The Phoenix 2020-2021 Issue 6

A Student Publication of the Yeshivah of Flatbush Joel Braverman High School • 1609 Avenue J, Brooklyn, New York • Vol 55, Issue 6 • March 2021 / 5781

Rabbi Sklarin brings reputation for caring

By Vivian Cohen School News Editor

Rabbi Yigal Sklarin will depart from Ramaz high school and join the Flatbush administration as Associate Principal of Student Advancement at the start of the next school year.

Rabbi Sklarin was initially introduced to Rabbi Beyda and the search committee through a reference. “It was not a necessity” that the Rabbi is from an outside school, but “it was significant” because he has a lot of outsider perspective to offer, noted Rabbi Beyda. In addition, Ramaz’s status makes the Rabbi’s experience there particularly relevant for his position at Flatbush. After many interviews, the team decided on Rabbi Sklarin for the open position, and have already begun work on their first project of building cohesiveness as a team, reported Rabbi Beyda. “Sometimes Hashem just puts the right decision in your hands,” he said.

Rabbi Sklarin is already connected to Flatbush through his mother, who attended the school, and his grandfather, Dave Schwartz, who was Flatbush’s executive director. Additionally, many faculty members knew the Rabbi beforehand.

Rabbi Blumenthal, for example, learned in chavruta with Rabbi Sklarin for several years at Yeshiva University and Camp Morasha and said Rabbi Sklarin “is a very calm, accessable, down to earth person that you can feel an automatic connection to when speaking with him. At the same time, he is extremely thoughtful, knowledgeable, and professional. I believe this balance will be of great benefit to our students and faculty.”

At Ramaz, Rabbi Sklarin planned trips, town halls, Shabbatons, and senior courses and is widely admired, especially for his ability to connect with the stu-

In This Issue People: Page 2 D’var Torah: Page 3 Fun and Games: Page 6

Shifts in administration mean big changes

By Daniel Beyda Junior Editor

With Head of School Rabbi Raymond Harari retiring, Rabbi Beyda filling his position, and the announcement in early March that there will be two new principals and one new member of the Flatbush family, next year’s administration will definitely look different. In addition to new people and new job titles, the actual structure of the administration will change significantly, with two associate principals, one assistant principal, and one head of school, each of them with different job duties than those positions currently entail.

“We’ve divided up the administrative responsibilities in a manner that speaks to the individual strengths of each member of the team, at the same time knowing that the group will collaborate with and support one another.” “It’s something that we have been wanting to do for a long time but have never actually been able to do,” Rabbi Beyda said about the change to the distribution of power.

Many of Rabbi Beyda’s current duties will be divided among the other principals next year. Some things will stay the same, and many more will change.

It is universally understood throughout the school that Rabbi David Galpert does just about everything and anything he is asked to. As assistant principal of “student experience” next year, he will be overseeing student activities, Seminar, chesed, and athletics. As a result, the faculty members who run these programs—Ms. Marcus, Rabbi Besser, Mr. Amkraut, and Senora Ovadia, respectively—will all report directly to him. Of all the new job duties, Rabbi Galpert’s will probably be changing the least, as he is already involved in so many of those programs.

Ms. Esther Hidary has been an essential part of the team, the director of admissions, ninth grade principal, and chairperson of the Tanakh department.

In her new role as associate principal of “teaching and learning,” she will oversee all department chairs and take the lead on any changes to curriculum and in-

struction. For any student with academic issues, Ms. Hidary is the principal to go to.

Rabbi Yigal Sklarin (see article at left) is the newest member of the Flatbush Family, coming from a 13-year tenure at Ramaz high school. As associate principal of “student advancement,” Rabbi Sklarin will be taking over many of Rabbi Beyda’s current responsibilities, specifically as it relates to anything that supports students’ development in and out of the classroom. He will manage several current departments, including Academic Support, Guidance, College Guidance, and Israel Guidance, along with the newly created Religious Guidance department. He will also be overseeing all grade advisors.

Rabbi Beyda explained that one of the main goals of this realignment is to make it more clear to students, parents, and faculty exactly who handles which types of issues. As all the changes go into effect in September, we will surely get a deeper understanding of everyone’s new roles and responsibilities.

What do we know about June Regents exams?

By Ralph Askenazi

Rabbi Beyda’s Zoom Regents meeting turned out to be a guise for color war breakout, but students and teachers alike are still concerned with what is actually going on with Regents exams this year.

Regents exams last June and this January were all cancelled due to the pandemic, but the outlook for June is not as clear.

“There is a lack of clarity on what is happening with the exams,” Rabbi Beyda said. “The state is looking to cancel the Regents but they need a waiver from the federal government that they haven’t yet received.”

A recent announcement from the US Department of Education specifies that many Regents exams will be cancelled, and only the Algebra I, English Language Arts, Living Environment, and Physical Setting/Earth Science Regents exams will be administered in June if the

waiver is not approved, since “the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires that students be assessed once in high school in ELA, mathematics, and science.”

This affects Yeshivah of Flatbush freshmen and juniors. The DOE “will propose to cancel [the other] Regents Examinations for June 2021 regardless of the outcome of New York’s waiver request as these exams are not federally required.” A definite conclusion is yet to be determined, but it looks like students will be receiving credit toward graduation for most tests without taking them, as was done for June 2020 Regents.

Despite the challenges of teaching during Covid, most teachers were instructed before the school year began to prepare their students as if there were examinations in June. Although many students are nervous about the possibility of exams, teachers seem more confident.

Regents math teacher Ms. Harari,

for example, feels like her students are in good shape if they will be required to take the Regents, although she would prefer longer periods than the currently allotted 35 minutes. “Now that we’re in person I don’t mind [the shorter periods] as much. Given the option, I will always ask for longer periods or more classes because there’s an endless amount of practice that can be done,” she said.

Multiple English teachers expressed a similar sentiment: they have been working with students for almost three years to build skills, so preparing to use those skills on state exams will not take much additional work.

Rabbi Beyda added, “If there are Regents, our school will evaluate what extra we need to do to prepare our students for it. If necessary, we will do it. … I think our students are great. They will do just as well as a regular year.”

dents. “The rabbi is seen as a role model who represents the crucial core Jewish values,” explained a current senior at Ramaz. “He is really open and personable and is able to form meaningful relation-

ships with students effortlessly; he really looks out for his students and always has their best interest in mind.”

Rabbi Sklarin said his favorite part of his job is getting to know the students

and what personally interests them. His main goal for the future is to enhance the school and ensure that the students are

Sophomore Editor

Special Section: 18 students excelling outside the classroom Pages 4 & 5

18 18

Entertainment: Dear Evan Hansen star opens up Page 7

continued on page 3

Sports: LaMelo plays a whole new Ball game Page 8 www.theflatbushphoenix.com | 1

Flatbush Family: The Hidarys Faculty Freshman:

By Joyce Louz Contributing Writer

The Hidarys are a pretty well-known family around the Flatbush building, as is the family’s entertainingly sarcastic persona that gives their already unique clan a quirky twist. Assistant Principal Ms. Esther Hidary and her two sons, David (a senior) and Ronnie (a sophomore) take on an interesting dynamic behind the scenes.

Being the child of a principal isn’t always easy, but the two boys, who are both honors students, said they feel little to no embarrassment with their mom on the school’s front lines and have been enjoying their time here.

