The Pharcyde, 45.7

A Picture Perfect Ending: Goodbye, Class of

Speeches, Songs Signal Senior Sendoff

Finley Strauss Staff Writer

“Grade nine: watch and learn. It will happen,” were some of the first words Head of School Mr. Carr said on May 3rd for the seniors final assembly. After this, seniors walked in and sat in their advisory seats on their bleachers for the last time. Hudson Byrne, past Student-Body Vice-President, then did the pledge for the last time with a sense of nostalgia and remembrance in the air.

All faculty who spoke echoed the idea that seniors will always have a spot at Benjamin.

“As I've had the opportunity to share lunch with you over the course of this year you have set an incredible tone. As a school we are only as good as the senior class. I want to thank you for your leadership and your passion for being a Buccaneer and what that means and the remarkable results we’ve had from your class in every aspect of school life. We deeply appreciate your dedication to the work you have done and to the institution and know we can count on you coming back. You are part of the Benjamin community forever and we look to you to go do incredible things now,” said Mr. Faus.

The senior class of 2024 are among the most resilient at Benjamin. After overcoming the pandemic they are certainly set for a strong future.

“When I think of the class of 2024 I think of the fall of 2020 where most of you started here. When I think of 2020 I mostly think of the JV football team and although some students might not have continued playing through their school career, what I remember is that was the first time we were trying to play sports during COVID. The fact that any of you kept playing as the world evolved and we

{the school} got bigger is incredible. Thank you for your cheer that you bring to Benjamin everyday. There is always room for you here and we want to know over time what direction you take. Thank someone now or in 15 years. Come and visit,” said Mr. Carr.

“Another turning point. Time grabs you by the wrist and there you go” were some of the words Nate Anderson and David Frear sang for everyone after the wise speeches from heads of school Mr. Faus and Mr. Carr. Anderson and Frear sang Good Riddance by Green Day. To Anderson, “This song is a bittersweet tune looking back on the past. I think it was a perfect choice for the seniors on their last day.”

Following this, depparting teachers Mrs. Austin, Ms. Gustafson, Mrs. Goldberg, and Mrs. Priola shared some of their memories, their gratitude, and advice for the class of 2024.

As Ms. Gustafson put it “change, although inevitable at times, can be glorious just like now.” Mrs. Priola and Mrs. Austin echoed similar sentiments in their appreciation for Ben-

jamin and their hopes for the class of 2024. Mrs. Goldberg had seniors close their eyes and picture individuals who made their time at Benjamin incredible and how they feel about that.

Finally, the chorus led by Mrs. Austin sang the alma mater with all students loudly joining in. This was Benjamin theater resident Xan Blount’s last performance for the school and the last time the seniors would sing the Alma Mater.

Then all students and faculty formed a tunnel and hugged the seniors to commemorate the day and

For students and faculty, it was an emotional day representing moving forward and celebrating the past,

Reid Waxman Sports Editor

The school continues the annual tradition of the senior lake jump on Friday, May 3rd. However, seniors expressed mixed feelings about participating in the tradition.

The school has held the lake jump since the 2006-07 school year. The first was a senior prank; since then, the event has become a Benjamin tradition.

Despite the storied tradition of the lake jump, this year's seniors did not agree on their participation, primarily because of concerns over the lake’s cleanliness.

For instance, senior Hudson Byrne participated in the lake jump.

“I have been looking forward to the lake jump since I came to this school. It looked so fun, with all of the funny life jackets and the floaties, and I finally got to experience that,” said Byrne.

Similarly, senior Meriel Smith jumped in the lake but took some precautions to protect himself from what she believes is unsafe water.

“I had a big floatie because I did not want to get wet. The water looked very gross, but I did not want to miss out on an opportunity like this,” Smith explained.

With the unsafeness, Mrs. Kaitlyn Balard tested the water earlier in the month.

“We did a water quality test, and we tested the ten factors that go into the score of the lake. We did it three times since I teach three APES classes. They split up into groups and find out the tests on their own,” Ballard explained. “Overall, it was seen at around a score of 70 or 71 out of 100, which goes to the scale of ‘good quality.’’

It is safe to say that the administration's hard work made this year’s lake jump as successful as those of years past.

Students David Frear and Nate Andersen performed “Good Riddance” by Green Day to commemorate the seniors' time at Benjamin. Photo by Sawyer LeFevre.

especially for departing Academic Dean Mrs. Guzman.

Daring Seniors marked the last day of classes by jumping into the lake for an early-afternoon splash across campus. Not even the strong odors of the murky waters could diminish the excitement and joy that permeated the crowds of swimmers and on-lookers.

Upper School to Welcome New Dean

Chase Zur Associate Editor

As Mrs. Guzman departs, The Benjamin School welcomes Mr. Andrew M. Curtis as the new Academic dean who will officially begin this position on August 1.

In his previous roles at Jakarta Intercultural School, Curtis showcased his exceptional leadership skills and commitment to educational excellence. He worked at the school for nine years and made a long-lasting impact through serving as the School Wide Accreditation Coordinator, Social Studies Department Head, Curriculum Learning Coordinator, the Global Online Academy Site Coordinator and Grade Level Coordinator. Curtis helped streamline accreditation processes, empowered teachers to innovate, facilitated curriculum development, and promoted student well-being.

After the Jakarta Intercultural school, Curtis worked at the American School Foundation of Monterrey for one year. There he helped play a pivotal role in shaping the educational landscape at a school of over 2,500 students. He led the development

and implementation of comprehensive policies and initiatives to ensure a cohesive approach to teaching and learning, to provide consistency across all levels of the school.

Curtis has grown up in a family of educators and his wife, Gretchen, is currently a Middle School Counselor at St. Andrews. He loves to be outside, exercise, and has coached volleyball from age U12 all the way up to the collegiate level.

Throughout his years of teaching, Curtis has found immense fulfillment in positively impacting students and colleagues. In his new role, he hopes to cultivate an environment that strikes a balance between students’ learning and well-being.

“Schools are not static entities; in a new role, as in my past positions, I will model and create a culture of context-specific reflective practice. This work would incorporate the dynamics of the school community and the school's organizational culture, offering a holistic strategic vision. I will foster an environment that does not see the challenge of education as zero-sum, but one where we address students' interests—not based on ideology or anecdotes—but rather inhouse data and education research,” Curtis expressed.

The candidates were interviewed by department chairs, a panel of students, Head of Upper School Mr. Carr, and Head of School Mr. Faus. At the end of the interviewing process, there was an evaluation which narrowed it down to four finalists. The four finalists then visited the school and Carr had around twenty faculty members rank the candidates and the

one with the highest point value at the end was the academic dean.

Head of Upper School Mr. Fletcher Carr was extremely impressed when interviewing Curtis and is excited for the change he will make.

“From a pool of four strong finalists for the position, Andy emerged as the candidate who garnered the strongest feedback from those interviewing him: Upper School administration, department chairs, Head of School. His broad experience, credentialing work, global perspective, and work with curriculum development at a range of schools will add strength to an already very strong academic program,” Carr explained.

In her role as the current academic dean, Guzman created a detailed monthly calendar documenting her yearly tasks, guaranteeing that Curtis receives the essential information and guidance crucial for the position.

“The job was so much more than I expected. I knew that it would include training new teachers, professional development, building the schedule but I didn’t realize all of the other things I would get to do like supporting the faculty, students, and the amount of work I get to do with families. For the incoming academic dean I think that knowing that everyday is so different than the day before and being willing to be really flexible is going to be key,” Guzman said.

With the support of the school community and under the guidance of Guzman, Curtis is poised to lead the academic program effectively next year.

Performing Arts Requirement Announced

Finley Strauss Staff Writer

Recently, the School has implemented a new arts requirement for its students. Under this policy, students are now required to complete .5 credits in the areas of visual, innovation, and performing arts courses totaling to 1.5 credits needed.

Previously, students could fulfill their arts credit by completing just one visual or performing arts requirement, such as introductory and intermediate photography or chorus and then theater. Now, they must choose at least one semester course from both the visual and performing arts disciplines.

This change aims to provide students with a more comprehensive arts education and boost participation in these disciplines.

“The change really came from all of the art department chairs and me, not from one person. We've been engaging in this discussion on and off with the department chairs. Now we are in a position moving forward next year to establish change based on the chairs’ and faculties' support” clarified Upper School Academic Dean Mrs. Caroline Guzman.

One of the primary motivations behind this change is to address historically low participation rates in arts courses. “Every semester in visual arts I can fill six sections of intro courses but I’ve been unable to fill full sections of intro performing arts courses. Visual classes for the most part have been filing, but the performing arts classes aren’t. Due to this the innovation, visual, and performing arts chairs were all onboard to ensure participation in each requirement was more even,” explained Mrs. Guzman.

