Hills Review

Have you ever wanted to learn a new language? Do you like cartoons? If the answer to both of these questions is yes, you're in luck. Minnah Ahmad tells us why watching cartoons can be a pathway to language learning.

The physical and mental demands of orthopedic surgery make it one of the most difficult professions in all of medicine. Kaeri Mukora explores the profession – and the long, academically demanding path that one must take to reach this goal.

Dancing is a much loved form of expression, so it makes sense that many would want to pursue it as a career. However, with thousands of people auditioning for the same jobs, rejection is more common than success. Joshua Pollack talks to several dancers – from those just starting out to Radio City Rockettes – about the ups and downs of this profession.

The development of self-driving cars has advanced tremendously in the past few years, but is this a good thing? Sitabjo Bhowmick explores the negative aspects of this technology and explains why he thinks self-driving cars should be banned.

It's Monday, April 7th, 2025 and welcome to the spring edition of Hills Review -- the High School East Student Podcast. The development of self-driving cars has advanced tremendously in the past few years, but is this a good thing? On Tuesday, Sitabjo Bhowmick explores the negative aspects of this technology and explains why he thinks self-driving cars should be banned. Dancing is a much loved form of expression, so it makes sense that many would want to pursue it as a career. However, with thousands of people auditioning for the same jobs, rejection is more common than success. On Wednesday, Joshua Pollack talks to several dancers – from those just starting out to Radio City Rockettes – about the ups and downs of this profession. The physical and mental demands of orthopedic surgery make it one of the most difficult professions in all of medicine. On Thursday, Kaeri Mukora explores the long, academically demanding path that one must take to reach this goal. Have you ever wanted to learn a new language? Do you like cartoons? If the answer to both of these questions is yes, you're in luck. On Friday, Minnah Ahmad tells us why watching cartoons can be a pathway to language learning. Hills Review is produced by members of the Podcasting and Filmmaking Club. If you are interested in becoming a contributor, see Mr. Beatty in room 216. Thanks for listening and have a great week.

Extra credit can motivate students to go above and beyond – both in and out of the classroom. Extra credit can help students improve their mental health if they struggle with stress about grades. Given these facts, why isn't there more of it? April Stewart makes a case for more extra credit.

Interacting with others, joining new clubs, and encountering different situations can have an effect on an individual's experience in high school. But are these the only influences? Sanaii Clyburn, Mercy Jean-Baptiste, and Adonis Tyrell ask students and staff at High School East whether or not they think parents have an effect on their children's high school experience.

The value of participation trophies has been questioned ever since the first one was handed out. Stella Kreitzman explains why these trophies do more harm than good and why they should not be awarded to kids.

While many actions have been taken by big business to combat climate change, some may question whether the efforts go far enough. Akash Shah looks at the challenges businesses face – and at proactive steps some companies are taking to address climate change.

It's Monday, March 3rd, 2025 and welcome to Hills Review -- the High School East Student Podcast. While many actions have been taken by big business to combat climate change, some may question whether the efforts go far enough. On Tuesday, Akash Shah looks at the challenges businesses face – and at proactive steps some companies are taking to address climate change. The value of participation trophies has been questioned ever since the first one was handed out. On Wednesday, Stella Kreitzman explains why these trophies do more harm than good and why they should not be awarded to kids. Interacting with others, joining new clubs, and encountering different situations can have an effect on an individual's experience in high school. But are these the only influences? On Thursday, Sanaii Clyburn, Mercy Jean-Baptiste, and Adonis Tyrell ask students and staff at High School East whether or not they think parents have an effect on their children's high school experience. Extra credit can motivate students to go above and beyond – both in and out of the classroom. Extra credit can help students improve their mental health if they struggle with stress about grades. Given these facts, why isn't there more of it? On Friday, April Stewart makes a case for more extra credit. Hills Review is produced by members of the Podcasting and Filmmaking Club. If you are interested in becoming a contributor, see Mr. Beatty in room 216. Thanks for listening and have a great week.

If you're like most people, you love gathering with friends and family to watch the Super Bowl, but hate waking up early the next day. Dennis Manfredi makes the case that Super Bowl Monday should be declared a national holiday.

By studying, people give themselves the most likely chance of success. But what does it mean to study and what is the best method? Jordan Cador looks closely at a variety of evidence to figure out the most effective ways to study.

Many companies around the world test chemicals on innocent animals, often causing long-term harm or death. Darren Figueroa examines the many reasons why animal testing should be stopped.

