Sreenidkhi Nidamanur Portfolio 2016 by Jessica Samons

SREENIDHI NIDAMANUR

Sports Editor

Sreenidhi Nidamanur

3003 Hamblin Way Wellington FL 33414 | sreenidhi.nidamanur@yahoo.com | 561-358-9769

3003 Hamblin Way OBJECTIVES

Wellington FL 33414

I would like to contribute to the staff by working hard, meeting deadlines, and helping my peers. I also want to continue learning a new topic every day.

October 13, 2015 MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDIES

The New York Times 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY, 10018

EXPERIENCE

EDUCATION

Cover Letter

As the Sports Editor in the 2015-2016 year of Portfolio Newspaper in Bak Middle School of the Arts, I have mastered the skill of designing layouts, writing articles, and copy editing other articles and layouts. I am a great helper when it comes to peer-editing and can be a great asset to the staff because I am a great communicator. With this ability, I will be able to fit in with the rules for your newspaper. My background with the newspaper will apply to the regulations you have set.

PORTFOLIO NEWS- BAK MIDDLE SCHOOL OF THE ARTS SPORTS EDITOR

  

Honors and Awards

Resume

After making six issues of a newspaper, I have had a hands-on experience on how to do everything. I now know what to do and what not to do. I have had a great experience in dealing with deadlines and keeping up with issues. I am aware that every issue is a long process that will take every second of people’s time, but I am willing to give up my free time to provide the Times whatever it needs.

Sreenidhi Nidamanur

Video Production 1 TV Production 1 Speech and Debate 1 ENG

I have met deadlines, took pictures, wrote articles, wrote captions, designed layouts, and interviewed many different people.

In this Portfolio, I have attached many of my works from the 2015-2016 year. These are all from the Portfolio Newspaper. The New York Times has been very awarded with more than 117 Pulitzer Prizes, more than any other news organization. I would like to be a part of this achievement. With my skills, I could contribute to this success.

Sincerely,

   

AUGUST 2015- JUNE 2016

Dear Mr. Banquet,

Thank you for the time that you have taken to read this and for considering me as a client. I have attached all of my works that I have accomplished in my years. I appreciate your time, and I hope to hear back from you soon.

In the communications field, I have done:

REFERENCES

I have completed two years at Bak Middle School of the Arts Participated in Portfolio Newspaper GPA: 4.0

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Duke Tip Recognition: Duke University acknowledges exceptional students and allows them to complete a summer course at Duke.

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Bak MSOA Honor Roll: An award that is presented by Bak Middle School of the Arts to talented students who maintained an A throughout their school year

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Advisor’s Choice Award: An honor presented by Jessica Samons, newspaper advisor, for no mistakes on a sport’s article

Jessica Samons, Jessica.samon@palmbeachschools.org

SREENIDHI NIDAMANUR

Sports Editor

I learned how to create a mod graphic and since it was the third issue, I put the skills I learned to use. I loved the finished product because it had an appealing visual element to it and it helped change my layout.

Page 8

Sports & Clubs

The Portfolio February 2016

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Best Layout

Reflection #1

The Issue 3 Sports and Clubs layout was my best work because of the mod graphics that I created. With this visual element, my layout had the extra kick it needed to be perfect. My purpose was to illustrate the true stars of sports at Bak. This was pretty difficult to complete because it took me two classes to finish the graphics with another class to complete the other article on the layout.

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Sports Editor

ighth grade communications major, Nashani Gilbert, is one of Bak’s star players this year as she is the captain of the volleyball l l a b team. y le l “I lead my team by motivating them o V and making them believe that we can win,” Gilbert said. But, volleyball was not the only thing on Gilbert’s mind. She was also a point guard for her basketball team, where she scored at least 15 points per game. “In basketball, I have good ball handling and I can score to help my team,” Gilbert said. 10 kills per ga She has been playing basketball for me 5 Ba ﬁve years and knows that basketball sketb will take her far. But, with every star all tr oph ies player comes challenges to overcome. “I struggle with trying to know the other players skill level. I overcome this by getting used to the players,” Gilbert said. She has set some goals for both volleyball and basketball season. Photo by Sreenidhi Nidamanur Gilbert said, “For volleyball, I want to get into the playoffs. For basketball, I want to win another championship.”

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Versatile athlete competes in multiple sports By Carlos Trivino Features Editor ead, dribble, block. Run, pass, and kick. Jaylen Sanders, eighth grade communications major, does it all in three sports. “I think my biggest achievement, as far as school sports go, is being the captain of the basketball and track teams,” Sanders said. Although having to accommodate for academics, he spent countless amounts of time training. “On average I usually practice around 15 hours a week (two and a half hours a day). Outside of school I’m involved in basketball and football,” Sanders said. Currently goalie for the boys’ soccer team, he hoped to continue playing sports both at school and for his travel team. Brandon Wisnicki, eighth grade communications major said, “When it comes to sports, everyone knows Jaylen.”

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soccer 3-7 by end of season By Nikita Tanguturi Business Manager

acing a tough year, the boys’ soccer team ended their season with a record of 3-7. Passing and communicating seemed to be one of the main issues so far in the season, causing the Stars to lose control of the ball. They were not able to connect their passes, which allowed their opponents to steal the ball and score. “The other teams are a lot bigger and faster. They are always intercepting our passes. We also made some bad passes that we couldn’t connect,” Thomas Ashley, defender, said. All of the players had different skill levels, and played different positions, which made it harder for all the players to work together. “The biggest thing I want to change is if we can have the same skill level of kids and the same personalities,” Seth Greenberg, goalie, said. Another big problem was the height of the players, which affected their ability to get the ball when punted or thrown in, allowing other teams to get more opportunities to steal the ball and score. “If I could make one change,” said Greenberg, “I would make all of them tall. Our team cannot get the ball in the air, because no one is tall. It’s not a bad thing, it is just that it is disadvantage.” The players were able to represent their school in the Palm Beach County league, but the team did not get into playoff. They had won three times, against Howell Watkins once, and Duncan twice. “My biggest achievement of this season is that I get to be the last defender, and I get to help my team win games, that I say is the biggest achievement,” Greenberg said. “Not that I blocked a good goal, or passed a good ball right to my player. I don’t care. I care that I’m helping my team.”

Photo by Sreenidhi Nidamanur

Girls’ volleyball ends challenging season with 3-5 record By Ervin Williams Technology Editor

he Bak Girls’ Volleyball team ended their season with a 3-5 record. Although getting better was an “important part of the sport”, Vivian Miller, outside hitter said, the reason why they play was most important. “I play because it is about being on a team, and the feeling that you get when you spike a ball or ace a point is indescribable,” Miller said.

Playing against Duncan, which was one of their “rivals”, Miller said, they lost the ﬁrst set 12-25, then in the second set 25-12, then lost the third set 8-15. “One of the games that I loved was Duncan, who we were very close with the whole game, even though we lost, it was still fun for us,” Anderson said. They began the season with two wins: Conniston and Watkins. They lost three games against Duncan, Independence and Jupiter Middle. But the ﬁfth game, they won against Watkins. They had a

win against Independence, then ended the season with a loss to Jupiter. “I think our hardest games were with Jupiter and Duncan because they have great players,” Anderson said. Even though the team did not reach the play-off, they appreciated Coach Sallas and his support. “He huddles us up and uplifts us, instead of putting us down,” Miller said. Sallas said, “Volleyball is an exciting team sport that requires all members to communicate and work together.”

Photo by Isabella Ramirez

Stars’ defender, Thomas Ashley, steals the ball from the opposing offender. Ashley said, “I felt I played well, but we need to work on a lot of things, like changing formation.”

SREENIDHI NIDAMANUR Sports Editor

I got started in journalism when I was in sixth grade. I took the Journalism I class to learn about writing articles, captions, and headlines. From taking pictures to designing layouts, I have learned very valuable information this year in newspaper. I learned how to use InDesign, take beautiful pictures, write errorless copy, and how to come up with headlines and captions.

