HSAC Chronicle - June 2020 - High School of Applied Communication

THE HIGH SCHOOL OF APPLIED COMMUNICATION ISSUE 3

30 -20 THOMSON AVENUE, LONG ISL AND CIT Y, N Y 11101

Michael Weinstein, Principal | Selina Yuen, Assistant Principal | Eduardo Alarcon, Assistant Principal

JUNE 2020

Congratulations to HSAC’s 2020 Valedictorian: Jasmine Schatzschneider

By Karen Thanaprakantrakul Jasmine Schatzschneider has worked diligently and given enormous effort to become High School of Communication’s 2020 Valedictorian. With an overall 94.71 earned average in her four years here at HSAC, Jasmine took time to answer some questions I had for her about her high school experience, her wonderful achievement and her future: Q: What was your initial reaction when you found out that you were named valedictorian?

A: It came as a surprise, honestly.

In addition to high It had been a dream of mine for a school graduate, senior long time, but I hadn’t expected to Jasmine Schatzschneider really get it. So when I got the call can also add “Valedictowith the news, it took a bit for it to rian” to her resume. really set in. After I put the phone (CAPTION BY R. TROTTA / PHOTO down, it was straight squealing for COURTESY J. SCHATZSCHNEIDER) a few minutes (laughs).

Q: What is your advice to your fellow underclassmen who would like to strive to become valedictorian?

A: It’s a great thing if you want to become valedictorian, but my advice is to not lose sight of what you’re here for. Submit work you’ll be proud of. Put your heart into everything you do.

Contribute to the school community. Be creative. Don’t be afraid of failure. Commit to doing well for the sake of growing as a person, too. High school is just as much of a personal journey as it is an academic journey. The core purpose of this is to do your best at every opportunity.

Q: What was your strategy to keep yourself on track to achieve such incredible success as a student?

A: I’d say motivation is the easiest way to keep yourself on track, but that’s a tricky thing because there’s no secret formula. It comes from a different place for everyone and might not always

be consistent. Throughout my high school career, the source of my motivation has shifted time and time again. It’s not always easy. You have to be creative when motivation falters. I’ve even written letters to myself for me to read when I feel down to try and encourage myself. That’s why it’s important that, when you aim for something like this, to find more than one reason to keep going. I wish I had a simpler answer, but the bottom line is to explore yourself and find where your passion is.

Q: What are your future plans?

A: My basic plans for the future are to go to college, get a Bachelor’s degree and find a job I feel interested in. I tend to go with the flow more than I tend to meticulously plan things out because there are many things I can’t accurately predict. I don’t know for sure what my interests will be in five years, nor any opportunities that may arise along the way. I have to work with what I know and stay flexible to change.

Q: Is there a teacher or staff member who encouraged you and/or helped you to achieve the highest honor given to a senior?

A: Absolutely! The majority of teachers I’ve had here were very encouraging. Their feedback on the quality of my work and their affirmation towards my effort were a big influence on my performance. Of course, you should focus on living up to your own expectations, but to know that your efforts do not go unnoticed and that others see potential in you is an amazing thing.

Sometimes something a teacher would say to me would make my day, you know? I think a healthy line of communication between students and teachers can really make all the difference, especially in a smaller community like ours. I’m grateful to every teacher who has helped me along the way, but I’d like to give a shout-out to Mr. Picos, Ms. Zarate and Mr. Vega. :) Q: What motivated you during these four years of high school?

A: Like I mentioned before, my source of motivation has shifted over time, and more than once. Starting out, my main drive was to make my parents proud. As I got older, it shifted more towards making myself proud, and preparing myself for the future. I took time to align my priorities with my values and used that knowledge to help keep me running in a direction that made me

Mt. Sinai Hospital Workers in Queens Shown Appreciation for Heroic Service during Pandemic Every evening at 7 pm, residents gather in social-distancing fashion at Mt. Sinai Hospital in Astoria to applaud, cheer and offer words of gratitude for the heroic efforts of doctors, nurses and other staff members who have been working with enormous dedication and selflessness during the Coronavirus pandemic. Pictured are some of the moments that have continually unfolded in front of the hospital, including local firefighters giving thanks and hospital staff members reacting to the love and support they have been deservingly receiving with claps of their own and selfies with the crowds behind them.

In lower right photo, “#HeroesWorkHere” is appropriately stamped in front of the Queens hospital.

(CAPTION BY SMARAN VEDANTAM AND GABRIEL ZARATE / PHOTOS BY GIOVANNA TROTTA))

happy. Don’t be afraid to re-evaluate things like that. That’s the best thing you can do for yourself because that’s how you learn and grow.

