Spring, 2017
Issue 4
Carrying on Buoyancy Cup Tradition 8th Grade
Trip Changes
By Alexis Kaplan The Buoyancy Cup is an event that everyone in the middle school enjoys, whether you participate in it or not. The Buoyancy Cup has been going on for 15 years, and overall the 2017 middle school Buoyancy Cup was a success. There were 38 entries, and the boats looked very professional. “We do the Buoyancy Cup so the students can work together to do something fun and construct a boat and compete," explained Mr. Mathes, middle school director. "We also do this to help the students understand buoyancy.” According to Mr. Mathes, the Buoyancy Cup came from an upper school physics teacher who left the school many years ago. It was the upper school who began it, and then the middle school and lower school began to do it, and at some point it just ended for upper school. Hailey Asseus is a sixth grader who participated in the Buoyancy Cup. It was her first time participating. Hailey and three of her friends in her grade, Natalya Neal, Ameya Beohar, and Madison Castro, were a team. “Our theme for our boat was superheroes,” said Hailey. “Everyone on our team represented a different superhero. I represented Superman.” “I wore a Superman shirt, and also, my paddle had the superman logo on it, which I designed from duct tape.” said Hailey. Hailey and her team built a boat instead of a raft, while other teams decided to build a raft. “Our boat wasn’t too big or too small. It was just
By Miranda Marquez
Next year, seventh graders will not go to the same trip as eighth graders did. In this semester the eighth graders went to Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee. Next year, seventh graders will be going to New Orleans and Memphis. However, most people are wondering why the eighth grade teachers decided to change the trip.
Photo by Miranda Marquez
7th graders Rachel Hodes and Nicole Rodan try and climb out of their cardrectangular, and we coated it in lots of different duct tape colors.” said Hailey. In the actual racing part of the Buoyancy Cup, Hailey and Madison went the first lap across the pool. Unfortunately, their boat sunk, so they didn’t finish the race. But, it still was a great experience for team superheroes. Joshua Respler is a seventh grader who participated
in the Buoyancy Cup. It was Joshua’s first time participating in the Buoyancy Cup. Joshua was on a team with Marco Pacheco. “We didn’t actually have a theme for our boat,” said Joshua. “In fact, we didn’t even decorate it. We just wanted to win.” Continued on page 3
“There were a few reasons,” said Mr. Fallik, the eighth grade team leader and civics teacher. “First, the trip we’ve always done has been designed around a lot of the people that we meet on the trip, one man in particular, Reverend Graetz, who has met with us for the last seven years. He was good friends with Martin Luther King and was really important in the civil rights movement. Unfortunately he is getting sick and he’s not doing all that well. And he likely would not be able to meet with us next year. So it made us rethink our visit to Alabama.”
Continued on page 5
MS Commits to Service By Eva Harari For a while now, the Middle School has been going through with an event that has almost become almost a ritual; Service Day. “Mrs. Hernandez has organized it for several years for the eighth grade, but this year Mrs. Greenfield and the Leadership class decided to join her and make the entire Middle School,” said Mr. Mathes, the director of the Middle School. “The Upper School already does this organized by Mrs. Sennett.” This is a day for the sixth, seventh, and eighth grade to come together as a family
and participate in different ‘volunteering events’ such as: Feeding South Florida, Miami Jewish Health Systems, arts and crafts with young children, helping out at the Kosher Food Bank, Miami Rescue Mission, Oleta River State Park, Field Day, and participating in several on campus service activities. Not only is this a wonderful opportunity to help others, it is a day where we must come together and appreciate all the luxuries we have access to that we wouldn’t necessarily acknowledge. “I went to the Miami Jewish Health Systems and I really loved helping the seniors. We got to listen to their stories, and helping them out was a wonderful experience,” said Elinka Ordway, an eighth grader. “I
Photo by Rachel Hodes
7th graders Emma Zelkowitz and Malini Kamlani sort through donations for Feeding South Florida. loved seeing the smiles on everyone's faces. It made me feel good.” “Service day was a wonderful experience where the whole school acted as a community and helped others,” said Dhillon Murphy, an eighth grader.
“This was an incredible feat to organize and it ended up being a great day,” said Mr. Fallik, the eighth grade Civics teacher. Continued on page 4
ERBs Moved to March Speaking to Victory By Chiara Moura The ERBs are somewhat like the less stressful midterms. The ERBs are standardized tests. They basically just test your knowledge and require no studying. We take the ERB tests on our computers, so all the middle schoolers set up the ERB browser in their tech classes. The way that the ERBs in our middle school worked is that, one week in March, everyone went to a different room with majority of their advisory
to take their ERB tests. For instance, my advisory was in the WLC. There was at least one ERB each day, but I can’t recall how many ERBs we took each day. There were lots of different ERBs for language art concepts, two or three for math skills, and one ERB for science. The ERBs have a time limit, which is very stressful but understandable. If you run out of time and aren’t finished with the test, the test ends and you just submit what you have completed. Continued on page 6
By Alex Kalvarskiy Every year at MCDS, there is a speech competition called The Oratorical. All the eighth graders participate, then, first place, second place, and third place winners are chosen by judges. Each year, Mr. Fallik, an eighth grade civics teacher, gives a category for the
competition and the students have to write a speech according to the prompt. This year, the competition was won by Camille Nooney. Saarah Rassif and Eva Harari won second and third place, respectively. Aleczander Day and Alex McMillan were the other two finalists. The topic was “Should Americans have the right to bear arms?” Continued on page 6
Page 2
School Activities
iBelong Movie Night By Jacob Hare The iBelong Movie night is an annual event that takes place every year, the movie that is shown relates to the current theme of iBelong. Last year, the movie was ‘Inside Out’, a movie about emotions. It actually related quite well to the message of iBelong, which was no one should feel alone, especially in a new location and a new school. iBelong is for making anyone in the school feel welcome and to the new environment, which the movie Natalia Socarras demonstrated. Well and Luna Alonso enough about last year, this year’s movie was ‘Hairspray’. No, not the play, there exists a movie version of it. The movie’s message is to love being yourself, a la the main character, Tracy Turnblad, being overweight. Another message is to have lots of fun, two things that can be found in the iBelong program. The event has lots of food to buy, but popcorn is of course free. Can’t watch a movie without popcorn! However if you want a meal, then you have to buy it! While this year’s food wasn’t as diverse as last year’s was, but it doesn’t matter. The main attraction is the movie and I watched ‘Hairspray’ with my friends. That’s one of the best parts, hanging with you friends! That’s another message of iBelong, you shouldn’t be alone ever. The movie was fun to watch, especially when you have popcorn and your friends.
Photo by Mr. Fallik
From top left: Chuck Sukhdeo, Romain Vinois, Kitty Simmonds, Mapi Onorato, Chiara Bruzzi, Franco Buttice, Charlie Leoni, and Felix Elortegui. I think that if you would want to have a good time and watch a nice movie, then you should go to next year’s iBelong! Who knows what next year’s movie will be, whatever it is, I hope you consider going to the next iBelong movie night. Eat some food, then hang with friends and watch a cool movie. I mean, if you don’t like movies or going to school a second time, then don’t go! I’m not telling you whether to go or not, it’s a suggestion. I hope you’ll go to it and have fun! Whatever the movie is, it will
relate to a message of iBelong, especially with next year’s anti-bullying programs. The event is definitely something that I look forward to every year, I love a good movie as much as the next person. Watching ‘Inside Out’ and ‘Hairspray’ were some good times and I can’t wait for next year’s movie. Again, I suggest you go watch next year’s movie. I can’t wait to see you there!
