Edition 4: April 2024

Mamma Mia! A Show to Remember!

March 7th, 8th, and 9th mark the days Blind Brook High School’s theater department put on the astonishing production of the commemorated movie, Mamma Mia. After months of preparation dedicated to the musical by the cast, crew, and teachers/staff, including Mrs. Colangelo and Mrs. Cerasoli, it was all pulled together in a way that had the crowd laughing, tearing up, and dancing in their seats. The leads, Abby Meron as Donna, Cassidy Wohl as Sophie, Pablo Zeitune as Sky, Hunter Greenspan as Sam Carmichael, Josh Fitzpatrick as Harry Bright, Will Jaffe as Bill Austin, Madilyn Klien as Rosie, Toby Grossberg as Tanya, Chloe Beal as Lisa, and Cassandra Brunetti as Ali, truly made the show phenomenal with their incredible vocals and immersive acting. The set was beautifully made, accurately representing the gorgeous views of Greece displayed in the movie, and the costumes were just as good, with Donna and the Dynamo’s final outfit topping the rest.

By Maddie Fishbach

For those who may be unfamiliar, Mamma Mia is a movie on a secluded Greek island at a hotel run by the independent Donna, where her daughter, Sofie, is about to get married. Old friends all gather, and the island is being prepared for the day she can finally marry the love of her life, Sky. The only thing missing is Sofie’s father, whom she does not know. Despite this, she secretly invites three men from Donna’s past to figure out which one may be her father, so she has someone to give her away at the wedding. Blind Brook’s production of Mamma Mia does an amazing job embodying the movie, fantastically illustrating themes such as the importance of family and friendship, letting go of the past, and independence. When asked what her favorite part of the musical was, Junior Abby Meron, who played Donna, responded, “I loved the show so much, so I have many favorite parts, but I loved getting to do the show with some

of my closest friends while having them play my best friends at the same time. I loved how we would be dancing and laughing one minute, and then the entire theater was sobbing and crying the next. Although it was a lot to take on, there is nothing I’d rather do, and it is such a fulfilling feeling knowing the hard work paid off.” A big part of Blind Brook’s production of Mamma Mia that got the audience excited was the teacher section. Not only did the crowd enjoy it, but it was easy to notice the enjoyment in the teachers’ faces while performing their hearts out on stage with the rest of the cast. “If I had to describe my experience as being a part of Mamma Mia in one word, it would be amazing,” exclaimed Mr. Ambrosio. “It was an amazing experience to be part of the Mamma Mia cast, number one being able to work with the student body and with Mrs. Colangelo and Mrs. Cerasoli, the whole creative team, and lastly being able to work with the faculty that participated in Mamma Mia. It was a fantastic experience, and I

think the students enjoyed seeing us interact with them on stage.”

The joy seen in each actor’s face was infectious, and the overall vibe shown through their performance spread amongst the crowd, leaving the audience with a smile on their faces and songs that would get stuck in their heads throughout the next week. It’s not hard to notice the genuine happiness in all the performers, the crew, and the teachers who were in the musical. Mamma Mia allowed each of them to let loose and enjoy themselves in a fun play full of catchy tunes by ABBA, excellent choreography, and true, expressive emotions. It will be difficult to beat this year’s production of Mamma Mia, but knowing Blind Brook’s theater department and their dedication to these plays, they will top it and blow each of our minds once again. If you missed the chance to see this outstanding performance, visit BBTV to see the livestream of one of the performances!

News

Super Tuesday—Victories for Trump and Biden, A Loss for Nikki Haley

On March 5, 2024, voters in 16 different states and 1 U.S. territory headed for the ballot boxes, all participating in an event called Super Tuesday. Their purpose? To vote in the presidential primaries and select a presidential candidate for their own party.

This year, Donald Trump and Joe Biden each dominated the votes of their respective parties, diminishing any hope of a victory for Republican candidate Nikki Haley.

