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Cover Letter:
Dear Mrs. Gates,
When I continue on to high school, I aspire to be a part of the Muse staff. While I enjoyed my time working on a school yearbook from 2014-2016, I would like to experience something different and your magazine sounds like the perfect thing. In these 19 pages, I have included a selection of my best works along with an evaluation of my progress and growth on the Bak MSOA Masterpiece Yearbook Staff of 2015-2016. I hope that my work will show you what I am capable of doing in communications. A passionate communications major through my middle school years, I believe I possess skills that will correlate positively with creating a successful publication. I believe I am a skilled writer, a hard worker, and open to many ideas and opinions. I am sure I would be a strong asset to your staff. I realize that your school works to create an interesting publication of life through the students’ eyes. I know this will take time and dedication; I am willing to spend two of my classes working on the Muse. I hope you will consider me for a staff member once I become a tenth grader. Sincerely,
Heather Rollins Address: 17434 92nd Lane North, Loxahatchee, Florida 33470 Phone Number: (561) 333-5951 E-mail: heathernrollins15@gmail.com
Resumé:
Objective: To work with people who have similar interests to me, and further explore my interest in communications Experience: • Introduction to Journalism course: A prerequisite course to get a position on the Masterpiece Yearbook to learn AP style and journalism techniques • Electronic News Gathering: A required course for all communications majors, examining journalism on screen • Marketing: Communications elective that incorporated web design and advertising •Student Life Section Editor of the Masterpiece Yearbook 2015-2016 •Arts and Academics Editor of the Masterpiece Yearbook 2014-2015 • Fiction Editor of the Organized Chaos Magazine staff 2015 • Assistant Editor-in-Chief of the Organized Chaos Magazine staff 2016 Education: • Completed three years at Bak Middle School of the Arts • Graduation date: June 2, 2016 • Introduction to Journalism course: A prerequisite course to get a position on the Masterpiece Yearbook to learn AP style and journalism techniques • Electronic News Gathering: A required course for all communications majors, examining journalism on screen • Marketing: Communications elective that incorporated web design and advertising Activities/Awards: • Won 2 honorable mentions in the Scholastic writing contest in 2015 • Member of the Bak MSOA Green Team, a recycling club References: • Jessica Samons: yearbook advisor, (561)-882-3870
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Olivia Arnold
Cristina Lindner Christian Diaz Jenelle Pollock
Katherine Garcia
Painting ting Your Own w Pat Path th
Joshua Kenny
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Athena Choi Lemar Mcogg Lacie Michaelis
David Liu
Sara Abdo
Natalie Hamel
Raphaela Kanlil Ethan Harris Elizabeth Knott Aarthi Allady Rayne Ramlal
Aubrey Barnes
Anamaria Navarrete Kevin Ray
Keane Gosselin
Jared Glas
SUPPORT FROM THE STANDS Along with her friend Ruby Dunn (8), Emma Artero (8) cheers for the eighth grade representatives in the Reindeer Relay Race. “I was excited since we hadn’t won the last two years,” Artero said. “I wore a blue shirt and put blue paint on my face to support my grade.” The event that Artero enjoyed most at the pep rally was when the teachers had to dance. Photo by Angela Yan
Cristina Meyaart
FLYING PUFFS As seventh grade representative Brynna Hanley (8) throws Cheetos, Mary Carson, science teacher, tries to move her head to “catch” them. “In the Sticky Cheetos competition. I had to throw Cheetos at Ms. Carson’s head, which was filled with shaving cream.” Hanley said. Hanley was nervous during the competition because the crowd was yelling at her. Photo by Heather Rollins
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Christopher Watkins
Painting Your Own Path
SHOUT Kevin Ahern (8) and Hayley Alfonso (8) demonstrate their enthusiasm by cheering for their eighth grade classmates. Ahern said, “My favorite part of the pep rally was the fact that I got to hang out with my friends, while showing spirit for our grade.” Ahern’s favorite part of the pep rally was helping his grade win by cheering as loud as possible. Photo by Heather Rollins
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SHAKE IT The eighth grade participants for the Junk in the Trunk game, Charles Bevier-Burr (8) and Brian Simpkins (8) encourage their grade to cheer. “We had to shake our hips to get the ping pong balls out of the tissue box,” Bevier-Burr said. “I felt pretty good about my performance; I like to show off my talent.” The eighth graders won the Junk in the Trunk game. Photo by Heather Rollins
Student Life/Winter Pep Rally
I want to be a physical therapist because I like to help people feel better. -Noah Sams (8) vocal
I want to be a dancer because it’s the way I express myself. -Andrea Engativa (6) dance
Dreams and Careers/Student Life
I want to be a Broadway actress. It’s been my dream after I saw my first play. -Kai Koren (7) theater
