The Pharcyde, 42,1

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PHARCYDE @thepharcyde_tbs

THE BENJAMIN UPPER SCHOOL NEWSPAPER 4875 Grandiflora Road, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418

August 18, 2020

Volume 42

Issue 1

Mr. David Faus begins term as 11th Head of School

By Skyler Zur Co-Editor-in-Chief

After spending the summer preparing for his new role, Mr. David Faus has officially joined the Benjamin community as Head of School.

Although Faus is excited to step into his new position, COVID-19 has presented a number of challenges that have affected students, faculty, and parents. The most pressing of these issues has been when students will be able to return to campus.

Faus has been working closely with the Board and the administration to figure out the best situation for the entire School community.

“My main short term goal is to just get us all here live,” Faus said.

“There is a tension between our desire to be together versus making sure, from my vantage point, that we are keeping everyone safe. There has to be wisdom and balance in that. For me right now, that’s the real challenge and we are literally having those conversations hour to hour and day to day as information changes.”

While his short term goals are focused on this year and how to provide the best education for students amidst a global pandemic, Faus is also looking forward to the future.

“I think this changed us. I don’t think we ever go back to pre-COVID-19, but there are some really good things that are going to come out of this. New technology has been

installed in all the upper school classrooms, and we are going to be able to really use that technology outside of the pandemic. I also think we have all learned something about hygiene and the spread of virus, so that will help make us a healthier campus,” Faus said.

Despite the current circumstances, Faus is still looking forward to getting to know the community and building meaningful relationships.

After 40 years working at independent schools all over the country, Faus feels prepared to join a Benjamin community celebrating its 60th Anniversary.

After his first interaction with the administration, Faus knew that he wanted to work at Benjamin.

“You get these gut feelings. I visited a lot of schools and interviewed for different jobs at different schools. My first visit here felt really comfortable and the people here felt down to earth and really passionate about the school, so there was a passion there and a commitment to the school that was really powerful,” Faus said.

He added, “When I got on campus and got to meet students and faculty, it just enforced all that. It’s a serious place, and everyone is working hard and yet it seems like a place that enjoys celebrating its successes and one another. It’s a pretty remarkable place, and it seems like there are a lot of good things happening ranging from what happens in the classroom

Mr. David Faud stands outside the Nook after joining the Benjamin community as the new Head of School.

(Photo courtesy of Mr. Faus) to BTV to the athletic program.”

In terms of some of the major choic- Q: What is your favorite sports team? es that will have to be made throughout A: The NY Yankees and of course the Benjamin Bucthe year, Faus realizes that not everyone caneers! will agree with the final decision; however, he will be making these judge- Q: What is one thing that no one knows about you? ments with one group in mind: students.

“I am someone who has always A: I sang in an acapella group in college. led by asking the question ‘How Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where does this serve our students?’ and would you go? that is how this is going to be resolved in the long-run. If it is in the A: Chile or Peru best interest of the kids to be here, then we are going to be here. I hope Q: Do you have any nicknames? that we constantly make decisions A: Not really - growing up I was one of four boys and that will serve our kids, and that will my older brothers friends would call me “little Faus” be the sign of my success or failure.”

New technology improves remote learning during COVID-19

By Molly Fried Co-Editor-in-Chief Even before the School decided to begin the year in a completely virtual environment, the Technology Department implemented several changes to the Upper School’s classrooms with the goal of improving the quality of remote education.

Among the additions welcoming faculty back to their classrooms was a new video-conferencing system, The Connected Classroom, which consists of a high-definition robotic video camera, an integrated speaker and microphone, a large LCD screen, and a micro desktop computer to run the system.

According to Chief Technology Officer Mr. Russel Tepper, “The Connected Classroom will help our remote learners stay up to date in their studies, classroom discussions,

and have a complete learning experience similar to as if they were physically present in the classroom.”

Upper School Technology Integration Specialist Mr. Matthew Morrow believes the changes will especially assist teachers in their online teaching endeavors.

“Teachers would have the ability to be socially distanced in their classroom and have access to more tools and technology than in their home,” Mr. Morrow explains. “For example, if your math teacher uses a whiteboard to the side of the interactive board, they can press a preset button on the remote to focus and frame the camera perfectly to that board.”

English Department Chair Mrs. Sharon Wendler agrees with Mr. Morrow that the new technology will aid teachers.

“We will be able to show what’s in our classroom (if we wanted to

point out a particular poster or bulletin board or visual aid) or teach using the smart board so that it’s more interactive,” Mrs. Wendler says.

“Students can see us and read our facial expressions and see our gestures while also receiving instruction from the powerpoint or the whiteboard.”

Even when the transition is made to integrate students back into the classroom, the new technology will still be extremely important, as it will make sure the students who opt to stay remote feel as if they are in class with their peers.

“We want to provide a similar experience to students who are physically in the classroom as well as the students learning remotely.” Mr. Morrow says. “Both sets of students will be hearing and seeing the same thing as each other at the same time.”

Class participation levels may also benefit from The Connected

Classroom, as, according to Mr. Morrow, “remote students could be called on to answer questions and participate in classroom discussions, being heard and seen by the entire class regardless if they are on campus or at home.”

In addition to being added to classrooms in the Upper School, the new equipment has been installed throughout much of the Middle School and Lower School, so as to keep the entire school consistent with the changes made.

While the new system has yet to be tested by the masses, Mrs. Wendler expects it to be a success.

“The technology department, in usual fashion, has thoughtfully selected the equipment needed to make our distance/in person/hybrid learning environments as effective and beneficial as possible,” Mrs. Wendler says.

Mrs. Laura Priola stands next to new technology in the classrooms.The School installed a number of new features to make remote school easier.

(Photo Courtesy of of Dr. Peruggia)

What’s Inside

Class of 2020 Graduates - p.3

We explore the impact of BLM - p.2

Remote summer leads to new hobbies - p.6-7

AP scores were higher than ever despite COVID - p.8

Pandemic postpones sports seasons - p.11

The Pharcyde

Page 2 August 18, 2020

Benjamin students respond to George Floyd’s death

By Tvisha Goel Staff Writer The public response to George Floyd’s murder has challenged many Benjamin students to evaluate their own lives and values.

On May 25th, 2020, Floyd, a black man, was murdered in police custody after a white officer, Derek Chauvin, placed his knee on Floyd’s neck for an estimated 8 minutes and 46 seconds.

This duration of time has become the rallying cry -a symbol- for protestors.

Police brutality has often sparked protests, yet the Floyd-related protests have lasted longer. Among the reasons for this is because Floyd’s murder was caught on camera for the country to see. New York Times released an article on July 10th, 2020, written by Derrick Bryson Taylor, who said, “Since the death of Mr. Floyd, protests have erupted in at least 140 cities across the United States, and the National Guard has been activated in at least 21 states.”

The number and size of these protests have led some to compare the Floyd protests to those held during the heights of the Civil Rights era.

Despite some people who say that these protests are not necessary, for a multitude of reasons, Junior Caden Quinn is in full support of the protests, so long as they are not violent. He also believes that it was the obvious choice to charge Chauvin and the other police officers with manslaughter, as Floyd was unarmed and cooperative with the police. For these reasons, he wholeheartedly acknowledges that the murder was racially motivated.

Quinn thinks people need to start looking beyond the skin color of someone. “Simply treating [people] as equals would change many things. People

shouldn’t care about the color of their skin, just about what kind of person they are. One way I follow through with this is by not judging people on skin color, but character and personality,” he said.

“Simply treating [people] as equals would change many things. People shouldn’t care about the color of their skin, just about what kind of person they are. One way I follow through with this is by not judging people on skin color, but character and personality.”

- Junior Caden Quinn While changing how ordinary individuals act on a daily basis may help decrease racism within communities, Benjamin parent, Mrs. Glenny Cueto, who works as a regional director for county probation, offers ways to fight systemic racism. “More training involving fair and impartial policing is needed in order to improve the overall policing in the United States. Diversity training and training about unconscious biases are also important in helping end some of the stereotypes that exist,” she said.

Sophomore Alex Fleming Lake says that these events “made [him] realize how separated and divided the world is.” Fleming Lake said he has never experienced acts of racism personally, but despite this, he mentioned how these events have made him more cautious about his surroundings every day, in fear that something similar might happen to him. “Let’s say I’m walking or riding my bike. I always make sure that if there is a police officer around, I don’t do anything … [that draws] attention to myself. I just [try] to get out of there as

quick as possible,” he said.