Final Essay

I also learned to stay on Ms. Samons’ good side and manage your time wisely to meet all the deadlines. But, most importantly, I learned to work as a team to get the job done. From losing the lens cap in Issue 1, I learned to make sure I have all of the equipment before I leave. From my late pictures, I learned to keep track of all the pictures that I need to take. I met most of my deadlines this year after not meeting my photo and caption deadline. I learned my lessons from all of the mistakes I made. I didn’t try selling any ads at all this year, so my goal for next year is to sell two ads so we can have a special, 16-page edition. I followed the journalism ethics very seriously. I minimized harm by interviewing whenever the interviewee was free. I sought truth and reported it because I didn’t change quotes and I didn’t make up any information. I acted independently by not relying on another person to finish their job in time. I also was accountable as I met my deadlines so I wouldn’t delay anyone’s page. I was very dedicated as I strived to help everybody, meet my deadlines, and make my copy and layout flawless. Newspaper was a very valuable course to take as it helped me cooperate with my peers and learn how to be a better journalist. These skills will help me in the future if I choose to become a journalist, because I have a solid base as experience. I will definitely use these skills in my writing as well. Overall, this has been the right choice to choose newspaper because of how much fun I had learning and because it will help me in the future.

SREENIDHI NIDAMANUR Sports Editor

The Portfolio Name: Issue #6 Itinerary Distribution Date: SY2015-2016 May 18, 2016 Item Date Due Date Completed Story Ideas DUE 04/18/16 Editorial Board Meeting 04/20/16 Begin Dummy Layouts 04/20/16 Dummy Layouts DUE! 04/22/16 Interview Q's Due 04/22/16 Researching/Interviewing/ Writing Articles 04/22/16-05/04/16 Articles Issue 6 DUE! 05/04/16 Photos Due Captions Due 05/08/16 REVISIONS DUE 05/08/16 Plug 6th Issue/Proofed Page DUE 05/21 05/08/16-05/12/16 FINAL LAYOUTS DUE! 05/12/16 Issue 6 to the Printer! 05/16/16 Sunshine Party!! 05/18/16 Congratulations on an awesome year!!!

SREENIDHI NIDAMANUR

Sports Editor

I made sure to follow my dummy layout as I learned to use InDesign. This layout could further be approved if I had three articles on my page. My feeling about this piece right now is that it was decent for my first layout but was lacking a visual appeal to it.

The Portfolio Sports & Clubs Page 10 October 2015 Girls’ softball 3-2 in first few games of season By Sreenidhi Nidamanur Sports Editor ak Stars girls’ softball team won their ﬁrst game of the season on Sept. 11 against Howell Watkins, 15-0. “My goals are to have a successful season and to make sure the girls develop and get better,” Lauren Goepfert, softball coach, said. All of the softball players had different reasons as to why they were playing and part of the team. Some people had been playing since they were little, some just for fun, and some for future professional careers. “I’ve been playing for eight years and it’s my favorite sport,” Erica Ellison, seventh grade visual major said. “I started playing softball because it seemed fun and I wanted to try something besides dancing,” Skylar Nesse, seventh grade, pitcher said. Good players have certain characteristics to make them succeed in their game. “I want to work hard, and have good sportsmanship,” Nesse said. “A good player knows all the mechanics, footwork, and how to keep their eye on the ball,” Ellison said. Goepfert made sure the girls were on track and focused. She encouraged them to play their best and made them work hard, so they became better and more developed players. “I had a good coach while growing up and I want to inspire them just like she inspired me,” Goepfert said.

Worst Layout

Reflection #2

A piece that could still use some work is my Issue 1 Layout as it was my first layout and I was still getting the hang of creating a dummy layout, writing copy, taking pictures, and editing on InDesign. I learned that I need more than two articles on my page or I would have unnaturally long articles and big pictures that were screaming too much.

“Characteristics of a good coach is having dedication and a sense of humor.” “She’s really nice to all the new players. She’s a great coach to have if you don’t know the basics,” Ellison said. As with every season, the girls’ must face tough opponents. In an early game in the season against Jupiter Middle, the girls suffered a tough loss, 10-0. “Every year its’ different but Independence and Jupiter Middle Schools have good programs,” Goepfert said. Another tough match against Duncan left the girls with another loss of 15-0. “I hope to strike out all the good people and beat Independence, Duncan, and Jupiter,” Ellison said. “We should beat a few more teams because we have the coaches teaching us with the correct movement and technique to win.” The team cheered for their teammates and encouraged them during the game. “My teammates are really supportive and they cheer me on,” Nesse said. Despite the losses, the girls successfully defeated JFK with a score of 22-4. “You need to have commitment. You always need to practice to get better,” Goepfert said. Some teachers loved to come out and watch the game, but a few stayed for the whole match. “I think more people should come to watch the game and I think people should know how much time and effort the girls put into softball,” Goepfert

Photo by Sreenidhi Nidamanur

Conﬁdence surged through her veins as Erica Ellison, pitcher, got ready to throw the ball. “I hope some high schools can see me and how I pitch,” Ellison said. The girls defeated Howell Watkins 15-0.

said. Other eighth grade teachers encourage Goepfert to coach sports. “I love watching her in her full potential,” Amanda Gordon, eighth grade English teacher said. The season is 2-2 because the

Bak Stars beat Howell Watkins and JFK, yet they lost to Duncan and Jupiter. Ellison said, “It’s a fun sport and a fun way to be active. You don’t need to know how to play because we have good coaches behind our backs.”

First Sunday of the NFL season brings surprises, controversy

San Francisco’s 49ers’ Carlos Hyde (28) dives into the end zone for a touchdown with San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) helping block against the Minnesota Vikings during the second quarter on Monday, Sept. 14, 2015, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group/TNS)

By Luke Stone Co-Editor-In-Chief t was a cool summer night on Sept. 10, 2015 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts. Fans of both the New England Patriots and the Pittsburgh Steelers waited anxiously for 8:30 p.m. to arrive. As Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski sent the ball into the air, the NFL season was ofﬁcially under way. Through four weeks of the season, only six of the league’s 32 teams were

undefeated. The Patriots (3-0), the Cincinnati Bengals (4-0), the Denver Broncos (4-0), the Carolina Panthers (4-0), the Atlanta Falcons (4-0), and the Green Bay Packers (4-0). “I was most surprised by the fantastic debut of [Tennessee Titans rookie quarterback] Marcus Mariota. I never really thought he would come out of the gates as well as he did,” George Ryan, PE coach said, “However, I was not surprised by the performance of [Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie

quarterback] Jameis Winston. I thought from the beginning it would take him time to adjust.” Week one also allowed fans a chance to see which division in the NFL is best. “I think the NFC West is the best division right now because the [Seattle] Seahawks, the [St. Louis] Rams, the [Arizona] Cardinals, and the [San Francisco] 49ers are all teams that are capable of making the playoffs,” Julian Leahy, eighth grade band major said. While Ryan said it takes “four weeks to see what is there” in terms of Super Bowl contenders, it was not difﬁcult for some to see who the lesser teams in the NFL were. “I think that the Buccaneers, the [Oakland] Raiders, and the [Jacksonville] Jaguars will ﬁnish at the bottom this year,” Leahy said. As of Oct. 2, the Buccaneers have a 1-3 record after a win against the New Orleans Saints in week two, the Jaguars are 1-3 after a win against the Miami Dolphins in week two, and the Raiders are 2-2 because of two wins in a row against the Baltimore Ravens and the Cleveland Browns. Ryan mentioned the same three teams Leahy mentioned, but said that

there might be a fourth team that will be far down in the NFL. “I think that the [Chicago] Bears are going to look bad all year long. Although they have a lot of talent on their team, there is a lot of conﬂict amongst players who do not like starting quarterback Jay Cutler,” Ryan said. “As we have seen in the past, even if a team has talent, locker room issues can derail the season.” However, neither Ryan nor Leahy predicted the Dolphins to be near the bottom of the NFL, through four weeks, the Dolphins had a record of 1-3 and ﬁred head coach Joe Philbin after the team’s 27-14 loss to the New York Jets in London. Although Ryan said it will take some time to see Super Bowl contenders, he did not shy away from making a prediction. Ryan said, “After seeing their performances in week one, I think that the Patriots and the Packers will make it. I think the Packers will struggle with the loss of wide receiver Jordy Nelson, but they still have enough talent elsewhere to go all the way.”

