Spirit Week has been an almost-two-decade tradition here at Benjamin Franklin Middle School. Started at this school by former guidance counsellor Davel Tashian and Science teacher Trella Dolgin, it compiles aspects of participation, competition, and teamwork together to make a school-appropriate, work-intensive, and fun challenge occurring every year to give each grade and the staff a chance at glory. Challenges such as getting the most donations in food drives, donating money in the name of your team, and beating out the other competitors in participation of a certain dress theme are all parts of this unforgettable event. The grade which wins Spirit Week  is written permanently in a record of past winners, and winning is seen as an eternal achievement for the grade. Spirit Week is considered, by many, one of the most memorable parts of middle school at BF.

All Spirit Week challenges before the Minute-to-Win-It games are scored with a 5-, 3-, 1-, 0-point system, where the highest participating team wins 5 points and the lowest wins 0. The official Spirit Week week typically begins right before Spring Break in the month of April, but many scoring opportunities are given beforehand. The first of these opportunities is at the beginning of the year with Pink Out. Taking place on the third Friday of October, students and staff are required to wear pink to spread awareness for Breast Cancer, and each team is scored based on participation with the system mentioned above.

Moving into November, the teams are asked to donate packaged food for the Thanksgiving Food Drive. A different food is designated to each team, with the foods typically including stuffing mix, gravy, and peas. The donations are given to the local food bank.

January brings the Souper Bowl, occurring alongside the Super Bowl, where students have to donate soup cans. From there are miscellaneous events that are sprinkled in by the school up until the actual Spirit Week. This year’s was Lots of Socks, as a tribute to National Down Syndrome Day.

The events of Spirit Week itself are randomized and change every year, save what occurs on Finale Friday. Each day, prior to Friday, focuses on an alliteration theme, with this year’s composed of things like “Mad Hat Monday” and “Tropical Thursday.” There also exists something called Penny Wars, present through the first half of the week, where members of the team contribute coins to a jar (or several jars), with pennies being worth added points (+1) and any silver subtracting from those points in the same amount as their monetary worth (e.g. -5 for a nickel). 

The results of the Penny War are saved until Friday right before the real final (Minute-to-Win-It), where they can be used in the event of a tie for the top two teams. Penny Wars is an extremely successful fundraiser, raising more than a thousand dollars each year, and is one of the most critical events. When stopping by the table, one can oftentimes find a crowd of kids unrolling countless pennies to stick into their designated jar. It’s also a competition of strategy, where jars neglected to be sabotaged could mean the win for that team. It isn’t always about achieving the most money in the positive, but rather the less in the negatives.

Finally, the entirety of Spirit Week is tied together with Minute-to-Win-It games. Minute-to-Win-It consists of simple mini games that can be completed through precision and concentration. The mini games either require participants to finish before the other team or to finish the given task within a time allotted (typically a minute—hence the name—sometimes more or less). The winning team of each game gets a point. The team with the most points by the end of the games wins. 

 These games give an excellent opportunity for second place to swoop in and grab the win for themselves. This means everything for the team because no matter the difference in points between first and second place, Minute-to-Win-It places them on an almost-even playing field. First place is given a one-point advantage, but that can easily be overtaken in the heat of the moment.

The winners of the Minute-to-Win-It games are awarded the title of “champions.” Students are then presented with one final challenge to secure a “Week of Champions” which includes a week of handouts that consist of things like free snacks, extra recess, stickers, etc.

Spirit Week was started in 2006, making 19 winners total in its history. Only one other grade in these 19 years has ever gotten a back-to-back win, in the years 2007 and 2008. 

The BF staff has never had a recorded win. There was one year where they made it to the finals against the sixth grade and technically won, but the then-principal Mr. Orsini bestowed the win on the eighth grade. So, while the BF staff has won once, they were not credited for their win. To this day, nobody is aware as to why that is.

There are some grades that have won more often than others, but the team that wins Spirit Week is majorly dependent on the nature of the people in it and how willing they are to participate.

The BFMS class of 25 has managed to accomplish what some regarded as unreachable. Winning Spirit Week, starting from 6th grade and maintaining that enthusiasm through all three of their years at BF, a victory known most commonly as a “three-peat” or “3peat.” 

This win is considered exceptionally hard to do for an assortment of reasons. The first and most obvious is the devotion obstacle. As students go through the years at middle school, it is not unlikely for them to lose their desire to participate—in anything really, but generally school-orchestrated events. Another cause of sudden disinterest is a lack of consistency. It’s hard to hold any goal over a prolonged period of time, and much less for three whole years. The other reason is the age factor. Sixth graders are the new kids, with the least experience and least respect from the upper grades. However, this at the same time opens the “underdog” opportunity, where the underestimated are able to snatch victory after everyone has expected them to lose.

This year’s eighth graders were not going to begin their sixth grade school year quietly. The year was 2023 and they had decided, immediately, that they were in Spirit Week to win it. The grade above them, the then-seventh graders, had also decided they were in it to win it. After an exhilarating back and forth between the two teams, sixth grade had placed first, allowing them into the finals. With their one-point-advantage, the then-sixth graders quickly gained the score that would seal their win. The seventh graders would not forget that.

The next year (2024), the sixth grade moved into seventh and the seventh grade moved into eigth, the stakes were at a new high. With the idea of a three-peat instilled in their minds, BFMS’ class of ‘25 was fully committed. By April, they had racked up enough points to cinch a top two spot only part way through Spirit Week. By Friday, the then-seventh graders were in first, the eighth grade in second. Things were tense. Would those eighth graders get their revenge? Would the seventh grade achieve the second back to back win in BF history?

The eighth graders, though in second place, were desperate to repay the nasty loss the seventh graders had dealt to them. The seventh grade, on the other hand, paid them no mind and went on to secure their second win of their middle school existence with their one-point lead, making them the very second grade to every win twice in a row—already a very impressive accomplishment.

Fast forward to 24-25 and the eighth grade seemed to be heading straight for a three-peat. An air of anticipation had taken hold of the school. Could the eighth grade keep up their will to win? Was it worth it? That unease cleared as the games began. Eighth grade truly wanted that win.

The eighth grade began with a great start, kicking off their journey to a three-peat by winning first place in Pink Out immediately. As the year slowly progressed, there were set-backs that brought back the initial worries, like the Thanksgiving Food Drive where they ended up in last place, but they came back immediately in the next challenge with even higher percentages. Spirit Week started with Mad Hat Monday, earning the eighth grade their first win of the official games. Then the streak continued onto Team-Up Tuesday, where the eighth grade won once again and again at Wildlife Wednesday, where they continued the run. Though they did not win everything, the eighth grade had garnered a following that hoped to see this three-peat achieved.

While it’s already known that the eighth grade won Spirit Week a third time, that doesn’t take away from the effervescence and vigor of every person in the auditorium before and during the start of Minute-to-Win-It. The eighth grade, unsurprisingly, despite donating heaps of pennies in the Penny War, placed dead last. The grades below them were out to get them. It didn’t matter though—they were going into those finals in first place.

