The "NOT by David Bowie" 30-Song Music Challenge

Day 1: A Song About A Space Oddity: Monty Python's Flying Circus - The Galaxy Song

Day 2: A Song About Rebels: Allan Sherman - The Rebel

Day 3: A Song About Ashes Or Dust: Fleetwood Mac - Gold Dust Woman

Day 4: A Song Focusing On Pressure: Jim's Big Ego - Stress

Day 5: A Song About (Suffragette) Cities: Gil Scott-Heron - We Almost Lost Detroit

Day 6: A Song About Jeans or Jeanies: Neil Diamond - Forever In Blue Jeans

Day 7: A Song About Changes: Raydio - You Can't Change That

Day 8: A Song Proclaiming, "Let's Dance!": C&C Music Factory - Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)

Day 9: A Song Dealing With Cats: Squeeze - Cool For Cats

Day 10: A Song About Being A Hero (If Just For One Day): The Kinks - Celluloid Heroes

Day 11: A Song About Sweet Things: Aerosmith - Sweet Emotion

Day 12: A Song About China Girls: Laid Back - China Girl

Day 13: A Song About The Golden Years (Wop Wop Wop): Adele - When We Were Young

Day 14: A Song About Fame: Weird Al Yankovic - TMZ

Day 15: A Song About Panicking In Detroit (Or Elsewhere): Pat Benatar - Anxiety (Get Nervous)

Day 16: A Song By A Glam Rocker: Sweet - Ballroom Blitz

Day 17: A Song About Sound Or Vision: Peter Gabriel - In Your Eyes

Day 18: A Song About Modern Love: The Cure - Lovesong

Day 19: A Song About Young Americans: Steely Dan - Hey Nineteen

Day 20: A Song About Fashion: Right Said Fred - I'm Too Sexy

Day 21: A Song About Absolute Beginners: Tori Amos - Pretty Good Year

Day 22: A Song About Young Dudes: K.T. Oslin - Younger Men

Day 23: A Song Discussing Scary Monsters: Warren Zevon - Werewolves Of London

Day 24: A Song Discussing Super Creeps: Weird Al Yankovic - Do I Creep You Out?

Day 25: A Song About Diamonds Or Dogs: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Dogs On The Run

Day 26: A Song About Stations: Donald Fagan & The Nightflyers - The Nightfly

Day 27: A Song Asking, "Where Are We Now?": U2 - I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For

Day 28: A Song About Selling The World: Miles Davis - Love For Sale

Day 29: A Song About Not Giving Everything Away: Supertramp - Give A Little Bit

Day 30: A Song By An Artist Who Took On Another Persona: The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

The "NOT by The Traveling Wilburys" 30-Song Music Challenge

Day 1: A Song About Handling Things With Care: Men Without Hats - Safety Dance

Day 2: A Song About A Dirty World: Lou Reed - Last Great American Whale

Day 3: A Song About Being Rattled: Big Joe Turner - Shake, Rattle & Roll

Day 4: A Song Reminiscing About Last Night: The Beatles - Norwegian Wood (That Bird Has Flown)

Day 5: A Bob Dylan Song: Bob Dylan - My Back Pages

Day 6: A Song About Not Being In Love Anymore: Etta James - At Last

Day 7: A Song Offering Congrats To Someone: Cliff Richard - Congratulations

Day 8: A Song Whose Title Is That Of An Alcoholic Drink: John Lee Hooker - One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer

Day 9: A Song Dealing With A One-Night Stand: Reba McIntyre - She Thinks His Name Was John

Day 10: A George Harrison Song: George Harrison - What Is Life

Day 11: A Song Set In New Jersey: Bruce Springsteen with The Sessions Band - Atlantic City

Day 12: A Song Telling A Story: Gordon Lightfoot - The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald

Day 13: A Song Focusing On The End Of The Line: The Clash - Armagideon Time

Day 14: A Song About Something Being Inside Out: REM - Turn You Inside-Out

Day 15: A Jeff Lynne Song: Electric Light Orchestra - Turn To Stone

Day 16: A Song About Wanting Someone In Your Life: Taylor Swift - You Belong With Me

Day 17: A Song About One Of The Deadly Sins: Veruca Salt (from Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory) - I Want It All

Day 18: A Song About Being Poor: Michael Franti & Spearhead - Hole In The Bucket

Day 19: A Twist: Dire Straits - Twistin' By The Pool

Day 20: A Roy Orbison Song: Roy Orbison - She's A Mystery To Me

Day 21: A Song Lamenting Environmental Issues: John Anderson with Lorraine Johnson & Carolina Road - Seminole Wind

Day 22: A Song With Multiple Lead Singers: Barenaked Ladies - If I Had $1,000,000

Day 23: A Song Asking A Question About A Significant Other: The Contours - Do You Love Me?