Sports Wrap Up By Francesco Rumiano This year was great in term of sports, many excited kids joined teams to help the school’s reputation thrive. Here are some of student’s opinions of the sports this year. “Soccer is a sport to let out your energy, have fun, and show off your skill,” said
Conner Sastre, a seventh grader. “I feel that this year was all about that. There were numerous players this year that possessed great talent and helped the team perform very well. It’s probably the reason why we were such a strong team.” “I think soccer was one of the best sports this year mainly because you feel like you're part of the team, almost like you are a family and you feel that during
the games,” said Lucas Crespo, a sixth grader. “That feeling especially helps us as a team during the games.” “Tennis this year was great,” said by Max Castañon, a sixth grader. “It made me less stressed and let me play the game I always loved. Practice was fun and the games forced me to play at my best. All in all, the season made me a better player and gave me a good experience. There are some let downs though as when you play a game it is very easy for your opponent to cheat. He could say that your shot or serve can be out, even though it may be in. I have lost a very important match like this to a kid in Ransom because of cheating.” ‘Football was a lot of fun. The team might not have performed at its best but overall it was a great experience ”, said Tristen Bradley, a sixth grader. ”You have to be ready to get hurt as tackle football is very rough. This sports sparks a lot of excitement and amazing moments.”
Photo by Francesco Rumiano
The MS baseball team takes instruction from their coach.
“As a student from sixth grade and entering middle school, it was a little nerve wrecking for me, but baseball has helped
"It was super fun to be part of the team... and the players were good and showed great sportsmanship."
- Jacob Wyka me loosen up,” said Vinny Millan, a sixth grader. “I get to play with my friends and had no trouble getting into the team since there were no tryouts. Although the team might have not performed at its best this season I still enjoyed being part of it.” “This baseball season was a home run,” said Jacob Wyka, sixth grader. “It was super fun to be part of the team because practice was really fun and the players were good and showed great sportsmanship. The team may have not performed alright but as always the experience was superb and improved my skills.”
Around MCDS
Page 3
Buoyancy Cup Returns! Continued from page 1
“We didn’t actually have a theme for our boat,” said Joshua Respler, a seventh grader. “In fact, we didn’t even decorate it. We just wanted to win.” Joshua also said that his team only wore bathing suits, nothing special. Joshua and Marco built a boat, not a raft. “Like I said, we didn’t decorate it,” said Joshua. “So it pretty much looked like a piece of old junk cardboard with some tape.” The race for Joshua’s team was VERY successful. They were in the first heat, and placed first for their heat. Joshua’s team was one of the best in their grade, and they placed in the top five overall. MariaPia Onorato, or Mapi, is an eighth grader who did the Buoyancy Cup. She did the Buoyancy Cup with Chiara Bruzzi, Sophie Naves, and Sofia Nayor. “We didn't have a theme, we just named it 'Under the Sea' because we thought it was going to sink so we would metaphorically be under the sea,” said Mapi Onotato, an eighth grader who competed. Mapi and her team all
wore red long sleeved shirts with black spandex. The ‘Under the Sea’ team had built a raft instead of a boat, and this was definitely one creative raft. “Our boat was spray painted all silver and had on the sides ‘Under the Sea’ and on top and bottom all of our names,” said Mapi. The race for Mapi’s team went very well. They finished the race in less than two minutes (one minute and twenty eight seconds, to be exact). They also got first place overall for the WHOLE middle school. Congratulations to the ‘Under the Sea’ team.
boat was the Titanic,” said Nicole Rodan, a seventh grader who competed. “Also, we wore all white clothing.” The Titanic team made a boat, and it was circular. “We used black, grey, and blue duct tape,” said Nicole. Nicole’s team unfortunately got disqualified, and their boat sank. All in all, the Buoyancy Cup is a super fun event that allows us to work together and have fun, and we had another successful Buoyancy Cup in 2017!
FINAL RESULTS: Another sixth grader who participated in the Buoyancy Cup is Tatiana Blasky. Tatiana had participated in the Buoyancy Cup many times before in lower school. Tatiana’s teammates were two girls in her grade, Isa Urbina and Shaelyn Davis. “Our theme was lifeguards,” said Tatiana Blasky, a sixth grader who competed. “We all wore a lifeguard bathing suit, which was red, and we had red or black shorts to match.” The lifeguards team also built a boat. “We only used red, black, and white duct tape,” said Tatiana. “Those were the colors we thought would fit ‘Lifeguards’ the best.” The race for the 'Lifeguards' team was a great success. They were in the seventh heat, and they finished the race in three minutes and eight seconds. That’s fifth place for the sixth grade! Nicole Rodan is a seventh grader who raced in the Buoyancy Cup. It was not Nicole’s first time participating. Nicole was on a team with Rachel Hodes and Emma Zelkowitz.
Winners of sixth grade: 1. Luis Rincon and Dylan Smiley Time: 2:14 Boat name: 1T Primal 2. Lauren McGaffic and Amy Bhakta Time: 2:20 Boat name: Going Bananas 3. Jake Wyka and Avi Murphy Time: 2:50 Boat name: Last Second Clutch
Winners of seventh grade: 1. J.J. Sher and JP Lopez- 2nd place overall Time: 2:02 Boat name: Deep ship 2. Joshua Respler and Marco Pacheco Time: 2:41 Boat name: Buoyancy bros No one else in the seventh grade finished the race.
“The theme for our Winners of eighth grade:
1. Chiara Bruzzi, Sophie Naves, MariaPia Onorato and Sophia Nayor- 1st place overall Time: 1:27 Boat name: Under the Sea
2. Samantha Rothchild, Lorelai Konen, Olivia Borchers, and Mila Seikaly- 3rd place overall Time: 2:12 Boat name: We Can Do It
3. Jordan Horn, Arya Chatani Time: 2:29 Boat Name: Jarya
Page 4
Service Day
Cont'd from page 1 In the Feeding South Florida program, kids would go down and help donate and collect food that would later be distributed to children and adults who are in desperate need of it. The kids who signed up for Miami Jewish Health Systems, were able to go down to a nursing home and they would assist seniors and others with medical care. “I did arts and crafts with kids,” said Jacob Hare, a seventh grader. “I thought it was pretty cool to work with them. I worked with a kindergarten class and my group and I helped them make paper butterflies and caterpillars. Overall we helped them throughout the day and it was fun to see their faces and them being so happy.” “I really enjoyed doing the arts and crafts with the kids,” said Brooke Nieder, an eighth grader. “Not only was it fun for me, but especially for the children. The kids were all so sweet and when we helped them make the crafts (paper butterflies and caterpillars), you could see the excitement on their faces.” Continued on next page
Around MCDS 8th Grade Changes Trip Continued from page 1
“Along with other things, teachers would like to try new things,” said Mr. Fallik. “We talked about New Orleans for a while because it is an opportunity to teach about immigration and other sort of experiences in America and in our history.” Mr. Abily was actually a big influence for the eighth grade trip change. Mr. Fallik explained. about why Mr. Abily was a big influence in this, “Well, Mr. Abily has been to New Orleans many times and he offered a lot of advice, I did research myself, and we have a tour company, Brightspark, that gets in touch with the New Orleans convention and visitors viro who helps put together a lot of the activities that we’re gonna do, so it’s a combined effort.”
visit the Civil Rights Museum and see where Martin Luther King was killed. New Orleans also has an incredibly rich immigrant history, learning about immigrants from Africa and the Caribbean, and voodoo culture, French culture, probably the richest place in America with regard to like cultural diversity , so it’ll be really interesting. Oh and the food is great!” he continued “ We didn’t really throw around any other options, other than changing the trip entirely. You know we could have gotten rid of the Civil Rights component entirely, instead were just kind of tweaking it a bit, so we’re not getting rid of the Civil Rights we’re just expanding it to include a bigger view of immigrants.”
"I am very excited, because it’s going to be a new experience."
“I was a big influence in this, because I taught in Louisiana for four years, so I knew New Orleans and I know it has a very rich culture, and I knew it was a good place,” said Mr. Abily “It is a unique, old city where you can see a lot of old buildings. You can see French, Spanish, and African people. Think about Jazz, the blues, and the food is great. It is very welcoming.”