Minute-to-Win-It started and ended with a bang. 5 Minute-to-Win-It challenges that gave the eighth grade their final win. The first game was taken by the eighth grade as well as the second. The auditorium was in uproar—some happy, some not. Then the seventh grade came back with a win in the third game. This fourth game would define whether the eighth grade won their three-peat. The game started and immediately, there was more intense cheering and booing, from both sides. The booing was hushed, but the cheering resumed. Some were scared, too apprehensive to say anything, and others couldn’t keep their mouths shut. The sixth and seventh grade were practically begging for an eighth grade defeat, but the eighth grade and teachers were screaming for the third and final win. Would there be a comeback? That’s what the seventh grade was hoping for, though it seemed unlikely. Everything was up for grabs in that third game, and one team came to deliver. The eighth grade breezed past the seventh grade to grab their win and place them into legendary BF status as  the first three-peat in Spirit Week history. 

Preferring not to let the other prepared games go to waste, Minute-to-Win-It continued though the eighth grade had guaranteed their win. There was some confusion and anger—Did they win or not??—but the staff urged the students on and the next games commenced. Whatever, the eighth grade thought to themselves, they were going to win. Finally, Minute-to-Win-It ended, and Mr. Ordini declared the eighth grade the winners, but it wasn’t over yet. There was one final challenge that determined if they won their Week of Champions. 

This would be the final challenge the eighth grade would ever face for Spirit Week. Would they win this, too? Or would they experience their very first loss of the Week of Champions?

A student, Dashiell Murray, was chosen by the participants of Minute-to-Win-It to represent their team. He would have to blow marshmallows off of red solo cups with only a party blower and then stack them. The tension was palpable, the whole eighth grade was terrified beyond belief of losing this final win. It would mean a final bragging right, a reward for all their hard work and dedication over the course of three years. This was everything to them. So what would happen? It all lay on the shoulders of Dash. He began his timed challenge—he would get 30 seconds—and, almost immediately, won for the eighth grade. The auditorium exploded with cheers and screams: they had done it! The whole of the eighth grade was screaming as they ran up to the stage and cheered for their final and greatest win. It was a story for the ages, and they received their own new trophy, in honor of their achievement, that would be used for the three-peat wins of Spirit Week to come.

There won’t be another Spirit Week three-peat for at least three years, giving the new middle schoolers of BF enough time to prepare. The current seventh grade, despite their inability to achieve a repeat, plan to come back stronger than ever for next year. One seventh grader, preferring to go by the alias “Goose,” confirms that the energy of Spirit Week was at an extreme high, and that seventh grade plans to keep the energy levels up for the next year. They plan to up their participation, bringing in extra shirts and supplies for the dress- and food-related events, with confidence in their ability to achieve a victory with the eighth grade gone.

Eventually, this three-peat will dissolve into an old BF tale, a series of numbers, but for now, the eighth graders bask in the pride of the victory that marked their place eternally in Benjamin Franklin Middle School’s history. As they leave the school, they can be satisfied knowing what they’ve accomplished. Three-peats are unlikely—only one has ever been achieved in 19 years—and whether another win like this is even possible is entirely up to the spirit of the grades to come and their determination and teamwork.

So, what will it be? Can you do it?

Never have five words instilled such dread in me. I have memories of myself back in a kindergarten classroom, standing in a circle while my classmates introduced themselves. When it was their turn, they told the class their favorite color or what they did over the summer. Some were enthusiastic, others shy.

None of them were me.

I had no voice at all. I was powerless as I waited for what was (in my mind) the Circle of Doom to land on me. I didn’t know the kids to my left and right, and I couldn’t ask anyone to skip me, so the teacher didn’t. “Tell us something about you,” she said. I opened my mouth, but no words came out. The teacher gave a strained smile and repeated the question, thinking I didn’t hear her. I heard her—I knew I was supposed to answer the question, yet all I could do was freeze and wait for her to get the message.

It took many moments for the teacher to realize I wouldn’t answer. Dozens of six-year-old eyes stared me down, all because the reply that my favorite color was light pink was stuck in my throat. It wasn’t that I wouldn’t speak, as everyone assumed. It wasn’t that I was stubborn and chose silent treatment to get my way. I simply couldn’t. My vocal cords, normally fine, stopped functioning as soon as my mom dropped me off at my elementary school door. I’d say goodbye to her, but I could only wave if anyone else tried to greet me. It was one of the worst feelings imaginable, especially since I was only a child and didn’t understand why all the responses clashing in my head dumbed down to silence. I knew what I looked like, body frozen and face entirely blank. I needed help, but I couldn’t show it using my body language or my voice.

Later that year, I got diagnosed with selective mutism disorder, a severe anxiety disorder most common in children. I had a label for that awful catatonia. I don’t remember the formal screening process—I was too young—but I’ll always be grateful to my parents for noticing my struggle and doing something about it. Although they must’ve been confused and agitated about me “acting oddly”, they took me to a behavioral therapist to get evaluated. If they hadn’t, I might’ve kept burrowing into my shell forever.

I’ve since thought a lot about what could’ve caused my mutism. I remember, vaguely, lying on a carpet in preschool and contemplating what it would be like to not talk, then experimenting by doing just that. That was the starting point of it all. Honestly, I can’t pretend I’m not sometimes furious at my younger self for forcing me into a whole incredibly frustrating mental health journey just because she was curious about what would happen. It’s even worse since that moment fractured my life into two chapters: Before Selective Mutism and After Selective Mutism. I spoke with no problem before that.

My anxiety manifested in other ways as well, not just becoming unresponsive and freezing up. For the first two years of elementary school, around kindergarten to late first grade or early second grade, I couldn’t eat in school or ask to use the bathroom. Teachers tried to help me, letting me use the bathroom in the nurse’s office or eat in a space other than the cafeteria. It didn’t work. I couldn’t shake the feeling these adults (who were only trying to accommodate me) would judge me if I did eat or use the restroom, like me finally “giving in” would warrant some huge, uncomfortable reaction. That phrase “I couldn’t” seemed to trail me everywhere.

What I was most afraid of was other people having strong reactions if I finally talked. I worried about people being shocked, gasping out loud, or pointing at me. I feared drawing attention. I hated when people made a big deal of me, so as a first grader, I preferred to stay off to the side and become unnoticeable rather than make an effort to fit in and face the consequences. If I knew for sure nobody would care if I suddenly broke my silence, I would’ve done it much sooner.

I wasn’t scared they’d judge my voice but the fact that I talked at all. As I stayed silent, my peers formed this image of me as the quiet girl. I was artistic and academically smart, sure, but silent, which is generally a deficit when trying to socialize with others. However, I did make friends. I’ve never been without friends—these friends accepted that I didn’t talk and played with me at recess or came over to my house anyway. They were good to me, as good as little kids could be, and I appreciated that a lot. Still, the disorder worked against me. As the days ticked by, it became harder for me to even consider breaking out of my quietness. I’d gone so long silent that it wasn’t even worth it at this point to try to change it, right?

I had friends, which helped, but they couldn’t rewire my brain. Too anxious to eat around my peers, I starved each day from 8 to 3. I couldn’t even eat the snack my mom packed for me during snack time because, again, I was scared someone would comment on it. My abstinence became a pattern; patterns became a resistance to change. At the end of the school day, as we drove past the school in my babysitter’s car, I would finally eat all of my lunch. Where nobody could see me. It wasn’t an eating disorder, just an extension of my anxiety. My mom tried to pack fruit smoothies for me in place of lunch since they were a drink and not food (I could drink water during school without issue) but I’d drink a few sips and then stop.

No matter how much I tried to, I obviously couldn’t avoid my classmates entirely. I had so much trouble communicating with others because they’d always misunderstand me. I could only nod and shake my head at them, and they hadn’t learned to somewhat interpret my hand signals the way my friends had. It was like a language barrier. In a way, I guess it was. I know it wasn’t their fault, but I was known as Other to them. I was different, strange, odd.

