The Muse Volume 14 Issue 6

the USE [

Volume 14wIssue 6wMay 2017

]

Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts

Dreyfoos says goodbye to the class of

2017 PG. 16

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Goodbye, Clas

Photo by Ava Campana 2 themuseatdreyfoos.com

“You have brains in you yourself any direction you you know. And YOU are

ass of 2017

ur head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer u choose. You’re on your own. And you know what e the one who’ll decide where to go...” - Dr. Seuss themuseatdreyfoos.com 3

Volume 14 // Issue 6 // May 2017

Contents

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T

he environment in The Muse room follows the trajectory of a pendulum. It fluctuates from a place that breeds extreme urgency to a classroom that fosters trivial discussions. At this moment in the year, we find ourselves at a weird medium, as seniors pass on their obligations and the production of Issue 6 to the juniors and sophomores. This transition, a ritual of our newsmagazine, marks the end of our career as Editors-in-Chief.

We now join the ranks of the numerous other alumni whose high school paths thrived in company of The Muse staff. It is now a moment of retrospection for us to observe the achievements and failures of our high school career while we look forward to the opportunities and changes that come ahead. We will part ways with The Muse, as we all inevitably do, but we take with us the lessons learned after mistakenly ignoring the stylebook, interviewing only communication majors, skipping over steps in the editing process, and committing other journalistic mistakes.

For those who will join our publication next year or will continue to read its pages, enjoy the information the newsmagazine provides us and interact with those who produce it. The Muse is truly one-of-a-kind.

Congratulations, Class of 2017.

&

(Top left) Photo illustration by Eliza Baker, (Top middle) Photo by Walt Disney Pictures, (Top right) Photo by Natalie Bergeron, (Bottom right) Photo illustration by Natalie Bergeron, (Bottom left) Photo

by Carleigh Dickinson, (Center top left) Photo by Natalie Bergeron, photo illustration by Marianna Kaimakliotis, (Center bottom left) Cartoon by Kathryn Stenberg, (Center right) Photo illustration by Natalie Bergeron

Corrections

In Issue 5, two photos were miscredited. The photo of the boys basketball team was taken by Lorenzo Romano, and the photo of Sarah Joseph was taken by Natalie Bergeron. Also, the name of visual freshman Aidan Nelson was misspelled.

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19 7 ABOUTUS

The Muse is a national award-winning newsmagazine. The publication has won numerous awards from the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) including a Pacemaker in 2004, 2008, 2011, 2012, and 2013. The Muse has also won a Silver Crown from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) in 2011 and 2013. The Muse won a CSPA Hybrid Gold Crown award in 2015, which recognized the best print edition and website (themuseatdreyfoos.com) in the nation. The Muse is a finalist for the Hybrid Gold Crown in 2016. The Muse has also won The Palm Beach Post General Excellence - Newspaper Award in 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2017. This publication is completely funded and created by its staff, advertisers, and donors. Over 1,400 students and a multitude of subscribers receive copies of the magazine annually. All aspects of the magazine from the cover to the Exposure on the back page are written and designed by the students. There are 53 staffers, grades 10-12, from the communications department and some from other art areas, including cartoonists from the visual department, who make this publication possible. We would like to thank the School of the Arts Foundation for their continuous support. Your donations are greatly appreciated by this staff.

EDITORIALPOLICY

The Muse is a student publication produced by Journalism IV, V, and VI classes at Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts. Opinion is limited to editorials and columns. We welcome and will print letters to the editors, which should be submitted to the Pressroom (1-102) or submitted to themuseatdreyfoos.com. We reserve the right to edit letters for grammar and space restrictions and will publish no letters that are libelous or defamatory to any staff, students, or members of the community. We also accept guest editorials, although we reserve the right to edit or to decline at our discretion.

Dreyfoos School of the Arts 501 South Sapodilla Avenue West Palm Beach, FL, 33401 themuseatdreyfoos.com 5

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STAFFEDITORIAL In an era of fake news, it is time that the truth is treated as anything but fake

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ou are fake news!” President Donald Trump told CNN’s Jim Acosta during a January press conference, and “fake news” has since taken on a life of its own.

The term “fake news” is thrown around often these days. President Trump first used the phrase to criticize the news media, but these words appear to have taken on a new meaning.

The American public now seems to describe any information they ideologically disagree with as fake news. As it becomes normal in our society for one to personally decide what is fact and what is fiction, the legitimacy of journalism and the news media continues to wear away. The environment we find ourselves in not only puts the future of journalism at stake, but our First Amendment rights as well.

A Gallup poll found that Americans’ trust in the news media sank to a new low last September, at 32 percent. Additionally, 60 percent of Americans believe the media favors one political side over another. This erosion in confidence is troubling for both journalists and average Americans. The number of jobs and funding for newspapers continues to dwindle as more and more people get their news from online sources or social media. The internet facilitates a way for people to read what political side fits their narrative and remain ignorant to anything they don’t like.

This new atmosphere that has consumed

the country these last few months has steered us in the wrong direction. Americans think they shouldn’t believe anything they see, while the government wants to control everything they see.

THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY TO ACHIEVE [THE TRUTH], AND THAT IS TO FOLLOW IT WHEREVER IT GOES. It may seem sensible when politicians say they want to control the spread of fake news online. But in reality, this type of legislation is only meant to limit our First Amendment rights by regulating what one can post on social media. Trying to control what people put online is impossible and likely unconstitutional.

These attempts are the result of our own actions, as Americans consume more and more fake headlines and ignore real news sources.

According to a study by professors Hunt Allcott of New York University and Matthew Gentzkow of Stanford University, more fake news stories were shared on Facebook than legitimate stories from news agencies like The New York Times or NBC.

The stirring words “Democracy Dies in Darkness” now read at the top of every issue of The Washington Post. No words could better exemplify our commitment as student journalists to one thing over anything else: the truth. There is only one way to achieve it, and that is to follow the truth wherever it goes. At the beginning of April, reporters on a high school newspaper in Kansas uncovered a story about their newly hired principal and her credentials, forcing her to resign. Whether it be in today’s age of media reports on crises in other countries, or in the past with investigations like Watergate, which lead to President Richard Nixon’s resignation, throughout American history, the news and the media has played a role in government and shaping the minds of the American people. It is important that news is received by readers based on its content and truth, not simply if it confirms a falsehood that a person may want to believe.

But it’s not just up to student journalists or the press to protect the future of journalism.

Whether you’re the one writing the story or reading the story, it is our duty as Americans to demand the truth, and only then can fake news become a trend instead of a staple in our society.

By The Muse Staff Contributor: Cody Baez Opinion / themuseatdreyfoos.com 7 7

THE RIGHT TO THE ISSUE: CONGRESS’ FAILED ATTEMPT TO REPEAL THE AFFORDABLE

CARE ACT HAS REIGNITED THE DEBATE FOR UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE. WHAT WAS ONCE SEEN AS AN OPTIONAL COMMODITY HAS BECOME A HUMAN RIGHT IN THE EYES OF MANY. WILL THE NEXT STEP TOWARDS A MODERN SOCIETY COME IN THE FORM OF FREE HEALTH INSURANCE?

POINT

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n a land that claims to stand by the values of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” it’s rather ironic that our healthcare system denies so many Americans these basic rights. One cannot have liberty or the opportunity to pursue happiness without a life.

There is a simple problem in our country: a great deal of Americans have little to no proper access to healthcare. The U.S. needs to turn to a universal healthcare system if we choose to stand by our freedoms.

Thirty-two other countries already offer universal healthcare, according to the World Health Organization. Nations such as Norway, Japan, and Canada go by the single-payer system, in which the government pays all health care expenses for citizens (with the exception of co-pays and co-insurance) and provides both public and/or private insurance for all residents.

Meanwhile, countries such as France, the Netherlands, and Israel go by the two-tier healthcare system. In this system, the government provides what is known as “catastrophic coverage” or minimum insurance for all residents of their country. This method allows the patient to buy any additional insurance or service care. Some countries that use the two-tier healthcare system set up an additional health savings account for citizens to use on routine care, while other two-tier healthcare system countries supply the population with private insurance.

