Ervin Williams Portfolio 2016 by Jessica Samons

Portfolio Ervin Williams Technology Editor

Ervin Williams Technology Editor

Ervin Williams BAK MSOA 1725 Echo Lake Drive West Palm Beach, Florida, 33407 561-460-3551 ehwilliams@exeter.edu portfolionews.org September 9, 2016 Ms. Battles Editor of the editorial page The Exonian 20 Main St, Exeter, NH 03833 Dear Ms. Battles: The gallant—If I am to be so bold—approach to newspaper, especially Technology writing serves a great meaningin my life, and I would personally love to have that experience under my belt. I extol the morals you represent in your fine establishment, and I feel compelled to apply for a position as Technology Editor, for I believethat I can contribute to your publication. Achieving my prior knowledge from being on a newspaper staff as Features Editor, I find that my proficiency inInDesign and Photoshop are strong fundamentals that would not need to be taught to me. I also, during my time on the newspaper staff, have learned to accept others opinions, therefore cultivating my people skills. Not only have I worked on InDesign and Photoshop, I have also utilized my interviewing skills in order to make myself more proficient in conducting interviews. I am a perfect fit for your staff because I have the experience and people skills to get the job done, plus I provide a new point of view that is out of the box, and inventive. I am aware that your staff and publication works to meet the readers exact needs. After producing seven issues to date, I have first-hand experience with meeting the demands of the target audience. Despite it being much easier to use the same person as our primary source of quotes for articles, we use multiple sources in order to ensure that people are not left out. I will and have made sacrifices in order to carry out my jobs effectively. I appreciate your considering me for a spot on the staff, but I feel that an interview would allow me to personally express my capabilities to you directly. I have attached a detailed resume of my experience to further illustrate my qualifications. I appreciate your consideration, and I look forward to hearing back from you soon. Respectfully yours, Ervin Henry Williams

Ervin Williams Technology Editor

ERVIN WILLIAMS 1725 Echo Lake Drive, West Palm Beach, Florida, 33407 | (561)-4603551 | ehwilliams@exeter.edu COMPUTER SKILLS Photoshop • 3 years of Photoshop InDesign • Two and a half years of In Design EXPERIENCE August 18, 2016 Features Editor, The Portfolio Newspaper • 1 year as Features editor August 17, 2016 Technology Editor, The Portfolio Newspaper • 1 year as technology editor EDUCATION August 19, 2016 Intro to Journalism, Bak MSOA

Ervin Williams

FinalEssay

Technology Editor

I first got introduced to journalism in sixth grade. When I received my course selection sheet, I had seen the option to take intro to journalism, and with my love for writing, I felt that taking this class would hone my skills and also help me to become more concise and get to the point more efficiently. After completing the class I fell in love with journalism especially the newspaper aspect, so I applied to become a new member of the staff, and for the past two years, the first as a Features editor and the second as the Technology editor, I have loved every second of it. Last year, my first year as a member of the staff, I learned what it was like to work as a team, although I ran into some problems, overall I learned how to become a better team member. What I learned this year was that it isn’t so much about what you want others to hear, but rather what the readers—the students— want to hear. I learned that it is better to hear the story from the students who experience it than the teachers who only observe what is happening. This year I did not sell a copious amount of ads, in fact, I sold one, but I did contribute at least a small bit. I also learned how to write with a more concise hand and hold back on the 100 dollar words. I believe I have become more dedicated to journalism and newspaper as a whole, and I can’t imagine my life without the use of journalism in my everyday life. It is one of the reasons why I love to write, and I can’t imagine my life without it. Along with learning how to write in a journalistic style, I also learned how to produce a newspaper through using different programs to make graphics and to lace articles such as Photoshop, InDesign and Illustrator. I honestly believe this is a skill, a valuable one that will help me when I become older, because with the help of this program, I can now write concisely to the point and also engage the reader without writing a fiction piece

Technology Editor

Reflection #1

JackkentCooke;Issue6;page4 Page 4

The Portfolio May 2016

I believe my most significant piece of work was the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation article in the final issue of my time at Bak. The article was one of the difficult articles that I have written because I had no quotes to use between the transitions. I, with the help of Ms. Sammons, found a way to solve the problem by using quote from the website itself. I know for a fact that if it was not for Ms. Sammons, I would not have completed the article. I believe this is my best work mainly because it is an article that helps give students the options they may not have had before. I feel like I can introduce some people to different things and opportunities so that they can take those and give back to society. I believe with the power of the newspaper we can affect students’ lives at Bak. It first started off at what I thought was going to be a re-write, but after working through all the nooks and crannies, I realized that it was more so how a wrote it, rather than what I wrote, and I realized that I had to write this one differently than the others I had before.

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 until the late 60’s” York as the was not the anniversary 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.

By Ervin Williams Technology Editor The 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.

“

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.

JKCF SCHOLARSHIP Jack Kent Cooke Foundation’s Yung Scholars Program gives low-income families resources to further students’ education 9.5 inches MAY 4, 2016 NEWS PAGE 1&4

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.”

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 (English/language arts, math, science, social studies/history) 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 benefits of the Young Scholars program is that it will help pay or fully take care of 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 school, but it also provides community service opportunities and makes a path toward the college scholarship of $40,000 a year. 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. 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.” #

Ervin Williams Technology Editor

Reflection #3

Reflection #2 I believe the one article I could work on is the Organized Chaos article. I know that my reporting could have been tightened up on that and I know that I could have added more pressing ng information about the magazine, such as how much it costs. I believe that was not the best representation of how well I can write an article, but I also believe that it was a great example of how I became a better writer and how I learned from my mistakes. While I was creating it, I mainly focused on writing about what they did when they were making the magazine, when I should have given a little attention to the pieces that were going to be showcased in the magazine.

OrganizedChaos;Issue5;page10

Page 10

Arts & Academics

The Portfolio April 2016

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.

I love my picture of track and field that I took. It was a picture that encompassed all that I wanted to portray when showing what track and field was about. I like how you can see him focused on running and in the motion of doing so. It shows that track and field is not only about the simple action, but focusing on what you are doing. TrackandField;Issue6;page10

I like my picture of the art because although it was simple, it represented what I wanted. It showed that the art was colorful and had many different shades of emotion, rather than the colors themselves. They tell a story, and I like how I could do that in the simplest way possible. VisualSHowcase;Issue6;page14

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 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 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: 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: Tips for Testing By Valentina Gomez Arts and Academics editor nxiously watching the clock, the student fiddled with her pencil, trying to finish her FSA test. Wishing that she had prepared before the big day, she tried to solve the rest of the questions. “Student preparation for all assessments is the learning and experiences gained during the school year,” Sally Rozanski said. “The art and academics work together to build students’ knowledge.” FSA preparation help can be found on websites such as fsassessments. org, study.com, or testprep-online. com which is useful since “taking the diagnostics and practice tests also help in the preparation,” Rozanski said. Alexander Jones said, “I recommend at least 10 hours of sleep and to feel prepared and stay away from electronic devices.”