Day 24: A Song About Cool, Dry Places: Jane Wiedlan & Sparks - Cool Places

Day 25: A Tom Petty Song: Tom Petty - Leave Virginia Along

Day 26: A Song About Taking One's Breath Away: Kelly Clarkson - Catch My Breath

Day 27: A Song About The Moon And/Or Night Sky: Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band - Shame On The Moon

Day 28: A Cover Of A '60s Song: The Bangles - Hazy Shade Of Winter

Day 29: A Song About Orphans: Richie Havens - Motherless Child

Day 30: A Song By A Supergroup: Northern Nights - Tears Are Not Enough

The "NOT by Frank Zappa" 30-Song Tribute Challenge

Day 1: A Song About Dancing Fools: Men Without Hats - Safety Dance

Day 2: A Song About Catholic Girls: Red Hot Chili Peppers - Catholic School Girls Rule

Day 3: A Song About A Garage Band: Patti Smith - So You Want To Be A Rock And Roll Star

Day 4: A Song Focusing On Snow: Fleming & John - Winter Wonderland/Misty Mountain Hop

Day 5: A Song About (Drowning) Witches: Frank Sinatra - Witchcraft

Day 6: A Song About Challenging A Government: Bjork - Declare Independence

Day 7: A Song Featuring A Xylophone: Robert Palmer - Looking For Clues

Day 8: A Song About Valley Girls: OutKast featuring George Clinton - Synthesizer

Day 9: A Song Discussing Dirty Love: Prince & The Revolution - Erotic City

Day 10: An Instrumental: Mason Williams - Classical Gas

Day 11: A Song About Being In Trouble Every Day: Weezer - Troublemaker

Day 12: A Song About Motherly Love: Paul Simon - Mother And Child Reunion

Day 13: A Song Dealing With A (Jewish) Princess: Julie Brown - The Homecoming Queen's Got A Gun

Day 14: A Song About Someone Named Joe: Manhattan Transfer - That's Killer Joe

Day 15: A Song About Having No Heart: Kelly Clarkson - Since U Been Gone

Day 16: A Song About Hungry Freaks: Johnny Cash - Beans For Breakfast

Day 17: A Song About King Kong: Bobby Pickett & Peter Ferrara - King Kong (Your Song)

Day 18: A Song About Brown (Or Any Color) Shoes: Run-DMC - My Adidas

Day 19: A Song By An Innovative Artist: Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here

Day 20: A Song About A Disease (Imaginary Or Otherwise): Joe Jackson - Cancer

Day 21: A Song About A Wet T-Shirt Bar Night: Missy Elliott - Shake Your Pom Pom

Day 22: A Song About Cosmik Debris: Devo - Space Junk

Day 23: A Song About Holidays In Berlin (Or Anywhere): Lindsey Buckingham - Holiday Road

Day 24: A Song About Only Being In It For The Money: The Notorious B.I.G. - Mo Money Mo Problems

Day 25: A Song About Cruising For Burgers: Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band - The Horizontal Bop

Day 26: A Song Poking Fun At Organized Religion: XTC - Dear God

Day 27: A Song By An Artist Who Crosses Multiple Genres: Fleetwood Mac - Madison Blues

Day 28: A Song About Inventions: Kraftwerk - Pocket Calculator

Day 29: A Song Mocking Pop Rock: Allan Sherman - Pop Hates The Beatles

Day 30: A Song About T's & Beer: Joe Walsh - I.L.B.T.'s

The "NOT by Styx" 30-Song Tribute Challenge

Day 1: A Song About Sailing Away: Van Morrison - Into The Mystic

Day 2: A Song About Blue Collar Men (And Women): Huey Lewis & Garth Brooks - Workin' For A Livin'

Day 3: A Song Referencing A First Time: Barenaked Ladies - Falling For The First Time

Day 4: A Song About Having Too Much Time On Your Hands: The Rolling Stones - Time Is On My Side

Day 5: A Song Commenting On Illusions: Joe Walsh - Life Of Illusion

Day 6: A Song About Pirate Booty: Kenny Rogers & The Bee Gees - Buried Treasure

Day 7: A Song About The Best Of Times: Pharrell Williams - Happy

Day 8: A Song Referencing A Lady Or Babe: Sonny & Cher - I Got You, Babe

Day 9: A Song About Showing Someone The Way: Montell Jordan - This Is How We Do It

Day 10: A Song About A Performance Venue: Weather Report - Birdland

Day 11: A Song Lamenting The Need For Love: Righteous Brothers - Unchained Melody

