This year, the Bay’s homecoming spirit week theme was Battle of the Beats, where participating clubs got involved by making a float that relates to the song of their choice and displaying this float at Pep-Rally. These floats were then paraded around the Bay’s track for the entire student body to watch. Junior Bernardo Hirsch, representing the club Habitat for Humanity (HFH), said this theme was a creative way for clubs to have the opportunity to bring visions to life.
“We brainstormed a lot in order to find a song we thought could fit into the spirit HFH represents,” Hirsch said. “We wanted to show the vibe HFH gives off, and I think with the song ‘Magalenha’ by Sérgio Mendes we definitely accomplished that. It was pretty difficult because at times we would overthink the decision we made for what the float should be, but I think it turned out just as we pictured it.”
The Robotics Club at the Bay made their float based off the song “Rainbow Road” from the Mario Kart Wii soundtrack. They won third place
in the float competition by building a car inspired by Mario Kart and dressing up as characters from the video game in order to embody the song. Their sponsor, robotics and Physics Honors teacher Angela Ashley, said that her students chose this idea because they thought it would be something fun to bring to life.
“They had an electric car, and they thought this would look cool decked out as a Mario Kart,” Ashley said. “They encountered a lot of hurdles with the batteries and the car’s wiring, but along with this, it was also the students’ first time being able to use the crane in the classroom, which was cool.”
With all of the different dynamics that go into the physical construction of the float, Ashley said this was an opportunity for the students to utilize the skills they learn in her robotics class and even learn new skills simultaneously.
As the holiday season approaches, some local and chain restaurant franchises have begun to include exclusive items as part of their seasonal menus. Each menu often centers around a certain flavor that matches the aesthetic of that holiday, staying for a few weeks and then changing based on the upcoming season. Some restaurants that offer seasonal items include Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts and where Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) Environmental Management teacher Ladonna Van Buren said she sees it the most, Panera Bread.
“I tutor in Panera, so I have seen a few of their seasonal menu items,” Van Buren said. “Panera has a butternut squash soup that I love. It has a little bit of cinnamon in it, but it is not like a sweet soup. It is a great cold soup.”
Seasonal menus are only offered for a limited time and consist of a variety of new items, often including both food and drinks. Even though these new items are on the menu, the original items are still able to be purchased. Some people even prefer the festive
food items over the typical year-round items that they regularly order; one of them being freshman Paula Nava.
“Food and drinks on seasonal menus are better than the original items because they add variety to the menu,” Nava said. “They add something different to the menu from what we normally get. I also think they taste better than the basic items. I like to get the Pumpkin Spice Latte at Starbucks whenever it is there over my usual order.”
New sweet and spicy flavors are not everyone’s cup of tea, but they can bring in a lot of promotion and customers. Advertisements on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok often showcase warm pastries or unique, festive drinks to attract customers. Students such as junior Luis Marcano were inspired to try the drinks at Dunkin’ Donuts after hearing about their seasonal items from his friends and online.
BY GABRIELLA MARTINEZ
Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) has removed early release days this school year, with the exception of the Day of Love and Service on Feb. 14. This change has sparked controversy among many students and staff at the Bay. World History teacher Javier Calderon said he believes this new policy is helpful for both the students and staff.
“Personally, I think it is beneficial for the teachers because we have the kids in the classroom a lot longer,”
Calderon said. “We are able to engage with them in the class and that is what we need. We do not need time away from them, so being with the kids is only a positive.”
Calderon said there are some teachers that do not think the same way, however. He said some staff at the Bay believe the removal of early release days has brought a few negative impacts and that many do not share the same opinion as he does.
“Not all teachers are in agreement with me. Some feel that sometimes we can spend quality time doing workshops or exchanging information among our selves,” Calderon said. “I understand that, but I like to be engaged with the kids all the time.”
This policy has also created mixed opinions of concern coming from the stu dents. This includes freshman Carolina
Munoz, who feels that this change is not as beneficial as others see it. Munoz said the removal of early release days is negatively impacting her, along with other students and staff.
in school seven hours daily. I think there should be at least one early release day a month. It would be cool if we still had the early release days.”
BY SOFIA LUGO
“This policy has led to increased stress for both students and staff,” Munoz said. “With fewer breaks, it is harder to manage workloads and balance school work with personal things. It may even be causing burnout to become more common.”
Many students at the Bay enjoyed leaving school a couple of hours before the usual dismissal time. Munoz said the removal of these days has upset several students, including her. She said having these shortened days brought relaxment and helped with reducing stress.
“I dislike the new policy because early release days provided a necessary break from the intensity of school. These days allowed students, like me, to recharge, making them more productive overall,” Munoz said. “Without them, it feels like the school year is very packed, stressful and unhealthy for our mental health.”
With the disputation that this change is causing, some at the Bay say there could be some edits made to help come to an agreement. Munoz said there are some things she would replace to help the new policy form less controversy.
change is beneficial or pointless. Whether or not this change will be continued throughout the next few years is still uncertain. Either way, the known goal is to improve success and academic achievement among students.
“With this policy, I think it has had a positive effect because kids are more engaged and are in class a lot more,” Calderon said. “If they are in class, they are learning; if they are not in class, they are not learning, it is that simple.”
Other students feel that the impact is not as dramatic, but that it is still affecting them in some way. Sophomore Aneesh Chakrakodi said he prefers having early release days. He said with the long school days, he believes those short-
“It is not affecting me that much,” Chakrakodi said. “I do not like to stay
“I would add a compromise where we have at least two early release days in a quarter. This change would provide some balance by giving students and staff a periodic break without impacting school in a significant way,” Munoz said. “Removing early release days does not seem to add clear benefits for anyone. Instead, it just makes bal ancing academic and personal life more difficult.”
sion through out the Bay has helped some re flect on if this
types of activities that SWE is planning.
BY AMELIA IBARRA
This year, the Bay has a multitude of new clubs, including the Society of Wom en Engineers (SWE). SWE is a national organization with chapters at colleges, and even beyond in the professional world. Its mission is to uplift women to reach their full potential as engineers and lead ers, promote engineering and technology as positive influences on quality of life and highlight the importance of diversity and inclusion. The club’s sponsor, Angela Ashley, said it is important that the Bay has these types of clubs because it pro vides a safe space for young women to feel welcomed in a predominantly male field.
