Students who have been attending Brown School for more than a year are well familiar with the annual Black History Month program, which typically takes place in the auditorium at the end of February. It’s organized by the Black Student Union in order to showcase student performances- including poetry, dance, and music- that celebrate African-American culture and history. It’s a themed event, and this year, the theme is ‘Black Excellence’.

In that vein, it only seems appropriate to celebrate the BSU’s Board members, who work hard year-round to organize the program, as well as other events that honor Black History in all its forms. The BSU’s Board is the heart and soul of the club: they come up with event concepts, design flyers and slideshows, and organize speakers. 

The BSU’s longest-standing member, Malaysia Green, joined when she was in middle school. “I became a board member, I think, sophomore or freshman year,” she recalled proudly, “and if you want to become a board member, you have to write a letter to the current board members on why you would be a good board member, and I remember writing a letter and I had a feeling like, “I think I’m gonna get this”, because I thought my letter was so good. And I ended up getting it, and I’m in such a good position. I can do more with that. It was really exciting when I got the text- “Oh, you’re a board member now”.” 

Malaysia, who is an outstanding member of Brown’s high school community- she’s a co-captain of the Cheer team as well as BSU’s senior board member- joined for a multitude of reasons. “I’m a big leader,” she said confidently. “I love leading things, and I realized at a young age that not only the black community, but other communities were at risk. I understand that I can use my voice and the power that I have in order to stand up for people, especially the black community, even disabilities within the black community and mental health.” Malaysia's advocacy was recognized on Monday, February 27, when she was awarded the Diane Courington Award for Leadership during Brown's Black History Month program.

The source of Malaysia’s activism is her heart. She cares deeply about her community and about the people close to her, and it showed in her final advice to her fellow board members, three high-achieving juniors- Janelle Pitmon, Peyton Jones, and Shamelle Sanders- who plan to continue on the Board during their senior years. I expected advice about running a meeting or keeping the club active, but she surprised me with her answer. “Take time for yourself. Please take time for yourself, because there have been so many times where I’m up late at night just planning stuff, and I get burnt out really easily, so I want to tell them, just take time for yourself, and take care of yourself. Because at the end of the day, all you have is yourself.”

Malaysia’s advice was not only kind, but apt. The three junior members of the BSU’s Board work themselves to the bone to strengthen Brown’s school community.

To give you a basic idea of Janelle Pitmon’s character: I interrupted her from making a flyer encouraging Brown School parents to fight for transgender student rights for this interview. Janelle works with Teen Council and Louisville Girls’ Leadership to advocate for a more inclusive and educated student community in the city as a whole, and her work in the BSU reflects that. “I think it’s really important to have a space for Black students to express themselves, to educate each other, and to just feel safe to be themselves without pressure from white peers and staff. Just making change and supporting each other, I think those are really important things to do.”

Pitmon has big plans for her senior year. “I want to have more thought-provoking meetings,” she began, and elaborated that “we might make Coffee and Conversations more accessible to the rest of the school, which makes me really excited, and I want to keep… keep doing what we’re doing, basically.”

Peyton Jones- who is also a stellar reporter for the Bear Necessities; read her articles here (link on website)- absolutely lit up from the moment she started talking about BSU. “I’m part of the BSU because… this is a really tricky question, because there are so many reasons,” she remarked with a chuckle, “but being Black is a really big identity for me. And since we don’t have any, really, any minorities in this school, in our grade, it just makes me happy to know that there’s a club that I can be a part of with other minorities. It just makes me feel represented, makes me feel like I have a voice, and with BSU, I’m able to talk about, you know, Black issues without my voice being silenced. I can just talk about anything that comes to mind that revolves around Black history.”

Jones is proud of the work she’s done with the BSU- connecting with black speakers, making slideshows and meeting itineraries, and organizing Coffee & Conversations and the Black History Month program. “This is my first year being a Board member, and [this year’s program] is a really big moment to me. Just to be able to help out is something I’m really proud of.” In her senior year, Jones wants to continue helping to organize the Black History Month program and continue adding to it, as well as incorporating grade levels beyond high school in BSU events. “There’s activities I want to do that revolve around elementary, so I’m really excited for my senior year to just be able to put those ideas in motion.”