- Marco Pacheco
The teachers take time to research and decide why they chose this place. Out of all of the options, this is what the teachers thought was best fit. “You can get a different cultural perspective, in eighth grade, we talk about the civil war amendments, and I think that by going to a slave plantation, students will be able to get a different perspective,” said Ms. Holcman, an eighth grade civics teacher. “The eighth grade team, we look at accessibility, at what the students will get out of it and for it to relate to what the students are learning at the moment.” The teachers take time to decide about the trip, Mr. Fallik had something to say about this “ Well the main reason why we decided to go there is because it allows us to really delve into slavery, and visit several slave plantations and then studying the civil rights movement all the way through Memphis where we’ll
Students are also very excited about this. “I am very excited, because it’s going to be a new experience,” said 7th grader Marco Pacheco. “I am going to visit new places and I am going to learn new things. And I think the trip is related because we’re learning civics, and this trip is going to give us information about the civil rights.”
Even with the changes, the trip is still related to what the seventh graders are going to learn next year. “I think the place we are going is related to what we’re going to learn because we’re going to learn what the Civil Rights are,” said seventh grader Sabrina Morata. “It is related because in New Orleans, you have a lot of slave plantations and they are kept in very good shape,” said Mr. Abily, the French teacher and an eighth grade advisor. “it’s a very good testimony for history. There are a lot of people that stayed and know what happened.” “Well, I mean I guess I have the final say, but it is a joint effort of the eighth grade team,” said Mr. Fallik. “All the eighth grade advisors, we talk about it, we discuss it, we share our views, and we all ultimately make the decision.” Next year, seventh graders will be going to New Orleans and Memphis. It is going to be a very exciting trip, seventh graders will learn a lot and get new points of view.
Photo by Mr. Fallik
One place next year's 8th graders will visit in New Orleans is the warehouse where all the Mardi Gras floats are made and stored.
Service Day Continued from previous page
One of the most popular options was arts and crafts with young children (this one is pretty self-explanatory). Students would take a bus to go to W.J Bryan Elementary school and would be separated into groups of four to go assist young children with arts and crafts. Other children, who signed up for W.J Bryan Field Day, would also go to the same location, but this time to play with kids (separated by grade level), and have a fun day full of activities. “Service (compassion) is one of our four core values so it is an important part of the MCDS experience,” said Mr. Mathes. “I think people should do service for the sake of helping others, not just for service hours.”
ing the wildlife and more. Lastly, everyone had an option to participate in on campus service activities. These consisted of making care packages for children undergoing chemotherapy treatments, making beds and toys for little pups and other animals in local animal shelters and cleaning shoes for children in need. “I really enjoyed it,” said Miranda Marquez, a seventh grader. “It made me feel good and seeing how happy the seniors were, made me beam with joy. I talked with one woman in particular, who told me so many different stories, of her life. It was so interesting.” “Service day was very fun because I got to be with my friends and give back to the community,” said Anastasia Brosda, an eighth grader.
“I went to Miami rescue mission and the students who came with me were inquisitive and enthusiastic and empathetic and really seemed to get a lot out of the experience,” said Mr. Fallik.
“I like it when adults and students do service on campus, but all service is good,” said Mr. Mathes. “My own personal favorite service is the animal shelter. I am a regular donor.”
For all the kids who signed up for helping at the kosher food bank, it is essentially the same concept as the Feeding South Florida, with a few minor alterations, the food has to be kosher! For anyone who signed up for the Oleta River State Park, they would go down to the location, and clean up the beaches, conserv-
Clearly, everyone had a fantastic time giving to others and making smiles. This really was an incredible experience for the entire middle school.
Top picture by Linda Jarvis-Guerra Bottom picture by Fran Bruno
Page 6
Around MCDS
Oratorical Contest Tradition Continues Continued from page 1
The Oratorical Competition has been an MCDS tradition for roughly eight years now. It was started by Ms. Lew, a former eighth-grade English teacher, who retired from Miami Country Day School this academic year. The goal of the competition is to improve public speaking and writing skills. First-place winner, Camille Nooney, said, “I heard many amazing speeches from my peers and after beating them, I feel very accomplished of not only myself, but the other speeches were also amazing and I’m proud of my entire grade.” Although all the finalists had a generally good feeling about the competition, there were mixed opinions about the grading. Alex and Aleczander were satisfied. Camille Nooney said, “I do not believe the gradings were fair. The reasons I believe this are because one, not everyone is good at public speaking and also I feel that the original grades were biased towards those who were against guns.” The topic was indeed controversial. And some students -- those who participated in the contest, or attended -- felt like the
judges were biased towards those who argued against the right to possess guns. Unfortunately, Ms. Lew could not be reached for comment about the Oratorical. In her place, In the Middle gathered the thoughts of Mr. Mathes, the director of the middle school. He revealed that past winners of the Oratorical used to compete in regional and state speech competitions, but MCDS withdrew from those due to lack of organization. We also asked him why students have no means of picking the winner, even though they all have to attend the final. Mr. Mathes had this to reply: “The reason why students don’t vote for the winner is because Ms. Lew didn’t feel that they had enough knowledge of the criteria.” Despite the controversy of the topic, the selection process, and the fact that students cannot choose the winner, the Oratorical has strong support at MCDS, and fulfills its purpose of improving public speaking for the students.
The students who advanced to the final were: Camille Nooney, Alex McMillan, Eva Harari, Zander Day and Saarah Rassif.
All of the students who made the semifinals were: Belle Greenberg, Natalie Berman, Anastasia Brosda, Camille Nooney, Zeina Bazzi, Chris McCormick, Alex McMillan, Elinka Ordway, Kaylee Parizo, Ryan Mendelson, Eva Harari, Saarah Rassif, and Zander Day.
Photos by Mr. Fallik
Above: Anastasia Brosda and Chris McCormick were both semifinalists for the Oratorical Contest.
Students Learn Leadership By Elinka Ordway
ERBs "not so bad" Continued from page 1
Miami Country Day has a large variety of classes and extracurriculars that you can take part in. One of these classes is Leadership. Leadership is a class at Miami Country Day that is exclusive to eighth graders.
One of the good things about the ERBs is that we get lots of long breaks. Everyday, it only takes about 60-90 minutes to take the ERB tests. Because of this, our schedule for our tracks is different, so we get very long breaks. I remember the breaks being over an hour most of the time! This was great because we got time to relax and be with our friends.
“Leadership is a great experience because we get to improve our public speaking which helps us with our performance in other classes,” said Mapi Onorato, a student who takes the class. “We also get to learn how to work with others and accept other’s ideas.” For the second year in a row, Miami Country Day is offering a Leadership class that is taught by Mrs. Greenfield. The students in this class, alongside Mrs. Greenfield, plan class trips like the Community Service Day that we had just a couple weeks ago. But that is just one of the the many trips that the Leadership students have planned. They even planned a trip to Universal with the guidance of Mrs. Greenfield. “Some of us are lucky enough to have the opportunity to learn leadership at the age of 1314,” explained Charlie Leoni.” “The leadership class helps us with public speaking, teamwork, and so much more. We learn perseverance, teamwork, thinking outside the box, and many keys to public speaking. People should join leadership to improve their public speaking. We plan important events like field day, service day, spirit week, etc. I learn how to use inflection of tone when speaking, to stop fidgeting, and much more.” “We plan important events like field day, service day, spirit week, etc,” said Brianna Becerra, a Leadership student. “In leadership we do many fun activities, such as watching leadership movies,” said Dhillon Murphy, another Leadership student. “I
Photo by Mrs. Greenfield
The Leadership class took a trip to a ropes course where they learned teamwork. also get to collaborate with my classmates. In this class, I have learned to be humble, respectful, and diligent.” But what other things have the Leadership students done for the duration of this year? All the students in this class planned what community service activities we would be having and spent days organizing the events. They spent their class periods calling and making reservations, and making sure that everything was marvelous for our service day. But why should you join Leadership? Other than learning leadership skills that are crucial skills to have when in high school, Leadership also teaches you important skills like
The ERBs are very easy. The only thing you need to do is get lots of rest. Even though this test is not graded and you don’t have to study, it is important that you try your best. Rest is the way to do this. On ERB week, you should go to sleep earlier.
organization and leadership. “I learned how to become a leader in the real world,” said Jovan Joseph, who is not only in the Leadership class, but who is also a member of Student Government. “I also learned how take control and navigate my peers and I through trouble.” Alex McMillan said that the class allows the students to bring their insight to the higher powers in school. He explained that it’s helped him learn how to communicate with teachers.
