Staff Spotlight: Mrs. Evans

*Cleaner*

By: BHS Staff Profiles 

February 14, 2025

Chosen for this week’s Staff Spotlight is Mrs. Kayla Evans. Mrs. Evans is in her first year at Brooklyn. Prior to working here, she worked at Kohl’s. In her free time, she likes to hang out with her kids and plan fun, family events. A fun fact about her is that she loves animals. 

Q: What was the most significant life lesson ever taught to you?

A: “The most important life lesson that has been taught to me would be to let things go and forgive people.” 

Q: If you could give any advice to this year’s senior class, what would it be?

A: “I would tell seniors to enjoy high school, even though it may be hard when they graduate because they will miss it so much.”

Q: What is your favorite memory from high school? 

A: “I loved being around my friends all the time.” 

Q: What do you like most about your job? 

A: “My favorite part of my job is that I work in the lower school and see all of the little kids, daily.” 

Q: What is your dream vacation?

A: “My dream vacation would be to go to England.”

Q: What was your very first job? 

A: “My first job was at Dunkin’ Donuts at Ridge Park Square.”

Q: If you could spend 24 hours with any celebrity, who would it be?

A: “If I had to choose a celebrity to spend 24 hours with, it would be Robin Williams.”

Q: Do you have any pets? If so, describe them.

A: “I have a dog, a Guinea pig, a hampster, a frog, and a bearded dragon.”

Thank you for letting us interview you, Mrs. Evans. We hope that you are enjoying your first year in the BCSD. Have fun with your family and pets.

Tigers End the Hurricanes’ Season

By: BHS Sports Staff 

February 13, 2025

On Monday, the hockey team hosted their first round playoff contest against the Cleveland Heights Tigers. The Hurricanes came in as the #16 seed, while the Tigers came in as the #17 seed. In the regular season, Brooklyn won one game and tied the other three against the Tigers. This game most-definitely would go down to the wire, and the plot did not disappoint.

Things were pretty even early on as both teams had multiple scoring opportunities. However, it would be the Tigers that struck first, three minutes in to grab an early 1-0 lead. The Hurricanes could not seem to get any shots into the goal, but they played strong defense for the remainder of the period. Cleveland Heights led 1-0 after one.

Early in the second period, the Hurricanes came out firing, and sure enough, they would tie the game with a back-corner goal from junior Rocco Spiewacki with a beautiful drop pass from senior Jeff Helmick.

With the score even at one goal apiece and both teams having an equal amount of chances, this game was destined for a dogfight. Midway through the second, the Tigers scored again to regain the lead. A few minutes later, the Hurricanes had a chance on a power-play but could not convert. The Tigers would head into the locker room with a 2-1 lead with one final period to go in a win-or-go-home playoff battle. 

The Hurricanes needed another answer with 15 minutes left, but the Tigers would strike again two minutes into the third period to make things more difficult with the Hurricanes’ season in the balance. However, the Hurricanes responded quickly and answered right back with a goal from senior Phillip Banaszak to make it a 3-2 game. 

With countless opportunities from both teams and time winding down, the Hurricanes desperately needed a goal to send this one into overtime. The Tigers, though, had other plans, as they would get a breakaway goal to extend their lead to 4-2. 

With one minute to go, Brooklyn decided to pull senior goalie Nick Supinski to try and cap off the hail mary. The Hurricanes tacked on a third goal from senior Jadyn DeLuca, his first high school career goal, with under 30 seconds left. Unfortunately, they could not score the fourth and game-tying goal as their memorable season came to an end. 

Final Score: Cleveland Heights 4, Brooklyn 3.

This senior-laden team left everything on the ice and should be proud of how they left their Brooklyn hockey legacy.

Great season, boys!

In other Winter sports, the boys basketball team (3-17) hosts their senior night tomorrow against the Max S. Hayes Lakers. Tip-off is at 7:00 with senior night activities starting around 6:45.

Go Canes!

{For up-to-date events and schedules, visit Brooklyn Hurricanes Athletics.}

Jolly Ol’ Saint…Valentine?

By: BHS Features Staff

February 12, 2025

Valentine’s Day is perfect for giving mediocre chocolates and flowers to someone you love or care about, but who or what started this annual tradition?