Ms. Hidary stated, “I like to give my kids some space around the school to do their own thing.”

For David and Ronnie, “their own thing” often looks very similar. They have similarly high ambitions, relative to their mother, and share several interests and extracurricular activities including music, chess and wrestling. (However, Ronnie claims that he really is better at chess).

At school, they don’t see each other too often, but that’s what makes their time together at home more enjoyable.

The family recalls the moment they all waited to hear back from Columbia University on David’s early admission application; gathered in the kitchen and glued to a computer screen with heavy anticipation, the family experienced a quick scare before they refreshed the page and squealed with excitement at the good

news (although David claims he expected it the whole time).

Coming into high school was no big deal for these two. Ronnie joked, “It was like TSA precheck where our application was already filled out.” Ms. Hidary doesn’t let them get away with things that easy though; as soon-to-be Associate Principal, she still makes an effort to have her sons go through Rabbi Beyda first. David added that, although his mother doesn’t get directly involved, “it’s simply her existence” that helps out when trying to accomplish things in school, like starting new commissions or programs.

One of David’s favorite perks is being able to lounge in his mother’s office during his leisure time. He commented, “it’s a pretty chill spot to come and relax.”

Both students act pretty nonchalantly toward their position; Ronnie said that it’s “overrated” and that he has “a pretty normal school experience.”

For her part, Ms. Hidary said she enjoys having her sons close by to check up on and appreciates the meaningful head nods her sons tend to give her in the halls. She warmly added, “I feel like I can be a mom and a principal at the same time.”

The three are clearly making the most out of their Flatbush experience as they explore their passions while also trying to avoid those awkward moments walking next to each other down the commons. As distant as the trio may sometimes seem, at the end of the day, they really are a close-knit, supportive, loving family.

Learning and living principles of chesed

Alumna interview: Brenda Khabie (HS ’89)

By Marilyn Shasho Contributing Writer

The ambitious and kind-hearted Brenda Khabie is a successful businesswoman, fundraiser, and mother of four.

She graduated from Brooklyn College with a BA, and continued to pursue her education to receive her MBA in Marketing and run two successful businesses.

Khabie’s admirable pursuits date back to her high school years, where she was involved in the Holocaust Center and Bikur Holim. She said that Rabbi Besser was a big inspiration to her and instilled the importance of contributing to the community and doing chesed. One of her favorite subjects was Jewish Philosophy, taught by Rabbi Yerushalmi. “Rabbi Yesrushalmi taught me the importance of Jewish law by demonstrating how the laws pertain to everyday life,” she remi-

nisced.

She carried the lessons and values she learned at Flatbush throughout her later experiences as well: “In light of what I was taught at Flatbush, I get great joy in giving back to my community; I am very involved in fundraising for my local hospital and active in the community shuls.”

In addition to providing inspiration, Khabie’s strong Flatbush education paved an easy path to success in college and beyond. She was pregnant with her first child while pursuing and achieving her MBA in marketing. While many would consider starting a new family a setback to education, Khabie is a relentless overachiever. Once she earned her MBA, she used her marketing skills to run two businesses in sports and entertainment.

During the pandemic, she has held press conferences with the media, state senators, city council members, the may-

The Phoenix Staff Editor-in-Chief: Kaden Harari Managing Editor: Adelle Ayash Senior Editors: Michael Oved, Shelley Shamah School News Editors: Vivian Cohen, Joanie Dweck Religion Editor: Jennifer Salzman World News Editor: Etty Jajati Features Editor: Diane Azrak Entertainment Editors: Renee Cohen, Betty Hidary

2 | www.theflatbushphoenix.com

Ms. Mia Erdos

By Lydia Ezon Contributing Writer

To know Ms. Mia Erdos is to know inspiration. Ms. Erdos, who joined the faculty as freshman (and elementary school) art teacher and elective product design instructor, is not only a Flatbush alumna but also a self-published author.

Ever since she was a little girl, art was Ms. Erdos’s place of no judgement; she defines art as “being able to express your unique self, own up to your self-worth and get it out on a paper.”

After graduating from Flatbush high school, Ms. Erdos went on to pursue her love for art at the Fashion Institute of Technology, where she received her bachelor’s degree in fine arts. Thereafter, she landed a position at the Children’s Museum of the Arts, teaching art for two years while she also worked part-time for interior designer Joyce Silverman. While working those two jobs she realized how much more fulfilled she felt teaching art rather than interior design.

For most artists, great masterpieces come from crisis, and Ms. Erdos is not any different. Her latest masterpiece is not a painting but a book called What Got Me Through the Year. In the book, Ms. Erdos exposes her vulnerabilities in order to inspire her readers to emerge from darkness in the same way she did— through art and motivational quotes.

Once she saw how powerful quotes could be and how much they helped transport her from a dark place, she decided that she wanted to spread them.

“Every morning when I would wake up, I would research different quotes related to my mood or feeling and discuss it with a friend. After about a year I said to myself, ‘How cool would it be if I could share all the quotes that helped me … to help others?’ With my artistic vision I was thinking of the best way to share them and came to the idea of creating a book.” Ms. Erdos instantly began playing around with designs and graphics and created the whole book within a week. or, and the office of the governor about reopening the state’s 300 sports and entertainment businesses that had closed due to Covid restrictions.

Additionally, as the Northern Westchester Hospital Gala co-chair, Khabie helped set the record for raising the most money in the hospital’s history in a single night.

Khabie credits the Yeshivah of Flatbush for giving her the strong foundations in secular and Judaic studies that she would need for this later success. “It’s imperative to have a solid foundation to be successful later in life. The Jewish education gave me a solid foundation to

Food Editor: Evelyn Tawil Fashion Editors: Sarah Benun, Lillian Louz Fun & Games Editor: Natalie Ryba Sports Editors: Joey Alhadeff, Terri Elmann Junior Editors: Jenna Ashkenazie, Daniel Beyda, Elie Esses, Nicole Muravsky, Jennifer Neuman, Jack Saad Sophomore Editors: Simone Amkraut, Ralph Askenazi Design: Carolina Cohen Faculty Adviser: Adam Hofstetter

“It was all I did for a week straight,” she explained. “I was just so excited about it and didn’t want to stop!”

Returning to Flatbush was never part of her plan. “If someone had told me back in March of 2020 that I would be teaching in Flatbush this year I would have thought they were crazy!” Ms. Erdos exclaimed. Only about a week before this school year began, Flatbush reached out to Ms. Erdos looking for a new art teacher. Two days before the first day of school, Ms. Erdos decided to take the job.

Ms. Erdos admits that the transition to Flatbush from her previous jobs was not easy. The biggest challenge was working with students who are not particularly interested in art and “figuring out how to take something I love and show it to people without them feeling forced.”

At the museum, anyone coming was already enthusiastic about engaging in art, but in Flatbush, where students are required to take the subject, many enter the classroom begrudgingly. But Ms. Erdos managed: “Being in the shoes of a Flatbush student helped me to relate to the students and keep them engaged.”

Specifically, she presented her art as an exploratory opportunity and taught them how it’s all about experimenting, expressing, and just having fun.

Her goal is to spread inspiration and teach others not to judge people. This philosophy is something not only reflective in her art but also in her classroom, an environment deliberately created to be a judgement-free zone—a place to make mistakes and grow.