SREENIDHI NIDAMANUR

Sports Editor

Photos

Reflection #3

For the picture of Mr. Cantor and his drone, I feel proud because it had a center of visual interest as it showcased his love for creating and selling drones. The drone definitely attracts me to the picture because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s surprising to see a teacher with a side hobby dealing with drones. IMG_0739.JPG

For the Elizabeth Cotromano picture, I was lucky to get a picture that filled the frame. She was very shy and did not want to get her picture taken, so I had to pretend to take pictures of other students as well. I think the picture was well taken because it shows her in action, drawing. IMG_8006.JPG

SREENIDHI NIDAMANUR

Sports Editor

For the Softball picture, it had a nice rule of thirds when the pitcher was throwing the ball. I liked the ball in the air and everybodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s anticipation caught in the moment. IMG_0319_JPG

Reflection #4

Reflection #3

I was definitely an asset to the Portfolio Newspaper staff of 2016 because I offered to take pictures, gave up articles, and helped all of my peers. When nobody wanted to take pictures, I would raise my hand. I loved writing copy, especially sports and entertainment. Since I loved editing on InDesign, I always helped my friends by creating strokes, drop caps, cutting articles, and helping with photos. I was very committed to the newspaper because I focused on my job of doing story proposals, interviewing, writing copy, taking pictures, and doing my layout.

SREENIDHI NIDAMANUR

Sports Editor

I learned the lesson to always check to make sure you have everything before leaving the field. If I were to take pictures next year, I would definitely bring a check list with me just to be sure that I have everything and I would definitely make a schedule so I know when I can fit in newspaper work. Overall, I think I handled the lens cap situation well by being calm, asking the coaches for any sign of it, and buying Mrs. Samons a new lens cap.

Reflection #6

Reflection #5

I faced some problems such as not being able to work through lunch, losing a lens cap, meeting some deadlines, and focusing. Sometimes when there were substitutes, I didn’t get to work through lunch when there was a major deadline coming up. Meeting some deadlines in the beginning of the year was a challenge as I wasn’t used to the compressed time. I learned to work at home for a little extra time to meet the deadline. I lost a lens cap in the first issue while taking pictures of softball.

On my evaluations that I completed after every issue, I ranked myself from 1-5 in different areas. 1 being the least good work, and 5 been the best. One of the areas that I did not rate myself a 5 in is selling ads because I didn’t try to sell any ads this year. My goal next year is to sell as many ads as possible to make it a 16 page issue. Another area that I ranked myself a 4 in is “going outside the box.” I considered myself to be “going outside the box” when I offered to take pictures for other people, chose extra articles, and working outside of school. I want to continue what I’m doing, but instead, I want to aim higher by also offering to help with absent staffers’ layouts, writing captions for every picture I took, and helping all my peers when in doubt. Another area is the quality of my work. I rated myself a four in that because I was so close to Advisor’s Choice, I was getting better at layouts, and I learned how to make great headline sand captions. Next year, I want to be even better by striving to get Advisor’s Choice and having errorless layouts.

SREENIDHI NIDAMANUR

Sports Editor

The Portfolio Sports & Clubs Page 10 October 2015 Girls’ softball 3-2 in first few games of season

Issue 1- Layout

By Sreenidhi Nidamanur Sports Editor aze Runner: Scorch Trials,” sequel to the Maze Runner, came out Sept. 18. This sci-fi film, directed by Wes Ball, was based on the novel by James Dashner. This movie started up right where the last movie ended. Taking place in a dystopian setting, Thomas (Dylan O’Brien), Teresa (Kaya Scodelario), Newt (Thomas Brodie-Sangster), Minho (Ki Hong Lee), and the other survivors were escorted to the World In Catastrophe Killzone Department, otherwise known as WCKD, where they are given bunk beds and food. After discovering that WCKD means trouble, they succeed in escaping to the outside world. They are in the Scorch; a place crawling with Cranks- eye-less zombies who can infect people with one little scratch. WCKD wants to find people who are immune to the Cranks like Thomas, Teresa, and the rest of their gang. Then, they drain a fluid out of them to cure people who became infected. Trying to find the Right Hand, an army who can help them fight against WCKD, the gang treks through miles and miles of sand. Deadline.com states that Fox’s Maze

Photo by Sreenidhi Nidamanur

said. Other eighth grade teachers encourage Goepfert to coach sports. “I love watching her in her full potential,” Amanda Gordon, eighth grade English teacher said. The season is 2-2 because the

First Sunday of the NFL season brings surprises, controversy

The Portfolio October 2015

Page 7

‘Maze Runner’ sequel meets expectations

Photo courtesy of prezi.com/deviantart Maze Runner: Scorch Trials released into theaters on Sept. 18. This sci-fi film, directed by Wes Ball, created $31.3 million after the opening weekend, just behind the first film.

Issue 1-Article + Picture

By Sreenidhi Nidamanur Sports Editor ak Stars girls’ softball team won their ﬁrst game of the season on Sept. 11 against Howell Watkins, 15-0. “My goals are to have a successful season and to make sure the girls develop and get better,” Lauren Goepfert, softball coach, said. All of the softball players had different reasons as to why they were playing and part of the team. Some people had been playing since they were little, some just for fun, and some for future professional careers. “I’ve been playing for eight years and it’s my favorite sport,” Erica Ellison, seventh grade visual major said. “I started playing softball because it seemed fun and I wanted to try something besides dancing,” Skylar Nesse, seventh grade, pitcher said. Good players have certain characteristics to make them succeed in their game. “I want to work hard, and have good sportsmanship,” Nesse said. “A good player knows all the mechanics, footwork, and how to keep their eye on the ball,” Ellison said. Goepfert made sure the girls were on track and focused. She encouraged them to play their best and made them work hard, so they became better and more developed players. “I had a good coach while growing up and I want to inspire them just like she inspired me,” Goepfert said.

Entertainment

Video Music Awards: Students’opinions

Loved it

Hated it

By Nikita Tanguturi Business Manager

n a night full of Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift and Nicki Minaj’s rivalry, Justin Bieber’s new song and Kanye West’s bid for president in 2020, the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards created a buzz. The annual MTV competition was for both artists and videos. One of the top winners was Taylor Swift, winning four awards for “Bad Blood” and “Blank Space”. The overall video of the year was also awarded to Swift, feauturing Grammy-nominated rapper Kendrick Lamar in “Bad Blood,” which was released as her new single this year.

Loved the VMA’s- 15% Liked the VMA’s - 40% Hated the VMA’s - 12% Didn’t care about the VMA’s- 33% In a poll of 100 Bak students, divided between each grade, asked what they thought of the annual music awards, the results were as follows. The results were pretty spread out, with students being split between liking the VMA’s and not bothering to watch them, but in the end, more of the Bak population liked them.

Runner: The Scorch Trials kicked off in 21 international markets a week before it lands in theaters in North America where it is expected to open stronger than the first installment which opened to $32.5 million last year. This did not happen as Scorch Trials only got to $30.3 million in opening weekend. New actors such as Giancarlo Esposito, Rosa Salazar, Jacob Lofland, and many others made appearances in the cinema. Yet, all the actors were very experienced. Most of the young people under 25 acted in more than 10 movies. The older actors and actresses starred in more than 50 films. The best part, in my opinion, was when Thomas, Teresa, Newt, Aris, Frypan, and Winston running away from the Cranks. John Paesano was a great music director when it came to suspenseful music. The music kept the audience on the edge of their seats. This movie is PG-13 for some thematic elements, extended sequences of violence and action, substance use and language. ‘Scorch Trials’ earned a four out of five stars because of suspenseful scenes, but I had trouble following the story in some places. It had a wellthought plot, but was not stronger than its predecessor.

