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Cypress Bay High School • 18600 Vista Park Blvd., Weston, Florida 33332 • Vol 18, Issue 3 • December 2018
Season’s Givings
BY COLIN CRAWFORD
Each year, as sophomore Chelsea Neysmith begins to feel the holiday spirit, she said she is always hit with the same revelation: she has too much. During the winter season, she said she likes to donate to the less fortunate because it conveys what she believes the holidays are about, which is giving back. “When you donate, people who are less fortunate just feel better if only for a short time,” Neysmith said. “I guess they don’t feel as alone and they realize that other people care about them and are genuinely trying to help them, whatever their situation may be.” Freshman Ian Jimenez donates toys, clothes and food every year to assist the needy people in Venezuela. By helping others, he said he recognizes how fortunate he is for everything he has and it warms his heart to give to those in need. “Helping the less fortunate has always made me feel amazing because I see how blessed I am to have everything I have in life,” Jimenez said. “To be able to make the less fortunate this happy and to give them an opportunity to experience things that we may take for granted is incredible.” Neysmith and her family donate to organizations, such as Faith Farm Ministries, Florida Breast Cancer Network and Sheridan House Ministry each year. She said they donate items from their house that they don’t have a purpose for anymore. “I think it is something that everyone should do because it is not that difficult,” Neysmith said. “All that you have to do is see what you are not using or clothes that don’t fit anymore and put them in a bag and give them away. It’s really simple.” Along with donating items, Algebra II teacher Evonne Pankowski volunteers her time at her church, especially during the winter season. Pankowski said her church participates in Love South Florida, a month long outreach program beginning in November that is run by Church United and the Churches of Broward County and aims to help impoverished communities. “I think we have a lot already, so buying other people more stuff that they don’t need is a bit excessive,” Pankowski said. “Giving back to people who don’t have as much is kind of like giving to yourself.” For Pankowski, she said the holidays have changed as she has aged because when she was younger, the holidays were more about receiving gifts, but now, it’s more focused on giving to others. Pankowski said she and her family try to show the younger generation, like her nieces and nephews, what the holiday giving spirit is all about. “It’s been cool to see, as I’ve gotten older, my friends’ kids and my sister’s kids get so excited to receive gifts, but we also try to instill in them that it is
more exciting to give than to receive,” Pankowski said. “It is exciting for them to buy even the littlest thing and give it to their friend or a family member.” Over time, Pankowski said she has started valuing giving over getting presents during the holiday season. She said this is partly due to today’s age of social media influence in the holiday spirit and celebrities televising how they give back to those around them. “I think now with social media, you always see good stories and videos with people giving stuff [to others],” Pankowski said, “I think it started with Oprah giving cars away on her show.” When donating or gifting presents during this season, Jimenez said he often thinks about the people who are receiving his donations and wonders if his actions benefited them. “When my family and I donate basic needs to Venezuela I always wonder who exactly is the person benefiting from these donations,” Jimenez said. “Sometimes even when I meet the kids myself I still wonder if in their home it may have benefited a sibling or other family member or if it benefited them.” Jimenez recently participated in an event organized by Promoting Relationships In Diversity through Education, in which he and other members went to Dan Marino Miami Children’s Hospital in Halloween costumes to do arts and crafts with children there. Jimenez said he is new to the world of giving back and volunteering, but it is something he wants to continue pursuing. “The main thing that made me want to help others is that I believe that if you have the power or the ability to help others, you are responsible for doing it,” Jimenez said. “In thinking about this, I realized I do have the ability to help others, so I wanted to do something about it.” Pankowski also participates in an annual holiday service project when her church adopts a school to donate supplies and wraps gifts for the students who attend. She said her church once raised enough money to buy 15 computer carts for the underprivileged school they were aiding. “It was cool to see the principal collect the check for the laptops because she was crying hysterically,” Pankowski said. “All of the kids looked so excited, it was kind of infectious.” Pankowski said she has the perfect remedy for those who are not feeling the holiday giving spirit quite yet and that once these tasks are completed, everyone will be wanting to give gifts and help make the world a merrier place. “Watch the Hallmark channel and Publix commercials,” Pankowski said. “Don’t just think of giving materials, but about how you treat others. Being kind is important especially around the holidays.”
PHOTO SUBMITTED BY ARANTZA ANTONORSI
PHOTO SUBMITTED BY IAN JIMENEZ
Senior Arantza Antonorsi packs gifts for children overseas.
The Bay’s P.R.I.D.E. club visits the Miami Children’s Hospital.
News Page 2
Sports
Opinion
Page 24
Features Page 9
Page 39
A&E
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giving thanks
Student Government Association shows appreciation for teachers at Thanksgiving luncheon.
“To plan, we created decorations to make the theme of fall come alive,” Kron said. “We made sure to incorporate the main colors of fall to make it seem like the holidays in school.” Bieber served as a runner at the luncheon, which meant she was tasked with walking around, asking the teachers if they needed anything and collecting trash. Bieber said she was able to have fun while working the event and make sure the teachers received the best treatment they could get. “It was amazing to see all of the teachers [be] happy with all of their friends and food,” Bieber said. “It felt rewarding knowing I was a part of something that gave back to the hardworking teachers of the Bay.”
BY ANNABELLE DANIELS-ROSENBERG GRAPHICS EDITOR
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[The luncheon] gives us a sense of being thanked for something, and it was just wonderful to be with everybody and in a holiday mood with great food.
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The Bay’s Student Government Association (SGA) held a Thanksgiving luncheon for all teachers and staff on Nov. 16 in the Drama room. The event included fall decorations and catered Thanksgiving food. Junior Sydney Kron, head of SGA’s public relations committee, said the purpose of this event was to show gratitude to the faculty for all the hard work they do throughout the year. “We wanted to appreciate the teachers by giving them a nice luncheon, so they can relax during a long school day and have quality time with their co-workers with some good food,” Kron said. During all four lunches, teachers and faculty could stop by the luncheon to eat and interact with their co-workers. Kron said SGA’s public relations committee spends the year coming up with projects that help give back and show appreciation to teachers. “My committee and I made decorations and decked out the room, so everyone can feel a sense of fall,” Kron said. “Food was catered and the teachers all sat and ate the food while bonding with their co-workers.” At the event, SGA provided a buffet of Thanksgiving foods, including turkey and sweet potatoes as well as a dessert bar and coffee bar. Advanced Topics and Algebra II teacher Lori Windloss said she enjoyed this food by sitting with her friends and fellow department members. “I run around, and I don’t eat lunch half the time or I’m having a protein bar or yogurt,” Windloss said. “It was just so nice to walk in there and have everybody serve us and just have the thanks and making the time to sit down with everybody.” Junior Alexa Bieber said SGA members put together the luncheon with the help of the front office administrators. She said it is imperative to acknowledge how hard faculty works at the Bay and just a short 30
-Advanced Topics and Algebra teacher Lori Windloss PHOTOS BY ANNABELLE DANIELS-ROSENBERG
SERVING UP THANKS: (From top) sophomore Sara Beer, juniors Sydney Kron and Drew Roach serve faculty and staff Thanksgiving food on Nov. 16 for the teacher appreciation luncheon. The Drama room was decorated with leaves, cornucopias and Thanksgiving turkeys for teachers to enjoy while on their lunch break. The event was put on by Student Government Association who set up the buffet, decorated the room and volunteered at the event.
minutes can mean a lot to them. “It’s really important that teachers be recognized for how hard they work, especially on major holidays such as Thanksgiving,” Bieber said. “They deserve appreciation from students and the front office that help put this together.” Windloss said she was grateful for the Thanksgiving lunch that SGA organized. She said it was a much needed and appreciated break from the craziness of her day.
“So many of us never seem to get out of our room, and we don’t get to see each other in a nice manner rather than meetings,” Windloss said. “[The luncheon] gives us a sense of being thanked for something, and it was just wonderful to be with everybody and in a holiday mood with great food.” Kron said putting the lunch together required sufficient planning and teamwork. She said many SGA members spent time setting up on the day of the event by putting all of their decorations together.
After talking with faculty, Bieber said her teachers were impressed and amazed with how the everything turned out. “After the lunch, a lot of my teachers came up to me thanking me and the rest of SGA for all our efforts,” Bieber said. “The teachers I talked to explained to me how they loved and needed this short, relaxing break to hang and eat lunch with their friends.” Kron said the lunch was a major success as all of the teachers and staff who attended the event got the chance to eat and enjoy themselves. . She said everything came together smoothly , and she was proud of everyone’s work as the decorations and food turned out well. “In the end, I received nothing but good results and comments by teachers, thanking us for our hard work,” Kron said. “It is worth it when the teachers enjoy [the lunch] because they deserve every bit of [enjoyment] for all they do.”
News Calendar Midterms Schedule
Club Meetings
Events
Periods Periods Periods Periods
Best Buddies, Dec. 17 English Honors Society, Dec. 17 National Honors Society, Jan. 14 DECA, Jan. 15 SGA, Jan. 15 HOSA, Jan. 22
DECA Districts, Jan. 9-10 Coffee House, Jan. 18 Lightning Oscars, Jan. 25 PRIDE Informative Night, Jan. 29 PRIDE Field Day, Feb. 2 International Night, Feb. 21
One and Two, Dec. 18 Three and Four, Dec. 19 Five and Six, Dec. 20 Seven and Eight, Dec. 21
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Best Buddies Thanksgiving Potluck unites members NEWS / ARTS & ENT. PHOTO EDITOR
Best Buddies hosted a Thanksgiving Potluck on Nov. 16 in the cafeteria to celebrate the holiday season. The club held this event for members and their families to eat a Thanksgiving meal together. Senior and Vice President of Membership Sydney Saul said the most tedious part of planning this event was organizing the food because every member was responsible for a certain item, including appetizers, main dishes and drinks. “We wanted the members to be responsible for bringing food, so everyone had a part in the event,” Saul said. “We focused most of the planning on that because it was important that we had enough food for everyone to enjoy.” Junior and club member Barrett Cruz said his favorite part of the event was watching the buddies have a dance battle towards the end of the night. He said this activity created an entertaining atmosphere.
“I heard some music come on and then all of a sudden the buddies were in a circle watching each other dance with so much energy,” Cruz said. “This added to the entire night because I could see everyone coming together laughing and just enjoying each other’s company.”
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I could see everyone coming together laughing and just enjoying each other’s company.
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BY DREW ROACH
-junior Barrett Cruz Exceptional Student Education (ESE) teacher Ellen Eiss said the Thanksgiving Potluck is important for the buddies because it is one of the only events that their parents can attend. “This is an annual event for us because it is a special time where all the buddies can bring
their families and come together,” Eiss said. “The parents are able to meet the people who spend time with their kids, and it is a very special time for everyone.” Eiss said the club has about 30 fewer members compared to previous years. When accepting members, she said the officers make sure everyone accepted is committed to the club. Eiss said the lower number of members allows the buddies to be more interactive and become closer with each other. “We have been more careful and selective when it comes to who is in the club because we want people to make the most out of the year and be dedicated to their buddy,” Eiss said. “We do not want people to just show up to be there. We want everyone to have the best experience, so we have made more rules when letting people in.” To improve this event in future years, Cruz said he suggests the officers assign foods to members rather than letting people bring whatever they want. By being responsible for a specif-
PHOTO BY DREW ROACH
FRIENDLY FEAST: Senior and Best Buddies member Nicholas Villanueva dances at the Thanksgiving Potluck social held in the cafeteria on Nov. 16. Each member was assigned a food item to bring to contribute to the potluck dinner.
ic item, Cruz said the spread of food can be diversified and more enjoyable for everyone. “There was a lot of popcorn chicken at the event because a lot of people signed up to bring that food, which could have been
prevented,” Cruz said. “The food that was brought was good, but the process of assigning items could have been more efficient, so everyone could have enjoyed it.”
HOSA Week spreads club awareness BY GOWRI ABHINANDA
Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) held its annual HOSA Week from Nov. 4 to Nov. 10 throughout all lunches; the event featured activities including medical trivia and a bean bag toss. Junior and Executive Vice President Gabe Quiros said HOSA Week increased awareness of the club and provided HOSA officers with the opportunity to display gratitude towards their members. “HOSA Week is a national membership project where chapters around the country participate in events fostering membership,” Quiros said. “This week was also a great way to ensure our members feel appreciated in the fun and loving environment HOSA encourages.” Quiros said club members made HOSA Week possible due to their team effort and work ethic. He said the event required a lot of planning to accomplish the activities and help educate students about HOSA. “[The officers] established committee meetings to think,
PHOTO SUBMITTED BY GABE QUIROS
OPERATION EDUCATION: (From left) seniors Christopher Machado, Daniella Maldonado and Brandon Chin help run the “Bed the Pan” activity, where students are challenged to carry a cup of water in a bed pan without spilling. Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) held its annual HOSA Week from Nov. 4 to 10. HOSA members ran activities to educate students on the club’s purpose.
plan and execute this event,” Quiros said. “This was possible with the aid of our amazing VP of Membership [senior] Ariana Rojas, as well as many members, volunteers and our officer team, who made sure to get the job done.” Freshman and HOSA
member Ashna Epuri said the medical-themed activities throughout HOSA week allowed her to learn more about the organization’s curriculum through a hands-on experience. “Students seemed to be interested and engaged in HOSA’s activities,” Epuri said.
“Watching the activities allowed me to see possible future medical careers and fun ways to be medically active.” Medical Skills teacher and HOSA adviser Laura Clarke said students did a phenomenal job of ensuring the event ran smoothly. She said she was proud of all of
the effort that members put in to help promote the club. “[The officer team] did a really good job promoting HOSA. They not only came up with great activities that were fun to participate in, but also made sure it was a smooth execution, set up and clean up,” Clarke said. “[HOSA members] were so hardworking to reach their goal. I’m happy with how they promoted the Bay’s HOSA chapter to prove this is a great medical club.” Although Epuri did not contribute to organizing and running HOSA week, she said she saw the great amount of effort others put into planning the event. She said the dedication of HOSA members was evident while observing and participating in the activities. “I know there was a lot of effort put into this event, and seeing it all come to life was awesome,” said Epuri. “Overall, student’s reactions were very supportive, and it was a fun environment which everyone seemed to enjoy.”
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CLUBS AT THE BAY Service club meetings brief members about upcoming volunteer opportunities and events.
national honor society BY CAMILA ESPINOSA
Honor Society (NHS) collected shoe boxes filled with toys, hygiene items and school supplies to give to underprivileged kids. Senior and NHS Secretary Callie Carpinteri said the drive, called Operation Christmas Child, allowed members of the club to each make a child’s holiday season better. “The drive was a way to get everyone involved in helping children for the holiday,” Carpinteri said. “Every gift, no matter what size, makes a child feel good and means a lot to them.” NHS donated a total of 84 shoe boxes to Samaritan’s Purse, the organization that holds the nationwide Operation Christmas Child. NHS Adviser Shari Bush said members demonstrated leadership through the event by successfully organizing the drive. “Our members reacted in the same manner as with any service opportunity: with a gracious heart and willingness to help,” Bush said. Members included letters and pictures
LATINOS IN ACTION BY LARA SAADE
Latinos in Action (LIA) hosted an ice cream social on Nov. 15 at the Bay’s courtyard. LIA adviser and leadership teacher Jorge Cruz said social events are an important part of the club and a way to reward members for their dedication. “The students work hard during the year, so it’s important to me that they get time to have fun for a change,” said Cruz. “From the looks of it, they had a great time.” LIA historian and junior Valentina Suarez set up an ice cream bar and served members alongside seniors Daniela Quintero and Arianna Rivadeneira, who planned the event. “It was great seeing everyone smiling and having fun,” Suarez said, “It’s always good to know that our hard work planning the event payed off.” This year, LIA members have
PHOTO BY CAMILA ESPINOSA
of themselves along with the gifts, so the kids could see who sent them the present. Carpinteri said the drive was a unique way for members of the club to spread happiness to children who are less fortunate. “Events such as this one, that aim to give back to the community reflect what NHS is about,” Capinteri said. “We are a group of leaders whose purpose is to serve others and the community.” Bush said the drive reminded students of the importance of giving back, especially during the holiday season. She said she was proud of NHS members for coming together and participating in such a generous activity. “This drive is a reminder that we have a responsibility because we are not only a part of the Bay community; instead, we are all members of the world community,” Bush said. “The notion of such responsibility is truly humbling, and it brings me great joy every time I see a member come in with a shoebox full of toys for kids that they don’t know.”
PHOTO BY LARA SAADE
participated in numerous service events, such as the Bay’s International Festival and working with Box of Joy, a charity that sends Christmas gifts to people in need. Suarez said the ice cream social was therefore the club’s first non-service event of the year. “Since it was the first social event of the year, I got to talk to new members,’’ Suarez said. “This is important to me as an officer because getting to know everyone helps build a strong community.” Cruz said the event was an exceptional way for the club members to meet each other and become closer. He said bonds between members can help increase the strength of the club. “There are so many students this year, and we want all of them to get to know each other,” Cruz said, “This way, students can work together better.”
student governmenT BY CASEY MENTEN NEWS EDITOR
Members of Student Government Association (SGA) met on Nov. 14 to reveal their “Big” and “Little” matches and participate in bonding activities. Junior and Grace Chrupcala said having a mentor in SGA is essential because it allows the upperclassmen to teach the new students about the class and serve as a role model. “It is important knowing that someone knows exactly what you’re going through because most of them are freshmen,” Chrupcala said. “Having someone there you can talk to about anything is so important to me.” At the event, the senior and junior “Bigs” prepared costumes to match with their “Littles;” students then lined up to create an aisle for the pairs to walk down together. SGA adviser Danielle Nascimento said the walk takes the students out of their comfort zone and allows them to gain confidence from their partner. “The walk is just something funny for students to enjoy,” Nascimento said.
HOSA BY HEATHER DENNIS
As the competition season approaches for the Bay’s Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA), members have been preparing for their first upcoming event on Jan. 26. Senior and Vice President of Competition Makenzie Roach said she hopes students excel this year. “I expect the students to focus mostly on taking advantage of this amazing opportunity and giving it everything they have,” Roach said. “I hope they have an impactful experience by learning new information that’ll benefit them in the future.” HOSA teacher Laura Clarke said no matter how the students place, she is happy knowing that they tried their hardest and had goals to achieve the best outcome possible. “[I expect the students] to prepare by attending competition practice and study-
PHOTO BY DREW ROACH
“They get to show off their costumes while bonding at the same time.” Nascimento said the “Big Little” system has worked in helping new SGA members learn the ropes. She said it takes the pressure and stress off younger students who are unfamiliar with how the class operates. “This creates a new bond for the younger SGA student to have with someone who is older and more experienced,” Nascimento said. “We hope a lasting friendship comes out of this.” Chrupcala said her “Big” helped her in ways and she plans to do the same for her “Little”. She said she is excited for the year to come and watching her “Little” advance in the SGA class. “I plan to do monthly dates with my “Little” and check in on her during the year,” Chrupcala said. “Being a mentor in SGA to a “Little” does not mean you can only mentor them in SGA, and I hope whenever she needs help, she knows she can also come to me and ask.”
PHOTO BY HEATHER DENNIS
ing,” Clarke said. “ It’s important to us that students try their best.” With over 50 events for students to compete in this year, Roach said she believes each participant will have the ability to find an event that they feel fits them the best. “Students are able to choose a competition that best suits them and relates to whatever they’re interested in,” Roach said. “I know that if the members work as hard as they can, they can accomplish anything they put their mind to.” The three HOSA advisers separate the different competition events such as CPR, health education and medical procedure. “We have three advisers, so we each take certain competitive events and offer competition practice twice a week after school,” Clarke said. “The most important thing is that the students are able to learn more about the competitive topic.”
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Lightning Oscars preparation begins BY LAUREN PABIAN ONLINE NEWS EDITOR
To prepare for the 10th annual Lightning Oscars show, which will be held on Jan. 25, senior and event chair Lexi Gladstone said Student Government Association (SGA) members have been working hard to ensure the event runs smoothly and is successful. Lightning Oscars is an awards show SGA holds each year to honor students that obtain specific skills or personality traits. “Beginning the task of running this event is a big deal for [SGA] because we love this event, but it takes a lot of teamwork. I put all SGA members into committees, each responsible for completing tasks relating to an assignment I give them,” Gladstone said. “This has helped keep everything organized and helps to evenly distribute tasks to other students, which alleviates a lot of stress from me.”
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Beginning the task of running this event is a big deal for [SGA] because we love this event, but it takes a lot of teamwork.
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Gladstone is working with and training junior and event cochair Kayla Truske, as Truske -senior Lexi will be running the show next year. Truske said she is thrilled Gladstone to be taking on such a large Gladstone was the co-chair role in running this event and in training as a sophomore and knows she will learn a lot from the co-chair as a junior. She Gladstone. said these positions increased her confidence in becoming the chair, since she is fa m i l i a r with the process of pla n n ing the event. “Without having first been the [co-chair in training] and co-chair, being the chair would be extremely “Being difficult,” the [co-chair in training] Gladstone said. “I last year has made me familiar learned so much in the past two with the whole process and years about the ins and outs of easier to do things on my running this huge event, and I own. I’m excited to learn from am confident I will help to make [Gladstone] and see what she this year’s show amazing after has in store for this year,” Truske learning from two amazing said. “I’m using this year to people.” prepare me for next year, since I
GRAPHIC COURTESY OF STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION
won’t have anyone to guide me, and I want to ensure I will be ready to take it on.” SGA adviser Danielle Nascimento said the process of obtaining the chair positions has worked well in previous years. She said she feels Gladstone is highly prepared to take on the task of running the show due to her previous leadership experiences. “Holding [the co-chair in training and co-chair] positions prior to being the chair gives the chair several years to learn the process,” Nascimento said. “By their third year and they’re in the chair spot, they’re so prepared. [Gladstone] has seen what works and what doesn’t, and she’s ready to go.” Nascimento said members of SGA have been working tirelessly to count up all of the votes in each category for the nomination process. Students voted online through a Google Form where they could write the name of any student from the Bay they believed fit that
category best. The top eight people per category move on to the next round of voting, and this new list becomes narrowed down to the three candidates that are presented at the show. Out of these final three candidates, the winner is announced at Lightning Oscars.
“So far, the bulk of what we’ve done in relation to the nominees is coming up with the names for the categories and thinking of some new ones to add, too,” Nascimento said. “We’ve also just completed collecting the initial round of nominations, so [SGA members] have been counting those up so
we can get the first round of names out there and get students excited for the show.” Though Gladstone said she feels prepared to organize and run the show, she said she has faced some challenges while preparing for the event. One of the most difficult issues she said she faced was allocating the budget to ensure money was being spent on necessities such as props and decor. “Having to divide the budget for Lightning Oscars was really difficult, since there were so many areas I wanted to fund,” Gladstone said. “I had to choose which areas I thought needed the most money and stuck with those to make this year’s show the best one yet.” Nascimento has been the SGA adviser for all nine years of the show thus far, so she said she is eager for the tenth year. She said although she is confident in SGA’s ability to produce an entertaining event, the night can become stressful to plan due to the large amount of tasks involved. “This is our tenth anniversary, so we have nine years under our belt. Organizing Lightning Oscars is like riding a bike, you just get back on, but every year we challenge ourselves to make the event better by adding some categories, improving skits and buying new decor,” Nascimento said. “Since there’s a lot of people involved in the process, between the 70 nominees, 30 presenters and all of SGA planning it, as one person, this can become a lot to manage.” Truske said she is anxious for the show to arrive. However, she said she is looking forward to seeing everyone’s reactions to what SGA has planned. “I’m so excited for the day of the show because it’s so amazing to see all of our hard work pay off and a large portion of the school enjoying a show that I worked so hard to put together,” Truske said. “When the show ends and everyone tells me about how much fun they had and the huge weight is off my shoulders, there’s just no better feeling.”
