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Hunter Interviews 

Once On This Island Jr.
Written by Elene Dvali

The Martin Luther King Jr. Educational Complex is partnering with Lincoln Center to cast high school students on the campus in two showings of the musical Once On This Island Jr.. The story is set on a Caribbean island, Antilles, that is ruled by a handful of gods. On this island, a young orphan girl, Ti Moune, is taken in by a peasant couple after she is saved by the gods during a flood. As she grows up, Ti Moune falls hopelessly in love with a wealthy man named Daniel Beuxhomme. It is socially unacceptable for her to marry a man like Daniel because he is of the upper class and on their island, people of differing statuses do not mix. Despite the social prejudices, Ti Moune prays to the gods in hopes of making this relationship a reality. The gods grant her wish, but little does she know that they made a bet. They wagered on whether or not love was more powerful than death, and in doing so, they put her life in jeopardy. The musical entails Ti Moune’s journey of being attracted to a man she isn’t allowed to be with and a difficult decision between love and death. 

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The director stated that, though this is a musical, the sole purpose of organizing it isn’t just to tell a story. It is to enforce a sense of community among our schools and to introduce and expose us to theater. Everyone is welcome to participate regardless of experience, but are any Hunter kids actually planning on doing so? Well, a number of random students were asked this question and though some responded with the arts not being their cup of tea, a large chunk of them said that they would love to. Many said that they wanted a non-academic extracurricular and that it seemed like something they might take pleasure in doing. Some people stated that they have done backstage/acting work in the past and that they really enjoyed the environment, people, and overall experience. Despite this, a good deal of students expressed that they simply do not have the time to make a commitment as big as this. For example, Ashley Rosales, a freshman, was asked why she was not planning on participating in the production, and she stated, “I feel like the musical in general, if I had the time, would be very fun cause you get to meet new people who have creative minds.” During the interview, she explained that she thought being a part of a musical would be a very enriching experience, but that she is prioritizing her grades and that she simply does not have the time for it. Being a part of this production takes time due to the fact that rehearsals last from 2:45 pm to 4:15 pm, two to three times a week, starting from January, up until the actual performances in April. Even though people want to participate, they cannot find the time to fit the musical into their schedules.

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The information sessions for the production were on December 12th and 14th, and it was found that many SMS (Special Music School) students attended. A couple of the interviewees expressed that they felt intimidated by the sheer number of students who were going to a high school for musical talents. They said that they stopped considering auditioning because they believed that they would not get a role when surrounded by so many that have much more experience. Overall, a lot of Hunter kids wanted to take part in the musical, but for one reason or another, they were not able to. The Lincoln Center professionals are encouraging anybody interested in participating to join them during the auditions from January 9th through January 12th, and hopefully at the performances that will be held in the MLK HS auditorium on the 10th and 11th of April.

Hobbies at Hunter
Written by Jay Rubin

Here at Manhattan Hunter Science High School, there are a multitude of clubs that students can participate in to continue or gain new hobbies. I have asked a group of students the following: 

  • Has the school given opportunities to help you develop or continue your hobbies? Which one(s) and how? 

  • Have you discovered new hobbies through the clubs and programs that  the school has to offer? Which one(s) and how?

  • Do you feel you have time for school extracurriculars on top of schoolwork already given? Is there anything the school could do to help change that?

 

A Freshman named Jesse Barshop shared how this school has helped him to develop new hobbies but also helped him continue with his old hobbies of writing and watching films. The Media Arts club has allowed him to try films and he is enjoying it so far. Jesse said, “I do have time but not a lot of time for extracurriculars. I have homework almost every night and it takes me a while to do it. The school could give less homework but I don't think that would happen.”.

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A Sophomore named  Seif Eldawaity explained how not only is he able to pursue his hobby of volleyball in lunch and gym but he is also able to pursue photography through the media arts club. He also said how being an executive in a newspaper club helped him discover his love for writing and being a part of a media team. Seif expressed, “I do feel like that as the year goes on, my time for extracurriculars starts to decrease. The workload definitely starts to pile up and you find yourself with little free time. As for anything the school could do to help, that could be reducing the workload by assigning assignments across different timeframes and or different days at a time instead of all at once.”.