The third type is a near-universal healthcare 8 themuseatdreyfoos.com / Opinion

system, used in countries such as Germany, Switzerland, and South Korea: the insurance mandate system. This system promises every single resident the ability to purchase insurance and prohibits insurers from rejecting sick people, a policy that was both legal and common in the U.S. before President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act (ACA), which prevented the denial of health care based on pre-existing conditions. In the insurance mandate system, all citizens must purchase insurance, whether it be public or private.

The U.S. is one of the last few developed countries that lacks universal healthcare. Under President Obama’s second administration, the ACA marketplaces officially opened on January 1, 2014. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), the ACA “establishes the basic legal protections that until now have been absent: a near-universal guarantee of access to affordable health insurance coverage, from birth through retirement.” This was a revolutionary step towards universal healthcare, especially because the ACA has reduced the amount of uninsured Americans by 28.5 million people, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

This is an example of the insurance mandate system, now that insurers in the U.S. cannot deny patients healthcare, and every citizen is entitled to purchasing insurance.

While the ACA is still in place, helping many Americans, it is only a near-universal healthcare system, and President Donald Trump’s administration has been advocating

to repeal the act and replace it with a significantly less expansive health care program. As of now, the fight to repeal has been muffled.

However, if President Trump pushes to get rid of a healthcare system that is only near-universal, it seems that fully adopting and accepting one of the two universal healthcare systems in the U.S. will not happen anytime soon.

Most people who are opposed to universal healthcare are worried about one thing: cost.

However, the governments of countries that run off of one of the two universal healthcare systems pay less per capita on healthcare than the U.S. does. According to the World Bank, Canada, which runs on a single-payer system, spends approximately $5,291 per patient per year, while the U.S., on our insurance mandate system, spends $9,402 per patient per year.

Absolutely nobody should be denied healthcare. According to the NCBI, about 24 million Americans still remained uninsured after the passage of the ACA. Who knows how many more might lose their benefits in the crossfire of the fight to repeal the ACA? These 24 million uninsured Americans don’t have access to coverage for life-saving treatments or surgeries — 24 million Americans who can’t get the simple care they need to survive. These are 24 million Americans who share the same values of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” that are denied those basic unalienable rights that they deserve.

By Noa Kroyter

COUNTERPOINT

A

n undisputable representation of the American Dream is the muscle car. A car is more than just a heap of metal on tires; it’s the embodiment of freedom, selfworth, adventure, and spirit.

Our modern take on the automobile would have never existed had it not been for Henry Ford. As Ford once said, “Individualism is what makes cooperation worth living.”

The pursuit of a healthy balance of individualism and collectivism dominates our political environment, and no issue is more controversial than universal healthcare. The United States remains one of the only developed countries that does not provide universal healthcare, an embarrassing situation for progressives both at home and abroad. Lucky for us, this trend is likely to continue.

Attempts have been made in recent years to achieve government-operated health care system, with President Obama’s Affordable Care Act and Bernie Sanders’ “medicare for all” plan reaching substantial levels of support amongst the middle and lower classes. It’s because of their failure, the lack of compatibility with the free market, that such a system is nothing more than a utopian dream.

Health care is not a right. It’s a privilege, a finite commodity. There are only so many doctors and hospitals, which is why the sector is limited in terms of affordable care. There are many western countries that have adopted some form of universal health care, yet according to the Cato Institute, each system rations care in some way. Scandinavian countries and the U.K. operate through bureaucratic fiat, Canada has a waiting list, and we charge for the services.

The source for universal healthcare in the U.S. would come from an expansion of Medicare. The current system is very popular with its beneficiaries; that isn’t a problem. Yet there is a disparity where public funding does not fully cover collected benefits. This has led to what economist James D. Hamilton describes as a long-term debt of over $58 trillion. Medicare is a single program, and its liabilities surpass the debts of most countries.

The U.S. allocates a larger portion of GDP to healthcare than any other country at 17.1 percent, according to the World Bank. Patients pay less than 13 cents per dollar used to cover the costs of care. The Dartmouth Atlas Project goes so far as to say that all of this extra spending doesn’t even affect the results of treatment,

making programs such as Medicare ineffective at best. Expanding upon this system will increase the amount of people subsidized by the government, inevitably leading to increased taxes to cover those who cannot afford treatment.

At the heart of the issue lies the unique American individualism and freedom of choice. What sets us apart from our European counterparts is our dedication to the individual rather than to the collective. Those who built this nation came to us as immigrants, many escaping the longheld feudalistic beliefs and rigid hierarchy that made up the majority of Europe. They came seeking the opportunity to live better lives.

Through hard work, they persevered and chose their own path.

The same mentality holds weight in the modern healthcare industry. Patients want the ability to choose their own insurance providers, to find a plan that works best for them.

America is not the rest of the world, and it should not be treated as such. Citizens have a right to choose, even if their choice is to not have insurance at all.

By Trace Podder

Cartoon by Megan Hostetler Opinion / themuseatdreyfoos.com 9

NOAH GOES

GLOBAL Communications junior Noah Cantor is moving to Spain to attend the School Year Abroad program

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ommunications junior Noah Cantor has decided to make a huge change in his life by moving to Spain for his senior year of high school. The program that Cantor has been accepted to is called School Year Abroad, a year-long program for high school seniors in one of four countries: Spain, Italy, France, or China.

“It is a huge change and it’s going to be a great opportunity” Cantor said.

In order to apply, he needed to obtain teacher recommendations, write several essays, and turn in his transcript and SAT scores. After he was selected as one of the finalists for the program’s full scholarship, he had to go through an interview process.

“What is truly amazing is that Noah handled the whole process himself, including, among other things, writing the essays, gathering recommendations, and finding out about the program the scholarship opportunity. I merely filled out forms about our financial information,” Cantor’s moth-

10 themuseatdreyfoos.com / News

er, Ileen Cantor said.

Foreign language teacher Barbara Smith was part of the application process. She had to answer questions, and then write a letter discussing their experiences together along with Cantor’s dedication to the Spanish language and culture.

“He has a great interest, he always wants to know more and he participates all the time. He is a great student,” Señora Smith said.

The school he will be attending is an American School Year Abroad school where the classes, except for math, are all taught in Spanish.

“I have friends who are in this program right now, and they have learned more Spanish in one year than they have in the rest of their lives,” Cantor said.

Cantor is sad to leave his friends and family behind, but is also excited for this new chapter of his life to begin. The only thing that makes him slightly nervous is

the fact that he will be immersed in a new and unfamiliar culture. Cantor will have to adapt to a new lifestyle all while living with a new family.

“I believe Noah will gain a new perspective on how he lives and build his confidence with the challenges he will take on,” Ms. Cantor said. “Noah will certainly become a more interesting person who will have adventurous stories to tell.”

Cantor will be leaving for Spain on Sept.

6, and he will remain there for the entirety of the 2017-18 school year, except for winter break. He will return to the U.S. a few weeks before the Dreyfoos graduation in May 2018.

“My main goal for this program is going to be to learn the Spanish language to fluency,” Cantor said. “I also want to learn how to become more independent as a person and grow because this is going to be my first time living alone”

By Zoe Romano Graphic by Daniela Esquenazi

BRIEFS

STUDENT

ELECTIONS

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hroughout April, SGA and class council elections have consumed Dreyfoos. Over past the few weeks, posters were hung all around the cafeteria, and candidates gave out food.

As of April 24, the new sophomore co-presidents are communications freshmen Mara Vaknin and Nikolas Zimmerman, junior co-presidents are communications sophomores Carrisa August and Catalina Correa, and the senior presidents are communications juniors Ethan Blanc and Zachary Stoloff. Vocal junior James Ulaszek and theatre junior Madison Burmeister ran unopposed for the position of SGA co-presidents.

“I wish there were more people running, I feel like I’m the only one competing now,” visual sophomore Samantha Stern said.

By Gillian Beer

NEW LTM

SCHEDULES

(Left) Strings senior and 2017 prom queen Sarah King dances with dance senior and prom king Darius Hickman at prom, which was held on April 22 at the Palm Beach County Convention Center. Photo by Carleigh Dickinson

PROM NIGHT P rom is one of the most lavish events of the year. With the 2017 theme being based off of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” the Palm Beach Convention Center was abundant with floral decorations. Prom was held on April 22 from 7 to 11 p.m. and the junior class council worked tirelessly to plan the event.

“It’s so cool to see all of the little decisions made by all of us on class council come to fruition,” communications junior and class council member Ariel Gordon said. “There is nothing I would’ve done differently. The theme was elegant, the decorations reflected it, and the Fairy Court concept for King and Queen was super unique.”

