The Bolles Bugle: Quarter 1 2023 by bollesbugle

THE THE

U B GLE Issue 001 2023-24

Iss. 001

Issue 002

Table Table of of Contents Contents News Private School Vouchers: Do they apply at Bolles? Amber Bansal

Student Life Summer Snapshots: Bolles student and teacher summers Ava Cheng

Homecoming 2023 Bugle Staff

The new Center for Innovation is on the rise Ty Neal

The AP Psychology ban and its effect on Bolles Olivia Bassin

How much do you know about Deaf Awarenes? Isabel Schimpff and Hailey Christy Bolles 2023-24 Dress Code Tristan Schneider Baby cats found at Bolles construction site Ava Cheng Senior Sentiments #1: Is this what we’ve been waiting for? Isabel Bassin

20 21

Academics Señora Stam assumes the role of Foreign Language Chair Amber Bansal

Mr. Gebauer visits Japan with Ottenstroer Fellowship Caylee Padgett

Mr. Collins joins the Math Department Kate Youell

Ms. Edmonson joins the History Department Isabel Schimpff

Mr. Skapetis joins the Science Department Jack Laufer Bolles’ new librarian: Mr. Nesselrode Olivia Bassin

AI and Academics: How do we react to the rise of AI in an academic setting? Ava Cheng

Robotics on the rise: New rooms, robots, and resources Hailey Christy

Multimedia Projects Isabel Bassin, Ellie Stewart, Kate Youell, Tristan Schneider, Hailey Christy

Sports Volleyball star Ashlyn Anderson ‘24 becomes a Bulldog Isabel Bassin Gavin Boree ‘24 plays box lacrosse in Canada Caylee Padgett Bolles Sharks go to the 2023 Junior Worlds Swimming Championship Ellie Stewart The girls get gains: Coach Jump launches the Girls Weightlifting team Ty Neal

The Bolles Bugle Staff

Editors’ Letter Dear Reader,

Co-Editors-in-Chief: Amber Bansal Isabel Bassin Online Editor: Caylee Padgett Copy Editor: Ellie Stewart Social Media Editor: Kate Youell Coffeehouse Editor: Isabel Schimpff Design Editor: Ava Cheng

Thank you so much for picking up (or digitally accessing) this copy of The Bolles Bugle, the student news magazine of The Bolles School. This year marks a new chapter for our publication as we welcome our new advisor, Ms. Gastaldi, and we are thrilled to be sharing it with you. We are also transitioning to an online-focused publication cycle, releasing quarterly magazines while having rolling online content. The beats in this issue are News, Student Life, Sports, and Academics. Some featured stories include student athlete highlights, a Homecoming Week Recap, new teacher profiles, and a piece about deaf awareness. If you enjoy this issue and want more Bugle content, check out our website www.bollesbugleonline.com and follow us on Instagram @thebollesbugle for early article releases as well as fun photos and videos. Thanks for sticking with us, and welcome to the Quarter 1 edition for the 2023-24 school year! Sincerely,

Contributing Writers: Olivia Bassin Hailey Christy Jack Laufer Tyrone Neal Tristan Schneider

Advisor: Ms. Gastaldi

Editorial Policy: The Bolles Bugle is the news magazine created by the journalism class at The Bolles School. Our publication focuses on increasing community awareness of in-school events and topics relating to the five news values: relevance, proximity, timeliness/novelty, conflict/controversy, and human interest. Content in the Bugle is the responsibility of the editorial staff and not meant to reflect the views of the school’s administration or the faculty advisor. Please reach out to our faculty advisor, Ms. Gastaldi, with any questions or comments. She can be reached at gastaldie@bolles.org or at bollesbugleonline@gmail.com. Copyright 2009-2023, The Bolles Bugle

BOLLESBUGLEONLINE.COM

Amber Bansal Co-Editor-In-Chief

Isabel Bassin Co-Editor-In-Chief

News

private school vouchers Do they apply at Bolles?

Amber Bansal Co-Editor-In-Chief In March, Governor DeSantis signed House Bill (HB) 1 into law, which expands the Florida Empowerment Scholarships’ and Florida Tax Credit Scholarships’s reach to include all students rather than just the students eligible based on income. This “voucher” system in Florida has been around since 1999. Other states such as Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Oklahoma, and Utah have

BOLLESBUGLEONLINE.COM

implemented or are implementing similar programs in the near future. Florida’s voucher encourages students to attend private schools by offering about a $7,700 voucher per student per year. The program takes funding away from public schools, which is already low in Florida - the state is ranked 42nd in the country for its funding per student, even though Florida receives the third largest amount of money from the federal

government for public schools. The voucher amount varies per county. In Duval County, K-3rd grade students will receive $8,001, 4th-8th grade students will receive $7,382, and 9th-12th grade students will receive $7,307. There is no cap on the number of students who can receive the vouchers which must be used on tuition first, but also extend to other school necessities. In Duval County, about 125 private schools accept the vouchers.

So, naturally, the question is: Does Bolles accept them? The answer: No. The voucher system applied at Bolles would lower tuition from - $16,720 to $8,719 in Kindergarten - $18,740 to $10,739 in 1st-3rd grade - $21,680 to $14,298 in 4th-5th grade - $29,890 to $22,508 in 6th-8th grade

on “Bolles’s ability to be an independent school.”

“If it turns out that we can accept these funds and also maintain our full independence, that’s an ideal situation.” — Mr. Hodges

Ultimately, this would make attending Bolles more affordable for everyone. The voucher allows for more students to receive a quality education while before, they were restricted by tuition.

Since its founding, the school has never accepted federal or state funding, so a decision to accept the voucher system would be revolutionary and requires deeper investigation to ensure that Bolles could continue to operate as an independent school without any type of “strings attached” to state funding.

However, the cons to that are increased state restrictions because the funding for the vouchers comes from the state. Some of these state restrictions include: possible loss of ability to act as an independent school, possible state control over curriculum, required reporting of faculty misconduct, and more.

Another concern about the program is its sustainability long term. Hodges “can’t envision it going on forever” and if the program tapers off, “I would need my families to know that I still have to have them pay the tuition,” he said, because the tuition wouldn’t be discounted if the money went away.

- $30,810 to $23,503 in 9th-12th grade

“Bolles has a long history of not taking any type of funding, federal or state.” — Mr. Hodges The decision for Bolles to not participate in the voucher system was made by the Board of Trustees in conjunction with Mr. Hodges. Hodges acknowledges that the pros of the policy are to “provide accessibility for students in the state so students can have as many educational opportunities as possible,” but remains skeptical due to the potential impact

Hodges believes Bolles provides a “premium product” and “while [the vouchers] would discount that premium product to a degree, we want to make sure that in doing so we’re not compromising the product that we’re expected to provide.”

Some of the notable schools include Ransom Everglades School, Berkeley Preparatory School, and Miami Country Day School. Without the voucher, Bolles tuition is a large expense for families. To combat this issue, Hodges is confident in Bolles’s financial aid. Financial aid at Bolles is 100% need-based and uses standard systems to calculate aid. The school gives out about five million dollars a year in financial aid with hopes to increase that amount in the future. Hodges said his view on the policy “was not a no-never [to implement the policy], it was at this point, I didn’t feel comfortable doing it.” He believes the Board will revisit the topic throughout the year.

“There’s still some ambiguity or uncertainty in terms of the degree to which participating in any type of state funding would impact Bolles’s ability to be a true independent school.” — Mr. Hodges “If it turns out that we can accept these funds and also maintain our full independence, that’s an ideal situation.”

Bolles is one of the only schools in Duval County who decided against implementing the program, while peer private schools in the area like Episopal and Bishop Kenny welcomed the program in its first year of expansion. However, Hodges feels comfortable with the decision since peer private schools throughout the state of Florida are “doing exactly what we’re doing.”