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best in loud, moving environments. The innovators saw the world as a contraption, something they had to improve somehow. THE ACHIEVERS accomplished what they set out to do and set goals. When school let out, achievers rushed home to complete their homework to avoid the stress of procrastination. They were loyal to themselves, their work, and their loved ones. As perfectionists most of the time, they saw the difference between perfect and almost perfect. Their best trait was determination, as achievers found it almost impossible to leave a task incomplete. Achievers focused not on the all the faults in the world, but only on what they were able to fulfill. “Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” –Harriet Tubman by Isabella Kjaerulff, Seoyoon Yang, and Heather Rollins
Different paths lead to the same destination: The Stars
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hree students sat, poised at their desks, each holding a pencil. The first doodled a spiral on the edge of her math homework, head full of dreams and wishes. The second tapped his pencil against the desk impatiently, occasionally sketching yet another invention idea. The third sat, pencil tucked behind their ear, waiting for another opportunity. All three were similar, because each were hopeful for a bright future. THE DREAMERS lived in a world of fantasy and did not see limits to their accomplishments. In the halls, dreamers did not rush to class, but rather took their time, focusing on the detail. Dreamers saw the world through ethereal lenses, seeing what could be instead of what was. THE INNOVATORS made changes to something already established, mostly by introducing new ideas. During class, innovators shared their opinions on the latest issues to their friends. Their best trait was the ability to focus; they worked
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FIRST WE DREAM
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GRAVITY TTY Y GAME E Doing Do ng a Doin Do handstand, Stamile, hand n stan an nd d,, Jamie Jamie SSta t mile, science/ESE teacher, scie ence/ESE teac ence/ESE tea acher che er, tries es tto es o dump mp p ping balls off a tis tissue p ing pong g ba alls lss out o i sue the box. o “I liked ox like ed th he game g ga ame me because got what Ig go ot to o use se e wh wha w h ha at I teach tea ea e ach to be a be awesome!” Stamile awes e ome! e ” St Stam am mille said. sa aid. “A ““As A a science sscie cie ence ce teacher, teac tea eacher,, I kknew eac ne ne ew thatt gravity g vity gra vt force that could was a fo orce r ttha th ha h a Ic coul oulld ou d use u to to my m advantage.” noted adva v ntag va ge e.. Stamile e.” SStt mile n Stam note ed that, th hat, a by b going upside down, g goin oiin oin oi ng u up side de d e dow do own, n, tthe he e ping ping g pong balls ball bal al s wo al would ou uld ul ld l fall al o al out ou ut off the th he h e box. bo ox. Photo Heather Rollins Phot P ho h otto o o by by Hea eather ea ath ther the her he h e R Rol Ro ollins lin iin ns
I got started in Journalism in 6th grade, aspiring to join the newspaper staff. But, once I found out that yearbook was an option, I changed my mind and applied for that instead. Joining the Masterpiece Yearbook staff back in 2014 was probably the best decision that I ever made. Not only did it teach me important life skills, such as responsibility and teamwork, but it also encouraged me to try things I never did before. In order to complete my tasks, I had to operate equipment that I’d never operated before and interview people I had never met. My experiences in Journalism 1 encouraged me to continue journalistic writing throughout middle school. My experience on the staff from 2015-2016 provided me with the chance to work more with the Student Life section of the yearbook, instead of the Arts and Academics. Student Life encompassed a more creative set of spreads, in which the staff was given room to cover unique angles. One Student Life spread that I am particularly proud of is Dreams and Careers. In this spread, we had a diverse array of students holding up white boards saying what they aspired to become when they were adults. We based this design off of a modular package we found on Pinterest. Alongside, we included a brief copy, explaining three different types of people: dreamers, innovators, and achievers. I think the most valuable experience from being on the Masterpiece Yearbook staff was completing the Helping Hands spread, which was supposed to illustrate the different kinds of community service that students participated in. Each member of the spread was supposed to take time on a non-school day to take photos of Bak students doing community service hours. We soon figured out that we did not have enough time in our busy schedules to take all the photos we needed. Due to this dilemma, our group had to figure out a different method; we would ask people to send in pictures of themselves doing community service. Although the staff went through its ups and downs, making mistakes and fixing them, I would consider this year and last a success. In fact, the 2014-2015 Masterpiece Yearbook won the Pacemaker award. I got so much experience that will benefit me in my professional pursuits. We had to do our work according to deadlines and collaborate with different types of people, just like in business. I think this alone is success. 2
Self Evaluation: Reflection 1:
Of all the spreads that I worked on throughout 2014-2016, I think the spread that I am most proud of is Dreams and Careers. The purpose of the spread was to showcase some students who had their own business and/or participated in professional productions. It looked like the spread would be a disaster because there were not many students that we could find that fit in with the spread’s theme.