Continued on page 16
Also, be prepared for your ERBs. Yes, they barely require anything. However, bring a fully charged computer, and a calculator and number two pencil when needed. Bring items you might need just in case, such as a sweater or water bottle. Overall, the ERBs are not as bad as you might expect. Although we have LOTS of time until the next ERBs, I wish you good luck!
Photo by Mr. Fallik
On April 27, free speech advocate Mary Beth Tinker visited with 8th graders. From left: Mary Beth Tinker, Daniela Loverde, Sabrina Cohen, Zeina Bazzi, Zakari Thomas-Notice, Mitchell Koch.
Our Voices Matter By Eva Harari
This year the whole eighth grade was fortunate enough to meet Mary Beth Tinker, who was 13 years old in 1969 when she won a landmark Supreme Court case for students' free speech rights. She came to visit our school on Thursday, April 27th to tell her story. We were assigned a protest project; we had to protest on a topic we were very passionate about. Ms. Tinker walked around the room, and we presented our project to her. We had the opportunity to ask her several questions. “I want everybody to stand up for what they believe in, despite anyone else’s opinion,” said Mary Beth Tinker, during her speech. “I learned so much, and she was so sweet,” said Alyson Rodriguez, an eighth grader. “It was a very knowledgeable and great experience,” said Aden Karp, an eighth grader. “I learned so much from her and found her so inspiring.” “We had a really nice time learning more about her and her story,” said Brooke Nieder, an eighth grader. “It was very interesting and motivational hearing her story in person and giving us feedback as she went around the room,” said Nicky Altman. In social studies, we were assigned a protest project. In this project, we were to choose one of many options to protest about, such as women’s body image, high taxes, the Muslim ban, and more. We were to create posters, merchandise of any kind (bracelets, stickers, bookmarks, etc.), Powerpoint presentations, etc. We were to prove our point through acts of civil disobedience, just like Ms. Tinker did. “I really enjoyed hearing about her and, personally, I liked hearing it from her perspective,” said Natalia Socarras, an eighth grader. “I felt very honored to hear her story in person,” said Leire de Zabala, an eighth grader. “I found her to be very interesting and the comments she made on my protest project were valid and kind,” said Pietro Landell de Moura, an eighth grader. “I really enjoyed hearing about her experiences.”
“Speak up, stand up, use rights, and just make it happen,” Ms. Tinker, said. Throughout her speech the students could tell how passionate she was about us, the voices of the future. “She was very kind and a great speaker,” said Tyler Greenberg. “I thought it was very interesting and I took her perspective into consideration when listening to the story.” “I found it even more fascinating how she found the courage to go to school with the armband as an act of civil disobedience,” said Gabi Andrade. As Ms. Tinker walked by our project, we were expected to o present our topic to her. As Ms. Tinker made her way across the room, everyone had a chance to present their projects and she seemed to really enjoy them. “I remember the day at the Supreme Court,” said Ms. Tinker. “I remember walking into the beautiful building and seeing all the judges lined up, and I especially remember feeling very intimidated.” Our guest truly understood how important it is for children and young people to use their voices to have a positive impact on our future. She let us all know, that she strongly believed that our voices matter. She supported each and every one of us in our endeavors with our protest projects. “I find it incredible how we can hear so many different perspectives to one story,” said Anastasia Brosda. After walking by one of the protests, Perfectly Imperfect (which encouraged women to be proud of their bodies), she said the following: “I really do love how you guys are promoting self awareness,” said Ms. Tinker. “This is really an issue that women and young girls deal with today. I used to worry about my personal appearance so much, but then I decided to accept that there was no need for it. It was not necessary.” Overall, Mary Beth Tinker’s visit to Miami Country Day School was a huge success. The experience was an unforgettable one and we all hope she will come back to visit soon!
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Around MCDS
Robotics Takes Top Prize
Ms. Lewis Retires By Eva Harari
You come to school in the morning at 7:03. You look across the halls, looking for a friendly face. And right across the hall, you see Ms. Lew, sitting in her famous chair, waving at you, and greeting you with the sweetest voice you will ever hear. As she welcomes you with a friendly smile, you are overcome with warmth. This year, Ms. Sandi Lewis retired. She fought her hardest to stay as long as she could. While she is no longer physically with the MCDS community, she will always be a part of our family.
By Mr. Robert
On April 8, our Middle School Underwater Robotics Team won 1st place in the Scout category at the State of Florida competition. Our Middle school team is comprised of Maria Ataman, Tyler Koch and Naszir Mantilla. These students worked together tirelessly since September to engineer and build their robots from scratch as well as fulfill all the complex competition requirements. Tyler and Naszir were present at the competition but Maria could not travel with us due to previous engagements. Thanks to Thomas Robert who agreed to assist as a deck hand at the last minute.
“I will miss her energy and her devotion to her students,” said Mr. Mathes, the director of the middle school. “She has always been an integral part of wherever she has worked at MCDS, but certainly the Middle School.” “I miss Ms. Lew,” said Jordan Fishman, an eighth grader. “But like all good things, they must come to an end.” “I truly miss her,” said Jackie Ludicke, an eighth grader. “She always brought a smile to my face. She made English class fun. I loved her adventurous stories and I just loved her as a person, too.” If you were lucky enough to speak with her, you know that conversations with Ms. Lew were never boring. “She would always tell us stories in class,” said Andrew Weaver, an eighth grade student. “We were sort of like a family.” “I really miss Ms. Lew because she was so nice and all of her stories were amazing to listen to,” said Zoey Arnold, an eighth grade student. “I’m really sad about her retirement because now we don't get to see her every day and listen to her stories.” “I miss Ms. Lew because she was a great teacher,” said Sabrina Cohen, an eighth
Photo by Mr. Fallik
Ms. Lewis will always be a beloved member of our MCDS family! grader. “She inspired me because of her dedication in teaching and how she cared about each and everyone of us and she wanted all of us to succeed.” “I worked with Ms. Lewis when I arrived at MCDS in 1988,” said Mr. Mathes. “She moved to Upper School and then seven or so years ago we had an opportunity to bring her back to Middle School where she has served
since. It was one of the best decisions I have made as an administrator.”
every class would end in her singing a verse from “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.”
“Ms. Lew would always sing to us and tell us stories; she soothed us in a way,” said Brooke Nieder, an eighth grader.
“I miss the positive energy she brings to the school,” said Elinka Ordway, an eighth grader.
Classes were always filled with excitement, laughter, and singing. She would tell us stories from her childhood. Somehow,
Ms. Lew will always be with the Miami Country Day family and it is not the same without her.
Arts and Entertainment
CFA Opens! By Francesco Rumiano
No more plastic benches! YAY!
The time has finally come! After so much waiting, the marvelous Center for the Arts has opened for the students at MCDS. It will be the arts paradise with theaters that will seat plenty and classrooms specifically designed for each elective. There will be music, art, and dance classrooms.
“I was truly breath taken when I walked in for the first time,” said Riccardo Mascialino, a sixth grader. “The building is so detailed and big and modern that it sparks the question ‘what more will the school build in the future?’ My elective is art and so far, the rooms seem very well equipped for each art. I am very excited for next year to have class in this wonderful place.”