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Beach sweep advocates for marine preservation BY CHLOE WAIN
AD ORGANIZER
Marine Science Society members met at Hollywood Beach for their monthly beach clean up on Nov. 10. Participants picked up debris to prevent marine animals from consuming toxic materials. Senior and secretary Olivia Taylor said she encourages both members and non-members to attend, since she said each individual can make a difference in preventing marine wildlife from becoming extinct. “Unfortunately, people use the beach as their own personal trash can,” Taylor said. “Individuals who litter do not see how it is affecting marine life and how it is affecting the Earth as a whole. Humans live in this world as well, and we are making it worse by putting our trash into the ocean and not thinking about.” Before searching for debris, the volunteers split into small groups and received supplies such as gloves and trash bags and learn safety tips. Advanced Certificate of Education Marine Biology teacher and club adviser Jennine Rendon said the trash collected is mostly medical waste, plastic such as cups and bottles, toys, chairs, toothbrushes, fishing lines and cigarettes. “For me personally, beach sweeps are very important because I feel it is our duty as volunteers to give back to our marine environment,” Rendon said. “I believe in this cause wholeheartedly. If people could take the time to clean up after themselves, our oceans and marine
animals would benefit greatly.” After the participants gathered waste, they weighed each garbage bag to see how many pounds of trash were collected overall. Taylor said her favorite part of the cleanups is when the participants and officers see how much trash has been picked up. “When we look at what we accomplished, it makes me feel so proud,” Taylor said. “Even though we plan monthly clean up events, there is still so much more trash that needs to be picked up. The least we are doing is educating our volunteers to pick up after themselves.” Junior and Public Relations Manager Elizabeth Jaimes said the main goal of the club is to give back to the community by preserving marine life and spreading awareness. “It is important to educate members of threats marine life face due to human activity,” Jaimes said. “Marine animals continue to consume trash or plastic that can be very harmful for them and can lead to a sudden decrease in their population. Helping pick up trash is just one way in helping marine wildlife thrive.” Taylor said along with their members, visitors who watch the club picking up trash may be encouraged to clean up after themselves, setting a positive example for other beach goers. “My goal is to have a chain reaction occur where everyone tries and helps save our home and marine life,” Taylor said. “Therefore, we are educating not just our
PHOTO SUBMITTED BY ELIZABETH JAIMES
HAPPY AS A CLAM: The Marine Science Society members participated in their monthly beach clean up on Nov. 10 which took place at Hollywood Beach. The purpose of the sweep was to help raise awareness and gather waste and toxic materials that were littered on the beach. All students were welcome to participate in the clean up, regardless of being in the club or not.
community, but other communities as well. Being in the club and planning these beach sweeps is the first step in making a difference.” Rendon said she enjoys being the adviser of the club because she can educate and enlighten members of their help in assisting marine life. “What I would like for our members to experience is that their actions speak volumes,” Rendon said. “Their actions are seen by many and are great examples which others can follow. Their time and efforts do make a huge difference.”
The next beach clean up is on Dec. 8 at Hollywood Beach. Taylor said nonmembers are encouraged to attend and help pick up trash as she said she wishes for a larger turnout of volunteers each time. “It seems we have made such a huge difference when we cleaned up, but there is so much more that needs to be done,” Taylor said. “The club needs all of the help we can get to help pick up trash. I love to see people come out there and enjoy trying to preserve our environment.”
Aspiring engineers shadow professionals BY ILYSSA MANN
The Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) club held the 2018 Shadow trip on Nov. 16 to learn more about the engineering programs offered at the University of Florida (UF). Senior and SHPE President Jorge Moros said 50 students attended the trip, which was open to all students who were interested. “[This trip] is great for people [who] like [science, technology engineering and math] but don’t know what field they want to join,” Moros said. “For me, I was unsure of what I wanted to do, and during this trip, I assured myself that I want to do industrial engineering.” Attendees observed biological, mechanical, electrical and civil engineering labs located on campus and spoke with current students about the courses. Biology teacher and SHPE adviser Brandon Boswell said the trip provided a unique hands-on learning experience for students. “My expectations were that the students would enjoy the experience,” Boswell said. “I wanted them to learn by being able to see the practice of engineering, going to the individual labs and talking with UF engineering students who are Hispanic, from similar backgrounds.” In the labs at UF, attendees participated in engineering challenges; the top three teams to finish all the tasks won SHPE merchandise. One challenge was an aerospace engineering activity where the students had to create paper planes that would fly a certain height and distance. Senior and SHPE Vice President of Marketing Sofi Serna said this activity was her favorite part of the trip.
“The engineering challenge was so much fun because you got to work on it with your friends,” Serna said. “It was a great environment to be in, and everyone was very open two new concepts and ideas, so it was welcoming, fun and inviting.” Moros said the UF SHPE chapter, which plans the annual trip, made it cheaper for students to attend this year. Each student had to pay $25, which also included all the meals and activities. Moros said he thinks the trip was worth attending because it was affordable and provided an enriching learning experience. “Overall I really liked the trip; it was a self-learning experience because you got to figure out what you like and what you don’t like,” Moros said. “On top of that, we also got to go on a tour of the school and see the campus life in action.” Serna said the UF SHPE chapter had more resources this year than previous years, so students had better access to labs and more supplies for engineering activities. “I had previously gone on this trip my sophomore year, but regardless, I did have expectations for this trip because we had more funding this time,” Serna said. “It made the overall trip experience way more engaging and fun for students; my expectations were definitely met.” Boswell said many of the UF engineering students who ran the program were Bay alumni, and more specifically, his past students. He said he was happy to see his former students give back to the Bay’s current SHPE chapter. “I thought the trip was run extremely well, and we had no issues,” Boswell said. “Not only do we get to do the field
PHOTO SUBMITTED BY SOFI SERNA
SHPE IT UP: The Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) members and seniors Victor Alfonzo and Juan Gomez work together to create a paper airplane as part of a lab. The SHPE club held the 2018 Shadow trip on Nov. 16 at the University of Florida. In the labs, students were able to participate in engineering challenges, such as an aerospace engineering activity in which participants had to create paper airplanes that had the capability of flying a certain height and distance.
trip, but we do get to have these kinds of surprises where we run into Bay alumni.” Moros helped run the trip, and his responsibilities included recruiting members to attend the trip and providing shirts for the attendees. He said he was happy to have an important role in planning the UF visit because it was beneficial for all students who attended. “I think it’s a really great experience
for students to see what these fields are really like and what they entail,” Moros said. “For me, I felt like I really got something out of the trip because I’ll be going to college next year. This was a way for me to get a good understanding of what I will be experiencing a year from now in school and now I can be more prepared.”
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In this issue’s recurring segment that explores current event topics affecting the nation, News Copy Editor Alexis Epstein speaks to students and teachers about Florida’s recount in the midterm elections. Do you believe the Florida midterm election votes should be recounted? Florida’s 2018 midterm elections had narrow margins and conflicts of interest by government officials, leading to a recount of votes. The final results were released on Nov. 18, 11 days after the initial election results, following recounts in Broward, Palm Beach, Hillsborough and Miami-Dade counties that began on Nov. 8. Republican Governor Rick Scott won the Senate seat and Republican Representative Ron DeSantis won the Governor seat. Senior and first-time voter Evan Manfrediz said he was excited to know the results nationally, as this was the first year he had a political voice. He said he was disappointed about the recount as it further delayed the results. “I originally thought the recount wasn’t necessary due to the numerous ‘millennial’ voters who I thought would have voted Democratic, resulting in the Democratic nominees coming out ahead,” Manfrediz said. “I was wrong that the Democrats would fill the seats, but I am glad the officials, although Republican, were elected fairly.” National law requires a recount when there is half a percentage point or less between two nominees. After the initial tally, there was a half of a percent between the candidates for Governor and Senator in Florida. They beat Democrats Andrew Gillum running for Governor and incumbent Bill Nelson running for Senator.
Maya Merchant Senior “Regardless of how a vote was sent in, it’s still somebody’s [choice] and they have the right to vote in the American election.”
Evan Manfrediz Senior “If the votes are so close that [the candidates] are half of a percentage point apart, there should be a recount.” GRAPHIC BY CHLOE WAIN AND CRISTINA CIMATO
“If the votes are so close that [the candidates] are half of a percentage point apart, there should be a recount,” Manfrediz said. “Whatever needs to be done to ensure the elections are fair, there should be no one with vested interest in the outcome.” Absentee ballots that should have been received on time, but were delivered after the deadline due to processing time were not counted. Merchant she said she was passionate about the votes being tallied as she had a friend who submitted their absentee ballot on time, but wasn’t included in the initial counts. “Regardless of how a vote was sent in, it’s still somebody’s [choice] and they have the right to vote in the American election,” Merchant said. “Everybody deserves to have their voice be heard.”
U.S. History teacher and Political Awareness Club adviser Laurie Marks attended the Florida recount this year as she assisted in retabulating the votes. She said she saw observers spreading rumors instead of focusing on properly counting the votes. “It was embarrassing for our state and county in particular because despite the efforts of many well meaning people, we did not come out of it looking like we had a competent elections office,” Marks said. Marks said the mistakes in this year’s recounts and runoff were handled more professionally than in the 2000 recount, when there was half of a percentage difference between presidential candidates George W. Bush and Al Gore as voters had to manually punch holes in the ballots for the candidates they
were electing, but some of the ballots had not been perforated all the way through. However, she said she was still horrified South Florida was in the spotlight again and disappointed so many miscalculations were made this year. “I had hoped the Supervisor of Elections or Secretary of State offices would be ready for the worst,” Marks said. “Given what had happened in the past and that we have had years to correct the errors, I am dismayed that we were not completely ready for a close race and a recount.” Unlike on Election Day when the votes were electronically counted, volunteers manually recounted the votes. Governor Scott recused himself from the recount as he was directly impacted by the results. “Only neutral parties should be involved; therefore, [Governor Scott] should not have been included in the investigation, especially since he won the race for Senator,” Manfrediz said. “Governor Scott did the right thing unlike some of the other races that had recounts.” Marks said she used the election and recount in her classroom to teach her students. She said they watched the news and she opened the floor to any questions the students may have had. “[Students’] political beliefs are being shaped in high school; it is a time when they start to think for themselves about politics and where they stand on issues,” Marks said. “It is my job, as a teacher, to give them as much information as I can so they can formulate their own beliefs and opinions.”
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g n i v i G f o The G ift Students and
staff reflect on meaningful gifts they have received throughout the years.
BY ILYSSA MANN
With the holidays around the corner, students and teachers both look back at presents that were meaningful to them and look forward to new gifts to come. Junior Skylar Gerstenfeld participates in a Secret Santa Gift Exchange every year with her friends from New York. She said the annual gathering is a way to both bond with her friends and show their appreciation for each other through gift giving. Last year, her friend gifted her a shoe box. The box, which she said appears simplistic at first glance, actually carried more sentiment than its appearance suggested. “I think buying someone a gift card for the holidays is always the easy way out and it shows that the person probably only thought about your gift for five minutes at the most,” Gerstenfeld said. “When someone gives you a present that is personal to you, it just warms your heart and makes you happy.” The shoe box Gerstenfeld received contained a variety of letters for different occasions in Gerstenfeld’s life. She said each envelope was labeled with specific events telling her exactly when to read them. Along with the letters, Gerstenfeld’s childhood friend included Polaroid photos of the duo throughout the years. She said the images are marked with memorable dates of the friendship, so that she can look at them and remember the good times when she misses her hometown. “I remember when I was given this gift; I was just shocked,” Gerstenfeld said. “It was beautiful and made me see how important our friendship was to my friends because they put all this effort into a holiday gift just for me. It made me feel really special and loved.” For sophomore Jamie Keller, the holidays came early this year. Keller received a new Audi A3 as both a birthday and holiday gift from her parents. Because she has a winter birthday, she said she has become accustomed to her holiday gift doubling as her birthday gift. However, she said she didn’t expect this year’s gift to be so big and come so soon. “I wasn’t really sure if I was going to get a car because my parents were unclear about it. If anything, I wasn’t really expecting a nice car,” Keller said. “So my parents ended up surprising me with my dream car and I was stunned. I didn’t know what to say.” Keller said she was beyond happy with her surprise, and the gift was the best present she has ever received. She said she has been talking about the car since she was younger, and that ever since she got her license, she had been thinking of ways to make her dream a reality. The element of surprise was what Keller said she loved most about the gift, since it indicated a level of thoughtfulness by her parents. She said she did not believe that her parents were listening to her when she repeatedly expressed her love for the car, but the surprise gift said otherwise. “It was definitely a meaningful present
DEAR SANTA: (From top) sophomore Jamie Keller said she was shocked to wake up to her dream car parked in her driveway, a combined birthday and holiday gift from her parents. Junior Skylar Gerstenfeld gathers with her friends for an annual gift exchange.
PHOTO SUBMITTED BY JAMIE KELLER
because my parents made the effort to take notice to what exact car I wanted and then surprised me with it,” Keller said. “It’s a present I’ll never forget.” The luxury aspect of the car is something Keller said she is hyper-aware of, given that it causes apprehension in some. She said she noticed some people’s belief that young drivers like herself should not own expensive cars. Yet, she said the car can be utilized as an opportunity to learn valuable life lessons and test her responsibility. “I think if my parents trusted me enough to gift me the car, then other people should trust me with it too,” Gerstenfeld said. “At the end of the day, it’s a wonderful gift and I won’t let anyone take anything away from that.” Student Government Association (SGA) teacher Danielle Nascimento received a personally embroidered SGA jacket for her son a few years back as a Christmas gift from some of her students. Nascimento said the jacket was a personalized present she loved because it was made for her child. She said she was pleasantly surprised by the item of clothing because she rarely experiences that level of thoughtfulness from her students. “I just think this present was so nice coming from a student, and the present was not only for me, but for my son and that meant even more to me,” Nascimento said. “It made me really happy when they gave me the jacket and it made my entire day.” When the student came in and surprised Nascimento with the jacket they had been working on for her, she said she was impressed and had never expected something like that. She said she is
PHOTO SUBMITTED BY SKYLAR GERSTENFELD
accustomed to students giving her small gifts to her during the holiday season like cards or boxes of chocolate, but never something this big and sentimental. She said she believes the gift speaks levels to the relationship she is able to form with her students. “I always prefer presents that show the person thought about it because it makes the present that much better. I think
that when you buy someone something simple it doesn’t carry nearly as much weight as a present like this,” Nascimento said. “I’ll always remember this present because it’s like nothing else I’ve ever been given before.”
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Family heritage influences learning BY RACHEL SUPNICK
Rather than waiting until high school to start studying a foreign language, freshman Alesia Vazquez-Quiroga began learning Chinese when she was 2 years old. Now, she is taking Advanced Placement (AP) Chinese and AICE Spanish in her first year at the Bay. “My parents decided that my sister and I should know the three most spoken languages in the world, so they taught us English and Spanish. Since they couldn’t teach us Chinese, they got us a teacher,” Vazquez-Quiroga said. “I’ve been learning Chinese ever since.” Vazquez-Quiroga said her family has been infatuated with Chinese culture since her parents first visited the country 10 years ago. She said their trip inspired them to educate her and her sister in the language and is what motivates VazquezQuiroga to continue studying. “My parents just fell in love with the place. There is something about that side of the world, the people and their way of life, that my family and I just love,” Vazquez-Quiroga said. “It was like love at first sight with a culture.” Vazquez-Quiroga heard Chinese words for the first time while living in Venezuela as a toddler. A woman of Chinese heritage in her community came to her house and taught her and her sister the names of animals, colors and family members in the language. Although she was younger, she said this sparked her interest in wanting to learn many vernaculars. “My parents were trying to get us to start hearing basic words to get us used to it so we could learn easily in the future,” Vazquez-Quiroga said. “I learned through games, singing and cooking because I was so young.”
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I have to look at articles, write essays on them and talk about them with my teacher. It’s the hardest thing I’ve had to do, but I’m learning more real world things than before when I was just using a textbook.
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-freshman Alesia Vazquez-Quiroga
As Vazquez-Quiroga grew up, her family moved around the world; from Venezuela to Arizona, Argentina, England, Singapore and lastly Florida. Despite her family’s frequent moves, she said she never stopped attending Chinese lessons. “The trick is you really have to be
PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY ALESIA VAZQUEZ-QUIROGA
BEST OF BOTH WORLDS: (From top) freshman Alesia Vazquez-Quiroga, along with her sister Leire Vazquez-Quiroga study Chinese and learn about its culture. The sisters celebrate after receiving program completion certificates.
dedicated,” Vazquez-Quiroga said. “You have to put time and effort into it and then you can’t stop.” In addition to her courses at the Bay, she takes three supplemental Chinese classes outside of school. She said she finds her classes to be challenging, but she enjoys learning all of the information. “I have to look at articles, write essays on them and talk about them with my teacher. It’s the hardest thing I’ve had to do, but I’m learning more real world things than before when I was just using a textbook,” Vazquez-Quiroga said. “My group class is simpler than my other two classes, but it’s a good way to work with other people while speaking Chinese.” AP Chinese teacher Jia Li said her class will help Vazquez-Quiroga advance further in the cultural component of her studies. “Taking AP Chinese will give Alesia a better view of Chinese culture. Study-
ing the culture and the language at the same time is very important,” Li said. “AP Chinese will fulfill the cultural aspects for her, and that is going to help her be very successful if she works in China as an adult.” While Vazquez-Quiroga is not of Chinese heritage, Li said it is a notable feat that she is completing AP Chinese in her freshman year. “I have a lot of freshman that are taking AP Chinese, however, most of them are native [speakers],” Li said. “They either came from China or they were Chinese and born here, and they speak the language at home. It is very impressive to see a freshman that is non-Chinese taking my class.” Vazquez-Quiroga traveled to Shanghai, China with her parents and sister over the past four summers to study the nation’s language and culture. While in Shanghai, she attended an international
school, made to help people of all ages learn Chinese. Vazquez-Quiroga said she enjoys going to the school because it gives her the opportunity to continuously practice speaking. “I go to school and I’ll have the whole day just speaking Chinese with my classmates,” Vazquez-Quiroga said. “Even though they’re not Chinese, we’ll still speak Chinese to each other because we’re just so eager to advance in the language.” On afternoons in China, VazquezQuiroga said she does additional studying after school to help her be successful in her classes and to prepare for her Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi (HSK) Test, an international standard exam which tests Chinese language proficiency, at the end of each summer. This past summer she passed the HSK 5 test, allowing her to legally go to college in China and work in the country in the future. “The HSK is a test that you really have to prepare for. After school I’ll go to the gym and then I’ll go back to the hotel and go over everything from that day,” Vazquez-Quiroga said. “I’ll practice, practice and practice, then I’ll go to sleep and the next day I’ll do it again.” When she went to China for the first time when she was much younger, Vazquez-Quiroga said she sang in Chinese to people walking down the street. She said pedestrians were surprised to see a person of non-Chinese heritage speaking the language at her age. “People were very shocked and they asked to take videos and pictures of me,” Vazquez-Quiroga said. “Years later, people are still sometimes surprised when they realize I can speak Chinese. They turn around and they start asking me questions like where I’m from and if I’m there to study.” In the future, Vazquez-Quiroga said it is likely that she will work with the Chinese in whatever career she pursues. She said the chances are high not only because China is one of the world’s forefront nations and is the most populous, but because she understands the Chinese lifestyle and way of thinking. “The biggest problem at work is the cultural bridge between foreigners and the Chinese,” Vazquez-Quiroga said. “If you have that connection then it’s a lot easier for you to be able to work with them. Also, I can connect with people differently by speaking for myself than if I had a translator speaking for me.” Vazquez-Quiroga said she has worked hard her entire life to become fluent and it feels gratifying to know she reached her goal. “I feel like I have this big advantage in the future being trilingual, and it’ll probably help me a lot when I’m working in my future job,” Vazquez-Quiroga said. “I’ve been spending so much time doing this and now it feels like it was all worth it.”
DECEMBER 2018
FEATURES Tuition: $49,892
Q&A with a current student
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Undergraduate Enrollment: 4,547 SAT Composite: 1500-1580
Percent of applicants admitted: 8%
PHOTO COURTESY OF HTTPS://MATH.MIT.EDU
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Isabella Chiurillo, 2018 Cypress Bay Alumna, is a freshman at the university, double majoring in Biological and Electrical Engineering. Staffer Anamaria Camara sat down to interview Chiurillo via Facetime to discuss her college life. Why did you choose to attend MIT? I chose MIT because it is one of the top engineering schools and opens students up to so many opportunities. What is it like to be a first year student at MIT? They say being a first year here is like
drinking from a firehose. It’s amazing, all the opportunities we have, in regards to academics, extracurriculars and research, but you have to pace yourself with how much you take on. Classes are really tough, but first semester we’re on pass or fail [system], so we get to explore the school as much as we want. What do you plan on doing after you’ve graduated from MIT? I’m currently deciding between majoring in biological engineering or mechanical engineering with a concentration in biomechanics and biomedical devices. I’m not 100 percent sure what I want to do after graduating, but I definitely want to work in the biomed field, possibly focusing on global health.
What advice would you give to a student considering attending MIT? MIT is definitely really challenging, but it’s an amazing place to learn and work. You have to be ready to work hard and keep an open mind.
How do you believe MIT has helped you develop valuable skill sets? I’ve learned a lot being at MIT about topics that interest me and about what I want to do in the future. I’ve advanced a lot academically, but I’ve also learned about the importance of finding a community How have your college experiences and creating a strong support system. differed from your high school experiences? What has been your favorite college The biggest changes with moving to experience so far studying at MIT? Boston have been the cold weather and Through my first semester, my shift in diversity. My class consists of favorite experience has been meeting and students from all over the world, but it is talking to so many interesting professors really different from Cypress where the that have made ground breaking work in Latino community was so large. I miss their fields. the Hispanic culture of South Florida, but I’m also loving meeting new people from communities all over the world.
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Extracurricular activities encourage collaboration BY REMI SCHWARTZ PR MANAGER
The Cypress Bay Television (CBTV) program is what junior Gabi Kerness said makes her feel accomplished and productive at the end of each day. Kerness said CBTV has given her knowledge as to what she wants to do as a career for the rest of her life. “CBTV is my home,” Kerness said. “For the last three years, I have immersed myself in all sorts of Broadcast and Communications Journalism within the program.” In addition to her love for the club, Kerness said CBTV enables her to grow as a person. She said she has learned many skills and sees how much goes into production. “I film for hours and edit the clips and make sure we ask the questions people want to hear,” Kerness said. “It’s a lot of fun to be a part of this club, but also a lot of work.” As Director of Social Media, Kerness said she is in charge of uploading material to the CBTV social media accounts such as Instagram, Twitter, the Aftershock website and YouTube. Through account management and video production that comes with her position, she said she now understands the workings of advertising and editing.
