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Art by michela mugnato

Girls’ Water Polo Makes a SplashMax KozlowskiStaff Reporter

ters, and it takes brutal practice and preparation in order to skillfully move the ball up and down the pool. To move the ball, players must swim with it or pass it to a teammate using only one hand. Making each position even harder is that there is no division between defensive and offensive players; each player is expected to be able to do both. The goalie, who must be able to stay afloat for a full game and be alert enough to strike and block a shot at any moment, has no easy task either. Water polo is one of the most physi-cally demanding high school sports. To play water polo takes tremen-dous athletic ability and strength, further proving that the lack of attention paid to the team is truly unjust. If three out of six girls cannot swim up and down the pool for an estimated three miles per game the team will be put in a difficult spot to score and play hard defense. “Water polo is one of the best sports out there,” senior and goalie Samantha Vyazmensky said. “We are one of the teams in the best shape at

the school, water polo requires lots of swimming, a powerful arm, and enor-mous leg strength.” Finding substantial free time out-side of schoolwork during a regular school week can be difficult for aver-age high school students, let alone high achieving ones, taking schedules loaded with AP and other high level courses. Many of these overachiev-ing students can be found on the girls’ water polo team, making their physical and mental dedication even more impressive. The girls’ team prac-tices five days a week for two hours each day. Additionally, they play one or two games every week, but there often are tournaments in which they typically play up to 3 games in a sin-gle day. “I was a division one athlete and the captain of my team; I live and breathe dedication,” Leonard said. “Not just to the game or to my teammates, but to my body as well. Training for any sport should be viewed as preparing for battle; your body must be in top shape to ensure performance, espe-cially in a team setting.”

Despite the intense demands of water polo, the girls are stepping up to the challenge. Coaches and play-ers agree that the team is now in top shape and playing together soundly. The girls are determined to continue their strong play, and the coaches can clearly see it through their work ethic. “I’ve had players come in and do extra swimming and drills,” Leonard said. “As a first time coach, it brought a tear to my eye.” One of Leonard’s motivational techniques to keep the team from becoming discouraged or lazy is to constantly show them their improve-ments throughout the season. She at-tributes this to the fact that when the team sees their countless hours at the pool paying off, the excitement flows onto the next obstacle they have to conquer. Even while having to relent-lessly push their team, the coaches do their best to keep things lighthearted. “Other than yelling at the top of my lungs, I keep the team on track by making sure there is laughter at every practice,” Leonard said. “If we are not having fun, we are not doing it right.”

The girls’ water polo team currently sits at a respectable 5-4 record, but the team is beginning to play to its full potential after a recent win against Boca High, beating their rival 10 to 8. This marks the first time they have beaten Boca High in the last nine years, marking all the prog-ress the girls have made. The girls have been working hard all year un-der coaches Ryan Heigel and Cecilia Leonard, and are beginning to see the benefits. “This season is the best one we have had out of my four years,” cap-tain and senior Nicole Salomone said. “Being able to win the amount of games we did was amazing.” Water polo is a team sport in which the players have to work together in order to move the ball across the pool and score in the opposing team’s goal. Each team has six players and one goalie during a game. The game is split into four, seven minute, quar-

Photos courtesy of Devin Goldring

S P O R T S 19May 2014The Galleon

Unique ways To feel the PAIN and make the GAINSarah GrubmanSports Editor

One can find an eclectic variety of people walking through the halls of Spanish River. One of the most notable and stereotypically labeled clicks on campus is the jocks. Jocks are typically perceived as those who play basketball, soccer, football, and many other well-known sports. However exercise has transformed from just all American sports to a landscape of intense and unconventional work outs such as cross-fit and pilates. Now, it is not

always necessary for students to be athletically gifted or interested in playing a sport to get a great workout, and for students that have become too injured to go back to sports, it is the perfect way to keep in shape and stay active. “After experiencing an injury while running a half marathon a little over a year ago, I found it difficult to fully get back into any sports,” junior Julia Knight said. “Pilates has been such a life saver as it has kept me active without putting any stress on my knee.” Junior Kyla Rakoczy also enjoys doing Cross Fit when she is not playing lacrosse. “The lacrosse team goes to Evolution Fitness for preseason,” Rakoczy said. “Few breaks

are given so you see the results

you want much faster than with traditional training.” Knight frequently goes to a pilates studio called Pure Barre. Compared to normal pilates this

consists of movements that are quicker and more

energetic, aiming to target areas like the

abs and legs. “My favorite part is the ab sprints,” Knight said. “It is such a good way

to target areas that are normally very

hard to reach.” Compared to Pure

Barre, Cross Fit is more focused on cardio and strength conditioning. At Evolution Fitness participants do weightlifting inside and then cardio outside. The intensity of Cross Fit allows for a rigorous environment that ensures results. “The best part about Cross Fit is the intensity,” Rakoczy said. “The trainers

incorporate many different components that make it unique.” Students at River not only participate in Cross Fit and pilates, but many also frequently partake in spinning at Spincity or take exercise classes at Orange Theory Fitness. Both make exercise attainable for those who want an unorthodox way to work out. Team sports are not the only way to bond with friends and make new ones. These unconventional work outs are taking River by storm and altering the definition and scenery of what is normally referred to as exercise. The possibilities of working out are expanding and changing like never before and River is following the trend.

SportS

Both teachers and students at Spanish River have become “gym rats”-working out almost every day and taking supplements alongside to enhance their routines. Whether it is protein, multi-vitamins, or creatine, these supplements have become a necessity to those trying to bulk up at the gym. It remains controversial, however, whether or not they actually help to improve muscle strength. Sophomore Jake Kantor works out every day at the gym for almost two hours. Kantor is a member of LA Fitness. The supplements that he takes include EVL pre-workout and Whey protein isolate flavored vanilla after his workout. “Pre-workout increases my pump and allows me to have a longer workout and Whey protein helps to give a quicker recovery and build lean muscle,” Kantor said. Kantor does not have a set workout routine, but tries to work on each muscle one to two times a week. The muscles that he likes to strengthen the most are his legs and chest because he receives the biggest pump from doing those muscles and are the primary muscles in the gym

Michael BenrubiSports Editor

that every bodybuilder must work on. Despite taking a schedule with mostly honors classes this year, Kantor

still finds time to get into the gym almost

every day.

“ I t is definitely difficult to balance both schoolwork and heading over to the gym,” Kantor said. “I am able to finish my homework before or after my workout depending on the day.” Kantor is able to ingest his supplements in unique ways, including his famous “protein pancakes” and by eating Quest protein bars, which are both high in protein and are commonly thought of as “very delicious and nutritious.” This lifestyle is not only limited to students. T V p r o d u c t i o n teacher Randy Weddle goes to the gym about four times a week, working out at an LA

Fitness gym in Lake Worth. Weddle does not keep healthy by only going to the gym. For the last four years, he has been on a Paleolithic diet, which i s

based on the presumed diet of

Paleolithic humans. This diet consists of meats, fish,

nuts, fruits, and vegetables. It contains no dairy or grains. The only supplement Weddle intakes is protein powder.

