THE RETURN OF THE EYE

Black History Month: Kizzmekia Corbett

By: BHS Features Staff

February 22, 2023

Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett is an African-American immunologist. She is an Assistant Professor of Immunology and Infectious Diseases at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Shutzer Assistant Professor at the Harvard Radcliffe Institute. Dr. Corbett is considered one of the medical heroes from the Covid-19 pandemic, helping to create one of the very first preventative vaccines for the virus.

Dr. Corbett was born on January 26, 1986, in Hurdle Mills, North Carolina. She was raised by her mother, Rhonda Brookes. She grew up in a very large and extended family with step-siblings and foster children.

At the age of 9, “Kizzy’s” knowledge was advanced, and her middle school teachers began placing her in advanced classes that continued all throughout her schooling. In high school, Dr. Corbett realized that she wanted to pursue a scientific career, and as part of an American Chemical Society-sponsored program called Project SEED, she spent her Summer breaks working in research laboratories, one of which was at the University of North Carolina’s Kenan Labs with organic chemist James Morkin.

Finally in June of 2004, she graduated from Orange High School in Hillsborough, North Carolina.

After high school, Dr. Corbett was an intern at Stony Brook University in Gloria Viboud’s lab where she studied Yersinia Pseudotuberculosis Pathogenesis.

Later, she attended the University of Maryland where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences (2008) and Sociology (2014). She also received a PhD in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of North Carolina.

Dr. Corbett has 15 years of expertise studying the Dengue virus, the Respiratory Syncytial virus, Influenza viruses, and now, the Coronavirus.

With many degrees under her belt and a wealth of knowledge, Dr. Corbett led one of the top research teams for the recent Covid-19 pandemic. She was among the first team to begin researching and studying the virus’ bacteria.

Dr. Corbett was the scientific leader of the National Institutes of Health Coronavirus Vaccines and Immunopathogenesis team at the Vaccine Research Center. Her team can be acknowledged and credited for their discovery of the Covid-19 vaccine, marking one of the biggest turning points in the global pandemic.

Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett is a hero and an inspiration to all who aspire to work in the medical profession. With all her achievements as an African-American woman, she gives hope to women and children of all colors, ethnicities, and backgrounds that any dream can be achieved with tenacious effort.

We hope that you enjoyed our features for Black History Month. Next month, we will feature women as we celebrate Women’s History Month.

[Information for this feature can be located at Harvard.edu and Wikipedia.]

New Art for the Littles

By: BHS News Staff

February 21, 2023

In the past couple of years, Brooklyn High School has turned into a mural haven. Now, the Brooklyn School finally has its first mural.

The Brooklyn School PBIS committee asked the National Junior Art Honor Society to paint a Kindness Tree in their main hallway. Although the mural is not fully-completed, its appearance is a welcoming sight.

This Kindness Tree is used to recognize students who show kindness towards one another; this echoes the theme for the school year: Kindness.

Brooklyn students will be given “leaves” of recognition to place on the Kindness Tree throughout the remainder of this school year.

The NJAHS students who worked on this mural are seventh graders Calissa Schillinger, Jackie Rodriguez, and Maryam Al-Baghdadi. The eighth graders include Kendall Lewis, Maryam Raad, and Gracie White.

Students were also asked to do their own versions of the Kindness Tree on smaller pieces of paper. Their creativity is terrific, and the multiple colors bring light and energy to the hallways.

Nice job to everyone involved.

In other news, for students entering Kindergarten in the 2023-2024 school year, the Kindergarten Informational Meeting will be on Wednesday, March 15, from 6:00-7:00 p.m. in the Brooklyn Field House.

Parents can park in the Blue Lot located off of Behrwald Avenue and enter the building through door #5. For information regarding Kindergarten Registration, please visit the New Student Registration page.

Finally, mark your calendars! BHS’s Drama Club will present Sister Act to the school and community from March 23-25. Tickets will be sold in the auditorium for $10 per.

See you next week for more updates, Brooklyn. Have a great week!

{To stay updated with the Brooklyn City School District, make sure to click here weekly.}

Staff Spotlight: Mr. Tome

*Student Aid*

By: BHS Staff Profiles

February 17, 2023

Chosen for this week’s Staff Spotlight is Mr. Darren Tome. Aside from Brooklyn, Mr. Tome has worked in education for a number of years. His previous stops include Cleveland and Lakewood, totaling fifteen years all together. Some hobbies he enjoys doing in his free time include hiking, exercising, bike riding, and keeping up with TV shows. A fun fact about Mr. Tome is that he did theater as a child and acted in many plays.

