THE RETURN OF THE EYE

Preview: Girls Basketball

By: BHS Sports Staff

October 26, 2023

The Winter sports season is quickly approaching, so it is time to preview both girls and boys basketball, wrestling, hockey, and bowling.

First up is the girls basketball team, who will be led by new head coach, Bryce Brown. Coach Brown came over from Cleveland Central Catholic, and he is ready for his first stint leading the Lady Canes.

Last season, the girls finished with a record of 15-8, which placed them in second place in the CVC Metro Division. They also had a historic playoff win against Independence. This season will be different, though, due to the losses of Shariah Gailes, Delaney David, Genesis Caraballo, and Taylor Ruffin.

Even with the graduation of key players, Coach Brown has high expectations for this year’s squad.

“With the team going 15-8 (30-16 overall) the last two seasons and losing a very good senior class last year, a lot of people look at this to be a rebuilding year. However, we have a plethora of seniors coming back, and I will lean heavily on my senior class to lead this group. Our goal is to get better each game and have a shot to win the CVC Metro Division at the end of the year.”

Coach Brown is excited about his roster.

“Some of the key players returning this season are Olivia Callahan, who I believe can be the heartbeat of this team. When it comes to defending the rim, Rayanna Cogburn may just be the best on-ball defender in the CVC. Jayla Gilbert is also returning this year, and I am expecting to see improvement from her from last season as a key rebounder for this team. Natalie Nieves has shown a lot of confidence, and I expect her to give us an offensive punch this season. Alice Pham who is a true leader, never gives up on a play, and outworks everyone in the weight room will be a key returner this season. Two more key returners people should look out for are Jade Riedel and Amerie Williams. I expect Jade to develop into a two-way player this season, and Amerie’s post play is very good, and I expect her to have better averages this season.”

The goals that Coach Brown has for this upcoming season is a great team GPA, having great home attendance, and getting the community to buy in and show up. He wants this team to get off to a great start and continue to develop each day. Finally, he’s looking forward to seeing the development of the newcomers on the team.

A nice first-year gift for Coach Brown is the return of senior standout Ashlyn Dyson, who has been wonderful in the classroom and on the hardwood. The Marietta Pioneer signee, Dyson is expected to have a big year as a player and as a leader, both on and off the court.

Coach Brown is excited for his first season as head girls’ basketball coach and is ready to get to work with tryouts beginning tomorrow.

“Getting my first career victory of many as a head coach, as well as continuing the groundwork laid by Coach Holko, and helping my seniors get into college is important to me. This is the last stand for my seniors, and I want them to have a season to remember.”

All girls are welcome to try out, as Coach Brown wants to lay the future foundation of the program through the underclassmen.

The girls will tip-off their regular season on Friday, November 24, at Wickliffe. Have a great season, ladies.

Go Canes!

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

Senior Spotlight: Aishah Madera

By: BHS Senior Spotlights Staff

October 25, 2023

Chosen for this week’s senior spotlight is Aishah Madera. This is Aishah’s fifth year at Brooklyn, as she transferred from North Ridgeville back in 2019. Her hobbies include playing softball, hanging out with her friends, and watching the sunset. She also spends some of her free time working at Dairy Queen.

Q: What do you plan on doing after high school?

A: “After high school, I plan on attending Cleveland State University but undecided on a major.”

Q: If you could give any advice to the younger students, what would it be?

A: “My advice to the younger students is to take school seriously because it will pay off.”

Q: Do you think high school is preparing you for the real world?

A: “I think in some aspects high school prepares you by making you more responsible and by making you manage your time wisely.”

Q: Who are you most grateful for in your life?

A: “I’m grateful for my mom because she’s shown me everything I know and ultimately guided me throughout my whole life.”

Q: What are you looking forward to the most during your senior year?

A: “I’m looking forward to being more independent during my senior year and just spending my last time that I have with my best friends.”

Q: If you asked a friend to describe you in three words, what would they pick?

A: “If my friends could describe me in three words, they would say Energetic, Funny, and Caring.”

Q: What is your favorite subject?

