

Testing, Bowling, Service, and Fun Help Mark Arrival of Spring Sophia Liporace Co-Editor-in-Chief On Wednesday April 6, each grade participated in a community service project designed to both benefit those around them and strengthen the bonds of their classes. This community service day occurs annually on the same day that the sophomore class sits for the PACT exam.

The freshmen started the day by participating in a workshop led by consultant Dr. Dawn Roundtree who names the lesson, Let’s Talk About Career Success.

Dr. Roundtree is more than qualified to lead the workshop with her not only being the CEO of Roundtree Training and consulting but also a certified Leadership Coach, Trainer, and Speaker with the John Maxwell Team.

The workshop focused on the ability of students to be able to interact with all different types of people, their own leadership skills, what’s important in a resume, and the skills needed to meet the expectations of an employer’s interview.

After that, they headed to Bowlero in Jupiter to bond as a class over strikes and sodas.

Freshman Lulu Swank thought the experience was relaxing, as second semester can oftentimes be stressful, and a good way to reinforce lasting friendships with her peers.

“This semester has felt very fastpaced and somewhat stressful, so being able to relax and just have a fun day with the whole freshman class was really enjoyable. I think all of us being together definitely created some bonding,” said Swank.

The sophomore class sat for the PACT before starting a similar workshop with Dr. Roundtree at noon.​​Director of Student Services Dr. Amy Taylor, who set up the workshop, believed Dr. Roundtree was the perfect fit for the Benjamin School because of how successful her business has been and the experiences that she can bring to the table.

“We choose Dr. Roundtree because it is what she does for a living.

She is a consultant for businesses, not necessarily schools, but I think it is important for our students to hear from someone who has done it at the business level,” said Dr. Taylor.

The juniors received breakfast from Tropical Smoothie Cafe, provided by the School, before delving into a series of alumni talks in Benja-

A group of junior girls (left to right: Riley MacDermott, Chloe Krul, Nicole Nicklaus, and Alexa Beriro) pose for a photo before cleaning up Carlin Park as part of the April 6 service day.

New Walkway Promises To Keep Students Dry Joey Tomassetti Staff Writer For the first time in nearly a decade, the Benjamin Upper School presented this year’s graduating class with a senior gift: a new awning that covers the walkway from the bell tower to the pickup circle.

Dean of Students Mr. Kevin Jacobsen oversaw the construction of the new awning. He believes that it will serve a much needed purpose here at the Upper School.

“It became fairly obvious to me early on in my time here, and Mr. Carr as well, that whenever there is adverse weather and we have either pickup or dropoff, it creates a major issue. Especially when there is lightning,” said Mr. Jacobsen.

“First and foremost, it (the awning) helps to get rid of a safety concern. Secondly, it’s a great senior class gift, so it kind of works in both ways,” added Mr. Jacobsen.

When thinking about the awning as a senior gift, Mr. Jacobsen believes that it will end up helping the whole school in addition to honoring the Class of 2022.

“As someone who runs the traffic operation at the school, I think it’s really important that we have it (the awning). I think that any senior gift that adds to the functionality of the campus is a really good senior gift,” said Mr. Jacobsen In regards to Florida’s yearly risk

min Hall. After hearing from Chelsea Reed ‘88, Sara Misselhorn ‘90, Morgan Dillavou ‘01, and Talbot Sutter ‘07, they departed for Carlin Park where they spent two hours cleaning the beach.

Junior Class Chair and French and Spanish teacher Ms. Colleen Donnelly thought that this would be a beneficial activity to the students.

“We live in South Florida and most of us go to the beach regularly. It really is our responsibility to be mindful and do what we can to enhance marine conservation efforts. It is in pitching in to clean up debris and trash that we can make a difference in keeping beaches clean. By doing so, we become a part of the solution that helps to protect and preserve marine ecosystems,” she added.

Finally, the seniors partook in a debut activity entitled Springstival, where they traveled to the lower school campus to host a carnival filled with games and activities for the youngest members of the Benjamin community.

The activities ranged from sand art to face painting to soccer, and each senior will have the opportunity to spend time with lower school students.

Senior Danielle Lancaster really enjoyed the carnival and thought that it was an enjoyable experience to have towards the end of senior year.

“Once you leave the Lower School campus, you rarely go back, so getting to spend the day there and see the kids and talk to the teachers was very bittersweet. Working the carnival with the whole grade was really fun, and I think it was an appropriate activity to end the year,” she said.

All in all, it was a positive experience for each class and will certainly be a day they will never forget. Although the students were not able to have an entire day off from school, they still made good use of their time and helped the community along the way.

Walkway Dedication May 17, 2022 Left: Head of School Mr. David Faus addresses the senior class regarding their senior gift of the walkway. He spoke to them about their excellence through the year and the administration’s appreciation for the donation.

(Photo by Charlie Spungin)

of hurricanes, the new awning should be able to withstand the harsh conditions fairly well. With the covering being made of cloth, though, there is still the outside chance that a major storm could damage it.

The idea of building the new awning and incorporating it as a senior gift has been in the works since last spring. Originally, the hope was to have it done by the time the seniors graduated, which ended up becoming a reality.

In a recent interview with BTV, Head of the Upper School Mr. Fletcher Carr reiterated that the awning was a much needed addition here on campus.

“In all of my years here so far, I’ve noticed that during some of the critical times of day and certain months of the year, we have needed covered walkways. We want to make

sure that kids can safely get around during the rainy season and thunderstorms, and when we realized that one of the key thoroughfares of the school is left uncovered, we wanted to fix that issue pretty quickly,” said Mr. Carr.

Mr. Carr also mentions the significance of the new awning in regards to the senior class.

“It’s a wonderful gift from the senior class and their families. It’s one more indication of a growing campus, and as we grow, there are going to have to be pieces that change a little bit,” adds Mr. Carr.

Now, whenever the class of 2022 returns to campus, they can see the awning and be reminded of everything they have done for the school and the impact they had on the community as a whole.

Right: Student Council President Sydney Steinger speaks to the seniors about how noteworthy their dedication was and to be proud of it.

(Photo by Charlie Spungin)

Left: Mr. Faus, Mr. Carr, Matt Postman, Sydney Steinger, and Mrs. Crawford cut the ribbon, officially marking the walkway’s reopening.

(Photo by Charlie Spungin)

The Pharcyde

20 May 2022

For Performing Artists, Auditions Can Mean the Difference Between College Admission and Denial

Hate Ends Now

Holocaust Exhibit Comes to Upper School Campus

Leah Klein Staff Writer

Joey Tomassetti Staff Writer

The college audition process that many high school students nationwide participate in is stressful and arduous, but is an essential part of achieving a theatrical or musical career.

Few Benjamin students participate in college auditions. Catherine Schenk is the only senior in her class to have participated in the college audition process. Students involved in drama or dance in the past have participated in this process, but it is overall uncommon at Benjamin.

Schenk has been involved with Benjamin’s theater and musical programs for years, and is now graduating to attend Oklahoma City University. She will study for a Bachelor of Music (BM) in Musical Theater, but first had to undergo the incredibly time-consuming and tedious process that many other students also participate in. Schenk emphasizes the extent of the college audition process, specifically how much work and dedication it takes.

“It can be a very tiring and long process. It beats you down a lot and their moments where you feel you aren’t cut out for this and want to quit.

Every week I would have two acting and singing lessons, and even more closer to filming for prescreens. I had this on top of school, rehearsals for plays, my social life and other extracurricular activities. I had to miss out on a lot of events to get that extra practice in. You first start out with the prescreens,” says Schenk.

Not only is the college audition process frustrating and complicated, but it is also selective. Drama and musical theater programs have become progressively harder to be accepted into, which is all the more reason why students begin thinking of their applications so early on.

“These schools get more competitive with each passing year—depending on the track, they can accept as few as ten new students a year.

Therefore, it’s a good idea to start thinking about what type of school and program you’re looking for as early as your freshman or sophomore

On Monday, April 25 and Tuesday, April 26, the Hate Ends Now ShadowLight railcar was stationed in the Benjamin Hall parking lot for students, teachers, and faculty to experience. It gave the students the opportunity to see what it would have been like to be a forced into the railcar during the Holocaust.

Upper School Social Studies teacher Mrs. Anne Franzen oversaw the process of bringing the railcar to Benjamin.

“We have been on a waitlist for the railway car, and there was a cancellation in our area. With the help of the Adkins family, we were able to jump at the opportunity. We met with the NCSY group over zoom, and learned about the logistics needed for planning the visit,” said Mrs. Franzen.

Mrs. Franzen thinks it’s important for students to pass on the stories of Holocaust survivors to futrure generations.

“As survivors and liberators leave us, the need to continue telling their stories in new ways becomes vital.

Students need to learn about the Holocaust because it is a time in history when hatred and intolerance were acceptable and ordinary people stood by while millions of people were killed. The more students learn about

Senior Cat Schenk played the role of Ann Deever in All My Sons. This, along with her previous acting experience, iinspired her to major in musical theater at Oklahoma City University this fall.

(Photo from Cat Schenk)

year of high school,” says Backstage.

The process of college auditions takes over a year to complete. Those interested in pursuing a career or major related to music, theater, or dance begin the college audition process in the fall of junior year.

“The process started in the summer preparing for my prescreens (video auditions) all the up to early March with my last audition,” says Schenk.

It is recommended to research college programs and apply for pre-college summer programs in the beginning of junior year. During the spring, the ACT and/or SAT must be registered for and taken. Many students, not just those going through the audition process, start to draft college essays and ask teachers to read or critique them. With college auditions, it is important to continue to research college programs, and to practice training and performing so that a repertoire can be compiled.

The summer before senior year has a long list of preparations that students going into the college audition process need to complete. The time presented during the summer gives students the opportunity to visit colleges in order to narrow down a list of schools. A headshot may need to be taken if it has not already, or updated. A resume may additionally need to be updated along with headshots. To build experience in the area of musical theater, students can participate in a summer show or intensive, which could be added to their resume. Similar to the spring of Junior year, a repertoire should be con-

tinued to be worked on by preparing and rehearsing it with acting coaches and voice teachers. Pre-screens, video recordings of audition pieces, are an essential part of applications. They should begin to be recorded before senior year even starts.

Even though college audition applicants already go through a great ordeal of work previous to senior year, throughout senior year is the most stressful part of the process due to writing applications, receiving recommendations, recording prescreens, and finally, attending auditions and submitting applications. Schenk sums up what the experience of applying was like for her.

“You first start out with the prescreens. They are typically 30 seconds to a minute of a song and monologue. You have to fully prepare those pieces and film them by November and December. After that you have to practice for the actual audition, if you are able to pass the prescreen round.

My first audition was in January and my last was in March. It takes a lot out of you. You feel tired, drained and sick of auditions,” explains Schenk.

“Once you pass a pre-screen or get into a good school or even just have a good practice, you feel really good about your talents and remember to keep going. I am very glad the process is over, but it has taught a lot of things about auditions and theater as a career.”

Even though the extensive process of college auditions is mentally taxing and extremely time consuming, in the end, the hard work and dedication eventually pay off.

Page 5

the Holocaust, perhaps we can have a better future,” said Mrs. Franzen.

Associate Director of College Counseling Mrs. Bekka Goldberg helped organize bringing the railcar to Benjamin. She reiterated how important it is for students to learn about the Holocaust.

“The importance of understanding the magnitude of the Holocaust will hopefully ensure that it never happens again. Understanding history and gaining knowledge enables us to have the power to be upstanders instead of bystanders. We do not want this history to repeat itself,” said Mrs. Goldberg.

Mrs. Goldberg also explains how having the railcar at the Upper School has impacted her personally.

“Having the opportunity to work on something that was personally significant to me on a full school scale was especially meaningful. I think the stories of the past are way more powerful that facts and dates, so having the opportunity to share my family’s story with the entire Upper School was so special to me,” said Mrs. Goldberg.

Overall, having the railcar at Benjamin was an experience that helped many people understand the scope of the Holocaust and the impact it had on many families. We are very fortunate to have had this opportunity.

The Holocaust railcar was parked in the senior parking lot for two days in late May. It is a historically accurate recreation of what the Nazis employed in the 1940s to transport the Jews from the ghettos to the concentration camps. It gave students the perspective of what it was like to endure such a thing.

