Focus Issue #5

A Blind Brook High School Student Publication

Features

Issue #5 June 2023

Blind Brook’s Mock Trial Success Among the plethora of extracurricular activities at BBHS is the Mock Trial club. Mock Trial is a simulation of a real trial enacted by high school students looking to compete with high school students across the region and bring home a win. The trial alternates annually between a civil and criminal case, and teams prepare both sides of the case. Mock Trial offers a series of positive opportunities

By: Sofia Padilla

since it involves traveling to the courthouse, affords interactive experiences with other high schools, and provides multiple occasions to enhance public speaking skills. Blind Brook’s Mock Trial team has proven to be successful in this year’s competition led by co-captains Melina Kohilakis and Jackson Weinstein, as it won the Westchester County competition and proceeded to the Regional Finals in Rockland County.

A club of this caliber requires great dedication and passion towards the trial and as co-captain Jackson Weinstein states, “as Captain, it can be difficult to motivate our members to give up sometimes dozens of hours a week to Mock Trial. But, everyone on the team wants to be there, each with a fierce interest, whether professional or academic, in the law.” The team built all of this ardor within the commu-

A Note From the Editor-in-Chief As the school year comes to a close, I am reflecting nostalgically on my four years at BBHS. When I first joined Focus as a writer for the politics column, I had no idea how significant a role Focus would play in my high school experience. When COVID thrust all of Blind Brook into an uncertain future, we had to dig deep within ourselves to develop a host of skills, including resilience, resourcefulness, patience, and perseverance. One of the biggest challenges we faced was how to develop a sense of community and teamwork, how to find the shared sense of collaborating for a common goal, when traditional extracurricular activities were upended and relegated to Zoom. It was through Focus that I found an outlet for my interest in writing, as well as a feeling of belonging within the BBHS community of student journalists.

Pursuing journalism over the course of my high school career played an integral part in my transformation into adulthood. And being the Editor-in-Chief has been a privilege, as I led talented writers who also share a passion for journalism. Through meaningful and intriguing articles, Focus has been a hub for promoting change, expanding dialogue, providing a platform for new voices, and educating the community. Writing and editing for Focus exposed me to issues that were unfamiliar and not only afforded me the opportunity to learn about them and consider how they will impact my generation and the world around me, but also enabled me to interview stakeholders -- from fellow students, to teachers, to public figures -- to understand others’ perspectives on these issues. My work on Focus forced me to become a more thoughtful, disciplined writer, demonstrated the importance of holding those in power accountable, taught me valuable leadership, interpersonal, and organizational skills, and showed me the importance of informing the public.

I want to offer my sincere gratitude to Mr. Soto, Focus advisor, and the entire Focus editorial and writing staff for their diligent work over the last year. As TIME journalist Henry Anatole Grunwald stated, “Journalism can never be silent: that is its greatest virtue and its greatest fault.

It must speak, and speak immediately, while the echoes of wonder, the claims of triumph and the signs of horror are still in the air.” It is my hope that the student journalists who follow me will think big and creatively, and come up with new ways to use Focus to engage the Blind Brook community on important issues that affect us all.

- Anna Baker-Butler

within the community they created through their long practices together. There is a clear dedication apparent in each member that is represented through their five-hour practices. The club shares a cultivated interest in the law, motivating them to develop lawyerly skills and relentlessly pursue success against their rivals.

Continued on Page 4

News

Budget Voting!

Features

DEI Spotlight Congressman Bowman’s visit

and so much more!

News..................................................2 Health and Science..............................3 Viewpoints......................................3, 7 Features..............................................4 DEI...........................................4-5 Arts and Entertainment...................6-7 Sports.................................................8 Politics................................................9

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News

Blind Brook Budget Standoff: What’s Next?

By: Maya Vinikoor and Sofia Padilla

Planning for the upcoming school year requires the Board of Education (“BOE”) and the Superintendent of the Blind Brook School District to formulate a spending budget for the new year. This budget is a financial plan which outlines the expenditures and projected spendings for the school year and it must be approved by eligible voters. Anyone 18 years of age or older that lives in the Blind Brook District is eligible and encouraged to vote.

There are a variety of expenses involved in the school budget, including teacher and staff salaries and benefits, instructional materials, sporting equipment, building maintenance, pupil transportation, and repair of facilities.

