Star
Summer
The BSAP Summer Institute’s
Howard County Public School System, MD
July 2022
BSAP Summer Institute makes students feel included Ella Wang, Rising 9th Grader
Teachers play a key role in helping students feel they “belong” at school. In my experience, students who feel they are being included in their classroom are more likely to see the value of the work they are given. They will have higher self-confidence and better chances to thrive in their classes. This has been especially true during the COVID-19 pandemic, everyone has been struck in one way or another. More students than before may be feeling anxious, lost, or lonely. According to the National Geographic Magazine, therapist Sarit Fassazadeh says, “Isolation is a huge component in mental health issues.” Ever since lockdown, students were stuck at home and were isolated from their friends for a long time and they started feeling lonely. Greater Good Magazine explains that students who feel a strong sense of belonging are more engaged in school. They are more likely to join school organizations, take on research opportunities, and make connections with peers and staff. Helping students feel included in school can make students feel safer after doing school from home – it can help create a brighter community. In my opinion, this BSAP Summer Institute provides students a great community. Being included in a classroom is always important. Rising 6th grader Paige Magee agreed that the BSAP staff and volunteers make students feel included in their classrooms. “I think my teachers are doing a good job at making me and my classmates feel included.” Students can also play a big role in helping others feel included. In fact, many BSAP SI students say they would worry about a student if they saw that they were not included. Brooklyn Byrd, a rising 5th grader, said, “Maybe some people don’t have friends
photo by Mr. Ben Townsend
Students worked together to create set designs for the drama with Ms. Farolyn Taylor. and they should at least feel included in one spot.” Magee agreed, “Students would feel bad about themselves if they weren’t included.” Byrd suggested a way that teachers can help. “Making students get to know other students could help students feel more included in their classrooms,” she explained. Ms. Harriet Beckham Lee, Volunteer Coordinator of BSAP Summer Institute, said that inclusion and relationships are a big part of the program. “As I go in and out of the classrooms, I see the social emotional learning lessons that are being done. I certainly see all those teachers who have incorporated those lessons into their morning sessions and are building a classroom
community.” Mr. Jansen (Jay) McMillan, a special education teacher at BSAP Summer Institute, agreed, “Inclusion is very important because we need to make sure everyone feels comfortable regardless of their background.” To help students feel included, he suggests that teachers understand their students’ strengths and weaknesses, their likes and dislikes, and incorporate those things into the classroom so that everyone feels confident in their abilities to participate and grow. According to the Harvard Graduate School of Education Magazine, research has shown that when teachers build a good
bond with their students, students are more motivated to do well in school. Dr. Christina Hinton says that making room to provide students extra emotional support is important. Creating additional opportunities, like through office hours, can make a big difference for students and teachers to build relationships. So, how else should teachers, volunteers, and students help other students feel more included in their classrooms at the BSAP Summer Institute? One of the logical ways is having teachers show interest in their students. Teachers should keep their ears open and be emotionally available for their students. Teachers don’t necessarily have to be your therapist, but they should be supportive. Since the pandemic hit, many students’ mental health has gone down. Teachers can play a big role in helping to raise it back up. Volunteers can also help encourage students or talk to students who are not raising their hands. Some students might be afraid to raise their hand or feel unsure of themselves. Sometimes they just need a little encouragement. Teachers and volunteers can also interact with students to help each student be actively involved in the class activities. When there is group participation, volunteers should make sure to check in with each group to ask what they are talking about and what their idea on the topic is. For students, sometimes building inclusion can be as simple as waving “hello” or smiling at your peers. Try giving a nice greeting or asking other students how their weekend or day was. It is very beneficial to connect with other students and build a supportive classroom. In conclusion, it is very important to make students feel included in their classrooms. BSAP Summer Institute is trying to help create a better community for everyone. When you go back to school this fall, think about how you can be more inclusive to everyone. Especially in stressful times, it is important for all of us to think about how to include each other emotionally as well as academically, and find ways to bring each other joy in our education.
Students get hooked on the BSAP SI enrichments get to go to other people’s classrooms to take photos.” Kyra Alexandre, a rising 6th grader, is also enjoying the BSAP Summer Institute experience, especially her enrichment class. She said, “I like BSAP because I have more to do in the summer, and I Many students love BSAP really like the drama enrichment Summer Institute for its friendly because I enjoy doing set design!” The enrichments also give teachers, students, and its lively BSAP Summer community, but Institute a chance it also can be of bringing in a hard to go to lot of new stuschool during the dents in the upsummer. BSAP coming years. SI has a way to The students hook you into who are at BSAP its very diverse SI this summer school and can will probably also entertain spread the word you during your about their enexperience. richments and Most students get more stuagree that their –Kyra Alexandre, dents interested favorite part of the BSAP Sumrising 6th grader in BSAP SI. “I have been mer Institute is working at BSAP the enrichment SI since 2005,” said Mr. Eugene program. Keenan Quarles, a rising 6th Rose, the BSAP principal, “It is grader, is currently in the photog- great for young people!” The BSAP SI students this raphy enrichment. He explained, “I enjoy photography because I summer seem happy about the Zachary Smith, Rising 8th Grader
“I really like the drama enrichment because I enjoy doing set design!”
photo by Victoria Reynolds, rising 7th grader
Students practice step and hip-hop dance in one of the many enrichments at BSAP Summer Institute. program and their enrichments are keeping them smiling. Hope-
fully, this will give BSAP SI a great reputation and bring more
attention to the public eye about this program.