(Photo by Joey Tomassetti)

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The Pharcyde

20 May 2022

Student Council Elections: Nutter, President-Elect Aims to Byrne Win in Split-Ticket Decision Increase Diversity, Spirit Leah Klein Staff Writer Eleven Benjamin students decided to participate in a competitive election process in hopes of being one of next year’s Student Council’s officers. Of the eleven candidates, five were successful in their pursuits.

All applicants completed a resume, filmed a brief video, and wrote a series of responses to an officer position application form. A folder containing each candidate’s information for other students to review and decide who would represent the school best was sent out to the Upper School.

Freshman Vanessa Zito went through this application process. She decided to run for the position of Treasurer based on several factors. At the beginning of her freshman year, she was elected as the Class Representative, giving her some familiarity and experience with Student Council.

“Going into sophomore year, I wanted to challenge myself to really strive to further make an impact in my community. I knew that at some point in the future I wanted to run for an Officer Position, so I decided that because Student Council was something I had invested a lot of time and energy into, that running would be a good choice,” explained Zito.

Sophomore Maggie Smith chose to run for historian. She was one of two potential candidates running for the position. Similar to Zito, she had been associated with Student Council in the past.

“I chose to run for historian because I wanted to be able to share the actions of the student council with the study body. I have always been a part of the student council, so I made the decision to run because I really want

to help the student body and share all of their ideas,” Smith says.

Many applicants publicized their campaigns by sending out emails, handing out food, or reaching out and connecting to people in person. Students advertised characteristics and experience that made them qualified for the position they ran for.

“I advised my years in the financial club at my middle school, my experience on the debate team to show that I can argue and get things done, a brief synopsis of the sports I’ve played and the academic achievements I have,” said freshman Angelena Townsend, who competed alongside Vanessa Zito and several others for the Treasure position.

In a show of friendship and connection between Benjamin students, Alex Fleming Lake chose to run as Vice President alongside Owen Nutter, who ran as President. The two worked together to advertise their campaign.

“My friend has wanted to run for President since sophomore year, so I joined him because he was my friend and I thought it would be cool if we ran together. I chose to run for Vice President because [Owen] wanted the President position, and I knew how important that was to him, so I didn’t mind taking the Vice President position at all,” said junior Fleming Lake.”

All election candidates had many promising qualifications, and in addition, put an incredible amount of hard work into the process of running. The entire election process process took nearly a month.

Owen Nutter succeeded in running for President against Skylar Jones, and Leo Byrne won Vice President Position. Taylor Grande, who faced no competitors, was elected as

Honor Council President Sets Agenda for ‘22-‘23

Andrew Moffitt Honor Council President Hey everyone! My name is Andrew Moffitt, and I am the president of the Honor Council for this coming school year (scary, right?). I am taking over Gerald Bissell’s position as president, and I am so excited to work with the Benjamin community.

Primarily, I would like to thank both Gerald and Mrs. McCambridge, the Honor Council advisor, for such a smooth transition into this position.

Gerald and Mrs. McCambridge have helped me so much in learning the inner workings of the Council, teaching me how I can operate it as efficiently and fairly as possible - so, thank you Gerald and Mrs. McCambridge, and I wish you the best at UF, Gerald!

Next, I would like to enumerate why I chose to run for the president of the Council. I have been a part of the Honor Council since my Sophomore year. I had always known about the Council, as my sister had mentioned

what it was since she was attending The Benjamin School, and I immediately knew I wanted to be a part of the Council. I strongly believe that honesty is the best policy, and I have been raised on this idea my whole life. The Honor Council embodies the Honor Code - a code that has been well ingrained into your minds since you have been at this school. However, many of you may be unfamiliar with the ideas behind the code. Honor is a core value that represents honesty, fairness, and respect. The Honor Code applies to every aspect of a Benjamin student’s life. In and out of the classroom, off and on the field, a Benjamin student should uphold the ideals of the Honor Code.

As President of the Honor Council, I plan to educate the students on Honor and what it looks like to uphold the values of the Honor Code.

Many of you may have the idea that the Honor Council holds a mysterious presence on campus. Although confidentiality is key in the Honor Council, I would like to educate you all on the importance of honor and what the Honor Council’s role is on campus.

As previous presidents have done, I would like to end with a fun fact about myself. Here it is: I speak 7 different languages and have 13 siblings. Actually, this is a great example of an Honor Code violation, as it is a complete lie. The truth is that I actually speak English and a lick of Spanish, and I also have one sister.

Finally, I would like to thank all of you for your support and I am looking forward to an amazing year!

Secretary. Vanessa Zito successfully campaigned for Treasurer and was elected, along with Maggie Smith for Historian.

“I think my overall campaigning really gave me an upward advantage to win the election,” said junior Leo Byrne.

Maggie Smith believes that the application process necessary to be completed and provided by the school was a great way of enlightening students voting to candidate’s backgrounds and involvement in activities.

“I think the thing that helped me the most was being able to answer everyone’s questions and having all of my past achievements available for everyone to see,” says Smith.

Now, as elected officials of Student Council, it is their responsibility to fulfill their duties of the assumed position. It is important for officials to take change into their own hands, hear the student body’s concerns, and organize school events. Junior Owen Nutter, as President, will have the responsibility of doing so.

“I plan to do a lot of things as president, to the extent that I cannot confirm anything specific, however, I will say that my plan for the year is to make Student Council more than what it is now. I want to instill Student Council as the cornerstone of activity in our school and make the school a place with passion and spirit. I think Student Council can be and do more than what it is now and I intend to pursue this as President,” says Nutter.

With new Student Council members fulfilling their positions, students at The Benjamin School can look forward to a new school year with abundant potential.

Owen Nutter Student Council President Hello Benjamin. My name is Owen Nutter, and I will be your serving Student Council president for next year. A role which I cannot wait to accept, I am so grateful to everyone who helped me get to this stage, and will make sure to give it my all in office. I have had such a great journey in Student Council, and I cannot even begin to express my gratitude to those who have made this journey possible.

I have had such a great journey in Student Council, and I cannot even begin to express my gratitude to those who have made this journey possible.

-Owen Nutter Primarily, I would like to thank Sydney Steinger for being such a great leader to the Upper School and for being the benchmark for how I will conduct myself as President.

Furthermore, I want to thank Mrs. Franzen and Mr. Hoy, they have been

great advisors to the student council and have helped me develop into the person that I am today. All the great work that the Student Council has done up until this point will be the blocks which I will build from.

I would like to clarify why I wanted to run for president. I first joined the Student Council because I wanted to be a student leader that everyone looked up to, and that was enough to be on student council, however, as I have spent more time on Student Council, it has grown into more of a group of friends than just a club or leadership program. Having this confidence in my community about what to do as President is something that I completely owe to those on the Student Council now and have been in the past. Having looked up to these people for so long it is only natural that I want to be like them. So I would like to be as great as past presidents, but I also want to make my own impact on the school.

So with that as backing, I have made my decisions about what I will do as president.

I cannot go into the complete inner workings of my plan because they are not there yet; however, one of my major goals as President is to incorporate everyone into school spirit.

One thing that has always been on my mind is how it feels that not everyone wants to embrace the school spirit and the warmth of the school.

So I plan to create more encompassing events and more importantly, I want to make events more common.

So that way with diverse events and them happening more often, I want to get all kinds of students involved in the school spirit.

I can’t wait for next year, Your new President

2022-2023 NHS Officers Left to right: President Skyler Malmberg, Vice President Darian Salehi, Treasurer Maddie Popilek, Secretary Alexandra Barkauskas, Out of School Service Coordinator Paige Craven, In School Service Coordinator Luke Egizio

New National Honor Society President Malmberg Lays Out Ambitious Goals Skyler Malmberg National Honor Society President I am super excited to be president of the National Honor Society for the upcoming school year. Ever since I was inducted into the National Honor Society during the spring of my sophomore year, I have wanted to become a leader of this club to continue the work of the previous officers and to enhance the club in multiple ways.

The National Honor Society focuses on recognizing students who have worked hard in multiple areas and represent the five pillars: knowledge, leadership, scholarship, service, and character. One of the main goals of the National Honor Society is to serve the community, which includes participating in events both inside and outside of our school.

As president, I hope to work with the other officers to create more service opportunities to help better our community, as service is very import-

ant to both the club and myself. By partnering with service clubs inside the school and reaching out to organizations outside of the school that are in need of help, the members of the National Honor Society will be able to improve the community in multiple ways.

Besides the goals that I have to improve what the National Honor Society can do to help others, I have multiple ideas to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of this organization. My main goal is to have a year of organization and effectiveness which I hope to accomplish by creating a clear line of communication between the officers and the members and devising new ways to organize information for meetings, inductions, and all things service. By making simple changes such as finding easier ways to take attendance, having more efficient meetings, and constantly communicating through emails, the National Honor Society will function more efficiently inter-

nally, allowing the members to effectively participate in service activities.

By progressing the organization’s inner workings, more will be able to be accomplished that serves the community, which is a main goal of the National Honor Society.

As president, I also hope to revive the Student of the Month Award as it is important to recognize students of our student body who are working hard, whether it be with service, academics, or leadership. With the hard work and dedication of myself and the other officers, I believe that we will be able to accomplish a lot that benefits both the members of the National Honor Society and the community.

We have a fantastic group of officers that I know are dedicated to continuing what past officers have done and putting new ideas into place to enhance the club. For the National Honor Society, I anticipate a year of organization, clear communication, and lots of community service.

The Pharcyde

20 May 2022

Congratulations Tvisha, Evan, Sophia, and Clara Over the past ten years, graduating members of The Pharcyde have gone on to attend many of our nation’s finest colleges and universities. We are so proud that you are continuing this tradition of excellence at Tufts, Georgetown, USC, and SMU.

Never stop making headlines.

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Student Voices

20 May 2022

The Pharcyde

EDITORIAL We Need To Go Further To Recognize Academic Success The mission of The Benjamin School is to provide a challenging college preparatory education to a diverse student body in a structured, nurturing community environment.

The School motivates students to master the skills of learning, communicating and evaluating choices, and encourages them to grow intellectually, socially, morally, aesthetically, and physically to their fullest individual potential.

The School’s mission statement projects our overall goal and purpose.

While Benjamin certainly grants students the ability to improve in countless facets of our lives, The Pharcyde has noticed a source of ambiguity within the mission statement; how does the School “motivate students to master the skills of learning”? Are we effectively quantifying or measuring that students have mastered the skills of learning?

In order to evaluate if Benjamin has truly encouraged its students to master the skills of learning, The Pharcyde has sorted the School’s academic recognitions into three tiers.

Tier 1 - Self-Driven Recognition: These awards are awards that students will obtain based on how hard they work in the classroom; do the job, they will receive recognition.

Under this category falls the Head of School List, High Honors List, and Honors List-- all based on a student’s semester GPA--, induction into the Cum Laude Society, earning the National Merit semifinalist status, AP Scholar recognition, and becoming the valedictorian and salutatorian for one’s respective class.

Tier 2 - Accepted Recognition: Within Benjamin, there are various organizations and societies to which

one is invited to apply in order to obtain recognition. Within this tier are the National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, National Art Honor Society, Quill and Scroll Society, the Engineering Certificate Program, Pathfinders Awards, and the Marshall Benjamin Scholarship.

Tier 3 - Out of Students’ Hands: Most of the academic recognitions from the School are based on their own feats and what they do in order to garner their recognition, However, some recognitions like the Book Awards-- which the School is doing away with-- and Class Awards, are ultimately decided by factors that are outside the control of the students who are set to achieve those awards.

Throughout the years, the School has evolved and with it has, of course, come change in every part of the school, including the academic recognition of its students. It is evident that each of these tiers has undergone change recently, and the result is far less recognition of academic achievement than a school with our mission statement should offer.

A few years ago, the School altered its system for calculating students’ GPA, increasing the boost for taking Honors-- from 0.33 to 0.50-and AP-- from 0.50 to 1.00-- classes.

Obtaining achievements like Head of School List, where a student must exceed a 4.10 semester GPA, becomes much easier when their GPA is much more inflated. It also negatively weighs regular, unweighted courses in terms of their impact on the reception of such awards; despite earning high grades in these courses, the GPAs of high-achieving students often drop because of their lack of additional GPA points.

