Junior Olivia Ryno commits to D1 beach volleyball program
Alumnus McKenna DeBever qualifies for 2024 Olympics in Paris
Students participate in Olympic sports not offered on campus
Dear Reader,
It is with great joy and excitement that we write to you as Editors-in-Chief of The Shield. As the 2023-2024 school year comes to a close, we are thrilled to present to all Crusaders the final issue.
Every year, Issue 4 is the time when the junior staffers step into new leadership roles and work to create the publication without the help of the seniors. On page 3, you can check out what each staffer will be in charge of next year.
This year, even the newest staffers coming on next year have contributed by taking photos at events,
Editors in Chief: Chloe Barron and Madison Bolen
Design and Layout Editor: Ally Milonas
Opinions Editor: India Brophy
Features Editor: Lorelei Carlton
News Editor: Serenity Mead
Social Media Manager: Sophia Gredenhag
Editor in Chief - Online: Parker Flur
Development Manager: Sami
Whitney
Writing Coach: Leah Fullerton
Staff Relations Manager: William Wainwright
Business Manager: Glory Dansou
conducting interviews, writing articles and even helping to design their own pages.
Through a combined effort, we were able to create an issue themed around this summer’s Olympic games. Staffers had the opportunities to interview students who participate and even compete in sports that are featured in the summer Olympics: karate, rock climbing, skateboarding and surfing. Additionally, alumnus and swimmer McKenna DeBever qualified for the 2024 Olympics, and in an interview with staffers, she discussed her experiences at Bishop Kenny, in college and
at the 2020 Olympic games.
Summertime is a time to relax and do all sorts of fun things that you can find on our bucket list on the back page, and to grab a cold, sweet açaí bowl to beat the heat and stay healthy. See our reviews of local açaí bowl spots on page 20.
The break can also be a little more productive, if you like. On page 18, take a look at the story about service hours and how earning them during the summer might just be the best idea.
We hope you enjoy our first issue as the new editors of The Shield. We can’t wait to bring all the Kenny news to you next school year.
Adviser: Jessica Durbin
Mission Statement:
The Shield is a student news magazine, published quarterly by journalism students at Bishop Kenny High School, dedicated to empowering and informing the student body by delivering timely, accurate and engaging stories. We strive to uphold Bishop Kenny’s core values while fostering a sense of community, promoting critical thinking and celebrating the diverse voices and achievements within our school. Through our commitment to journalistic integrity and creativity, we aim to inspire and connect our readers, creating a culture of informed and engaged students. The Shield is a member of FSPA.
Policy:
The policy of The Shield is to provide a forum for student expression.
Advertising:
If you are interested in advertising in The Shield, email newspaper@ bishopkenny.org for more information.
Questions, Comments, Concerns: Letters to the editor are encouraged; submit to room 224. Names can be withheld upon request.
1055 Kingman Ave., Jacksonville, Fla. 32207 (904) 265-9390 fax: (904) 398-5728
Cover Designs | Chloe Barron and Madison Bolen
Ally uses Adobe InDesign to design and help others design pages of The Shield. She chooses color schemes, selects fonts to use, creates cover designs for each issue. When staffers finish their layouts, Ally assigns grades using a rubric, and helps to finalize all page designs.
India works closely with staffers during each news cycle who are writing an article. She helps them edit and revise their articles, and also helps them with page layout for them. She maintains effective communication with the editors-in-chief and adviser, and grades the articles usinig a rubric.
Chloe and Madi oversee everything and lead the class. They begin class with prayer, teach lessons to the staff, and make sure that everyone on staff knows their task to complete for that week on the agenda.
They assign deadlines for story drafts and run the task management software called Trello that keeps track of which articles need edits or are finalized.
From brainstorming, to event coverage and interviewing, to editing and revising articles, Chloe and Madi do it all. They also work closely with adviser Jessica Durbin to assign grades for all work completed for The Shield.
Together, they make final decisions to create the newsmagazine that will be published on issuu.com -- for students, by students.
Serenity Mead
Lorelei works closely with staffers during each news cycle who are writing a feature story. She helps them edit and revise their articles, and also helps them with page layout for them. She maintains effective communication with the editors-in-chief and adviser, and grades the articles usinig a rubric.
Serenity works closely with staffers during each news cycle who are writing a feature story. She helps them edit and revise their articles, and also helps them with page layout for them. She maintains effective communication with the editors-in-chief and adviser, and grades the articles usinig a rubric.
