Focus Edition #4 April 2023

A Blind Brook High School Student Publication Issue #4

Starting A New Period In Blind Brook Schools

By: Ben Messafi

into an auditorium. Also, students will be able to participate in STEM activities similar to those that the fab lab offers in the High School.

January 24th marked the celebration of the completion of the Ridge Street School construction, and the grand opening of the new parts of the school. A ribbon cutting with the superintendent and board of education was held, along with tours for community members to see the time, dedication, and money that was put into the extension of the school.

The celebration was a success. Attendees were able to see the new atrium, main office, classrooms, and “courtyard,” an outdoor area where teachers and students can participate

in activities beneficial to their learning experience. However, what is most impressive about the new construction is its ability to address many of the desires of teachers, students, and parents in the district. New furniture with wheels, along with more storage units in classrooms, address the concerns teachers had in their classrooms. Students will also have the opportunity to participate in new activities they did not have access to prior to the construction. One notable addition is the cafetorium: a cafeteria that also contains seats to turn

The largest relief for the district after the grand opening was the approval of a Temporary Certificate of Occupancy for the new kitchen. Over the next few weeks, the new hightech kitchen equipment will be shipped into the school, and new kitchen staff will be trained. Superintendent Colin M. Byrne stated in an update to the school on February 2nd, that he is working to accelerate the kitchen service process, and continues to prioritize the issue these next few weeks. Finally, for the first time since the pandemic, Ridge Street School stu-

dents will soon have access to purchase hot lunches at school. While BBHS students will not be directly impacted by some of the new extensions put in place, the end of the construction marks an important milestone in the Rye Brook community. With these new developments, the Blind Brook school district is continuing to prioritize the introduction of STEM into the classrooms, and ensure that students are in a clean and safe environment to learn and prepare for their futures in college and beyond. The district also posted videos of the opening ceremony with some views of the new construction, available on the district website.

Jellyfish Float to the Top at Regional TournamentLook to Sting Competition at Championship

The Robotics team, AKA the Jellyfish, have won four different awards at the Utica qualifying robotics competition on January 22 and have qualified for the FIRST regional championship event on March 18.

The team has been a member of the Tech Challenge competition run by For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technologies (FIRST) since the team’s found-

By: Alex Thompson

ing in 2010. FIRST is a robotics competition where high school teams build, program, and drive a robot to complete various objectives on a game field. This year’s FIRST Tech Challenge is known as Power Play. Teams are tasked with building a robot to stack cones on parts of an enclosed stage incorporating junctions, substations, and terminals.

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Members of the Jellyfish after the Utica competition following their successful qualification for the Regional Championships

Jellyfish Float to the Top at Regional TournamentLook to Sting Competition at Championship

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The Jellyfish robot is controlled by two drivers, one controlling movement, and the other controlling the claw that is used to grab the cones and place them on poles.

During the start of a tournament, an alliance is formed between two teams with each of their robots helping and competing as an alliance. These teams and the rival alliance they face are paired at random for the first five “qualifying rounds” of the tournament. “We can be against upwards of 20 different teams all around New York state,” said Michael Oh, Build President of the team. “In the regional championship, we will be competing with the best teams around New York.”

In a round, alliances aim to score points by placing cones on the poles throughout a field. At the end of a round, the alliance with the most points wins. Each team will then be

By: Alex Thompson

paired with a new team member and opposition for the next round. In the finals of a tournament, after five qualifying rounds, the four robotics teams with the most points select two partner teams to form a final alliance which competes against the other three alliances.

“Working on a team is always fun because it’s not just whose team is better,” Relations Officer, Taka Kimura, explained. “Your team could have worse robots than the rival team, but you might have better synergy which allows you to win in pretty cool ways,” Kimura said.