In a recent presentation to parents entitled Navigating and Evolving Admissions Process, Upper School Academic Dean Mrs. Caroline Guzman related that 62% of senior grades in the first semester were As. “That’s remarkable, and I think it shows a number of things. Number one, it shows really how great our kids are… secondly, it also shows how supportive the School is when our kids get here,” Mrs. Guzman said. Further, Mrs. Guzman revealed that “91% of all their grades are As and Bs, and 37% of the class has a GPA above 4.0.” The Pharcyde agrees that we are great and supported, but we also worry that those final two statistics diminish the truly exceptional accomplishments of our most academic peers. Should 40% of the senior class share the distinction of a hyper-perfect GPA? What does being the best actually mean anymore?

This can be seen by the ever-rising number of students receiving the end of semester accolades, or perhaps a better term for them would be secret letters sent home. The School has told The Pharcyde that it can not publish the students who achieved the Head of School List, High Honors List, or Honors List.These students’ recognition would come solely in the form of a letter sent home to parents. The lack of public acknowledgment does not appropriately honor students who work hard throughout a semester.

They deserve the public applause that student-athletes get multiple times a year in assemblies and signings. They should be able to know who their academic peers are in our community.

The School does a good job encouraging its students to spread their wings when they excel in certain sub-

jects. The School brought students back to the Brain Bee competition this year, allowing those who have an interest in science to express themselves, but why is there not more for students to exemplify their love for a certain subject? Sure, Spanish students have Conferencia as a way to do this, but why not allow students to take the National Spanish Exam.

We have Mu Alpha Theta as a club for math students, but there should be one for History or English.

Additionally, the School needs to do more to recognize excellence.

When seniors are granted Pathfinders nominations, there shouldn’t just be a two minute video sent out listing the names of those who achieved the honors. The School should explain why these students are deserving of such high honors; share their stories.

Simply, we are asking that recognition go beyond just a name on a list or a letter sent home but serves as an honor and motivator for others. Juniors should look at the seniors who received Pathfinder nominations and be encouraged to try to obtain an award in the following year rather than just seeing it as a normal honor too few of them will obtain themselves.

A tradition for countless years here at Benjamin, the School has chosen to remove Junior Book Awards from the Spring Awards program.

The awards, usually sponsored by local alumni associations of various colleges and universities, had been presented to students who, having met myriad criteria, were selected by a faculty vote. Last Spring, a dozen such awards were presented on behalf of colleges and universities such as Harvard University, Yale Univer-

sity, Sewanee (The University of the South), Kenyon College, and Union College. According to Mrs. Guzman, other schools have also stopped giving Junior Book Awards and the program is an“outdated way to recognize kids.” The College Counseling team is spearheading options to replace these awards with a “Benjamin version” of each. These awards had strict academic criteria; will the Benjamin versions have a similar criteria to this, or will they be watered down in order to make them more accessible? Additionally, these are certainly resume-boosters for when students apply for college. Will Benjamin’s version have the same prestige as the institutionally defined Book Awards?

Mrs. Guzman thinks so, but these awards will certainly be more difficult to recognize for universities around the country.

Is it fair to students who excel in the classroom to understate their abilities? Recognition of excellence in any position is something valued at The Benjamin School, but academic excellence seems to be thrown under the rug, something that the School has become less and less compelled to celebrate. As a result, we are taking a stand on behalf of the people who deserve recognition. We will not print the names of non-academic award winners until we, as a school, fully recognize the academic achievements of these students.

The School needs to recognize those who are academically exceptional. Their hard work doesn’t deserve to go unnoticed. *This editorial is the opinion of The Pharcyde and therefore is not attributed to one singular person.

Incoming Editor-in-Chief Peers Forward To Upcoming Year Charlie Spungin Copy Editor I’m pretty sure freshman me would be pretty surprised to know I would be becoming Editor-in-Chief for my senior year. It’s not really something I imagined, expected, or aspired for. Well, here I am.

The best way to characterize The Pharcyde over my three-year tenure on it is with one word: shrinking. I’ve seen the class go from 14 people in my freshman year to nine in my sophomore year, and six for this year.

My hope, as I’m sure is Doc’s, is to revitalize The Pharcyde. I know it’s going to be a challenge to bring excitement and intrigue to something that has become an afterthought to the majority of the student body, but it’s a challenge that I’m willing to take

the

PHARCYDE

on. Simply, I hope to produce the best paper possible that can bring positive attention to the paper.

It was this past year that I truly took on a big role in the paper as this year’s Copy Editor. Reading over every article, headline, and caption-sometimes very late on Wednesday nights on Doc’s room with Tvisha and Sophia-- wasn’t my favorite part of this past year, but it proved to be a challenge: a challenge that I was willing to take head-on, just like what will be faced next year.

I recognize that the class size for next year isn’t massively improved compared to the six this year, and it will be a lot of work to maintain this, but if there’s anything I learned from this year, it’s certainly possible.

Before I truly begin my official tenure as Editor-in-Chief, I will be at-

tending a summer program for journalism at Northwestern University and a conference hosted by Freedom Forum. Both of these programs will help me fine-tune my journalistic craft in a variety of ways prior to having a year where I need to be at my best. I’m excited about both of these opportunities because it should make next year’s class run smoother… or that’s the goal, at least.

I truly believe that The Pharcyde needs more attention, and I’m sure it’ll be tough to truly exemplify this idea to the majority of the student body. In fact, most probably wouldn’t get to this point and be reading this.

Regardless, The Pharcyde-- like many other clubs and societies here at Benjamin-- has the potential to make a big change. It should be the voice of the students. If a student has

a concern and would like to voice it to any member of the staff, please do.

Editorials and op-eds exist for that exact purpose: to get the voice of the student body out to the community.

We are just one of many avenues to guarantee your voice is heard. Use us.

Tvisha and Sophia, you two really showed me what it’s like to persevere. We, as a staff (and you two as Co-Editor-in-Chiefs especially), ran into a lot this year: angry teachers, late nights with Doc, the small class size, article censorship, you name it.

Regardless, you guys took these challenges on with no second thought, practically embracing them as what The Pharcyde has become.

And that’s not a bad thing; not everything is perfect, and that’s something I’ve realized this year and will be important next year. I know I’ll run into

issues, and seeing you guys deal with them has made me feel like I will be able to deal with them just a little bit better.

As you guys depart for Tufts and USC, I hope you know that I really appreciate all the lessons that you two taught me throughout this year. The time that we stayed until 11:30 on a Wednesday night may be an indicator of what next year may look like, but firstly, at least we had each other for that, and secondly, I’ll be ready for that next year. I’m certainly eager to see where it goes.

You guys set a high bar for me to meet next year, and I’ll do my best to continue creating a paper that meets those standards. I’m looking forward to this, as I feel like I’m ready to inherit the Editor-in-Chief position.

EDITORIAL BOARD

GENERAL

ADVERTISEMENTS

QUOTATION POLICY

Founded in 1980 as The Spectator

Tvisha Goel, Co-Editor-in-Chief Sophia Liporace, Co-Editor-in-Chief

20 May 2022

Evan Liberman, Executive Editor

Volume 43, Issue 8

The Benjamin School 4875 Grandiflora Road Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33418

Charlie Spungin, Copy Editor

Contact Information Phone: 561-472-5998, ext. 2119 Fax: 561-691-8823

Gerald Bissell Catherine Civitella Leah Klein Lucy Rubin Joey Tomassetti Ollie Olsson-White

Advisor Dr. John Peruggia john.peruggia@thebenjaminschool.org Advisor Emeritus Mr. Kendall Didsbury Media Consultants Mr. and Mrs. Tim Burke

STAFF WRITERS

MISSION STATEMENT

The Pharcyde, the Upper School newspaper of The Benjamin School, is published seven times a year. 1,200 copies of The Pharcyde are distributed to 398 students and 57 faculty members and are available in the Upper School office.

The Pharcyde encourages submission of Letters to the Editor. Send your feedback, criticism, or outside opinions in 150 words or fewer to tvisha.goel21@thebenjaminschool.org or sophia.liporace21@thebenjaminschool.org.

The Pharcyde reserves the right to edit all letters for length, grammar, and clarity.

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.

The price of a quarter-page advertisement is $30/issue. The price of a business card advertisement is $15/issue.

If you or anyone you know would like to place an advertisement in The Pharcyde, please contact Sophia Liporace, sophia. liporace22@thebenjaminschool.org.

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.

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.

Student Voices

The Pharcyde

20 May 2022

Page 9

Co-Editor-in-Chief Reflects on Growth, Accomplishments

Tvisha Goel Co-Editor-in-Chief When I first moved to Florida, I immediately knew I didn’t want to be here. I so quickly decided I wanted to, and needed to, leave, and I knew college was my one stop ticket out.

But what I never saw coming was how much sorrow would overcome me while writing this, four years later.

Being someone who is stubborn, I can often maintain a certain point of view that might not always come

to my benefit. I thought I didn’t fit in and didn’t belong here, and I started off my high school career with such a negative mentality.

But sooner or later, Florida, and Benjamin began to grow on me. I found my niche, and I no longer focused on wanting to leave. Instead, I began shifting my concentration on making the most out of my time here.

And one group that truly allowed me to achieve my most potential at this school was The Pharcyde.

This group has taught me so much throughout my high school career, and I am so grateful I joined this phenomenal gang because I wouldn’t have had the experience I did without every single one of the amazing jewels that The Pharcyde has produced.

Despite the incredibly challenging work I have had to accomplish in the three years I have been in the paper, it has helped me learn so many important life skills. I now understand the importance of stepping out of my comfort zone and talking to so many new people, of standing my ground when I feel strongly about an issue, of being patient and calm in the face of backlash, and most importantly, of teamwork and family.

When I joined The Pharcyde, Mr. Dids became a quick favorite of mine. I will forever admire his way of teaching and how loved he was by everyone. I will never forget how he guided me to become who I am today and the role I play in the paper. He always used this phrase, “use your feet” with the writers, to push them to be better interviewers and journalists.

To this day, when a writer complains about not being able to get interviews because no one responds, I will always quote Mr. Dids. I could not have asked for a better first mentor on my journalistic path.

In my second year of Pharcyde, COVID hit, and I was stuck being a journalist through a screen. I could no longer use my feet, and I became separated from the group who was quickly becoming even closer. Unfortunately, I had to wait until my senior year to become reintegrated into the group, but the people that surrounded me made it easier to fall back to my sophomore year habits.

Doc: I know we’ve had our differences this year, but I will forever be grateful to you. You have made me understand what it’s like for someone to always have my back. You will al-

ways defend me, and The Pharcyde, even if that means you are in trouble.

From day 1, you have always pushed me to do my best. Even when I believe that I reached my potential, you tell me it’s not good enough, because you believe I can always do better than best. From this day forward, I will always think of you when I think that I’ve reached my best, so that I can keep setting newer and higher expectations and standards for myself.

Thank you for teaching me never to settle.

Evan: Thank you for always making me laugh. I know sometimes we’ve gotten frustrated with each other, but through the highs and lows of the paper, you have always made it a light hearted experience. You have taught me how to take a breath and enjoy even amongst a bubble of stress and worry.

Sophia: You just completely amaze me every day. I will always remember in freshman year when I handed you your picture. I didn’t think twice about it. Now, I will always look back and be so thankful for having met you. You are funny, caring, loving, understanding, and just a wonderful personality to be around.

Thank you for being such an awesome Co-Editor and an even better friend. I can’t wait to see what you accomplish at USC but I just know you will thrive there. Always reach for the stars, and beyond.

Charlie: I am so thankful to have gotten to know you this year. From FaceTimes where we’ve avoided work to FaceTimes where all we’ve done is sit in silence to finally do the work we avoided the night before to staying in Doc’s room until 11:30, I have seen you grow as a journalist just in this past year alone, and I know you’ve already stepped into the work of the Editor with grace and an amazing work ethic. You are set for great things, and I know The Pharcyde is in good hands. I just know that The Pharcyde is bound for success, and I can’t wait to see and hear all about it, but don’t forget to tell me all the mishaps and setbacks, so that I can say “good try”.

