The Muse Novemeber Issue by The Muse at Dreyfoos

THE

MUSE OBAMA TAKES

DREYFOOS National and mock elections result in a clear Obama win. Pages 16-17

Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts

Volume 10 Issue 2 November 2012

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF

CONTENTS ON THE COVER THE

MUSE

Volume 10 Issue 2 November 2012

OBAMA TAKES

DREYFOOS National and mock elections result in a clear Obama win. Pages 16-17

Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts

Illustration by Rebbeca Shalloway

This election has been one of the most controversial elections in recent years.

Corrections: Charlie Krumholz drew the illustrations for the following stories: Freshmen Hill’s high point and artists losing heart in their art. Eunice Chun was wrongfully attributed as a strings major. She is a keyboard major. In the last issue, in the entertainment shortlist Luis Zepeda was spelled wrong.

4 9

OP/ED

Why we don’t want to be alone

Do you have a case of the FOMO and need facebook?

NEWS

Ms. Rigdon’s new lifestyle

Learn how Ms. Rigdon’s triathlon participation helped her recover from a serious car accident and transformed her lifestyle

FEATURES

Thanksgiving

The fall season is a time to think about the most important things in life. Check out what you should really be thankful for this Thanksgiving season

ARTS

Acting auditions

Learn about the tedious auditions theatre majors must go through.

SPORTS

Runing to the top

Read about how two Dreyfoos athletes have run their way into the Dreyfoos record book

WELLNESS

Vegetarianism

Consider the risks and benefits of practicing vegetarianism as a teen

For more Museworthy stories visit:

ENTERTAINMENT

iPhone 5 review

Is the iPhone 5 really worth it? Entertainment looks into Apple’s newest release

THEMUSEATDREYFOOS.COM Please recycle

Trying to make a difference

The Muse

Photo by Elizabeth Lane

Editors-in-Chief Shawna Bilton (left) and Dominique McKenzie pose in Building 1 in front of one of many Voice to Vote mock election posters.

Being 17 years old is supposed to be the best year of your life. You’re young, carefree and still considered a minor if charged with a crime. However, in this frenzy of the presidential election, we want nothing more than to be considered adults. Although adulthood comes with innumerable responsibilities including work, taxes and going to jail if you commit a crime, it also empowers individuals with the right to vote. As very politically active students and officers on the speech and debate team, it was frustrating, to say the least, to be 17 during this election. If we had been given the opportunity that so many adults squander, we are confident that our votes would have been informed and educated. Despite the frustration we felt about our inability to vote in this past presidential election, the Voice

Your Vote program brought relief to our, and many others, aggravation (pg. 16). This chance to express our political opinions and well-informed votes allowed our burning passion for politics an escape. Additionally, the results from the mock-election clearly reinforced the previously believed notion that Dreyfoos is predominantly Democratic. In all honesty, we are proud to admit that in our spare time, we enjoy re-watching the Presidential Debates for the millionth time or reading the New York Times’ articles discussing the candidates’ platforms. Furthermore, we thoroughly enjoyed reading the reaction from Dreyfoos students in regards to the national winner of the presidential election, President Barack Obama. g

STAFF EDITORIAL

Future goals to be measured by race The State Board of Education votes on a new testing plan “Certainly the intent to get some groups to n October, the Florida Board of Education higher standards should remain, but it does passed a revised strategic plan which states show a degree of insensitivity.” that by 2018, 90 percent of Asian students, 88 percent of White students, 82 percent of American Indians, 81 percent of Hispanics and 74 percent of Black students should be reading at or above grade level standards. The proficiency goals for math are: 92 percent Asians, 86 percent Whites, 81 percent American Indians, 80 percent Hispanics and 74 percent Blacks. Although these goals have been implemented with the purpose of minimizing the achievement gap between different racial groups, the idea that proficiency levels are determined by the color of one’s skin is absurd. According to the Palm Beach Post, “I’m somewhere between complete and utter disgust and anger and disappointment with humanity,” Debra Robinson, Palm Beach County School Board vice-chairwoman, said. She also said that she has been receiving complaints from upset black and Hispanic parents since the state board took its action this week. The biggest problem with this plan is the fact that the various listed categories, from race to language deficiencies, are ambiguous. Setting student proficiency goals based For example, the plan has a specific goal for on race sends a negative message for those the subgroup students deemed as who are “economically considered at a disadvantaged,” “disadvantage.” because the This new state board -Dr. Eric Smith, Florida’s former Commissioner of Education plan could ventures potentially to say that discourage socioeconomic status affects academic students because the expectations across the performance; however, no measures have board change depending on their race, and been taken to explicitly define what being this should not be the case. “economically disadvantaged” entails. According to The Miami Herald “The expectation for every child in every school According to Fox News, “The intent is probably honorable, but the execution is must be the same or we will create and perpetuate a system of unequals,” Dr. Eric kind of insensitive, perhaps to the very Smith, Florida’s former Commissioner of groups they are trying to help,” said Daniel Domenech, executive director of the American Education, said. This new plan was established by using Association of School Administrators. Commentary by MuseStaff

“The expectation for every child in every school must be the same or we will create and perpetuate a system of unequals.”

the current passing rates to determine the future goals proportionately; regardless, it is still unjust for them to set future goals based on current race passing percentages. According to the Palm Beach Post, State Board of Education Chairwoman Kathleen Shanahan justifies this plan saying that setting goals for different subgroups were needed to comply with terms of a waiver that Florida and 32 other states have from some provisions of the federal No Child Left Behind Act. “We have set a very high goal for all students to reach in Florida,” Shanahan said. The Florida Department of Education is expecting 100 percent proficiency by the 2022-2023 school year as long as this plan is followed, and Florida is not the first state to employ similar goals. According to CBS News, there Illustration by Charlie Krumholz was controversy in Washington D.C. and Virginia over the summer for creating 2018 benchmarks for math and reading based on racial subgroups. Although the justification behind this proposed plan is understandable, an effective alternative would be to focus on individual student’s passing rates for students who were at or below proficiency level. By shifting the focus from student’s race to their individual passing scores, this will be a more direct approach to increasing student proficiency in reading and math. This method would further send the message to Florida communities that our society is past petty labels that do not serve as indicators of success in our education system. g

Contributors: Tijienene Gordon, Francesca Otero-Vargas

OP/ED

Students have a new biggest fear Commentary by SydneyMcAuliffe

ast night, I logged onto my Facebook account. I scrolled down the newsfeed and saw pictures from parties my friends were at, status updates about Homecoming games and posts about dinner dates. While it seemed the rest of the world was out having fun on a Saturday night, I was sitting at home reading a book. Yes, people still read books. To say the least, I was feeling inadequate about my Saturday night life. Little did I know there is an acronym for what I was experiencing: FOMO (The Fear Of Missing Out.) This fear and tension of missing out is enhanced, almost encouraged, by the constant usage of social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. According to author Sophia Dembling, “Social media sites, which ask you where you are, what you are doing and whom you are with, can cause people to exaggerate or feel the need to brag about their daily lives.” To say that social media sites frequently cause FOMO is an understatement. Casually scrolling through your friends’ updates, or even lurking through strangers’ lives, can cause feelings of anxiety. You start to wonder, why don’t I look that good at seven in the morning? Why don’t I have a boyfriend that I

without giving up Facebook or other social can call Prince Charming? The more you get sucked into this technical black hole we like to media sites completely? Well, according to journalist call the Internet, the more everyone Lauren Isobel from Liminas else’s lives seem that much more amazing. Magazine, “One should “It’s easy to publicize remember that the photos, any little thing and let the status updates and everyone have access to the rest of the information anything. Whereas before on social media sites is a it would have taken carefully selected ‘best of’ weeks to reach a large version of your friends’ group of people,” lives.” digital media junior She suggests Daniel Martin said. that when you go on You may even Facebook, look at your find that you own profile page. You experience FOMO may just find that your a lot more than life looks pretty great would like to admit. too. “I have Thankfully, there is experienced a solution to FOMO and FOMO,” strings this solution comes in way cca Shallo n by Rebe sophomore Fabiola Plaza the form of JOMO (The Joy of Illustratio said. “It’s honestly such a stressful and Missing Out.) It is possible to derive joy from depressing feeling, because you’re trying so just simply living your own life, unconcerned hard not to miss anything, and when you with others. So turn off the phone, turn off do miss out on things, you start blaming the computer and turn off that fear of missing yourself.” out. Life is too short to worry about what Can we overcome these feelings of FOMO everyone else is doing all the time. g

Rise up women and fight the power and “ums”. In class, she offers a stupid answer on alala Yousufzia is fighting purpose. for her life and rights. This “Yum, I love pie,” she 14 year old Pakistani girl was shot in the head and neck after says in math class and all the boys laugh, because writing an online diary for the somewhere along the line, British Broadcasting Channel acting dumb became cute. in which she spoke about her experiences after the For some reason, this girl closing of her school. After has become more attractive than every intelligent, hard advocating education for working girl in school. Why is Pakistani women, the Taliban she the image that appears at the have decided this girl does mentioning of a fantasy girl? Why not deserve to live. The Taliban does not allow does this girl act so foolish in a country where there are so many women to participate in the opportunities for females? most basic activities: drive a car, Stereotypes and low grocery shop, or wear cosmetics. confidence levels cause this attitude. Women in the United States so easily take their rights for granted. To help the female community Females in Pakistan risk their lives Illustration by Rebecca Shalloway and restore self esteem in our peers, communications junior Sydney in hope of gaining a confident, McAuliffe and communications sophomore intelligent image. Girls in America ignore the Erica Maltz have formed the Women’s dream to become stereotypical floosies. Empowerment Club here at Dreyfoos. With short shorts and a tight top bursting at the seams, this stereotypical girl is the “Every girl has insecurities. Some people apple of every teenage boy’s eye. The majority deal with these insecurities differently. Our purpose is to teach girls to empower of her sentences are composed with “likes”

Commentary by KayleighRubin

themselves from the inside out instead of the outside in,” McAuliffe said. This past summer, I spent two weeks at the all women Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. It was there that I learned the true meaning of feminism: a strong belief in equality. My friends and I attended a poetry slam featuring poet Lenelle Moise who introduced new thoughts about gender discrimination. Women have the right to vote, own property, choose their career, any right a man has. It is not law that limits women but societal expectations. When we think of potential careers for men, possibilities are broad. In a study done by journalist Lisa Johnson Mandell, females typically start a career as a nurse, teacher, or secretary. I do not know what the future holds for me, but I do know anything is possible. I can break the typical mold and become a politician or business executive. Females who discover amazing artifacts or cures are deemed incredible. My goal is that they become ordinary. After her act, Moise asked who in the audience was a feminist. I was proud to raise my hand and Malala would be too. g

THE ISSUE

The in-school or out-ofschool preference

Are in-school or out-of-school relationships better for high school students?

