The Pharcyde, 42.3

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The Pharcyde

6 November 2020

Mrs. Mary Lou Primm to Depart as School Creates New Position

By Evan Liberman Photography Editor Director of Admission Mrs. Mary Lou Primm has announced that she will be departing at the end of this academic year. At the same time, the School has announced the creation of a new administrative position: Director of Enrollment Management.

Earlier this year, Mrs. Primm announced that she would be leaving the School after 18 years of dedicated service.

Discussing her future plans, Primm said: “I’m not sure where life will take me, but I’m excited about beginning a new chapter.”

However, she still has over half a year ahead of her and plans to make good use of it.

“I [am looking to] meeting and exceeding the School’s enrollment goals for the 2021-2022 school year. [For this year,] our 231 new students represent the highest number enrolled in the history of the School, and we enrolled 26 students over goal, so enrollment is in a good spot right now,” she said.

Although the School is sad to see Mrs. Primm and her talents go, it is already planning for the future.

While announcing Mrs. Primm’s departure, the School also announced its decision to create a new administrative position.

Commenting on the School’s motivation for creating the position, Head of School Mr. David Faus said: “Over the last several years schools have moved to creating this position

that centralizes a lot of the enrollment related work into one place. We hope this makes the entire enrollment process easier for our potential new families.”

Next, the School established the requirements for the new position.

The new director will be working closely with Mr. Faus in order to oversee the student recruitment and financial aid process, manage Benjamin’s online admissions presence, and be the School’s most visible advocate and spokesperson.

Mrs. Primm has always been a huge supporter of the school and has admitted thousands of students to Benjamin. [...] We are deeply appreciative for her commitment and leadership in TBS admissions.

-Mr. David Faus Finally, to advertise this position, the School has made multiple postings on the internet, including on the official Benjamin website as well as on the National Association of Independent Schools’ website.

Mr. Faus, who heads the hiring process for the job, has put together an advisory committee to help him select the best candidate. He noted that there has been great interest in the position from many qualified applicants, and plans to have a selection made by the new year with a start date of July 1,

2021.

Although the new hire will not begin work until next summer, members of the Admission Office have mixed emotions about Mrs. Primm’s departure, particularly Director of Summer Programs and Admission Associate Mr. Christopher Nordland.

“I am definitely sad about Mrs. Primm’s departure because we started the same year–both of us in 2003.

Looking back, we’re probably two of the most veteran people left. She is a wonderful colleague, and she will be missed.”

Offering advice to whoever fills the new role, Nordland added: “I hope the new addition takes time to understand our school culture and connects with all three divisions. He or she needs to be ready to fill some really big shoes!”

Additionally, Mr. Faus is grateful for Mrs. Primm’s hard work.

“I certainly want to recognize the good work of our admissions office and particularly of Mrs. Primm who has served the school for the last 17 years. [She] has always been a huge supporter of the school and has admitted thousands of students to Benjamin[.]We are deeply appreciative for her commitment and leadership in TBS admissions,” he stated.

Although she has the rest of the school year ahead of her, it is clear that Mrs. Primm will be sorely missed by her colleagues and will always remain a part of the Benjamin family.

Mrs. Mary Lou Primm gets honored by former Head of School Mr. Robert Goldberg for her many years of service at Benjamin. After announcing Mrs. Primm’s upcoming departure, the School moved to create a new administrative role for her replacement: Director of Studnent Enrollment.

(Photo courtesy of the Benjamin Archives)

The walls of the Apple store are lined with the newest phone, the iPhone 12.

The phone not only has improved features and technology, but it also comes in a variety of new colors.

(Photos by Molly Fried)

Apple has finally released its newest phones: the iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Max, and iPhone 12 Mini. Adhering to restrictions due to COVID-19, Apple held a virtual revealing ceremony on October 13, with over 1 million viewers watching in real-time. The iPhone 12 is the best option for the average consumer, in my opinion.

In comparison to last year’s model, the iPhone 12 is 11% thinner, 15% smaller, and 16% lighter. The phone is also the first iPhone with 5G capable performance, making it the world’s smallest, thinnest, and lightest 5G phone. The new iPhone also introduces a ceramic shield, making it four times better in drop performance than any other smartphone.

Apple has not only included a sleeker new look and better performance capabilities, but also improved the new phones’ performance around water. The splash and spill resistance is amazing and greatly appreciated by the average consumer. The phone can now go six meters deep for 30 minutes. This is great for students that love taking underwater photos. “ The underwater capabilities are my favorite feature for when I go to the Bahamas,” said George Straub.

The new phone also comes in five

new colors: blue, red, white, black, and green. The new colors add a more stylish and neon look than the old bland colors. Many Benjamin students are happy with the new colors, with the green and the royal blue.

Senior Siddharth Jasti said, “I have a light blue iPhone XR right now but I think the darker blue would definitely help bump up my reputation among the fashion-forward at Benjamin.”

Another new feature is the A14 Bionic chip. This chip is so powerful that it is capable of doing 11 trillion operations per second. This does worry some users who believe it will make the battery die faster, a problem in past generations of iPhones. “ My iPhone dies very fast due to bad battery life, so this phone will be a great upgrade,” said freshman Jake Figman.

The new phones also sport a Super Retina XDR display. This is considered the best iPhone display ever with vastly more contrast, incredible color, and accuracy. The new screen marks a huge jump forward in pixel density from previous smartphone.

Lastly, the new iPhone comes with an even better camera than previous models. The dual camera on the base model and the three-camera model on the iPhone Pro offer a much better night mode, wide mode, and low-light shots. With these features,

buyers will be able to take photos at any time in the day and will still have every level of detail seen in broad daylight.

Overall, the iPhone 12 seems to be a revolutionary, sleek, and powerful smartphone, although accompanied by setbacks. In an attempt to “reduce their carbon footprint,” Apple has decided to take the headphones and charging port out of the box.

The iPhone 12 Mini has a starting price point at $699, the price of the iPhone 11 at its launch last year. The regular iPhone 12 starts at $799, and iPhone 12 Pro at $999. This shows that more features can become available at nearly the same cost, which is much better for every consumer.

If a consumer wishes to include Apple Care in their purchase, it adds an extra expense of $149, making the pricey phone slightly more expensive.

“Apple Care is good for Benjamin students like me because we drop our phones a lot. The only problem is that it comes at a pretty big price,” said freshman Jack Guagliano.

The iPhone 12 is a sleeker, smarter, stronger, and faster phone than all past generations. At a reasonable price is it a very good option for students looking to upgrade their phones.

6 November 2020

Page 3

More Boys than Girls at Benjamin, Gender Differences Exists

By Nadia Poncy Social Media Director

Apple Unveils Latest iPhone Lineup

By Matt Marasco Staff Writer

The Pharcyde

Most local high schools have a 50/50 or relatively equal male to female student ratio, but at the Upper School, male students make up 63% of the student body, whereas female students only comprise 37%.

As of right now, the 416 Upper School students are composed of 152 female students and 264 males, meaning there are 112 more male students enrolled than there are females.

Currently, in the 9th grade, there are 43 fewer females than there are males, the biggest gap amongst the grade levels 9-12.

In other private schools in the area, the population is much more equal; Oxbridge is 52% female and 48% male, and the Pine School is 53% female and 47% male.

The disparity has caught the attention of Upper School Director of Student Services Dr. Amy Taylor, who is concerned that the decline in female students over the past few years will affect the future of certain clubs and athletics here at school.

“In order to sustain some of our programs (i.e. our athletics teams), we need to ‘right-size’ the number of girls. I, honestly, don’t know what that number might be, but we can see that some of the programs are at risk, as the numbers of girls have declined,” she explained.

While many activities and sports such as cheerleading, softball, and girls golf may have to discontinue if the decline in female students continues, the real problem from this issue is the question as to why fewer female students are enrolling in the first place.

Dr. Taylor said, “It sounds like current girls are telling prospective female students not to even apply. It also sounds like there are pressures at Benjamin which favor the qualities that might be more attractive to male students than female students; i.e. competition.”

I have never really noticed the dominant presence, but that is probably because I am in the majority and not minority. I think it would be great if the school was balanced 50/50. I don’t think there is any reason to not have equal representation.