“Feel confident with whatever you do and whoever you are!” Erdos advises. “One of your greatest contributions to art is your individuality. Every person is unique and they create their own unique art, so why copy someone else’s expression when all you have to do is be yourself.” grow spiritually, and the secular education gave me the skills and motivation to obtain my MBA and sharpen my business skills.”

Khabie considers her years of high school as a fulfilling success and has no regrets. To current Flatbush high school students, she advises, “Take the time to build on your high school relationships and get excited about participating in extracurriculars that are of interest to you.” She continued, “Making a connection with a teacher you have a particular bond with and having them mentor you

continued on page 3

High School Administration Rabbi Raymond Harari, Head of School Rabbi Joseph Beyda, Principal Ms. Sari Bacon, Associate Principal Ms. Esther Hidary, Assistant Principal / Director of Admissions

Do teachers’ political biases influence classes? D’var Torah:

By Esther Mizrachi Contributing Writer

Faculty at the Yeshivah of Flatbush High School implicitly incorporate their political views into their lesson plans, many students said.

Teachers, however, are split on acknowledging this behavior: in a recent faculty survey conducted on the regularity of bias in class, half the teachers interviewed believed that bias impacts their lessons.

“As much as I try to keep my lessons and topics ‘bias free’ and objective, I’m sure at times I’m implicitly biased on certain topics,” a freshman teacher said.

Other teachers strongly deny that bias influences their class. “I don’t think so, because I keep it [my political views] quite private,” Ms. Bloom, the chair of the English Department, remarked.

Bias is most prevalent in History and English classes, students say. “History and English … especially History.

In these classes, current events come up constantly and cultural debates are commonplace. I feel like teachers in these subjects tend to be more opinionated but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing,” junior honors student Marc Lessler explained.

Teachers often “play Devil’s Advocate,” in the words of Mr. Rothbort, the chair of the History department, countering students’ beliefs to develop more logical arguments. Ms. Bloom agreed.

“My job is to get you to think for your-

self, not for you to think what I think,” she commented.

Among students at Flatbush who keep up with current political events, the majority of those interviewed concluded that they noticed teachers subtly hint their opinion here or there, but not explicitly. “Some teachers are very good at masking their bias. Others are open about their views and actively try to minimize how that impacts their lessons. …

The problem is when teachers don’t admit their political preference but it nonetheless impacts their teaching,” Lessler elaborated.

Many students claimed that the teachers’ implicit bias is influencing views of their own, interviews revealed.

“Because we’re young and not so educated, we are most likely going to listen to our teacher’s opinion right away without any actual knowledge on their opinion,” an anonymous student said.

Faculty bias has a tremendous effect on students’ political and social opinions—an impact equal to that of the larger community, students contended. The community as a whole is largely homogenous and ideas are often magnified in the “Syrian bubble.”

A sophomore girl who wished to remain anonymous believes that her political view is based on her family’s opinions, which is in line with the community’s perspective. “I personally am not 100% sure what I am but my family is Republican,” she said.

Commemorating the old, embracing the new

By Etty Jajati World News Editor

One of the first things that comes to mind when one thinks of ‫ חספ‬are the “‫ ”תוישוק עברא‬that the children are meant to ask their parents at the start of ‫דיגמ‬: “What makes this night different from other nights?” The Abarbanel makes an interesting distinction regarding what the child is truly asking when touching upon the fact that we lean to the left while eating "‫"תולילה לכמ הזה הלילב‬: apart from the leaning itself, the deeper question here is referring to the paradox of leaning to symbolize wealth while simultaneously eating the bread of poverty—why the juxtaposition?

And what are we meant to acknowledge: the fact that we used to be an enslaved people, or that we are now thankful to be freed? The answer is a combination of the two: we aren’t

Rabbi Sklarin continued from front page

High Maintenance

What it takes to get the building ready for 650 students every day

By Nicole Muravsky Junior Editor

Much work, laborious and logistical, goes into upkeeping the high school campus and maintaining its tip-top shape on a constant basis. Especially this year, the maintenance staff at the Yeshivah of Flatbush are committed to ensuring that the building is the cleanest environment that it possibly can be and that students don’t have to worry about germs and contracting the coronavirus.

The supervisor of the maintenance staff, Pariq, is the first person in the building each morning—at 5 a.m. He checks the boiler, makes sure that classrooms are ready, turns all of the lights on, and adjusts the temperature as needed depending on the season.

At 6 a.m., Jude, one of the porters, arrives. He makes sure that the front sidewalk area in front of the building is clean and then sets up the gym for breakfast.

At 7, a third group of five people, Lilea, Charles, Castro, Junior, and Maria, come and make sure that the rest of the sidewalks alongside the building are clear and get all the rooms that are used for minyan ready for the students.

Once school starts, another group of 6 or 7 people arrive and work to ensure that the beit midrash is ready for students, the gym is clean from breakfast, and the tables are stacked nicely to the sides. Afterward, the group goes “patrolling” the bathrooms, hallways, and

stairways to clean up any messes that have already been made in these areas.

At around 10:45 a.m., the crew goes back to the gym to set up for lunch. After doing so, half of them take a break while the other half continues patrolling in the old and new buildings and attending to any needs; they continue doing so until 3 p.m.

After 3, a new shift starts with a different group of staff members. This group starts off their day by patrolling, which they continue until dismissal.

Once the last bell rings, they go to each classroom to empty the trash and sweep, mop, and buff the floors. Next, the teachers’ and students’ desks are rearranged to be in the correct rows. Then, the gyms are also set up for evening sports games or practices. After, each white board is cleared, and whatever is left on the window sills are compiled into a neat stack.

Jean, the overseer of all of maintenance’s operations in both the elementary and high schools, says that he tells his staff, “Don’t throw anything out. I want it to be nice and neat. I don’t want to see papers all over the place.”

Because of Covid-19, there have been some changes in the traditional routine for the daily upkeep of the school. For example, during the day, part of the maintenance staff goes patrolling the different floors of the school to find empty classrooms so that they can use a machine—called a fogger—to disinfect all the desks as well as the partitioning

merely commemorating one or the other; rather, we are meant to appreciate the active transition of slavery to salvation.

There is no progress without a before and after; similarly, there is no appreciating the gift of freedom now without properly acknowledging our slavery. Thus, the juxtaposition of the leaning to symbolize royalty while eating the food of the poor not only keeps us as a people humbled, but serves as proof of our progress and continuing journey when set against the people we were then.

This same principle can and should be applicable to our everyday lives; when changes are thrust upon us, it's important to not only move forward and progress but keep in mind where you came from. It’s as the saying goes: the more you look back into your past, the further you can then see into your future.

Staircases are cleaned throughout the day

boards that separate them. In addition, while the staff is patrolling the halls, bathrooms, and staircases during the day to clean wherever necessary, they also disinfect frequently touched surfaces like doorknobs, staircase rails, bathrooms, etc. According to Jean, this rapid disinfection occurs at least once every hour. Moreover, after dismissal, if there is a classroom that hosted a student who has since tested positive, the crew pays extra attention to it and makes sure that it is sanitary enough for other students.

In addition, every class is disinfected again at night with the fogger machine.

As some members of the maintenance staff stay until 11:30 pm, Jean admits that the extra steps needed to be taken during the pandemic are “a lot of work,” but he clarified, “I want to make sure that the kids don’t get sick.”

