The Cougar Crier - June 2023

TheCougar Crier

Mr.Schleith leavesgood memories, lastingimpact on Kennedy

BYAIDAN FORD Staffwriter

Later thisyear at JohnF KennedyHighSchool,the staff andstudentswill say farewell toabelovedmember of thesciencestaff,Mr

Helmut Schleith Mr Schleith hasmadeanimprint on our school for anoutstanding22 years Ever sincehe commencedhisjourneyat Kennedy,hehasplayeda significant part inbeingarole model for countlessteachers andstudents Hehasspread hisblissful energyontoothers tomaketheir timeherefar moreenjoyablethananyof themthought possible

Mr Schleithworkedat variousschoolshereonLong Islandbeforemakinghisway toJFK Previously,Mr Schleithworkedat Baldwin HighSchool for sevenyears andat SeafordHighSchool for oneyear At theseother

schoolsandJFK,Mr Schleith learnedhow tobethebest teacher androlemodel that hecouldbe Hestatedthat,in hiseyes,thebest thingtotry tobewhenbeingateacher is ?tobeapositiverolemodel for students,andtoensure that I haveacompassionate sidethat makessureto overseetheir best interests? Hedemonstratedthesevalues ashetaught chemistryandled theschool'sScienceOlympiad team,whichhasbeenfor the last 20years

Mr Schleithhascarriedthe pleasureof findinghisway intotheheartsof many studentsandteachersat JFK, andwithhisdeparture,many of themwill missthe memoriestheyhavecrafted over theyears It isno surprisethat manystudents alreadyhaveadifficult time withthesubject of chemistry Manystudentswill missMr

Schleithfor beingabletoget theminterestedinconcepts andideasthat aretraditionally verydifficult However,Mr Schleithkeepsthesubject excitingandfreshwithhis teachingmethod Max Broder,oneof Mr Schleith?s students,felt that Mr Schleithmakesthesubject moreenjoyableby?making jokesabout theclasswith their tableduringtheperiod? and?even providinghumor whenweaccidentallybroke equipment ?Similar thoughts weresharedbyEmma Revzin,alsoastudent of Mr Schleith,withher feelingthat ?hisjokesandhumor madea subject likechemistryfeel interesting?Over theyears hereat JFK,Mr Schleithhas takenthisapproachto transformmorecomplicated subjectsintoonesthat studentslook forwardto attendingdaily

For Conroy, it hasn't been all Tai-Chi and yoga

Veterangymteacherreflectsontwo-decadecareerassheprepares for retirement

After alongcareer inthe Bellmore-Merrick school district andat Kennedy, belovedgymteacher Colleen Conroywill beretiringat the endof themonth Shestarted teachingin1990andworked for eight yearsat Calhoun beforebeingaskedtoassume theathleticcoordinator positionat Merrick Avenue MiddleSchool Shespent threeyearsat themiddle school andwasinasplit positionbetweenMerrick AvenueandGrandAvenue

Followingthis,shewasplaced at Kennedyandisfinishing her 17thyear here

After speakingwithMrs Conroy,her yearsat Kennedy haveimpactedall whohave

hadthehonor of havingher asateacher Someof her favoritememoriesof teaching havebeenall thetimesshe spent withstudentsthat are strugglingwithskill and seeinghow excitedtheygot whenthingsfell intoplace Andanother wouldbe introducingan activitytoa student,havingthempursue it outsidetheclassroom,and thenhavingthemsharetheir progress Other great memoriesincluderunning intostudentsandparentsof studentsthat shehastaught andhearingall thewonderful thingsthat theyhavegoneon toaccomplish Her favorite school event hasbeenClass Night eachyear Eventhough it isacompetition,sheenjoys that everyonecontributesto thespirit andthefun Andas

ajudge,shecouldalwayshave front-row seatstoagreat night

Reflectingon her accomplishmentsduringher career,her biggest onewas her involvement inthe AthletesHelpingAthletes program,now ACES ACES focuseson drugandalcohol abuseprevention Shehas beenpassionateabout informingstudentsof the hazardsof drugsandalcohol andpromotinginvolvement inpositiveactivitiessuchas sportsandclubs Sheis continuallyamazedat thecare andthought that theleaders of theprogramput intotheir presentations Althoughshe doesn? t specificallyhavea favoritegymactivityduring

CONROY |Page2

Not onlyhas Mr Schleith impacted studentsinthe building,but he hasalsoproven tohaveleft an immenseimpact onmany teachers When Mr Schleith first madehis wayintothe school in2001, hebeganto makequick friendswith Science department members One of thesepeople wasMr Lella,whowasalso startingin2001,andbothhe andMr Schleithtook workshopsintheScience department Throughout the years,Mr LellaandMr Schleithplayedpractical jokes ononeanother When asked

about thejokes,Mr Lella feelsthat ?it?shardtopick,but I will saythat myfavorite thingtodowithMr Schleith wasengaginginjokeswith eachother?andthat

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Casey Moskowitz |THECOUGAR CRIER

BYJESSICA MEHR Opinionseditor

From languagelessonsto lifelessons, Mr.Cirino has taught it all Staff

JessicaBlumberg Editor inchief

JessicaBlumberg Editor inchief

Monsieurhasspent25yearsintheBellmore-Merrickschooldistrict

Sammer Soliman

Sammer Soliman

Copyeditor

Copyeditor

Ben Greco

Newseditor

Sam Schneider

Featureseditor

JessicaMehr Opinionseditor

JoshuaSheldon Managingeditor

SophieClancy Artseditor

AdriannaCalifano Sportseditor

AntoninaGerunda

Casey Moskow itz

Photographyeditors

Alex Michals Businessmanager

Sydney Brew er

AlexaGaspar Socialmedia

JoshuaLazar

JoleneShau

KristinaShau

Staff Photographers

KayleeAyuso

Max Blum

TaraBrow n

Chloe Courtenay-Frydman

GabriellaElliott

Aidan Ford

AvaGaffney

Gavin Halper

MadelineHyman

Daniel Kahn

Kyriaki Kammas

Jack LaGalia

AlexandraLevitt

Jack Levitt

Jacob Levy

MariaMontemarano

Devin Pryor

Eric Rogers

SiennaRosenthal

Benjamin Roth

Christopher Sánchez

Jordan Siegel

SophiaSt Surin

GabriellaTejada

Riley Thayer

Jaden Waldinger

Aaron Zacharia Staff

Mr Brad Seidman

Dr DennisUrban Facultyadvisors

TheCougar Crier ispublished bythestudentsatJohnF

KennedyHighSchool Our missionistoserveasthevoicefor thestudentbodybyaccurately representingthediverseviews andconcernsofeachofthe students

John F Kennedy HS

3000BellmoreAvenue Bellmore,NY11710 (516) 992-1400

Mr GerardOwenburg Principal

How doyouput twenty-five yearsintoanarticle?Mr Cirinohasbeenin Bellmore-Merrick for twenty-fiveyears Hebegan hiscareer byteachingat GrandAvenueMiddle School,until heultimately transferredtoKennedythree yearsintohiscareer Hehas taught all levelsof French andmanylevelsof Italian at Kennedyfor twenty-two years After alongcareer of teachingstudentshow to communicateindifferent languages,heisfinallyready toretire

Monsieur claimedthat he didnot intendtobecomea teacher - heonlybegan subbingbecausehedidnot haveajob- hesoonrealized that hehadanatural knack for teaching Heclaimed that hewantedtogive studentsnew understandingslikehehad receivedwhilegoingto school Signorestudiedat

SUNYAlbany,theSorbonne inParis,StonyBrook University,andCW Post He majoredinFrenchLiterature andminoredinItalianwitha Master?sinENL Hisfavorite memoryof histimeherewas histriptoQuebecin2016;he remarkedon how lovelyit wastoseethestudentsapply their knowledgeand experiencenew cultures

BYSOPHIECLANCY Artseditor CONROY

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her career,sheespecially enjoyedadventure-based activities,bicycleriding, badminton,and non-traditional unitssuchas

Tai Chi andfencing

Another aspect of her career sheenjoyedwasbeingpart of thefacultyandstaff Sunshine committee Withhelpfrom her colleagues,sheplanned luncheonsandretirement dinners,alwayscreating opportunitiesfor peopleto spendtimetogether

Furthermore,Mrs Conroy hasbeenafixtureat Class Night,anevent shehelped coordinateandjudgealmost

After retiring,Mrs Conroy planstohelpher twinswith their collegeapplication processandspendtimewith her familyandfriends She alsowouldliketoplay

Monsieur Cirinoisuniquein that henot onlygoesout of hiswaytoteachstudentsthe curriculum,but alsoteaches studentsabout cultures aroundtheworldand essential lifeskills Helikesto emphasizeculturesand modernvocabularyinhis lessons,sostudentscangaina trueunderstandingof what lifeisreallylikeinother

surprise Furthermore,Italian studentsAdriannaCalifano andSophiaLeoneweremore thanappreciativeof Signore?s vast knowledgethat he alwayssharedwithhis students

WorldLanguages Chairperson Mr Montes remarkedon how healways wantedtoensurethat

personal cheerleader,full of adviceandvast knowledge about theworld His extensivetravelinghastaught himsomuchabout the world,andheisalwayseager tosharetheseideasand advicewithhisstudents She alsoemphasizedhiszest for lifeandwanderlust attitude Thisloveof lifeand appreciation for theworld haspermeatedintohis teaching,hasmadehisclass muchmorepersonablefor his students,too Similarly,Mrs Fiorentinoravedabout his desiretoalwaysdowhat is best for thekidsnomatter what,andtheeccentric attitudehebringsto everything

places Inhisclass,his studentsgainedmany important new perspectives about lifeoutsideof the community

