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How overconsumption has become the norm & why you should care

DEAR READERS,

Since we sent our last edition to the printer, The Lion’s Tale has seen enormous change. We had the privilege of going to the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) conference at Columbia University. We bonded as a staff and as friends. Additonally, we learned an incredible amount. We have big plans in store, and we can’t wait to bring them to you later this year.

Our staff went to a variety of interesting sessions, including a critique from an adviser who went through suggestions specific to our publication. The critique was very helpful, as we now plan to change our spread style to focus on advanced design techniques such as dominance and color association.

For the in-depth, we wanted to focus on a topic that is not getting nearly enough attention and is surprisingly relevant to us teenagers. We hope that this edition will shine a light on the impacts of overconsumption.

This edition is a special one. With a range of coverage from the government cuts in the new administration to a guide to the best running trails in the area, there is so much diversity within these 28 pages. The Lion’s Tale has been a labor of love and a source of pride for all of us, and we are so grateful for the work put into this edition from both our staff and our adviser, Jessica Nassau.

After many long nights in the Pub Hub (with breaks outdoors to appreciate the spring weather) and countless rounds of copy editing, we are so happy with the final product and hope everyone enjoys reading this edition as much as we enjoyed producing it.

Sincerely,

Editors-in-Chief

04 Against antisemitism

New fellowship to address hate 06 Beyond graduation

Seniors tour Israel and Eastern Europe

17 All that jazz Alumnus joins Strathmore program 16 Helping hands

Ozrim mentor during Zman Kodesh 18 Behind the lines

Support small businesses

Opt for local shops

Essential education

Make Arab-Israeli Conflict class required

Putting it to the test

Are standardized assessments effective?

IN-DEPTH

12 Bye bye buy

How overconsumption has become the norm & why you should care

Junior competes in fencing 05 Government layoffs Federal workers fired

How the Dining Hall operates

Walk for a cure

Fundraiser for Tuberous Sclerosis Complex

Menu makeover

Fresh lunch ideas

Magic reimagined

Classic Disney movies remade

Trail blazer

Guide to running paths in the area

Athletes’ assistants

Athletics Instagram interns

A league of their own Jews in the professional athletic world

En garde

Ranking rivals

New PVAC tournament seeding system

Clockwise from top left: Photos by Jordana Dauber, LT; Carolina Guerreiro, Anna Polon, LT; Josie Silverberg; and Reuters Images.

THE LION’S TALE STAFF

Tali Loeffler’s favorite local business is Sunday Morning Bakehouse

Lindsey Shapiro’s favorite local business is

Carmen’s Italian Ice

Editors-in-Chief

Vivi Ducker & Eliana Wolf

Managing Editor, Copy

Maiya Blumenthal

Managing Editor, Web

Sophie Schwartz

In-Depth Editor

Sadaf Zadeh

News Editors

Eliana Abrams & Penelope Terl

Features Editors

Jordana Dauber & Anna Polon

Anna Polon’s favorite local business is La Gelatteria

Jonah Mitre’s favorite local business is Chuck Levin’s

Opinion Editors

Jonah Mitre & Lindsey Shapiro

Arts and Entertainment Editors

Leora Blumenthal & Jonah Mellen

Sports Editors

Tali Loeffler & Mia Forseter

Reporters

Mia Forseter’s favorite local business is Chaia Tacos

Eliana Abrams’ favorite local business is Quartermaine Coffee

Leora Blumenthal’s favorite local business is Vignola Gourmet

Gila Safra, Isaiah Segal-Geetter, Sophia Leinwand, Aviv Stein, Adam Salomon, David Federowicz, Ephraim Blair, Jackson Gill, Eli Loeffler, Lior Zucker, Emmanuel Sarantos, Liat Netter, Zoe Cohen, Dalya Lurie, Evie May

Staff Adviser

Jessica Nassau Adviser Emerita

Sue Zuckerman

THE BEST OF lionstale.org NEWS

Honoring legends at alumni event Kira Koplow, Reporter

OPINION

Vegetarianism is a must

Jordana Dauber, Features Editor

A&E

“A Minecraft Movie” review Ephraim Blair, Reporter

As the student newspaper of the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School, The Lion’s Tale (LT) is a public forum for student opinion and expression. All content is determined by students. Its purpose is to inform the CESJDS community and to express the views of its staff and readers. The staff has made every effort to ensure the accuracy and objectivity of its news.

Signed columns reflect the opinion of the writer; staff editorials reflect the opinion of the majority of LT editorial board. The LT staff welcomes letters to the editor and guest

Sadaf Zadeh’s favorite local business is Siena’s

SPORTS

Club volleyball players Liat Netter, Reporter

FEATURES

JDS families foster dogs Lena Lourenco, Reporter

EDITORIAL AND ETHICS POLICY

columns, which must be signed. The staff reserves the right to refuse any material and may edit letters or columns for length, clarity, libel, obscenity and/or disruptiveness. All other contents copyright of LT. All rights reserved. Submissions may be emailed to jdslionstale@gmail.com, mailed to LT or brought to room 320.

LT magazine and website is funded by The Simon Hirshman Endowment for the Upper School Newspaper and The Kuttner-Levenson Endowment for the Upper School Cultural Arts and Student Publications.

AI is not permitted for any generation of content or brainstorming, including but not limited to the following: writing articles or headlines, spread designs, photography, letter to the editor, audio or video. The only AI usage permitted by LT is for the purpose of transcribing interviews.

The staff will adhere to the ethics of The Society of Professional Journalists and National Scholastic Press Association. The adviser will be held to the Journalism Education Association’s Adviser Code of Ethics.

AGAINST ANTISEMITISM

Lindsey Shapiro OpinionEditor

As antisemitism continues to rise in Montgomery County,

JDS has, in collaboration with other organizations, created the Teens Against Antisemitism Fellowship. This fellowship includes both students from Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) and private schools in the county, like JDS who want to learn more about antisemitism.

“I just want to learn as much as I can about this topic so I can educate others about it, and so that I can have a very strong position opposing antisemitism,” fellow and sophomore Gloria Jeruchim said.

JDS received a grant from the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington (JFGW) for a program proposal giving high school students from MCPS and private schools the tools to combat antisemitism. Additionally, the fellowship was created with the Natan Fund, a Jewish organization that funds projects relating to tzedakah, or charitable giving. Fellows from JDS include Jeruchim and sophomores Sophia Leinwand and Eliana Abrams, as well as junior Lucy Ginsburg and freshman Eden Kotok.

“Most of the students are students outside of JDS, so they’re encountering antisemitism in their schools or in other places,” Head of School Rabbi Mitchel Malkus said. “...We are giving them tools and skills and ways of thinking about how they could take action against antisemitism, and to do

that in a peer to peer way.”

After receiving the grant, Malkus hired alumna Abby Newburger (‘12) to be the fellowship’s program director. Newburger worked for JFGW as a Youth Leadership Associate, and later with the Greater Washington chapter of Friends of the IDF. Newburger decided to apply for the program director position because she wanted to show Jewish teens that anyone can make a difference no matter how big or small.

“Making a difference comes in many different forms.”

- Program Director Abby Newburger (‘12)

“One of the things I want these students to recognize is that leadership comes in many different forms, and making a difference comes in many different forms,” Newburger said. “So you do not have to be the loudest voice at a rally in front of 100,000 people.”

Every Wednesday evening, the fellows gather at the JDS Upper School to learn about topics related to antisemitism and leadership from Newburger and various guest speakers, including high school Jewish History Department Chair Rachel Bergstein. Bergstein taught the general history of antisemitism to the fellows.

During the six-week program, which started on March 5, fellows will create project proposals that

include ideas on how to combat antisemitism in Montgomery County. Each project is required to contain a social media element to combat antisemitism online.

“We live in a digital age, and we can’t ignore that,” Newburger said. “So it’s an important piece of the puzzle to acknowledge that visibility for projects comes with a technological and social media component as well.”

Each fellow will be paired with a mentor to help them throughout their project. Mentors consist of JDS and MCPS teachers.

Jeruchim’s project will focus on creating an online learning course to educate people about antisemitism and misinformation on social media.

“There’s so much misinformation, and incorrect information and just lies that are spread through social media, and the only way to combat those is to spread the correct information through social media,” Jeruchim said.

After finalizing their project ideas, fellows will apply for grants of up to $500 to support the creation of their project. On May 4, students will culminate the fellowship and present their projects at a public summit.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing how it all comes together because as much as you can plan, you really won’t know how it turns out until it actually happens,” Newburger said. “... I’d love for this to be something that is bigger and better every single year.”

MEMBER MEET & GREET

“The reason I joined the antisemitism fellowship is because I think that now more than ever it is important to stand up against Jewish hate and represent the Jewish people.”

“I joined the fellowship because I wanted to learn about the history of antisemitism, and it was a chance for me to work on my public speaking when we present a project that we’ve been working on.”

Sophomore Gloria Jeruchim

Freshman Eden Kotok

Photos by Penelope Terl, LT.

GOVERNMENT LAYOFFS

Thousands of federal workers fired after change in administration

Written by: Eliana Abrams News Editor

Interviews by: Jonah Mitre OpinionEditor

For years, David Bachrach, a federal workforce consultant and the parent of senior Adam Bachrach and Josh Bachrach (‘21), has helped federal agencies in building their teams, determining who to hire and how much to pay them. But now, instead of recruiting new employees, his job has shifted almost entirely to helping various agencies downsize.

Since President Donald Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20, approximately 56,290 government employees have been laid off, along with 75,000 employees who took buyouts and 171,000 planned reductions, according to the New York Times as of April 1. The Trump administration is attempting to shrink the federal government as a way to “enhance accountability, reduce waste and promote innovation,” per the White House site.

According to a survey sent out by Head of School Rabbi Mitchel Malkus, one-third of CESJDS families have at least one parent working in government or for government contractors, and three out of 550 JDS families reported losing their jobs as of March 18. Amid sweeping government cuts and hiring freezes, many of these families are feeling the impact, with Bachrach describing the feeling in the office “like living inside a 24-hour funeral home.”

