Nikita Tanguturi Portfolio 2016 by Jessica Samons

NIKITA TANGUTURI PORTFOLIO 2016 NEWSPAPER

137 Preserve Drive, Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411 | 561-7075871 | nikitanguturi@gmail.com Blanch Law Firm- Mohamed Ali 261 Madison Ave Floor 6 New York, USA 10016 Dear Mr. Ali: I started in the Communications field in 2014, and I am both a journalist and a debater. Being in speech and debate has helped me prepare for a career in law, and I want to first gain a little bit of experience. I am very energetic, and law has been my choice in career since I started preparing for Bak in third grade. Through an internship at The Blanch Law Firm, I feel that I could pursue my dreams in criminal law. I will be a positive asset to the firm because I have had some experience in the field of law not only through debate but also through journalism. I am the business manager of the Bak Portfolio newspaper. This gives me a background in financing, as I am learning how to improve my organizational and people skills. I am a good candidate for your internship, and I hope you will consider me as you select an intern. I will be a great positive asset as I am energetic, creative and have some background. Thank you for this great opportunity! Sincerely, Nikita Tanguturi

Overview · I started at Bak as a communications major in 6th grade, during the 2014-2015 school year, and I found my passion to be speech and debate. This year I am the 2015-2016 Portfolio Business Manager, and this year will be my second year debating. I choose communications · Last year, I was part of the Bak Speech and Debate team, and I am a member of the National Forensics League. I got to participate in the 2015 National Tournament at Dallas, Texas. My main events are Public Forum or Lincoln Douglas. My debate background helps me be more open-minded and allows me to learn how to handle under stress. · I am a pianist, and have been playing since I was 6, alongside my younger brother. I was named as PBIA’s senior talent show winner for 2015, and have opened for artists Jeffrey Iqbal and Jomy George. I also am currently taking level 5 piano exams. · I play multiple sports, I have been playing soccer since kindergarten for the Royal Palm Beach Strikers. I was part of the Wellington Dynamo swim team for a few years, · Education FCAT SCORES | AS OF 2015 | H. L. JOHNSON ELEMENTARY · 4th grade-Math: 4 Reading: 4 Writing: 5 · 5th grade- Math: 5 Reading: 5 Science: 5 · I went to H. L. Johnson for 6 years, from pre-k through 5th grade. Based on my FCAT scores during fifth grade I was invited to Duke Tip at the beginning of the 2015-2016 school year. I made it to the state ceremony this year for 7th grade. Fsa/EOC scores | as of 2015 | Bak middle school of the arts · 6th grade- Math: 99 percent Reading: 98 percent · I am a communications major, part of the speech and debate team, student government, and newspaper. I am in all gifted class, and in 7th grade, I am taking Algebra 1 honors. I have maintained A/B honor roll all my years here so far, and never anything less than a three in conduct. · Skills & Abilities Sales · This year, I have had 2 businesses that have shown interest in the Portfolio Newspaper, and one ad sale to a concert pianist. Also I am the business manager of the newspaper, and my job is closely related with financing as the Business Manager. Communication · I am a debater, and I got to go to Dallas, Texas last year to the National Tournament. Debate is truly my biggest passion, and the experience I get helps me communicate more efficiently. Leadership · I have had experience with leadership through student government. I managed my own campaign, which is helped me learn to stay organized and independent. · Experience Business manager | portfolio newspaper | 2015-2016 school year · I am in charge of contacting ad donors, placing ads, and handling records. I am also page editor for news page 4. I am still learning, but I have made a lot of progress and I hope that by the end of the year that I can make a positive difference on the staff with my layout designs, and my photos. I strive to make sure that I am always on deadline, and to help all of the other staffers if they need it. I want to gain more knowledge in Adobe Indesign, and bring a lot of energy to the staff.

The Portfolio October 2015

News

New school year brings new assistant principal, changes By Anushka Lakum Entertainment Editor fter the departure of Assistant Principal Amie Souder, Misty Connelly, teacher from Jupiter Middle, became the new assistant principal. Souder was promoted to principal at Everglades Elementary. “My goal is to be as supportive to students and teachers as I can be and continue the excellence that I have seen so far,” Connelly said. She was a speech and debate teacher for 12 years and thinks that it is a different experience from being an assistant principal. “I loved it because I learned something new every year along with my kids, and every year I got a new set of kids with talents and challenges,” Connelly said. Coming from another middle school where arts was not the drive of the program, Connelly was adjusting to a middle school where freedom of expression was evident. “Sometimes I feel like it’s perfect, because it feels like my personality, but sometimes it’s a challenge, because I’m coming from a school with a lot more

structure [than Bak],” she said. And it is the arts that appeal to Connelly. “What I like most are the students and their talents, and every time I visit a class I want to stay and take the class.” Connelly said. She appreciated that staff and students had been very friendly to her. “I love the diversity and I also feel like everyone has made me feel comfortable, and the students go out of their way to make me feel welcome.” she said. Though Connelly liked all the majors, she has one major she could relate to the most. “Communications because I taught debate for 12 years, and I think that debate offers a little bit of all the majors,” she said. Something that Connelly was looking forward to at Bak were all the student projects. “I am most excited to see the students’ products. Their broadcasts, artwork, productions, and performances,” she said. Even though it was the beginning of

Photo by Nikita Tanguturi

New Asst. Principal Misty Connelly talks to strings major Elizabeth Fenner as they discuss new changes at Bak. “I like that I am more mobile. I also like how I can get to know all the students,” she said.

a new year and a new school, she was looking forward to being a part of the Bak family. Connelly said, “I hope that I am a

support and I help the school grow, and I want to be part of the fabric that’s already here and maybe add a new color.

Hurricane Katrina: Life 10 years after the disaster

in Florida because it did curve up into the Gulf,” Lisa Hanser, seventh grade civics teacher, said. “We were all lucky [in Florida] but it was truly horrible watching the effect it had on other states.” At its peak velocity hurricane Katrina reached wind speeds of almost 175

mph as a category five storm. It had a span of over 400 miles across and while the actual hurricane itself did not cause the most devastation, its aftermath did. During this time, thousands of people around the gulf coast of the United States, mainly in Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana, were displaced from their homes. Levees overflowed due to the heavy rains causing massive flooding in these areas. Experts estimated the damages surpassing $100 billion, making hurricane Katrina the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history. The total death toll of the major hurricane was approximately 1,833 casualties. While the storm brought loss and grief from New Orleans to Mobile, Alabama, there were somber ceremonies marking the day 10 years ago when Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast. “We had a million structures that were damaged, 250,000 homes were destroyed [and] 1,800 people were taken away from us,” Mayor of New Orleans, Mitch Landrieu said in an interview with ABC news. “It was a big, big, massive deal that spanned the entire city. Everybody lost everything.”

major said. The school district invested $50 thousand when they hired a thirdparty attorney, Eugene Pettis, former President of the Florida Bar, to investigate the transportation problems. Avossa authorized hiring Pettis “to come in and investigate how this happened, who is responsible, and what we need to do to ensure that we are not dealing with these issues in the future.”

Avossa called the transportation issues a “perfect storm” of errors with lack of bus drivers and computer glitches happening at the same time. The district had been hiring 10 new bus drivers each week to compensate for their errors. “Our drivers have stepped up,” Avossa said in an interview with School Bus Fleet. “They have delivered the kids to the best of their ability. Now it is time for the district to do what’s right for them.”

Anne Warren of Gulfport, Miss., right, prays with April Moore of Gulfport after the 10 Years, 10,000 reasons Hurricane Katrina remembrance service at Barksdale Pavillion in Jones Park in Gulfport on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2015. Moore, who said she lost everything in Katrina, was overcome by memories of the storm. (John Fizhugh/Biloxi Sun Herald/ TNS)

By Carlos Trivino Features Editor en years ago, rain relentlessly pummeled rooftops in the worst storm of the 21st century, Hurricane Katrina. Aug. 29 marked the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. “I don’t think it was all that bad here

Transportation Problems Continued from page 1

By Angela Yan News Editor n the ﬁrst day of school, some buses arrived at Bak so late that zero hour was extended to let students on the late buses receive their schedules. “I called [my parents] at 8:40 one time and said, ‘I’m at school,’ and they said, ‘Really? This late?’” Jean Luis Montesinos, seventh grade visual

ISSUE ONE

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Entertainment

The Portfolio October 2015

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‘Maze Runner’ sequel meets expectations 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 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.

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.

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.

On this page, I worked on the poll and wrote the copy. I also got the graphic. Anushka Lakum and I worked together to extend the article and create the graphics for the sidebar.

Page 4

The Portfolio October 2015

News

Page 3

Photo by Nikita Tanguturi

support and I help the school grow, and I want to be part of the fabric that’s already here and maybe add a new color.

Transportation Problems Continued from page 1

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chandeliers and rugs. Although these things are pleasant to the eye, they do not serve much use. However, organizational materials like shelves and whiteboards are helpful tools to keep students school supplies in order. Small magnetic containers can store all types of needed materials such as highlighters, pencils, and paperclips. A whiteboard can be used to jot down reminders or important test dates. It is recommended to clean out any garbage or stray papers out of the locker every week to keep it clean. According to debate.org, 81 percent of people wanted lockers and only 19 percent did not want them. Students need a place where they could store their school supplies and have an opportunity to make friends with the person next to them in the hall. School lockers also prevent back injuries from carrying around unnecessary textbooks and binders all day.

By Nikita Tanguturi Business Manager s she fixes her hair in the bathroom, she adjusts her camera and flicks the switch

from on to off. But is this future really necessary? Does the student body need to be monitored at all times? According to Florida State Statue 90.507, “A person has a privilege against

On this page, the ad for Learning Express I placed, and the photo for the Connelly profile I took.

Shelby County Sherrif’s Department SRO Joseph Fox wears a personal body camera while on duty on Oct. 15, 2014, at Southwind High School in Memphis, Tenn. (Stan Carol/The Commercial Appeal/TNS)

Ask Astra

CLIPS-ISSUE 1

By Jordan Taylor Website Editor hen the bell rang for the next period, students scurried to the lockers to get their books for their next class. Decked out in shelves, mini whiteboards, and even chandeliers, students organized and decorated their lockers. In middle school, students carried books and binders that weighed a ton. Having a locker could eliminate this problem by keeping some of the materials not needed in a locker. According to instructables.com, it is recommended to take three trips to the locker daily. Put the materials for student’s odd classes away before school, then switch out the even class supplies for the odd classes in the afternoon. On that same trip, take home the materials needed for homework that night. Most students decorate their lockers with pretty weird things, such as

Photo by Jordan Taylor

Opening her locker, Valentina Gomez, seventh grade communications major reaches for her civics book. Lockers were useful to store school supplies and limit backpack weight.

Student body cameras cause controversy

Hurricane Katrina: Life 10 years after the disaster

Opinion

Benefits of using lockers for students

a new year and a new school, she was looking forward to being a part of the Bak family. Connelly said, “I hope that I am a

The Portfolio October 2015

Dear Astra, What advice do you have for sixth graders who are trying to get used to the even and odd day schedule? Do you have any suggestions? Sincerely, Happy Feet

Dear Happy Feet, I would suggest making separate binders for even and odd days. It helps to keep these binders organized as well. However, you do not want to forget your binder or bring the wrong one, so make sure to mark which binder is which! I would also suggest packing your backpack at night before the next morning of school. If this does not work, try separating your binder into two sections: Even and Odd days. Make sections within the two for each of your classes, and try your best not to mix work from the days together. Sincerely, Astra Dear Astra, It’s my second year at Bak and I’m trying to keep my locker cleaner than last year. Do you have any tips? Sincerely, Soccergirl02

the disclosure of a confidential matter or communication.” Therefore, when a student hasn’t done anything wrong, then Florida Law says that they have a right to privacy. It is also unethical, to treat a student like a cop. Seventh grader Salma Kiuhan said, “I think that with all the violence in the media, it’s necessary to have body cameras on police so we know the truth on how they are treating people.” Any staff/administrator can ask or take measures to prevent things like bullying that aren’t as harsh, like the bully box. Also, the logic behind the idea is flawed. At just Bak this year, there are around 1350 students overall. To put something like this in action, it would have to be put in affect all through Palm Beach County, which is the thirteenth-largest public school district in the United States, and the fifth-largest school district in Florida. The price for a police camera along

with all the maintenance supplies is about $100. If this were to go in effect at Bak, it would cost roughly $135,000, and to get that kind of money,parents would have to pay, and some of the students don’t have that much financial support. Another way to get a district grant, which should be given to schools that need it for something important that affects students’ learning. And the last way would be to raise taxes, but you would have to raise them by a significant amount, as we would have to put it into effect district-wide. With the use of student body cameras, students, taxpayers, staff, and the district overall will be affected negatively. If it is truly necessary, then a student could have to wear one as a punishment, or if a crime were to happen on campus, they could be placed around the school, which leaves less tape to pull, and less cameras, which is a more efficient alternative.

Dear Soccergirl02, I would suggest buying some shelves to put inside of your locker. They might help you to keep things a little more organized when you stop by. Also, know that you have time in between your classes to stop at your locker. When you do go to your locker, try to put things in and take things out neatly, and keep everything in the same spot. Sincerely, Astra

Dear Mr. Heavy Homework, If you make separate binders for even and odd days, you can be organized and have a lighter load! The binders will separate the weight between days so that you do not have to carry it all at once. Try to move your locker to a more convenient spot so that it is easily accessible to you between classes. Sincerely, Astra

Dear Astra, I’m in a bunch of heavy homework classes and I have a lot of weight on my back on the way home. I also don’t have a lot of time to make it to my locker in between classes. Do you have any tips on lightening my load? Sincerely, Mr. Heavy Homework

Need advice? Ask Astra! You can submit your questions for Astra to Ms. Samons in room 4-158, located in the communications wing. Astra cannot take anonymous letters, but pseudonyms are accepted. If operating under a pseudonym, make sure to put your real name in the top right corner of your paper. All questions are accepted!

On this page, i wrote the article and headline, but the photo was a MCT photo that Ms. Samons found.

