Milken Mini Stories: Students Win Debate at Model UN, HBO Producer Visits, Puerto Rico Hurricane Support, and Student Writers Published

 

Milken’s Model United Nations Team participated in the annual BruinMUN Model UN conference held at UCLA November 11-12. The team successfully proposed and supported many resolutions tackling real-world problems. Jordan Feldman ’20 and Elliott Shadgoo ’18 were each awarded Best Delegate representing New Zealand at the Novice United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Shadgoo and Feldman won the debate about the socio-environmental impacts of climate change and about ensuring food and water security in war-torn regions.

 

In addition to prepping for the conference by researching the topics and the country’s stance on each issue, team members also prepared  position papers in advance of the conference  explaining each country’s position. Shadgoo, who is in his first year in Model UN noted, “My experience in Model UN allowed me to gain perspective about global issues and enhance my public speaking skills at the same time.”

HBO Producer Chris Salvaterra, father of Oliver Salvaterra ’22, visited the Middle School on Tuesday, November 14 to talk about his mini-series project on Andrew Jackson. Salvaterra, who has worked on such films as “Syriana,” “Good Night, Good Luck,” “Hildago,” and “The Visitor,” currently works in development for HBO.

After a successful career in films, Salvaterra made the jump to television and noted that the “quality of television shows now is tremendous.” Salvaterra explained that part of his job is getting scripts ready for development. He gives written and verbal feedback on the drafts and prepares the script for production.

Salvaterra is currently developing a two-episode miniseries for HBO on Andrew Jackson, based on the book by Jon Meacham, “American Lion.” Sean Penn will play Andrew Jackson. “There are challenges to developing a production on such a controversial character such as Jackson,” remarked Salvaterra. Jackson was known for such anti Native American policies as signing into law the Indian Removal Act of 1830 allowing the United States Government to relocate Native Americans from east of Mississippi to west of the Mississippi. He was also responsible for The Trail of Tears, which forcibly relocated the Cherokee Native American tribe to Indian territory. The challenge, Salvaterra admitted, is “telling the story in an honest and balanced way.” “You don’t want to demonize him, but you don’t want to make him overly heroic. You want to understand why he made the decisions he did and tell an interesting story.” Salvaterra mentioned the parallels between Jackson’s first election and our most recent presidential election. Jackson won the popular vote in the election, but lost the electoral vote, just as Hillary Clinton did.

After Salvaterra spoke, he fielded questions from students and faculty.

Middle School students from Rabbi Aaron Finkelstein's Beit Midrash class and Mrs. Ann Whiting's Chesed Nafshi group banded together to raise tzedakah to help those suffering from the effects of recent hurricanes. Many of the students noted the terrible conditions in Puerto Rico and were moved by a passionate call for help by their First Lady, Beatriz Rosselló. Through lunchtime bake sales and the sale of light-up Milken bracelets, the students donated $250 to United for Puerto Rico where 100% of the proceeds will provide aid and support to those affected in Puerto Rico by Hurricanes Irma and María. For more information or to get one of the special "Milken Takes Positive Action" light-up bracelets, please contact Ann Whiting at awhiting@milkenschool.org.

 

Congratulations to Creative Writing students Raphael Eidelman, Ethan Bloom, Hannah Safer-Brickman, and Abi Yadegar on their first publications in outside journals!

 

Raphael Eidelman ’19:  will have two poems, "Starry Night" and "The Girl Across the Field" published in the March edition of Amazing Kids

 

Ethan Bloom ’20: poem, "Through the Window" to be published in March edition, Amazing Kids

 

Hannah Safer-Brickman ’19: poem, "Swedish Fish" to be published in March edition, Amazing Kids

 

Abi Yadegar’20:  her poem, The Swing: L'Dor Va'Dor" has been published simultaneously in both Fresh Ink for Teensand New York Jewish Week. Two of her other poems, "Shabbat Wine" and "Ode to My Soul: Music" will be published on Fresh Ink for Teens and New York Jewish Week in the next two months.