Arts Department chair, Señora Salivar, feels that the School’s commitment to the arts should reflect beyond the lower school and hopes that the new requirement will encourage

male students to take dance. “I am very excited. We do exploratory arts at the middle school to give everyone a chance to do performing and visual arts. I think truly - in order to have an appreciation for the arts - students need to understand what visual and performing arts are about,” shared Señora Salivar.

Without much negative feedback, the new policy is set to go into effect this fall. “I haven’t gotten any pushback. I think it would be the same as when kids push back against any graduation requirement. To prepare kids for college, we try to take a well-rounded approach to education, and we want to provide students with a well-rounded experience and that is what the School has already required,” Mrs. Guzman explained.

While the requirement had been discussed previously, it was deemed impractical because “you have to have a particular type of faculty to be able to teach such a wide array of classes and courses. Unlike previous years, we now have the pieces in place to ensure this can happen with widespread support,” explained Mrs. Guzman

The faculty is also excited about this new requirement. “Vibrant visual and performing arts departments represent the culture of the school. Throughout history, art serves to record our very human existence. It is important for the fabric of the school to support all facets of fine arts,” shared Mrs. Grillo visual arts department head.

English and drama teacher, Mr. Peck agrees with Grillo and feels that the requirement will allow students to go out of their comfort zone and explore their interests. “In my experience, students sometimes shy away from Performing Arts because they think ‘it's not my thing.’ I cannot tell you how many students I have had in the past that took an Intro to Theatre course thinking it was only

A Different Sort of Goodbye

The Upper School community will look differently this fall when school resumes without five familar faces on campus. Below is a snapshot of the overwhelming responses we received when asking students to provide us with their memories of Mr. Cramer, Mrs. Goldberg, Ms. Gustafson, Mrs. Guzman, and Mrs. Priola. We will surely miss them all.

Mr. Nick Cramer, Social Studies

“Mr. Cramer was an amazing coach because he pushed and inspired cross country and track athletes to be better. His running schedule for distance runners included a diverse range of training, including plyometrics, ladder workouts, zone runs, 10-1, tempo runs, fartlecks, and more. In the classroom, he inspired students just as much as runners. For the AP Government classes Mr. Cramer teaches, he uses presentations, games, and activities to fully prepare students for the AP exams. He is a teacher where you can tell he truly enjoys working with students.”

website.

going to ‘fulfill this requirement’ and it sparked something in them where they became regular staples in our program,” explained Peck.

Although the requirement has just been announced, students are already voicing their opinions. “An increase in participation for performing arts classes would be great. This increase would help a lot,” explained Ava Shawe, freshman drama club member and cast member of the musical The Spitfire Grill.

While some students are welcoming the opportunity to broaden their artistic horizons, others are finding the idea of limitations challenging. “I think it’s annoying for them {incoming freshman} because they shouldn’t be forced to have to check certain requirements and do something they don’t want to do, but I do get the fact that it is like any other requirement that exists at Benjamin,” shared freshman Caiden Muzielo.

Everyone acknowledges that this requirement is no different than other requirements the School has in place. By encouraging exploration and participation in both visual and performing arts, Benjamin aims to foster creativity, cultural appreciation, and personal growth among its students.

“Mrs. Gustafson is a kind teacher who understands how busy student life is. She is very gentle and flexible while being able at the same time to get things done efficiently.”

“Mrs. Gustafson was very sweet and taught me Spanish that prepared me for honors Spanish 3.”

Mrs. Caroline Guzman, Academic Dean

“I liked Mr. Cramer’s class because he would always ask us what we were interested in that was currently going on with politics or news. He would also tell us about what was currently going on with the election, even if that wasn’t what we were currently supposed to be learning in the class to show us how his class was important and related to the real world.”

Mrs. Bekka Goldberg, College Counselor

“I always know that I can go to Mrs. Goldberg about whatever I need to. Sometimes I go to her room just to get candy or to go ask her for advice. I’ve gotten to know her better from JSU and her being my college counselor. Ever since the beginning of high school, I’ve been going to Mrs. Goldberg to sit in her room to talk or to complain and get a hug.”

“One of my favorite memories with Mrs. Goldberg is with the JSU club, specifically, in our yearly holiday events, like Purim and a Hanukkah. She always helped us host fun events for the school and encouraged us to be leaders. Overall, Mrs. Goldberg made us all feel welcomed and a part of the Benjamin community. She will be missed!”

“I’ll always remember Mrs. Goldberg’s positivity and genuine care for her students throughout the years that I had her.”

Ms. Beverely Gustafson, World Languages

“Señora Gustafson was such a nice teacher, she was always understanding if I could not do an assignment on time, she would help me or give me an extension.”

“Having Mrs. Guzman’s class during the first year of high school was what showed me that the next four years were going to be challenging, but definitely possible — especially with teachers who care about what they’re teaching and the people they’re teaching to. While a couple years have passed at this point, I vividly remember sitting in the front seat of the AP World Classroom hearing about why Otto Von Bismarck was Mrs. Guzman’s favorite topic, or being handed a large poster paper and having to draw out the consequences of industrialization.”

“Her bright spirit and engaging teaching style will be heavily missed by the Benjamin community.”

“It’s a big loss to see her leave. I distinctly remember the extra time she would put in for AP reviews during community blocks. This was important as the class was mostly freshmen who were taking their first AP class and she really took that into account and always knew how to deal with our nerves. She really helps us all grow so much in our first year in the Upper School and is a teacher I will always remember”

Mrs. Laura Priola, Mathematics

“Having Mrs. Priola this year has been great. She has done a really good job preparing us for AP Calc next year and all of our classes are always so much fun. Her smile and happy mood each day makes each class amazing and I will definitely miss her next year.”

“Mrs. Priola is a great teacher, but she’s also so fun to talk to and catch up with about my week. I have loved being in her class this year and will miss going to her room each day for precalc honors. I don’t know how Mr. Ruggie will ever replace her.”

BTV students work on camera skills and filming.

Photo courtesy of The Benjamin School’s

Coasters, Minions, and Memories Abound At GradBash 2024

Chase Zur Associate Editor

With graduation fast approaching, the seniors celebrated one of their final days of school at Universal Studios on April 26, enjoying an exclusive night of rides and entertainment at the annual Grad Bash event.

Gathering behind the gym at 3 p.m, 66 seniors boarded two charter buses and set off to Universal. After a quick pit stop at Ft. Drum for snacks and refreshments, they made their way through a special entrance reserved for Universal employees, landing right next to the Jimmy Fallon ride. Arriving at 6:30 p.m, students were able to enjoy rides and unique Grad bash merchandise for the Class of 2024. As the night drew to a close, students met at the Islands of Adventure Christmas shop at around 1:45 a.m and arrived back at school at 5 a.m.

Planning Grad Bash is a year-long endeavor, involving the dedicated efforts of administrators, faculty, and staff. Senior dean, Dr. John Peruggia, helps oversee this process and ensure a memorable and smooth experience for all of the graduating seniors.

“In late April, I received an email from Universal with potential dates for next year’s Grad Bash. I meet with Mr. Carr and Mrs. Salivar to choose the best date, and we then submit our request to Universal. Coach German

secures charter buses for comfortable transportation, and we aim to finalize these plans before the school year ends. In the fall, I attend a Zoom meeting with Universal to discuss costs and trip details and then we start to sell tickets. Once we sell the tickets, I get chaperones for the trip, and from there, we just hope for good weather,” Peruggia explained.

To guarantee that all students can participate fully, Universal has streamlined the accommodation process. Now, to access special accommodations like line access passes or quiet rooms, students must pre-register for a special ID card. Senior Mimi Chandler, who had broken her foot, had a great time at the event and felt that she received necessary support.

“My experience at Grad Bash was great thanks to the accommodations for my first injury. I was initially worried that I wouldn’t enjoy it, but the line access pass allowed me to skip the lines and board the rides comfortably. It made the night really fun without putting any strain on my injury,” Chandler expressed.

Senior Christian Balisteri agrees with Chandler and felt that Grad Bash allowed him to not only bond with his close friend group, but his grade as a whole.

“In school I only get to see the people I have classes with so it was really nice to spend time with our

whole grade. I loved going on the Rip Ride Rockit and the Velociocoaster and just had an awesome time walking around with my friends, meeting new people from other schools, and bonding with people on the bus,” Balistreri said.

Upper School science teacher, Mr. Steven Blount expressed his enthusiasm for the annual event.

“I have gone to Grad Bash for all but two years that I have worked here at Benjamin and I just love the event. For us teachers it's so nice to be able to interact with the students outside the classroom setting because it's less formal and we can really get to know them. I love seeing the kids who don’t normally run in the same crowds get to interact and its always such a fun experience and community builder,” said Blount.

Grad Bash not only allows students to connect with their peers but also introduces them to seniors from other schools.