The soft-spoken Shamelle Sanders is highly focused on the community growth and personal development aspects of participating in the BSU. “I feel like it allows me to become more honest with myself and who I am within our school’s community,” she reflected warmly. “The whole point of BSU is to create a safe space for our Black students within our school’s community. It’s specifically for black students, but that doesn’t mean other students should refrain from being part of the whole cause, because what we want is to have people from different walks of life to compromise and come together and become more open to each other, and become better people in a society.” 

As she moves into her senior year, Sanders aims to keep following the path of connection: bringing members of the black community at Brown together through shared history and experiences. “For BSU, the plan is to always refresh for the new year,” she explained. “So, this year, we’ve had one field trip so far, and that was to our Roots 101 museum. It was Black Student Union and African-American Literature, and for this upcoming field trip, April 13th, Civil Rights will be joining BSU and African-American Lit as well. And I think that starting events like that, where you get together with different groups of people to understand the morals that you discuss. So I think that we’re doing more collaborative work, and I hope that we can do more of that kind of work for next year.”

Keep an eye out for these driven students as they continue to grow in their leadership positions- at Brown and beyond- and make sure to continue supporting the BSU, even after Black History Month comes to an end. Listen to the announcements and pay attention to flyers around the school for more information about upcoming events.

BeReal is a new social media app that has become very popular. Although it was made in 2020, it has become even more popular in 2022. Users share photos to the app once a day with friends. Every day, a notification goes off at a different time, and everyone is supposed to capture a photo of themselves and their surroundings within 2 minutes of the notification. It has been more used lately because of its authenticity, since the photos taken are unfiltered and can’t be edited. This app is fun for friends to use, and helps users build connections to  make new ones. 

Even though this is a social media platform, you can only post one picture a day and comment on others posts. This app is easy to use because of its simplicity. Rather than other apps where you can like, comment, share, and ect., all you do is take a quick picture. Even though this app has limited options on what you do with it, many people like this concept and don't want to see much change in the app.

Sadie Dickson, a sophomore at Brown High School, agrees with this. She said, “I like the concept that you can show people what you are doing and keep a journal of your life. I also  enjoy the fact that you just have to be you!”

This app is known for its capability for capturing the “real” you. The lack of filters and editing is what makes the app unique. Almost every other social media app has filters and editing settings for pictures you want to post. Many people like these features, but it doesn’t give others the “real” aspect of what's happening in their life. This was why BeReal was created. 

Like other social media, there is always the question, “Is it safe?” Among the various social media sites, it is one of the safer options. It doesn’t share your information since you don't put in much to begin with. Your photos can be set to public, but there are privacy settings that can turn those off. Like any site you're on, you just need to be careful about what you post and make sure the photos have nothing personal or sensitive included. 

BeReal is a unique social media app that many people use in their everyday lives. It doesn’t outperform more popular apps like Instagram and Snapchat, but its authentic style could get it there. More apps are being made like BeReal as it increases in popularity. Also it is one of the safer social medias and might be better for those of younger ages or who have restricted social media. 

Romcoms, or chick flicks, are a key part of western “girly” culture as we know it today. The blend of unique fashion, colorful characters, and fast-paced dialogue are immediate attention-grabbers for any viewer, and they’ve become a familiar cultural phenomenon. They’ve been parodied by SNL, Rebel Wilson, Alyson Hannigan, Ryan Reynolds, and countless other stars. They’re straightforward, easily identifiable, and, above all, predictable. After all, they’ve been around for decades.

“Romcom” is shorthand for “romantic comedy”, and the genre came about in the ‘90s- that is, the 1590s- with the writing of Shakespeare’s Two Gentlemen of Verona, one of the earliest examples of romantic comedy. The play is choc-a-bloc with well-known plot points still seen in today’s teen movies: secret admirers, strict fathers, mistaken identities, and the “bad boy” archetype. 

Several of Shakespeare’s other plays, like Much Ado About Nothing and As You Like It, fall under the romantic comedy umbrella, and many went on to inspire later romcoms. 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) was based on The Taming of the Shrew, and the iconic Amanda Bynes film She’s the Man (2006) was based on Twelfth Night.