Q: Where do you see yourself in ten years?

A: Married, with a good job and a nice living space. Maybe a pet lizard (laughs), I don’t know, but I trust myself. I’ll figure something out.

Q: What college are you going to, and what are you planning on studying?

A: I’m going to Baruch College and I’ll be studying Marketing Management with a concentration in Digital Marketing. :) Q: Was being named valedictorian your plan, or was it unintentional?

A: It was something I always dreamt about and something I always strove toward. I’m overjoyed to have received this title and I’m super grateful to everyone who supported me along the way.

Q: How would you define success?

A: Success obviously means differently for everyone, but I believe success is an internal thing. You should find what you value in life and pursue that.

Q: What do you enjoy when you are not focusing on school?

A: I wholeheartedly enjoy spending time with the people I love, playing video games and drawing.

Q: How do you feel about the fact that we are having a virtual graduation?

A: I feel a little sad about it but, obviously, safety should be the primary focus right now. Although a physical graduation would have been ideal, having a virtual one does not diminish the richness of the four-year journey that led up to this.

Q: How is your speech coming along and are you nervous to deliver it?

A: The process of writing my speech has been a little stressful because it’s hard to find exactly what to say sometimes. But I know it’ll all come together nicely in the end. I am equally excited as I am nervous about delivering it but, mostly, I’m elated to be named valedictorian and I’m so grateful for everything that led up to this becoming a reality.

Page 1 THE HSACCAMPUS CHRONICLES • SPRING • JUNE 2012 2020

Dept. of Education

HSAC THE CHRONICLES CAMPUS • SPRING • JUNE 2020 2012 Page 2

Say Hello to HSAC’s 2020 Salutatorian: Eileen Martinez

by Maddie Sharkey Congratulations to HSAC senior, Eileen Martinez, whose hard work, dedication and 93.41 average over the course of four years have earned her the title of Salutatorian for 2020.

I recently had the pleasure of conducting an online interview with Eileen, to learn a little bit more about her - academically and personally.

Q: What was your initial reaction when you found out that you were salutatorian?

Eileen Martinez has a A: I was mostly surprised and lot to smile about, as she overjoyed. I didn’t expect that finishes her four years I would be salutatorian. I was at High School of Comproud of myself that my work munication with an acafrom the past four years paid off. demic average that earns her the title as this year’s Q: What is your advice to your fellow underclassmen who “Salutatorian.” want to be very successful in (CAPTION BY R. TROTTA / PHOTO their academics?

COURTESY E. MARTINEZ) A: My advice would be to strive for more than just okay. If there are other students that don’t want to do the work, leave them be. You should focus on your own work because it will benefit you in the future. If you are

given a task, you should always try to aim for your best.

Q: What was your strategy to keep yourself on track to do so well that it earned such a prestigious title?

A: I was able to keep myself on track by having my future in mind. I want to be someone important in the future and, in order to do that, I must do well in my studies. If I work hard now, I thought, it will certainly help me later on in life.

Q: What are your future plans?

A: What I plan to do is obtain a degree in Criminal Justice Management, which will help me become a crime scene investigator. I will have to slowly work my way up in law enforcement in order to join the FBI. After some time, I would like to help manage the police department and change the way it is operated.

Q: Is there a teacher or staff member who encouraged you and/or helped you achieve this enormous achievement?

A: Mostly all the teachers I had encouraged me and the other students to try their best. The teacher that helped me the most this year was Ms. Finkenthal because she would praise me after I completed all of her assignments and work, and she motivated me to keep doing my best in her class.

Q: What or whom motivated you the most during these four years of high school?

A: My parents motivated me the most. I wanted to make my parents proud and I wanted to set an example for my younger siblings so that they also do their best when they enter high school.

Q: Where do you see yourself in ten years?

A: In ten years I see myself working in the FBI and having enough money to buy a house. I would be living a fulfilling life that allows me to help people.

Q: How would you define success?

A: Success is when you have accomplished a goal that you set up for yourself. Everyone wants their life to be a certain way.

When you are successful it means that you have finally gotten the life you wanted. Success doesn’t only have to do with how much money you have; instead, I see it as how happy you truly are with your life.

Q: What do you enjoy when you are not focusing on school?

A: Outside of school I enjoy spending time with people that are close to me, and I have fun with my hobbies such as learning new languages, playing the piano and playing video games. I usually like to learn new things because I have too much curiosity and many questions about the world we live in.