When Weddle skips a meal on a day that he is working

out, he will usually have a protein shake after his workout routine. “Protein is the basis for building muscle,” Weddle said. “You have to have

protein.” Weddle claims that

supplements such as pre, during, or post workout

drinks are a waste of money and are unhelpful. “So many kids see these supplements

in muscle magazines and buy them right away thinking it will make them bigger and stronger,” Weddle said. “When truthfully, these substances are expensive and don’t show the results they are hoping for.” Weddle may be right about this. According to answerfitness.com, sales of sports, diet, and bodybuilding supplements-as well as energy/sports drinks and specialty

diet foods topped $19.6 billion as of 2007. This has become a huge industry growing at an extremely fast rate. One can pay up to $75 just for one set of supplements. Alex Zinchenko of roughstrength.com brings up the valid point that the bodybuilders of the past did not rely on supplements back in their day and were still able to build muscle through eating healthy and working out often. Having a supplement such as protein or multivitamin has become a necessity for students and teachers at River trying to show off their guns around the school. Weddle hopes to promote healthy living and end childhood obesity. He is competing in the “Ultimate Guy Search” on menshealth.com. For those over the age of 18, show support and vote for him.

Beef Up or GET OUT

Photos Courtesty of Michaele Benrubi and lululemon.comArt by michela mugnato

Do you like cardio workouts?

Yes

Yoga

No

Outdoor

Indoor

Do you like instruction?

Yes

No

CrossFit Gym

Do you like working out indoors or outdoors?

Art by michela mugnato

18 May 2014The Galleon

Which athletic apparel suits you?Do you prefer work-ing out in a group or individually?

Group

Individually

WaterSports

Do you like to incorpo-rate weights into your workout?

No

Noah ZylberbergStaff Reporter Sports play an imperative role in the lives of many high school stu-dents. Whether playing in a football or basketball game, or just attending a school-sporting event, sports are a way of creating friendships through hardships. What many students fail to see beyond their scope, are the sports that are not school-endorsed: the untraditional sports. Many students who do not play on school teams have a team of their own outside of school. These sports do not receive the recognition of Coach Mac on the morning announcements, but are still an integral part of cultivating student life at Spanish River. Horseback riding is a sport that requires agility as well as focus. “It’s extremely hum-bling; not even the best horseback riders do well because you are work-ing with an animal,” junior Hannah Bentz said. “When you do well, especially with a challenging horse, it is extremely rewarding.” Bentz rides at Wall Street Farm in Wellington and started riding after she went on a trail ride in Utah when she was just seven years old. Horse-back riding can be a very challeng-ing sport because, unlike football, it is reliant on an unpredictable animal. Besides horseback riding, gym-nastics is a sport that is often looked over. It requires immense amounts of concentration and flexibility. Senior

Brooke Sievers started gymnastics at just three years old and quit when she was thirteen. “I was the highest level in my gym so all the pressure was on me,” Sievers said. “It was so much to handle and I also want-ed more time to s p e n d w i t h friends.” This happens to be the case with m a n y up and c o m i n g athletes. The pres-

sure put on these young students can often end up doing more harm than good. Sievers also believes that there should be more recognition for the sport because people are able to find their passion in sports that may not be offered at River. Now, she is a coach at the same gym she used to compete in, which shows her dedica-

tion to gymnastics. Another sport that many may look over is surfing. Catching that one wave can be the greatest feeling in the world. “I started surfing because I thought

that it was such a cool sport,” se-nior Aus-tin Reiser said. “If you want to, you can travel the world for d i f f e r e n t swells.” Reiser b e l i e v e s that being

out on the water alone lets you think about things you would never be able to think about in the everyday hectic lives of teens. His favorite part of the sport is that it can clear your head and you can be away from the world. In other words, it is just you and nature. “I think everyone should know what it feels like to be able to surf, but then

again, I like when it’s quiet”, Reiser said. “That’s why I like to night surf, with the sharks.” Surfing can definitely be a danger-ous sport for some as it ties in nature’s unpredictable winds and waves as well as animals. A sport not offered at River, but that can teach a lesson through hardships, is rowing. In the boat, complete syn-chronization is required in order to propel the team to victory. Rowing engages almost all muscles, from the back to the legs, which can make it extremely difficult. “I started last year in July,” junior Gui Leao said. “Rowing is more of a team sport than most sports.” Leao, who rows at North Palm Beach Rowing Club in Juno Beach, has always had a passion for water sports.

It is hard, though, as the nearest rowing club is far away. “The closest club that I could find is the one I am at now, which is forty five minutes from Boca,” Leao said. He believes that there should be more recogni-tion for the sports not of-fered at Spanish River, as do other students that do not engage in school re-lated activities.

Whether horseback riding, gym-nastics, surfing, or rowing, sports not offered in the school curriculum can play an integral role in the lives of stu-dents. Virtually all believe that more people should be aware of the oppor-tunities provided by sports that may not be as well known by the student life at River.

Sporty and Out of the Ordinary:

For a student who enjoys sports, what could be better than spending a summer playing basketball, football, soccer and various other games at one of the many summer camps that specialize in sports activities? A summer of fun, friendly competition and teamwork at one of these camps might just be the perfect solution to a stressful school year. There are many different camps that offer these type of opportunities. Some people want to focus on a particular sport, while others want to

Sam BudneyStaff Reporter

go somewhere that offers a variety of different sports. These camps may differ in the degree of competitiveness, ranging from training for beginners to very competitive for the more athletic students. One sports camp that is popular in South Florida and at Spanish River is Camp Winadu. It is located in a remote area of the Berkshire Mountains in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. This 87-year old camp offers a variety of sports, from the most popular ones, such as basketball and tennis, to secondary sports such as wake boarding and archery. Campers attend for seven weeks. The campers who participate each summer tend to love the

competitiveness and the bonds that are made, and are always encouraged to strive for excellence. “Camp is a place that has inspired me to be the best I can be in everyday life,” sophomore Max Loria said. “I look forward to seeing my best friends every summer.” Another summer camp that is popular amongst students at Spanish River is Six Points Summer Camp in Greensboro, North Carolina on the campus of the American Hebrew Academy. Each session is two weeks, and there are three sessions. Campers can choose a session or stay for the whole summer. There are endless options of sports, ranging from

lacrosse to baseball, and very unique elective activities such as ultimate frisbee, Zumba, and fitness classes. “All the coaches for each sport have endless experience in the field, ranging from former professional players to current professional coaches,” junior Jessie Goodman said. “The goal of the camp is to enhance one’s love for the sport, while allowing them to better themselves as both a person and an athlete. I have improved significantly in basketball, made best friends, and memories I will be able to hold onto for a lifetime.”

Sharks diversify athletics outside of school

Pack the bug spray, it is time for camp

Photos courtesy of Austin reiser, hannah bentz, and gui leao

Art by Michaela mugnatto

S P O R T S 17May 2014The Galleon

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May 2014The GalleonFeATUReS 15

It always happens at the most inopportune times. Everyone experiences them at least once; others lives consist of them. They have the power to make one shudder or even want to move countries; behold, ‘awkward moments.’ Zac Effron might have made it work for him in “That Awkward Moment,” but there are some Spanish River students who are still living with their embarrassing moments to this day. When asked to share her uncomfortable moments, junior Marlee Speizman claimed there were “too many” to say, but decided to share her testing mishap. “There’s a certain amount of points given on the PSAT for just correctly bubbling your name,” Speizman said. “I happened to bubble in my own name wrong.” Junior Miles Fertel is no stranger to the awkward moment and has plenty of awkward experiences to go around.

“I saw my friend in the hallway so I went to give them a surprise hug but it turns out it some random girl who had the same jacket as my friend,” Fertel said. “Another time in HOPE, I was shooting a basketball when it missed the net and hit this girl’s head who was just passing by.” Although many occur here, awkward moments are not confined within River’s walls. They also seem to make an appearance in students’ dating lives as well. “I had been dating this girl for about two months when I accidentally called her by her twin sister’s name,” junior Sammy Boursiquot said. Junior Jorge Clavo can sympathize, seeing that he experienced a similar dilemma. “One time I was texting all this personal stuff about myself liking this girl to my friend,” Clavo said. “But it turned out the person I was texting was the girl I liked at the time, which was interesting.” From awkward to just plain embarrassing, these moments keep coming full speed ahead. Either way, it is best to embrace the awkward moment and own it.

