BBHS Focus Issue #3: April 2021

A Blind Brook High School Student Publication

Issue #3 April 2021

Return to In Person Learning

Spring Break

By Danielle Capelli ‘22

By Jonny Hamburger ‘22

Photo Courtesy of Jim Abbott

Blind Brook High School students were in need of a break after weeks of hard work at school. The weather is starting to get warmer, flowers are beginning to bloom, and it is a great time of the year to have a break from school.

The students have all done a multitude of different activities during this break, ranging from college tours, community service, to traveling and relaxing.

A survey conducted out of 100 students at Blind Brook High School showed that 29% of people planned to travel during the break. Only 2.8% went out of the country, while the other 97.2% of travelers stayed within the United States. Junior Katelyn Faustino went to New Orleans to visit Tulane University. “It was great and I had a fun time in the city of New Orleans as well,” Faustino explained. She went to Audubon Park, which is across from Tulane, and stated, “It’s a gorgeous little park.

It has a zoo, some golf courses, playgrounds, and really nice greenery as well.”

Faustino wasn’t the only student who visited colleges. Junior Zoe Richman went to Boston to visit college campuses as well.

She explains, “It’s important to get the vibe of the campuses.” Richman also stayed safe from COVID during her visit to Boston: “There are mask laws mandating that everyone must wear a mask inside, and at restaurants they had separators to keep everyone safe.” Junior Jennifer Mckay toured colleges in Pennsylvania and had a great time. “It was super helpful to get a feel for what the campuses will be like,” she said.

Junior Raghav Joshi traveled to Boston, but instead to visit friends and family. In addition, he relaxed, watched movies, and studied. According to

the survey, 60 students planned to see friends and family, and 55 students planned to watch movies over the break.

Blind Brook students have also been working to improve the community by doing community service this spring break. Jennifer Mckay, Zoe Richman, Danielle Cappelli, Anthony Bueti, Abby Kuznetzow, and Joe Cosmedy helped out at an Easter Event hosted by Greenwich moms at the Greenwich Historical Society. They hid eggs, operated booths, and checked people off the list at the event. Richman said that the event was a “great way to get the community involved in a fun and safe way.”

Mckay, Richman, and Cappelli also donated food kits to an organization called Feeding Westchester that gives food to people in need. They bought boxes of mac and cheese, fruit cups, and cans of soup, and divided them into bags with one of each item. They made 180 food kits to drop off at Feeding Westchester. “It was a very rewarding experience for us to take time to help people in need,” Mckay said.

During spring break, Blind Brook High School administered an ACT test for Blind Brook students to take. This made it very convenient for students to take this test since it was close to home. Students were also a lot more comfortable because they were with familiar people at their own school, rather than having to drive to a different, far-away school.

Students also did fun activities this spring break. Jennifer Mckay went to Manhattan with one of her friends from another town.

She explains, “We were socially distant and wore masks. It was great to spend time with a friend that I don’t see often while

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In early February, after successfully completing 6 months of hybrid learning, the Blind Brook School District announced that they would make an effort to try to return to in person learning.

Even though hybrid learning was a big change in the beginning, most people can agree that it was easy to adjust to and has worked very well. It was the perfect way to transition from remote learning, as it gave students the opportunity to be in the school building two days per week. As it feels like the school year is quickly coming to an end, Blind Brook wants to try to have more students in the building more often.

Before Blind Brook officially announced that they were going to return to full in person learning, they sent out a survey to families in order to hear their input. Families voiced their opinions about how comfortable they were with returning to school more than two times per week, how much social distancing would be needed, and their decision of sending their children back to school full time. After receiving the feedback from teachers and families in the district, a letter was sent out that outlined what returning to in person learning would look like.

The district decided to re-open in 5 different phases to ease into such

Phase two starts after Spring break on April 5th. a big change, and so they can receive feedback on it. They also want to figure out what they can improve before every student is back in the building. The first phase began on March 1st, when about 25 students per grade level began coming to school four times per week. In phase one, everyone in the district was still remote on Wednesdays. There were previous discussions about possibly coming into school on Wednesdays, but most members of the Blind Brook community agreed that it was better for Wednesdays to be remote, as it is the only day when the whole class is together on zoom. Wednes-

Features

Viewpoints

Health and Science

Sports

The latest in Blind Brook News.

Students debate grades, zoos, and college.

Texas snow, med students, herd immunity.

Despite covid-19, sports have continued.

Photo Courtesy of Blind Brook days will continue to be remote learning days for everyone until phase five in May.

Adding 25 students per grade was very beneficial for all of the students and teachers in school. Being back in school with more kids makes life feel more normal, and students can finally see new faces in each class. There has been a lot of positive feedback from everyone who has decided to go in four times per week. 11th grader Ben Berk, who has been going in four times a week for about a month said, “It is really nice to see friends more often and it is a lot easier to understand material while being in school.” Junior Carly Mallah, a BBHS RIPL committee member, claimed, “Being in person four times a week makes it a lot easier to get extra help and speak to teachers more frequently.”

Phase two starts after Spring break on April 5th. On April 5th, an additional 25 students will be added to the list of people who go in four times per week. Since there will be more kids in the building with every step, staying six feet apart will not be possible in some scenarios. To keep everyone safe when distancing is not possible, Blind Brook plans to order plastic covers for the front of desks. Blind Brook will continue to push students to take extra precautions as more students enter the building. On May 17th, the start of phase five, the cohort model will be over, and all students will be in school five days per week.

The Return to in Person Learning Plan is very exciting as it shows that education is finally transitioning back to normal. After going through four months of remote learning last year, and about

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Inside Focus...

Features.......................................1 News............................................3 Viewpoints..................................4 Arts and Entertainment............6 Health and Science....................9 Politics.......................................12 Sports.........................................15 1

Features

A Blind Brook High School Student Publication

Fantastic Finalists in DECA Challenge

By Jennifer McKay ‘22

The DECA Club is dedicated to molding leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management through competence, innovation, integrity and teamwork. DECA clubs worldwide train students to be young professionals by holding various competitions. Pre-Covid competitions would look something like this: Students registered for a given event (hospitality, for one) enter a silent reading room.

They have 10 minutes to analyze a situation and take notes if necessary. They then go into a room with anywhere from one to three judges. The judge roleplays as a character and engages in conversation with the student. Students must use critical thinking, public speaking, and analytical skills to impress them. Virtual competitions might include tests or virtual simulations (hotels, restaurants, retail stores, stadiums) in which students must figure out how to grow and sustain a company. The FIDM challenge, in contrast, is much more multifaceted.

The FIDM challenge, best stated by junior finalist Carly Mallah, is “an Entrepreneur of Tomorrow Challenge in which students have to present an entrepreneurial proposal for a new product idea for a specific market segment.” In simpler terms, each student or small group must essentially create a business and provide marketing, fiscal, and general details regarding how their business will live on and thrive. For in-

stance, a student with a sports equipment business might explain their target audience and measures they are taking to engage with that specific audience.

Three Blind Brook students, who also happen to be board members of DECA, placed second place in the entire nation. The video presentation of their product granted them a $1000 prize to be split evenly between the three of them.

They will also be recognized during the national Virtual International Career Development Conference. This is a very prestigious competition that is widely accepted by the international business world. Upon asking what brilliant idea got Carly Mallah, and seniors Claire Limb and Brooke Gerchick this hefty honor, Mallah responded, “We created a sustainable food business dedicated to providing considerably cheap meals to young people through utilizing imperfect produce. Imperfect produce can be defined “imperfect” in several ways: cosmetic damage, surplus or excess inventory, undervalued or lack of demand, or doesn’t meet a strict specification from the buyer, usually in the way it’s harvested or packaged. Regardless of this, this food is perfectly safe to eat and has no health or taste defects.

We figured that this would bring quality food to people that might otherwise be forced to eat fast food due to a lack of resources.” It is clear that these students are very skilled in their craft and are very deserving of such a distinguished prize.

Issue #3 April 2021

FOCUS Staff Anna Baker Butler Ryan Campbell Danielle Cappelli Joshua Dweck Kevin Franzblau Rachel George Brooke Gerchick Michaela Goodman Jonathan Hamburger Alexa Hoberman Jenna Kamin Lilly Kleinhandler Melina Kohilakis Kenneth Konigsberg Emma Kron

Nicholas Laterza Kelly Ma Alexander Manko Andrew Margolis Noelle Palombo Zoey Possick John Ramirez Zoe Richman Justin Schuster Natalie Steinberg Riley Storch Thomas Wemm Abigail Zahl Olivia Zahl Julia Zislis

Editor in Chief: Chloe Ng Managing Editor: Sam Lazar Operaitons Manager: Abby Ochs Webmaster: Natalia Terentiev Features Editor: Nick Laterza News Editor: Jennifer McKay Viewpoints Editor: Carly Mallah Arts and Entertainment Editor: Samuel Knee Health and Science Editor: Shira Mallah Politics Editor: Joshua Rosenblut Sports Editor: Zachary Schutzer Social Media Editor: Claire Limb Layout and Design Editor: Janell Lim Photography Editor: Rachel Wallenstein Faculty Advisor: Andre Soto

Photo Courtesy of Brooke Gerchick

Spring Break Continued from page 1 staying safe.” Junior Nick Beatty also went to Manhattan with friends over the break. “We walked around a lot, ate some Shake Shack, and went into a couple stores. It was a good way to wrap up my spring break.”

Sports were a big activity for many students as well. According to the survey, 31 students planned to play sports over the break. Beatty played plenty of sports this past week. He is on the varsity football team, and the team had practices over the break. Beatty also played basketball with friends for fun. “It was great to be given the opportunity to play and continue my passion for sports.” It is very important for students to have breaks in order to pursue their own passions, relax, socialize, and have a good time.

Return to In Person Learning Continued from page 1

five months of hybrid learning this year, this is a big step. Although the pandemic is still a major issue in our daily lives, it is very inspiring that everyone can be back in the school building together in May.

It is no secret that Sam Savitt is passionate about his field. Savitt explains his fascination with airplanes, stating, “I’ve been obsessed with airplanes since I was ten. There was this flight simulator that I had on my computer, and the thought that I could be the one making flight happen was just the coolest thing.