- Junior Grady Wolf While some suggest that there may simply be fewer young females living in the area, according to Palm Beach County’s ratios from States101.com, there are actually 106 females to 100 males from the ages 15-19 meaning there should actually be more female students if the School

were to accurately reflect the county’s population.

Currently, some female students have acknowledged the existence of a gender gap and have noticed it in their daily activities in school.

Junior Jane Boyland said, “I definitely think there are fewer girls in the high school. I’ve noticed in most of my classes there’s overall more guys, and the gap is pretty big. I honestly don’t know how that happened.”

On the other hand, there are some students who haven’t noticed the gap at all until it was pointed out.

Junior Grady Wolf said, “I have never really noticed the dominant presence, but that is probably because I am in the majority and not minority.

I think it would be great if the school was balanced 50/50. I don’t think there is any reason to not have equal representation in our school.”

There are many possible reasons why there are more female students than male students.

Senior Hudson Hale believes the disparity has something to do with the culture here at school. “I don’t know why there’s such a large difference right now, but it might be that girls are having a harder time socially, the boys are displaying a more negative male culture, or that it is just simply how it is right now,” he said.

On the other hand, senior Julie Moquin believes that it may have something to do with the sports of-

This chart demonstrates the drastic differences between the number of girls and boys at Benjamin. Although the numbers are uneven now, the School is working to create a more equal distribution.

(Graphic by Evan Liberman)

fered here at school. “In peer counseling, we all discussed the issue, and it occurred to me that it might be the football program here. Football requires many players and is what attracts most boys to specific high schools. When Oxbridge had a football team, their male to female students ratio was similar to Benjamin’s, in that there were significantly fewer females, but once the program was removed, the population of students equalized itself.”

Both are very good reasons for there being fewer female students here at school, but the more import-

ant question that arises is how do we fix this problem and have more female students apply to the school.

Right now, Dr. Taylor is gathering information to try to attract more female students to the School.

“The ultimate goal is to have a more balanced student body in terms of gender. We will continue to try to understand whatever the dynamic is that is driving the discrepancy,” she said.

National Honors Society Moves National Honor Society to Induct Seven New to Revise Chapter By-laws Members, Two Transfers

By Sophia Liporace Executive Managing Editor

A 3.87 GPA, significant community service involvement, second-semester sophomore or older, and an overall leader in the school community. These characteristics are what come to mind when thinking of the criteria needed to be considered for membership in the Benjamin School’s chapter of the National Honor Society. (NHS) This year, the School’s chapter of NHS will be taking on the monumental task of rewriting the chapter by-laws and submitting them to a National Committee that oversees all chapters.

The by-laws are a set of rules and guidelines that the School’s chapter follows; the by-laws include the criteria a student must meet in order to apply, the semester requirements to remain a member in good standing, the duties of various chapter officers, and more.

The by-laws are updated at the chapter’s discretion, but it is necessary to update the academic requirements.

President of NHS, senior Alexander Michelon, is working with NHS advisor Ms. Sara Misselhorn to oversee the process; both are keenly aware of the importance of such a task.

“Every few years the Commit-

tee that overlooks all chapters of the National Honor Society requires us to rewrite our by-laws. Since we changed the GPA requirement from 3.67 to 3.87 a few years ago, it’s important for us to send in our updated by-laws,” he said.

As well as legitimizing the new NHS by-laws, this process will also allow for more NHS members to get involved in such an important duty.

“In order to do this, we have decided to expand beyond our 5 NHS officers and open up some new positions on a “By-law Council.” These positions will be available for both junior and senior NHS members and is a great way to get some leadership experience in the NHS. In this committee, we will discuss and debate the rules of NHS, and will eventually send the finished product to the National Committee,” Michelon said.

To be on the Council would be a huge honor for anyone in NHS, which is why Ms. Misselhorn is looking for a specific type of person to be on the Council.

“By-Law committee members should be forward-thinking, possess great organizational and writing skills, and desire the bettering of the Benjamin School’s chapter of the National Honor Society,” said Ms. Misselhorn.

The chapter hopes to have the process completed by May of 2021.

On Tuesday Nov. 17, the School’s chapter of the National Honor Society will be holding its virtual induction ceremony. The group will be welcoming seven new members and two transfer members.

For the first time in history, the induction ceremony will be shown during a virtual BTV assembly. Leading the event is chapter president, Senior Alexander Michelon.

Joining Michelon on camera will be the other officers of the chapter, who will introduce the selection process, a bit about NHS, and biographies of the new members.

Serving as officers for the 20202021 school year are Michael Reznik as Vice President, Alex Kahn as secretary, Skyler Zur as Treasurer, Danai Makoni as In-School Service Coordinator, and Caitlin DeGraff as Out-of-School Service Coordinator.

Congratulations to all the Inductees!

Samantha Ende ’21 Bradley Groffman ’21 Steven Gu ’21 Aidan Le ’21 Cade Odom ’21 Aaryan Somadder ’21 Gwen Savidge ’21 Jack Regnery ’22 Reagan Rodriguez ’22

Thanksgiving Food Drive Supporting the Youth Recreation Association.

Bring in your canned goods and other non-perishable items to the Didsbury Learning Commons by Nov. 18.

President of NHS Alex Michelon works on revising the NHS by-laws. This year, NHS will have a By-law Council that rewrites the NHS guidelines with the goal of submitting to the National Committee.

(Photo courtesy of Alex Michelon)

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6 November 2020

Student Voices

The Pharcyde

Live With Honor. Fight COVID-19 There are no degrees of Honor. You either have it or you don’t.

You either act honorably in times of COVID-19 or you don’t have on-campus classes. For almost nine weeks, we were able to have at school, in-person learning without a single reported positive COVID-19 case. On Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2020 that changed.

Our Honor Code serves to create a community of trust. When the School has to effect a series of new rules focusing on social distancing and wearing masks, the move suggests we have failed the Honor Code.

If we were acting honorably, our individual decisions would always reflect an understanding and valuing of our larger community.

It is the responsibility of every member of the Benjamin community to do what is best for the community and not just him or herself. Responsibly limit gatherings outside of school.

Diligently wear your masks. Consistently adhere to the Honor Code while Zooming. The only way campus remains open is by our working together.

Being part of our community is a

privilege, not a right. We need to value the opportunity by taking pride in what we built. Recent actions haven’t simply undercut nine weeks of good behavior, but rather a 60 year tradition of Benjamin being our safe, compassionate, and welcoming home.

The School cannot and should not control how we act or what we do outside of school hours, we can and should. The responsibility for fostering the Benjamin spirit rests on each of us being mindful of our behaviors.

The blame for an outbreak does not just fall on the host of socially irresponsible gatherings; it falls on everyone. We chose to attend. We chose to ignore the county guidelines. We chose a few hours of fun over a lifetime of better health.

We cannot fight the virus alone, we must do so together. Our Honor Code requires us not just to report our own positive cases to Nurse Mary Beth Donaldson, but also to honorably act in a way that makes such instances rare. A student cannot willingly choose to put him or herself in danger of contracting the virus because that decision affects us all. This is why we have an Honor Code; it re-

minds us that we are always a part of something bigger than ourselves.

The Honor Code demands that you say something; failing to speak up puts us all at risk.

It is honorable to wear a mask.

Doing so protects others. According to the CDC, “Researchers predicted that 80 percent of the population wearing masks would do more to reduce COVID-19 spread than a strict lockdown.” The School requires everyone to wear a mask, but it is difficult to regulate all the students. It is important to wear the mask properly, over your nose, because it is more protective to others who are exposed to you. The safety of others depends on your willingness to be a little uncomfortable. When you see someone not properly covering his or her face, the Honor Code demands that you say something; failing to speak up puts us all at risk.

Of course, the Honor Code must be followed in regards to our academics as well. When a remote

learner takes the opportunity to look up an answer or use his or her notes on a quiz or test, that decision affects the entire community. The cheater is advantaged, other students’ effort is potentially skewed, and teachers struggle to assess the effectiveness of their instruction. A few unearned points provide only temporary solace from long-term ignorance. Cheating is a direct assault on our community.

