Issue 5 2011

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THE G LLEON Issue 5 . April 20 11.

SHARKS NIP, TUCK THE GALLEON TAKES A LOOK AT SPANISH RIVER’S PLASTIC SURGERY TRENDS

Spanish River High School 5100 Jog Rd. Boca Raton, FL 33496

HOMEGROWN DESIGNER PLANTS SEEDS OF SUCCESS JUNIOR ANDREW FREDERICK CREATES FASHION LINE

TECHNOLOGIES REINVENT SOCIAL ORGANIZATION FEATURE FOCUS TAKES A LOOK AT DEVELOPING TRENDS

Holocaust survivor tells of trials, tears, triumphs

Block scheduling may help solve school budget issue By JOEY GOLDMAN NEWS EDITOR

PHOTO BY SUZANNE SANDERS

Holocaust survivor Norman Frajman shares his story with English II students. Last quarter, English II students read the renowned autobiographical Holocaust account, Night by Elie Weisel. Weisel’s experience parallels that of countless survivors, including Frajman.

By EMMA GRUBMAN STAFF REPORTER Warsaw, Poland; 1939. Ten year old Norman Frajman glimpsed into his father’s eyes for what would be the last time for 22 years as the Germans took control of Warsaw, the city in which Frajman was raised. On that date, Frajman, his sister and mother were separated from his father and sent to the Warsaw Ghetto, unaware of what was ultimately going to happen. Frajman would soon realize that the Ghetto was a place illustrated by rampant disease (most commonly Typhus), starvation and mass killings, instilling a new found fear in Frajman and his family. People were literally dying out in masses, according to Frajman. The smell of burning flesh haunted the air as Frajman, along with any other remnant survivors from the Ghetto arrived at a place that for generations has been characterized as nothing short of horrifying: the concentration camp. For Frajman and his family, this camp was Majdanek, located on the outskirts of Lublin, Poland. “The place was really a killing factor,” Frajman said. “The only way out was through the chimney.” One morning, all hell broke loose, according to Frajman; it was time for selection, a process in which the Nazis separated the healthy from the sick, and those who were incapable of performing slave labor were sentenced to be killed. The

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next classification, however, was even more emotional for Frajman: the separation of men and women. That moment was the last time he ever laid eyes on his mother and sister, according to Frajman. “I did not have the luxury of saying a proper goodbye,” Frajman said. On February 15, English II classes listened in awe as Frajman, Holocaust survivor and speaker, gave this heart-wrenching account of the events that he endured during his years through the gruesome death camps. “We are the voices of every victim of the Holocaust,” Frajman said. After being transported to two different camps following Majdanek and faced with death on numerous occasions, Frajman’s hope and determination helped him stay alive to see his liberation by the Russians on May 8, 1945, a day which Frajman honors as an additional birthday. The ultimate purpose of telling his story to students is to keep the memory of the Holocaust alive by educating the youth, further ensuring that an event like that will never be repeated, according to

Frajman. “You learning it [the Holocaust] is going to carry it on,” Frajman said. “I am here to leave a legacy for future generations.” And Frajman’s purpose profoundly transcended among the students who heard his story. “Mr. Frajman is very courageous for being able to do what he did and now after listening to his moving story, my views of the Holocaust became even deeper and made me really feel for him,” sophomore Brianna Sachs said. “I believe his words had such an immense impact on the audience and it really opened everyone’s eyes to what a horrible event this was.” Hearing Frajman speak ultimately enriched students with a deeper knowledge of the events of the Holocaust while at the same time further ingraining the memory of the Holocaust in the minds of future generations. “I must remember for my mother, sister and the six million p e o p l e who were murdered out of cruelty,” Frajman said. “I do not live in the camp, but the camp lives in me.”

PHOTO BY SUZANNE SANDERS

As recent, steep budget cuts to education have swept through the nation, schools are facing the tough task of reducing costs without hampering education. Spanish River is no stranger to this financial burden. A number of cost-cutting options have been suggested by county board members, but one area in particular that has been revisited is school scheduling. Block scheduling, greatly different from the current system at Spanish River, could greatly help reduce the operational costs, according to a county press release. St. Lucie County, whose school district also faces a financial crisis, changed their high school scheduling system to a block schedule format that will save them up to $6 million this year, according to Treasure Coast High Principal Helen Roberts. Now, instead of taking seven classes a day, high school students in St. Lucie County schools take four classes a day and seven classes in a school year. Even though some students might favor block scheduling, junior Noah Gardener feels that it does a great disservice to students. “In block scheduling, the classes are way too long,” Gardener said. “Students will lose focus too quickly in the long periods; it’ll be terrible.” However, the level of success St. Lucie County has achieved this year might be too much for Spanish River to overlook. This change could also help the school comply with the class-size reduction amendment which, beginning next year, caps enrollment for high schools at 25 students per class. However, if Spanish River was to adapt block scheduling, along with following the restrictions of the class-size amendment, hiring new teachers would become unnecessary, a consequence that American history teacher Aaron Lampman dislikes. “The amendment sounds good to people who don’t work at high schools,” Lampman said. “Instead of focusing on limiting the number of students per class, we should be hiring more teachers.” The controversial choice to switch to block scheduling remains undecided as of yet.

Congratulations to Lexie Kessler, Skye Congratulations to the Congratulations to the Gilder Lehrman Congratulations to the girls Kogan, Phillip Goldman, Skylar Persin, Civil War Essay Contest finalists who went to the Disney Jazz eight seniors chosen as Erin Ressler and Elizabeth Shapiro for Dennis Churchin, Bella Comboni, Competition for a job well 2011 National Merit their first place awards in their prospecAlexa Luria, Diana Stancey and done. Scholarship Finalists. tive categories at Palm Beach International Jeremy Whittington. Film Festival.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE News 1, 3

Opinion 4, 5, 6

Features 8,9

Feature Focus 10, 11

Entertainment 12, 13

Student Life 14, 15 Sports 17, 18, 20


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Issue 5 2011 by Galleon News - Issuu