The Pharcyde, 43.6

@thepharcyde_tbs

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

14 February 2022

@thepharcyde_tbs Volume 43

Issue 6

2022 Variety Show Brings a Virtual Whirlwind of Performances Sophia Liporace Co-Editor-in-Chief Every Martin Luther King weekend, performers across the Benjamin community ranging from first-grade students to faculty members take the Benjamin Hall stage to put on the Variety Show; this year, however, the performers rehearsed and filmed throughout the weekend to create a video edition of the show.

In an email to the Dazzlers on Jan. 2, Performing Arts Department Chair Mrs. Sara Salivar informed the performers of the change in procedure.

“Unfortunately, the recent rise in Omicron in our community has thrown a wrench into our live production of this year’s Variety Show. The school is returning to prior COVID protocols, including masks at all times while on campus and indoor practices, and no audiences in Benjamin Hall. This means that we have had to change the rehearsal schedule and performance (filming) schedule a bit to accommodate this new protocol,” she wrote.

Because of out of state performers like alumni, it would be difficult to postpone the show and still maintain the production’s original intent with the full cast, filming everything on the weekend the show was scheduled will make for a seamless and safe transition.

While it can be disappointing to not perform for a large in-person audience, immediate family members

The Dazzlers perform “Strongest Suit,” a jazz dance choreographed by head coach Corey Heins. The number comes from the Elton John and Tim Rice musical drama Aida, a work that chronicles the tragic love of a Nubian princess, Aida, and an Egyptian army captain, Radames. The Dazzlers’ number was just one highlight of the annual show whose theme highlighted the works of Broadway.

(Photo by Erika Sousa)

of the performers were granted the ability to watch the filming, as stated by Head of the Upper School Mr. Fletcher Carr in an email on Jan. 9.

“In terms of parental attendance of the filming sessions, parents are welcome to attend provided they sit in the mezzanine area of the auditorium, maintain social distance, and wear masks. We ask that you quietly

enter through the lobby lower level so as to not disturb the performers, the directors, or the filming. As of this date, all tickets that were purchased have been refunded,” he wrote.

Junior Lexi Lower has only been able to perform in one live Variety Show in her high school career due to COVID-19 restrictions, but she sees this year’s strategy as a significant

Decisions Announced; Was Early Worth It? Evan Liberman Managing Editor For many seniors, December is hectic because of the stress of preparing college applications. For others, December is stressful because it is the month that Early Decision (ED) college applications are being returned.

Now that the Early Decision season has concluded, The Pharcyde spoke to those involved in the process to get a better understanding of the work that went into completing an application and the support system available to Benjamin students.

Early Decision is an aspect of the college process that allows students to apply to a single school by Nov. 1 (rather than the typical deadline of early Jan.) and typically receive a decision by the middle of December.

The caveat to applying Early Decision is that if a student is accepted, he or she is legally bound to attend that institution and must retract all other applications.

According to Director of College Counseling Ms. Anna Wright, Early Decision is a double-edged sword.

“The numbers are clear: if you apply Early Decision you have a better chance of getting into that school. It’s a little bit like a pair of golden handcuffs. The good news is that you get into this great school. The bad news is that it robs choice.”

Regardless of the pros and cons of the process, several Benjamin seniors opted to apply under certain universities’ Early Decision programs.

One such student was Tyler Taplett. In order to apply Early Decision to his top school, Duke University, Taplett began working on his application in the fall.

“When I applied, I went through the same steps as people do when they apply via Regular Decision. I

wrote my individual college supplemental essays, submitted by statistics, and finalized my essay for the Common Application,” Taplett said.

Commenting on the ED process overall, Taplett added: “ED is a very wise admissions route, but only if you are truly invested in a particular school. Additionally, ED provides you with the opportunity to find out your decision from your top school sooner, which is a huge stress reliever in the college process as a whole.”

“Although I didn’t get into Duke in round one, I didn’t let that stop me; I applied to Vanderbilt for ED round two, which I am hoping to hear from this week,” shared a resilient Taplett.

In addition to Taplett, senior Jake Zur also chose to apply to his first choice school under the Early Decision program. “Early Decision is a great way to tell a particular college that they’re your top choice, a factor that can go a long way at some schools. If you have your heart set on a school and know you’d be happy there, then, assuming the school has ED, I recommend you apply,” Zur said.

“My college counselor, Mrs. Goldberg, was a really big help when I was applying ED. She took time to read over all of my essays and made sure I was comfortable with my decision,” Zur noted.

Although he has been deferred from the University of Pennsylvania, Zur is hopeful that he’ll get in on March 31.

“If not, I will get to one of the other amazing schools I applied to without the binding contract of ED,” Zur said.

In regards to the collaboration that takes place between Benjamin’s college counselors and the senior class, Associate Director of College

improvement.

“It has been really hard throughout the last two years in terms of live performances, but I think being able to perform in Benjamin Hall for the people who support the most is very exciting, especially for the seniors since it is their last Variety Show.

Hopefully, our other performances later this year like the Spring Dance

What’s inside this issue...

Counseling Mr. Juan Alvarez said: “We support Early Decision applicants the same way we do Regular Decision applicants. The only difference in our work between the processes is that, with our ED students, we confirm with them and ask: ‘Are you sure this is the place you want to go? Have you done your homework?’

The kids that the College Counseling Department worked with all did their homework.”

“Our role is to be realistic with students about the numbers, to be realistic about the choices that they’re making. At certain schools we had a really great success rate, and then at others, it was tough out there, but your best shot was Early Decision,” Ms. Wright said.

According to collegevine.com, “With so many qualified candidates now applying through early decision programs, it’s easy to see why colleges are apt to favor them. In fact, at many schools, early decision applicants are accepted at rates 10-12% higher than regular decision applicants.”

Retired Mr. Ream returns to the math department

Journalists honored as Quill and Scroll Society inducts eight new members

A month of Tigers and Kings

Dating in the 21st century: The Pharcyde takes a look at the state of romance

Art thou ready for a look? A gallery of artwork from the first semester

Beijing 2022: Your guide to the second week of the Winter Olympiad

12%

According to collegevine.com, by applying Early Decision, seniors may be increasing their chances of acceptance to universities by as much as 10 to 12%

Concert will remain normal,” she said.

The Variety Show involves an extremely large portion of the Benjamin community, featuring lower, middle, and upper school dancers, vocalists, musicians, and actors as well as select alumni, faculty members, and parents.

Many numbers highlighted medleys featuring various members of the community. One particular number, “Wicked” featured the Dazzlers dancing to songs performed by juniors Maddie Domnick and Katherine Rodgers and seniors Emma Hardyman and Catherine Schenk.

Also, there was a Chicago medley during which alumna Audrey Blake performed “All That Jazz” before the Dazzlers danced to “1Cell Block Tango”.

Mothers and daughters of the Benjamin community, including English teacher Mrs. Suzanne McCambridge, performed a song from The Sound of Music while sophomores Asia Cohen and Skyler Hoben and senior Abby Swank danced.

The various members of the community came together to produce a diverse and entertaining show. The completed video, which will be made to run identically to how the in-person show would run, was released via email on Wed, Jan. 9.

The Class of 2022 celebrated reaching 100 days until graduation with a breakfast held in their honor and sponsored by the senior parent liaisons.

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14 February 2022

Around Campus

The Pharcyde

Iconic Faculty Member Returns To DC Ya Later: JSA Fill Math Department Opening Winter Congress Sophia Liporace Co-Editor-in-Chief

“A Benjamin School legend”, according to Head of the Upper School Mr. Fletcher Carr, Mr. Ron Ream has returned to the School’s faculty as a mathematics teacher for the second semester, taking over the classes caused by Mrs. Robin Weitz’ shift into the Computer Science classes.

Mr. Ream originally began teaching at Benjamin in 1975. Mr. Marshall Benjamin, one of the co-founders of the School, offered Mr. Ream a job after being introduced by a mutual friend. After originally saying no to the offer due to his desire to return to his home state of Ohio, he was convinced to teach for one year. Then, he never left.

His original retirement came at the end of the 2018 school year, but Middle School Math Department Chair Mrs. Cathy Hansen asked if he could teach for the first few weeks of the 2018-19 school year due to a teacher on maternity leave. However, that teacher never came back, so he taught the whole school year.

He taught in the Middle School at the start of this year, and around Thanksgiving, he received a call from Director of Student Services Dr. Amy Taylor to teach in the second semester after Mr. Weitz took over the Computer Science classes. Through many different circumstances, Mr. Ream has always found his way back to his home away from home.

Head of the Upper School Mr. Fletcher Carr has high praise for Mr.

Ream and what he brings to the Benjamin community, calling Mr. Ream an “asset” for the School.

“Coach Ream is one of the finest educators and motivators I have worked with over my career. He is relentlessly positive and he finds a way to connect with every member of the community. His energy is contagious and having had each of my own kids take a class with him, his ability to break down math into its simplest components and get students to see problems differently is often the factor that pushes students here to move into levels of math that they did not think possible upon entering Benjamin,” he said.

Mr. Ream’s stay at the Upper School will not keep him out of retirement for long, as his efforts will be short-lasting. The School has posted the math job opening and will hire a new teacher for the 2022-23 school year.

Sophomore Gianna Demerski has Mr. Ream for Geometry and is happy to welcome him back to the classroom.

“I really enjoy Mr. Ream as a teacher. He is one of those teachers where you can tell he really enjoys what he is doing which I find nice. Im excited to have him for the rest of the year,” she said.

Mr. Ream is extremely appreciative of what Benjamin has been able to do for him over the past four and a half decades.

“The Benjamin School has provided me with a lifetime of good positive experiences. It has been a way of

making a living and provided for my family. But I don’t feel like I’ve had to work a day of my life. It has been a pleasure to come here everyday the past 46 years and I truly believe it has been a divine destiny for my life. I am truly a blessed man and hope that the students that I have taught, the kids that I have coached, the administrators that I have worked under, and my colleagues that I have worked alongside, are better people for having known me. I know that I am a better person for having had all of them in my life,” he said.

Sophomore Matt Kalian goes over a concept with Mr. Ream. Mr. Ream teaches Geometry, Algebra II, and Pre-Calculus.

(Photo by Tvisha Goel)

YMUN Delegates Go Virtual (Again)

Freshman Sydney Schiff, Junior Keira Hodum, Seniors Catherine Civitella and Danielle Lancaster, and Junior Ingrid Corpus pose for a photo during YMUN. Students participated in the event virtually.

(Photo by Ms. Misselhorn)

Lucy Rubin Staff Writer The Benjamin School participated in it’s 23rd year of Yale Model United Nations from Jan. 20-23. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the surge of omicron sweeping the nation, the Yale Model United Nations leadership board decided to hold the conference virtually for the second year in a row.

Despite the untraditional format, the event maintained its rigorous schedule for the students involved with over 16 hours of Zoom sessions filled with lively discussions, negotiations, and compromises.

Danielle Lancaster, President of Yale Model United Nations, has been participating in YMUN since freshman year and had her final opportunity to go to the conference this year.

When remarking on the event, she stated that it “was great for a virtual conference and I learned a lot.”

This year’s setting was an unusual one, but it was great to be able to participate, even if it was held through a virtual setting. In an attempt to connect different delegates throughout committee sessions, the Yale Model United Nations commit-

tee encouraged the sharing of social media profiles, contact information, and held social hours on Saturday, Jan. 22. The goal was to bring delegates together even if they were not together in-person. Along with several different social hours and opportunities to interact with students from around the world, the YMUN committee hosted keynote speakers, had talks from college professors, and of course, provided delegates with plenty of time to discuss the important issues at hand with one-another.

Ms. Sara Misselhorn, Chair of the Social Studies Department of the Upper School, helped organize and prepare students for the conference. Before the conference began, Ms. Misselhorn was tasked with the job of selecting the candidates who would attend the conference. Once the selection and registration process was complete, Ms. Misselhorn, along with the presidents of the club, sent out detailed instructions on how to write a policy paper, a document that outlines the issue at hand, defines the actions that the UN is taking to improve the issue, and possible solutions that the delegate finds that will bolster the UN’s initiative to right the

wrongs being discussed. After helping with the process of registration and writing policy papers, everyone was ready for the conference, and it began Jan. 20 with the orientation at 4:30 pm.

Every student was assigned different committees and countries to advocate for Ms. Misselhorn believes that YMUN grants students an excellent chance to learn about global issues.

“YMUN is a fantastic opportunity for students to explore geopolitical issues with other like-minded students across the nation and globe.”

These sentiments were echoed as students came out of the conference with a newfound knowledge on topics that had not previously been brought to their attention. Benjamin’s future attendance at the conference is highly anticipated, especially with the common hope that the 2023 YMUN Conference will be hosted in person.

Seniors Ben Murphy and Joey Slyh grab a snack between Zoom sessions. They participated in the conference over the course of several days.

