The most notable aspect about Spring are the beautiful flowers that bloom. The warm weather and occasional rain are perfect for growing flowers at home or even going out and seeing all of them beginning to bloom.
Spring is a really pretty season, so what are the top five most popular Spring flowers?
*Daffodils: Of course, one of the most popular Spring flowers is the beautiful, yellow Daffodil. Daffodils are fast-growing, and their native range is China, Japan, Northern Africa, etc.
*Tulips: When Spring comes to mind, tulips are one of the first flowers to bloom. Tulips have distinctive, bulbus petals that range in numerous colors, besides true blue. Tulips are part of the Lily family and can grow from 4-to-28 inches tall.
*Hyacinth: Grape Hyacinth (Muscari) are great flowers to have in the garden. These gorgeous flowers are best when planted in the Fall as they will usually start to bloom in early-to-mid Spring. They are native to Europe, the Mediterranean, and Central Asia and are a part of the Asparagus family.
*Crocus: The Crocus Sativus (Saffron) is a tiny, short flower with purple to lavender colors. This flower not only adds a great look to the garden but is also used to dye fabrics and to flavor food. Due to the flower’s versatility, the Saffron is one of the more expensive and labor-intensive flowers on the list. They are native to southern regions of mainland Greece.
*Lily of the Valley: This flower is known for its unique, wilted look and bell-shaped petals. It is part of the Asparagus family and can grow to about 10 feet tall. Despite its innocent appearance, it is invasive in some states due to the large colonies in which it grows.
No matter if you are planning on growing your own flowers or just going out to look at them, flowers are always the highlight of Spring. They are beautiful and a great sight to see after a dark and dreary Winter.
Hopefully, the saying is true: April showers do indeed bring May flowers.
{Information for this article is sourced from Petal Talk.}
The final stretch is here, and we hope that everyone enjoyed their nine days off and is ready to finish this year in strong fashion.
First off, welcome back to all of the European travelers. The trip was great, overall.
The travelers on the flight from Chicago arrived in Italy smoothly and on-time, but the Philadelphia flight had some complications getting to Italy due to plane malfunctions, thanks to the landing crew. Group two was stuck in Philadelphia for about a day but had the opportunity to visit the famous Rocky Steps and eat some authentic, Philly cheesesteaks.
Soon, both groups united in Vatican City, and there was no shortage of fun and adventure. They saw many places in Italy, including Pompeii, the Colosseum, the Vatican, the Spanish steps, and the Trevi Fountain.
After Italy, both groups traveled to Greece and experienced a Greek party with plate smashing and a lot of dancing. Another thing they got to do was visit the Acropolis and the Island of Crete, while also getting to visit more sites.
Fun fact: Sophomore Gibran Boukzam celebrated his birthday at the Greek party and earned the title of a demi-god.
It was a trip to remember for all 49 travelers. Great food, lifetime memories, and no shortage of laughter.
A big shout-out to Mrs. Holko for organizing this overseas excursion. Simply, she is the best!
Moving on from the Europe trip, the upcoming weeks will be filled with End-of-Course (EOC) exams. All exams will take place in the cafeteria or gymnasium, unless specified otherwise. Here is the upcoming EOC schedule:
ELA 8 & ELA II: April 8-9
Science 8: April 15 and 17
Biology (9-10): April 16
U.S. History: April 23
Government: April 24
Math 8: April 28-29
Algebra I (8-9): April 28-29
Geometry (9-10): April 30-May 1
Remember students to get rest before each test, eat a healthy breakfast, review all materials, and most importantly, believe in yourself.
Finally, there are currently 36 school days left until Summertime. Seniors, you only have 27 maximum days remaining, so get those post-graduation plans set in stone.
Finally, outside of the testing dates listed above, here is the limited calendar for April.
April 18: Good Friday (No School)
April 21: Easter Monday (No School)
{To stay updated with the Brooklyn City School District, click here.}
Chosen for this week’s Senior Spotlight is Kyra Brunecz. Kyra’s plans after graduation are undecided, but she plans to work until she eventually feels confident in her future career path. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her niece, playing with her dogs, crocheting, and sleeping. She also recently got an iPad and has been spending a lot of time figuring out how to work it. A fun fact about Kyra is that she had Scoliosis surgery in seventh grade.
Q: If you could have one thing in the world, what would it be?
A: “I wish my best friend could come back. There are so many things that I would have to tell her, but I cannot do that now, and it sucks. I miss her.”