I love the Arts gala picture I took, because it sets a story up. It shows a girl drawing a self-portrait and puts them to the side showing how the guest would have seen the artist drawing for them as they wined and dined. SavetheArtsGala;Issue4;Page4

Ervin Williams Technology Editor

Reflection #4 I believe I became more of an asset in the latter part of the year. One thing I did for sure was that I took pictures after school if a staffer could not make it because I was there anyway. I also finished a staffers layout that she was going to be late with because I wanted to make sure the newspaper was sent to the printers on time. I also believe I was like the comic relief and if someone was feeling stressed or having a bad day, I would cheer them up. Although I know I did diverge off of the work I had to do a few time— maybe a lot—I still managed to get my work done, and I feel like I made a contribution to the staff as a whole.

Ervin Williams Technology Editor

Reflection #5 One of the hardships that I faced this year was that I was not concise. I cannot stress that enough. I had some huge issues, some stemming from the joke “the orang round ovals perched on a ledge”. I attempted to change the way I wrote in order to be more concise and get to the point, but it was like a hit or miss. The last issue is when I saw what I could do to make things more concise. I realized that what I had to do was that I had to make sure that I just wrote what I mean in the least words as possible, but in a way that students can understand and follow what I am telling them.

Technology Editor

Reflection #6 The one section where I marked myself low on was ad sales. Although I was not the only staffer who barely sold any ads, I feel like I could have done so much more. I honestly believe that from this year I got a little better from last, but I know that I can get even more done with ad sales. I realize now that I needed to help the newspaper more because we did not get as much suppo0ort financially from the arts foundation this year. This last issue I did sell one ad and I realized that it helped pay for the issue.

Ervin Williams Page 14

The Portfolio October 2015

Arts & Academics

Technology Editor

Bak students await All-State audition results

Visual shwcase

Photo by Ashley Kulberg

As his audition approaches, Jay Coleman, seventh grade strings major, tunes his instrument. “I was nervous, like most people were,” Coleman said. “I auditioned for two instruments, so by my second audition, I felt more comfortable.” with friends, the majority of band or By Ashley Kulberg strings majors were preparing for their Photo Editor All-State auditions, which would test hroughout the summer their musical and sight reading abilities. months, while many kids were “[The best part is] being able to play playing sports or hanging out with so many people that have the

Issue 1 articles

Ervin Williams

same interest as you. The experience of auditioning and getting out there is great,” Katelyn Ansay, seventh grade strings major said. While many students took pride in getting into All-State, many hours of preparation were required to meet that goal when they auditioned in late September. “Every day, I spend 30 to 40 minutes running through my piece with a metronome. I make sure to go very slowly so that I can catch the mood of the music,” Abigail McNutt, eighth grade strings major said. Students can get accepted into AllState for a variety of instruments, including the piccolo, tuba, and flute, according to flmusiced.org. “For violin, only about 150 people get in. So of course, there is going to be some pressure,” McNutt said. There were many benefits that can be achieved by qualifying for All-State. “Getting into All-State gives you a better chance of getting into Dreyfoos

and it is just a great achievement to have,” Lucas Haury-Parra, eighth grade band major said. “I want to please Ms. Beebe and I think that it is a really great experience to play with people from all over the state,” Ansay said. Preparing for such an important audition may cause students to worry, but most just thought about the great things that would happen if they got accepted. Ansay said, “I’m a little bit nervous, but I think I’ve prepared myself enough with the music, so I’m just going to go in there, try my best and hopefully that’s enough.” Students anticipated the day when they would find out if their work was enough to make it into All-State. Haury-Parra said, “I feel like I’ve prepared myself the best that I can, but even if I don’t make it in this year, it’s no big deal. It’s helped my skills and will make it easier for any audition I might have in the future.”

Dissections allow students to explore squid anatomy

By Valentina Gomez Arts and Academics editor isgusted, a student inspected the dead squid in front of her. She examined the eye and the beak. She cringed as ink oozed out of the specimen. This squid dissection was going to be interesting. “I hope the students gain knowledge. I hope they understand the inner workings of the animal kingdom,” Gary Williams, seventh grade science teacher, said. People thought that opening the insides of an animal may be unethical and they should be left alone, according to animalearn.org. 86 percent of students polled and said that schools should give students the option to use alternatives to dissections. On the contrary, the science teachers believed that the dissections were for the greater good and were not meant to cause harm because they thought it was for the purpose of learning. “I think cutting into an animal is just. It’s like going to the vet. If the vet doesn’t know a dog’s anatomy,

they wouldn’t be good at their job,” Williams said. The squid dissections were one out of the four dissections seventh graders did each year. The science teachers strongly recommended students to participate because it was informative of the anatomy of a squid. The students got an insight of a living organism. “The dissections are educational for students because they get to look inside a living thing and see how everything works,” Kerie Franco, seventh grade science teacher, said. During the dissections, students were responsible for following instructions correctly and obediently. If students did not follow the rules that might cause them to get injured or get ink on them or they might spill something by accident. “Students might cut themselves or get ‘eye juice’ all over them if the students do not follow the rules,” Franco said. According to squid-world.com, squids are cephalopods, which are marine animals with a prominent head and tentacles. Squid characteristics, like the

Photo by Nikita Tanguturi

Seventh graders Isabella Ortiz and Jonathan Estilien look at the squid in awe before dissecting it. Ortiz said, “I got to learn how interesting squids are, and I like that we do them [dissections] because we can learn more about different animals.”

beak or the tentacles, drew the students in, according to biologycorner.com, and made the lab even more interesting, creating fascination in learning. “I find the suck rings of a squid intriguing because I didn’t know they had them,” Rachel Gerheard-Sterner,

seventh grade science teacher, said. The seventh graders left the squid dissections with a new knowledge of biology. Williams said, “Students would tell me after the dissections ‘thank you for making me do this.’”

Bak visual showcase displays school talent, creativity By Ervin Williams Technology Editor s the brush moved across the blank canvas, creating people and objects, making a whole new world. The visual showcase, held on Sept. 10, 2015, showcased student art work completed over the summer. “Students can expect amazing sketches, paintings, and sculptures made from recyclable materials that people have done,” Alexa Gaumond, Photo by Nikita Tangaturi Visual arts major Cassidy Zeng seventh grade visual arts major said. prepares for the showcase. “It’s a The showcase housed the artwork of boost of confidence when people returning seventh and eighth graders,

look at your work,” Zeng said.

but did not include all students’ work “The pieces are chosen by what the students think about it. If the teacher thinks another one is good as well, they can put that one in the showcase too,” Gianni Giles, eighth grade visual major said. Professional artists, such Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni, was “the base of all pieces and sketches” said Gaumond. “I get my inspirations from looking at others arts,” Gaumond said. Charlotte de Greling, eighth grade visual major, had a more “modern” approach.

“My inspiration for drawing is usually cartoons. If you pop open my portfolio you will see mostly cartoons and headshots,” de Greling said. Although the showcase was a “great way to show off ” the art work, visual majors drew for other reasons as well. Despite their love for drawing, art “isn’t for everyone.” “No one should be forced to paint if they don’t want to,” de Greling said. “Art calms me down. When I am angry, I paint. When I am happy, I sketch, but when I feel there is injustice, I make a piece. Drawing isn’t for other people. You draw because you love it.”