The Blind Brook School Budget Policy states, “Budget planning and development for the District will be an integral part of program planning so that the annual operating budget may effectively express and implement programs and activities of the School System…” With this guidance in mind, the BOE begins the budgeting process by sifting through the spending and budgeting of the previous year, and seeing what the district must continue with, along with new ideal elements it can put in place, inflation considered.

The BOE reviewed many elements when developing the budget. These elements include the current programs Blind Brook currently runs, along with some new highly requested enhancements by the community. The budgeting process commences with a consideration of the program, followed by a consideration of the Tax Levy Cap. Then the Board will compute revenues and expenditures. Throughout the process, the decision of whether to exceed the Tax Levy Cap or not must be made.

This cap refers to an eight-step calculation that each New York school district must follow in order to calculate its individual tax levy limit.

The BOE formulated a Plan A budget, a Plan B budget, a Rollover budget, a Tax Cap

Compliant Budget, and Additional Propositions. The budget the BOE put forth had the goal of maintaining more instructional programs and activities and providing an outstanding educational experience for all Blind Brook students. The Plan A budget had an expenditure of $58,307,701 resulting in a 9.84% expenditure increase. Plan B involved about $57,521,146 with a 9.42% expenditure increase. Reductions from Plan A to Plan B included less funding for services such as the groundsmen, security monitor, and team uniforms.

Other budgets were considered such as the Rollover Budget, meaning taking all of the services/activities that Blind Brook currently funds, and adding no additional cost for next year's budget. The proposed expenditure for the Rollover Budget was $55,884,062 with a 6.31% increase due to inflation, and it did not include any addition of services, equipment, or new educational implementations. Blind Brook Superintendent Dr. Colin Byrne explained that these budgets were created by first making sure that the prior year's expenditure remained consistent into the following school year to keep all of the current amenities offered by Blind Brook.

But the budget also includes desired additional services. For example, the increased mental health and special education needs that students have experienced are reflected in the budget. The BOE and Superintendent Byrne proposed a plan that lay somewhere between Plan A and Plan B after long discussion and consideration, with a $57,763,796 expenditure.

On May 16th, 2023, the members of the Blind Brook District were granted the opportunity to vote for the proposed budget, which consisted of an increase of 9.88% over the amount of the 2022-2023 school year budget. As the BOE has strategically discussed propositions for the 2023-24 budget plan, it anticipated that voters would approve what it viewed as a financially responsible proposition, even though

the proposed budget exceeded the tax cap of 2.49%. However, the May 16th proposed budget did not receive enough votes to pass. On June 20th, a new budget plan will be proposed and, if it passes, serve as the final budget. This new plan must be supported by at least 60% of voters in order to be successful.

Following the budget’s defeat, the BOE and Dr. Byrne have attempted to propose a budget that satisfies all parties. This involved Dr. Byrne reaching out to the administrative team for another look at the budgets in search of items that can be cut out of the budget or deferred temporarily. It also required the BOE to seek the input of the community through meetings and social media to better understand why the budget failed to pass on May 16. The BOE has already begun rearranging the budgets by considering possibly putting off the purchase of new textbooks and sports equipment until the following school year. At press time, the final cuts had not yet been determined, but the BOE will proceed with the intention of keeping all essential positions, services, and equipment within the budget. They also intend to continue advanced World Language and reading programs at the middle and elementary schools. The BOE and Superintendent have also accepted calls and emails from parents of students, and voters, and plan to take all opinions into account. Dr. Byrne described

the decision for which budgetary elements to preserve as a “balancing act…there is not a clear cut thing to say [such as] this is what you have to cut and this is what you’re not going to cut.” This means that the BOE and Dr. Byrne will continue to work through items to keep and to eliminate for the overall benefit of the Blind Brook community.

Though the results of the May 16 budget vote were not what the BOE and Dr. Byrne wanted, they will continue to pursue a budget meant to satisfy the community financially while preserving the district’s reputation for excellent academic programs. In order to come to a conclusion at the upcoming election on June 20th, Dr. Byrne has tried to keep the community informed and he urges, “everyone to go out and vote, even our high school seniors who are eighteen.”

He also welcomes any and all district citizens who have inquiries to reach out to him or any board members concerning the budget for the 2023-2024 school year.