“Grad Bash is one of the few opportunities that our seniors get to have that they share with seniors from other schools and so I think it helps them feel a part of that senior community. It also serves as one of their first steps out of the “Benjamin bubble,” giving them a chance to see and interact with seniors from other schools” Peruggia said.

Grad Bash proved to be a memo-

rable night for the seniors, providing them with entertainment, camaraderie, and unique experiences as they celebrated one of their final Benjamin experiences.

Sixty-six members of the Class made the journey up to Orlando for Grad Bash 2024. Seniors spent the evening at the Universal Resort’s two theme parks, enjoying the rides, attractions, and thrills that the annual event offers to graduating students throughout the country. The trip has become a tradition for the Bucs, one which first began with excursions to Disney World’s Grad Night before transitioning over to the rival park.

Surf, Sun’s Up: Senior Sunrise

Lila Brodner Staff Writer

On Monday, April 29 2024, the class of 2024 went to Juno Beach to celebrate their last week of school. It was a morning full of swimming, food, and memories.

The morning started at 6:30 a.m to watch the sunrise together as a class.

Senior Maggie Smith brought donuts for everyone to share, “I brought donuts for everyone to share and so we could have a fun time!” says Smith.

Senior, Andrew Lappin says, “It was a nice way to start our last week of school, being with my friends watching the beautiful sunrise,”

Smith says, “It was really fun and it was so nice to see the entire grade together,”. Getting together as a grade once again before the final week of school is such a great experience for everyone.

Watching the sunrise, eating do-

nuts, and taking pictures together are all fun, but going swimming is fun too. “I went swimming because it was such a pretty morning and it was so refreshing,” says senior Savannah Maynard.

If students did not want to swim, most took photos with their friends for memories and Instagram posts, “I wore my college hoodie and took photos with my friends. It was such a nice and peaceful time,” says senior Grace Havlicek.

The seniors will be missed, and their leadership, spirit, and memories will always be remembered at Benjamin. The Senior Sunrise was a great way to start their last week of high school, and something they all will remember.

Members of the Class of 2024 woke up early during the last Monday of classes in order to welcome in their last week with a beachside sunrise celebration in Juno. The group shared donuts, entered the surf, and reflected on their Benjamin experiences.

As the school year comes to a close, many students will have much more time to get involved in current events. Oftentimes, students think that the news is not applicable to their daily lives. However, one of the parts of being a Benjamin student should include knowing about social and political events around them. This summer, students should keep up with the news and break out of their Benjamin bubble. Throughout the last year, the Benjamin community, in addition to the rest of the world, has faced adversity and many situations that require adaptations. Some challenges that have come across the Benjamin horizon in the past year include an alumnus death from overdose, students using social media to post intolerant words and photos, as well as criticism of the reading curriculum from parents because of political views. This has raised conversations among students and their families.

Because of these situations that the world has presented recently, it is absolutely necessary for everyone to learn more about their surroundings. It can no longer be acceptable for students at a school with such great accolades and resources to not be aware of the harsh realities that their peers and the rest of the world are facing. Therefore, The Pharcyde has a few suggestions to help you become a more worldly student.

Newspapers

Reading newspapers is a source of information that not enough of our generation takes advantage of. Publications such as the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal have proven beneficial to all audiences for reasons including learning about the world, connecting you to other points of view, and increasing your vocabulary.

Students at the Benjamin School are given free accounts for the New York Times until they graduate from the Upper School. This incredible chance to elevate your knowledge should not be overlooked.

Not only does this help you mentally, but reading articles in these publications gives you exciting topics to discuss with

possible employers or mentors. Improving yourself through reading the newspaper is a great way to make your summer more productive. The Pharcyde also provides a lot of information online for anyone to read. We talk about in-school and out-of-school problems. This information can be found on The Pharcyte as well as in the physical Benjamin newspaper. Be sure to use this as a resource, to ensure that you are wellversed in the events of the school community as well.

Watching the News

Turning on your television or opening your computer to watch newsreels on YouTube is relatively easy. This is why the summer is the perfect opportunity to get into the habit of watching twenty minutes of news a day whenever you can find the time. These channels can offer breaking news that will keep you informed while also allowing you to learn more about global culture.

The absolute best way to watch new channels is to watch ones that have different biases to get a fundamental understanding of the situation. For example, if you start by watching Fox News, switch to CNN or MSNBC afterward. One objective source for either news articles or broadcasting is NPR the National Public Radio. People commonly build political bias against others by only taking in one side of the story, which leads to a skewed perception of what is really going on. Whether you agree or disagree with someone, it is still helpful to hear what other people have to say about a topic. This allows you to understand how your peers could be viewing certain issues, therefore bringing you together rather than creating more of a political divide.

Podcasts

Another great way to not only hear about global news but also analyze and hear different points of view on topics plaguing the world is through podcasts. These features on culture, fashion, and the lives of popular influencers have become very popular with Gen Z, but there can also be more stern podcasts discussing controversial and political topics.

Dr. John Peruggia Pharcyde Advisor

If you ever want to truly see the world, all you need to do is lose your sight.

It was a typical summer morning when the trouble began. The words on my laptop screen were a bit harder to read. Later that afternoon, the text of the paperback novel I was beginning seemed to flicker. I decided I needed to give my eyes a rest from their usual vacation schedule of video games, streaming movies, and reading super-long novels. A week later, and things were no better.

The optometrist detected no changes. A slightly changed prescription of my glasses did nothing to make the words stop disappearing from the page and shrinking on the screen.

The weeks and months that followed were a literal blur as words became disjointed letters, letters lost their serifs, and then-- quite grad-

Founded in 1980 as The Spectator 17 May 2024 Volume 45, Issue 7

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

Contact Information

Phone: 561-472-5998, ext. 2119

Fax: 561-691-8823

Advisor Dr. John Peruggia

john.peruggia@thebenjaminschool.org

Advisor Emeritus

Mr. Kendall Didsbury

Media Consultants

Mr. and Mrs. Tim Burke

ually-- faded into the background. Occasionally they’d reappear as if tapped by some magical potion that made communication possible again. But rare is the wish that is granted in perpetuity.

I’ d love to recount a tale of the beauty of humanity coming to my rescue. But this is an entry not from a novel, but a mind. Read faster. Stop stuttering. You skipped a word. Why is your screen so zoomed in. What are you staring at. Nice sunglasses. Someone is in a bad mood. Can you mark this already. I clearly wrote it here. You read it. You’re the teacher.

I was suddenly the main character in my own Social Institute lesson on tolerance, learning differences, and resilience. The toughest lesson? Adults, my peers, were the meanest. The most heart-warming? Never underestimate a freshman’s capacity to empathize, as each seemed more eager than the next to encourage me with suggestions on how to cope with

EDITORIAL BOARD

Matt Marasco, Editor-in-Chief

Joey Tomassetti, Editor-in-Chief

Caroline Groffman, Club President and Associate Editor Haley Roth, Associate Editor Chase Zur, Associate Editor

Reid Waxman, Sports Editor

Ryan Chait, Breaking News Director

STAFF WRITERS

Lila Brodner

Amanda Duguay

Stella Liberman Finley Strauss

MISSION STATEMENT

The Pharcyde is

The

or

student

the challenge of suddenly losing my ability to read.

In the nine-month period during which I went from speed reader to master of magnifiers, I learned much about learning, of what I’d mastered and what I’d known. Ever try using Adobe without being able to read the file menus? Don’t. On the other hand, you really do internalize a lot of Shakespeare if you read his work often enough. I may not know every word of King Lear, but my abridged mental version could sure get you a higher grade than whatever those folks at Shmoop are posting these days.

The tasks I’d mastered didn’t require me to think as much as they required me to feel. Perhaps that’s the missing link in grading: not effort, but empathy. When you can connect with something, when your feel it, then you’ve mastered it. It’s why we’re so often struggling to explain what we know so well-- we process it not in our minds but somewhere deeper.

GENERAL

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 487 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 Matthew.marasco24@thebenjaminschool.org or joseph.tomassetti24@ thebenjaminschool.org.

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

These globally in-tuned podcasts can offer students a more interesting and informative way to hear about current issues and why they matter.

Some political podcasts worth listening to are Left, Right, and Center hosted by David Greene, as well as The Political Scene hosted by editors and writers of The New Yorker. Both of these podcasts air weekly, host various different guests, and discuss all of the latest relevant news.

Many students already have subscriptions to Apple Music or Spotify, so use these mediums to find political and financial podcasts that you like and that interest you. Listening to or watching these discussions between informed people can offer insight into so many topics that are less widely talked about.

Non-Fiction Books

If you are not an avid TV or podcast watcher, non-fiction books offer a chance to revisit past global conflicts or learn about news from first-hand sources. Many historical novels are written by the people who were actually involved in the events discussed. This allows readers to gain a more personal understanding of how history developed over time and through circumstances.