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A Sophomore named  Cris Guncay communicated that, “The school has allowed me to explore and broaden my hobbies through the time we get available to focus on ourselves through the month but also toward the end of the year. There’s time for you to focus on things you like. For me, it is independent reading. The clubs where we can choose from our interests, and also clubs after school allow me to interact with people who have similar interests allowing me to develop more hobbies.”. She has relearned an old hobby of hers which is playing violin through orchestra class. She shared, “I feel that there is enough time for me to find space to do extracurricular activities outside and my schoolwork because I have classes that allow me to choose how I spend my time and how productive I feel and do my things on time. If anything the school could help with making the homework have longer time periods and also for students to get a head start towards the end of class so they can ask questions. If they start at class, there’s time for students to be able to do assignments at a certain time and not save everything for the last minute.”.

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Last but not least, a Junior named Anjum Chowdhury. She mentioned that her interest in law has been satisfied with a program the school offered called “Proskauer Law Firm”. She believes this school does provide a wide variety of opportunities for different passions the students may have. Anjum has unveiled new hobbies through the new clubs she joined this year which include Desi Club and the junior fundraiser. These helped her to realize her love for giving back to her community. Anjum also shared, “I do not think I have time for extracurriculars on top of schoolwork. This might be because I am a junior but the workload is horrendous. Also, the pressure to start looking into colleges is something that factors into this. I do wish I had more time to join more clubs, as that gives me the opportunity to interact with people I wouldn't approach but because of the work given from classes like tests and assignments plus college prep, it has been hard to manage. This does not even account for my homelife and what responsibilities I have at home. I think the school could try to keep homework minimal, my viewpoint on homework is very strong, I think school is a place for learning and should not be mixed with my home life so homework shouldn't even be a thing. I also think teachers could try to lessen the amount of busy work they give.”. 

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In conclusion, whether it’s in class or in a club, there are many options at Hunter to fit people’s hobbies and interests. 

The Oranglers

By Elene Dvali

Kozak found an orange.

In mid-October, Kozak found his very first miniature toy, an orange. This happened right around the time when one of his students had been leaving tiny ducks around his classroom, but the orange was completely out of the blue. Even though it was unexpected, Kozak did not think much of it, had a little laugh, and moved on with his day. It only became apparent that these oranges were here to stay when their appearances suddenly increased in frequency and quantity. They began as one, then two, and eventually turned into regulars of four to six every two days. These oranges appear everywhere: on the couch, on Kozak’s desk and side desk, above the whiteboard, inside the cabinets, in the sink, on the computer cart and foosball table, and even on the lower level of student desks. Twice, when he was late, Kozak even found his doorway littered with the miniatures he had become so familiar with. Now, important questions arise. Who is doing this? What does Kozak think? Why oranges? 

 

These oranges aren’t any old oranges; they all have little drawings or cryptic messages on them. The drawings are cute little faces with many emotions, some with a crude pitchfork design. The writing features humorous memos like, “I am a fruity blond dude,” and playfully threatening ones like, “You will never get rid of us.” Kozak genuinely loves these oranges and always looks forward to finding more. He even went as far as to say, “This has been one of the highlights of the school year thus far.” He said that he can always get behind a good, harmless prank. He’s gotten so invested in this prank that he has a working theory as to which class the culprit is in. Kozak believes that the person leaving these oranges is in his odd day, period two art class. When asked why, he responded with, “If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck––IT’S A DUCK IN THE PERIOD TWO ART CLASS!” To elaborate, the oranges have a trend of appearing strictly during this period, hence the theory. Kozak is continuously on the lookout for whoever may be leaving these oranges, but so far, nobody has been caught. Despite this, Kozak thinks that it is more than likely that a group of students and a possible teacher accomplice have banded together against him to pull this off. If Kozak can confirm the identities of this group, he announced that the payback would be legendary—random deliveries of various kinds of oranges for an undisclosed amount of time! Though he wants to find out who is plaguing his room with oranges, at the same time, he knows that if the identity of the culprit comes to light, the oranges will stop appearing. The prank would be over. There is a part of him that hopes this “anarchist and joyful activity” goes on forever—ad infinitum. According to Kozak, “Some of the best things in life are anonymous. In a way, everybody is possibly the person behind it. It democratizes the beauty of the prank."