“The main goal of the Center for the Arts is to put all the arts under one roof,” said Mr. Mathes, the middle school director. “It is to provide the greatest experience for the students. In terms of time the Center for the Arts has been around four months off target.”
"I was truly breathtaken when I walked in for the first time" - Riccardo Mascialino
A couple of months ago, the school received a message from the town’s mayor saying that the Center for the Arts can officially be used by students. This means that you can use the building and that it is safe even though not fully finished. “The theater will feature a fly system that will let the kids soar around and even it’s own orchestra pit,” said Mrs. Alfonso, the middle school music teacher. The school is letting families pay to have their names imprinted on the seats in the new theater. You can check that out in the school’s My Country Day website. Staying on the topic of seats, they are supposed to be incline so you don’t have to peer into the back of the person in front of you. Not only that but, they are supposed to cushioned!
“Classrooms will be humongous,” said Mr. Mathes. “And most importantly they will be built specifically for that art. Personally I think it was an extremely smart by the school to invest the 23 million dollars into this magnificent building.”
“People are getting here on time, so assemblies will start on time but you have to walk quickly,” said Mrs. Alfonso. “The building is open to all grades for all activities. There is a driveway that will be used for drop off and pick off but for the students who have their last class there.” “Personally, I am not very excited for the building even though it is very well built and beautiful,” said Declan Scott, sixth grade. “The CFA will create a lot of opportunities for students in terms of arts,” said Vinny Millan, sixth grade. Overall, the CFA is a beautiful building and everyone seems very excited to embark on a journey of arts in a brand new contribution to the school.
Photo by Jacob Hare
All School Performs "Joseph" By Belle Greenberg This year, in honor of the new Center for the Arts that just recently had its grand opening, our school held an all-school play featuring lower, middle, and upper schoolers. The play was Andrew Lloyd Weber's classic “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”. The show starred Sammy Habib (senior) as Joseph and Nadine Bloch (senior) as the narrator. It also included Aden Karp as the Pharaoh (Elvis). The brothers included middle schoolers Natalie Berman, Sabrina Cohen, Camille Nooney, Anastasia Brosda, and Charlie Leoni. The play is full of music, dancing, drama, and comedy. “The play is based on a ‘coat with many colors’,” said Anastasia Brosda, an eighth grader who played one of Joseph’s 11 brothers. “Then the story incorporates Joseph from the Bible’s book of Genesis.” The story starts in a classroom where the narrator is teaching a class. She begins by explaining the story of Joseph and his family living in ancient Egypt. When Joseph’s father gives him a colorful coat, his brothers get jealous and create a plan to sell him to Ishmaelites. They then tell their father that Joseph was killed. Then, he is sold to a rich man named Potiphar and his wife, who Joseph ultimately has an affair with. In response, Potifar sends him to jail where he meets a chef and a butler. There, he interprets their dreams, which is his special
skill. Soon, the Pharaoh discovers Joseph’s skill and orders him to be freed so he can read his dreams as well. In Act two, we find Joseph at the top of the world, with food and money and luxury. His family on the other hand is starving and cold with no money or resources to help them. So the brothers go to Joseph’s castle begging for food. They do not recognize Joseph and Joseph begins to play a trick on his family as revenge for their acts. Joseph grants them their wish, but plants a gold cup in one of his brother’s bags, ultimately framing him for a crime. When he pretends to lose it, he discovers that his brother has it and arrests him. All of the brothers beg Joseph to set him free, explaining how this brother is the one who would not do that and claiming that he is innocent. Eventually, Joseph sets his brother free and reveals his true self to his brothers, who can not believe that it is him. The play was very well done and the actors were amazing. But as you can expect, creating such a good production cost the cast many hours. “Being part of a production requires a lot of work and practice,” said Natalie Berman, an eighth grader who played one of Joseph’s brothers. “However, if you love what you do, it is worth it.”
Continued on page 10
8th grader Zak Wyka played drums at OrlandoFest.
MCDS Arts are Alive!
Music students hoist their trophy in celebration.
Photo by Mr. Fallik
Mr. Mofsky conducts the orchestra during the OrlandoFest competition.
Music Competes at OrlandoFest
By Jacob Hare “The chance to go to Orlando was spectacular,” said 7th grader Marco Pacheco. “We got to show our talents to judges (and win Grand Champion) and have fun with your peers at Universal. The trip was a blast and I hope that this tradition can continue every year” In addition to winning Grand Champion, the middle school chorus also won 1st place with an “excellent” rating; the intermediate orchestra won first place orchestra with a "superior" rating and instrumental grand champion; Middle School beginning instruments won first place with a "good" rating; Middle School jazz band class A won first place with a "good rating"; and Middle School Beginning Orchestra Class A got second place with a "good rating." MCDS came back with a lot of trophies! According to Mr. Mofsky and Mrs. Alfonso, the middle school and lower school music teacher respectively, MCDS has been going to Orlando Fest for five years. They also shared their thoughts on Orlando Fest themselves.
Photo by Mr. Fallik MS Chorus, from left: Alezii Bassette, Ameya Beohar, Mrs. Pelletier, Shaelyn Davis, and Sasha Staszewski
“My favorite part of OrlandoFest is watching my students have ‘aha’ moments on stage during the post-performance master class with the judges,” said Mr. Mofsky, the middle school music teacher. “Breakfast at the Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley at Universal Studios is always fun, too.”
Mrs. Alfonso and Mr. Mofsky seem so excited for all the kids to play for another year. In addition to returning students, some new students will be joining everyone on the wonderful journey of Orlando Fest. Some are nervous, some are excited, it’s a mix. Note: The rest of this story was written BEFORE Orlando Fest, so some things may not add up. “I am kind of nervous for Orlando Fest,” said Thomas Robert, a sixth grader. “I am excited to go, because I’ve heard incredible things and it sounds fun,” said Erin Dorrance, an eighth grader. After the competition of Orlando Fest, students will go to Universal, a treat after a hard fought match. Students will be able to ride the roller coasters and more. The Universal attractions, according to many are the best part of Orlando Fest. Returners to Orlando Fest have shared their opinions on Orlando Fest as well. Robert Depradine is looking forward to going to Universal, while Jake Grossman is looking forward to seeing his peers improve. The music teachers are definitely looking forward to everyone’s performances. Make everyone proud!
“My favorite part of Orlando Fest is watching the kids have fun,” said Mrs. Alfonso.
"Joseph" Enjoyed By All Continued from page 9 The play included students from all three divisions; lower, middle, and upper school. The lower schoolers were students of the narrator. Middle schoolers were brothers and other supporting characters. The upper schoolers were cast as brothers and the leads.
Aden Karp played the Pharaoh as Elvis Presley.
Sabrina Cohen and Natalie Berman played Joseph's brothers.
The play was enjoyed by all, even if the middle and upper schoolers did not get to see it during an assembly. Those who went at night, however, were impressed with the effects and skills of the actors. “I think the show was great,” said eight grader Jordan Horn. “If you
are someone that likes plays, you would love this one.” All around, the play was good and the casting was spot on. The most interesting part of the play was that you would never expect some of the things/characters in it, such as the Pharaoh being Elvis Presley or the chain of events that led Joseph to becoming one of the richest men in Egypt. In total, our school has some very talented actors and more soon to come.
Arts and Entertainment
Horoscopes By Elinka Ordway
45% on an exam that you studied hard for. Leo (July 23 - August 22): You will forget your P.E uniform in your car… or at least you thought but it was really just in your locker
Aquarius (January 20 - February 18): Your lock will never open again Pisces (February 19 - March 20): You’ll get a bad cold and have to miss the entire week of school. Aries (March 21 - April 19): You will show up 30 minutes late to class but get away with it since the teacher was grading exams. Taurus (April 20 - May 20): Mr. Finny will catch you wearing a non-school appropriate sweat shirt and take it away right before you go to your coldest class.