This summer, go to Barnes and Noble and pick out a few historical non-fiction novels that interest you. A few books that could enhance your knowledge include I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai, Squirrel Hill by Mark Oppenheimer, and Disloyal: A Memoir by Michael Cohen. Reading a few nonschool books can be very beneficial to both your in-school current issue knowledge.

Students, establish this summer as your “Citizen Summer.” Become more culturally and socially aware of both Benjamin and non-Benjamin issues. Use outlets such as news channels, newspapers, podcasts, and non-fiction books to continue to be informed. Remember, all it takes is twenty minutes a day of learning through these resources to be a more involved and educated person.

The Way I See It...The Pharcyde’s Advisor Shares Thoughts Editorial

If you need to think about solving an equation in Calculus, you’ve not mastered the skill. If you can feel your way through it, then you’re on the way to making it up on Ruggie’s Wall.

The inability to quickly lose myself within the covers of a new book each night challenged me to find new ways to connect with the characters off the page. The ones at desks, in stores, and even at debate events. You know why it’s hard to make friends? Because no matter how much you think a book can teach you about the human condition, of humanity, of life, it can never teach you to predict the unpredictability of our fellow sapiens. People don’t act according to Freytag’s pyramid, they don’t speak in structured meter, they usually don’t foreshadow what they’re going to do, and they definitely aren’t concerned with offering your sign-posts to character shifts, conflict points, setting changes, or tonal changes.

In focusing on people over pag-

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OPINION

The opinion articles in this paper are the opinion of the writer or the majority opinion of The Pharcyde Editorial Board. They are not the opinion of The Benjamin School or our advertisers.

es, faces over phrases, I found myself exhausted by the sensation of surprise. I’d catch a sophomore speaking a syllogism, an artist applying texture to diction, a neighbor secretely checking out my Amazon packages when she thought I wasn’t looking. You don’t need a book to have a good story, you simply need a good cast of folks around you.

A week after the Seniors took their jumps into the Lake, a very skilled doctor returned to me the gift of sight, the tool I thought I’d need to read again.

I’ve since had an amazing few days of clarity. I see new shades of color, new fields of depth, new movements of life’s smallest details.

As you embark on your “citizen summers,” I encourage you to fully complete your summer reading assignments. Crack wide those books, but also open up your eyes to stories, situations, and characters that make your lives worth living. Master the art of reading. Nothing feels better.

QUOTATION POLICY

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

MEMBERSHIP

The Pharcyde is a member of the Florida Scholastic Press Association, American Scholastic Press Association, Columbia Scholastic Press Association and the National Scholastic Press Association.

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Editor-in-Chief Bids Phar-Well A Presidential Welcome

Matthew Marasco Editor-in-Chief

Throughout my four years with The Pharcyde, I've undergone significant growth as both a person and a journalist, thanks in large part to Doc, one of the few teachers who's been a constant presence throughout my time here. While he might jokingly complain about having too much "ginger" in his life, his guidance and encouragement have truly inspired me to pursue my goals and find my voice. Some of my fondest memories with Doc involve late nights spent laying out the paper and sharing jokes about our classmates, Charlie and Joey.

I'll never forget my freshman year, when I received a stern call from Sophia Liporace demanding a late article. At that point, I doubted my ability to contribute meaningfully to the newspaper. However, with the support of my peers and mentors, I turned things around and began to focus on my work. I remember Tvisha making a whole whiteboard dedicated to how to write an article just because I did add a space after a paragraph.

As a sophomore, I was still finding my footing as a staff writer, wondering how I could advance. A heartto-heart with Doc helped me realize the importance of prioritizing my work over socializing. While I didn't always heed his advice, it instilled in me a sense of pride in my contributions. I finally started to enjoy writing articles and covering topics that I found interesting.

Junior year brought new challenges as the class size dwindled, but I found myself promoted to sports editor, expanding my responsibilities to assist Charlie with the workload. It was a semester filled with camaraderie and memorable discussions, even if they often veered into fantasy football territory against Doc's wishes.

Senior year brought unexpected opportunities, including a contest for the editor-in-chief position. With this new role came increased responsibilities and, at times, overwhelming struggles. Despite the challenges, we produced some of our best issues yet, and the bonds I've formed will endure beyond graduation.

The Pharcyde has been a blessing throughout my high school journey, and I'm excited to see what the future

holds.

To Joey: Thank you for being the only person in my grade that joined the class. The conversations about trades and what team was better will always be remembered. We both had our mentally insane days where we were “off our rocker”. I cannot wait to spend the next four years at Wake Forest with you.

To Reid: I hope you can continue with your amazing speaking skills during your upperclassmen years. I have seen you display every possible emotion during our class as you have always been very outspoken. You have been like a little brother to me and I will always remember our drive home talking about whatever is on our minds. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for always contributing to The Pharcyde

To Chase, Caroline, and Haley: Thank you for sticking with the class and picking up on how to write a good article quickly. I would have never been able to produce an issue this year without all the contributions from you. Special thanks to Caroline for helping scan all those issues.

Wake-Bound Editor Reflects on Journey

Joey Tomassetti Editor-in-Chief

I can’t believe I’ve finally reached the end. After countless hours of writing articles, doing layout, and cracking jokes with Doc, my final Pharcyde class has come and gone. I will never forget all the students, young and old, that I have met along this journey.

Joining The Pharcyde in my sophomore year, I didn’t know any of the students except for Matt. It was my first ever class having Doc as a teacher, so you can only imagine how interesting that initial reaction was. Tvisha and Sophia were the two editors, and I’ll never forget getting a call at 10 p.m. on a Thursday from Tvisha demanding me to finish my article. At that point, I could only laugh at the editors for being stuck at school that late finishing the paper. Little did I know that I would be one of these lucky people the very next year.

Tvisha and Sophia ran the paper smoothly and gave me some helpful tips throughout the year. I also remember getting bullied by Clara Schor, but I always kept a level head and never let it bother me. Evan was a good mentor and always answered my questions. Obviously, Charlie and I got along well. As the year went on, I started to understand Doc better and he quickly became one of my favorite

teachers.

Junior year came around quickly, and it didn’t take long for me to understand how big of a responsibility I had. With myself, Matt, and Charlie as the only upperclassmen, it was up to us to make sure the Upper School had a newspaper. We had our fair share of crazy nights, and I will never forget those. I hope our record of staying until 12:15 a.m. never gets broken.

Once Charlie graduated last year, it was up to Matt and me to complete the May issue. This is where we severely underappreciated Charlie’s layout skills. On the other hand, doing this last issue showed us what it means to be Editor-in-chief of a high school newspaper. As the year went on, our layout skills improved and we slowly transitioned into our senior roles.

This year was the most fun year of Pharcyde for me. I think Matt would agree that this year’s class felt like a family, as we bonded every G-period and always felt comfortable telling each other about our lives. Even though we had our ups and downs in terms of censorship and finishing the paper on time, it was a great year overall.

To Doc: You’ve been the best teacher and mentor I could ever ask for. I’ll miss your out-of-pocket jokes and your daily sarcastic comments.

Vanessa Zito Student Council President-Elect

To start, I would like to thank you for your support as I begin to gradually move into office. Before laying out my goals and aspirations for next year’s agenda, it is important to first reflect on the strides made this past year. There were various changes done to both of Student Council’s main events: Homecoming in the fall and Chillin’ and Grillin’ in the spring. Most notably, certain names of activities were changed to mirror our school’s values. BucBall, previously known as Powderpuff, and Buc at First Sight, previously known as CompuCupids, were both very successful activities achieved with more appropriate namings.

One of the Student Council’s main source of income is the concession stand located adjacent to the senior hallway. As treasurer for the last two years, I can proudly say that our inventory has grown greatly, along with the overall customer turnout and satisfaction. One of the main difficulties that we experience with the concession stand is that it is not known by the entire student body. Despite many emails and announcements, its presence is not entirely accounted for by everyone and this is something we are working to fix and spread recognition about. Next year I would like to introduce even more items to appeal to all students’ tastes. Last year, we introduced pretzels and hummus which has garnered amazing reviews and feedback. I want to be able to find a selection of items that all receive this positive feedback.

There will be many great feats accomplished, and many new things introduced in the year to come. In my opinion, continuity and tradition deem valuable, so continuing things that worked well last year will serve our community well. I promise to continue to bring diversity to the student body by bridging the gap between clubs and working with certain ones such as Diversity Council and

Spanish Club to promote inclusivity. This is something I value personally and I believe that by fostering a sense of community and belonging in the student body, everyone will be better off.

Along with diversity, school spirit and pride are two things Benjamin excels greatly in. I hope to increase the number of spirited dress down days we can have and likewise increase the frequency of pep rallies. The universal approval that we received from these events said enough, and this only encourages me to want to further the development of these pep rallies and gain a more uniform sense of school spirit.