Despite ending with success, the Utica tournament did not always go according to plan. “Utica had a lot of ups and downs,” Jellyfish Programmer Taira Nonami recalled, “the night before the tournament, a key part of our robot cracked.” While a break or crack in a robot can mean failure for many teams, the Jellyfish were pre-

A model explaining the standard alliance between teams. The blue team in this model work together and use their two robots to compete against the red team in a game.

pared for such an incident.

“Our team is able to repair any problem that comes our way, so after finding the problem, we grouped together, got what we needed, and repaired our robot before the tournament,” Nonami said.

Out of the 23 teams at the tournament, the Jellyfish placed 18th and were not selected for a final alliance in the last round, seemingly ending their tournament run there. “I think a lot of our issues came from unfortunate scenarios like

teammates [alliances] who we didn’t synergize well with,“ President Elliot Zheng said, “but I think the judges were able to see through just the results and look at the strengths of our team like our teamwork and hard work.”

Despite the results, the Jellyfish spirit did not wane as they cheered on teams in the finals and prepared for the next events in their season. During the closing ceremony, the Jellyfish won the coveted Inspire award. “I think our spirit is

A picture of this year’s robot for the Jellyfish, named “Grace” after computer scientist Grace Hopper. On a model game field, the robot is labeled on the side with the team’s FIRST Tech Challenge number 4654, as they are the 4654th team to join the organization’s competition.

what's good about our team,” Programmer Matthew Laterza said. “It’s the thing that keeps us optimistic, even when things like placing 18th happen, and I think the judges rewarded us for it.”

At the end of a FIRST tournament, teams are able to qualify for the next stage of the competition in two ways: winning the tournament, or earning specific awards for strengths that their team displays. The Jellyfish advanced to region-

advanced to regional championships by winning placements for four of these rewards: Inspire (second place), Control award (first place), Motivate award (second place) and Think award (third place).

“I was very proud,” Robotics Secretary Fiona Chen said of the experience, “everything worked out for us, even though we had some unfortunate circumstances with the qualifying rounds.” Pride doesn’t always come in win-

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A standard setup to a Power Play game, in which 4 robots, forming 2 alliances between them, are put on different ends of the field. The robots will then work together to stack cones of their color on the yellow poles, earning points depending on how high the pole they stacked the cones on are.

Arts and Entertainment

Ticketmaster’s Monopoly and Taylor Swift’s “Eras” Presale

By: Maya Vinikoor

On November 15, 2022, over 14 million Taylor Swift fans, otherwise known as “Swifties,” pulled up the Ticketmaster website in an attempt to purchase presale tickets to Taylor’s “Eras” tour. With 10.5 million more customers than expected seeking to purchase tickets, a disaster ensued. In hindsight, it seems inevitable that Ticketmaster was not prepared for the astronomical demand for tickets for Swift’s performances. Despite its guarantee to handle the presale demand, the website failed spectacularly.

As fans all across the globe waited online for over seven hours to make their purchase, Ticketmaster’s servers crashed, resulting in many would-be purchasers being pushed all the way to the end of the queue. Ticketmaster was completely unprepared for the whopping 14 million fans who arrived on its site that day.

Although this crash prevented the majority of people who longed for tickets from getting them, Ticketmaster was, in fact, able to sell over two million tickets, which it claimed to be a record-breaking number for a single artist in one day. To make matters worse for the Swifties who failed to purchase tickets, many of the tickets sold were later relisted on secondary

broker sites such as StubHub at dramatically inflated prices. As a result of this disaster, the general sale of Swift’s “Eras” tour tickets was canceled. Swifties who wished to purchase tickets to the tour were forced to resort to places like StubHub in order to get their desired tickets.

The chaos caused by Ticketmaster’s Taylor Swift meltdown exposed the risks of what many believe is a monopoly, i.e. the exclusive control by one company of a particular commodity or service. Ticketmaster strongly argues that it is not a monopoly by citing numerous other event sale companies with which it claims to compete.

