The Ho Holiday Issue The Benjamin j i School S h Newspaper
16 December 2025 Volume 47, Issue 02
4875 Grandiflora Road, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418
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hat’s inside?
Winter Music Festival brings sounds of the holiday season to Benjamin Hall stage Annabel Brown Staff Writer
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Every year, Floridians are left grasping at the threads of the winter season for one fleeting–albeit welcome–chilly evening. Attendees of Friday’s annual Winter Music Festival received an early present in the form of a chillingly amazing musical performance. The Middle School Band and Honor Band opened the performance with “Do You Want to Build a Snowman,” “Snow,” and “Chanukah Overture.” They were followed by the Middle School String Ensemble with “Dreidel Adventure (S’vion)” and “A Christmas Symphony.” Middle School band teacher Mr. Ransom Miller and Upper School musical director Dr. Ian Henderson performed a piano and saxophone duet of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire.” Afterwards, the Third Grade Violin Mozart Ensemble performed a charming rendition of “Chanukah, Chankuh!,” “Ode to Joy,” and “Jingle Bells.” The Upper School Combined Ensemble performed Movements I, VII, and VIII of The Nutcracker with Upper School Director of Educational Technology Dr. Amanda Pierman on the flute. The Nutcracker is one of my personal favorites, and the Combined Ensemble did not disappoint. Their rendition filled the auditorium with Christmas magic and unified all fa-
Upper School musicians delighted a full house with holiday tunes during the annual Winter Music Festival. Among the highlighted performers were faculty members Amanda Pierman and Abigail Milce (pictured above), and senior RJ Pierman (below). (Photos by Jeremy Ferris)
miliar with the classic pieces. The Upper School Chamber Ensemble continued with “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen,” “Chanukah,” and “Joy To The World.” The Concert Band then played “Jingle Bell Rock,” “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” and “Run, Rudolph, Run.” A few students stood during the songs’ bridges to perform improvised solos. I’m sure other audience members would agree with me in that it went over many of our heads and maybe even made the songs better. One of the highlights of this evening for me was Mr. Abigail Milce’s saxophone solo on “Hark the Herald, Angel Sing!” and “Come All Ye Faithful.” He commanded attention with his performance and the
atmosphere was transformed from a packed, dark auditorium to a cozy room and crackling fireplace. The Middle School Band, 7th Grade Strings, Upper School Concert Band, Chamber Ensemble, and Mrs. Belen Clifford brought a close to an excellent night with “Sleigh Ride,” performed with as much energy and cheer as pieces from the beginning of the night. The auditorium echoed the sounds of their music long after the performance was over. Beyond symphonies and melodies, this performance offered up a valuable lesson: cherish the time you spend with others during the holidays. Parents overwhelmed with pride, friends quietly cheering from the house, and people who sim-
Masters-ful. Boys’ golf team wins second State title in three years
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Photo by Jeremy Ferris
Isabel Anthon Associate Editor
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www.thepharcyte.com @thepharcyde_tbs @thepharcyde_tbs
Eleven golfers, two coaches, one dream: a state championship. That was the mentality that led the Varsity Boys’ Golf team to return to the Mission Inn Resort to clinch their second State title in three years. The team was favored from the start of the season to win the State Championship. They swept the competition at districts and regionals to secure their spot in the tournament. After failing to defend their 2023 title last year, the team had hopes of reclaiming glory at this year’s event. With a relatively sluggish start to the competition, those dreams dimmed until a resurgent final day of golf took the team to top of the leaderboard. Brooks Colton is a junior who joined the varsity team in seventh grade. “We almost expected to win, having played so well this season. Per-
sonally, that weekend was by far the most memorable moment this season. On the last day of the championship, our families came up to watch us. We won by five shots, and in 2023, we only won by one. It was less nerve-racking coming down from the 18th hole. Not having as much stress allowed us to enjoy ourselves more,” said Colton. Coach Toby Harbeck has coached the team for 42 years, garnering state championships in 1980, 1983, 2009, 2023, and now 2025. “My experience this year has been nothing short of sensational,” said Harbeck. “The players have been so much fun to practice with and travel to all of the overnight tournaments. In 42 years, this is the most fun that I have ever had with this team. The most challenging thing was that we needed to stay "focused" in Districts, Regionals, and States. If we did that, I knew that we would
win all of them, and we did exactly that. Andrew Tsar has been our leader this year, along with Charlie Woods and Brooks Colton. We played as a true team. Everyone contributed at the State Championship. Everyone's score helped us win.” As mentioned by Harbeck, junior Andrew Tsar stepped up to lead the team. He has been a member of the varsity team since seventh grade. Up until this year, he played alongside his brother, Pavel Tsar, who now plays Division 1 men’s golf at the University of Notre Dame. He recorded the 2nd-best score at the tournament, shooting 68-71. “I got better this season because I had my eyes on a state championship and played well at States. But throughout the season, I had my ups and downs. I was very happy with my performance this season,” said Tsar. “It [winning] was awesome. Capturing our second title in three years is a dream come true. When we all ran onto the green after the final putt and poured water on Coach Harbeck, it was so fun.” Tsar and other aforementioned team leaders, such as Charlie Woods and Brooks Colton, still have one more season left before they graduate. Alongside the younger players, they have a new dream: two state championships in a row. If this season is any indication, the Benjamin Boys’ golf team has a true fighting chance.
ply wanted to enjoy the evening all took a moment during the stress of holiday preparations and midterms to stop and cheer on their loved ones, and that is exactly the kind of winter magic we need.
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16 December 2025
The Pharcyde
Honoring service and sacrifice
S C H O O L
Reid Waxman Co-Editor-in-Chief On Tuesday, Nov. 11, The Benjamin School gathered as a community to honor those who have served our country during the annual Veteran’s Day Assembly. The assembly began with the presentation of the colors, performed by junior Aidan, sophomore Taylor McCorkle, and two cadets from Dwyer High School. The band then led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance, setting the tone for a morning of gratitude and reflection.
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Movember is not just about mustaches Reid Waxman Co-Editor-in-Chief Each November, students and teachers across Benjamin start to look a little scruffier than usual, and it’s not because they’ve forgotten to shave. It’s Movember. The movement originated in Melbourne, Australia, in 2003 and has since evolved into a global campaign. It raises millions of dollars each year for men’s health research, specifically prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and mental health challenges. Now, it’s become a Benjamin tradition. Throughout the month, male students and faculty members who choose to participate are required to donate a turkey to the front office, which is then distributed to those in need. “At Benjamin, we participate in the Movember tradition to make people aware of the meaning behind it. I’ve done Movember at my previous schools, which were all male schools, to raise awareness for health issues that men face, and it’s always been very successful,” Upper School Dean of Students Mr. Jacobsen said. This year, only five seniors are participating in the tradition. Seniors Erik Nutter, Sebastian Scapperato, Dev Maharaj, Terrion Ivy-Akins, and Jake Ivancevic are the only students with facial hair on campus. For Nutter, the decision to join Movember was simple. “I wanted to do something meaningful since it’s a fun tradition, but I wanted to remind guys to take care of their health,” Nutter explained. Scapperato joined for similar rea-
sons. “I learned about what Movember really is before I took part in the tradition, and I didn’t know it gives us guys a chance to talk about stuff we don’t usually talk about,” Scaperatto noted. “People always joke about the mustaches, but that’s what starts the conversation. Growing a mustache for an entire month isn’t easy, especially when it’s still in the awkward phase for Maharaj. “Mine looks absolutely terrible right now,” Maharaj laughed. “But that’s part of the fun. It’s about committing to something and sticking with it.” Ivy-Akins said his goal is to show school spirit while supporting this meaningful cause. “I like growing out my beard, but when I learned about the tradition, I didn’t know what it was really about,” Ivy-Akins noted. “Not a lot of people know what Movember is about, so I wanted to help spread the word about it.” While the facial hair receives attention, the meaning behind Movember is what truly matters to Ivancevic. “I think a lot of people underestimate how important it is to check in on your mental health,” Ivancevic remarked. “Growing a mustache is funny, sure. But if it gets people to open up, then it’s doing the job.” The small group of people hopes to inspire more participation throughout the month into a larger Benjamin tradition. “I want more people to participate in it,” Scapperato said. “It’s really cool to see students have fun with it.” Benjamin Buddies Benjamin Buddies has partnered with the Learning Center at the Ernie Els School and have lunch with the students there every 2-3 weeks. During these lunches, members engage in conversations and try to ask lots of questions in the hopes of enhancing their social capabilities. Before the end of this semester, Benjamin Buddies will host two more lunches at the picnic tables by the lake.
In order to participate in Movember, students must agree to bring in a turkey at the end of the month to donate to those in need. (Graphic by Reid Waxman)
Even though only five students are officially participating, their effort has sparked numerous discussions around campus and numerous mustache-related jokes. “Every time someone comments on how bad mine looks, it’s another chance to tell people and speak about what Movember is,” Maharaj declared. “So in a weird way, the bad mustache helps.” While a few people took on the Movember challenge, most others chose to sit out. “I thought about doing it,” sophomore Mac Johnson said,” but I honestly can’t grow that much facial hair. I know my brother can, so I might try next year when it actually shows up.” Adding to Johnson, senior Maurice Hoben agrees. “I just don’t think facial hair looks good on me,” Hoben joked. As November continues, the group plans to keep raising awareness and grow facial hair along the way.
Care Crew Club Care Crew members run a tutoring program at the Lake Park Library where they offer daily after school help for students in need. The Crew is actively seeking new tutors and is brainstorming new ideas for community outreach. Members are currently planning a fundraiser at Cycle Bar to raise money to increase resources for students at the library.
“Being a cadet is cool because I can do my best to help and prepare myself for the future. I am a cadet because I wish to join the Navy through the ROTC program in the future, and the Sea Cadets have helped me tremendously to achieve that path.” Aidan McCorkle stated. “Serving my country has always been a consideration of mine ever since I was a little kid, and now that time is approaching fast.” Upper School Head of School Mr. Carr introduced Betsy Farmer, president of the Veterans Club, who served as the assembly’s host. Farmer shared personal stories of her family’s deep military connections. “Veteran’s Day is very important to me because it’s a day to celebrate and thank the family members and friends who have served our country, such as my dad, my great-grandfather, and my uncles,” shared Farmer Farmer welcomed guest speaker Layla Collins, a former counter-intelligence agent and the wife of Florida Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins. “I feel like it’s so important to talk about this from experience. I love doing it, and I love the fact that I can speak to students who are as interested as I am,” Collins said. Collins spoke about her experiences serving in Afghanistan, emphasizing the significance of Veterans’ Day and the importance of recognizing the sacrifices made by those who have served. After the speech, the Upper
School Band performed the “Armed Forces Medley,” honoring each branch of the military. “It’s an honor to perform on such an important day. The band did so well and I am super proud of them,” Upper School Band Director Mr. Henderson stated. The assembly then featured an excerpt from Mr. Archer’s Emmy-nominated, Edward R. Murrow Award-winning documentary that highlights the stories of veterans. Next, the Dazzlers performed a moving routine titled “The Patriot,” combining dance and emotion to pay tribute to service members. “This was honestly such a fun dance to do. It wasn’t really a crazy dance that took so long, but it was a dance that we tried to have fun with, but at the same time honor why we were doing it,” said senior and Dazzler captain Bryce Seger. Mr. Carr concluded the assembly by explaining the significance of the Missing Man Table, symbolizing those who never returned home. “It was a really nice program that the Farmers put together with the help of Veteran’s Appreciation Club,” Carr noted. “Veteran’s Day is that day where you stop by and just say ‘Thank you’ to the people who have chosen to join the Armed Forces and support the principles upon which America was founded.” A final video honored Benjamin community members who have served, followed by Betsy Farmer’s closing remarks and the reading of the Benjamin Veterans Honor Roll. The band’s solemn performance of “Taps” closed the morning on a reflective note. “This is a part of who I am, and I am very proud of my dad, his service, and his sacrifice for our freedom. It was the first time I stood on a stage and said my dad was killed in action. So, saying it in front of the school was nerve-racking to say the least, but it only makes me stronger,” Farmer declared.
The Dazzlers perform “The Patriot” during the Veterans Day Assembly. (Photo by Jeremy Ferris)
New Year, New Term Second semester starts on Mindfulness Club The Mindfulness Club offers guided meditations during assemblies once a week. During club meetings, members meditate, explore advanced aspects of mindfulness and teach each other how to guide certain breathing exercises. Outside of school, the club hosts beach cleanups where they help protect the environment and enjoy the beauty of nature through meditation.
The Jewish Student Union JSU members are planning a Hakkunah party for which they will bring in a variety of Jewish foods for students to try during lunch. Later this semester, the Union will be visiting the Quantum House, cooking dinner for residents in hopes of raising their spirits and providing some excitement before their upcoming surgeries.
The Pharcyde
16 December 2025
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Farewell, not goodbye: Head of School announces retirement Annabel Brown Staff Writer On Wednesday, Oct. 29, an email was sent out to students and faculty. Its contents? A retirement announcement from Mr. Faus, who’s been our head of school for the past six years. Way back in July 2020, Mr. Faus succeeded interim head of school Mr. Tom Reid and made it his mission to build Benjamin up. He recounted first time on campus.
