Interview with South’s Mock Trial Co-Captains
(Madeleine Fryling) —
I sat down with the co-captains of Mock Trial, Amina Radoncic and Bethany Kosinski, to discuss this year’s case, team members, and future of the club.
Q: What responsibilities come with being captains of Mock Trial?
Amina: As co-captains, our responsibilities are quite intense both within and beyond
club meetings from the get-go. We have to make sure that everyone in the club has a
basic understanding of the logistics of mock trial in order to ensure that all members are
successful.
Bethany: We work to make sure that we're the bridge from Mr. Richman to the rest of
the team. We make sure that work gets done and we keep everyone on schedule.
Generally, our goal is to be there for members that need help.
Q: What are the different roles in mock trial?
Amina: We fill the two captain roles, and I’m the lead attorney for defense and
prosecution. Mr. Richman is the club advisor, and additionally we have our legal
advisors, Mr. Shishko and Mr. Bradley.
Bethany: There are six attorneys—three defense and three prosecution—and then six
witnesses—three defense and three prosecution. There are also alternates and fact
finders.
Q: Why should people try out for mock trial?
Amina: I think it is a wonderful opportunity for students of all different interests,
including students who don't plan on going into law, to learn more about the law. I think
it’s really useful to learn about the criminal justice system given the fact that we are from
the United States of America and it’s important to understand how our country operates.
Bethany: Mock Trial really helps build confidence in public speaking skills. I think a lot
of us start out really nervous and uncomfortable going up and competing and I think
there’s this myth that if you're afraid to do something, you shouldn't do it. I think Mock
Trial gives people the opportunity to try new things, and with that experimentation,
confidence will come.
Q: What are you most excited for this season?
Amina: Given the fact that this is our senior year, this competition is extremely valuable
to us. We have just worked very hard these past three years to develop as a team
overall so I'm really happy to put our hard work on display.
Bethany: For this season I’m looking forward to getting to show off everything that we
worked so hard to put together. This club takes a lot of commitment, dedication, and
time so I'm looking forward to going in that courtroom and, regardless of the result,
showing off all that we worked for and showcasing our skill.
Behind the Scenes Preparing for World Culture Night 2024
(Caitlyn Gordon ) —
Each year South’s Cultural Society hosts World Culture Night, which displays different dances and acts from around the world. World Culture Night this year was held on February 9th and 10th and provided a night full of excitement.
Participants have been preparing for World Culture Night since November, attending practices numerous times a week. Members of Cultural Society were able to sign up for how ever many acts they were interested in and followed the lead of their choreographers. Advisors, Mrs. Patricia Franco and Mr. Jeffery Hsi and newer advisors, Ms. Hilary Ratner and Ms. Helene Mungin, ran a series of dress rehearsals that members took part in to make sure the show would be a grand success. Students, parents, teachers, and even South alumni came out to see the spectacular show.
The soon to be graduating seniors found it bittersweet that this was their last World Culture Night but were fortunate they got to experience being part of Cultural Society and that they were able to participate in multiple shows over the years. Overall, the two nights ultimately displayed the hard work of all participants over the last couple of months and was a great experience for both new members and ones that have been a part of Cultural Society prior.
South’s Junior High Winter Concerts
(Nicole Belskiy) —
South’s faculty and staff members hosted a Junior High Winter Concert on December 19th of 2023. In the Winter Concert, starting off the show was the Junior High orchestra. Led by Elizabeth Klamkin, the South junior high orchestra set the tone for the concert by opening their performance with a famous Christmas piece called “Jingle Bell Rock”. Written by Joel Beal and Jim Boothe, this festive composition was the only song containing the sleigh bell, played by 8th grader, V Frank. After “Jingle Bell Rock” concluded, “The Boogie Man Blues” began. In “The Boogie Man Blues”, which was organized by Carrie Lane Gruselle, there was a violin duet along with a cello solo. The violinists, Nicole Belskiy, 8th grade, and Isabelle Burke, 7th grade, along with the cello soloist, Hannah VanDijk, 7th grade, allowed “Boogie Man Blues” to sound more complete with their contributions. The junior high orchestra concluded with their final performance of “Clash of the Triads”, which was arranged by Deborah Baker Monday. The piece was a combination of a variety of classical compositions including “Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik”, “Beethoven’s jubilant Ode To Joy”, and “Beethoven’s 5th Symphony”. The orchestra was truly magnificent and amazed the crowd with their talent.