Thankfully, our advisor Jessica Samons came up with a plan: Instead of pictures, we would make the entire spread from modular packages. The group members and I chose some sidebars that we liked, and then I took up the task of recreating them on InDesign.
The copy was also unique; it did not include interviews, but statistics about the three types of people in the world: Dreamers, Innovators, and Achievers. I worked with two others on this copy and I personally think it was a beneficial addition to the spread. In fact, I think that this spread was one of the most creative and original in the 2015-2016 yearbook. Color Page g
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FLYING PUFFS As seventh grade representative Brynna Hanley (8) throws Cheetos, Mary Carson, science teacher, tries to move her head to “catch” them. “In the Sticky Cheetos competition. I had to throw Cheetos at Ms. Carson’s head, which was filled with shaving cream.” Hanley said. Hanley was nervous during the competition because the crowd was yelling at her. Photo by Heather Rollins
Painting Your Own Path
YES NO 55% 45% 61%
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of students brought lunch to school
HIDE AND SEEK Searching for her marketing binder, Kyra Elessar (8) shuffles through her backpack. “On odd days, I organize my backpack by putting my mathematics binders in my backpack, along with my communications composition book,” Elessar said. Odd days were Elessar’s favorite because that was when she had most of her electives. Photo by Heather Rollins
SUPPORT FROM THE STANDS Along with her friend Ruby Dunn (8), Emma Artero (8) cheers for the eighth grade representatives in the Reindeer Relay Race. “I was excited since we hadn’t won the last two years,” Artero said. “I wore a blue shirt and put blue paint on my face to support my grade.” The event that Artero enjoyed most at the pep rally was when the teachers had to dance. Photo by Angela Yan
Q: Do you decorate your ID badge?
(132 students were surveyed for all polls)
of students think they are not organized
38%
Painting Your Own Path
SHOUT Kevin Ahern (8) and Hayley Alfonso (8) demonstrate their enthusiasm by cheering for their eighth grade classmates. Ahern said, “My favorite part of the pep rally was the fact that I got to hang out with my friends, while showing spirit for our grade.” Ahern’s favorite part of the pep rally was helping his grade win by cheering as loud as possible. Photo by Heather Rollins
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SHAKE IT The eighth grade participants for the Junk in the Trunk game, Charles Bevier-Burr (8) and Brian Simpkins (8) encourage their grade to cheer. “We had to shake our hips to get the ping pong balls out of the tissue box,” Bevier-Burr said. “I felt pretty good about my performance; I like to show off my talent.” The eighth graders won the Junk in the Trunk game. Photo by Heather Rollins
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Colo or - Size 8 - 6-48980: Bak Middle M School of the Arts
he bell rang and a sea of students streamed through the school. The school was filled with a pandemonium of thundering footsteps and the constant buzz of chatter. However, many Bak students dodged the mania, or even lived comfortably in it, with the help of organization and a few helpful essentials. “I have all my odd and even classes organized in a bookshelf at home,” Benjamin Myers vocal (8) said. “There’s a place for everything and everything stays in its place.” Backpacks ranged from messenger bags to tote bags. Although stylish, many students’ backpacks are heavier than they should be to keep a student healthy. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, backpacks should weigh from 10 percent to 20 percent of a student’s weight. “I have everything in my backpack ready for each day. I have one binder, not an odd and an even binder. I have a homework tab that I put all the things I need to turn in and I have little tabs that say science, math, civics, and language arts,” Philip Schrotenboer visual arts (7) said. Students toted their lunchboxes around campus, showing off the many styles offered in stores, from plain black to
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Student Life/Middle School Scho h ol Mania M ia Man
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EGGCITED Lifting a piece of food to her mouth, Dallas Brown (8) eats lunch outside with her friends. “We get to sit outside, and I know that in [other schools] they have one lunch, but Bak has three,” Brown said, Brown liked that in middle school, it wasn’t mandatory to sit with your class. Photo by Katherine Oung
HALLWAY HAVOC Focusing his mind, Michael Pincus (7), tries to unlock his locker. “I [use my locker] every day because it gets a lot of weight off of my shoulders,” Pincus said. Pincus disliked having a bottom locker because he had to bend over to use them. Photo by Katherine Oung