Chloe Barron Madison Bolen
Ally Milonas
Lorelei Carlton
India Brophy
Sami Whitney
This publication is run exclusively by students: every interview, every written word, every photo and every social media post.
Parker uploads articles to the website, bktoday. org, as they are submitted. She designs and adjusts the look of the website to keep updated with new trends. She also leads staffers in how to submit articles online and teaches everyone on how to use cameras correctly for photographed events.
Glory manages advertisement sales that all staffers must sell and creates the ad pages. Glory’s biggest event is organizing the Valentine’s Day matches (Computer Fun). She also looks for new fundraising ideas and organizes spirit nights as well as working with the social media manager to promote them.
Sami is in charge of keeping the publication competitive and, in doing so, she keeps track of upcoming contests and evaluations that the newspaper can be submitted for. She encourages all staffers to attend workshops and conventions to further develop their mass media and communications skill sets.
Leadership positions are essential for the organization because they help everyone understand their individual roles and responsibilities.
Sophia Gredenhag
William Wainwright
Fullerton
These are the new faces that run The Shield for the 20242025 school year.
Sophia teaches others how to make social promos for their online stories and posts them to The Shield Instagram story. She runs Class Intercom, which is directly connected to the Instagram page. Also, she posts shoutouts for students and events that are going on around campus and notifies our followers when a new issue is published.
William works beside the Social Media manager to help publicize the newspaper, works with the school to be a part of the newsletter and encourages student participation outside of staff. He keeps track of staff t-shirts, snacks, birthdays and is in charge of staff bonding. He also helps to settle arguments and keep people in good spirits.
Leah works with all writers on staff, especially in the early or brainstorming stages of story development. If needed, she can help develop interview questions or find the best sources for a specific story at hand. She answers any questions about writing, including AP style formatting.
Leah Parker Fluhr Glory Dansou
Clockwise from top right: The National English Honor Society partnered with Jacksonville Catholic Charities to serve the local communities and provide families with furthering their educations through donations of books; The choir commemorated the annual Spring Concert on Friday, May 3, performing “Take this Gift” by Tracy Wong; Seniors Sophie Cratem and Gavin Salomone smile for an at home photo after they were crowned prom queen and king; Students and staff hosted the first Revive event on April 24, where students had a night of worship.
Clockwise from bottom left: Senior Sophia Nuñez-Salina’s AP art portfolio explores the internal thoughts and emotions that she struggles to explain in words; Father Peter Dittus and Deacon Scott Conway celebrate the crowning of Mary at the monthly mass by giving out the sacrament of the Eucharist; Junior Kamea Smith beams as she is announced the 2024 Miss Bishop Kenny; Freshmen Emily Thorwart, Angelina Allen, Audrey Gamel and Marcela Quiroz hand out sweet treats to teachers for Faculty and Staff Appreciation Week.
freshman
Bishop
where BK
Clockwise from top: Junior Owen Delaney swings at the home Senior night game on May 9, where Bishop Kenny beat Baker County with a score of 5-4; Sophomore Sophia Diaz supports the tennis team, while sophomore Eimy O’Brien,
Maxine Cruz, junior Madison Bolen and sophomores Lindy Jakab and Elle Robinson compete at Districts; Junior Olivia Ryno prepares for her serve on April 29 at the home
Kenny vs. Fletcher game,
won 5-4.
Paddles are essential, and while some people like to spend up to $200 on just one paddle, others look for cheaper ones around $20 dollars. Recently, Target released a whole
pickleball line that includes paddles for $40 each. The most expensive pickleball paddle in the industry currently is the Selkirk Project 003 which is priced at $333. Whether you get a $40 paddle or a $333 paddle, it is important that you get a paddle that fits your game and your budget.
Water bottles are a vital part of your game play. You need tons of water because you are playing a highly active sport outside. You will probably want one that can hold 30 to 40 ounces of water. A Stanley costs around $45.00 for a 30-ounce cup, an Owala is $32.99 for a 32-ounce cup and an Iron Flask is $26.99 for a 32-ounce cup. These prices are all from Amazon, and the prices might differ slightly depending on the color or style of each brand you would like.
The player on the right side of the court always serves first. This serve is always underhanded, unlike tennis where it is often overhand.
When the first person serves, the player standing diagonal from them has to let the ball bounce once before hitting the ball to the other side. The person who served the ball also must let the ball hit the ground once it returns to their side of the court. After this, the ball does not have to touch the ground.