Before the pandemic, it was easy to limit our understanding of the Honor Code and its influence to the space protected by the white fences of our campus. COVID-19 has changed this. Our Honor Code impacts those who are closest to us off-campus as well. Our parents are kept safe by our honorable decisions. Those who are essential workers, doctors, teachers, and service workers are able to do their job when we do not bring home the virus. People who depend on those essential workers need them to be able to do their jobs. As Mr. Carr stated in his recent Buclines commentary, “It has been clear [...] that there have been choices made recently, at the individual, family, and peer levels, that have contributed

to the uptick in COVID and quarantine numbers at the Upper School.

The consequences of these choices range from the rather trivial, such as missing out on a Halloween party, to the far-reaching, such as student-athletes--through no fault of their own-being forced to miss state-level, end-of-season events; families with at-risk parents and grandparents being forced to dig ever deeper into resources to protect elderly loved ones; and Upper School students, who rely on their own paychecks, forced to forego the work that helps to pay for their education at Benjamin.” Honor means seeing yourself in others. We are our School and our School is our World.

We have to step up. We have to take responsibility. We have to live with Honor. If we don’t, we might not have anything, any place, anyone to live for.

*The Editorial is the opinion of The Pharcyde and therefore does not have a singular name attributed to it.

Student Voices

The Pharcyde

the

PHARCYDE

Founded in 1980 as The Spectator 6 November 2020

Volume 42, Issue 3

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

MISSION STATEMENT

If students fear having their opinions define them, they will not be as willing to contribute in the classroom. In a school that encourages students to ask questions and participate in discussion, it is important for everyone to feel comfortable in the classroom, as it is the best way to learn and understand different perspectives. In English classes, discussing literature can often be a segue towards opinions of a character’s actions. In the AP Literature curriculum, students read William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet and one of the topics of discussion is whether or not Hamlet’s actions are justified. Since it is a matter of opinion based on a student’s interpretation of the play, if his or her opinion is similar to that of a modern day conservative justice

system, a student could feel that he or she would be judged by the more liberal population in class and vice versa.

Furthermore, labeling, whether political or not, can discourage people from trying new things. For example, saying someone is a “nerd” may prevent him or her from pursuing activities such as athletics or drama. Confining each other to different sects of the Benjamin Community stops multiple people from reaching their full potential. Students anxious about not fitting into sports teams due to their identity as a more studious, introverted person are often blinded by worry of such stereotypes that they fail to recognize student athletes often excel in the classroom as well and do not necessarily fit into just one category.

In a 2014 study conducted by Carol Dweck in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, high school students were found to have lower stress levels when they held the belief that people can change and evolve their interests. Additionally, Dweck found students who believe their own behaviour and performance can change work harder in school to overcome academic difficulties, while more judgemental students struggled in overcoming challenges presented in both school and extracurriculars such as athletics.

It goes deeper than just beliefs and mindsets though: labeling as ethnicities or religions only prolongs the existence of discriminatory stereotypes.

Asian students should not have to feel pressure from their peers to perform

well academically due to the racial stereotype that Asian students are smart.

Similarly, Jewish students should not be discouraged from STEM program s because of the discriminatory misconception that they have to be lawyers or accountants. Cultures, ethnicities, and religions should be celebrated and not used as a way to demean the nature of one’s existence.

By labeling, we reduce others to a group instead of giving them the recognition they deserve for being their own selves. No two students are alike; by constricting people to a label, we devalue our peers and prevent them from achieving and learning.

EDITORIAL BOARD

GENERAL

ADVERTISEMENTS

QUOTATION POLICY

Molly Fried, Co-Editor-in-Chief Skyler Zur, Co-Editor-in-Chief

Sophia Liporace, Executive Managing Editor Tvisha Goel, News Editor Grace Kearns, Features Editor Evan Liberman, Photography Editor Charlie Spungin, Sports Editor Nadia Poncy, Social Media/Breaking News Director

STAFF WRITER Matthew Marasco

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

The Pharcyde, the Upper School newspaper of The Benjamin School, is published seven times a year. 1,200 copies of The Pharcyde are distributed to 398 students and 57 faculty members and are available in the Upper School office.

The Pharcyde encourages submission of Letters to the Editor. Send your feedback, criticism, or outside opinions in 150 words or fewer to skyler.zur21@thebenjaminschool.org or molly.fried21@thebenjaminschool.org.

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

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.

*The Editorial is the opinion of The Pharcyde and therefore does not have a singular name attributed to it.

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.

Page 5

News Editor discusses importance of thinking of others during pandemic.

By Tvisha Goel News Editor Despite more students opting for online school in light of Benjamin’s first cases of COVID-19, the students who are still in person for school have an even greater responsibility to limit interaction outside of the classroom and school unless taking precautions, as they not only have their family and themselves to think about now; they also have to think about their friends, fellow classmates, teachers, and other faculty members.

The School has been taking plenty of precautions to limit interaction to prevent transmission, such as wearing masks, social distancing when possible, and one-way hallways.

However, these precautions can only be enforced inside the classroom.

Outside the school, there is no telling what students are doing; they could very well be putting themselves in situations that allow for exactly what

the School is trying to counter.

People argue that schools do not have to worry about COVID-19, as it is now October and numbers are not as bad as they were projected. An Oct. 9 article in The Atlantic written

by Emily Oster discusses that idea, and how schools are not superspreaders. In fact, she says that “fear and bad press slowed down or canceled school reopenings.”

Contrary to Oster’s claims, Benjamin released an email on Oct. 28 disclosing that the School had its first COVID-19 case but would remain open; by the end of the week, Benjamin had three confirmed COVID-19 cases.

In order to prevent more COVID cases, the students need to understand, acknowledge, and respect the magnitude of this pandemic. The CDC reports that a large factor in school safety concerning COVID-19 is how seriously students, as well as teachers, take the pandemic when not on school grounds. A CDC report, up-

dated on Sep. 15, says that “success in preventing the introduction and subsequent transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in schools is connected to and dependent upon preventing transmission in communities. It is important to understand SARS-CoV-2 transmission within the surrounding community to determine the possible risk of introduction and transmission of SARSCoV-2 within the school.”

Palm Beach County, the community in which the school is located, has had an upward trend in cases by day which is not all that surprising as Florida, and Palm Beach, have had consistently high cases, with an average of 137 cases since the county reopened Now, the declaration of a high number of cases is obvious. However, another argument that people pose is the fact that a school mainly consists of young people, hence, they are not likely to transmit COVID-19. While it is true that younger people are less likely to experience the severity of

symptoms due to the virus as do older people, and the transmission rate is lower than that of older aged residents, it is still increasing. The CDC says, “In hotspot counties, particularly those in the South and West […] patterns [showed], in the southern United States, increased percent positivity among adults aged 20–39 years preceded increases among those aged ≥60 years … There is an urgent need to address transmission among young adult populations, especially given recent increases in COVID-19 incidence among young adults.”

The increase in younger adult cases is evident by the 8,234 cases among 15-24 year-olds, 9,074 cases among the 25-34-year-olds, 7,889 cases among the 35-44 year-olds, and 7,634 cases among the 45-54 yearolds. In comparison to 3,628 cases among the 65-74 year-olds and 2,434 cases among the 75-84 year-olds, the number of cases among younger people is significantly higher in Palm Beach County.

Anything and everything a community experience translates to schools in that community, including COVID-19. Of course, Benjamin had an obligation to open and intelligently provided an option for both online and in-person schooling, something many students appreciate. Acknowledging the risk that Benjamin has taken in reopening the school, students who chose in-person need to understand the responsibility that Benjamin has entrusted them with. This means that those students need to accept accountability; this consists of enough maturity to not gather in crowds after school on the sidewalks and refrain from mass parties on the weekends.

Students have been happy being at school after an uneventful summer due to COVID-19, and those who are online have been looking forward to the possibility of coming back in the second semester. For these students’ sakes, as well as for the community as a whole, students need to buckle down and think before they act.

If an Email Arrives and Remains Unopened, Is it Truly Received?

Co-Editors-in-Chief promote responsible and respectful email use

By Skyler Zur Co-Editor-in-Chief

We need to work against labeling each other, as it negatively impacts multiple aspects of our school experience. With the growing divides in the country, classifying everyone by their ideologies, ethnicity, or hobbies prolongs stereotypes.

In the midst of the 2020 election, this need is most apparent given the diverse political ideologies held at the School. Going around, identifying fellow students or even teachers by their political beliefs is a compromising mindset in an environment that is supposed to have us keep an open mind and grow both educationally and personally. Titles such as “liberal” or “conservative” are spoken in demeaning manners that negatively impact the learning environment.