A common misconception revolves around the work done behind the scenes in Student Council. Every class representative and officer plays a key role in maximizing the effectiveness of the club. With this in mind, I believe that next year it will be beneficial to spread awareness of the work that is actually put in. I want each member on the Student Council to feel as though their work is valued and applauded. With this being said, I have instilled complete faith that the upcoming officers and to-be-elected class representatives will serve well.

Finally, I would like to applaud 2023-2024 Student Council President, Maggie Smith, for the tremendous amount of time and dedication to bettering the student body as a whole. Her love for the community is radiating and her mark on the program is clearly visible. Following in such footsteps will be a difficult task, but with due diligence I believe I will be able to do so. I would also like to thank Mr. and Mrs. Franzen as well as Mr. Rubiano for the time and effort they contribute to the program and without them, none of our work in student council would be possible. I could not be more hopeful and excited for what is to come next year. I believe that with a motivated Student Council and an energetic student body, there is nothing that will impede our success next year.

You always put up with our shenanigans, which I will always respect. I look forward to coming back to visit.

To Matt: You’ve been in this with me since the beginning. Being an editor with you has been an awesome experience and you always know how to make me laugh. I can’t wait to spend the next four years with you up in Winston-Salem. Go Deacs!

To Reid: I think Matt said it best: little brother I never had. I always enjoyed hearing about your crazy weekend stories and laughing over our favorite Stephen A. memes. I look forward to your visits and going to Wake basketball games together. Always st-st-stay chill!

To Chase, Caroline, and Haley: You guys have improved so much since you first joined the class last year. I know you’re each going to go on to be great editors and do great things in life. Thanks for listening to all my “off your rocker” comments. I’ll make sure to come visit next year and see how great you’ve made The Pharcyde.

To Ryan: Keep up the great work. I know it seems like a lot, but I think you’ll be a great editor if you stick with the class. Remember: freshman English does matter!

Brianna Cousin Honor Council President

After serving on our school’s honor council for the past three years, it is a privilege to serve as president my senior year. Throughout my experience, I have learned various collaborative and leadership skills. Being at Benjamin since kindergarten, the valuable Benjamin character traits, which include morality, fairness, integrity, and forgiveness have been instilled in me, and now I am able to educate the student body on these traits. Honor council helps the student body uphold these traits of morality, fairness, and integrity while showing forgiveness as we help the student who is sent to the honor council seek forgiveness from their teacher.

Honor Council is a student-led organization with members from all grade levels. When a student violates the honor code, whether it be lying to a teacher or cheating on an assignment, their case is anonymously presented to the council where they vote on a consequence for the student. The purpose of the honor council is to help this student by providing a stu-

dent voice in the case as fellow peers understand this student the most. Furthermore, the name of the student who violated the honor code remains anonymous so that there is no bias, which further helps out this student. It is not until the student makes a second offense that this student has to come in front of the whole council. Honor Council helps the student body by helping them uphold our school's honor code, which we write on every assignment that we turn in, while providing a student voice in their case.

School can get busy as we have to balance time between our academic, athletic, and extracurricular lives. So, it is my advice that you see your teachers for help and avoid procrastination so that cheating can be avoided. When a student cheats, they are only cheating themselves as they are missing out on an opportunity to learn which would have helped them in the future. For example, if a student cheats on math assignments, they will not fully grasp the material which will hurt them on future standardized tests. Finally, I advise students to apply for the honor council in the fall as it is a great opportunity to learn leadership skills.

As we look forward to this coming school year, I would like to reflect and thank Simryn Patel, last year's honor council president, and Mrs. McCambridge, the faculty advisor, for their training and guidance.

Allen and Strauss Lead Debate Team to CFL Nationals

Chase Zur Associate Editor

This year, The Benjamin School celebrates the achievements of two outstanding debaters, freshman Finely Strauss and sophomore London Allen, who have qualified for the National Debate Championship. These students have not only mastered the art of argumentation, but have set themselves apart in competitions to claim their spot in the National Competition in Chicago on May 25.

A few Saturdays each month, the Benjamin School debate team competes depending on what school and league are hosting the tournament. The team competes in three leagues; The National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA), The Palm Beach Catholic Forensic League (PBCLF), and the Southeast Florida Civics and Debate Initiative (SEFCDI).

In a competition in Olympic Heights, FL, on May 4, Strauss and Allen competed in Public forum, a form of competitive debate which centers on current events and relies

on both logic and evidence to construct arguments. It was their first time competing as a pair with Strauss acting as Speaker One, and Allen acting as Speaker two. There are four speeches in thisT event: a constructive, rebuttal, summary, and final focus. Strauss performed a four minute pre-written speech called the constructive and then did the summary in the round. Allen covered the rebuttal and final focus.

Strauss and Allen had to debate another pair on the topic “Collegiate athletes should be considered employees”. They had to do this 5 times with different opposing teams debating both the pro and the con side. All of their speech topics had to defend contentions and attack their points which Allen and Strauss executed beautifully.

It was at this competition where the two had officially qualified for the National tournament. Strauss and Allen had to compete in several PBCFLS and SEFCDI tournaments throughout the year to accumulate enough points to qualify.

PharReview: Dune 2

Joey

Tomassetti

Editor-in-Chief

After quietly coming on to the scene in 2021, the sequel to Frank Herbert’s novel Dune is back in theaters. Loaded with more action and drama than the first film, Dune: Part Two scored a 93% Rotten Tomatoes rating.

Dune is set roughly 20,000 years from now. In this future, humans have colonized planets all over the universe. There is a feudal interstellar society of various noble houses that control planetary fiefs. Part one leaves off with Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet) and his mother Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) having just been accepted into the Fremen, the native group of Arrakis. Paul is still hoping to avenge his father, who was caught in the crosshairs of the fight for ultimate universal power. Little does Paul know that he is the long-lost messiah of the Fremen, the Lisan al-Gaib.

Throughout the film, Paul must balance this desire to avenge his father, while also bearing the burden of being the Fremen’s savior. Paul finds love in Chani (Zendaya), a member of the Fremen, making his decisions later on in the movie that much more difficult. Paul also must compete against Feyd Rautha-Harkonnen (Austin Butler), the nephew of the film’s main antagonist, Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgard).

Dune: Part 2 was the perfect movie to see in theaters. The pictures lit up the room and the sounds made the seats shake. A lot is going on throughout the film, which makes it overwhelming at times. But at the same time, it is all so well-crafted. The scenes of the different planets make it seem like a whole new universe.

Some of the best parts of the

Faculty advisor and Coach, Dr. Peruggia, is extremely proud of Strauss and Allen and is glad to see their hard work pay off.

“I am very proud of them considering how novice they are. This year's competition was extremely tough in the Public Forum and to qualify for Nationals says a lot about their preparation and enthusiasm,” Peruggia expressed.

Speech and Debate requires lots of preparation, focus, and strategic thinking, qualities that Strauss and Allen have clearly mastered.

“To prepare, Finley and I first look up the topics we were given, write points for each side (pro and con), then make our three contentions. These points will be the major ones we are attacking during debate. After that, we begin writing our first two speeches then the outlines of our second ones (these speeches are more of a response to what the opponent says). We then move to working on questions we may ask them or they may ask us. Finally, we think about arguments the opponents may make

movie take place on Giedi Prime, the Harkonnen home planet. The arena fight with Feyd was almost entirely in black and white, instilling a sense of dread in the viewers. Apparently, these scenes were shot with infrared cameras–a great touch by cinematographer Greig Fraser.

The fight scenes were very intriguing after there was a lack of conflict in the first film. The Fremen ambushes on Harkonnen spice vessels and Paul and Feyd’s fight were a few of the highlights. There is also significant character development for both Lady Jessica and Chani, which ultimately turns them into significantly more important characters.

The ending is where things are not as enjoyable. Paul and the Fremen make quick work of what is supposed to be a formidable Imperial army, and much of the actual fighting occurs off-screen. It feels rushed, but maybe that is why the movie did not reach the four-hour mark. The ending is as abrupt in the book, so it might be a Frank Herbert problem more than a Dennis Villineuve problem.

Feyd is such a great, dark character, yet his role in the film is limited to the second half. Not to mention his fight with Paul is fairly anti-climatic, considering how good of a fighter everyone made him out to be. This fight scene is still fun to watch, but it should not have been their only encounter.

Selecting Christopher Walken as the Emperor was also a puzzling move, even though he got quite literally no screen time for being such an influential character. This is nothing against Walken, as he is a legendary actor and has been for years, but he is not the right person for this role. It almost feels like the producers were more concerned with having a star-studded cast than actually picking the best actors for the roles.

Besides a few minor issues, Dune: Part Two is truly a piece of cinematographic art. Part three should come out within the next few years to wrap up the trilogy, which everyone will be impatiently waiting for. This feels like the new Star Wars, so why not get excited about it?