My diagnosis meant I could get a 504 plan, a document that listed accommodations I had for my selective mutism. My teachers referred to it to help me, so they knew not to call on me randomly or try to force me to speak. They let me skip my verbal reading assessments and gave me white boards and notepads to write with so I could feel included in class discussions. They were doing the best they could. They were doing all they could, but I think I’ve always had a strong aversion to “extra help”, even if I genuinely need it. My young self found it demeaning. I absolutely loathed going around the circle and, instead of being skipped, giving an answer scrawled on a white board. The few seconds of shifting, awkward eyes while I wrote my Expo marker response always got to me. I felt like an animal.

In first grade came that event that shook me to my bones. For their birthday celebration, everyone eventually had to bring a parent in to read their favorite picture book aloud. My dad came on December 11th, and the reading went fine. That is, until he pulled out his phone and played a video.

The video was of me sitting in my dad’s office in teal pajamas and talking to him in this playful, high-pitched voice. I was only comfortable speaking around my family—I sat in his nook overlooking the window and just talked. He recorded me, and I assumed it was to save the memory. After he recorded, I specifically asked him not to show the recording to other people. He promised he wouldn’t.

Do you know what he did? He showed that video to my entire first grade class. It was a private, silly video of me he swore he wouldn’t share with anyone. He was so quick to break what I thought was a promise. It broke me. I know he was trying to help me open up in the only way he knew how to, trying to lift me up and move me forward. It did the absolute opposite. It just made me less inclined to talk.I still look back on it as one of my most embarrassing moments, and it felt in the moment like the deepest cut of betrayal. Young me was ready to never forgive him for it. I came up with this: my own dad, my 아빠, didn’t understand my SM. He went against what he said he’d do, and that hurt. A lot. 

In second grade, my parents got me books about real people with selective mutism. It was so cathartic to realize I wasn’t all alone, that just because I was the only selectively mute kid in my grade didn’t mean I was the only one in the world. The downside was all the authors overcame it earlier, just months after they were diagnosed. I felt alienated for having gone through for two years with no discernible progress.

After that, I did make some progress. It finally became a steep upward slope instead of a plateau, and pretty much all of my major breakthroughs happened in second to fourth grade. I started eating in the cafeteria among my peers. I can only assume I took the goal in parts, eating in front of others only when my mom volunteered for lunch duty at school. I’m happy to say I don’t starve the whole school day anymore.

My mom helped me figure out what worked for me. I sent videos of me saying hi to people I wanted to start talking to in person. I did voice recordings and virtual reading assessments. It was easier to speak from behind a screen, although it still wasn’t easy. The first person I spoke to was a negative presence in my life—they threatened to end our friendship if I didn’t say one word to them within the next five seconds. I’m no longer friends with them today. The next person was easier and didn’t make a big deal of it, and my mom tells me it was like a dam broke when all the words I hadn’t been able to say to them came rushing out. Nobody quite had the shocked reaction I feared so much, which was a relief.

My circle expanded from there, but that isn’t to say my disorder magically cured itself. When I say nobody quite had such a visceral reaction to my talking, I mean they came close. The first person, the toxic friend (although I didn’t know it at the time) started screaming and running around when I told her I’d talked to the second person as well. It made my blood curdle.

I still didn’t raise my hand during class. As strange as it sounds, I found it easier to talk to strangers than to people who knew me. The strangers didn’t expect anything of me. They didn’t know I had selective mutism or expect me to be silent, so I could converse with them without them being shocked. Along those lines, I frequently wondered what it would’ve been like to move to a new town and a new school, where people didn’t know me for my mutism. I imagined being a whole different person, a girl who confidently raised her hand instead of suppressing her answers and keeping them in her head, a tangle of mental math and gymnastics.

It got better from there. There are still countless things about my journey that I haven’t mentioned here. I have a lot of things to say, which is why I’ve become a writer. I just want to remind you that just because someone is silent doesn’t mean they have no thoughts in their brain. They might not show their struggle in a way that’s easy to understand, but their struggle is still real. Just because someone has severe mental health issues and you don’t doesn’t make you stronger or them weaker. We are all going through something at some point. When my classmates realized I was speaking to some of my friends, some of them were bitter that I was “picking favorites”, which couldn’t be farther from the truth.

There’s not nearly enough mute representation in media. Society tramples all over the idea of muteness, automatically assuming that selectively mute people are just shy or socially awkward. It’s important to understand that shy, socially awkward, socially anxious, introverted, and selectively mute are all completely separate things, although they can coexist. Selective mutism is a disability; it impairs a person’s ability to talk and, sometimes, their ability to form lasting relationships. But disabled people are not unreachable. Bridge the gap between you and them if you can. If a teacher skips over someone during whole-class presentations, don’t immediately be outraged at their “special treatment”. If someone receives extra time for test-taking, don’t complain about it. Assume they have a 504 plan/IEP or just need different accommodations than you do to succeed the best they can in school. I hope after reading this, you will make an effort to be more understanding. I hope you will give people a little more grace.

Recovering from a mental health condition isn’t linear. There are days when I fall back on my 504 plan. I’m no longer in the clutches of selective mutism, although I still carry a lot of anxiety around. I took a Public Speaking elective this year because it was required, and I enjoyed it. I’m still not the first to raise my hand in a classroom—in fact, I try not to raise my hand if I can help it—but I’m no longer wound up like a string. I can talk to anyone now. However, I’m still naturally introverted, which isn’t a bad thing. In simple terms, it just means people are extremely tiring at times. Introversion isn’t a pathway to extroversion. You’d be surprised at how we introverts can thrive; I can’t help but cheer for my people.

My anxiety can still be debilitating. I still tell myself to stop “spinning my wheels” when it’s 4 a.m. and I’ve been through three consecutive sobbing breakdowns yet still can’t sleep. I’ve had multiple panic attacks and days where I’m so anxious it feels like I can do nothing but stalk around my room and wait for life to happen to me. This isn’t to say the recovery process is impossible or not worth it. You might be worried about not being taken seriously or that you won’t be able to explain what’s troubling you, but I’m sure there’s someone you trust. Start with that. To be vulnerable is not to be inferior.

My final note is to the ones with anxiety: I see you. I hear you. You’re valid. That’s all.

 Understanding Anxiety and Panic Attacks

Your breathing becomes shallow as you keep thinking about the English paper. You try to calm down, but nothing seems to work. What you’re experiencing is an anxiety attack. It comes with worry, distress, muscle tension, chest pain, headaches, dizziness, sweating, and shortness of breath.

Panic attacks are similar but slightly different. They may include shaking, numbness or tingling, chills or hot flashes, nausea, a racing heart, or hyperventilation. In fact, about 35% of people will experience a panic attack at some point in their lives.

To help prevent anxiety attacks, try grounding techniques like remembering people, places, or objects that make you feel safe. The tapping method—where you gently tap on specific points of your body while repeating affirmations—can also help. And of course, seeking support from a mental health professional is always a strong option.

Introducing Mr. Feeley

Recently, The Bolt sat down with Mr. Feeley, the crisis intervention therapist at Ridgewood High School to discuss the current state of teens and their mental health. Before working in Ridgewood, Mr. Feeley spent eight years helping people recover from substance abuse at a rehabilitation program in Paterson. After that, he felt called to work with students, where he could support young people navigating the challenges of mental health.