Q: What do you enjoy most about working with children who have special needs?

A: “It’s very rewarding to try to help them because they need a lot of assistance, so I just try to help along in the learning process as much as possible, making sure their goals are met.”

Q: What is something that is most misunderstood about working in your position?

A: “A lot of people think that working with special education kids is easier than it really is. Also, maybe the challenges aren’t what they think they are or even how hard it can be if their learning process is different than other students. Most people know schooling from their own experience. They see it differently and don’t necessarily realize the type of challenges these children have.”

Q: What kind of working environment do you work best in?

A: “I like to be in a fun-working environment; we have Ms. Kay, and she’s fun. Mrs. Marsico is a lot of fun, too, and these kids are great. They love to joke around which really helps.”

Q: How do you go about helping your students?

A: “You have to understand what it is they’re trying to accomplish, so you need to know the end goals before you even start.”

Q: What is the most challenging part about being a student aid?

A: “The unexpected challenges when kids are having a rough day. Their behavior is gonna be a little off. Sometimes, the technology isn’t cooperating, and other days where everybody is a team, maybe you’re just not all on the same page.”

Q: What are you looking forward to the most about this upcoming Spring?

A: “I love Spring, and I also love to be outdoors. I’m looking forward to the weather because I love when it gets warm out. I love baseball, and I love going to baseball games. I look forward to going to some of the Guardians’ games. We have some rental houses in New York right now. I will probably take a few days off.”

Q: What is your favorite fast-food restaurant?

A: “I don’t eat a lot of fast food, but I think probably Chick-fil-A. Even though you have the line (it’s always very long), I think it’s worth it. I try to limit the amount I eat, not more than a few times a year. When I don’t feel like cooking, I get it.”

Q: Are you happy with the Chiefs winning the Super Bowl?

A: “I was rooting for Philadelphia only because the Chiefs are kind of one of our rivals. Philadelphia really isn’t. Honestly, other than that, I really didn’t care. I watched it, but I just want to see a good football game. It’s not like your hometown team where you are devastated when they lose.”

Q: If you had the power of teleportation right now, where would you go?

A: “A Caribbean Island for sure. I would go to Fiji, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, and Hawaii.”

Q: Would you rather explore outer space or the bottom of the ocean?

A: “Probably the bottom of the ocean, just from all the videos I’ve seen on the Discovery Channel. All of the interesting species and creatures and the shipwrecks that they haven’t even discovered yet I find to be pretty cool.”

Thank you for letting us interview you, Mr. Tome. It was great getting to know you and getting to know a little more about you, especially about your ideal vacation destinations as we deal with this frigid, Cleveland weather. Enjoy your three-day weekend!

Lady Canes Cruise Past Indy In Playoffs

By: BHS Sports Staff

February 16, 2023

Last night, the Brooklyn Hurricanes hosted the Independence Blue Devils in the first round of the OHSAA state playoffs.

The Lady Canes were the 11-seed coming into this matchup, and the Lady Blue Devils were the 13-seed, so this matchup was perfect for prime time. Both teams split the season series, 1-1. The most recent matchup between these two teams was played at Independence two weeks ago where the Lady Canes were defeated, 47-34.

Coach Jon Holko and the Lady Canes had the perfect game-plan and came into this game confident, and the Student Section was filled with “Beat Indy” shirts. The atmosphere was electric!

Brooklyn started by winning the tip-off, but Independence managed to recover the ball for the first points of the game. The Blue Devils had multiple turnovers thanks to a tenacious Brooklyn defense, and the Lady Canes used this to their advantage as senior Shariah Gailes scored the first basket and shortly after recorded an And-1 bucket to tie the game at 4-4. Fellow senior Genesis Caraballo later hit a three-pointer and was fouled, completing the four-point play. Independence, though, quickly bounced back to regain the lead at 10-8 as the first period concluded.

The Lady Canes started off the second quarter with another Caraballo three pointer, but Independence went on a 7-0 run to take a 17-11 lead. The Lady Canes needed a response as they trailed by six, and they did just that with a layup and a big three-pointer to cut the deficit to one. This caused Independence to call a timeout with the score being 17-16. The stoppage in play did not stop the Lady Canes’ momentum because with collective team effort, they took a 28-21 lead with just seconds to go before halftime. A miracle buzzer-beater for the visitors gave the hosts a 28-23 lead with half of the game in the books.

