The Musical that Moves: In the Heights

By: Margaret Leisenheimer and Frances Raybaud

In the Heights, a
musical depicting those
hoping for a better life in
the predominantly Latino
neighborhood of
Washington Heights, has
been the talk of
LaGuardia ever since
auditions were held last
spring. Composed by
Lin-Manuel Miranda and
book by Quiara Alegria
Hudes, In the Heights
follows the story of a young man named Usnavi and his hopes of one day winning the
lottery and returning to his native Dominican Republic. While Usnavi dreams of his
future, a bright, young lady named Nina returns from her first year at college to her
home in Washington Heights with a secret she knows will impact her family forever.
Struggling with their own problems, Usnavi, Nina, and the rest of the cast look to hold
onto their traditions while creating some new ones along the way.
The story of In the Heights is very intricate with high energy levels within every scene.
It is understandable then that the talented cast of LaGuardia students spend so much
time at rehearsal. Rehearsals usually last until 7:00 pm, meaning the cast must work
diligently to not only excel in the performance but in their academic subjects as well.
That being said, the added work is enjoyable. I genuinely look forward to rehearsal
when I come to school. said Madison LInsalata who plays Carla in the Friday/Sunday
cast.
Another cast mate, Jharrel Jerome, had similar feelings toward their work saying,
Never before have I seen a group of strangers bond as if they were all best friends. We
shared laughs, screams, and blatant insults with each other like it was easy to do. And
that was just day 1. Jharrel, who plays Usnavi in the Friday/ Sunday cast, later added

Come December, our goal as performers will not be to entertain you, but will be to
WOW you.
LaGuardia Arts musical, In the Heights is set to debut on the Concert Hall stage
December 4 at 7:30 pm. Each weekend will have Thursday through Saturday performances
starting at 7:30 pm and Sunday performances starting at 5:00 pm.

Making LaGuardia
High School into a
Powerhouse of
Environmental
Sustainability
by Joshua Nodiff
For the 2014-2015 school year, a
coalition of students and faculty are
working together to implement a series
of environmentally conscious initiatives
to make LaGuardia more sustainable.
We would like to address several
environmental concerns: recycling,
composting, and reducing net waste;
analyzing the wellness of cafeteria food
and fresh alternatives; implementing a
green roof, monitoring and reducing
energy usage, and installing solar
panels; and creating an environmentally
conscious community within the school
(students, teachers, administrators, and
custodial staff).
We've been investigating the policies
that the NYC Department of Education
has legislated regarding sustainability.
The DOE mandated sustainable action,
but many schools-including our own-did
not adhere to these regulations. For this
reason, an environmentally passionate
teacher, Mr. Singh, was successfully
nominated to be LaGuardias
Sustainability Coordinator, as required

by Local Law 41. We are working with

him and several other individuals to
catalyze a change, both inside and
outside the school.
For example, Cafeteria Culture, an
organization we are working with, aims
to reduce waste in public school
cafeterias while boosting the
effectiveness of recycling and
composting. The obstacle is ensuring
proper communication between the
student body and faculty. Students don't
do it because they think janitors don't do
it. Janitors can't do it unless students do
it. The issue here is the mindset and
motivation. Additionally, the chief
custodian has stated that he is reluctant
to recycle because it will "add work" for
his staff. However, the administration
has mandated that we begin recycling
December 1st. To make this a reality,
we want to create a uniform system of
three bins in each classroom: one for
trash, one for paper, and one for
plastics.
Unfortunately, we also have a shortage
of bins, and we need to acquire more
from the Department of Sanitation. In
the cafeteria,we want to create a
consciousness for students to compost,
and dispose of organics in a designated
bin. So far, we've created a new bin
system with signs for composting,
recycling, and trash.
If you'd like to get involved, please
contact the Sustainability Coordinator,
Dale Harwylczak, or the President of the

Student Government, Josh Nodiff, for

more information.
The Student Government Organization
wants to hear from YOU! If you have
any questions, concerns, or innovations
about student activities at LaGuardia,
please let us know!