Photos By Carly Mackler

all Art By Michela Mugnatto

Photos courtesy of Madeline rothman and Deb Carter

Shark Tale: River’s Bloopers

Spanish River students know how to take advantage of their well-deserved Spring Break. Whether students were looking for an adventurous trip, a historic sight-seeing trip, or a bonding trip among friends; there was something for everyone this

Spring Break. Business teacher Deb Carter and six Spanish River students were Costa Rica bound this spring break. It was an adventurous trip where they got to experience kayaking on the base of a volcano, horseback riding along the La Fortuna waterfall, and zip lining through the mountains. “Zip lining was amazing,” junior Lauren Stein said. “You go from mountain to mountain and feel like you are flying. You got to see all of Costa Rica from the mountains.” In addition to the beautiful sites and incredible excursions, this trip provided the opportunity for Spanish River students to build friendships with teens from other high schools.

Julia ArtziStaff Reporter

Lauren VillanuevaFeatures Editor

“My favorite thing on this trip was to see the girls from Spanish River make new friends from other schools,” Carter said. Technology can bring the world to the classroom, but there is nothing like experiencing a foreign land in person. AP Human Geography teacher Kevin Turner, English teachers Barbra Boerstler and Marcy Kunf led the spring break trip to London, Paris, and Munich. “The experiences I have had on this trip are ones I will never forget,” junior Jake Artzi said. He said his favorite part of the trip was the view of Paris from the Eiffel Tower. Furthermore, the kids on the trip experienced seeing historic and famous sites first-hand. “It was amazing to see sites you learned about in school,” Artzi said. Next year is sure to bring incredible trips for River students to venture on. In 2015, River is going all across the globe again. Some of these destinations include Australia and New Zealand and Japan.

SPRING BREAKS GONE GLOBAL

Madeline Rothman and Monica Aber pose in front of the snowy Neuschwanstein Castle.

Lindsey Koolik and Lauren Stein enjoy kayaking in Lake Arenal in Costa Rica.

Op/ED Op/ED6 May 2014The Galleon

life reflections with Lindsay

Kelsey’s KornerArt by michela mugnatto

Fastpass to Annoyance

Kelsey Spyker Editor-in-Chief

Lindsay Mangines Editor-in-Chief

Art by michela mugnatto

I have been to Disney World at least 50 times in the past 12 years. Do I ask for these visits? No. Do I have any younger siblings who would ask for these visits? No. It is my lovely parents who ask for these visits. My family just does not go to Disney, we “Go” to Disney. In the summer we stay ten days. Ten days in the blistering heat of Orlando, Florida. The amount we spend going to Disney, we could take a trip to England (like I have always wanted to since I was little) or go on a cruise for ten days and stay in the Presidential Suite. But, sadly this is not the case and I spend over a week in the Magic Kingdom with Mickey Mouse. How I have put up with these trips since I was four, I have no clue. I know every inch of the four theme

parks like the back of my hand and know precisely where every camera is placed in every ride. Most families travel to exotic places during the summer and when school starts my peers tell these fascinating tales of their travels, but for me the most exotic I get is the taking the boat down Kali River Rapids in “Africa.” I guess you could say that I did travel around the world, even if it was just in Epcot. When attending Disney theme parks, most families get up at the crack of dawn, get to the park for the opening, and then wait all day in one line to ride Space Mountain once. My family, on the other hand, does the complete opposite. We sleep in, lounge by the pool, and then take the boat from the Wilderness Lodge over to the Magic Kingdom around 4 in the afternoon until 2 in the morning–riding Space Mountain 20 times. How is this all possible? The magical experience of staying at a Disney hotel. By staying on Disney property, mouseketeers have the opportunity,

through extra magic hours, to enter the park before it opens officially to the public and to stay after the park closes on select days. (Spyker Tip: Stay on Disney property next time you attend, you will save yourself a lot of hassle and transportation is always free!) My family could write The Spyker Guide to a Magical Vacation at Disney World. Last fall, we were asked to be a test family for the new magic band program that allows visitors to reserve rides ahead of time. We, of course, have annual passes which means we can go to Disney anytime we want. We are practically on a first name basis with the employees. One of the reasons I actually agree to go every three months is for the food. Of the many wonderful things Disney has to offer, their food is by far the best. Yes, the rides are fun the first 100 hundred times but by 101 I am done. It is not a pirate’s life for me after all. The food, though, is good every time and I look forward to the selections

every three months. Each park has their own specialties, my favorites include the fried rice at Animal Kingdom, the Dole Whip ice cream at Magic Kingdom, and the Mickey shaped pretzels sold on every corner of each park. (Spyker Tip: Although the turkey legs may look enticing, they truly are not...stick to the turkey legs you eat on Thanksgiving). Ultimately, Disney World is my second home. I know I can go there and always have a great time. Disney brings out the child inside everyone, that is why my parents enjoy going so much. Next year when I am off to college, I know exactly where I will be able to find my parents. I wouldn’t ask for my summers and winters and springs and falls to be any different. Disney has become part of me. So, guess where I will be this summer. Do I really have to tell you?

They are the bittersweet ending to every year of high school; they hang elusively in our minds starting the middle of August; they are the only thing standing between us and Summer: AP Exams. Personally, my AP class load has doubled since last year, as I am now a junior enrolled in six AP classes. While you would think that after taking so many of these exams throughout high school I would have mastered this studying pro-cess by now, I am beginning to think it is the opposite. This year especially has brought on even more stress than usual due to the fact I am taking make-up exams for three of these six classes, as I will be missing the original test dates since they conflict with DECA Nationals. What makes this annoy-ance even worse is the fact that my two hardest exams are now on the same day; and, to amplify my aggra-vation, I now must take an exam on

my birthday. Instead of focusing on my new age and being filled with birthday wishes, I am expecting May 23rd this year to be more centered around my AP number and “good lucks” from test-ing proc-tors. Another p r o b l e m with tak-ing six AP c l a s s e s is that d e c i d -ing how to even b e g i n studying is a major issue. Do I start with the exam I am taking first? Or do I begin with my h a r d e s t AP? Or do I review a little of each sub-ject every day? As if these questions don’t bring enough panic to my study-ing process, my mode of studying is

even trickier to decide. Should I read a review book to review the material? Or is it a better idea just to do practice problems in order to put the concepts into context? My general ineptitude at

d e c i -s i o n making l e a d s me to want to i g n o re t h e s e difficult q u e s -tions by just not s t u d y at all. Un-doubt-e d l y , t h i s w o u l d be the easiest r o u t e

to take, but I can’t justify working hard all year just to slack off come time of the exam. I have only recently really learned the importance of these

It’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to exams and I am determined to put forth my best efforts in studying to prove, not to college and not to my teachers, but to myself that with com-mitment comes success. When scores come out in July, I would much rather be proud of the numbers I see magni-fied across my computer screen, any-where from one to five (but hopefully toward the higher end of the number scale), than regretful for not fully ded-icating myself to these exams. I try to keep this in mind as motivation to prop open a review book every now and then or periodically try a couple practice problems. So as these few weeks approach, I try not to stress, but to rationalize my studying. While I am still over-whelmed, it may be a blessing in disguise that I am taking make-up exams, since I now have more time to do the studying I have so far put off. Clearly, there is little advice that I can give for underclassmen about AP exams other than that they do mean something. It would be a good idea to pay attention in every class start-ing Day 1, so that AP review is indeed a review, not a frantic cram of the entire year.