Incidents of racial injustice have brought to light closely held values, sometimes inspiring a community-wide ethos. Fleming shares, “I strongly believe in treating people equally. It’s a simple belief, but it is not that common as someone would think. For example, if a white person suddenly becomes scared because a black person is in close proximity to them, the black person will feel threatened. And then they are going to assume that they will always be treated in this way.”

People kneel during a BLM protest in Florida. The BLM movement Junior Isaiah Nesmith has similar sparked a series of protests to support the fight for racial equality. (Photo feelings towards the incidents, but he by Molly Fried) emphasizes that acts of racial injustice are nothing new in this country. When in America puts a target on your back,” asked if Floyd’s death has changed the he said. dynamic of Nesmith’s life, he said, “The Struggles such as these have indynamic hasn’t changed at all. I’ve stilled fear in so many people of color. always been aware of police brutality Sometimes, they are even afraid of simbecause George Floyd wasn’t the first. I ply being pulled over. Mrs. Cueto, said, have always been taught what [exactly] “For those who are afraid of police ofto do when pulled over or stopped by ficers, I would give them a few points the police. My parents sat me down of advice: be polite and respectful if when I turned fifteen and went through stopped by a police officer, do not get what to do when stopped. They said to into verbal arguments with police offialways remain calm and refer to the of- cers, never run from the police even if ficer as ‘sir’ to make them feel in power. you are afraid of them, and even if you They told me when an officer asks me are innocent, never resist arrest.” for something, I have to repeat the quesFor many protestors, this advice tion and then proceed to ask if it is okay wrongly shifts responsibility from pofor me to do so. But most of all, my par- lice to civilians. According to Time ents told me to know my rights of what Magazine, protestors are demanding a an officer can and can’t do.” range of institutional changes, from poAnyone who cannot show up for Nesmith also shared experiences lice reform to defunding the institution protests in their community can of his own, when faced with the racism in its entirety. contribute to the race for equality that so many other people have expeWhile many people are fighting for in a multitude of ways, including rienced. “My mom, dad, grandmother, police reform, racially-based expectasupporting programs that support grandfather, I, and plenty more have tions will always linger. Nesmith said, racial justice and equality, donat[had an encounter with the police that “Expectations have always been high ing to help protestors, and helping has only been based on skin color]. I for me. I can’t afford to slack off or setblack families who have lost … have been … [coming out of stores, tle for being average because not only is loved ones in killings. (Graphic crossing the street to go home, and leav- that not going to get me anywhere, but

by Evan Liberman) ing practice] suspiciously. Being black it’s setting back my people as well.

The Pharcyde

August 18, 2020 Page 3

Despite COVID restrictions, graduation was a success!

Nicolas Lama poses with English teacher Mr. Feyk in his VOTE mask. Lama was the Class’ Valedictorian, and he will be attending Columbia University in New York City.

The class of 2020 was finally able to have their graduation ceremony before taking off for college, but it was not in the traditional fashion. Commencement spanned four nights with each graduate having an individualized ceremony. After being announced by Mr. Faus, graduates walked across the stage and accepted their diplomas. A picture with Mr. Carr and a member from the Board of Trustees followed. Footage of each Commencement will be edited together to create a full program. When their Benjamin Hall ceremony concluded, graduates and their families headed to the lobby for group photos. Unfortunately, some students had already left for college and were not able to partake in the ceremony. Instead, they had to receive their diploma beforehand or have it shipped to them. Tommy Rooney, who was already at Lehigh University at the time of graduation, said, “It was great getting to see my classmates take pictures with each other and their families. Obviously, it was bittersweet that I couldn’t be there personally with everyone, but adapting to new things is what this year is all about.” Even though Rooney could not make the ceremony, he was grateful for the effort. “I want to say thank you to all the faculty and staff who have tried their best to make our senior send off memorable,” he said. Congratulations graduates!

New teachers face challenge of remote start, hope to be in-person soon

By Nadia Poncy Staff Writer As the 2020-2021 school year starts virtually, new faculty are beginning their time at Benjamin online, a challenge they all recognize and hope to conquer just as well as they would in person.

The Upper School welcomes three new educators to the Benjamin faculty this term: Ms. Emilie Johnsen, Ms. Alexandra Murray, and Mr. Jason Peck. Ms. Johnsen is a native Floridian who will be teaching biology. Ms. Murray is a Benjamin alum who graduated as valedictorian of her class in 2015; she will be teaching a law elective, world history, and Spanish II. Mr. Peck is from Los Angeles and will be teaching English and drama. Each looks forward to starting the school year even though there will be some adjustment from school remaining online until deemed safe.

While all three understand why it is necessary and safest for school to

Mr. Peck

remain virtual, they each will miss the person-to-person contact of more traditional schooling.

Ms. Johnsen said, “While I would prefer to meet my students face-toface, I recognize that it is not yet safe enough to do so. When the time comes for us to finally meet in person, I still think it will be special!”

Mr. Peck believes that the added difficulty of a computer screen will make it harder for him to connect with his students. “A good theatre class is about building trust and really creating a safe space where people feel free to take artistic risks and get out of their comfort zone. So much of my work as a theatre teacher is about trying to break down insecurities, posturing, and tension so I can see the real person underneath, and a computer screen is an added layer and barrier that will need to be overcome,” he said.

Even though it will be challenging, each teacher hopes to engage students thoroughly through the screen

and try new opportunities as much as they possibly can until they can meet face-to-face.

Ms. Murray said, “Meeting students for the first time in a virtual setting is less than ideal for me because I enjoy the personal connection that comes from in-person interaction.

But I understand that this is in everyone’s best interest. I’m going to keep my classes as active as possible, with games and projects, and look forward to getting to know my students in their natural environment (at home).”

Mr. Peck said, “I am hoping we have a chance to have as much faceto-face time as possible since the barrier of a screen runs a bit counter to the nature and purpose of theatre ... but it does give us some artistic opportunities we might not otherwise have. Since we are doing a Fall production in front of a live audience, we are going to be using our rehearsal time in the Fall to create, edit, and explore filmmaking.”

Even with given circumstances,

Ms. Johnsen

all three remain positive and look forward to having a great school year.

Ms. Johnsen looks forward to working with the tight knit community here at Benjamin and hopes to inspire her students. “I really hope to get all my students excited about science! Technology is definitely going to be an essential resource for all teachers this year,” she said.

Mr. Peck has high hopes that there will be a live theatre production in the foreseeable future. “We are all hoping, praying, and sending out positive vibes that we will be able to have a live performance with a full, packed Benjamin Hall in the Spring for our musical,” he said.

As a previous student here at Benjamin, Ms. Murray is excited to be part of the Benjamin community once again and hopes students will take advantage of their time at the Upper School like she did. “One of the most important things I took from Benjamin (and which still makes me feel connected) is the number of strong

relationships I had with teachers. If I had to pick one thing, I’d tell upperclassmen (and underclassmen!) to take advantage of the amount of face time they have with their teachers.”

In addition to these three new faces here at the Upper School, there are also some returning who will be new to the online classroom. Upper School Counselor Dr. Yates will be teaching AP Psychology this year and is enthusiastic about starting her new role.

“I am honored to have been asked to teach AP Psychology this year and look forward to putting my teacher hat back on. I admit I have had to play some catch up as it relates to technology - Nearpod, Flipgrid, Peardeck, Launchpad... I have been working hard to learn some of the new technology tools that will help support the remote teaching/ learning process. I am most excited about spending in-person time with students engaged in conversation about topics I love,” she said.

Dr. Yates

The new teachers are excited for the school year to begin even though learning will start remotely. (Photos courtesy of the Yearbook and new teachers)

Graduates Zander Valentini and Dani Gangi smile together after graduating. Valentini wiill play lacrosse at Brown University in the spring, and Gangi will attend Villanova University.

Grace Mack smiles alongside her siblings and mother, Mrs. Anne Franzen, a history teacher at the Benjamin Middle School. Mack will be attending the University of Central Florida.

Ms. Murray Graduate Alex Walczak poses with Class of 2019 alumnus Matt Rapaport with her diploma. Walczak will be attending Southern Methodist University in Dallas, where Rapaport currently attends.