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Health and Science

Urgency of Earth Consciousness By: Yana Vorobiev

In a world where environmental issues are becoming increasingly pressing, it is essential for us to develop a strong sense of Earth consciousness. Earth consciousness compels us to recognize that every action we take, no matter how small, impacts the environment. This deep awareness and appreciation of our planet and its interconnected systems prompts us to live in harmony with nature rather than exploit it. This mindset entails adopting sustainable practices, reducing our dependence on fossil fuels, and embracing the principles of conserving, reusing, and recycling. Recently, I had the privilege of interviewing one of Blind Brook High School's biology teachers, Ms. Shallo, who shared her insights on the importance of Earth consciousness and the measures she takes to support environmental conservation.

As an advocate for sustainability, Ms. Shallo actively incorporates sustainable practices into her teaching environment. She embraces natural light, ensuring that the classroom utilizes sunlight effec-

ively and minimizes reliance on artificial lighting. By doing so, Ms. Shallo not only reduces energy consumption, but also creates an atmosphere that connects students with the beauty of the natural world.

A conservation-based mindset involves recognizing the intrinsic value of the Earth and its inhabitants. It goes beyond environmental awareness; it encompasses a holistic approach that acknowledges the interdependence of all living beings, and ecosystems.

Sustainability begins with taking responsibility for our actions. Each decision we make, from the products we consume, to the energy we use, can either contribute to the degradation of the environment, or promote sustainability. When we cultivate our appreciation for the world, we acknowledge that the health and well-being of the planet are intricately linked to our own.

On days when the weather allows, Ms. Shallo takes her students outside, allowing them to experience the wonders of nature and emphasize the importance of envi-

turn organic matter into a valuable resource for gardening and agriculture.

Being Earth-conscious invites us to adopt a lifestyle that respects and harmonizes with nature. By following Ms. Shallo’s example and embracing sustainable practices, such as renewable energy sources and responsible consumption, we reduce our ecological footprint. We can also encourage others to make environmentally conscious choices by sharing knowledge and leading by example. Moreover, spending time in nature and immersing ourselves in its beauty and tranquility can deepen our connection to the Earth.

Viewpoints

Should School Start Later?

By: Ella Mensch

The start time of schools has been a very controversial topic for years. Some think that elementary schools should start before high schools because the natural sleep schedule of younger children has them going to sleep earlier and then waking up earlier than high school students. Others think that the starting time of schools does not matter because kids will be in school the same amount of time every day no matter what. Each approach offers advantages and disadvantages.

Science tells us that teenagers need about 8-10 hours of sleep

ronmental conservation. By encouraging outdoor learning, she inspires her students to develop a deep appreciation for the environment, which motivates them to protect it. Ms. Shallo also runs a paperless classroom, promoting digital resources and minimizing paper waste.

Ms. Shallo also discussed how her commitment to sustainability extends beyond the classroom. At home she practices composting: an environmentally friendly way to reduce food waste and create nutrient-rich soil. Composting not only minimizes the amount of waste sent to landfills, but also provides an opportunity to

per day for their brains to fully function. A student whose school starts at 7:50 am will have to wake up from 6:307:15 am. With this wake-up time, a student needs to go to sleep around 10pm in order to gain their full 8 hours of sleep.

However, with the increasing amount of extracurriculars students are taking, combined with the homework they have, it is almost impossible to be in bed at 10 pm. Sophomore Sophia Morlino said that she is lucky to be in bed by 11:30 pm. Teenagers who do not get enough sleep will start to have shorter attention spans and may lose

their temper more easily. They also have a higher risk of developing a drug/alcohol addiction, and most of the time develop a caffeine addiction. If the start time of schools is later, students will be able to get the sleep they so desperately need.

This will not only improve the grades they get but will also improve their attitude towards things such as friendships/relationships. Studies have proven that teenagers get their highest quality of sleep starting around 2 am until late morning. It simply doesn’t make sense to force teens into a sleep schedule that does not align with activities in their life, and does not provide the highest quality of sleep.

With extra sleep granted from a later start time, mental health would significantly improve and teens would be overall more optimistic.

The current school day at BBHS is from 7:50 AM -2:20 PM. That is almost seven hours of in-school learning.

If the school day did start later, students would still be in school for 7 hours. But with a later start time, the school day would not end until later. This means that students would have less time in the afternoon to participate in sports and other extracurricular activities.

