December 2019 Issue by Tyro Brookfield

DECEMBER ISSUE 2018

1 6 9 0 0 W. G E B H A R D T R D .

BROOKFIELD, WISCONSIN

VOL 66 ISSUE 3

Brookfield Central Tyro io or

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“Winning Mr. BC felt amazing. I was really proud of myself and all of my fellow competitors because I thought the whole thing went super well and was incredibly entertaining for everyone there.”

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Talent Poetry

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KEVIN JACOBSON

POEM LIST

“Stomach Ache” “Morning Routine” *“Dogs” “Nighttime” “A Real Love Poem” *“Adam Uy” “Life from the Perspective of a Ramen Noodle” *On the spot

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Other Awards Category Winners

Fitness: Shane Gosset Fundraising: Matt Mauermann Talent: Matt Mauermann Self-Expression: Tylan Farrokhnia Video: Shane Gossset

Judge Picks

Best Gunslinger: Ben Seegert Best Lumberjack: Abraham Balding Jason Gilette Sax God: Kyle Lee Best Back-up Dancer: Luke Morris Photos by Ellen Linnihan

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BROOKFIELD CENTRAL TYRO

DECEMBER 2018

news

Kennedy steps down from head football coach Kennedy bids BC farewell to serve as Assistant Head Coach in Alabama

ed Kennedy is resigning as head football coach of the Lancers and as a physical education teacher after 5 years. In the past years, Kennedy has led the team to numerous successes including 2 state-runner up titles in the Division 2 tournament. He will moving to Alabama to become the Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator at Enterprise High School. Without a doubt, Kennedy will be missed by and his impact on this community will not be forgotton.

“Words can’t express how thankful I am for Coach Kennedy these past 4 years. He will always be family to me. I wish him nothing but the best for his next coaching job. To the Lancer players the goal still doesn’t change.” ~ Drew Leszczynski (‘19)

ALAN HERZBERG

Coach Kennedy speaks to the team after the October 5 game against Hamilton-Sussex, a victory of 20-10. Team captain Chris Casey (‘19) offers words on Kennedy’s departure: “Sad to see [Kennedy] go; he has done a lot for the Brookfield Central football program and community.”

Janani Sundar Editor-in-Chief

“I came back to schoool tonight - to sit one more time in the locker room where tears of joy and pain were shed; I sat in the weight room where hours of swear and sacrifice took place; I took one last walk to game field - man I loved that walk. Lastly, I stopped down by coaches office to think about the hours spent with some of my closest friends. It’s been a heck of a ride BC, you have been great to me and my family. I can’t thank you enough. I’ve always told you to chase your dreams, and I thank you for understanding and supporting me [in chasing] mine. My number won’t change; don’t hesitate to call if you need something, [even] if you just want to talk or need cheap advice. Lastly, don’t be afraid to tell people you love them and always remember Me...You...Us...TEAM.” ~ Coach Kennedy “The thing Brookfield Central is going to miss most with Coach Kennedy leaving is his ability to form relationships with every student in the school, not just football players.” ~ John Richter (‘18)

2018 Lancers: Start to finish; roadmap to Randall Janani Sundar and Stephanie Chen

FIRST GAME 8/17 Wauwatosa East (W) 58-6

8/31 Germantown (W) 41-7

8/23 Oconomowoc (W) 51-7

“Spending all that time together in a game like football you have to be really close with your teammates to be successful. I think our success is a reflection of the comoradary that we have.” ~ Chris Casey (‘19)

9/7 West Allis Hale (W) 47-14

9/14 Wauwatosa West (W) 40-7

GOLDOUT 9/28 Brookfield East (W) 31-7

9/21 Marquette University (L) 22-28

STATE SNAPSHOT 10/5 Hamilton (W) 20-10

Connor Kolb (‘19) catches the ball in midair during the state game against Homestead. Though the game was a loss for the Lancers, the team was grateful for the experience and enjoyed playing at Camp Randall, some for the second year in a row. Chris Casey reflects on the game: “Sometimes it just doesn’t go the way you want. That’s reality; it’s disappointing, but [we were] just happy to have been there and had that experience.”

HOMECOMING 10/12 Menomonee Falls (W) 34-10 FIRST PLAYOFF 10/19 South Milwaukee (W) 45-8 10/26 Brookfield East (W) 14-0

Drew Lesczynski GMC Offensive Back of the Year

Alec Mejchar GMC Offensive Lineman of the Year

State Runner-Ups

Conference Runner-Ups

ALAN HERZBERG

11/2 Waukesha West (W) 52-28

STATE 8/17 Homestead (L) 51-14

STATE QUALIFYING 11/9 Waunakee (W) 20-13

BROOKFIELD CENTRAL TYRO

DECEMBER 2018

activities

She’s the First executes noteworthy bake sale ‘Bake a Change’ raises $164.50 to help fund girls’ education in Ethiopia Stephanie Chen Editor-In-Chief

table covered with a bright yellow tablecloth supports the weight of a pan of frosted pumpkin bars, boxes of brownies, platters of cookies, bagged marshmallow pops, and tie-dyed muffins and cupcakes. Brightly colored flags stick out of the muffins, toothpicks set in the center of spiraled buttercream frosting. At the side, rainbow Puravida bracelets hang from a bracelet tree with spiral branches. Handfuls of temporary tattoos lay at its base: an assortment of colored cupcakes, She’s the First logos, and Bake a Change messages. The resulting scene -- Brookfield Central She’s the First’s Bake a Change Tie-Dye bake sale An initiative of the entire She’s the First organization, Bake a Change is a bake sale that takes place in the month of November. Like most She’s the First events, the purpose is to raise money to help fund girls’ education. The event came to the attention of the Brookfield Central chapter after the She’s the First Campus reached out to them through social media. They hosted the event on Friday, November 30 as their first fundraiser of the year. To get the most out of the event, members were invited to bring baked goods. With the theme of the bake sale being tie-dye, She’s the First end-