A: “My favorite subject is Language Arts because writing brings me a sort of peace and an escape from the world.”

Q: Which accomplishment are you most proud of?

A: “I’m most proud of maintaining Honor Roll for my years of high school on top of having college classes.”

Q: If you were stranded on a desert island, what items would you need to survive?

A: “If I was stranded on a desert island, all I would need is water, a hoodie, a blanket, and some toilet paper.”

Q: Out of your entire school career, what teacher has been the biggest inspiration and/or influence to you?

A: “Out of my whole high school career, Mr. Verba has been the biggest influence on me. He’s always helped me whenever I needed it and is also very blunt with me. Whenever I’m feeling upset, he brings a smile to my face.”

Thank you, Aishah. Your smile lights up BHS. We wish you all the best during your senior year and beyond.

Kicking Off Second Quarter

By: BHS News Staff

October 24, 2023

It is now the second quarter, and it will go by quickly. Remember, this quarter is the shortest with only 36 days due to multiple holiday breaks. As the days pass by, make sure to stay positive and keep in mind your diligence with your work. Organization and time management are crucial.

Now, here are some updates for this new quarter:

Seniors, there is a commencement memorabilia meeting hosted by Jostens this Friday at 9:30 a.m. They will go over cap and gown ordering, as well as any additional items that you may want to order. If you are normally not in the building at this time, please plan on coming to the meeting in the auditorium. See Mr. Ross or Mrs. Bir with any questions.

ACT testing is this Saturday for those who have signed up. Make sure you check your emails for the time and location of your testing site. If you have questions or still want to take the ACT/SAT, talk to Mr. Ross or Mrs. Bir. Good luck!

The Student Council is hosting Halloween Spirit Days. On Monday, October 30, make sure to wear orange or black to show your ghostly spirit. On Tuesday, October 31, there will be a costume contest. See the flyer below for more information. {Please keep in mind that costumes must be school-appropriate and follow the dress code.}

The BHS Musical Theater department just announced this year’s musical, The Little Mermaid. See the drama club, crew, and band perform a famous retelling of the Hans Christian Anderson story on March 14-16. For those interested in being a part of the cast, pit, and crew, there will be a meeting after school today at 3:15 in the auditorium. Auditions will start tomorrow. For any questions, see Drama Club Director, Mrs. Cipriani.

As always, here is your calendar for the upcoming dates and events:

October 25: Auditions for The Little Mermaid
October 27: Commencement Memorabilia Presentation (Jostens)
October 27: Polaris Career Center Presentations for the Sophomore Class
October 28: ACT TESTING
October 30: Spirit Day – Wear Black & Orange
October 31: Spirit Day – Costume Contest (Halloween)
November 1: Senior Shirt Orders are Due
November 7: Election Day (NO SCHOOL)

Have a great week, BHS! Be Respectful, Productive, and Responsible.

Staff Spotlight: Mrs. Jones

*Director of Pupil Services*

By: BHS Staff Profiles

October 20, 2023

Chosen for this week’s Staff Spotlight is Mrs. Paula Jones. This is currently Mrs. Jones’s eighth year in the Brooklyn City School District. Overall, she has spent 31 years in education. Mrs. Jones can be found cooking, shooting pool, or watching scary movies in her free time. A fun fact about her is that she drove a race car this past Summer, and she cannot wait to do it again as it is on her bucket list.

Q: Out of everything there is to offer, role-wise, why did you choose this line of work?

A: “I have wanted to be a teacher since third grade. My teacher was very compassionate during a difficult time in my life, and I decided that I wanted to have the same impact on children.”

Q: What is an average day as a Pupil Services Director?

A: “This is not easy to answer because there is nothing ‘average’ about what I do. On a large scale, I oversee our preschool, our special education, and mental health services for the district; these roles include many meetings, managing budgets, and district compliance.”

Q: How do you deal with a stressful situation?

A: “Usually, stressful situations include other people, so I try to be the calm and logical one. It’s important to use problem-solving strategies to work your way through a stressful situation. Remember that it’s only a moment in time and not forever.”