(Photo by Ms. Misselhorn)

To Be Held Online Christina Taylor Staff Writer JSA’s Winter Congress has remained mostly the same from before the pandemic to how it is now. 2020 was the last year that JSA was fully in-person in Washington D.C. Last year, all of Winter Congress was conducted via Zoom. This year, there are options to go hybrid and to be online, depending on the region your chapter is in. Benjamin’s chapter of JSA is fully online for Winter Congress this year due to the organization’s regulations.

Just like any other year, members of the chapter will partner up and draft bills about a topic of their choosing.

They each deliver a speech on their legislation in the “House” and in the “Senate”. Committee for these bills lasts for a day and if your bill passes in both houses, it goes on to a second day of debating and voting.

Despite this year’s smaller group, many are still looking forward to participating in Winter Congress during the last weekend of February. The event will typically start with Debater, Moderator, and Chapter President Workshops to talk about the logistics of Winter Congress.

The first night of the convention typically has “Thought Talks” to discuss current issues that may come up in legislative sessions or philo-

sophical questions about topics in the bills. Before the general committee begins, JSA hosts Regional and Party Caucuses in order to have people get to know each other and learn more about how others within their region and their political party may vote on certain bills.

After the morning session of committee, there is a keynote speaker. Last year, the speaker was Stacey Abrams and she spoke about key moments that shaped her political career and her life. The last session of committee would be after the keynote presentation and then bills that passed would be announced.

Those who wrote passing bills would have to debate their legislation again the next morning. That night the organization typically hosts trivia games and when it was in person they bought everyone tickets for the monument tour in Washington D.C. Overall, JSA is interesting whether it is online or in person because of the way the event is set up. Debating a few bills and then getting to have fun for the rest of the event is not as bad as people may think, especially because the topics of the bills are something that high school students get to choose.

Around Campus

The Pharcyde

Page 3

14 February 2022

Quill and Scroll Chapter Welcomes First 8 to National Journalism Honors Society Sophia Liporace Co-Editor-in-Chief On Thursday, Feb. 3, a group of 8 exceptional students were inducted into the newly formed chapter of Quill and Scroll International Honor Society for High School Journalists.

The students consisted of 7 seniors and 1 junior: Gerald Bissell, Catherine Civitella, Tvisha Goel, Evan Liberman, Sophia Liporace, Tyler Taplett, and Charlie Spungin.

The inductees, along with some administrators, faculty members, and the advisors of the society, Director of Multimedia Productions Mr. Ken Archer, Yearbook Advisor Mrs. Kristen Hewitt, and English teacher and advisor of The Pharcyde Dr. John Peruggia, attended a lunch during which each student received a certificate and said the pledge of the institution.

Two students, Bissell and Civitella, were inducted under multiple disciplines; Bissell for newspaper and broadcast journalism and Civitella for newspaper and broadcast productions.

The society was introduced to the School by Dr. Peruggia who thought it would be an honor for student journalists.

“I think its important to recognize the accomplishments of our students, and since we have a math honor society and an art honor society, I felt like this would be a good thing. Its also interdisciplinary in that it involves three different courses and three different departments and so it provides a good interdisciplinary honor,” he said.

To be induced into the society, a student has to take either newspaper,

yearbook, broadcast journalism for three semesters, be in the top third of their classes, have a leadership position, and earn the recommendation of the advisor.

Senior, student council president, and director of BTV Sydney Steinger was one of the first students inducted into the society.

“I was really excited to be inducted and recognized for my dedication to BTV. I’ve worked hard in it over the past four years and haven’t done any other elective, so I think this is a good opportunity for journalists at Benjamin to be honored,” she said.

Chief Development Officer and Benjamin alumnus Mr. Juan Carlos Fanjul spoke to the students about his journalistic career and the importance of storytelling.

“I really do think that if you are once a journalist, you are always a

journalist. Even though I’m no longer a reporter I still write articles for Benjamin magazines and have been featured on Benjamin’s social media using my journalism skills,” he said.

The addition of the chapter to the School allows for students to gain benefits it provides.

“As a chapter it allows our publications and broadcast to enter into national competitions. It gives all of the students more outlets so students in the newspaper can submit their work for publication nationally. Its a good honor for students to show on their college applications ansd there are also scholarships that students can apply for,” Dr. Peruggia added.

Each semester, the chapter will look to induct 10 to 12 new members and while there will be no formal activities or continued membership requirements, similar inductions will happen each semester.

Pathfinder

Each of the eight students inducted received a certificate of membership and a pin. The induction occurred during a luncheon held in the Benjamin Hall lobby with the support of faculty members and administrators.

(Photo by Marti Lotman)

Curriculum Expands With Six Additions to 2022-2023 Course Offerings Charlie Spungin Copy Editor

The School will be introducing six new courses within three different departments to the 2022-23 year’s curriculum, Two of them, AP Human Geography and AP 3D Art and Design, will bring the total AP offerings to 30.

Adding a course to the curriculum is a long process, as explained by Academic Dean Mrs. Caroline Guzman.

First, an individual teacher generates an idea for a course and writes up a syllabus and proposal to send to the department chair. Then, the department chair reviews the course and if it aligns with the department’s curriculum. If it passes through the department chair, it goes to the Academic Council, a council consisting of 9 members who are both administrators and teachers. They will review and vote on all of the course proposals. If it passes, it is added to the school’s curriculum.

AP 3D Art and Design will be taught by Visual Arts Teacher Ms. Caroline Duran. It will be a full-year course, and like AP 2D Art and Design, it will grant students the opportunity to submit their work to the College Board for scoring. Intro to Ceramics and Intermediate Ceramics, along with instructor approval, are prerequisites for the course.

Ms. Duran will also be teaching Ceramic Figure Sculpting, a one-semester spring course. It will focus on sculpting human busts and parts rather than bowls, vessels, cups, and more. Intro to Ceramics must be taken.

Intro to World Crafts will be a one-semester course taught in both the fall and spring. It will sprinkle in some Art History to the hands-on studio course where students learn about

the culture of art outside of the European continent, which is mainly what the AP focuses on.

AP Human Geography will teach students about “a broad perspective on people, geopolitical movements, language arts, society, civilizations, warfare, [and religion],” according to Social Studies Department Chair Ms. Sara Misselhorn. It will be a fullyear course only open to juniors and seniors. Along with a sign-off from the student’s current teacher and Ms. Misslelhorn, a student must have an A in an introductory level course or a B in an AP level course and a GPA of 3.5 or higher.

The other new Social Studies course will be a one-semester World War II course that highlights D-Day and the Holocaust. It will be taught in the spring and split into two parts.

The D-Day section of the class will be taught from January to Spring Break. Then, the Holocaust portion of the class will be taught from after Spring Break to the end of the year.

Economics teacher Mr. Graham Wik and Social Studies teacher Mrs. Anne Franzen will co-teach the class.

A new Senior Selection in the upcoming school year will be Wom-

en’s Literature, taught in the spring.

English teacher Mrs. Meghan Steiner will be teaching the course. It will focus on analyzing female characters through a variety of literary genres and relating them to the real-life world.

AP Art History will be transferring from the Art Department to the Social Studies Department. The full-year course examines a variety of architecture, sculptures, and paintings. According to Arts and Innovation Department Chair Mrs. Melissa Ford, the change was made because of the multitude of studio classes in the visual arts department, and those needed to be covered. There was also interest in teaching the class within the Social Studies Department. Ms. Misselhorn described the course as a “social science combined with a lot of art history.”

With an even greater variety of courses offered by The Benjamin School, students will be able to choose classes that match their wants and needs. The ever-expanding curriculum at The Benjamin School will continuously adapt to allow students to match with classes that suit them.

Involvement

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14 February 2022

Celebrations

The Pharcyde

National News

The Pharcyde

Celebrating the Dream: The Life and Legacy of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Clara Schor Staff Writer Robyn Duncombe Diversity Council President Black History Month 2022 From activists and civil rights leaders like Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and Rosa Parks to figureheads in politics, science, and culture, Black History Month commemorates the valuable contributions and heritage of African Americans within American history. As of 1976, each president of the United States has declared February to be Black History Month, with a certain focus. “Black Health and Wellness” is the focus for Black History Month this year. The month’s theme will focus on the African Diaspora’s history includes Black intellectuals, as well as “other ways of knowing (e.g., birthworkers, doulas, midwives, naturopaths, herbalists, etc.) throughout the African Diaspora” and how the Black population has been underserved by healthcare.

(History.com Editors, “Black history month”)

The History Behind Black History Month The Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH) was created by Harvard-trained historian Carter G. Woodson and influential clergyman Jesse E. Moorland, and was dedicated to investigating and promoting successes by Black Americans. In 1926, the organization promoted a nationwide Negro History Week, having chosen the second week of February to align with Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass’ birthdays. “Negro History Week” had grown into Black History Month upon several university campuses by the late 1960s, due in part to the civil rights movement and a growing understanding of Black culture. In 1976, President Gerald Ford declared Black History Month, encouraging people to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” (Alem Tedeneke, “Black history month: What is it and why do we need it?”)

What is Black History Month and Why Do We Celebrate It? Every February, National Black History Month is an impactful remembrance that Black history is American history. This month-long commemoration in the United States is an opportunity to highlight Black excellence while also serving as a powerful reminder to recognize why systematic racism is a problem and to highlight the individuals and institutions working to addess injustice.

The Diversity Council meets during D Communtiy Block in the lobby of Benjamin Hall. If you are interested in joining the group, please contact either Robyn Duncombe or Ms. Mays.

On Aug. 28, 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered a vital speech that lives among us today.

Dr. King was a prominent figure, leader, and activist in society. Delivering the famous “I Have A Dream” speech, King left an impact on many.

The speech occurred during the March on Washington for civil and economic rights for colored people and to end racism.

His speech was describing his vision of America and how it should be.

“I have a dream today. I have a dream that one day every valley shall be engulfed, every hill shall be exalted and every mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plains and the crooked places will be made straight and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together”, he said.

King is celebrated annually on January 17th, his birthday.

The son of Martin Luther, Sr. born Michael King, MLK was an African-American Baptist pastor and a significant figure in the Civil Rights Movement. Dr. King was inspired by his father as well as Mahatma Gandhi who inspired movements for Civil Rights and freedom.

America has celebrated this date since 1986 when President at the time, Ronald Reagan signed a bill to make it a federal holiday. States had slowly adapted to the holiday and all 50 states observed it in the year 2000.

Along with rights for colored people and equal rights, Dr. King, just at the age of 18, wrote an essay in the Morehouse College newspaper, the Maroon Tiger where King attended in 1944 at the age of 15.

Morehouse College, located in

Atlanta, Georgia, is a private black men’s liberal arts college. Dr. King attended the college early at age 15 and graduated 4 years later in 1948 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology. At Morehouse, he discovered the writings of Henry David Thoreau who was a naturalist, poet, and philosopher. Thoreau wrote an essay, “Civil Disobedience” that was a disagreement on obedience to a biased state.

After reading about Thoreau, Dr. King began his finding and involvement in equality from there.

The essay, titled “The Purpose of Education” declared that education is not about knowledge.

In the essay, Dr. King said “The function of education, therefore, is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. But education which stoops with efficiency may prove the greatest menace to society. The most dangerous criminal may be the man gifted with reason, but with no morals”.

Being so, Dr. King is stating that education is not just based primarily on skills, grades, and knowledge but who one is as a person and integrity.

Mindset and performance is crucially important as too but Dr. King is trying to reason that students in education are to learn to care for others as well.

Dr. King was brutally assassinated on April 4, 1968 at the age of 39 years old in Memphis, Tennessee.

His assassin, James Earl Ray, shot Dr. King with a Remington Rifle as the leader was standing in his second floor hotel room at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis.

Dr. King was in Memphis to support a sanitation workers’ strike and on the way to dinner when the single bullet was aimed at his jaw, resulting in a fatal severed spinal cord.

Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. stands above the crowd at the Lincoln Memorial during the March on Washington that took place on Aug. 28, 1963.

(Photo by Wes Candela Photography)

She’s Got the Eye of the Tiger The Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is the time to celebrate Chinese culture.

Celebrated on the Chinese calendar, the Chinese New Year is filled with spirited traditions and reasons to celebrate.

The origin of the Chinese New Year evolved throughout the Shang and Han dynasties, but the story of how it started is based on a legend.

One of the most popular is about the mythical beast Nian, who ate livestock, crops, and even people on the eve of a new year. To prevent Nian from attacking people and causing destruction, people put food at their doors for Nian.

It’s said that a wise old man figured out that Nian was scared of loud noises (firecrackers) and the color red.

Then, people put red lanterns and red scrolls on their windows and doors to stop Nian from coming inside, and crackled bamboo (later replaced by firecrackers) to scare Nian away. The monster Nian never showed up again.

