Pharcyde, 45.1

the

PHARCYDE

THE BENJAMIN SCHOOL NEWSPAPER

@thepharcyde_tbs

4875 Grandiflora Road, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418

10 November 2023

Lily of the

Caroline Groffman Chase Zur Associate Editors In the world of sports, versatility is a rare and extraordinary attribute; Benjamin senior Lily White embodies this in an extremely formidable way.

White is best known as the captain of the Benjamin Girls’ Soccer team, someone who has scored a total of sixty-four goals and assisted on twenty-four others over her career here. In addition to school soccer, she has played on four different club teams including Delray AC, Boynton Knights FC, Team Boca, and FC Prime. She has received the Sun Sentinel Soccer Player Of The Year award for the past two years and is committed to play Division I soccer at the University of Pennsylvania.

This year, White has decided to make history by becoming the first-ever female kicker on the varsity football team at Benjamin.

“With it being my last year at Benjamin, I thought that it would be fun to try something new before I graduated and a great thing to be a part of,” White expressed.

White’s remarkable athletic abilities caught the eye of the football coaching staff who have seen her potential for being

the next kicker.

“Well, I was her advisor

FIELD

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Volume 45

Issue 01

for the last three years and we lost our kicker last year who was a senior. So, I’ve basically been recruiting Lily for three years and she finally came out this year and we’re excited to have her.” exclaims Coach Eric Kresser.

While it is not necessarily expected for a star player to be a gracious teammate, Lily White exceeds expectations as she remains humble and positive. One member of White’s school soccer team, senior Zoe Cooper, shares a personal experience in which White’s compassion is displayed.

“Soccer is not my main sport and when I get playing time I don’t expect anything on the field. Once during a game, I remember I was playing and we were up by 3 against a weaker opponent. Lily had the ball and she could have easily dribbled on her own past their defense and scored, adding to her stats for the season. Instead, she chose to pass the ball to me which I ultimately lost. Lily, being who she is, was not mad at all, just happy to give one of her teammates the chance to have a shot on goal. She is a selfless player and wants the best for everyone on the team, not just for herself; although everyone already knows she is a really talented player, it should also be acknowledged that she is an amazing teammate,” Cooper said.

In soccer, White plays attacking midfield, a (continued on page 13)

NHS Inductions: Seven Seniors, Four Pillars Chase Zur Associate Editor

Swipe and Type Numeric Entry System Installed on US Campus Matt Marasco Senior Editor The Upper School is always looking for ways to enhance security on campus. Recently, new ID scanners have been installed with a keypad.

This keypad will soon be used to enter a PIN along with the student ID. Chief Technology Officer Mr. Russel Tepper believes that the addition of a pin will make it harder for someone who is not a student to get onto campus.

“For these most recent updates to our card readers, the goal is to make it harder for a bad actor to pick up an ID card and use it to access either campus. With the new readers, anyone who currently uses a card to unlock a door will also need to enter a PIN before the door will open. This small added security factor will greatly enhance our safety,” said Mr. Tepper.

Although the new scanners are already on campus, the switch to using pins has not been enacted yet but is supposed to come “soon.” The delay is due to the outside vendors who are key to finishing the project. Mr. Tepper sent out an email on Oct. 3rd asking for pin requests and going over

the details of the new scanners.

The requirements of the four-digit pins are “ Your PIN must be four digits long, it must not start with a zero, it must not contain only repeating numbers e.g., 1111, 2222, or 9999, and it must not contain only ascending or descending numbers e.g., 1234, 4567, or 9876,” said Mr. Tepper in his email.

According to Upper School Dean Mr. Kevin Jacobsen, for students who are late to class because they forgot their pin or ID, tardiness will be handled as any lateness would be, with students receiving detention if it becomes a common occurrence.

Although these new scanners come with an additional cost of around,$20,000, according to the School’s COO, Ms. Leslie Downes, funds raised during the Call from the Heart segment of last spring’s BASH were specifically targeted for security purposes.

The increased focus and spending on campus security comes as the northern Palm Beach region continues to face the effects of rising costs associated with living, including housing, inflation, and insurance.

On Thurs. Oct 5, six outstanding seniors were inducted into the Benjamin School’s chapter of the National Honor Society.

In order to receive an application form from the National Honor Society, one must have a cumulative GPA of 3.8 or higher. National Honor Society advisor, Ms. Sara Misselhorn, coordinates the process to select inductees each semester.

“Students are evaluated in regards to each pillar of NHS - character, scholarship, service and leadership. Applicants must submit an informational packet for the five member Faculty Council to read, they then are interviewed by two NHS officers, and Upper School teachers and coaches submit input on behalf of the students they know. The NHS Faculty Council makes its selections based upon all of these factors,” Misselhorn explained.

“It really showed me to never give up on anything I put my mind to Jacob Heilpern To begin this fall’s induction ceremony, Head of School Mr. David Faus addressed the students, faculty, and parents emphasizing the significance of the Society and the achievement of induction. He then handed the microphone off to Head of Upper School Mr. Fletcher Carr who gave a brief history about the society and spoke about the importance of recognizing academic accomplishments.

“The National Honor Society is a very unique organization because it truly celebrates people for both their academics and also their service and

Senior inductees Mary Nicoletta, Cameron Bitove, Joshua Luiz, Finlay Allen, Jacob Heilpern, Elizabeth Trueblood, and Matthew Marasco pose for a photo after the National Honor Society Ceremony.

leadership for their community. It is a great way to acknowledge people who are strong role models and those who try to do the right thing every day,” Carr said.

Following Carr’s speech, chapter president, senior Matias Saiz, and other officers of the National Honor Society offered brief biographies of the inductees, outlining the honorees’ accomplishments and successes.

Senior Jacob Heilpern, one of these inductees, was honored to become a member of this prestigious society and proud to be recognized for his hard work.

“I have been trying to get into NHS for a while, but was never able to qualify for the GPA requirement. It was such a relief to finally be accepted; it really showed me to never give up on anything I put my mind to,’’ Heilpurn expressed.

Another inductee senior Cameron Bitove was excited as well, feeling that her induction was not only a result of her achievements in her academics but also from the support she has received from others.

“It’s truly an honor to be part of the society and I am looking forward to the year ahead as part of NHS. I

am so grateful for the support system I have with my family and friends.

They were all super-encouraging and inspiring toward getting me to where I needed to be,” Bitove said.

To conclude the ceremony, all National Honor Society members stood holding candles to recite the Society’s pledge in unison.

The National Honors Society Pledge is as follows. “I pledge myself to uphold The high purposes of the National Honor Society To which I have been selected; I will be true to the principle for which it stands; I will be loyal to my school; And will maintain and encourage High standards of scholarship, service, leadership and character.”

It’s clear that the National Honor Society is not only a highly regarded organization but, more importantly, that its members are dedicated to its mission.

“What sets NHS apart is the people in it. The group as a whole is very driven and everyone wants to improve the school, community, and themselves. Everyone truly embodies the four pillars and always works very hard,” said Vice President Andrew Lappin.

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10 November 2023

The Pharcyde

PSATs Go Digital A Rest For The Tested Delayed Exams Lead to Unexpected Afternoon Off Haley Roth Associate Editor

Sophomore Jake Froot opens up his computer to check his Bluebook app. “The PSATs were a lot easier than I thought. The computer made it a lot faster and it was fun to take it in a classroom,” said Froot.

Photo by Reid Waxman

Reid Waxman Associate Editor On Oct. 11th, freshmen, sophomores, and juniors will take the PSAT in their selected advisories. This year, instead of taking the test on paper, the students will take it on their computers.

Director of the Learning Commons, Mrs. Kristen Hewitt, thinks that the online test will positively influence the students’ test scores more than the paper test.

“I honestly think that students will find the digital administration easier. It is probably more for them, and the students will focus on every question one by one. I feel like there is less clutter and distraction.

The kids will find it better and easier, and better scores will come from it,” Hewitt states.

Although Hewitt believes it benefits students, sophomore James Carpenter remains unconvinced, believing that the PSAT’s online transition is not a sign of progress.

“I do not like the idea of the online PSAT because I find it easier to focus when using a pencil and paper.

I think it will be harder because it will take more effort to focus, and because the test is long, I think it will wear me out faster, and my answers will become more sloppy as the test goes on,” Carpenter explains. “However, I think it could be easier for some students, considering writing with a pencil for an extended period of time is also tiring, and some people focus better on computers, so I think it all comes down to how you are as a student and what you prefer.”

Along with Carpenter, junior Scott Noble shared what he finds may be more challenging.

“The difficulty of the test varies.

The math will stay the same, but the reading section will get harder. It may also hinder my focus by looking at a screen for a while instead of a paper,” Noble explains.

The test will be taken on an app students download on their computers called “Bluebook.” Since students are transitioning from paper to digital, PSAT coordinator Mrs. Melissa Rizzitano believes that students and faculty will eventually have to switch to digital formats for other exams as well.

“The PSAT being digital is great for students and faculty to learn how to use the digital platform since it is all new. It is huge to learn now because we will not only be taking the actual SATs online but every standardized test online in the near future.”

What would happen if chaos occurs? Mrs. Hewitt answers it with a backup plan and the reasoning for specific objects that the students will use.

“If the internet crashes, your test will resume once the internet restores, but the student will get logged out.

We cannot test in the gym because

the internet will not hold a group of kids, which is why students will take the test in their advisories,” Hewitt exclaimed. “Students during the test are allowed one pencil, one ticket for their login through the “Bluebook” app, and three pieces of scratch paper.”

Dean of Academics Mrs. Caroline Guzman feels strongly about the digital PSAT, and the pros of it will only help the students in great ways.

“In the spring of 2024, all SATs will be digital, so this is a great way for schools to assess their readiness for those exams where the stakes are much higher. I think the College Board is trying to move all of their standardized exams, including AP, to digital formats so I do not foresee us, or schools walking back from digital testing. That being said, students are already exposed to the digital tools they need to be successful on these types of exams, such as typed essays in English class, programs like IXL in math and Reading, Language Arts, and so I think the digital PSAT is another great tool for students to practice skills as well as review content, that will help them be successful on exams like the SAT, ACT, and AP Exams,” Guzman states.

Agreeing with Mrs. Guzman, Director of College Counseling Mrs. Anna Wright believes that students’ scores will be similar to those earned in past years..

“Every time the test changes, there is a period of time when we have to wait and see how it settles out. Colleges, counselors, and students will be carefully watching how the scores compare. The College Board promises that the scores will be similar and I suspect that they will be close. While we are new to the digital SAT here in Florida, they have been offering digital SAT and ACT tests overseas for quite a while.

Those students' scores are read the same way as our paper tests. And there have been digital tests, like the GRE, for decades. Unlike some of the other changes, I'm hopeful that this one will feel less drastic after the first few months,” Wright exclaims.