The trope persisted from the 16th century onward, and some of the greatest literary stars were best known for their romantic comedy novels- such as George Eliot with Middlemarch in 1871 and Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Cult classic film Clueless (1995), starring Alicia Silverstone and Paul Rudd, was based on Austen’s Emma, which follows a self-centered, immature matchmaker reaching enlightenment at the hands of a more worldly childhood friend.

Early movie versions of the romcom emerged in “screwball comedies”, a popular subgenre of film in the 1930s and ‘40s. These films featured a witty woman at the center of the plot- a cue taken from Shakespeare’s Beatrice, Rosaline, and Rosalind, who challenged every word out of their respective male leads’ mouths- fast-moving dialogue, and slapstick comedy.

The genre developed in a more risque direction in the ‘60s and ‘70s, focusing more on personal evolution than the dependable happy ending. However, by the end of the 1980s, new romcoms had started to veer back in a more conventional direction, earning films like Dirty Dancing (1987) and Say Anything (1988) the distinction of “neo-traditional romantic comedy”, balancing the bawdy humor of 1970s romcoms with the classic structure of a screwball comedy. 

Throughout the late ‘90s, the genre continued to evolve, reaching its peak in the early 2000s with the popularity of My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002), 27 Dresses (2008), Bridget Jones’ Diary (2001), and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003). After their heyday, these movies began to go out of production in the mid-2010s. The film industry prioritized heavy action and drama as opposed to the lightheartedness of romantic comedy.

However, a revival of the classic romcom occurred around 2021. As fashion trends veered back toward ‘90s chic and Y2K, so too did pop culture tastes. Social media mavens turned to teen movies of the era for fashion inspiration, and discovered that these movies are fun to watch. Now, when asked their favorite movie, most teen girls will rattle off a list of films released before 2010. 

“My favorites are 10 Things I Hate About You, and the one on Netflix about the magazine editor…  How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” said Brown School junior Ava Musuraca.

“Mine’s probably 13 Going on 30,” said junior Janelle Pitmon.

Brown school senior and Meg Ryan fan Chloe Fitch said, “Oh, I love romcoms. My all-time favorite is When Harry Met Sally, obviously, but The Family Stone, Sleepless in Seattle… Can’t Buy Me Love, that’s ‘80s.”

“I think When Harry Met Sally is one of the greatest movies of all time,” said Brown School English teacher Jason Linden, “and anyone who doesn’t like it is an idiot.”

“Maybe Twilight, but I don’t know if that’s funny,” said junior Kileah Cooper after much deliberation.

“This is so hard. Probably 10 Things [I Hate About You]. It’s perfect. They’re all perfect,” said Collegiate senior Laine Lloyd.

“I don’t watch that many romcoms, but probably The Terminal. I liked that one,” said junior Layne Pry.

Brown School teacher and Yearbook supervisor Norah Wakefield said “Is Practical Magic considered romcom? I do like that one.”

Almost every student asked had an answer; Seniors Jackson Skeeters and Ava Hagan said Don’t Look Up and Gilmore Girls; junior Jessica Nguyen recommended Crash Landing on You; senior Bea Friesen shared the love for 10 Things I Hate About You; senior Michelle Riley praised Gwyneth Paltrow’s Emma, and junior McAdams and sophomore Ruby Guelda both proclaimed their love for Mamma Mia.

“I think my favorite is 10 Things I Hate About You,” said Christine Lee, a junior at DuPont Manual high school. “There’s nothing like the warm, fuzzy, cozy feeling that you get from watching two characters fall in love,” she affirmed. “I believe that our relationships are heavily built on music and art, and romcoms have all of that.” 

Romcoms are one of the most key capsules of the late ‘90s and early 2000s, packed full of references, clothes, hair, and music that are quintessentially “Y2K”. Despite the specificity of the era, the stories of old-fashioned romance and persevering love have made romantic comedies a defining factor of the early 21st century. Who knows where it’ll go next?

The Brown School has grade levels from kindergarten to twelfth grade. Throughout the year, middle school students wrote feature articles in their English Language Arts (ELA) class on a very important topic. Their articles were about Masha Amini, who was killed for wearing her hijab “incorrectly” in Iran. Amini’s story is inspirational all over the world. It has made people think differently about the way women, and people in general, are treated in other countries.  Middle schoolers may be young, but they have a voice. These students used their voice to make known how a woman was wrongfully killed.