The Pharcyde has played a large role in my life and my high school years, and is one of the big reasons why I am so happy to say college is a round trip.

Dazzler-Turned-Editor Looks Back Before Moving On

Sophia Liporace Co-Editor-in-Chief Since my freshman year, I’ve looked forward to the traditions that occur towards the end of senior year.

I have always wanted to jump in the lake despite the questionable contents of the water, and I have always wondered what college logo I would draw on my white polo shirt. A tradition I never thought I would look forward to was writing my goodbye column.

I was placed into “Expository Writing” the second semester of my freshman year after deciding to put off taking my computer science credit. To use a cliché phrase among us Pharcydians, I sort of just fell into it.

Deciding to join The Pharcyde placed

me in room 149 with an intimidating group of upperclassmen who would not only guide me to discover my love for journalism but would also become some of my best friends.

The Pharcyde has defined my high school experience. When I look back at my four years, some of my most prominent memories are sitting in the Learning Commons at 11:00 at night copy editing the paper. I will never forget running around the campus trying to take last minute pictures to fill a space or trying to come up with an entirely new editorial in twenty minutes. Creating such a large scale product with such a small group of people has been difficult, but most importantly, I will never forget how significantly my fellow members of the staff have impacted me.

When I would say the reason my article was late was because I wasn’t getting responses from people I needed quotations from, Mr. Didsbury would never fail to say “use your feet,” to encourage me to go find the person and get the quotations immediately. Mr. Dids’ incessant need for deadlines to be met taught me that no matter the circumstances, there is always a way. I will always hear this in the back of my mind whenever I’m slacking and need to get back on track.

When I first joined the class, there was an unspoken rule about freshmen

not being able to write editorials. I decided to push this boundary by proposing an op-ed about unequal treatment for athletes and artists. This caused Robert Rubin to say, “fine, you can write it, but it better be good.”

This first editorial is what helped me to find my niche in journalism. I have since had the opportunity to celebrate the School’s many triumphs and challenge some of its decisions because of the skills and platform gifted to me by the paper.

Molly Fried was The Pharcyde’s personal UberEats driver for every layout day that she was on the staff.

When team morale and productivity was dwindling, she would grab her keys and ask, “does anyone want chipwhiches?” This taught me the importance of surrounding yourself with a good support system. Even when each member on the staff was deliriously tired, we all found a way to keep going and struggled together.

During introductions on my first day of class, Jack Ramsey said, “joining this class will be the best decision you make throughout high school.”

Sure, I can credit my time on the paper for my 35 on the ACT writing section and my success in AP Lang, but more importantly, I am so lucky to have found the people who have become family (or Phamily) to me.

Mr. Dids: You pushed me both morally and academically to be my

absolute best. While you may have thought I was a “gadfly” when I first joined the class, I will never forget when you told me I could be your next Robert. I hope I have been able to prove my worth to you over the years. I am confident everything I have learned from you will be nothing short of wildly beneficial as I aspire for success throughout my life.

Doc: While I know we frustrate each other sometimes, I will always appreciate your unwavering support.

You have inspired me to become a more inquisitive journalist and taught me to never settle. You have also taught me the importance of mentorship, and I cannot thank you enough for putting up with my phone calls full of questions and humoring me when I needed it.

To the past editors of The Pharcyde: whether you know it or not, you have been my biggest role models and are the people I will seek out for advice when I need it the most. Jack and Robert: you guys have become my substitute big brothers, and it has been a privilege to share a part of this experience with you. Caroline and Christian: being a part of your editorial board taught me the importance of collaboration, and I am grateful for all your pieces of advice along the way. Molly and Skyler: you two have become my most trusted confidants and best friends; Lola and I love you

so much.

Tvisha: All I can say is thank you.

We have successfully defied the stereotype of bickering Co-Editors-inChief, and I am so lucky to have ended the year with a friendship that I’m confident will last. Over the years, we’ve joked about our coincidental meeting at freshman orientation, and I am so glad our bond has blossomed from that. Your passion and drive in all that you do is something everyone should admire, and I know you are going to absolutely thrive at Tufts.

Charlie: It has been an honor to watch you grow as a journalist over the past three years. This past year, I had the opportunity to watch you grow as a person, and it has become clear to me how much I will miss you. You will be an incredible mentor to the rising class of Pharcydians, and they are lucky to have you. Please never doubt yourself because I know you are capable of everything you wish to achieve. Thank you for sitting on the floor with me and always being there to offer a sense of comfort.

There is no doubt being a member of The Pharcyde is challenging and demands a solid work ethic, but despite the workload, the most difficult part of being on this staff is saying goodbye.

memories of a very blurry freshman year, I was convinced to join the class by former Co-Editor-in-Chief Christian Baldari ‘20 and current Co-Editor-in-Chief Sophia Liporace--a staff writer at the time.

Both of them swore that The Pharcyde was more than just a class: they told me it was a family within the Upper School. I had a hard time believing that, but I enjoyed reading the paper whenever it came out, and I enjoyed writing, so I gave it a shot.

I came into Mr. Didsbury’s class the following year thinking I would be the paper’s go-to political columnist and writer. However, as the year progressed and I was exposed to different forms of journalism, I realized that I felt I had the greatest impact on the School community when I branched out of writing about the news and providing political commentary.

In the intervening three years, I wrote about the School’s decision to not report students’ class rank, international and bilingual students’ experiences at the Upper School, and my perspective on the war in Ukraine.

On The Pharcyde, I sharpened my journalistic craft and developed my own style. I learned more about the inner workings of the Upper School than I could have ever imagined.

Most importantly, though, I had some of the experiences that would define my high school career and formed lasting connections with others.

Doc: Thank you for sticking with the rest of the staff and me when times got tough. In the end, no matter how much more work we had left to do or how late at night it was, we could count on you to see everything through to the end. Thank you for trusting me with a leadership role on the paper and for letting my creativity

develop.

Mr. Dids: While my first year on the paper was your last, I’m happy to have been able to work with you.

Thank you for developing my journalistic skills when they were in their infancy and for being a mentor when I was new to the staff. I’ll always remember one layout day you called me into your office and told me that you knew I would be a valuable addition to the paper.

Fellow editors and the rest of The Pharcyde staff: Thank you for the endless laughs, inspiration, and insight that you have provided me.

During my tenure on the paper, we have experienced the highs and lows of working on the paper together--and that’s what has made it so enjoyable.

We’ve been a team through thick and thin. I’m grateful for all of you and hope you continue to make the most of the positions you have to make a

difference in the Upper School community.

The past few years have certainly been a challenge: pandemic, isolation, and college admissions in an unbearably tough year. Throughout these challenging times, I’ve learned to revel in the challenges that life presents because they make the forthcoming successes all the more gratifying.

Georgetown-Bound Liberman Thankful for Experience

Evan Liberman Managing Editor As I reflect on my time on The Pharcyde, it’s difficult for me to pinpoint what made me get involved in the paper. After combing through the

Yo u ’ r e N e v e r T

COLLEGE DESTI

28

The Class is heading off to different States and the District of Columbia

112

The members of the Class will attend different institutions next fall.

71

CLASS

To o P H A R Aw a y

INATIONS OF THE

OF 2022

28%

of the Class will continue their educations in Florida.

Page 12

The Pharcyde

20 May 2022

AP Environmental Science Class Tests Lake Quality Water Amid Senior Lake Jump

Joey Tomassetti Staff Writer The last day of school for the seniors here at the Upper School is usually an emotional day. If there’s one thing that helps to brighten the mood, it’s the annual lake jump.

Each year in AP Environmental Science, Upper School biology teacher Mrs. Katelyn Ballard has her students test the water quality of the lake. In a recent BTV Interview, Mrs. Ballard shares what was discovered from their tests.

“We found overall the water quality index, which is a measurement of a scale from 0 to 100, was 78 for one class and 75 for another. They tested

on two different days. So, it qualifies as good water quality,” said Mrs. Ballard.

“What we did find as questionable is Fecal Coliform, and if you break the word apart, fecal is referring to feces, and coliform is referring to E. Coli. So, it’s bacteria that feeds on sewage or waste. But if you think about it, we have fish, turtles, ducks, and other animals in the pond, so they are excreting species, and bacteria is breaking it down as a result,” added Mrs. Ballard.

Junior Andrew Moffit is in AP Environmental Science this year, and he explains the type of tests that he and his classmates were doing to test

the water quality.

“To measure the water quality of the lake, we took tests on the biological oxygen demand, dissolved oxygen levels, existence of fecal coliform, nitrate levels, pH value, temperature by using a thermometer, total dissolved oxygen, total phosphates, and turbidity. Besides turbidity and temperature, we measured these levels by taking a sample of the water and adding a pill associated with each test, shook the test tube, and compared the color of the water with our color card that indicated the amount of the substance in the water,” said Moffit.

Moffit confirms Mrs. Ballard’s comments on the water quality of the lake, saying that they got overall good results and that his results were similar to his classmates.

“We found that the lake had an overall water quality index value of 75.26, which is indicated as “good” water quality. Although not the cleanest level, this “good” level is safe to jump in. My results from this lab were very similar to those of my classmates, as each class got a water quality of “good” for the lake,” added Moffit.

This year, the seniors were able to jump into the lake without any Fecal Coliform problems or anything else of that matter. The lake’s water quality was good for this year’s lake-jump, and hopefully the same positive results will come out of next year’s tests.

Off They Go: Seniors Set Eyes on One Last Summer Before College Tvisha Goel Co-Editor-in-Chief On April 29, the Benjamin community said farewell to its class of 2022, sending them through to the few weeks after full of AP exams and all the senior celebrations before they can finally call it summer.

Seniors have been working hard all year, keeping strong to the end, and while they will miss the Benjamin community dearly, they are excited to finally take a deep breath as they soak in the summer sun.

Senior Ryan Riutta simply wants to spend his summer break taking a stress reliever before heading off to Northeastern, located in Boston, Massachusetts. “This summer, I will be relaxing and trying to have as much fun as possible, mainly because I won’t get a summer break for the next four years, but I also need to wind down after all the hard work and effort that went into this year,” he said.

Riutta will not only spend his summer taking time for himself, but he will also spend some time trying to leave Benjamin’s robotics teams with a head start for next year.

While some seniors want to just chill out before a new wave of a different kind of rigor hits hard in the fall, some seniors are looking at a full schedule in the summer.

Senior Sophia Smith said, “This summer will be busy but I’m really looking forward to spending the remainder of time I have before college with my family and friends. If things go well at regionals to qualify for nationals, mg days will be occupied with training up until the middle of June. My family also has plans of traveling afterwards, and I hope to, and I hope to volunteer my time and energy for different causes at home and possibly even abroad this summer.”

Ultimately, looking forward to all the good things that will accompany college forces seniors to look back on all the things that have brought them this far and all the things they will miss.

Riutta said, “I will definitely miss VEX robotics and the friends I have made along the way. I’ll also miss tryharding on Mr. Ruggie’s tests to get on his wall. However, I’m looking forward to college, not just because I’ll get to learn partial differential equations but also because I can finally get out of the sweltering Florida heat. Boston is such a nice change of scenery, plus the city life will be a welcome change.”

Smith, who will also be moving to the northeast in the fall to attend Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, said, “College in Rhode Island will be a major adjustment to sunny, laid-back Florida, but I am really looking forward to learning and living in a town with rich history, food, and art as well as

belonging to a new community full of students from all over the world.

While it will be incredibly hard to say goodbye to all the people and places that have built my character into who I am today, the goodbye is not forever and I’ll always consider Jupiter and the people here my home.”

Not unlike the trend, senior Tvisha Goel, despite looking forward to moving back to her home region, said she will also miss what became her home for the last four years.

“I really just want to spend the summer spending quality time with my family and friends. It took a lot for me to adjust to Florida after moving from Connecticut, and initially I hated it here but I’ve found my niche and I’ve got a great group of friends.

I find myself struggling to leave it behind now. I hope all the seniors spend their summers relaxing and spending some well-deserved time to collect themselves before heading into the next big step in their lives,” she said.

The Pharcyde

20 May 2022

Page 13

Spring Dance Concert Reunites Benjamin Dance Community Leah Klein Staff Writer Both middle and high school students came together in Benjamin Hall on Friday, April 1, to captivate audiences with the annual Spring Dance Concert.

