RKA GAZETTE

1.

RKA GAZETTE

Issue 4

MARCH

2013

RIVERDALE KINGSBRIDGE ACADEMY GO TIGERS! #RKAPRIDE

Multi-Cultural Show By Courtney Segal

RKA’s annual Multicultural Show took place on Saturday March 9th. The Multicultural Show provides RKA students with the opportunity to embrace where they come from while showcasing their talents. The RKA community is made up of an assortment of religions and ethnicities, which makes the show the perfect forum for students and teachers to take pride in their heritages. RKA is fortunate to have such a diverse student body and that a memorable show is put on year after year. It is imperative to recognize Ms. Allen’s contribution to the show. For many years she has taken on the responsibility of orchestrating the show and never failed to make the Multicultural Show experience a great one for participants and viewers alike. This last show was bittersweet because Ms. Allen is retiring. The entire RKA family, especially the Multicultural group, is saddened that such an integral part of our family is leaving but also excited for what the future holds in store for her. A special thanks to Ms. Allen for all her hard work and dedication to the show. All of the acts were great but there were a few showstoppers that deserve additional recognition. Tommy Benitez, a senior, is no stranger to performing on stage. Tommy’s dance group Hip Hop Theory 2.0 incorporated the talents of many students as well as Mr. Manaligod. The level of thought, detail, and creativity demonstrated by Tommy and his dancers was truly remarkable. In addition to Tommy’s hip-hop sensation, Latin Movement, a dance group representing both Latin and African American descent, captured the attention of the audience. The dancers part of Latin Movement definitely represented their cultures well. Other special performances include Danny McCauley’s original rap debut with his band The Deep End, Claire Dahlem’s rendition of a Phantom of the Opera classic, and the flirty duet by Tyler Nottage and Chasidy McKenzie. Once again, the Multicultural Show was a success thanks to all those involved with the production of the show: directors, stage crew, and our extraordinary host, Ramon Nunez. I hope you all enjoyed the show!

RKA GAZETTE | Issue 4 2

Senior Spirit Week

(PART 2)

By Chelsea Garcia and Lindsay Maselli

Considering it is the seniors last spirit

week and last big hooray of high school, they decided to go all the way this week. Monday March 11

th marked the first day of the second

senior spirit week at RKA. The seniors kicked off the week with a funny and colorful cartoon day. We had cartoon characters from Nickelodeon, Disney Channel, Cartoon Network, and cartoon movies. The seniors went all out and really looked and acted out their characters. Some characters were the Scooby Doo gang, Mr. Incredible, Minnie and Mickey House and Timmy Turner.

The next day was Zombie Day where everyone’s guts were all over the place. Everyone looked like they just stepped out of a horror movie. It was a crazy creative type of day. We had zombie nurses, zombie pregnant girl, and a zombie drag queen. The blood on people’s body and clothes looked so real it was scary. You actually thought they had been stabbed or shot.

Suspenders, glasses, calculators. OH MY! Wednesday was Nerd Day and this is where everyone’s inner geek came out. Dressing like a nerd should be the new fashion because everyone was looking so chic. The seniors looked very proper and ready for college.

Whoa what a throwback! Decade Day on Thursday was an interesting day because you felt like you were in 5 different decades. There were the 20s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and more. When taking our big group picture, it must have been confusing. A 80s person standing next to a 20s person, wow that is an interesting twist of eras. It

was great seeing everyone dress up from different decades, the fashions back then was so different than our modern looks.

Ice cream and Sweatshirts! Yum! Friday was everyone’s favorite day. It was the easiest because all you had to do was throw on your senior sweatshirt, bring a white shirt to sign, and your spoon to eat ice cream. The ice cream social was a great bonding moment for all the seniors since we haven’t gotten much time to bond. It was a great way to end the week! It’s sad to think that this was our last spirit week as high schoolers. We don’t know how next year class will tops all of our craziness and creativity.

RKA GAZETTE | Issue 4 3

RKA Tech Upgrade By Anton Gueorguiev and Michael English

Riverdale Kingsbridge Academy is not known for its technology, but that is about to change. The most recent

upgrades to our technology are slowly occurring. Tony Ramirez has played an important role in improving technology at RKA. Smartboards can be found in many classrooms, but not all. The current plan is to purchase additional Smartboards for the classrooms that do not have them. Prior to the new additions of Smartboards, ID card scanner and electronic banner have been added to RKA’s many technology upgrades this school year.