ClassmatesMaxwell Wiener, MarcHinojosa,andMinami Rodger reflectedonthese past few yearswithMonsieur asenlighteningand perspective-changing Former Frenchstudent NataliaKleczek claimedthat Monsieur?sclasswassofun becauseit wasalwaysa

pickleball andgolf,volunteer, writeabook,work part-time, takecourses,andwork on remodelingher house Even inretirement,Mrs Conroy planstostayactiveand involvedinthesevarious endeavors

Mrs Conroywill forever leavealarge impact on Kennedy,and after speaking withher current and past students, it isclear that shewill continuetobe remembered Students notedsome great memoriesof Mrs Conroy, rangingfrom teaching studentshow toridebikes

studentsknew therewasa bigger world,andhow he lovedtoanswer hisstudents? questions SenoraValenti reflectedon her last twenty yearswithMr Cirinoand hadnothingbut lovelythings tosay Sheclaimedthat heis morelikeabrother thana colleague "Mr Cirinoisan advocateandacheerleader for everyoneinhis department," shenoted SenoraValenti remarkedon how hehasalwaysbeenher

andchattingabout movies andexcitingtopicstoher supportiveandfriendly personalityandenergetic attitudethat spreadto everyoneintheschool

AlthoughMrs Conroywill never reallybereplaced withinthewallsof Kennedy,

Mr Cirinosayshewill miss talkingwiththekidsand seeingthelight intheir eyes whentheydemonstratethat they?vegraspedsomething new Thisvisual representation of comprehension hasbeenthe highlight of hiscareer,andhe will misssharingall hehas learnedwithstudents During hisretirement,heplansto travel toavarietyof new placesduringnon-peak seasons- somethinghehas alwayswantedtodo Healso planstostart new projects andpick upnew skills Mr Cirinohasmadeanimpact on all of hisstudentsandhis colleague,andhewill be missedduringhisretirement

shehadsomekeyadvicefor thenext gymteacher to follow her Shenotedthat beingateacher isahuge responsibility,andit is important toshow respect, providesupport,set limits,be arolemodel,andoffer a rangeof experiences She encouragesthemtoalways treat their studentsasthey wouldtheir children,asshe feelslikeshebecameabetter teacher whenshehad children

Sheisdeeplygrateful for the countlessopportunitiesthat theBellmore-Merrick school district hasgraciously providedher throughout her career,enablingher togrow bothpersonallyand professionally Theinvaluable experiencesshegainedwhile workingalongsidededicated colleaguesandcompassionate studentshaveprofoundly shapedher journey

AntoninaGerunda |THECOUGAR CRIER MsConroywillretireasagymteacher thisyear

AntoninaGerunda |THECOUGAR CRIER

Mr Cirinowillretireattheendofthemonth

Tragedy exposesmental health crisisin New York City

JordanNeelydeathillustratestheconsequencesofinadequatementalhealthcareservices

BYMADELINEHYMAN Staffwriter

OnMay1,2023,Jordan

Neely,athirtyyear-oldman whosufferedfromsevere mental illnessand homelessness,waskilledafter beingplacedinachokehold byDaniel Penny,a24 year-oldex-Marine Neely waskilledontheFTrainin Manhattanafter ranting aggressivelytopassengers about alack of foodandwater andthat he?doesn? t careif he goestojail,?asseenfroma videotakenbyAlberto Vasquez,afreelance journalist

Neelyhadalonganddifficult journeyupuntil thispoint After hismother was murderedin2007,he struggledwithseriousand persistent mental illness, homelessness,multiple psychiatrichospitalizationsat BellevueMedical Center and Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital,run-inswiththe NYPD,andassistancefrom multipleagenciesfor treatment andshelter, includingBoweryResidents?

Committee,whichhelps clientswithsocial services Neelystruggledwith symptomsof psychosis,often hearingvoicesanddealing withdepression Christopher Neely,Jordan?suncle, expressedhisconcerns, saying,?Jordanwouldhave beenaliveif theymadesure hestuck aroundtoget the treatment heneeded? The systemfailedhim For real ?

JordanNeelyisjust one exampleof themanypeople that struggleeverydaywith mental illnessinNew York City AccordingtotheNew York CityMayor?sOfficeof CommunityMental Health, inoneyear,oneinfiveNew Yorkersexperiencemental illness Inaddition,hundreds of thousandsof thisgroupof New Yorkersarenot connectedtocare Demographicsplayamajor roleinmental health connection,withinsurance status,neighborhood, minoritystatus,andgender all decreasingaccesstomental healthservices With obstaclestomental health

care,theNYPD hasbecome thefrontlineof themental healthcrisisinNew York City Inthelast fiveyears,the number of arrestsof people withmental illnesshasspiked In2017,149%of people arrestedfor seriouscrimesIn New York Cityhada documentedmental health history Incontrast,in2022, 234%of peoplearrestedfor seriouscrimesinNew York Citywerementallyill Inboth instances,theywereclassified under thetermof EmotionallyDisturbed Persons(EDP) bytheNYPD New York City?schapter of theNational Associationof Mental illness(NAMI) reportedthat oneinfour peoplewithseriousmental illness(SMI) will bearrested bythepoliceat apoint in their lives Annually,two millionindividualswithSMI arejailed Everytwoout of fiveadultsjailedhavea historyof mental illness

Furthermore,70%of children adolescentsinthejuvenile systemhaveamental health condition Oneout of every6

homelessindividualsis mentallyill OnMarch2,2023,New York

CityMayor EricAdams issuedhismental health agendaentitled?Care, Community,Action:A Mental HealthPlanfor New York City?Hisagendacenters on:improvingfamilyand childmental health, addressing[the] overdose crisis,andexpansionof support for thosewithserious mental illness Adams?goal is toallow for mental health caretobemoreaccessible, timely,affordable,and culturallyresponsivefor familiesandyouth Mayor Adamsisfocusingon four pillarsinorder toachievehis agenda:safety,housing,jobs, andcare Inorder toreach peopleinthecommunity withSMI,themayor is expandingmobiletreatments, includingAssertive CommunityTreatment (ACT)andIntensiveMobile Treatment (IMT)

Furthermore,8,000unitsof additional supportivehousing will beaddedfor peoplewith

SCHLEITH

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SMI

TheB-HEARD Pilot program - theBehavioral Health

EmergencyAssistance

ResponseDivision- launched inSpringof 2021 It is directedtowardtreating mental healthcrisesas problemsfor publichealth, not publicsafety Mental healthprofessionalsand EMTs/paramedicsanswer 911mental healthcallsfor the first timeinthehistoryof New York City The B-HEARD teamsare responsiblefor the de-escalationof emergency circumstancesandsupply immediatecare Theteams areknowledgeableinarange of physical andmental health problems Inaddition,when it isnecessary,theprogram canrefer peoplefor follow-up services,includingHealth Engagement andAssessment Teams(HEAT) EachHEAT teamconsistsof apeer who dealsintheir ownexperience withmental health,substance

NYC|Page4

theyears,whichhashelped avoiddull momentsasthe daysgoon

BYBENJAMIN GRECO Newseditor

AsEditor-in-Chief thisyear, JessicaBlumberghelped streamlineasystemthat got issuespublishedquicklyand efficiently GoogleClassroom wasusedfor theclubthis year,anditsefficacyand effectivenesswereincreased inlargepart becauseof Blumberg?spersistenceand work Duringmeetings,her slideshowswithtipsand suggestionsfor articleshelped producehigher-qualitywork that improvedthestanding andreputationof theclubasa whole At thesametime, thesemeetingswere time-efficient Blumberg understoodthescarcityand valueof timefor manyof the club?smembers,meaningshe got acrossimportant informationwithout being wasteful I admiredthisabout her work asEditor-in-Chief, andI believeit left alegacy withinthepaper that must be continuedinthefuture

TheCougarCrieralsorecently announceditsnewest batchof editorsgoingintothe 2023-2024school year, markingthebeginningof the endfor itssenior editors

whilestartinganew chapter Insummary,next year?s editorswill beasfollows:

Editor-in-Chief - Sophie Clancy,ManagingEditorAdriannaCalifano,News

Editor - GabriellaTejada, CopyEditor - Jack Levitt, ArtsEditor - Daniel Kahn, SportsEditor - DevonPryor, FeaturesEditor - Riley Thayer,OpinionsEditorMadelineHyman Given my perceptionof thelegacythat Blumbergisleaving,it?shard toimagineaworldwhere thesenew editorsdon? t tryto continueit

SophieClancy,next year?s Editor-in-Chief,hashada uniqueprocessthat hasled her tothispoint Shesaysshe first joinedtheclubafter fallinginlovewiththe writingprocesswhile enteringwritingcompetitions asajunior Shejumpedat the opportunitywhenanArts

Editor positionopenedup

After lovingthecluband editingfor it somuchthis year,Clancyknew shewanted totakeamoresignificant role next year andsaysshe?s thrilledtohavebeennamed theEditor-in-Chief next year

For thefuture,Clancyaimsto

?makeTheCrier amultimedia newssource? collaborat[ing] withCougarTV tobringour storiestolife?Shealsowants toexpandtheclub,having morestudentswritesothat it actsasaunifyingforcefor the school'sspirit At thesame time,Clancy?aimstotake everythingthat [Blumberg] brought toTheCrierthisyear intonext year ?She recognizesBlumberg'simpact andislookingtobringthat forwardwhilemakingstrides for theclubat thesametime

Outsideof TheCougarCrier, Clancyhasseveral other interests Shelovescelebrities, andsportssuchastennis, skiing,andlong-distance running Shelovesart, explainingher positionthis year astheArtsEditor for The CougarCrier.Lastly,her favoritesubjectsinschool are social studiesandEnglish

Ultimately,thispaper isin goodhandsfor thefuture withSophieClancyasitsnew Editor-in-Chief,andshe acknowledgesthat thisis mainlybecauseof thework donebythosewhohavecome before,includingJessica Blumberg

?somethingthat I learned earlyon,throughour jokes, wasthat Mr Schleithdoesnot liketobehit intheheadwith bread?Activitieslikethese madeMr SchleithandMr Lellastandout at JFK andare oneof themanythingsMr Lellawill missabout having Mr Schleith Mr Lellawill alsomiss?hisfriendshipand theadvicehehasprovided, whichI didn? t alwaysfollow ?