ed up with an assortment of rainbow sweets contributed by seven dedicated members. “After break, I figured not many people would be able to make treats so soon, but everyone really came through for us. I was really happy to see that so many were dedicated to the cause and willing to take time out of their Thursday nights on such short notice to help bake something,” said Communications Chair Shweta Panda (‘20). Panda herself made tie-dyed muffins, topped with frosting and toothpick flags. The bake sale took place during lunch periods, accumulating a total of $164.50 at the end. Panda expressed pride in the results: “I think the event exceeded my expectations. I was very pleased with what we had accomplished. Our hard work most definitely showed results. We have a strong and growing chapter, and it is great to see that so many of them are dedicated to our events.” Panda attributed a portion of the success to Vice President Elise Sadler (‘19), saying “Special shout out to Elise, VP of the club, who helped me figure out some of the logistics, came in early, and bought tattoo papers. She helped me ensure everything ran smoothly and was engaging for those involved.” Still, the event was not without its mishaps. Halfway through B lunch, Hannah Keehan (‘20) approached

the Bake a Change table holding one of the free temporary tattoos. The issue: the words on the tattoo were forward-facing. The tattoo designs had been taken off of the She’s the First website and printed onto tattoo paper-- in color --with the help of the librarian. What hadn’t been noticed at the time had now become apparent to Panda-- if the words were forward-facing prior to application, they would read backwards once applied. Panda decided to test a tattoo out on herself to see if this was indeed the case. Much to her dismay, the tattoo didn’t work, forwards or backwards. The solution-- reclassify the tattoos as stickers. “Maybe we should have just stuck with stickers altogether,” commented Panda. Despite these setbacks, Panda enjoyed the event, especially the colorful theme. “Tie-dye in baked goods is far from the conventional bake sale agenda and definitely eye-catching. A win for everyone, if you ask me (us because we make the moolas and the curious eyes that delight at our colorful cupcakes).” For their next large-scale initiative, She’s the First plans on hosting Cheese the First, an entirely cheesebased dining event. Panda herself anticipates the event: “Seeing the success here, I can’t wait to see what we come up with on a larger scale.”

STEPHANIE CHEN

A table of baked goods ranging from pumpkin bars to marshmallow pops were sold and presented at the event with great success. According to Shweta Panda (‘20), She’s the First is starting to branch out into helping different countries, and this time the funds raised from this bake sale are going towards female education

f the Worl o e t s d Ta Hosted by Culture Club Monday, November 19 Cultures Featured: French, Vietnamese, British, Hungarian, Brazilian, Chinese, Japanese, Arabian, Indian, Pakistani $1 for 3 items Most Popular Dishes: Fried rice, egg rolls, sushi, Hungarian beef stew Most Popular Desserts: Brazilian brigadeiro & Chinese sponge cake SANJANA TARIGOPPULA

In a recent meeting, members were asked to research a specific disease as well as interesting facts and statistics; the information was put in a poster format and displayed around the school.

HOSA kicks off with successful first meeting Stephanie Chen Editor-In-Chief

With donuts, KitKats, Goldfish, and an introductory presentation, the Brookfield Central HOSA chapter kicked off its year with its first meeting on Friday, November 9. Taking place in Mrs. Bansal’s room after school, the meeting was led by three juniors -- Iksha Dhawan, Niki Vanselow, and Sania Arora. HOSA, Health Occupation Students of America, is an international organization geared towards students interested in the medical field. Members have the opportunity to be involved with healthcare in their community, attend conferences, and participate in competition. Being an officially recognized organization, HOSA requires that students join a chapter in order to become official members. Becoming a certified chapter was one of the first tasks Dhawan,

Vanselow, and Arora accomplished upon reviving the club. HOSA was present during the 2016-17 school year, but it slowly died down over the course of the 2017-18 year. “I was in it freshman year actually, when Teja helped lead the club. It was actually really fun, but I just don’t think anyone really had the drive to really keep it moving forward. Once the seniors graduated, [no one] picked it back up, and it just kind of dissipated,” said Vanselow. While she didn’t participate in the club herself as a freshman, Dhawan took interest in HOSA through her search for a club pertaining to the medical field, having heard of the club from her friends at New Berlin Eisenhower. Both girls, along with Arora, took it upon themselves to reform the club, initially taking sep-

arate paths. Dhawan started out at the end of the past school year by emailing Teja Paturu(‘18), the club’s former leader, asking for advice on how to move forward with the club. She then turned to Mrs. Bansal as a prospective advisor. Similarly, Vanselow and Arora looked to Mr. Hipp. When individual ventures were met with little success, the three decided to team up. Once Mrs. Bansal was secured as the advisor, the next step was to get HOSA approved as a school club. Vanselow expressed some difficulties with the official approval process. “We were trying for a while, and it was just so hard to get [HOSA] going and get it through the administration. There was always a problem.” Dhawan echoed the sentiment: “I turned in the form in April and I