Q: What was your favorite year of high school?
A: “Senior year because of the work that I am doing and the connections that I have had with people, which are the best that they have ever been.”
Q: If you could take any class, what would it be?
A: “Chemistry because I would love to do the experiments. Honestly, though, every time I think about Chemistry, it seems complicated.”
Q: What is one thing you will miss when you graduate in May?
A: “My Culinary class. We have gone through so much together, and I will deeply miss everything about it.”
Q: If you could spend 24 hours with any band or artist, who would it be?
A: “Well, 12-year-old me would say Justin Bieber, but now, I would say Ronnie Radke.”
Q: What is your best excuse for not doing your homework?
A: “I would say ‘Work got in the way.’ But honestly, I leave work to do school work, so I am okay.”
Q: What challenges have you faced throughout your life, and how did you overcome them?
A: “I would say when people have very strong opinions about me. At the end of the day, though, I have realized that everyone has their own opinion. The only opinion that truly matters is mine.”
Q: Out of your entire school career, what teacher has been your biggest inspiration or influence?
A: “Mr. Kaspar and Mr. Meehan. They have seen me in different ways than any other teacher has. Last year, some things were happening, and I got close with Mr. Meehan, and I would feel comfortable going to his room if things were too overwhelming or stressful and to just get away from people if I needed to. Same thing with Mr. Kaspar. They have both helped me in the best of ways, and I appreciate it a lot.”
Thank you for letting us interview you, Kyra. We hope that you have a wonderful Summer and that you eventually figure out your plans after graduation. You love to cook, so start with this career.
The first weekend of March Madness is in the books, and every single bracket nationally is officially a bust.
This week’s rundown will cover what happened last weekend as well as preview the Sweet 16 matchups, beginning tonight.
*South Region: Starting off, #1 Auburn and #9 Creighton cruised past their first-round matchups, but the Tigers took the 82-70 victory in round two to advance to the Sweet 16. Fifth-seeded Michigan survived against #12 UC San Diego, while #4 Texas A&M took care of #13 Yale. In the five versus four matchup, the Wolverines held off the Aggies in the second half to advance, 91-79. Sixth-seeded Ole Miss ended #11 North Carolina’s season after they barely snuck into the tournament, while #3 Iowa State crushed #14 Lipscomb, 82-55. However, the Rebels got the upset in the second round as they took down the Cyclones, 91-78. Lastly, #10 New Mexico got the first-round upset over #7 Marquette, while #2 Michigan State mowed past #15 Bryant. In the second round, the Spartans’ big second half propelled them over the Lobos, as they advanced to the Sweet 16. The matchups for the Sweet 16 are #1 Auburn versus #5 Michigan and #6 Ole Miss versus #2 Michigan State.
*West Region: Next up, #1 Florida and #8 UConn both had convincing wins in the first round, but the Gators were able to hold off the Huskies in round two, 77-75, to advance. #12 Colorado State upset #5 Memphis, 78-70, while #4 Maryland took care of business against #13 Grand Canyon. The Rams and Terrapins saw a great second-round matchup, with Colorado State hitting a go-ahead three with six seconds left, but Maryland followed that up by hitting the first buzzer beater of the tournament to get the 72-71 win. #11 Drake upset #6 Missouri, 67-57, while #3 Texas Tech was able to cruise past #14 UNC Wilmington, 82-72. The Red Raiders were able to hold off the Bulldogs’ attempt at a Cinderella run, beating them 77-64. Lastly, #10 Arkansas upset #7 Kansas, 79-72, while #2 St. John’s cruised past #15 Omaha, 83-53. The biggest upset of this region happened with #10 Arkansas beating #2 St. John’s, 75-66, to advance onto the Sweet 16. The matchups are #1 Florida versus #4 Maryland and #3 Texas Tech versus #10 Arkansas.
*East Region: The East saw #1 Duke dominate #16 Mount St. Mary’s in the first round, while #9 Baylor upset #8 Mississippi State, 75-72. Duke’s dominance continued as they destroyed Baylor, 89-66. Next, both #4 Arizona and #5 Oregon cruised past the first round to meet up in the round of 32, where the Wildcats narrowly snuck past the Ducks, beating them 87-83. The bottom half of the region saw #6 BYU beat #11 VCU, #3 Wisconsin destroy #14 Montana, #7 Saint Mary’s narrowly escape #10 Vanderbilt, and #2 Alabama hold off #15 Robert Morris. In the second round, #6 BYU upset #3 Wisconsin, 91-89, and #2 Alabama beat #7 Saint Mary’s, 80-66. The matchups are #1 Duke versus #4 Arizona and #2 Alabama versus #6 BYU.