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We are usually outside in the heat working on formations for football games or even piecing together our concerts. I absolutely love music and the emotions it brings not only me but the audience. Because of each piece I play, I learn so much regarding music.
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-sophomore Maxwell Nunn “We have many accounts that need to be updated weekly and this allows the school to have access to our show,” Kerness said. “I put a lot of time and effort into making sure every post looks good and is uploaded correctly.” Due to her passion for the program, Kerness said CBTV has taken over her personal life. At home, she said she is constantly working on uploading videos to the YouTube channel, posting on the social media account and filming for Aftershock. “I’m always on my phone dealing
with social media,” Kerness said. “My life is basically on the Internet, so this job is fairly easy for me and I’m doing something I’m passionate about.” Kerness said she participates in CBTV because she truly cares for her club and wants to see it succeed. “I want to make sure the club is in good hands and people are still wanting to join it when I leave,” Kerness said. “By checking in on underclassman and doing all that I can, I will show them to love it as much as I do.” The position of Director of Social Media was assigned to Kerness by CBTV adviser, Taiwo Cummings. Kerness said receiving the position meant a lot to her because it showed that Cummings recognized the hard work she puts into the club and class. “Gabi Kerness is great; she is someone who really makes the program,” Cummings said. “Dedicating 12 or more hours a week stands out to a class which impacts the student life. Students like [Kerness] who dedicate so much of their time makes what [faculty] sees as a school happen.” Cummings said the dedication, love and interest that his students like Kerness portray, makes him proud to be their adviser. “Seeing students that are driven is really nice because this is a shared interest among me and my students,” Cummings said. As a result of dedication, Cummings said students come in ready to participate, whether it be by cleaning the room or filming. “I’m so thrilled that my students such as [Kerness] are extremely dedicated to CBTV,” Cummings said. “I know how much time it takes, so seeing the initiative is incredible.” Cummings said everything produced by CBTV is done by its members. He said he is merely there to be a mentor and watch them succeed. “CBTV and my students are motivation. They go above and beyond to achieve any task,” Cummings said. “I see my previous students working already and it makes me proud to watch them grow and it’s all due to their work ethic and dedication they put in. That’s what counts.” Like Kerness, sophomore Maxwell Nunn said he is a part of extracurricular activities that are meaningful to him: marching band and symphonic band. “The two groups I’m in meet on different days, require different technique and that’s when the time crunch begins,” Nunn said. “The hard work I put in definitely can be draining, but it paid off for the season.” Marching band practices started in April and ended Nov. 19. Nunn said his team gave their all to make the year successful. “We are usually outside in the heat
PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY GABI KERNESS
BEHIND THE SCENES: (From top) junior Gabi Kerness and senior Taylor Fishman worked on their latest assignment, one of Cypress Bay Television’s (CBTV) episodes of Aftershock. Kerness, Fishman and junior Alyssa Wheelock helped to create the show to display to the entire student body.
working on formations for football games or even piecing together our concerts,” Nunn said. “I absolutely love music and the emotions it brings not only me, but the audience. Because of each piece I play, I learn so much regarding music.” Nunn said the marching band can spend up to 13 hours on weekends as they improve their routines. He said the long nights practicing can sometimes take a toll on his body. “I obviously spend so much time practicing and learning music, it gets exhausting,” Nunn said. “I do it because I love it and band has given me my passion in life- music.” Nunn said band has given him opportunities to grow as a musician and gain musical experiences. However, he said with commitment comes sacrifice. “I have missed a lot in my last three years because of how consumed I’ve been with band,” Nunn said. “13 hours a day [practicing] left me exhausted but filled with joy.”
Despite his sacrifices, Nunn said those 13-hour days led to friendships beyond compare. The lasting bonds, along with the progress towards his career path, is what Nunn said makes everything worth it in the end. “Due to band, I would like to become a Sound Engineer and work with music for the rest of my life,” Nunn said. “Working with music is interesting especially when I can help carry out someone’s vision.” For Nunn and Kerness, working with their passion in the future is their dream. They said that they give all of themselves to their club and want it to pay off. “Obviously if one takes a look into what I do, they can see the love I have for it,” Kerness said. “Even though one episode or post looks flawless, it easily could’ve taken me a week. But I do each and everything because I simply love my club and this is what I want my future career to be.”
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THE THINGS THEY CARRIED FEATURING ISABELLA RIVERA AND HER BACKPACK “The Things They Carried” is a recurring segment that examines the personalities of individual students through the contents of their backpacks. This month, Features Editor Nyah Hardmon interviews senior Isabella Rivera to discover the meaning behind five items.
Large Pack of Gum Instead of settling for the typical pack of gum buried in the backpacks of other students on campus, senior Isabella Rivera said she would much rather ensure that she never runs out of the chewy treat. She said she learned after her first three years at the Bay that the regular-sized pack is never enough, as she finds herself chewing the gum throughout the day and sharing it with friends. “I keep the gum to keep my breath fresh whenever I take a nap in slow classes,” Rivera said. “I also chew it during tests. I learned in my Psychology class that peppermint gum keeps you alert and helps you remember what you studied.”
Fidget Spinner While she said the fidget spinner trend may not be as popular as it was a year ago, Rivera still keeps one tucked away in her bag. She said the tool is an ideal stress reliever and keeps her hands occupied when she is nervous or bored. “Whenever I’m anxious or need something to do, it’s an easy and convenient way to entertain myself,” Rivera said. “Plus it keeps me off my phone.”
Cosmetics Bag Because Rivera’s mornings are often rushed, she said she usually doesn’t have the time to do her full makeup routine at home. She said a travel sized pouch allows her to touch up her face throughout the day and add finishing touches to her look at school. She said the makeup also works as a way to cover the early morning fatigue. “I don’t make time in the morning to get my face done, so usually between classes or towards the end or beginning of a class, I’ll just quickly do my make-up,” Rivera said. “The moment I put it on, I instantly feel ten times more awake and just better in general.”
Charcoal Face Wipes At a farmer’s market Rivera attended last month, she bought a pack of charcoal brightening strips that she said relieves her face of oil and makes her skin glow. She said the strips contain organic ingredients like charcoal and tea tree oil, and that the investment was one of her favorite purchases she’s made in the recent months. “I tend to get sweaty, like when going up the 800s stairs, or sometimes feel greasy with my makeup on,” Rivera said. “So I just pull one out and use it on my face. The best part is, it doesn’t even mess up my make-up, so they were definitely worth the price. Whenever I pull them out, my friends always ask for one too.”
Pocket-sized Brush To tame her curly hair, Rivera said she keeps a small brush on her at all times. She said the beauty accessory comes in handy during the warmer seasons, when the humidity on campus is at its peak. Because whatever effort she may have put into her hair in the morning tends to unravel as the day wears on, she said the brush helps everything stay in place. “Sometimes I take a shower before school and I don’t have time to do my hair, since I’m usually running late, so I just keep this around to brush my hair out on the go,” Rivera said.
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The moment I put [makeup] on, I instantly feel ten times more awake and just better in general.
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-senior Isabella Rivera
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Class of 2016
‘The Bay helped deepen my love for music and my desire to perform.’ Alumna Jordan Keller pursued her dream of becoming a music artist. BY JEN SILVERMAN
After her years at the Bay, class of 2016 alumna Jordan Keller said she knew she was one day going to achieve her dream of becoming a recording artist. Since she was in chorus all throughout high school, she said the chorus program and her instructors helped her evolve into the singer she is today and what contributed to the release of her first single, “Petals.” “Being a part of Cypress Bay Chorus helped me prepare for the ensembles I have joined in college,” Keller said. “It taught me a lot about working with other vocalists and a lot about sight reading music.” Keller said her love for music originated at an early age. She said that “opera” was one of her first words, and the only way her parents could put her to sleep when she was younger was by playing music. “Music is embedded in my soul and I have known this since the very beginning of time,” Keller said. Keller’s upbringing in Weston is another factor she said made her into who she is today. When visiting her hometown, Keller said she instantly feels comfortable and relaxed since she is taking a much needed break from her city lifestyle in Boston, where Berklee is located. “The way I’ve grown up has shaped me in every way. The people I’ve known and the things I’ve experienced has also shaped me as an artist as well,” Keller said.
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Music is embedded in my soul and I have known this since the very beginning of time.
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-alumna Jordan Keller Her father, Jon Keller, said he has seen his daughter’s passion and devotion to music develop and evolve throughout her life. “When she turned about twelve, her singing became more than just a cute kid singing for the family,” Jon Keller said. “She was really good. Her talent and creativity propelled her through Berklee
PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY JORDAN KELLER
BEAT-ING THE INDUSTRY: (From top) alumna Jordan Keller recorded her new music production, “Petals“ in a studio. She discussed her single with producer Brian Friendly from Plaid Dog Recordings.
where she is writing, performing and producing music that means so much to her.” While attending the Bay, Keller said chorus provided a basis for her music education. She said the chorus class offered on campus gave her a better understanding for the technical aspects of music. “Although I learned most of my theory and solfege at Berklee, being in chorus in high school gave me some basic understanding,” Keller said. After her musical education in both
high school and college, Keller said she decided it was time to strive towards her ultimate goal and release music of her own. “Over the past few years, I’ve been digging deeper into myself in efforts to define who I am during these years of my life,” Keller said. “What I found is the overwhelming desire to connect with others through the universal language of music.” While Keller had the vision to reach this goal, she said she needed help attaining the funds necessary to make it a
reality. She started an online fundraising campaign through Indiegogo’s website to raise money for her first professionallyproduced album. During this process, she connected with producer Brian Fendly from Plaid Dog Recordings. She said he ultimately guided her in kick-starting her career. “I knew in order to jumpstart my career as a musician, I had to find the right producer to help me expand on the songs I was writing,” Keller said. Keller said she believes that her single, “Petals,” which is now available for streaming on Spotify, Soundcloud and Apple music, is the perfect example of the type of music that will be on her album. If her campaign is successful in reaching its goal, she said she will be back in the studio to finish recording her album. “The success of this campaign would be a total game changer,” Keller said. “Up until this point, I haven’t been able to put out a collection of songs that truly represents who I am as an artist.” Throughout this process, Keller said she is remaining positive and optimistic that she will be able to accomplish this goal and any other aspirations she sets. “To manifest your dreams you have to envision where you want to be and already believe you are there,” Keller said. “Feel the emotions of having what you desire, if you can feel it, it can be yours.” On her Instagram account, Keller has promoted her album and provided details about some of the songs on it. She said she wants her listeners and followers to gain strength and encouragement from her lyrics. “Some of these songs on this upcoming album were written years back, and recently dug up again to serve a new but ever present purpose,” Keller wrote. “Self love, faith, growth, and acceptance that’s what this is all about.” Keller said putting her album together has been an exciting and exhilarating process. She said making the album is something that she has longed to do and she is extremely thankful for the Bay’s preparation and support in leading her toward her goal. “I feel very blessed and grateful. I wouldn’t say that it is hard in a way that is stressful or negative because that’s not true,” Keller said. “It’s a lot of commitment and work but it’s what I love to do.”
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CAMPUS BY SOPHIE GAER LAYOUT EDITOR
As winter approaches, students on campus adjust to the cooler weather with an accessory that allows them to stay warm: fuzzy socks. With the colder temperatures that mark the change in season, students bring out their holiday and fuzzy socks to symbolize the shift in the year. Junior Sam De Luca said she wears her socks to show her love for the holidays. “I love being able to see all of the different fun and exciting socks at [the Bay],” De Luca said. “It makes me so happy and excited for my favorite time of the year.” Socks of all different kinds can be found at the Bay yearround; however, the festive socks are much more prevalent during the winter season. Ranging from fuzzy socks to snowman socks, to Christmas and Hanukkah themed ones, socks allow students to showcase their personalities. “[All of the different socks] show how unique the Bay is,” De Luca said. “Everyone wears socks that match their style and what they like. It is cool how [socks] can tell you about someone.”
While De Luca said she embraces the sock trend for its holiday spirit, freshman Jami Bernstein said she partakes in wearing fluffy socks mostly because of the comfort and warmth they provide. “I love wearing fuzzy socks to school because they are so comfortable,” Bernstein said. “They’re super nice to wear when it is cold out because they keep me warm throughout the day.” Bernstein said she not only appreciates fun and comfy socks throughout the holiday season, but also year round. Even though she wears the socks more often during the month of December, Bernstein said she enjoys having the ability to wear fun socks whenever she wants. “When I wake up in the morning, I am always extremely tired and sometimes don’t feel like getting dressed,” Bernstein said. “Wearing fuzzy socks to school is such an easy fix and they’re cute and keep me cozy throughout the day.” Sophomore Mason Solomon said choosing fun socks to wear not only adds to personal expression, but also gives students the freedom to be themselves.
sophomore Annette Manosalva
“I have so many friends who go to schools with strict uniform guidelines,” Solomon said. “I think it is great how students [at the Bay] are able to wear whatever they want, including fun socks. It gives everyone a further way to express themselves, beyond clothes and hairstyles.” Like Solomon, Gifted adviser Jason Looky said he enjoys the distinctiveness and uniqueness socks provide. He said he loves seeing students exhibit their character and creativity through something as simple as socks. “I like that people get to show their individuality and their artsy side,” Looky said. Solomon said the socks are a great outlet for students to showcase who they are while also adding to the holiday spirit. “The freedom of getting to wear whatever you want to school adds so much d ive r sit y,” Solomon said. “I think that b e c a u s e students aren’t bound to strict guidelines, the school is a much more
sophomore Kameyla Atesnak
successful and happy place.” Bernstein said students should be able to display their uniqueness in whatever ways they want, and socks allow them to do just that. She said the Bay has an accepting atmosphere which allows students to experiment with different trends happily and comfortably. “I think that everyone should be able to wear what they want,” Bernstein said. “Cypress is more relaxed with clothing, making it a much better environment to go to school in.” De Luca said fuzzy holiday socks allow students to show their spirit in their own, personal way. She said themed socks allow for continued creativity throughout the course of the entire year. “[The Bay] is for sure one of the most spirited schools with all of our spirit weeks and dress up days,” De Luca said. “It is so awesome to see that everyone continues being spirited. Fun socks contribute to the environment at the Bay, and it is so nice to go to a school that is spirited all year round.”
junior Samantha De Luca
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“Friendsgiving” dinner showcases gratitude BY NYAH HARDMON FEATURES EDITOR
After years of celebrating Thanksgiving with her family, senior Lauren Nau said she is ready to start new traditions of her own. Through the phenomenon ‘Friendsgiving,’ a Thanksgiving celebration spent with friends rather than family, Nau said she can do just that. As a host of her own ‘Friendsgiving’ dinner, Nau said she and her friends were able to celebrate the holiday whatever way they wanted. “We all dressed up in cute outfits and stuff so it was more laid back and casual,” Nau said. “If it was the actual dinner we would have had to have the specific traditional things, which we didn’t do.” This gathering is different from Nau’s family celebrations she said since it has fewer rules attached. Nau said she is able to make up new customs as she goes, which makes the event more fun and enjoyable. For example, in lieu of established holiday food, Nau said she and her friends brought their own cuisine to the table. “With family it’s more formal, but with my friends we were informal,” Nau said. “Instead of doing turkey, we did food like chicken nuggets and fried rice because not everyone likes the traditional Thanksgiving food.”
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The ‘Friendsgiving’ spirit to me is really just bringing all our friends together and acknowledging them for being part of your life because they really are the ones that impact you on a day-to-day basis.
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-senior Isabella Rivera For Nau, she said the celebration hits pause on her everyday life and allows her to recognize how thankful she is for her friends. While she typically expresses to her family how much she loves them, she said it is rare that she lets her friends know how grateful she is to have them in her life. “It’s fun because it’s a lot of people that you’re really close with and you all get together so you get to be thankful for not only your family, like on other times, but also for your friends,” Nau said. Like Nau, senior Daniela Kim said she agrees that spending the holidays with friends allows time to recognize
relationships some often take for granted. She said the celebration is a way to both hang out with friends and take part in the holiday spirit. “It creates a lot of good memories and it bonds you closer to your friends,” Kim said. “It’s just a fun time to bring food and celebrate Thanksgiving.” Similar to Nau, Kim’s ‘Friendsgiving’ dinner incorporated modern-day twists on the traditional menu. Instead of the typical turkey or cranberry sauce, Kim said everyone in her party brought a dish from a different country. “All of my friends are from different places around the world,” Kim said. “We like to represent each of them so they have something that’s close to home for them.” The event was a way for Kim to bond with her friends outside of the traditional school setting, an opportunity she said does not come often given busy schedules and heavy workloads. “I think it’s a good opportunity to bond with friends, especially my friend group, because we mostly see each other in school,” Kim said. “Now, we had this night to spend time together away from campus and just eat and celebrate our friendship.” Senior Isabella Rivera attended the same Thanksgiving potluck as Kim. She said she enjoys taking part in gatherings like ‘Friendsgiving’ because they represent the epitome of what the holiday is really about. “The ‘Friendsgiving’ spirit to me is really just bringing all our friends together and acknowledging them for being part of your life because they really are the ones that impact you on a day-today basis,” Rivera said. However, for Advanced Placement and Advanced International Certificate of Education Literature teacher Karen McNeely, she said Thanksgiving is a time to be with family, not friends. While she does understand why some may prefer to be around their peers during the holiday season, she said it’s important to make time for family, as well. “I always came home from college during most Thanksgivings and every Christmas,” McNeely said. “Usually, I spent holidays with my parents.” McNeely said that, as teens grow older and leave home, they begin to spend more holidays with their friends. Hence, while students are still in their younger years, she said now is the prime time to soak in the family time. “I can see if you’re in college or out of college and you’re working someplace far away or if you had a falling out,” McNeely said. “But other than that, I’d say bite the bullet. Family is family and they’re only around for so long.” Even though they are not blood related, Rivera said that over the years, her friends have become equivalent to her family.
PHOTO SUBMITTED BY DANIELA KIM
PHOTO SUBMITTED BY LAUREN NAU
THANK-FULL: (Counterclockwise from top right) junior Katie Woodford, seniors Maria Hernandez, Giancarlo Nassi, Santiago Herrera, Alex Palleija, Melissa Miranda, junior Carolina Gomez, seniors Milena Barros, Isabella Caicedo and Isabella McGillycuddy share a meal during their “Friendsgiving” potluck. Seniors Callie Carpenteri and Lauren Nau use a “Friendsgiving” themed photo wall to commemorate the event. Carpenteri and Nau started this tradition in eighth grade and have continued since.
“At Friendsgivings there’s a lot less political talk than if I was with my family,” Rivera said. “But otherwise, they’re basically exactly like my family. Lots of laughs and a lot of warmth.” Nau said she believes her Friendsgiving dinners are in the beginning stages of a life-long tradition. She said that, even though the gathering may change throughout the years, she is confident that her friends will continue to find a way to
meet and express their thankfulness. “I’ve done [friendsgiving] with the same group of people since eighth grade so people come and go but it’s still like our same core group,” Nau said. “We’re seniors now and we’re still grateful for each other. It’s nice to look back at how much we have changed and look forward to how we will grow together in the future.”
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Holiday miracles encourage bonding
BY DEVIN PABIAN
For freshman Hector Orea, he said christmas miracles are not something only found in sappy holiday movies. Last year, he said he experienced first hand an unexplainable occurrence during the holiday season when he received an unannounced visit from his family member who lived out of the country. “I was utterly amazed and happy when it happened, and it will be one of my best Christmas’ ever,” Orea said. Around Christmas time last year, Orea’s grandfather came from Venezuela to surprise him and his whole family. “When I saw him in the driveway, I thought to myself, ‘this is impossible,’” Orea said. Orea said it had been four years since he had last seen his grandfather, and prior to the unexpected visit, he missed him a lot. “The last time I saw him was in the summer going into fifth grade when he came down for vacation to see me,” Orea said. When his grandfather came to Florida in 2017, Orea said he brought many cultural treats and gifts from Venezuela, such as arepas and mandocas. “I didn’t even care what he brought,” Orea said. “I was just so excited that he was here.” Orea said he believed his grandfather was affected by the Christmas spirit on the night of his arrival, as he proceeded to
PHOTO SUBMITTED BY NICOLAS PINEDA
ADVENTURE TIME: Freshman Nicolas Pineda, along with his family, took a ride around the city of Madrid while in the bed of a pickup truck. Among the many adventures, Pineda ran into professional soccer player Sergio Ramos.
cook a big dinner for the family. “He made delicious mashed potatoes with gravy and roast beef for us,” Orea said. His grandfather’s visit is an event Orea said was definitely the highlight of his Christmas, and the best surprise he could ever ask for. “I think the surprise aspect of it was what made it the most special,” Orea
said. “I don’t think I will ever forget that Christmas.” Freshman Nicolas Pineda also experienced a once-in-a lifetime occurrence last winter. Pineda said he was visiting Madrid, Spain for the holidays when he saw soccer player Sergio Ramos. “I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw him,” Pineda said. “It was like I was seeing a person with superpowers, I was
extremely amazed.” Ramos plays for and captains both the spanish team Real Madrid and the Spain national team. Pineda said he has been a long-time fan of Ramos for years, so he immediately realized how lucky he was to see one of his favorite players. “Since I follow spanish soccer, I immediately recognized him at first sight,” Pineda said. Pineda said he wasn’t expecting to see any players, especially a player like Ramos out in the city. When he saw the celebrity, Pineda said he was at a loss of words, his shock preventing him from approaching the athlete. “I didn’t even know what to do or say, so I just stood there for a few seconds before doing anything,” Pineda said. Geometry teacher Lauren Bender said she believes she had the greatest holiday miracle of all. Just before Christmas, on December 17, Bender gave birth to her only daughter, Vivian. “When I found out that it was going to be around Christmas, I was thinking that she is going to be my own miracle,” Bender said. Bender said she was excited to enjoy the holidays during Vivian’s first weeks of being born. She said since it was the holidays, her family could buy Vivian gifts to help her settle in to her new life. “My parents bought her a ton of gifts like stuffed animals and other toys,” Bender said. “This was the greatest miracle I could have ever asked for.”