“A lot of people have said that they have a great sense of uncertainty about whether or not they’ll have a position in the next month or two months, whether it’ll be eliminated,” Malkus said. “Even those who may not have expressed that concern have said that it’s been really difficult working in the government right now, [and] that there’s not a clear sense of what they’re supposed to be doing.”

According to Bachrach, hiring freezes are common at the start of every presidential administration as new leaders reassess priorities and determine which

BY THE NUMBERS

171,000 Reported number of planned job reductions

programs to fund. For Bachrach, this period of adjustment is expected. Although it typically results in a temporary slowdown, a hiring freeze is generally viewed as necessary in order to ensure the government works efficiently in line with the new administration’s goals.

56,290 Estimated number of federal employees fired so far

75,000 Reported number of workers who accepted buyout programs

2.22 mil. Approximate total amount of federal workers in the U.S

All numbers as of April 1. Information from CNN, The New York Times and Reuters.

But according to Bachrach, this hiring freeze is unique, as agencies are not only halting hiring, but are also making drastic cuts to existing positions and contracts. Having worked with the government since President Bill Clinton’s term, Bachrach describes the current situation as “chaotic” and “unlike any other.”

“The administration is telling employees that they are essentially useless, that they are lazy, that they would do better work sitting at home watching TV than they would right now with the work they’re doing,” Bachrach said. “And this message is going out to everyone, including people who are printing money for the American people to use, people who are investigating crimes, people who are running the national parks, people who love what they do and are passionate about what they do and have given years or even decades of their life to do what they do.”

For a JDS parent who was recently laid off from the Department of Education, where the workforce was cut by nearly 50% according to a White House press release, the cuts came suddenly.

“We felt like frogs waiting to be boiled,” the parent, who wished to remain anonymous, said. “There was no secret that it would happen, but I think it was unclear how they would do it … And apparently the plan was to cut half the agency and make it in operational.”

Despite some signs that the agency was at risk, the scale of the

As a result of the mass layoffs, Americans have protested all over the United States.

from Wiki Commons.

layoffs shocked many employees, according to the parent. For this parent, the immediate priority now is finding new employment in order to keep their children at JDS, where high school tuition costs $47,150, though 53.33% of families are currently receiving financial aid.

“JDS is very, very expensive,” the parent said. “So, you know, being able to keep our kids at JDS is a priority, so I have to find a job quickly.”

In response, Malkus organized an emergency tuition assistance program where families who need support can apply for additional financial aid. This initiative mirrors the one used during the COVID-19 pandemic when similar financial difficulties affected many families at JDS.

“This cause feels like an opportunity to support our own community,” Malkus said. “And while it’s not something that I think we could have foreseen coming, it’s something that we want to make sure that we step up in the community, and we want JDS to be an anchor for the families who are experiencing economic hardship because of being let off or changes in the government.”

Photo

BEYOND GRADUATION

Seniors spend spring semester touring Israel and Eastern Europe

Anna Polon Features Editor

As senior Yedidya Milner-Gillers leads Kabbalat Shabbat on a Friday night at the kotel in Jerusalem, Jews of all denominations, ranging from chassidim to secular Jews started dancing with his grade. He felt that it was energizing to have many different Jews all celebrating together in “the holiest place in the entire universe.”

This was one of Milner-Gillers’ many highlights from the Irene and Daniel Simpkins Senior Capstone Israel Trip.

The Class of 2025 embarked on their three-month journey to Israel and Eastern Europe on Feb. 23. This trip is a culmination of seniors’ learning, and a way to experience the ancient and modern Jewish history they learned about throughout their time at JDS.

“I think it makes history more real when you’re able to see the sites you’re talking about and learning about,” Jewish History

Department Chair Rachel Bergstein, who accompanied the seniors in Eastern Europe, said. “I think that’s a lot of what [the seniors] do on their Israel trip.”

Since 1978, JDS seniors have graduated in February and spent their second semester in Israel, learning and participating in Israeli culture. The trip is in partnership with the Alexander Muss High School in Israel (AMHSI), a high school study-abroad program where “the land of Israel is a living classroom,” a phrase used by multiple organizations to describe the program.

After landing in the Ben Gurion airport, the seniors met their madrichim (counselors) and headed to the AMHSI campus in Hod HaSharon, where they would live for most of the next three months.

Milner-Gillers finds the madrichim to be funny and helpful.

“They really care about us doing the right thing and us having a good time,” Milner-Gillers

said. “They go out of their way to change the schedule with the things that we want to do. They’re all awesome.”

For the rest of the first week, the seniors explored sites and adjusted to life in Israel. They met their AMHSI teachers and journeyed to Yaffo, Hezekiah’s tunnel, Shuk Machaneh Yehudah and more. They also woke up early to climb Masada, an ancient fortress.

“Even though waking up early wasn’t fun, it was really amazing to see the view and to know that you’re in it together with your grade,” senior Samantha Shapiro said.

Every day, the seniors depart the AMHSI campus and board buses to explore the country, volunteer and learn. Some activities they have done include group bonding, discussions and various hikes. Most days, the seniors are given choices of different activities for them to do that day, each of different physical demands.

While touring Israel, seniors explore different cities, visit historic landmarks, hike and strengthen their bond as a grade. Photos used with permission from Stella Muzin, LT; Josie Silverberg and the AMHSI Photo Album.

The seniors also participated in “Your Way,” a program where they each chose an Israeli life track from “Arts and Culture,” “Outdoor Adventure” and “Entrepreneurship.” The last two included an opportunity to participate in Israeli Defense Force (IDF) training.

“We’ve been all over Israel,” Milner-Gillers said. “We’ve had an incredible experience [we’d] never had before.”

As a result of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, different aspects of the trip have been added. Seniors went to the city of Sderot and the site of the Nova music festival near the Gaza border, which was devastated by Hamas attacks on Oct. 7, 2023. They spoke with survivors, learned about life in the aftermath of the attack and honored those who were murdered.

The seniors lined the streets of Sderot, saying “slicha” (sorry in Hebrew). This was a part of the funeral respects for children Kfir and Ariel Bibas (z”l) and their mother Shiri Bibas (z”l), Kibbutz Nir Oz hostages who were murdered in Hamas captivity and returned for burial after 504 days. Many seniors also participated in a 10k race to honor the memory of JDS alumnus Omer Balva ‘19 (z”l),

who was killed on Oct. 20, 2023 while serving in the IDF reserves.

“It was amazing to see the number of people that were there and wanted to be there and excited to be there in his memory,” Shapiro said.

The seniors have also had many opportunities to explore and practice Judaism together. As a part of the spirituality portion of AMHSI’s program, teachers give shiurim (lectures on Jewish topics) on different subjects. One subjects was the mitzvot of Purim, which fell on the trip, and in addition to learning, seniors dressed up, went to a party and listened to the megillah to celebrate.

Some seniors also daven every day, whether it be at their hotel, on the bus or at the kotel. On Shabbat, students attend a variety of synagogues throughout Israel and share meals together.

“Friday night davening has been insane,” Milner-Gillers said. “Every night, someone will lead it, usually me or [senior] Zev Mendelson, and the whole grade [starts] dancing like crazy, getting hyped, going on each other’s shoulders… It’s an incredible time.”

Exploring Eastern Europe

On March 17, The seniors departed for Eastern Europe and stayed for eight days before returning to Israel. This portion of the trip was focused on bearing witness to Jewish history and the Holocaust. They visited former concentration camps and ghettos such as Auschwitz-Birkenau and the Warsaw Ghetto. They also visited synagogues, cities and other historical sights such as a 20th century yeshiva in Lublin, Poland. Bergstein said that many of the things they saw reflected the content taught in the “Modern Jewish History” course that is required for all sophomores. In this class, they learn about world Jewry from the Enlightenment through the Holocaust. In addition to this, Bergstein thinks it is important for students to learn about their families.

“One thing that was cool about the trip is that a lot of them [the seniors] had opportunities to share their family’s personal stories,” Bergstein said. “...both of people who had experiences in the Holocaust, but also people who had just lived in Poland prior to the Holocaust.”

They traveled to cities such as Warsaw, Poland and other historical sights such as a 20th century yeshiva in Lublin, Poland.

“It was scary and it was difficult, but it felt really special and really important to kind of reclaim the memory and reclaim the history,” Shapiro said. “And like I was walking around with [an Israeli] flag tied around my shoulders. And that was so incredibly empowering. And it made me feel so connected to my history and it was amazing.”

are not

Eilat

While visiting Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, seniors looked through names of those who perished there during the Holocaust. Photo from Cati Werbin, used with permission.

Places seniors visit on their trip Jerusalem

Hasharon

Note: These

all of the places the seniors will travel in Israel.

SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES

Opt for local shops

Before clicking “add to cart” on your next Amazon purchase, consider this: according to Statista, in 2024, Amazon’s net revenue amounted to approximately $638 billion, Amazon customers ordered an estimated 22.46 million products per day and approximately 1.6 million packages were shipped by the company each day.

Behind these astonishing numbers are thousands of workers in poor conditions, due to the prioritization of efficiency and profit over fair labor conditions. In a study by University of Illinois Chicago in 2023, 41% of polled workers reported injury in the workplace, 69% reported having to take unpaid time off due to exhaustion and 41% of workers felt pressure to work faster.

Instead of contributing to these numbers and fueling this corrupt system, consider supporting local businesses. Choosing independent sellers not only

The fate of small businesses isn’t just the responsibility of the government and policymakers,

it is all of ours. Every dollar spent locally is a step toward a stronger, more diverse economy.

strengthens local economies and creates jobs, it also promotes ethical business values that reduce environmental impacts.

While small businesses employ nearly half of the American workforce and represent 43.5% of America’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the accessibility and convenience of conglomerates like Amazon deter 80% of Americans from shopping at small businesses.