Riveting Riverside
Recital
By Evelyn Tu, Amberley Canegitta,
and Valerina Young
The Riverside Concert took place at the
Riverside Church on November 18th,
2014 at 7:30pm. Music and non-music
majors alike came to enjoy the
wonderful pieces that the LaGuardia
choruses had to offer. It was also a time
for sharing pieces between each chorus,
as they had rarely had the chance to
hear each other perform due to
musicale scheduling.

Mrs. Fleischer opened the concert with

a speech on the upcoming
performances. The audience quieted.
Mr. Rogers readily relaxed his fingers
for the round of pieces he would have to
accompany.The cue was given to Girls
Chorus to rise from their seats. The
concert had officially begun.
Girls Chorus
The ladies in vibrant red with their
smiling conductor Mrs. Bishop started
the concert on a beautiful note as usual
with 6th period Girls Chorus. They
opened with Carry Your Heart, a
beautiful piece with text from E.E.
Cummings and music by Laura Farnell.
It was able to showcase the maturing
voices of the girls right off the bat and

included a descant sung by five of the

girls in the class which gave the song an
ethereal feeling to it. 9th period Girls
Chorus then followed with Los Bilbilicos,
a Judeo-Spanish piece by Paula Foley
Tillen. Along with a small group of six
girls, the piece also contained clarinet
soloist David Lee to add to the music.
Together, the voices of the girls, the
graceful piano notes, and the soothing
clarinet produced the right effect
needed. The next two pieces, I Am Not
Yours and Bonse Aba, were sung by the
entire choir allowing their voices to fully
ring throughout Riverside Church. The
touching words from I Am Not Yours
and the Zambian beat from Bonse Aba
was truly enjoyed by the audience and
stuck in their minds even as Girls
Chorus started their quiet exit off the
risers.
Mixed Chorus
As Girls Chorus walked off the risers,
Mixed Chorus slowly flooded the risers
from its once red colors to black.
Conducted by the wonderful Mrs.
Bishop, the chorus beautifully sang
three pieces composed during the
modern eras. First was The Last Words
of David written by Randall Thompson,
which was a beautifully executed piece
filled with passion and delicacy. The
varied dynamics brought the audiences
to the edges of their seats, as the
chorus declared the words of David from
the Bible. The second song was Jubilate
Deo, a Renaissance styled piece written
in the modern era by Orlando DiLasso.
It had exquisite intertwining harmonies
between the altos and tenors that
managed to connect to the soprano and
bass sections. Their last piece was I
Hear a Voice A-Praying by Houston
Bright, a soulful and heartfelt gospel that
closed off their performance. They
brought the excitement to the piece with

a back-and-forth like style, with the

sopranos singing a call and then the rest
of the chorus answering back with full
force. Overall Mixed Chorus performed
beautifully and was a joy to watch.
Womens Chorus
After Mixed Chorus, Womens Chorus,
along with the direction of Ms.Ballard,
started their set with Let All Mortal Flesh
Keep Silence arranged by Doug
Claybrook, a song perfectly suited for
the occasion. The piece magnificently
echoed and bounced back on the walls
of the church reaching into the ears of
every listener, truly keeping them silent
in awe of the beautiful piece. The soul
touching piece was followed by Duo
Seraphim by Toms Luis de Victoria
which was equally as beautiful and
maintained a feeling of wonder in the
church. Lift Thine Eyes by
Mendelssohn, caused everyones eyes
to truly be fixed on the chorus once they
hear the famous entrance to the song.
Such a majestic song that caused
everyone to be on high alert was then
brought to amazement when the chorus
started singing the a capella entrance to
the Spanish Venezuelan lullaby titled
Duerme Negrito. Two soloist
accompanied the a cappella chorus,
telling the story of a hard working
mother sending her child to sleep. The
chorus then ended off their set with a
bang with the Children Go Where I Send
Thee, a negro spiritual that truly gets
people out of their seats, dancing and
clapping. It was truly the best way to
end their set, and the audience couldnt
do anything but stand and applaud after
the song was over.
Senior Chorus
Senior Chorus is what nearly every
vocal major knows to be an example to