“We still do not have the same rep resentation of females and minori ties in the engineering field,” Ashley said. “A lot of women know before they reach college they want to become engineers, so having a place where they do not have to feel intimidated to explore the possibilities of an engineering career is important. Engineering is not just for men; we need women as well.”
SWE hosts events aimed at building skills while creating a sense of community among members and inspiring future engineers. These initiatives help members explore new engineering topics otherwise not covered in the school curriculum. Co-President senior Sonia Garkova said there are many
“Currently, SWE is holding a lot of workshops to teach our members new skills, a past example being soldering,” Garkova said. “We plan on having guest speakers from women in the engineering industry share their experience and have local outreach activities to talk about science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields to encourage young women to pursue them. SWE works to empower and inspire women to follow their passion for engineering.”
EXCELLING IN ENGINEERING: Han-
sita Penikalapati practices soldering, often used in electrical engineering, on a Halloween themed circuit board.
dies is an event held at the Bay that in cludes activities, food, music, active games and more. Students and staff can dress up in any appropriate costume to get into the spooky spirit. Sophomore Morgan Kopf said that this is a festive way to bring every member together and bond with their buddy. She said she is in public relations for the club and that she attended the Halloween social where she spent time bonding with a buddy. there, so when they had the opportuni ty to dance, it was nice to watch them,” Kopf said. “At the social, I hung out with one of the buddies, Noah, and he was my dancing partner for most of the night, so we kept each other company.”
Kopf said how important it is to make sure everyone feels included and participates during the event. She said it is essential to engage each buddy and offer opportunities to those who might be shy.
“I hope the participants can understand how important it is to be kind and inclusive at all times. I love the socials that we have because it gives me a chance to hang out with friends and time to see everyone in the club have fun,” Kopf said. “I hope the other participants can feel the same way.”
The Best Buddies sponsor Mariana Rodriguez said how special this
portunities in the club past just getting
“This club is inclusive for people with disabilities,” Rodriguez said. “Since most people with disabilities are not able to go out on Halloween to trick-or-treat, portunity for them to still have fun.”
BY JOSHUA STOLL MANAGING EDITOR
This year, the Bay plans on hosting all of the 2024-2025 school year’s seven SAT testing dates, which kicked off with a test on Aug. 24 and will end with the June 7 SAT. Although all grades can take the exam, it is primarily for juniors and seniors, such as junior Gabriela Lowy, who said she plans on taking the SAT for college admissions.
“I took the Oct. 5 SAT, which was my first time taking it, and I thought it went pretty well for my first time taking it,” Lowy said. “Although, I would definitely like to see some improvement in my score, and I plan on doing this by getting a tutor and focusing on the specific areas I struggled on based on the score report provided by the College Board.”
College Board is the not-for-profit organization that administers the SAT, and when students sign up on their website, they are able to choose what testing center they prefer out of the available locations. Lowy said she signed up for the October SAT back in August and ended up deciding to take the test at her own school, the Bay.
“I chose to take the SAT at the Bay so I could feel more comfortable in a testing environment I am already familiar with,” Lowy said. “I recommend that other students do this because it gets rid of the anxiety that comes with taking the test for the first time, and I got to talk to my friends beforehand,
which made me feel a little better.”
Students are given multiple resources from the College Board to prepare for the exam, such as their six practice tests on Bluebook and the SAT question bank. Also, some students will improve scores by using tutoring companies and taking diagnostic exams. For instance, senior Nicholas Monterrubio said he chose to take the SAT because he did a diagnostic for both the SAT and ACT, but did better on the SAT.
“My biggest piece of advice for taking the test is to do a lot of practice problems so you get used to the questions,” Monterrubio said. “Students on test day tend to be very nervous because they ask other people questions on things they do not know.”
The SAT exam went digital in March of 2024 and is now the only way to take the SAT, unless students have approved accommodations to take it on paper. This new test features two reading modules and two math modules that are adaptive to the students success on the first module of each section. Junior Lauren Mila took the exam for the first time in November and said she prefers the digital test.
“The new SAT exam has individual short reading passages per question versus two or three long ones for many questions. I feel like it is way easier for me to focus and helps me to stay interested because there are different ranges of text topics that I read throughout the exam,” Mila said. “Although it is adaptive, the math section got very difficult, which stressed me out while I was taking the exam.”
The Bay’s average SAT score is 1126,
which is a three-year average score of 4384 test takers from this school, and some classes offered at the Bay can help students prepare for the exam. For instance, Advanced Placement (AP) English Language and Composition, which features a multiple-choice section of the exam that is similar to the SAT reading modules. English teacher Valeria Vazquez teaches this class and said she prefers the paper SAT over the digital version.
“I feel that we have an overreliance on technology, and it is part of the reason why kids are not reading as much as they should,” Vazquez said. “When we keep transitioning to digital testing, it reinforces that learning should be done on the computer. [The paper version] benefits the tactile experience of having the book and paper.”
BY SOFIA LUGO
Each year, the Bay’s Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) Medical Academy club hosts multiple blood drives where people can donate blood to local hospitals for those in need. This month’s drive took place on Oct. 17 and Oct. 18 during school hours. All students 16-years-old or older were encouraged to participate and donate. The Medical Academy sponsor, Jessica Velez, said the importance of hosting a blood drive is the opportunity to help save lives.
“A blood drive is an event where people go and donate blood for those in need,” Velez said. “The donations help local hospitals, which often face a shortage of blood. This shortage is why it is necessary for us to host the drive so we can give back to our community.”
The blood drive is a Medical Academy student-run project, with sophomores Karen Kamal and Julia Xavier volunteering to manage the October drive. Kamal said their reason for stepping up was motivated by the recent hurricanes.
“We wanted to contribute to help those who are struggling, especially with the recent hurricanes causing injuries, deaths and hospitalization in many areas of Florida,” Kamal said. “Donating blood can help the thousands who are struggling out there.”
While the drive is hosted to support local hospitals by providing much-needed donations, contributors also benefit from incentives like food and service hours. Some donors said they benefited in other ways as well, such as gaining valuable lessons in leadership, teamwork, and community service through their involvement in organizing and ex-
ecuting the event. Kamal said that it taught her that there is more than one way to give back to your community.
“The opportunity to organize such an event showed me how many different ways there are to help the community and save lives,” Kamal said. “Whether you are
running the drive, donating, volunteering or simply sharing the word, it is important that we continue to give back and make a positive impact on the world around us.”