Your team can only get a point when you or your teammate are serving. When the other team (not serving) scores a point, the next person on the team serving serves. Once both people on a team serve, then those on the opposing team serve.
One game goes to 11 points and a team has to win the game by two. For example, a team cannot win 1110, they have to win 12-10.
When you dress good, you feel good. Most women in the sport wear a skirt and a tank top to match, while men wear shorts with an athletic shirt. It is important for all the bottoms to have pockets so you can hold extra pickleballs.
For women, another alternative to a skirt and tank top is a dress which allows women to dress up while being athletic. As for shoes, most
In the Spring of 2019, Coach Suzanne Winkler began the Bishop Kenny Girls Beach volleyball program. Three beach courts were built alongside the St. Johns River for the team. As the fastest growing NCAA sport, the school’s team quickly grew and the girls made it to the state level in their debut season.
Junior Olivia Ryno has been playing on the varsity beach and indoor team at Bishop Kenny since her freshman year. Ryno has played indoor volleyball since she was eight years old, playing for both JJVA and East Coast Power.
She started playing at a young age because of the advantage of her height.
“My family friend’s mom put me in volleyball because she knew I would be tall,” Ryno said.
Her biggest inspiration and her favorite team to watch in collegiate volleyball is Nebraska. Ryno admires their competitive attitude and
their accomplishments of making it to the national championship.
Even though Ryno has played indoor volleyball longer, she says that she prefers beach.
The beach volleyball team made it all the way to the state championships last year and has won districts every year.
While winning is always the goal, Ryno
understands the importance of losing.
“Losing can build character and also help athletes learn,” Ryno said.
Preparing during the off-season, always showing up to practice, and never quitting, led Ryno to win a game against Gulf Breeze. She recalls that she felt the most prepared for this match because of her motivation to win and the practice she put in. Due to their rivalry with Gulf Coast, and losing to them in the 2023 State Championship, this was a major victory for the team.
Ryno has recently committed to the NCAA Division 1 volleyball program at St. Francis University in Pennsylvania. She knew that St. Francis was the school for her because of the beautiful campus and the coaching staff. Ryno says she’s excited to further her skills and career at the university.
As for her senior year at Kenny, her goal is to win states and get 1000 kills in her high school career.
Olivia Ryno’s beach volleyball necessities
Oakley sunglasses
Stanley cup
The Olympic Games bring together a collection of the greatest athletes in the world to one location to compete for gold, silver and bronze medals. These athletes train for most of their lives to have the opportunity to compete among the best of the best.
Roughly 400 women competed in the Olympics for swimming alone at the last summer Olympics hosted in Tokyo, Japan in 2021.
Bishop Kenny alumni McKenna DeBever is a 27-year-old Olympic swimmer for Peru. DeBever has dual citizenship in Peru through her mother, which is why she swims for Peru and not the United States.
Even though she currently swims for Peru, DeBever grew up competitively swimming in the
United States since the age of five.
Since the beginning of her swimming career, DeBever has always been motivated through her dad’s competitive spirit. When her dad was a rower, he missed the Olympic cutoff by one spot, so this has motivated DeBever to accomplish what he was so close to having. This keeps DeBever motivated and working extra hard to where she is today.
“Life is a marathon,” DeBever said. “More lows than highs so far, you’re not always going to be successful in life.”
DeBever attended Bishop Kenny when she moved to Jacksonville from Texas in her sophomore year of high school.
During her time at
Kenny, DeBever was a Scholastic All-American student who graduated with the class of 2014. DeBever still values her time spent at Bishop Kenny.
“Bishop Kenny was a really great experience, with a lot of support, invested students, and a lot of fun,” DeBever said.
For club swimming, DeBever swam for the Bolles swimming team, despite the huge rivalry between Bishop Kenny and The Bolles School.
DeBever competed in Junior Worlds during her junior year of high school, which resulted in missing two weeks of school to compete in Dubai. DeBever remembers the faculty and students at Bishop Kenny supporting her swimming career.
Throughout her time at Kenny, her favorite teachers were Mr. and Mrs. Winkler. She felt their support and Mrs. Winkler’s anatomy class brought DeBever closer to her dream of medical school, which she plans to pursue in the future.