View more pictures at: https://palmbeach.smugmug.com

Photos courtesy of Michael Price

Graduate Catherine Dunkin stands proudly with her diploma with her family including junior Cooper Dunkin.

Dunkin will be attending Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas where she plans to major in business and fashion media.

Page 4 August 18, 2020

EDITORIAL

The Pharcyde

August 18, 2020

and people have been using technology so much more to interact.

This year is going to be about developing flexibility and reflecting on how we can move forward during such a challenging time. This school year, a number of changes have been made to adjust for those students who choose to remain online after the School reopens in-person.

One of the major changes has involved the schedule. To accommodate for online learning, the start of the year will consist of four block days a week and one seven period day. With each class only meeting three times a week, students will have to adjust to a different distribution of homework and tests, and teachers will have to change their lesson plans to cover more material in each block period. While this is so different from what a pre-COVID school day looked like, students and teachers need to

Page 5

Student Voices

The Opinion of The Pharcyde

After isolation, reconnection is more important than ever

After being apart for so long, it is time to reconnect. While people have had to social distance, the world is starting to open up again. Grandparents are beginning to reconnect with family members after isolating due to high-risk, and students are starting to reach out to their peers and teachers as school begins. COVID-19 has taken over the world, and as a result, we all have to accept that we are going to have to make a number of changes when we reconnect.

After almost six months of operating from home and participating at jobs, school, and social events remotely, we have developed new strategies to deal with life while everything is virtual. When we go back to school and start to reconnect in person, it will take time to adjust.

Throughout the quarantine, students have been wearing pajamas to online school, pets have been on Zoom calls,

The Pharcyde

accept this change rather than push against it.

Another new aspect to this remote living situation is the lack of social activity between peers.

With 47 new freshmen coming into the Upper School and at least one new student in every other grade, it has created a challenge for those students to integrate into the Benjamin community. Starting off the year with online school, those students will not truly get the chance to bond with their classmates during lunch or get to know their teachers. However, rather than staying isolated, students will have to make that extra effort and develop relationships in different ways, whether they use advisory time on Zoom to learn more about their peers or taking advantage of the breakout rooms during group assignments.

The other aspect of this COVID situation is that when the School reopens, some students will still opt to continue to learn remotely.

With some students on campus and others online, teachers are going to have to integrate far more technology into their teaching. In the past when teachers may have given a test or worksheet, it would be on paper, but with some students working from home, that is not a viable option. As a result, teachers will have to create assignments and tests that are available to take online. Embracing this change is imperative to keep all students informed regardless of how they decide to attend school, and even after COVID is eradicated, schools may remain more technology focused. The School has already embraced this change by adding TVs and other new technology to make

online learning more effective, and those tools will be useful in the classroom regardless of whether we are remote or not.

If this situation has taught us anything, it is that nothing lasts forever. We have been isolating for almost six months, and now we are starting to reintegrate into our communities. Although it will not be easy, human connection is essential, and we can’t give up on that idea of reaching out to others, especially when people have been so isolated for so long. As our siblings and friends start going off to college, it is important to remember that we always need to make the effort to reconnect. *The Editorial is the opinion of The Pharcyde and therefore does not have a singular name attributed to it.

Archetypes in the age of COVID

Black Lives Matter movement explores advantages of white privilege

Production editor explains importance of recognizing white privilege and learning from it

By Tvisha Goel Staff Writer

White privilege has long plagued this country, and now more than ever, people need to recognize both its existence and its impact.

Social privilege is the entitlement and advantage that benefits one person or group of people either via their advancement or at the expense and detriment of another person or group. White privilege uses both. White people, throughout history, have been advanced as a race, but also those same white people forced the idea of inferiority among people of color. From very early on, when Europeans came into the country, they took every opportunity to build their power, and keep it. And since the Caucasians were on the top of the food chain in America, they used their authority to enslave and dis-

criminate against people of color.

And this white privilege persists to this day, whether people accept it or not.

George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, was killed in police custody as Derek Chauvin, a policeman, kneeled on Floyd’s neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds.

The actions taken by the police officer were an unnecessary use of force on a Black man and the fundamental question is: would the police officer have done the same thing to a White man?

Comments following a report published by the San Jose-based The Mercury News, written on May 30th, 2020 show that many believe that the policemen would have done the same thing to someone who was White. This is ignorant.

Others argue they would not have treated anyone else that way. To rationalize the behavior of Chauvin and his fellow officers, people have even argued that the policemen only treated Floyd so forceful-

ly because of his criminal history.

According to a June 12 piece published by Snopes, Floyd has been arrested nine times, mainly for drug use and theft. Public comments to The Mercury News report employ this in arguing that either the policemen were justified in killing Floyd or that Floyd did not deserve to be the inspiration for the protests that followed his death.

Would the same people say the same things if a White person, who had the exact same criminal history, was killed in the same manner as was Floyd? Chauvin would not have even thought about placing his knee on a White man’s neck merely because he was accused of passing counterfeit money.

Chauvin instead would have acted like Florida officers with Casey William Kelley.

As recounted in an August 3rd report by the New York Post, the white Kelley printed fake checks at his home and proceeded to use them to buy a Porsche and Rolex watch-

es. He was taken into custody, very much alive. Perhaps being white is blank-check for “Handle with Care.”

Why is this the case? Officers like Chauvin use racial profiling in their job and, based on past situations, it seems that far more Black men are seen as suspicious than White men.

So, while those who ignore white privilege’s existence are merely ignorant, those who choose to justify its impact are heartless.

Even if a Black person has a criminal record, it is impossible to justify their murder by the police.

Policemen do not serve the purpose of serving as Floyd’s judges, jury, and executioners. They are supposed to be the middlemen. The primary expectation and duty of an officer is to “protect life and property through the enforcement of laws and regulations. One will not find listed among an officer’s additional duties the need to kneel on a man’s neck for any amount of time while he is saying that he cannot breathe

and calling out for his mother. Policemen have no reason, no excuse, no justification to murder somebody in cold blood. There is no path to empathy for those policemen.

The racial inequality exhibited by policemen is just one example of how Black people, and people of color in general, are constantly inferior to whites. There are so many other examples where people of color experience inequality. Unemployment rates, poverty rates, and those who attend higher education, just to name a few. If this does not exemplify white privilege to those who refuse its existence, then they are blind to its obvious impact. Even in Benjamin, a racial disparity among students is clear. The school has significantly more students who identify as Caucasian than students who identify as people of color. Hence, Benjamin can do its part in acknowledging white privilege and educating its students on what it is and how it is evident in everyday lives. It’s time to open our eyes to reality.

Confederate statues spark debate on how to handle history Editor argues the importance of using those statues for education

By Molly Fried Co-Editor-in-Chief

“The Blindfold”

“The Chin-Strap”

“The Earring”

“The Hero”

Black Lives Matter movement changed social media use

Editor explains students use social media to educate themselves and advocate for others

By Sophia Liporace Executive Editor

Whether it comes to reposts on VSCO or posts on Instagram stories, students often pretend to be concerned with crucial issues as they disingenuously and obsessively comment on such topics as animal abuse in the dairy industry, the lack of food in Sudan, or more recently, systemic racism.

While students should be passionate about certain issues, they should resist speaking out on topics simply to build a philanthropic brand on social media.

The

PHARCYDE

Founded in 1980 as The Spectator March 6, 2020 Volume 41, Issue 4

The Benjamin School 4875 Grandiflora Road Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33418 Contact Info Phone: 561-472-3485 Fax: 561-691-8823 Advisor: Dr. John Peruggia john.peruggia@thebenjaminschool.org

MISSION STATEMENT

This phenomenon sweeping screens is known as virtue signaling - demonstrating insincere compassion in order to seem superior.

According to an article from The New York Times entitled “Are You ‘Virtue Signaling’?” by psychologists Dr. Jillian Jordan and Dr. David Rand on Mar. 30, 2019, genuine concern for an issue and virtue signaling occupy two separate psychological systems- a genuine system that is controlled by true moral values and a strategic system governed by what appears best from the outside. Virtue signaling is a practice that only involves the second system, whereas authentic concern stems from the

first system.