Though this blood drive may be the first for some students, others have been dedicated to giving blood for years.
Blood drive donor junior Valentina Valecillos said she has a long-standing commitment to donating; she said she has been donating ever since she turned 16.
“Donating blood was something I wanted to do since I was little, so the second I turned 16, I volunteered for the first time,” Vallecillos said. “I try to do it as often as possible, as it causes me no harm and can ultimately save a life.”
While some students said they were eager to donate, others hesitated due to concerns or uncertainty about the process. Some students at the Bay mentioned a common fear of potential side effects, such as excessive fatigue or feeling ill after donating. Valecillos said her tip for nervous donors is to learn about the procedure beforehand.
“I recommend going to the donating room and watching how the donation process works,” Valecillos said. “One may even ask donors or the professionals any questions they may have; understanding what is happening can really help ease any anxiety about the experience.”
Once tensions eased, some students said the donation process was simple and overall a positive experience. Sophomore Luis Vazquez said that donating blood felt very rewarding.
“Donating blood was an easy experience and was not even all that scary. It was a long process, but that is because I chose the longer blood donation plan since it helps many more people,” Vazquez said. “Being able to donate blood was a great feeling; one of the teachers there even commented, saying I was like a ‘hero’ to be able to come and donate for a greater cause. It was a great experience, and I will most likely do it the next time again.”
BY ALIA LANGSHAW NEWS SECTION/OPINION COPY EDITOR
On Oct. 27, the Bay held its annual homecoming dance following the “Baylapalooza” theme chosen by the Student Government Association (SGA). The theme was based on the yearly Lollapalooza Music Festival in Chicago and coincided with the spirit week theme “Battle of the Beats.” Junior Maria Yepez said at first, the theme of the dance confused her, but as she participated in spirit week and got ready for the dance, she began to appreciate and enjoy it.
“When the spirit days were released, [the theme] made a lot more sense, and I started to really like it,” Yepez said. “To prepare for the dance, I started by getting my dress a couple weeks before. I also did my nails and straightened my hair. Lastly, I did my makeup and put on my heels. The dance was a lot more fun than I expected it to be. I went with my friends and my boyfriend, and we had a great time together. I also really liked the decorations.”
Yepez also said her favorite part of the dance was the band that performed in the courtyard and the music that was playing inside the gym. However, this was not the only highlight of the night; Danielle Nasciemento said her favorite part of the dance was the beginning
BATTLE
OF THE BEATS: As both the gymnasium and cafeteria are decorated with lights and neon decor, students dance with friends to hit songs.
when students began pouring into the decorated courtyard. She said overall the dance was a success, with only slight changes she would have the homecoming committees make for next year.
“The initial door opening is the best part because you get to see people’s reactions, and walking in is just a cool feeling,” Nasciemento said. “I think everything went well. Some things went even better than others, but overall, we are proud of everything we did. There is always room for improvement, but I do not
think there is necessarily anything huge that we would improve on. Every little category has one or two minor details that we can tweak and change for next year.”
Nasciemento said her role in the dance is overseeing all of the moving parts, including keeping the committees on track and contacting all of the necessary vendors. She said she believes dance goers from the Bay had an incredible time, and both the dance and her students who organized it exceeded her expectations.
“The dance absolutely met my expec-
tations. I asked myself, ‘Does it look good and did people have a good time?’ and I think both of those things happened,” Nasciemento said. “I think it looked beautiful, and people felt that it transformed from a different experience than a normal day at school and everyone said that they had the absolute best time, so that is exciting.”
One of Nasciemento’s students, SGA member junior Olivia Seider, said she participated in the preparations leading up to homecoming. She said the setup of the dance was time-consuming and required help from many students, but in the end it was her favorite dance and theme from all of her years at the Bay, making the hard work worth it.
“We did 30 or 40 people shifts, but we had to set up the front and set up the courtyard, set up the food area, and set up the gym. It took hours; we were setting up right up until the second before homecoming,” Seider said. “Personally, this was my favorite theme of all the years I have been here, and I think that is because it got the students really engaged because it was something that most of them know. I also think all the decor and the colors made it super fun, the food was good and the music was good,especially the disc jockey (DJ) inside the gym.”
in the music video based on their song “24k Magic” by Bruno Mars.
The sophomores followed, earning second place with their Pitbull-themed float; sophomore class treasure Gabriela Rios said she was so proud of her class and could not have had a better pep rally.
to happen is incredibly important so everything runs smoothly from one activity to another, avoiding any awkward moments.
of making pep rally memorable.
BY SOPHIA PADUANO MANAGING EDITOR
Every year, the Bay holds an annual pep rally on the home football field, a favorite homecoming week tradition for many students. The school is welcome to watch students share their school spirit, and also allows our abundance of clubs to gain recognition. The Bay’s pep rally consists of several attributes, such as themed floats created by dozens of clubs. Not only do clubs get to participate, but so do the freshmen, sophomore, junior and senior classes as a whole. A float contest between the classes is organized annually, and this year’s class winners were the juniors, who created a car resembling the vehicle
BY ALIA LANGSHAW
In the week leading up to the Bay’s annual homecoming, each grade level participates in a variety of competitions, including pep rally floats, spirit week and decorated hallways, all according to the classes’ individual themes. With Battle of the Beats as the dance’s general theme this year, each class had to choose a song they felt best represented them and use it to conceptualize and create an interactive experience for their designated hallway. Sophomore Vice President Candelaria Rush said the sophomore class officers and representatives worked diligently to ensure the hallway lived up to the class’ expectations and
“Planning for pep rally is very prestigious, first the class officers meet up and conspire ideas. Then, we meet up with our class representatives to start creating our projects such as what goes into the hallway and our float,” Rios said.
“As an officer, I oversee reimbursements and ensure everyone knows what is going on. My favorite part about this pep [rally] was that our hard work paid off and we beat the seniors and placed right under juniors, which was exciting.”
To ensure the pep rally event is excuted well, the Bay’s Student Government Association’s (SGA) pep rally committee had to create activities that would be able to be viewed from the stands, said Danielle Nascimento SGA’s advisor. With widespread relay races rather than small relay races, people from any viewpoint can follow. Nascimento also said that managing when everything is supposed
“To stay organized we have a pep rally committee and chairs who oversee it. They brainstorm ideas and acquire volunteers to assist in putting our ideas together and for the relay races,” Nascimento said. “Our sophomores and juniors in SGA work pep rally, while freshmen and seniors do not work; they get to enjoy pep rally. We do run-throughs and have minute-to-minute schedules we follow to ensure we are implementing time management.”