Q: What is the best piece of advice for someone who wants to be in your line of work?

A: “Just know that it’s very important to be organized, be a good problem-solver, and know how to interact with people, even when they are being difficult.”

Q: What is your favorite clothing brand?

A: “Whatever there is at T.J.Maxx. If I’m getting dressed up, I like Michael Kors and Vince Camuto.”

Q: Would you rather cuddle a koala or hang out with a panda?

A: “My cat would get jealous if I cuddled with something else, so I’ll hang out with the panda as long as it likes to watch scary movies.”

Q: If you could have another career for a day, what would it be?

A: “If I were younger, I always thought it would be fun to be a Radio City Rockette dancer, especially at Christmas.”

Q: What was your last meal?

A: “Thank goodness I’ve eaten since my dinner of potato chips last night! My last meal was a Mediterranean grilled chicken salad.”

Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions and for participating in our interview. We appreciate all that you do for the preschoolers and special education students. We would also like to wish you all of the best this year and beyond. Break some speed limits in that race car!

Fall Sports Recap

By: BHS Sports Staff

October 19, 2023

With the Fall sports seasons coming to an end with football tomorrow evening, here is how every team’s season unfolded in a very competitive Chagrin Valley Conference.

Football

The varsity football team currently stands with a record of 2-7 with wins over Oberlin and Beachwood. They played a really good game against Wickliffe last Friday but eventually lost 35-21. The growth and improvement is noticeable, and they look to upset conference leading Cuyahoga Heights tomorrow evening in the season finale.

The sports staff would like to congratulate senior quarterback Jackson Diller for earning CVC Athlete of the Week.

Although it was a tough season, the future is bright for this team with key performers set to return such as Rajon Foster, Aiden Starr, and many more. The squad only loses three seniors to graduation.

Good luck tomorrow night, boys!

Boys Soccer

The boys soccer team finished their season with a 6-10 record. Although they started the season 1-7, the team really picked up the pace with stellar play from Mustafa Al-Baghdadi, Jadyn DeLuca, Tyler Pallotta, and others.

The team defeated Trinity, Garfield Heights (twice), Cardinal (twice), and Garrett Morgan this season.

Nice comeback season, boys.

Girls Soccer

Losing key seniors from last season such as Delaney David (currently playing soccer at Notre Dame College), this season was about rebuilding, drilling the fundamentals, and gaining chemistry.

The girls finished with a record of 0-15-1, including a playoff loss to Andrews Osborne Academy.

Alice Pham is the only senior from this year’s team, so the future is bright with key performers set to return next year such as Rayanna Cogburn, Isabella Lottig, Kayla Flanagan, Olivia Blechschmid, and more.

Volleyball

Last but not least is the volleyball team. They finished the season with a record of 6-16 with victories over Valley Forge, Warrensville Heights, Cleveland Central Catholic, Rhodes, and Richmond Heights (twice).

A few weeks ago, junior Jade Riedel won the CVC Athlete of the Week. Congratulations, Jade!

The girls will look to improve for next season as a good core of underclassmen are set to take the spotlight.

With the Fall seasons concluding tomorrow night, Winter sports is right around the corner with boys and girls basketball, hockey, wrestling, and bowling. Stay tuned for an upcoming preview.

Go Canes!

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

Three Amazing Senior Spotlights

Senior Spotlight: Va Shoun Harris

By: BHS Senior Spotlights Staff

October 18, 2023

Chosen for this week’s first senior spotlight is Va Shoun Harris. Va Shoun likes playing video games in his free time. He likes certain games but not all of them. His favorite animal is a lion, and his favorite color is orange.

Q: What do you want to do after high school?

A: “Cleveland State University for college”

Q: What is your dream vacation?

A: “Las Vegas”

Q: Do you prefer Christmas Vacation or Spring Break?

A: “Christmas vacation”

Q: What is your favorite subject in school?

A: “Science”

Q: What is your favorite sport?

A: “Basketball”

Q: What is your favorite hobby?

A: “Always trying something new”

Q: Who is your favorite teacher?