Your Decisions Affect Everyone. Think Before You Act.

By Molly Fried Co-Editor-in-Chief

It’s Time to Stop Labeling Each Other

6 November 2020

Throughout the pandemic, one thing has been made clear: technology is more important than ever.

Because many people have transitioned to a more isolated lifestyle to stay safe throughout the pandemic, reading and responding to emails has become critical both for teachers and students.

Because teachers are trying to balance their in-person learners with their “Zoomers”, the quickest and easiest way to communicate is through email. Explaining something in class can be helpful, but for remote students, announcements may be cut off or unclear due to issues with tech-

nology. This is why email is such a critical tool.

Sending an email to sum up the class or clarify assignments can be an easy and effective way to help students stay on top of classwork. With college applications and the added challenge of COVID-19, students are more stressed than ever, and in order to stay productive and safe at school, having the flexibility to send emails and receive responses can help relieve some of that stress.

If a student has a question about an upcoming test, sending an email to the teacher and receiving a timely response will not only build a bond for the student and teacher, but it will also clear up some of the confusion that comes along with the pandemic.

Teachers, without a doubt, have more work to do than in the past because they have to work around the challenges of the pandemic, but they should realize that students feel similarly. Remote students cannot be

expected to go and talk to teachers in-person about questions, and even for those people who are on-campus, meetings, sports, clubs, and outside activities take up time that may have been used to talk to a teacher. Sending an email should be received similarly to one’s going in to ask a question in person.

Teachers’ failure to respond to emails doesn’t just negatively impact virtual students, but also in-person students. Reasonably it makes sense for an email sent late at night to be ignored until the morning, but there have been situations where emails have been sent during the day and not answered, which makes it difficult for students to stay on top of their work.

On the other hand, teachers need to be able to send emails that are read and answered by students. Many times, emails sent from teachers get lost in students’ inbox and forgotten about; however, these emails could contain information meant to help

students and answer their questions.

It is not only important that students read the emails, but also that they respond appropriately.

Just as students want a response from their teachers, it is a sign of respect to email back. Not only does this confirm the information has been received, but it shows the teachers that their effort in sending the email was appreciated and worth taking the time to send.

At a school where teamwork and collaboration are important factors of our mission statement, communication is key. Students often don’t have ways to contact each other besides through our Gmail accounts. Snapchat and Instagram are not reliable ways to translate information and send documents, notes, slides, etc.

The yearbook has sent a number of emails with surveys attached, The Pharcyde has sent emails to students and teachers asking about interviews, and students who are working in

groups for assignments need to be able to communicate with each other.

The best platform for that communication is email, but for it to work, emails don’t only have to be read, they also have to be acknowledged.

Finally, please remember that an email is not a text. Keep the emoji’s to a minimum; restrain your emotions, always make sure your sharing priveleges on attachments are correct, spelling matters, and-- at all costs-avoid using too many exclamation marks!!!

Politicians Need to Stop Masking Racist Comments with Humor People have to recognize the underlying message in politicians’ jokes.

By Molly Fried Co-Editor-in-Chief Politicians need to learn to monitor their humor, as xenophobic comments made by them only further exacerbate the inequality that is coming to define American society.

Consider South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham’s remarks during the Congressional Hearings for the Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett. While on the Senate floor being filmed and broadcasted by multiple networks, Sen. Graham questioned Justice Barrett on whether Brown v. Board of Education, the landmark case that ruled segregation in schools unconstitutional, was really a super precedent.

Sen. Graham, a supporter of Justice Barrett, used this to make a point saying she was able to confirm it’s precedent because she is “not aware of any effort to go back to the good old days of segregation via legislative body.”

Unsurprisingly, a Republican saying “the good old days of segregation,” on live television was met with backlash. While obviously sarcastic, the Senate floor is not the place to introduce humor, especially when one is representing a state that is notorious for its poor race relations and history of racism. Defending his statement, Sen. Graham told report-

ers it “blows [his] mind that any rational person could believe [he] was being serious.”

Despite asserting that the statement was “dripping [with] sarcasm,” Sen. Graham should understand that there is a time and place for such humor. While there could be arguments on how what he said is so disgusting it should not qualify as a joke, what’s of utmost importance is that politicians such as Sen. Graham should not be using their platforms, especially in serious situations such as congressional hearings, to attempt a career of stand up comedy. By making light of serious issues such as racism and segregation, he devalues the injustice that has spanned the entire history of our country and still persists to this day.

What was surprising to many is that these comments came only days after Sen. Graham came under fire for saying in a televised event that Black people and immigrants, “can go anywhere in [his] state, so long as they are conservative, not liberal.” Once again, he classified the statement as a joke, but many twitter users failed to recognize this, with one constituent tweeting “Truth hurts sometime(sic) but it’s true!!”

Sen. Graham isn’t the only one who needs to monitor his verbosity.

All politicians should recognize the harm supposed humor can cause as

it is an issue that crosses party lines.

Democratic Senate candidate from Arizona, Mark Kelly, made a racist joke two years ago while speaking to a group of boy scouts. A retired astronaut, Kelly explained coming back from space can have strange effects on the body, saying that when his brother Scott Kelly, who is also an astronaut, returned, he was, “halfway between an orangutan and a howler monkey.

We’ve even changed his name to Rodrigo. He lives in the woods.”

Labelling monkeys with a traditionally Hispanic name is, though an attempt at humor, a sad impression to make on young boys. A politician from a state on the border that has a large number of immigrants should be more sensitive to humor that offends. By allowing our government officials to say offensive things, and furthermore letting them use humor as an excuse, we are only prolonging the history of racism and sexism ingrained in our country’s history.

Though the constituents in a politician’s party are the ones that elect officials, those elected must still continue to represent the entirety of their district, state, or even country. By veiling xenophobic comments with humor, our country cannot mend the growing gap and polarization between ideologies.

You Ask. We Answer. get ^your Want to know how the summer reading books were chosen? Want to know why the boys have to wear belts? If you have questions about the School that you want an answer to, but you don’t want to ask the administration, we will ask for you!

Just drop off your questions to the anonymous drop box outside of room 501.

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6 November 2020

14 New Clubs Introduced Nadia Poncy Social Media Director

Currently, there are 44 clubs and student-run organizations offered here at school. With the incoming of new Dean of Students Kevin Jacobsen, there has been an influx of new clubs as he has been promoting more club involvement at the Upper School.

The new clubs this year that have been introduced are: Baking Club, Breast Cancer Awareness Club, Buc Mates, Classics Club, Coding Club, Film Club, Finance Club, Future Business Leaders of America, Home Economics, Music Appreciation Club, Nutrition Club, Philosophy Club, St. Jude Club, and Theoretical Science Club.

In previous years, the School had been trying to cut back the number of clubs because many were not holding meetings and club guidelines were not strictly adhered to. This year, clubs must meet at least twice a

month for them to remain recognized as a club.

Many students have had a positive response to this new requirement, and the influx of clubs because it has allowed students to pursue different interests outside of the classroom, but with fellow peers.

Senior Alex Kahn said, “There are a great number of clubs. In years past it has been really hard to get any clubs approved, but now our club system models more like what you would see in college.”

Another issue that frequently arose with clubs was students enrolling in clubs without actually participating in the club itself and rather having it as just an extra item on their resume. Now, members must regularly attend meetings to be considered a a member. As long as students meet this requirement, they can officially be part of a club.

Sophomore Skylar Jones believes this is a smarter approach. She said, “There are multiple clubs that a per-

tlight

Baking Club: A club for students to partake in to spread the joy of baking.

son could be interested in and it can be hard just to choose one.”

While the number of clubs that students participate in is not limited, the number of leadership positions a student can hold is. As in previous years, a student cannot be the leader or president of more than one of the following: The Pharcyde, National Honor Society, Honor Council, Student Council, Benjineers, and Drama Club. Fortunately, students can be president or pursue other leadership roles in multiple clubs as long as they are not one of these “Big Six”.

With the increase of clubs, more students are able to get involved in extracurriculars they find interesting.

6 November 2020

Page 7

Music Appreciation Club: This club is for students who love

either listening to or making music. We meet once a week to

go over songs we like, analyze them, make further

recommendations, and research the context behind the song.