Virgo (August 23 - September 22): All your homework is going to be unfinished and you are not going to know that you even had homework Libra (September 23 - October 22): You will laugh so hard you spit out your water. Scorpio (October 23 - November 21): You will forget your Google password Sagittarius (November 22 - December 21): You’re going to get a new computer. Capricorn (December 22 - January 19): You will ace every test that you have that week.
Gemini (May 21 - June 20): You will get a 100% on a test that you didn't study for. Cancer (June 21 - July 22): You will get a
"The Circle," a "Beauty" has Let-down Great Message By Alex Kalvarskiy
Everyone has been waiting for the movie titled “The Circle”. The movie is based on a book, written by Dave Eggers. The movie is about a worker named Mae (played by Emma Watson) who starts to work in the biggest internet company called The Circle. The Circle is very focused on publicity. Soon, Mae is caught up, and is ‘transparent’ which means that she wears a camera, which people can view. But soon, Mae finds out something about the CEO. That’s when the big drama starts. The movie is actually self-explanatory in the trailer. Mae is an amazing worker, and even defeats her best friend who helped her to get into the company. “The Circle” is also extremely honest. One of the CEOs is Eamon Bailey, played by Tom Hanks, and the movie is one of those rare films where Hanks plays an antagonist.
“The Circle”, you would think, has a big moral; privacy isn’t always a bad idea. But at the end of the movie, (don’t worry, no spoilers) it promotes publicity! That makes the movie a little confusing. Is the movie trying to promote publicity, or privacy? I think that Emma Watson is not great for this role for three reasons. The first reason is that I feel that Emma Watson cannot play a serious person who is trying to deal with a huge internet company. She plays like the whole thing is a joke. Reason number two: Emma Watson is supposed to look spectacular, because of her “amazing” acting skills. But when she plays a role next to a renowned actor such as Tom Hanks, you cannot see her skill, as Tom Hanks’s shade is blocking it. For the third reason, she simply did not play well. She just failed to meet my personal expectations. I thought that she could have played more seriously, instead of smirking the entire movie.
Continued on page 12
By Nicole Rodan
Beauty and the Beast is a great movie with an amazing message. This one is different different than the animated film. It stars Emma Watson as Belle and Dan Stevens as the Beast. Now the familiar message goes much further. It's not what's on the outside but on the inside too; this is because most people now accept gender as fluid, but some people still don’t accept it. And what matters is how you really are. This movie was also special because of its advances in technology. The movie takes place in France, where Belle is the only girl in the village that knows how to read. She is concentrated on her education, which for the village seems weird.
One of my favorite scenes in the movie was when Belle and the Beast shared their love for reading in his huge library. This was a major bonding moment, and different from the original animated movie. Together they became an amazing team I encourage most people to watch this movie. It is appropriate for most ages. One of my favorite scenes was when Belle was in her town and singing a lot. She was the only girl that could read, and most people think that's weird. Also this movie takes place in a little down in France, where everything is old fashioned. Belle is a courageous girl, with pride. I think that the roles were well played by actors. Emma Watson was the perfect for Belle. Not only does it have a great message but the movie was incredibly entertaining. I deeply recommend this movie.
"Not only does it have a great message but the movie was incredibly entertaining."
- Nicole Rodan
Page 12
New Deli Opens in Miami
Hank & Harry's By Belle Greenberg
From the founder of B n’ B and Sliderz comes a brand new deli on Lincoln Road in Miami Beach. Hank & Harry’s opened up around President’s Day. It is a New York style deli with the classic burgers, deli sandwiches, and much more. Hank & Harry’s got its name after the father of the owner, Buzzy Sklar, and his wife, Kim Rodenstein. Hank is Buzzy’s fathers name, and Harry is Kim’s fathers’ name. This is not Buzzy’s first time opening a restaurant on the beach. He also Burger & Beer Joint (B&B) and Sliderz, both located in Miami Beach as well. “It has a nice, traditional vibe,” said Brynn Sklar, who is not only an employee at the restaurant, but is also Buzzy’s daughter. “What I mean is that it can remind you of New York as intended but with Miami faces… It is a good homely restaurant.” “It has a fast, casual atmosphere,” said Buzzy Sklar, the founder of Hank & Harry’s. The restaurant is a New York style deli with a range of orders. They have foods such as deli sandwiches, burgers, subs, salads, anything you can think of! The food is
high quality and the restaurant in general is very welcoming. They have a variety of foods that are sure to please anybody! “I enjoy the food a lot,” said Brynn. “Especially since you can’t get it at many places.” “My favorite food was a turkey and cheese sandwich with some vegetables,”said Arya Chatani, an eighth grader who has been to the restaurant. “I also really liked the cookies and the soup as well.” Just like the owner, the staff is incredibly welcoming. They are all very nice and they make you feel happy when you enter. “Yes I love working there,” said Buzzy. “I love interacting with different people.” “My mother went to another store and left me there to wait for the food, the nice lady running the register was extremely kind,” said Arya. “She saw me waiting and she offered me a cookie. The people there are extremely kind and caring. I would go back again.” The food is delicious and the staff is great. Everybody there is nice and it has such a welcoming atmosphere. This restaurant is perfect for people of all ages because of it’s wide variety of food. Hank & Harry’s is a must. If you haven’t eaten here yet, then you’re really missing out!
You can go to Hank and Harry's for delicious deli sandwiches!
REVIEW: "The Circle" Continued from page 11
formance was spectacular, a definite 10 out of 10 for him.
But as always, Tom Hanks saved the day. I feel like his role was made for him, and that no one else could have played it as well as he did. His per-
People who read the book, such as myself, were pretty mad when they found out that one of the main characters in the story, Francis Garaventa,
Mae’s boyfriend at The Circle, did not appear in the movie at all. That really didn’t help matters, as the movie would have been much better with Francis’ character. That would have helped portray Mae’s dark side better.
In conclusion, I would give this movie a strong six and a half out of ten, the reason for this average score being Emma Watson, and the scandalous omission of one of the main characters. Also, the movie’s morales are not clearly projected. Even though movies all have flaws, (except One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest), it was an "okay" movie. Not the best, but not the worst. For me, the movie was borderline.
RESTAURANT REVIEW
Rice is amazing!
By Alexis Kaplan
The Rice Asian House & Sushi Bar is located in Sunny Isles Beach, and is one of the best restaurants in that area. They serve a variety of Japanese and Chinese food. It’s a very cozy restaurant. There are a lot of half-booths, and there is seating both inside and outside. The service is pretty fast. They also have a lot of appetizers. My personal favorite is the steamed gyoza. It’s a good portion and it tastes amazing. I can’t dine at this restaurant without ordering the gyoza. They have lots of other appetizers, such as the egg rolls. The food at the Rice Asian House & Sushi Bar is amazing. I love the chicken teriyaki, and all of their sushi. They have lots of different types of sushi. Also, they have lots of soups and salads. The only bad thing about this restaurant is the crowd. Because this restaurant is so amazing, it’s often very crowded. If you dine there, there’s probably a 50/50
chance that you will have to wait. From my personal experience, I’d recommend coming on any weekday besides Friday, or calling ahead to reserve a table. Another thing you should know is that it’s best to dine inside. There is often a better atmosphere inside, and because this restaurant is located in a shopping center, you might be disturbed dining outside because of all the cars and people walking around. In conclusion, this restaurant is a big recommendation to anyone who likes sushi, since that is the main dish at the restaurant. It’s not a fancy restaurant but it’s not a restaurant where you can show up in the sloppiest clothing you could find. I’d say that the most appropriate outfit to wear is legging or jeans and a sweater or shirt. I think that this is one of the most fantastic restaurants to dine at, and you should really check it out.