Being able to use your voice at a young age is very important. Randi Skaggs, the eighth grade English teacher at The Brown School, is teaching students the importance of doing so. 

“As a Language Arts teacher, my main goal is to show students that the skills we learn around reading and writing can translate into advocacy work throughout their lives,” Said Skaggs. “If we can help young people understand that their voices have value now, then hopefully we can have a society moving forward that is filled with people who are not afraid to stand up for what is right.” 

These skills can also help students in the future. The Generation Z is using their voices more and more every day. Brown School eighth grader Caroline Gallagher wrote an article about this topic of women's rights in connection with Gen Z. She wanted her article to be able to relate to members of this generation, provide information about the topic, and encourage others to fight for things they are passionate about. 

Gallagher stated, “I do like to write about the different ways Gen Z is already benefiting the world and various struggles they have faced or will face that are different from past generations. I love to write about topics that can be related to people around my age, since there is so little informational material around them and what they have been doing.” 

Isabella Shory, an eighth grader at Brown School, also wrote an article about the death of Masha Amini. This article went into more detail about how the government is associated with silencing the media. She focused on the way news reporters and journalists were being accused of things that they never did.  

She said, “I wanted to write specifically about the rights of journalists in Iran because I’ve always had a passion for journalism, and I felt that since Mahsa Amini’s death and the ensuing protests were being widely reported, it was important to draw attention to press rights as well.” 

“One highly publicized instance of dangerous conditions for journalists in Iran is the arrest of two female journalists for reporting on Amini’s death, Niloofar Hamedi and Elahe Mohammadi,” said Shory in her article, going on to say  “The rights of journalists have become increasingly restricted in Iran since the death of Mahsa Amini, with reporters being persecuted for their efforts to investigate the truth, achieve justice, and tell the stories that go unheard.” 

Shory later said “Writing this article was a great experience, and I’m very passionate about advocating for the justice of those who are oppressed in our society.” 

Together, these articles show how young students can make a change in the world. Speaking up at a young age can create a brighter future for society as a whole. Also, being able to find your passion and educating others on important issues can really make a difference in a community. 

Following the 2022 release of Stranger Things’ fourth season and season five of The Crown, 80s style, hair, and music began to reenter the cultural zeitgeist. Shoulderpads, neons, and bouncy curls hit TikTok in full force. 

One of the most surprising cultural points to be resurrected in the ‘80s renaissance was Billy Joel’s peppy 1983 love song ‘Uptown Girl’, a coincidental overlap between the shows. The Crown included it as an episode opener, reenacting the late Princess Diana’s dance number set to the song (more on that later), while actress and TikToker Grace Van Dien brought it into the world of Stranger Things by claiming it as her character’s favorite song. For several months, ‘Uptown Girl’ was the soundtrack of a new era, inspired by the trends of decades past.

The song, however, had been popular for years. Its lyrics set up the scenario: a lower-class “downtown man” attempting to woo a disconnected and wealthy “uptown” girl. Strong harmonies and a driving drum beat add auditory interest. Joel himself said the song was inspired by the doo-wop sound of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons (best known for ‘Can’t Take My Eyes off You’), giving this song a cultural basis dating back thirty years. Beyond that, its confirmed muses- Christie Brinkley, Elle Macpherson, and Whitney Houston- place it in a very specific spot on the cultural timeline.

‘Uptown Girl’ trended on Australian, British, and American charts for a few years, but was really put on the map by Princess Diana’s choreographed performance to it at a charity event in December 1985. The annual event, called the “Friends of Covent Garden” charity gala, was organized to benefit the English Royal Opera and Royal Ballet. Diana and her husband, the then-Prince Charles, had performed together the year prior as Romeo and Juliet. 

In ‘85, however, Diana arranged a surprise performance as a late birthday gift for Charles, whose birthday was in November (shocker- he’s a Scorpio). She asked Royal Ballet principal dancer Wayne Sleep to be her partner, and the two worked together to choreograph a spunky routine that, according to attendees of the event, received a standing ovation and eight curtain calls. The audience loved it. However, Charles, by most accounts, did not. According to Tina Brown’s biography of Diana, he appeared to “act coolly, even distantly toward his wife” at a reception following the event. Diana, on the other hand, is reported to have said “Now I understand the buzz you get from performing” in regards to her performance- due, in part, to Joel’s electrifying song backing her piece.