Homework would be pushed back until later in the evening, and students would continue to go to bed later. Such scheduling considerations would need to be thoughtfully addressed before a dramatic change in the school day is implemented; there is no reason that schools should start later if students will be sleep deprived by the same amount as when school starts earlier.

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Features

Blind Brook’s Mock Trial Success By: Sofia Padilla Continued from Page 1 The club has had a lasting impact on prior and current members, some of whom have been involved since their freshman year of high school.

Eager-to-learn freshmen feel a connection with the team, emphasizing the positive impression the club has made.

Ms.Gianfrancesco, the club’s advisor, has spoken of the enduring emotional connection she shares with the team members, claiming she has spent more time with them than her own children. Weinstein shares that the club’s “wide variety of absurd team traditions, combined with the intense feeling of shared pride after a County Championship win, has made

Mock Trial more of a second family to me than anything else.” The ability for a club to feel like a family and work cohesively has helped in leading them to a substantial victory, and enabled team members to feel that they belong to a special, tight-knit community.

While the club’s bonding experience through long practices has strengthened its unity, the rigorous hours-long practices are what distinguish the Blind Brook team. This vigorous rehearsal of the trial helped fully prepare the team and secure their arguments in the competition. The club put in their best efforts resulting in commendable outcomes.

The team’s overall success can be summed into two aspects:

cohesive work, and dedication.

These successful tactics will no doubt sustain the Blind Brook

DEI Spotlight

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Healthcare By: Bridget Zelin

As physicians diagnose and treat patients for injuries and illnesses, researchers and activists attempt to make hospitals and clinics into more equitable places. Racial disparity is a complex, deeply rooted issue, shaped by geographic, cultural, and sociopolitical factors that have been embedded in the healthcare system for centuries.

Numerous studies, such as lead author Brandon E. Turner’s report on “Race/ethnicity Reporting and and Representation in US Clinical Trials: A Cohort Study,” found that minority recruitment in clinical trials is poor and not representative of the US’s diverse population.

Additionally, disproportionate representation and inequitable treatment of people of color have led to adverse health outcomes and a deterioration in their medical care quality.

These issues are not exclusive to one specific group but are re-

flected in many underrepresented populations such as Asian Americans, Black or African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, Native Hawaiians, other Pacific Islanders, Native Americans, and Alaska Natives.

Medical practitioners can sometimes engage in unintentional discrimination due to implicit bias. Implicit bias is an automatic and unintentional form of prejudice that results in a tendency to make associations or assume qualities of people based on observed characteristics. In Chloë FitzGerald and Samia Hurst’s report titled “Implicit Bias in Healthcare Professionals: A Systematic Review,” they found that a healthcare professional’s personal biases influence the diagnosis, treatment, and quality of care of patients, which can negatively impact individuals with historically disadvantaged backgrounds.

Implicit biases have uniquely impacted patient pain management and medication prescriptions, especially with Black patients experiencing worse pain outcomes as a product of this discrimination. For example, Kelly M. Hoffman’s study on racial bias in pain assessment reported that physicians have falsely associated Black patients with greater pain tolerance and thicker skin than White patients, which have led to inappropriate treatments of chronic pain in Black patients.

Other racial inequities can result in people of color receiving improper treatment for preventable illnesses and lead to a sooner death or greater suffering. For example, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and a CDC study estimated that there was a 32% mortality difference between Black and White men and a 43% difference between Black and White women in 2009.

Additionally, compared with White Americans, Black Americans have a higher proportion of COVID-19 deaths.

Mock Trial team in the years to come.

Manifestations of racism are present in all forms of healthcare, and it is both the responsibility of professionals and the public to combat inequity and create a more inclusive environment. Alone, no single individual has the power to “solve” racial inequity. However, as a community, we can educate ourselves on racial discrimination in our healthcare system and advocate for solutions that gradually relieve its harmful effects through standardization and conscious efforts.

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DEI Spotlight

Combating Antisemitism in the Local Community: “Antisemitism and the College Experience” By: Ben Messafi

On January 24th, 2023, along with the Anti-Defamation League, Hillel of Westchester, and Congregation KTI, I hosted an event that aimed to bring more awareness to the rising issue of antisemitism in the United States, and how our community can look to combat this issue locally. The event was broken into two parts: a teen-only discussion and a panel with leading speakers in the fight against antisemitism in New York State: Scott Richman, director of Anti-Defamation League NY/NJ, and Rachel Klein, executive director of Hillel of Westchester.