Maintaining a healthy environment during Covid-19 in the school is meaningful for Jean, especially since the supervisor of the night shift at the elementary school, Valentin Thelemour, recently died due to the virus. “It was heartbreaking; I miss him a lot,” Jean admitted. After a pause, Jean expressed, “It’s scary. I mean, it is what it is, and we do the best we can to avoid kids getting sick.”

excited to enter and sad to leave, he said.

Some of his most difficult adjustments to Flatbush are the huge building and learning students’ names: “It’s going to be hard to remember every student’s name by face when so many of them have the same name! I got lost a couple of times already.

If you see me wandering, help me out!”

When asked to share some random facts about himself, the rabbi mentioned his victory in the 1997 Yeshiva League hockey championship. He confessed that he has no smartphone, but that might change: “I’m going to need it for Waze on my daily route to the Yeshivah!”

Each of the administrators who will be working closely with Rabbi Sklarin is excited to welcome the Rabbi to the school. “I’m looking forward to him joining the team,” exclaimed Rabbi Galpert.

“He’s very warm and friendly and has many talents and character traits that will make him a great addition to the team,” remarked Rabbi Beyda. “He’s an excellent human being and I can’t wait to work closely with him,” Ms. Hidary said.

Ms. Bacon, who is leaving the school in June, wished Rabbi Sklarin the best and offered some advice: “There’s always something going on [here]—and it’s hard to keep track. … You’ll truly enjoy working with the students and faculty!”

Alumna interview continued from page 2

is something so meaningful and valuable.

This kind of bond can last you beyond your high school years.”

Khabie asserts the positive impact Flatbush has on her life after high school: “Although I graduated from Flatbush 30 years ago, when I meet people and tell them I went to Flatbush I get immediate credibility for both my Judaic and secular studies. There is also a special immediate bond that I form with alumni that I meet.

It is something that I possess for the rest of my life.”

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Yeshivah of Flatbush regularly celebrates the students who excel in the classroom and on our many teams. But many Flatbush students’ most impresive accomplishmnets occur beyond school’s walls.

In this special feature we shine a spotlight on 18 Flatbush students who are achieving remarkable things in a variety of fields and activities outside of school.

By Adelle Ayash Managing Editor

18 18

Isaac Chappan 12th Grade – Health

Madelyne Dayan, 12th Grade – Sports

After many years of exercising avidly, Chappan opened his own personal training business and overall fitness business. Prior to the pandemic, Chappan taught his first-ever class at CKO, a kickboxing gym where he was turned from a loyal customer to a trainer after hard work and effort. After gyms closed for Covid, Chappan started his own personal training business, Isaac Chappan Fitness (ICF) in June due to his love for fitness and desire to find a way to share his passion. He “continue[s] to teach fitness and exercise because it’s not only so much fun for me to plan every detail of the class from music to moves, but to watch people succeed in reaching their goals is the best feeling ever.”

With the future in mind, Chappan is working on ideas of how to expand ICF such as getting into the group fitness space and reaching as many people as possible. Whether it be through my own brand or working out of fitness studios, he is eager and willing to keep growing his business. He enjoys watching his clients succeed and their mindset flip from caring about how others look at them to caring about their health. “A big thing that I’m a supporter in and really believe is that it’s not just about looking good but rather how you feel.”

Since she was four, Dayan has been practicing gymnastics three times a week. By 11, she was performing in competitions, following after her older sister, Emma, who did the same.

What started off as a fun childhood activity became an important part of her life, and to her “the gym became my second home.” Dayan said that gymnastics is an escape, and she worked tirelessly to become good for herself. She has not only gained immense physical strength, but “the feeling of flipping and defying gravity is like nothing else and as I progressed I got more and more of that satisfaction.”

Due to the difficulty of maintaining life as a competitive gymnast, Dayan plans to slow down when starting college but will try to maintain the skill and strength that she’s gained by going to the gym or even random flipping at a park.

Fortune Chakkalo, 10th Grade – Fashion

With the start of the new year, Chakkalo began selling handmade, oneof-a-kind rings that help her express her love of fashion and art collectively.

What she once thought was just a hobby she just enjoyed turned into a source of income. From initial rings to pearls and stones, each wired ring is unique yet still on brand. On her Instagram @wiredbyfortune she displays her rings, how to customize them, and even began a giveaway for her followers.

She hopes to expand her reach on Instagram, as well as expand into other platforms like Etsy and start shipping cross-country. Wired rings are only the beginning, she says.

Leor Yazdi, 12th Grade – Tutoring

After the revelation that he was tutoring all of his friends regularly, Leor Yazdi decided to open up his own tutoring program and capitalize on his hobby. From schoolwork like projects and tests, Yazdi aids his clients with all that a student needs. Not is he helping people and creating a source of income, it also is beneficial for him as a student as well to be getting all the practice. With so much school being conducted over Zoom due to Covid-19, “a lot of people are in demand for a good tutor to help them do homework and prepare,” even more now than ever, so the future is bright for Yazdi Tutoring.

Sivan Evenhar, 10th grade – Technology

Evenhar created a website for the Yeshiva Of Flatbush Purim Mishloach Manot sale because due to corona they could no longer sell them in person. He is efficient in making websites and will continue making websites in other varieties and ventures in the future.

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David Mosseri, 11th Grade – Business During last year’s lockdown, Mosseri’s real estate internship was as good as gone and he had nothing to do for the summer. That’s when his father approached him with an idea to sell items on Amazon and explained its potential. This sent him into a deep dive of research and he was amazed at how complex the system is and the possibilities. He got to work and almost a year later he continues to sell various items on Amazon. “I use every free hour to manage inventory, create a shipment, or any other of the countless day-to-day tasks,” he explained.

Mosseri believes that Amazon, as massive as it is, is still an untapped industry waiting to be exploited. He plans to continue working on it throughout Summer 2021 as a real 9-5 job.

Sophie Bailey 12th Grade – Food

In seventh grade Bailey needed to raise money for SBH Junior Marathon, and instead of asking relatives for money she decided to sell cookies cut up into long strips. She named them Sophie’s Sticks and began baking for the cause. As time went on she gained a following, and many of her loyal customers begged for her to sell regularly, which she still does today. Some of her flavors range from confetti and Fruity Pebbles to s’mores and Oreo. For Bailey, “Sophie’s Sticks will always be around, whether being made for charity or for fun. It is something that has grown to be very popular and I am fortunate to be able to continue this business that taught me the satisfaction of working hard and achieving a goal.”

Jennifer Mudick and Jennifer Salzman, 12th Grade – Sports

The two Jens created a dance school called J&J Dance Co. where they teach dance—mainly hip-hop—to young girls. Both girls have been

dancing since they were little and have long dreamed of teaching dance.

Last summer they took the initiative and decided to start to fulfill that dream.

They gave weekly courses all throughout the summer and while they haven’t been teaching during the school year they are excited to return to business this summer. The future includes teaching more girls and larger groups and increasing the scale of the business. “At the end of the day, it’s all about passion and at J&J Dance Co we will continue to grow in order to share and spread that passion with others,” they said.

Elliot Cooper, 11th grade – Fashion With an Instagram account boasting just under 25,000 followers, Elliot Cooper’s @coops.kicks is thriving. He has been collecting and reselling highend limited shoes and clothing for years now.