Q: How do you feel about the fact that we are having a virtual graduation?

A: I am a bit disappointed that we won’t have an actual graduation. However, with the pandemic going on, I understand that a virtual graduation is a good choice to ensure our safety.

Q: How is your speech coming along?

A: I have an idea of what I should say. However, I am too nervous to record myself because I don’t want to mess up something important.

HSAC Conducts ‘Student of the Month’ Awards – Virtually story and photos by Jennifer Lopez

Faculty and student recipients at High School of Applied Communication took part in the monthly celebration of recognizing those who have excelled, progressed and shown good character. But, with the closing of schools due to the Coronavirus pandemic since March, the “Student of the Month” award ceremonies for April and May achievements were held by way of the Microsoft Teams platform, successfully proving that the Hosting the April and show must, and can, go on.

May “Student of the Kick-starting the May 8 Month” Awards online event was school principal, was Mr. Molczan Mr. Weinstein, who requested (pictured, above). a moment of silence for those Many students from who have passed away from HSAC , including the Covid-19 virus, as well as Anthony Villalba, to acknowledge the essential were commended workers who have been makfor their work and ing sacrifices in order to help given certificates of those in need. acknowledgement (on To begin the ceremony, right). (CAPTION BY R. TROTTA) event host, Mr. Molczan, stated, “These students are the ones who really try to do their best, who really engage in their subjects and aim to get high grades. They really strive to do their best.”

There were a total of 30 students’ names announced, with positive comments made by teachers about what truly made these teens stand out in their eyes during this challenging time of remote learning.

Ms. Cece, for example, described award recipient Naaz Deep as “someone who always goes above and beyond. She

does perfect work, but also submits it on time…It’s always such a pleasure to have her, not only physically when we are in school, but also online. She excels in both settings.”

Students given praise were described as setting an example for their peers by striving to accomplish their academic goals day after day to create meaningful work.

Savanna Velez, said her English teacher, Mr. Golis, “is definitely doing a great job. Her responses are excellent…one was so well-written that I posted it for teachers to see…Keep up the good work, Savanna.”

Ms. Alacantara complimented one of her students, Anthony Villalba, for “always being the one who responds to the discussion questions and always submitting assignments…they are not only completed assignments, but they are assignments of high quality!”

Mr. Weinstein added, “It’s great to see Anthony really make a great adaption to very complex mediums.

Thank you Anthony.”

Technical advisor, Mr. Picos, ended the virtual ceremony by giving a very special thanks to Joy Assad for helping to organize the event, and added, “Congratulations to all the students who received awards. We are all super proud of you. You inspire us and you inspire your peers.”

Ms. Avena also supported the events by creating and printing the awards, along with additional help from the Student Leadership Committee of the National Honors Society, led by Mr. Mołczan, who considers each of the candidates selected by their teacher and then shares the list with administration.

The Star Spangled Banner, performed by Whitney Houston, closed the ceremony.

For the June 5 ceremony, Mr. Molczan began by pointing out that students receiving an award each month may have been nominated by more than one of their teachers – for excelling in multiple classes. Following this, the awards

were announced and the praises were offered.

“She takes her accomplishments to the next level,” Ms. Finkenthal stated about the first award recipient, Veronica Kotlinski.

Jaden Congrains is “a great student, who has contributed to discussions. He is creative and he is truly a dedicated student,” said Mr. Worth.

Ms. Acosta praised Jonathan Bustamante for making “great improvement in his studies through remote learning…he has grown by leaps and bounds.”

Madeline Sharkey received glowing words from Ms. Khatun, who stated, “Maddie is amazing, committed to what she sets her mind to. She is kind, hardworking and she supports her friends and peers. She has inspired me and others. She knows who she is and she is going to do amazing things in her future.”

In total, 25 students were applauded for their work, their progress and more.

The HSAC Chronicles’ staff would like to congratulate students who have been recognized throughout the school year.

Social Media Revolutionizes Modern Protesting Amid Widespread Police Brutality Outcry

by Jasmine Schatzschneider, editor-in-chief

A

t 8:01 p.m. on May 25th this year, a call was made to 911 by a deli employee in Minneapolis, alleging that a man had used a counterfeit twenty dollar bill to purchase cigarettes. The man, 46-year-old George Floyd, was handcuffed and arrested by 8:08 pm.

Nine minutes later, the third and final police vehicle had arrived. At the scene were officers Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng, Tou Thao and Derek Chauvin.

