Tag Archives: Middle School

Breaker Boys Shine in Soccer Season

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By Ravi Koyen

The Bradley Beach boys soccer team has made a comeback! This season was special because it was one of our best seasons. We secured fifth place, and, at one point, we were in second place for a few weeks. For the past two years, the team had not won any games, but this year we won four! We finished the year with a 4 and 4 record.

At halftime, the first game of the season against Lavallette, the boys were tied 1-1. They went on to score five straight goals, winning 6-1. The next game was against Neptune City. It was a really close game, the boys winning 3-2, going into overtime. The team celebrated so energetically on the bus ride back.

The team consisted of five sixth graders, four seventh graders, and five eighth graders. The coach is Mr. Pulcine, who is also the new PE teacher. What the coach would always say at the games and practices, and when our team was in doubt, was, “Let’s do what we do best and be aggressive!” 

The game moment with the most suspense was definitely when we were tied with Neptune City with a little less than five minutes on the clock. Jared Walker, a sixth grader, scored the winning goal, giving Bradley a 3-2 victory on September 26. Jared also scored multiple hat tricks against Avon and Sea Girt. Another standout player is Brandon Victoria-Angel, who scored a goal against H.W. Mountz off a free kick and scored two headers against Bay Head. 

The team’s hardest game was probably against Sea Girt, as they had a lot of skilled players. However, we had a very good comeback, scoring three goals in the second half. Unfortunately, we still lost 6-3.

The team will lose some key players to high school next year, but there are many who will be back. Along with Jared are Keno Stewart, Alex Rojas-Quiroz, Gael Reyes Ruiz, and me (Ravi Koyen), all seventh-grade starters who will take on a leadership role next year, Mr. P said. The sixth graders who started are Dylan Ruiz Garcia, Zareth Montoya Merino, Jeremy Rodriguez Toruno, and Joshua Roa Mancilla, who now have more experience for next year. So, even with saying goodbye to five eighth graders who all played prominent roles, next year’s Breakers are heading in the right direction for another successful season. 

Boost your Playlist with Classic Rock Recs

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By Arianna Galloway

Have you ever wanted to expand the music you listen to? Well, I have the perfect suggestion for you: classic rock. It’s rebellious, raw, and, most of all, classic! 

Classic rock is an energetic genre of music with its famous guitar riffs and vocals, and rebellious themes. The term describes the era from the 1960s to the 1980s, but the 70s are considered the golden age of classic rock. Some classic rock radio stations even play songs from the 90s. 

Some of the most well-known bands are Pink Floyd, the Rolling Stones, Queen, Kiss, and AC/DC. But there are many more. I first started listening to classic rock when my mom played it in the car. I loved the energetic, upbeat tunes, and now I have a whole playlist. I think this genre of music is great for expanding your music style and is much better than the brainrot songs that many kids listen to today.

Hip-hop artists have sampled heavily from classic rock songs. Some famous songs you may know, like “Ice Ice Baby” by Vanilla Ice, were sampled from classic rock. In that case, from “Under Pressure” by Queen and David Bowie.

There are so many good rock songs, but here are some to start with. In 1966, the Rolling Stones came out with the song “Paint it Black,” which has a very gritty and moody vibe. In 1986, New Jersey native Bon Jovi came out with “Livin’ On A Prayer” based on two people going through hard times, but still holding on. One last song to get you started is “Rock Bottom” by UFO, which has a great beat. Other artists I think are good are Def Leppard, Ozzy Osbourne, Journey, and Cheap Trick.  All of these songs are catchy, and they express music in a way that you may not be used to.

I asked around the school, and I found quite a few classic rock fans. Our head custodian, Mr. Phil, said it’s his favorite genre of music. “They took pride in music back then; it was more raw,” he said.

Our principal/superintendent, Dr. Heidelberg, said, “I like how the drums, the bass, and the guitar come together to produce a sound that you can easily identify as rock music.” 

Renata, in seventh grade, is also a fan. “I got into classic rock from Stranger Things,” she said. “Classic rock makes me feel hyped up, and has a good vibe to it.”

Mrs. Fox, a middle school math teacher, said it reminds her of her childhood. “ My dad used to blast it in the house,” she smiled.

As a music lover, I have many favorite songs, but out of the ones that I gave earlier, my favorite is probably “Livin’ On A Prayer.” The reason is that while it’s showing a sad emotion, it’s still very upbeat. Classic rock makes me hyped because of the drums and electric guitar used in most songs.

Expanding your music may be hard, so that’s why I made a Spotify playlist for you to get you started. Let me know what you think in the comments. Rock on!

Students’ Lemonade Stand Prompts a Sweet Gift

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By Molly Flynn

It was a sweltering August day, with temperatures reaching about 90 degrees, and tourists were flooding the streets. Julia Bianchi, Lillian McClaren, and I were bored out of our minds. Julia had the great idea of setting up a lemonade stand to make some extra cash. 

We started to prepare, taking lemons, sugar, and a lemon-printed tablecloth from Lily’s house for our stand on my front lawn. We took a massive sheet of paper from Lily’s basement and wrote “LEMONADE $1” in bright green. No one could read the writing in the blinding sunlight.

Julia then (again) had the great idea that since we are members of the National Junior Honor Society, we should donate the money for service hours. Lily and I agreed on one condition: we got to pick where the money went.

After a couple of minutes of researching random charities near us on Lily’s phone, we decided on Make-A-Wish. A castle only half an hour away would be perfect.

We added “All proceeds go to Make-A-Wish Foundation” to our sign. Business started booming.

Our biggest donor was a Bradley local, Shannon Symons, who donated $100!

“I donated because, as a cancer survivor myself, I knew that what these kids were raising money for is important,” she said.

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The IT Man: an Interview with Mr. Monterrosa

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By Milo Butler

Hey everybody! Do you ever think about our IT Coordinator, Mr. Monterrosa, and what he does? Well, that’s what I am here to tell you. 

He first became interested in computers during his freshman year of high school. He purchased a pre-built gaming desktop and immediately began upgrading its components. That led him, a year later, to build his own desktop from scratch. 

In a written interview with The Tides, Mr. Monterrosa said, “My favorite part about being the BBES school IT guy is the uncertainty the day will bring. Some days I will be troubleshooting a tech issue, and the next I will be playing basketball against the students.” 

Mr. Monterrosa began his job as our IT specialist in late July 2024. He came here after he graduated from the New Jersey Institute of Technology. He loves technology and helping others. Mr. Monterrosa says, “This job is extremely fulfilling, and helping others always makes me happy.”

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Middle School Glows at Semi-Formal

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By Nora Weber

Last month, we had our first-ever semi-formal middle school dance at the Bradley Beach Fire Department Banquet Hall. The event was glow-themed, featuring neon lights, balloons, hanging paper stars, and plenty of glowing gadgets for students to wear.

The Student Council – led by Ms Acerra and Mrs. Covert – provided an assortment of delicious food, including chicken fingers, pasta, tacos, and taquitos dorados de pollo, as well as desserts like cupcakes and churros.

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