Nacimento said the floats and relay races are fun and exciting for students, having been very creative this year, different from past years. The overall theme of pep rally coincided with the homecoming theme, Baylapalooza, which is based on a music festival called Lollapalooza. As this was several students’ last pep rally, many seniors said they made it their mission to have the best pep rally yet, including SGA president and pep rally chair Jonah Feldman. He said pep rally felt super satisfying to accomplish his goals
“I loved planning this event with my team and friends, and seeing all of my hard work payoff, for an event the whole student body will enjoy,” Feldman said. “I believe the most difficult part of organizing pep rally is gaining volunteers for our relay race participants. The overall purpose of pep rally is uniting the whole student body and showing everyone we can have a great time.”
represented the class of 2027.
“We spent many days with the officers and representatives after school planning and preparing our hallway with painting, designing and more. We all managed our time to get everything ready by the day of and please our class,” Rush said. “We all collaborated collectively to our best ability to choose the perfect song to represent the class of 2027. We had many different ideas in mind, but when we thought of ‘Time of Our Lives,’ we all knew it would work perfectly.”
Even though Rush said she is extremely proud of how the sophomore hallway turned out, she said the senior hallway ultimately deserved to be the winner. She said the seniors earned the first-place award because of their attention to detail in decoration and overall effort put into the hallway experience.
“Although I think all classes worked incredibly hard and it showed in their execution, I do think the seniors stood out with their ‘Atmosphere’ theme,” Rush said. “They had unique decorations with neon colors truly pulling it all together.”
In parallel with Rush’s view on the senior hallway, Assistant Principal Orville Reynolds said each
class did great work, but the seniors had an edge that made them stand out from the other grades. He said because the seniors had seen all the past hallways, they were able to create an all-encompassing experience that blew him away.
“I got here midway through the third quarter last year, so I did not get to experience homecoming. So, I went around to see everything, and the energy from the seniors when I went in was incredible,” Reynolds said. “They were asking me for ID, like I was getting into a party, and it was so funny and pretty clever. They had the bouncers, and then they had the DJs, and that just put me in a whole other realm where I was like, ‘They put everything into this.’ They truly set the atmosphere.”
As the judges of the homecoming hallway contest, Reynolds said assistant principals have to remain impartial and give their honest opinion about the hallways. He said he personally judged each hallway based on the decoration and the energy that went into creating the experience.
“You can pretty much tell how much work went into each hallway just when you go in and look around,” Reynolds said. “You
can even look at the floor, you can look at the ceiling, you can look at the walls, and that is pretty much how we made our decision, just seeing how much energy went into the production.”
Junior representative Justin Poms said his favorite hallway was the junior class’ Bruno Mars “24K Magic” inspired hallway because of the time and effort he put in to ensure its success. He said he enjoyed helping create the display because of the people he was working with and the theme his class chose to pursue.
“I enjoyed helping because I love being a part of a team and contributing with people that are such a positive influence. Bringing the ideas to life was a challenge, but we managed to do it by working hard and putting in time and effort,” Poms said. “My class came up with the ‘24K Magic’ theme by putting a spin on the song by adding 26 instead of 24. The album of the song is also red, so we thought it correlated well with the junior’s red colors.”
BY ALEXANDRA NUNEZ
On Nov. 7, 2024, the Multicultural Club organized a collaborative event with numerous other clubs at the Bay called the International Fest. This annual event celebrates different nationalities and cultures by assisting clubs in choosing a country to emanate. This project was supported by the sponsors of the Multicultural Club, including Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) and Advanced Placement (AP) Spanish teacher, Aida De Gouveia.
“The purpose of this project is to showcase all the different cultures that we have at the school. The idea is that people understand that we can be all together and know and accept each other,” De Gouveia said. “The best way to do that is to learn about the different cultures.”
To conduct this event, each club that participated was required to offer an assortment of foods and drinks that are native to the country they were assigned. This included the Spanish Club who offered croquettes, which are known for their Spanish heritage, and the National Honor Society (NHS), who offered samples of the Mexican soda Jarritos. Since these two clubs were given Spain and Mexico, respectively, they chose foods and drinks that students would easily identify as being native to that culture. Junior Adam Dick, who worked
the Mexico booth, said these foods were a big hit among students visiting.
“A lot of people crowded around the booth waiting to try each flavor of the Jarritos. At one point we ran out of cups and had to get more,” Dick said. “I could tell a lot of the students were getting antsy wait-
ties varied from a group dance in the courtyard to a game of trivia in front of the Wave. The games also contributed to the crowds around the booths and resulted in positive feedback from many students, such as sophomore Mia Stone.
“I think the games were successful
ing to try our options. They really loved it.”
Not only did the clubs have to provide foods and drinks, but they also had to create a fun, engaging activity to interact with the students. These activi-
because the full school was the booths. Nobody was really not participating in the games. I saw everyone engaged and smiling. It was clear that they were all having fun,” Stone said. “My per-
sonal favorite game was the one in the Fiji booth because I got to stick a ball on a board. It was different from the other games and very entertaining.”
In this year’s International Fest, crowds of students surrounded the different countries represented in the courtyard. Each booth included a trifold with a few facts and information about their chosen country. This consisted of facts such as the spoken language, population and culture. Dick said this helped students learn new details about different countries that they would have never known beforehand.
“We only gave the students a drink if they answered a trivia question about Mexico correctly,” Dick said. “Even though all they had to do was look at our trifold to get the answer correct, it was a fun way for them to learn about the country.”
This event occurs annually; it mostly follows the same instructions in terms of clubs and student engagement requirements. Stone said the International Fest could be even better next year with a few improvements, but overall was a positive and interactive experience.
“I think to make next year’s International Fest even better than this year, we could get more clubs involved to represent different nationalities. This way the event would be more inclusive,” Stone said. “Other than that, I think the event was successful because it was fun and very well-liked.”
BY EMILY LEVINE
Many students at the Bay said that clubs are a vital part of their academic and social experience at school. With over 80 different clubs, students have the opportunity to explore their interests; however, there are still some that are still working to ensure a large variety of clubs and activities. The Bay gained some new clubs this school year, which piqued the interests of many kids and increased participation. One of the Bay’s new clubs is Help For Hope, which focuses on helping and providing for the homeless. Junior Mia Grauer said that she is a co-founder of the club, and that volunteering at the homeless shelter along with her friends inspired her to create it.