*Midwest Region: Lastly, the Midwest had #1 Houston and #8 Gonzaga cruise past their first-round matchups, and the Cougars were able to hold off a late Gonzaga comeback to advance to the Sweet 16. Next, the #12 seed McNeese State pulled off the upset against #5 Clemson, despite a 54-point second half by the Tigers. #4 Purdue ended #13 High Point and their great regular season in which they finished with 29 wins. Purdue was able to cruise past McNeese State in the second round to end their Cinderella run. The bottom half of the region saw Illinois beat Xavier, Kentucky beat Troy, UCLA beat Utah State, and Tennessee beat Wofford. In the second round matchup, #3 Kentucky defeated Big Ten member #6 Illinois to advance to the Sweet 16. Lastly, #2 Tennessee had control over #7 UCLA, as the Volunteers advanced to their third consecutive Sweet 16. The matchups are #1 Houston versus #5 Purdue, and #2 Tennessee versus #3 Kentucky.
Now, it’s time for The Return of the Eye Sports Staff, along with returning special guest picker Mr. Verba, to retry their picks, this time for the Final Four.
*Aiden: Great pick of St. John’s winning it all. Be prepared to be verbally-assaulted when you return from Europe.
South: Auburn
West: Arkansas
East: Duke
Midwest: Houston
*Collin: Shockingly, you are in second place with no talent or intelligence. Just think what your tally would be had you not picked UC San Diego to advance to the Sweet 16. Clown!
South: Auburn
West: Florida
East: Alabama
Midwest: Tennessee
*Jacob: Speaking of clown, all you could accumulate was seven points? Did you want your number to match your fast ball’s velocity? This is an awful performance, one for the ages. You should be working in the concession stand from here on out.
South: Auburn
West: Florida
East: Alabama
Midwest: Tennessee
*Mr. Holko: No surprise here as the leader in the clubhouse.
South: Auburn
West: Florida
East: Duke
Midwest: Houston
*Mr. Verba: Not a bad performance from Lord Basketball. Enjoy the bronze.
South: Michigan State
West: Florida
East: Duke
Midwest: Houston
The updated scoreboard: Mr. Holko (13), Collin (11), Mr. Verba (10), Aiden (10), and Jacob (7). 🤦🏻♂️
The games resume tonight, starting with BYU taking on Alabama at 7:09.
Who will cut down the nets on Monday, April 7, in San Antonio, Texas? To keep up with all of the scores this weekend, visit the March Madness Website.
As we know, Spring Break is right around the corner, and we are very excited about the much-needed week off.
It is a fantastic time to catch up on favorite activities and attractions. If you are unsure of what to do or where to go next week, you can find inspiration from this article, unless you are reading this from Europe. ☀️
With the snow currently falling, it is time to travel South. Below are the top five Spring Break destinations for high school students.
*Cancun, Mexico: Obviously, Cancun is known for its amazing beaches and beautiful golf courses, but that is not the only reason it is ranked as the best Spring Break destination. Cancun is one of the most affordable vacation spots in the Western Hemisphere, and it is especially cheap if you book a cruise. Now, if you are not looking to go out with your amigos and party on the beach, Chichén Itzá, one of the new seven wonders of the world, is also located in Cancun.
*Miami, Florida: Miami Beach is the most popular Spring Break destination in the state of Florida. Down there, you will see a wide variety of people ranging from Ohioans who need a break from the bipolar weather to famous athletes relaxing during their off-season. Other than the crazy party animals, Miami Beach contains some of the most kid-friendly beaches and some of the best-tasting restaurants you can find. Again, if you are not a big beach person, Miami has many different galleries and museums, and of course, there are many large malls and shopping centers, too.
*Key West, Florida: Although Miami is the most popular destination in Florida, Key West is a close second. Unlike Miami, Key West is not necessarily known for the party life but more for its relaxing seaside adventures. Down in Key West, you can find the best snorkeling tours, and just about five miles offshore, you can find a living coral barrier reef, which is the only one in the U.S. The famous Duval Street is also a fun place to be at, containing many different restaurants, art galleries, souvenir shops, coffee shops, etc.