Day 12: A Song Proclaiming Everything Is Cool: The Time - Cool

Day 13: A Song About A Face Card: Juice Newton - Queen Of Hearts

Day 14: A Song About Lighting Up: Bruce Springsteen - Light Of Day

Day 15: A Song About Crystal Balls: Indigo Girls - Love Will Come To You

Day 16: A Song By A Band From Chicago: OK Go - Here It Goes Again

Day 17: A Song Indicating Nothing Ever Goes As Planned: Ben Harper - Keep It Together (So I Can Fall Apart)

Day 18: A Song About Angry Young Men: Weird Al Yankovic - Angry White Boy Polka

Day 19: A Song About Fooling Yourself: Doobie Brothers - What A Fool Believes

Day 20: A Song About Not Letting Something End: Fleetwood Mac - Don't Stop

Day 21: A Song About Long Nights: Joe Walsh - All Night Long

Day 22: A Song Whose Title Is Also That Of A Book: Metallica - For Whom The Bell Tolls

Day 23: A Song Asking, "Why Me?": Simon & Garfunkel - Song For The Asking

Day 24: A Song About Artificial Intelligence: Jamiroquai - Virtual Insanity

Day 25: A Song About Miss America: The Kinks - Catch Me Now I'm Falling

Day 26: A Song Referencing An Equinox: Manhattan Transfer - Sing Joy Spring

Day 27: A Song About Renegades: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Rebels

Day 28: A Song Remembering Love At First Sight: Neil Diamond - I'm A Believer

Day 29: A Song Dealing With Greek Mythology: Cream - Tales Of Brave Ulysses

Day 30: A Song Hijacked For Political Purposes: Jackson Browne - Running On Empty

To the Class of 2021 ...

An open letter to the Wellington High School Speech & Debate Class of 2021 and their parents/guardians:

To quote my CPF Jerry, "What a long, strange trip it's been!”

In debate terms, that journey definitely varied from student to student. Some tooled around Palm Beach County and competed at an array of high schools. Some traveled the nation, visiting college campuses. And this year, everyone traveled from the bedroom to the kitchen to the computer. (And for our novice debaters who became part of our family this year ... I'm sorry the experience wasn't quite what you were promised during the upsell you received from fellow students your junior year.)

Your freshman year, it was Stoneman Douglas. Your junior and senior years, it was COVID-19. Your sophomore year, it was ... oh, hell if I can remember. I'm old and my brain is fried. But I'm sure SOMETHING kinda big happened that year.

And yet ... you persevered. You pushed on. You made vats of lemonade out of the millions of lemons life proverbially handed you the past four years.

And we could not be more in awe of all you accomplished.

As your speech and debate coach, I've watched you grow and mature, to take the learning opportunities handed to you and run with them. I've witnessed you work with more experienced students to learn the fundamentals, then turn around and teach those same basics to newer members of the program. I've seen you use technology and make it work for you in a positive way, and I've seen you make self-representation an art form when pushing to new heights. I've watched and heard you use your voice and speak out for both yourself and others around you who have been harmed by the injustices of the world in which they live.

Albus Dumbledore once said, "Dark times lie ahead of us, and there will be a time when we must choose between what is easy ... and what is right." You have already used your voice to address the evils around us. As you embark on new adventures, I am more than positive you will continue to do so, and to make an amazing mark on everything you do and everywhere you go after Wellington. You've more than proven yourself to your family, friends, and educators. You are in a position of promise, with wide open vistas ahead of you and a wealth of experience to back you up along the way.

And remember, nothing is set; you have the ability and temperament to analyze situations and adapt accordingly. Need to switch majors? Take a gap semester or year? Transfer to a different school? Not a problem. Life is full of making adjustments, and you are more than capable of using the tools you've acquired to successfully navigate your future.

Kieran Abesamis, Devaaun Blackwood, Christopher Castro, Destiny Cortinas, Jacob Davis, Leslie Diaz, Emma Gherlan, Maddie Kaplan, Jakob Lefkowitz, Fairus Lopez, Noah Lopez, Liam MacMahon, Madison Mason, Matthew McGann, Daniel Melton, Gonzalo Pardo Zambrano, Nicholas Raney, and Jenalyn Spies ... thank you for everything. I'm glad I had the opportunity to meet with each of you individually the past week, to present to you the various accolades you have earned the past two years, as well as your college-colored Red Dawn Debaters polos, to talk with you and your family members, and to bring some semblance of "closure" to the most awkward and frustrating 15-month period of our lives (individually and collectively).

Class of 2021 - It has been an honor and a privilege to be part of your world.