Cooper explained, “I got inspired to start about 5 years ago when I went to the Supreme store with a few friends. I desperately wanted a backpack I saw. … When I was at the register they told me the price was $185. I was astonished at how high the price was but at the same time I really loved it. I decided to pass because it was just too much for me at the time. I decided to start buying and selling the Supreme stuff and eventually I was able to get a couple different items for myself that I still have today.” Cooper didn’t begin with 25k followers; just over the last year he’s been gaining much more popularity after making deals with celebrities such as Francesca Farago from the Netflix show Too Hot to Handle and basketball player Zaire Wade, son of NBA star Dwayne Wade.

“Since then I was able to sell pairs much faster by just posting on my story and page.”

As for future growth of the business, he shared, “I hope to one day get into it more and more, but as of now I would like to use the experience I have as a stepping stone and to continue building up my business as much as possible and to keep getting my brand name out there… I think what keeps me going is my actual fondness of the brands and not just a money mindset.”

Albert Lessler, 9th Grade- Technology

Freshman Albert Lessler started coding after taking a course in game design, but after taking a Python course and web design his interest grew even more. This inspired Lessler to code more often and his biggest project is a calculator that he coded by himself and which can do even more than a regular calculator.

He also began 3D design after a friend introduced him to a program called Tinkercad. He now works on many projects for fun, making things using simple shapes, an activity which he thinks could aid him in a future as an architect if that’s the path he chooses to take.

Sarah Cheney, 12th Grade – Art and Fashion

Cheney has been painting and drawing all her life, whether it be on canvases or sketchbooks, but last year she realized she could turn her hobby into something with monetary value. Cheney was getting bored with doing the same style of art repetitively, so one day she decided to paint one of her grandfather’s old sweatshirts for fun and she fell in love. This sent her into a frenzy of designing and trying new techniques and colors, but it wasn’t until she wore her work of art and saw the response by her friends that she realized she could turn it into a business. That summer she opened Free Spirit and has been sailing ever since. “My business not only gives me the opportunity to design clothing but it also allows my customers to create their dream apparel, too,” Cheney remarked. The future of Free Spirit is all about growth and continuing to scale it into the business of her dreams.

Virginia Oved, 12th Grade – Lifestyle Oved manages two businesses for two different passions: wellness and fashion. She started her wellness program, Health-A-Cise, with the goal of promoting a healthy and enjoyable lifestyle. Creating a health-aware summer camp, Oved taught many young girls the value of healthy eating and being active while creating fun-filled memories. Oved said she wants to “continue to use my platform to spread awareness and make an impact in young children’s mental health and future.” She hopes to achieve this on a larger scale by opening an actual office space for the program so she can reach even more kids in the community.

As for fashion, Oved started a fashion/lifestyle Instagram account, @ voguecrazz, at the age of 14 to aid her on the path of finding herself. She inspires her 4,000 followers with fashion advice and inspirational quotes to pass on her messages of self-confidence, self-love, and happiness. After high school she hopes to become even more active on the account and start to address “everyday teen and adult issues that can help make or break someone’s day.”

Michelle Baum, 10th grade – Photography

Baum always enjoyed taking and editing photographs, so in 2016 she decided to start an Instagram account to share her photos. On @ michellebaumphotograpy she shares not only her pictures but the behind the scenes and breakdown of how editing works. “You can do endless things with just one picture! It’s also a fun way to show everyone that things you see on social media aren’t as they seem while also just displaying something I love to do,” she stated.

With the growth of her account she learned new skills and grew as a photographer. “There’s something calming about taking a picture and then being able to manipulate every aspect of the picture until perfect.” In the future she wants to launch Michelle Baum Photography as a business and do editorial styled photography.

Jacques Doueck 12th Grade – Fashion

Senior Jacques Doueck works for a leather goods manufacturing company called Cut & Stitch. In business since 1972, Cut & Stitch produces leather accessories for major companies like Robert Graham, Michael Kors, and Rag & Bone. Originally, Doueck took the job as a fun summer experience, but as an environmentalist he became attached to expanding the inventory to include eco-friendly materials like cactus leather and apple-fiber leather.

On an average day Doueck will “speak with clients looking to produce a product, advise materials, and then send the details to one of our factories, which will use my instruction to guide production of the customer’s order.”

In the future, Doueck “hopes to learn enough about managing a company to one day start my own business venture that makes environmental considerations integral to every socio-economic decision.”

Naomi Dayan 12th Grade – Lifestyle

Naomi has always loved traveling, thanks to her parents and their ability to take the family to exotic places including Africa, Spain, and Panama.

When traveling, Dayan wanted to encapsulate the rush and great feeling she had while there so she began to capture moments through photographs.

Initially, these photos were strictly for herself but one day she thought that maybe others would enjoy these moments just as much as she did. This is when @vacayswithnay was born. It combines two of her hobbies: travel and photography.

Working under Shelley Schmool, a community photographer who is known on Instagram as @byshelly, and gaining insight into what makes a good image gave Dayan an appreciation for photography and how it can hold memories frozen in time with just the click of a button. Anytime she is traveling she makes sure to look out for unique and fascinating spots to photograph. With each place she goes, she fills her feed with fun and visualpleasing content for her viewers. In the future she hopes to keep expanding and, more important, keep traveling because that is what she loves to do and @vacayswithnay is only a motivator for it all.

Allison Heskiel, 10th Grade – Art and Chesed Last month, Heskiel ran her own art auction, which featured many artists including fellow peers from school all to raise money for a heart foundation.

The idea of Art for Hearts came from her exposure to heart disease through her mother’s illness. Taking her passion for art as well as her mother’s health into account, she started the art auction, donating all the money raised to The Heart Foundation. Heskiel hopes to make it an annual event and take an underclassmen under her wing so she can mentor them to take over the program after she graduates so the legacy can live on.

Sion Dweck, 12th Grade – Media

From the Founder is a weekly show inspiring the entrepreneurial spirit by revealing the untold stories behind well-known local business and their founders. Sion Dweck is the Chief Operating Officer at Founder. He started because he thought he could help get his cousin’s company off to a strong start in terms of social media and short- and long-term development. Now he continues to work on the team because he enjoys being part of something larger than himself in inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs. “In the next few years we hope to grow in popularity and I plan on helping that happen,” he said.

Monica Sultan, 12th Grade – Fashion

Sultan loved makeup all throughout her childhood, and after doing her makeup for fun for so many years she finally decided to become a makeup artist. To Sultan, makeup is “a great way for me to creatively express myself,” and she can happily talk about it for hours. She displays her work on her clients and on herself on Instagram @madeupbymonica. Her ability to see the monetary value in her talent has shown her a future in cosmetics. Sultan is curious about cosmetic chemistry and wants to explore how to formulate skin care and makeup products. This combines her love for makeup, artistry, and science all in one and she’s excited to start this endeavor after high school.

www.theflatbushphoenix.com | 5

Fun & Games Ask Merle

Dear Merle, Every day I forget my Tanach in my locker and every day I get kicked out of class because of it. What should I do?

Sincerely, Forgetful

Dear Forgetful, It is important that you place all emotion aside and remember that your prime task is to carry that Tanach with you to class, on

time. Go to your locker during breakfast or lunch, make sure to keep it in your bag so it won’t be left behind in the previous class, and most important: be respectful to your teacher; it will be greatly beneficial in the long run.

Good Luck, Merle

Dear Merle, I have a friend in my group who nobody likes. I like to keep my distance from him.

We’ve been friends forever but I don’t think we can do it anymore. We can’t drop him, can we?