chevron stripes to quilt. Since the lunch lines stretched for miles, many students preferred to bring their own meals. “Usually I have a sandwich, chicken, fruit and veggies, some chips, and a drink,” Myers said. “My mom packs it. I’ve bought lunch one or two times.” Middle school had been turbulent, but throughout the year, students utilized their many tools. From lockers to binders to keep their work and themselves in check. “Sometimes I use [my locker] when I don’t need to take my books home. When I do need to take my books home, though, I don’t put anything in my locker,” Gabriel Sun piano (6) said. “I think the best location for a locker is a location close to at least two of your classes. Also, I like bottom lockers because you don’t have to pick up books all the way up to the top.” The students burst into their classes as the tardy bell rang. They pulled out their binders and paper flew everywhere as disorganized folders were searched through. Although teachers constantly stressed the importance of organization, some students would never change. by Katherine Oung, Heather Rollins, and Isabella Kjaerulff
Students used certain essentials to survive middle school
MANIA
MIDDLE SCHOOL
Student Life/Winter Pep Rally
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Subheadline will eventually go here
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GRAVITY TTY Y GAME E Doing Do ng a Doin Do hand n stan an nd d,, JJamie amie Stamile, SSta t mile, handstand, scie ence/ESE teacher, ence/ESE teac tea acher che er, tries es to es to dump mp p science/ESE p ing pong g balls ba alls lss out of of a tis i sue ping tissue box. o “I liked ox like ed th he game game ga m because the I go got to o use se e what wha w wh ha h at I teach tea ea e ach to be a be got awes e ome! e ” Stamile SSttam am mille said. sa aid. “A ““As A a awesome!” sscie cie ence ce teacher, teac tea eacher,, I knew eac kne ne ew thatt gravity g vity gra vt science was a force fo orce r ttha th ha h a Ic coul oulld ou d use u to to my m that could adva v ntag va ge e.. Stamile e.” SStt mile noted Stam note n ed that, th hat, a by b advantage.” g goin oiin oin oi ng upside u upside de d e down, do dow own, n, the the e ping ping g pong going ball bal al s would al wo ou uld ul ld l fall al out al ou o ut off th he h e box. bo ox. balls the Phot P ho h oto ot o by by Heather Hea eather ea ath ther the her he h e Rollins R Rol Ro ollins lin iin ns Photo
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Color - Size 8 - 6-48980: Bak Middle School of the e Arts
Reflection 2:
Of all the spreads I worked on this year, I think the Middle School Mania spread could use the most improvement. Since we struggled for so long to find inspiration, we were rushed in completing the elements of the spread, resulting in awful COBs, boring photos, and mediocre copy. The sidebars, which were supposed to incorporate much more than they did, ended up being the worst item on the spread, even though we started them first thing.
The spread itself isn’t all that bad, but it was just way below our expectations. We wanted it to be as colorful and vibrant as a showstopper, encompassing the daily life of students, from navigating the halls to buying lunch. Unfortunately, we were unable to attain enough information to make the spread what we wanted it to be.
I think that if I could redo the spread, I definitely would. I would try to make the design more dynamic, with better photos and more engaging sidebars. I think I also would have tried to incorporate actual students in the sidebar, not just statistics from a poll we took. I learned from this experience and applied my new knowledge to other spreads in the future.
Reflection 3:
This first photo was featured on the Winter Pep Rally spread, of a group of 8th graders cheering during the pep rally. They are in the bleachers, watching their peers compete in the grade level games.
I think the most obvious composition element is repetition. The two subjects in the foreground are both shouting through cupped hands, almost in the same position. Another composition quality in this photo is leading lines. The bottom of the blue wall goes right to the two centers of interest. I also see the rule of thirds applied in this, but the subject on the left has his head just out of the upper left power point.
Personally, I am not all that attracted to this photo, but I will say that it is pretty decent. It is definitely not the best photo that i have ever taken, nor the best on the Winter Pep Rally spread. However, I am proud of it for the most part.
Photo Name: WPR_HEATHER01.jpg
Color Page
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Reflection 3:
This was my first photo of the 2015-2016 year to get published on a spread. This photo featured here is from the Middle School Mania spread, of a girl going through her backpack during class.
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Reflection 3:
This photo was another one from the Winter Pep Rally spread. It is showing the two eighth grade participants in the Junk in the Trunk game at the pep rally. They were cheering and dancing to encourage the eighth graders to do the same.
There is repetition in the background of the photo, with the Mac computers. This line of repeating computers is a leading line right to the center of interest. Also, i think there is a good use of depth of field, seeing as the backpack is most definitely the sharpest part of the image, followed by the girl. I also see a good balance of positive and negative space.