“I loved both the Winklers…but Mrs. Winkler’s anatomy class…it’s actually in my personal statement that got
“ You’re not always going to be successful in life,” DeBever said.
me into medical school,” DeBever said. “It’s what ignited my love for the human body. She was such a good teacher, and so compassionate. They [both] are amazing.”
After high school, DeBever attended Auburn University to continue her swimming career. She swam for Auburn in the events 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, 200 freestyle, 100 backstroke, 100 butterfly and 200 IM.
DeBever had not competed in some of those events in high school, so this was an adjustment for her. She competed in the SEC championship for Auburn during her freshman and sophomore years.
After swimming at Auburn, DeBever represented Peru at world championships in 2017. Eventually, she started to swim for Texas A&M to close out her college career. While DeBever was at Texas A&M, she scored points for her team during her junior year. In her senior year, she competed
at SECs and swam a personal best in the 200-yard IM.
DeBever recalls one of her most successful moments in her career was when she swam for Texas A&M in college and won SECs with her relay team during her senior year.
“Definitely a lot more fun when you’re together with other girls to accomplish something,” DeBever said.
She graduated from Texas A&M in the year of 2020, and in this same year, DeBever competed in the 2020 Olympics. She did not get to participate in many outside activities because
of the COVID-19 outbreak. She was not allowed to see other participants, or watch other events from anywhere but her hotel room.
The COVID-19 pandemic prevented DeBever from having the whole Olympic experience she was hoping to have, so she says she is excited for the upcoming 2024 Olympics to experience everything that she missed out on last time.
DeBever prefers swimming relays because huddling up with her teammates before a race is the best way to hype each other up. Despite this, DeBever will be swimming her favorite individual event,
the 200 individual medley, in the 2024 Paris Olympics. She will also be swimming in another event but this is still to be determined.
Currently DeBever has a very strict swimming schedule in preparation for the 2024 Paris Olympics. She swims doubles in the morning and night on Monday, Wednesday and Friday for two hours; on Tuesday and Thursday she swims singles once. She takes Sunday as a rest and recovery day.
DeBever takes recovery very seriously by stitching, taking naps and eating nutritious meals to keep up with her swimming schedule.
Outside the pool, DeBever does not believe in excessive dieting before a big event. She likes her dieting habits to come naturally to her. Due to her harsh swimming schedule during the week, DeBever doesn’t crave sweets anymore due to her rigorous exercise schedule that challenges her to eat healthier.
Apart from the world of swimming, DeBever plans to attend medical school after she is done competing in the Olympics.
“I’m very stubborn,” DeBever said. “I’m not willing to give up until I get it.”
Sophomore Olivia Jansen says she started learning to surf when she was about four years old.
“My dad got my brother into surfing, so it’s, yeah, family,” Jansen said.
When asked what she finds the most difficult part of surfing, she says it’s balance.
“There’s a lot of control and patience that goes into it,” Jansen said.
There are different maneuvers in surfing that help to impress judges in competitions, such as hang 10, hang 5, cutbacks, carves and snaps.
By the age of 10, Jansen began participating in surfing competitions.
“I’ve participated in Super Girls Pro,” Jansen said. “It’s a professional contest and then a lot of local ones like ESA, and a lot of qualifying series contests.”
The ESA competitions are for younger surfers, and Jansen used to compete in those, but now she has moved up the Super Girls Pro surfing competitions.
“I think that the competitive aspects make us work,” Jansen said. “The competitions are really competitive and [it] takes a lot of time and strength, energy.”
Jansen is sponsored by Sticky Bumps Surf Wax, which means that the company sends her free wax for competitions and practicing. Jansen has had the opportunity to travel all over for surfing competitions.
“This weekend I’m going to Virginia,” Jansen said. “I’ve also traveled to Mexico, California and Puerto Rico.”
Jansen’s favorite place to surf is called The Polls in Mayport Beach.
“I like low tide because the waves just break better there,” Jensen said.
Although surfing takes plenty of concentration, Jansen still loves to go out to the water for fun.
“I just like being in the water,” Jansen said. “And just surfing with my friends.”
Junior KJ Kasych dedicates himself to the art of karate, bettering his craft each day.
Kasych has been doing karate for four years, and notes how karate is a family affair for him.
“My dad did karate, and I was indifferent about it,” Kasych said. “Now, I like it.”
Karate is a way of life of self-discipline, according to stanford.edu, and Kasych says karate has helped him grow in his character.
“It’s given me a physical activity that is enjoyable, and it has taught me about respect and how you should treat others, and how I should handle myself as a person in society,” Kasych said.