follow and a LaGuardia choral goal to

aspire to. It was no wonder that when
they got up on the stage, they were
expected to be a great closing act to the
concert. They certainly lived up to
expectations. Their first piece, Sanctus
and Benedictus from Missa Brevis by
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina was a
treat to watch! Instead of singing on
stage, some of the members got off
stage and stood next to the pews. My
eyes widened in awe, as I knew how
tough it was to do such a thing as a
chorus. Nevertheless, they pulled it off
beautifully. Their quality was amazing,
more than beautiful. The magnificent
voices echoed throughout the cathedral
creating an astounding effect, it swayed
the audience. Now, do keep in mind,
that was only the Sanctus of the piece.
The Benedictus was beautiful as well,
with the cadre of selected singers to
conduct and sing by themselves in the
wonderful polyphony of the piece, which
then the full chorus joined in and blasted
out the last section of the piece. Next,
Nach, dir, Her verlt michange from
Cantata No. 150 by Johann Sebastian
Bach was a truly haunting piece, with its
polyphonic fugues intertwining with each
part and ever changing tempo. Every
chorus member was active and into the
music. Os justi by Anton Bruckner
echoed throughout the cathedral
causing the audience to sway to the
magnificent harmonies and dynamics.
The Lamb by John Tavener was eerie
and odd at first, causing a lot of
audience members to be confused by its
dissonant harmonies, but when the full
chorus brought the normal harmonic
sounds to fill the church, the whole
audience was in awe. Finally, My Souls
been Anchored in the Lord by Moses
Hogan was a powerful, fun, and
passionate piece that was a beautiful

way to end the concert. It was also really

amusing to see the singers rock it out in
time on stage. Overall, the concert was
brilliant and people should go see the next
Riverside Concert in the Spring because
its such an amazing concert!
[Please note you can not use this as a concert
report. This is only for the usage of the State of
The Arts.]

Giving the Cold a Kick

Steering clear of that time of the year
By Valerina Young
Its that time of the year again! No, not the influx of holiday commercials that litter your
television screen just because Halloween is over. Its the time of the sniffles, coughs,
and an increased demand of Puffs tissues. If you are a testing vocal major, you
definitely know what Im talking about. So what must you do when you are singing with
a large chorus of nose-blowing? The answer is of course, obvious: you must protect
yourself
.
WASH YOUR HANDS before you eat, after using the bathroom, or even before you
snack in class. There is a reason why you hear this precaution everywhere you go. 80%
of contagious diseases are transmitted by touch. Its especially tough during lunch
because everyone who eats school lunch enters their number on the touchpad. If thats
the case then it is important to keep some form of sanitation with you at all times. Trust
me, you want to wash your hands before you accidently ingest a bit of someone elses
snot.
The existence of tissues are not just for wiping your running eyes, they also aid in the
prevention of spreading germs. You can cover your nose and mouth when you sneeze,
your mouth when you cough and wheeze.
Beware of germ spots or spots that come in constant contact with many people.
Like the water fountain that everyone drinks from, for example. You can easily infer that
a person with a cold drinks from the same fountain as well. So bring your own re-usable
water bottle. You can refill it at the cafeteria fountain without having to orally come in