Once a month, we would make a contribution to a charitable

cause having to do with art.

President Ali Brown has a crush on Bobby Flay.

Co-President Kat Scarborough makes music of her own and brings food to every club meeting

Nutrition Club: We will discuss topics relating to nutrition and confidence. We will also occasionally have food drives and make sandwiches for people in need. We also have some activities when we bring in certain snacks that correlate to what we would be talking about.

St. Jude Club: We raise money for children with cancer. We also make blankets for hospital patients, and write cards to the kids at the hospital.

Coding Club: We learn various types of code and create games on websites like Code.org and Scratch.

* Ambassador Club * Baking Club * Benjamin Buddies * Benjineers * Breast Cancer Awareness Club * BucMates * Chinese Club * Classics Club * Coding Club * Dance En semble * DECA * Diversity Council * Drama Club * Environ mental Club * Film Club * Finance Club * French Club * FBLA * Home Eco nomics Club * Honor Council * HOSA * Jazz Club * Jewish Student Union * Middle East ern Club * Mindful Student Club * Mock Trial Team * Mu Alpha Theta * Music Appreciation * National Art Honors Society * Nutrition Club * Peer to Peer * Pharcyde * Philos ophy Club * Place of Hope Club * Politi cal Club * Prom Com mittee * Red Cross * Spanish Club * Speech and Debate Team * St. Jude Club * Student Council * Sun shine Club * SWATT * Theoretical Science Club *

Film Club: We create Short Films and learn about the film process and different roles in film.

Home Economics: Our goal is to educate students on basic home duties and jobs (explain taxes, bills, mortgages, basic cleaning and cooking). We try to give students guidance on useful skills they will use in college and beyond.

President Cade Odom has been making films since 5th grade!

President Catherine Civitella loves to go on the boat and go to the beach with friends because she loves the water.

lubs & organizations

Theoretical Science Club: To expand scientific knowledge and to debate and discuss ideas that science classes do not have enough time to cover. This club applies concepts learned in school to unanswerable theories to provoke discussion.

Co-President Jack Horgan can bench 265 poinds!

Future Business Leaders of America: This club will seek to help kids Benjamin students participate in events which will help them understand and learn about business. We will compete in events that are listed on the FBLA website and help educate and teach the people that participate in the club about business.

Philosophy Club: Members use logic and critical thinking to make conclusions about the universe and humanity’s relationship with it.

We talk about a variety of philosophical topics including existence, politics, religion, knowledge, science, and truth.

Vice President Camilo Saiz is earning his pilots license!

Breast Cancer Awareness Club: This clubs supports to those who have suffered from breast cancer and educates others about this most serious disease. It also raises money to donate to foundations focused on breast cancer research. Club activities include making pink ribbons and pins amd participating in events like the Making Strides Breast Cancer Walk.

Vice President Casey Crawford became sick during the last quarter-mile of every cross-country meet

this year

Classics Club: The Classics Club provides an intellectually vibrant space to learn about the art, literature, culture, and history of the Greek and Roman classical era. Activities center around analyzing original works and viewing modern interpretations in the form of theater and film. Examples of weekly topics for discussion include philosophers, poetry, and mythology. ed, all levels encouraged!

Finance Club: The Finance Club teaches students about portfolio management and various types of financial investment products.

They use their learning to compete in the Knowledge@Wharton Competition and various personal finance competitions within Florida. Towards the end of the year, senior club members develop a financial plan for their after-graduation lives.

Buc Mates: Buc Mates works on breaking the barrier between the lower, middle, and upper campuses. We would like to create events where the upper school students can create more connections with the younger students to encourage the Benjamin Family.

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The Pharcyde

6 November 2020

The Glass Ceiling is Broken. What Comes Next?

By Tvisha Goel News Editor Women have long struggled with their value in this country. Social norms told them they had one role: stay at home and be a caring wife and mother. But they sought more for themselves and their posterity. As women started to gain more rights, however, participation in politics among women increased. Now, women are achieving positions and respect never before imagined, setting a path for young women across the country to follow in their footsteps.

The more women fought, the more they were granted, eventually gaining the right to vote. Ever since, women have been increasingly active in the political atmosphere and are becoming more prominent than ever.

Hillary Clinton Hillary Rodham Clinton, born on Oct. 26, 1947, grew up in a household that strongly encouraged her to study and work hard to pursue any career she wished. She graduated from Wellesley College, and went on to graduate from Yale Law School, where she served on the Board of Editors of Yale Law Review and Social Action. From 1993 to 2001, Clinton served as the nation’s First Lady, beginning an active role as she took on national health care reform. Her strong involvement in politics and public service as First Lady led to much controversy; however, she became admired for her strong support of women’s rights and children’s issues, establishing a strong political front for herself.

In the year 2000, on Nov. 7, Clinton entered politics on her own account after being elected US Senator from New York, becoming the First Lady to be elected to the Senate.

After running for president in 2008, Clinton became President Obama’s Secretary of State from 2009 to 2013.

Again, in 2016, Clinton ran for president, becoming the first woman to be nominated and run on a major party ticket.

Kamala Harris Kamala Harris graduated from Howard University and Hastings Law School. She then proceeded to work as a deputy district attorney, gaining a tough reputation prosecuting cases concerning gang violence, drug trafficking, and sexual abuse. In 2004, she became district attorney for California, and in 2010 was elected the state’s Attorney General, becoming the first woman and first African American to hold that position. In 2015, Harris announced her candidacy for Senate, winning the election in 2016. In the US Senate, specifically as a member of the Select Committee on Intelligence and the Judiciary Committee, she became recognized and admired for her style of question-

ing witnesses in hearings.

Harris announced that she was going to run for president, however she lost the primary. Most importantly, Vice President Joe Biden, winning the Democratic primary, announced Kamala Harris as his running mate, making Harris the first woman of color to be running on a major party ticket.

Lisa Murkowski Serving as the first Alaskan-born senator, Lisa Murkowski has earned a reputation as someone who cooperates and works collaboratively across the board. As a senator, she focuses on public lands and energy issues; Murkowski promotes safe production and usage of all forms of domestic energy, and emphasizes the importance of research to help the development of emerging technologies. Her policies center around renewable energy, an increase in energy efficiency, as well as making America’s energy cleaner, more affordable, and more reliable.

As an advocate for the Arctic as a national priority, Murkowski has

reform, as well as prioritizing working-class people over corporate interests. Ocasio-Cortez grew up under New York’s rising income inequality, as well as experienced hardship due to the 2008 recession, for which she was forced to pull extra shifts as a waitress and bartender in order to provide for her family. These experiences have strengthened her fight for the working-class people.

After graduating from Boston University, Ocasio-Cortez worked with Ted Kennedy, specifically on immigrating, as she saw distraught families after being separated by ICE. This inspired her to begin work as an Educational Director with the National Hispanic Institute, with which she helped Americans, DREAMers, as well as undocumented youth with community leadership and college-readiness.

Nancy Pelosi Nancy Pelosi has represented San Francisco, California’s 12 district for 31 years. In 2007, Pelosi made history as the first woman ever elected as Speaker of the House and is now

vide relief for families, and produce a tax cut for 95 percent of working Americans. She was also a major contributor to the creation of the Affordable Care Act which has enabled access to health care for people with pre-existing conditions.

Sonia Sotomayor Sotomayor first discovered her passions for law after watching an episode of the television series Perry Mason. A prosecutor on the program claimed that he would not mind losing provided that the defendant is innocent. Telling the New York Times, Sotomayor said “I made the quantum leap: If that was the prosecutor’s job, then the guy who made the decision to dismiss the case was the judge.

That was what I was going to be.”

After her father had passed away, her mother emphasized the importance of a higher education; Sotomayor attended Princeton University and went on to attend Yale Law School, graduating in 1979. After passing the bar exam in 1980, Sotomayor worked as an assistant district attorney, serving as a trial lawyer under the District

Many women, such as Hillary Clinton, Kamala Harris, Lisa Murkowski , Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Nancy Pelosi, Sonia Sotomayor, Elise Stefanik, and Ivanka Trump have faced discrimination in the political world on the basis of gender. Through the history of America, women have persisted to create a more equal society, though there is still long ways to go.