The Natareeze

b

GLASS HALF FULL

• I have switched to decaf now because Dr. Chattah has taught us the evils of addictive substances.

• One of these Shabbat afternoons, my friend and I will actually go for a walk like we planned instead of just sitting with her mom and eating kaak and mango.

• I feel like the schoolwide quarantine finished yesterday; how is it that seniors have FIVE weeks left?

• I was sitting with my grandfather and I was telling him how stressed out I was.

He offered me some ice cream. I said that ice cream doesn’t help. He said anyone who says ice cream doesn’t help is a liar.

The skies are clearing, the birds are chirping: do I dare say it’s almost spring?

GLASS HALF EMPTY

• Basically I got a new job. Klohe Kardashian says that she has to drink a gallon and half of water every day. That means, kal va chomer, I have to. Just to put it in perspective, a gallon and a half is 192 ounces, and my BIG water bottle is 32oz. That means I have to drink six of my big bottles.

• Therefore, no time for “homework,” I’m busy drinking water.

In English we had to split into groups and reenact bits of Shakespeare and present it to our class. While trying to cut together the footage for our pastiche, I realized that our blooper section was 3x more entertaining than the actual lines of the play.

It is March of my senior year and for some reason teachers aren’t so pleased that I carry bottles of sparkling water with cups and a stack of magazines to keep myself entertained and refreshed at all times of the day.

• A while ago on a senior questionnaire, there was a question asking “What is your greatest pet peeve?” At the time I was stumped but now they just keep coming to me. I’m really pet-peevey these days.

THINGS TO GET YOU THROUGH THE WEEK TV SHOWS AND MOVIES • The Great North • The Affair • The Proposal

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By Natalie Ryba Staff Writer

• The Drew Barrymore Show • Michelle Buteau, Welcome to Buteaupia SONGS • “Set on You” by George Harrison • “Like It” by De Barge • “Happy Pills” by Norah Jones • “Tico Tico” by Carmen Miranda • “Take The ‘A’ Train” by Duke Ellington

Sincerely, Frustrated

Dear Frustrated, Please do not “drop” a person; it is incredibly mean and it will damage his self-esteem a great deal. I am sure your intention is to cause no harm, but “dropping” a friend can have great consequences that you will not be able to see.

If this person creates a bad environment when you and your friends are hanging out, either 1) Confront him rationally and sensitively, ideally privately. Or 2) Slowly distance yourself but not outright, blatantly excluding that person. As great of a school as Flatbush is, high school is tough and teenagers are cruel. Don’t be part of the reason that someone is sad.

Keep me posted, Merle

Dear Merle, It seems like all my friends have summer plans and I’ve got squat. Where do I even begin?

Sincerely, Lone Squatter

Dear Squatter, Can I call ya “Squattie”?

In all seriousness, measuring yourself by what other people are doing is a risky game that I don’t support. BUT. I see where you are coming from here: summer plans as a high school student are important. You shouldn’t necessarily look for what your friends have, but hey, it’s March, you’ve got time to research.

Do some Google searches, go to Pathfinders, look into available internships, email a summer camp, call shops on Norwood, and you’ll find something. If you put in effort now, things are going to come together.

Best of Luck, Merle

THAT’S SHOW BIZ, BABY

• The most senior thing that has ever happened: on a fine Wednesday morning, five minutes after the third-period bell, my friend and I find our usual library study room with a freshman in it. So, nonchalantly, my friend walks in and tells the boy, “Ahaha, this is our room. It’s OK, you didn’t know,” and he was all, “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry,” and he sat at another table in the library. Hazit, we’re so mean.

Right before we left for senior ski trip I was organizing my stuff and realized: I don’t have my phone, it must be downstairs in the gym! The bus doors are legit closing, Rabbi Galpert is taking attendance and I scream, “I LEFT MY PHONE INSIDE!” Then all the boys behind me start chanting “GO GO GO GO GO GO GO!” I stand up ready to run and then I pick up my jacket; low and behold my phone was beneath my bottom the entire time.

Another driving story: on a fine Motzei Shabbat, my friends and I were on our way to Williamsburg and I was the navigator. While we were making our way down Belt Parkway, there was some construction where we were supposed to change lanes and Google Maps said, “Rerouting.” My friend, the driver, asked, “Do I switch lanes here? Quick!” And I said, “No, keep going straight.” She said, “You’re sure?” I said, “Positive.” Thirty seconds later we’re in the Battery Tunnel.

She said, “We’re not going the right way,” and I said, “Just keep going straight.”

We arrive in Battery Park City. All my friends said, “NAT YOU LOST SHOTGUN PRIVILEGES” I said, “I GET MIGRAINES!” Follow me on Instagram @thenatabreeze

The Food Corner

By Evelyn Tawil

With Pesach coming up, it’s a mad scramble to try and use up our chametz! Here are some tasty breakfast ideas to make with chametz. Enjoy!! @ foodsnobs101

cream, chocolate chips, maple syrup and anything else you have. Get creative!

Pancakes 2 eggs 2 cups flour 1 1/2 cups of milk 1/2 cup vegetable oil 4 tsp sugar 4 tsp baking powder A pinch of salt 1/2 tsp vanilla extract Chocolate chips and walnuts for topping Mix together flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in one bowl. In another bowl, mix the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla extract. Then add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix. Heat a skillet on medium heat. Spray skillet with oil. Then place ¼ cup of the batter onto the skillet. Add the toppings. Flip pancakes when little bubbles begin to appear.

Enjoy with fresh fruit, whipped

Food Editor

(Chocolate) Oatmeal 1 cup of milk ⅓ cup oats (1 ½ teaspoons cocoa powder to make your oatmeal chocolate flavored!)

1-2 teaspoons maple syrup (depending on how sweet you like your oatmeal) First boil the milk. Once milk begins to get hot, add in oats and mix. Add cocoa powder.

Mix. Cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring continuously. Add maple syrup for sweetness. Pour into a bowl and top with favorite toppings.

Very Berry Smoothie: 1 cup coconut water 1 frozen banana 1 cup of mixed berries- can be fresh or frozen (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries) Blend everything in a highspeed blender and enjoy!

Fashion & Entertainment TV Review: The Great North

By Natalie Ryba Fun & Games Editor

Put a pot of soup on the stove and get comfy on the sofa because the creators of Bob’s Burgers and Central Park have introduced a new family on Fox. The Great North follows the Tobins, a delightfully eccentric family settled in a fictional Alaskan small town called Lone Moose.

Characters are voiced mainly by Parks and Recs’s Nick Offerman, Big Mouth’s Jenny Slate, SNL’s Will Forte, Will & Grace’s Megan Mullally, and singer Alanis Morisette as herself!

Beef (Offerman) is a loving, slightly awkward, introverted father who keeps his family extra close ever since being left by his wife, after whom he has named his fishing boat. His eldest son Wolf (Forte) has brought his fiancé to live with his family. Wolf loves his fiancé, he loves his family, and has an endearing, comical sense of optimism that brings the family together.

Ham is the oldest of the two “Alaskan twins’’ (born nine months apart); he is a flamboyant long-haired 13-year-old who is extra close with his sister Judy. Judy, the younger of the “Alaskan twins,” is a quirky young girl figuring out who she is and usually consults her “imaginary best friend/inspiration” Alanis Morisette with her life troubles. She always has good intentions but her emotions often get the

best of her.