Furthermore,Mr Schleith alsohelpednew science department membersget acquaintedwiththebuilding When MrsVandergoot came toJFK in2009,shenoted, "Mr Schleithwasabletoget mesituatedbecauseI never taught at ahighschool before, andservedasan inspiration, whichgavemeconfidence?

Astimeprogressed,Mrs Vandergoot got involvedwith all thejokesthat Mr Schleith likedtoplayon people One of her favoritemomentswith Mr Schleithwaswhen?he emailedeveryoneinthe department andaskedusto helpinafictitiousevent to raiseawarenessfor Humpback Whales I never laughedthat hardinmylife?Mr Schleith hasbrought hiswittysenseof humor andcompassionate styleof friendshiptoJFK over

AsMr Schleithpreparesto depart fromKennedy,he planstocontinuehiswork at HofstraUniversity,wherefor thelast 20years,hehas workedasan Adjunct Instructor of Chemistry Mr Schleithintendstodedicate moreof histimetothis profession,andhewill see wherelifegoes Lookingback on Kennedy,Mr Schleith recallsthat hisfavorite momentsat Kennedyhave beenwiththeScience Olympiadteam,which?gave himthechancetowork with Mr Lella,Mrs Norris,and Mrs Femminella Thosewere someof myfavoritetimes?

Mr Schleithhasworked substantiallyat Kennedyfor thelast 22years,andhis retirement ismorethan well-deserved Ashesteps intothenext gatewayof life, heleavesbehindamark on theschool that will bevery hardtoforget byall the studentsandteacherswho haveworkedwithhim throughout theyears The communityhereat JFK wisheshimthebest of success andhopesashemoveson and wisheshetransfersthesame energythat hehassharedover theyearshereat JFK to wherever heheads

Clancy preparesto lead Crier following in footstepsof current leadership

A deep diveinto thehistory and cultural significanceof America's newest federal holiday

BYGABRIELLA TEJADA Staffwriter

June19,2023,marksthethird year Juneteenthiscelebrated asafederal holidayinthe UnitedStates Whilethis holidayhashadstrong publicityover thepast two yearsfor itsrepresentationof AfricanAmerican empowerment,it hasexisted for centuries Thisexplains thecommon misunderstandingof Juneteenth Thus,tobetter understanditssignificanceto AfricanAmericansand Americanhistory,it is important torecognizethe rootsof thisnew national holiday

In1862,theCivil War was ragingover thespreadof slavery Slaverycementedthe inequitiesbetweenAfrican AmericansandWhite individualsacrossthenation andwasespeciallyrampant in theConfederateSouthern States However,President AbrahamLincolnissueda revolutionaryorder:The EmancipationProclamation Thisorder wasset tofreeall theslavesintherebelling Confederatestateson January 1,1863,andit establisheda moral basisfor thebloody Civil War Whilemany enslavedAfricanAmericans werefreedandfledtothe North,manyothersremained under thechainsof slavery In fact,Texaswasthe Confederatestatefurthest West comparedtothe others,meaningthenewsof theEmancipationof Slaves wasnot receivedbythose residingthere It wasnot until General Granger entered Galveston,Texas?onJune19, 1865?toassert that slavery wastobeabolishedinthe state Althoughit took two andahalf yearsfor slavesto

beenlightenedwiththeir emancipation,thisday officiallyendedslaveryinall thestates At thispoint,the UnitedStateswasindeeda freenationsinceeachstate wasfinallyorderedto abandonslavery

Consequently,Granger?s statement greatlyimpacted thehundredsof thousandsof enslavedAfrican Americans inTexas,andthat verynext year,manyAfrican Americansdecidedto celebratetheir Emancipation onthat wonderful day Granger visited:June19th

AfricanAmericanschooseto celebratebygathering together over barbecuesand prayer sessions Thisholiday reflectedtheunityand resilienceof African Americanswhoovercame

slavery

Still,AfricanAmericans enduredinjusticesthat stemmedfrompast prejudices Not all enslavedpeople wereliberated entirelyafter June 19th,asmany farmerscontinued exploitingthemto providefor their harvest African Americansalso continuedtoface unjust treatment goingintothe twentiethcentury, suchasthe legalizationof segregationand stigmasagainst AfricanAmericans Whilethe government supportedeffortsin rebuildingthe nationandsecuring improved treatment and rightsfor African

Americanswhohadrecently beenfreedduringthe Reconstructionperiodof the war,theystill facednumerous challenges Nonetheless, Juneteenthcontinuedtobe celebratedandgrew in popularity Thisholiday, whichhadoncebeencentered inTexas,spreadnationwide By1979,Texashadfinally recognizedJuneteenthasa holiday

Whilesegregationand slaveryhavefadedawayin contemporarysociety, injusticesremain These tensionsover racial injustice flaredupin2020when instancesof policebrutality towardAfrican Americans garneredmassivenationwide attentionthroughwidespread protests Americansacrossthe countryadvocatedfor justice for GeorgeFloydand BreannaTaylor,bothof whomdiedat thehandsof police Asracial tensionsin

theUnitedStatesrose, activistsemphasizedthe importanceof African Americanempowerment and protectingtheir rights Many AfricanAmericansfelt diminishedandnot respected andeven rejectedthe inclusivityof theFourthof July Thecontinued frustrationof African Americanswhofelt let down bytheAmericanjustice systemultimatelystimulated President JoeBidentodeclare Juneteenthafederal holiday in2020

AsJuneteenthremainsa relativelyunfamiliar holiday for manyAmericansina climateof intensepolitical polarizationandtensions, havingasenseof familiarity withtheholidayandits originscanassert asenseof understandingand appreciationfor it Infact, thisholidayisquitesimilar to theFourthof July Often,it is

celebratedthroughbarbeques, parades,andpageants An additional wayof celebrating Juneteenthinvolves supportinglocal Black-owned businessesandleadersinthe community,whichforgesa stronger bondbetween AfricanAmericansduring thisholidaythat emphasizes unity TheFourthof Julyand Juneteenthrepresent freedom,an essential aspect of Americanculture However, manyAfricanAmericans resonatewithJuneteenth more,asit representsamore inclusivedefinitionof freedom Thus,upon reflectingon thisholiday?s significancefor African Americansanditshistorical significance,Juneteenth ultimatelydevelopsasenseof African-Americanunity throughvirtuescommended byall Americans:resilience andfreedomfrom oppression

abuse,homelessness,and/or thelegal system,pairedwitha mental healthprofessional Theservicecanlast upto ninetydays

InNovember,Mayor Adams expandedtheuseof Kendra?s Law,aNew York Statelaw whichallowsfor involuntary psychiatrictreatment under certainconditions Thisnew initiativeallowsfor an involuntarypsychiatric evaluationof aperson experiencingamental health crisisandwhoisunableto meet their ownbasicneeds

Mayor Adamsdescribedthis new initiativeasthecity?s ?moral obligationtoact ?All of Mayor Adams?programs areacoordinatedeffort bythe Mayor?sOfficeof Community Mental Health,NYPD, FDNY/EMS,Healthand Hospitals,andtheDepartment of HealthandMental Hygiene JordanNeely?stragicdeath personalizesNew York City?s ongoingmental healthcrisis;it givesusaname,aface,anda small window intohislife Neelyrepresentsthemany individualsthat strugglewith mental illnessinNew York City Mayor Adamsreferredto Neely?sdeathas?atragedythat never shouldhavehappened?

WithAdams?programsand initiatives,therecanbe hopefor eachindividual livingwiththeconstant struggleof SMI Mayor Adamsstatedthat we?must work together todomore for our brothersandsisters strugglingwithserious mental illness,?andthat ?wemust keeptrying beforeweloseanother Jordan ?If youfindthat you areinneedof helpwith mental illness,helpis alwaysavailable Wenever havetobealoneinour struggles InNassau County,youcancall the LongIslandCrisisCenter at (516)679-1111

Recognizingthepow er of loveand support in achievingsuccess

BY ALEX LEVITT

Inher commencement speechfor NYU?sclassof 2022,singer, songwriter,andanti-hero Taylor Swift remindedthe graduates,?Not asingleoneof usheretodayhasdoneit alone Weareeacha patchwork quilt of thosewho havelovedus,thosewho havebelievedinour futures, andthosewhoshowedus empathyandkindnessor told usthetruthevenwhenit wasn? t easytohear Those whotolduswecoulddoit whentherewasabsolutelyno proof of that Someoneread storiestoyouandtaught you todreamandofferedupsome moral codeof right and wrongfor youtotryandlive

by?