Point

Counterpoint

Commentary by RickyMorris

t seems like there are so many couples at our school this year. Something must be working out for them because every time I turn a corner I see a couple, usually engaged in a moment of passion, in the hallway. Having your significant other in school is great when you need a quick good luck kiss or hug before taking that math test you have been dreading all week. With the stress of tests, studying and clubs, having someone there to listen to your problems makes them seem more manageable. Having a significant other in school is like having a personal psychologist every day. The best part is that they have to listen to you because they are emotionally obligated to care. “One thing that I think is great about having a relationship with someone that goes to the same school with you is, if you’re having a bad day, that person is always there to pick you up and make you smile,” keyboard senior Josh Baldwin said. Having a girlfriend or boyfriend requires that you see them often. Maintaining a close relationship with your significant other can be hard if they do not attend the same school—it might as well be a long-distance relationship. Skype dates just don’t cut it in high school. Especially when you attend a school where there are a multitude of activities and events happening. Couples at our school are also lucky because they are surrounded by perfect places to go on dates. Every restaurant you could ever take your special someone to is a block away. Whether it is a steamy date at Saito’s or a productive study session at Barnes and Noble, there is endless fun for couples at Dreyfoos. “It’s great to have a boyfriend that goes to Dreyfoos because it’s easier to hang out after school in places like CityPlace,” dance sophomore Hannah Dayton said. Even holidays at school are better with a boyfriend or girlfriend. Vocal senior Shannon Reagan has been dating Baldwin since their junior year. Since they go to the same school, they have shared not only friends, but also many memories—including Valentine’s Day. “I hate Valentine’s Day so much, [but] my boyfriend loves it, so I gave all of his closest friends and even his mom a poem with a clue and task on it and he had to complete the task in the poem or else he didn’t get the next clue,” Reagan said. “It was the best Valentine’s Day ever.” Whether it is spending time together on holidays or just sitting together at lunch and talking about your day, having a relationship in school is much easier, and much more fun than having one outside of school. g

OP/ED

Commentary by FrancescaOtero-Vargas

here’s only one minute left before the bell rings for class, and I am stuck. Stuck waiting behind two people sucking each other’s faces off in the middle of the doorway—prolonging their sloppy and completely unnecessary “good-bye.” These two saliva swapping lovers only have to endure an hour and 40 minutes of separation before they are back to clogging the stairwells, hallways, walkways and doorways with their extreme displays of affection. I am a firm believer in “time and place.” Meaning that there is a time and place for everything and school is neither the time nor place to be hooking-up with your significant other. Now I’m not saying that a kiss here or there is bad or that holding hands isn’t super cute; however, if you’re going to kiss, do it away from the crowd where I won’t have to see your entangling tongues. If you’re going to hold hands, don’t blockade the hallway. Relationships are a part of life, Illustration by Rebecca Shalloway but it’s important to keep your life in order. When you are exclusive with someone, you start to prioritize them above other people and activities—including school work. During these four years of high school, students need to focus on maintaining good grades, getting scholarships and more importantly, figuring out what they want to do with their life after graduation. Since studies show that less than 2 percent of high school relationships last until marriage, what’s the point? Why sacrifice your future for a couple of dates? I suggest dating someone outside of school, which will help keep the two separate. While you may have to sacrifice seeing each other every day, the benefits far outweigh the sacrifices. When dating someone outside of school, you learn to appreciate the time you have together more. There’s less time to argue. You can focus solely on your work when at school. You get to go to his/her other school functions and you get to make new friends with people at his/her school. “I definitely prefer maintaining a relationship outside of school because that way, our relationship doesn’t get mixed up in any petty high school drama,” vocal senior Georgia Sackler said. “We’re not subject to people’s unwarranted opinions or gossip.” My boyfriend and I have been dating for over three years and we’ve never gone to the same school. At times it’s hard, but it has allowed each of us to be our own person, to focus on school and to not always be seen as a couple. Out-of-school relationships aren’t for everyone, but I feel that they are the best way to remain an individual and keep your school life and your personal life separate—which in the end will benefit the both of you. g

OP/ED

A Prom to Remember is one to never forget Commentary by MorgaanJessell

o many of us, myself included, consider prom to be a right of passage. It’s supposed to be one of the highlights of most students’ high school career. However, for children at various Morgaan Jessell children’s hospitals, prom is something they’ve counted on never getting to experience. When I got involved with “A Prom to Remember,” the foundation that gives teens with cancer a chance to experience prom, I had no idea it was going to stem into such a beautiful and important part of my life. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about how much this club has changed my life. I am truly privileged to be this year’s vice president of the club, and the youngest member of the foundation’s board. May 11 of last year was when I realized how important all the hard work that us club members have put in. It was a night where these courageous kids could forget about chemo, doctors and sickness. The weight of this didn’t actually sink in until long after I got home from the Ritz Carlton in Ft. Lauderdale

where the event was held. The entire year led up to the moment when the limos arrived and the teens came up the elevator and silence simply captivated the entire room. In the 15 years I have been alive, never have I seen anything more beautiful than those boys and girls. The sleek tuxedoes, the stunning gowns and the perfectly placed boutonnieres were nothing in comparison to the smiles. As we watched them come down a red carpet escorted by Miami Dolphin Football players and Panther Ice Hockey Dancers, nothing else seemed to matter besides the fact that I got to be a part of this magical night. I had never thought about what it would be like going from spending months confined to a hospital room while my body betrayed me, to dancing in one of the most luxurious hotels in the world. Despite it all, the venue, clothes, food, decorations, I believe it was just giving these children a night to forget about everything that was wrong, that really meant the world

to them. It was so inspirational to see not just these children, but also their families, who had endured years of hospitals, doctors and treatment, have so much fun. I met some of my biggest heroes that night and most of them weren’t even in first grade yet. Shiloh Beck, who nobody could take their eyes off that night, will always be remembered as the dancing superstar. Discovering that he had large B-Cell lymphoma right after he turned 13, Beck endured rigorous rounds of chemotherapy for six months. However as of this past June, when he had his last PET Scan, he will be remembered as the dancing cancer survivor superstar. That’s what’s great about getting to attend this prom: you meet the children you were helping and are able to follow them through their battle, and as with Back, you get to celebrate with them when they’ve finally won. The memories of that life-changing night inscribed in the hearts of these children is something I wouldn’t trade for the world. I am determined to make sure that “A Prom to Remember” is just as successful its second year at Dreyfoos as it was its first. g

‘There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about how much this club has changed my life.’

NEWS

When two worlds collide by XimenaHasbach

he The Max Planck Florida Institute, in collaboration with Dreyfoos, is trying to break down the perceived wall between science and the arts. The Institute is holding a contest in which high school students must submit a piece of art that is related to neurobiology. Dr. William Bosking, a researcher at the Institute who came to Dreyfoos to speak about art and the brain on Oct. 5, showed pictures of neurons that mirrored trees or other parts of nature, and announced the competition. Entry forms for the contest are due Nov. 12, and can be picked up in science teacher Stephen Anand’s room. Artwork is due by Dec. 5. Mr. Anand believes strongly in the association between art and science. He hopes that students will be able to relate the two as they proceed to college and beyond. “I think every discipline can benefit from the arts,” Mr. Anand said. “Some of the best scientists in history were artists; Leonardo Da Vinci, for example.” Mr. Anand tries to mix students’ art areas with his biology lessons, thinking of creative assignments that will have them thinking outside the box and viewing science in a way they never had before.

“I just wanted to realize it. Extra credit in “In class, we try to incorporate their art biology was pretty good motivation, too.” areas as much as we can,” Mr. Anand said. Having heard Dr. Brosking’s lecture, “It helps the students remember the material Nicolai recognizes the large role that better.” neuroscience plays in her art area, along with Dr. Bosking’s presentation was a great other aspects of her everyday life. opportunity for a different “A major part of kind of lesson in photography and class. It not only graphic design told of the is recognizing psychology what is involved visually in interesting— enjoying that is all in the arts, the brain,” but also of the Nicolai said. Mr. different Anand hopes parts of that more the brain people will get and their Graphic by Kyle Bell excited about the functions. In Mr. contest and about what Anand’s AP biology it represents: that people change how they class, students were offered extra credit percieve the world and recognize the links if they entered their art in the Institute’s that exist between everything they do. competition, which encouraged students “We have such a mass concentration of such as digital media senior Kira Nicolai to talented students,” Mr. Anand said. “If they participate. “As soon as I heard about the competition, showcase their skills, I feel we’re going to win.” g the idea popped into my head,” Nicolai said.

Science

Art

Awesome

all styles welcome If you’re thinking about colleges, think about this: one of the most exhilarating, inspiring, and international colleges in the country is right here in South Florida. (Lynn students come from 84 countries and 41 states.) To see Lynn for yourself, come to one of our Open House events or schedule a personalized visit when it’s more convenient. You’ll find all the details online. If you’d like to speak to someone in admission, call 561.237.7545. We’d love to talk to you!

3601 N. Military Trail Boca Raton, FL 33431

Exciting majors, including: Entrepreneurship Psychology Multimedia Journalism Environmental Studies Sports Management Elementary Education Forensic Science Fashion and Retail

lynn.edu/ visit

Lynn University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, disability and/or age in administration of its educational and admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, athletic and /or other school-administered programs. Lynn University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges (1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097; phone number: 404-679-4500) for questions about the accreditation of Lynn University.

NEWS

the

S F E I BR f

on o i t c e l a col te-size, ries bi hy sto ort w e t o n

Fall into the spirit by NicoleDonechie

oud cheers flooded from the cafeteria as the song “Gangnam Style” arose from the back of the room. Strings senior Junji Yamamoto, who dressed as PSY from the viral video, won the costume contest held during the Fall Festival, hosted by SGA. Visual juniors Allan Doyle, John Lopez and Luke Gardner came in second place,

dressed at the PowerPuff Girls. The other events included pie eating contests, mummy wrapping and eating a doughnuts off strings. The students met the Dreyfoos expectation for creativity with costumes ranging from a Chick-fil-A cow to full-body gorilla suits. The Fall Festival celebration was a huge success and it helped make the best out of coming to school on a holiday. g

It’s not easy being green by RemiLederman

educe, reuse, recycle: this common phrase has been drilled into students’ heads since elementary school. This concept of living green was reiterated once again at the annual, county-wide Learn Green Conference and Expo hosted on campus on Oct. 19. Throughout the day, students and teachers had the opportunity to attend a variety of workshops ranging from a healthy die to how to maintain a butterfly garden. Vendors gathered in the gym to advertise their businesses and organizations, explaining how they “go green.” Speakers explained how to eat healthier and maintain a “green” lifestyle. The conference gives the district the tools and education on how to develop a more “green” community and how to keep its members healthier. g

Photo by Camille Sanches

Nona Evans, the president and executive director of the WholeKids Foundation, was the keynotes speaker at the Learn Green Conference and Expo. She talked to the crowd about healthy eating and encouraged everyone to “eat a rainbow.”

Photo by Elizabeth Lane

Students get hyped up as strings senior Junji Yamamoto dances the “Gangnam Style”. Yamamoto won best costume in the Fall Festival.

Find your path[finder] by NicoleDonechie

ard work and dedication is not just a cliché phrase, it proves true for the nominees of the Pathfinder Scholarship. These students were only some of the lucky few chosen each year out of Palm Beach County to compete for scholarship money. Every year, high school seniors in Palm Beach County are awarded with Pathfinder Scholarships. The first, second, third and fourth place winners will all receive college scholarships of $3,000, $2,000, $1,500 and $1,000. In order to qualify for one of these awards, the students must have performed an outstanding achievement. A ceremony will be held at the Kravis Center on May 8, 2013 to celebrate the achievements of these students. g

2013 Pathfinder Nominees Academic Excellence Zachary Montague (Band)

Art

Mariasa Waddle (Visual)

Business

History/Political Science Alexis Kaufman (Communications)

Literature

Hannah Beth Ragland (Communications)

Mathematics

Junji Yamamoto (Strings)

Daniel Shuter (Visual)

Communications

Music/Instrumental

Community Involvement

Reach for Excellence

Shawna Bilton (Communications) Julia McBee (Theatre)

Drama

Sam Leopold (Theatre)

Foreign Language

Benjamin Batalla (Keyboard)

Elianise Jean-Louis (Visual)

Science

Christopher Wan (Keyboard)

Sports

Savannah Artusi (Communications)

Emmalyn Green (Communications)

Forensics/Speech

Technical/Vocational

Tijienene Gordon (Communications)

Molly Block (Theatre)

NEWS

Rigdon’s race to recovery by TimothyDiTocco

riathlons are not something most students expect their teacher to participate in. But as uncommon as it might seem, fitness has been a complicated and interesting road for English teacher Brittany Rigdon. “I decided that I was going to register for and complete a triathlon in the summer of 2010,” Ms. Rigdon said. “The previous school year I was involved in a traumatic car accident that left me without use of my left arm for close to six months.” Before her full recovery, Ms. Rigdon was miserable and in pain. The most difficult affect of the accident for Ms. Rigdon was her sudden increase in weight that came with the limited use of her body. “When I finally gained full mobility in my arm, I decided to make my health the priority in my life,” Ms. Rigdon said. “I joined Weight Watchers and registered for a sprint distance triathlon with the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training Program. I gave myself seven months to train for the event, starting by walking/jogging on the beach three times a week before school and progressing into training with the team from January to April.” Throughout her training, Ms. Rigdon

LIVES

received encouragement from a close friend, Elizabeth Allen, who was also invloved with the Team in Training Program in Minnesota. “I’m so proud of Brittany. She often gives me credit for encouraging her to do her first triathlon,” Ms. Allen said. “But the truth is, she has become an inspiration to me. I knew Brittany could compete in the triathlon, but she has gone above and beyond my expectations.” Although she receives support, Ms. Rigdon’s attempt to compete and become healthier. It has forced Photo courtesy of Brittany Rigdon her to constantly look ahead to the positive effects of running and English teacher Brittany Rigdon finishes the Torrey Pines Race for Research half marathon in Port St. Lucie on March 24 . exercise instead of being wrapped I know that when I reach my fitness goals, I up in the doubt to push through will have really earned it.” when the pressure is on. Goals are also an important part of “[Fitness] has positively influenced my Ms. Rigdon’s hopeful improvement in life because it symbolizes my ability to do triathlon running. She plans to not only something that I know is good for me that I simply compete, but also to improve her find to be both difficult and, on the surface, performance. unappealing,” Ms. Rigdon said. “In life I think “My goal is always to slightly increase my that obstacles are in place before us to test time from one event to the next,” Ms. Rigdon how badly we want to achieve our goals. I said. “My times are consistantly pretty slow, have gotten frustrated and wanted to give up but I am always proud of myself for finishing so many times on this journey: I have felt like what most people never even attempt. g a failure, but I have pushed through it, and