During the Halloween parade, Mr. Faus poses with Assistant Head of School Dr. Kristen Sheehan and member of Class of 2036, Whitney Stolhman. (Photo by Jeremy Ferris)
“I had these interactions with students, teachers, parents, and fellow administrators that day that just told me that Benjamin was a good place. There was a sort of happiness–though that sounds a little cliché–or maybe it was pride that could be felt around the whole campus and in everyone on it. It got me thinking about all the possibilities of what could be accomplished here.” Mr. Faus has made many contributions toward Benjamin since then, including the expansion of our student body and our campuses. According to the 2019-2020 Academic Profile, there were 1,060 students enrolled that school year. There was a rise in enrollment levels from 20232024, and there are currently 1,321 students total. Mr. Faus handled the aftermath of COVID-19 with grace as a majority of students returned to campus in August 2020. Under Mr. Faus’s leadership, construction has started on both of our campuses. “There will be many moments ahead to celebrate Mr. Faus and his remarkable impact on our community. For now, we look forward to two more years of his consistent leadership, his unwavering support of our mission, and his dedication to our
students,” wrote board chair Mrs. Klein. Mr. Faus’s retirement is scheduled for the conclusion of the 20262027 school year, but the search for his successor has already begun. Search agencies have recommended at least 18 months to find a new head of school, so that the next hiree has adequate time to give a year’s notice to his or her current school. “Whenever there’s a change in a big organization, it’s always felt through the channels,” said Mrs. Badolati, “but he’s done a great job, so I’m sure whoever takes his place will learn a lot.” On the topic of a successor, Mr. Faus commented: “I hope they’re someone who loves working with kids and is aligned with Benjamin’s mission, core values, and academic rigor. Someone with a vision–whatever it may be–for the future of the school.” But this is only farewell, not goodbye. Mr. Faus plans on remaining an active member of the TBS community after his retirement, as a resource to the new head and as an out of school spokesman. Throughout his Benjamin career, Mr. Faus has cemented friendships with colleagues
At the annual Head’s Appreciation Dinner, Mr. Faus honored various famiiles who have made Benjamin a top philanthropic priority. (Photo by Jeremy Ferris)
and students alike. He plans to carry these bonds and their impact with him into the next chapter. “I loved doing the carpool line at the lower school and just seeing these little kids jump out of the car, excited and saying good morning. I’m really going to miss the pace of the day to day school life, which seems so normal now,” Mr. Faus said.
It’s hard not to feel the quiet weight of transition, but the legacy Mr. Faus has built over the years will remain in classrooms, hallways, and car lines long after his retirement. This change is to be embraced with confidence-- in the future Head of School and in the strength of the hope Mr. Faus has left us with.
Tuition should cover AP fees
Freshmen launch Volunity
Haley Roth Co-Editor-in-Chief Isabella Anthon Associate Editor With AP exams costing $99 each, many Benjamin students face a bill for $400 or higher, before even opening a digital or paper test booklet. Despite this high price, AP classes and exams are crucial elements of a high school education, offering opportunities for students to engage with rigorous learning, show colleges they are ready for advanced coursework, and even earn credits that may help fast-track their university experience. With many students taking various AP classes, the price of exams can add up very fast, and this expense is just an additional payment for families to make. As Benjamin is a tuition-based school, the cost of AP exams should be covered, as it supports academic excellence, keeps the private school competitive with public schools, and does not add more anxiety to the process as a whole. We are one of the few schools in the area that requires students to take all of their AP exams in the spring. Students cannot enroll in an AP class without registering for the exam, and are held back from graduating if they fail to complete the assessment. While this raises standards and helps our community continue to have high test scores and college credit yield rates, it also makes the concept of students paying for these exams unfair. If it is a requirement, the School should be covering the cost. Without financial aid, tuition for a Benjamin Upper School student totals $38,595 per year. Assuming a student attends for all four years of high school, the amount adds up to
Annabel Brown Staff Writer Finding community services opportunities isn’t always easy, and that’s where the student-created website Volunity comes in handy. Co-founded and developed by freshmen Alex Becker, Andrew Schiff, and Anthony Zito, Volunity is a website made to help students find community service opportunities in their area. Volunity was built for students by students. The website features organizations that students are familiar with, such as El Sol, Loggerhead, and Place of Hope. It directly connects to students and steers them towards trusted organizations. “The opportunities we list are ones that are loved and respected and used by students,” said Becker. “On other websites, how can you tell if it’s what the students really love or if it’s just some things posted online by adults?” Becker recognized the desire among students to give back and the lack of accurate online resources. He quickly got to work, coding the website with the help of Lovable AI, an app-developing tool. While Becker mainly codes and manages the website, his partners play other important roles: Schiff specializes in outreach and social media marketing, while Zito updates the large database of nearby service events. Many friends have also been
recruited to advertise the website. “Right now we’re doing vlogs with tons of interviews of what people think of Volunity,” explained freshman Izzy-Levi Minzi. Levi-Minzi is a member of the social media crew. She and other members go around promoting Volunity to students during breaks and make videos and Canva slideshows for Volunity’s TikTok and Instagram. The team is working hard to spread the word. Thanks to their efforts, most of the freshman class and beyond have already enrolled on Volunity’s website. And according to Becker, Volunity already has over 20 Oxbridge students signed up. “I think it’s really helpful because I find it hard to find nearby opportunities, but [Volunity] has helped me,” said freshman Emilie Dunn. In agreement, freshman Roman Levine commented: “I like that Volunity can help you to get community service hours while also making it fun with the leaderboard.” On Volunity’s website, https:// volunity.org/, students who are signed in can take part in the leaderboard Levine mentioned. Comparing hours with friends creates healthy competition and encourages students to sign up for more community service events. For students looking to give back to the community, Volunity offers a starting point and connects them with local and reliable opportunities.
Yale Model United Nations The YMUN Club is rebranding and hoping to attend conferences beyond that held at Yale in the January. Members have some new initiatives in store such as a possibly Model United Nations event hosted at Benjamin. Members are hard at work preparing for the Yale conference as members are striving to win awards.
If your club, organization, or team wishes to be included in our future club briefs, or be featured on our website, please reach out to one of our editors.
National Honor Society Members of the National Honor Society volunteer at Benjamin events, staffing school plays, musicals and open houses. They’ve also participated in outreach activities such as writing thank you cards for veterans and packaging food for The Palm Beach County Food Bank NHS recently completed its annual poinsettia drive, with all proceeds benefiting a local nonprofit organization.
Pictured above are the statistics on AP exams nationally, at Benjamin, and at surrounding schools. (Graphic by Haley Roth)
almost $155,000. This price is reasonable compared to other private schools in South Florida, considering the quality of education we offer. However, there are a myriad of added fees that can pile up: textbooks, uniforms, laptops, general school supplies, ID replacements, the list goes on. The school should set aside a portion of tuition to cover fees that accompany AP exams, regardless of how many a student takes in his or her high school career. Public schools often have their exams subsidised by the government. To continue to attract the best students and to competitively go beyond what public schools offer, the School should certainly mirror this free AP exam concept. This would ensure that students get the value and privilege of paying for private schooling, instead of having to pay numerous extra fees. By providing comparative support, Benjamin can remain academically competitive, and students will remain encouraged.
Aside from the educational benefits that AP classes offer to Benjamin students, the school also has the opportunity to thrive off of students’ success in these classes. Offering AP classes expands Benjamin’s portfolio and academic profile. 84% of students in the Upper School will sit for one of the national exams in May 2026. 427 out of 509 is no small percentage or feat. Statistics such as these, as well as the scores produced by students, rank Benjamin among the top college preparatory schools in the nation. Covering the cost of AP exams is a smart decision for the Benjamin administration. This act would create consistency with public schools, allow for less anxiety over fees, and improve the school community overall. AP exams are so much more than just tests; they are essential for college success and allow Benjamin students to show their excellence. As a college preparatory school, it is Benjamin’s responsibility to ensure that these exams are not extra costs, but simply extra opportunities.
Science Honors Society Members are fostering students’ passion for science through handson learning, guest speakers, and real world exposure to careers in STEM. The club is in the midst of planning STEM field trips and experiences, including visits to iFly, Pratt & Whitney, Max Planck, Scripps, Jupiter Lighthouse, Kennedy Space Center, and forensic science sessions with the Sheriff’s Office.
English Honors Society Members have been discussing poetry, working on creating creative bulletin board designs, and sharing their love for the literary community. They are currently running a book drive for the School’s service partner. Realizing that writing advice is a need among Upper School students, members established a writing lab which now consists of 15 tutors to offer advice and edits on students’ papers.
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16 December 2025
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Strauss addresses the great encryption debate
N E W S
Each month, members of the Speech and Debate team tack another issue of national or global interest. Recently, the Public Forum debators on the team considered the following resolution: The United States federal government should require technology companies to provide lawful access to encrypted communications. During competitions, debators tackle both the affirmative, or “pro,” side of the topic and the negation, or “con,” side. The following is an abridged version of junior Finley Strauss’ opening statement on the affirmative side of the resolution.
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Shutdown ends just in time for Thanksgiving Isabella Anthon Associate Editor On Nov. 12, 2025, the longest government shutdown in United States history came to an end. It lasted for 42 days, surpassing the Dec. 2018 shutdown over the expansion of the Mexican-U.S. border barrier. The news comes just in time for travelers over Thanksgiving Break, as airlines saw many delays and cancellations in major airports. For context, the shutdown began on Oct. 1, 2025, the start of the new fiscal year, because Congress failed to pass appropriations for 2026. These appropriations are better known as federal budgets. The core of the dispute centered on the Affordable Care Act and its tax credits. The purpose of the act is to lower healthcare costs, such as insurance. Many Democrats in the Senate demanded that these be extended, while Republicans resisted. President Trump signed a funding bill into law, officially reopening the government. However, the temporary deal is temporary. It provides funding for most federal agencies through January 30, 2026. It also includes some full-year plans for departments such as Veterans Affairs. During the shutdown, around 900,000 federal workers were laid off. Another 2 million more worked
without pay. Some programs, such as Medicaid, Medicare, and the Department of Defense, kept operating, and many other agencies, including the National Institute of Health and the Centers for Disease Control, were partially shut down. One of the most important federal programs at risk was SNAP, or the modern-day version of food stamps. Over 40 million Americans rely on the program to buy groceries and feed their families. The monthly payments provided to these people stopped for the 42-day shutdown. The government shutdown also caused travel problems across the country, especially for anyone flying. Even though air traffic controllers and TSA officers still had to work, they were working unpaid. Airport security became more unpredictable. Lines grew longer because fewer officers were available at some checkpoints, and many travelers arrived at their gates much later than planned. The Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA, reduced the number of flights allowed at many airports. This meant airlines had fewer takeoff and landing slots, which quickly led to more delays and cancellations. With the government up and running again, travelers and government workers nationwide can breathe a sigh of relief.
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A Shutdown Timeline Sept. 30: The temporary funding via continuing resolution for FY2026 expired at midnight. Congress had not passed the 12 regular appropriations bills needed to fund the government. Oct. 1: The shutdown officially began. Non-essential federal operations were paused, as some “excepted” functions (e.g. national security, social safety nets) continued. As the shutdown dragged on, about 900,000 federal employees were furloughed and around two million worked without pay. Many agencies reduced or suspended operations. Early Nov. 2025: The deadlock continued as the Senate repeatedly rejected a Republican-led funding bill. Nov. 10: A revised appropriations bill was finally passed by the Senate. Nov. 12: President Trump signs the funding bill into law, officially ending the shutdown. The federal government reopened, ending the longest shutdown in U.S. history at 43 days
Somewhere right now, a trafficker is sending a message that could lead police to a missing child — but it’s locked behind encryption no one can open. How many lives must we lose to the technology meant to keep us safe? We affirm the resolution. Today, we face an undeniable reality—our current encryption systems are vulnerable, and even the White House admits it. The government explicitly warns that any digital system using today’s cryptography is vulnerable to attack. That’s not speculation—that’s a statement from the highest level of national security.The US thinks our own system is bad. Our solution is Proxy Re-Encryption, or PRE. Per a 2021 IEEE Systems Journal study, PRE allows a trusted proxy/ program to transform encrypted data only when authorized by a court order — enabling lawful access without ever exposing the user’s private key. This system preserves privacy while giving law enforcement the lawful access they need to protect us. It’s a win-win: strong encryption and accountability. It is an algorithm that prevents a system-wide backdoor by allowing a trusted proxy to transform encrypted data only when authorized by a court order, ensuring the user’s private key is never exposed. Contention one: criminal prosecution. Right now, criminals use encryption as a shield — hiding behind technology to commit horrific crimes with impunity. deBolle, and Vance Jr., describe this as “the last refuge of the criminal.” From sex trafficking to ransomware to child exploitation, law enforcement is running into locked phones, encrypted chats, and inaccessible evidence. Even when a judge grants a warrant, the data remains sealed away. When encryption becomes warrant-proof, it doesn’t protect privacy — it protects predators. CRS in 2025 already explained that 90 percent of the criminals using encrypted communications were not able to be decrypted, and they were not arrested. PRE uniquely solves this. Impact one: trafficking
Per Dangler , human trafficking is “the evil happening under our noses.” According to the United Nations’ International Labour Organization, human traffickers victimize an estimated 27.6 million people across borders. It’s a $9.5 billion criminal industry, and many of its operations rely on encrypted digital communication to evade detection. Victims, mostly women and children, are bought, sold, and exploited while investigators can’t even open the messages that could save them. Impact two: cybercrimes kills the economy Cybersecurity expert Gary Miliefsky in 2025 projects that global damages from cybercrime will reach up to $1.2 trillion by the end of 2025. Cyber Defense maganize quanitfies that Each major breach destabilizes markets, destroys reputations, and raises costs for everyone. CISA, NSA, and the FBI in 2024 assessed that China’s state-sponsored cyber actors are seeking to pre-position themselves on IT networks for disruptive or destructive cyberattacks against U.S. critical infrastructure. U.S. authoring agencies have confirmed that Volt Typhoon has compromised the IT environments of multiple critical infrastructure organizations. If we fail to adapt, our economy will continue to hemorrhage money and our digital future will crumble under its own insecurity. Contention two: stopping the spread of child sexual abuse material. The way PRE works is is that once a warrant is obtained, the technology can scan phones fully this is not an invasion of privacy because a warrant is obtained. Secondly, PRE is not a person scanning your phone; it’s an algorithm. The only thing people see are the harmful information after the algorithm sorts it and then make the decision to arrest. End-to-end encryption (E2EE) is currently creating a significant crisis in the fight against the proliferation of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). This is clearly demonstrated by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which reported a staggering 19% drop in suspected exploitation reports in 2024, accounting for a loss of 7 million fewer reports compared to the previous year. This failure of detection is critical because the scope of the problem is enormous: there are over 300 million child victims of online sexual abuse globally, with files containing sexual images reported once every second per UNSW ‘24. Given this devastating impact, the obligation to protect children from sexual violence must be treated as a prerequisite that precludes all other ethical evaluations. Because of this we affirm.