Op/ED Op/ED 7May 2014 The Galleon

Ask AshleyI’m late...I’m late...for a very important date

Being the overly cautious and extremely paranoid person that I am, I set about five alarms each night, with approximately two minute time intervals between each one to avoid falling back asleep and being late to school. This is especially due to the fact that I go to bed every night at 1 am at the earliest, getting an unfathomable five-hour night of sleep every day. I guess my OCD self was elsewhere on the one night my obsession actually mattered! I decided that for this past ACT that I was going to go to bed at 10 o’clock to avoid all possible complications. Little did I know that could have possibly been one of the worst decisions of my high school career. As I settled into bed and placed my phone on my nightstand, I was constantly awoken by multiple texts that made my phone vibrate louder than ever and made screen bright enough to penetrate through my closed eyelids. My sudden frustration led me to turn my phone on airplane

Ashley Roth Editor-in-Chief

mode in order to hinder the texts from coming through so that I could finally fall asleep. Thinking I had plenty of time to sleep in comparison to my usual five hours, I only set one alarm in hopes of waking up to it very well rested. Well, morning came and I awoke to a silent house. Feeling great, I turned to my clock and nearly had a heart attack as I glared at the screen that read 7:58 am. Keep in mind that the ACT begins (that means in your desk, pencil in hand) at 8:00 am. On the verge of tears I screamed down the hallway at my mom (who was completely oblivious to the fact that I even had a test that morning), threw on yoga pants and the first shirt I could find, and sprinted to my car at approximately 8:02. The makeup

that remained on my face from the night before was literally the only thing saving me from looking like a completely unrecognizable version of

myself that day. I proceeded to drive at a much higher speed than I am willing to admit down Jog Road and reached a red light at which my leg was shaking uncontrol lably as I looked at the clock that read 8:07. A sharp turn into the teacher parking lot and a very poor

parking job later, I had arrived at 8:10. A full-on Olympic sprint down campus landed me at the door to my testing room about 30 seconds later. I caught my breath and swallowed my pride as I opened the door to the room. Had I arrived two minutes later I would not have been permitted into the room, so it is safe to say that my luck was

overwhelming that day. About halfway through the math section I realized that I had not even eaten breakfast. Nor did I expect to perform very well on the test considering the fact that I was dead asleep about ten minutes before I started taking it. When it was finally over and I left to turn on my phone, I noticed that it was still on airplane mode. Turning that off, my phone flooded with about 40 texts from my friends (Lindsay in particular) who were freaking out about the fact that I was going to sleep through it. Had I just kept my phone on vibrate the night before I would have woken up to one of the ten missed calls that I never received until after the fact. Therefore, if you ever go through a similar situation, remember that you should always set at least five alarms and NEVER put your phone on airplane mode the night before a future-determining test.

On the first day of my kindergar-ten class circa 2001, I sat down in my desk to embark on a journey that would encompass 12 years of sleep deprivation, cluelessness in the classroom, lasting friend-ships, memorable travels, ter-rible (and terrific) teachers, and lifelong friendships. As I looked around at the other nervous stu-dents around me, my Kindergar-ten teacher wrote a number up on the chalkboard (they didn’t have SmartBoards back then) that read “1,920”. “That number”, she said, “represents the amount of days of grade school that you will go through in your entire educational lifetime”. As we sat in our seats with both anxious-ness and awe, we were com-pletely oblivious to the countless 6:00 a.m. mornings ahead of us,

the hours upon hours of home-work, and the countless days spent contemplating whether we should drop out of school and become a professional athlete. As I am writing this, I am now only 25 days away from the end. I am not a professional athlete, I have wasted more college-ruled paper than I have food, and I am currently running on four hours of sleep. With this number in mind, I have nothing else to say other than, “what happened to the past four years of my life?” It seems as if every year before my freshman year went pretty slow and easy, yet the time I have spent in high school seems like someone took a TiVo remote and fast-forwarded my life to the maximum of four arrows. I remember freshman year as if it was yesterday- I began to realize that if you look up at the teacher but daze off, it still looks as if you are paying attention; that Friday night high-school football wasn’t

the same as it was hyped u p to be; and that you actually have to put in some effort to do well in school. High school was a rude awakening for me based on the amount of effort required my freshman year, but it proved to shape me into the hardworking and motivated person that I am today (for every semester but the second-semester of my senior year). Most importantly, however, four years ago I decided to do something that would change my entire high school experi-ence. I applied for The Galleon newspaper. These past three years on the newspaper has taught me life lessons and has led me to pursue a career and major in Journalism. The past Editors and Editors-in-Chief who had guided and taught me how to be successful as the first singular Ed-itor-in-Chief in eight years really made an impact on who I am as both a writer and person. I would

I'm just Josh-ing with you one last time

It ’s great to be a Florida Gatorlike to thank this year’s staff for cooperating with me and being one of the best staffs I could ever ask for. Most importantly, how-ever, I would like to thank Ms. Sanders. She has helped me and been with me through it all- the late night text messages freaking out about our latest newspaper issue, rants about Jeremy Frei-man, or even just for kind words when I needed it most. She is one of the most impactful people to be apart of my educational career and I am very happy to have her there for me in my edu-cational life. Lastly, I would like to thank all my friends, family teachers, and counselors- I wouldn’t be where I am today without your help and guidance. With that, I give you my best advice- find something you love and take control of it. These four years will go by extremely fast, so take advantage of the opportunities that you have in front of you before it’s too late.

Josh BenrubiBaby Gator

Art by michela mugnatto

Image courtesy of Twitter

13May 2014The GalleonFeATUReS

Sydney LuntzFeatures Editor

Extreme Makeover: SAT EditionAdams who divide the year teaching math and English. The class informs students of techniques and popular question forms. The underlying question is, is this class really enough to receive a score depicting the best of a students academic abilities? “The SAT prep class was able to give me a vague idea of the SAT’s form,” junior Alex Njuyen said. “But

regardless of the great

teaching, a student still needs to do additional studying including purchasing an SAT book or getting a tutor.” With the concerns of this strenuous assessment CollegeBoard just recently partnered with Khan Academy in order to provide upcoming SAT takers

words the night before analysis will be over also, because the vocabulary words will no longer be so obscure. College Board is striving to terminate

the exam for its lack of relation to school studies and taxing

preparation requirements. The new SAT will be

implemented in the 2016 school year. “The SAT making these changes is

a great thing,” freshman Kate

Rosenstein said. “Now it can improve my chances of getting into a college of my

choice.” The SAT

h a s created a c o l o s s a l a n d

unneeded additional amount of p r e s s u r e

on a young s t u d e n t s life.   The SAT Will make a significant c h a n g e to better a s t u d e n t s c h a n c e s of a score depicting their intelligence. The worry is over.

One acronym, three letters, and few accepted scores. The SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test) has become and been a fear of high schoolers for countless years. The worry of feeling unprepared or as if a hardworking teenager’s entire future is at risk because of a four digit score. Well, all of that is about to change. According to CEO David Coleman, the number one concern was the intimidating costs that all families of any income must face in o r d e r f o r t h e i r child to be well

prepared f o r the exam. “The SAT was unfair for me,” junior N i c o l i n a Boykin said, “I wasn’t able to get a tutor and half of my grade could.” If a tutor is unavailable then Spanish River accommodates Juniors for their SAT needs in the SAT prep class run by Shelly Brewer and Monica

with free tutoring. The improved test will contain categories of, evidence-based reading and writing, math and an optional essay. The goal of this new and improved test is to avoid the guessing that students feel forced to make.