“My friends and I have volunteered at
the homeless shelter and always thought of helping out,” Grauer said. “Seeing how people are less fortunate gave us an idea to start the club and get people from Cypress to be able to help out, and we really hope we can help these people’s lives.”
Grauer said the club will consist of many activities and projects in which students come together to help the cause. She said she believes it is a great way to get involved and be active in the community, which everyone should get a chance to enjoy. Grauer said she is most looking forward to making kits of supplies for the homeless.
“Helping homeless people live a better life than they were living is a thing that everyone should want to do,” Grauer said. “I am looking forward to creating hygiene kits for a homeless shelter because little acts of kindness will truly help these people.”
Following the theme of helping those in need, Kakes4Kids is another club that many students look forward to joining.
Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) General Paper teacher Hope Cohen Fisher said that she is
a proud sponsor of this club. She said the main goal of the club is to give underprivileged children a birthday celebration that includes plenty of birthday fun.
“Kakes4Kids is a club that shares miles with foster care kids and underprivileged children by having joyful birthday celebrations that include cakes, gifts and engaging activities,” Fisher said. “The focus of Kakes4Kids is to share goodness and joy with others who are less fortunate.”
Even when they are not at the local shelter, Kakes4Kids members said they make the most of their meetings by doing good deeds and gestures that will positively impact the kids’ lives. Senior Natalia Roca, one of the founding members of the club, said her favorite experience so far was writing spooky Halloweenthemed stories and goody bags which will get delivered to children at the home.
“We recently had a social where we wrote letters with stickers to the kids for Halloween and we also made goody bags for them with treats inside,” Roca said. “ Our plan is to deliver them to the home.”
Roca said that what she loves most
about Kakes4Kids is meeting and being around like-minded peers who also have the drive to help the community. She said that it is a club for anyone who has a passion for helping, and that her favorite thing about the club is the community it forms.
“I think it is just having people around me that value the same things that I do,” Roca said. “Making the kids happy and having people there that they see outside of the home that they can call their own family too. Anyone can do it, you just have to have the passion and the drive for it.”
The Bay provides multiple different sports and extracurricular options to students. Many often gravitate their attention towards volleyball or football, whether that be in the stands or on the field. But other teams, such as girls golf, have also been working hard and winning throughout their season. Senior Anenaa Kumar, who has been on the team for three years, shared how the team’s responsibilities are split up and what they have been up to this
“There are team captains for the girls and boys teams, and they organize our practices. Tryouts usually happen before school starts, and our first game begins the first week of school; depending on the weather, games are two or three times a week,” Kumar said. “The team just had their senior night, which was the last home game of the season. We also competed in the Broward County Athletic Association (BCAA) tournament.”
Finding a space that allows for the growth of good relationships can be difficult. These connections often affect how a situation is viewed and the lasting impact it can have on someone. Kumar was on the lookout for this type of connection and said joining this team fulfilled those expectations and even allowed her to progress further in her sport.
“The reason I joined was because I wanted to find a community of golfers. The team brings a warm and welcoming environment for both the players and Coach Brunt,” Kumar said. “Since joining the team, I have had more time to go out and practice my skills. Just getting out on the course helps to im prove all aspects of my game.”
After school hours, the government and economics teacher at the Bay, Michael Brunt, doubles as a coach for the golf and tennis teams. Coaching golf for three years now, Brunt said he is proud of the members for coming so far this season, placing fifth out of nine teams
ons. With the opportunity to coach these student-athletes, Brunt said he has improved in making this experience for the students more enjoyable and becoming a better coach.
“We try to make golf fun and clear their heads at the same time because it can become very frustrating to play. When they mess up on a hole or are not having the greatest day, we try to joke around to reset their mind so when they get to the next hole they can restart over again,” Brunt said. “I think I have become better at communicating with the athletes now. Knowing what it is that makes them better golfers helps me be a better coach because I can push them in different ways than I would have in the past. The team had a great season, and I am very proud of them.”
Senior Allison Guzman, another member of the team, competed with them for three years now and originally started playing the sport in middle school, ultimately leading her to continue with this activity in her high school years. Guzman said that she has learned the key to becoming a better version of herself while on the team.
“I have learned how to maintain better communication skills with my teammates and how to keep a positive mindset when playing. Proper communication and a positive environment within a sports team can foster a really good outcome in terms of performance and motivate play-
said. “We have also been do ing ac tivities to bond with the team, such as go ing out to eat after games.”
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT: Valentina Hurtado celebrates after making a putt from long range.
BY ALIA LANGSHAW
NEWS SECTION/OPINION COPY EDITOR
At the Bay, many students and staff immerse themselves in the world of sports, watching anything from the National Football League (NFL) to Major League Baseball (MLB). Recently, on Aug. 16, the English Premier League (EPL) kicked off its 2024-2025 season, drawing the attention of both new viewers and long-time fans at the Bay. Senior Tanner Frankovich said he has been watching Arsenal Football Club (FC) play in the Premier League since he was young but thinks some parts of the league are discreditable.
tent and incompetent people ever. One week they heavily enforce a rule, and the next week they brush it off, but it always hurts Arsenal no matter what.”
“My dad started supporting Arsenal when I was a kid because he liked the manager at the time, Arsene Wenger, so I started following the team as well,” Frankovich said. “But, the referee association [of the Premier League], the Professional Game Match Officials Lim-
While Frankovich said he dislikes the Premier League refereeing, Advanced Placement (AP) Statistics and Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) Math teacher Richard Farmer said he finds the team Manchester City FC to be the most corrupt part of the Premier League. He said he has stood behind Chelsea FC for over a decade, and whenever Chelsea beats Manchester City, it is a glorious day in soccer history.
“I started following Chelsea when a student of mine brought me a Chelsea jersey, and I have been following them ever since. My least favorite team is Manchester City because they win too much and they do sketchy things all the time,” Farmer said. “Manchester City is undoubtedly criminals and shady, and there should be a thorough investiga-
tion of their club from top to bottom. I also noticed the rare times they are losing and the match goes to extra time, they always seem to add a few more minutes or not blow the whistle if they have the ball. Everything is just tilted in their favor.”