Blood donations bring benefits

being paid for the blood. Blood collected is not sold by centers or 11 years, the school has been such as FBC and the Red Cross. working with Florida Blood Centers According to FBC’s website, “Blood to bring students and the community together. This connection is not one-sided. is not bought and sold like a commodity or product...hospitals While the public benefits from student reimburse us for the significant donations, so does the school. costs of providing that service. “I think the blood drive is extremely This business model is followed by important in encouraging students to become more involved in their community every licensed blood center in the country.” and the welfare of the world outside of For the past two years, the school Dreyfoos,” said visual senior Daniel Shuter, has received awards from FBC for who is one of the blood drive coordinators. participating in the blood drives. “Even if students don’t donate, the drives Photo by Aubrey Levin Mr. Gallo received the Coordinator may act as a spark to drive students to Vocal junior Esther Delaney awaits the needle at the first blood drive of the year. of the Year Award last year, and the channel their effort into helping society in Student involvement in blood drives help generate scholarship money for the school. school was recognized as the high a different manner.” “The money is for scholarships and funds school that donated the most blood. While participating in the blood drives is for assistance that is given to the principal,” “Obviously great things [happen when you encouraged, some are concerned that school said social studies teacher Richard Gallo, donate blood],” said keyboard senior Cara is paid for the blood that is donated. In 2009, who is the blood drive sponsor. “The money FBC gave the school $6,040 for scholarships, Zhuang, one of the blood drive coordinators. supports the arts in case a department comes “You save three lives, and it comes back to and $6,300 in 2012. The amount of money up short for money for an event.” our school. When they donate, it benefits us donated is based on every unit of blood Mr. Gallo assures that the school is not directly.” g donated to the center. by JosieRusso

Nature

Engineering

Zoology

History

Chemistry

Sustainability

Math

Art

Geography

At Zimmerman Advertising weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re honored to support those that seek to discover and enlighten. We salute The A.W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts on decades of doing just that. Physics

zadv.com

FEATURES

Family trees have famous roots

Surprising connections between Dreyfoos students and famous figures by ClaudiaZamora

he odds were ever in these students’ favor, who have discovered they have legendary lineage while ancestor hunting and tracing their family origins. Curiosity led these students to unearth some famous and familiar faces in their family trees.

Adam Mazer and Gianna Mascaro

Hollywood may be a tough, make-itor-break-it world, but for theatre junior Gianna Mascaro, pure gold runs through her bloodline. Mascaro is related to Emmy Awardwinning screenplay writer Adam Mazer. Mr. Mazer has written screenplays for the short “You Don’t Know Jack” and the movie “Breach,” and has worked his way up the ranks of Hollywood with the support of the Mascaro family. “He and my dad are very close and whenever he comes down to Florida we always go out together and vice versa when we go to California,” Mascaro said. “He has also helped me as an aspiring actress with my résumé, auditions and helps me get gigs. Even though he’s constantly busy he always finds ways to make time for us.”

Graphic by Max Fields

Abraham Linclon (left) is a distant realtive of communications junior Sydney McAuliffe (right).

Abraham Lincoln and Sydney McAuliffe

Honest Abe told no lies when he suddently popped up in communications junior Sydney McAuliffe’s family tree back in 2001. Nearly 136 years after Abraham Lincoln’s administration as the 16th president of the United States, McAuliffe’s father traced his family’s roots back to Mr. Lincoln in an expedition to document their lineage. It turns out that Mr. Lincoln and McAuliffe are distant cousins, separated by centuries of time. “In second grade when I first found out, I immediately thought [Lincoln] was the reason I was so tall,” McAuliffe said. “Even today, I think my distant relationship with him has helped me realize my leadership potential in advocating women’s rights and standing for what I believe in.”

Daniel Chauvier and Brandon McMillan

As children, we can all remember avoiding that strange mechanical robot that looked like a giant stingray and loomed in the depths of our backyard pools. The invention of the ‘Kreepy Krauly,’ the automatic pool filter, has completely transformed the sanitation in our personal pools. For this invention we can thank South African entrepreneur Daniel Chauvier, whose grandson happens to be digital media sophomore Brandon McMillan. “After moving to Photo courtesy Brandon McMillan South Africa, [Mr. Chauvier] began to The inventor of the ‘Kreepy Krauly,’ the automatic pool filter, Daniel Chauvier (right) with his make a living for grandson, communications digital media sophomore Brandon McMillan. himself with his for theatre junior Alexander Bonner, world father by selling pool relations and leadership is in his blood. equipment from door to door,” McMillan said. Bonner is the great-grandson of Camille “After a while, they saw that their customers Chamoun, who was the president of Lebanon really wanted something to effectively clean for six years, from 1952 to their pools. His dad, 1958. who had a background “My grandfather in hydraulics and was Danny Chamoun [Camille an inventor, helped Chamoun’s son] was also a him create the ‘Kreepy prominent political leader Krauly.’ Most pools still and was assassinated by the use them today.” -communications junior Sydney McAuliffe opposition in the Lebanese Civil War,” Bonner said. “My Franklin Roosevelt life has been affected hugely since my mom and Alexa Roosevelt has returned to Lebanon to run for parliament If we are playing a matching game, in the upcoming elections in June.” it is easy to pair theatre junior Alexa Roosevelt’s last name to one of the Roosevelt Khaled Abourezq and Hanai Garcia presidents—in fact, Roosevelt is the great“The Princess Diaries” is not too great granddaughter of Franklin Roosevelt out of reach for communications junior and Eleanor Roosevelt, and the great-greatHanai Garcia, whose lineage traces back great niece of Theodore Roosevelt. to generations of royalty in Morocco. Her “Many of the Roosevelts’ examples have taught me life lessons,” Roosevelt said. “I even Grandfather Khaled Abourezq was the official ambassador of Morocco, who represented the have a couple of their quotes hung up in my country and the royal family. room. Their government actions have taught “He died in 1974, and is buried in a royal me to be a better leader and learn right from tomb in Settat, Morocco,” Garcia said. “I wrong.” [usually] visit the site where his palace Camille Chamoun and Alexander Bonner once stood [now an empty lot] when I visit Morocco during the summer. I have a Typical high school students study world beautiful piece of scrap tile that once belonged geography in their social studies classes, but to the palace.” g

‘Even today, I think my distant relationship with him has helped me realize my leadership potential.’

FEATURES

Crossing over to the right side Left and right hemispheres of the brain serve students in different ways by MikeshiaLewin

here’s a great debate as to where our talent is derived. Did we inherit the ability to fiddle violins with our feet from genes transferred in utero, or was talent honed and developed over time according to one’s interests? From early experiments in Germany to recent studies in California, cognitive psychologists have been trying to explore the brain and its vast, complex regions. Two areas of examination are the left and right hemispheres. “Left is where logical processes are done,” psychology teacher Danielle Edwards said. “The right side is preferably artistic and creative.” In an extremely competitive environment, one wonders whether they could trainthemself to use the side that benefits him the most. In situations where calculating algebraic functions in seconds is essential, it is believed that the left side of the brain is responsible for positive outcomes in logic intensive problems. “I believe I that I’m more of a left brain thinker because I love science and engineering,” visual senior Daniel Shuter said. According to experimental psychologist Paul Bertelson, the right hemisphere is more visually motivated and processes information

in a random, non-sequential matter. As far as art goes, it is thought that the right hemisphere is responsible for successful creative endeavors. “Math isn’t a strong point for me,” keyboard senior Cara Zhuang said. “[I prefer Romantic styles [when I play the piano]. It’s more flexible and based on emotion rather than calculation.” However, there is little truth in this popular notion. Many dismiss these truths to be nothing but mere pseudoscience: false. Graphic by Kyle Bell “People tend to get the impression that one side is dominant,” Ms. Edwards said. “One side excels depending on a particular task but you need both to operate.” In order to go about their daily processes,

humans need both regions to work together. One cannot simply turn off half of his brain to produce better results in the other. “I use both my right and left brain functions when writing,” communications senior Hannah Beth Ragland said. “Creativity kicks in when I have to form plots and settings, but my left brain helps with the technical aspects.” Scientists now note that training both sides of the brain is beneficial to long term successes. “[Left and right dominance] is just a preference,” Ms. Edwards said. “You have the ability to use both.” g

Carpooling costs less and gives more by MarlenaHouck

n the morning, when rushing to get out the door and to school on time, as well as afternoons when school is the last place they want to be, students rely heavily on trustworthy transportation. However, there are only so many options to choose from. Riding the bus can be uncomfortable and loud, and Tri-Rail is an inconvenience considering its frequent accidents and delays. That leaves only a few others, one being carpooling, arguably the handiest means of transportation. “Carpooling is fun because I get to talk to my friends on the way to school which makes the ride less boring,” visual sophomore Jamie Jason said. “It is also fun because I can listen to music with them or talk about different things that are going on, such as what movies are playing.” With today’s stagnant economy and gas prices at approximately $3.60 a gallon, students struggle to afford driving on their

own. This makes carpooling with others a good idea because it saves gas and money becomes less of an issue. “Carpooling is cost-efficient, by having to use less gas and therefore saving money on the increasingly growing cost of gas,” Jason said. Besides saving Photo by Elizabeth Lane money, students have A group of students carpool to save money on rising gas prices and build a strong peer community among friends. personal reasons why they prefer carpooling community to come together. over other means of transportation. “[I carpool with strings senior Alice Zhou] “I get to sleep longer and have more time who is truly an amazing person,” keyboard to get ready,” theater senior Gabrielle Mercado freshman Catherine Zeng said. “She mentors said. “I also get home earlier.” me through school and carpooling gives us Carpooling builds bonds between many time to talk.” g students and is a great way for the Dreyfoos

FEATURES

Things you should really be thankful for by MackSchroeder

very November, we take the time to appreciate our family and friends for what they have done for us. Instead, we should be more grateful for what actually matters. Here are the things you should really be thankful for this Thanksgiving:

You were not on the Mayflower

Before the years of Pepto Bismol and Walgreen’s motion sickness relief medicine, long seafaring voyages were not as comfortable as you would imagine. Along with the severe seasickness, the pilgrims on the Mayflower were bored out of their minds. Since they could not listen to the tunes of the Renaissance Age on an MP3 player or store all of the great literature of the period on a Kindle, they were forced to play countless games of rock paper scissors and tic tac toe until they all got sick of each other and jumped overboard.

Someone in your family is a vegan

With all of the gravy-drenched turkey and

high cholesterol stuffing you have to eat on Thanksgiving, you want to make sure that all of the food goes to you and you only. You may have to fight some of your cousins to get the last bite of sweet potato, but you can rest assured that your vegan aunt will eventually offer you her entire portion of turkey breast. She has her own plate of fried vegetables and sautéed beets sitting in the kitchen.

You can Instagram photos of your meal

Since your Thanksgiving meal is better than everyone else’s, why not show the entire world a picture of your corn touching your

green beans? With Instagram, you can post pictures of you stuffing your face while wearing that silly pilgrim hat your little sister made you in her arts and crafts class. Spending time with your family is nice, but getting 50 likes on a picture of your apple pie with hashtags like “#yummyyummy” is really something to be thankful for.