BOLLESBUGLEONLINE.COM

The new Center for Innovation is on the rise Ty Neal Contributing Writer

fter several seasons of planning, fundraising, and construction, Bolles’s new building, the Center for Innovation, may be in use as early as spring break of this school year. Ben Bradley, a construction worker on the building, said, “Building a center for innovation is bringing science, technology, engineering and math to the forefront.” This building will revolutionize the school’s learning and make a better environment here at Bolles. When questioned on what will stand out about this building compared to the rest, Bradley said, “Bolles Hall was built 100 years ago, in this very Mediterranean, traditional model, and then you’ve got the Fine Art Center, which is much more of an art deco kind of design.” The new building will be a standout with its very modern structure but should still seem in balance with the other styles.

piece of structural steel goes up - there was a year in the making before anything even went in the ground,” Bradley said. According to Bolles President and Head of School Mr. Hodges, the building will be used much like Bolles Hall: “We want it to be a place that students use all the time, not just for class. On every floor, there are spaces that are designed for students to be able to study. They can just sit down and hang out and relax. In some of the open spaces, we’re putting in furniture and monitors.” Not only will it be a great new place for education, but also a homey space that will bring the community closer here at Bolles. In keeping with the key word “innovation,” the Center for Innovation is going to have state of the art classrooms and

“Building a center for innovation is bringing science, technology, engineering and math to the forefront.” — Ben Bradley It will provide a nice change in scenery and will show that as much as Bolles is traditional, it is also constantly innovating and making major improvements to campuses and curriculum. “The amount of labor hours that go into the development and planning even before the first

BOLLESBUGLEONLINE.COM

The building in its current stages. Credit: Ty Neal

12 sophisticated specialty labs, including spaces for anatomy, biology, and chemistry lab instruction. The new building will provide areas for all math classes, all science classes, a robotics makerspace, a digital photography studio, and possible new electives. These new electives would more than likely be engineering or entrepreneurship based.

“I don’t want this just to be a fancier place where we do the same thing that we’ve always done.” — Mr. Hodges

different longer projects. I wanted them to dream so that they could really take us to the next level of our instruction.”

“I wanted [teachers] to dream so that they could really take us to the next level of our instruction.” — Mr. Hodges The building from the campus’s prespective. Credit: Ty Neal This space will be used for many things and has cutting-edge technology built for creativity. “You will even be able to write on the walls,” Hodges said. Hodges, along with the rest of the Bolles faculty and staff, is

looking forward to this building on multiple fronts. “I don’t want this just to be a fancier place where we do the same thing that we’ve always done. My goal for the teachers is this space is going to allow them to do things I’ve always wanted to do. Different projects,

The Center for Innovation’s main focus will be on the science, technology, and engineering but will add so much more. The new technology will change Bolles for the better and ultimately help push students to become the future innovators that they are.

Tower Cartoon Jack Laufer Contributing Writer

ear ye hear ye, a new Bolles building has been constructed! This structure is casually being referred to as “the tower,” and was designed with a digital marquee promoting Bolles and Bolles events to cars passing on San Jose Blvd. The cartoon depicted shows a medieval tower that is flying two Bolles flags on each side, poking fun at how our tower resembles those sturdy, intimidating buildings that were popular back when chain mail was the pinnacle of fashion.

BOLLESBUGLEONLINE.COM

The AP Psychology Ban and its effect on Bolles Olivia Bassin Contributing writer Olivia Bassin ‘27 is a contributing writer for The Bugle. The opinions expressed in this commentary are her own.

P Psychology is one of the most popular AP courses, taken by over 28,000 students in Florida last year. This year, about 30,000 students from 562 schools planned on taking the class. In early August, the College Board issued a statement suggesting that Florida district schools should not offer the course under the recent Florida Department of Education legislation. This was due to recent restrictions on content about gender identity and sexual orientation. The Florida Board of Education then responded to the College Board vaguely, saying the course may be taught “fully in an age appropriate way.” The uncertainty surrounding the AP Psychology curriculum arose after Governor Ron DeSantis rejected the piloting of the College Board’s AP African American Studies course. DeSantis blocked AP African American Studies while claiming he is fighting “woke education” in Florida public schools. Blocking that new course would not threaten established AP courses, but the controversy over AP Psychology is different, as AP Psych has been taught in Florida for over three decades. In response to the College Board’s statement, multiple school districts announced that they would no longer teach AP Psychology to avoid lawsuits. Seven of the eleven largest districts made this

BOLLESBUGLEONLINE.COM

decision, canceling thousands of students’ registrations. However, just before the school year started, many districts reversed their decisions and opened the course back up. These last minute changes left public school teachers scrambling to plan their curricula, many questioning if the course would even last throughout the year. The confusion also affected private school teachers. “I was really concerned about the status of what the course would look like,” Bolles AP Psychology teacher Mrs. Gomez said. Bolles has independent school status, meaning it does not accept any funding from the state. This allowed Bolles to reassure the community troubled by the uncertainty that the school would continue to offer the course. In doing so, Bolles is defending the course’s curriculum and protecting its students’ abilitie to take college-level courses. Local high school Douglas Anderson School Of The Arts offered AP Psychology as an online course, but canceled it in response to College Board’s statement. Ava Chung ‘26, a Douglas Anderson student, was affected by this decision, as she had been looking forward to the course. “Basically everyone was going to take it, and it really sucks that we can’t,” Chung said. Like many Florida schools, Douglas Anderson then reversed its initial decision, now offering the online course during the school year. For many students, though, the reversal came too late to add the class back to their schedule.

The AP Psychology situation showcases one of the many advantages private school students have over public school students. Bolles students’ ability to take the course while many Florida high school students no longer can widens the already broad gap in opportunities between public and private school students. Losing the opportunity to take the course is a setback that not only affects students in high school, but affects their college admissions prospects and ability to get advanced course credits. As our society is engulfed in political power struggles, innocent high school students are becoming collateral damage. The AP Psychology situation is just another way our increasing polarized society is using censorship to gain power. The power struggles’ effect on public high school students is unfair and worsens the opportunity divide.

Mrs. Gomez teaching her AP Psychology class. Credit: Olivia Bassin

Student Life

Summer Snapshots A look at Bolles student and teacher summers Ava Cheng Design Editor

rom May to August, school’s out—but students and teachers are still busy as ever. With unlimited opportunities, summer is a time for people to explore, have fun, learn, and be free from school. Here’s a look at how some students and teachers at Bolles spent their time off.

Ms. Kuonen works with a partner on an installation for “Trees of Life.”

Mrs. Vance recreates the Beatles’ iconic Abbey Road album cover with her family in London.

Abby Bradley ‘25 travels to Jordan with an exchange program.

BOLLESBUGLEONLINE.COM

Ava Mariotti ‘25 takes her horse, Pilgrim, to the Pinto World Championships.

Ms. Jacobson and her family in New Mexico in 2014.

Ms. Jacobson and her family in New Mexico in 2023.

Liam Meier ‘27 visits Bali on a trip with his family. Ms. Ezzell, Ms. Kervin, and Mrs. Clubb accompany students on the London Exchange trip.

Kieran Roychowdhury ‘25 and other delegates from around the world gather around the campfire after a long day of activities.

Ms. Kervin and Ms. Moyer-Shad visit REthreaded, a Jacksonville nonprofit that helps victims of human trafficking.

BOLLESBUGLEONLINE.COM

C O O H Themed Outfits Each year, Homecoming has a theme for the week. This year’s theme was U.S. Cities. Every day, students were encouraged to dress up as the daily theme. Monday was Dallas, TX. Tuesday was New Orleans, Louisiana. Wednesday was Honolulu, Hawaii. Thursday was Sleepy Hallow, New Jersey, and Friday was Jacksonville, Florida. Jack Laufer Contributing Writer

BOLLESBUGLEONLINE.COM

Pep-rally The Homecoming Pep-rally was held the afternoon of the homecoming football game. It featured performances from the Bolles Dance team, the Bolles CheerLeaders, and the Bolles drumline. The students and teachers competed in a balloon popping race and the students cheered on the dodgeball championship.

Isabel Schimpff Coffeehouse Editor

Parade The Homecoming Parade was held on the Monday of Homecoming week. The Homecoming Court drive down the street by the river campus, throwing out candy to students and hoping to gain their votes. Tristan Schneider Contributing writer

BOLLESBUGLEONLINE.COM

Gridiron Game The Gridiron game between the girls of the junior and senior classes ended in the first ever overtime. The seniors took home the cake in a 26-20 win.