Modern karate originated in Japan in 1922, and it’s described as a “self-defense martial art,” according to stanford.edu. There are various movements crucial to karate mastery.
“There are sidekicks, where you pick up your knee, and kick axe kicks, where you bring your knee in as high as you can and drop it on
the other’s head, and round houses where you twist your body the opposite way and drop your foot,” Kasych said.
In addition to kicks and movements, students keep track of their performance based on their belt color.
“There are different belts, where the highest is black belt.” Kasych said. “Beyond that there are levels of black belts, where there are first and second dans, going up to nine.”
“Dans” are levels exclusively given to those who are black belts, in order to increase their expertise in karate and their level of prestige.
Some claim that karate is more of an art form than a sport, but Kasych notes how those who discount karate as a sport forget about some of its main aspects.
“First thing I would say, it’s in the Olympics, and beating someone is a main role in sports, like boxing,” Kasych said. “Karate essentially does the same thing.”
Junior Stephanie Hagen has been involved in competitive rock climbing since she was 11 years old.
Hagen actually started climbing at the age of five, but her rock climbing journey was interrupted by her desire to dance. She came back to rock climbing at the age of 11.
Rock climbing has just joined the Olympic program in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, according to climbing.com. The first organized rock climbing competition wasn’t until 1985, according to the official Olympics site, so as a competitive sport, it’s less than 40 years old.
Hagen competes for Team Edge and trains at the Edge Rock Gym a couple of miles from school.
In rock climbing competitions, there are two different seasons. The first one is rope season and this is when the climbers are clipped in and held by a rope while they climb. This is also known as lead climbing.
The second season is bouldering, which is where the climber is not attached to any rope and they climb
anywhere from 13 to 16 feet high.
When bouldering, Hagan always has a spotter, and the crash pad is always beneath her when competing.
During practice, Hagen always knows her spotter, but at competitions, she does not know the spotter, and this can be nerve racking.
“One time, I was at a competition and someone dropped right before me, and then I had to go,” Hagen said. “But it was fine.”
There are currently 20 members on Team Edge and they compete in local competitions.
In May, Team Edge competes in regional competitions, which is similar to districts or regionals in a high school setting.
Hagen has made it into divisionals, which is equivalent to districts in high school sports.
Anyone who thinks they might enjoy climbing should come to the walls armed with patience.
“Go and try it because it takes a little while to actually start getting good at it,” Hagen said.
Junior Jude Rewa has been skating for three years, though he received his first board as a gift when he was only a threeyear-old.
Rewa says the sport has taught him values and “life lessons…like perseverance and determination.”
Skateboarding was added to the list of sports to be competed in the 2020 Olympics, making this year’s upcoming event only the second time skateboarding will be making a summer Olympics appearance.
In Jacksonville, there are skate parks and even some competitions, such as the Street League Skateboarding (SLS). A skater founded the league to promote street skating, according to streetleague.com.
The skating community is a closely connected one, according to Rewa.
“It’s inspiring to say the least, to see people that are
good at their craft,” Rewa said.
When first learning the sport, it may take a while to reach a hard level.
“Like a lot of things, you will fail way more times than you succeed,” Rewa said. “You have to be perseverant and tuned in to it.”
When learning new tricks it can be challenging and even dangerous, according to the National Safety Council.
“I broke my foot two months ago because of skating,” Rewa said. “I’ve hyper extended my wrists, rolled my ankles and broken my other foot.”
As a sport, skateboarding emphasizes the value of thrill-seeking, according to olympics.com.
“It kind of makes you look at the world a certain way,” Rewa said, “It’s something you can go do and get better at…it’s like a lifestyle.”
My iPad buzzes quietly, notifying me of a scheduled appointment. It reads, “Brad Winkler, Campus Ministry.”
I excuse myself from class, iPad in hand. When I arrive at Campus Ministry, there is already a crowd of students inside Mr. Winkler’s office. I step inside, anxious to know what he has to say.
He shuffles papers in his hands and examines us critically. A few kids look away, awkward under his scrutiny.
“So, none of you have completed your service hours,” he says.
In my head, I facepalm. How did I forget again? Why We Do It
Bradley Winkler is the school’s Campus Ministry Coordinator and is an
situation, from kids who can’t stay after school, to those whose parents can’t transport them to events.