I spent countless hours on youtube and online, learning the ins and outs of flying, and further exploring the world of aviation, and I haven’t looked back since.” His interest in airplanes is what influenced him to study structural health monitoring and condition-based maintenance of bearings, using vibration data loggers for rotorcraft applications. His main intention was to make maintenance systems

for airplanes and helicopters more efficient. Rather than checking and replacing a certain aircraft part based on time, Savitt worked on creating a sensing system that could monitor the condition of that part and alert aircraft operators when it would fail. He outlined his research by saying, “I tested sensors in both the lab (2 summers ago) and in an actual airplane (this past summer) to prove that the sensors and overall system was effective.” Ultimately, his project is the most cost effective and safe approach to maintenance, as it maximizes parts’ life without jeopardizing the safety of passengers.

Although Savitt’s research came by his own merits, he worked with his mentors, Mr. Attila Lengyel and Mr. Rob Parent, through the Blind Brook science research program. Savitt lays out his experience with Blind Brook’s program, claiming “My experience with Doc (Dr. Sugantino) and the science research

program as a whole has been great. Doc truly cares about helping us pursue our passions in science and preparing us to pursue science in the real world, as researchers, communicators, and presenters. My classmates are all super talented as well, and getting to work with them has been humbling and they have pushed me to do my best work. The science research program is a tough one for sure, as it’s time consuming and requires serious dedication, but it’s opened up a world of possibilities I never thought could be possible in high school, and I’m so grateful to have had the experience.”

It is evident that Sam Savitt is very passionate about aviation and science, and that his experience has helped prepare him for his future. The Blind Brook community will continue to cheer on Sam when he advances to the next level, where he is now eligible to be selected as one of the top 40 Finalists in the program!

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News

A Blind Brook High School Student Publication

Issue #3 April 2021

When Girls Rise, We All Rise

By Zoe Richman ‘24 world have a fair opportunity to achieve their goals and advocate for social justice issues so that the world will be filled with more leaders and positive change.

It is important that Girls Up Clubs are started in other schools because this club is starting to result in girls having more confidence and rising up against society norms. Carly, Co-founder of the Girls Up Club at Blind Brook notes, “It is a message that needs to get across to a lot of different people and provides awareness on gender inequality throughout the world.”

Everyone can help the Girls Up Club on their mission in reaching gender equality by visiting the upcoming fundraiser dates and purchasing a bracelet. The club will be selling the bracelets again at the Rye Ridge Plaza outside Dusty Rose the first two Saturdays of April. It is time we empower

Photo Courtesy of Carly Mallah girls, and give girls the tools they need to truly shine. We can all be apart of this change and make the world a better place.

Photo Courtesy of Carly Mallah

The Girls Up Club is a new and flourishing club at Blind Brook this year that has been spreading its goal of empowering young girls throughout our community. The club has done a wide range of activities so far to promote gender equality and to empower girls throughout the world. Jennifer Mckay, Co-Founder of the club at our school, states, “From leadership boot camps to donating to causes that help underprivileged women, Girl Up always goes above and beyond to support those who need it most.”

The club already has over sixty members and has started its first fundraiser of the year at the Rye Ridge Shopping Center. The club is selling bracelets labeled Empower Girls Together for three dollars each. The Fundraiser has had incredible success so far, raising over $600 in four hours of selling. All of the proceeds are going directly to the

United Nation Organization called Girl Up, which aids young women worldwide on becoming leaders and speaking out in a world where it is hard for women to express their ideas. The organiza-

Photo Courtesy of Carly Mallah tion believes that “When girls rise, we all rise.” It is time that girls throughout the

Photo Courtesy of Carly Mallah

A Year(book) of Covid

By Zoey Possick ‘24

Photo Courtesy of WikiClip Art

This year has been a whirlwind for everyone, but especially so for the Yearbook Board members who are working hard to put our memories together. In years past, creating the yearbook has still been a challenge, but less so when everyone was in school at the same time. The combination of having fully-remote students and hybrid students has made taking everyone’s photograph incredibly difficult. On top of that,

our yearbook staff has been tasked with photographing sports and other events that have been much less prominent as a result of the pandemic. To get a better understanding of what the Yearbook Club really does, Lindsay Schwartzman, Editor-in-Chief, and Board member Madison Muoio give us their insight.

According to Muoio, putting the yearbook together this year has been different than years past. She says, “Covid

hasn’t allowed us to put in many activities that you would normally see in the yearbook, such as pep rallies. This year’s pictures look a little different considering everyone must be in masks. Despite all of this, the yearbook still looks amazing!” The book will include pieces from school staff members, sports, senior statistics, and many other components, despite covid. Lindsay Schwartzman gives us an example of the adaptations she and club members have had to make. She explains, “By thinking creatively, we have been able to replace pages intended for homecoming and our annual fashion show with pages filled with photos of pets and popular community locations.”

Both Schwartzman and Muoio have been members of the yearbook staff since freshman year. When asked about her experience being part of the board, Muoio says, “I have had a very informational and fun experience on the Yearbook Board.” She says her favorite part of the job is, “taking pictures of everything that goes on in the school. I love seeing students come together and eventually have them be able to see some special high school moments when they look back at their yearbook.” Lindsay’s favorite aspect is, “getting to work collaboratively with my peers to solve problems and

achieve goals.” Schwartzman joined the club with the belief that she would have a chance to express herself artistically and offer something special to her school community, and feels this opportunity has allowed her to fulfill her goal. The Yearbook Club is not like other clubs in the sense that all members are working together to meet deadlines and complete assignments in order to create the finished product for all of us. Schwartzman states that as Editor-in-Chief, her most challenging task is meeting these deadlines and making sure all of the small details are accounted for throughout the book.

Overall, the yearbook takes a lot of time and effort to compile. Schwartzman gives us her perspective; “To create the yearbook, the staff needs to design layouts and incorporate photos and captions to represent the story of 2020 to 2021.

Club members need to use a variety of resources to create special memories for Blind Brook students.” Both have agreed that their experience this year as club members has been positive. Although covid has created unforeseen challenges, the end result will definitely be worth it thanks to their hard work, along with the rest of the staff. Overall, it is safe to say that our yearbook is in great hands! We will be able to look back on an unforgettable year.

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Viewpoints

A Blind Brook High School Student Publication

Schools Need The Grading System

Issue #3 April 2021

Grades Need To Go

By Katelyn Faustino ‘22

By Jenna Kamin ‘22

From the beginning of schools until now, grades have been an important part of a student’s academic careers.

The whole reason school exists in the first place is to receive an education and send each generation off into the workforce with as much knowledge as possible. So why were grades invented? The truth is grades were invented as a way to have students learn faster and more material in a shorter time. If students wanted to receive a good grade and do well, they needed to study and do their homework, allowing the curriculum to technically move faster.

As time has gone on there have been lots of issues linked with school grades and mental health. Students feel the need to get a certain grade in order to feel accomplished. Others feel the competition between peers becomes unbearable. So what is the other way people want school to happen? This system has been embedded in the world for so long, that it seems almost impossible to abolish it completely for many reasons. One being that since we have done it for so long, there seems to be no other way to go along the system. The students who work the hardest get the best grades and then go off to the most competitive colleges.

How would this be done without grades?

While I have to say on behalf of myself and many others, I know hard work doesn’t always correlate to good grades.

Some students are naturally intelligent and don’t have to work hard, others stay up all night and still struggle profusely on the test the next day. But at the end of the day, this system has created a reason for students to try, and care about their learning. It’s what keeps many motivated to do better, study and ultimately understand the material so they can be successful.

Another reason individuals should not abolish grades is because of the emptiness students would feel without them. One of the most positive

things about the grading system is that it’s so familiar to us. Students use grades to guide them throughout school and get a better understanding of how they are doing. Students mostly work hard to get good grades, not always to learn.

While this isn’t the best, it’s the truth. It’s the biggest motivation that gets students to work harder and understand the material. Grades are not only important to us in high school, but are necessary for college, politicians, job makers and more. The grading system provides an easy way for people to understand a person’s academic ability and knowledge. And yes, grades can be harmful for people when applying and getting a job, but there is no other way to re-create a new system that creates the levels of academics like the grading system does.

Grades simply do not need to be thrown away in order to make improvements in school. It is for sure not a perfect system that does set kids up to be stressed out, but there has to be more ways to help students get better grades or give students more chances that do not ruin their GPAs. Countries like Finland seem to have implemented the grading system very differently from the U.S., and they have the most effective system that is known to cause less stress for their students. This includes ideas like not having grades until the end of middle school, or having no standardized tests. There are ways to make education more personalized for each student, but still have a general grading system, which would ultimately be the most beneficial.

The grading system is necessary to the American school system, and if abolished, would create a big issue on how to get students to work hard without the satisfying end of getting a good grade.

While there should be some modifications made, the system being abolished would truly harm schools and students greatly.

Photo Courtesy of Isabel Camacho/Civil Beat

Photo Courtesy of Learning Liftoff

Ask any student in America if school is stressful, and an overwhelming amount of responses will be yes. Arguably the most stressful thing that students anticipate in their education are their grades - whether it’s from day to day classes in school, exams, projects, or standardized tests. Most students strive to achieve the best grades they can get, and not receiving such can be discouraging.

Having a number or value, based on testing performance, measure one’s success facilitates both stress and competition.

Whether it’s a letter or number scale, grades are looming over every assignment and everything students do. They are pressured to receive the best grades possible in order to increase their GPA or satisfy parents when report cards arrive.

The grading system which brings about so much turmoil to a student’s career should be abolished or reformed at least.

Test results and grades based on academic performance can become a harmful label towards students. The labels students receive, whether it be an A+ or F, can impact both personal and impersonal expectations of oneself. This means how students view themselves and how teachers or adults view them varies. Teachers may look at a student who struggles with traditional academic success and treat them accordingly, dismissing the struggle if they don’t tune in or work hard enough.

Or, advisors and counselors may look at the grade range of a student and decide that a course or path in school is not appropriate for them. Receiving low grades can seriously discourage us from trying and limit our opportunities in the future.

Obviously there has to be some way of measuring success in school and giving critique on the work we do. A solution to this is simply feedback. Knowing what to improve upon and what to fix is how students grow and learn for the future, but why should they be penalized for it as well? When children are learning something for the first time, they should receive feedback and words of encouragement but should not be immediately grad-

ed based on performance. If assignments were on a pass / fail basis, with emphasis on teacher or peer feedback, this would focus on improvement and cooperation.

When teachers can annotate, comment on, and explain assignments the students can accordingly learn from their mistakes.

In a non-academic setting such as sports, we aren’t being constantly given a grade based on performance, but we are given feedback. Athletes leave practice every day with new information on how to improve. The coach provides insight on the strengths and weaknesses of a player and there is specific knowledge about what someone can be doing better.