All game, Brooklyn’s and Independence’s student sections went back and forth, so when the girls came out of the locker room, fans from both teams were fired up and ready to see how this clash unfolded.

Coming into the third quarter, Independence looked like they had early momentum, but Brooklyn quickly shut down any chance of momentum with several free throws and a steal/layup from senior Delaney David to give the Lady Canes a 35-25 lead. Gailes then hit a driving layup to respond to a previous bucket from Independence. The Lady Canes were getting it done inside; however, the Blue Devils ended the period with a mini 5-0 run. After three, Brooklyn led 37-32.

The final quarter: Who had eight minutes left with effort and execution? Answer: The Lady Canes!

Gailes scored right away, and the stifling defense held the Blue Devils in check. The Lady Canes ran a very patient, motion offense and hit timely baskets, including an And-1 from sophomore Jade Riedel. When the final buzzer rang, the gym erupted with the Lady Canes defeating their rival by a score of 49-37.

Brooklyn knocked Independence out of the playoffs and ultimately won the season series, 2-1. Gailes led with 21 points, Caraballo had 11, and David added 10.

What a great team win for the Lady Canes in front of an electric crowd.

The Lady Canes will now advance to the sectional final and travel to Keystone High School to take on the Lady Wildcats this Saturday, February 18. Tip-off is at 1:00.

Travel out to Keystone to watch our Lady Canes attempt to earn a district birth.

Go Canes!

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

Black History Month: Victor J. Glover

By: BHS Features Staff

February 15, 2023

Victor Jerome Glover is an African-American astronaut from the NASA class of 2013. He was also the pilot on the first international flight of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. Simply, Glover is known to inspire many with his brave and unique space missions.

Raised in Pomona, California, Glover was born on April 30, 1976. He graduated from Ontario High School (California) in 1994 and then went on to earn his Bachelor of Science degree in General Engineering at California Polytechnic State University in 1999. After college, in 2009, he became a member of the Air Force, where he earned a Master of Science in Flight Test Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School.

Glover always knew he wanted to be an astronaut, so he began preflight training in Pensacola, Florida, and completed his advanced flight training in Kingsville, Texas, earning his wings of gold on December 14, 2001.

He was selected in 2013 as one of eight members of the 21st NASA astronaut class. In 2015, he completed Astronaut Candidate Training, including scientific and technical briefings, intensive instruction in International Space Station systems, spacewalks, robotics, physiological training, T-38 flight training, and water and wilderness survival training. Very extensive training but he was successful in reaching his goals.

Finally in November of 2020, the now NASA astronaut Victor Glover launched his first spaceflight and became the first black astronaut to live on the International Space Station as part of a long-duration mission.

Glover married Dionna Odom in 2014, and they now reside in California with four children, all girls.

Glover inspires students from all over to chase their dreams. He is a great example of determination. Through all of the struggles and trials, he accomplished his dreams and nothing less. He continues to spread his message all over, showing people that dreams are possible when the effort exceeds the initial thought. Astronaut Glover even spoke to students from space about how to stop issues like racial discrimination, domestic violence, and drug use to reassure them of a better future on planet Earth.

Victor Glover is just one of the many African-American inspirations. He reached for the stars and so can you!

[Information for this feature can be located at NASA.gov.]

A Day of Love and Art

By: BHS News Staff

February 14, 2023

Happy Valentine’s Day! Now, let us catch up on the past week.

Last week, there was a “Guess The Staff Member Contest” with old pictures of teachers throughout the high school. This encouraged students to be more involved with school activities while also having fun guessing which staff member was whom.

Each student had the opportunity to fill out a form with their best guesses. The top three students to guess the most correct staff members would receive a $10 Starbucks gift card.

The winners of this contest were announced last Friday: Gianna Kos (8th grade), Grace Paul (8th grade), and our very own, Malak Chafki (9th grade).

In addition to the contest, recently, some of Mr. Kasper’s Murals class finished the main pillar in the front entrance hallway.

“Mr. Hare gave us a request that we decorate the pillar with phrases of support for the students who walk into the building,” stated Kasper.