The time of the Chinese New Year varies; the Chinese calendar is lunisolar, which means it shows elements of both the lunar and solar calendars. The Chinese use the Gregorian calendar to live their daily lives while using the Chinese lunar calendar to observe their traditional festivals and conduct their folk activities. Based on the moon’s revolution around the Earth, it is about 11 days shorter each year than the solar calendar. To synchronize with the time the Earth needs to rotate around the sun,

the Chinese ancestors added a leap month to their calendar every two or three years.

The lunar month contains the winter solstice as the eleventh month, which means that Chinese New Year usually falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice. This year signifies the year of the Tiger in zodiac signs. The Tiger is significant because these people have a hard work ethic; it also signifies that this new year will be forward moving.

The cycle repeats every 12 years with 12 different animals each year and their reputed attributes. The order of the Chinese zodiac or “Shengxiao” is Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. Celebrations to usher out the old year and bring forth the luck and prosperity of the new one, therefore, often include firecrackers, fireworks, and red clothes and decorations.

Young people are given money in colourful red envelopes. In addition, Chinese New Year is a time to feast and to visit family members. Many traditions of the season honour relatives who have died.

Among other Chinese New Year traditions is the thorough cleaning of one’s home to rid the resident of any lingering bad luck. Some people prepare and enjoy special foods on certain days during the celebrations. The last event held during the Chinese New Year is called the Lantern Festival, during which people hang glowing lanterns in temples or carry them during a nighttime parade. Since the dragon is a Chinese symbol of good

fortune, a dragon dance highlights festival celebrations in many areas.

This procession involves a long, colourful dragon being carried through the streets by numerous dancers.

Senior Caroline Yancey is the president of Chinese club and organized a meeting during which members of the club made dragons to celebrate the new year.

Normally, senior Will Zhang celebrates the New Year by gathering with his family, sharing joy, and reflecting on the previous year. Due to COVID-19, Zhang is unable to go on a family vacation, but will celebrate by enjoying hot pot, a traditional Chinese dish.

“Hot pot is special in the Chinese New Year because it means ‘all in one’ which symbolizes family reunion,” Zhang explains.

Zhang, born in 2004, has the zodiac of a monkey. “I feel connected to it because I am very active physically and psychologically,” Zhang says.

Furthermore, Mandarin Chinese teacher Ms. Lei Deng Cohen also celebrates the Chinese New Year. Normally she would celebrate with her friends, but this year due to COVID-19, she is unable to properly celebrate. Her favorite part about the Chinese New Year is the food. Whole fish is a staple for new year celebrations in China and the fish symbolize prosperity for the next year.

The Chinese New Year is a celebration of life and culture that also honors gods, ancestors, and good fortune for years to come.

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Grounded. Weather, Staff Shortages Lead to Flight Delays, Cancellations Leah Klein Staff Writer

Supply Chain Problems Persist Post Pandemic Evan Liberman Managing Editor In recent months, the media has been filled with stories of labor shortages, supply chain malfunctions, and business closings. And, though these issues seem distant, in reality, they are much closer than we think, affecting members of the Benjamin community in several ways.

To better understand the impacts of these issues, it’s imperative to understand what they are and how they originated.

Economic Issues teacher and boys’ lacrosse Head Coach Mr. Peter Cordrey explained the supply chain as a series of connected links.

“A chain is made of links; when one links fails, they all fail. If a microprocessor chip factory in Xian, a city of 13 million in China, is closed because of a lockdown, then you will have trouble completing the building of a new car. You can’t complete the manufacturing, but you have to do something with all the incomplete cars piling up. It creates a log jam,” he noted. Moreover, he stated that a labor shortage is simply when there are not enough workers to meet the demands of firms.

However, these issues are not one-dimensional and can be influenced by outside political factors.

For instance, Mr. Cordrey attributes both the supply chain malfunctions and labor force issues to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“[The supply chain issue] is a consequence of lockdown policy. China, besides exporting the lab-made Coronavirus, exports vast quantities of goods to the US,” Cordrey said.

“The flip side is that the U.S. now imports from China many critical components that are needed for making products and also imports many finished goods. As a consequence, the U.S. will suffer from China’s policy to lock down, even when the U.S. decides not to,” he added.

In addition to affecting the U.S. and other counties around the world, the metaphorical log jam that Mr. Cordrey referred to has reached the south Florida area and has had impacts on members of the Benjamin community.

For example, Mathematics Department Chair Mr. Mike Ruggie is seeing the effects at his local supermarket.

“I have seen a huge shortage at Publix. I’m not used to seeing shelves empty in every aisle, seeing the meat counter only half full, [and] not finding the things I normally buy. The shipping and supply chain has hit the food industry hard,” Mr. Ruggie told The Pharcyde. He added that likely due to labor shortages and supply issues, certain menu items at restaurants he frequents are no longer available.

Like Mr. Ruggie, junior Ingrid Corpus has also witnessed the effects of the labor shortage and supply chain disruptions.

“There is a new gas station in Jupiter that has been completed for months but has yet to open due to a lack of employees. Also, I have seen many restaurants struggling to keep up with demands as a result of staffing issues, and those who are working have had to take on added responsibilities,” Corpus stated. She also noted that certain foods, mainly granola bars and yogurt, are no longer available at her local grocery store. Moreover, some of these items are not being restocked, leaving some shelves permanently empty.

Other Benjamin students, such as freshman Vanessa Zito, have begun to modify their expectations in the wake of such issues.

“I’ve had to adjust the time that I think it’ll take me at a restaurant…

If I plan[ned] to leave [for] a restaurant at 7:00 pre-pandemic, I’ve adjusted to at least an hour later,” Zito explained. “I’ve learned to be more patient with people because it’s hard to know the background of a place [or] restaurant’s status with workers and numbers,” she added.

Although these problems continue to interrupt the daily lives of Benjamin students and faculty, according to Mr. Cordrey, they will eventually be corrected through capitalism, which “through its use of free markets, permits the efficient allocation of resources. Eventually, things will normalize as long as people have the freedom to make decisions and to act on those decisions.”

Throughout the nation, and even internationally, a myriad of flights have been delayed and canceled.

Flight cancellations first grew to a concerning level on Christmas Eve, with a nationwide number of 687 flights canceled. From there, the number just grew.

On the first Monday of 2022 alone, more than 3,200 flights were canceled. Monday, Jan. 3rd, was the peak of flights canceled, with Jan. 1st and 2nd a couple hundred behind. On Feb. 4th, CNBC reported that since Christmas Eve, 20,000 flights had been called off.

Other problems arose along with canceled flights. Thousands of flights are being delayed in addition to canceled. People were being stranded in airports with no way home, and travelers’ plans were abandoned. According to The Washington Post, hundreds of pieces of luggage are being left unclaimed at airports. Even more problems branch off of the issue of canceled flights.

Freshman Sage Sorenson personally experienced a canceled flight of her own with JetBlue and the disrupted plans that came with it.

“The reason my flight was canceled was because of severe weather conditions up towards Massachusetts,” she said. “After our flight was canceled, we resolved the problem by booking another flight, but it was a few days later. I woke up that morning with all my stuff packed, only for my sister to tell me to get comfortable because our flight was pretty much canceled. After quite a while, my dad found a flight leaving Providence instead of Boston, and we were able to fly out a couple of days later.”

Surprisingly, despite the widespread flight cancellations, airline stocks did not lower at all, and in fact, increased in price. Investors were

clearly not phased by the ubiquitous airline troubles.

“Monday’s price action shows that investors remain optimistic, shrugging off the recent disruptions and betting on an expected rebound in travel later this year. United Airlines and American Airlines both gained more than 4%, while Delta rose 3.1%, JetBlue 2.7% and Southwest 2.3%. Budget carriers like Spirit and Alaska Airlines also saw their stocks rise by around 3%,” a Jan. 3, 2022 Forbes article stated.

There are two causes behind the airline chaos occurring. A sudden rise in omicron COVID-19 variant numbers and infections being the primary one, and severe weather conditions being another. With omicron, many crew members, including pilots, are being affected, making them unable to fly. This leads to short-staffed planes, which in turn results in flights canceled. Bad weather mainly affected the Pacific Northwest and the Mid Atlantic, resulting in many flights being delayed or canceled coming in or out of those areas.

As the number of canceled and delayed flights are declining slowly, omicron cases are also beginning to decrease. Hopefully in the future, the number of cases will decline further, so that travel can return to normal.

Working Hard Inside, Outside of the Benjamin Bubble

Laoshi Leads Chinese New Year Celebrations Sophia Liporace Co-Editor-in-Chief

14 February 2022

Tvisha Goel Co-Editor-in-Chief

Above, Laoshi Cohen answers students’ questions about the Chinese New Year during an Upper School assembly in Benjamin Hall on Feb. 4. Below, a dragon bowl crafted by sophomore Taylor Grande as part of first semester ceramics class with Ms. Duran.

(Photos courtesy of Sra. Tejera-Mede and Ms. Duran)

In movies, oftentimes high school students are seen as laid back, easy going, and not having much going on aside from a very stable social life.

In reality, students are scrambling to finish their homework, extracurricular activities such as clubs and sports, and still have some time left over for friends and family. All of this is exacerbated by the fact that, when these students grow up to be adults and begin their job search, they are expected to have some prior experience. Guess what? That starts in high school too.

Job experience is important for young people to teach them the ways of the world. It acts as a window into what their adult life will be like. Job experience can teach adolescents money-management skills, build self-confidence, understand responsibility and independence, and learn work skills such as interviewing and creating a resume.

It can be hard to begin looking for jobs as a teenager, let alone getting one and maintaining one as well as all the other aspects of one’s life.

Junior Arianna Ferry, a brand representative at Aerie, and seniors Casey Crawford, who works at an adventure park in Rhode Island during the summers and Zach German, a barista at the Starbucks in Alton, were asked to give some insight on their jobs and consequent experiences.

Finding a job depends on the individual. Ferry and German both took the initiative to look for local stores they could work at. While Ferry “got [her] job by seeing an ad for hiring in the Gardens Mall before the opening

Senior Zach German works at the Starbucks in Alton, allocated to making drinks like frappucinos and iced coffees.

(Photo courtesy of Zach German)

Senior Casey Crawford chose to work a summer job. He spends a lot of time with kids in a family-owned Adventureland.

(Photo courtesy of Google Maps)

Junior Arianna Ferry works at Aerie in Palm Beach Outlets as a brand representative on the weekends as to better manage her time.

(Photo courtesy of Arianna Ferry)

of the store in the mall and deciding to apply”, German said he “got the job after an interview with the store manager at the time, Lue.” Other times, it takes networking, such as Crawford. In order to get his job at the mini adventure park, he contacted his friend who “had been working there” and “helped [him] get the job.”

Getting these jobs has been enlightening for all these students, helping each of them to learn what it takes to make their own money and pay for their own things.

Crawford said, “I got the job just because I wanted to start making my own money. I wanted to be able to rely on myself to pay for things that I wanted instead of asking my parents for money.”

And he follows through with this mentality, as he said that he pays for things like food and gas on his own.

Similarly, German puts his hardearned money toward paying off his car while Ferry spends some of her money on things like food while the rest that she chooses to save goes towards her college fund.

Because of the experiences that each student has had working, they have become better people, whether it’s learning better time management, patience and professionalism, or being more confident in a new environment. Having a job at a young age can seem overbearing or pointless as just another title to put on a resume, but its purpose goes above and beyond a piece of paper and its effects on a person outweighs the fears and seemingly excessive work it takes for a job.

Page 6

14 February 2022

Student Voices

The Pharcyde

Editorial: For Those Who Can, There is No Just Enough People too often ask themselves, “Am I doing enough?” Enough.

Enough is defined as “occurring in such quantity, quality, or scope as to fully meet demands, needs, or expectations.” Instead, people need to take time and think about how they may exceed expectations, asking themselves “How can I do more?”

One of The Benjamin School’s core values is diversity. Diversity comes in all forms, from racial to cultural to socioeconomic diversity. The Upper School has made great strides in bringing diversity to the Benjamin community.

A large part of promoting diversity is celebrating it, as the School has done during Hispanic Heritage Month and Chinese New Year. But celebrating also means talking about the importance of diversity, and unfortunately, the discussion feels limited to cultural and racial diversity. But what about socioeconomic disparities that exist in the community?

There is a stigma behind the discussion of socioeconomic statuses around the world, seen as an uncomfortable conversation between those who have beyond their needs and those who do not have enough to cover even basic necessities in life.

According to APA Psycnet, “In four studies, the authors investigated the proposal that in the context of an elite university, individuals from relatively lower socioeconomic status (SES)

backgrounds possess a stigmatized identity and, as such, experience (a) concerns regarding their academic fit and (b) self-regulatory depletion as a result of managing these concerns.”