Frankovich said he shares similar views about Manchester City’s misconduct in recent Premier League seasons. He said they do not belong in the highest tier of English soccer because of the controversy surrounding their exorbitant funds and the bending of financial rules and regulations.
“I think Manchester City are cheats and should have every title stripped that they have won in that period and after, as well as be relegated from top-flight English football,” Frankovich said. “Nobody had that many charges against them and is completely innocent.”
Contrasting Farmer’s support for
and her support lies with Brighton & Hove Albion FC instead. She said she saw how the team played a few years ago and was impressed by their performance, especially Kaoru Mitoma, her favorite player. Despite her support for a team in the Premier League, Duran said the league’s video assistant referee (VAR) is inefficient and ultimately irritates fans and players during the match.
“Kaoru Mitoma is one of the main reasons I started to support Brighton because of his style of play. He is a core of the team, always producing great scoring opportunities,” Duran said. “Nowadays the VAR takes too long to make a decision. And the majority of the decisions made are super controversial, making the fans very frustrated and annoyed at the referees.”
BY SARA DIVINE
The New York City Marathon is an annual event held in New York City, NY. The 26.6 mile marathon begins in Staten Island, NY, followed by Brooklyn, NY, Queens, NY, and finally Manhattan, NY. The event debuted on the first Sunday of Nov. 1970 and will begin this year on Nov. 3. It is the largest marathon in the world, with 52,000 participating runners and over a million viewers each year. Senior Sophia Leon enjoys watching the marathon with her family and friends and said she is looking forward to making memories while spending quality time watching something she loves.
“I love watching the New York City marathon with my family every year. It is a family tradition that we have been doing since I was little. It is one of my favorite sports events to watch, I always look forward to it,” Leon said. “My family and friends like to meet up and watch it together, chanting our favorite runners. It is a relaxing, yet thrilling experience since I am eager to see the outcome of the run.”
While some students enjoy watching the marathon while relaxing with their families, others take it very seriously and may experience a mix of emotions, like excitement and stress. For some, sports is a very serious matter and the marathon may be more than just watching people run, it is a chance to cheer on their favorite runners and watch them succeed. Sophomore Makayla Perez said that watching her favorite runner win means much
more to her than it might to others. She said she finds it thrilling to see how the turnout will be, watching every step of the marathon leading up to the finish line.
“The New York City Marathon is an event I enjoy and I cannot wait to see what happens. I love how you can never predict what the outcome is going to be since all of the participating runners seem very skilled and hungry for the win,” Perez said. “It makes me feel stressed when I do not know what the outcome will be, but that is also the exciting part. It keeps me on the edge of my seat the whole run. It is my favorite sports event of the year.”
While some people enjoy watching the marathon, others may feel differently about it. World History teacher Paul Gorlick has his predictions about the outcomes of the marathon as a club softball coach outside of school and a fan of sports.
“Since New York is such a large place, it is a nice place to host a marathon. The part that I am most excited to see is who is going to win the marathon,” Gorlick said. “I also think that the runners are going to be great since they have to be able to run the whole marathon with the stamina to do so, although I would prefer to watch other sports. I still give credit to those who compete in the marathon.”
BY OLIVIA TROCHE
A&E SECTION EDITOR
The Bay has had a swim team along with a water polo team for years now. However, while some members go to the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) for practices, others need to go to the South Florida Aquatic Club. Since the Bay does not have a pool that our teams can practice in—unlike many other high schools in Broward County, including Western High School, American Heritage and Nova High School, this can serve as a major disadvantage for practices, especially ones before a competition.
Since members practice with different clubs, the team is splitting up, lowering the effectiveness of the practices. In sports, you need to practice with every member to establish teamwork and game plans; missing even a few members can affect the entire dynamic of the group. Most practices occur after school, so the commute may be too out of the way for some athletes. Driving to clubs like the
YMCA lacks convenience, even affecting the parents of team members who are too young to drive. This does not fit in with everyone’s schedule and there is no point in making members go out of their way for practice when other sport teams at the school can stay at the Bay’s gym or field.
Having a pool located on campus will get rid of this issue and instead encourage timeliness and attendance.
This can improve their overall performance in competitions, benefiting our school and boosting our success rate.
A pool at the Bay will also create an isolated practice space for each team. The YMCA and similar clubs are open to various fitness groups in addition to families who are visiting for fun. Sections of the water may be closed off for our school’s practices, but that still limits our ability to use the entire pool. Whereas, a private pool at the Bay will not be crowded by amateur athletes. This again will better help collaboration throughout teams and ultimately generate better performance.
Bottom Line: The Bay needs
BY ALIA LANGSHAW NEWS SECTION/OPINION COPY EDITOR
With an undefeated season for the girls varsity swim team, victories such as first place at the Florida 4A District 11 meet for the boys and girls varsity teams, six state qualifying swimmers and four swimmers ranked top 100 in the state, the Bay’s swim teams have had an exceptional past few seasons. They accomplished it all with the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) pools as their main practice location. Their success was not tied to where they practiced, so building a pool at the Bay would be pointless in improving performance. Not only would a pool have no effect on the swim team’s beginning of a remarkable season, but it would also have a great
the Bay. In addition to the initial construction of the pool, maintenance fees would also be extreme, including possible repairs and the high cost of testing the safety of the water. A commercial pool can cost up to $20,000 annually to maintain with cleaning, chlorine and water levels, yet another expense the Bay does not need.
On top of general costs, the Bay would also have to incur the cost of a full-time lifeguard as well as the risk of accidents near or in the pool. This level of insurance and safety concerns makes the Bay a less than ideal location for the construction and continuance of a pool.
Bottom Line: The Bay does not need a pool because the cost, maintenance and risk outweigh the possible benefit for the school’s swim team.
BY OLIVE JONES-TORRES AND SYDNEY FALK SPORTS SECTION EDITOR
This fall, the Bay’s swim teams claimed the title of Broward County Athletic Association (BCAA), District and Regional Champions. The girls remained undefeated while the boys placed second at BCAAs, first at districts and second at regionals. 16 swimmers and one diver made the trip to Ocala for the state championship, one of which was senior Natalia Ortiz. As captain of the girl’s team, Ortiz competed in the 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays at states. She said that the team worked very hard this season, although the competition was not always easy.