Taking this concept into consideration, school can function similarly. Rather than giving typical grades for every class, there can be overall evaluations and constructive criticism to help students improve. This method encourages a lot more growth over time than immediate success.

One could argue that in order for universities or jobs to distinguish between applicants, they need more than just a passing mark. If the grading system was abolished, how might colleges separate the applicants without these ACT, SAT, or GPA values? To that I say they should look more closely at everything else. A student is more than just their academic grades, and the application should be a culmination of involvement in clubs, sports, hobbies, passions, etc. as well as community service or a meaningful essay. There are other factors to students that can oftentimes be overlooked when considering admission.

In truth, school is a lot more than just grades, and students are a lot more than what their report cards display.

If grading based on testing performance was abolished, it would relieve stress and derail the extreme expectations students globally face. Rather than constant competition and societal pressures, students would focus on self-improvement and growth. There are many ways to measure success, so having one rigid code for academics can be seriously detrimental.

Midnight Run

This year the Midnight Run Club held a cookie dough fundraiser to raise money for people experiencing homelessness in New York City. We were very fortunate that many of the members of our community were able to help out with donations. With these donated cookie dough boxes, the club was able to deliver to our local police department, fire department, and Greenwich Hospital. Members Ava Shaw and Alex Beatty were even able to hand deliver cookies to frontline workers at Greenwich Hospital. The coronavirus has brought uncertainties and difficulties for everyone, especially for the frontline workers in our community.

When the nurses and frontline workers at the hospital came outside to receive the cookies, they were so grateful and happy. It was truly a heart-warming experience for the entire club and showed how the slightest act of kindness goes such a long way for others.

If you are interested in helping out or joining the club, please contact mklein@blindbrook.org or ecohen@blindbrook.org 4

Viewpoints

A Blind Brook High School Student Publication

By Julia Zislis ‘22

Issue #3 April 2021

Should We Get Rid of Zoos?

Photo Courtesy of Kali9/Getty Images

This is a topic that is frequently discussed as it is something that is extremely controversial. Some say that zoos take animals out of their natural habitat and force them into alternative locations, while others say that they are a paramount source of entertainment that doesn’t violate any regulations or precautions. How do we know right from wrong and ultimately decide what

the true location of these animals is?

“People forget the good that zoos do. If it weren’t for zoos, we would have so many species that are extinct today.”

(Betty White) This statement is surprisingly true as most people disregard the fact that zoos while serving as an entertainment source, are also protectors of the environment. Some species in the world are in danger of reaching extinction, so

Photo Courtesy of Nilashish Chaudhary/LiveLaw

By Emma Kron ‘22

presence is no longer needed. These animals would not be able to survive living in the wild if they were to return since their whole lives had completely changed.

So where’s the truth within both views of this issue? Are zoos really this destructive habitat or are they simply the escape from extinction? I believe that the truth lies somewhere between these two perspectives. Zoos, historically yes, act as an activity for individuals for enjoyment. But they are also locations that protect animals from extinction that would be caused by increased predator populations or possibly destruction of habitats. The artificial habitats created in zoos are obviously different from their original ones, but they are created to protect and save the wild. Zoos contribute to the protection of wildlife, and the scientific study of animal behavior. As animals are kept in zoos, scientists study their behavior to understand and later educate the public on animals’ methods of survival. Do you think zoos are truly as bad as people make them out to be?

Photo Courtesy of Nat Geo Archives

College Education

Photo Courtesy of Shayna Joubert/Northeastern Edu

A college education is the ultimate goal for the majority of high school students across the world. After all, the countless hours and energy put into studying for big tests like the ACT, SAT, as well as AP Exams are primarily for hopes of college admission. Students are overly concerned with their GPA and their extracurricular activities to present to universities. The whole structure be-

on many occasions, zoos are the ultimate solution for this problem. Those who run the zoos take these selected animals out of their endangered habitat, and place them in zoos. Zoos soon become their new home, one that can be altered and ultimately be catered to that species’ needs.

Although promising support of zoos, some also argue that zoos create an artificial environment for animals in which they cannot thrive and live to their full potential. Their range of space is confined, routines are altered, and daily life is quite different. What was once acres of land to roam around and spend their days is now transformed into a small fraction of that, leaving minimal space for leisure.

Additionally, if and when these animals eventually get released back into the wild, their lives would never be the same. These animals were unspokenly trained to live a specific lifestyle in which their day by day activities consist of humans admiring their presence. They are certainly not the same animals prior to entering the zoo, and will remain different if their

hind high school, and even middle and elementary school are to prepare students to fit the mold of a good college applicant. The pathway that high school students take creates the structure for them to succeed in the real world and earn a degree from a university. It is becoming less and less common that all of the hard work and stress from high school would be enough for people, and that’s where

they would leave their education at. It’s possible, of course, but people are usually working so hard in high school in order to succeed in college. Otherwise, why would their grades even matter?

As college has become more and more promising in the lives of students around the world, an education and a degree is increasingly important for the world outside of school. It has become a larger requirement in many different job opportunities, and an increasingly important ingredient for success. Going to the same school as somebody higher up in a company or a job can be a way to network one’s way into a new job, company, or realm of work. People tend to use alumni and pride for their school as a way to put somebody under their wing.

Additionally, when looking at people for a specific job, the individual with the most experience and best qualifications would be more likely to be hired. That decision is because the more qualified and educated person would be more likely to succeed and thrive in that specific environment. The whole point of having a major in college is to learn more about the specific field you are interested in, and gain work experience to prepare yourself for entrance into “the real world”. So, wouldn’t you pick somebody who devoted 4 years of their life, or

more, to educating themselves specifically on their future career? I sure would!

According to the NCES, the National Center for Education Statistics, the employment rates go directly hand in hand with the amount of education an individual receives. This research was obtained looking at people from the ages of 25 to 34, the prime time to be searching for employment opportunities. The research, for instance, proves that people who graduated from college with a bachelor’s degree had an 87% employment rate, and people with some college education still had 80%, while a person who only completed high school was at 74%.

Taking it a step further, people who did not complete high school at all were all the way down at a 57% employment rate. These statistics are uniform no matter the variation of sex, or other factors. It is clear that employers like to see as much education as possible. Why wouldn’t they?

Finding people who not only educate themselves on their field of interest, but show a long history of maintaining a place in the classroom, is impressive. Staying in school for that large portion of your life can demonstrate dedication, determination, and perseverance. Not all of school is easy. Quite frankly, none of it is, but the future that could potentially lie ahead is the sole reason behind all of the work.

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Arts and Entertainment

A Blind Brook High School Student Publication

By By Olivia Zahl ‘22

Issue #3 April 2021

Dr. Seuss Enterprises Pulls 6 Books From Publishing

Photo Courtesy of ABC 7 Chicago Digital Team

Theodore Seuss Geisel, better known by his pen name Dr. Seuss, was an extremely successful American writer and illustrator. He is most famous for his children’s books. In 1937, his first book, “And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street,” was published. Recently, however, this book, along with five others, was recalled from publishing.

This shocking occurrence hit close to home for many who grew up with Dr. Seuss’s books. According to AP News, these books were recalled: “because of racist and insensitive imagery.” Dr. Seuss Enterprises themselves claimed, “These books portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong.” Does this make Dr. Seuss a bad person? Does this mean that all of his books, even ones that weren’t recalled, have a bad message? It’s hard to say.

By Ryan Campbell ‘22

Following the abrupt cancellation of Les Misérables last March due to Covid, Blind Brook’s theatre program sought to highlight the senior class in a way that would honor hope and the sweetness of change. This year’s show, Songs for a New World, written and composed by Jason Robert Brown, serves as the perfect vehicle for that. Directed by English/Theatre Arts teacher, Christina Colangelo, there will be three in-person performances, each at 7:00, on Thursday, April 29th, Friday, April 30th, and Saturday, May 1st.

Logistically, having a large ensemble castwould have been impossible and unsafe due to Covid, but this show in particular works very well for a multitude of reasons. Describing the show’s format, Musical Director Kaitlin Lazere

Dr. Seuss was born in 1904 in Massachusetts. He attended Dartmouth College and participated in post-graduate studies at Lincoln College, Oxford, and at the Sorbonne. Here, he began working in advertising and creating illustrations for campaigns. Later, he started to write children’s books. He admitted these primary books to some 30 publishers but was rejected by all. Eventually, in 1937, he was successful in publishing “And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street.” After this first book started to bring publicity to his name, Dr. Seuss began to form a reputation. In 1940, he released “Horton Hatches the Egg.”

His notable writing features such as humor, playful rhymes, and strange characters began to shine. Seuss reached a peak in his career. He was at the top of

the charts and was adored by millions of people across the nation. Many loved his books for their messages; they advocated for environmentalism and tolerance.

Today, however, this mindset is starting to change. Criticism is growing towards Dr. Seuss’s books because of the insensitive portrayal of certain characters: African Americans and Asians, specifically.

Much of Seuss’s career was during the World War II era. According to YaleGlobal Online, “the US relied on racial segregation as an instrument of wartime politics.” Additionally, the bombing of Pearl Harbour by the Japanese Empire was a major event during this era. Many parallels can be drawn between Dr. Seuss’s illustrations and the time he was living in.

It is a common saying that one is a product of their environment, and, in the case of Dr. Seuss, this might not be too far off.

He was not deliberately racist and insensitive, he simply did not know any better.

However, in today’s world something like this would not be taken lightly. “Cancel culture” is taking over our media. Pictures and videos of people’s pasts are resurfacing, and people are quick to “cancel” them, or disown them, for their past actions.

“This culture can become toxic,” says Dylan Erenfyd, a Sophomore at BBHS. “If there are people that contribute good things to the world, who are pivotal in society, and are advocates for good things, then I think that something from their past, or something that they may no longer associate themself with, shouldn’t be used to define their entire career or life.”

According to National Public Radio, who took a statement from Dr. Seuss Enterprises, they decided to support “all children and families with messages of hope, inspiration, inclusion, and friendship.” Additionally, Dr. Seuss Enterprises says that they “will do more to promote diversity.” With this, the Dr. Seuss Foundation does not want to be tied to the controversial images presented in Dr. Seuss’s books. This imagery does not mesh well with the “cancel culture” of today’s world.

To keep up their reputation and continue to make money and be successful, Dr. Seuss Enterprises needed to recognize and take action on such a questionable topic.