Floyd refused to enter the back of the police car due to his claustrophobia, of which he notified the officers. Following a struggle, Chauvin restrained him, using his knee to apply pressure to Floyd’s neck for what would turn out to be a total duration of eight minutes and 46 seconds.

Despite officers having requested emergency medical assistance, Chauvin continued to cruelly pin Floyd down.

At least sixteen times in the span of less than five minutes, Floyd cried out and alerted the officers that he could not breathe, to which Chauvin paid no regard. He never took his knee off of Floyd’s neck, even as he became visibly unconscious four minutes in.

Bystanders pleaded for Chauvin to stop and that Floyd’s pulse be checked, but officers disre-garded them. They took no action to treat him while waiting for the ambulance, which arrived at 8:27 p.m. Even then, as Floyd lay unresponsive on the ground, Chauvin did not remove his knee until an EMT had to tell him to stop.

By 9:25 p.m., Floyd was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

The unjust death of George Floyd set off major protests in Minneapolis, and sparked national outrage. Less than two weeks later, all 50 states would have conducted protests in solidarity with the movement.

Social media has played a key role in expanding the Black Lives Matter movement to the ex-tent that it has in the last two weeks. It enables users to use their social capital to educate their followers, which has had a profound effect on promoting the movement.

Tens of millions of posts have been shared under #BlackLivesMatter across multiple plat-forms such as Twitter and Instagram, spreading important information about the movement, such as how to stay safe during protests, where to donate, what petitions to sign and much more.

On May 30th, an African American woman by the name of Zoe Amira posted a video

on YouTube to create a means for people with limited monetary resources to financially help the movement as well. Containing art and music from African American creators, the video has a duration of one hour and holds many, many ads. The more users that view the ads, the more revenue will be generated. Amira stated that 100% of the resulting revenue will be dispersed between various organizations devoted to Black Lives Matter, including bail-out funds for protestors, and split based on necessity. As of June 7th, the video has over 9 million views.

Social media’s ability to unite people is revolutionizing the concept of protesting, as it pro-vides a plethora of new opportunities to support the movement, essentially allowing everyone to have some means of advocacy.

Ethan Klein of h3h3Productions, a popular YouTube channel, published a video on June 5th in which he shared his outlook on the essential role that modern technology has in regards to police brutality today.

“What if there was no video? What would the police report say? That they were threatened, that they thought he pulled a weapon, that he was resisting arrest, that he assaulted an officer?” Klein continued, “The invention of this video camera that everyone’s got in their pocket, that’s relatively new. [Police brutality] has been going on for so long, and only now I feel like people can actually see it for what it is.”

The ease with which important evidence and information can be spread on social media allowed for the creation of a network of news and updates for people to access and interact with as an alternative to mainstream media. This enables viewers to see more of the “big picture,” and have a better grasp on what the reality is.

HSAC’s Student Body President Katelyn Bostick commented on the role of social media in the current wave of activism. “The double-edged sword of social media has been able to help people in a time of protest and political action. It’s brought people together and created networks even as far as individuals who don’t even know one another — creating safety groups to go to protests.”

Ultimately, the way social media has been utilized to unite and strengthen influence on a matter this scale has revolutionized the concept of protesting in modern times. Having given everyone a means to a voice, this new manner of activism will likely continue to be used to promote many more causes in the future.

From the HSAC Chronicles Staff to All of the Graduates!

Published P bl by the journalism students of HIGH SCHOOL OF APPLIED COMMUNICATION 30-20 Thomson Avenue, Long Island City, NY 11101 Michael Weinstein, Principal Newspaper Advisor and Editorial Layout Mr. Robert Trotta Editor-In-Chief Jasmine Schatzschneider STAFF Spring Journalism Class Special thanks to Mark Weidler of the Queens Chronicle — for collaborating with our staff, giving his generous support and assisting us in keeping our school newspaper alive and kicking …even during a global pandemic!

Page 3 THE HSACCAMPUS CHRONICLES • SPRING • JUNE 2012 2020

EDITORIAL

What are some new, fun, productive things you have been doing during the pandemic?

by Katelyn Bostick and R. Trotta

“Dur ing t his pandemic I have star ted doing many new things.

For example, I have begun working ou t daily, focusing on my thighs, arms and abs. Another thing I’ve started recently is cooking. Every week I’ve been cooking something new, things I’ve never made before, such as learning to make macaroons, rolls, pie and more. I have also been reading a lot more poetry (I’m currently reading “Pillow Thoughts” by Courtney Peppernell). Here is a photo of a cosmic brownie I made during the quarantine.”