Currently, Ticketmaster

has a chance to demonstrate a better handle on the selling of Beyoncé’s tickets for her “Renaissance” tour. As all eyes are on Ticketmaster, the company claims to be “making some changes” in terms of the way it will sell Beyoncé’s tickets to the mass crowd. For example, the company announced that it will be dividing cities into three groups, each with its own registration and presale dates, to minimize overcrowding and bots. Although Ticketmaster claimed to have made changes to its site, it explained in advance that many people who sought to buy tickets would remain empty-handed. Demand for the available number of tickets, exceeds supply

Viewpoints

Is Mental Health Being Taken Seriously at BBHS?

The administration here at Blind Brook has been claiming that many actions and initiatives they have taken are in the name of dealing with student stress and mental health. However, what do students have to say on the matter, and are these initiatives actually helping?

The student body seems to vary in opinion on the topic. When asked about her opinion on school initiatives for dealing

By: Hunter Greenspan

with stress and mental health, senior Alessandra Wemm responds, “I think that the school addresses mental health fairly well as of late. I’ve noticed the administration utilizing certain strategies such as mental health-focused assemblies and employing trained individuals like Ms. Neil-Robinson, the new BBHS social worker.”

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by more than 800% in the first city group alone. A labor economist at the University of California at Riverside states that while Ticketmaster’s approach to Beyoncé’s upcoming tour is a step in the right direction, these changes alone won’t solve every problem in terms of admission to mass mainstream events. Big music concerts nowadays are more about the excitement of the live event, and less about the music type or genre. There seems to be a “fear of missing out” element that big events in big cities create. As today’s most popular artists tend to hold large events, it has become difficult for ticket corporations to manage their sales effectively. The “Renaissance” tour will act as Ticketmaster’s next big test, and fans will be holding their breath in the hopes that the problems that plagued ticket purchasing for Swift’s tour do not affect Beyoncé.

New Course Offerings Provide a Refreshing Change

By: Noah Dweck

Prior to the 2022-23 school year, the Blind Brook High School announced brand new courses for the upcoming year, giving students more choices to better fit their interests with a challenging curve. So far, these courses have been going well and many students are enjoying their new classes. These courses consist of Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles and Advanced Placement Human Geography.

AP Computer Science Principles

Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles is a course that is designed for grades 10 through 12, where the student must have taken geometry or honors geometry as a prerequisite. This course emphasizes problem solving and teaches students how computer science can be used and applied to impact the world around them. It prepares students well for the required AP test in May, along with the AP Create Task that students will also have to submit.

Ms. Seeger, a high school math and computer science teacher, teaches AP Computer Science Principles. She described the course by saying that, “In terms of difficulty, it’s

that, “In terms of difficulty, it’s a more accessible AP for students and not as rigorous as some of the normal AP courses. One thing we focus on in this course is how data is stored and transmitted. It's not a straight coding course, but gives a feel of a humanities course because you are learning non-math stuff, too. We do lots of pair and group work, as well.”

Ms. Seeger also explained that

this computer science class focuses not only on typical computer science, but on app making, too. Because it involves lots of group work, students can collaborate ideas and share thoughts.

AP Human Geography

Advanced Placement

Human Geography is another debuting course that is open to students in grades 10-12.

mmended for this course will be eligible to take it. This course introduces students to different aspects of human civilization and helps them understand and study the earth. Students study land and agriculture in order to determine its advantages and disadvantages, in addition to learning about tools and instruments used by geographers.

Many students have recommended it and have been vocal about enjoying it. Senior Zach Baruch described it as, “a very intriguing class because you learn and talk about something different then the typical social studies class. It’s more of a modern-based class where you get to talk about how people interact with their surroundings, and why.”

As expressed by Baruch, many others also believe that it is not the usual social studies class, which may be more suitable for some kids. Unlike most history courses, which focus on the past and different time periods, what makes AP Human Geography unique is its focus on current events.

Sophomore students must keep in mind that they are not able to take both AP courses, and may only choose one of the two aforementioned options.