Sophomore Brianna Boone and freshmen Anisha Monger, Yasmeen Issa, and Chassidy (Cody) Wilson each worked on one side of the pillar.

Boone worked on the sports side of the pillar and knew that its completion would take time: “It took a lot of time because I had to make sure the stripes looked good. I had to make sure it looked like an actual sports ball. It was very tedious but worth it.”

Monger worked on the side with the multiple suns: “First, I made my preliminary sketch, and I worked out the sizing for everything. I played around with the sizing and next, I showed Mr. Kasper for approval, and he helped me with everything. I love the final product.”

Issa worked on the cheerleaders’ side: “I freehanded and it took a lot of patience. The cheerleaders were almost identical, and I had to make sure the lines were straight. I introduced the idea of drawing the cheerleaders, and it turned out great.”

Wilson worked on the side with band instruments: “I did it based off of the band instruments and off of what Mr. Hare wanted. I worked really hard to try to incorporate the school’s pride, and I believe that I succeeded in this feat.”

The students’ work is admired by their peers and the staff. Next time you walk by the pillar, you will fully be on board, too.

Have a great week, Brooklyn!

{To stay updated with the Brooklyn City School District, make sure to click here weekly.}

Staff Spotlight: Mrs. Mills

*Grade 4 Teacher*

By: BHS Staff Profiles

February 10, 2023

Chosen for this week’s Staff Spotlight is Mrs. Laura Mills. Mrs. Mills has been a teacher in the Brooklyn City School District for 28 years and also did two years of substitute teaching, prior. Some of her favorite hobbies are spending time with her family, watching TV shows and movies, and growing flowers in her garden during the Summer. A fun fact about her is that she has been on Air Force One (2006), due to her husband knowing the navigator of the presidential aircraft. Colonel Holland invited Mrs. Mills and her husband on an Air Force One tour after stopping in Cleveland with former president, George W. Bush.

Q: What is a typical day like for you?

A: “It’s a lot different now that all three of my kids are at college! Coffee, teach, eat, watch a show with Mr. Mills, cuddle time with my cats, sleep, and repeat.”

Q: How has being a teacher impacted your life?

A: “Being a teacher has taught me that some days, you just have to do the best you can. Always know that tomorrow is another day and another chance. You can always try again tomorrow!”

Q: What are the different methods to make social studies more entertaining for your students?

A: “I love all the game programs that are available to help students practice vocabulary words — Quizlet, Blooket, and Word Wall! I do a lot of group work and watch videos to keep it as entertaining as possible! Fourth grade social studies is all about Ohio, so that is fun to teach.”

Q: As a teacher, how do you manage the different learning levels of your students?

A: “That’s really tough to do. Luckily, I have great teachers I work with who offer suggestions and advice to help meet all the different learning levels in my classroom. A variety of activities and different approaches on different days helps to try and meet the various levels in my classes.”

Q: How do you plan out your lessons?

A: “I try to use a variety of resources, both print and digital. I try to find interesting ways to learn information. I plan a lot of group work and discussions. I also love using games in the classroom. I try to plan my lessons so they move fast and stay interactive.”

Q: Who is your biggest inspiration?

A: “My mother was very active in my school growing up. She was the PTA president and very actively involved. She always put her family first. She is (or was) a big inspiration on how I wanted to raise my own children.”

Q: How do you deal with a stressful situation?

A: “Deep breaths, find some positivity, and think happy thoughts. Listen to music. Reach out to others if you ever need help. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when it’s needed.”

Q: What was your biggest setback in life, and how did you overcome it?

A: “Being diagnosed with Breast Cancer in 2013 was something that totally changed my life. I have found that the best way to overcome setbacks is to keep a positive attitude. Also, don’t be afraid to ask for help. My Brooklyn family was a great help during my cancer treatment; they sent lots of positive energy to me and my family! After surgery, Chemotherapy, and 10 years of medication, I am proud to say that I am a cancer survivor.”

{Editor’s Note: AMEN!}

Q: If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

A: “I think I’d like to be able to go back in time; I could fix some mistakes that I have made along the way.”

Q: Chiefs or Eagles?

A: “Let’s go, Eagles!”

Thank you for taking the time to respond to our questions, Mrs. Mills. We are so happy that you are cancer free; what an inspiration you are to many!