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July 2022
The Summer Star
News · Noticias · Nouvelles
Students enjoy summer with fewer restrictions Meriel Ye, Rising 8th grader
Although this summer is still technically occurring in the pandemic, like last summer, people are now being more active and going outside more. This is because most pandemic restrictions have ended. Last summer, when there were pandemic restrictions, we couldn’t do what we usually did for summer. For example, some of us missed traveling on vacations or hanging out with friends and relatives in person. However, during this summer, these restrictions have stopped. This brings a dramatic change to how we can spend this summer. Even though we’re techni-
cally still in the pandemic, we can now go back to more of our active summer routines, like actually going places and seeing other people with in-person contact. Many students are happy to be returning to a more normal type of summer. Rising 9th grader Stefan Armour said, “I’m going to go out a lot, because I didn’t get to do that last summer. I want to go on more vacations and see my friends.” Armour also mentioned that during last summer, he felt bored about being stuck home and had nothing to do because of the COVID restrictions. This is a whole lot different than what he will do this summer because this summer, Stefen gets to be more active and move around more. Rising 7th grader Tre Liggins said that he was going to go to Hersheypark this summer. He said, “My current summer activities are a lot different from what I
photo by Misti Jewan, rising 8th grader
Students enjoyed going outside to fly the kites they created in engineering class. did last summer. Last summer, I didn’t get to do much.” Liggins believes that this summer opens up many more opportunities for different activities compared to last summer, when people barely got to do anything except stay home. A rising 8th grader, Lauren
Lessing, agrees that this summer feels more like normal. She said that she likes to swim and this summer she’s going to the Outer Banks, where she will swim and hike. “Last summer was kind of boring because I feel like I experience more stuff when I’m out-
side,” Lessing explained. It looks like most students have active summer plans. So, what are you going to do this summer? We hope you get to enjoy being active on vacation and seeing your friends and family!
What BSAP means and why Summer Institute was created Evelyn Edoho-Eket, Rising 6th Grader Have you ever wondered why the Summer Institute is called BSAP? BSAP stands for “Black Student Achievement Program.” BSAP was created in 1986, with the goal of helping Black students excel as leaders and become college-ready upon high school graduation. BSAP Summer Institute has evolved over time and everyone is welcome in the program. In addition to the BSAP summer program for students rising to grades 5-9, there is another BSAP summer program for younger students. Both programs focus on enrichment, character, leadership, and preparing students for the upcoming year. But now that the program is not only for Black students, should HCPSS change the name? According to Eugene Rose, principal of BSAP SI at Howard High School, the name BSAP is still important. He says he thinks the program benefits students a lot and brings diverse students together as scholars. Mr. Rose said the key goal of BSAP SI is to help students be leaders in their upcoming school year because they have already started learning the curriculum in the sum-
mer. For example, he said that if students are taking Algebra 1 next year and they learn some of it at the BSAP SI program, then “the students will feel more confident to raise their hand and answer questions.” According to Mr. Rose, the BSAP SI program has a tradition of producing smart kids and future leaders. He said that back when the program first started, there were more kids in the engineering program than in basketball, but today both of these enrichments are popular. Rising 6th grader Leela Sharkey, says she thinks that the name BSAP should be changed now that everyone is accepted. “I’m glad that everyone is accepted because it gives everyone an equal opportunity for learning.” The BSAP SI was originally created to empower Black students to be successful leaders. The program has been so successful that it now welcomes all students, but continues to focus on inspiring students of color to achieve their best. Rising 6th grader Garrett Hayleck said that BSAP SI was a great way to transition to what it’s like in middle school. “It was cool how we could transition by ourselves without a teacher. I tried my hardest in the summer program and it was fun.” Sr. Engelhardt, Spanish teacher, said, “It’s great getting to see the students learn from day one in the program to the end. They can get used to being in school and learning without getting graded.”
photo by Mr. Ben Townsend
Students in Science Fun enrichment, taught by Mr. Robert Thompson and Ms. Dennette Affinito, got to explore forensic science in staged crime scenes.
photo taken by photography class
Mentor Taliyah Francis (right) gives students encouragement in drama and set design.
The Summer Star
News · Noticias · Nouvelles
July 2022
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BSAP SI volunteers reflect on their summer experiences Cailtynn Ye, Rising 6th Grader
There are 73 high school students volunteering at BSAP Summer Institute, but have you ever wondered what they really think about the program? Ms. Harriet Beckham-Lee is the student volunteer coordinator at BSAP SI. She explained that the student volunteers are from all the different Howard County high schools. These volunteers are here to help the students from grades kindergarten to rising 9th grade, in classes like English, reading, math, and even enrichments. In order to be a volunteer, you have to be a rising 11th grader in HCPSS. Lena Osborne is a rising 12th grader from Wilde Lake High School and she is volunteering in the debate class. Osborne explained, “My teacher, Ms. Midgley, told me that this program was happening and I care a lot about debate, so I thought that this would be a good opportunity to teach people about it!”
Another student volunteer, Joshua Soong, is a rising 11th grader from River High School. “I heard about BSAP Summer Institute through friends and family and I thought it would be cool to help kids. I think BSAP is doing a great job of helping young students to learn more. I didn’t get to do this when I was a kid. I think they should try to keep it up and expand the program even more.” One more student volunteer, Zoe MacDiarmid, is a rising senior at Wilde Lake High School. She is also volunteering in the journalism enrichment. MacDiarmid said she thinks that the BSAP Summer Institute has been running smoothly and she is enjoying her volunteering experience. She explained, “When you’re in high school, you’re around teenagers all day, so you sometimes forget that the world isn’t just a bunch of teenagers. It’s refreshing being around kids.” All of the volunteers try their best to help the students. As MacDiarmid said, “I help make sure everyone’s on track.” If you had a volunteer in your class, be sure to tell them that you appreciated their help. Remember that when you’re a rising 11th grader, you can be a volunteer at BSAP Summer Institute too!
photo by Mr. Ben Townsend
Volunteer Lanting Zhu, a rising 11th grader at Centennial High School, assists students in the Engineering class on projects with snap circuits on June 20, 2022.
Letter from a Volunteer
Volunteering is an immensely beneficial act. For the volunteer, it provides a sense of purpose, as well as valuable experience. For the community, it provides assistance that improves the lives and wellbeing of others. This summer, I was granted the opportunity to volunteer for the Black Student Achievement Program Summer Institute. I was Ms. Ahn’s teacher’s assistant. I aided seventh and eight graders in Math 8 (Pre-algebra) and Algebra I. This was my first encounter with mentoring students in an academic setting. It was exciting to experience the art of instruction from the perspective of a teacher. Working with the students was really fun and engaging. I assisted students with content, aided in class discussions, and facilitated games, but most importantly I could witness the students’ love of learning. As someone who loves math, I was more than happy to share my knowledge and observe the students’ academic growth. Throughout my volunteership, I noticed improvement in the skills that lay the foundation for future mathematics concepts. The BSAP Summer Institute was not only beneficial for the students, but for me as well. My service has given me a great opportunity to give back to my community. It was a pleasure and a joy to volunteer for the BSAP Summer Institute this summer. Sincerely, Seth Markey Junior at Howard High School
photo by Lauren Lessing, rising 8th grader
Ms. Harriet Beckham Lee, BSAP Volunteer Coordinator
photo by Mr. Ben Townsend
Volunteer Siisi Adentwi, a rising 11th grader at Oakland Mills High School, helped students in the drama enrichment during their dress rehearsal for the play in the cafeteria on June 20, 2022.
photo by Ms. Laura Cometa
Volunteer Zoe MacDiarmid (center back), a rising 12th grader at Wilde Lake High School, helped the Journalism/StoryMaker enrichment cross the finish line to publish their school newspaper and videos.