In the fall of 2019, many students unknowingly contributed to a worldwide scam knows as #BlueForSudan which advertised itself as a way to raise awareness for a political crisis in Sudan. In reality, the organization made empty promises and used funds for their own profits rather than donating to alleviate Sudanese issues.

While students were trying to appear generous and aimed to alleviate the impacts of predicaments, they were actually giving scammers credibility as they swindle people into ‘donating.’

However, in response to the death of Minneapolis resident

EDITORIAL BOARD

GENERAL

Molly Fried, Co-Editor-in-Chief Skyler Zur, Co-Editor-in-Chief Sophia Liporace, Executive Editor Evan Liberman, Photography Editor

STAFF WRITERS Tvisha Goel Grace Kearns Matthew Marasco Nadia Poncy Charlie Spungin

The Pharcyde is a student newspaper produced to foster an open dialogue about topics that relate to The Benjamin School. The issues that appear throughout our pages may be light-hearted or serious, but regardless we aim to reflect the diversity of opinion within our school that we value so deeply.

The Pharcyde, the Upper School newspaper of The Benjamin School, is published seven times a year. 1,200 copies of The Pharcyde are distributed to 398 students and 57 faculty members and are available in the Upper School office. Each issue is mailed to every Upper School family’s home address. The Pharcyde encourages submission of Letters to the Editor. Send your feedback, criticism, or outside opinions in 150 words or fewer to skyler.zur21@ thebenjaminschool.org or molly. fried21@thebenjaminschool.org The Pharcyde reserves the right to edit all letters for length, grammar, and clarity.

George Floyd by local police officers on May 25, students began to rally behind the Black Lives Matter movement, only this time, their concern was genuine and fueled by actual concern.

Instead of mindlessly clicking the repost button, many students began to educate themselves by reading articles, attending local protests, and taking advantage of resources such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Furthermore, unlike past movements, students were hesitant to let the trend decline and are still advocating for change almost three months later.

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OPINION

The opinion articles in this paper are the opinion of the writer or the majority opinion of The Pharcyde Editorial Board. They are not the opinion of The Benjamin School or our advertisers.

Increasing their involvement in activism against racism also allowed students to discover other injustices that they could passionately advocate for such as LGBTQ+ rights, gender equality, climate renewal, and antisemitism.

The Black Lives Matter movement has allowed students to prioritize their passions and concerns regarding many aspects of society.

It might have been the start of a new generation’s charge to redefine social standards and forge a better, more inclusive, and healthier tomorrow.

QUOTATION POLICY

Anyone interviewed by The Pharcyde will have the chance to correct and edit their quotations before the paper goes to press. If they would like to change their interview before the quote confirmations get sent out, they can contact the student who interviewed them and ask to redo the interview.

MEMBERSHIP

The Pharcyde is a member of the Florida Scholastic Press Association, American Scholastic Press Association, Columbia Scholastic Press Association and the National Scholastic Press Association.

As America’s political divide grows, compromise has all but vanished in the minds of our most prominent politicians. Issues such as what to do with Confederate monuments are put on the backburner due to the inability of our politicians to figure out a solution.

Whether people deny the racism we still have in our country or not, there is no denying that every single State has a history that should be shared to prevent new generations from developing a prejudiced mindset.

In our community alone, we are surrounded by systemic racism and a history of minority abuse. Florida is often considered one of the most racist states in America. The Jupiter Lighthouse was built in the 19th century, the building of which plowed through Native American homelands and reservations. Florida, as of 2016, has 8 active chapters of the Ku Klux Klan.

Since Florida was part of the

Confederacy, none of these facts are shocking. Florida has many racist monuments and Confederate tributes. One example is the mural on Baker County Courthouse. The mural depicts KKK members majestically riding their horses into the sunset. Another is the Jefferson Davis monument in Pensacola, which glorifies the man who led the Confederacy in its quest to secede from the Union for states’ rights. Unfortunately, according to an article titled “History of the American Civil War” from history.com, it’s widely recognized that the Civil War was fought over the right to own slaves.

Although it is an ongoing debate, the issue of what is to be done with these monuments and memorials has been recently reenergized due to the thousands of people who participated in racial injustice protests this summer following the death of George Floyd.

While some think we should keep them up as a symbol of our history and southern pride, others, believe this does not properly condemn racism, opting for the teardown-the-statues argument. Rather than choosing one extreme or the

Despite the protests, many Confederate statues still stand, such as this one of General Robert E Lee in Charlottesville, Virginia still stands.

(Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.org) other, there is a much more simple solution.

The best way to deal with racism in our country is through education.

A study in Fox Business found that areas south of Virginia and east of Texas are the least educated region in America, measured by educational benchmarks such as degrees and the quality of education. The list co-

incides with Peimag’s Most Racist States article nearly perfectly. We can take down the Confederate statues and put them in museums and other learning institutions without having, as President Donald Trump put it, “our history and culture being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues.”

If we were to take down the glo-

rified statues of racist Confederate leaders and put them in a setting that explained how these leaders were awful people, we would be pleasing both sides by taking down the statues and also not erasing our history.

If people want our country’s history to remember Jefferson Davis as a symbol of southern pride, then we should not only be remembering him as a power figure in the Civil War, but also as someone who supported slavery.

There should be a similar energy towards the Klan mural. It does not educate people to tear down a part of history, but people should be informed about what that mural stands for.

Both public and private schools should be exposed to our history, as Spanish American philosopher George Santayana said regarding the notion of progress. “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it” By subjecting impressionable youth to the horrors of racism from an educational viewpoint in the context of history, we can utilize these confederate monuments as a fundamental tool of progress.

Letters from the Presidents

Andrew Weisz, Student Council President

Hello, my name is Andrew Weisz, and this year I will be your Student Council President. I know that this year may be very different from what we are used to, but that shouldn’t stop us from having a wonderful and productive 2020-2021 school year! I am working with my Student Council officers and teachers around the school to see what we can do amidst this global pandemic. We want to make sure the student body has as close to the same experience as we would have had if COVID-19 had not occurred. I am hoping this won’t dampen our wonderful High School experience and the energy we students always have towards school spirit. Obviously, we can not have large group gatherings, such as assemblies, until it is safe to do so, but we are going to have an alternative to get the assembly atmosphere that we all know and love as close as possible to the real thing. I understand this may be a tough time to be a high schooler because of the memories we build in these 4 years, but all I am asking from the student body is to keep your hopes high. We will get through this pandemic safely and efficiently and prosper this upcoming school year. If you guys have any questions or concerns about these uncertain times, please don’t be hesitant to ask via email. Thank you guys so much, and I am looking forward to an amazing and outstanding school year.

Briley Crisafi, Honor Council President

B

Having Integrity, a core value of our school, means choosing to do what is right; not only in the presence of others, but when alone. These past few months, we have spent a great deal of time alone, and I believe we are all anxious to return to a reality in which we can be together.

That day is coming, however we first must endure some more time in a virtual world. Upholding the Honor Code, then, is perhaps more important now than ever: we must uphold it for the audience of ourselves. This means that instead of being discouraged by our weaknesses and tempted to erase them, we must strive to improve them. Each person discovers they have strengths and weaknesses in the different aspects of student life; only by being honest can we truly celebrate and honor those strengths. This is personal integrity in action. Although our school year will begin over Zoom, the Honor Council remains intact as a group of outstanding students, whose job it is to ensure the Integrity of our school by educating and encouraging our peers. Interacting over a screen does not change the fact that each Benjamin teacher is eager to build a personal relationship with their students in order to support them. This community is committed to helping each of its students feel confident and prepared for any task ahead of them. I have full faith that this Student Body can demonstrate Integrity and fulfill the Honor Code whether at home, in class, or anywhere else, as we navigate this transitional year together.

Sp o tlight

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August 18, 2020

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The Netflix homepages has been a staple over quarantine. With nowhere to go, online entertainment has reached an all-time high. (Photo by Skyler Zur)

Over the quarantine, families did puzzles to pass the time. Due to COVID, people had to come up with new hobbies and activities to stay busy. (Photo by Skyler Zur)

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Throughout the quarantine, screen time has increased significantly, and apps such as Disney +, Amazon, and Tik Tok have become even more popular. (Graphic by Molly Fried)

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Current faculty and students give advice to incoming freshmen

By Evan Lieberman Photo Editor The Class of 2024 is one of the largest on record. As the freshmen class joins our temporarily-online Upper School community, many returning students and faculty members are seizing the opportunity to offer some advice regarding life on Grandiflora Road.