You are not at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

While New Yorkers are standing squeezed together in freezing cold weather, you get to watch the giant inflatable Spongebob float through the city via television in your warm, comfortable living room. If you’re not a fan of some of the float characters like Cheesasurus Rex or Horton the Elephant, you can easily change the channel until these balloons are out of sight. Be thankful that you don’t have to crane your neck looking up at the floats for a full three hours. g

Graphic by Kyle Bell

Support, survival and soup by TaylorHendrickson

he is a breast cancer survivor, volunteer advocate, leader and A.R.T.S. club sponsor. She makes an impression through lessons that go beyond history and government and into the lives of students and members of the community. She is social studies teacher Lea Jefferson. “Volunteering is a calling for me; it is second nature,” Ms. Jefferson said. Ms. Jefferson was diagnosed with cancer right before Labor Day last year. Students, family members and people of the community stood alongside her during treatment, which entailed a double mastectomy, eight chemotherapy rounds and 33 radiation treatments. She has been cancer-free since June and had her final treatment five days before the start of this school year. “Concern and help from administrators, janitors, teachers, school police, students and parents made it possible for me to teach,” Ms. Jefferson said. “The Dreyfoos community is really amazing. They are genuinely kind, caring and compassionate.” After being diagnosed with cancer, negativity catches up with most, but Ms. Jefferson managed to remain motivated throughout the year. Kindness and laughter from students helped her to not fall victim. “The main thing I concentrated on while I had cancer was school. It was a priority,”

“This year we Ms. Jefferson said. want to expand,” said “Young people are communications senior always optimistic, Mikeshia Lewin, who positive and is the president of confident about A.R.T.S. club. “We’re the future, so when making progress going through a and happy to see the scary experience, enthusiasm.” what better place than around my Ms. Jefferson’s actions and strength students?” do not go unnoticed. Before the Photo courtesy of A.R.T.S. club Her students and diagnosis, Ms. (From left to right) Jarvis Ramil, Mikeshia Lewin, Ms. Jefferson and two volunteers help at the soup kitchen. members of A.R.T.S. Jefferson started a soup kitchen out of her church. It started off club recognize all the hard work she puts into as a project she did on the side, but a few planning volunteer events. “She had a lot of determination and didn’t students began to help out when she was let her problems put her down from her unable to. school life. Through her strict diet, chemo and “I never intended the soup kitchen to be having no energy for the club, she put her all for A.R.T.S. club, I did that on my own,” Ms. in to it,” Lewin said. “One evening she had Jefferson said. “Then, when I was on medical chemo treatment and then did a three mile leave, I got a call from someone at the kitchen walk the next day.” saying, ‘You know your kids are here?’ and I This new school year is a fresh start had no idea. I was amazed because I didn’t for Ms. Jefferson. She plans to participate [know] they’d be helping out.” in many volunteer opportunities, like the The kitchen has evolved into a major hit Title One Holiday Party for underpriveleged among Dreyfoos student volunteers who are children of migrant workers in Belle Glade. now rushing to get on the weekly sign-up list. “A lot of people helped me along the way A.R.T.S. club is starting a community garden, and I want to pay it forward,” Ms. Jefferson so the students who want to help out at the said. “My way of thanking [them] is by kitchen but did not make the list, have an helping someone else.” g alternative volunteer option.

FEATURES

Alumna nails the fashion industry by DanaMiller

litter hearts, white ice sprinkles and cotton candy marble strawberry cream nail polish are all Ms. Pop Nails needs to do her fabulous ‘Kelly Kapowski Fantasy Nails.’ From sunsets to skylines, Ms. Pop Nails designs it all. In 1998, communications alumna (’00) Simcha Whitehill, known as Ms. Pop Nails, came to Dreyfoos hoping to pursue writing. She was published in Seeds her senior year. In 2004, she graduated from New York University and began writing for major TV networks and publishing companies. “I wanted to be a writer and I really wanted to write for [shows],” Ms. Whitehill said. “I graduated NYU and wrote for Nickelodeon and U-Pick Live. I wrote [children’s] books for Scholastic and Penguin, Pokemon, CNN and magazines.” Along with being a published writer, Ms. Whitehill has been practicing nail art since she was in middle school. She developed her love for nail design again when she was diagnosed with meningitis. “I didn’t do nail art at Dreyfoos. It had been 15 years since the last time I did it,” Ms. Whitehill said. “Then I got meningitis. It was

Photo courtesy of Simcha Whitehill

(Left) Communications alumna Simcha Whitehill’s (‘00) nail art will be featured in Fashion’s Night Out for the spring caption in 2013.

one of those things, I just felt lucky to be alive.” For two years, she spent time recovering from her illness. “I started blogging [and] watching nail art tutorials through Tumblr and Facebook,” Ms. Whitehill said. “The great thing about nail polish is all you think about is that brush stroke. When you’re doing your art, your pain melts away.”

A year has passed since Ms. Whitehill’s recovery, and her career has skyrocketed. “I had a limited edition collection for Urban Outfitters based on my watermelon nail art collection. It’s a mini set of four nail polishes,” Ms. Whitehill said. “I got to design looks for four designers at Fashion’s Night Out for the spring collection of 2013.” Ms. Whitehill finds inspiration stemming from the art and architecture of New York City. “She really likes art and had an appreciation for it,” said communications alumni (‘00) Matthew Miller. Ms. Whitehill said her clients want a design that suits their personality. Her “Seaside in Aguadilla” nails features real sand and a picture of a beach shore. Marie Claire magazine named Ms. Whitehill one of the top five nail artists. A couple of weeks ago, she designed a set of “Breakfast of Champion Nails” for the ‘Rachel Ray Show’ which features a delicious Sunday brunch of bacon, eggs, doughnuts and even a fork. “Most [ideas] come from my muses,” Ms. Whitehill said. “I don’t work in a salon or anything. I get hired by magazines. I literally know the market so well.” g

FEATURES

Fall Festival: faces in pies and dancing to PSY Photos and story by the Photo Staff

For more photos and videos, go to: THEMUSEATDREYFOOS.COM

Photo by Lucas Kelman

Communications sophomore Steffan Gawlikowski (left) and science teacher Stephen Anand race to win the Pumpkin Pie Eating Contest.

Photo by Alexandra Lopez

Visual senior Talyor Goldenberg (left) and communications senior Gabi Cohen celebrate their victory in the Teacher Mummy Wrap.

Photo by Dana Miller

Students cheer for their favorite contestant as Principal Susan Atherley announces the winners of the costume contest at SGA’s Fall Festival. On Oct. 31 the school was decorated in Halloween decorations as devils, cats and other mischievous creatures were wandering the halls.

Photo by Lucas Kelman

Theatre senior Joseph Dardano represents his grade in the Witch Hat Toss during the Fall fFstival.

alloween is the only day that students can step out of their comfort zones and turn into anything or anyone for 24 hours. The school escaped the terror of witches, monsters and villains; rather bunnies, pirates and what seems to be the entire cast of Aristocats raided the campus. Teachers and students crowded the cafeteria during lunch for the annual Fall Festival. With the guidance of SGA, contests challenged the spirits of the student body. As tradition dictates, pies were devoured without using silverware, witch hats were thrown onto sticks and, of course, students paraded around the cafeteria in creative costumes. g

Photo by Elizabeth Lane

A crowd of students race to the middle of the cafeteria floor to dance to PSY’s hit song “Gangnam Style.”

COVER STORY

Voice Your Vote Mock Election Results; Obama wins in a landslide it’s our responsibility to share with all of you [students] and to support all of you and to help you all understand how you really can make a difference,” communications dean Angela Weber said. “Because you live in the United States, you have a right to have your opinion count when it comes to the people who lead you.” This year was the first time the school-wide election was conducted electronically rather than on a paper ballot. In both previous mock Photo by Mikesha Lewin elections at Dreyfoos, the Communications junior Jarrod Carman (left) and communications junior Abigail Miller present Governor Mitt Democratic candidate won. Romney’s platform to social studies teacher Ed Merkel’s class. The students were charged with making and presenting unbiased presentations to inform students of each candidate’s platform. The trend was not broken this year with 73 percent election. However, the debate the presenters answered any of students surveyed, restudents noticed a scarce amount questions the students had. electing President Obama. of attention coming from the “There was a lot about With a growing amount of underclassmen. the presidential candidates I concern for youth involvement “The underclassmen was unfamiliar about, but the in politics, Voice Your Vote pretty much fell asleep. The presentations explained each presentations helped to educate upperclassmen were much more platform in a way that students students about attentive. The underclassmen could relate to and understand,” the platforms should be more engaged, even theatre sophomore Heather of both if it is boring,” communications Hudson said. presidential junior Colin Duffy said. “This is Although it is expected that candidates. the reason why only 50 percent of some students might not find “Students voting or politics an important need to be more our country goes to vote: the lack of knowledge.” part of their lives, teachers informed about However, from the audience’s believe otherwise. Spreading our country’s perspective, most students were the facts about presidential politics. It interested and listening. Social candidates is important to keep is a shame studies teacher Jeffrey Stohr the student body informed, and when you see believes that his classes were through Voice Your Vote students students who engaged from where he was are learning about the political have a lack observing them. platforms. of knowledge “I thought they paid a lot “It is so important that regarding the of attention and asked good students are up to date with elections,” vocal questions. I was impressed,” the world around them. Politics sophomore Mr. Stohr said. “Maybe it was affects everyone; it affects the Tyler Blankstein because [the presentations] were way we live,” theatre sophomore said. so good.” Jessica Baldinger said. “Everyone The goal Voice Your Vote not only has an issue that will impact of Voice Your indicated the importance of them, but it is important to be Vote was to elections, it also provided involved with who is making encourage information to students who were those issues and it is our students to be unfamiliar with the candidates’ responsibility as people, who more active and Photo by Elizabeth Lane platforms. The presentations live in a democracy, to get those knowledgeable Communications senior Kara Bell, along with the rest of her social studies class, vote in the Media Center. The program took two days, with classes expressed both the Republican people elected.” g about the coming into the Media Center every period. and Democratic agenda, and by MaddiFitzgerald

he responsibility of electing the next president usually lies in the hands of adults, but at Dreyfoos, the students got the chance to cast their vote in a school-wide mock election. On Nov. 2 and Nov. 5 through the Voice Your Vote program, it was finally determined that Democratic President Barack Obama ruled the school. Voice Your Vote was coordinated by the speech and debate team and allowed students to express their personal choice for the next president. During October, debate students were randomly assigned a candidate and created an objective presentation that displayed the candidates’ platforms. During social studies classes, debate students delivered these presentations representing both candidates. “As an adult and as a teacher,

COVER STORY

Students react to Obama winning election

n Nov. 6, history was made when President Barack Obama triumphed over Governor Mitt Romney and became the second incumbent to be re-elected during an economic recession. In 1936 President Franklin D. Roosevelt was re-elected for a second term, despite the economic hardships the country faced during the Great Depression. After following this intense and close election, students were surprised by how quickly President Barack Obama was declared the

Muse, 75 percent of students believed that President Obama would win the national election, while 25 percent of students believed that Governor Romney would win. Among those celebrating President Obama’s re-election was theatre sophomore Amera Spagnoli. “I was extremely happy that Obama won because I guess I’m pretty much a Democrat and I was for him for the last four years and I’m again for him this year,” Spagnoli said. “I agree with his views and he really showed that he was going to make progress.” Some students have been tracking the election since the beginning of the candidates’

Graphics by Adriana Rahrig

elected winner. “I’m pretty surprised that President Obama won as easily as he did. I thought it would have come down to Colorado or the Midwest,” communications senior Hugh Dunkley Jr. said. “Also, [I was surprised] because Obama was losing Virginia and he got it back towards the end by about 3 percentage points. I’m surprised it was so close in Florida.” Overall, most students are ecstatic about the outcome of the election, clearly seen by Obama’s landslide victory in Dreyfoos’ own mock election. In a survey conducted by The

campaigns. Vocal junior Khala James, like many others, believes that the future of the country lies in the hands of the voters. “I followed the race extremely closely because I love politics and I think it’s important to get to know the candidates who will shape, with or without the help of Congress, the future of our country,” James said. However, not all students are optimistic about the next four years. Digital media junior Daniel Martin believes that the country’s future is uncertain. “Because America was blinded by unimportant issues we won’t be able to fix the

real issues at hand. [Mitt Romney] wasn’t supposed to lose,” Martin said. “The country is now doomed for the next four years and nobody even realizes it.” For some, the Presidential Debates played a significant role in their choice of candidate. Many, such as theatre junior Katherine Schauer, believe that the candidates used the debates to promote their platforms rather than answer what was being asked. “[The debates] made me hate both the candidates more. I don’t like how [the candidates] pandered to the American people,” Schauer said. “I wanted them to stand for something, even if that something is opposite to my own views.” For other students, these debates had no impact on their political views. Band junior Max Stein is amongst those who watched the debates but believed that they are ultimately irrelevant. “The debates personally had no impact on my political views, mainly because how a candidate debates does not represent how they will be running the USA,” Stein said. Although some students are disappointed with the outcome of this election, others hope that President Obama will solve the issues that the country currently faces. “My outcome at this point is that the American citizens proved that their vote mattered and that showed in the results. I am happy that Obama gets another four years to finish what he started,” Stein said. g

Contributors: Savannah Artusi, Shawna Bilton, Josie Graham, Dominique McKenzie, Enrique Orosco

Looking Foward

Students give their opinions on what America can expect in the next four years.

by The Muse Staff

Hugh Dunkley Jr. communications senior

“In the next 4 years, I expect bipartisan cooperation in Congress and a lot closer Congress vote as opposed to the last administration. Also there will be more blame on President Obama, so he has to get more stuff done.”

“At this point, I don’t know what to expect. Personally, I hope to see motivation in Congress to accomplish something.”