Looking back on her childhood reading Dr. Seuss’s books, Dr. Julie Kenyon, English teacher at BBHS, describes her experience as “wanting to read them again, and again, and again.” Despite her love for Dr. Seuss and his “fun rhymes” as a child, Kenyon understands the decision of the Dr. Seuss Estate to recall these books from publishing. Kenyon explains, “For years teachers have held back from reading a lot of Seuss because of the imagery. Just think about if that is a representation of your own culture. How does that feel for you if you are trying to teach students this? Is that something you want?”

Considering the massive influence that Dr. Seuss presented to American society, accepting and coming to terms with the exposition of racist imagery and insensitive messages will be difficult for many. However, the legacy of Dr. Seuss, despite the hardships of recent times, will live on forever.

Songs for a New World

notes how “it’s very, very music-heavy.

It’s all about the songs, and most of them are solos, so it works out well. One singer can freely sing on stage, while the others are masked or physically distanced.

It’s a really diverse show in the style of music, and the different stories that are told.” The show will also utilize pre-recorded vocal and instrumental tracks in place of ensembles, displaying the need for craftiness in such an unusual time.

Capacity is also limited in all aspects, due to social distancing measures necessary for the cast, crew, and audience. This has, in turn, created an interesting fundamental dynamic, with a small cast of seniors taking charge with their final high school production.

Lazere continues, “I think especially to

Photo Courtesy of Tess O’Brien

Photo Courtesy of Tess O’Brien have this opportunity for the seniors, not only as a capstone experience for high school but also as a bit of redemption for having lost that last year, is a really special way to honor them and to give them that last opportunity to perform for their community. I’m excited for them.”

Thematically, this show fits quite well with the times, as noted by Director Christina Colangelo. The musical presentation opens with the lyrics “A new world calls across the ocean, a new world calls across the sky”, a testament to struggles facing everyone this past year, but also juxtaposed with the hope of looking forth towards better days. “It displays a theme of hope and overcoming, and how everyone’s individual experiences are related

to the world as a whole. It’s really about unity and appreciating and hoping for a positive future, which is really what we’re hoping for in the theatre department.”

These themes hit close to home for many whose lives have been completely uprooted by the pandemic, but especially so for the seniors, who will be taking their final bows of high school at the conclusion of this show. Senior cast member Zachary Berger remarks, “This year is bittersweet since I am so glad we are able to put on a musical, but it’s a give and take. Although all of the seniors are together, we don’t get to work with the

Continued on page 8 6

Arts and Entertainment

A Blind Brook High School Student Publication

Issue #3 April 2021

Behind the Velvet Rope: Award Shows Celebrate 1 Year at Home

By Lilly Kleinhandler ‘22

Throughout the past year, we’ve all had to adapt to the “new normal,” with the entertainment industry being no exception. This award show season has witnessed a variety of changes to the structure of each event. Immediately at the start of the pandemic, studios and sets closed down; actors, writers, producers, and directors lost jobs; and theaters lowered the curtains. But as they say, the show must go on. The industry and executives within it quickly pivoted to go from real life to virtual. Zoom cast reunions, premieres, and the like sprouted all over the Internet. Even a TikTok musical of Ratatouille.

When award show season came around, the associated leaders had to make a decision. Would they risk going in person and starting super-spreader events? Or would they transition to ful-

the accomplishments of the winners.

This season’s award shows allowed the at-home audience an even more intimate look into the lives of the most successful people in the industry. Junior Shira Mallah said, “I thought that virtual talent let the performances be much more catered to the at-home audience, and they were able to play around with camera angles and effects much more”. The shows are inherently more casual and Junior Ethan Hauben stated the shows were, “Definitely more casual, but [he] can respect that cause [he] doesn’t want to wear a suit at home”. Celebrities, they’re just like us…

Regarding The Weeknd’s choice to boycott the Grammys, Shira agreed: “I think that The Weeknd is right and that the Grammys are not always fair. His albums 100% deserved nominations, and

Photo Courtesy of Getty Images

Photo Courtesy of Kevin Winter/Getty ly virtual to allow for a safer gathering?

The Tony’s decided that they would indefinitely postpone the year’s ceremony and acknowledge the greatness awarded to those most deserving when Broadway ultimately reopens. The Golden Globes were held at the end of February 2021, with The Grammys happening most recently this month and the Academy Awards scheduled for the end of April.

The music, film, and television industries have all had to adapt to the changes and consider how they can still safely celebrate

even to win some Grammys. If I were him I would do the same thing and boycott”. Ethan did not share this same perspective and shared that he believes The Weeknd is the, “Most arrogant person in the world, his ego is as large as the moon”.

Now, the most significant group of publicists are speaking out about the lack of diversity in the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and the Golden Globes.

With social justice and diversity issues at the forefront, it is about time for these individuals in significant posi-

Photo Courtesy of Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

tions of power to speak their truth and demand improvements all across the board. Whether it’s at the executive level or in casting, to keep up with the times, companies and streamers must adapt and ensure that diverse perspectives, various backgrounds, and accepting messages are promoted across platforms. This is not a quick and easy fix and requires all aspects of a show or film to partake. If the larger companies, such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, or Apple begin this trend, all others should and hopefully will follow in suit. If the smaller companies do not, they will not have a leg to stand on.

Particularly with this younger generation, issues surrounding inclusivity are of significant and of utmost importance.

Popular culture must reflect greater society and the priorities of the population.

So, why do people care about these awards shows anyway? Simply because the arts and entertainment impact all of our lives. During the pandemic, think about where you turned...Netflix, Hulu, Spotify, the list goes on. The characters that spoke to you, the songs that inspired you, the late nights you spent watching an old rom-com. The arts bring a sense of comfort to our lives and allow us to be our most authentic, empathetic selves.

These award shows are another opportunity for viewers to gain a deeper look into the lives of Hollywood’s most impressive individuals. With the shows virtual, celebrity’s kids are running around in the background, phones are ringing, and family interrupting. The general public loves to see into the lives of Hollywood and the virtual shows do just that.

Photo Courtesy of Getty Images/Ringer illustration

7

Arts and Entertainment

A Blind Brook High School Student Publication

By Joshua Dweck ‘23

Issue #3 April 2021

Opinion: WandaVision, A Pop-Culture Phenomenon

Photo Courtesy of Joe Draper/Digital Spy

In the past decade and a half, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, or MCU, has blown up from small but modest beginnings to a worldwide phenomenon.

When Avengers Endgame came out two years ago, it was hard to find someone who didn’t know who Thanos was. But in case you don’t know, the Marvel Cin-

ematic Universe is a series of superhero movies. What makes the MCU unique is all of the movies are connected. For example, the ending of Thor Ragnarok leads directly into Avengers Infinity War. Due to the Corona Virus outbreak last year, the MCU delayed all of its movies. To Marvel fans, this was discouraging. Peo-

ple were excited to see what was next in the universe, like Black Widow, which was supposed to release back in May 2020 but has been delayed to July 2021.

Fortunately, there was one thing to look forward to: the newly announced WandaVision, slated for a January release date.

People were very excited about WandaVision. A common criticism about Marvel movies is they play it too safe and often contain similar plots. What was special about WandaVision is it looked like it was trying something new. WandaVision follows Wanda Maximof and Vision, who are dating. Every episode would take place in a different decade, parodying a popular sitcom in that time. For example, one episode took place in the mid-2000s and parodied The Office and Modern Family. For the first three episodes, we watch Wanda and Vision in this weird sitcom world, knowing something is off. Vision was killed two years ago, why is he alive? What is this sitcom world? This all comes to a head when we find out that Wanda was distraught over the loss of Vision, so she created this sitcom world so that she could live with him again. As time goes on Vision becomes more aware and begs Wanda to free him. This becomes even more complicated because Agatha Harkness, a witch, tries to steal Wanda’s powers for herself. Wanda defeats Agatha and closes the sitcom world, making her lose Vision.

This show focuses on grief. Wanda’s arc throughout the show consists of her dealing with the loss of her boyfriend Vision and learning to cope with it. The show also happened at the perfect time.

WandaVision was a Disney+ exclusive, and with the combination of The Mandalorian Season 2, another well-received show, the two shows helped the platform become the 2nd most popular streaming service in the world with over 90 million subscribers, sitting behind Netflix, which has over 200 million subscribers.

Another way WandaVision is unique is the fact that it’s a television show. The MCU has been strictly movies and bringing a show as a Disney+ exclusive was hard to sell to some people. The show is a mix of mystery and romance, and following an episodic weekly struc-

ture allowed for people to come up with many theories about the show. After every Friday night, people would have all kinds of crazy theories from the new episode.

Marvel was very fortunate that they were able to release their first Marvel TV show during a pandemic when people were thirsty for Marvel content and couldn’t go to theaters anyway. The show’s success is great news for Marvel because it plans on releasing more shows down the line. In just 2021 alone, Marvel will be releasing The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki, What If…?, Miss Marvel, and Hawkeye.

This isn’t even including their movies.

I asked Max Corbin ‘23 what his thoughts were about the show.

“I think that the show had a cool concept and left us off on a great cliffhanger. Although I felt they stretched many plots out for far too long and many characters were undeveloped, I still think that this was a very entertaining show and am looking forward to seeing what’s next for these characters.”

As for where my opinion lies, I agree with Max. I think that some characters were boring and unimportant, especially the main villain, whose motivations aren’t clear. Wanda and Vision’s arc about grief is very well done, since the show is mainly about them, the show succeeds in that area. The pacing in some areas was also pretty slow and dragged out. Overall, I do think that this show is worth watching, and am very excited to see what Marvel has in store for us next.

Photo Courtesy of Brian Tallerico/Vulture

Songs for a New World Continued from page 6

Photo Courtesy of Tess O’Brien underclassmen, see them grow, and give them advice.” With a cast of only 12 seniors and juniors, underclassmen were left with little to no performance opportunities this year. Berger explains “It feels great that we get this experience

and a final send-off, but I can’t help but think about how things have changed.”

The theme of optimism is prevalent both within this show and the theatre community as a whole, providing hope that the pain of yesterday will cre-

ate an even brighter tomorrow. Referring to the cancellation of Les Misérables, Colangelo admits that “it was a little heartbreaking. But I think it also gave us some inspiration to want to keep doing things because we felt like there was so much we wanted to share, and we didn’t get to do that, so it inspired all of us to continue to look forward to this year.”

The theatre industry has been one of the most hard-hit during Covid because its core principle of genuine human connection has been made impossible, however, this show is proof that things will soon be looking up. “Absence makes the heart grow fonder,” mentions Lazere. “We’ve been so disconnected and isolated for so long that I hope this will be just the kickoff of many, many, many exciting things to come. I hope it’ll encourage people to get back into performing groups so that we can rebuild and enjoy each other moving forward.”