The ID card scanner and the new electronic banner are both located in the school cafeteria. The new electronic banner displays important messages for students and staff as well as upcoming events. The new Id scanner allows students who eat breakfast or lunch at school to scan their ID cards in order to pay for the meal, providing for a cashless transaction. The library is also looking into getting printers capable of printing at higher volumes. Many students who do not have access to a printer at home usually stop by Mr. Seuss’s room or go to the library to print their assignments. The printers in the library are not always available. If new printers are purchased, then students will be able to print their assignments in the library. The printing center will be one of the future projects that the school hopes to invest in. To kick the spring term off, brand new computers have been ordered for some classrooms that have damaged ones, which do not work.

Technology upgrades that have taken place or will occur in the near future will help improvement education at RKA. It is only a matter of time until the technology upgrades occur at RKA bringing our school into the future.

RKA GAZETTE | Issue 4 4

TEEN ACTION

Teens for Jeans By Noah Margolin and Hassan Jehan

During the month of February, Teen Action held a fundraiser called Teens for Jeans. The group brought several pair of

jeans for people who needed them. Teen Action coordinated the project called “Teens For Jeans,” a fundraiser sponsored by Aeropostale. Signs advertising

Teens for Jeans were put up in school urging students and faculty to donate unwanted and unused jeans into a bin. The students collected old jeans and donated them to less fortunate people. The event, as a whole, was a success. After the jeans were collected, they were driven to the nearest Aeropostale, who distributed them to those in need.

After this project, Teen Action began to prepare for the annual Health Fair, which was held on March 14th

.

http://www.highlandmall.com/event/aeropostale-teens-for-jeans/

Healthy Relationships

By Noah Margolin and Hassan Jeahan

The Teen Action group led by Ms. Erlick and Mr. Cromartie has been making big progress in the month of February. Two projects, a fundraiser called “Teens for Jeans” and a Valentine’s Day Booth were held during the month of February. The second project that Teen Action took on was educating students about healthy relationships. For the healthy relationships project, students in the Teen Action class made a information board and spoke to students who approached the booth curious to what it was about. Those who were interested were told a little bit about what healthy relationships should look or feel like, and were offered to sign a pledge to support the cause and to always respect their significant other.

After two days of campaigning in the cafeteria during 4th

and 6th

period lunch, the group members had deemed it a success. Over 100 signatures were collected and the purple string bracelet, worn by someone who pledged, could be seen all through the high school. In the following months, the Teen Action group is will be planning more exciting projects and activities such as these.

RKA GAZETTE | Issue 4 5

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NYC RESPSECT FOR ALL WEEK By Hassan Jehan

In the process of making NYC public schools safe and supportive for all students, a new school event called “Respect for All Week” took place February 11-15, 2013. All NYC public schools participated in events that promoted respect and diversity between the students and, to engage students in lessons and activities that would educate them about harassment, bullying and other issues that are not acceptable. The city wide standards of discipline prevent students from bullying other students for any reason, including taunting and intimidation through the use of slurs involving race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation or disability. All these issues were addressed during the week designated to teach tolerance..

At RKA, we celebrate diversity and work hard to prevent bullying throughout the school year by promoting the RKA way which includes virtues of Respect, Kindness, and Accountability. “Respect for All” week was filled with special events and activities. One of the events that took place during that week was Teen action’s Healthy Relationships Booth. The students set up a booth during lunch to teach all the students about healthier relationships and made those who agreed to pledge loyalty to their partners by signing a banner. That banner now hangs in the school for all to see.

To prevent future bullying and harassment, “Respect for All” Week is a stepping-stone to ensure awareness and influence future students to act appropriately. Hopefully such an event will have a positive impact on students and will make a difference.

RKA GAZETTE | Issue 4 6

7th Grade Ice Skating Trip

By Daniel Cabo Hervada and Nestor Levin

On February 6th, the seventh graders took a trip to Bryant Park for some ice skating. Many students went on

the trip because they love to ice skate; I mean who does not like to ice skate? In fact, many students brought their own

ice skates because they already ice skate for fun. All the students that went on the trip enjoyed themselves.