It is well established that Benjamin, while accepting of everyone, has a much larger proportion of more privileged individuals. Stigma behind socioeconomic status seems heightened during the college process, with financial aid conversations seemingly a shy topic, not only for those

who are looking for need-based aid but also those who are just trying to shave off some of the tuition.

Should students feel comfortable enough to have open discussions about such a thing as financial aid needs, financial aid-centered events held by the college counseling team would have more attendees. Counselors could then go above and beyond in how they help students, such as hosting even more events to promote all the ways students can relieve any

financial stress that students need when applying to colleges.

Rather than asking ourselves “Are we doing enough to facilitate discussion about socioeconomic disparities and statuses,” we should ask if we could be doing more. We should not settle for running the race when we can be setting the pace. Buccaneers do not just clear the bar; we ask that it be raised when we do.

Enough limits our potential to have a much greater impact on those

around us and the issues that plague every community around the world while more allows us to exceed simple expectations and challenges us to be even better.

Unfortunately, The Pharcyde has not been immune to this underlying misconception that enough is all that is necessary. As only six people answering the call to be the voice of the student body, we are often asked why we are doing certain activities or writing about certain topics and we respond saying that we are doing enough with only having six people in the class. However, this will now come to an end. As The Pharcyde, we have come to the decision that we will be the first to ask how we can do more. And we ask that you all, students as individuals, faculty, the Benjamin community as a whole, join us in this mentality and effort to do more.

As Black History Month proceeds and Women’s History Month approaches, keep this in mind: Enough is the easy way out. It is the pathway that will take the least amount of effort while still having a satisfactory effect. But enough will not get us where we need and should want to go. More holds our happy ending. *The Editorial is the opinion of The Pharcyde and therefore does not have a singular name attributed to it.

Literature Should Light A Fire, Not Be Thrown Into It Evelyn Peyovich Staff Writer Recently, school districts all over the country have been banning books for numerous reasons; language, violence, sexual content, and political suggestions are just a few. Now, unless we’re planning to advance into an anti-intellectual, Bradbury-esque society in the near future, this is incredibly harmful to those who actually wish to learn.

Supporters of the censorship of these novels in schools may say that it’s for the good of our children or that we’re protecting students from slanderous propositions that may shatter their perception of the world. Well, isn’t everyone’s “bubble” shattered at one point? Doesn’t everyone have an epiphany or revelation that the world is bigger and more complicated than they ever thought it was? For some, that comes early, but for others--those with more sheltered childhoods--it is at school where they see a perspective outside of their family’s views. If we are not exposed to what makes us uncomfortable, we can never grow.

So, why is book banning so irrevocably launching us towards being a sheltered and controlled population, constantly scared of offending those around us? It’s simple: children.

They are the most impressionable

the

PHARCYDE

and easy-to-shape population. Children believe almost everything they hear. This means that when they are not given a different perspective on the world other than what is considered politically correct, they will never see the world a different way.

For example, one of the most commonly banned school books is 1984 by George Orwell. Some state that it pushes a communist agenda and includes references to sexuality and profanity “not suited” for younger audiences. The question is: why should a book that shows the harsh

EDITORIAL BOARD

Founded in 1980 as The Spectator

Tvisha Goel, Co-Editor-in-Chief Sophia Liporace, Co-Editor-in-Chief

14 February 2022

Evan Liberman, Managing Editor

Volume 43, Issue 6

The Benjamin School 4875 Grandiflora Road Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33418

Charlie Spungin, Copy Editor

Contact Information Phone: 561-472-5998, ext. 2119 Fax: 561-691-8823

Gerald Bissell Catherine Civitella Leah Klein Shea O’Donoghue Ollie Olsson-White Evelyn Peyovich Lucy Rubin Clara Schor Christina Taylor Joey Tomassetti

Advisor Dr. John Peruggia john.peruggia@thebenjaminschool.org Advisor Emeritus Mr. Kendall Didsbury Media Consultants Mr. and Mrs. Tim Burke

STAFF WRITERS

MISSION STATEMENT

reality of an over-controlling government be banned by authoritarian figures?

The same thing goes for novels like Fahrenheit 451. Isn’t the point of these books to show people what a scary place the world could be if it was controlled to the point that they cannot make their own decisions?

The irony of banning novels like Fahrenheit 451 is not lost. Bradbury’s entire point was to demonstrate that anti-intellectualism damages society almost to the point of no return. Yet, in 2022, individuals are suggesting

GENERAL

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.

The Pharcyde encourages submission of Letters to the Editor. Send your feedback, criticism, or outside opinions in 150 words or fewer to tvisha.goel22@thebenjaminschool.org. sophia.liporace22@thebenjaminschool.org, or pharcyde@thebenjaminschool.org.

The Pharcyde reserves the right to edit all letters for length, grammar, and clarity.

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.

that society should do just what these novels warn against.

Learning is being exposed to things that one has never experienced and being made to feel uncomfortable as a result. After all, man fears nothing more than the unknown.

These novels, among others, are what stick with people and make them reflect on themselves and society. Words are powerful. Exposure is knowledge. You don’t learn not to play with fire until you get burnt.

Then why are we hiding fire from children instead of letting them know

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If you or anyone you know would like to place an advertisement in The Pharcyde, please contact Sophia Liporace, sophia. liporace22@thebenjaminschool.org.

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.

the consequences of their actions?

The American Libraries Association says that, “in 2020, more than 273 books were challenged or banned,” which is a decrease from the 377 logged in 2019. Does that mean that change is moving in the right direction? Not necessarily; in 2020, schools and libraries were closed due to the pandemic, which caused that significant decrease. Unfortunately, this is still a very real issue.

To mitigate this learning disaster, we must do just that: learn about it. There is now a National Banned Books week from Sept. 26 to Oct. 2.

By spreading the word about efforts like this one and actively participating in them, a change can be made.

Additionally, there are many online webinars, programs, clubs, and other organizations that rally against censorship by reporting potential challenges and bannings so that they can be prevented before they gain traction.

In conclusion, everyone must speak against the banning of books throughout the nation, especially students. Showing those who wish to censor that this is not for the good of all children can stop a major movement before it’s fully begun.

Student Voices

The Pharcyde

14 February 2022

Page 7

For Love, Not Numbers: Learning Isn’t About a GPA Sophia Liporace Co-Editor-in-Chief With college acceptance rates decreasing and the number of AP and honors classes being offered at Benjamin increasing, students have been crafting their schedules to carry the most rigor and the highest GPA boost, as they completely disregard the topics of their interest.

While it is always encouraged to take a challenging course load, students shouldn’t choose a class in a subject they find boring just because of the credit instead of an on-level course in a subject they find fascinating. There is no reason for a Computer Science major to be studying Bernini’s Baroque architecture in AP Art History instead of taking a regular engineering class or for an International Studies major to be learning about thermodynamics in AP Chemistry instead of taking an economic issues course.

The School offers roughly 145 different courses in a myriad of subjects ranging from Meteorology to AP Music Theory. This number of courses is more than enough to accommodate the 457 students at the Upper School and each of their diverse interests. While scheduling might not always allow for the perfect combination of courses, the reasoning that a student should have to drop a class they love to take a class that will help them become a more competitive college applicant needs to go.

An anonymous senior followed the reasoning of prioritizing AP classes over more enjoyable classes and

has reflected on the stress that this misconception has caused.

“I’m not planning on doing anything STEM related in the future, but it was suggested that I take AP Physics 1 my senior year. Because of this, I missed out on taking classes I was more interested in like AP European History or an elective on World War II. My AP Physics class has caused a surplus of stress with little enjoyment, so, in retrospect, I think it would’ve just been better if I opted for the ‘easier’ but more interesting option,” she said.

Benjamin’s graduation requirements do a great job of encouraging students to be educated about various topics. Every student has to satisfy a sports credit by either taking some sort of Physical Education class or playing a sport, take 1 semester of design, 2 semesters of art, 6 semesters of history, 7 semesters of science, 8 semesters of English, and 8 semesters of math. Thus, it is important to fulfill these requirements and to be well rounded; however taking a class solely for an AP or honors credit is unnecessary since students should be taking class for content.

Taking rigorous courses will help in terms of getting into college, but so will having a significant advantage in the subjects of your interest; also, students need to foster a love of learning and curiosity by studying topics they’re passionate about and not taking classes with “AP” or “Honors” in the title for no reason. Is the extra 0.1 on your GPA really worth missing out on learning about a topic you love?

Students are beginning to choose courses that allow for the highest GPA in their classes, as opposed to using Benjamin’s diverse course list to increase the breadths of their interests.

(Photo by Charlie Spungin)

As Economic Diversity Increases, More Seniors Seek Out Financial Aid Tvisha Goel Co-Editor-in-Chief The college process can too often feel like driving on the road in a deep fog: having no idea where to go and where that road will lead you. A lot of that fog can be due to the financial overload that accompanies a secondary education, which can leave students scrambling for methods to ease that burden.

As the time for college applications comes to a close and the season of scholarship application finds its way into the second semester, students voice their desire for additional information about financial aid and scholarship opportunities.

Senior Grace Kearns described her college process as exciting but also stressful, definitely a popular combination of emotions that usually accompanies such a workload. Not only did Kearns have to think about getting into college, but she also had to think about how to pay for college after being admitted. “I went into freshman year knowing about FAFSA and the Bright Futures scholarships and having those in the back of my mind as sort of a big thing I have to do. I also am looking at scholarships, especially for colleges out of state because it can be more expensive and there aren’t in-state benefits like bright futures. Any sort of scholarship no matter the size will help,” she explained.

Director of College Counseling, Ms. Anna Wright, affirms the difficulty in having to worry about both aspects of the college process, saying,

“it definitely is a process that is built for the privileged.”

Unfortunately, Kearns has felt that it has been difficult to retrieve information on the topic of scholarships and financial aid.

She said, “I can do my own research but it’s difficult for me to find information and actually understand it because college and college tuition are super intricate and complex and overall difficult to comprehend in a

“We try to build in some schools where we know they have given kids merit money before. We know that we have to put instate schools in their lists because we know Bright Futures would be a reality for most of our students.”

-Ms. Wright way where you aren’t going into the entire college situation feeling like you’re in the dark.”

Luckily, the college counseling team has methods, programs, and other resources to help students who are looking for additional means to pay for college.

College counselors’ first steps are to build the students’ college list, and should the student express their financial needs to pay for college, that is where the college counselors will begin to plan the best and easiest process to help that student.

Wright said, “We try to build in some schools where we know they have given kids merit money before.

We know that we have to put in-state schools in their lists because we know bright futures would be a reality for most of our students who may not get the money they need from their other schools. So that was part of the plan.”

While in-state schools are definitely good options for those who are looking to relieve the financial burden of college payment, college counselors understand that sometimes students who convey those financial needs do not necessarily want to stay in-state. So they also make it a point to look at specific colleges on a website called College Transitions Average Merit Aid. This website shows college counselors the best schools to apply to that meet a very high percentage of need-based money as well as merit-based money in order to maximize students’ relief.

Not only do the college counselors help students directly in the process but they also hold programs that are open to anyone who is beginning to think about how to pay for college.

One such program is the annual UMiami visit from Chris Magnan, the Senior Advisor of Financial Literacy.

This program is open to 8th graders and above, allowing students and parents a running start to get ahead in their payment plans for college.

Students are understandably scrambling to pay for college, as tuition is often on the rise. Fortunately, Benjamin college counselors are there to help students from the beginning to the end.

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.

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The members of the Class of 2022 gathered in the Healey Gym during lunch on Feb. 9 for a photo. The day was a special one for the future graduates: 100 calendar days left until graduation. Already accomplished in the classroom and on the sports fields, the Class looks to further enhance its reputation over the next few weeks. Among the many spring events seniors will partake in are Grandest Friends Day, a Spring Carnival for Lower School students, Grad Bash-- the annual Senior trip to the Universal Orlando Resort--, the Jr.-Sr. Prom, baccalaureate, senior awards night, and-- of course-- commencement day.

While not pictured with the group, Dr. Peruggia, the Senior Class’ grade-level chair, was present in the gym for the gathering. “It’s heartwarming to see the group come together and just smile,” said Dr. Peruggia. “I mean, it’s nice to see that they all dressed up and such, but the highlight of their outfits was, to me, the glow that came off their faces; I’m sure I’m not the only faculty member who will miss them when their gone,” he added. The photograph was organized by Mrs. Hewitt and the staff of Treasures, the Upper School Yearbook.

(Photo by Mrs. Pierman)

Page 8

14 February 2022

Sp tlight

The

State of

During the week of Jan. 29, 2022, the Billboard Hot 100 featured 42 songs about failed relationships, unrequited love, or couples in conflict.

If so many hearts are breaking in times of COVID, there must be an abundance of hearts beating as well.