Mrs. Wright explains that the transition to digital could be rough for some, but it will benefit them during the long run.

“The change will feel strange and hard at first for the students. However, thousands of students have made the digital change already. Many have appreciated the new format. It takes less time and students get their scores faster. While it may feel like a bumpy transition now, I think our students have the skills to adapt quickly.

And keep in mind that we are offering this as a practice test, so students can try it before they take a test that counts. If they don't like it, they have the option of taking the ACT on paper for a little longer,” Wright says.

PSATs will be administered on October 11th.

On Oct. 11, both the sophomores and juniors took the PSAT. While both grades were originally supposed to have grade-level activities, they were canceled due to unforeseen complications with the PSAT process. This cancellation and change in the PSAT will affect future post-testing grade-level activities as scheduling and planning may shift from previous years.

The sophomore activity that was canceled was a field trip to Place of Hope, a charity centered around helping underprivileged students. This community service project was specifically for the tenth-graders to help set up “Trunk or Treat” for children less fortunate than themselves.

The juniors also had a valuable and future-based grade-level activity. Three Benjamin alumni, Nikasha Wells (‘98), Ellen Laid Regnery (‘83), and Matt Schnek (‘97), were supposed to return to the Upper School’s campus to host a presentation on job choices.

The PSAT was online for the first time ever this past Wednesday, and it proved to be more complicated than expected.

“We had students that started their PSAT anywhere from 8:20 to 9:50. Obviously, it being the first time it [the PSAT] was digital, we had no idea how long it would take. In years past, it would take students on average three-and-a-half to four hours to take the PSAT. You factor all of that and then there was also the timing issue to have all of our students in one place. The sophomores were taking a field trip which was also an added complication. The volunteer time would have been diminished considerably. At the end of the day, we made the call to cancel them because the logistics were so difficult to track ”, said US Dean of Students, Mr. Kevin Jacobsen.

Many students were looking forward to the grade-level activities planned. Both community service and advice from alumni were seen as important events to various students.

Sofia Balestreri, a sophomore student, was upset that the “Place of Hope” event was canceled, “I was very tired after the PSAT and wanted to go home to relax, but it was unfortunate that we did not get to help out those in need.”

“I thought that it was a shame that they got canceled. Although, it was the right thing to do after there

were so many technical issues with administering the test”, shared junior, Jonathan Vidal, who was supposed to see the presentation from previous Benjamin students.

This new version of the PSAT will definitely change plans for after the test in future years. There are possibilities of technology complications, but, if all works correctly, this test will take significantly less time than the paper one.

Mr. Jacobsen shared his thoughts on future post-PSAT plans, “It’s going to be an adjustment we have to make given the digital testing and also the different timing of how long it takes students to complete the test.”

While the events on Wednesday afternoon anticipated and wellplanned, the new digital PSAT offered unanticipated issues that forced these events to be canceled.

The administration and grade-level advisors realize how important both community service and advice are to high school students and are offering alternatives for missed activities. To start, students are getting the opportunity to sign up for volunteer hours at “Place of Hope” to help the organization on their own time.

Twitchell College Fair Returns US Hosts Over 120 Programs For Diverse, Informative Experience Caroline Groffman Associate Editor The Upper School’s 2023-2024 College Fair took place on October 10 in the Upper School Gym. With over 120 colleges and universities there, students had lots of opportunities to meet representatives from universities that they may want to apply to or even just practice talking to a college representative.

In just America, there are over 3,900 degree-granting colleges which makes the decisions that come throughout a student’s senior year in high school very challenging. Because of the College Fair, students can talk to a very diverse group of universities that can make a big difference after speaking to, when it is time to apply to schools.

“I wanted to explore some new colleges and I did do this when I learned more about Tufts, for example. I felt nervous when I was in line for the schools but once I got talking, I felt more comfortable. So, I think overall, the college fair went pretty well for me,” claims sophomore Liam Duffy.

The College Fair allows students to learn more about the college experience and application process.

However, this event is not just for the students. Parents, teachers, and whoever else who would like to attend it are welcome. Anyone from the area was welcome to attend and be a part of this important event.

This event is put together by the Upper School’s College Counseling team and one of the organizations that the school is a part of. The organization, called the Florida Tour, has a large group of colleges who are going to travel to similar areas at the same time for different college fairs or other types of events. Because of that, these colleges and universities come to the Benjamin Upper School to visit people in our surrounding area. How this program works is that each event listed is practically firstcome-first-serve for the universities and is filled up very quickly by eager colleges wanting to visit.

“The main goal, I would say, for ninth through eleventh graders would be just to explore. See what’s out there, have a chance to pick up materials from different universities, connect with representatives and just understand what the possibilities are for college. For our eleventh and definitely our twelfth graders, as your looking more towards schools that you’re targeting and if you have specific questions about how to pursue your academic goals there, it’s a really good time to ask about information that you couldn’t get on the website,” describes Associate Director of College Counseling, Mrs. Bekka Goldberg.

Taking Mrs. Goldberg up on her advice, students went out of their comfort zones to talk to college representatives about all sorts of questions they may have.

Chloe Mcgann, a junior at the Upper School, says, “I learned to ask the admissions officers or alumni certain questions about really minor or specific things because those things can really affect how you perceive a school and how much you’re interested in it.”

In addition to the students attending the College Fair, several students volunteered at the event. National Honors Society members helped to host this affair to assist the Upper School and the different universities who were visiting.

“The Benjamin School put together a really good college fair and all of the representatives that I spoke

to said that they felt very welcomed and respected. I feel like we were all able to work together to make the College Fair run smoothly” explains Senior Ryan Whurman, who is committed to Tufts University to play Division 1 tennis.

The different student perspectives on the night allow varying responses to what they might have grown to realize or learned. Having all of the grade levels in the high school in attendance shows that the students at the Benjamin School are taught to think about their futures and not be scared to be inquisitive or meet new people.

“I wanted to learn more about the campuses and the courses and majors that colleges might offer. By the end of the night, I definitely learned a lot and greatly appreciated the chance to talk to the representatives from the different schools,” says junior Sam Scarola.

The popular opinion of this year’s College Fair is that most students learned a lot about different universities which could have had an immense impact on where they may choose to appy to in the future and that they simply enjoyed this great opportunity given to them by the Benjamin Upper School.

For some last advice from one of the school’s college counselors, Mrs. Goldberg explains that “Using your time wisely is the biggest piece of advice, and what I mean by that is making sure that you are working ahead of deadlines instead of to deadlines.”

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World Language Dept. Enters Golden Hour Senora Gold Brings Experience, New York Flair to Upper School Spanish Haley Roth Associate Editor As the 2023 school year began, the Upper School faced the prospect of opening without a full staff of World Languages teachers. With the unexpected late departure of Mr. Arias, a search was launched just days before students would arrive.

Soon after, a replacement would be found: Señora Therese Gold.

Señora Tejera-Mede, US World Language Department Chair, explains how much of an impression Gold made on her, “We had an open space for a new teacher. I spoke to

her and she was so happy. She spoke Spanish, and only Spanish to me. I thought she would be a great fit for our school.”

Señora Gold, a New York native, figured out what she wanted to do early in life. She continued to explore her passion for Spanish and found a way to share that with others.

“I grew up in Huntington, Long Island, and I didn’t know what I wanted to do exactly, so then I knew that I loved children and speaking Spanish and was good at it. I loved the culture culture, so I put them together and decided to become a Spanish teacher. I was hired when I was 21 at Huntington High School. I loved it but then I had three children and resigned, and was going to be a stay-at-home mom, but then the school [in New York] called me the day before school and asked me to work for them, and I did,” said Señora Gold.

Señora Gold’s career quickly flourished, as she brought her personality and determination to her two-decade-long job as an educator.

She began to focus not just on teaching students Spanish, but also on the community and world around them.

Gold made sure to get all of her students involved in community outreach, “I started a lot of programs in our high school like Habitat for Hu-

A Show For All Ages Curtains Rise as Freshmen Got Talent Turns Six Ryan Chait Staff Writer On October 11, 2023, after the PSAT, the Freshman did their annual talent show for the senior citizens. Although the senior citizens could not make it, the Freshman still did their talent show and Mr. Archer recorded it to send it to the senior citizens.

This talent show would not have happened without the help of the Freshman Class Dean, Mrs. Amanda Pierman.

“The talent show went very well.

It is disappointing that the senior citizens could not watch it in person,” said Freshman Class Dean Mrs. Amanda Pierman.

There were a lot of acts and the senior citizens really enjoyed the show even though they saw it virtually.

“The senior citizens look forward to the talent show every year and this is not the first time the senior citizens could not come to the due the PSAT’s running late,” Pierman added. “The freshmen are a great class and I was surprised at how much talent they have.”

Many faculty members watched the show and agreed with Pierman’s opinion on how talented the freshman class is.

“The talent show went very well and I am excited to see it next year,” said Pierman.

manity, I brought students to soup kitchens every month, and we made bags of food for the homeless in the nearby communities. I took groups to Spain and created a summer study abroad program. I just love it. I went to Nicaragua on a mission trip three times. I just really think that there's a lot to show children about the world outside of a textbook.”

While teaching was an obvious fit for the new Spanish teacher, deciding what subject she would master took her a bit more time to decide on. She found her love for languages in high school and traveled the world exploring them.

“I guess I had an ear for Spanish because I visited my sister who was studying abroad and everybody there said that I spoke so much better than she did,” explained Gold. I knew I had an ear for it, so I took French and Spanish in high school, and then I lived in Madrid. I went to Madrid and then I went back and did the rest of my masters in Soria, or northern Spain.”

Once Gold became fluent in the language of Spanish, she began to try to figure out ways she could help the world around her with these new skills. One life experience showed her just how important speaking Spanish could be.

Gold, on a mission trip in Nicaragua, continued her community service in another part of the world, “I was on a mission trip in Nicaragua.

It was a medical mission trip, and I was translating with my friend, who was the doctor. There was a line out

the door, and my job was to take their names and symptoms. They were coming to see the American doctor. It was simple like giving them vitamins or eye drops. It was very minimal,” said Gold. “One girl came into the clinic and complained about stomach pains and I had to translate to the doctor, and he examined her. He said we need to go to the hospital right now, she's having appendicitis. We got to the hospital and our church organization paid for the surgery, and we saved her life. That made me realize how important it is to communicate with others. The doctor couldn't have communicated, but I was there to be the bridge between her and the doctor, and it saved her life. That was one moment I knew learning a language was really cool.”

After seeing the impact both Spanish and teaching had on the people around her, Señora Gold continued to be an educator in New York.

Many years later, she decided to retire and move to Florida.