Unique careers enhance life experiences BY SABRINA BLANDON ONLINE FEATURES EDITOR
While most of her peers blend smoothies or babysit children, junior Natalie Medina dresses up as Disney Princess Moana and entertains children at birthday parties. WIth her background in drama, she said this unconventional job seemed like the perfect fit. “I got into this job because this senior sent out a text in our Drama club group chat,” Medina said. “He sent out a number saying that [the princess company] was looking for princesses so I decided to give it a shot.” Medina began her job as a princess this year. Although she said she is still new to the gig, she said the events thus far have been quite memorable. “The last party I worked was Saturday and while we were painting this little girl’s nails, she was talking about how her little sister was in heaven,” Medina said. “And there was another story where another girl invited me to her house. It was during the party I was currently working and I thought it was cute that she wanted me to go to her house afterwards because
that meant she really liked my character.” Medina said she must wear an entire costume, including a wig that can be extremely hot. However, she said spending time with the children makes up for the uncomfortable apparel. “I love working with kids because I’ve been a camp counselor for the past three years so I love little children,” Medina said. “Also, now I don’t have to just work the summers, so I can earn extra cash.” For junior Ana Ruiz, her job involves her working as a retail employee at Fossil, a watch store at Sawgrass Mills mall. She said she is the youngest employee working at the store. “I started as an associate of sales and I found the work thanks to my sister,” Ruiz said. “She has been working there for two years and for this season in December, she got me an interview with the managers.” While Ruiz said her job can become monotonous, she has come across some interesting customers throughout her time at the store. “The strangest story would be this one time, some strange guy was trying to steal a watch and my manager noticed it
PHOTO SUBMITTED BY NATALIE MEDINA
LIVING THE FANTASY: Juniors Natalie Medina and Andrea Briseno dress up as Disney Princesses Moana and Elena for a children’s birthday party.
and then he got mad because my manager was following him,” Ruiz said. “Then, he started to scream in the middle of the store which was rude for everyone so we had to call security.” Although many students at the Bay have part time jobs outside of school, United States Government and Economics teacher Hana Casey said she advises her students to be careful when applying for jobs and to make sure they are not putting too much on their plates. “Students may think it’s too much of a priority and their studies may suffer because they are not yet ready to take on
the responsibility of having a job,” Casey said. Casey said she sees how jobs for students can be too stressful, but she also notices the benefits of having students learn how to work hard and earn what they want while preparing them for the future. “Some students will learn responsibility and time management and the ability to juggle things,” Casey said. “It will benefit them in the future with college and real life. I think it’s great that you can find a job that expresses your creativity and talent.”
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In this issue’s recurring segment that gives students an opportunity to learn more about the teachers they see every day, staffer Rachel Alexander interviews U.S. History teacher Laurie Marks. what I know with young minds and help them formulate their own ideas and viewpoints - and representing kids in the dependency courts where I could help them through such a difficult time in their lives and try to help them, and their families, move forward towards a better life. Why do you think it is important for students to be informed about history? History is about learning the lessons of the past. Everyone in an enlightened society should know about the past so they can make better choices for the future. Society is improved when people understand what went wrong before, and how to solve the mistakes of the past. What has been your biggest accomplishment in life and how did it make you feel? Personally, I would say it is the raising of my children who have turned out to be pretty cool humans. Professionally, it is a toss up between teaching - which has been a pure joy in that I get to share
What is the most rewarding thing about teaching? Having those lightbulb moments in the classroom when a student gets it and I know I helped them see it. Also, hearing from, or being visited by, former students who tell me how easy their college classes were because I made them work so hard. How did you discover your passion for studying the past? I became interested in [history] because it is what my family has always done. Family trips were always to places where we learned about the history of the place. My passion for history has led me to the law, then to teaching and most recently to complete the coursework for a master’s degree in
American History and Government. I am so proud to have finished that work and am excited to start working on my final gradual thesis for graduation. What do you want your students to take away from your class? To think for themselves, question and look back as a way to learn how to move forward and remember me as someone who cared about them and about what they learned from me. What is something you have learned from your students? My students teach me to listen and to pay attention to what is important to them. I have also been schooled on little details of history, especially when it is an era that I am not as knowledgeable about. If you could change one thing in the world what would you change and why? I would stop the 9/11 attacks because, aside from the horrible loss of life, it robbed America of our sense of security and it changed our attitudes
about people from the Middle East in ways that became deeply rooted in fear instead of in a shared humanity. People from countries where Islam is the dominant religion should not be looked at as enemies; they should be looked at as people who want to live and improve their lives just like us. Sadly, that is no longer the case and that makes me sad. Why did you decide to teach history? I grew up in a family that loved history and museums. My Dad was a Marine and he loved military history, so I was learning about the Anaconda Plan and Sherman’s March to the Sea when I was still in elementary school. When I went to law school, reading the old cases was just like reading history because I was learning about how the law was developed based on what was happening in politics and government when a case was decided. It was just natural that I would gravitate to teaching history and government later in life.
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Custodians establish campus cleanliness For custodian Andrew Ozias, keeping the Bay’s campus clean is a part of his daily routine. Ozias said he believes his work majorly influences the way the school functions. “By keeping the school clean, I am also keeping it safe,” Ozias said. “I feel proud of the work me and my partner achieve as I am a huge part of keeping Cypress Bay looking and working its best.” Through his job, Ozias said he interacts with students and fellow staff members, which inspires him to continue his hard work. “I have met many wonderful kids and people through my job which allows me to work better and get more motivated,” Ozias said. “My number one priority is to make the school a safe environment for the kids. Being able to walk down the halls or the cafeteria and being recognized for the hard work always feels great.” While sophomore Eric Mager said he commends the Bay’s custodians for the flawless performance of their job, he said it is also important for students to try their best to clean up after themselves. “Although we have a custodial staff at school, I still think it’s important for students to pick up their trash at lunch and throw it away, it shouldn’t be up to the staff all of the time,” Mager said. “I see so many students just leaving their trash behind or throwing wrappers on the floor which makes the school look bad.” Sophomore Tyler Nieto said keeping the Bay tidy not only contributes to campus-wide comfortability, but the cleanliness can affect environments outside of
the school as well. “I feel like by keeping our own school clean we are also helping to keep the Earth clean,” Nieto said. “It is a small grain of sand, but if all of the students at the Bay put a bit of effort into the matter, the school and the Earth would be helped.” By keeping the school and Earth sanitary, Nieto said students’ productivity and efficiency levels will be greater. “In the end, we will be the ones that benefit from keeping our school clean and helping our planet,” Nieto said. “I think it’s important that we all allow ourselves to live and get educated in a place in which we can showcase our skills and perform tasks to the best we possibly can.” PHOTO BY HANNAH ZIFRONY Mager said he agrees with Nieto in that a spotless school environment will keepin’ it clean: Custodian Kevin Wright cleans tables after students eat make the campus a more enjoyable space their lunches at the Bay. Wright said he immediately cleans tables when he sees for learning. students finish eating to ensure there is a clean environment for the next set of
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students to enjoy their lunch.
Being able to walk down the halls or the cafeteria and being recognized for the hard work always feels great.
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BY CAMILLA ESPINOSA
-custodian Andrew Ozias “No student wants to walk downstairs and slip on a banana peel or a lunch tray that was just left behind by a student,” Mager said. “It’s always nice to walk through the halls with your friends, without being completely grossed out.” While Nieto said a pristine environ-
ment can impact student’s contentment toward their surroundings, he said he also believes the condition of the school can influence student’s attendance and overall success. “I personally do not feel comfortable around dirty places. People do not want to go to the restroom in a dirty bathroom,” Nieto said. “That same way, students do not want to attend a dirty school. That is why the custodian’s work is so appreciated.” Freshman Jacqueline Ondarroa said she notices the custodians work really hard and efficiently in order to provide a better environment for the students at the Bay. She said she is thankful for all the hard work the custodians do to keep the
campus looking clean. “All of our custodians and staff members are always working really hard to make school a nicer place for students and faculty,” Ondarroa said. “They are the superheroes of the Bay.” Ozias said the custodial staff works together in order to provide a safe environment for students to interact in and he enjoys seeing the finished product. “When my partner and me finish our work, we usually walk down the halls to see what we did,” Ozias said. “I always feel so proud of our work and I am glad we are able to do it. Little by little, we make the school a cleaner place.”
Teens partake in altruistic activties BY LUCIANA GARZON
Sophomore Christine Porras said her definition of altruism is being selfless or helping others in need, either by volunteering or being there for people. “I volunteer at Cleveland Clinic, where I usually go to patients’ rooms and ask if they need something such as water or toiletries or even comforting them by talking to them,” Porras said.
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There are a lot of wonderful benefits for students to volunteer, such as helping the community out, creating friendships and making people smile. When I volunteer, people who I help out usually thank me for being a helping hand.
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-sophomore Christine Porras Students at the Bay must acquire a minimum of 40 service hours as a graduation requirement. Porras said she continues to surpass this quota because of her love for volunteering and giving back to her community. “There are a lot of wonderful benefits
PHOTO SUBMITTED BY CHRISTINE PORRAS
helping hand: Sophomore Christine Porras volunteers at Cleveland Clinic to assist those in need. Porras visits patients, offers them assistance and works at the front desk to answer phone calls.
for students to volunteer, such as helping the community out, creating friendships and making people smile,” Porras said. “When I volunteer, people who I help out usually thank me for being a helping hand.” Senior Daniela Dieguez, who also volunteers at Cleveland Clinic, said volunteering is a great way to create bonds with people you probably would never meet- not just teenagers her age, but from all different ages. She said she can learn new concepts from them and
become more united with her peers. “There are a lot of benefits to volunteering; you meet a lot of people and learn new things like group work, how to treat people and medical factors,” Dieguez said. “You can be involved directly with our community, helping [others] in hard moments.” While attending one of the largest public high schools in the area, Dieguez said the extremely diverse community allows for many friendships to be made. However, she said she has also noticed
many students feeling left out, so she believes it is important to encourage others to participate in clubs and activities to make the campus seem like a tight knit family. “[We] as students have to be more open to new people, be kind to each other and participate in important events,” Dieguez said. On campus, diversity is something Interact club adviser Brandon Boswell said he has also noticed. He said giving back to people by just having a conversation with someone new can make one feel better about themselves and help unite the student body. “The idea is that [service work] provides no real benefit to the students, but it does,” Boswell said. “Students need to gain a concept of how service fits into their daily routine.” Boswell said for students to be altruistic, they should care for their classmates and treat students and faculty kindly. “[Students in the Interact Club] went to the Susan B. Anthony Recovery Center for Halloween to kind of brighten up [the patients’] day,” Boswell said. Boswell said the Interact club members promote serving others and show the community how impactful service can be to an individual. “You have this idea that if you give back, you have something to give and this contributes to your own self efficacy and self-worth,” Boswell said. “Without a doubt, giving back makes you feel better about your well-being.”
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Following in their footsteps... Students aspire to attend the same university as their family members and carry on legacy.
BY JESSICA SOBEL AND LAUREN PABIAN ONLINE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF AND ONLINE NEWS EDITOR
From the time junior Kayla Truske was born, she said she remembers spending her Saturdays decking out in blue and maize and cheering for the University of Michigan (U-M) Wolverines alongside her family. As both of her parents and one of her brothers attended this school, she said it has always been her dream to follow in their footsteps. “I have visited [U-M] more times than I can count, whether it be going to football games, walking around the campus or exploring Ann Arbor. Each time, I fall in love with it even more,” Kayla Truske said. “My initial desire to attend the school was rooted from my family, but through visiting, I have developed a love for it on my own.” Kayla Truske’s mother, Sharon Truske, went to school at U-M and met her husband there. She said she and her husband often reminisce on the countless memories they made at the school. “I had such an amazing experience during my college years at [the University of] Michigan, both academically and socially, and I know it would be the same thing for [Kayla],” Sharon Truske said. While Kayla Truske said her family is open to her considering other schools, she said she still worries about getting accepted. “I have felt a little pressure [about getting into U-M] because everyone in my family went there and it is stressful now that it is becoming such a popular school,” Kayla Truske said. “My parents do not really put any pressure on me and do not care where I end up, they just want me to be happy.” Although Sharon Truske said she would be enthused if Kayla Truske went to U-M, she said she is more concerned about her daughter’s happiness. “I would love if Kayla went to [UM], but I never put any pressure on her to attend this school,” Sharon Truske said. “The most important thing to me is that she finds the school that is right for her, and it just so happens that she fell in love with my alma mater.” Like Kayla Truske, senior Alex Barten said hearing about his father’s experiences at the University of Florida (UF) made him want to go there, as well. “I grew up as a Gator fan because my dad went [to UF], so I have wanted to go there ever since I can remember,” Barten said. “It would be really special to my dad if I went there, so I can carry on our family’s traditions.” Barten said UF has always been his
Broward Advisers for Continuing Education adviser Shari Bush said it can be meaningful when students, such as Kayla Truske and Barten, aspire to go to the university their parents attended. “It is definitely exciting when students want to follow in the footsteps of their parents,” Bush said. “They have built this love and loyalty toward that school because they have been hearing so much about it for many years, so it is special when they want to carry on that tradition.” However, Bush said it is imperative for students to not be close-minded and to consider other schools as well. “Students should try to chart their own path and go in the direction that is best for them, even if it is not the school their parents or siblings attended,” Bush said. “They should still look at that school with the same lens that they would look at any other school, analyzing if it is a good fit and a place where they can thrive and be happy.” While students explore schools they deem fitting for them, Bush said their parents can inadvertently influence their opinions. “Parents unintentionally talk about their schools and remember the great experiences they had with the friends they made. It is a natural thing for parents to recall these experience when their child is now going through that same time in their life,” Bush said. “Ultimately, parents want their kids to be at the place where they are going to thrive and be happiest.” Sharon Truske said she is guilty of this. She said her love for the school rubbed off on her kids through her apparent obsession with the U-M sports’ teams. “I am the craziest football and basketball Michigan fan you have ever met and everybody who knows me knows this,” Sharon Truske said. “I didn’t mean to have the effect that I had [on my kids] for them to think that [U-M] is the only school they should go to. For me, it was more about the sports, but it apparently swayed their mindset.” In two years, Kayla Truske said she hopes to be spending her Saturdays in the Big House, decked out in blue and maize and cheering alongside her family, but this time, for her team. PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY KAYLA TRUSKE “My parents and brothers would be BLEEDING BLUE: Junior Kayla Truske and her family have been visiting the thrilled if I went to [U-M], but I know that University of Michigan (U-M) since she was young. Her mother Sharon Truske wherever I end up, they will be happy for and her father Tom Truske attended U-M, and her brother Jake Truske is me,” Kayla Truske said. “We are trying currently enrolled there. Kayla Truske said she hopes to follow in her parents to keep an open mind because of the and brother’s footsteps and attend the university in 2020 as well. competitiveness of the school, but I really hope one day I can be a Wolverine like top choice due to its stellar academics myself, I feel a lot of pressure from my my parents and brother.” and athletics; however, he said his father’s dad, too,” Barten said. “I know he doesn’t desire for him to go there has influenced mean to, but hearing him tell me how him, too. much he wants me to go there makes the “Even though I want to go [to UF] waiting time even more stressful.”
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DECEMBER 2018
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Students celebrate the holidays in unique ways. BY RACHEL SUPNICK
DECKING THE HALLS: Senior Coral Chico prepares for the holidays with her sister Rocio Chico by taking part in their annual tradition of decorating their Christmas tree. PHOTO SUBMITTED BY CORAL CHICO
As students and staff at the Bay are gearing up for this holiday season, freshman Claudia De Jesus prepares to partake in Three Kings Day festivities on January 6, a Christian holiday honoring the biblical story of the three Wise Men, or kings, visiting Jesus in Bethlehem after he was born. “We celebrate when the three wise men came on camels through the desert to see Jesus and gave him gifts. To celebrate the holiday, gifts are given to little kids to represent the same story and values,” De Jesus said. “To get gifts, kids put water and hay out for the camels, and the parents mess the hay around so the kids think the camels actually came.” De Jesus brought the tradition with her when she moved to the United States from Puerto Rico four years ago. She said she celebrates Three Kings Day at home with family on the eve and morning of the holiday. “In Puerto Rico, we would do it the night before. We’d prepare the hay and the water in the backyard and maybe even leave some food,” De Jesus said. “The next morning, we would see the gifts and open them with our parents. Then we’d go to Church and eat out with our family and have a morning celebration.” De Jesus said this winter time
holiday is meaningful to her family’s religion and it is important to them that they commemorate it. “It means a lot to us how the story came. The three wise men protected Jesus when a king wanted to kill him; they didn’t have to, but they came such a long way to help their savior,” De Jesus said. “This is really important to us.” For De Jesus, she said her favorite memory of the holiday was as a young child when she celebrated with her best friend for the first time. “We almost forgot it was going to be Three Kings Day the next day, and we got so excited. We ran out to the yard and we started grabbing any grass we could and made a box of it,” De Jesus said. “It was cool waking up in the morning having both our gifts there. It was my first time celebrating a holiday with a friend, so that made it different and so fun.” Senior Madison Liebman observes Hanukkah, a Jewish holiday which honors the story of the rededication of the Holy Temple. Liebman said she celebrates with her family and friends by lighting candles, singing songs and receiving presents for eight nights. “Every night we light a candle on a menorah, adding one candle each night, and sometimes we eat latkes, which are potato pancakes,” Liebman said. “We each light our own menorah, and every day we get a small gift.” Before Liebman moved to Weston
from West Bloomfield, Michigan, she said she enjoyed commemorating the holiday with her neighbors in Michigan since the families observed a Christmas and Hanukkah combination during the holiday season. “When I was little, all my neighbors used to come over, and all of them celebrated Christmas. My family was the only one in our neighborhood that celebrated Hanukkah,” Liebman said. “Everyone would bring over Christmas cookies and we’d have latkes. We used to celebrate Hanukkah every year with them and it was really fun because we got to mix the religions.” Advanced Placement Chinese teacher Jia Li celebrates the Chinese New Year, a holiday that marks the beginning of a new year on the Chinese calendar. Li lived in China for 16 years and celebrated the event there. She said the holiday is different than other countries’ new year’s celebrations. “While westernized New Years are only celebrated on the New Year Day, the Chinese New Year is a festival that lasts at least ten days, and there is no school for a month,” Li said. “It is the biggest celebration on the Chinese calendar.” Before Chinese New Year’s Day begins, Li said families perform a load of preparation, including cleaning and shopping, which is the reason schools in China close two weeks prior to the holiday. “We decorate and we clean the entire
house; floors are scrubbed, everything has to be spotless and ready for the New Year to come,” Li said. “When I was a kid, families didn’t have many chances to go shopping and you didn’t have much money to buy new clothes. Parents usually just shopped twice a year when the seasons changed, so Chinese New Year is a time when parents get a lot of new clothes for the family.” Along with the shopping, Li said she uses this holiday as a time to gather with distant relatives and loved ones. “It is a time to have family gatherings and visit people, because before, when transportation was not as convenient as it is now, you didn’t go to visit your relatives a lot,” Li said. “Back then, you could not use a car or train, so people traditionally use the New Year as the one time a year to go visit distant relatives and pay respect to their elders.” Throughout the years, Li said her best memory celebrating the Chinese New Year is of waiting up on the eve in anticipation for the celebration the next day. “As kids we stayed overnight together on New Year’s Eve and we usually didn’t sleep. In the morning, you’d have a lot of food and snacks and all brand new clothes, even your socks and underwear,” Li said. “As a kid it is very exciting. On Chinese New Year you wear your new things and then you go out to visit family, eat a big feast and celebrate.” LAYOUT BY AMANDA MORGAN
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DECEMBER 2018
LIGHTNING
THE CIRCUIT
LUNATICS
Student-led fan section cheers on the Bay’s varsity basketball team. College playoff
snubs worthy teams
BY CASSIDY SHELDON AND JESSICA SOBEL MANAGING EDITOR AND ONLINE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
While dribbling down the court, junior and small forward Teddy Ayden said he often looks to the stands when he needs motivation. He said hearing the Lightning Lunatic fan section cheer and chant his name always drives him to shoot that winning shot. “The Lunatics give us the energy that we need to play better and beat the other teams,” Ayden said. “Whenever we are down or not playing our best, they hype us up so we can play better offense and defense and overall just win the game. Their cheering encourages us to want to win the game even more and gives us the confidence that we need to succeed.” Similar to Ayden, senior and point guard Cameron Green said he finds the Lunatics to be an integral part toward the team’s success. He said the fans in the stands drive he and his teammates to work harder. “Having the Lunatics at the games definitely motivates us to play better and to give it our all,” Green said. “Especially when we are losing, hearing them chanting and cheering keeps us more engaged in the game and gives us the extra push we need to make a comeback.” In addition to encouraging the team, Green said the Lunatics’ energy fosters a spirited environment that makes the game more enjoyable for him and his teammates. “When the Lunatics are doing their cheers and jumping around, it makes the game more fun for not just them, but for [the players] too,” Green said. “Because we are having fun, we tend to play better and the Lunatics just have positive effects on us.” Through leading chants and cheers, senior and Co-Captain of the Lunatics Jacob Wucher said he can support the basketball team while simultaneously having fun with his friends. “[I wanted to be a Lunatic] to show school spirit and have a good time. The games also give me something to look forward to [during the week],” Wucher said. “[The Lunatics want to] boost [the players’] confidence and let them know that the school is behind them whether they win or lose.” Junior and Lightning Lunatic Onil Drore said Wucher’s enthusiasm engages her and the other Lightning Lunatics during games. “[The captains] always have fun chants that hype the crowd up,” Drore said. “Their energy makes us energetic, which helps us to encourage the basketball players even more.” From the sidelines, Varsity Basketball Coach Jason Looky said he notices the beneficial impact that the Lunatics have on the players. Whether at a home or away game, Looky said their cheering helps the team maximize their success. “Fanbase is all about the school and the whole atmosphere that the Lunatics create is totally different than any other high school that we go to,” Looky said. “By having their support, it really does give us that home-court advantage every single time.” Along with the Lunatics ability to boost the players’ morale, Looky said
PHOTOS BY JESSICA SOBEL
BALLIN’ OUT: The Lightning Lunatics fill the fan section to support the Bay’s boys’ varsity basketball team at their game against South Plantation High School on Dec. 6. Senior and Co-Captain of the Lunatics Jacob Wucher said the Lunatics’ spirit helps motivate the basketball team and makes the games more enjoyable for attendees in the fan section.
the opposing teams sometimes feel intimidated by the enthusiastic and energetic support system the Lightning basketball team has in attendance. “[The players] know that there are kids out there who watch them, have their back and are proud of them for hustling on the court,” Looky said. “Momentum is also a big thing in sports, so when the crowd starts to feel a comeback, it just resonates with the players and makes them want to play even better.” Although Looky said the Lunatics predominantly have a positive impact on the players, he said some players can be distracted by them. “Sometimes the players worry about what other people are thinking of them more than they do about what is going on on the court, so the Lunatics can be a distraction sometimes,” Looky said. “However, I would always say they are more of a help than a distraction every single time.” While Ayden said the Lunatics from this year help the team significantly, he said the ones from last year were more energetic. He said the Lunatics could improve by recruiting more people, cheering louder at the games and holding up signs while in the crowd.
“The previous year’s Lunatics were crazy and awesome. They seemed to really care about us winning the games, and it definitely showed on the court,” Ayden said. “This year, I feel like [the Lunatics] definitely care about us winning, but last year they wanted us to win even more.” Like Ayden, Drore said the Lunatics from this year have room to improve. However, she said she is confident they will experience growth as the season progresses. “Last year’s Lunatics were more unified than this year’s at the beginning, but after a few games I know this group will be better than ever,” Drore said. “Everyone is starting to come together as a group, so the upcoming games should definitely be great.” As the Lunatics continue to advance, Drore said she looks forward to cheering on the basketball team throughout the rest of the season. “Everyone is putting their energy together to hype up the players and it makes the games so exciting,” Drore said. “I am hoping that I will be able to help [the Lightning] be victorious by giving them more confidence while they are on the court.”