Entertainment

The Portfolio October 2015

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Page 3

By Nikita Tanguturi Business Manager s she fixes her hair in the bathroom, she adjusts her camera and flicks the switch

from on to off. But is this future really necessary? Does the student body need to be monitored at all times? According to Florida State Statue 90.507, “A person has a privilege against

By Nikita Tanguturi Business Manager

Shelby County Sherrif’s Department SRO Joseph Fox wears a personal body camera while on duty on Oct. 15, 2014, at Southwind High School in Memphis, Tenn. (Stan Carol/The Commercial Appeal/TNS)

Ask Astra

CLIPS-ISSUE 1

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.

CLIPS-ISSUE 1

Photo by Jordan Taylor

Opening her locker, Valentina Gomez, seventh grade communications major reaches for her civics book. Lockers were useful to store school supplies and limit backpack weight.

Student body cameras cause controversy

Hated it

On this page, I worked on the poll and wrote the copy. I also got the graphic. Anushka Lakum and I worked together to extend the article and create the graphics for the sidebar.

Opinion

Benefits of using lockers for students

Video Music Awards: Students’opinions

Loved it

The Portfolio October 2015

Dear Astra, What advice do you have for sixth graders who are trying to get used to the even and odd day schedule? Do you have any suggestions? Sincerely, Happy Feet

On this page, i wrote the article and headline, but the photo was a MCT photo that Ms. Samons found.

The Check out page 6 for a review on Palm Beach County’s best smoothies.

cial Spe ge a p 16 ion! edit

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October 2015 * Volume 18 * Issue 1 * Bak Middle School of the Arts * 1725 Echo Lake Drive * West Palm Beach, Florida 33407

‘Janitors’ author Tyler Whitesides visits Bak Whitesides: ‘When I see you guys.... it motivates me to write even more.’

Photo by Jessica Samons

Tyler Whitesides shows three sixth graders how to battle Rubbish, Filths and Grimes, the creatures responsible for causing chaos in his debut series, “Janitors”. Using a mere dustpan, the students learned how to protect their school and become “apprentice janitors.”

By Nikita Tanguturi Business Manager ith all the students cheering like a celebrity had just walked in the theater,

bestselling series Janitor’s author Tyler Whitesides started off the 2015/2016 school year with a performance for all the sixth graders. “It was quite interesting,” Angela

Philstein, sixth grade dance major, said, “I love how he incorporated [his band] Jammin’ Janitors with his presentation” A janitor himself, Whitesides graduated from Utah State University

with a degree in music, but started writing the Janitors series using a little of both experience and creativity. “I started writing about ﬁve years ago, and whenever I see you guys [students] really excited, it motivates me to write even more,” Whitesides said. He performed a poetry interpretation of Shel Silversteins Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Would Not Take the Garbage Out. Using some of TV’s favorite voices, like Yoda, Darth Vader, Jack Sparrow, Gollum, and of course, Kermit, Whitesides aimed to please both students and teachers. “I really liked the trash can drums. The kids really enjoyed it, and I liked how he incorporated music, as we are a school of the arts,” Lourdes Alonso, sixth grade language arts teacher said. “I also love Shel Silverstein’s poetry.” Whitesides paired his novel Janitors with a special performance of some of his musical work. He was part of a band known as “The Jammin’ Janitors,” who used ordinary things like trash cans, into drums and empty cans into cymbals. The Janitors series concluded with “Heroes of the Dustbin”, making it a ﬁve book series. At the end of the show, Whitesides had a few words of wisdom to all the parting students. “Remember,” Whitesides said, “ordinary can be extraordinary.”

School district officials address transportation problems By Angela Yan News Editor tarting on Aug. 17, the ﬁrst day of school for Palm Beach County students, issues involving school bus routes and late buses occurred district-wide. This incident lasted for the entire ﬁrst month and a half of school. “It is not uncommon to have some

complications at the beginning of the school year, but the level of problems we have had with transportation is unacceptable,” Robert Avossa, new superintendent of the Palm Beach County School District said in an interview with School Bus Fleet. The school district implemented a new routing system before the 201516 school year, which left little time for

bus drivers to practice their routes. “I will not tolerate this type of rollout in any way, shape or form,” Avossa said in an interview with Sun Sentinel. “We oversimplified, we over-promised, and we under-delivered.” According to the Office of Communications, buses delivered 60 percent of students on time on the first day of school. By Sept. 18, the number

rose to 8 percent of students delivered on time. “It’s a typical thing for the ﬁrst week or two,” Cynthia Chiapetta, principal of Eagles Landing Middle School, said in an interview with Sun Sentinel. On the ﬁrst day of school, some buses arrived at Bak so late that zero

Transportation Problems Continued on page 4

By Luke Stone Co-Editor-In-Chief fter a long search of more than two months, the Palm Beach County School Board selected Dr. Robert Avossa to be the new superintendent of the Palm Beach County School District. “Dr. Avossa has a very strong track record of improving a large school district in Fulton County, Georgia. During his tenure as superintendent, graduation rates rose and drop-out rates fell,” Michael Murgio, Palm Beach

CLIPS-ISSUE 1

County School Board member said. According to Avossa’s application, during his time as superintendent in Fulton County, the graduation rate rose from 70.1 percent to 78.7 percent and the dropout rate decreased from 24.3 percent to 11.9 percent. “We believe that Dr. Avossa has the knowledge, skills, and personal qualities that will take our district from being the top urban school district in Florida to one of the top school districts in the Nation,” Murgio said. Avossa was selected from a ﬁeld of

hundreds of candidates for the job in July of this year. “[I took the job because] I have dedicated my entire career to public education and it is my passion. I am truly a teacher at heart. As superintendent of Palm Beach County, I can continue that mission and be close to my parents and family who live in Central Florida,” Avossa said. One of Avossa’s goals as he continues as superintendent was to give all students the chance to do well in life. “I believe it is the responsibility of

every employee at every level to ensure all students graduate from our district,” Avossa said. Murgio said that the way Avossa responded during his interviews for the position set him apart from the other candidates. Murgio said, “During the public interview process, he [Avossa] was able to clearly and succinctly answer questions posed to him. By comparison, all of the other candidates’ answers were acceptable, but Dr. Avossa’s were brilliant.”

On this page, i wrote the Whitesides copy and the caption for the photo.

CLIPS-ISSUE 1

Palm Beach County selects Robert Avossa superintendent after extended two month search

I took a few photos this issue, including dissections (top left), visual showcase (left side) and Connelly (bottom left). The picture on the cover was also mine, a sculpure form the visual showcase.

News

School safety becomes growing concern

By Ervin Williams Technology Editor sore spot in American history, school safety has become a concern in education. From the Columbine Massacre to the recent Oregon college shooting, schools have made safety a priority with the addition of school resource officers (SROs). SROs are present to protect students and teachers. “If there was a shooter on campus, and [the police officer] was shot, then we would be defenseless, with no weapons to protect ourselves,” Cyi Baptiste, eighth grade dance major said. Although the number of school shootings have gone up, on average 156 more incidents occurred nationally since 2013, according to everytownresearch.org. Government officials debate if gun control laws can effectively lower the statistics. “Gun control only affects the people

Marine Lab Trip Continued from page 1

By Nikita Tanguturi Business Manager oon jellyfish can range in diameter anywhere from two to 15 inches, though the ones that the students saw were “football size.” “Well at the beginning I was a little scared because we saw a lot of jellyfish

who follow the law,” Oliver Fritsche, eighth grade strings major said. “There is no way for the government to take away their guns if they do not follow the law.” One of the ways schools are required to prepare for a shooter on campus is with code red drills, which are required, by policy 2.381, to be conducted once each semester. “It has been more than nine weeks, and we still have not had a code red drill,” Charlotte Ostrov, eighth grade theater major said. However, the first code yellow and code red was conducted on Oct. 30. Location of a school can also play a factor into safety. Rosanski said, “Bak has good school safety measures. We have a police officer on duty at all times, and we secure our classrooms to protect all students. I think that we do our fire drills, code yellow and reds very well.”

but then I got used to them and we just swam around them,” Nolan Anschuetz, seventh grade communications major said. Other species that students saw were barracudas, a sea turtle, plenty of angelfish, and even a king lobster. Students also learned how to identify corals such as the mermaid’s teacup, and merman’s shaving brush, two of the more ample species. They used these skills in the water when they

Two Cary police officers, including Officer Anthony Tangorra, at right, carry blank weapons as they participate in an active shooter exercise with police, emergency workers, teachers and administrators Saturday, Sept. 12, 2015 at Oak Knoll school in Cary, Ill. (Anthony Souffle/Chicago Tribune/TNS)

went out snorkeling, trying to identify as many species as possible. “It helps them learn a lot more about the world of ecosystems and the beauty of the world around us,” Hurley said. “The simple pleasure of having sharks swim by is just really cool. This year, a few students were even able to swim with a sea turtle.” Overall, the trip helped promote not only a sense of adventure while learning, but also a duty towards

improving the environment. William Anderson, seventh grade theatre major said, “It makes you want to protect our oceans more for all the wonderful corals and beautiful ecosystems.” As the snorkeling session came to a close, the two girls snapped a few more pictures and headed back to the boat, eager to hear all the stories of their classmates as they headed back to the labaratory.

Dutch Safety Board finds possible evidence to explain MH17 crash By Angela Yan News Editor n July 17, 2014, a confirmed Russian-made BUK surfaceto-air missile shot down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over eastern Ukraine, killing all 283 passengers and 15 crew members. “The eyes of the world are on eastern Ukraine, and we are going to make sure that the truth is out,” President Barack Obama said in a White House statement on July 18, 2014, the day after the crash. According to USA Today, flight MH17 left Schiphol Amsterdam Airport in the Netherlands at 12:15 p.m. on July 17, 2014. MH17 was supposed to arrive at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia at 6:10 a.m. on July 18, the following day. “The impact was entirely unexpected,” the Joint Investigation Team, a group of officials investigating the MH17 crash, wrote in a report analyzing the incident, according to The Star Online, “which means that people were barely able to comprehend the situation in

Dora Bak

Continued from page 1

By Carlos Trivino Features Editor t was great [when the money was donated], although her husband has died and she was left with no kids,” Lisa Hanser, seventh grade civics

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about who was involved in the crash which they found themselves.” Days after the crash, Obama blamed of MH17,” the Joint Investigation Russia for providing sophisticated Team said in a statement to the Dutch equipment and training to pro-Russian Safety Board. According to BBC News, Russia separatists, allowing the accused separatists to shoot down the plane. and Ukrainian government forces According to Toronto Star, there has blamed each other for shooting down the plane, with been no confirmation both sides denying on whether Obama’s responsibility. accusations were Without what “The rebels are true. Obama said in happened there, the not shooting, that is done by the various a White House might never military groups statement, “This plane fighting on the should snap have been downed.” side of Ukraine’s everybody’s heads to official authorities,” attention.” Vladimir Putin, According to president of Russia, The Guardian, on said to Najib Razak, Malaysian prime one Dutch recovery mission to the crash site, authorities found Russian minister. The Dutch Safety Board expected BUK missile fragments and traces of paint on the bodies of victims. to release a full report on the criminal This development marked the first investigation into the MH17 crash at time investigators confirmed physical the end of 2015. evidence about the incident. Jordan Withers, law graduate who “The parts are of particular interest lost an uncle in the MH17 crash, said to the criminal investigation as they in an interview with BBC News. “But can possibly provide more information we are still waiting for a resolution.”

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teacher said. “The lawyer that was representing her at the time had kids that attended the school.” The Trust’s official website states that their goals include helping to make donors’ charitable dreams come true by funding the nonprofits needed. Founded in 1924, it is one of the oldest and largest community foundations in

the country. Dora Bak passed away on Dec. 13, 2002 at the age of 88. Although she did not have any children, her name still lives on. William McEachern, her attorney, said according to www.findagrave.com. “She was passionate about music and passionate about art.”

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Check out page 10 to find out more about the eighth grade Washington D.C. trip!

We now have our own website! Check us out at http://portfolionews.org

News.................................1 & 4 Editorial.....................................2 Opinion......................................3 Entertainment..........................5 Features.............................6 & 7 Sports and Clubs....................8 Arts & Academics.................10 Technology.......................11 Student Life ............................12

Portfolio

http://Portfolionews.org

December 2015 * Volume 19 * Issue 2 * Bak Middle School of the Arts * 1725 Echo Lake Drive * West Palm Beach, Florida 33407

Visual department hosts annual Fall Thriller, frightens students

In memory of Dora Bak: 13 years later By Carlos Trivino Features Editor t has been 13 years since Dora Bak’s passing, whom the school now bears the name in her husbands’ honor. Dora Bak was born on Aug. 14, 1914 in Germany. She developed a love for music and the arts, growing up in a home where her father was a violinist for the town orchestra. Bak also liked to paint, specifically in the impressionist style until she lost her eyesight. “Dora had a request put in for a donation of $1 million,” Lisa Hanser, seventh grade civics teacher said. “The only condition was that the school be renamed in her husband’s honor and a plaque be dedicated to them. When we agreed she added an extra half a million to the donation.” The Foundation website states, “Dora Bak’s gift and the passing of the half cent referendum in 2004 provided funds to complete Bak’s new campus. The completion of Bak’s auditorium cost upwards of $5.8 million. Students moved onto the new campus January 9, 2006.” Born in 1884 in Austria, Richard Bak, Dora’s husband, was a renowned European economist who specialized in international markets, finance and economics. He founded the Emile and Zerline Hahnloser-Richard Bak Fund, Inc. in New York, which supported medical research and the arts. He died on Oct. 25, 1973 in Paris.

Photo by Madaleine Rubin

Smiling broadly, eighth grade communication majors Anamaria Navarrete and Amanda Vanner admire each others’ makeup. Eighth grade visual arts majors helped construct the infamous haunted house.

By Valentina Gomez Arts and Academics Editor ak MSOA’s annual Fall Thriller was held on Oct. 23, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The event included games in the gymnasium, music and lights in the courtyard and a haunted house, courtesy of the visual arts department. “The haunted house was filled with people pretending to be mummies and things that popped out at you. It also had strobe lights which made it very scary,” Shweta Pandit, seventh grade vocal major, said. The event hosted activities and games

in the gymnasium which rewarded candy, a DJ who played music in the courtyard where students could dance, and a two-storied haunted house in the eighth grade building. Ever since the first Fall Thriller 15 years ago, the visual department had been making the dance as eventful as they could. “We try to outdo ourselves, trying to keep making it better. We worked on lighting, music, DJ, and, this year, we made the haunted house two stories,” Glen Barefoot visual arts teacher said. The theme for the haunted house this year was zombies, showing off

Halloween make up and causing frights. Many students participated in the Fall Thriller games such as the Fortune Teller booth which allowed fortune tellers to determine students’ future through palm readings, glitter or a key. “I liked the Fortune Teller because while I was in line, I didn’t know what to expect. When I walked inside the booth, I got to learn more about myself,” Ava Marano, seventh grade communications major said. Students joined their friends in the courtyard, dancing underneath the neon lights as the DJ played modern music to the kids.