Gold shared why she moved, “I taught for 31 years and then I retired in New York. My husband wanted to play golf so we moved down here.

My best friend lives in Palm Beach Gardens, and I wanted to be close enough to her but north a little bit, so we found a great community.”

The Spanish teacher was planning on spending her days playing pickleball and enjoying sunny Florida, but that is not what happened. Her love for teaching quickly drew her back to students.

“I took students to Spain this

summer and realized, after being retired for a year, that I was bored, and that I still wanted to do this. I love it.

A job interview popped up and I saw it and sent my application… It was a gift and meant to be, I think,” stated Gold joyfully.

Señora Gold loves every part of teaching, both inside and outside the classroom. There are many reasons she feels this way, but she most definitely has a favorite part of teaching.

“The kids. 100 percent being with the kids. I think it's really hard for children to be students these days,” said the new Spanish teacher. “I think it's competitive, and I think that if I can give them an opportunity to enjoy my class and enjoy learning, and feel like they’re in a safe atmosphere and that I care about them, that’s my goal.”

Gold’s passion for teaching is clear, as her students received her warmly, and instantly enjoyed her class.

“She knows what she is talking about and is really nice. She loves what she is teaching, and it shows,” said Sophomore Caroline Welke.

Overall, Señora Therese Gold has been a wonderful and much-needed addition to the Benjamin community.

Her love for teaching, Spanish, and giving back to the community make her trusted and appreciated by all of her students. Gold’s move from New York to Florida was perfect timing, giving Benjamin the perfect new member of their world language staff.

A-hem, Excuse Me Community Adjusts to New Skirt Length Policy Caroline Groffman Associate Editor The Upper School has changed the policy on skirt length for the 2023-2024 school year. Previously, the standard was that a girl’s fingertips must lie at the bottom, or before the very end, of their skirt. Although this “finger policy” had been in place for many years, the Administration has chosen to adjust for clarity, equity, and sensibility.

“It was easily manipulated. Having a concrete length makes it easier to enforce for teachers and other administrators in the building. I have a great appreciation for our parents, I think they paid attention to the messaging that I put out over the summer and first day of school, girls came to school, many of them with new skirts. Although, we've had to replace a number of skirts for girls who have grown out of them” explained Upper School Dean of Students Mr. Kevin Jacobsen.

The policy has been reworded to be more clear which is supposed to make it easier for students, parents, and faculty to know what the expectation is, and what to wear to stay out of detention. This adjustment came about over time and has been in the planning stage for months.

“I went to the Nook last spring and looked at the skirts most purchased by our students. When they are originally purchased, the skirts are around 17-inches long. So, in order to let young ladies hem them within a reasonable measurement, we decided to make it 15-inches. The Handbook reads that measurement being from the waist to the hem. The most important thing is that we want to make sure students are dressed appropriate-

ly at school,” says Mr. Jacobsen.

Several students have been sent to talk to administrators about the length of their skirts since the beginning of the new policy and school year. When they go to the office, the students are told to get new skirts that are longer and more appropriate for school. After their conversation, the girls are often sent to get a different skirt from a selection kept in the nurse's office.

Administrators recognize how much of a challenge this topic is to take on because of the personal expression and feelings that come along with what students may wear.

“Having that conversation with students is always awkward because they're always embarrassed. So, it's a very emotional discussion that you're having with students no matter how you say it. The 15-inch rule is good because it hopefully heads off some of those discussions that would need to take place. We are supposed to help be more proactive and help them pick out a skirt that fits for them” says the Upper School’s Media Coordinator and Director of the Learning Commons, Mrs. Kristen Hewitt.

The skirts that are sold at the Nook are originally about 17-inches, top to bottom. The new 15-inch rule was made to be accommodating yet still a professional length for the girls. These two inches definitely do make a difference in the appearance of a skirt; however, there still seems to be some disagreement among the students about the fairness of the policy.

“I think it has been fairly effective but I also don’t think it's fair to tell everyone to have 15-inch skirts.

I am pretty tall, so a 15-inch skirt is

going to look differently on me than someone who is shorter. Maybe instead skirts should be measured by fingertips again” shares Sophomore Kate Quinlivan.

The same skirt can look very different depending on the height of the students. The picture above highlights the difference.

This debate and policy change about an appropriate length is certainly a challenging task for all involved to take on. Many different views about what should happen can all be found on the Upper School campus. Supporters of the finger rule and the length rule are matched in passion by those who want no rule, a change to shorts for everyone, and even a pants for everyone rule. Some of these would make the dress code more uniformed regardless of sex.

However, no matter how a student feels, the new rule is being taken seriously by most all.

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10 November 2023

The Pharcyde

Apple Peels Back Curtain New Software, iPhones, and Airpods Announced Ryan Chait Staff Writer

Much More Than Two Days Off Caroline Groffman Associate Editor

As they are arguably the most important and observed for Jews, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are considered the “High Holidays” The two are also linked by their subject (the future) and their place on the calendar (within days of each other).

Rosh Hashanah comes first, celebrating the New Year on the Hebrew calendar, or the first and second day of the month Tishrei. All Jewish holidays begin at sundown and end at sundown and therefore Rosh Hashanah starts in the evening of Sept. 15 and ends by sundown on Sept. 17.

Yom Kippur will begin at sundown on Sept. 24 and ends on Sept. 25 at sundown. Since the Jewish holidays are on set dates of the Hebrew calendar, the dates differ year to year but are always around the same time. The Hebrew calendar is based on the lunar cycles and has existed for thousands of years. This Rosh Hashanah celebrates the new year, 5784, beginning.

The Benjamin Upper School’s Jewish Student Union Club, or “JSU,” plans activities and events for the community to celebrate and learn about the Jewish holidays each year.

“JSU will be utilizing all of the holidays to create fun activities for all of the members and community.

For Rosh Hashanah, we will be incorporating activities with food, such as honey and apples, and other symbolic foods. We will also be teaching many lessons about the significance behind all of the holidays in order to better understand the culture and history embedded in Judaism. Overall, we are very excited for the amazing events to come!” explains Co-President of JSU, Jonathan Vidal.

A long-lasting tradition throughout the days of Rosh Hashanah is the blowing of the shofar which is a ram’s horn that is used as an instrument.

The purpose of this ritual is to alert Jews to focus on their religion during these holy days and many Jews also have different meanings for what the shofar symbolizes. There are different calls that are performed during temple services throughout the holiday. The order of one set of the calls is as follows; tekiah, shevarim, teruah, tekiah, tekiah, shevarim, tekiah, tekiah, teruah, tekiah gedolah. Each call has different lengths and times of the shofar being blown within. The shofar is sounded a total of 100 times during a traditional Rosh Hashanah.

During this holiday, it is customary to wear lighter colors, especially white. This is to celebrate the pureness and freshness of the new year.

The Jews are supposed to be surrounded by family and loved ones on this holiday and join in festivities to celebrate, just as people celebrate the new year on the Gregorian calendar.

Another tradition is called “Tashlich,” which is throwing breadcrumbs into a body of water to represent the sins committed in the past year. The sins are being “released” and sent away to commence the new year and prepare people for Yom Kippur. In

Judaism, sins are something that are expected and not necessarily looked down on because it is a known fact that everyone, or almost everyone, has sinned in their life. The sins are not supposed to hold one down, but keep one accountable.

“For Yom Kippur my family does “Tashlich” in order to represent the removal of our sins from the past year,” says Vidal.

Yom Kippur is the day of atonement for the Jews. This day is contrasting to Rosh Hashanah and is all about looking inward and apologizing for one’s actions. On Yom Kippur, any Bar/Bat Mitzvahs are supposed to fast and not have any food or water for that day. The fasting is so that people are consistently reminded about the meaning of the day and the importance of being self-aware.

“Try to do enough self-reflection that this coming year is better than the year before” advises Rabbi Michael Resnick of Temple Emanu-El of Palm Beach.

This holiday comes after Rosh Hashanah and is on the tenth day of the Hebrew month Tishrei. Yom Kippur holds a lot of meaning for the Jewish religion and is a day that even if someone does not typically go to temple, they do on this day. During this day, observant Jews will spend the whole time at the temple, even if they do not on Rosh Hashanah. This is because it is a very important service and it also is a distraction from the fasting that occurs.

After the Yom Kippur holiday, that night there is usually a very large dinner that is called “Break the Fast.”

This is kind of a play on words because of breakfast and it being an important meal. Families all congregate on these holidays and spend the day in the temple and then all share big meals together afterwards.

The Benjamin Upper School has a policy to help Jewish members of the community through these days in terms of school work. On days that are supposed to be observed, no homework or assessments are acceptable for the day of the student’s return to school.

“It basically says that on these days, folks who are observing are not to be engaged in secular work. To me, a non-testing reading assignment still falls into the idea of secular work and there are times where we have to just say that things are bigger than homework.” explains the Head of the Upper School, Mr. Fletcher Carr.

The School recognizes the importance of these holidays to the Jewish community and wants observing students and teachers to be able to focus on their faith for the few days of the year that these dates take up.

“I think that for a couple days in the fall if we can take away the delineation from important days for a portion of our community then we need to respect that” Mr. Carr states.

The Jewish High Holidays took place on Sept. 15 through 17, and Sept. 24 through 25.

Every year around the middle of September, Apple releases its new products at an event at Apple headquarters in Cupertino, California.

This year, the event took place on September 12, 2023, at 10:00 a.m.

PST. During the event, Apple CEO Tim Cook announced new software, two new Apple watches, and a pair of AirPods; Apple surprisingly did not announce any new iPads.

Apple did not announce any new iPads because there are many rumors that Apple is working on an iPad Pro that will not be ready until the Fall of 2024.

The new iOS software (iOS 17) will be available to download on all iPhone models released since the iPhone SE 2 and will be automatically installed on all new iPhones. There are a ton of new features on iOS 17 such as Contact Posters (you can put a custom image on your screen when you are on the phone with someone), Name Drop (two people can share their contact information by bringing their iPhones together), Live Voicemail (it transcribes an incoming call voicemail to words that you can read), and many more.

Students and teachers can use the new name-drop feature because it will transfer their complete contact card to the other person's iPhone. In theory, if your contact information is fully completed, the receiver will now know your phone number, email address, and even your birthday. Live

voicemail is equally as exciting. You can read voicemails as they come in so that Mom can contact you during the loudest pep rally in school history. Finallyl, this feature gives iPhone users a benefit of an Android.

“I think it will get used much less often than people think. The only time I can see students using it is when they either have a group project and need the other person’s number or at the beginning of the year and they want to get the numbers of the new student or new students in their advisory,” said freshman Brayden Thomas.

The central focus of every Apple Event is when new iPhones are announced. This year four new iPhones were revealed: the iPhone 15, the iPhone 15 Plus, the iPhone 15 Pro, and the iPhone 15 Pro Max. There are also rumors that there might be an iPhone 15 Ultra coming soon.