Voting for prom royalty was done online in advance, and at the event, it was revealed that the Prom King was dance senior Darius Hickman and the Prom Queen was strings senior Sarah King.

“I laughed [when I was announced Prom Queen] because it’s funny. I feel like Prom Queen and King isn’t really a big deal at our school,” King said. “My friend told me that she told a lot of people to vote for me, but I didn’t really take her seriously.”

The junior class council came up with ideas for the theme, and then held to a vote on the senior class’ Facebook page. The majority of votes went toward the theme “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” followed by “Under the Sea,” and “Vintage Circus.”

“I loved the theme,” vocal sophomore Katherine Zeda said. “I really liked the fact that it was supposed to be like an enchanted garden, and it gave a lot of potential for the decorations. I loved the entrance decorations, and there were a bunch of flowers with lights; it was so beautiful.”

By Gillian Beer

T

he School District of Palm Beach County initially instituted half days in order to give teachers extra planning time, however, on April 19, the district decided to cut half days out of the schedule entirely. According to the School District of Palm Beach County, the lack of half days will allow students and teachers to gain a full week off for Thanksgiving break and that there will be more time to refine teachers’ training.

“A lot of kids don’t even show up to half days because it’s kind of a waste,” theatre sophomore Olivia Morley said.

Superintendent Robert Avossa believes that teachers and parents deem half days inconvenient, but for students, half days are a well deserved break and a chance to enjoy the morning.

“I think it’s great for the students because those used to be non-educational days for them,” magnet coordinator Patrick Marshall said. “I’m hoping that we don’t neglect time for teachers to collaborate like they did on those LTM days. I do think that they needed to be cancelled.”

By Gillian Beer News / themuseatdreyfoos.com 11

BLACK BOX

TALENT SHOW Singers, dancers, and musicians come together to raise funds for international girls’ education

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iving in the United States, it is sometimes forgotten that a woman’s education is not considered equal to a man’s in all parts of the world. Girls Learn International (GLI) is an organization that educates students in schools across the country in support of the global movement for girls’ access to education.

Vocal senior Gabrielle Cowen and strings senior Dana Esposito founded the Dreyfoos chapter of GLI during their sophomore year.

The co-presidents of the club have organized many annual fundraising events throughout their three years at Dreyfoos, such as candy sleighs during winter and bake sales. These past events have all been fundraisers to raise money for international learning for women. Most recently, GLI hosted a talent show on April 5.

“To me, this club means the chance to give other children the opportunity to receive the education they deserve,” Cowen said. “We have so many opportunities in the U.S. to go to school, and we don’t even realize how lucky we are. I think that every child deserves the chance to learn and achieve their hopes and aspirations.”

Cowen and Esposito gathered students to perform their talent by posting flyers on each of the class Facebook pages, and also by

12 12 themuseatdreyfoos.com / Arts

advertising around campus. They held auditions from March 28 to 29 during lunch, then chose the acts to perform. The show was composed of eight acts consisting of singing, dancing, and playing musical instruments such as the harp, guitar, and violin.

I THINK THAT EVERY CHILD DESERVES THE CHANCE TO LEARN AND ACHIEVE THEIR HOPES AND ASPIRATIONS. - VOCAL SENIOR GABRIELLE COWEN First place in the talent show went to an acapella quartet named Harmonic Fifths.

The members of the group include vocal seniors Makalya Forgione, Noah Gunn, Lindsay Llende, and vocal junior Christopher Young. The quartet performed “Run to You” by Pentatonix, and were awarded a pizza party with friends of their choice.

Second place went to a large singing group called New Light who performed a cover of “Ultralight Beam” by Kanye West.

The singers included vocal juniors Bijou

Aliza, Samuel Point du Jour, Alysha Day, Alexandria Peacock, Dina Desai, Jada Allen, Madison Cuellar, Mounika Vattigunta, Haley Paulk, Isabella Fine, Gabriela Goddard; vocal senior Makayla Forgione; and band junior Allen Cadet. Third place went to dance junior Emily Sweetz, dancing her own choreography to “Funny” by Tori Kelly.

“At the time, we were very happy to win, but we were [also] humbled by it because it’s for a good cause,” Young said. “It was fun to actually be there and to experience all the other talents.”

With the talent show, GLI raised over $300 to go directly towards education for girls in the developing world.

“The talent show has grown every year, it’s amazing,” club sponsor and science teacher Marilyn Pedek-Howard said. “This year it was great because we had a dancer.

There are specific needs [the raised money goes to], one of them being sanitation.

So, the money goes towards helping to buy books, maintaining the school, and keeping it clean.”

By Emily Sweetz Vocal sophomore Grace Barrett (L-R), senior Isabella Guerrero, and sophomore Lillian Heran perform various songs at the Black Box Theater.

Photos by Sydney Walsh

WALK IN CLOSET

ART SHOW

Students submitted artwork and performed onstage to spread messages of unity among peers

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single spotlight shined on an individual with soft spoken words and a powerful voice. A painting blanketed with many colors brought forth a message for equality. In spirit of the LGBTQ+ community, the Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA), along with the support of several students across various majors, stood together with a message for peace and the embracement of individualism.

From April 3 to 5, the Walk-In Closet Arts Festival became the first schoolwide festival celebration in support of the LGBTQ+ community. The event included a gallery show displaying a variety of artwork and a showcase with dancing, singing, and spoken poetry.

To conclude the festival, a “Know Your Rights” meeting was held to inspire people to accept and embrace their identity.

“I thought the [Walk-In Closet Arts Festival] brought lots of pride,” digital media sophomore Kayla Klavins said.

“We held the festival soon after our school’s GSA marched at Lake Worth Pride, [an LGBTQ+ parade], so there was already a strong feeling of community among us. With Walk-In Closet, it was more about showing everyone, not just members of the LGBTQ+ community, that we aren’t scared or ashamed to be who we are.”

In preparation for the event, auditions were held from Feb. 15 to 16 for performances, while visual art was submitted prior to Feb. 24.

Knowing the impact of their performance, students spent hours diligently perfecting their craft before sharing it with Dreyfoos.

“I really wanted to make sure that I would be able to perform to the best of my abilities for the show,” vocal sophomore Xander

Loliyong said. “I placed a lot of effort into practicing on my guitar. I wanted to put my heart and soul into it because of how significant I believe the show was.”

Not only did this event bring pride for the LGBTQ+ community, but the festival also brought students together from all majors to collaborate on a single project. Students submitted artwork, music resonated onstage, and dancers used fluid movements to tell a story.

“My favorite part about this whole project is the camaraderie,” communications sophomore Valerie Betts said. “We were able to come together on something we are passionate about. Whether that was through a poem, dance, or a painting, we all got to express ourselves in a way [that has] never been done before at Dreyfoos.”

Over the span of the three-day festival, the gallery was open for people to view the diverse range of art that spanned from simple outlines to intricate landscapes. “[The theme for my artwork was] romantic love between two girls having a date in the park,” visual senior Laurel Felt said.

“I used the idea of LGBTQ+ love as it’s important to give space for LGBTQ+ kids to express their voice and experiences with others.”

Despite this festival being the first at Dreyfoos, the GSA and LGBTQ+ community are determined to plan future schoolwide events to inspire people to be proud of who they are, and pledge for unity and peace.

“As a queer artist, having a space that allows us to be ourselves and showcase our art in our respected medium is important,” Loliyong said. “The uniqueness and diversity that thrives in our community deserves a place [where] we can have our voices heard and stories told through our own words. I think Walk-in Closet did just that.”

By Jennifer Jia Communications freshman Milani Gosman performs a humorous speech about accepting one’s identity. Photo by Haley Johnston Arts / themuseatdreyfoos.com 13 13

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ARTSINDEX APRIL3

APRIL21

(Right) Communications junior Gina Givens looks at artwork at the Walk in Closet Show on April 3. The visual and digital media department held the Visual Arts/Digital Media Spring show on April 12 in the Building 9 Gallery. Featuring various mediums of art including paintings and photographs, students showcased their art to friends and family. Photo by Natalie Bergeron

(L-R) Theatre junior Alexander Ostaffe and senior Bethany Hoffman perform in the annual Theatre Directing Showcase on April 21 at the Black Box Theater. The performance featured student-composed pieces. Photo by Natalie Bergeron

APRIL12

The vocal and band department held the Chorus Pops Concert on April 12, the piano department held a recital on April 13, and the band department held a jazz concert on April 20. The Jazz Combos concert will be held on May 15, and Spring Chorus Concert on May 13. Photo by Natalie Bergeron

MAY5 MARCH31

(L-R) Communications junior Zachary Stoloff and senior Britania Cameron perform in the Communiactions Showcase on March 31. Seeds held an open mic night on April 11, along with releasing their annual literary magazine.