 

Since he does not want these orange-leaving people to go without a name, he has decided to call them the Oranglers, short for the Orange Burglars. Along with the name he has granted, Kozak wants to send them a message. He wants to tell them not to give in to the temptation of revealing their identities, for “nothing will be gained by putting a spotlight on you.” He disclosed that he has pulled some multi-year pranks, and the longer they go on, the better the joke. As mentioned before, Kozak loves this prank and hopes that “we are inundated with oranges for the rest of our lives.” If the Oranglers were able to keep their identities a secret long enough to reveal them on graduation day, Kozak said that he would only have the biggest smile and the biggest hug to give them.

An Eventful Year

By Jay Rubin

Throughout the year the school hosts several events for the students to enjoy. As winter approaches there have been multiple events and trips as well as there are upcoming events. For this interview I have asked people what event they are looking forward to in this upcoming season, how this year compares to last year in terms of events, and if they’ve been on any trips this year. 

To get us started is Cesar Reyes. He said that he hopes there will be another winter dance this year. He said, “This year's events are better this year because I like the choices they gave you for the SEL day.” He also said how much fun the Jay-Z trip was. Cesar expressed how it was the best trip he had ever been on and how much fun the Storm King Art Museum was. 

Next is Elixandra Rios. She said, “I look forward to winter break and having the week to rest. As well as the dance and spirit week that gives me the ability to dress how I want and have a good time.”. She shared how the additional spirit week we had in October was very fun and enjoyable with the new spirit day themes. It made the month a little more fun where it otherwise would’ve been another mundane week. Elixandra also voiced her experience on the Wicked Broadway trip, “Since it was my first time going there I did enjoy it and the very colorful scenes. I enjoyed it overall.”. 

Kaspar Clay-Youman said he was very excited to be a part of the winter concert he’s doing for the orchestra. He also expressed, “It seems to me like there have been more trip opportunities like the trips Mr. Kozak has been organizing and the Broadway shows.”. Though he hasn’t been on any trips this school year he does want to and is thrilled for the next opportunity to attend one. 

Maddiysn Da Silva explained how she is looking forward to the next spirit week and, though it isn’t coming up in the winter, is also excited about the talent show at the end of the year. She said, “I think they’re more events this year which I find to be fun and enjoyable. The events last year were good, but not very frequent in comparison to this year.”. Maddisyn participated in both of the Broadway trips to see Wicked and Moulin Rouge. She expressed how cool and enjoyable it was to be able to see them. 

Henrik Tully stated, “I’m excited for spirit week because it’s fun to be able to dress how I want and not be restricted by the school dress code. I’m also interested to see what themes there will be this year.”. He proceeded to explain how the SEL day on Halloween was fun and how much he enjoyed the additional trips and events that we didn’t have last year. Henrik had the pleasure of going on the Black Rock camping trip. His favorite part was going on the night hikes as it isn’t something he would do normally and he enjoyed doing something new. 

Last but certainly not least is Yaretzi Ayala. She was looking forward to the Black Rock camping trip the most for this season. She appreciates being in nature with pretty views rather than a noisy city. She shared, “This year it seems a bit better with its events and trips compared to last year. Blackrock was also better this year as it seemed more organized and it was better having people you know there.”. Yaretzi was fortunate to be able to go on the camping trip she was so excited about. She enjoyed it just as much as she thought she would. Though it was exhausting, it was very worth it for her. 

In conclusion, there have been many and will be many more fun events and trips for students to enjoy.