contact with the germs of others. In a 2005 study, a spigot had 2,700,000 bacteria per
square inch, compared with 3,200 on the restroom toilet seat. Crazy! I know.
Sharing is not caring - in this case, lip balms, lipsticks, and some kinds of makeup.
Just another general tip, toss your mascara after 3 months of use. When mascara dries
and gets clumpy, it becomes a breeding ground of germs and bacteria. You know you
do not want pink eye! Pencils and pens harbor belligerent bacteria as well. You never
know if that pen was used while its owner was coughing on it.
SLEEP!!! I can hear the snickers as I type. Who gets enough of that these days? Sleep
is extremely important because an adequate amount can help keep our immune system
up for defense. Our immune system is designed to defend us from cold, flu, ailments
and what not, sleep keeps it functioning properly. Studies show that the T-cells go down
and the inflammatory cytokines go up when we are sleep deprived. This means we are
more prone to be infected by colds and flus. I am not exaggerating when I say that
sleep loss is also a life and death issue. Research also suggests that the sleep deprived
are also at a higher risk of heart disease. Coffee may keep you alert through your
exams but it cannot keep your immune system intact. The average teen needs about
eight and a half to nine hours of sleep every day. So try to sleep those hours. Try.
Eating a healthy diet. Not the diet with the kale juicing (although it does do good for
your body), but one with enough vitamins and minerals to keep you going. Fish provides
healthy omega 3s that fight colds and also help other aspects of your health. In fact, a
placebo controlled 2011 experiment published in Brain, Behavior, and Immunity
revealed that medical students who took fish oil supplements for three months had
lower inflammation levels and also fewer symptoms of anxiety- a condition that can
weaken immune function. Antioxidant rich foods like garlic and blueberries pack a
punch. Remember your vitamin C with oranges and grapefruits.
In general, if you keep good hygiene and health, the common cold should not worry
you. Also, remember to steer clear of those that do have it. Following those precautions
will keep you from being the one who is hacking away during physics. Or being shushed
during the much anticipated In The Heights. Keep calm and beat the cold.

2014 Midterm Elections:

The Six-Year Itch
By Olivia Gresham
On the fourth of November voters once
again reported to the polls to elect

government officials for the next four

years. While this may seem unimportant
to many voters, the impacts of this
election greatly influence the political
future of America. This is especially true
in a year like this, where things are bound
to change.

Regarding voter turnout, the number of

young adults who casted ballots this year
was substantially less than in the 2012
elections. While this was saddening, it
was anticipated. Less people vote during
midterm elections compared to
presidential elections, a trend that has
existed since the 1840s, believe it or not.
One thing is clear with the midterm
elections, the infamous six-year itch will
play a prominent role. Meaning, the sixth
year of a presidents two terms will end
poorly for the dominant party. This is
unfortunate news for Democrats.
The polls in New York closed at 9 pm on
November 4, and soon after the names of
the winning candidates were announced.
Andrew Cuomo, the governor of New
York since 2011, was re-elected to serve
another four years in office. Many political
analysts predicted that Cuomo would win
by a vast amount, crushing his competitor
Republican Robert Astorino. However, as
the results were tallied this was not the
case. Cuomo received 1,919,225 votes
(54%) which exceeded Astorinos
1,443,713 (40%). Andrew Cuomo
entered the election confident that he
would win the race for New York
Governor by a sizable amount, however
these expectations were altered when
Astorino received more votes than
expected. For many liberals, and
democrats in general, this conflict
presents a key problem. Astorino
possesses views that oppose ideals that
hold a crucial role in the structure of New
Yorks legislature. He opposed the SAFE
act regarding gun control in New York, he
disagrees with gay marriage, and he does
not support legal abortion. The fact that
the election was this close is a prime
example of the six-year itch.
In the election for members of The House
of Representatives, numerous counties
elected candidates of the Republican

party. Many Republican candidates were

elected across the country, even in
primarily blue states. New York state
was a part of this trend, with the number
of republican representatives currently at
nine out of 27. Despite this, incumbents
Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer will
hold their position as New Yorks
democrat senators. In terms of the
nation, Republicans possess 239 seats in
The House of Representatives out of 435,
and they gained 7 seats in Senate.
This was an interesting election.
Numerous politicians who were never
thought to be elected (or re-elected)
swept counties and states. This leads to
one key point that is undeniably relevant
in todays society; the nation is
dissatisfied with the work of Democrats,
specifically our president Barack Obama.