SREENIDHI NIDAMANUR

Sports Editor

Page 8

The Portfolio December 2015

Sports Editor

portfolionews.org

Sports and Clubs

Girls’ Volleyball remains undefeated early in season

By Sreenidhi Nidamanur Sports Editor

irls’ volleyball season began with a win against Connsiton Middle School on Nov. 12. “We are going to try to have a winning record and play our best in every game,” Matthew Sallas, volleyball coach said. Beating Conniston 2 - 0, the girls were led by captains’ Lara Weiss and Nashani Gilbert. “I have good feelings about this season. I expect a good ﬁnal score and a good experience,” Julia Gonnello, seventh grade, setter said. Coach Sallas expects his players to work hard and kept them active. He had played volleyball through high school. “He made us work hard and he’s funny,” Isabelle Ruan, seventh grade, visual arts major said. “Volleyball is very competitive, it keeps you in good shape, and anyone can play,” Coach Sallas said. There are many players on the team. They have different heights, skills, techniques, and other abilities. “My teammates are pretty spread out through the grades, so we have a lot of

Visual arts students excels in arts despite challenges

different heights and skill levels. They are all great people to work with, and we are all supportive of one another,” Gonnello said. As with any team sport, getting to know each other takes time. “I am deﬁnitely going to struggle with adjusting to my new hitters. If you keep at it, eventually it will become muscle memory,” Gonnello said. Within every county, there are always several hard teams to beat. “Jupiter Middle has been defending county champion in the north division for a long time. Duncan is also a strong opponent,” Gonnello said. Good players have certain characteristics to be able to play their best. “I love volleyball because it keeps me healthy. I feel aggressive, happy, and energetic while I play. A good player cooperates, is hard-working, and always listens to the coach,” Ruan said. Many of the players started long before middle school. Gonnello said, “I started playing volleyball when I was nine. I will deﬁnitely continue to play next year Photo by Sreenidhi Nidamanur and I never intend to stop.” The volleyball players practice for their upcoming season. Seventh The next opponent is against Howell grader, Isabelle Ruan and eighth grader, Jordan Beres, tries to bump Watkins on Nov. 17 and again Dec. 8. the ball back over the net.

Being legally blind has not stopped Elizabeth Cotromano, sixth grade visual major, from pursuing her love of art. “I like drawing because you can be creative. The paper will scream at you because there’s no limit in what you can do,” Cotromano said. She felt like she could express herself while she was drawing. “I feel calm, relaxed, and happy while I draw,” Cotromano said. She would like to pursue a visual career in the future. “I love drawing dragons because there is a lot of different things you can adjust to make it unique,” Cotromano said. Like many artists and performers, they find inspiration in many places. “The person who inspired me was my art teacher in elementary school. He would always comment on how good my drawings were,” Cotromano said. Cotromano credited several teachers who inspired her, but she especially adored Glen Barefoot, visual arts teacher. “I like Mr. Barefoot because he doesn’t assign a lot of work,” Cotromano said.

Annual Curtain Calls ‘Lights On’ event lets Stars shine in showcase

Issue 2- Layout

Photo by Ervin Williams

Faith’s Place Marching Band paid a visit to the Curtain Calls “Lights On” event. Faith’s Place is an after school education department for arts and music enrichment.

n an evening full of vibrant colors, show stopping performances, and amazing speeches, the Curtain Calls Lights On! was an event to remember. “The message,” Shakendra Moorer, Curtain Calls sponsor, said, “was for parents to see what students do during Curtain Calls.” The show featured many performances, one of them being from the award-winning Bak Star Steppers. The Lights On! did not just feature Bak students. This year’s special performance was a marching band from Faiths Place, a center for arts and music enrichment. Using a range of instruments, they produced a sound like no other, which captivated the audience. Moorer said, “I think the special performance by the Faith Place marching band was the highlight.”

The program was not only intended for students whose parents could not pick them up afterschool, but also to help them achieve excellence in academics and also their arts “I chose to perform so people could see that I do have talent,” Ferran said. Yet, being able to perform in front of both peers and parents helped them improve their performance both inside and out of school. Okur said, “My mistakes that I made during the show make me better and they help me try new things that I didn’t know I could do.” Overall, the show was called “amazing” and “great” by students and staff alike. It was a “really interesting” show that featured various art areas and students, and allowed students to let loose and enjoy a break from the regular Curtain Calls program. Ferran said, “You can let your energy out and cheer on people that are performing even if you’re not.”

Academic Games challenges students nationwide to excel in different areas By Angela Yan News Editor

he players sat tense in their seats, waiting for the head judge to announce the cue to start, knowing this last match would determine their ranking in the season. “The most stressful part of the competition is the car ride there because you don’t know how you’re going to do,” Subhash Kantamneni, eighth grade communications major said. “But then, when the ﬁrst round

starts, all the nervousness goes away order thinking skills,” Anthony Li, and turns into competitiveness.” eighth grade keyboard major said. Academic Games According to agloa.com, the tournaments in Academic Games Palm Beach County Playing forces me to played three seasons: League of America (AGLOA) is a non-develop higher order equations, language proﬁt organization arts, and social studies. thinking skills.” that aimed to “For math, it’s more develop character. improvising. For social Each year, there studies, it’s more were nationwide competitions, leading studying and reading,” Li said. up to the national tournament in April. The current season is language arts, “Playing forces me to develop higher which had two areas: Propaganda, a

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reading game where players recognized techniques of persuasion, and LinguiSHTIKS, a cube game where players to improve their grammar. “[For Propaganda] I read the book. I read the book more. I ask my dad to quiz me on the questions from the book, and then I’m prepared for the next tournament,” Kantamneni said. The player presented her correct sentence to her competitors, knowing she had sealed her win for the round.

Her visual talent showed when she competed in an art competition. “There was an art competition in Kentucky and one of my pictures was in the museum. It was of a dinosaur and a kitten hugging,” Cotromano said. Apart from her visual talent, Cotromano felt like math was her strong point in her studies. As for being legally blind, she does not let it stop her from pursuing her interests.

Issue 2-Article+Picture

By Nikita Tanguturi Business Manager

http://portfolionews.org/2674/student-life/legally-blind-with-many-surprises/

Cotromano said, “A lot of people think I need help and that I can’t see, but I can.”

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SREENIDHI NIDAMANUR

Sports Editor

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Sports Editor

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Sports & Clubs

The Portfolio February 2016

Well-rounded athlete shows talent in sports Bak Stars boys’ By Sreenidhi Nidamanur sk et

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ighth grade communications major, Nashani Gilbert, is one of Bak’s star players this year By Nikita Tanguturi as she is the captain of the volleyball Business Manager all b team. y le acing a tough year, the boys’ “I lead my team by motivating them Vol soccer team ended their season and making them believe that we can with a record of 3-7. win,” Gilbert said. Passing and communicating seemed But, volleyball was not the only thing on Gilbert’s mind. She was also a point to be one of the main issues so far in guard for her basketball team, where the season, causing the Stars to lose she scored at least 15 points per game. control of the ball. They were not able “In basketball, I have good ball to connect their passes, which allowed handling and I can score to help my their opponents to steal the ball and score. team,” Gilbert said. 10 kills “The other teams are a lot bigger and per ga me She has been playing basketball for faster. They are always intercepting our 5 Ba ﬁve years and knows that basketball ske passes. We also made some bad passes tbal will take her far. But, with every star l tro phie player comes challenges to overcome. that we couldn’t connect,” Thomas s Ashley, defender, said. “I struggle with trying to know the All of the players had different skill other players skill level. I overcome this by getting used to the players,” Gilbert levels, and played different positions, which made it harder for all the players said. She has set some goals for both to work together. “The biggest thing I want to change volleyball and basketball season. Photo by Sreenidhi Nidamanur Gilbert said, “For volleyball, I want is if we can have the same skill level of kids and the same personalities,” Seth to get into the playoffs. For basketball, I want to win another championship.” Greenberg, goalie, said. Another big problem was the height of the players, which affected their ability to get the ball when punted or thrown in, allowing other teams to get more opportunities to steal the ball and score. “If I could make one change,” said Greenberg, “I would make all of them tall. Our team cannot get the ball in the air, because no one is tall. It’s not a bad thing, it is just that it is disadvantage.” The players were able to represent their school in the Palm Beach County Bas ketb league, but the team did not get into all C They had won three times, apta playoff. Howell Watkins once, and in against Duncan twice. “My biggest achievement of this 15 season is that I get to be the last po int defender, and I get to help my team sp er win games, that I say is the biggest ga achievement,” Greenberg said. “Not me that I blocked a good goal, or passed a good ball right to my player. I don’t care. I care that I’m helping my team.”

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As the crowd followed the lead of the DJ, the students began dancing the Cha-Cha Slide under the neon lights. The Strings Department held a Glow Party fundraiser to raise money for their trip to Carnegie Hall.