Millions of people may be masked, but they are still finding ways to meet their matches.

But what sort of scene are 2022’s players entering? Are today’s teens star-crossed and destined for the dating doldrums or have they learned how to avoid the pitfalls of passion from the musical oeuvre of Taylor Swift? Just how hopeful can teens be that the lights haven’t yet dimmed on their boulevard of romantic dreams?

Dating Defined Before examining the state of the date in 2022, one needs to understand what the term means. This is usually where problems begin; dating can mean a lot of different things.

For sophomore Hayley Womble, “Dating is being committed to someone that you’re friends with, but having more of a connection with them than with a typical friend.”

On the other hand, freshman Christian Lepore, defines dating as “two people being together a lot, they like each other, and they hang out with each other a lot.”

“Sometimes the girlfriend takes over the boyfriend’s brain and makes him hang out with her too much,” warns junior Jackson Brindise.

Junior Nico Frezin equates dating with emotions. “When you like or love somebody else,” Frezin said.

Freshmen Ella Bailey expressed one of the reasons that defining dating is so challenging; “I couldn’t tell

Dating

you what dating is because I’ve never dated anyone. I really don’t know what it is.”

According to GrownandFlown. com, dating is a multi-phase process that begins with research-“stalking”-- and proceeds through “talking” to “hanging out” to “dating.”

“Sometimes the girlfriend takes over the boyfriend’s brain and makes him hang out with her too much.”

-Jackson Brindise Making things more complicated for today’s teens are the ever growing list of labels that define dating and relationships. According to the dating app Plenty of Fish, these can range from transformate-ing to baecationing.

Communidating, for example, is defined as “using dating apps not just for dating and intimate relationships but to make friends and connections.”

Similarly, some are engaging in “hesidating,” when you refuse to label dates, even casual ones, because of the uncertainty that you feel permeates life these days. Meanwhile, Darwining happens when you refuse to date someone who does not share the same scientific beliefs as you.

For those who prefer a checklist, loveisrespect.org offers the following criteria for determining whether you are in a dating relationship: • you have romantic feelings for each other • you are both looking committed to your relationship

55% 45%

When asked whether they had been in a romantic relationship yet, a resounding majority of Upper School students responded that they had not found their special someone.

When asked, Upper School students were split--50-50-- about whether it is appropriate to lock lips on the first date; freshmen respondents were twice as likely to think kissing was okay than their senior peers.

• • •

you spend time together without a group of friends you share the status of your relationship in public, with others or on social media you both agree that your relationship is exclusive

To this list, Upper School students who responded to The Pharcyde’s dating survey add a critical sixth element: “you actually ask your partner to be your girlfriend/boyfriend.”

Who is Dating?

The State of Dating in 2022 In a recent survey, a majority of Upper School students reported to not have yet had a romantic relationship.

Are we representative of a new cultural norm, or are we just undateable?

When was your first date? A Middle School dance? Freshman Homecoming? Prom? You may be surprised to know that according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, kids start dating at an average age of 12 and a half for girls and 13 and a half for boys.

When asked what is an appropriate age to start dating, Upper School students overwhelmingly replied that freshmen and sophomore years were the optimal seasons for love to bloom.

“It’s good to start dating in 9th and 10th grade because it gives you good experience early on in life before adulthood,” said sophomore Hudson Byrne.

Senior Jasmine Patrick disagreed.

“I feel it’s not. That’s the time where you’re finding out who you are, in 9thand 10th grade, so I feel like that’s not the best time to start dating,” said Patrick.

Despite the majority thinking that dating should start before junior year, though, most students at Benjamin start their time as upperclassmen single.

Senior Eden Josza equates this to the small size of our community.

“I don’t think we have a big dating culture at Benjamin and [...] there’s a lot of cliques here and if you’re not in

another clique then it’s hard to mingle with other students,” Josza said.

Senior Jake Haggard, sees things from a different perspective. When asked about the lack of dating culture among upperclassmen, he asked, “why would you be in a relationship when you can have more than one?”

While many students may be refraining from romance, this does not mean they are alienated from the rest of society. A study, “Social Misfit or Normal Development? Students Who Do Not Date,” from the University of Georgia found that not dating can be equally beneficial for teens. In some ways, these teens fare even better than their dating peers. The study found that teenagers in middle and high school who weren’t dating were far from awkward loners. They had good social skills and low levels of depression.

“It’s okay to be single.”

-Cat Schenk The experience of several students confirm the study’s findings.

Sophomore Zach Neidoff said, “I usually try to avoid single person sadness by playing soccer as often as I can or playing other sports or games.”

Senior thespian Cat Schenk, also has a thriving social life. “I just spend time with a lot of my friends and find happiness in that and realize that it’s okay to be single,” Schenk said.

Nevertheless, “the majority of teens have had some type of romantic experience by 15 to 17 years of age,” said Brooke Douglas, the study’s lead author.

Senior Tvisha Goel affirms this. “a lot of my friends have been in romantic relationships. The commitment levels have varied from a fling that ended after a month to something that has lasted as long as two-years.”

The Role of Technology With technology becoming a more integral part of the lives of teens all over the world, its influence on dating has grown stronger and stronger.

“I think that technology helps a lot because you can always be talking to someone, but it can also be a distraction from your relationship,” says an anonymous Upper School student.

In an article released by Pew Research Center in December of 2020, it explains how about 52% of American teens who are in a relationship say that their partner is at least sometimes distracted by their phone when they’re trying to talk to them. Overall, only 35% of all American teens ages 13 to 17 have ever dated or been romantically involved.

Although 57% of American teens have begun friendships online, it is

The Official Shakespearean Love Scale The Bard’s works are filled with a myriad of couples, but not all of them are supposed to be seen as inspiring.

Here are ten of his most famous couples, ranked from the most “true” to the truly head-scary.

Beatrice and Benedick Much Ado About Nothing Orsino and Viola Twelfth Night

far less likely that a romantic relationship would start online. A majority of teens with dating experience (76%), say they have only dated people that they have met via in person.

“Dating apps/websites certainly make finding a partner easier, but it also makes dating more superficial since one can swipe through large numbers of people at a time,” says another anonymous Upper School student.

Even though most relationships do not start online, technology is a popular method for flirting and expressing interest in a potential partner. Teens often use social media to like, comment, or joke around with someone whom they like or would wish to communicate with.

Many teens in relationships view social media as a place where they can feel more involved and connected with the life of their significant other. At the same time, teen’s use of social media sites can also lead to feelings of jealousy or uncertainty in

14 February 2022 a relationship. However, most teens who have had technology play a role in their relationships (whether good or bad) feel that its role is relatively modest.

Dating During COVID At the start of the coronavirus pandemic, many teenagers were unable to see their significant other in person. Now, with quarantine not as strict, teens are able to see each other pretty freely again.

When the pandemic first began, couples were broken out of the routine of seeing each other daily in the school environment. Even with most schools fully in person again, masks and social distancing policies are still making it hard for couples to be as intimate or close.

Outside of school, such as on dates, couples are not experiencing the same amount of excitement that they used to have pre-pandemic. In

an article written by TIME, it is explained how people are forgetting about the expensive tabs, overwhelming crowds, and long lines that come along with going out to do things.

Newer couples that were single during the pandemic are making sure that they don’t take any meaningful connection for granted. There’s no doubt that the current image of dating deserves reconsidering because of how COVID has changed our daily reality over the last two plus years.

Whether you’ve dedicated yourself to a lifelong place in the single rider line, sit next to a new person on every coaster in the park, or have committed yourself to an every-ride mate, the theme park of dating is again fully open for your enjoyment.

The state of dating in 2022 is vibrant and alive, filled with opportunities to meet others and to get in touch with your many selves.

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Who Should Pay?

anyone but the girl

80% of Upper School students say the guy should pay, while 20% say the bill should be split. No one responded that the girl should take care of the tab.

The text and graphics for this feature were created by Joey Tomasetti, Staff Writer, with the assistance of the staff of The Pharcyde.

When you want to impress your Mu Alpha Theta tutor while she’s helping you finish your homework: “I’m good at algebra; I can replace your X and you wouldn’t need to figure out Y.” When your special someone is sitting next to you in in math class: “Do you have a pencil? Cause I want to erase your past and write our future.”

The Count of

When you spot your special someone sitting alone at the Alton Starbucks: “Excuse me, is your name Earl Grey? Because you look like a hot-tea!”

When Mrs. Wendler challenges you to add some oomph to your next essay: “Hi, I’m writing a term paper on the finer things in life, and I was wondering if I could interview you?”

When Dr. Haley challenges you to bring a date to next year’s holiday assembly: “You look so familiar… didn’t we take a class together? I could’ve sworn we had chemistry.”

Romance

When Mr. Peck invites you to audition for The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee: “I thought happiness started with an H. Why does mine start with U?” When you’re interested in somebody who lives under the sea: “If you were a tropical fruit, you’d be a Fine-apple!”

When you are embarassed by your grade in Ms. Ford’s class but are still into your classmate: “I’m not a photographer, but I can picture me and you together.”

When we heard Upper School Math Department Chairman Mr. Michael Ruggie belting out his favorite 90s pop hit, “U+Me=Us (Calculus),” we knew he held the secrets to happiness in love. The Pharcyde later caught up with the Count of Romance himself, and he offered to share with us some of his most successful pick-up lines. We’re happy to share them with the entire community.

When your grade in trigonometry brings all the girls to the yard: “If you were a triangle, you’d be acute one!”

When you’re sportimg a new polo on dress down day and your special someone catches your eye: “Go ahead, feel my shirt. It’s made of boyfriend material!”

When you’re the head of the math department and need to resort to a more calculted approach to a date: “I’m a mathematician, so I’m pretty good with numbers. Tell you what, give me yours and watch what I can do with it.”

Antony and Cleopatra Antony and Cleopatra Bassanio and Portia The Merchant of Venice Oberon and Titania A Midsummer’s Night Dream

Romeo and Juliet Romeo and Juliet Hamlet and Ophelia Hamlet

Bowling is a fun game to play on a date. This does take some skill, so make sure that you have a legit chance of winning before planning this activity. Besides, who doesn’t like a little competition?

Mini golf is a fun and relaxing game to play on date. It takes mostly luck and not a whole lot of skill, making it a great way to compete against one another without things getting too excessive (hopefully).

Bowlero (https://www.bowlero.com/location/bowlero-jupiter)

Lighthouse Cove (https://www.lighthousecoveminigolf.com)

The Macbeths Macbeth

O Othello and Desdemona Othello

Ice skating- Being in Florida, ice-skating is a relaxing way to cool off and show off some awesome tricks to each other. But just like bowling, make sure you won’t make yourself look like a fool before planning this activity.

The beach is a classic, fun way to just hang out with your special someone. Whether it’s volleyball, building sand castles, or tanning in the sun, you can never go wrong at the beach.

The movies can be a relaxing and enjoyable option for a date.

Finding a good film and eating some buttery popcorn is the perfect way to spend some quality time with your special someone.

Petruchio and Katherine The Taming of the Shrew

Palm Beach Ice Works (https://pbiw.rsportz.com/)

Juno Beach (https://www.juno-beach.fl.us)

Cinepolis (https://cinepolisusa.com/locations) CMX at Downtown at the Gardens: (https://cmxcinemas.com/)

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The Pharcyde

14 February 2022

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Lululemon: Stretchy Pants for Upper School Yearbook: A Real Treasure the Modern Teenage Dude Leah Klein and Joey Tomasetti Staff Writers

Leah Klein Staff Writer The athletic apparel company Lululemon has been retailing clothes for the past 22 years, but only now has their men’s line began increasing in popularity.

Lululemon was founded in 1988

by Chip Wilson in Vancouver, Canada. Wilson, who enjoyed snowboarding, skating, and surfing, attended his first yoga class, by which he was thrilled. He recognized the issue of cotton clothing which was unsuitable for such an activity, giving origin to why Lululemon’s first product was women’s yoga pants. Though some of Wilson’s comments may have been controversial, it is no doubt he made an impact on women’s fashion.

The company originally was a design and yoga studio which sold a limited amount of women’s yoga attire. The store became incredibly busy and popular, preventing meeting with customers to best suit their needs quite difficult. To solve this problem, the company started to quickly expand.

In addition to expanding store wise, Lululemon began to offer a larger variety of products as it grew.

The company began to retail clothing, which included tops, shorts, jackets, sweaters, yoga pants, and innerwear, as well as bags, water bottles, yoga mats, and hair accessories. Today, an even wider variety of products are available. To put it in perspective, in 2006, Lululemon produced a revenue of $84M, while in 2021, Lululemon produced a staggering revenue of $6.3B. In 2013, Lululemon made an appearance on the list of fastest growing companies by Fortune 500. However, it wasn’t until sixteen years after the company’s founding that a men’s line of clothes was finally created. It is no

surprise that the collection has done well.