This year Apple is releasing two new Apple Watches: the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2.

The main features of the Apple Watch Series 9 are the S9 SiP which increases the timepiece’s performance and capabilities, the double tap feature, a brighter display, faster on-device Siri, the ability to access and log health data, and precision finding. The main features of the Apple Watch Ultra 2 are the same as the Apple Watch Series 9 but it also has redesigned apps, the new Smart Stack, new cycling features, and new features to help explore the outdoors. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 has a 36-hour battery life with

regular use and a 72-hour battery life with a low use percentage. Both watches are to be released on Friday, September 22, 2023.

At the event, Apple also announced the new AirPods they will release on Friday, September 22, 2023. The new headphones are called the Apple AirPods Pro 2nd Generation. The main features of the AirPods are the USB-C charging system, the doubled Active Noise Cancellation of previous AirPods, an advanced Transparency mode, a more immersive Spatitual Audio experience, a custom range of ear tip sizes for a more comfortable fit, additional dust resistance, Lossless Audio with the Apple Vision Pro, new audio experiences such as Adaptive Audio and Conversation Awareness. The Apple AirPods Pro 2nd Generation will be a big hit.

All devices will be available for preorder on Friday, September 15, 2023, and released on Friday, September 22, 2023. The iOS 17 is released on Monday, September 18, 2023.

10 November 2023

The Pharcyde

Page 5

Goodbye, Joey Tomassetti Senior Editor

Jimmy

On the night of Fri. September 1st, long-time singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett, age 76, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family and friends. Buffett had Merkel cell carcinoma, a rare skin cancer that is diagnosed in fewer than 3,000 people in the U.S. every year.

Senior George Straub is a fan of Buffett and will miss his tropical music style.

“He’s one of my favorite singers.

Margaritaville is a great song and I’ll keep listening to it in his honor,” said Straub.

Social Studies teacher Mr. Steven Anderson, another Buffett fan, has a favorite line from Buffett’s song “Changes In Latitudes, Changes In Attitudes”: “If we weren’t all crazy we would go insane.”

Buffett was born on Christmas Day 1946 in Pascagoula, Mississippi, and raised in Mobile, Alabama.

Buffett’s grandfather, James Delaney Buffett, was a captain of a steamship, and his father, J.D., traveled to India and Africa with the Army Corps of Engineers. His father and grandfather's stories helped Buffett develop a newfound interest in adventure and discovery.

Then, in college, Buffett saw how a fraternity brother was able to catch the attention of girls with his guitar skills. So, Buffet quickly learned a

From the Heart, About the Mind Guest Speaker Shares Inspirational Story Matt Marasco Senior Editor On Thursday, Sept. 28th in Benjamin Hall, Benjamin was visited by Carolyn from Minding Your Mind.

This organization focuses on sharing their own stories to provide mental health education to adolescents.

“Minding Your Mind’s primary objective is to provide mental health education to adolescents, teens, and young adults, their parents, teachers, and school administrators. Our goal is to reduce the stigma and destructive behaviors often associated with mental health issues. Treatment is available, yet only 3 out of 10 individuals needing help actually seek help. Minding Your Mind programs move away from crisis-based response to prevention through education,” according to Minding Your Mind’s mission statement.

Carolyn's life has been a battle with self-worth and belonging. Despite a loving family, she felt like an outsider, enduring bullying and struggling with depression, anxiety, and self-harm. A high school learning disability diagnosis deepened her sense of difference, and college brought more depression and thoughts of suicide. A car accident in her senior year shifted her perspective, making her appreciate therapy as a means to heal from past trauma.

The Benjamin community appreciates her story and many people related to the struggles she shared.

“There have been some times I have felt like I have not fit in, especially when I did not make the team for my dream sport. I felt like her story was touching and definitely could help a lot of people,” said senior Nick Cecchini.

Carolyn emphasized the use of

Patel Published Upper School Science teacher Mrs. Renee Szeliga recently announced that Senior Simryn Patel’s research has been published in The Horizon Academic Research Journal.

Patel’s paper, “Art Therapy’s Effectiveness and Its Role in Treating Neurological Conditions” is part of an anthology of student research conducted during the Horizon Research Program. The program partners students with researchers in hopes of producing impactful research programs.

Szeliga’s announcement credited Patel with a significant

outlets, especially friends and family.

Her best friend, Naoimi, is the reason that she is still alive to tell us her story. If you do not have someone to reach out to, the suicide prevention hotline is 988.

Upper School Student Services Coordinator Dr. Renea Yates believes that seeking help through school and family life is vital to maintaining mental health.

“My hope is that our students will find their stories authentic, meaningful, and relatable. I want students who are struggling to know they are not alone. I want them to know that it is okay to need support and to reach out for support. I want them to know they have a village of people here at The Benjamin School who care deeply about their mental well-being and are here to support them no matter where they are in their journey,” said Dr. Yates.

The Mindful Student Club which meets during Community Block A in

Mrs. Goldberg's office, led by senior president Matias Saiz, focuses on helping students with mental health.

The club is holding group mediations before school on Wednesdays to combat the stress associated with the school week. Saiz believes that initiatives such as these and guest speakers help students remain calm and able to have a productive school week.

“I think guest speakers raise awareness for an important issue that affects a lot of students on campus.

Through the Mindful Student Club, I look forward to offering an outlet to students who need help. I hope the more awareness we raise for an issue like this, the more students and maybe even faculty will seek help if they need it,” said Saiz.

As October is mental health awareness month, on Friday, Sept.

29th, students wore purple and teal to show their support for suicide prevention. As Carolyn said, everyone is worthy and deserving.

few basic chords and started playing himself. Suddenly, Buffett’s world opened up, as he quickly joined his first band and started playing at Bourbon Street six nights a week.

After graduation, Buffett headed to Nashville to work for Billboard Magazine and to try his luck as a folk-country singer, releasing his first record, “Down to Earth,” in 1970. However, it was his trip to Key West, Florida with Jerry Jeff Walker in 1971 that would inspire Buffet to merge his musicality and storytelling.

Then in 1977, Buffett released “Margaritaville.” A laid-back melody about life in the tropics, the song spent 22 weeks on the Billboard chart, peaking at number eight. It launched Buffett into national fame, and nearly a decade later, inspired him to launch a business empire.

Buffett would go on to produce 27 studio albums, New York Times bestselling books, a Broadway play, numerous movie and television appearances, Grammy nominations, and Academy of Country Music and Country Music Association awards.

Even with all these accomplishments, it was always the music that inspired Buffett.

The statement on Buffett’s website sums up how “Parrot Heads” are feeling perfectly: “He lived his life like a song till the very last breath and will be missed beyond measure by so many.”

contribution to the field of neuroscience, espectially when it comes to genetics.

According to the program’s website, horizoninspires.com, students are selected to participate in the program after completing a rigorous applicaiton process. The program is not free, but the total fees charged for tuition and participation are also not listed online.

Page 6

We are a small community. Although safety and security require fences, ID cards, pins, late passes, and the occasional permission slip, our campus is pretty free. But you are not invisible. We park next to you, sit at your desk the period after you, stand in front of the same bathroom sinks, and check the same portal for our grades every afternoon. Around here, no one can hide. So, it hurts us when you engage in actions that make us feel like we do not share the same space.

To those who smoke and vape; we notice you. We feel uncomfortable when we see you vaping, specifically in the restrooms. We worry that your new coping mechanism or distraction, is becoming an addiction that is driving us apart. We urge you to rethink your source of comfort.

We are here for you, so choose us before e-cigarettes and similar devices. If you think we don’t notice the damage you are doing to your developing mind and body, we do. We want the best for you, so if you need a way to quit, there are many sources that you can reach out to including the substance abuse hotline, 1-800662-4357.

Smoking among high school students is a problem that cannot be ignored. Some students vape and smoke marijuana each day at school, thinking that no one sees or cares about what they are doing; but we do.

Marijuana leads to students being unorganized and unmotivated to strive for greatness in the classroom. Vap-

10 November 2023

ing also contributes to the problem as the nicotine that is being inhaled by students can hurt brain development in areas that control decision-making, impulse control, and learning. Until about age 25, the brain is still growing so taking in these harmful chemicals into the body can hamper one’s ability to fully develop and obtain the necessary skills to succeed in life.

To those who don’t view their time in class as a real gift their parents give them, we challenge you to remember the spirit of the holidays and keep the magic alive for those of us who still believe. We notice you watching YouTube and sometimes dozing off. If you’re tired because we were texting each other late last night, just go to bed-- we can continue texting in the morning. We know that you’re a better student than your BucLinks suggest, and we want you to understand the damage you are doing to our future by not paying attention. We want to be able to invite you out without worrying that we’re making you fall further behind. We want to be able to sit next to you in next year's classes-- whether that be in college or our next year of high school; we don’t want to be tutoring you in what we learned the year before. If you really feel like you physically cannot pay attention, seek help from your parents or counselors to set up a plan to improve your attentiveness.

School may not be where you want to be on a daily basis; you may want to be sleeping in your bed or playing a sport. We have those days

Student Voices

Editorial

too. But think of how much better your dreams, records, and high scores could be if you’d stay focused and absorb the material that our teachers are sharing with us; attention plays an instrumental role in memory and retention of information. In class, too many of you are playing games on your computers, watching YouTube, shopping online, or un-plugging yourself from our class without the teachers noticing. But we notice. It’s distracting. Your screen is a lot more colorful than anything else in the room. It’s making it tough for us to pay attention to what matters.

To those who may have considered cheating or not following the Honor Code; we urge you to reconsider your choices to not only help yourself but also the others around you. We’ve noticed you looking at other student's papers in hopes that you will find the right answer and we want to tell you to choose honesty instead. You may think that no one sees what you are doing or even cares, but we do. We are sorry for what you are going through and our main concern lies in the harm it will cause to your mental and physical health if this behavior becomes normalized.

Academic dishonesty at our school is an issue that cannot be overlooked. When someone cheats or gets outside information on an assignment, it ruins the opportunity for all of to learn and develop essential skills. Doing poorly on an assignment allows our teachers to know when they need to adjust their methods to

The Pharcyde

help us all; if not, it hurts those of us who are struggling honestly. We all lose the ability to adapt and handle difficult situations if we continue this deception. You may think that doing this gives you an advantage, but in the long run, it puts all of us at a major disadvantage.

To those who have ever used AI or any computer technology to complete work; Big Brother is not the only one watching; we see you too.

Many of us are writers and artists, and to see you claim mastery over the talents we’ve been trying to better devalue our hard work. It’s hard for us to show pride in our work if you can create it by simply logging into a website and prompting a bot. Alexa might help, but Alexa (the person) will suffer.