New Courses Coming to BBHS

BBHS plans to add multiple new courses in the upcoming school year. Some of these courses are the continuation of current classes already offered, such as Digital Music Production 2 and Computer Science 2. Additional types of science courses will be introduced, including Environmental Science in Action and Physics in Action. Other new courses we will be seeing at BBHS next year are Honors English 10, College Entrepreneurship, Public Speaking, and the addition of Mandarin 1. The future of curriculum options is bright for BBHS!

Sea levels are rising, the Arctic is melting, and forests are burning. Through the emissions of non-renewable resources such as coal, oil, natural gas, and greenhouse gasses, a suffocating blanket around the earth has been created that retains the sun’s heat. This phenomenon is known as global warming.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has the mission of protecting the environment and human health. As explained on www.epa. gov, the EPA works to ensure that Americans have access to clean air, land, and water. The EPA uses scientific information to make decisions on how to reduce environmental risks. In addition, it enforces the federal laws protecting human health and the environment.

On January 10, 2023 the EPA was granted $100 million for two environmental justice grant programs. This money will be put towards community projects that monitor and prevent pollution, support climate resilience and adaptation, and increase infrastructure and workforce development efforts

Politics Combating Climate Change

By: Abby Zahl

that reduce the emissions of greenhouse gasses. The American multinational law firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld explains that $30 million will be given to the Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving (EJCPS) Cooperative Agreement Program, which supports non-profit organizations that address environmental and public health issues in communities. The EJCPS will work to create relationships between different community organizations. Together, they will strive to achieve their mission in a more efficient manner. The remaining $70 million will be given to the Environmental Justice Government-to-Government (EJG2G) Program.

This program aims to create model state activities that result in gaining environmental or public health benefits for communities that are severely impacted by climate change. President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law includes a Pollution Prevention program with significant funding to encourage more businesses in different commu-

ities to engage in eco-friendly processes that will follow and advance the environmental agenda of the Biden-Harris Administration. This includes using clean energy and investing in pollution reduction. Jennie Romer, EPA Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Deputy Assistant Administrator for Pollution Prevention, stated, “Pollution prevention is about stopping pollution before it even starts and it can make a big impact in the communities that are disproportionately affected by chemical and other kinds of pollution.” The EPA will make sure to hear from different communities about their environmental concerns. This will give the EPA new input on how to deal with the crisis.

Over all, with intense pollution and increased global temperatures, the EPA is doing all it can to manage environmental threats and mitigate the impacts of negative changes to the climate. But its resources vary with the administration that controls the White House and the political parties controlling Congress. While the Biden-Harris administration

makes the health of the environment a priority, there is no guarantee that the next President will place the same value on the health of the climate, and the health of Americans. Today’s Blind Brook seniors will be voters in the next U.S. presidential election and will need to pay attention to where the candidates--whoever they may be--stand on the critical issue of climate health. Our future depends on it!

Is Mental Health Being Taken Seriously at BBHS?

However, some students feel as if the school could be doing much more. One such student is senior Corey Schiz, who responded to the same question with, “I think that the school can do a better job addressing mental health. I feel that [the new] advisory [period] is a little pointless because I’m not going to share how I feel with people I'm not friends with, and I’m sure others feel similarly. The senior groups, [with Ms. Tricarico], however, have been somewhat helpful in this regard.”

Another student summarizes what seems to be a middle ground on the topic. As Junior Ian Goldfeld opined, “I know that the school has not had a great history of dealing with students' mental health. But personally, I think that in

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the past few years, they've gotten better, especially with the addition of Ms. Neil-Robinson. Her presence has helped many people including myself and she's a great addition to the school.” But Goldfeld added, “I still think there is so much more the school can do to help with students’ mental health. For example, one big detail that is overlooked is that the testing calendar isn’t frequently utilized by teachers. This in turn adds undo stress to students' lives and can negatively impact our mental health.”