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Ervin Williams Technology Editor

Ervin Williams TechnologyArts Editor & Academics

Page 10

The Portfolio December 2015

Students put knowledge to real world events in Washington By Ervin Williams Technology Editor

Speech and debate nationals

Issue2Articles

Issue 1 Photos

11.

tudents in the eighth grade went on a Social studies trip to Washington DC. from Nov. 7 -

The students went to some of the “hot spots” of DC., according to Brandon Wisnicki, eighth grade communications major said. “It’s one thing to read about DC in a book. It’s completely different seeing it up close,” Douglas Battle, eighth grade social studies teacher said. “Seeing the Lincoln Memorial up close, where Dr. Martin Luther King delivered one of the greatest speeches in all of American history, is as moving a sight as I have ever experienced in my life.” According to educase.edu, Active Learning Classrooms (ALCs) had the most positive growth in learning, for example school trips, discussions, and immersions. “I am most looking forward to visiting Washington to be immersed in the history that I am learning this year,” Alex Haddad, eighth grade communication major said.

Photo by Luke Stone

Students make a stop in front of the North Lawn of The White House on Nov. 10, 2015 after the end of their tour of the building. That day, the group also made stops at the National Archives, the Jefferson Memorial, Union Station, the Museum of Natural History, and the Museum of American History.

The trip included visits to George Washington’s house, touring the White House, and other activities which provided some students with the answer to the question: Why is history so important? “If you don’t learn from history,

you are doomed to repeat it. It is so important to learn the past. It helps provide a roadmap to the future,” Battle said. The students were exposed to different aspects of government and how it runs, but one student found that

the trip was more than just reinforcing what was taught. Wisnicki said, “This trip shows me how the government is not all about the politics, but what the government can do for us and how it can help us.”

Chorale to broadcast on The Education Network this December teacher, said. “For those who do, this have felt stressed or worried. experience will help them get over their Lacie Michaelis, seventh grade vocal major, said, “Of course I’m nervous. nerves when on stage.” The holiday special will air in I want to do well and looking terrbile December, and anyone can tune in to in front of the audience is my worst nightmare.” watch and listen “This opportunity to Chorale as exposes them to the they sing songs This opportunity behind-the-scenes such as “Deck part of a production. the Halls” and exposes them to the They will get to “Here We Come behind-the-scenes see producers and A-Caroling,” really learn how that Rachel Robinson, part of production.” industry works,” seventh grade Taylor said. theater major, said. Though it may have been challenging “It’s good publicity for the school and music department. People from the for students not to get nervous or community will really get to experience worried while preparing for this event, many felt that what mattered most was what Bak can really do,” Taylor said. This was the initial year that the that they performed to their best ability. Taylor said, “Ultimately, I want their school of the arts was chosen to perform in the special. It was a huge friends and family to see their success honor, according to Taylor, but many and be proud of what the students students performing in this event may have done.”

“

Photo by Ashley Kulberg

With perfect pitch, Chorale prepares to be filmed for the Education Network’s (T.E.N.) Holiday Special. T.E.N. is the official television station for The School District of Palm Beach County.

By Ashley Kulberg Photo Editor

Annual Holiday Special. Bak MSOA was one of the few schools featured in the program. ak students in Chorale earned “Some of these students will go the opportunity to be film into performing,” Kent Taylor, vocal for The Education Network’s

Rozanski: We were very well prepared, familiar with testing By Madaleine Rubin Co Editor In Chief

ast spring, students in Palm Beach County all clicked submit on their computers, ending weeks of Florida Standards Assessment (FSA) testing. Now parents, students, and teachers all await FSA Achievement Levels that they had expected to get in September. “Normally, parents, teachers, and students would have already received Achievement Levelsbut this year, the state delayed the process because cut scores have not

been voted on Achievement Levels, and given final and levels 3 and approval by the above are considered This preparation, state legislature,” proficient. Sally Rozanski, coupled with the hard “In January, once school principal, the cut-scores work of the students said. are approved, In previous and staff, resulted in Achievement Levels years, students for each student should high academic achieving received scores be determined,” ranging from scores.” Rozanski said. one through Parents, students, five, one being and teachers received the lowest possible score and five the percentage scores through an Individual highest. These scores are known as FSA Student Report on Nov. 9.

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Page 4

The Portfolio December 2015

“Based on the proposed cut scores, I determined achievement levels for students,” Rozanski said. If the proposed Achievement Levels are used, then Bak will remain the top middle school in the county in academic achievement. Rozanski said, “We were very wellprepared and familiar with the testing system, and we conducted practice tests. This preparation, coupled with the hard work of the students and staff, resulted in high academic achieving scores.”

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

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

which they found themselves.” Days after the crash, Obama blamed Russia for providing sophisticated equipment and training to pro-Russian separatists, allowing the accused separatists to shoot down the plane. According to Toronto Star, there has been no confirmation on whether Obama’s accusations were Without true. Obama said in happened a White House

“

about who was involved in the crash of MH17,” the Joint Investigation Team said in a statement to the Dutch Safety Board. According to BBC News, Russia and Ukrainian government forces blamed each other for shooting down the plane, with both sides denying responsibility. what “The rebels are not shooting, that is there, the done by the various

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.

Ervin Williams Technology Editor

The

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

SGA Candy Canes

February 2016 * Volume 19 * Issue 3 * Bak Middle School of the Arts * 1725 Echo Lake Drive * West Palm Beach, Florida 33407

SGA sells candy canes to assist children in need

Curtain Calls Lights On

Issue3 Articles

Issue 2 Photos

By Ervin Williams Technology Editor

was the season of giving, and everyone deserved the chance to get presents and gifts, but some families were less fortunate, so Bak’s Student Government Association (SGA) decided to do something about it. The Student Government Association at Bak wanted to give back to the community. “We always say that we are going to help someone, but rarely do we ever follow through with our promises. SGA wants to really make that promise into reality,” Kevin Ray, SGA president said. The fundraiser SGA held will provide gifts and resources to underprivileged students at the school Pleasant City. “We all want to be remembered during the holidays, and we want to let these students know that we do care about them,” Sharon Campbell, SGA sponsor, said. To go about raising money for Pleasant City, SGA sold candy canes in the courtyard for one dollar each.