The entire college football season each year since 2014 has led to a decision made by the College Football Playoff Committee that determines which teams have a shot at competing for the national championship. Every year there can be an argument made for a team that was snubbed from the top four, but this year’s controversy is one of the most chaotic. Heading into the last rankings of the season, there were four teams that had a legitimate argument for earning the final spot in the playoff. The University of Oklahoma, Georgia, Central Florida and Ohio State University were forced to sit down and await their fate decided by the 13-person committee. The committee eventually decided the top four teams in college football to be the University of Alabama, Clemson, Notre Dame and Oklahoma. The committee prioritized the fact that Oklahoma won its conference championship, over UCF’s undefeated record, Georgia’s strength of schedule and Ohio State’s margin of victories. I believe the committee was wrong in its selection, in which Georgia is the most deserving team for the last spot. The Bulldogs’ ended its 2018 season with a 10-2 record, highlighted by victories against ranked teams such as the University of Florida and Kentucky. One of the most impressive factors of Georgia’s season came from its close competition against the undisputed number one team in the country, Alabama. Georgia gave Alabama its toughest competition of the season by far, which was crushed by a late go ahead touchdown by the Tide’s backup quarterback Jalen Hurts. Georgia’s ability to not only keep up, but almost beat the undefeated defending champions is a clear sign that the Bulldogs are one of the top four teams in the country. Georgia wasn’t the only team that was snubbed by the committee’s decision. UCF’s undefeated record throughout the last two seasons has sparked an argument to let the Knights compete for a national championship. The argument against UCF is that its undefeated record is tarnished by a lackluster schedule with little competition. No matter how mediocre the Knights’ schedule may be, one of the hardest goals to accomplish in college football is to go undefeated. With that, UCF has a legitimate argument to be involved in the playoff. If it weren’t for the four other Power-Five teams that held their own arguments to be selected, the Knights would be playing in a semi-final game. The last team that held a significant chance to be selected to the playoff is Ohio State. The Buckeyes resume consists of a 11-1 record and a Big 10 championship. Ohio State also defeated a ranked Michigan team 62-39. The only hiccup on Ohio State’s record was a bad loss against Purdue University 49-20. Despite the Buckeyes impressive 2018 season, the committee decided to leave them out of the top four teams in the country. Although every team in the conversation has a legitimate argument to be selected, there is a clear flaw in the college football playoff system. The limited amount of spaces is bound to create controversy and chaos every year. The playoff should be expanded from four teams to six or eight in order to avoid leaving out a team that deserves a shot.
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ATHLETES TO WATCH LARRY LOVELY
SABRINA HERNANDEZ
When did you start playing soccer? I’ve been playing soccer since I was four. I started playing because I loved watching games on T.V. My parents and coaches really pushed me to do my best because they saw a lot of potential in me.
Why did you start playing soccer? I started playing soccer because my grandpa has always been a huge fan of soccer and always encouraged me to play when I was young .
What do you love most about soccer? The thing I love most about soccer is that if I’m ever stressed or need to take my mind off of things I can always use soccer as a way to release my stress.
How has soccer impacted you? Soccer means everything to me. It has always been my go to during hard times and it has helped me want to work hard for the things I want in life.
What are your expectations for the season? My expectation for this year is to win a state ring. Also, I really want to make an impact on the team and make every individual on the team a better player and a better person.
Do you plan to continue playing soccer in the future? I want to play soccer in college and I have actually been working towards that goal a lot recently by practicing a lot more and being extremely focused.
How have your teammates affected how you play? They have helped me a lot on and off the field which is making me a better person and a better soccer player.
Who or what inspired you to play soccer? My biggest inspiration in soccer is probably Mallory Pugh because she is small for a soccer player like me but she still fights for her position and made her way to the national team.
-Heather Dennis
Class of 2020 Height: 6’1’’
GOAL: TO COMMIT TO A D1 SCHOOL HEIGHT: 5’6’’ TEAM: BOYS SOCCER CLASS OF 2019
-Drew Roach
GOAL: TO IMPROVE HER GAME HEIGHT: 5’2’’ TEAM: GIRLS SOCCER CLASS OF 2020
FALL SEASON STATISTICS Varsity Hockey (6-4-1)
Girls Varsity Soccer (7-0)
Boys Varsity Basketball (3-1)
Southwest Broward
W
Taravella
W
Monarch
W
Cardinal Gibbons
W
Piper
W
Western
L
Archbishop McCarthy
W
Monarch
W
Nova
W
Spanish River
W
South Plantation
W
Archbishop McCarthy
W
Boca High
W
Oxbridge Academy
W
West Broward
W
Coral Gables
W
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DECEMBER 2018
The NFL needs to start holding its players accountable for their actions
The Duke Blue Devils have what it takes to win the NCAA Championship
After TMZ Sports released a video on Nov. 30 of the Kansas City Chiefs star running back Kareem Hunt assaulting a woman, the National Football League (NFL) suspended him indefinitely. According to tmz.com, the video showed Hunt arguing with a 19-year-old woman outside of his room at The Metropolitan at the 9 on Feb.10. Later in the video, Hunt confronts and shoves the woman, and she strikes back in defense. This flipped a switch in the athlete: Hunts’ friends attempted to restrain him, but he forcefully shoved one of his friends into the woman, causing them both to go crashing into a wall. While the woman was crouched down on the floor, Hunt kicked her, knocking her onto the ground. The police arrived at the scene, but no arrests were made, as the officers
The Duke Blue Devils have been an elite basketball team for a very long time and are tied in 4th for all time NCAA titles with five. Whether it is due to the absolutely unmatched coaching of Mike Krzyzewski, usually referred to as “Coach K,” or the amazingly talented players, the Blue Devils have almost always found a way to make it far in the tournament known as March Madness. This year for Duke, however, something exceptionally special has occurred, which I believe will lead to them winning it all once again. Coach K and his scouts at Duke have managed to acquire all of the top three recruits from the 2018 class, including Zion Williamson, R.J. Barrett, and Cam Reddish. Williamson was one of the most dominant forces that high school had ever seen, as well as the most athletic, and there is nothing stopping him from performing the exact same way in college. While some may argue that he does not yet contain the skill set that all top players must have, skill is something that he will develop over time, and it will be a much quicker process for someone as athletic as him. Not to mention, he also has an incredible training program to teach and support him throughout the process. In addition to Williamson, Duke acquired R.J. Barrett, who is arguably the best college basketball player in the country. While some of his success is often out-shined by Williamson’s highlight dunks, he was the number one recruit coming out of high school, and has performed like it already in the few college game she has played. He is averaging nearly 25 points per game and has shown that he has the leadership skills of a professional.
Bottom Line: Morality should be prioritzed over winning. could not determine whether or not a crime had been committed. In light of hearing about the incident, members of the Chiefs’ management team spoke to Hunt, but they claim he lied about what had occurred. Nine months have passed, and Hunt is only now being held responsible for his behavior. The team was made aware of these accusations, yet they were quick to take the word of the athlete, despite also knowing that he was charged of punching a man in Ohio in June. There seems to be a pattern of the NFL turning a blind eye when it comes to its athletes behaving inappropriately. We saw this happen with former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice in 2014 and we are seeing it now with former
San Francisco 49ers linebacker Reuben Foster. Three days after Foster was arrested on a domestic-violence charge, he was claimed by the Washington Redskins. Senior Vice President of player personnel Doug Williams even defended Foster by saying, “this is small potatoes [compared to] a lot of things out there.” Instead of recognizing that this man who had been accused of domestic violence twice was in the wrong, the team and its’ fans celebrated the addition of a decorated player to its defense. The reward of gaining this player obviously outweighed the potential consequences of the allegations being true. In the cases of Rice and Hunt, it is of grave concern that had the videos not surfaced, both athletes may still be representing their respective teams in the league. These acts would be overlooked by the NFL and team management because they often prioritize their business and own interests over morality. Athletes are put on a pedestal and looked up to by many. Therefore, when the NFL does not immediately hold these “role models” accountable for their actions, it sets a bad example for people who look up to them. Violence should never be tolerated, and the NFL failing to take the appropriate measures is portraying a poor message to not only the fans, but the players as well. The management of the NFL need to take a good look at themselves and recognize that their allegiance should lie with what is ethical rather than what solely wins championships. They have a responsibility to hold the players liable for their behavior on and off the field and need to put a stop to their deliberate ignorance.
Aside from these two prodigies, is one more ridiculously talented basketball player in Cam Reddish. Reddish, another high school star, was the number three prospect last year and has so far lived up to the hype. Averaging about 17 points per game while playing on the same team as these two other stars, Reddish has proved his worth. Furthermore, these players undoubtedly contain the skills and athleticism to win the title, but nothing is possible without a good coach. Coach K is not just a good coach, but a legendary one. He is one of the most well-known coaches in all of basketball, professional or not, and was even selected to coach the 2017 USA men’s basketball team. Only the best of the best are given a position
Bottom Line: The skillset of Duke’s players will be enough to lead them to a late run in the tournament. such as that, showing that his 1104-338 all time record is no joke. Because of all of these aspects of Duke, I think that it would be more unbelievable for them not to win the NCAA championship then it would be for them to win. With this ridiculously talented trio of players, and the unparalleled coaching of Coach K, the Blue Devils have all that they need to breeze through each and every round of March Madness and secure the NCAA national championship.
FACE OFF YES When it comes to the discussion of who in the National Football League (NFL) has what it takes to compete in and win the Super Bowl, it is always a tough one. Not only do you usually need a dominant offense, as seen in the past decade with teams such as the New England Patriots, but it also extremely necessary to have a strong defense. This year the Los Angeles Rams possess both. On the offense end, they have breakout quarterback Jared Goff. Goff, granted he does throw to some immensely talented wide receivers, has shown many signs of greatness in the process of leading the Rams to their rare 10-1 record. Some of these wide receivers are Robert Woods and Brandin Cooks. With Woods’ elite pass catching skills, along with Cooks’ ridiculous speed, they are a major threat to opposing secondaries. In addition to all of this is Todd Gurley, arguably the most feared running back throughout the entire NFL. He has put on a show over the past few seasons, and has shown that his Rookie of the Year award from 2016 was not a mistake. On the other side of the field, the Rams have an insanely well-versed defense. Whether it is cornerbacks Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters, or defensive tackles Aaron Donald Ndamukong Suh, this defense is not to be messed with. With all of these options, and head coach Sean McVay to lead them, the Rams have what it takes to, and will win the Super Bowl. -Robbie Solomon
Will the Rams win the Super Bowl?
NO The Los Angeles Rams have looked extremely dominant through week thirteen of the 2018-2019 season, but it is wrong to predict the team is going to win the Super Bowl. The competition in the National Football League (NFL) this year is way too strong and the Rams are not even a fan favorite to win Super Bowl LIII (53). Although the Rams would beat any American Football Conference (AFC) team, with Los Angeles being in the National Football Conference (NFC), it surely isn’t an easy way out. Los Angeles will have to pass through the Saints, Bears and Seahawks, if they want a shot at the Lombardi trophy. The New Orleans Saints have future Hall of Fame Quarterback Drew Brees. Quarterback is a crucial position in the regular season, but even more important in the playoffs. The Saints always have a shot with Brees and run a great game behind Running Back Alvin Kamara. The Bears have a shot of beating a high-powered offense like the Rams because of its impeccable defense. Last, but not least, are the Seattle Seahawks. With star Quarterback Russell Wilson and solid coaching, the team always has a shot. The Seahawks will turn into a sneaky team come playoff time and the Rams will need to watch out. Ultimately, it is highly unlikely Los Angeles Rams will have to beat the well-coached powerhouses of the NFL. -Ethan Gaer
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DECEMBER 2018
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Hockey team reaches post season BY DEVIN PABIAN
The Bay’s hockey team is approaching the middle of its season with a 4-22 record. With wins against schools including Spanish River High School and Archbishop Edward A. McCarthy High School, junior and leading scorer Bailey Kaiser said the team’s chemistry has played a large role in their success thus far. “Even though we don’t have practice multiple times a week, our team has worked to bond and create great chemistry with the players and coaches,” Kaiser said. Although the team has a winning record, Kaiser said there are some areas that the team could work on in order to ensure greater success. “We should definitely work on practicing more as a team rather than as individual players,” Kaiser said. “This improvement in our communication would be a great help.” Kaiser said he believes the team is doing so well due to the team’s improvements in puck movement and shot taking. “Moving the puck well and taking good shots is a big key to our success as a team,” Kaiser said. “That is a huge reason
PHOTO BY REECE KAUFFMAN
PUCK IT UP: The Lightning hockey team shakes hands post-game against Miami-Dade High School at the BB&T Center. The Lightning won 8-3, and improved its record to 4-2-2. This was the team’s first and only game at the BB&T center, where one game is scheduled every season. The Lightning will continue its regular season in hopes of qualifying for the state playoffs.
we are winning more games.” Junior Jared Parks said he believes the team’s coaches have a great impact on the team’s success this season. He said the coaches have been contributing their expansive knowledge to help the team with any problems they may come across on the ice. “The coaches are extremely helpful with their advice on and off of the ice,” Parks said. “All of the players benefit
greatly from this extra help.” Even though the Bay has four wins so far, Parks said they have played some tough teams. He said they unfortunately began the season with their hardest game against Miami-Dade High School, but they used this game as motivation to do better and have been able to make a come back. “[Miami-Dade High School] had some very talented players that we just
didn’t know how to stop,” Parks said. “The team was down from losing the first game, but this motivated us to practice harder so we could do well the rest of the season.” Parks said the Lightning’s best game this season was against Archbishop McCarthy, where the Bay scored eight goals. He said he believes the players worked very well together that day. “Everyone just played extremely well that game,” Parks said. “All the guys were clicking together during the game, and that’s why we won.” Head Coach Perry Sans said he, as well as all the other coaches, have been trying their hardest to help the players do their best. “If the coaching staff does their job, it will pay off and be noticeable when the students’ play well on the ice,” Sans said. Sans said the team’s record is good for the players’ motivation since he believes having a winning record boosts the team’s spirits. “I am very happy with how the team is playing at this stage in the season,” Sans said. “We are really coming together as a whole to play well and win games.”
Girls’ soccer team remains undefeated BY ISABELLA GROGAN
On Nov. 14, the varsity and JV girls soccer teams each played their first home game. The Lightning faced off against West Broward High School. JV won 6-0 and varsity won 6-1. This was the JV team’s first game and the varsity team’s second game of the season. “Overall we played really well. We weren’t happy that we got scored on, but we still played really well,” Head Coach Kate Dwyer said. Junior Alexandra Goffi scored the first goal of the varsity game in its first five minutes of regulation. Goffi’s goal came off a Lightning free kick, in which it went in. “We are learning that Alex is better from the distance, so we will probably have someone else take the closer kicks,” Coach Dwyer said. By the end of the first quarter, the varsity team had one goal. As the second quarter was starting, Dwyer said she noticed the girls kept a 0-0 attitude, which is when they don’t let their confidence get the best of them early on in the game. As the game picked up again the Lightning got another free kick. This time when Goffi kicked it, it hit the crossbar and bounced back onto the field. Goffi quickly
kicked it into the goal after. “The players all got anxious when Goffi initially missed the kick, but when it went, she scored and they all celebrated,” Coach Dwyer said. Coach Dwyer said West Broward played an amazing game as well. She said both teams have skills they can work on to improve their playing like working on touches and teamwork. “Knowing where each other is, is a big part because we all play club, but we all don’t play together a lot,” Coach Dwyer said. Dwyer said West Broward is one of the Bay’s biggest rivals. She said she was pleased about their win against them because she knows how good of a team they are and how well they play. “We didn’t know what to expect because they are one of our biggest rivals in the district,” Coach Dwyer said. The JV team also won against West Broward. Many sophomores scored goals, such as Alexandra Jones and Lissa Dewindt. “I felt a sense of accomplishment when I scored because I train hard every week and it’s good to see a reward to all of my hard work,” Dewindt said. Sophomore Natalia Matamoros said she was nervous to play in JV’s first game
PHOTO BY ISABELLA GROGAN
KICKING AND SCREAMING: The Lightning faced off against West Broward High School on Nov. 15 at home. The team won by a score of 6-1, which improved its record to 2-0. The varsity Lightning are currently undefeated after winning eight straight games.
of the season. Once it began,however, she said she instantly became less nervous and focused more on defeating the opposing team. “We didn’t only try to go for the goal, but make smart plays to try and tire them out,” Matamoros said. “We played with a higher intensity.” In the second half West Broward scored a goal. Matamoros said this didn’t
discourage her because she believed her team could bounce back and win, which it did. “Our team has been working really hard to prepare for this game,” Matamoros said. “Overall, I think we gave it all we got.”
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BAND IS BACK
Marching band performs in first national competition of the season. Rapper increases “chance” of better BY DREW ROACH NEWS / ARTS & ENT. PHOTO EDITOR education The Bay’s Sound of Thunder Marching Band participated in the Florida Marching Band Championships (FMBC) from Nov. 16 to Nov. 18 in Tampa, Fla. Throughout the weekend, the band competed against other schools in Florida, finishing in 11th place out of the 16 bands. Sophomore and piccolo player Gianna Chavez said the band has been preparing for the competition since June. After countless practices in the sun, she said the members were determined to be successful at FMBC. “Now that the competition weekend is over, it’s crazy to look back and see how many hours we spent working towards this one goal,” Chavez said. “Endless months of hard work have led us to this competition and many others, and it’s a great experience to put those practices into the real thing.” Freshman and flute player Mishelle Grasshopper said the most challenging part of FMBC was controlling her nerves while performing in front of 16 schools. “I had to remember all of the details of the performance, like what each note was and every step we had to take, which was very nerve wracking,” Mishelle Grasshopper said. “Although I have performed in front of audiences before, it was such a large amount of people that I was not really used to.”
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This performance might have been the best one I had performed all season. Remembering it makes me very proud, and I am so thankful I got to be a part of the marching band.
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-freshman Mishelle Grasshopper Katherine Grasshopper, mother of Mishelle, chaperoned the trip and transported the band’s equipment by driving a U-Haul truck. She said she also helped by creating the props that are used in the marching band’s performances. “[My husband and I] support our kids in everything they do because it is important to us to be involved in their lives,” Katherine Grasshopper said. “We want to show them that we are always there to help out, so we get all of the instruments to wherever they are competing.” Senior and drum major Daniel Ramos said although the band did not perform as well this year, as in previous years, the constant determination from the members will help them to win the competition in the future. “The drive that the ensemble has going into next year is something that not only the other bands in the state should be worried about, but the national level bands as well,” Ramos said. “The
PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY ANGELINE MEDVID
AS LOUD AS THUNDER: The Sound of Thunder Marching Band performs at their first national competition of the year, Florida Marching Band Championships (FMBC), from Nov. 16 to Nov. 18. After months of preparation, the band competed against 15 other bands and placed 11th at the event.
competition this year was pretty tough because more groups were competing this time so under the circumstances, we did incredible, and I am proud of us.” Chavez said FMBC is an important event for the Sound of Thunder, so members dedicate the majority of the first semester to preparing for it. She said the band was motivated this year because last year they were finalists in the 5A group, which was the largest group competing at FMBC. “FMBC is where [the band] made history for the first time in almost a decade last year, because before that, we did not do that many national competitions,” Chavez said. “We did absolutely amazing last year because of how hard we worked, and we practiced just as much this year which payed off.” As a chaperone and mother, Katherine Grasshopper said the best part about the weekend was being able to witness the determination and passion of the band members. “I have one daughter in band and one on colorguard, so it was amazing to see the pride and progress they have
made since the beginning of the year,” Katherine Grasshopper said. “Seeing the happiness that the kids have in their abilities and performance is amazing.” Looking back on the competition, Mishelle Grasshopper said she would not have changed anything about the performance because she felt it was an amazing run. “This performance might have been the best one I had performed all season,” Mishelle Grasshopper said. “Remembering it makes me very proud, and I am so thankful I got to be a part of the marching band.” Ramos said the Sound of Thunder has lots of potential to succeed in upcoming years because of their dedication and motivation. He said these characteristics will make the band an unstoppable force in future competitions. “I think the most important thing the band members need to do is make sure our numbers stay strong and keep up their positivity throughout the year,” Ramos said. “They need to stay focused and hungry to win while still being humble to our peers and other ensembles.”
While many celebrities are politically active, hip-hop artist Chance the Rapper is particularly involved in his community of Chicago, as he works tirelessly to improve the living standards in his hometown through his nonprofit organization, SocialWorks. One of his most significant contributions to this city is his effort to help Chicago Public Schools (CPS) become the ideal learning environment. Recently, CPS made the decision to close a high-scoring, Level 1+ elementary school called National Teachers Academy (NTA). This school greatly benefits the society, as it welcomes many children who fall below the poverty line and are barred from other schools. Chance wrote a commentary in the Chicago Tribune to express his opinion on why NTA should remain open. This involvement with his hometown community and the issues plaguing it is admirable. One incredible aspect of Chance’s efforts with SocialWorks is the amount of attention he devotes to the organization. He utilizes social media sites such as Twitter to encourage fans to get involved and help his cause. As high schoolers are constantly using social media sites, the exposure to celebrities’ activeness can influence them to become a part of the solution for a better education system. Chance not only makes donations and encourages community members to contribute to CPS, but he ensures that the money is going to the correct place. Last year, Chance and the Chicago Bulls announced that the team was making a $1 million donation to CPS. Chance ensured that the money donated was allocated towards buying new textbooks and funding arts and literature programs. While he may only be actively advocating for Chicago in particular, his actions set an outstanding example that should be followed by celebrities everywhere. With the help from celebrities, the education system could benefit greatly. Many schools around the country and the world lack the funds to have certain essential programs, such as the arts. If more famous individuals were to follow Chance’s lead, this problem could be alleviated. Each community faces its own issues in regard to education and public schools. More funding and beneficial programs could be implemented in schools if cities were affected in the way that Chicago is due to the tireless effort of Chance and SocialWorks. With continued celebrity involvement in this field, Florida and Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) could surely benefit. If high schoolers are more inspired to make change and become informed, they can also help the education system thrive. High schoolers at the Bay are capable of making change and bettering the education system in the community with the influence of celebrities. Overall, Chance’s efforts for his hometown are praiseworthy. If replicated by more celebrities, they could potentially have a great effect on the world of education in public schools and the knowledge of politics for young people.
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One act play addresses suicide prevention BY ILYSSA MANN
Junior Aitana Hidalgo and seniors Robbie Goldstein and Diego Estrada participated in a Thespians competition at the Sunrise Civic Center on Nov. 16 and 17; the event was strictly for one act plays. The three students performed a 30-minute play entitled “Pals,” which was chosen by American Musical Theater (AMT) teacher and adviser Cynthia Lutwin. Lutwin said the play is about two good friends, Steve (Estrada) and Jack (Goldstein); Steve wants to die, but he asks his friend to kill him. Jack is faced with this dilemma throughout the play until Wendy (Hidalgo) comes in and serves as a distraction from Steve’s thoughts of suicide. “Even though it was a really small cast, it was different,” Lutwin said. “I think it was still relatable to everyone because we all have feelings like ‘oh my gosh I don’t want to live anymore, but how am I going to do it,’ so I think it was very relevant for the times.” The three students won a superior, which is the highest score you can get on a performance. Lutwin said she was proud of the students for excelling in their performance of “Pals.” “I really thought the acting was fabulous in the show, but you never know how it’s going to go,” Lutwin said. “My expectations were definitely met; in fact, they were exceeded. They did so well, and I think the day that we did the competition was probably their best performance of the one act play they’ve done.”
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I think the play shares an important message about depression and how you are never alone in this world; you just need to find the right people to help you, which is all too relevant nowadays.