(Graphic by Evan Liberman)

long pushed the country to provide for its infrastructure. She is the leader of recapitalizing and expanding America’s fleet of icebreakers; she has introduced two bills supporting research and development. In addition, she has attempted to give those who live in the region a greater say on policy.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has been a member of the House of Representatives since Jan. 2019. As a representative of the 14th district of New York in the Bronx and Queens, she has remained focused on social, economic, racial, and environmental

on her third term. In 2013, she was welcomed into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, NY, where the Women’s Rights Movement took off.

As Speaker of the House, Pelosi has been fighting to lower health care costs and increase workers’ pay via economic growth. Among her accomplishments are the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the Affordable Care Act. In 2009, alongside Former President Barack Obama, Pelosi speared legislation and passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in order to create and save millions of jobs, pro-

Attorney responsible for prosecuting robbery, assault, murder, police brutality and child pornography cases, in Manhattan.

Before becoming a justice on the Supreme Court, Sotomayor worked as a judge on the US District Court, and then in 1998, she rose to the position of a judge on the US Court of Appeals. In 2009, nominated by President Barack Obama, Sonia Sotomayor became the first Latina Supreme Court Justice in US history.

Elise Stefanik Elise Stefanik is in her third term of office as a representative of New York’s 21 district, making her the

youngest Republican woman to have been elected to Congress in United States history. She is a member of the Armed Services Committee, Education and Labor Committee, as well as the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

Stefanik was the first of her immediate family to have graduated from college; she is an alumnus from Harvard and now serves on their Senior Advisory Committee of Harvard’s Institute of Politics. Some of her accomplishments include successfully leading the New York State delegation to save Fort Drum from up to 16,000 military personnel cuts and authoring the Be Open Act, which was passed by the House of Representatives and signed into law by President Goerge W. Bush on September 14, 2007. It repealed the auto-enrollment mandate that reduces choices in health coverage and has created confusion that can lead to significant tax penalties on both the employer and employee. She also authored the Flexible Pell Grant for 21 Century Students Act, bipartisan legislation that will help students complete a postsecondary education quickly and at a lower cost.

Ivanka Trump Advisor to the current president, Ivanka Trump focuses her power on education and the economic empowerment of women. She also focuses on job creation and economic growth via workforce development, entrepreneurship, and skills training. She graduated from Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania in 2004.

Before her father became president, she handled the most complex and largest transactions at her father’s company, Trump Organization. She has written two novels that are New York Times and Wall Street Journal best-sellers. Ivanka Trump achieved the honorable title of Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2015 and was listed in the Time’s 100 Most Influential as well as Forbes’ World’s 100 Most Powerful Women in 2017.

Despite facing extensive adversity, women have strongly fought for equal rights and respect in this country, and are paving the path for future generations to experience a world in which they are valued and equal with men.

About 60 years ago, 19 women participated in the 86th Congress. In the 116th Congress, there are a total of 127 women in Congress. “The future is female” is not just a phrase, it is a movement, and evidently, a successful one.

With the glass ceiling broken, there is a boundless opportunity ahead for women in our country.

Editor Reviews the Underclassman Performing Arts Showcase

By Nadia Poncy Social Media Director

On Oct. 26th, 12 students displayed their talents at the annual Upper School Performing Arts Showcase for grades 9-11, an opportunity for students to show any artistic talent they have to fellow peers and people watching.

Of the 11 acts, there were four singing acts, three dance acts, one monologue, and three instrumental acts. While all who performed were very talented, several of the performances by the freshmen really stood out to me because of their execution for their age.

Freshman pianest Marcel Langella played the song “Six O’Clock Groove,” a jazz piece by Ross Petot.

He had great control and seemed very

comfortable over the piano which was great to watch because he showcased his passion through the piece which made it exceptional.

Natalie Cona, another member of the class of ‘24, sang the song “Fools” which also proved how much talent the new freshmen class really has to offer. Her voice was very contemporary and soothing to listen to. Though already a great singer, I believe that as she matures, she’ll only get better which will be pleasant to listen to.

Skyler Hoben, one of the new freshmen on the Benjamin Dazzlers this year, had an extraordinary solo dance to the song “Old Money.” It is no wonder why she made the team because her skill and technique is very close to perfection. Her lyrical piece was moving to watch, and Hoben may be a dancer for everyone to

keep their eyes on as her solo proved her worth as a dancer and as a performer.

Junior Catherine Shenk’s rendition of “I Feel Pretty” from the musical West Side Story suited her voice very well, as it highlighted her vibrato and allowed her to show off her acting skills. Her facial expressions and movement also blended with the song very well.

Junior Emma Hardyman also put on a spectacular vocal performance with her singing “No Time to Die” as well as Junior Ella Pierman who performed the flute beautifully while accompanied by Dr. Lockey on piano.

The showcase was overall entertaining to watch, and the acts were very good. My only issue is that the students who do perform seem to always be the same students each time

which is why the freshmen performing stood out the most to me as they were new.

I would have liked to see some more students perform that we would not normally get to see perform. I believe that if there were more students that were encouraged to perform, and if it were broadcasted more, there would have been a larger audience.

The art department should try to gather more students and showcase their talents that others would not expect them to have. With this influx of new students trying their hand at the arts, more students will be inspired to do the same.

The Performing Arts department next presents the Drama Club’s fall production, a digital film, She Kills Monsters.

Junior Eliza Merkel dazzles with “Nikiya’s Entrance.” (Courtesy of BTV)

The Pharcyde

6 November 2020

Page 9

The Benjamin Bookshelf: a Collection of the English Department's Reading List, One Shelf at a Time "Intro. to World Literature could also be called 'Intro. to TBS Literature' as it serves to introduce students to the approaches to analysis, critical thinking and writing that they will rely upon for the next four years and beyond!"

- Mrs. Sharon Wendler

Introduction to World Literature This year long course is a requirement for all freshmen and offers students a look into literature from around the world, from the Ancient Greek play Oedipus Rex to the most contemporary French novel The Elegance of a Hedgehog, by Muriel Barbery. Through a comprehensive study of the texts, students explore the three main ideas of English studies: critical reading, written analysis, and oral communication. The class also serves as a way to introduce students to the Upper School’s English curriculum and improve their grammar, vocabulary, and mechanics.

"One of the things that I love about the sophomore English curriculum is our exploration of what it means to be an American. I think that exploring the experiences of those who have come before us really helps in understanding where we are now as a country and what it is we value."

- Mrs. Shannon Anderson

American Literature/ Honors American Literature American Literature focuses on understanding plot, setting, characters, conflict, point of view, diction, artistic devices, and theme to develop students’ skills. The course has an emphasis on American literature, though not exclusively. Some of the works studied are The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. There is also an honors version of American Literature available for sophomores that focuses on preparation for AP Language and Literature.

“As junior English teachers, we have to prepare them for writing their personal statements, consolidate their activities, awards and internships into a resume and reflect on their strengths in scholarship as they may possibly be selecting a major to study in college,” - Ms. Mary Ditaranto

Western Literature Junior year, students study a variety of novels to enhance their comprehension and writing skills. Western Literature focuses on the works from the Western world, including texts from the United Kingdom. Continuing the program of reading a Shakespeare play each year, juniors in this class read Twelfth Night.

Another book they read is Lord of the Flies by Sir William Golding.

Senior Selection Courses During their senior year, students choose two English classes to take, one per semester, to fill their English requirement. Students can explore literature through topics that interest them by personalizing their year of English. The options are: "The Art of War," "Ethics in Film and Literature," "Science Fiction," "Humor, Satire, and Memoir," "Page to Stage," "Non-Fiction in Text and Film," "Literature of the City," and "Health, Medicine, and Anxiety."

AP Language and Composition/ AP Literature and Composition More advanced English students have the opportunity to take AP Language and Composition as well as AP Literature and Composition. AP Language and Composition studies the language and devices used by the author to create a theme. They study works such as Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and Othello by Shakespeare. AP Literature and Composition similarly studies the utilization of devices employed by the author. However, it is more advanced and focuses on the author's intention as opposed to the reader's interpretation, study works like The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. Both AP classes sit for an AP exam at the end of the school year.

Pharcyde Phavorites!

The Health, Medicine, and Anxiety senior selection course reads Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman as one of its novels. The book follows the journey of high schooler Caden Bosch and his journey with Schizophrenia.