Photo by Natalie Bergeron

Dance seniors Sasha Lazarus and Darius Hickman practice wl for the Spring Dance Concert that was held April 28-30 and May 5. The dance department also held a Choreography Showcase on May 12 in the Black Box Theater. Photo by Sydney Arts / themuseatdreyfoos.com 15 Walsh 15

LOOKINGBACK

16 16 themuseatdreyfoos.com / Cover

Photo by Natalie Bergeron

From celebrities to celebrations, the class of 2017 has seen it all. But on May 19, each of the 341 seniors will walk across the stage of the South Florida Fairgrounds, shake the hand of Principal Dr. Susan Atherley, and start the next chapter of their lives. Here are some memories from their Dreyfoos experience.

FRESHMAN YEAR

D

espite a technical malfunction on the first day of the school, freshmen began adapting to Dreyfoos culture by focusing on the annual pep rally preparations. The 2014 pep rally, however, which was held at the end of the school day, ran overtime. The dismissal bell rang before the seniors had a chance to present their dance, ultimately provoking destructive behavior, and loud demands for a compromise.

“Our freshman year we planned an extravagant karaoke and dance, and we [didn’t] know that the pep rally was at the end of the day,” strings senior Anuksha Gotmare said.

“We took more time than we were supposed to and the seniors didn’t get to go [because of that]. They went crazy, spray painted a car, complained to [Dr.] Atherley, and started a Twitter war.”

The outrage and complaints led administrators to declare a second spirit week. The new dress up days that were meant to appease the senior class got a mixed reaction from the students.

“The second spirit week was the weirdest thing,” Gotmare said. “Everybody ran out of [motivation] to dress up. I couldn’t see our class doing anything like that because we don’t have half the spirit [the class of 2014] had.”

As testing season arrived, the arrival of a temporary addition to administration captured the students’ attention. Former communications teacher Anyerson Hernandez had entered Dreyfoos into a radio contest for rapper and comedian Nick Cannon to come and be “principal for a day.”

“It was really cool because I was a freshman dancing with sophomores, juniors, and seniors in the cafeteria,” dance senior Madison O’Connor said. “He was barely watching because he was just looking around trying to take it all in. Everybody was just excited to show him what our school is like and he seemed excited to be here.”

SOPHOMORE YEAR

While some students hit a sophomore slump, the grade as a whole found success.

Before the 2015 pep rally, dance seniors Makia Bogle and Darius Hickman choreographed the class dance, and they stayed true to the theme, “Jungle,” winning first place and defeating the seniors.

“When [they announced that] we won, I was surprised because I thought the senior dance was good. I knew our dance was strong, but I didn’t think we were going to win,” Bogle said. “I [showed that I] appreciated the seniors’ dance whenever I saw them that day because they were really mad about it. But what really set us apart were the songs that we used and our different formations.”

As sophomore year began to wind down, crisis struck: a broken pipe flooded Building 1, damaging communications equipment and displacing dozens of classes. From foreign language rooms and almost 200 lockers, to the entire communications department, the water was a nuisance to all the teachers and students that utilized Building 1.

“A lot of us were worried about our belongings because a lot of our lockers were in [Building 1]. Having classes in other buildings was fun at first, but it got old after a week,” communications senior Julia Bonavita said. “I had my Spanish class in the cafeteria, so it made it very hard to hear the teacher.”

JUNIOR YEAR

Looking ahead to college, many students focused their energy on standardized tests in their junior year. The 2015-2016 school year, however, brought new changes to SAT standards and scoring, making the essay optional.

“If you wanted to get an essay score you’d have to pay extra money,” theatre senior Matt Siperstein said. “Every school wants something different, so a lot of us had to retake it if we wanted to get into specific colleges.”

The junior year pep rally for the class of 2017 also proved eventful. Near the end, when the sophomores were given the signal to run across the gym, the stampede of students had inadvertently knocked Dr. Atherley down. These last moments, which were supposed to symbolize the movement up a grade level, turned into concerns and whispers about the injured principal.

“The sophomores were going to the junior side, and it was a giant swarm of green. Suddenly [Dr.] Atherley was nowhere to be seen.

There was a lot of screaming and confusion,” theatre senior Jay Jennings said. “After we left the gym there were a lot of Twitter memes going around and people playing the blame game.”

SENIOR YEAR

Senioritis is a well known phenomenon that plagues every graduating class; the excitement of leaving Dreyfoos, combined with completed college applications, often leads to a deterioration of seniors’ academic performance. When balancing school work while simultaneously trying to enjoy the last year of high school, this laid-back attitude adopted by seniors can be the result of spending years dedicated to grades, clubs, and organizations.

“I’d define senioritis as not being motivated to do as much and just going with the flow,” visual senior Taylor Joseph said. “I think it happens because a lot of kids around this time find out where they’re going [after graduating] and commit to a college.”

While senioritis may decrease motivation, it does not belittle the efforts put in by students over the past three years. College acceptances can be monumental to students, but much of the excitement is generated by hearing the replies of friends and peers.

“Everyone is excited to hear where others got in because we’ve been going to the school with these people for four years. I’ve seen how hard everyone else has worked, and it’s fun to see how it’s paid off,” strings major Sofia Perez said. “Everyone’s excited to graduate. We’re all counting down the days and [are ready] to go to college to start a new chapter in our lives.”

By Carleigh Dickinson, Danelle Eugene, and Morgan Scott Contributors: Emma Baldinger, Alexander Gordon, Ruby Rosenthal, and Carly Schwamm

Cover / themuseatdreyfoos.com 17

FLORIDA Academy of Cosmetic Arts and Sciences Maddox, Madison

Barry University Cameron, Britania

Broward College Sims, Tiffany

Digital Media Arts College Altabet, Baily Cobo, Andres

Florida Atlantic University Alfaro, Yamira Bullock, Rebecca Loor, Alejandra Marker, Amanda Martin, Keshin Nuro, Dakotah Rivera, Aaron Sanchez, Arielle Sharman, Lena Showers, Benjamin Sundar, Krystal Zengage, Maxwell

Florida Gulf Coast University Bonavita, Julia Levasseur, Abigail Payne, Paul Perdomo Garcia, Samantha Sinett, Arel

Florida International University Araya, Madison Salvo, Mia Seville, Brittany

Flagler College Barker, Kate

Florida State University Alou, Taylor Ashmen, James Azanza, Mateo Badone, Mia Baker, Kali Belanger, Miakara Benjoseph, Yonatan Bush, Lauren Carr, Merrill Civin, Natalia Cody, Harrison Colome, Nicole Colton, Emelia Devers, Hailey Esposito, Dana Flood, Kristen Freeland, Jared

Gallagher, Kayla Gunn, Noah Harbaugh, Christina Healey, Lauren Healey, Morgan Hernadez, Virginia Jessell, Carsen Joseph, Taylor Klimczak, Sonja Kottler, Talia Kuplins, Arija Lee, Olivia Leisure, Olivia Mendelsohn, David Miller, Tasha Morfogen, Joseph Nuro, Dakotah Pesquera, Mariana Richter, Paul Root, Courtney Rosales, Yadira Siperstein, Matthew Thompson, Emily Van Putten Vink, Bailey Winters, Emily Wood, Rian Zayas, Juan

New World School of the Arts Materdomini, Michael

Palm Beach Atlantic University Frye, Noah Gornick, Preston Velasquez, Elisa

Palm Beach State College Beck, Makoa Castillo, Jose Chiamardas, Cydney Cuestas, Jean-Pierre Fraguela, Sheila Gonzalez, Andrew Hernandez Salgado Ivo Jr., Lucio Hoffend, Jade Johnston, Anthony Lemongello, Jaiden Lincz, Agustina Martinez, Gleinys Moeckel, Amber Morrissey, Katelyn Navarro, Luis Piendle, Summer Rothschild, Benjamin Schultz, Zolia Sullivan, Grace Turner, Alexander Ucelo, Christian Wichele, Natalie