Once Lululemon began retailing men’s clothing, their yearly revenue significantly increased the year it was released. The year prior to its release, Lululemon’s annual revenue was $1.4B. The year of its release, 2014, produced an annual revenue of $1.6B. From here, it rapidly grew to producing billions of dollars each year today.

The brand became publicly traded in July, 2007. As an exhibition of its growth since the men’s collection was first launched in stores in 2014, a small peak appeared in the stock; being traded at $70. The stock truly started to quickly rise in 2018.

“For years, men have flocked to brands like Adidas, Nike, and Under Armour for their workout gear.

At least, until Lululemon came onto the scene. These days Lululemon is one of the most sought-after activewear brands for men. Why? Because of their high-quality products, legendary comfort and stylish designs.

You can wear a pair of Lululemon joggers while you run your errands without feeling underdressed. In fact, you might even earn a few compliments,” comments Spy on one of Lululemon’s men’s items.

Today, Lululemon’s variety of men’s products include joggers, shirts, coats and jackets, hoodies, sweatshirts, pants shorts, socks, swim trunks, tank tops, trousers, underwear, bags, gloves, mittens, hats, water bottles, yoga accessories, and the list goes on.

With Lululemon constantly dropping new products that sell out within days or weeks, it is no doubt that the popularity of the men’s collection, and the brand itself, will continue to grow.

The Benjamin Upper School has many classes as part of its academic curriculum. One such class that has been a part of Benjamin for years is Print Publications, which produces the yearbook. The class never ceases to amaze students and faculty with its hard work.

The Print Publications class and its leader, Mrs. Kristen Hewitt, work diligently to produce the annual upper school yearbook, Treasures. The book chronicles the moments, events, and remarkable student achievements that shape the year.

Lauren Straub, a senior editor on the yearbook staff, identified some of the many reasons she finds the class enjoyable: meeting and conversing with other students as well as being able to capture the school year in a book.

“My favorite part of the class is really just getting to document the school year as a whole so we are all able to look back on it years from now and remember high school. I also love that it allows me to speak to most of the students in the school through interviews that I otherwise would not have gotten the chance to.

Another thing I like is that the class works just like an actual job would with us all working together and documenting the year,” Straub said.

Senior Caelan Brindise points out that her research enlightens her to different school activities and allows her to talk to interesting individuals.

“My favorite part of the class is finding out more about the different activities going on in the school and gathering the unique stories about my peers that other people may not know about,” says Brindise. It is a good way to become more involved and to be in touch with the school and all of its happenings,” Brindise said.

“I would definitely recommend

taking yearbook for many reasons.

Mrs. Hewitt is a great, understanding teacher who helps each and every student to the best of her ability. Yearbook is such a fun class that allows you to use your creativity to make amazing designs and share your work with the whole school,” said senior Ella Hayes.

Brindise explains her favorite parts of the class is that it gives her the opportunity to express her creativity.

“I think my favorite part of yearbook is probably the creative freedom. It is really cool to be able to create something and be able to share it with the entire school,” said Brindise.

Though she loves the class, Hayes does explain that it is not necessarily easy. Yearbook staff sends out survey emails often for students to fill out for yearbook content, but getting responses can be a difficult task. It is almost unanimous that this is the hardest part of the class; getting students engaged.

“The most difficult part of working on the yearbook is getting participation from the students not in the yearbook. Some students are reluctant to answer our emails or do interviews which makes our jobs a lot harder at getting the right information on each spread and trying to include every single student in the school,” said Straub.

Sophomore Bryn Feldman and senior Olivia Beam agree on the topic, proving it to be true that the majority of the class finds this to be the hardest task.

“The most difficult part of yearbook is by far getting people to respond to emails. Whether it is student or faculty its hard to know whether people are getting your emails if they dont acknowledge them. A majority of yearbook’s spreads are dependent on the input from students and faculty and only a very small majority of people at school actually read and re-

spond to their emails,” says Feldman.

“The most difficult part of working on the yearbook is the lack of response from the student body,” said Beam.

Straub describes what exactly the class entails, and how the work is completed.

“During class we work on our spread assignments, which are the pages for the yearbook. We are able to work on them in and out of class, but in class, we take the time to peer review and help each other with our spreads,” said Straub.

“I usually work on my spread or help someone else with their spread,” says Brindise.

Print Publications class is a wonderful opportunity to get to know and bond with other students in the class, learn more about school events and activities, improve writing skills, and interact with other students in the Benjamin community to learn more about what’s interesting in their life.

The class requires dedication and passion, but is able to express student’s interests and creativity in doing so. If you’re interested in joining next year, please see Mrs. Hewitt to discuss the opportunities that await.

Print Productions instructor, Mrs. Kristen Hewitt, collaborates with sophomore yearbook staff member, Zoey Cooper about her page design. Students in the class produce Treasures, our yearbook. The class is a full-year course in the arts and innovation department and is open to students in all grade levels.

(Photo by Leah Klein)

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ART

First Semester

7

5

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All the artwork shown was created as part of a first semester course in the fine arts department under the guidance of faculty members Ms. Melissa Ford, Ms. Sierra Clark, and Ms. Caroline Duran.

1. Ella Hayes, ‘22; 2. Mei Visconti, ‘23; 3. Lily Valentini, ‘22; 4. Elena McDonough, ‘24; 5. Ava Larrabee, ‘25; 6. Rachel Petrelli, ‘25; 7. Talia Miller, ‘24; 8. Brooke Queen, ‘23; 9. Maggie Smith, ‘24; 10. Rachael Rotter, ‘25; 11. Teresa Toung, ‘22; 12. Chris Smith, ‘23

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The Pharcyde

14 February 2022

Date Night Picks: Classic Flix for Popcorn Sharing Shea O’Donoghue Staff Writer

All classic romance or Valentine’s Day movies are filled to the brim with tropes, and they can often feel repetitive. However, one such trope that is always interesting and hilarious is the story of individuals going from friends to valentines. This motif has been explored by couples from several classic movies and TV shows.

The ones that often come to mind are: Hermione and Ron in the Harry Potter series, Monica and Chandler in Friends, and even Simba and Nala in The Lion King.

However, the best movies to watch this Valentine’s day--regardless of whether you are single or not-are 13 Going on 30 and When Harry Met Sally.

In 13 Going on 30, Jenna Rink, a 13-year-old middle school student, wishes to be “30, flirty, and thriving,” but when her wish goes awry she instantly becomes 30 and sees that being an adult can be tougher than she expected.

Her childhood best friend Matt Flamhaff--whom she had previously overlooked--reappears in her life when she has no one to go to and is

in need of a confidant. Over time, this childhood friendship blossoms into a budding romance that you can’t help but root for from start to finish.

13 Going On 30 has a star-studded cast, including the incredibly likable Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo. This 2004 romantic comedy is the perfect Valentine’s Day watch (it also pairs nicely with a box of chocolates if you’re setting up a date for your significant other!).

Junior Madelyn Popilek loves 13 Going on 30 because “it also explores the struggles of both teen and adult life and shows how the grass always looks greener on the other side.”

Moreover, journalist Ishani Nath from Fashion magazine also writes: “It’s trendy right now to rewatch classic rom-coms and critique them by today’s standards to see if they ‘hold up.’ To me, the magic of 13 Going on 30 is as real as that day I stumbled across the set in New York City, even though my takeaway has changed.”

Another must-watch this Valentine’s Day is Rob Reiner’s classic romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally. In fact, the movie is so good that Marie Claire magazine voted it the best romantic comedy of all time in 2021 stating: “Rom-com queen

Meg Ryan goes toe-to-toe with Billy Crystal in a story about an 11-year friendship between two friends who (hilariously) try to keep the line between friends and lovers separate.

Nora Ephron’s immaculate screenplay is poetry.”

This love story follows Meg Ryan’s Sally Albright and Billy Crystal’s Harry Burns as they first meet after having recently graduated college. The two keep bumping into each other and eventually become friends. Harry and Sally’s hilarious friendship will keep you laughing throughout and begging for them to finally get together. Throughout the movie, elderly married couples interject their sweet love stories to provide an undertone and theme of successful marriages and love that flows throughout the movie. However, its juxtaposition between new, budding love and divorce and breakups makes it a story for the ages. All in all, it’s a fun, lovely, and hilarious watch.

Valentine’s Day movies offer not only entertainment for oneself, but as a time to embrace others, it gives the opportunity to sit back, relax, and enjoy a movie with loved ones.

Miller’s Ale House Review: Just A Duffy’s With Some Zing?

Evan Liberman Managing Editor Another location of the national chain Ale House opened this past fall in the equally new Alton Town Center. The American style eatery joined other chain restaurants in the plaza such as Chipotle and Panera in addition to more niche restaurants such as The Kitchen.

To put Ale House to the test, I, along with roughly eight other Benjamin students, decided to visit the establishment in mid-December after the final midterm exam of my Benjamin career as a sort of celebration.

Unfortunately, my experience with Ale House did not live up to the images of good food and hospitality that I had conjured up in the days leading up to my visit.

Upon entering Ale House, I was pleasantly surprised. The 6,300 square foot restaurant looked like a typical, slightly more modern sports bar without the inherent grimy feeling that comes from most other sports bars. The setting was bright, airy and even boasted a semi-outdoor bar and seating area in addition to the indoor one.

However, this was where the pleasant surprises stopped. My group was told that we would have to wait until a table could be cleared so that two could be pushed together to accomodate our group. Normally, the time it takes to be seated and the busyness of the restaurant is not the establishment’s fault--as busy as it gets is as busy as it gets, especially if my group had the chance to make a reservation. The problem is that we weren’t.

When we called ahead of our visit, we were told that the restaurant “infrastructure” was there to seat eight or nine comfortably. And, while this was true to some extent, Ale House’s policy of not taking reservations (opting for a “walk-in only” policy instead) meant that we had to wait over an hour to be seated.

Perhaps the ability to book reservations for parties of a particular size

Miller’s Ale House recently opened in Alton and has become a popular place for students to eat. However, it has proven to not be the best quality.

(Photo by Evan Liberman)

might alleviate this issue for future restaurant goers.

Junior Charlie Spungin, who was a part of the Ale House group, was annoyed by the long wait.

“I feel like it took too long to be seated at Ale House. Waiting for one hour seemed excessive. I feel like the staff could have provided us with updates about our table or seating rather than having us just wait there for an hour,” Spungin said.

Once seated, our waiter introduced himself and was friendly and attentive throughout the course of the meal; he never missed a beat and seemed always to be nearby. He was certainly a bright spot.

Unfortunately, our wait for food was far from over. Although the restaurant wasn’t very busy, our food took at least 35-45 minutes to arrive. It felt like much longer after our previous ordeal. I’ll attribute this mistake to restaurant growing pains. After all, it does take time for a restaurant’s staff--both those working at the front and back of the house--to get in the swing of things When the food did arrive, it was mediocre. My “‘Cue Bacon Cheesburger” was good and filled to the brim with onion rings, bacon, and a tangy barbecue sauce--all of which I enjoyed thoroughly. However its flavor was drowned out by the quintes-

sential burger paring: the fries. They were quite salty to the point that they were unpleasant to eat.

Upon further investigation, Carl, a manager at the Alton Ale House, noted that that the fries are prepared

by Cheney Brothers, Inc--a food distributing company based in Riviera Beach. However, he added that they are preparing an Ale House recipe and shipping it frozen to locations in the area, so perhaps not all the blame (if any) can fall on the employees of the restaurant for my fries. A modification of the fries recipe might be in order, though.

Regardless of who is to blame for the fries, senior Tvisha Goel, who was also a part of the group, was not impressed by the food either.

“The food was okay. I ordered a salmon salad, but I don’t think it was worth the trip or the time it took to get my food. I liked the fact that the salmon went well with the caesar dressing,” said Goel.

All in all, Ale House was underwhelming in almost all respects. If you’re fine with lunch or dinner taking longer than usual and the mystery behind not knowing the quality of the food you’ll be served, Ale House is the place for you. For anyone else, however, for the time being, save your money and allow the restaurant to iron out its kinks.

The Pharcyde

14 February 2022

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Boys’ Soccer Team Nets Postseason Wins Tvisha Goel Co-Editor-in-Chief

Movie Theaters Starting to Welcome Back Crowds Charlie Spungin Copy Editor

The movie theater industry saw an incredible decline following the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly all theaters shut down amid various studios delaying their films so that they could get an audience and earn profit for their films. The re-opening process for cinemas was slow, but they are steadily getting their business back.

When the pandemic originally broke out in Palm Beach County in March 2020, Cinépolis closed its local Jupiter theater. They remained closed until August of that same year, and upon reopening, business was slower with people still having the fear of contracting the virus and with multiple movies being delayed, according to Cinépolis manager Karalynn Baker. Once studios stopped delaying their films, business began to return to the theater.