Nicholas Portales band senior

“Hopefully he will keep his promises and try to cut college funds because thats a big deal for high school students looking at colleges, thats my main issue pretty much.”

Amera Spagnoli theatre sophomore

“Due to the fact that there’s a balance of power in the senate, nothing’s gonna get done. It’ll just be a replication of the last four years of nothing getting accomplished.”

Diana Haber dance senior

ARRIGO

WEST PALM & SAWGRASS

ARRIGOAUTOGROUP.COM ARRIGO WEST PALM

ARRIGO

ARRIGO WEST PALM & SAWGRASS

WEST PALM

ARRIGO SAWGRASS

LOCATIONS

ARRIGO WEST PALM & SAWGRASS

ARRIGO WEST PALM

ARRIGO Palm Beach • Ft. Pierce • Sawgrass

PALM BEACH 6500 OKEECHOBEE BLVD

561-683-1511

WEST PALM & SAWGRASS

FT. PIERCE 5851 S US HWY #1

772-882-3300

SAWGRASS 5901 MADISON AVE

954-861-6200

Arts Index

ARTS

A guide to what’s going on in the art area classes

by NatashaLeonard

he theatre department’s production of Lorrain Hansberry’s “A Raisin in the Sun” opened Nov. 2 at 7 p.m. Tickets were on sale an hour before the show at Meyer Hall’s box office and available online at seatyourself.com for $15. In order to prepare, many theatre students had been staying after school for crew and rehearsal. g

Band

he band department has a long list of concerts this year. A few upcoming ones will be the Nov. 16 Fall Band Concert and the Nov. 20 Jazz Concert, both of which will be held in Meyer Hall. For now the department is practicing for these concerts with residual excitement from their successful Chamber Winds concert on Oct. 2. “I’m really excited about this year,” band dean Evan Rogovin said. “We’re sure all of our concerts will have something to entertain everyone.” g

Vocal

Strings

Theatre

he strings department is preparing for their Philharmonic Orchestra Concert in Meyer Hall on Nov. 29. The department is also practicing for the Prism concert. “We have had the pieces since last year and we have put hours of rehearsal and practice into them,” strings junior Megan-Joy Daorerk said. “Everybody has been working really hard for the audience and for [strings teacher Wendell] Simmons.” g

Dance

Photo by Dana Miller

Visual juniors Alexandra Kirschner and Jackson Roe create body castings from tape in their AP 3D Studio-Art class. This section in class focuses on breadths. “We’re doing experimentation that’s not related to our medium,” Roe said.

isual students in visual dean Jennifer Gifford’s and digital media teacher Melissa Glosmanova’s classes participated in an art gallery shown in Building 2. The gallery depicts space-themed photography and drawings that have been posted on the walls. Each piece of artwork had to be made with common household items. Also, visual senior Katherine Kennedy hosted a gallery in Building 9. g

Communications

ongs have been distributed to the vocal department to begin practicing for the Winter Concert. Vocal students are also preparing for juries in November, which are being held earlier than in previous years. Twenty students will be sent to Lake Mary as part of the Florida American Choral Directors Association Honors Choir competition. g

Visual

Digital Media he digital media department hosted a “You’ve Gotta Have Art” VAPA Dinner and Silent Auction in the cafeteria on Nov. 2, where student photography was on sale. They are now preparing for the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts and gathering artwork portfolios to be submitted to the State Fair on Dec. 1. “We’re basically giving our students an opportunity to have their works exposed and potentially lead them to scholarships,” digital media dean Peter Stodolak said. g

he Speech and Debate team did not attend the Blue Key debate tournament hosted by the University of Florida on Oct. 26-28 due to Hurricane Sandy. The Speech and Debate team participated in a mock election, Voice To Vote, where two varsity debate students visited social studies classes to present the platforms of presidential candidates Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. g

o prepare for National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts, the dance department has invited a series of guest artists and alumni. Dance alumnus Ryan Redmond (‘08), who choreographs and dances as part of the Trey Mclntyre Project, is creating two works for the department. Another dance alumnus, Solomon Dumas, who dances with the Ronald K. Brown Dance Company, is also stopping by. He will be making a piece for 10 students. Finally, guest artist Jennifer Archibald, who choreographs contemporary hip-hop, will be hosting auditions on Nov. 12 for a piece she is creating. g

Keyboard

he keyboard department is preparing for one of their biggest performances: the Prism concert. Students can be found practicing tunes for the show and working to perfect their parts. g

ARTS

Grant dances to the beat of the drum Dance senior Kris-Ann Grant finds her passion in dance choreography by TijieneneGordon

hroughout the African continent, different tribes use the symbolic drum to express the mood of their people. With two beats, the leader establishes a feeling of joy. Three beats and the feeling is sadness. At the age of three, dance senior KrisAnn Grant saw her first African dance and instantly knew she could use her body to express her emotions—just like the drum. “I first started dancing in Jamaica with [my school’s] dance Kris-Ann Grant troupe,” Grant said. “We did seasonal performances with dance styles ranging from folk, contemporary and African.” Today, these beginnings have greatly influenced Grant’s choice in style of dance. Her preferences were molded at a young age. “My favorite type of dance is definitely Hip-Hop. I’ve always enjoyed the way you

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

on larger dance roles in America. Although she may not have had all the necessary resources to train, she still was able to participate in major events. “When I lived in Miami, I auditioned to dance in the Orange Bowl, which is the college version of the Super Bowl,” Grant said. “Performing in a setting as large as that one allowed me to become more and more comfortable with dancing at any type of event— small or large.” Aside from performing, whether at Dreyfoos or for other studios, Kris-Ann Grant also utilizes her talents to choreograph Photo by Elizabeth Lane many classes and performances. Dance senior Kris-Ann Grant was chosen to help choreograph the senior dance for the “I am always willing to pep rally. She incorporates a variety of styles of dance moves in her pieces. choreograph a dance because it are able to move your body,” Grant said. “I is something I love to,” Grant said. “I use to also like African-style dances, mainly for the volunteer at the Kravis Center and teach mini ability to freestyle while still holding true to dance sessions to children. Doing [work] like the technique.” that prepares me for opportunities in the Dancing in Jamaica prepared Grant to take future. g

Holocaust exhibit comes to West Palm Beach Visual students get the opportunity to use their talents for a cause by MackenzieWhite

he year was 1939 in Germany. Hitler had risen to power years before. Conformity was the name of the game. People were put into a cultural bubble where paintings were destroyed, books were burned and “Mein Kampf” was the best seller. This dark reality of the past is what visual majors are depicting in “Banned and Burned: Literary Censorship and the Loss of Freedom,” an event held at the West Palm Beach Library. This traveling exhibition is from the Holocaust museum in Washington D.C. The exhibition shows in detail how the Nazis stole, banned and set fire to works by authors such as Albert Einstein and Ernest Hemingway. The visual department was invited to perform in the show. Instead of creating posters and photos, the students are expressing themselves through performance art. “Performance art is ephemeral and open to interpretation,” visual dean Jenny Gifford said. “[It] is low tech and high concept. It’s like sculpture with humans conveying a single concept.” Performance art portrays an idea

Photo by Aubrey Levin

Rebecca Weiss, who is the Development Manager of the West Palm Beach Library Foundation, attempts to erase the German words off visual junior Ashley Obel’s arm, demonstrating the removal of German influence after the war.

metaphorically through movement. It speaks volumes through its simplicity and drives home the idea it is trying to convey. “[We] wanted someone to conform or rebel [in our piece] and we wanted to show

how, though the Nazis were powerful, you could still be an individual,” visual freshman Mei Lin O’Malley said. Students have been working on their pieces for the exhibition. They will present silent pieces with little to no movement that depict how expression was not allowed and people were forced to conform. “My inspiration came from a number of things [ranging from how the Jews] were controlled to what they had to do,” visual freshman Ryan DeVito said. On Oct. 25. the visual department had a small preview to show those in charge of the exhibition for the library what performance art really looked like. The performance pieces will be held in the West Palm Beach Library on Nov. 17. The exhibition itself is from Nov. 7 until Jan. 6. An essay contest will be held based on the theme of banned books. Students are required to read books that are banned in other American cities and states. More information about the contest is available at The Muse website. g

ARTS

If you can’t beat them, join them: digital media I can’t paint or sing. My dance moves are limited to the traditional Colombian salsa and I don’t know how to hold a tuba. I do, however, know how to investigate and report. Join me on my adventures through every major at Dreyfoos. by ValeriaRivadeneira

eing a digital media major for a day left me in the dark—literally. Advanced Placement 2-D Design is a digital media class that students can take and potentially get college credit for. Unlike most AP classes, AP 2-D Design students don’t have to take an exam at the end of the year that determines whether they’ve earned college credit; rather, they present a portfolio, which includes 12 photographs to be judged. Six of the 12 photographs should be part of their chosen concentration or focus. The other six photographs can be of any type as long as they are of quality. I learned the ins and outs of printmaking and what it truly takes to get a photograph on paper. These are the things I learned:

1. Red lights are not helpful.

Stepping into the darkroom, I questioned my ability to see. The faint red light pouring down from the ceiling helped me as much as a smartphone would help a dog. I stood very still but I felt all the other students move, walk and do things around me. I wondered if they had cat-like abilities to see in the dark, but digital media junior Emily Greentree explained that after a while, students just learn to memorize their way around the room.

2. Enlargers are not nice machines.

I approached a sketchy looking machine that looked monumentally difficult to use. While asking a lot of questions, I moved knobs one way and another trying to look like I knew what I was doing. After successfully projecting the correct image onto the paper, I looked up and saw three lights. To me, the

lights looked pink, blue and transparent but the appropriate names were magenta, cyan and yellow. Magenta controls contrast, the effect that accentuates and produces more dark blacks and stark whites. Cyan cools down the picture, or as other digital media students explained, does nothing. Finally, yellow adds the color green, which in the end confused me deeply.

3. Liquids. Lots of Liquids.

After projecting my image onto the paper, Photo by Mikeshia Lewin it was time to sink it Communications juniorValeria Rivadeneira washes off her developed photo after going through the into different trays grueling process of developingfilm. of liquids. The first was the developer. the final attempt to cleanse the photograph of With a little bit of common sense, anyone any chemicals still clinging to the paper. After can deduce that this liquid, after two to three that, the picture gets drenched by plain water. minutes, reveals the image on the paper. What I didn’t know was that it would stain 4. Squeegees aren’t only for my fingers yellow and leave them smelling windows. like vinegar all day. The second tray was the After removing the soaking photograph stop bath. Thirty seconds is all it takes for from the trays, I squeegeed it to prevent this powerful liquid to freeze the chemicals water from dripping all over the floor. At last, and stop the photograph from developing any I hung my picture up in the drying rack and further. The fixer came next. The fixer gets felt like a successful digital media student. rid of all chemicals on the photograph that This entire process made me realize how would otherwise ruin hard the digital media students work and, it in the light. The last although I greatly appreciate their art, for now tray of liquid was the I’ll stick to digital cameras and getting my second fixer which is photographs developed at Walgreens. g

Photo by Mikeshia Lewin

Looking at her negatives, communications junior Valeria Rivadeneira decides which photo will be enlarged and exposed to the printing paper.

ARTS

Critique, casting, and callbacks Follow these steps to nail an audition and get the lead role in the next school production by AlexandraLopez

ow does a student stand out when everyone is practically beaming with talent? There are limited spots for the lead roles, sure—but Dreyfoos students already beat hoards of students in Palm Beach County to be where they are right now. Dreyfoos’ theatre department has students that compete with this struggle daily. The department puts on 2 major productions every year, and the cast is chosen out of hundreds of gifted actors. In order to choose, they must go through the stressful process of auditioning. It is only a fraction of the hard work a theatre student does in order to near that ultimate goal: their big break. Here’s the step-by-step process successful theatre majors use every year:

Step 1: Do research

Get to know the show and the character. Look into the time period the play is set in, the style of clothing, the popular music, etc. Find out anything that will make the audition easier. Knowing the character well is key.

Step 2: Prepare

Find out what the instructors are looking for in the audition. Usually, a play calls for about a 45-second monologue and a musical asks for about a 30-second monologue and 16 bars of a song from a traditional Broadway musical. When ready, the actors sign-up for their auditions and the teachers announce the dates. Most auditions are open to theatre majors only. Theatre senior Samuel Leopold has starred in past theatre productions. He portrayed Wilbur in “Hairspray” and Bottom in last year’s “Midsummer”. “I have been building my audition book and [I’m] really working on specific pieces so I can eventually pick which piece will suit me best for the audition in November,” Leopold said on his current state of preparation for the

upcoming audition for “Guys and Dolls”, a musical fable about the salvation-like power of love. For a first audition, having an experienced senior like Leopold for a mentor would come in handy.