Diana’s famous ‘Uptown Girl’ dance routine only solidified her place as ‘the People’s Princess’, since the song and sentiment behind it were resonant for Brits and Americans alike. However, Charles’ displeasure may have contributed to the princess’ downfall within the Royal Family and her eventual divorce from Charles in 1996.

On a lighter note, Joel’s song came back into relevance in 2003, when the Dakota Fanning-Brittany Murphy flick Uptown Girls took inspiration from Joel’s original title for the song. Although the movie was, essentially, a flop- it received a 13% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and was nominated for a ‘Stinker’ Bad Movie Award- it eventually became known as a cult classic. 

Some twenty years later, the song came back into conversation with the release of Season 4 of The Crown. The show, which follows Queen Elizabeth II’s 70-year reign, recreated Princess Diana’s dance to ‘Uptown Girl’ in the ninth episode of the season, sparking conversation about whether that routine really did happen. Countless news articles were written about the event, including quotes from historians and the rare photos from the performance that were released in the late ‘90s, as pop culture analysts attempted to prove the accuracy of The Crown’s depiction. 

The current timeline ends with Olivia Rodrigo, a popular musical artist who quickly rose to fame with her 2021 album Sour. In the mournful breakup anthem  ‘deja vu’, Rodrigo laments that her ex is doing the things they used to do together with a new girl. She references ‘Uptown Girl’ in the fifth verse- “I’ll bet that she knows Billy Joel/’cause you played her ‘Uptown Girl’- and brings it all back to Joel in the song’s outro- “Play her piano, but she doesn’t know/that I was the one who taught you Billy Joel”. Her double name-drop led to her being brought onstage during Joel’s concert at Madison Square Garden in August 2022, where she performed ‘deja vu’ with Joel on piano. The two went on to sing ‘Uptown Girl’ as a duet. The show brought many younger fans’ attention to the aging Billy Joel and introduced Rodrigo’s teen fanbase to an all-new realm of the music world.

It’s easy to forget how closely connected cultural events are, and reflecting back on the things that make them similar make it easier to contextualize history as a whole. Despite the years disconnecting these four events, and the many factors that make them appear unrelated, something as simple as a song ties them all together. Billy Joel’s ‘Uptown Girl’ is a simple song with cheesy lyrics- but its nostalgia packs a punch. The doo-wop sound and familiar title bring the listener back to the mid-20th century, and that sensory experience is a powerful tool in the hands of any artist: from dancers, to TV showrunners, to teenage pop artists.

This is a long-winded way to say: investigate the past. You never know just how many events go back to just one song, book, album, or movie- and you might find a fun new addition to your playlist along the way.

We’ve all heard it at least once: better sleep is better for you. But is it better for your grades? Does having a more consistent sleep schedule make you more productive in class? While this question could be answered with a scientific study, I’d rather ask teachers what they think. I’ve heard a snarky comment or two about the link between people’s grades and how tired they look- but could this actually be true?

I asked several teachers two questions relating to each other: Have you noticed students who look more tired get worse grades or lower quality work, and if so, do you think that is connected to their sleep schedule? There seem to be two sides to this argument- those who agree and those who don’t- and there are supporting arguments for each.

Teachers who do believe that a student’s sleep schedule connects to grades argue there’s no way to know what’s going on at home. Students could be getting home late, or be too busy to work on homework until late at night, when they should be sleeping. Broken or inconsistent sleep can throw off your balance and lead to lower effort work.

The teachers who argue that sleep schedules don’t affect the student’s grades believe that it is more of a “personality issue”. Students with a more attentive and focused attitude are more likely to get higher grades and submit higher quality work, while someone with a more laid back and apathetic mindset might earn worse scores and lower quality work. The way students perform in class is based on their personality or work ethic, rather than how much sleep they get.