Students face many challenges over the course of a day. But what is the biggest? Stella Kreitzman, Cody Peltzman, April Stewart, and Aviva Kramer ask the students and faculty of High School East to disclose what they think are the biggest challenges facing students.

It's Monday, February 3rd, 2025 and welcome to Hills Review -- the High School East Student Podcast. Students face many challenges over the course of a day. But what is the biggest? On Tuesday, Stella Kreitzman, Cody Peltzman, April Stewart, and Aviva Kramer ask the students and faculty of High School East to disclose what they think are the biggest challenges facing students. Many companies around the world test chemicals on innocent animals, often causing long-term harm or death. On Wednesday, Darren Figueroa examines the many reasons why animal testing should be stopped. By studying, people give themselves the most likely chance of success. But what does it mean to study and what is the best method? On Thursday, Jordan Cador looks closely at a variety of evidence to figure out the most effective ways to study. If you're like most people, you love gathering with friends and family to watch the Super Bowl, but hate waking up early the next day. On Friday, Dennis Manfredi makes the case that Super Bowl Monday should be declared a national holiday. Hills Review is produced by members of the Podcasting and Filmmaking Club. If you are interested in becoming a contributor, see Mr. Beatty in room 216. Thanks for listening and have a great week.

Some people believe that NIL (name, image, likeness) payments to college athletes are a good thing for the sport, while many others feel as though it has ruined amateur college athletics. With the college football playoffs currently taking place, Luke Schimel explains why he thinks the NIL should be banned.

Can posting content, watching short films, and interacting with others really be so harmful? With a potential banishment from US markets looming, Sanaii Clyburn takes time to explain why she doesn't think TikTok should be banned.

Creating a small business is more difficult than you think. Many different aspects that go into making a successful small business–and these often come with hardships. Julia Tilleli talks with small business owners to get a first-hand account of the steps necessary to becoming a business owner.

The use of the diabetes drug Ozempic weight-loss has proven to be quite controversial. Olivia Chumsky argues that its sole purpose should be for treating diabetes and that restricting Ozempic to diabetic patients is important for both health and ethical reasons.

It's Monday, January 6th, 2025. Happy New Year! and welcome to Hills Review -- the High School East Student Podcast. The use of the diabetes drug Ozempic weight-loss has proven to be quite controversial. On Tuesday, Olivia Chumsky argues that its sole purpose should be for treating diabetes and that restricting Ozempic to diabetic patients is important for both health and ethical reasons. Many different aspects that go into making a successful small business–and these often come with hardships. On Wednesday, Julia Tilleli talks with small business owners to get a first-hand account of the steps necessary to becoming a business owner. Can posting content, watching short films, and interacting with others really be so harmful? With a potential banishment from US markets looming, Sanaii Clyburn takes time this Thursday to explain why she doesn't think TikTok should be banned. Some people believe that NIL (name, image, likeness) payments to college athletes are a good thing for the sport, while many others feel as though it has ruined amateur college athletics. With the college football playoffs currently taking place, Luke Schimel explains this Friday why he thinks the NIL should be banned. Hills Review is produced by members of the Podcasting and Filmmaking Club. If you are interested in becoming a contributor, see Mr. Beatty in room 216. Thanks for listening and have a great week.

David Benioff's novel City of Thieves is a 2008 coming of age historical fiction novel set in Russia during World War II. Join Joseph Masalin and Darren Figueroa for this book talk.

Concussions are a brain injury that results from serious head trauma, leaving the brain in a state of shock. Remi Asghar goes beyond clinical analysis to look at the personal impact this injury has on the lives of high school athletes.

There are over 3 million registered artists on Spotify and everyone has their favorite. Joshua Pollack and Ambika Mathura travel the halls of High School East to find out which artists are the most popular.

Group work is a collaborative effort where individuals come together to achieve common goals. Jordan Cador talks about the positive impact group work can have when it comes to teamwork, problem-solving, and effective communication.

It's Monday, December 2nd, 2024 and welcome to Hills Review -- the High School East Student Podcast. Group work is a collaborative effort where individuals come together to achieve common goals. On Tuesday, Jordan Cador talks about the positive impact group work can have when it comes to teamwork, problem-solving, and effective communication. There are over 3 million registered artists on Spotify and everyone has their favorite. Joshua Pollack and Ambika Mathura travel the halls of High School East this Wednesday to find out which artists are the most popular. Concussions are a brain injury that results from serious head trauma, leaving the brain in a state of shock. On Thursday, Remi Asghar goes beyond clinical analysis to look at the personal impact this injury has on the lives of high school athletes. David Benioff's novel City of Thieves is a 2008 coming of age historical fiction novel set in Russia during World War II. Join Joseph Masalin and Darren Figueroa on Friday for our final book talk of the year. Hills Review is produced by members of the Podcasting and Filmmaking Club. If you are interested in becoming a contributor, see Mr. Beatty in room 216. If you like this podcast – please tell one friend about it. Word of mouth is the best way to get more people listening to our show. Thanks for listening and have a great week.