Once we arrived at Bryant Park, we were to wait on line to enter, rent skates or put own on and go ice-skating.

The students were allowed to ice skate, eat, or just hang out. The staffs at the rink were kind, responsible, and friendly.

If someone fell on the ice, the ice skating staff was quick to respond. One student who fell and injured his lip was given

immediate medical assistance.

CitiPond was very safe and clean. The staff ensured that their guests enjoyed their surroundings. After skating

for a while the ice became very cracked. It is very easy to stumble on some of the cracks and indentations that can hurt

you. The park used a Zamboni to sweep the ice. The ice was very slippery and wet, making ice skating much more

exhilarating and fun because people could skate much faster. The wooden handrails provide excellent support for

beginner skaters.

The part of the trip that everyone enjoyed, besides the ice-skating, was the cheap, but incredibly delicious

food. The most popular snack that most students ordered was the hot, creamy, tasty hot cocoa with whipped cream.

One of the most memorable conversations I has was with Chris Charitos who commented that “The hot cocoa wasn’t

like anything I ever tasted before. I would like to come here again and drink a lot of this beverage.” In fact, other from

the snacks, we enjoyed free lunch of either pizza or hotdogs with a soda or juice.

Overall, the students loved the trip, and hoped that they would return to Bryant Park to ice skate next year.

Thank you for a wonderful trip Mr. Prado. We love all the trips you plan.

RKA GAZETTE | Issue 4 7

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10th Grade Ice Skating Trip By Goldie Santos, Albulena Rugova & Shivon Ramlal

On Valentine’s Day, the 10th grade class was rewarded with an ice skating trip to Citi Pond at Bryant Park . Over 75 sophomores attend this wonderful trip. The cost of the trip was only $22 dollars, which included skate rentals, transportation, and lunch.

The students attending the trip departed from RKA at around 9 am and traveled on yellow school buses downtown. Everyone was excited and could not wait to get off the bus and hit the ice.

The location of the rink was amazing. Being surrounded by skyscrapers in the center of New York City made the sight even more magical. Ms.Eisenberg who attended the trip, commented, “the architecture of the surroundings was amazing.” Even the weather that day was great, making it a nice day for skating and love, being that it was Valentine’s Day.

As the 10th graders entered the rink, they were given wrist bands for equipment rentals. After all the skating, the students were getting hungry and it was time to eat. Since the food was already included in the cost of the trip, the students had an option of either pizza or hot dogs, and soda to drink. The skaters also received some hot chocolate. Even though the weather was not very cold that day, everyone enjoyed the taste of warm hot chocolate.

A pleasant surprise that day was a wonderful wedding that took place on the ice. It was, after all, Valentine’s Day. The bride was very pretty and showed her skills as figure skater. She skated very gracefully and everyone was amazed. After the bride’s performance, the skaters were allowed back on the ice. Most 10th grade students picked up on skating and others knew how to skate. Students had fun falling and gliding across the ice. Everyone was having a wonderful time.

Thank you Ms.Prado for a wonderful trip.

RKA GAZETTE | Issue 4 8

Jersey Day By Jazmine Kerr

February 1

st was RKA’s school-wide Jersey Day. It was a day for students and faculty to show their team spirit. From

the Knicks to the Packers, and everything in between, jerseys were seen through the building.

Showing her love for New York, and our very own infamous baseball team, Ms. O’Mara was wearing a New York Yankees jersey. Many of us wore “outside” jerseys or jerseys to represent our favorite teams. RKA’s cheerleaders were in full gear to show school spirit for all of our teams.

Because this event was held pre-Super Bowl, there was a lot of jersey rivalry between the Ravens and the 49ers. Ultimately, when we came back Monday the 49ers fans were the gloating victors. All in all, it was a great event. Jersey Day was a great fun way for RKA students to show support for their favorite team.