By Nikita Tanguturi Business Manager hree, two, one. The two girls held hands as they dived off the side off the boat into the awaiting reef below. Once they got in, the sight under water took their breath away. The annual seventh grade Marine Lab trip was fun for both students and chaperones. “Snorkeling in the keys is one of my favorite things to experience,” Zane Hurley, sixth grade science teacher said, “and sharing it with kids who never done it before is really cool.”

As they explored the open ocean of the Florida Keys, the students were able to see tons of different flora and fauna. “I really like seeing the different animals and species of fish, it was really cool,” Emma Troast, seventh grade visual major said. “They [also] have a lot of jellyfish but I try to avoid them.” One of the more popular species in the water was the Aurelia Aurita, Photo courtesy of msoafoundation.org Dora Bak was born in 1914 in otherwise known as a moon jellyfish.

Dora Bak

Continued on page 4

Seventh graders embark on Marine Lab trip

Photo by Guest/William Anderson

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The Portfolio December 2015

ISSUE TWO

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The

Students were able to see a variety of marine creatures, including a green turtle. Students saw how the ecosystem bounced back from a disease called white pox, which was caused in the coral by a human pathogen.

Marine Lab Trip Continued on page 4

Breslau, now Wrocław, a city in Poland. In the 1930’s she moved from Europe to New York.

For this layout, I wrote the headline and the Marine Lab article. The picture was not mine, it was taken by a guest (William Anderson).

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The Portfolio December 2015

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News

Marine Lab Trip Continued from page 1

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

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 and I never intend to stop.” The next opponent is against Howell Watkins on Nov. 17 and again Dec. 8.

By Nikita Tanguturi Business Manager

Dora Bak

Continued from page 1

By Carlos Trivino Features Editor t was great [when the money was donated], although her husband has died and she was left with no kids,” Lisa Hanser, seventh grade civics

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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

This was my page, and I wrote the article for the 7th grade Marine Lab trip (it was jumped from page 1). The screen was a photo of a barracuda that was taken by another student at the reef. page 4.indd 1

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about who was involved in the crash which they found themselves.” Days after the crash, Obama blamed of MH17,” the Joint Investigation Russia for providing sophisticated Team said in a statement to the Dutch equipment and training to pro-Russian Safety Board. According to BBC News, Russia separatists, allowing the accused separatists to shoot down the plane. and Ukrainian government forces According to Toronto Star, there has blamed each other for shooting down the plane, with been no confirmation both sides denying on whether Obama’s responsibility. accusations were Without what “The rebels are true. Obama said in happened there, the not shooting, that is done by the various a White House groups might never military statement, “This plane fighting on the should snap have been downed.” side of Ukraine’s everybody’s heads to official authorities,” attention.” Vladimir Putin, According to president of Russia, The Guardian, on one Dutch recovery mission to the said to Najib Razak, Malaysian prime crash site, authorities found Russian minister. The Dutch Safety Board expected BUK missile fragments and traces of paint on the bodies of victims. to release a full report on the criminal This development marked the first investigation into the MH17 crash at time investigators confirmed physical the end of 2015. evidence about the incident. Jordan Withers, law graduate who “The parts are of particular interest lost an uncle in the MH17 crash, said to the criminal investigation as they in an interview with BBC News. “But can possibly provide more information we are still waiting for a resolution.”

starts, all the nervousness goes away order thinking skills,” Anthony Li, and turns into competitiveness.” eighth grade keyboard major said. According to Academic Games agloa.com, the tournaments in Academic Games Palm Beach County Playing forces me to League of America played three seasons: (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.

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Photo by Sreenidhi Nidamanur

The volleyball players practice for their upcoming season. Seventh grader, Isabelle Ruan and eighth grader, Jordan Beres, tries to bump the ball back over the net.

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

Sports and Clubs

Girls’ Volleyball remains undefeated early in season

School safety becomes growing concern

The Portfolio December 2015

On this page I wrote the Curtian Calls Light’s On article, but the photo was taken by Ervin Williams. The headline was also mine.

Advertising

The Portfolio December 2015

Technology

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Smart Helmet protects athletes

By Anushka Lakum Entertainment Editor ntil just recently, the protocol for treating potential concussions had always been looking at the player’s head. But now a fresh wave of technology has been developed, hidden inside football helmets. They did much more than a visual inspection could ever do, they developed data that could help detect concussions in real time. Known as smart football helmets, these helmets were designed to measure the force of on-field collisions and notify when a player may have had a possible concussion or when their health may be in danger. Riddell, an American company specializing in sports and football equipment, is the developer of the

nothing worth

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The Portfolio December 2015 sensors equipped in the football helmet. The helmet’s crown contained a flexible panel that squeezed upon impact, reducing the force of collisions. Meanwhile, the helmet can be fitted with sensors that send wireless alerts to handheld devices on the sidelines, telling coaches when a player had sustained an unusually forceful hit to the head. According to popsci.com, the helmet is available online and at football equipment stores, where it cost $1000. A mouth guard that measures acceleration is also included. The smart football helmet could definitely identify potential concussions better compared to just looking at an injury. And now players can be safer on the field.

comes

easy The new smart football helmet with head-impact sensors tackles the challenge of high technology to reduce injury and improve the game. They helped to decrease the amount of recurring head injuries and Photo by bestcleats.com concussions.

Food Hacking: New technology changes eating habits By Carlos Trivino Features Editor food’s actual taste consists of a fusion of the smell, touch, and texture all in a single sensation. Japanese scientist and professor Takuji Narumi used virtual reality technology to change the physical appearance of food to see how it affected eating habits. “Food hacking means brain hacking to me,” Narumi said in an interview with cnet.com. “How do we create new eating experiences by manipulating the senses in our brains? To make food taste different by changing humans instead of food, that’s the most interesting to me.” Started in 1994, VICE is a youth media company and digital content creation studio. A new series on VICE’s food channel “Munchies” called “Food Hacking” explored the possibilities of the technology. Swedish host Simon Klose used a pair of special virtual-reality goggles while holding an actual cookie in the first episode of the series. Through the goggles, the researchers are first able to make that cookie bigger or smaller. “Food that is virtually enlarged to be 50 percent bigger leads to 10 percent less consumption, while food that is

virtually shrunk to 30 percent its size makes people eat 15 percent more,” Narumi said. According to the Food and Brand Lab at Cornell University a visual perception bias called the Delboeuf Illusion influences what portions are consumed depending on the size of the plate in which it is presented. Narumi has his own twist on this. It involves a large table with a built in display designed to change the size of the virtual plate depending on what food is placed on it. The official Munchies website stated that Food Hacking re-imagined how people cook and eat. Host Simon Klose explored food prepared by activists, techies, and even robots as he took a close look food disruptors who mapped out new boundaries of Japanese cuisine. Although the technology Narumi made is in its infancy, as wearing large bulky goggles in order to perceive a different food and smell may be impractical, large industries took interest in the future of the product. “When we displayed this at a computer graphics conference in the US,” Narumi said, “NASA approached us and said that they really wanted to try this. So in the future, this could also be used for space food.”

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For this page I had to place the full page ad. I also went to meet Murray and Guari when they came to a civics classroom at Bak. 1525 N. Flagler Drive, Suite 100 n West Palm Beach, FL 33401 Auto Accidents n Premises Liability n Product Liability n Personal Injury & Wrongful Death (561) 366-9099 n (877) 645-2974 – Toll Free n www.murrayguari.com

bak school ad - quote2.indd 1

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(561)- 733-5300 RENAISSANCE COMMONS 1880 NORTH Congress Avenue Suite 307 Boynton Beach, Florida 33426

Conveniently located on the southeast corner of Congress Ave and Gateway Blvd. Securities offered through Investors Capital Corporation (800) 949-1422 member NASD, SPIC Advisory services offered through Eastern Point Advisors (800) 462-4610 230 Broadway, Lynnfield, MA 01940

On this page the ad was the wrong size, so I had to recreate it to be a half a page and then adjust the layout to fit the size.

Students present poetry, speeches, graphics in sixth grade communications showcase By Anushka Lakum Entertainment Editor

Daphne Scroggins

SGA candy canes

Continued from page 1 By Ervin Williams Technology Editor

“Of course, we did not have the money sitting around to just give them, so we had to find some way to make money, so we decided on candy canes, which followed the season,” Deborah Fiore, SGA sponsor said. SGA, does not only strive to “provide the school with resources to make it better”, but also feels that “giving back is even more of a responsibility,” Ray said. “When I think about giving back, I am not just thinking, how can I make

High school choice programs Continued from page 1 By Lily Gumbinner Photo Editor The mission of the Office of K-12 School Choice was to support quality public and private educational choice programs by providing information and assistance to promote successful outcomes for students, families, institutions and communities, according to the Florida Department of Education.

he annual sixth grade communications showcase was back with this year’s “Inside Bak” theme. Students performed live radio dramas, read poetry, and gave speeches. “Everyone will see what the sixth graders have done, and we’ll have our own turn to shine,” Diksha Gupta, sixth grade communications major, said. The students had only a portion of time to practice with their teacher, and after that they would have to practice by themselves. “During our nine week time, [the students] were able to create and my school better, but also what can I do to make the community feel like students appreciate it.” Ray said. SGA was not going to stop at giving back and is now starting a second fundraiser for orphans who are “forgotten every year after Christmas,” according to Campbell. “It seems like people only care about these orphans one time a year, and after that they are forgotten,” Fiore said. SGA’s main goal was “to help”, Ray said. Ray said, “If we do not give to the people who are in need, who else will? Our school community is just as important as the community around us.”

practice their events,” Alyssa Vaknin, they were practicing and rehearsing speech and debate teacher, said. their pieces. “I learned about performing in front Teachers helped students prepare for their performances and perfect of a large audience,” Manocchio said. Everyone had their own opinion of the skills needed. “My teacher gave me tips and the showcase, including teachers. explained what the “The showcase was very entertaining, and performance was I am proud of all the mainly about,” “People get to see students who worked Sofia Manocchio, what we’ve learned, hard to show their sixth grade communications and we’re very talented talent,” Vaknin said. major, said. Sixth graders in the Parents and other and make things fun for showcase were “pretty confident” about their majors’ students the audience,” performances. who watched Gupta said, “I the showcase got to have an inside look into think we did well because we’re all communications majors and this is communication arts. Students learned a lot of things while why we got into Bak.”

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Photo by Ervin Williams

The Student Government Association sold candy canes to pay for students at U.B. Kinsey to have better resources to learn. Sharon Campbell said, “You don’t always get to help someone in need. This is a perfect chance to do so.”

“Our goal has been to regionalize affect a student in many ways. “It is best to visit the schools and the high-school and middle-school programs, so that no matter where take tours. Some parents will miss the deadline and you live, you are then you wouldn’t near a program,” Peter Licata, Director Read, do research, and be able to choose the right school,” of Choice and Glaze said. Career Options said, don’t take anything When choosing according to the Sun for granted.” a high school, it is Sentinel. Students could earn industry necessary that the application was filled certifications that lead to high skill, high out correctly and on time. Especially wage, and high demand occupations, if the school required an audition, according to the Choice program. like Dreyfoos School of the Arts or Choosing the right program could Boynton Beach High School.

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“Art schools have a different deadline which is in early December because of the auditions. All other choice programs deadline is in late January,” Glaze said. Taking a tour and visiting the school was another way to get more information on the schools and get a better idea of the programs that they offered. Glaze said, “We are very fortunate in Palm Beach County to have choice programs. Just make sure to turn in your applications on time, visit the school, understand and meet the requirements.

Transportation Crisis Timeline

The district announced the course of action they took to solve the problems, including reassigning employees from other departments to help in transportation, changing the starting and ending times at four middle schools, and hiring 75 bus drivers.

11-18-2015

Less than one month after the problems on the first day of school, Dr. Robert Avossa hired an independent firm to conduct a third party investigation.

11-2-2015

On the first day of school, 40 percent of buses arrived late, according to The Sun Sentinel. Some students reported that their stops were skipped altogether.

9-4-2015

8-17-2015

At the beginning of the school year, the School District of Palm Beach County struggled with the most significant transportation issues in the district’s history. Three months later, the district has seen improvements, but they say, “Efforts continue to improve upon our recent levels.”

The district released the reports from law firm Haliczer, Pettis & Schwamm, P.A. and the report from the Council of Great City Schools. As of Nov. 18, 2015, the district had an on-time performance of 95 percent.

Opinion Pro: Syrian Refugees will benefit America

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Dear Astra, Some of the teachers grade really hard. How will I get A’s or B’s if they are grading me so hard? I’m getting C’s and lower. Sincerely, Tyler Backus Dear Tyler Backus, If you know how hard the teachers grade, try and be aware of the kind of work they are expecting so that you can meet their standards. Allot special time just for their work so that you can complete it to the best of your ability. Hope this helps! Sincerely, Astra

Dear Editors, This edition of “The Portfolio” was absolutely fantastic. I found it entertaining and informative, with very few errors. Keep up the good work! Sincerely, Jarom Gordon

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The Portfolio February 2016

By Anushka Lakum Entertainment Editor any things are going on in Syria. The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria group, otherwise known as ISIS, has been terrorizing the people there. Syrian refugees should be allowed into the United States. America has to try to help in any way that we can, as Germany has let in more than 800,000 refugees, and if the U.S. has only let in over a thousand, there’s a problem. As part of the United Nations, we as a whole should work together to help evacuate refugees and giving them a safe place to live. Humanitarianism is a very simple concept to follow. An article written by America’s Commissioner for National Interests states that some of our national interests are discouraging massive human rights violations in foreign countries, which we are failing to do. The opposing side may say that a terrorist could pose as a refugee. But, not all Syrians are terrorists. In San Bernardino, the main shooter was born in the U.S. and worked for the county. The refugees should not be blamed if the terrorist is a native. That is our problem, not theirs. On the security issue, a media release indicated that the American SAFE Act would strengthen the screening process by including the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security. It is our responsibility as a human community, not national communities, to care for those who are most in need. In this case, it is the refugees.

