Features

AVID PROGRAM HELPS PREPARE STUDENTS FOR COLLEGE SUCCESS

This year's AVID students will graduate college in 2015

By Ashley Moline

The Advancement Via Individual Determination program at Miami Beach Senior High School was established over the summer to prepare hard working students in the academic middle – B, C, and even D students – for four-year college eligibility. These students are generally the first in their families to attend college, and the AVID Program will assist students in following a path towards college and a career.

Freshman Nikita Vidal said that students “have to learn to be organized.” According to Vidal, it helps that “AVID kids are in many of the same classes together.”

Around 50 freshmen are enrolled in honors classes and an AVID elective, one period each day devoted to learning study, organizational, and critical thinking skills, from fourth to twelfth grade.

According to AVID Coordinator Eva Regueria, the class will, “help students succeed in high school and adapt more easily to a new school, a new system and start thinking about what they want to do after high school.”

The goal is that students will move into Advanced Placement classes in their sophomore, junior and senior years, “so that they can accomplish everything they should during their time at Beach High.”

AVID students ask themselves, “What kind of listener are you?” to become familiar with their individual learning styles and to make the most of their potential.

Students in the AVID Program participate in motivational activities for enrichment and college readiness. For example, Regueria envisions a costume contest and a field trip to the nearby Bass Museum, in order to, “get the kids exposed to … cultural activities, [and] guest speakers from different facets of society.”

According to AVID Freshman Francis Bogodo, the program, “helps you prepare for college and keeps you intact.”

Regueira hopes that her students will be able to work in collaboration with the Bass Museum on a freshman project. “I would like to get the kids in the museum and excited about what it has to offer,” she said, “before I plan a project with them.”

Miami-Dade County Public School students enjoy free entry to both the Bass Museum on 21st Street and the Wolfsonian Museum on Washington Avenue in South Beach. Both museums offer guided tours.

ONE STUDENT'S CRUSADE AGAINST BULLIES

Junior Darren Richmond stands up for victims of bullying   

By Josh Dermer

Junior Darren Richmond was recently recognized by the American Psychiatric Association for his contribution to Project Anti-Bully, a group was started by students around the country to raise awareness about bullying in schools.

Richmond was praised for his work Fabianna Pergolizzi, a high school student in Naples, FL. “She wanted to know if I was interested,” said Richmond. “And I said yes.” They were later joined by other students around the country.

The group distributed 586 surveys to seventh and eighth graders. The results revealed that almost half (45.1%) had admitted to being bullied.

According to Richmond, the statistics show the escalating danger of bullying. We have seen what can happen to the victims in extreme cases,” he said, “like what had occurred at Virginia Tech.”

“[Bullying] can cause the victim to be increasingly detached from society,” explained AP Psychology teacher William Presswood. “It can cause a person to become despondent and depressed, which in turn can lead to suicidal thoughts.”

Part of Richmond’s project focused on a phenomenon the group calls “cyberbullying.” According to Project Anti-Bully’s website, the term includes any form of harassment via the Internet, cell phones or other forms of technology. “Cyberbullying might just be more hurtful to a student,” Richmond said, “because now, whatever humiliating thing is being said about the student is there for anyone to see.”

Richmond and Pergolizzi compiled their information on a poster and submitted it to the APA for presentation at the annual meeting in San Diego, making them the youngest presenters in APA history.

The visibility of Project Anti-Bully’s work has raised awareness on the frequency of adolescent bullying. Some schools have elected “peace ambassadors” to combat its effects. “These are students,” explained Richmond, “[whose] job is to help new students and assist anyone who is a victim of bullying.”

The study found that 34% of students who were bullied did not tell an adult. “It surprises me how many students do nothing about it,” said Richmond.

“Anyone can be a victim of bullying” said Presswood, who explained that individuals can be targeted because of a variety of factors from religion to sexuality. “There is no clear pattern because there are socio-cultural and economical components that need to be considered”.

Richmond encouraged any student who knows a person is being bullied to seek help immediately. Visit projectantibully.com for more information.

HOMECOMING GUIDE

Beach High Cheerleaders rally the crowd at Crown and Capers

By Ines Michelena and Alexandra Rodgriguez

Homecoming Week is currently underway at Miami Beach Senior High School, with the Homecoming football game against South Miami taking place on Friday and the Homecoming dance taking place Saturday.