The fate of small businesses isn’t just the responsibility of the government and policymakers, it is all of ours. Every dollar spent locally is a step toward a stronger, more diverse economy.

Supporting small businesses cycles money back into local communities, stimulating local economies. According to Forbes, the tax revenue that small businesses make through sales taxes is used to support the local government and is reinvested in the community. Additionally, local businesses open more job opportunities, ensuring that money circulates more within the community. Larger retailers do not have the same communal impact.

Shopping at local businesses also strengthens communities economically and socially. They cultivate relationships among residents, reduce isolation and create a more interconnected and inclusive community.

Beyond benefiting local communities, supporting small businesses can reduce carbon emissions, according to Forbes. This is because these business-

es typically use locally sourced goods and don’t deliver in large amounts, reducing transportation carbon emissions. Also, small businesses typically focus on conserving materials leading to fewer goods being wasted, further reducing carbon emissions.

With all these benefits, we must make an effort to shop at small businesses. Each contribution made to larger businesses perpetuates the disparity between large and small businesses.

Despite all the benefits of shopping at small businesses, many are still struggling to make up for lost ground as a result of the pandemic. In Montgomery County, 480 small businesses closed between March and June of 2020. Across America, onethird of small businesses were forced to close due to the pandemic. Though some small businesses have bounced back from the effects, many have not and cannot without our commitment to helping them.

From a shopper’s perspective, shopping at small businesses offers an opportunity to buy one-of-a-kind products that benefit the economy as well as the environment. Instead of matching everyone else with the same Nike sneakers or buying another Sweetgreen salad, opt for the unique tops created at a local boutique or fresh baked goods from the local bakery.

ESSENTIAL EDUCATION

Arab-Israeli Conflict should be a required course

Tali Loeffler

SportsEditor

Sitting in my Arab-Israeli Conflict class, I listen to Chief Policy Officer of Israel Policy Forum Michael Koplow explain in detail the events of the Oslo peace process between Israelis and Palestinians. Soon after this, we turn our discussion to the present, to understand how those events are relevant today. I left the class feeling more knowledgeable about the Arab-Israel Conflict and prepared to continue learning, and I realized that the course is one of the best CESJDS offers; all students should take this course.

There is a very nuanced history within this conflict that could not be more central to the world today. The Arab-Israeli Conflict course is a uniquely offered Jewish history elective for juniors. In the class, students learn about the history of the conflict between Israel and other Arab countries through discussions, debates, essays and guest speakers. While many students choose to take this class, the course is not required.

In the course, students learn about different events, and then look at side-by-side perspectives of both Israelis and Palestinians. The class gives us insight into Arab views and beliefs and encourages students to dive deeper into difficult questions beyond a one-narrative perspective.

Perhaps most importantly, the class provides nuance and

GUEST SPEAKERS

Michael J. Koplow Chief Policy Officer at Israel Policy Forum

Robert B. Satloff

Executive Director of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy

Jonathan Schanzer

Senior Vice President of Research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies

Robert Wexler

Former Congressman and President of S. Daniel Abraham Center for Middle East Peace

context for the Arab-Israeli conflict and allows for a greater understanding of both side. It gives us a chance to recognize that the conflict involves more than one side. No matter how much we may disagree, there is value in learning about the arguments and lives of those who often oppose us.

After high school, most students will participate in a conversation about Israel at some point in their life, whether it is on college campuses, in careers or with peers. It is important that students have the tools to understand nuance and bias, and the knowledge to articulate their ideas and discuss the conflict with credibility.

With a rise in antisemitism, as reported by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), and an increased focus on the issue on campuses, students are bound to face questions and difficult conversations. A strong understanding of the historical events as well as the general narratives of both sides of the conflict will allow students to feel confident in their discussions.

Taking the course also allows students to develop their own opinions and develop their own beliefs regarding the conflict.

According to Pew Research center, 80% of American Jews say caring about Israel is an essential part of what being Jewish means to them. However, only 37% of American Jews described their education about Israel in grades K-12 as strong, according to a survey conducted by the American Jewish Committee (AJC).

Learning the history of Israel is a crucial part of Jewish education because it is a core aspect of

PUTTING IT TO P R

OI took the ACT this year, pouring hours into reviewing material and taking endless practice tests. It was not easy, but it was worth the effort. In an era where many universities are test-optional, people question whether test scores are still relevant in college applications. Still, standardized test scores remain the most objective metric in a college application, as they provide a clear benchmark of academic ability, predict college readiness and counteract bias in the college admissions process.

Many college admission offices stress their “holistic application” approach, evaluating people on all of their qualifications as a candidate and not just a number or score. While this is a great policy, admission committees must have at least one objective metric

Even at test-optional universities, CollegeVine reports that many admissions officers subconsciously form biases and presumptions that students did not score well on standardized tests because they chose to not submit a score. Submission of test scores eliminates tendencies of admissions officers to jump to conclusions about an applicant’s decision not to submit scores, encouraging them to weigh the applicant equally against others.

Advocates of test-optional policies often claim that test scores are higher among more affluent people, which disadvantages people of lower socio-economic statuses. In reality, many free tutoring options are widely regarded as effective in test prep. For example, the College Board promotes the use of Khan Academy as test prep material, which is free and effective.

Additionally, according to US News and World Report, lower socio-economic applicants who don’t report their scores are at a disadvantage in the college process. Seeing this demographic’s scores helps admissions officers determine whether students are scoring higher than others in their area. Massacchusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) states that test scores “help us identify socioeconomically disadvantaged students who lack access to advanced coursework or other enrichment opportunities,” which directly disproves the fact that test scores hurt applicants of lower socio-economic status.

Colleges and universities must keep their holistic approach to admissions, but that approach is not complete without requiring standardized testing. It is crucial to emphasize the most objective means of a college application to reduce selectivity, as every applicant wants to be weighed equitably. Without standardized testing, the admissions process becomes a guessing game, disadvantaging students who have worked hard to prove their academic capabilities on a national scale.

16% 68% more students submitted test scores to schools with lower acceptance rates than schools with higher rates of members of the Class of 2024 across the United States took the SAT of SAT takers in the Class of 2024 met or exceeded college readiness benchmarks 39%

Vivi Ducker Editor-in-Chief

Like many other juniors, I have been trying to boost my ACT score, because I know that my score is a crucial aspect of my college application for test-required schools. However, the impact that these tests can have on our college admissions is unjustified, as they are neither fair nor effective at objectively measuring students’ abilities or intelligence.

Standardized exams intend to test intelligence by having test takers answer similar questions under similar conditions. However, standardized tests are a corrupt means of getting this information as they are ignorant of factors such as mental capability and socio-economic factors.

There are many test altering factors such as test anxiety, distracting environments, socio-economic disadvantages and racial bias in standardized tests that remain unchecked.

The first factor that can unfairly impact the outcome of these tests is test anxiety. According to the College of Western Idaho, 2540% of students suffer from test anxiety. Test anxiety is a form of performance anxiety that causes stress and heightened blood pressure in test takers before and during a test. Stress and anxiety

can impair test takers’ mental clarity, thus affecting their scores.

As someone who struggles with test anxiety, I have seen firsthand how my stress during the real test versus non-stressful practice tests has impacted the outcome of my scores.

Standardized tests have also been highly criticized for inequity. Research from the Harvard Gazette shows that children of the wealthiest 1% of Americans were 13 times likelier to score higher than children of low-income families because of easier access to costly tools.

Not only does taking the test itself cost $65 to $90, according to PrepScholar, ACT tutoring costs vary, but may fall anywhere from $30 to $200 per hour of one-onone tutoring, and group classes fall between $30 to $100 per hour. Many people do not want to pay this amount or do not have the means to pay for tutoring and thus don’t have the same tools for such an important exam.

Speaking from experience, my ACT score went up five points (out of a 36-point test) from my practice ACT to my first official test. I largely attribute this to my two months of weekly ACT tutoring. It is simply unfair that test scores can be so largely affected by a variable which not everyone has the means for.

Beyond tutoring, the College Board offers many tools to improve scores, like official preparation guides and practice tests that not everyone can afford, costing anywhere from $50 to $100. The lack of thought for how the so -

Students debate whether standardized assessments are effective in gauging students’ abilities when applying to college

cio-economic status of test takers may affect their ability to prepare for tests and therefore their scores renders the test inconsiderate and, frankly, pointless.

There is also a proven racial bias in these tests. According to Justice for Learning, low test scores among African-American and Latino students tend to be attributed to cultural differences and stereotyping that may undermine their learning overall as well as their performance on standardized tests.

According to Brookings, these racial and cultural differences stem from “generations of exclusionary housing, education, and economic policy.”

Not only are standardized tests marginalizing, but they also limits the ability to exhibit critical thinking skills, which are true tests of intelligence.

The National Education Association argues that tests like the ACT and SAT fail to measure intelligence effectively. Since these exams primarily consist of multiple-choice questions, they restrict students’ ability to demonstrate a broad range of skills. As a result, the heavy weight these scores carry in college admissions creates an unfair evaluation of applicants.

These unfair standardized tests can still have massive impacts applications to schools that are still test mandatory in their admissions. Given these flaws, standardized tests should not be used as tests of intelligence or understood as the only objective factor of a college application.

THE TEST C O N

How overconsumption has become the norm & why you should care

Jordana Dauber Features Editor

Jonah Mellen Arts and Entertainment Editor

Sadaf Zadeh In-Depth Editor

BYE BYE BUY

As humanity progressed into the modern industrial age, it tore down many barriers to consumption. Nowadays, many people, especially in the United States, eat heaps of food, upgrade their electronics on a yearly basis and go to stores to buy excessive things for the simple joy of doing so. This phenomenon is referred to as overconsumption: spending or consuming beyond one’s means or necessity.

In the United States, overconsumption is multifaceted. The average citizen has the monetary capability to overconsume, meaning that people have the means to buy more than they need. According to HealThePlanet, although only 12% of the world’s population lives in North America, the continent still accounts for over 60% of private consumption.