Valentine’s Day is named after Saint Valentine, but most of this day’s history is unknown. What we do know is that February has been celebrated as a romantic month. This holiday has both Roman and Catholic traditions, but who was this Saint Valentine who has been tied to this day?

Most Catholic churches recognize three different individuals named Saint Valentine or Valentinus. All three of these Saints were martyred. One legend states that Valentine was serving as a priest in Rome. He was on a mission to have couples keep the right to marry each other when Emperor Claudius II decided that marriage should be outlawed for young men due to single men performing better as soldiers. Valentine was not happy with this and continued to perform private marriages for young lovers. Eventually, Valentine was caught and was sentenced to death by Emperor Claudius II. 

Other legends suggest that Valentine was not killed for performing marriage but for helping Christians escape the harsh and abusive Roman prisons. Some stories suggest that Valentine was imprisoned and sent “Valentines,” greeting himself to a young girl who he was in love with. 

Before his death, he allegedly wrote a letter and signed it with “From your Valentine,” which is an expression still commonly used today. Although most of these legends are hard to prove, these stories emphasize Valentine as a sympathetic, heroic, and romantic figure.

Some believe that the Valentine’s Festival started as a way to memorialize Valentine’s burial. Others believe that the middle of February was chosen to celebrate Lupercalia, which was a fertility festival dedicated to the Roman God of agriculture. Roman priests gathered in a sacred cave and got carried by a she-wolf. The priests would then sacrifice a goat or dog for fertility and purification. 

Valentine’s Day is most known for Cupid, but who is he? Cupid is the Greek God of love, named Eros. Details of his birth are unknown, but many believe that his parents were either Aphrodite and Ares or Nyx and Erebus. According to the Greek poets, Eros was a handsome god who loved to play with other god’s emotions. He used golden arrows to make one person fall in love with another. During the Hellenistic Period, Eros was perceived as mischievous and later renamed Cupid.  

Valentine’s Day is also about giving gifts. In the middle of the 18th century, it was common for friends and lovers to give gifts as small tokens of affection. By the 19th century, however, as the printing industry improved, handwritten letters were replaced by prewritten cards. In the present, an estimated 145 million cards are sent out each year, making Valentine’s Day the second-largest card-sending holiday with Christmas as the largest.

Now that we are on that topic, let’s take a look at the three most popular gifts to give on Valentine’s Day.

*Number 1: Cards

It was expected that this would be the number one since, as stated before, Valentine’s cards started as a tradition during the 18th and 19th centuries. In today’s world, Valentine’s cards are the easiest gift to give on this day, as it is estimated that around 145 million cards are sent each year.

*Number 2: Personalized Gifts

Personalized gifts are just as popular as the overrated premade cards. Customized gifts are the better way to show affection because they show that you care about something the receiver likes and enjoys.

*Number 3: Chocolate

Chocolate? Why not! Most people think of the iconic red heart boxes filled with chocolate. This decadent treat is a great gift to give when you feel unsure of what to purchase.

As this lovely holiday is getting closer, you better find a partner. If you do not, well, it sucks to be you! You can always dream about marrying your celebrity crush. 😍

{Information for this article sourced from Smart Wills and History Channel.}

Feel the Love

By: BHS News Staff

February 11, 2025

A short week in the present and a short week ahead, combined with a long weekend, makes for great news, especially when Valentine’s Day is right around the corner.

Speaking of Valentine’s Day coming up this Friday, love is in the air, so let us gear up for some Cupid fun this week.

For this week’s version of Valentine’s week, the Student Council decided to jazz up the themes for Spirit Week. 

Here are the themes for the remaining three days:

  • Tuesday (today): Dress Your “Love” Status (Taken = Red, It’s Complicated = Purple, Talking = Pink, Single = White)
  • Wednesday: Wear Pink
  • Thursday: Dress to Impress
  • Friday: No School (Happy Valentine’s Day!)

In other news, Registration and Information Night is tomorrow evening from 6:00-8:00 in the auditorium. Information will center around CCP, AP, Honors, and other scheduling opportunities for the 2025-2026 school year. Take advantage of tomorrow’s registration and information night and register early for classes of choice.

Additionally, if you are interested in a military career fresh out of high school, you are invited to take the ASVAB test this Thursday (February 13) from 8:30-12:30 in room 173 of the high school. The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery is a required test that you must take to help identify which military career is best for you. Each branch has its minimum score requirement, and the ASVAB is nothing complex but a standardized test in science, math, and language. If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Ross.