Step 3: The audition

Auditions are typically held in the Brandt Black Box Theatre after school for about two days since there are around 150 students auditioning. Everyone auditioning is seated in the audience and the judges’ table is set up. The order in which Photo by Aubrey Levin the students audition follow Theatre seniors Samuel Leopold and Alexandra Carter, wearing shirts for “A Raisin in the in the order they signed up. Sun,” look over music sheets in consideration for their upcoming “Guys and Dolls” audition. Once called up, present a students are asked to read selected scenes slate: “Hello, my name is…I’m from the script. auditioning for…” followed by your prepared “By the end of the week they usually have work. a show cast,” Leopold said. “If not they make “I personally find it to be nerve-wracking, us wait over the weekend, which is torture.” exciting and sort of fun,” theatre senior Alexandra Carter said, who starred as Helena, a lead role in “Midsummer.” “I try to view it as After auditions and callbacks, the theatre a chance to perform because if I view it that faculty meets to discuss casting. The theatre way, it’s not as scary.” department entire faculty collaborates through the casting process. “Ultimately, the role goes to the student Congratulations! Making it this far is a we feel will best portray the character,” big deal. To get a feel of how callbacks are theatre dean Wade Handy said. handled, callbacks for “Guys and Dolls” will An audition itself is a learning process. be like this: first, the dance callback. On this Because you got into Dreyfoos, future job third day the choreographer, theatre teacher interviews will be aced. With each audition Garry Lewis, will teach a combination to see done for a school play, it will become easier how well those called back dance. to land future roles. From all the experience, The fourth day will be vocal callbacks. there will be no surprises and performances Theatre teacher Bruce Linser, the music will be improved. director, will teach songs to students who will “Most importantly just have a good time,” perform them to get a sense of everyone’s Carter said. “An audition is a chance to vocal style and ability. The fifth and final perform and get yourself out there.” g day of callbacks are reading callbacks where

Step 5: Breathe

Step 4: Callbacks

services:

sweetsurroundingsinc.com 561.212.8620

RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL INTERIOR DESIGN HOME REDESIGN EVENT STYLING PARTY STYLING HOLIDAY STYLING

SPORTS

Our mascot: Alex the Jaguar Dreyfoos students give their opinion on the possibility of a school mascot Commentary by KevinLevine

here are 12 significant professional and college sports teams in Florida, and I can name every one of their mascots, from Billy the Marlin to T.D the Dolphin. Mascots Kevin Levine embody the spirit of their team, rallying the fans against whatever opponent has dared to enter their home field or court. The energy that Albert the Gator brings to University of Florida fans is the reason it deeply saddens me that Dreyfoos does not own a mascot. Of the 166 students surveyed, 77 percent believe Dreyfoos should own a mascot costume. Fifty-one percent believe a mascot would increase school pride towards Dreyfoos athletics. Nine percent of students did not know that our school mascot is the jaguar. Having almost one in ten students not able to correctly identify the Jaguar as our mascot is too high. However, 91 percent of students were able to correctly identify the Jaguar. The problem is that the Jaguar is the school logo, not a mascot. A mascot is the brave soul who

suits up for each game, not in a jersey, but in a giant animal suit that smells of sweat and BO to make a grand appearance running around and riling up fans. “We are the Jaguars, so presumably we would have a giant jaguar running around,” said athletic director and math teacher Christopher Burns. “If we had a stronger student interest in athletics we could have a mascot, or if he would attend non-athletic events.” Even if the student body does not have a strong enough interest in sports right now, there is no reason a mascot could not attend arts productions as well. Alex the Jaguar leading the cheer for “Guys and Dolls” would be a great use of a school mascot. The other problem with getting a jaguar would be the cost of a costume. If the mascot would primarily be used at sporting events, the money for a costume would

of students Could not identify Dreyfoos’ Mascot

yes

23%Should dreyfoos have 51%

someone who dresses up in a mascot costume?

77% S

seemingly come from the sports department, which is struggling to even provide uniforms for each team. To take a large portion of the athletic budget and spend it on a mascot is unreasonable. “[A jaguar costume is] something that really hasn’t been talked about, but the main problem would be the cost,” Mr. Burns said. “The costumes are expensive, [varying from] about $700 to $1,000 dollars.” However, a jaguar mascot would be for the benefit of the Dreyfoos student body, so instead of the sports department providing funds for a costume, it would make sense for the Dreyfoos student body to be the ones supporting a mascot. “If the student body, or a group of the student body, took control and picked a mascot and a costume and did fundraisers and got the proper authorities, I don’t see why we couldn’t have a school mascot,” Mr. Burns said. We are a school based on our pride. When Spirit Week comes around, every student in school gears up to give every ounce of spirit they have into their graduating class. A school mascot would fit right into the pride we constantly show for our school, so there is no reason not to have one around leading the cheer for our athletics and our arts. “We definitely need a jaguar running around here. We are an arts school, we need to show our pride,” social studies teacher and basketball coach Jeffrey Stohr said. “I don’t think we have been based on sports, so we don’t have a mascot, but I think it’s time we get one.” g

Would a mascot create more pride in Dreyfoos athletics?

51% 49% no

Graphic by Kyle Bell Survey Compiled by The Muse Sports Staff

of students Could not identify Dreyfoos’ Mascot

SPORTS

The pinnacles of performance Pezzulo and LaRosa make cross country team history by CharlesBonani

he sport of cross country is challenging, but the objective is simple: run 3.1 miles, or five kilometers, in the fastest time possible. Visual junior Isabella

JAGUAR PROFILE Pezzulo and band senior Brandon LaRosa, both cross country team captains, understand and have accomplished that goal. On Oct. 9 at Okeeheelee Park, Pezzulo broke the girls cross country team school record, finishing with a time of 21:20. Less than a month later, on Nov. 1, Pezzulo broke the school record once again with a time of 21:12. “The growth that Isabella demonstrated from last year as a member of the team to this year was phenomenal,” communications teacher and cross country coach Ancil Deluz said. “Not only did she demonstrate tremendous growth [but] she broke the record. She surpassed expectations.” Pezzulo joined the cross country team as a sophomore, and although she had previous running experience, this was her

Photo by Charles Bonani

Visual junior Isabella Pezzulo, who is the girls cross country co-captain, runs at the Oct. 16 meet at John Prince Park.

first encounter with competitive running. She initially ran to relax mentally, so becoming a competitive runner did not seem like something that Pezzulo thought she would pursue. “I would do easy jogs after school sometimes. Nothing competitive. I would just run to clear my head and it was more of a mental stress reliever,” Pezzulo said. Pezzulo’s father had experience as a cross country runner, so she decided to give the sport a try. He not only got her into cross-country, but also continues to push her and motivate her to succeed. “My dad ran cross country in Connecticut. He was one of the top runners,” Pezzulo said. “I figured it might be some kind of bloodline so I started running cross-country and I was just dropping the time and now he’s giving me advice.” As co-captain of the girls team, Pezzulo embraces her role as a leader. She understands that by performing to the best of her abilities and pushing herself as hard as she can that her team members will follow suit and work that much harder to improve themselves. “She always gets everybody motivated and decides what we’re going to do for the day,” strings junior Jenna Meyers-Sinett said. “She just puts all the work in. She gets euphoric when she runs.” About three weeks later, on Oct. 29 at South County Regional Park, LaRosa followed up Pezzulo’s record-breaking performance with one of his own. He finished with a time of 17:54, the new boys school record, blowing away the previous record of 18:24. LaRosa broke his own record again on Nov. 1 with a time of 17:46. As a senior, high expectations were put on LaRosa coming into the season. When he didn’t break the record in his first two meets, LaRosa decided to push himself harder. “I was always training and I

Photo by Charles Bonani

(From left to right) Visual junior Isabella Pezzulo, communications teacher and cross country coach Ancil Deluz and band senior Brandon LaRosa pose after the Oct. 16 meet at John Prince Park.

never usually missed too much time off of running,” LaRosa said. “I wanted to get better. The last week or two I definitely bumped up the training.” As a co-captain on the boys cross country team, he sets a good example in terms of both his leadership and his training methods. He helps decide what type of workouts his team will do at practice and inspires his teammates. “We plan what we want to do and what type of workouts and that pushes each other individually,” LaRosa said. “[We push] each other to our common goal because the ultimate competition is yourself.” The record-breaking performances by Pezzulo and LaRosa are great achievements for both students. They not only broke both the girls and boys school records in the same season, but they did it less than a month apart from one another. “[A] huge part of [cross country] is personal commitment, personal desire to accomplish

Photo by Charles Bonani

Band senior Brandon LaRose, who is the boys cross country team co-captain, runs in the Oct. 16 meet at John Prince Park, where he broke the boys cross country team record (17:59).

certain things,” Dr. Deluz said. “I just think it’s a very rewarding thing for young athletes who work hard to have those kind of results.” g

SPORTS

Fall sports season brings success by MorgaanJessell

Swimming

he swim and dive team performed well this season with vocal junior Irene Plaza placing 13th in the girl’s 100 yard butterfly, communications sophomore Michael Rahrig placing seventh in the boys 200 yard individual medley and fifth in the boy’s 100 yard butterfly, and communications sophomore Gabriel McCorry finishing fourth in the 100 yard butterfly. The divers also had a great season, with communications senior Daniela Sorgente placing second in the girls competition and winning the class 2A Region 4 Championship, and band sophomore Nolan Mallet becoming the boys Palm Beach County Champion. Sorgente, Mallet, keyboard senior John “Parker” Halloway and visual sophomore Jamie Jason will compete at the Class 2A State Diving championship held in Orlando.

Golf

The boys and girls golf teams also had very successful seasons. The boys team won five games and lost three games during their

regular season, and placed sixth at districts. Boys golf coach and communications teacher Stephen Moore says that they had their most successful regular season in school history. The girls golf team, coached by athletic director and math teacher Christopher Burns, performed well during their regular season and at districts. During the regular season they won six matches and lost four, which Mr. Burns said was a big success. They placed third overall at districts, advancing them to the regional tournament. Theatre senior Myranda Tarr placed sixth overall at districts as an individual. Mr. Burns’ goal for next season includes establishing a strong foundation of underclassmen golfers, as the majority of the team this year was seniors.

Cross Country

Cross country had a record-breaking season for both the boys and girls teams. Band senior and boys team captain Brandon LaRosa broke the school’s five kilometer record with a time of 17:54, and visual junior Isabella Pezzulo also beat the girls record with a time of 20:21. At the district meet,

which was held on Nov. 1 at the St. Andrew Episcopalian School, there were four students who qualified for the regional meet: Pezzullo, LaRosa, strings junior Jenna Meyers-Sinett and keyboard sophomore Sean Fournier.

Volleyball

The volleyball team continued to improve this year. In their second official season, they won five games and lost eight. They won their first district game, winning the three matches 25-15, 25-8 and 25-10 against Boynton Beach High School, but lost their second district game against the defending state champion, Jensen Beach High School.

Bowling

The boys bowling team was ranked sixth at the end of their season, and then placed sixth at the district tournament. The girls team had yet another successful season this year. In the regular season they finished in second place behind Jupiter High School. At districts, they beat Jupiter, winning the district tournament and advancing them to the Florida High School Athletic Association Championship in Orlando. g

Winter sports preview by MorgaanJessell

ith fall sports coming to a close, student athletes are beginning to prepare for the winter season.

Basketball

Basketball coach and social studies teacher Jeffrey Stohr put the boys through rigorous conditioning to get them ready for the upcoming season. Mr. Stohr is hoping the team will win more than half their games this season. He is holding the team captains, communications juniors Kevin Levine and Munashe Kwangwari, responsible for leading the rest of the team to a successful season. The team hopes to get more fans to come to their games and support boys basketball.

Soccer

Boys and girls soccer conditioning revolved around outdoor conditioning sessions and inclement weather, causing a lot of lost opportunities to get a head start on the season. Coaching both teams, social studies teacher Tom Ruth hopes he can get everyone as

Dentistry with a Photo by Lucas Kelman

Communications junior Munashe Kwangwari (left) jumps before attempting to shoot during practice.

prepared as possible for this season. Mr. Ruth’s goal this year is to win district games and ultimately have the best season they can. Mr. Ruth believes that working on fitness, techniques and tactics will set this year’s teams up for a successful season and even more success at districts. “A lot of the other schools think our players are just ballet dancers and costume designers,” Mr. Ruth said, “but we’re ready to show them we’re serious about doing well.” g

Woman’s Touch!