Adjustment Of Incoming Freshman: A Teacher's Point Of  View

By Sofia Pyasta

The adjustment period is huge for incoming freshmen every year, from the new school, new environment, new workload, and new people. The workload is different, and so is the way that some teachers may set up their lessons. There are many opinions that students have on this change, but what are their teachers’ thoughts on this topic? Ms. Cordova and Mr. Heinrichs are two teachers here at MHSHS who teach all 9th-grade students, and here are their thoughts and feelings on this topic.

This is just Mr. Heinrichs’ second year teaching Global History to freshmen, and he has already noticed many things about the students during this period. He feels that the most visible one, for him at least, is his students trying to adapt to the new environment of high school. Most students experience a shock at first, trying to figure everything out. As he stated, “Some folks go through that 9th-grade shock, where you’re in a new school, totally new people, maybe you don’t know anyone, maybe you only know a few people. So you’re kind of outside your comfort zone, and that can take a while”. Mr. Heinrichs also mentioned how the workload may be very different for some students, how adjusting to that may also make many struggle, and how unprepared many students are mentally. During the interview, he mentioned, “The other one, the biggest one, is managing stress and anxiety, and like dealing with this new workload, all these different classes, and all these different expectations.” Through all these struggles, freshmen this year are still taking the initiative and joining many different clubs. Throughout newspaper and debate, Mr. Heinrichs mentioned seeing a lot of names on the signup sheet from this year’s club fair that belonged to the freshmen. Many students this year, besides just focusing on their academics, also try to add to that by joining clubs that they may enjoy and/or benefit from.

Ms. Cordova, the English 9 teacher, also had many opinions on this topic. Though most of them were similar, there were some other ones that she mentioned, including the pace of the students’ adjustment. When asked about what she has noticed about their adjustment, Ms. Cordova stated, “I actually feel that this year’s freshmen are adjusting quite well. Usually, it takes a little bit more time than it took this group. I think this group definitely adjusted at a much faster rate than those in the past.” She also shared something that she feels has helped many students and will continue to help them. This item has also been advocated throughout our school, and it is the planner that every student was provided with. She mentioned, “I think that planners are your friend. I think that students who are resistant to planners are hurting themselves in the end. I think that students should make the most of using their planners and every class, writing things down, and using the eighth period to schedule their time. It seems like something small but it's going to help out kids in the long run.”

Overall, there are many things that freshmen this year have been trying to overcome, while also having things that they easily adapted to. While the shock of all of the changes and stress of the workload may be bringing these students down, they have also excelled in many areas. These include the adjustment time and club initiative, which, compared to other years, the teachers have found to be much simpler for students to adapt to.

The Peoples Favorite Fall Memories, Activities, and Foods

By Henrik Tully

I asked a few people around the school about their fall experiences. The questions I asked were what each person’s favorite fall memories, activities, and foods are.
 

Yusuf:

Yusuf's best fall memory is when he hung out with his older siblings in New York City, checking out places like Central Park, Koreatown, and SoHo. They tried different foods at random restaurants, stayed out late, and enjoyed the city vibes. During the fall, Yusuf's favorite thing to do is play badminton and volleyball with his friends because it keeps him active, and without sports, he gets bored. He loves the thrill of the game and the exercise. When it comes to fall treats, Yusuf loves pies. The taste of a good pie and the smell of it baking are enough to capture the spirit of his favorite season.

 

Teo:

Teo's best fall memory is playing volleyball at Central Park with friends because he enjoys hanging out with them. His favorite fall activity is playing volleyball at the park on 72nd Street, where the fun of the game and the company of friends come together for a great time. For fall flavors, Teo likes grabbing a black coffee from his local deli—it's his go-to fall drink, simple and satisfying.


 

Steve:

Steve’s favorite fall memory is going to Koreatown with friends after school. He really enjoys playing volleyball with them after school because it's a lot of fun. And when it comes to fall foods, he loves apple pie because of its captivating flavor.