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July 2022
The Summer Star
News · Noticias · Nouvelles
Drama presents Aesop, Come Back! for BSAP SI Norrie Adams, Rising 6th grader The 31 students in this summer’s drama enrichment class have spent four weeks working on a play to showcase for BSAP SI. The play is called Aesop, Come Back! by Joshua Mikel. The students in drama took the class for periods 5 and 6, so they could have extra time to prepare. This year, the were not able to use their usual location in the auditorium because it was closed for repairs, so they used the cafeteria to practice. Losing the auditorium space did not seem to affect the enthusiasm of the drama students. Grace Gonsouland, a rising 7th grader, said, “I think students should join drama because it is a great experience! If you like to have fun, dance, and act, it’s definitely for you.” Gonsouland said that her interests in dance, cheer, and acting made drama a good choice for her enrichment. In preparing for the play, she said, “It’s a fun challenge and I’m looking forward to doing it with my classmates.” Another rising 7th grader, Juliana Wilson, agreed that drama has been a great experience for her. “I recommend drama if
you like to act or dance,” she said, “I joined drama because I think that I have a good future in acting.” Ethan Colbern, a rising 7th grader agreed, “Drama is fun! You can to meet people and it is a really nice community.” Chloe Wilson, also a rising 7th grader, said, “If you like acting or set design, drama is a great class for you to express your art techniques.” Wilson added that putting on a play in a short time frame is challenge. She said, “It has been pretty stressful, since we don’t have a lot of time to get ready, but it has been fun.” Ms. Pamela Cavanaugh, one of this year’s drama teachers, had nothing but praise for the drama students. “I have absolutely enjoyed teaching this class. The kids were amazing. Their talent was off the charts. Everyone collaborated to put on a great show!” Congratulations to the entire Drama class for your performance. Being able to prepare a show in such a short amount of time is really impressive and quite an accomplishment. If you would like to get involved with drama in the future, don’t hesitate! You can join drama at your local school, sign up for it at BSAP SI next summer, or even start your own club! Drama is definitely something you should join if you enjoy acting, set design, or using your creative talents.
photo by Kinley Cyriaque, rising 6th grader
Drama students practice their original choreography for the play.
photo by Mr. Ben Townsend
Staff and students answer: Is summer school worth it? Moyin A. Otinniyi, Rising 6th grader Many of our parents believe that this upcoming school year will be very important. So, they have decided to put us in summer school to help prepare us for the next grade level. Unfortunately, for most kids the words “summer school” can bring up a feeling of dread. The thought of spending more than two weeks to go to extra school might seem like torture for some students. If the purpose of summer school is to provide education over the summer that will help us improve and prepare, is it delivering? Does the BSAP Summer Institute think summer school is worth it, or do they think they are wasting valuable time that could be used to relax? Many students at the BSAP Summer Institute say their experience is worth it! Selah Byndloss, a rising 6th grader said, “I feel like I can now pay attention when I’m working on stuff. I can just be here working, instead of being at home not doing anything.” Ms. Shayla Bright, Creative Writing and grade 5 math teacher at BSAP SI, has been working here for 18 years. She says,
“I think that if the teachers are planning appropriately, and the students are engaged, then it really can be a great thing!” Ms. Bright also mentioned,“I really do feel like the program itself is valuable, being able to do academics, and do some enriching activities, I think it’s a nice way to encourage students to still be able to do some academics in the summer, but also do some fun things as well.” Mr. Justin McCoy is a Wellness & Fitness teacher and basketball coach at BSAP SI. During the school year, he teaches Health and PE at Reservoir High school. Mr. McCoy said, “I was a student in this program, way back in the day, and I met a lot of friends that I still have today. I also, as a student, met a lot of teachers that are still here today, and they’re still my friends and now my coworkers.” He added, “As a teacher I get to meet students from all over the county, which I think is awesome, and as a student, you guys get to meet students from all over the county as well. Later on down the line, you might end up going to high school with these people. So I think it’s great way to make friends that you normally wouldn’t make during school year, so YES this program is definitely worth it!” Some BSAP SI students and staff members think summer school is definitely worth spending an extra four weeks in school. Do you agree?
How can you make your life more interesting?!? Ian McCormick, Rising 8th Grader Making life more interesting can be hard, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic still going on. Since the pandemic began in March of 2020, some people have had to endure getting sick, losing their jobs, or even losing loved ones to this terrible disease. Because of the pandemic, kids have also been stuck staying home more, with nothing much to do. Luckily, BSAP Summer Institute students and staff have plenty of ideas about how to make life more interesting. If you are one of those people who have been bored during the pandemic, maybe this article will give you an idea to help make your life more interesting! For example, rising 6th grader Elon Silver explained how he found an interest in video games during the pandemic. “I love playing video games now because it's
a stress reliever,” he said. Melody Oludairo, a rising 8th grader, found a different passion. If you know Melody, you know that she is always drawing in her sketchbook. She said, “I like to draw because it brings me peace and expresses my feelings.” Nathan John, a rising 5th grader, found a more athletic interest. He explained, “I’m taking martial arts classes because I want to learn something new!” Keenan Quarles, a rising 6th grader, said, “I started to do photography to capture images to share with other people.” Even adults are finding new ways to make their lives for interesting. BSAP mentor Sonya Crosland said, “I went back to school to finish my hospitality degree.” As you can see, many people have found something to do to keep their life fun. Whether it’s entertainment, physical activities, creative art, or furthering your education, there are plenty of activities that you can do if you are bored with life. Keep trying new things and maybe a new passion will find you.
photo by Mr. Ben Townsend
Students in the drama enrichment incorporated acting, costumes, set design, and choreography to create a performance that would capture the audience’s attention.