The teen-only hour included a survey and discussion about the issues of antisemitism in our community and ways we could help each other to combat the issue. We heard a few students, some from Blind Brook, discuss their experiences of antisemitism in school, in Rye Brook, and with people who were unfamiliar with Jewish culture and the issues they face today. Along with this impactful discussion, Congregation KTI was able to gather some data about how prevalent antisemitism is in the community, how people experience it, and ways people have dealt

with the issue.

The panel addressed several topics, including the trends associated with antisemitism on college campuses, ways Jewish students could remain involved in their community in college, and the important role of the community to stop the growth of antisemitism. With reports of antisemitic hate crimes quadrupling in under a decade, Jewish students need to become aware of the recent protests and crimes that have occurred on campuses, and to remain involved with their Hillel in case they ever encounter this issue. The big-

International Potluck By: Sofia Padilla

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on our lives, forcing us to distance ourselves from others and, in some instances, disconnect from our cultural identities. However, as we return to normal social activities, the BBHS Multicultural Club’s international potluck provided a much-needed opportunity for our community to reconnect.

This potluck not only allowed us to appreciate and experience different cultures through food, but it also served as a way to pummel through the barriers in our society and assist with the unification of the community.

Alicia Wang, one of the con-

gest takeaway from Richman’s remarks was the importance of advocating for more Holocaust education in schools, and ensuring that Jewish students are able to speak up when faced with these issues of hate.

But the event did not cover only the bad. College provides an opportunity to be a part of a smaller, tight-knit community that cherishes diversity, and provides students with the opportunity to learn about other cultures and the problems they face as well. If students learn to become more empathetic to others, and look out for other cultural groups, a more unified and hate-free community will emerge on campus.

While this event took several months of planning to complete, it was worthwhile.

And there are many opportunities for teens to make an immediate impact without investing so much in planning time. Online courses offered by the ADL and other organizations combating hate give students the ability to speak to their school and fellow community members to make an immediate difference. I was able to bring together a group of people who were not very aware of the issues discussed in the presentation beforehand, to become more aware of the rise of antisemitism. If more teens continue to participate in this kind of advocacy work, this impact can become exponential.

tributors of the potluck, said, “it is good because everyone can learn a different culture’s food especially after the pandemic,” which perfectly describes the entire purpose of the potluck.

The International Potluck event organized by Neena Bhanti, the Multicultural Club advisor and Family and Consumer Science (FACS) teacher in the Middle School, showcased the diversity in our community and provided an inclusive environment for all students to come together and explore each other’s cultures.

Continued on Page 7

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Arts and Entertainment

Blind Brook’s ‘Something Rotten!’

Receives 12 Metro Nominations and 4 Wins By: Maya Vinikoor

The pandemic gave extremely talented, musically-inclined students a long time to rest their voices. It’s safe to say that Blind Brook’s actors came back with intensity! The Metropolitan High School Theater Awards, colloquially known as the “Metros,” returned in 2023 for the 22nd time following a three-year pause due to the pandemic. Fifty-six high school musicals from Westchester, Bergen, Putnam, and Rockland counties were assessed by judges. Although not all were nominated for awards, BBHS broke their theater record and received an impressive total of twelve nominations! As Lohud reported on May 15, 2023, “Blind Brook’s ‘Something Rotten!’ leads Metro nominees: Blind Brook was nominated for direction, music direction, choreography, scenic and lighting design, for chorus, featured performer, dance performance by a female-identifying performer and performance in a supporting female-identified role. There were also nominations for student critic and for technical achievement, a teacher-nominated honor.” To top it all off, Something Rotten! received a nomination for overall production of a musical, the Metros’ top honor.

Theater arts are a unique form of entertainment which

which are very appealing. They combine singing, dancing, and acting, and encourage performers to be "triple threats," mastering each of those components of performance. They require a collaborative nature as extremely talented individuals work together and create a production greater than themselves. This is where the BBHS cast and crew has excelled.