 

Nabiha:

Nabiha adores playing volleyball with friends and indulging in good food during the fall. Her favorite fall treat is pumpkin pie because of its delicious flavor. One standout fall memory for  her is from the Blackrock Camping trip, where she fondly remembers sharing a mango with her friends. The immense joy that she felt and the fun of the moment is why this memory is one of her particular favorites.

What Are The Sophomores' Thoughts On The New School Year?
Written By Akib Mortoza

Though we are all getting used to a new school year, many of the sophomore students have had an easier time settling in than when they were in freshman year. For example, Seif Eldawaity, a sophomore, has said he got used to his classes quickly and enjoys being a sophomore. When I asked him how his first week was, he said, “I was mostly indifferent during the first week. I was mentally preparing myself for school around the end of summer.” However, for others, they had a harder time adjusting during the first week of school. For instance, Imran Rahman, a sophomore, stated, “I had a bit of trouble waking up for school in the first week. I was almost always late for my first period class.” Additionally, he said that he had a lot of fun in new classes with new people. Sophomores have set goals for themselves to complete by the end of the school year. Both Seif and Imran have stated that they want to join the volleyball team, with Imran stating that he wanted to specifically be a starter. They also wanted to keep their grades above the 90s, and try their best for their classes. They’re excited for a lot of the events and activities this year, trusting the new sophomore representatives to advocate for fun activities. For example, Imran stated, “I’m really excited for the events this year because I know Mahalil [one of the new sophomore representatives] will do all of us right.” It is clear that these two students are not the only ones setting goals for themselves and engaging into school activities more, but many of the sophomores this year as well. As a lot of us are more used to highschool now, it is a good time to engage into our school community and challenge ourselves to work harder and be more productive. 

What’s Happening at Hunter

Written by Jay Rubin

As the year progresses there are more events for the students to enjoy. Who other than the student council would be the one planning these amazing activities? I asked a few members which important events the students should know about within the upcoming months, how the student council came up with these ideas, and which events have been the most and least successful so far.

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Khamani Brown, co-president, told me that some events coming up are: 

February 14th - Candy Grams

In March - A Special Surprise

May 31st - Hunter Games

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He said, “When it comes to brainstorming for events this is something we build off of each other, like say spirit weeks are the things we are talking about since we need 5 days, 5 fun days. So for that, it usually starts with analyzing what trends we see people liking already. Along with things that are well known and most importantly doable to maximize that participation. And for dances, that’s something the students in the student council would specialize in because we know our generation. In short terms, events mostly are student-led and planned with the help of advisors when needed.”. Khamani feels as though one of the most successful events through the years was the Hunter Games, “It always gets talked about, who will be better than which grade? Who has the better players? And when the day finally comes it’s a huge gathering of all the grades that never fails because of how fun and intense it is. That’s an event I think has been most successful.” While the least successful or most underrated event of the year is usually the dance, “The dance I feel is much better than the people that don’t go make it seem like you know? Obviously, it’s optional but dressing up, dancing to whatever song you like, and being with your friends is lowkey important when it comes to memories. But with that, there’s only one way to find out. Some changes we plan to make for new and future events are the way they are advertised, making sure we know it’s something the student body will engage in with little to no fallback, and that most importantly we see people having fun.”

 

Kiran Srikant, sophomore representative, says that some important events coming up are: 

February 14th - Valentine’s Day Candy Grams

March 20th - Freshmen Mixer Field Trip. 

She explained how the student council uses ideas that have been done in the past but renovated them to make them new and more interesting. They usually find things the school is lacking and come up with ideas on how to fix whatever the issue is. Srikant states, “I think the most successful event based on attendance was the winter dance last year. It was really fun even though the decorations and general aesthetics weren’t as great as the spring dance, which went poorly because barely anyone showed up. For our upcoming dance, we are hoping to create a nice aesthetic and advertise a lot so that the dance will be very successful.”