The Summer Star
July 2022
Culture · Cultura · La Culture
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Music tastes and inspirations at the BSAP SI Jamar Bradley, Rising 7th Grader
I listen to A LOT of music. I also listen to pretty much every genre of music. I actually even make music. You could really call me a mini music historian! Since I love music so much, I’m always interested in hearing other people’s opinions on music, but first I’ll tell you about mine. Personally, my favorite music artists are Brent Faiyaz, Kendrick Lamar, and Kanye West. I could listen to them for the rest of my life. Brent Faiyaz is a Howard County graduate from Long Reach High School. The effect of Brent Faiyaz’s voice is equal to sinking into a memory foam mattress. If you don’t already know, Kendrick Lamar is a mastermind
of flow and lyrical impact. Finally, Kanye West has been one of my biggest inspirations ever since I was first introduced to him by my dad around age 4. Actually, my father has been working with me on music since I was one year old. I grew up dancing to Dr. Dre and listening to a ton of different artists, such as Kanye, Kendrick Lamar, Rick Ross, Kid Cudi, Drake, and more. Around age 6, my father started giving me small music lessons on his instruments, which consisted of a harmonica, a guitar, and a keyboard. That's when my everlasting love for music began. My father eventually went on to teach me how to produce music too, using his equipment. This Christmas my father gave me my first set of producing equipment and since then, my father and I have been working together on a plethora of different music projects. If it weren't for my father, music would never have made such
a big impact on my everyday life like it does today. How has music influenced you? Do you have favorite musicians that you love to listen to? Ms. Jada Williams, English teacher at the BSAP Summer institute, shares my strong love of music. She said, “Michael Jackson has always been my favorite musician. He is my earliest memory. I have been obsessed with him since birth!” Ms. Williams is so dedicated to MJ that she has FIVE tattoos in his honor. Truth be told, Michael Jackson has been another big inspiration for me as well. I've always admired his vocal range and especially his album called “XSCAPE”. Michael will always be a legend, dead or alive. Diego Cortez, a rising 7th grader, says his favorite artists are XXXTENTANCION and Michael Jackson. Cortez says when listening to Michael Jackson, you get “hyped first and then after, you really start to understand the music.”
Suspenseful life-changing debate:
What is the best pizza?
very mixed. I definitely do think he is a good artist and his music is creative and abstract. His most famous album, Whole Lotta Red does have a lot of my favorite songs by Carti in it, so overall I rate Carti’s discography a solid 7.5/10. As you can see, the BSAP Summer Institute students and staff have a rich and wide taste in music! If you’re interested in listening to some of the tracks that I personally recommend, check out these Spotify links or click the boxes below to listen: Amazing, by Kanye West, Jeezy Stay Down, by Brent Faiyaz Sing About Me, I’m Dying Of Thirst, by Kendrick Lamar Chicago, by Michael Jackson True Love, by XXXTENTANCION, Kanye West
BSAP SI thanks its community sponsors Several Howard County community businesses provided donations to the HCPSS Black Student Achievement Program's Summer Institute Volunteer program. The program's volunteer slogan “Volunteers Make the Difference” was once again proven to be true. Volunteers provide numerous hours to support students in the program and truly enjoy seeing the students learn academically, as well as in their enrichment classes. This year's volunteers and the program would like to say thank you to the contributing businesses who put smiles on volunteers’ faces and happiness in their stomachs. They are:
Andrew Boone, Rising 5th Grader Are you a pizza lover? If you are, you’re not alone! More than 93% of Americans order a pizza at least once a month and about 350 pizza slices are eaten every second in the U.S., according to Big Mario’s New York Pizza. That is equivalent to about 100 acres of pizza a day and 21,000 slices a minute. Clearly, pizza is a major part of the American diet. According to the New York Times, the pizza business is a $40 billion industry in the U.S., with 97% of the population eating pizza regularly, usually 2 slices at a time. You may have wondered, “Where is the best place to get pizza? What should I put on my pizza?” Since Americans love pizza so much, it’s important to get some answers! Many of my friends and family have different opinions on where to get the best pizza and which pizza toppings are the best. What do BSAP Summer Institute students and staff think? Zilong Ni, rising 5th Grader, said, “I like to get my pizza from Pizza Hut. My favorite topping is pepperoni because it’s salty.” Ms. Allyson O’Neill, BSAP SI math teacher, agreed that she likes to get her pizza from Pizza Hut. Ms. O’Neill said, “My fa-
Cortez also appreciates XXXTENTANCION “because it feels like someone else is feeling your feelings.” I agree that before X’s traumatic passing, the music he was making was exceptional. I think a lot of younger people, like me and Cortez, can relate to X’s music. I also really like his latest posthumous release with Kanye West called True Love. Mx. Alex Borleis, Art teacher at the BSAP Summer Institute, also loves music. Borleis said, “My all time favorite artist is a band called Blink 182. I fell in love with them in 6th grade because they made funny and silly songs that were also really rock heavy.” Punk was never really something I've ever taken a liking to, but this description of Blink 182 did raise my curiosity. Tre Liggins, a rising 7th grader, said Playboi Carti is his favorite artist. “I just like the way he makes his music and when Whole Lotta Red dropped on Christmas, that was my Christmas present.” My opinion on Playboi Carti is
vorite toppings are bacon and chicken.” Based on my interviews, people do not seem very adventurous about trying new types of pizza. As Ms. O’Neill put it, “I would not like to try something new. I’m not very adventurous.” However, Shruti Kodukula, rising 6th grader, is willing to try new pizza combinations. She said, “I like to get pizza from Dominos because their toppings are really fresh. My favorite toppings are jalapeño peppers and pineapples because the pineapple is sour and putting jalapeños makes it spicy.”
As far as the most adventurous pizza toppings go, did you also know that the most expensive pizza in the world costs $12,000? Master Chef Renato Viola of Italy calls his $12,000 pizza the Louis XIII and the toppings are lobster, three types of caviar, buffalo mozzarella, pink Australian salt and squilla mantis. Expensive! I have come to the conclusion that no matter what pizza you get and what toppings you have on it, the best pizza for you is the one you enjoy the most. So, as the Italians say, buon appetito!