A Tribute to Our Senior Hoopsters

By: BHS Sports Staff

February 9, 2023

This past Saturday, Brooklyn High School held their senior day/night for both the boys and girls basketball teams.

The boys’ basketball team hosted the Clearview Clippers. The Hurricanes came in with an 11-7 record after a nice win against Independence for a season sweep of the Blue Devils. The Clippers, on the other hand, came into the game after a win against Black River and an overall record of 8-10.

In the first quarter, Brooklyn started off with an early spark, playing great defense and allowing just five points, leading 12-5.

Clearview made some adjustments in the second quarter by cutting Brooklyn’s lead to just one point, but the Canes gained their seven-point lead right back with forcing turnovers and scoring transition buckets. At the half, Brooklyn led 26-19.

Out of halftime, the Hurricanes struck first in the second half with a quick basket, but the visiting Clippers went on a 10-0 run to take a one-point lead with a couple minutes remaining in the third quarter. All of a sudden, Brooklyn woke up and reclaimed the lead and refused to lay off of the gas. The Hurricanes finished the quarter outscoring Clearview 17-11 and took a comfortable seven-point lead heading into the fourth quarter.

The fourth quarter belonged to the Hurricanes as they led by as much as 15 points. The Clippers tried to knock down some deep balls to get them back into the game, but they could not get it done as Brooklyn prevailed with a 65-52 victory.

Senior Jaiden Basinger led the way with 23 points followed by senior Randall Fields who scored 11.

A great team victory on Senior Night for the boys!

The boys host Cuyahoga Heights on Friday night and Columbia on Saturday night to conclude their regular season before the postseason.

Come out and support our boys this weekend!

The girls’ varsity team, on the other hand, had a difficult time against the Cuyahoga Heights Red Wolves. The Lady Canes, who have been playing well this season, came in with a record of 12-6. The Lady Red Wolves came into the contest with a 14-5 record, similar to the Lady Canes.

In the previous encounter, the Lady Canes came home with a road victory, 44-40. This time in Brooklyn, though, the script would be flipped.

The Lady Canes won the tipoff and started the game with an early lead, thanks to three-pointers from seniors Delaney David and Shariah Gailes. The Red Wolves started to come back with timely shooting and were able to take a 15-11 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Cuyahoga Heights stayed consistent in the second quarter, holding onto their lead and playing well on the defensive end. The Lady Canes struggled offensively making shots, helping the Red Wolves head into the locker room with a seven-point lead, 23-16.

To start the third quarter, the Lady Canes began with a quick 5-0 run, cutting the Red Wolves lead to just two, but Cuyahoga Heights turned things around as they started knocking down most of their shots on time-consuming possessions to get their seven-point lead right back and more.

After the third quarter, Cuyahoga Heights led 37-25.

The Lady Canes did not give up in the fourth and kept battling, but it just seemed like nothing was falling for the most of the fourth quarter. Cuyahoga Heights had a seven-point lead with a minute and a half remaining, but the host Lady Canes just could not find any consistency offensively, thus they fell short in this tough matchup, 47-39.

With the loss against the Lady Red Wolves, both Cuyahoga Heights and the Lady Canes tied for second place in the CVC Metro with Richmond Heights winning it all this year.

The girls responded last Monday with a dominant victory over Clearview, 56-24. The 13-7 Lady Canes will finish off their regular season tonight as they host Garrett Morgan at 6:15 p.m.

Come and support the girls as they get ready for next week’s playoffs!

Go Canes!

(For up-to-date schedules and events visit Brooklyn Hurricanes Athletics.)

Black History Month: Kobe Bryant

By: BHS Features Staff

February 8, 2023

{1978-2020}

To begin this year’s Black History Month, the BHS Features Staff will start off with Kobe Bryant and all of his influence and accomplishments. Bryant is someone who stood up for what he believed in and touched the hearts of millions. No matter their race or age, he was an inspiration to all, especially avid basketball fans.

Kobe Bryant was born on August 23, 1978. He was known as the Black Mamba. He was a professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers, a father of four beautiful children, and a husband to his wonderful wife, Vanessa Bryant. An incredible feat is that he was the youngest NBA player to ever start a game; he was 18-years-old.

Bryant wanted to be a professional basketball player from a very young age. His father was a basketball player in the NBA, and he was Kobe’s inspiration towards wanting to become one as well. Bryant played basketball at Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, where he earned multiple MVP awards and broke numerous records. After high school, he passed on college (with numerous scholarship offers) to enter his name in the NBA draft. He was the 13th pick in the 1996 draft but was later traded to his dream team: The Los Angeles Lakers.