AsI reflect on myhighschool experience,I can? t helpbut sit withthesewords Upon preliminaryreading,Swift?s wordsareobvious?almost as if thisfact isuniversally understood Yet,asI reread them,thesheer impact of thesewordscannot be understated Inafew short weeks,manyof uswill cross that stageonelast timeasour namesareloudlyannounced toacrowdof excited onlookers;however,in consideringSwift?swords, perhapsit isnot just us?the classof 2023?graduating

I amonlyherebecauseof the loveof thepeoplewhohelped me I wouldnot havebeen abletoget throughfreshman year Englishwithout

countlessextrahelphours;I lovedsophomoreyear gym becausemybest friendswere inthat class;I met withmy guidancecounselor ad nauseamjunior year in preparationfor thecollege admissionsprocess;and,my successsenior year isa testament tomyperiodtwo APEStable Whenmyname isannouncedthat Sunday afternoon,it will bethename of everysinglepersonat KennedyHighSchool being calledout too

Beforethen,I feel it is important totakethetimeto thank thosewhowe?ll be thinkingof at that moment ToMr SeidmanandDr Urban,thank youfor takinga chanceon my(often fantastical) opinionsand trustingmewithacolumn

Blumberg:A better writer, leader thanksto thisexperience

BYJESSBLUMBERG Editor-in-chief

I never couldhaveimagined that thesepast four years wouldhavegonebyas quicklyastheyhave I still remember enteringKennedy HighSchool asafreshman for thefirst time,feelinga mixof excitement and nervousness,wishingtobe involvedineverything surroundingme AsI exploredtheclubfair and perusedamanual of the clubs,TheCougarCrier immediatelycaught my

attention I attendedthefirst meeting,wasenrapturedby thewritingandediting process Now,four years later,I canproudlysaythat TheCougarCrier has enhancedmywritingabilities andallowedmetolearnand grow asaleader andperson Duringmyfreshmanyear, theworldenteredaperiodof global isolationamidthe COVID-19pandemic Just likeusall,TheCougarCrier wasforcedtoadapt At first, wewereworried- what wouldhappen tothe newspaper?A few Zoommeetingslater toldusall weneeded toknow - just asthe rest of theworldtook on anew identity,we didtoo Dr Urbanand Mr Seidman stepped inasour advisors,and weproducedmore publicationsthanever before Our new advisorsemphasized re-brandingand re-focusingTheCougar Crierasa Kennedy-centric

newspaper, Since2020,TheCougarCrier hastransformedintoasource of information, entertainment,and empowerment for all students Anystudent is welcometojoin,whether asa writer,interviewer,or artist TheCougarCrier hasandwill continuetofulfill itspurpose of servingasthevoiceof the student body As Editor-in-Chief,I amproud andgladof thework and effort that thestaff has shown Withcountlesseditor andstaff meetings,wehave brainstormedideasand producedexceptional work I wishtothank Dr Urban, Mr Seidman,andMs Mogaverofor their time, ideas,effort,andwork I am trulygrateful for their guidanceandencouragement throughout thepast four years I wouldalsoliketo thank theentirestaff for their work I know weareleaving newspaper ingreat hands, andI amexcitedtoseewhere thepaper will gofromhere

Totheeditorsof TheCrier,I cannot expressenoughhow grateful I amthat youall took thetimetocombthroughmy incomprehensiblethought processtomakeacohesive article Eric,thank youfor comingtothat first meeting inSeptember withme;I have lovedreadingyour movie reviewstimeandtimeagain Toeverywriter and contributor,I have thoroughlyenjoyedreading eacharticlewrittenfor this paper SophieandJack,how proudI amof thetwoof you I cannot wait toseewhat the futureholdsunder your leadership Andtoevery member of TheCougarCrier, bothpast andpresent,it has beenapleasureworkingwith youall;I amsoproudtohave playedevenasmall rolein

thisbeautiful art wehave created

Mytimeat Kennedyhasbeen characterizedbymore support andlovethan I ever knew possible Over thepast four years,I havetoldanyone I?vecrossedpathswith? whether they?veaskedor not? that thestaff andstudentsat KennedyHighSchool arethe greatest peopleI know This buildingholdssomuch gravityfor me I?vemet my best friendshere,learned morethanI ever thought possible,laughedhere,cried just asmuch,andlovedevery secondof it If thesewalls couldtalk,thestoriesthey?d tell couldfill alibrary

AlexLevittisastudentintheClass of2023. ShewillattendBinghamton Universityinthefall

Schneider:Crier experienceallowed meto grow

BYSAMANTHA SCHNEIDER Featureseditor

Asmysenior year ends,I can? t helpbut reflect onwhat an experiencebeingapart of The CougarCrier hasbeen I?ve alwaysenjoyedwritingbut decidedtojoinTheCougar Crier mysophomoreyear after I saw apost on Instagram promotingit I impulsively filledout theGoogleformon mywayhomefromcampand shortlyafter wasofferedtobe theSportsEditor I was shockedandexcited,asI wastheonly underclassmen editor It wasagreat opportunity for metolearnfromthe upperclassman and collaboratewiththem despitehavingall of our meetingsonZoom becauseof thepandemic I stuck withbeingthe sportseditor myjunior year,whichwasalot morefunbecausethere werenomore COVID-19restrictions

on sports I foundit funto interview athletesandwrite about myteammates My articleswerealwayshungup inthegym,whichwasreally cool too Myposition asthe sportseditor for twoyears trulytaught mehow to managemytime It was challengingtomakesurethe informationinmysection was current andup-to-dateright beforethepaper went toprint

SCHNEIDER |Page6

Mehr:Passion for writingand editing will continue

BYJESSICA MEHR Opinionseditor

Now that mytimewithThe CougarCrierhascometoan end,I amabletoreflect onall of mygreat memorieswith thisprogramasI moveon I wasalwaysinterestedin writingfromayoungage, alwayskeepingajournal and writingfunshort stories,yet I never reallypursuedmy interestsuntil I joinedThe CougarCrierwhenI wasa junior inhighschool

After gettinginvolvedwith Cougar TV,originally,Mr Seidmanhadmewritean articlefor TheCrier After findingsuccesswithmyfirst article,I knew that I wanted toofficiallyjointheclub I foundit interestingtowrite about varioustopicsranging fromweather stormstoAP exams I wasabletointerview manyimportant figureslike former CountyExecutive

LauraCurran,andSenator

JohnE Brooks

After findingmuchsuccessin myjunior year,I wasawarded 3rdPlaceinanOpinions categorybytheLongIsland PressClubfor myarticleon school re-opening It was shockingtoseemyarticlewin

awardsagainst articles writtenbycollege newspapers,andit felt great tobeawardedfor mywork in suchacompetitivecategory I knew that I wantedto continuemyinvolvement in theclubthat providedme withsomuch,soI appliedto beaneditor I knew I wanted tobetheopinionseditor becauseI havealwaysfoundit sointriguingtoreadarticles that hadaprofound viewpoint throughout I was ecstatictofindout I was awardedthisrole

I havefoundit great tobe abletocreate new topicsfor thewritersto researchand writeon Providingtips and knowledgeto writers,no matter their experienceor gradelevel, hasbeen fulfilling I amvery appreciative andgrateful for my experiences withThe

Sheldon:Proud to seehow Crier hasgrown

CougarCrierandthe opportunitiesit hasafforded me I havebeenableto improvemywritingskillsand further developmyoverall knowledge

I plantocontinuemylovefor writingandeditingat the Universityof Delawarenext year I amthankful toMr SeidmanandDr Urbanfor alwaysbeinggreat mentors andencouragingmetodomy best inall mywriting endeavors I amalso appreciativeof all of theother editorsfor beinggreat and collaborative

Greco:Crier testament to theKennedy culture

BYBEN GRECO Newseditor

Asmysenior year of high school isending,I want to acknowledgetheexperience of beingpart of TheCougar Crier Havingstartedasa sophomoreStaff Writer and workingmywayupthe rankstoeventuallybeingthe NewsEditor thisyear,my journeyinthispaper has beenatestament tothe power of twothings

Thefirst isthenatureof John F KennedyHighSchool itself Ineveryissue,there havebeennumerousschool events,clubs,sports,and other thingstowriteabout, witheachhavingaton of membersandleaderswhoare not onlywillingbut excited tohelpget anarticleabout thempublished For example, earlier thisyear,I wrotean articleabout afair being hostedbytheCultureClub, wheremembersmadeposter boardsandbrought foodto represent acertaincountry Andat thisfair,bothMrs Fiorentino,theclub?sadvisor,

anditsmemberswere incrediblyreceptivetomy presenceandgaveme informationtowriteabout in thearticle Thesameapplies tonumerousother clubsand sportsthat havebeenwritten about inthispaper This reflectstheculturethat has beendevelopedat Kennedy; manyclubshostingevents ofteninteract withother clubsandhaveasymbiotic relationshipwitheachother Assomeone whodidn? t necessarilystart out beingsuper interestedin journalism,I gainedaton of experiencein boththeskills of journalism, suchas interviewing, andinactually writing My journeyhas alsobeena testament to thepaper itself Thisisthanks tothetireless

BYJOSHUA SHELDON Managingeditor

effortsof Dr Urban,Mr Seidman,andthe editors-in-chief whohave providedneededcriticism andlearningopportunities If not for their work in developingmyskillsfor this paper,I don't think I would bewhereI aminthisclub For that,I wouldliketo thank them,aswell asthe opportunitiesprovidedtome becauseof thispaper,which havepositivelychangedme

At longlast,mygreat and wondrousjourneyat The CougarCrierhascometoa prosperousconclusion And what astoryit hasbeen I first startedwithTheCougar Crierinmyfreshmanyear, which,at thetime,wasjust in itsinceptionandlackedthe schedulingpower andstudent reachof theCrier of today Despitetheseearlyissues,The Crier,under thehelmof librarianMs Mogavero,set about toput TheCrier onthe mapat JFK Onthat journey wasme,an incomingstudent wantingtomakeanamefor himself I will admit,though, myfirst year at TheCrier was not myproudest moment For that year,I hadwrittena singlearticledisprovingthe then-new iPhone13 Init,I hadcomparedit totheiPhone 9,which,at thetimeof publication,I didnot realize wasn't created For therest of that school year,I took that embarrassingmoment toheart andfocusedon makingmy articlesfor thenext year as fact-basedandtruthful as possible And that iswhat I did Comemy sophomoreyear andjunior year, I playedan activeroleat TheCrier I wrotean article, maybeeven two,per issue andcommented uponsomebig topicsinour school This includedmy interviewswith thenewly electedStudent

