General Interest

WCS : Queens Zoo Conservation Services

By Alice Dong

The Wildlife Conservation Society, also known globally as WCS, is an organization that aims to save wildlife and encourage its visitors to take meaningful actions towards preservation. Branched into five different zoos throughout New York City, each zoo is sheltering unique animals that were in dire need of care and protection. The zoo's exhibits are designed to provide visitors with an experience to create personal and emotional bonds with the animals. As a Discovery Guide (Volunteer) at the Queens Zoo, educating guests and visitors has changed my perspectives and granted me the opportunity to learn from my diverse peers. 

The Queens Zoo houses animals that have not been captured from the wild, but instead rescued and provided a habitat. Although there are many animals at the Queens Zoo, the priority of rescuing and breeding animals can be determined by the IUCN Red List. Many animals at the zoo are vulnerable to becoming more endangered or possibly extinct as human activities increase over the passing years. 

One animal unique to the Queens Zoo are the Andean Bears. The Queens Zoo is home to a family of four Andean bears, also known as Spectacled bears due to the unique markings on their faces that resemble eyeglasses. The family is comprised of parents, Nicole and Bouba, and their cubs Nuna and Pacha, who have grown up at the zoo. Nuna and Pacha have also been part of the Species Survival Plan breeding program to ensure a stable future for Spectacled Bears. Like human fingerprints, each bear has distinct markings on their face that are unique to them. (Read more : WCS Andean Bears) 

The icons of the WCS zoos are the California Sea Lions. Housed in all five zoos of the WCS Organization, the rescued sea lions are free to swim around in their open exhibit. The current sea lions in the Queens Zoo are Benji, McCabe, Tacoma, Jojo, and Franklin (moved to a different zoo). Although the sea lion exhibit is on the other end of the zoo, their flamboyant nature and loud barks can be heard echoing throughout close parts of the zoo. Tacoma was brought into the Queens Zoo after being found at a fishery. The fishery caught him eating the fish and gave him three strikes before they would take extreme measures. On the third strike, the Queens Zoo took Tacoma in and now Tacoma enjoys the pampering and feedings from the zookeepers. 

Gabrielle Martin, a staff member and educator at the Queens Zoo, offers her insight on her unique and incredible experience. “I have been working here at the Queens Zoo for over a year now, and every single day I am struck by the care and attention our staff pays to the animals in our care. We are living in a very fought time on Earth, and our lives and welfare as well as the lives and welfare of other animals and living beings are incredibly vulnerable. It is our jobs as zoo educators, vets, scientists, and staff to create awareness and develop a love and respect of wild animals and wild places. We ultimately cannot fight to save and advocate for what we do not love,” she states. 

As a volunteer of the Queens Zoo, the responsibility of educating the zoo visitors is one of the most vital steps of conservation. Education can serve as a powerful tool for advocacy, raising awareness of the importance of protecting animals in their natural habitats. The education provided at zoos and aquariums not only enhances the visitors' understanding and appreciation of animals but also contributes to the preservation and protection of the animals and their habitats. My experience being a Discovery Guide has been overwhelmingly positive and the interactions with all the guests have been unique. I have been able to connect with many of my peers from different schools and have learned through experiences. 

The Importance of Sleep

By Jennifer Zheng

How many of you get enough sleep each day? How many of you feel sleepy at school? As of 2023, “Approximately 73% of all U.S. high school students are sleep-deprived,” according to the Sleep Foundation.

          Sleep plays a vital role in physical health and mental health. It has also been proven to improve academic performances. However, the majority of high school students are sleep deprived.

   Enough sleep is crucial and positively benefits physical health, boosting the immune system, regulating hormones and promoting muscle and tissue recovery. According to White Hall of Deerfield HealthCare, “During the deepest phases of sleep, blood flow to muscles increases. Since blood carries oxygen and nutrients, this helps the muscles heal.” After a long workout, sleep is essential to rehab ripped muscle tissues.

Sleep deprivation, a condition from lack of sleep, can take a noticeable toll on a student's physical, emotional, and mental health, and academic performance. According to the Sleep Foundation, “Researchers have found that adolescents with lack of sleep have a troubling metabolic profile evaluated through blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and other factors.” Similarly, academic performance is negatively impacted.

Excessive homework leads to sleep deprivation. According to “The Effects Homework Can Have On Teens’ Sleeping Habits” by Jess Amabile, from The Lion’s Roar,  “Homework is possibly the biggest factor that keeps teens from getting enough sleep…The sheer quantity of homework absorbs hours that should be dedicated to sleep.” Most students in Bayside High School have 7-9 classes. Extracurricular activities and transportation can also account for time that could be spent on homework.