*Cabo San Lucas, Mexico: If you are like Mr. Holko and need golf lessons,Golf Academyin Diamante Cabo San Lucas offers professional-level lessons that could take your swing to the next level. Cabo San Lucas is filled with many different golf courses that will attract famous celebrities while leaving your typical golfer in awe. It is also home to Land’s End (El Caro), where large rocks that have been eroded over time have now become a popular place to visit. When visiting Land’s End, you can also ride water taxis, go on boat tours, and even ride in a glass-bottom boat to witness the beautiful ocean water right beneath you.
*Gatlinburg, Tennessee: Gatlinburgdid not actually make the list, but it was just out of the top five, and there have already been enough beaches and tropical places mentioned above. This diverse, kid-friendly place is perfect for hiking lovers, with miles of hiking trails, including the famous Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Although the peak time for people to visit Gatlinburg is during the Summer, there are many great ski resorts to visit during ski season.
Even though traveling is fun, not everyone can vacation this Spring. Even if you cannot travel, you can still have fun on your break. Spring Break is a great opportunity to go outside and hang out with friends and/or family.
Spring Break is coming up fast, so make sure to have some fun and not waste your break sleeping and doing nothing.
{Information for this article is sourced from Parents and Travel.}
Who is ready for Spring Break? With four days remaining this week before next week off, let’s get right into it.
Yesterday, a group of students flew to Italy on their once-in-a-lifetime trip. They are currently exploring Rome and will also travel to Greece later this week. Athens and the Greek Isles are on the itinerary. They will enjoy their last four nights on an amazing cruise.
This trip is a great learning experience as students will assimilate into European culture, visit landmarks, and taste delicious and authentic cuisine. The group has already eaten pasta, pizza, and of course, gelato.
To everyone on the trip, have a wonderful and safe time. Make lifelong memories, and don’t forget to bring back souvenirs for us.
In other news, this past Thursday, students performed their first live play of The Wizard of Oz for the elementary school and senior citizens. Later that day, they opened up for the public and continued performing through Sunday.
Many people enjoyed it, from the acting to the music. Congratulations to everyone who participated. Their hard work and talent definitely paid off.
Today, class meetings will begin and will continue until Thursday. These meetings will highlight students of the month, attendance awards, and the review of school policies.
Finally, there are currently 41 school days left until Summer. Seniors, you only have 32 maximum days left, so finish strong!
Finally, here is the calendar for the end of March.
March 24-April 4: Europe Trip
March 25: Softball vs. Independence (4:30)
March 25-27: Class Meetings
March 29: Baseball vs. Rhodes (10:00)
March 31-April 4: Spring Break
Have a great week, Hurricane Nation.
{To stay updated with the Brooklyn City School District, clickhere.}
Chosen for this week’s Staff Spotlight is Mr. Matt Tolar. Mr. Tolar has been the Assistant Treasurer in Brooklyn for a year and a half. Prior to Brooklyn, he worked as a teacher in Parma, Fairview Park, and Avon Lake. He was also a principal at a Catholic school in Parma. In his free time, he loves to go outside and play sports with his four children. A fun fact about him is that he played soccer in college and was on a futsal team, and his team ended up winning the U.S. Cup and later went to Germany to represent America back in 2006. His team ended up losing to South Africa, the team that eventually won the tournament.
Q: Why did you decide to become a school treasurer?
A: “I enjoy helping a district stay stable and fiscally responsible. I also enjoy helping people. I like to make sure that the aspect of my job is taken care of so students can come in and do their work. Knowing that I can provide the best service available is a nice thing, too.”
Q: What was the most significant life lesson ever taught to you?
A: “Life is all about change and how you deal with the change. If you embrace the change and face it head-on, it is wonderful for your personal and professional growth.”
Q: How do you plan to spend your upcoming Summer?
A: “Well, my daughter plays volleyball, so I am hoping that her team possibly receives a bid, and we may be able to go on a mini vacation.”
Q: What is your favorite part about working in the Brooklyn City School District?
A: “I love the staff, and even though I do not get to interact with the students on a day-to-day basis, I enjoy walking down the hallways and seeing them be kids, having fun. Also, seeing them engaged in the classroom activities is something that warms my heart. It is a small district, which I like. I come from a big district, so I feel like Brooklyn is a great family-like community. Also, my wife is a Brooklyn Alumni.”