BOLLESBUGLEONLINE.COM

Ty Neal Contributing Writer

Homecoming Game

The Homecoming Court was announced during halftime of the homecoming football game. The king and queen were Zee Curtis ‘24 and Willian Greene ‘24. The Bulldogs played Episcopal and came out on top with a big win.

Caylee Padgett Online Editor

Homecoming 2023 Cartoon Olivia Bassin Contributing Writer

t’s homecoming season, which is also the season of homecoming sign proposals. Normally, these signs have puns and funny jokes to encourage a date to say yes. However, this cartoon shows the reality of homecoming night. It highlights the awkward group pictures, dinner, and the actual dance.

BOLLESBUGLEONLINE.COM

How much do you know about DEAF Awareness Month? Isabel Schimpff Coffeehouse Editor Hailey Christy Contributing Writer

he end of September marks the end of National Deaf Awareness Month.

In 1997, the National Association of the Deaf first introduced Deaf Awareness Month as a way to promote a greater understanding of the deaf community. Because Bolles is a mainstream school, meaning both hearing people and hard of hearing people attend the school, hearing people don’t always realize how the school day is different for people who are hard of hearing. During September, the objective is to spread consciousness about the deaf world. It’s easy to be in the dark about the nuances of hearing loss because we aren’t taught about them in mainstream schools, and it can be uncomfortable to ask. If a person is fully hearing, it doesn’t seem like it really affects them. However, it is important for everyone to have a better understanding of deafness, because the truth is, 13% of people in the United States alone are deaf or hard of hearing, and becoming more educated makes us more understanding human beings. For now, my goal is to clear up just a few common misconceptions about hearing loss. The first aspect of deafness that is unknown by most hearing people is the difference between capital D Deaf and lower-case d

BOLLESBUGLEONLINE.COM

deaf. Deaf people are members of the deaf community who do not use technology to help them to hear. Deaf people typically do not communicate through oral speech and use sign language and other non-verbal methods of communication. In contrast, deaf people are members of the deaf community who do use technology to aid them in hearing, like cochlear implants, hearing aids, FM Systems, or BAHAs. They communicate through oral speech and most do not know sign language or do not speak it fluently. So when you meet someone who is deaf, you shouldn’t immediately expect them to know sign language because many people in the deaf community never have to use sign language. Instead, many people understand others through reading lips and using systems to amplify sound. Of course, there are some Deaf people who can speak spoken language fluently and there are many deaf people who know sign language fluently. The second misconception to address is the difference between Deaf culture and deaf community. The deaf community encompasses every person that is deaf or hard of hearing. It is highly diverse and both Deaf and deaf people fall under this umbrella. The deaf community is made up of individuals who share common experiences regarding hearing and is very large. However, Deaf culture is only

comprised of those who are capital D Deaf. Deaf culture is based on sign language and includes specific traditions, values, and behavioral norms associated with the deaf community. Because of this, a person who wears hearing aids is a part of the deaf community but not Deaf culture. Another common misconception revolves around sign language. Some hearing people think that sign language is a fake “language” that involves a person flailing their hands around in an attempt to communicate. In reality, sign language is a complicated language that even has its own grammatical rules, sentence structures, and slang. Another common misconception about sign language is that it is universal. There are actually over 300 versions of sign language worldwide and it varies from region to region. In the US, we use ASL, which stands for American Sign Language, but in other countries, the words and even sentence structure could be different. The deaf community is always looking to improve technology aiding people in hearing and looking to increase easier accommodations for Deaf people, especially students. Now in 2023, more colleges are starting to offer ASL interpreters and captionists for all deaf students. This helps deaf students and hearing students alike. When a captionist is transcribing lectures for a class, hearing students also have access

to the transcription and are able

to double check their notes or reference the transcription when they miss something the professor said. These accommodations, while important and incredibly beneficial, can be expensive. Despite most top colleges offering the services, it just isn’t reasonable to expect most mainstream high schools to offer them yet. However, there are other ways

teachers and students can make a deaf person’s learning experience easier. For example, teachers can double check that videos they play in class have closed captions. Teachers can also make sure they are lecturing in a way that allows all students to see their face, allowing students who might be deaf to read their lips. For both teachers and students, making sure it is possible for deaf people to read their lips is extremely helpful. This does not mean over

exaggerating your words or yelling at a person, it just means not covering your face with your hands when you talk, facing the person you are talking to, and being willing to repeat what you said when asked. It sounds simple, but doing these things makes a world of difference to a deaf student and even by reading this article, you are hopefully now more educated about the deaf community.

BOLLESBUGLEONLINE.COM

Bolles’ 2023 dress code changes Tristan Schneider Contributing Writer

olles has always had a dress code, from its military days to today. Most students find a way to express themselves within the dress code’s parameters, but it is more difficult this year with the changes implemented for the 2023-24 school year. The new dress code completely gets rid of the college sweatshirt item and tightens the regulation of skirts for girls. The Bugle asked students of all grades for their thoughts on the changes. Of the 50 students who participated, 6% approved of the changes while 94% were not pleased by them. The main problem students had with the new dress code was the removal of the college/university sweatshirts. In the students’ opinion, the sweatshirt item didn’t cause any problems with the dress code and it was the best thing about it. Many students would wear sweatshirts every day to school, so now they feel disappointed.

code that we’ve had previously.” The deans stated that students would try to find loopholes for college sweatshirts, like wearing a fraternity sweatshirt from an older brother, wearing unofficial merchandise, or wearing sweatshirts with generic “college” insignias.

“We are just going back to a simpler dress code that we’ve had previously.” — Ms. Denmark

“Dress code compliance by students was low.” — Ms. Denmark

When asked about the removal of the sweatshirts, Ms. Denmark said, “Dress code compliance by students was low.” She explained that it had become “almost impossible to manage the sweatshirt piece, and so we are just going back to a simpler dress

BOLLESBUGLEONLINE.COM

Another problem some students had was the change in skirt lengths from mid-thigh to not past the fingertips. According to Ms. Denmark, the shift doesn’t really change anything. It is simply easier to measure skirts based on where students’ fingertips land. “We’re not going to check

somebody’s femur bone,” she said. Finally, students wondered with all the changes, why didn’t Bolles add anything new, such as shorts for boys? Many male students think that it’s unfair that female students get to have the option to wear skirts or pants, while boys only have the option to wear pants. This argument comes up every year when Bolles is creating any changes to the dress code but always gets shot down. There are two reasons for this: one is the kids at the lower and middle school campuses are allowed to wear shorts because they play outside, but in upper school we do not play outside, which leaves no functional use for shorts. The second reason is that Bolles is a college prep school, and Bolles simply finds shorts to be unprofessional. Similar to the ‘no shorts” rule, the stricter guidelines for the sweatshirts and skirts are designed to encourage Bolles students to present themselves as serious and professional.

Baby cats found at Bolles Two kittens found at the construction site on campus Ava Cheng Design Editor

n Thursday, September 14, Alexander Gonzalez ‘28 and a friend stumbled upon a kitten by the construction site behind Bolles Hall. The boys were encouraged to take the kitten out of the construction zone after it was clear he had been abandoned.

Gonzalez set up a warm environment for the kitten and provided him with food for the night, but wasn’t able to continue looking after him. “I was relieved that Nate Zerkowski and his family adopted the kitten because the feeding schedule was not something I cherished.”

Upper school art teacher and Alexander’s mom, Mrs. Gonzalez, took the kitten in for a night. “Its eyes were still closed, and the umbilical cord was still attached.” The abandoned kitten was only a few days old, leaving him with a slim chance of survival: Gonzalez hurried to get supplies and advice from a pet supermarket near Bolles. After purchasing kitten formula and a bottle, Gonzalez was given instructions by a sales attendant on feeding and grooming the cat.