This photo’s strongest quality is leading lines. The blue sideline leads right to the first center of interest, and then continues to the second. The rule of thirds is applied in this photo, as well as repetition. I think this photo shows good interaction as well.
I think the depth of field is what attracts me most to this photo in particular. I kind of wish the girl in the background was not there because she distracts from the overall focus of the picture. Other than that, I believe it is a pretty good photo.
I think what attracts me most to this photo is the action. Also, since both boys are wearing blue, they sort of make themselves stand out. As they are the center of interest, I personally think this really helps the photo composition overall.
Photo Name: HEATHER01.jpg
Photo Name: WPR_HEATHER04.jpg
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Reflection 4:
Although I am quieter than most of the people on the staff, which is because I like to maintain a balance between talking and listening, I think I most definitely provided my part to the yearbook. For every spread that I was a part of, from 2014-2016, I either wrote or co-wrote the copy. Also, I had many of my photos in this year’s edition of the yearbook. I think I showed commitment by completing yearbook assignments outside of yearbook class. I completed interviews by text, and wrote copy at my computer at home when we ran out of time in class. This was an extra effort that should not have been an obligation for me to do, so I believe that my commitment to the staff was truly shown this year. Overall, I think my work is featured a good amount of times in this year’s book. Since captions do not give credit to the person who wrote them, I have some work in the yearbook that I did, but isn’t put under a name. I think this shows that I am willing to do work for the yearbook, even if no one will ever know I did it. And that, to me, is one of the most true signs of commitment.
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Reflection 5:
a) Surprisingly, I did not face too many problems being on the 2015-2016 staff. However, the Helping Hands spread was a problem. On that spread, we ran into numerous roadblocks. For instance, there was a beach clean up that we wanted to feature on that spread; however the event took place on a Saturday and all of the members on the spread lived too far away. We had to resort to having people who had done community service send us pictures of it. Only one of the four photos on the spread was taken by a staffer, which happened to be me. This limited the spread, since we could use the photos that were sent in. b) I think learning from this problem early on in the year was very valuable for dealing with other spreads. On future spreads, I made sure to make better plans with my team members so that enough photos would be taken. If these problems arose again, I would try to plan for photos on weekends with team members further in advance. Also, life lessons can be learned from this: Always plan ahead, have a plan B, and know that not everything will work out. c) I think we handled the situation the best that we could under the circumstances. However, there was a lot that we could have done better. At least, now I know for next time what to avoid if a similar dilemma should arise in the future.
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Reflection 6:
My three goals for the next semester were a) Meet all my deadlines b) Take photos with better composition c) Be more involved in my spreads
To complete my goal of meeting all deadlines, I had to manage my time a lot better. This took a lot of time and work to do in short amounts of time. I had to plan my schedule and communicate with my team more than I did before in order to meet this goal. I succeeded because I was able to meet all of my deadlines from deadlines 3 and 4. For better photos, I had to attack it in a different way. First, I had to make sure I got to know the camera better and plan my photos better. This goal was difficult because photo quality is subjective. I feel that I did succeed with this goal, since I mostly improved in all aspects of this goal. Being more involved with my spreads was more complicated than the previous two goals. To meet this goal, I needed to work harder and take on more responsibility. In the end, I ended up being able to meet this goal, since I wrote copy for all of the spreads in Deadlines 3 and 4 that I was on, and more of my photos were featured on spreads.
Reflection 7:
I have most definitely grown in this class from 2014-2016. First of all, my photos this year are so much better than anything I could have managed last year. I have always known that photos were my biggest weakness in yearbook, but I’m sure that I have improved over the course of these two years on the staff. When I look back at the photos I featured in last year’s portfolio, I can’t imagine how I ever thought they were good. As shown below, my photos have improved. Second of all, I think my writing has gotten a lot better. Many of my pieces had almost gotten editor’s choice from my advisor, only missing it due to one small mechanics error. Also, I think I really learned from experience, realizing I actually do need good quotes and specific research to make the copy sound good. Almost all of my copy this year included research, while last year’s did not. And, lastly, design has gotten easier for me. This year, I was privileged to be able to design the modular packages for the Dreams and Careers spread. I found that, due to my experience with designing my portfolio last year, designing these modular packages was quite simple. I think my design skills, writing, and photography have improved with all the practice I had from 2014-2016. The overall quality of my work has improved as well. Along with these physical skills, I believe I have also grown in selfconfidence and motivation, thanks to working on the Masterpiece Yearbook staff. 2014
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2015
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Design:
For my theme project, our group decided to work with the theme “Vantage Point” to symbolize looking at how we have changed in 20 years, since the next yearbook will be the 20th volume. I was assigned to create the endsheets for the project, and we came up with the idea of doing one of those signs found at campsites that shows where utilities and trails are. The arrows “direct” the reader where to find the sections of the yearbook, such as Student Life or Arts and Academics. Our repeating element is a mountain, so I included two mountains behind the sign. The colors that we are repeating throughout the spreads are present in the endsheets as well.