Government president and Mrs Zocchiaon her retirement,myValentine?s Dayadvice(arguablymymost important article),andmy Battlebotsarticles

Assenior year arrived,I took upthepositionof Managing Editor andensuredthat all the articlesfollowedaproper submissionscheduleand addedtopicstobewritten about beforetheintroduction of everyissuefor theyear I evenwrotearticlesonceina whiletobringback those original writingmemories Lookingback,I cansayfor certainthat I havemademy mark ontoday?sCougarCrier I amgladtohaveworkedfor thisnewspaper At theendof theday,all I cansayisthank you:thank youfor readingour articlesandsparkinginterest inTheCrier I wouldalsolike tothank Dr Urban,Mr Seidman,Ms Mogavero,and TheCougarCrierstaff for assistingmeonthis culminatingjourney It will be sadtoleaveafter all of these years,but I amgenuinely grateful tohavespent themso well

Nonetheless,it wasstill afun opportunitythat I don? t regret doing

Whentheendof myjunior year camearound,Mr Seidmanencouragedmeto takeonalarger role,andso,I reallywantedtobe Editor-in-Chief I figured sinceI hadthemost experiencewithhavinga leadershiproleintheclub,it wouldmakesensefor meto doit Despitemyqualifications andlongingfor theposition, theadvisorsshockinglydidn? t choosemeandinsteadgave

metheFeaturesEditor position It wasn? t what I originallywanted,but it was still afunjob

Despitebeingshort two editorstostart theyear,we wereabletosteer thepaper in theright directionandoverall createsomethingquite impressive I?msadtosay goodbyetoTheCougar Crier, but soexcitedfor what the futureholds Thiscluballowed metoshowcasemyvoice,bea leader,andwriteabout things I wastrulypassionateabout I know theskillsI'veacquired will staywithmeforever,and I encourageeveryonetotake advantageof thisgreat opportunity!

SCHNEIDER frompage5

BYSAM SCHNEIDER,FEAT

CollegeMap

Classof 2023CollegeMap

BYSAM SCHNEIDER,FEATURESEDITOR

BYZACHARYLANDSMAN

I recentlywent toLaPiazza inMerrick,apizzeriaand Italianrestaurant that serves upscaleItaliancuisine I have goneheremanytimesfor the appetizers,entrees,and pizzas Theoperationisa well-oiledmachine,asit workedexcellentlywiththe linechefsandheadchef In thekitchen,theyhadahandle onwhereeverythingwasand managedtokeeptheir workspacescleanandtidy In addition,theyappearedto haveanexcellent understandingof themenu, andtheexecutiontimingwas

outstanding

ThoughI didnot get tospeak withtheowner,I talkedto most of thestaff about the restaurant andaskedtheir thoughtson workingthere andtheeffectsof COVID-19 on therestaurant Compared tomanyother establishments I'vevisited,theysaidit didn't tremendouslyimpact them becauseof thetakeout business Additionally,most of thestaff expressedtheir sincereenjoyment about workingthere

Now for thefood:I askedfor thestaff'srecommendations andwhat isnew andexciting For thisvisit,I orderedthe

buffalochickenslice,rigatoni Bolognese,chickenFrancese, mozzarellawedges,and Caesar salad

Mozzarellawedgesarea belovedappetizer,typically servedastriangular portions of mozzarellacheesethat havebeenbreadedandfried Thegolden-browncrust adds avisual appeal,hintingat the deliciousnesshidden within Themozzarellawedgesarea great appetizer choice,paired withdippingsauceor served atopabedof greens

Next,I orderedtheCaesar salad Thesaladisvery enticingandcombinesa varietyof complementary flavorsandtexturestocreate awell-balanceddish The freshnessandcrunchinessof theromainelettuceprovidea refreshingbasefor thesalad Thebite-sizedpiecesof lettucemakethesaladeasyto eat,allowingthesaucetocoat eachleaf evenlyandensuring that everybiteisflavorful Thecroutonsaddanice crunchandtexturetothe salad,andthe shavedParmesan cheesehighlights thesalad The dressingisthestar of thedish,withits creamyandtangy flavor that packsa punch The dressingisnot too heavy,allowingthe other elements' flavorstoshine through Overall,I wasverypleased withtheappetizers TheCaesar saladis an excellent option for anyonelooking

BYERICROGERS

Comingoff of hislast two horror hits,Ari Aster has releasedanew experimental thriller titled:BeauisAfraid, starringJoaquinPhoenixas thetitular character Thefilm maybeabit longfor many people,witharuntimeof over threehours,but what epicisn? t long?That'swhat thismovieis:anepicjourney of ananxiety-riddledmanina worlddesignedtoinduce evenmoreanxiety Thestory of amanonamissiontofind hiswayhome

Thefilmisbrokenintofour sections,eachstylistically different fromtheothers Thissegmentation fitsinto thestyleof an ancient epic suchasthe Odyssey Bothof thesestoriesfocus onthehero's journeyhome,but onefocusesmore onthe?mommyissues?of its hero

Thefilm'sfirst part takes placeinthecitywhereBeau lives:streetsfilledwith violent andinsanepeople,and

for adeliciousandsatisfying salad

Entreesaremyfavoritepart of themeal becausethey highlight thechef'smenu knowledge Thefirst entreeI triedwasthebuffalochicken pizza Thepizzawasan explosionof boldflavors The tangyandslightlyspicy buffalosaucecoatsthe chicken pieces,infusingthem withitssignaturezest The marriageof flavorsbetween thebuffalosauceandthe cheesecreatesaperfect balance,enhancingthetaste

Theheat of thesauceis balancedwiththerichnessof thecheeseandthemilder flavorsof thecrust,creatinga harmoniouscombinationthat keepsyoureachingfor another slice

Thefirst tasteof a well-preparedRigatoni Bolognesedishisaburst of complexflavorsthat dance harmoniouslyontheplate, whichwasevident at La Piazza TheBolognesesauce, traditionallymadewitha mixtureof groundmeat, vegetables,tomatoes,anda touchof wine,createsa robust andsavorybase The slow-cookedsauceallowsthe flavorstomelt together The combinationof meat, tomatoes,andspicescreatesa balanceof sweet andtangy notes,elevatingtheoverall flavor of thedish When pairedwiththerigatoni pasta, thesauceclingstotheridges of thetubes,ensuringeach biteisinfusedwithits delectableessence Oneof the highlightsof Rigatoni Bologneseliesinitstextural experience Rigatoni

Bologneseisaculinary masterpiecethat offersa delightful blendof flavorsand textures Themarriageof al denterigatoni pastaandthe robust Bolognesesauce createsadishthat is comforting,satisfying,and full of character Therigatoni Bologneseat LaPiazza capturedall of theelementsof afantasticbolognese

Last but certainlynot leastthechicken francese Chicken Franceseisaclassic Italian-Americandish featuringchickencutlets coatedinan eggbatter,then pan-friedtoperfection,and finishedwithaluscious lemonbutter sauce Thetaste of ChickenFranceseisa harmoniousblendof tanginess,richness,and delicateflavors Thehighlight of thisdishliesinthe accompanyinglemonbutter sauce Thesauce,madewith lemonjuice,whitewine, chickenbroth,andbutter, addsaburst of tangyand butterygoodness Theflavors arewell-balanced,withthe acidityof thelemon complementingtherichness of thebutter Thesauce's velvetytexturecoatsthe chicken,infusingeachbite withatantalizing combinationof flavors The dishisoftengarnishedwith freshparsley,addingatouch of vibrant greenand enhancingitsvisual appeal Thegolden-brownchicken cutletstoppedwiththeglossy lemonbutter saucemakea visuallypleasingpresentation stimulatingtheappetite

ZacharyLandsmanisastudent intheCHAMPprogram

Beauisfilledwithanxietyand neuroticism Right away,the audienceunderstandsthat Beauisanervousand weak-willedindividual He hasnofriendsandtalkstono onebesideshistherapist and hismother Beau?sjourneyis set inmotionafter receiving newsabout hismother,and hemust returnhometosee her ThefilmfollowsBeauas

hefacesmanytrials throughout hisjourneyhome, includingcomingincontact withadysfunctional family andatravelingtheater group

Theexciting aspectsof thefilm mainlycomefrom theuniqueimagery presented throughout Aster curatedamoviefilledwith symbolismandhorrifying momentsthat requireplenty of examination toappreciate properly

Phoenix?sperformancewas

phenomenal;hedelveddeep intothiscomplexcharacter andbeautifullykept the audience'sattention His performanceissupportedby prominent starssuchas NathanLaneandPatti LuPone Shockingly,thechild performancesinthefilmwere most impressive Aster?snew filmmight not be aboxofficehit or gainas muchlovefromfansashis other films,but onecannot denytheuniquenatureof this film It isamodernepicthat mixeselementsof comedy andthriller beautifully

Staffwriter

ThebuffalochickenpizzaatLaPiazzacontainsanexplosionofflavors

PHOTOCOURTESY OFLA PIAZZA

Joaquin Phoenix shinesin Ari Aster'sbold, symbolicthriller

Staffwriter

" hedelveddeepintothiscomplexcharacter andbeautifullykepttheaudience'sattention."