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-senior Robbie Goldstein Goldstein said the rehearsal process for the play consisted of cold reads of the script, which helped Lutwin hear how the students delivered the lines. Goldstein said these rehearsals allowed him to connect with his role and understand the
emotions of all three characters. “I think the play shares an important message about depression and how you are never alone in this world; you just need to find the right people to help you, which is all too relevant nowadays,” Goldstein said. “I think my biggest advantage with playing Jack is that I can really see his reasoning behind all his actions.” Like Goldstein, Estrada said he was able to learn more about the complex emotions and motives of his character. He said he found it intriguing that Steve asked his friend for help because he thought suicide was becoming too tacky and popular. “I had a very interesting thought process on the character; I really liked how he was out of the box about how he wanted to die,” Estrada said. “I thought it was interesting how the character didn’t want to be like everyone else and just another statistic.” Hidalgo said her character is introduced later in the play and is the reason that Steve ends up wanting to live. Hidalgo said Wendy is a character to watch and one of her favorite roles she has ever played. “I really like Wendy; she’s really funny and great at making people feel comfortable,” Hidalgo said. “Deep down she’s a little bit insecure and has a little bit of a sense of false confidence to her. I think that’s really relatable, and she actually reminds me of myself.” Estrada said the toughest part of his performance was portraying a character that was mentally unstable. Estrada said he could not come on stage with his normal soft, quiet personality, which was challenging for him. “Obviously while acting, you have to be a lot bigger, but it was hard to mix those two levels of a crazy and calm personality and just get the right amount of balance,” Estrada said. “It was definitely a learning experience, and I’m happy with how it came together at Thespians.” Hidalgo said playing Wendy was draining at times, but her connection with the character made her hard work worthwhile. She said she especially loved using wardrobe pieces from her own closet to create her costumes. “I really enjoyed playing a character that was my age. She’s very eclectic and I consider myself very eclectic person,” Hidalgo said. “Making the wardrobe from my own clothing was really nice; it was cool to see how experimental I can be with my own clothing to create this character.” Goldstein said he has previously participated in both one act and normal
A&E Calendar
PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY ROBBIE GOLDSTEIN
ACT TO IMPACT: Seniors Diego Estrada and Robbie Goldstein sit on stage during their 30-minute play on Nov. 16 and Nov. 17 at the Sunrise Civic Center. Goldstein, in character, acts to send the message of suicide prevention. The play ”Pals” is about Steve (Estrada) thinking about suicide, which puts Jack (Goldstein) in a predicament on how to help his friend. The student actors created the wardrobes themselves and experimented with personalities to become their characters.
plays, and he prefers one act plays. He said “Pals” has been one of his favorite performances because he appreciates the story and meaning behind it. “A one act is different from a normal play in that it’s shorter, so the actor’s job is to make sure the audience makes a connection with your character in the
smaller time frame,” Goldstein said. “It is a little more difficult, but I think the challenge makes it more fun. I was really proud of the finished product because I get to see all of our hard work come together in this amazing play that has such an important message to it.”
Albums
Movies
Concerts
“[Title TBA]” by Offset, Dec. 14 “Icarus Falls” by ZAYN, Dec. 14 “Springteen on Broadway” by Bruce Springteen, Dec. 14 “Magnolia” by Randy Houser, Jan. 11
“Backtrace,” Dec. 14 “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” Dec. 14 “Mary Poppins Returns,” Dec. 19 “Aquaman,” Dec. 21 “Destroyer,” Dec. 25
Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Dec. 14 @ BB&T Center Kenny G, Dec. 15 @ Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall iHeartRadio Jingle Ball, Dec. 16 @ BB&T Center
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DECEMBER 2018
MERRY MARATHON “Home Alone”
The Circuit’s staff reviews Christmas-themed movies. “Frosty the Snowman”
BY JESSIE CHAIET EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
BY JEN SILVERMAN
Filled with slapstick humor and amusing characters, “Home Alone” is an entertaining comedy for the holiday season. The film follows Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin), an eight-year-old boy who is accidentally left home alone when his large family travels to Paris during Christmas break. Once Kevin realizes his family has left him behind, chaos and hilarity ensues. Kevin is initially thrilled for his freedom when he has the house to himself. However, a pair of burglars named Harry (Joe Pesci) and Marv (Daniel Stern) are targeting the McCallister house. To protect himself, Kevin builds a series of traps and tries to outsmart the thieves until his parents return from Paris. The film is filled with comical yet sometimes ridiculous moments, such as the fact that Kevin’s mother doesn’t realize her son is still home until she is on her flight to Paris. Although the plot is unrealistic, it is exciting and full of twists and turns. The movie especially stands out due to Culkin’s portrayal of the troublemaking, witty Kevin. With Kevin appearing in almost every scene of the film, Culkin’s performance is consistently charming, and he excellently executes his humorous dialogue. Kevin’s interactions with Harry and Marv additionally provide plenty of laughs, as the burglars get caught up in his traps. Despite the physical humor and comedic acting throughout the movie, the central theme of the movie is the importance of family, which Kevin ultimately realizes as the action plays out. Even 28 years later, “Home Alone” remains a popular family film for the holidays due to the playful and unifying storylines and characters.
The 1969 children’s Christmas cartoon “Frosty the Snowman” illustrates the playful story of a snowman who comes to life. At school, on the first snow day of the year, the class teacher introduces Professor Hinkle (Billy De Wolfe), who demonstrates magic tricks to the class. Later in the day when class is dismissed, Hinkle’s magical hat lands on the snowman built by one of the students named Karen (June Foray). This brings “Frosty” into existence. Although Frosty is new to the world, he immediately faces two large issues: temperature and Professor Hinkle. Temperatures rise, causing Frosty to melt. Karen is on a mission to get Frosty to the North Pole to beat the heat and keep her friend alive. Professor Hinkle is after his hat, so he follows Frosty and Karen to the North Pole. While the story progresses as they travel to the North Pole, the song “Frosty the Snowman” makes its way into the twenty-five minute movie. The song is extremely repetitive, and after multiple plays, it becomes annoying. This movie is not only a sing-along holiday classic, but it also demonstrates the acts of kindness that Frosty and Karen do for each other. However, there is a moment where Karen and Frosty board a train heading north, unaware of where it was going and without informing her parents. This one particular scene is problematic because if young kids follow by example, they can be put in danger. Overall, the movie is a classic childhood cartoon, but the song in the background is far too repetitive.
“The Polar Express”
“Elf”
BY NYAH HARDMON
BY RACHEL SILVERMAN
FEATURES EDITOR
OPINION /ARTS & ENT. COPY EDITOR
From the opening scene of the film, “The Polar Express” perfectly captures the magic surrounding the Christmas season, specifically the holiday mysticism children experience. Director Robert Zemeckis tells the story of an unnamed Hero Boy (Tom Hanks) as he embarks on a train ride to the North Pole where he hopes to finally answer the age old question: Is Santa Claus real? As the journey unfolds, the protagonist unravels the true meaning of Christmas while making friends and dreamlike memories along the way. “The Polar Express” gracefully encapsulates the reminiscent holiday sentiment; every image in the film is utilized to reignite the enchantment that surrounds Christmas. The colors and cinematography of the scenes are exciting enough to capture short attention spans, providing a hypnotizing effect. Equipped with eerily realistic cartoon design, the film’s detailed animation sets it apart from any other children’s film. Although the story does have a slow start, the moment Hero Boy boards the train, the movie quickly picks up and gains momentum. Even with its lengthy runtime of 100 minutes, the film holds out on its captivating energy straight through the closing scene. While the target audience of the film may be young, the themes of self-discovery are applicable to those of any age; thus, “The Polar Express” beautifully expresses the charm of Christmas and the power of continuing to believe in the childlike wonders of the world.
Full of humor and genuine holiday spirit, “Elf” is a perfect movie to get into the Christmas spirit. The story revolves around Buddy (Will Ferrell) who was living in an orphanage as an infant. In the orphanage on Christmas Eve, he crawled into Santa’s bag of gifts and wound up at the North Pole, where he was raised as an elf. When he grows up, Santa (Edward Asner) sends Buddy to New York City, where he seeks to find his biological father. Once in the city, Buddy becomes immersed in the fast-paced lifestyle of New Yorkers, and he has to adapt to living in a society with humans, not elves. The 2003 film is entertaining, yet appropriate and fitting of its PG rating. While there is an immense amount of humor, some jokes go too far or are redundant. In one scene, Buddy puts chocolate syrup on his spaghetti, which is funny at first, but the joke about it occurs too many times and eventually loses its humor. Despite this, director Jon Favreau does an exquisite job of keeping the plot moving at a fast, yet ideal pace, with a total run-time of 97 minutes. The background music played throughout the film, is perfectly placed for each scene, and it provides the necessary transitions to aid in the development of the plot. Overall, “Elf” is a whimsical movie that embodies the holiday spirit through the use of comedy and superb background music.
“A Christmas Story”
“Christmas Vacation”
BY GABY MCMILLAN
BY MILENA PIDO
Released in 1983, “A Christmas Story” is a classic holiday movie that follows the story of Ralphie (Peter Billingsley) as he navigates through an amusing and sometimes hostile 1940s Indiana town. Ralphie has one mission throughout the film: he must find a way to get a “Red Ryder BB gun” for Christmas, which is the most popular gift for boys his age. Along the way, Ralphie bravely battles his teacher, his younger brother, an evil mall Santa and more to prove the BB gun is the perfect gift. These conflicts add a comical element to the movie. Despite having fierce opposition, Ralphie relentlessly tries to show that he is responsible enough for a BB gun. The determination Ralphie shows is inspiring and surprising for a nine-year-old boy. The repetition of the line “You’ll shoot your eye out,” from Ralphie’s opposers regarding the BB gun adds an amusing touch, demonstrating Ralphie’s hilarious persistence. Ralphie’s father (Darren McGavin) steals the show with his portrayal of the no-nonsense head of the household; his character is as grumpy and crass as he is lovable. However, his role deserved a larger part in the film, as he is one of the most interesting characters in the movie. The movie’s cinematography further enhances the execution of the plot. For instance, in the scene with the mall Santa, the camera angles behave as if they were from Ralphie’s point of view, which makes the scene more enticing. Overall, “A Christmas Story” is an iconic Christmas movie due to its spectacular storyline and plot, which capture the essence of being a kid during the holiday season.
The 1989 movie “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” is a classic, holiday sequel to the original “Vacation” movie. The original film entails a family’s cross-country road trip to an amusement park. The timeless sequel, “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” tells the story of a father, Clark Griswald (Chevy Chase), who is determined to bring back an oldfashioned, traditional Christmas to his family. Clark tries his best throughout the movie to pull off the perfect holiday celebration. However, his in-laws take over, resulting in a comedic holiday disaster. The story takes a dramatic turn for the worst as his boss is kidnapped, and a SWAT team invades his home. With thrilling action, the film is an enjoyable and festive family movie for those who liked the original “Vacation.” The holiday sequel contains the same memorable characters and a similar storyline. The plot focuses on a dysfunctional family, which makes the film relatable and exciting to watch. However, the movie does contain some explicit jokes, so it is inappropriate for some younger audiences. For people old enough to watch, “Christmas Vacation” is an entertaining, feel-good movie filled with humor and heartwarming scenes, such as when Clark illuminates the house with lights for the first time. Overall, the film does an outstanding job projecting genuine holiday spirit. It is a great watch during the Christmas season, even for viewers who have not seen the original “Vacation” movie.
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Members of ceramics program learn new skill BY REECE KAUFFMAN
Taught by Alan McKnight, the Bay’s ceramics classes give students the opportunity to work with a pottery wheel to create different objects. McKnight said the use of the ceramics wheels encourages students to be creative, which makes instructing the class more gratifying. “I like teaching art because I like to see what creative young minds can do,” McKnight said. “They are given challenging, creative problems. I feel successful when they solve the problems, and they also feel successful.”
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Ceramics gives me a break from core classes to do something that I enjoy. The class changes over the years, and you get to do more advanced projects.
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-senior Jordan Edelman In Ceramics 1, students learn fundamental hand-building techniques as well as basic understandings of clay construction. In Ceramics 2, the next course in this art track, students learn to use a pottery wheel. Senior and Ceramics
3 student Jordan Edelman said she enjoys using the wheel despite the difficulties involved with creating clay pieces. “The wheel is good to use because it makes your pieces more symmetrical. You can make the same things without using the wheel, but it will not come out as professional looking or clean cut,” Edelman said. “The wheel is fun to use, but it is sometimes frustrating when you can’t seem to get it right.” Edelman said the wheel is one of her favorite parts of class, as it challenges her and allows her to gain skills necessary for the elective. “Most people have had an opportunity to mold clay at some point in their lives but getting to use a potter’s wheel is a rare experience,” Edelman said. “We need hours of practice to be able to use the wheel correctly.” Junior and Ceramics 3 student Cobi Gardener said he tries to help other students learn to use the wheel since he has experience from his past classes. Gardener said the ceramics program at the Bay has served as a creative outlet for him. “I like ceramics because I get to be artistic, and it gives me a break from all of my other classes,” Gardener said. “I really enjoy the class, as it’s my third year.” Gardener said ceramics students are given the opportunity to make objects that are both functional and visually pleasing. He said he has made many objects during his years in ceramics including bowls,
PHOTO BY REECE KAUFFMAN
PRACTICE MAKES POTTERY: Ceramics 1, 2 and 3 teacher and Ceramics Club adviser Alan McKnight teaches his class the basics of working with a pottery wheel. Before the students begin using the wheel, they take notes in class to fully understand the skill.
plates and flowerpots. “I sometimes use my projects or I give them to other people as gifts,” Gardner said. “My favorite thing I’ve made is a large vase that holds flowers in my house. I enjoy making bowls the most.” Along with teaching the ceramics courses, McKnight is also the adviser for the Ceramics Club at the Bay. The club annually hosts a fundraiser called the Empty Bowl in the Spring. Students sell their handmade bowls for a donation of $10 each, and the proceeds are all donated to the Pantry of Broward. McKnight said this fundraiser is another opportunity for the students to utilize the wheel to make a positive change in the community. “I think being a part of this fundraiser
is important because it instills giving back to the community and being aware of other people much less fortunate than most of us here at Cypress Bay,” McKnight said. “It is also a chance to use your creativity for the benefit of others.” Edelman said students should try to participate in the ceramics program at the Bay, as it can serve as a relaxing alternative from their traditional academic classes. “I enjoy taking the ceramics class because it is a welcome change in my very busy, stressful schedule,” Edelman said. “Ceramics gives me a break from core classes to do something that I enjoy. The class changes over the years, and you get to do more advanced projects.”
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Poetry competition ignites individuality The Live Poets’ Society at the Bay is preparing for the annual “Louder Than A Bomb Florida” competition, which will occur in March. Created by the Jason Taylor Foundation, the contest will award the winning team with a trip to Chicago to participate in a spoken word workshop over the summer. Creative Writing teacher and spoken word coach Shawntee Herring said the Bay’s chapter has made it to the semifinals every year since the competition began in 2013, so she is certain that the team will make it to the finals this year. “They are familiar with the types of poetry that other teams might perform, and they are confident,” Herring said. “The first year is nerve wracking, but after that they get comfortable. Our team poems are amazing, and every year we score perfect tens.” The event is organized as a series of bouts, which are short rounds of competition between four different teams. In the preliminaries, the top two scoring teams from each bout go to the semifinals and from there, to the finals. Junior and team member Dany Vergara said literary elements and delivery are essential to a winning poem. “A good poem is a combination of performance and everything that goes into writing,” Vergara said. “A play on words, alliteration, metaphors, extended metaphors, the message or just stage presence all makes a good spoken word poem.” Five judges give poets a score out of
ten based on their spoken word poetry performance. Senior and team member Lau Rodriguez said the Live Poets’ Society must prepare well to impress the judges. “It’s not uncommon to hear a rap or something resembling a monologue score higher than a quality spoken word piece because the poet was louder and more dramatic,” Rodriguez said. “Certain topics are more attractive to judges because they’re about social issues and are emotionally driven.”
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Your poetry is not really supposed to put anyone down, it is supposed to just express yourself.
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BY COLIN CRAWFORD
-junior Dany Vergara The Live Poets’ Society will hold auditions in December to discern who will be admitted to the competing team, which is made up of 12 members. Rodriguez said his competitive spirit drew him towards sharing his poetry. “I’ve always loved to write, and since I love to compete, I thought [the spoken word competition] would be the perfect space to grow as an individual and hone my craft,” Rodriguez said. The team meets weekly until winter break ends, and then they will begin gathering twice a week. Herring said these practices serve to help members
PHOTO BY DREW ROACH
SNAP IT Junior and Live Poets’ Society team member Manuela Caldas UP: writes her poetry submission for the “Louder Than A Bomb Florida” competition, which will occur in March.
memorize their pieces. “[Poems] do not have to be memorized, but the performance is ten times better when it is,” Herring said. “When you have it memorized, it’s in your bones, it’s in your muscle and it affects the performance that much more.” Vergara said cursing and discriminatory terms that are homophobic, racist or xenophobic are not allowed at “Louder Than A Bomb Florida.” Vergara said every participant must follow these rules at the competition, so students must take these into account when preparing their poems. “Your poetry is not really supposed to
put anyone down,” Vergara said. “It is supposed to just express yourself.” Herring said spoken word poetry is an important creative outlet for students. She said this style of writing can make young authors more aware of the power of words. “The young people that are attracted to this art form are the ones that feel they are not heard or seen, that what they are going through in their life is an isolated incident,” Herring said. “Oftentimes that ends catastrophically, so the first and most important aspect of this artform is that it saves lives.”
THE CIRCUIT RECOMMENDS “Ring Ring” Jax Jones, Mabel, Rich The Kid Dance The lyrics within “Ring Ring” create an upbeat mood throughout the two and a half minutes of the song. With the unexpected feature from rap artist Rich The Kid, this collaboration compliments both the hip-hop and dance genres.
“Idea” The O’My’s, Chance the Rapper R&B The guitar strumming and delicate vocals of both artists makes “Idea” a smooth and tranquil song. Chance the Rapper employs a relaxing tone and meaningful lyrics in order to connect to listeners.
“Nice Guy” courtship. Electronic/Pop This infectious track titled “Nice Guy” is lively and an overall good vibe. With its repetitive lyrics and strong guitar solos, courtship. produced an irresistible electronic pop single.
“SHE” The Blaze Electronic
The Blaze’s song “SHE” is full of mellow and exhilarating beats, even without the use of many vocals. This track creates a sense of walking on air through its relaxed rhythms.
“Loving is Easy” Rex Orange County, Benny Sings Alternative Rex Orange County’s track “Loving is Easy” tells the story about partners falling in love with each other’s imperfections. The artist incorporates a heartwarming rhythm and smooth vocals to convey the song’s message.
“Drip” The Marias and Triathlon Indie “Drip” contains smooth melodies and vocals that generate a relaxing vibe. The combination of the male and female verses adds diversity and creates a story about love and happiness.
An ongoing feature that includes lesser known songs by popular artists and songs from up and coming artists. This month’s playlist was compiled by staffer Hannah Lassner.
“Dark Things” Vic Mensa Hip-Hop
Artist Vic Mensa composes a unique track, differing from the stereotypes that come with the Hip-Hop genre, such as fast rap verses or inappropriate messages. The foottapping beats along with Mensa’s deep vocals make “Dark Things” a catchy track.
“Polaroid” Liam Payne, Lennon Stella, Jonas Blue Hip-Hop / R&B / Soft Rock The continuous light and airy melodies make “Polaroid” an uplifting song. The distinct artists bring a unique tone to each verse. Overall, the track encompasses the hopeful love story of one wanting to reunite with their significant other.
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Art festival preparation commences BY LUCY CELENTANO ONLINE MANAGING EDITOR
GRAPHIC SUBMITTED BY NATIONAL ART HONOR SOCIETY
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Art Fest is just another way to see what other artists are doing and what I could possibly do with my future works, plus it helps artists have [an] outlet so sell their pieces, which is always a benefit.
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Starting in Sept., National Art Honor Society (NAHS) members and officers began preparing for the annual Holiday Art Fair that will take place in the Bay’s cafeteria on Dec. 14. At the art fair, students will have the opportunity to sell their personal creations, as well as participate in games and eat food provided by various sponsors. Tickets are being sold in the courtyard throughout the month of Dec. for $5 and booths are available for $10. NAHS adviser Bizzy Jenkins said the majority of preparations for the art fair entails finding artists to sign up for booths, selling tickets to students who want to attend and securing sponsors that are willing to donate and make the event as memorable as possible. “For this art fair, students are the ones who decide what they will be selling at the show, and they can get individual booths or share and get a table for more than one person. Each student is responsible for determining which pieces should be for sale and which ones they should keep or continue working on,” Jenkins said. “After this, we have to seek sponsors, confirm them and on the day of, we have to set up the cafeteria well in advance so that everything runs smoothly once the event begins.” Senior and NAHS Vice President Zurina Restrepo said the most challenging part of the art fair includes the preparation required before the actual event takes place. Restrepo said honor society members and officers utilize the first few meetings of the year to decide on important information and dates, as well as begin constructing banners before members reach out to sponsors. “The club as a whole prepares months in advance considering it is our biggest event; we don’t want to save everything for the last minute,” Restrepo said. “We are making banners, signs, selling tickets during lunches and contacting businesses like Starbucks or Cream to sponsor our event which is by far the most time consuming part of the whole operation. Jenkins said although the event has run smoothly in years prior, the officer team this year wanted to incentivize giving art as a holiday gift. She said this was the reason behind moving the date of the fair from Nov. 29 to Dec. 14, closer to the holiday break. “This year we changed the date because we were hoping that having it right before the holidays gives people a great reason to buy a really unique gift of individual student artwork, considering how personable it is,” Jenkins said. Senior and Chalk Mural Coordinator Abigail Eades said she hopes to utilize her first and only year as an officer of the honor society to make changes to specific events, such as the activities offered
in the presence of aspiring young artists who all share a common passion. “Art Fest is just another way to see what other artists are doing and what I could possibly do with my future works, plus it helps artists have [an] outlet to sell their pieces, which is always a benefit,” Eades said. Like other young artists, Restrepo said looking at the way others produce their art gives her motivation for her own projects. Following the art fair, she looks forward to continuing her work on some of her ongoing projects that she has not yet completed. “Seeing what other students my age create definitely inspires me to continue making artworks that others will enjoy,” Restrepo said. “It’s really special to see the whole event come together after so much work and watch Cypress [Bay’s] artists come together to showcase their work.” Jenkins said the intense preparation is worthwhile when she can experience students bonding over art. She said when students share what they are capable of creating with friends and family, it makes for an enjoyable night spent all together. “It makes me very proud to see what these kids can do and the pride they get in being able to sell their work and others work is really wonderful,” Jenkins said.