The student body recognizes that the administration is taking steps and adding initiatives to address student mental health. That being said, the effectiveness of these steps is debatable. However, one thing that everyone can agree with is

that addressing and confronting student mental health is of paramount importance.

Jellyfish Float to the Top at Regional TournamentLook to Sting Competition at Championship

Continued from Page 2 ning, however, as Chen was quick to point out. “I wouldn’t necessarily need to qualify [for regionals] to feel like the effort I put in was worth it. I think that just shows in our performance. I was also very, very happy for the freshmen who have never experienced this before. It was their first time and they earned it because they have put a lot into this team.”

“Freshmen are the future of our club,” said Zheng. “Getting them interested and passionate is so important because the next generation needs to be excited to learn. My favorite part this year is how passionate and involved they are. They go to meetings, tournaments, and are invested even outside of the club about Robotics.”

“Everything in robotics is so engaging and interesting that it’s given me a sense of belonging in a group,” said freshman Jocelyn Zheng.

“It’s really fulfilling to be integrated so quickly into a team. Everything I’m doing

Inspire Award The most prestigious award of the FIRST Tech Challenge. Given to teams who in the eyes of the judges fully embody the creativity and determination behind the tournament. The top two teams in this award category qualify for regional championships, and the Jellyfish walked home with silver in the category.

Control Award Given to teams who display clear intelligence and creativity when it comes to programming their robot. The programming used for our robot was not only efficient but utilized creative solutions to problems which earned us first in this award category.

Motivate Award Given to teams who truly endorse and spark interest around the main STEM and FIRST ideas in others. Our team has had constant outreach programs, such as Junior Jellies- and afterschool activity in which we present STEM concepts and challenges to 5th graders. This strong bond to inspiring our community allowed us to win second in this award.

Think Award Given to teams who overcome obstacles in their robot through creative engineering. In their overcoming of challenges posed to them during the tournament, the Jellyfish won third place.

truly feels like it has a purpose,” freshman Amrit Mohapatra said. “It’s even more amazing to go to a tournament and win. It brings meaning and value to the work and preparation we do.”

hapatra said. “It’s even more amazing to go to a tournament and win. It brings meaning and value to the work and preparation we do.”

Sports

Recruited College Athletes

By: Max Corbin

Nili Sprecher, University of Virginia D1

Nili first picked up a squash racket at the young age of four. When asked when she started getting serious about squash, she said, “I was always pretty serious about it, but played a

a bunch of other sports in middle school. After 8th grade, though, I chose to just focus on squash since I was getting pretty good at it, and it was all squash from then on.” When asked what led her to sign with Virginia she said, “I was

debating between some great schools, but I chose Virginia for its team and school atmosphere. The coach is amazing and cares about his players. Everyone there seems like a family, and I want to be a part of that, too.” Nili also wanted

to attend an academically challenging school. She is very excited about furthering her athletic and academic career in a new, exciting environment.

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The full Jellyfish robotics team along with 4th and 5th grade participants of “Junior Jellies”. This is a community outreach program for the robotics team in which the Jellyfish Introduce concepts of STEM to children within the community through unique challenges

Alex Thompson is a member of the Outreach team for Jellyfish robotics.

Alyssa Trokie, SUNY New Paltz D3

Alyssa started playing tennis when she was seven, but she only got really serious about it when COVID hit in early 2020. This granted her more time to perfect her skills. She has been playing on the varsity tennis team since 10th grade. When asked why she chose SUNY New Paltz, she explains, “After visiting the school and seeing the tennis program live, the sense of community stood out to me…I like the idea of being in nature since I love hiking. It is also close to home, which is important for me.” In addition to her tennis career, Alyssa will be studying sociology and psychology. Alyssa is very thankful for the guidance her coaches and former teammates have provided that has shaped her into the player she is today, and she couldn't be more excited to continue her tennis career. We look forward to watching her succeed at the collegiate level.