kept coming back to school to check on if it was getting approved or not, but there was a lot going on, and [the administration wasn’t] sure what they were doing with clubs [or] how approval worked.” The three met with Mr. Kurth at the start of this school year to clarify the approval process. They learned that aside from filling out a form and gaining approval from Mr. Kurth, they also had to run the club proposal by Inter Club Council, something that had changed from the previous year. The cancellation of the September ICC meeting further delayed the club’s formation. It was only after presenting to ICC during the October meeting that HOSA was approved. A couple of weeks after getting approved, HOSA held its first meeting. With the promise of snacks, the

club had a turnout of around forty to fifty students. The three juniors introduced HOSA at the meeting and had prospective members sign up for the remind. Currently, over fifty students are on the remind. “It’s actually going surprisingly well,” remarked Vanselow, “we didn’t think that many people would join. If all these people decide to stay dedicated, we can definitely go to competitions in the future.” In addition to possible competitions, BC HOSA also named attending conferences and helping out the community as goals for the future, the final destination being making HOSA a prominent club at BC. As Vanselow said, “[It’d] be cool if HOSA could become the DECA of Brookfield Central. I think that’s the ultimate [goal].”

sports 4

BROOKFIELD CENTRAL TYRO

DECEMBER 2018

Girls volleyball player commits to Minnesota

Taylor Canitz Reporter

JOURNAL SENTINEL

henomenal freshman Mckenna Wucherer has committed to play college division one volleyball at The University of Minnesota Twin Cities. Wucherer has gotten to a point where her hard work and determination has paid off. She strives to improve everyone around her while also challenging herself as a player. Wucherer started playing volleyball at age six, following in the footsteps of her two older sisters as well as her mom. When Wucherer was young, her mom passed away from cancer. She views this tragic experience as motivation, saying, “It has inspired me to play, and to strive for big goals just to make her proud.” Having

McKenna Wucherer (‘22) sends the ball flying over an opposing member’s head. Though new to BC, Wucherer has made a name for herself as one of the best players on the team. Wucherer has recently been nominated for a national award.

already committed to a school with one of the most rigorous volleyball programs in the country, Wucherer has high hopes for her future career. When asked about her aspirations, Wucherer answered: “I hope to start at The University of Minnesota, to play professionally, and to one day represent my country at the Olympics.” After only one season as a Lancer, Wucherer led the team in aces, kills, and had the highest hitting percentage. As a result of her success, Wucherer received First Team All-Conference, Player of The Year in the Greater Metro Conference, as well as First Team All-State Honors. For Wucherer, the future is bright, and the sky is far from the limit.

Five Lancers sign letters of intent Rajat Mittal Sports Editor

DON KURTH

Zoe Sternberg (‘19) signs her letter of intent to play hockey at St. Catherine’s University which is located in Minnesota.

November 14 was a busy day for the Lancers as five seniors signed letters of intent for their respective sports. This document is meant to indicate an athlete’s commitment to an athletic program at a university. Mikayla Lazarski and Abbie Mumm are both distinguished members of the Brookfield Central Girls Varsity Soccer team and signed with Viterbo University. For Boys Basketball, Cole Nau and Gage Malensek, both members of the varsity team, signed with Hillsdale College and Truman State University respectively. Zoe Sternberg, a member of the Brook-

field Glacier Girls Hockey team, signed with St. Catherine University. However, choosing which college to commit to was not an easy decision by any means, as said by Cole Nau. Nau stated that “In regards to choosing where to play, I wanted to find a place where I could see myself for the next four years.” This decision-making process involved lots of college visits and talks with coaches. Nau most looks forward to “competing and winning many games.” Good luck to our Lancer athletes as they continue their athletic careers in college!

Thoughts on Girls swim and dive season as it comes to a close

After a difficult season, the girls reflect on their progress and achievements this season Amy Keane Reporter

The Lady Lancer Swim and Dive team had a phenomenal season filled with hard work, personal bests, new friendships, and loads of fun. Along with competing in dual meets and invitationals each week, they also engaged in other team bonding activities such as a trip to Lapham Peak and carbo-crams. Here are some things the girls had to say about their experiences this season:

“Not to be cheesy, but this has surely been my favorite season so far. I literally love each and every girl on this team.” ~Meghan Long (‘20)

“I’ve been part of this team for four years and this year was by far the best. Not because I’m a senior, but because my teammates made it the most fun I’ve had as a Lady Lancer.” ~ Maggie Teng (‘19) “Coming into the season as a freshman I had no idea what to expect. After the first team practice, I was a little intimidated by all the new faces and was really scared I wouldn’t be able to keep up with the swimming. But every moment was worth it because the friendships I gained from a short few months are the greatest gifts I could ever ask for.” ~ Jana Gharia (‘22)

Girls Basketball begins

Kate Burzynski Reporter

The Brookfield Central Lancers girls basketball team has had an incredible start to their season, starting 3 - 0 against Milwaukee Riverside (66 - 48), D.C Everest (56 - 50), and Appleton North (46 - 45), the two time defending states champs, as well as successfully raising money for the program at their Thanksgiving Shootout Tournament. Maddy Brauer, a senior and team captain, attributes the team’s success to the team’s camaraderie. Although the team is diverse in ages, consisting of two freshmen, two sophomores, three juniors, and four seniors, Brauer emphasizes the team’s cherished team chemistry and adds that the season has been immensely fun so far. Brauer has lots of experience in the sport starting from Kindergarten when she first began playing and was

inspired to play by siblings who had played before. She loved the sport, and continued on through the junior Lancer program from Elmbrook Church Upward program and Park and Rec teams to the Brookfield Central high school team, all the while playing club since fourth grade. Brauer is now thrilled to lead the 2018 Lancer’s as a team captain, stating that the season has been incredibly enjoyable from the start, and she is enthusiastic about this leadership opportunity. She also stresses that although the team has been successful so far, there is much more to look forward to this season. Overall, the Lancers have been working hard so far this season and it is clearly paying off. They have had a great start and Brookfield Central is excited to see the team progress in the future.