According to the Admissions Office, the class of 2024 currently has 117 students enrolled, although it expects to reach 120, which would make it the third largest 9th grade class in the School’s history.

Director of Admission Mrs. Mary Lou Primm is eager to welcome this group of students to the Upper School.

“Positive feedback in the community about the School’s remote learning program generated interest among prospective parents.

As a result, there are currently 45 new students entering the freshman class, and the admission office is looking forward to welcoming all of our new students to the School,” she said.

With so many freshmen, upperclassmen have offered a variety of recommendations in order to make the newcomers’ transition from middle school smoother and acquaint them with the Upper School.

One such student is sophomore Ingrid Corpus. Having just finished her freshman year, she advised freshmen to manage their time effectively, among other things.

“Although balancing academics and extracurriculars is difficult, utilize the empty spaces in your schedule to make progress on assignments instead of procrastinating. Also, high school may seem daunting, but remember to keep an open mind,” she stated.

Junior Jane Boyland also offered guidance about being social and finding one’s niche.

“Transitioning to high school can be hard but all of your teachers want you to succeed” - Dr. Haley “Freshman year is going to be very different from what you expect[ed]. It’s going to be a year where you find new interests - don’t be afraid to join a club or sport that looks interesting. Not only will you discover what you like, but [also] people who share the same interests,” she said.

Additionally, senior Alex Kahn offered advice about teachers and teacher relationships.

“I would tell freshmen to really get to know their teachers. Start forming relationships with them

now. One of my teachers [from] freshman year is still my favorite… and I have a great relationship with her,” she said.

Furthermore, teachers, who see students in a different light because of their daily interactions, also have some valuable insight for freshmen.

“Given our current climate, an incoming freshman may feel more overwhelmed about their upcoming… experience. I would suggest first taking a deep breath; it will be okay because the faculty and staff at Benjamin are dedicated to helping them transition with confidence. They can go to their teachers and ask for help with absolutely anything,” said freshman English teacher Mrs. Suzanne McCambridge.

Science department chair Dr.James Haley also offered guidance.

“Transitioning to high school can be hard but all of your teachers want you to succeed. Listen to their advice… [Also,] A poor score on a test or paper does not mean that you can’t do the work. It simply means that you have not yet found the right strategy. Mistakes are the best opportunities for learning, and overcoming these mistakes is what makes you smart in the long run,” he said.

Despite large numbers, the Upper School is committed to welcoming the class of 2024 with open arms. Since three out of our four grades have already experienced remote learning, returning students may be well situated to help new arrivals navigate the intricacies of online life.

Freshman’s perspective of starting high school virtually

By Matthew Marasco Staff Writer

As a student going into freshman year of high school it is very disappointing to find out you are going back to online school. There are many worries and concerns that the rising freshman have, but amidst that anxiety is also hope.

With a spike in Covid-19 cases in Palm Beach County recently, freshmen are very disappointed to have received the news that we are not going back.

When we first got the news of not going back to school we all thought of many problems including how the class schedule will work, and whether the new term would be like the last quarter of the eighth grade.

Will the leap from our middle school to high school be harder The school year may be starting on Zoom, but the School is doing every- because we are going back online? thing they can to make the freshmen feel prepared for the Upper School. After experiencing the end of eighth (Graphic by Evan Liberman)

grade online, it was definitely harder to focus and learn the material.

Will we be able to connect with our teachers and have good learning experiences? Orientations and exciting opening week introductions in class can do much to start the bond-making process. A good schedule with enough breaks for students to get some fresh air and not too long of classes and good teaching methods which include staying after class to provide additional help and thoroughly explaining the lessons will also set the foundations for a very successful learning experience.

Some of our hopes are that we may eventually go back to school in-person, that we will be able to meet and talk to all the new students, and that we will be able to catch up with our old friends.

Freshman and all other students also have hopes for the upcoming school year which includes going

back to school sometime this year which will hopefully be before the first quarter ends. Another hope we have is that we will be able to catch up with old friends and make new ones somehow through the online school, but this may happen through advisory meetings. Many new students are going to have trouble making friends through a computer screen, so they hope there will be opportunities to meet students in class when we go back. One more hope for the incoming freshman is that the teachers will work with us and help us submit our work online and on time with good communication. Teachers will be very helpful if they organize their buclinks page and give notice on when assignments are due. Hopefully, online school via Zoom goes as planned and all students will have a good learning experience and overall a good time.

COVID-19 leads to temporary changes to internship requirements

By Grace Kearns Staff Writer The ongoing response to COVID-19 has led to the temporary revision of the School’s internship policy for the 2020-21 school year.

Usually, Benjamin has required seniors to have completed a 40hour unpaid internship by May 15.

During their experience, students are to learn and build multiple different skills, such as written and verbal communication, teamwork, adaptability, and perseverance.

COVID-19 has made it difficult to find available internships, especially those that require students to complete their work inperson. Many have yet to com-

plete their internships, under the impression they would have an entire school year before it was due.

Dr. Renea Yates, Benjamin’s Student Services Counselor, is aware that the traditional in-person 40-hour requirement may be difficult to find during this time, but is confident students can still find opportunities to gain realworld professional experiences, build resources and networks and learn soft-skills, even if the internship is remote.

“It’s not about the requirement for graduation, it’s always been ‘Let’s provide students with this opportunity to gain real-world professional experiences, and to make those networks with com-

munity members, alumni, etc.’

The value and purpose of the internship/haven’t changed, what’s changed is how students gain that experience,” she said.

Senior Nichaela Williams has already completed her internship, as she felt “more flexible” was not concrete or definitive, and she would rather be safe than sorry.

“I have been planning to intern at a technology company so that I would be exposed to a workplace that is closely tied to the major I intend to pursue. When COVID happened, this plan was unaltered.

The only difference is that I have been interning from home instead of doing the in-person job that I imagined,” she said.

Williams has already completed her required 40 hours, but still continues because she enjoys what she does. “We have virtual meetings, complete assignments remotely, and our hours are very flexible, not to mention the lack of commute time! I have had a great time interning from home and working in the STEM field, and I advise my fellow classmates to consider completing a virtual internship as well,” Williams said.

Yates is aware students may be feeling added pressure about landing an internship site, but she wants students to be reassured that opportunities are still available.

“We can get creative about finding new opportunities, even remotely.

Please come see us. Let’s chat about your areas of interest and your goals. We can work together to create ways to meet those interests and goals.”

COVID-19 has greatly impacted School programs such as the Senior internships. Accommodations will be given where they are needed.

(Graphic by The Wall Street Journal)

Looking Local? Two nearby food businesses to try

By Molly Fried Co-Editor-in-Chief Papa Kwan’s is an independent, tropical coffee shop located in Juno Beach on US Hwy 1. With a menu featuring many gluten free, dairy free, vegan, and nut allergy friendly items, it is a great local option for anything from a light snack and beverage to a nice lunch. Papa Kwan’s has been

voted best coffee shop in the area by the Palm Beach Post and has a 5-star rating on Tripadvisor and 4-anda-half-stars on Yelp. Notable menu items include their kombucha on tap and avocado toast. If you want a small business with a beach vibe and great menu, Papa Kwans is the perfect place!

Rock Steady Juice Joint is another great location. It is one of the many

acai shops in Palm Beach, but their acai bowls are truly some of the best you can get. With two locations, one in North Palm and another in Jupiter, they offer a variety of bowls, as well as juices, smoothies, and toast. One of the best menu items is the Purpbowl: acai base mixed with either peanut or almond butter, and then topped with granola, banana, hemp seeds, local honey, and cacao nibs.

Papa Kwans’ strawberry avocado toast is one of their best menu options.

(Photo by Molly Fried)

Among Rock Steady’s many acai bowl offering is the Purpbowl.

(Photo by Molly Fried)

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August 18, 2020

Page 9

Reaction to School’s remaining online into 2020-2021 school year

By Charlie Spungin Staff Writer

As classes resume and Zooming becomes a part of their normal routines again, students and teachers have differing opinions about the School’s plan to reopen amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Originally, the plan to reopen the school that was made public in mid-July by Head of School Mr. David Faus gave students the option to either learn virtually from home or to go back to the campus with all social distancing protocols being followed. On July 31st, the plan was changed to only be virtual learning with the hope that students would return to campus shortly thereafter.