— Amina Rabbani

“Yes, I know. Not the most glamorous shot of the family, but this experience makes us enjoy the simple things a great deal more. Eating lunch on the stoop in front of the house would have been the least likely thing for us to do on a Sunday afternoon. During quarantine?

This is a great exploration of the sky, the air, the neighbors playing in their yards and walking their dogs. We all still manage to like each other. As of this writing. Some days..... we put that to the test, like everyone else.”

— Mrs. Napoles (picture on lower left) “I like doing art because it’s a way to handle my ADHD at times, and just knowing that it’s a distraction from other things helps me concentrate and clear my mind…I started painting a few months ago as presents for friends, and then it just continued to be a thing I just kept doing. The lockdown has, sort of, helped me appreciate doing art more since it’s the one enjoyable thing that can help pass the time and not bore me.”

— Jason Castillo “During the Covid-19 Pandemic, my wife and I have been working on baking bread and making various types of pastries. Here are photos of a few examples of which we ate and shared with our loved ones. We are very much willing, if others would like, to create videos and show our students how they can not only bake their own bread and pastries but make Nutella/Apple-cinnamon Polish crepes.”

— Mr. Molczan

“On May 17, we celebrated my dad’s 80th birthday with a parade of cars filled with our closest friends and family. My cousin sent a bagpiper to lead the parade, as my dad is a lover of the bagpipes. He said, ‘That day was one of the best things I have ever been a part of.’”

— Ms. Campbell

“My wife, son and I have been taking occasional walks over to Astoria Park during the pandemic, to get some fresh air and admire the beautiful views such as the East River and the Triborough (Robert F. Kennedy) Bridge. As you can see from the photo, we also got in some baseball practices too. Although we miss going to baseball games, bringing our gloves to have a catch is just as special!

— Mr. Trotta

“Morning bonding with my ‘happy h e l p e r.’ M a k i n g breakfast pancakes is easy and lots of fun with my 3-yearold granddaughter, Riley Kaye. Never mind the mess - it is part of the game ha ha ha.”

— Mrs. Alcantara Shumaiya Subah drew a colorful picture personifying a bottle of hand sanitizer, as it combats the Coronavirus during the quarantine.

Page 4 THE HSACCAMPUS CHRONICLES • SPRING • JUNE 2012 2020

HSAC’s Amazing Quaran-teens, Staff:

Rabah Ashar was “working on self-development, and getting into unknown talents,” when he created this beautiful piece of digital art. Based on the Pokemon character, Charizard X, Rabah said, “I just wanted to draw something cool. I was experimenting with some colors and techniques, and that’s how it came out.”

During the pandemic, HSAC’s computer tech, David Guerrera, worked on this stunning paint-by-number art piece of an Egyptian goddess, which was given to him by his niece “to help relieve stress during this pandemic…it worked.”

compiled by Emmy Veselinov, Jasmine Schtazschneider, Janelle Grant-Lewis and Justin Fernandez “Thank you, Mr. Riese, for being an amazing and cool graphic design teacher and helping me paint one of my favorite Gorillaz’ characters, 2-D; I highly love that painting. I’ll never forget those times you would put my favorite type of music on while doing classwork. Hope to see you and other teachers in the future!”

— Thania Inquil-Castillo “Thank you so much, Mr Trotta, for helping me not to be shy anymore!! I won’t forget all those times you made jokes during class, made us smile when we were feeling the blues. Thank you for your patience. I wish you the very best.”

— Thania Inguil-Castillo “Ms. Acosta, thank you for being so supportive, for always pushing me to do my best and for making the class Interesting and a fun place to work. I really enjoyed your class, and there is no doubt that I will miss your jokes” — Lesly Gomez “Mr. Meehan, thank you for making class fun, less difficult and for caring for your students. I learned a lot from your class.”

— Lesly Gomez “Mr. Picos, although you’ve always been a bit stubborn with me, you always let my creative concept flow. So thanks for not throwing my ideas away and for not taking my creativity away.” — Jason Castillo “Mr. Golis, you were the most understanding, kindest teacher I’ve ever had. You are invited to the cookout.”

— Makayla Joseph “Ms. Zarate, they might as well call you Ms. Starate, because you shine! I’m really grateful I could have your class for two years. You are the sweetest sweetheart out there and I am gonna miss you a lot.

Keep glowing, Miss!”

— Jasmine “Schwein” Schatzschneider “Mr. Molczan, even though I never had you as a teacher, you still taught me so many unforgettable things that I never thought I’d know. You constantly supported me and I honestly thank you so much. Your stories and sense of humor were amazing as well.”