Though President Joe Biden’s approval ratings still remain low, he was easily able to win over many of the other, lesser-known Democrat candidates. On Super Tuesday, he won around 80% of the vote, with the other 20% being labeled as “uncommitted”. Meanwhile, former president Donald Trump continued with a streak of wins, crushing former South Carolina governor Nikki

By Iris Chen

Haley in multiple states and diminishing her chances of becoming the GOP nominee. Though Haley was able to bring in the vote from Vermont, she lost in every other state, including her home state of South Carolina.

On Wednesday, March 6, amidst cries for her to step down from the race, Haley officially announced the suspension of her presidential campaign. Her string of losses across the country on Super Tuesday proved Trump’s supremacy in the Republican Party and eliminated any last hope of a victory for Haley. However, even after withdrawing from the election, she refused to outright endorse Trump and instead challenged him to win the vote of her supporters. The national attention and support she has amassed from her campaign sets her up for possibly running again in the future.

Though it’s obvious that Trump and Biden will once again have a showdown in the 2024 presidential elections, both sides continue to face issues. Biden is drawing criticism for his handling of the war in Gaza, and the large portion of “uncommitted” votes from Democrats clearly demonstrate

Politics

2024 Republican Primary Election Updates

By Bridget Zelin

As the 2024 election progresses, here’s what we know about our potential presidential candidates. In terms of the Republican primaries, former South Carolina governor and U.N. ambassador, Nikki Haley has dropped out of the race since Wednesday, March 6th, after a year long bid for the GOP nomination. Haley has made history in the 2024 election as one of the first prominent women of color seeking the Republican presidential nomination. After suspending her campaign,

she has refused to endorse Donald Trump, and instead has challenged him to earn his own voters against the current president, Joe Biden, who is predicted to be the Democratic candidate for the election.

After losing 14 out of 15 Republican primaries to Donald Trump so far, Haley claims she has “no regrets” about her campaign cycle. While announcing her decision to pull out of the presidential race, Haley stated “I said I wanted Americans to have their voices heard. I have done that,” claiming

that she has fulfilled her role in representing anti-Trump groups within the Republican party.

Before Nikki Haley’s suspension of her campaign, Florida Governor, Ron DeSantis, dropped out of the 2024 Republican primaries in January, right before the New Hampshire primary. At the end of his running, DeSantis endorsed Donald Trump over the premise that the United States “... can’t go back to the old Republican guard of yesteryear, a repackaged form or warmed over corporatism that Nikki Haley represents." His endorsement of Trump, along with Haley’s plummeting popularity among GOP voters, were some of the factors that contributed to her downfall as Republican nominee for president.

Two weeks before DeSantis’ elimination from the race, former New Jersey Governor, Chris Christie departed the Republican nominee field, not endorsing any of his previous republican rivals.

Like Haley, Christy ran a largely anti-Trump campaigning platform, attempting to garner the support of Republican moderates who disliked Trump’s policies and overall message. At the start of the Republican primary race, there were about 25 potential candidates (including long-shot candidates)

that. Trump’s unpopularity with college-educated voters and the suburbs are highlighted by Haley’s campaign, with most of her votes being drawn from those areas. Even with their low approval ratings, it is clear that both men are going into the election with the backing of their respective political parties.

who registered in polling. Now, Donald Trump has been declared the official Republican nominee and is expected to face Joe Biden on the ballot in November. Since the beginning of his campaign this election season, Trump has publicized his plans if elected President. Despite the investigations against him, Trump has dominated the race with his policy goals, ranging from dismantling the ‘Deep State’ to ending illegal immigration. He also plans to settle the war between Russia and Ukraine, and institute a system of tariffs of around 10% on most foreign goods. Trump’s economic, government, and foreign policies have become widely popular among his supporters as he continues his campaign. While voters this November will be asked to pick their preferred presidential nominee, they will also be asked to examine whose policies they prefer. The lack of support for alternate nominees for the Republican party demonstrates that voters have and continue to prefer Donald Trump. In the next few weeks, additional primaries and public opinion polls will examine whether Donald Trump or Joe Biden will win the election for their respective parties.

Sports

The Collaborative Success of Blind Brook Athletics

Blind Brook takes immense pride in its sports program, which serves as a cornerstone of our school’s spirit and community. While sports like soccer and basketball are exclusive to Blind Brook students, others like hockey, swimming, and football bring together athletes from neighboring Westchester County schools, creating stronger, more diverse teams.