Burger King Chick Fil-A Costco Dunkin Giant Great Harvest Bakery Jimmy John's Pizza Hut Texas Roadhouse
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July 2022
Showcase Grades K-4
The Summer Star
Zumba
Healthy Foods
Instructor: Ms. Morrisey
Instructor: Ms. Bonsu Students in Healthy Foods learned about the importance of making good decisions when it comes to nutrition, like “eating fruits and vegetables everyday”. They participated in several tastings and made healthy snacks like mango salsa (photo above).
During Zumba class, students had the opportunity to learn about what Zumba is, where it originated, and how it can make our bodies healthy and strong. Students had a chance to dance to songs with African and Latin beats, as well as other origins.
Creative Writing (Grades 3-4)
Technology
Instructor: Ms. Amber Shepard
Instructor: Ms. Cartwright
Music
Instructors: Ms. Maglocci, Mr. Thomas Students worked together to create music using their voices and a variety of instruments, including drums, shakers, and claves. Students also practiced musical conductor signals.
The Summer Star
Showcase Grades K-4
July 2022
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Science Fun
Instructor: Ms. Via In Science Fun, students explored science with daily projects and experiments using everyday materials. Students participated in hands-on activities as they observed inquired, questioned, formulated and evaluated discoveries. Activities included exploring the water cycle, physical vs. chemical reactions, plants, and some engineering/STEM projects. Students created boats out of aluminum, slime, bubbles, tie-dye with skittles, moon phases with oreos, straw rockets, lava lamps. and a lot more!
Yoga “Take a Break”
Instructor: Ms. Nicole Jensen In our Take a Break classes this summer students focused on using Yoga poses and techniques in order to become the very best human being they can possibly be. Be sure to ask your child about how they filled their "toolbox" with Ms. Jensen! First, we put "breath" in our toolbox because we can use our breath to change the way we feel. Then we put balance in our toolbox because in Yoga (ex. tree pose) and in life (ex. family, health) balance makes us feel safe and secure. Third, we put strength in our toolbox because using our muscular energy in healthy ways is a super-smart way to mange BIG emotions like anger, frustration, or anxiety. And finally, we put everything together with music that makes us feel happy and peaceful because we all thrive with more joy and peace in our lives. Thank you for sharing your children with us this summer!
Wheels on the Bus Instructor: Ms. Hurlock
Kindergarten students make a craft everyday in Wheels on the Bus. We sing songs and listen to stories. We practice skills to be ready for kindergarten. “I like how we decorated the rocket. My dog likes rockets!” –Ssanyu Nsereko, rising kindergartener
Math Matches Instructor: Ms. Hunt
This summer was an awesome experience working with Rising 1st and Rising 2nd grade in Math Matches. I had the pleasure of introducing fun ways to learn math facts, and multiplication with arrays. We played Math Olympics and Math Marathon. In Math Olympics the learners were asked to do a physical movement and run to the board with a solution to a problem. The Rising 1st graders enjoyed doing the Math Hustle and solving one step addition and arrays. The Rising 2nd graders enjoyed Math Marathon, courtesy of Go Noodle by solving 1 digit addition and subtraction and Money Facts. Ultimately, we had a blast.
Visual Arts
Instructor: Mr. Swear
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July 2022
The Summer Star
Showcase Grades 5-9
Broadcasting
photo taken by photography class
Instructor: Mr. Cleveland Spears, Ms. Amy Smith Broadcasting is a super fantastically fun roller coaster ride featuring all the cool things that happen in radio and TV land! Throughout the class, we create commercials, radio shows and more. This course is led by broadcast veteran Mr. Spears, who has appeared on FOX 5 DC, WPFW 89.3 FM, The Flow, 96.7 WCEI and featured by the N.A.B., FCC, N.A.B.O.B.
Debate
photo by Ivie Oriaifo, rising 7th grader
Photography
Instructor: Mx. Alex Borleis Photography students were responsible for taking the photos that you see in this newspaper, as well as many other photos! Students applied the language of art in producing fine art photography. Experiences throughout the course included composing, exposing, processing and basic experiences in digital imaging.
photo taken by photography class photo by Garrett Hayleck, rising 6th grader
Instructor: Ms. Kelli Midgley Debate students learned about resolutional analysis, structured case-writing, and different types of rebuttals. We practiced our skills in a tournament with teams debating the resolution: “Fully electric cars should replace all gas powered cars.” “I learned in debate how to listen, how to type, and how to structure paragraphs and arguments. The best thing about debate is how we get to argue in a fun way, and how we get a lot of freedom.” – Peyton Foster, rising 6th grader
photo taken by photography class
Engineering
Instructors: Ms. Deirdre Lindsey, Ms. Christine Santos-Nurse, Ms. April Mangaoil Students are applying knowledge of the structure of the atom, magnetism and electricity to design and build series and parallel circuits. They used the Engineering Design Process to design a model of an atom that communicates the structure of the atom for people who are visually impaired, created a compass using everyday objects, and assembled circuits based on parallel and series circuit diagrams that they have designed.
Drama & Set Design
Instructors: Ms. Pamela Cavanaugh, Ms. Kelley Thomas, Ms. Taliyah Francis, Ms. Cynthia Martin, Ms. Farolyn Taylor This year’s Drama enrichment worked hard to showcase a production of Aesop, Come Back! We learned about diction, projecting your voice, the parts of the stage, and how to stand on a stage. Students also worked on set design, costumes, and props.
photo by Ryane Richardson, rising 6th grader
Dance students work together to practice a routine.
Step / Hip Hop Dance
Instructors: Mr. Miles Blount, Ms. Jay’Riah Thomas, Mr. Michael McCroey In the Step and Hip Hop dance enrichments, students are challenged in sessions that enhance their maximum movement range. The individuality of artistic expression is encouraged through improvisation and composition, using specific choreographic techniques. Students performed dances in the end-of-program showcase for BSAP SI.