A: “Mr. Holko over Mrs. Meeks” 😃

Q: Do you prefer being outside or inside?

A: “Inside”

Q: What season do you like the most?

A: “Summer”

Q: Who means the most to you?

A: “My mom”

Senior Spotlight: Da’Mareon Coleman

Chosen for this week’s second senior spotlight is Da’Mareon Coleman. Da’Mareon goes to the Polaris Career Center for the Employability Skills Lab. He is really great at math, and he is also 18-years-old.

Q: What is your favorite class in school?

A: “Math”

Q: What is your favorite food?

A: “Pizza”

Q: What makes you happy?

A: “Listening to music and watching old movies”

Q: What do you want to do after high school?

A: “I want to work at the Pleasant View Care Center. I’m planning on going to CSU, also.”

Q: What is your favorite sport?

A: “Basketball”

Senior Spotlight: Juan Figueroa Perez

Chosen for this week’s third senior spotlight is Juan Figueroa Perez. Juan also has a sister named Marina. He loves drawing and dogs. He has two dogs named Lola and Papi. Juan is 17-years-old, and he loves vacationing to Florida.

Q: What is your favorite food?

A: “Chicken, fries, and soda”

Q: Would you rather be a police officer or a firefighter?

A: “Police Officer”

Q: Do you prefer Physical Education or Music class?

A: “Music”

Q: Christmas or Halloween?

A: “Halloween”

Q: Do you prefer staying at home or going to school?

A: “Stay home”

A big thank you to Va Shoun, Da’Mareon, and Juan for giving us your time in order for us to get to know you three a little better. We love your smiles, your spirit, and your love of life. BHS is very fortunate to have you three here. Have a great and memorable senior year!

Band Instant Replay Concert

By: BHS News Staff

October 17, 2023

The Brooklyn Marching Band and Hurricettes are having a concert on Wednesday, October 18, at 7:00 p.m. The concert is free to the public. Make sure to encourage your family and friends to show up for a fantastic performance in the BHS auditorium.

Here are some other reminders for this week:

First seniors, remember to be exempt from your final exams, you need to meet these requirements.

Accumulated absence hours for the school year does not exceed 30 or more consecutive hours, 42 or more hours in a school month, or 72 or more hours in the school year.
You must earn A’s and B’s in all courses (all four quarters) or earn all A’s, B’s, and C’s (all four quarters) in addition to completing a Senior Field Internship experience with Mr. Holko.
School fees must be paid and community service requirements met.
No suspensions earned over the course of the school year.

Next for seniors, there will be a presentation for graduation regalia and senior merchandise on Friday, October 27, at 9:30 a.m. Check the slideshow from last Thursday’s Senior Night for more information.

Additionally, senior shirt orders are back. If you missed the opportunity the first time, there is a chance to order again by Wednesday, November 1. The order forms can be picked up from Mrs. Holko or in the main office. Make sure to keep the forms separate for students and family members. See more information in the 2024 Google Classroom.

Finally, SAT retakes are coming up. If you are taking the SAT on November 4, remember to check your email for reminders from College Board on your testing site, ID, and time to arrive. If you have any questions, please see Mr. Ross or Mrs. Bir for more information.

Most importantly, one quarter down and three more to go! The end of the first quarter is this Thursday, October 19. Make sure to check updates from teachers regarding your final grades for the first quarter and turn in any last-minute assignments. Let’s end this first quarter strong!

Here is the calendar of upcoming events:

October 18: Marching Band/Instant Replay Concert
October 19: End of First Quarter
October 20: NO SCHOOL (Record’s Day)
October 27: Graduation/Senior Merchandise Presentation
November 1: Senior Shirt Orders
November 4: SAT Retakes

Finish strong, Hurricanes!

Staff Spotlight: Ms. McQueen

*Science/Math Teacher*

By: BHS Staff Profiles

October 13, 2023

Chosen for this week’s Staff Spotlight is Ms. Michele McQueen. This is currently year 27 in Ms. McQueen’s teaching career. Before she came here to Brooklyn, she was a substitute teacher for three years. What she enjoys in her free time is spending a lot of time in the pool, and she is frequently busy caring for her parents and spending time with her nephews. They like to go bowling, to museums, to the movies, and on a lot of adventures. Something interesting about Ms. McQueen is that she was born in Baltimore, Maryland.