“The end goal of consumerism isn’t to make people’s lives better. The end goal of consumerism is to make a product that people buy, that sells, and then sell it for as much and to as many people as possible,” junior and President of the Ecosystem Restoration club, Oliver Silver said. “It does build industry, and does sometimes improve people’s lives, but it more frequently does the opposite.”

Overconsumption’s origins

In the 1990s, the fashion brand Zara declared their in-

tention to take a product from design stages to creation within 15 days, in order to match the quickly changing nature of clothing trends. The New York Times described the goal as fast fashion, a strategy that has remained prominent to this day, as brands like Shein, H&M, Uniqlo and many more embrace it.

According to the documentary film “A True Cost,” people purchase 400% as much clothing today as they did 20 years ago, which is a product of fast fashion and encourages manufacturers to produce more.

According to Devorah Berman, track and field coach and CESJDS parent of senior Jonah Berman, sophomore Caleb Berman and eighth grade student Zach Berman, overconsumption can result from materialism.

“People equate the value of their life to the goods they’re able to buy, and that’s the worth of your life,” Berman said. “Worth and value shouldn’t be tied to what you own or where you can travel.”

To keep up with changing trends, many factory workers are employed in harsh conditions. An undercover report by Business Insider found that Shein workers often work for well below minimum wage and for over 18 hours per day, a circumstance common for many businesses that promote fast fashion.

sophomore Brielle Bassin believes fast fashion is a major way JDS students contribute to overconsumption. She says that many students buy clothing according to new and popular trends, which are constantly changing, leading to a lot of waste.

“New [trends] keep arising,” Bassin said. “And people always want what’s ‘in.’ And I feel like a lot of people feel judged if they don’t have what’s ‘in.’”

Because of this desire to wear the “right thing,” many unnecessary products are bought, and ultimately wasted once a new trend comes around.

Overconsumption of products transcends the fashion industry, with the technology industry finding ways to incentivize overconsumption through promoting overbuying and unnecessarily upgrading technology. Statista found that in 2018, the average North American owned eight tech devices, yet within only five years, this number increased to 13, a 63% increase.

“There’s all this marketing telling you that you’re not cool and you’re behind the times if you’re not buying new electronics regularly,” Ecology teacher Rustom Meyer said. “We should not base our society on trying to convince people to buy things they don’t need.”

The process of overconsuming technology has adverse effects, with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) reporting that technology is reliant on non-renewable sources, specifically ones that are at risk of depletion.

Major overconsumption of food is another issue prevalent in society, with over 40% of Americans crossing the obesity threshold as a result of buying and eating too much. There is a lot of recklessness in food consumption as well, with Feeding America reporting 92 billion pounds of food waste from Americans.

“A lot of times people feel like they have a bit of something and have to have more of it because it will make them feel better,” Silver said.

Impact on individuals

It may not be very apparent, but overconsumption influenc-

es people every day. Small daily purchases can rack up, leading to overspending and a lack of finan cial stability, according to Dr. Leo ra Klapper, JDS parent and Lead Economist in the Development Re search Group at the World Bank.

“When you educate people on managing a budget and making it easier for people to save for longterm goals, the thing we see the biggest impact on is spending on impulse purchases,” Klapper said.

According to Nerdwallet, 84% of Americans with a monthly bud get report going over that budget. And of those, 44% say that they use their credit card to spend when going over budget.

As the use of technology in creases, it becomes easier to make purchases without truly under standing their weight. According to Klapper, this is particularly true for teens who have grown up in the digital age.

“It’s too easy, especially for teens who may have access to digital channels,” Klapper said. “Having Apple Pay on your phone that’s linked to somebody else’s card allows teens to spend without necessarily keeping track of how all these small expenses add up.”

People can very easily get sucked into overconsumption, ac cording to Dr. Alisa Schwartz, JDS parent of junior Sophie Schwartz and clinical physiologist. There are many external factors that can contribute to overconsumption, including social media, stress and peer pressure.

According to Schwartz, over consumption has been pathol ogized, meaning that it has be come a problem and is viewed as unhealthy, even though that may not entirely be the case. While this can be perceived negatively, it is, in some cases, just human nature.

“I think it’s very normal, es pecially when you’re in middle school and high school, to care a lot about what other people have and often to either want to be very similar and to fit in or to de fine yourself by being different,” Schwartz said. “But I think that right now, because of the coming together of a whole bunch of fac tors, social media being one of them, the access to seeing what so many people have, and then a time of a lot of stress in our world,

- in-depth -

people are drawn to higher levels of consumerism, and it can get to a point where it is unhealthy.”

Overspending as a result of overconsumption is also ever-growing. For this reason, continued purchasing creates a pattern that leads people to continue spending more. This continued spending, according to Silver, employs people to associate spending with joy, leading to further negative impacts of consumerism.

“It’s also important to keep people from falling too heavily into a consumerist mentality,” Silver said. “And make sure people don’t have a mentality of happiness can only be brought through money and consumption.”

Impact on the world

Global warming has been a prevalent topic for the past 20 years, and overconsumption has been one of the most significant human contributions. According to sentientmedia.org, due to the rise in overconsumption, humans are using the Earth’s resources faster than they can be replenished, which may lead to a depletion of natural resources.

According to the World Wildlife Fund, the amount of plastic in the ocean will quadruple by 2050, and according to the Millennium Alliance for Humanity and Biosphere, global oil reserves could be completely empty only two years later. While there are many factors that contribute to these statistics, overconsumption is a major factor.

With many items coming in

single-use packaging and plastics being overconsumed daily for convenience, the ecosystem will face severe consequences due to human actions. Along with this, the use of oil in manufacturing plays a significant role in concern for the environment.

“For non-renewable resources, if [we’re] planning to have a civilization that lasts, we ought to be conserving them and using them very carefully, because when we run out, it’s gone,” Meyer said. “And so we need to figure out how to recycle what we have in order to be able to continue using things made out of these substances.”

In addition to a depletion of natural resources, overconsumption generates a huge amount of pollution and waste. According to the Environmental Learning Center, manufacturing goods leads to the release of harmful pollutants into the air and water. For example, plastic production contributes to greenhouse gas emissions because the plastic is derived from fossil fuels, and fast fashion leads to water pollution due to its frequent use of toxic chemicals.

In terms of the environment, the long-term consequences of this overconsumption, which enhances climate change, include rising sea levels and an increase in extreme weather events.

Overconsumption impacts the economy significantly. It boosts short-term economic growth by increasing individuals’ spending, which in turn leads to job creation. On the flip side, consumerism causes environmental damage, which costs the global

SHOP

SMART

economy over five trillion dollars every year, according to the World Economic Forum.

“Our economy depends on consumerism,” Berman said. “Because we live in a capitalist society where you have to make more goods in order for people to have jobs.”

Solutions

Visit a thrift store Shop local Track your buys

Overconsumption in society has been around for years now, and while it is not near an end, there are steps that can be taken on an individual level to combat individual overconsumption.

While, according to Klapper, financial literacy is primarily taught through experience, there are ways to prepare the younger generation to understand and manage their own finances. This is something that JDS has begun working towards through their various new social studies-elective course offerings for the 20252026 school year, which are intended to help students learn more about economics.

“There should be a personal finance class where you learn concepts like inflation, diversifying your savings, the importance of setting up a retirement fund for your very first job so that your money can grow exponentially between when you’re young and when you might retire,” Klapper said.

There are also things that can be done personally to prevent ones own overconsumption. According to Bassin, putting more consideration and thought into

“Consumerism is the tendency that people have to buy more than what they need and spend more money than necessary.”

Junior Maya Greenblum

each purchase is one way to ensure that shoppers are not unnecessarily purchasing items.

“If you’re going to buy stuff, think, are you really going to wear it in three years, or is it just what’s trending now?” Bassin said. “Thinking in the long run and seeing what you truly need instead of want. We need to separate our needs and wants.”

Shoppers must ensure that they are considering what stores they shop at, according to Berman. She emphasized that many brands do not support their employees well financially, and do not consider their companies’ environmental impact. Purchasing from those stores may appear to be the more convenient decision, but it may not be the best choice, as customers would be supporting poor work environments.

To prevent this, Berman believes it is critical to know the brand that a person is shopping from and do sufficient research before purchasing.

“Ultimately, if you can, if you support better quality companies that treat their employees well and provide living wages and produce the least amount of harm on the environment,” Berman said.

Social media also plays a role in overconsumption. With influencers and internet figures spending excessive amounts on clothing and advertising products, the pressure to buy more is increased.

According to Bassin, the Internet is built to cater to each person, meaning that it can influence people on an individual level and promote the overconsumption of

items specific to each person.

“It’s also problematic that influencers will influence you to buy the new thing,” Bassin said. “... The algorithm is different for everybody. There are so many new trends coming in every day. So I think that social media is a big factor.”

“If you’re going to buy stuff, think, are you really going to wear it in three years, or is it just what’s trending now?”

-Sophomore Brielle Bassin

Something besides being influenced that can be done is, when someone is done with a piece of clothing, rather than allowing it to sit in ones closet, consider repurposing it. According to Bassin, altering a piece of clothing to something more to your taste is not only resourceful, but can be an engaging and rewarding project.

Repurposing not only entails making a person reshape their own piece, but also allow another to do so. According to Bassin, whether it be reselling or donating items one is no longer interested

in, allowing someone to make use of something you no longer has a use for prevents waste and encourages others against overconsumption of fast fashion and new products.

“I think we need to make it more of a norm to donate things to thrift shops and things like that, where people who need it can actually use it, instead of just collecting dust,” Bassin said.

While the impacts of overspending might seem minute, there are larger implications in the habit of overspending. These will influence the younger generations in the long term, according to Klapper.

“Probably no one in your grade is going to go bankrupt because of overspending in Sephora,” Klapper said. “However, it’s important to build spending and saving habits now, which you can bring into adulthood, including the importance of setting a budget, which will help you plan for longer-term financial goals, like a vacation or your own car, and learn to avoid impulse purchases.”