It's no secret that phone use in school is a controversial topic. Should they be allowed or should they be banned? Ally Fass, Sloane Meyers, Emily Heller, and Jenna Dankner ask members of the High School East community their thoughts on phone jail.

In a society where communication is key, children growing up with non-english speaking parents face incredible challenges. Jeremiah Cesaire takes a close look at the impact having such responsibility can have on kids.

"Amoral, cunning, ruthless, and instructive." These are just a few words that have been used to discuss Robert Greene's best-selling book: The 48 Laws of Power. Jayden Muniz and Akash Shah discuss the book's most interesting ideas and try to determine just how seriously one should take these laws.

Each year, the beauty industry generates over five-hundred billion dollars worth of revenue. Its impact is widespread, however, the influence it has isn't always a positive one. Ambika Mathura explores the negative effects the beauty industry has on women.

It's Monday, November 4th, 2024 and welcome to Hills Review -- the High School East Student Podcast. Each year, the beauty industry generates over five-hundred billion dollars worth of revenue. Its impact is widespread, however, the influence it has isn't always a positive one. This Tuesday, Ambika Mathura explores the negative effects the beauty industry has on women. "Amoral, cunning, ruthless, and instructive." These are just a few words that have been used to discuss Robert Greene's best-selling book: The 48 Laws of Power. On Wednesday, Jayden Muniz and Akash Shah discuss the book's most interesting ideas and try to determine just how seriously one should take these laws. In a society where communication is key, children growing up with non-english speaking parents face incredible challenges. This Thursday, Jeremiah Cesaire takes a close look at the impact having such responsibility can have on kids. It's no secret that phone use in school is a controversial topic. Should they be allowed or should they be banned? This Friday, Ally Fass, Sloane Meyers, Emily Heller, and Jenna Dankner ask members of the High School East community their thoughts on phone jail. We conclude this week's podcast with exciting news. Naomi Myers, a 2024 graduate of High School East, and a contributor to Hills Review, had her podcast, entitled: End Hair Discrimination, place in two national podcasting competitions. Naomi was one of ten finalists in the National Public Radio Student Podcast Challenge and was a runner-up in the New York Times Student Podcast Competition. Keep listening for an encore presentation of the podcast. Congratulations Naomi! Hills Review is produced by members of the Podcasting and Filmmaking Club. If you are interested in becoming a contributor, see Mr. Beatty in room 216. Thanks for listening and have a great week.

Artificial intelligence has gained much popularity in recent years. With this increased attention, there has been debate regarding the positive and negative effects of AI. Oddly, it seems that these debates rarely involve the wisdom of tech professionals. Joseph Masalin examines AI with the help of members of the IT community.

Derived from the classic tale of Alice and Wonderland, Heartless tells the story of how a normal kid was transformed into the notorious Queen of Hearts. This Thursday, Eden Banks and Sloane Meyers discuss Marissa Meyer's #1 New York Times bestseller.

College, although a choice, is important in order to achieve well paying jobs and opportunities. However, the price of tuition for college is a factor that limits many. Julia Tilleli looks at why colleges should lower their costs.

Emmy award winning producer Beth Pearlman has spent her life overseeing a variety of projects for a variety of networks, including: CBS, The Food Network, Discovery and The Hallmark Channel. Joshua Pollack talks to Pearlman about her experiences in TV and maintaining a work-life balance.

It's Monday, October 7th, 2024 and welcome to Hills Review -- the High School East Student Podcast. Emmy award winning producer Beth Pearlman has spent her life overseeing a variety of projects for a variety of networks, including: CBS, The Food Network, Discovery and The Hallmark Channel. On Tuesday, Joshua Pollack talks to Pearlman about her experiences in TV and maintaining a work-life balance. College, although a choice, is important in order to achieve well paying jobs and opportunities. However, the price of tuition for college is a factor that limits many. On Wednesday, Julia Tilleli looks at why colleges should lower their costs. Derived from the classic tale of Alice and Wonderland, Heartless tells the story of how a normal kid was transformed into the notorious Queen of Hearts. This Thursday, Eden Banks and Sloane Meyers discuss Marissa Meyer's #1 New York Times bestseller. Artificial intelligence has gained much popularity in recent years. With this increased attention, there has been debate regarding the positive and negative effects of AI. Oddly, it seems that these debates rarely involve the wisdom of tech professionals. On Friday, Joseph Masalin examines AI with the help of members of the IT community. Hills Review is produced by members of the Podcasting and Filmmaking Club. If you are interested in becoming a contributor, see Mr. Beatty in room 216. If you like this podcast – please tell a friend about it. Word of mouth is the best way to get more people listening to our show. Thanks for listening and have a great week.