Of course, the challenges presented by the pandemic will continue to provide plenty more hoops for humanity to jump through, but Songs for a New World makes it clear that change is a natural part of life that must be embraced, with all the messiness and chaos that comes with it. Highlighting a small cast of seniors as they enter new chapters of life puts this message at the forefront, making it clear that life must be embraced for all of its complications, and that the power to create a better world only lies in the hands of those who are brave enough to do so.

Be on the lookout for more information regarding tickets for Songs for a New World, as audience capacity has been limited to BBHS students, faculty, and immediate families of the cast/crew. The performances on April 29th, 30th, and May 1st will also be livestreamed for those unable to attend.

Come out and support your classmates!

8

Health and Science

A Blind Brook High School Student Publication

By Andrew Margolis ‘23

Let It Snow

Photo Courtesy of Lm Otero/AP

Fifteen to thirty inches. This is the average amount of snowfall Texas gets annually. This past winter, however, Texas has been experiencing this much snowfall within a few days! Snowstorms have struck Texas with great ferocity, and have been overwhelming the state with massive amounts of snow! Texans are not used to getting more than 20 inches of snow all year, and now they are experiencing more than this in a matter of days. The people of Texas and individuals across the nation are wondering how this is possible. The answer to their question is actually quite simple. It

Issue #3 April 2021

is all because of the “Arctic Outbreak.”

So what is this “Artic Outbreak”?

Essentially, it is just unanticipated storms caused by the spontaneous movement of pressure systems. In order to understand pressure systems and the way that they work, one must associate low pressure with warm weather, and high pressure with cold air. High-pressure systems typically circulate around the poles. This frigid air is contained by the low-pressure systems that flow around the high-pressure.

However, once in a while the low-pressure systems don’t do their job of containing the high pressure. This is

when an “Arctic Outbreak” occurs. Texas is experiencing an “Arctic Outbreak” currently, and it is causing blizzards in a state that doesn’t normally get much snow.

Members of BBC News have recently stated that, “Cold air outbreaks such as these are normally kept in the Arctic by a series of low-pressure systems. However, this one moved through Canada and spilled out into the US last week.” This demonstrates why Texas is getting substantial amounts of snow. While it is clear that the “Arctic Outbreak” is the culprit of Texas’ winter wonderland, it is not so obvious as to what causes the “Arctic Outbreak.”

Scientists suggest that the failure of low-pressure systems to contain the cold is a result of climate change. The reason why global temperatures increasing causes more blizzards is because of the way it impacts the polar vortex. According to USA.gov, “a polar vortex is a low-pressure area that is parked in polar regions.” The warming of the earth disrupts the polar vortex, causing the cold air to escape and spread to other locations, such as Texas.

While scientists are not 100% certain if climate change correlates with the disruption of the polar vortex, evidence strongly suggests it. Scientists also state that “the average surface temperature of the planet has risen about 2.12 degrees Fahrenheit since the late 19th century, warming at a rate nearly 10 times faster than the planet did after the Ice Age. Despite warmer temperatures, the NOAA reports that the U.S. was hit by nearly twice the amount of extreme winter storms during the later half of the 20th century than the first.”

This just further proves that there is a connection between climate change and the random blizzard Texas is undergoing.

Texas is not used to snow, and people across the country were taken aback by this strange occurrence. The snow has proved to be quite a problem for unprepared Texans, and according to members of the New York Times, “Hospitals in Texas are losing resources and gaining patients, many Texans are now without drinking water, winter weather has disrupted hundreds of thousands of U.S. vaccinations, and Texans are also struggling for food.” In addition to this, 111 people as of now have tragically died as a result of the storm, and a massive power outage has surged throughout the

Continued on page 10

What’s Happening With Medical Students?

By Kelly Ma ‘22

Students around the world are attempting to continue their studies amidst a pandemic, but medical students, in particular, have been hit hard. Unable to access the opportunities to volunteer, research, and shadow professionals, many are struggling to prepare for their future professions.

With COVID, the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) issued guidance “strongly suggesting medical students not be involved in direct patient care activities.” By pausing clinical rotations, hospitals conserve scarce resources (like masks and other protective equipment) while simultaneously minimizing exposure to the students, workers, and the general public.

Though these guidelines help prevent the spread of the virus, students are missing critical experience opportunities. One study by BMC Medical Education surveyed students’ perceptions of the pandemic’s impact on their education and found that 93.7% of students were not involved in clinical rotations--meaning they were not interacting with patients in person. In a normal scenario, these med students would be working alongside the front line workers, shadowing and observing doctors while beginning Photo Courtesy of Getty Images

Continued on page 10 9

Health and Science

A Blind Brook High School Student Publication

Issue #3 April 2021

What’s Happening With Medical Students?

Continued from page 9

to specialize in their respective fields.

Typically, medical school lasts for four years. In the first two years, students take classes in basic sciences and labs while learning how to examine a patient. Years three and four are for clinical experience: students do rotations at hospitals to assist in a particular field.

It’s crucial so these aspiring doctors can consider future career paths. Afterwards, students spend three to seven years in residency before finally becoming a doctor.

Nowadays, educators have built an online curriculum. Some parts are easy to achieve, like the traditional classes and discussions that have transitioned onto Zoom. Hands-on procedures, however, are difficult to replace, forcing people to use newer technologies. Instead of direct cadaver dissection, students can learn anatomy with special software that maps bodies on 3D planes.

But even if learning has shifted to a virtual format, there is a gap between diagnosing someone via an interactive program versus in real life. Clinical clerkship is fundamental to learn from practitioners and become more confident--that’s something that online courses can’t just simply substitute. Plus, teaching sessions can be disrupted by a bad wifi connection or a broken computer. Trying to learn online without in-person experience can be compared to, in the words of Nick Scalzo, a New York Medical College student, “playing baseball without a bat.”

It’s also harder to stand out: students have to worry about building their application for residency. A huge factor of those applications is their volunteer and research experience, but both are extremely limited at the moment. Mentally, people are worrying about being “good enough” for residency. And with limited

connection with classmates, the sympathy and relationships a student would normally have for support may not be there.

Med students are at increased risk of mental and psychological disorders.

But since they are not considered part of the healthcare workforce, they don’t have the COVID mental health support that is available to professionals. According to Frontiers, med students have a “significantly higher prevalence of depression, depressive symptoms, and suicidal ideations relative to the general population”.

With guidelines for social distancing, many are feeling socially isolated. For students with pre-existing mental health issues, the pandemic has only exacerbated the issue, as social factors are likely to “worsen their vulnerabilities” and persist long-term. Other studies show med students are at an increased risk of developing eating disorders due

to academic and emotional stressors, and those with eating disorders may be vulnerable to COVID and anxiety.

On a different note, the pandemic has spurred talk of restructuring the teaching and examination process. Medical knowledge is dynamic and physicians dedicate their lives learning. Through COVID, the entire medical field came together to solve challenges with key concepts in biology, sociology, psychology, and others.

Technology-based learning allows students to learn according to their own schedules and in the comfort of their own home or preferred location. There’s more flexibility, letting some better manage their workloads. But as a trade-off, most studying is done independently, even though professors try to have office hours and encourage collaboration.

It’s just that hard to connect with peers.

Blind Brook’s Schedule Building Program

By Shira Mallah ‘22

At the end of each summer, every member of the Blind Brook community receives their schedule for the upcoming school year. Because there are hundreds of students and teachers, building these schedules is incredibly complicated, and many do not realize how much work goes into this process. In order to make this easier, our AP Computer Science teacher, Mr. McCarvill, has been working on a program to assist with schedule building. He started working on this code in the Spring of 2018, and it has been used for the past two years to help create our schedules. Mr. McCarvill has not been working on this alone, and has been assisted by several AP Computer Science students throughout this process!

So what exactly does this program do? According to McCarvil, “The code can be complex, but the concept of what the program does is not. Building the schedule simply means deciding what periods to schedule courses in to. The

program now does many things, but its primary use is helping us decide what periods to schedule a specific course in.”

He went on to describe that for each class, the program computes which periods have the most conflicts. A conflict is a student that signed up for the class but has another class at the same time.

The periods with the least conflicts are the ones that are then put into the master schedule of all of the classes for the upcoming year. This year, McCarvill says he has been “improving the program by adding information to the output regarding what we call ‘meshing’. ‘Meshing’ refers to scheduling lab courses and half-credit courses so that they fill two halves of the same period.” This will save a student space in their schedule and reduce conflicts with other classes, so it is a vital aspect of the program. There are a lot of minor aspects to the code that are similar to “meshing” that McCarvill and other students have worked on over the years.

It is important to note that this program, as of right now, is only responsible for making the master schedule of all of the classes, and does not make the individual schedules of each student. When referring to past attempts by AP Computer Science students, McCarvill said, “Others have been more ambitious, attempting to actually create student schedules, which is not something our current program does.”

Clearly, creating each student’s schedule is a goal of some AP students, but this has not been accomplished just yet.

Johnny Ramirez is a current junior and AP Computer Science student who has helped McCarvill with many different aspects of the program throughout this year. When referring to a specific algorithm that Ramirez worked on, he said “McCarvill and I decided to write the same algorithm separately and then compare results to see if we matched. It took several trial and errors for us to finally get our outputs to match.” This is an interesting ap-

proach which proved to be quite successful in helping find errors in the program.

A main aspect of this coding in general is problem solving, and this was just one way that McCarvill and Johnny “problem solved” while working on this program. Johnny talked about some of these other problems that arose, and described how efficiency would be an issue for some algorithms that they coded. He even said, “ It would take forever for the computer to compute through all of the permutations. We are trying a couple of alternative methods that run faster.” This issue has not been solved quite yet, but they clearly are working through it at the moment. On the other hand, there was a large issue that Johnny was able to solve completely! Prior to Johnny’s work, if there was a conflict in a student’s schedule, the guidance counselor would have

Continued on page 11

Let It Snow Continued from page 9 state. While many Texans did not know how to react, the state as a whole has been attempting to deal with the snow.

In order to combat power outages, Texans have been utilizing generators. This allows the people to have some electricity for their houses and promotes function in general. They have to adapt to their environment no matter how abnormal it is. While the people of Texas are doing their best to get through these hard times, there isn’t much they can do aside from stay inside and wait out the snow.

Although this is a difficult time for Texas, these cold days will come to an end soon. This phenomenon happens very rarely, so Texans will be capable of returning back to their normal life fairly soon. While many are suffering at the hands of this unexpected storm, the people are doing their best to adapt.