The Rye Town Harrison Titans hockey team is a combination of the school districts of Blind Brook, Harrison, Rye Neck, and Port Chester. The Titans had an outstanding winter, finishing with an overall record of 18-2-1 and winning the League C championship. Combining the four schools allowed for a bigger team with more players. As a member of this team, at the beginning of the season, it was hard to anticipate what would happen with four schools combined. From the very start, we began to build great relationships with each other. We progressed throughout the season and became closer as friends and teammates, which improved our team chemistry, leading us through the season on a historic run. Being able to represent Blind Brook is crucial, and combining with other schools gives the players an opportunity to do so, playing the sport that they

By Max Kulekofsky

love. Talking with Junior Goalie CJ Stumpf, he expressed how great it was to represent his school. “Initially, I was unsure about joining a combined team, concerned it might impact our team culture. However, looking back on the past year, I’ve found it to be one of the most enjoyable experiences I’ve had. Our team culture was strong, and as the season went on, we bonded even more. Everyone, including the new players, fully committed to our team’s goals, which led to our success later in the season. Playing with students from three other schools gave us the chance to keep our love for hockey alive at our school. While the season didn’t end as we hoped, we’re proud of what we achieved and are already gearing up for the next season.” For the Titans, the combination of the three other schools with Blind Brook gives an opportunity for the players to represent their school while playing the sport that they love. Next is the swim team. Combined with Rye High School and Rye Neck High School, this team is another powerful combined sports team. Talking with Sophomore George Papaioannou about the importance of being able to represent the school with the combined team, he discussed the importance of building strong

relationships with his teammates. “We ended up bouncing back from a tough season, going 0-7, working hard to become undefeated, going 7-0, and winning the conference, reaching the divisionals and winning that as well, making it to regionals and placing 16th in the Section. As we moved through the season, we built lasting friendships, helping us propel as one of the top seeds. This was a memorable experience, and I look forward to continuing onto another great winning season next year.” The three schools combined for swimming continued to have grit to come back after a tough season and are ready to continue this trend of successful seasons. For the Blind Brook Swim Team, being able to combine with two other schools kept the dream of representing their school alive and helped them continue on to a great successful winter season.

Finally, our football team, Blind Brooks football team is eager to play this upcoming fall after not having a season last fall. Talking with Upcoming Senior Carmine Casino, he explained the eagerness the team has to get back on the field, representing Blind Brook, “After not having a season last year, we are all very excited to get back out there and play again. Dealing with the heartbreak of not having a season, it puts into perspective for us that we cannot take the moments we have with our teammates for granted. I am looking forward to this merge with Edgemont High School, and to start meeting my new teammates in August, while creating strong friendships and to create a new brotherhood.” For the future of Blind Brook athletics, we are committed to continuing this tradition of excellence both on and off the field.

NCAA Implements a Rule Change In Women’s Volleyball

By Noah Dweck

We formally watched volleyball with the knowledge that one player cannot hit the ball twice in a row, and when hitting the ball with two hands, they must make contact with it at the same time. However, the NCAA just made huge changes to this rule that will drastically alter the game. A double contact, or double hit, is when a player touches the ball twice in a row, or when the player touches the ball with two

parts of the body consecutively. Up until the new rule change, the NCAA always ruled this form of contact illegal, resulting in a point gained for the opposing team. The recent decision to change the rule for women’s volleyball now states that any player is able to contact the ball more than once with any part of the body, in an effort to pass to a teammate. This will be deemed illegal, however, when using this to hit the ball over the net.