I was born in Israel. My dad is from Argentina, and my mom is from Israel. I grew up in Mexico City, and then I finished high school in Costa Rica. I came to the States for college. So both my family members are from different places, and I grew up in different places. We spoke Hebrew and Spanish, and I learned English at school. And so always being from a different place and not from the place where I was living was kind of part of, you know, my identity. I always felt like I never really fit in anywhere when I was growing up because I was never just from one place. I've been making art for a really long time, and it's this idea of identity of place, where am I really from, what does that mean, all these complex, contradictory parts. That's what I'm embracing through the work, and it's almost like I'm thinking through the work about all this stuff. But with this latest work that ended up being this really, really large watercolor on paper that's 30 feet long and 8 feet tall, it's about memories that were passed down to me from my mom's side of the family. So my mom, both of her parents were Holocaust survivors and the rest of the family perished in the Holocaust and so there's all those stories and then on my dad's side of the family he was in Argentina during the dictatorship during the dirty war in the 60s and 70s and so from both sides of my family I have this history of people fleeing places or genocide or totalitarian authoritarian governments. And so a lot of the stories from both sides of my family are about persevering, continuity, trying to continue to live even though you're experiencing a really harsh political reality. And so that's part of it too.
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The Pharcyde
16 December 2025
the
Question Corner
Here are the answers nswers to t the most mind-puzzling, awe-inspiring, and intriguing questions you may have!
Do you dreidel? The origins and importance of Sevivon Haley Roth Co-Editor-in-Chief With the holidays approaching, many people look forward to unique and festive traditions, such as lighting candles, decorating Christmas trees, preparing elaborate meals, and more. But, for the Jews, one steadfast tradition during the holiday season is playing with the dreidel during Hanukkah. As this game is extremely popular among children and families, it raises the question: What is the history behind the dreidel, what does it mean, and why do we continue to play with it in modern times? What is it? First, what exactly is a dreidel, and how do you play with it? Known as a sevivon in Hebrew, a dreidel is a spinning top with four sides. On each side, there is a specific Hebrew letter with a meaning. To begin playing, each participant starts with an equal number of tokens, either gelt (chocolate coins), real money, or some other sort of currency. Then, players take turns spinning the dreidel; the letter that is face up determines what that player will receive. Nun is nothing, Gimmel means take everything in the pot, Hay signifies taking half the pot, and Shin means put one token in the pot. By the end of the game, whoever has the most tokens wins and gets to take the whole pot. What is its history? There are many reasons why Jews play with dreidels during Hanukkah. Most of these explanations
come from Hebrew history and legend. During the time of the Greek rule over the Jewish people (Maccabees), the Jews were forbidden from learning and teaching Torah. Wanting to continue to study their religion and defying Greek rule, Jewish children continued to read the Torah. When a Greek official would walk by, the children would quickly hide their books and take out spinning tops, claiming they were just playing games and having fun. Hence, this tradition continued long after Greek persecution.
Some of the first dreidels are thought to come from Ancient Greece or Rome. (Photo from the Library of Congress)
While this story is extremely popular among the Jewish people, another explanation for the origin of the dreidel is that it is from a Roman four-sided spinning top. This game eventually spread to England and German-speaking areas, where it was adopted by the Jews. When European Jews emigrated to the U.S. and other countries and sought to create new Jewish identities and traditions, the game of dreidel was slightly changed to fit the narrative of Hanukkah better.
What is the significance? The letters on the dreidel have significance relating to the story of Hanukkah. Each letter on the dreidel is the first letter of a Hebrew phrase stating: Nes gadol haya sham, or “a great miracle happened there”. This phrase relates back to the idea of the Jewish holiday, where the Maccabees defeated the Greeks, regained their right to practice Judaism, and the oil lasted eight nights. Overall, the dreidel symbolizes Jewish resistance, hope for a plentiful and free future, and the desire to create a Jewish identity all over the world. The game of dreidel has evolved to become one of the favorite traditions of Jews all around the world. Being played every year during Hanukkah, it brings families together, spreads joy, and symbolizes the hope of the holiday. The rich history and significance of the dreidel make it even more important to the Jewish culture overall.
Each letter on the dreidel signifies something different to players. Shin means put one token in the pot, Nun means nothing, Gimmel means take the who pot, and Hay means take half the pot. (Photo by Rite Lite)
The missing letters of our alphabet Dr. Peruggia Unusual Person Each fall, juniors taking Western Literature encounter one of the earliest existant texts in the English language: Beowulf. The epic poem tells of a Scandinavian hero who slays a giant, defeats a dragon, and ultimately learns a hard truth about humility and mortality. For many, Beowulf represents the beginning of English literature. And yet, for most readers, the work is read in translation. But why is it that we need the Celtic-infused diction of a creative like Seamus Heaney to understand something written in a language in which most of us assert to have achieved fluency? The answer is pretty simple, when you look at centuries of lingusitic and cultural history. Wars, migrations, marriages, elections, colonialism... all have contributed to the evolution of our mother-tongue.
Anyone who’s looked at a copy of a Shakespearean play knows that we speak differently than people did back when art was more commonly used as a verb than a noun or adjective. But if one looks at works that are even older than that, something more unusual stands out...the letters are different. Most people can grasp why we speak differently, but we write diffferently too? Indeed, before the computer screen, or the printing press, in the days before cursive and the time before paper was made of paper, the English language had a few more letters than we do now. So what are these strange symbols, and how does a someone translate these words into our modern alphabet? The old English letters thorn (þ) and eth (ð) both made the “th” sound. The thorn made the sound as in the word “cloth” while the eth was harder as in “clothe.” Both letters were replaced by the digraph “th,” with “þ”
sometimes appearing as a ‘y’(think “ye olde”) when printers wanted to reduce the characters they needed in their block sets. The wynn (ƿ) once represented the ‘w’ sound. It was replaced by “uu,” which eventually evolved into the modern ‘w.’ The yogh (ȝ). This number-looking letter made throaty sounds (like ‘ch’ in loch). It was usually replaced by ‘gh’ or ‘y.’ The insular g (ᵹ) stood in for the ‘zh’ sound in the middle of words like “pleasure” and “vision.” We replaced it with an ‘s.’ The eng (ŋ) made the guttoral sound we now spell out as ‘ng’ as in “sing.” Yes... we took one letter and made it into two. Finally, the vowels ash (æ) and ethel (œ): Represented “ae” and “oe” sounds. They became ligatures (joined letters) and mostly disappeared, often just becoming ‘a’ or ‘e.’
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Soccer, Football, or Fútbol? What should we call the world’s most popular sport? Chase Zur Co-Editor-in-Chief If you’ve ever wondered why Americans watch “soccer” while the rest of the world cheers for “fútbol,” you’re not alone. The story begins in England in the 1800s, when multiple versions of football were being played at schools across the country. To bring consistency to one of the most popular versions, England’s newly formed Football Association wrote the first official rules in 1863. That game became known as association football, mostly to distinguish it from rugby football, which allowed carrying, tackling, and a much rougher style of play. Since both sports were called “football,’’ nicknames became almost necessary. Around the same time, at Oxford University, students had a habit of shortening words and adding “er” to the end. For example, Rugby football became “rugger”, and association football became “assocer,” which eventually morphed into “assoccer” and then finally “soccer.” For years, the nickname was used openly in England, but it was never the official name of the sport, just slang. Over time, rugby developed its own separate identity and dropped the “football” part of its name. Once that happened, association football no longer needed a nickname to distinguish it from anything else. England simply went back to calling it “football,” the same name the rest of Europe then adopted in their own languages: fút-
bol in Spanish-speaking countries, futebol in Portuguese-speaking ones, Fußball in Germany, and so on. Meanwhile, the United States was heading in a completely different direction. Around the same time, soccer was spreading to America, and a new sport, American football, was growing quickly and claimed the word “football” for itself. That left no room for association football to be called “football”, so Americans kept using the British nickname “soccer” to keep the two sports separate. England eventually stopped using the slang word, but the U.S had no reason to, and so the name just stuck. So, the next time someone argues about “soccer” versus “football”, be sure to remind them that America didn’t invent the word; we inherited it from the British.
Soccer is the world’s most popular sport with over 250 million players in over 200 countries. (Graphic by Haley Roth)
He knows when you are sleeping, and he knows when you’re awake. He knows when you’ve been bad or good. But did you know that Santa Claus isn’t the only Christmas-time figure for many children around the world? Or that he goes by different names in many other countries? We at The Pharcyde are happy to provide the following guide to the world’s jolliest winter-time personalities. Father Christmas (England) Los Reyes Magos (Spain) Sinterklaas (Netherlands and Belgium) Tomte or Jultomten (Sweden) Weihnachtsmann (Germany) Pere Noel (France) Mikulás (Slovenia and Hungary) Dun Che Lao Ren (China) Kanakaloka (Hawaii)
Ded Moroz and Snegurochka (Russia’s Father Frost and the Snow Maiden) Joulupukki (Finland’s Yule Goat) Krampus (Austria and Germany’s holiday demon) Belsnickel (Germany’s furry companion to St. Nicholas) Jolasveinar (Iceland’s 13 mischevious Yule Lads, or trolls) Amu Nowruz (Persia/Iran’s bringer of the New Year) La Befana (Italy’s good witch) Kallikantzaroi (Greece’s troublemaking pixies)
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16 December 2025
The Pharcyde
Editorial
N
ews is everywhere, so what’s your source? As we scroll through Instagram or TikTok, we are met with facts, figures, and confident explanations about what’s going on in the world. These posts look polished, they sound convincing, and they’re often shared by people we “trust.” But we rarely stop to ask the most critical question: is any of it actually accurate? In a time when anyone can present themselves as a reporter, our biggest challenge isn’t finding the information; it’s knowing which information we can trust. There are always two sides to every story, and when we don’t know where our information is coming from, we can’t be sure that what we’re seeing and absorbing reflects reality. Before social media, most of the news we read came from vetted newspapers and broadcast outlets. Their credibility was always on the line. If they published something that wasn’t verified, they risked lawsuits, corrections, and the loss of public trust. Traditional journalism requires multiple independent sources before printing a claim. There are editors, in-
vestigators, fact-checkers, and entire systems designed to ensure information is as accurate as possible. For example, The New York Times’ own statement on “Reporting, Verifying, and Transparency” explains this clearly. The paper writes that even when it gets information from police or government agencies, often the first sources at the scene, the paper tells readers exactly where the information comes from and whether the paper has been able to confirm it independently. The paper gathers evidence, checks public records, reviews videos and photos, and interviews witnesses. The paper offers a range of perspectives and is transparent about what it knows. Social media, however, does not operate with those standards. When someone posts a so-called news update, there isn’t an editor checking the details, there isn’t a requirement to verify anything, and there are no consequences for being wrong. As a result, we see something that sounds reasonable, and we believe it, because why would we not? Take the recent Texas floods, for example. According to the US Pub-
lic Interest Network, TikTok videos showed overflowing rivers destroying an above-ground pool, waters submerging a ranch, and pedestrians fleeing from rising water. These specific clips were frightening, and they looked real. Except those who did more research realized the footage wasn’t from Texas at all. In fact, it was discovered that the aboveground pool was featured in an old, recycled video from 2022, the ranch was located in Tennessee, not Texas, and the dramatic footage of pedestrians running from rising water came from a river in China. Now, of course, none of that context was provided, and so viewers accepted them as fact. This is dangerous; there is no other way to put it. People trusted those posts and reacted as if they reflected real, current events. Those clips may have resembled some of the disasters people were experiencing from the floods, but they were not of the floods themselves. Those accounts were sharing those videos for likes, views, and publicity, not to educate their followers. When people form strong reactions based on misinformation, they’re pushed toward more extreme
conclusions. They respond to the black-and-white version of events, not the shades of grey ones. And once a false impression takes hold, it can be tough to undo. A 2024 CNN case study demonstrates this clearly. In this study, participants were asked to read a fake story about a celebrity and developed immediate adverse reactions, even after previously having positive responses. But when participants were told right away that the story was bogus, their reactions didn’t change. Simply knowing that information was inaccurate stopped misinformation from shaping their views. So, news matters, but where it comes from matters even more. CNN, Fox News, or the New York Times may have slants or leanings, but at least they have systems for verifying facts. Social media does not. If information isn’t coming from a credible source, it isn’t news; it’s someone’s interpretation of reality, but not reality. So what can we do? We can start by treating social media the way it was designed to function: as entertainment, not journalism. If you come
across a claim about a world event or breaking news, act like a reporter yourself. Fact-check it. Can you find the same information from an independent, reputable outlet? Has more than one source confirmed it? If yes, then you’re genuinely informed. If not, then it’s not something to repeat, repost, or use as the basis of any argument. In this world, which is overflowing with information, our responsibility is to slow down, verify, and think critically. If we want our opinions to be meaningful and our conversations to be real, we need to know the difference between what’s true and what simply looks true. So we’ll ask again: news is everywhere, what’s your source?
*This editorial is the opinion of The Pharcyde and is therefore not attributed to one singular person.
