2021 Raider Theme Package

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Gulliver Preparatory Upper School Campus

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Raider 2021

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GAME TIME. Sophomore Isabella Rezk cheers at the first football game of the season. The team was ready to perform their new choreography.

Although there were no fans, the cheerleaders showed their support for the team. Photo by Jennifer Uccelli

8 it is what it is 62 figuring it out 122 keeping up 160 falling into place 176 people 334 reference Q1 - Augu st

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ST. PATRICKS DAY. Sophomore Alessandra Genovese carries her Starbucks drink as she walks up to have her temperature taken before first period. It was St. Patrick’s Day and students could also pick up some green beads as they walked in. “I bought a green drink to celebrate and iced matcha green tea is my favorite; the beads were also a nice touch,” Genovese said. Photo by Monica Rodriguez

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Gulliver Preparatory SCHOOL Upper School Campus 6575 North Kendall Drive Pinecrest, Florida 33156 Phone: (305) 666-7937 Fax: (305) 665-3791 Upper School Miller Campus 8000 SW 56th Street Miami, Florida 33155 Phone: (305) 274-9535 Fax: (786) 294-6184

www.gulliverprep.org

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Raider 2021

WATCH YOUR COVER COME TO LIFE! 1. Visit the App Store or Google Play and download the free Yearbook AR app.

2. Open the app, scan the yearbook cover and watch it come to life. *Additional content via QR codes throughout.

Title Page

1

as August rolled around...

we were

anxious.

Would classes be held in person?

Would we see our friends again?

Would we catch corona?

What would we miss?

Sitting on gym bleachers watching the Sun Dancers perform.

Being part of the crowd at the "Blue Zoo" as the Raiders scored a touchdown.

Seniors leaving to grab Chicken Kitchen for lunch.

The sweet smell of treats in the air from the Parent Association during spirit week.

Hearing senior Jordan Schmidt's voice carry through the atrium during Friday morning announcements.

INSTEAD...

Zoom drained our computer batteries.

Health teacher Suzanne Landsom told us to follow the arrows and walk the right way.

Teachers like math teacher Cynthia Lopata told us to turn on our cameras for attendance.

Broadcast teacher Michael Sylver and Testing Coordinator Leigh Husband checked our temperature and Safety App as we arrived on campus in the morning.

rocky

Our year was off to a

2 Opening ~Theme

sTART.

LEARNING AT HOME. Sophomore Ian Gill works simultaneously on two computers while listening to music. Gill worked on his English paper on one computer and looked at the rubric on the other. “I kept going back and forth between Google Classroom and my essay. So I got annoyed and decided to work on two computers at the same time,” Gill said.

Photo provided by Ian Gill

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Kimberley Cruz & Cindy Vega

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TEMPERATURE CHECK. Junior Lauren Bartel shows her safety app receipt and has her temperature taken upon arriving on campus. Bartel lifted her phone and waited for her safety app confirmation after waiting for the person in front of her. “I was late to class that day because there was this person in front of me who forgot to fill out their safety app, so I just waited for them to do that and tried to get my temperature checked quickly to go to class,” Bartel said.

Photo by Monica Rodriguez

4 Opening ~ Theme

as we settled in, we still had more questions...

I have to wear a mask all day?

What does overflow mean?

Do I really have to sanitize at the end of every class?

we were

annoyed.

As the year unfolded, so did the challenges.

Daily mask-wearing produced “mask acne.”

Classes stopped suddenly when the construction crew cut the Wi-Fi. A broken water main left only one working bathroom.

Cancelled events left the yearbook staff wondering how to fill their pages.

Virtual tours replaced on-campus college visits.

Head coaches announced that football players couldn’t attend school in person.

Junior Milo Suarez had to drive to Naples to be able to finally take his first SAT exam.

Senior Kimberley Cruz's internet went out and she couldn't send her college application supplement.

The girls varsity soccer team found out they were exposed to COVID-19, shortening their season, and an upperclassmen party turned into a four-hundred-person

quarantine.

Was it all

that

bad?

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Kimberley Cruz & Cindy Vega

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as the year continued...

we

adapted.

Discovering blue-light glasses actually helped.

Adjusting to hybrid learning.

Waiting for sport seasons to return.

Holding drive-by birthday celebrations.

Finding lunch spots on the field.

Catching up with friends during “Senior Week.”

Safely reuniting once again.

In January, vaccines arrived, offering

new

HOPE.

At first it wasn't easy, but we figured things out as we went.

go

So turn the page and follow us...

as we

6 Opening ~ Theme

GOING GREEN. Junior Paulina Hernandez selects her plant, while Catherine Ehrling looks on. The Environmental Club sponsored a planting event during lunch to celebrate Earth Day on April 22. “It was cool being able to celebrate Earth Day and plant with my friends,” Hernandez said. Photo by Adriana Leyba

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Kimberley Cruz & Cindy Vega

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it is what it is ...