“Whether I’m a student, or an adult, or a college student, our lives become
“God gave us all gifts and talents that make us unique”
busy,” Winkler said.
High school students in particular can become very overworked. Some high schoolers pick up a job, enroll in Advanced Placement classes and partake in extracurriculars
make time for gaining service hours can feel like a serious hassle.
Winkler explains that, while service may weigh heavily on some, the school considers it a crucial part of education. Doing service for others allows you to get into the habit of doing good.
“Then it’ll become second nature,” Winkler said. “It’s something that you won’t even think about doing, you just go do it.”
After all, we are called to service by God.
While the Bible tends to highlight the hungry and homeless–two groups especially in need of a helping hand–we are encouraged to help everyone, regardless of their situation.
God expects us to
gifts and talents that make us unique,” Winkler said.
When we use these talents for good, such as service, we are working towards a better future.
Service Benefits
Doing service helps more than just the people you aim to help. It can also have a significant impact on yourself.
Helping others is scientifically proven to make the do-gooder feel happier and better about themselves. Acts of kindness can even result in a healthier physical state, according to the Mental Health Foundation.
When someone experiences the positive feelings associated with works of service, they are more inclined to continue seeking out that “natural high.” I explored this topic in another article—check it out! When someone is kind to another, it may encourage the person they helped to pass on the kindness.
Even if the things you provide are small, like mowing a neighbor’s lawn or taking a friend’s dog on a long walk, you are still inspiring goodness to take root in your life and the lives of
those around you.
How To Choose
People should always be willing to lend a helping hand, and school service is a small step towards instilling that quality into people.
Of course, volunteer work should never be treated like a school-assigned job. As Winkler stated, it should become second nature to offer help when you can.
Unfortunately, students may lose sight of why they do service work in the first place, especially when the tasks they complete don’t feel like they are directly helping anyone.
Tasks like selling food to classmates or cleaning up a beach can feel more like a chore or job than an act of kindness, and may take away from the experience.
Summer service is an alternative to raking up hours during the school year that may suit certain students better. Not only does it allow for people to do service on their own time, it also allows them to choose activities that are more impactful to their community and best fitted to their schedule.
Another thing to
“It’s going to help us as much as its going to help them.”
consider is your personality and interests. For example, an outspoken student who excels at communication may enjoy a service opportunity such as Camp I Am Special due to the activities they partake in, such as karaoke and theatre. A quieter student who prefers to keep to themselves may feel more comfortable working in a library or a church office, due to their relaxed atmosphere.
Variables like these may seem excessive or nitpicky, but choosing an activity that better suits your personality and interests allows you to truly appreciate the work you are doing for your community.
To Conclude
It is important to note that doing service work during the school year is entirely possible and can still be incredibly rewarding.
Students have a myriad of opportunities to pick from over the school year, including those offered by the school itself.
Bishop Kenny has plenty of student organizations, many of which give service opportunities. Kenny Angels, Interact Club, and Crusadervision are three clubs that consistently serve the school community.
Many students may find that completing service hours over the school year is easier and less of a burden. Others might have no free time during the school year and find that summer service work is better-suited to their lifestyle and needs.
It all depends on the person.
Service work is incredibly important, both for yourself as an individual and the larger community. When you commit yourself to helping others, even if it seems small and unimpactful, you are still contributing towards a kinder world.
“That’s why it’s important that we should give back to our communities,” Winkler said, “It’s going to help us as much as it’s helping them.”
82%
Participate in clubs or activities
29%
Take AP classes
53%
Participate in school athletics
There are more than 50 student organizations to be involved in.
The school has raised over 46,000 service hours in the 2023 - 2024 school year.
Açaí bowls started to gain popularity on social media a few years back, with influencers posting their favorite
locations and Pinterest boards with stylized photos of the novelty treat. These healthy meal options make a great summer treat to enjoy
Starting off, I went to Florida Juice and Bowl, where I ordered ‘The Original Bowl.’ I got a size regular and it was $9.99, but it was quite a large sized bowl and it was very filling, so I think it is worth the price.
Starting off with the base, you can choose between apple juice or hemp milk added to their traditional açaí; I ordered the apple juice with mine. I would recommend this because you couldn’t distinctly taste the
Açaí itself is a berrry that has a bittersweet taste. It is picked off of trees and mixed with other fruits and liquids to create the base of bowls
after a day at the beach or even just as an on-the-go snack.