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Design:
My second design from the theme project is an arts and academics layout. I decided to make it a science spread. My layout idea was based off of a magazine layout from an HGTV magazine. I had to change the original placement of some element, however, because there were trapped captions. I also had to add a place for copy. I think this spread has a good layout because it does not have too many photos or too much text. The student quotes graphic was also taken from the magazine layout, and I decided to use it because it was different than anything we have ever done before.
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Clips-Writing: FIRST WE DREAM
LONE WOLF With eyes focused on his sheet music, Desmond Paparo (8) plays his trombone. “[I started playing because] my family likes to play instruments, and that’s something I liked to do,” Paparo said. Paparo believed that the hardest part of being a band major was performing alone. Photo by Heather Rollins
Different paths lead to the same destination: The Stars
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hree students sat, poised at their desks, each holding a pencil. The first doodled a spiral on the edge of her math homework, head full of dreams and wishes. The second tapped his pencil against the desk impatiently, occasionally sketching yet another invention idea. The third sat, pencil tucked behind their ear, waiting for another opportunity. All three were similar, because each were hopeful for a bright future. THE DREAMERS lived in a world of fantasy and did not see limits to their accomplishments. In the halls, dreamers did not rush to class, but rather took their time, focusing on the detail. Dreamers saw the world through ethereal lenses, seeing what could be instead of what was. THE INNOVATORS made changes to something already established, mostly by introducing new ideas. During class, innovators shared their opinions on the latest issues to their friends. Their best trait was the ability to focus; they worked
best in loud, moving environments. The innovators saw the world as a contraption, something they had to improve somehow. THE ACHIEVERS accomplished what they set out to do and set goals. When school let out, achievers rushed home to complete their homework to avoid the stress of procrastination. They were loyal to themselves, their work, and their loved ones. As perfectionists most of the time, they saw the difference between perfect and almost perfect. Their best trait was determination, as achievers found it almost impossible to leave a task incomplete. Achievers focused not on the all the faults in the world, but only on what they were able to fulfill. “Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” –Harriet Tubman by Isabella Kjaerulff, Seoyoon Yang, and Heather Rollins
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hear the sounds of my instrument,” Mason Lenehan (6) said. “I started playing an instrument when I was six years old because I loved the sound of instruments playing together.” Band members were expected to learn the music over a course of days and be ready to play together. Most students developed a method to manage their time. “I practice with classical band music first, then all of my jazz music, then I do all of my scales my trumpet teacher gives me,” Jonathan Tordi (6) said. Instruments were a large commitment for some, leaving very little time for other activities. Sometimes, though, playing an instrument had its bad days.
“I started playing because my friend wanted me to be in the school band at my old school. I didn’t really want to, but when I auditioned for this school, it encouraged me to play more,”Justin Delgado (8) said. Music was more than a pastime; it was a way of life. “After becoming so involved in music, I developed a passion. Now, I think I want to minor in music,” Skylar Rose Margolin (8) said. From practice to method, the moment that counted for the musicians were the concerts. Margolin said, “After working so hard on something, you want to perform your best. You don’t want all your hard work to Art A Ar Arts rs&A Ac Academics/Band cade demic m s/ ss/B //B Band d 2
Arts and Academics, Band, pages 24-25
chevron stripes to quilt. Since the lunch lines stretched for miles, many students preferred to bring their own meals. “Usually I have a sandwich, chicken, fruit and veggies, some chips, and a drink,” Myers said. “My mom packs it. I’ve bought lunch one or two times.” Middle school had been turbulent, but throughout the year, students utilized their many tools. From lockers to binders to keep their work and themselves in check. “Sometimes I use [my locker] when I don’t need to take my books home. When I do need to take my books home, though, I don’t put anything in my locker,” Gabriel Sun piano (6) said. “I think the best location for a locker is a location close to at least two of your classes. Also, I like bottom lockers because you don’t have to pick up books all the way up to the top.” The students burst into their classes as the tardy bell rang. They pulled out their binders and paper flew everywhere as disorganized folders were searched through. Although teachers constantly stressed the importance of organization, some students would never change. by Katherine Oung, Heather Rollins, and Isabella Kjaerulff