While it might seem like your time in high school will last forever, it will, one day, come to an end. On Friday, Remi Asghar recalls how early in his athletic career his coach shared some advice that has helped put his time at High School East into perspective.

Joshua Pollack, a board member of the Amnesty Club at High School East, takes time on Thursday to talk about a trip he took with the club to raise money in the Students Rebuild Challenge. During the trip, circumstances required Joshua to adapt to his surroundings and to change plans to produce the results he'd hoped for.

Eventually, we all come across difficult tasks and challenging obstacles. On Wednesday, Ari Abelard, a member of the High School East track team, talks about what it was like facing a serious opponent for the first time--and what it took to succeed.

On Tuesday, Ambika Mathura reflects on the transition from middle school to high school – a time when many students start to take more rigorous courses and spend more time studying. Join Ambika as she describes her showdown with a high school geometry test–and how she learned from failure.

It's Monday, September 9th, 2024 and welcome to the September edition of Hills Review -- the High School East Student Podcast. At the start of each month during the school year, we release a collection of student opinion pieces, stories, documentaries, and interviews. Our podcast is produced by members of the Podcasting and Film club – and is available on Soundcloud, as well as Spotify and Apple Podcasts. This week, we'll be hearing from several members of the class of 2025 who have stories and advice to share with the underclassmen, particularly those new to High School East. On Tuesday, Ambika Mathura reflects on the transition from middle school to high school – a time when many students start to take more rigorous courses and spend more time studying. Join Ambika as she describes her showdown with a high school geometry test–and how she learned from failure. Eventually, we all come across difficult tasks and challenging obstacles. On Wednesday, Ari Abelard, a member of the High School East track team, talks about what it was like facing a serious opponent for the first time–and what it took to succeed. Joshua Pollack, a board member of the Amnesty Club at High School East, takes time on Thursday to talk about a trip he took with the club to raise money in the Students Rebuild Challenge. During the trip, circumstances required Joshua to adapt to his surroundings and to change plans to produce the results he'd hoped for. While it might seem like your time in high school will last forever, it will, one day, come to an end. On Friday, Remi Asghar recalls how early in his athletic career his coach shared some advice that has helped put his time at High School East into perspective. Time can be a very challenging thing to manage. Spending your time to be more efficient can make an impactful difference and can lead to a less stressful life overall. It is much more important to use your time to be more efficient, rather than spending your time procrastinating. Right now, Joseph Masalin will provide you all with a story from his own high school experiences to provide insightful advice on how to manage your own time to work more efficiently. Hills Review is produced by members of the Podcasting and Filmmaking Club. If you are interested in becoming a contributor, see Mr. Beatty in room 216. Welcome back to school – and have a great week.

It's Friday, June 14th, 2024 and welcome to this special edition of Hills Review. All this week we're hearing reflections from this year's graduates. We begin today's final segment with Andi Rallo, who reflects on the magic of the varsity soccer senior night. Next, Bisman Bedi describes what it was like getting up at 4:30 in the morning to make it to this year's senior sunrise. Finally, in the last segment of our special edition, Maya Sow remembers the first time she was able to cheer for High School East – and recalls the intense school spirit and joy of being a part of a great team. Hills Review is produced by members of the Podcasting and Filmmaking Club. If you're interested in contributing – and aren't graduating – see Mr. Beatty in room 216 in the fall. Thank you for listening – and the best of luck to the Class of 2024! Congratulations Seniors!

It's Thursday, June 13th, 2024 and welcome to this special edition of Hills Review. All this week we're hearing reflections from this year's graduates. Today, we begin with Rose Azmoudeh – one of HS East's best basketball players – as she reflects on a rematch with one of HS East's biggest rivals Next, Emily Brice, a member of several High School East theater presentations, reflects on the fear of tryouts, the rigors of performing, and the thrill of being part of the show. To conclude today's segment, Justin Genatt talks about how much he loved his sports management class field trip to Citi Field – even if he is a Yankee fan. Join us again tomorrow, as we hear more from this year's graduating seniors.