Music, movies, and TV showsto keep usentertained thissummer

BYAVA GAFFNEY Staffwriter

ManyJohnF KennedyHigh School studentsareinterested inmusic,asindicatedbythe AirPodsandheadphonesthey wear duringtheschool day Musicisaveryimportant part of somestudents' lives, whether inthehallsheading totheir next classor inthe busor car

Additionally,televisionseries canalsocomeupin conversationasanother form of enjoyment Manystudents areinvestedintheir favorite series,sowhenthere?sanew seasoncomingout soon, viewer re-watchratesand overall viewsincrease This summer,songs,television shows,andmoviesare comingout that studentsand facultycanenjoy

If you'reintohorror and

BYDEVIN PRYOR Staffwriter

TheLastofUswasreleasedon January15th,2023,andwas createdbyCraigMazin and Neil Druckmannon HBO ThisTV seriesisbasedonthe videogameTheLastofUs, developedbyNaughtyDog Thestoryisset 20years (2023) after apandemicthat allowedfor afungusto developtoinfect humans, resultinginzombie-like creaturesina

thriller,youshouldcheck out HauntedMansion andTalk to Me- bothcomingout Friday, July28,2023 Haunted Mansion isPG-13,focusing on ahauntedmansionandthe HatboxGhost,whoisdressed inacloak andtophat andisat thecenter of awebof hauntedmansionsworldwide Talk toMeisathriller rated R It isabout agroupof friendsdiscoveringhow to conjurespiritsusingan embalmedhand They becomehookedon thenew thrill until oneof themgoes toofar andreleasesterrifying supernatural forces If you liketheactor DannyDevito, trythismoviebecausehe starsinit

If youareaJawslover and you'vewatchedMeg,then you?ll beexcitedtohear that Meg2:TheTrenchMovieis comingintotheaterson

Friday,August 4,2023 Meg2 isasequel tothefirst movie but takesit upanotch Accordingtothewebsite MovieInsider,thismovie takestheactiontohigher heightsandevengreater depthswithmultiplemassive Megsandmuchmore! Dive intounchartedwaterswith JasonStathamandglobal actioniconWuJingasthey leadadaringresearchteam onan exploratorydiveinto theocean'sdeepest depths

Their voyagespiralsinto chaoswhenamalevolent miningoperation threatens their missionandforcesthem intoahigh-stakesbattlefor survival

Another sequel comingout thissummer isInsidious:The RedDoor Thismovieis categorizedasasequel, horror,andsuspensemovie that will beintheaterson

Friday,July7 Thismoviewill beabout thehorror franchise'soriginal cast returnsfor thefinal chapter of theLambert family's terrifyingsaga Toput their demonstorest onceandfor all,Josh(Patrick Wilson) and acollege-agedDalton (Ty Simpkins) must godeeper intoTheFurther thanever before,facingtheir family's dark past andahost of new andmorehorrifyingterror that lurk behindthered door

For thestudentswhoarefans of superheroes,onFriday, June16,TheFlashmovieis comingintotheaters Flashis anaspiringathleteexposedto heavywater fumes,which allowshimtomoveat incrediblespeeds Hisname saysit all for thosewhoneed tobemadeawareof the superheroFlash

For thoseof uswholove comedy,on June23,the comedyNoHardFeelingswill appear intheaters It isa funnymovieabout agirl ?on thebrink of losingher home, [who] findsan intriguingjob listing:helicopter parents lookingfor someonetobring their introverted19-year-old sonout of hisshell before college Shehasonesummer tomakehimamanor die trying?Jennifer Lawerence andAndrew BarthFeldman playthemaincharacters

Thesearejust ahandful of the upcomingmovies,but there's awidearrayof options availablefor you Craving respitefromthescorching summer rays?Stepindoors, bask inthecool air of the conditioner,andindulgein thepleasureof watchinga movie It'sanexcellent pastimeandunwind

HBO'sTheLastof Us captivatesaudienceswith faithful adaptation, emotional journey

post-apocalypticworldthat a mannamedJoel (playedby PedroPascal) must navigate withagirl namedEllie(Bella Ramsey)whoisimmuneto theinfection Their ultimate goal:findacurewhile navigatingtheperilous wastelandthat wasoncethe UnitedStates Uponthe series?releasedate,it grossed 47millionviewerson the first dayandalmost 40 millionviewerswithintwo months

Whenthisserieswas released,manywereamazed at how accuratetheshow was tothegame I onlyplayed throughhalf of thegame,but fromwhat I gather from othersandmyown experience,it isspot on A few nichethingshavebeen adaptedfor air time,but at theendof theday,that is acceptableandworkswiththe show'sdevelopment If you didn't evenknow thisshow wasbasedonan incredible

videogame,that'sokay,too, becausethisshow isfantastic

Thecharacter development, thedialogue,thedynamicthat Joel andEllieshare,andthe storyprogressionareutter perfection I havezero complaintsabout thisshow Whilesomeshowscanfeel draggedout or contain things that addtimetotheshow but don't contributetotheplot, TheLastofUsincludesnone

All thestorytellingand dialoguearepurposeful andto

thepoint Oneepisodeis basedsolelyon twoseemingly randomcharacters,but inthe end,it isconsistent withthe story'sprogression

Myfavoritethingabout this show isthedynamicthat Joel andEllieshare I don't want tospoil toomuch,but let's just sayJoel hashadarough timesincethepandemic outbreak,andlet'sjust say Elliehasn? t hadthemost tame lifeeither Bothstart off resentingeachother,and thenwatchinghow eachof themgrowson their journeyis heartwarmingand powerful It digsdeep intotheideaof loveand friendshipandthe importanceof companionship Within their journey,thereis alsoheartbreak,death, andanger Thisshow pokesyouat all angles emotionally,andI'mall for it Ontopof that, theshow isrelatively short,withonlynine episodesaveraging about 50minutes You canfinishthisseries withinaweek (if you're takingyour time)

I recommendthisshow toanyonewhowants anemotional ridefilled withaction,love, infectedhuman-zombie things,crazypeople, and,of course,Pedro Pascal

PedroPascalplaysJoel,aseasonedsmugglerwhoembarksonaperilousjourneywithEllie,portrayedbyBellaRamsey,in"TheLastofUs"

Kennedy baseball celebratessuccessful season, promisingfuture

BYADRIANNA CALIFANO Sportseditor

TheKennedyHighSchool boy'svarsitybaseball teamhas wrappedupafantasticseason, leavingfansandplayersalike filledwithprideand anticipationfor thefuture

Witharecord-breakingwin total of 13-7-1,theCougars experiencedtheir most successful seasonsince2016 Ledbyatalentedmixof seniorsandunderclassmen, theteamshowcasedtheir skillsanddedication,making thisaseasontoremember Headliningtheroster were twoeighth-gradebrothers, RyanandDerek Yormack, whocapturedtheattention of fansandscoutsalike Both playershavealready committedtoDuke University,securingtheir futureinbaseball and academics Derek,playingas #8,deliveredanexceptional performancethroughout the season,boastinga 420 BattingAverage,a 547 on-basepercentage,22Runs, 22Hits,andanimpressive25 RBI's Notably,Derek achievedarareSeasonCycle, hitting2homeruns,1triple,

and5doubles Hewas rightfullyawardedthe prestigiousAll-County accolade RyanYormack, wearing#33,alsoshowcased histalent on thefield Witha 402battingaverage,a 542 on-basepercentage,25hits, 29runs,and28run batting-ins,Ryan emergedas akeyplayer for theCougars

Heearnedthewell-deserved

All-Conferencehonorsand washonoredasthe1st

Annual "CoachEricPassman KennedyBaseball Playoffs MVP" Remarkably,Derek andRyanbecamethefirst JFK Athletesinover 30years toreceivepostseasonawards as8thgradersinteamsports

WhiletheYormack brothers left alastingimpression,the seniorson theteamalsomade their mark AnthonyFirriolo, playingsecondbase, contributed20hits,14runs,4 doubles,and8runbatted-ins ChrisFieldshowcasedhis skillswith10hitsand4 doubles,whileNick Rinaldi madesixpitching appearances,securing victoriesfor theteam These seniorsplayedavital rolein theCougars' successthisyear,

andtheir contributionswill bedearlymissed

Theoutstandingplayof the Kennedybaseball teamdid not gounnoticed,asseveral playersreceivedpostseason recognitionfor their exceptional performance AlexGoldstein,Anthony Firriolo,andEli Lowenstein werehonoredwiththe All-Leaguehonors,while ChrisFieldwasawardedthe 2023JFK SpringSportsTeam

MVP Nick Pizzirusso receivedtheCoachDennis GriggsMemorial Scholarship, andNick Rinaldi was presentedwiththe2023JFK SpringSportsBaseball CoachesAward CoryFalk wascommendedwiththe Cougar Baseball Awardfor DedicationtoStrength Training,Perseverance& Work Ethic,andJack Finkelsteinproudlysecured theAll-Conferenceaward Intheplayoffs,theCougars showcasedtheir skillsand determination Startingtheir runwitharesounding9-1 victoryagainst LongBeach HighSchool,theteam displayedtheir prowesson thefield Derek Yormack

struck out sevenbatters, whileRyanYormack struck out four,leadingtheNo 9 seededBellmoreJFK to victoryover No 16Long BeachinNassauClassA doubleeliminationpool play Bothbrotherscontributed RBI hits,withJack FinkelsteinandAaron ZachariaaddingRBI singles inthethirdinning,andNick PizzirussodeliveringanRBI inthesixth Unfortunately, theteam'splayoff journey concludedwithathird-round exit against BethpageHigh School

Reflectingon theseason,

junior LucasLinnexpressed hisprideintheteam's achievements "I'dsayit wasa successful year for theteam," hesaid "Dayafter day,we improved,workinghardin practiceandgivingit our all ingames Whilethe postseasonmaynot have goneour waythisyear,the futureof theprogramis lookingup,andwehopeto buildon our successnext year "

Withtheseasonnow behind them,theCougarshaveset their sightson thepromising futurethat liesahead We eagerlyawait tosee