Even though there is a little over a month until the third quarter ends (March), there are only 20 school days left. Please make sure to stay on top of all assignments and use all of your Google tools to assist you. Live a life of balance but prioritize your school work first.

Finally, here is the February/early March calendar: 

  • February 14: Boys Basketball Senior Night vs. Max Hayes (7:00)
  • February 14: Staff Inservice Day (No Students) / Valentine’s Day
  • February 17: Presidents’ Day (No School)
  • February 21: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Field Trip (Sophomores) 
  • February 28: Prom Malley’s Fundraiser Money Due
  • March 6: Spring Parent-Teacher Conferences
  • March 7: No School
  • March 13: End of Third Quarter 

Have a lovely week, Brooklyn. Hopefully, Cupid will find you well.

{To stay updated with the Brooklyn City School District, click here.}

Senior Spotlight: Ayvah Chin

By: BHS Staff Profiles

February 7, 2025

Chosen for this week’s senior spotlight is Ayvah Chin. She is a well-rounded student with big future goals. Using three words, she describes herself as funny, smart, and loud. In her free time, she likes to scroll on Tiktok. A fun fact about her is that she is a (self-described) terrible cook. 

Q: What is your most used smartphone app?

A: “TikTok.”

Q: What is your dream job?

A: “Physician’s Assistant.” 

Q: What is your favorite type of music to listen to? Favorite musician or band?

A: “R&B and my favorite musician is Frank Ocean.”

Q: How do you deal with a stressful situation?

A: “Think about it and then ask my mom what she thinks. I typically do what she thinks is best.”

Q: If you could live anywhere in the world for one year, where would it be? 

A: “Italy because the weather is really nice, and they have great food.”

Q: Where do you plan to go to college? What program do you want to study?

A: “The Ohio State University with a major in Health Science.” 

Q: What is one piece of advice that you would give to next year’s seniors?

A: “Don’t give up, and try to even out your work so you don’t get burnt out so quickly.” 

Q: Out of your entire school career, what teacher has been your biggest inspiration or influence?

A: “Miss Field because she gives good advice and is understanding.”

Thank you for letting us interview you, Ayvah. Good luck with your future plans and goals, and we hope that you learn how to cook, someday.

Skating Off On Senior Night

By: BHS Sports Staff

February 6, 2025

Even in a down season, senior night can be an emotional rollercoaster for athletes and their families, and the best way to celebrate this occasion is with a victory.

Last Thursday, the hockey team had their senior night as they faced off against the Twinsburg Tigers. The Hurricanes came in with a record of 2-15-3, while the Tigers came in winless at 0-15. In an earlier matchup this season, the Hurricanes came out with a 2-1 win, and they wanted the season sweep and a memory of a lifetime.

Before the game, the Hurricanes recognized nine seniors: Jadyn DeLuca, Aiden Starr, Blake Baker, Yahya Hattab, Nate Hernandez, Jeff Helmick, Phillip Banaszak, Collin Flanagan, and Nick Supinski. 

Early on, play was physical with a couple of big hits on both sides. However, neither team could capitalize on multiple scoring opportunities as the first period would go scoreless with tensions building.

Things got more interesting in the second period with increased hits and both teams starting to rack up major penalties. The Tigers took advantage, scoring their first goal on a 4-on-3 power-play to grab the lead. 

The Hurricanes answered right back on a slapshot goal by Banaszak (assisted by Gio Garst and Rocco Spiewacki) to even the score at one. This is how the period ended, deadlocked at 1-1.

With one period remaining, which team would come through in the clutch? 

Similar to the first period, both teams had plenty of scoring chances, but no shots changed the tie score. That was until Garst (with a Baker assist) gave the Hurricanes the lead with his first goal of the season, midway through the final period. 

Just a minute later, the Hurricanes tacked on another goal by Banaszak (Helmick assist), his second of the game, to extend the Hurricanes lead to 3-1. 

Goaltender Supinski was able to hold things down in the final minutes, earning 17 saves on 18 shots, which is good for a 94 save percentage as the Hurricanes skated away with the senior night victory.

Final Score: Brooklyn 3, Twinsburg 1. 