Procrastination also plays a role in sleep deprivation. Bayside High School Sophomore Minnie Lin commented, “When I come home from school, I’m already so tired. My body does not want to do work. I end up procrastinating closer to the deadline. Most assignments are due at midnight so I stay up. I also live far from the school, resulting in me having only 5-6 hours of sleep every day.” Procrastination leads to an endless cycle of sleep deprivation. Making each day more stressful and exhausting.

Some students have insomnia, the inability to sleep. Bayside High School sophomore Venus Zhang relates personally to this. “I’ve had insomnia since I was a kid, so I would just spend hours tossing and turning in bed so I figured I might as well do something until I am tired enough to fall asleep. I used to read books. But now I do things online like reading things on my phone, watching movies or shows with my friends, or listening to music, which all leads to my sleep deprivation.”

Nevertheless, there are also students who have a persistent sleep schedule. Bayside High school sophomore Eve Zheng said, “I think sleep is very important because the next day depends on it. No sleep, no brain. So I set a sleep schedule for myself and try to go to sleep before 10 pm each day and get at least 8 hours of sleep. I stick to my sleep schedule by asking my parents to yell at me when it’s time.”

Similarly, Bayside High school sophomore Yijie Zhang reports, “My parents are pretty strict about sleep, so I go to sleep at 9:30 pm on school days and 10:30 pm on breaks or school days where there's no school the next day.”

Lastly, Mrs. Ormaechea, an English Teacher at Bayside High School comments on many tips and techniques she uses to get enough sleep. “Don’t use your phone before bed. Journaling before bed is helpful to clear your thoughts. Consistency is important, so I try to lay in bed by 9:30 pm each day. If you don’t have enough time to finish work, try waking up earlier. It is more productive, beneficial and healthier. Discipline is also important. Pushing your tasks, problems and procrastinating will only lead to bigger problems and more stress, so eventually you have to face it. It’s also important to take breaks and care about your mental and physical health. Try creating an organized schedule that balances both work and fun. For example, sometimes I try to make work more enjoyable by inviting my friend over to grade papers together.”

Getting enough sleep is crucial to prevent unhealthy physical, emotional, mental health, and academic performance. The first step is making a sleep schedule and sticking with it!

Why Breakfast is Essential

By Dylan Kaan

Breakfast is often referred to as “the most important meal of the day”, and it is for a good reason. Eating a healthy breakfast in the morning not only provides a variety of benefits to the start of your day, but it also contributes to a healthier life in the long term.

One benefit of eating breakfast is that it provides essential nutrients and boosts energy, which is a great way to start your day off. According to an article from Better Health Channel titled “Breakfast”, “It replenishes your supply of glucose to boost your energy levels and alertness, while also providing other essential nutrients required for good health.” As stated in the article, by eating breakfast in the morning, you are starting your day off right by boosting energy and getting the necessary nutrients your body needs early in the day.

Many can relate to this. Bayside High School Social Studies Teacher Ms. Flynn said, “Yes, I eat breakfast. I find breakfast to be a really important meal of the day. It gives me energy to start off my morning.”

Similarly, Bayside High School Spanish Teacher Ms. Tsai said, “I do. Every day, I have to. If I don’t eat it, I wouldn’t function in the morning. On weekdays, I’m usually in a rush so I usually eat two slices of toast, a cup of soy, and granola. Sometimes, I grab a handful of walnuts or cashews.”

An additional benefit of eating breakfast is that it has been proven to increase long term overall health. According to WebMD, “ Many studies have linked eating breakfast to good health, including better memory and concentration, lower levels of ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol, and lower chances of getting diabetes, heart disease, and being overweight.” By eating breakfast, risks such as diabetes, heart disease, and being overweight decrease compared to if you were to skip breakfast in the morning. Moreover, eating breakfast may be especially helpful for students as it has been linked to better memory and concentration.

If there are so many additional benefits to eating breakfast, why do people end up skipping it? One reason is time; people simply do not have time in the morning to have breakfast, so they skip it.

This can be said for Bayside High School Social Studies Teacher Ms. Lin. “Sometimes yes, sometimes no. I wake up at the very last minute and I try to bring breakfast to work. I just started to implement breakfast into my routine this year. Since I started teaching, Red Bull has been my main source of energy in the morning.”

Given that time may be an issue in the morning, there are still more reasons why people skip breakfast. According to Gundersen Health System, such reasons also include: not feeling hungry in the morning, feeling hungrier during the day after breakfast, and even the dislike of breakfast foods. Despite this, breakfast skippers should reconsider eating breakfast in the morning. Waking up earlier to have a light meal may account for a healthier lifestyle.

Additionally, breakfast can be observed as having a cultural significance as well. There are many traditional breakfast dishes around the world in the Middle East, Asia, South America, Africa, etc. For travelers, trying and tasting new breakfasts from various different cultures can be an unique and enjoyable experience.

Overall, eating breakfast in the morning is a simple, yet impactful way to start off your day. It can provide health benefits in the long term, and can also be culturally significant.