Q: If you could go on your dream vacation, where would it be?
A: “Hawaii! I think it is beautiful, and I have heard nothing but wonderful things from people who I know have gone there. The only challenging part I hear is once you are there, you never want to leave. I want to be able to see the sights and enjoy the serenity, most of all.”
Q: What is your biggest pet peeve?
A: “When everything is off balance in my day. I have to have everything organized, and I have to make sure everything is put together, or else, my day is off. I need to have that structure to make sure that everything is in place.”
Q: Favorite sport? Favorite team to root for?
A: “Any Cleveland team. I do not want to say football because it has been a rough year, but I think baseball. I have been getting into baseball a bit more, and it is a cool sport. My dad and I have also been bonding over it a lot and my son, too, which is something special. Football is a little tough to watch these days, honestly.”
Q: What is one food that you will never try?
A: “Any sort of seafood. It does not appeal to me.”
Thank you for letting us interview you, Mr. Tolar. We appreciate all that you do and all of the hard work you put in, daily. Stay awesome!
It’s that time of year again when college basketball fans drown in sadness when their championship team gets bounced early. With 64 teams involved and the eventual champion needing six wins, anything can happen.
So, who has the chance to pull it off this year and cut down the nets? Better yet, who will win the BHS Sports Staff challenge?
*South Region: The #1 seed Auburn Tigers finished with a record of 28-5. The #2 seed belongs to the Spartans of Michigan State who finished with a 27-6 record. Iowa State holds the #3 seed with a record of 24-9. Lastly, the Aggies of Texas A&M are the #4 seed with a 22-10 record. One potential upset to look out for is #12 UC San Diego over Big Ten Champion #5 Michigan.
{Editor’s Note: Not happening!}
*West Region: This region features the SEC champions, the Florida Gators, who finished with a record of 30-4. Next is the Rick Pitino led St. John’s Red Storm as the #2 seed with a record of 30-4 as well. The Texas Tech Red Raiders hold the #3 seed with a record of 25-8. Lastly, the #4 seed belongs to the Maryland Terrapins, as they also finished with a record of 25-8, too. Finally, look for Missouri Valley Conference Champion and #11 seed Drake Bulldogs to upset #6 Missouri.
*East Region: The #1 seed belongs to the Duke Blue Devils, winners of the ACC and a record of 31-3. They are the #1 overall seed in this year’s tournament. The #2 seed belongs to the Alabama Crimson Tide, who are the #1 offensive team in the country and finished with a record of 25-8. The #3 seed is claimed by the Wisconsin Badgers with a record of 26-9. Lastly, the #4 seed in this region is held by the Arizona Wildcats with a record of 22-12. Some potential upsets to look for are #10 Vanderbilt over #7 Saint Mary’s, #12 Liberty over #5 Oregon, and #13 Akron over #4 Arizona.
{Editor’s Note: Go Zips!}
*Midwest Region: Back-to-back BIG 12 Champions, the Houston Cougars, are the #1 seed with a record of 30-4. The SEC runner-up Tennessee Volunteers hold the #2 seed with a 27-7 record. The #3 seed belongs to the Kentucky Wildcats, who are another competitor in the SEC with a record of 22-11. The #4 seed is held by the Purdue Boilermakers (annual March Madness choke artists, right Mrs. Romano?) with a record of 22-11. Finally, with a record of 27-6 and winner of the Southland Conference, McNeese State is a sleeper in the tournament with a good chance of beating #5 Clemson.
Now, the moment all of you have been waiting for. The Return of the Eye Sports Staff and special guest picker Mr. Verba will make their Sweet 16 picks in the first leg of this classroom challenge.
*Aiden: If his picks are anything like his arriving to school on time, he will quickly find himself in the cellar of this challenge. Also, a staff member referred to him as “useless” when watching Aiden play in a basketball game this past season. Simply, he lit up the stats for all of the wrong reasons.
*Collin: Nobody from the marching band can or will win this challenge. The only thing he knows about basketball is how to spell the actual word. Additionally, he is about as athletic as Mr. Abramovic.
South: Auburn, UC San Diego, Ole Miss, Michigan State
West: Florida, Maryland, Drake, St. John’s
East: Duke, Arizona, BYU, Alabama
Midwest: Houston, Clemson, Illinois, Tennessee
*Jacob: Known as “Wild Fire,” this student can barely make a basketball shot on a mini hoop. He is “blazing” for last place with Aiden and Collin. Speaking of blazing, he loves baseball, but his “fastball” registers at a solid 33 mph. Simply, he can’t be trusted with picks of this magnitude.