“This year’s theme was based on “Legends”, not of dance legends per se, but of music legends. The Dazzlers performed to Tina Turner’s famous “Proud Mary” during the finale, the dancers (both MS and US) also performed to the music of the Beatles, Bob Marley, Harry Belafonte, Miley Cyrus, Billy Joel, Ruelle, Prince, Shirley Bassey, Fergie, Irving Berlin, to name a few . . . a mix of the old and new,” said Upper School Performing Arts Chair Sara Salivar.

Preparations for the Spring Dance Concert were underway almost immediately after the Variety Show performance concluded in January.

Dancers have been attending classes to practice ballet, tap, jazz, dance, contemporary, and musical theater.

Performing for football games and in the first semester Variety Show also added to their experience.

“We had practice five or six times a week. These practices varied from 90-minutes to three-hours long. For our own dances, solos, duos, and trios, we had to do them on our own time usually during lunch, community block, or after practice,”said sophomore and Dazzler Skyler Hoben.

Kate Grande, a junior and Dazzler at Benjamin, participated in eight numbers. To prepare, she had to com-

mit hours each week to practice.

“I went to the dance studio every day during lunch for the past month, and also spent time practicing at home as well as going to practices 6 days a week,” said a visibly tired Grande.

Choreographers Angelica Downey and Corey Heins developed numbers for the dancers that ranged in style from classical ballet to contemporary hip-hop.

“Aside from training the dancers, the choreographers work on their pieces by exploring movement with their dancers, selecting the right music for their pieces, and then setting the dances. It takes a lot of time, dedication, talent and a clear vision to complete this,” said Mrs. Salivar.

Legends’ twenty seven numbers included dances, reflections, and solos. The Dazzlers and The Sparklers, The Benjamin School’s two dance teams, were featured numerous times.

“We had a great mix of large group numbers, small group numbers, duets, trios and some terrific solos that showcased the individual talent of our dancers. This was a high energy production, especially since it was the first time the Dazzlers, Sparklers and Dance Ensemble performed together in a live production since 2020,” said Sara Salivar.

An entire crew lay behind the scenes to help create a magical experience. Ken Archer directed the video presentation and video control booth, while Christopher Bell managed the lighting design and sound and music editing. Marina Gasparini

and her stage assistant Sage Sorenson instructed performers backstage and helped to organize.

For seniors, their performances at the Spring Dance Concert will be their last, due to their tenure at Benjamin ending. Some students have danced alongside seniors for multiple years, and will be sad that they will no longer be performing with them.

“This year was such a close and great team, it’s like we’re sisters. We all go through our ups and downs together and always help each other back up. Dancing with the seniors has made this year so special and feels like a family, and we will be missing

them so much,” said Asia Cohen, a sophomore who is a member of the Dazzlers.

At the conclusion of the concert, the four senior members of the Dazzlers were honored: Sophia Liporace, Amelia Porges, Abby Swank, and Caroline Yancey.

“Being on the Dazzlers has defined my high school experience, starting the summer before freshman year, so dancing with the team for the last time was really meaningful.

Abby, Amelia, Caroline, and I have had an incredible group of girls for our last year, and I will miss them all so much,” reflected Sophia Liporace,

a senior Dazzler who performed for the last time on Friday.

Freshman Hanna Soffan, who has a younger sister that attends The Benjamin Middle School, best summed up the performance.

“I attended the concert because my sister does dance at the middle school. I’m obviously really proud of how my sister did, but I also really enjoyed seeing a few people I know in high school perform. It was really clear they put a lot of effort in, and it paid off. I overall really enjoyed the performance and am happy the school doesn’t undervalue the arts,” said Soffan.

The main event of every year’s performing arts schedule, the annual Variety Show highlights performers from all three of the School’s divisions. Dancers, singers, actors, parents, teachers, and students all take to the Benjamin Hall stage in a thrillingly diverse production. Pictured above, middle school dancers perform in this year’s show.

(Photo by Leah Klein)

Final Spring Music Festival Spring Led By Dr. Lockey A Success Senior Spotlight Tvisha Goel Co-Editor-in-Chief The Spring Music Festival gave many seniors the insight into a bittersweet send off that followed the event weeks later. Many seniors saw this annual concert as their last time to perform in high school.

The Spring Music Festival took place on April 8, and was kicked off by the Middle School Performance and String Ensemble. This then led into the Upper School Chorus performances, featuring a very popular song “Singing in the Rain”. The event was concluded by the Upper School Chamber Ensemble, playing a series of pieces that then gave way to a senior celebration.

Dr. Nicholas Lockey, who leads the Upper School Band, described how he and the band choose the pieces they will play. “Every song we perform was carefully selected because it appeals to us and is valuable for teaching us how to be better performers and ensemble teams. Everything we do is (or becomes) a favorite by

the time the concert happens,” he explained.

Dr. Lockey reflects on the last year for his seniors in the band. “It’s always fun to lead the seniors through their last Spring Music Festival because they often take leading roles that represent the tremendous growth they have made since their first year in the program. I enjoy reflecting on how far they have come to reach that point,” he said.

Three seniors, Matt Postman, Will Zhang, and Madeleine Haas, performed in the music festival. All three have been playing in the Upper School band since they came to the Upper School, and all have been reflecting on their last performance in high school.

Postman, who plays the tuba said, “The Spring Music Festival was a great way to end my high school band career, and I hope to find a way to carry that passion into college.”

Haas, who handles the trombone with grace and elegance, has a strong desire to maintain her role in band for

The chorus added some choreography using umbrellas to their performance of “Singing in the Rain”. The choreography was conducted by sophomore Xan Blount.

(Photo courtesy of BTV)

as long as she can, especially through her years in college. She said, “This concert was especially important to me because it was my last time performing in the band in high school. It was a super emotional but happy experience. It’s funny because I started band in the sixth grade to get out of doing P.E but it ended up becoming my passion. Music is a big part of my life and I hope to become a music teacher myself. Dr. Lockey inspired me a lot to do and become better and I hope I can do the same for others one day.”

Zhang, on the other hand, plays a much smaller instrument: the flute.

He started playing the flute in seventh grade because “it’s a really amazing instrument. It plays the melody so it sounds nice. I really started playing when my band counselor needed a flute player but once I started, I fell in love with it. The Spring Music Festival was a great experience for me to perform in front of everyone in all four years of high school and as a senior now, it played as an event that allowed me to go back and see how much progress I’ve made. Sharing music with everyone else really means a lot to me,” he explained.

As these three seniors have explained, being in the band has been a great experience for them throughout their high school careers. It also plays a large role in allowing the group that is the Benjamin community to show what they have been preparing.

Dr. Lockey is unfortunately departing from the Benjamin community, but his influence and teachings will forever stay in his students. He said, “As I am leaving TBS after this year, I do not know what will be in store for next year, but I do know our students and music teachers will continue to develop wonderful and exciting programs for years to come.”

DANCE

Seniors Sophia Liporace and Abigail Swank anchor one of the many dance numbers during this year’s Variety Show. Four-year veteran Liporace is captain of the Upper School Dazzlers, while Swank is among its newest members.

(Photo by Leah Klein)

BAND

Following the Spring Dance Concert, the seniors honored Dr. Lockey for his tenure at Benjamin, as they each said something positive about him.

(Photo courtesy of BTV)

Page 14

The Pharcyde

20 May 2022

Peck Goes From the Big Stage to the Small Screen Tvisha Goel Co-Editor-in-Chief

News confirmed: the camera really does add five extra pounds, all corroborated by Benjamin’s very own Mr. Jason Peck. Mr. Peck is playing character Jason Brockman on the Disney-produced reboot of LA Law. Mr. Peck is playing a very important and prominent character in the reboot, as Jason Brackman is one of the senior members of the firm Lehman, Brackman, and Becker.

On set, Mr. Peck worked with well-known actors such as Blair Underwood and Corbin Bernsen. But Mr. Peck’s students, juniors Alex Fleming-Lake and Katherine Rodgers, were really excited about having their teacher meet Olivia Rodrigo.

It is not Mr. Peck’s first time playing Jason Brackman, as he played this character in the 2002 movie of LA Law. However, preparation is still needed to truly fulfill the embodiment of this character.

Mr. Peck said, “Because I got cast in the 2002 reunion movie and then 20 years later, they’re doing this reboot. But I had myself go back to the original footage from 2002 to see what I did, what my vocal cadence was, and things like that. So it’s the first time I’ve ever actually had to revisit a role that I played such such a long time ago. So I went to the tape, and since I didn’t have this on DVD, I had to break out my own VHS player to watch it.”

Mr. Peck has had a lot of experience in theater, especially as he has his own theater company in

Benjamin Student Group Care Crew Holding Its 5th Annual Book Drive Charlie Spungin Copy Editor Care Crew, an organization that consists of many Benjamin students, is holding its fifth annual Book Drive this year.

The nonprofit organization was founded around five years ago by Benjamin students, led in part by Benjamin mother Mrs. Natalie Marx.

The group, with many underclassmen, was formerly a girl scout group with higher ambitions, so they formed a nonprofit in order to maximize their ability to help the community.

“It started when we were looking for a school with needs and found a title one school with the most homeless families in Palm Beach County,” Mrs. Marx explained.

This school is Highland Elementary School in Lake Worth, and the books “should be up to 6-7 grade level”, according to Mrs. Marx. To donate, contact junior Sophie Marx,

who is helping coordinate the donations from Benjamin.

The timeliness of the drive is intentional. Care Crew looks to donate these books towards the end of the school year so that the students who receive them will have something to read over the summer.

A staple of the organization, the Book Drive certainly has meaning to the members of Care Crew, as it is one of their many ways of giving back to their community. Freshman Leah Klein, one of the longest-tenured members of Care Crew, is quite passionate about the annual drive and looks forward to it annually.

“We have continued to organize this tradition year after year because we know how much of a difference that bringing books can make to these kids,” Klein said.

Additionally, part of what makes this so rewarding for Care Crew is the gratitude of those who receive the books.

Members of Care Crew and their parents pose with a large Care Crew flag. The nonprofit has helped many within the local community.

(Photo courtesy of Leah Klein)

“The faculty at the school will sometimes reach to us after the event and express their gratitude and how much happiness it brings the students,” Klein explained.

We know how much of a difference that bringing books can make to these kids.

-Leah Klein The rewarding experience is what makes it such a cherished part of the organization. The members go to Highland Elementary School together with the books and food to give to the students. This type of experience creates memories for those in Care Crew that aren’t forgotten year after year.

Giving back to the community is the overarching goal of Care Crew, and the Book Drive furthers this objective each year.

“It’s amazing to see how far our efforts can go to change people’s lives,” Klein said.

An advertisement can be found in the Didsbury Learning Commons, as Care Crew continues to create positivity not only in the Benjamin community but also in the community of Palm Beach County, bringing smiles to faces-- both young and old-- across the community in a variety of ways.

This Book Drive is yet another way that the organization has found itself giving back. Expect it back next year for a sixth straight year.

Connecticut, called Thrown Stone Theatre Company. Hence, as Mr. Peck pointed out when asked why he jumped back into acting, this role he has now received in the reboot was pure happenstance.

He stated, “The casting director knew they wanted to have some continuity from the 2002 movie.

They reached out to me last October, I thought it was a prank and I never got back to them. And then they kept on being persistent. I realized this is actually real. And they said, would you want to play with us? And I said, sure.”

Mr. Peck has a recurring role as Jason Breckman, but as of right now, only the pilot has been shot. It was shot over spring break, but as Mr. Peck explained, the pilot will be reviewed in May, which is when he will find out whether the producers will make that pilot the season premiere or whether they will not proceed with the show.

While Mr. Peck is definitely a valued member of the cast, he is also an important member of the Benjamin community. As an intersection between his two roles, Mr. Peck wants to use what he learns as lawyer Jason Breckman and apply it as Drama Teacher Jason Peck.

“It’s really important to remind myself of the stresses of what it’s like to be on this kind of set. And I forgot in filming how difficult it is because the whole thing shoots out of order.

When you’re doing a play, it starts from the beginning to the end. When you’re shooting a movie or television

show, you might shoot the very last scene of the film the first day you’re there. So mapping the kind of emotional content and the emotional journey of your character is a really huge challenge. I forgot how difficult that was. So I’m gonna bring that to my students,” he said.