Ayanna Walton, a sophomore representative, has informed me that one of the important events the students should keep an eye out for is the Under the Stars dance on February 2nd. This is important for students to know about because it is a way for students to bond and meet new people in a non-classroom setting. Walton explained, “We come up with ideas for our events by listening to what our classmates want and then bringing it up in meetings to see where we go from there. But sometimes a member or Ms. Veras, our advisor, comes up with an idea and then it’s pitched in the meeting so we can decide whether or not it will work so we can start to plan.” She believes that the most successful event was the spirit weeks because so many people participated and showed their creativity. She doesn’t think any events were necessarily unsuccessful, however, she thinks it would be nice to have new people partaking in these activities rather than the same people always showing up. 

Emilio Guerrero, sophomore representative, explains, “There are a lot of events coming up soon and some that are still being worked on. To start off, there is a dance coming up on February 2nd. This is important as it will help students put their heads in something else other than work and it’s a great way to spend time with friends. There will also be Hunter Games which the date is to be determined but it’s an excellent way to show off your school and grade pride and your skills as well.” He says that ideas for events like mixers come from the student council members themselves. There is a brainstorming process for what they think each grade will enjoy, while still taking suggestions into account. Guerrero states, “Most of the events, mixers, and spirit weeks that have been put on this year have been successful as many students have been satisfied with them and participated in them. Of course, there will always be a group of students who won’t be satisfied, we can’t make everyone happy. But we do try to, as we are planning to bring more fun activities and make them more pleasing and hear more from the student body. The best way to do this once again, is if students share their ideas with us.”

 

Gavin Li, freshman representative, says that some important events coming up are:

March 20th - Freshmen Mixer

February 14th - Candy Grams

He says these are crucial because not only have many peers been anticipating a trip, it will give them a break from the hard work they have been doing at school. It will also be nice for people to have the opportunity to buy candy for the people they care about at our school. Li explained how there are specific times when the ideas are based on what the student council members come up with off the top of their heads, then the best ones are voted for unanimously by the whole team. There are other times however where Ms. Veras, the advisor for student council, will take ideas from past events and revamp them to make them more successful. He stated, “It has only been a few months through the school year so there haven't been too many events. However, I think the most successful so far is the Vlogmas from the Hunter-news crew but I'm not exactly sure how the behind-the-scenes went for them. But the videos came out to be pretty entertaining and I looked forward to watching them every morning. The least successful is probably when we put candy inside the phone pouches for Halloween because we ended up putting candy in a bag for the teachers to distribute so it wasn't surprising to many people. I would probably try to be more involved in the planning phase of events and voice out what other people want.”

There are many fun events coming up for all grades so don’t hesitate to join in and have fun with your peers. Tickets are on sale for the Under the Stars Dance for $3. They will be selling at the door on February 2nd for $5. Don’t miss out!

Basic Necessities Available to Students 

Written by Sofia Pyasta

Many teachers are constantly being asked for basic items that students may need. They may not have these items, or there may be students who are afraid to speak up and ask for them. So how are some teachers trying to make these resources more accessible in classrooms?

One teacher that is trying to do this is Ms. Cordova, the 9th-grade English teacher. She has put together a box that is in her classroom with different items that students may need. This includes Band-Aids, pads, tampons, nail files, cough drops, and many other items. Throughout this, she has also learned what NOT to put in the box, due to how students have misused it. She stated, “The issue that I came across, though, is that I put mints and gum in the box. Within the first day, they were pretty much all gone because kids were running to the box when they got to class and then taking 4-5 pieces of gum out.” After being constantly asked for these items, she stated that she feels it would be much easier to have these items available for students to just take whenever they may need them. She also stated, “I usually have these things in my bag or my cabinet, but I was like, if I have it in a box it will be something that is easier for students to access”. When asked about how she came up with this idea, she stated that she has seen many big events have an essentials box available in bathrooms, and after having one at her own wedding, she decided to reuse that box in her classroom. Having items like these in the classroom can minimize distractions by having to ask for these items and possibly search for them, and always have these items available when they may not have been before. It can also make the classroom a safer place for students and make them feel more comfortable, by not having to ask and always just having these items available to them. When asked about how she feels about most classrooms not having this resource, Ms. Cordova stated, “I don’t think every teacher needs to have a box like this, but I think that teachers should be more aware of what students may need throughout the course of the day.”