Respect Courage Morality Kindness Fairness Integrity Compassion Acceptance Forgiveness Gratitude Perseverance Responsibility
Why we should switch to seven period days
the
Reid Waxman Co-Editor-in-Chief
PHARCYDE
Founded in 1980 as The Spectator 16 December 2025
Volume 47, Issue 2
The Benjamin School 4875 Grandiflora Road Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33418 Contact Information Phone: 561-472-5998, ext. 2119 Fax: 561-691-8823 Advisor Dr. John Peruggia john.peruggia@thebenjaminschool.org Advisor Emeritus Mr. Kendall Didsbury
For years, The Benjamin School has operated on a mixed schedule, with four block days and just one true 7-period day. While the system aims to create more extended class periods with deeper learning, it often produces the opposite effect: confusion and unnecessary stress. A complete transition to 7-period days would not only streamline routines but also sustain or enhance academic rigor, ultimately improving the overall educational experience. One of the most significant benefits of shifting to a consistent 7-period day schedule is its structure. Students already juggle academic rigor with their sports, clubs, homework, and testing days. When the schedule changes daily, planning extracurricular activities becomes more difficult, potentially limiting student participation and engagement outside the classroom. “I never know what period is first or if we have a 7-period day or not,” senior Luc Borzillieri said. “All of these three-day weekends throw
off the schedule, and I can’t see my teachers as much.” There’s also the issue of attention span. Eighty-five minutes is a long time to sit still, especially in classes that rely on discussion and group work. Students also benefit from spreading their workload across seven classes instead of dealing with a ton of homework on those days. “On block days, I see that teachers tend to assign more work because they don’t see the class the next day. I love my classes, but when it’s a block day, all the homework seems to pile up at once,” junior Griffon Alterman stated. Sophomore Ducky Little agrees with Alterman. “It’s definitely overwhelming,” Little noted. “Although Mondays suck because it’s the first day of school, the schedule isn’t bad. It’s when we get to Tuesday, it just gets to a point.” Another significant advantage of a 7-period schedule is the consistency it offers. Students perform better when they know what to expect each day. Having the same structure Monday through Friday eliminates the
EDITORIAL BOARD
MISSION STATEMENT
Haley Roth, Co-Editor in Chief Reid Waxman, Co-Editor in Chief Chase Zur, Co-Editor in Chief
mental load of remembering which block follows which day, which classes meet, and how much time is available. This predictability helps students stay organized and reduces the time and effort needed for scheduling adjustments, making the transition smoother for everyone. Teachers also benefit from this consistency. With shorter, more frequent meetings, teachers see their students daily, allowing them to check in and answer questions. It prevents students from falling behind. On block days, a single absence can put students nearly a week behind in certain classes. Daily contact helps smooth out these gaps and supports stronger academic relationships. A consistent 7-period day also keeps students more engaged. Long block periods can lead to burnout, especially in concept-heavy subjects. A shorter daily class keeps the pace moving and encourages teachers to build more focused lessons. This approach helps students feel more actively involved in learning rather than zoning out halfway through an 85-minute class. “By the last thirty minutes of
The Pharcyde is a student newspaper produced to foster an open dialogue about topics that relate to The Benjamin School. The issues that appear throughout our pages may be light-hearted or serious, but regardless we aim to reflect the diversity of opinion within our school that we value so deeply.
Isabella Anthon, Associate Editor
STAFF WRITERS Annabel Brown Sienna Wrigley
PHOTOGRAPHY Phoebe Apple Mr. Jeremy Ferris
DIGITAL DOMAIN
The Pharcyde maintains a digital presence online at www.thepharcyte.com. The site is hosted by SNO Sites.
GENERAL
The Pharcyde, the Upper School newspaper of The Benjamin School, is published four times a year. Copies of The Pharcyde are distributed to approximately 470 students and 60 faculty members and are available in the Upper School office. The Pharcyde encourages submission of Letters to the Editor. Send your feedback, criticism, or outside opinions in 150 words or fewer to chase.zur@thebenjaminschool.org The Pharcyde reserves the right to edit all letters for length, grammar, and clarity.
OPINION
The opinion articles in this paper are the opinion of the writer or the majority opinion of The Pharcyde Editorial Board. They are not the opinion of The Benjamin School or our advertisers.
a block day, everyone just checks out,” junior Milana Ronert explained. “When classes are shorter, I actually pay attention the whole time and feel like I get more out of it.” Furthermore, a 7-period schedule reduces the academic “whiplash” that happens during testing weeks. On block days, teachers often feel pressured to give bigger assessments because they won’t see the class for two days. This leads to multiple extensive tests being scheduled for the same day. It is creating unnecessary stress. A consistent schedule makes it easier for teachers to coordinate test dates, and students can better manage their workload knowing they have each class every day. Shifting to a full 7-period schedule supports student wellness. When the structure is predictable, the workload is balanced, and class time is manageable, students feel more in control of their time. Stress decreases, productivity increases. The overall school environment becomes healthier. In a community that prioritizes academic success, a 7-period day aligns more closely with those values.
QUOTATION POLICY
Anyone interviewed by The Pharcyde has the chance to correct and edit his or her quotations before the paper goes to press. If he or she would like to change his or her interview before publication, he or she can contact the student who interviewed hum or her and request to restage the interview.
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The Pharcyde
16 December 2025
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OpEd: Academic differentiation is a thing of the past Haley Roth Co-Editor-in-Chief
Your opinions matter! Interested in sharing your thoughts on an issue of importance to the world, our community, or your classmates? Send us your thoughts for publishing in a future print edition of The Pharcyde or at our online home at ThePharcyte.com.
By the time the first bell rings, a large majority of high school students are in various AP classes, receiving extremely high grades, studying for standardized tests, and editing four essays for honors societies, and still, it is never enough. This overload of impressiveness leads to a problem: it is nearly impossible for students to differentiate themselves academically. In today’s high school climate, students are pushed to take the same high-level classes, get the same grades, and have the same metrics overall. So, how do you stand academically to colleges and others? In times past, the best students were set apart by the number of advanced classes they took. But now, every student is in these classes. While AP and dual-enrollment classes used to indicate exceptional rigor and achievement, they are seen as givens now. Around 35% of high school students are now taking one or more AP classes (College Board); this is an extremely high percentage. Schools encourage, sometimes even pressure, students to take as many APs as they can to reach the threshold of being competitive for colleges. This results in the bar being raised higher and higher, which can mean academic rigor means nothing in terms of differentiating students. Not only are students taking these AP classes, but thriving and flourishing in them. An astonishing number of students have nearly identical GPAs, as grade inflation and uniformity lessen the gaps between good
students and great students. Students in the same range become clustered together, making it hard to tell them apart in terms of academic achievement. Those students who are not in this copy-and-paste GPA landscape feel pressure to be perfect and do better, not because they want to learn, but because they need to keep up for college admissions and their future. Eventually, this cycle leads to every
35% of high school students take an AP class. - College Board student having the same As in the same classes. Therefore, how does any school tell which students are actually impressive, and which are just taking advantage of the system? All of this similarity is only furthered by the large number of students involved in honors societies. Not only are there more students in honors societies, but also more and more honors societies are appearing. This makes the distinction insignificant as every student has the same resumé, same AP scholar awards, and same achievements. For most students, authentic interests and hobbies are pushed aside for “impressive” and “necessary” resumé builders that end up sounding and looking the same. In the act of attempting to stay competitive for colleges, students have become clones of each other, unable to differentiate themselves. Lack of academic differentiation is also caused by the pressures of the current school system. Schools reward conformity in academics, not
individuality or uniqueness. Most schools have rubric-based learning, which means students can only do well if they follow the rules, not if they think out of the box or in their own way. In addition to this, with all of the AP classes students take, there is less time for them to do independent studies or explore niche classes. This means that any class scheduling that used to set students apart no longer exists. Students who want to take a unique path often don’t have the flexibility, time, or support to do that. It is increasingly clear that students fail to differentiate themselves not due to a lack of ambition or impressiveness, but because the current school system encourages sameness instead of rewarding true excellence, even if it is unique. There is a desperate need for the school system, as well as for students, to find new ways to differentiate themselves academically, even if that means disrupting the current definition of impressive.
While it used to be simple for students to stand out amongst their peers in the classroom, today’s school system makes it difficult for students to seem unique in terms of academics.
Tests vs. Projects: Editors debate two most counterpoint common forms of semester assessments -<-
->
Point
Chase Zur Co-Editor in Chief Don’t Fix What Isn’t Broken: The Case for Tests as Semester Exams Semester exams exist for a reason. At the end of a semester, students should be able to show what they know without notes or the comfort of outside resources. A cumulative exam does exactly that. It reflects not only what students have learned, but also how well they can prepare, organize information, and handle the pressure of a high-stakes assessment. Those skills matter, especially in a college-preparatory environment where end-of-term tests will eventually be the norm. A traditional exam also pushes students to think about how they study, and it gives them room to grow. Each test helps students learn something new about themselves. Some may realize that rewriting notes helps them with memorization, while others may discover that working through sets of practice questions
Most core classes in the Upper School culminate with traditional exams, both on paper and digitally.
makes the bigger difference. No matter the study habit, though, students will certainly learn that spreading out their study sessions works far better than single-session cramming. A project, on the other hand, cannot offer this kind of practice because all of the information is available throughout the process. A semester exam requires students to retain knowledge and recall it on their own, a very difficult, yet important skill. Additionally, exam preparation teaches time management in a way few other assignments can. Exam season forces students to balance several major assessments while continuing to keep up with sports, clubs, and other extracurricular activities. Students will have to learn how to break down large amounts of material, make a study plan, and stick to it. This type of planning grows through repeated experience, and cumulative summative tests are one of the few times in the year when students can practice it meaningfully. Academic integrity is another important consideration. With AI tools so easy to access, it has become increasingly difficult to know how much of a project reflects a student’s own work. Even if students are trying to be honest, it can be hard to avoid relying on AI when the assignment is done at home. A semester test, however, removes that issue. Students walk into the room, or gym, armed only with the knowledge they stored, and walk out with a grade that reflects what they genuinely understood. Now, projects certainly play a valuable role in learning. They encourage creativity, application, collaboration, and real-world thinking.
However, that does not make them the right format for a cumulative assessment. A project can be assigned at any point in the year and still give students the chance to explore a specific topic and be creative. A midterm, though, has a different purpose; it is meant to measure how well students can bring large amounts of material together and show mastery without relying on notes or outside help. So it’s simple: semester exams should remain exams because they give students the practice they genuinely need. They build study habits, strengthen memory, teach discipline, and help students learn to manage several major responsibilities at once. If a goal is to prepare students for what comes next, then it’s worth asking: what better way is there to do that than a true cumulative exam? Reid Waxman Co-Editor in Chief Projects Are A Better Measure of What Students Really Know Semester exams are meant to show what students have learned over the course of a term, but tests aren’t the only way to do that. In many classes, a cumulative project can demonstrate understanding just as, if not more, effectively and authentically. Instead of focusing mainly on memorization and test-taking, a project can ask students to apply what they have learned and to think more deeply about connections across units, which can inspire educators’ confidence in students’ comprehension. These skills are crucial in a college-preparatory setting where stu-
dents are increasingly expected to undertake long-term assignments and presentations, making diverse assessment methods essential for evaluating accurate understanding. A cumulative project also allows students to show how well they understand the material without the pressure of a single high-stakes moment. Tests can measure how students perform under stress rather than how they truly learned the content. A project, however, gives the students the chance to plan and present their knowledge. This encourages students to take ownership of their learning. Some students excel at analyzing, designing, or explaining information, and these strengths are more effectively showcased through projects than timed tests, emphasizing their value in assessment. Additionally, projects can promote critical academic skills that tests do not. Research, writing, and communication all play significant roles. Students must decide how to present information clearly and accurately, which requires genuine understanding. A test may show whether a student can recall facts, but a project shows whether they can use those facts to solve something. This kind of learning lasts longer than information memorized the night before the exam. Concerns about academic integrity are valid, but well-structured projects address this. When teachers include checkpoints and in-class work time, it becomes harder for students to rely on outside tools, including AI, fostering a more fair environment. Teachers can see how ideas develop over time, which makes it clearer
Elective courses, especially in the social studies department, have come to embrace projects as their preferred semester assessment format.
whether the work reflects a student’s thinking. In some ways, teachers gain a better picture of a student’s understanding through a project than through a test completed in a selected amount of time. Projects mirror real-world learning tools used beyond high school, such as essays and presentations, preparing students for future assessments that demand planning and management of larger tasks. So while tests certainly have a place in schools, projects should be strongly considered as midterm assessments. They measure a ton more than memorization. They show that applied understanding helps students build skills they will continue to use after the semester ends and even after high school. If the goal of a midterm is to capture what students truly learned, then a cumulative project may be the best way to do that.
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16 December 2025
The Pharcyde
Lessons and carols, Dazzlers and delights bring magic to annual Upper School holiday program Haley Roth Co-Editor-in-Chief
On Tues., Dec. 9, the Benjamin School hosted its annual Holiday Assembly. This assembly is highly anticipated by students and faculty alike as it showcases the talents of students, brings the community together, and inspires holiday cheer. This year, there was singing, music, dancing, speeches, and more. As always, the assembly was opened by the Head of Upper School, Mr. Fletcher Carr. Mr. Carr shared some brief remarks about the importance of the holiday season and then passed the microphone to Student Council President, Liam Duffy, to begin the assembly. The first performance of the event was a holiday piece by the band, chamber ensemble, and Benjamin dancers. This piece was inspired by The Nutcracker and featured lots of costumes, a variety of music, and various instruments. “It was great to do a combined performance with the Dazzlers and to learn all of the new music for the assembly,” explained senior and band member Sebastian Scaperotto. Then, the assembly moved on to a speech by senior Chase Zur, who shared her Hanukkah memories of family dinners, gift exchanges, and board games. In addition to this speech, sophomore Hailey Cischke spoke about her Christmas traditions, including being gifted silver bells and attending mass. The last student speech was done by members of the Diversity Council, junior Nahla Bond and sophomore MarQuis Etienne. These two students explained the traditions, meaning, and significance behind the holiday of Kwanzaa. Another speech was given by US History Teacher, Mr. Zachary Rubiano. He chose to share an unconventional yet heartwarming Christmas tradition that is shared by him and his mother.