This win propelled the Hurricanes to 3-15-3 record, but more importantly, nine seniors are now able to celebrate this milestone victory for the rest of their lives.

Congratulations, seniors! 

Up next, the Hurricanes will host a first round playoff game next Monday, as they take on the Cleveland Heights Tigers. Puck drop is at 5:15. 

In other Winter sports, the boys basketball team (3-16) will travel tomorrow to face their CVC rival, the Fairview Warriors. Tip-off is at 7:00.

Finally, this past Saturday, the bowling team wrapped up their regular season play with a record of 5-4. They will now travel to Medina Lanes this Sunday for sectional play. The match will start at 9:00 a.m.

Go Canes!

{For up-to-date events and schedules, visit Brooklyn Hurricanes Athletics.}

The Impact of Woodson

By: BHS Features Staff

February 5, 2025

We are five days into February, which means we are also five days into Black History Month. Therefore, we decided to explore the origins of Black History Month instead of writing an article about important individuals.

Black History Month started in 1915 in Chicago, Illinois. Carter G. Woodson, an alumnus of The University of Chicago, traveled from Washington, D.C., to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of emancipation. Thousands of African-Americans from everywhere traveled to celebrate and highlight the progress people have made since the destruction of slavery. On September 9, 1915, Woodson met four individuals to form the Association for the Study of Black Life and History (ASNLH).

Woodson wished for the world to popularize the accomplishments of African-Americans, which he added to the Journal of Black History, his creation in 1916. He asked black civic organizations to promote these achievements. In 1924, they responded to Woodson by publishing Black History and Literature Week, which was later named Black Achievement Week. 

In the 1920s, Black History Week spread and became a tradition in schools. Due to the uprising of black people migrating to the South, black literature and culture spread rapidly. This caused black history groups to form, and teachers prepared all of the needed materials.

The reason Woodson picked February for BHM is because it is commonly stated that February holds two important figures who helped shape black history. Those people were Abraham Lincoln and Fredrick Douglas, whose birthdays fell on February 12 and February 14. The other important reason why February was selected was because of traditions since Lincoln’s assassination in 1865. The black community and many others celebrated the fallen president’s birthday, and since the late 1890s, they have celebrated Douglas’ birthday as well. Woodson was also aware of pre-existing traditions, so he made Black History Week around some of those traditional days of commemorating black history.

Woodson never liked that it was originally a celebration of Lincoln and Douglas. Although they were important to black history, he believed that history was made by the people and not simply just by two great men. He believed that it should be focused on the countless men and women who contributed to society. 

In the 1930s, Woodson made sure that teachers, black and white, had better education and had a greater education than the students. Any speakers who the teachers brought in also had to be knowledgeable. Books that were published by black people slowly started showing up in schools and markets. 

In the 1940s, schools in the South slowly started to teach Black History, often by black teachers. Black history was a topic that was eventually added to U.S. History. This did not mean that every teacher accepted this new curriculum, though. There was a report of a teacher hiding all of Woodson’s textbooks under the desk, making sure the principal would not find out to avoid conflict. 

In West Virginia during the 1940s, many African-Americans started to celebrate February as Black History Month due to Woodson often giving speeches there. By the 1970s, Black History Month became an annual celebration, nationally. 

Before Woodson’s death in the 1950s, he pushed for schools to use Black History Week to show what the students had learned all year. He also made sure that adults could learn about their past with a black studies extension program.

Anyone can celebrate Black History Month, regardless of their cultural background because as American citizens, we are a melting pot of societal contributions.

“No man knows what he is capable of until he tries,” Carter G. Woodson.

{Information for this article is sourced from ASALH.}

Six More Weeks of Winter?

By: BHS News Staff

February 4, 2025

According to Punxsutawney Phil (the uneducated vermin), Winter will last an additional six more weeks. Maybe another snow or cold day is on the horizon? What do you say, Dr. Caleris?

Since we are now officially in the month of February, let’s get you caught up with the news.

Last week, Miss Meredith Deutsch and Mr. Willis Cuevas (former Brooklyn graduate) visited from Ohio Cat (Ohio Machinery Co.) to talk to BHS seniors about potential job opportunities once they graduate this May. The two talked about advice for what to do after high school, why they chose to visit Brooklyn, what their presentation entailed, future job opportunities, etc. One of the big pieces of information the two talked about is what the company offers. 