Highly anticipated NBA Draft promisesanew waveof talent

BYAARON ZACHARIA Staffwriter

AstheNBA Draft approaches onJune22nd,basketball fans aroundtheworldeagerly await thearrival of anew groupof promisingyoung playerswhowill soongrace theleague Withamixof talent fromcollegebasketball, theNBA G-League,and overseas,theseplayershave honedtheir skillsandarenow readytotaketheir shot

Last year'sdraft showcased someexceptional talentssuch asPaoloBanchero,Jabari

MLB frompage16

biggest fanof their rotation If theydon? t winthedivision,I couldseeateamlikethe

ClevelandGuardianswinning astheyhavegoodbatting fromplayerssuchasJose Ramirez,newlyacquiredJosh Bell,andtheyoungster Steven Kwan Theyalsohaveelectric pitchinginShaneBieber and Emmanuel Clase I couldseea scenariowhereeither team winsthedivision

IntheAmericanLeague

West,TheAstroswill winthe divisionbymanywins Asthe defendingchampions,they

SmithJr ,Jaden Ivey,and KeeganMurray,whoquickly madean impact intheleague Banchero,astandout for the OrlandoMagic,evensecured theRookieof theYear award withhisimpressive performance,averaging200 points,69rebounds,and37 assistsper game Now,asthe spotlight shiftstothisyear's draft,oneplayer standsout as theonetowatch:Victor Wembanyama,thehighly anticipatedprospect from France

Wembanyama,standingat an

haveeverythingwith excellent fielding,batting, pitching,andstar power Theyhaveplayerssuchas YordanAlvarez,Alex Bregman,JoseAltuve,and JoseAbreu,whoareintheir prime,makingthisteama threat for years If theAstros don? t wintheAL West,the TexasRangerscould The Rangersareledbytheir stackedpitchingrotationwith former Met:JacobDeGrom, Andrew Heaney,andNathan Eovaldi Theseteamsare significant threatstowinning thepennant thisseason

IntheNational LeagueEast,I speculatethat theBraveswill barelybeat out theMetsfor

incredible7'4" andweighing 210pounds,isdrawing comparisonstobasketball legendLeBronJames At just 19yearsold,hedominated theLNBProA leaguein France,averagingan astounding213points,99 rebounds,22assists,and32 blocksper gamefor Metropolitans92 His combinationof size,shooting ability,andball-handling skillsmakehimaprime candidatefor superstardom

Other topprospectsinthis year'sdraft includethe

thedivisiontitle,just likelast season Bothteamsare significant threatstowinning theWorldSeries,though TheMetshavestar pitchers suchasJustinVerlander,Max Scherzer,andtheyoungster Kodai Senga Ontheother hand,theBraveshave Spencer Strider,MaxFried, KyleWright,andRaisel Iglesias Bothteamsalsohave great batters,withtheMets havingFranciscoLindor,Pete Alonso,andJeff McNeil,and theBraveshavingRonald Acuna,Matt Olson,andOzzie Albies AlthoughI predict thosetwoteamstobethe1 and2intheNL East,the Philliesarestill asignificant

explosiveguardScoot

HendersonfromtheNBA

G-Leagueandtheversatile small forwardBrandon Miller fromAlabama Henderson, knownfor hisfiery competitivenessandelite ball-handlingskills,averaged 165points,53rebounds,and 68assistsper gameinthe

G-League Meanwhile,Miller showcasedhisscoring prowessat Alabama,putting upimpressivenumbersof 188pointsper game

Completingtheprojectedtop 5aretheThompson twins

threat after their deep postseasonrunlast year

IntheNationLeagueCentral, theplayoff racewill bea nail-biter Currently,the Brewershavetheoneseed, but I couldseetheCubs winningthedivisionwith their great pitchingand batting Their pitching rotationof Steele,Smyly,and Stromanisridiculous In addition,theyhavePat Wisdom,SeiyaSuzuki, DansbySwanson,andCody Bellinger,whoareall stars TheBrewershavean excellent shot at winningthe division,thoughtheCubs havemorestar power

fromOvertimeElite,Amen, andAusar Thompson Standingat 6'7" andwith exceptional playmaking abilities,thesesmall forwards bringacombinationof athleticismandcourt vision tothegame

Theabundanceof talent in thisyear'sdraft classhas generatedexcitement among fansandanalystsalike The performanceof theseyoung athleteswill not onlyshape theleague'slandscapebut will alsobecomparedtothe greatnessof past draft classes

IntheNational LeagueWest, theDodgerswill clinchthe division Injuriesandhealth concernsaretheonething holdingtheDodgersback fromapennant Theyhave star pitchingwithClayton Kershaw andtheinjured UriasandDustinMay They haveridiculousbattingin MookieBettsandFreddie Freeman Thefinal wildcard teamwill bethePadres thankstoduepitching

Whilethesestandingsmay changebythetimetheschool year beginsinSeptember,one thingiscertain:the competitionwill befierce, andsurprisesareboundto occur

PHOTOCOURTESY OFJ RYAN

TheboysbaseballteamshuddlesuppriortotheirgameagainsttheRoslynBulldogson May9

BYJADEN WALDINGER Staffwriter

Meet CarolineScali,an exceptional student-athlete whohasleft her mark on and off thelacrossefield Withan impressivelacrossecareer that spansseveral years, Carolinehasemergedasan outstandingplayer,leavinga lastingimpressionon the Kennedylacrosseprogram

"I startedplayinglacrosse whenI wassevenyearsold Mymom,alongwithmy closefriendsKateandJill, joinedtheBellmore-Merrick PAL team Herewelearned thebasicsof lacrosse After a few yearsof playingPAL,I joinedmyfirst lacrossetravel team," Carolineshared Motivatedbythedeep friendshipsheshareswith KateandJill,Caroline'slove for lacrossehasonlygrown stronger over time Thebond sheshareswithher friends hasplayedacrucial rolein fuelingher passionand dedicationtothesport "Our friendshipultimatelyenabled thisinitial loveand appreciationfor lacrosse,and I amsothankful for all the experiencesI'vehadwith thesegirlstomotivateme today," Carolineexplained ?Carolineisconstantlymaking theteamgreat Sheisalways politeonandoff thefield,and shealwayshasasmileon her face She?sagreat teammate andalwaysgivesadviceand hypestheteamupwhen needed Shesetsexamplesfor theunderclassmen,future captains,andtheentire lacrosseprogram,?statedJill

Caroline'sgrowthasaleader extendsbeyondthefield She hasevolvedintoan exceptional leader,bothon andoff thelacrossefield,

LACROSSE

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thetwomiddleframes, scoring5straight goalsto givethema6-1leadgoing intothe4thquarter But their opponent didn? t quit,and Herricksfought back with threestraight talliestoedget hegameback to6-4 A spectacular goal byRay Torchia,however,wouldstop anymomentumof Herricks andput theCougarsout on topwitha7-5victory The CougarswalkedintoHerricks astheunderdogsandcame out aswinners JoeBattaglia ledtheteamonthe

drivenbyher genuine appreciationfor thegame "I believeI'veevolvedasaleader onandoff thefieldbasedon myappreciationandlovefor thegameeverytimeI stepon thefield EverydayI push myself intobeingabetter athlete,andI believethat has gottenmetowhereI am today," Carolinestated Mrs Freely,theheadcoachof girls' varsitylacrosse,spokeof Caroline?sleader ?Her energy andhardwork sparksthe teaminatimeof need,?she stated

Oneof Caroline'sremarkable qualitiesisher abilitytobring positivitytoher team,evenin thefaceof defeat She understandstheimportance of unityandsupport within theteam,especiallyafter a loss "It issoimportant for anyteamtobecloseand encourageeachother under anycircumstance Our pasta parties,icecreamruns,and groupchatsall enableusto createspecial bondswitheach other,whichultimatelyurges ustobecomemoresuccessful asateam," Caroline explained

Maintainingabalance betweenacademicsand responsibilitiesasa student-athleteisnoeasyfeat, but Carolinehasmasteredthe art of managingher time effectively Shefirmlybelieves inprioritizingher studies whiledevotingampletimeto lacrosse "Growingup,I learnedfromanearlyagehow tobalancemytime From school tolacrossepractice,to thendanceclass,alongwith figuringout whentodo homework,eat dinner while still findingawaytoshower andgotobedat areasonable timereallyplayedahuge factor inteachingmetime management," Caroline

scoresheett withthreegoals, withMaxZaranskyandRay Torchiachippingintwogoals apieceandZachGreenseid notchingtwoassists Ben Grecowasagainstellar innet, making13saveson18shots

Thiswin markedthefirst timein23yearsthat theboys? varsityteamadvancedpast thefirst round,after falling short inthefirst roundeach of thelast twoyears

Theplayoff runwouldend, though,inthenext round against thedefendingNew York Statechampionsand national powerhouseGarden CityTrojans Theboyswere preparedandfocused,hoping toshock theworld Inthe

shared Caroline'sexceptional athletic andacademicachievements haveearnedher acoveted spot at theUniversityof Alabama Her decisionto attendtheuniversitywas influencedbyamemorable visit threeyearsagowhile accompanyingher sister, Kaitlyn,on tour "I remember threeyearsagowhenwefirst touredtheuniversityfor my sister,Kaitlyn,I fell inlove witheveryaspect of it,andI wasbeyondimpressedbythe opportunitiesit hadtooffer," Carolinerecalled

Inaddition toher remarkable accomplishmentsinlacrosse andacademics,Carolinehas activelyparticipatedin variousclubsandprogramsat KennedyHighSchool

Throughout her four years, shehasbeenanenthusiastic member of theclass government andhasheldthe esteemedposition of President of theOneSpecial Worldclub "Thisclubreally playsameaningful part inmy yearshereinKennedyHigh School Thisclub'smainfocus istobreak social barriers between theBOCESstudents andtheKennedy community," Caroline explained