The show’s director, Christina Colangelo, who has also been nominated for numerous Metro awards herself, commends her top-nominated cast, stating, “I personally believe that musical theater performance is an integral part of education. It promotes interpersonal communication, listening skills, teamwork, creativity and provides opportunities for discussion and analysis. Because we are such a small school, most of our cast is also involved in many other activities (sports, dance, clubs, etc.) and their ability to balance these time consuming activities, and our rehearsal schedule, encourages them to multitask and manage their time appropriately.”

Many are wondering if there was something about performing this musical, specifically, that caused our actors and actresses to flaunt their talent in a more passionate way than usual. After receiving numer-

ous nominations, Abby Meron, who played the role of Minstrel in “Something Rotten!,” stated, “What made this show stand out to others was really the cast we had, and how perfect they were for this show. We were like a family and just had the best time putting it on… the sense of perseverance and hard work we had throughout the process was really what made it different from other shows.”

On June 12th the Metro awards ceremony was held before a packed house at the Tarrytown Music Hall, with live performances by the nominated performers and casts, including the cast of Blind Brook’s “Something Rotten!” Blind Brook performed a mash-up of two “Something Rotten!” show-stopping numbers, “Welcome to the Renaissance” and “A Musical” before a cheering

live audience composed of parents and students from Westchester, Rockland, Bergen, and Putnam counties. Our talented cast and crew proudly took home four Metro awards: Zach Dore received outstanding achievement in scenic design, Julian Silva received outstanding student technical achievement, Chloe Beal received outstanding performance in a supporting female-identified role, and Christina Colangelo received outstanding direction!

Judging by the feedback from audience members and the Metro Awards alike, this show was anything but rotten!

Uniting the Community: BBHS Senior Fashion Show Raises Funds for a Good Cause By: Yana Vorobiev The Senior Fashion Show, organized by the Blind Brook Senate, left the audience in stitches. Co-hosted by Jackson Weinstein and Maddie Campbell, the event showcased the talents of the senior class while raising funds for the Sharing Shelf, a Westchester-based non-profit organization dedicated to providing basic necessities for low-income teenagers in the community.

With exceptional musical performances by The Night Owls and Alyssa Artabane, and humorous acts by Blind Brook

students, the show brought together the Blind Brook community in a carefree, yet incredibly meaningful way.

When asked about the work that went into planning this event, Weinstein explained that the event required months of extensive planning and coordination. With the involvement of nearly 50 models and various other individuals participating in setting up and performing, the event was a challenging, yet successful feat, resulting in an entertaining show that managed to raise an impressive total of $2,740 for the Sharing Shelf.

The fashion show also worked hard to represent our

seniors, and with approximately half of the graduating class taking part in the fashion show, it was a memorable send-off for all who participated. Each senior had the opportunity to take the stage with their friends, creating a memorable farewell before graduation.

Continued on Page 7

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Arts and Entertainment

Uniting the Community: BBHS Senior Fashion Show Raises Funds for a Good Cause The Senior Fashion Show has been a cherished tradition at Blind Brook for many years, fostering camaraderie and excitement among students and teachers alike.

The show strives to promote community involvement and unite those in the Blind Brook and Rye Brook communities. The event attracted around 150 people, including teachers, administrators, students, parents, relatives, and other members of the community. As a lighthearted event with a noble cause, the Fashion Show served as an avenue for the Rye Brook community to come together and support a local initiative.

This year's Senate-organized

Senior Fashion Show proved to be nothing but a resounding success. With its funny acts and incredible performances, the event not only entertained, but also brought the Blind Brook community closer. Through their generous donation to The Sharing Shelf, the event demonstrated the power of unity and compassion, leaving a lasting impact on the students of Blind Brook and the residents of Rye Brook alike.

DEI Spotlight International Potluck Continued from Page 5

An international potluck is a celebration of diversity, food, and community in which everyone brings a food that is representative of their culture or ethnicity.

Similar to the first potluck in history that occurred during the Great Depression, this international potluck served as a way for people to connect through partaking in dishes made by others. Everyone is encouraged to try a little bit of everything, and as people discover new dishes and learn more about each other's cultures. It is important to be educated about other cultures in order to have respectful interactions and celebrate

differences. The international potluck hosted in our commons on April 17th also helped us to recognize the often underestimated diversity in our community. Grace Cassese, an Italian English teacher, who cooked lasagna for the potluck, explained, “I like that they are doing something like this to show how diverse the community is.” The potluck had an astounding 38 different groups that contributed their food from countries such as Brazil, Indonesia, Argentina, Hungary, Israel, and Italy. This potluck was the perfect opportunity to “become familiar with other cultures that are a part of the school district,” as described

by Myram DeBiase.