Completing the Junior High Winter Concert was the Junior High band. Led by Melanee Bedell, the 7th and 8th grade Junior High band began with “Believe”, created by Alan Silvestri and Mark Brenner, “Believe” is a famous piece from The Polar Express movie. This song included a metallic percussion instrument called the windchimes. After the song ended, “I want it that way” was introduced. Arranged by Scott Yang, “I Want It That Way” was originally written by the Backstreet boys in 1999. The Backstreet boys was a boy band that gained popularity in the 1990s. Following “I Want It That Way” was a creative remix to the original “Frosty The Snowman”, “Frosty’s Caribbean Holliday”. Composed by Steve Nelson, Jack Rollins, and Ralph Ford, this unique structure of music contained percussion and shorter notes, which gave this song its tropical feel. Once “Frosty’s Caribbean Holliday” concluded, the last piece of the Winter Concert played. Constructed by Micheal Story, “A Dua Lipa Duo” is a fun remix containing two of famous pop star Dua Lipa’s songs, “Break My Heart” and “Don’t Start Now”. “A Dua Lipa Duo” was an awesome way to close off the Junior High Winter Concert and it certainly energized the crowd. The Junior High Winter Concert played exceptionally well, and the participants put on an astonishing show.
Family Service Day 2024
(Amina Radoncic) —
The month of November is one of appreciation and gratitude. While most families come together and enjoy each others' presence, surrounded by delicious and hearty plates of food, not all have this privilege. Fortunately, the South community continuously makes great efforts at ensuring that all of our families can experience this joy through Family Service Day, during which baskets are filled with Thanksgiving goodies for the holiday to give to our very own families in need, here at South.
On a chilly Saturday morning on November 18th , students, faculty, and family made their way to South Hall in anticipation of this heartwarming event. First, they were greeted by the Key Club's advisor, Mrs. Gordon, and were then given an explanation as to the structure of the morning. Following the introduction, everyone rolled up their sleeves and got to work! Carrying a decorated and festive basket, the Family Service Day attendees floated from table to table and gathered a variety of nutritious and filling food items; from canned vegetables and cornbread mix, to frosting and pre-packaged mashed potatoes, a mix of traditional holiday dinner staples were chosen. After adding utensils and napkins to the baskets, they were all filled to the brim, almost ready to be delivered to South's families. Attendees were then able to add their final decorations to the boxes and wrapped theme in cellophane to ensure that all of the food would stay in place, and were topped with pretty ribbons. This year's Family Service Day was surely a success, and all those who were present left the event feeling proud of their contributions, helping make some of South's families have a brighter holiday season.
The Power of AI in Brain Tumors
(Layla Daniels) —
In recent years, advances in medical technology have revolutionized the way we view and treat diseases. From new treatments to improved medical diagnosis, the healthcare industry has seen numerous breakthroughs that have improved the lives of countless people around the world. However, there has been one advancement that stands out the most, that being the treatment of brain tumors. Normally doctors diagnose and perform the surgery on the patient. The removal of brain tumors is an extremely arduous process. The surgeon must decide to cut away parts of the brain tissue that is healthy to ensure that the entire tumors are removed or leave healthy tissue with the possibility of leaving sick cells behind possibly reinfecting that area of the brain. To combat this problem scientists in the Netherlands have started using artificial intelligence to choose what to do with the tumor.
A study published in The Nature Journal involves computer scanning segments of the tumor and DNA, then learning the chemical modifications to help make the diagnosis of the type and subtype of the brain tumor. To test the accuracy of the AI there was an experiment that tested frozen tumor samples (around the size of a kernel of corn) from previous brain, cancer operations. The AI accurately diagnoses 45 out of the 50 cases within 40 minutes of genetic sequencing. The other five cases were not diagnosed because the AI found it inconclusive. Then surgeons tested 25 live brain surgeries mostly on children using the standard method of examining tumors. This approach delivered 18 correct diagnoses while seven were unclear. The main concern of using AI is the differences within patients; without representing the entire tumor fewer common forms can be classified incorrectly. The new method is part of a movement toward bringing molecular precision in diagnosing tumors to the forefront of medicine; potentially allowing scientists to develop target treatments that are less damaging to the nervous system. The public has conflicting ideas on this topic. Some believe that having the extra precision from the AI can be an amazing tool that separates people from living their lives to the fullest to being paralyzed, while others would rather trust having their procedure done by a surgeon than AI because of distrust of the new technology.
Overall, the advanced technology benefitseveryone increasing efficiency and access to life-saving information. The use of AI has opened possibilities for the diagnosis of tumors that would have been previously unattainable. Technology comes with potential risks and challenges, but if used responsibly can help improve the lives of thousands of patients.
Citations: New York Times article published in 2023, 10-11
The Nature Journal article published October 17, 2023
Student Showcase: Poetry by Jasmine Persaud "Regrets"
(Jasmine Persaud ) —
I remember watching birds fly,
And thinking that I too could touch the sky,
I now regret all those times I didn’t try;
All those distant memories feel like lies,
Running outside, playing, chasing butterflies,
Now I have to watch as my happiness slowly dies.
I can’t believe my joy is ending,
It’s like writing a love letter you don’t intend on sending.
All I can do now is cry,
I cry through all of the prayers I’ve chanted,
I cry because I regret everything I took for granted;
It’s strange how time flies by so fast,
Memories just don’t last,
So don’t sit there and dwell on the past;
Live your life while you still can,
You don’t want to have regrets when you’re an old woman or man.