Who’s In The Paper

Editors-in-Chief Editors Horoscopes Technology Entertainment Shivon Ramlal Mr.Seuss Jazmine Kerr Michael English Sabreen Abedrabbo Courtney Segal Ms.Shulman Anton Gueorguiev Arie Vasquez

RKA News Sports Who Dat? Layout Courtney Segal Cristian Disla Chelsea Garcia Shivon Ramlal Chelsea Garcia Danny McCauley Lindsay Maselli Noah Margolin Hassan Jehan Daniel Cabo Nestor Levin Christopher Charitos Goldie Santos Albulena Rugova Jazmine Kerr Nadia Mustefa

RKA GAZETTE | Issue 4 9

6th Grade Science Trip (Promotion) By Christopher Charitos

On May 20th

and 23rd, the 6th

grade will be going to the Hall of Science in Queens. Last year the current 7th

graders went to the Hall of Science and they had a great time.

The sixth graders were allowed to roam around the exhibits looking at gadgets that demonstrate scientific concepts, visit the gift shop, throw a baseball to see their speed and even go on a ride Following the visit to the exhibits, the students went to eat and just hangout. After lunch, we went to the simple machine playground. The playground is made up of all the simple machines that students learn about in sixth grade science. The students love playing around while also learning. Daniel Cabo Hervada, a student who attended the trip last year, commented that “It was a very fun filled trip that taught me a lot about science.” Nestor Levin who also went on the trip was very happy and had commented “I never thought that a trip could teach so much in a fun way.”

I also went to the Hall of Science and I liked it so much that my mother brought my brother Manny and me back that very weekend.

Sixth graders, book your spot for the Hall of Science trip, taking place on May 15th. You will not regret it!

7th Grade Science Trip (Promotion) By Christopher Charitos

Seventh graders, are you ready?!?!

On May 15nd

, the 7th

graders will be going to The Liberty Science Center in Jersey City. At the center, they will have the opportunity to do hands-on activities, see many different science exhibits illustrating important scientific concepts, and watch an IMAX movie.

The 7th

grade science trip to Liberty Science Center is cool. The center has great exhibits including one for Avatar. There are many props on display from the movie and information about the movie. In addition, there are live exhibits there as well. The center has 4 floors of fun for you to explore.

I am very excited about this trip. The previous year’s attendees have told me so many great things about the trip. I hope to see you there.

http://www.cthospitality.us/nj_tourism.html

RKA GAZETTE | Issue 4 10

Horoscopes By Jazmine Kerr

AQUARIUS (Jan.21-Feb.19) March is a month full of money making opportunities, so get out there and go make some dough!

PISCES (Feb.20-March 20) Experiences will be a plus.. These experiences will help you accomplish everything you want and may need to. So get stuff done, now.

ARIES (March 21-April 20) You let loose your more relaxed side. Pleasure-seeking activities come first this month, but be careful not to let yourself get off track from an important agenda.

TAURUS (April 20-May 21) Personal freedom is very important to you this month, and you will not appreciate any limitations put on you at this time. It can also be a good time for business, and getting work done.

GEMINI (May 22-June 21) This month is a time when inspiration comes randomly, and you could pick up new interests at this time. Look into this, and you'll be happy you did.

CANCER (June 22-July 23) This month you will try to look at the bigger picture, rather than the insignificant details. You are working with more energy this month, so try to get as much done as possible.

LEO (July 24-Aug.23) There are some wonderful and surprising opportunities that have to do with education this month, go for it and you will succeed in what you attempt.

VIRGO (Aug.24-Sept.23) You have been learning to choose your words more carefully. Use this skill often during this month, and you will avoid many uncomfortable situations.

LIBRA (Sept.24-Oct.23) Don't allow someone else to disturb your plans. You have a great focus on your work routines, and this is a good time to set up your goals.

SCORPIO (Oct.24-Nov.22) Be ready to make needed changes. Try to avoid being non compliant, but assertive at the same time.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov.23-Dec.21) This month is great to take time to make memories with family and to have some down time.

CAPRICORN (Dec.22-Jan.20) There is a lot of pressure on you to do well, don’t be afraid to ask for a break.

RKA GAZETTE | Issue 4 11

Entertainment

Oscars By Sabreen Abedrabbo

The Academy Awards, known as The Oscars, are a set of awards given annually for excellence of cinematic

achievements. The Oscar statuette is officially named the Academy Award of Merit and is one of nine types of Academy Awards. Last Sunday the stars came out in their best on the red carpet.