Reflectingonher highschool years,Carolinecherishes countlessmemoriesfromher timeat Kennedy FromClass NightsandCollege

Commitment DaytoVirtual Enterprisetradeshowsand Halloweencelebrations,each experienceholdsaspecial placeinher heart "Thereare countlessmemoriesI've createdat Kennedy,andI am sothankful I'vebeenableto experienceall of themat Kennedy," Carolinefondly shared

end,however,Garden City (andits13Division1lacrosse commits) wouldprevail and put anendtoCougars?playoff run Despitetheresult,the teamplayedwithheart and fought until thefinal whistle Withtheir headsheldhigh, theteamlookstowardthe futurewithrenewed determination The sentimentsof their esteemed coachperfectlyencapsulate thecsatisfaction that theteam experienced "It wasan incredibleyear," Coach Papachexclaimed,"andfor us tofinishninth,makethe playoffs,andultimatelywina playoff game,it wastruly awesome"

Lookingahead,Carolinehas set personal goalsfor herself Shestrivestoleadby example,creatingapositive environment for herself and her teammates "Mypersonal goalsfor myself isto constantlyleadbyexample andcreateapositive environment for myself and others I wouldlovetopush myself everydayinto becomingsuccessful and

will continuetomakea positiveimpact wherever her journeytakesher

Asshebeginsher college journeyat theUniversityof Alabama,Carolinecarries withher awealthof experience,skills,andvalues that will undoubtedlypropel her towardsnew heights We havenodoubt that shewill excel academically,

workinghardinachievingmy goals," Carolineexpressed

AsCarolineScali concludes her highschool journeyat Kennedy,her remarkable achievementsasa student-athleteandher profoundimpact on the lacrossecommunityleavean enduringlegacy Withher exceptional talentsand unwaveringdetermination, wedonot doubt that Caroline

SOFTBALL

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softball playersinNassau Countythisyear

Althoughthesetalented seniorsareexpandingtheir softball careersoutsideof Kennedy,theyaresettinga precedent for acompetitive softball teamnext year Olivia Totoiscurrentlyajunior,and shecontinuestodemonstrate animpressiveperformanceon thefieldasabattingleadoff andmiddleinfield SinceToto hasplayedfor theKennedy softball teamsincefreshman year,her consistent hardwork indicateastrongseasonfor

athletically,andpersonally, leavingan indeliblemark on theuniversitycommunity

CarolineScali'sjourneyisfar fromover Withher unwaveringdetermination, positiveattitude,and remarkableabilities,sheis poisedtocontinueher extraordinary accomplishmentsand positivelyimpact those aroundher

next year

Reflectingonthisyear?s softball season,Coach Papakonstantishighlightshow it wasdefinitelya?fun journey?All teammembers workedincrediblyhardand hadgreat bondingthroughout theseason Thecomeback towardstheendof theseason signalsyet another successful season for next year aswell

Lookingahead,theteamis filledwithoptimismfor the future Withthetalented juniorssteppingupandthe foundationof camaraderieand hardwork alreadyestablished, thesoftball teamispoisedfor another memorableseason

CarolineScali'sathleticcareer built alegacy and afriendship that hastransformed her

CMPDESIGNZ

CarolineScali wasafour-yearmemberofthegirlslacrosseprogram

Sports

June2023

Playoff victory, critical late-season w insmarksboyslax season

BYJACK LAGALIA Staffwriter

JFK HighSchool'slacrosse teamshaveshattered

expectationsthisseason,as boththeboys' varsityand junior varsitysquadsachieved remarkablesuccessintheir respectiveregular seasons

Withan8-8record,the varsityteamsecuredthe9th seedinthehighlycompetitive ClassBplayoffs,whilethe junior varsityteamsoaredto new heightswithan impressive13-2record

Boththeboys?varsityand junior varsityteamsended their regular seasonswith successful records The varsityteamfinishedwitha regular seasonrecordof 8-8, securingthe9thseedinthe ClassBplayoffs Thejunior varsityteamfinishedwithan winningrecordof 13-2,

BYBEN ROTH Staffwriter

makingthisseasononeof the greatest seasonsinjunior varsityhistoryat JFK

At thestart of theseason, CoachPapachof the varsityteamexpressed excitement about the teamandtheseason ahead ? I think wehave thepotential tobea reallygoodteamthis year,?CoachPapach commented He continued,?Wehavea goodgroupof veterans mixedinsomerookies?

Lookingback,though,he mayhavebeen undersellinghissquad ThevarsityCougars werebattlingearlyon and inthemid-part of the season,earninga3-4record throughtheApril break At themid-ponit of theseason, though,somethingclicked

amongtheteamandthings startedtoturnup Theyhad critical winsinthelatter part of theseasonagainst Glen

andGreat Neck North

Throughout theentire season,BenGrecowastheir backboneinthecage The Hamliton-commit hadastaggering 64%save percentage throughout the season,andcame upclutchwhen theteamneeded himmost The upstart Cougars got alittlehelpat theendthankstoa Divisionwin against Jericho, slottingthe Cougarsinasthe 9thseed

"Everywinfor CoachPapach isagreat win Heisoneof the hardest workingcoachesthat I playfor,andI know his dedicatedtothelacrosse programisunmatched," remarkedjunior RayTorchia "Healsojust agreat guyandI know how muchthevictory meant tohim," added Torchia

Cove(whichincludeda23 combinedpoint performance from?Batman& Robin'',aka MaxZaranskyandJoe Battaglia),New HydePark

That win also markedthe209thwin for CoachPapachwhohasbeen theheadcoachof thevarsity lacrosseteamfor 27seasons

The9thseededCougarsfaced off against the8thseed Herrick squad,whotopped theCougars8-3intheir lone regular seasonmatch But theseweretheplayoffs,and thisgamewasadifferent story Thecontest startedout tight withtheteamsknotted at a1-1tiegoingintothe secondquarter TheCougars got back totheir uptempo gameandput on aclinicin

LACROSSE|Page15

MLBseason highlighted by parity enteringsummer

The2023MLBseasonis about aquarter of theway doneasof thebeginningof June2023 Asof today,the RaysareleadingtheMLBin thestandings,followedbythe Orioles,Dodgers,andBraves I predict thosestandingswill look muchdifferent when school startsnext September

IntheAmericanLeagueEast, I anticipatethat theRayswill clinchthedivisionwith108 wins Followingthem,I have theYankeesandtheBlueJays,

asbothteamshavestar playersinVladGuerreroJr andBoBichettefor theBlue JaysandAaronJudgeandthe youngster AnthonyVolpefor theYankees Inaddition,both teamshaveexcellent pitching, withtheBlueJayshaving former Metsstarter Chris Bassit andstar reliever Jordan RomanoandtheYankees havingdefinedstar startersin Nestor Cortes,Gerrit Cole, andtheinjuredCarlosRodon I havenoother teamsfrom thisdivisionmakingthe playoffsasI think although talented,theseteamsand

othersintheAmerican Leaguehaveagreater advantage

IntheAmericanLeague Central,asof now,theTwins areleadingthedivision bya narrow margin,andI foresee that tocontinuetotheendof theseasonwhentheyendthe season with96winsanda division title TheTwinshave veteran talent inCarlos Correa,ByronBuxton,and JoeyVotto Theyhavesolid pitching,althoughI?mnot the

Kennedy softball season marked by perseveranceand

Thevarsitysoftball team?s seasonwasmarkedby resilienceandcamaraderieas theycompetedinthetop conferenceinNassauCounty Thefirst half of theseason wasmarkedbychallengesin thisnew conference,asthe competitorswerefierce,and therewasevenasignificant injurytoatopplayer However,thesoftball players continuedtowork hardin practice Theytook onthe challengeof competingina highlycompetitivedivision,

makinganimpressive comeback towardstheendof theseason Theteamhad recentlywon gamesagainst rival teamsinCalhounand MephamHighSchool, winning7-6and9-2, respectively Bothwinswere walk-offs,whichfurther boostedtheteam'smorale In fact,theMephamwinwas especiallyrewardingasthe win occurredon Senior Day Reflectingon theteam?s perseveranceinthis competitiveseason,each player?shardwork was reflectedinpractice Assistant

CoachPapakonstantisrecalls how all playerscontinuedto improvethroughout the seasons Playershadstepped upandplayeddifferent positions,andaplayer even workedthroughamajor injurythisseason The incredibleteambondalso complementedthehardwork at practices Whileit isCoach Papakonstantis'ssecondyear asanassistant varsitycoach, hequicklydetectedthestrong bondbetween theplayers He describedhow the?players demonstratehighcharacter, excel academically,andhave

camaraderie

goodhumor ?This family-likeatmosphere duringpracticesandplayers? diligent effortsremained throughout theseason, regardlessof whether the teamwonor lost;thissetsa precedent for acompetitive seasonnext year

Wonderful performances wereseenthroughout the seasonbySami Levineand GiannaCostaro Levineisa senior andaskilledplayer withpositionsaspitcher and hitter Shedisplayed resiliencethroughout the seasonasshereturnedfrom

ACL surgery Levine?s dedicationtosoftball andher teamwasreflectedinthis season,andshewill continue her fantasticsoftball career at BinghamtonUniversity

Senior GianaCostaroshined onthefieldat shortstop She remainsatop-tier player in thecountyandwill continue her strongsoftball career at DelawareUniversity,where shewill playfirst base Both LevineandCostaroare dedicatedandskilledsoftball players,whowereeven recognizedinthetop100

BYGABRIELLA TEJADA Staffwriter

PHOTOCOURTESY OFC PAPACH

Theboysvarsitylacrosseteamcelebratesaftertheirplayoffwin againstHerricksonMay19

MLB|Page14 USA TODAY

TheMinnesotaTwinsareinfirstplaceintheALCentralenteringthesummer