Sports Recruited College Athletes

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Nico Gonzalez, Franklin and Marshall College D3 Soccer Superstar Nico Gonzalez will continue his passion at Franklin and Marshall College. When asked when he started playing soccer, Nico said, “I’ve been playing soccer for as long as I can remember. It’s a huge part of my family’s culture given my Spanish background, so my dad wanted me to get into it at a young age. I feel like I was mainly playing for fun when I originally started with the Rye Brook youth team. However, by the time I was ten, I knew I wanted to take it more seriously, so I moved to my club team, FC Westchester.” When asked why he chose Franklin and Marshall, he said, “During the recruiting process, I was mainly looking at small, high-level academic division 3 schools that were pretty close to home. I quickly loved Franklin and Marshall after touring its campus and meeting the coaching staff, so I went to a soccer camp this past summer, where I received an offer to join the team.” Nico is very excited to further his academic and ath-

Ethan Taerstein, Colby College D3 Ethan started playing lacrosse when he was in third grade, and fell in love with the sport very quickly. When asked when he knew he wanted to get serious about lacrosse, Ethan said, “Around middle school, my passion for lacrosse became so tremendous that I promised myself that I’d play college lacrosse. I wanted to start a culture here at Blind Brook that proves that kids who attend smaller, public schools still have the opportunity to play college sports, even if the odds aren’t in their favor. I stayed determined to

Wild Card Weekend

By: Jacob Moore

As another year goes by, it's time that the NFL hosts the playoffs for its 103rd season. From Justin Jefferson’s ridiculous catch against Buffalo late in the 4th to the ridiculous ending of Patriots vs Raiders, the NFL brought us the purest form of football this season that fans know and love. While the regular season brings us our Sunday comfort, fans buckle in for what really matters: the playoffs. These playoffs, between the ultra-competitive AFC and top seeds of the NFC, were shaping up to be one of the best.

To kickoff super wild card weekend, the second seed San Francisco 49ers faced their divisional rival, the seventh seeded Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks led 17 to 16 against the 49ers going into halftime, but an explosion of offense mixed with a couple turnovers

overs on defense allowed for the 49ers to crush their foe 41 to 23. The following game was the fifth seeded Los Angeles Chargers vs the fourth seeded Jacksonville Jaguars. At around halftime, it seemed Jacksonville’s “cinderella” run was coming to an end, as they trailed 27 to nothing following four Trevor Lawrence interceptions. Coach Doug Pederson wasn't having it, as he and his team rallied back down 27 to beat the Chargers 31 to 30. One of the greatest comebacks in playoff history, the Jaguars knew they weren't going home. The Sunday games started with the second seeded Buffalo Bills vs the seventh seeded Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins started the season red hot, but after some injuries, and a second concussion to up and coming quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, they came into Buffalo short

staffed. This showed as Buffalo moved on with a 34 to 31 win. Our third to last game saw the three seed Minnesota Vikings face the sixth seeded New York Giants. The Giants up until this point were a miracle story; no one had them doing this well before the season. That said, the Giants upset the Vikings 31 to 24. The second to last game of wildcard weekend was the three seeded Bengals facing the sixth seeded Ravens. This was a close battle throughout its entire duration, but a Sam Hubbards 98 yard fumble return touchdown towards the end sealed Baltimore’s fate. The last game of wildcard weekend was the fourth seeded Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs the fifth seeded Dallas Cowboys. Tampa Bay had been disappointing all season, and that didn't stop here, as the Cowboys cruised to a 31 to 14 win. Tom Brady

favor. I stayed determined to the promise I made myself, and after years of hard work on the field and in the classroom, my dream finally became reality.”

Ethan has been playing varsity lacrosse since 8th grade and is also a multi-sport athlete, as he also plays on the Blind Brook Varsity Soccer and Basketball teams. When asked what made him choose Colby, he said, “After receiving a variety of interest from colleges in my junior year, I visited Colby in July. After learning more about their program, I wanted to challenge myself academically by pursuing a degree in economics and also wanted to push myself to be the best lacrosse player possible by competing in the NESCAC (New England Small College Athletic Conference) league. The team culture that their program is based on felt like a great fit for me to grow into the best scholar-athlete possible.” Ethan’s values of good team culture are shown as he continues to contribute to establishing one here at Blind Brook.

ends his illustrious career with a lackluster finale.