— Mohammed Uddin Mr. Picos You are always so supportive especially when it comes to my art! You’ve always encouraged me, even when I felt my skills were subpar. I’m glad I got to have at least one years’ class with you! Thanks for everything, mister. :) — Jasmine Schatzschneider

Seniors’ Next Stop After HSAC

by Bushra Rabbani, Jocelynn Garcia and Emmy Veselinov Smaran Vedantam Computer Science Stony Brook University Fariha Ahmed Computer Science Stony Brook University Jocelyn Garcia Criminal Justice Borough of Manhattan Community College

Kerly Veloz Psychology Queensborough Community College Jasmine Schatzschneider Marketing Management/ Digital Marketing Baruch College Mohammed Uddin Chemistry York College

Nicole Wilson Criminal Justice Borough of Manhattan Community College

Liona Kuka Film Queens College

Michelle Mena Criminal Justice Queensborough Community College

Eileen Martinez Criminal Justice John Jay

Jennifer Largo Computer Science John Jay College of Criminal Justice Vishanna Seecharan Criminal Justice Borough of Manhattan Community College

Katelyn Bostick International Business St. John’s University Elias Macias Audio Engineering SAE Institute Adam Wolczuk Nursing Lehman College

Janelle Grant-Lewis Restaurant, Culinary, and Catering Management Kingsborough Community College

Jocelyn Sheridan Undecided Borough of Manhattan Community College

Daisy Velez Nursing LaGuardia Community College

Kristine Martinez Criminal Justice Borough of Manhattan Community College

Kyle Marchena Business Management Borough of Manhattan Community College

Naiha Shafiq Nursing Farmingdale State College

Emily Dotzler Psychology Borough of Manhattan Community College Valentina Borrego Criminal Justice Queensborough Community College

Julia Krawczyk Early Childhood Education New Paltz Ramal Ashar Undecided Bronx Community College

Page 5 THE HSACCAMPUS CHRONICLES • SPRING • JUNE 2012 2020

“I s t ar t e d my back yard garden with my son, Dennis, to teach him the ability to grow his own crops if there is ever a food shortage and to use Mother Nature as a tool for survival.

We have cucumber, four different species of tomato, rosemary, cilantro, mint, eggplant and hot pepper s. He helped me plant half of the crops, and he spread the soil with me. He now has a deeper respect for his surroundings, and he appreciates the fact that he can create his own food. It amazes him, and I am a proud dad!”

— Mr. Riese

compiled by Bushra Rabbani Recommended by: Ms. Campbell Book Title: Tuesdays with Morrie Author: Mitch Albom “This memoir is about a student who visits his former professor who is dying of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). The two get together and talk about life on Tuesdays. Many life lessons are discussed throughout the memoir including family, money, marriage and forgiveness. I highly recommend this book because it makes you think about what’s important in life and inspires you to be a better person.”

Recommended by: Mrs. Napoles Book Title: Till We Have Faces Author: C.S. Lewis “C.S. Lewis is the author of the Chronicles of Narnia books, but this retelling of the Cupid/Psyche Myth is a personal favorite. It tells the story from the perspective of one of Psyche’s sisters. It also gives you great insight into “Dark Ages” England / Europe and how beliefs and culture change over time.”

Recommended by: Jasmine Schatzschneider Book Title: The Handmaid’s Tale Author: Margaret Atwood “This book is a dystopian novel set in the near-future in a totalitarian state that has overthrown the United States government, known as Gilead. I recommend this book to anyone who likes dystopian vibes. This book essentially explores what happens if the right of our free life is taken away. It is really intense and highly detailed.”

Recommended by: Jasmine Schatzschneider Book Title: Turtles All the Way Down Author: John Green “Sixteen-year-old Aza pursues a mystery with her best friend, Daisy, for a big cash reward. Aza struggles to cope with her Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) in the process. I’d recommend this book for anyone who is interested in mental health, psychology, or who wants to understand OCD better. It’s really interesting how we get to see Aza’s thought process, and it helps us to grasp a better understanding of how OCD works.”

Recommended by: Oliwia Mołczan Book Title: You Take It From Here Author: Pamela Ribon “This book is about Danielle Meyers, who is going through some tough times and struggling to juggle all her responsibilities in life when she hears some unexpected news. Shortly after, she invites one of her closest friends, Smidge, to work together, to have breakfast, lunch, dinner together, pick up her kids from school and even live with her family in their home. As they begin to spend more and more time together, Smidge realizes that she is finally happy and she is completely part of the family, and nothing could be better than living with her best friend and her family, but Danielle had a specific reason for this.