Food
Page 13
REVIEW: The Palm, Bay Harbour By Eva Harari
If you want to experience fine dining at it's best, then The Palm is the place for you. After trying out this restaurant for the first time, I was blown away by incredibly tender filet mignon; the crispy, yet soft ahi tuna, that melted in my mouth with a single bite. This restaurant has many delicacies from around the world, although it specializes in seafood and prime meats. In the appetizer section, one can find crispy calamari that's not simple. On the contrary, it's more extravagant, layered with different spices, creating an explosion of flavors in your mouth. It is seasoned to perfection. In the salads section, I highly recommend the baby kale salad. I am personally not a fan of kale, but my tastebuds decided to miraculously change their mind with this salad. It is served with pine nuts, that greet you with a satisfying crunch, cranberries that add a delightful chewiness and sweetness, and salty parmesan cheese. In all, I think the light lemon vinaigrette finishes the dish off beautifully, binding all the ingredients together.
This menu also has an Italian section where my number one recommendation would have to be the linguine and clam sauce. While this is not a fully Italian dish, The Palm somehow found a way to incorporate all the “Classic Italian” flavors into this plate, and transported me to Italy. When I am eating a pasta dish, a deal breaker for me is having a sauce too thick, or too heavy. This dish, however, was perfectly light and airy. Now, we are making our way to the most delicious steak. It has been ranked as Miami’s best steakhouse. Try the ribeye! I was so amazed by the tenderness of the meat. I cut right through the middle with no effort whatsoever, and I was left speechless by the dish. For me, this is absolutely, the best steak I have ever had. The steak was packed with flavor, and the smoky aura was superb. The lobster is the most popular seafood at the restaurant. It has a perfectly buttery and light flavor that can be topped off by a bit of lemon to please your palate. If you are looking for someplace new to go, please do NOT hesitate to go to The Palm for a dining experience beyond compare!
Photo from The Palm website
The Palm is a national chain known for its steak and seafood.
REVIEW: VerIronside Pizza, Like Being in Italy sailles By Anthony Calfa
Ironside Pizza is a small restaurant located near El Portal. They focus on their pizzas being like the first pizzas ever made in Naples, Italy. They say that even the wood-fired oven makes a difference. “It is a ritual for this restaurant to make our pizza as close as possible to the roots of this Italian food,” said Ofer Mizrahi, the restaurant's founder. The dough is always made fresh and stretched by hand to reach the perfect thickness. The crust of authentic Italian pizza is a big part of what makes it so desirable. Once the crust is stretched out, it is baked in an extremely hot wood-fired oven for a very short time to achieve the perfect crust, crispy on the outside, yet light and fluffy on the inside. “Our toppings are much lighter than the American’s and are always kept fresh,” said
Ofer Mizrahi. A layer of tomato sauce is spread over the crust and then topped with fresh mozzarella cheese and basil. You can feel how fresh it is. Ironside Pizza makes you feel like you're in Italy. The service is always great. You are always greeted by someone who has Italian heritage. The entire staff is Italian. They have exotic desserts there like chocolate salami with fresh vanilla or panna cotta with strawberry sauce. The best is their signature Nutella pizza. The location is in a plaza where italian artist make big portraits of cartoony faces that spy on you when you eat. In that plaza are gardens where the restaurant's ingredients are grown. If I could rate this restaurant, I would give it a nine out of ten only because there is a railroad track next to it that makes a lot of noise and also it is a mosquito paradise but other than that, it is arguably the best pizza place in Florida.
By Miranda Marquez
Versailles Restaurant is an authentic Cuban restaurant. Several reviews call it The World’s Most Famous Cuban Restaurant. I am half Cuban, so I know what the real Cuban food tastes like. I was really impressed. The food is authentic. There is a big variety, and even if you don't like Cuban food, there are other options. The food comes in really big portions. The restaurant looks fancy, and the service is amazing. Sometimes it is really crowded and you have to wait in line for about 15 minutes. I ordered Picadillo con arroz (hash with rice) and a bowl of beans. It was delicious!
For dessert, there are Cuban dessert and others like chocolate cake. Connected to the restaurant is the Bakery. My favorite dish is Moros y cristianos (black beans stewed with white rice). For dessert, my favorite is Cascos de Guayaba (guavas with sugar and cream cheese). One thing that I also liked about this restaurant, is the Cuban music. The people that work in the restaurant are all Cuban and they speak both Spanish and English. The restaurant looks like you just walked into the 1970s, It is beautiful. This restaurant makes you feel like you are in Cuba! Personally it is one of my favorite restaurants now. If you want to, go this is the link http://www.versaillesrestaurant.com/
"I will assure you, you will have a great time (at Versailles)"
- Miranda Marquez
Page 14
Chat with a Champion
Trump Stays Busy
Interview with basketball player Jordan Sheppard
Interview conducted by Belle Greenberg
His decisions are controversial.
Q: Why did you decide to play basketball? A: My dad played basketball and I’ve been playing it ever since. I’ve been playing since i was 6 yrs old. Q: What is your favorite part about basketball? A: I enjoy the games most because that’s when you can prove yourself and all of your hard work pays off.
By Alex Kalvarskiy
Since he became president, Donald Trump has made many decisions strongly influencing the U.S. What were they? President Trump has signed an order forcing the U.S. leave the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), claiming that “America needs to be more independent.” Trump’s leadership is also questioned, since there are many rumors of the CIA looking into Trump’s connections with Russia. It also seems that Trump has gotten his information wrong lately. For example, in one of his speeches, he remarked, “Look at what’s happening in Sweden”. No one really knows what happened in Sweden, not even the Swedish Prime Minister. President Trump also has made attempts to rip down ObamaCare. Trump attempted to propose a new and better health care plan, which he dubbed “Trump Care”. Despite his attempts, the
Trump continues to take actions that cause uproars around the country. leader of Republicans in Congress said that Trump’s plan was more expensive and impossible to make or maintain. Furthermore, President Trump recently ordered a missile strike on an airbase in Syria, where people were gruesomely gassed. President Trump chose not to speak with Congress about the strike. President Trump also dropped what is commonly known as “the mother of all bombs”, which is the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast, on Afghanistan. Trump also reduced the U.S.’ contributions to the United Nations. Having barely completed 100 days in
Q: How much time do you think basketball takes up? Is it hard having a lot of practice? Why? Explain. A: It depends whether you’re on ms or hs. When I was in middle school, I did the season, and then that was it. But in high school, you do it more seriously, so you do it year round. Almost every day of the year. It is hard because
it is hard to balance it with all of the school work that is given. Q: What do you want to work on for next season? Why? A: I want my shot to be perfected because my form isn’t correct. Q: Do you have anything to say to people who may want to start playing basketball? What advice do you have? A: Don't quit even if they run you to death. Also the more time you put in, the better you will get. To quote Coach Slim, “Don’t get tired, get better.” Q: Do you want to continue playing? What goals have you set for yourself? A: I set goals to play basketball throughout hs. And to hopefully make it back to nationals with more playing time.
office, Trump has already signed many executive orders. Trump has signed an order that will not let people from certain countries into the United States. Refugees from countries such as Syria, Iran, and Iraq, will not be allowed into the country. But this decision has been the subject of debate and legal battles in the federal government. Already, more than half of U.S. citizens disapprove of Trump’s actions, which is a record high for the country. What will President Trump do next? No one knows, but the whole country will be watching, and so will other countries
Watch "Star" "Star vs the Forces of Evil" is a great time! By Jacob Hare
Star vs. The Forces of Evil’ is a Disney animated TV shows that is currently airing on Disney XD. It was created by Daron Nefcy, after nearly five years of trying to get the show on air. Currently there are two seasons, with two more coming on the way! The basic plot goes as follows Star Butterfly (voiced by Eden Sher), a magical princess comes to Earth to gain control of her crazy powers. While she’s there, she stays with Marco Diaz (voiced by Adam McArthur), a “safe” kid at his school, Echo Creek. While Star is trying to control her powers, Ludo (voiced by Alan Tudyk), an evil creature, is trying to take Star’s wand. There is more than that, obviously. At first glance, Star may appear human, but she is not. Like ‘Steven Universe’, there exists a new species unique to the show. The species is called ‘Mewman’, and it’s described as a humanoid species that comes from Mewni, Star’s home dimension. That’s right, Star is not from our
dimension, she’s from an entirely different dimension. The names of that dimension and its species is meant to parody actual humans and Earth. There are more differences than Mewmans being from Mewni and Humans being from Earth than that, like Mewmans go through ‘Mewberty.’ That’s right, instead of puberty, there is Mewberty. Now you may be thinking ‘This show must be super lame and silly’. Well, don’t judge a book by its’ cover. ‘Steven Universe’ may have silly plots like ‘Star vs the Forces of Evil’, but there are a lot of serious moments as both shows continue to grow. Look at the season finales! Well, not yet at least. Start with the basics, like the series premiere. It may be silly, yes, but it’s a good place to start. ‘Star vs the Forces of Evil’ is a silly, fun show that tries to show a fun time, and it pulls it off beautifully. The show has fun plots and storylines that give a fun ride. The characters are of course great and show their diverse personal-
"I would absolutely recommend this show to anyone who needs a good time."