Art teacher Joseph Golinski places a stack of books in a student’s car during the drive-through book distribution on Aug. 16. It was a very different scenario from past years.

Normally students would pile into the cafeteria during Orientation Day, grabbing their book lists, meeting their teachers, and setting up their lockers. Not this year. This year was different.

Everything changed due to the coronavirus pandemic. School administrators and faculty had to rethink all group activities, ensuring safety protocols such as social distancing and health checks were in place. It was a situation we were all facing together, and we had no choice but to adapt and make the best of it.

“It was for sure interesting to see everyone again for the first time in person since March.

Many regulations had to be established and we could see how they were being followed during the drive by,” Golinski said.

For seniors who were hoping the pandemic would be “over” by the start of their senior year, getting news that school would start remotely was bittersweet.

“I wanted to be in school for my first day as a senior. I had been waiting four years to wear my senior shirt, with my crown, and walk-in with pride.

I did not want to be online, but there was nothing I could do about it,” senior Christian Olazabal said.

So seniors dealt with it. They got used to a virtual senior year, and still held on to the tradition of decorating their crowns. Finally, students had the choice to return to campus on Sept. 11. There was a trade-off though.

Everyone had to follow strict safety guidelines, including wearing a mask all day and completing health surveys and temperature checks on a daily basis. Still, the in-person option was the only option for those that wanted the semblance of a regular high school experience.

8 Divider ~ It Is What It Is ~ Q1

quarter one

SUPPLIES. Ceramics teacher Joseph Golinski closes the trunk of a junior’s car after placing their art materials inside. Due to safety measures in place, students had to drive through to pick up their textbooks and art materials, rather than attending an in-person orientation. “I was in charge of distributing the art materials and was out there for two days straight,” Golinski said.

Photo by Morgan Vazquez

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Kimberley Cruz

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figuring it out ...

Freshman Eli Paresky listens as math teacher Craig Thompson explains a geometry problem. Math was difficult for him to grasp, especially when learning remotely.

“When I attended school remotely, math was a class I struggled with, so I decided to go back to school in person.

Being able to learn in person and be face-to-face with my teacher helped my understanding of Geometry,” Paresky said.

By the second quarter, we got the hang of it. We became familiar with our schedules, the safety app, one-way hallways, lunch areas, and the new hybrid learning environment. We got used to welcoming new members to class either in person or on screen, and got used to having to clean up five minutes before each dismissal. Meeting classmates both in person and on screen was the “norm.”

“I had to get used to being back on campus.

I was attending class in person, but there were still people attending remotely, so seeing my classmates behind the screen felt strange,” senior Sofia Gomariz said.

Throughout the quarter we figured out ways to enjoy school activities. Halloween, Spirit Week, and Holiday Pajama Day were different, but still offered a chance to show our school spirit. By this time, we also learned ways to deal with Wi-Fi issues and how to work in groups in a virtual environment.

By quarter two, we were settling in and getting used to the vibe.

“By the end of the semester, I pretty much had my routine in place. At first it was tough, but you just learn to get used to it,” senior Stefano Gavazzi said.

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quarter two

HYBRID. Math teacher Craig Thompson explains a lesson on angles to his geometry class. There were three students in person, with the rest attending remotely. “Teaching this way is still a work in progress. It’s easy to engage students that are in the classroom, but not as easy to engage the ones that are online. So we have to try to stay interesting which is hard to do in math,” Thompson said. Photo by Adriana Leyba

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Kimberley Cruz

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keeping up...

Taking a deep breath and preparing herself for the rest of her run, junior Anne Bannon kept a steady pace to finish the 5k race at Larry and Penny Park.

“I did my best pushing forward and tried keeping up with everyone in the race. It was tough, but the effort was all worth it at the end,” junior Anne Bannon said.

Quarter Three was all about that “keeping up.” Safety procedures and guidelines became commonplace and we shifted our attention to our most pressing priorities.

“I used to have to think about everything I did, like wearing my mask and spraying my desk, and now since it has become a routine, I have been able to refocus. With my busy schedule, school has been harder, so I have had to rethink my priorities,” sophomore Paulino Mercenari.

Teachers focused on deadlines.

Freshmen grew more comfortable with being high school students. Sophomores dealt with junior-year subject selections.

Juniors that had spent summer and fall studying for their ACT and SAT began scheduling exam dates, and seniors finalized last-minute college application requirements.

“I attended school half remote and half in-person, I had to manage my exam dates with my travel schedule along with my sports games and my assignments, so I was thrilled the school offered the SAT and ACT on campus,” junior Lucie Duchene said.

122 Divider ~ Keeping Up ~ Q3

KEEPING THE PACE. The girls Cross Country team secured a spot at the Disctrict Championship. To prepare, the team practiced by running two miles longer than their actual race distance. “Training for district for the last year was surreal. We worked so hard and I couldn’t be more proud of myself and my teammates,” senior Julia Hornstein said. Photo by Fox Mar

quarter quarter three three

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falling into place...