Ringling College of Art and Design Boyette, Brianna Rycroft, Scott

Rollins College Forero, Daniela Fulop, Molly Marhee, Ava Romano, Lorenzo Wilhoit, Katherine

Santa Fe Community College Hoban, Molly

Stetson University Mercenit, Charles Polyviou, Amelia

Tallahasse COmmunity College Benjamin, Mekiel Brown, Derrek DeCastro, Zachary Joseph, Michael Michel, Ronald Sullivan, Benjamin

University of Central Florida Canales, Julianne Cordero, Kristina Corodimas, Jacqueline Felt, Devon Felt, Cameron Gallardo, Liam Gluck, Eva Hartman, Stephanie Joseph, Regine Jennings, Jay Macy, Mary Medard, Marie-Claire Rawlik, Peter Shannon, Michelle Toledo, Krystina Vasilopoulos, Stella Weinberg, Madison

University of Florida Cameron, Jada Carr, Merrill Cowen, Gabrielle Dietrich, Marina Ellena, Justin Evans, Lucie Gallagher, Thomas Gaynor, Tess Glas, Hannah Gomez, Alana Gotmare, Anuksha Grant, Kenya Hamilton IV, Oscar Hart, Tiffiany

Heiser, Margot Horan, Megan Huynh, Alexandria Kairalla, Emily Kedmi, Maya Lexima, Georges Marshall, Samantha McAvoy, Emma Meyers-Sinett, Judianna Miller, Caroline Nguyen, Ethan O’Connor, Riley Press, Ian Prichard, Nicola Rennebaum, Megan Russell, Logan Savardi, Clara Simmons, Sophia Sinett, Ariel Steidle, Brianna Stenberg, Kathryn Swenson, Kylee Tan, Victor Thompson, Hannah Triggs, Bailey Willcox, Derin Wohl, Jordan Yang, Steven

University of Miami Allen, Corinne Forgione, Makayla Hernandez, Katie Kaler, Jared Kevelson, Anna Nelles, Adam Varvaro, Ariana

University of North Florida Balraj, Arun Grantham, Diana Saldias-Manieu, Daniela

University of South Florida Afoon, Mackenzie Black, Makenzie Bogle, Makia Marcellino, Alexa Margolese, Melanie Oregero, Nicholas

University of West Florida D’Addio, Emily

University of Tampa Hernandez, Katie

Valencia College Naparsteck, Sloane

CALIFORNIA OHIO LOUISIANA ArtCenter College of Design Sherman, Sarah Steinpichler, Michael

Oberlin College Ligonde, Mark

San Francisco Art Institute Del Mastro, Mitchell

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY Diaz, Valentina Hacker, Elliot Joseph, Sarah

University of California, Santa Barbara Dziak, Veronika Salsich, Fiona

University of Southern California Seftel, Morgan Taylor, Dalton

GLOBAL AMSTERDAM UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS Rose, Anjelica

University College London Estrella, Marco

TEXAS RICE UNIVERSITY

TULANE UNIVERSITY

Fleck, Marlena

Cruz, Shannon Ostrov, Hannah

UTAH

Brigham Young University Oaks, Sophia

University of Utah Bohn, Aspen Kaufman, Daniel

Utah State University Moore, Sarah

INDIANA Purdue University Block, Isabel

University of Notre Dame Perez, Olivia Perez, Sofia Plaza, Jorge

17

NORTH CAROLINA WASHINGTON D.C. DUKE UNIVERSITY Bendeck, Alexander Hurley, Catherine

University of North carolina at chapel hill Ford, Isabella Kramer, Emily

18 themuseatdreyfoos.com / Cover

George Washington University Corning, Bjorn Kapitulnik, Tom Osiyemi, Naiya

NEW YORK

PENNSYLVANIA CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY

Columbia University

Pratt Institute

Cornell University

Rochester Institute of Technology

Wang, Michael

Bezerra-Gastesi, Naiara Liufu, Jia Sheinberg, Carson

Fordham University Leahy, Evan Mantyh, Katheryn Nelson, Reche Zarcadoolas, Christopher

Marymount Manhattan College Posey, Jessica Ridley, Emma Singleton, Tiffani Strickler, Leah

Munden, Alison Pollock, Nicholas Yasuda, Nozomi

Nisbett, Aaron

Sperry, Maggie Tyler, Chrystie

PENN STATE University Suskauer, Rebecca

Sarah Lawrence College

POINT PARK UNIVERSITY

Cortez, Victor

Steps On Broadway Conservatory Program Mandelblum, Eliana

Cuny College of Enviormantal Science and Forestry Smith, Chelsea

University of Pittsburgh

Syracuse University

Barrett, Andrew

Perrotta, Bridget

UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS

The Julliard School

New York University Ebrahimi, Alex Siben, Skylar

Capparelli, Miranda Fleming, Kelly Mazzie, Alexandra Pennington, Sydney Ravosa, Elexendria Rubenstein, Justin

Caceres-Nielsen, Mia

The New School O’Connor, Donald

Pace University O’Connor, Madison

Parsons school of Design Buttery, Riley Warne, Eva

Bourne, Nia Bravo, Stephanie Carroll, Nicole Hickman, Darius Murphy, Jaden

The School of Visual Arts Cohen, Rachel Drummond, Maya

TENNESSEE

University of Rochester Ingham, Conner

Middle Tennessee State UNiversity Amico, Dante

MASSACHUSETTS BOSTON UNIVERSITY Pinchuk, Alexis Wright, Cameron

Emerson College DiRienzo, Joseph Francois, Danielle Krammel, Chloe

Northeastern University Horneck, Julia Kirschenbaum, Kayla Muilenburg, Marissa Simon, Anthea

School of the arts Institute of Chicago

The Boston Conservatory

Harris, Seanna Sevilla, Alexis Trinchet, Linzy

Lazarus, Sasha

Montoya, Daniel

Massachusetts INstitute of technology Wellesley College Wan, Stefan Esposito, Cali

Guerrero, Isabella Raja, Uma

Worcester polytechnic Institute Watson, Kyle

NEW JERSEY Princeton University Tummolo, Gabriella

Westminster Choir College

KENTUCKY

Asbury University McLaughlin, Gabrielle

Martin, Michael

Washington University in St. Louis Gerber, Celia Jaisinghani, Aalisha

COLORADO Front Range Community College Covell, Christina

Armstrong State University Devers, Hailey

Emory University Abraham, Anjelica Faife, Alexandra Perl, Jake

Savannah College of Art and Design Desrosiers, Floriza

University of Georgia

Maryland Institute college of Art Payne, Alia Thompson, Richelle

Ahern, Megan Nadel, Matthew

ALTERNATE PLANS OREGON UNDECIDED

King, Austin LaParche, Camden Ryckman, Victoria Arana, Fernando Mansanet, Ethan Taylor, Alinna Beaubien, Sophia McKenzie, Brittany Taylor, Brielle Cheng, Chiu Oates, Malory Chicco, Alexandra D’Angelo, Nicholas Poston, Taylor Thompson, John Connelly, Lisa Garcia, Alina Toro, Adriana Graves, Chase Gibbons, Abigail Yeckes, Joshua Green, Sarah Hernandez, William Zucker, Margaux

?

Graphics by Carleigh Dickinson and Jenevieve Norton

NEW HAMPSHIRE Dartmouth College Shteiman, Natalie

MARYLAND CONNECTICUT YALE UNIVERSITY

NOT GOING

GEORGIA Stephenson, Sydney

MISSOURI

GAP YEAR

Northwestern University Hoffman, Bethany Litwinka, Suzanne

Tufts University

Montserrat College of Art

Kelly, Nicole

Roosevelt University

Kaleita, Shelley

King, Sarah Ochoa, Isaac Yan, Jack

DePaul University Klewan, Austin

Simmons College

Harvard University

ILLINOIS

Reed College

Keene State College Ruth, Madison

ALABAMA University of Alabama Harrington, Samantha Pagano, Amanda Royal, Ashton

Mischler, Wyatt

MICHIGAN

University of Michigan Janssen, Eloise Llende, Lindsay Schreier, Eliana

VIRGINIA George Mason Univeristy Spears, Hope Trowers, Jade

Liberty University Dunn, Hannah

Cover / themuseatdreyfoos.com 19

SPORTS RECAP 2017 Dreyfoos athletics reach new competitive heights

Photo by Lorenzo Romano

W

GIRLS SOCCER

ith the retirement of science dean Stephen Anand as the girls soccer team head coach, players had to adapt to new coach Claire Lawson. The team finished the season with a 4-6 record, but still advanced to districts. The team placed fourth with a loss to Seminole Ridge Community High School. The players hope to rebound next season by working on their game throughout the off-season.