“Good thing diving requires minimal swimming because swimming is such a tough sport. I think people don’t give swimming enough credit, those girls work their butts off every day and they never complain. They’re some of the most mentally and physically strong girls I know. If I had to do what they did, I’d be complaining all day.” - Eva Vang (‘19) “This season has been so much fun and I think we as a team do so much together. We have a bond that is unbreakable, and we made memories that won’t ever be forgotten.” ~Trisha Nandakumar (‘21)

Updates Varsity Girls Basketball Overall Record 6-2 57-66 Germantown (L) 67-46 Brookfield East (W) 36-48 Hamilton (L)

Varsity Boys Basketball Overall Record 3-1 72-43 Lacrosse Central (W) 60-47 Brookfield East (W) 76-59 Milwaukee King (W) Girls Swim & Dive: Varsity Conference - 4th Amy Keane - 4th Abby Keane - 5th Sectionals Abby Keane - 6th Amy Keane - 7th State Anna Kult - 4th in 100yd Breast Maggie Teng - 8th in 100yd Breast Lizzi Geske - 21st in 100yd Fly Kult, Teng, Geske, Autumn Lee 18th in 200yd medley relay Girls Gymnastics: West Bend Invite - 2nd Oconomowoc Invite - 5th Conference Record: 1-1 Boys Swim & Dive: Conference Record: 1-0 GMC relay champions Wrestling: Conference Record: 0-3 Stech Invite - 17th place Jake Somlai - 1st at Stech Invite 1st at Sun Prairie Tournament 1st and 100th Varsity win at Wisconsin Lutheran Invite Cheerleading: Southside Showdown - 1st Double bids to nationals

NIRBHAY VIG

Teamwork is essential for swim & dive’s success. Pictured: Jana Gharia (‘22)

ALAN HERZBERG

Varsity player CJ Romero (‘21) drives the ball to the basket with intense concentration, an opposing player on her tail.

DECEMBER 2018

BROOKFIELD CENTRAL TYRO

features

The Lodge member reflects on inception of band

Senior Vaughn Goehrig shares the history of band, The Lodge, and what the group has in store for future performances Vaughn Goehrig Reporter

NIRBHAY VIG

Alex Doyle

Founding member Instrument: Guitar/Vocal “My favorite moments with the band are usually at the end of our shows...you can feel everyone’s energy coming together and taking the music to another level.”

t all started in a dark basement with beat-up drum set, two cheap guitar amps, a string of Christmas lights used as an extension cord, and an innate desire to make music. I first got to know Alex Doyle (‘19) and Matthew Falvey (‘19) in sophomore year, and I quickly realized how musically talented the two of them were. They frequently wrote and recorded short, simple songs that were designed to make others laugh. Needless to say, I was beyond inspired by their creativity as a duo. Ever since I first started drumming ten years ago, I had wanted to play in a band. Even today, the prospect of performing with my closest friends is too grand to pass up. Soon, the three of us began jamming together for fun, naive to the many opportunities that would be presented before us in the coming months. After our first performance in the black box, I could hear our sound becoming more and more cohesive as a band, largely thanks to the addition of new members: Draza Kolpack (‘19) and Eli Karian (‘19). Despite having limited experience with bass and guitar, the two worked tirelessly to add original voices to our repertoire. With their help, we began expanding our performances outside of BC, playing at both St. Dominic’s Fest and TosaFest this past summer. Looking back at our black box gig on November 20, I now see it as a celebration. The theater was filled with several of our closest friends, who we are dearly grateful for, and the set gave us an opportunity to show off how far we’ve come as musicians. Now that we’re back to BC, we have a number of upcoming performances, including Poetry Out Loud and the Key Club Dance Marathon. It’s hard to believe we’ve had a chance to play so much music for hundreds of people, but I am eternally thankful for it.

Matthew Falvey

Founding member Instrument: Keyboard/Saxophone “We’re pretty solid for a band that uses a strand of Christmas lights as an extention cord.”

Draza Kolpack

Joined Fall 2017 Instrument: Bass “The other guys blow me out of the water in regards to skill, but this was never a detterent. They push me to better myself as a musician and created a bond that could never break.” NIRBHAY VIG

NIRBHAY VIG

Eli Karian

Joined Summer 2018 Instrument: Guitar ‘I’m very grateful to be part of a band with such accepting and talented people...I have loved every second of the journey ever since I joined.”

Vaughn Goehrig

Founding member Instrument: Drums “As much as I love drumming, it would suck without my friends playing beside me.”

Stan Lee, co-creator of Marvel Comics, passes away Lee was one of the most esteemed comic book writers in the world, and his legacy will live on for generations to come Ananya Rajesh and Neha Ajjampore

Stan Lee: an icon, a role model, an inspiration. One could even go so far as to call him a true hero. On November 12, 2018, Lee passed away at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, CA. Lee, a comic book writer, editor, and publisher, was best known for his role in the creation of the Marvel Comics. Along with artists such as Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, Lee created and developed superheroes ranging from the Fantastic Four to Spider-Man. Lee continued to create and co-create many staples in the Marvel universe such as Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, X-Men, and Black Panther (along with several others). What set him apart from every other storyteller was that his characters were not perfect; even though they were superheroes, they still had human flaws. Lee’s audience looked up to these characters not as figments of a vivid imagination but as actual people that they could learn from — and Lee himself became a role model to many people, inspiring them to embrace their creative minds and develop exciting (yet meaningful) stories. Stanley Martin Lieber was born in Manhattan, New York in 1922.