School can be challenging and juggling several classes with extracurriculars like sports or clubs is difficult. Using AI or ChatGPT is not a good way to get your work done because it simply does the work for us.

It’s not working smarter, it’s just not working. We are losing our imagination, our originality, and more importantly our ability to think on our feet.

You may think that you can reword what the website generates or just use its ideas, but you can’t. If you start using these sources, you will slowly become dependent on it and before you know it you will forget the necessary skills and tactics you need to succeed without outside help. You will forget how to trust your instincts and follow your intuition because

you are used to relying on a website.

To those of you who have decided to disregard the school uniform; your actions have not gone unnoticed. We see that you have started to untuck your shirts in the middle of the day and we see when you have your ID’s in your pockets or when you are not wearing a belt or an appropriate sweatshirt. We worry that your violation of the rules is really an indication that you are not doing well emotionally or that you are unhappy. We strongly encourage you to seek help if you are struggling and hope that you will soon reach a better place. For those of us who do follow the dress code, your disregard makes us feel even more judged for what we wear than we already do. If we’re all in this together, let’s look like it.

October is mental health awareness month. If you are one of these people who have thought about or gotten in the habit of doing any of these things, there is never time to wait to reach out for help. Do not let mental health take over your life; there are many ways to seek help through family, friends, school counselors, and therapists. We want you to know that we are here for you and will lift you up from your lowest points no matter the circumstance. If you are reading this and you are one of these students, please seek guidance and use this as a call to action to ask for help no matter how hard it may be in the moment. We already see you, we can talk with you too.

Schedule Changes Prompt Students’ Cries that Minutes Matter

By Reid Waxman Associate Editor

The most significant, noticeable change of the young 2023-24 school year for students was the schedule.

The tweak consists of extending block classes and shortening lunch and community blocks. Altering the schedule was unnecessary and only harmed the students and their ability to thrive in classes.

Firstly, extending block classes only makes students lose focus more often. According to edutopia.org, “shorter lessons, however, kept student attention high: Teachers found it more effective to give several 10-minute lessons instead of fewer that went over an hour.” Along with the short attention span, students could become fatigued and burnt out. After starting with a challenging class, the rest of the day is filled with two more block classes, and students have homework at night.

The lunch period is the most critical part of the school day for students.

Taking away time from this part of the day could hurt the students’ nutritional impact if they have a diet they must follow for a sport. It is also a

the

PHARCYDE

Founded in 1980 as The Spectator 10 November 2023

Volume 45, Issue 1

The Benjamin School 4875 Grandiflora Road Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33418 Contact Information Phone: 561-472-5998, ext. 2119 Fax: 561-691-8823 Advisor Dr. John Peruggia john.peruggia@thebenjaminschool.org Advisor Emeritus Mr. Kendall Didsbury Media Consultants Mr. and Mrs. Tim Burke

stress/anxiety and social interaction zone for students, where they can get their minds away from all school subjects and talk about sports, weekend plans, etc.

Junior Mikayla Scotto agrees that the schedule change cut out an important part of the day for a Benjamin student.

“Honestly, I am not a fan of the schedule change because I think having a break in the day is important, not just to socialize with friends but just to have a mind break and go outside,” Scotto explains. “I think having 15 more minutes of lunch is much more beneficial than having an extra five minutes of block classes.”

Along with the lunch period, the community block is fundamental since it is built for clubs in the middle of the day, which are vital to a student’s resume when applying to college. They are essential to students, both socially, to talk to people, and for the enjoyment of branching out and doing other extracurricular activities. Community block serves this purpose by allowing students to do this during the school day.

It limits engagement because some clubs may end early, and stu-

dents would have time to finish an assignment due the next class. If students decide not to participate in a club, it could be used as a place to branch out to their peers and discuss their best interests.

Even though many students may disagree with the change, the Head of School, Mr. Carr, deemed them necessary because of state requirements.

“We were trying to rightsize the schedule a bit more. The Wednesday lunch was set up for NHS and club meetings, but nothing happened during that lunch, and it became a long and less productive part of the day,” Carr explains; “the post-COVID era put us into a different schedule.

Before 2020 and the quarantine period, we had 90-minute blocks to help meet the requirements for the state since we have to have several school hours each year. With 85 minutes, we were kind of there, but 90 minutes put us a lot closer.”

Even though the schedule may seem like a nuisance right now, Mr Carr acknowledges that the “lunches should be longer” and looks to change the schedule later in the year.

EDITORIAL BOARD

GENERAL

Matthew Marasco, Senior Editor Joey Tomassetti, Senior Editor

Caroline Groffman, Associate Editor Haley Roth, Associate Editor Reid Waxman, Associate Editor Jackson Zenter, Associate Editor Chase Zur, Associate Editor

STAFF WRITERS Cameron Bitove Ryan Chait Sage Sorenson

MISSION STATEMENT

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 4877 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.goel21@thebenjaminschool.org or sophia.liporace21@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.

With the new schedule change, sophomore Jackson Zentner (right) and freshman Ryan Chait (top middle) look at Mrs. Leshin’s computer for some help on what the schedule is.

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The price of a quarter-page advertisement is $30/issue. The price of a business card advertisement is $15/issue.

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.

QUOTATION POLICY

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

MEMBERSHIP

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

Student Voices

The Pharcyde

10 November 2023

Page 7

Potential Ban On AP Psychology Shocks Benjamin

By Matthew Marasco Associate Editor

In August of this year, the College Boa In August of this year, the College Board made a significant announcement regarding the fate of the AP Psychology course in Florida.

The Florida Department of Education had imposed a ban on this course, citing concerns related to a lesson centered around sexual orientation and gender identity. This decision marked the second instance of Florida engaging in a debate with the College Board over an AP course, following last year’s ban on AP African American Studies.

The ban in Florida stemmed from a law known as HB-1069, which underwent revisions in 2023. These revisions introduced “requirements for age-appropriate and developmentally appropriate instruction for all students in prekindergarten through grade 12” and “the prohibition on classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity,” as per flsenate.gov. Florida expanded the scope of this law to encompass high school students, prompting the state to approach the College Board with a request to modify or remove a 45-minute lesson focusing on gender identity and LGBTQ+ definitions.

This, in turn, prompted the College Board to issue its statement on social media.

The news of the ban had a ripple

effect across Benjamin’s campus, particularly among upcoming seniors who had planned to enroll in the AP Psychology class. Many were suddenly concerned about their ability to earn AP credit for college.

Senior Adam Mahmoud, upon seeing the announcement on Instagram, expressed his apprehension, stating, “I am trying to get into a lot of tough schools, and to see that one of my APs was not going to be offered really scared me.” However, he added “I am appreciative that we are now able to take the course, and learning about the science behind our behaviors has been very interesting,” In Florida, over 28,000 students took AP Psychology last year according to The New York Times. The ban would not only have an impact on Benjamin but all Florida schools.

The announcement from the College Board came during the first week that public schools were back in session.

The major problem with schools not teaching the course anymore is that many students already bought their textbooks which can cost up to $150.

For Benjamin’s administrators, the potential ban posed a serious dilemma. If the school continued to teach the modified course, it risked losing its AP certification, rendering any AP class taken by a student this school year ineligible for college credit. This also had implications for teachers like Mrs. Anne Franzen, an Upper School Social Science teacher,

who teaches AP Psychology as her State Certification to teach could be at risk. This caused Benjamin to look into whether they needed to make the class into an honors class or not teach it at all.

Mrs. Franzen emphasized the significance of the class in the senior curriculum and immediately sought ways to ensure its offering during this school year.

“We [Mrs. Franzen and Head of

At Benjamin, AP Psychology holds a central place in the senior curriculum, with a significant number of students currently enrolled in the course. It offers a diverse range of topics, distinct from the conventional math, science, English, and history courses, providing students with insights into various aspects of the brain and its functions. The course and its focus on the deep understanding of human behavior, cog-

nition, and mental processes provides valuable insight into the human mind.

Furthermore, these lessons can be used in real-life situations including relationships and decision-making.

As Florida law regarding education is ever-changing due to Governor Ron Desantis’s goal to “end wokeness in children’s education” the Benjamin School will continue to teach AP courses to offer its students a rigorous curriculum that prioritizes college preparation.

“I am appreciative that we are now able to take the course,” -Adam Mahmoud the High School Mr. Fletcher Carr] met with school attorneys to decide whether the ban applied to us due to the fact that we are a private school, but our school accepts funds from the state through scholarships so we had to make sure we were not subject to rules,” said Mrs. Franzen In the end, Florida announced that it would not require the course to be altered by the College Board, allowing all Florida schools, both public and private, to continue teaching the course during the 2023-2024 school year. In a statement, the Florida Government accused the College Board of “playing games with Florida students.” The college board responded that they wish for every school with certification to teach the course in its entirety without fear of punishment.

One month into Ap Psychology, Mrs. Anne Fraznen is teaching about the functions of the brain. Pictured above is her lesson about the chemical connection.

Potential NIL Expansion to Florida and...That’s My Position High Schools? It May Be A Bigger Question of the Week Issue Than It Would Seem

By Joey Tomassetti Associate Editor

On June 30, 2021, the Division 1 Board of Directors approved an interim name, image, and likeliness (NIL) policy. This new policy allowed all NCAA D1, D2, and D3 student-athletes to be compensated for their NIL. Now more than ever, the possibility of NIL opportunities expanding to the high school level has become a topic of discussion.

I believe that Florida should not expand NIL at the high school level because it will hurt the schools involved more than it will help the players.

Benjamin Upper School Athletic Director Mr. Ryan Smith is torn between the two sides but is hesitant to support it after seeing what happened when NIL was added to college athletics.

“I’m a traditionalist. To me, high school athletics is about participating, learning life skills, and being an amateur, and I’ve seen what it’s done to college sports. There was a lack of control put in at the beginning, so now things have spiraled out of control,” said Mr. Smith.

The FHSAA (Florida High School Athletic Association) already has rules in place that restrict high school athletes from being compensated.

“The reality is that there are schools in this state that are not part of the FHSAA that have players that could theoretically be compensated and not play high school sports. A vast majority are members of the FHSAA, which has strict policies about getting any sort of monetary compensation for high school athletics,” said Mr. Smith.

Mr. Smith believes that NIL will eventually expand to high school athletics, though.

“If it hits the court system, which eventually it’s going to, I don’t see how something like this isn’t going to get through as it did at the college level,” said Mr. Smith.

Mr. Smith shares the approach he will take if NIL opportunities are expanded to high school student-athletes in the future.

“The first thing I will figure out is what are the rules at this level? Obviously, we have to abide by them.

Then, we as a school have to decide what our policies are going to be,” explained Mr. Smith.

When NIL was introduced to college athletics, the prominent issue was the formation of collectives.