Senior Chloe Hernandez reached up to strategically place cellophane and mesh above her personal art gallery for the Senior Art Show. From April 20-22, IB, AP and Architecture seniors had the chance to display four years of work to the school community. For awhile, seniors weren’t sure if they would have the opportunity, but they were thrilled once they found out that they were allowed to safely do so.

“I’m so grateful that I was able to show off my work as a senior. I just wanted to make this art show memorable for not only me but also for everyone viewing my art,” Hernandez said.

As Quarter Four began, things were settling into a rhythm.

Most seniors’ hard work finally paid off, as they made their college decisions. Juniors began their college admissions process. Sophomores decided between IB or AP. And Freshmen were wrapping up their first year of high school. Regular spring events took place: sports wrapped up their seasons with some competing at the state level, honor societies inducted new members, and the awards ceremony celebrated individual achievements.

“It’s so weird that after this quarter, I’m going to be a senior. Not only am I going to be the oldest in the school, but now I’m officially starting to apply to colleges. It’s like all of it is finally coming together,” junior Victoria Poliak said.

The end of the quarter would hold the final and best moments for the seniors, from watching the sunrise together to enjoying a prom event and then finally being able to walk the stage at graduation. What was uncertain at the beginning, seemed to come full circle by the end.

“It’s strange how this quarter is going to be my last one here. I’m excited to graduate and go to college. I’ve worked so hard for it the past four years and am ready for the next four. But at the same time, these last few years have been amazing. I’m going to miss everyone. But, I feel like all the pieces are falling into place,” senior Luis Aparicio said.

160 Divider ~ Keeping Up ~ Q4

quarter four

PLACE IT. Senior Chloe Hernandez arranges the celophane above her art display before the Senior Art Show on Apr. 19, where senior artists had the chance to set up individual galleries to showcase their work from the past four years. “It’s nice that I could show off my best pieces my senior year and show my growth,” Hernandez said Photo by Samantha Gitlin

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Cindy Vega

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Sophomore Amanda Shaffer

catches up with junior Carmen Hall r\ during lunch in the atrium. The two had not seen each other since last year because Hall had stayed home to learn remotely during volleyball season. It was 95 degrees outside and Hall was commenting on how particularly uncomfortable it was to have to wear a mask in the heat, especially since she was not used to having to wear a mask all day.

“Lunch was about to end, and I remember it was so hot that day. I ran into Carmen, and we sat down and talked for a bit before lunch ended. She kept on making jokes about how wearing a mask makes her feel even hotter. She ended up having to put up her hair from how hot it was,” Shaffer said.

176 Divider ~ People

CATCHING UP. Sophomore Amanda Shaffer and junior Carmen Hall catch up in the atrium during lunch. Hall had just returned to campus after spending a semester learning remotely. “I hadn’t seen her in a long time because she had just come back in person because of volleyball,” Shaffer said. Photo by Monica Rodriguez

people

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Seniors Naszir Mantilla and Christopher

McCormick found a spot outside by the clock to have lunch. McCormick was settling into his seat, juggling the various carryout containers, when globs of red pasta sauce fell on his khaki pants. Mantilla laughed in reaction, but ultimately helped him clean up the mess.

“I was frustrated that I got sauce all over my pants and threw my hands up, then Naz began imitating me. I just ended up laughing hysterically at how good his imitation was,” McCormick said.

230 Divider ~ Senior Ads ~ Month

FRIENDS.Seniors Christopher McCormick and Naszir Mantilla laugh after a minor incident during lunch.

Mantilla imitated McCormick reacting to food falling on his pants. “It was just too hilarious because he dropped food on himself and threw his hands up like a child. So I just imitated him, and he began laughing and ended up forgetting about the food,” Mantilla said. Photo by Lucie Duchene

senior ads

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Cindy Vega

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380 Closing~as we go

FULLY VACCINATED. Senior Jacob Stein holds up his vaccine card. Stein received his first dose on Mar. 20 and his second three weeks later at Jackson South Medical Center. “I decided to get vaccinated as early as possible because many of my family and friends were getting it, and I wanted to do my part to achieve herd immunity quickly,” Stein said. Photo by Kimberley Cruz

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“WE ARE FINALLY ONE STEP CLOSER TO GOING BACK TO OUR NORMAL LIVES,” -- sophomore Esther Enekes said.

we never know the twists and turns life will bring

GOING FOR IT. Sophomore quarterback Stefano Luis throws a pass to a teammate during the JV football game against Somerset Academy. The Raiders won with a final score of 73-6. “Our season was pretty good. Besides staying home because of the [coronavirus] pandemic, dealing with the virus wasn’t too hard; we just had to be extra careful and go on with our lives,“ Luis said. Photo by Jennifer Uccelli

so we

figure it out and we ...

as we go

going keep

Upper School Campus Miami, FL

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