From a young age, he possessed a talent and a knack for writing. In high school, Lieber worked part-time for several newspapers, writing obituaries and press releases, working as an office boy, and selling subscriptions. His early career began in 1939 when he became an assistant at the Timely Comics; in a matter of twenty some years, Timely Comics would become Marvel Comics. Lieber debuted his comic career by writing fillers in Captain America #3 using the pseudonym Stan Lee — he didn’t want his name to associated to the low status of the comic book industry at the time. Ironically, Lee’s contribution to comics is what revolutionized his career as well as the industry. Lee later joined the army, serving in World War II under the military classification, ‘playwright.’ In the early 1960s, Lee was requested by the newly-named Marvel Comics to create a series that could compete with their main rival, DC Comics, who had just released their hit series Justice League of America. Pulling from inspirations such as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Jules Verne, Lee and co-creator Jack Kirby

developed the Fantastic Four series. Noting the success of this story, Lee and other writers at Marvel went on to create what became arguably the most well-known Marvel superhero stories, including that of the Hulk and Spider-Man. In the years following, as Marvel Comics grew in popularity, Lee became involved in the editing and publishing of stories as well as Marvel’s transition towards the filmmaking industry. Even after retiring from his position of editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics, Lee remained a public figurehead for the company. Lee has also appeared in a cameo scene in every Marvel movie along with being credited honorarily as an executive producer. Lee’s contribution to the comic industry profoundly reinvented the superhero archetype by providing a naturalistic approach. By creating a strong bond between characters and fans, Marvel Comics has been and will remain a crowd favorite, and the characters Lee created will remain in popular culture for decades to come. Rest in peace, Stan Lee; you will be dearly missed. Excelsior!

AMAZON.COM

In the 1940s, Lee began working as a playwright in the Training Films Division in Queens after being transferred from the army’s Signal Corps in New Jersey. He worked with many writers, including Theodor Geisel (better known as Dr. Seuss.)

BROOKFIELD CENTRAL TYRO

DECEMBER 2018

entertainment

CoG: not everything is quite what it seems Maggie Teng Reporter

n the sequel to the visual masterpiece, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, J.K. Rowling has written and produced an even more impressive and illustratively striking film in The Crimes of Grindelwald. From start to finish, the movie keeps the audience grasping for more. New creatures, including a lion-like Chi-

nese beast, are introduced alongside the return of familar ones, such as the slippery-handed niffler, working together to create eye-catching displays and provide well-integrated comic relief. The complexity of the relationships between the characters is portrayed impeccably by the cast, and the characters themselves were creat-

IMDB.COM

ed to have their own significances to the plot. Most heartbreaking, though, was the severing of several integral bonds between the main characters of the film. On the other hand, two particular relationships were revealed, both of which regard our beloved Professor Dumbedore, and came quite unexpectedly.

One downside of the film results from the lack of development in the substory of Nagini (this is to-be-confirmed), who returns from the world of Harry Potter and is revealed to be a Maledictus (a carrier of a blood curse that eventually binds a human to an animal form). Unfortunately, the character is quite static and marginal-

ized in the film, but it’s clear that the backstory will develop in the next installment, set to be released in 2020. As a whole, the film is an adventure that can’t be missed, and to further the excitement, possesses cameo appearances from a young Minerva McGonagall as well as a certain feathered friend… IMDB.COM

To the right: Despite his rather abrupt appearence in the final scenes of the first Fantastic Beasts installment, Grindelwald is revealing more and more about himself ... and his history with Dumbledore. J.K. Rowling has also made some interesting allusions to Hitler’s ideologies. Instead of anti-Semitic beliefs, it’s the constant mantra of “The Greater Good.” Humans and wizards are exactly the same, ignoring the fact that one of those two groups can shoot fire out of their wands. Grindelwald’s presence is doing a great job of transitioning FB out of the bright, bustling world of Newt Scamander into one of the bloodiest wizarding conflicts in history.

Below: SPOILERS AHEAD. The mysterious Maledictus that helped Credence (left, right, respectively) escape the carnival freakshow has been more or less identified to be the one and only Nagini. A Maledictus is basically someone that can turn into an animal at will, but as they grow older, they start to lose control and will eventually stay an animal forever. And Credence’s friend can turn, not surprisingly, into a snake. Rowling continues to bind the Fantastic Beasts universe and the Harry Potter world ever closer, but for what reason? These are questions that only the third installment of FB will be able to answer.

Above: The Brookfield Central Tyro newspaper is proud to present the one and only Scamander brothers! Eddie Redmayne and Callum Turner did an excellent job portraying the tensions spanning the brothers’ relationship. Watchers of the FB series are used to Newt’s odd yet endearing personality, but his passion for fantastic beasts often overshadows his relationship with human beings. His relationship with Theseus really demonstrates how much of a loner Newt actually is, and highlights how much he must value Tina. Think of it this way: Newt prioritizes a Ministry witch over his own brother. To the left: SPOILERS AHEAD. Queenie was established as a flighty, yet clever, side character in the first FB movie, so it came as a shock to audiences when she, in pursuit of a happier life with Jacob, joined Grindelwald’s side. Queenie was the true tragedy of the CoG: blinded by love, she tried to carve out a place in a prejudiced world for her and Jacob - a witch and a No-Maj. J.K. Rowling rewrote her own Romeo and Juliet, and probably did it better than Shakespeare himself. That doesn’t mean that audiences were all that pleased, though. One can only hope that Queenie will end up seeing the light. Wizarding World Logo Credit: harrypotter.wiki.com