A few days after the first cat was found, another was discovered near the site and rushed to veterinary care, where both will remain for a couple weeks. “There’s still around a 70-30 chance of survival, but I believe they’re both going to make it,” said Zerkowski, who has been receiving frequent updates from the vets. In the meantime, Zerkowski has been searching for a future home for both kittens. “I texted around 50 people asking if they like cats and could keep a cat at home,” explained Zerkowski, but so far, only one kitten has found a home.

The first kitten, a day after it was found. Credit: Ava Cheng

A lot of care is put into taking care of a kitten. Gonzalez was shown how to simulate a mother washing the kitten with a damp washcloth. “This is an awkward task but without this regular gentle attention, a motherless kitten will not be able to eliminate waste and will perish.”

After a night in Gonzalez’s care, the kitten arrived back at school, where word spread of his presence in the art building. Fortunately, the news reached Nate Zerkowski ‘25, who was quick to offer assistance. “Ms. Rippel came in saying that there was a cat and he needed a home,” explained Zerkowski. “I got permission with my mother and then I took over from there.”

“Its eyes were still closed, and the umbilical cord was still attached.”

Zerkowski had some prior experience caring for animals at the zoo as an exhibit host, and a growing passion for animals. “I think that passion comes from when I was young. I never really grew out of the fact that I loved animals.”

— Mrs. Gonzalez

to offer aid and research before bringing it to the vet’s.

Knowing that the kitten didn’t have a high chance of survival, and would likely be sent to a kill shelter if he didn’t help, Zerkowski rushed

The second kitten enjoys a comfortable nap on a towel. Credit: Nate Zerkowski “There’s not a guarantee that I’m going to be giving the other cat away, but it’s a pretty high chance,” said Zerkowski, “so if anyone wants to adopt the cat, just email me, but they should know it’s not a guarantee that they’ll get it.”

BOLLESBUGLEONLINE.COM

Senior Sentiments #1 Is this what we’ve been waiting for? Isabel Bassin Co-Editor-in-Chief Growing up, breaking down, and everything in between - it’s the life of a senior. Hi, I’m Isabel Bassin, a senior and Co-Editor-In-Chief of The Bolles Bugle, and this is Senior Sentiments. For our last year in high school Amber Bansal, Caylee Padgett, Hailey Christy, and I will be sharing our thoughts, complaints, and suggestions about high school. It’s advice by teenagers for teenagers. Why is being a senior so hard? Over the past three years, we’ve looked up to Bolles’ next graduating class. To me, they always seemed to be having fun, relishing in their last year of high school. But that’s not how I feel. My free time is so limited by AP coursework, sports, and the impending doom of college applications. I do spend time with my friends - but the time flies. Cliche? Yes. True? Absolutely. “Where are you applying?” “What’s your top choice?” “Are you EDing anywhere?” Most conversations with my peers are dominated by inquiries of the future. I have no clue where I’m going to college, no clue what I’m going to major in, and no clue what job I want. I want to stay a kid forever. I anxiously avoid the thoughts of turning 18 next month, signifying the end of my childhood. I grow nostalgic over the daily occurrence of mundane family dinners that a year from now will be a rare treat. Maybe it’s just me who feels this way. I’ve certainly spoken to many of my peers who can’t wait to leave home, leave Bolles, leave Jacksonville. And I’m looking forward to starting the next phase of my life too, but it’s hard for me to be excited about the future when a mountain of work stands in the way of freedom. I’ve been in the passenger seat of this experience before. I watched my brother grow up, move out, and move on. He now refers to his college town as “home” and our residence as “Florida.” His leaving destroyed me and even now I mourn the life we lived in the same household. But he didn’t look back. He loves college, loves his friends, loves his classes. And I almost resent him for this. After growing up in

BOLLESBUGLEONLINE.COM

his shadow, this only makes me more anxious. What if I don’t get into the same level of institution as him? What if I am not as successful as him and his near-perfect GPA in college? What if I can’t move on from my childhood as seamlessly as him? Now I worry I’ll inflict the same fears on my little sister. Then there’s the ex-boyfriend. The innocence of the first “real” relationship, the contemplation of love, and the constant desire to be together - it was cut short by college. Sure, dating someone destined to graduate in nine months didn’t exactly promise an eternal relationship, but it still hurt just as bad when he left. I even broke up with him two months early to avoid the tearful airport goodbye or the stressed correspondence with someone starting a new life. My sophomore self felt abandoned, my first love stolen from me by this cruel college process. So being a senior, growing up, and going off to college - they’ve all represented negative things in my life. Loss. Longing. Heartbreak. Even last month I watched my best friend, a year older than me, move into college and I physically felt her pull away from me. How could I feel anything other than hatred towards the road ahead? It’s probably a personal fault of mine. I hate change. I’m always holding on to someone, something, or some place much longer than is healthy. So I’ve grown used to feeling sorry for myself. There’s a familiar comfort in abandonment, losing so much while I’ve done nothing but idle. But it’s different now. I’m the one who will leave. I’m doing the abandoning. It’s not like there aren’t universities in Jacksonville - if I desired, I could spend the next four years in a five mile radius of where I grew up. Continually, there’s plenty of good schools in our state. And I may very well end up at one of those. But I don’t want to. We live in a society that expects us to leave and only return for Thanksgiving. We expect teens to spread their wings and fly far, far away, without looking back. So I’m going. I want to leave Jacksonville, leave Florida, leave the south. I don’t want my anxious premonitions and Peter-Pan-like

mindset to hold me back. Everyone else does it, so why can’t I? I’m a failure if I waste my potential. I often have to remind myself that I’m only ever in high school once. These are the days I’m going to look back on longingly, wishing I had let myself enjoy them more. So that’s what I’m going to do - and I encourage you to do as well. Go to the football games. Go to the school dances. Brush off college deferrals or rejections - isn’t rejection just redirection? Trust that everything happens for a reason. Spend peaceful time with your friends - I guarantee that’s what you’ll miss the most. Yes, parties and trips and adventures are fun, but the most precious moments we’ll one day long for are spent eating lunch in the canteen or studying together in silence. We’ll make new friends in college. And we’ll stay in touch with our hometown ones. Maybe some hometown ones will even come with us to college. But things will never be the same. And that’s a good thing. We can’t stay in high school forever. But we can enjoy it while it lasts. So this is what I challenge all of you to do for the rest of the year - live in the moment. Be thankful everyday for the time we have with our friends and our family. Tackle college applications head on instead of procrastinating. Evade senioritis for as long as possible. And most importantly, have fun. At the end of the day, we’re too young for all of this. The 18 year old mind can’t stretch as thin as the college admissions process desires it to. My teenage heart is weighed down by the inextinguishable fear of the unknown. The one comfort that allows my soul to rest in its anxieties is the reminder that no matter what - we’re going through this together. The 209 other seniors in my class face the same abyss as me. I envy those that are already decided, but early commitments don’t take away the fear of starting a new life. So show compassion to your fellow seniors. Relish in the time we have together now and take it one day at a time. You aren’t alone in this process. None of us are. That’s what makes this heart-wrenching, beautiful, cruel, and exciting time so special - we all get to share it.

Sports

Ashlyn Anderson ‘24 Becomes a Bulldog Isabel Bassin Co-Editor-in-Chief

his year, Bolles gains a new student-athlete determined to help the volleyball team succeed. At 6’4, Ashlyn Anderson ‘24 towers over the competition in skill and determination. “Bolles really drew my attention. My mom wanted me to be here for the academics, I wanted to be here for the volleyball, so it worked out.” Anderson started playing volleyball at just five years old and “fell in love with it.” Despite

BOLLESBUGLEONLINE.COM

a rocky start to her competitive club career, Anderson soon found club coaches that “rekindled my love for the sport and gave me motivation.” Anderson is committed to continue her athletic career at Division I Kennesaw State University. “If I look back two or three years, I would never imagine wanting to play in college,” Anderson said. Now, Anderson describes herself as a “technique-oriented” player who loves the sport’s “team aspect.” “As a hitter, I can’t get a kill unless the person before me gives a

good set, and they can only do that if they get a good pass from the libero,” Anderson said. “I like that for some reason.” Anderson notes that along with its physical health benefits and college scholarship, volleyball’s biggest impact on her has been self discipline. “Everyone goes

(Left) Anderson subs out after scoring a kill against Bishop Kenny. Credit: Isabel Bassin (Right) Anderson poses for media day. Credit: Ashlyn Anderson out the night before on Friday hanging out with their friends, and I’ll be asleep by 9:30.” She finds peace in early bedtimes in preparation for morning workouts and strength in resisting the temptation to slack off. Anderson discovered her true passion for volleyball when she pushed herself to lift on her own, develop her skills, and work in silence. “That’s why I started loving the sport. I just wanted to see how good I could get.” Anderson’s next goal isn’t one on the court, or one in the classroom; it’s one in the air. She’s an aspiring fighter jet pilot who is currently working towards her private pilot’s license. After studying business in undergrad, Anderson hopes to fly for the national guard. She eventually wants to be an airline pilot, taking after her father who flies for Delta, and flew for the US Navy. Through her academic, athletic, and aeronautical pursuits, Anderson’s one piece of advice for aspiring collegiate athletes summarizes who she is as a person and a player: “Put in the work.”