Like the boys soccer team, the girls are without a coach heading into next school year, so they must prepare for next season on short notice with a new coach. However, the team is optimistic for next season, as the team’s current underclassmen mature and develop as soccer players. Through more practice and an added emphasis on overall performance, the team will aim to build off of this past season.

“I hope that the team is able to succeed and do very well in their upcoming season without knowing who the new girls coach will be,” visual senior Gleinys Martinez said. “Individually, each and every [teammate] is unique and thoughtful in her own way, but together we are strong and always there for each other. We have great chemistry on and off the field.

It has been an absolute privilege to be surrounded by such amazing souls.”

20 themuseatdreyfoos.com / Sports

E

BOYS BASKETBALL

nding the regular season with a 13-11 record, the boys basketball team entered the Eastern Coast Conference (ECC) tournament as the top seed. As a result, the team will receive a banner in the gymnasium for winning all of their conference games.

Following an early win in the tournament, the Jaguars lost in the semifinals and were set to face Morningside Academy in the third place match. The game was tied at 46 with 10.2 seconds remaining as the Jaguars were ready to inbound the ball. It was a designed play to go to communications senior Elliot Hacker, but with heavy pressure, he was forced to pass the ball to visual junior Matthew George. George received the ball, put up a shot at the buzzer, and banked it in for the win. Not only did the team have a perfect home season record, but they also went down in history with band junior Amare Davis’ 40-point effort against Community Christian High School.

“The feeling was amazing; I felt like I couldn’t miss,” Davis said. “After I made my first couple of shots, I knew I was hot and wanted the ball in my hands. The most important thing I could hope for next season is more improvement as a team and being able to show it in our record.”

Photo by Christina Harbaugh

Photo by Christina Harbaugh

C

BOYS GOLF

ommitment on the course has propelled the boys golf team to an unparalleled level of success, having four golfers advance to the district tournament and two golfers to the regional tournament. Band sophomore James Carter and communications junior Zachary Stoloff qualified for the regional tournament after a successful debut at districts. The major improvements the team experienced this season were due to dedication at practices and individual work and development on their own time to improve their game. Social studies teacher and golf coach Sara Stout believes that her golfers can advance from regionals to states next year if they continue to work on their game outside of the allocated practice time. The short season, with the season beginning within the first week of school, did not give the golfers enough time to get back into the swing of things, but that won’t stop the team moving forward.

“I was impressed with our team’s commitment,” Ms. Stout said. “We expanded our team, added more people, and had someone graduate last year, so we had to fill one of our top gofler spots. I saw a general improvement in everybody’s swing by the end of the year, and overall, we did extremely well.”

Photo by Lorenzo Romano

A

SWIMMING

s one of the most successful Dreyfoos sports teams this year, the boys and girls swim teams have accomplished many feats, both as individual swimmers and as an entire team. Nearly every swimmer participated in the district competition while some advanced to regionals. The events that students participated in at regionals include the girls and boys 200-meter medley relay, the 200-meter freestyle, the 200-meter individual medley (IM), the 100-meter butterfly, the 100-meter freestyle, the 100-meter backstroke, and the 400-meter freestyle relay. Assistant Coach Chazz Chiamardas will take the reigns as the head swim coach as the other two coaches will not return for another season.

“My hopes for next year is to really have another amazing season like we did this year,” strimgs junior Thomas Devito said. “I know it won’t be the same without [former math teacher and swim coach Rachelle] Lowen and [math teacher and swim coach Allison] Glenn, but Coach Chazz has been with us since the get-go, so I feel that the atmosphere on the team won’t change. It was an amazing feeling to be captain.

It’s a real pleasure to be a part of such a caring and fun team that we had this year, and it was a real honor to be leading them.”

By Shane McVan Sports / themuseatdreyfoos.com 21

22 themuseatdreyfoos.com

ARTISTIC ATHLETES

Dance and traditional sports require a similar amount of athletic ability

F

ive hours a day, seven days a week: this is the extent to which some Dreyfoos dancers practice their art on a weekly basis in and outside of school. Though dance is officially classified as an art form, the work and practice that goes into it can be just as rigorous as any sport.

“Dance is similar to other sports because you have to rehearse and practice pretty much every day to perform well at the competition or game,” dance junior Jordan Maurer said. “Just like other sports, dance is physically challenging, so exhaustion is common to both.”

Maurer participated on Dreyfoos’ track team this year and compared her experience on the team to her experiences with dance.

Although dance and sports can be similar on the physical point of view, the two differ when it comes down to the performance aspect of both. “[Dance and traditional sports] differ because dance is definitely more expressive than something like basketball or base-

ball,” Maurer said. “In dance, you have to convey a story through your movement.

You also have to be able to connect with your audience while you perform. In other sports, the crowd doesn’t have that much of an intimate connection with the players.”

According to the Livestrong Foundation, dancers can burn up to 450 calories per hour, which is only five calories less than playing baseball for the same amount of time. With the exception of students like Maurer, who participate in sports outside of their art, students such as dance sophomore Brida Gibbons only participate in dance as their form of exercise.

“I don’t participate in any other sports because I get a lot of exercise from dance as it is,” Gibbons said. “The physical aspect of dance makes it a sport because it needs so much strength and control.”

Though it is an art form, dance has many components that many other sports have. To be able to do well, a dancer must be flexible, strong, have endurance and stamina, and love

Photo illustration by Natalie Bergeron

what they do. Repetition is key to helping to increase these traits in a dancer, similar to all other forms of exercise. The more practice an athlete does, the better they can perform.

“Dance really increases my stamina, which helps when I workout with my cardio at the gym; it keeps me in shape,” dance junior Natalie Barron said. “If I wasn’t doing dance, I probably wouldn’t be doing much.”

Along with all of the physical work that goes into dance, a large portion of the work that dancers have to go through also focuses on the attention to detail and on the specifics of the artistic technique.

“My dance teacher outside of school says that dance is a ‘spart’: a sport and an art combined,” dance freshman Salma Kiuhan said. “I think that word is a really good way of embodying what dance is because it has that athletic nature where you are forced to push yourself just like any other real sport. But at the same time, it also has all of the characteristics of a beautiful art form.”

By Lilly Randolph Sports / themuseatdreyfoos.com 23

SOUND CLOUD

FAME S

oundCloud is an online audio distribution platform that allows users to promote their original music, and it is the default platform for many upcoming artists representing the new wave of hip-hop.

Two Dreyfoos students are taking advantage of this trend; theatre junior Elijah Wagmeister and vocal junior Samuel Point Du Jour are aspiring musicians who rely on SoundCloud as their creative outlet. Wagmeister, known as “Etheprophet,” and Point Du Jour, known as “Lil Suavo,” have collaborated on numerous songs ranging in genre from alternative rap to hip-hop. Although Wagmeister and Point Du Jour are independent recording artists, their collaborative songs showcase both of their styles.

“Our individual flows are different, but our collaborative music is a perfect combination of both,” Wagmeister said.

Wagmeister’s particular sound is more grungy and poetic, with musical inspirations such as Nirvana, Kid Cudi, and Mobb Deep. Point Du Jour’s style is inspired by Chance The Rapper, J Cole, and Isaiah Rashad, and has more of a wavy, colorful vibe.

However, neither of the two consider their sound to fall under a single specific category.

“I like to explore all genres,” Point Du 24 themuseatdreyfoos.com / Features

Theatre junior Elijah Wagmeister (left) and vocal junior Samuel Point Du Jour (right) have gained recent popularity through the coverage songs on their SoundCloud accounts.

Jour said. “If I were to describe my music it would be a merge between hip-hop and jazz.”

Both “Lil Suavo” and “Etheprophet” have each racked up over 15,000 plays on their SoundCloud accounts.