IMDB.COM

The Grinch stuns Julianne Sun Reviews Editor

Illumination is a film company best known for the insufferable, annoying, pill-shaped creatures known as Minions. Movies that have come out of Illumination include Despicable Me (and two sequels), The Minion Movie, and The Secret Life of Pets … so it’s a no-brainer that they haven’t won any film awards recently. These movies are designed to attract kids in the elementary school age range, an age group that is barely tolerated by the rest of the population. In a way, movies produced by Illumination are the pre-teens of the film industry. It must have been a Christmas miracle, then, that Illumination’s latest movie, The Grinch, was actually enjoyable to watch. Most remakes of classic stories turn out pretty badly. They often try to outdo the original by adding more jokes, complicated plots, subplots, new characters, … you name it, they’ve got it. Although The Grinch does contain a few cringe-worthy jokes, Illumination’s refusal to deviate too much from the original plot line makes the movie even better. The Grinch is still grinchy (from childhood trauma), Cindy Lou is adorable as ever and Whoville is still full of

Christmas spirit. The Grinch does outdo the old one in one way, however: it’s much more relatable. In The Grinch, Cindy Lou’s father is never seen, so the audience is left to conclude that her dad is out of the picture. Her mom is left to take care of Cindy Lou and her two brothers, in addition to working all night and all day. It’s a lifestyle that many families live. Cindy Lou’s family is not rich, but they love each other and understand better than anyone that you don’t need stuff to be happy. As for the Grinch himself, the transformation from a heartless creature to an angel isn’t the abrupt flip seen in the older adaptations. Instead, the audience is treated to glimpses of the Grinch’s softer side as the movie progresses, showing that the Grinch does have a heart, however small it may be. If you’re looking for a Christmas movie to watch, The Grinch wouldn’t be a bad choice. If you’re not a Christmas movie watcher, watch The Grinch for Benedict Cumberbatch. In addition to acting in Sherlock, Doctor Strange, and The Imitation Game, he’s quite good at pretending to be the Grinch. His voice is, anyway. Photo credit: AMC.COM

First female POTUS in HoC

IMDB.COM

Harshmann Sihra Reporter

The iconic ending of season 5 of the popular Netflix-original has had fans anticipating Season 6 for a long time. The series presents a dystopian take on political world of Washington DC. For the majority of the series, it shows the rise of Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey), from the majority whip of the Democratic caucus to Vice President to President. All the while, Claire Underwood (Robin Wright) stays in the shadow of her husband, which eventually develops

into a power struggle, and her running for VP side-by-side her husband. Wright does an incredible job acting as a disturbed politician. However, she is faced with the dilemma of being under Frank’s shadow for the majority of the series, and that all changes in the final season. When season 6 begins, one hundred days of Claire’s presidency have passed, Frank is dead, and a new powerhouse family, the Shepherds, emerge. Claire tackles sexism,

murder threats and various attacks towards her in the media. Another popular character, Douglas Stamper (Michael Kelly) is featured heavily in the last season, where he remains the only living person who’s loyal to Frank. Until his death, in the very last scene of the series, where he’s murdered by Claire. In this captivating fictional tale that involves coup d’etats, power struggles and murder, the show truly enchants audiences of all sorts.

DECEMBER 2018

BROOKFIELD CENTRAL TYRO

editorials

Staff Editorial: how to Poll: Favorite Winter Activities elect ‘American’ way

Tyro Editors-in-Chief

ust over one percent is the difference in votes received by percentage of total votes between Tony Evers and Scott Walker in the November 2018 election. This is also the difference that placed Tony Evers in the Wisconsin governor’s office for the next four years. Unlike in governor and congressional elections, the president is selected by the electoral college, not popular vote. This policy was put in place with the Constitution in 1787 as a part of the second article. The electoral college involves a distribution of 538 electoral votes among the states based on the number of seats in Congress that state holds. As the number of seats held in the House of Representatives is dependent on population, the allocation of electoral votes is also partially influenced by population. A large state such as California, for instance, holds 55 electoral votes whereas the smaller state of Alaska, in terms of population, has only three. The presidential candidate that wins the popular vote within that state receives all of the state’s electoral votes. To put it into perspective, let us take another look at California and Alaska. Let us say we have two main presidential candidates, candidate A and candidate B. In the state of California, the two candidates come close in votes, with candidate A receiving 49% of the popular vote and candidate B 51%. As candidate B won the popular vote for California, they receive all 55 electoral votes. Now let us turn to Alaska. Again, the two candidates come close in votes, but this time the result is flipped. Candidate A has a majority with 51% versus candidate B’s 49%. Candidate A then receives all three of Alaska’s electoral votes. Let us assume that if we were to take the total popular votes for each candidate between California and Alaska, the result would be around fifty-fifty. The electoral votes, however, do not come anywhere close to reflecting this result, with a three to fifty-five ratio. This begs the question, is the electoral college a fair way of electing our nation’s president? And for those that find the