Faria Gives Schools a

Chance
By Amberley Canegitta
Thanks to Entertainment Weekly, LaG!
has been rated the No. 1 school in NYC,
mentioned along with other top schools
such as Stuyvesant, Brooklyn Tech, etc. It
is a great honor to be placed as No. 1, but
most schools do not have the privilege of
being ranked by Entertainment Weekly or
the U.S. Business Insider.
All public schools in New York and 13
other states, starting from Elementary
School to High School are ranked from A
through F. This ranking was started by the
Foundation for Excellence in Education in
2007, who claim that "letter grades a
glaring F, for instance help nudge
schools toward better performance in a
way that vague pronouncements of
proficiency do not." (New York Times) In
order

to receive an A, a school in New York has

to meet certain requirements such as
high test scores and a safe and
cooperative environment. If a school fails
to
meet such requirements they are given as
worse as an F as their score.
But as of this year, these letter grades are
gone thanks to Chancellor Faria.
"Schools have unique qualities that
cannot be captured in a letter grade," she
said. "They are not restaurants." Now,
schools in New York will be graded on
what Ms. Faria called the "six essential
elements": "rigorous instruction, a
supportive environment, collaborative
teachers, effective leadership, strong
family-community ties and a culture of
trust." (Wall Street Journal)
Maybe with this change, schools in New
York Cities that dont have specialized
programs like LaGuardia is privileged to
have will still be able to have a chance to
shine.

Ello Governor!
The possible emergence of the
new Facebook
by Naomi Keusch Baker
We all know that social media is taking
over our lives one post at a time. The
internet is addictive, especially for
teenagers who will do anything to
procrastinate and avoid last minute
studying for that AP test. Most students
have had at least one social media
account since the age of twelve.
Comfortable with what they have known
for years, there is no reason to delete
their profiles and restart the whole friend
requesting process on another website.

Until recently, Facebook has never been

threatened by competition, but one
small company is growing quickly: Ello.
After Facebook launched a massive
deletion of accounts in violation of its
real name policy, many users virtually
migrated to Ello. The LGBTQ
community took Facebooks attack as
targeting transgender and transsexual
people. Started by Paul Budnitz in
March, Ello is a new social network that
proclaims in its manifesto the following:
You are not a product. The website is
currently a work in progress, as
membership is only granted by
invitation. This beta version has gained
attention for its promise to never gross
capital from selling advertisements or
personal data. The service also declares
that in the event Ello is sold, these
conditions will remain true. Declared a
Public Benefit Corporation, the project
holds valuable potential for the future. If
consumers have the option to rid
themselves of the burden that is
advertising, there is little reason for
suffering through an outdated website.
Ellos marketing strategy is
groundbreaking, and it is a surprise that
no other website has done it before.
While Ello is still exclusive and not fully
functional, other startups are also taking
off. Foursquare is a creepy but helpful
stalker app to find convenient places
near a users location. The company
has used a variety of tactics to increase
interest, including creating a companion
app, Swarm. Telller (yes, with three llls)
seems just like Instagram from a glance,
but is less one-sided. Friends can
collaborate together to create and
contribute to a Story of a specific
occasion, or ongoing event. In the
startup world, people come together to

bring ideas to life. While most small companies never reach the fame they strive for,
those that succeed amaze us all.

The Quirky Holiday Village:

A Guide to Bryant Parks Holiday Shops
By Anastassia Kolchanov
It has officially transitioned to the time of the year when the leaves graciously fall, and
the temperature drops severely, while the scent of pumpkin spice lattes wafts over. In
other words, winter is here, as well as the holiday season. With holiday shopping just
around the corner, a wonderful place to stop by is the Bryant Park Holiday Shops. It
seems like Christmas Village, and it is in a sense, but if you explore the different booths
and shops of Bryant Park, youll soon realize that it is a lot more enchanting. Along with
your typical phone cases, Christmas ornaments, teas, chocolates, and beauty products,
you can also see the works of wonderful artists and jewelry makers. Here are several
highlights and personal favorites that seemed to stand out from the crowd.
Smart Glass (Booth H1)
Glass is a very interesting medium to explore,
especially when it comes to jewelry and light
sources. A series of products featured in
Smart Glass that seems understated but
wonderfully simple and modern was
glassware with the imprinted New York City
Subway system on it (shown on the right).
The idea behind Smart Glass was to
incorporate the designers knowledge of
jewelry into a medium that was more durable, reusable, and easily found. Wine glasses
were found as the perfect medium. All of the glasses come from the Las Vegas, where
one of the designers originally hail from. In jewelry, the rings of glass are fired, which
causes the glass to shrink and create its organic curves and lines, and creating a subtle
yet powerful work of art.