CollegeBoard would rather focus on the justification of answers opposed to the process of elimination. Following up with the next adjustment, no more tricks and games. All the confusion and doubt you have in your answers is over. Remembering two hundred and fifty

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8 May 2014The Galleon ARTS & ENTERTA INMENT

Eliana LandowArts & Entertainment Editor

River’s film sensations: Kravitz and Bergman

Photos Courtesy of Palm Beach Illustrated

Art By Michaela Mugnato

Photos Courtesy of Tamara Dobry, Alex Hilliard, and Matthew Salguero

This past month, Spanish River’s own WSRH has made a name for itself, as two rising filmmakers proved that happiness lives on when you do what you love. Seniors Chandler Kravitz and Julie Bergman represent-ed the school at the 2014 Student Showcase of Films. The annual inter-national film festival honors artists competing for top prize in a wide range of categories from feature and short film, screenwriting, and anima-tion, to scholarship opportunities. One of those prestigious scholarships was the Burt Reynolds Scholarship, which recognized Kravitz. The com-petition itself required a self-written letter about why candidates were deserving of the award, a letter of recommendation, and a five-minute demo reel along with a description, showcasing their talents. “Making the reel was a really enjoyable experience,” Kravitz said. “I included works I did in actual jobs I took part in like working with a Dis-ney producer. I also got the chance to interview Mario Andretti, a pro-fessional racecar driver. At the same time, it was hard because you watch old films that you did over and over and you look back and wish you could have done things better.” Being selected as one of the four

finalists entailed a little celebrity treatment. The students were picked up from their schools by a limo and brought to Burt Reynolds’ house to meet him personally for an interview.

“Everyone was great and I was privi-leged to get to speak with such a leg-endary actor,” Kravitz said. What started out as a new school two years back, turned into a place of inspiration for this amateur filmmak-er. He joined WSRH TV production as a sophomore and began filming air-

soft tournaments and posting them to Youtube. He took suggestions and soon his videos began to reach a larger audience. From that point on, he was

hooked. “I said to myself I want to continue doing this,” Kravitz said. “I love film-ing.” He did just that. One year ago at the beginning of February, he went and got an internship at a small col-lege news station, where he met Dis-

ney producer Gregory James Blount. Within a few months, he landed his first job in the film industry where other names coined their fame. “Every great dream begins with

a dreamer and mine is to pursue filming in the future beyond what I’ve done,” Kravitz said. Julie Bergman also shares in the pride, placing second in the feature/short film category for her film “Bright Eyes.” Inspired by her grandmother and the love she has for her family, she created the film as a tribute to both her grandpar-ents. “My grandma passed away when I was in fourth grade and we were really close,” Bergman said. “Family is really important to me.” Bergman devotes a lot of her suc-cess to the encouragement from her friends along with the skills she learned throughout the years. “WSRH taught me everything I know,” Bergman said. “We work with really nice equipment and brand new editing software. Not to mention the most supportive teacher ever, Mr. Weddle.”

Continuing on with her passion is part of the plan for this bright eyed filmer. She is attending Temple Uni-versity after being accepted into their media and communications school.

Benny DinnerStaff Reporter

With today’s society constantly on social media such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter everyone feels like a photographer. With one simple click of a button, the image someone just captured is off to the Internet to be seen by hundreds, if not thou-sands of people. But the true art form of photography is much more than that. “Although people can post pho-tos of their daily lives on social media, there is a whole other world that needs to be photo-graphed, a world that the average person wouldn’t be able to shoot,” senior Alex Hilliard. “These are things such as war zones or dangerous wild-life.” Photographers are vital to society because they have the passion to break barriers and produce images that no typical person can.”

Sophomore Matthew Salguero agrees with Hilliard. “It is an art and I think art will al-ways have an important role in society to provide inspiration to the public,” Salguero said. “Pho-tographers are the ones provid-ing the pictures you find on the internet from social networks to mag-azines and newspapers.” These student photographers want to make a sustainable career out of their passion for capturing images. In order to make this dream a real-ity these student photographers are constantly improving upon their skills. Half the battle is the tools used. Salguero uses a Nikon D3100 to ful-fill his wishes while Hilliard uses a Canon Rebel XSI. They have to use equipment that is comfortable to them, what feels like not just a tool or instrument but a third eye, an extension of their own bodies. While the modern advances in technol-ogy have allowed for revolutionary advances in this field, sometimes

old school is the way to go. Hilliard knows this and uses a Canon AE-1 to capture her breathtaking images using the retro method of film and film developing. Junior Tamara Dobry also has an interest in becoming a photographer. “It’s really hard to explain how pho-tography can really help the world because it is so commonly taken for granted,” Dobry said. “I think it can be used as a tool to reveal social and political problems. Photography can also serve as a form of self-expression. “Sometimes I just take pictures because it captures my mood more accurately than if I were to use words,” Dobry said. “It’s something that no one can call bad or good art; it’s all in the perception of the viewer.” This profession, as well as many others, requires a level of motivation only present in those who have the passion and the will to pursue their ideals. It also is thanks to the inspir-ing works of others. Salguero was

motivated by the works of noted art-ists Ansel Adams and Mario Testino. The students are motivated and inspired but not just by people but by everything that they have come into contact with whether it is an object, a feeling or even an event. For photog-raphers, motivation and inspiration is everywhere and they capture it using their camera. For these young photographers their dreams may vary, but their goal remains the same. That is to allow others to experience the very joy and wonder that they have felt since the dawn of their career in photography. This is the one thing that all photog-raphers have in common and no one can take that away from them.

Lights, camera, action

5May 2014The GalleonFACE-OFF

Jessie Goodman Junior

Although the hardworking students at Spanish River deserve high praise and recognition for their achievements, class rank is not the way to go. By limiting students to a number in our “River intellectual hierarchy,” it depicts an unrealistic picture that’s not so pretty. From personal experience, I was ranked #38 at the end of my freshman year. I tried my hardest to crack the top 20, but I ended up psyching myself out and it tanked. (It’s not that bad, but you bet I lost my slot in the top 5%). The obsession was not worth it, and sometimes you just can’t control where life takes you. Bottom line, we’re all different. Some are book smart, some are street smart. Some are brilliant test takers, others just aren’t. And just because someone takes 10+ AP classes and passes an exam, it doesn’t necessarily validate one’s worthiness when we all contribute to the real world outside of high school. Numbers do not determine who you are, and we all have our own strengths and weaknesses. Also, and I know I’ll take heat for this, but we all have those friends who aren’t exactly students of virtue and integrity when it comes to “independent work.” In my opinion, the way we present ourselves in class to our peers and teachers should determine those who truly stand out in their class. Students are people, not numbers.

In all honesty, we high school students are not exactly the most motivated kids when it comes to wanting to do our school work. In fact, procrastination is a big component of our lives. That being said, the idea of class rank is what keeps many students motivated to want to challenge them-selves in school. A numerous amount of us are AP or honor students; but what gives us the motivation to take such a rigorous course load? The answer is the simple yet com-petitive idea of class rank. Rank is an absolute necessity in school because, without it, there will be no incentive to dis-cover one’s potential and capabilities. In addition, rank pro-vides competition and makes the idea of school and grades a bit more exciting. Take sports for example. Where is the excitement, competition, and purpose in sports without a score to keep and a game to be won. If every game ended in a tie and each team received the same praise just for “playing the game,” nobody would want to strive to be the best in the first place. Thus, just like sports need a winner, so does each class; and rank successfully provides that pur-pose. Now, I understand that many people do not like rank because it makes others feel superior or inferior to their classmate. But, quite frankly, that is how life works. Rank provides a sense of realism and prepares people for the real world surrounding them. Not everybody can be the best at everything and, with rank, that life lesson is learned (as dif-ficult as it may be to accept). Therefore, rank is just another part of day to day life that should continue to exist.