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ISSUE THREE

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Con: Refugees create national security risk

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Nikita Tanguturi

Malik Saleh, a 14-year-old Syrian refugee who dropped out of school, sits with fellow refugee Mohanned Jneed, 35 who will mentor him through a Mercy Corps program in Marfraq, Jordan. (Hal Bernton/The Seattle Times/TNS)

Ask Astra

By Nikita Tanguturi Business Manager efugees. One of the most debated topics in the past year. As the Syrian civil war continues, the global community has started to take notice. The United States is in no condition to take in refugees. After all, the two major factors that are included are social acceptance and money, in a nation where we have neither. If we look back at the end of 2015, refugees sought asylum mostly in Europe. According to Bloomsberg Business, German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s approval rating dropped to the lowest in almost four years in a monthly poll that suggested voters’ welcome for hundreds of thousands of refugees is exhausted. In an article by CNN, they stated that “More than half the nation’s governors -- 27 states -- say they oppose letting Syrian refugees into their states.” This is also due to the imminent threat of terrorism that comes with letting in foreign asylum seekers without knowing their ties to terrorist groups like ISIS. . In a poll published online by Daily Caller, it showed that at least thirteen percent of refugees had somewhat positive views of ISIS, (Islamist State of Iraq and Syria) the terrorist group behind recent attacks such as the one in France. Until we can properly conduct background checks on refugees, they should not be allowed to enter the United States.

Dear Astra, My backpack is so heavy because I always carry at least one textbook. What should I do? Sincerely, Apple Pie

Dear Astra, How do I stay confident throughout the school year if a big test might be coming up? From, Ant dude

Dear Astra, I am going on a holiday trip over winter break and I am going to be having a lot of fun. But I will need to keep studying for school. Can you give me any tips on what I should do over break? Thank you, Shaquisha27

Dear Apple Pie, Try to make time every day to get to your locker! If you need to bring the textbook home, make sure you know that most of the textbooks are online, so you don’t have to bring the hard copy home and strain your back. Sincerely, Astra

Dear Ant dude, In order to stay confident, you have to prepare for the test so that you are sure you will succeed. When a big test is coming up, make a study guide if the teacher doesn’t give one out, and refer to it before the test. Sincerely, Astra

Dear Shaquisha27, Before you go on your trip, make a list of everything to do over break for school. Enjoy your vacation, take some school work with you, and when you get back, check off items completed on your list before school starts. Sincerely, Astra

Dear Editors, I am referring to the first and second issue. Both were well written and the format was amazing. Awesome job! When I showed my mom the first issue she asked me if I was sure this was my schools newspaper or if it was a professional one! Keep up the good work! Sincerely, Victoria Rosenthal

“The Portfolio” welcomes both letters to the Editor and Ask Astra submissions. If you are looking for advice, write your problem and deliver it to Ms. Samons’ room, 4-152, in the communications wing. If submitting under a pseudonym, make sure to print your real name on the top of the paper. The staff welcomes submissions from any grade and major, and at any time.

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editors, I love your newest newspaper. It inspires me to become a journalist. I love the way each story is conveyed, grabbing the reader’s attention. Some day I hope I can be part of the staff! Sincerely, Ben Shainman

On this page, i wrote the Con Syrian Refugees article.

Entertainment

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Features

By Nikita Tanguturi, Business Manager fter waiting four years, most Adele fans are glad to hear that she is back with a new album, “25”. With hits like “Sweetest Devotion”, “Remedy” and of course, “Hello.” Adele’s “Hello” started at the top of Billboard’s top charts, keeping a steady ranking of first place. As she sung of past lovers, the heartbreak she went through was reflected in an array of dynamics, from high to low. This was one of the things that made the album differ from other pop albums. Adele conveys her true feelings

‘The Hunger Games: Mockingjay-Part 2’ hits theaters, ratings surge

By Maddy Rubin Co-Editor In Chief he Hunger Games: Mockingjay-Part 2,” the major motion picture finale to Suzanne Collins best-selling trilogy, was released on Nov. 16, 2015. The movie has grossed in about $247 million worldwide. It opens showing Katniss Everdeen, played by Jennifer Lawrence. It was engaging, but it gave no background as to where it was picking up from its predeccessor. “The Hunger Games: MockingjayPart 1” was a slow moving picture that set the stage for the “revolution” that would supposedly take full force in the follow up film. I found, however, that the action scenes did not necessarily begin right away in the final movie and took a bit too long to finally appear. Stars like Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson (Peeta Mallark), Donald Sutherland (President Snow), and Julianne Moore (President Coyne) all brought the emotion of the book on to the big screen. The unique technology and camera angles also deserve high praise. This long-awaited end to the Hunger Games series trumped its predecessor only in overall quality. After reviewing “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay-Part 2,” I rate it a 4 out of 5 stars.

Winter chills bring chocolate cravings

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Photo courtesy of ew.com

“Mockingjay: Part 2” grossed in about $279.4 million worldwide.

With quite a few collaborators, which include Paul Epworth, Max Martin, Danger Mouse, and Bruno Mars Smeezintons squad among them, “25” reveals a delicate side of Adele as she faces a new set of challenges, such as motherhood and a pressing vocal chord operation. After selling more than 3.38 billion copies in its first week released in the United Kingdom, Adele’s “25’; has been a huge hit. Due to her voice and her lyrics, I give “25” five out of five stars.I recommend everyone, (even if you are not a hardcore Adele fan) to buy the album.

Students create, draw national icon with chalk

‘The Lottery’ theater show shocks audience

‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ one of best in franchise history

By Luke Stone Co-Editor-In-Chief fter a long 10 year wait, Star Wars fans across the world got to see the seventh installment of Lucasfilm’s famous series, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” The movie takes place 30 years after the events of “Star Wars: Return of the Jedi” and was centered around three new protagonists. After being captured by the evil First Order, Resistance pilot Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) was being held captive on one of their ships until Finn (John Boyega), a stormtrooper who wants to flee, helps him get to the main hangar to escape. After taking a ship, the two attempt to escape to Jakku, where Poe must find a droid named BB-8. JJ Abrams, the director, did great with the film’s plot, even with the 30 year time gap. He added new characters to ease the transition between episodes, while keeping old characters like Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), and Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) to keep their stories alive. Unfortunately, other old cast members had no reason for being there, like C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) and Admiral Ackbar (Tim Rose). I give the film four and a half out of five stars because Abrams did a great job with the plot and characters, but dropped the ball with some old cast members who took away from the film.

Dunkin’ Donuts

Panera Bread By Valentina Gomez Arts and Academics editor he cold arrived and so did the cravings for hot chocolate. I visited four places. I critiqued them on customer service, the hot chocolates’ taste, how clean the restaurant was, how hot or cold it was and the waiting time. I first went to Dunkin’ Donuts. It was mostly clean besides the occasional dirty napkins on the floor. The service was poor. The barista failed to provide options for me like whipped cream. The hot chocolate, on the other hand, was exceptional. It was at the perfect temperature. The texture was smooth, not too thick. The waiting time was also very quick. Because of these critiques, I gave Dunkin’ Donuts 3.5 stars out of 5. The second place I visited was Starbucks. Due to a long line, the waiting time was slow. The customer service was really good as they were polite and took accurate notes of my order. The hot chocolate was at an adequate temperature. It had a creamy texture since the barista asked me if I wanted

Starbucks

Toojay’s Deli

cream. I rated Starbucks 4 out of 5 stars. Next, I went to Panera Bread. The customer service was unsatisfactory. The employee had a bored tone, not being helpful. The restaurant was very clean. The hot chocolate came with marshmallows which gave the taste a thicker texture. Although, the chocolate was too hot as it burnt my tongue. For the waiting time, it was incredibly quick. I gave Panera Bread 3 stars out 5. The last place I visited was TooJay’s Gourmet Deli. The customer service was exceedingly good. The waiters all had big smiles and took great notes. The hot chocolate was unfortunately burnt. The flavor tasted more like coffee than it did hot chocolate. The waiting time was really good since all the employees went through every customer’s order fast. The restaurant was also very neat. I rated TooJay’s Gourmet Deli 3 stars. Overall, Starbucks sold the best hot Photo courtesy of Tribune News Service chocolate, scoring 4 out of 5 stars because of the best customer service, MOMS-CSM-MOVIE-REVIEWtaste, cleanness, and temperature. STAR-WARS-VII-1-MCT

On this page, i wrote the Adele review, found the photo and wrote the caption.

Communications students provide glimpse into media

By Angela Yan News Editor he girl rolled up her sleeves as she began to rub her fingers on the chalk. She stepped back to admire her work, smiling as she gazed down at the image of the Statue of Liberty. “[The students] got to freely express themselves when they were doing the chalk drawing,” Karima Cromer, eighth grade visual major said. The visual arts Artsgiving performances included the chalk drawing and a darkroom tour.

“The students got to have an inside look on what we do in photography,” Cromer said. Jean Luis Montesinos, seventh grade visual major, thought that students enjoyed working on the chalk drawing. “I told my friend what [the visual arts department] was doing, and she said, ‘Oh, my god! That is so cool!’” Montesinos said. Many students thought Artsgiving was an effective way to showcase the different arts areas. Cromer said, “With Artsgiving, you could see all kinds of performances.”

By Valentina Gomez Arts and Academics editor he actor stood on the stage, speaking out his lines like he had done so many times during rehearsals. When his part came up, he performed to his very best, astonishing the audience. “The Lottery” was a theater show presented in the main stage theater during Artsgiving. “[The cast] worked pretty hard. They did best in the end. Once they had costumes and were performing with lighting and sound, it was then that it clicked for them,” Nicolas Santana, theater teacher, said.

As the students acted out silent but funny scenes, the comedy improvisation brought laughter to the audience, a great start for the show. “The Lottery,” another theater show presented during Artsgiving, was about how a town believed that in order to control the weather for better crops, they had to keep up a tradition where they make a lottery. Francesca Delguzzi, seventh grade communications major, said, “It was suspenseful and it caught you by surprise but it was also really sad.”

Dance performs African pieces

Separate instruments, one major: Students represent music With a look of determination, Sasha Monaco, eighth grader, demonstrates Oral Interpretation. Monaco performed her piece on selfacceptance for the communications portion of Artsgiving

By Carlos Trivino Features Editor iving is defined as “to communicate or impart a message onto someone.” During the day of Artsgiving students had the opportunity to experience a small glimpse into the work that happens in other majors, one of which being communications. “There were two things going on,” Alyssa Vaknin, speech and debate teacher said. “There was a live TV studio portion where students shadowed the crew and speech performances.” The events that were featured during the presentations include, dramatic, duo, humorous, and original interpretation as well as original oratory. “I really enjoyed the duo performance

that was based on a Disney channel movie,” Brandon Wisnicki, eighth grade communications major said. “I felt like the students could really connect with it.” Although there were classes scheduled to come in during certain times to watch the demonstrations, a few problems occurred. “A group would occasionally come in during the middle of a performance and we’d just have to let them in and continue,” Vaknin said. The demonstrations took place during eighth period in the speech and debate By Luke Stone room. There were four rotations with Co-Editor-In-Chief tudents sat anxiously in their two events in each one. eighth period classes as the clock “It’s really only just a sample of some slowly inched closer to 2:45 p.m. of our skills,” Wisnicki said. “I think which would signal the start of the that there is a lot more to be seen.” annual pep rally in anticipation of the

By Nikita Tanguturi Business Manager uning their instruments, reviewing their pieces, music majors were prepared for the chance to represent their department in the schools second annual Artsgiving. Seventh grade band major, Aidan Taylor, said, “Performing gives me a sense of excitement playing music which I love.” The music department performed series of concerts, featuring vocal, band, strings, and piano. “For Artsgiving, we [band] played two pieces. We worked on one of them around the beginning of the year,

Photo by NIkita Tanguturi

CLIPS-ISSUE 3

Photo courtesy of Chicago Tribune

Showing change from past years, Adele faces new challenges, such as motherhood. Her feelings are expressed through her music.

through heartwarming lyrics and a dynamic voice. After listening and comparing “25” to her past two albums, “21” and “19”, Adele now focuses on unlocking the true potential of her voice and her feelings, with lyrics that tell stories through music. “There is something in your loving that tears down my walls,” she sings. Every song in the album contrastsfrom the others, from a slow R&B melody, like in “Remedy” to songs with instrumental backgrounds, like in “All I Ask”, and in “I Miss You.” This makes every song a diferent experience, which is what I feel goes underapreciated in pop music.

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The Portfolio - February 2016

‘Hello’- Adele returns with her first album in four years

Photo by Jessica Samons

and already performed it in an earlier performance. The other we played for the first time for an audience. It was really good practice for us,” Janice Hu, seventh grade band major said. Most students thought being able to perform in front of their peers was beneficial. “When we perform, you are under more pressure so you get to see what actual mistakes there are. I want to see how I play under pressure and what I need to improve on,” Jason Ibalerrosa, seventh grade piano major, said. As the concert finished, the performers took their bow, walking off the stage with the audience clapping.

Photo by Jessica Samons

Seventh grade dance major, Nathalie Garcia performs a West African dance piece for Bak’s Annual Artsgiving.

which included live drummers who By Jacob Schlessel “originated from Guinea,” Jessica Copy Editor ak’s second annual Artsgiving Widder, eighth grade communications showcased the arts with various major said. “Your movements correspond performances. The dancers had a number of showcases, from African with drums. The drums tell you what movement to perform,” Widder said. dance to classic and modern pieces. Dance majors were not the only ones “One jazz piece and two modern pieces who performed, as were performed,” non-majors who Holland Schiller, chose to take dance The drums tell you dance teacher said. class performed as The performances what to perform.” well. Some found it were shown in the a challenge to focus dance studios. One with a crowd of fellow students, while of the classes was Repertory class. said. others found it enjoyable. On the Saturday following the pep “Basically the Repertory class presented Ashley Tabachnick, seventh grade rally, Florida and Florida State had their choreographic etudes that were learned 60th all-time meeting. After a game in from guest choreographers,” Schiller Wade dance major said, “I enjoyed performing in Artsgiving because it where Florida’s offense struggled, the said. Seminoles prevailed 27-2. Another part of the performances was fun to perform in front of my included an African Dance piece friends.”

