The Berkeley Carroll Blotter is proud to present its 10th weekly newsletter of the 2025-2026 school year! This edition features the standard “5 in News” by Rory O’Connor (‘26) and a piece about the Park Slope stores Berkeley Carroll students often frequent by Mikaela Gerstenhaber (‘26). Later, Zofie Mclune (‘27) presents a faculty spotlight piece on Ms. Massay. Photos from BC photographers are throughout. As always, we thank you for interacting with The Blotter.
Happy reading!
Genevieve Eisner and Cleo Logan, co-editors
5 in News
Rory O’Connor (‘26)
Former C.I.A officer and Democrat Abigail Spanberger (46) was recently elected Virginian’s first female governor. Additionally, Democratic representative Mikie Sherrill won the race to become the second female governor in New Jersey, beating Republican representative Jack Cittarelli by a landslide. Following Mamdani’s win in the NYC mayoral race, these two elections are another good sign for the Democratic party.
On November 3rd, Dick Cheney, a Republican politician and one of the primary architects of the War on Terror, died at 84 years old. During his career, he served as the 46th U.S. vice president, a Wyoming congressman, a defense secretary, and a White House chief of staff. Cheney endorsed President Donald Trump in the 2016 election, but quickly became critical and adamantly supported Democrat Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.
On November 4th, a cargo plane for American delivery company UPS traveling from Louisville, Kentucky to Honolulu, Hawaii crashed after its engine detached and fell off. The devastating incident caused the death of at least twelve people, injured eleven people, and rendered nearby buildings in flames.
During Trump’s first presidential term, there was a 34-day federal government shutdown. The recent federal government shutdown marks the longest in history, hitting its 35-day mark two weeks ago. However, the Senate has now passed a bipartisan bill that President Trump signed on November 13th to end the shutdown.
On Wednesday, a congressional committee released more than 20,000 pages of Jeffrey Epstein’s emails. In some of the emails, Epstein suggests that he has potentially damaging information about President Trump and writes that he could “take him down”. The Trump Administration tried to divert attention from the emails; Trump posted on social media that they were a “Democratic hoax.”
The Holy Trinity of BC’s Neighborhood Stores
Mikaela Gerstenhaber (‘26)
Today I sat on the couch at Bagel Pub and thought about how many times I had done this exact thing. I thought about when I had just started attending BC and didn’t understand why everyone loved Bagel Pub’s chai lattes so much. I had always liked Starbucks, but as the year went on I began to realize why it was such a popular cafe. Some students would even get to school twenty minutes early to enjoy a drink and croissant with their friends. It was not even really about the food, because often they didn’t get anything at all. Each year, I understood more and more that although Bagel Pub was a public establishment, we (Berkeley Carroll) were their biggest patrons. In ninth grade, a barista who usually did not give anyone the time of day, asked me about our school schedule. She wondered if we had winter break coming up, and would be away. She asked me questions like these a few times: if no students were in Bagel Pub one day, she would ask me if we had the day off. Berkeley Carroll’s community is what makes Bagel Pub the special place it is, though the bagels are good, too. I’ve spent countless hours “doing homework” on that couch in the back of the cafe, never failing to get distracted by whoever walks in from our school. And it’s not just me, or specifically the twelfth grade—the entire time I’ve been attending BC, each grade settles in Bagel Pub, making it an extension of our campus, rather than a bagel store in Park Slope.
Cousin John’s, BC students’ other staple cafe during the day, physically does not have enough seating to accommodate the community of students we bring in each and every day. I am there between classes, during lunch, and even when I have nothing to buy. If you walk in at 11:00 a.m. on any weekday, you will most likely see all tables filled with laptops and students with coffee. Last year I went to Cousin John’s so much that the barista knew my order as well as the order of two of my friends. It is clear that BC has made Park Slope our playground, especially when you look at the fact that we get student discounts from all the stores that we support.