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The Divisional Round was anticipated to be even more exciting than the wild card. To open the divisional round, the one seed Kansas City Chiefs faced the Jaguars. The Jags put up a fight, but they proved no match for the veteran combo of Reid-Mahomes-Kelce. The Giants faced the one seed Eagles next. While the Giants had momentum, the Eagles dominated the trenches, and demolished the Giants 38 to 7. The Sunday games started with the Bills taking on the Bengals. Two of the most exciting offenses in the league, this game turned out to be rather mellow, as the Bills couldn't get anything to work offensively, while Joe Burrow and Jamarr Chase did what they did best. The Bengals advanced to their second consecutive AFC championship game with a 27 to 10 win. The most anticipated game of the week was 49ers vs Cowboys. The 49ers were on their third quarterback, the last pick of the draft Brock Purdy. The Cowboys wanted revenge, as the 49ers had beaten them last year in the playoffs. The game turned out to be a defensive one, as both teams only combined for two touchdowns. Following a ridiculous George Kittle catch, a Christian McCaffery touchdown early in the fourth, and two Dak Prescott interceptions, the 49ers bested the Cowboys again, with a 19 to 12 victory.

Wild Card Weekend

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The conference championship games opened with the 49ers playing the Eagles. Unfortunately, quarterback Brock Purdy suffered a torn UCL on the very first offensive drive for the 49ers. QB4 Josh Johnson had to enter, but even he suffered a head injury early in the third quarter. Without any offensive output from the 49ers, the Eagles were able to calmly win the NFC with a 31 to 7 victory. The next game found itself to be a rematch of last year's AFC championship game. The Chiefs looked to get revenge against the Bengals for last year, and they did just that. Joe Burrow and Patrick Mahomes exchanged touchdowns, but a late game penalty, followed by a Harrison Butker game winning field goal, would send the Chiefs to their third superbowl in four years. Super Bowl 57 finds the Kansas City Chiefs facing off against the Philadelphia Eagles. This game had it all, including controversy. One of the biggest controversies of the night was the field. The NFL had been growing this grass field for two years. The grass field turned out to be so slippery that players had to change their cleats halfway through the game. The field proved to hinder both teams’ pass rush, and receivers were sometimes unable to stay balanced while performing an after catch move. Despite this, both teams found the endzone

Focus Staff

Editor-in-Chief: Anna Baker-Butler

came down to one last Chiefs’ drive, which sealed the Eagles fate when the refs threw a pass interference flag on the defense, giving the Chiefs a new set of downs. From there, the Chiefs were able to milk out the clock and give Harrison Butker a short game winning field goal. While controversial, cornerback James Bradberyy admitted after the game that he did in fact hold on that play, and the penalty was deserved. Even then, many have been disputing over this late game call. The Chiefs go on to win their second Super Bowl in four years, an impressive feat for the young, yet generational quarterback Patrick Mahomes. As for the Eagles, they are a young team, and, after an amazing trade, own a top ten pick in this year's draft, courtesy of the New Orleans Saints. Their future may be the brightest of them all.

Even though this year's

playoffs were no short of amazing, the inevitable disappointment has come that the NFL season is now officially over. NFL fans have to look forward to free agency and the draft, but all of that doesn't compare to the excitement of that first Sunday in September when NFL football officially comes back.