“My story involves how I spend every Christmas morning working at one of my Dunkin locations. It remains a fun and great experience because I get to bring cheer to the local community, as well as getting to work alongside my mom,” said Mr. Rubiano. The Dazzlers also performed another dance to “All I Want for Christmas is You” by Mariah Carey. This performance was upbeat, jolly, and included a classic Dazzler kickline. Senior and Captain of the Dazzlers, Bryce Seger, shares her thoughts on this performance, “It was really fun, and we got to wear heels, which we don’t get to do a lot. That made it harder, but it made the dance so much better.” Lastly, the Benjamin choir performed a holiday medley and encouraged the audience to join in and sing along. “We sang a few Christmas songs, including “Baby Please Come Home,” “Last Christmas,” and “Jingle Bell Rock.” We kind of did like a sing along. We practiced for a couple of weeks for the performance and it was so fun. Everyone sang along and clapped and it spread holiday cheer,” explained senior chorus member, Caroline Welke. One reason this event is so special is that members of the Upper School community get to share more about their personal lives and families. Mr. Rubiano shares, “It was nice to share my story with the school and display that we all engage in a variety of different traditions, and no one Christmas is the same.” The Holiday Assembly was closed out with remarks from Head of School Mr. Dave Faus. This assembly brought the same charisma, joy, and excitement as always and was the perfect way to finish out the first semester. A special thank you to Dr. Haley for organising and making this event so amazing!
Strike up the band! Upper School music director Dr. Ian Henderson focuses the attention of his string players, percussionists, and even a bell shaker at the start of the Holiday Assembly. The band’s contributions to the gathering were instrumental in the program’s ability to create a tone of community, inspire a sense of cheer, and elicit a note of gratitude from everyone in attendance. (Photo by Jeremy Ferris)
Upper School dancers raised their arms and legs in a series of festive numbers during the Assembly. The pieces evoked the traditional, courtesy of pieces inspired by The Nutcracker, and the contemporary, with the squad executing a Rockette-worthy kickline during the program’s memorable finale. Backstage, their angelic leader, Sra. Sara Salivar beamed with pride. (Photo by Jeremy Ferris)
Donning Santa hats and holiday pajamas, the Upper School chorus club took the stage to lead the entire community in a sing-along version of seasonal hits. “I would love to say the group sounded amazing, but they did such a swell job getting everyone to join in that I could not discern whether I was hearing the chorus, the sophomores sitting behind me, or Mr. Ruggie and Mrs. Cohen belting out their own pitch-perfect, euphonious rhythms from the orchestra section,” quipped English teacher Dr. Peruggia following the program. (Photo by Jeremy Ferris)
Student Council President Liam Duffy served as host, introducing each act and speaker with a smile. (Photo by Jeremy Ferris)
Science teacher Mrs. Katie Ballard took to the podium to share her thoughts of home, family, and love. (Photo by Jeremy Ferris)
The Dazzlers’ performance was witnessed with enraptured silence as they gracefully embodied the sense of awe, awareness, and connection that makes the holiday season so special for so many. (Photo by Jeremy Ferris)
Student Council advisor, Social Studies teacher, alumnus, and Dunkin devotee Mr. Rubiano captivated the crowd with a moving accounting of how he spends his Christmas mornings focused on building community one donut at a time. (Photo by Jeremy Ferris)
The Pharcyde
ew N ear’s Y
16 December 2025
resolutions
looking ahead
As 2025 begins, many students find themselves reflecting on the past year and setting goals for the one ahead. New Year’s resolutions aren’t just a tradition — they’re a chance to reset, refocus, and build habits that can shape both the academic and personal lives of students throughout the year. One of the most common resolutions among students this year is improving time management. With demanding coursework, extracurriculars, part-time jobs, and college preparations, students are aiming to create more structured routines. Many are turning to digital planners, habit-tracking apps, and AI-enhanced study techniques to stay organized and reduce stress. The goal isn’t just to work harder — it’s to work smarter.
Health and wellness have also taken center stage in 2025. Students are reporting a renewed commitment to balancing school with physical activity, sleep, and healthier eating. After several years of increasing awareness about mental health, many teens are setting intentions to practice mindfulness, reduce screen time, or simply carve out moments in the day to unwind. Experts emphasize that even small, consistent changes can make a noticeable difference in mood and energy levels. Another rising trend among students is the desire to strengthen relationships. Whether it’s reconnecting with old friends, spending more time with family, or being kinder and more supportive to classmates, many want 2025 to be a year of positivity. Several clubs are even planning initiatives
resolutions isn’t just you. Pick goals that align with your thinking ahead aboutWriting making promises; it’s about interests, values, and future plans.
getting ahead
setting clear, realistic goals that help you grow. Here’s how you can create resolutions that truly stick. The first step is reflection. Before writing anything down, take a moment to consider what went well in 2025 and what didn’t. Think about your schoolwork, friendships, health, and hobbies. Reflection helps you understand where you want to improve, and it prevents you from choosing resolutions just because they “sound good.” Once you’ve identified your focus areas, write goals that are specific and achievable. Instead of saying, “I’ll study more,” try, “I’ll review my notes for 20 minutes each day before going home.” The more detailed the resolution, the easier it is to follow. Using the SMART method (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) can help you plan goals that are realistic and motivating It’s also helpful to choose resolutions that genuinely matter to
Whether it’s improving your grades, joining a club, reading more, or taking better care of yourself, your resolutions should feel personal — not something you’re doing just because others expect it. Another key part of writing resolutions is keeping them manageable. Instead of making a long list, choose three to five goals you can realistically commit to. This prevents you from feeling overwhelmed and increases your chances of staying consistent throughout the year Finally, plan how you’ll track your progress. Use a journal, a calendar, or a simple checklist. Celebrate small achievements, and don’t be discouraged by setbacks. Resolutions are meant to guide you, not pressure you By taking time to reflect, plan, and stay organized, you will create resolutions that make 2026 a meaningful and successful year.
Here are some of our resolutions. They may help inspire you when crafting your own goals for the new year; you can also just adopt them-we love sharing.
*Invite my partner on a project to do something other than schoolwork one afternoon. Everyone needs a gym buddy, right? *Make an announcement at assembly. Remember to end it with a spirited “Go Bucs!” *Read an article, or at least visit thepharcyte.com once a month. I might be surprised to see myself featured. *Add one new thing to my resume or activity list each month. I’ve got to start marketing myself better. *Surprise my mom or dad once a week. I want them to think about me without having to log in to Buclinks. *Use GoogleMaps to randomly pick a place on the globe and then read up about it on Wikipedia. Global citizenship is quickly becoming not just a reality, but a necessity.
*Pack a snack so that I don’t have to leave study hall to go to the vending machine; I’ll save some money and some time. *Read one new book between each progress report period that isn’t required by my English teachers. I’ll even suggest Mrs. Steiner dance to it in one of her TikToks. *Attend one home game or performance each week. I may learn something by cheering on my friends. *Actually sleep in on Wednesdays. Why don’t I take advantage of the extra hour? *Go talk to a teacher I’ve not had a class with or may not ever have.
focused on community-building and support. Academic goals remain at the top of many lists, but with a new perspective. Instead of focusing solely on grades, students are prioritizing learning skills that will prepare them for college and careers — from improving writing and public speaking to exploring STEM fields or creative arts. Administrators and teachers alike are encouraging students to embrace curiosity and view mistakes as part of the learning process. As a new year unfolds, students are approaching their resolutions with optimism and determination. Whether they stick to every goal or simply make progress, 2026 looks to be a year of growth, resilience, and fresh starts.
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16 December 2025
The Pharcyde
Handel’s Messiah returns to grace Benjamin Hall
E N T E R T A I N M E N T
Isabella Anthon Associate Editor On Dec. 13, 2025, at 3 P.M., the Masterworks Chorus of Palm Beach will pay a visit to the Benjamin School and perform Handel’s Messiah. Chair of the Performing Arts Department, Mrs. Sara Salivar, worked with the chorus to bring this show to life. “I have known the Masterworks Chorus for many years, and before COVID, we hosted them in Benjamin Hall in 2018. We reconnected this year and invited them to perform again in Benjamin Hall for the holiday season,” said Salivar. George Frideric Handel, a German composer, was a favorite of King George III of England. He is most famous for his oratorio Messiah, which includes one of the most well-known choruses of all time: Hallelujah. It tells the story of Jesus Christ from the Nativity to his resurrection after the crucifixion. Handel’s Messiah became a holiday staple in the centuries that followed. “I am most looking forward to the pure enjoyment and experiencing this beautiful holiday tradition in Benjamin Hall once again,” said Salivar.
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Sienna Wrigley Staff Writer Wicked: For Good, the sequel of Wicked: Part One, came out on November 21, 2025 a year after the first film, was released. Viewers from all over the country flocked to the theaters on the Friday before Thanksgiving to get a first glimpse of the film. Although the film officially came out on Friday, select theaters held early releases on Monday November 17. Both Wicked and Wicked: For Good were directed by Jon M. Chu and the soundtrack was created by Stephen Schwartz. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande star in the film as Elphaba and Glinda, respectively, in stunning performances, stunts, singing and dancing numbers. After seeing the film, I fell in love with the raw and breathtaking scenes that left me with many songs stuck in my head. The movie picks up after some time has passed and the characters’ lives have progressed since Wicked: Part One. Elphaba is busy living in the woods with the animals, plotting her chance to share with Oz the lies and fake magic that has been hidden for years. Meanwhile, Glinda is back in the Emerald City, gaining the title of Glinda the Good and being a part of a life that is trying to hide the Wizard’s lies. At the beginning of the film, the two are seen sharing an embrace on Glinda’s balcony as they see each other for the first time in what seems to be a while. This moment coincides with the dramatic and heartbreaking ending with the song “For Good.” In addition to the many songs audiences know and love from the originally Wicked Broadway musical, part two of the cinematic adaptation introduces a few new songs. The first of these being “No Place Like Home” sung by Elphaba as a reminder of her inspiration to push forward and restore Oz. Similarly, the song “Girl in the Bubble” was added to the end of the film and serves as a change and character moment of reflection for Glinda when she finally allows herself to let down her guard and do the
right thing. These songs help round out the two characters and help develop their meaning and purpose even more than in the original Broadway production. As heard in the commentary by Stephen Schwartz at the end of the film’s soundtrack, other songs had been edited to fit the rawness and wholeness of film and include more characters than before even as the rest of the film remains very close to the original. Throughout the film, viewers can find many themes to take away, one being the contrast between real power and disguised powerlessness. Although Glinda has no real powers, her mechanical floating bubble gives the appearance of being as powerful as Elphaba, who uses a broom to fly. The Wonderful Wizard’s power is fake and he uses machines and palaces at a grand scale to demonstrate his power. I would give Wicked: For Good a four out of five broomsticks review. I absolutely loved the messages about being yourself and the importance of friendship which are seen all throughout the film. The music and action is very suspenseful and keeps viewers waiting for what will happen next. I am truly amazed by the wonderful and impressive work of the cast and the amount of effort everyone put into making the film the sensation that it is. I definitely recommend the movie to anyone who loves musicals, action or just something fun to watch with their whole family. Tickets are available at local theaters until the end of the first week in December but the film should be available for streaming shortly after. If you like anything to do with adventure and friendship, take your own adventure to the theaters or home screen and watch the wonderful Wicked: For Good! For a longer version of Sienna’s review, head over to thepharcyte.com!
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Does the sequel fly high or melt?
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Review-Wicked: For Good Point
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review
counterpoint Isabella Anthon Associate Editor Annabel Brown Staff Writer Movie versions are better Picture this: a movie theatre full of people who anxiously awaited the release of this latest flick. This is no ordinary flick; it is a movie adaptation. Finally, what once were just words are now moving pictures. I am a firm believer that movies are better than their literary counterparts. Don’t get me wrong, reading, especially for young people, is very important. Movies are often better than book versions because they bring stories to life in vivid and visual ways that words alone can’t achieve. Through acting, music, and cinematography, movies create an immersive experience. Nothing in my mind is more boring than a book that drones on and on. If I’m reading a story, I want the story. The movie versions condense complex plots of novels into more fast-paced narratives. While reading The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, I constantly thought to myself, “This is a great book, but it would be so good on screen.” The Instagram announcement popped up on my phone a year later: “Taylor Jenkins Reid hit novel to become a Netflix film.”
“Everyone should appreciate history and the arts, and what better way than experiencing Handel’s Messiah. Everything is live: the professional singers, a large chorus, and a symphony. It just doesn’t get any better.” The Masterworks Chorus of Palm Beach performs throughout the country in every season. This year is the 47th season since the chorus’s foundation in 1979. It focuses on engaging the community in choral numbers that inspire and uplift. In addition to performing in Benjamin Hall, the chorus will sing at the Royal Poinciana Chapel on Palm Beach Island. The performance will be on Dec. 14. 2025, at 7 P.M. “They do an incredible performance, and I highly recommend that all students, faculty, staff, and families attend this brilliant holiday event. If you have never attended a classical concert with a large chorus and a professional symphony, this is a must, especially in our beautiful Benjamin Hall, where the acoustics are spectacular,” said Salivar. Students and members of the Benjamin faculty can see Handel’s Messiah free of charge. A seat can be redeemed with a student ID when doors open at 2:30.
Page or popcorn? Does the source or its adaptation rules supreme? There was no cast list, but that didn’t matter. Hopes for the movie adaptations are what make the experience so fun. Fans enjoy discussing which actors best match a character’s looks, personality, and energy. This turns anticipation into debates and trends, which in turn brings people together. It’s exciting to picture how an actor might interpret a character’s emotions or iconic quotes. There is a big difference between visualizing your favorite characters in your mind and seeing them on screen. When reading a book, listening to music alongside the words can confuse you and throw you off the comprehension train. In movies, all of the wonderfulness of the plot blends perfectly together with the soundtrack. Take Regretting You for instance. Songs like “Everywhere, Everything” by Noah Khan and Gracie Abrams and “Writing on the Wall” by ROLE MODEL encapsulate scenes. This makes the story feel lived in. Granted, sometimes directors have to make tough decisions. Not every book can be translated to the screen word-for-word. Some will say that movies or TV shows do not always accurately portray them, but I have yet to see an actor who wasn’t well cast. In fact, I have yet to watch a movie version of a book that has not exceeded my expectations.