Overall, having a box like this and having these resources just available to students can be very beneficial. Sometimes students do not have these items, even when they need them most, and just by making this box, it has been easier for most students to get these items at any moment.

A Night Under The Stars
Written by Elene Dvali

    There has been talk among the students asking when the next school dance will be. They’ll be happy to know that it is happening on February 2nd––the Friday after Regents Week! The dance is taking place at five thirty pm in the south cafeteria, where there will be snacks, music and lots of dancing. A sophomore, Emilio Guerrero, recommended that everybody, especially the freshman, come to the dance. It would be a night where you let loose and have fun with your friends. For the freshman, it would be their first experience with a high school dance, allowing them to live the movie-like sensation that everybody expects when going into high school. Emilio was asked if there was any advice he would give to people who have not been to any Hunter school dances. To this, he responded with, “Come in without nerves, and if you’re nervous, don’t let that shine.” He stated that the nerves will soon disappear because, by the end of the night, you will end up having lots of fun.

Many said that last year’s winter dance was really fun, filled with people laughing, taking photos and just enjoying themselves. The expectation when going into the dance was that everybody would be dancing and having fun, which is exactly how it was. People enjoyed using the photo booth and somebody even did a backflip! Overall, many commented that last year’s winter dance was wonderful and had a great vibe. Hopefully, the same will be able to be said about this year’s upcoming winter dance.

DANCE IS CANCLLED !!!

The Outlook on Candy

By Elene Dvali

            This past Valentine’s Day, the Student Council distributed Candy Grams. A Candy Gram is essentially a pouch of sweets that you can send to a special someone or a friend on Valentine’s Day. During a one-week window from February 5th to 12th, Student Council members sold them at lunch and after school. Each Candy Gram was sold for a dollar, and for an additional dollar, a rose would be added. Numerous students found the idea of Candy Grams appealing and bought them. We know that a lot of people participated in this holiday activity, but what was the student body’s overall opinion?

To start off, the initial thoughts of many were that sending a little gift to those special to them was a cute and fun way to show appreciation. For some, buying Candy Grams was favorable to going out and getting something on their own simply because it was more convenient. For the price of one to two dollars, their recipient would receive a pouch of sweets sometime during the school day. They liked that getting, assembling, and delivering the little bags would be done for them at a very affordable cost. Another plus was the anonymity of it all. Those who wished to get a gift for their crush were able to do so without having to tell them they liked them. For this, there was a great deal of positive feedback on the Candy Gram system.

Despite the fact that the Candy Grams received a lot of praise, they also got their fair share of criticism. The extreme length of the line when ordering the Candy Grams was a common complaint. Many said that the line was long and disorderly, which deterred them from purchasing a Candy Gram. Students stated that a line of that length should have been organized and controlled, but instead was extremely chaotic and had no rhyme or reason. Buyers were getting skipped and those passing by were blocked by the onslaught of people. Another complaint that came up a lot was the content of the Candy Grams. Students wished that they had been informed of what sweets the Candy Grams would actually consist of. When the Candy Grams were received, it was noticed that they mostly contained chocolates. The problem with this is that the content of the bags was homogenous and the buyers had not been asked for any allergies that the recipients may have. This made it difficult for those who are allergic to chocolate or its ingredients to enjoy the sweets. Furthermore, as it turns out, a significant number of students do not enjoy chocolate and would have liked to see some other candies in the bags as well. So that, along with the allergies, made people wish for a larger variation of sweets. The content of the Candy Grams brought up another unexpected factor: the roses. The roses were advertised as “roses,” and people took that as them being real roses. So, when the Candy Grams were received, it was somewhat of a shock to find that the flowers that accompanied the candy were plastic. Even though there is nothing wrong with plastic roses, it is the fact that they were not advertised as such that somewhat disillusioned students. Knowing that the roses were not real likely would not have changed people’s wish to buy them, but it certainly would have removed the slight surprise factor.