“One of my goals with making music is to make a change in the way that people think and function in society,” Wagmeister said.

“The ultimate goal is to make a difference.”

Wagmeister’s debut album, “Grey,” which Point Du Jour is featured on twice, has acquired over 13,000 plays and counting since its initial release. The 13-track album is somewhat of a personal anecdote and makes countless references to his past.

“I consider my lyrics to be more poetry-oriented than straight up rap,” Wagmeister said. “The amount of time that I spend working on a song depends on what the message is that I’m trying to convey lyrically.”

“Grey’s” success closely rivals Point Du Jour’s debut single, “The Come Up.” After releasing his first song, Point Du Jour began to expand his musical horizons. His sophomore track, “Be Happy,” is extremely personal and describes one of his major aspirations in life, which is the song’s under-

lying repeated phrase: “All I really want is to be happy.” After the release, Point Du Jour began to collaborate more with Wagmeister on tracks, such as “What You Need.” While SoundCloud is how the two share their sound with the public, both prefer to not associate with the term ‘SoundCloud rapper,’ believing there is a certain stigma behind it.

“When people think of SoundCloud rappers, they typically think of mumble rap or just beats with no real substance. That’s not what either of us are about,” Point Du Jour said. “I don’t even really like to be called a rapper, because it’s so much more than that; I sing and play instruments.”

The actual process of songwriting is much more time-consuming than just putting words onto paper. Regardless of the strenuous amount of hours that goes into creating music, both “Lil Suavo” and “Etheprophet” plan on continuing making music well into the future.

“My goal is to ultimately excel at the highest level I can possibly be at,” Point Du Jour said. “This is what I’m passionate about. I’m ready to put my all into this and make a career from it.”

By Eliza Baker Photo illustration by Eliza Baker

CODING THEIR FUTURES Female students explore the world of computer science with their peers at the West Palm Beach Library

I

n a field dominated by men, it can be hard for women to shine in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, women make up 48 percent of the American workforce, but only 24 percent of jobs in STEM are held by women.

Girls Who Code, a national non-profit organization, aims to close this gender gap in the technology field.

With clubs all over the U.S., Girls Who Code is committed to getting girls between the ages of six and 17 involved in coding and technology in hopes of them pursuing computer science in the future.

Reshma Saujani, founder and CEO of Girls Who Code, was the first American-Indian woman to run for Congress. While she was making her rounds and visiting local schools, she saw firsthand how bad the abysmal gender gap was in technology. This drove her to create an organization to engage girls in the STEM field.

“When girls learn to code, they become change agents in their communities,” Saujani wrote on the Girls Who Code website.

“Whether it’s a game to illustrate the experience of an undocumented immigrant, or a website to provide free college prep, our girls

create technology that makes the world a better place.”

Based in the Mandel Public Library in West Palm Beach is a local Girls Who Code club, which was started by vocal junior Madison Cuellar. Cuellar initiated the club by contacting the organization and finding a place that had useable computers to work on.

The organization then provided lesson plans and everything necessary for the club to be successful.

“I started [the club] because I’ve always been interested in programming, but I never knew where to begin. I felt that maybe other girls were going through the same struggle. I thought it would be nice to have a community of girls that shared the same interests as each other,” Cuellar said.

Girls in this club work in a tech-friendly environment. The club is open to new members and has a lot of participants from surrounding schools. With many members from Dreyfoos involved, it’s a local resource for girls who are interested in learning about coding and computer science, but perhaps don’t know where to begin.

“At first, we learned the basics about programming and the different languages used.

Recently we have all started making our

own websites, so every week we add to the HTML code and get help whenever we run into problems. It’s really fun,” strings junior Elisabeth Schreiber said.

The demand for engineers is increasing, and STEM jobs are projected to grow by 8 percent between 2012 and 2022 according to the U.S Department of Labor. “I would definitely encourage other girls to get involved in computer science because it’s so fun and rewarding. It paves the way for other young girls who are interested in STEM fields,” Schreiber said.

Through clubs like Girls Who Code, closing the gender gap in the world of technology is possible, and getting girls interested in having fun with computer science may not be a rarity for long. Many girls in the club create and maintain their own websites and apps.

“I’d encourage girls to try out coding. It’s a skill that many employers would like in their prospective workers, and not only that, it’s just fun to see yourself create something like a website out of a series of numbers and letters,” vocal junior Dina Desai said. “I never thought I could do something like that until I did.”

By Dylan Priday

(L-R) Strings junior Emily Maio, Girls Who Code member Lan Luong, vocal junior Madison Cuellar, strings junior Elisabeth Schreiber, and vocal junior Haley Paulk practice different coding techniques on their computers. The Girls Who Code club is held every Wednesday at the West Palm Beach Library. Photo courtesy of Jesse Moskowitz

Features / themuseatdreyfoos.com 25 25

26 26 themuseatdreyfoos.com / Lifestyle

FROM THE

RUNWAY

TO DREYFOOS Fashion Week’s influence surpasses the streets of New York, Paris, and London and enters the halls of Dreyfoos

MAKEUP

A

s Fashion Week 2016 came and went with a memorable bang, it influenced the fashion industry, and experimental makeup. Eyebrows rocked the bleached look, glitter was taken to a whole new level. A school like Dreyfoos is more than ready to utilize Fashion Week’s hottest trends. In terms of “shine,” raw glitter is being worn as highlight and glossy lids (eyeshadow with a wet, reflecting look) are defining an artsy image. Also, for an extra “pop,” designers and makeup artists all over have taken advantage of white0-winged eyeliner for a more daring look. Promising to make a statement, couture makeup included the use of vivid and geometric eyeshadow this year. Companies such as NYX and NARS have been a reliable source for bright makeup, with colored eyeliner and eyeshadow. MILK makeup -which is sold at Sephora, Urban Outfitters, and other major beauty chains- offers the “Supernova-Holographic Stick,” which can be applied to the cheekbones and underbrow area. Highlighters are used on the highest points of your face, including the Cupid’s bow, which is used to bring more definition to the lips. For a bolder highlighter, Cover FX released the Custom Enhancer Drops in “Halo,” which can be mixed with any cosmetic for a natural glow, though it is more often used for highlighter.

T

COLORS

he models of Fashion Week sported neon pieces paired with a dark, loose look. Thanks to designers such as Kimmy J and collections such as Fenty x Puma, minimal amounts of vivid fabrics combined with basics created the new neon wave. It’s as simple as pairing a neon hoodie with a normally dark outfit, or a vivid top with a pair of boyfriend jeans. With artists always ready to experiment with tones, some Dreyfoos students have jumped onto the trend of a comfortable, yet gallant, pop of color. As we shift from fall to spring, it’s not a surprise that the runway has incorporated this idea. Colors such as “Fluorescent Orange” and “Bitter Lime” have been used in daily -or even slump- apparel. Bright colors have taken the shape of shirt dresses, hoodies, and even accessories such as beanies, slippers, and nail decor. Although this seems like a potent shift from the nude shades that we’ve been used to, springs colors have been creeping up on the fashion industry. The neon we used to search for in places like Party City are becoming available in more accessible clothing stores, such as Pacsun, where brands like Obey are taking part of the vivid trend. The eye-catching apparel is best paired with darker clothing, which makes the color look unique, yet casual.

M

MESH

esh ranges from largely netted, visible apparel, to tight and compact netting that appears transparent. This material almost resembles fishnets, and is now being used for tops, jackets, accessories, and more. Mesh allows a thin layer that adds to an outfit, or sometimes to expose more of what’s worn underneath.

While Dreyfoos has already been utilizing the “fishnets under ripped jeans” style, some can incorporate the material into other types of clothing pieces. Mesh shirts over tank tops allow a modern, artistic look without a lot of layering, and mesh jackets are an easy go-to piece of apparel for those who want something extra to throw on.

Clothing stores such as Urban Outfitters, Forever 21, and TopShop all provide the basics in mesh, where designers like Gucci inspired the trend of interlaced embroidery into a variety of networks ranging from tightly knit to spaced out thread. Forever 21 also provides a more exotic form of mesh: chainmail mesh. Chainmail mesh has risen in the apparel industry thanks to Milan’s Fashion Week impact with designers such as Versace and Dolce & Gabbana incorporating the material in their dresses and gowns.