It has become the dreaded number every students faces at the end of each semester. Class ranking. This number can either be your friend or your foe. Two students share their opinions on this stressful system.

Thankful for your class rank or want it to be tanked?

Gia Doxey Senior

NEWS 3May 2014The Galleon

Kelsey SpykerAshley Roth

Lindsay Mangines

Kelsey SpykerRachel Horn

Lauren VillanuevaAmanda PaigeSydney Luntz

Jack Altman

Eliana LandowOlivia Schiffman

Lindsay ManginesSarah GrubmanMichael Benrubi

Michela Mugnatto

Carly Mackler

Callie Schiffman

Benjamin DinnerMax KozlowskiSam Budney

Noah ZylberbergJulia Artzi

The Galleon is a public forum.The Galleon is a member of the Quill and Scroll Honorary Society for High School Journalists, the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, Florida Scholastic Press Association, and the the National Scholastic Press Association.

Suzanne Sanders

William Latson

NEWSBRIEFS

In years past, Spanish River competed in the Psych Bowl, an academic competition that tests students’ knowledge on different aspects of Psychology. It was due to be held at Lynn University on April 12. It would have been Spanish River’s third year competing in the Psych Brain Bowl and Spanish River was elated to announce that they had been competing in this since this competition started. Around six students were scheduled to compete in this year’s Brain Bowl, one of them being first-timer, junior Alberto Martinez. Martinez loves Psychology and had been preparing for this competition by answering practice review questions. Sadly, due to low school turnout, this was not the case and the event was cancelled. “I was very confident entering the competition because I felt that our team was comprised of the best our

school had to offer in terms of Psychology knowledge,” Martinez said. “The Psych Bowl is set up in a trivia format, where the teams are tested on random categories of Psychology,” President and senior Cindy Niü said. In the competition, each team rings a bell to answer the questions given to them. At the end, the points are added up to determine which teams are the top two and will then compete for first place. Martinez and Niü both agreed that Suncoast High School would have been Spanish River’s biggest competition. Suncoast High has been district champions from the past two years. Even though Suncoast has a good reputation in the Psychology field, “our team looked great and we had a lot of faith in beating Suncoast,” Niü said. Hopefully next year more schools will be involved and Spanish River will take home the top prize.

Coming next year there will be a variety of new classes that Spanish River students will be allowed to take. These classes in-clude Holocaust Studies and Research and AICE Travel and Tourism. Holocaust Stud-ies and Research is a class that will be taught by AP Language teacher Betina Hoffman. This class will be separated into two semes-ters. One semester will be devoted to Holocaust edu-cation and the other semester will be devoted to research about other genocides since that period. “The second semester will focus on a broadening look at genocide in the 21st cen-tury and resulting immigra-tion,” Hoffman said. Even though the Holo-caust studies class will be new to the students next year, former teacher Brigit Clager taught this class many years ago. This class will be taught again because it is

important to increase aware-ness about the Holocaust and other genocides. “I have a moral obligation to teach it,” Hoffman said. “The course is important for moral lessons to be taught because of the growing concern of the eyewitnesses diminishing as the years go on.” The eyewitnesses of the Holocaust are dying, so it is important to learn about their stories before they

are all gone. Students who signed up for the class are interested in the Holocaust “I chose to sign up for the class because the Holocaust is a topic that interests me because I have family mem-bers that survived it,” sopho-more Tara Tabachnick said. The Holocaust studies and

research class will further stu-dent’s knowledge about the Holocaust and other geno-cides. Another new class nest year is the AICE travel and tourism class. This class is an entry-level college class. “This class is about the dif-ferent social and economic factors and the business end to the travel and tourism industry,” AICE business teacher, Cailtin Calenzani

said. “I am teaching this class because of the expanding academy options that AICE has,” Deb Carter said. AICE travel and tourism discusses the travel and tour-ism industry. It also discusses the mar-keting side of tour-ism. “I think the class will be very inter-

esting and give us a whole new view of an indus-try we use so much,” junior Sammy Boursiquot said. These new classes coming next year to River are excel-lent additions that will give students the opportunity to learn something new.

Psyched for the Psych Bowl?

Course selection sheets for grades 9 through 12 offer the new classes for the next school year.

Photo by Carly Mackler

New classes come to curriculum AICE class and Holocaust study to be offered

Callie SchiffmanStaff Reporter

Julia ArtziStaff Reporter

•

ART BY MICHELA MUGNATTO

SIke

The Galleon 2014-2015

PTSA OFFICERS FOR 2014-2015

President: Sheryl StiefelVP Membership: Susan Juliano

VP Volunteers: Lisa SilverVP Programs: Rebecca WassermanVP Fundraising: Sandra Lawson

Treasurer: Kelly JonesSecretary: Komal Sharma

The Young Entrepreneurs Academy run jointly by the Chamber of Commerce and FAU only takes 24 students each year. This is an opportu-nity for business minded stu-dents to be financially backed by local business profession-als if their business ideas are chosen. Last week, Jake Artzi and Kory Wagner were announced the runner up team and Matthew Pohl won first place. Pohl has the opportunity to compete at higher levels with the chance to make $30,000 for his business.

The Foundation Jetta fun-draiser raised $30,000 in net proceeds to ben-efit the students and pro-grams at Spanish River.

Help Mr. Weddle as he fights childhood obesity. He is currently in a con-test for Men’s Health Magazine. If he stays in the top 10 until June 16th, he will fly out to NY for a photo shoot & interview and speak his mind about his cause-childhood obesity.

The Boys’ Volleyball team did very well in Chicago, finishing 13th out of 24 teams. Addison Mertler was named to the all-tournament team.

Volume 30 Issue 6 of Spanish River Community High School’s award-winning student-run newspaper May 2014 galleonnewsonline.com

•

In This Issue: News 1, 3 Op/Ed 6, 7 Feature Focus 10, 11 Arts & Entertainment 8, 9 Features 12, 13, 15 Sports 17, 18, 19, 20

• •

• • •

GalleonThe Galleongalleonnewsonline.com

Boca Raton, FL 33496

Ashley RothEditor-in-Chief

Rachel HornNews Editor

E-Cigarettes go up in smoke

ART BY MICHELA MUGNATTO

ART BY MICHELA MUGNATTO

In recent instances, River has noticed a staggering increase in the use of electronic cigarettes by students. As more research is acquired and its harmful effects are noted, River’s administration, as well as the School District of Palm Beach County, is doing everything in their power to educate students on the dangers of this product to prevent them from using it both in and out of school. “We have noticed a rise in the amount of students having possession and/or use of electronic cigarettes according to our discipline data,” Assistant Principal Katie Armentano said. “When students are caught with them, they seem unaware of the harmful effects.” The School District treats its usage the same way that an offense regarding tobacco

use or possession would be handled. The consequence of being caught with an electronic cigarette in a first offense is a five-day suspension from school. However, if the student agrees to attend a tobacco p r e v e n t i o n program, he or she will only be given a two-day suspension with three days held in abeyance. According to a recent article from Today Health, “there was a 307 percent increase in