SGA candy canes Continued on page 4

Winter pep rally caps off middle of school year with high spirits The pep rally featured games such as Sticky Cheetos, where people sprayed shaving cream onto teachers’ hair. Participants then flung Cheetos onto their grade level teacher’s head. Another event was the box dancing game. Pierre said, “I enjoyed the box dancing game where they were trying to get the balls out of the tissue boxes.” The Bak sports coaches introduced their players, who whooped as they ran to meet the rest of their team. “At one point, an eighth grader gave his friend a piggy back ride to the center of the gym,” Ambreen Murad, Photo by Angela Yan eighth grade vocal major said. The Step Team put on a performance Sprinting to the other side of the gym, eighth grade communications at the conclusion of the pep rally. major Samuel Hahn, grabs a sled full of stuffed animals and drags it back to where he started. The winter pep rally included a dance-off, “I thought the Step Team did an where students danced to the popular song “The Whip.” amazing job,” Murad said. “The best part was when they included By Angela Yan winter pep rally, loud cheers erupted Spongebob.” News Editor from their side of the gym. Some thought there could have been fter a week of exams, students “The eighth graders were the most improvements. cheered for their respective excited because it’s our last year,” Pierre said. grades in the gym on Friday, Pierre said. “All of “Teachers should Dec. 18. The winter pep rally marked the eighth graders make it more clear Everyone was halfway through the 2015-2016 school were having the how much a game is year. best time.” screaming and rooting worth.” Sixth grade wore “The winter pep rally was a really big The pep rally left success in my opinion. Everyone had white, and seventh for their grade level.” students eager for a lot of school spirit, and they were grade sported gray. winter break. happy,” Jennifer Pierre, eighth grade “Everyone was “If I could use one phrase to describe screaming and rooting for their grade the pep rally,” Murad said, “it would be vocal major, said. As eighth grade, clad in blue, was level,” Ari Goodman, seventh grade a ‘loud, fun social gathering.’” declared the winner of the annual visual major said.

“

School District of Palm Beach County offers many high school choice programs

By Lily Gumbinner Photo Editor ver 150 Choice and In-House programs within 24 high schools are offered through the School District of Palm Beach County, which allowed students the opportunity to follow career pathways

Photo courtesy of examiner.com

A.W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts offers art programs including dance, visual arts, music, theater, digital media, and communication arts. It is ranked ninth in the state.

and help them graduate ready for college. “At a choice school, you get to specialize in something that you like, like the arts, International Baccalaureate, or a medical program,” Lee Glaze, magnet coordinator said. The School District of Palm Beach

Photo courtesy of The Palm Beach Post

Suncoast Community High School offers computer science, International Baccalaureate, and MSE programs. They are ranked eleventh in Florida.

County is proud of being a national leader of Choice and Career Programs. Students who participate and complete their program pathway graduate from high school at nearly a 97 percent rate, according to the School District of Palm Beach County Department of Choice and Career Options.

Photo courtesy of Palm Beach Daily News

G-Star School of the Arts is a charter school located in West Palm Beach. They offer film and animation, and performing arts programs.

“Selecting a school where there is a program you have interest in, is important and helps you better prepare for the college programs in which you have interest,” Glaze said.

High school choice programs Continued on page 4

Photo courtesy of Palm Beach Post

Boynton Beach High School offers majors like dance, theater, music, and visual arts, and an Aerospace science program (BASA) and technology programs.

Page 8

Sports & Clubs

The Portfolio February 2016

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

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ighth grade communications major, Nashani Gilbert, is one of Bak’s star players this year as she is the captain of the volleyball team. l “I lead my team by motivating them Vo 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 me She has been playing basketball for 5 Bas five years and knows that basketball ketb will take her far. But, with every star all tr oph ies player comes challenges to overcome. “I struggle with trying to know the other players skill level. I overcome this by getting used to the players,” Gilbert said. She has set some goals for both volleyball and basketball season. Photo by Sreenidhi Nidamanur Gilbert said, “For volleyball, I want to get into the playoffs. For basketball, I want to win another championship.”

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

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

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

Photo by Sreenidhi Nidamanur

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

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

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

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

Photo by Isabella Ramirez

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

Ervin Williams Technology Editor

The

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March 2016 * Volume 19 * Issue 4 * Bak Middle School of the Arts * 1725 Echo Lake Drive * West Palm Beach, Florida 33407

Candy Cane (SGA)

Issue 4 Articles

Issue 3 Photos

Artist George Perez returns to Bak for a second time

Photo by Anushka Lakum

Renowned comic book artist George Perez visits Michelle Sherman’s sixth grade visual arts class. “One of the most gratifying encouragements is students embracing their talents,” Perez said.

By Anushka Lakum Entertainment Editor amous comic book writer and illustrator, George Perez, returned to Bak on Feb. 23. His visit was organized

by the MSOA Foundation. “[Perez] is able to teach storytelling, character analysis, and creative writing, which are skills that will transfer into just many careers the world has to offer,” Susy Diaz, executive

director of the Foundation, said. Perez and his wife, Phoenicia Flynn, both interacted with many students. “I taught a masterclass in the morning to visual and communications students, and my wife taught three dance classes

this time. It was great,” Perez said. He has worked on countless comics, including “The Avengers,” “The New Teen Titans,” “Crisis on Infinite Earths,” and “Wonder Woman.” Perez has inspired many people and shaped their views on comics. “I’m fascinated to see how quickly he brings a character to life and I have found myself paying more attention to artists’ names, in order to identify their work from their artistic style,” Diaz said. During the masterclass, Perez shared his process for creating characters and telling stories. “First he was just drawing quick sketches of characters that he made up, but then he started showing us how we can make a whole story from just a few ideas you can bounce off each other,” Manasi Patel, seventh grade communications major said. When people meet Perez, Diaz said, it “quickly turned into an adventure.” “He is incredibly kind, multitalented and a storyteller in every sense of the word. It’s hard not to get drawn in by his charisma,” Diaz said. People think of art in different ways, but this artist has his own twist. Perez said, “I like to think that being able to pursue a passion keeps the art alive for the next generation.”

Eighth grade Save the Arts Gala raises money to fund schools visual trip By Ervin Williams Technology Editor expands students’ tarting the night with a bit outlooks on art of finger-food, drinks, and a By Angela Yan News Editor ighth grade visual arts majors embarked on the second annual trip to the Tampa Bay Area from Jan. 21-23. The purpose of the trip was to explore historical and unique art forms. “The visual trip showed me that art is a very universal form, and that it expresses feelings,” Tiffany Lumley, eighth grade visual major said. “It showed what was happening during the time art was made.” On the first day, the group visited the Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota. The museum included handmade statuettes. “I’ve never seen such a wide collection of miniatures,” Lumley said. According to the Ringling Museum’s website, John and Mable, a married couple, gave the museum to Florida after their deaths.

Eighth grade visual trip Continued on page 4

Save the Arts Gala

showcase of the visual arts, the Save the Arts Gala, hosted by the MSOA Foundation, raised money to support the arts at Bak MSOA. “We were aiming to raise around $60,000 dollars net gain, and I definitely believed that we can reach that goal,” Suzy Diaz, Executive Director of the MSOA foundation said. Throughout the evening, there were select visual arts majors who drew or painted their art, while the guests mingled and observed the young artists. “It was an amazing experience for me, and I loved the fact that they liked what I drew,” Michael Retten, seventh grade visual arts major said. The gala then continued with a “star-studded performance by the Bak vocal majors,” Eric Camacho, one of the coordinators of the gala said. “[The Bak girls’ chorale] sang wonderfully, and I believe the audience saw what it was like to be a vocal major and sing on a stage,” Camacho said. Held at the Harriet Hummel

Photo by Ervin Williams

The Save the Arts Gala started with finger food and conversations, along with a showcase of live art. The drawings included painting, charcoal drawings, and portraits.