According to on3.com, collectives, which are independent of a university, can serve a variety of purposes.

They mostly pool funds from boosters and businesses, help facilitate NIL deals for athletes, and also create

It has become a common occurrence for high school athletes to receive NIL compensation when signing with a college.(Ferris)

Should Student atheletes be spending more time on physcial activity during the day by taking strength and fitness or should they be guided to take more intellectual electives during their season?

NIL expanding to high schools in the state of Florida has become a strong possibility as of late.

their own ways for athletes to monetize their brands.

This is becoming a bigger issue in college by the day, and will surely expand with NIL to high school. The original intent of NIL was to have a brand like Coca-Cola compensating the players, but now it’s worked into these collectives.

“I think the big thing at the high school level will be making sure that schools can’t start a collective as opposed to ‘I’m going to represent Nike or Adidas.’ Otherwise, the schools that are more financially able to compensate athletes will be the only ones involved in NIL,” commented Mr. Smith on the issue,” said Mr. Smith.

Some may argue that NIL in high school is needed because of the abundance of student-athletes who need compensation to help pay for tuition and other expenses. However, the hostile situation that these schools are put into is a more important matter than the individual athletes in this scenario. If the schools are put into this “stranglehold,” then the athletes will not be able to benefit nearly as much, if at all.

Schools should stay wary about the possible development of NIL expanding to the high school level in the state of Florida.

A Teacher’s Perspective “I think it really depends on the type of student they are. If a student really wants to go D1 for a sport, than maybe they take some classes over the summer in order to get ahead and have time to take more physcial classes during the school year. I think what’s important though is that students don’t just replace academic classses with strength and fitness unless they reallly are going to take advantage of that extra time or if they are ahead in their credits and classes,” Priola said.

Page 8

10 November 2023

The Pharcyde

Curtain, Tensions Rise in The Grown Ups Haley Roth Associate Editor

The actresses and actors at The Benjamin School consistently perform entertaining and educating plays for the entire Benjamin community. Last year, drama students showed their skills in both musicals and acting with their interpretations of Distracted and Mean Girls. As the 2023 school year proceeds, the drama students and club members have chosen their performance and hosted tryouts for the upcoming play.

Upper School Theater Director Mr. Jason Peck directs the small cast of six (alphabetically: Natalie Bain, David Frear, Rebekkah Merkel, Harrison Poulakakous, Ava Shawe, and Sage Sorenson). Technical elements are again under the guidance of Mr. Chris Bell.

President of the Drama Club, Senior Xan Blount, shares what play is currently being perfected, “The play is called The Grown Ups [by Skylar Fox and Simon Henriques], and focuses on a set of camp counselors who have some struggles at camp over the summer.”

The Grown Ups is a unique and interesting play, written recently. It focuses on modern issues and ideas, such as summer camp, viral internet trends, and so much more.

“It takes place at this summer camp called Camp Indigo Woods.

The camp is for kids ranging from ages seven to nine, and it basically revolves around all of these counselors.

It’s them [the counselors] having the adult part of their lives separate from the campers,” said Junior and actress Rebbekah Merkel. “The issue is that there is a viral trend online that turns violent while the kids are at camp.

The counselors have to figure out what to do because the world is starting to fight each other, and whether to tell the campers or let the camp be a place where they can just be kids.”

While the overall plot of the play is full of plot twists and excitement, each character, or counselor, also has their own storyline or history. The members of the cast are more than excited to begin working on creating and mastering the personality and energy of the characters they play.

Xan Blount likes the way that each character gets their own story, “This play really has no leads as every counselor has interconnecting stories. I play Cassie, who is a new camp counselor this year, while everyone else has been going to the camp for almost their entire lives.”

Merkel, who plays Maeve also finds depth in her character: “She is a counselor who is in her early twenties. She is pretty fun and definitely

Fall’s Oscar Hopefuls Poor Things In theaters Dec. 8th

Killers of the Flower Moon In theaters Oct.20th

the counselor that all of the kids go to when they need something. Maeve is really friendly and upbeat but she has a traumatic past, so she is very fake, but she doesn't want people to notice.”

This play offers lots of new experiences and difficulties for the actors and actresses to connect with. Although the members of the cast have had to work hard to learn how to play their roles and relay the plot in an interesting way, they are very excited to work on this piece.

Blount shared enthusiastically, “I’m excited for this show because it’s a really fun environment to act in, with our stage resembling a summer camp, and it’s also going to be performed in the round, which means the audience is actually on stage with us.”

“It's going to be really fun to develop my character in a way that shows the duality between her sadness and happiness”, stated Merkel, who is playing Maeve. “She is kind of preppy, and not dumb, but just really enthusiastic, so she is going to be fun to play.”

The Grownups will be performed on November 11 and 12. Tickets for the production are $10 for general admission and complimentary for Benjamin students.

The Benjamin School Drama Club Proudly Presents

NOVEMBER 10 & 11, 2023 • 7:00 P.M. BENJAMIN HALL 4875 Grandiflora Road Palm Beach Gardens

Tickets go on sale Monday, October 23, 2023 TheBenjaminSchool.org

Album Review

Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)

Best Picture, Best Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actress, Best Supporting Actor (Ruffalo and Dafoe), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Product Design

Director, Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor (De Niro), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Production Design

The Holdovers In theaters Oct. 27th

Maestro In theaters Nov. 22nd.

Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing

Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Production Design

Carolyn Groffman Associate Editor On May 5, 2023, Taylor Swift was in the midst of the first part of The Eras Tour. This tour has changed state’s economies, grossed one billion dollars in ticket sales, brought so much joy to supporters all over, and had many other effects on the world.

May 5th was the first night of Swift’s Nashville set. Nashville holds a special place in Swift’s heart because she moved from Pennsylvania to Tennessee as a child to have more opportunities to become a country music star. On this night, she announced that she’d be releasing Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) on July 7th.

Speak Now originally came out in 2010 and has always been a fan favorite. The original sold over one million copies in just one week and has continued to sell for years after its release.

The album featured three songs in the top ten songs on the Billboard 100: “Mine,” “Back to December,” and “If This Was a Movie.”

The album won many accolades including the American Music Award for Favorite Country album and the Billboard Music Award for Top Country Album. The song “Mean,” from the album won a Grammy for Country Solo Performance and for Best Country Song at the 54th annual Grammy Awards.

Included in Swift’s re-recording of old albums, she releases “Vault tracks,” which are songs that she wrote but never released with the original album. The Vault tracks on this new album include “Electric Touch (feat. Fall Out Boy)(Taylor’s Version)(From the Vault),” “When Emma Falls in Love (Taylor’s Version)(From the Vault),” “I Can See You (Taylor’s Version)(From the Vault),” “Castles Crumbling (feat.

Hayley Williams)(Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault),” “Foolish One (Taylor’s Version)(From the Vault),” and “Timeless (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault).”

The album’s re-recordings are extremely similar to the originals, with the main change being that Swift’s

voice has matured and gotten stronger over time.

The main change in Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) is that in the song “Better Than Revenge (Taylor’s Version),” Swift changed the lyrics “She’s better known for the things that she does on the mattress” to “He was a moth and she was holding the matches.”

She did this because she disapproved of the old lyrics and thought that they were not appropriate since they were shaming other women and putting them down. This song is about a girl who stole Taylor Swift’s boyfriend as a teenager and her anger for both of the people involved. However, she wanted to take the blame off of just the girl which is what the old lyrics seemed to do according to the press and to Taylor Swift herself.

Another change that seems insignificant but is greatly missed in the rerecording is the shaky voice in the song “Last Kiss (Taylor’s Version).”

This very sad and mournful song is about a relationship that has ended.

Many details of the relationship and the break up are in the song such as “Fresh on the pavement, I ran off the plane, that July ninth, the beat of your heart. It jumps through your shirt.”

Related to this sound change, the other songs also have this new and mature voice compared to the original recordings of the albums which were made earlier on in her career.

Taylor Swift has always had a lot of talent but her voice has gotten noticeably smoother and more advanced as a singer.

Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) has since made it to the number one spot on the Billboard 200, making it Swift’s twelfth top-charting album.

Twenty of the twenty-two songs on the album have charted on the Streaming Songs list.

The album has helped her break her own previous record for most songs taken up by a female artist on the Streaming Songs chart.

10 November 2023

The Pharcyde

Page 9

Autumn Streaming Now: The Summer I Turned Reads Pretty, Season Two Chase Zur Associate Editor

The Exchange

by John Grisham October 17th

People to Follow

by Olivia Worly October 31st

The second season of Amazon Prime’s The Summer I Turned Pretty, made its much-anticipated debut on July 14, 2023. The show is based on a three-book series written by Jenny Han, with each new season corresponding to one book.

One of the things that makes The Summer I Turned Pretty so unique is that Han also directs and produces the show.

The series revolves around a sixteen-year-old girl named Isabel Conklin (Lola Tung) as she navigates the difficulties of high school and relationships. Isabel, often nicknamed Belly, is a family friend of two brothers named Conrad (Christopher Briney) and Jeremiah (Gavin Casalengo). Each summer, Belly, her older brother Stephen (Stevin Conklin), and her mother Laurel (Jackie Chung), go to a house in Cousins, North Carolina with Jeremiah, Conrad, and their mother Susannah (Rachel Blanchard).

In last summer’s season one, Belly struggled to decide whether she wanted a relationship with Conrad or Jeremiah. As she vacillated back and forth between them, she ultimately chose Conrad. The season ended with a heartbreaking turn of events as the characters found out that Susannah has terminal cancer with little time left to live.

Season two picks up at the beginning of the next summer, where it is revealed through flashbacks that Belly and Conrad have broken up and

Susannah has died. With both families returning to the beach house, Belly’s goal is to repair her relationships with the brothers.

With Susannah’s passing, her sister inherits the house and intends to sell it. The entire plot of season two centers around Belly, Conrad, and Jeremiah all uniting to prevent the house from being sold with help from Stephen and Taylor (Rain Spencer), Belly’s best friend. They convince the sister to sell the house to their father so they can keep returning each summer. The tragic nature of Susannah’s death is the perfect stepping stone to rekindling the relationships between Belly and the brothers.

Throughout the season, the audience starts to see Belly let go of her feelings for Conrad and instead pursue Jeremiah. The last episode shows Belly dating Jeremiah, which seems to give her a new sense of self-confidence and worth.

While the love triangle remains at the forefront of the show, one of the most exciting additions to the season is the relationship between Stephen and Taylor. In each episode, the audience can see the energy between the two characters and how they bring out the best parts of each other. This gradual buildup of their connection makes their bond that much more heartwarming and satisfying.

According to Amazon Prime Video, the second season of The Summer I Turned Pretty is in the top 10 most-watched seasons on the service.