It's Wednesday, June 12th, 2024 and welcome to this special edition of Hills Review. All this week we're hearing reflections from this year's graduates. Right now, Sydney Briller talks about the first time she took part in Students Rebuild – and how she and her classmates helped raise money to help those in need around the world. Next, we'll hear from Oliver Gilfillan, a top golfer at East, about what it was like mentally preparing for the conference championships. Finally, Jayme Simon talks about the impact the junior prom had on her – how it helped develop strong friendships and fulfilled a dream years in the making. Join us again tomorrow, as we hear more from this year's graduating seniors.

It's Tuesday, June 11th, 2024 and welcome to this special edition of Hills Review. All week long we're hearing reflections from this year's graduates. The first story we'll hear today comes from Ayush Desai. For him, making the choice between art and music wasn't an easy one, but ultimately, the choice he made was the right one. This year's graduates were all freshmen when COVID interrupted everything. Here, Eleni Augoustiniatos reflects on how great it was to finally be able to participate in STEM clubs – in particular the Science Olympiad – once restrictions were lifted. In today's final segment, Meredith Bodie – a three season athlete – describes her love of playing soccer in the fall, basketball in the winter, and track in the spring. Join us again tomorrow, as we hear more from this year's graduating seniors.

It's Monday, June 10th, 2024 and welcome to this special graduation edition of Hills Review -- the High School East Student Podcast. As they eagerly await their future, several members of the Class of 2024 take time to glance back at the highlights of their time at High School East. Each day, we'll hear from three seniors. We begin with Alan Frankiewicz. Alan was a soccer player at East. Here, he reflects on his last home varsity soccer game, on senior night and the emotions of a good end to a rough season. Next, Tyler Varlack shares a story about traveling with the High School East band to a competition at Hershey Park in Pennsylvania. In today's final installment, Elias Floropoulos talks about getting his chance to play on the football team – and realizing that hard work really does pay off. Join us again tomorrow, as we hear more from this year's graduating seniors.

Chess is a timeless board game that challenges the mind like no other game on the planet can. While it used to be reserved for kings, chess is starting to spread to people from all walks of life. Justin Rimpel looks at how chess is becoming more popular and why you should try it.

As A.I. technology improves, people are starting to wonder: is it good or bad for the future? Some say it brings efficiency and innovation, while others worry about loss of jobs and ethical issues. We asked members of the High School East community to share their thoughts on A.I.

In this month's book talk, Khaled Alafifi, Aayush Prakash, Arnav Singh, and Justin Rimpel discuss Stephen King's horror classic: Misery. Join them as they analyze the story and take a close look at how it mirrors the author's life.

Hair discrimination pushes a standard of beauty onto black women that makes them feel inadequate and uncomfortable with the hair that grows out of their own head. Naomi Myers reveals how prevalent hair discrimination is, and shares several stories in order to help bring this practice to an end.

It's Monday, May 6th, 2024 and welcome to the May edition of Hills Review -- the High School East Student Podcast. Hair discrimination pushes a standard of beauty onto black women that makes them feel inadequate and uncomfortable with the hair that grows out of their own head. This Tuesday, Naomi Myers reveals how prevalent hair discrimination is, and shares several stories in order to help bring this practice to an end. In this month's book talk, Khaled Alafifi, Aayush Prakash, Arnav Singh, and Justin Rimpel discuss Stephen King's horror classic: Misery. Join them on Wednesday as they analyze the story and take a close look at how it mirrors the author's life. As A.I. technology improves, people are starting to wonder: is it good or bad for the future? Some say it brings efficiency and innovation, while others worry about loss of jobs and ethical issues. On Thursday, we ask members of the High School East community to share their thoughts on A.I. Chess is a timeless board game that challenges the mind like no other game on the planet can. While it used to be reserved for kings, chess is starting to spread to people from all walks of life. This Friday, Justin Rimpel looks at how chess is becoming more popular and why you should try it. Hills Review is produced by members of the Podcasting and Filmmaking Club. If you are interested in becoming a contributor, see Mr. Beatty in room 216. If you like this podcast – please tell one friend about it. Word of mouth is the best way to get more people listening to our show. Thanks for listening and have a great week.

For many students, the idea of continuing straight through from high school to college is too much. For them, a gap year is just what is needed. But is it a good idea? We ask students around High School East to share their thoughts on taking a gap year.