Ortiz said hard work is an important part of a successful team, but another success factor is getting along with everyone. Although swimming is usually an individual sport, the Bay’s swim teams find teamwork incredibly important. Of the 16 qualified athletes at the state meet, only one completed individually in addition to a relay, freshman Naiyla DiSarno. DiSarno swam a best time of 1:04.96 in the 100 breaststroke and was the eighthplace finalist. Her teammates cheered her on during this race, a typical occurrence at the Bay’s swim meets, as Ortiz said that the whole team is very close.
“The team is like one big family, and we have all known each other for a long time,” Ortiz said. “I have met some of my best friends through swimming, and our team culture is so welcoming and warming.”
Many of the team’s recent accomplishments can be attributed to Coach Rodrigo Mendes. Mendes coaches some of these athletes year-round for the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) of South Florida’s swim club and said that he is very close with the team. He said this was only his second year coaching for the Bay, but the team has already made major improvements in comparison to some of their previous seasons.
the lessons, good and bad, from it. Everything that I do is to teach them love and happiness. I teach them how to deal with their difficulties with positivity and a great smile on their faces.”
Sophomore Matthew Ives, who represented the Bay in the 400 free relay at states, said the environment fostered on this team is another reason why even
new athletes are thriving. An example of this is sophomore diver Jacob Drysdale, who only started diving competitively less than six months ago but was sixth in the 1-meter diving competition with a score of 342.45 at states, an unheard of accomplishment at the Bay due to not having a male diver for years. Beyond hard work, close bonds and a healthy environment, sophomore Matthew Ives said the swim team’s competitive spirit is what truly motivates them.
“We’re all very competitive and push each other to become better as individuals and as a team,” Ives said. “Personally, my competitive spirit motivates me by helping me set goals and giving me the desire to work for them, but my coach is also a huge reason why the team is so successful. He pushes us to become better versions of ourselves while keeping our love for the sport.”
With the wins under their belt and several of the best swimmers in the state, the Bay’s swim team is on the path to qualify in a state final for the 2025-2026 school year. Though nearly a dozen talented seniors will be leaving, Mendes said he is sure the Bay will continue to thrive.
“Everything in life is a cycle, and this, losing our seniors, welcoming new athletes—it’s part of that cycle,” Mendes said. “I think that the same way good people are leaving, good people are coming to join us. It is all just a cycle.”
BY ANABELLA SULBARAN
As many sports seasons like hockey, cross country and football come to a close, fall athletes face the real test of discipline and mindful balance. With schedules opening up, the off-season presents athletes with more free time. As they put time management and arranging priorities into practice, the way these hours are spent can vary. Athletes generally use this time to focus on their sport while simultaneously taking time to recharge. Swimmer, freshman Liam Fothergill has found a schedule that allows him to physically regenerate after being exerted during the season.
“I use this period to be lazy. I take my time, rest, relax and take naps because as a swimmer there is a lot of full body movement involved so resting your whole body is important,” Fothergill said. “I also keep a balance between school and all of that, but I still can get a good amount of workouts in, even if it is less than usual.”
Not having the demanding schedule of a sport may provide an athlete the opportunity to lower the intensity of their rigorous training. Training in any way, shape, or form is often incorporated into an athlete’s off-season schedule since it helps keep their bodies active when the season starts up again and keeps healthy personal habits. Sophomore Miranda Matos is on
the Bay’s girls’ volleyball team and said that support from people around her helps her determination during a time in which it may easily dim, or burn out completely.
“I stay motivated with the help of my family and friends’ support; that
support system is always nice to fall back on when you need it,” Matos said “I also try to focus on short-term goals, so I do not get overwhelmed.”
Coaches and students alike said it is essential to listen to one’s body and reset
from something that has consumed your time for so long. Athletes often go through this stage in their off-season and allow personal activities to take on a bigger priority with newfound time. This may consist of hobbies, social gatherings, or traveling. All of which Fothergill said brings him a sense of serenity and excitement.
“These empty time slots I use to go travel, sightseeing and generally spend time outside to enjoy nature,” Fothergill said. “I go to national parks, biking in the Everglades and kayaking for fun.”
Taking care of oneself is something many of these players do; however, in team sports, such as volleyball, individual growth contributes to how the team will evolve. Girls volleyball coach Nicole Arnold said there are parallels between growing independently during this period and growing as a team.
“Individual growth is important because you need to take care of yourself first, then coming together with your teammates and everyone putting together what they worked on can only improve the team,” Arnold said. “I recommend [for] the team to spend time together enjoying and doing things that are not volleyball related. This will allow them to connect about other things and bring them closer together.”
BY DANIELLE GREENBAUM
In a world of athletes and physically demanding sports, injuries are common, even in high school leagues. Athletes in recovery often face many challenges so that they can become as good as they once were. Junior Adrian Navarrete, Center on th Cypress Bay basketball team, said he got badly injured and is in a current state of recovery.
“I got a knee injury, specifically a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), meniscus and sprain on my medial collateral ligament (MCL). I got it by playing at a basketball game against Coral Springs High School,” Navarrete said. “It was scary; once I heard everything pop on the right side of my right knee, I instantly knew something had torn. It did not hurt the moment it happened, I was just freaking out a lot because I knew I would have to stop playing. It felt horrible not being able to do something you love every day and seeing it get taken away so easily can take a toll on you and your mental health.”
Navarrete stayed positive and kept in touch with his coaches and teammates as he started his recovery journey. He got advice from his coaches on how to improve while also being comforted by his friends and family.
“I kept the same mentality I had when I was playing and worked out with my coach as much as possible, doing whatever I could at the time to stay active,” Navarrete said. “At the moment, I am not as strong as I once was because I still need a few more months until I am fully recovered, but I think I will be stronger when I come back. Navarrete said that he does not want
to reinjure himself, so he has been taking it easy while still putting in significant effort so that he will be able to play now. Navarrete knows and understands how much work to put in and how to build strength without overdoing it.
“Now, I play more cautiously because sometimes all I think about is reinjuring myself again, but with confidence and hard work, I can get through it,” Navarette said. “I am more careful now because I never realized how easy it was to get injured until it happened.”
Along with Naravette, sophomore Elexys Mataele was also in the recovery process after an injury while playing basketball. Mataele slowly moved forward to build up the strength to play again.
“I dislocated my kneecap in a bas-
ketball game because a girl landed on my right leg,” Mataele said. “I played scared after this happened so when I came back I was very careful and was not using my full potential. I play smarter to be able to prevent future injuries.”