situation above to be unrealistic and believe that electoral college does reflect the popular vote, then what purpose does the electoral college serve that makes it a necessity Our answers: no and none. In our nation’s history, five presidents have been elected without receiving the popular vote. While three of these elections-- 1824, 1876, and 1888-- may seem like a long time ago, two of them occurred within the twenty-first century-- 2000 and 2016. In other words, the discrepancy between the electoral college and the popular vote is still very much a reality today. For a nation that prides itself on democracy and government of the people, we’re not doing the best job of listening to the people’s choice. This leads to the next question: what can we do to change this? Encompassed in the Constitution, the electoral college can only be abolished by a constitutional amendment, proposals for which have been made throughout years but never amounted to anything. This does not mean that the debate is over; the battle against the electoral college is still being fought today. It goes by the name of the National Popular Vote Bill. The plan revolved around an interstate compact: states would pledge to the bill individually within their own legislatures; once the total electoral votes between the pledged states constituted a majority of the nation’s electoral votes, the bill would take effect. Now, almost 13 years later, the National Popular Vote Bill is 64% of the way there with 172 of the needed 270 votes. These 172 votes come from 11 states and the District of Columbia. Wisconsin is not among these 11 states, though it ought to be. Wisconsin has a chance to impact the citizens of the United States in a meaningful and lasting way. While admittedly Wisconsin may not be California with 55 electoral votes, its pledge will still bring the United States ten votes closer to electing a president the proper American way-- by popular vote.

As per the 2018-2019 school year calender, this year’s Elmbrook School District winter break is a grand total of eleven days, seven if excluding weekends. In other words, the first school day off is Christmas Eve and the last New Year’s Day. This begs the question: is winter break long enough? No, it is definitely not. We like to

think that by the time winter break comes along, everything will be under control, and we will finally be able to relax. Well, isn’t that a funny joke. Sadly, winter break does not last as long as we wish for it to last. This year, we will not even get two weeks of winter break; actually, not even a week and a half. Nevertheless, if we really think about it, some break

Elianne del Campo Editorials Editor

Based on a school-wide poll, the majority of the Brookfield Central student body spends their wintertime doing outdoor activities, though others prefer the warmth and comfort indoors with a warm cup of hot cocoa and a good movie or read.

Campaign season contaminates air waves Ethan Scholz Cartoonist

A week is not enough; winter break far too brief

Published throughout the year (no June, July, or August issue) by the TYRO staff of Brookfield Central High School, 16900 W. Gebhardt Rd., Brookfield, WI 53005-5199 and printed by American Litho Printing in Milwaukee, WI. Yearly subscriptions will no longer be for purchase. This publication is a public forum. The policy of this newspaper is to inform the Elmbrook community of school and civic activities in a fair, accurate way, and to provide a vehicle for responsible opinions. Letters, columns, and cartoons incorporated within do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of all staff. Written submissions must be signed, are limited to 250 words, and may be refused and/ or edited.

is better than no break at all. To those who think that winter break is not long enough - I understand. The holidays should be a time to spend with your family and friends. There should be enough time for everyone to go on a nice trip and be able to come back without the stress of starting school in such a rush. On the other hand, to those who

think that winter break is not long enough - I understand too. One does not want to spend too much time away from school in the middle of a term. There are so many topics that have been covered before winter break, that one does not want to forget it all before you possibly have a test on it the day after winter break. Nevertheless, it is almost halfway through the

Elianne del Campo Editorials Editor

year, and we are used to catching up with school work by now. To sum it all up, having a long winter break can definitely fix all of the brain drainages of school. However, winter break can also be too long, and getting back in track with school can be quite a challenge. Nevertheless, as high schoolers, who doesn’t love a long winter break?

Brookfield Central Tyro 2018-2019 Staff

Editors-in-Chief Stephanie Chen, Kevin Jacobson, Janani Sundar, Sanjana Tarigoppula Online Editor-in-Chief Kevin Jacobson Business Manager Adarsh Rajaraman News Editors Stephanie Chen, Janani Sundar

Features Editors Neha Ajjampore, Ananya Rajesh

Sports Editor Rajat Mittal

Activities Editors Sam Patterson, Sanjana Tarigoppula

Holidays Editors Neha Ajjampore, Ananya Rajesh, Sam Patterson, Sanjana Tarigoppula

Entertainment Editor Julianne Sun Editorials Editor Elianne del Campo

Online Editor Emily Otten

Contributing Reporters Neha Ajjampore, Kate Burzynski, Taylor Canitz, Stephanie Chen, Elianne Del Campo, Vaughn Goehrig, Amy Keane, Rajat Mittal, Nicole Orejuela. Emily Otten. Ananya Rajesh. Ethan Scholz,, Julianne Sun, Janani Sundar, Maggie Teng

Adviser Mrs. Ellen Linnihan Printer American Litho Printing Contributing Photographers Amazon,com, AMC.com, Stephanie Chen, Alan Herzberg, IMBD.com, Don Kurth, Ellen Linnihan, Kevin Jacobson, Journal Sentinal, Julianne Sun, Sanjana Tarrigopula, Nirbhay Vig. Wikimedia Commons

BROOKFIELD CENTRAL TYRO

DECEMBER 2018

holidays

Gift giving - meaningful gesture vs. formality

Julianne Sun Reviews Editor

As the holidays are coming up, many people are scrambling to buy gifts, but are they really necessary? JULIANNE SUN

Mr. Keir smiles with his mug, a past Christmas present. Christmas is a time known for receiving gifts but it also is a time for giving. Brookfield Central also has a program that gives the opportunity to pitch in money to help out underprivileged Elmbrook families during the holidays.