Phar-Rating: ⭑⭑⭑⭑

and how to negate them,’’ Allen explained.

Strauss loves the competitive nature of the Public Forum and is looking forward to the National tournament.

“Public Forum is a great event because you have to work really hard and well with your partner as well as on your own. You have to be really great at pivoting your cases quickly and adapting based on what the other teams say. It feels so rewarding to be heading to Nationals. I’ve been investing a lot of time throughout this whole season preparing and competing so this is definitely rewarding and amazing,” Strauss expressed.

Allen is thrilled for Nationals and has thoroughly enjoyed the entire debate season.

“It was really refreshing to see that Finely and I qualified because it means that all of our hard work in debate for the whole year really paid off. I got into debate Freshman year because I wanted to improve my public speaking skills, but it wasn’t until this year that I chose Public Forum to

specialize in. I have loved spending time with people I wouldn’t typically talk to and share funny debate stories,” Allen said.

As Strauss and Allen head into the National Debate Championship, their journey reflects more than just skilled argumentation; it demonstrates resilience, quick thinking, and adaptability. At the competition, Strauss and Allen will be fighting for a win against 200 teams in which they will be debating the topic that “Latin American countries should prioritize intraregional trade over international trade”.

Every year, the yearbook staff selects a faculty member to whom they feel the book should be dedicated. This year, the yearbook staff is proud to dedicate the 50th volume of Treasures to our beloved Benjamin All-Star, Mrs. Guzman. Mrs. Guzman, will you please join us on stage?

Mrs. Guzman balances her roles as teacher, dean, and coach by forming connections and mentoring students, which will be her legacy. Her presence on campus has impacted not only her students and players but the entire community.

Throughout our high school journey, Mrs. Guzman has been a steadfast pillar. Whether teaching Freshmen AP World, leading the JV soccer team, or handling complex administrative issues, her unwavering dedication and passion for education have been a constant source of inspiration.

Next year, we will miss Mrs. Guzman dearly and wish her the best at her next school, knowing they are truly fortunate to have her join their community.

With deep gratitude and heartfelt congratulations, we thank you, Mrs. Guzman, for your valuable contributions. We are proud and honored to dedicate this year book to you.

Lila

Brodner Staff Writer

The music artist, Taylor Swift dropped a new album called The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology. This album is a double album with 15 extra songs. Taylor Swift has written so much tortured poetry in the past two years, that her fans got extra songs!

This album has become really popular since its release on April 19, 2024.“I love listening to this album,

it has really good and catchy songs,” says sophomore, Chloe York. She is well-liked by her fans, Swifties, and will gain new fans with this album, “I have always been a fan of her, but this album makes me like her so much more,” says freshman, Mackenzie Bryan.

On this album she has many songs that have become popular, including Fortnight, I Can Do It With a Broken Heart, and Down Bad. “My favorite song is Manuscript, it has such a good rhythm and is fun to listen to,” says York. Even with this album being so new, the songs have become some of the top songs with Taylor Swift.

This album has a featured artist, Post Malone, on the song Fortnight Taylor Swift says he is such Taylor Swift loves putting out easter eggs for her fans to find. For the past few months, all of her Instagram posts and outfits have been black and white, which is the theme of this album, “I was thinking that she was going to drop a new album, and

I saw her Instagram posts and I knew she was gonna drop a new album,” says Bryan.

This album is so interesting because Taylor Swift wrote it about her ex-fiancé, Joe Alwyn. It is about them breaking up while they were engaged. With certain songs there are special meanings, Long London is about a breakup, I Can Do It With a Broken Heart is about how she has to fake being okay even though she is not, Peter is about how she waited for him, thank you, aIMee, is about her fued with Kim Kardashian, Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me is about how people think she is nice and sweet, so they can walk all over her, but she won’t let that happen, Clara Bow is about how record labels see women. These are just some of the songs on her album that have meaning. This pop artist has made so many great songs and continues to make more. Her fans love her and her commitment to her craft.

Shirts Mark End of Senior Year Sophomores Get New Class Dean

Finley Strauss Staff Writer

On April 30th, the second annual T-Shirt Tuesday event for seniors occurred. Amidst several exciting activities like Senior Sunrise, BASH, and the Lake Jump, seniors have come to appreciate and enjoy all of these activities including T-shirt Tuesday, where students wear a shirt with an inspirational quote that has meaning to them. Most students who decided to participate had to purchase their own shirts. “I enjoyed the buildup the week had. I liked having to wear an inspirational shirt and then on Thursday wearing my college shirt. These days show what we have learned and makes us think about our memories here,” said Xan Blount.

Seniors Evelyn Peyovich, Maggie Smith, and Xan Blount pose for a photo with their inspirational shirts on. Smith always believes that you should try your hardest every day which is why her shirt says ‘It’s a good day to have a great day’. Blount always tries to be kind to other students and tries to surround herself with like minded peers which is why she thinks ‘Kind people are my kind of people’. Peyovich, AP art student and art lover, enjoyed being able to wear a colorful and exciting shirt.

Caroline Grofffman Associate Editor

The 2024-2025 school year is on its way and with it are some new adjustments. One of these being that Mrs. Suzanne McCambridge will be taking over for Mr. Kevin Jacobsen as the Sophomore Class Dean.

Since Mr. Jacobsen is already the Upper School Dean of Students, taking on another role of being responsible for specifics about the sophomore class is a tedious task that he has decided to let go of for next school year.

As he reflects on the past year Mr. Jacobsen says, “I have always felt like the sophomore class in general, by just the way that high schools are structured, sometimes get forgotten and it was nice to be a little more focused on them than usual this year.”

Mrs. McCambridge has spent years in the English department

teaching multiple grade levels at the Upper School. In addition to this, she is also the advisor for the Honor Council and has her own advisory. As she prepares for her new role, she will sadly step down as an advisor to her current-sophomore year students.

“I think that I would bring a new perspective to the grade-level dean position because I often try to remain not only optimistic but also clear-minded and fair and I’m able to collaborate well. My experience in the past also serves me, so I think that not only would I enjoy the position but I would add something new for the sophomore class,” explains Mrs. McCambridge.

With some of the undertakings for a grade-level dean being planning the service projects and bonding activity for orientation, the new sophomore dean has begun her process to allow next year to run smoothly.

On Thursday, May 2nd “College Shirt Day” seniors wear their college shirts instead of their uniform shirts to celebrate their acceptance and fu ture. After reflection, most students view this day as finite. “I think the point of this day is to reflect on mem ories and know our future as we leave Benjamin,” explained Zach Neidoff. “I feel like if you are happy with your college acceptance it is a way to in flate our egos and cherish and appre ciate what we have accomplished,” said Tyler Kelly. Almost all students had to purchase their own shirts be cause they didn’t already have them. Hayden Neer, Zach Neidoff, Keane Adam, and Tyler Kelly all agreed that this day allowed them to reflect on their favorite moments in high school with the ideas of moving forward and change being ever present.

On Friday, May 3rd, Seniors celebrate with Shirt Signing Day. Most wear decorated white polos and spend the morning getting their peers and teachers to sign off and leave messages of memories, hopes, love and good luck.

Whether inspired by words, places, or people, the Seniors wore their spirit during their final days on campus.

“For the first year, I am probably going to continue to go to Defy. I have already asked a couple of my sophomore advisees and they liked that idea. As far as the service project, that might change and I’m still not sure how we will perform that task,” shares Mrs. McCambridge.

While there were five other teachers who also applied for this role, Mrs. McCambridge stuck out to the administration because of her amazing job with the Honor Council and all of her other responsibilities on campus.

“She teaches a lot of freshmen currently which would mean that she already has experience with next year’s sophomore class. It just seemed like a really good fit and I think that Mrs. McCambridge will be fantastic,” closes Mr. Jacobsen.

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Graduating “Dazzlers” (Asia Cohen, Gianna Dermerski, and Skylar Hoben) posed in their college shirts with fellow junior, sophomore, and freshman dancers one last time. “This team has been my life for years. These girls are truly the best and so talented. I am going to miss them so much,” Univ of Alabama-bound Demerski said.

Students in Mr.Hunt’s math class are also all attending different schools. They all said the colors of their respective universities didn’t really affect their choices, but that they will miss their orange and blue colors. Olivia Wells Funk enjoys her new FSU colors “I think it's nice to have new colors besides blue and orange.”

Left to right: Matthew Kalian, Luca Balzano, Harrison Ashley, Isabella Casher, and Olivia Wells Funk.

Signed polos signal the transition from Benjamin to college for many seniors. Left to right: Luke Wise, Tyler Bruneau, Travis Robertson, and Aiden Miller.

A Trio of Signings Caps

Off Stellar Recruiting Year

Ryan Chait Breaking News Director

Every year, The Benjamin School has many students continuing their athletic careers in college by playing their respective sports. This was our second spring signing ceremony this school year, and we had three athletes sign their National Letter of Intent (NLI); Jackson Hamilton, Robert Letsche, and D’Andre LaVassaur.