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury is another classic novel students get to read. Sophomores study the dystopian society and futuristic interpretation of censorship through the book burning that happens in their society.

Freshmen students get to read American classic Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger as one of the books covered by the curriculum. The novel follows protagonist Holden Caulfield as he navigates innocence, identity, and loss.

Juniors get to follow the whereabouts of the famous detective whilst studying The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Though written in the 19th century, Sherlock Holmes and John Watson remain two of the most well knowncharacters in literature.

In AP Language and Composition, students read the first ever work of science fiction: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. Studying such themes as the power of man and nature vs nurture, students discuss the effect of the language devices used in the novel.

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The Pharcyde

6 November 2020

Upper School Celebrates Halloween Through a Variety of Festivities

By Molly Fried Co-Editor-in-Chief When getting temperature checked on Oct. 30, students heard Halloween classics such as “The Monster Mash” instead of the normal pop music that plays during arrival.

Similar to past years, students were allowed to wear costumes to school. One of the students who dressed-up was senior Julie Moquin.

“I love dressing up for Halloween, so I always come to school in costume,” Moquin explained. “This year, I was a skeleton!”

The Student Council hosted a costume contest during break in the morning to show off the creativity of the student body and their outfits.

Third place went to senior Trevor Natalie as a Trump supporter, second place went to junior Eden Jozsa as a hotdog, and first place went to senior Nadia Poncy who came to school as

the rapper Pitbull. Poncy’s costume consisted of a bald cap, speaker, Pitbull-style clothes, and drawn-on facial hair under her mask.

“I challenged my friends if 20 of them screenshotted my snapchat story, I would come to school as Pitbull,” Poncy said. “I didn’t think it would actually happen, but I don’t go back on my word!”

Describing the reaction her classmates had, Poncy said, “The costume was a big hit; It made a lot of people laugh at the pure ridiculousness of it.”

The dressing up was not limited to students though, many teachers came to school in their best spooky attire. Social studies teachers Mr. Anthony Hoy, Ms. Alexandra Murray, and Dr. Hope Myers dressed as Mario, Luigi, and the cloud from MarioKarts, respectively. French teacher Ms. Colleen Donnelly was a witch, and Spanish teacher Mrs. Maria Gonzalez-Lopez was a skeleton.

Another Halloween festivity was the passing out of candy grams. Every year, the School’s Prom Committee sells bags of Halloween candy that students can send to each other to raise money for prom. Emeline Smith, one of the juniors on Prom Committee, liked being able to sell them this year.

“Throughout the year, the Prom Committee will organize different treats/activities that will help us raise money to be able to rent/purchase what is needed to make prom the best it can be,” Smith said. “We thought that through selling candy grams during Halloween, we would be able to add a little more Halloween spirit to the School while using the opportunity to benefit Prom.”

Through costumes and candy, the School was able to restore a bit of the spirit drained by COVID-19.

The Pharcyde

Students and faculty alike dressed up to celebrate Halloween this year. In addition to Student Council’s hosting a costume contest, the Prom Committee sold Candy Grams.

(Photos by Molly Fried) (Graphic by Evan Liberman)

The Benjamin Buccaneers football postseason will begin against Westminster Christian on Nov. 6 on home turf at Theofilos Field.

As of Oct. 27, the Bucs are 1-3, though the schedule thus far has been tough. The team’s most recent matchups, Gulliver Prep and Chaminade-Madonna, are both ranked by MaxPreps as top 30 teams in the state.

Westminster Christian is 3-1, granted they have faced an easier schedule according to MaxPreps.

MaxPreps favors the Bucs going

into the game, ranking higher than the Warriors.

Head Coach Eric Kresser certainly feels confident going into the game, as he sees progress every week.

“I feel pretty good,” he said. “I think our team’s getting better each week. Our young guys are growing up. Our senior guys are doing what they’re supposed to do. I feel like we got a pretty good shot. I like our chances.”

Players similarly feel increased confidence as the season goes on.

“I think we have a good shot of winning because we really come to-

Snap Shot

Should Athletes Wear Masks?

Point

By Sophia Liporace Executive Managing Editor There is no doubt that masks are an essential part of on-campus activities. Without them it would not be possible to continue in-person classes; however, are masks still crucial when it comes to sports?

With a successful start to their seasons, the football, volleyball, cross-country, and golf teams have all been working hard at their practices and games trying their best to make the most out of a season occurring during a pandemic, but not much has changed for the athletes since they have the privilege of being able to practice without masks.

In contrast, the School’s varsity dance team the Dazzlers has been exerting themselves for several hours a day, six days a week with COVID-19 guidelines significantly more strict than any other sport: having to wear masks at all times and being unable to touch.

It could be argued that the Dazzlers practice inside, whereas golf and football practices are held in a

together upwards of 13 hours a week, masks do not significantly contribute to the prevention of the virus on our team.”

As long as the dancers are socially-distanced and are following COVID-19 guidelines outside of practice, they, like the volleyball team, should have the privilege of practicing without masks.

Head of the Upper School Mr. Fletcher Carr is part of the Health and Wellness Committee (formerly the Re-Opening Committee), a group made up of department heads, athletic directors, and the School’s doctors to help to finalize COVID-19 regulations throughout the school.

According to Mr. Carr, the last time the Health and Wellness Com-

Masks have been a debated topic ever since COVID-19 became a pandemic. The President, governors, state officials, and even store and restaurant owners have struggled to find a way to enforce mask-wearing; they struggled with even deciding on whether or not to mandate masks. Everyone in power has been under extreme scrutiny no matter which side of the debate they take.

If they enforce masks, they are taking away peoples’ freedoms. If they don’t enforce masks, they’re being selfish (masks do not protect oneself from COVID-19, it protects the people around an individual from COVID-19, making it incredibly important for others to wear masks).

The Benjamin School requires mask-wearing and social-distancing at all times and enforces it by issuing punishments for repeated violations of either. Benjamin is aware that masks and social distancing are crucial to keeping everyone safe but these efforts need to be made by everyone involved. This is why it is so confusing to me that the Benjamin

sports department has dropped the ball so incredibly hard almost immediately after school came back in-person So far, Benjamin’s Dazzlers have practiced and performed with masks on to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This is an incredible feat because Florida heat and long-term mask-wearing don’t mix easily, but this a sacrifice the Dazzlers make for the safety of others. However, no other sport at Benjamin has to wear masks. Temperature checks and occasional socially-distanced practices are about as far as Benjamin and the coaches take it to ensure the virus isn’t spread, totally ignoring the fact that temperature checks are not as effective as people want them to be because fevers may not register on an asymptomatic person.

Cross-country runners do not have to wear masks during practice and only have to wear masks at meets if they are not running. They also don’t have to socially distance if they are wearing masks. Volleyball players do not wear masks during practice or games, and neither do football players. Most, if not all of Benjamin’s sports, excluding the Dazzlers, do not

Friday Nov. 6 7:25 pm stream it live!

The Road to a Championship

Benjamin

mittee discussed the Dazzlers was mid-August, but it would be happy to re-address and reconsider the restrictions placed on the team at upcoming meetings.

Although school during a pandemic is difficult to navigate, it is of the utmost importance that the School is able to make changes and adjust policies as needed.

Westminster

Everglades St John Paul

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The Girls Cross Country team finished first at their district meet on Oct. 29.

(Photo courtesy of Emeline Smith)

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Los Angeles Dodgers Win World Series Over the Tampa Bay Rays The Pharcyde’s Matthew Marasco presents game-by-game analysis of LA's 4-2 World Series win

By Matt Marasco Staff Writer This year the World Series featured the Los Angeles Dodgers vs.

Tampa Bay Rays. Both teams have had complicated years after the season was delayed due to the worldwide pandemic. The Los Angeles Dodgers won the series 4-2. It was a very memorable season for the Dodgers because the Los Angeles Lakers just won the NBA finals. The Dodgers expressed that they won in honor of late basketball legend Kobe Bryant.

Counterpoint

By Grace Kearns Features Editor

Game Time

gether as a team and are starting to play better and better and really gel better together,” sophomore Brady Quinn said. “We didn’t have a preseason, so we needed time to adjust to each other and know each other’s playstyle, so it’s taken a little longer to happen, but we’re starting to get momentum.”