General and Cosmetic Dentistry Implant Dentistry • Porcelain Crowns and Bridges Porcelain Veneers for Smile Enhancement Nitrous Oxide/Oxygen Sedation Available

Joanne Green, D.D.S.

10887 N. Military Trail, Suite 6 Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410 (561) 622-2815 • www.joannegreendds.com Medical College of Virginia School of Dentistry-Cum Laude Hospital of the University of Penn-General Practice Residency Training Harvard Dental School-Former Instructor Boston Brigham and Women’s Dental Group-Staff Dentist

SPORTS

Stoloff swings a spot in the circus Digital media student flies high at circus camp by DanaThomas and BariBossis

ive summers ago, the circus arena of French Woods Festival of Performing Arts seemed to be the only dry spot on the campsite located in upstate New York. Almost every camper was rushing with their colorful tights, leotards and rain boots to get under the canopy and audition for the circus. With hundreds of campers scrambling around the scene to show off their athletic abilities, one girl in particular caught the eye of the circus directors while flying through the air. Digital media sophomore Samantha Stoloff has been attending the French Woods summer camp for five years and has been participating in the largest child circus event there since 2010, where she got put into the Single Trapeze act. “It was [a big deal] because typically on your first try, you get an act like juggling, tumbling, rola bola or globe, and those aren’t the acts that you want to be in because the younger kids usually get put into those,” Stoloff said. “I had plenty of friends that were still getting into these acts this year, so it was a very big accomplishment to be put into single trapeze in my first audition.” Since Stoloff started working on the trapeze, she has shown her spirit and passion for the sport by spending every summer committed to her circus acts. “At camp she shows [that] she is dedicated because she walks around in her circus clothing and gets so excited when the cast list for circus is posted,” said theatre sophomore Amanda Shore, another French Woods camper. “She talks about [circus] all the time.” The emotional and physical characteristics necessary to succeed as a circus performer include upper body and core strength, flexibility, stamina, confidence and fearlessness, as described by Stoloff.

• • • • •

Photo by French Woods Festival of Performing Arts

Digital media sophomore Samantha Stoloff flies through the air on a swing bar, only one of the many things she learned to do during her time at the French Woods Fesival of Preforming Arts summer camp. This experience allowed her to gain a new love for the sport. “I love learning new routines and being with a group of people that are so supportive that will help you learn new tricks and routines,” Stoloff said. “I’m also a bit of an adrenaline junkie, so I love being able to swing through the air and learn to trust myself and others with my life.”

“There have been a few times when I’ve auditions. been afraid of falling and hurting myself,” “Typically I’ll go to the gym daily and do Stoloff said. “As a result, I end up falling 30 minutes of cardio and an hour of strength anyways but I’m being training,” Stoloff caught by lines or a said. spotter. It helps me learn Although from my mistakes.” Stoloff must Despite the initial fear possess much of falling while being so physical and high in the air, Stoloff mental strength admits that once she is in order to up in the air she never perform circus -digital media sophomore Samantha Stoloff acts, theatre wants to come down. “When you first start, sophomore you don’t know what you’re getting into. I love Olivia DeiCicchi, her bunkmate, discusses the learning new routines and being with a group physical conditions that circus participants of people that are so supportive that will help experience while at the camp. you learn new tricks and routines,” Stoloff “All [Stoloff ] talks about is how much she said. “I’m also a bit of an adrenaline junkie, loves the circus,” DeiCicchi said, “She comes so I love being able back [after rehearsal] with bruises and you to swing through the would think she’d be in pain but she says it’s a air and learn to trust ‘good kind’ of pain and how ‘rewarding’ it is.” Dr. Matthew C. Supran, P.A. myself and others Although Stoloff does not see herself Chiropractic Physician with my life.” ever pursuing this sport as a career in the Due to a lack future, circus has become her number one of local circus priority and something she has become very www.drsupran.com programs, Stoloff dedicated and devoted to as an athlete. only participates in “There is so much support from everyone 2275 S. Federal Hwy., Ste. 280 the circus during throughout the circus community at camp,” Delray Beach, FL 33483 Modern Chiropractic Techniques her nine weeks at Stoloff said. “Circus is a difficult sport that Massage Therapy camp. However, she requires you to be strong and willing in order 561.278.2200 Physical Therapy Fax: 561.278.0234 spends plenty of to succeed in the circus show. You have to be Sports Injuries time throughout the committed too; otherwise you’ll fall behind Located next to West Marine Auto-Accident Injuries year to prepare for just like in any other sport.” g

‘I love learning new routines and being with a group of people that are so supportive that will help you learn new tricks and routines.’

WELLNESS

Meaty controversy: should teens be vegetarians? Pros

Cons

• If done properly, a vegetarian diet swaps high-cholesterol animal fat with fibrous, vitamin-rich legumes, grains, nuts and produce. As a result, many studies have shown vegetarians to have a significantly lower risk of coronary heart disease, high blood pressure and some forms of cancer.

• Several key nutrients to a teenager’s growth and development can be difficult to obtain on a vegetarian diet. Vegetarians (especially vegans) tend to lack iron, Vitamin B-12, Vitamin D, the 10 essential amino acids, calcium, omega-3 fatty acids and zinc.

• When too much fat finds its way into the • A vegetarian diet can be inconvenient bloodstream, arteries don’t open properly for a busy teenager. Family gatherings and muscles have trouble getting the laden with meat and restaurants that oxygen they offer few vegetarian need. This leads options (aside from by KellyBerger to decreased high-carbohydrate, o eat meat, or not to eat meat? That is the energy levels low-protein dishes question posed by millions each day as that can be like spaghetti with they consider a maze of dietary options ranging increased marinara sauce) from vegan to pescatarian, ovo-lactarian to significantly are just a couple of omnivarian. It’s important for growing teens with a low-fat challenges vegetarians to consider the risks and benefits associated vegetarian diet. face regularly. with different diets, and to remember that simply giving up certain food groups will not • Vegetarian • Many new automatically lead to a healthier lifestyle. diets tend to vegetarians,

Common forms of vegetarianism: • Vegan: does not include

meat, eggs or dairy products

• Ovo-lactarian: does not include meat, but does include eggs and dairy products • Pescatarian: includes

seafood, eggs and dairy products

particularly ovolactarians, find that they actually gain weight upon adopting their new diet. Oreos may be vegan and cheese pizza may fit with the ovo-lactarian diet, but they certainly aren’t any healthier than a glass of skim milk or a lean piece of turkey breast.

• A major factor in many vegetarians’ decision to give up all or most animal products is animal and environmental advocacy. Raising animals for slaughter or for their milk/eggs can be an unsanitary, cruel and environmentally polluting process. A vegetarian diet can also reduce the amount of food-borne-illness causing bacteria, hormones and antibiotics ingested.

• An alternative to some of the more brutal factory farming techniques is organic meat. Animals raised for certified organic meat are not given growth hormones or antibiotics, and must have access to the outdoors, clean air and water. Humans have been eating meat for millions of years, and will continue to do so no matter how many vegetarians boycott the meat industry.

Visual senior Michelle Neumann “I’ve tried to be a vegetarian before but I found that it’s a lot harder to eat balanced meals. A lot of vegetarians tend to rely on dishes that have a lot of starch and fat and not enough vegetables.”

WELLNESS

include more colorful fruits and vegetables that are bursting with carotenoids, anthocyanins, antioxidants and other vitamins and minerals that help your body fight disease, improve immunity, function properly and look its best.

Percent of Americans (ages 8-18) who are vegetarian 3% vegetarian

Vocal freshman Julian Frias “I became a vegetarian three years ago. The main reason is that I understand what they do to get meat products out to people and it’s not a nice process. If you have the will power to not eat meat, go for it.”

97% non-vegetarian Source: Vegetarian Research Group, 2010

Best and worst choices for a healthy Thanksgiving by KloeeCiuperger

ay goodbye to bikini season and hello to stuffing. Thanksgiving is the one national holiday that revolves entirely around food. Most Americans eat over 3,000 calories in one Turkey Day sitting. Keep moderation in mind as you feast your heart out, or opt for these healthier dishes that leave you looking less like the turkey. g

Best Choices:

Worst Choices:

• Pumpkin Pie (316 calories) • White turkey (115 calories) • Green bean casserole (161 calories)

• Apple pie (411 calories) • Stuffing (371 calories) • Sweet potato casserole (285 calories) Photo by McCormick

Photo by Food Network

ENTERTAINMENT

Solve your ‘first world problems’ by GabiCohen

aking up is hard to do. Stumbling out of a soft, comfortable bed and blundering about a dark bedroom that is barely illuminated by the rising sun isn’t exactly an ideal way to get motivated to take on a brand new day. Everything is a chore, and even the most menial task is a hassle. Thinking about changing out of sweatpants is enough to make the average student want to cry. Everything is so inconvenient, but what if there was something to make your life easier? Fortunately, ThisIsWhyImBroke.com exists. ThisIsWhyImBroke is an online magazine that exposes people to things they didn’t know they needed until they came across the site. The website features products ranging

from toilet paper that looks like measuring tape for $3.99, to items that the average person would only dream of owning, like a personal submarine for $2 million. Instead of going through the effort to scrape a pat of butter off the stick for your morning toast, you could just purchase the Butter Slice Cutter, which will do it for you. To make a morning shower more productive, you could invest in caffeinated soap. Or perhaps you could drink the coffee of the future with your floating coffee mug. Though some of the goods may seem frivolous, the site also displays potentially life-saving items. For example, the Water Purifying Straw allows users to drink clean water from any water source. The website gets new products almost

WEBSITE REVIEW

daily. ThisIsWhyImBroke partially relies on recommendations from outside contributors, which allows them to have a wide variety of items that appeal to many audiences. The top of the page is divided into categories (toys, wearables, kid stuff, etc.) and subcategories (under the gears and gadgets category, there are transportation, photography and musical instrument subcategories, to name a few), so the user does not have to deal with scrolling through endless pages of irrelevant nonsense. Next to each product, the website provides links to other sites where you can purchase the item. ThisIsWhyImBroke’s useful navigation system and wide array of products of varying prices makes it the optimal one-stop online shop for making life more convenient. It is a user-friendly, convenient website that enables students to buy products that make daily tasks less arduous. g

No surprise with the iPhone 5

by EricaMaltz

nticipation, record-breaking pre-orders, stock shortages and some of the longest lines you will ever see can only mean one thing: the release of a new Apple product. Given their innovative and awe-striking nature, iPhone product launches have been highly anticipated. These debuts have caused people to line up at abnormally early times and even camp out to wait for retailers to open on the day of the release. So, was the newest release of the iPhone 5 worth camping out for? Apple fans were hoping the iPhone 5 would be a futuristic-looking, must-have product, but it looks almost identical to the iPhone 4 and 4S models. Its only aesthetic difference is the longer screen (now four inches) and slimmer profile, but the new model still has its benefits. The product’s iOS6 operating system became available to the public as a downloadable update about a month before the phone’s public release. Therefore, a majority of the newest software features were

iPhone can also set a reminder to not exclusive to the new call them back on the call screen. iPhone 5. However, the Additionally, there is a new software and new apps do App pre-downloaded with the work best with the new Apple software called “Passbook.” iPhone. It allows you to keep track of The Long-Time your boarding passes and event Evolution service provides tickets in your phone, making faster Internet speeds than them easily accessible. Wi-Fi and allows you to A new iPhone means a new FaceTime on the cellular and improved camera. The iPhone network. It is one of the 5 not only gives you a crystal most advanced features of clear picture, but also has the its kind and specific to the capability of taking a panoramic iPhone 5. The phone has a Photo by Apple Inc. picture (a picture with a wide notably faster processor as field of view.) The front camera is well. Another advance is the “do not disturb” eight megapixels,which will make your photos high-wuality. mode, which is the ultimate way to silence The new iPhone does have great new your phone. If you are in class or in an features, but it is not recommended for important meeting, you will receive a current iPhone 4s holders since they are so notification, but your phone won’t light up, similar. Despite this, Apple still maintains vibrate or ring. When you decline a call, your phone can automatically send a text message its great reputation for its products, and the iPhone 5 is a success. g to let your contacts know you’re busy. The

Teacher Shortlist

“I’ve always dug the Killers, but I’m on a new kick with Mumford and Sons, Blues Traveler and of course throwbacks like Billy Joel and Queen.”

by MaggiePatterson

What music are you listening to this fall?

William Wood science

“I’m all about Muse, Florence and the Machine and Jason Mraz.”