“My mom wanted me to be here for the academics, and I wanted to be here for the volleyball.” -Ashlyn Anderson ‘24 25

Gavin Boree ‘24 plays box lacrosse in Canada Caylee Padgett Online Editor

ver the summer, Gavin Boree ‘24 spent two months in Canada playing box lacrosse with professional players to prepare for college lacrosse. Boree’s mother inspired his interest in lacrosse, “My mom was folding laundry one time and a game came up on ESPN. She thought it was awesome. Then Coach A came up to me and he said that I could go try. And if I didn’t like it, I could leave.” Initially, Boree wasn’t sure about lacrosse, “So I started trying but all my friends had played before I got started playing. So I was on the B team and they were on the A team. And I didn’t like it at first because it’s so different, with a stick and it’s really hard to get into, because it’s such a different sport. I was really angry that I wasn’t on the A team. So I decided to keep playing.” Flash forward five years and Boree is recommended to a program in Canada to play with professional

players. Living with a host family and two players from the Czech Republic, he was able to build lasting relationships. “I love those kids. They spoke English, but not that much. But I still talk to them every week.” Boree’s focus during the program was to improve his technical skills. “Playing box can help your field game a lot. Because you have to learn how to catch [the ball]. It teaches you to absorb contact and catch better, and play in tight spaces.” In box lacrosse, the goals are tiny, like hockey goals compared to the larger triangular lacrosse goals he was used to. Boree had never played box lacrosse before this program. “It was a big change. Especially as I’ve never played before, it was kind of a different sport. So I had to learn. And it was brutal. It was really fun. But it was so different and aggressive. And these are men coming off work. They’re coming in work clothes. And they’re trying to play professionally. So it was really intense. But it was a lot of fun.”

During the program, Boree was getting up at around twelve o’clock every day because practice didn’t start until seven or eight o’clock at night. and going out for food. He spent time with his fellow roommates bowling, going to the mall, and the next day they would do it again. When Boree traveled back home and began playing lacrosse again, he noted major differences in his gameplay. “It feels like the goal is wide open. And it just feels like the whole game slowed down because everything’s more spread apart when in box, it’s like a lot more compact. And there’s always somebody hitting you and touching you.” Boree learned a lot from his time playing with professional players and was able to get insight into what his future lacrosse career might look like. “I’m just trying to get more athletic and more in shape because I know that when I get to college, it’s gonna be a different world. Instead of me being one of the better players on the team, everybody is going to be the person that was the best player on their team and in the state when they were in high school. It’s going to be a different world where I’m gonna have to find a way to separate myself from players who are just as elite as me in high school. So that’s pretty interesting and exciting.”

Photo Credit: Gavin Boree

BOLLESBUGLEONLINE.COM

“It’s going to be a different world where I’m gonna have to find a way to separate myself from players who are just as elite as me in high school. So that’s pretty interesting and exciting.” — Gavin Boree ‘24

BOLLESBUGLEONLINE.COM

Bolles Sharks go to the 2023 Junior Worlds Swimming Championship

Photo of athletes and Head Coach Peter Verhoef at Junior Worlds. Ellie Stewart Copy Editor/ Sports Editor

he Bolles School Sharks made a strong appearance at the 2023 Junior Worlds Swimming Championship in the first week of September. Junior Worlds acts as a stepping stone to higher level meets like Worlds and the Olympics for athletes 14-18 years old. The six Bolles athletes who attended the meet had to qualify individually for their home countries’ teams. Antione Destang ‘25 and Tristan Dorville ‘25 represented Saint Lucia, Lucero Mejia Arce ‘26 represented Guatemala, Riley Miller ‘26 represented the U.S. Virgin Islands, Shehani Venturi ‘24 represented Sri Lanka, and Eldad Zamir ‘25 represented Israel. The swimmers made connections with athletes and coaches from 93 countries across the globe, while exchanging swimming

BOLLESBUGLEONLINE.COM

experiences and advice. “It was really neat having all the other countries there, and just being able to talk to the coaches and the athletes,” Head Coach Peter Verhoef said.

I take a lot of pride in swimming for my country, and I make sure that whatever I’m doing for my country I’m doing to the best of my ability. — Tristan Dorville ‘25 The preparation for Junior Worlds began in the spring of 2023. “That gave us a starting point of getting together to stay in shape,” Verhoef said. “We wanted to cover certain things, whether it’s team culture, or just connection points.”

Following the team’s arrival in Netanya, Israel, the Bolles athletes were able to quickly adjust to the environment. “It was really neat, because you would go to the pool, everybody’s swimming and you would be in the hotel with New Zealand, Italy, Israel, Sri Lanka, Team USA, and the Australians,” Verhoef said. The diverse teams traded stories and advice. Verhoef believes that the common denominator of swimming and being together in this environment made the experience memorable. “It’s always fun to make those connections and find those people because those are all people who we connect easily with,” he said. As the meet was 6 days long with both prelim, finals, and time trial sessions, Verhoef had to come up with ways to help the athletes rest and prepare for individual races. “You could be swimming the equivalent of 16 practices in a row,” he said. So he had to

devise specific schedules for each athlete, depending on the timing of their events to allow them time to recover and ensure they were prepared to be competitive at each session. For many of the swimmers from Bolles attending Junior Worlds, this meet was considered a midseason meet, meaning that the team is in the middle of their training cycle. However, the attending six athletes still did their best to show up and perform at their best, regardless of the challenges of swimming midseason and not being at peak performance. All the athletes would agree that competing at the international level is very different from swimming at the high school level. Tristan Dorville ‘25, representing St. Lucia, said, “I take a lot of pride in swimming for my country, and I make sure that whatever I’m doing for my country, I’m doing to the best of my ability.” Coming from the Commonwealth Youth Games and still adjusting to boarding at Bolles, Dorville was excited to see how he would compete at Junior Worlds. In between sessions, he made sure to fuel his body and stretch to keep his muscles loose throughout the competition.

I have images in my head of being in the environment and watching the high level athletes and what they’re doing, and then working to see what we can do to get our athletes here at Bolles to that level. — Peter Verhoef Verhoef highlighted the importance of resting your body throughout meets such as Junior Worlds. “Even if it’s light practices,

it’s still a lot of work and mental load on the body to neurologically keep going, so I thought we did that really well,” Verhoef said. He was able to give the swimmers tools to use in order to remain fresh between long sessions. Eldad Zamir ‘25, focused on hydration, staying away from sugar, and “sleep. A lot of sleep.” Zamir gives much credit to the naps he took in between sessions, which allowed him time to reset. Zamir is from Israel, and so he was able to compete in his home country with his friends and family watching. “The support was crazy and the cheering was amazing,” Zamir said. Junior Worlds was his first international competition, and so he used this meet to get used to the high-energy environment so that he can look forward to competing in more high level meets around the world. Lucero Mejia Arce ‘26, representing Guatemala, described her goals going into the meet. “I was looking towards improvement and having fun overall because I was meeting with my teammates again,” Mejia Arce said. She has competed in a number of international swim meets, and so she was able to pour her focus into her individual events and race with her teammates, with whom she is very close. For Mejia Arce, this meet was both an opportunity to drop time and improve her racing techniques. She anticipated one event in particular. “We also had relays which I hadn’t had in a long time. It was really fun to do that again.” Relays are a great way to both cheer on and race her teammates, she said. “I have images in my head of being in the environment, watching some of the some of the high level athletes and what they’re doing,” Verhoef said, “and then working to see what we can do to get our athletes here at Bolles to that level.”