The debate between books and their cinematic adaptations will probably never have a clear answer. In the case of Wicked, things are even more complex-- there’s also the Broadway musical to consider.
Books are better As the seasons start to change, it becomes the perfect time to curl up under the covers with a hot beverage and a good read. I’ve always believed that books are better than their onscreen counterparts. While I appreciate how movie adaptations can offer new fans an easy introduction to a standalone or series, I’d much rather experience all of a story. Every word that’s been printed has a meaning that movies simply cannot convey to the fullest. Books teach us to appreciate the little things and help us expand our imaginations. The average book takes 6-15 hours to finish in one sitting, depending on the reader’s speed, focus, and interest. The average movie is 90-120 minutes long. Just imagine how many scenes are cut out to slim down books into feature film length. So many things are left unsaid for the sake of a time cap. But when you actually have the words in front of you, you start to read between the lines. Those “insignificant” scenes that are omitted from adaptations help the reader to resonate with the story more and develop characters. Our brains are capable of great things, and that includes visualization. While I love seeing stories brought to life through cinematography, I also think it’s important to interpret a story on your own. Reading allows you to create your own version of settings and characters. For this reason, books are as or more immersive than movies. If you’re anything like me, then you can get lost in a good book for hours. You become engrossed in that ideal version of the story. Like a fingerprint, every interpretation is different, and movies simply cannot replicate that individuality while catering to every single person. It’s quite a rude awakening to see a beloved book adapted on screen and realize the filmmakers’ vision is nothing like the world you conjured up in your dreams.
The Pharcyde
16 December 2025
The Best is Yet to Come previewing the variety show Haley Roth Co-Editor-in-Chief Just as the second semester approaches, so does Benjamin School’s annual Variety Show. This year is the Variety Show’s 30th anniversary, so it will focus on remembering the past and looking towards the present of the event. The show will take place on January 24 in Benjamin Hall. Each year, the Variety Show has a theme that outlines all of the performances and pieces. The theme this year is extremely unique. “This year’s theme is called “The Best is Yet to Come.” We are celebrating the Variety Show’s 30th anniversary this January, and the theme reflects that there is still so much more to celebrate in the coming years. We will be showcasing some of our favorite pieces from past variety shows, as well as including new pieces this year. We have invited alumni from the very first variety show, so there will be a lot of alumni featured in this show,” shared Mrs. Sara Salivar, Performing Arts Department Chair. Each year, the Variety Show features a multitude of musical performances. The 2026 Variety Show will feature a few past numbers from previous shows as well as lots of new ones. Mrs. Salivar explains what the audiences have to look forward to this year, “There will be more vocal pieces this year, including father/ daughter duo Erika Strasser ‘09 and her dad, Lee Strasser. We have more big numbers, including a medley from “Beauty and the Beast,” “Despicable Me,” and also “Hamilton.” Along with the Diamondettes, Dazzlers, and Sparklers, we even have a boy/girl country piece this year that is sure to entertain, and an appearance
from the “Blues Brothers” daddy/ daughters. There will be lots of fun musical numbers from the Lower School, Middle School, and Upper School, including the Middle School drumline and the Upper School concert band, plus we might even have an administrator participate this year.” As always, the Dazzlers will be a highlight of the Variety Show this year. They have been preparing various dances that will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the event. “The Dazzlers are doing some of the most popular dances the team has done in the past, as well as some new pieces,” stated senior Bridget Stein. “We are doing ‘Devil Went Down to Georgia,’ ‘Our Favorite Son,’ ‘The Best Is Yet to Come,’ ‘It’s About That Walk,’ ‘K-Pop Demon Hunters,’ as well as dancing in the opening ‘Beauty and the Beast’ number.” The preparations for the Variety Show are completely underway now, as performers and organizers alike are beyond excited to share all of their hard work with their Benjamin community. “It is going to be such a fun variety show, and I hope everyone will come out and support the Arts at TBS,” shared Mrs. Salivar. Bridget Stein had similar remarks, “I’m excited for the Variety Show because being backstage with my friends is always super fun and it’s always super rewarding in the end.” The Variety Show is sure to be a wonderful performance this year as the Performing Arts Department celebrates nearly half a century of the event. Be sure to buy your tickets and celebrate all of the hard work of those involved.
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A R T S in
review
Review: Cirque du Soleil wows Haley Roth Co-Editor-in-Chief Flips, spins, tricks, and performers defying gravity: this was all seen at Cirque du Soleil’s holiday performance, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, which ran at the Kravis Center from Nov. 20-30. The amazing production, with a runtime of about 80 minutes, focuses on teenage Isabella who feels she has grown out of reading A Visit from Saint Nicholas with her father. When the poem comes to life, Isabella rediscovers the magic of Christmas through Sugar-Plum Fairies, woodland creatures, Santa Claus, and more fictional characters. Eventually, Isabella and her dad are reunited to celebrate the holiday together. The show perfectly encapsulated the whimsy and magic of the holiday season, as all of the actors danced and created a seamless storyline using props and different characters. Each scene felt unique and impressive, with the performers showing off their various specialities. Some of the best scenes included Santa’s reindeer jumping through hoops and doing flips onstage, Isabella doing tricks on a bike, and the opening trapeze-inspired performance of the snowflakes. In these scenes, the performers truly dazzled, but all tricks aside, their storytelling was also very easy to follow. In addition to this, the performers do everything without safety lines, hanging onto straps by their arms, or even their heads in some cases. This adds to the feeling of authentic circus tricks and actually talented
The drama club’s fall play, Here There Are Blueberries was a success according to the South Florida Cappies and their 44 high school critics who attended performances in early November. Rehearsals for the spring musical, Into the Woods, are underway; the cast will take a hiatus during midterms and Christmas break.
performers. But the best scene by far was that of the roller-skaters. Watching them flip and spin all while on skates was so extremely impressive and mind-blowing to watch. Their vibrant, 70s-inspired costumes only added to the excitement. The show also included many lights, fake snow, and extremely detailed costumes. Each character felt dynamic, unique, and classic, but with a twist. I really enjoyed how the characters and music were modern and updated, but still showcased all of the classic elements of the holidays. In addition to this, the props were not overused and were incorporated into the performance very well. For example, a luggage cart was used to transport presents, but also as a floating structure for a contortionist to showcase her act on. The actors included lots of crowd engagement in their performance. They got their viewers, standing, cheering, and even brought up two audience members as participants during one of the scenes. This made the show more engaging and added unexpectedness to what or who was
Freshmen Dazzlers Briella Thomas and Barlowe Wilson performed at their first Underclassman Showcase on Monday, Oct. 27. The Dazzlers celebrated their senior dancers. Captain Bryce Seger, co-captains Catalina Sanchez and Bridget Stein, Alyssa Saraqi, Ava Reece, and Nickie Walsh at Senior Night in October.
going to be included next. One slightly negative aspect of the show was the fact that some of the tricks and performances seemed calmer and more understated than those executed in other Cirque du Soleil shows I’ve seen. I think this was justified, as it allowed for more dancing and storytelling, both of which are critical to the performance’s tone and narrative clarity. This show was not just supposed to be astonishing and dynamic, but also to tell a heartfelt story, which I truly believe it did. Overall, this show was everything I expected and more. The performers went above and beyond with their acts, costumes, and dispositions. They truly seemed to enjoy what they were doing and wanted to share it with others. This performance inspired cheer, amazement, and excitement for the holidays through a relatable and magical story. ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas by Cirque du Soleil is the perfect show to elicit all of the feelings and memories that help make the holiday season magical. The “reindeers” jump through hoops during one of the many awe-filled scenes of Cirque du Soleil’s “Twas the Night Before Christmas” at the Kravis Center. The group was celebrating the reunion of Isabelle and her father towards the end of the show. (Photo courtesy of Cirque du Soleil)
The Upper School Band had a productive semester, performing at various assemblies and offering a thrilling winter concert. Backdoor Cafe events continue to attract student performers seeking to share their talents with the larger community. It only takes one walk down the hallway to appreciate the hard work of our visual artists who are painting, drawing, and sculpting masterpieces.
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16 December 2025
The Pharcyde
Review: Juicery strikes gold Get frosty with these cake decorating tips
Isabella Anthon Associate Editor A beloved local cafe has just expanded to Tequesta. Golden Juicery, located in the Bluffs Plaza on the border of Jupiter and Juno Beach, has opened its second location at 236 U.S. Rte 1, Tequesta, FL. Golden Juicery has become a true treasure at the heart of the community, known for its laid-back charm and beachy feel. It’s more than just a coffee shop. Surfers stop by after early morning waves, run clubs rest there after a half-marathon along Ocean Road, and even hordes of Benjamin students pack the tables on a Friday afternoon. The new location still features the cafe’s classic menu, including acai bowls, wraps, avocado toasts, and more. What differs the most is that the Tequesta Golden Juicery has a full breakfast and lunch menu. This includes new sandwiches and an array of pastries. My meal began with a small treat. Fresh protein bites of many flavors are made in-house each morning. I chose the cacao brownie bite. Although the bite is finished in at most three bites, it feels like a dessert even after you remember it’s a healthy snack. I then heard my name called at the drink counter. My typical order is an iced chai latte with almond milk. In the spirit of trying out the new location, I added cinnamon to my drink. Best decision ever! The spice added the perfect touch of fall. For the main attraction, I ordered a small-sized acai bowl alongside
one of the new sandwiches. I’ve tried almost every variation of the acai bowl during my two-year patronage, but I’ve now settled on strawberry, chia seeds, and honey as my goto. The sandwich, dubbed the “Sol Fit Sammy,” includes egg whites, sprouts, avocado, turkey bacon, and a bell pepper aioli sauce on multigrain bread. It exceeded my expectations. In terms of what can be improved, I say nothing. I only wish the sandwich and other new menu items were offered at the location closest to me. But considering how delicious everything was, the newest Golden Juicery is well worth the extra ten-minute drive.
Haley Roth Co-Editor-in-Chief Frosting a cake can feel intimidating: it can be difficult to find the right consistency, know what steps to take while frosting, and ensure the neatness of piping and borders. But, with a little practice, the right tools, basic technique, and a few step-bystep guidelines, frosting a cake can be simple, smooth, and bakery-quality. Whether you need to bake a birthday cake, impress your family on holidays, or just want to try something new, this how-to will help you frost cakes perfectly every time. A basic list of needs and prep: • Baked cake layers • Frosting of your choice (buttercream is best for beginners, but there are lots of different types to perfect) • Offset Spatula and regular spatula • Piping bag (for decorations) • Cake turntable • Cake leveler • Straight edge (a bench scraper is usually the preferred tool for bakers)
With some practice you too can frost a cake as artfully inspiring as this. (Cake and photo by Haley Roth)
Review: Editor savors a bite at West Palm hotspot Grato, declares it a must-visit Chase Zur Co-Editor-in-Chief Imagine a restaurant that feels lively the moment you walk in, yet never rushed once you sit down. That place is Clay Conely’s Grato in West Palm Beach. I went to Grato for dinner with friends on a Friday night, and the experience was absolutely incredible. While Conley’s Palm Beach two other restaurants-- Buccan and Imoto--lean into a more upscale culinary experience, Grato brings the same level of quality to a setting that is both comfortable and inviting. We started with an appetizer of tuna tartar, which is served on crispy rice with avocado, spicy aioli, and cilantro. The contrast between the warm crunch of the rice and the cool tuna made each bite stand out, and the flavor blended beautifully. Alongside it, we shared the Italian salad, a sim-
Grato is located at 1901 S. Dixie Hwy, West Palm Beach, FL 33401. The restaurant is open daily for lunch and dinner, closing at 10pm nightly. For more details, visit their website at www.gratowpb.com.
Once the crumb coat is chilled, it is time for the final layer of frosting. Add a generous scoop of frosting to the top of the cake and spread it on the sides and top using a spatula. Hold a straight-edge to the side of the cake and turn the turntable until you get your desired smoothness. Scrape off the excess and fill in gaps as needed. (It is okay to do this step multiple times to make sure the cake looks perfect.) Now it’s time for creativity. There are various types of frosting decorations you can use on your cake. Embrace them as your imagination allows. Use a piping bag to pipe borders, lines, ruffles, or rosettes on the cake. Some sprinkles, fruit, edible glitter, or fondant will finish off the perfect look. Chill your cake for a bit to ensure the frosting and decorations are set. Enjoy your newfound talents and skills!
h c a e B y Sydne
Iced chai latte with cinnamon and almond milk. (Photo by Isabella Anthon)
Acai bowl with strawberries, chia seeds, and honey drizzle (Photo by Isabella Anthon)
Steps to Frosting a Cake: Ensure your cake is completely cooled. A warm cake and frosting will be a total disaster. You will struggle to make clean edges, the frosting will melt, and the cake will slide off-center. Allow your cakes to cool on a wire rack after baking, or chill them in the fridge or freezer for a little while. Gently cut off the raised top part of your cake before frosting. These flat layers will make for a sturdy and structurally sound cake. A crumb coat is the first thin layer of frosting that seals in the crumbs and allows for a much cleaner second coat of frosting. Put the first layer of cake down on a cake board. Spread a thin layer of frosting on top of the cake and gently place the next layer on top. Repeat for the desired number of layers. Lightly frost the sides and top of the cake. Chill the cake for 15-30 minutes to set the crumb coat
Among the dishes Grato is known for are their chicken parmigiana and thin crust pizzas. As you can see, portion sizes are quite generous, allowing for easy sharing with your dining-mate.