This topic was heavily debated earlier this year in January, and after years of controversy they finally made the change. The NCAA stated that “officiating double contacts has sparked intense debates between coaches and volleyball officials during matches. Committee members thought that the elimination of this judgment call would bring more consistency to the game.” They also remarked how they believed this would “continuation of play” resulting in more entertaining matches, and that this would ultimately not change the outcome of many calls. It is very difficult for officials to call on double contacts, based on how quickly the game is and it is often relied on video replay to see, which oftentimes does not resolve the call either, prompting debate and controversial calls. This change to women’s volleyball sparked tons of controversy and

debates nationwide. Many believe that, like the NCAA said, this will not change the game much and that it is going to strengthen the officiating. Others believe that this changed the way they play their game and it will allow setting to be much easier, allowing many more to become great setters, very quickly. “There was a time where if a non-setter shaped to set a ball, the referee was ready to blow the whistle, regardless of how clean it was,” stated Blind Brook star volleyball player Ella Rosenfeld. “To me, this is positive for the game. We want exciting rallies that don’t end in technicalities.”

Emily Golodnikov added, ”This new rule will bring an exciting and more fun experience to women’s volleyball, leading the game to be more fast-paced. However, I can understand criticism on how the new rule could result in sloppier play and technique.”

The DEI Dilemma: Fair or Unfair? Features

Since the Supreme Court’s decision to reverse Affirmative Action in the summer of 2023, all eyes have been turned to DEI, otherwise known as diversity, equity, and inclusion, a practice used in college admissions and corporate hirings in which a candidate’s background is evaluated along with their qualifications. Similar to Affirmative Action, DEI promotes equal opportunity for minorities in

By Iris Chen

the educational space and workplace. “Diversity” refers to the inclusion of people from all different races, genders, ethnicities, sexual orientations, disabilities, and religions. “Equity” points to the fair practices and policies that guarantee equality for everyone, regardless of their backgrounds. And “inclusion” is about the community itself, and the sense of respect and belonging that is entitled

On March 16th, the Blind Brook High School Science Research Students participated in the Regeneron Wesef fair at Somers High School. Regeneron WESEF is a local science fair affiliated with the Regeneron International Science Fair for high school students in Westchester, Putnam, and Sullivan counties of New York. Each year, this fair shows an amazing display of multi-year projects and gives many opportunities for students to present their research to scientists, business leaders, and the general public. Students prepare professional research posters detailing their projects, which have involved complex research conducted under the guidance of professional scientists in their field. These projects can range from a variety of categories including health and medicine, computer science, engineering, and astrophysics. Students started the day with a student orientation directly followed by their judging sessions. Each student received 4-5

to each individual. First originating during the 1960’s, DEI has since grown to encompass various aspects of American society. Over the decades, it has gradually been installed in university acceptance and corporate hiring practices, and most US states have adopted the policy. However, in recent years, many states like Texas and Florida have passed and enacted anti-DEI laws, prohibiting the consideration of an individual’s race, ethnicity, or gender during their evaluation. Around eight other states have passed an anti-DEI bill in at least one chamber, and twenty others have had such a bill introduced.

The passing of acts banning DEI have affected the overall diversity of communities in the workplace and the education space. The signing of laws by Governor Greg Abbott abolishing DEI in Texas have led to an immense impact own the minorities of the state. As the sixth most diverse US state with the highest population of African Americans in the country, Texas’ minorities have had higher enrollment rates in public universities and colleges than their white counterparts. Without the inclusiv-

ity brought about by DEI, research predicts that the enrollment rate of minority students in the state will gradually decrease. By limiting diversity in institutions, the DEI bans are discouraging historically marginalized groups from pursuing more opportunities and a higher education. Hiring practices in various businesses and corporate settings would also change, restricting the amount of opportunities afforded to minorities in the workspace. However, the abolishment of DEI still retains an element of fairness. They allow for people to be judged based on their merits, ensuring that those receiving education or job opportunities have the right qualifications for their position. Without DEI, minority groups could still achieve the same opportunities by displaying their qualification and proving their excellence. Overall, however, DEI gives historically underrepresented groups of people greater opportunity in the world, and statistics show that it generally benefits the communities it’s been implemented in. Only through a greater, diverse population can a community thrive and grow.

Health and Sciences

Blind Brook at WESEF

By Emily Tian

official judge interviews in which they prepared to give a seven minute summary of their research followed by a five minute Q&A from the judge. Later in the day, parents, siblings, and friends were invited to see all the posters and talk to the students about their projects.