Student Life, Middle School Mania, pages 6-7
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Band students who practice together, perform together
esting his hand on his trumpet, he listened carefully as band teacher Jamie Groves explained the notes she had written on the board. He was confused, unsure of the pattern he saw, consisting of eighth notes and sixteenth notes. When Groves realized her students were baffled by the new music, she decided to explain it in a different way. As she articulated her lecture, the room filled with “Oh!” and “Now I get it!” He felt the sweat on his forehead fade as he let himself play the notes, as did the rest of his class. The music flowed throughout the room, providing a calm environment. “It makes me feel happy when I
I want to be a
Student Life, Dreams & Careers, pages 10-11
he bell rang and a sea of students streamed through the school. The school was filled with a pandemonium of thundering footsteps and the constant buzz of chatter. However, many Bak students dodged the mania, or even lived comfortably in it, with the help of organization and a few helpful essentials. “I have all my odd and even classes organized in a bookshelf at home,” Benjamin Myers vocal (8) said. “There’s a place for everything and everything stays in its place.” Backpacks ranged from messenger bags to tote bags. Although stylish, many students’ backpacks are heavier than they should be to keep a student healthy. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, backpacks should weigh from 10 percent to 20 percent of a student’s weight. “I have everything in my backpack ready for each day. I have one binder, not an odd and an even binder. I have a homework tab that I put all the things I need to turn in and I have little tabs that say science, math, civics, and language arts,” Philip Schrotenboer visual arts (7) said. Students toted their lunchboxes around campus, showing off the many styles offered in stores, from plain black to
FINDING YOUR RHYTHM
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Annual winter pep rally celebrates student success tudents shoved through the gym doors, anxious to find a seat with their friends. People stood on the bleachers dancing, hing, and screaming for their grade Some put in ear plugs to block out the erant shouting and cheering. be honest, I love the pep rally,” Isabella vocal (7) said. “I get to hang out with my s, take a break from school and work, ust relax.” de levels competed in various games, as Sticky Cheetos, where students got ow Cheetos at shaving cream on a her’s head, and Junk in the Trunk, in h teachers and students had to get as y ping pong balls as possible out of a box tied around their waist. friends signed me up for the basketball e. A week before the pep rally, I told
them that I couldn’t play basketball, but they still decided to put my name in,” Ortiz said. While the eighth graders attended their last middle school winter pep rally, sixth graders soaked in the new experience. “Since it was my first pep rally, I was surprised at how loud the whole thing was,” William Dhana visual arts (6) said. “My ears were ringing after coming out.” Eighth grade claimed victory after winning the majority of the competitions. The grade celebrated by running to the middle of the gym, jumping and hugging with their friends. Payton Hart communications (8) said, “At the end of the pep rally it was pretty emotional. It was sad and exhilarating. Sad because it was our last winter pep rally and exciting because we won.” by Heather Rollins, Seoyoon Yang, and Sophia Pregadio
Student Life, Winter Pep Rally, pages 20-21
Clips-Writing: DIJON VU Spreading condiments on yet another piece of bread, Kailee Gomez (6) and Megan Rollins (6) prepare sandwiches for the homeless. “We each have a different job. We pass around the sandwich and then add our part to it. At the end of the table, there are a few people bagging the sandwiches up,” Gomez said. If she was homeless, Gomez knew she would want people to help her out. A FRIEND IN NEED Giving Ashley Kulberg (7) tips on her newspaper portfolio, Sreenidhi Nidamanur (7) demonstrates her point on Adobe Indesign. “We have to create [a digital portfolio] after every issue analyzing our work and how we would change or improve it,” Nidamanur said. Meeting the deadlines was a challenge for Nidamanur because she left her interviewing until the last minute. Photo by Subhash Kantamneni MUSIC TO MY EARS Listening to herself play the piano, Brianna Perry (8) works her way through the notes in order to learn her piece. “I like to practice by learning the piece line by line. It helps me get accustomed to the piece so I can play it smoother. I practice slowly and it takes a long time for me to learn a piece and perfect it.” Perry said. If given the choice between performing a solo piece or a duet, Perry preferred duets because it helped her practice for her Dreyfoos audition. Photo by Lili Mueller FLYING PUFFS As seventh grade representative Brynna Hanley (8) continues to throw Cheetos, Mary Carson tries to maneuver her head to “catch” them. Hanley said, “In the pep rally, I got picked to do the Sticky Cheetos competition. In the game, I had to throw Cheetos at Ms. Carson’s head, which was filled with shaving cream.” Hanley was really nervous during the competition because the crowd was yelling at her. Photo by Heather Rollins RIRE Laughing at his teacher’s comment in French class, Marco Flavio (8) listens to the vocabulary from the unit. “I always try to participate in what my teacher is doing because I feel that if I don’t, I might miss out on what we’re learning,” Flavio said. Some of Flavio’s family members spoke French and he hoped to be able to communicate with them once he learned the language. Photo by Isabella Kjaerulff