“Last winter me and my family were looking for an art course that I could take. I play golf a lot, so I wanted to try and do something more artsy in the free time that I have. And we were looking at the Armory Arts Center in West Palm and I was going to take a drawing course. And when we were looking through all the courses, there was this lapidary course, and I said I wanted to take it. [Lapidary] is basically shaping, cutting and shaving stones. But anyway, it was an adult’s only course. But then the drawing course that I was going to take got cancelled and a teen lapidary course opened up, so that was a crazy coincidence. I really fell in love with lapidary, so after that course ended, I started taking a metalsmithing course at the Armory. We learned about soldering and sawing with a hand saw. And then, this summer, when I was in California, me and my parents found this instructor with a whole metalsmithing workshop in her backyard. I took lessons three times a week from her, and I could direct my own projects with what I wanted to do. That was really exciting for me because usually my classes were guided. I also got to use real sterling silver.
ple combination of olives, pepperoncini, onions, chickpeas, croutons, and parmesan cheese. The bright, acidic dressing and fresh ingredients made it surprisingly memorable and a perfect starter to share. For my entrée, I ordered the spaghetti pomodoro. All of Grato’s pastas are made in-house, which definitely sets it apart from most home meals. The pasta had the ideal al dente mixture, and the sauce was bright, smooth, and layered with basil and parmesan. It was a simple dish, but Grato prepared it with a level of care that made it absolutely delicious. My friends, on the other hand, ordered the chicken parmesan, and it was equally impressive. Their chicken had a crisp, golden crust that remained crunchy under melted mozzarella, while its inside stayed perfectly tender. Paired with marinara and spaghetti, it was the kind of classic Italian comfort dish that Grato executed with real finesse. One of my favorite aspects about the restaurant is the variety of dishes found on its menu. Although rooted
in Italian cooking, the menu rotates seasonally and includes seafood appetizers, vegetable dishes, housemade pastas, pizzas, and steaks. The seasonal changes also mean that if one particular menu is not exactly your style, it is always worth returning; there is almost always something new to try! Additionally, as someone with a nut allergy, I truly appreciated how seriously the staff took my concerns. They explained the menu clearly, guided me toward safe options, and made thoughtful substitutions without hesitation. Their attention to detail made the entire experience comfortable and stress free, something I never take for granted when dining out. With consistently good food, a welcoming atmosphere, and impeccable service, it’s clear why Grato continues to be a stand out in the West Palm Beach dining scene. Whether you are craving handmade pasta, a well-executed classic, or simply a restaurant that gets the details right, Grato is absolutely worth the visit!
Right now, I’m taking classes at the Armory again for hot connections, like soldering. I’ve been learning wire wrapping right now. It’s definitely way different from lapidary, since that’s cold connections, but I still enjoy it. I get to make bracelets and rings, which I wear sometimes. We also make earrings, but I don’t have my ears pierced yet, so maybe it’s a sign. My favorite piece I’ve made is a sterling silver pendant with a set stone inside. We use brass wires, and there’s a lot of different colors to choose from. When I’m making things, it’s just peaceful. When you’re doing something that you love, you just feel like you’re in the zone. I just feel really at peace when I’m making things and I think everyone should try doing something artsy if they’re looking to reconnect with nature or make something.”
The Pharcyde
16 December 2025
Taking it to the mat
S P O R T S
wrestling squad’s season starts strong
Cole Arrizza, Isaiah Valencis, and Ryan Bartasi joined sophomore Nick German to celebrate his milestone 100th win (pictured below) during the team’s matches at Bayside High on Dec. 6.
Reid Waxman Co-Editor-in-Chief The mats are down, the whistle’s ready, and the Bucs’ wrestling team is already making noise. Fueled by experience, rising stars, and a relentless work ethic, the squad has entersed the new season poised for big performances while armed with even bigger goals. In their first meets of the year, the Bucs showed noticeable improvement across the lineup, with both experienced wrestlers and newcomers contributing meaningful points. Veteran leaders set the tone by securing dominant wins, displaying poise in tight situations and confidence in
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their takedown strategies. Several middle school students also made strong debuts, impressing coaches with their willingness to battle through tough positions and maintain composure against older opponents. Coach German is excited by the team’s early achievements. “We have a lot of youth on the team who have stepped up and started to show signs of leadership and tenacity-- they want to be competitive and are motivated to get to qualify for regional competition. Nick’s 100th win marks just the first of his many season goals, which include breaking several school records and qualifying for States.” Overall, the early performances suggest a team has strong potential and rising confidence as they continue to develop throughout the season.
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review
Lady Bucs’ off-court bonds New era for boys’ basketball team key to game-time success By Reid Waxman Co Editor-in-Chief
The members of the girls’ basketball team have forged a bond of sisterhood during practices, lunches, and bus rides. Their commitment to each other is a major part of what makes the squad strong on the court as well. (Photo by Covi Campbell)
Annabel Brown Staff Writer For the girls’ basketball team, there’s a lot more that goes into a game than just dribbling the ball or shooting a shot. It’s an experience shared between people who have found each other through a mutual love for basketball. “The girls’ team is just so fun and loving; it’s where I met some of my closest friends,” said sophomore Amia Fleming Lake. “It’s nice because we can all grab something quick like Chipolte or Tropical Smoothie together before a game, or even go to Miller’s in Alton if a game ends early.” According to members of the team, another popular option includes Chick-fil-A. The girls’ team takes their pre-game meal in the Benjamin Hall Lobby before moving to the locker rooms to change and circle up. Fleming Lake adds, “[In the locker room], we talk about our goals for the game, what we need to improve, and what we will focus on.” From there, the girls go into the gym to practice before the opposing team arrives. Team members practice throws, passes, and dribbling to the team playlist. This mix is usually
curated by Coach Alex Clarke or a trusted team member. The girls’ team notes that it is usually a mix of house music, summery music, and hip-hop. With all that preparation, the girls jump into the game confident and unified. But to the girls’ basketball team, it’s not about winning or losing. It’s about lifting each other up and figuring out how to improve for next time. “When we lose, we’re sad but also motivated to do better next time,” commented freshman Kayla Ugarte. During away games, the team eats on the bus and share their motivational talk there. Then they have time to squeeze in some practice on the opposing team’s courts before the game starts. “On the way there, it’s usually calm. People are listening to music or doing homework. On longer drives– ones over 45 minutes–we usually do team bonding or play fun games,” said Fleming Lake. With their positive mindset, the girls’ basketball team has established themselves as a close knit group certain to succeed this season.
The Benjamin boys’ basketball program is stepping into the 2024-25 season with a fresh perspective. With the arrival of new head coach Chris Champeau, the Buccaneers are embarking on a new era built on pride and tradition. “I love this school, man. The 12 values are awesome. These kids are awesome,” Coach Champeau stated. “They know how to play together and win and be part of something bigger than themselves.” Coach Champeau, who goes by the more informal Coach Shempy, has spent the last 20 years coaching and training players from the NBA to college, high school, and middle school. He has also developed a vast network that has created numerous opportunities for his players. Coach Shempy introduced new traditions, elevated the program’s professionalism, and introduced new gear that students can wear to school. “Coach Shempy has completely changed the atmosphere,” junior Griffon Alterman expressed. “We’re more disciplined, more connected, and honestly just more excited to come to practice every day. It feels like a fresh start for all of us.” One of the traditions that took place on Friday, Nov. 14th, was when the team visited the Lower School and, during their assembly, hyped up the crowd with some impressive dunks and threw T-shirts into the sections to lift spirits going into the weekend. “I thought it was so much fun,” junior Tristan Cameron stated. “Those kids were so happy, and it made us feel good. I hope we have that type of support at our games.” Among the players embracing this new era is senior Ben Bucker, who steps into his final high school season. “In my last year, I’m really excited for what’s ahead. Coming over from Jupiter last year, this is my first real season where everything feels settled,” Bucker noted. “Having Coach Shempy leading us just makes it even better. He’s brought a new
energy, and I’m more than ready to get to work and have a coach like this beside us.” “Depending on who we play, the game plan changes, but we have three principles that we live by: play smart, play hard, play together,” Coach Shempy noted. “If we pinpoint those details, we’ll be prepared for whatever destiny comes our way.” Junior Logan Buchanan talked about the game he’s most excited for. “I’m definitely most excited for the Saint Andrew’s game. They’re always tough, and playing a team like that brings out the best in us. I love those big-environment games where the gym is loud and everyone’s locked in.” Buchanan is coming off a successful sophomore season, leading the team with 13.1 points per game on 51% field goal percentage, eight rebounds per game, and two assists per game. “This year, I’m looking to expand my game. To be more of a creator, get downhill more, and be a better leader on both ends,” Buchanan explained. “I’m lucky because my teammates make everything easier. We’ve got shooters spacing the floor, and guards who push the tempo. It lets me play to my strengths.”
Heading into this new season under Coach Shempy, senior Johnny Havlicek emphasized the potential impact of Benjamin’s freshman class. “Something about these freshmen is they listen,” Havlicek said. “They play hard, and you can tell they want playing time, and they want to win. That’s so huge for our depth this year.” “I’m excited to be here,” freshman Connor Buchanan stated. “I want to make the most out of it. The older guys have been awesome. Coach Shempy has been very supportive, and I’m ready to do whatever the team needs to help us win this season.” One key message that the team lives by is attitude. “We have the word attitude on every clothing item that we have that has Benjaminn basketball on it,” junior Xander Klein said. “We try to really emphasize that either on the court or even on the bench. Our attitude matters, whether we make a bad play or if we hit a clutch three-point shot, we stay under control and move on.” With a demanding schedule and a united locker room, Benjamin basketball is ready to make noise this season.
Junior Griffon Alterman dribbles the ball down the court in Benji Ball’s home opener versus the Oxbridge Thunderwolves. (Photo by Jeremy Ferris)
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16 December 2025
The Pharcyde
Boys’ Soccer Rebuilds After Early Injuries and Major Roster Losses Chase Zur Co-Editor-in-Chief Following a crushing 4-0 loss to Holy Trinity in the 2025 regional finals, the boys’ varsity soccer team entered this season determined to move forward, yet realistic about the challenges ahead. The squad now finds itself relying on new faces with players stepping into roles they’ve never played before. The team lost a large core of experienced contributors from last year: Ford Cash, GianCarlo Di Leo, Dillon Hoban, Maddox Hoffman, and Sean Sheehan. Providing the Bucs with depth in areas that were somewhat thin after last season, junior Nate Swank has become an important additions to the back line. “I was able to learn a lot from GianCarlo as a defender, so I would like to think that I am becoming the more physical part of the backline as he was,” Swank said. These transitions have been made tougher by a string of early-season injuries. Senior and defender Alex Perkins has been limited by a hamstring strain, junior and goalie Andrew Rodgers is recovering from a concussion, and senior and striker RJ Munder is expected to miss four to six weeks with a torn calf. “We’ve been performing poorly so far because we have very little depth while dealing with injuries. Last year, we really relied on guys like Maddox and Ford so we are testing out new formations and learning new positions. I feel that once we have everyone back, we can turn it around,” Perkins said.
Senior and centerback Jake Froot agreed that the group is still settling in. “We’ve been underperforming and need to step up. I think developing our movement off the ball and game IQ will be crucial this season, but we are really close as a team, which is nice,” Froot expressed. Building off Froot’s point, sophomore and midfielder Daniel Reznik feels that the team’s main focus should be consistency. “We’ve had good moments, but we’re not always reliable. Right now, we’re working on staying calm, organized, and growing each game,” Reznik shared. Head Coach Kris Steeves, now in his sixth year with the program, has emphasized patience and devel-
opment while maintaining high standards for the season. “Our ultimate goal is to continue the success of recent seasons and maintain our district championship. But we lost some very impactful players, so we’ll need to work for each other more than ever. I like to think of my style as finding fun in the journey while striving for high standards in everything we do. Three terms I try to honor are ‘Have Fun. Work Hard. Get on With it.’ I will continue to use this philosophy to integrate less experienced players, while keeping the level high,” Steeves noted. Despite the setbacks, the Bucs remain confident that time, health, and experience will bring the cohesion they need to succeed.
Signing
Day
On Fri, Nov, 7, seventeen seniors participated in Fall Signing Day. These students signed their national letters of intent in front of the whole Benjamin communtiy. In addition to this, they took pictures and placed a hat from their school on their head, signifying their commitment and decision to be an athelete in college. Golf, lacrosse, baseball, volleyball, diving, track and field, and cross country athletes signed to Division I, II, and III universities. There will be a Football Signing day and a Spring Signing Day later this year. These athletes, along with those who signed in November, will continue to compete and train in their respective sports for many years to come. Three Girls’ Varsity Lacrosse players will go on to be college athletes. From left to right: Madison Jayson, Pryce Savidge, Piper Tuohey. (Photo by Jeremy Ferris)
All of the signees who partook in the fall ceremony. (Photo by Jeremy Ferris)
Golf-player Kaitlyn Hummers signed to play DII athletics at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. (Photo by Jeremy Ferris)
Before their game versus the Vero Beach on November 14th, the boys’ varsity soccer team huddles up for a pre-game talk. The team ended up winning 2-1 after making a comeback from an original goal deficit. (Photo by Reid Waxman)
Girls’ soccer begins title defense with tough early schedule Isabella Anthon Associate Editor Nine months ago, the Benjamin Girls soccer team was crowned FSHAA Class 2A state champions. This marked the program’s first state title. A new season has begun, and the girls are looking to play hard all the way back to Deland. A large group of seniors make up the core of the team: Sienna Barboni, Jules Bartoli, Chase Zur, Iris Hoffman, Caroline Welke, Kate Quinlivin, Makenna Bristow, Cassidy Walsh, Kenna Kujawa, and Jules Bartoli. They hope to lead the Bucs to more victories, yet they have a goal bigger than winning games: to leave a lasting impact on the other girls and on Benjamin Athletics as a whole. “All the seniors are working to leave an impact on the program through creating an environment where players are excited to come to practice, games, participate in team activities, and foster growth. I
think the younger players look up to us, and stepping up for them means being there for them when they have questions and offering advice. I feel confident we can make it far again this season. A state title is not out of our reach if we work hard,” said Sienna Barboni. During tryouts, the team hit a snag. One of the graduates was the goalie, and no one who tried out could fill the position. Mackenzie Bryan, a former JV player, stepped up to the goal post this season. “I’ve hardly played soccer at all, so this is definitely a big change for me. Thankfully, the team has been so supportive, and they all take care of me despite my inexperience,” said Bryan. “I’ve always played volleyball, and some parts of volleyball have definitely helped. The reaction time I have from volleyball has been super helpful, for example. Unfortunately, it’s also hurt me a bit because. You dive as both a goalie and a vol-
leyball player, but the way you dive is completely different. It’s tough to get out of the habit I’ve learned from volleyball.” Training for this season consisted of three words: build, build, build. The returning players honed their skills while helping the newcomers acclimate. There is a strong slate of upcoming leaders, including the underclassmen. Freshman Lily Stanis was the only eighth-grade player on the team last year. She returns with a veteran’s mindset. “My goals going forward are to make any eighth graders and freshmen feel just as welcomed as I did. Another goal for me is to have a strong season, not just individually, but as a team,” said Stanis. “The training process has been very good ever since the first practice of the season. We have developed socially and physically along with on and off the soccer field as a whole. This year, many freshmen and even an eighth grader have stepped up to help the team make it to states again.” Sophomore Emma Bartoli scored the winning goal at the state championship last March. “The season so far has been fun but demanding. We have a team of mostly attackers, so training defense has been a big priority,” said Bartoli. “Having won states last year put a target on our backs. Other schools assume we play at a higher intensity than other opponents. This time last year, our season was not going well at all. Yet, we still ended up winning states.” Despite their best efforts, the Bucs still face threats on the road to the state championship. Teams such as American Heritage and Somerset
Left: The soccer team practices hard every day between matches. Part of that preparation includes simulated game play. (Picture by Chase Zur) Above: Junior MacKenzie Bryan, the team’s goalie, spends afternoons blocking shots on goal. Drills like this have helped her develop the hand and foot skills needed to become one of the area’s most formidable presences in front of the net. (Picture by Sienna Barboni) Below: Seniors Chase Zur, Kenna Kujawa, Cassidy Walsh, and Sienna Barbonin take a moment off from practice to send some positive vibes to those cheering them on throughout Buc Nation. (Picture by Chase Zur)
Academy have well-ranked programs and players. The girls’ soccer team has played five games so far. They tied a preseason game 1-1 against Wellington High School on Nov. 6, with a goal scored by Sienna Barboni. They also took down the Gulliver Preparatory Raiders on Nov. 10 at the home opener, 1-0. After a long drive to Miami, they lost 4-3 to St. Andrews on Nov. 12. The record stands 2-4-1 after a win against Vero Beach High School and a loss against Cardinal Newman. Soccer season is a long one. Hopefully, January and February will be filled with memorable moments.
