November 2016
Volume L Issue I
John F. Kennedy High School
Homecoming 2016 ROAR COUGARS, ROAR!
A kitchen fit for CHAMPs By: Emma Gold
Photo courtesy of Mikayla Gorelin
JFK Kickline performs at Homecoming on Friday, September 30, 2016, to roaring applause.
By: Jennifer Avezov and Danielle Bagdasarov The week of September 26 was quite a momentous and exciting one for Kennedy High School. On Monday, the lazy student body rolled out of bed and wore their favorite pajamas to school. That Tuesday, Kennedy staff and students showed off their athletic interests on jersey day. Then on Wednesday, the school lit up with students and teachers in their extravagant, creative, and even comical costumes. Some of the most memorable costumes include Male Playboy bunnies, Drake and Josh, and the gorilla Harambe. Also, the winners of the costume contest held on Instagram were; The Pharaoh, Steph Hannah and the squid, Arin Forstadt. Then, the military of Kennedy crawled on all fours into the hallways on camouflage day. To end the week, the Cougars united to embrace their
school spirit by wearing the homecoming shirts, sold by the classes, or other black attire. That Friday, Pep rally opened with Nicolina Torchia’s phenomenally singing the national anthem. Then, each fall sport team was honored with music and acts that would animate the students up for Homecoming. The cheerleaders and kickliners strutted their way around the gym with dazzling routines and lifts. That same rainy and starry Friday night, the homecoming festivities began. Students involved in the C.H.A.M.P program served freshly grilled burgers, while the cheerleading and kickline team pumped up the spirits of many spectators, as well as motivate the football players. Emily Herrera and Ron Lampert were announced the rulers of homecoming and were cheered on by all their subjects. The Cougars played the Indians, of Sewanhaka High School, and won with a triumphant score of 30-16. What a thrilling way to end an even better week.
It’s the place that one passes by and is greeted by the pleasant aromas of delicious delicacies. Fragrances snake through the cracks of the door, waft down the hallways, and are picked up by students and faculty members that walk
This extensive project was tackled after a year and half of planning, curriculum writing, designing, and equipment research and selection. by. What place could this be: the kitchen of John F. Kennedy High School’s own Culinary Hospitality and Applied Management Program (CHAMP). Over the summer preceding the 2016-2017 school year, the kitchen was revamped from a standard home and careers kitchen to a modern, state-of-theart kitchen. Here is an inside look at the newly enhanced CHAMP room. The process of upgrading the kitchen was no small feat. This extensive project was tackled after a year and half of planning, curriculum writing, designing, and equip-
Photo courtesy of Akixandra Wilens The newly redesigned CHAMP kitchen (right), including a Charcoal Broiler and three gas ranges.
For a photo of the homecoming football game, please go to page 6!
Cougar clubs to join Page 2
iPhone 7 Review Page 6
ment research and selection. There were many new pieces of equipment added, like a Charcoal Broiler, which is a 72-inch grilltop used to grill meat and vegetables. Also, three gas ranges with low-boy ovens were installed. These are capable of doing everything from sautéing, sweating, steaming, and boiling, on the top, to braising, roasting, and broiling, on the bottom. Additionally, a fire suppression system was added to the stove. This useful feature automatically extinguishes flames that reach a certain height above the stovetop. Some more additions to the CHAMP kitchen include a deep fryer, a convection oven, and a massive 60 quart standing mixer. Finally, perhaps the most impressive new piece of cooking equipment is the Tilting Skillet, which can cook up scrumptious soups, sauces, and stocks in large quantities. In fact, CHAMP instructor Mr. DiGiovanni exclaimed, “The Tilting Skillet is my favorite [because] my favorite position in the kitchen is being a saucier. It encompasses my favorite skills in the kitchen.” Another newly improved aspect of the room is the technological assets. A SmartBoard was installed, and in the near future, an iPad cart will join the SmartBoard. Mr. DiGiovanni commented, “[The new CHAMP room is] incredibly interactive and laid out perfectly for maximum learning. It’s built for students to hone their technique.” These new technological features further modernize the state-of-the-art kitchen. The project of elaborating the CHAMP kitchen was an immense undertaking that was completed with an impressive result. This kitchen will inspire both current and future CHAMP students to pursue their culinary interests.
Creepy clown craze Page 8