-senior Abigail Eades Eades said the art fair is something she spends the entire year looking forward to, and she is eager for this year’s event to unfold. Not only does Eades plan on purchasing art, she said she also looks PHOTO BY LUCY CELENTANO forward to viewing all the different pieces PAINTING THE PICTURE: National Art Honor Society sells tickets during her friends have been working on that lunch throughout the month of December to promote the holiday themed art fair have not been shared yet. occurring on Dec. 14 in the Bay’s Cafeteria. At the event, students can sell their “Inspiration definitely comes from my personal pieces to attendees. With a ticket, students have access to food from everyday life and surrounding myself with sponsors, games, activities and music. great artists, which is why my favorite part has to be seeing what others have at art fair. She said she aims to make it more entertaining for guests, this year made for the event,” Eades said. “It’s like improvements for the posterity of NAHS. we are planning on having Henna tattoo going to an art museum but everyone is “This is my first year working on the stations, music and lots of food.” someone you know, and it just makes the art fair, and it makes me feel very proud to Eades said the most memorable part of entire operation that much more special.” help other art students get their artworks the event is the inspiration that all artists out there and show off everyone’s and attendees can acquire by viewing amazing skills,” Eades said. “To make each other’s art. She said she enjoys being
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DECEMBER 2018
Musician meets the end of “Yellow Brick Road” “Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour” BY JAKE MILLER AD DESIGNER
Elton John, a singer, pianist and composer of over 50 years, will retire from his music career after his final “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour. John was halfway through his farewell tour when he announced why he was ending his job as a musician and performer; he said he wants to spend more time with his family after having been so busy for the past 50 years. He performed on Nov. 23 at the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida. The show was amazing and had a unique style. John opened the show with one of his top hits, “Bennie and the Jets,” on the piano with the addition of his music ensemble. This popular song played while accompanied by vivid visuals and strobe lights that set the mood for the electrifying concert to come. The slideshow was futuristic and had unique graphics; this opening was an incredible beginning to the concert. John sounded empowered and sang with great conviction. Throughout most John’s songs, whimsical visuals showing his overall achievements were displayed, such as a brightly colored montage of fans sporting outfits inspired by him. The clips that played on the big screen truly represented his unique style and stage presence.
While on the stage at BB&T center, John performed with similar confidence and energy, often engaging with the audience. While the images kept the show lively and entertaining, they were out of the ordinary and distracting at some points. One such instance was a video of John fighting other people wearing his merchandise during the song “Saturday Night Fight.” These visuals took attention away from his vocals and actual singing. At the end of the show, John appeared for an encore of his infamous song, “Yellow Brick Road,” while wearing a silk robe meant to hide his true outfit underneath. After removing his robe and revealing a simple tracksuit underneath, John then stepped into a hot air balloon prop and disappeared behind the stage. This emotional and powerful finale symbolized that all great things must come to an end. Although John ended the concert in a surprising manner, it was fitting for his style. John sported several custom-made Gucci clothing items throughout the concert, such as a sequined coat and a luxurious loungewear robe, all with sunglasses to match. The ensembles truly highlighted his unique, extravagant sense of fashion that he has maintained in performances throughout the years of his career. Most of John’s songs were accompanied by a variety of instruments including guitars, keyboard, percussion and drums. The tune “Candle in the Wind” was played in a more serious tone, as the sole focus was John’s vocals and a simple piano in the background. This song was accompanied with simple
PHOTO BY JAKE MILLER
ROCKET MAN: Elton John performs “Crocodile Rock” at center stage at the BB&T Center on Nov. 23. John is returning to South Florida on the Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour in March 2019.
images on the screen, which contrasted his more chaotic visuals earlier on in the show. John’s instrument choice was a pleasant break from the usual ensemble, as it focused attention to the powerful lyrics of the song. At the show, John also brought awareness to the Elton John AIDS Foundation, with a video montage during his performance of “Believe.” He introduced this song by speaking about the hatred he observes in the world today. This part of the show was emotional and compelling, as John discussed a serious topic. The lyrics and tempo of this song highlighted the deeper meaning behind it.
John played the entire concert without taking significant breaks, displaying his talent for performing live. He stood up and paused for short increments of time after each song and walked around the stage, motioning for applause from the audience. John’s stamina during the lengthy concert demonstrated his strength and capabilities as a singer and musician. John had concluded this show, but he will be performing more on his threeyear “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour that will take him around the world. John not only portrayed his gratitude to the audience through his words, but his performance as a whole.
Restaurant delves into holiday spirit Starbucks BY KARLA SOBERON PR MANANGER
With the holiday season right around the corner, Starbucks has made its yearly transition from a fall to winter-themed experience. With an updated menu and an overall shift in decorations, Starbucks Christmas is finally in season. With all of the seasonal aspects in place, Starbucks has created a spectacular environment that fits the winter vibe. New beverages arrived at all stores on Nov. 9 and will be available through all of December and some of January. These seasonal drinks include Peppermint Cocoa, Chai Eggnog Latte, Blonde Gingerbread Latte, Caramel Brulée Latte, Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha and Juniper Latte. While these drinks are satisfactory, they have an abundance of sugar which adds a lot of extra calories to the beverages. One standout item on the menu is the Snickerdoodle Hot Cocoa, which is a delicious hot blend of white chocolate mocha sauce and cinnamon dolce syrup. The taste is the perfect mimic of a freshly baked snickerdoodle cookie, which creates a feeling of home during the holidays. Starbucks has added four newly designed festive cups aside from the
PHOTO BY KARLA SOBERON
HERE’S THE TEA: In light of winter holidays, Starbucks locations have revamped their decorations to commemorate the time of year. Cup and mug displays now stock Christmas-themed items and gifts, instead of generic items.
annual plain red one, all of which were introduced to stores worldwide on Nov. 2. These new patterns include cup with a variety of shades of red, a white based cup with lightly shaded mistletoe and a green cup decorated with stars. All of these new styles make the seasonal drinks feel and look more festive. Aside from the cups, the inside of the coffee shop has been garnished to fit the holiday season and festivities. These decorations include white
Christmas lights draped around the menus, snowflakes dangling from the ceiling and red ribbon surrounding the bar and bakery. The addition to these embellishments portrays a classic winter look and incorporates seasonal colors into the scenery; it gives Starbucks a truly delightful festive feeling. The bakery has also made new adjustments to its diverse menu. Some of these include a peppermint brownie cake pop, a snowman-shaped sugar cookie and
a penguin cake pop. Overall, the bakery additions add a pop of holiday spirit. To its sandwich menu, a holiday turkey and stuffing panini has also been added as a featured item. This incredibly flavorful hot sandwich excellently mimics a traditional Christmas and Thanksgiving dinner. However, an improvement to the food menu could be the addition of gingerbread and snickerdoodle cookies, which are a staple of December. These would overall improve the variety of the baked goods Starbucks has to offer. The snowman sugar cookie that is sold now is delicious, but it is only a sugar cookie with frosting, which Starbucks offers in other shapes regardless of the celebration. Aside from the shape and frosting art, there is nothing genuinely special about this baked good regarding the holidays. To enhance the overall experience of the cafe during the winter, holiday music should be played throughout the day to tie the decor and menu together at all Starbucks locations. As of now, only one out of the three Starbucks franchises in Weston plays holiday music, but the Christmas spirit is still predominantly present through its display of ornaments and the newly enhanced menu. Overall, the seasonal change to winter is an annual success, with an abundance of Christmas spirit being employed from the minute customers walk in through the door to the minute they leave. From the drink menu to the decorations, Starbucks does an incredible job with celebrating the holidays.
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Cast list release motivates members fun while I’m on stage,” Osorio said. “Sophie is a very charismatic role, and in performing her, I have also become more charismatic.” Osorio said she used to dance and sing to the music from “Mamma Mia “with her mom when she was younger, so the role is special to her. She said the hardest part about preparing is remembering she is acting as someone else.
BY RACHEL ALEXANDER
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I always disregard any previous knowledge I have of a student and I focus solely on their audition. PHOTO BY RACHEL ALEXANDER
HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 4: Sophomore Clementina Franceschi was chosen to play Gabriella Montez for the American Musical Theatre (AMT) production of “High School Musical.” She said she was elated after checking the cast list because she dreamed of playing this role. Franceschi has been rehearsing her lines ever since she found out about this role.
said. “Throughout the long and intensive process, I look at what students do in each part of the audition.” Franceschi said she starts preparing for a show by researching her character, but she also tries to make the character her own. She said during the rehearsal process, she begins by learning music from the show and then learns the choreography. “I love the rehearsal process,” Franceschi said. “It lets you explore the
character, but it can be difficult at first settling into who your character is and who you want them to become.” Junior Daniela Osorio, who will play Sophie in “Mamma Mia,” said transforming into the character on stage is a difficult process, so she tries to put herself into the mindset of the role while performing. She said she hopes the role will help her improve her acting skills and gain new experiences. “The role has taught me to have more
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Sophomore and American Musical Theatre (AMT) student, Clementina Franceschi, said she was filled with excitement when she saw her name next to Gabriella Montez on the cast list for AMT’s production of “High School Musical.” Since cast lists came out in October for “Into the Woods,” “Mamma Mia” and “High School Musical,” AMT students have been rehearsing their roles in preparation for the nights of the show. “As soon as the stage light hits me, it is almost instinctual to leave my life behind and become Gabriella,” Franceschi said. “If I can use some of my real-life experiences, I use them to shape her emotions, personality and tonality.” Because Franceschi transferred to the Bay this year, she said she relates to her character because they are both the new girl at school. She said she is looking forward to portraying Gabriella in front of an audience in April. “It’s an incredible feeling when you can just feel how invested the audience has become in the musical,” Franceschi said. “Once onstage, nothing else matters until after the show.” AMT teacher and adviser Cynthia Lutwin said for the auditions process, she groups students together to act out certain scenes in the show. She said during the process which takes months, she works to make the difficult decisions about who will portray each character. “I always disregard any previous knowledge I have of a student and I focus solely on their audition,” Lutwin
-AMT teacher and adviser Cynthia Lutwin “No matter how prepared you are, you will always be nervous,” Osorio said. “I always try to control the nerves and trust that everything will be okay.” Lutwin said she is excited about all three shows because they are unique. She said loves the music in the shows and is looking forward to seeing them come to life on stage in the spring. “The performing process is so amazing to me,” Lutwin said. “I love listening to the audience laugh, gasp and applaud.”
Do-It-Yourself holiday gifts display creativity BY KARLA SOBERON PR MANAGER
For junior Brooke Schwartz, one of the most memorable gifts she has ever received was a large collage of pictures from her boyfriend of two years, senior Jason Blum. Since then, she said she has been inspired to personally create gifts during this time of year. As the holiday season approaches, the art of gift giving has evolved from giving store-bought items to making personalized gifts. Schwartz said DoIt-Yourself (DIY) holiday gifts have revolutionized the way she encapsulates her friendships with others through a present made personally by her. “My boyfriend Jason is an avid giftgiver, and every year we attempt to outdo each other with our creative presents,” Schwartz said. “This year, I have planned to maybe do a blanket or a hoodie that has pictures of us. I know he will definitely get a laugh out of that.” Schwartz said social media sites such as Twitter and Instagram have played a crucial role in providing inspiration for gifts. Schwartz said most of her influence comes from Pinterest. “I keep several different Pinterest Boards for my different friends and holidays, but during this specific season, most of my feed is blowing up with DIY gifts that can be used for everyone,” Schwartz said. “What has been dominantly presented this year has been a holiday gift basket, in which there
can be anything from chocolates to fuzzy socks or just anything winter related. As it turns out, it is such a simple way to make personal gifts at a lower cost.” Creative Writing and English 2 Honors teacher Joyce Seigel said during the holidays, a homemade gift is more precious and memorable than a regular, store-bought item. “About 10 years ago, around this same time-of-year, a student of mine gave me a necklace that she made herself as a gift for me, which had honestly left such an impact on my life that to this day, I remember vividly all the details of the exchange,” Seigel said. “My creative writing classes are set up in a way that I aim to inspire my students to use their emotions to create something personal and amazing. Many times, my students will tell me that they used one of their pieces for a gift, and it makes me feel so proud.” Unlike Schwartz and Seigel, junior Sarah Gibson said there should not be a difference in whether a gift is from the store or made by hand, as in the end it is the thought that counts. Gibson said when it comes to giving to her friends during this season, it is faster for her to buy something from a store than making something for each individual friend. “I love crafts and making gifts, but during this season it is so much easier to just go to Sawgrass Mills or Town Center at Boca to make a day for shopping for my friends; it is such a fun experience that is harder to achieve when making
ILLUSTRATION BY JOLIE SONKIN AND KARLA SOBERON
something,” Gibson said. “Most of my friends celebrate different holidays, and in some cases I have to get gifts earlier for Hanukkah, so buying items such as clothes, bags or makeup is more simple to retrieve.” Gibson said receiving a DIY holiday gift is something special and personal. However, she said in the end, it should not matter how much time went into a gift, as both DIY and store-bought presents can be thoughtful. “No matter what I receive, I am always very grateful, as I really appreciate the fact that my friends thought about me when making or getting me something for the holidays,” Gibson said. “This year
I believe that what I receive will vary between DIY and store-bought, and I’m very excited to see the differences.” As Hanukkah passed, Schwartz said she was ready for her gift-giving to commence. She said she hopes her friends create DIY gifts this holiday season instead of going out and buying large, expensive items. “I have different gifts planned for my family and for my friends,” Schwartz said. “I hope that everyone loves what I get them, takes into account the thought and effort that I put into coming up with the ideas for these presents and remembers them forever.”
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Bohemian Rhapsody “Bohemian Rhapsody” BY JENNA FRIEDMAN ARTS & ENT. EDITOR
Released as a tribute to the rock band Queen, “Bohemian Rhapsody” beautifully celebrates the band’s work and captures the extraordinary life of lead singer Freddie Mercury. The brilliant film has quickly risen to become one of the highest grossing music biopics of all time. Due to the mix of amazing acting and accurate representations of the band’s past, the movie is likely to continue to gain success. “ Boh em ia n Rhapsody” begins with the origin of the band, depicting how the members joined together and their journey to being discovered by a famous record label, EMI records. As the film progresses, Queen is shown playing world tours and becoming more successful with each album. Rami Malek, who plays Mercury in the film, excellently portrays Mercury’s bold style, carefree attitude and mesmerizing s t a g e
p er for m a nc e. While Mercury’s outrageous persona is truly one-ofa-kind, Malek illustrates the late performer’s impact on not only his fans and fellow band members, but also his family. One of the most touching aspects of the film is the progression of the relationship between Mercury and his originally u napprovi ng father, as he comes from a reserved fa m i ly. A tearjerking scene portrays the moment, after several years of being in Queen, when Mercury finally gains acceptance from his father about his lifestyle. This is important to the film, as it is a raw and emotional moment in Mercury’s life. An intriguing feature of the film is how it exposes the origins of many iconic hits by Queen. For example, the track “We Will Rock You” was inspired by the band’s guitarist, Brian May, who wanted to involve the crowd and allow them to provide the
beat for the song. Similarly, the movie includes the band’s trip to a secluded campus where they could focus on writing songs for their album “A Night at the Opera.” This portion of the film is significant and interesting because it shows the backstory to some of the band’s most famous songs, such as “Bohemian Rhapsody.” The physical characteristics of the cast of “Bohemian Rhapsody” are similar to the role for which they are casted; Brian May (Gwilym Lee), Roger Taylor (Ben Hardy) and John Deacon (Joseph Mazzello) each closely resemble the band member they play, making the film seem more realistic. This aspect highlights the effort of the producers to find the perfect cast, making the movie even more impressive. The distribution of Queen’s music throughout the entirety of the film serves as a tribute to the band. The strategic placement of the tracks emphasizes the band’s journey to stardom and displays the iconic songs from Queen’s career. Classics such as “Killer Queen,” “Somebody to Love” and
the infamous “Bohemian Rhapsody” are scattered throughout the movie to honor the admirable work of the band. “Bohemian Rhapsody” also makes use of special effects in some scenes. During one of their tours in the movie, animations display the many different locations where the band performed. While the special effects are not a major aspect of the film, it does make these few moments of the movie more exciting. One of the most impressive scenes of “Bohemian R hapsody” is the representation of Queen’s “Live Aid” performance. As one of the most memorable points in Queen’s career, this concert was an essential moment in the film. Malek, Lee, Hardy and Mazzello did an incredible job in almost perfectly replicating the original performance. Malek mirrored Mercury’s striking movements and stage presentation; the emotion he shows highlights his incredible acting skills. Mercury was known for his constant engagement with his audience, which Malek accurately represents during the “Live Aid” performance and throughout the entire film. Overall, “Bohemian Rhapsody” achieves a difficult task: encapsulating the life and career of Queen. Between the timeless music of the band and the outstanding acting of the cast, this film is easy to appreciate, regardless of age or familiarity with Queen.
DECEMBER 2018
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Shopping app enhances clothing resale market Dote BY JULIA WINTON
Dote is a free app used for online shopping that combines multiple shops into one platform. Users can search for and purchase clothing items all within the app. With over 140 trending stores, Dote creates an unique shopping experience by making online purchases easy and efficient. Unlike regular online browsing, it gives users an opportunity to acquire items from popular stores and brands all in one place at the touch of their fingertips. One notable element of the app is that users can save items to a favorites folder. The list of favorites is open to the public, so buyers can view items that other users find interesting. Additionally, the app allows customers to follow their friends to view their favorite items and other products that have piqued their interests. This exposure to the fashion senses of others allows users to adopt the style of others and take interest in similar products. When one wants to change their style or buy a gift for a friend, he or she can simply look at another person’s list of favorites for inspiration. Another distinctive part of the app is its ability to send notifications to shoppers when some of their favorite items go on sale. This feature enhances the app because customers are able to stay alert when something they want is being sold for a cheaper price. Dote also puts out
many offers on their own, such as free shipping or buy one, get one 50% off on certain items. This allows for a more costeffective shopping method and overall experience. With new stores opening and offering more products, the app is constantly updating content. Typically, updates on Dote include adding new clothing lines or retailers, but sometimes the app expands its range of items by adding new collections to pre-existing stores. These updates benefit the customer by providing a larger variety to choose from and also making the app easier for them to navigate. The app has a couple of kinks and flaws. In comparison to other online shopping apps, Dote offers a wider variety of retailers for one platform; however, it offers less available items for purchase from each one. Users may want to buy an item they saw in store or on the company’s website, but it may not be included in Dote’s limited available items. Also, the app is prone to crashing from the many bugs affecting it. However, many of Dote’s updates include bug fixes and improvements, which shows the app developer is putting in the effort to fix to this small issue. Dote’s customer service is the app’s primary weakness. The customer service representatives often take weeks to respond and don’t always answer all of the buyers’ questions. The app also gives shoppers an estimated delivery time for their purchased items, but the products don’t always come in those predicted time frames. Dote says this is because items are shipped directly from the retailer.
However, if that’s the case, then the app should not provide customers with a false sense of hope about the arrival time of their products. That being said, the concept of Dote is innovative, but actually ordering items off of the app might be unreliable because of the slow shipping process and
faulty customer service. The app is useful for scrolling and becoming inspired by the available fashion choices, and the “favorites” list is beneficial for viewing the choices of others. Overall, the idea of Dote is exceptional, but the execution makes the app slightly ineffective.
The music in your ears “The Music in Your Ears” delves into the music tastes of students at the Bay. Online Arts & Ent. Editor Gabby Sonkin interviewed four students who enjoy listening to different types of music.
“Tonight” by Frank Sinatra
“Suncity” by Khalid
“I think that all of Frank Sinatra’s songs are powerful, but this one is so simple and at the same time beautiful.” -junior Charlie Seldin
“I enjoy this song because Khalid incorporated Spanish lyrics, and it has a chill beat.” -senior Jordan Ramdial
“Brand New” by Ben Rector
“The Nights” by Avicii
“It’s a really upbeat and positive song. It always brings up my mood.” -freshman Julia Ross
“I love this song because it sends a good message that you only are young once.” -sophomore Mason Solomon
DECEMBER 2018
OPINION
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Journalism outlets remain vital to society As the presence of online journalism continues to increase, print publications may slowly become obsolete. The days of paperboys handing out newspapers and people inserting coins into newspaper vending machines may soon be over. This is especially saddening due to the large role newspapers and magazines have played throughout history and in society, from Benjamin Franklin’s printing press to current newsstands. While online outlets are a great way to easily access the news, print publications still have an important role in society, allowing people to connect with one another. With newspapers, families can sit around the table, divide up sections and discuss the headlines at hand. Even sitting at a coffee shop or on a train, people can share their newspapers or magazines. With society’s growing addiction to phones, technological devices seem to polarize people, preventing them from speaking face-to-face. When it comes to the media, people may text or email each other articles. However, this form of communication lacks the value of discussing headlines in person and peering through paper pages. Unlike news websites and apps, print publications have a unique way of fostering community. Many high schools like the Bay distribute a print student publication, whether it’s a newspaper or magazine. Schools should continue this practice as it ensures students will continue to interact in person rather than be stuck
Flash of brilliance
YES With almost 200 U.S. schools offering Early Decision, this application option can be beneficial for students who are exactly sure of what college they would like to attend. If accepted, students who applied Early Decision are bound to attend that institution. This can serve as an advantage for applicants who want to highlight their demonstrated interest for their chosen school. By following this application path, students are showing that the selected college is their number one choice. These students find out their admissions decisions in December, rather than regular decision dates in March or April. This alleviates stress for these students, as the waiting time is reduced. Seniors are already suffering from anxiety due to applications, difficult class schedules and extracurriculars, so any way to reduce these difficulties could be helpful. For students who are accepted, they will know where they are attending college pretty early on, allowing them to relax and enjoy their final semester of high school. In addition, after decisions are released, accepted students will no longer have to apply to more schools, saving them money from expensive application fees and time from writing additional supplements. Most notably, colleges often have higher acceptance rates for Early Decision because they know that those students will attend. Therefore, Early Decision can be worthwhile for students who are certain which institution they are most interested in attending. -Jessie Chaiet
on their phones, which is a growing epidemic across Generation Z. With print newspapers and magazines, students can share what they are reading. This will promote discussion in class and help ensure that students stay informed about current events and important occurrences around school. In recent times, President Donald Trump’s administration has continued to patronize journalists and media outlets. Trump’s accusations of “fake news” have lead to an increasing general distrust in the media. The media was created to objectively inform citizens, so it is upsetting to see people lose trust in this important institution. According to a poll from CNBC, nearly 70 percent of people are worried that fake news is a “weapon.” Rather than wanting to read publications to find out about corruption in the country, people are believing the publications themselves are corrupt. The concerning CNBC report highlights another cause of the decrease in newspaper readership: people are losing confidence that news is credible. Despite the fake news epidemic surrounding the country, the media still serves an quintessential role in American society. It is necessary that citizens understand this and take advantage of the freedom of the press. Not only do print publications physically connect people, but journalists themselves also interact with people in different communities to inform the public, highlight justice and
ILLUSTRATION BY JEN SILVERMAN
expose wrongdoings throughout the nation. People need to keep being well informed and connected by such a field that promotes human interaction. Sadly, as people continue to consume news digitally, the newspaper industry continues to decline. According to journalism.org, 2017 signalled a 10 percent decrease in U.S. daily newspaper consumption. This trend will continue yearly until people make a change by increasing readership and dedication to the craft. The overall decrease in print publications represents a larger theme about society as a whole. Technology continues to put people in the fast lane, constantly advancing. As this occurs, people are forgetting about the past and the foundations that led to the current world. If newspapers continue to fade,
Is it beneficial for students to apply Early Decision to college?