“There are all sorts of jobs, ranging from technicians, IT roles, rental coordinators, and also sales posts if you like to talk to people,” stated Deutsch.

Simply, the presentation was very educational with some seniors already looking into their futures with Ohio Machinery Co.

Thank you Miss Deutsch and Mr. Cuevas for taking the time to talk to the Class of 2025.

The BCSD also celebrated Heritage Week. Last Friday, there was a parade in the hallways, which was a great way for everyone to celebrate their heritage and to conclude the month of January. Students from the lower school also participated in the parade, proudly representing their heritage.

Next, this past Saturday, Ms. Jurewicz and a few of her engineering students went to the Great Lakes Science Center and participated in the Design & Build Challenge. This challenge helped her students think of creative ways to transfer materials using everyday items such as tape and rubber bands. Thank you to the Great Lakes Science Center for this meaningful opportunity. 

With February here, Spring sports are in full swing. If you are interested in joining baseball, softball, or track, contact the coaches or Mr. Zofka (Athletic Director).

Also in motion is preparation for The Wizard of Oz, this year’s school musical. The curtains will open on Thursday, March 20. The musical will run through Saturday, March 22.  

Finally, here is the February calendar: 

  • February 14: Boys Basketball Senior Night vs. Max Hayes (7:00 p.m.)
  • February 14: Staff Inservice Day (No Students) / Valentine’s Day
  • February 17: Presidents Day (No School)
  • February 28: Prom Malley’s Fundraiser Money Due

Have a good week, Hurricane Nation.

{To stay updated with the Brooklyn City School District, click here.}

Staff Spotlight: Mrs. Mickey

*High School Cleaner*

By: BHS Staff Profiles 

January 31, 2025

Chosen for this week’s Staff Spotlight is Mrs. Pam Mickey. Mrs. Mickey has been working in the BCSD for one year. Before coming here, she worked as an accountant, but she chose to work here because this environment is better with her kids attending school in Brooklyn. In her free time, she likes to shop, decorate, and do DIY projects; she also enjoys spending time with her family. Something you may not know about Mrs. Mickey is that she played soccer and softball throughout high school. 

Q: Where did you go to high school? What was your favorite memory/moment as a high school student?

A: “I went to Berea High School, and my favorite memories as a student are setting up for Homecoming dances, being in Student Council, going to Polaris for Cosmetology, and being the president of the Cosmetology Salon at Polaris.” 

Q: How do you plan to spend your upcoming Summer? 

A: “Taking many trips and spending a lot of time with my two daughters.” 

Q: In your opinion, what is the most important aspect of being a cleaner?

A: “Making sure that things are clean and ready for students to prevent germs. Making the school look the best is also important.” 

Q: What was your first job? 

A: “Burger King working in the drive-thru.”

Q: What does a typical workday look like for you? 

A: “Come in, get keys for the school, check in with the office for anything specific, start in the cafeteria, get supplies ready and full.” 

Q: How do you deal with a stressful situation?

A: “Problem solve everything that can be fixed, be a leader, and get through it in any way that can help.” 

Q: What is your favorite restaurant, and what is your go-to menu item at this restaurant?

A: “Red Crab and the seafood boil bag with snow crab, shrimp, scallops, and spicy crab sauce.”

Q: What is your biggest pet peeve? 

A: “The word moist.” 😂

Thank you for letting us interview you, Mrs. Mickey. We hope that you have an amazing year and Summer ahead. Thank you for keeping our school clean.

Cleveland State Hoops

By: BHS Sports Staff

January 30, 2025

With conference tournaments and March Madness coming soon, could the Cleveland State Vikings make it to the Big Dance? Currently, the Vikings lead the Horizon League with a record of 16-6 (10-1 in the conference) and hold a 12-game winning streak. 

Today’s focus is our hometown Vikings and what could be for this solid basketball team.

The Vikings’ current scoring leaders are Tevin Smith (14 points-per-game), Tahj Staveskie (11.6 points-per-game), and Dylan Arnett (10.7 points and 7.4 rebounds per game). 

As a team, they are currently shooting 45 percent from the field and 33 percent from the three-point line. On defense, they force 16.4 turnovers per game, compared to their own 11.6 offensive turnovers. 

The Vikings had some early struggles, starting 4-6 with key losses to Michigan, Minnesota, and Kansas State, but they picked it up during conference play, fueling their 12-game winning streak. 