“Once the studios started to release the movies, a lot of people started coming. We’re picking back up again,” Baker said.

Cinépolis refers to itself as a “restaurant that shows movies,” per Baker. As a result, when it opened its doors once more in Aug. 2020, masks were not required for the moviegoers so that they could eat their food.

However, social distancing was practiced with spaces in between seats for the next 13 months until the policy’s practice was ultimately halted in Sep. 2021. To this day, employees are still required to wear masks.

According to Baker, the omicron variant’s surge in late Dec. 2021 and early Jan. 2022 did not impact business. The theater still saw success, partially credited to the release of Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Over the Dec. 17-19, 2021 weekend, Spider-Man: No Way Home made its theatrical debut, grossing $260M domestically. This was the highest grossing domestic opening weekend since the pandemic. As of Feb. 3, Spider-Man: No Way Home grossed $1.7B worldwide and $739M domestically.

Throughout the pandemic, Marvel dominated the box office. In 2021, the top four grossing domestic films were all Marvel movies. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, and Black Widow trailed Spider-Man: No Way Home.

One effect of the pandemic on the movie theater industry is that studios have been releasing their films on various platforms like HBO Max or Disney+ in addition to offering the in-theater experience. Black Widow released both in theaters and on Disney+ with Premier Access in July 2021. However, some prefer the movie-going experience compared to the release on streaming services.

“I prefer watching movies in the movie theater rather than online streaming services because the movie theater has a unique atmosphere where you feel like there’s a bunch of people bonded together for having a passion for the movie,” junior Darian Salehi said. “In Spider-Man: No Way Home, you can tell everyone was super excited about it, and everyone went crazy when Andrew [Garfield] showed up.”

It seems as if cinemas are slowly returning to the lives of many, as both the moviegoers and theaters seem to be excited for the industry’s resurgence following nearly two years.

The boys’ varsity soccer regional quarterfinals game took place on Feb. 9 on the Theofilos field. The boys soccer team will be advancing to the regional semifinals on Feb. 12 for the first time in six years.

Benjamin’s boys’ varsity soccer squad won 4-1 against King’s Academy. The boys’ soccer expresses its excitement as they approach the semifinals, having been a very long time since reaching this point in the postseason.

Senior Gavin Coleman, a defender for the team, said, “Obviously huge. I mean, we've been working on this for years. We've lost every time in the semi finals so this is really big for the team and it's really big for [senior Max Gelinas] who is sitting there watching and cheering us on.”

The four goals scored were scored by freshman Ford Cash, junior Luke Egizio, senior Jake Zur, and senior Gavin Coleman, respectively.

Zur, who plays midfield, said, “It

Seniors Marco Chojnaki and Cooper Dunkin teamed up to provide a defensive barrier to a speedy attacker during the regional quarterfinals game against King’s Academy.

(Photo by Tvisha Goel)

feels really great to win quarterfinals.

You know, we haven't won in a while.

This is our first year getting past the district semi finals and now we are in the regional semi finals, so it feels pretty good. I also scored the third goal of the game and that felt pretty awesome especially because it was my first goal of the season.”

Senior Marco Chojnacki played attacking midfield in the quarter finals. He said, “So I would say that after every year, the past three years, we would say, Okay, our senior year, we're gonna have this like in the bag, like we can do this. And now it being our senior year, and being able to actually go through and now when our quarter regionals That's a great feeling. And I kind of do with our team, we have I think, like, eight starting seven starting seniors. So I feel like it really all just came together the way we wanted to.”

Additionally, Chojnacki is up for nomination for Athlete of the Week awarded by the Palm Beach Post.

Chojnacki, nicknamed “Choj” by his team members, makes it a point to stay humble despite being considered for such a memorable award. When asked about how winning this game influences his likelihood of winning the award against other athletes, he said, “I would say that I don't like to think about that. The guys, they like to joke about it. And I think that funny and all but I know that when it comes to the game that doesn't really matter. Kings came out and they played a really strong first half. They didn't care about player of the week, so I had to make sure that I went on not caring about it either.”

District Champion

Senior wrestler Teresa Tuong, who dominated opponents all season

long, continued to impress last week as she earned a district championship in wrestling.

Congratulations Teresa, Coach German, and all of our wrestlers on another successful, inspiring season.

Boys’ Basketball Team Finds Playoff Success in First Round of Districts

The girls’ varsity basketball team took home another district championship earlier this month. Their Feb. 4 win continues to show the determination, skill, and pride the group has won with all season long.

(Photo courtesy of the Athletic department)

The FHSAA holds an annual competition for the Sunshine Spirit Showdown Award.

With COVID-19 rates decreasing, people have been going back to movie theaters. Cinepolis is a favorite theater among students because of the high-end experience it offers, including the opportunity to order food directly from your seats. Of note, too, is that the area’s other major movie theater changed ownership recently. The Cobb theatres at Downtown at the Gardens was taken over by the regional theater chain, CMX Cinemas. The new owners are working hard to upgrade the theaters, with half of the cinemas currently closed because they are under renovation. Nonetheless, with their continuance of $5 Tuesdays and other special pricing levels, the theater continues to draw crowds.

(Photo by Charlie Spungin).

The boys’ varsity soccer squad celebrated their district championship on Feb. 3. The team followed up with a decisive 4-1 win against King’s Academy in the regional quarterfinals on Feb. 9. The Bucs faced West Shore in the regional semi-finals on Saturday, who defeated Lake Placid 2-1 in the regional quarterfinals. The Bucs carried momentum into this game following their crushing victory over King’s, as they have had their best season in years.

(Photo courtesy of the Athletic department)

When junior, Madelyn Popilek, joined the FHSAA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, she knew that Benjamin had a shot at this award.

In order to be considered for this, Popilek created and submitted a video highlighting why we are the best!

Vote for the Bucs before the voting period ends on Feb. 21st!

To vote, visit https://form.jotform.com/210394641048049

Joey Tomassetti Staff Writer On Wednesday, Benjamin and Inlet Grove played in the first round of the 4A District games. Benjamin, the number one seed in the bracket, annihilated Inlet Grove 84-45.

Center Gavin Aydelotte had 18 points, and guards Darrell Sweeting and Sanjae Moncrieff had 13 points each. Benjamin advances to the District Final on Friday vs. Jupiter Christian.

Benjamin started off the game 19-0, and from there, they never looked back. They hit multiple threes in the first quarter to ultimately end the quarter with a 32-12 lead. Then, in the second quarter, it was more of the same; the Bucs continued to drain threes and score a lot of fastbreak points.

Benjamin excels in running the break, which is where most of their points are scored. Besides shooting great from three tonight, Benjamin is usually very reliant on their paint game with many slashers and inside scorers on the team.

Ultimately, Benjamin was up 5322 at the half. In order to get a running clock for the rest of the game, a team must be up by 35 points. Benjamin made sure that happened early on in the third quarter to end the game quicker. The starters played for the first six minutes of the quarter, and then the younger players were able to come in and give the starters some rest for the upcoming District Finals game.

Then, the fourth quarter was basically an extension of the third quarter, as the Bucs continued to pass the ball extremely well and shoot the ball the best they have all season.

Team captain and senior Mark Cueto was happy with the way the

Bucs played.

“I thought we played really well.

We were the higher seed and took care of business against Inlet Grove.

I saw some great passing and the defense was really solid for most of the game,” says Cueto.

The team is having its best individual campaign in nearly a decade, as they have the opportunity to win their first district title in eight years.

This gives the team something to truly battle for in Friday’s game.

“We haven’t won the District Championship in eight years so I’m excited to end that streak on Friday.

I also really want to win it for coach since I’ve known him since eighth grade and I know how much it will mean to him,” says Cueto.

Cueto is also impressed with the team’s chemistry compared to last year.

“I think one of the reasons we’re playing better than we did last year is because of our chemistry. We’ve

been bonding with each other all year and all view each other as a family.

By hanging out on weekends, for example, we become more than just a teammate to each other,” says Cueto.

However, Cueto realizes that the team is not perfect; he acknowledges that there are ways for the team to improve. One of these ways is certainly to have a strong mindset.

“One thing that I think we can improve on is not letting bad plays and losses get in our heads. We have to have the sort of mentality where we can move on from our mistakes. I feel like sometimes when the game isn’t going our way we let ourselves get down and that affects how we play,” says Cueto.

As can be seen from this game tonight, Benjamin is a very good team that plays well with each other. They have a legitimate chance to go all the way and bring another championship home for the Bucs.

Fans filled the bleachers during the Buc’s opening round match up against Inlet Grove on Feb. 10. The boys’ varsity squad won the game handily, though are not easing up on their preparation for their upcoming games as they look towards a long post-season.

(Photo courtesy of the Athletic department)

Page 14

The Pharcyde

14 February 2022

Super Bowl LVI Preview: Home Team Set Olympic Viewing Guide to Lock Horns with Midwest Predator The Finals You Cannot Miss Charlie Spungin Copy Editor On Sunday, Feb. 13, Super Bowl LVI is set to take place between the Cincinnati Bengals, the AFC Champions, and the Los Angeles Rams, the NFC Champions in Sofi Stadium.

The Bengals’ underdog season continued in the playoffs. Entering the season, many saw the team as one of the worst teams in the AFC and certainly the worst in the AFC North. However, they have overcome the odds and found themselves in the Super Bowl.

Entering the playoffs, the Bengals had not won a playoff game since 1990 and their last super bowl appearance was 1988. The team’s offensive firepower has been the catalyst for this. Joe Burrow has solidified himself as an elite quarterback in the league. Running back Joe Mixon stayed healthy the entire year after playing merely six games last year en route to his first Pro Bowl season.

Ja’Marr Chase has had one of the best rookie wide receiver seasons in NFL history with over 1,450 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns. His connection with Burrow was a catalyst for the team’s success. Tee Higgins also exceeded 1,000 yards, and their slot receiver Tyler Boyd reached the 800 yard mark.

Their team’s average defense has been enough to keep the team afloat.

Edge rusher Trey Hendrickson had his first Pro Bowl season in his first season with the Bengals after having 14 sacks in the regular season. Safety Jessie Bates III is one of the league’s best safeties as well.

In the Wild Card game, the Bengals defeated the Las Vegas Raiders 26-19. Then, they beat the Tennessee Titans 19-16 with a walkoff game winner from kicker Evan McPherson.

Lastly, in the AFC Championship, the

Bengals beat the Kansas City Chiefs 27-24 with yet another McPherson game winner, this one in overtime after overcoming an 18 point deficit.

The Rams had hype coming into the season with their acquisition of Matthew Stafford in the offseason.

With an elite quarterback, people envisioned the Rams to be legitimate contenders with their elite defense.

Despite some rough patches throughout the year, the Rams have found their way to home field advantage in the Super Bowl. They are the second team to ever have this after last year’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Rams most recently made the Super Bowl in 2018 with Jared Goff at the helm rather than Stafford. They came short, falling to the Patriots 103. The team’s offense elevated to elite status this year with Stafford throwing 41 passing touchdowns and Cooper Kupp winning the triple crown with 145 receptions, 1947 receiving yards, and 16 touchdowns. Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. added an element to the Rams offense following wide receiver Robert Woods’ ACL tear.

The Rams defense was not the league’s #1 defense that it was last year. This year, they were statistical-

ly average. However, the team has absolutely elite playmakers. Interior defensive lineman Aaron Donald is arguably the league’s best player, terrorizing interior offensive lineman every Sunday. Jalen Ramsey is arguably the league’s premiere lockdown cornerback.

They destroyed the Cardinals in the Wild Card round 34-11. Then, they nearly blew a 24 point lead to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Ultimately, they held on to win 30-27 with a walkoff game winner from kicker Matt Gay. Then, they finally got the best of the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship 20-17.

In all major sportsbooks, the Rams are considered to be light favorites over the Bengals, thus potentially continuing the Bengals’ underdog story. Either of the two quarterbacks Stafford or Burrow will win their first Super Bowl. Chase and Ramsey should be an elite wide receiver vs. cornerback matchup. The Rams elite pass rush will look to tear apart the Bengals’ weak offensive line despite holding up against the Chiefs. The storylines are all set for an incredible Sunday night.

The quarterfinals for the girls varsity soccer team took place on Feb. 8, with Benjamin taking on another win.

The soccer team scored one goal within the first 30 minutes of the start of the first quarter, and remained that way for a majority of the game.

The team was able to hold a 1-0 score for a majority of the game much thanks to the defense, consisting of senior Reagan Rodriguez, freshman Sam Woods, junior Maddie Popilek, and junior Cameryn Grissman.

Fans in the stands had some input of their own throughout the game.

Senior Kate Small, there to watch her two friends, Rodriguez and senior Lily Valentini, used to play on the JV girls soccer team in the fall.