“Consumerism to me, is when people buy things just for the sake of buying things without having a real intent behind their purchases.”

Junior Bee Kotler

“I think it’s buying things that seem cool or, just buying what you think you need, but you really don’t.”

Sophomore Maya Grumet

HELPING ANDS

Ozrim spend Zman Kodesh mentoring middle school students

Eliana Abrams News Editor

When a teacher left mid-year, the Ozrim (helpers) in Derekh T’filah Zman Kodesh (ZK) were left temporarily in charge with rotating subs, leading prayer services and running activities for the seventh grade students most days for two weeks. In order to ensure the students were learning, but also having fun at the same time, sophomore Ozer Shia Messler helped run a pictionary game where students had to draw scenes from the parsha, while other students guessed.

ZK, or “holy time,” is a 25-50 minute period each morning for students to connect with their Judaism. In addition to the nine ZK options all high school students have, including four prayer options and five non-prayer options, 20 high school students choose to have a leadership position in a middle school minyan.

“For a lot of the JDS high schoolers who have grown up around a minyan, [they] experience [tefillah] their whole lives, and it becomes a little bland,” Jewish Life Chair Robbie Shorr said. “But they have way more enthusiasm when they introduce it to younger kids for the first time.”

Middle school students have the choice between joining a high school traditional prayer ZK or attending a Derekh T’filah ZK which includes a mix of prayer and learning. Ozrim help these students learn the practical skills of being involved in prayer services and create parsha-related pro -

Sophomore Leora Blumenthal helps seventh grade student Riley Blay find his place in the siddur. All images by Jordana Dauber, LT.

WHAT DO THE LIONS THINK?

Eighth Grader Sloane Mills

“I love the activities they have us do.”

Sixth Grader Daniel Bassat

“You get to experience Jewish tefillah and Torah in different ways and with your friends.”

Eighth Grader Rina Libbin

“We learn a lot about our Jewish identities.”

gramming. Beyond planning and teaching, Ozrim play a large role in shaping the atmosphere of the classroom and setting a good example of how to be a leader for the younger students.

“I think the most important thing [is] not planning, but it’s just being a role model, showing how to positively be involved in the discussions, how to show the proper respect for the teacher and for the time and to help them get something out of it,” Shorr said.

Each middle school classroom ZK has around 20 students with one teacher and two to four Ozrim. Ozrim initially could be sophomores or older, but due to the number of senior Ozrim this year, when the seniors graduated, positions opened up to freshmen as well.

While high school students are allowed to return to their ZK if they don’t like being an Ozer, Shorr emphasizes that students should only volunteer if they are willing to commit to a full year of the program. This helps give consistency to the students and cement the relationship between Ozrim and middle school students.

“It kind of gives them someone to look up to,” Messler said. “Sometimes [middle schoolers] see [their Ozrim] in the hallways and be like, ‘That’s gonna be me in a couple years’.”

While Ozrim programs have been a long-standing tradition in middle school ZKs, the Masorti and Partnership minyans, which consist of both middle school and high school students, have only

recently added Ozrim programs. While these are more recent, the goal is to continue the programs long term.

In Partnership Minyan ZK, middle school students are taken out of the minyan by Ozrot on Tuesdays and Wednesdays to learn how to lead services. Once they have successfully learned and led a service, they move into a different group that discusses different parts of the Tanakh.

Similarly, in the Masorti ZK, sixth and seventh grade students are taught different prayers and aspects of Judaism by their Ozrim.

“It’s nice to have someone that’s not from seventh grade and you can talk to them,” seventh grade student Abby Adler said. “I like the relationship that you can build with people you don’t normally see.”

Ozrim not only teach middle school students how to pray, but also emphasize the importance of respectful behavior in tefillah. Shorr hopes that this will help middle school students become respectful and helpful members of whichever high school ZK they choose in the coming years.

“You can’t just throw kids in ZK and expect them to know what to do,” Shorr said. “… It’s important for them to know not just the how, but the why and the bigger questions also. We really have tried to make sure there’s a good dynamic, having responsible high schoolers who know what they’re doing and who can not just teach, but also be role models.”

ALL THAT JAZZ

Kira Koplow Reporter

Every JDS student is familiar with weekly Kab Shab musical performances. However, what might be a hobby for some became a career for jazz pianist Jack Gruber (‘14). Gruber went to JDS from grades 7-12, and was involved with music throughout his time at the school, including being a member of the high school band.

Gruber will be one of the artists-in-residence at the Strathmore Hall Foundation in April. In this position he will partake in two performances, one on April 9 and the other on April 23. He will also run a workshop on April 16 about his specific improvisational mu sic style. This style was developed as a result of Gruber listening to popular songs on the radio, and experimenting with playing them in his own way.

“My second concert is going to be me with a string quartet, which is going to be super fun,” Gruber said. “And then I’m going to be giving a workshop on trying to combine jazz improvisation and modern pop music in ways that could reach more people.”

The artist-in-residence pro gram was introduced at Strath more in 2005 to support new musicians and give them perfor mance opportunities. Six mu sicians were chosen for April through a selective process in which they send in recordings of them playing, and judges pick the best ones to audition in person.

Gruber’s biggest inspirations are his parents, who are both mu sicians, and his former JDS music teacher, Charles Ostle. Gruber’s parents encouraged him to start playing piano from a young age.

“They basically just put a piano in my room and wait ed,” Gruber said.

Gruber’s parents signed him up for lessons when he was 7-years-old, and later participated in a summer camp program at Paul Carr’s Jazz Academy of Music at Sligo Creek Elementary School

GRUBER’S GIGS

Alumnus joins Strathmore’s arist-in-residence class of 2025

in Silver Spring. Gruber says this was very important to his development as a musician.

“I remember Jack being a brilliantly talented pianist and extremely kind and always with a broad smile on his face,” High School Assistant Principal Aileen Goldstein said.

Gruber’s music, appreciates Gruber’s style of improvisational piano and the way he contrasts different instruments with the piano.

“I really liked the improv, and I really liked his interpretation of jazz style,” Gerstenblith said.

“I think it’s really cool the way he played the chords and played them in different times.”

First performance

April 9 April 16 Workshop on improvisation April 23 Second performance

Location: The Mansion at Strathmore

After graduating from JDS, Gruber went to the Manhattan School of Music, where he attended both the undergraduate and graduate programs. After that, he spent time performing at various music gigs around both New York and D.C., including performing at the D.C. Jazz Festival.

Pianist and freshman Ayla

Some advice that Gruber would give to young musicians is to play whatever music they enjoy, and pursue their passions. This is the same advice that Gruber has followed, and he is very happy with where he ended up.

“I think, more than anything, just follow the thread of your in-

Photo from Jen Silver, used with permission

BEHIND THE LINES

How the Dining Hall operates

Every day at the start of lunch, the Dining Hall comes alive with activity and excitement as hungry students rush in, eager for a fresh meal. While purchasing food is simple for students, much more goes on behind the scenes for the kitchen staff. The food service team, Director of Food Services Mark Glauser and his team of eight members, works to keep up with the daily rush.

CESJDS provides daily lunch services to students at both campuses upon purchase. All food is prepared in the kitchen at the Upper School. Some is later transported to the Lower School, where it is put in warmers and then distributed at lunch. The Upper School has a larger kitchen facility with a more complete set of appliances, including three separate kitchens (for dairy, meat and pareve meals) to abide by kashrut.

In addition to lunch services, the Dining Hall team offers catering through its service “The Mane Course,” which sells food on the JDS website and caters for various events held at the school. Every Friday, the team also makes challahs for JDS families who have

pre-purchased them through the Parents Association and for Lower School classes to eat.

One of Glauser’s first steps in the meal preparation process is designing the lunch calendar. According to Glauser, many factors influence what food is served, including the necessity of providing a healthy meal that students enjoy.

“We researched about [meals from] past years, what succeeded [and] what hasn’t succeeded,” Glauser said. “From there, we try to serve three dairy meals a week and two meat meals. Then we have to consider what the holidays are, what days [school is] off, what days we are not serving lunch and then we put it together.”

After the menu is established, the Dining Hall orders and receives shipments of food at varying frequencies depending on the need, ranging from every few days to every few weeks. Glauser said that the staff never really knows how many students they are cooking for. However, it is still crucial that they make the right amount, as they must ensure that everyone who wants food can buy lunch, while also minimizing waste. It is very tricky to make a dependable estimate. One way

FACTS FAST

150 to 200

The number of Challahs made by the kitchen between Wednesdays and Thursdays

Glauser says they manage is by looking at past meal sales to see what people buy.

To stay ahead in food preparation, the food service team gets portions ready in advance while still providing fresh meals for lunch. For example, if the Dining Hall is serving schnitzel, they may bread and sear the chicken ahead of time so that on the day of, they only need to put it in the oven.

Super Chef Director of Food Services

Mark Glauser used to be the Executive Chef at Lakewood Country Club

Kashrut adds many extra steps in the kitchen. Dining Services Manager Michal Cepler (‘03) serves as the mashgiach for the kitchen. She supervises the kitchen and turns on all heat elements, as Jewish law requires a rule-abiding Jew to activate heating elements for the food to be considered kosher. Kashrut also requires the food service staff to pay more attention to how to make meals appealing to students.

“I grew up kosher, so in my perspective, I already know the general idea of ‘Oh, this will be a good meal.’ But for people who didn’t, they have to shift their mind,” Cepler said. “So, okay, we can’t have a cheeseburger. How do we make this meal exciting without the cheese?”

Kashrut also impacts costs, as

Gila Safra Reporter

Photos by Stacey Shapiro and StockCake.

Food services staff member Gloriabelen Lizama serves a lunch of spaghetti and meatballs to freshman Megan Poretsky.

Photo by Anna Polon, LT.

hechshered ingredients are significantly more expensive. Glauser said that the cost serves as a major challenge, as no one wants to pay a lot for their lunch, but kosher foods cost more.