The Pharcyde
16 December 2025
Page 15
From bleachers to bedrooms, the evolution of the fan when casual engagement cannot satisfy their hunger to connect with the sports, players, and competitive atmosphere, students seek other outlets for their passions. these are some of their stories. Reid Waxman, Co-Editor-in-Chief Being a fan means more than just cheering when your team wins or sulking when they lose; it’s the connection between the fan and their school, city, player, or even the team itself. Across every sport, fandom is very different but driven by the same thing: emotion. Whether it’s the packed student section, the heartbreak of a Sunday loss, or the electricity of a last-second goal, being a fan is about believing in something that may not always make sense.
The Madness of Belief For senior Stephen Cecil, basketball is a language he understands. Ask him where an NBA player went to college, and he’ll answer before you finish the question. Devin Booker? Kentucky. Damian Lillard? Weber State. Even high school, too. LeBron James. St. Vincent-St. Mary High School. “It’s been a while since I was a little kid. I watched them in college, knew their name, and never forgot them.” Cecil noted. Basketball has become an integral part of Cecil’s daily routine. “It’s honestly just who I am,” Cecil explained. “I don’t think there’s been a day in my life where I haven’t watched, read, or talked about basketball in some sort of way. It just comes up automatically in my head and out of my mouth.” That obsession started early for Cecil. “I would say I am a decent basketball player. Growing up in Greenwich, Connecticut, it’s snowing there all the time, and I learned to just sit on my couch and watch basketball and fell in love with it,” Cecil remarked. “One day, my dad turned on the UNC-Duke rivalry with Jabari Parker and Rodney Hood, and I was immediately hooked.” What makes college basketball special to Cecil isn’t just the games, but the pathways. “Every NBA player’s story starts in college,” Cecil declared. “I like knowing how they got there, who they were before the fame.” Cecil’s friends think he’s delusional. “I seriously don’t know how someone can know this much about one sport. I say one thing about the sport, and he spews out 30 minutes of just ball knowledge,” senior Luc Borzilieri said. “I just don’t get it.” Cecil’s brother, sophomore Ethan Cecil, agrees with Borzilieri. “He’s always been crazy about basketball. He’s a real fan. He knows everything not only about college basketball, but the NBA,” Ethan explained. To Cecil, fandom is about belonging to a culture that never stops evolving.
Cecil gets a thrill from connecting to the athletes who give life to the sport he loves. (Photo from Stephen Cecil)
“Basketball gives me something to look forward to and think about every season,” Cecil commented. Even if my team loses, there’s always another game, another player, and another story.”
Faith on Saturdays, and Hope on Sunday While most people plan around homework, chores, or weekend plans, junior Xander Klein plans football over anything. “Everything else can wait,” Klein noted. “If the Ravens are playing, I’m locked in.” His loyalty to Baltimore isn’t casual but convenient, and not quiet at all. “Every Sunday since I can remember, I sat on the couch or sometimes even at games with my dad and watched every single minute of Ravens football,” Klein said. “He raised me into it. I didn’t have a choice, but now I’m glad I didn’t.” On Saturdays, Klein watches college football from morning until late at night. Whether he’s doing something, there will always be commentary playing from somewhere near Klein. “I would say I’m addicted to football. The excitement is just too unreal,” Klein said. Football isn’t just something he watches, but it’s something that changes him. “My entire mood depends on how the Ravens play,” Klein exclaimed. “If we lose, don’t talk to me. If we win, my week is made.” Klein is confident about his team. “There’s just an energy about us. We are just good. We’re tough, and we play every game hard,” Klein noted. Football goes beyond just one team for Klein, though. Saturdays are also peak for him. “The best feeling, other than seeing my Ravens win, is watching a
crazy college game at night,” Klein said. “The crowd storms the field, the announcers lose their minds. It’s just wild.” Still, nothing compares to the excitement of Ravens football for Klein. “ Watching Lamar is like a video game,” Klein noted. “You never know what he’s gonna do. A 60-yard run, or a perfect throw. He makes every game a must-watch, especially for me.” Like many diehard fans, Klein has felt the heartbreak. The playoff losses hurt. “It’s so tough to see us lose in the divisional last year, the AFC Championship the year before, and in 2023 see us lose to the Bengals in a wild card game,” Klein said. “But it’s the kind of pain that us fans sign up for. And being a Ravens fan at school means dealing with arguments with his friends daily. “There aren’t a ton of fans at the school who are in the AFC North, but those who are, it’s torture. We’re such good friends till Sunday, and especially if we play with each other,” Klein said. Football is more than touchdowns for Klein. “Football gives me something to look forward to. If I have a rough day at school or a tough day at practice, I just know that I can watch some football later,” Klein said. “It’s just who I am.”
Klein has a bird’s eye view of the field as his beloved Ravens prepare to start the game. (Photo from Xander Klein)
The Game That Never Leaves You For junior Thomas Harris, baseball has never been just another sport, but a constant. “I honestly don’t remember a time when I wasn’t watching baseball,” Harris said. “It was always on in my house.” Harris fell in love with the game at a young age. The routine of watching games with his dad and hearing the crack of a bat turned into something bigger.
“My dad definitely got me into,” he said. “He taught me how to throw, how to read a box score, all of it,” Harris noted. Some of his best memories come straight from the field. “My favorite memory is hitting my first home run in Little League,” Harris exclaimed. “I still remember rounding the bases and seeing my parents going nuts. That was the moment I knew baseball was different for me.” His loyalty has a home too with the Phillies. “I’m a big Phillies fan,” Harris noted. “I’ve stuck with them through everything. That’s the thing about baseball, you pick a team, and you live with them.” He watches games however he can. Whether it’s TV, streams, or even the radio, if he’s in the car coming back from practice, he tunes in from anywhere. “Baseball on the radio hits different,” Harris explained. “It’s just the sound of it. It’s calm and old school. Harris isn’t shy about defending his sport from critics. “People say baseball is slow,” Harris declared. “But that’s kind of the point. It’s not supposed to be nonstop. It’s about the moments. The big ones. You appreciate them more because of the buildup.” Baseball feels unlike anything else for Harris. “It’s different because it’s personal,” Harris said. “There’s so much failure in baseball that you have to deal with. Even the best players strike out all the time. It teaches you how to bounce back. Going to the ballpark, Harris says, is its own experience. “It’s my favorite place. The noise, the field, the smell, everything about it makes you feel like a kid again,” Harris said. “You just forget everything else for a few hours.” When asked to sum up what being a baseball fan means, Harris didn’t hesitate. “It’s loving something that never really leaves you,” he said. “Even when the season ends, you’re still thinking about next year.”
The World’s Game For junior Daniel Reznik, “football is life.” Quoting Sam Obisanya from the award-winning TV Show Ted Lasso, Reznik says the line perfectly sums up who he is. “It’s funny but true. I plan my weekends around footy. It’s just what I do,” Reznik said. Like millions of fans around the world, he sets his alarms early on weekends to watch games live. “If Manchester United plays at 7:30 am, I’m up,” Reznik exclaimed. “My family thinks I’m crazy for it, but I think it’s worth it.
Harris shows some brotherly love to his Phillies at a recent game. (Photo from Thomas Harris)
When he travels to places outside of the United States, Reznik sees that soccer fandom is global. “You can literally walk into a random airport wearing your team’s jersey, and someone will nod at you,” Reznik stated. “It’s a language that you don’t even have to speak. People just get it.” When Reznik travels abroad, that shared energy is impossible to miss. “I’ve been to Europe a couple of times, and soccer there, called football, is unreal. In airports, stores, and even nice restaurants, it’s constant.” For Reznik, what makes soccer unique is the emotion. “Other sports have fans, but people around the world die for this game. They cry and live their whole lives over it,” Reznik noted. That devotion reaches its peak during the World Cup. “When the United States is playing in the World Cup, it’s my favorite time of the year. You see people who don’t even watch soccer suddenly care,” Reznik said. Reznik has tickets booked to many of the World Cup games this summer. “I have tickets to the games in Miami. I am super pumped for it. I can’t wait,” Reznik displayed. But for Reznik, it’s club loyalty that runs deepest. “Man United’s motto, ‘Youth, Courage, and Success,’ is what I live by,” Reznik declared. “Every fan in the world is connected to their motto.” Whether he’s watching Premier League highlights during school or at soccer practice, talking about the Premier League games that happened that weekend, soccer is a constant in Reznik’s life. “To be honest, it’s what makes me happiest,” Reznik claimed. To wake up early and to stay loyal even through heartbreak, that’s what it means to be a fan.
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I’ve wanted to play soccer in college ever since I first started playing. I took the recruiting process seriously starting freshman year and got many looks starting then and continued to get more looks during my sophomore year. Throughout that time I went to many ID camps for multiple colleges and showcases with my club team, the Palm Beach Gardens Predators. When June 15 finally came, I was up till 3 a.m texting coaches. It was so crazy, but also thrilling. For a week, I had at least three calls a day with coaches from different colleges all telling me I was their number-one recruit. They even started to plan official visits with me! All of the colleges I worked with wanted to take the process slow and make it as easy as possible. Georgia, on the other hand, asked me to commit during the very first call I had with them on June 16th. I said I’d get back to them on the offer within 48-hours to hear out my other offers, but I’d made up my mind. I loved how honest they were with me and the overall character of the coaching staff. In the end, I narrowed down around 15 schools to a top 5: Georgia, University of Miami, Florida, University of Alabama, and Texas Tech. Every offer I had was a full-ride and there were so many great aspects to each program. But, on June 17th, I officially committed to Georgia. The well rounded nature, the location, the campus, and the culture were unparalleled for me. It truly is one of the most amazing schools I have ever been to. The recruiting process was definitely challenging to manage, but I am so happy with how everything turned out and so excited for the future.
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PHLIPCYDE
Christmas Themed
Holiday PharBeats
Word Search ANGEL
BELLS
CANDY
CAROLS
CHIMNEY
ELF
CHRISTMAS
HOLLY
GIFTS
MERRY
MANGER
SLEIGH
SANTACLAUS
STAR
SNOWFLAKE
TREE
Can you draw a holiday wreath? 1: Begin by drawing a large 2: Draw a smaller circle with3: Draw a series of paralcircle to outline the outside in the first one you drew. lel-curved lines between the shape of the wreath. two circles you drew to show the ribbon wrapped around the wreath.
4: With short, curved lines, draw jagged points sticking out from the first circle, and towards the inside of the second, smaller circle of the wreath to make it leafy.
STOCKING REINDEER NORTHPOLE
5: Carefully erase the guidelines of the two circles drawn in the beginning.
7: Carefully erase the lines behind the bow.
Mug Cake Recipe This mug cake is the perfect treat for whenever you are craving something sweet that doesn’t take long to make. As a fan of vanilla cake more than chocolate, I find that this recipe after trying numerous ones makes the best cake by far even if you are not a vanilla cake lover. We recommend everyone tries it! Ingredients 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons sugar 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 4 tablespoons milk (or dairy-free milk) 1 1/2 tablespoons flavorless oil (sunflower, vegetable or coconut oil) 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 tablespoon Funfetti sprinkles
Directions In a microwavable mug, whisk together the flour, sugar, and baking powder. Add in the milk, oil, and vanilla and mix until just combined. Stir in the sprinkles. Microwave for roughly 45 seconds - 1 minute, or until firm to the touch (timing is based on my microwave which is 1200 watts, so your timing may vary). Serve warm with frosting, ice cream, or cream. Enjoy!
6: Draw a bow at the top.
8: draw two ribbons connect- 9: Decorate your wreath with small circles all around the ed to the bow. wreath.
10: Add color!