Upper School Dean of Academics Mrs. Caroline Guzman explains that remote learning will be conducted in the same manner as it was towards the end of the most recent school year. “For each of their class periods, [students] will be able to log in live to their classroom,” she said.

English teacher Mr. Perry Feyk believes that the school should not open on campus just yet. He suggests listening to what the Center for Disease Control and Preven-

tion (CDC) has to say. “The CDC has recommended opening schools only when the significant rate and numbers of infections in an area are down, and even the President has said it is good to delay school openings in ‘hot zones’ and that would be us,” he said.

A Washington Post article confirms Feyk’s correctness on the CDC recommendations. Director of the CDC Robert Redfield believes that distancing is necessary in hotzones. “In areas where there are hot spots, remote and distance learning may need to be adopted

for some amount of time.” He defined hot zones as areas where more than five percent of the tests come back as positive.

Sophomore Darian Salehi agrees with Feyk and is in support of starting the school year virtually.

Salehi’s confusion can be traced to the numbers. When the School closed campuses in the spring, Palm Beach County had one case per the Palm Beach Post. As of August 1, Palm Beach County was at just over 34,000 cases.

While Feyk and Salehi focus on the spread of the disease, others

do not like the idea of starting the school year virtually because of social reasons. “I don’t like that we’re not going to campus because I like seeing all my friends, and I learn better in a classroom environment rather than online,” freshman Robert Letsche said. “In a classroom, it is more interactive and harder to get distracted.”

In a recent report, Ken Graetz of Winona State University reflected on the importance of a good learning environment. Graetz lists distractions, possibly from devices, as one of the causes of a poor learn-

The School has decided to begin the year remotely. The School currently plans to return to on-campus learning on Aug. 31.

(Graphic by Evan Lieberman)

ing environment. Furthermore, he mentions that collaboration in a classroom is hard to replicate virtually.

Sophomore Jasper Wright is disappointed that he will not be able to return to campus but can comprehend why it may not be the best decision to open up just yet. “As much as I would like to go back to school, I understand why [the school] made the decision because I know a lot of people here will not want to wear a mask, which is sad,” he said.

Junior Sophia Smith, who originally opted for virtual learning, summarizes the feelings of many when she says staying home does eliminate any risk, but if necessary precautions are taken, school could certainly be safe.

Faus assures that all precautions will most definitely be followed.

“We have sanitiwzed every building on our campuses. We have installed air filtering systems in many of our school spaces. We have installed hand sanitizers throughout campus. We have also put in place school hygiene protocols that follow the CDC best practices including wearing masks, social distancing and hand washing,” he said.

Benjamin to start the school year virtually COVID forces classes to begin on Zoom

By Sophia Liporace Executive Editor Though the School has decided to begin the academic year remotely, a reopening plan sits ready for whenever classes start in person.

The plan introduces numerous policies aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19 among students, faculty and staff, and families.

The plan released via email on Jun. 18 by Head of Upper School Fletcher Carr allowed for students the choice of either live-streamed, remote learning or in person schooling with several regulations. However, on Jul. 31, Head of School David Faus announced on behalf of the Board that both middle and upper school students would be participating in classes through Zoom. On Aug. 13, another email from Mr. Faus noted an anticipated date for a return to oncampus learning of Aug. 31.

Once the campus reopens, students and faculty will be required to wear appropriate facial coverings, including while in classrooms.

Furthermore, upon their arrival to campus each day, students will have their temperatures checked

by faculty. Any student with a temperature above 100.4, the medically accepted sign that one has a fever, will be re-checked and then sent home if the fever is shown to be consistent.

Large gatherings, like assemblies, and usage of lockers will be postponed until later in the year, but adjustments such as Zoom assemblies will be made to accom-

“It’s my last year on campus, so I am definitely going back to school as soon as the opportunity presents itself” - Gwen Savidge modate community building. In addition, students will be permitted to store belongings in their advisory rooms to account for the loss of locker storage. Lunch times and passing periods may be staggered to allow for increased social distancing, and class sizes have been reduced to 16 students or fewer.

While students and teachers are looking forward to getting back into the swing of things, the option for remote-learning will still remain for families who are not quite comfortable with the on-campus

Senior leads JSA Forum with Former UN Ambassador and Advisor Senior Danai Makoni had the unique opportunity to moderate for a Junior Statesman of America live event with Former United States Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice. After participating in JSA’s Young Women Leadership Institute she thought she could learn even more from moderating first-hand. Once Makoni secured the position she created questions to be used in

breakout discussions during the event. After moderating leading a discussion in a breakout group of about twenty participants, she lead the group back into the main event where Susan Rice spoke about her new book Tough Love.

After performing so well, Makoni was invited back to moderate more events and will be moderating again this coming week for author Alex Vitale.

program.

Students who decide to continue with remote-learning will be able to watch a broadcast of each class with video and sound as well as be able to participate in class discussions, group work, and ask questions.

Among these students is Junior Kiley Malmberg who had originally chosen to participate remotely through Zoom before the School decided on its virtual opening.

“My parents don’t feel comfortable sending me back to school with the rise in cases, and without a vaccine, it doesn’t make sense, especially since a bunch of people in our community are not taking the necessary precautions in order to prevent getting COVID-19,” she said.

In contrast to Malmberg, other students such as senior Gwen Savidge, are eager to return to the typical school routine.

“It’s my last year on campus, so I am definitely going back to school as soon as the opportunity presents itself,” Savidge said. “It’s really important that I get to experience all of the traditions I’ve been looking forward to for the past three years.”

Senior Michael Scellato received an Academic All-American Award for his work in Speech and Debate. Scellato has been debating since freshman year, despite not coming to Benjamin until Sophomore year.

(Photo courtesy of Michael Scellato)

Senior earns recognition for Speech and Debate accomplishments

Senior Michael Scellato received an academic All-American Award for his work in Speech and Debate. The All-American Award is given when a debater reaches the top 1% in point distinction, which is gained from going to and winning tournaments, and has held themselves to a high academic standard inside the classroom.

Scellato has been in the Benjamin Speech and Debate club since Ambassador Susan Rice worked starting Benjamin his sophomore as Ambassador to the UN and ad- year, but his dedication to Speech visor under President Obama. and Debate started before his time (Photo from The Hill)

here. Scellato said, “I’ve been debating since freshman year and have dedicated countless hours of preparation and debating into doing the best I can.” His dedication certainly paid off for him to receive such a prestigious award for his efforts. “For me, this award is a representation of all the hard work I’ve put into debate throughout my high school career; it is an honor for me, our debate team, and the Benjamin School as it displays our success and progress in Speech and Debate.”

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The Pharcyde

August 18, 2020

New Information athletic 2020-2021 season

Faculty and students express opinions on modified Advanced Placement program

By Evan Lieberman Photo Editor

For example, junior Tyler Taplett was pleased with the exams.

“I believe that the College Board organized this year’s AP exam the best they could within the given time period. Obviously this is an unprecedented situation that would have never been anticipated. With that being said, I think the 45 minute exam online was a very good compensation for the AP exams. I took the AP US history exam and I believe that the format of one DBQ (document based question) in 45 minutes really tested our knowledge,” he said.

On the other hand, junior Jake Zur felt the tests could have been better because of the inconveniences he experienced.

“Unfortunately, I had to retake [a test] due to technical glitches. I tried to submit with 9 minutes left but the button wouldn’t work. I kept clicking until time ran out and a notice popped up that I needed to retake it.

I followed the forms and tested again on June 5th. I think that the College Board definitely should have prepared earlier when they realized there was a possibility to go online so there were fewer errors with the site,” he said.

Zur was not the only one who experienced issues when testing; other AP test takers ran into nearly the same problem, with many taking to social media to share their frustrations according to a May 18th CNN article. In fact, submission problems were so widespread that a class action lawsuit was filed against the College Board in late May. AP teachers, who were forced to modify their classes based on the new exam structure, also had strong feelings about last year’s testing.

Math Department chair Mr. Michael Ruggie had mixed feelings about the exams.