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Stars’ defender, Thomas Ashley, steals the ball from the opposing offender. Ashley said, “I felt I played well, but we need to work on a lot of things, like changing formation.”

he strings department held a Glow Party, on Dec. 4, in order to raise money for their trip to the Carnegie Hall in New York City. “Strings’ parents organized it with core planning. They had several meetings for months with a goal of making it a fun night,” Nancy Beebe, strings teacher, said. The dance included a DJ, neon lights, and a dance ﬂoor with music, a photo booth, and the movie TomorrowLand in the gymnasium.

“It was a Glow Party so it was pretty. Everything tied in together. It was pretty cool at what they were trying to achieve,” Jessica Gomez, seventh grade communications major, said. The students were supposed to arrive to the party wearing either white or neon colored clothing to pop out against the lighting. The dance featured popular songs and dance challenges for the students to move to with their friends. Upham said, “I had a great time! It was nice to be with my friends and have a time to hang out with them. Being with your friends was the best part.”

Freezer malfunctions in cafeteria during break, spoiling food

By Ashley Kulberg Photo Editor

Vol leyb a

Girls’ volleyball ends challenging season with 3-5 record By Ervin Williams Technology Editor

By Valentina Gomez Arts and Academics editor

n atio otiv

Arts & Academics

Strings department holds Glow Party fundraiser

soccer 3-7 by end of season

Sports Editor

Issue 3- Article+Picture

The Portfolio February 2016

ww that smell! Can you smell that smell?”

The cafeteria walk-in freezer broke over winter break, and $2500 worth of food was completely ruined. “You just couldn’t miss the smell,” Robert Gold, cafeteria manager, said. Students ate outside while the problem was being handled. However, the courtyard could not handle the amount of students. “I was glad to be outside for once, but I would like to be able to sit across

from my friends, not on a wall in the cold. There’s just not enough seats,” Sabrina D’Agostino, seventh grade visual major, said. Over winter break, the freezer’s Freon line broke. According to aetinc.biz, Freon is a trade name for a class of chemicals known as Chloroﬂuorocarbons or CFC’s used as a refrigerant. No one was allowed inside of the cafeteria for several days, until it was deemed safe and reopened on Friday, Jan. 15. Gold said, “Over the course of six or seven days, the walk-in freezer became more like a walk-in oven.”

Photo by Ashley Kulberg

Leah Sloan, seventh grade theater major, receives her lunch in the courtyard. Every student was required to eat outside until the school district deemed the cafeteria safe for students.

Visual majors raise money with sculpture By Sreenidhi Nidamanur Sports Editor

alm Beach Island Cats lets cats live free. They asked the visual department to paint and decorate a cat sculpture to raise money. “There is a large number of feral cats that live in the wild. The charity, instead of putting them in shelters, let them live out their life,” Glen Barefoot, visual arts teacher said. Palm Beach Island Cats (PBIC) is the organization that had asked the visual department from Bak to participate in this cause. PBIC prevents future generations of homeless cats by implementing the humane practice of Trap, Neuter and Return. PBIC maintains the current population through daily feeding, watering and providing medical care as needed. PBIC responds to all citizens’ concerns in order to achieve peaceful coexistence between the town’s cats and residents, according to pbislandcats. org. The visual arts students like Andrea Turner and her sister, Allison Turner, eighth grade visual majors, spent over 20 hours making the cat sculpture perfect. “The cat is cast in ﬁberglass and painted with acrylic,” Barefoot said. “The cat is purple with multicolor rings and ﬂowers,” Turner said. Turner and her sister both worked on the cat at their house.

“Sometimes the work gets very tedious, but it’s still fun and relaxing,” Turner said. In addition to being a fundraiser, the cause had beneﬁts. “It’s nice to know that someone is taking their time out for something like this,” Barefoot said. In late January, there will be an auction to sell the cat sculptures. “I think the cat will sell for a lot of money. I know a lot of people will be impressed because people are always impressed by what this school does,” Barefoot said. Barefoot believed it was beneﬁcial for visual students to use their artistic skills and talent to support the community. “I think it’s a good idea for artists to give back,” Barefoot said, “and use their talent for good.”

Photo by Nikita Tanguturi

Spraying the paint onto the cat sculpture, Allison Turner, eighth grade visual major, paints her design onto the cat along with a few of her friends.

SREENIDHI NIDAMANUR

Sports Editor

Sports & Clubs

The Portfolio March 2016

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Page 12

Science teacher creates drones as hobby

Dance Honor Society gives back to community

Photo by Joel Soto

The Dance Honor Society uses their talent to give back to the community in many ways and with good intentions, such as the ﬂash mob for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. “We do this because when we dance, our passion can affect one person in a good way,” Alyse Harris, vice president said. Through the Dance Honor Society, the dancers raised awareness for charity and also honored the art of dance at the same time.

“We once did a flash mob for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation walk for diabetes,” Harris said. “We also held a dance class for kids with autism.” Along with the Dance Honor Society’s involvement in the community, they continued their dance education. “Dancing is an outlet for me, and for many people,” Jaffe said. “It can relieve stress, it keeps you healthy, and you can express passion.” Being a part of the Dance Honor Society not only benefited the community, but also was beneficial to the members of the society. “We receive scholarships and we have guest speakers that help us be more involved and be a part of thing in the dance community,” Jaffe said. One of the dance honor society’s messages was dance was an important part of the art culture, and it “allows students to express themselves,” Schiller said. “We have the power to help others,” Schiller said. “Why don’t we?”

Girls’ soccer wins three out of seven games, tying twice By Sreenidhi Nidamanur Sports Editor ak girls’ soccer team began their season with a win of 7-0 against Howell Watkins on Feb. 2. “The ﬁrst game, against Howell Watkins, was against a team that was undeveloped because the girls on the team were only there for fun,” Amber Mistry, seventh grade, left back said. Six players scored goals during the game, while Watkins scored zero as it was an “unexperienced team,” Stiengenga said. “Sylvia Ng scored two goals, Julianna Booth, Nora El-Abbar, Soﬁe Karbstein, Savannah Lebedecker, and I all scored one goal each,” Steigenga, seventh grade right forward said. The second game of their season was against Independence on Feb. 3 which they lost 2-0.

Issue 4-Lyout

“The team [Independence] mostly consisted of eighth graders who were fast, quick, and knew how to work the ball around the field,” Mistry said. In prior seasons,Independence and Jupiter had a history of being tough opponents. “The best teams are Independence and Jupiter because their players have speed and agility on the ball,” Mistry said. The first game against Watkins “let the team get a feel for the game and how the team had to play to win,” Steigenga said. “My teammates are like family to me both on and off the field,” El-Abbar said. The next game will be on March 3 at Jupiter and the team remains hopeful. Photo by Nikita Tanguturi El-Abbar said, “Every time I step on the field, I feel like I am right where I Determined to score another goal for her team, striker Nora El-Abbar dribbles the ball between the legs of the opposing teams defense belong.” during the Stars’ first game against Howell Watkins, who they beat 7-0.

Boys basketball team struggles to begin season; 0-6 in first games By Luke Stone Co-Editor-In-Chief hrough their first four games of the season, the boys’ basketball team is 0-4, with all four losses by more than 10 points. Although they have struggled early, the team continues to improve. “I do not think that we have played as well as we can so far, but we are definitely improving,” Jordan Juliano, eighth grade shooting guard said. “We played a lot better in our second game than we did in our first game, and we are headed in the right direction.” The team lost their first game of the season on the road against Jupiter 5325. Then, in their home opener, the

Photo by Luke Stone

Eighth graders Jaylen Sanders and Maximus Wagner leap for the rebound against Independence Middle. The Stars went on to lose 49-36 in their ﬁrst home game.