What reason? Read the book, to find out more! I recommend this book because it is an amazing story of true friendship, which really is fun and interesting but makes you rethink your entire life when you read it and

go through the life story of, not only Danielle, but Smidge and her tough upbringing.”

Mr. Molczan admitted that he has never read this book, but “from Oliwia’s synopsis, now I am interested in reading the book.”

Recommended by: Ms. Zarate Book Title: My Sister’s Keeper Author: Jodi Picoult “I’ve read a variety of books by Jodi Picoult. My Sister’s Keeper is one that always stands out.” As described at Wikipedia.com, “It is the eleventh novel by the American author, and it tells the story of thirteen-year-old Anna Fitzgerald, who sues her parents for medical emancipation when she discovers she was supposed to donate a kidney to her elder sister Kate, who is gradually dying from acute leukemia.” “The ending has such a twist!” said Ms. Zarate. “I remember rereading the last page at least three times in shock. All her books are great.

Highly recommend!”

Recommended by: Mr. Zapatcorea Book Title: The Metamorphosis Author: Franz Kafka “The Metamorphosis, published in 1915, tells the story of the transformation of Gregorio Samsa into a monstrous insect and the family drama that, as a result of this event, is unleashed. Its original German title is Die Verwandlung, which translates as “The Transformation.” However, in English and Spanish, it was chosen to be called The Metamorphosis, a word that has an associated mythical component.

Gregorio’s transformation into what is, presumably, a beetle, is an extraordinary event that inaugurates the literature of the absurd which, in later decades, will influence numerous established writers.

The Metamorphosis is a novella divided into three parts, where the transformation of Gregorio Samsa, a fabric trade traveler, into a monstrous insect is narrated, and the impact that this event will have not only on his life but on that of his family. The book raises awareness about disability, empathy and the importance of communication. Students will be able to understand how selfishness works and make comparisons between the book’s short narrative and some compelling problems in our modern societies.”

Recommended by: Alima Burhan Book Title: Six of Crows Author: Leigh Bardugo “A gang of criminals, each with a backstory of their own, sets out on an impossible heist in hopes of getting rich as they face their fears along the way. I recommend this book for people who like actionpacked literature, as the story is more focused on the world around the characters than on the characters themselves.”

Recommended by: Amina Rabbani Book Title: I Was Here Author: Gayle Forman “The story is about two best friends, Cody and Meg, who were inseparable.

However, Meg dies after drinking industrial-strength cleaner. Fast forward, and

Cody had gotten permission from Meg’s parents to go to her motel room and take anything she’d like. When Cody arrives, she finds out things she had never known about Meg. She starts to investigate things about Meg, which brings mystery into the novel. I rarely read books; however, after scrolling through the bookshelf at the library near my house I had picked this one out. I read the synopsis which drew me in as a strong hook, and I couldn’t put the book down. I highly recommend it because, along with this novel being interesting and enjoyable, it teaches you multiple lessons. It teaches you about who to hang out with and about friendship, which makes you rethink several aspects of your life.”

Recommended by: Katelyn Bostick Book Title: The Indigo Notebook Author: Laura Resau “A story about a girl and her mom who constantly travel the world and the girl wants to experience a ‘normal stable life.’

They’re in Ecuador, and the girl meets a boy who’s been adopted from Ecuador but lived an average American suburban life.

They both decide to explore the secrets of his birth family’s past around the country and it lands them in danger. The girl also contemplates if the life she’s always wanted to live is really the one she wants, and she has a complex relationship with her mom throughout the story—it’s interesting to read about. It’s one of my all-time favorite books. I recommend this book because it’s a very attention-grabbing book. It is based around travel or exploration— it could help with feeling trapped at home, especially during the lockdown. It also includes all the plots and tropes most young adults like with their own twists.”

Recommended by: Ashley Rojas Book Title: Copper Sun Author: Sharon M. Draper “‘Told from the modulating viewpoints of 15-year-old slave Amari, and 17-yearold indentured servant, Polly, Copper Sun is a story of resilience in the face of human depravity, and a hope for freedom against all odds(cited from BookRags).’I recommend this book because it represents a time rooted into American history - the author’s great grandfather was a slave so it’s a real and raw experience to the situation and what slavery truly was.”

Recommended by: Ms. Acosta Book Title: Brain on Fire Author: Susannah Cahalan “I recommend this memoir because it deals with a young and healthy 25-yearold living life in NYC when all of a sudden she gets stricken with a disease that makes it seem that she is going psychotic.