GRAPHIC BY SANDRA TALLEDO
Visit cbhscircuit.com to vote on this topic.
it is imperative that people hold on to them and prevent them from becoming completely obsolete. Founding Father and pioneering journalist Benjamin Franklin once stated: “It is unreasonable to imagine that printers approve of everything they print. It is likewise unreasonable what some assert, that printers ought not to print anything but what they approve; since an end would thereby be put to free writing, and the world would afterwards have nothing to read but what happened to be the opinion of printers.” Although people can now read from their phones instead of printers, what Franklin said still rings true. Despite disagreements over politics, people can still reach an agreement that journalism, especially print media, is an essential institution that must remain for years to come.
NO When deciding where to spend the next four years, its beneficial for students to have many options. For seniors who decide to apply Early Decision to a college, they are immediately bound to only one school. If accepted to their school early, the Early Decision agreement states that students must pay for, and attend that college. Thus, their options quickly become extremely limited and by midDecember, students who applied Early Decision will already be confined to an institution. Being that most seniors are teenagers who quickly change their opinions, this can be a problem. Likewise, this method of applying binds students to paying for an outrageously expensive tuition. When checking the box to apply Early Decision, students are not only binding themselves to a school, but also a serious financial commitment. Applying regular allows seniors more time to contemplate where they see themselves in the future and where they would like to spend the next four years of their lives. With the later process, all of the admission decisions will be released later in the school year around March or April, rather than December for early applicants. This time period interferes with students’ midterm schedules and can interrupt studying by causing unnecessary stress and anxiety while awaiting the decision. Ultimately, applying to a school via Early Decision forces students to place all of their eggs in one basket and can leave them stranded if the decision comes back as a rejection letter. -Cassidy Sheldon
40 THE CIRCUIT
WWW.CBHSCIRCUIT.COM
OPINION
DECEMBER 2018
Regulations needed to save environment While printing, driving and traveling are all part of many people’s everyday lives, these actions are contributing to a massive carbon footprint. As society continues to progress and technologies continue to advance, the emissions of carbon dioxide through the burning of fossil fuels into the atmosphere will only continue to skyrocket furthering global warming and the drastic implications of climate change. According to NASA.org, the main cause of climate change is the emissions of greenhouse-gases into the atmosphere, which depletes the Ozone layer. The destroying of the Ozone layer allows for the Sun to heat up the Earth faster, causing more extreme temperatures. Humans are adding carbon dioxide into the atmosphere at a rate much faster than it is removed by natural processes such as photosynthesis. People are contributing so greatly to global warming by not recycling, driving gas powered cars and wasting natural resources. According to Globalchange.gov, the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide has increased about 40 percent over the industrial era. This addition has caused the global surface temperature to increase, causing frequent natural disasters. Recently, California and Florida have been hit with multiple forest fires due to the hot and dry climate feeding these long-burning and destructive wildfires which can spread rapidly. Throughout the world, the effects of climate change is visible as glaciers melt in Antarctica, sea
GRAPHIC BY ANNABELLE DANIELS-ROSENBERG
levels rise and weather patterns fluctuate abnormally. Despite this evidence, President Donald Trump said recently in a statement posted on Twitter that the only reason for the disastrous wildfires in California is because the “forest management is so poor.” While some action could be taken to improve the forest management, the rapid spreading of these fires is likely due to climate change and the increasing emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
Although environmental regulations could be set up to protect the atmosphere by limiting the amount of carbon dioxide emissions, the President has counteracted previously existing legislation created during the Obama administration and has withdrawn from the Paris Agreement wherein multiple countries pledged to reduce carbon emissions. These actions taken by the President can have lasting repercussions on the environment potentially leading to increased burning of fossil fuels and a nationwide sense of
carelessness toward natural resources. However, according to a CBS (Central Broadcasting System) segment of 60 Minutes, President Trump said he believes the climate will simply “change back again.” In efforts to curb global warming, individuals must take action, rather than wait around for the government to impose standards. Despite the comfort and ease of riding around in a gas guzzling automobile, people must take steps toward saving our planet whether it be by bike riding, walking or carpooling with a large group, every little bit goes a long way. In order to help climate change from damaging environments further, there are numerous solutions that can assist in preventing future natural disasters such as hurricanes, forest fires and the extinction of wildlife. Students can shrink their carbon footprint to reduce greenhouse gases by driving less, recycling, purchasing energy-efficient appliances and light bulbs, printing less and minimizing water usage. While at least some emissions of gases into the atmosphere are inevitable, everyone should be taking precaution in protecting the environment to ultimately curb climate change and prevent frequent natural disasters. The rising problem of global warming has evolved into a danger to our environment through human activity and must be solved through human activity as well.
Letters to the Editor Class textbooks need to be updated frequently and respected by students
Outdoor walkways should be maintained to make it easier to walk to classes around campus
Winter break should commence earlier to provide more time to prepare for holiday celebrations
Some textbooks and novels students receive from Cypress are in very poor condition and mainly torn apart and broken. Besides from my brand new history textbook, my other textbooks have writing and highlighting all over the text making it very hard to study. Also some of my books are missing pages in the glossary and index. Most of the pages and covers are ripped and practically falling out of the book’s spine. This is an issue that needs to be addressed immediately considering textbooks are a critical part of completing classwork and homework. -Juliet Bell, sophomore
I personally have a lot of classes in the portables which I don’t mind at all. The only thing that I would suggest is to put down more grass in the middle of the walkways in the portables, the ones near the back of the 300’s and 400’s building. While I don’t mind walking to class in the rain, the accumulation of water and puddles that form make it harder to get to classes. This is because you can’t go through or over the puddle causing you to go through the crowded overhangs resulting in arriving to class fairly late. -Ethan Rogge, sophomore
I think that winter break should start earlier and end later. A lot of time and work go into a family holiday and students should have a chance to be a part of that without worrying about school and exams. We go into winter break only three days before the holiday, but we have almost a week after new years. I think that students should have around a week of break before Christmas -Maia Locraze, sophomore
Lunchroom seating areas should be expanded to accommodate for more people The cafeteria is generally very small and crowded. My friends and I always enjoy sitting inside during lunch, but these past couple of weeks we have turned to having to sit outside because other students take all of the tables. This is because of the size of the cafeteria and the amount of tables and sitting areas. I think that the tables should have more chairs and that there should be more tables in general. The cafeteria should also be bigger so that it can accommodate more sitting areas. -Joshua Harris, sophomore
The Bay should decorate the entire campus during the winter to promote the holiday season
during the eight days of Hanukkah, but students should still have some accommodations. Students do not get time off for Hanukkah, but many still celebrate every night for eight days and a lot of times, have to cut celebrations short in order to study or do homework. I believe that it is unfair that students need to put aside an important religious holiday in order to finish school work, so the school should have a policy on less homework during Hanukkah, or any religious holiday for that matter. -Nicole Poisson, senior
Amount of exam exemptions should not be limited to a maximum of three Students should have the opportunity to exempt as many exams as they want. Many students work very hard every semester to maintain their grades and should be rewarded for those grades and effort. Even so, every semester I have to wake up early and take exams for classes that I already have a good grade in, seemingly for no reason. If we can exempt a few, we should be able to do the same with all of the classes that we are eligible to exempt. -Kamilah Safa, senior
I think our school should be decked out with holiday decorations during this season because it could make students happier when they arrive at school. It has been proven that people are in better moods when they see festive decorations, so I believe that if our school had them it would allow students to have a great start to their day. This could also be beneficial to faculty and staff as everyone can enjoy a variety of holiday decorations that Less homework should be satisfy all religions. Because our school assigned during holiday season has a large amount of students, adding I know that it would be hard for the holiday decorations can bring our school school to even get one day off for students closer together during this time a year. -Ashley Keene, junior
Letters to the editor are encouraged as part of The Circuit’s mission as a public forum. Submissions should not exceed 300 words; they should be dropped off in Room 360 or mailed to the school to the attention of adviser Eileen Manella. The author will have the final say in phrasing of the letter, but letters are subject to editing for length, clarity, punctuation and grammar. Anonymous letters will not be printed and the writer’s identity will be confirmed prior to the publication. Any material deemed libelous, obscene, disruptive or unlawful to minors will not be published.
DECEMBER 2018
OPINION
THE CIRCUIT
41
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Actions are more effective than voicing opinions behind computer screens
Increased technological advancements discourage active, healthy lifestyles
After my mom nagged me for days to join her in canvassing for her favorite gubernatorial candidate, I gave into her request. I too was passionate about getting out the vote, but I was uncertain as to how my participation would make a difference. When we arrived at the Weston Campaign Headquarters, I was surprised to see only a handful of volunteers, as everyone in the community seemed to have strong feelings about the potential outcomes of this race. Considering my inability to escape conversations and social media posts about peoples’ opinions on this election, I was expecting to see more people putting their money where their mouth is. Regardless of the issue, there seems to be a gap between raising awareness and translating that awareness into action. People love to voice their opinions but many turn a blind eye when it comes to working toward solutions. Most people are guilty of this, myself included. Talking about an issue is the first step to change, but people tend to do too much talking and not enough participating. Complaining about something being wrong is not justified if people are not doing anything to make it right. Posting about the excessive hunting of rhinoceroses will not prevent them from becoming extinct; whining about being overweight and out of shape will not improve your health; voicing concerns about climate change will not put a stop to global warming; and criticizing the low voter turnout will not encourage more people to vote. Without execution, these ongoing obstacles will inevitably remain. It is time we stop hiding behind our computer screens and social media platforms and start backing up our words
Everyday when I would get home from elementary school, I would ride my bike around the neighborhood, go to the park or play tag with my friends. I was always doing something active outside and those memories I made are some of my favorite from my childhood. However, as I have grown older and technology has become more prominent within society, I have found myself watching television, texting my friends and using social media instead of going for a run or to play sports with my friends. Even though technology is a useful and entertaining tool, it has proven to be capable of producing undesirable results. People have continuously prioritized the use of electronics over face-to-face interactions, which has unfortunately been promoted even greater within emerging generations. Whether it be playing video games with one another online instead of playing a game together in person or taking mass forms of transportation instead of walking, it is evident that technology has taken over the lives of Americans, which in turn has had other negative impacts on people. Not only is it terrible for children to suffer from these technological addictions, but this has also expanded the widely growing epidemic of obesity, which ultimately puts children at risk for poor health. According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention, nearly one in five children in America suffer from obesity. This statistic has risen in recent years, and it is no surprise that a major reason for this increase is due to the promotion of technology usage. Instead of being active and playing sports with friends or siblings, people prefer to lay on the couch, have some
with actions; expressing stances on a topic will only get us so far. It is important to have beliefs, but it is more meaningful when they are backed by proactive behavior. If the laws regarding wildlife and the environment are not providing adequate protection, lobby Congress in support of enhanced policies; if being out of shape is an issue, follow the path to a healthier lifestyle; and if the voter turnout rate is unsatisfactory, go door-to-door and encourage people to vote. When people start to devote the time they waste on complaining toward involvement and making a difference, they will be amazed by the bells they can ring. One person may not think that his/her contribution is significant, but with enough dedication and drive, one “ordinary” person’s efforts could trigger a ripple effect. Whether it be about political, environmental or personal matters, be the person to elicit this chain reaction.
Bottom Line: Results will come from action, not complaints. This realization became apparent to me after my experience canvassing for the November Midterm Election. Instead of continuing to stress and vent about the prospective results, I hit the pavement and did what I could do to make an impact. I turned my inaction into meaningful action, and the empowerment I felt was extremely rewarding. I am just an ordinary teenager who was able to inspire change through simple acts. When people take their passion and put their money where their mouth is, they will do this too.
snacks arms distance away and not have to exert any real energy to get the satisfactory feeling of winning. And honestly, how can you blame them? Clearly, the more appealing option is where one gets to sit in air conditioning and move their fingers as opposed to running around, jumping and sweating. People must overcome this barrier which prevents them from realizing the positive outcomes of participating in physical activity. Technology has largely been responsible for driving the sedentary lifestyle, and too much sitting leads to many health problems, especially obesity. All humans have the basic necessity and desire to eat; however, many lack this similar desire to be active. Promoting this drive to be fit is beneficial to ensuring children remain healthy. As years continue, technology is likely going to continue expanding. Though this growth may make it more difficult to do
Bottom Line: Teens should prioritize face-to-face interactions over technology. so, people must gain the courage to put down their phones and head outside for some physical activity. It is imperative that children are encouraged to refrain from using technology and spend their afternoons being active and enjoying the company of others to discourage the growth of obesity within future generations. So next time you sit down to binge a new show, get up and go for a run instead and encourage others around you to do so, too.
Bottom Line: Melania Trump needs to enact meaningful and effective programs utilizing her power as the First Lady of the United States.
First Lady fails to fulfill responsibilities associated with powerful position In the history of the United States, first ladies have traditionally assumed the role of a leader and partial spokesperson for the country on initiatives. Upon assessing the history of first females in the United States, eloquent and beautifully versed women like Eleanor Roosevelt, Jacqueline Kennedy and Michelle Obama come to mind. Not only did these women use their time in the White House alongside the president to prompt meaningful programs, they also served as role models for the youth and adult populations in the United States and across the globe. During her husband’s time in office, first ladies should use their close proximity to the president, and to power, to prompt change and start initiatives for the betterment of society in the United States.
President Donald J. Trump’s wife, Melania Trump, has prompted few initiatives at this point in his term compared to previous first ladies. Rather than gaining attention from meaningful programs that affect different sectors of individuals in the country, Melania Trump has earned herself publicity through means of eccentric wardrobe choices and even ironic, graphic items. Gaining the most attention in the media, Melania Trump was seen wearing a trench-style jacket with, “I really don’t care, do you?” on the back, while visiting the TexasMexico border with her husband. In addition to the lack of connection with the populace, Melania Trump refrained from moving into the White House for five months. While almost
all other first families move into the presidential residence immediately upon the President taking office, Melania remained in the Trump family’s lavish Manhattan residence with her son Barron for five months following President Trump’s induction to allow Barron to finish his schooling in Manhattan. The First Lady of the United States is not elected and therefore does not have any constitutionally granted power. In our country’s history, the first lady’s role has morphed from a homemaker to a powerful woman, capable of completing meaningful accomplishments. Although Melania did recently begin the “BE BEST” movement, a political campaign dedicated to assisting children in need through heightened drug abuse awareness, social media and overall promotion of well-being, no significant progress has been made for the movement since its commencement. While this attempt is effective in theory, Mrs. Melania Trump has not taken any significant action in executing this movement, making “BE BEST” a rather unproductive initiative
unlike Mrs. Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move!” Campaign. At this point in President Barack Obama’s first term, Michelle Obama had already prompted and executed action regarding her plans for improving nutrition in schools across America, increasing exercise habits among the American youth population and promoting poverty awareness. Not only did these strategies address prominent issues, but Michelle Obama used her proximity to the president to her advantage to execute the most change possible during her time in the White House. This concept of utilizing one’s power is not uncommon for first ladies, especially those in the 21st century. Although activity is not required from the individual holding this position, Melania Trump has done little compared to her predecessors, promoting a sense of disconnect and a lack of productivity in the White House today.
42 THE CIRCUIT
WWW.CBHSCIRCUIT.COM
OPINION
DECEMBER 2018
ALS organization expands leadership
Before I was born, my grandma passed away from a debilitating disease: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). This illness affects the motor neurons in the spinal cord and leads to muscle atrophy and weakness. Once I was old enough to comprehend all of this, I immediately knew I had to do something about it. Three years ago, my sister and I published our own children’s book called My Dad Has ALS? We decided to do this to help raise awareness and funds for the disease while also explaining the serious symptoms and effects in kid friendly language. While this was an amazing opportunity, I realized I had lost touch with the ALS community and decided it was time for another project, so I created my own club called the ALS Teen Board. I choose to do this to carry on my grandmother’s legacy and to encourage my peers to involve themselves in disease research and ALS awareness. When establishing my club, I did it outside of the Bay so it can appeal to more students from seventh to twelfth grade and also so students from other schools can join. Since it is for a cause that is so important to me, I want as many dedicated members as I can find. Then it came time to electing an officer board to help me run and organize the club. I knew strong leadership would be crucial to my success in promoting the club and awareness of the disease, so I hand selected the officers, choosing some of my peers whom I knew would be hardworking and passionate. After I found my officers, I decided it was extremely important to hold an
officer meeting. This was my first time leading a meeting like this, so going into it, I was anxious. However, I had prepared everything I wanted to say to the board and everything that needed to be addressed. I also needed to establish how I wanted the club to run. Personally, it is important to me that I acknowledge the opinions of my officer board and take what they say into account. For the ALS Teen Board, compromise has been vital to our smooth leadership and execution thus far. Since I was leading others who are extremely close in age to me, I thought it was going to be difficult telling them what needed to be accomplished and I was afraid they would not respect me. As a precaution, I devised documents for each officer detailing my expectations and requirements for their position. As I went over these documents at the first meeting, we edited them together, allowing the officers to have input on their jobs. After this event, I was able to see how ardent my officers were, as they were spitting out ideas left and right. I was beyond elated to see how much these officers cared about the club, and from this moment on, I knew that I had picked the best officers possible and that they would respect me despite our closeness in age. As a team, we decided to run the club off of a point system wherein every time a member donates money, attends an event or volunteers, he or she will receive points. After members accumulate five points, they earn a service hour. I hope this system will motivate members to be
PHOTO SUBMITTED BY JEN SILVERMAN
CLUB CREATOR: Sophomore Jen Silverman leads her first meeting for the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Teen Board, a club she founded in honor of her grandmother who passed away from this disease.
active in the club and the ALS community. Another great idea that came out of my officer meeting was to bring back the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. This is when someone pours ice water on themselves and then he or she nominates his or her friends to do the same. The reasoning behind this is to raise awareness and gain publicity for this disease. The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge was extremely popular three years ago and gained a lot of publicity for ALS, so I want to bring it back full force. The club’s first social
media post on Instagram is an ice bucket video where we tagged several of our peers in efforts to get the trend going again. Starting this club from scratch has been a learning experience; however, I am excited to continue this journey and watch as my club grows. I am eager to help those impacted by this disease and hope to make my family, especially my grandma, proud of what I am doing to aid the ALS community.
43 WWW.CBHSCIRCUIT.COM
OPINION
DECEMBER 2018
THE CIRCUIT
Diving into New Experiences
Scuba diving certification provides newfound confidence by overcoming personal obstacles.
Coming from a family of five, who all have vastly different interests and daily activities, it’s hard to find one thing that we can all share as a family. During the summer of 2018, however, my mother decided she had found the perfect family activity: scuba diving. Of course, to achieve my mother’s fantasy of a beautiful family vacation diving in clear Caribbean waters we would have to go through countless hours of training. A few months later, in early October, my mother signed my brothers, my father and I up for an online scuba diving course which was followed by two days of actual training at Davie Pine Island Aquatic Center. Going into this, I was nervous considering all of the risks of the sport like running out of oxygen or getting caught in an undercurrent. I logged into my Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) account and completed half of a section of a course that has 180 sections, and stubbornly decided that there was no way that I would ever become a scuba diver. Every page was filled with way too much information for anyone to remember and what scared me the most was that scuba diving was not like any average sport: breaking a rule is a potential life or death situation. For example, if you break a rule in soccer you may get a yellow card, but if you break a rule in scuba diving, your lungs might implode. This all seemed like way to much responsibility for something that
was intended to be fun. My procrastination started to catch up to me when I realized that I had to finish 179 sections of my online course before my training which was quickly approaching in two days. On Oct. 6, I spent the entire day finishing my scuba diving course online. That Saturday began with awkward stares as I pencil jumped into the Davie Pine Island Aquatic Center pool wearing full scuba gear. The Scuba Instructor David, whom I was now trusting with my life, seemed like a trustworthy man, so I felt more comfortable giving this whole thing a try. Although my head was only inches underwater, I was ecstatic with the new feeling of breathing underwater. We explored the treasures of the white cement community pool, which were just lost hair ties and dead leaves, but being able to breathe normally underwater was exhilarating. After five hours, I left with clammy hands and a feeling of excitement. Finally, the day arrived where I was taking my newly learned skills to the real waters in the ocean near Ft. Lauderdale Beach. I woke up at 5 a.m., which is exceptionally early for me, because my mother wanted to get to the beach early. When we got there, I hopped on the boat, filled with experienced divers, and began to worry. When it was time to jump into the rough waters, I crouched to the end of the boat as a carried a 21 pound aluminum
EDITORS
The Circuit is the student newspaper of Cypress Bay High School. The opinions expressed in the paper are not necessarily those of the adviser, administration, or advertisers. The publication of advertisements in The Circuit does not imply endorsement. The Circuit is a free publication available to approximately 4,700 students and 300 faculty and staff members of Cypress Bay High School. The publication prints 3,500 copies six times per year. The Circuit has been recognized as a Columbia Scholastic Press Association Silver Crown Winner, National Scholastic Press Association-All American publication and Florida Scholastic Press Association All-Florida publication. TO CONTACT US: CALL (754) 323- 0350, ext. 3277 eileen.manella@browardschools.com OR VISIT cbhscircuit.com
PHOTO SUBMITTED BY LARA SAADE
SPLISH SPLASH: Junior Lara Saade attends her first scuba diving trip with her parents and brother at Tigertail Lake in Davie, Fla. This dive was Saade’s last step toward her certification. On this dive, Saade and her family applied all of their knowledge from the course in order to go down 15 meters.
tank on my back. My diving suit clinged onto my shaking body as I nervously jumped in with one single step. When the water actually touched my skin I was relieved; the water didn’t seem as rough or as cold and scary as I had imagined. 40 feet down in the water, I felt more tranquil and calm than up on shore. I saw an entire world down there that I was previously too scared to see. The amount of colorful fish made it seem like an aquarium, except this time I was a part of it. Instead of swimming, it felt like I was softly floating through the rusty shipwreck which we were exploring on the dive. After an hour, my tank was low on oxygen and I reluctantly came up to the surface. I conquered my fears and
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ended up having an incredible dive. If I had slept in and gave into my fears, like I wanted, I would have missed out on this opportunity. From this experience, I realized I need to step out of my comfort zone more often and be open to trying new things because I never know what I will discover. Now, as a certified scuba diver, I have a unique license card that I can show off to friends and I am able to face my fears head on. After accomplishing this task, other obstacles I have always thought about attempting like rock climbing and snowboarding seem like an easier feat. Moreover, that fantasy Caribbean diving trip that my mother wished for has already been booked.
STAFF WRITERS Gowri Abhinanda, Rachel Alexander, Abigail Ballard, Kirsten Bey, Anamaria Camara, Cristina Cimato, Colin Crawford, Heather Dennis, Camila Espinosa, Ethan Gaer, Luciana Garzon, Isabella Grogan, Sophia Handley, Samuel Hirshan, Tyler Jones, Reece Kauffman, Hannah Lassner, Courtney Levinson, Ilyssa Mann, Gabriella Mcmillan Romero, Tomas Monaco, Chloe Nowack, Sabrina Olivieri, Devin Pabian, Milena Pino, Christina Pugliese, Jesus Rivero, Lara Saade, Angela Santoro, Jennifer Silverman, Hannah Shulby, Rachel Supnick, Sandra Talledo, Darian Trabold, Alexandra Vazquez, Julia Winton
44 THE CIRCUIT
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DECEMBER 2018