Stars trailed 46-23 at the beginning of the fourth quarter and made a late run and trimmed the lead. But, the team fell short again and lost 49-36. In their third game of the season against Duncan, the Stars suffered their worst loss of the season, falling 48-16. In the Stars’ fourth game of the season against H.L. Watkins, the Stars also fell 54-20. “We need to work on our offensive game,” Alex Haddad, eighth grade power forward said. “We are not shooting a good percentage and that is partially because we are not getting good looks in the paint.” Although Haddad said that they have

unmanned aerial vehicles. They can fascinated me that drones could be capture shots that humans cannot get used for so many purposes. The to. They are operated with propellers, student’s father was fixing roofs when a computer, controllers, and goggles. he met with an injury. With drones, There are many other accessories to the father could fix roofs without even put on your drone such as propeller being there,” Cantor said. guards, decal sets, and crash packs. He had a great amount of expertise “The propellers keep it level and the although he had only started building computer adjusts it and lets you see drones a couple years ago. what the drone sees,” Cantor said. “My expertise in in most aspects Cantor has built over 80 drones so of programming and flying drones,” far. He uses drones to capture aerial Cantor said. shots. But, he mostly makes drones for Most small drones cost a little less people who have than the bigger ones ordered them. He and the military There are two parts in drones are more customizes them to match the way what I do with drones. The expensive. the owner wants first part is that I build them “Small drones it. to what people order and I cost around $50, “There are two while the big drones parts in what I repair them too. The second cost thousands of do with drones. part is selling them and dollars due to the The first part is also using them for aerial amount of pieces that I build them purposes.” and the motors. to what people Some military order and I repair drones are millions them too. The second part is selling of dollars,” Cantor said. Photo by Sreenidbi Nidamanur them and also using them for aerial Cantor loves building drones because David Cantor, sixth grade science teacher, builds drones in his free purposes,” Cantor said. it’s a ‘good escape if you’re having a time. “I enjoy building drones because it passes time, keeps me busy, Cantor had gotten the idea to start bad day.’ and is a good escape,” Cantor said. exploring drones from a student who Cantor said, “When you have the By Sreenidhi Nidamanur in addition to teaching. Sports Editor “I enjoy building drones because it chose the drone for their “Invention goggles on and you’re flying the drone, Convention” project. it’s amazing because it’s in a bird’s ixth grade science teacher, David gives you a cool feeling, but sometimes “A few years ago, one student did perspective. It’s very peaceful and Cantor, has a side hobby of it’s a challenge,” Cantor said. creating drones and selling them Drones are formally known as a science project on drones and it relaxing.”

difﬁculty on shooting jump shots, he did say that they do well when they do get inside. “I think we play well when we drive to the basket. We have talented point guards on our team who can stretch the defense and get good inside looks,” Haddad said. Head coach Dave Ullom admired his team’s work ethic and character, “This is a good group of guys that work hard and work well together,” Ullom said. “They never have any attitude and do a great job.” The boys suffered a loss against Jupiter on Feb. 26. The last home game will be against Jeaga on March 10.

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S0 to 100 real quick: StoreDot

offers lightning fast charging

By Carlos Trivino Features Editor ith each new generation of smartphone becoming increasingly more compact and lightweight one major factor is greatly affected, battery life. According to All Business the average time to charge a smartphone fully is around two hours. StoreDot an Israeli founded company plans to do this in under a minute. Originally unveiled at Microsoft’s Think Next Conference in 2014, the company has since then been working on ways of charging larger batteries in the least time possible. Currently, StoreDot is testing three different design variants for its chargers, 20x, 100x, and 200x models. Like the names suggest, these chargers

Issue 4- Articles+ Pictures

By Ervin Williams Technology Editor n addition to dedication to all things dance, the Dance Honor Society strived to give back to the community in various ways. The Dance Honor Society, a schoolrun organization established in 2007, is made up of experienced dancers who helped the community. “The great thing about it is that I not only get to help the dance community, but I also get to help the actual community as well,” Ryan Jaffe, eighth grade dance major and President said. Being accepted into the organization was no “walk in the park” Hollond Schiller, one of the sponsors for the Dance Honor Society said. “When I applied to be a member, I had to ﬁll out a point sheet, which I gained from performing,” Jaffe said. The most important focus of the Dance Honor Society was to “show others that they are not alone” said Alyse Harris, eighth grade dance major and vice-president said.

Technology

The Portfolio March 2016

In the past year StoreDot raised $42 million for reﬁning their technology. They hope to start advancing the technology to quickly charge electric and hybrid cars.

can respectively charge a smartphone 20, 100, or 200 times as fast as a conventional charger would. However, the downside to this is that they require specially designed connectors, and any charger faster than the 20x requires signiﬁcant modiﬁcations to the user’s phone. The models themselves are as big as a standard laptop charger. The charger relies on organic amino acids called peptides. When these link together they form proteins, making peptides popular amongst body builders. However, these proteins are put to use in a very different way in order to effectively reduce the charging time. When connected to a smartphone’s battery, the amino acids are set in motion, producing the shortened charging period. Doron Myersdorf, CEO of StoreDot predicts that by 2017, the company should have their special chargers on store shelves. Myersdorf recognized that the solution being proposed by their company has its limitations. With the smartphone world quickly switching to reversible connectors such as the new USB-C and apples lightning cable, the chargers require a special one. Myersdorf said in an interview with CNN, “They [phone manufacturers] can implement it however they want, but I need 20 pins [a larger phone port] to do it.”

New body surfing suit creates innovative way to catch waves

By Jacob Schlessel Copy Editor magine soaring on the waves like Poseidon, boogie boarding without the board, charging waves like never before. This is what the new WaveWrecker promises. The WaveWrecker was created by Nick Gadler, a water sports enthusiast and entrepreneur who thought there was more to body surfing then what was available. His new body suit allows for more buoyant floating and better wave catching experiences. The suit offers two sizes, kids and adults. The adult size retails online for $400 and the kid’s size retails online for $300. The suit “incorporates flexible and buoyant, super-durable, closed-cell

foam,” according to the WaveWrecker’s website, which allows for more waves rode without wipe-outs and provide for a smoother experience when on the water. Normally avid body boarders use swimming fins to increase speed, but the WaveWrecker features 11 built-in fins, not requiring additional purchase. Chris Weiss, a writer for gizmag.com, reviewed the WaveWrecker as taking away the “free, simple attraction of diving into the ocean and catching a wave without spending hundreds on boards, fins and other equipment.” The WaveWrecker is perfect for thrill seekers, people that want a new twist on watersports, and those who are willing to spend the money.

Photo Courtesy of Nick Gadler

WaveWrecker launched a Kickstarter that allowed users to preorder the suit. The Kickstarter currently has $7,000 out of the set goal of $10,000. The suits were set to ship in March 2016.

Page 14 Students present pieces to annual competition, express talent By Sreenidhi Nidamanur Sports Editor any students earned awards from the Scholastic Art and Writing Contest, hosted by the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers. “I had 17 students from my class who earned either gold, silver, or honorable mentions,” Natalie Sharp, communications teacher, said. Teens entered in categories such as ceramics, poetry, and fashion. Victoria Reis, seventh grade communications major, won an honorable mention for ﬁlm and animation. “When I found out I won, I felt really good because I was waiting for the news,” Reis said. Many students developed a love for arts and writing that motivated them to expand more skills such as Tori Maxwell, seventh grade communications major. Maxwell said, “I personally love writing because it enables you to expresses your feelings.”

The Portfolio March 2016

Arts & Academics

Eighth graders learn science at Busch Gardens trip

Drawing by Acel Suriaga

Acel Suriaga, seventh grade visual major, participated in the Scholastic Art and Writing Comeptition. She won a gold key for her artwork of “Front Entrance: Garden of Sunshine.”

Photo by Maddy Rubin

Passengers on Busch Garden’s Sheikra sit face down at a 90 degree angle before dropping 200 feet at a speed of 70 miles per hour. Other rides at Busch Gardens such as Cheetah Hunt and Kumba also dropped passengers from high heights at speeds as fast as those of Sheikra.