The Summer Star
Showcase Grades 5-9
July 2022
9
Spanish
Food & Nutrition
Instructor: Ms. Shawanda Evans As a Family and Consumer Science teacher (for almost two decades), I love teaching students about related topics such as Food and Nutrition! During the school year and Summer Institute, I teach my students a variety of skills such as establishing proper kitchen safety and sanitation routines, defining nutrition, explaining the importance of eating healthy, preparing healthy recipes, practicing preparing healthy recipes, and much more! My goal is to teach students as I am constantly teaching myself, to make wise lifestyle choices. For example, this year in Summer Institute, my students explore various activities (i.e. through games, videos, projects, and cooking labs) such as identifying whole grains, learning to make wise meal choices, preparing fruit smoothies, fruit parfaits, mini pizzas, and vegetable stir-try, and healthy snacks such as popcorn in a pot, and even practiced exercises that they could do at home (i.e. Tae Bo and Little Sports on YouTube). I wish I had more time and additional resources for my summer students, but feel thankful and blessed to be able to share my expertise with them during this condensed course.
Instructors: Sr. David Engelhardt, Srta. Claudia Tonguino Over the past four weeks, students have been speaking, writing, reading, and even singing in Spanish! They have practiced asking and answering basic questions to have conversations and gain confidence. Students have also been learning about the culture of the 22 Spanish-speaking countries through music. Above, rising 7th grader Ivie Oriaifo leads the class in a calendar talk in Spanish. “Because I learned the basics of Spanish, I am able to understand most of what my mom’s side of the family is talking about.”–Rania Aslam, rising 7th grader “Spanish is important to learn because some people do not speak English. I also learned that Spanish has different endings of words to express different genders, like: estoy cansado/cansada.” –David Johnson, rising 7th grader “In Spanish I learned about a different language and cultures. I love learning how different languages are alike and not. I also like having peace of mind knowing that if I want to speak Spanish in the future, I can!” –Selah Byndloss, rising 6th grader
Creative Writing
Grades 5-6 Instructors: Ms. Shayla Bright and Ms. Rhoda MacCormack In this year’s Creative Writing class, the students were introduced to connotations, explored various examples of figurative language, and incorporated sensory details in their writing in order to help students get a message or a point across. We used all of these topics to make the students’ writing more colorful to allow readers to see into their thinking. We worked on a variety of activities to foster the enjoyment of writing and build writing endurance. Grades 7-9 Instructor: Ms. Jada Williams Our creative writing is focused on examining literary genres such as action, horror, romance, and comedy, in order to write short stories, poems, graphic novels, and more! We worked on a variety of activities to understand elements of a story’s plot so that we can foster the enjoyment of writing and share work we are proud of! “You learn new techniques on writing different genres of literature. I feel like my writing is so legit now!” –J.L. Sembly, rising 7th grader
Science Fun
photo by Mr. Ben Townsend
Instructors: Ms. Dennette Affinito, Mr. Robert Thompson This summer, Science Fun students encountered 4 different challenges, each which took the students on a journey through a different discipline of science. In Week 1, students took on a physics challenge where they had to make a boat out of aluminum foil that was sturdy enough to hold a certain amount of weight. In Week 2, students encountered an astronomy challenge where they simulated asteroid impacts with play doh and planned an experiment which allowed them to observe the how shape, size, and height impacts crater size. In Week 3, students moved on to their anatomy challenge where we completed various experiments to learn how our senses work together to produce a picture of our environment, Lastly, students delved into the world of forensic science where they analyzed forensic evidence to solve a crime! “My curiosity has grown in unforgettable ways and because of this class it won’t stop growing! Thank you Ms. Affinito for answering my random chemistry questions.” –Leela Sharkey, rising 6th grader “My experience in science fun was fun because we did a lot of cool experiments and Ms. Affinito is very nice and plans great projects” –Tristyn Pinder “When you put ‘fun’ after a school thing, it is usually not that fun, but Science Fun is fun!” –Deaglan Coleman, rising 6th grader “Something we did in the Science Fun that I enjoyed was us getting into teams and trying to use the buoyant force to make our 6x6 foil paper to float. Our first effort was a huge failure, it held 6 keys for 1 second. Later, our second attempt was successful and it held 8 keys for 40.61 seconds.” –Leo Song, rising 6th grader “Something I enjoyed about science fun is we got to learn more about science but in a fun and exciting way. I like the teacher, Ms. Affinito, and how involved it was. Science fun was a fun experience.” –Kinley Cyriaque, rising 6th grader
photo by Ms. Laura Cometa
Journalism / StoryMaker
Instructors: Ms. Laura Cometa, Mr. Ben Townsend The Journalism/StoryMaker students tried something new this year by writing news and opinion articles that they also turned into video stories. Students chose their own topics, taped interviews, recorded b-roll, and crafted stories that were presented in two media products. “I already have a very great passion for writing. At my school, I’ve been working on a school newsletter and journalism relates to that, so I wanted to build a journey for myself. In journalism, I got to learn a lot of new things about writing and it also increased my social skills because when I’m interviewing people I have to be loud and clear.” –Ella Wang, rising 9th grader “I chose journalism because I had it the year before and I really like it! This year I got to learn how to make a newspaper and how to make news videos.” –Zachary Smith, rising 8th grader
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July 2022
The Summer Star
Opinion · la Opinión · l’Opinion
Does playing video games really negatively affect your health? Hann G. Lee, Rising 5th grader I have heard parents and teachers say that playing video games is bad for your health. They say that playing video games too much can ruin your eyes or harm your brain, but do they have any scientific proof? Let’s start with the facts. First, it turns out that video games can negatively affect your eyes, causing eye strain and dry eyes. It’s mostly because of the continuous focus your eyes need in video games. First, it turns out that video games can negatively affect your eyes. According to the Optometry Center for Vision, it causes eye strain and dry eyes, but not blindness, it’s mostly because of the continuous focus your eyes need in video games while playing for a long time.