“

Students chant for their favorite team at annual FSU-UF Pep Rally

Florida State vs. Florida football rivalry game. “I always enjoy bringing the entire school together for this pep rally. I love to see the pride students have in the schools,” Shannon Owens, communications teacher said.

As more and more students walked into the courtyard, students supporting both sides began to cheer for their school. “My favorite part of the pep rally is when the faculty starts the cheers and chants on the megaphone,” Owens

On this page, I wrote the Music Artsgiving article, and took the Speech and Debate photo, Visual and Theater cobs.

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Advertising

Sports & Clubs

The Portfolio February 2016

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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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tested. Not to show our weakness, but to discover our strengths.

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 team.

“I lead my team by motivating them 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 ske tball will take her far. But, with every star trop hies 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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Sometimes we’re

soccer 3-7 by end of season

Sports Editor

The Portfolio February 2016

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.”

~unk nown

Photo by Sreenidhi Nidamanur

Girls’ volleyball ends challenging season with 3-5 record

CLIPS-ISSUE 3

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.”

On this page, I wrote the Boys Soccer article, and caption but I didn’t take the photo.

CLIPS-ISSUE 3

By Ervin Williams Technology Editor

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On this page, I placed the ad.

The Portfolio February 2016

Arts & Academics

Strings department holds Glow Party fundraiser By Valentina Gomez Arts and Academics editor

Photo by Valentina Gomez

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.

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.”

The Portfolio News Page 4 March 2016 Clinton earn frontrunner Presidential Primaries: Trump, status after early primary victories By Luke Stone Co-Editor-In-Chief

n Feb. 1, 2016, the first votes of the 2016 Presidential election cycle were cast in the Iowa caucus. After more than six months of campaigning, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas emerged victorious in the caucus on the Republican side, and Sec. Hillary Clinton edged out Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont on the Democratic side.

Freezer malfunctions in cafeteria during break, spoiling food

By Ashley Kulberg Photo Editor

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. Photo by Ashley Kulberg Gold said, “Over the course of six or Leah Sloan, seventh grade theater major, receives her lunch in the seven days, the walk-in freezer became courtyard. Every student was required to eat outside until the school more like a walk-in oven.” district deemed the cafeteria safe for students.

Visual majors raise money with sculpture By Sreenidhi Nidamanur Sports Editor

CLIPS-ISSUE 3

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.”

Hillary Clinton speaks with husband Bill Clinton and daughter Chelsea Clinton by her side in Ankeny, Iowa, on Mon. Feb. 1, 2016. Clinton narrowly defeated Sen. Bernie Sanders in Monday’s Democratic Iowa caucus. (AftonbladetIBL/Zuma Press/TNS)

“I was surprised that Cruz won despite his reputation of not getting along well with Congress,”Lisa Hanser,seventh grade social studies teacher said. Cruz won Iowa with 27.6 percent of the vote, 3.3 percent ahead of second place finisher Donald Trump, who finished with 24.3 percent. As for the results of the Democratic caucus, Clinton, who finished with 49.6 percent, narrowly defeated Sanders, who finished with 49.3 percent “On the Democratic side, I was surprised that it was as close as it was.,” Hanser said. Another result some viewed as surprising in the Republican field was Florida Sen. Marco Rubio’s strong performance, finishing in third place with 23.1 percent, only 1.2 percent behind Trump. “For months they told us because we didn’t have the right endorsements or the right political connections, we had no chance,” Rubio said in his speech on the night of the caucus. “But tonight, here in Iowa, the people of this great state have sent a very clear message.”

Cruz and fifth place finisher Rubio was only 1.2 percent. “You have all reset the race,” Bush said to supporters on the night of the primary. “This campaign is not dead. We’re going to South Carolina.”

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks after coming in second place at his Iowa Caucus night gathering in Des Moines, Iowa, on Mon. Feb 1, 2016. (Dennis Van Tine/ Abaca Press/TNS)

Annual spelling bee allows students to represent Bak at regionals

By Valentina Gomez Arts and Academics Editor ecently, Danielle Nelson, seventh grade visual arts major, won the annual school wide spelling bee on Jan. 28 in the media center. “The school spelling bee was very intense. We ran out of words which had never happened before,” Jennifer Gardner, language arts teacher, said. The students were given words such as pneumatic, WYSIWYG, epoxy, methodology, guardian and anachronism. “I prepared for the spelling bee by going over the words and circling the ones I misspelled so I can work extra hard on them,” Esha Dudhwewala, seventh grade communications major, said. Little to no preparation was available during the first round or classroom spelling bee. “In the class spelling bee, we didn’t give out a list to study since we’re looking for the natural spellers,” Gardner said. The second round, the school spelling bee, was held in the morning in the media center, organized by Jennifer Gardner. Each student was

given a number to indicate when to go up. Winners of each class were given a list of words to practice. “The students were very well prepared this year more so than the students have any other year,” Gardner said. During the spelling bee, many of the strategies had strengths they used in spelling the words correctly. “The easiest part was how a lot of the words were not difficult to spell since you can ask for the definition and word in context,” Dudhewewala said. Students in the spelling bee also struggled with disadvantages such as preparadness and memorization. before and during the competition. “Preparedness could also be a weakness for the students, too. In the first round of the school, you could easily tell the students who studied and who didn’t,” Gardner said. “The hardest part was memorizing the spellings of all the words from different origins and the pressure when you go up there,” Dudhewewala said. The winner of the school’s spelling bee was Danielle Nelson and the runner up was Luke Stone, eighth

Eighth grade visual trip 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.

On this page, I placed the ad.

Eight days after the Iowa caucus, the first primaries of the election cycle were held in New Hampshire. The results were clear relatively early on. 24hour news networks across the country called the Republican primary for Trump and the Democratic primary for Sanders. Both of them dominated the rest of the field in their party. Trump finished with 35.4 percent of the vote, nearly 20 percent higher than second place finisher, Ohio Gov. John Kasich. As for Sanders, he finished with 60. 2 percent of the vote, 22 points ahead of Clinton. “Together we have sent a message that will echo from Wall Street to Washington, from Maine to California,” Sanders said in his victory speech. “And that is that the government of our great country belongs to all of the people, and not just a handful of wealthy campaign contributors and their super PACs.” On the Republican side, the competition started to get tighter for spots at the middle of the field. The margin between third place finisher

Continued from page 1 By Angela Yan News Editor he institution later became the state art museum. “The Ringling Museum was comprised of various works of art gathered in one place,” Lianna McDonald, eighth grade visual major said. Students took an audio tour of the Salvador Dali Museum on the second day. Dali was a famous Spanish surrealist painter who lived from 1904 to 1989. His works often featured

Photo by Angela Yan

A sculpture made completely out of glass hangs from the ceiling of the Chihuly Collection. This particular sculpture took hours to assemble because each piece had to be put in a specific spot.

Photo by Valentina Gomez

Danielle Nelson, seventh grade visual major, win Bak’s annual spelling bee. She moved on to regionals along with the runner up, Luke Stone, eighth grade communications major.

grade communications major. the regional spelling bee but I’m also, Nelson said, “I’m excited to go to at the same time, really nervous.” optical illusions. Emily Colainta, eighth grade visual major said. “I got to spend some time going through the Dali Museum with my friends.” The Morean Art Center boasted the Chihuly Collection, Dale Chihuly’s permanent glass exhibition in St. Petersburg. “All of the works in the Chihuly Collection were intricately sculpted,” McDonald said. The Museum of Fine Arts, also in St. Petersburg, is “the only comprehensive art collection of its kind on Florida’s west coast,” according to the museum’s website.

“We were able to visit museums that we’ve never been to before, like the Museum of Fine Arts,” Colainta said. “It gave us a sense of independence while still being in a group.” On the final day, students enjoyed three hours at the Florida Aquarium. The aquarium not only exposed visitors to marine life, but had a Madagascar exhibit as well. McDonald said, “I felt tired [on the drive home] because we had a fun and fulfilling day at the aquarium.” The trip was both the first and last trip for the visual class of 2016. Lumely said, “We experienced another side of art that we didn’t know before.”

ISSUE FOUR

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The Portfolio March 2016

Entertainment

Advertising

Crunch, the truth behind the shell

Tijuana Flats

Taco Bell

Chipotle

Moe’s

By Ashley Kulberg Photo Editor reviewed four taco restaurants based on cleanliness, customer service, taste, value, and cost. When I walked into Tijuana Flats, I was greeted by a friendly cashier who was knowledgeable about the excessive and confusing menu. At $3.30, it was the most expensive taco I reviewed. The taco had a good blend of ingredients and a unique taste, but it was so big that it was hard to keep it from falling apart. I gave Tijuana Flats three out of five

stars because of the helpful staff and price value. The next restaurant was Taco Bell. The restaurant was fairly clean, and I ordered a Crunchy Taco, which did not have much flavor. The only ingredients were ground beef, lettuce, and cheese. The menu had a lot of variety and was easy to understand. The service was somewhat slow. The cashier was not paying attention to my order, either. At $1.19 per taco, Taco Bell was the cheapest place I visited. It also had the smallest taco I tried. I gave Taco Bell two and a half out of

five stars because it had a great menu, but poor service. Chipotle had the best customer service out of the four restaurants I visited. The cashier explained the menu to me with excitement. The food was even better. The ingredients were fresh, however there was a mediocre variety of toppings. The taco did not fall apart easily and had a lot of flavor. The simple menu made ordering easy, and the food was out in no time. The taco was priced at $2.75 per taco. I gave Chipotle four and a half out

of five stars, deeming it the best taco I reviewed; the taco was delicious and the service was excellent. The final taco I tasted was from Moe’s Southwest Grill. The restaurant’s appearance was clean, and there was friendly customer service. I ordered a ground beef taco with a hard shell, which cost $2.99 per taco. While the overall taste of the taco was okay and the ingredients were fresh, the shell fell apart almost immediately. I gave Moe’s Southwestern Grill three and a half out of five stars; it had creative menu items but bland taste.

Oscar predictions give insight about winners The Oscars: By the Numbers 2- Number of Oscars’ director Steven

CLIPS-ISSUE 4

Spielberg has purchased and returned back to the Academy. 5- Previous acting winners renominated this year. 10- Out of 11 of Warner Bros nominations were given to “Mad Max.” 11- Number of nominations for both “The Turning Point” and “The Color Purple” without a single win. 12- Number of nominations “The Revenant” got, making it the film with the most number of nominations this year. 13- People who are part of the EGOT club, winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony in competition. 14- Record number of wins for a single film, held by both “All About Eve” and “Titanic”. 15- How long the first Oscars were in minutes. 20- How many hours it takes to make a statuette. 23- Films who only got a single nomination. 25- The age of the youngest person to get four acting nominations (Jennifer Lawrence.) 26- Number of nominations FOX Studios got. 59- Walt Disney’s record-setting number of nominations. 87- Age of the oldest nominee for the best original score award (Ennio Morricone.) 88- Years since the first Oscars were held in 1928.

By Nikita Tanguturi Business Manager tarting out as a 15 minute ceremony with only 13 categories, the Oscars has now evolved into of the most watched television awards show. With plenty of categories, and even more nominees, it is a huge event for the film industry. Arguably one of the most major categories, I think that the 2016 best picture should go to “The Martian.” Getting a 93 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics calling it “pretty sunny and often funny” and “destined to be a sci-fi classic”, directed by Ridley Scott and starring Matt Damon. With five final nominees, I think that the best actor in a lead role should be Eddie Remayne, for his work in “The Danish Girl.” Being cast as a transgender woman, he received a lot of praise, and the film itself was a success, receiving four Oscar nominations in various categories. As for best actress, I think that the chances for all of them are pretty equal, but due to all of the Hunger Games popularity, Jennifer Lawrence stands out a little bit. Another frontrunner in my opinion would be Charlotte Rampling for her performance in “45 years.” I think that the winner for the music category. will be either “Writings on the Wall”, from Spectre, or “Earned it”, from “50 Shades of Grey”. Both those songs debuted on Billboard top charts. Overall, the 88th Oscars are one worth watching, with the air date set as Sunday, Feb. 28.

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Wahlberg and Ferrell ‘Daddy’s Home’:compete for father role

Courtesy of www.dealflicks.com

Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg face off for role of father in the film “Daddy’s Home,” which grossed about $234 million.

By Valentina Gomez Arts and Academics Editor otion picture, “Daddy’s Home,” hit theaters on Christmas Day 2015, and was directed by Sean Anders. The movie grossed $212.7 million. The movie began with Megan (Scarlett Estevezone), one of the children, presenting drawings to her stepfather Brad (Will Ferrell) that showed how apart he was from the family. As the pictures progressed, it was clear how Megan and her brother, Dylan (Owen Wilder Vaccaro) finally considered Brad as family. Throughout the story, the ex-husband,

Dusty (Mark Wahlberg), returns to his family after finding out his ex-wife (Linda Cardellini) remarried and tried to take back his family. “Daddy’s Home” was rated PG-13 for mature humor, suggestive content and language. It had a good plot and was funny. Although, the few effects that were added into the movie were surreal, and made the scene unrealistic. One scene where the stepfather, Brad, tries out Dusty’s motorcycle to “show him up” was one of many scenes where the two characters try to outdone another. In the scene, Brad did not know how to control it, leading to him crashing into the house. The special effects made the crash scene seem unreal. However, actors such as Hannibal Buress, Bobby Cannavale and John Cena brought comedy to the big screen. One specific scene in the movie was where Dylan, told Brad and Dusty how some kids at school were bullying him. At a father/daughter dance, they soon realize that their son’s tormentors were girls, yet they had taught Dylan how to fight his bullies. The director also did a great job with keeping the audience engaged all through the duration of the film; either by cracking jokes or creating a surprise twist. “Daddy’s Home” definitely kept the viewers laughing. I gave “Daddy’s Home” four out of five stars since it gave an entertaining plot, and talented actors, but minor parts throughout the film were unrealistic.

On this page, I wrote the Oscar predictions and formatted/wrote the fast facts, but I did not find the photo.

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Dance Honor Society gives back to community 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.