Melissa Gifford social studies

ENTERTAINMENT

Bite into ‘Diaries’ by ToriFernandez

here are certain universal truths in the world: people have the right to life, liberty and attractive people on their television. Channels such as The CW are strong believers in this rule, and only provide the public with the most beautiful actors around. From werewolves to vampires to witches and hybrids, The CW is a never-ending source of fantasy entertainment. One of the most popular shows to hit the air, complete with a cavalcade of all the fantasy creatures your mind can think of, is “The Vampire Diaries.” “The Vampire Diaries” is based on the book of the same name by L.J. Smith. It follows the love triangle between high school student Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev) and the two vampire brothers, Damon (Ian Somerhalder) and Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley) in the fictional town of Mystic Falls, Virginia. The pilot episode, which aired in 2009, received only average ratings from publications such as Entertainment Weekly and a particularly harsh critique from the San Francisco Chronicle. As the series progressed, however, its

REVIEW

ratings significantly improved. Now in its fourth season, the hype about the series has reached epic proportions and is now one of the most popular shows on The CW. “The Vampire Diaries” launched in the era of vampire mania brought on by Stephanie Meyer’s “Twilight,” but has managed to set itself apart from all the other vampire stories. The author of the original “Vampire Diaries” series did encounter problems when it came to the adaptation between the books and the television show. In an interview, the author tells readers that she was “fired from writing her own books.” Smith had sold her book rights to a book packager, which, in turn sold her books to Harper Collins. This meant that Smith did not have ownership of any of the “Vampire Diaries” books that she had written. Even as the TV show itself progressed, it was rumored that she wasn’t even consulted when the plotline of the series was written. Although the TV show is only loosely based on the book, writers Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec have Photo by The CW Television Network planned out an original storyline that will have you hooked to your TV season after season. “The Vampire Diaries” is a story with many layers, which leaves you wanting more with each one you pull back. The suspenseful and clever script along with the chemistry between the actors on set makes “The Vampire Diaries” the mustwatch show of the season. g

“I listen to ‘Closer to the Edge’ by 30 Seconds to Mars.”

“Country. It’s all I ever listen to after they did away with all the rock stations.”

Lynn Berryman administration

Christine Tieche communications

GabiCOHEN

When I talk about “Labyrinth,” most people think I mean that movie with the guy that has eyes on his hands. But no, I mean that movie in which David Bowie is the Goblin King Jareth and kidnaps a small child. If there’s one thing I love, it’s definitely David Bowie wearing dramatic makeup accompanied by a mullet vaguely reminiscent of my scene days. There is also a ton of dancing and singing goblins, and if you’re not into that, then I’m not into you.

MariaGROSSO

Smokey skies and young love, what else could I ask for? With subtle black humor and a ‘60s cool, “Moonrise Kingdom” became a fall favorite for me. Set in a picturesque town in New England, “Moonrise Kingdom” is a new age Romeo and Juliet tale about the reality of running away into the mountains with nothing but some records and a cat—the type of deed I often ponder but would never actually do. With a golden soundtrack of rainy day orchestral arrangements and French oldies, it’s perfect for a quaint afternoon of tea and cookies.

ToriFERNANDEZ

Freshmen hazing, crazy parties and unsupervised madness. “Dazed and Confused” was the movie that got me looking forward to my last years of high school. I expected to spend most of my days partying it up, living the life of the stereotypical teenager and not giving a care in the world. Unfortunately, as much as I enjoyed this movie, my expectations were unrealistic. In my reality, my unsupervised madness includes lots of homework and me staying up watching “Dazed and Confused” until dawn.

JarrodCARMAN

I have a tendency to close my eyes, yell and text during horror movies, but only “Insidious” could convince me that buying a nightlight was a valuable investment. The movie is about a young boy about to be possessed by a demon that might be a distant cousin of Darth Maul. “Insidious” uses suspenseful music and out-of-nowhere jolts that were scary enough to make me run to the bathroom three times. It wasn’t as bad the second time, though, because I knew which parts to cover my eyes at.

ENTERTAINMENT

T. Swift: a guy’s perspective by JarrodCarman

efore you question my masculinity, I did not ask to review this album. If anyone had the nerve to ask why a guy had a copy of Taylor Swift’s new album, Red, that guy might reply, “It’s for my girlfriend.” This guy wouldn’t be helped if his number one recommendation from Netflix was “Desperate Housewives.” Every Taylor Swift fan, by which I mean every girl, wanted to guarantee that this review said nothing but great things about her because she’s “so good.” The second I put the CD in, I had no clue what would happen next. As a male reviewer who prefers classic rock to country music, the album could have been a lot worse. Some stereotypes were proved incorrect: every song didn’t sound the same, and every song wasn’t about Jake Gyllenhaal, only most of them. Unfortunately, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” was really catchy and it stuck in my head for days on end. It wasn’t exactly the best song to hum while taking a calculus test. Needless to say, I had my man-card stripped away from

ALBUM

REVIEW

me. another stereotypical “break-up” song. Other highlights (by which I mean songs I could Vocally and musically, Ms. Swift is quite talented. She uses a variety of different stand) included “I Knew You Were Trouble” and “Begin Again.” “Starlight,” however, was instruments on many of the tracks, but she just annoying. Repeating is still able to keep it simple. the word “dancing” over and over again doesn’t The best song in this album make a brilliant song. As a whole, the (which doesn’t album cannot refute mean much) was “The Last any complaint nonfans might throw at Time,” featuring Ms. Swift. Yes, most Gary Light from alternative rock of her songs are about breakups and heartache. band Snow Patrol. It used From my perspective, a few notes on these songs are really hard to identify with. the piano and However, the album the contrast absolutely contains between the merit. Ms. Swift takes it vocalists to create upon herself to switch Photo by Big Machine up the style or even something somewhat Red is Taylor Swift’s fourth album. It contains the hit single “We Are Never the genre of each song, Ever getting Back Together.” moving, if not which is an impressive feat. entirely relatable. My expectations had been During the writing of this review, Ms. Swift temporarily suspended. experienced another breakup. A song about it Ms. Swift seems to thrive when she is will surely arrive on iTunes sooner than later, collaborating. On “Everything Has Changed,” but it will probably be somewhat tolerable. instead of presenting a unilateral story of Ms. Swift complains about her love life a lot, love and loss, she works with Ed Sheeran and but at least she does it so well. g brings some depth to what could have been

Wallflower movie has its perks by SavannahArtusi

very once in a while, a movie comes along that speaks to the souls of its viewers and truly hits home. This year, that movie was “The Perks of Being a Wallflower.” After reading the award-winning novel of the same name by Stephen Chbosky, audiences eagerly awaited the release of the film, and they were far from disappointed. It is commonly recognized that movies can never live up to their paperback counterparts, but “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” movie seemed to do just the opposite: it was actually superior to the book. One of the main problems with films versus books is that the movies are often

MOVIE

REVIEW

forced to cut out details that are essential to the plot. Fortunately, though, that was almost entirely avoided in “The Perks of Being a Wallflower.” This script success could be attributed to Mr. Chbosky, who wrote the screenplay for the film and also directed it. Since he understood the essence of the story better than anyone else, Mr. Chbosky was able to make cuts without detracting from the story itself. This allowed the movie to focus more on the emotional issues that the main character, Charlie (Logan Lerman), faced—issues that are applicable to teenagers everywhere. Although it was relatively easy to read the book with a stone heart and dry eyes, the movie made this impossible. From early on, Charlie’s kind nature and pure heart—portrayed perfectly by Mr. Lerman— contrasted so strongly with cruel world around him, making it hard to hold back tears. On the other hand, the movie includes more humorous scenes and lines than were present in the book, a nice touch that allowed viewers

to recover from the tearful episodes. The three main characters—Charlie and his friends, Sam (Emma Watson) and Patrick (Ezra Miller)— fit their description, despite some skepticism. Ms. Watson was impressive as she escaped from her role of Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series by being sexy and eccentric, characteristics that were accentuated by Mr. Miller’s spot-on flamboyant performance. “I know these characters so well because of the book and the screenplay and whatever part of it that I have actually lived, whether it’s the people that inspired it or whatever, that when it came to casting, I just knew,” said Mr. Chbosky in an interview with Vanity Fair. The film features a fantastic soundtrack that fits right into the theme of the story. Hits from the ‘70s such as “Asleep” by The Smiths serve as background music and plot points that highlight the unique personalities of the characters and the feeling of being “infinite” that is stressed throughout the film. g

STAFF LIST

The Muse Staff Editors-In-Chief Managing Editor Assistant Managing Editors Cover Story Editor Layout Editor Op/Ed Editor Op/Ed Staff News Editor News Staff Features Editor Features Staff Arts Editor Arts Staff Wellness Editor Sports Editor Sports Staff Entertainment Editor Entertainment Staff Photo Editor Photo Staff Business Managers Copy Editors Graphics Editor Website Editor Cartoonists Adviser

About The Muse

Shawna Bilton, Dominique McKenzie Savannah Artusi Kloee Ciuperger, Josie Graham, Jennifer Yoon Esther Mendoza Adriana Rahrig Francesca Otero-Vargas Sydney McAuliffe, Ricky Morris, Kayleigh Rubin, Tess Saperstein Josie Russo Timothy DiTocco, Nicole Donechie, Maddi Fitzgerald, Ximena Hasbach-Covian, Remi Lederman Mack Schroeder Paula Galvan, Taylor Hendrickson, Marlena Houck, Mikeshia Lewin, Aubrey Levin, Claudia Zamora Camille Sanches Natasha Leonard, Alexandra Lopez, Dana Miller, Valeria Rivadeneira, Mackenzie White Kelly Berger Kevin Levine Charles Bonani, Bari Bossis, Morgaan Jessell, Jensen Tate, Dana Thomas Gabi Cohen Jarrod Carman, Tori Fernandez, Maria Grosso, Erica Maltz, Maggie Patterson Elizabeth Lane Lucas Kelman, Mikeshia Lewin, Aubrey Levin, Alexandra Lopez, Dana Miller Tijienene Gordon, Enrique Orosco Tijienene Gordon, Maggie Patterson Kyle Bell Max Fields Charlie Krumholz, Rebecca Shalloway Stephen Moore

The Muse is a national award-winning newsmagazine. The publication has won numerous awards from the National Scholastic Press Association including a Pacemaker in 2004, 2008 and 2011 and a Silver Crown from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association. In 2012, The Muse won First Place General Excellence Newspaper from the Palm Beach Post Excellence in High School Journalism Awards. This publication, and all six issues produced, is completely funded and created by its staff, advertisers and donors. Over 1,300 students and a multitude of in-state and out-ofstate subscribers receive copies of the magazine annually. All aspects of the magazine from the cover to the Exposure on the back page are written and designed by the students. There are 54 staffers, grades 10-12, from the communications department (and cartoonists from the visual department) who work during and after school to make this publication possible. We would like to thank School of the Arts Foundation board members Lisa Marie Browne, Ralph Guild and Don Silpe for contributing generously to the 2011-2012 issues of The Muse. Your donations are greatly appreciated by everyone on this staff. Please visit our website at www. themuseatdreyfooos.com. g

www.themuseatdreyfoos.com

This is a QR code, scan it with your smart phone and it will take you directly to The Muse website.

Editorial Policy The Muse is a student publication produced by Journalism IV, V and VI classes at Alexander W. Dreyfoos, School of the Arts. Opinion is limited to editorials and columns. We welcome and will print letters to the editors, which should be submitted to the Pressroom (1-305). We reserve the right to edit letters for grammar and space restrictions and will publish no letters that are libelous or defamatory to any staff, students or members of the community. We also accept guest editorials, although we reserve the right to edit or to decline at our discretion. The Muse gratefully accepts advertisements from community businesses as well as donations from interested readers. Yearly subscriptions can be purchased for $35. Please make checks payable to Dreyfoos School of the Arts and send to:

Dreyfoos School of the Arts 501 South Sapodilla Avenue West Palm Beach, FL, 33401 or call (561) 805.6252

EXPOSURE

“Suspended”

Alyssa Klein

by AlexandraLopez

uspended” is the name of visual senior Alyssa Klein’s photograph. With help from her sister, the two went in their backyard to shoot the photo; it was done with Klein leaning back in a swing that she later cropped out to create the illusion that she is actually suspending from something invisible. She is not only the photographer, but also the enchanting subject.

“I brought the photo into Photoshop and edited the background as much as I could so it didn’t distract,” Klein said. “Then I actually went in with a pen tablet and drew in the lines and dots to make the photo glow and look more magical.” When asked what her inspiration is, Klein never knows what to say. “My art teacher Ms. Gifford is always asking why I did a certain piece and I never have an answer for

her, so I’ve been thinking about it,” Klein said. Like many children, Klein wanted superpowers when she was younger. “I want to incorporate that in my work. I edited out my hair to look more supernatural [in this photo].” Klein is using this photograph as part of her college portfolio. She plans on double majoring in game design and molecular biology. g