Fleming-Lake and Rodgers have learned a lot from Mr. Peck.

“I learned the art of nuances, and how to be subtle but still powerful in my scenes,” Fleming-Lake said.

Rodgers credits the success of the fall drama play, All My Sons, to Mr. Peck. “All My Sons was super challenging and he helped all of us in our characters to bring our real emotion into the play, and that wouldn’t have happened without him,” she said.

Both hope Mr. Peck will be able to bring even more insight from his Hollywood experience to the classroom.

Mr. Peck gets ready to get into character. He will be starring as Jason Brackman in the 2022 reboot of LA Law. (Photo courtesy of Mr. Peck)

The Pharcyde

20 May 2022

How The 2022 NFL Draft Shook Up the NFL Landscape

Having Best Season in Their Franchise’s History, Can Panthers Keep It Going?

Charlie Spungin Copy Editor

Evan Liberman Managing Editor

Following five months of the exciting NFL season comes the long offseason, but draft day is always a delight for fans. They get a glimpse into the future of the league, as teams look to add the best young prospects available.

This year’s draft was quite unique in its own right, as the major storyline heading in was the quarterback talent -- or lack thereof. This year’s quarterback class is seen as the worst in recent memory, and NFL front offices seemingly thought the same, as only one quarterback went in the first round with the second not going until the third.

With that said, there are always teams that have drafts that stand out above the rest, and vise versa; there are teams that simply make bad picks and reach in the eyes of the NFL community. Here are the biggest winners and losers from the 2022 NFL Draft.

Winner: Baltimore Ravens The Ravens were probably the biggest winner from this draft. With their first pick at pick 14, they selected safety Kyle Hamilton, who some saw as a top 5 prospect in the draft.

They then followed that up with center Tyler Linderbaum at pick 25, the top center in the draft. Then, however, they likely followed it up with their best value pick in the draft: edge David Ojabo at pick 45, who was a star at Michigan until a knee injury lowered his draft stock. From this point on, the Ravens continued to take steal after steal, as they certainly walked away adding some real talent to propel them back to the AFC playoff picture.

Loser: New England Patriots It’s tough to question legendary coach Bill Belichick, but he made it pretty easy to do this year. The majority of this criticism comes with the team’s first-round pick; at pick 29, they took guard Cole Strange.

Most viewed Strange as a third or fourth-round pick, but the Patriots taking him at 29 certainly raised some eyebrows. Their second-round pick, wide receiver Tyquan Thornton also could be seen as a reach, though he does address a position of need.

Overall, they didn’t have any home run picks that made anyone go “wow, that was a great steal”. For a team who will be looking to really build around Mac Jones offensively, they certainly reached on some draft picks while attempting to do this.

Winner: New York Jets The Patriots division rival, the

Here in South Florida, the flowers are blooming, the sun is shining, and the area is lucky to see a day where the weather is under 80 degrees. Nevertheless, NHL playoff hockey has returned to Sunrise and the Florida Panthers have wasted no time, eliminating the eighth seed Washington Capitals in six games. For the first time in 26 years, the Panthers are advancing to the second round of the Stanely Cup Playoffs against in-state rival the Tampa Bay Lightning This was not the first record-breaking moment this season, though. The Cats were the first team in the NHL to clinch a playoff spot (nearly a month before the playoffs began on May 2) and won both the Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference. Perhaps most importantly, for the first time in franchise history, they won the President’s Trophy-an award given to the team with the most points at the end of the regular season.

Despite these successes and a near-perfect regular season, the NHL playoffs are a different beast. What a team accomplished in the regular season has no effect on the postseason. The cats will need to keep this in mind in the second round and not rest on their laurels.

As the Panthers-Lightning series progresses, here are The Pharcyde’s “Keys to Victory” for the Panthers as they look to extend their best season in history: 1. Sergei Bobrovsky Must Remain Rock Solid in Net: Bobrovsky put up a phenomenal 39-7-3 record through the first 82 games and was nearly perfect in the first round. Encountering a hot goalie

Jets, came out on of this draft on the opposite spectrum as them. The Jets had three first round picks, and they hit on all of them. At pick four, they selected cornerback Sauce Gardner.

At pick 10, they selected wide receiver Garrett Wilson, and at pick 26, they selected edge Jermaine Johnson II. These were all amazing selections, and they continued this in the second round; at pick 36, they selected the top running back in this draft, Breece Hall. For a team that hasn’t made the playoff since 2010, the Jets are certainly going to be turning it around with this draft class.

Loser: Jacksonville Jaguars This could be widely disputed, but the Travon Walker hype made little sense. Walker, an edge, jumped from a late first-round pick to the first-round pick during the pre-draft process, something that usually doesn’t happen. A freak athlete admittingly, Walker lacked production overall at Georgia, so this certainly could be a questioned pick. At pick 27, the Jaguars selected linebacker Devin Lloyd. First-round linebackers, too, can be questionable. Overall, to me, this Jaguars draft class was quite underwhelming, especially for a team that held the top pick in the draft and is simply one year removed from selecting Trevor Lawrence, who was viewed as a generational prospect.

Winner: Philadelphia Eagles The Eagles ended the regular season with an impressive 6-2 record to propel them to the playoffs. Here they are a few months later walking out of the draft extremely happy. At pick 13, they selected interior defensive lineman Jordan Davis, an absolute athletic freak despite his size. He will be learning from Fletcher Cox, one of the top players at the same position for the last decade. Then, they used pick 18 to trade for wide receiver AJ Brown from the Tennes-

see Titans, who is one of the top wide receivers in the league and forms a formidable wide receiver duo with DeVonta Smith. In the third round, they had arguably the biggest steal of the draft with linebacker Nakobe Dean, who some viewed as a firstround prospect. The Eagles will look to make the playoffs again this year after loading up on some serious topend talent.

Loser: Arizona Cardinals The Cardinals didn’t make any terrible picks per se, but they still walked away from the draft as losers.

They traded what was a similar draft pick (pick 25) for Marquise Brown that the Eagles used to trade for AJ Brown, and Brown is a much better player. Additionally, they didn’t have any picks that stood out. Tight end Trey McBride was their first selection at pick 55, but the Cardinals failed to address their biggest need this draft: cornerback. For a team who fell apart at the end of the regular season with a 1-4 record in their last five games and a Wild Card loss after starting the season 7-0, their draft didn’t do much to propel them to contenders.

Winner: Kansas City Chiefs Hitting on drafts will be important for the Chiefs, who are set to be perennial contenders with quarterback Patrick Mahomes at the helm.

With their two first round picks at pick 21 and pick 30, they selected cornerback Trent McDuffie and edge George Karlaftis, addressing two big position of needs for them. Then, in the second round at pick 54, they selected wide receiver Skyy Moore, addressing yet another position of need.

In the third round, they -- like the Eagles -- got a hugesteal of a linebacker with Leo Chanel, who some saw as a first round prospect. The Chiefs, who unfortunately missed the Super Bowl this year, could certainly see themselves back as champions next year.

Page 15

in the playoffs is an almost sure-fire way to get eliminated. He needs to continue to play at a high level to support the team as it looks ahead into the second round.

2. ‘Girouxberdeau’ Pairing Needs to Remain Productive On Mar. 19, the Panthers acquired long-time Flyers captain Claude Giroux, who was immediately paired with superstar winger Jonathan Huberdeau. Initially, the two had “no chemistry whatsoever,” as Giroux quipped at an early April press conference. But, soon enough, the two (along with recent pickup Sam Bennett) found each other. Only eight lines in the NHL have more expected goals per game than them--a surprising feat for a line that was only formed two months ago. The Giroux-Huberdeau pairing has been jokingly described as ‘Girouxberdeau,’ but, joke or not, it must continue to put up amazing numbers if the Panthers want a chance at making a deep cup run this year.

3. Mackenzie Weegar Needs to Do Better Weegar was noticeably lackluster for a first-pairing defenseman against the Capitals. And while his statistics may not reflect his poor play (in part because of the Panthers’ success in the first round), it seemed like whenever Weegar had the puck he was making mistakes. This included several errant passes, turnovers, and spills onto the ice. Now that he is back to playing with star defenseman Aaron Ekblad-who was injured at the tail end of the regular season--Weegar needs to tighten his play if the Panthers want to win against the back-to-back Stanely Cup Champion, the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Left wing Jonathan Huberdeau led the Panthers in points this season, and he should continue to be an important part of the team’s success this year.

(Photo courtesy of puckprose.com)

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The Pharcyde

20 May 2022

4 NBA Teams Remain: Why Each Team Has a Shot to Win it All Joey Tomassetti Staff Writer After another exciting season in the NBA, the 2021-2022 NBA Playoffs have brought even more joy than before to fans of every team. Since the start of the playoffs on April 16, the first two rounds have produced many memorable moments, but only four teams have come out of these first two rounds alive.

Now that the Conference Finals are underway, The Pharcyde is going to dissect each of the remaining teams and take a look at what makes them great and what they need to do to win the championship.

Miami Heat: What Makes Them Great: If you had been told that Jimmy Butler would miss 25 games, Bam Adebayo would miss 26 games, Kyle Lowry would miss 19 games, Tyler Herro would miss 16 games, and Victor Oladipo would miss nearly 75% of the season and the Heat would still get the one seed in the East, chances are you probably wouldn’t have believed it. With a hall of fame coach at the helm in Erik Spoelstra and one of the best development programs that the NBA has ever seen, anything is possible. Duncan Robinson, Max Strus, Gabe Vincent, and Caleb Martin might not be household names, or drafted at least, but each and every one of them have contributed to winning at some point this season.

And how can you talk about the Heat without mentioning their “glue guy” in P.J. Tucker.

What They Need To Do To Win a Championship: First of all, Jimmy Butler has to continue to be…Jimmy Butler. Throughout his career, he has been a better playoff performer than regular season performer. Butler has looked so comfortable as “the guy” on this Heat team, as he tries to lead them to their second finals berth in the last three seasons. One thing Miami needs to work on is their half court offense, specifically their threepoint shooting. It doesn’t help that their floor general in Kyle Lowry is day-to-day with a hamstring injury, but they need to figure this out in or-

der for them to go all the way. This team is capable of exploding for 120 points and 20 threes per game, but we haven’t seen it yet in the playoffs.

During the regular season, the Heat led the league in three point shooting at 37.9%, but are last among the four remaining teams in three point shooting in the playoffs, at 32.1%. If they start shooting better and get a healthy Kyle Lowry back soon, Miami becomes an even tougher out.

Boston Celtics: What Makes Them Great: After a bank-shot, game-winning three from RJ Barrett on January 6, the Celtics fell to 18-21. One of the best teams in the league for the past two decades, it is not normal for the Celtics to be… average. Then, things started to turn around. The Celtics would go on to win 33 of their final 43 games to end the season, and secure the two seed when some thought they wouldn’t even make it out of the first round.

Why are they so good? Well, it helps that Jayson Tatum is a hooper. Maybe one of the best “tough shot-makers” in the league, Tatum is capable of making any shot from anywhere on the floor. And as we’ve seen throughout the first two rounds, he has become a great defender as well. Jaylen Brown is a great companion to Tatum, they have an elite defense led by Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart, and first year head coach Ime Udoka has done a great job of righting the ship in Boston. Having Robert Williams back brings rim protection and high energy play, Al Horford brings the leadership and veteran savvy, and Grant Williams can hit seven threes in a game 7 if you need him to.

What They Need To Do To Win a Championship: They have to consistently make shots. Everyone knows the defense is going to show up each and every game for the Celtics, but it’s the offense that is a big question mark. As a great defensive team, you are going to force a lot of turnovers which leads to a lot of fastbreak opportunities. But it’s the half court offense, similar to the Heat, that can be questionable at times. How long can Tatum and Brown carry the offense with their talented shot-making? Will

the Celtics be able to make their open shots? Will they get enough contributions from their role players? These are all questions that will need to be answered in order for the Celtics to win the championship. If they can get past the offensive struggles, they will be another team that is hard to beat.