Studio Manhattan Vintage (Booth

G10)
These days, vintage is all the rage in
fashion. So stopping by Studio
Manhattan Vintage is a unique mix of
recycling the old and reinventing the
new. The boutique (shown left) has
vintage inspired clothing, hats, shoes,
jewelry, etc. that is dated from about the
1920s and early 1930s. What the studio
also specializes in is taking old
materials, like vintage photographs or
buttons, and create necklaces and/or
bracelets with a unique charm. Along
with these upcycled pieces of jewelry,
the shop has taken the task to create
some early 20th century earrings, and
the result is quite frankly breathtaking.
The boutique has a Roaring Twenties
vibe to it which ought to set you in the
holiday spirits.
Toparepa (Booth F1)
This cart features a dish that originally
comes from Colombia. A cornmeal
based pancake and with melted
mozzarella inside, the toparepa has a
very delicate and subtle taste to it. The food cart offers many toppings, most of which
are homemade, and the combinations are endless. Whether you want a toparepa with
goat cheese, pesto, and sundried tomatoes or one with strawberries, nutella, and
banana, the dish offers the satisfaction towards every craving of sweet or savory.
Wrecords by Monkey (Booth C3)
The comeback of vinyl is impossible to not
notice: Urban Outfitters has started a
whole new section in several stores
dedicated to record players and pop
albums reconfigurated into vinyl records.
Wrecords offers a unique material in
making bracelets and small landscapes:
recycled vinyl. Recycled vinyl is a very
versatile material, and is extremely flexible
which allows it to be a one-size-fits-all.
Quite convenient if you dont know the sizes of your best friends wrist. As the years go
by, the vinyl can always fit any wrist, and stays in its riginal color and shape. Along with
jewelry, the store offers many other products made from vinyl including, but not limited

to, plates, clocks, toys, and loads more (the shop and its various options, as seen on
the right). The clocks were extremely intriguing for they were designed and painted on
with silver, brass, and gold paint, making the groves of the vinyl stand out even more.
The creative and fun atmosphere makes holiday shopping seem worthwhile.
Of course, these four shops arent the only quirky ones to visit; there are many more
covering almost all the aspects of gift shopping one would ever need. You could spend
several hours roaming among the small lanes of the temporary village, or observe the
ice skaters and enjoy the wonderful view of the Empire State building and the New York
Public Librarys majestic research center. These shops are set up in various locations of
the city and will be up until late December: Bryant Park, Columbus Circle, Union
Square, and Madison Square Park.
There are also plenty of craft, art, and flea markets that happen at this time of the year,
so keep your eyes open.
Lets make your presents this year really innovative and creative for once, and
something that relatives and friends can cherish for a lifetime.

Sustainable
Summer
by Joshua Nodiff
Are you a student
interested in
environmental
sustainability, hands-on
field work, and have a
passion for adventure
and learning? Not sure
what to do next
summer? Travel to
Central or South
America with
Sustainable Summer, an
environmental
leadership and study
abroad program for high
school students founded
by Jeff Sharpe and
Anne Fenton.
Sustainable Summer will
ignite you with
experiences and skills
that are bound to
transform every student
into an environmental
leader.

I traveled with
Sustainable Summer to
Costa Rica in July of
2014, and had the most
culturally immersive
experience imaginable.
Starting the first day, a
diversity of students
from across the United
States introduced
themselves at the Miami
airport. As we embarked
out of the country, it
became evident that we
would quickly become a
family. We arrived in the
cloud-covered
mountains of Central
America and quickly
bonded on our bus ride
to our first beachside
destination, where we
were greeted by a
delicious dinner!
We traveled to Rancho
Mastatal, where we
studied the ecological
interrelationships
between the human