Getting help can feel scary, like it means something’s wrong with you. But really, it just means talking to someone who helps you make sense of your thoughts and emotions. It’s normal to feel nervous—even terrified—but reaching out for help is something to be proud of.

“Sometimes, as a therapist, you sit with somebody, and you know you’re in it,” Mr. Feeley said. “You’re getting in there, and you’re talking about stuff. And it’s not that comfortable stuff—it’s painful stuff.”

He also shared, “People have a way of dealing with very painful things by not feeling them at all.” But avoiding difficult emotions only makes things harder over time. Many people find healing in outlets like painting, writing, or drawing—ways to process feelings without words.

Mr. Feeley reflected on his time in Paterson: “I was around a lot of people who did a lot of bad things. And I was very lucky. When I got close with people, there was a powerful mutual respect… oftentimes that kind of safety is what would help people heal.”

Dealing with Pressure

Pressure can be overwhelming—it builds up until you feel like you might crack. Mr. Feeley explains: “Kids come up to me… they have very challenged reactions to the stuff they’ve signed up for, or the stuff they feel they should be doing. A ‘tradition of excellence’ is plastered on the side of the building—but that doesn’t mean being better than the other guy.”

According to TransformingEducation.org, 75% of high school students and 50% of middle school students report feeling constant stress about school. Managing your workload is important, but just as vital is taking care of your mental health along the way.

Supporting a Friend in Crisis

Your fourth period ends, and you’re walking with a friend to math class. You notice something’s off. You ask what’s wrong, and as they explain, things seem to get worse. Panic sets in. What should I say? What do I do?

The most important thing? Just listen. Sometimes, people simply need someone to hear them. Being that person—whether you’re a friend, classmate, or teammate—can make all the difference.

However, if someone confides in you about self-harm or suicidal thoughts, that’s not something to keep to yourself. Even if they ask you not to tell anyone, getting an adult involved is crucial.

Mr. Feeley shared a story: “A seventh-grade boy came in with a friend and said, ‘We’re worried about our friend.’ It wasn’t that common for boys to speak up at the time. But their friend was in trouble. We brought in the parents and got him help. I think he just finished getting his PhD. People can get better.”

Mental Health Resources and Student Reflections

People hear the term “mentally healthy,” but what does it really mean? It’s different for everyone. What does being mentally healthy look like to you? Maybe it’s doing things you enjoy, setting goals, pushing out of your comfort zone, or just trying your best.

As one Ridgewood High School freshman, Zurie Yela, put it:
“I feel like [resources] are open, but not as widely heard of or expressed.”

Even in middle school, mental health resources are often overlooked. Many students think only guidance counselors are available, but behind the scenes, there are also therapists and teachers—people like Mr. Feeley—ready to help. Sometimes, doing the bare minimum—like listening or asking how someone’s doing—is actually the most important thing you can do.

Another student we spoke to shared how difficult the transition from middle school to high school was. “Middle school prepared me for some of the drama, the stress of homework and tests,” she said. But high school came with even more pressure—and uncertainty about the future.

We asked if she knew about Mr. Feeley. “I’ve heard of him,” she said, “but I’ve never been to him. I usually talk to my friends or the guidance counselors since I know them better.”

That’s common. Many students don’t realize what Mr. Feeley does or how much support he provides. Raising awareness about these resources could make all the difference.

Moving Forward

“I walk slowly, but I never walk backwards.” —Abraham Lincoln

Looking back on tough experiences is never easy. But recognizing how much you’ve grown—how far you’ve come—is powerful. Some experiences stick with us, but healing starts with focusing on the next right step.

“We always have to kind of focus on the next right thing,” Mr. Feeley said.

Being stuck in a negative mindset can feel like there’s no way out. But studies from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs show that 15–43% of girls and 14–43% of boys experience at least one traumatic event. Talking about it, being heard, and using the resources available to you are the first steps toward healing.

“If there’s one message I’d give to someone struggling with mental health,” Mr. Feeley said, “it’s: You are not alone.”

We all carry something. And even just letting a little bit of that weight go can bring the first real feeling of joy. It’s not about pleasing your parents or worrying what your friends might think. It’s about you—finally being ready to accept help, and accept yourself.

And if you’re struggling and need to talk to someone now, you can always call 988. They’ll be there when you’re ready.

But locating suspects is just one of many roles they fill. Police dogs are also involved in search and rescue operations, suspect apprehension, area sweeps, evidence recovery, and the detection of narcotics and explosives. Their versatility is the result of intense training and selective breeding, ensuring only the most capable dogs make the cut.

Recently, The BF Bolt spoke with Sergeant Spina and Sergeant Cutrona, two veteran officers with the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office Canine Unit. Their insights shed light on the rigorous training and deep bond that define this special team.

The canine unit is one of the most elite assignments in any department. It’s a rare opportunity that requires hard work, grit, and relentless dedication. According to Sergeant Spina, “You need three years of service within our department to be put in for a special unit — specialty unit meaning canine, meaning SWAT team.” The role demands more than physical strength. It requires resilience, adaptability, and the ability to rise to extreme challenges. For the dogs, it’s a complete lifestyle change — adapting from their supplier environment to building a close, trusting relationship with their new handler.

Canines and their handlers train side by side in a demanding program that lasts about nine months. The first six months are spent in patrol school, where handlers and dogs learn the fundamentals of criminal apprehension, tracking, obedience, and bite work. The final three months are spent in an advanced program, where each officer is paired with the dog best suited for their style and assignment.

Of course, this training is physically taxing and often risky. Officers are expected to perform exercises that simulate real-life emergencies. “You’re gonna carry an 80-pound weight across your football fields, place the 80-pound weight in the vehicle — that simulates if your dog gets hurt in the field,” Spina explains. This type of preparation ensures that both the officer and the dog can depend on one another, building mutual trust and a shared sense of responsibility.

What makes canines so effective is their biology. Dogs possess a staggering 300 million olfactory receptors, compared to the human average of five million. This extraordinary sense of smell allows them to detect scents we’d never notice. But it’s more than just tracking — dogs use scent to assess emotions, detect fear, and recognize threats. In tense moments, this can de-escalate dangerous situations before they spiral. As Spina says, “You take ’em out on track of a suspect, nine times outta ten, you know that person’s gonna give up if we find them.”

Speed is another key advantage. Dogs run faster than most humans, and from a suspect’s perspective, the sight of a police dog often signals the end of the chase. If intimidation doesn’t work, their bite certainly will. Their training ensures they only use force when absolutely necessary — but when they do, it’s highly effective.

The Bergen County Canine Unit primarily uses two breeds: German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois. “They’re like a Swiss Army knife,” says Spina. While the Malinois may be stronger in tracking, both breeds are prized for their well-rounded abilities — including protection, obedience, and suspect apprehension.

Each dog has a specific “drive” that determines their strengths. Some have a “play drive,” meaning they’re highly motivated by activity and interaction — great for agility and engagement tasks.  The dogs are trained with toy rewards so as to not be distracted by food smells and other things that may influence them to provide false hits. Others have a “hunt drive,” making them tenacious trackers, ideal for searches involving missing persons or hard-to-find evidence. Identifying these traits helps match dogs with tasks where they’ll thrive.

Over time, handlers and their dogs form incredibly close bonds. They work together daily, trust one another with their lives, and develop a communication that goes beyond commands. “They’re like us,” Cutrona says. “They all have different personalities.” These connections often lead to lifelong companionship.