Kobe Bryant is a five-time NBA champion, and he also took the Slam Dunk title in 1997. Additionally, he has scored more points than any other guard in NBA history, including Michael Jordan. Hands down, he is one of the top 10 players of all time. To the younger generations, he is a top 5 player.

With all of his fame, stardom, and influence, Bryant’s life came to a sudden and tragic end. On January 26, 2020, he and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, along with others, were flying to a girls basketball tournament when their chartered helicopter crashed into the mountains West of Los Angeles. Fog was plentiful, and federal safety officials blamed pilot error for the crash.

Why is Kobe Bryant inspirational? He was dedicated to basketball, his main passion. Also, he was and still is a true icon, and his story of perseverance is an inspiration to people all over the world. He also had a tremendous work ethic and frequently answered the call when necessary.

These are just a few of the many reasons to be inspired by the Black Mamba.

[Information for this feature can be located at Illuminerdi.com and at NBA.com.]

Heritage Parade

By: BHS News Staff

February 7, 2023

To celebrate our different cultures here at Brooklyn, the high school held a heritage parade to show off all of its students’ diverse backgrounds.

There were roughly 27 different countries that were represented in this parade.

The committee that organized past cultural events used the previous International Festivals as an inspiration for this year.

The world language teachers, Mrs. Velez (Spanish) and Mrs. Huang (Chinese), put the cultural celebration together with the spirit week leading up to the day of the parade.

Mrs. Velez said, “I think this parade went well. I think people got to represent who they are. I represented the Dominican Republic. We have a committee that comprises elementary and high school teachers. Mrs. Huang and I were the parade sub committee. We took ideas from the old parade and tried to put a little twist on it.”

Students volunteered to help make posters and to walk in the parade, and each group representing a country held a flag or a poster representing their country. Some students even brought their culture’s clothing and customs to feature in the parade.

Overall, the parade was able to bring multiple cultures together and create new memories. The students and teachers seemed eager to show their appreciation for the many different cultures that make up BHS.

Well done, everybody!

{To stay updated with the Brooklyn City School District, make sure to click here weekly.}

Staff Spotlight: Mrs. Cuiksa

*Grade 5 Teacher*

By: BHS Staff Profiles

February 3, 2023

Chosen for this week’s Staff Spotlight is Mrs. Allison Cuiksa. Mrs. Cuiksa has been a teacher in the district since 2009. She started her teaching career in North Carolina and soon went on to teach in South Carolina. After teaching in the South, she then moved to Ohio where she taught in Columbus for a year and a half before finally moving to Cleveland to teach in the Brooklyn City School District. In her free time, Cuiksa can be found spending time with her daughters, her dogs, and her husband, or staying true to her favorite sport, soccer. As an avid soccer fanatic, Mrs. Cuiksa loves anything that has to do with soccer. She coaches soccer for a club called The Team Challenger Futbol Club where she also occasionally likes to play as well. A fun fact about Mrs. Cuiksa is that her favorite number is 10, and the digits on her alarm clock have to add up to 10.

Q: Where did you go to college and why did you choose that school?

A: “I went to Gardner Webb University in North Carolina. I chose that school partially because of my ability to have a pretty decent scholarship for soccer and also because of the strong education program they offer. You also can’t beat the weather.”

Q: How do you keep students engaged in your way of teaching?

A: “I like to try to make my class feel more like entertainment than necessarily having to sit and just do drills and skills. So, I like to have the kids interact; I like to try to be cool, even try to bring a couple of TikToks in every once in a while to draw their attention. Those types of things.”

Q: What do you enjoy most about teaching fifth grade?

A: “Fifth graders are independent, yet, they still have a good amount of innocence about them, so they typically care about their education, but they also can understand jokes and have a good time in class as well.”

Q: If you could choose any other subject to teach, what would it be?

A: “It would probably be physical education. I love being active, and I love getting kiddos to be active. I would love to teach my love of sports to them as well.”

Q: What is the most challenging part about being a teacher?

A: “I would say understanding that the kiddos have a lot going on in their own lives and making sure that they’re safe and secure here at school. Also, focus on learning and not worry so much about those outside factors.”