Golden State Warriors: What Makes Them Great: Only one team comes to mind in terms of pure domination of the latter half of the 2010s: the Dubs. The NBA’s 2015, 2017, and 2018 champion is back in the Conference Finals for the first time in three years, but this time they have new faces. Even though there’s no more Kevin Durant in Golden State, they are still a welloiled machine with Championship DNA coursing through their veins.

Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green have all been to the finals before (five times to be exact).

New-comers Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins have been welcoming additions to Steve Kerr’s arsenal, taking some of the pressure off of Curry and Thompson scoring-wise. They also have an elite level defense, anchored by former Defensive Player of the Year Draymond Green. Kevon Looney is a force in the rebounding department, rookie Jonathan Kuminga brings his boundless energy every game, and Otto Porter Jr. is a consistent shooter from three.

What They Need To Do To Win a Championship: Most of the time, the Warriors offense looks like it’s on a string: every player on the floor touches the ball, there are tons of backdoor layups, and threes rain down from all over the floor. But sometimes, they get a little sloppy. In their second round series against Memphis, the Warriors offense was really slowed down due to the amount of turnovers they were committing. When you move the ball as much as they do, you are going to turn the ball over more than usual. To be fair, they also have a lot of different faces compared to their dynasty team from a few years ago. But they were turning the ball over an uncanny amount, to the point where it felt like it was every offensive possession. Turnovers can

also really disrupt players’ shooting rhythm, which is why the Warriors struggle from three sometimes, even though they arguably have two of the best shooters of all time. If they fix their turnover issues, they might be on their way to their fourth championship since 2015.

Dallas Mavericks: What Makes Them Great: At the trade deadline, the Mavericks shipped off big man Kristaps Porzingis to the Washington Wizards for guard Spencer Dinwiddie and forward Davis Bertans. People laughed at the Mavericks for what they got in return for the former all star. Looking at the trade now, it was pretty lopsided…for the Mavericks. Bertans has given the Mavs a nice spark off the bench at times, but the addition of Dinwiddie gave the Mavs another ball-handler to take the pressure off of Luka Doncic. Jalen Brunson having a breakout year was another much needed development for this Mavericks team. New coach Jason Kidd has done a great job at maximizing the superstardom of Luka Doncic while also helping the Mavs become one of the best defensive teams in the league, something they haven’t been since 2011 (the last time they won the championship). Dorian Finney-Smith has become one of the league’s best three-and-D wings, Dwight Powell is a gritty and high IQ defensive big-

man, and Reggie Bullock and Maxi Kleber can shoot with the best of them.

What They Need To Do To Win a Championship: In the Mavericks’ shocking second round upset of the one-seeded Suns, they shot the ball at a blistering rate. Thanks to all of the attention Luka Doncic draws when he drives, he creates wide open shots for his teammates. Key number one for them to win is to continue to shoot well. Here we are in 2022, where each of the remaining four teams has to shoot the ball well in order to win the championship. It shows how the game has evolved and how important three-point shooting has truly become. Key number two for this team is to not let Luka Doncic and Jalen Brunson get stuck in uncomfortable defensive situations. What this means is that their defensive liabilities need to be hidden through the use of double teams and traps, instead of letting them go one-on-one every time down the floor. For as good as these two are offensively, they will be at the top of the opposing team’s game plan when it comes to breaking down the Mavericks defense. If the Mavs can defend well with Doncic and Brunson on the floor, and if they can continue to shoot the lights out (no surprise), they will become one of the biggest underdog champions in recent NBA history.

The Best of the Best: The Pharcyde’s NBA Superlatives Charlie Spungin Copy Editor Best Foreign-Born Player: Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets Jokic, who is from Serbia, won his second consecutive MVP award this season, averaging 27.1 points, 13.8 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game.

Best Single-Game Performance: Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves On March 14, Towns put up 60 points, 17 rebounds, and 3 assists on a 61 FG% en route to a 149-139 victory over the San Antonio Spurs.

Best Palm Beach County Player: Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors Barnes, who attended Cardinal Newman in his freshman year, won Rookie of the Year after averaging 15.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game.

Most Likely to Star in SpaceJam 3: Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies Morant won Most Improved Player this year, as he broke out to near-superstardom by leading the Grizzlies to the 2 seed by averaging 27.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game. He is only 22 with a clearly bright future ahead of him.

Most Likely to Become a Coach: Chris Paul, Phoenix Suns

Raptors forward Scottie Barnes was named Best Palm Beach County Player, as he attended Cardinal Newman for part of his high school career. He was the NBA’s Rookie of the Year.

(Photo courtesy of wikimedia)

For years, Paul has had one of the higher basketball IQs in the league.

Though he still is playing at a high level, he is 37 and will likely retire within the next five years.

Best Player ≤6’0”: Chris Paul, Phoenix Suns As the starting point guard of the league-leading 64 win Suns, Paul averaged 14.7 points and 10.8 assists per game, which led the league.

Best Player ≥7’0”: Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers Embiid finished second in the MVP race this year, as he dominantly averaged a league-leading 30.6 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 4.2 assists

per game.

Most Exciting Player: Ja Morant Morant’s exciting slashing ability has led to many highlights of his acrobatic layups and ridiculous dunks that go viral. Tuning into Memphis has been something that could lead to an amazing highlight by Morant.

Best Shooter: Desmond Bane, Memphis Grizzlies Bane was an integral part to the Grizzlies success this year, as he provided amazing floor spacing for Morant. Bane shot 43.6% from three on 6.9 attempts per game this year.

Best Scorer: Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers Embiid led the league in scoring this season, averaging 30.6 points per game on above average efficiency (61.6 TS%).

Best Finisher: Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies Morant became the first guard to lead the NBA in paint points in NBA history, as about 15 of his 27 points per game came from there. His excellent finishing ability was a catalyst for this.

Best Passer: Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks Young averaged 9.7 assists per game as the offensive powerhouse for the Hawks, making amazing reads and passes out of the pick and roll all season long.

Best Defender: Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat Adebayo didn’t win Defensive Player of the Year, but he was undoubtedly snubbed; his ability to guard all the positions and have an incredible impact on that side of the court warrants this for him.

Best Dunker: Miles Bridges, Charlotte Hornets In tandem with LaMelo Ball, Bridges has created some extremely exciting plays this season with his incredible dunks.

Most Surprising Player: Jordan Poole, Golden State Warriors Poole broke out this season to help the Warriors rise to contender-

ship once again, as he has averaged 18.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game.

Best Florida Player: Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat Players from the Miami Heat and Orlando Magic are eligible for this award. Ultimately, Butler is clearly the best, as he has averaged 21.4 points per game, 6.9 rebounds per game, and 5.5 assists per game this season.

Best Florida Performance: Victor Oladipo, Miami Heat Though it was in a game that did not matter, Oladipo scored 40 points and tacked on 10 rebounds and 7 assists on April 10.

Grizzlies guard Ja Morant and Suns guard Chris Paul walked away with multiple superlatives.

(Photo courtesy of nba.com)

The Pharcyde

Page 17

20 May 2022

Setting Records, Winning States, & More:

This Year in Sports 23

rd

Pick in the NFL draft

20 College Commits 15 District Titles

* Bounds * Bowens * Buccilli * Cueto * Griffith * Gonzalez * Haggard * * Horgen * Key * Lyons * Malmberg * McGruder * Regnery * Rodriguez * * Roe * Smith, A * Smith, S * Tadros* Thomason * Valentini *

Volleyball

Girls Soccer

Girls Swimming

Boys Basketball

Girls Track and Field

Boys Track and Field

Girls Basketball

Girls Tennis

Boys Cross Country

Boys Golf

Girls Cross Country

Girls Golf

Boys Soccer

Boys Lacrosse

Girls Lacrosse

6 HALL OF FAME

INDUCTEES

5 Regional Titles

Volleyball

4 Individual State Champions

Andie Smith - Golf

Boys Soccer

Girls Soccer

Calvin Bowens - Discus

Boys Lacrosse

Micah Mays - 400 m Micah Mays - Triple Jump

1 Team

State Championship

Boys Track and Field

Boys Track and Field

Page 18

The Pharcyde

20 May 2022

Tennis Teams Hit Towards Baseball Team Loses Early In Postseason Another Successful Season Run, Shock and Dissapointment For Players Evan Liberman Managing Editor The Upper School’s Varsity Tennis Team has run, sliced, and volleyed its way to another successful year, and is looking ahead to next season to strengthen its current weaknesses and build off of its successes.

This year, while the boys’ team fell in the district final, the girls’ team triumphed, advancing to and winning the district championship.

Commenting on the team’s triumphs and failures in the most recent season, Head Coach Robbie Clause told The Pharcyde: “The girls’ team won districts and got to the finals for the regional competition. We lost in two tiebreakers in a deciding match for the state invitation. So, we’re going to move forward and on next year.”

Coach Clause also paid tribute to some of the tennis team’s players, especially some of the outgoing seniors: “Girls were led at #1 by sophomore Ryan Wuhrman. [I’m] so proud of her for leading by example. Jane Boyland, a senior who will be attending Lehigh University in the fall, was the player who stood up and lead by maturing into her best self. Danielle Lancaster [will] also be missed,” he wrote to The Pharcyde.

Although senior Jane Boyland, who made it to the state champion-

ship along with Ryan Wuhrman after winning the semi-finals 6-0, 2-6, 10-4, echoed Coach Clause’s words: “I have learned a lot about myself throughout the season, but especially at the state championships… I played my absolute best tennis that day, and it was more rewarding than I could have ever imagined. The communication Ryan and I have earned over the past few months is the reason we made it to the state championship. I feel as though I have made my mark.”

Speaking about the successes of the team this year, senior Danielle Lancaster felt that a lot of the success of the team came from its cohesiveness. She thought the team became really close this year, which was a major contributor to their success.

However, she believes that next year both teams could focus on closing out their matches better and putting easy games away: “We had a lot of close matches that should not have been so close,” Lancaster elaborated.

Looking ahead, Coach Clause said that he hopes both teams can be “district champions and more.”

He closed by saying that, this year, the boys’ team didn’t have a single returning player and had to learn how to play as a team as the season progressed: “Remember, it’s the will not just the skill [that’s important],” Coach Clause shared.

Joey Tomassetti Staff Writer After a fairly successful season, the boys baseball team’s year came to a close on May 11, after a 11-4 loss in the Regional Quarterfinals to Cardinal Newman High School.

Seniors Jake Haggard and Max Joy led the team in hits with 22 each, while Haggard and Joy led the team in other categories as well. The team got some solid outings from their pitching staff, led by junior Freddy Beruvides with a 3.25 ERA in ten appearances.

Benjamin had a six game losing streak earlier in the season, but they bounced back by winning three straight games and five of their next eight games overall. This bounce back gave them supreme confidence heading into districts, and this confidence was only fueled by nearly a week of rest heading into the game, but the team ultimately came up short to their rival King’s Academy 4-3.

Then, about a week after Districts, Benjamin’s loss to Cardinal Newman effectively ended their season, preventing them from winning a regional championship despite losing their shot at the district trophy.

Sophomore Shane Giaimo believes that Benjamin struggled against Cardinal Newman for a variety of reasons that ultimately held them back from taking home the victory.

“We couldn’t pull out the win mainly because our pitching wasn’t as strong as it could have been. It didn’t help that our hitting couldn’t keep up with theirs either. Around the fifth inning, the game got out of our hands,” said Giaimo.

Giaimo explains how the expectation amongst the players was that they were going to make a deep playoff run because of the overall talent on the roster.

“We definitely thought we were going to make it deeper into the playoffs. Unfortunately, due to some of our key guys being injured, we fell

short of our goal. Honestly, this is probably the best the team has looked on paper in about five years,” said Giaimo.

We definitely thought we were going to make it deeper into the playoffs.

Unfortunately, due to some of our key guys being injured, we fell short of our goal.

-Shane Giamo Sophomore Jake Figman felt that there were multiple significant memories from this season,including was the team’s thrilling comeback on senior night, where they overcame a nine point deficit and the tough effort that they exemplified against Cardinal Newman.

“One of my favorite moments was on senior night when we came back down 9-2 against Jupiter Christian and ended up winning 13-12.

Another great moment was during the regionals game against Cardinal Newman where we really came together as a team, even though we lost,” said Figman.

Additionally, Figman thinks that the team is bound to be improved next season, largely in part due to all of the injuries that the team had suffered over the course of this season.