A quick Google search shows more than 20 locations
juice but it added a bit of tanginess to the base. The texture of this base was a little bit thinner than I prefer, but the flavor made up for it. Getting the bowl with hemp milk would have improved this texture, but also changed the flavor. The toppings on this bowl were strawberries, blueberries, bananas, goji berries, coconut flakes and granola. Goji berry is not something I have had before, but it has a nice blend of sweet and sour. The fruits on
throughout Jacksonville, and I visited three of the top spots and included my personal rating of each one.
top were a bit hard for my liking. Each fruit had a good taste, but the bite of them made it seem to not be fresh.
The granola added was one of my favorites. It was more crumbly than some other granola options, which made it easier to eat. It also had pieces with pockets of air that allowed the base to mix with it and left a good bite.
I liked the ambiance of
The benefits of açaí include vitamins, antioxidants, fibers and calcium, according to successstudiopt.com. These benefit the human body and its systems.
this location; they had good music and a wide variety of seating options including tables, chairs, and a couch. However, I would not choose this destination as a first option because while the flavors in this bowl were perfect, the textures left me wanting something more.
Mixed-in?
Typical things mixed into the base of bowls can include the actual açaí, frozen fruits such as banana and strawberry, milk and sometimes ice.
One my favorite places to go, Homespun. I like this location because it is walking distance from the beach and usually has good music. The negative of this is the seating, there are only two inside and two outside tables, which is not ideal for large groups and crowds.
At this location, I ordered the ‘Harrison’ bowl. I got a size small and it was $8.50, which I thought was slightly overpriced for the quantity in it. This bowl was
complete with the regular Homespun base and topped with granola, strawberries, blueberries, coconut and honey. This açaí base here is very sweet and thick, which I like more because it adds the element of creaminess, which still holds its shape when you take a bite.
The toppings that come with this particular recipe were good because they helped bring out the fruity flavors of the base. While they tasted fresh, with their
The final bowl I tried was the “Pura Vida” bowl from Playa Bowls, which was $13.00. The quantity of this bowl was similar to Homespun, so not a very large amount and I think it is very overpriced.
I did not love the taste of this açaí. It was a bit plain and did not have much flavor. The flavors I did taste were not my favorite, as they had an odd, almost fishylike tang. Playa Bowls uses double the amount of pulp
sweetness, the texture was more frozen and had a bit of a bite when I ate them. If you like the coldness of the base as well as the coldness of the fruit, this may be the one for you, but I did not love how frosty they felt.
The honey on top added sweetness to the whole thing, but not in a way that is overpowering, which I liked. Homespun
than traditional açaí, which benefits health, yet it adds more bitterness to the flavor, according to playabowls. com. However, the texture of their base was good with a nice mix of creamy and thick which I enjoyed. Keeping it plain with their toppings, they had blueberries, strawberries, granola and honey. I liked how fresh the fruit was because it was not too cold and crunchy, but also not too soft or soggy. It was a good
uses organic honey, which is beneficial because of the antioxidants and nutrients it gives to the body, according to healthline.com. The bites with both honey and the homemade granola were perfect because the sweet taste of the honey along with the sugars on the granola mixed well.Overall, the bowl tasted very good and I would definitely go back here.
4720 Town Crossing Dr, Jacksonville, FL 32246
balance between these two.
The flavor of the fruit by itself was good, but mixed with the base it was hard to taste this flavor.
The honey on top of this bowl was slightly too sweet for my liking. If you are looking for more of a sweet treat type of topping, this would be good for you, but that is not my go-to in a garnish. However, I did like the mix of their granola with this honey, because the granola helped tone down how sweet it was. The granola was more on the crumbly side, but it added a nice texture to the bowl, which I enjoyed. Playa’s granola
includes typical granola ingredients such as almonds, pecans and dried coconut, but it adds other ingredients like dried cranberries and sunflower seeds that alter the taste and texture. I did like the environment and aesthetics of this location, they had cute decorations and played good music. The service was also very good and they had a lot of options for seating. I probably would not get this bowl again because despite having nice textures with the base and toppings, because I found the odd flavors left a bad taste in my mouth.
Experiences to check off for an unforgettable season of fun
India Brophy | Opinions Editor
Beach Day
Day Trip to St. Augustine
Projector Movie Night
Go Jet Skiing
Attend a Jumbo Shrimp Game
Have a Boat Day
Go Night Swimming
Sunset Bike Ride
Make a Summer Scrapbook