Director and producer Ben Affleck joined producers Grant Heslov and George Clooney, as well as the “Argo” cast, to accept the award. Heslov acknowledged Affleck for his directing, after he was not nominated in that category. Ben Affleck may not have earned recognition from the Academy in the directing category, but his movie "Argo" walked away on Sunday with the best picture Oscar. "Life of Pi" was another big winner during the 85th Oscars ceremony as it claimed four awards, including the best director statue for Ang Lee. Jennifer Lawrence left with an Oscar for best actress for her part in "Silver Linings Playbook".

The Oscars is the oldest award ceremony in the media. Its equivalents, the Grammy Awards for music, the Emmy Awards for television, and the Tony Awards for theater, are all modeled after the Academy Awards. I cannot wait for next year’s award ceremony.

Grammys By Arie Vasquez

Everyone tuned in on February 10th for music’s biggest night, the 55th annual Grammy Awards. The night

was filled with excitement ranging from who wore what on the red carpet, to who won which awards and of course, the performances.

This year, walking the red carpet was different since there was a newly enforced dressed code. It is difficult to say how strict the academy was, but the stars were trying their best to abide by it. For instance, former Destiny Child, Kelly Rowland who came in a long black tight dress with strips showing off a quite amount of flesh said, “I had two other choices. You just sort of cross your fingers and hope you don’t break any rules.” Another celebrity who was concerned about the red carpet watchers was former American Idol Carrie Underwood. Carrie, who wore a classy strapless black lace gown said, “This is still a lot of pressure for me. This is a big deal.”

Along with the red carpet scene, there was also a lot of anticipation for what to expect with the performances. One of the most over the top performances, which was also the opening to the Grammys, was Taylor Swift’s hit “We Are Never Getting Back Together”. What made it even more exciting was her funky theme that was a combination of Alice in Wonderland and a Carnival. Later on came the performances that everyone had been waiting for all night, the tribute to Bob Marley. The tribute started with Bruno Mars who sang a reggae version of his new song “Locked Out of Heaven”.

After all the dancing and singing it was time to announce the awards. Just like last year’s Grammys, the first award was given to Adele who told the crowd she had so much fun last year she was not expecting anything this year. She thought that this year she really came just to watch the show. The only spoilsport was Chris Brown who decided to sit one out when Frank Ocean won his first award of the night for best contemporary album. I am not sure why, was it jealousy or was he just tired?

RKA GAZETTE | Issue 4 12

I Have A [NEW] Dream By Nadia Mustefa

This past February, Mrs. Garcia’s 7th

grade Genre Studies classes explored the possibilities of an improved world.

Inspired by Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” motivational speech over 5 decades ago, each kid was given a serious,

prominent issue to discuss and make a new dream over the course of the month.

These speeches were graded by not only Mrs. Garcia, but also all the students. The rubric consisted of figurative

language, repetition, eye contact, memorization and professionalism. This wonderful event took place in the auditorium

during the month of February, also known as Black History month. The event was named “The Youth and Growth

Improvement Conference.” Each day, there was a new MC that was chosen to introduce the “guest speakers.” The

students really seemed to enjoy this activity.

Some of the many topics discussed included poverty, world hunger and child abuse. I was lucky enough to hear

Lyanna Rivera, Arylbeth Rodriguez and Celine Rodriguez speak out against child abuse. Each of them made this

complicated topic understandable to their peers. I also heard Jaiden Lewis and Vladislava Petrova discuss the issue of

poverty. As I was sitting there listening to each student present their speeches, I saw motivated kids who were not only

concerned about getting a good grade, but being heard. As I looked around me, to the audience, I saw very motivated

kids who were eager to learn.

Mrs. Garcia did a wonderful job inspiring these children to step out of their comfort zones, and test not only their

abilities, but their peers. I hope to one day see all of their new dreams, become realities.

RKA GAZETTE | Issue 4 13

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SPORTS RKA LAST BASKET BALL GAME

By. Cristian Disla

The Riverdale Kingsbridge Academy basketball team tried to get a win in their final game of the season that took place on February 6th in the RKA gym against Morris Educational Campus.