inhabitants, the
agriculture, and the
wildlife. The primary
purpose of the ranch
was to teach about
permaculture, the
holistic design of
ecosystems in which all
life thrives in mutual
symbiosis. All the food
we ate had been grown
on-site.
We focused on the
capture, transfer, and
delivery of water and the
hydrologic cycle. We
discussed the finite
nature of water and
what that means for the
future of our planet. We
even planted vetiver and
nitrogen fixing trees on
the ranch, making sure
we didnt step on
roaming hens in the
process!
We thought critically
about the current global

energy crisis and the

climatic issues
generated by the
greenhouse gasses
emitted from the burning
of fossil fuels. We
discussed a handful of
alternative energy
technologies and
solutions in depth, from
hydroelectric dams to
photovoltaic cells to
geothermal energy
harvesting to windpower farms. We all
devised a plan in which
we could become more
sustainable with our
energy consumption
back when we returned
to the States.
Later, the entire
community of Mastatal
came together at the
home of a local shop
owner to watch the live
World Cup match
between Costa Rica and
the Netherlands. After
an invigorating game in
which the Costa Rican
team performed
extraordinarily well, the
Netherlands team
triumphed in our
unfortunate defeat in
which they scored one
more penalty kick than
the Costa Rican team.
Although it had an
unfortunate ending, it
was beautiful to see the
entire community come
together as we

experienced local
culture firsthand.
We went on a full-day
horseback ride through
the mountains to a
beautiful waterfall. The
view of the valleys were
rich with a biodiversity of
plants, and the waterfall
itself was breathtaking
like nothing we had ever
seen before. We were
led by a cowboy who
could not speak English,
so this proved as an
opportunity in which we
could really practice our
Spanish.
Later, we toured a
chocolate farm, in which
we learned how
chocolate was extracted
from the beans of a
cacao fruit. We tasted
everything from the
cacao fruit to the beans
to the end product in
fact, we made our own
chocolate by engaging
in the full process and
grinding cacao beans
into powder, and then
mixing it with pure
sugarcane. The raw
chocolate is considered
a superfood by
nutritionists, and totally
differs from the highlyprocessed chocolate we
find in the United States.
In Sarapiqui, we lodged
by the jungle, immersed
by a spectrum of

bizarrely beautiful
insects, frogs, sloths,
birds, and howler
monkeys. We hiked
through the jungle with
an ethnobotanist, who
taught us how to identify
medicinal and sacred
plants and explained
their anthropological
origins. We tasted a
variety of native plants,
fruits, and endemic
delicacies to discover
new tastes alongside
medicinal properties.
We partook in a cooking
class with a local family,
in which we prepared
aliments for a dinner we
shared with them.
We went white water
rafting on a beautiful yet
dynamically ferocious
river surrounded by
flora. We participated in
a dance class and
learned the styles of
merengue, salsa, and
cha-cha. Later, we
visited two protected
ecological reserves and
took a private tour in the
depths of the rainforest
with scientists, where
we conducted
experiments and
calculated equations
regarding biodiversity
(the number of species
in a given area) and tree
height. The rain was
furious and the
thunderstorms were like
nothing we had ever

experienced before. The

rainy season of Central
America is not
something to be
underestimated!
As we kayaked on Lake
Arenal, we discussed
reforestation,
hydroelectric energy, bio
digesters, compost, and
much more. After hiking
to an overlook of Arenal,
Costa Ricas largest
volcano, we concluded
our trip with a two-night
stay at Rancho Margot.
Unlike Rancho Mastatal,
whose primary purpose
was to educate through
communal living,
Rancho Margot was a
retreat center focused
on eco-tourism. On our
way back to Miami, the
entire Sustainable
Summer family
reminisced upon all we
have accomplished and
how we have matured
into the next generation
of environmental
leaders. The melancholy
farewell will only be
temporary, as the
distances between us
will never damage our
friendships.
Sustainable Summer
was definitely an
experience that has
shaped who I am as a
leader, an
environmentalist, a
student, and a teacher.