Our first athlete, Hamilton, signed with Florida State University for shot put and discus. Hamilton is the individual state champion in both shot put and discus and has a good chance to repeat these feats on May 17th. Hamilton’s personal records include 17.59 meters for the shot put (#3 in Florida this season) and 55.15 meters for the discus (#2 in Florida this season). Jackson holds both of the school records for both events. Hamilton has had a record-breaking four years of varsity track and field at Benjamin.

Our second athlete, Letsche, signed with NCAA D-II Western Colorado University for pole vault. Letsche placed 5th in the state championship last year and is looking to win it this year. Letsche’s pole vault personal record is 4.80 meters (#6 in Florida this season), and he currently holds the school record. Robert has had an exceptional four years of varsity track and field at Benjamin.

“It’s nice because I know it will help me stay on top of my health in college. I have been doing a lot of bodyweight exercises like pull-ups and dips recently,” said Letsche.

Hamilton and Letsche’s athletic excellence has been so extraordinary that they each have repeatedly broken their own school records.

Lastly, our third athlete, LaVassaur, signed with Georgia State University as a defensive lineman. Last season LaVassaur had three sacks, eleven tackles, and one forced fumble in twelve games played. On the offensive side, LaVassaur even scored a rushing touchdown. D’Andre had an excellent two years of varsity football at Benjamin.

Our Athletic Director reflects on what it is like, how it feels, and how Benjamin benefits from having multiple athletes every year sign their NLI to continue their college athletics.

“It is a great credit to the student-athletes, their families, teachers, coaches, and college counselors when they sign or commit to a university for athletics,” said Upper School Athletic Director Mr. Ryan Smith. “It takes a tremendous amount of work by the student-athlete and support from many to be offered an opportunity to participate in athletics in college.”

Head Track and Field Coach Mr. Barrett Saunders reflects on what it

All We Do Is Win: A Year In Sports

Reid Waxman Sports Editor

The Bucs' sports this year were very successful, and some sports from the fall, winter, and spring seasons were triumphant.

Upper School Athletic Director Ryan Smith has watched each team play throughout the year and was impressed by the student-athletes and the coaches.

“Overall, we have had an incredibly successful year, with our many teams getting many trophies and being very competitive,” Smith remarked. “The coaches we have are spectacular, and are always looking for ways to get the job done.”

The boys' and girls' cross-country teams both had different results. The boys lost in Districts, while the girls advanced to the State Championships and lost.

Sophomore Gavin Venoff sees only positive actions moving forward.

has been like to coach Letsche and Hamilton.

“As a coach, your primary responsibility is to develop your athletes so they can compete at the college level if they desire to do so. It fills me with pride for our program and happiness for those athletes who have invested a lot of effort and dedication to see their hard work pay off,” said Mr. Saunders.

Saunders also mentions how hard Hamilton and Letsche have trained their whole lives to get to where they are today and what type of training they did besides practicing their event.

“Jackson and Robert have spent years training to become college athletes. They have dedicated countless hours to running, lifting, and practicing drills to improve their techniques. Most people only see the end result, but they have been working hard behind the scenes for a long time. Their hard work is evident as they are both ranked at the top of the state in their respective events this year,” added Saunders.

Head Football Coach Mr. Eric Kresser talks about what it was like to have the ability to coach D’Andre over the course of his two years at Benjamin.

“D'Andre played multiple positions and was a very important part of the Bucs success the last two seasons. He was a starter at offensive guard, and defensive tackle and also played on special teams. It was a pleasure to coach D'Andre and we look forward to watching him play at Georgia State over the upcoming years,” said Coach Kresser.

Smith also adds how proud The Benjamin School is of their athletes who put the hard work in and did everything it takes to reach their goal.

“We are so very proud of our student-athletes. It demonstrates the commitment and dedication that the school has to support all our extracurricular activities to the fullest extent,” said Smith.

All of our athletes will be missed next season and The Pharcyde wishes the best of luck to all of them in the rest of their athletic and academic careers.

said.

The football team won the regular season and became District runner-up in the postseason. Senior Amaree Williams is happy with how the season went.

“This season was so much fun for me. I got to have fun with my friends and win for the school. I will miss playing for Coach Kresser and the rest of the team,” Williams explained.

The final sport in the fall, girls’ volleyball, also had a great season, finishing as District Champions. Junior Grace Havlicek had a great time winning and being with the team this season.

successful, with the team being District Champions. However, they eventually lost to Saint Andrew's in regionals. Sophomore Piper Tuohey felt they could have done better this season and hopes to learn from it.

“I knew we could have done so much better because we had all we needed. Ava Schulites is our goal scorer, and now she is off to college. It will be tough for us to find another Ava, but most of the first-year students will have to step up next season,” Tuohey stated.

“I felt great about it and know we will improve next year. We began our daily training in the summer, and our coaches were supportive. It felt great to watch my times improve after each race,” Venoff explained.

The girls' and boys' golf teams had tremendous seasons, with both being District champions. The girls advanced to the State Championships but lost, while the boys eventually won the Regional and State Championships.

Sophomore Jake Valentine is ecstatic about the team’s performance this season.

“It feels great to win states. The team played well throughout the regular season, and we really deserved every part of it. We were scoring really well, and that is what lead to a great postseason,” Valentine said.

The boys’ and girls’ swimming teams were victorious. The girls won Districts, while the boys came runner-up. Sophomore Caroline Smith felt that she learned so much this season.

“The Aqua Bucs were nothing but positive this season in my eyes. We were always excited to be at practice and had fun together. In the following years, we will only get better,” Smith

“We had an excellent finish this year because it was the first time in history that we had won a district championship! It took a lot of practice to figure out our pairs and team chemistry,” Havlicek expressed. “I am super sad that I will be leaving my team. We were all such close friends, and it hurts me to say that I won’t be able to play with this team again.”

Winter sports followed a similarly positive trend.

For basketball, boys and girls had tough seasons, losing in Districts. Senior Christan Balestreri was sad that he couldn’t have done anything more in his last year.

“It sucks that we couldn’t win districts. We did not have a lot of players this year, and I hope that more people play next year so we can continue Benjamin Basketball,” Balestreri explained.

Moving on to boys’ and girls’ soccer, both teams finished their season on the same note. They both were District Champions and lost in the Regional Quarterfinals. Sophomore Sienna Barboni sees a bright future for girls' soccer.

“I felt like this year, we could have gone farther than we thought. We could have won states easily,” Barboni remarked. “We have a very young team, but without Lily White, it will be hard for us to get back to the level we were at this year. I feel like we have the grit to do so.”

While the spring season is still finishing for a few sports, all of the teams had a strong season.

The girls’ lacrosse season was

The boys’ and girls' tennis teams were District Champions and Regional runner-ups. Senior Zack Smith thinks this team will be good in the future.

“As my last season ended in a heartbreaking loss, this year, the team took a rebuilding year. Our new coach is great and wants to bring in people to help both teams. We all had team chemistry and fun during the season,” Smith expressed.

Both teams lost regionals, however, because they won Districts, freshmen Maria Navarro and Milana Ronert went to the state championships. For both singles and doubles, Navarro with Ronert won the state championship for her side of the bracket and advanced to the overall finals, where they were runner-up.

“It feels awesome to know that you have a state title under your belt. It’s a really nice feeling,” Navarro stated. “I think in these next upcoming years the team will definitely be able continue this. I feel we have a strong enough team to make it far and possibly win states.”

Ending the spring season, the boys’ baseball, boys’ lacrosse, and track and field teams are still going strong. All three teams won districts and are all moving on through the postseason. To find out where they end up, go to The Pharcyte to see how they finish.

With the year coming to wraps, the Bucs’ sports were overall victorious. Players are ready to put in work during the summer to be even better next year.

From left to right: Robert Letsche, D’Andre LaVassaur, and Jackson Hamilton all pose for a photo after signing their National Letter of Intent on April 26. (Jeremy Ferris)

NHL Hockey Playoffs Skate Towards Conference Finals

Stella Liberman Staff Writer

The NHL Playoffs are underway, and the first round has recently finished. The eight remaining teams will continue to compete for the Stanley Cup.

In the Eastern Conference, the Florida Panthers will be facing off against the Boston Bruins, and the New York Rangers will be facing off against the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round.

The first team that has been very noticeable during the series is the Florida Panthers. The team faced off against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round, and it was not an easy fire to put down. Florida's goal production has been the third-best in the playoffs so far according to thehockeynews.com, with Matthew Tkachuk, Alexander Barkov, Carter Verhage, and Sam Reinhart. The Florida Panther’s lineup has been making good contributions on offense and defense. Florida's offense has been able to take pressure off of veteran goalie, Sergei Bobrovsky, this playoff series.