here’s always that one person on your list that’s impossible to shop for. Either they have everything, they don’t want anything, or you just don’t know them well enough. That last category of people (unfortunately) includes the teachers that we spend more time with than we do our parents. And yet, it’s practically tradition that students gift their teachers every holiday season. When asked about the most common gift he’s received, band director Mr. Gillette said, “I get a lot of gift cards… mostly Starbucks.” Mr. Keir of the history department had about the same response: “We’re in the era of gift cards…Starbucks and stuff like that.” Are these answers simply a symptom of a wrung-out gift-giving tradition, or do teachers still see some semblance of novelty in them? Maybe the answer, as it so often is in this complicated world, is both. Most students don’t think too hard about the chocolate, mugs, powdered

hot chocolate mixtures, and gift cards they distribute. It’s just a gesture, a simple way of appreciating their teachers. Mr. Gillette, however, didn’t view gift-giving from that perspective. “[I] totally don’t expect anything from anybody. When someone does something like that, it’s always like ‘Oh wow, that’s really kind and really nice.’” Students that are familiar with the band director, however, know that he approaches almost everything in life with that selfless mindset. Perhaps someone a bit more cynical could deliver the cold, hard truth. Someone like Mr. Keir. In sharing his thoughts on gift-giving, he veered into the territory of thankyou cards over physical gifts. “When you give a little thank-you card, I would bet that that means way more than whatever goes with [traditional gifts]. When somebody hands me a gift card from Amazon, I’m gonna use that card because half of what I buy is off of Amazon. But like I feel a

little bit bad about that - like you really shouldn’t have spent money on me, but I do appreciate it.” Not so cynical after all, it seems. As cliché as it may sound, gift-giving is always going to be appreciated from at least one end, whether it’s the giver or the receiver. If you’ve already bought five identical bags of Ghirardelli chocolates, never fear - they certainly won’t go uneaten, much less appreciated. To those that haven’t picked up the holiday-shopping fever yet, a gift isn’t necessary—but it is very much appreciated. Mr. Gillette reassures all students, saying, “Don’t feel obligated…just the fact that a student even thought about giving me a gift makes me feel really good.” So if you do forget to grab your teacher a gift, it won’t result in an “accidental” mistake in Infinite Campus a few days later. But it’s always nice to show some recognition to the people who have made a strong impact in your life!

Christmas decoration debacle Star Wars Christmas Ethan Scholtz Cartoonist

Emily Otten Online Editor

The debate of when the holiday season truly begins has gone on for ages, with some people arguing that holiday celebrations begin the day after Halloween with others contending that no mention of the holidays should be made until after Thanksgiving. I think everyone can agree that Christmas decorations in July are crazy, but in my opinion, Christmas decorations being lit up on the first day of November is just as absurd. Many times, the first snow hasn’t even fallen yet, and by acknowledging Christmas early a person is completely ignoring Thanksgiving — which has similar the values of family and love

that Christmas has, but without all of the rampant commercialism (though with Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals that is starting to change). When it comes to decorating for the holidays, it should be socially acceptable for people to decorate the inside of their house whenever they want, even in October. This is because interior decorations don’t bother any neighbors with obnoxious flashing or shining lights, and can bring a bit of holiday joy to the homeowner if they so choose. Though for outdoor decor, the best plan is to put up the decorations in early November, but not light them until after Thanks-

giving. This way, families are able to put up the decorations without the freezing late November and December temperatures, but aren’t celebrating prematurely or annoying their neighbors, as some christmas lights can be especially bright. Because of this, the time where it is socially acceptable to light up exterior Christmas decorations would be the day or week after Thanksgiving, to properly celebrate a holiday filled with family, and not bother your neighbors. But when it comes to interior holiday decorations, go wild with it, nothing is holding you back.

Global holiday traditions: from “The Befana” to “Calendas”

Nicole Orejuela Reporter

In Italy, an ugly old witch with a kind heart dubbed “The Befana” delivers presents to children in place of Santa Claus on January 5. In fact, Maria Perez further illustrates the process of this event by stating, “... the eve of Epiphany, parents will leave out a plate of broccoli with spiced sausage and glass of wine for Befana.” Thus, the witch swoops down the chimney on her broom, devours the provided meal and then leaves various toys and goods for the sleeping kids. Furthermore, certain parts of Switzerland (specifically the German and French-speaking regions) celebrate

Christmas with a figure named the “Christkind” obtaining the sole responsibility of delivering gifts and providing a tree to place these presents under on Christmas Eve. The children therefore await the return of the Christkind and his “... beautiful, radiant, angel-like being with wings, dressed in white with a shining crown and a magic wand.” Oaxaca holds a rather extravagant tradition only performed in this specific city of Mexico, as people race to the crowded streets with torches in hand, marching down the road as giant floats and oversized, dancing puppets follow the participating cit-

izens. These “calendas” fill the city, accompanied by “... posadas, groups of families and neighbors led by children dressed as Mary and Joseph.” Hence, a variety of holiday celebrations commence among the winter months, spreading the undeniable cheer and spectacular wonder brought about by this magical period of love and appreciation for one another. To the right stamds a Befana, frightening old witch which devours meals left out by children in exchange for presents. While most Americans settle for a traditional Christmas tree, there are many diverse traditions around the world.

p o h S The Formal K WINDSORSTORE.COM

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Tender snowflakes gently fall from the clouded sky, landing on frosted windows as a gentle gust of wind blows through the crisp, cool air. Families crowd inside their living rooms to surround the crackling fireplace, snuggled up close together in warm sweaters while they grasp steaming cups of hot chocolate topped with mountains of whipped cream and mini marshmallows. The arrival of December not only marks a period of joyous family reunions and delectable food options, but simultaneously introduces the numerous holiday traditions celebrated around the world.