Q: In your educational career, what has been your favorite subject to teach?

A: “Science! I like having hands-on activities.”

Q: What does an ideal workday look like for you?

A: “I am teaching my two favorite subjects, Math and Science. So, my day is spent on those.”

Q: What has been your favorite grade level to teach thus far?

A: “I have taught everything from first to seventh grade, and they all have their positives. I am very happy where I am in fourth grade, currently.”

Q: What is your preferred teaching method?

A: “Because Math and Science are my favorites, I like to do things where we are not sitting. I like to be up and moving.”

Q: What are your goals for the rest of the year?

A: “To help the fourth graders become the best mathematicians and scientists they can be, as well as good, little humans.”

Q: If you could meet any scientist in the world, dead or alive, who would it be?

A: “Well, I gotta have Bill Nye on the list and Neil deGrasse Tyson.”

Q: If you won the lottery, what would you use the money for?

A: “There is nothing I would buy right away; I’d probably donate most of it.”

Q: Cats or dogs? Defend your stance.

A: “OH MY GOSH! I have three cats, so how can I not say cats?”

Thank you so much for letting us interview you, Ms. McQueen. Have a great year, and keep doing what you’re doing to make the younger students the smartest that they can be.

Hurricanes Take Down the Bulldogs

By: BHS Sports Staff

October 12, 2023

Last Monday, the boys soccer team hosted Garfield Heights in the second to last game of the regular season. The boys came in with a record of 4-10 and Garfield Heights winless at 0-10.

What hurt the visiting Bulldogs is that they only dressed eight players, so the Hurricanes had a distinct advantage right at the beginning.

Early on, both teams went back and forth, and it appeared that this game was going to be very competitive and low scoring. All of a sudden, Brooklyn shifted the momentum in their favor, scoring two goals within a minute. Junior Yahya Hattab scored in minute 10, and senior Tyler Pallotta converted in minute 11.

Up 2-0, the Hurricanes played great defense and pretty much had possession for the entire first half. Despite a few close calls, senior Isaiah Perez connected in minute 26 to make the score 3-0.

In minutes 29 and 33, senior Mustafa Al-Baghdadi scored twice, and the boys began to pull away, now up 5-0.

However, they were not finished as junior Jadyn DeLuca scored to close out the first half. Brooklyn was now leading, 6-0.

In the second half, the first 20 minutes were quiet with Brooklyn still having possession for the majority of the time until DeLuca broke the scoring drought with his second goal of the game, making the score 7-0.

With less than a minute to go, DeLuca scored his third goal of the game, in which he achieved the famous hat trick. This goal would close out the game as Brooklyn defeated Garfield Heights, 8-0.

The boys played very well and improved their record to 5-10, while Garfield Heights dropped to 0-11.

Congratulations, boys.

In other Fall sports, the football team will have their final home game tomorrow night against Wickliffe. Kickoff is at 7:00. Please come out and support the team, especially the seniors who will be honored.

As all Fall schedules come to a close, we wish the best of luck to all of the Hurricanes.

Go Canes!

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

Senior Spotlight: Jada Fluker

By: BHS Senior Spotlights Staff

October 11, 2023

Chosen for this week’s senior spotlight is Jada Fluker. This will be Jada’s second year at Brooklyn High School; she transferred from John Marshall High School two years ago. She truly enjoys art, plants, and driving. She also works at Marco’s Pizza as a manager in training.

Q: What are three words that describe you?

A: “I would describe myself as cool, intelligent, and funny.”

Q: How did you feel coming to Brooklyn from John Marshall?

A: “Transferring from Marshall to Brooklyn was weird because Brooklyn is more suburban.”

Q: What does Brooklyn offer that John Marshall did not?

A: “Something Brooklyn has that John Marshall doesn’t is BDLA and Polaris.”

Q: If you could give any advice to the younger students, what would it be?