South: Auburn, UC San Diego, Iowa State, Michigan State
*Mr. Holko: A perennial overthinker who will hold up well in this year’s challenge simply because his competition is bad, very bad. He can’t find Ohio State anywhere on the bracket, though.
South: Auburn, Michigan, Iowa State, Michigan State
West: Florida, Maryland, Texas Tech, St. John’s
East: Duke, Akron, BYU, Alabama
Midwest: Houston, Purdue, Kentucky, Tennessee
*Mr. Verba: Self-acclaimed basketball god who will root for any team who has a chance of winning. He will need to back up his picks to secure this championship and his title of “Lord Basketball”.
South: Auburn, Michigan, North Carolina, Michigan State
West: Florida, Memphis, Texas Tech, St. John’s
East: Duke, Oregon, Wisconsin, Alabama
Midwest: Houston, Clemson, Kentucky, Tennessee
To keep up with the madness of every game, visit March Madness. The first game begins today at 12:15 with #9 Creighton taking on #8 Louisville.
Good luck with your brackets and let the busting begin!
Unfortunately, racism is still a common issue, but there are many opportunities and ways to stop racism today. Many organizations fight against racism, and even though progress has been made, the work is not finished.
The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is this Friday, March 21, and this year marks its 60th anniversary.
In 1965, The United Nations acquired the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) as the starting point for ceasing racism globally. The ICERD is one of the first of the UN’s core treaties.
The Elimination of Racial Discrimination is celebrated on the same day that police in Africa killed 69 people in protest of the Apartheid Pass Law in 1960. This law requires any person of color to carry documents in restricted areas that would approve of their presence. The government removed the need for these documents in 1986.
Apartheid was a policy in South Africa that allowed for political and economic discrimination against people of color.
The United Nations General Assembly states that everyone is born free, equal, and is entitled to their rights. The General Assembly has also made it clear that all doctrines, including race superiority, are morally inaccurate and socially unjust. There is no reason to separate human beings based on their differences in race.
In 1979, the General Assembly added various activities to participate in that would, hopefully, fight against racial discrimination. During the activities, the General Assembly created a week of solidarity for those who are or were victims of racism and discrimination. The date was set to be March 21 and would be celebrated annually in every state.
Ever since the fight against racism, the Apartheid system in Africa has been shut down for its racist practices. In many other countries, racist laws and practices have also been abolished.
Unfortunately, racism still occurs, but if people gather together and fight against it, we can move closer to solving this problem.
“Until the killing of black men, black mother’s sons, becomes as important to the rest of the country as the killing of a white mother’s son, we who believe in freedom cannot rest,” Ella Baker (Civil Rights Activist).
Welcome to the fourth and final quarter. With Spring on the way (March 20), this school year will be over in the blink of an eye.
First off, the Spring musical is here with opening night this Thursday. The show will conclude on Saturday evening. Everyone involved has put so much time and effort into this production, and we hope that the auditorium is packed.
Next on the agenda, the Brooklyn City Schools will hold Community Coffee Chats with Superintendent Dr. Caleris on March 25, April 26, and May 3. At these chats, Dr. Caleris will answer questions and discuss the district’s Master Facility Plans, which include renovations to the high school gymnasium, the band room, the auditorium, and the science wings. A tour of the school will also be provided during these sessions.
Moving on, this past Friday, the eighth grade Robotics class attended The Polaris Palooza. Two events, Mad Grab and Dragster, were held. In Mad Grab, this is where students had to build remote-controlled robots that competed in a head-to-head contest to scoop up balls of various sizes; they also had to place them in different-sized containers. In Dragster, students were tasked to build a robotic car scored on how far and how accurately the car drives.
The Brooklyn eighth graders did well in a tough field of entrants including Berea-Midpark, Strongsville, North Olmsted, Olmsted Falls, and Fairview. Brooklyn took fourth and fifth place in the Mad Grab event, which featured 16 teams. They also placed fourth in the Dragster competition, which had 26 entries.
Alex Cowper, Brandon Ban, Morgan Cummings, Amira Boukenken, Jacob Perry, Izayden Delargy, EJ Velez, Bao Vo, Evander Johnson, and Christian Garcia were the members of the robotics team. Congratulations to everyone involved.