According to the CDC, “Adequate sleep contributes to a student's overall health and well-being. Students should get the proper amount of sleep at night to help stay focused, improve concentration, and improve academic performance.” While this is true, there is no guarantee that a student can or will achieve the intended amount of sleep for them, whether it be by choice or not. Students should balance their work with their home life;if a student knows they won’t have much time to work on something at home, they can use their study skills to work on it. Students: do you believe that your sleep schedule is healthy? Are you happy with your grades? Which side do you agree with?

Released in 2017, Rivals of Aether is an indie platform-fighting game developed by Aether Studios that takes heavy inspiration from Super Smash Brothers: Melee. Despite humble beginnings, it’s frequently regarded as the most well-refined experience in its entire subgenre — thanks to a dev team and a design philosophy which both cater towards a fair and lively competitive scene. If you want to read more on Rivals of Aether, check out our other article: This is the greatest game you never heard of, and it belongs in schools.

In October of last year, CakeAssault, the greatest competitive Rivals of Aether player in the world, won his tenth major tournament in a row (for that season of the Rivals Championship Series). The following tournament, Heat Wave 5, demonstrated that the king can bleed — but can he be dethroned? This was the question on everybody’s minds leading into Genesis 9 (Rivals’ biggest supermajor tournament, and the final tournament of RCS season 7) this past January.

While CakeAssault may have walked away with the gold, the question still lingers. Although Cake has spent RCS season 7 on one of his most dominant winning streaks yet, the latter end of the season has set pieces in motion which may very well lead to his downfall — perhaps even in the course of a year. In this article, we’re looking at three of the top contenders to be the next king-slayer in RCS season 8. 

Starting off we have SoulRifle, perhaps the most determined player of his rank. His stated aim of RCS season 7 was to take at least one set off of CakeAssault — and while he may not have achieved his dream this past season, he got incredibly close, leading a tense losers-side set against Cake at Genesis 9 — almost winning the best of five, before Cake pulled a clutch reverse 3-0 in classic CakeAssault fashion. Out of all players in the running to beat Cake in RCS season 8, SoulRifle has a proper chance at victory — and he might just want it more than anybody. However, with the amount of pressure SoulRifle places on himself, along with his lack of sportsmanship, he may have to learn some lessons along the way if he wishes to take the throne.

Next up is the dark horse of this list: TapScott. While perhaps not everybody’s first pick for a top level threat, TapScott has still found monumental success ever since he switched to playing as Wrastor last year — having earned multiple top 8 placements in RCS season 7, and making it to top 9 at Genesis 9, where he was beat out by Akashi and CakeAssault himself. TapScott has been improving rapidly with few signs of slowing down — to the point where he arguably intimidated Cake at MomoCon 2022. After bringing the champion to game five in a best of five set, Cake publicly tweeted about it saying, “went game 5 with Tapscott cuz his kill confirms are amazing and he’s not playing Orcane anymore.”

Lastly is the player everybody’s talking about (aside from Cake himself, of course). Coming from the mythical land of Milwaukee, Wisconsin — breaking back into the scene after a significant hiatus and becoming the only player to take not only sets, but entire tournaments off of CakeAssault — the player with the greatest chance at usurping Cake in RCS season 8 is Seggo.

Seggo remained absent from the Rivals scene for the majority of RCS season 7, taking a break from the public eye due to personal reasons. However, upon his reentry at Heat Wave 5, Seggo showed the world that he is far from out of the count — performing an electric grand finals set against CakeAssault and becoming the fifth player to ever to win an offline Rivals of Aether supermajor. However, with Genesis 9 having passed, fans are worried his victory at Heat Wave 5 was a fluke. If Seggo wishes to properly usurp the long-standing king, he has a long way to go — but we think he can do it.

Seggo has long held great proficiency in platform-fighting games, holding a top 10 rank in both Rivals of Aether and Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl simultaneously upon his return to the competition, which speaks volumes of his skill as a competitor. His determination and rambunctious spirit have given him a drive few other players can match, in addition to making him a delight to spectate. If there’s one player who’s going to walk away stealing some gold and breaking some hearts, it’s Seggo.

It’s true that between all the names mentioned, the Rivals of Aether scene is brimming with talent. We’re secretly rooting for all of these players. No matter what happens or who wins, the stories emerging from the competitive scene will surely be marvels to behold.