Additionally, kashrut affects the availability of products on the market. For example, with the spread of Bird Flu, chickens and eggs go to non-kosher markets first, making it harder and pricier for JDS to get those products.

Glauser said JDS is a red zone school, meaning that the kitchen prepares all its food from scratch using raw ingredients. This means that JDS is in the same category as most restaurants. Consequently, while health inspectors visit Montgomery County Public Schools once a year, they come to JDS four times a year.

Since JDS prepares their own food, they have to be especially aware of allergies. In order to be allergy-friendly, the food service team receives “allergy kits” containing the necessary food to make an allergy-friendly meal. Junior Julian Goldberg, who is allergic to dairy, finds the lunch service to be very accommodating.

Goldberg buys lunch from school almost every day, as he finds it easier than making his own lunch. He likes that the system is quick and easy and he enjoys the food.

“[The Dining Hall] offers quality lunches pretty much every day with paying using your [student ID] card, which is convenient programming,” Goldberg said.

Throughout the day, Glauser and Cepler coordinate team communication. Cepler noted that unexpected issues such as delayed deliveries or spoiled items often arise, requiring quick solutions. She said that her favorite part of the day is working at the register, where she enjoys helping students get their meals.

“Sometimes kids tell me about their day, sometimes they’re goofing around, or they make jokes with me, and it just gives me an energy to keep going,” Cepler said. “I’m a Jewish mom, so I love feeding people, but I think just seeing students happy and enjoying their food is just really rewarding.”

WALK FOR A CURE

LEFT: Jacob holds his “Warrior Sign.” These are positioned around the school to encourage participants.

MIDDLE: Cepler’s synagogue community, Kehilat Pardes, shows support for Jacob at a TSC walk-a-thon.

Dining Hall staff member co-chairs fundraiser for Tuberous Sclerosis Complex

Aviv Stein Reporter

For those who purchase school lunch, the face of Dining Services Manager Michal Cepler is a familiar one as she scans the ID of every student who buys lunch. What many don’t know about Cepler is that she has an 11-year-old son named Jacob with Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC).

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), TSC is a rare genetic condition that causes non-cancerous tumors to grow in the brain and throughout the body. Most people with the condition experience seizures, developmental delays, intellectual disabilities and autism. There is currently no cure, and because of its rareness, there is not much funding for research.

The Step Forward to Cure TSC Walk was founded to help raise funds nationally for TSC research. This year, 529 communities will participate in local TSC walk-athons across the country from April 12 to June 7. Cepler has cochaired the walk in Rockville since 2017 and is very involved in raising funds for the disease.

This year’s Rockville walk takes place on May 18, 2025 at 9:30 a.m. at JDS. Participants will walk three times around the school: once for those newly diagnosed, the second time for those living with the disease and the third for those who perished from the disease. Signs highlighting different people with TSC will be found around the school, which Cepler says “helps give people a reason to walk around the school and puts faces to the disease.” She expects around 300 people to come.

As a parent whose child has TSC, life can be complicated for Cepler, and she has to dedicate much of her time to her son.

“Caring for a child with TSC is incredibly complex,” Cepler said. “We are dealing with two sides of the situation: the medical issues and the behavioral issues. The first two years were the hardest. We had to bring him to appointments every few weeks, so I was at 10 different doctors with him multiple times a week. Since it is a rare disease, I didn’t know anyone else with a child in the same situation to ask for help or advice.”

The TSC walk is meaningful for Cepler because it offers a community she can rely on.

“Having a complex child can be very isolating,” she said. “Having a community that understands the challenges we face, not just when the big stuff happens but all the time, is crucial.”

Cepler’s co-chair of the walk, Lauren Shores-Shillinger, loves working with Cepler and seeing the walk and support for children with TSC grow every year.

“We love doing it for our kids and for all the TSC warriors in our community,” Shores-Shillinger said. “It is just an awesome event to be working on together.”

Shores-Shillinger has an 11-year-old daughter, Brinley, with TSC, and prefers to look at being a TSC mother and a co-chair of the walk as a way to advocate for TSC rather than as a challenge.

“I feel like we have turned adversity into advocacy and have found ways to connect with other families like ours,” Shores-Shillinger said. “We always say that we want to have hope, no matter how complex a situation is, and this is a way for us to feel hopeful, like there’s something we can do that’s tangible as a community.”

Cepler’s children, eighth grade student Elisheva and Jacob (who has TSC) participate in a walk-a-thon around JDS to raise funds for a cure.

Photos from Michal Cepler, used with permission.

MENU MAKEOVER

Fresh lunch ideas to make

Maiya Blumenthal, ManagingEditor,Copy

During the hustle of the school week, it is easy to feel uninspired when packing a lunch. To break away from the usual sandwich and avoid buying school lunch, here are some quick and creative lunch ideas to spice things up, all of which can be made the night before for even more convenience.

Salmon rice bowls are the perfect, protein-packed and nutritional lunch option. Simply pair your favorite grain with small salmon pieces for a balanced meal. For extra flavor, marinate the salmon in either soy or teriyaki sauces before cooking. I recommend adding diced avocado and mango as additional toppings. However, the topping options can be changed to the chefs liking.

To pull it all together, dress the bowl with soy sauce and, for spice lovers, sriracha. Any additional sauces that fit these flavors can be added to enhance the bowl.

This meal can also be adapted by being wrapped in a tortilla to make a salmon rice wrap, or by replacing the rice with lettuce to make a salad.

A lunch that takes more preparation, but is definitely worth it is spring rolls. These will leave anyone feeling a grilled chicken. Spring rolls can be enhanced with dips such as peanut sauce, which requires a little more preparation, or soy sauce.

For those who feel their fridge is filled with a bunch of ingredients not suitable for a full meal, a snack pack is an easy solution. Ideally, this lunch is assembled in a bento box or small containers to separate each ingredient. This lunch offers a lot of creative license. For the best balance of foods, I recommend packing cheese, crackers, vegetables and dips.

Photo from Flickr.com

Photo from Maiya Blumenthal, LT

Penelope Terl, News Editor

Ever since the first Walt Disney animated film, “Snow White,” came out in 1937, many movies that followed have become household favorites and classics. In 2025, many of these classics have been reimagined in live-action form.

One such movie is the live-action version of “The Little Mermaid,” which was released in 2023. Bringing to life the original 1989 story of a teenage mermaid fascinated with humans, this remake was highly anticipated. The film used a combination of live-action filming, animations and Computer Generated Imagery (CGI) to create an underwater world displayed on the big screen.

Another popular remake is “Mulan,” which was released in 2020. Despite not being released in theaters due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the movie gained popularity for its unique spin on the original story. Rather than being an exact remake of the 1998 animated film, the 2020 “Mulan” takes a more realistic approach. It ditches the talking dragons and singing to focus on the teenager’s difficult journey of disguising herself as a man to join the Imperial Chinese Army.

One reason many fans love live-action films is getting to see which actors will bring their favorite characters to life. One current example of this is “Tangled,” which has a live-action remake confirmed but few other details available. Many social media fan casts, where fans imagine their ideal actors for movies, have gone viral online—especially regarding who will take on the role of Rapunzel, a teenager with long and magical hair. Although no one has officially been cast, many people online have pitched celebrities such as Sabrina Carpenter or Florence Pugh for the role.

These casts are not without controversy. After a leaked “Snow White” set photo sparked rumors that the new

THEN NOW

MAGIC REIMAGINED

version would be changing , or erasing the “Seven Dwarves” entirely, the movie faced immense amounts of backlash. The controversy gained more attention when actor Peter Dinklage, who has dwarfism, criticized the movie to the newspaper The Daily Mail as a “missed opportunity” that took jobs from people with dwarfism. This controversy along with others ultimately delayed the film’s release by a year. It’s likely due in part to the controversy that the film did not do as well as predicted at the box office after opening.

Live-action remakes face other forms of scrutiny as well, some claim that Disney’s emphasis on recreating classic films reflects a decline in creativity and a primary focus on profit. Many critics argue that simply remaking the same film allows Disney to capitalize on the existing fan base without taking on creative risks.

On the other hand, some argue that there is no issue with remakes. They say that the new films bring a sense of nostalgia, and that there’s nothing wrong with a company using strategy to make a profit, no matter how divisive it may be.

The remakes are a fun way to reimagine some of my favorite childhood stories. My favorite childhood movie was “Beauty and the Beast,” and the 2017 live-action version brought the animation to life and let me see it in a new and exciting way.

In spite of these ongoing discussions, Disney will con-

tinue to release remakes, with two more highly anticipated releases coming out in 2025 and 2026. “Lilo and Stitch,” coming out in May of 2025, features real actors playing the humans alongside a CGI version of the beloved alien, Stitch. The movie is said to be a remake of the 2002 animated film, which follows a young girl who adopts an extraterrestrial, believing it’s a dog. The trailer released on YouTube quickly gained 158 million views within 24 hours, making it the second-biggest trailer for Disney’s live-action remakes to date.

Additionally, the live-action version of “Moana” is set to come out in July 2026, on the ten-year anniversary of the original movie’s release. The story about a teenage girl’s mission to save her island from a curse quickly became a fan favorite and left fans excited for the sequel. While the official trailer for the film has not been released, Dwayne Johnson is confirmed to be reprising his role of Maui, the character who he voiced in the 2016 film. This revival will also be following “Moana 2,” which was released in November of 2024.

Ultimately, for those who love original Disney movies, or for those who are just beginning to watch Disney, live-action remakes provide a sense of nostalgia and revive movies to be enjoyed in theaters once again. I look forward to seeing how Disney continues to evolve, and I’m excited for many more movies to come.

Photos from The Walt Disney Company

Classic Disney movies are being remade in live action

- arts & entertainment -

Guide to the best running paths in the area

Isaiah Segal-Geetter Reporter

Running is one of the fastest growing sports in America, according to iSPORT360, and one of the best ways to get exercise. But with so many options, it’s hard to choose where to run in the DMV. Here are some popular trails in and around Montgomery County.