total e-cigarette  related poisoning cases from 2012-2013, according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers.” When liquid nicotine comes into contact with the skin or is ingested into one’s body, symptoms such as nausea, rapid heartbeat, vomiting,

elevated blood pressure, and dizziness may arise. In severe cases, seizures may develop that lead to a coma or even death. Unfortunately, some students are naïve to the dangers of this product that

is so often promoted as a way to reduce, and ultimately end, one’s intake of nicotine. “They are easier to get around with,” an anonymous student said. “You can smoke them in other places besides outside.” The variety of flavors that electronic cigarettes offer can

be extremely dangerous as kids and teenagers are more attracted to the product. “They [electronic cigarettes] are better than regular cigarettes because they taste better,” an anonymous student said. “Also, they are

less expensive so you can just refill them without having to buy a whole new pack.” In an effort to educate students on this newly introduced product, the administrators and teachers of River have begun informing students of its harmful effects. The Science department is looking into projects to

display the consequences of its use. Additionally, WSRH students will be incorporating new Public Service Announcements about them on the morning announcements. “We have also been going around to classrooms explaining the consequences

of having electronic cigarettes on campus,” Armentano said. “We would like to have a tobacco/ electronic cigarette awareness day to educate our students.” Many are under the impression that e-cigarettes are “safer.” Luckily, River is avidly working on altering that false perception for the overall safety of its students. “I think e-cigarettes are very harmful because people are not aware of the long term effects from using them since they were just introduced to society,” Armentano said. “People don’t understand all of the additional chemicals that are put into them.” Hopefully, through education and exposure, students will become more aware of this detrimental product and will save both themselves and their peers from reaching a point of no return.

Spanish River students and staff will be bidding farewell to Deb Stenner, the current Academy Coordinator, who will be retiring from educa-tion after this school year. She has been River’s Acad-emy Coordinator for the past seven years. Stenner’s pri-mary responsibilities as Academy Coordinator have been marketing the choice programs to middle schools, mentoring students, creating events for academy students and families, and handling all the paperwork pertaining to the choice programs. “I have chosen to make a change for next year because I have been working in edu-cation for 45 years and it is time to move to something new,” Stenner said. “What I like best about my position is when I see students really enjoy their academy classes

and when they seem to be inspired by them.” One of Stenner’s most memorable moments as Academy Coordinator was when a freshman with C/D average became a straight A student as a senior. Stenner will miss the students most

when she retires. Next year, Jill Rockwell, a guidance counselor at River for the past 16 years, will be taking over Stenner’s posi-tion. “The experience of being a guidance counselor will help me in my new position

because guidance counselors and academy coordinators go hand in hand,” Rockwell said. “I will still be advising students on graduation, aca-demic success, and college and career choices.” When Rockwell found out about the Academy

Coordinator position becom-ing available, she became excited to take on a new task. Rockwell has always been a huge supporter of the acad-emies and knew that she would still get to interact with students, parents, and faculty in a guidance counselor role, but with additional responsi-bilities. “I am most excited for the opportunity to let everyone know how great Spanish River is, to inform people of the great opportunities we have to offer, and to get the word out of all the wonder-ful things that our academy students are doing,” Rockwell said. Stenner’s advice for the new Academy Coordinator is to not only help students who are in need, but also find time to congratulate the kids who are succeeding.

Stenner to retire after 45 years in education

Biotechnology Academy Entrepreneurship Academy

Teacher Education Academy Gilder Lehrman Academy

• •

ARTS & ENTERTA INMENT 9May 2014The Galleon

from the confines of their room. “I watched it live online most of the weekend,” sophomore Alyssa Kane said. “ It was more affordable than actually going.” Though watching it online was nothing compared to the real festival, it was a good alternative. This gave students the opportunity to listen to the music, without paying the ticket prices. Watching Ultra online does not substitute for the experience, but it seems some students want to go for the astonishing artists that perform at the festival. “Hardwell killed it,” senior Arturo Rojas said. “It was one of my favorite performances.” Known for its amazing music, Ultra did not disappoint with perfor-mances by Borgore, Afrojack, Zedd and many more well-known artists. These artists performed at differ-ent times on different stages. Some might think it would get hectic trying to go and see all of the different per-formances. According to some River students, the area around the stages

were so crowded that walking was a tough task. The mass amount of peo-ple created a different type of atmo-sphere at the music festival. The unique atmosphere was not al-ways a good thing. Though the com-ments about Ultra were generally positive, some students had negative remarks. “The atmosphere of Ultra was dif-ferent compared to other music fes-tivals,” sophomore Stephanie Scerb said. “It was not as friendly; you could tell which people were there because of the music or because they thought it was cool.” Not every student went to the festi-val to hear the music. People believe it is cool to attend Ultra. Like Coachella, some students just attended the music festival to brag that they went even though they themselves barely like the music. This attitude takes away from the actual music lovers who go to the festival to appreciate the music. “One of my favorite things at fes-

tivals is meeting new people,” Scerb said. “I met a guy who took an 18-hour flight from Australia to go to Ultra. It is awesome to meet people who like the music as much as you do.” Nevertheless River students thor-oughly enjoyed their time at Ultra. The positive comments outweighed the negative ones. “It was my first time at Ultra,” senior Mariah Zakharia said. “I had an amazing time.” Overall, Ultra positively enchant-ed the students at River. “It was the best weekend of the year so far,” junior Carlos Scerb said. “Jack U and Hardell were my favorite performances.” Ultra is a music festival that peo-ple treasure and brag about attend-ing. It is predicted from the positive responses of the students this year that even more will attend the festi-val in 2015.

Olivia SchiffmanArts & Entertainment Editor

It is the music festival everybody has been talking about. Whether one has actually experienced it or not, Ultra is known to be one of the ulti-mate music festival of the year. Renowned for its outstanding perfor-mances and out-of-control fashion, Ultra was as wild this year as noted in the past. Living up to its name, Ultra has captivated the attention of many students at River. A multitude of River students attended the sold-out three-day and two-night festival held from March 28th- 30th. With Ultra conflicting with school hours, some students opted to go to Ultra instead of attending school. These students were absent on the Friday as Ultra began and again the following Monday. The $500 dollar ticket prices weighed more in stu-dents’ minds than just a couple of absences. This expensive ticket fee had some students only wishing to attend as they viewed the live stream

Art By Michela Mugnatto

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Technology is truly taking over the entire world. Most taxes, purchases, entertainment, and news comes from phones and computers. At Spanish River, the times they are a changing and as schools slowly saunter out of the so-called chalk board era, teachers and students continue to have differ-ing views on whether the new technol-ogy will help or hurt what goes on in the classroom each day. Now, there are countless studies that have proven that students who use technology in school score over 400 points higher on their SATs. There are also studies that show that high school students who incorporate technology into their education are 85% more like-ly to graduate college in four years. Let’s compare River to High Technol-ogy High School in Lincroft, New Jer-sey. There, and at many high schools across the country, the teachers have begun to implement a comprehen-sive ipad program designed to make student textbooks, notes, recordings, and online sites available at the click of a button. It is as if these schools are in another world. Each student carries around an iPad and some notebook paper for when their hands get tired of typing. At schools like High Technology High School and in over 600 districts nation-