Writers

Operations Managers: Zoey Possick and Rachel Horn

Multimedia Directors: Jordana Esterow and Charlotte Zelin

Webmaster: Natalia Terentiev

Layout Editor: Sophie Possick

Social Media Manager: Melina Kohilakis

Editors

Features: Ben Messafi, Politics: Kunjal Kothari, Arts and Entertainment: Sydney Anmuth, Health and Science: Emily Tian, News: Abby Goldstein, Viewpoints: Hailey Mallah, Sports: Joshua Dweck

Jacob Moore, Hunter Greenspan, Max Corbin, Abby Zahl, Alex Thompson, Noah Dweck, Maya Vinikoor, Ben Messafi, Abby Meron

Arts and Entertainment

Something Rotten Was Really Something Amazing

By: Abby Meron

A few weeks ago, Blind Brook High School’s 2023 production of Something Rotten closed its final curtain. It was a bittersweet moment for all. It was the last show for the seniors, and a show the cast and crew had learned to adore came to an end. The audiences were left with nothing but positive things to say about this show. The comedic plot had viewers laughing for all three performances.

Behind the scenes, there is much more to a musical than meets the eye. From designing a set to establishing light cues, from learning how to tap dance to accomplishing intricate costume changes, Something Rotten did not come without its challenges. Part of why this process was so important was the cast and crew's ability to put on such a difficult show. On the surface, you may not be able to tell that the first time many of these cast members wore tap shoes was only a few months ago. The perseverance of the cast to master tapping skills was truly incredible. The show's director,

Christina Colangelo, highlighted that her biggest takeaway was “the work ethic and dedication of the cast and crew who were willing to go above and beyond and work hard to make the show awesome.” On top of the already busy lives teenagers experience, their devotion to creating an incredible show was truly inspiring.

When asked about her biggest takeaway from the process, senior dance captain Alyssa Trokie explained, “Something that’s really amazing about the musical is that you drop everything for it, and it becomes your life. It makes you fall in love with the show and the people you are doing it with.” One of the most important things besides the show itself is the friends you meet along the way. People have met some of their best friends through the theater program, and the upperclassmen mentor underclassmen. Once the show begins to come together there is a rewarding feeling of pride and excitement. The rehearsal process can be tedious with every day bringing new challeng-

es. But cast members describe an amazing feeling of being part of something bigger than yourself. When the audience begins to trickle in and the applause starts to roar, the rush of adrenaline in the cast can’t be beat.

This show was one of the best. The lessons and friendships gained along the way will last a lifetime. In the words of senior Tech captain Julian Silva, “this team of gift-

ed individuals worked tirelessly from bottom to top to [create an incredible spectacle].”

A Note From the Editor-in-Chief

Anna Baker-Butler

There is so much we take for granted living where we do. For example, we can go to the library and find books on whatever topics we choose, even ones that are controversial. This isn’t so in a growing number of communities in the United States as the culture wars turn libraries and classrooms into battlefields, using book bans as a weapon to try to enforce a particular view of the world.

Book banning is a serious problem, and it is currently at an all-time high. In states such as Florida, books addressing the lives of people of color and the LGBTQ community are being banned in classrooms. Librarians, teachers, and authors need to walk on eggshells about what they can say in a classroom and what they can write about to avoid being targeted by conservative school boards and politicians. Since 2021, schools have banned books 2,532 times, ignoring the fact that the books they ban are important building blocks of cultural education that reflect historical realities and lived experience. The book Stamped by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds was subject to five book bannings due to its candid depiction of racism. I believe that this constitutes censorship that violates the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, as well as citizens’ rights to freedom of speech.

Politicians who are banning books believe that their content is unimportant or incorrect. However, the experiences described in these banned books have been lived by people. When books about their experiences are banned, their experiences become invalidated. When books fail to portray a full spectrum of viewpoints, races, ethnicities, and lifestyles, our society does a major disservice to the children we seek to educate, because we fail to reflect their own images back to them. I believe that this can lead to feelings of isolation, depression and anxiety. It is also vital for students and children to be educated about those who are different from them, and exposed to topics that are controversial, in order to build a thoughtful and informed generation of young people who will meaningfully contribute to our diverse society.