By Jordan Taylor Website Editor n 2015, many fashion styles became flops. Crocs, athletic wear worn daily and animal tails and ears were some fashion no-no’s that should not return in 2016. “The flops in 2015 that I did not like were chokers, animal tails and ears, and fake, long nails, (like nexgen and acrylics)” Maya Voorhees, seventh grade communications major, said. According to refinery29.com, trends were not supposed to last forever, and getting a kick out of clothes before they go out of style was a good enough reason to buy it. “I try to wear things that other people are wearing because their styles are trending and I like to wear trendy clothes,” Abby Sherry, seventh grade communications major, said. Certain outfits should not have been worn to middle school. Students had their own opinions on clothing in 2015, as well as stores that were trending.

Model Sherman Turtine wears clothing women don’t like on men, like baseball caps for all occasions, pants slung so low they reveal underwear and velcro sandals with socks. (Dan Rosenstrauch/Contra Costa Times/MCT

In an article written by Leigh Weingus on the Huffington Post website, wearing athletic clothes but not working out in them was called “Athleisure”, and many students, especially girls, wore athletic attire to school last year. These items were meant to be used while being athletic, not for everyday use. Nike’s apparel revenue jumped 10 percent in a recent quarter compared to the same period in 2013, while Under Armour’s apparel net revenue was also up 26 percent. Lulu Lemon’s net revenue was up 10 percent during their most recent quarter. Besides the fact that these fashion flops were not the best option to wear out, students feel that fashion let them express who they were. Sherry said, “Fashion has impacted my attitude because I feel more confident wearing clothing that is ‘in style.’” “I didn’t like the store Levi’s because most of their clothes were not very trendy or nice looking,” Voorhees said.

Box office flops fail to please Music gone wrong: unsuccessful

By Anushka Lakum Entertainment Editor

hroughout 2015, numerous movies have been produced. A number of them won awards. But some movies did not fare as well. “Jem and the Holograms,” for example, came out on Oct. 22, 2015. The producers spent $5 million, and they did not get any profit, but rather lost $3.69 million, according to www.

Photo courtesy of freefuninaustin.com

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“Jem and the Holograms,” lost $3.69 million because the movie came out decades after its TV show predecessor.

forbes.com. “The film is a non-starter that is unlikely to attract the intended target audience,” Frank Scheck of the Hollywood Reporter, said. “Pan,” came out on Oct. 8, 2015. Since this was a more anticipated film, the production costs and losses were larger. The movie cost about $190,000 to make, and made $40.5 million in the theaters, but that did not make up for the $150 million lost, according to www.independent.co.uk. “There is enough going on in Pan to fill several movies, most of which you’ve already seen and perhaps enjoyed under other titles,” A.O. Scott of the New York Times, said. “Jupiter Ascending,” came out on Feb. 6, 2015. Its budget was $175 million, but it could only recover $19 million. “An instant candidate for the so-badit’s-sort-of-great hall of fame, the flick is totally bonkers,” Lou Lumenick of the New York Post, said about “Jupiter Ascending.” These movies were just a portion of the movie flops of 2015. Hopefully, 2016 will bring better films.

pieces throughout last year

By Nikita Tanguturi Business Manager

You used to play on my cell phone, late night till you went out of style.” 2015 was a year full of music, both the good, and the bad. One of 2015’s most widely anticipated albums, Madonna’s “Rebel Heart” started out as number one on the iTunes charts, and dropped to 37 in less than a week. The album made about 116 thousand dollars, less than half off what her last album, “MDNA” made. Music critics from Uncut said, “Rebel Heart almost gets the balance right, but at 19 tracks, most in the industrial party-pop style of cheeseball producers

Diplo and Avicii, there’s simply too much going on.” Featuring top artists such as Selena Gomez, there were high expectations for Zedd’s third album, True Colors. The album itself was a flop, starting at seventh and then dropping to 77 within a week. However, “I Want You to Know” (featuring Selena Gomez) stayed on the iTunes chart for over three months, rising and dropping, finally exiting at 95. A critic for The Rolling Stone said, “Zedd’s colors are often hard to tell apart.” Though many albums released don’t get their fair shine in the spotlight, some stood out as flops of 2015.

Trends from 2015 come fashionably into 2016 By Lily Gumbinner Photo Editor 016 has arrived with its own set of trends. Looking back at some of 2015’s most popular styles – like tulle skirts, midi skirts, and jogger pants - has given the world a better idea about what 2016 has in store. “It is a struggle to find something to wear in the morning. I’ll start looking in my closet but I can’t find anything to wear because everything goes out of style so quickly,” Grace Johansson, seventh grade theater major said. According to trending Google apparel searches, tulle skirts and midi skirts (a knee-length skirt) gained popularity, up 34 percent than the year before. Jogger pants were another trend everyone was talking about because they were comfortable and fashionable. Men, women, children, and even toddlers are sporting the new look. The top most searched item on Google: Emoji Jogger pants.

“I like jogger pants because they are comfortable. They are like trendy sweatpants, but they make you look less homeless,” Johansson said. “I also like white high-top Converse because you can wear them with anything.” Clothing and apparel prices have increased by 27 percent in the past decade, according to businessoffashion.com. “Fashion always affects price,” Jennifer Pierre, eighth grade vocal major said. “Every time a trend starts, the stores skyrocket the prices because they know everyone is going to want to buy it.” Styles like high-waisted pants, Adidas shoes, tattoo chokers, and jogger pants are all coming back from earlier eras. More are expected to return in 2016. Photo by Carlos Trivino Pierre said, “I feel that rompers might Seventh grade communications major, Jade Johnson sports highbe more popular in 2016 because lots waisted jeans, a fashion trend from previous years which returns for of people wearing them.” 2016.

Goodbye music of 2015, hello music of 2016

Social media, music apps make appearances in 2016

By Angela Yan News Editor

By Ashley Kulberg Photo Editor rom YouCam Beauty to musical. ly, a variety of unique apps have been trending in 2016. “Apps where you can see other people, like photo and video apps, are starting to become popular,” Francesca Delguzzi, seventh grade communications major, said. Many new social networking applications have been climbing the charts recently. Among those was Peach. Users could “wave” or “blow a kiss” to their friends. “I’ve heard about Peach through my friends and the internet,” Joshua Kenny, seventh grade communications major, said. “It looks like a different way to connect with friends.” Arriving shortly after Dubsmash, a lip sync app that took the charts by storm, came musical.ly, an app with the same idea but added features, such as time lapse. “Musical.ly is expected to become more popular this year because it’s an easy app that a lot of kids can do,” Delguzzi said.

hen the ball dropped in New York City on Jan. 1, 2016, it not only signaled the new year, but launched new music as well. “I hope Beyonce will come out with some new songs, but [the 2016 artists] will mostly be the same popular artists from 2015,” Lili Mueller, eighth grade communications major said. On Jan. 1, 2016, Rachel Platten released her third album, “Wildfire.” According to Headline Planet, “Wildfire” ranked number five in the U.S. “When I listen to [Platten’s] songs, I feel empowered,” Brooke Ibarra, eighth grade communications major

said, “like I can do anything in the world.” Another anticipated album was “Death of a Bachelor” by Panic! At The Disco. According to Billboard, the album was released on Jan. 15, 2016 and sold 169 thousand copies in the first week. “I was hyped to hear [“Death of a Bachelor], and I stayed up until midnight the day before the album was released,” Mueller said. According to Idolator, new artists such as Steve James, who co-produced Justin Bieber’s “Purpose,” and August Eve, who released the single “Ghost,” will appear in trending 2016 music. However, many students thought 2016 would not bring a completely new music genre.

On this page, I wrote the Music Flops article, but I didn’t make the graphic.

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.

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.

PHHHOTO, a “moving photo app”, has also become well-known. Users take multiple photos, which are then streamed together and turned into a gif. “A lot of people post PHHHOTOs on Instagram,” Kenny said, “It will become popular because it’s a mix between a photo and a video.”

“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 courtesy of fstoppers.com

Over one million posts have been shared with PHHHOTO since it launched in July 2016. It was rated four stars on the App Store.

Photo by Luke Stone

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Crocs, chokers make 2015 fashion flops list

“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?”

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

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.

On this page, I wrote the caption and took the photo but did not write the article.

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News

Trump loses in Wisconsin, faces steeper path to securing 1,237 delegates needed to clinch Republican nomination

By Luke Stone Co-Editor-In-Chief nd then there were ﬁve. After more than one month in to the 2016 Presidential Primaries, the once twenty four candidate ﬁeld has been narrowed down to businessman Donald Trump, Sen. Ted Cruz, and Gov. John Kasich on the Republican side, and Sec. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders on the Democratic side. On March 15, 2016, both Democratic and Republican primaries were held in in Florida. Clinton won by more than thirty points on the Democratic side. On the Republican side, Trump won with 45.7 percent of the vote. Sen. Marco Rubio, a Florida native, came in second with 27 percent of the vote. After his double digit defeat, Rubio suspended his campaign. “And so while it is not God’s plan that I be president in 2016 or maybe ever, and while today my campaign is suspended, the fact that I have even come this far is evidence of how special America truly is, and all the reason more why we must do all we can to ensure that this nation remains a special place,” Rubio said in his concession speech. Rubio’s loss was unsettling to anti-Trump forces who hoped for

Rubio to win the state’s primary and deprive Trump of 99 delegates to the Republican National Convention. According to ABC News, nearly $2.5 million were spent against Trump in the United States on March 14, March 15, and March 16. However, the anti-Trump forces were able to score a signiﬁcant victory in Ohio where Kasich, the current governor of the state, won with 46.8 percent of the vote. Even though Cruz won in Wisconsin on April 5, Trump still led in the delegate count with 743 delegates. Cruz was in second with 517 delegates, and Kasich was in a distant third with 143 delegates. In order to win the nomination on the ﬁrst ballot at the Republican National Convention, a candidate must have secured at least 1,237 delegates. If no candidate has secured that number, a contested convention ensues, which means that all of the delegates are free to vote for any candidate. Trump has said that if he is denied the nomination unfairly, he will sue the Republican Party. “I think that the Republican leadership, no matter how much they don’t like Trump, needs to respect the decision of the voters,” Lisa Hanser,

social studies teacher said, “If it is supposed to be the party of the people, they need to respect the decision the people have made.” The next contest is scheduled for April 19 in New York where 95 delegates will be up for grabs for the Republicans, and 247 will be at stake for the Democrats.

Although not every state has voted yet, many are saying that this election is unprecedented. “This has been unlike any election I’ve ever seen. Both Democrats and Republicans are angry with what’s going on in Washington,” Hanser said. “That anger is exactly what has allowed Trump and Sanders to thrive.”

engage each other and the audience,” Sandra Tepper, theater teacher, said. “They must create reality in theater.” The showcase took place on March 14, 2016. Students participated in a variety of performances. “I was in the theater history program introduced by Ms. Tepper. We studied primitive, Greek, and medieval theater,” Sunaina Singh, sixth grade theater major, said. Students studied other, more modern aspects of theater as well. “I performed an original reality TV show from Ms. Graham (sixth grade theater teacher)’s class,” Luca Riley, sixth grade theater major, said. Most sixth graders performed in the showcase, and they worked on their pieces in their theater electives. They also learned more about the art itself, such as the history of theater. “I learned that theater didn’t just rise up forty years ago,” Singh said. “It ranged in popularity over the years.” completely moveable. It was pieced together with Velcro so the look could be changed. “The LED lights reﬂect off the set. There are four different lights that randomly change colors,” Megan Fenton, eighth grade communications major said. Students on the announcements have experience with virtual sets by using the green screen, and now they have the chance to be able to work with a hard, professional set. “Most schools have gone to virtual sets but the students picked this set. We researched it in our television

Students are taught to learn from their mistakes in order to better their performance skills. “[The students] perform their monologues in front of me and I critique their classwork,” Tepper said. Some believe the most important part of theater is creating versatile characters that are believable and entertaining. Students worked on creating their characters the weeks before the showcase. “In class, we made up characters,” Riley said. “We played with them for a few weeks through improv games.” No matter what students performed, the showcase expanded their knowledge of theater, and let them show off what they had learned to their parents, teachers, and peers. “We prepared in class and memorized everything. We wrote all of our scripts and performed in front of our teachers,” Singh said. “It was an amazing experience.” production class and we narrowed it down to three options. This is the one they chose for the year. Now the students know how to work with hard sets and virtual sets, like what we use for feature reports with the green screen,” Owens said. The new set has given the eighth grade announcements students the opportunity to work with equipment that they can use in their future career. It also helps students personalize the show and make it their own. Ibarra said, “I think that it looks professional and I am glad that we got it before I leave Bak.”

Annual theater showcase gives sixth graders chance to perform

Photo by Ashley Kuhlberg

As the curtains rise, a group of sixth grade students perform a Greek theater piece. They earned critiques at school so that they could perfect their works at home.

By Ashley Kulberg Photo Editor tudents stood offstage, silently running through their monologues while adjusting

Morning announcements set

Continued from page 1 By Lily Gumbinner Photo Editor he set was custom built to match the anchor desk “I was there when we got the new set because I am Ms. Owens’ student aide. The semi-truck arrived around 3:10 and I came by later on during an afterschool activity around 5:15 and it was almost done being set up. It took a couple hours to set it up,” Brooke Ibarra, eighth grade communications major, said. The students on the morning

their costumes. The lights dimmed, marking the beginning of the sixth grade theater showcase. “In a good theater piece, actors must announcements had been waiting for over a year for the set to arrive. They fund-raised to buy it last year when they were in television production. “I funded it through the care packages last year. That money was set aside, and I used it to buy [the set] over the summer,” Owens said. “We modernized the new set and the control room with new computers and software. We wanted things that they can use in the real industry.” The new set also had many uses besides being a background for the anchors. It could be used for credits, opens, and packages. It was also

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Student Life

An educational victory: Visual majors celebrate success every nine weeks By Nikita Tanguturi Business Manager omprised of pictures, paintings, wire, mixed media, and alien babies, the visual arts department held the annual spring showcase. “It makes you want to work harder, if you know your piece is going to be displayed in the show. ‘You want to be proud of it and have everyone look at it and say ‘oh look at this!’ Savannah McCline, seventh grade visual major, said. The visual arts department holds a showcase every nine weeks in the William Koch gallery in the Mainstage Theater lobby. “We do a showcase to celebrate students success, and everything they have accomplished in a nine weeks,” Michelle Sherman, visual arts teacher said. “We also do it to show parents and faculty what we are working on.” The gallery also provides a different perspective for students from other majors, allowing them to experience visual arts through a gallery. “It shows other major students

what their peers are thinking, and even though they are focused on their major, it lets them be aware of what other people are doing, which is great because we take our kids to performances, which lets them be well versed in different art areas,” Thomas D’Auria, visual arts teacher said. Students also looked forward to the showcase and being able to have their artwork displayed. Samuel Friedman, sixth grade visual major said, “I like people to see what we are doing and what we are capable of doing. You want to show off. There is no point in doing a piece of art nobody is going to see.” Art allowed the students to express their thoughts in different ways and through various mediums. Eighth grade visual major Vyona Smith said, “The reason I started drawing was because it’s a great way to express myself. You don’t have to be good at speaking, you can just draw. The picture speaks for itself.” The showcase attracted many visitors’, and featured many different mediums.