She struggles with her identity, the self, her memory and her world turned upside down...and all of this is a true story.”

Recommended by: Katerina Marin Book Title: Someone Like You Author: Sarah Dessen “Everyone has one best friend to get them through high school and, for Hal-

ley, it’s her best friend, Scarlett. Halley and Scarlett have been best friends for years ever since Scarlett’s family moved in across the street. Scarlett has always been Halley’s rock and now they’re entering senior year together. However, for the last two weeks of summer, Halley is sent off to a camp, and halfway through her trip she receives an emergency phone call from Scarlett. Little does she know that this upcoming year everything is about to change, and Halley will become redefined.

For me, I’m not much of a book reader since it’s time-consuming, and I’m very picky about reading books. However, I became very attached to the characters pretty quickly. The time period of this book is also what allowed me to connect and relate to the main character, Halley, a lot more. Halley and Scarlett are entering their senior year of high school and, just like us, they have to deal with family, school and new relationships. If you’re into teenage drama and romance, then I think you’ll find this book to be interesting! Also, on the plus side, it is not dragged out or too easy of a read - it’s just right!”

Recommended by: Liona Kuka Book Title: I Will Always Write Back: How One Letter Changed Two Lives Authors: Caitlin Alifirenka, Liz Welch, and Martin Ganda “This is a book I didn’t expect to love.

It shows the story between two pen pals who help each other while growing up.

One is from Zimbabwe during war time and another is a girl from Ohio. I love it because it is very heartwarming and makes you appreciate what you have.”

Recommended by: Ms. Mengel Book Title: A Thousand Splendid Suns Author: Khaled Hosseini “This novel is very empowering. By the end of this novel, you are not only left with a tear, but with a fire lit within. It is, above all, a story of hope and of life, the heroism that comes with love and the inevitable strife that comes with living.

Inspirational and outstanding, every man and woman must read this tale!”

Recommended by: Nayza Tejeda Book Title: Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely Author: Lysa Terkeurst “I recommend this book because it’s about the author’s personal experience of vulnerability. The author’s honesty about her being vulnerable helped her deepen her relationship with God as she learned to embrace God-honoring ways to process hurt.”

Recommended by: Jailene Pichardo Book Title: Where the Crawdads Sing Author: Delia Owens “This book is about this young woman, Kya Clark, who grew up in North Carolina.

When she grew older, she was convicted of murder and, during the investigation, the sheriff started to learn more about her life story, her childhood, how her mom abandoned her and how she didn’t fit in school. I recommend this book because it’s a good eye-opener to young teens as to how the world works and how people get accused of crimes.”

Recommended by: Dr. Finkenthal Book Title: The Martian Author: Andy Weir “For summer reading for 9th graders, the book I would recommend is The Martian by Andy Weir. This book helps students understand the many complexities of science that can be understood at a basic human instinct-survival level and incorporates important parts of biology, chemistry, physics, engineering and mathematics.”

Recommended by: Dr. Finkenthal Book Title: The Disappearing Spoon Author: Sam Kean “I would recommend this book for sophomores or juniors. This is a science novel that gives students a background on the periodic table and how the discovery of the elements affected the lives of the discoverers.”

Recommended by: Fariha Ahmed Book Title: A Thousand Splendid Suns Author: Khaled Hosseini “Most of the stories read in history books are penned from the winners’ perspectives. The sufferers or the survivors of any crisis go unnoticed. However, Hosseini tried to defer this paradigm by focusing his narrative on dual characters of Mariam and Laila. Talking through the tragic experiences of Afghani people, he painted their slate with the horrors of war, deterring vulnerability in developing relationships, and shaping their lives as empowering women.

This multi-generational novel manifested the complexities of their daily lives due to the war and how their lives alternated and positioned in the Afghan society. While the journey from reading this book will be relative to each reader, it will surely broaden their point-of-view towards any incurring global situation. It is not always about the journey of the front runners. It is about the people who are at the direct end to the consequences of their actions.”

Recommended by: Mr. Picos Book Title: The Story of Art Author: E.H. Gombrich “This is probably the most famous art history book ever written. It talks about ancient art from the Paleolithic era and covers art in many civilizations up to the present day. It starts with the lines ‘There really is no such thing as Art. There are only artists.’ It is written in simple language and is easy to follow.”

Page 6 THE HSACCAMPUS CHRONICLES • SPRING • JUNE 2012 2020

BO O K RE C O M M E N DATI O NS to Keep You Busy This Summer