She said, “The defense is playing really well. They are rushing to the ball and getting out really fast, so I’d say it’s pretty good.”

Senior Sydney Steinger, also there to support her friends on the varsity team chimed in, saying, “I think [Rogriguez] is doing really well on defense.”

An important game such as the quarterfinals is often accompanied by nerves, which Popilek admitted affected the game in the beginning.

“I think at the beginning of the game, we were a little bit nervous, and so we weren't connecting well. And so then towards the end, I think we finally got our ground and we were able to pass well and eventually connected together on the field,” she said.

Sophomore Lily White, who plays right forward, also said, “We've

Figure Skating: Ice Dance Women’s Aerials & Women’s Freeski Slopestyle

Tuesday, Feb. 15

Women’s Downhill Skiing Bobsleigh: 2-man Men’s Freeski Slopestyle Men’s & Women’s Snowboard Big Air

14 February 2022

Page 15

Boys’ Basketball Crossing Over To Best Season In Years Catherine Civitella Staff Writer The 2022 boys’ basketball teams’ season is well underway with a current 13-5 record. With team leaders such as senior Mark Cueto, junior Carter Smith, and junior Gavin Aydelotte, they have come together on and off the court.

Their season has been hindered by injuries and COVID-19 problems, but the team has prevailed and come back stronger. Smith had an injured ankle for the beginning of the season. Being a starter, this affected the team in a serious way. While Smith was out over winter break, Cueto, another starter, was diagnosed with COVID-19. With two main players out, a big game against Wellington was a fearful sight. Smith showed up to support the team to keep spirits high.

Juniors Micah Mays and Nico Frezin stepped up and exceeded all expectations placed on them, only losing by one at a buzzer-beater shot.

Despite the loss, it grew the team more than they thought they could ever grow. Once Smith and Cueto returned, they had a successful few wins with many difficult games ahead of them.

A team is centered upon its leaders, and while the mens’ basketball

team has many mature players, Cueto is the sole senior. Cueto has done everything he can do to always be a supportive, welcoming, and strong teammate. Cueto has based the way he behaves as a team leader off of his freshman year.

“My favorite year was probably my freshman year because it was a new school, and I didn’t know many people, and the seniors took me in as if I was family. Leaders like Ben Lubarsky, Lowell Carr, and Kaiir Elam were a great group of guys to grow up under.”

According to Cueto, they taught him how to be the leader he is today.

He believes that it’s not only about proving yourself on the court, it’s about the personal relationships that are formed off of the court. Cueto expresses the mutual respect that his seniors showed him and how that’s what he “tries to help them on and off the court, creating a personal relationship so that they know they have a support system behind them.”

Smith overcame his broken ankle that occurred on Dec. 28. He missed many big games that he wish he had the opportunity to play in, including against Wellington and Jupiter. Despite missing these games, he saw his teammates come together and rise to

Sophomore Christian Balisteri prepares to make a pass to a teammate and successfully moves the ball past the defender.

(Photo by Erika Sousa)

the occasion, which he was inspired by. Smith believes that “the people who didn’t play as much earlier in the season stepped up while playing the number two team in the state in the 3A district. Even though we lost, the team chemistry that I saw from the sidelines was amazing and I really hope we carry that into other important games”. According to Smith, “the team chemistry is a lot better than last year directly resulting in our better record.”

Junior Sanjae Moncrieffe, junior Darrell Sweeting, and Aydelotte have also been large contributors to welcoming the younger boys. Sophomore Christian Balistreri is playing his first full year on the Varsity team.

He has described the team leaders as “welcoming, and never singling me out because I was younger”. In previous years, Balistereri heard of controversy among the players, but this year being on the team, he has seen for himself the truth behind the rumors. “The team chemistry is really good, because of the new group of people. We all like playing with each other, and we understand each other’s individual games”. Balistreri has realized that part of the team’s chemistry comes from the desire to win.

“There was a revolutionary moment for me where I saw two of our

Junior Darell Sweeting goes for a dunk. Sweeting has been an integral part to the team’s success this year.

(Photo by Erika Sousa)

players arguing because of the last few plays. Seeing them take a breath and talk it out showed me how understanding and open this team really is”. While watching the team chemistry fizzle together mid-game, Balistreri believes he has a good base for the future and hopes to carry on the legacy that his teammates will leave behind.

The Benjamin School hopes that the boys’ basketball team stays healthy and happy. With great team chemistry, raw talent, and connection, the team has unlimited potential.

With New Fitness Center Ruggie, Wendler, Peruggia, Mays Take Home Set to Open Next Week, Pharcyde Phantasy Phootball Championships Anticipation is Rising Joey Tomassetti Staff Writer

Wednesday, Feb. 16

Girls Soccer Wins Regional Quarterfinals; Sets Sights on a Semifinals Victory Tvisha Goel Co-Editor-in-Chief

Monday, Feb. 14

The Pharcyde

just really started to play as a team, and it's really fun to play and watch.”

High expectations were set for the girls soccer team after winning district finals against Oxbridge for the first time in 5 years last year, which was followed by the girls getting to the regional semifinals. The girls will once again enter the semifinals for regionals, hoping to progress on to the regional finals.

Previous games always shine on areas of improvement for the future games. Popilek said that today showed her that she thinks the team should work together to improve on “connecting passes better as well as finishing shots since the team has a

lot of shots on frame, but they just don’t go in.”

Nonetheless, this is a big win for the girls varsity soccer team, especially for the seniors of the team.

Senior Lily Valentini said, “Being a senior this season and being fortunate enough to make it this far means so much. The team has some of the best chemistry I have ever seen, and it makes it so fun to show up and win.”

The girls soccer team has the Benjamin community’s best wishes for their upcoming game in the regional semifinals, wishing them all the best on the field, in their feet, and none in their hands.

Women's Ice Hockey Bronze Medal Match Men’s Slalom Skiing

Thursday, Feb. 17

Freestyle Skiing Women’s Ski Cross Figure Skating: Women Single Skating Women’s Ice Hockey Gold Medal Match

Friday, Feb. 18

Women’s 30km Mass Start Cross Country Skiing

Saturday, Feb. 19

Men’s 50km Mass Start Cross Country Skiing Bobsleigh: 2-women Men’s & Women’s Curling Gold Medal Matches Figure Skating: Pair Skating Men’s Hockey

The girls’ soccer team celebrated their district championship win over Oxbridge Academy on Feb. 2. Less than a week later, the team followed up with a 2-0 win in the regional quarterfinals on Feb. 8.

(Photo courtesy of the Athletic Department)

After about three months of construction, the brand new fitness center is nearing completion. In an update sent out by Head Athletic Director Mr. Ryan Smith, the fitness center is slated to be open by the week of Feb. 21.

“The new fitness center is looking outstanding, and for the most part, is staying on time for completion,” says Mr. Smith.

When asked about the purpose of the fitness center upgrades, Mr. Smith explained how it was due for a change because of its increase in usage.

“The old weight room had equipment from when we first opened campus 18 years ago. Obviously, that is a long time as many things have changed in terms of fitness training and strength and conditioning,” says Mr. Smith.

“In addition, we have seen increased demand in the use of the room by our students and faculty and staff. Therefore, we needed to expand the footprint to add additional space.

The new equipment will provide more oppotrtunities for all, and the added space will allow more to train at the same time, especially during peak hours,” adds Mr. Smith.

Some important additions to the fitness center include new equipment, a new floor, and Benjamin logos on all the equipment.

“The new fitness center will now have treadmills, elliptical machines, stationary bikes, a rowing machine, stair stepper, power racks, multipurpose training machine, new and more dumbbells. All the bars and plates will be brand new, and the plates will be branded with Benjamin logos. The floor is being replaced as well as new paint,” says Mr. Smith.

“Once we move into the new center we will look into potentially adding additional equipment along with added branding to the walls and windows. The biggest change from the old to new is that the room will increase in space by about 60%, and we will have all new modernized equipment,” adds Mr. Smith.

Although the fitness center has been under construction since early November, it should be ready for use by the beginning of lacrosse season and spring football.

One interesting note mentioned

by Mr. Smith is how faculty and staff are starting to use the fitness center more. This is another reason why the expansion of the fitness center was such a necessity, as more people can be working out at the same time without running into any issues of being too close to one another.

Everyone at the Upper School is looking forward to using the new fitness center, whether it is during school or after. Now, all we can do is anticipate the opening of the new fitness center and the new features that will come with it.

Sunday, Feb. 20

Closing Ceremony

Benjamin has been working on the expansion of the fitness center, which has been used by students and faculty alike over the past few years. The reopening of the fitness center is expected to take place on Feb. 21.

Pump Up the Jam: Music’s Impact on Performance Joey Tomassetti Staff Writer Before a big game in sports, everyone has their own way of getting pumped up. For most people, listening to music is a favorite strategy.

Sometimes, even raising the volume of the music that you are listening to can make you run faster or play harder.

In an article written by PBS, author Costas Karageorghis, who wrote the book Applying Music in Exercise and Sport, was asked about music’s effect on the brain.

“When the brain is listening to music, it lights up like a Christmas tree,” said Karageorghis. “It’s an ideal stimuli because it reaches parts of the brain that cannot be easily reached.”

Listening to music unlocks several major brain areas at once, according to his research. Some of these areas are the parietal lobe, which contains the motor cortex, the occipital lobe, which is the brain’s center for rhythm and coordination, the temporal lobe, which regulates pitch and tone, and the frontal lobe and cerebel-

lum, which regulate emotion.

These brain areas are critical to athletic performance. It is in the temporal lobe that cortisol - a stress hormone - is released. Music helps alleviate stress by reducing the amount of cortisol in the brain. The parietal lobe regulates the body’s motor function, which determines how straight we can throw a football or how well we can coordinate our limbs while running or swimming. Essentially, it allows people to have rhythm while they work.

Karageorghis’s research has focused on how music regulates mood and helps us tune out distractions.

The key, he found, is to use music to tap into the brain’s section of dopamine and natural opioids, two naturally occurring chemicals that block our perceptions on fatigue and pain.

Karageorghis also explains how music can enhance mood and self-confidence.

“Based on my research, music can be like a performance-enhancing drug. It’s just that intoxicating,” he said.

For example, a happy, upbeat

song might send a positive message to the brain about performance, which might boost confidence as a result. Conversely, songs with sad messages can help curb excess adrenaline and bring our anxiety levels back to neutral, post-workout or competition.

Renya Gordon, a neuroscientist with the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, says it’s unusual for so many parts of the brain to act in unison.

Gordon’s research shows that music can also have a lasting effect on our emotions. When she exposed test subjects to sad music and then showed them a face expressing a certain emotion, the subjects were more likely to assume the face was frowning.

“Our brains want to make sense of the info coming in,” Gordon said.

“People are able to recognize emotion in music from very short excerpts.”

All in all, music does play a large role in the performance of athletes.

Whether it is upbeat and happy music or mellow and sad music, it impacts the brain of an athlete in some way or another.

PHLIPCYDE

the

Rigatoni alla Gin

Can you trace your way through your lover’s heart?

This Liporace family recipe serves 8.

Ingredients

1.5 pounds Rigatoni 1 medium onion 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 jar of Ragu Old World Style Spaghetti Sauce 15 ounces tomato sauce ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning 5 tablespoons butter 1 tablespoon fresh basil 2 ounces of diced prosciutto ¼ teaspoon white pepper 1 cup light cream 6 tablespoons of gin

Directions • • • •

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute onions and garlic until soft.

Add Ragu, tomato sauce, seasoning, basil, butter, prosciutto, and pepper to taste. Cook for 30 minutes and remove from heat.

Add cream and gin. Heat again and reduce to desired thickness (approximately 10-15 minutes). Let rest and serve with well drained rigatoni.

Nutrition per serving

557 calories 22g fat 13g protein 71g carbohydrates 3g dietary fiber 46mg cholesterol 515 mg sodium

The Movie Lover’s Game Identify the title of the popular romantic movies below by using each of the following clues.

1 - Went away with a breeze 2 - On vacation in a popular Italian city 3 - A pretty girl and a horrifying creature 4 - Daughter of a king, getting married 5 - Wisdom and discernment 6 - A tale told where the sun sets 7 - The Bard of Avon infatuated with another 8 - Mesmerized 9 - A spiral-bound place where people write 10 - A stroll you’ll never forget 11 - Speak whatever 12 - Gorgeous female 13 - The one who croons at the nuptials 14 - Awake in a Washington city 15 - An early morning meal at a diamond store 16 - A Brit in the hospital 17 - Getting vocal in precipitation 18 - Unclean waltzing 19 - Montague and Capulet 20 - Less than 5 five tied knots and 1 death

The Pharcyde’s Romantic Hit List

“Love is just a word until someone comes along and gives it meaning.” ~Paulo Coehlo