Lucero Mejia Arce ‘26 and Shehani Venturi ‘24 warming up. Credit: Lucer Mejia Arce

Peter Verhoef and Eldad Zamir ‘25 at the market in Israel. Credit: Peter Verhoef

Venturi warming up at the pool. Credit: Peter Verhoef.

Zamir watching the sunset at the warm up pool. Credit: Peter Verhoef

BOLLESBUGLEONLINE.COM

The girls get gains Coach Jump launches the Girls Weightlifting team

Ty Neal Contributing Writer

t has been a long time coming, but the team is finally here. Girls weightlifting is the hot new sport at Bolles, with over 30 participants.

and Bishop Kenny. These schools are also starting their teams just this year as well. “Girls weightlifting right now in a kind of a boom stage,” he said.

Abby Bradley, a member of the team with some prior experience, is excited about the new sport at Bolles and plans to take it seriously. “I love trying new things” she said.

For years, Bolles has had a successful boys weightlifting team along with many other sports. As of this year, girls weightlifting has been added, lead by the head coach, Mr. Jump. Eva Lantzy performing a clean. Credit: Taylor Grace Clark

Chloe Hollander, Magnolia Fox, and Coach Jump posing. Credit: Bolles Weightlifting Team Mr. Jump is the only coach for the team thus far and has many years of experience as a weightlifting coach. He attended the University of Florida as a cheerleader for four years, then coached two years of middle school football in Mississippi. Here in Jacksonville, Jump taught and coached weightlifting and cheer for Nease and Orange Park. He is now in his second year at Bolles and already an important piece of the community. With this extensive resume and passion for weightlifting, Jump decided to start the girls’ team this year, and he has high aspirations. “I am fairly confident that we are here to stay.” The main competitors against Bolles in girls weightlifting will be University Christian, Episcopal,

BOLLESBUGLEONLINE.COM

Another small difference between the sports is that for Olympic lifts, the women’s bar is ten pounds lighter. This changes nothing other than the lowest possible weight for the women is lower.

Jump plans to build on this and gain traction for weightlifting as a sport in his time here. He is doing his best to make it a well respected sport at Bolles. “I plan to be at Bolles for the rest of my career,” he said. “And I plan to coach this for as long as I can. So I’m certainly planning to make it not just a two year thing and then we’re done. I want this to last for decades.”

“Weightlifting is definitely a sport that will carry over and benefit virtually any other sport” — Abby Bradley The key differences in girls versus boys weightlifting is the weight limits. There is no cap or minimum weight that you must have to be on the team, but the weight classes for women are lower than the weight classes for the men. The highest weight class is 200 lbs or more for women, while the men’s highest weight class is 254 and over.

Bradley is aware that the sport is helpful not just from a health standpoint but from a life standpoint as well. “You can basically do it for your entire life. Weightlifting is definitely a sport that will carry over and benefit virtually any other sport because of the strength and endurance you can gain.” In general, the weightlifting team

Meghan Wohlgemuth finishing a clean and jerk. Credit: Bolles Weightlifting Team is just as fired up about the new sport as the coach and looking forward to a great year. Jump plans to establish girls weightlifting as a legitimate sport at Bolles and is succeeding. With 32 students signed up and practices in session as of October 9, this new sport looks to have a bright future.

Academics

Señora Stam assumes the role of Foreign Language Chair Amber Bansal Co-Editor-In-Chief eñora Stam takes on the role of Department Chair after Señora Soud, previous department chair and longtime faculty member of 41 years, retired.

Her main responsibilities include attending strategic school meetings with administrators, leading foreign language department meetings across the San Jose and Bartram Campuses, and assisting teachers with anything they need.

She pursued the position because she knew that she “was ready for a challenge in areas in which I could grow and continue to learn” after 19 years as a Spanish teacher at Bolles.

Stam’s plans for the department range from celebrating faculty birthdays to creating a department mission, both with the goal of uniting the 17 foreign language teachers.

Stam now teaches all of the AP Spanish classes offered at Bolles including two sections of AP Spanish Language and Culture, as well as AP Spanish Literature and Culture.

“We are looking at creating a statement that unites us in our goals, our mission, and what we want to accomplish,” she says. “That I think will create a lot of good discussion among the department members and help us reflect on why we do what we do and keep us aligned with our goal.”

“It’s so important nowadays for us to learn how to get along in such a globalized world. And it’s a big piece of helping to build bridges among people.” — Señora Stam So far, she loves her new position because though she is “very, very, very busy,” she enjoys that “every day is unique.”

BOLLESBUGLEONLINE.COM

She recognizes the unique role that languages play in the world and the impact that foreign language teachers have. “It’s about making those connections and understanding someone goes way deeper than just knowing how to translate something,” she says. “It’s so important nowadays for us to learn how to get along in such a globalized world. And it’s a big piece of helping to build bridges among people.”

Her passion for the language began with her family speaking Spanish at home and continued through high school and college, as she double majored in Spanish and did a study abroad in Spain.

“It’s about making those connections and understanding someone goes way deeper than just knowing how to translate something.” — Señora Stam She knew she wanted to continue in the field and teach because she loves the age group and connecting with the youth, “particularly teenagers because they are excited about life and everything that awaits them.” During her undergraduate degree at the University of Florida, Stam applied for a teaching job at Bolles and never imagined she would get the job, but “they believed in me.” Now as department chair, she wants to “continue the tradition of Bolles being an excellent place.”

Top to bottom, left to right Photo 1: Stam as a faculty sponsor of Congreso, a state-wide Spanish competition, in 2017. Photo 2: Stam learning about Peruvian culture during her Ottenstroer fellowship of Summer 2022. Photo 3: Stam teaching Whitehurst students Spanish for fun. Photo 4: Stam’s first trip to Spain in 2003. She is pictured with her best friend and her Spanish Linguistics professor at UF. Photo 5: Stam accompanying Spanish students on their Spanish exchange trip in 2018. She is pictured in Toledo. Credit: Señora Stam BOLLESBUGLEONLINE.COM

Gebauer visits Japan with Ottenstroer Fellowship Caylee Padgett Online Editor

ver the summer, Mr. Gebauer traveled to Japan in search of culture, history, and a solo travel experience. “I promote with my students all the time getting out of your comfort zone,” Gebauer says, “That’s the only way to get more comfortable with things that maybe scare you a little bit. And the best things in life are always new to you at some point.” In addition to teaching his students about life skills, he also yearns to increase his knowledge of history and religion to use in his classes. “In my ninth grade class we talk about early Japan. In my sophomore class we talk about feudal Japan and the Tokugawa Shogunate, Imperial Japan during World War II and then we cover Shinto, the Japanese traditional religion in my World Religions class. As well as there’s tons of Buddhism.”

“I didn’t really feel like I stuck out. I felt like everybody was just kind of living their life.” — Mr. Gebauer Gebauer’s trip was funded by the Ottenstroer Fellowship Program in 2022. According to bolles.org, “The Ottenstroer Fellowships identify and reward excellence in teaching at Bolles by

BOLLESBUGLEONLINE.COM

providing opportunities for professional growth among faculty.” “I learned quite a few things about Japanese mannerisms and culture and customs, which

“No trash cans in the entire country, which I think is pretty lovely.” — Mr. Gebauer I thought was really interesting. I learned a bit about geishas and their understudies maikos. I had the opportunity to go to a ton of different shrines and temples which was pretty amazing.” Gebauer hopes to utilize his newfound knowledge in each of his classes. For example, “There’s a cup game that we played, which was pretty cool. Two people sit across from one another and you’re tapping this cup to this song as the geisha sings. And you can pick up the cup and if you pick up the cup, the other person then knocks instead of tapping. And whoever messes up first loses.” Among other experiences, Gebauer was able to enjoy all the types of food that are part of the different regions in Japan. He tasted street food and market goods, but most enjoyed the nonchalant attitude of people. “I didn’t really feel like I stuck out. I felt like everybody was just kind of living their life.” No one treated him like a tourist, but he became aware of how different Japanese culture is from American culture.