Theater in City Place, West Palm Beach, the goal was to raise money for the arts as well as to show a glimpse of the students in their art area. “Arts are languages that all people speak cutting across racial, cultural, social educational, and economic barriers and enhancing cultural appreciation and awareness,” Diaz said.

The MSOA Foundation put time and effort into making the gala a “night to remember” Retten said. “Diaz said, “All the money we raise [during the gala] will go straight to the school to pay for new materials the majors could use to continue their curriculum.”

Sports & Clubs

The Portfolio March 2016

Page 11

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.

Dance Honor Society Photo by Joel Soto

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

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

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

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

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

Photo by Luke Stone

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

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

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.

Ervin Williams Technology Editor

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The Portfolio April 2016

Sports & Clubs

Save The Arts Gala

Issue 5 Articles

Issue 4 Photos

Bak athletes share highlights of season

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Math Counts wins first out of 69 teams in state competition

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

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

Math Counts Photo courtesy of Guest

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Arts & Academics

The Portfolio April 2016

Photo by Nikita Tanguturi

Organized Chaos 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: Bak FSA statistics from 2014-2015

Girls Basketball

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

Ervin Williams Technology Editor

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The Portfolio May 2016

Ervin Williams Technology Editor

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 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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Track and Field

Sports & Clubs Track wins first in multiple events this season The Portfolio May 2016

Photo courtesy of www.jkcf.org

Sunfest

Jack Kent Cooke Foundation

Page 14

The Portfolio May 2016

Arts & Academics

Charles Schulz lives on in the musical ‘You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown’ By Valentina Gomez Arts and Academics Editor ased on the comic strip, “Peanuts” by Charles M. Schulz, “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” was presented in the main stage theater. “The reason ‘Peanuts’ stayed around so long is since everyone identifies with it by reading simple stories on problems young kids have,” Richard Valentine, director, said. The ‘Peanuts’ comic strip ran from Oct. 2, 1950 to Feb. 13, 2002. Charles M. Schulz entirely focused on the miniature society of young kids with no adult figure throughout the whole comic series. “Charlie Brown has always been a part of my life in my childhood on

Sundays,” Valentine said. “In high school, I did a scene from this show and directed it professionally two or three times. I have history with this production.” Characters who performed in the musical included Jakob Littell as Charile Brown, Nicolas Madruga as Linus, Chloe Colbert as Schroeder, Molli Scramowicz as Patty, Preston Padgett as Snoopy and Abigail Garcia as Lucy. “This musical was special for me because when I was a kid, I used to love watching the ‘Peanuts’ comics so I was so excited to be a part of it,” Colbert, eighth grade theater major, said. Learning and practicing the lines for the actors came as a challenge. “Memorization [was my greatest

struggle]. I had a big monologue so I found it challenging for me,” Colbert said. Linus van Pelt, one of the main characters in the show, is never seen without his blue blanket and when he does not have it with him, he freaks out. “[My favorite scene in the play] was when Linus was dancing with his blanket because it added humor and he was a very good singer,” Emma Taffe, sixth grade dance major said. According to ideafinder.com, Schulz said during an interview, “It seems beyond the comprehension of people that someone can be born to draw comics, but I was. My ambition from earliest memory was to produce a daily comic strip.

Photo by Valentina Gomez

Linus (Nicolas Madruga) and Snoopy (Preston Padgett) perform in the musical “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” on April 28. Based off of the hit comic strip “Peanuts,” the musical ran through sixth and eighth period.

Issue 6 Photos

Issue 6 Articles

“

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.

Eighth grade visual showcase

Photo by Ervin Williams

The art show displayed pieces created by the leaving eighth grade students. The art pieces consisted of sculptures, self-portraits, dresses, and photos. “ Art, for me, is like an extention of my personality,” Giles said. “Everything I draw is a reflection of who I am.”

By Ervin Williams Technology Editor n May 5, 2016, the graduating eighth grade visual majors featured their final projects for students and parents at the William I. Koch Gallery and the Visual Arts Wing. One of the main purposes for having

the showcase was to “show how we grew from sixth grade to eighth grade,” Danielle Hoogterp, eighth grade visual major, said. “When I started sixth grade, I was drawing things that made me happy and more positive sketches,” Gianni Giles, eighth grade visual major, said. “Now, for my eighth grade project, I

Hoogterp said. While working on their numerous art pieces throughout the years, students were helped by their teachers. “Honestly, I would not have gotten better and learned new techniques of drawing if it wasn’t for my teachers,” Giles said. “Teachers like Mr. Fallon and Mr. Barker really inspire students to draw about their passions and inspire others by your art.” The pieces for the art showcase went through a carfeful selection process in order to “express the emotions of the pieces more fluidly” Giles said. “After we finish our pieces, we have to go through peer edits,” Giles said. “During the peer editing stage we critique our pieces based on shading, color, idea, emotion, and realism. Although the showcase was for students to feature their artwork, it also marked the end of their Bak experience. Giles said, “At Bak, I honed my skills and had so much help and tips from all my teachers. My experience was great, and I am going to miss this school.”

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

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.”

Geek Games

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 by Ervin Williams

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

Boy’s Volley Ball

Students win annual Literature contest by submitting pieces to Library of Congress By Jordan Taylor Website Editor etters about Literature is a reading and writing contest sponsored by the Library of Congress. Eighth grade language arts teacher, Tom Felt, had his students participate in this contest this was the first year with so many winners. It is for grades four through 12, and kids were asked to read a speech or poem and write a letter to the author about how the material affected them. “My language arts teacher gave the letter to us as an assignment, and we were supposed to write about a book that changed our life. I knew the exact book that fit the mold, and I knew immediately what I was going to write about,” Philippa Scroggins said. Scroggins received first place in state level and will move on to the national contest, as well as receiving $100. She

wrote her letter to Gayle Foreman, the author of “If I Stay”. Gabriella Siedle received third place in state level as well as a $25 gift card, and wrote her letter to John Bayne, the author of “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas”. “I chose this author mainly because of her book. ‘If I Stay’ was very ironic to read because it was almost like I was reading about another version of myself,” Scroggins said. There were eight more state finalists, including Amanda Vanner, Sally Zhang, Christian Stephans, Brooke Ibarra, Angela Yan, Noah Sams, Madaleine Rubin and Shaina Franks. They will be mentioned at the eighth grade ceremony and each of them received a certificate as well. “Any student can enter the Library of Congress contest each year. You don’t have to enter through your teacher, and you choose an author that had an

impact on your life,” Felt said. Tens of thousands of students entered the contest every year. Students could enter on their own, using the website read.gov/letters, not just through a class. “This contest requires students to evaluate a book and make a judgement about its quality and to clearly inspect evaluations. This is a very prestigious contest sponsored by the Library of congress, so it’s a big deal,” Felt said. The Letters about Literature contest was funded by a generous grant from Dollar General Literacy Foundation, plus gifts from the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, which promotes the contest. This Literature contest improved students’ writing abilities by using descriptive and creative strategies to create personal letters of how that certain book related to them personally.