The youngest of the Tobin clan is Moon.

Though all dressed up in his bear onesie, Moon is the wisest and most level headed of the family, and his ignored presence is a running joke in the show.

As loving and wholesome as the Tobins are, the show has some dark humor to offer in the second episode. The town of Lone Moose celebrates the Festival of “Not People,” a time when they remember their cannibalistic ancestors and the fact that now they celebrate not eating people. The show’s creator, Loren Bouchard, said it may be an homage to the unaired pilot of Bob’s Burgers that would’ve let the show run its course about a burger shop cooking with human meat from the morgue next door.

The subtle humor of the show stems from its specificity. The more the audience learns about Lone Moose and the Tobins, the funnier the show gets, and it’s given itself room to grow. The unique yet somewhat relatable family dynamic is highlighted by the secluded and unusual setting. But what makes The Great North come alive and makes viewers forget that we’re watching animation, is how much love and affection the family members have for one another.

Catch The Great North on Sundays at 8:30 on Fox.

Gap and Yeezy join forces

By Sarah Benun Fashion Editor

Struggling mall brand The Gap has revamped its name by collaborating with Kanye West, designer of Yeezy, on a new collection launching this 2021 season: YZY is a 10-year-deal that was signed by West and the CEO of Gap. West said this YZY collaboration will feature “elevated basics,” a perfect mix between Gap and the more high-end Yeezy brand.

In the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic, Gap found itself struggling to stay afloat like many other retailers. Several retailers were forced into bankruptcy as the economy came to a standstill last year. However, Gap issued a 2023 “Power Plan” to turn the company around, including plans for a collaboration with Yeezy. YZY is predicted to debut in the first half of 2021, which means any month now. When this elite partnership was first announced at the beginning of the summer, Gap’s stock price went soaring, especially because of this long-term commitment.

West said he particularly chose to team up with Gap because of his love for the brand and his previous work experience in his teenage years. West has said he would “like to be the Steve Jobs of the

Gap.” A critical goal for West is to produce clothing that is affordable for general consumers across the world. He has made statements about Yeezy products potentially being sold at Walmart or Costco, though nothing has been confirmed.

Yeezy is known for its pieces with prices ranging from $200 to $2,000, while Gap clothing rarely costs more than $50 per item. Prices are expected to reach a maximum of $50 in this new partnership. In addition to affordability, the line is going to feature pieces for men, women, and children.

“I don’t love the idea that some of the reason why people buy is just for hype culture, or an ‘I got this color-way and you don’t have it,’ type of mentality,” West said in a recent interview. “I’m an essentialist. I’m a minimalist.”

CEO of Gap Mark Breitbard announced, “We are excited to welcome Kanye back to the Gap family as creative visionary, building on the aesthetic and success of his Yeezy brand and together defining a next-level retail partnership.”

After the extremely publicized news about West’s divorce from Kim Kardashian West, the chief executive mentioned he is still focused and determined

Dear Evan Hansen star reflects on his career

By Joanie Dweck School News Editor

Michael Park is possibly one of the most influential names in modern-day Broadway, with originating roles in shows such as How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Tuck Everlasting, as well as television shows such as Dash and Lily and Stranger Things. However, the role Park is most known for is Larry Murphy in Dear Evan Hansen.

Upon entering college, Park had absolutely no plans of entering musical theater. He went to Nazar’s College of Rochester to study graphic design, when his “girlfriend, now my wife, forced me, literally forced me, to audition for Guys and Dolls.” With the intention that both would end up in the ensemble and they would do homework together during rehearsals, Park agreed. His wife ended up not being cast, but he landed the principal role of Sky Masterson.

“Unknowingly, I was networking at the time,” he said. The director of Guys and Dolls was also the director of the JCC and Blackfriars theater, expanding Park’s connections within the theater world.

After a show at Geva Theater and a role as Raoul for a tour of Ken Hill’s Phantom of the Opera, Park was “catapulted to make the move to New York.”

From the first sit-down at the original table read, Park knew that Dear Evan Hansen would impact the world. He recalls Ben Platt turning to him during the table read and saying, “Pasek and Paul are going to change America.” And that they did.

Dear Evan Hansen follows the story of Evan Hansen, a teenager with social anxiety whose classmate, Connor Murphy, comits suicide. Found in Connor’s pocket is a letter that Evan wrote to himself, leading Evan to fabricate a lie that he was secretly Connor’s best friend. Evan suddenly has everything he ever wanted: a doting family, popularity, and the girl of his dreams. However, through an emotional story focused on social anxiety and suicide, Evan’s web of lies unravels. The show tackles a multitude of uncomfortable yet important topics. Park takes on one of the most difficult roles, portraying a father whose conflicts with his son will never get to be resolved.

One of the hardest things a parent can ever go through is to lose a child, and Park had to portray that situation every night. In order to imagine what his character was going through, Park kept pictures of both his father and son in his dressing room. Park’s father passed away before the production of Dear Evan Hansen, so he was never able to see Park in his career-defining role; making “that arc for Larry so much easier.”

Playing Larry also forced him to be-

come a better and more understanding father. “Larry and Cythia never got that second chance, and so I never wanted to be put in a position where I never got that second chance with my kid.”

One of the most emotional moments during Dear Evan Hansen is a moment during the song “You Will Be Found.”

During this song, there are pictures of Connor projected all over the stage, with Larry standing in the center. He takes a look at all the pictures, and suddenly breaks down at the realization that his son is gone. Park always took this moment to dedicate it to someone in the audience. “Knowing that someone is going to be moved, changed, or relate to what these parents are going through is something that you never take lightly.”

Dear Evan Hansen became a huge hit: it has two touring companies, won 11 Tonys, and is now in the works to become a film. Across the country it sparked conversation about suicide, social anxiety, and how to deal with this issues so no one ends up in Connor’s position. Since its release, the Dear Evan Hansen team has worked with multiple suicide prevention organizations. Park said he has heard countless stories of how the show has saved people from sucide.

Despite his career success, Park admitted he still gets stage fright, but he explained that “stage fright is a privilege.”

When you get cast, it’s because the directing team believes that you have the capability to portray that role in the best way possible, and that’s a gift. Stage fright is born out of hoping that you give your best performance and get the best reactions, and fear that those things won’t happen. If you have stage fright, you’re not fully grounded in the moment. So get into your character, soak up the moment, “let go of the hope, let go of that fear, and just be.”

Michael Park is a name that people now recognize and admire. His advice for any young actor trying to enter the field is something he learned from his castmate Daniel Radcliffe in How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying: “As a human being, always stay curious,” and that will always be a driving force so you can learn more, engage more, and discover more.

to execute the line.

Die-hard Kanye West fans have posted their own design sketches all across the internet. Aesthetic predictions have been

made including tie dye and neon colors. So, keep your eye out for the launch date as his previous Yeezy collections have a history of selling out very quickly.

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Sports In 2021, a whole new Ball game

By Simone Amkraut Sophomore Editor

It is June 2017, and Lonzo Ball is selected with a lottery pick in the NBA draft—second overall by the Los Angeles Lakers. The pick is accompanied by great fanfare and even greater predictions of the achievements to come, primarily from Ball’s father, LaVar, who predicts that Lonzo will “step over Magic [Johnson] en route to being the best guard ever.”