Here is the Vikings’ remaining schedule: 

If you haven’t been able to catch a Vikings game this season, now is the time. You can watch them at the Wolstein Center in downtown Cleveland. Tickets can be purchased here

Go Vikings! Win the Horizon League and get ready to dance.

In Brooklyn sports, the hockey team (2-15-3) is having its senior night tonight, taking on the Twinsburg Tigers. Puck drop is at 7:30 with senior night activities starting at 7:20. On Saturday, they will travel to Mentor to take on the Notre Dame Cathedral Latin Lions with a 6:15 start time. 

Tomorrow, the boys basketball team (2-15) hosts the Trinity Trojans. Tip off is at 7:00.

Finally, the bowling team (5-4) travels to Brookgate this Saturday to participate in the conference tournament. The match will begin at 8:00 a.m.

Go Canes!

{For up-to-date events and schedules, visit Brooklyn Hurricanes Athletics.}

Heritage of the Hurricanes

By: BHS Features Staff

January 29, 2025

Heritage is important for many reasons because it shapes who we are, and it is a part of who we are. It shows people what we value and can also bring people and families together. Most importantly, it provides clues about our past and shows how our society has evolved. It allows us to examine our history and traditions, see ourselves in different ways, and explain who we truly are.

The word tradition comes from the Latin word “tradiare,” which means to hand over, transmit, or deliver. Traditions mostly consist of practices or rituals that are passed down from generation to generation. It is not just about getting something passed down; it is about the joy of feeling included and a sense of belonging to cultural roots.

Brooklyn’s ethnic population mainly includes people of White descent (61.9%), along with Hispanic descent (15.5%), African-American descent (10.1%), and Asian descent (8.7%). 

Heritage is an important part of everyone, so we decided to interview some staff members about their heritage to learn more about their different cultures and traditions.

*Mr. Larson (Swedish, Danish, and a healthy dose of German): “My great-great-grandparents came from Sweden and Denmark. At the end of the 19th century, many people from Scandinavian countries settled in Minnesota, and my grandparents were one of them. When they moved out West, my grandparents took big fishing trips to Idaho, Montana, Washington, Canada, and Alaska, and they smoked and pickled the salmon they caught. My favorite food is smoked salmon because it’s the one I remember the most. But for the German side, it is pork and sauerkraut. A custom that my family does is potlucks, one of the biggest feasts that comes from my family.”

*Miss Harkelroad (Italian): “My grandfather was 100 percent Italian. He came from a village called Alvito. I would love to visit home and see where he and his eight siblings lived. I love hearing about their life in Italy because of the strong family bond, and they loved cooking and having gardens. When I think of the food they had, I just think of homemade red sauce. My mom got the recipe from her aunts and uncles and passed it down to us, and having the sauce cook for hours made the house smell good and reminds me of family. The traditions mainly center around food, so when we get together, we tell stories and just eat well.”

*Mr. Roegiers (Dutch): “I am mostly Dutch. I remember my great-grandmother making authentic Dutch food when I was younger. My favorite, for example, is oliebollen. Olliebollen is fried dough with raisins, and you dip it in cinnamon sugar. I didn’t do any traditions or customs, but my grandmother used to tell me that they used to put wooden clogs out.”

*Mrs. Velez (Dominican): “I was born in NYC. My parents were born and raised in the DR. My ancestry goes all the way from Congo in Africa to Spain in Europe. My cultural favorite food is green plantains, fried, mashed, and boiled; it doesn’t matter because they are all absolutely delicious! My favorite holiday is Dominican Independence Day, and my favorite tradition is gathering as a family to dance and cook food together.”

*Mrs. Huang (Taiwanese/Chinese): “I am originally from Taiwan. Taiwan is a free country, and we can elect our own government. Chinese culture is the same in both places. My favorite food would be steam buns. I use a bamboo steamer to make the food. It is very light and healthy. My favorite tradition is Chinese New Year’s Eve, having dinner with family, and the elder generation will give money in a red envelope to the younger generation as a gift to encourage them to do better. If the kids do better in school, they can get more money in their red envelope. This is a way to encourage the kids to do better and to do well.”