Sixth graders James Walter, Miles Wang win big at academic games state championship

The

Portfolio

April 2016 * Volume 19 * Issue 5 * West Palm Beach, Florida 33407 * www.portfolionews.org

Photo by Nikita Tanguturi

The students worked on various types of pieces, from the more serious house drawings to the carefree dragon paintings. Sally Rozanski, principal, said “I really like the kind of quirkiness and kind of creative ways that they think. It’s not born, it is very crystallized and collected. It is a great way to see what the kids are thinking and how they view themselves.”

Organized Chaos gives students opportunity to be published, show work

Photo by Luke Stone

The MSOA foundation funds Organized Chaos each year. The magazine has been ranked All-American with marks of distinction by the National Scholastic Press Association.

By the Numbers:

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Bak FSA statistics from 2014-2015

100%

Level 3 or higher for EOC Geometry

99%

Level 3 or higher for EOC Algebra 1

96%

Level 3 or higher for EOC Civics Data from Administration

Although it is published by the yearbook staff, the content comes from Bak student submissions. Kjaerulff said, “It allows every major to come together and have their talent published and showcased.” The literary magazine also follow a specific process before being published. Katherine Oung, seventh grade communications major said, “The experience of creating the magazine lets me see how it is published professionally.” Starting in 2006, the Organized Chaos will reach its tenth volume with the upcoming publication.

FSA Preparation: By Madaleine Rubin Tips for Testing Co-Editor In Chief By Valentina Gomez Arts and Academics editor ripping the edges of their nxiously watching the clock, seats,withthey the student fiddled her anxiously awaited pencil, trying to finish announcement her FSA the of the test. Wishing that she had prepared before results. the big day, “And she tried first to solve place goes to…” As the rest of the questions. they walked towards “Student preparation for all the stage to accept assessments the learning two and things consumed theiris trophies, experiences gained during the school year,” Sally said. “The theirRozanski minds: the artfact that they were and academics work together to build academic students’ knowledge.” games state champions… FSA and preparation help can bebound! found Nationals on websites such as fsassessments. org, study.com, testprep-online. Sixth orgrade communications students com which is useful since “taking the James Walter andhelpMiles Wang recently diagnostics and practice tests also in the preparation,” Rozanski placed first insaid. the 30th annual State of Alexander Jones said, “I recommend at least Florida 10 hours ofAcademic sleep and to feelGames tournament. prepared and stay away from electronic Both students faced off against devices.” competitors ranging from grades four through six, however Walter competed in the social studies category, whereas Wang competed in equations.

On this page, I wrote the Visual Showcase article, caption, and took the photo.

“I was so overwhelmed with excitement and happiness when I won,” Walter said. “You can’t describe the way I felt when my name was called and I found out I was going to Nationals.” A total of 139 students from three Academic Games Leagues attended the state championship on Saturday, March 5. League champions from Indian River, Palm Beach County, and Martin County in grades four through 12 vied for team and individual titles which would send them to Atlanta, Georgia for the Academic Games Nationals in late April. Walter and Wang are both working hard in preparation to hopefully strengthen these titles by adding the national acclaim to their names and another trophy to their shelves.

Photo Illustration by Madaleine Rubin

“There are academic games practices where you can study for competitions,” Wang said. “I’m studying packets for Nationals that the Bak Academic Games coaches gave us.” Both Wang and Walter began competing in academic games in elementary school, and have done so ever since. While Wang began competing because of the influence of his older brother, who also participates in academic games, Walter began because his friends had the same effect on him. Both boys enjoy challenging themselves through their academics. “I enjoy winning trophies in academic games because it makes me feel like my work paid off,” Wang said. Walter said,“It’s fun to be around my friends while doing something I love.”

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By Ervin Williams Technology Editor he next edition of Organized Chaos, projected to be available for purchase in late April-early May, holds sketches and literary pieces from the students at Bak. Organized Chaos, a literary magazine, provides students with a real world application for how publishing a book or a magazine works. “This is a great way for [students] to experience what it is like to work on a magazine, and what it is like to be a part of one,” Isabella Kjaerulff, eighth grade communications major said.

Photo by Nikita Tanguturi

Check out page 1 to learn all about the morning announcements new set, and visit our website to view special coverage on Starfest!

On this page, I took the photo during Starfest

News

Memorial Day celebrates history of U.S. soldiers By Carlos Trivino In 1914 the First World War had Features Editor broken out. The United States became n the mid 1860’s the Civil War caught in another major conflict, so brought about great changes in the holiday came to represent a day the country. After leaving more for honoring all men that had perished than 620 thousand Americans dead, while serving their country. it became the bloodiest war fought Congress passed a law declaring that to date. Although the exact origin of Memorial Day be switched to the last the holiday is unknown one thing is Monday in May, in order to create certain. Memorial Day came about as a a three-week holiday. The same law also made the Memorial Day a federal result of the Civil War. Three years after the war ended, holiday and went into effect in 1971. Over two dozen towns claim to be the Union general John A. Logan declared May 30 to be Decoration Day. A day to original birthplace of Memorial Day. However, during decorate the graves of his presidency, the fallen confederate Memorial Day continued Lyndon B. and union troops. General Logan chose to be celebrated on May 30 Johnson declared Waterloo, New this specific date as it York as the was not the anniversary until the late 60’s” official town. of any battle. The last addition Later that year, the first celebration of Decoration Day was or change made to the holiday was in 2000. Congress signed into law The held at Arlington National Cemetery. James Garfield, a union general who National Moment of Remembrance would later become the twentieth Act. According to the Department of president, gave a speech there to a Veteran Affairs website, the National Moment of remembrance occurs at 3 crowd of over five thousand. By the turn of the century all of p.m. local time on Memorial Day and the northern states had declared encourages citizens across the country Decoration Day an official state holiday. to stop what they are doing for a minute The southern states had separate dates of silence in order to honor those who set aside for honoring their dead until have died. the next major conflict.

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New York firefighter Stephen Humenesky views the monument honoring the firefighters who lost their lives during 9/11 at the 911 Flight Crew Memorial and “Valor Commitment Dedication” monument in Grapevine, Texas, on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2014. Humensky, who worked on Engine 301and worked on Ground Zero that day, is now retired and lives in the area. He said he paid his respect here since he cannot make it back to New York. (Bob Booth/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/MCT)

Young Scholar program provides scholarships By Ervin Williams Technology Editor he Jack Kent Cooke Foundation provides low-income families with the resources to prepare their children for college and beyond. The organization’s Young Scholar scholarship is selective of the students that they induct into their program, it’s application-acceptance period being January-March each year. The minimum criteria for the scholars are supposed to maintain a transcript

of mostly A’s and B’s. The prospective scholars must also have taken the ACT or the SAT within two years of applying and must plan to enter eighth grade in the fall. Despite its selectivity, when a student is accepted, the benefits of the program are numerous. The benefits of the Young Scholars program is that it will help pay high school tuition and also summer programs. They will provide financial aid for extracurricular activities such as art and music classes. Not only will it provide financial aid for high

Photo courtesy of www.jkcf.org

The Young Scholars program holds a Welcome Weekend and Civics Week each year at John Hopkins University in Virginia. It was a way for the scholars to get to know each other and create lasting friendships.

school, but it also provides community service opportunities and makes a path toward the college scholarship of $40,000 a year. According to jckf.org, “To be eligible for the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Young Scholars Program, students must be entering 8th grade in the fall of 2016. They also must have earned grades of all or mostly As in school with no Cs or below in your core academic subjects since the beginning of 6th grade as well as be able to submit scores from a standardized test taken within the last two years.” The scholarship prides itself on being dedicated to advancing the education of advanced students who have financial needs and they have a goal to help every student they can. The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation’s Young Scholars program strives to challenge and inspire their scholars by ensuring that they are challenged with a higher-order curriculum and access to resources such as meaningful summer programs, a close-knit and high-achieving peer community, and also one of the most generous financial aid in the nation. Through the program, the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation supports students through school. Through the Young Scholars Program, the Foundation has to date supported over 800 students from across the nation, providing them with educational advising combined with financial support from the 8th grade through high school. In an interview with a Jack Kent Cook associate, Marybeth Banks, 2012 undergraduate transfer scholar (Wellesley College) said, “Thank you [Jack Kent Cooke Foundation] for helping me to work toward my goals by allowing me to focus completely on my studies and extracurricular activity.”

Sunfest

Continued from page 1 By Luke Stone Co-Editor-in-Chief “I think that the main reason for SunFest’s growth was the turn that we took to become more of a music festival,” Jamieson said. “We took that turn before the music festival industry began to take off and got ahead of the curve.” With SunFest’s increase in popularity, the festival’s annual budget has also increased. “When I was first working for SunFest, the budget was $1.5 million. Now [26 years later], our budget is closer to $8 million. SunFest has changed into becoming much more of a business than it was in the past,” Jamieson said. Some of this year’s artists included singer Meghan Trainor, rapper G-Eazy, British pop band of the eighties Duran Duran, DJ Steve Aoki, and more. “My favorite part of SunFest was being able to hang out with my friends and see G-Eazy,” Tara Miller, eighth grade vocal major said. “We were able to get close to the stage and he was a talented performer.” “My favorite part of SunFest was getting to see Duran Duran,” Christian Stephens, eighth grade theater major said. “It had a great atmosphere and that made it difficult to have a bad time.” One part of the great atmosphere Stephens described was SunFest’s location on the West Palm Beach waterfront, and Jamieson thinks that works to the event’s advantage. “I think that our location makes a huge difference,” Jamieson said. “We’ve had people that have come from other festivals and go to other festivals and say that SunFest, bar none, is the most beautiful location of any festival they have been to.”

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The Portfolio May 2016

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CLIPS-ISSUE 6

The Portfolio May 2016

ISSUE six

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On this page, I took this photo during Starfest

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The Portfolio May 2016

Entertainment

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Sports & Clubs Track wins first in multiple events this season

Family-run doughnut shops better than larger chains By Luke Stone Co-Editor-In-Chief ccording to Smithsonian Magazine, the ring-shaped doughnut was invented in 1847 aboard a lime trading ship by Hanson Gregory, after modifying his mother Elizabeth’s recipe. Since then, the recipe has been replicated and refined by large companies like Dunkin’ Donuts, Krispy Kreme, and Entenmann’s. However, many smaller, family run vendors have also opened around the country, offering fresher doughnuts. In order to determine which doughnut was better, I went to three stores, “Dunkin’ Donuts,” “Publix,” and “Jupiter Donut Factory,” bought doughnuts and judged them on taste, texture, and size. The experience at Dunkin’ Donuts was mediocre. I ordered a glazed doughnut to keep things simple. The doughnut was better than I had expected. Although it was clearly jacked with preservatives, it still had a sweet flavor. However, the doughnut did not have that same feel that most fresh doughnuts have. I give Dunkin’ Donuts three and a half stars out of five stars.

The Portfolio May 2016

Photo by Luke Stone

Jupiter Donut Factory makes their doughnuts fresh every day at each of their five locations in Jupiter, North Palm Beach, Stuart, Boynton Beach, and Royal Palm Beach. They offer a variety of specialty doughnuts, including ones with red velvet, chocolate, and blueberry cake batter.

At Publix, I ordered a chocolate frosted doughnut that were sweet and tasted relatively fresh. They had a great texture—not too chewy and hard, but not too soft. However, there was still one aspect that was a bit disappointing. The frosting

did not have a good consistency. It was far too runny and liquid for my liking. But it was still a flavorful and delicious frosting, had a good taste, so it earns a four out of five stars. The final place I went to was Jupiter Donut. The doughnuts were easily

the freshest, best tasting doughnuts compared to Dunkin’ Donuts and Publix. They were sweet, flavorful, and had the perfect texture. Because of its fresh, sweet, and exotic doughnuts, I give Jupiter Donut Factory five out of five stars.

Photo by Ervin Williams

Aidan Nelson, eighth grader, visual major, practices for the 100m run. His next competition will be against Duncan on Tuesday, May 17.

‘The Huntsman’ puts new spin on Snow White outcome By Nikita Tanguturi Business Manager tarring Chris Hemsworth as the Huntsman, and Charlize Theron as the Queen, “The Huntsman: Winters War,” came out April 22, but this movie did not quite meet its expectation. Receiving a sixteen percent on Rotten Tomatoes, and opening to $7.3 million, it fell way behind Disney’s “The Jungle Book.” I felt that the movie did not meet the expectations set for it, or its $115 million budget. The graphics were okay, and seemed cheesy at a few scenes such as when the goblins attacked the Huntsman and Sara (Jessica Chastain) the concept behind those scenes were great because the attacks fit in well with the plot of the movie, but the final

Photo courtesy of Tribune News Service

“The Huntsman: Winter’s War.” (Universal Pictures)

product was poorly executed. Also, the movies relation to Snow White did not make sense. The narrator at the beginning states that the movie was set “the time before Snow White,” but at the end shows Snow White and her kingdom. It also shows that the queen whom Snow White destroyed, is still alive even though she had died in the original movie. The costuming was amazing, as was the makeup, but sometimes did not fit the mood of the scene. Even if it more than less likely took hours to do on set, such as Freya’s war makeup, it did not help convey the message. Even though the movie was rated PG-13, there was a few scenes that would not be considered appropriate, such as the scene in the hot tub after a battle, for a 13-year-old watching this

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

the animals looked very cartoonish and childlike. In this movie, however, even though it was an animation, the animals looked and spoke realistically. This was thanks to the new computer generated imagery (CGI) technology. In the movie, there were many musical scenes in which characters sprung up in song. There were three songs called “Trust in Me.” “The Bare Necessities,” and “I Wan’na Be Like You.” “The Jungle Book,” was a wonderful movie, with just enough musical moments, bright colors, and happy tones to make it an amazing film. I rate it a five out of five stars.