- Jacob Hare ities. It’s not recommended for people that dislike comedies, but if you do, give it a try! You might like it! The show is also takes an actionadventure approach with exploring different dimensions and battling different creatures. Almost every episode, a new dimension is introduced and the art just shows off its uniqueness! The animation and art are just so cool and amazing, I would absolutely recommend this show to anyone who needs a good time. If you turn the TV on to Disney XD, chance is you might see this show. Just watch it for a bit and make your own opinion.
Photo from Open iStudio
Jordan Fishman (left) and Jordan Sheppard (right) were two middle schoolers on the championship team.
Page 15
Spring Break
A Trip to Dubai by Shaelyn Davis
Dubai has it all! Desert dunes and camels, ski slopes and penguins, aquariums and dolphins! So if you ever wonder where to go on spring break, try Dubai. After a grueling 15 hour flight, I woke up on a new continent. Asia, the sixth continent I have been to. This was the first time I had been to Asia and it was such a great experience with a lot of surprises. I did not know what was in store, but be assured this was a whirlwind adventure! You can imagine I was feeling jetlagged after a 15 hour flight, I couldn’t believe I was walking on another continent. As I walked outside, I literally felt like I had walked through a wall! I knew it would be hot but seriously-102 degrees! With only 128 hours to spare, I knew my adventure had to begin immediately. After dumping my bags, we decided to make the best of our jetlag, caught a cab and headed for our first stroll through the streets of Dubai. The architecture is mind boggling. After only a few moments on the streets my head was aching from gazing up at some of the most remarkable buildings I have ever seen. We woke up bright and early on the next day, (I advise limited sleep!) and hired a car! We decided to drive to see Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. The Grand Mosque is in Abu Dhabi and it is the third largest mosque in the world. My mom and I did have to put on an abaya while walking around the Grand Mosque, needless to say, the males in our family did not have to layer themselves up to walk around the mosque! The Grand Mosque is truly breathtaking, the chandeliers and mosaics showed evidence of intricate workmanship. Driving in the United Arab Emirates is
The Davis family enjoyed the deserts of Dubai.
really easy and the roads are in excellent conditions. Gas stations are similar to the ones found on the way to Orlando. We stopped at a gas station, which was complete with a Burger King… but don’t eat there, try the local food- we had a deliciously spicy curry dish. Later that day, we went on a sunset desert safari. There was a four by four car that drove us to the desert and also through the desert. It was amazing. We watched a falcon show. Falcons or the Shaheen is the national bird of the UAE. After the show, we went on a desert dune adventure! Move over Orlando, the desert dunes rollercoaster was super exciting and fast! We stopped on one of the numerous sand dunes and watched the sun go down. It was beautiful. When the sun went down, we drove to a little oasis in the desert and we had dinner (Yup, some more curry.) The oasis was filled with adventure and I snowboarded down a hill, I rode a camel, and I got a Henna tattoo. From desert to snow! WHAT! Did you ever imagine skiing in the middle of a desert? No? Well, you're wrong. In the Mall of the Emirates there is a Ski center. My brother and I went there for a while and it was amazing. We had a skiing lesson and once we proved we were capable took on some of the slopes! We also got to go in a snowball, do some tobogganing and a few other rides! My mom, not the skiing type, made a day of the spa.
She assures me it was the best massage she has ever received. So if you need a carrot to convince your parents that you need to ski, remember to recommend the spa! On the third day, we hit the local transport and explored the metro services! It was such fun riding all over the city on the metro. Also, because it is so hot outside, the metro is connected to wherever you want to go so you don’t have to go outside. So, on the third day, I walked around the Dubai mall. The Dubai mall is enormous, I wasn’t able to see everything. You would need a lot more than 128 hours to do this! We were amazed at all the healthy juice bars and tried quite a few flavourful ones. After the mall, my mom convinced us to visit some schools! (Yes, on spring break!) In hindsight, I am really glad we did this, I walked away realizing it is not the facilities that are important, but the people! After the schools, we climbed into a taxi and went to the Burj Khalifa- the tallest building in the world-that is until Saudi Arabia’s new construction is completed… We went to the 148th floor! It was extremely high up. It took two minutes to get all the way up. When we were up there, we watched the sun go down this took longer way up in the sky, than on the ground. On our way out, we watched musical fountains and took a stroll around the opera house. We fell into bed around midnight and after walking eight miles. On the fourth day, we rode the metro, tram, and a bus
to Atlantis. When we got there, we went to the water park. It was extremely hot but I had a lot of fun. The rides actually take you through an aquarium. Besides all the adventures, my dad decided to surprise us even more and told us we were going to swim with dolphins! I think that was the highlight of the trip for me. It was amazing! The dolphins pushed us on a board, they pulled us through the water, and they hugged us. They were so cute and I loved them. After that we went to Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant. The food was amazing. We spent the night in Atlantis. On the last day, we spent a little more time in the waterpark in Atlantis. We didn’t stay there for a long time. When we were done, we took the bus, tram, and metro to the marina, which is a little like South Beach. We ended our vacation with a dinner in a Thai restaurant, to celebrate the Thai New Year! This was in the tallest hotel in the world. At midnight we had to head for the airport, so we grabbed our bags, stuffed all our belongings into them and said goodbye to Dubai! 15 hours later, I woke up on a more familiar continent, enriched with amazing experiences, new perspectives and an appreciation for the diversity to be found on earth!
Students Become Leaders Continued from page 6
If you are interested in bettering your planning skills and how you speak to people when planning things, Gabi Abramowitz believes that Leadership is a good class to join because you get to plan events and work on your social skills when talking to people (in a professional manner). “I get to practice public speaking and plan many fun events,” said Gabi Abramowitz, another student who is in the Leadership class as well as a member of Student Government.
“People should join leadership because it is a good class to help you speak more clearly when you are giving a speech,” said Mila Seikaly, a Leadership student. She says that it helps you develop public speaking skills. “It is important that the students here have a voice and want to project it, and the Leadership class let’s us do that.”
Jordan Sheppard believes that leadership is important for people to learn how to take action.
Even if you are more interested in having a say about what happens in middle school, you should consider joining Leadership.
To Jordan Horn, leadership is about standing out and not following what everyone else is doing. She believes everyone needs to be their own person.
Other than planning events for the entire middle school, Leadership also helps you become more organized and helps you keep organized for school and life which is an extremely important quality to have in life.
Photo by Elinka Ordway
Gabi Abramowitz and Mariapia Onorato put together donations for charity.
In the Middle staff Belle Greenberg
8th Grade Editor-in-Chief
Miranda Marquez
7th Grade
Eva Harari
8th Grade Head Copy Editor
Alexis Kaplan
6th Grade
Elinka Ordway
8th Grade Photo Editor
Francesco Rumiano
6th Grade
Jacob Hare
7th Grade
Mr. Fallik
Alex Kalvarskiy
7th Grade