"This year's Homecoming will definitely beat last year's,” said Senior and Student Council Vice-President Ryan Beilstein.  Spirit Week events included Twin Day, Tacky Tuesday, College Shirt Wednesday, 50s Day, and Spirit Day. 

"I am happy with the theme, even though I wasn't exactly glad about the options offered,” said Freshman Alexandra Vargas.  “If I could choose something else, it would probably have been the 80s."  Beach High students were able to vote on the festivities’ theme, ultimately choosing, “Grease” over “Wild, Wild West” and “Disco Fever.”

On Friday, October 19, 2007, the Homecoming football game against South Miami will take place at 7:00 p.m. at Flamingo Park in South Beach. Following the game, the Homecoming dance will take place on October 20, 2007, at 7:00 p.m. at the Biscayne Marriot Hotel, located behind the Omni Station in downtown Miami.

"Homecoming [dance] is an enjoyable and fun experience that all high school students should participate in,” said Beilstein.  “It offers a great buffet and terrific music for all the students to dance and listen to."   According to him, the goal of the evening is to have fun, with or without a date.

The dance will be more informal than prom.  Suits and tuxedoes are not required, although Beilstein noted that they would, “look great.”

Principal Rosann Sidener believes that traditions "help unify and bring more school spirit,” adding, “I would not even think about replacing them."

SUMMER BRINGS NEW ADVENTURES FOR BEACH HIGH TEACHERS

Kenneth Spiegelman visits an abandoned Jewish cemetary in Ukraine.

By Miriam Kolker

This summer brought fresh perspectives to three teachers who left the school setting to embark on their own journeys. Mr. Spiegelman, Ms. Lewandowski, and Mrs. Duval spent their vacation traveling to places they had never visited before.

Social Studies teacher Kenneth Spiegelman spent two weeks halfway around the world in St. Petersburg, Russia for a writer’s conference. Using his knowledge of European history, he noticed how the architecture had not been changed since around 1917, and looked very Western because of the Scandinavian influence, while the rest of Russia was much more Asian.            

After Russia, Spiegelman took a personal trip to Ukraine for one week to trace his family roots.            

“I was the first person in my family to be there in 90 years,” he says.            

Spiegelman was able to track down the village his grandfather lived in, called Shepitivka, in the Western part of the country. There, he found a 100-year-old woman, and talked to her to see if she knew anything about the Jewish history of Ukraine. It turned out that her mother worked as a cook for his great-grandfather, who owned a hotel in the little village.            

“It was bizarre,” he says.            

Spiegelman pointed out how different Russia and Ukraine were from the United States. He found the main reason to be the language barrier.            

“The Russian language is a beautiful language when it’s spoken well,” he says. “It’s just fascinating because it’s so completely different.”

He felt especially separated from the United States in the old countryside of Ukraine.            

“Kiev [the capital of Ukraine] is so modern,” he says, “but you go to these little villages and there’s still ox-carts pulling [people around].”            

Spiegelman also spent some of his summer a little closer to home. He was the Florida representative at a government program for teachers. The group went on private tours of special places like the Senate and the Gettysburg field.            

English teacher Sunday Lewandowski took an exotic trip to Brazil for her summer vacation. She visited Sao Paolo for two days, Rio de Janeiro for another two days, and then stayed with a family friend for three weeks in Salvador.            

“It’s just like living in a dream,” she says of her experience.         

In Salvador, Lewandowski and her family enjoyed boat rides throughout the islands, museums, forts and beaches.            

“The beach was one of the most beautiful beaches I had ever seen in my life,” she said.  “Your feet melt into the sand.”

She already plans to go back next summer. “I suggest everybody go to Brazil. It was the happiest country I have ever been to.”          

English teacher Nina Duval’s annual summer escape plan this year developed into a 10-day road trip throughout Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas with her husband, something she had never done before.            

“I think it’s always good to get away,” she says. “It’s always good to change your routine because that’s what vacations are, not looking at your watch.”            

Duval was particularly touched by the historical aspect of the trip.            

“I got very embroiled in the Civil War,” she says.  “When you go through those areas you can’t help but be drawn into the history, especially of the slaves.”