Finally, here is the late March/Early April schedule:
March 20-22: Drama Club’s Production of The Wizard of Oz
March 24-April 4: Europe Trip (Italy and Greece)
March 25-27: Grade Level Meetings and Attendance Ceremonies
March 31-April 4: Spring Break
Have a wonderful week, Brooklyn. Stay focused and start off the quarter in fine-fashion.
{To stay updated with the Brooklyn City School District, click here.}
Chosen for this week’s Senior Spotlight is Yahya Hattab. After graduation, Yahya plans to attend Cuyahoga Community College to study Automotive Technology. In his free time, he likes to hang out with his friends and family and play soccer. A fun fact about Yahya is that he is very competitive.
Q: Where would you go if you could travel anywhere in the world?
A: “I would go to Japan because of the cities, the views, the people, and the food.”
Q: What is your dream job?
A: “Automotive Technician because I get to work on cars. It’s something that I love to do.”
Q: If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
A: “Burgers!”
Q: What is one piece of advice that you would give to the incoming freshman next year?
A: “High school is fast, so stay on top of your classes.”
Q: If you could play soccer for any major franchise, who would you play for?
A: “Real Madrid because it’s been my favorite team since I was a little kid.”
Q: What will be your fondest memory from Brooklyn High School?
A: “When everyone was watching the 2022 World Cup in class and in the lunchroom.”
Q: What is your biggest fear?
A: “Slacking off or losing my relationship with my religion.”
Q: Out of your entire school career, what teacher has been your biggest inspiration or influence?
A: “Mr. Verba because he’s funny and is always positive and keeps fighting.”
Thank you for letting us interview you, Yahya. We hope that you get to pursue your passion with cars and someday make it to Japan!
The weather is starting to warm up, and baseball season is right around the corner.
After their major success last season in which they went 92-69 and were three games away from a World Series appearance, the Cleveland Guardians have made some changes to this year’s roster and are poised for another successful run in 2025.
Right after the heartbreaking loss in Game 5 of the ALCS last year against the New York Yankees, the Guardians got right to work for the beginning of a crazy offseason. The first move the Guardians made was sending Platinum Glover second-baseman Andres Gimenez and relief pitcher Nick Sandlin to the Toronto Blue Jays for second-baseman Spencer Horwitz, who later flipped to the Pittsburgh Pirates for starting pitcher Luis Ortiz and two other pitching prospects.
The Guardians’ next trade was shipping first-baseman Josh Naylor, who contributed 31 homers and 108 RBIs in 2024, to the Arizona Diamondbacks for starting pitcher Slade Cecconi and a Competitive Balance pick. Minutes later, Cleveland countered this move by bringing back hometown favorite Carlos Santana on a one-year deal.
Cleveland did lose big postseason contributors Matthew Boyd and Alex Cobb to free agency, but they returned Shane Bieber and Austin Hedges for another year and signed relief pitcher Paul Sewald and starting pitchers Jakob Junis and John Means.
So far in Spring Training, the Guardians record hasn’t looked the best as of Wednesday at 7-10, but some players have stood out early.
First baseman Kyle Manzardo, in 26 at-bats, is hitting .385 with a 1.140 OPS, tallying two home runs and five RBIs. Shortstop Brayan Rocchio is continuing his huge postseason success into the Spring with a .391 average in 23 at-bats. A guy trying to earn the starting second base job is utility man Tyler Freeman, who is hitting .381 in 21 at-bats.
As for the pitching staff, Gavin Williams is looking for a bounce-back season, and so far through eight innings this Spring, he has only allowed one run while striking out 16 batters. Another starter looking for a bounce-back season is Logan Allen, who has been excellent this Spring, giving up just one run in 10.2 innings.
The Guardians are projected to hover around .500, but this team is still loaded and loves the underdog role. A potential opening day lineup includes Steven Kwan, Kyle Manzardo, Jose Ramirez, Carlos Santana, Lane Thomas, Jhonkensy Noel, whoever wins the 2B job, Bo Naylor, and Brayan Rocchio.
The starting pitching staff will more-than-likely begin the season with Tanner Bibee, Gavin Williams, Luis Ortiz, Ben Lively, and Joey Cantillo, plus the best bullpen in baseball featuring Emmanuel Clase, Cade Smith, Tim Herrin, and Hunter Gaddis.
THE RETURN OF THE EYE 