The New York Rangers easily swept the Washington Capitals and suppressed superstar, Alex Ovechkin. He only had five shots and zero points on net in the series. New York Rangers goalie, Igor Shesterkin, was the show off of the entire first round, by only surrendering one goal in two of the Rangers’ wins, and two goals in one of the other wins.

The Rangers prepare to face the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round, as the Blueshirts have demonstrated they are a steady team. The current players for the team are talented enough to make it to the cup final this year. The Blueshirts show they are very dangerous with the puck and take care of their own end.

The Carolina Hurricanes’ quick sweep against the New York Islanders in the first round has set them up to be ready for round two. As the thirty-five year old captain, Jordan Staal, center Sebastian Aho, and others get ready for round two, they have progressively shown dominance in their offense by completely shutting down New York Islanders in game five with the islanders starting their summer early, and the hurricanes progressing to the next round. Overall, Carolina is a cup contender and an exciting team to watch play.

Boston Bruins star players including David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy, Brad Marchand, Morgan Geekie, and others are at the top of their game. Their goaltenders and goaltending too is as good as it gets this playoff series. Unfortunately for Toronto and fans of the team, the Maple Leafs have not been able to beat the Bruins in the postseason since 1959. Even with their dynamic playmakers like William Nylander and Mitch Marner, it was not enough to handle the Bruins during the first round. The Bruins finally end Toronto’s time in the playoffs in game seven sending the leafs

State Champions

Boys’ Lacrosse Wins Its First Title

Ryan Chait Breaking News Director

On Saturday, May 11, the boys' varsity lacrosse team won their first state sanction title in Benjamin’s history. It was the second state championship brought back to Benjamin this school year. They defeated the Community School of Naples in an 11-10 thriller.

Alongside the team’s first state championship, they finished as the #1 boys’ lacrosse team in the nation according to MaxPreps. Throughout the season the team was mostly at the #2 spot only peaking at the #1 spot for one week.

The boys started their state title journey with a win against Bolles, 19-7, on Thursday, May 9. The team traveled back and forth two times from Benjamin to the Paradise Coast Sports Complex in three days.

Head Coach Peter Cordrey and many players on the team expressed what it was like to win a state championship.

“To be there on that day that the game is played requires an incredible amount of hard work and preparation. To succeed on that day takes lots of guts. We were successful in our process. We want to get better each day. With 16 weeks of preparation our process worked for us,” said Cordrey.

“It feels amazing and also very relieving. It shows all the hard work the team has put in is finally paying

off,” said freshman Matthew Null.

“It’s an awesome feeling knowing how hard each of us worked over the season. Our coach calculated that we practiced for around 195 hours this year. It really shows that our hard work has paid off,” said junior Alex Ponchock.

The players also talked about how they improved individually and as a team.

“Many players would stay after practice shooting or getting extra reps to help improve. Everybody on the team would keep each other in check and not let anybody get complacent or satisfied with previous results,” added Null.

“Individually I worked a lot on my speed and accuracy to improve my dodging and shooting. My teammates also played a large role in this because they were always willing to work extra with me whether that meant working out in the gym or doing 1v1s after practice,” added Ponchock.

Although the players had their

individual goals, Coach Cordrey had a strategic conditioning program for them to get them in very good shape.

“We focus on strength and speed work. We work with the football strength coaches and Coach Barrett Saunders to develop speed. During the season, we practice for 2 hours each day and with as much intensity as we can. Practices combine fundamental skill work with competitive games and breakouts on our schemes,” mentioned Coach Cordrey.

Benjamin also organized a fan bus on Saturday, for the students who were interested in attending the game.

Our Head Athletic Director, Ryan Smith speaks on how successful this year was for Benjamin athletics.

“At this point, we have won 2 state championships in boys’ golf and boys’ lacrosse, therefore anytime you win multiple state championships it is considered a very successful school year. This will definitely go down as one of the most successful years in Benjamin athletics. Great credit to our student-athletes and coaches for their commitment and dedication.”

This boys’ lacrosse team is probably one of the best lacrosse teams to ever play for Benjamin. The Pharcyde is very proud of the whole team on winning a state championship! Go Bucs!

back to their home in Toronto, as the bruins move on.

In the Western Conference, the Colorado Avalanche will play against the Dallas Stars and Edmonton Oilers will play against the Vancouver Canucks.

The Colorado Avalanche stumbled at first, losing game one to Winnipeg by a score of 7-6. From there, the Avalanche ruled exactly two goals in their next four games, which would send the Jets home for the summer. Whether they play the Dallas Stars in round two, Colorado has an excellent opportunity to make it to the western conference final at most. If they keep their goaltending up and Mackinnon continues to play at his best, then the Avalanche might be challenging to defeat.

Dallas Stars are by far the deepest team in the NHL with them working very hard to be at the top of their division. The hard work paid off, earning them a date against the Vegas Golden Knights in the first round. As of this year, the Stars have made some big improvements with a new roster that will surely help them for the next round against the Avalanche.

The Edmonton Oilers go on to beat and break the Los Angeles Kings in game five. The Kings were able to do an average job holding onto the oilers early, but broke eventually leading to the Oilers to progress.

Star players Quinn Hughes and Roman Josi have already settled it on ice with Vancouver winning against

the Nashville Predators in six games the final score was 1-0 indicating it was a tight, rough night.

As teams battle it out throughout the playoffs, the last game of each series (if needed) for the second round will be on the 18th, 19th, and 20th. Make sure to tune in to the playoff madness and the race to the Stanley Cup.

State Titles For Ladies

Chase Zur Associate Editor

From May 1-3, freshmen Chase Atkins, Maria Navarro, and Milana Ronert, and sophomore Ishe Makoni all competed in the 2024 Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) 1A tennis state tournament.

During the district tournament on April 16th and 17th, both the girls' and boys' tennis teams emerged victorious, securing Atkins and Makoni's automatic berths in the FHSAA 1A individual doubles tournament as the top-seeded doubles pair for the boys' team, while Navarro and Ronert also earned their spots in the same event. Additionally, Atkins and Navarro earned automatic bids for the FHSAA 1A individual singles tournament by holding the #1 seed for their respective teams and by winning the individual district tournament.

Although both the girls' and boys' teams fell short in winning regionals to qualify as a full team for the FHSAA 1A overall tournament, Atkins, Makoni, Navarro, and Ronert as the top seeds in singles and doubles, had the opportunity to compete individually.

In the state tournament, the #1 singles player on each of the four complete teams participated in a bracket, with the winners advancing to the FHSAA 1A overall singles tournament. Similarly, the top doubles teams competed, with the champions progressing to the FHSAA 1A overall doubles tournament.

As the top singles seed, Atkins competed in the 1A individual singles tournament but lost in the quarterfinals. Similarly, Makoni and Atkins competed in the 1A individual doubles tournament, where they were also eliminated in the quarterfinals.

Navarro emerged victorious in the individual singles tournament, subsequently advancing to the overall singles tournament but lost in the finals. Ronert and Navarro won the individual doubles tournament but fell short in the overall doubles tournament finals.

Winning the individual singles and doubles tournament is no small feat: it takes talent, teamwork, and an unwavering drive to excel at every serve, volley, and match point.

Navarro is thrilled to have won the individual state tournaments and is excited to continue to improve in the upcoming years.

• Go to The Garden’s GreenMarket for fresh seasonal foods

• Make s’mores at a beach bonfire with family and friends

• Try a smoothie or juice from Celis in Royal Poinciana Plaza

• Get a sweet treat from Matty’s Gelato in Juno Beach

• Get an iced coffee and breakfast from Papa Kwan’s

Must See Matches Beach Bites

Ask Me Again by Clare Sestanovich (June 11)

Godwin by Joseph O’Neill (June 4)

History by Francine Prose (June 4)

1974: A Personal

ley Eisenberg (May 28)

Housemates by Emma -Cop

and Wolverine Summer Reads

San Diago Padres vs. Miami Marlins at the -IoanDe pot Park on August 11

New York Mets vs. Miami Marlins at the IoanDepot Park on July 22

Boston Red Sox vs. Miami Marlins at the IoanDepot Park on July 2

Argentina vs. Peru Copa America Tour at Hard Rock Stadium on June 29

um on June 1

St. Louis CITY SC vs. Inter Miami CF at Chase -Stadi

Movies to Watch

If you’re in a mood to do -some thing unique, visit the

If you’re in the mood for a -con cert, go see Justin Timberlake at Kaseya Center (June 15).

for a day

the PHLIPCYDE

If you’re in an artsy mood, visit Norton Museum.

If you’re in the mood

trip, visit Atlantic Avenue for shopping and a meal.

turtles at Loggerhead Marine Center.

If you’re in the mood to shop, go to Ocean Magic Surf Shop in Juno Beach.