When a police dog retires, the partnership doesn’t end. Officers are given the opportunity to adopt their canine partners. As Officer Spina shares, “We pay $1 — so right now, even though all these dogs retire, we get to keep them.” Technically, the dogs belong to Bergen County while on duty. That symbolic $1 ensures they become a permanent part of the officer’s family after retirement.

Canine units are more than just tools of law enforcement — they are loyal partners, highly trained specialists, and heroes on the frontlines. From tracking fugitives and locating missing persons to detecting explosives and de-escalating dangerous encounters, their presence is irreplaceable. Behind every successful police operation is not just a courageous officer but a dog that has trained for months, earned trust, and formed a powerful bond with its handler.

These dogs don’t just serve — they protect, persevere, and sacrifice. And when their time in the field ends, they don’t disappear into the background. They retire with the officers they stood beside, not as equipment, but as family.

The cast is relatively small with only 7 actors. Those actors being the ones mentioned previously as well as Besty Wolfie as Cordelia, and Tracie Thoms as Charlotte. The whole cast delivers mind blowingly amazing performances that really bring the story to life. Stephanie J. Block(Into the Woods, Wicked, The Boy From Oz), Christian Borle(Spamalot, Legally Blond, Peter and The Starcatcher, Some Like It Hot, Little Shop of Horrors), and Andrew Rannels(The Book of Mormon, Hedwig and The Angry Inch, Hamilton, The Boys in The Band), all deliver specifically emotional performances that are really touching and show just how amazing the show really is.

The show was created, and written by William(Bill) Finn, who is best known for ‘Falsettos’, and ‘25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee’. The show is directed by the legendary James Lapine, who is best known for directing ‘Annie’, ‘25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee’, ‘Falsettos’, as well as writing ‘Into The Woods’. This version of Falsettos is the 2016 revival that was filmed and aired on PBS.

Falsettos originally debuted on Broadway in 1992 as a combination of the two off Broadway musicals ‘March of The Falsettos’, and ‘Falsetto Land’. There is a third off Broadway show that the other two were based on. This show is ‘In Trousers’ again, written by William Finn, and directed by James Lapine. ‘In Trousers’ follows Marvin reminiscing on his early life. Although ‘March of The Falsettos’ serves as the first act of ‘Falsettos’ and ‘Falsetto Land’ serves as the second act, ‘In Trousers’ has no presence in ‘Falsettos’. ‘Falsettos’ genre isn’t completely clear but it could be described as a tragicomedy, due to the duality of comedic and heavily emotional scenes throughout the musical.

The show uses no on stage effects throughout the entire show besides a couple of lighting tricks. There aren’t really any sets either. The show uses many differently shaped foam blocks, which the actors set up to act as furniture, props, and sets. The minimalist set design allows the viewer to focus just on the amazing story, songs, and characters instead of over the top sets and effects. 

However there are a couple actual set items used in the show. In some scenes there are beds, and couches. However a majority of the set is made up of foam blocks. The show’s pacing is pretty fast but doesn’t seem so while watching. What this means is that the show takes place over the course of  three years but it doesn’t feel very fast paced while watching, and the show takes its time with scenes and character development.

There is a 2 year time jump from 1979 to 1981 between acts one and two so that is where a lot of the time comes from. The 2016 production of the show, the one this review covers, only ran for 84 shows on Broadway running from October 27th 2016 to January 8th 2017. This may make it seem like a failure but it was planned to be a limited run show from the start. During this run it earned itself 5 tony nominations for best revival of a musical, best actor in a musical(Christian Borle), best featured actor in a musical(Andrew Ranells), best featured actor in a musical(Brandon Uranowitz), and best featured actress in a musical(Stephanie J. Block).

It’s safe to say this show was a huge success that people still connect with today. This show mainly appeals to teens and adults as it may be a little inappropriate for younger kids. The show has a TV certificate of Tv-14. ‘Falsettos’ is regarded as a special musical because it’s not only a show people enjoy, it’s a show people deeply connect with. Even today 8 years after the show ended thousands of people discover the show for the first time through the recorded version and fall in love with the brilliantly written story, characters, and soundtrack.

The show is entirely sung through with the soundtrack being 2 hours and 12 minutes long. Because of this the songs have to really move along the story and convey the characters emotions. This is one of the main reasons that the soundtrack is so emotional and has such rich storytelling throughout. The entire officially recorded show that aired on PBS is available on youtube right now for free. The show did also have a limited run in theaters playing at select theaters in America, however box office data for this run is unknown. But the box office data for the Broadway run is known where it grossed over 8 million dollars over its 84 performance run.

Interestingly enough the original 1992 Broadway run ran for 486 performances and grossed about 24 million dollars adjusted for inflation(11 million not adjusted). Compare this to one of William Finn and James Lapines other shows ‘25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee’ which ran for over 1,130 performances between 2005 and 2008 and grossed over 65 million dollars adjusted for inflation(45 million not adjusted). There’s no question that William Finn and James Lapine are a super successful team when it comes to writing and directing. Overall ‘Falsettos’ is a funny and emotional musical with an amazing cast and soundtrack. This musical has earned itself a 9.5/10 star rating.

Veliky’s inspiration to create a bakery came from her love for baking from a young age. “I grew up baking,” Veiliky says. She also went to the Institute Of Culinary Education for pastries, and proceeded to work in many bakeries before opening her own brick and mortar store. After careful consideration, Veliky decides what her objective is for the bakery. “I’m just gonna focus on donuts.” She says.

Many of Deanne’s items are made with a sourdough base, which is a unique twist on your usual baked goods. Some foods that are sourdough are the donuts, which is rare to find elsewhere. “Anything that’s yeasted is sourdough based, there’s no commercial yeast,” she says when talking about her pastries. Some of her donuts are filled with interesting flavors like creme brulee or lemon cream. Deanne’s shop has an abundance of donuts and other goods to choose from.

When deciding her menu for the month, she’ll add items she’s craving or if she sees something inspiring, she might include that too. “I change the menu almost every month and we’ll usually add things.” Veliky says. The menu has some seasonal flavors, like lots of pumpkin options in the fall. 

Since she has been in Ridgewood, she has had many different experiences with her clients. “Everyone has been really positive,” Veliky says. The Ridgewood locals are very kind and supportive of the new bakery. Part of the funding for Black Magic was acquired through a Kickstarter campaign which allows people to invest in a business before it is fully formed.  Veliky expands on the Kickstarter campaign, and how it helped her grow her business. “It was launched last year, and was a way to get funding to open a business. It was just a way for people who were already followers to help.” Through this process she was able to secure enough funding to open her store. When asked if she planned on expanding the business, she said that there were no plans for that at this time.

As far as the work environment goes, it’s super fun and exciting. However, the reason why she is only open Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday is because it’s extremely hard work, and the most manageable thing for her is the current situation. Just because she doesn’t work everyday, doesn’t mean she isn’t at the bakery 24/7. Working and preparing for the open days is a hard task, especially when you work with pastries. She also doesn’t want to make baking her whole personality, although she still loves to bake. “Just because we’re closed those 3 days, I’m going in right after this to mix all my dough for the week.” Veliky says. It’s hard to work in a bakery, but it’s worth it when you see the satisfaction of viewing the final product and the joy it brings to the customers.

If you are in the mood for a magical pastry experience head on down to the bakery to find out for yourself what the fuss is all about.