It is beyond a doubt that

I recommend this
program to all students
worldwide, as the
knowledge and skills I've
acquired on this
adventure will be
indispensable
throughout all aspects of
my life.
To learn more, check
out their website:
http://sustainablesumme
r.org/

The True
Broadway
Magic of New
York; On the
Town
By Kate Semmens
This stunning, upbeat
musical is the definition
of a classic Broadway
Musical. From the
amazing dance numbers
to the sweet scenes to
the comedic characters
On the Town, directed
by Tony winner John
Rando (Urinetown, A
Christmas Story), is sure
to please. The show
follows 3 sailors played
by Tony Yazbeck
(Gaby), Jay Armstrong
Johnson (Chip) and
Clyde Alves (Ozzie),
through their first visit to
New York, in the 24

hours they have off their

ship. They meet the girls
of their dreams and
dance their way through
the picture perfect New
York, as described in
the well known song
New York, New York,
composed by Leonard
Bernstein score, lyrics
by Comden and Green.
When I saw the show I
had tourists on either
side. This is definitely
the show to bring your
best friend from out of
town to because of its
themes of New York,
love and its classic
broadway style. It
captures a lightness and
welcoming air that
portrays what Broadway
is all about. This show is
quite stunning and has
many amazing qualities.
The examples of this are
plainly seen in the show.
The three main men in
this production are a
force to be reckoned
with. All three are
incredible actors,
dancers and singers.
Youll think they are just
going to stand and sing
but no. They are doing
flips, splits, handstands,
pretty much anything
you can imagine, all
over the stage. The
leading ladies in this
production are very
impressive too. Ivy

Smith played by Megan Fairchild is a

leading ballerina in the New York City
Ballet and is stunning in this production.
Though she is not a very strong actress
and singer, her beauty as a dancer is
stunning to watch. The long sequences
of dance between her and Tony
Yazbeck may seem long but they never
let your eyes stray from the magic of
pirouettes, jumps and arabesques. Her
fellow leading ladies are stunning in
their own ways also. Alysha Umphress
is a funny, theatrical woman with a huge
voice. Her presence is recognizable
from the back row of the house when
playing Hildy. Elizabeth Stanley is a
magical actress who captures the wit
and attractiveness of her character,
Claire, perfectly.
And then there is the ensemble, the true
magic of any classic Broadway show.
The fact that so many people can sing,
dance, and act in such perfect balance
and harmony amazes me and should
amaze anyone who sees this show.
They really bring the whole show
together and they are the ones that
capture the feeling of the streets of New
York, with the little extra magic of
musical theatre added in. The joy of this
show really shines through and it
captures the beautiful, special magic of
Broadway that should be seen in every
show running on Broadway.
On The Town
Running at the Lyric Theater
Opened October 16, 2014
Directed by John Rando (Urinetown, A
Christmas Story)
Choreographed By Emmy winner
Joshua Bergasse ("Smash")
Price as low as 37 dollars for top of the
mezzanine seats.
http://www.onthetownbroadway.com

Not Like High School

Musical
by Jordan Meiland
So, starting at LaGuardia was very
exciting for me. I thought that it would be
exactly like High School Musical. Yep.
Thats what was going on in my brain. I
found out that my expectations of flash
mobs at lunch, and teachers being exBroadway performers were all just
Hollywood fantasy. As I got on with my
day, I slowly realized: it is just a normal
high school, except for the singing.
However, what did make the
school stand out (other than singing a lot
more) was the diversity of the students.
Every day, I see kids in everything from
jeans and flannel shirts to squid hats and
dress shirts. Back in my old school,
(Middle School 51) people mostly wore tshirts and blue jeans.

Moving on, I see that the holidays are

upon us and I am interested to see what it
is like around Christmas here. I cant see

what the rest of the school year has in

store!

By: Olivia Gresham

Every Issue of the newspaper we will be displaying one or two lucky

students submissions to our creative writing/art section. Every edition we
will also be displaying a prompt for submissions to the next issue. It can be
a short story (no more than a page single spaced), poem, visual art piece,
haiku, etc. Pretty much anything is up for grabs!
Please submit by December 15th and please submit via email:
lagnewswrites@gmail.com