Each table offered many different types of food from the country represented.

All of the contributors to the potluck came dressed in different wardrobes that represented their country. For example, the nine women who contributed to the Brazilian table wore green and yellow, the national colors of Brazil, and clothing with the Brazilian flag on it.

The Argentinian families wore Argentinian soccer jerseys, and some of the children even wore huge soccer balls on their heads. The pride and patriotism raging through the Commons at BBHS were truly inspiring as it encouraged everyone there to be adventurous and dive into new cultures. Luciana Melo from the Brazil table happily stated that she was brought to the potluck to share her culture and "Brazil's amazing food."

The accessibility to other customs was just another thing on the long list of benefits that came from the international potluck that, hopefully, will be-

come an annual occurrence at Blind Brook.

Bhanti's vision of creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for all students to come together and explore each other's cultures was beautifully realized. She emphasized the importance of the event in wake of the pandemic, as it allowed students to experience the world's diverse cultures without the need for travel. During the potluck, Bhanti reminisced about a past project where her former students had created a recipe book that shared amazing stories about their families and recipes. This project inspired Bhanti to take things to the next level and bring it outside of the FACS classroom, and now the whole community can explain their families and their recipes.

The eighth-grade FACS project, which required students to ask their family members for family recipes, left a significant impression on the participants, as it helped them reconnect with their cultures and families.

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Sports

Blind Brook Baseball Emerges Victorious in Game 1 of Semi-Finals By: Noah Dweck

The Blind Brook varsity baseball team hosted Croton-Harmon on Sunday, May 21st for the first game of the double elimination semi-finals.

They played in front of their biggest crowd all season and had their ace pitcher, sophomore Andrew Rogovic, starting on the mound. In his last pitching outing, Rogovic put up 19 strikeouts in all seven innings, allowing zero runs.

The Trojans had lots of confidence going into this game due to their pitching performances in their previous quarterfinals game. Senior Jack Vnenchak pitched four innings with nine strikeouts and freshman Asher Toll closed it out with 2.2 innings pitched and two strikeouts for the win.

The Trojans have also been swinging red-hot bats. In the quarterfinals, Rogovic went three for four, senior Lucas Montesano two for three, and senior Michael Civetta went one for three.

tesano went two for three with a single and a solo home run, senior captain Vnenchak went two for three, having a triple, as well as 2 RBI’s. Junior Zach Schneider also went two for three.

Blind Brook took game one of the double elimination semi-finals, but lost to Albertus Magnus High School on May 22nd.

Despite the confidence and prior success, the Trojans locked in their focus on the upcoming game. Rogovic started the Trojans off with a strong first inning and completely shut down the Croton Harmon offense. By the second inning the Trojans started rolling in with their bats and put up a few runs.

Fast forward to the sixth inning and the Trojans held onto a 3-0 lead with Rogovic dealing the Tigers. The Trojans got up to bat in the bottom frame and Montesano blasted a

Features

solo home run over the left field fence, giving the Trojans even more momentum.

Rogovic took the mound in the top of the seventh, needing three outs to win the game. He delivered, striking out the side and finishing the job with a 75 mile per hour curveball that struck the final batter out, making Blind Brook victorious.

Rogovic finished with all seven innings pitched, allowing only two hits with 14 strikeouts and zero runs. Mon-

Is Artificial Intelligence The End Of Writing As We Know It? By: Maya Vinikoor It's 2023. New technological advances are spreading like wildfire, primarily the development and evolution of artificial intelligence (AI). It always seemed like a futuristic scene that human jobs would be taken over by computers and robots, but here we are: cashiers, retail service workers, data analysts, public security guards, and even certain doctors have had their jobs replaced by the worlds’ most highly developed robots. One area that is being increasingly affected by the development of AI is the college application business.

In the past few years, college applications have become a process students dread more and more. So many dynamics have come into play that are causing students to

have trouble displaying their strengths and strong suits when applying to universities. Standardized testing has become less utilized, students have been involved in cheating scandals (also due to AI), and now the future of the long-standing student essay may be in jeopardy.