However, even though video games can cause eye strain, vision therapists have actually had success using video games as a way to treat amblyopia (poor vision in one eye). One way to prevent video games from affecting your eyes is to make sure you aren’t playing video games for too many hours straight. Second of all, video games do not rot your brain, unless video games are the only thing you can ever think about. According to Geico.com, studies have shown that playing video games regularly may increase gray matter in the brain and boost brain connectivity. Now onto opinions. Rising 11th grader Joshua Soong is a River Hill High School student who volunteers at BSAP Summer Institute. He has actually been studying the effects of video games in his independent research project in high school. Soong said, “I like to play video games a lot because I get to play with my friends online, and you can do whatever you want in video games.” Most people who
photo by Aubrey Cyriaque, rising 6th grader
like video games would probably answer the same way, unless they play single-player games. Soong believes that video games have both positive and negative effects. He explained, “You can have fun with your friends and get away from your schoolwork. You can do whatever you want and play however you want.” On the other hand, Soong felt that one negative effect of video games was that he started getting
Vegan or Vegetarian:
dark lines under his eyes. Playing video games for too long would cause his eyes to get tired. Many BSAP SI students felt that the positive aspects of video games outweigh the negative. Rising 5th grader Ka Tai Zayt said, “One good thing about playing video games is that you could train your RPM, so it could help with your typing.” Oman Speaks, a rising 9th grader, added, “Video games are fun, stress-relieving, and [there
are some that have] no violence.” So kids, the truth is you won’t die if you play video games for more than 10 hours a day. However, you might decrease your vision if you play too much, and you’ll rot your brain if video games are really the only thing you can think about. My advice is to go ahead and play video games, as long as you can find balance with video games and other important things like school.
What’s the difference and which one is best for you? Isaac Mehreteab, Rising 5th Grader People may confuse vegan and vegetarian, or think they are the same thing, but that’s wrong. In my opinion, being vegan is the best choice for eating. From my own experience, eating vegan will keep you healthy without causing any nasty side effects, like vomiting or constipation. Many people who I talked to do not know what being vegan means. Vegans are different from vegetarians because vegans do not eat any animal products. Vegetarians will eat dairy products that come from animals, but they don’t eat meat. Nowadays, many school cafeterias, such as Atholton Elementary School where I go and the BSAP Summer Institute program at Howard High School, serve vegan meal options. These are animal-free products, such as vegan nuggets, lettuce, beans, and corn.
Most students, like rising 5th grader Chloe Hoag, say they have not thought about being vegan or vegetarian. However, you might want to consider veganism if you have any food-related issues. Eating vegan foods can help you stay healthy and strong. It can also build a stronger immune system and help you get better faster when you are sick. Plus, being vegan is kind to the animals because we are not using them as food. Some people worry that there are not as many food options for vegans or that vegan foods might cost too much money. They might also worry about getting all of their nutrients. However, I’m a vegan and I have not been discouraged by these problems. In my opinion, being vegan is an option more people might want to try. As Melody Oludairo, rising 8th grader, said, “It’s up to people to decide what they want to eat.” Some people don’t want to be vegan or vegetarian. Rising sixth grader Elijah Edoho-Eket said, “I eat meat probably once a day.” Why not try a new eating habit of veganism and see how you feel? You might be surprised and like it!
photo by Misti Jewan, rising 6th grader
Not all burgers are made of meat. Some cafeterias offer vegan/vegetarian options.
photo by Mx. Borleis
The custodial team at Howard High works hard to keep the school clean. Day Chief Supervisor Jackie Coleman (center), Appiah Owusu (left), and Chris Fazio (right).
Let’s applaud Howard County’s everyday heroes Chelsea C. Jackson, Rising 6th grader Everyday you and I interact with everyday heroes, usually without even thinking about it. Everyday heroes are people who do important work that we couldn’t live without. They dedicate their time to helping other people. Sometimes everyday heroes may not be praised or appreciated as much as they should be. Even though their work may not seem dramatic, they are still heroes because the work they do keeps everything working. Jayda Warrick, rising 5th grader, thinks that teachers are an example of everyday heroes. “Teachers are very helpful and when you're feeling sad or anything, they really help,” Warrick explained. Olivia Lopez, a rising 6th grader, agrees that teachers in general are helpful, but she
added, “Special education teachers are the real everyday heroes because they help kids who have special needs.” I totally agree because there are never enough special education teachers. They have a lot of work to do and it takes extra patience and kindness. Rising 6th grader, Elan Silver, added another idea. He said, “The garbage men and a lot of the truck drivers are everyday heroes because without them our country would be a big hunking piece of trash.” I agree that there are so many underappreciated heroes in Howard County that deserve our extra applause and appreciation. These people have difficult jobs that not everyone is willing to do, so we should take the extra time to thank them. And don’t forget that your own parents or guardians might be everyday heroes too. They do everything they can to take care of you, while also doing their job! Now that you’ve heard some different perspectives, who do you think your everyday heroes are? And remember… Not all superheroes wear capes!
The Summer Star
July 2022
Opinion · la Opinión · l’Opinion
11
Students, speak up! Your voice and ideas are important Sydney Monroe, Rising 6th grader
Student voices in schools are extremely fundamental. Especially with a new coming school year, students need to understand that their opinions and voices are very important. Simple things like providing feedback, sharing ideas, or coming up with solutions to solve problems are just a few ways that can use their voices. When students speak up they improve in their social skills and become more comfortable with voicing their opinions. They can gain self-confidence while inspiring a change in their schools. The truth is that people with younger minds, specifically students, can sometimes have better judgment than adults. Students can sometimes see a different perspective on the recent problems that are going on in the world. They can apply their thinking to the real world and make changes just by expressing their thoughts. In May 2022, towards the end of my 5th grade year, I really noticed that there were a lot of problems in my school. I asked a few students for their opinions, and found that they agreed on a lot of issues that needed to be addressed. I took our ideas and made them into an email that I sent to our school principal, and to my surprise, she replied to me: “Sydney, thank you for reaching out to me and taking initiative to solve these problems. That must’ve been a really big project, and you did a great job addressing these issues. A lot of these are problems I haven’t really thought about, but I will definitely try my hardest to make sure these issues are fixed.”