“It was really easy to identify when there was, you know, non Japanese people around because you could hear them. So it was being more discreet, or just more aware of other people’s space, sharing that with them. Very clean. No trash cans in the entire country, which I think is pretty lovely. You do that here and then there would just be trash everywhere.” With all of his new knowledge under his belt and new experiences, he wants students to know, “It’s really good for anyone to learn about themselves, challenge themsedlves, put themselves out of their comfort zone, really experience a new culture.” Photo Credit: Mr. Gebauer Top Left: Doodles from Mr. Gebauer’s travel journal. Top Right: Mr. Gebauer at Mt. Fuji 2nd Row Left: Miyajima – Itsukushima Shrine – floating shrine on a beautiful island 2nd Row Right: Hiroshima – ABomb Museum 3rd Row Left: Arashiyama Monkey Sanctuary Iwatayama 3rd Row Right: Himeji Castle – White Heron Castle Bottom Left: Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto Bottom Right: Additional doodles from Mr. Gebauer’s travel journal.

BOLLESBUGLEONLINE.COM

Mr. Collins joins the Math Department

Kate Youell Social Media Editor

his Bolles alumni didn’t always want to be a math teacher. He didn’t even like math until junior year when he felt like his math teacher finally supported him. Mr. Collins, a new teacher at Bolles but a longtime Bulldog, is the newest addition to the math department. Collins went to Bolles his entire life and was a part of the football and wrestling teams, but struggled in math class. “I was awful at math until 11th grade in my school year,” he says. Collins went to the University of Florida for criminology, but didn’t feel like that was his calling. “Criminology intrigued me in my early 20’s, but I did not realize until after I graduated that my passion was teaching and coaching. I wanted to be like the teachers and coaches that had an influence on me when I was at Bolles.” He felt like Algebra and teaching math were his ways to give back. “I really started to do well and it clicked, and I just started having so much fun and I didn’t know math could be fun and it wound up being my favorite.” In the past 14 years, Collins taught PreAlgebra, Algebraic Foundations, and Algebra 2 at Episcopal. He didn’t immediately come back to Bolles because both his parents worked at Bolles and he wanted to create his own legacy. Eventually, Collins couldn’t stay away. “Because I went here and I love it.” He’s learned a lot over the years,

BOLLESBUGLEONLINE.COM

from acronyms for remembering math terms to life advice for his students.

coach, Coach Morris, in coaching wrestling, something he’s very passionate about.

He tells them, “I’m not going to quit on you and I’m going to let you know it’s okay to make mistakes.”

Mr. Collins is full of one-liners that resonate with his students, including this appeal: “Win the battle between your ears.”

Outside of teaching math, Collins is joining his old high school

Mr. Collins at Episcopal Credit: Episcopal website

Ms. Edmonson joins the History Department Isabel Schimpff Coffeehouse Editor

“

I did my first class in education and loved it! I thought, oh, this is exactly what I am supposed to do.” Ms. Edmonson is ecstatic to be the newest member of the Bolles History department. The caring and bubbly teacher realized that education was her future thanks to her Modern Middle East class at Oklahoma Baptist University. “We were tasked with giving our community a presentation about the Middle East, specifically centered on misconceptions and how we might educate people because I was going to college during the war in Iraq,” said Edmondson. “My friends then gave me this feedback about how much they learned and how exciting it was, and they could tell it was my passion to teach history.” At that time, Edmonson was already getting her masters in History with a minor in German, but this moment piqued her interest in education and inspired her to get her masters in education.

“This is exactly what I am supposed to do.” — Ms. Edmonson “I had always loved working with students, and I wondered if that was something I could actually make a career out of.” Edmonson ended up doing just that. She got her first teaching job in Richmond, Virginia, and

has spent the last few years teaching at The Episcopal School of Jacksonville, for a total of a thirteen-year teaching career. The reputation Bolles has in the community, along with the existing connections Edmonson had with the history department, was key in motivating her to join the Bulldog family.

patient with people. Edmonson puts additional effort into preparing her class for the benefit of her students.

She now teaches US History and AP Human Geography. She loves both classes and has a hard time picking a favorite. However, she feels teaching Human Geography has brought her education and teaching full circle. “I’ve taught history for longer, so I feel more familiar with that content,” explained Edmonson, “but I started my teaching career in geography and rural cultures, so it’s like coming back.” The new addition to the Bolles community has found that her favorite part of campus is the students and the other teachers in the history department. Schoology, however, has been the hardest to master, and the rotating schedule needs some getting used to. Edmonson wants to get across to her students that she is always willing to help students work through material and other problems that arise. “I want them to know that I am very approachable and willing to help any student who needs the help.” Having gone through a medical event when she was in high school, she is even more sympathetic with her students who go through similar experiences. She recognizes that events happen in people’s lives that they have no control over or ability to predict, so it’s imperative to be kind and

Ms. Edmonson’s 2023-24 yearbook picture Credit: Emily Edmonson

“I’m very thoughtful and intentional in the way that I structure and plan our takeaways. There’s a lot of intentionality that goes into the course”. She adds this extra thought in hopes that her students will see the relevance of her History and Human Geography classes. Edmonson recognizes the importance in the way stories are told and how we remember things today, and she aims for her students to acknowledge it too.

BOLLESBUGLEONLINE.COM

Mr. Skapetis joins the Science Department Jack Laufer Contributing Writer

r. Devan Skapetis is thrilled to join the Science Department at Bolles.

Skapetis is no stranger to teaching; in fact, this will be his twelfth year. He has taught at Duval County High, First Coast High, and most recently, Riverview High.

I would want to teach. When I was picking my major, I realized Physics was my favorite subject in high school, so I went with that.” In his free time, Skapetis is a major nature enthusiast. An ideal weekend for him consists of reading a good book, going on a picturesque hike in the mountains, going camping with friends, playing with his dog Mickey, and playing his beloved acoustic

At one point in his life, it seemed like teaching Science was out of

“I was picking my major, I realized Physics was my favorite subject in high school, so I went with that.” — Mr. Skapetis the picture. He took a gap year between high school and college to try to discover what he wanted to do for a living. While on his time off, he dabbled in many different professions, such as working in a restaurant and being a sales representative. After his gap year, he attended University of West Florida. While picking his major, he realized that teaching could be a great opportunity. “I knew I always wanted to be a teacher, but I didn’t know what

Mr. Skapetis in his classroom. Credit: Jack Laufer

BOLLESBUGLEONLINE.COM

guitar. So far in his short time teaching at Bolles, Skapetis has enjoyed every second being on campus. When asked what his favorite thing about Bolles so far, Skapetis said, “The students. The students, the general people’s pleasure and attitudes toward learning and always wanting to be challenged.”

Bolles’s new librarian: Mr. Nesselrode Olivia Bassin Contributing Writer

his year, Brian Nesslerode joined the Swisher team as Bolles’ new librarian. He moved to Bolles from Flagler College, where he worked for 25 years. Nesselrode became interested in being a librarian when he was in college through a work study program at Ohio University. In this program, he was assigned to work in the library, “I hadn’t spent much time in libraries when I was in high school. So that’s how I got into it, is through a job in college,” Nesselrode said. He moved to Bolles from Flagler because he wanted a change in how he worked. “I just really wanted to get back to working with students directly. That’s what I did in the early part of my career.” At Bolles, he feels more in touch with students and more involved. “When I was at Flagler, I was more focused on budgets and less on dealing with students and faculty one to one, and when this job opened, that was the most attractive part for me.”

“It’s been a good lesson that you should always push yourself in your work life and your personal life and in situations where you don’t feel tons of comfort, because that’s the way you realy grow.”