Considering the fact that the leading online AI chatbot, Chat GPT, is now able to score a perfect 1600 on the SAT, the world must understand how robots will continue to undermine the college admissions process due to cheating through AI. The undergraduate essay is a tradition that has put students’ writing and storytelling abilities to the test for generations, but admissions officers and administrators ha-

ven’t yet found the technology needed to ferret out which student essays have been written by the students themselves, and which have been written by chatbots. Students applying to colleges in the upcoming years are now worried that the threat that Chat GPT and similar AI pose to the integrity of the application essay could result in the elimination of the student essay as a whole. Kevin Bryan, associate professor at the University of Toronto, explained, “You can no longer give takehome exams/homework …

Even on specific questions that involve combining knowledge across domains, the OpenAI chat is frankly better than the average MBA at this point. It is frankly amazing.” Truly no one is prepared for the effects of AI in the upcoming years, as

its unpredictability is proven daily.

The world is having trouble deciphering the pros and cons of the artificial intelligence revolution. On the upside, it is true that students can now be tutored practically for free; the time to complete tasks has been significantly diminished; decision making has been made easier; and AI has 24/7 availability. However, AI is diminishing human ability, costly to develop, significantly increasing unemployment rates in the long-run, and is hindering many human opportunities.

The question of whether AI is the end of writing as we know it is very controversial.

When asking Chat GPT about the effects of AI on writing, Chat GPT acknowledged AI’s limitations, responding, “As an AI model myself, AI can be a helpful tool for writers, such as aiding in research or generating ideas, but it cannot completely replace the human touch. Writing is not just about coming up with words to fill up a page, it’s about communicating ideas and emotions effectively to connect with your audience. In short, AI may change the writing process, but it does not mean the end of it. It might even provide new opportunities for creativity and innovation in the writing industry.”

With artificial intelligence becoming a substitute for original research and thought, individual creativity is diminishing in our lives. It is vital to ensure that people do not lose their unique voices and perspectives.

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Politics

Congressman Bowman’s Recent Visit to BBHS By: Josh Dweck

Blind Brook High School was one of the many fortunate schools to appear on the long list of schools that Congressman Jamaal Bowman, Ed.D. visited in his 16th NY Congressional District. Bowman was able to communicate and interact with a large portion of the student body, striking up many interesting conversations that ranged from redistricting, to redlining, to the origins of hip-hop in The Bronx.

Bowman had an extensive personal history with the education system before he ran for Congress. He worked as a

crisis management teacher and then founded “Cornerstone Academy for Social Action,” a public school in the Bronx.

Bowman is also known for his progressive views of what learning should look like inside the classroom. For example, he is an advocate for changing the standardized testing system.

He believes that structuring an entire curriculum based solely on a single standardized test at the end of the year hinders the amount of education a student can receive. In addition, the added stress that comes from taking a test also puts some

students at a disadvantage compared to those who are better test-takers.

Bowman is also a part of the Committee on Education and Labor in the House of Representatives. His More Teaching Less Testing Act, which he unveiled last March, builds on this idea by having a greater focus on classroom material, and less of a focus on standardized testing. A strong advocate for public education reform, Bowman supports the Green New Deal, which would invest more than ten trillion dollars in public schools over ten years.

Bowman is known for his more progressive views in comparison to the rest of Congress. When running in 2020, Bowman’s campaign followed the model set by Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in her primary victory over incumbent Democrat Joe Crowley, who had been serving for nearly 20 years. Ocasio-Cortez’s win proved that there is an appetite for progressive candidates in New York City, and the surrounding areas. Bowman followed suit in 2020 by run-

ning on platforms supporting such ideas as Medicare for All, and the Green New Deal.

Visiting Blind Brook allows Bowman to get to know the students of his district better, as well as teach them the importance of having a Representative they can rely on and who properly represents them. When asked about what it meant to have Congressman Bowman visit her school and an opportunity to talk to him, sophomore Chloe Beal said, “Having Congressman Bowman come into our class was extremely inspiring and interesting. Seeing a figure in our very own classroom that continues to make such a difference in our state was incredible, and an experience that all high schoolers should have.”

Blind Brook was very lucky to have such an important figure visit our high school.

Focus Staff Editor-in-Chief: Anna Baker-Butler

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: Josh Dweck

Writers Yana Vorobiev Noah Dweck Josh Dweck Maya Vinikoor Ben Messafi Sofia Padilla Bridget Zelin

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