Social Media and the Teenage Brain
(Christopher Davila) —
Social media is considered a place where individuals can post and publicize anything they want onto the world web! Social media is commonly used among teenagers and the younger generations as a way to consume news, entertainement, music, sports, pop culture, and also as a way for them to socialize with peers and publish their own content.
Although the research and data is still continuing to be studied, the facts can not deny the effects of social media on teenagers which have been recorded and measured: the ojbective results are that social media negatively impacts teens' mental health. It's been shown that teenagers have worse self-esteem and self worth because of desirable, unrealistic standards for their bodies. Studies also suggest that the results are worse for girls than boys. However, social media can also be used as a mode of communication and putting yourself out there on a forum of your choice.
The Issue of Social Media’s negative Effects:
Social media is known for its models and bodybuilders who post pictures of themselves. Most teenagers see this and internalize it, which forms unrealistic ideas of what they should look like. But, teenagers also post themselves and their bodies on social media in full confidence, which mainly stems from modern interpretations of women on social media where feminist social media posts about being confident in yourself. But is this truly a new concept? Older magazines used unrealistic body standards of supermodels and bodybuilders when they were published. The largest difference appears to be that only now near anyone can see these unrealistic standards rather than needing to pay for it like a magazine or tabloid. So, teenagers for years have been fed unrealistic standards for their bodies and adults’ bodies and only recently has that been remedied with newer media and posts on social media.
In all, in spite of the lower self-esteem of young people due to social media, teenagers already had unrealistic expectations for themselves from magazines. Also, social media can be beneficial for teeagers by providing them a place to discuss and talk to one another on an open forum. The decision is yours!
Movie Review: American Fiction
( Dash Alschuler-Pierce) —
Steeped with political commentary, humor, and intelligence, American Fiction takes a cruel look at the simplification of black lives and what the meaning of the "black experience" is, and how, even now, America continues to cater to the desires of the white man. Despite this time of social progressivism, our society stays blind to the realities and complexities of each life for the sake of simplicity.
American Fiction, starring Jeffrey Wright (Angels in America), centers on Monk, a black writer and teacher, sick of the stereotyping and offensive tropes of the black Americans in the film and book industries. He takes to his pen by creating his own satire on the stereotypical “black book,” only to find critical and financial success.
Directed and written by Cord Jefferson (The Good Place), the film is unwaveringly comedic, playing almost like a Moliere play—replete with satire and commentary. Jeffery Wright is astounding and sure to be a player in this year’s Best Actor Oscar race. Other nominations the film gathered were for Best Picture, Adapted Screenplay, Score, and Supporting Actor for Sterling K. Brown.
American Fiction is still in theaters and truly an experience worth-while
Book Review: Escape from Chernobyl
(Olivia Castang) —
Escape from Chernobyl, a novel by Andy Marino, follows a story about the real-life Chernobyl disaster which occurred in the city of Pripyat on April 26th, 1986. Main character Yuri Fomichev and love interest Sofia as well as their respective families suffer through the disaster firsthand. Yuri is an intern at the Chernobyl hnuclear plant. He is in reactor four during the explosion but is saved from the rubble. Despite this he can’t leave the plant because he knows there is a man stuck deep in the reactor. A main conflict in the story is Yuri’s heroic acts as he travels through the narrow scorching tunnels of reactor four to find the missing worker. He suffers burns as he approaches the core and even loses a finger in the chaos of the rubble. When he finally finds the worker, they realize that only Yuri can make it back out. Yuri resolves to leave to see Sofiya once more. Outside of the reactor, Sofiya is determined to warn the citizens of Pripyat to protect themselves from the radiation and to find Yuri. While this is occurring, Yuri’s younger cousins, Alina and Lev, embark on a journey of their own. They sneak back to Pripyat which their parents escaped from look for Yuri and Alina’s best friend Sofiya, as the government refused to warn the residents of the dangers of nuclear poisoning or evacuate them.
However, their journey is less than simple as they encounter numerous dangers along the way. Furthermore, a major aspect of the book questions what it means to be a loyal citizen of the Soviet Union. At the beginning, Yuri is unquestioningly loyal to his country and despises his cousin Alina’s illegal American music which her father allows her to carelessly listen to. But by the end of the story, Yuri admits while suffering from nuclear radiation that he liked the music after all. This reveals that he had thoughts and opinions of his own despite what the government outlawed.
This story implements aspects of adventure, action, romance, and tragedy. This chilling tale about the Chernobyl disaster would be a good read for people who aren’t easily fazed by sad and otherwise disturbing topics. All in all, it was an enjoyable experience and a thought provoking read.
Book Review: Amityville Horror
Fabiha Amin
Warm Winter Recipe: Apple Pie
Arisa Aamer
Winter Crossword Puzzle
Faisal N
Winter Wordsearch
Aviva Frank