Rachel Horn, a junior at Blind Brook High School presented at WESEF this past weekend with her project: Characterizing neural correlates of allocentric and egocentric navigation strategies using an EEG Virtual Reality maze test. She hoped to differentiate between these two navigational strategies with a flexible Virtual Reality technology in young adults in order to examine the role of specific regions of the brain. She was able to find that there was a significant interaction between time required to memorize a maze and complexity of the maze. With her study and future projects, she hopes to delay the onset of Alzheimer’s Disease, a form of dementia, by focusing research on specific mechanisms in

older adults that underlie methods of navigating in the brain. After the fair, students were sent invitations to the award ceremony held on March 21st. The following Blind Brook students were given awards for their outstanding research projects:

Brook Barnett

Ava Shaw

Jinju Prince

Zaara Suhail

Alex Thompson

Bridget Zelin

Charlotte Zelin

Fiona Chen

Viewpoints

Viewpoints: Should the United States Keep Daylight Saving Time?

During World War I, the US government passed the Standard Time Act of 1918 in an attempt to conserve fuel and energy for the war. People would wind their clocks forward one hour in the spring, then wind them back in the fall. They hoped that this method would rely on the more natural light in the summer, when the days were longer, and reduce the amount of electricity and energy needed. The application of daylight saving time continued after the war, and has lasted all the way up to the modern day. However, recent debates have questioned the necessity for such practices. The practicality of daylight saving time has declined over the years, and lately, changing the clocks has seemed more like an inconvenient chore than a feasible strategy to save energy. The question remains: should the United States keep daylight saving time?

Sophomore Jocelyn Zheng is wholly against the idea. She raises concerns about the negative impact daylight saving time has on people’s sleep schedules, an ongoing problem that has gained a lot of attention in recent years. “It’s super difficult to deal with the time change, especially as a student who has to wake up early,” Zheng explains, “For me, it’s not worth it for the extra daylight.” She understands the benefits daylight saving time has on saving fuel and energy, but remains steadfast in her opinion. “The negative effects of sleep deprivation on our health outweighs the fuel and elec-

By Hailey Mallah

tricity benefits for me,” she concludes. The inconvenience of this time change may be outdated as of today. Should we really keep a practice in place that was created during an entirely different time?

Meanwhile, freshman Karly Vilato has a different take on the matter. She sees daylight saving time as a positive practice that allows people to fully take advantage of the different seasons. “In the winter, when it gets dark early, I feel more cozy,” she shares, “But in the summer, it’s so much better when you get to go outside. Sometimes, it doesn’t get dark until eight or even nine o’clock.” She believes that the longer daylight hours in summer lead people to spend more time outdoors, saying, “It’s so nice out, so it encourages you to go outside more.” Does daylight savings time encourage people to emerge themselves in the change of seasons?

Though it’s clear that daylight saving time has both its pros and cons, it’s unclear how the US government will continue handling this issue. The Sunshine Protection Act, a bill passed in March 2022 by the Senate, promoted permanent daylight saving time, eliminating the inconvenience of having to constantly change the clocks. However, the bill was shot down in the House, and didn’t end up becoming a reality. So, as of today, daylight saving time is still in use. But with the mounting protests and criticism, that may very well change in the near future.

Focus Staff

Editor-in-Chief: Kunjal Kothari

Operation Manager: Rachel Horn

Webmaster: Natalia Terentiev

Layout Editor: Sophie Possick

Multimedia Directors: Charlotte Zelin and Jordana Esterow

Social Media Manager: Maya Vinikoor

Features Editor: Sofia Padilla

News Editor: Abby Goldstein

Viewpoints Editor: Hailey Mallah

Arts & Entertainment Editor: Abby Meron

Health & Sciences Editor: Emily Tian

Politics Editor: Zoey Possick

Sports Editor: Maya Vinikoor

Faculty Advisor: Andre Soto

Writers

Iris Chen, Noah Dweck, Hailey Mallah, Madeline Fishbach, Max Kulekofsky, Bridget Zelin, Emily Tian, Abigail Goldstein,