Eighth Grade visual showcase Photo courtesy of Tom Felt

Phillippa Scroggins and Gabriella Siedle place in the Literature contest. Scroggins said, “It’s safe to say that this book [If I Stay] shaped me into the person I am today.”

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

Eighth grade visual majors display their final projects in the art gallery made a cut mug about my anger, that I glazed and molded from clay.” For others, the eighth grade project and personal project reflects more about what they feel when they are making their pieces. “When I draw, I feel a strong passion and excitement for art I create,” Hoogterp said. “It is the feeling that I know my love for [art] can’t be taken away.” Despite the projects’ content being totally up to the students imagination, the art pieces have to follow a certain parameter to be approved by their teachers. “Everyone has to make a self-portrait but the other piece can be about anything that is deep and affects you,” Aidan Nelson, eighth grade visual major, said.” The art pieces showcased at the gallery were not how they started. The artist first had to think about what they were going to make. “Before I made my pieces, I did a few small sketches and a few sentences describing what I was going to do,”

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.

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.”

Ervin Williams Technology Editor

Technology

Photo courtesy of motorscribes.com

Sam Sheffer, test rider of Lexus’ newest product and avid skateboarder, steps on to the hoverboard in Barcelona, Spain, at the specially designed Lexus hoverboard skate park.

By Madaleine Rubin Co-Editor In Chief

he debut of the movie “Back to the Future Part II,” on Nov. 22, 1989 gave people a glimpse in to what was generally referred to as the future. This image included flying cars, time machines, hoverboards, and many other futuristic technologies. However, some of these advanced concepts have truly become a reality in modern day life.

Meet the new Lexus hoverboard, more commonly known as the “slide.” This flying skateboard combines elements of the future with the abilities of today’s technology to create a new form of motion. According to the Lexus hoverboard’s official website (lexus-int.com), “The hoverboard is constructed from an insulated core, containing HTSL’s, or high temperature superconducting blocks. These are housed in cryostatsresevoirs of liquid nitrogen that cool the superconductors to -197 degrees

By Lily Gumbinner uitar-joPhoto is a Editor new device that attaches to an electric guitar, giving it the sound of a banjo. Musicians can add the plucky

Celsius, or -322.6 degrees Fahrenheit, the temperature needed in order to hover.” In simpler terms, what this all means is that the hoverboard is using magnetic levitation to keep itself and its rider above ground. The superconductors are, according to Elizabeth Palermo, associate editor of “Live Science,” a science newspaper, are “materials that can conduct electricity with zero resistance below a certain temperature.” The zero resistance factor is part of what keeps the hover board in the air. Nonetheless, this description can be misleading. One should not assume that the hoverboard can hover on plain ground. The Lexus hoverboard official site states that “the board is placed upon a track containing permanent magnets. The track’s magnetic flux lines are ‘pinned’ into place, maintaining the hover height of the board.” The track operates in complete unison with the board. The two electrical current produced by the superconductors and the magnets in the board create a strong magnetic field that repels the magnetic field put out by the track. This effect is, essentially, repelling gravity.

Though the technology behind the board seems extremely advanced, the materials used to build its exterior are significantly less complicated, and make up the natural technology features in Lexus’ invention. According to “Wired,” another science magazine, Lexus’ spokesperson on the project, Maurice Durand, “The slide takes several design cues, like bamboo finish and carbon fiber touches, from Lexus automobiles.” With all of the components of the Lexus hoverboard in mind, from the high-tech to the low-tech, pricing is a serious debate. According to Sam Sheffer, who rode the Lexus hoverboard at its specially designed skate park in Spain, “There is no definite price for the hoverboard because it is just a promotional tool for Lexus’ cars. Lexus won’t sell you one of these things, they are just using it for ad purposes.” Though the Lexus hoverboard may not turn Marty McFly’s hoverboard chase scene from “Back To The Future Part II” into a complete reality, it can still be rendered a futuristic innovation, bringing society one step closer to a time period that had seemed imaginative.

Android meets Apple:

Smart watches compatible

Photo courtesy of allibaba.com

By Carlos Trivino Features Editor oogle. The multinational corporation responsible for the millions of smartphones and internet searches used every day. On Aug. 31, Google announced that its line of smartwatches would become compatible with iOS (Apple) users starting on Sept. 2. Google entered the smartwatch world in 2014. The first year had a slow start with only 720,000 of 4.6 million units actually sold. Apple released their first wearable device, the Apple Watch, for official sale on April 24 of this year. It now dominates over 75 percent of the

smart watch market, according to some estimates. Although reaching out to a wider variety of users, the new android wear and iPhone compatibility has some restrictions. Amongst these are not having the capability to access the over 4000 apps available for android wear on the Google market place. Another aspect includes that only newer smartwatches will be able to connect to the user’s phone. The iPhones will have to be no older than the iPhone 5 and be running iOS 8.2 software or newer. The users will be able to connect to their Google smartwatch through the Android Wear app on the App Store. Google expects the prices of Android watches compatible with the iPhone to range from $100 to $400. Apple, which has a long history of demanding premium prices for its products, sells most of its watches for $350 to $1 thousand, though its luxury models cost more than $10 thousand. Google is hoping the next wave of Android Wear watches will help to shift the tide in its favor. International Data Corporation (IDC) analyst Ramon Llamas said, “This is a shrewd move by Google to expand its potential market. There is only so much space available on each wrist.”

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

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The Portfolio December 2015

Smart Helmet protects athletes

Issue 2 Layout

Issue 1 Layout

The Portfolio Technology Page 12 October 2015 Future to reality: Lexus hoverboard creates form of motion

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.

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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Ervin Williams Technology Editor

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The Portfolio February 2016

Ervin Williams Technology Editor

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Technology

Science teacher creates drones as hobby

Feet tall the “Valkyrie” robot stands

Issue 3 Layout

degrees of freedom for arm movement

290

Pounds or 132 kg is how much the robot weighs

Degrees of freedom for hand and leg movement

$250,000

is the amount of money universities were paid to make algorithms for the robot

is the amount of tasks it can do in less than one hour

By Jordan Taylor Website Editor ational Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA) will hold a Space Robotics Challenge to decide whose robot would lead the future deep space mission to Mars; Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) University or Northeastern University. The universities were challenged to create robots that can help or even replace humans in “extreme space” missions. Russ Tedrake from MIT

Photo by ibtimes.co.uk

MIT robot, Valkyrie, was created originally for disaster-relief maneuvers but now plans on going into space.

and his team developed algorithms for the robot, enabling it to do different challenges. According to the article provided by MIT, NASA gave MIT a humanoid robot to develop software for

future space mission provided by Massachusetts Institute of Technology. NASA was interested in humanoid robots because they can go into space and complete missions that would be dangerous if done by humans.