Rock Creek Trail

Many members of the CESJDS distance running team consider the Rock Creek Trail the perfect training ground. This is because it is the training trail that has led to the three Maryland State Cross Country titles the team has won over the last four years. Its proximity to JDS and its hills make it the perfect place to train. This trail is the main trail bordering Maryland’s segment of Rock Creek, as such, it gets a lot of attention.

Rock Creek trail is a paved, narrow trail with short rolling hills throughout. It starts at the Maryland border with Washington, D.C. and runs all the way to Lake Needwood which is east of Rockville. The 14 miles of the trail can be accessed throughout much of Montgomery County, including Kensington, Chevy Chase and Rockville. There are plenty of parking lots along the trail that can be

used as starting points and many benches along the trail if one wants to sit down mid-run.

The trail runs through the middle of Rock Creek Park so the views are always amazing, especially during spring when the entire area is green and the trees are blooming. Scenery like this make the run go by very quickly.

The trail’s surface can be a little hard for longer runs, as some parts of the trail have cracks and mud, but on portions farther south from JDS, the trail’s surface is much clearer. It is important to look out for bikers on a narrow trail like this one, as they will come fast and take up much of the trail when passing.

Despite this, the sharp rolling hills on this trail make it a good place for incline training as opposed to the other trails, which are flat and can be run on faster. Some of the trail has a dirt feel, giving it the ability to imitate the feeling of a dirt path, leading to a more realistic environment to mimic a trail race.

Top: Beach Drive. Middle: Chesapeake & Ohio Canal Trail. Bottom: Rock Creek Trail. Photos used with permission from Eve Sharp, Dimensions, Ryan Klepper and Jennifer Latz.

Photos from Wikimedia Commons

BLAZER

Chesapeake & Ohio Canal Trail

The Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) Canal Trail is one of the longest and most historic trails in the area, as it originally served as a way to track shipping on the C&O Canal. Now, this 50-mile trail, though most people will not run that far, is a favorite for people wanting a long run next to the Potomac River.

The trail runs along the Potomac River, starting in D.C., and following it through Maryland. It can be accessed through Potomac and Glen Echo. In D.C, there is an access point at mile zero in Georgetown and then a few other parking locations such as Fletcher’s Cove in Southern D.C.

In Maryland, there are parking lots every mile and a half throughout the Clara Barton Park-

Beach Drive

Beach Drive is an ideal trail choice in the D.C. area. It runs throughout much of D.C. and can be accessed from most parts of 16th Street and Connecticut Avenue. Beach Drive does continue into Maryland, but there are many cars there because it is also a road, making it difficult to run on.

It is important to be aware of the fact that the parts of Beach Drive available to run on are only closed to vehicular traffic on weekends, so make sure to figure out if that part is closed before running. However, on weekends, this is an amazing place to run.

It has long, winding flat roads with plenty of people who are also

way and after that, MacArthur Boulevard. These long roads run along the trail so one can feel free to park wherever is easiest.

The trail is made of dirt gravel, which makes it easy on the legs and its distance and view make it the perfect choice for a nice long run in the DMV. The trail gives an amazing view of the Potomac River. With a long, flat path and plenty of other runners there for motivation, it makes for a great place to run.

Additionally, many races are held there almost weekly. There are 5Ks, 10Ks, half-marathons and sometimes even marathons along the trail. So, if a runner is looking to run a personal best, then they can do so at the same place they train.

running, amping up motivation. This makes it the perfect place to beat some personal records on a nice day. It also links up with Rock Creek Trail at its northernmost point in D.C.

Beach Drive starts where the Rock Creek feeds into the Potomac River and continues north from there. It passes through many locations where runners can finish their run and enjoy a bite to eat or see some of the D.C. landmarks. Beach Drive runs the length of the National Zoo, and many people stop their runs to watch the animals.

Sophomore Gillian Krauthamer runs during track practice. Photo used with permission from Ella Longman, Dimensions

Photos from Leora Blumenthal, LT.

- sports -

SPORTS ON SOCIALS

MEET THE INTERNS: TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE

JUNIOR ELLA ARKING

Students co-run CESJDS athletics’ Instagram

Sophie Schwartz ManagingEditor,Web

Much of the work that brings the CESJDS sporting teams’ spirit to life happens behind the scenes, through social media and content creation. From mic’ing up players to producing highlight reels, the Athletic Social Media Interns ensure that season highlights are shared with fans beyond the court.

The Athletic Social Media Intern program started in November 2024 when Director of Athletics Becky Silberman decided to expand JDS athletics’ social media presence. Initially, Silberman reached out to the Student Athletic Leadership Committee to gauge interest. When there was limited response, she opened the application to all high school students.

“My vision was basically getting more content that’s more accessible to high school students, ” Silberman said. “ … I was the only one managing our Instagram.”

For the application, students provided Silberman with a sample post. Silberman selected freshman David Loeffler, sophomore Brielle Bassin and junior Ella Arking. Together, they manage the JDS Athletics Instagram account under the username @cesjdsathletics, posting about upcoming games, sharing scores, creating highlight reels and more.

Arking, Bassin and Loeffler share a passion for sports and social media and felt that this opportunity was the perfect melding of these two interests.

“I was interested in joining this program because this is exactly what I want to do as my job,” Arking said. “I want to go into social media marketing for sports, so it was the perfect opportunity for me. I just saw it and immediately signed up.”

Arking’s favorite content she’s made have been her mic’d up videos. She has done two basketball ones: one with senior Josie Silverberg which received 78 likes, and

one with freshman Theo Pearlman, which received 186 likes.

There is no fixed schedule the interns must follow. They individually determine what content they want to create and take the initiative to film and edit it. Once the content is ready, they share it in a group chat so everyone is aware of what has already been produced. They then send it to Silberman who posts it on Instagram.

The interns use Content Sports, a design software that helps all levels of sports teams make custom content. The software offers templates and tools for creating videos. During their first week as interns, they met with CEO and Founder of Content Sports Ken Edwards, who taught them how to use the website.

For Bassin, the program is a fun way to engage with the JDS athletic community. She takes pride in seeing her work shared on the Instagram account.

“When I see my work on the Instagram ... it makes me feel so proud,” Bassin said. “Especially when other teams reposted it’s such a self accomplishment to see my work being recognized.”

Since none of the interns are seniors, Silberman hopes that they will continue next year. She is open to more participants applying in the future.

Bassin, Arking and Loeffler feel that they have learned useful editing and content creating skills. They hope to create more content for the community to enjoy.

“I love the freedom and creativity that I have with it, and it has really helped develop a lot of skills that I know that I’m going to be using more in college and hopefully in my career,” Arking said. “It’s such an amazing opportunity, and I truly think that if I went to any other school, I don’t really think that they [would] have these type[s] of opportunities.”

Photos by Mia Forseter, LT. Used with permission from Ella Arking, Brielle Bassin and David Loeffler.

A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN

Jews in professional athletics

Leora Blumenthal Arts and Entertainment Editor

Every Saturday, while his teammates are on the football field at practice or playing games, Texas A&M football player Sam Salz stays home, observing Shabbat. Salz, the only Orthodox Jew in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I football league, is a prime example of a Jewish athlete who can maintain his connection to Judaism while playing his sport at a high level.

Salz has played college football for three seasons, and trained his way onto the team despite not having a football team at his high school, Kohelet Yeshiva in Philadelphia. Salz feels that through his passion for football, he shows his fans that anyone can be successful while maintaining Jewish values.

“Keep true to your faith and who you are, and always [try] to grow in your spirituality and your observance,” Salz said. “Make sure sports are a catalyst for that and not something that draws it the other way.”

Salz strives to spread Jewish values through his actions, such as keeping kosher and observing Shabbat, even when it’s difficult. The most rewarding experiences of his college career has been connecting with people who tell him that he has helped them rebuild their faith and connect with God.

RECENT JDS

COLLEGIATE ATHLETES

NATHAN SZUBIN (‘25): CROSS COUNTRY AND TRACK, MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE

BEN BASS (23’): BASKETBALL, PENN STATE UNIVERSITY BRANDYWINE

VANESSA MARK (‘22): FENCING, VASSAR COLLEGE

LEV BENAVRAM (‘22): FENCING, BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY

ELLIE HASENBERG (‘22): SAILING, COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON

Another Jewish college athlete, CESJDS alumnus Ben Bass (‘23), started playing basketball at Washington College and transferred to Penn State Brandywine this past season. Bass feels that his Jewish values guide him through his basketball experiences.

“I try to be as nice as possible to my opponents,” Bass said. “... I kind of learned that through Judaism, where you always try to be as nice as possible to anybody.”

As Bass does not keep Shabbat, he feels his Jewish faith has not interfered with his experience as a college athlete. However, there was one incident where a fan made a negative comment about his playing skills in relation to his Judaism, which was surprising to him.

“That was the first time where I was like, wow, people actually care about that stuff,” Bass said. “But other than that I would say there hasn’t been anything crazy.”

Danielle Jeweler, National Basketball Association (NBA) agent and parent of eighth grade student Jordyn Jewler played soccer in at University of Pennsylvania and went on to work in the professional sports field. Jeweler’s responsibilities as an NBA agent include traveling to games, visiting clients, meeting with team owners and managers, collaborating with brands for partnerships

FAMOUS PROFESSIONAL JEWISH ATHLETES

AJ DILLON

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE RUNNING BACK FOR THE PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

ZACK HYMAN

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE WING FOR THE EDMONTON OILERS

and managing content shoots for athlete endorsements.

While the NBA is a predominantly non-Jewish industry, many of the team owners Jeweler works with are Jewish. Additionally, Jeweler feels that many athletes, especially those in the Black community, support her in her Jewish identity, especially since the beginning of the Hamas-Israel war.

“The Black community and the Jewish community have really found ways to connect,” Jeweler said. “A lot of my clients after October 7 really stepped up, reached out and a number of them posted on social media in support.”