On January 28th, 2024 the Bow Tie Cinemas Warner Brothers Ridgewood movie theater closed for good.  On the sign outside the theater, the words ‘Closing Farewell’ struck the citizens of Ridgewood like a dagger to the heart. Ever since then, a big hole has been left in the town, and people have been wondering what would happen next. Many questions were left unanswered like why did it close, was it the cost of tickets or was it lack of interest? The BF Bolt, interviewed Tony Damiano, the head of the Ridgewood Guild, and Mayor Paul Vagianos about the plans for the vacant space.

Many other theaters around the country had suffered the same fate as the Ridgewood theater. After the theater closed, there were only “two theaters left” owned by Bow Tie Cinemas, Mayor Paul Vagianos of Ridgewood, said. There are many reasons why the many theaters across the country have closed. One main one is that due to Covid-19, many people didn’t feel comfortable going to the theaters, and drifted more toward online streaming services. “…With films streaming so quickly and all the cable options and such highly inflated ticket pricing, the theater’s audiences have dwindled.” Tony Damiano, director and founder of the Ridgewood Guild, said, “Ticket sales definitely declined during the pandemic.” Due to this, many streaming services have been thriving and replacing the role of movie theaters. Many people would rather wait for the movie to come on their personal screens at home than have the potential risk of catching a sickness or traveling to the theater. While watching a movie in the comfort of your own home may feel safer, it could take away the fun of watching the lights dim, and the film projected on a big screen.

Covid not only hit the movie theater, but many other businesses as well. The movie theater was hit the hardest, but few businesses were able to recover. “A lot of businesses went out of business, many have recovered, many have not,” Mayor Vagianos said. As the people of Ridgewood work to rebuild the theater, other businesses also work hard. The movie theater and three other stores around it are available to purchase. “…and there are three three retailers to the left of the building. The cupcake shop, Gong Cha, and D’or Jewelry, so it’s a whole package…” Damiano said. 

Currently, inside of the barren building  four separate movie theaters sat unused,  two on the first floor and two on the second. Damiano is working to transform the space with the help of the Ridgewood Guild, the Mayor and various other members of the community. “So my idea, and the industry people agreed with this, is to do the lower level in a 700 to 800 seat theater, which would be great for performing arts and such.  Up the stairs we will create a small movie theater, which again will probably hold 150 to 200 seats.” Damiano said. 

This new space will be able to benefit the people of Ridgewood drastically. “It draws people downtown and when you go to the theater, you might take in a dinner before you watch a movie or get an ice cream or something like that so it’s supporting our businesses, and it gives kids things to do actually.” Damaino stated. 

One of the main concerns of transforming the theater is who will be paying for the renovation. Volunteers, “funders and fundraising” Mayor Vagianos said. Taxes will not be affected for the making of the theater.  “We’re going to need them to first help fundraise because I’m sure we’re going to need some more money to get this done.” Vagianos said when asked what the people of Ridgewood can do.

As the people of Ridgewood anticipate the arrival of the performing arts center, the town hopes that it opens by 2032. “It was built in 1932, so in the back of my mind, I thought wouldn’t it be great to reopen by [a century after] 1932, if not before,” Damiano said, “ because a building that’s 100 years old could be put on the national register for which historic buildings, and our theater certainly qualifies.”

It takes a village as the old saying goes, and this will be well worth it when this project is completed. Once again the downtown will be bustling with a space to watch a movie, catch a concert or view some art.

While similar in their Fantasy genre, Lightlark focuses on the story of rulers competing on a secret-filled hidden island, whereas the first book of Emblem Island, Curse of the Night Witch, follows three kids as they navigate an island filled with folktales and mythical creatures. Curse of the Night Witch is rated 4.5 on Amazon and the direct summary of the book, pulled from the novel itself, is, “After changing the fate he has known since birth, twelve-year-old Tor Luna, accompanied by his friends Engle and Melda, must visit the notorious Night Witch to break the curse he now faces.” Inspired by Colombian folklore, Curse of the Night Witch will bring you into a world full of vibrant colors, creatures, and events. However, there are some flaws that keep this book from being as good as it could’ve. Here’s a full rundown. 

Comparison

Curse of the Night Witch is a Fantasy book intended for children aged 12 and under, meaning it’s going to run into some similarities with other kid series. The most popular comparisons that have shown up are Percy Jackson, for the idea of a world based on cultural stories, and Harry Potter for the magic (obviously) and friend group. 

While the concept of the book is definitely similar to Percy Jackson, it manages to take its own completely different route, which sets it apart from other mythology-inspired series that feel like plain copies of Percy Jackson. Percy Jackson focuses more on the gods, prophecies, and mythical creatures, while the world of Emblem Island is more like a storybook come to life. 

With Harry Potter, though, the resemblance to the main three (Harry, Ron, and Hermione) is very evident. As I was reading this book, I wondered why the friend group worked so well—none of the friends fell victim to harmful stereotypes, nobody stuck to one trait only, the female character wasn’t perfect while the boys were idiots—and I got the answer to this question after reading the online reviews. Tor, Engle, and Melda were extremely similar to the characters of Harry Potter. There was Tor, the cursed main character who was struggling to lead and had his friends always there to back up; Engle, the comedic-relief side character who really liked eating food, yet was actually more helpful than he initially appeared; finally, Melda, the smartest of the group who kept her friends in line but had her own flaws.

So, if you enjoyed Harry Potter because of the friend group and would like to see that friendship revived in a new journey, you may want to try this book out (but keep reading because the plot is still important). If you are going to be bothered by the idea that the book “ripped off Harry Potter,” put this review down and find a different book. 

Would I say the book ripped off Harry Potter? No, absolutely not. The only thing inspiration was really taken from was the friend group dynamic. The characters still have different stories from the characters of HP, and the plot, magic system, and world are incredibly different. How so? Let’s get into that.

Plot

The plot was one of the positives of this book. The pacing was good (though it did get slow), the characters don’t face ridiculous plot armor, they have their own struggles, and it’s all structured very well for the target audience. Before you continue reading, it is VERY, VERY important to remember that this is a KID’S BOOK.

In Curse of the Night Witch, the main characters use the “Book of Cuentos,” a storybook well-known on the island, to guide their journey once they realize the stories of the book may not actually be stories. While the idea of “the stories they thought were tales are actually real” is a bit generic and overused, Alex Aster manages to use components of other books to keep this plot point from feeling bland, and I’ll explain why in the “Writing Style” section of this review.

However, I do recommend that if you’re not a fan of the simplicity of children’s books, you may not like the plot as much. There are many events in the book that can be seen as repetitive if you’re looking for a solid climb through the story. Books not targeted for children typically have more complex plots, looking to use the events for a big build up, and books intended for children—specifically of the action or fantasy genre—have many events where the character must fight something, but for the sole purpose of entertainment and/or to get the plot moving. 

This is, in part, what this book does. Throughout the course of the story, the children come across monsters that they either have to defeat or evade. The idea of each situation goes as follows: encounter a monster, panic, get—or almost get—slightly wounded/hurt, have friends come to save them or create an intuitive plan, move on. A typical novel written for a higher age would normally use a close call situation like this to have some sort of meaning towards later on, but since Curse of the Night Witch isn’t for a higher age group, these fight scenes just serve as filler for the plot. Still, I won’t say these scenes don’t serve their purpose. They were written in a way that you could picture (almost) everything, and they got you through the book—albeit a little slowly. 