By Madaleine Rubin Co-Editor In Chief ighth grade science students rose early and headed to Bak before usual school hours on Feb. 12. After the bus ride, they arrived at Busch Gardens- where learning was a thrill. “Busch Gardens was so much fun,” Kora Wilson, eighth grade theater major said. “It gave students a chance to learn in a fun atmosphere instead of sitting in a classroom, bored all day.” While at the theme park, students spent the day watching the various science terms they had discussed in class. “At Busch Gardens we got the chance to experience what we are learning this year in a hands-on type of way,” Skylar

Margolin, eighth grade band major said. Originally only attended by science students of Tracy Smith, the Busch Gardens ﬁeld trip began in 1999. Smith said, “In 2004, the other eighth grade science teachers wanted to join the fun and we have been taking students as part of our science curriculum ever since.” Students were not the only ones who found combining science with an amusement park experience enjoyable. “Watching students show their ‘science nerdiness’ and being able to interact with them outside school day makes this trip so fun for me,” Smith said. Students were able to walk around the theme park with a new connection

Busch Gardens Fun Facts 1. “Cheetah Hunt” is 4,420 feet, making it the longest ride at Busch Gardens. 2. The “SheiKra” was the ﬁrst dive rollercoaster in the United States. 3. The rollercoaster “Montu” was named after an Egyptian warrior god. Information from www.buschfardenstampablog.com

between the terms “fun” and “learning.” Eighth grade communications major Brandon Lee said, “Busch Gardens taught me that science is happening around me everywhere and it never stops.”

‘Servant of Two Masters’ brings entertainment to students, experience for cast By Carlos Trivino Features Editor s the huge crowds of anticipating students hustled into the theater and settled in their seats, the talking ceased with a hush and the lights dimmed, signifying the beginning of the performance. “Servant of Two masters was a great performance to be in,” Madison Elliott eighth grade theater major said. “I loved our cast and we had so much fun even though we were stressed sometimes.” Originally from a novel, it was created in 1746 by Italian playwright Carlo Goldoni. The Servant of Two Masters was a comedy written in the Commedia dell’arte genre. This style of theater is characterized by its improvised performances and masked “types.” It began in the 16th century and was responsible for the advent of the improvised performances based on sketches or scenarios. “In the Commedia dell’arte, you can play with the words a lot,” Elliott said. “When it was originally done in the 18th century the actors just had a simple plot line to follow.”

The play which was directed by theater teacher, Richard Valentine, took about one and a half hours to perform but “around four and a half months to practice and rehearse for the play including some after school practices,” Jakob Littell, eighth grade theater major, said. “He [Mr. Valentine] thought we were strng at improv and so he chose a performance that ﬁt this the best.” Littell said. Costume design, which is the envisoning of clothing and costumes and the overall appearance of a character or performer, also played a big role in making the costume for Truffaldino, played by eighth grade theater major Preston Padgett. “His costume was made entirely from scratch and took a few months to create. In the end it had a couple hundred triangles in it.” Littell said. The play presented went on for about two weeks and although it was greatly rehearsed, the cast found a few minor mistakes which they would have liked to improve. “If we could improve on one thing

Photo by Carlos Trivino

During a scene of “The Servant of Two Masters”, Preston Padgett, playing Truffaldino, is met with the task of working for two individuals. Padgett said, “My favorite part of the play was working with the other people and learning off them and their abilities.”

it would be memorization, because in theater it is a bare minimum,” Littell said, “If you don’t have that then you don’t really have anything.” Valentine said, “One of the things I love about theater is that we do our

best to try and make performances available to all students. It’s kind of like a ﬁeld trip for everyone without having to leave the school.”

SREENIDHI NIDAMANUR

Sports Editor

Page 8

The Portfolio April 2016

Sports & Clubs

Page 8

By Sreenidhi Nidamanur Sports Editor Name: Isabella Martinez Grade: Eighth Position: Center Favorite Part of Season: “Coming back and trying to win another championship.” Status: Returning Player Uniform Number: 3

Name: Nashani Gilbert-Taylor Grade: Eighth Position: Captain Favorite Part of Season: “Being able to learn the strengths and weaknesses with this group of girls while coming together as a better and improving team.” Status: Returning Player Uniform Number: 21

Name: Lili Mueller Grade: Eighth Position: Forward Favorite Part of Season: “Being able to really play and connect with the girls. Though, we had a few losses, we pulled through in the end with mostly wins in the season.” Status: Returning Player Uniform Number: 15

Name: Raven Hunter Grade: Seventh Position: Shooting Guard Favorite Part of Season: “My favorite part was when we won our very ﬁrst home game against Jupiter on February 10, it sort of set the tone for this season.” Status: New Player Uniform Number: 4

Name: Jordan Juliano Grade: Eighth Position: Shooting Guard Favorite Part of Season: “When we beat Howell Watkins at a home game on March 8 because it was our very ﬁrst win this season and it was really exciting.” Status: New Player Uniform Number: 22

Name: Kennate Hendrix Grade: Seventh Position: Point Guard Favorite Part of Season: “The first day of practice because we never knew who was on our team until the first practice and I got to see my teammates for the first time.” Status: New Player Uniform Number: 4

Name: Jaylen Sanders Grade: Eighth Position: Captain Favorite Part of Season: “My favorite part of this season was the day we won against Howell Watkins because it’s the moment I’ve been waiting for all season.” Status: Returning Player Uniform Number: 23

Name: Jordan Haynes Grade: Seventh Position: Shooting Guard Favorite Part of Season: “My favorite part of this season was when we beat Howell Watkins on March 8 at an away game because it was our ﬁrst win of this season.” Status: New Player Uniform Number: 5

Math Counts wins first out of 69 teams in state competition

By Ervin Williams Technology Editor ome turn to videogames, social media, or Netﬂix for rest, but others ﬁnd leisure in math. Math Counts, a national organization for team and individual competitions, is for the “academically inclined and those who love math,” Melanie AyusoDeAngelis, Geometry and Algebra 1 teacher said. “When I go to a competition, not only do I feel like I am with people with the same mindset as I do, but I know I will be challenged as well,” Christopher Cox, seventh grade theater major said. Math counts provides a place to practice math in a competition-style, but also includes the importance of teamwork.

“It teaches us that to answer the questions the fastest and most accurate, we have to work with each other to get the answer,” Anthony Li, eighth grade piano major said. Functioning through four rounds, and two competition styles, Math Counts provides the environment for students to practice math. “Participants are called mathletes, and they compete in Sprints, Targets, Team, and countdown rounds,” AyusoDeAngelis said. “Four of the 10 students who participate are part of the school team, while the other six are competing individually.” Instead of watching TV, Mathletes use formulas, calculators, and compasses to solve the problems they meet.

Photo courtesy of Guest

The Bak Math Counts team wins the state on March 31. Although they won ﬁrst at state, they “hope someone will make it to nationals,” Melanie Ayuso-DeAngelis, Math Counts sponsor said.

WBAK Star-Up radio broadcasts schoolwide with new segments each week

By Sreenidhi Nidamanur Sports Editor encils moving, clock ticking, the deadline comes near as she edited the ﬁnal segment of the radio project. “I think that the WBAK radio is important because it’s an easy way to access some of the school’s most

important information,” Anamaria Navarrete, radio student said. Students can listen to the radio from the app “SoundCloud,” tune in to 1500 AM, or follow the link on the newspaper website. With projects and challenges every day, the class is deadline-driven. “Working with them always puts a

smile on my face; they always have new and interesting ideas and they work hard to put together the radio,” Shakendra Moorer, radio advisor said. “Radio not only helps me become a better communications major with public speaking, but Mrs. Moorer teaches us to grow as a person too,” Emilia Boulon, radio student said.

With so many personalities, the crew did have some challenges along the way, but they worked together to improve their segments on news, movie reviews, school events, etc. Navarrete said, “Since we’re a group of people with so many personalities, it’s great to see all those personalities come together in the segment.”

Sports & Clubs

Bak athletes share highlights of season

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Issue 5-Lyout

Bak athletes share highlights of season

The Portfolio April 2016

Math Counts wins first out of 69 teams in state competition

Photo courtesy of Guest

The Bak Math Counts team wins the state on March 31. Although they won ﬁrst at state, they “hope someone will make it to nationals,” Melanie Ayuso-DeAngelis, Math Counts sponsor said.