Texans are combatting the blizzard with patience, because direct contact can be deadly. People across the world can learn from this experience and recognize that anything is possible, which is why it is essential to expect the unexpected so it doesn’t take you by surprise.

Photo Courtesy of Evan L’Roy/The Texas Tribune

10

Health and Science

A Blind Brook High School Student Publication

Issue #3 April 2021

Herd Immunity and How We Will Get There

By Ryan Campbell ‘22

It may be hard for some to believe, but it has now been over a year since COVID-19 was officially classified as a pandemic by the World Health Organization, and the world was quickly flipped on its head. As everyone has seen, this pandemic has taken a lot from humanity, including the lives of nearly 3 million people across the globe. Although it has been quite a tumultuous road to get here, the steady rollout of vaccines and the continued enforcement of practices such as social distancing, wearing masks, and quarantining when sick, are all aiding in the return to a more normal world.

One extremely important way in which this sense of normalcy can be achieved is through the idea of herd immunity.

Herd immunity refers to the idea that if enough people in a population become immune to a disease, it becomes less likely that people will get sick, and eventually the entire population will be immune to its effects. It is estimated that 70-80% of a population must be immune in order for herd immunity to be achieved for everyone, however in some cases this number may be closer to 90%. So what does this mean in the context of COVID-19?

If anything, it highlights the importance of vaccinations, since this is an extremely efficient and effective way to achieve immunity without getting infected by a pathogenic disease directly. As more and more people get vaccinated in the coming months, the likelihood of herd immunity increases directly, but the idea of getting enough people vaccinated in order to achieve that is another monster altogether.

As of March 23, approximately thirty-eight vaccine doses had been administered for every one hundred Americans, and although this figure is steadily rising, it is a notably much lower figure than the 70-80% immunity required for herd immunity, even with the over 100 million doses already administered. It just goes to show how monstrous this beast of a virus is, and that fighting it will continue to be extremely tedious. Additionally, this immunity is a slow process, and does not occur immediately or overnight as soon as this figure is met. Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Biden’s Chief Medical Advisor,

Photo Courtesy of Andrew Nelles/The Tenessean notes how “if [75-80% of Americans become vaccinated] efficiently enough over the second quarter of 2021, by the time we get to the end of the summer, i.e., the third quarter, we may actually have enough herd immunity protecting our society that as we get to the end of 2021, we can approach very much some degree of normality that is close to where we were before.” This provides a sense of hope that 2021-2022 may look like a more normal year, but a lot of cooperation and patience will be necessary in order to make that feasible.

No matter when, or even if, life ever truly turns to normal following this paralyzing pandemic, the progress being made with vaccinations shows that the world is moving in the right direction towards better days. Additionally, Blind Brook’s RIPL plan to slowly phase students back to in-person learning has allowed dozens of students to return to

Photo Courtesy of Prostock-studio/Shutterstock

school almost everyday, something that was literally not possible at all last spring.

These steps may be small, but each one brings the world closer to a time where togetherness and unabridged human interaction will be made possible at last.

The medical professionals that have brought forth the vaccines and provide daily guidance when dealing with this ever-evolving virus are truly heroic, but they are not the only ones who must put forth an effort to combat this virus.

Everyone still has a personal responsibility and must work towards achieving this normalcy through herd immunity, and that means maintaining social distancing, wearing a mask properly, and isolating after travel or exposure. There is no solution inscribed in stone that will end this virus, but over this past year, humankind has demonstrated that anything can be achieved when everyone

does their part, something that is important now more than ever. It will take extreme patience to ride this year out and slowly emerge from these dark times, but the light at the end of this long and windy tunnel is surely coming into view.

Blind Brook’s Schedule Building Program Continued from page 10 to ask the student what they want to take instead, tell McCarvill this, have McCarvill check if this new course had a conflict, tell the guidance counselor this answer, and then the guidance counselor would have to tell the student. This was a very lengthy process, and the information had to go through many people.

However, Johnny was able to fix this! He “made a website that allows counselors to input the new schedule and it would show whether there was a conflict!”

This speeds up the process significantly, and keeps private information between the guidance counselor and the student. This again shows how a lot of Computer Science is “problem solving” based.

Now, after hearing from Jonny and Mr. McCarvill, it is evident that the process of creating schedules is much more complicated than many assume. This program helps guidance tremendously, and will only continue to accomplish more as time goes on. It is an amazing, hands-on project for students who are looking to have a future in Computer Science, and shows the talent and intelligence of Blind Brook students and faculty members.

11

Politics

A Blind Brook High School Student Publication

All Politics are Local: Mondaire Jones

By Josh Rosenblut ‘22

In this column I will be interviewing different politicians that represent Rye Brook. I will be asking each politician many of the same questions. I hope that these interviews will help you learn about the people who represent us in government. For this interview, I spoke with Mondaire Jones, Congressperson for the 17th District of New York.

Prior to being elected to Congress, Jones worked in the U.S. Department of Justice during Barack Obama’s presidency. Jones won in November with 59% of the vote, and is part of the 117th Congress. I first met Mondaire as I was a fellow on his campaign last summer and fall. I learned first hand about his policies and how he will work hard to support Rye Brook in Washington D.C. Below are excerpts from our 30 minute interview which took place in mid- March, 2021.

What or who inspired you to get involved with politics?

“As a freshman at Spring Valley High School in the East Ramapo Central School DIstrict I saw how difficult it was to pass a public school budget. I said I got to do something about this, so, working with people my age, I reactivated a defunct Spring Valley NAACP Youth Council, and grew its membership to over 100 people. We registered people to vote and did a lot of GOTV efforts. That involvement in the NAACP and attending their conventions really deepened my understanding of social justice and got me inspired to eventually run for something. I will say that for most of my life I did not think I myself would be running for any elected office. I didn’t think people would accept me as an openly gay candidate. Only within the last few years did I change my opinion on that. When I decided to announce my campaign in July of 2019, I saw a great need in our Congressional district, and in this country, and I felt I could do the best job.”

Did you work on any political figures’ campaigns prior to running for elected office “I did some volunteer work on the Obama campaign in 2008, and worked in the Obama Administration at the Justice Department before going to law school. I worked on policy issues, where I was surrounded by lawyers, public servants, who clarified for me that applying to law school was the right path.

And then going on to be a Civil Rights Attorney, which I still do on a pro-bono basis. The person who most inspired me was Thurgood Marshall and his work winning justice in the courts, I thought I had the skills and passion to do that.

What is your favorite part of the job?

“My favorite part of this job is getting to deliver results for the people of Westchester and Rockland County. We just passed the most significant economic legislation for working people and families in modern American history, the American Rescue Plan. We will be cutting child poverty in half through this bill in the form of an expanded refundable tax credit. In the case of New York State, the bill provides approximately 23

Issue #3 April 2021

Pros and Cons of Contested Elections

By Abby Zahl ‘23

Photo Courtesy of The New York Historical Society/Getty Images Photo Courtesy of House Creative Committee billion dollars in direct aid to the state and local municipalities like Westchester and Rockland County. If we in Congress had not done that, arguably New York State would be cutting more essential services and of course money is fungible and so that would have been deeper cuts for our school districts and so on and so forth, staff layoffs and all those things, and so this is this is really ambitious stuff that we were able to pass. It obviously did not include the $15 minimum wage, I’m going to be fighting for that still, you got to do that in order to continue to lift people out of poverty in this country.”

What surprised you the most about the job?

“This is unsurprisingly related to the events of January 6, the extent to which I would be serving with people who are hostile to democracy and the safety of their colleagues, including myself. I’m talking about people who pose grave danger to the United States and members of Congress.”

Was it surprising to see that Congresspeople were ok with the events at the Capitol on January 6th?

“Anyone who voted after the events of January 6th, that insurrection that I lived through, anyone who still voted later that evening to overturn the Presidential election from November, affirmed that they agreed with that violent insurrection earlier that day. Because that violent insurrection began as a big lie, the myth of mass voter fraud, that somehow the Presidential election was stolen from Donald Trump. That ideology incited that violent insurrection, so for two-thirds of House Republicans to vote, even after what they themselves had lived through, to overturn the election, I think it really speaks to the fact that they agreed with the violence we experienced. I would submit that any person who objected to the certification of the Presidency bears some responsibility.”

Advice For Future Public Servants “I am able to be in this office in the United States Capitol because young people

Continued on page 14

On March 16, 2021 the Rye Brook Board of Trustees held an uncontested election. Two Rye Brook residents, Susan Epstein and David Heiser, re-ran for their position on the board to serve another term. Without any competition for their seats, their victories were inevitable.

During this previous election, about 400-500 community members voted. This small outcome of voters most likely related to the fact that the community knew the winners before the election even began. In order to vote, one needs to be at least 18 years of age and a resident in the Village of Rye Brook.

These requirements limit some, but definitely include more than 500 people.

The Board of Trustees has a big responsibility in Rye Brook. Those on the Board are appointed to amplify the quality of life for Rye Brook citizens by providing a secure, substantial, and habitable community: “...Well, there are a lot of things we do. We deal with all the financials and allocate operating budgets so our village runs smoothly. If somebody has an issue that can’t be handled by one of our committees, it comes before us. If somebody wants to do a new development, it goes before the planning board and then usually comes before the Board of Trustees...”

Stephanie Fischer, one of the Rye Brook Trustees stated. “...We basically oversee the running of the village and make sure the residents are happy and taken care of ”.

Contested elections come with many positive attributes as well as negative ones. Because more people are running for a position that is going to be chosen, contested elections come with many rules and regulations to keep the race as organized as possible. These guidelines and requirements are set in place to make sure that the possibility of bias or rigging of the votes plays a role in deciding the winner of an election is very limited to nearly impossible.

There is always the chance for a tie to occur when an excess amount of people are running. If there is a tie between different runners, depending on the community, there will be a decision as to how the recount will be played out.

The only similarity between all community’s rules is that every person running for a certain position will all have the responsibilities and will all be treated fairly without any favoritism. No one will have to work harder than another or vice versa when trying to increase

their popularity amongst the people.

Most contested elections result with a civil verdict, where the winner won fair and square. But most is not all. Not every single contested election turns out the way it was planned to. Just because the rules are written down, people can always have conspiracies that the regulations were put in jeopardy.

The more contested elections there are every time one’s term is up, the more likely it will be that over time people will start to break the set rules and not “play” as fairly. The “unfair play” that could rise between the politicians are taking advantage of their money, popularity, and using their competitive side to help push them forward which may not result in the most democratic actions.