Nesselrode enjoys helping students and is a very approachable person. He wants to be open and available to help anyone in the library. “My favorite part of working is getting to know and working with students and faculty. That’s my number one priority and probably will always be my number one priority.” Always looking for ways to engage with more students, Nesselrode values every interaction and opportunity to meet someone new. Because Bolles is smaller, he has a better opportunity to get to know students better. He also enjoys the Bolles community. “I really like how friendly everyone is that I’ve encountered. Flagler was very friendly as well, but at Bolles everybody has been especially welcoming.” Moving to Bolles has meant getting used to new technology, new resources, and a smaller staff. “It’s been a good lesson that you should always push yourself in your work life and your personal life and in situations where you don’t always feel tons of comfort, because that’s the way you really grow.” Later this year, Nesselrode plans to send out a survey about improving the library and will make sure to listen closely to students’ suggestions. He is prepared to help anyone who walks into Swisher. He hopes that all students feel free to ask him any questions and ask for help whenever they need it.

— Mr. Nesselrode BOLLESBUGLEONLINE.COM

AI and Academics How do we react to the rise of AI in an academic setting? Ava Cheng Design Editor

world overrun by machines of our own creation, mechanical beings orchestrating every aspect of life—the idea of robots taking over has manifested in movies for decades, but with the rapid development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) today, it seems our fears have become reality. “There’s always the joke of, ‘oh, robots are gonna take over the world,’ but if someone were to make a computer think for itself— and we are starting to go towards that direction—that would have severe implications on society,” said Olivia Clontz ‘25. AI has been around since the mid 1900s, but its use increased with improved accessibility to data and technology in recent years. From chatbots like ChatGPT to programs that help detect malaria or maneuver driverless cars, the role of AI in everyday life has expanded drastically. With a growing number of programs and uses, the concept of AI is widely disputed, and often seen as a topic of controversy. “AI has a lot of psychological and social implications,” said Eesh Majithia ‘25. “It can replace a lot of jobs that people have, it can replace human creativity. For example, the Writer’s Guild of America ended up saying that AI is good, but it should not replace us. It should compliment us.” “How do we use AI to help us get jobs done without replacing our thinking?” For Majithia and Clontz, using AI is about creating a balance that improves efficiency without decreasing imagination.

BOLLESBUGLEONLINE.COM

“Especially now in high school, there are already a ton of students that are using Chat GPT for essays, math answers… anything,” said Majithia. “It’s important that we guide them on the right track of what to use it for and how it should not be used. We have to make sure everybody understands the importance of it, but how detrimental it could be if we let it get out of hand.” This year, Clontz and Majithia formed the Cybersecurity and AI Club with the goal of informing students and dispelling the controversy surrounding the topic. Clontz and Majithia also explained how AI can be helpful in schools, as long as it’s utilized with certain limits. “It’s one thing if some students are using it for the wrong reason, but if you get permission from your teacher— which is very important—to fix wording or check work, it can be more practical.”

“We need to maintain our thinking, our human mind, because that’s the most powerful tool we have.” — Eesh Majithia ‘25 Majithia emphasized the importance of maintaining human creativity. Rather than asking Chat GPT to write entire essays, he can use it to make minor improvements instead. “As the world transitions towards being completely technology-based, we need to maintain our thinking, our human mind, because that’s the most powerful tool we have.

Mrs. Clubb, English Department Chair at Bolles, encouraged students to employ critical thinking skills to discern the quality of information that AI provides. A new policy created by the upper school English department states that students can ask AI to “rewrite confusing passages at a simpler level,” to “clarify confusing concepts” and to “generate templates,” etc. Essentially, it advises students to “use [AI] as a tool, not as an end result,” according to Clubb. “I do not think that we can ignore AI. We have to see how to use it and not be fearful or threatened.” Clubb compared the emergence of AI to the rise of the Internet— despite the initial paranoia that surrounded it, the Internet isn’t leaving anytime soon, and neither is AI. “It’s a part of our future and it’s here to stay.” Clubb, Clontz, and Majithia reiterated the same message: though AI can seem threatening, we’ll discover ways to adapt and use it as a resource without replacing our individual thinking. According to Majithia, aligning with the Bolles motto—pursuing excellence through courage, integrity, and compassion—can be helpful when thinking about how to responsibly use AI. “Courage, integrity, and compassion. Integrity is probably the most relevant at the school, and that’s when we talk about doing your own thinking for yourself. How do we use AI in a way that we still preserve our integrity?” As we navigate a world where AI has become unavoidable, this is a question we’ll have to answer every day.

Robotics on the rise: New rooms, robots, and resources Hailey Christy Contributing Writer

s Bolles’ robotics program continues to grow, the school is making changes to accommodate for the increase in student interest. The biggest change in the program has been the creation of the Robotics Lab, located in Colmery Skills Center. Prior to the creation of the lab, all robotics electives were held in the Photography room, while the First Tech Challenge (FTC), practiced in the small IT Conference Room in Bolles Hall. Chief Technology Officer and FTC coach, Mr. Sollee, explained how more space in the Robotics Lab “allows for more people to participate, but it also allows for more technology to be used so that they can start to move away from a predefined type of robotic building system to a more individualized or creative way to actually build it and build its components.”

The FTC team’s playing field Credit: Hailey Christy In the IT Conference Room, the FTC team could only use half of their 12x12 foot playing field, which is an area where they practice for

meets. In the Robotics Lab, they can fit the entire playing field and still have plenty of extra space to build and refine their work. The extra space that the lab provides has allowed for more people to join the FTC team. “We had over 30 kids that wanted to do the FTC program last year,” Sollee said. “We essentially just outgrew the space.”

“When the Center for Innovation opens up, we will move over there, and we will essentially double the space that we have now.” — Mr. Sollee Not only has the Robotics Lab allowed for more people to join, but it has also acted as a location to house all of the makerspace related equipment that Bolles has, such as 3D printers. The lab has eight 3D printers that students in the program have access to and a CNC carving tool, which is a machine used for cutting and carving materials such as wood. Mr. Sollee had built the CNC machine previously, but moving to the Robotics Lab “was really the first time we’ve been able to actually use it,” Sollee said. With easy access to equipment like this, robotics students are able to make more advanced robots with ease. For example, students have used the 3D printers to create disks which they use to simulate the disks used in actual FTC competitions.

Sollee’s CNC M achine Credit: Hailey Christy

Following suit with the FTC team, robotics electives have also begun their shift into more advanced, customizable robots. Prior to this year, the classes used Lego Mindstorm EV3 robots for all of their projects. These robots were very elementary and were coded using oversimplified programs. However, the classes recently shifted to using REV robots. The REV robots, which are also used by the FTC team, are coded using Python, which is much more applicable for pursuing a career in robotics. Robotics will only continue to grow, which is why Sollee has big plans for the future. “When the Center for Innovation opens up, we will move over there, and we will essentially double the space that we have now.” The new building will provide space for both a robotics room and makerspace. The makerspace will house creative equipment such as 3D printers, while the robotics room will store the robots, playing field, and other roboticsspecific items.

BOLLESBUGLEONLINE.COM

Multimedia Projects Isabel Bassin Co-Editor-in-Chief

his year, we are stepping up our video production, posting to both Instagram and Youtube for maximum accessibility and audience reach. We produced five videos this quarter. Behind the Scenes - Bolles Volleyball Follows the team at practice, showcasing the team’s sheer talent and camaraderie. Homecoming 2023 A highlight of everything Homecoming. From the football game to the fans.

A Practice with the Girls Cross Country Team A run-down of one practice highlighting the team’s bond and hard work. The Bolles Football Schedule by Our Students People with little knowledge about our football schedule guess who our upcoming opponents are. Rating Campus Waterfountains Ever wonder which water fountain at school is coldest? Find your favorite after watching your peers weigh in. Virtual PSAT Review In the debut year of the digital PSAT, we asked students to reflect and review.

BOLLESBUGLEONLINE.COM

Ellie Stewart Copy Editor/ Sports Editor

Kate Youell Contributing Writer

Hailey Christy Contributing Writer

Tristan Schneider Contributing Writer

BOLLESBUGLEONLINE.COM