Mataele attended physical therapy in her recovery process to work through the pain and to get past the little things to fully regain her full strength. It was unclear when she would be returning which frightened her because she wanted to keep working hard at practices and games.
“I thought I would be returning the next weekend, but after finding out the specific details about my injury, I began to believe that coming back would be worthless because I would have fallen too far behind,” Mataele said. “Now I tell myself to never stop believing that I will not make it back and I work harder than everyone so I can keep thriving.”
Mataele stayed active and physical even in times when she felt nothing was working. Mataele worked hard and did not give up, she practiced and kept telling herself everything would end up fine. Keeping this mentality, it was easy for her to get back on the court faster.
“Because I could not run, I would continue to do ball-handling drills and weight training for my arms.” Mataele said, “I was really bad in practice because I was falling far behind the other girls and it felt draining to not be able to do the sport I love.”
The Bay’s head varsity soccer coach Kate Dwyer knows how to deal with times like these where injured athletes do not have faith in themselves. Coaches take injuries very seriously as they try their best to prevent them. Dwyer always has an athletic trainer present and on hand
to get an immediate response to injuries.
“We, of course, stay in touch; they will always be a part of our team, even if they are hurt.” Dwyer said. “I have seen players step up to fill in the gap and it helps the team become closer over the long term which also makes the injured athlete feel better.”
Mataele said she had support through her recovery as friends and coaches made sure she was okay. Mataele was able to come back and play again because of her teammates’ support.
“My family and friends played a large role in my motivation.” Mataele said, “My friend made sure to make me feel included in the team even when I could not play.”
BY MARIANA RODRIGUEZ
On the evening of Oct. 25th, students, teachers and parents gathered around the football field to watch one of the most crucial games of the Bay’s 2024 varsity football season; the homecoming game against Cooper City High School. The game resulted in a victory for the Bay, as Lightning won against the Cooper City Cowboys 46-33. The Bay scored 61 tackles throughout the game, which was their second-highest record of the season and had two-star athletes who were recognized for their contributions that night, senior Jake Balanovich, a quarterback, and junior Elwood Higgs, a run-
ning back. Junior Charif El Churafa, an outside linebacker who made three tackles during the game, said he and his teammates worked extremely hard during practices leading up to the game to ensure the best outcome possible.
“My team and I practiced and ran a lot,” El Churafa said. “Every time we are late to practice, we have to run 200 yards, and we run routes and hitting drills.”
Senior Eli Collins plays the tight end position. He has been an active player on the varsity football team since his sophomore year. Although practice leading up to the homecoming game was rough, he said that it helped him and his team prepare.
“We had a good week of practice leading up to the game. On game day, I also
have my music and other game day rituals to help prepare me as well,” Collins said.“I was looking forward to performing with a big crowd on homecoming day and securing a win for the team. For the rest of the season, I want to win and value my last couple of games.”
Leading up to the homecoming game, students were not the only ones excited to see the Bay go head-to-head with Cooper City. Sarah Botsch-McGuinn, an English teacher and debate coach at the Bay said that she loves the homecoming game because it is a great way to show school spirit and allow students to cheer for something positive.
“It seems like we have had an interesting football season so far, so it is nice to be able to get everyone together and excited about something with so much school spirit. Seeing the football players wearing their jerseys was great because it is always nice to see them excited about the game,” Botsch-McGuinn said. “The
cheerleaders also did a great job at getting everyone hyped up to celebrate, and the students participating in the homecoming pep rally gave them an incredible sense of excitement for the upcoming game.”
The Bay’s football team had a great game against Cooper City, but their victory is just the start of the season. Both students and teachers at the Bay said they look forward to seeing how the rest of the football season will play out, hoping that the team will continue doing well.
“I like seeing the students do well and compete, and hopefully win,” Botsch-McGuinn said “Hopefully they will be able to play more championship games in the future.”
Girl vs. Monster
BY ALEXANDRA NUNEZ
An all-time Disney classic of Halloween films is “Girl vs. Monster.” This Halloween favorite was first released on Oct. 12, 2012, and since then has been a mustwatch during the spooky season. The film follows a teenage girl named Skylar Lewis (Olivia Holt) who accidentally lets out ancient monsters trapped within the basement of her own home. This led her to discover that she is the descendant of fifthgeneration monster hunters dedicated to restoring the balance between monsters and humans while also trying to hide the monsters’ existence from the public. Just in time for Halloween, the escaped monsters were able to roam free and terrorize the people within Lewis’ town. With her parents away on a trip, Lewis had to learn about a whole other world and the lies her parents had kept from her. She teams up with her friends in an attempt to save her town, and in doing so, she learns to face her fears. Holt’s talent for acting really
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
BY RICARDO ROMAN
Although “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” does not capture the nostalgia as well as the original, it is packed with the same dark humor and energy while also containing a new twist that keeps things original and intriguing. The plot plays off the original story very well, blending the nostalgia with modern elements that do not feel as forced in “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.”
The ghost, Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton) is summoned back to the world of the living, where he has to help a new generation navigate the chaotic, supernatural world. As Beetlejuice causes his usual chaos, Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder) and a new character, played by Jenna Ortega, team up with him to face many obstacles. The movie was not perfect though, as some scenes felt as if they were just added to remind fans of the original rather than to advance the storyline. Michael Keaton plays the role of Beetlejuice fantastically. Keaton was whimsical and funny while playing this role and acted just like he did in the first movie; nothing was
shined through in this movie, as I saw her character struggle with saving the world while also trying to navigate her feelings as a regular teenage girl, making the film relatable for many viewers. This film showcases themes of friendship and selfconfidence by pointing out the importance of relying on yourself and those around you. It is the perfect comfort movie that includes action-packed scenes that will be sure to leave you on the edge of your seat. I thoroughly enjoyed rewatching the film this year and would highly recommend it to anyone who has not seen it yet.
disappointing about the acting. The movie also brought Jenna Ortega as a new addition; I think this is perfect as her style meshes well with Keaton’s craziness.
Winona Ryder’s return as Lydia Deets is also a highlight and adds some heart to the story. In addition, the soundtrack was fitting for the movie; the producers brought back some of Danny Elfman’s spooky tunes and mixed in some new songs that set the mood, adding a lot of the quirkiness and a supernatural mood to the whole movie. The producers also did an amazing job with the major upgrade of the special effects. “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” manages to be a new adventure while still giving us a great movie. It’s fun, whimsical and exactly what anyone would want from a sequel.