Morris Educational Campus defeated the Tigers 73-69 in a thrilling triple over-time game. This was the last game of the season and the last game for the seniors on the RKA Tigers team. Leading scorer, Christopher Williams, scored 34 points and had 2 assists. Second leading scorer, Juwan Clark, scored 20 points and had 7 assists. Third leading scorer, Ariel Guzman, scored 6 points and sustained a leg injury in over-time that cost him the play in the final minutes of the game. The main reason why Morris won was that they had more offensive and total rebounds then the Tigers. It was those rebounds in crucial moments that helped them win the game.

At the end of the day, it was a thrilling game. It was a sight to see, all the RKA students cheering enthusiastically for the team in such an important game like this. The students and I would like to wish the best of luck in their future basketball endeavors.

Make sure you support the Tigers in all of their events. #TigerPride

RKA GAZETTE | Issue 4 14

Wrestling Champion (Adis) By Danny McCauley

On the wall next to his bed rests a picture of Muhammad Ali looking down on Sonny Liston. In the background,

three words can be seen “Impossible is Nothing.” A triumphant (and very serious) look remains on Ali’s face, as though his fire was still fervently burning inside of him. Impossible is nothing .

Adis Radoncic, a junior at RKA, wore this same face after making New York City history by becoming PSAL’s first ever-State champion, and although the hype took some time to settle in, this momentous achievement has nevertheless brought out the humility in the junior, as he’s shown how appreciative he is of the supporters around him.

Danny: How were you feeling going into finals day? Adis: Well the night before, I was heading into semifinals, and though I had the championship game in the back of my mind, I had to stay grounded. I kept telling myself “Focus on one thing at time”. The first thing I had to do was make weight. Danny: So you had to drop weight ? Adis: Yes, I had to lose four pounds before Semifinals. So after my quarter finals, I put on my sweats and jogged around, and then after we left the arena, I went to the treadmill at the hotel to drop the rest of the weight. Danny: Now you’re there at finals . A couple of minutes before the competition, what are you thinking? Adis: I just kept telling myself, “ I’m going to beat this kid.” I was just happy to be wrestling. I was happy to know I was going to win a state championship. That is how confident in myself I was. I was going to go out there, and wrestle the hardest six minutes I have ever wrestled. Telling myself, “this is what you’ve been training for-All year long. This is the moment. ‘I wasn’t there to take second place. You are never there to take second place. Danny: What are your final thoughts, and pieces of advice you can give to aspiring athletes? Just work hard, be persistent. You’re not going to get anywhere without hard work. So work hard and don’t doubt yourself. Lastly, this championship isn’t just about me, it’s about the city.

Adis will take a week off before going back to the mats to train for nationals. After winning states, he’s expanded his visions to wrestling in the Olympics, and attending very good Division I school for wrestling. This is only the beginning for the sixteen-year old state champ, as he continues to explore different schooling options, while also trying to enjoy life.

RKA GAZETTE | Issue 4 15

Who Dat? By Chelsea Garcia

Mr. Sullivan has been enjoying his first year as the assistant principal at RKA so far. He has been thrilled about the job offer since the first day he found out about it, and continues to enjoy it as the year goes on. Before working at RKA, Mr. Sullivan went to school for his Bachelors at George Washington University, majoring in Spanish and Philosophy. He later went into City College and Bank Street College to begin his masters in English, a subject he was much more steady in. Although he decided not to go through with studying Spanish, he still is fluent and finds himself speaking it whenever he’s angry. Mr. Sullivan has lived in Rhode Island, Washington D.C, and New York. However, he loves New York the most especially studying here. In his free time, Sullivan enjoys playing golf; he even plans on challenging Mr. Zulauf and Mr. Guignard to a game once he’s had enough practice. Although he’s still struggling with the sport, he’s confident that he will win that game by June. Mr. Sullivan feels welcomed at RKA. He likes his job as assistant principal but hopes that he can one day teach his own English class. Studying Literature for so many years has had a huge impact on his life, and he would like to help the students at RKA improve in this area. He’s proud of all the students and his only advice is for “his students to build a really strong record here their first three years. It's really important for colleges to see a strong transcript!”

RKA GAZETTE | Issue 4 16

Science Corner

Math3

Literary Box

History Tomb