The final establishment of the Holy Trinity is up for debate, but I think it is Ace. Now, I’m sure some students may disagree, and don’t get me wrong we are certainly a heavy presence in Sweet Chick, Chipotle, Union Market, and Blank Street, but Ace has been our go-to when we need a quick pick me up between periods. It’s such an engrained part of our BC community that we renamed it–the real name is 7th Ave Gourmet. I’ve spent a fair amount of time at Ace, making quick trips to get a snack before drivers ed, volleyball, and even just to accompany my friends and talk to them in the aisles.
No matter which one of these establishments you visit, Berkeley Carroll has left our mark on each one. It might not seem clear, but I am almost positive that the people running these stores know us better than we suspect. Our community spreads across Park Slope, and it’s a special feeling to have a campus and community beyond the walls of 181.
A Woman of Many Faces: Meet Ms. Massay
Zofie Mclune (‘27)
If you’ve ever walked into the gym, joined a volleyball practice, or spent a summer at CAP, Berkeley Carroll’s Creative Arts Program, you’ve probably met one of BC’s most energetic and dedicated educators — Coach Massay. A physical educator, coach, and Assistant Director of the summer camp, she truly does it all. Her days are long but full of action; she usually arrives around 8:15 AM, and doesn’t leave until about 7 PM, depending on the season. Between teaching Middle and Upper School PE and coaching 5th/6th basketball, Girls and Non-Binary JV Volleyball, and Boys and Non-Binary Volleyball, she’s always on the move.
Coach Massay has been part of the BC community for about ten years. “I chose to come here because my daughter was given the opportunity to attend,” she told me. “I wanted to be part of the community I saw growing around her since first grade. I loved what I was seeing and wanted to contribute to it.” That sense of community is something she continues to value deeply — both as a teacher and a parent.
Proudly Guyanese, Coach Massay grew up in New Jersey before moving to East New York, Brooklyn after her parents divorced. Now, she’s a parent of three children, one of whom attends Berkeley Carroll. She’s also the first college graduate in her family — a milestone that reflects her determination and drive.
Outside of work, she’s a woman of many passions. She loves playing video games, listening to music, and driving long distances with her favorite songs blasting — her ultimate way to relax. Every summer, she spends as much time as she can swimming at the beach. One fun fact: she once read The Hunger Games series in just three days, with only two hours of sleep in between. “I loved it so much,” she laughed, “You should read it.”
If she were a music genre, she’d be a mix of R&B, hip-hop, dancehall, and Afrobeats — full of rhythm, energy, and soul. Above all, she said, “I love BC. It’s a wonderful community, and I’m so grateful to be part of it.” And we’re grateful for her too!
Lions Den: Upcoming Games for the Week of 11/17 - 11/21
Monday:
Basketball Girls and NB (Varsity) vs. Trevor Day (Home)
4:00 PM, Athletic Center (Scrimmage)
Basketball Boys and NB (Varsity) vs. Trevor Day (Home)
5:30 PM, Athletic Center (Scrimmage)
Basketball Girls and NB (JV) vs. Trevor Day (Away)
4:15 PM, Trevor Day School (Scrimmage)
Basketball Boys and NB (JV) vs. Trevor Day (Away)
5:30 PM, Trevor Day School (Scrimmage)
Tuesday:
Basketball Girls and NB (JV) vs. Grace Church (Away)
4:00 PM, LREI (Tournament)
Wednesday:
Basketball Boys and NB (Varsity) vs. Bay Ridge Prep (Home)
4:15 PM, Athletic Center (Scrimmage)
Basketball Girls and NB (Varsity) vs. Grace Church (Away)
5:30 PM, LREI (Tournament)
Thursday:
Basketball Girls and NB (JV) vs. TBD (Away)
4:00 PM OR 5:30 PM, LREI (Tournament)
Friday:
Basketball Boys and NB (Varsity) vs. Calhoun (Away)
4:00 PM, Calhoun
Basketball Girls and NB (Varsity) vs. TBD (Away)
3:45 PM OR 4:00 PM, LREI (Tournament)
Community Time 11/17 - 11/21
Monday: Co-Curriculars
Tuesday: Affinity Groups
Wednesday: G Block
Thursday: Grade Meetings
Friday: Half Day, Thanksgiving Assembly
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