By Danielle Cuestas

Top-Bottom, L-R, Visual junior Onyx Raia, vocal junior Christian Thompson, theatre senior Kali Baker, strings sophomore Alan Le, theatre freshman Cross Ayala, strings junior Anjuli Bahadursingh pose for new makeup, neon color, and mesh trends at Dreyfoos that are influenced by Fashion Week. Photo illustrations by Natalie Bergeron

Lifestyle / themuseatdreyfoos.com 27

T

he cartoon movie that brought us tremendous joy as children has now been brought to the big screen again, but this time in live-action. The 1991 version of “Beauty and the Beast” has been revived with Emma Watson in the starring role. With an entirely new cast, there are also some changes to look out for.

While the 1991 version was overly simplified, going so far as to use the same animations from the infamous ballroom scene from “Sleeping Beauty”, the newer version is intricate. Each character in his or her furniture form heavily resembles the actual actor in human form. There were minor character changes as well, including a character redesign for Mrs. Potts, played by Emma Thompson. In the original, her nose was shown as the spout of the teapot, but in the live-action version, the directors changed it to have her face painted on the side.

Along with character changes, an entirely new character has been added to the movie. Garderobe, played by Audra McDonald, now has a husband in this new version named Maestro Cadenza, played

by Stanley Tucci. He is the perfect example of how matched and detailed these characters are. In one scene, as a piano, he shoots the keys to defend himself. Later on, when he transforms back into human form, some of his teeth are missing. There was an extraordinary attention to detail put into this movie.

One of the most significant character modifications was Belle, who has been updated to fit the modern age. During the original movie’s release, the movie was seen as groundbreaking. That theme has been carried on into this new version. To give a modern take on Belle, the directors had her wear boots along with a hike in her skirt to really show that her character was taking action. In addition to these style changes, Belle’s personality is more developed. Not only is Belle reading that infamous blue book, but she is also spreading her knowledge to all in that town. For example, she tried to teach a young girl to read, and she is shown creating her

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own inventions, instead of just fostering her dad’s creations.

“Belle was definitely a stronger feminist in this film, however I believe she was a powerful character in the original,” communications teacher Christine Tieche said. “In both films we especially see this in the ‘Bonjour’ scene where she is walking through the town, but I feel the disdain for an educated woman is more obvious in the new version.”

With this modernization also came diversification. There is representation of interracial relationships and LGBTQ+ characters. Lefou, played

by Josh Gad, is Gaston’s right-hand man, and he is shown briefly dancing with another man in the final dance scene. Even though this came heavily under fire, as this was the first time a Disney movie openly portrayed homosexuality, the scene is brief. “ I loved that Lefou was gay, of course, as someone who is part of the LGBT community, because Disney princess movies are for everyone, and having a gay character shouldn’t mean the movie isn’t for kids,” theatre junior Kimberly Gilbert said. “I loved that they embraced that.”

It provides a reason to be Gaston’s right hand man. Why else would someone spend hours every day with a seemingly obnoxious man? In a prior scene, Garderobe attacked three men by dressing them in clothing with makeup, and while two of the men ran away in disgust, the third appears to enjoy the new appearance, and he is shown at the end of the movie dancing with Lefou. Even though these scenarios might not seem historically accurate, it’s a great way to get current audiences interested and connect to a greater amount of people.

One of the original movie’s most common criticisms was that the timeline of the curse cast on the Beast wasn’t clearly defined. He supposedly has been cursed for 10 years and has to fall in love by the time he turns 21. However, this would mean he was cursed at 11, while there are paintings showing him as an adult. The new version fixes this inconsistency, making him cursed as an adult. Lyrics that pointed out the 10-year mark in the most iconic song of the

The ‘Tale As Old As Time’ meets the 21st century entire movie, “Be Our Guest,” were changed from, “10 years we’ve been rusting,” to “too long we’ve been rusting.” There is also proper time given to the Enchantress to explain why a whole town suddenly forgets about this massive castle that is probably supposed to rule over them; the curse makes everyone in town forget that it exists.

“One thing that I loved was the thought that went into clearing up the plot holes left by the original version, [like] why the village didn’t know about the castle, which was so satisfying to watch,” theatre junior Sofia Carianna said.

In addition, the live-action remake gives a backstory that certainly everyone was yearning to know about: Belle’s mother. She isn’t in the 1991 version at all, and all mentions of her are very vague. The 2017 version gives her a backstory provided by the Beast after he is given a book by the Enchantress that can take any human to anywhere in the world by thinking of it. The Beast is not human, but Belle does go back to the Paris of her childhood. It shows a reference to the bubonic plague with the horrifying beak-shaped masks used by doctors who had to treat it. Zoe Rainey plays Belle’s mother, who ultimately dies from the plague, which is why Maurice (Belle’s father) and Belle end up moving to another town.

“I felt that the backstory of Belle’s mom added another layer of depth to Belle and her father’s relationship, and it added to the ways that the audience could connect to Belle,” theatre junior Bridget Gross said.

Everything about the classic “Beauty and the Beast” we know and love has only been enhanced by this movie. From the vivid details, new diversity, and fixed plot holes, it’s what people hoped it would be, and it brings out everyone’s childhood memories.

By Chloe Girod Graphics by Chloe Girod

Entertainment / themuseatdreyfoos.com 29

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What was it like playing at YoungArts?

At YoungArts, I was able to collaborate and work with people in many different art areas. For example, a band accompanied a cello concerto with a solo cellist with live dancers improvising to it. It was an amazing experience working with such talented people, and I was one of two classical musicians, and the only musician from Dreyfoos, in the whole program.

Why did you decide to pursue the marimba?

I began playing marimba when I was in fourth grade. I originally played piano when I was 3 years old, but then in fourth grade, I had to choose a different instrument. I couldn’t get a sound out of anything else, so I stuck with percussion. It was easy to pick up the marimba because the keys were the same as piano keys. I had to try and play clarinet, trumpet, and saxophone and I tried as hard as I can to get a noise out and I couldn’t so he handed me drumsticks as like a reject instrument and ever since then I fell in love.

Tell me about your program at Tanglewood.

My main focus is at Tanglewood in Lenox, Massachusetts during the summer where I work with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. I made the top orchestra this summer and will return for my second year. The program is Boston University Tanglewood Institute. It’s an elite summer program where kids apply and it is very competitive to get in because it isn’t based on age just talent. I’m playing in an orchestra for six weeks and it’s [a] very good experience.

Who inspires you?

My inspirations are the peers I meet at different programs around the country. I have been the youngest person at these places by two or three years. It’s great to be in such prestigious places with people going to Juilliard, New England Conservatory, Harvard, and more. I ask my colleagues advice first whenever I need any from these programs.

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What is the audition process like for summer programs such as Tanglewood?

I pick my music months in advance and I set up a recording camera with audio and test it for 30 minutes. I practice for this one audition hours a day for over six months. I have to find a balance to work. I record over and over again until I get a straight runthrough with no wrong notes rhythms and all my musical elements in. it takes between two to four hours each tape. No editing is allowed.

What is your biggest challenge?

My biggest struggle is recording my auditions. I’m a complete perfectionist and my videos I send in to programs must be in my eyes perfect, good enough doesn’t do it for me. I record for four hours minimum each recording on marimba, timpani, snare, drum bells, etc. It takes an extremely long time and it takes an excruciating amount of effort. I need to find the place where I can send it in and be happy because nothing can be perfect, you can always improve, and you have to get past the point that it won’t be that and submit it anyway. The programs [I apply to] are so competitive that that one extra take could be the one to get you in because all they see is the four tapes you send in. It’s hard recording timpani because I don’t have access at home only st school so I have to make sure no one walks in the band room after I reserve a time to record and it’s stressful because it’s not unlimited, whereas I have a snaredrum and marimba at home.

Q&A

EXPOSURE Griffin Miller

A

s one of the 14 marimba players at Dreyfoos, band sophomore Griffin Miller is a rare breed. Spending summers at the Tanglewood Institute in Lenox, Massachusetts and attending YoungArts 2017, he has found his passion for his instrument.

Do you see yourself pursuing music in the future?

I may want to pursue music engineering, performance, teaching, or the business side of producing. I’m not too sure yet, but I want to study music at either a college or conservatory. I would like to do music in some aspect of my job whether that be purely performance or the business side or production. I like producing being an advisor mentor too.

By Ruby Rosenthal

Photo by Destiny Robinson