It is not only the intriguing plot that makes this show so successful, but

also the cinematography as the transitions from the present scenes to the flashbacks are smooth, seamless, and polished.

Because season one ended at the beginning of Conrad and Belly’s connection, Han’s decision to reveal Conrad and Belly’s relationship through flashbacks after they broke up in season two is brilliant. It allows the audience to feel more connected to the characters and understand why they have to go their separate ways.

It also makes the series much more mysterious, always leaving viewers wanting more, constantly waiting for another flashback to fill in a missing piece of the story.

However, the music makes many of the emotional scenes in the show less powerful. For this season, Han selects very popular artists, such as Olivia Rodrigo and Taylor Swift,

which makes parts of the show feel commercialized and takes away from some of the most important scenes.

On Belly’s way home from a party, she starts crying as she remembers Susannah’s death, and the song “Driver’s Licence” starts playing in the background. Although it is a great song, it seems obvious that it was only chosen because of the setting of her being in a car, and completely distracts from the emotional aspect of the scene.

Besides the soundtrack, The Summer I Turned Pretty season two is a fantastic show that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats with secretive flashbacks, unexpected relationships, and an outstanding storyline.

The show has already been renewed for a third season which is rumored to be released in the summer of 2024.

Latte’s Are So Last Year Senior Editor Visits Three Area Eateries To Find SoFlo’s Chilliest Sweet Treats Iron Flame

by Rebecca Yarros November 7th

Matt Marasco Senior Editor As Florida continues to be as humid as ever in early fall, there’s nothing better to do than grab a sweet treat at some of the best frozen treat shops in the area Jeremiah’s Italian Ice 11602 US-1, Palm Beach Gardens, Open 1 pm-10 pm every day

Check & Mate

by Ali Hazelwood November 7th

Jermiahs offers a variety of flavors and consistencies, Italian ice, gelato, and soft ice cream. The variety of options allows the customer to choose exactly what they want and can even layer it. The chocolate soft serve with sea-salted caramel gelato and Oreo mixed in was better than I expected. The price was $6.90 for the medium size. The creamy ice cream with the crunch of Italian ice was some of the best I have ever tasted.

The toppings were also very generous as there were enough Oreos throughout the cup and not just on the top.

The vibe of Jermiahs was also great as they included inside and outside seating, which many customers took advantage of.

Bahama Bucks 1209 Main Street, Jupiter Open 12 pm- 10 pm weekdays; 11 am- 11 pm weekends

The Frozen River

by Ariel Lawhon November 14th

A staple in the sweet treat industry around Palm Beaches, Bahama Bucks is located in Downtown Abacoa, offers a variety of shaved ice flavors. The flavors range from a birthday party to a natural mango flavor. I tried the birthday party which was a birthday cake flavor with trop-

ic creme and party sprinkles. The price was $7.20 for a medium size.

The presentation of the shaved ice was beautifully done and the taste was just as good. The creme added a change in consistency which only added to the birthday party taste. The only knock I had on this treat was that the flavor dulled out as I kept eating.

As Bahama Bucks is only located 1.6 miles away from the Benjamin Upper School, it would be a fun idea for seniors to sign out and enjoy some shaved ice during their study halls.

Yoga Pose of the Month

Sunset Slush 4300 US Hwy 1, Suite 205. Jupite Open 12 pm- 8pm daily Located in Bluffs Plaza across from Juno Beach, Sunset Slush offers Italian ice in one flavor and combinations of flavors. I tried the Banana Split flavor and it was very disappointing. The price was $6.20 for a small size. The blend of flavors did not live up to expectations as the banana and chocolate mixed to make a terrible taste that would not leave my taste buds. Although the presentation was top-tier, it quickly turned into slush and tasted almost like cough syrup. There always is the possibility that I did not get the right flavor, so I will definitely try to go back and try something different. Overall, I was very disappointed as the location, right next to the beach access, would give hot beachgoers a chance to cool down after a fun day.

There are plenty of ice cream shops around the area to satisfy a sweet tooth. In my opinion, the best would be Jermiah’s followed by Bahama Bucks, and lastly Sunset Slush.

Sukhasana

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10 November 2023

The Pharcyde

Gauff, Djokovic Highlight Thrilling US Open Reid Waxman Associate Editor After two long weeks of competitiveness, the US Open ended in Queens, New York City. The women's winner was the 19-year phenom and WTA #6 Coco Gauff, defeating WTA #1 Aryna Sabalenka 2-6, 6-3, 6-2. The men’s winner was 23-time grand slam champion and ATP #1 Novak Djokovic, defeating ATP #3 Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 7-6, 6-3.

Both champions are very different in their accomplishments. The story of the tournament was allaround crowd favorite Coco Gauff.

The 19-year-old star made history by being the youngest American to win the US Open since Serena Williams.

As this is her first major trophy, this is only the start for the young American. Gauff has a bright future ahead of her.

Djokovic is a totally different story. He adds this US Open major to his decorated collection of 24 grand slams (Wimbledon 7, Australian Open 10, French Open 3, US Open 4). This year has been an excellent success for Djokovic, winning the Australian Open, French Open, and the US Open. This slam cements himself as one of the sport’s greatest players and fortifies his status as the athlete with the most grand slam titles.

In this tournament, many players showed out to the tennis world for the women's side. She may not be a sleeper, but Gauff had a brutal side of the draw and eventually won the tournament. Going back to how she got here, she made herself a name at the Wimbledon Championships in 2019. She was 15 years old and was

Heisman Watch

the youngest qualifier in Wimbledon history. She made her initial major final at last year’s French Open, finishing as the runner-up to the WTA #2 Iga Swiatek.

Her ranking has skyrocketed in the past few years, such as in 2019, when she massively climbed to the top 100 from the top 600. Since then, she has gone up drastically and eventually became the ATP #3 ranked women’s tennis player.

Sophomore Ishe Makoni is a huge fan of Gauff, and was very happy when she saw her first major win.

“I love Coco Gauff. She is my favorite female tennis player because I’ve got to see her grow. I remember hearing that a 15 year old beat Venus Williams and it honestly amazed me. From that point, my family and I have been rooting for Coco, so it was honestly incredible watching her match live and seeing her win the US Open,” Makoni exclaims, “She is also from Delray which is also cool.

I love her power on the ball and how good her backhand is. I have seen make less double faults since I first started watching her as well. I am amazed by Coco’s growth and will continue to cheer her on!”

Now, on the men’s side, the sleeper of the tournament, with no doubt, is Ben Shelton.

Meet the 20-year-old electrifying player with a big serve, a wild forehand, and tons of personality that everybody loves. The viral problem child is not your typical tennis player.

As one of the only players on tour to attend college, he attended the University of Florida and thrived there.

He won the 2021 NCAA Men’s Division 1 Tennis Championship. He

Coco Gauff and Novak Djokovic raise high the US Open Trophies at Center Court in Arthur Ashe Stadium (Flushing, NY).

American Ben Shelton, meanwhile, celebrates winning his quaterfinal match against #14 Tommy Paul; in doing so, Shelton became the youngest American since Andy Roddick to make it to the Open’s Semifinals..

(Graphic by Reid Waxman)

worked to the top 100 in a year and entered the US Open as the ATP #47 men’s ranked tennis player. And in this tournament, he did not disappoint.

After winning his first three matches, he faced ATP #14 Tommy Paul in the quarterfinals. During this match, he hit two 149 MPH serves.

He broke his record there with a 147 MPH serve in the previous match.

He went on to win 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, and faced the ATP #10Frances Tiafoe next, and this match was nothing but crazy. With winning this match 6-2, 3-6, 7-6, 6-2, he faced the eventual

Cross Country Teams Run into Post-Season in Peak Condition

winner, Novak Djokovic. Shelton lost this match 6-3, 6-2, 7-6, ending his incredible US Open run. He moved up 28 spots to the ATP #19 men’s ranked player and looks to continue this type of tennis next year and throughout his young career.

Along with his crazy personality, he influences the people that watch him. Freshman Chase Atkins is one of those people, and he notices how Shelton makes tennis more exciting to watch.

“I love how even the player he beat in the US Open was projected way better but it did not stop him

AD Smith Reappointed to FHSAA State Board Chase Zur Associate Editor

The boys varsity cross country squad ran with a team-first mentality this season, with each runner contributing to each others’ successes and failures.

Ryan Chait Staff Writer This cross-country season for the boys and girls has been very successful so far. The girls won the Palm League Championships and the boys placed 4th. On September 30th, 2023, it was Senior Day and for the first time in 3 years, the boys won a meet.

This year the girls and boys teams both have a shot at making states. Every runner has to improve their time by at least 30 seconds if both teams want a shot of making states.

Head Coach Nicholas Cramer thinks the girls and boys team have a shot at doing well in Palm League playoffs, districts, regionals, and states.

“I think the girls could make it to states if they keep improving their times and the boys could sneakily make a deep post-season run since they have a lot of depth. We have a lot of young runners and we have a bright future ahead of us,” said Head Coach Nicholas Cramer.

One of the captains of the boys team, Senior Joey Tomassetti agrees with Head Coach Nicholas Cramer and thinks the team will shock some people.

“I think we really have a great group of guys. We are going to practice every day to get better and we are putting in the work. The competition is getting tougher, but I think we could make some noise in the postseason,” said Senior Joey Tomassetti.

The district tournament is on November 2nd at Indian River Fairgrounds in Vero Beach, the regional tournament is on November 9th at South County Regional Park in Boca Raton, and the state tournament is on November 17th at Apalachee State Regional State Park in Tallahassee.

Everyone on the team has contributed a lot to the team even if they did not get a personal record this season. Coach Cramer, Coach Barrett Saunders, and Coach Erica Laz are all very proud of the team regardless of how they finish the season.

from destroying Frances Tiafoe in four sets. I also likes to get the crowd excited by doing the phone celebrations, and he makes the game of tennis fun to watch” Atkins explained.

Capping off the 2023 ATP and WTA tennis seasons could not have ended better. The US Open was a huge success, and the next major will be in January at the Australian Open.

Director of Athletics Coach Ryan Smith was reappointed to the FHSAA board of directors. The board serves as the executive authority of the Association and as the governing body for athletics in Florida.

The FHSAA is comprised of thirteen members who are either elected by membership or appointed by the Governor of Florida and approved by the Senate.

“We are really there to be a voice for our areas in Florida and if there are changes to bylaws and policies that are recommended by membership we are there to vote and decide on those. We also have the position of hiring and firing the director of the FHSAA organizations,” explained Smith.

Two years ago, Smith decided to run for a position on the FHSAA board and succeeded in becoming an elected representative for South Florida.

“I decided to nominate myself for the position and then I was voted on by my section which is South Florida.

Athletic Directors from South Florida then voted on the candidates and they chose me to be their representative,” Smith said.