WBAK Star-Up radio broadcasts schoolwide with new segments each week

SREENIDHI NIDAMANUR

Sports Editor

Page 8

Sports Editor

Sports & Clubs Track wins first in multiple events this season Sylvia Ng, seventh grade communications major said, “I wanted to compete because a lot of my friends were trying out and I wanted to be able to spend time with them as well as better my running skills.” Being on a team allowed the members to grow in their individual events, as well as grow as a team. Throughout the season, runners worked to beat their times, with the difference of times for runners from teh begening of the season to the end ranging from two to 20 seconds. “The team support me by showing me that even if I’m not in the top three, I’m good enough to run and keep up with them. They make me want to run more and set a higher standard,” Hendrix said. Track not only provided an athletic beneﬁt, it also let students compete and bring home awards. “Most of the kids on the track team, if not all, are supportive. If we do badly or if we do well, it doesn’t matter, we are cheering each other on, and pushing each other to our limits,” Greenberg said. “I ﬁnd it is so much more fun when you have a helping hand, and Photo by Ervin Williams someone who inspires you to go a little Aidan Nelson, eighth grader, visual major, practices for the 100m run. bit faster or a little bit further.” His next competition will be against Duncan on Tuesday, May 17.

Geek Games inspires students to use imagination to play games By Valentina Gomez Arts and Academics editor eek Games provides a chance for students to learn how to play games, interact with their peers, and use their imagination to be creative. “The students play a lot fantasy and character-based games,” Zane Hurley, Geek Games supervisor, said. Several games that the students play in the club are Magic the Gathering, Dungeons and Dragons, Yu-Gi-Oh, Hero Clix, and Dice Masters. “Every game is taught to you or you can play whatever you want,” Zane Hurley, sixth grade communications major, said. According to quora.com, people join clubs to make friends or expand experience. “It’s a club based on being able to have friends with similar interests. The

Issue 6-Lyout

Photo by Ervin Williams

Fox Lopez, Geek Games member, plays HeroClix at the Geek Games meeting. HeroClix includes Superman mini action collectible ﬁgures and centers on the world of superheroes.

kids could play games about movies they like such as the Hobbit and they can ﬁght against other characters they are interested in like the Hulk,” Geek games supervisor, Zane Hurley, said. Ihaveaplaniowa.gov states that besides enhancing students’ time management and stress management skills, extracurricular activities can be fun and a great way to socialize with peers. “It’s helped me improve my social skills,” Thomas Ashley, sixth grade communications major, said. According to helpguide.gov, children who are playing games develop a stronger sense of creativity and inquisitiveness. Zane Hurley, Geek Games supervisor, said, “Even for games that apply probability, the kids use imagination such as using certain cards for Dungeons and Dragons.”

Boys’ volleyball 0-7 as season comes to end By Jordan Taylor Website Editor s the season came to an end, the boys’ volleyball team put in an effort with a score of 2-4. “We had a difﬁcult schedule and teams was tough because every team was stronger than us” Matthew Sallas, coach, said. Players kept their spirit up throughout the season and knew what they needed to work on as well as their strengths. “We were good at offense, but we needed to work on our defense,” Nolan Anschuetz, setter, said.

Coach Sallas believed the team was trying their best though they did not have much experience as other schools did. Schools such as Independence with a score of 17-25 first set and 19-25 the second set, Duncan with 14-25 the first set and 16-25 the second set and Jupiter with 19-25 the first set and 2325 the second set. “After we learned the basics, we worked on how to implement them into game experiences,” Sallas said. Anschuetz said, “We practiced hard and we’ve lost all of our games, but I think we are going to get better.”

Photo by Ervin Williams

Jordan Haynes, seventh grader, bumps the ball to the other side. The boys played against Duncan on Tuesday, May 3.

Opinion On the Road to the White House...

Who would you want to be next president?

44%

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By Nikita Tanguturi Business Manager With at least one ﬁrst place every meet, Bak’s track team has had success with various events throughout the course of the year. Being on the team allowed the athletes to help one another in their events. Sydney Williams, seventh grade visual major, said “I was on the team last year when I was in sixth grade and everybody would tell me how to do things, and help me, so this year I try to help the people who are new.” Throughout the year, the students improved, and as a result, placed more often. They have had multiple ﬁrst places overall, with their lowest time in 100 being 12.48, 400 being 1.00, and 800 being 2.28.9. “It’s [Track] good in muscle build up, makes you stronger, and gets your endurance up,” Kennate Hendrix, seventh grade communications major, said. They competed against other teams, as well as against each other in various events, like 400 and 100 meter runs, as well as 200, 800, 800 medley, and other events. Runners from the Bak team this year tried to get into the regional met, and into county championships.

The Portfolio May 2016

Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton

The Portfolio May 2016

LOL: Texting has no effect on grammar By Ashley Kulberg Photo Editor ver the years, some have thought of texting as the destruction of language, however recent studies have proven that this type of shorthand has no long term effect on grammar. The average teen sends over 3,300 texts every month, according to mashable.com. This number increases by a substantial amount every year, however students’ performance on spelling and grammar tests has not decreased. According to a study done by the Nufﬁeld Foundation, grammar violations through text messaging do not carry over into either written or spoken English. The IQs of those who made frequent errors whilst texting were approximately the same as those who did not. Many types of shorthand are apparent in text messages. Teenagers may use acronyms frequently in their conversations. These allow for ideas to be shared more effortlessly than they

28%

Democrat Bernie Sanders currently trails Clinton by 774 delegates. A random sampling of 18 students from all three grades both male and female were surveyed about which candidate they wanted to win the election. Hillary Clinton had the most votes with eight. Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders tied, both receiving ﬁve votes.

Ask

Graphic by Angela Yan

would be by spelling the individual words out. Some may say that texting makes teens use more slang in their everyday lives. However, according to sapub.org, slang via text or SMS can affect students positively, if they are using it for important academic messages. Acronyms such as BTW or incorrect spellings such as “w-u-d” instead of “would” in text messages does not have any affect on grammar.

Substitutes should earn rewards, appreciation for hard work

By Sreenidhi Nidamanur Sports Editor ubstitutes are often underappreciated by students, staff, and parents. At times, they are disrespected and looked down upon. Most substitutes do everything they can to help students learn and understand the lesson, but rarely get anything in return. According to southcoasttoday.com, Beatrice Melvin, substitute in New Bedford, said, “I often do not get a ‘thank you’ from the principal. I am constantly reminded that I’m nothing when I know how much of a difference I made in the lives of students and their parents.” Disrespect from students can cause low self-esteem for the substitutes as some students do not even bother to listen or take note of the information that the substitute is giving out. However, some people view respect as something deserved. “It all gets down to the climate of respect and everybody earns the respect they deserve and if they don’t deserve it, they don’t get it,” Richard Tozzie, substitute in Florida, said. Students sometimes take advantage of substitutes by being dishonest. Classroom management techniques do not factor into substitute teaching,

S Republican front-runner Donald Trump

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Dear Astra, I have lots of afterschool activities and I get a lot of homework. How can I be in a quiet environment while I’m doing my work? Sincerely, Beach Boy Dear Beach Boy, I would suggest trying to get as much homework as possible done in class and on the way to and from school so that you can minimize the amount you have to do at and after extracurricular activities. Try to get to afterschool activities early so that you can bring some work with you and start a few minutes before other people arrive or you have to begin. Hopefully this will help you balance your school work and extracurricular activties. Sincerely, Astra

Dear Astra, I am having trouble staying focused when I do my homework and I sometimes procrastinate. Do you have any suggestions? because students have the assumption Sincerely, that the substitutes are powerless UnfocusedStar against them. “I remember having four different Dear UnfocusedStar, classes that took advantage of me Try to think about all of the while the teacher was gone,” Celeste things that distract you from Colliton, substitute in Florida, said. Exceptional substitutes should be doing your homework and then recognized at the end of the year, at a try to eliminate them from your ceremony, with certiﬁcates and awards workspace. If your phone was for all the hard work and time they put distracting you, then you would in. They should be acknowledged by put it in another room so that the staff and students with a substitute you wouldn’t feel so tempted to appreciation week each year where check it every few minutes. Hope they get to know the substitutes more. this helps! Students need to be more respectful to Sincerely, substitutes and realize they are doing Astra an important job. Dear Editor, Letters to the Editors I loved your latest issue! It was Dear Editor, Dear Editor, really well put together and it I always look forward to the I LOVE reading the Portfolio <3 has events that you could really newspaper because it is so <3. I yell “Yes!” when a new one relate to. Overall, I think the whole professional! Keep up the great comes out. Keep on doing what staff did a great job putting the work. you do! newspaper together. Sincerely, Love, Sincerely, Ashlie Cubas Olivia Antonello Arnold This person needs to learn to put their name AND pseudonym on their paper.