“Our goal for next year is to make it to states because we were only three wins away from states this year, considering how injury ridden we were. If we’re at full health next year, we will be a very hard team to beat,” said Figman.

Even though it was a “disappointing” season for most, it looks like Benjamin’s baseball team is in good shape for next year as long as poor health does not get in the team’s way of success, like it did for them this year. With the departure of seniors such as Jake Haggard and Max Joy, it will be important for players to step up for the team in their quest to capture a state title. Luckily, with the immensely talented team, it shouldn’t be difficult for this roster to find replacements for these seniors.

Junior Rocco Gaeta winds up, as he prepares to swing. Gaeta was an important part to the team’s turnaround in the latter half of the season.

(Photo by Erika Sousa)

Track Team Sprints to Best Season in School History Sophia Liporace Co-Editor-in-Chief The boys’ and girls’ track teams had the most successful season in the history of the school, boasting district, regional, and state championships.

Girls’ head coach Mr. Bob Hohnadel and boys’ head coach Coaach Barrett Saunders are set on leading the teams to accomplish new goals.

Coach Saunders has led the boys’ team to three back-to-back district titles as well as first place at the regional meet and the state championship.

“The goal for the rest of this year was first and foremost to try and qual-

ify as many guys for the state meet as possible. The more guys that qualify for state meet the more experience the team gains. The next main goal was to try and win the first regional title in school history, lastly we wanted to compete well at the state meet, if that happens we will give ourselves a shot at winning a state title,” he said.

Besides being the first Benjamin boys’ track team to win regionals and states, one of the boys’ biggest successes this season was winning the county championship meet, making them the first private school to do so.

With these successes came challenges, according to senior Matthew

Junior Ingrid Corpus warms up before sprinting off to another race during her meet.

(Photo courtesy of Mr. Cramer)

Postman, who detailed the team’s struggles over the course of the season.

“Personally, the biggest challenge I overcame this year was mentally battling myself, as I wanted to push myself as much as I could to run as fast as I could, and in doing so it took a lot of mental challenge. In terms of the team, I wish we could have gotten more members for our distance team as we could have made a bigger impact for the team come regionals and districts,” he said.

The goal first and foremost was to try and qualify as many guys for the state meet as possible. The more guys that qualify for state meet the more experience the team gains.

-Coach Barrett Saunders The girls’ team was similarly successful, according to Mr. Hohnadel.

“The group that I coached did very well. They did as well as they did in cross country; its the same group of girls, and they did really good. Districts was our best meet.

Everybody came through and got all the points we needed,” added Mr. Hohnadel.

Junior Darrell Sweeting leaps in the long jump. Sweeting was one of the track team’s most important contributors this season. (Photo courtesy of Mr. Cramer)

Distance runners, junior Ingrid Corpus and freshman Sydney Schiff, both noted how their coach has been immensely helpful in helping them improve.

“My coach, Coach Ho, helped me improve this season by giving the team intense track sessions, helping us to increase the mileage and intensity along the way, and of course encouraging us and pushing us to be our best, supporting us in every race,” said Schiff.

For Corpus, the training plan has been integral to her success.

“I PRed in both the 1600 and 3200 at the Palm League championship meet. The coaching staff has been very accommodating and has

helped me with my training plan, specifically by incorporating more speed work into practices,” added Corpus.

While the girls did not perform as well as regionals and states, select runners did well, including the girls’ 4x800 relay team who placed 8th at states.

Track season was a monumental success, as the team had the best season in school history, setting records across the board and with the boys taking home the state championship for the first time in school history. This success should carry over to next season with star juniors like Micah Mays, Cole Grande, Sophia Buller, and Corpus returning.

The Pharcyde

20 May 2022

Page 19

Lacrosse’s Shots Didn’t Miss: Boys and Girls Have Postseason Success Tvisha Goel Co-Editor-in-Chief The boys’ and girls’ varsity lacrosse teams had a great 2022 season with both teams having long post-season runs in pursuit of state championships this year.

Unfortunately, both teams came up just shy of their ultimate goal, with the boys losing to St. Andrews in the State Championship Game, 7-9 and the girls falling to Pine Crest in Regional semi-finals, 11-13. Nonetheless, all players kept a strong mentality through and through and played strong all throughout the season.

Senior Logan Sorenson, who will be attending Clemson University in the fall, confessed, “I was pretty nervous because we were playing on a new field and in a big stadium but it all went away after we started warming up.”

Senior Ella Hayes on the girls’ varsity team, who will be attending University of Georgia this fall, said that she remained positive throughout, especially going into the last game of their season. “I love this team and I knew that no matter the outcome of the game, I was very proud of us all,” she stated.

The seniors on the girls lacrosse team pose as a pyramid.

Many members of both the lacrosse teams had a good run this year. Senior Jack Horgen said that the highlight of his season was the district finals against St. Edwards. Sorenson went one step forward to say that the highlight of his season was beating St. Edwards in the regional semifinals because “they took us out last year and they trash talk a lot.”

Hayes stated, “Beating Kings’ 20-1 was the highlight of this season.

As a team, we had so much energy and confidence that it really brought us together. During that game, two of our girls got hurt and we knew beating Kings’ that bad was the best retaliation.”

Lacrosse is an enduring sport that takes speed, agility, a great sense of hand-eye coordination, and requires a lot of teamwork. The sport naturally builds skill sets that are beneficial both on and off the field.

“A skill that I built this year was expanding on the value of trust. I learned how to trust my teammates on and off the field, allowing me to do so well this season,” Hayes said.

Seniors are seen as and expected to be the team leaders, so this year, many of them learned new skills in leadership that they may not have had the chance to before.

Horgen said, “I was able to build the skill of coordinating and embracing a bunch of diverse personalities to form a successful team.”

Determination is not a skill that people are born with, but it is definitely created and strengthened throughout one’s life and experiences. Sorenson said, “A skill that I built this year was commitment. I learned how to be committed to the process

Beach Volleyball Wraps Inaugural Season, Encouraged By Mid-Season Growth Leah Klein Staff Writer Throughout the spring, girls beach volleyball players have been hard at work at the newly established beach volleyball court after school everyday during the season.

Beach volleyball shares similarities with indoor volleyball. On the Benjamin team, there are six pairs of players that compete. The game is broken up into three sets, which are played until one team reaches twenty-one points. The overall game is played to the best of three, meaning that if a team wins the first two sets, then the third set will be automatically won and the team would win the entire match.

“It is two on two and is played to 21. The teams switch sides every time both teams’ scores add to a multiple of 7, with the side switch adding to 21 as the “technical timeout”. Coaches are not allowed to coach during play but can do so during side switches and timeouts,” said Addie Bounds, a senior.

While beach volleyball is similar to indoor volleyball, it also shares significant differences. The court is slightly smaller, and players must be smarter with their plays.

Maggie Smith, a sophomore,

comments on how the entire team was excited to begin playing, and played well towards the beginning of spring season.

“The season started off really well. The whole team was pumped to get onto the beach for the inaugural season,” says Smith.

Freshman Elizabeth Bischoff remarks on the team’s attitude in the beginning of the season with a comment similar to Smith’s. The team performed well throughout the season, but did exceptionally well in a match against AAU Coast. The match was the first time many players had ever competed in a beach game, leading them to put any fear or uncertainty aside. This resulted in a 5-0 sweep.

TBS beach volleyball won their first match 21-2, 21-1, starting the season off with a victory.

“The beach season started and ended with energy and commitment from all players,” says Biscoff. “TBS beach volleyball competed well in all games but I felt that the best was when we swept a team at the beginning of the season.”

Practice occurred every school day after school, apart from Friday where practice was optional. Before games, the team listened to music beforehand to prepare and become en-

Junior Riley MacDermott returns a shot on the newly built beach volleyball courts. MacDermott played indoor volleyball in the fall, giving her a background and foundation for success on the sand.

(Photo by Erika Sousa)

so you have the best chance at completing your goal.”

Once the seniors are off to college, the juniors of the team will face a new role as leaders, while the freshman and sophomores will step into the role of their predecessors.

Lacrosse is a great one to help build a sense of self.

Hayes said, “I enjoy playing lacrosse because it takes my mind off of everything else. Whether I’m at practice or a game, that is all that matters at that moment. While play-

The boys’ lacrosse team had another spectacular season, advancing to the State Finals before falling to St. Andrews. The team, with several young members, is already among the favorites for the 2022-2023 season. (Photo by Erika Sousa)

Bissell Named To Prestigous FHSAA Team For Success as Student-Athlete Charlie Spungin Copy Editor

Sophomore Maggie Smith serves during a home match.

(Photo by Erika Sousa)

thusiastic. All players underwent lots of training because many were new to beach volleyball, and had previously participated in only indoor volleyball.

“Our season started with lots of conditioning and developing a basic understanding for the sport, as the majority of our players were indoor players, and had never played in the sand competitively before. Our team grew tremendously throughout the season and I couldn’t be more proud of the hard work each of my teammates put in,” said Bounds.

Both Elizabeth Biscoff and Maggie Smith expressed how Addie Bounds has been a player essential to the team. As a senior, she is committed to Cal Poly, and has lots of experience with beach volleyball. Bounds improved over the course of the season by focusing on her tactical communication and steadiness in games.

“She is the best role model for my team to look up to and you can always go to her when you need something,” says Smith.

Towards the end of the season, practices were more competition based and were set at a much faster pace. The last game of the season for TBS occurred at Suncoast. Smith expressed that many players on the team were exhausted and stressed the day of the game. The windy conditions during the game also made it difficult to play. Though the team may have lost at district semi-finals, they gained experience from playing throughout the season.

ing, I gained so many friendships and learned valuable skills.”

Horgen likes playing lacrosse for a slightly different reason. “I enjoy lacrosse because I like hitting people with metal sticks legally. But of course, I also enjoy the synchronization of a team sport,” he said.

The teams hit the ground running this year and ended at high speed, and the Benjamin community can only hope that the following years can bring even better achievements for the lacrosse teams.

Senior Gerald Bissell was one of 24 students named to the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA)’s Florida Dairy Farmers Academic All-State Team.

The process, as explained by Assistant Athletic Director Mr. Dave Bailey, started in the Athletic Department. The Department nominated one male and one female student, both of whom must be seniors, who display excellence as a student-athlete. They must have a minimum 3.5 unweighted GPA and have two varsity letters from two different sports during their junior and senior years.

The sports that Bissell participated in were baseball and bowling, where he was the captain for both teams.

“Once he was nominated, the FHSAA gets in contact with him, and

he goes through the same process as anybody else for a scholarship or any postseason accolades,” Mr. Bailey explained.

Bissell will be awarded 1,700 in scholarship money to the University of Florida, where he will be attending university in the fall to study electrical engineering. There will be a banquet on June 6 for Bissell and the other recipients to be officially recognized.

The Athletic Department is very proud of Bissell for this achievement, especially considering how few student-athletes receive this within the state of Florida.

“Gerald is at the top of his class academically while also being a deeply committed leader in baseball and bowling during his high school career. Gerald is an outstanding young man, very deserving of this prestigious award,” Athletic Director Mr. Ryan Smith told the School.

Senior Gerald Bissell bowls during one of the Bucs’ matchups. Bissell served as captain of the bowling team this season.

(Photo courtesy of The Benjamin School website)

the

PHARCYDE

THE BENJAMIN SCHOOL NEWSPAPER

4875 Grandiflora Road, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418

20 May 2022

@thepharcyde_tbs

@thepharcyde_tbs

Volume 43

Issue 08

STATE CHAMPIONS!

FIRST PLACE Discus

FIRST PLACE 400 m

BOWENS

MAYS

FIRST PLACE Triple Jump

4 x 100 m SECOND PLACE GRANDE Ch. BOWENS SWEETING Ca. BOWENS

BRODERICK THIRD PLACE Javelin

COSBY-MOSLEY THIRD PLACE Triple Jump

THIRD PLACE High Jump

What’s Inside

Alumnus addresses student body - pg 3

New leaders around campus introduce themselves

- pg 6

Class of 2022 college matriculation - pgs 10-11

Spring dance and music bring joy to Benjamin

Lacrosse teams find immense success - pg 19

- pg 13