Q: What would you do if you had 15 minutes of fame?

A: “I would try to meet as many other famous people as I could because they would probably want to meet me, too.”

Q: If you could solve any problem in the world, what would it be?

A: “I would like to cure cancer just because it has touched people in my life. I would have loved to hang on to some of those family members a little longer.”

Q: You are at a make-your-own sundae bar. What toppings are you going with?

A: “I would go with Reese’s Pieces, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, and Peanut Butter Sauce. It’s amazing!”

Q: What is your favorite holiday?

A: “I would have to go with Christmas. Primarily because our family gets together to do a lot of family activities and events. One of the activities we do is we actually take a tour bus and go look at Christmas lights together.”

Q: What is your cultural background?

A: “So, I actually have a Spanish and Welsh background. My mom’s side is from Spain, and my dad’s side is from Wales.”

We greatly appreciated interviewing you, Mrs. Cuiksa. With two of our group members being a part of the Brooklyn soccer team, it is individuals like yourself who we look up to as we all share a love for soccer. Thank you for inspiring so many student-athletes.

Super Bowl LVII

By: BHS Sports Staff

February 2, 2023

The AFC and NFC champions are now headed to Super Bowl LVII. This year’s Super Bowl is between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles, and it will be held at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

To recap the championship games, for the NFC, the San Francisco 49ers came in with a 12-game winning streak (including playoffs). The Philadelphia Eagles had the upper edge, though, with home-field advantage after having a great season with a record of 14-3, finishing as the #1 seed.

The Eagles scored an early touchdown, and things got worse for the 49ers as quarterback Brock Purdy left the game with an elbow injury, forcing the fourth string quarterback Josh Johnson to come into the game. He was able to throw a touchdown, but later, he suffered a concussion, forcing him out of the game. The 49ers were in a bit of a loophole as Purdy could not throw the ball, and they had no other eligible quarterbacks on the roster.

Purdy did come back into the game in the second half, but the Eagles were up 21-7 at the half. With no quarterback options, the 49ers were forced to run the ball the rest of the game with Purdy limiting his minimal throws to five yards. This was not effective, as the Eagles stout defense showed no mercy. With emotions running high, 49ers star tackle Trent Williams got ejected from the game after slamming down Eagles wide receiver K’Von Wallace.

The Eagles ran out the clock and won 31-7 and are headed back to the Super Bowl for the first time since their championship run in 2018.

In the AFC, it was the second consecutive AFC championship game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Kansas City Chiefs. The Bengals defeated the Chiefs last year in the matchup to advance to the Super Bowl. Joe Burrow is 3-0 when facing Patrick Mahomes, so the Chiefs had a little more to prove.

The game started off poorly for the Bengals with only one first down in the first quarter and four sacks in the first half, alone. The Chiefs, on the other hand, were looking pretty good, moving the ball on offense and playing smash-mouth defense. Even though the Chiefs were playing better, they only managed a 13-6 lead at halftime.

In the second half, the Bengals scored quickly after a three-and-out on defense and a quick drive on offense to get their first touchdown of the night. The Chiefs responded right back with a touchdown of their own to lead the Bengals, 20-13.

Late in the fourth quarter, the Bengals converted a fourth and six, which resulted in a huge 35-yard catch from Jamarr Chase in double coverage that took the ball to the six-yard-line. Soon after, the Bengals tied the game back up, which stayed this way until the very end.

With 17 seconds remaining, the Chiefs had the ball and looked to heave it down field. Mahomes did not see an open receiver and ran out of the pocket towards the sideline. As he was about to step out-of-bounds, defensive end Joseph Ossai hit him resulting in a late hit, 15-yard penalty. This put the Chiefs in field goal position, and with that penalty, the Chiefs were able to win the game with a walk-off field goal.

*Staff Predictions for Super Bowl LVII:

Jaiden: Chiefs 31-24

Jacob: Eagles 37-34

Youssef: Eagles 37-30

Anthony: Chiefs 28-21

Ayman: Eagles 31-21

Mr. Holko: Chiefs 23-20

A 50/50 prediction for both teams to win the Super Bowl, which means that this will be a great matchup between both number one seeds.

Super Bowl LVII will be one to remember as two of the NFL’s best quarterbacks face off, so make sure you watch the game on FOX at 6:30 on February 12.

What is your Super Bowl prediction? Leave it in the Comments section below.

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