photo taken by photography class
If can make effective change by sharing a few of their ideas, who knows what they could do if they shared their ideas more on a daily basis? Some may not be comfortable with sharing their voices, or stating their opinions, but they should know that every little bit of input can make a big difference. What I’ve noticed is that sometimes they are afraid of sharing their opinions with teachers. They may be afraid that teachers will be mad if they share their thoughts. Teachers should try to do more to make students feel comfortable in speaking up and sharing ideas, even when they are critical, because that is how we solve problems. Rising 6th grader Miyabi Harton agreed, “I sometimes worry that teachers will be
mad at me for sharing my opinion. Some teachers notice really small things in what you say, and point them out. Some teachers get angry with you easily. So I don’t normally feel comfortable sharing my thoughts with them. I don’t usually have the courage to say anything – I’m just scared I might get in trouble.” Similarly, rising 6th grader Kiersten Eusebe said, “I think there’s no need to share my problems because others don’t find them important. There’s no reason to ruin my teacher’s day by saying what’s on my mind.” Rising 9th grader Rhys Pinsky explained, “With my problems, I usually try to address them in a way that’s not so… ‘aggressive’. I don’t want teachers getting the wrong idea of what I’m trying to say
like they usually do.” This is a big problem. If students don’t feel good sharing their thoughts with the adults they work with everyday, then the school is missing out on students’ voices. Some students feel like their issues aren’t important. This is a bad mindset that a lot of are stuck in. They need to know that their opinions matter. Rising 7th grader Chiamaka Ifeanyi said, “I mostly feel comfortable sharing my problems with my parents or student services, but usually not my teachers.” Caleb Odom, rising 9th grader, agreed, “My friends might be able to make me more comfortable, because my teachers aren’t doing it.” It sounds like teachers being angry at students is a usual thing. This is something that teachers should be trying to fix. In my opinion, I think that schools and classrooms should be a safe place where we all feel comfortable, but it seems that maybe some teachers are doing the opposite. Although it’s not a bad thing that students talk to their parents, they should also feel comfortable speaking to teachers. During the school year, students see their teachers every day of the school week. If they can’t talk to their teachers openly, then they might not feel noticed or included. In conclusion, teachers should try to be nicer, more understanding, and more accepting. They should make changes to help students feel more comfortable and heard. However, it’s also important for students to do our part by speaking up. When I spoke up to my principal, I knew that she listened to me and valued my opinion. As Eusebe said, “If people never shared their opinions, they’d be scared to try new things and be included in decision making.” If you wish that something would change, then why not take the first step by speaking up?
Teachers like Ms. O’Neill take the stress out of learning math! Tanishka Handa, Rising 9th grader I’m sure that many of us have experienced being traumatized by a bad teacher. In my case, I once had a ridiculous math teacher who almost ruined my experience in math. This teacher would snap at me most of the time, and made me feel nervous to ask questions. However, that year I refused to give up. I reminded myself that I WILL have a good output and learned to be courageous to ask questions to helpful people and I practiced very often which led to me being more and more successful each day. By the end of the year, my confidence was much higher. In fact, I felt like I could teach the concepts to other people who were once in my shoes. Now, as a rising 9th grader, I will be doing GT Geometry in the fall, which will be a more advanced course than regular Geometry. Luckily, my math teacher for this BSAP program, Ms. Allyson O’Neill, has been a great teacher who has kept my confidence high in math! Having a good math teacher can really change your experience in math. I would describe Ms. O’Neill as a very patient, nice, and energetic teacher. She helps me out whenever I need it. She’s the type of teacher who would
never give up on her students. Ms. O’Neill explained her style of teaching like this: “It’s OK to make mistakes, which I think is really important. I think the best way to learn is from making mistakes and then fixing them.” I 100% agree with her because making mistakes is extremely important; it underlines the concepts that you are not strong in, and motivates you to practice more. Rising 8th grader Misti Jewan had a very nice math teacher in the past and stated, “She worked through every problem with us, she let us ask as many questions as we had to, and she helped us understand everything.” I agree with her because answering questions and helping other students is an essential element in teaching because every student is different and grasp the material differently while some might get it quicker than the others while some may struggle. Answering questions is extremely important as it may help students get stronger in what they are struggling with. Rising 6th grader Kinley Cyriaque also had a great math teacher in the past and stated, “What made me like this teacher’s class was that I understood and how they could tell me something or ask me a problem and ask them for help without getting nervous.” I also agree with her as every teacher has the right to make every student feel comfortable asking questions and no student should feel nervous to ask ques-
tions. Rising 7th grader Chimaka Ifeanyi described the teaching style of a math teacher and stated, “Helping students and making sure that they understand math skills and their teaching” I agree with her because making sure students understand any material is essential as it could be helpful in upcoming homework and quizzes. Rising Senior Zoe MacDiarmid described a great math teacher she had in the past and said, “My favorite math teacher taught me virtually and she was a great teacher. She got through to students even over a computer screen and she was just like the sweetest person. She would know how to push you just enough and not overwhelm you and her class was an easy A.” I agree with her statement as pushing students at a good rate is important to prevent other students from feeling overwhelmed. Teachers play a major role in helping students learn as they prepare for their adulthood journey. It is important that teachers and students should have a good relationship with each other. Students should feel they can ask as many questions as they need and teachers should help them out. By working through
photo by Mr. Townsend
the problems that students have, teachers can help them feel better about themselves and motivate them to not give up, regardless of their strengths and weaknesses. On the other hand, we are also in charge of our own destiny and we can’t let one bad teacher get us down. Principal Eugene Rose stated, “Don’t let one thing ruin your mathmathetical ability. No matter where you go, there may be a chance when you come across someone who is not as
supportive as others. Do not let that ruin your aspirations to be successful.” It’s true that we can’t choose our teachers and just because we don’t click with someone, doesn’t mean we can’t be successful. I admit that I have felt worried in the past that my aspirations to be successful would be destroyed by a teacher. Mr. Rose’s powerful statement stood out to me and boosted my confidence even more.
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July 2022
SPORTS SHOWCASE
top photo by Mr. Ben Townsend bottom photo by Chiebube Ifeanyi, rising 9th grader
Basketball
Instructors: Mr. Anthony Bell, Mr. Justin McCoy, & Mr. Deonne Wingfield The summer grades 5-9 basketball camp provides opportunities for students to extend their physical education interest in basketball while developing stronger interpersonal relationship skills. The students participated in games and worked on skills like shooting to improve their overall awareness of basketball fundamentals, offensive/defensive strategies, and game concepts.
The Summer Star
top photo by Mr. Ben Townsend bottom photo by Norah Cyriaque, rising 6th grader
Martial Arts Instructor: Sensei Devan Young
The accomplishments and goals of the grades 5-9 Martial Arts program were for the students to develop discipline, focus, respect, self-confidence, and self-defense skills. “I liked learning how to defend myself in Martial Arts,” said rising 5th grader Nicholas George. “I learned to not use violence unless it’s really necessary,” said rising 5th grader Tristyn Pinder.