“I thought the College Board did a fine job of creating and getting a new exam format out when everyone went to virtual learning. That being said, I would have liked to see the exams encompass more material than they did. For example, my students’ AP Calculus BC exam could have tested more BC subject matter.

In fact, about 90% of the test was material from last year. I’m worried that colleges won’t give credit for tests with such little new content,” he said.

On the other hand, English teacher Ms. Mary Ditaranto had only positive things to say about the AP program.

“My experience with the AP and College Board was more than satisfactory. As a program they were prepared with tips, insights, overviews of the AP tests, … and thorough in their planning on executing such a momentous task in a short period of time. Because they made decisions on the types of tests, the timing and the date, I was able to fully prepare my students. I was informed on the type of essay [in advance] so it made preparation much easier. My stu-

By Tvisha Goel Staff Writer

dents and I got to work and had close to three weeks to prepare,” she said.

Ms. Ditaranto also interacted with the College Board in a way most other teachers do not: by being an AP grader.

“I graded AP Exams online this summer. And once again the College Board was organized and communicative. I was informed on the training process, the dates, times, etc.

There were no last-minute changes, no additional details[.] I knew what I was doing a month in advance. My table reader would email or call me each day. In four days I graded 750 essays,” she stated.

Regardless of varying opinions around the School, students are optimistic that this year’s exams will return to normal.

“Last year we paid the usual $94 fee to take each test but got a condensed version instead: It’s only fair that we get what we paid for. Assuming nothing happens between now and next May, I’m hopeful that everything will return to normal as the coronavirus wanes,” said senior Brandon Davis.

After a lengthy decision making process, the FHSAA and the School have ultimately decided to postpone the sports season for several weeks.

(Graphic by Evan Liberman)

With Florida’s Coronavirus cases on the rise, Benjamin has decided to delay the fall sports season.

The FHSAA has held several emergency meetings, most recently on August 14th. Following this gathering, the group announced it had decided to start the season on August 24th if schools feel that they are ready to start fall sports.

Benjamin will decide whether they will begin the fall sports season on August 24th, provided they feel that it is safe for coaches and athletes.

Due to the fact that FHSAA has primarily left it to the schools to decide whether they will start on said date, Ryan Smith, Benjamin’s Athletics Director, does not agree with the FHSAA decision that essentially leaves it up to the school to make the final decision.

“I believe a unifies later start date for the entire state would have been good for all. The August 24th allowable start date will now create many different schools starting fall sports at different times.”

While the fall sports start date is being brought into question,

Benjamin was forced to cancel their summer conditioning program for athletes in early July as they noticed COVID cases beginning to spike. “COVID-19 is a very serious issue; we need some time for the virus hopefully to get under control.”

When both preseason training and the actual sports season are able to begin safely, Benjamin will implement carefully and cautiously devised plans to ensure the School’s athletes remain healthy.

Mr. Smith said, “Next week we will spend many hours finalizing these plans, however, we will be flexible as guidance and protocols tend to change weekly, if not daily sometimes.” The ever-changing plans are due to the constant new information from the “CDC, state and local guidelines, FHSAA guidelines, and NFHS (National Federation of High School Athletic Associations) to help [Benjamin] make decisions.”

However, Mr. Smith shared the plan Benjamin used for the conditioning program in the summer. The policies and procedures Benjamin would implement include health screening (taking temperatures, preventing anyone with symptoms from entering),

limitations on how many people are in an athletic facility, extensive cleaning of facilities, and not allowing equipment from home.

This plan will also be used if and when Benjamin decides to start the fall sports season.

While Benjamin has yet to decide when they will begin the fall sports season, Florida Governor, Ros DeSantis has opened Florida to professional sports teams, according to Sporting News. While the NBA and MLS have decided to delay the start of their seasons, and MLB has delayed their 2020 campaign, due to the large increase in COVID-19 cases, DeSantis has welcomed them into Florida amid rumors that “may want to have their season in Orlando.”

While the FHSAA has fundamentally decided to leave it up to the schools to decide whether they have the right plans in place to begin the sports season, Benjamin has yet to make a decision, especially concerning a large number of cases in Florida. Still, Benjamin is planning for future situations, especially according to new guidelines as new information is being revealed about the very unknown Coronavirus.

Students react to the fall sports postponement due to COVID19

By Nadia Poncy Staff Writer

Despite the year’s abrupt ending, the College Board still held AP exams; they were shorter and taken online. (Graphic by Evan Liberman)

SAT and ACT rescheduled after multiple cancellations

By Tvisha Goel Staff Writer Over the summer, most SAT and ACT tests were cancelled due to the massive increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in Florida. While most schools had thought it to be unsafe for most of the tests to be held in the midst of the worldwide pandemic, a few tests were held, and some students were able to attend.

For example, Senior Faiz Umar took his ACT test in Fort Lauderdale. He said, “Once we arrived, there were a lot more students taking the test than I thought there would be. Before entering the building, the other kids were crowded around and were not socially distancing themselves, but they were wearing masks. When we entered the testing site, the administrators of the tests made us form two separate lines to tell them our names and what test we were taking.

Luckily, each student had to stand six feet apart. Then, they would tell

us the classroom number and floor to go to. In each classroom, only a certain number of students were allowed, and the desks were spread apart at a safe distance.” Many students were in fear of attending tests because they thought it would be unsafe. However, the schools that held the few SAT and ACT managed to follow proper procedures, and students like Umar who attended felt safe while spending 3+ hours at the testing center. Benjamin was also forced to cancel their tests over the summer as they felt the need to further postpone testing, especially considering how many colleges are becoming test optional in regards to the pandemic situation. While many students might be disappointed over this decision, Benjamin seeks to provide other testing dates. An alternative SAT test will be held on September 23rd, and an alternative ACT test will be held on October 6th in addition to many others, as seen in the calendar on the left.

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S T I N G C A L E N D A R

Last year’s Advanced Placement (AP) exams reflected major changes; consequently, students developed varying opinions on the process and its results.

While the College Board revised the curricula and test formats of several AP courses prior to the school year, the outbreak of COVID-19, led the College Board to further rework exams’ content to adapt them for athome, online testing.

In late March, the College Board began regularly updating students and teachers on the changes made to the AP program via an “AP Coronavirus Updates” page on its website.

Among the most closely watched updates were those regarding test content. While slight modifications were made to all exams, some were altered more than others.

One test that saw a major overhaul was AP U.S. history (APUSH).

Usually 3 hours and 15 minutes long, however, this year, the APUSH exam took place over 45 minutes.

Additionally, in lieu of an expected document-based question, short answer, long essay, and multiple choice questions, this exam solely featured a single document-based question.

Also, the exam’s curricular timeline was narrowed from the years 1491present to 1754 - 1945.

On the other hand, the only change AP Drawing students saw was a slight reduction in the number of works artists had to submit: from 15 to 10 in the Sustained Investigation section and from five to three in the Selected Works section.

In addition to changes from the College Board, the School also temporarily revised its testing policy to allow students to opt-out of the late-

spring exams. 42 students opted out of 62 exams at the School according to Dr. Renea Yates, who is a student services counselor and helps coordinate the AP Program.

Despite these many changes, the School saw an increase in its students’ scores when compared to the previous year’s.

Yates notes that of the 231 students who completed 529 exams, 89.2% scored above a 3. This individual success rate correlates with a similarly high 84% pass rate on individual tests.

The School’s increase in scores outpaced score increases on the national level on a scale of 5 to 1, testifying to Benjamin’s generally strong academic program.

First and foremost, the number of students who scored a 1 or a 2 (a failing grade) generally decreased. One example can be seen with AP English Language and Composition where the failure rate decreased by almost 7% according to data from the College Board.

Additionally, nationwide, more students scored 4s and 5s on their AP exams this year. For instance, there was over a 14% increase in these scores on the AP French Language exam.

On average, the pass rate increased by over 3% across all tests administered by the College Board.

However, it’s important to note that the percentage may be inflated due to the implementation of the College Board’s open-note policy, a decrease in content, and the opportunity to opt out of exams.

The aforementioned differences, both in terms of formatting and scores, caused students to develop strong opinions about the tests they took and the AP program more broadly.

Page 11

The ACT will be held on Oct. 6, 2020 at the School. (Graphic by Molly Fried)

The SAT will be held on Sep. 23, 2020 at the School. (Graphic by Molly Fried)

The Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) held an emergency meeting late July in which they decided to postpone the start date of fall sports from July 27th to August 24th due to the effects of COVID-19, but as the number of cases in Florida have remained steadily high, fall sports may be postponed even further.