If you’re worried about being bored to death from the repetition, that’s actually not a big issue. As long as you’re a kid—and I would know—looking for adventure, you will be fine. If you read things like Percy Jackson and watch shows/read books where the characters have to encounter many obstacles before reaching their goal, the plot won’t bother you. Yes, at times it feels like the characters are just fighting monsters, but you can also see the characters start to trust each other more and each obstacle reveals a little more about them. To add onto that, the fight scenes are also varied so it doesn’t feel like a “same text, different font” situation.

If you’re not a kid like that, and are rather one that would prefer a perfectly fitted plot where everything has meaning and there are deep, underlying themes, there are many other options out there. Do not feel obligated to read this book, because you can put your time to use with something else.

Now, back to the plot in general, I do have one complaint about the plot, and it’s that this book didn’t reach its full potential. Emblem Island had such a cool concept (colorful lines on your palms that show your fate, a storybook that also serves as a path to an adventure, markings that give you an ability, so much backstory to the creation of the island itself, the value of color in the world), and I am a little sad that it worried more about the quantity of the writing over the quality. The fight scenes were described, you learned of the story of the creatures they fought, but the story missed the point to put depth that’d be fitting for a children’s book, the Night Witch as a character especially. Aster brought up a lot of unanswered questions within the world of Emblem Island, and I’m just wishing they’ll be expanded upon in the rest of the series.

Worldbuilding

At first glance, the worldbuilding of Curse of the Night Witch seems entirely fine. That is, until you take the time to pick it apart, which is what I had to do for this review. Trying to figure out what time this story took place was probably the hardest for me. 

In the first chapter, you get the idea that the characters who live in Estrelle, Tor’s village that lies at the edge of the island, would live like islanders do. There were mentions of “island” and “morning song” and “village chief” and “writing on leaves” that make you think the people live more traditionally, and I think this is the part where Aster struggled. It feels like she combined part modern aspects with part traditional customs to make a world that was easier to write. For example, the characters act like they belong to a very modern timeline, and in the beginning when Tor was in his house, things were described as similar to today. Their village also included many urban attributes when it felt like Aster was trying to get across that it wasn’t city-like—hence “village,” and “chief.” That was my main complaint about this world. Other than that, your comprehension of the rest of the world got better because as you went along, the world turned into much more fantasy, and you could tell that the idea was that the characters existed somewhere in the past (or at least somewhere without modern technology). 

The magic of the world and the differences from a realistic world are pretty well developed compared to the communities. The characters have emblems, markings on a part of their body that give them special abilities, and lifelines, rainbow streaks across their palms that read your future. Each of these things have a specific backstory, backstories that are described in the Book of Cuentos. There’s a place called “The Shadows” that is supposed to refer to the place that creatures lurk (because they live in the shadows), and as the characters get closer to this place—a place completely devoid of color—the vibrancy of the towns start to leech. There are mythical creatures, all of which were created by Alex Aster (or at least I think that’s the case), so there isn’t overlap between two different cultures. This is very easy to understand and follow, and it didn’t result in any plot holes. The confusion seemed worst at the beginning, when trying to understand Tor’s village.

My final take on the worldbuilding of Emblem Island? The world itself and its concepts are cool, though bits and pieces of it feel undone. I think that if Alex Aster had taken the time to go over her worldbuilding a little before writing the book, it could’ve been perfect, or at least almost perfect. Again, I don’t know what’s going to be resolved in the second book or the future of the series because I haven’t read the rest of the series yet. Do with this information what you want, and just understand what you’re getting into if you choose to read this book.

Writing Style and Formatting

What I loved most about the style of Curse of the Night Witch was how Alex Aster paired the general chapters with direct stories from the Book of Cuentos to foreshadow and provide more context to the general plot, as the characters are using that book to make their journey. Each additional snippet was placed in a well-thought out manner, and it snaps into place with the rest of the plot even if you don’t realize it at first. This is one of the reasons I enjoyed the book, and it’s also a main reason the book didn’t feel bland style-wise. I’d definitely give this aspect of the book a 5/5 (4.5/5 at worst) in rating.

Next, though, Alex Aster’s own writing style during the book is what I didn’t like as much, but that’s just personal preference. There were times when I felt wording could be better, and she reused some comparisons unnecessarily. However, that’s a pet peeve of mine in many books. The writing style is fit for a kid and isn’t going to be flawless, so this doesn’t matter much, I just wanted to give my take on the writing.

Character Depth

I really loved the characters of Curse of the Night Witch, and this is where so much potential was missed. In the book, you hear brief mentions of each of the character’s background and home life, but Aster didn’t focus on it as much as she focused on continuing the story. It’s like she built the idea of the character, then forgot to execute it.

For example, Melda and Engle. They each had very prominent personalities that made them feel like real people, but they had problems going on in their life that were vaguely mentioned as problems. Melda lived in a big family with overworked parents and sick brothers, leaving her as the one who had to do the most work in her family. This made so much sense for why she wanted to be a leader and why she was always determined to be good. Some of the way throughout the story, after the friends had endured much together, Melda admits how she was always one-upping Tor because she wanted to prove herself. Tor’s mother was the chief, and how was she supposed to compare with that? If Alex Aster had written more on that, even just spreading parts of it evenly throughout the story, it could’ve given Melda’s character so much more. Instead, it feels like she just threw it on there to give Melda a character arch. Again, I haven’t read the next book yet, so there’s still a possibility for this to be expanded upon later. I really hope that’s the case.

Next, there’s Engle. Out of all of them, Engle’s family life is the most blurred. There’s a scene where the characters come across illusions of their family, trying to trick them into failing a challenge. Engle is written to not have hesitated to walk past the illusion, knowing his parents wouldn’t have cared about him that much. Engle’s neglect is mentioned in other parts of the story, but never really explained. This. Could’ve. Been. So. Good.

Tor’s character also felt a little flat. Like his friends, he also had traits that could’ve been explored to give him depth. His mother’s the chief, which put pressure on him as the oldest child and the one with the leadership emblem. He’s expected to lead, when what he wants to do is swim, so much that he wishes for another emblem. He learns lessons along the way, has to deal with the fact that sometimes he has to let other people lead, and realizes he didn’t want to be a leader because he didn’t disappoint anyone—it wasn’t the emblem he hated, it was the pressure. This would’ve been great if it had been a show-don’t-tell scenario, not a dump-it-on-the-readers scenario. 

In short, while all the characters had their flaws and didn’t feel annoyingly perfect, there was an opportunity loss with their depth. I understand this is a kid’s series, but the best kid’s series were the ones that weren’t afraid to take a chance on putting a little more complex themes into their characters, because the child either understood or didn’t, and that didn’t take away drastically from the plot. Focusing on these characters also would have kept the plot from feeling filler-filled and more worth its length. BUT, the characters do act their age—mature enough to problem-solve but still young enough to make childish mistakes—and that’s a plus. Aster definitely knows how to write believable pre-teens.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this book is nothing special or extraordinary, but it isn’t bad. To be honest, it feels like many of the other minorly-popular fantasy children’s books: good, but not as good as the famous ones. It really just comes down to preference for whether or not this book is worth reading. Does the idea of a magical storybook world outweigh the possibility of less character depth? Is the time the book is set in going to bother you the entire time? Is every small problem going to bother you? Ask yourself those questions. I don’t think I drastically lost anything from spending the time on this book, but I don’t think it was worth the 300+ pages. If Alex Aster had mixed those battle scenes and the journey with well-measured character reflection, I think that would’ve made the story feel more fulfilled.