Politicians could potentially accuse others for fraud or crimes that would give them an advantage of going ahead in the race as the others fall farther behind.

Many have bad sportsmanship. They believe that they should always win and if they do not, a problem could arise. At the end of an election and all of the votes are counted, there will be a designated winner and a designated loser. Many losing politicians may think that the voting is rigged or that they lost for a reason.

This turns people against one another.

False assumptions and accusations are made which leads to a lot of controversy.

If there were to ever be a close race between multiple politicians, uncertainty would increase amongst the people and then flourish throughout the community. No one would be able to assume who the winner would be until the election is officially over and the name(s) of the new person(s) to obtain a certain position was officially addressed and established. While this uncertainty has a negative effect on the people, it also negatively affects the politicians. This would make them more competitive against each other, eager to win over more supporters.

Contested elections ask for more campaigning which can end up being very expensive. Supporters will ultimately end up paying more money in order to encourage the runner they want to win to stay in the race no matter how hard or stressful it may be. If there seems to be some inconsistency with the vote results, there can always be an investigation to figure out what potentially went wrong. Voter fraud is rare, but not impossible. In the end, there will always be a winner fair and square.

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Politics

A Blind Brook High School Student Publication

Issue #3 April 2021

How the American Rescue Plan Affects Rye Brook & Blind Brook High School

By Michaela Goodman ‘23

The overview of the American Rescue Plan constitutes that 1.9 trillion dollars has been invested into this reform.

Additionally, this investment’s goal is to relieve the economic burden of those affected by COVID-19 financially. This will provide emergency relief and purchase critical supplies as well as deploy the national guard. Fourteen hundred dollar checks per person are given out in this American Rescue Plan. However, this reform has a much greater impact on Blind Brook High School students, and the Rye Brook Community as a whole that we are aware of. It has a direct effect on school openings. To illustrate, “The president’s plan invests $50 billion in a massive expansion of testing.” This exemplifies how students at Blind Brook High School will most likely be eligible to return as a whole, with masks of course, as the testing becomes more rapid and frequent. To illustrate once more, “Investments to expand lab capacity, and support to help schools and local governments implement regular testing protocols... Expanded testing will ensure that schools can implement regular testing to support safe reopening.”

In addition to this, The American Rescue Plan has provided $130 billion to help schools safely reopen. These funds can be used to reduce class sizes and

Continued on page 14

Photo Courtesy of Alex Wong/Getty Images

History Born From Scandal: Kathy Hochul May Become New York’s First Woman Governor

By Anna Baker-Butler ‘23

Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia

Kathy Hochul is the 77th Lieutenant Governor of New York. In the United States, the main duty of the lieutenant governor is to act as governor, should the governor be temporarily away from office. If Governor Cuomo is eventually obligated to leave office or step down, Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul would take over his responsibilities and become acting Governor. In recent weeks, this has become a distinct possi-

bility. Cuomo is facing increasing public scrutiny and investigation over multiple allegations of sexual misconduct with former aides, and the alleged cover-up of nursing home deaths amid Covid-19.

Many New York politicians of the governor’s same party, Democrats, are calling for Cuomo’s resignation, including New York State Senate Majority leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and both of the New York U.S. Senators, Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer. Cuomo doesn’t intend to step down, and as a result, he risks being impeached. The last New York impeachment proceedings of a governor were in 1913 against Governor Sulzer, and at that time, Lieutenant Governor Martin H. Glynn became acting governor. As is true on the federal level, impeachment on the state level is a political proceeding reserved to the state legislature. If the impeachment of Cuomo passes in the Assembly, it moves up to the Senate for a trial, where a two-thirds majority is necessary to convict. If Cuomo were to be impeached by the Assembly, he would be removed from his position as Governor, and Kathy Hochul would become the first woman in history to hold the position of New York governor.

But who is Kathy Hochul? Hochul served as Erie County clerk from 2007-2011, and earlier, spent 14 years as a member of the Hamburg Town Council. She possesses a Bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University, and a law degree

from Catholic University in Washington DC. Her legal career began when she worked at a major law firm in Washington.

Later, she worked as legal counsel and legislative assistant to Congressman John LaFalce and then Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan. Hochul served in the U.S. House of Representatives and shortly thereafter, in 2014, Cuomo named Hochul as his running mate for his second term, replacing Robert Duffy. In 2018, the lieutenant governor ran on the ticket with the governor for a second, four-year term.

Hochul is an avid supporter of women’s reproductive freedom and the rights of the LGBTQ community. As lieutenant governor, Hochul constantly fights for working families. She advocated forcefully for the successful fight for a $15 minimum wage, as well as for Paid Family Leave. She is the Chair of the Regional Economic Development Councils and has worked to secure a significant increase of workforce development funding. In addition, she is the Chair of the Governor’s Task Force on Heroin and Opioid Addiction and focuses on policies to battle the extensive opioid epidemic.

Hochul, along with her mother, created the Kathleen Mary House, a transitional home for victims of domestic violence, in 2006. She prioritizes being a voice for all women and she is Chair of the Women’s Suffrage Commission. In that position, she highlights New Yorkers’ roles in women’s suffrage, and she

has said that daily, the legacy of these feminists motivates her in her job as lieutenant governor. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Hochul has been a spokesperson for the New York government and its priorities. Hochul makes appearances and leads task forces while gathering support in communities and with legislators.

Hochul is widely respected

by Democratic officials and lawmakers across New York state and often meets with them. As Cuomo has been consistently losing support, Hochul has appealed to more state Democrats. The lieutenant governor has said that she doesn’t feel that it is her place to weigh in on the sexual allegations against Governor Cuomo. However, Hochul is very vocal about her views on sexual harassment and assault. “Enough is enough” is the 2015 legislation that the Cuomo administration urged in an attempt to try to terminate sexual assaults on college campuses.

As Hochul told Politico, “I’m going to be a Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a Louise Slaughter. I’m going to be late 80s when I say goodbye to this business and only because ‘somebody’ comes knocking.”

If Hochul becomes the incumbent governor, people in her inner circle say she will likely seek re-election. Where is Lieutenant Governor Hochul’s career heading next? Stay tuned to the New York state Assembly and Senate to see what happens with Governor Cuomo’s impeachment proceedings to learn the answer.

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Politics

A Blind Brook High School Student Publication

Issue #3 April 2021

All Politics are Local: Mondaire Jones Continued from page 12 like you who took a chance on me, rallied behind a progressive champion for the things that matter to them. There were hundreds of young people, high school and college students from New York’s 17th Congressional district, and even nationally, who got on their phones and made hundreds of thousands of calls for me, sent hundreds of thousands of text messages for me, convinced and debated with their parents with respect to who to vote for in the primary and general election. Who created original content for social media, served as policy and strategic advisors, this is all direct evidence that young people can make a material difference in our politics. I am now one of the most progressive members of the House, and I am really proud to be speaking out on issues like the need for student debt relief, Medicare for All, and a Green New

Deal. Of course I began my career in politics as a young person and by Congressional standards I am still quite young.

So look to me to see that you can make a difference, join a campaign, regardless if it’s mine or someone else’s, just do what you can to make a difference.”

Future Goals and Aspirations

“My overriding goal is to be able to continue to get results for people in our Congressional district. That means in addition to passing the American Rescue Plan, which has been signed into law, passing the SALT Deductible Act, which would fully restore the state and local tax deduction in our district. 45% of the people in our district saw their taxes go up after that was capped by Donald Trump at $10,000. And we are reintroducing the Medicare for All act

in the House. And I think continuing to involve and mentor young people, it’s not just about me, it’s about ushering in a new generation of leadership that will act with urgency and who don’t need to be convinced of bold action on Climate, Healthcare, Student Debt, and LGBTQ equality and racial justice.”

Anything else you would like to share

with the readers of Blind Brook?

“I’m so proud of all of you for being contributing members of our community and driving my agenda at the federal level. I so value the opinions of high school students, including Blind Brook, in terms of how they’re feeling about my job performance, and what they need and what they want to see addressed by their government.”

Have something to say?

Photo Courtesy of Caroline Brehman/CQ-Roll Call Inc.

How the American Rescue Plan Affects Rye Brook & Blind Brook High School Continued from page 13 modify spaces so students and teachers can socially distance; improve ventilation; hire more janitors and implement mitigation measures; provide personal protective equipment; ensure every school has access to a nurse; increase transportation capacity to facilitate social distancing on the bus; hire counselors to support students as they transition back to the classroom; close the digital divide that is exacerbating inequities during the pandemic; provide summer school or other support for students that will help make up lost learning time this year; create and expand community schools; and cover other costs needed to support safely reopening and support students.” This shows how the American Rescue Plan benefits not only just average American citizens, but specifically Rye Brookians as well.

Current vaccination efforts are not sufficient to quickly and equitably vaccinate the vast majority of the U.S. population. We must ensure that those on the ground have what they need to get vaccinations into people’s arms. The president’s proposal will invest $20 billion in a national vaccination program in partnership with states, localities, Tribes and territories. This will include launching community vaccination centers around the country and deploying mobile vaccination units to hard-to-reach areas. The Biden Administration will take action to ensure all people in the United States–regardless of their immigration status–can access

the vaccine free-of-charge and without cost-sharing. To help states ensure that all Medicaid enrollees will be vaccinated, President Biden will also work with Congress to expand the Federal Medicaid Assistance Percentage (FMAP) to 100% for the administration of vaccines.” By adding more vaccinations, this will also allow more children to attend schools safely.

For example, schools need flexible resources to safely reopen and operate and/or facilitate remote learning. The president’s plan will provide $130 billion to support schools in safely reopening.

These funds can be used to reduce class sizes and modify spaces so students and teachers can socially distance; improve ventilation; hire more janitors and implement mitigation measures; provide personal protective equipment; ensure every school has access to a nurse; increase transportation capacity to facilitate social distancing on the bus; hire counselors to support students as they transition back to the classroom; close the digital divide that is exacerbating inequities during the pandemic; provide summer school or other support for students that will help make up lost learning time this year; create and expand community schools; and cover other costs needed to support safely reopening and support students.