They were initially designed to complete disaster-relief maneuvers, but now NASA’s aiming for a bigger goal: deep-space exploration. MIT, along with Northeastern University, received a six foot, 290 pound humanoid robot to develop algorithms that are essential to making the “R5” robot prepared for missions in space. Each university team received $250,000 per year in funding in a two year period. When the time arrived is done, the two robots would be entered into NASA’s Space Robotics Challenge, according to ibtimes.co. NASA originally invented R5, and it was designed to be as dexterous as a human. It comes with arms, hands, a pelvis and legs with different degrees of freedom; meaning how free the robot is to move. The main hardware is ready, but more advanced software is still needed which will be supplied by MIT or Northeastern University after the research period is over in two years. “Rather than risking people’s lives on a planet that has hostile conditions unsuitable to human life, NASA wants autonomous robots to carry out missions and experiments on the red planet and see how they get on, and later assist us once humans arrive,” according to the website ibtimes. co, Mary-Ann Russon said. NASA’s competition was inspired by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Robotics Challenge. NASA is hoping for R5 to travel in deep space by the time the two year time period is over. These robots were used for new technology that could change the world of science.

New technology powered by Wifi Nike makes self tying shoes real

By Jacob Schlessel Copy Editor new device created by the University of Washington (UW) utilizes the power that Wi-Fi routers put out and uses it to charge devices. “For the first time, we’ve shown that you can use Wi-Fi devices to power the sensors in cameras and other

Photo by washington.edu

Researchers at UW were able to charge a small camera enough to take a photo every 35 minutes.

devices,” Vamsi Talla, a UW electrical engineering doctoral student, according to washington.edu said. The device, dubbed “PoWiFi” standing for “power over Wi-Fi” takes the small amount of power that WiFi routers already put out, and turns it into energy that can power devices. PoWiFi is still in the testing phases, UW conducted a small trial run, placing the device in six homes. The results showed that users typically did not notice a slower Wi-Fi when using PoWiFi to charge their devices. “[PoWiFi] doesn’t degrade the quality of your Wi-Fi signals while it’s powering devices,” Talla said on the UW’s website. UW had high hopes for the new device, and thinks it can have a national impact. Talla said, “Although initial experiments harvested relatively small amounts of power, the UW team believes there is opportunity to make the PoWiFi system more efficient and robust.”

By Ashley Kulberg Photo Editor efore 2015, the idea of sneakers that lace automatically would have been only imaginable in movies. However, Nike has made it possible with their limited edition Nike Mags. When “Back to the Future Part II” was released in 1989, Nike was asked to create technology for the film, such as the power lacing shoe. As the years went on, the company made this dream their reality. In 2011, 1500 pairs of the sneakers were auctioned. The proceeds were donated to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s disease research. However, the pairs were only for show and did not have power lacing features, according to nicekicks.com. “The enthusiasm this project ignited, and the funds and awareness the shoes generated for Parkinson’s research, are both humbling and inspiring,” Fox said in an interview with solecollector.com The Nike Mags had LED lights. A white Nike logo appeared on their

strap, according to gizmodo.com. They were close to an exact model of the sneaker that was showed in the movie, with a few minor tweaks. Parker said, “We started creating something for fiction and we turned it into fact, inventing a new technology that will benefit all athletes.”

Issue 4 Layouts

Humanoid robot to explore extreme space The Valkyrie Project 6

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

“

S0 to 100 real quick: StoreDot

offers lightning fast charging

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

photo by mashable.com

In 2011, when the Nike Mags prototypes were first released, the average cost of a pair on eBay was approximately $16 thousand. The cost of the fully-functioning shoes, which are expected to be released in early 2016, are predicted to be close to double.

Technology

The Portfolio March 2016

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

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

New body surfing suit creates innovative way to catch waves

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

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

Photo Courtesy of Nick Gadler

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

Ervin Williams Technology Editor

Technology

The Portfolio April 2016

Ervin Williams Technology Editor

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existence that is not bound by the confines of physics.”

Google self-driving car crashes into bus New drone races increase in popularity By Madaleine Rubin virtual reality googles, which display a Co-Editor In Chief real-time video feed from an onboard irtual reality headsets secured camera. on tightly, controllers in hand, The official Drone Racing League, and drones whizzing by every otherwise known as the DRL, hosts second. The sport of drone racing drone races at locations around the utilizes all of these high technology world where top pilots fly high-speed elements to provide gamers with a blast drones in an arena. A DRL race is scored from the future, rather than the past. Photo courtesy cbsnews.com based on a combination of completion According to myfirstdrone.com, time and checkpoints drone pilots must On Valentine’s Day, a Lexus version of the Google self-driving car drone racing is a sport where drone successfully maneuver their aircraft crashes into a bus near Mountain View, California. It was caused by a misunderstanding between the drivers, and some thought this was new pilots strive to build fast and agile through. In a typical drone racing multi-rotors to fly around a set course season, there are six races around the for Google cars. By Anushka Lakum mph. The car’s front fender, wheel and as fast as possible. Drone racing is most world where pilots earn points. The commonly done using First Person pilots with the most points qualify for Entertainment Editor sensor were damaged in the process. oogle’s self-driving cars have After the crash, people were afraid View (FPV) systems. These systems the World Championship race. For more information on this been driving on the road that the Google software could make allow drone pilots to fly their drones since 2009. However, these the same mistake again and incorrectly through three-dimensional courses futuristic pastime, visit fpvracing.tv. cars have been in 17 crashes, and this predict a human driver’s actions. But in at high speeds. FPV systems utilize was the first time the Google car was a statement, Google said that it made the cause. changes to its software to “try to avoid On Feb. 14, a Google Lexus self- future accidents like this.” driving car was about to drive around According to google.com, self-driving some sandbags on the road in Mountain cars were not actually a new invention. View, California. The steering wheels and pedals were Both the car and test-driver assumed just removed, and sensors were added that the bus in the next lane would to detect objects in all directions. In a blog, Chris Urmson, the head slow down to let them pass. The bus driver thought that the car would stay of Google’s self-driving car program, put until the bus passed. Both driver said that in most crashes, the car was and car assumed incorrectly, and the not at fault, and it was just humans at fault. vehicles collided. Photo courtesy of New York Times Urmson said, “The clear theme is It was a minor crash, and there were no injuries. According to engadget. human error and inattention. We’ll take Flying high in the air at a speed equally as high, this particular drone whizzes past checkpoints in an arena. The tiny, agile style of the com, the Lexus hit the side of the bus all this as a signal that we’re starting to multi-rotor allowed for it to reach such high velocities. at 2 mph, while the bus was going 15 compare with human drivers.”

Issue 6 Layouts

Issue 5 layouts

translucent, tinted visor for the user to see. The company described this headset as “the most advanced holographic computer the world has ever seen.” Although the controller is designed to be the user’s hands, the product allows for a Bluetooth connection to pair it with a “clicker” which is a thumb sized device made for scrolling and selecting. The lens will also support a Wi-Fi connection, as well as an app that allows others to see what the user is currently seeing in the headset. Microsoft has announced that it will be putting a developer version of the product for sale on March 30 starting at $3,000. The battery life on the HoloLens is set to be five and a half hours for light use and two and a half under heavy use. It will also be compatible with Xbox controllers. Another feature that is currently being researched and possibly implemented is what the company is calling “Holoportation”. This feature allows the user to see another HoloLens user in a skype like manner but with the added bonus that the other person is projected as a full “Star Wars like” hologram. Microsoft has yet to reveal information on the general availability of the product to the public, but it is expected that it will be a while until the company finishes tweaking the headset and pricing for the HoloLens drops.