Her favorite part of the trip was seeing the old Georgia settlement of Savannah. The city, designed with squares and lots of oak trees, reminded her of being home in Yorkshire, England.            

Duval and her husband succeeded in driving non-stop back to Miami from North Carolina in about 18 hours.            

“That was horrible,” she says. “I never want to do that again.”

BEACHCOMBER NEWCOMER

The Beachcomber staff looks for journalistic inspiration.

By Julia Carfagno and Ashley Moline

Along with the newly colored picnic benches, the new administration, the scarlet and silver stripes, and the new mulch to walk on, Journalism and History teacher Andrew Weiss rounds out the list as a new young teacher at Miami Beach Senior High.  In between advising The Beachcomber and the Scholars Academy, Weiss always manages to keep up a smile. 

“[Mr. Weiss] is young, which means he’s more laid back and funny” says Senior and The Beachcomber Opinion Editor Alicia Sanchez. 

“I taught for two years at Brownsville Middle School and for a year at East Boston High School,” said Weiss.  “That's the building that was the exterior for the TV show Boston Public.”  Weiss attended Parsippany High School in New Jersey, studied Latin American History at Georgetown University, and recently finished with a Master of Education from Harvard University. 

After leaving the Boston cold, Weiss is happy to be back in the Miami sun.  “I don't know if you noticed this,” he said, “but this building is two blocks from the ocean.  Sometimes I hear students complaining and I wonder if they realize how lucky they are.”

When Nina Duval, The Beachcomber’s former advisor, came to Miami Beach Senior High in 2004, she reorganized a program that had not existed in years. The Journalism program took shape with her guidance and with help from her students, including favorites such as Hi Tide Harry, a Culture Page and a Letters Page.

According to Sanchez, “Mr. Weiss’ new approach to the newspaper is very efficient and well managed.  The on-line paper is new this year. It will be better in a way because everyone will have access through the internet.”

“If you’re a student,” said Weiss, “and you want to know what’s going on at any minute of the day, you should be able to log onto thebeachcomberonline.typepad.com … and be able to find out exactly what happened at school that day.”

Duval agrees that, “this is the way it needs to go.”

Weiss has read prior issues of The Beachcomber, and believes that, “Students working in the journalism department last year really had their finger on the pulse.”

Like so many Beach High students, Weiss does not have the rest of his life planned out.  “I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up,” he says, “and I like that feeling.  I think the second you know what you're going to be doing for the rest of your life, you might as well start making funeral arrangements.”

PRESSWOOD TAKES ON NEW CHALLENGE AS AP PSYCHOLOGY TEACHER

For William Presswood, his students are front and center.

By Margaret Cohn

After a year of teaching ESE at Miami Beach Senior High School, William Presswood is now teaching World History and AP Psychology in his new classroom, room 312.

“Acting on other department member recommendations, I asked for him to be made part of my department,” says Social Studies Department Chair Eduardo DeVarona.

Presswood, a graduate of the University of West Georgia, moved to Miami when a career in social work just was not working for him.

“It was the most depressing thing I’ve ever done,” he says. “It takes a toll and you don’t feel like you’re doing any good even thought you really are.”

Beach High, he says, was the first school recommended to him by teachers in the Dade County school system.

“Beach High carries a reputation around the county as a good high school,” informs Presswood. “Not to downplay other schools, but this school has such a unique community.”

Presswood always had a career in education on his mind, but decided he needed to do some growing up before getting a job. Working as a social worker, he realized the importance of secondary education.

“I think secondary education is an important step, and if certain goals…aren’t met, a student isn’t able to successfully enter into higher education. I would like to be a bridge between secondary education and higher education.”

Mr. Presswood has quickly become a teacher worth talking about. Students in his AP Psychology class are constantly discussing the stories he tells them, along with the interesting lessons he presents to them any given period.

“Mr. Presswood brings his background in psychology, and uses it to teach us, accorsing to Junior Daryl Stein. “He uses some of the more interesting clinical studies to get us engaged in the topic of the day.”

Now that he is in a teaching position, Presswood can not get enough of it. He really enjoys the challenges of it, and how everyday is something new. Fellow Beach High teachers have really helped him during his time here, and he enjoys learning different techniques and skills from his colleagues.

“Being in education is new and exciting,” he says. “it’s never the same. Everything changes for better.”