wide, teachers and students alike are using the technological advancements they have been given. It seems River is at a different stage of technological development entirely. “I think that an overload of technol-ogy in the classroom will hurt and dis-tract studens,” Algebra teacher Betsey Visnick said.  “If we continue to use new technology in the classroom it could possibly hamper our students from learning the material.”  Teachers here at River seem to be divided.  There are those who are more vested and feel it is best to stick to the ways they have been teaching for over twenty years.  While this strategy may work in their individual classes, it seems as if a new class of younger more pro-gressive teachers who feel it is neces-sary to incorporate technology into the classroom are forming.  “Technology is a vital aspect of both daily life and teaching nowadays, “ AP Human Geography teacher Kevin Turn-er said.  “If we deprive students of what they are most comfortable with (tech-nology), how do we expect them to want to learn?”.  Both Turner and Visnick make their respective points well, however it seems that their arguments are lacking when it comes to one thing.  What do the students want? That seems to be the jackpot question each year, which  seems to constant-ly elude teachers of all kinds.   It seems that more and more we avoid what the

students need to succeed and focus on what our teacher feel most comfort-able doing. “I think I can speak for all students when I say that we want to see more technology in our daily classes,” sophomore Ben Blakesberg said. “It would keep us all more interested and involved in classroom activities and discussions.”    It is so vital to look at what our stu-dents think on this issue.  Aren’t they our next generation of leaders? Aren’t they our future? “If we can get teachers to use more technology in the classroom, it will benefit our entire school population,” junior Vanessa Rosales said. “Technol-ogy can make our school more cohe-sive and it would function better in the long run.” River students are unified in the fact that they believe technology will keep them more active and interested in what is going on in the classroom.  This is an opinion unlike many of our teach-ers, which has proved to be a source of conflict in the classroom each day.       We tend not to give our students much credit when it comes to learning but maybe it is time that we rethink our options of whether a chalkboard or an iPad can be best used to help River stu-dents succeed.        This is not a question that The Gal-leon wants to answer but one that should be left up to you, the reader.

Jack AltmanFeature Focus Editor

Feature FocusThe GalleonMay 2014 10

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TRY THIS: WHEN OUT TO EAT

WITH YOUR FRIENDS, PLACE

ALL CELL P HONES IN THE MID-

DLE OF THE TABLE, FACE DOWN

AND THE F IRST ONE TO CHECK

THEIR PHONE HAS TO PAY THE BILL

TECHNOLGY &

SOCI ALIZING

technology in class: the great debate

TECHN OLOGY TAKE OVER

FLAPPY BIRD

DOODLE JUMP

2048

CANDY CRUSH

All Art by Michela MugnattoGraphics Courtesy of Google Images

Today’s society has played a tre-mendous role in the lives of every-one around the world. This genera-tion has been given a vast amount of opportunities at their fingertips and it is no secret that high school students at Spanish River are glued to their lat-est smartphones or computers most of the day. This constant obsession can go both ways; either persistently checking Instagram and Twitter, or obsessively refreshing Edline reports.

“Technology helps me stay organized a lot in my daily life,” senior Adriana Diaz said. “I check Edline to find out assignments and grades and upcoming projects.” Many people see technology in a dif-ferent light and believe it is used more

as a distraction than a tool for school and other academic

purposes. Either argument is valid, but one thing is clear: face-to-face commu-nication has drastically decreased due to the rapid influx of technology. “Texting often times causes misun-derstandings,” Diaz said. “It would be better if cell phones were limited in order to have more personal conversa-tions with people.” Distraction with cell phones can cause major problems with school and grades. Updating Twitter feeds or Instagram pictures during class can lead to disciplinary issues as well as problems with grades. Diaz also point-ed out the main reason for this d i s - traction: social media. “In modern times

people rely so heavi-ly on getting all of t h e i r informa-t i o n f r o m

s o -c i a l m e -d i a

t h a t t h e y

t e n d to stay on it

for hours at a time,” Diaz said. Despite social media outlets appeal-ing to the youth of this generation, a more overlooked aspect of technology

can be seen: the ability to have any-thing, at any moment in time. “I use technology for homework

because it makes doing work

much faster and more efficient,” junior Alec Yamhure said. “Such as typing vs writing, or being able to search infor-mation in an instant.” The imme- di-ate gratification t e c h n o l o g y brings is quint-essential to society today, which feeds off of fast paced news and up-dates. Amidst this rapid information, many can forget the manners and times in which they should use this technology. “It gets me in trouble at the dinner table,” Yamhure said jokingly. Almost everyone nowadays is a cul-prit of this worldwide phenomenon. It consumes most of the moments experienced and turns it into memo-ries. When someone takes a picture or video of something spectacular such as a final game-winning shot, or even a sunset on the beach, they are not able to truly experience the wonder. Instead, people become engulfed in trying to take the perfect picture that instead of cherishing the moment; it becomes lost behind a glass screen. Everyday, many teenagers spend time on their smartphones in order to read their daily-personalized news. Also, the new fad of watching old

shows on the Netflix app has recently

become popular. “I am now easily distracted and

spend more time on Netflix than studying for school,” sophomore Tay

l o r Lipsich said. Many hours a day

are spent on com-puters or phones for a wide variety of reasons. Lip-

sich claims to use technology about six hours every day. That

is a significant portion of the day to be dedicated

t o a screen, whether for homework or for

leisure. When asked what she would do without technology for a week, she replied: “That’s a hard one,” while laughing. “I would probably go on more runs or practice lacrosse.” Students can use technology for school and leisure related purposes, but it comes at a cost. By using it, stu-dents restrict their time dedicated to being outside or enjoying their friends however, it may be a blessing in dis-guise. generation to come, and will continue progressing to even more innovation, possibly at the expense of the technologically crazed people.

Noah ZylberbergStaff Reporter

Feature FocusThe Galleon

May 2014 11

TRY THIS: WHEN OUT TO EAT

WITH YOUR FRIENDS, PLACE

ALL CELL P HONES IN THE MID-

DLE OF THE TABLE, FACE DOWN

AND THE F IRST ONE TO CHECK

THEIR PHONE HAS TO PAY THE BILL

TECHNOLGY &

SOCI ALIZING

The Daily Overdose of Technology

   Technology never stops improving.  Since the invention of the computer, the major technological corporations of today’s world, such as Apple and Mi-crosoft, have had the perpetual need to “one-up” each other in their evolution of new technological advances.  Span-ish River is very fortunate to be able to have the most updated technology in its classrooms.     Some teachers take advantage of the opportunity to use the new technology in their classes.     “I use the newest tech devices in my classroom everyday,”  AP Human Geog-raphy teacher Kevin Turner said. “I like to use Google Earth, especially to show students geographical patterns and ex-act locations of places we are talking about in class, and it gives them the op-portunity to think about these things happening in the real world, rather than just in their textbook.”     Turner also uses SMART Technology, Self monitoring analysis reporting tech-nology, in his classroom.  He has the ability to draw on his SMART Board to highlight specific parts of his notes that are essential to an overall understand-

Sam BudneyStaff Reporter

techie teachers

TECHN OLOGY TAKE OVER

ing.  He also makes notes on pictures in his slideshows that really help his stu-dents learn the material.     Turner is not the only teacher in the school that uses this new technology.  Oth-er teachers such as Science teachers Eric Dybas, and Meg Leeds use SMART Technol-ogy to teach their classes as well.  Multiple students in these classes really appreciate the use of these devices, and don’t think that they could learn the information with-out it.     “I really love how the SMART Technology really allows for students to interact with each other and learn the information more efficiently,” junior Daniel Jacobs, a student in Leeds’ class stated.  “I wish all of my class-es used it the way that she does.”      It is not only teachers that have made the best use out of the newest technology.  Students around the school have begun to use new devices to better their learning experiences.  Students use certain web-sites such as Edmodo, where teachers post information, practice quizzes and helpful test preparation for the students to use at their will.  Students can access these tools on their iPads and iPhones and have an arsenal of tools to use easily on the go.

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