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.”

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.

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.

Photo courtesy of Tribune News Service

The Jungle Book. (Walt Disney Studios)

On this page, I wrote the article and headline, but I didn’t find the photo or write the caption

CLIPS-ISSUE 6

Baloo, the bear (voiced by Bill Murray), and Bagheera, the panther (voiced by Ben Kingsley). One of the best parts of the movie is when Mowgli helped a baby elephant get out of a ditch. When Mowgli lived with the wolves, the pack leader didn’t approve of Mowgli’s “tricks,” because whatever he did was not the wolves’ way to do it. Mowgli gets the elephant out using his tricks, and that was a turning point in the movie, as his tricks were now being accepted. In the past, many other directors had remade Kipling’s books as well. For example, in Walt Disney’s 1967 version,

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 someone who inspires you to go a little bit faster or a little bit further.”

Geek Games inspires students to use imagination to play games

movie with their friends. The plot, even though it had a few holes, was very well thought out, but some lines did not make sense. For example, the scene between Eric (Chris Hemsworth) and Sarah (Jessica Chastain) in the cottage after they meet again was confusing, and Eric’s lines were hard to follow. The movie vaguely reminded me of “Frozen”, but with a different ending. Freya (Emily Blunt) a mirror of Elsa, putting two sisters against each other for love, and confusing plot twists all gave the entire movie a more childish, “Frozen” like vibe. Overall, I would rate the movie a two and a half out of five stars, due to some shortcomings throughout the film, but I would go see it if you liked “Frozen”, and have never seen Snow White.

‘The Jungle Book’ allows viewers to experience jungle life By Anushka Lakum Entertainment Editor irected by Jon Favreau, Disney’s animation “The Jungle Book” hit theaters on April 15, 2016. The film grossed $103 million during its opening weekend. The movie was based on the classic tales written by Rudyard Kipling, and starts out with a shot of Mowgli, (Neel Sethi), a “man-cub” running through the jungle. Mowgli was found in a cave when he was an infant, and taken in by the wolves. The movie is about Mowgli’s journey through the jungle with his friends

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.

Photo by Ervin Williams

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

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.”

On this page, I wrote the article on Track but I didn’t take the photo or write the caption.

Page Page 8 11

Welcome

. . . .

How to find success at Bak

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Do your work and, even though it may be hard, try your best and be determined, Joshua Wood, eighth grade theater major said.

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Have fun, but do not let your grades drop. Make sure to know who your real friends are and make the most out of your last year at Bak because it will fly by, Amanda Cohen, eighth grade visual major said.

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Looking FORWARD to next year Dr. Bradley A. Taylor 2) Going to Rapids Water Park

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Don’t be afraid of anything, everyone here is really nice, and most of the teachers are not too bad if you do your work, Francesca Moore, sixth grade vocal major, said.

Don’t stress out, do your work and make sure you aren’t putting anything off until the last minute and you will succeed, Christopher Bedecs, sixth grade communications major, said.

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Just be yourself. That’s how you make friends at a new school. Also, make a good impression on your teachers, Isabella Velez, sixth grade communications major, said

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Try hard and do what your teachers ask- that way you get through the year. Try your best, Asher Bradburn, sixth grade theater major, said.

5) Eighth grade privilege 6) Winning the grade level pep rally.

CLIPS-ISSUE 6

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3) Going to Busch Gardens

7) High school acceptance letters 8) Eighth grade dance

I really think you should have fun in your major and work hard to achieve your dreams, Vivian Miller, sixth grade theater major, said.

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On this page, I placed the ad.

Sixth graders offer advice to incoming students

Practice hard and try different types of art, as a sixth grader you have a lot of opportunities, Naomi Francisco, sixth grade visual major, said.

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(Left to right): Adam Goldstick, Lauren Mule, Isabella Ramirez, Emma Garret

(Left to right): Elizabeth Sinn, Blake Weiss, Kate Richman, Janelle Puckering

I think you should always be prepared, make sure you always have your stuff, and be sure to practice and do your homework, Lilyanne Basa, sixth grade theater major, said.

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Stay on top of your work. There will be a lot going on, but be sure to budget your time correctly because eighth grade really is a great year. If you manage your time, you will be able to get the most out of it, Douglas Battle, eighth grade history teacher said.

1) Being able to sit outside at lunch

4) Being the “oldest”

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Have fun and stay focused as well. Make sure to stay out of trouble so that you can do everything at the end of the year like Rapids, Lee Glaze, magnet coordinator said.

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What will you miss? Proudly supports Bak MSOA

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TAYLOR ORTHODONTICS

Features

The Portfolio - May 2016

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The Portfolio May 2016

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My advice is to be prepared, you will have more work and assignments, harder teachers, but don’t get really stressed out, Veronika Rudaya, sixth grade visual major, said.

On this page, I got the quotes and headshots of the sixth grade section.

I wanted to do Journalism, newspaper to be exact because I loved to take photos and to write. After Intro to Journalism, I knew how to write headlines, captions, and copy but it wasn’t until this year that I got to apply everything I had learned. I learned not only how to create a layout using Adobe Indesign, but also how to take storytelling photos, and write featurettes, dig, dig, dig to get good quotes. The from my first article to my last, there was a huge difference in the amounts of mistakes and the quality of quotes, and leads of my copy increased so much, and so did my writing skills.

1-My layout from Issue 4, which had 2 full cobs of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump was my best work of the year. I choose this type of layout to make the article more interesting and to give a good visual to help visualize the focus of the article. It was hard to fit the article with the text wrap and to fit the MCT caption onto it. I recreated the podium by using a screen and white text, to fit the caption. my original layout had a few differences, but nothing that completely changed the look of the layout. I learned how to text wrap, and how to place a cobb, which helped me in layouts afterward. I really like the symmetry of the layout and how eye-grabbing it is, and I feel like all the work I put in made the final product even better.

While working with others to create a newspaper, I had to be able to problem solve quickly so I could try to get things done efficiently. For example, I had to change my layout in order to fit articles and photos, add to articles that were too long, and cut articles that were too short. I also learned how to manage my time so that I could try to get my stories and layouts done. Even though I tried hard most of the times, I also learned that you cannot slack off without paying the price.

The Portfolio News Page 4 March 2016 Trump, Clinton earn frontrunner Presidential Primaries: status after early primary victories By Luke Stone Co-Editor-In-Chief

I liked taking newspaper not only because I had a lot of fun but because it inspired me to write more often and to try my hardest for the best final product. I am using my experience from newspaper this year not only for EIC next year but also in real life for other classes and for writing/ photography competitions. Overall, I felt like there were a few things I can improve on for next year but there was also a lot I learned and took out of being on the staff this year. I had a lot of fun and I learned a lot as well as created a journalistically sound newspaper.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks after coming in second place at his Iowa Caucus night gathering in Des Moines, Iowa, on Mon. Feb 1, 2016. (Dennis Van Tine/ Abaca Press/TNS)

Annual spelling bee allows students to represent Bak at regionals

REFLECTIONS

FINAL ESSAY

I also learned that there really is no such thing as perfection and that I could always improve in a certain way. After making certain mistakes, I learned to correct them and in turn got stuff done with an improved final product. The quality of my photos from Issue 1 (the dragon cover page) to Issue 5 (the Starfest TV show cover page) and issue 6 is evident. I learned a lot about composition and the elements of photography, ultimately improving my knowledge of photography and helping me in other communications classes as well as in the real world.

Eighth grade visual trip Continued from page 1 By Angela Yan News Editor he institution later became the state art museum. “The Ringling Museum was comprised of various works of art gathered in one place,” Lianna McDonald, eighth grade visual major said. Students took an audio tour of the Salvador Dali Museum on the second day. Dali was a famous Spanish surrealist painter who lived from 1904 to 1989. His works often featured

Photo by Angela Yan

A sculpture made completely out of glass hangs from the ceiling of the Chihuly Collection. This particular sculpture took hours to assemble because each piece had to be put in a specific spot.

Photo by Valentina Gomez

Danielle Nelson, seventh grade visual major, win Bak’s annual spelling bee. She moved on to regionals along with the runner up, Luke Stone, eighth grade communications major.

grade communications major. Nelson said, “I’m excited to go to

the regional spelling bee but I’m also, at the same time, really nervous.”

optical illusions. Emily Colainta, eighth grade visual major said. “I got to spend some time going through the Dali Museum with my friends.” The Morean Art Center boasted the Chihuly Collection, Dale Chihuly’s permanent glass exhibition in St. Petersburg. “All of the works in the Chihuly Collection were intricately sculpted,” McDonald said. The Museum of Fine Arts, also in St. Petersburg, is “the only comprehensive art collection of its kind on Florida’s west coast,” according to the museum’s website.

The Portfolio News Page 4 March 2016 Trump, Clinton earn frontrunner Presidential Primaries: status after early primary victories By Luke Stone Co-Editor-In-Chief

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks after coming in second place at his Iowa Caucus night gathering in Des Moines, Iowa, on Mon. Feb 1, 2016. (Dennis Van Tine/ Abaca Press/TNS)

Annual spelling bee allows students to represent Bak at regionals

REFLECTIONS

FINAL ESSAY

Photo by Angela Yan

A sculpture made completely out of glass hangs from the ceiling of the Chihuly Collection. This particular sculpture took hours to assemble because each piece had to be put in a specific spot.

Photo by Valentina Gomez

Danielle Nelson, seventh grade visual major, win Bak’s annual spelling bee. She moved on to regionals along with the runner up, Luke Stone, eighth grade communications major.

grade communications major. Nelson said, “I’m excited to go to

the regional spelling bee but I’m also, at the same time, really nervous.”

Original Layout and Dummy Layout

2- My least favorite layout was from Issue 6. I feel like I didn’t put a lot of work into it, and it was a little bit too blocky and text heavy. I learned that if I want my layout to be interesting, that I should try to think outside the box and use Best of the High School Press. I would have tried to maybe use different types of headlines, or maybe a sidebar. I think that it can still be improved, but at least know I know what to do for next year and years to come. One of the things that I feel affected my layout was all emergency pull quotes and adding back copy after I had measured incorrectly. Overall, I think that even though this layout wasn’t one of my best works reflecting on it helped me improve the quality of my work overall. Page 4

The Portfolio May 2016

News

Memorial Day celebrates history of U.S. soldiers By Carlos Trivino In 1914 the First World War had Features Editor broken out. The United States became n the mid 1860’s the Civil War caught in another major conflict, so brought about great changes in the holiday came to represent a day the country. After leaving more for honoring all men that had perished than 620 thousand Americans dead, while serving their country. it became the bloodiest war fought Congress passed a law declaring that to date. Although the exact origin of Memorial Day be switched to the last the holiday is unknown one thing is Monday in May, in order to create certain. Memorial Day came about as a a three-week holiday. The same law also made the Memorial Day a federal result of the Civil War. Three years after the war ended, holiday and went into effect in 1971. Over two dozen towns claim to be the Union general John A. Logan declared May 30 to be Decoration Day. A day to original birthplace of Memorial Day. However, during decorate the graves of his presidency, the fallen confederate B. and union troops. Memorial Day continued Lyndon General Logan chose to be celebrated on May 30 Johnson declared Waterloo, New this specific date as it York as the was not the anniversary until the late 60’s” official town. of any battle. The last addition Later that year, the first celebration of Decoration Day was or change made to the holiday was in held at Arlington National Cemetery. 2000. Congress signed into law The James Garfield, a union general who National Moment of Remembrance would later become the twentieth Act. According to the Department of president, gave a speech there to a Veteran Affairs website, the National Moment of remembrance occurs at 3 crowd of over five thousand. By the turn of the century all of p.m. local time on Memorial Day and the northern states had declared encourages citizens across the country Decoration Day an official state holiday. to stop what they are doing for a minute The southern states had separate dates of silence in order to honor those who set aside for honoring their dead until have died. the next major conflict.

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REFLECTION

Photo courtesy of www.jkcf.org

Sunfest

3- Visual Showcase (1)- This photo was one of the first I have ever taken, and I am really proud of how it came out. I loved how it captures visual using only the girl’s expression and her drawing. It was a easy shot to take, and it was natural. (Issue 1-Arts and Academics- Prepared- visual showcase.jpg) Dissections (1)- This photo captured a variety of expressions, and allowed the reader to relive the scene with the students. I liked it because it not only told a story, but it also went along with the article perfectly. Overall, I am very proud of this photo. (Issue 1-Arts and Academics- Prepared- dissections.jpg) Starfest (5)- I really loved the depth of field in this photo, and how it was very storytelling. It helped to show what Starfest looked like from behind the scenes. It took a few tries to get, but I am proud of it and I am happy that it got to be the cover page for issue 5. It had a really good blur, and i liked how the actual blurred out photo was in full color, but the part of the camera viewfinder was black and white, making it even more enticing to the viewer. I also got an JEA honorable mention for it. (Issue 6- prepared- News- starfest.jpg)

4- I have written many articles, and taken photos for both myself and others who couldn’t. I have also done News page 4 all year and done business, by sending ad letters and thank you cards to sponsors. I Even took five articles, in one issue, which was a lot of work,. I always try to help people and peer edit as much as possible, and help push the staff to reach our full potential. 5- I had some difficulty executing a few layouts, but was able to do it with the help of other staffers. I missed a few deadlines due to other things outside of school or due to being sick. I also had a few article that took 5-6 tries to get a good to go, and I personally didn’t like my sports articles (even though I got a superior in JEA for one) I also had quite a few article that were too short or too long, which lead to emergency pull quotes. I learned that by using the help of other staffers or mys Samons, getting things good to go and done is easier. I think that i kept trying,and learned valuable life lessons from these hardships. 6- How well did you do what was expected of you?- I had missed a lot of deadlines due to taking way too many articles. This showed me that I should only write articles i wanted to, and never take more than 3. How much time or effort did you put into selling ads?- I had gotten a potential client but they backed out, and we never got the ad. I think next time, I should be less lenient and focus on getting the deal done ASAP. How much time did you spend outside of class- When I wasn’t feeling too well, i couldn’t work on newspaper, making me behind, but I fixed this by coming in every day for lunch. That helping me catch up and not miss as many deadlines.

THANK YOU!