Many students last school semester were very disappointed when the 2020 spring sports season had to be cancelled altogether as the outbreak of COVID-19 and need for social distancing began. As COVID-19 threatens fall sports as well, many student athletes have expressed their

concern about having their seasons affected.

Senior Alex Kahn, a member of the Dazzlers since her freshman year, said, “I would be devastated if our season were to be cut short or not happen altogether because of COVID.” Senior Michael Reznik, a member of the cross country team, also voiced his concerns saying, “I’d be pretty upset, I’ve been running since middle school, so senior season is definitely something I’m looking forward to.”

In addition to students being upset over the possibility of losing their sports season, students with the hopes of playing in college have voiced concerns about how Corona has affected the recruiting process.

Senior Luke Cannata said, “This has definitely affected my recruiting process because I haven’t been able to meet with coaches, go on visits, or participate in camps. I have had several camps and college visits cancelled because of COVID.” Coach Smith believes students ought not to worry about recruiting processes as he believes colleges will be sympathetic and will adjust their expectations for hopeful college athletes. “Since every studentathlete in the country is in a similar situation to our student-athletes, I do not believe there has been an adverse effect on recruiting. We have had a few student-athletes commit to colleges over summer. Colleges and the NCAA are more than likely going to adjust recruiting calendars to ensure

Summer fitness program changes for student safety

By Grace Kearns Staff Writer COVID-19 has greatly impacted many aspects of Benjamin’s life, including its annual Summer Fitness Program.

The program, run by Coaches Alex Clarke, Mike Colee, and Dave Bailey, has students working out for ninety minutes each day. To abide by COVID-19 guidelines, efforts were made to rework certain aspects of the program, including limiting each workout session to small groups of 15 or fewer students.

The fitness program was split into two different parts, which were held in two different locations. Session began in the gym, where students spent 45 minutes with Coach Colee. They were then escorted to the track for 30 minutes of cardio with Coach Bailey.

Speaking about complying with COVID-19 protocols, Coach Clarke says, “Students were required to follow a very strict schedule. Students arrived on campus about 15 minutes before their scheduled workout time.

Once they arrived on campus, they underwent a health screening which included a temperature check. Students were also required to wear a

mask when they arrived on campus and during transition times.” Students were also expected to clean and wipe down their exercise stations within

The Athletic department made several adjustments to their summer program.

(Graphic by Evan Liberman) the gym after finishing part one of the workout.

Daily screening questionnaires were completed by everyone, including coaches and supervisors, and documented on the COVID-19 Monitoring Form. Clarke also urged students, coaches, and supervisors not to participate in the program during Phase 1 if they had compromised immune systems or ailments that make them

more susceptible to COVID. In years past, students were allowed to use the weight room during the program, but due to social distancing guidelines, the weight room was off-limits. During Phase 1, only ten or fewer people were allowed in one area at a time, both inside and outside.

Locker rooms were also closed, and bathrooms were open but only for one person at a time. Students were not allowed to bring bags unless they needed medication, had to wash their hands for 20 seconds in-between workouts, and were asked to wash their clothes immediately after returning home from the campus.

This year’s Summer Fitness Program was very different from the usual Summer Fitness Program, all due to an unexpected scenario with unprecedented expectations, but nevertheless, students and faculty persevered.

“This reformed program had to be very well thought out to comply with the school’s COVID-19 protocol. It took a lot of planning, but the students were great about following the rules, and we didn’t have any problems running safe and effective workouts for our student-athletes,” Clarke said.

that student-athletes will get opportunities to be evaluated,” he said.

While some students are very concerned about losing their possible fall sports season, there are others who have chosen to opt out of fall sports.

Junior Kiley Malmberg, a member of the girls varsity golf team, said, “I have decided not to play [this year] because of COVID. I think this year due to COVID and social distancing, the team would feel different as it would diminish the team atmosphere [and] we wouldn’t be able to go to events together and would have to social distance.”

While opting out as a preventative measure, Malmberg also understands why many students are upset over the postponement and possible

threat of a cut to their season. “Even though I am choosing not to play, I feel that it would be unfair if the season was cut because of COVID [because] I believe people should be able to choose if they want to play or not,” she said.

Until further information, there is a lot of uncertainty for what will happen to this year’s fall sports season. The School’s Board and athletic association are doing what they can to ensure students are able to play their sports as well as remain healthy.

Coach Smith said, “It is our hope and goal to get student-athletes back to sports as soon as possible, however we want to ensure we can do it safely for the athletes, coaches, staff, officials and possibly spectators.”

Senior commits to play football at Yale University Senior and 3-star offensive tackle Andrew Weisz committed to Yale University on July 15th.

Weisz also received offers from: The University of Maryland, Indiana University, Brown University, University of South Florida, Harvard University, Cornell Univer-

sity, Dartmouth University, Yale University, and Bryant University.

Wearing number 72 on the Buccaneer varsity football team, Weisz is known for his tremendous ability to block. Last year, the Yale University football team went 9-1.

Wesiz aims to play for and attend Yale University in the fall of 2021.

(Photo courtesy of the Yearbook)

Yale competes as one of the eight-members of the Ivy League.

(Graphic courtesy of Yale)

Page 12 August 18, 2020

The Pharcyde

Will the Bubble Burst? NBA’s new protocols seek to ensure player safety

By Charlie Spungin Staff Writer On July 30, the National Basketball Association restarted its season in Orlando, Florida following nearly a five-month hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There are multiple ways to handle COVID-19 that the NBA is doing, which the school can do upon reopening on campus.

The NBA has established what it calls the Bubble, a term that reflects the isolation everyone within is subject to. With the attempt to limit the spread of COVID-19, anyone inside the Bubble, including players, coaches, and trainers must follow strict protocols that include one important rule: no one can easily leave the Bubble. If somebody has to depart, they must quarantine for eight days. Among the players affected by

this rule is the Sacramento Kings’ center, Richaun Holmes.

Confined within the Bubble are three Disney World hotels to which teams have been assigned based off of the records of the teams when entering the bubble: the Gran Destino at Coronado Springs Resort (the top eight teams stayed here), the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa (the next eight teams stayed here), and the Yacht Club Resort (the last six teams stayed here).

All games are being played inside of the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. During the regular season, which lasted from July 30 to August 14, there were around 5 to 6 games per day.

Within the Bubble, players and personnel are tested daily. To ensure as little contact as possible for extra safety reasons, everybody has their

own room. Whenever leaving their room, players must wear a mask.

Around the Disney resort, yet within the Bubble, players can find diversions such as golf, fishing, lawn games like cornhole, and more. The Bubble even has an arcade and a barbershop.

The effectiveness of the NBA Bubble has certainly been shown. It has provided a stark contrast to the nation’s other summertime sport: baseball.

Despite having no fans at their games, Major League Baseball has had a crisis of cases. Outside of their practices and games, those players can do whatever they desire, which is quite obviously not the case with the bubble. On July 28, it was reported that the Miami Marlins had 17 players test positive for COVID-19 following the team

Join a winning team by signing up for a new Fall sport today Boys Golf

Mr. Toby Harbeck Toby.harbeck@thebenjaminschool.org Girls Golf

Mr. Josh Mccumber joshmccumber@me.com Football

Mr. Eric Kresser Eric.kresser@thebenjaminschool.org Cross country

Mr. Bob Hohnadle bchohnadle@gmail.com Cheer

Mrs. Amanda Pierman Amanda.pierman@thebenjaminschool.org Volleyball

Mrs. Alexandria Clarke Alexandria.clarke@thebenjaminschool.org Bowling

Mr. Steven Anderson Steven.anderson@thebenjaminschool.org Swim

Mr. Dick Cavanah NPBcoach4@aol.com

going out in Atlanta. As for the NBA, there has not been a single player to test positive for COVID-19 in weeks.

The school can undoubtedly take ideas from the NBA and its

successful bubble as it looks to reopen as soon as possible. Concepts like social distancing and always wearing a mask when necessary should certainly be followed upon the return to school.

The NBA is playing at Disney World’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. (Graphic courtesy of USA Today)

Class of 2021 Flashback