If the Bucs win, they will head down to Miami to face Edison High School on Nov. 13.

“Edison will probably be a little tougher [than Wesminster]. They’re a lot like a couple of the teams we just played, but we still like our chances. I felt like we were in the games that we lost.”

If the Bucs want to advance far into the postseason, Coach Kresser describes what they need to do. “We got to keep improving and not make mistakes,” he said.

Two editors debate whether the School’s dance team should be required to wear masks while practicing indoors wide open space, but that would then bring up the question of whether or not volleyball players should have to practice with masks since they are also practicing indoors. Also, the dance team consists of a tight-knit group of nine girls as opposed to the varsity football team which has a total of 37 players.

Of course masks are necessary to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, but when it comes to physical exertion, masks can also make it difficult to perform. According to a study by the University of Maryland Medical System, “Wearing a mask while exercising can impede your overall performance. Even the most breathable masks decrease airflow, making it slightly harder to breathe.”

Sophomore and second-year veteran of the team Kate Grande finds wearing a mask while dancing difficult and unfair in comparison to the COVID-19 guidelines of other teams.

“I think we should be excused from wearing masks because we always maintain social-distancing throughout our practices and performances and wearing a mask makes our activities more strenuous and acts as a major inconvenience for the team,” she said. “Also, since we are

Page 11

Football Prepares for Long Postseason Run

By Charlie Spungin Sports Editor

HALLOWEEN 2020

6 November 2020

The Benjamin School’s dance team, the Dazzlers, is required to wear masks at all times while practicing. Other sports teams, however, do not follow the same guidelines. The volleyball team, another indoor sport, did not wear masks.

(Photo by Erika Sousa)

wear masks and enforce social-distancing rules whenever possible. This is unacceptable and is counterproductive to the school’s initiative to prevent COVID-19 cases for as long as possible. The athletics department follows recommendations of Benjamin’s Medical Directors and governing bodies of sports and science, but what they are doing is not enough.

If you can’t wear a mask and play a sport, then just don’t play a sport.

Take a break for a semester. This pandemic goes beyond a single person and their wants and needs. Sacrifices need to be made for the better of others, and sometimes the sacrifices are really hard, but that doesn’t make them any less important.Wearing a mask for hours on end can make you feel you’re dying, but you’re not, you’re just dramatic. It has been proven that masks don’t prevent airflow or lower oxygen levels, and yes they can occasionally be difficult to breathe in,

but they have a larger positive impact than a negative one. Surgeons would not wear a mask through the entirety of a 13 hour surgery if the masks could kill them.

Sports are important to students, and for valid reasons: scholarships, growth, perseverance, teamwork, even just the happiness that comes from doing something you love. But you need to take a step back and make sure everyone around you is safe. Your aversion to wearing masks is not fair to your teammates, your teammates’ families, your teammates’ friends, and whomever you and your teammates find yourself in contact with.

COVID-19 might not kill you, but it could kill your teachers, their families, your friends’ families, or even your friend because underlying health conditions are just that: underlying. They might not be visible to the human eye, and they may be undiagnosed yet, but that doesn’t mean

they don’t exist. COVID-19 for you means something entirely different for someone with asthma or COPD or cancer. It’s not selfish to focus on the needs of yourself during these trying times, and it’s actually incredibly important to make sure you are taking care of yourself, but it becomes selfish when you can make sure you are fine but ignore the needs of your peers.

I’m not saying to shut down all sports at Benjamin until the pandemic is over because that is ludicrous; I’m saying that all precautions need to be met when playing and practicing sports to ensure the safety of all Benjamin students. Masks need to be worn, social distancing needs to take place whenever possible (I understand that some sports require being close together, but this shouldn’t be a problem if players are wearing masks and being precautious overall), and thinking about others need to be visible.

Game 1 Game One of the World Series was a great start for the Dodgers, who scored eight runs while the Rays only scored three. Clayton Kershaw, the Dodgers pitcher, has been criticized for his pitching during the postseason, but he put up an amazing stat line during game one with six innings pitched and only one run. Kershaw had eight strikeouts and 19 swinging strikes (11 on his slider, five on his fastball). The game was scoreless until the fourth inning where Dodgers center fielder Cody Bellinger hit a two-run home run to start off the scoring. Mookie Betts, another Dodgers outfielder, also hit a home run during game one. On the other hand, Rays pitcher Tyler Glansow struggled, giving up six runs and six walks during his short pitching experience of only four and a third inning.

Game 2 Game Two of the World Series was a much different performance

for the Rays. The Rays won the game scoring six runs to the Dodgers four.

The Rays had a very aggressive batting performance with two home runs from Brandon Lowe. Another reason the Rays won the game is that starting pitcher Blake Snell threw four innings without a hit. The Rays had a great pitching performance which was caused by their deep depth. Although this was a win for the Rays, the Dodgers were in a great spot after giving star players such as pitcher Clayton Kershaw much needed rest after game two.

Game 3 The Dodgers won Game Three in stunning fashion. In only his second World Series start, Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler had an amazing performance in game three with ten strikeouts and only one run in his six innings of starting. Buehler looks as if he is going to have a great career after he played in one of the biggest games of his life. On the other side of the bases, the Dodgers Third Baseman Will Turner hit a solo home run in the first inning to start off the scoring. The ball was hit 397 feet even with the Dome closed on the stadium.

In all the Dodgers had a great pitching performance and a dominant hitting percentage. Although the Rays lost by four, the series was not even close to over.

Game 4 Game Four was definitely the most unbelievable game that anyone has ever seen with the Rays winning 8-7. Throughout the game, the Rays

and the Dodgers were pretty evenly matched with the Dodgers winning 7-6 going into the bottom of the ninth inning. Turner had another nice performance hitting 4-5 and a home run.

In the ninth inning, the Rays won on a walk-off with the bases loaded and the score 7-7. What made this play so unbelievable was the sequence of events. The ball is hit into the right-center field by Brett Philips and the runner on second who was Kevin Kiermaier started to run home after Randy Arozareena scored who was on third. When he was almost at home the catcher caught the ball for an out, but when the runner fell the ball got away from the catcher resulting in the runner scoring. Game four

was a great game for the Rays tying up the series 2-2.

Game 5 Game Five was a much slower game than the previous with the Dodgers taking a 3-2 lead in the series with a 4-2 win. Kershaw pitched a very good game to not let the Rays replicate their Game Four magic. Although the Dodgers had a 3-0 lead in the second inning due to Joc Pederson’s home run, the Rays had some energy left and on Randy Arozareena’s record-setting 27 hits of the postseason, he made the game 3-2. Overall, after another solo home run from the Dodgers, they outlasted the Rays to win game five.

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw throws a pitch in Game One of the World Series. He had an amazing statline with six innings and only one run.

(Photo courtesy of Fox Sports)

Game 6 Game Six of the World Series was one to remember for LA with them winning the game 3-1 and the series 4-2. This is the second championship for Los Angeles this year and the first World Series win for pitching legend Clayton Kershaw. It was the Dodgers’ first championship since 1988 and it happened off the right-handed rookie Tony Gonsolin who only made one run in three innings. With lots of pitching depth, the Dodgers relievers won the game after keeping the Rays to one run. After a tough year for the baseball community, it was great to see a much-deserved win for the Dodgers.

The 2020 World Series was fun to watch. It was a fair series and a great series in an oddly weird year of baseball. Many Benjamin students are happy about the win, but some are not. “I think it was time for the Dodgers to win a World Series because they haven’t won since 1988. I believe they are the best team in baseball and they showed it all throughout the year,” freshman Andrew Lappin said.

“I have been a Rays fan my whole life, so I am very mad that the Dodgers ended up winning,” said Jacob Kutner.

Upcoming Contests: Nov. 6- 11 Varsity Football vs.

Westminister Christian @Home Friday, Nov. 6

Varsity Girls Cross Country Regional Meet @South Fork HS Saturday, Nov. 7

Varsity Boys Soccer vs.

Jensen Beach HS @Home Monday, Nov. 9

Varsity Girls Soccer vs.

Gulliver Prep @Gulliver Prep Tuesday, Nov. 10

Varsity Bowling vs.

Seminole Ridge HS @Bowlero Jupiter Wednesday, Nov. 11