Either way, this is completely up to you. I really think you should give it a go if you’re looking for an action-filled story with heartwarming friendship. It’s better than Lightlark; so if you liked Lightlark for the world concept, read it, and you didn’t like Lightlark for the plot holes, you still may like this book.

Happy reading!

What is the Taylor Swift Effect?               

 All fandoms typically have a huge economic impact. A recent article published by Falon Fatemi on Forbes describes that Swift “boosts sales and engagement just by showing up.” Swift’s “Eras Tour” has an insane economic impact on the cities she tours in. In June 2023, Taylor’s concert at Soldier Field in Chicago had broken the rates records in hotels. The Chicago Tourism Agency reported “approximately 44,000 occupied hotel rooms each night (June 2-4), generating $39 million for the hotel industry. Public transportation also experienced a surge, with the highest number of passengers recorded since the pandemic lull.” This is a distinct showing of the impact Taylor Swift has on the world. Taylor Swift’s concerts play a huge role in the cities she visits. This surge wouldn’t have happened if she didn’t tour in Chicago.

What does Taylor Swift Have to do with the NFL?

Taylor Swift has a history of dating celebrities and not ending too well. Right now, she’s dating the Kansas City Chiefs tight end, Travis Kelce. Just from dating Taylor swift, “Her presence led to a spike in the sales of her beau’s No. 87 jersey—a spike of 400%” This surge of Travis Kelce jerseys had football fans in awe. Travis Kelce went from 19th to the top 5 highest selling jersey in the span of less than a week. Just Swift’s attendance alone has increased the viewers for football among teen girls by 53 percent. With Taylor Swift in attendance, the Sunday Night football game Kansas City Chiefs against the New York Jets matchup on October first 2023, had approximately 27 million viewers on average and a peak of 29 million viewers in the second quarter. This game was the highest watched show on Sunday since last year’s Superbowl.

Ridiculous Eras Tickets 

Typically concert tickets average cost are around 120 USD. The average cost for Taylor Swift The Eras Tour Tickets? $1,088.56. Don’t get sticker shock because this is less than one twentieth of what father Anthony Silva spent on last minute tickets for his daughter and her 3 friends to attend the concert.Business insider has and article that shows Silva spent 21,000 dollars on 4 tickets to Gillette Stadium in Foxborough Massachusetts. 

In the spur of the moment, Swifties are buying tickets but when    they show up to the venue all dressed up, the tickets are invalid. One of the biggest scams going around right now has to do with Taylor Swift tickets. Teens are being targeted because of the need to go to the concert. Teenager Stella Deters is a huge swifte. Stella and her mom Lori did not get tickets through ticketmaster so they had to find another way. Lori saw a facebook post though a mutual friend selling tickets for $350 each. Lori messaged the friend and Venmo’s the friend 1,400 dollars. Lori found out she wasn’t “dealing with the friend at all” The facebook account was hacked so she got scammed for 1,400 dollars and never saw the money again. 

If you plan on attempting to snag tickets for Taylor Swift the Eras tour look for these things.

• Make sure you are buying tickets from a verified site. The best website to buy tickets from is Ticketmaster. You need to try  to get presale or the general sale. Ticketmaster is the safest site because it has tickets from the artist and verified resales. 

• Do not buy tickets off of facebook or facebook marketplace. Facebook accounts could get hacked and you never know who you are talking to. Typical deals with people you don’t know first hand can be a scam. Always assume it is a scam and don’t do something irresponsible. It is not worth it.

• Do not act like a target on social media by asking if anyone has tickets. This will show scammers that you may be interested and will lead them to target you.

Overall Taylor Swift has made a huge impact on the economy and millions of fans worldwide. This is just the beginning, and  her empire will grow with every passing day just like her popularity. The Taylor effect is very real and will continue to rise with her popularity.

Shohei Ohtani was born on July 5th, 1994, and grew up in Oshu, Iwate, Japan. Overall Shohei had a normal childhood. He was the youngest of three children. His mother, Toru Ohtani, was a badminton player and his dad Kayoko Ohtani was an amateur baseball player. 

Shohei’s love of baseball started when he was 8, it was taught to him by his father, which helped him develop a great skill for it at a very young age. This caused Shohei to be extremely successful, flying to the first overall pick in the 2012 Nippon Professional Baseball(NPB) draft as an 18-year-old. After more success, he changed from the NPB to the MLB and started playing for the Angels on March 29th, 2018. 

He was good his first few seasons getting most of his attention from his crazy skill of pitching and hitting but he was amazing during his 2021 campaign hitting over 100 RBIs, and 40 home runs and pitching a 10-5 season with a 3.14 ERA. This won Shohei an MVP and was the start of his legacy. To say Shohei broke baseball with his two-way play style would be putting it lightly. Shohei became a National icon, he changed baseball forever. People couldn’t get enough of watching him pitch 100 mph fastballs and then hit 450 ft home runs in the same inning. He became so much of a hero in Japan they even had a TV show dedicated to having a camera pinned to him in all of his MLB games. 

Shohei Ohtani agreed to sign his $700 million 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers on December 9th, 2023. This contract is easily the biggest one in baseball history and sports history. The biggest one before Shohei Ohtani was Mike Trout’s $426.5 million contract with the Angels, Shohei’s former team. This contract also easily beats Patrick Mahomes’s $450 million contract with the Kansas City Chiefs. 

So why did the Dodgers do this? 

Shohei Ohtani has about 7.6 million followers currently while the Dodgers only have about 3.8 million. Shohei on his own has double the amount of followers than the Dodgers, and it is still gaining. The Dodgers have had no problem attracting people, winning the National League West 10 of the past 11 seasons and winning the World Series in 2020. But this is nothing compared to Shohei. 

With Shohei on the Dodgers, the amount of people that are going to buy his jersey, people buying season tickets, and following the social media platforms are all making the Dodgers money. Not only that, Shohei is loved by almost everyone in Japan, which has 126 million in population. 

With all of this, there is a higher chance that the Dodgers will make more money back and not lose money. Shohei Ohtani could be awful in a few years and yes, it would be bad for the team’s record but not for their checkbook. 

Players in the MLB throughout history have been paid an absurd amount of money and some contracts have broken the scale. In the past most big contracts have worked, but when they don’t work it’s catastrophic. 

New York Met Bobby Bonilla’s contract was so bad that he’s still being paid millions until 2035 for a 1991 signing. But there’s more.  In 2014, the Orioles, which is Chris Davis’s team, lost Nick Markakis and Nelson Cruz; two very important players. Desperate to not lose any more important players, they signed a $161 million 7-year contract with Chris Davis in 2016. Although Chris Davis only had a batting average of 2.62 in 2015, the Orioles still decided to take the risk. But after the contract, he started to have one bad season after another. Yet he is still being paid millions after he retired.

So when the Los Angeles Dodgers decided to pay Shohei Ohtani 700 million dollars it shows the absolute risk the Dodgers are willing to take. The truth is if this contract goes wrong the Dodgers franchise will be ruined for years. 

But this wasn’t necessarily a bad decision, as the Dodgers will most likely earn back their money. So although at first this might sound shocking that the Dodgers agreed to sign the contract, it seems like both the Dodgers and Ohtani could benefit from it. There are pros and cons for the Dodgers and Ohtani. Only time will tell to see if the Dodgers spent too much money on him or if the contract was the correct decision.