Technology

New Flyboard Air breaks world records

Microsoft looks to future, unveils HoloLens

By Carlos Trivino Features Editor ince the announcement of the Oculus Rift back in 2012, many companies began to implement and develop their own virtual-reality headsets to compete in the newly formed market. The HoloLens itself is built in the form of a large pair of sunglasses with an additional headband for putting it on properly. Like other products, its purpose is to indulge the user in a virtual surrounding, giving the impression of being in the game. However, Microsoft made the headband to not actually use virtualreality, instead the product uses augmented reality by projecting the “holograms” onto the HoloLens’ visor. This makes the viewer experience the holograms as if they were in the same room as them. Microsoft stated the product as “bringing holograms to life in your environment where you can interact with digital content in relation to your real world, just as you do with physical objects.” Powered by Windows 10, the HoloLens works by using two cameras for video recording and depth sensing, four microphones, and a Photo courtesy of arstechnica.com variety of environment understanding Inventor Alex Kipman was behind Microsoft’s Kinect system. Now, he components such as an accelerometer is leading the companies’ new augmented reality rig. Kipman said in an capable of measuring the speed of the interview with Fast Company magazine, “Software is the only art form in user. Images are projected onto the

The Portfolio May 2016

Photo courtesy of uncrate.com

Zapata Racing CEO Franky Zapata takes the new FlyBoard Air out, revealing it to the public for the first time with a 10 minute flight.

By Jacob Schlessel Copy Editor unhappy with this product, as these n the summer of 2015, self- boards falsely claimed themselves to balancing boards took the market be “hoverboards.” Zapata Racing may by storm. Many consumers were

have the answer to these disappointed shoppers. Ranging from a hefty price of about $3,000 to $9,000, the FlyBoard Air is the next advancement in technology. First releasing the $6,600 water FlyBoard, Zapata Racing looked to take a more futuristic, gravity defying, land-based version of the original. A video uploaded on April 9 by the official YouTube account of Zapata Racing depicted Franky Zapata, CEO of Zapata Racing using the FlyBoard Air to fly at an approximate speed of 34 mph for three minutes and fifty-five seconds. While trying to keep quiet on most of the stats about the FlyBoard Air, they did claim that the board can reach heights of up to 10 thousand feet, can reach a top speed of 93 mph and can currently fly for up to 10 minutes. On April 30, Franky Zapata was

cited for breaking the world record of longest flight by a hoverboard, crushing the old record which was 905 feet by 6,483 feet. (His record was 7,388 feet). Many skeptics of the FlyBoard Air claim that the video was rigged with ropes or chains. In 2014, a company named Funny or Die released a video of various actors depicted riding a hoverboard. The video drew a lot of attention. The makers of the video later admitted that the video was faked and there was no hoverboard, and it caused an uproar on social media. With new technology bring revealed every day, the FlyBoard Air especially sticks out for being ahead of its time. Zapata Racing currently offers six different models of both water jetpacks and hoverboards on their website If money was not a problem, the FlyBoard Air may soon be the new favorite for commuter travel.

INew virtual reality rollercoasters bring enjoyment to thrill-seekers By Sreenidhi Nidamanur Sports Editor amsung recently joined forces with the amusement park, Six Flags, to increase the thrill factor of rides using virtual reality headsets. The New Revolution Virtual Reality Coasters, powered by Oculus, have 360-degree views at 55 miles per hour. They allow thrill-seekers to experience a whole new dimension with synchronized action to the roller coaster. According to usatoday.com, the ability to precisely track the motion of train is critical and the virtual reality (VR) headset is equipped with controllers to fire simulated guns. These are the world’s first giant loops in Texas, Georgia, California, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York and Quebec. This loop is 90 feet high and 45 feet in diameter with 3,457 feet of steel track. According to sixflags.com, riders must be 48 inches tall and at least 13 years of age. With its debut on March 26, the

roller coaster allowed the riders to experience a futuristic fighter plane battle. Riders save the planet from an alien annihilation at New Revolution, while the Superman VR experience recruited passengers to help fight the villain, Lex Luthor. According to fortune.com, Brett Petit, senior vice president of marketing for Six Flags said, “The possibilities are almost endless when you consider all of the different concepts and themed worlds that can be created—we can now provide experiences you can only do in a virtual world, like the ability to fly alongside Superman, be the co-pilot of a jet fighter and save the planet, or explore outer space.” Samsung is now the official technology partner of Six Flags as the headsets are compatible with Samsung’s latest devices including the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge. “The expertise and hardware that Samsung provides with the Gear VR and their partnership with Oculus, is really what took this to the next level

Photo courtesy of theverge.com

New virtual reality roller coasters allow thrill-seekers to experience an alien annihilation as well as a Superman experience. Virtual reality headsets enhance the journey of the roller coasters by allowing the passengers to fire virtual weapons.

and made virtual reality on a roller coaster possible,” Petit said. According to usatoday.com, when there is disconnect between what a person sees on VR goggles and what their bodies are physically experiencing, it can lead to queasiness. However,

these VR rollercoasters are in sync with the movement of the roller coaster.

Petit said, “The company has been exploring VR for years, but now the technology exists to deliver the types of one-of-a-kind experiences it was looking for.”

Microsoft creates new program to write captions for photos

By Carlos Trivino Features Editor ore than 40 years after it was founded, Microsoft continued to roll out and unveil new programs and software, its newest release being the CaptionBot. A bot is defined as an autonomous program on a network that can interact with computer systems or users. Powered by Microsoft Cognitive Services, the bot can be found online at captionbot.ai. The program works by having the user input a picture from their galleries which the CaptionBot then analyzes to give the most accurate description it can. Alternatively, one can also input a link to the image. Microsoft Cognitive Services consists of a compilation of Application Programming Interfaces (API’s)

Photo courtesy of megynkelly.org

Captionbot can understand thousands of objects, as well as the relationships between them. Using its program it is also capable of recognizing celebrity faces and matching personal selfies with that of celebrities.

which are resources and tools used to create applications. The CaptionBot uses three API’s. A Computer vision API to process and categorize visual data, Emotion API to analyze facial expressions, and a Bing Image API to add a variety of image search options. The captionbot combines information from all three of the API’s to turn out a one sentence caption describing what it thinks is in the picture. Although the program is relatively new and makes mistakes, it is designed to learn from this. After making a caption, the program asks for input based on a five star rating system for future reference. Microsoft has made the program so as to retain any pictures which have been submitted into the website, however no personal information is collected. Other online programs created by

Microsoft include their “How Old Do I Look?”, “Are You Twins?”, “My Moustache”, “What Dog?”, and “Celebs Like Me.” Facebook also came out with their own bot before Microsoft, with an alternative purpose than just creating captions. The Facebook bot’s purpose was to describe and read out photos to the blind. Previous attempts at a bot by Microsoft had ended in the program spouting racist remarks in reply to twitter comments. The company made the new CaptionBot in spite of their previous failure, and aims for the application to be as accurate as humans at writing captions.