*Mr. Taylor (African-American): “I am African-American. I’m not too sure of my full background. When you ask me about my favorite food, I would have to say that my family is eating anything that involves a pig. My personal favorite is eating pig’s feet. It’s kind of self-explanatory, but it’s like eating hotdogs with hot sauce and seasoning. My grandma and I also love to eat chitlins. A big thing in my family is religion and the church. They are important things to me because my family is Baptist Christian. My grandfather owned a First Baptist Church.”

*Miss Matthews (Puerto Rican): “I am half Puerto Rican. My grandparents were born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and moved to New York. My mom wasn’t born in Puerto Rico, but her first language was Spanish. My favorite foods are pastelillos and rice and beans; the rice and beans are cooked differently than the normal Mexican way, and in pastelillos, you can put a meat turnover like chicken beef or corn beef. They are similar to empanadas, and I love drinking guava juice. Because I grew up half white and half Hispanic, the amount of unconditional love was overwhelming. Hispanic families are close and loving which can sometimes get overwhelming. My favorite memory is when we would go to church on Sundays and all pack into one car with four people in the back and three people in the front, and I liked to listen to my abuela sing because I love Spanish music.”

*Mr. Rademaker (Irish): “The heritage I do the most with is Irish. My family came from Ireland to Canada in the 1830s. After living in Canada, they moved down to Vermont and back up to Canada. Then, my grandmother left Canada and moved to Cleveland because it was a good place to work. My favorite cultural food is fish and chips. I think it’s really good, but it is also a standard thing to eat in Ireland. They have what they call chip shops, and they mainly sell fish and chips; it is like our fast food. My favorite custom is eating taytos, a kind of potato chip you can only get in Ireland. They are very good to the point where everyone is stuffing their face with them. People like them so much that when they finish the bag, they just toss them. You can find a lot of the bags on the ground in Ireland.”

Thank you to everyone for sharing with us your background, your traditions, and of course, your go-to cultural dish.

As we are halfway through Heritage week, now is a great time to embrace your own heritage. Be proud of where you came from, who you currently are, and who you will become.

{Information for this article sourced from The United States Census Bureau, The Heritage Council, and Air Combat Command.}

Heritage Week is Here

By: BHS News Staff

January 28, 2025

Welcome to the final week of January. What is a better way to end this cold and frigid month than with a cultural, Heritage Spirit Week?

Yesterday, students were welcomed into the building with many culturally-themed hallway decorations, some consisting of flags from Australia, Asia, and other countries. A big shout-out to Mrs. Bader’s Student Council students who stayed after school last Friday to put up the decorations.

Additionally, be sure to pay attention to the morning announcements this week. In honor of Heritage Week, the announcements will be read daily in a different language. Yesterday’s announcements were read in Spanish. Today’s announcements will be read in Arabic.

This Friday, a parade will take place during seventh period and will consist of many Brooklyn students representing their countries. Students will be dressed in traditional cultural clothing, will hold and waive their country’s flags, and will parade through the hallways with cultural music.

It is not too late to participate in Spirit Week, so here are the remaining themes for the remainder of the week:

  • Wednesday, January 29: “Lunar New Year” – Wear red (and gold) to usher in the new beginnings of the Lunar Cycle. 
  • Thursday, January 30: “Colors of the World Day” – Are you a Rugby fan? Soccer? Have a favorite athlete or team? Dress in your favorite player’s/team’s jersey, and bring your favorite international sport home.
  • Friday, January 31: “Cultural Diversity Day” – Time to show your cultural pride! A parade will take place in the hallways, so wear the traditional attire of where your family is from or the colors of your country’s flag.

Above is senior Caydin George who dressed like a tourist for today’s theme.

Outside of Heritage week, this is an important reminder for anyone who signed up for the Malley’s chocolate bar fundraiser. Money must be paid in full by February 28. This fundraiser assists students in receiving a discounted prom ticket. This May 16, prom will be held at the Zoo.

Here is the upcoming schedule for the rest of January and into February:

  • January 27-31: Hurricane Heritage Week
  • January 29: Chinese New Year
  • January 30: Hockey Senior Night vs. Twinsburg
  • February 14: Boys Basketball Senior Night vs. Max S. Hayes
  • February 17: President’s Day
  • February 28: Malley’s Fundraiser Money Due!

Have an amazing final week of January, Hurricane Nation.

{To stay updated with the Brooklyn City School District, click here.}

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