The FHSAA has five scheduled meetings throughout the year in

Gainesville, Florida. Normally, the meetings will begin on a Sunday morning and will end on a Monday afternoon.

“We have our scheduled meetings but we also meet as needed. For instance, we have a Zoom meeting today at three o'clock to get some information on the FHSAA staff.

Occasionally, there will be emergency meetings to address whatever is pressing at the time,” Smith said.

Due to the new state legislation, the FHSAA has recently gone through some changes. The membership went from sixteen members to thirteen and the way people were appointed was adjusted. Smith looks forward to continuing his position as a board member and representing the State of Florida.

“There used to be 16 members and the vast majority were elected. The FHSAA now has thirteen members, with eight appointed, one automatic from the Department of Education, and four elected. I was on a three-year term and so the elected director recommended a few of us to stay on,” Smith said.

Smith will serve for the third year on the FHSAA Board. He is excited to act as a voice for private schools in South Florida and serve on this governing body of athletics.

10 Novemeber 2023

The Pharcyde

Das Ist Bad. Germans Triumphant White Queen, Cont. as US Fails at 2023 FIBA Cup Joey Tomassetti Senior Editor After a month of entertaining, competitive basketball, the FIBA World Cup came to an end on Sept.

10th, as Germany defeated Serbia to win its first-ever championship.

The United States, which many argued had the best team in the world, fell to Canada in the third-place game.

Senior DJ Reyes was rooting for Slovenia because he is a fan of Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic.

He thinks there are quite a few things that Team USA can improve on.

“I was definitely disappointed that they lost early on. I think if they had some defensive-minded guards like Lonzo Ball, they would have at least made it to the championship game. He’s a great playmaker and can lock down an opposing team’s best player,” said Reyes.

Led by the stellar play of Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards, Team USA was playing well in the early part of the tournament. They won their first four games and then lost three of their next four, starting with a loss to Latvia. In that game, Team USA’s defensive deficiencies were highlighted, as Latvia scored 110

points, shot a scorching 14/25 from three-point range, and outrebounded the USA by 16.

Even with reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson, Jr. of the Memphis Grizzlies, Team USA struggled against size and had trouble containing dribble drives. They would consistently get outrebounded and leave shooters wide open on the perimeter. Beating your defender off the dribble causes the defense to collapse, leaving shooters wide open for uncontested three-pointers.

Going back to Jackson Jr., teams would lure him out of the paint by running a pick-and-roll every possession, forcing him to guard smaller, quicker players and leaving USA’s heavy guard lineup to defend the opposing team’s big men. This created unfavorable rebounding situations for Team USA. Jackson Jr. is considered a power forward in today’s NBA because of his inability to rebound like an average center. Jackson Jr. only recorded three rebounds in the loss to Germany, then did not play against Canada because of illness.

These same problems continued

Dive Master

in Team USA’s semifinal and thirdplace matchups against Germany and Canada. Against Germany, Team USA allowed 113 points and a very efficient 13/30 from three-point range. In the very next game, Team USA allowed 127 points and an even more efficient 17/37 from three-point range against Canada. That would mark the end of their tournament.

Team USA still had some bright spots. As mentioned before, Anthony Edwards had a great tournament, averaging nineteen points, five rebounds, and three assists on 47% shooting from the field. Mikal Bridges and Austin Reaves played quality minutes as well, averaging fourteen points each on 63% and 57% shooting, respectively.

With the Olympics coming up next August, Team USA looks to be retooling the roster. As Shams Charania of The Athletic reports, Lakers superstar LeBron James is recruiting some of the NBA’s best talent, including Warriors superstar Stephen Curry and Suns superstar Kevin Durant, to compete in the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Hopefully, the United States will again be on top of the basketball world soon.

position where she is always looking for the ball to pass up to the center-forward. This dynamic position contrasts sharply with White’s role as the kicker and has prompted her to change her mindset when playing.

“In a soccer game the game is more constant for me as I am on the field longer and I contribute more, but with football, I am on for no longer than a minute or two at a time and I only do one thing so there is a lot more pressure. When I am about to kick the football, I really have to focus because I only have a few minutes to make a difference in the game,” said White.

Despite the differences between the two sports, White has been able to use the skills she has learned in soccer, to help her adjust to this entirely new position and sport.

“The technique of kicking a soccer ball is pretty similar to kicking the football so I was able to pick that up pretty quickly. But I think the thing that has helped me the most when kicking is being able to keep my composure under these high pressure situations which is one of the most important aspects of soccer,” White said.

The Benjamin Football Team had one conference game on August 24th against John Carol Catholic High School in which they won 49-6. In this game alone, White made every extra point she kicked, contributing six points to her team's total score.

Page 11 “She fits into the team very nicely, and being a highly recruited athlete, she gets respect from all of the players,” Kresser explains.

Junior Ford Cash, a varsity football player, has noticed White’s impact already and feels that she is an impressive acquisition to the team.

“She does a great job kicking the extra points and went six for six at our last game. She’s a team player and a great addition to the team,” Cash said.

White has recognized this support from the team and feels grateful to have people around her who accept her decision to look beyond traditional gender roles and join the football team.

“I understand that some people on the field and off would be critical of my position on the team, but so far the team has really stood by my side especially when I was hesitant to join and nervous about the possible judgment. My parents, other athletes at school, the coaches on the team, and my friends pushed me to do this and have supported me the whole way,’’ White said.

Having White join the football team seems to be the beginning of a new era for the Upper School Athletic Program. This is a monumental moment for female athletes as it opens a new opportunity for achievement and versatility. With a full season ahead, Lily White has a lot to look forward to in expanding her already impressive football record and a lot more of an impact to make.

Sophomore Soars, Splashes, Stuns As Dive Season Ends

By Reid Waxman Associate Editor

The lone diver on the girl’s swimming team, Sophomore Sarah Napier, clears out the competition. She was Palm Beach Post Player of the Week on Sep. 25th, with an astonishing win at the Palm League one-meter individual championship.

Going back in time, Napier talks about when she started diving.

“I started diving when I was four.

When I started diving, I was playing a lot of other sports. Eventually, I decided that diving was my favorite, and I could make a future out of diving. I decided to stick with it,” Napier explains.

Growing up, Napier traveled all around the country for diving. The awards that she has won are outstanding, and they do not stop here.

“My favorite thing about diving is the meets. I travel a lot for diving, and I have gone all over the country, so that's my favorite part. Over the last year, I have won districts for high school season and qualified for regionals and states the last two years. I have also won the Palm League meet two years in a row. Out of high school and in the J.O. season, I qualified for nationals in Mission Viejo, California, this year. I am super excited for that,” Napier said with passion.

With the many awards, she recently won the Palm Beach Post Player of the Week for Sep. 17 - 22.

During that week, her highlight diving performance earned her the individual champion of the Palm League for the 2023 competition. She feels recognized and wants these awards to keep coming in for her.

“It's nice to have recognition of my accomplishment around the county. Diving is not an easy sport; having my friends and family see this accomplishment makes me even happier,” Napier said joyfully. “With this

award, I do not want to stop going at the speed I am training at now. This award makes me want to push more toward my goal of going to college for diving.”

Head Coach Mrs. Sarah Misselhorn thinks Napier is a hard worker and has the potential to do anything with diving.

“Sarah is a tremendous diver, and she is determined. She recently switched out of school clubs and is working with a facility that helps with her one-meter board and platform diving. There are big things coming for her for not only school diving but national diving, too,” Misselhorn said with excitement.

Misselhorn has high expectations for Napier and has more to say about her growth from eighth to tenth grade.

“I think she has grown and matured with the sport of diving. She has developed a love for the sport even more and now has rigorous training exposed to many competitions. She has come to understand the Florida scene since eighth grade,” Misselhorn states. “She has grown with knowing the judges too, which will help her going forward and into the postseason.”

Not only does Misselhorn see Napier excel in the water, but her friends see her do too. Sophomore Lila Brodner sees her love for the sport and is extremely happy for her.

“I think it’s cool to see her do well when she gets invited to nationals and cool meets. I love hearing about them after. She got nominated for Athlete of the Week, and I loved supporting her and helping her get votes,” Brodner explained.

Napier looks to clear the competition on October 18th in the Palm League Championships.

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PHLIPCYDE Jayden Cosby-Mosley

I first fell in love with football when I watched TV and saw Julio Jones as a wide receiver. I loved his amazing route-running technique and the awesome catch that he had as a rookie in the NFL. When I was 5-years-old, I played flag football in West Palm Beach.

While I was there, I played wide receiver, safety, corner, and quarterback. After a couple of years as a flag football player, I went to play tackle football for the Boynton Beach Wildcats. My first tackle football team taught me the essentials I would need to continue my football career. We then transferred to Palm Beach Gardens Gators where I played Wide Receiver and Corner for the next two years. I also continued to play flag football for the City. Once I entered sixth grade I began playing wide receiver and outside linebacker for The Benjamin Middle School. I was a key member of the undefeated season that I had in my 7th grade year. When I reached eighth grade, I became captain, got a banner in the gym, and won the coach’s award in a span of six games. I came to the high school as a Wide Receiver, Corner, Safety, and Linebacker. I was selected to play Junior Varsity and Varsity as a freshman, one of the very few to earn this privilege.

I now play on Junior Varsity as a Corner, Wide Receiver, and safety.

42 DAYS UNTIL SEMESTER BREAK AUTUMNAL WORD SEARCH DEER AUTUMN CHESTNUT SWEATER FOX SCARECROW HARVEST LEAVES HALLOWEEN HAY PUMPKIN ACORN APPLEPIE CINNAMON

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Fallin’ In Love playli

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Loaf

Ingredients 1 and 3/4 cups (219g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled) 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg* 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves* 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger* 3/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs, at room temperature 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar 3/4 cup (150g) packed light or dark brown sugar 1 and 1/2 cups (340g) pumpkin puree (canned or fresh) 1/2 cup (120ml) oil (vegetable, canola or melted coconut) 1/4 cup (60ml) orange juice* 2/3 cup (120g) semi-sweet chocolate chips*

Instructions Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a metal 9×5-inch loaf pan with non-stick spray. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and salt together until combined. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until combined. Whisk in the pumpkin, oil, and orange juice. Pour these wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently mix together using a rubber spatula or a wooden spoon. There will be a few lumps. Do not over-mix. Gently fold in the chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 60–65 minutes, making sure to loosely cover the bread with aluminum foil halfway through to prevent the top from getting too brown. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with only a few small moist crumbs. This may be before or after 60–65 minutes depending on your oven, so begin checking every 5 minutes around the 55-minute mark.

Allow the bread to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before removing and slicing.

Cover and store leftover pumpkin bread at room temperature for up to 3–4 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week.