These funds will also include provisions to ensure states adequately fund education and protect students in low-income communities that have

been hardest hit by COVID-19. Districts must ensure that funds are used to not only reopen schools, but also to meet students’ academic, mental health and social, and emotional needs in response to COVID-19, (e.g. through extended learning time, tutoring, and counselors), wherever they are learning. Funding can be used to prevent cuts to state pre-k programs. A portion of funding will be reserved for a COVID-19 Educational Equity Challenge Grant, which will

support state, local and tribal governments in partnering with teachers, parents, and other stakeholders to advance equity- and evidence-based policies to respond to COVID-related educational challenges and give all students the support they need to succeed. In addition to this funding, schools will be able to access FEMA Disaster Relief Fund resources to get reimbursed for certain COVID-19 related expenses and will receive support to implement regular testing protocols.”

Photo Courtesy of Olivier Douliery/Elle

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Sports

A Blind Brook High School Student Publication

March Madness Time

By Kenny Konigsberg ‘21

Photo Courtesy of Andrew Beaten and Ben Cohen

On Friday, March 19th, the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament began. Known for its upsets and fantastic finishes, the tournament goes by the name “March Madness.” This college basketball season has been altered by COVID-19, just as every aspect of our lives have been.

Certain protocols have been put in place for the tournament to try to keep participants safe while allowing the games to proceed. Players and coaches are tested every day, and everyone on the bench must wear a mask. Because the games must remain on schedule, teams with players who test positive or are subject to quarantine will have to play without those players, as long as the team has 5 available players. Teams without 5 available players are required to forfeit. Even if the coach tests positive, the game will still be able to go on as long

By Jonny Hamburger ‘22

as that team can field 5 healthy players.

So far through the first two rounds, there have been a ton of major upsets and bracket busters. Nine teams seeded 10th or lower won their first round matchup, which is very impressive considering the circumstances.

There are currently still 4 double digit seeded teams remaining as we head into the Sweet Sixteen this upcoming weekend. This year upsets are happening more frequently, and some perennial top teams, such as Duke and Kentucky, did not even make the tournament.

Upsets in part may be due to a condensed season with fewer practices and games, potentially making it harder for teams with young players to form good chemistry. Some teams have played more games than their opponents, and teams

have lost players and have had to pause practices and games or miss conference tournaments due to exposure to the virus.

When you combine the typical craziness of March Madness with the uncertainty of COVID-19, it leads to more and bigger upsets and more brackets being busted.

One team has already had to forfeit because it did not have the required number of players to play the game. The West Region’s #10 seed VCU was eliminated from the tournament due to an outbreak which resulted in #7 seed Oregon advancing to the Round of 32 without having to play a game. Oregon essentially got a bye in the first round which other teams may feel is unfair

Issue #3 April 2021

but it is the new normal that teams are going to have to deal with in this tournament. Hopefully there will not be another outbreak on a team so the tournament can be conducted as it normally is.

With all the unknown upsets that are likely to happen, maybe the only thing that can be expected is the unexpected. Despite all the uncertainties, though, one team is a heavy favorite to win the tournament. The Gonzaga Bulldogs are undefeated this season and have looked unstoppable in their first 2 tournament wins. They are looking to become the first Division I men’s team since the 1976-77 Indiana Hoosiers to be undefeated National Champion.

Photo Courtesy of Getty Images/Ringer illustration

2021 MLB Season Preview

Photo Courtesy of Tony Gutierrez/AP Photo

The 2021 Major League Baseball season is set to officially begin on April 1st. Last year, due to COVID-19, the MLB had to delay their opening day games to late July. The MLB did not play a traditional season as it started in July and ended in late October. The 2020 season also consisted of about ⅓ less games than usual. Normally each MLB team plays 162 games and in 2020, each team only played 60 games. Even though the season was an unusual format, the season was pretty successful as it ended on time and the playoffs ended up being very entertaining. The Los Angeles Dodgers ended up coming on top last season.

This was viewed as an impressive win as the games last year were packed together making schedules harder on the playoffs.

After a weird season, MLB players, fans and team executives are very glad that the upcoming season will be more normal Although this season will be more normal, the COVID-19 pandemic is still an ongoing issue around the U.S. and the

world. Even though vaccinations are providing hope, there is still no exact timeline on when MLB players and other professional athletes will be receiving their vaccines. COVID-19 will continue to greatly affect MLB players and MLB fans. In February, prior to the start of spring training, the MLB released their health and safety protocols for the season.

Most of the safety protocols in place for this season are the same as they were last year, so players and coaches are already used to them. Probably the most annoying protocol, but also one of the most important protocols, is testing.

MLB players will have to undergo Frequent PCR testing administered by the Sports Medicine Research and Testing Laboratory on saliva samples collected.

It is very important that all players get tested often as they will be traveling on planes weekly and if someone were to test positive for the virus, that player would need to isolate immediately. Individuals who test positive will be required to iso-

late for a minimum of 10 days. A player who tested positive must be cleared by the individual team’s physician, following a mandatory cardiac evaluation and a determination that the individual no longer presents a risk of infecting others.

Another safety protocol that also has not changed is mask wearing. Face coverings must be worn when in club facilities and in the dugout. It is essential that players follow all of the safety protocols that the MLB put into place so that no players get sick and the season is not delayed at all.

One thing that has changed this year, despite the pandemic still occurring, is the amount of players who have opted out of the season. Last year, there were tons of players who decided they were going to sit out the MLB season as they did not want to risk getting the virus. Many of those players had fears of bringing it back to their families or getting really sick themselves. The first player to opt out last year was Mike Leake on the Diamondbacks. Several other no-

table players like Ryan Zimmerman, Felix Hernandez, Ian Desmond and David Price also decided it would be best to just take a year off. Very few players have opted out for the 2021 season though most likely because we are now a year into the pandemic and the MLB plans on playing a full season. Many players were all right with missing a 60 game season as opposed to missing a 162 game season.

Players and fans are eagerly anticipating the start of the 2021 MLB season as the structure will be a lot more normal than last season. New York baseball fans are even more excited because it looks like the Yankees and the Mets are going to have good seasons. The Yankees are #3 in the preseason power ranking and the Mets are just below them at #8.

If both teams live up to their potential, it will make for a very exciting playoff season for NY baseball fans. The 2021 MLB season looks like it will be very entertaining and everyone is hoping there will be very little compilations with COVID-19.

Photo Courtesy of David Zalubowski/AP Photo

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Sports

A Blind Brook High School Student Publication

Issue #3 April 2021

The Return of Blind Brook High Risk Sports

By Melina Kohilakis ‘23

but was able to cheer his teammates on virtually. Moving forward, the football team is very excited to get back on the field, get to work, and play their game.

Varsity Cheerleading is back in session as well. Though it is also a high risk sport, practice has continued on in hopes of competitions in the future. The captains, senior Alexandra Minella and junior Sydney Brookman, look forward

tain Julia Rogavic said “all of our players have contributed to our wins and I’m excited to see how the rest of the season plays out”. The team feels as though their competition, as expected, has been tough but they have been doing a great job with keeping up the intensity as well as playing 100% the entire game. Overall, Rogavic says they are all really grateful to be able to have a season and no matter the out-

Photo Courtesy of Alex Minella

Approximately 35 to 45 million kids from age 6 to 18 participate in some form of athletics. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected many aspects of the lives of children and families, including youth sport activity. Re-engaging in sports and physical activity with friends has both physical and psychological health benefits for children and adolescents. Student-athletes are adapting to the new circumstances which face their teams. Mask wearing is required for all team participants at all times during practices when social distancing cannot be maintained. Furthermore, a distance of at least six feet will be maintained among individuals at all times. As student-athletes, coaches, administrators

are having their health proactively monitored, the ability for the return of sports at Blind Brook High School has occurred.

Varsity Boys Football is one of the few sports occurring during the current spring season. The team had only two weeks of practice before their first game. Senior captain Thomas Giuliano says that the team worked very hard to put a whole new offense and defense in.

Giuliano said, “we have gone through some complications with COVID-19 and players being out and even missing one of our games, so hopefully we will all be back on the field together soon!” This season there have been several new players stepping up to fill major roles. The captain was quarantined for their first game,

Photo Courtesy of Jill Rogovic

Photo Courtesy of Nick Laterza to the season they share with their teammates. In the past, Blind Brook Varsity Cheerleading has gone to Disney where they focus on the fundamentals that they are judged off of: difficulty, execution, crowd interaction, visual effects, and more. They continue to train and put their best foot forward throughout this unique season. Furthermore, the Blind Brook Girls Varsity Volleyball has been practicing and playing matches. The season has been going really well so far. Cap-

come, they are going to have a lot of fun!

In all, the health and safety of the whole school community is a number one priority during the COVID-19 pandemic. Administration stresses that in order to achieve a safe and fulfilling athletic season, we must work collectively as a community to stay safe.

Student-athletes have been grateful for the opportunity to have a season given these extenuating circumstances and look forward to getting back to normal!

Photo Courtesy of Jill Rogovic

Coronavirus Vaccines and Pro Athletics

By Alex Manko ‘21

Photo Courtesy of Ben Golliver/The Washington Post

As most professional sports leagues begin or continue their second season during the COVID-19 pandemic, there is now access to COVID-19 vaccines. The main discussion is wheth-

er or not players will be required to receive the vaccine. The three sports associations, Major League Baseball, National Football League, and National Basketball Association all have

plans on what to do about the vaccines.

Starting with Major League Baseball, vaccines will not be needed to play.

There will be a vaccine available to most players that are eligible, whether because of age or prior conditions. However, the league is confident that the precautions from last year are enough to keep players safe, even without all of them getting the vaccine. Already, many players and staff members have gotten the shot. Despite this, many players still lack the opportunity to get the shot. Yankees manager Aaron Boone mentioned, “Certainly, when I’m asked about it, and when I talk to our guys, I’ll certainly encourage it”. Teams will attempt to get most of their players vaccinated. It seems that many players are interested in getting the vaccine, and if not, they will potentially change over time and decide to take the vaccine.

As for the National Football League, there is the same plan as with the MLB. The vaccine will be around for all players to take but not all will need

to be vaccinated to play. Many expect that the majority of players will decide to be vaccinated, which will probably halt the postponement of many games, like what happened in the previous season. Football is one of the more high risk sports, due to the low distancing between players, so vaccines will likely help.

Finally, for the National Basketball Association , there is the same hope to vaccinate many of the players. Again, there will not be a penalty to players that do not want to get vaccinated. Like the other leagues, it is anticipated that the players will generally want to get vaccinated as they comprehend the importance and value of the vaccination.

In total, there will be many players that get vaccinated. The select few that choose to not get vaccinated will likely not cause much of an issue, as long as enough people get vaccinated and the older precautions are maintained. The vaccine will also prevent many of the health scares that were present last year.

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