According to Jeweler, her career with the NBA has been shaped by her Jewish values, which influence how she approaches her work and relationships. She emphasizes kindness and respect in all her work, making connections with athletes and clients based on shared principles.

“My Jewish values have always guided me in the day-to-day and how I show up for my clients,” Jeweler said. “... I think overall in my life, I’ve always just organically led with my Jewish values, and you don’t really see day-to-day how that shows up, but it’s certainly how I live.”

Photos from Creative Commons.

SUE BIRD

FORMER WOMEN’S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION POINT GUARD FOR THE SEATTLE STORM

EN GARDE

Junior competes and referees in fencing tournaments outside of school

Evie May Reporter

To some, fencing may seem like a dated sport, only used by medieval knights and Stormtroopers; however, for junior Jonathan Gordon, it’s a big part of his life. Jonathan has been practicing fencing, specifically sabre, three times a week since the age of 11, he practices fencing in classes and with private teachers. Jonathan also referees some matches, which he enjoys because it helps him build confidence.

Instead of focusing on reach (brute strength), sabre focuses more on the fencer’s strategy to try and beat an opponent. In sabre, there are different rules and objectives than foil and épée, the more popular forms of fencing. Sabre allows competitors to target areas only from the waist up, giving opponents a smaller target area. Additionally, the fencers do not have to hit their opponent with the tip of their blade, meaning they can cut and flick, which are strikes performed with the sides of their blade.

Jonathan began fencing because he enjoyed the fact that sabre touches are decided within a few seconds, giving opponents and referees only moments to take in footwork, defensive and offensive moves.

“I absolutely love the thinking aspect,” Jonathan said. “There’s a lot of thinking regardless [of] which weapon you choose. You’re going to have [to do] a lot of strategizing.”

Another aspect that sets sabre apart from the other types of fencing is the equipment. Sabre requires electrical equipment, such as the Lamè. The Lamè is a chest piece that determines whether or not there was a touch on the player by using electricity. The chest piece needs to be tested and up to code to make sure it can conduct electricity. It must also have no dead spots.

Whether it be finding him the club when he was first starting, helping him get his referee certification or driving him to practices and tournaments, Jonathan’s parents have always been a big part of his support system.

“If there’s a tournament, you’re going to be driving somewhere, so you have to get there early and make sure that everything is good,” Jonathan’s father Larry Gordon said. “You [need to] have enough time for your child to get on line and reach the check-in desk where they get inspected to make sure that their equipment is proper.”

Tournaments can be big or small, with pool sizes ranging from five to nine people. However, both pool sizes follow the same standards for players. Fencers get put in a pool with other players and once one beats everyone in the pool, they move onto the next set to fight for the championship. There are around 25 local fencing competitions per year, however, that number can vary. Depending on the club, competitions are not mandatory but strongly encouraged because they are a crucial part of a fencer’s development.

Fencing has given Jonathan a community outside of JDS by allowing him to branch out, meet new friends and have new experiences. Byron Neslund, Jonathan’s coach since he began fencing, explained that Jonathan excels in fencing and never gives up, even when facing adversity. For fencing, a coach’s influence is especially important because they are not able to guide fencers directly during the match, so the player must be able to be independent.

“I think Jonathan’s interest in fencing goes beyond purely athletic, but also into the theory and the strategy of the game as well,” Neslund said.

After going through the certification process, Jonathan became a referee for fencing as a

Jacket: protective layer for torso and arms

Mask: protective helmet

Lame: layer worn over jacket that uses electricity to register hits by opponent Jonathan’s interest in fencing goes beyond purely athletic, but also into the theory and the strategy of the game as well.

Sabre: weapon used to touch competitors in order to score points

Knickers: fencing pants

Sneakers: Jonathan’s shoe of choice when fencing

- FENCING COACH BYRON NESLUND “ “

R1-rated referee, meaning he is the main referee responsible for administering rules. While refereeing, Jonathan sometimes faces issues with other coaches. He has to decide what is a legal touch and what isn’t, even when it goes against what the coaches want.

“[I need] confidence in the fact that as a referee, everyone makes a wrong call sometimes, and you just have to stick with it no matter what,” Jonathan said.

Jonathan fences at the DC Fencers Club in Silver Spring up to three times a week. He emphasizes how important it is to be well-rounded and have a balance between school work and outside of school activities.

“It’s got both that thinking aspect to it, but it’s also got that adrenaline junkie aspect to it,” Jonathan said. “And that’s something you’re not going to find in any other kind of sport.”

Photo by Elliot Akst, used with permission.

PVAC explores new system for tournament seeding

Mia Forseter SportsEditor

After winning their quarterfinal game, the varsity girls basketball team knew that they would compete in a championship game. If they won their semifinal game, they would go onto tier one championships, and if they lost, they would end up in the tier two bracket in the championship game. However, the question remained as to which tier it would be for, as this was the first time the PVAC implemented a double-elimination style playoff schedule.

Rather than splitting playoffs by divisions as the PVAC usually does, double-elimination playoffs give teams a higher chance of competing in a championship game, as they have to lose two games to end their season. The varsity girls basketball league had a play-in for the bottom four teams, and in the varsity boys basketball league the top three teams got a bye.

“We decided to do some sort of system that would combine tier one and tier two,” Director of Athletics and varsity girls basketball head coach Becky Silberman said. “The Berman basketball team has been to a lot of tournaments that have a two tier playoff structure …

RANKING RIVALS

so we decided to bring that in for the tournament.”

While it differs from sport to sport, in the past for basketball, soccer and girls varsity volleyball, the PVAC has struggled to group teams into divisions. They had tried both geographic and skill level divisions.

With a skill level model, the lowest ranking team in the higher skilled division, also known as tier one, drops to tier two, the lower level division, and the winner of tier two rises to tier one in the following season. With this model, the PVAC ran into the issue of teams being placed in a division that was not appropriate for their skill level. Occasionally, teams in a lower skill division would also beat teams in a higher skill division, making it harder to understand the true rankings.

Until this year, no matter which division model the league followed, rankings across the entire league have been decided by points teams get from winning games (a win is three points, a loss is no points and a forfeit is minus one). This approach sometimes failed because teams would drop out before the season started, providing uneven amounts of games between divisions, and therefore giving different teams higher point values. Additionally this approach did not tell the full story of how good a team was.

This year, to better portray teams’ true standings, during the basketball season, the PVAC introduced a biweekly coaches poll to determine current season standing called ‘Power Rankings.’

The divisions and rankings affect basketball the most because it has the longest sports season. In a basketball season, teams will play each member of their division twice, and teams in the other division once to ensure the amount of games that best fits the length of the season. This past year, boys varsity basketball followed the skill level division model, and girls varsity basketball followed

the geographical division model (a north division and a south division). Rankings for the league as a whole were determined through a coaches poll.

Another reason the new ranking system for seasonal play arose was to increase engagement on the PVAC Instagram account. According to Silberman, “top teams were really excited about [the ranking system], and the bottom teams didn’t care.”

Many JDS basketball players did not believe the new rankings system impacted their season.

“I wouldn’t say it really had a big impact on the team or the players during the season,” junior Amalia Netter said. “It was almost exactly the same as if we did rank teams by points.”

Despite this, some players were worried about the biases that coaches might bring to the poll; they might pick one team over another so that they would play said team, and therefore have a better chance of winning the playoff game.

“I think that the coaches poll can make sense, but it does make it very complicated, and also it can make it pretty biased,” junior Matty Stillman said. “ ... If we beat Model by ten and Sandy Spring beats Model by 20, and then there’s a coaches poll ranking, the Model coach is going to take Sandy over us because Sandy beat them by more points. And that’s not always a fair system; what if we beat Sandy?”

According to Silberman, next year the league hopes to discontinue the coaches poll and revert back to the points-based system for ranking, with a slight caveat: giving teams more points to their ranking when they beat a better and stronger team.

“The new system without the coaches poll would help us have better mentalities during games,” Stillman said. “We could focus on just winning the game and not have to focus on winning by a certain amount.”

GIRLS VARSITY BASKETBALL FINAL COACHES POLL BERMAN COUGARS

CESJDS LIONS SANDY SPRING WILDEBEESTS ranked 1st overall ranked 2nd overall ranked 3rd overall

MODEL EAGLES ranked 4th overall

Photo from the PVAC Instagram account, used with permission.

COVERAGE FROM COLUMBIA

Lion’s Tale and Dimensions staff members along with two teacher chaperones take a journalism field trip to the Columbia Scholastic Press Association conference in New York City from March 17-19

Vivi Ducker

Editor-in-Chief

KEEPING IT KOSHER

SPEAKING OUT

FIT’D UP SWAPPING STORIES

Students break for a lunch from Saba’s Pizza in a room at Columbia University’s Hillel. Due to New York’s large Jewish population, trip attendees ate at several kosher restaurants including Miznon Kosher Kitchen and Bagels & Co. throughout the trip.

New York Times Managing Editor Carolyn Ryan, Reuters Global Editor of Artificial Intelligence Development and Innovation Arlyn Gajilan and CNN SVP of Digital Editorial and Programming Marcus Mabry speak on managing their newsrooms in a “volatile news environment” in a session moderated by Columbia Journalism Review Executive Editor Sewell Chan. Speakers at the conference ranged from professional journalists to students and publication advisers. Students recieved reporting advice, leadership skills and more.

After a full day of educational sessions at the conference on March 18, sophomore Opinion Editor Lindsey Shapiro photographs a display at The Museum at The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT). Students had the opportunity to walk around and explore the exhibit, and later, the surrounding neighborhood in the city.

High school journalists from schools across the country flip through the Lion’s Tale at the “Student Swap Shop.” The Swap Shop is an opportunity for student journalists to look at other schools’ newspapers and magazines to ask questions about their publications, give and receive feedback.

Photos by Vivi Ducker, LT and Jessica Nassau, LT & Dimensions.