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Serving up success with OUR Volleyball Squad
Serving up success with OUR Volleyball Squad
By Ryan Barbosa-Hernandez & Angel Cuzco-Ramos
Interview with Mrs. Savva & Mr. Rizza
Pictured here is our volleyball team at J.H.S. 62 in Brooklyn, New York.
This spring, Ms. Savva and Mr. Rizza sat for an interview to discuss our school's volleyball squad and the importance of teamwork. Let's dive in to learn about what being a team means to them!
How do you approach collaboration and teamwork?
Mrs. Savva: It is always important to be a team player and communicate with your peers.
Mr. Rizza: I enjoy working with my colleagues. It is important to work together because we all want the same outcome for the students.
What qualities do you admire in the team members?
Mrs. Savva: I admire leadership, positivity, and encouragement.
Mr. Rizza: I admire their open-minded approach as we grow together as a school community to improve the skills of our students.
How do you stay motivated during tough games?
Mrs. Savva: It is important to encourage everyone to try hard and to do their best.
Mr. Rizza: Remembering how much they've grown as a team helps me stay motivated.
What is it like to be a volleyball coach?
Mrs. Savva: It's very rewarding to see the students learn new skills.
Mr. Rizza: It's non-stop excitement during every practice session and game.
DIY Mini Lightsabers
DIY Mini Lightsabers
By Miriam Egadze
Pictured here is class 605 in the STEAM lab displaying their lightsabers!
Have you ever wondered how lightsabers or LED bulbs work? I had no idea how actual lightsabers work, but with my research and the facts we learned in STEAM and science class, I can explain a mini version.
A mini lightsaber utilizes electrical energy from a coin battery to emit light from an LED. LED stands for Light Emitting Diode. Unlike regular light bulbs that use filaments and get hot, LEDs are small, efficient, and cool to the touch. They are used in mini lightsabers because they are bright, use less power, last longer, and LED lights are generally considered easier to use than traditional incandescent or fluorescent lights. Incandescent, fluorescent, and LED bulbs differ primarily in their efficiency, lifespan, and the method by which they produce light.
Incandescent bulbs are the least efficient, using most of their energy as heat, while LEDs are the most efficient, converting electricity directly into light with minimal heat loss and also being better for the environment. Fluorescent bulbs are in between, using less energy than incandescents but more than LEDs.
A coin battery is a small, circular, disc-shaped battery, also referred to as a button cell or watch battery, and is commonly used to power small, portable devices, such as watches and remote controls. They are typically made of materials such as lithium or silver oxide. Lithium offers higher voltage, longevity, and capacity, making it ideal for power-hungry devices and applications. Silver oxide versions, on the other hand, deliver a more stable voltage but are often used in low-power devices due to their shorter lifespan.
When the battery is connected to the LED through wires, it sends energy to the LED, making it light up when the circuit is complete. When you turn on the lightsaber, it completes the circuit, allowing the energy from the battery to flow to the LED. The battery, wires, and LED work together to create light. The battery stores chemical energy, which is converted into light energy when the LED is powered.
In STEAM class, we connected the LED to the battery by attaching the two metal wires from the LED to a coin battery, securing it in place with electrical tape. When the electrical tape covering the battery is squeezed, it activates the LED light. Different colored straws were used.
There you go, you have a mini lightsaber!
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