These words have hung like an ever-growing shadow over Ball’s development as an NBA player. After one trade, in Lonzo’s first year he went on to average 10.2 points per game, 7.2 assists a game, and 6 rebounds per game … very good, but a long way from the Magic predicted.

Ball has made a name for himself in the NBA, but his biggest obstacle as a player has been having to prove to the media and fans that his game is just as good as LaVar Ball had been raving about for years on the media.

Fast-forward three-plus years to November 2020. Another Ball, LaMelo, was selected with a lottery-pick in the NBA draft—third overall by the Charlotte Hornets. Halfway through his rookie season, the young man has shown promise and looks like he could really be something special. Again, a Ball pick was accompanied by great predictions, but significantly less fanfare. No great quotes, no comparisons to the gods of basketball. So, what has changed?

Not the play of the sons, but the bombast of the father.

If you’re a sports fan, you would have to have spent the past three years in sports hibernation if you do not recog-

basketball court is magnified.

So it is no wonder that Lonzo’s first two seasons, which were enviously good by any rational measure, were treated so harshly when he failed to morph into Magic overnight. After his second year, Lonzo was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans, an excellent addition to the team that also drafted basketball phenom Zion Williamson from Lonzo Ball in his rockie season Duke. Given a teammate for whom his nize that the Ball family is a ready-made passing skills were tailor made, Ball is reality show of father LaVar Ball and his a star on the Pelicans; however, he is a three sons: Lonzo Ball, LiAngelo Ball, star slightly outshined by Zion. It’s not a and LaMelo Ball. The Ball brothers have bad place to be in the galaxy of basketbeen in the spotlight for a long time, ball stars, but not quite the sun around certainly for their basketball skills, but whom all other players revolve, as dad almost equally for their father’s almost had predicted.

Lonzo and LaMelo (LiAngelo unconstant and comedic fanning of media fortunately never even made it to the flames.

But along with headlines of the Ball celestial basketball realms having never brothers’ accomplishments on the court gotten out of the G Leagues orbit) are there have been as many comedic jabs at brilliant comets of basketball talent, and they deserve to bask in the bright lights Father Ball’s made-for-TV hyperbole.

“LaMelo is the queen of Charlotte, of sports stardom. However, the targetthen my other son Lonzo is the Baron of ing of Lonzo for undo criticism when he the Bayou and LiAngelo is a G-League failed to be divine Magic was a lesson for superstar!” exclaimed Saturday Night LaVar, and probably what spared LaMeLive’s Kenan Thompson, who plays La- lo from the kind of grandiose expectaVar Ball in skits on the show, as he barely tion and undue scrutiny his brother exholds himself together. It is no wonder perienced in the NBA. The Ball family is a lesson in many every sportscaster is waiting to take a potshot at the sons when they fail to things: determination, talent, passion, meet their father’s hype—even if only by and confidence. However, they also serve as a reminder that the best praise a little.

Every step of the Ball Brothers’ is that which we earn from others, rather achievements have been bathed in an than claim for ourselves. Greatness and aura of hyperbole bordering on the ri- humility are ultimately the best ingrediculous, turning a potential great family dients for the kind of success that lands sports dynasty into a bit of a comic side- you on ESPN Sports Center rather than show. When your dad is getting roasted Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Update. on SNL for comparing you to the gods, SNL is much more fun to watch when even the smallest descent to earth on the they are laughing at someone else.

What to look out for as MLB season nears

By Isaac Dweck Contributing Writer

As the air gets warmer and the days get longer, the MLB is preparing to open the 2021 season in just days. Looking to put the shortened 2020 season behind them as the world recovers from the pandemic that’s been wreaking havoc for over a year now, Major League Baseball will be returning from the unprecedented 60 game season with a full 162-game schedule that begins on April 1st, 2021.

Before the start of the season, there are a few things you should know, including some familiar faces in new places and a new World Series contender.

The New York Mets made one of the biggest splashes of the offseason by trading for Francisco Lindor in a blockbuster deal with the Cleveland Indians. Steve Cohen, the team’s new billionaire owner, acquired an outstanding shortstop in Lindor and a good starting pitcher in Carlos Carrasco. Although this trade greatly benefits the Mets’ World Series hopes in 2021, Lindor will become a free agent after the season, denting the team’s hopes of future success with their newly acquired star unless they can sign him to

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a long-term contract extension. Lindor has made it clear that he won’t sign an extension during the season, meaning that if a deal isn’t reached by April 1st, he will become a free agent after the 2021 season and open for all teams to bid on.

The Mets aren’t the only team who made big moves in the offseason. The defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers made arguably one of the biggest free agent signings of the offseason. Trevor Bauer, the 2020 National League Cy Young Award winner, agreed to sign with the Dodgers in dramatic fashion for $102 million over three years.

As the baseball world awaited his decision in early February, reports claimed he had narrowed it down to two teams, the Mets and the Dodgers. The Bauer-tothe-Mets rumors gained traction when Steve Cohen bought the team because of his wealth and the new appeal he brought to the organization. Bauer’s social media antics led most to believe he would sign with the Mets, right up until the moment he announced his deal with L.A. Some of his social media antics included briefly placing Trevor Bauer Mets gear on his website hours before the announcement.

The addition of Bauer gives the Dodgers

one of the best starting rotations in baseball, including Walker Buehler, Clayton Kershaw, David Price, and Dustin May. The Dodgers are not the only team who added talent to their rotation this offseason. The San Diego Padres acquired starting pitcher Blake Snell, the 2018 AL Cy Young Award winner, and then Yu Darvish, who finished second in NL Cy Young voting last year. These two acquisitions have transformed the Padres’ rotation into one of the best in the league, competing with the Dodgers and the Mets. The Padres also signed their star shortstop, Fernando Tatis Jr., to a $340 million contract over a span of 14 years. This move by the Padres made Tatis one of the highest paid players in sports, and rightfully so. Tatis is already one of the most exciting players in baseball at only 22 years old. The Padres’ offseason splurge, with the addition of their young talent and farm system, have risen to the top of many experts’ power rankings as they look ready to challenge the Dodgers for their title. Big things are expected from the Padres this year as they look ready to make a push for a World Series after years of rebuilding.

Sportsman Spotlight: David Cattan

Cattan, seen here in a pre-season JV game against MTA in 2018, has been a Falcon for four years

By Robert Falack Contributing Writer

David Cattan is an all-around athlete playing four different sports simultaneously as he juggles the life of being a student in Flatbush. Cattan is currently on the tennis team, basketball team, football team, and ice-hockey team.

Cattan was on the Falcons basketball team all throughout high school.

He said that this year they have the best team yet, but unfortunately due to Covid, it doesn’t look like there will be a season. Nonetheless, he is still excited about the personal training he gets to do this year as part of the basketball team.

After playing basketball for the entirety of his high school career, Cattan decided to try out for the tennis team as well, which practices once a week. He is also playing football and hockey each once a week. Altogether, Cattan is practicing with Flatbush sports teams more than four times a week—a serious commitment that requires hard work and dedication.

And yet, after long and tough practices day after day, he still manages to keep up with all his schoolwork.

Helping him through it all are Cattan’s teammates, whom he described as “amazing, and also my good friends.” He explained that the chemistry is “unreal” both on and off the court and that “they’re my true brothers.” Cattan hopes to continue to contribute to the camaraderie of all four of his teams, even though competition against other teams remains off limits for now.