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Clips-Photos:
Clips-Photos:
Student Life, Middle School Mania, pages 6-7
Student Life, Winter Pep Rally, pages 20-21
HIDE AND SEEK Searching for her marketing binder, Kyra Elessar (8) shuffles through her backpack. “On odd days, I organize my backpack by putting my mathematics binders in my backpack, along with my communications composition book,” Elessar said. Odd days were Elessar’s favorite because that was when she had most of her electives. Photo by Heather Rollins
SHAKE IT Participating in the Junk in the Trunk game, Charles Bevier-Burr (8) and Brian Simpkins (8) encourage their grade to cheer. “We had to shake our hips to get the ping pong balls out of the tissue box,” Bevier-Burr said. “I felt pretty good about my performance; I like to show off my talent.” The eighth graders won the Junk in the Trunk game. Photo by Heather Rollins
Student Life, Winter Pep Rally, pages 20-21
Student Life, Middle School Mania, pages 6-7
SHOUT Kevin Ahern (8) and Hayley Alfonso (8) demonstrate their enthusiasm by cheering for their eighth grade classmates. Ahern said, “My favorite part of the pep rally was the fact that I got to hang out with my friends, while showing spirit for our grade.” Ahern’s favorite part of the pep rally was helping his grade win by cheering as loud as possible. Photo by Heather Rollins
SLEEPY MONDAYS “I like pajama day because I can just roll out of bed, put on some makeup, and go to school,” Kristina Ronan (8) said. Photo by Heather Rollins LUNCH CONVERSATIONS “I like spirit week because it helps me express my pride and school spirit,” Ava Scuderi (8) said. Photo by Heather Rollins
Arts and Academics, Band, pages 24-25 LONE WOLF With eyes focused on his sheet music, Desmond Paparo (8) plays his trombone. “[I started playing because] my family likes to play instruments, and that’s something I liked to do,” Paparo said. Paparo believed that the hardest part of being a band major was performing alone. Photo by Heather Rollins
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Clips-Design: ait was the ability to focus; they worked
I want to be a physical therapist because I like to help people feel better. -Noah Sams (8) vocal
I want to be a Broadway actress. It’s been my dream after I saw my first play. -Kai Koren (7) theater
I want to be a dancer because it’s the way I express myself. -Andrea Engativa (6) dance
Student Life, Dreams & Careers, pages 10-11
Cristina Meyaart
Jared Glas
Elizabeth Knott
Rayne Ramlal
Aarthi Allady
David Liu
Lacie Michaelis
Lemar Mcogg
Katherine Garcia
Jenelle Pollock
Joshua Kenny
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Keane Gosselin
Kevin Ray
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With my newfound confidence, I am able to tear through assignments, create interesting designs, take photos that can attract viewers, and write stellar copy with success. I feel stronger and self-confident in my creations. This year on the staff has affected me forever, now and for the rest of my life. I thank everyone who has helped me through these days and weeks of deadlines, stress, and photos.
Anamaria Navarrete
Ethan Harris
Raphaela Kanlil
Natalie Hamel
Aubrey Barnes
Sara Abdo
Athena Choi
Christian Diaz
Cristina Lindner
Olivia Arnold
This portfolio contains something so small, compared to the great world of opportunities the world could provide me. But it is a precious treasure; this work is a symbol of my growth throughout the year. Nothing could be more valuable than my writing and work to me, not even money or gold. I will treasure my work forever, as I will the lessons and memories I experienced on the Masterpiece Yearbook staff. My two years on the staff was such an insight to my future. Not only did I experiment my talents, operate as a company would, and learn discipline, I also was able to discover my strengths and weaknesses of working with others in a strict time frame. The many lessons I learned will certainly help me through my first job to my last. I will always look back to the people that helped me and the stress I managed.
Dreams and Careers/Student Life
Christopher Watkins
Closing Letter:
Painting ting Your Own w Pat Path th
It’s amazing how a single year could make such a change to one’s life. I could never be where I am now without this course. As a staff, we felt anxiety, stress, and, of course, success when our final product was delivered. Our creation was admired by almost all of the teachers and students at our school, which lead to a synchronized confidence of all the staff together. And, here, I’ve gathered all the pieces I’m proud of. Here I display my best photos and my favorite spreads. Here is my contribution to the Yearbook staff. This is my portfolio.
Student Life, Dreams & Careers, pages 10-11
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