It can be seen that there was a good amount of criticism aimed at the Candy Grams. Despite this, most said that if given the chance, they would buy again next year. With better organization of lines and more variation of sweets, if Candy Grams were to come back next Valentine’s Day, they would receive an even larger number of clientele.

Hunter's Homework

By Jay Rubin

           Here at Hunter, a common conversation topic is the workload given. I went around and asked a few students the following questions:

  • Do you think there is too much homework assigned? Is the way you feel due to the time you begin your homework?

  • Do you think this homework helps you learn the material better? If so, why? And if not, how would the opposite benefit you more?

  • Do you feel that the amount of homework given is because of the amount done in class? Do you think the amount of work completed in class is sufficient enough for you to fully comprehend the material?

Sophomore, Ana Cruz explained that she feels like the workload this year isn’t as much compared to last year especially depending on the classes you take. She usually starts her homework a bit later based on the assignments due. Cruz strongly believes that the speed at which you complete the work is a matter of whether you understand the material or not. She also believes that homework does help show your understanding of the work at hand. Cruz shared, “I do feel like the amount of homework we receive in the majority of classes is based on what you get done in class...The amount we complete in class for the most part is enough to fully comprehend what’s going on but it depends on what it is that’s being taught because there can be times when you’ll just zone out for a few minutes and get somewhat confused with what’s happening but it’s pretty simple to get back on track. So yes I would say that the amount completed in class is enough to comprehend and if not then you could always ask someone who you know was paying attention for help to explain what it was that was being said in class.”

Junior, Anthony Wang explained that there isn’t a lot of homework for the juniors. He starts his homework at around 8 or 9 PM and he has no trouble completing all of it. The assignments given are tied to what is taught in class and are essential to fully understanding the material. Wang stated, “The amount of homework and CLASSWORK is enough to comprehend everything.”

            Sophomore, Lex Abrego how there is a reasonable amount of work assigned. However, she does feel stressed with the recent due time change from 11:59 PM to 10:00 PM as it gives her less time to complete her assignments. Abrego feels like some homework assignments are helpful because they build off of what was learned in class. While others do not help because it is practically new material she has to teach herself. She shared, “I think yes and no for the amount given is because of the amount done in class because sometimes the teachers add the unfinished class work to the already given or assigned but for other classes, not much will be done in class but other classes it can be like very long packets and stuff but then other homework’s are added on top of that. The amount of work given in class is sometimes but also sometimes not enough for me to fully comprehend the material just because they give mostly the gist of stuff. Or it takes them many days to finish lessons to get the full amount of information for someone to be able to comprehend fully the material. But also some teachers plan out what they can fit in a period which goes at a pace that’s easier to comprehend.” 

            Sophomore, Vi Tong believes that there is not necessarily too much homework assigned but would prefer it if teachers posted a schedule for the homework assigned for the week and if tests for classes didn’t overlap as much. She does procrastinate however she knows that that doesn’t add to the workload and says starting homework earlier is more beneficial. Tong said, “For some classes homework I do see how it can help with class work and the curriculum as a whole however it doesn’t exactly help in allowing me to retain or learn the material better because I am just trying to get it done. This depends on the class and day it’s assigned because, for example, the majority of the note work and questions assigned help me learn the material a lot more and help me feel prepared for tests. no homework wouldn’t exactly benefit me but homework should be assigned in moderation and not just for busy work.” She shared that the amount of homework assigned can reflect what is done in class however some homework is to practice at home to boost your understanding of the material. What is completed in class varies on the subject and person. Vi works better at home because she has more time and can work at her own pace. This differs in other subjects because she believes in certain classes the classwork is sufficient enough for her to fully understand the material and the homework just helps practice that skill. 

            Overall, there is no consensus on is the workload is too much or not but a good rule of thumb is to not procrastinate so you are not too overwhelmed. 

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