A: “Be nice to everyone, especially to your teachers! You don’t know what someone is going through at home.”

Q: What are your biggest goals for this school year?

A: “My biggest goal for this school year is to go to college after I graduate.”

Q: Where do you plan on going to college?

A: “I have Tri-C in mind. I’m also considering Ohio State.”

Q: What is your dream career?

A: “My dream career is to be an elementary school Art teacher.”

Q: How do you manage your time with school and work?

A: “I don’t. I get four hours of sleep because I get off around midnight. I try to time manage everything in class, so I don’t have anything to do at home.”

Q: If you were able to switch lives with a famous person, who would you choose?

A: “I would be Britney Spears because she’s iconic. Nobody is going to forget her.”

Q: Out of your entire school career, what teacher has been the biggest inspiration and/or influence to you?

A: “If I had to choose, it would be Mr. Kaspar because he helped me figure out what I wanted to do. Also, he lets me express myself.”

Thank you, Jada. We love having you here in Brooklyn! Have a great senior year.

Conferences and the End of the First Quarter

By: BHS News Staff

October 10, 2023

October is quickly moving through, so here is some news for this week regarding conferences and the end of the first quarter.

First, Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held this Thursday (October 12) from 3:30-5:30 and from 6:30-9:00. Sign-ups are on the district’s website. Make sure you meet with your teachers for a complete description on first quarter progress. Bring with you any comments and concerns regarding grades, class work, behavior, attendance, etc.

Equally important, Senior Information Night is also this Thursday at 7:00. Seniors and their parents/guardians will meet with a College Now representative to discuss scholarships, the FAFSA, and much more. You can sign up in your grade level google classroom. Please make sure to take advantage of this learning opportunity. The meeting will be held in the auditorium instead of room 173, as previously noted.

Next, the end of the first quarter is on Thursday, October 19. It is approaching very quickly. Students and parents, please make sure that you are keeping track of grades and missing assignments as we approach the final deadlines. Remember, there are only two, FOUR DAY weeks before the quarter ends, so be responsible and value your work, progress, and education. Students are off October 13 and 20.

Finally, as always, here is the calendar of upcoming events:

October 12: Parent/Teacher Conferences
October 12: Senior Information Night (See Google Classroom for more details.)
October 13: NO SCHOOL (NEOEA Day)
October 19: End of First Quarter
October 20: NO SCHOOL for students (Records Day)

Have a wonderful week, Hurricanes!

Staff Spotlight: Ms. Hengsteler

*Intervention Specialist*

By: BHS Staff Profiles

October 6, 2023

Chosen for this week’s Staff Spotlight is Ms. Jennifer Hengsteler. She has been an intervention specialist for 30 years in the Brooklyn City School District. What Ms. Hengsteler likes to do in her free time is bike, kayak, hike, and learn sign language. Something interesting about her is that she skydived when she was younger.

Q: What is a piece of advice that you would give to the students in Brooklyn?

A: “Always strive to do your best; be true to who you are. Do not be someone else.”

Q: How do you deal with a stressful situation?

A: “I might go to a colleague for advice, but I would never respond with a reactive response. I would take a minute before I respond.”

Q: What inspired you to become an intervention specialist?

A: “I originally was going to school to be a General Education teacher, and I did student teaching in a resource room. I fell in love with it, so then, I went on to get my Special Education degree.”

Q: What do you enjoy most about the Brooklyn City School District?

A: “I love the Brooklyn family, and it’s like an ‘extended family’. I also do love how it has changed so much to be multicultural from 30 years ago.”

Q: Do you consider yourself an indoor or an outdoor person?

A: “Totally outdoor.”

Q: What are your favorite hobbies?

A: “I love spending time with my family.”

Q: What is your favorite sport/team to watch?

A: “I don’t really watch professional sports, but I’ve always loved watching my son play soccer and my daughter play softball.”

Q: It is your last meal, what are you eating?

A: “Eggplant Parmesan!”

Thank you for participating in our newspaper for this week. It was a pleasure to get to know you more. Have a wonderful year!